"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
The journey is a long one. Hyaline was one of the farthest kingdoms from Tephra and even as they skirted along Taiga she did not stop to explain. There was plenty of time to visit the fallen kingdom later. Small talk may have been exchanged on the trip but she didn't go deeper into the topics he had wished to discuss further...
The toll of winter was consuming the earth. Even though it saddened her to see the dormant plants she knew this was how it was meant to be. They were only sleeping, she'd tell herself. Soon the earth would be vibrant and green again. Soon. So she held her magic within her as to not disturb their rest. Snow gently blanketed them as flakes fell from the skies. Tossing her dished crown high to watch them swirl so delicately about her. A few getting caught in her ebony tresses.
Turning to look at her company she smiled. The flakes melting before they even hit his flesh. She is laughing as her ivory dipped limbs lift high and a trail of hoofprints are left behind her. "See those hills..."Her muzzle points to the horizon, "We are almost there."She smiles as he follows along...
Soon they reach the border and it is not without effort. The ridges of the lands were steep in most places. After such a long trip it took whatever strength she had left to pull her frame up the inclines. As her sienna eyes look out across the lands and to the body of water at it's center she sighs a breath of relief. Nares flare as they draw in the crisp air. Her crown twists to view him coming up along side her. "Piece of cake," she giggles before turning back to the lands before them and calling out to the two residents she had met the last time...
Between the small talk, Levi thinks about what exactly it is he expects to get out of this visit. Even with Kolera by his side, he doesn't expect a warm welcome - he wouldn't blame the young king if he was meet with outright hostility. But maybe if he saw the kingdom whole again he could put the topic to rest. If Amet had moved on then surely he could too.
His companion is annoyingly evasive when it comes to questions with substance, and he lets the last leg of their journey pass by in silence.
The chilly air and snowfall work to lighten his sulking mood a little, but the tension he still carries keeps his shoulders rigid as steel. Levi comes to stand beside the bay mare as she makes a bold call, willing his ears to stay upright and attentive - not pinned one of each side of his shorn mane. The two companions are similar in color, both a rich mahogany, but the resemblance ends there. His withers reach several hands above hers and he could easily weigh twice as much. Her face is delicately dished tapering gracefully into a neat teacup muzzle, whereas his broad skull is trimmed with whiskers. A dark forelock falls down the middle of his pale face in heavy ebony waves, and he makes a mental note to slice that off too the next time he crops his naturally too-thick mane with his fire-magic.
He uses what time they are left to look out across the territory. From their high elevation, he realizes what a large kingdom it is - at least twice the size of Tephra. But his mind notes the way the stony ground would be difficult to navigate at a gallop, and the way the craggy mountains would make patrolling the wide kingdom difficult, instead of the beautiful foliage or the way the light sparkles on the waters. If Amet were on the western coast, it could be hours before he reached them.
if there's a light at the end, it's just the sun in your eyes
Despite the change of season and the hard frost that coats Hyaline's loam, the inner parts of his territory are untouched by snow. The Dragon King grows fonder and fonder of this fact with every year that passes ─ he had not allowed himself the opportunity to grow used to the ivory precipitation since leaving the Dunes. The desert is in his blood, though sometimes he longs to forget it. The mountain ridges along the outer cusp of Hyaline are coated with thin layers of the white flakes, offering a majestic backdrop to his crystalline lake.
Today, Amet is lakeside as usual. The small mountains that border his home to the east are not far off and, on occasion, a cool winter squall drifts from their peaks. He shivers slightly, pulling himself away from the shade of his wisteria tree and out into the afternoon sun that hangs low in the bright blue sky. From here, the open expanse of lake gives way to the small clearing on the opposite shoreline where the redwood sapling Kolera had come to gift him has continued to grow. Circinae has yet to name the unique topiary, though he's certain she will present him with a namesake that suits the reminder of Taiga.
A loud call resounds, echoing through Hyaline, and Amet is swift to respond. His own answer rings through the crisp air as his gilded Akhal-Teke frame darts through the trees and heads for the eastern border.
He recognizes them both instantly as their bay bodies come into view. Heat rises instantly in Amet's chest and his ears rotate backwards, but only momentarily. He wills himself to exhale slowly as he comes to a halt in front of the pair, flashes of the fire running through his mind, though they are followed quickly by thoughts of Offspring, and of Kolera coming to Hyaline with a gift of her own. The gilded stallion coaxes his muscles into relaxation, and though they will not give up the entirety of their tenseness, Amet is pleased enough with himself that he has found it in him to greet the pair with a tentative smile.
"Welcome back, my friend," he offers to Kolera quietly before turning his amber gaze to the sabino stallion. Amet is polite, nodding his head to Levi before his tense smile makes way for a lighthearted smirk. "And welcome back to you, as well, Levi. What can I do for you?"
Sienna eyes scan the lake seated in the center of the territory. The snow hadn't seemed to take hold here as it had the other lands they passed through. Emerald blades grew still, as did the budding flowers of the wysteria trees. As her eyes land upon the hanging branches her ebony ears twist to capture a familiar voice calling to them. A smile creases her lips as her crown tilts in the direction of the sound.
