"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
i'm freezing, it's not winter yet but my fingers and toes are shivering beneath these sheets and i feel so alone i don't want to die, i want to sleep
"Don't judge Banana until you've tasted what's inside the peel, Dirtman." We're both talking as if this conversation is the most serious we've ever had, and although usually it would be for me, it's this exchange that destroys my fortifications. A huge grin splits my lips, and I'm chuckling beneath his wing, feeling my belly grow hungry as warmth flows into my skinny muscles. When he mentions fattening me up, said stomach grows in agreement, and I blush sheepishly. Of course it would choose now for such an interruption.
"I make no promises, Var. Sturdiness doesn't run in my genes."
He suggests finding a home together then, and a part of me cringes. Shouldn't it be my own father, the alive and well one, helping me to find a home and grow into myself? But I know Trekk, better than he might know, and a split second later I have decided that I will accompany my black stallion. Trekk is a nomad and always will be, along with Noori: the two are too in love to settle anywhere long, never mind to focus on a child long enough to see him through to adulthood.
Shrugging off his weighty black appendage (however reluctantly), I toss him a purple-eyed look. "Well, if you insist. Follow me. I'm taking us to the field - it's where people try to convince us to come to their homes." Hoping that that leaves him with many questions, I unfurl my golden wings and leap into the air, grinning. Something about our interaction has left me exhilarated, and I cherish the feeling; too often I am without emotion.
The distance between meadow and field is close to none, and before long, I am landing in the green grass, not looking to see if Var follows, or if he even had in the first place. But when I hear the thud of his hooves next to mine, and watch his massive wings furl into his muscular side, something inside of me is happy to know that he did follow. That he wants to.
"Well, settle it. It won't be long." I lower my head idly... and begin to devour the grass before me.
Two flights on an empty stomach makes even the most stubborn hungry.
hold me in this wild, wild world 'cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be
He spends time in the Field more often now, because he can feel the life in Ischia slipping away. Krone is there, and her children; the purple man and the shy Kylin (though he sees her less and less often). He has not seen Hod recently either, and so the list is short. Short even for the self-proclaimed Bachelor and recluse. In today’s world, with the fae so active, it is dangerous to be too lax. So here he is again, looking for fresh recruits, though he passes on most of what he sees, for various stupid reasons he gives himself. They just don’t look interesting to him, and at his age, well, he is looking for more.
Something twinges in him, though, when two forms come spiraling out of the sky, and he lifts his amber gaze to watch them land, and heads in their direction almost immediately. One is large and dark, with wings as black as Brennen’s own (though perhaps more suited to his body size than the ones that nearly dwarf the bay Arabian when he folds them against his sides), and two horns rising from the sides of his head. He’s taller than Brennen, too, but somehow the warrior stallion doesn’t find that as intimidating as he should. The littler pegasus, by contrast, is spotted white and gold and has a single horn, which glows faintly even in the light of day.
Both stallions – and perhaps that is why they draw Brennen as a moth to a flame. Each day that passes that Ischia does not rise on its own as a regular Kingdom, he itches after his brotherhood. It would be a huge change, to settle the brothers in a tropical place, but the remoteness would be their regular. And easily defensible – he loves that about the chain of Islands, that they are harder to reach than many overland places. “Hello,” he calls a greeting as he gets close, offering a polite nod. “I’m Brennen. What kind of home are the two of you looking for?”
hold me in this wild, wild world and in your heat I feel how cold it can get
BRENNEN
okay so maybe he won't need as much convincing from the girls as I thought, though he'll probably need that last push lol #whoops
As much as it pains me to admit, in a short time this boy has grown on me. With his quick wit it is hard not to laugh with him at Banana’s expense. His stomach growls interrupting the fun, and I give a stern look. He goes on then to refuse a promise, and blames it on his genes. Weak genes or not, I am certain I can get at least a little meat on his bones. I decide not to fight him on this further, thinking he’s had enough of the parenting for now. Nudging him playfully, I settle for the sarcastic and humorous approach. ”Perhaps, Kori, you should try the peel for yourself. It seems your stomach is dying to get a taste.”
I sense his hesitation for a moment and it parallels my own. I’m sure he has a father somewhere, but I don’t care to ask. It is a father that is not here right now and clearly not caring for him. Maybes someday I will inquire about it if I decide to care enough. And he certainly could take care of his own if needed be, I just feel inclined to intrude upon his life. It would seem however Trekori is welcome for my intrusion as he agrees to find a home with me.
