"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
a dragon who couldn't be hurt on the outside could have so many ragged holes inside
There's things he needs to do, some related to kingdoms, some related to friends, some to family - but she's the top of the list.
He has a knack for ruining things in his own life, but she's not one of them. Perhaps that's why he left her to grow up with her mother - much safer, not for her physical well-being but mostly for her easily influenced child-mind. But it was spring already without him looking at the time, she was a year old now, and there was a good chance that she'd found out things she might have inherited from him, or his mother, or - had his mother even visited her like he'd mockingly, angrily told her to do? Probably not; in that case maybe he should invite her to see his family in Nerine some time.
Some time later. Today he would be visiting her in her home, instead of happening upon her and her mother by chance again. Nerinians were welcome in Hyaline without it being border intrusion, and, hailing from the north because he'd visited the place, he figured it wouldn't be a problem. And if it was, he could explain.
He took the path among the westcoast rocks, a relatively high place where he could look over a lot of this kingdom, but ultimately, when he couldn't find her, or her mother, he let his call echo between the mountains. He hadn't thought of the fact that maybe Thalassa was in here too until it was too late; at that thought, he moved a bit away from his original spot just not to be caught off-guard. Hopefully, then.
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@[Chryseis] sorry if I overflow you :/
Two things I know I can make: pretty kids, and people mad.
we're on the road to ruin,
and we're starting at the end --
Chryseis had hardly noticed that it had been a few months since she last saw her father. Not because she didn’t miss him, but because her fleeting attention span didn’t allow her to focus on it for that long. There were so many other things she was trying to explore and learn, especially since Briseis had loosened her overprotective, almost asphyxiating hold on her. She never felt abandoned; she was one of the lucky few that knew both of her parents loved her, which was ironic, since they were not in love with each other. But still, there were plenty of times that she wondered what he was doing. She assumed that he must be busy, doing whatever it was adults did. She knew her father did a lot more than her mother - and he must be important, because other horses knew him. Breckin knew him, and she was a Queen now, and Queens would only be friends with important people, she’s pretty sure.
She was exploring along a creek bed when she first heard the familiar call. Immediately, her head flings upwards, sending water droplets flying, and allowing the frog she had been nosing with her muzzle to finally escape into the reedy grasses. On still too-long legs she bounds forward, easily traversing across the familiar terrain and ascending the rocky hillside. Her own call was released into the air when she spotted him, quickening her pace until she is skidding to a stop before him. “Hi daddy!” Without hesitation she nuzzles against his neck, and for the first time she noticed the new scaling, and then the fact that now his eyes were a different color. ”Did you get attacked by a lizard? Wait, is this hereditary? Do I get pretty eyes too!?” That would be so much better than boring brown eyes!
a dragon who couldn't be hurt on the outside could have so many ragged holes inside
For someone who knows, indeed, a lot of other horses, he's decidedly unimportant - or at least, so he thinks. He holds the lowest rank still in his brotherhood (well, okay, together with everyone else, it seems Brennen just didn't really get into promotions, perhaps he thought that they were better as equals which was actually well on point), he knows a lot of kings well enough to tease them on a first-name basis, like Arthas and Bane Of Our Existence, and Breckin. Though she had always been special to him, of course.
He'd had a title once. But that title meant nothing. Prince of the Amazons - basically, the most fucked-up position one could ever have. Give the boy a fancy name so you can ignore him, right? Right. Seemed the best. idea. ever. To those mares and fillies calling themselves female warriors, at least.
No, he'd rather have no title and secretly know his way around the kingdoms and their high-ranking individuals, sneaking around as it were, than the other way around, having a title that meant he could sit back and watch but don't touch and don't speak. God, he hated the not speaking up part.
The blue roan filly, lanky and sticky-legged but grown, almost at the height she will be as an adult, finds her way among the rocks easily. A matter of practise, he supposes, and he hasn't gotten that much practise yet; used to the meadow, the river, the forest, and the beach and tropical jungle; but never walking among cliffsides much. It would have to change, he supposed, he would have to practise more. Well, he could start today.
