[private] water keeps passing by as life does, in a dream - Printable Version +- Beqanna (https://beqanna.com/forum) +-- Forum: OOC (https://beqanna.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=24) +--- Forum: Archive (https://beqanna.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=81) +---- Forum: Lands (https://beqanna.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=98) +----- Forum: Nerine (https://beqanna.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=91) +------ Forum: Icicle Isle (https://beqanna.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=102) +------ Thread: [private] water keeps passing by as life does, in a dream (/showthread.php?tid=26846) |
water keeps passing by as life does, in a dream - Oceane - 05-06-2020 oceane
with tremulous cadence slow, and bring
the eternal note of sadness in Alcinder had been surprisingly defiant when Oceane had informed him of their upcoming trip to Icicle Isle ─ abhorrent of the snow herself, the opaline woman was quite understanding when he clarified that he wanted to see Leilan again, just not surrounded by ice. And so it had been with the promise to make a wide-sweeping detour to visit Ischia on their way home, to surprise Aquaria and her boys. Nearly half a year had passed since Oceane had been returned to Loess, which meant it was nearing almost two years since she had the good fortune of seeing her finned friend. And she knew that the space in her heart where her friend existed was perhaps amplified in Alcinder's.
It had been an easy agreement to make. They journey north, saving their wings until it was time to fly the gap between the cliffs of Nerine and the tundra of the Isle. Side by side, the gleaming mother and son drift on outspread wings over the wintry territory, where regrowth had yet to take hold of the terrain. Oceane had explained the circumstances of their visit during their flight ─ she knew that it would be discussed with Leilan, and she didn't need the boy to be surprised by Castile's actions when the ice-dragon inevitably breached the topic. "Dad did this?" he calls to her over the wind, a frown tugging at his handsome face. Oceane gives him a reassuring smile, "Your father is a good man, Al. Fairy magic is strong, and cannot be fought." She had explained the concept of predators and prey to him, of predatory instincts and the primal need to hunt, possess, kill ─ he had understood as much as any young boy could, but to see the destruction was still disconcerting. To young Alcinder, a dragon ─ his father ─ had never been something he viewed as dangerous. It is all he had known for the first year of his life. After their initial airborne inspection, the pair lands courteously at the southern shore of the Isle. Oceane explains diplomacy to Alcinder while they wait, and mentions that even though she considers Leilan a friend ─ and hopefully she, his ─ it's still the most polite course of action to remain at the unseen border to avoid intruding. Oceane whinnies loudly into the crisp, cold air of the Isle, a puffy white cloud in front of her mouth ─ and then they wait for the ice dragon. "@[Leilan]"
RE: water keeps passing by as life does, in a dream - Leilan - 05-08-2020 nothing burns like the cold Leilan @[Oceane] RE: water keeps passing by as life does, in a dream - Oceane - 05-22-2020 oceane
with tremulous cadence slow, and bring
the eternal note of sadness in Leilan's ice-encrusted wings split the low-hanging grey clouds overhead. He coasts into land gracefully, greeted by a polite smile from Oceane and wide-eyed awe from Alcinder. He shifts seamlessly and paints on that familiar grin, prompting a similar one from the opaline mare. She lowers her head in greeting and coughs under her breath to conceal the small bout of laughter that had bubbled unexpectedly at his facetious greeting.
"Thank you for having us," she responds warmly as she rustles the feathered wings at her sides. Truth be told, she is quite pleased to be greeted by an absence of snow and ice ─ though certainly the ice-dragon has opposing thoughts. And his land will be restored, if he is willing to accept the help. "Hi, Leilan!" Alcinder calls to the roan stallion, his silvered eyes inspecting his icicles appreciatively. Remembering his manners, and his mom's monologue on diplomacy, the young boy clears his throat and straightens his shoulders before continuing his greeting in a much more subdued tone ─ "It's nice to see you again! I'm sorry for, um... this." Oceane flicks her ears towards her son, amused by the way he wars with himself. She had not expected the young boy to take her speech to heart. He is, after all, still young ─ and certainly not expected to behave the way an adult would in such a setting, though she is pleased he has recognized the gravity in their meeting. Turning her attention back to the Isle's King, Oceane addresses the matter at hand without preamble. She has no desire to play around in the shallow waters of small talk when they know that both Leilan and Oceane would rather settle what can be settled. "I've come in hopes of remedying the relationship between the Isle and Loess. My Queen, Lepis, stands behind me in this decision ─ she has already traveled to Nerine to discuss the situation between the kingdoms, but understood the merit of me coming to speak with you directly, as well." She pauses briefly to shift her weight more comfortably and to keep from bombarding the roan stallion with too much bureaucracy too quickly. "We would like to offer you the services of Noah, Queen of the Pampas. She has the ability to restore flora and has agreed to come to the Isle to assist in that." A brief, pleasant smile here. "And, in the meantime, we would also like to offer Loess' natural resources to you, if you and yours are in need of food." Oceane ends her speech then and simply waits patiently, ready for questions or otherwise, and finds that she is silently hoping they have offered enough to the ice-dragon by way of reparations. Alcinder, sensing the end of his mother's diplomatic duties, grins up at the roan stallion and shifts his weight back and forth excitedly. "Noah's magic sounds cool. Can I be here when she fixes everything?" "@[Leilan]"
RE: water keeps passing by as life does, in a dream - Leilan - 05-22-2020 nothing burns like the cold Leilan @[Oceane] RE: water keeps passing by as life does, in a dream - Oceane - 05-24-2020 oceane
with tremulous cadence slow, and bring
the eternal note of sadness in Alcinder grins as the roan stallion reaches down to ruffle his two-toned mane. Both man and colt seem much more comfortable around each other today compared to the day Al had almost literally run into Leilan during his mad dash out of Pangea, which helps the young colt to decide that he is actually quite happy his mother had forced him into this meeting. Leilan's offer draws instant curiosity from the boy; he had, in fact, inherited his own mother's thirst for anomalies and knowledge, and so he sidles off for a brief adventure while the adults talk.
