"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
02-15-2019, 03:26 PM (This post was last modified: 02-15-2019, 03:29 PM by Valdis.)
how come I never got used to the feeling of sleeping in a cage? too long driving, too damn hungry; a tied-up hound but nothing stays
A year has already passed since she initially stepped into Sylva’s autumnal embrace. It isn’t Hyaline – nor will it ever be – and somehow that eases the prickling worries at the back of her mind. Her birthplace is a princess with her head in the clouds fantasizing about peace and love, but Sylva is the cloaked figure lurking in the shadows, biding its time in wait for opportunity. After having been raised in a world of butterflies and rainbows, Valdis finds herself more and more drawn to the hazardous and conniving lifestyle. It sends chills down her spine as she threads among the trees, pausing only briefly to observe her reflection in a pond.
Fingers of sunlight slant down from the forest canopy, dappling the undergrowth. It reflects off her skin, like diamonds dancing across her. Memories flash across her mind. A tumultuous task forced her into frigid waters and into a blizzard. It ripped the breath from her lungs. Still, she pushed on with unwavering determination. She, admittedly, didn’t expect to find success tied into her half-brother, but they survived. Standing on the Mountain with a tangle of branches and ice, Valdis was decorated with the attributes of her conquest.
The frost is a reminder of what she is capable of. Nothing could stop her then.
Nothing will stop her now.
But what, exactly, is she wanting?
Sinner flickers to mind. His face breaches from the shadows and she trembles at the intensity of his eyes. But she also smiles to herself. What she wants from him – his touch, his attention – lies uncontested. Mary, fortunately, has no interest. Admittedly, Valdis didn’t plan to either. She remembers stumbling backward, afraid of him, afraid of what he was. How has it already changed so much? Now she craves the warmth that branches from his lips. She enjoys how his eyes hungrily rake across her. But besides him, what does she want?
As Valdis blinks and looks away from her reflection, she broods in silence. An answer doesn’t come, not yet. It lies within her, restful in its dormant state to allow her emotions to seize her for now. It’s a sleeping bear while her impmulses and hormones cloud what ambitions she originally had upon arriving to Sylva.
What she wants isn’t forgotten, not entirely, but for the first time in years, Valdis has reached a state of contentment and comfort.
Ruinam is drawn to return to the familiar kingdom, a forest speckled with decorative colours that attracted the naive, drew in the lustful and trapped the desperate, forever lost in the wondrous colours.
Sylva was now his main focus, his own desire to serve coerced by the spirits that dwelled within the forest.
Familiar scents also forced the male to return, his social awkwardness deprived of whatever it sought in order to stay alive, a rather new and improved personality blossoming within the stallion, a thought worthy of a grin as he passed the large trees that cast a large shadow over the bright male.
The male halts as he lifts his head, scenting the air as a familiar aroma comes into view of his nostrils, his small companion confirming his suspicion as he walks forward, a smile already painted on his face as he travels through the forest, his smaller friends weaving through his legs.
Ruinam pauses as the mare comes into view, Valdis. He had not seen his new friend in quite a while, unfortunately, caught up with with recent events that had rendered him unable to converse.
The ivory male forces his small companion to stay silent as he walks around the mare, now behind her, he smiles as he crouches down, his friend accompanying him as he moves forward, almost completely silent.
He allows a few moments to pass before springing out, accompanying the mare by her side "Boo" he says in a hushed tone, a smile spreading across both corners of his pink-tipped muzzle.
The stallion tilts his head for a moment before greeting the mare "Hello Valdis" he says with a smile, his usually deeply friendly tone returning to his lungs as he exhales in a deep manner "It's nice to see you again, how have you been?" he asks with a grin, placing himself in front of her as his smaller friend stands beside him.
It was day in the forest, she and Sinner had recently returned from there visit to Loess. There was mixed feelings with there meeting, though she would push those thoughts to the side for now.
