the Rift


[PRIVATE] Mother and Daughter [Nayati, Bale]

Romani Posts: 205
Outcast atk: 4 | def: 8 | dam: 7
Mare :: Equine :: 14.2 :: 9 HP: 66 | Buff: NOVICE
Kasai :: White Tiger :: Wind Whip Sparrow
#1


Romani

It had seemed like such a long time since she had walked these very fields. The scent on the breeze was just as she remembered, if not changed and altered by the arrival of Orangemoon. With each step that the Haflinger mare took, she was drowned further and further in her memories of the rolling hills that she had loved so very much. The waterfall roared somewhere in the distance, and despite how much Romani yearned to go drink from the fresh, crystalline depths of the stream, she refrained. This was not her home anymore, and she could not simply stroll into the Foothills acting as if it still was.

The mare did not come here today to cause any kind of trouble for the Grey, or the new creatures that called this land home. She came to retrieve the one member of her family that had been left behind; Nayati.

Thick, heavy - feathered hooves were muted against the thick grasses of the hills, and her crisp, azure eyes remained on the look out for the familiar form of the spotted filly. Honestly, Romani wasn't even sure if Nayati was still here. Would Ktulu and Ophelia have driven the spotted princess out once their invasion had been completed? Or would they have allowed the youngling to stay in their grasp? But... Nayati was a frail thing. She had grown and matured greatly in the few, pathetically sad times that Romani had last seen her, but she was still frail... And still so very precious to the palomino's heart.

She had come here today to search for the wayward filly and take her home, to the Edge, to live with herself, Xanthos, and Jasiri. They could finally be the family that Fate had always denied them.

"Nayati!" The sweet, melodious vocals were filled with a slight tone of desperation, as Romani felt a high-fear that perhaps the filly would no longer be roaming these hills that they once called home. "Nayati! Dear Heart, where are you!?" Oh, Romani prayed that the Appaloosa was well. If not, then... Giving her head a furious shake, sending the flaxen strands of her forelock to the side of her cranium, the gypsy continued her search. She wouldn't return home until Nayati had been found.

[ooc: Short post is short. :| Typed as I was getting ready for work. This thread is for Nayati and Bale, as Romani means no harm to the Foothills. :3]


The True Soldier Fights Not Because
He Hates What is in Front of Him,
But Because he Loves What is Behind Him.


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Nayati Posts: 116
Outcast
Mare :: Equine :: 14.3hh :: four years
Rathunax :: Common Red Dragon :: Shock Breath cailyn
#2
Nayati

the flower that smells the sweetest is shy and lowly

No longer did the trees whisper sweet melodies unto her ears, nor did the grasses wave at her eagerly in desire for her to lay upon them and doze. Was it the shift in power that had so destroyed her home? Or was it the quickening loss of her own innocence? Nobody was around to taint her and yet she felt as old as time itself. Scar along her thin body no longer ached, as it had healed nearly two seasons ago, but the dark charcoal and coral score over her hide was hideous. A constant reminder that Nayati was unwanted from before she had drawn her first breath. Conflictingly it also reminded her of when Svetlana had found her, crying and bleeding out in the snow of the Threshold in deep Frostfall and saved her. These memories clashed fiercely, both wanting emotional control over that healed line of skin. Nayati used to jump at every shadow and twitch, every trilling bird and shifting leaf. That was how she had soon met Resplendence, who had shown her that even in the darkness of fear your own courage could be a blindingly beautiful guiding light. Insanity, too, had impacted her in this very land. Instead of coddling her, the dark femme had gruffly told her to hold onto her youth and innocence lest she turn cold. Nice as it was to be coddled and loved- especially for one starved of so much attention- Nayati had amazingly loved the blunt and brutal honesty Insanity threw at her. Toughening her up.

Romani.

