• Logout
  • Beqanna

    COTY

    Assailant -- Year 226

    QOTY

    "But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura


    i'm carrying your heart in mine | solace
    #1
    we are crooked souls trying to stay up straight
    It had been too long.

    He wishes his reason for coming was different. That he woke up one morning and felt refreshed, enough so to take the long journey through the skies to his daughter’s kingdom, just to visit and relax near the lake and beneath the wisteria trees - but that is not the case. Guilt plagues him, because it should have happened sooner, for entirely different reasons than this. It makes him think for a moment that perhaps he is not a good of a father that he could be, but the thought is quelled when he soars into the valley and is met with the beauty of Hyaline. It is all hers, he muses, and despite the concern that had been growing in his eyes, they are set alight with pride and adoration.

    Steering expertly through the air that is much thinner and more inviting than Tephra’s sweltering summer wind, the bay pegasus glides just above the swaying grasses of the valley before extending his legs to grasp at the ground in a energetic gallop. Navy wings still outstretched, he allows the natural wind he creates to rush over his body, to inhale the scents of his daughter’s kingdom (and hope that his smell of smoke and ash and sun does not linger). He had been tired, forlorn, but now feels rejuvenated as he comes into her kingdom - one that had once held a special place in his heart when Amet ruled, and now that meant so much more with Solace as its queen.

    Slowing to an easy lope, and then to a choppy trot, he pulls his wings into his sides. He tosses his head, nostrils flaring, as he finally slows to halt. He inhales deeply, the fresh and clean air of Hyaline soothing his soul, despite the discussion that he and Solace will have - not as father and daughter - but as a King and a Queen.
    Warrick
    #2
    It is not his fault - not completely

    Even in the days when her sleepy kingdom had been nearly empty she had stayed, bound to the mountains by some invisible force. She could have come to see him then, but instead, Wound had shown up at her doorstep and she had delayed her journey once again. She knew that it had been too long when she met her half-sister, Wishbone. Solace knew that he had returned from the plains and begun his life again. But still, she stayed, anchored despite her newfound wings.

    Solace understood the weight of a kingdom, and she did not begrudge him his absence. Their self-imposed separation was just as much her fault as it was his. But kingdoms and titles tended to have that effect, she found.  More responsibility than freedom came with the crown. 

    She is drawn to the rumble of hooves on the mountainside, rising from her resting place to meet the thunder. Somehow, she knows it is him, that today is the day which had been too long delayed.

    "Father!" She calls, momentarily a child again as his shining eyes meet hers. She strides forward to cover the final distance between them, her neck arching to cover his own in a warm embrace. "Thank you," she says as her eyes squeeze shut, and his calming energy washes over her "there is no one else I would have rather seen trotting over that mountain."

    It doesn't matter that it took rumors of war to bring them together again, she wouldn't trade this moment for anything.
    Solghostdoll2

    #3
    we are crooked souls trying to stay up straight
    They come together as if there had been no days missed, as if their lives had been woven together from the very second of her birth to the exact moment they fall into an embrace, chests bursting with pride and adoration and love. His firstborn, his dear and sweet Solace. He holds her there for a moment, clinging to the smell of her (of freshwater and sweet wildflowers, such a difference to the smoke and salt she must smell on him), his cerulean eyes closing momentarily to inhale deeply, to store this memory into his mind for a day when the shadows are too much and his chalice of leadership is too full. He finally breaks away from her, but only to look at her with wide and sparkling eyes, taking in the sight of her with a wistful sigh.

    His navy wings tussle gently at his sides as he notices her own - light blue, like the robin’s egg sky above them - and he cannot help the broad smile that finds his navy lips. The idea that she can soar into the heavens just as he can makes him feel all the more closer to her, as if the faeries had blessed him once more. 

    “Solace,” he says, his voice deep and true as he speaks her name for the first time outloud in a long time. There is a low hum to his voice, a vibration of satisfaction that rumbles in his chest; almost a chuckle. “I should have found you sooner.” His voice is filled with truth but it is not sad nor quiet - merely a fact that though he wishes he could change, will not. It is then, with a bit of a furrow falling across his brow, he notices the scars on her withers; misplaced and jagged, but silvery and healed. There is a soft snort of concern, and his eyes flicker back to hers with all the love of a father. “You are well?” he asks, his brows rising with curiosity, then adds: “and your brother?”

