He cares not for the minnow’s dark looks for the opinions of fish are nothing but silver scales and splashes. Before setting off for the Chamber, he leaves his own shadow bird behind. This is unknown to the minnow, for he is growing more distrustful of her as the days go by. The bird knows his instructions without an audible word being said. Once it has spread it’s wings and glided off, he offers the small foal at his side a whisper of a smile as he asks, ”Shall we?”
The trip is short considering they only have to cross the mountain ridge to get to it. Crimson eyes drink in his kingdom eagerly, Atrox’s heart beating it’s familiar rhythm beneath the earth and vibrating against their hooves. He cast a glance at his daughter with a slightly amused expression. It would be interesting to see her reaction to the strange feeling of a living heart in the ground. The ravens are more numerous here then in the Mountains and that’s saying something. Even he can’t help but be fascinated by her wonder of the winged creatures. Part of him wants to split open the child’s skull and pick apart at it, what makes her so curious of everything? Where did a child’s wonder connect to the imagination and how could you control it? But he won’t of course. Not to her anyways.
Father and daughter make their way into the heart of the kingdom, red eyes glowing in the darkness as he seeks out the others. Coming to a standstill, he finally looks down to his small companion. ”What do you think? A little more interesting then the Mountains I take it.”
Gryffen
- - - - - The Big Bad Wolf |
I don't think I looked at my father once on the trip from our home. The Mountains had seemed vast and unending to me, but every step away from them widened the world until I didn't think I would ever see it all. It made me feel smaller than the few months of life I could claim. I didn't like it.
But oh, the things I was seeing! And feeling! Every step down from the mountain ridge introduced me to the new sensation of heat. Even on the hottest days of summer, maman had said, the mountains were still cool with mist. The heat, I liked. It burned and energized, sending me into a skittering canter around my father. I thought Maman might like it if she tried it.
I missed Maman, but I felt free without her watchful eye. I knew she loved me, but she was so protective! Father seemed like he might be more fun. Still, I had never been very far from her before and I cast a wistful glance behind me.
My distraction is momentary. A deep thrumming catches my ears and I look around, startled. It takes a moment to discover the source. I know I must look amusing, with my tail high and my nose pressed against the ground, but I am very serious.
"Is the ground… beating?" I ask suddenly, my eyes wide with excitement. "What makes it do that, father"
I am a little afraid of the answer but also filled with the eager confidence of a child. I know that father's job is to watch me. He won't let anyone harm me, even if the ground beneath our feet does seem unstable.
"It's so different! It's hotter and busier than home! How come there are so many horses here, but only maman and me and you at home?"
After all, I like company and I think father does too. I wouldn't mind another foal to play with. Grownups are okay, but not nearly as adventurous as I would like.
ANGUISETTE
daughter of Gryffen and Minette
All Kushiel knew about Gryffen was that he was one creepy son of a bitch. He was type Kushiel usually tried to avoid, the powerful, scary type who seemed like they would have more fun snapping your neck than cracking a smile. It wasn’t that Kushiel couldn’t defend himself…he could, he just would rather avoid the whole thing entirely.
He fully expected the haunting white stallion to one day drag a corpse through their home. Actually, he had seen him with the dead not too long ago. This was the kind of thing he came to expect from Gryffen. What Kushiel hadn’t prepared for was a child to come dancing in at Gryffen’s heels.
Kushiel, watching from some distance away, burst out laughing. Good lord, it was a girl child to boot. Damn it, this was just too good an opportunity to pass up. With some gusto, Kushiel picked up a trot (something he hadn’t done in living memory) and rushed over, all dancing eyes and wide, wide smiles.
“Gryffen! He all but crowed.
“You son of a gun. I had no idea you were a family man.” Another big grin and a wink for the proud papa. Kushiel thought that he was safe from his new friend’s wrath so long as his daughter was around, but Kushiel had come prepared nonetheless. A little bit of fire sparkled in in mane…you know, just in case.
He then busied himself with greeting the child. He tried to rein in his enthusiasm a little bit, or at least make it seem less manic. He didn’t want to scare the poor girl. Life must be scary enough when it was the big bad wolf tucking you in at night.
“And who might you be, princess? I’m Kushiel, a friend of your papa’s.” Friend was probably an exaggeration, was most certainly an exaggeration, but Kushiel had never been one to underplay things. He considered the girl for a moment, taking in her very regular, curious, childlike countenance.
“I see you got your mother’s eyes, lucky girl.” Kushiel smirked at Gryffen in a way that might have seemed like the barest hint of an apology. He had nothing against the stallion, he just liked to add a spark of drama to everyday situations. It was the only way to keep from going completely mad with boredom.
Fun. Yes…. He was quite fun. If you thought killing someone in the name of science was fun. That raping women (including your own mother) just to make a point was fun. If you thought terror and destruction were fun… Then absolutely yes. He was a fucking riot. It’s a good thing that she thinks he’s the more laid back parental unit. It’s exactly what he wants. The girl is instantly a bundle of excitement, wide-eyed as she studies the beating ground with enthusiasm. ”That dear girl is Atrox’s heart.” He pauses to gauge her reaction to this profound statement. ”He’s actually lurking around here somewhere. You can always find him and ask him the story. I’m sure he would be thrilled to tell you.” The questions are rapid fire and he is pleased that she is interested in kingdom life. So far so good. ”This is a kingdom and these horses are it’s subjects. Technically you and your mother are Chamberlings as well since our home in the mountains is tied to here. A kingdom is different than a herd, it serves a higher purpose.” Mainly it just gives him more creative freedom to do whatever the hell he wanted.