Slow footsteps shuddered and she faltered, long curtain of locks falling and swaying around her like a waterfall. Dark ruby and rose hued irises stared down at the paleness of her hoof against the emerald backdrop of the grass. Beside it lay a single crumpled leaf, slightly damp from the recent rains of Orangemoon. No longer a brilliant orange, it had dulled and drooped into the stages of umber as it withered away. Even at ten months, her hoof was hardly the same size of the maple leaf, and black nostrils flared to reveal the salmon color within as she angrily frowned. Fighting may not suit her build or personality, but Nayati despised how small and frail she was. Would her height ever budge over fourteen hands? Would her restless behavior ever allow her to eat enough to put on weight? Living in the Wilds, returning to the Foothills only at night during the two seasons Romani and Bale had been gone, the spotted princess had grown thin and wiry. Lean muscles did not decorate her form, nor any athletic build of the sort. Instead she seemed lost in the ever-growing tangles of her hair, a frail figure that could snap at the lightest brush or breeze. Perfect ivory locks trailed along the ground, tail having reached such a length long ago but only recently had her mane joined it in reverently caressing the earth.

Flowers bloomed comfortingly in said locks, ranging in shades she had not even known existed. Like a gentle lulling perfume they surrounded her, lovingly chasing her heels wherever she went. Awakening her with a large bed of them every time she closed her carmine eyes for rest. Nayati loved them, though they were not sentient and could not return the affections she felt towards them. The Earth Lord had not forgotten her, and with every quickly blossoming flower she thanked him for giving her exactly what she had wanted. Needed, even, to continue on without giving up or letting herself be taken to death to meet Svetlana once more. To the small princess, they were little symbols of hope. A reminder that someone loved her, that she was not as alone as she often felt in this big world.

Frail form was not welcoming to the subtle shift from heat to brisk winds. Orangemoon was the awakening for her, as it always brought about the first hints of her coughing and bloody lips. For as long as she could remember, the teensy princess had weak lungs that made cold months painful. Already her throat itched and she couldn't help but spread tiny coal lips, thin chest constricting as she feebly coughed out a dry sound that didn't fit her youth. Sighing softly into the cooling air, she began to turn back towards the place she had claimed with Bale. It was starting to get dark, and Nayati was uncomfortable leaving her cherished friend at the hour they both feared. What stopped her was a single word, one with three syllables and six letters. Her name.

The breath that left her maw the second time around was not a sigh, but a sharp exhale of surprise as if she had been kicked in the ribs. So long, she had thought the owner of that voice would never return. Even if she did, Nayati had resigned herself to the possibility that she would never remember the spotted fae's name again. Yet, the voice plucked a sweet chord inside her heart that sadness and bitterness could never cut. Even if Romani had forgotten her, desiring a companion more than her love, Nayati's heart still lay with the coppery mare that had taken her in without a second thought when Svetlana was kidnapped. At such an age, still awed by Svetlana, the doll had only considered the warrior an aunt figure. Over time, she had evolved into the mother her own had never been. That scar would always remind her to love her children.

Away from her thoughts, which had fluttered to and fro like a nervous bird, scarred legs had frozen as if encased in ice to the earth below. Heart tugged her on towards those anxious vocals. Resentment kept her grounded. Foal in her called for her to run to Romani's side, let herself be held and protected- cherished. Wisdom and Hurt attacked her childish side relentlessly, a foe with only three participants and herself being tugged around in the middle. It hurt.

In the end, Nayati couldn't remain strong any longer. For two seasons she had lived alone, taking care of herself and growing in ways she had never expected or desired. It was evolve or expire out there, and her panic attacks had nearly killed her quite a few times. Presently, she felt far older than her ten months. So much had occurred, and Nayati was no longer the innocent young doe she had once been. Life was hard, and at such a young age she had managed to care for herself when nobody else would. How that would change her in the future was yet to be seen, but Nayati didn't focus on that anymore. Hearing fond nickname called worriedly into the slowly changing day-dusk, Nayati's legs were unfrozen without any realization. Tiny limbs moved her forward at an awkward pace that shifted from cantering to running. Finding Romani was something she needed to do lest she go crazy, but Nayati had not yet forgiven her and was unwilling to make herself seem as if she had run eagerly to her call. Which, she technically was.

Flash of golden red, flick of flaxen.

