"Yes," Aten answered. "Ruan watched over Taiga before it was destroyed in the fire, and for a time after as well. He eventually passed it down to a mutual friend of ours, a mare, who then handed it down to me." Aten phrased it that way, that Ruan had 'watched over' the kingdom, simply because he didn't think of himself as a king. Aten respected him more for that; Ruan had not thought of himself as a leader, a horse above all, but a protector, a friend, one who, if they wanted respect, fought to protect what he loved, not for glory, but out of love.
Lilliana seemed momentarily distracted, focused, and Aten decided not to interrupt her. The silence was not tense between the two of them, however. Aten found he enjoyed the mare's company; she proved to be a good friend, a good council, much like Lethia. His attention remained on her, despite the occasional ear swivel when a sound in the forest caught his senses.
When Lilliana opens her mouth to speak again, there was a difference in her tone. It was gathered, controlled, but the words spilled off her tongue with a gentleness and attractive quality that drew him in. she began with a harsh, gut-wrenching statement. Her family...
Aten's eyes softened, but he did not openly display anything extreme yet. He didn't know if the mare would appreciate such emotions, at least while she still had a story to tell. Aten himself didn't, but knowing himself wasn't the same as figuring out what another wanted.
She spoke of her sire and grandsire, their jobs as Guardians, how they had grown to have such a bond with a land that Lilliana's sire stated one could feel the land beneath their hooves in a way most others could not. She seemed trapped in her thoughts again for a moment before Aten noticed a change in her eyes, a shift in her posture that helped Aten envision the mare as a Guardian more than ever. Her voice grew quiet as she continued talking about her sire, how she'd moved around with her dam until arriving in Taiga and considering it her home.
"I am happy that you consider Taiga your home now," he offers. "Even if it may seem quiet on most days, I know that those of us who know you are here are happy to have you. You've proven your loyalty, and Taiga is lucky to have you here with her. Your optimism and hopes for the kingdom are fresh and welcome; you have helped to provide us here with a light we needed. You and others that came after Taiga's destruction have helped in a way that we can never thank you for," he said with a smile.
Aten didn't know Lilliana suddenly couldn't look at him, but when he brought up Pteron, the mare offered her advice. She expressed the thought of asking Pteron if he'd take Aten's counsel, to listen to what Aten had to say about Taiga and if any advice could help the younger stallion be a good ruler. The golden stallion's head tilted a bit as he thought over the mare's advice, suddenly wondering if that would perhaps be a possibility.
He remained silent for a moment, "I would certainly hope so, if anything, that he'd be willing to talk to me. If he decides to listen to advice I have, good on him, and if not, well, I can't force him to. How he decides to watch over Taiga will mostly likely differ from his Mother in some way, but, perhaps, maybe there is something I can offer, even small pieces of advice that could help him overcome whatever he may be dealing with if he had any demons."
He smiled at Lilliana again, "Thank you, Lilliana. Taiga is lucky to have you, but so I am. I am glad to have you as a friend, and hope I can continue turning to your counsel in the future."
@[lilliana]
Lilliana seemed momentarily distracted, focused, and Aten decided not to interrupt her. The silence was not tense between the two of them, however. Aten found he enjoyed the mare's company; she proved to be a good friend, a good council, much like Lethia. His attention remained on her, despite the occasional ear swivel when a sound in the forest caught his senses.
When Lilliana opens her mouth to speak again, there was a difference in her tone. It was gathered, controlled, but the words spilled off her tongue with a gentleness and attractive quality that drew him in. she began with a harsh, gut-wrenching statement. Her family...
Aten's eyes softened, but he did not openly display anything extreme yet. He didn't know if the mare would appreciate such emotions, at least while she still had a story to tell. Aten himself didn't, but knowing himself wasn't the same as figuring out what another wanted.
She spoke of her sire and grandsire, their jobs as Guardians, how they had grown to have such a bond with a land that Lilliana's sire stated one could feel the land beneath their hooves in a way most others could not. She seemed trapped in her thoughts again for a moment before Aten noticed a change in her eyes, a shift in her posture that helped Aten envision the mare as a Guardian more than ever. Her voice grew quiet as she continued talking about her sire, how she'd moved around with her dam until arriving in Taiga and considering it her home.
"I am happy that you consider Taiga your home now," he offers. "Even if it may seem quiet on most days, I know that those of us who know you are here are happy to have you. You've proven your loyalty, and Taiga is lucky to have you here with her. Your optimism and hopes for the kingdom are fresh and welcome; you have helped to provide us here with a light we needed. You and others that came after Taiga's destruction have helped in a way that we can never thank you for," he said with a smile.
Aten didn't know Lilliana suddenly couldn't look at him, but when he brought up Pteron, the mare offered her advice. She expressed the thought of asking Pteron if he'd take Aten's counsel, to listen to what Aten had to say about Taiga and if any advice could help the younger stallion be a good ruler. The golden stallion's head tilted a bit as he thought over the mare's advice, suddenly wondering if that would perhaps be a possibility.
He remained silent for a moment, "I would certainly hope so, if anything, that he'd be willing to talk to me. If he decides to listen to advice I have, good on him, and if not, well, I can't force him to. How he decides to watch over Taiga will mostly likely differ from his Mother in some way, but, perhaps, maybe there is something I can offer, even small pieces of advice that could help him overcome whatever he may be dealing with if he had any demons."
He smiled at Lilliana again, "Thank you, Lilliana. Taiga is lucky to have you, but so I am. I am glad to have you as a friend, and hope I can continue turning to your counsel in the future."
@[lilliana]