---

No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure.

Habits were strange things. Before you knew it they entered your life, altered your ways and changed you, slowly but surely. They came and went, some sticking while others were only temporary, ultimately changing the you that others perceived. The thing is, habits don't just suddenly change. They fade gradually, like sand blown to cover the hoof prints trailing along a shoreline. When someone suddenly change their ways without rhyme or reason, it is usually a sign of something being wrong.

Like when a girl suddenly strays from her usual routines, leaving behind family, friends and work to take off gods knew where, so suddenly that even her faithful servant and new shadow lost track of her. Normally Djinn kept a bit of distance between them, strolled after her and lingered on the sidelines as not to make her aware that he was watching her every move. Ophelia didn't need to know how seriously he took his promise of watching her back, or how diligently he watched every horse she came in contact with. That he had managed to loose her now was worrying, the frenzy with which he searched for her almost zealous. Had something happened, was she ill, had she gotten herself injured when he wasn't looking?

The relief he felt upon finding her tracks surprised even himself. It was as though a lump slipped from the throat and settled back into the gut, as if the heart had stopped beating only to now resume its work, once more providing blood for the brain and allowing him to think clearly.
Really, it shouldn't be surprising that she went away from time to time. What did he know of her, after all? Not much, they had met only recently and she remained a mystery, one he wished to solve. Still, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was off as he followed the footsteps across the slowly warming landscape, large hooves crunching through the crust of sunkissed snow. Even the elusive Ophelia had her habits, and disappearing shouldn't be one of them.

Cheerfully talking to dangerous looking stallions really ought to be removed from the list too, but sadly the girl wasn't entirely aware of her own worth or the possible dangers a foreign face could bring. Djinn gritted his teeth and sighed as he finally caught up with her, finding the pale young mare in happy conversation with a unicorn that reeked of death and unspeakable terror, and a winged mare who's expression appeared more than just a little distressed.

"Leave it to her to make my job harder" he muttered to himself and lengthened the steps into a trot, that quickly brought the demon-eyed stallion toward the small group. He gave the strangers a wary look as he placed himself next to Ophelia, slightly further ahead than she was and muscles tense in case he would have to make use of the crystalline horn that sprouted from the forehead.

"Do pardon the intrusion" he said lazily, deep voice lacking the normal jesting tone but still somewhat laid back as the mercenary assessed the situation. "Is there a problem, ma'am?" A quick glance was spared towards his small commander, partly to see how she liked this down-to-business attitude of his and partly from curiosity - that bright expression wasn't one he'd ever seen with her before. Normally the crimson princess was much more... well, guarded.

Nor is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain.

---