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 Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 7:11 am
 Agave stood at the very edge of the shoreline, the gentle waves lapping at his hooves and the ocean breeze whispering through his mane like a soundless caress. His eyes looked out over the wide expanse of water with a deep appreciation for the peace that it offered even as he flared his nostrils to take in as much of the salty scent as he could. At his feet his spiders were running back and forth across the sand, hissing and threatening the rolls of water, chasing them as they receded only to skitter off again when the next one came in..he had given up trying to tell them that this chase was a rather pointless on on their parts, the waves would always keep coming...but he had a feeling that the spiders had invented a game of sorts. It was interesting as he could not recall his mothers spiders ever playing before, but it had given him hope..if they could change, then so could he.
It had been at least one moon cycle since he had stumbled onto the sand wounded and sick and in that time, under Aquitaine's care, he had healed for the most part - his shoulder would always carry a scar and it was still regaining strength but he was confident that with a bit more time he would be back to full health..better even then he had been before. It was amazing really to know what a fulls nights sleep was like, to wake up without having to ponder what sort of battle awaited him, what sort of games he would have to play in order to get through the day safety. There had been set-backs of course, a lifetime of habits were not easily undone and his previous demeanor tended to rear it's ugly head in times of stress or perceived threat. He still wasn't entirely sure how to work around that problem..but with time perhaps it would come to him.
Now that he was healthy however a new obstacle faced him, he had left one life and was only just beginning to learn a new one, had barely scratched the surface of what it could be when he might have to leave it behind as well. He was healthy...he had already spent a great deal of time taking advantage of Aquitaines generosity, indeed he was fairly certain that he had run her through the ringer a time or two and there had always been the understanding that he would leave to find his own way when he could - or at least that was the impression he had gotten.
But...
Agave didn't want to leave, not only did he fear facing the outside world on his own but he did not want to leave her...at some point during her care of him the green stallion had grown more then just a little bit fond of Aquitaine, they were friends and that was all they should be, Aquitaine deserved far more then his troublesome broken self..but that didn't stop him from wishing otherwise. Sighing heavily he looked to the clouds, it was probably best if he left soon, perhaps even today...before he talked himself out of this again.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 7:28 am
 Aquitaine awoke to find Agave gone from the clearing. Though she wondered where he had gone she did not worry too much, he had been healing quite well and was at the end of his recovery. It wasn't the first time she had found him gone from the grove but today she frowned because of it. The last little while had been a stressful and interesting mix. Agave was making strides to change for the better, but still his old ways came roaring out enough that Aquitaine wondered just how much progress she had truly made. Often times it was one step forward and three steps back. But even with all the bumps along the way she had seen a change in the green stallion. His temper wasn't as quick as it had been, he helped her out at every opportunity even if those small tasks were boring to him and he had been adapting quite well to life away from the mountain.
But what would happen now? With Agave able to get up and wander long distances it was harder to keep track of him. She worried he would get into some kind of trouble either because of someone assuming he was a monster because of his looks or because he had fallen back to his old ways. Aquitaine wasn't sure if she could deal with him turning back into the stallion his mother had created.
Getting to her feet Aquitaine gave her muscles a stretch. What if today was the day he wandered off and never returned? An ache settled in her chest just thinking about it. Of all the changes that had been happening as of late the most shocking had been that she had started to feel something for Agave, something more than just a friendship. Losing him now would break her in a number of ways. But she wasn't sure how to tell him, would he know how to accept such feelings or would he push her away? With a heavy sigh Aquitaine set out of the grove to look for the wayward stallion praying he had not left.
