"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
It had been several months since she had made the decision to explore the other lands in search of a possible home, a possible place to serve and find purpose again. Once she had been Hyaline’s Heart but that chapter was closed. It was time for new beginnings. There had been several kingdoms to visit on her list but one stood out in particular. Icicle Isle. So many had chattered about it in the Meadow after the celebration of the sun that was hosted there. Yes it was very cold but when she hears about how often the nights are clear on the Isle, how the northern lights dance and the stars can usually be seen clearly, it helps solidify her decision that maybe this is the first place to explore.
Winter had settled in enough to grow out her winter coat so she’s not entirely unprepared when she finally makes her way to the tundra kingdom. It is only luck that keeps her from making the exhausting trek and swim to the island, finding the portal to still be activated in the Meadow that she’s been calling home. The magic seems to be fading from the archway and perhaps it is a careless and risky move to rely on it being secure but she uses it anyways.
Within seconds she is standing on ice and granite that crunch and crackle beneath her hooves. The swirling silver of her gaze takes in the landscape, the silent expanse of snow and tundra grass, the glimmer of moonlight reflected on a dark lake, a blue flame flickering in the distance, the clear night sky that she easily draws the power of her stars from. Auroraflies hover around her as if curious of the stars along her backside, as if trying to gauge if they might be related. Her twinkling companions shine bright as she pulls her shield protectively around her, more as a reflex than anything else. For the moment all seems calm and quiet. Unsure if she should step further into the land, she decides to stay put and instead sends out a friendly call to let anyone nearby know she’s there.
all of time and space, everywhere and anywhere, every star that ever was
@[Leilan]
@ ANY
Sorry this is hot garbage but wanted to get something started for her here <3
05-11-2021, 06:26 AM (This post was last modified: 05-11-2021, 08:49 AM by Chemdog.)
Chem is very familiar with the hardened details of Leilan’s frozen Kingdom and so it makes it very easy to lurk around the outskirts undetected. Well, to be fair, he’s not really sure if he’s undetected but it doesn’t much matter now does it? He’s got a pass, he grins to the thought. The dragon Freyr is a friend and the brotherhood Leilan’s built over the years has a solid place in the teal eyed stallion’s heart. It, dare I say, has helped shape him, even. An ode to the days of Offspring’s Tundra brotherhood.
“Oh,” he spots her on the edge, and her call is soft and friendly. He wastes no time swallowing up the gap between them with a confident stroll. A pair of ghostly hounds split from out of his chest, jogging in opposite directions to run out ahead of the stallion. The hounds reach the dark mare and dissipate into smoke, curling away on the gentle wind. Sometime in his approach it begins to snow lightly, the white flakes floating to the cold ground rather than floating. He’s near enough to talk and stops, flipping both ears up, and his head properly upright to show his friendly interest in the stranger. “It’s a party, you know,” he chuckles, “Come join us.” his smirk is wry, but not ingenuine, his head tipped to watch her with one bright eye while the other stays covered with his long thick forelock.
To be completely frank, Leilan didn't know quite yet how to shut the portal down; only that it was already fading, after the party. He did, however, keep tabs on it, just in case someone came through that he didn't really... well, appreciate. And, just in case someone thought to use it to jump back home through it. After all, it should still work both ways.
He's tasked Nashua today with cleaning up the forest. While the mirroring maze is already down and part of the Isle's early wintry snows, currently the ice mage tried to figure out flora reviving. As it happened, he'd seeped off some of Borderline and Memorie's traits last time to make it more lush before the party started; but now it had obviously been trampled and honestly the inhabitants of the Isle could use something more to last the winter.
Besides, the pretty flowers, looking to be made of ice or glass or perhaps both (he hadn't figured it out yet) should probably survive and get the chance to regrow, as well.
There's a tug on his mind and his curiosity is awakened, when the mare steps through to come see the Isle. Though he senses no malicious thoughts, he is new to this kind of magic, and his attention being on the tundra meadow, he decides to check it out at any rate; whether to welcome a new visitor or to make sure nothing got burned again.
He's not surprised to see Chemdog was lingering, telling the new mare that it's a party. With a chuckle, the scaled roan skips the last steps to teleport near to them - somehow teleports are the easiest thing for the ever-wandering Leilan. Magic has its perks, he supposes.
