la jeune fille marquée; Magnus

[Minette]

la jeune fille marquée

He says her name, and with a start she realizes it's the first time she has heard it in years. Gryffen calls her minnow, and her children call her mother. The husky tone of Magnus' voice, deep and full, caress the syllables of her name. It makes her feel alive. Beautiful. Not a plaything at the whim of those stronger than her, but a lady worthy of being loved. Tears spring to her eyes. She scolds herself silently, hating her emotions for being so difficult to control. For long years she has locked away her weakness so that she could survive but something about this buckskin stallion makes her defenses melt away.

Minette recognizes anger bubbling below the surface of the stallion's actions. How could she not? But she finds that she is not frightened of Magnus. His anger feels pure and though it runs hot, she knows he will not burn her.

What does frighten her is imagining Gryffen appearing and the events that could ensue. Magnus seems strong (she knows nothing of his background) but the white stallion is relentless. Her own body bears the marks of his wrath. The memory of his teeth ripping flesh flashes across her mind. She closes her eyes, concentrating on her breathing and willing her emotions to quit going haywire. With a shaky intake of air, she finally speaks.

“Oh Magnus.” She presses her head into his shoulder, her neck against his chest. Bitter tears dampen her face but she barely notices. “I wish I'd met you first.”

How different her world would have been if there had been a kind word awaiting her in this new place. If her first experience with the opposite sex hadn't been the brutal invasion of her body, the complete mastery of her self.

“I'm not afraid to trust you.” Minette says softly, her dark eyes shining but calm. “It's the first time I haven't been afraid of something in quite awhile. But I could never ask you to protect me, to fight Gryffen.” her voice trembles over the words. No one should suffer for where fate has brought her. It is her burden alone, she believes. “I wouldn't have you hurt for all the world. And he isn't as bad as he once was. I think, maybe, he means to change...”

She trails off, confused. As the months have gone on she has believed in Gryffen, but an inkling of doubt begins to set in. Minette had supressed so much, needed to have this closure after her ordeal with the dark god, and now she feels the things she's ignored rising up in revulsion in her chest.

“I don't know what to do. I'm terribly afraid and so tired. I feel like I haven't slept since I came back from below the earth. She speaks absently, not realizing to what she is confessing. It is a testament to her ease with Magnus that she isn't tightly hiding away her true thoughts. “I still have nightmares about that time. It felt like years, and the dark god took me apart... he remade me, too, with fire. The pain, I can still feel it sometimes. And-” her chest tightens and her words spill out with a spark of fire, though her tone is low “-Gryffen gave me over to him. I've wondered what I did to deserve the torment I suffered. But maybe, it wasn't my fault at all.”

She says the words softly, color suffusing her features, as if the sentences are blasphemy. The past Minette believed she had is being rewritten before her eyes, and it is one darker and more full of degradation than she realized. She recoils from Magnus, shame written in every line of her body. How could he even want to know her? Her skin is painted with the strokes of two sadistic artists. Perhaps the buckskin stallion will think that she is as cursed as she feels.

[magnus]

you and I both know that the house is haunted
and you and I both know that the ghost is me

Her story pours forth and every cell within him aches to protect her, to shield her from all of this. His body is still tense, some part of his attention still diverted to the trees where he knew something was waiting, but for the most part, he remains entirely focused on her and the story that she told. There are parts of it that he does not understand, although he can connect the dots between the dark god and Carnage (did she suffer from the same events at his son, Ledger?), but the core of it is the pain that sits like a stone in her stomach. And that he can understand. Pain, he can understand better than most.

His laugh is half-choked and he presses his forehead against her neck. “I wish you had met me first too.” Oh, how much he wishes that she had. He was not perfect—far from it—but he never intentionally hurt those around him. He would never take out twisted desires on the body of another, certainly not a female. To Magnus, it was a stallion’s job to protect his herd or his kingdom mates. Not exploit them.