Nayati's heart skipped at least a dozen beats, and yet her body was moving before her mind could catch up or change the course she was taking. Shouldering free of the foliage always around, Nayati's wide ruby orbs met Romani's sapphire head on. Once more the air rushed from her frail lungs, and with that small motion the appearance of strength she wore shattered. Knees quaked, lip trembled, and rose eyes filled with a small glaze of tears. Old as she may feel, and wisdom of others far older she may have, but Nayati was still a young foal. A touch-starved, attention-deprived youth that needed to be told every day she was precious lest she doubt her own existence. Croaking, she took a few wobbling steps forward towards the warrior that no longer smelled of home-not-home. "Mo-...R-Roma..." No, Romani had been round with child when she had last seen her. She would not like Nayati calling her 'mom' or 'mother'. Quickly her tongue flicked out different sounds to form the nickname she'd given Romani back when speaking was a difficult luxury. The lengths she had made in advancing towards Romani suddenly quivered to a halt. No more courage was left in her body, spent up in internal turmoil and tracking down the mare she loved and resented nearly equally. "Roma..." again she whimpered. Romani would have to advance those last few steps, Nayati could go no farther. Either they would meet halfway, or all would be lost in memories and what-if's.

image credits
table by whit

the rose shadows said that they loved the sun, but they also loved the dark, 
where their roots grew through the lightless mystery of the earth. the roses said: you do not have to choose. 

Romani Posts: 205
Outcast atk: 4 | def: 8 | dam: 7
Mare :: Equine :: 14.2 :: 9 HP: 66 | Buff: NOVICE
Kasai :: White Tiger :: Wind Whip Sparrow
#3


Romani

She moved as if Hell itself was biting at her heels. Nothing would stop her from this endeavor. Nothing would stop her from finding her lost child. Like her struggle to be with Xanthos, too much had happened between them for Romani to simply throw Nayati to the wolves. No, she would spend every last ounce of energy searching these rolling hills for the spotted form that she yearned to see. If she encountered one of the Grey, she would plead, beg, cry if she had to in order to gain passage. This wasn't simply a simple, leisurely outing down memory lane in a place she once called home. No, this was a mother searching for her lost child, and as the saying went, 'Hell hath no fury like a mother scorned.'

"Nayati!" Her strained vocals echoed throughout the land, and Romani cared not for who heard. If Nayati wasn't here, she would continue on, searching every nook and cranny of Helovia if she had to. Xanthos knew her love for the spotted filly, and he was willing to accept her into their family... But first, the missing filly must be found.

Romani, despite her eagerness, wasn't a fool. She knew that Nayati would harbor a bitter anger towards her for how she had abandoned her, and the palomino would stop at nothing to mend what she could with her beloved 'Dear-Heart'. It would be slow-going to gain the relationship that they once had, if it could even return to how it was... But Romani was a stubborn individual. If she needed to take her time to let Nayati know that she would never be alone again, then that is what she would do.

"Dear Heart, please!" No sooner had the desperate cry left her throat that a flicker of movement and spots caught her attention. Romani nearly slid to a halt, forelock swinging forward in a dissarayed mess, but her only care was for the spotted creature that had wormed her way through the thick brush of the Foothills. Wide azure eyes stared into equally surprised mahogany, and for a brief moment all the golden red mare could do was stare. Her tail flicked idly, nostrils flaring as she tried to catch onto the foreign scents that marred Nayati's spotted coat, and as she did, motherly instincts took over. Sapphire orbs roamed the appaloosa's small frame, taking notice that she hadn't been eating well... While naturally small, Nayati was thin. Too thin for Romani's liking. She had grown during the gypsy mare's absense, yes... But not much.

"... Nayati," Romani murmured, a barely-there whisper that danced along the sudden breeze. She wanted to run towards the filly, to wrap her neck around the smaller female and pull her close to whisper soothing nothings in her ear, but... Would Nayati even let her?

'Roma...' Nayati's voice barely met Romani's ears, but the moment that she realized just what the spotted princess had said, Romani was undone. She moved forward, one step, then another, and almost hesitantly did she approach. Tears stained the Haflinger's eyes, her dark lips beginning to tremble in hidden emotion, but she kept her head high.

