|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:17 am
And so she waited calmly, ears perked and wings relaxed and folded against her sides, wondering what in the world young Dahak had to say.
On top of that, she realized, she didn't know much about the young stallion. Little Lucina had met him, and she'd seen the tri-colored stallion wandering around with the dark blue Bae slave he'd found -- a lucky find, indeed, for the slave's behavior -- and that was about it. She'd heard talk of Dahak's sister; she showed promise of becoming a tactician of the same high quality as her mother. Dahak, on the other hoof.. She hadn't heard much about him, save that no one really saw what he was going to do with his life or what he was up to. That was either quite promising, or quite the opposite.
Well, no use dwelling on thoughts and opinions that could be, in fact, entirely wrong. She'd find out soon enough, hopefully, and she turned her head to study the entrance to the small clearing. It was time for their meeting, at a time she'd specified; when the sun was at its peak, and when the two moons crossed each other in the sky.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:05 pm
He was ready. He knew he was ready. So why was he so damn nervous? It was an important day, of course, but he trusted himself not to mess it up. Yet he was still nervous.
Dahak sighed to himself and paced on toward the arranged spot.
If all went well, soon he could be Shaman Dahak. If it did not... Well, that was best not contemplated.
Still, he’d practiced and practiced and done all he could. There was no point putting the moment off any longer.
Taking a deep breath, the blue-eyed stallion stepped into the grove and paused a respectful distance away, part raising a wing to signal Virgil to do the same.
Here he went then.
“My Queen,” he bowed deeply, “my thanks for agreeing to meet me on such short notice.” He’d be fine, he had it all planned out, he’d be fine. Hopefully.
Virgil waited apprehensively for the queen to speak, bowing deeply in unison with his master. So. This was the day. They day that the herd would come to see his master as what he truly was; a wonder.
Still, he was a touch nervous. Oh he didn’t doubt his master, not in the least, but he worried about his own role. He must not draw too much attention to himself, yet he must do as he had been instructed. The sharp rock he held in his mouth felt incredibly heavy for what it was. He was not looking forward to having to use it, yet he knew he would when the time came. He would not fail his master, not ever and definitely not on a day like today. Everything had to be perfect; according to plan. He would not disappoint Dahak.
Shivering a little to himself, the Bae kept his head and eyes lowered and waited for the Queen of the Katilenuck to react. Here it went then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:31 pm
Savit dipped her muzzle politely, offering the tri-colored stallion a smile. "No trouble at all, young Dahak," she offered, waving off the sincere thank you by shifting her wings a bit. But, what in the world...? For the life of her, she couldn't figure out why the Bae had a rock in his mouth. A sharp rock, at that. It didn't look like any sort of rare material, there probably wasn't anything special about it at all. So what was its purpose?
Ignoring Virgil and his rock for the moment, as the latter would probably be explained soon enough, she offered the son of her advisor an intrigued nod. "I'm happy to meet with you, of course. What is it you wished to speak with me about? I am, suffice to say, very interested." Especially so regarding that rock, she wanted to add, but refrained from doing so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:36 pm
He had prepared words to say at this moment, but they seemed to have gone out of his head for some reason. Dahak swallowed nervously. “Well I... That is I... I have something that I feel I can... I can offer to you, and to this herd my Queen. I... Well, perhaps it is best demonstrated first. Virgil?” Sweetest Jala let the Bae come through for him now; if the blue stallion was too much of a coward then he was pretty much stuffed.
Virgil was indeed a coward, he would be the first to admit that, but he was not so much of a coward that he would fail his master. Steeling himself and firming his grip on the rock, he twisted his head around.
The sharp edge pressed painfully against his shoulder but the white-maned stallion forced himself to press hard until hide split and blood began to flow. Shuddering to himself, the delicate-winged slave dragged the rock in a diagonal path down his shoulder until he could not easily reach anymore, whereupon he dropped the rock and turned slightly so that the Queen could easily see the injury.
Painful though the cut looked, it was not a serious injury and as such Dahak did not feel the need to dance. Chanting would be sufficient and so, closing his eyes and focusing on the pulsing redness which appeared to his mind, he did so.
The feeling of the injury swirled angrily at his interference and resisted his efforts to seal it, but the shaman pressed on determinedly. As he increased his efforts, a stiff breeze whipped up in the otherwise peaceful grove; a miniature whirlwind centered around the injured Bae. The swirling currents of air shifted and twisted with his voice, and so too did the redness that was visible only to the tall stallion of three colours and notable heritage.