When she saw him standing at the edge of the water Aquitaine's heart soared. He hadn't left! She needed to talk to him, let him know how she felt and to ask him to stay. Would he accept? Possibly not, though Aquitaine surely hoped he would. Crossing the sand she walked up to Agave, noticing his spiders running around the sand and that brought a smile to her lips. The critters were interesting and while they still freaked her out at times they were quite tame. Coming to a stop to stand beside Agave Aquitaine looked out onto the ocean, having so much to say and yet struggling to find the words to do so, she remained silent for the moment just enjoying the peace of the morning with Agave at her side.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:03 am
It was almost as though she could sense him thinking about her, nearly as soon as his thoughts had turned in her direction she was sliding up next to him to stand and look out over the ocean. Agave was loathe to break the peace which settled over them as they stood there,typically just her presence alone was enough to dissipate so much of his inner stress - but today a great deal of it was because of her and so while he was grateful for her company at the same time the longer the silence continued, the harder it was for Agave to continue it...even if he dreadfully wanted to.
He did not want to start the conversation that he knew must happen - but had he not already decided to leave? It was in her best interest, she couldn't continue to put her life on hold for him the way she had been. No he had to go..before he got more attached, before he found he couldn't leave. sighing deeply, he turned to look at her. "Aquitaine..." He started off, hesitating before he continued "...I think we need to talk."
It might have been better if he had just left while she was still asleep, but while he had considered this option Agave knew he would not have been able to leave without saying good-bye, and perhaps he should have just told her outright, rather then putting it off with that sort of nebulous opening..but he was still trying to figure out how to broach the subject himself and this gave him the time to do so.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:11 am
Those words broke through the silence like a knife. Dread washed over her, nothing ever good came out of any conversation that started like that. She couldn't help but bite her lip to stop from completely freaking out over it. Her eyes remained glued to the ocean before them so that she could collect her thoughts and emotions. If he wanted to talk then she would listen but she needed that moment to collect herself, steal away her heart and feelings so as to not start the process with a panic tone in her voice. She swallowed hard, her mouth had gone dry. Slowly her gaze turned to look over at Agave. She tried to read his face, to see what hint there was to the bad news he was about to share with her, but as always he was impossible to read. Those many eyes distracted her, and she was unable to get anything from them.
"Alright." She finally managed to say though her voice was shaky. Her knees locked so that she could stop her legs from joining in on that shaky feeling. A small part of her knew what he was likely to say, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet, best to let Agave say what was on his mind and then react. So she stood there waiting and listening, trying to tell herself it would be okay, when deep down she knew it wouldn't be.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:44 am
Aquitaine did not seem to be looking forward to this discussion either - perhaps he had worried her with the way he had stated things. That had not been his intention but he hadn't known any other way to start things off - come to think of it he wasn't entirely sure how to continue it even now.
"I think that..." And he paused, that did not seem like the proper way to go about it, he ought to thank her first perhaps for all the effort and help she had given him. In times gone past he would have just declared that he was leaving and gone - simple, to the point, no fuss...but this was different and he wasn't saying good-bye to a mere slave or someone he didn't care for.
"What I mean is, you've done a great deal to help me and I'm so very thankful for it.." There that was better right? It seemed like it would be "But in doing so I think you have put your life on hold and that..well it's not fair to you, I'm healed now and relatively sure that I can make it on my own..." The last part was almost to hard to say, indeed he had to force the word, his voice quavering somewhat thought he resolutely continued on. "I probably should have left sooner..we still don't know if my mother will come looking someday and it's really not fair to keep putting you in danger.." He went on, trying to find an excuse for why he really should leave, though he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her at this point..or himself.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:03 am
The seconds ticked by felt like hours and then he finally spoke, then stopped and started again. A soft smile crossed her lips as he thanked her for all her efforts in helping him heal, but those next words made the world crash down around her. It was what she had dreaded this conversation would entail, he was leaving, because he didn't want her putting her life on hold to help him and because of the possible threat from his mother. Yet the way his voice quivered told Aquitaine he wasn't fully convinced of that or that he did not agree with his own words. She thought for a moment on what he said. Had she really put her life on hold to help him? No, her life was not much different than what it had been since his arrival. She wasn't one to go on grand adventures, didn't socialize much, in fact he had brought something new to her life, excitement, challenges, and change. If anything she was thankful to him for it, even if it came at the price of him arriving as injured as he had.