She nuzzles against him, and he tugs at her forelock. "You've grown so much. Why'd I miss that?" He asks her, as if she would have the answer, then gives her a coy smile. "No, by a Kelpie." It's only then that he realizes that she once asked if there were sharks in the river, decidedly interested as if she would go looking for them. Oops. He'd better not tell Briseis he mentioned the Kelpie.
"I don't think it'll suddenly transfer to you. But Chryseis, you already have the most beautiful eyes." he tells her, looking at her sincerely as the ice blue settles on some kind of softer blue. Then he smiles again. "And it's inconvenient too, you know. Everybody always seems to know how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking." he sighs dramatically, eyes a green colour, since he's mocking her and not actually thinks it's too much of a trouble. But it probably demonstrates what he's telling her.
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@[Chryseis] Overflow? What's that word, I don't know it? -checks- Nope, not in my book.
Two things I know I can make: pretty kids, and people mad.
09-28-2018, 06:05 PM (This post was last modified: 09-28-2018, 06:07 PM by Chryseis.)
-- I don't know where you're going
but do you got room for one more troubled soul?
When he tugs at her forelock it elicits a girlish laugh from her lips, playfully tossing her head away from him. ”I don’t know, you were busy doing dad stuff?” She wouldn’t hold it against him. The young filly couldn’t be mad at her father even if she wanted to. In her eyes, he did no wrong, and truthfully she had been so busy exploring and barely staying out of trouble that she hardly noticed she hasn’t seen him in awhile.
She was still young enough to be a dreamer. To her, the world was nothing but magic and wonder , and even something as terrifying as a kelpie sounded like a fairy tale adventure. Her eyes widened when he said he was bit by one, an audible gasp escaping her lips. ”A kelpie bit you!? And you’re still alive?” There is something similar to a squeak of excitement, hardly able to believe that her very own father seemingly fought a kelpie and won. ”But how did you get away?” She almost asks where exactly this took place, the wheels of her mind churning as she begins tossing around ideas on how she could catch one without getting killed. But, she is pretty sure if she asks that he will catch on, so already she knows it’s best to keep that to herself. Her dad was definitely more lenient and adventurous than her mom, but she knew even Leilan wouldn’t give her directions to the jaws of a kelpie.
She casts him an incredulous look when he says her eyes are pretty. She already knows they are plain and boring and brown, but his effort at making her feel better is noted. Thankfully, her metallic gold blaze stood out beautifully against her black face, and she likes to think that maybe it made her drab eyes stand out. ”Dad, you have to say my eyes are pretty. It’s like an unwritten rule of being a parent.” But she giggles again, nuzzling against his neck as she adds sincerely, ”Thank you, though.” Even though she would rather have his color changing eyes.
chryseisI don’t know where I’m going,
but I don’t think I’m coming home
leilan x briseis
a dragon who couldn't be hurt on the outside could have so many ragged holes inside
Nuzzling her head while he had the opportunity, he chuckles at her answer, busy doing dad stuff. However, it also makes him think about the things he actually did in the meantime, and he’s not exactly proud of that now. But not looking at her face makes it easier to shove the thought to the back of his mind, and it’s quickly replaced by thoughts of Chryseis looking for kelpies. And it’s very important, judging by the tone of her voice, that he says something about it.
He retreats from her hug with a concerned frown. ” I did not get out alive, Chryseis. I was made immortal by a fairy earlier so that I could be here for you, but the kelpie girl did kill me and I can tell you it’s not a pleasant experience.” he stares at her excited brown eyes intensely. ”If you really must, I’ll take you to see her but you’re under no condition will I let you go alone, are we clear on that?” If he has to, he guesses that he will actually tell Briseis about it. He hopes she picks up on that, but if she doesn’t budge, he’ll emphasize.