Before long, the redness was gone and, with a final insistent shove to banish the hurt for good, Dahak opened his eyes and smiled uncertainly at the other Jala. “As you see my Queen I am... well, a shaman. With your permission and approval, I would like to step into that role officially and use my powers to serve this herd.” Let her agree, sweet Jala let her agree! If she refused, if she turned him away... Dahak tried not to think about such a possibility and waited for the claybank mare’s response to his display with trepidation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:03 pm
She perked both ears forward, smiling at his nervousness. It was alright, of course; he'd seemed a bit nervous before, when he'd asked for a meeting, but that was understandable. She nodded at his suggestion of a demonstration, and she--
Sweet Goddess Jala what was he doing?! Injuring himself for what purpose?! Her train of thought nearly had some sort of wreck as she merely stared, wide-eyed at the demonstration. However, as Dahak began his incantation she somehow made a grand effort to rally herself from the shock. She was used to shocks and surprises by now, but never before had she seen anyone injure themselves so someone else could demonstrate their magic.
So this was why young Dahak kept to himself and did only the gods knew what.
After the initial shock subsided, she watched with brows raised, very curious. She'd never seen a Shaman before, and now they had one in their herd. This was a magnificent thing, indeed.
"That was wonderful!" She said, beaming at the pair, mostly Dahak, after he'd finished and spoken. "Absolutely, undeniably brilliant. How long have you had your gift, young Dahak?" Well, it wouldn't do to call him that anymore, but before she deemed his status official she was eager to get a few answers out of him. A shaman! This was very exciting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:20 pm
The young stallion relaxed visibly, smiling half shyly at the praise. “Ever since I was a colt back in Shrilal my Queen,” he said with a bob of his head for emphasis as Virgil took a half pace closer to him. “I discovered it quite by accident,” he went on, “I was off exploring a bit of Yisi with Virgil, but I was separated from him briefly and a crowd of Bae colts spotted me, recognized my patterns and shoved me in a river. Somewhere along the line, I sliced my leg open on a rock but I was too bus surviving to pay much attention until I climbed out. When I finally did make it to a bank, the cut was gone and the only way I had to explain it was magic.”
The willowy stallion frowned and shook his head at the next part of his tale, so frustrating... “Anyway, I experimented to see if I really could do magic or if I’d just gone mad. I managed to replicate the healing after a few tries, but my work always undid itself until a few weeks ago when I went to Illusionist Mordre to ask his advice.” A smile overcame the curly-maned Katilenuck’s face at that point, and he shook his head slightly. “I should have gone to him sooner I suppose, but I wanted to try everything I could think of myself first. Still, I did go to see him at last and his insights were invaluable. As you can see,” he nodded at the fully recovered Bae who lent ever so slightly against his flank, “I have managed to gain at least a basic grasp of my art now. I have much to learn, my Queen, but I know enough to begin offering my services safe in the knowledge that whatever I am capable of repairing will stay repaired.”
This was going well, very well, better than he could ever have hoped for. She was not skeptical in the least, not Queen Savit’Taren, she was just curious. Still smiling to himself, the tall Jala gave his slave the slightest of nudges with one wing; he should never have even doubted the winter-coloured Bae. Thank Jala for Virgil... or perhaps thank Bae for Virgil. Still, whatever, he was glad to have the pale-eyed stallion as his slave and that was really all that mattered right now.
Virgil grinned stupidly to himself at the acknowledging touch and lowered his head so that the Queen would not think he was aiming the inappropriate expression at her. Dahak had done it, and he had helped; he had helped! Every day he was proud of himself for aiding the brindled stallion in the small ways that he did but this... Well, he was going to be floating on a cloud of happiness for weeks, that was for sure; he’d helped!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 10:59 am
"Magnificent, Dahak, there is no other word for it," she exclaimed with a smile, pacing closer -- indeed her gait had a bit of a prance to it as she moved -- and leaned over to inspect the now thin, healed cut. It was one of the most amazing things she had ever witnessed, and she beamed proudly at the young Shaman. "Your parents will be very proud, I'm sure -- or are, if you've told them already. If not, well well; that can easily be fixed, quite easily indeed." Her bright eyes shifted from Dahak to Virgil, offering him an acknowledging nod and a small smile before looking back at the Bae's master. "Anyone would love to have a slave as wonderfully obedient as yours, Dahak, you must be quite proud of yourself for such a find as him. Even though their job is to do whatever is asked of them, I don't know of any other who would do such a thing without question or hesitation." There, that should be good for the slave. He deserved a bit of praise as well, for his role, slave though he was. She didn't know of anyone who would injure themselves like that, really, so the blue Bae really should be commended for his job. Not too much, though.
"So," the Queen said with a smile, stretching out her wings a bit and nodding, "I hope you will continue to improve upon your art, and that you will agree to practice here for the benefit of the Katilenuck as Shaman Dahak." She knew he'd agree, of course, but figured it was the most polite and gracious way of saying it. She'd never made anyone an official Shaman before, but she figured that would do. She would have to announce it to the herd soon, of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 8:17 am
The tall stallion beamed and bowed his head respectfully to the other Jala. “My Queen, there is nothing I would like more than to set my power to work right away. I haven’t told my parents yet, I didn’t want to go to them with a plan half finished, but I am sure if I don’t find them first they’ll hear soon enough.”
