Beauty and art had never been something Sloane knew much about. She had never bothered to stop and smell the roses, to look and watch and see the beauty in all things. Instead she only saw the darkness, the greed, the war. She saw everything that was the opposite of beauty for that was what she had been raised to see. From the moment of her own birth, she had learned just how harsh a mother could be when she could not take care of all the children that she had born. Form then on, it was only Sloane and her ability to fend for herself. She didn’t have time to stop and look at the beauty of the world. It was far quicker and far easier to only see the darkness that encompassed it.
She asked the mare why she should entertain her desire to paint her. Sitting still for something that meant nothing to Sloane was not something she did every day. The only way she would agree to something of the sort was if she was given something in return. But this mare, this stranger, pondered questions that she often pondered herself. “…because the world can never run off rainbows and unicorns. Where you see beauty and art…I see darkness and contempt.” She had found out quickly that she could make her way in this world as a dealer of secrets. She bought and sold them as she might a handmade item in a marketplace.
But regardless of how they saw the world, Sloane had no use for her art. What would she do with it? She would probably sell it to the highest bidder, or let the squirrels have it. Those little minions would probably accidentally burn that shit to the ground. After all, they did burn the forest down. She supposed it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Having this mare stare and ogle at her supposed beauty made her uncomfortable. Eyes roaming her figure, resting on the delicate curves of her hip, it all made her uneasy. But she said nothing of it, made no movement that might give away her uneasiness.
But what Sloane did capture, was that this stranger thought that she could tell Sloane what to do, that she welcomed her unsolicited advice. So many people wanting her to be in the company of others - first Somnus, now her. She was fully capable of defending herself. Even if she preferred not to fight, she could if she had to. “The same could be said for yourself…” Although, Sloane still felt as though she was being watched. No doubt this mare was not truly alone. Then again, it did not matter to her. She could stroll with whoever she pleased.
Perhaps what bothered Sloane the most was the way in which she asked to accompany her. It was almost as if she believed that Sloane would find herself in a compromising situation and she would need help. “You know, I’ve gotten along just fine without your help. What makes you so sure I need it now?” She could survive in this jungle by herself. She could find this relic and slip out of here undetected if she were alone. Traveling with a companion was not exactly what she wanted to do today.
@Moira