And as for the dangers, well there would always be dangers no matter where she was or who she was with. Though she had claimed this beach side home was safe Aquitaine was no fool, she knew danger could show up anywhere, whether it was in the form of a skinwalker, Agave's mother or anything else. No, his presence would not bring any more danger than was already possible.
She opened her mouth but the words faltered on her tongue. How could she tell him to stay and why? How could she convince him that he was not endangering her by staying here? How could she live without him. "No!" Aquitaine suddenly found her voice and it surprised her to hear such conviction in it. "Agave, you are not endangering my life by being here. And I have put nothing on hold to help you. You can't leave Agave." She took a step closer, ignoring the unhappy rumble from her dragon and pressed her muzzle into the side of Agave's neck. "You can't leave me." He needed to see that he was a part of her life now, for better or worse, Aquitaine had come to realize that and now it was his turn. She needed him just as much as he still needed her. Together they could bring him into this new life.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:41 am
For a few moments Agave was sure that Aquitaine was going to agree with him, her silence almost seemed to him, to be a sign of acceptance..but then she burst out with a reaction quite the opposite. Agave was startled..and at the same time he wasn't sure if he was relieved to hear that she didn't want him to leave either...or pained by the fact that it would only make it that much harder for him to do so.
It was even worse when she pressed her muzzle into his neck and quietly told him that he couldn't leave her. Agave shuddered slightly with the tension he had been holding inside. "Aquitaine..." He said her name quietly. "I...I don't want to go, I've come to care for you deeply...love you even..I think, I don't know, I've never loved before.." He stated, a wealth of confusion in his voice before it hardened with his next statement. "But regardless of my feelings..of your feelings, we both know you deserve someone better, someone who does not have my past, or my issues. What will your family think?" He asked her, assuming that she would draw the same conclusion he had, she had spoke of her family from time to time, he knew they were good and kind and certainly against the type of stallion had once been and the family he had grown up with. It was,he was sure, a recipe for disaster.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:00 am
Hearing him whisper her name so softly it sent a shiver of delight down her spine. As he continued to talk she slowly pulled her head back so that she could look him in the eyes. He said that he loved her, or at least thought it might be love. She understood he was new to the concept of love, his life had been filled with hatred from the the time he was a foal, so these new feelings and emotions would be hard for him to understand at first. She went to say something, how how even though she had known love her whole life she knew that what she felt for Aquitaine was indeed the beginning of love, but then he continued on in a sterner tone and his words nearly ripped a whole in her heart.
How could he think that? No, she understood how he could but it was hard for her to come to terms with what he said. Her parent...well they would likely be concerned at first but if they could just see how happy Agave made her, and that he was making changes to become a better stallion then they would accept him, would they? "Agave what I feel for you...is love, and it's refreshing and frightening all at the same time. Look at me Agave, truly look at me." She demanded of him. "I don't care about your past, all that matters is what lies ahead of you. I have seen such a change in you since you came here that I know you can only get better from here. I don't deserve better, I don't want anyone else, I want you...I need you." Tears began to roll down her cheeks. "The past few days when I woke up to find you not in the grove, I was panicking, I was so afraid you had walked out of my life to never return. I was afraid to tell you to stay because of what I felt for you, that it might drive you away, and I still fear that...but more than anything I fear having to live without you."