"Technically, Chem, we're cleaning up." His eyes sparkle with an amused, emerald gleam as he takes in the black and white male and the star-engulfed mare. "Welcome, I'm Leilan. I see you've attracted some of our local bugs." He smiles to her, the green still very present in his eyes as he insinuates Chemdog is one of those. "Don't worry, they're pretty harmless. This one's Chemdog." he adds for good measure, seeing as the sturdy male himself hadn't exactly given an introduction.
old, but I'm not that old young, but I'm not that bold
@[Ciri] @[Chemdog]
Two things I know I can make: pretty kids, and people mad.
She remembers the tales of the Tundra brotherhood but it had never been a place she had visited or felt inclined to explore. Before the Reckoning, her haunts consisted of her birthplace (the Dale) and the Meadow to star gaze and a brief curiosity with the jungle of the sisters. That had been a long time ago although her appearance and age says otherwise, the telltale signs of hard battles won scattered across her smokey coat the only indicator of the things she had seen. She doesn’t think such a place exists anymore, that it was just another lost story for the before times.
For a moment all is quiet and then a pair of hounds suddenly appear and her swirling iris’s narrow as she draws more power, strengthening the shield of gas orbs and multicolored nebulas around her. Her fight overrides her flight, Ciri had been caught off guard one to many times (the ragged slash across her eye and cheek a story between her and the savage wolf shifter that had seized her unaware) and it is instinct now to be defend herself first and ask questions later. However, the hounds seem to evaporate into thin air the moment they reach her celestial shield, curling into smoke and vanishing. Before she can figure out what has happened, a large stallion approaches.
Warily she eyes him as he comes closer, a spectacular display of monochrome, and although he gives a slight chuckle and speaks of a party, she is vigilant and unsure. And then the other appears. The first thing she notices (besides the way he seems to skip through time as she had once done) is the scales. Of course she can’t help but think of Amet and Castile and wonders if she had perhaps once again found herself in the presence of a dragon. Frost seems to cover his smooth scales and she unwillingly admits to herself that he is quite handsome, with the tattoos that swirl up his legs and the metallic hues of him that match her own swirling gaze. Well, she had always had a thing for dragons that seemed to pull at the ancient heart of her star.
As Leilan introduces himself and Chemdog she slowly releases her shield, returning the vast swirling nebula back to the night sky that dances above them. Her own companion stars seem to glow brighter as they mix with the falling snow. “I guess I’m fashionably late.” She finally manages with a whisper of a smile on dark lips, addressing this party that she had been completely unaware of. “I’m Ciri.” She adds after a minute, considering the two hardy stallions before her. “I’m actually here on a matter of business, to offer my services to this kingdom. One might consider me a sell sword for lack of a better term and I’m looking for a more permanent position. If the Isle will have me that is.” She’s unaware that this is a land that caters to the opposite sex but it still won’t put her off. She can handle the cold and she can handle the crude humor that comes with a stallion nation. Ciri had never had an issue being one of the boys, finding herself much more comfortable in their presence despite her attraction to both sexes. Besides, it would be a nice change. Something completely different to what she had been as Hyaline’s Heart.
all of time and space, everywhere and anywhere, every star that ever was
@[Leilan] @[Chemdog] Hope you don't mind her crashing the bachelor pad <3
Leilan comes forward, he watched, he waited, and Chem notes that about his ambiguous dragon-horse pal. Chem doesn’t realize the woman’s not here for the ever-fading festival, who’s fires still burn faintly and some groups still remain in the snowy territory, socializing. He doesn’t realize this until Leilan’s booming voice leans in, and the piebald’s lips curl into a playful grin. “Oh good, well, I’m out of here then.” He chuckles, flashing his tail across each hip.
Lingering is the perfect word for what he does, the stallion ponders, his grin morphing into a smirk. Chemdog laughs, “Don’t mind this old fiery goat, he’s no partier.” And he lets the King of the Isle introduce him, “Your local malingerer, at your service.” He feigns a dip, a pretend bow, and letting his teal eyes quietly stay steady on the scarred mare.
She’s here on diplomacy, or employment inquiry, whatever – the woman’s here on business. Chem listens to what she’s got to say, though it’s clearly not for him at all. He’s not rude, letting her speak before he nods, watching her still, staring even. There are a few seconds of his silence before he turns abruptly to Leilan, nodding again, as bros do, “Good luck with that cleanup,” he says to him, and then his eyes briefly hit the woman, as if to get one last good look, “Nice to meet you Ciri.” And then he moves off across the tundra, first trotting and then opening up, galloping into flurries of snow kicked by wind; off toward the Cove.
