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 Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 12:07 pm
Nalani was happy. Everything seemed brighter since the last time she'd seen Izefiah, spoken with him and found out that what had grown in her heart was the same thing he was feeling. They had parted briefly because she knew that she could not yet spend time away from her family until they were properly mated to each other.
They had spoken of their feelings true enough, but they had yet to make that special promise to one another, and until then she would not spend more than the daylight ours with Izefiah. For now that was enough, and with her mother's blessing on the relationship, and her promise that she would talk to her son, Nalani's elder brother Kodah about it, she was feeling so light that it was almost as though she had her mother's wings.
It was in that joyful mindset that she clipped hurriedly along to their now usual meeting place, the tree under which they had confessed their feelings to one another had become 'their spot', and she had woken, broken her fast with speed, attended to her appearance has hastily as she could whilst still making herself look her usual elegant self for him and then set off.
A short distance from where she was to meet him Nalani slowed down, catching her breath, checking mane and tail once more and started to scan ahead of her, her heart a-flutter for that morning's first sight of Izefiah.
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Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:29 pm
 As much as he hated to admit it even to himself, the things that the wingless mare Neela had said to Auster had really planted in his mind. Not about being a selfish bigot of course, oh no. But the part about him not going to look for Izefiah, she had a point there. He dwelled over it for days before he finally decided that he really should go and look for his son. The forest was full of dangers, and Izefiah was small and could not easily fly away. And there was also the fact that he missed him. He knew Izefiah would never believe that, but he did.
He set out after his son, and on foot. Izefiah couldn't fly for long on this wobbly spindles they called wings, so he knew if he was to find him, he would have to remain on the ground. A grievance to Auster, surely, but a necessary one. He asked everyone he came upon whether they had seen his unusual looking son, but none had.
Weeks later, and his endeavour was beginning to look like a fool's errand. He had no idea which way Izefiah had gone. He'd started off in the direction the stallion had left him that day, but that didn't mean that he hadn't diverged from that path. At this rate he was never going to find him, but Auster was stubborn. He wouldn't give up. Izefiah was unique, surely someone somewhere had seen him.
Perhaps even that mare under the tree up ahead. Auster paused by the lake to take her in for a moment. She was a pretty little thing, but unfortunately wingless. She seemed to be waiting for someone, but when he looked about the area, he saw no one else.
Moving closer to her, he gave a rather short bow of his head, snorting lightly to get her attention. "Good morning," he said, his voice a bit cold, but polite enough. "I was wondering if I may speak with you a moment. I am looking for my son. He's missing. Perhaps you have seen him? He is not much larger than you, black with blue hair and a rather unusual set of wings. They appear to be branches, laced with spiders web. Does that sound familiar?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 2:04 pm
Nalani looked up with a hopeful smile at the approaching hoofsteps, but it faded into a look of polite greeting as she dipped into a low bow, shaking mane from face as she straightened. She felt a tad nervous; he was large, imposing and had an altogether no-nonsense air about him, yet his manner was overall polite.
'Good morning to yourself sir.' she replied, finding her tongue as swiftly as possible, but managing to reply in her usual way, outwardly at first showing no over signs of emotion. As he spoke further, describing his son, who if it was not Izefiah, would be his twin by the sound of it, her mind grew busy with all the thoughts crowding in at once.
Izefiah's father! was the first rather quick and slightly alarmed thought. The source of the wound that he had said was too painful to speak of. However it was not in her nature to be dishonest, to conceal and as any moment Izefiah may also turn up, she would not wish to be caught out in any sort of untruths by one of Izefiah's nearest relations.
'Would your son's name be Izefiah by any chance sir?' she asked. She had to be absolutely certain they would be speaking of the same stallion, though she already knew it seemed more likely than not.
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Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:37 pm
Auster waited for the mare to answer him, growing impatient as she seemed to take much longer than he deemed necessary to answer. If someone had seen Izefiah, they would know it. The large Angeni rose his eyebrows at her, looking clearly unimpressed. He settled his wings upon his back in an effort to stop himself from huffing at her.