They could be so hard to track down, his parents could; both so busy with their own lives, their own duties. Well, now he could join them in that; at last his uselessness was at an end. He was somebody, somebody in his own right, no longer basking in his parents’ reflected glory and therefore being forever in their shadows. He was himself and forever would be. He need never again give the names of his sire and dam so that people would know who he was. Shaman Dahak. Let the fools who had doubted and mocked him chew on that one.
“If you do not object, my Queen,” Dahak went on with another dip of his head, “I should like to be getting back to my training. I do not wish to seem rude in my haste but... well as I say, I have much to learn and I am sure that as soon as people know of me, they will come to me wanting my help. I wish to be as prepared for that as possible.”
He wouldn’t be fully ready, he knew. For many of them he would just have to point out herbs they should eat, or rest they should take to speed their recovery. His actual magic would have to be saved for the most severe cases, or one day he would find himself unable to save a life because he had spent his power mending scratches and strains. He never wanted that to happen; never.
Virgil gulped and, despite himself, glanced up briefly at the Queen. He quickly remembered his place however and lowered his eyes once more, bowing low at her praise. “You are too kind your majesty,” he murmured, still smiling at the praise no matter how little he deserved it. “I know my duty to your herd your majesty, and I am proud to be able to serve in whatever way I can.”
He hoped that she didn’t mind him addressing her, and indeed that Dahak didn’t mind him addressing her but it had felt right to reply to her so it was probably okay; he had generally found his instincts on such matters were good ones.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 10:05 am
She bobbed her head in agreement, smiling at the new Shaman. Such a wondrous thing. Now, not only did they have an Illusionist on their side, but a Shaman too. The lovely goddess Jala did bless them so, and the Queen was grateful. "Yes, they shall hear sooner rather than later; I shall have to go announce your new status to the herd soon, so that all may know what new wonders live in our herd. Shaman," she beamed and flicked her silky tail, "I can still hardly believe how much sweet Jala has blessed us."
Savit was too busy looking at Dahak to notice Virgil's furtive glance, although as he spoke her dual-colored eyes flicked to him. Despite his place, he was not too cowardly to thank her for what little praise she gave him, and it made her smile. "You have a fine slave, Dahak, you must be proud of him." And that would do.
Training? Oh, yes; of course. "Of course, of course," she said with a smile and a gentle wave of one wing off towards the exit to the secluded oasis. "Go practice your art and train; I won't pretend to understand how you'd go about doing that, but all the same, you are free to leave. I can't promise you that other herdmembers won't come barging in on you once they hear the good news, though," she chuckled lightly. "But yes, preparation is of the utmost importance, and I'm glad you realize that. So go now, Shaman Dahak, and I will as well to announce your wondrous powers to the herd."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 12:21 pm
Dahak bobbed his head respectfully and smiled at the elder Jala. “Indeed I am proud of him my Queen, and forever grateful that I found him. I doubt many Katilenuck are as fortunate as I in the loyalty of their slaves.” There, that was enough of that; if he went on much longer Virgil would probably explode with happiness, and that would be both messy and inconvenient.
“My thanks then, your majesty,” Dahak went on with another nod, “I thank you again for your time, and for your gracious words.” Smiling, the tall stallion swept the Queen a bow and murmured, “your servant my Queen,” before backing up a few paces and turning around to trot off to the quiet, private area indicated by Savit’s wing.
As he moved away, a grin spread itself across the young Shaman’s face. The encounter couldn’t have gone better, Virgil couldn’t have been better behaved, the magic could have worked more perfectly and he hadn’t managed to make a fool of himself or anything!
Still grinning and contemplating the future with a healthy dose of optimism, Shaman Dahak trotted onward.
Virgil smiled again at the Queen’s words and his mater’s response but kept his head down and his mouth shut. Two Jala, one his master who he loved and one the great Queen of the herd had praised him. Bowing along with Dahak to the brindled mare before moving off with him, Virgil found himself wearing a grin much like his master’s.
Shaman Dahak.
He’d know the lithe stallion would do it, he’d known it! His master was proud of him, and he was proud just to be near the wonder! What a day, what a master, what a life! If things got much better than this, the blue Bae considered with a soft chuckle, he was going to burst with happiness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 1:27 pm
Savit smiled and bobbed her head, shuffling her wings to a more comfortable position against her flanks. She watched the young Shaman go, followed ever faithfully by his loyal slave, and chuckled lightly. After he was out of sight, she trotted gracefully out of the alcove and turned in the opposite direction, headed towards the area she typically made announcements from. She could still hardly believe it; a Shaman! In their herd! "Thank you, sweet Jala, for your good graces and blessings," she murmured happily with ears perked and eyes bright, as she continued on her way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