Soon the voice is followed by rushed hoofbeats and then the scaled king appears before them. His welcome to her spoken first. She nods her crown politely as she waits for him to finish greeting her traveling companion. The thought that there may be hostility between the two stallions does not come to mind as she steps forward. Her own greeting is released, "Amet! How have you been? She pauses for a moment to capture his answer. "I've... Well we've come to check on the tree like I promised I would. It is well I presume?"
It was hard to miss the singular redwood towering over the other smaller trees. She had noted that the wysteria seemed to be thriving still so she assumed the same for the pine. Her muzzle motions to the inner part of the kingdom before stepping forwards. "Levi...? You coming?" His ridged stance was of character for him it seemed, so she wasn't sure if he was uncomfortable with the situation or something else...
Kolera
Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust.
@[Levi] figured he's parting ways for a bit so I gave you an out
11-08-2017, 11:37 PM (This post was last modified: 11-08-2017, 11:40 PM by Levi.)
Kolera is happy to speak for them both, and he doesn't interrupt her. Her clear voice breaks the tension which has wound his muscles so tightly they are beginning to ache, and the dark stallion visibly relaxes as Amet meets them casually. Levi briefly marvels at the ease with which Kolera turns the could-be-enemy into a welcoming host. With a tilt of his heavy skull he greets the metallic stag. "Thank you Amet."
When Kolera mentions her tree, he notices the tall redwood for the first time. He eyes it with a half-amused knowing, now fully understanding how busy the mare had been during her mysterious absence. She certainly had changed, but the way she was so sure of herself and at ease now made him inclined to like try and like change... once he got used to it.
As he watches Amet it is impossible not to be reminded of Iset. Their slight, gilded frames were unusual in Beqanna, and it was easy to see the family resemblance, but he knew their personalities couldn't be much more different. He suppresses a chuckle as he briefly wonders how she would have greeted them. It certainly would not have gone so smoothly.
"Is Iset here?" His smoky voice, low and rumbling, breaks in after Kolera has finished speaking. The fire-brand had inspired something close to hatred in his breast during their first meeting, but he still often wondered what had become of her.
Falling into step with Kolera, he keeps his mismatched gaze on Amet.
Levi
so scream you, out from behind the bitter ache.
It's ok neo, he will slip away after a post or two!
if there's a light at the end, it's just the sun in your eyes
"I've been well, thank you," he offers easily back to Kolera. Their history, though short, has a sharp twist or two ─ after that night, he never would have imagined that she would be standing before him with a smile on her face and Levi by her side. Nor would he have ever thought that he would be welcoming them kindly into Hyaline, the very place they had wrought destruction a short number of years ago. Amet is not one to grasp onto the sharp barbs of a grudge, and even less so when the bay mare had proven her remorse and had gifted his sanctuary home with a redwood sapling in repayment.
"It's grown quite a bit," he responds to the mare's inquiry as he pivots on his hindquarters to lead the pair further into Hyaline and towards the young redwood. His hooves beat rhythmically against the earth as they journey through his home and he keeps an ear tilted back towards the pair in case they wish to further the conversation. Levi's question catches Amet off guard and for a moment he doesn't respond. When he finally does, the gilded stallion is short, though not unfriendly. "Ah, she has not been here in some time," Amet says truthfully as they come to rest before the young redwood.
"How is your father doing, Levi? I haven't had a chance to visit Tephra in quite a while," he says regrettably ─ he has always been a fan of Offspring. It's a pity that the volcanic island is so far away.
Pleased to hear he is well, she smiles again as they begin to walk into the land. Heavy hooves falling behind her. She is happy Levi has decided to continue on with them. His question for Amet catching her off gaurd. Why would he wonder where Iset was? She brushes it off though. It had been many years since that night and maybe he had kept in touch with the others.
She quickens her pace to match the lengthened stride of the gold stallion. Her delicate frame was shadowed by the pair but it did little to intimidate her. For whatever reason she felt safe here and with Levi even more. Ivory dipped limbs practically were at a smooth trot before she considered herself to be keeping up. Sienna eyes looking out to their destination. She smiles at Amets words of the trees condition.
As they near she can see the height it had gained. It wasn't as tall as the one she had planted in the forest, but she hadn't spent the night under it's branches either. Encouraging it's growth with her magic seeping into the ground around it. Stopping within reach of it's trunk. Her snipped muzzle extends to it. The rough red of it's bark scraping across the soft velvet of her lips.
Withdrawing herself from it's bark, she turns her two-toned frame to the two stallions. A smile along her lips, "It looks great Amet! I hope you enjoy it." She looks to Levi with bright eyes before continuing, "Well I better get going to Taiga... You can stay and catch up if you'd like, Levi. Maybe I'll see you again soon." Stepping forward to excuse herself her muzzle reaches to touch Levi's shoulder before turning to the dragon king, "Take good care of her Amet. She will continue to grow as tall as the ridgeline. I better get going... Goodbye My Friend."
With not another word she picks up her smooth trot again. Heading to the border. Her ebony ear catching the tail end of Amets inquiry of Levi's father, Offspring. She smiles that two once enemies could possibly be friends...
![[Image: BQLevipagedoll-DONE.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/25n6rx5J/BQLevipagedoll-DONE.png)