Just as he was about to ask the question again, thinking perhaps she hadn't understood, she finally spoke and answered him. His eyebrows quirked upwards further, giving him almost a comical look. Of all the things he expected she might say, that was not one of them. Was she awaiting here hopefully for Izefiah? Oh, he hoped not.
Clearing his throat to regain some of his composure, Auster nodded. "Actually, yes. Izefiah is my son's name," he said, taking a few curious steps closer while still keeping a respectful distance from her. "I take it that means you have seen him then. Where is he now, can you tell me?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:30 am
Again, she could not lie to this gentleman, though his presence and his manner were making her feel slightly uncomfortable, a feeling not helped when he moved a few paces closer as he spoke again.
She managed to stay her ground though, keeping her composure, and answered him back in ever polite way, her voice soft as she spoke of Izefiah, her face lit by the inner glow that thinking of him brought forth.
'Yes sir. I have seen him, I am acquianted with him. I am...' here she paused, unable to say in words yet what exactly she was to Izefiah.
'I'm his friend.' she decided on, figuring it the safest thing to say at the moment, and it was the truth, even if they had stepped beyond that in the days prior to this.
'This is a place we meet, and had arranged to do so today.'
And again, because she was not an artful mare, she could not stop the expression of pleasure cross her face, nor stop her voice from sounding warm as she spoke of Izefiah.
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:13 am
He seemed to notice that he was making her uncomfortable and he took a step back, arranging his features to look apologetic. His eyes never left her face though, watching her closely as she responded to his question.
It was as he feared. Though she did not say anything to that effect, he could tell by her expression and the tone of her voice that she was smitten with Izefiah. And knowing his son, he was smitten as well.
Clearing his throat again and glancing about to make sure that Izefiah was not upon them yet, he gave the mare a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Ah, you are more than friends though, aren't you. Go on, you can tell me, sweetling. You are enamoured with each other. There is a romantic involvement of sorts, yes?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:43 am
Not being artful had other disadvantages. She also had no way of telling when someone was being less truthful, or acting in a way that was meant to deceive. As such, Nalani was led to feel that he was simply being fatherly, and that maybe there had been some sort of quarrel between father and son that he was eager to make right.
So she answered truthfully, giving a little nod, her cheeks colouring so that her face pigment was far darker than normal. Although, she wasn't entirely sure she liked being called 'sweetling', she replied to the older stallion.
'We, your son and I, confessed our feelings for one another. He is very dear to me sir.' she added, attempting to represent what was blossoming between them in the best light, that she wanted a future with his son, it wasn't a fleeting attachment.
'I like him very much.' she smiled, a sweet, an innocent smile.
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:07 am
Of course. His suspicions confirmed, Auster stood back and watched the flush spread across her cheeks. Another wingless mare? His son was such a fool. This one would likely do to him what the other had. Why couldn't Izefiah see that? Ground horses could never truly be with winged horses. They could never know what it was like to feel the air beneath their wings as they soared into the sky. It was a huge part of their lives that the ground horses could never be a part of. It was time that Izefiah learned that.
"How sweet." Auster had to do something quickly. If not Izefiah would surely stay here and never come home. He couldn't stand for that. He spoke quickly, the wheels turning in his head as he made up a plan on the fly. "I'm sure he's said you're very dear to him as well?" he said, giving her a tight lipped smile and continuing on without letting her answer. He heaved a sigh, a great show of one. "Of course he did."
"Miss, I dread to be the bearer of ill tidings, but I'm afraid that there is a problem with this romance of yours." He spoke as politely and as sympathetically as he could. "My son, Izefiah, is betrothed to another. A beautiful angeni mare. He's simply having cold hooves. This romance you two have is a distraction for him, I'm afraid. I'm sure he believes that he loves you, but his heart truly belongs to another. My sincerest apologies."
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:16 pm
Nalani was giving a little nod to his question, about to open her mouth, but she closed it again, listening to what he had to say first out of politeness, and then out of shock. Her previously flushed face paled as all the blood drained away, and she swayed on her hooves, feeling as though her world was crashing down around her ears.