    His voice lilts with a bit of amusement as he asks about Svedka, his smile turning lopsided with a knowing grin. The two where like night and day, but their bond runs deep. Warrick knows all too well the wayward ways of his firstborn son, and that Solace is more akin to himself than her free-spirited brother. He took after his mother in that way, and for a moment he wonders if he should have brought her on the journey with him - to see Hyaline once more, reliving the moments of their youth, as well as take a swim with her son in the familiar lake. 

    But this had not been a visit solely for a reunion, and Tangerine had stayed beneath the safety of their underground grotto. This visit holds more than just a father reuniting with his daughter, and his face changes just a bit to hold the seriousness that will come as the conversation continues.
    Warrick


    @[Solace]
    #4


    Solace

    . . .


    She savors his embrace while it lasts, a sense of well-being washing over her. They pull apart to look each other over in turn - time had made her little alterations to each of them. She notices the way his withers seem to stand a little steeper, the fine lines around his muzzle and the depth of wisdom in his deep blue eyes. She smiles, despite these changes, he was still her father, and as he speaks again she knows that he is still the same man. Not that she had expected any less of him - but three years was a long time.

    There is another change in her which he does not seem to notice (for he really could not, not for several months at least) and she decides that he will be the first to know of it. She didn't how long it would be before fate brings the two rulers together again. But the furrow in his brow softens and he asks after his son before she has the nerve to tell him her news. She gladly lets the conversation detour to her brother, just for a moment. 

     "You know Svedka," She laughs, "He is content wherever he happens to wake up." But then her tone grows softer, a little more serious. "Yes, he is well. He has been an enormous help to me... he makes everyone he meets feel at home." 

    She pauses then, her wide eyes finding his. She draws a breath to speak, to give him what she knows will be good news, but still, she falters for a moment. Solace wishes that a faithful companion was by her side as she told her father of her first child - but she isn't sure if she wished that companion was the sire of her foal or Kagerus. 

    "This spring," she begins, tentative yet smiling "You are going to be a grandfather." It was easier to say what he would be than what she would.

    Solace waits for his reaction (and possibly his questions) before her look grows serious again. This only strengthens her resolve to build a better, stronger kingdom and overcome the growing evil before it can gain a foothold. 





    @[Warrick] OK WELL I guess he is the first to know :]
    #5
    we are crooked souls trying to stay up straight
    Solace speaks of her brother and there is an audible chuckle as a gentle smile finds his face - she describes him as accurately as he did when they were just born, and he is not surprised to find that his son has changed little. He could never understand the wayward spirit Svedka possessed (though Tangerine made sure to reassure him that it is quite alright), but is relieved to hear that her brother has decided to stay in Hyaline with her. It comforted him to know that they are still close, and his bright eyes shine distantly with the thought of his own twin, Beyah. Svedka and Solace were how Warrick imagined him and his twin sister would have been, if they had been given the chance.

    He sighs contentedly though, happy for the distraction in the time being. Politics will come later (they both know it will), so they relax and give each other small-talk, as a father and daughter would normally do. “You keep him grounded,” the navy stallion murmurs thoughtfully, fluttering his wings at his sides.

    Solace’s breath catches in her throat and his navy-tipped ears prick forward at the sound of it. His face darkens a bit with concern and curiosity, his head tilting slightly. 

    “You are going to be a grandfather.”

    The words have been said, but as his brows rise, he feels as if he had not heard her correctly. He is unresponsive for the briefest of seconds as her proclamation sinks in, and for the truest moment, he forgets all about kingly duties or the threat that broods deep within the forest. Warrick’s eyes come alive, sparkling with joy and unshed tears, a look that is reminiscent of when Tangerine told him that he would be a father to their now-grown twins. Not for a second did he think she was talking of Svedka - her voice was too genuine for it to be anyone but her. 

