09-10-2016, 04:02 AM
Ashley knew a bit or two about anonymity. Having been gone from these lands for more than a century afforded him a bit of masking to those who were more familiar with the current sources of power. While this mildly irritated him, it allowed him to go back and forth between flexing his muscles and throwing his weight around, to simply being a man without a face—without a motive, and without seemingly a world that wanted him to prove once again who he was in the face and shadow of the mountain that lingered at the long end of the meadow.
He had recently found himself in the company of the former queen who had promised them safety and security—and she had seen to it. He had made her a promise of his protection and help, and she had delivered to them a place of refuge. An Island that they had named Ischia, one that glows blue by night and can afford the safety and seclusion they had wanted from the Dale before it had been plunged into the sea. Ashley was loyal—despite his agitation with his current state—and had the swim back to the mainland (despite the path that had been set up for them) to once again make his supplications to the all-mother who rested at the summit. His magic was stored there, and he intended to get it back. His grasp, his source of power, his dignity of self—it would all be returned to him in full. The fairies owed him that.
But he had to cross the fields to get there first, and his eyes were caught by the red splash of color that tore its way across the clean unfettered snow, before he notices she comes to a halt and looks around, almost reveling in something—though he is not sure what. Ashley himself is a golden yellow with reddish brown points and hair to match. You know what they say—don’t eat yellow snow.. or something like that.
However, as the breeze picks up and the snow is picked up and swirls around Ashley’s head as he makes his way slowly to her, he is aware that her scent is unfamiliar, almost foreign. Perhaps, of all the ones he already doesn’t know here, she is, truly new? Blinking, his long lashes filter out the snow to prevent snow blindness as he makes his way in her direction, stopping a full length from her, his tail and mane blowing up around his face, and he speaks. “What a perfectly frozen day we are having today. My name is Ashley.”
He had recently found himself in the company of the former queen who had promised them safety and security—and she had seen to it. He had made her a promise of his protection and help, and she had delivered to them a place of refuge. An Island that they had named Ischia, one that glows blue by night and can afford the safety and seclusion they had wanted from the Dale before it had been plunged into the sea. Ashley was loyal—despite his agitation with his current state—and had the swim back to the mainland (despite the path that had been set up for them) to once again make his supplications to the all-mother who rested at the summit. His magic was stored there, and he intended to get it back. His grasp, his source of power, his dignity of self—it would all be returned to him in full. The fairies owed him that.
But he had to cross the fields to get there first, and his eyes were caught by the red splash of color that tore its way across the clean unfettered snow, before he notices she comes to a halt and looks around, almost reveling in something—though he is not sure what. Ashley himself is a golden yellow with reddish brown points and hair to match. You know what they say—don’t eat yellow snow.. or something like that.
However, as the breeze picks up and the snow is picked up and swirls around Ashley’s head as he makes his way slowly to her, he is aware that her scent is unfamiliar, almost foreign. Perhaps, of all the ones he already doesn’t know here, she is, truly new? Blinking, his long lashes filter out the snow to prevent snow blindness as he makes his way in her direction, stopping a full length from her, his tail and mane blowing up around his face, and he speaks. “What a perfectly frozen day we are having today. My name is Ashley.”
ashley
I walked the path, it led me to the end.