"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 day was a still one. The summer heat was heavy, keeping most things in their dens. The only thing that was stirring was the wind, occasionally passing through. As it passed, it whispered with the tall grass. What did they say to each other? Who could say, but on this occasion, one might assume the wind was announcing the presence of a queen. As the message passed through each blade, they bent and bowed to show their respect. Dark hooves carefully picked their way through the crowd, carrying a regal blue form, head held high. The wind caressed each dark hair of the mare's mane, inviting it to dance and twist. The blue mare tossed her head, as if accepting the request to dance, and she let out a breath, dark eyes taking in the scenery before her.
The summer already felt like it had been a long one, though Mataeris could have sworn it had only just begun.
"We are in desperate need of some rain..." the mare thought to herself absentmindedly, allowing her guard to drop for a moment in the stillness.
She was not wrong. The grass was long and golden, easy kindling for hungry fire. Many of the smaller animals had left in search of greener pastures and accessible water. Only the bugs seemed to have stayed, much to the annoyance of the blue mare. She flicked her tail aggressively at some flies who were trying to claim her royal body as their home. Her ears pinned and she snorted at them, as they were chased away by her tail.
"Hah, that'll show them to never touch a queen!", the mare thought to herself once again, feeling quite proud of her small victory.
The breeze blew through once more, and Mataeris inhaled deeply. The only fragrance on the wind was the warm smell of dried grass. It was comforting smell, and made the mare feel at home. She stood tall for a moment, head still head high, surveying the land before, and allowed her mind to slip. For a while there were no disturbances, only the sound of the wind and grass whispering interrupted the stillness of the day.
However, little did the mare know that with each gust, a form was ever so slowly approaching her. It stayed out of the wind, so their scent wasn't carried, and used the sound of the wind to mask their own approach.
08-01-2019, 02:12 PM (This post was last modified: 08-01-2019, 02:13 PM by Nolin.)
Nolin
The Cove had been quiet since mother moved to Pangea, naming it the home kingdom. It seemed to be just him and Issy...he knew a small bit of diplomatic knowledge, though he was no expert. He decides to venture to the meadow, a nomad land that he might end up having luck recruiting a new body.
As he makes his way he tries to travel under the shade, the summer heat beating down on his pale body. Luckily for him his mane and tail were the darkest shade, and he had better luck than those who did not have such a light pelt.
It was rather barren, a few equines here and there whispering to each other. He nearly decided to go home, but he could just barely hear another...talking to themselves? He never heard another respond, another not paired up, seemed too perfect.
The young stag who was nearing two makes his way closer to the source. He was tall and starting to fill in so he looked less lanky. His eyes catch that of a blue tinted mare, odd colors were no stranger to the green boy, instead it only peaked his interest.
She was quite a sight, the blue perfectly meshing onto the bay points on her, the small white spots she did have standing bright.
As he grows closer she hadn't noticed him, talking to herself again announcing herself as a queen. He laughs, unknowingly if it was because she was talking to flies or because the title she gave herself. Queen you say? he gives away his cover, nearing her only to stop a few paces before her.
I have never heard of you, what's your name? His voice is playful, he doesn't know all the rulers by sight, but he can tell by the nomad scent that clings to her that she doesn't have a home to call her own.
The abyss of the mare's mind was an ocean, whirling and swelling against the rocks. The comforting, warm smell of the grass fuelled tumbling thoughts, causing the usually paranoid Mataeris to drop her guard.
However, in what could have easily been an eternity, a pale form had approached her blue one. He spoke before Mataeris had a chance to sense his presence, his voice cutting through her thoughts like lighting on a dead tree.
"Queen you say?" the disembodied voice said, almost as if he was disputing her royal presence.
Her body seized, the electricity in his playful voice caused the mare's muscles to stiffen and her eyes and stance widened. The young stud stepped into her view, mere paces away.
"I have never heard of you, what's your name?" he asked.
Despite his apparent disrespect, Mataeris decided to let his transgression slide. Head still held high, the mare relaxed her stance, and eyes narrowed, glancing the young male up and down, studying him. He was quite a unique form, with his cloven hooves and spiralling horms, and the contrast of his mane and tail against his pale form was definitely pleasing to gaze upon. The mare flicked her tail, and dropped he head ever so slightly.
"Of course I am a queen," the mare said, masking her slight contempt with a purring playful tone to match his. The mare flashed a friendly smile, though if the stallion had actually known Mataeris, he would have known it to be a calculated grin. "Does this form not strike you as regal?"
Mataeris tossed her head playfully, and high stepped in a circle, being sure to step as gracefully as possible. She lifted her tail throughout her circle, being sure to catch the shiny blueish black hairs in the sun. When her little loop finished, she nickered softly, flashing the same smile as before. Surely this stud wasn't as blind as he was stupid. Mataeris was convinced her little show would sway the stud into realization of her true royal blood.
She appears to grow tense as soon as she hears his voice. Perhaps she wanted to be alone on this fine day, but it was too late for that.
She glances over him, taking in the view of the stag who dared to interrupt her conversation with the flies. She speaks and he cocks an eye towards her, she claims to be a queen.
Her tone was playful, and thankfully so. He knew she couldn't be a queen, only because she does not carry the scent of beqanna. A smirk tugs at his lips in response, his ears pricking forward as she speaks again.
This time she asks him if her appearance did not strike him as regal. She prances a circle around him, and the young and slightly daring boy watches with interest. He dares to extend his maw, his velvet lips gently stroke her as she passes by him.
