Elisheva had finally found her older sister, finding her tucked away in a small, grassy meadow, her back against a fairly young tree, flowers of all sizes, colours and fragrances scattered around her, some had already been tied in garlands, or in bouquets, others will still loose on the grass.
Eli knew then that something was wrong with her sister; she only occupied her time with making flower decorations when her mind or heart (or both) was troubled. She wouldn't talk about it, she knew Nalani didn't like to bother anyone with her problems, and so she kept a graceful, outward calm as much as she possibly could, even when she was sad or angry.
Their mother, Nivriti, had thought it might have something to do with the young stallion she'd recently met, there had been something growing between them, and Nalani had seemed so happy lately...until the morning she had returned unexpectedly early from meeting this Izefiah fellow, the colour gone from her face and an expression so full of sorrow that it caused Nivriti to fly into a rage of invectives against the stallion, the like of which Elisheva, nor her other siblings had seen before.
Nalani had refused to speak of what happened, only asking to be left alone. That had been a few days ago now, their mother had calmed herself, and she had asked Elisheva to speak with her, knowing that it was often easier to speak to a sister than a mother.
'Those are pretty.' she said, by way of greeting. She settled into the grass across from her older sister, casting furtive glances at the shadowed eyes, and overall listless appearance. She had neither slept nor eaten properly since that day, that was clear at least.
'Thank you.' came the soft, yet weary reply. Nalani was tired, she hadn't wanted to sleep the first night, and her mind couldn't let her the second, but now her body wanted rest. She wasn't sure she was ready yet mentally. Sleep could mean dreams, a dream of him..she trembled and the flowers she had been pushing and twining together fell apart on her folded forelegs.
'Oh Eli..' she said, looking over at her younger sister.
'I really did believe..'
Elisheva seized on the opening her sister was giving her, and moved a bit closer, opening and laying a wing across Nalani's back and comforting her, sensing her sister was ready to talk about what happened.
'Tell me it all.' she prompted gently.
Nalani was silent for a few minutes. She did want to break her silence on what had happened, it was too large, and weighed too heavily to not speak of it. She let out a short sigh and then began speaking, leaning against Elisheva.
'I was meeting..him.' she started, unable to say his name just yet, the syllables that had caused her happiness to say, now felt like ashes in her mouth.
'Under our tree, our place.'
Again she paused, gnawing on her lower lip, trying to stop the quivering that had started as she thought back, as she remembered.
'I got there, but he was not. A few moments later, an older gentleman appeared, imposing, four wings.' Nalani paused for a moment, and then continued.
'He asked me, cool, yet polite if I had seen a stallion, he described him to me, and I realised it was..' she chewed on her lower lip again.
'When I said I had, when I confirmed his name, he informed me he was his father. I was surprised, but also happy that I had chanced upon him. He asked me the nature of our relationship..' she paused again.
'You know me Eli, you know I could sooner fly than conceal the truth.' she looked at Elisheva.
'I know.' Elisheva assented, nodding her a head a few times. Not only was her older sister the sweetest mare, but she was good too, open and artless in all things.
'Go on.'
Nalani nodded.
'When I did so, he looked..I don't know? Taken aback, but then he spoke quite sympathetically, and I believe honestly. Informing me that whatever I believed was between us, could not be as Izefiah..' she finally said his name, her voice cracking as she did so.
'He was betrothed to another.'
Her head dropped, and the flowers on her legs were watered with a few tears.
Elisheva let out a long hissing noise between her teeth as she digested all that her sister had to say. She was not sure of the particulars relating to this Izefiah and his father, but if what the older gentleman had said was true, than it would seem the younger had used her sister very ill, and she said as much.
'I cannot believe someone would represent themselves as being available, and of having feelings for one mare when they are already attached to another.' she said.
'It speaks badly for him, and you do not deserve such treatment. You are too good and too kind for him.'
'Oh Eli, I cannot bring myself to blame him, to think ill of him.' she cried, her eyes red rimmed now, cheeks damp from her recent tears.
'I feel that I am to blame, I am sure I misread his intentions. As I was leaving, he called after me, his voice sounded heavy with what I thought was regret..I shall wish him a good life, and hope he is happy.' she said, attempting to disguise her feelings once again, to lay a veil over all that had happened and to push forwards, to regain her composure, her usual equilibrium.
'Believe me Eli, I shall be well again. I shall be myself.'
'Too sweet, too kind.' Elisheva repeated, hugging her sister with her wing. She was determined to find out for herself all the particulars, no one caused her any of her sisters this much heartache without her knowing the exact cause and reasons.
She did not for a moment believe that Nalani would open her heart without the hope of a return of her feelings, she knew her older sister too well to believe that. No, the fault lay somewhere with the other party in this mess - either this stallion was a complete cad and had toyed with her sister's heart, or there was some deception to be found in what the father had said.
'I think you should spend the day with our mother, she has been missing you. She worries.' Elisheva said softly, and Nalani assented to follow her home.
Nalani delivered into the loving embrace of the rest of her family, Elisheva took to the wing. She had a description of both stallions now, and she would pull from either of them the full story.
She would find them.
