---

As she looked to the stars this evening, she could not help but think back on her life.

It was a short life compared to most in Novus. She hadn't exactly found equines younger than her yet. Perhaps she was feeling unnaturally old for her age? Like she had lived more than one life, but in reality she only had one life to give. It should make her cautious, especially around those less kind. But she tried to treat all equally.

She tried to treat them kindly.

But ah, back to it. Laying under the starry blanket, she plucked out what she knew to be constellations. There were many that had their own tales to tell. Too many to count tonight as she lay there, wings tucked to her sides and her eyes drooping. As much as she pondered her experiences, Willoughby was growing weary. She longed for the dreams to take her.

But fate had other plans. Hoofsteps made her neck twist, seeing nobody in the vicinity. Yet her eyes were not adjusted to the night yet anyway. She tried to smile to the unknown, trying to make herself welcoming to whoever lurked in the shadows.

“speech”

if you don't want to see me dancing with somebody new

☽ | ✩

Israfel knew that she needed to get out more. Solaris constantly hounded her to do so, the beautiful Phoenix demanding her chosen child to uproot herself and leave Terrastella behind, if only for a short time.

Her life was becoming stagnant and lackluster. It was quiet, and far from in the ways that she enjoyed them to be. Despite serving the Dusk Court as its Regent, the Sun Daughter could not help but feel as though such a title wasn’t befitting someone like her.

Second in command, only to the King or Queen? An important, powerful position, certainly, but not one that Israfel found fulfilling. She wanted more, needed more, but as of that evening as she strolled the rolling grasses of the prairie, what that something was completely escaped her.

The life of a soldier had not satisfied her save for the adrenaline high from a good brawl, nor serving as a Warden. Motherhood had left her wanting with such a wayward daughter, and becoming Regent seasons ago had been promising… And yet even that could not fulfill the yearning fire that burned hot within her breast.

’It will come,’ Solaris had promised, but with every promise that the Phoenix crooned, Israfel found her doubt growing.

The Sun Daughter had lived two lifetimes. Her first had been tragically cut short and her death had been a long one, but this life left her unsatisfied. Surely there had to be more to life than this terrible feeling of dissatisfaction, of back alley brawls and the clinking of half-drank whiskey bottles?

An ear tipped back in annoyance and Israfel slowed her pace. Simply because she could, the ivory maiden extended gilded wings to trail them over the tops of the prairie grasses, feeling the way the blades and nettles tickled the underside of her wings. The night was remarkably cool despite the blistering hot summer season, and it did feel rather nice to get away from the domestic bliss that was Terrastella…

But she wasn’t alone.

Israfel paused with her wings extended, a brow half-cocked with a lackluster expression. There, just ahead, was a mottled, winged individual reclining in the tall grasses beneath a copse of trees. They seemed to be admiring the stars above, and unbidden, the Regent of Terrastella lifted her brilliant vermilion eyes to also stare at the heavens. The stars were pretty, their glittering lights reassuring… But she was quick to look away, for they reminded her of her half-brother, Mesec.

Daring another step closer at the same time that Solaris came to roost upon the ivory maiden’s croup, Israfel cleared her throat and spoke.

“They’re pretty damn nice to look at, huh?”

"Speaking."

---

They did not lurk for long. What came from the dark was a brilliant display of ivory and gold - even Willoughby could see them in the night. The mare approached boldly but without malicious intent from what the maiden could feel. Too comfortable to shift her body, she was grateful the other equine came up to her. They were... like a phoenix. That is what she believed them to be. A mystical being made into mortal flesh.

The phoenix spoke of the stars. Willoughby gave a nod. “When I am feeling or am lost, I look to them for guidance” she breathes, her pale eyes shifting to look back at them “I remember each one has a story, a reason for being in the heavens.” She supposes Novus has their own stories attached to them, though. These are just old tales she had heard in her travels.

“Once upon a time, the ancients in another realm strived to be counted among them” Willoughby added with a faraway smile. She heard that the gods sometimes lifted mortal bodies to the heavens, where they could be beloved for all eternity. “I wonder if Novus has specific constellations to learn...”

“speech”

if you don't want to see me dancing with somebody new

☽ | ✩

If she were being honest, Israfel truly had no idea if this lady in the grass was spouting wisdom or foolishness. The Sun Daughter arched a brow and glanced back up at the stars, unimpressed. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

Sure, the stars were pretty to look at, but they were hardly anything grand or awe inspiring. A spattering of glittering balls of light, visible only during the grasp of nightfall? You’ve see one night sky full of stars, you’ve seen them all.

After a few moments of silent deliberation, Israfel made the decision that his kindred lady laying in the grass was a fool.

Rolling a slender, pale shoulder, the Regent of Terrastella spoke to answer. “You look to the stars for guidance and they led you here.?” She paused, then snorted, not even bothering to hide her unamusement. “That fucking sucks for you.”

There were far better places to be, but at least Novus did not seem wrought with war and strife… At least not yet. The vivid imagery of the Courts tossed into disarray flashed before her eyes, a time so many years ago when fires and floods had pillaged and destroyed the lands. Terrastella still bore the scars of the affront, caused by the ’Gods’ of this land, its ground misshapen from the floodways and earthquakes. Clearly this lady had not been around for such an event to find herself lucky to be here…

Deciding not to be a complete jerk to the foolish lady whom she had just met, Israfel shifted her stance and looked once more up into the night sky. Her eyes pieced out constellations that she knew, networks of stars that her own mother had taught her back on Helovia. Funny… A different world, a different sky, yet the stars were so very much the same.

“... Which one’s your favorite? Which story.”

Upon her back, Solaris the Phoenix rolled her lavender eyes with a look of impatience and disdain. Truly, how Israfel could be so crass truly was a mystery, even to her.

"Speaking."

---

“Well, no” she couldn't help but giggle at the woman's scorn. Perhaps a silly thing to do, but she found it a bit funny. Charming, actually. “my teacher led me here. The stars had nothing to do with it this time.” Ah yes, the man had proclaimed Novus a land of culture and religion - perfect studying for his bard student.

The phoenix would ask what her favorite story was. Willoughby did a gentle 'hmm', tilting her head. “I don't particularly have a favorite story regarding them” if she did, she wouldn't be much of a bard. Her tales all had a special place in her heart “there are so many, to be honest” a pause before; “however, they always are the source of a scorned woman and her love's lovers.”

She chuckles a bit sheepishly. “Ursa Major and Minor, for instance, is the result of a god turning his lover to a constellation to escape his jealous wife's wrath. But before that, she had turned the woman into a bear so he would not find his lover attractive. But his son, birthed by his lover, tried to kill his bear-mother. The god turned both of them to the stars so they'd be together forever.”

“speech”

if you don't want to see me dancing with somebody new

☽ | ✩