"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
hold me in this wild, wild world 'cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be
His luck hadn’t been the best with the Army. Not that he had given up, not by a long shot, but his first attempt to gather them together and figure out what was what had ended with him and Djinni having a brief meeting but nobody else. Which certainly wasn’t because Nerine was empty (because it wasn’t!), and surely not all of them could be peacekeepers or mere residents? Though of course, he knows many of them are just young.
A glance back at his own youngest, the winged girl bouncing along in his wake as usual. Bristol is one who matches him, bay and winged, though she has a startling ability to change the way her wings look on a whim. Today she has dark feathery wings like him, half-spread at her sides because he has promised to teach her something new about flying if she can patiently wait until he is done talking to Nayl.
Brennen has nothing positive to report about the Army, but he has other things to offer up to his Queen. His large family that has started to fill up her shores, for one, grown by three now that Cassady has finally arrived with her son and of course his little Bristol, but something else that makes his heart beat faster, hinting at a sense of purpose on par with his gone-forever Tundra. Many years he has spent raising children, his own and their children and strangers, but never in such an official and far-reaching capacity as this promises to be.
Amet wanted a place for young people to be safe, and Brennen has embraced the idea fully.
She is the only thing that could stand in the way, because he is nothing if not loyal to the things he loves, and he has started to give a piece of his heart to Nerine. It is not home, not yet, but it has the possibility of being home, and Brennen will not surrender that easily. Not when he has finally started to gather his family again, safe and happy, and for the first time since his own childhood abandonment has started to feel comfortable with the constant sound of waves in his head. If Nayl were to disapprove of him splitting his time guiding the residents of the Lake with whatever he needs to do for Nerine, he might give up the fledging idea before it has the chance to fly.
Finally he catches sight of the Queen, and he calls Bristol back to his side, sliding his muzzle fondly down her neck and to the tip of one silky wing. “Remember, polite. This is not one of your aunts, whom you can demand to play with you.” They’re not Bristols aunts, really more like Bristol’s nieces or cousins, but some relationships are just better simplified by a term that means family and is more age-appropriate. When he gets her nod of agreement, Brennen calls to Nayl and covers the last of the ground to bring the three of them together, nodding at the pied mare politely. “Do you have a moment, Nayl? I’ve had someone bring me an interesting proposition I’d like to run by you.”
hold me in this wild, wild world and in your heat I feel how cold it can get
BRENNEN
@[Aeris]/@[Nayl] no rush, just for when you get back from your trip. <3 Brennen and Amet may move ahead for the sake of time and we'll fudge this timeline a bit but just wanted them to actually have the conversation for posterity.
Nayl had observed with disappointment as Nerine’s numbers lacked in showing themselves to Brennen’s meeting. There had been Djinni, of course, and eventually Orion’s Belt, but all others neglected to heed him. The blood in Nayl’s body boiled and she duly noted it before ripping her attention into another direction. That had been prior to Castile’s birth, before motherhood softened her in the slightest of ways.
When Brennen comes to her, he is not alone. A child – bouncing with energy and aloft happiness – shadows him, and it’s second-nature for Nayl to turn her head and watch for Castile. He is in the near distance, gliding from one sand dune to another. His attention is seemingly trained on his antics until he glimpses Bristol and her father closing the distance to mother. Deciding to quickly join them, he begins a slow descent, then canter, to the small group.
Finally glancing away from the boy, Nayl’s eyes lift to Brennen’s. ”Hello,” her voice is less barbed and holds more respect, more admiration, for the male as she listens to him. He is no longer a foreign entity, a man of the Tundra’s past, but potentially a man of Nerine’s future.
Castile arrives then, his nostrils dilated to thirstily drink the air. Despite the little nip of an autumn breeze, the boy is still lathered in a thin layer of sweat. He first regards mother with a nudge to her shoulder, but then he looks at Brennen and nods. ”Hello, sir,” somehow he has learned mannerisms despite mother hardly making use of them, ”I’m Castile.” His wings ruffle idly at his side before a silver eye drifts to the girl. ”Hello, Bristol,” a boyish, drunken-like smile creeping across his lips.
Nayl watches him with curiosity at first, but Brennen is what grips her most. ”You have my attention,” she replies slowly, a brow lifting, ”go on.”
hold me in this wild, wild world 'cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be
At first after his cautioning words, Bristol tucks herself into Brennen’s side, folding her own wings so that she fits neatly under one of his, until she looks past the pied Queen and spots Castile, and then a bright smile reappears on her face as she leans towards him, glad to see him again, the boy her age a million times more interesting than her father’s cryptic need for a business meeting. Nayl and then Castile greet them, and Brennen gives them both a polite nod, perhaps a touch deeper than he would have bothered with a year ago. “It’s nice to meet you, Castile.” he responds, and lets the momentary wave of sadness wash over him and then fade away as the thought ‘this is our prince’ reminds him of the Tundra princes he had known, and served, and at times, helped to guide and raise. Of all of them he misses Errant the most, though he thinks fondly of Arcteryx and Ianto as well. He does not have to introduce Bristol, since Castile has already spoken her name and she neatly matches his appearance too well for coincidence, but he does reach down to press a soft touch to her shoulder before she can start chattering away, because he can feel her nearly vibrating with excitement at the boy’s presence.