"Oh, Nayati... There you are, my sweet little one. I've been so worried." She paused only a few feet in front of the filly, nostrils continuing to flare as she sucked in the air between them. Yes, Nayati still smelled of the Foothills, but there was such lingering sadness there, as well. It was palpable, and Romani loathed herself for being the one to put it there. Was there anything she could do...? "I'm here, Dear Heart... And I'm so, so sorry. I... Please, Nayati... I've come to take you home, to the World's Edge, where we can be a family."

Hesitantly Romani took yet another step forward, ivory feathers swaying slightly with each motion. She stopped, just in front of Nayati's smaller, more frail body, and reached her muzzle out to brush against Nayati's own, should the filly allow it. The Protector's heart swelled in her chest, hoping that Nayati would allow, and return, the touch. Please.... Please...

"I want to take you home with me, Nayati... Where you'll never have to be alone again. The Edge is a beautiful, wonderful place."


The True Soldier Fights Not Because
He Hates What is in Front of Him,
But Because he Loves What is Behind Him.


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Please Tag Romani in all Replies!

Nayati Posts: 116
Outcast
Mare :: Equine :: 14.3hh :: four years
Rathunax :: Common Red Dragon :: Shock Breath cailyn
#4
Nayati

the flower that smells the sweetest is shy and lowly

There are lines that cannot be crossed, Nayati has learned. You may toe it, scrape it, or stay as far away from it as you desired. Often she felt like a mouse in a maze trying to navigate the wires these lines appeared to her as. Socialization was not her forte, a reason why she had taken to exploring, inhabiting, and caring for the Deep Forest where she had met her fairy friends. But even she could not decipher the blurred smudges that were sad semblances of lines surrounding her and the glowing fiery maiden. Would anyone be capable of understanding the labyrinth woman and child had built around their relationship? If she was wiser, older, would she then know how to react to this conflicting encounter? Because it felt as if two powerful forces had attached ropes to one side of her body, and was intent on pulling her apart until her heart lay forgotten on the earth below, her mind split and emotions seeking safe haven in one side of a ripped soul. Already it feels as if she is the teapot, her emotions the tempest. The desperation in Romani’s lyrics hurts her, and yet she doubts it. How can she not? The mistress she had idolized, loved, and trusted far deeper than any other had awkwardly and even cruelly dismissed her seasons ago. Nayati had been forgotten, easily replaced. After all, the palomino princess clearly had her tiger companion, a mate, and a child. Perhaps more, with how long she’d been gone. In her eyes, there was no room left at Romani’s side for the troublesome tiny foal that was more work than she was worth. It was strange how she’d believed herself to be free of the self-hatred, self-doubt, and low self-esteem that had plagued her most of her life, only to be proven wrong. Discovering the emerald dragon egg had shown her attributes inside herself she’d never acknowledged, appreciated, or believed. Caring for Bale and encountering yet another strange egg had only strengthened the trust she held for herself. Yet, simply by standing in her vision, Romani had destroyed the concrete base Nayati had slaved to build. Already she was comparing herself to foals she had never encountered, envying and desiring to replicate them equally. Was it something she had been lacking that drove Romani away? And why did she recall her name now, when she had denounced her so harshly, so awkwardly, the last time they had met?

Thoughts swirl in her mind and she is still a tempest, but the teapot is beginning to crack and quake in warning of possible collapse. And then, as if she has reached the eye of the storm, everything goes quiet when softly, her name is lovingly murmured. Dripping like liquid ambrosia from cherry gold lips, a tempting morsel dangled before a starving, beaten mutt. They merely stared for long moments, both before and after that quiet utterance of her title. Neither knew how to act, but both were far too entrenched in loving habits. Oblivious to Romani’s motherly, concerned gaze, Nayati swept her own eyes over her heart-mother’s hide. Almost daring a scratch or bruise to make an appearance, deathly afraid of the ones she loved disappearing, suffering, dying. Already she had lost so many, and idly wondered if she was cursed, a plague that killed all who tried to get close to her.