@[Leilan] @[Ciri]
i didn't realize the festie was over lol
well whatever, i wanted him to meet ciri anyway i couldn't help myself
The gold-maned roan withholds a chuckle when Ciri states she is here on business, and it completely seems to turn Chemdog off. Her tone is steady enough that the skull-marked male almost seems to droop while walking off. ”Don’t worry about him. I’m sure this is not his last visit,” he comments dryly. Not that Leilan had wanted Chemdog to leave, per say, but it seems the new leader of Silver Cove didn’t feel like cleaning up a party that he technically wasn’t hosting, as he had opted to lead the silvery territory instead of stick here with the snowy one. Leilan couldn’t blame him for the move though. Fewer and fewer mares seemed to want to stay out here in the cold, let alone a herd, or foal their children in the tundra-esque environment.
The burning of the Isle had once put them on the map, and he’d used it too, but it hadn’t attracted anyone to live in a place with barely any food. They were right, of course - hence the latest festival, which of course had multiple reasons but one of them was indeed to show the world that the Isle had survived and prevailed.
In fact, the landscape and it’s location, weren’t too inviting to some even with the thick tundra grasses and mosses restored. Even most Northerners preferred the relative warmth and shelter of the trees in Taiga. The Brotherhood as it once was, perhaps still echoed here, too, with a landscape similar to the old Tundra - even if the Ischian Krakens and Nerinian Leviathans had merged about a decade ago by now. Leilan knows better than to expect anyone to want to live in the place - anyone who is not a young male impressed by an ice dragon, at least - but when one shows up, he’s not about to be turning them away. ”Welcome, Ciri. Of course we’ll have you.” Apart from not having the luxury to turn anyone down, she seems a capable horse, made from the stuff most Northerners are crafted from - determination. ”Did you have a specific sort of employment in mind?” He knows she’d said sell-sword, but even then she could do anything from patrolling to training, or going on certain missions - seeing as Yanhua was currently patrolling the only effective borders the kingdom had.
old, but I'm not that old young, but I'm not that bold
@[Ciri]
Two things I know I can make: pretty kids, and people mad.
Whatever reservations she had been initially holding had started to fall away but they disappear entirely as both Chemdog and Leilan banter and she can’t help the wry grin that spreads in response. “Nice to meet you as well Chemdog.” She says sincerely as he makes his parting goodbyes and turns the trio into a duo. Her swirling iris’s watch him as he leaves, the way his eyes had taken her in hadn’t been missed by her. He wasn’t half bad looking himself, plenty of scars marked his own splattered coat and she figures a stallion like that would find appreciation in the many scars carved on her own dark skin.
The roan’s voice breaks her attention and her smile lingers as she turns back to him. “I hope I’m not the reason he left.” She responds lightly, already knowing that was probably far from the case with the way his gaze had lingered. Chemdog quickly fades from her mind as Leilan accepts her offer and the grin that takes over her features visibly brightens the ugly slash across her face. That grin speaks of warmth, happiness, and most of all relief. The Isle was such a far change from Hyaline but that was what she needed. She hopes with time she can grow more accustomed to the cold and the sparse way of life out here but the clear night sky that dances with light and stars above them already makes it clear that it will be worth her while.
It doesn’t take long for her to figure out where she belongs. “I can do it all.” She pauses, momentarily wondering if what she wants to say comes off too much as a brag when she wants to remain humble. “I held the position of Hyaline’s Heart years ago. A consort position but one that also had me doing a variety of things of diplomatic nature. However I was raised to fight so you may place me wherever you think best.” She pauses again, her swirling silver iris’s flicking to the sporadic hues of green and yellow above them. “I’m connected to the stars so I can also take night patrols, it’s when I’m at my strongest.” She’s not keen on exposing her weaknesses but in a situation like this it can’t be helped. The only way she can access her celestial shield was at night, during the day she had to fight like any other horse.
The stars that she calls her companions glow brightly around her as she looks at him, the swirls of her eyes moving faster with her enthusiasm. "I promise you won't regret taking me on Leilan."
all of time and space, everywhere and anywhere, every star that ever was
@[Leilan] @[Chemdog]
You can put her wherever feels right!
”Probably not. But we could always chase him down,” Leilan offers with a near-mischievous spark in his eyes before turning more serious to listen to her.
Ciri obviously hadn’t made her decision overnight, if he was allowed to think of that little pun. And perhaps Chemdog would indeed be back, though the scaled roan wouldn’t mind visiting Silver Cove instead - or, perhaps, Ciri would want to go like he’d suggested just now. In fact, between himself, Chem and Nashua (and his lingering granddaughter whom seldom showed interest in politics), diplomatic visits had been lacking. Jesper officially held his position as Skald, but the fox shifter was more of a homebody. A former Heart, like Ciri, might make a change.
