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 Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:59 pm
 Alata was, as always, near the river, though she had wandered upstream to the lake, and back down another river, unknowingly much closer to the castle than she had been before. She didn't know much of the lay of the land beyond where the ponds, rivers, and lakes were, as she was prone to drying out if she got too far away from water.
She moved elegantly as always, even though she wasn't aware of anyone in her vicinity, it was a force of habit for the mare and went well with her slow-moving, wise character, even if she was only wise in a very unlikely fashion. That would grow with time, as she learned more, she was sure. Up to her hocks in the river, the bank was shallow and she was able to graze on some of the young grasses there, quite happily munching away.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:14 pm
 Lendel sapphire eyes scanned the river to his left as he trotted along, an ever-present bounce in his step. He lifted his feet in almost a show-like manner, smiling at the way the gems embedded in his hooves caught the sunlight, mirroring the river's clear, cool blue. His mane had been freshly curled by his Chosen, Rethken.
Rethken himself was a bard, thus the lute strapped to Lendel's flank, however, he was a very...cunning man. It seemed as if Lendel and his Chosen were complete opposites; while Lendel was friendly, outgoing, and kind, Rethken was cold, calculating, and somewhat hard to approach, unless it was the King, of course. Rethken had cursed up a storm as he burnt finger after finger using the curling iron on Lendel's mane, and the stallion whickered a low laugh in fond memory. Though his Chosen was cold to most, he would do anything in the world for Lendel, and the stallion adored him for it.
Shaking off his thoughts, the stallion's ears perked up as he saw a mare that was the color of the river by its bank, and he slowed his jog gracefully, coming to a halt. The hanging sapphire on his hair-comb clinked merrily from the momentum of his stalling, and he smiled in greeting.
"Hello, fair one," Lendel extended a foreleg in a bow, bringing his chest to scrape the tall grasses beneath him. "Forgive me for being so forward upon our first meeting, but I had never thought to see anything to rival the beauty of this river. However, I find myself in awe at seeing that such a beauty as yourself not only rivals it, but wholly eclipses the majesty of the river itself." Lendel rose, quirking his silver-tongued mouth in a grin. "I am Lendel, my Lady. Might I have the honor of knowing your name, by chance?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:27 pm
Alata's pond-green eyes flicked up at the first sound of merry tinkling, a little stunned at first by what she saw, having never seen a stallion quite so well..........decorated. Still, the stallion's curls bounced merrily, and the gems sparkled and caught her eye in a myriad of fashions and she found herself immediately interested, something that did not often happen to her.
His greeting caused a warm smile to find its way to her face and she returned his bow with an equally elegant curtsy, one leg folded up under her chest, the other straight out as she bowed her neck in a resplendent curve, nose almost touching the water. She returned to her normal stance, her tail being pushed slightly with the current, causing the water to burble pleasantly as it moved around her tail. As he spoke, her eyes filled with bemusement, though she was rather detached and wondered briefly if he greeted all mares this way, or if his interest was genuine. Her bemusement increased as his compliments stacked upon each other, and she felt an urge of contest building in her, a contest of wits and complimenting ability. One to follow her urges, she gave in easily.
"Ah, noble sir, the jewels have attracted themselves to you because of your wondrous eyes, only hoping that they can mirror the light found there," she began, widening her eyes as if in surprise and pleasure. My name is Alata, your grace she finished. Her desire to out-complement him could not supersede her normal lack of chattiness, and so that was the best she could do for the time being.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:34 pm
Lendel's feminine eyes widened in surprise. "So you are not only gorgeous, but well-versed as well." The stallion's voice held a genuine compliment. "I must admit, fair Alata, I have not yet met someone who had such beauty and prose within them all at once." His blue eyes met her green ones, and he tipped her a playful wink.
