Would you crumble if I whispered to you like the wind
Heat. Sand. Sun. A relentless sun creeping higher and higher in the sky. Meira inhales the familiar smell of the desert she knows so well. It is nothing like the sands of the beach. The air here steals moisture, hoarding it away for some unknown purpose. She is careful, so careful to go unnoticed. Solterra was once here home. Her heart still aches to know that she cannot return here. Not yet. Not while he still exists. Meira wanders the familiar streets of the desert metropolis. Familiar, sunbleached stone walls creep into the sky. Aging wood finds roots in some of the stoneworks, advertising the wares of the shopkeepers. A sigh escapes her lips as she wanders the streets. For now, she can pretend that she is home, and she does. Oh, how she does. When the sea cannot provide relief to her, she turns to the memories of home. The ones that do not creep into her mind at the darkest hour of the night. Dusty streets and the relentless sun are some of her fondest memories.
Meira soon finds herself near the main gate of Solterra. She stands and watches as men and women filter in and out of the open gates. Merchants. The ones she does not think of as real. It isn't that she does not recognize them as real or having depth, but that she has never seen it. They are empty, and for once she thinks she can relate. She is empty. Meira nestles herself against one of the sunbleached, white stone walls. The heat from the stone radiates across her frame as she stands beside it. Meira doesn't shy from the familiar heat beating down upon her frame. It is a welcome friend. She is not sure how much longer she will remain for her visit, but she intends to enjoy every moment of it.
A joyful voice sounded from the gates of the realm, a blurring pink-blue streaking toward the brunette. Skidding to a complete and somehow graceful halt, Willoughby stands before the other mare. She grins widely, beaming at the new friend. "Oh! I knew it was you when I saw you from far away!" the maiden breathes, huffing with a confident breath.
Even if it wasn't Meira, she probably wouldn't have stopped until she was close to the stranger. How embarrassing, but she didn't care. Delighted to see her friend from the library, Willoughby shook out her feathery wings in controlled glee. "Are you busy? We should hang out if not! I haven't seen you since the archives."
Would you crumble if I whispered to you like the wind
Meira felt herself growing sleepy beneath the heat of the sun when a sudden burst of noise crept across the stone ground. It was her name. She pulls her head up and away from the position it had drooped into. She scans the bodies and faces swarming nearby until she spots a familiar face. Willoughby. Meira begins to laugh softly as her friend exclaims that she was sure it was her, even from far away. It is a wonder to her how Willoughby can have so much energy and excitement. "Hello, Willoughby." She greets the pastel woman. It is then that she notices how truly beautiful the woman is. Alabastor frame splashed with an explosion of pastel colours. Meira curses her to herself that she can be so shallow, but she finds Willoughby beautiful. Beautiful in so many ways.
The brunette stuffs the feelings down, deep, deep where no light can touch them. She listens as her friend moves enthusiastically to close the distance between them. She asks if Meira is busy, and if she might like to hang out. Meira has not seen her since their brief encounter in the library. She then made her way to Terrastella for their festival before she journeyed here. "I have time. I have to make good on my promise to show you Solterra, don't I?" She asks the pastel woman with a soft smile on her lips. Meira cannot remember the last time she met someone so genuine who brought out a different side of her. One that she had once thought was gone forever.
"Yes, please!" she bounced on the spot, eager to walk the streets of the Day Court with her new friend. There had been fear despite their good encounter... Fear that she had somehow made the other mare not want to be friends. "you must show me some good places for drinks and food. I want to try all the delicacies of Solterra."
Prancing to the side of Meira, she gave a nod. Lead on she seemed to say. "I don't really drink though" Willoughby says to the brunette "like alcohol" she adds with a chuckle "but I'll drink any sweet drinks. Fruit juice especially. Ooh, anything with a fruit topping too for pastries."
She jabbered on and on, aware that Meira was a mare of few words sometimes. She did it to make the conversation light and welcoming, allowing the other to join in whenever she felt it was needed.