How could she have been wrong again? It seemed cruel, too cruel for her to find someone she liked, who had said he liked her in return, only for her happiness to be dealt a blow. She had no reason to doubt this stallion, he was Izefiah's father, and therefore would know his son's business, including whether or not there was someone in his life. And her mother had said he was hiding something. Now she knew what it was..now she knew.
Somehow, some way she managed to master her emotions enough to acknowledge his kindness in letting her know about Izefiah's prior attachment.
'Thank you sir.' she said, her voice a thin reflection of what it had been when she had spoken so warmly and proudly of what she thought was their burgeoning relationship.
'I appreciate your candour in the matter.'
Oh but her heart was breaking, and she was crumbling inside. She needed to get out of there, she was mortified at the deception, at finding out this way, and so she had to leave before Izefiah arrived.
'I'm sorry, please..please excuse me..' the last word came out as a stifled sob and she turned tail, hoping to be away from this painful place before he arrived.
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 1:21 pm
"I am sorry, Miss," Auster said after her. He gave her a sympathetic smile and nodded his head as she excused herself.
As she turned to leave, quite visibly rather upset, the angeni almost felt bad. Almost. It was unfortunate that he had to hurt the mare's feelings, but he had to protect his son. Izefiah was far more important to him than the heart of a ground mare. This was for the best. He wasn't quite sure yet what he would say to Izefiah, but he would think of something that would bring his son home.
Izefiah was late. He had wandered further off than he'd meant to the evening before and after breakfast it had taken him longer to get back to the lake than he'd expected. Knowing that Nalani was going to be waiting for him, he hurried as fast as he could; at one point he even flew for as long as he was able. Which granted, was not for long but it was the effort that counted, right? He hoped she wouldn't be angry.
A few more minutes and he was there, trotting toward their tree. He saw her heading away from it and knew at once that he'd taken too long. A look of dismay crossed his face and he hurried faster, racing after her. "Nalani! Please, wait! I am so sorry I was late!"
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 1:32 pm
Nalani's heart sunk even lower than she thought it was possible. She hadn't gotten away quick enough, she stopped, her eyes tightly closed, facing away from Izefiah, trying to compose herself enough to turn around. To face him.
'I cannot stay.' she said, turning slowly, her head turned from him still as she couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes, as she knew she would break down.
'Your father..' she started to say, and stopped, swallowing thickly past the lump in her throat, gathering herself, working on saying what she could before she did let her emotions consume her.
'He informed me of what you did not..I wish..' she flicked her head upwards, and took what she thought would be her last look at him.
'I wish you future happiness..' she said in a voice heavy with sorrow and mortification, turned again, and fled from him, running so fast that as she left, the flower from her tail fell and was left behind, falling to the ground before Izefiah.
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 1:52 pm
"You can't stay?" Izefiah looked confused, taking a step closer to her. "I know I was late, but surely you can forgive me. I didn't mean to keep you waiting--" His apology cut off sharply once she mentioned his father. Auster was here? He had spoken to Nalani? Oh no, oh no.
"No, Nalani, please. You mustn't listen to him," he started to say quickly, practically stumbling over his words as he rushed to get them out. He had to stop her, keep her from leaving. Auster had obviously insulted her and told her that she wasn't good enough for him. He had to make her see that that wasn't how he felt. He didn't share his father's views.
"He doesn't know what he's talking about. Don't believe what he's told you. Please, stay. Nalani, my feelings for you are true. I don't care what my father says about it! Please!"
It didn't seem to matter what he had to say. Nalani took off anyhow. Izefiah watched her go, feeling as if the entire forest was crushing down upon him. He felt like he couldn't breathe. This was worse than before. At least with Neela he hadn't been there when she'd moved on. He hadn't watched her go. He'd already lost her before he knew.
"Oh Nalani..." Izefiah bent his neck to pick up the flower she had dropped, trembling. He couldn't believe he'd lost love again. He really mustn't deserve it after all.
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