jane
It was plain to see that the mare was just as naive as Jane, if not more. In many ways she reminded Jane of a foal, although the physical body seemed no more than a year younger. In many ways she actually seemed older, in the air that swept around her and the energy flowed from her body to Jane’s, but there was a complete newness to her that gave her an aspect of immortality. Existing outside of time, or having once done so.
But Jane knew how vulnerable she was. Especially without a common language, or perhaps any language at all, it made it impossible to ask for her needs, to ask for space. Given leave, the world would trample over this mare. Jane thought for a moment of herself; for whom safety had been leverage. At the moment that they deemed her unworthy, they doomed her to a life of nothing.
Protectiveness leaned over Jane and she knew that the safety of this mare was important. It was furthered by the seeming importance and gravity of the situation, but that wasn’t all. It was the recognition, the basal love that fed on Jane’s insides. Even as a child, her mother had never given her much intimacy. There were drips here and there from the queen, but that was an employer’s relationship, viewing her as nothing but a fickle child. They weren’t exactly wrong, all things considered.
There was no thought of pity as Jane watched the other struggle to communicate. If anything, it was fascinating. Communication through a language barrier, imperfect and yet functional. It would be fabulous, Jane thought, to think of how wonderfully this girl learnt. Trust grew in Jane’s chest like a foreign country all on its own.
The anxiety of Jane’s beating heart, even, made Jane pause and smile at the creature. Not simple at all, new connections spilled easily in her mind, suggesting to Jane that it was not a lack of ability that made her unable to speak; but a lack of time. Every minute brought the neurons that fired in the mare’s eyes, a giddy excitement that made Jane feel like she was truly privileged.
There was a realisation in the mare’s eyes, before leaning forward and bumping Jane’s chest. Thump, thump, thump went the beat of her heart, and Jane thought the mare drew a line from her silent chest to great wide space. Hoof unmoving. At that, a few connections assembled themselves in Jane’s mind. Standing in the ocean and gazing at the sky, the longing in her face and the reluctance to leave the beach. The very appearance of cosmic dust that floated along the mare’s body, the element of something so- so not horselike.
Jane swallowed, trying to think of how to explain her realisation. “You’re a star,” she whispered, her voice full with emotion. “A star on earth.”
@[Veil Nebula] / speaks / oh no i will c r y