"What is it that brings you out by the river?" He took a few steps closer, the gold netting of jewels on his tail catching the sunlight. He seemed truly intrigued as he lowered his neck to peer at her tail in the river's gentle current, an easy smile on his lips. "I must admit that I have never seen a tail like yours; so unique, and it seems to have been made for the water. Is this why you venture down here?" Once more, he returned his eyes to her face, his head tilted in his query.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:41 pm
Alata smiled, well pleased at the trending of the conversation so far. His voice was so melodic and graceful, and it really pleased her on a very basic level to be around someone that valued always looking their best as much as he obviously did. She must ask him how he managed to curl his hair, however. She wasn't sure how it would look on her, but it looked wonderful on him.
"Oh, I can't stray far from the water, you see" she started, glancing meaningfully at her tail and the thin membranes there. "So, I aim to personally tread up and down each and every river, and find every body of water on the Isle" she finished, rather proud of her self-appointed task and that it was ever so slowly getting closer to completion with every step she took. She was a patient sort, and the fact that it might take her many seasons to accomplish this task did not bother her in the least. If she was to be restricted to water, she at least wanted to know where the best of it was, and it would be different in every season. She had much work to do, and quite possibly attached too much importance to this personal endeavor.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:55 pm
Lendel blinked at the large task ahead of her. "Fair Alata, that is a momumental aspiration indeed." The stallion lowered his head to the water, taking a much-needed drink of the cool liquid, closing his eyes as he slaked his thirst. The perfectly coiffed ringlets in his mane brushed against the gurgling waters, moving of their own accord in the lulling current.
As the stallion lifted his head, he snorted somewhat indignantly. "Oh, blast." A frown marred his near-perfect features. "And Rethken just did my mane today too," he seemed to speak to himself as he backed a few paces away from the river's edge in mild irritation at his inattentive blunder. Remembering he was in the company of a lady, he exhaled sharply through his nose. "Ah, my Lady. I must beg your forgiveness for speaking so out of turn in the presence of one so beautiful as yourself. I fear sometimes I let my words get away from me, you see." Here he grinned, almost sheepishly. "My Chosen rubs off on me, and not in all things good, you must understand."
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:02 pm
She nodded gravely at his words, the task was a great one. Still, it was one she was more than happy to do, and horses lived long lives, so she would have time to do it. She drank politely at the same time as he did, eyes somewhat distracted by the ringlets in his hair starting to straighten mildly as they got wet from the river. She watched with fascination as they dropped water in shiny beads as he pulled his head up. She jerked her head back slightly in surprise at his exclamation, at first glancing around to see if someone else had stumbled upon him, relaxing and breathing out a chuckle as she realized it was his mane he was fussing over. But who or what was this Rethken? As he continued speaking, it became obvious.
"Your offense is pardoned" she offered generously, dipping her head and closing her eyes briefly as she spoke. She found the remainder of his comment much more interesting. "Ah, so you have a Chosen....Rethken?" she asked, putting the details together in her odd way of hers. Her mother had only briefly mentioned the relationship some Azrein indulged in, partnering with a human. Her dam had not given her much more information beyond that - how one found a human, at what age they could bond, nothing. It was a large curiosity to Alata, one she hoped to answer soon.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:34 pm
"Ah," Lendel paused, collecting his thoughts. He forget that some Azrein knew very little about Bonding with a human, and his and Rethken's Bond was not the best example, really. "Yes, my lady. My Chosen's name is Rethken, and to me he is the world." Lendel's eyes grew soft as his voice caressed the man's name.
"I came to Rethken for a reason most Azrein avoid: because he was terribly, terribly hurt, and because of that, he became quite ruthless and angry, you see." The stallion's voice softened, and it seemed as if his expression became pained just the slightest bit. "Rethken simply radiated hate and anger, greed and jealousy, loathing and betrayal when I went to him. I knew that he was the human for me, though."
"First, let me tell you something that happens whenever an Azrein bonds to a human, Alata." Here Lendel paused, shifting his weight slightly. He arched his neck, automatically taking on what his Chosen called the 'Bard's Voice': a strong style of speaking, which sent almost vivid images into the listeners senses. "You feel a tug on your heartstrings, my Lady, it is like nothing you've ever felt before. You know that somewhere out there, someone needs you desperately, cannot go on living without the unconditional love you have to offer them. The moment you find them, the very second your eyes meet...the two of you melt, almost becoming one. Knowing that you will never be alone, never have to worry about carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, with no one to turn to any longer..." Lendel's voice trailed off, and he blinked suddenly.