And then there was the other thing she needed to know about: ”If you can, I’d like you to meet with Nashua. He’s our current general and champion, and might be relieved if you can take over his night shifts. More time for the family, I bet,” he adds and smiles a little. For an old man like himself - not that he feels old or shows it bodily, but still - he didn’t have much priorities when it came down to mares or small foals any longer, and figured it for the best. ”Besides that, I think a position similar to your former one might suit you. That way, if you feel like it, feel free to connect with the other lands or even to make a trip back to the Field once in a while.” So basically she has his leave to do what she seems fitting in the moment; be that patrolling or going out. As long as they don’t all go out at once, Leilan doesn’t see much of a problem with it. Besides, now that he knows about linking with the portal and (be that somewhat accidentally) with Yanhua, he feels confident that they will be able to call him when necessary, wherever.
His gaze is amused when she pledges her promise. ”I’m sure I won’t, Thane Ciri. Now, is there something else I can do for you, or do you want to explore on your own?”
old, but I'm not that old young, but I'm not that bold
@[Ciri] I put her up at the ranks, I hope you like it <3
Two things I know I can make: pretty kids, and people mad.
It had been a long time since she had been able to call anywhere home. It would take time for the land to settle into her bones, for the Isle to wrap around the soft spots that she still had for Hyaline, to wipe the past from her starlit eyes. But this was a start, having this purpose and something to strive for. There’s a rush of emotion that suddenly courses through her as her swirling gaze sweeps over the desolate icy terrain. She takes in the small tufts of sparse grass that peep from exposed granite, the few trees that sporadically dot the landscape, blue flames reflected off a heart shaped lake. Some might see scarcity, see emptiness. She can only see hope in the flicker of light that dances off the dark reflection of the lake.
A heart shaped lake. A sign for the once Heart of Hyaline.
As the frosted roan speaks of the current Champion, she returns her gaze back to him. A new shine in her swirling gaze as she nods in acceptance. “Finding Nashua will be my first priority.” She promises but falls quiet as he continues. When he suggests a similar position to her old one she’s momentarily unsure. Amet had originally made her the Heart due to their relationship and she had taken it upon herself to make that position more than just a declaration of love. However her moment of confusion is cleared when he gives her a title and an explanation. Thane Ciri, he says, and she can’t help but admit how good that feels.
“You do honor me Leilan.” She murmurs softly, lowering her head slightly in deference to him and hiding her silver gaze beneath long lashes. To keep the emotion that’s clearly exposed in the depths of swirls. There is just one more thing she needs to ask and she’s unsure of pushing her luck but luckily he gives her just the right opening to do so. “There is just one thing. A friend Padme and her child will be shortly following. They are also homeless and it was safer to travel together after the sun rose. Could they stay as well?” She knows the conditions on the Isle might be tough for the mare and her foal but she hopes that they will see what she sees in this place and decide to remain if Leilan gives his blessing. She had grown affectionate towards the two in their travels. Besides Gale, Padme was the only other friend she really had and she would be loathe to leave her and Mourna behind.
all of time and space, everywhere and anywhere, every star that ever was
For a kingdom like the North, and Icicle Isle in particular, a horse like Ciri could turn out a gift from a higher entity- be that a god, heaven, or the fairies or perhaps the stars, depending on someone’s belief. For someone like Leilan, it didn’t matter, because he would accept any and all gifts as long as “his” precious Isle would survive and he would be able to have his home base out here on the ice. If it was turned back into a Tundra of old, complete with a Brotherhood, he would survive - but more than that he wishes for the land to live, and house and breed the sturdiest horses of Beqanna. That hasn’t been an exclusive male thing for as long as he lives. It hadn’t been on accident that the former Brothers and Sisters had merged, and stayed in the Northern lands ever since. The Plague and the threats of war had only set the timing for something Leilan now thinks was always inevitable.
A mare and her child then, as long as they could survive here, would be most welcome. A mare like Ciri all the more, because she embodies exactly that fused-Northern spirit. ”Honor to those who deserve it. You’re a perfect fit for the job, as far as I can see. And your friend is of course welcome. I hope Mourna grows up to be as strong as you, and every Northerner who has been raised here.” he grins knowingly - she hadn't mentioned the child’s name, but magic does have its perks. A small wink follows, then he motions for the wide open spaces of the Isle; for her to explore and settle.
old, but I'm not that old young, but I'm not that bold
| 