NEFERTARI
We've Become Disillusioned
So We Run Towards Anything Glimmering
Home.
It had been a long time since the mare had dared to set hoof to the earth of Denocte. Too long her legs had wandered the sands of Solterra, the warmth of the sun to greet her in the day. Even so, her heart still belonged to the moon, to Caligo, to her home here in Denocte. The mare was not yet ready to face the court itself, nor the house from whence she came, but perhaps it was time to travel again, to ease the homesickness within herself. Crossing the Arma mountains at the peak of fall had been almost grave error, but she had managed. If she stayed long here in Denocte, she may have to spend the winter within the court of her birth. Perhaps that had been the reason for her late departure. Perhaps Caligo was intending to call her daughter home.
Still, Nefertari did not yet have the nerve to wander the cobbled streets of the Night Markets, or to dance in the halls of the noble houses with which she was far too familiar. Instead, she had heard from other travelers of a lovely tea shop off the lake. It had not been there in her childhood, but the stories she had heard did not disappoint.
The tea shop was beautiful, festooned in glittering lights and silks, tapestries of excellent make, and an atmosphere that beckoned one to come stay a while. The mare let out a soft breath of wonder as her golden gaze swept the room, taking everything in. She felt as if she had stepped into a fae abode, or a genie’s bottle. The aroma of carefully curated teas did not overwhelm the senses as it may have in other places. Instead, it did nothing but enhance the experience of the shop itself. Warmth, in its purest form. The woman had once believed that she would have only been able to find shelter and salvation in the land of the sun, and yet here, in this small tea shop, she felt more comfort and protection than anywhere within the desert sands.
Yes, she would stay here for a while after all. The winter chills would soon be upon them and the mountains would be impassable even to the most sure of foot. Caligo had always worked in mysterious ways, and now she knew that the draw to home had not been merely that of homesickness. The goddess of the night was calling to her for a purpose.
She wandered the space carefully, taking everything in before moving towards a woman in the corner. The mare was frail in appearance, her painted coat no longer the shimmering thing it must have once been in her health, but that did not hide the strength that emanated from her being. The clairvoyant had learned early on to never judge one only on their appearance, and the way the woman held herself and her cup of tea spoke of life’s trials, but… there was also great joy in it.
Nefertari was drawn to her as a moth is drawn to a flame, and she knew better than to ignore those instincts. Her sooted maw parted in a soft smile as she dipped her head, flaxen hair falling in her face. “My apologies,” her voice was soft as velvet as she spoke to the woman seated before her. “I have not been here before, and you seem like you would know a thing or two.” She chuckled brightly, her golden pools searching the endless depths of blue, careful to keep herself a respectable and safe distance. “Would you mind providing me a recommendation? I don’t wish to be rude, and if you would like to continue your afternoon in peace I will gladly leave you to it, but there is just… something about you that told me you have excellent taste.”
art by pacificdash character by scapeh table by sunny