As she passes through the kingdom she hears small chattering and her attention is instantly caught. Was that Ruinam? She finds him fully capable of handling a new recruit, should it be, but her curiosity draws her closer to the meeting.
With a smirk on her face she trots towards the sound, though she finds herself stopping for a breath when the blue and white mare is the other equine in the conversation. Its too late to turn around, she thinks to herself. Surely she was able to he spotted by now, and so she draws to a stop beside Ruinam.
She catches the tail end of there conversation, Ruinam asking how Valdis was. And her gaze turns to her Yes Valdis, how have you been? Her gaze scans her over, curious if her own daughter will have a sibling from her this season. The thought disturbs her, but she will let Sinner have his mouse, itll pass.
how come I never got used to the feeling of sleeping in a cage? too long driving, too damn hungry; a tied-up hound but nothing stays
Valdis hears footsteps, but she doesn’t acknowledge them. It’s commonly the deer or an occasional bear that threads among the deciduous trees. Immersed in her own thoughts, in her confusion, she holds steadfast with a distant, glazed expression that searches the shadows ahead. Sunlight dapples through the canopy and dots along the undergrowth. Fiery colors are louder when kissed by the light. It’s almost as though she has been consumed by fire. In every direction there are radiant shades of orange, red, and yellow. Green dots the underbrush and a deep blue stares back at her when she peers down at the pond again.
Then silence.
Suddenly, everything stops including the chirping of the birds high overhead. Swiveling her ears, Valdis gropes for noise.
The shout, admittedly, startles her. Tucking her rump, she lurches forward a single stride before veering to narrow her eyes at the culprit. ”Ruinam!” she shouts his name sharply as adrenaline pours through her entire body. Her neck arches elegantly as a couple steps are taken sideways, driven by the natural instinct to run. She, doesn’t of course, but her breath purrs as she settles down, finally grinning. ”I hate you,” she chuckles as the words humorously fall from her tongue, and she trails it with a gentle, playful nip against his neck.
Much to her dismay, however, their solitude is broken by Mary’s smug arrival.
A coy grin replaces the amiability of her pretty face, darkening her eyes slightly as her head turns in regard. ”Ah, our favorite Queen.” A lie, but her voice masks it well behind sweet, honey tones. ”I’m well,” she answers flatly before glancing over to Ruinam. Her gaze softens for him, eased by his kind nature. ”It’s good to see you too,” she whispers to him before looking again at Mary. Last they crossed paths, the monarch had been carrying a child. Slender now, Valdis spares a sideways glance in expectation to see a foal nearby, but she is unattended. As a shrug ripples through her lean shoulders, Valdis repeats the question, although she ideally wants only to share conversation with Ruinam (but their illustrious Queen must not know that). ”And you, Mary? How have you been lately?” No longer a pregnant whore Queen, she tells herself in the safe confines of her thoughts.
Ruinam is quite glad to meet Valdis again, her words comfortably meeting him as he halts in place, his stature solid amongst the rustling leaves that violently blew around in the summer wind, carried by the illustrious gleam of sunlight that draped over the colourful forest.
The ivory male was not expecting Mary to show as well but it comes as a pleasant surprise, his head nodding toward her in greeting before he could even reply to Valdis.
His posture now changes to accompany the gaze of both of the mares, unwilling to exclude anyone "Greetings Mary" he finally speaks, his voice separating from the nod of his head, the dulcet tone of his voice gently carrying across the weak breeze.
For some reason the atmosphere suddenly becomes rather tense, a feeling his companion responds to, fleeing unnoticed into the foliage.
Ruinam keeps his smile as he looks at both of the mares, as Valdis speaks to Mary the snow-white male turns to face the queen, his ears awaiting her reply as they all stand in a tense silence.
Perhaps it was just Ruinam that felt this way, after all, the stallion tended to be rather unsocial, a meeting of three equines was not something he usually participated in by will, usually one to avoid any confrontation if at all possible.
If his suspicions are true then the stallion would be stuck, unable to pick a side if it ever came to it, having given promises to both females, a pleasantry he was not used to giving out entrusting both mares with it.
