"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
04-22-2016, 07:09 PM (This post was last modified: 04-23-2016, 04:48 PM by Tolimay.)
Tolimay walked around the outskirts of the field, her ears turned back a bit unsure about the place. The area doesn't look so bad, there seems to be a lot of other horses around which should make it a safer place. Looking around one more time she stepped out into the field and walked for a bit, twitching her black coat to rid the small bugs that could stand the oncoming cold lingering around her. Automatically she took on a well practiced small, innocent look, hoping not to lure interest from the other horses around. She always disliked the time when the trees let their leaves fall and the grass shriveled beneath her foot. She could agree that the Dale was a bit warmer than here when she was traveling through it. In the field the wind was open to escape the blockage from the trees and rush in the open space poking with it's cold fingers at anything warm.
She walked smoothly, the muscles moving beneath her sleek coat of black shining armor, yet to be penetrated and scarred once again. It should be about time again to find a new home. The harsh winter would soon be here and the small life part of her life she spent solo didn't agree with her too much, she might need a herd for protection from the storms and hungry predators out there. She looked down at her left front leg, a faded pink scar poking through the already growing winter fur. Another reason to dislike the cold seasons. It always brought the gruff winter coat, covering up the shining soft coat she had always loved. She sniffed the air, the smell of fresh cold air and decaying plants.
So she stood there, taking on a more prideful look. Soon sometime the recruiters and stallions will come in looking for someone new to join them, and maybe it'll be me.
On a casual stroll along the edge of the field, Hasenel suddenly stopped when a black mare he hadn't noticed stood only a few yards away. Her black coat was certainly striking, a very visible glistening beneath the rays of the sun. Immediately the stallion could tell that she wasn't a passive or shy mare, given the way she held herself, and the expression of pride on her face.
Being a prince, he could relate to such disposition. As Hasenel approached he whinnied to the mare, letting her know of his presence before he had come too close. When he was only a few feet away, the stallion bowed his head, then lifted it.
"I couldn't help but notice you shining beneath the sun," he said truthfully, gently. "My name is Hasenel, and I'm the lead stallion of a land with vast water and white beaches. It would be a pleasure to learn your name, and perhaps invite you to join me and my growing family."
Not all mares sought the life of a herd, but this stallion knew his to be much more than a simple breeding venture. He made every effort to know his mares well, and closer they bonded with him and each other, the better he felt.
The whinnie of a fellow horse distracted Tolimay from her thoughts. She turned her head and quirked her ears at him, already liking the fact he didn't sneak up on her. The stallion came closer and bowed, the mixed scent of other horses on him.
She wasn't big on flattery and the compliment seemed to amuse her somewhat, but it was nice to get one once in a while. Apparently he got right to the point, which didn't bother her much since she would be happy enough to leave the field. Even though it would be nice to accept the invitation she needed to know more about his herd. It'd be no use to come walking into the land knowing almost nothing about it.
"Hasenel" She said with a curt nod, testing the name on her tounge. "Well then, my name in Tolimay, but I prefer May. Now I would gladly accept your invitation to join you, but first I need to know more about you and your herd." May spoke with a glint of couriousity in her dark chocolate colored eyes.
" So on this island of yours, how many other mares have you courted there?" She questioned, pausing for a bit. Might as well tell him my interests too. " I'm not too to fond of big herds where it's difficult to know everyone there, but a home is a home so I'm not too picky about it. I like the fact your herd lives on an island, I've never been on one, or better yet near an ocean." She informed and pondered, her face scrunching up for a second. " Would you have any possible enemies either? Ones that could effect the herd?" May added, her gaze returning to him. The sight of him made a partial smile appear on her lips, something she's barely done lately.
The mare seemed to respond to his presence well, and accepted his introduction. But what the fire stallion hadn't been expecting were her questions, though he had no problem answering them. Some mares simply had more curiosities than others, and it was impossible to tell what ones would be which beforehand.
"I have only three mares," he said. "You would make our fourth companion. And because all my mares are relatively new, they're still getting to know each other. My land is also not a distinguished island, though it feels as reclusive. It's simply a place of warm sand, sun, and many greens. So far, each of my mares have been more than pleased with it."
Hasenel paused, allowing her a moment to digest the information before continuing. "If you became a member of my land, your future would not be as bleak as merely baring foals. I desire to know each of my mares very well, and if offspring is eventually produced, so be it."