He takes off quickly leaving little room for my curiosity. ”Oh, come on kid!” I yell after him, I watch him for a moment as he soars higher and higher. Consider it giving him a head start. With a huff and an eye roll I stretch my wings and hurl myself into the air after him. The boy may have gotten a head start but I am larger and my wings span much further, I do not lack far behind him and cursing him aloud for just being out of reach.
I land beside him and stomp my hoof in annoyance, ice blue eyes meeting his purple. ”You got a head start.” I am well aware we didn’t agree to any race, but I cannot help it. I don’t like being last. Thankfully the flight must do something for Kori’s stomach because he finally decides to eat something. As I peer around the field I can’t help but smile to myself.
It does not take long before we are approached by a winged man. He seems nice enough, and gets straight to the point. I like that. ”Hello, Brennen.” My hoarse voice finds its way out. ”I am Andulvar, and this is Trekori.” I nod in motion to glow-stick beside me.
He asks what home we are looking for, and I wish I knew. I am just pleased to be somewhere that fighting for a patch of grass is less of a possibility. With the fresh unpolluted air and a sun that actually shines. The boy said this was where they convinced us, and maybe what I want will speak to me through what is available. ”That just depends, what kind of home do you have to offer the boy and I?” Now I cannot think of just myself though, I must think of Kori also. While all I really know is that we need somewhere safe and promising, I start to think of what I intend to do here. Find a cause, I suppose. I could always go back to serving a militia but have I had enough of the fighting in my life already?
@[Trekori] @[Brennen] OK SORRY THIS SUCKS BUT I REALLY WANTED TO GET A RESPONSE UP
i'm freezing, it's not winter yet but my fingers and toes are shivering beneath these sheets and i feel so alone i don't want to die, i want to sleep
My mouth is full of grass by the time Var is complaining about another way that I've managed to affront him - though this time, it happens to be because I won the unspoken race between us. Semi-lifting my head, I grin at him and garble some words around my mouthful, laughing all the while. "Acfuwee Ihm juff be-er an oo -- AHKC" I choke on my mouthful in a very unladylike-like manner, my head bouncing to try and accommodate the grass without making me vomit. With some final chuckles and vigorous chewing, I swallow my bite and raise my head, sheepishly grinning. "Well, maybe better at flying, but not at eating, apparently."
A stallion is approaching us then, and I shake off some of my newfound goofiness, returning to my rather stoic self. The purple of my eyes becomes darker, and I squeeze my wings to my skinny ribs, eyeing the third pegasus with interest. His gaze conveyed a kind of intelligence and intent that couldn't be misplaced; he had approached us, and no one else, though there were plenty to choose from. And by the scars on his body, this isn't his first rodeo - he chose us with a purpose in mind.
Suddenly, I desperately want to know that purpose.
He asks us what kinds of homes we're looking for, and I glance to Var as he answers. Not just for himself, either - even in the presence of others I'm his adopted kid, apparently. I want to smile and snuggle under his wing again, but I settle for rolling my eyes and shifting my weight. I'm about to introduce myself, but then remember that Var did that for me as well, and so instead I jump right into the thick of things. It seems to be all of our go-to reactions in this case.
"I'm looking for a worthy case to pledge my name to. And I think that Var is, too." I glance to him for approval of this statement before continuing. "I don't want to just go somewhere and not have a purpose. An intent. Does your Ischia have an intent?" My eyes gleam almost knowingly as I let the question trail into silence, wondering if Brennen caught my purposeful implication that is was his Ischia. And it must be - by the way the stallion carries himself, the way he knows his way about more than anyone I've met in my short life; he couldn't just be another recruiter.
hold me in this wild, wild world 'cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be
The older stallion seems solid, dependable; of course first impressions can be wrong, but over the course of many (many, many) years, Brennen has come to trust his first instincts until someone proves them wrong; and his first instinct says that this is the sort of person he could get along quite well with. The boy is more outgoing, and even though he is steady and very polite here in his approach, Brennen had seen them from a distance, and they had seemed very familiar with one another, even playful; perhaps their easy comraderie had been part of what drew him over to the duo.
Perhaps it was something else entirely – their genders hadn’t hurt, and neither had the fact that they both had wings. Undoubtedly it was some combination of all. The dark stallion introduces them both and Brennen commits the names to memory with a nod, and then considers their words. Trekori seems to know a little more of Beqanna, because he correctly identifies Brennen’s seascape home (or possibly just knows of one or both of them by name, associated with one another). The boy wants a cause – and that, more than anything, is the spark that lights the flame to the tinder that has been collecting inside of Brennen. A cause – Ischia has very little in the way of a purpose, to be very honest, but its Watcher certainly has lots of intents.
