Damia strolled glumly down the road, her mane and tail still wet from falling into the river as she had tried to ford it. It hadn't even been that deep really, but one of those smooth river stones under her hooves had slipped under her weight, and she had gone crashing down into the water as she slipped on other river stones and couldn't regain her balance. Her armored chest-plate had saved her from a sharp stone really hurting her, but she could still feel the bruise beneath. Luckily, no one had seen this ungraceful action, or she would be feeling embarrassed as well as wet. The cords in her hair were tangled as well, and she knew that she would be pulling out hairs when she removed them, and the wet fabric kept her feeling just a step above chilled. She knew she should have stayed in that nice little thicket she had been shown earlier by a mare who knew nobility when she saw it. Now she was miserable, and wet, and if anyone was her now, they would think of her as nothing more then a road bandit instead of a noble. She was going to have to find someplace to stop to sort out her appearance, and maybe graze while she was at it, though she humphed as she didn't see any of her favorite types of grasses or treats nearby. The sooner she got out of this area, the better. It wasn't treating her very well.
Arcturus was standing, well hidden in the shadows. He had spotted a mare crossing the river while in the air, and had seen her fall. He had chosen to land nearby and follow quietly, to see what, if anything, he could make of the situation, and get out of the mare. Once he discerned that she didn't seem to have any sort of company she was meeting on this side of the stream, he grinned wide. Alone, a good start. Now to find out what sort of mare she was in personality. He waited til she was in a spot of bright sunlight, and slid out into it, so that it seemed almost to light the dark colored stallion from behind, giving him an almost glow. He paused for a long moment, letting her get a look at him, then said "Hello there... Are you all right? You seem to have had a bit of an incident, and look like you need a place to rest."Damia was grumbling still about what had happened, when suddenly there was movement before her, and black and red stallion stood before her on the road. He was some-wort of mixed breed, but he seemed friendly enough. She straightened herself up, and gave him a smile. "Yes, just a slip in the river that is all. A place to rest would be nice as I do not know this area that well."
Arcturus smiled, in an apparently benevolent way. "I can see you are wet. I can help with that. I saw a nice clearing, not far back. It is well lit with the sun, and you can get warm and dry. There is plenty of grass, as well." He smiled and nodded at her to follow him."
Damia smiled. He was going to be much like the mare that she had crossed earlier it seems. "That is very kind of you. Thank you. It is rather chilly in the shade. And I wouldn't mind some nice grass as well."
Arcturus walked down the road, and smiled at her over his shoulder, then paid attention in front of him. "I am sure. I think you will find this clearing more then suitable." He grinned wide once his head was forwards again, since she couldn't see. This was a ripe little bunny, all for his picking!
Damia followed behind, happy to have come across another much like that nice mare earlier. It sure made her traveling easier when others found nice warm places to sleep, or helped find nice patches of grass for her to eat. She did not waste valuable time having to find these things, though, in a way they were part of her due. Now, if it was just always like this. "Thank you very much. I am sure it will be very nice." He might have looked a little scary with his clawed feet and vivid red striped on his black coat, but he was certainly nice to be helping her like he was. As her father would say, 'you can't judge a Soquili by the outside'. He was proving that point. So she followed easily after him, trusting that he would know the way.
It wasn't too far, though they had to leave the main path to get to it, which was how he preferred it... After all, less chance of interruptions. He led her in, and turned to face her, a genial expression on his face. "Here we go. And as it would be ungentlemanly of me to sit first... Please, choose the spot you like best. I'd suggest close to the middle, it'll have the sun the longest." He stepped out of her way, and tilted his head invitingly.
She gave him a genuine large grin, and looked around the clearing. It was a bit off of the main path, but some of the best places were, so she wasn't too worried about that. Her parents place was a bit out of the way as well, and it was a very sturdy place that had many foals raised in it, and still retained its rugged beauty. "Thank you very much," she told him, as she looked for a good place to lay down. Though it wasn't the most comfortable-looking spot, and did not have the thickest grass, the middle did look as though it was going to have the sun the longest. So she made her way over, pawing a bit at the grass before kneeling, and then settling down on her side, while taking the time to lay her soaked garments out around her. They may not be fully dry by the time the sun was no longer on her, but at least they could loose a little of the moisture they retained. "This is a lovely little spot. However did you find it, if you don't mind me asking?"
He nodded at her thanks, and smiled. Once she selected her spot, and set her clothes to dry, he moved into a position near her. He spread his wings out, smiling some at the feeling of the warm sun on his wings. He half closed his eyes, but then when she asked, he opened them up again. "Mmm? How? Well I..." He looked at his wings and waggled them at her. "I happened to fly over it. When I saw you looking so unhappy, I had to help." He paused, then lifted his brows. "What brings a young lady like you out here?"