Though the stallion dreamed of forming a herd large enough, at some point, to form a kingdom, the horses there didn't necessarily have to be all from his own lineage. More than anything, he wanted to provide a place of safety, loyalty, and the ability to endure long after he was gone, much like the kingdom he'd been born into but had left.
Yael isn’t trying to punish the stallion who previously scorned her - their - wings, they simply have the same goal in mind, albeit with slightly different agendas.
Nevertheless, the corners of her mouth tug upwards into a sly little grin as she sees the chestnut stallion courting another mare. The gold and silver woman saw no others around her, so why not give the stranger a true taste of what B’kanna has to offer? It is only recently that herds began to grow popular again, and that is truly only because of the influx of foreigners from lands (like her own, so very long ago) who were firmly imbedded in the tribal system. And maybe, just maybe, this woman was looking for something different. Who was Yael to hold that from her, to not give her the gift of freedom on a golden platter?
Yael listens in on their conversation, eavesdropping in a way that many could not. Oh, he is so quick to offer a home, and she shakes her head a little, silver strands flipping from one side to the other. Her wings are pressed close to her sides, keeping the chill of autumn away from her thin, desert acclimated skin, and she approaches the duo with a pleasant expression on her face. She is grace and delicate lines and exotic whispers all wrapped into one, but the magician takes care to try and avoided overwhelming newcomers, especially if they are not used to B’kanna’s peculiar kind of magic.
“Xello again,” she says to the stallion, and then turns to the black mare, who reminds her a bit of her lover, Vanquish; strong, a healing scar, and the telltale sign of the occasional shiver. Hmmm, perhaps the Desert would actually be a good fit for this woman. “I ahm Yael, of ze Desert. Vhat ees your name, friend?” She waits for an answer and then continues. “Xaf you t’ought of perxaps joining a keengdom eenstead of ze first stallion to come around and offer you a xome? I leev in ze Deserts, and eef you are looking for more t’an bearing cheeldren and competeing for affection, keengdoms offer ze chance to do somet’ing vit your life. Earn a rank and respect and some powers.”
In the end, it is up to the mare’s true nature to decide what she wants. Yael cannot (well she could, but she won’t) and will not force someone to come to the Desert against their will. But why not attempt to broaden their horizons?
04-24-2016, 04:22 PM (This post was last modified: 04-24-2016, 04:24 PM by Tolimay.)
The answers to her questions were acceptable. Three mares is a fine amount though how long might it have taken him to court that many? Still her question about whatever enemies he may have still wasn't answered, but she could bother him about that later. He said his mares approved of his land, though she'd decide on that when, and if she saw it.
It was reasuring to know that his mares weren't only there for the birth of foals but also for companionship and someone to spend time with, though is that enough for her? Sure it was better than most stallions had to offer, but what about the action and excitment of exploring and maybe even fighting. That brought up the fact of enemies again. He was intending to grow a big successful herd from what she could tell, and he had to come from somewhere so maybe an enemies from his home land could of possibly driven him away? Or more likely he just left to rule over his own herd.
The sight of another horse approaching them distracted her attention. A female, usually meaning a recruiter. Her gaze landed to the sides of the horse where, though tightly tucked and almost undetectable, lay huge beautiful wings. She has seen these kinds of horses flying above her before, but never close up like this. Ever since the first sight of a flying horse she'd secretly hoped to have wings like them, even if it was almost impossible and most likely not her. Taking her gaze off of the wings they landed on her face. She called out a greeting, notto her but to Hasenel. Her voice had a thick accent to it she's never heard before, so she couldn't identify exactly where she came from.
So, she new Hasenel from somewhere then? Perhaps an old rival or the complete opposite. More possible just someone he met along his travels, but something told her it was a bit more than that. She came from the desert? It made sense from the thin coat she wore and how titly she tucked her wings against the cold.