"Ah, my apologies, my Lady. I was rambling. Anyway, yes, Rethken is my Chosen. And though he is cold and distant from most, he would do anything in the world for me, and I for him." Lendel tittered nervously; in his ramblings he forgot if the pretty mare had even asked a question, or if he had tortured her ears with his monologue for no reason. He was not used to being in such elegant company, even with the circles he was in.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:42 pm
Alata listened politely, though some parts of his monologue distressed her greatly and caused her to fidget slightly. She would not at all want to be life-bonded to someone radiating hate, anger, greed, and the rest of the list Lendel had recited. She shivered slightly despite the warm weather, horrified to think about what it would be like to share minds with someone of that nature. She'd rather.......well, she'd never do anything untoward, but she would rather be as far away from such a human as possible.
Still, Lendel seemed happy enough, and this was something that made her pause. Would being linked to someone like that be alright if they absolutely adored her? Well now.....that was an interesting question, but she was starting to lean towards a negative answer, though she would give the dillema much thought before she decided on an answer. For the moment, however, she would simply avoid humans, less she "fall" for one of them and they be truly horrid. But one question had to be voiced. "But, good sir, say a mare, such as myself, for example, were to bond with the most evil of humans? Is there no escape from such a thing? It would seem a fate worse than death," she remarked, not quite keeping the tremor out of her voice at the very thought of the situation.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:35 pm
"Tylendel," the voice was rich, a deep baritone; unwavering in its surety. Light footsteps could be heard over the gentle babble of the stream, and once again the call came, a bit more forceful. "Lendel!" There was a definitive snap to the man's words, and soon he came into view.
A black cloak hung haphazardly from broad shoulders, the elaborate silver hem dragging on the grass beneath the man's booted feet. Tight black riding breeches of a rich fabric left nearly nothing to the imagination, and a belt with numerous daggers adorned the man's low-riding waist-band, leaving his abdomen exposed as he wore no shirt.
Icy blue eyes stared out from a chiseled, sardonic visage, and as the man's cold gaze settled on the Azrein, he strode forward purposefully. A frown marred his deceptively gentle features as he closed the gap between himself and Lendel. "I worried, Lendel." He wrapped leanly muscled arms around the stallion's proudly arched neck, burying his face into the Azrein's elaborately curled mane. When he released the stallion from the embrace, his gaze found the aquatic mare standing in front of the stallion. His upper lip curled; though in disgust or mere curiosity, no one could be certain. "And who is this?"
Lendel tucked his nose into the man's shoulders, embracing him as well. "Ah, this is Alata, Chosen." Lendel nickered softly, nuzzling the man's wrist in a submissive gesture. "She and I were actually just speaking of you." At the man's arches eyebrow, the stallion grinned. "All good, of course."
Lendel turned to Alata with a smile. "Alata, let me introduce Rethken. My Chosen, and the Bard to the King."
Rethken eyed the mare, almost assessing her. "She's pretty enough, Lendel." He nodded slightly to the mare in greeting.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:46 pm
Alata had taken a few steps back, ears pricked to the footsteps of a human. She nickered very lightly to herself, mildly distressed at the sudden appearance of a human.
Human.
She had never seen one. Curious creatures. They only had two legs, and had absolutely no hair on their skin, except for on their heads. She flared her nostrils, trying to get a decent scent on him. He looked strong, more strong than she would have expected from a musical man. If she was any good at judging facial expressions on the strange being in front of her, however, he wasn't exactly pleased to see her. She snorted softly at his remark of her being pretty enough - anyone could see that. Humans were curious creatures, she decided. She wanted to nuzzle at the thing flowing back from his shoulders like a mane in the wind, but she didn't think it would be tolerated. Why was he wearing things over his body? She may be bedecked in a sea star and some sea weed most of the time, but that was simply because she didn't bother to remove them. What Rethken was wearing looked more like it was put on intentionally. Was its purpose strictly decorative, then?