She took a deep breath, gaining control over her emotions once more. "My parents...they only want to see me happy, and if being with you makes me happy they will accept you. And you do make me happy Agave. They will understand, I know they will." And in the slight chance they didn't, well Aquitaine would deal with that when the time came, for now she was concerned with keeping Agave here with her, everything else would come with time.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:23 am
She was more then making this hard on him - she was making it downright impossible for him to do what he thought was best. He had always considered himself a strong stallion - once capable of doing almost anything without question and yet here under her fear of him leaving he felt himself crumble. How could he leave when he saw how much it was going to cause her? Never mind the pain it would cause him - he was used to such things and felt sure that he could suffer through it for her sake...but hurt her? He just..couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Alright.." He found himself saying even before he had come to the full conclusion "Alright Aquitaine, I won't leave...I just hope you won't come to regret this" He told her honestly, his voice breaking at the thought of doing something in the future that would drive him away from her. It was a great and new fear that he was sure he would carry around with him for quite some time. SIghing deeply he used his muzzle to wipe away the tears from her cheeks and in an effort to redeem some of his stallioness after such an emotional moment stated in a bland voice. "The spiders would probably sulk if I took them away from the shore anyways"
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:33 am
Aquitaine couldn't help but let out a sigh as he agreed to stay. This made her happier than she could even fathom. When he had come back into her life after being away for so many months, after going through what he had, after she had gone through what she had, Aquitaine had never imagined falling in love with him. he had been her friend since that first meeting when they were foals and he had opened her eyes to the fact that the world outside her beach home and family was not all perfect. She had been confused in that meeting but it had helped her see the world for what it truly was. And when they had seen each other again back at the mountain she had seen someone being controlled but not wanting to be. She had made him a promise to help him on that day if he had promised to come to her if he ever escaped his mother. They had both kept their promises and now that had changed their friendship into something so much more. She knew it would be easy, there would be obstacles they would both have to overcome but Aquitaine was confident that they could do it...together.
His tenderness at wiping away her tears surprised her. It showed that he had really changed for the better and he was on his way to being more normal. "Don't worry...I know I won't regret it." She told him in a whisper. A smile crossed her lips as she looked down at his spiders, they were still playing an odd game of chase with the waves and it made her laugh slightly. "We wouldn't want that now would we." Stepping forward she pushed her muzzle into his, giving him a true loving nuzzle. Behind her the dragon rumbled but made no move to separate the two. The dragon would need to learn to live with Agave being close to her. They would all need to learn to adapt to this changing life they had thrust themselves into, but wasn't that a part of life anyways, was dealing with change, adapting when needed and learning to face new challenges where you least expected them. "I love you Agave, and nothing will ever change that." Her words were soft yet confident.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:53 am
"I dearly hope that you are right" Agave told her as she nuzzled him, only hesitating for a few moments before nuzzling her back, albeit a bit awkwardly - hey such tokens of affection didn't come easily to someone who had never learned them from foalhood. He still wasn't entirely convinced that he was doing the right thing - a large part of him said he was being selfish and giving in only because he himself couldn't bare to leave her even though he knew it would be the right thing to do. Unlike Aquitaine, Agave did not have confidence that he would be able to get through anything with her, but then he had seen a great many terrible things, things that she probably couldn't even imagine.He would do his best to ensure that she continued to never know of such things, and pray that they would not come to haunt them someday. When her dragon rumbled at him Agave gave the beast a look, as far as he was concerned the beast was far crankier then he ever was. "hush you" He told the beast before turning his attention back to Aquitaine.
"There are a few things that I want to do..when I am completely healed ..." He told her after a few moments "But it will be nicer to do them with you then alone...if you want to come that is." He stated, eluding to some sort of trip though he did not come right out and say it. He wasn't even sure that the trip would be possible..but a small part of him knew he had to try. Someday.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:06 am
Silently Aquitaine agreed with Agave, she did hope that she was right about him, about them, about everything. Only time would tell, but the confidence and love she felt now spoke truly to her, that through thick or thin they would make it through this, they would be okay, it would just take time and likely a bit of patience and understanding. All things she was absolutely willing to give. A small laugh escaped her as Agave hushed her dragon. The dragon of course didn't like that one bit and he rumbled again. "He'll learn to accept you with time." She told Agave with a smile, just as the dragon had mostly accepted Aquitaine as well. Another thing for them to deal with, but it certainly would help to keep their life interesting. Agave's changes, his spiders, her own charges, her dragon, they were all a part of something bigger and better than even she could imagine. It was a new life for all of them.