“It’s going to be okay,” he promises, and his voice is rough. “Whatever happened isn’t your fault, and it is going to be okay.” Magnus pulls back just enough to hold her gaze steadily. “I’ve been hurt plenty in my life, Minette.” His breathing is steady now, resolve settling into his bones. “It would be an honor to be hurt for you.” Whatever decision he has made is silent, a promise to himself. “Just say the word and I will help you find a new home where he can’t find you—or I will check in on you in secret to make sure you’re safe and happy. Whatever you want, just say it and I will make it happen. I promise.”

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.

[Minette]

la jeune fille marquée

Magnus returns her touch and a spring of joy floods her soul. His gentle sympathy pours over her like a wave, and Minette's eyes fill once more with tears. This time, it is a grateful release. To be heard, to be validated, those are precious gifts that she will hold close.

She listens, head and heart full, as Magnus speaks. She wonders how he has been hurt and feels a spark of fire as she imagines who had dared to touch him in anything other than love. They are kindred spirits in suffering, but it is not a fate the gray mare would wish on anyone.

“There is a girl, a young pregnant mare that Gryffen stole. I cannot leave her. She is due with her first child in the coldest part of winter and the mountains can be brutal.”

Minette thinks absently of her dark, lonely days there, shivering in the shadows of the icy peaks. She has never understand the appeal of the wailing winds and the snow capped earth. In a perfect world she would live in a place of sun and flowers and warmth. She wonders if there even exists such a place, other than the meadows of her birth place.

“I want what you offer. A home, a place to be safe, to feel safe and protected for once, but I cannot let Felinae suffer for my choices.” Her voice is brittle, taut with a whirlwind of emotions. Her chest aches with the longing to be protected and she cares very little if that makes her appear weak. Minette is broken, and she would treasure the chance to be of concern to someone.

"I know you are not afraid and you say you have been hurt, but I don't want to be the cause of more hurt for you. I am sorry that you have ever been hurt, Magnus. You don't deserve it.” She takes a steadying breath, lifting her dark eyes to meet his imploringly. “I want you to come. I-” she bites back the words, stumbling over the unspoken 'I care what happens to you, about you. and changing her words to a hasty “Just promise you will be careful if you do.”

She longs to beg him not to set foot in Gryffen's land. Minette knows she should chase him away, that she should be strong and firm, and tell him to never see her again. But she cannot. Other than the timid mare in the herd she has had thrust upon her, Magnus is the first kindness she has known. The contrast is so great that her head spins, and she is afraid to blink in case it all disappears into mist. She has been strong for so long but her weary heart only wants rest.

[magnus]

Magnus’ stomach tightens as she mentions that there are others who suffer from the same fate as she—just how many poor souls was Gryffen tormenting? Again, the buckskin stallion lifted his head toward the trees that had caused such tense, nervous behavior in Minette and his gold-flecked eyes burned. He would see that Gryffen paid for this. If it was the last thing that he ever did, he would ensure that he paid.

He brings himself back down though and just continues to hold her close, breathing steadily, forcing his heart to beat calmly. “I can help her too,” is all he says, his voice as smooth as whiskey. Whoever she was, he would gladly find his way to Gryffen’s home and help her escape—help her however he could.

Her words bring a sad smile to his face, and he just nods pressing his forehead against her, “I promise I will be careful if you promise me the same, Minette.” Already, the buckskin stallion finds himself thinking of the ways that he will follow her—find where she lives and then plot to return. It was not in his nature to leave someone in distress, and he knew in his heart of hearts that whatever troubles were on Minette’s shoulders were now on his. He would not be able to forget this—forget her.

And he would not rest easily until he knew that she could do the same.

“Are you sure I can’t convince you to run away with me now?” he jokes, heart tightening in his chest. He knew she couldn’t—wouldn’t, and he understood why. If there was someone waiting for her back at the herd, he knew that she would have to return to them; he would do the same. But that did not stop himself from wishing she would stay with him; that he could shield her. “I will find you again, Minette.”

[ooc] if you want, we can continue this thread, pick up another one in the meadow, or he could follow her home. :) totally up to you!

[Minette]

Let's do a thread in the mountains, if you like? <3 That'll be fun!