Promises, as usual, felt weird to the male, something that should not be exchanged with ease, a dangerous pleasure only thrill-seekers indulged in, a horror to the weak that are unable to uphold what they so willfully promise, the male despises the feeling and so he usually refrains from such things.
His wavering attentions now shoots back toward Mary, his ears pivoting to listen to the conversation.
Her presence was anything but welcomed with the painted mare, the tension between the pair quickly grew thick. Ruinam on the other hand, was not disappointed with her visit today, he gives a friendly greeting and she smiles softly to the white stallion.
Ruinam, glad to see you again , she says, her tone much gentler than with Valdis. Her smile quickly fades as her gaze turns back to Valdis. She makes her best attempt at 'playing nice', her tone was gentle. She gives a simple response, spewing the same question back to her.
For whatever reason the two always had tension between them. Mary doesn't truly dislike the mare, she finds her a good diplomat, but it is her intetions she doesn't trust. Both parents ruling separate kingdoms, and she just so happens to stumble in as one of Sinners pawns?
Her hazel eyes scan over the mare, perhaps the last time she will see her so slim, she only imagines Sabrina will have a sibling from this pawn. Perhaps jealousy is what overcame the blue mare, jealoust that Mary caught Sinner's interest first, at least she will let her think that.
Glad to hear that, I fare well, ready for winter to come and go. She adds in the small details, she never liked the icy snow, how it made the forest bare and open to flying intruders. Her gaze shifts to Ruinam, a smile appearing again and Ruinam, how have you been? She asks her newest diplomat, one she hopes to have as advisor one day.
how come I never got used to the feeling of sleeping in a cage? too long driving, too damn hungry; a tied-up hound but nothing stays
Mary is coy in her mannerisms. Valdis takes note of it, and she wonders what information the Queen holds tightly to her chest. There is a suspended tension between the two women, but there always has been. Why, Valdis wondered, but she never dwelled on the question. She, meaning Mary, isn’t worth so much of her time and effort. What once frequented her thoughts has since submerged into the deep depths of her consciousness, sinking farther and farther from her reach. This is life, she muses, as she blinks and glances between Ruinam and Mary. Their relationship is greater, kinder even, but Valdis isn’t at all envious. Her muzzle lifts indignantly as she sweeps her gaze, finally, away from their sweet greeting and soft words.
The seconds melt away quickly, however, and Valdis inches herself closer to Ruinam. Her shoulder grazes against his own, her left wing just barely kissing his side. It’s strange to touch him, even if she can barely feel the warmth of his body. Would Sinner smell it? Would he know that she has been so close to another male?
Better yet, would he even care?
”I agree,” she manages to say, surprising herself by speaking at all in response to Mary, ”I’m not a fan of the cold.” Her love has always been with heat, with fire. There’s a small kindling in her soul, but she has rarely found use to utilize the harbored flames. It’s amusing to melt snow and ice, but otherwise, it lies dormant in her veins. Dragon fire, mother once called it, and Valdis rather prefers that term. It symbolizes her family and the rebellious blood that courses through her veins. If her face and body don’t give away her parentage, then perhaps the fire and draconic traits she’s adopted will.
Unable to hold her tongue, or even suppress her curiosity, Valdis flatly asks, ”Will your daughter have a sibling in the spring?”
Ruinam has remained quite patient throughout the whole conversation, an easy tension causing his stature to tense up when Valdis moves closer to him, his head turning to meet her with a smile.
He is unable to meet the same thought process that the other two mares must be going through at the moment, possible hate or distrust filling the quiet morning air.
Gentle yips and howls now distance themselves from the gathering, his companion once again probably chasing after mice or a bird, this means that Ruinam will probably not be as confident, not like his confidence was the best anyway.
Before Ruinam can even attempt breaking the silence, Valdis does it for him, questioning Mary and her child.
An almost confused look appears on his face as she questions Mary, staring at both of them with a wide gaze.
