Although Alysanne would not have held it against him if Dragomir had not recognized her on sight, she was relievd to see that he did. Their few, scattered meetings throughout their collective stay at the Edge had been little more than helping out with various projects at the same time but, as far as she was concerned, he had still been a herd member back in a time when she had considered everyone in the Edge a friend.

Times had changed, sure, but she was happy to brush those thoughts out of her mind at the cheerful boom of Dragomir’s voice. She laughed with delight at his question about the garden, her mind breezing over how it had been a sore point for her lately. She didn’t want to think about anything dark, anything sad, right now. “Still growing strong! Luckily I’ve had a lot of help taking care of it.” It was vastly by the efforts of the other healers in the Edge that the garden had come back from disarray after she had neglected it.

They were joined in a moment by a dark grey mare Alysanne did not recognize but who she greeted with a warm smile. It was infinitely easier to be relaxed and lighthearted around this stranger and acquaintance. “I’m Alysanne, of the Edge.” She dipped her head in greeting to Syrena before her attention was grabbed once more by the bay stallion and his question about magical lands. A light laugh escaped her, hers coming easily and bright and she hoped it might sooth away the awkwardness in his. “No, no, you’re lucky - Helovia has been the same size for a while now.” Now that she thought about it, had anything happened in Helovia since the last time she had seen him around? For a while there, it had been wraiths chased by murders chased by invasions chased by battles with gods! Alysanne still bore the scars on her wings from one the fight in the Riptide Isles, though the feathers had finally grown in enough to hide the worst of it. “Actually, I can’t think of anything large that’s shaken the place up lately, we must be due for something soon.” Although she said it with a wink, attempting to be lighthearted, it did send a worrisome thought through her. What was next? Despite the personal turmoil she had been going through, things across Helovia had been uncharacteristically peaceful lately.

Although her attention drifted between both those she was in the company of, her attention of course drifted back to Dragomir. It wasn’t that she wanted to ignore the lady from the Falls - if anything it reminded her that this was the Threshold and perhaps this Syrena was going to attempt to recruit Dragomir.

The thought of another friend wasted on that herdland made her stomach flip uncomfortably. Even with Brisa (as she thought) on the throne, she still wasn’t sure whether it was the abhorrent Archibald or the kalamitous Kaj that ruled with her and both were dreadful options.

So she asked him a question that wasn’t about his plans now that he was back in Helovia, maintaining that sunny smile for her two new friends. “Have you been well?”

If you could only understand—through my heart and through my veins

I gave it all,

I'll give again.