Before he can go further into an explanation, he hears his name being crowed from the rooftops. Turning his head and seeing the smug look on Kushiel’s face, he sighs audibly. ”Kushiel.” Crimson eyes narrow slightly as the other stallion digs at him, the family man. Kushiel is one he’s watched but hasn’t gotten to know very well. In fact this is their very first conversation. Oh he’s aware of the other’s fire manipulation and can see his worth to the Chamber. He also knows that Kushiel is one very odd duck. ”Did you think me a celibate man?” He asks the other dryly with a brow raised. The flicker of flame in the other’s mane is not lost on him and he can’t help but slightly smirk. Appreciating his wariness.
Long tendrils the color of dirty snow snap against his hindquarters as the strange man turns his attention to his daughter. He doesn’t mind in the least that they interact. This is what he wants, for Sette to meet as many Chamberlings as possible. The more connected she feels to this place, the better her ties would be to it. And in the long run, more willing would she be to do what he asked of her in the name of the Chamber. His blood red gaze turns from the two and into the darkness, seeing if anyone else would show up. Mostly he seeks the Raven Queen and the black bird on his back shifts slightly as he thinks this.
Gryffen
- - - - - The Big Bad Wolf |
@[Straia]
09-13-2015, 01:43 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-13-2015, 01:44 PM by Anguisette.)
I snort, not entirely sure I believe Father's tale. After all, how would someone's heart go on beating after it were removed from their chest? And how would they be able to walk and talk? I give him a skeptical look, trying to gauge the seriousness of his answer. Of course it seems that father is always serious, but perhaps there is something that would make him grin?
I am less concerned with serving a higher purpose and more concerned with the fact that apparently I am a part of this kingdom. It is strange to think that even though I live in the mountains, I am a part of a place like this. It's a little unsettling, like being told the ground beneath your feet is, well, a beating heart, but it's not entirely unpleasant either.
"Doesn't a kingdom need a king, father? What about-"
My questioning is cut off by a stallion calling out to my father. I startle a little, eyes wide, prancing in place as if I could outrun danger. But the gray stallion approaching doesn't seem dangerous, just… odd. And he smiles. He grins like I have never seen either of my parents do and I am charmed instantly. I return his greeting eagerly, noting the flicker of flames with wonder.
"I'm Anguisette. I'm not a princess though, am I, Father? Its's very nice to meet you Kushiel. Why are you on fire? Could I do that too, if I tried?"
I glance at my father's eyes. It hadn't occurred to me that red eyes might be abnormal, but I know that mine are a rather plain brown.
"Yes. Maman says I look like her when she was a filly."
I circle the tall stallion (of course, everyone is taller than me. Will that always be true? Maman isn't very tall either.) trying to discern the secret of his flames.
ANGUISETTE
daughter of Gryffen and Minette
Kushiel was undeterred by Gryffen’s lack of enthusiasm. It is only to be expected, when you’ve gotten nothing but coal in your Christmas stocking for every year imaginable. Kushiel didn’t need to know everything to know that the Chamber’s white wolf was one, very naughty boy. His daughter, however, was just about as cute as one could wish for a tiny little filly.
Kushiel’s love of children was one of the few completely sympathetic things about him. More impressively, was that he made no attempt to hide it, as he did with most of his more admirable qualities. Kids were hilarious in their bluntness, and usually said exactly what everyone else was thinking. Kushiel, though he may be fully grown, felt a kindred spirit with the little beasts. In fact, he aspired to be just like them when he grew up. Still, the adults had to be attended to, and the gray stallion made a sour expression at Gryffen’s words.
“I’m happy to report that…until now, I’ve lived my whole life without needing to think about the state of your celibacy.” Truly, he did not want to imagine how Gryffen chose to take his pleasures. Even worse than how he slacked his lust was what exactly those pleasures were. Truly, Kushiel shuddered to imagine it. He shook himself violently, as if he was suddenly overrun by crawling ants. Always the dramatic, he turned back to the child, for she was speaking, and mercifully giving Kushiel something else to contemplate.
“If you’re not a princess you certainly could have fooled me. You’re every bit as pretty as one.” Ever the flatterer, Kushiel had no qualms with starting them young. Granted, he was not completely sick, and until they were of a proper age, he liked to flatter for the sake of flattery itself.
“Well, Anguisette, while you certainly could be on fire I don’t think you would like it very much. I’m sure your dad would advise you not to try it.” Kushiel never considered that he could be considered a very bad example for the kids at home. Yet, there was very little he could do about it. It would have to be the parent’s responsibility, to teach their children not to play with fire. Of course, with an eternally burning tree sitting not 100 feet away, the temptation was considerably greater here than anywhere else. With the future the child in mind, he turned back to Gryffen.
“So Gryffen, is it bring your daughter to work day or is she here to stay? I do hope you don’t show her everything you do in service of queen and kingdom.” Kushiel, as a semi loyal servant of queen and kingdom, was hardly one to question the actions done in their honor. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder if the Chamber was the best place for happy little girl children. Certainly, there were children running around, and they all seemed to turn out relativity normal. Engelsfors had her fabled son, and everyone kept insisting that Erebor had once been a child. Though, secretly, Kushiel doubted that very much. That one seemed to have all the childlike joviality of a piece of wood.
|
