so i listen to the    wind for an answer

They come, and some smile and offer congratulations, but it feels hollow. She doesn’t blame them, either. Tembovu is no longer King. There is a sadness that lingers over the meeting and those that gathered. How can there not be? Too, she notices, the group is small. Not all of the herd is here, and she wonders if they are gone entirely or just unwilling to stand here. And if so, for what reason? They couldn’t have known what this meeting was about before, couldn’t be abstaining from watching her take the throne. Even she hadn’t known what was about to happen.

So then where were they? Why weren’t they here?

She tries to nod at those that offer her congratulations or a nod of recognition. Her eyes linger on Sacre for a moment, returning his smile. Her face remains a pleasant mask of gratitude tinged with sadness. Her place is not in front of the Edge but within it, as their Moon Doctor. Tembovu’s place is before them. What her face doesn’t show is the growing worry. Their numbers seem small in comparison to the groups that used to gather when Tembovu called them. She was afraid without him, they would continue to dwindle. Afraid that she would not be enough to fill the void he would leave behind.

Tilney’s response nearly breaks her heart. She smiles at him slightly, “Of course I’ll still come,” she says quietly, the response designed for his ears, though certainly not kept from others. Ros flatly refuses to believe it, and that too breaks Lyanna’s heart. Not because she cares that there’s no congratulations from Ros’s lips – she doesn’t – but because she understands how Ros feels. She would have to see what she could do to make it better, but then, what could she possibly do? Lead. She could lead, as best she knew how. But she could get to know Ros better as well. They had met once, long ago, when Lyanna had been new and Ros had been looking for someone, but she remembers the day well. It had been too long since they’d talked since.

She is endlessly thankful when Isopia brings up the Moon Goddess, and Mesec their recent patrols. This is a much better topic, and her ears flick forward as Alysanne says they too were attacked on patrol. Lyanna listens to everything they say, thinking that perhaps she needed to get her butt in gear and get out on patrols with her herd more now. It had always seemed more important to keep the greenhouse and garden in check before. But now? Now she would need to be in more places than ever before. “If anything strange happens after this meeting, please come let Alysanne or myself know as well.” She adds simply, wanting to make sure they at least kept track of the information, even if it didn’t lead them to many answers.

lyanna