    He does not know when he did it, but he has rushed up to embrace her again - this time, his neck is curving around her, drawing her into his chest. “My sweet Solace!” he exclaims in a breathless cry, eyes closing tightly as his heart beams with happiness. “Congratulations,” he murmurs to her, softer this time, a gentle kiss pressing into the temple of her golden head. He does not step back from her, not yet, but a shudder of a sigh falls from his lips as he casually adds: “I suddenly feel my age..” but there is laughter in his voice. 
    Warrick


    @[Solace]
    was gonna wait to reply until this weekend but
    I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF
    #6


    Solace

    . . .


    He was always there for her. Even with one thousand miles between them, she had felt it and never had she doubted him. She has a thought then that no monarch should have, she knows that if ever the crown were taken from her she could find a life with him for as long as he roamed this earth. 

    "Thank you," is all she can manage before the emotion and his embrace overwhelm her. As he presses a kiss to her temple her doubts seem to fall away, and she sees this pregnancy as a gift for the first time. His joy reminds her that no matter where Castile decided to go, she would never be alone in this journey if she didn't want to be. She had her family, and she had Kagerus and Ilma. 

    Swallowing hard, she composes herself once again. She releases herself from his embrace to find the deep blue pools of his eyes. "You are the first to know," she says with a hint of satisfaction that Tangerine had not beat her to the announcement. 

    But her smile is soon replaced by a resolute look she often wore as queen. Solace's mind never left political matters unattended for long, and it swiftly returns to fallen queens and murderous kings.

    "I'm guessing you have heard of Sylva, Loess, and Ischia? I have met Loess new king briefly and while he did not take the throne by force, I am not sure if he is to be trusted. We have no real information on Sylva, other than it is ruled by one of Gryffen's followers now." She shakes her head gently, they needed to know more, but they also needed to keep their mountains secure - it was hard to do both without many warriors. But her features brighten slightly as she moves on to update him on the third kingdom she had mentioned. 

    "But Hyaline remains friendly with Brennen and The Brotherhood of Ischia. We have a foal exchange in the works with Nerine also, and of course, we count Tepha as our closest friend." Her demeanor seems to soften with that concluding sentence as she settles into silence to await whatever questions he may have. 





    @[Warrick]
    #7
    we are crooked souls trying to stay up straight
    He knows not of her internal struggles, and though he does not know of them he does not pretend that it is impossible for her to have any. Just as she, though her father is the great Overseer of the Tephran volcano, would understand that even if he does not share each detail of his life, that there are things that lay heavy on his head. The burden of the crown, the many children and residents that live in the shadow of the volcano that rely on him for protection and safety, or his own children and legacy. They will not talk about those things - not now, when there are other things to be joyous about. The blue-bay stallion wonders to himself who the father is, but he has never been a pressing man and would not pry the information from his daughter. He trusts Solace, and she will tell him things on her own in her own time. He smiles, her heart beaming through her words.

    ‘You are the first to know,’ she tells him with a mischievous smile, and he knows her smile will forever play in his mind to comfort him during the dark and stormy nights over Tephra’s seas. The conversation begins to melt into something else, and though their words drip with duty, he moves to stand beside her so that he may unfurl a navy wing to cover her. He listens to her with one navy-tipped ear tilted towards her, staring out into the depths of Hyaline and quietly pondering if he’d catch sight of his son. He nods, though his gaze remains looking out at the crystalline lake - musing thoughtfully on the times he spent there with Amet and his now-lover, which feels like eons ago.

    “We seem to have allies in the same places, then. A few Ischian residents who are against Brennen’s mutiny have found refuge in Tephra. We are impartial - Brennen has followed the laws, so I do not rebuke him. But we accept all, as you well know. Our blood alliance with Nerine will certainly secure us an alliance with the brotherhood - which I fear will be needed, especially if Sylva continues in its ways. They have already struck us hard, and have stolen two of my refugees.” His mouth falls into a thin line at his words, admitting that Kwartz and Krone are no longer safe on his shores, shedding light to Solace of the current situation of Sylva. “Loess I have not heard about. Who is this king? Where is Ivar?” He now turns his eyes towards her, brow furrowing. He knows he may be asking questions that she doesn’t know the answers too - just as him, and perhaps if it had been anyone else (Brennen, or Hestia), he would not have asked them out loud. But it is Solace, and he is slightly less formal and more relaxed.

