i am a leaf on the wind

Lyanna still feels a little overwhelmed. Though less so now, with the meeting well enough behind them, with the idea of her new responsibilities beginning to settle comfortably enough on her shoulders. Still, it all seemed like quite a lot, and she didn’t know that she’d actually earned the title she’d been given. It seemed more like default, being the only option when a new doctor was needed. And perhaps, it was. But she knows better than to let that bother her. She knows how to earn the position, knows that she can and will continue to prove herself every day.

Which again, all seems daunting. Which is probably ridiculous coming from a once Princess, but there’s something about playing pretty princess that is just not equivalent to being responsible for the health of an entire herd. It’s made more daunting though by the fact there’s still so many in this herd she doesn’t know. She’s creepily keeping an eye on horses who’s names she can’t match to their face, and it feels far too like invading personal space when she can’t even greet them properly.

So, today, instead of disappearing to the Threshold like she does quite often, she stays in the Edge, wandering through the sweltering kingdom and doing her best to keep to the trees and the mist, taking whatever solace from the sun she can find. Tallsun is brutal here, nothing like the summer she knew back in Morham. They had seasons, but their summer never left parts of the kingdom on fire.

She has no plans for the day, but rather just to amble about, come up with a plan maybe. It’s then that a patch of darkness – too dark to be simply the shade of the trees or the mist – catches her eye. She turns herself in that direction, curious, and makes her way over. It’s not long before the white filly comes into sight. Not quite a girl anymore, not yet a woman grown. Like so many other faces, Lyanna doesn’t know this girl either, though she is familiar at least. Offering a nicker in greeting first, Lyanna makes her way over, noting that right near the cool it is distinctly cooler. Magic of some sort, certainly, and rather useful at that. “Hello, I’m Lyanna,” she offers, nodding a head. “I don’t think we’ve properly met before.”  

watch how i soar.

lyanna

i am a leaf on the wind

The girl’s greeting is amicable as she introduces herself. The little cloud of night keeps throwing Lyanna for a loop. It’s not that she necessarily forgets it’s daytime, but it does seem to trick her sense. If she looks in one direction, the sun is bright and miserable and sweltering. But everywhere around her, it is dark and slightly cooler (though likely not as cold as it is around the girl, she’s not trying to invade personal bubble’s here). It’s pleasant, but just a bit trippy.

“I’ve heard of Alune, though I admit, I have not property met him either. How do you like being his apprentice?” she asks, genuinely curious. She knows plenty of the healers at this point, and some of the crafters, but she’s spent little to no time interacting with the other jobs here. What good would she be as a sneak? She could fight, and perhaps she’d see if someone wanted to help her brush up on her vague skills, but in truth, she hating fighting and avoided it. And she knows nothing, really, of those tasked with keeping the history of this place. And of course, she knows nothing of the history of this place. Not really.

Erthe though, perhaps knows more. But most do, of course. Lyanna hasn’t even been in Helovia a year yet, though somehow she wears a title that would imply she’s been around far longer. Erthe seems more like the horses she’s becoming used to around here. Where Lyanna is plain and simple in this place (still strange, and still a good thing), Erthe is beautiful and slightly ethereal. She is almost entirely white, but for stunning pale, turquoise eyes (well, eye), and a slight blue sheen (which might, honestly, be a trick of the light), and glitter. Along with the dual horns, the many various items, the snowy wings. Perhaps, if Lyanna were anyone else, she’d be jealous. But instead, being as simple and plain and she is mean that she’s safe.

Have you been here long? The other mare asks, almost as if reading Lyanna’s thoughts. Perhaps she is. The tri-colored mare still has no idea what kind of magic runs in this land. It is not purely elemental, as she grew up with. She continues, admitting she hasn’t been here long, but that it always felt like home. Ah. If only. If only she could pretend this place always felt like home. It felt like an escape, like a place to hide, like a temporary retreat. It is only somewhat recently beginning to feel like home, and even still, it depends on the day. “Less than a year, honestly. I arrived in Orangemoon, so I guess almost a year now, if this heat ever goes away.” She chuckles slightly, a wing lifting to gesture toward the bright light of day just beside them. She tried not to bring small talk to the weather all the time, but Tallsun was brutal. “It wasn’t quite so hot, where I come from. Still getting used to it.”

watch how i soar.

lyanna

i am a leaf on the wind

In truth, she has no idea what Alune does, exactly, other than commune with the Moon Goddess on occasion and keep the history of the Edge. Which, to be fair, seems like quite a lot if she really thinks about it. What it’s not is necessarily an active, do-stuff kind of job. Not in the way going out and gathering herbs is, or sparing, or stealing. It doesn’t make it less, just different.

Erthe talks about her job, and Lyanna listens, genuinely interested. Well, technically not the girl’s job yet, and she’s not quite grown. Though from the looks of her, she is certainly close. Lyanna doesn’t really know what that’s like, truthfully. She was born a princess. Turning two or three or any age really never changed the expectations put on her, other than she was expected to stand longer, smile prettier, etc. It wasn’t like here, where your life and your job didn’t really begin until you’d come of age.