“Ischia is nice,” he says, and the somewhat dismissive way he says it, even as the thoughts are arranging and rearranging themselves in his head, says there’s a lot more coming, if they are patient enough to wait for it. And Brennen wonders if he can get it done? Garner enough support to bring his Brotherhood back to life on the Islands he has come to love? “It has all the basic necessities – food, water, shelter. It’s relatively easy to defend, and nicely private. People don’t have to trek all over it to reach other destinations.” The biggest obstacle, he thinks, won’t even be his Queen – it will be the purple creature who had sired her children. And ok, he’s not exactly offering the most stunningly great reasons for coming to Ischia, but hopefully they will value his honesty.
And maybe find interest in his cause.
“I do find the Islands beautiful. I am glad to make them my home, since my former Kingdom of many decades is gone, victim to the whims of the fae. But I find that it lacks a purpose, and I am disenchanted with the leadership.” Amber eyes have cleared of their whirling thoughts and are careful now, watching for any sign of reaction from the two stallions in front of him. “I would like to reform the Bachelor Kingdom, with all of the ideals of Brotherhood that went with it, and I would like to do so in Ischia. Someday…sooner, perhaps, than later.” He lets that hang between the three of them, momentarily wondering at his own audacity to even speak the words aloud, much less to total strangers.
Neither of them are stupid, that much is obvious. So they have to know that he is clearly talking of revolution at the best description, mutiny or rebellion if you’re being more crass. He wants to know how they react – interest? Disgust? Curiosity? And anyway, it’s too late to take the words back now.
hold me in this wild, wild world and in your heat I feel how cold it can get
BRENNEN
@[Trekori] @[Andulvar] also I'm gonna send you guys a PM so look for that
Kori speaks proudly, it almost warms my heart. He says we are looking for intent, a worth case. That is true, I nod in approval at him as Brennen tells us more of his home. I focus intently on what the man says, speaking of Ischia. It’s isolated and has food- well that in itself interests me to it, I know that can not be all. And then comes his twist. It has fallen into the wrong hands according to this Brennen, most likely a lesser kingdom. That is a shame. But that’s not all he says, and my ears perk forward as I listen to his plan. A Bachelor Kingdom, focused on Brotherhood. And while this home would be something completely new to me, Askavi held fleeting kingdoms in constant war. Revolution and rebellion is something I’ve always known.
I admire Brennen’s idea though. It would be good for me to have a purpose in something, to be there for the rise of something better than what is existing. Not only for me though, but for young Kori. He needs somewhere he can become a man and he needs direction. I don’t know why I find that the bay will be trustworthy, but my gut feeling says that this is an opportunity for us. ”Well, I must say that sounds very tempting.”
I look to Kori, sure that by the sparkle in his eyes he is interested in this as well. However things can get messy in situations such as this. I’ve seen it happen first hand. We must go into it all knowing. ”I am curious as to what the current situation in Ischia is, what we are getting ourselves into.”
Even though I question, I think my mind has been made. I have never been one to ponder and dwell on this, maybe I should be. But my gut intuition has seldom failed me, and this is the best offer we have had though it the only. I like to think I could see Kori doing well in a kingdom full of brothers. It’s an ideal I could work myself into as well. It is certainly the intent and cause needed to drive and fuel a life.
While I would love to speak for the colt on this one, I think this is something he must chose for himself. I worry for a moment that he may not agree, he may not like this idea and wander off to find somewhere better. I hope he is true to his word when he said he’d find a home with me. Though I haven’t known him long, he is my only true companion here thus far and I feel the weirdest sense of responsibility and care for him.
”I am not sure where Kori stands but I am hoping it is where my thoughts are. I think it would be good for the boy and I to be in a Brotherhood, give us something to value and a cause. And you’re very straightforward, I value that. So, tell me Brennen, who are we up against? And what do you plan on doing now that you have my support.”
03-16-2018, 04:09 PM (This post was last modified: 03-16-2018, 04:18 PM by Trekori.)