Her eyes flicked to Lendel, unsure of how to proceed. The stallion hadn't given the most stunning review of his Chosen, and she wasn't sure how to best approach the human. She settled for trying to greet him as she would another horse, as that seemed the only logical thing to do. She dipped her head in return at Rethken, hoping that was a decent start. Greetings, Chosen Rethken she offered, still appraising the differences between equine and human anatomy.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:56 pm
"Greetings?" The man blinked, obviously disconcerted. "That's it, little one?" Though Rethken was not nearly as in tune with Azrein as his long-time friend the King, Rethken knew that something was not right. She was giving off strange signs he had never seen before in an Azrein; perhaps she was nervous? Granted, most were starstruck being so close to the King's personal musician, but he didn't think that was the case in this particular situation.
She seemed a bit...unsure of what to do. He watched her as her eyes flicked over his accessories and outfit, uncertainty in her eyes. Could he be..? "Don't tell me. You've never seen a human before?" He arched an eyebrow, and his question was quite rude, even by normal standards.
Lendel frowned, nudging Rethken roughly with his nose. "Don't frighten her!" Rethken simply scoffed at his Bonded's words. Lendel shifted his weight, positioning his body so he stood a step closer towards Alata, offering her unasked for mental support. He knew Rethken was...well, a bit rough around the edges, but he always meant well. He was sure Alata would see that, given time.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:03 pm
Alata snorted softly, eyes widening slightly in alarm that she had caused offense. What kind of greeting had she been supposed to offer? Was she intending offense by not referring to him as a bard? She shook out her mane in confusion, side stepping closer to Lendel as he moved slightly closer to her, eyeing the human now even more uncertainly.
That would be correct she offered, slightly ruffled by the man's demeanor. She pulled her neck up higher, obviously a proud little mare that saw nothing wrong with having never seen a human before. Her tail flicked slightly, belaying her discomfort with the situation. Still, Lendel trusted him in a most obvious fashion, so he couldn't be all that bad....right? Carefully and very slowly, she stretched her neck out towards the human, snuffling carefully, curious in spite of herself. She was ready to draw back at any moment, muscles twitching in readiness.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:39 pm
The hard planes of Rethken's face softened in understanding as the mare extended her elegant neck. "Ah, I see now, little one." Rethken extended his arm slowly, palm raised so the mare could touch him if she so chose. With tentative movements, he reached over to Lendel, unclasping the lute from his flanks. He slung it over his neck with the strap, and arm still outstretched, drew the fingers of his free hand gently over the strings.
A wondrous sound rang from the lute, gentle, melodious, soothing. The bard watched the mare with those cold eyes, gauging her reaction to the softly strummed notes.
Lendel closed his eyes as his Chosen's fingers began to work their magic. Surprisingly, the one thing that the Azrein loved the most about his Chosen was his hands. They were elegant, almost delicate. A stark contrast to his hard demeanor whenever he played. Lendel leaned into Alata, urging her wordlessly to take a step forward to meet his Chosen's bare hand. It was not every day that Rethken offered to touch another Azrein, and to be honest, the stallion was proud of him.
Apparently, being around Lendel's good nature had rubbed off on him. The stallion quirked a grin. Or maybe that was wishful thinking, and Rethken was just having an off day.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:48 pm
His every movement was carefully scrutinized, her eyes wide and ears swiveling to keep track of everything. She seemed very much a wild, if intelligent animal, observing civilization for the first time through wary eyes. He extended his hand toward her, palm up. She pulled back a little at first, but at Lendel's reassuring lean, she stretched her neck out again, pausing just before she could touch him, her whiskers touching his hand though her skin did not. She inhaled deeply and withdrew, watching the man's other hand as it took the lute from Lendel.
As the man brushed the strings her ears swiveled and she took one half step back, eyes narrowing on the instrument in surprise. This time, however, she didn't need back up from Lendel. After the echoes died off, she took a few steps towards Rethken, nudging his hand softly back towards the strings, wordless in her pleasure of the sound, now knowing what to expect. She stepped back and waited expectantly, eyes bright and ears perked and attentive. She was very still despite her excitement and she was rather intrigued by this entire experience.
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