But oh, how hard it was to think that when crystal tears welled up in Romani’s irises, an echo of fierce love forcing the filly’s knees to quake and tremble as surely as her own weakness and the chilled breeze. Where had the eloquent, calm, earthen soul vanished to? Who was this emotional wreck that had taken her place? Nayati desperately wished she could return to how she’d been before; handle the situation from that viewpoint and that level of inner strength and surety. Surely the Nayati from earlier would know how to react? Because the tiny wrecked china doll standing and trembling before the warrior princess most certainly did not.

Romani had the elegance and restraint to keep her tears from falling, but Nayati did not. Even so she prided herself on the silence with which her first tear was shed. Dark coal lips barely trembled, though her entire frame had apparently not gotten the message. No sobs or huffed breaths escaped her, knowing the moment the first one escaped she would shatter like a badly glued vase at Romani’s hooves. With how weak she already feels, that would surely be the cherry on top of an already packed sundae.

Stillness had been broken by Romani, and her words only continued to shatter the silence around them. The lines only blurred further, metaphorical things that her mind could not let go of. Every word was like a soothing balm to her hurting soul, a kiss to a skinned knee, a warm embrace as one fell into slumber. Her personal drug; patented, named, and consumed by her. Closer Romani sways and Nayati’s lips tremble harder with every word that touches her ears. Simply hearing her say ‘I’m here’ had her hiccupping softly, tears welling faster despite the stubbornness she employed to keep from breaking. She would not immediately welcome Romani back, refused to let her childish emotions and need for affection and closeness ruin the elegant person she had become. As if the words had barely registered, Nayati still found she was helpless to resist the muzzle extended invitingly towards her. Stretching her own neck she met her fully, familiar touch and scent washing over her and calming her tears like a sudden sedation. Instead of clearing her mind or giving her the answer to a question she still couldn’t put into words, the almost painfully intimate, long-ago memorized sensation hazed her thoughts and let her be lulled into a cocoon of…something. Was it love? Romani seemed so very sincere; it was hard for Nayati to believe otherwise. Ache in her heart reminded her otherwise.

Six words slapped her into clarity, and she pulled away slowly. Unwillingly. There was a rather dead, bitter look in her eyes, something that was almost never there normally. ”Where we can be a family?” Okay, perhaps she was being difficult, but she couldn’t let her emotions rule her mind, needed to stop and think and remember how strong she’d become. Was she willing to throw that all away? ”I must remain here…at least until Birdsong. Bale needs me, and the Grey granted us safe haven until the cold seasons pass.” It sounded like a lame excuse to her ears, but it was at least sincere. Brilliant red irises turned heavenward as if asking for support and guidance, and then dropped to perfect snow-encased hooves. Unable to look at her heart-mother, knowing if she did she’d never be able to get these words out. She sucked in a deep breath.

”It…it’s hard for me, Roma. For so long I considered you the mom that mine never was, and I had just decided to tell you when you simply vanished. I was all alone. For so long I had to fend for myself, and I didn’t really know how. Now, I’m glad that I was able to become stronger and wiser, that I survived. To me, it means that clearly I have some sort of purpose, that I was able to get through it because life has something left in store for me.” Gaze flickered to the darkly colored blossoms at her hooves, reflecting her turmoil in their shades. They had saved her then, shown her that she was important, that Mother was wrong. Nayati had become determined, then, to thrive. Show the world how brightly she could glow through her own devices, find peace and wisdom, become an earthy being that people loved to be around. It was the only dream that she had, the one that kept her going. ”And then when I see you again…you cannot even recall my name. Instead, you are bonded without even telling me, and return home from a place I was clueless about. And after you crush me so thoroughly…” Voice wavered and broke sharply, but with a clearing of her throat she crushed the emotion welling inside her.

”I still loved you even then, Roma. I was desperate, hoping you’d remember someday and return to me, that we could be a family again. Our family. You and I.” Dejected bitterness seeps into her words there, almost mocking what Romani had said about being a family again. ”And then I discover next that you remember, but not only have a mate I again knew nothing about, but are with child. I don’t have a place in your family, Romani.” Lyrics are weary, as if an incredibly old mare spoke them instead of a tiny filly. Full name spills forth, nickname too intimate for her to utter once more. Forcing her eyes up, nearly dragging them with the weight she could feel in her mind, Nayati gazed at the woman she loved so dearly. In her ever-readable visage it was clear that she was kicked, broken, shattered, and burned far too many times in her young life. But in her crimson orbs burned a steady wisdom, a gentle sincerity and modest strength that were slowly shaping her. She had become and elegant beauty, frail as she may be physically, and her brilliance in observations had gifted her with eloquence that only made her seem that much older.