"Of course. I will always be here for you Agave, and go with you wherever you go." Unless it was to the mountain, then she would have to put her hoof down and stop him from going. But she doubted he would ever take her there, it was too dangerous to return and she never wanted to see that ugly place again. "So where do you plan to take me?" She asked, playfully nipping at her shoulder. Oh she wanted it to be a surprise but at the same time she desperately wanted to know, especially now that Agave was willing to share his life with her.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:28 am
Agave was glad to hear that she was willing to go with him - even without knowing where it was he wanted to go. What had he done to earn such devotion and love from another? He wasn't at all sure that he deserved it - but he was glad he had it none the less. "I..don't know exactly.." He told her, suddenly aware of how hard this endeavor of his might end up being.
"But it was not only fear of my mother which made me keep from leaving with you that day at the Mountain..I also did not want to leave someone behind, she was..my nanny and then my healer and she was the only kind thing I knew in my life until I met you, during the fighting I saw her escape..I think I would like to find her, to tell her that I am sorry for what her life had become and to thank her for what she did for me, without her influence along with yours I fear that my mother might have taken me over completely..." He hoped that Aquitaine would see that this was important to him and he hoped that she would still agree to go even though it might be a difficult task.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 12:09 pm
She couldn't help but laugh lightly when he admitted he didn't know where he would take her. Not that it mattered, she would go anywhere with him. Wherever he took her would be special. It could be something as simple as a walk in the meadow or a grand trip to see as much of these great lands as possible, as long as Agave was with her she was looking forward to it all. Aquitaine knew that it wasn't only the time they would get to spend together, but he would help her find confidence and strength, protect her in times of need and listen when she needed to talk. And in turn she would provide him with all those things, as much as she could manage, but also help him transition from hardened killer to someone new, she wouldn't change him completely, then he would no longer be the stallion he was now, the stallion that she loved, but there were certainly things he needed to work on.
As he continued to speak Aquitaine listened quietly. She could understand why he would want to seek out this mare, but how could they find her if she had escaped the mountain? And what if in fact she hadn't managed to escape? No, she couldn't think like that, for there was no way he was ever going back to that mountain. "I think that is a wonderful idea Agave. And I would love to meet this mare and thank her myself, for without her I don't think I would have you standing here today." She knew for certain he wouldn't be. Had it not been for that mare he would have captured Aquitaine instead of saving here all those months ago. There was a lot to thank this mare for. It was also nice to know that, outside of herself, there had been someone in Agave's life was wasn't cruel, who had taught him of kindness even if it was minimal. Her gaze turned to the ocean for a moment, taking in it's calming effect, she loved it here and was glad Agave would be sharing that with her. "But how about for now you just take me home. We both need to eat and you still need to rest that shoulder a bit." She paused looking back at him. "We'll figure out how to find this mare later." It could take months to locate her, they might never find her, but she was willing to do what it took to at least try.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 6:38 am
Agave was glad that he had found himself in the company of someone like Aquittaine, he couldn't imagine trying to make this adjustment with anyone else - no one would be as patient,as kind, as understanding as she seemed to be. Aquitaine had put up with so very much from him and yet he did not think that he could close out this chapter of his life and truly start fresh until he found out what had become of Supreme. It would be the closure he needed to truly have a fresh slate - he had to at least try to find her, if he tried and failed then he could at least say that he had given it a shot right?
It was the best he could do and when Aquitaine suggested that they return to the grove he gave her a slight nod, he had stood and paced out here for several long hours and both his stomach and his shoulder were protesting the neglect. "An excellent idea" He told her, turning about and heading back to the grove with her, stopping long enough only to collect the spider hatchlings whom had come running as soon as they realized that he was leaving. They would eat and rest and well..he didn't really know after that, but that was part of the allure of this new life he had started - each day was new and exciting and yet...delightfully unfettered with the demands of a regime. That didn't mean of course that he wasn't worried about the lack of safety in the area - he had a feeling that part of him would never subside completely, but he was learning to live with it and that was the important part.
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