" Hello Yale. My name is Tolimay but I prefer May, as I've already told Hasenel here." She replied, a bit agitated that she had to repeat it. She listened to what Yael had to say. She actually had thought of joining a kingdom before but thought of that as a closed off possibility seeing as she didn't know anyone to offer to join. Plus the advantage of rank, greater paths to take, and even earn powers. " So, two offers. One to take. I need to find the best path to go down, such a big choice. Which one of you would want me more then? Yael has more to offer, but if I rose in rank, which I would be tempted to do if I joined, then there might be politics involved, and I'm not so fond of those. Especially when it involves so many horses. Hasenel has a pretty normal life to offer in a herd, which I'd be grateful for since, well I guess I like to know everyone, and it would be easier to know everyone when you start out small. Now then, which one would you two think is best for me?" May said, finally ending her speech. To be honest she was trying to play the two against each other after sensing some friction between them, and for almost no reason at all either. Her slight smile turned into a slight smirk and she peered at them.
04-24-2016, 04:42 PM (This post was last modified: 04-24-2016, 04:43 PM by Hasenel.)
to live in a dream is to live with ambition
Not long after he had finished speaking, Hasenel heard the approaching hoof steps of another horse. Turning his head, he saw a winged and golden mare he had once encountered before, and wasn't totally surprised to see her now. Only two groups existed in the field, and they always held the same goal: to offer a home, and find a home. He and Yael were natural competition, as they were of the "offer a home" group.
The golden mare offered him a polite hello, which he returned with a casual snort and bow of his head. She wasn't his enemy, just a circumstantial opponent, whom he now looked forward to competing with. Yael then explained to the mare her offer, though Hasenel knew he would do nothing to change his. They came from two very different lifestyles, and it would be up to May to decide exactly what she wanted.
"That is a decision you have to make, ultimately," Hasenel replied to May, when she had finished speaking. "But I suggest you come with me, as the herd life does offer ranks like living in a kingdom. I actually prefer to run my herd more like a kingdom, as I hope it will one day be. Between the desert or ocean life, I would choose that of the ocean. My home not only has sand, if you like it, but miles of water and green grass. Beqanna does not call my homeland paradise for nothing."
Hasenel then fell silent, his confidence still strong as he waited for the mare, or Yael, to say something more.
Hooooo boy. Tolimay’s efforts to play them off each other are thinly veiled at best - mostly because you can’t hide much from a magician.
Perhaps it was time for a little show-and-tell.
Yael remains quiet while Hasenel speaks, obviously urging her to go with him. It is so utterly predictable, she thinks, and while he is mistaken on a number of things, such as the fact that his herd could be a kingdom (it can’t, Island Resort owes fealty to the Gates. He could claim the Gates’ throne, but ultimately, Island Resort will never be a separate kingdom. His mares will not have ranks and duties such as Kingdom folk have… mostly because no one will take him seriously without a crown on his head. But it’s a cute idea). And that they have an ocean in addition to sand - well where does he think the Desert ends? At their own little coastline, though it is admittedly far away from the main oases.
Instead of speaking, Yael shifts from horse to deer to lion to rabbit to snake to butterfly, and then disappears from sight. She quickly reappears, and flowers (so very out of season), bloom at her feet. Golden roses, to be precise - as once she was called. A slight smirk matches Tolimay’s own, and she says simply. “I ahm a mageecian, a mozer, and I vonce vas Keen. I vant for not’ing and beg no vone. Eef you vant valeedation for your life, go vit Xasenel. My vorld ees far more mageecal ahnd compleecated t’an xis. I do not vant to xaf to babysit xoo can’t xandle eet.”
It’s true. She has a large brood of children and grandchildren. Anyone who joins the Desert must be self sufficient and willing to work. And now - the choice is Tolimay’s.
Hasenel started talking about the goods of his island. Having sand and ocean was but a small advantage against Yael. The decision would be a difficult one. Two paths open and it depends on her to take the right one. She looked at Yale and awaited a resonse, but what she got was a series of animals flashing before her, then nothing, and finally for the end a little batch of golden roses. Gael took on a smirk identical to hers, though she didn't wear one anymore. Instead she had a face of slight astonishment. Of course she's a magician, May should of expected that. Of course every kingdom has it's magicans. A mix of anger and fear flashed across her face, but it was gone just as fast as it came. May took control of her emotions and replaced her face with a straight one. Show off much?
" Yael, I want you to know that I would be very much able to handle what a kingdom brings, and I am not worried about that." She looked the two of in the eyes before continuing on. " I have made my decision. I choose to, to go with Hasenel." May said. Hopefully she won't regret this decision.