”Where will I fit? You have children of your own, a task- likely a warrior- and a mate. I don’t want to encroach on your foal’s territory. They will not be so accepting in their innocence. I am too much trouble, a piece of work nobody wants to even attempt fixing. I love you so much Roma,” and her voice cracked once more, emotion betraying her with how she was really feeling, instead of fooling Romani with her words. ”I love you, but I can’t…I can’t live and be unwanted again. I can’t be the child never meant to be born, the one hidden away in shame and disgust. I don’t want to be the only one who looks so different. It gave me this damn scar, and I don’t…I don’t think my heart would be able to take it. You would find me dead soon after, I couldn’t handle that kind of hatred again…” And though they haven’t appeared since meeting Resplendence, her panic attack affliction is clawing at her throat and sharpening her breaths into hyperventilation. Whites of her eyes became suddenly visible, almost wheezing in her terror. The memories were flooding back with her confession, and they struck her just as hard as ever. Struggling to keep standing, to not fall prey once more, Nayati’s shuddering only doubled as she coughed and stained her lips the same carmine as her eyes. Whimpering, she lowered her crown and spread her legs wide to ensure she didn’t fall and hurt herself like she often had when first experiencing the attacks. Pressing her cheek to one knee, lungs burning and lips coated in the sick iron taste of blood as she suffered through it, waiting it out.

---
Note: That was so long I am so sorry ;~; I tried to cut it off to keep it from hitting any higher
WC: 1,873
Tag: Sparrow/Romani

image credits
table by whit

the rose shadows said that they loved the sun, but they also loved the dark, 
where their roots grew through the lightless mystery of the earth. the roses said: you do not have to choose. 

Romani Posts: 205
Outcast atk: 4 | def: 8 | dam: 7
Mare :: Equine :: 14.2 :: 9 HP: 66 | Buff: NOVICE
Kasai :: White Tiger :: Wind Whip Sparrow
#5


Romani

Of all the things that she had expected Nayati to say, the words that came from the youngling's mouth were difficult to hear. Romani's ears tilted backwards as she listened, not missing the bitter tones of the spotted lady's tone. Oh, Gods... Now she had done it, hadn't she? Her quest for Kasai, for constant companionship, had been something she had done when she and Xanthos had been in their early stages. There was difficulty in their friendship that couldn't be named; the Basin unicorns had watched them at every turn, resorting to violence if they found both the grullo and the palomino consorting in any way. It happened seasons ago, yes, but to Nayati, the pain of betrayal was still very much present. And honestly, Romani couldn't blame her.

And then Xanthos...

Her beloved mate had instilled that he would not be bothered by the company of another to their close-knit family. Quite the opposite, in fact, for Romani was nearly certain that Xanthos loved children just as dearly as she did. The grullo had told her that he would welcome Nayati, if she would dare join them in the Edge, to their family, and in turn his heart. But could the Haflinger convince Nayati of this?

The filly was so much different than what Romani could remember. She was an adult stuck in the body of a filly, and while it brought tears of pride to the palomino's striking blue eyes, causing her chest to swell with joy on how much Nayati had succeeded and changed, her heart couldn't help but also be bogged down with sadness. After all... It was the fault of Romani herself, of Nayati's falsehood of a mother, the death of Svetlana, and the fault of all the others who had struck out and pushed the spotted filly away. It was their fault, yes, but Nayati who had paid the price.