Though she does not smell of beqanna, her scent still pulls him into a daze. She has peaked his interest now, Perhaps from a land far away? he steps closer to her, the stud himself was a heir to the throne. Though currently his sister held the position. What brings you all the way to beqanna? He asks now that she has all of his attention.
As Mataeris walked her graceful circle around the stud, she felt something touch her side. She quickly glanced one eye at the young stud, and saw his nose on her hide. The mare didn't know if she should be horrified or pleased. She glanced at his pale head; his ears were pricked, clearly interested in her own blue form. It took a considerable amount of effort for Mataeris to not smirk. Her plan was working. The stud breathed in her scent. The mare knew she did not smell of any particular land, but that hardly mattered. Royal blood did not need land to be legitimate, though Mataeris knew she would soon have some land to herself, whether through force or other more... peaceful measures.
"Perhaps from a land far away?" the stud said, breaking her thoughts for a moment.
He took a daring step closer. The young stallion was really showing his age. His form looked like he hadn't seen two winters yet. If Mataeris was even a touch kinder, she would have ceased her flirting, but the mare really wasn't kind at all. All she could see was a young, easily manipulated form ahead of her, albeit a pleasing form. For a very brief moment, the mare even entertained the idea of what their foals would look like, but again, the colt stole away her thoughts with more of his own words.
"What brings you all the way to Beqanna?"
The mare paused ever so slightly before answering, putting on a delicate air. "Yes, I am from far away..." she said, pausing again. "I walked for many, many days before arriving here. Maybe even countless days." Mataeris turned her head to look into the distant scenery. "I was not expecting it to be so dry and hot here... my poor dark body does not do too well here." She glanced sideways at the young stud again, will a smile on her lips. "Your pale coat must allow you more comfort than me." The blue mare ran her eyes over the green haired stud, making her observation quite obvious. She then glanced back into his eyes and smiled. "Are you not going to ask me my name?" she playfully said, with grin.
mataeris
and the madness slowly creeps
i'm gone to Japan until Monday, so no rush in replying! Won't be able to get anything up until I'm back :3
This stranger interested him, he jokes about her being a queen but little does he know how serious she was. He pulls his maw back, and she smirks at the gentle touch he gives.
She notes that perhaps she came from a lans far away, but she says it questioningly as though she herself didn't know. He cocks an eye, daring to move closer. She doesn't shy away, and he takes it that his presence isn't unwelcomed, but he also doesn't dare to inch further.
He asks why she came to beqanna, and she pauses for a moment. Finally breaking the silence she admits that she comes far away and her odd behavior starts to fall into place. Her mind drifting, she notes how hot it is in beqanna and he looks at the trees nearby that offer shade. Well then let's move to the tree's, it'll be fall soon enough and youll be looking for a body to bring you wamth. The pale stag shoots a wink at her, gently moving past her as he finds a comforting spot beneath the protection of the meadow trees.
As she nears she ask's if he is going to ask for her name and he smirks in an attempt to refrain from laughing. I thought I was gunna call you Queeny, you hadn't even asked for mine. He pouts in an attempt to humor her, the stag shifting to find a spot beside her. So then, tell me, what is your true name? He finds her gaze awaiting a response.
Mataeris was really quite enjoying herself with this one. He seemed to be completely oblivious her her true intent with him, and that was just the way the blue mare was going to leave it. He seemed to hang onto her every word, and had an eye on every single on of her movements. It seemed, as well, that he was keen to pass all of her little tests. She complained about the heat and he responded in kind.
"Well then let's move to the tree's, it'll be fall soon enough and you'll be looking for a body to bring you warmth," the stallion said with a wink.
Mataeris didn't know if she wanted to laugh at his shortsightedness, or recoil in disgust at his bold and unrestrained alluding. The blue mare fully intended to have many "warm bodies" as she could by winter, and this one before her was a perfect practice round for her. However, as the mare could not make up her mind how to respond to his comment, she met his wink with a smirk as he gently brushed her.
It was clear he wanted to follow her. In an ideal world, the green maned stud would have asked her to accompany her with a bow, but Mataeris was in a forgiving mood. There were also the unresolved thoughts about the appearance of their potential offspring fuelling the mare's patience. Mataeris knew she could easily take his enamoured behaviour and use it to mould him into a presentable subject.
As she approached the pale form in the shade, he replied to her question, though the smirk on his face made her ears recline ever so slightly. The stallion was definitely feeling bold.
"I thought I was gunna call you Queeny, you hadn't even asked for mine," he said with a pouting nature.
"Yes," Mataeris thought to herself, a smile on her lips as the stallion shifted to be next her. "Learn your place. You are not my equal. How dare you assume I would care about you."
"So then, tell me, what is your true name?" he said, finally. He made an effort to find her eyes and meet her gaze.
The mare smiled kindly, betraying none of her previous thoughts.
"My full name is Queen Mataeris of the Golden Shores and Emerald Fields, but since you have proven such a gentleman, you may simply refer to me as Mataeris," she said, continuing her kind smile. It was the kind of smile that reached her eyes and filled them with warmth. A difficult to smile to pull off, but the blue mare had found out at a much younger age, that other respond better to warmth than harshness, and so had practiced the smile until her jaw hurt and her eyes weeped.
The mare broke eye contact for a moment, and once again glanced across the meadow. "I might have to add Summer Grass to that title," she said with a laugh on her lips. Mataeris returned to his gaze. "Now, I have introduced myself to your handsome form, it would be very unkind to not release your mysterious name to me." The mare's tone was kind, as she was careful to not reveal her true nature. This was probably one of their deciding moments, as they say first impressions hold the truest in one's memory. If Mataeris was to keep her claws in this pale stallion, she was going to have to play her cards right.