Trekori
i'm freezing, it's not winter yet but my fingers and toes are shivering beneath these sheets and i feel so alone i don't want to die, i want to sleep
Brennen starts in on his explanation of Ischia with all its perks, which do ring true in my mind: easy to defend, easy on the eyes, easy to live in. Plus, none of us here would ever have to get our hooves wet to access the remote island, the trait we all share providing ample means to do so otherwise. But I am not as concerned with these aesthetic qualities as I am with the cautious glint in Brennen's eyes - the one that wants to divulge something to us, a secret.
And, ah, we have been deemed worthy.
My eyes darken slightly as he starts into his mutinous explanation, but not because I disapprove - far from that, actually. I am enchanted by the idea, enthralled - I have never belonged to anywhere, and perhaps by helping to build my own place in this world, I would find that sense of identity I so desperately crave. Plus, a brotherhood... Noori had mentioned the Tundra a time or two since my birth, but I have only a rough idea of what the place was like. This new brotherhood would not be the same (unless Brennen could find more Original Brothers), but that's okay - because it would be ours.
Or, at least, it would be Brennen's; and he is one that I am willing (no, eager) to follow.
Andulvar digs into the bay pegasus first, and I listen, ear bent, to his fair and honest questions. What are we up against? A magician? An army of battle-hardened warriors? The devil himself? While it is a question that must be asked, I doubt that this stalwart gentleman would do anything so fool hardy, maybe ever. I squint a little at him while his attention is on Var, and try to imagine him at my age - but the attempt is in vain, and eventually I realize that Var has invited me to speak in his silence.
Clearly my throat, I reply. "Regardless of the details, I believe it's safe to say that you have our support, and in due time, our loyalty, too." It wouldn't be a long time, my eyes convey to him - by my rigid posture and Var's, too, it is obvious that we are eager for this, almost thrumming with a life energy. And not for the Ischia that we will be taken to, but for the one that Brennen shall lead us to. "We will accompany you to Ischia, Brennen. Lead the way."
hold me in this wild, wild world 'cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be
For a brief time as Brennen’s words hang in the air between them, a tangible thing because it is no small thing he proposes to them, he is worried that they will not be interested; indeed, that no one is interested. But the doubt is fleeting, because this is not some whim he has happened upon, but a fire that has been smouldering inside of Brennen for almost a decade, that has finally become an inferno. Still, the interest that blooms on their faces is still gratifying and reassuring. He also approves of their carefulness, because he would not want completely foolish men beside him as he builds the brotherhood, but their ability to temper interest with caution is a good trait.
“There are few in Ischia to object,” he says, “The current Queen, her lover and their two foals. A quiet girl we inherited from a previous monarch, though we see her very little. A man named Hod if he can’t be convinced to join us, though I haven’t seen him around recently either.” Those are all the horses Brennen has seen in many moons. As he said, Ischia has been quiet. “Klaudius is the only one I see as a threat – he is the Queen’s champion as well as her lover, and a reasonably skilled fighter – if it comes to violence, I believe that he will take her place in any challenge I issue. But I am hoping it won’t come to that anyway - I am planning to quietly recruit men such as yourselves who are interested in the Brotherhood, and bring them to Ischia. If there are enough of us, we may be able to simply vote Krone off of her throne with no opposition.”
Brennen does not smile here, because it is not with joy that he chooses to oust the woman, for he does not despise her in any way. He simply also does not respect her, for she has done little to nothing for Ischia, and she is in the way of his Brotherhood which could be great again in the Island Kingdom. “If it comes down to violence, I plan to challenge Krone myself rather than force everyone into battle. And we will not stand alone – there is another Kingdom, the current home of the former Amazons, ready to stand behind us, and become our Allies once we have succeeded. For now, I am recruiting – quietly, because I do not want to approach anyone who will betray our cause – to bring as many Brothers into the Kingdom before we act as possible.”
He waits a moment for their thoughts, and adds: “I am open to other suggestions as well, now or later. I have a long history in the Brotherhood and as a leader in many armies, but this will be a new facet of leadership for me as well.” Brennen knows what kind of King he wants to be, because he has seen plenty of good and bad examples. And the kind of King he wants to be gathers Brothers to stand beside him, not just lackeys to serve him. “I will be honored to show you Ischia.” He agrees after Trekori speaks, and readies himself to do just that if they have no other pressing questions.
hold me in this wild, wild world and in your heat I feel how cold it can get
BRENNEN
@[Trekori] @[Andulvar] I will get a post up for them in Ischia as well but I wanted to give Brennen a chance to talk to them a little bit about the plan in case they aren't alone in Ischia <3