He sighs then, ”I love you, baby girl. Don’t go dying on me, please.” He gives her a wry smile. ”And I still think your eyes are pretty. I guess brown’s just easy to get lost in, especially if it has a spark to it.” Frowning, he adds, ”Don’t tell Breckin I said that. Or your mother.”
Which gets him to the point in the conversation he actually wanted to reach, and he pushes playfully against her shoulder. ”Did my mother ever visit? Or maybe you’d like to visit Nerine sometime? I’m moving, you know.” Sure, perhaps she would fit well in Hyaline for a time, but his daughter held way too much spirit for a sanctuary kingdom, unlike her mother. Or at the very least she could learn something about defending herself, from the Leviathans.
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@[Chryseis] it’s a bit all over the place, sorry. He talks too much
Two things I know I can make: pretty kids, and people mad.
-- I don't know where you're going
but do you got room for one more troubled soul?
Unfortunately, her father catches on to the reasoning behind her questions, but she feigns innocence. Chryseis couldn’t imagine why her father would ever think she would do such a thing! She wasn’t planning on swimming with one (actually she hadn’t made it that far in her planning), but she sighs in semi-defeat when he mentions being killed. ”Okay, okay, I promise I won’t look for one by myself.” That was true enough, considering she would probably recruit someone to come with her. But he mentions taking her to see the kelpie, however, and her face brightens again. ”Really, you don’t think she will eat me?” It would be a lot more exciting if she at least tried, but, she supposes at least seeing one with her own eyes would suffice.
”I love you too, dad.” Her smile softens and she bumps her nose against his shoulder, adding with a giggle, ”I’ll do my best to not die.” There will probably be some close calls over the course of her lifetime, but Chryseis loved life too much to have it taken away from her. She loved adventure and excitement, but she had not been blessed with the same gift as her father; once her life was gone, it was gone.
She shakes her head when he asks about Scorch. ”I never saw her. But can we go to Nerine? I want to see Breckin too!” Nerine was some place she had never been, and it wasn’t a secret that Chryseis loved new places. Besides, she has not seen the spotted mare since she became Queen. The gold-blazed filly still did not fully understand the relationship between her father and Breckin, but only because she has never seen them together. She begins to prance eagerly in the direction that would lead to Nerine, turning to ask her father excitedly, ”Can we go now?! I know mom won’t care.”
chryseisI don’t know where I’m going,
but I don’t think I’m coming home
leilan x briseis
@[Leilan]
Sorry it’s so short, but I figured we could start a new thread in Nerine? (:
a dragon who couldn't be hurt on the outside could have so many ragged holes inside
There’s really only one reason he does so well with Chryseis, he supposes - she takes after him so much, he just has to imagine what he would do or say at that age. It’s why he proposed to take her with him to see Deiti; if he doesn’t, she will go look for a kelpie herself. Maybe not on her own after the warning, but that could mean she brings another overzealous yearling with her, and he doesn’t want to be reaponsible for any of their ended lives.
He cocks his head at her with a grin when she asks if the mermaid won’t eat her. ”That’s why I’m coming with you.” Truth is, Deiti had enough self-awareness to hesitate on eating him (though he’d drowned by then), and he is pretty sure that she would be more conscious if he showed up again. If all else fails he can think of some ways to prevent Chryseis from being eaten, but anyway - it’s still not a safe adventure, but going alone would have her end up drowned and killed for sure.
Her admittance on trying not to die is the only one he’ll likely get, so he takes it and nods. On the topic of Nerine, she is more excited. Go now? Breckin? What - oh, he forgot she went here. Might be painful for her... was this a good idea at all? But seeing Chryseis get so excited - well, he supposes that if she really loves the place or wants to go, he can’t stop her. It’s not like they’re walkig into a bunch of girl-eating kelpies after all. A girl like her would fit with the leviathans. He hopes.
”W better tell your mother where you are before going, okay?”
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@[Chryseis] Just an ending. And assuming they will tell Briseis. xP
Two things I know I can make: pretty kids, and people mad.
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