How long has it truly been? Istas looked down at the river that rushed past her eyes. She lived her entire life at this teepee, raised by Forte, an usdia. She only barely met her birth parents. The only reminder she had left was a bell that had been gifted from her father. Her entire life she spent being scared of family. For some reason, she simply couldn’t deal with the idea of a family.
She started her life with Misti. And Mist truly challenged her feelings for family, even her own feelings. But the mare, helped Istas realize that when you love someone you’ll do almost anything. And that was when she went to Claude. Claude was her childhood friend, the only horse that understood her problem. And she asked him to be her surrogate. With that step, the idea of family seemed in her reach, something attainable, and with Misti at her side, something… Possible.
That night, something happened that Istas never wanted to think about again. After she told Misti of the steps she took, Misti who wanted a family, smiled thanking Istas for taking on that role. It would let her continue her work at the day care. Misti then went to bed. Istas followed after and when she woke, Misti was gone. Istas who’s heart felt like it has shattered never saw Misti again. She wandered around aimlessly, for a while… What happened, why did she leave? But she knew she would never come back. After some tough love from another horse deep in the forest Istas decided she had wallowed enough, and it was time to get move on.
Istas relied a lot on her best friend for company, as she worked through her pain. And not to long after Istas found herself, watching Claude differently, and wanted to be near him, getting jealous of the other mare in his life. But he never seemed to notice it. And finally, she told him how she felt, and he returned the sentiment. Since that day, she never needed or wanted to look back. But today, today she wanted to look back.
Back to those days where Misti taught her to swim, and the fun they had together. And she really had Misti to thank for helping her overcome her fear. And she was glad she could look back now, and not feel heart broken or angry. Istas’s heart as settle finally, and where it was suppose to settle; with Claude. And with Claude at her side, Istas has been able to accomplish many things, from teaching others, and helping others, to watching, and learning. Deep down she will always be a Lady Knight. And that’s exactly what she wants to be. Misti help her, even if it was a tough lesson. And she used Istas’s history of being a Lady Knight with Claude in her foal hood. It was time for Istas to take up her shiny armor, and do what makes her happy.
Istas let her auburn eyes focus on her reflection. She could almost see the armor on her. Even if it was just the suns reflection in reality. She wanted to help others, even if it was in just a small way. She was tired of the damsel in distress. She wanted to live up to her title as a Knight. She stamped her hoof on the ground. She turned away from the water, and as she did it was like something left her body. Misti was gone for good, and she would no longer weigh her down.
Istas was free, she learned some valuable life lessons. She looked behind her to see the now grown foal she took in frolicking about. She smiled at what was her present and future, her family with Claude. She nodded and turned away, prancing over to play with the usdia, and Claude.