"Nayati," came the murmur, spotting the signs of the filly's oncoming panic attack and wanting to stave it before it could strengthen, "Dear Heart... You're right when you say I have a mate now, and a child, but that does not mean that my family is complete. For so long, I..." Her voice choked, and Romani had to avert her blue gaze from the soulful mahogany that was Nayati's. The appaloosa failly had grown so much over their days apart. "When I first met you, I felt the need to protect you. To give you love and keep you safe from all that have harmed you. I felt the love for you that perhaps an aunt would feel for her niece, but as I grew to know you, my love for you deepend. You were, are my first child, Nayati; you are my blessing from the Gods, and I thank them every day for granting it that we met."

Pausing to breathe in, Romani continued on, once more meeting Nayati's stare. "It was never, ever in my intentions to hurt you or cause you pain, and I beg your forgiveness that I did. Heavens know that I cannot forgive myself, and so I don't fault you if you can't, but... Know that I still love you, Nayati, I always will. Like I said; in my eyes, you're my daughter. You always will be..."

The idea of Nayati remaining in the Foothills until Birdsong was very troubling, but the idea wasn't terrible. It was kind of Ktulu and Ophelia to allow the spotted filly to remain in their boundaries, and the Haflinger felt her respect for the two sisters of the Grey growing. While they had stolen her away from her home, and ultimately Nayati, they showed honor and respect for those who called this place home. It was... Admirable.

"If you so wish to remain here, in the Foothills, the land that you know, I won't argue with you, Nayati... But know that I will miss you, terribly. My heart aches for you, and what I have done, and everyone that have wronged you. If your true decision is to stay here, then-" Here, Romani's voice cracked and faded, as if she was unable to say the words. They were painful, feeling as though some mysterious force was crushing the heart in her chest, but somehow she forced the words out. They needed to be said. "Dear Heart... If you wish to remain here, then I'll accept it and respect your decision. But please... Know that you aren't a burden to myself, Xanthos, or our daughter. You're very welcome with us; you always have been. My family is, and never will be complete unless you are there with us."

Then, Romani's eyes shifted from Nayati, turning to survey her surroundings of the familiar hills of the Foothills. She was past the herd boundaries, she knew, but... For Nayati, she would risk it. The Grey had no interest from her, nor did any attempt of reclaiming her old home. No, her only interest right now would be convincing Nayati that she had no intentions on ever letting her first daughter, her gift from the Gods, go. At least in her heart.

"My love for you is eternal, Nayati. I have wronged you, yes, and I ask your forgiveness... Yet even if you cannot grant it to me right now, then I'll respect your answer. After all, I said terrible things to you, and I hate myself every day for what I had said. I wasn't myself, Nayati, please remember that. I didn't even know Xanthos; I acted just as foolishly when I saw him again, hurting him just as soundly. I suppose, my dear Nayati, what I'm trying to say is that... That I miss you, and I love you terribly. I will never again hurt you, and just know that... No matter what you choose, you'll always have a home in my heart."

Nayati was her child, and right now, Romani wanted nothing but her happiness. Even if that meant forsaking her own.


The True Soldier Fights Not Because
He Hates What is in Front of Him,
But Because he Loves What is Behind Him.


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Please Tag Romani in all Replies!

Nayati Posts: 116
Outcast
Mare :: Equine :: 14.3hh :: four years
Rathunax :: Common Red Dragon :: Shock Breath cailyn
#6

despite everything I gave,
you walked away...
</style>


A stake has been driven into the crimson heart of the additionally golden painted doe, it is clear in the crinkles of her eyes and the defeated, guilted look in her sweet features. Even if she was justified in her actions, something hurt her similarly to know she’d put that pained look on the warm, loving woman’s visage. One she could not gaze upon as her world shrank so drastically, a dizzying typhoon of blackness that threatened to swell and consume her completely. The shaking of her own knees rattled her cheek, and the awful taste of metal on her tongue told her that it must look as if her crimson irises had spawn tears of similar color, which she had kissed away herself. A pounding started like war drums inside her head, thundering and crashing in a rising crescendo that demanded escape from the vessel it inhabited. Let it rise, she challenged it. Let it come, and take me away. Let everything burst, because I am no longer afraid of the world beyond. My body is young but my heart is weary, and my head is full of thoughts I cannot quell. The world was a typhoon and those who could not swim or float would be drowned in the depths of the unforgiving, destructive force. Home torn from beneath her, support system cast up and then crippled repeatedly, Nayati had stood upon shaking legs as the earth had roared and ripped like flower petals. Nothing had brought her down, because she had a taste of life, and a starving man will fight all the harder with only a morsel upon his tongue as encouragement. In her induced hell of midnight, starless skies, Nayati was unable to find the glow of the motherly maiden that was both physical before her and metaphorical within her moral compass.