He settles, tucking his wing back close to his own body as the filly slides out from under it, fidgeting under his momentary gaze as she does her best to stay patient and quiet. But when Nayl speaks he has to just hope she’ll behave and turns his eyes back to Nayl. “There is a young brother and sister who have come from outside of Beqanna and have managed to claim one of the new territories, the Lake. Brennen pauses, frowning, and considers how much of Amet’s story he needs to share. The boy had been uncomfortable enough revealing his history to Brennen, as if it somehow made him less important, but the bay stallion thinks that the reason behind the idea is important to understand what is going through their heads. “They came from some sort of abusive situation. He might be coming three, she can’t yet be two. They want to set the land up as a safe place for foals and young adults, and possibly a sort of training ground where young people can learn skills that will later help them when they age out and move on to another home. I met Amet in the Field a few months ago and I guess I made an impression because he approached me and asked for my help in protecting the young people they hope to gather in the Lake.”
He has not yet explored the land, but speaking the word out loud brings to mind the vibrant blues and greens of the land when he flew over it, admiring it even before Amet had claimed it. It reminded him of the Falls, more than any of the other lands in the new Beqanna. “I told him that I was interested, because I think it is a good idea, but that I would have to have your approval, as otherwise it would be a conflict with my allegiance to Nerine.” He pauses here again, considering his words a moment before going on. “I also told him that in exchange for my freedom to help and protect those living in the Lake, you might expect some alliance or subkingdom arrangement with the land he is building. I think that for Nerine, it might serve a similar purpose as once our two Kingdoms tried to do with swapping colts and fillies, in an attempt to bolster numbers. A relationship with them and perhaps helping out in training exercises and being friendly gives us a way to give the young people of Nerine more ways to train, as well as to get a head start on trying to recruit any promising youth living in the Lake.”
He glances at Bristol, who is listening to him now only because she is fascinated with the idea of the Lake, of being ‘free from his overprotectiveness’ and able to pretend to be an adult already. “It might also fill a void I have seen in many Kingdoms have in that when ranks are already filled by established adults, it sometimes seems to discourage youth from working to learn those skills, and then they are underprepared when it comes their turn to lead. If they have already had a chance to lead amongst their peers, perhaps it will be easier for them to become successful adults in their Kingdoms.”
hold me in this wild, wild world and in your heat I feel how cold it can get
There is obvious relief in the way Nayl glances to her son upon his mannerisms and the familiarity he has with Bristol. The boy is meeting others, socializing, which is a step farther than his father. Day after day she has watched the boy and how he carries himself. He isn’t quite so outgoing as, say, Djinni, but he also doesn’t mirror Lior in his preference for seclusion. There is a joyful boyish grin pulling against his lips when his mismatched eyes settle back on Bristol from Brennen, but he is unfortunately plastered to mother’s side. While it intrigues him to imagine an entire kingdom of children, Bristol is far more interesting in this moment as she, too, hums with jubilance upon seeing him. Now, if only they had the remaining group of friends with them.
A fleeting thought to graze Castile’s neck abandons Nayl as her ears swivel to closely listen and consider the information Brennen carries. The prospect holds her attention, and she calculates it again and again. It would provide a place for all children, and although she is by no means a perfect mother, it would be enthralling to help guide the future generation (perhaps steering some to Nerine’s shores one day).
But she doesn’t immediately acquiesce to the offer.
”I do hope that doesn’t mean Nerine would lose you, Brennen.” Of everything said, this bit of information is what captured her most, even somewhat worried her, but she wouldn’t admit to this. When she speaks, it’s with a voice of silk, but of course concern for her Nerine and those within it. ”It could work,” but it could also fail, she doesn’t say, ”and since only children could live and rule, they would need another kingdom to provide protection and security.” She is almost thinking aloud, her gaze drifting to the ocean as she weighs the prospects. There is Silva as their first subkingdom, and now potentially the Lake. Nerine’s reach is spreading across Beqanna.
Nayl eventually looks down to her son who meets her. ”Care to go on an adventure, Castile?” She asks with a maternal grin softening her features before looking back at Brennen. ”Let us visit this Lake and meet Iset and Amet. I do like the idea and the potential it has. Would you be able to devote some time here in addition to the Lake?” She isn’t against having horses in Nerine as well as another land;; Djinni is living that lifestyle even now.
She considers the children training, trying to be apex leaders, fighters, diplomats, and how they will need a home when they are no longer young enough to inhabit the Lake. The other lands will want them, but perhaps both she and Brennen can oversee that. It would be interesting, really.