"Oh, just traveling. My father is home with my mother and my newest sibling, so I have continued fathers journey to help people out here in the great wide world. Though, listening to his stories you would think there were a lot of Soquili out here that needed saving. That hasn't been the case that I have seen. Most of them can take care of themselves." She watched him waggle his wings. "I always wanted to know what it was like to fly; to be up above the trees and see out across the world. The closest I think I will ever manage, is that I climbed a mountain one day, and looked out over everything with a breeze in my face." She smiled at the memory. "It really made it worth it. Climb down was a bit rough though."[/color
"I have often felt sorry for those who never can fly, just because it's hard to explain why it is so wonderful. Still, we all have our skills, and our specialties." He lifted his brows at her reason for travel and nods a little. "I don't often see anyone in distress, or needing rescuing. I am sure they're out there though..." He never saw them because he left before they realized the distress he was leaving them with, the beast.
"I guess in a way it's like trying to explain to someone the difference between nobility and being common. Most can't see the difference in it, and that's what makes them so... plain, and most of the time boring. They have nothing really to do with their lives, which makes them rather meaningless. You though, you look like you have some nobility in your background. You just have a bearing for it."
He lowered his head, to give the appearance of polite humility at her kind words, while in reality using it to hide the fact that he was smirking. Nobility? Well if she wanted to see that, he could use it. He lifted his head again, once he could appear to be not smirking. "I am flattered to know that my heritage is well held up by my behavior and bearing. I do my best to live up to my ancestors." That last, especially, was true.
"I thought I could see it in you." She smiled in triumph. She really was getting better at spotting those that were more in his class. Though why he was just flying around helping soaked individuals, she wouldn't understand. Or else he had recognized it in her too, and went to help one of his kind. She preened a bit at that thought, but tried not to show it, and went to continue the conversation. "And how about you... My, I am being rude. Here I have taken your hospitality and not even offered my name. I am Damia."
He smiled at her, in a warm, inviting sort of way, inviting her to trust him and let him get to know her. "Ahhhhh Damia. A name that rings out of nobility and strength of purpose." He said it in a warm, flattering tone. "I am Arcturus Lucifus, but you can call me Arc or Arcturus, whichever suits you better." He nodded his head in a slow, noble sort of way. "I am glad that I can offer hospitality to a mare of such fine breeding, and bearing. I saw you, looking so distressed, as I flew, and could not allow myself to not aid such a noble lady."
Now she couldn't help it. She preened under his gaze. Well, wasn't that what she had been arguing with her father about? That he shouldn't hide as a type of commoner but should let his regal bearing out? And here was one who could certainly detect it in her. That was one point in her favor in their argument. She would most certainly have to tell him about this when she saw him next. "Why, that is most kind of you Arcturus, though the flattery is not needed." Though it was most certainly accepted, and stroked her pride. His name curled off her tongue like the rolling toll of a bell. She liked the sound of it, and it sounded much more dashing then just 'Arc'. Yes, she liked that a lot. "I am glad that you happened to be flying by. I am not sure I would have found this place on my own."
Arcturus tried not to smirk, again. Oh she was making this easy for him, the way she responded to almost everything he said in a positive light. He was enjoying this very much. "I am not flattering you, my dear. I speak only the truth. Flattery would imply it were less then honest." He smiled as he looked her over, though not in any way that would come across predatory, even though inwardly it was. "I mean, look at you. You have the fine, strong bones of the nobility, you carry yourself with pride, and didn't even let being soaked stop you from that!"
Such words! Never had any words like that been used to describe her. They made her heart flutter a bit, though she wasn't going to admit it. A lady did not just throw her emotions on a stallion she just met, though he was making it rather hard for her not to. She couldn't help the large smile that graced her lips at his words though, and sat up that much straighter and put a little more polish into her pose. Of course hr father had told her a few things like that, but it was only expected of her father to praise his daughter. These, these beautiful honest words came from one who had hardly known her, and still he spoke them. She tried to downplay them a bit, though secretly she wanted to hear more. "I cannot say you are seeing me at my best at this point." Though, she really wished he had been. Her hair was still snarled a bit by the cords being stuck in them, but she really wanted to be well-groomed before him. If he could say those things about her now, what would he say when she was actually clean and decent?
"And yet if this is you at not your best, clearly at your best, you would be a vision of the loveliest picture of nobility that ever existed, my dear Damia." He gave her a deep, warm smile, inviting her to accept his words as her due, as honest praise that such a lovely mare deserved... And to not think about why he might heap praise upon praise on her. After all, she deserved it didn't she. "I'd doff my hat to you, but it wouldn't do for me to be in front of a lady without it. I couldn't subject you to such impropriety. It would be disrespectful of you, fair lady."