Once more, her name was spoken on a saddened sigh, and she mused quietly if that was the only way her name could possibly be spoken. Did she inspire such sorrow in everyone she came across? Honesty cut like a knife over a canvas fraught with blood already, and the sweet agony of being right was like that cold, thin metal scraping her insides clean like a trophy kill. Crumbling away like a shattered puzzle around her, Nayati lifted her small crown only enough to stare Romani hard in the eyes. It was not meant to intimidate, for there was no way she possibly could with the parallels and comparisons you could draw between them. Crystals were averted, and disappointment was veiled in the youth’s face. Could she truly not look at her? Was it too painful to see the damage the world had inflicted upon Nayati? Preposterous. Nayati wore those scars like badges of honor and pride, to show those who believed she couldn’t make it. Sometimes those who appear the weakest are the strongest after all, right?

Silently she subjects herself to Romani stripping away every social norm to bare herself completely to Nayati, and if her weary face perhaps softens and flushes with love and teary irises to know she was considered her first child, well at least there was nobody else around to see her weakness. Finally their eyes meet once more, and Nayati wished she were taller if only to meet the warrior’s gaze fully. ”All you ever needed to ask for was forgiveness, it was given so long ago...” a soft sigh escaped charcoal lips and Nayati shifted to fold into the protective blanket of her abnormally long tresses, thinking hard. ”I’m scared that...that you won’t want me now that I’m no longer the Nayati you first met. But I think, somewhere, I always just knew you would be my mom in my heart. And...and nothing can ever change that,” she whispered, rose irises flickering to Romani’s features once more.

Can you really just let her walk back into your life like that, forgiven? Have you forgotten what she did to you? She abandoned you! She left you to crumble just like everyone else! She couldn’t possibly care for you, she couldn’t love you if she walked away like-!

But she can. And I will let her come back. I will always let her come back. If she did not love me, she would not still call me Dear Heart. If she did not love me, she would not have ran all the way here searching for me, would not let me choose to stay even if it is clear she doesn’t want me to.

I love her, and she loves me. That’s all that matters in my eyes.


And that was the end of the matter, a chapter closed in the story of her ever-progressing life. Written out like scripture in the runes of her eyes and lovingly painted with dabs of ink from trembling fingertips upon her skin, a comfort she would wear for eternity, knowing it had been her decision. The crack in her mother’s voice was too painful to hear, and Nayati’s calm visage was disturbed in a ripple of concern as she touched the ground before her, moving closer in worry over the beautiful mare. Nothing spilled from her own vocals just yet, knowing Romani wasn’t quite done speaking. When nothing more came from her, Nayati sucked in a deep breath, and squeezed her eyes shut.

She ran.

Little legs sprang forward and she ran like the little yearling she was right towards Romani’s chest, stopping only in time to press herself close to the russet doe’s hide, inhaling her scent and warmth- her love- like it was oxygen and she had finally surfaced from years underwater. And if her breaths came a little shaky with tears that gathered but did not shed, who but her mother was around to see it happen? ”I-I love you momma. I...If you still will...I want to go home with you. I want to be home again, I don’t want to be alone anymore. I don’t want to be scared anymore...I love you...” she whimpered softly into Romani’s shoulder, pressing as close as her body could allow, waterfalls of locks spreading like a snowy blanket around the both of them in her flurry of movement.

Please, please just let her say yes. Just let her take me home. She is home. Please, please for once my Gods, let me have this one miracle. Let me have just one break!


---
Tag: @[Romani]
Notes: So long of a wait ;____; hope it was cute enough to make up for it?


the rose shadows said that they loved the sun, but they also loved the dark, 
where their roots grew through the lightless mystery of the earth. the roses said: you do not have to choose. 


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