    A rumbling sigh leaves his lips, the autumn wind pulling at his feathers. His embrace becomes a bit tighter, watching her carefully.  He smiles then, faintly. “Be prepared for anything, my daughter. You are wise beyond your years, trust your instincts. You will never lead yourself astray.”
    Warrick


    @[Solace]
    #8


    Solace

    . . .


    Warrick confirms what she had suspected; that Tephra had seen the same qualities in the same kingdoms which she had seen fit to align Hyaline with. 

    "Good," she sighs in relief. "We too have a blood alliance with Nerine and are on good terms with the Brotherhood. I have made it clear to our allies that Hyaline's aim will be to remain neutral in any conflict...." But as she listens to his advice and sees the concern in his eyes she feels that they are both feeling a similar unrest about the type of the enemy they may face. "...but if these rumors of the darkness in Sylva are true, I don't know if I can do nothing while the innocent are tortured and children are held captive." These words are accented by a shake of her head. 

    "Loess new king came to Hyaline shortly after he took the throne. His name was Arthas ad he was ready to make an alliance but unwilling to provide me with much information about his goals or his kingdoms values. I agreed to no steals or challenges for a year, so we have a tentative friendship, but no true alliance. He has been true to his word this far and we have seen little activity on our southern border."

    "Castile, Nayl's son, stepped in for Ivar a year or so ago, but I have not heard anything of Ivar since then. Castile remains in Loess, even with the shift in power." Her voice catches awkwardly when she first speaks the name of her child's father, but her slip is brief.  Something had stopped her from telling Warrick all, when it came to her pregnancy. She is embarrassed that she would not be able to answer any other questions about Castile's whereabouts or feelings about the change in leadership - she always thought that if she was to bear someone's child, that they would have an understanding, and a love for each other that made them inseparable. But she had seen little of the dragon shifter over the last few months, and he didn't even know about the fact that was becoming more difficult to hide each day. 

    But his final compliment brings the smile back to her lips, "Spending my childhood as your shadow taught me a few things."






    @[Warrick] :]
    #9
    we are crooked souls trying to stay up straight
    The Overseer’s smile broadens as Solace divulges on Hyaline’s current political state. Nerine, Ischia, possibly Loess. The bay king hadn’t been sure what to think about Brennen and the brotherhood, but upon Solace’s declaration, he decides then that he must make a trip to the island and meet the general himself. With Ischia being much closer to Tephra, he would feel at ease to put his trust in that kingdom, especially if his daughter has. Warrick has tried not to mix politics and family, but Solace’s judgement is genuine and unprejudiced. It is hard not to have his decisions sway based on her thoughts.

    “Remaining neutral will be hard, but it is smart. The only reason Tephra has any hand in Sylva is because of they have come searching for trouble from us first. Remain neutral until you can do so no longer.” 

    He did not wish for Solace or her kingdom to take part in what will come from Tephra and Sylva just because he is her father. Warrick smiles to reassure her, though part of him wishes he had been able to keep Sylva from stealing from him. He felt inadequate for allowing such a thing, small and powerless. It did not help with the other refugees trilling in his ear, worried (and rightly so) for their own safety as well as their family. 

    “Continue to tread lightly with Loess. Their close proximity to Sylva and a new leader...you were right to remain cautious.” He does not catch the slight way her mannerisms change when she mentions Castile; he is too fraught with his own thoughts to catch the wavering of her own across the matching blue of her irises. Feeling as if he has updated her to the best of his ability, the winged stallion reaches forward to brush his muzzle against the pale corner of her lips. He pulls back, pressing his chin to his russet chest, his wings fluttering lightly at his sides. “I must head home soon, Solace. Care for a flight before I go?”
    Warrick


    @[Solace]
    Figured this is a good way to wrap it up <3 father/daughter flying together Big Grin




    Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)