Would you crumble if I whispered to you like the wind
Willougby is consistent, each time Meira speaks with her. She is excited and full of wonder. Perhaps, she thinks, this is why she finds the pastel woman so endearing. The way her eyes sparkle with excitement. The way her wings flicker upwards at their edges as Willoughby practically stretched into the sky. A soft laugh escapes Meira as her friend beams an affirmation to her. She very much would like to see Solterra. Willoughby speaks up that she wants to know the best places to eat and drink local foods. She is careful to clarify that she does not drink alcohol, but likes sweet juices and pastries. Meira finds herself smiling down at the pastel woman. An expression she cannot help in the presence of someone so pure.
"I don't drink either. It sounds like we might have similar tastes. Fruits that is." She comments to her friend. Meira turns and gives her companion a nod to follow her. There is a small ramp leading to a few shops nestled in the corner near her favourite weapons shop. It is a tea shop and bakery that she spent much of her time as a youth. The old woman who runs it, Meira just knows that Willoughby will love her. "There's this tea shop here. I used to go to as a child. I think you will very much like the shopkeeper." Meira informs her as she leads the way to the ramp. Smooth, white marble with a small terrace overlooking the streets of Solterra.
Meira presses on ahead, until she is standing at the door of the small cottage. The scent of freshly baked pastries drifts out of the window and into the street. She inhales softly and turns to peer behind her. She wants to ensure that she has not lost Willoughby.
"Oh! What's your favorite fruit then?" the maiden asks Meira, walking beside her as the brunette leads her away. The white marble stone is enchanting, like just out of a storybook and she can't help but think of all the lovely things she'd find in Solterra. The battle-aspect of the Day Court is not something she can get behind, but everything else...
Well, it was a hidden gem. A treasure to be discovered. "I think I like anything melon" she chirps as they walk "honeydew is refreshing, especially in drinks. It'd be a good one to have in the desert setting." But she suspects coconut is more popular here.
Meira leads them to a small cottage. It is charming, and she remarks that Willoughby would love the shopkeeper. "Ahh" she beams, stretching her neck out to view the area "you came here as a child? I'm happy it's still around!" she remarks innocently.
"So I'll defer to your judgment on what to order" she adds with a smirk.
Would you crumble if I whispered to you like the wind
"Strawberries." Meira answers her companion thoughtfully, but it is without hesitation this time. There is something about the sweet and sour taste on her tongue that she loves. Willoughby continues on as they move toward the tea shop, stating that she prefers honeydew. She likes any kind of melon. Meira allows her ear to flicker with curiosity. She does not share the sentiment of preferring melons. Her preferences lie mostly in citrus-based fruits. Anything that has a pungent flavour she finds delightful. "I think Galina carries a honeydew tea..." Meira responds again, taking a moment to swivel her head to face Willoughby.
It is not long before they are standing outside the ancient-looking cottage, the wood is worn and gnarled. The rich brown hues stand out in contrast with the pale colours typically found in the sandstone structures lining the streets of Solterra. Meira tugs on the door and nods for Willoughby to enter first. Her friend beams that she will defer to Meira's taste when it comes to ordering items. A soft laugh escapes her lips as she presses herself into the small shop that is dimly lit. A woman nearly as weathered as the building itself stands behind the counter. A smile creeps across Galina's face, her eyes sparkle with recognition. "Meira, you are home." The old woman speaks to her, the fondness is impossible to miss. She has a thick, untraceable accent. Galina is not native to Solterra, and she has never really answered that question. "And you have brought a friend! Come, Galina will seat you." The woman gushes to the duo as she moves to dust off one of the worn tables.
There are no other souls in the tea shop. There are very few Solterrans who know of this place, so it remains mostly quiet. Meira approaches the table and murmurs a quiet thanks to her old friend. "I'm very glad this place is still here. Galina is a wonderful old friend of mine. She has an abundance of stories and will be sure to talk your ear off." Meira jokes fondly to her new friend. Galina chuckles as she disappears into the back. "I imagine, you'll probably like the honeydew tea. She makes these lovely turnovers with all types of fruits. There doesn't seem to be a fruit that Galina doesn't like. I always get the strawberries and cream tea with a strawberry turnover." She admits to Willoughby. Meira remains quiet then, she wants to give her friend a chance to speak up as to what she might like. There is no lack of fruit themed items here.