Ever curious, however, he does his best to remain within hearing range. Oceane watches the opaline boy go, finding comfort in the fact that he is so relaxed around both politics and dragons, before turning her full attention back to the ice-flecked stallion. She doesn't miss the way he stays politely silent while she speaks and affords her friend the same respect as he gathers his own response. Her lips twitch into the faintest of grins as he speaks of Nerine and its stubbornness, but otherwise lets that topic come to rest as they begin to discuss what Loess can do to countermeasure Castile's destruction of the Isle. The Loessian woman has no expectation that Leilan will accept the offer she has placed before him ─ but that does not stop her from hoping. And, indeed, he does rebuff the offer, though not unkindly. Oceane remains quiet, her ears pressed in his direction, as he picks apart what has been set upon his charred table ─ and, truth be told, friend or not, she is in no position to tell Leilan just what Lepis will or will not accept responsibility for. Those conversations are saved for the heart of Loess, not to be shared by the mouth of a diplomat. For the first time since her return to Loess from Pangea, Oceane feels the faintest hint of bitter helplessness. Had Castile's desire for her to wear the crown after his abdication come to fruition, she would be in this very same position now, but with much more ability to agree to Leilan's terms on her own and without delay. When he has presented his counteroffer in its entirety, Oceane lets a comfortable silence settle between them. She mulls over it, pensive, as she turns her amber eyes to Alcinder exploring in the distance. She can see the way his ears are pressed high in their direction, and she can't help the smile that finds her mouth as she realizes he, too, is awaiting her response to Leilan. "Alcinder," she calls to the boy, and he reduces the distance between them with a collected trot. He looks between them expectantly with wide silver eyes before Oceane addresses him quietly, with a test: "What do you think we should do, Al?" He's caught off guard by his mother's question ─ he hadn't anticipated that he would be part of this process, but he supposes that is what he gets for eavesdropping under the guise of exploring. Clearing his throat, Alcinder looks to the roan stallion briefly and then back to his mother before ever so tentatively offering a solution. "I... I could stay," he says slowly, more out of a desire to answer correctly than out of apprehension at the idea of staying with Leilan in the Isle. He likes the ice-dragon, and despite his hatred for snow... there isn't much here right now, anyway. Plus, he thinks, he is much closer to Ischia and, therefore, Cormorant. "I could stay. As a, um... a sign of faith?" He tries to find the words he had heard his Mother and his Aunt use while they discussed politics, but can only smile sheepishly at the adults. Oceane, overwhelmed with pride for her son who nears two-years-old this upcoming spring, nudges him warmly with her muzzle before turning her gaze back to Leilan. "A truce, not an alliance. Loess will not offer protection in the event you find yourself in the midst of war," she tells the Isle's King and then, because he is her friend, she adds, "Certainly you can understand that Loess isn't currently in the position to be able to offer that." "And," she says as her heart begins to ache, "I will leave Alcinder to live with you for the next year, until his third birthday. As the son of the Isle's assailant, I know you see the value of his company. I will discuss your terms with Lepis and visit you when I come back for Alcinder ─ with the next ward, should Loess agree." She is silent then, expecting a response from Leilan but is surprised when Alcinder speaks up again ─ "Can I still go see Cormorant in Ischia?" He doesn't suspect his time with Leilan will be like the months he had spent in Pangea ─ but his mother had promised him the opportunity to see the island, and he isn't ready to let go of that plan just yet. "@[Leilan]"
RE: water keeps passing by as life does, in a dream - Leilan - 05-27-2020 nothing burns like the cold Leilan @[Oceane] |