“It sounds like a really interesting job, and I’m sure Alune will keep you busy when the time comes. But if you are ever bored, I know nothing, and I would love to learn more about the history here,” she says, really meaning it. “But only if you are bored,” she says with a bit of a grin. She doesn’t want to put the girl out either, or be any needier than she already feels. It’s still hard, learning everything so quickly while also trying to be of use and not just in the way. At least she’s less in the way now than she used to be, having at least some clue how this place works.

The topic switches to the weather, and to her credit, Erthe makes it sound like a conversation and not just pleasantries. Lyanna’s about to ask what it’s like in the north, and then take to the sky and get there just as quickly as possibly (we hasn’t she thought of that?), when the girl says maybe this will help?. Lyanna flicks an ear forward, curious, but the girl is already crossing the remaining distance between them, pressing her neck against Lyanna’s.

The chill is instantaneous. It’s not enough to make the heat disappear, but it’s certainly enough to be refreshing. Lyanna actually sighs, a smile slipping onto her face. “That,” she says with a bit of a laugh, “is amazing.” Clearly, it doesn’t bother her to have someone in her own personal space without invitation. Maybe it should, and certainly it would if that someone was unwelcome. But Erthe is pleasant, kind, and a herdmate, and Lyanna doesn’t think twice. Besides, why would she? The girl is literally cooling her down. No complaints. “Thank you. Though if you don’t mind my asking, does it keep you cold as well, or do you feel like the glaciers in the north?”

watch how i soar.

lyanna

i am a leaf on the wind

She knew that sense of anticipation and dread, knew the feeling of butterflies in her stomach. It was exciting and scary to be responsible for things, for the actual health of her herd members. It was, in truth, no small task. And one that Lyanna often didn’t feel prepared for. But at the same time, it was something that she enjoyed, something that she dedicated her time to learning more about, and something that she chose. That was still such a novel idea to her, being able to choose her own path in life. And it was not something she was likely to take for granted anytime soon.

In the end, she’d still probably hand it all back. Give up everything she’d worked for here to have her family back. But every day that thought became a little harder to stomach, every day she paused just a fraction of a second longer. Would she really? Sometimes, in truth, she wasn’t sure. But for Corbin, she would likely give anything.

“Hey, I’m a great guinea-pig. I know so little, you will absolutely manage to teach me things.” She grins, a playful spark in her eyes. She didn’t doubt that Erthe would be able to teach her things regardless, but still, she can’t help the tease. And she figures taking the pressure off helps as well. But really, in truth, she was excited to learn anything and everything she could. And to do so from Erthe. The filly (really, almost a mare) was kind and mature and fun to spend time with. Sometimes Lyanna still finds this sensation weird, this realization that she might actually make friends here. Horses who actually just liked her for her, and not her for her title. Because yes, she has a title here, but it’s hardly the same as coddling up to the Princess in hopes of gaining the King’s ear. She knows the difference.

Erthe goes on to answer her next question, talking about how it just makes everything feel colder. “No wonder you went North for a while. I think I would have too.” Lyanna often escapes to the sky. If she goes high enough, she can get past the heat, though she can’t stay there for long periods of time. That high, the oxygen thins, and she tires too quickly to spend long amounts of time above the clouds. It was perhaps a slightly dangerous habit, but she liked it too much to stop. “You do seem to have useful tricks, at least. Well, one more useful for me, but still…” she grins again, laughing slightly as she trails off.

The topic switches to the herd. Lyanna didn’t realize just how much the girl had been gone, though if she thinks hard enough, she can’t recall seeing the white mare at the last herd meeting. Not that she would have thought much of that, given the size of the herd. But now, it’s starting to make sense. “Ah, well. You’ve missed a bit.” she says, pausing for a moment, debatingjust how much to go into. “We had a herd meeting recently, and Tembovu explained the herd quest to us. Everyone has to help, either digging that trench or clearing the bramble thicket or doing some target practice with glass. The end goal is to have glass spikes that protect the border, and the gate is the beginning of that. The one way in and out of the herd, though for Edge members the spikes will retract into the ground.” She pauses, trying to think if she’s missing anything on that front. Not that she can remember, at any rate. Granted, there were probably some details she simply didn’t get told, which was fine by her.

“On top of that, Elsa stepped down, though still holds the rank of Captain. Alysanne was promoted to Queen in her place, and Mauja to Emissary, along with a handful of other promotions.” Not that she could recite them all, honestly. There’d been quite a number of changes, and she’d been pretty much hung up on her own promotion and Aly’s promotion to Queen. She’d more or less missed everything that came after. “The promotion of a healer to Queen, someone who theoretically does not fight and therefore cannot protect the herd, did not go unnoticed.” She keeps her voice neutral, and leaves any particular names out of it. But it’s not like the girl won’t find out eventually. Might as well just tell her now.

watch how i soar.

lyanna

i am a leaf on the wind

Erthe’s response is almost a welcome relief. She says aloud what Lyanna had been thinking, but never would have voiced herself. She feels as though she hasn’t been around long enough to be entitled to have such opinions. She doesn’t know Elsa, and doesn’t know what the Queen may or may not do that Lyanna simply does not see. But she knows that Tembovu is often around – he comes to greet newcomers, he appears at births, he shows for promotions – and then he’s often gone as quickly as he comes. Which she understands. His time is precious, and he cannot be in more than one place at a time, so he must make the most of that time. He is around, where Elsa is not.

