May I ask what you are finding difficult?The soft grumble, more of a hum, issuing from the indecisive mare's muzzle quickly became a startled squeak as she was caught off guard, her entire body seizing in an initial second of panic. Wide-eyed, she swung her head around and her magenta gaze fell upon the winged shoulder of the woman who had approached her, Phoebe's diminutive height putting her in line of sight with it. A flickering spark of recognition ignited within her upon quickly studying the wing--the unique coloration was unmistakable--before she panned her gaze up and took in the kind earthy eyes, the beautiful blue feathered markings encircling the left, the warm, welcoming smile. It was her. Uzuri!
Even freshly appointed, there was no mistaking the visage of Dusk's newest leader, standing before her in the flesh and politely inquiring after her dilemma. Flustered, embarrassed to have been caught so unawares--wasn't she supposed to be a soldier?--Phoebe sucked in a hasty breath and turned to face her fully. "Sovereign Uzuri!" Her head dipped into a formal bow to hide the sudden onset of nerves, though she mustered a sheepish little smile in the same motion. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention, I-"
Uzuri, all is well in the outer reaches of the court.
Another joined them, and Phoebe found herself looking up, up, into the ruby eyes of a young gilded stallion standing head and shoulders over her, even towering over Uzuri. She glanced between the two of them, feeling suddenly just how small she was in comparison when usually it could be overlooked, but the second the stallion mentioned being a soldier himself her bright eyes sparked with interest. A soldier! Another soldier! And one who seemed confident in his duties, who carried himself without arrogance but with surety in his presentation. She was both envious and ecstatic to now know of another who shared her rank. Aeon.
It was possibly only a second that she stared between them, captured by the moment, by their combined concern, but it felt as if she'd been standing there dumbly for an entirely minute before she tried to school her expression into one of carefree gratitude. "Oh, it's nothing really," she answered with a flippant laugh, surprising herself with how quickly the lie came to her. Why did it suddenly feel like a bad thing to admit she'd been indecisive about how to proceed with her duties? Why was she suddenly so nervous of what they may think to know it? "I was just, you know..." Another little laugh followed, her uncertainty creeping into the sound, and as she looked between the two of them--one a dutiful soldier and one an armed leader--Phoebe felt again her shortcomings of late and the sour disappointment it left within her.
The bright look on her expression became forced and began to slip, slowly, slowly, before she let it go entirely. Ears drooping, she lowered her gaze and shuffled in place on nervous hooves. In a moment of earnest effort, she tried again. "My name is Phoebe. I'm a soldier here too, but...I haven't been trained and I don't know what I'm doing. My job is supposed to be protecting people and I don't know how to do it. But I want to learn! I want to know how to use weapons and magic and how to fight. I'm willing to do anything to become better." Her guilty voice took on a strengthened quality, her resolve to improve strong no matter her previous shortcomings, no matter that she was dwarfed by her more experienced peers even in that moment. Phoebe looked between them with a stalwart expression, hoping to convince them as much as herself of her determination and drive. She was going to get better at this. Just as soon as she figured out how.