“Elsa is the reason I live here,” she says with a small smile. “And I admit I wasn’t surprised either, but felt a little bad thinking that. I’m glad to find out I’m not the only one.” It had been Elsa who found her in the Threshold, but it had also been Elsa that had to leave just as quickly, and Lyanna had found her way through (well, above) Helovia and to the glass wall on her own. She’d been lucky, honestly, that she’d found the Edge at all.

Erthe continues, having no problem with a healer as Queen. Lyanna’s smile widens a bit, but of course, she has a soft spot for their new Queen, who’d been the one to find Lyanna on the border almost a year ago now. Apparently Lyanna’s life here had been dictated by two Queens. She’d never even thought of that, honestly, though the realization hits her now. Ah, always a bit of a Princess, aren’t you Lyanna? she thinks to herself, knowing it to be true. There are certain things she cannot forget, pieces of her training that have simply become too much a part of herself to escape. Though as a whole, life here was far more freeing than life in Morham had ever been.

“I’ve worked with Alysanne quite a bit. She was a good Moon Doctor, and so I hope that will translate over into a good Queen as well.” She thought it would, but in the end, only time would tell. “Stable leadership is important to a herd. Though the Edge flourishes.” Which was likely due to Tembovu. Imagine what this place would be like under two active monarchs. Just in case there weren’t enough names and faces for her to learn….

Erthe peels herself away, and the heat comes flooding back. It’s less of an awkward conversation, talking with some space between then, though Lyanna can’t say she isn’t slightly disappointed. Still, the short relief from the heat has cooled her down enough that she no longer feels like she might melt. It must be worse for Erthe though, if everything just feels hotter, so she won’t complain.

Erthe asked her opinion, and Lyanna pauses for a moment, thinking of it. “You know, I’m not sure. It has the potential to be good or bad. The herd has power, and at least some small say in their government, which is important. I come from a place where monarchies were inherited by the eldest child, and it left the populace rather restless. But at the same time, there’s something to be said for having stable leadership. It promotes trust, activity…”

She pauses again for a moment, trying not to let the thoughts of Morham overwhelm her. Life here has become something she enjoys, something that feels like life and not just a dream. But still, she will never stop missing her home. “I think Alysanne will strive to make everything right within the herd, and if they are open to that, I think things could go well. But I don’t know everyone in this herd well enough to say how they will receive it.”

watch how i soar.

lyanna

i am a leaf on the wind

Sometimes, the voices of the quiet were lost. No, not sometimes, often. Not always. Certainly, not always. Lyanna had seen her mother and father seek out the silent person in the room and ask their opinion. Sometimes they were silent simply because they had nothing to say. Sometimes they were silent because they didn’t think their voice mattered. How often had her parents taken their advice? More times than she can remember. It’s the quiet ones that know the most, the ones who spend their time listening and learning and not simply talking. Lyanna didn’t talk much, truthfully, not in large meetings like that. But Tembovu and Alysanne had noticed her anyway, and she somehow already held the rank of Moon Doctor. It gave her some hope that they would hear all the quiet souls of the herd. 
 
It gave her some hope that it would be alright, as Erthe says. But still, Lyanna laughs at the next comment, her smile sly and the gleam in her eye just a bit mischievous. “I suppose we will,” she says with a laugh. Not that she’s ever pictured herself in any real form of leadership (what do you think your current job is, Lyanna? she thinks). Not since Morham, anyway. It hurt in a way she couldn’t quite shake still, even though she’s come so far. Still. The Edge could never replace Morham. The Edge simply became a new home. One she could live in without fear that someone would stab her just for the teal on her wings.
 
Erthe steps away slightly, eyeing some nearby grass and asking in Lyanna wants to join her for a meal. Lyanna nods her assent, realizing as well that it’s been some time since she’s eaten. She spends a lot of time working lately, and probably not enough time socializing or eating or sleeping. Her time with Erthe has been a pleasant reprieve from giving flying lessons and getting (or giving) herb lessons. She loved learning, but it was nice to simply chat with someone that so easily felt like a friend. Lyanna wanders off a little ways, to where the grass looks green and not too terribly trodden down.
 
“I hear rumors about weeding the garden,” she says in between bites. “Or possibly digging the trench more. Though I don’t know which lovely task is the one you’ll be getting.” She takes another bite, pauses for a moment, and then adds. “But there wasn’t much else in the meeting, really. Though did they really make horses shovel dung?” 

watch how i soar.

lyanna