[PRP] Troubled Times (Safi, Saiena, Vencel)

[Cajmera]

Note for Niss: Safi and Saiena both have maxed stats.

 

[Cajmera]

Safi
~~~

Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed, Safi strode back and forth along the same stretch of ground, his stride so fierce that his hooves left dents in the otherwise firm, grassy ground. From time to time he would pause, looking down the sloping hillside to the small rocky point that had been Safi's home for years. Within the protection of those rocks was a nice, snug little cave which overlooked the great inland lake; Safi and Duo had called it home since shortly after they became life mates. They had raised two daughters there, with numerous happy memories.

He just wished that those memories weren't currently so removed.

~~~

The day had started out like any other, with Safi rising early for his morning walk while Duo snored blissfully on. Safi had enjoyed his walk, with nothing remarkable to report beyond the signs that the fall bird migrations would soon be starting. He had been musing on the inevitable routine of the seasons when suddenly he was greeted with a familiar face: his eldest daughter, Saiena.

Unlike his younger daughters, Saiena had been Safi's responsibility alone. He had found her abandoned basket on a woodland path, years before he and Duo had come to any understanding. Indeed, they hadn't even MET when Safi was teaching Saiena to toddle. Although she and Duo had established a pleasant and cordial relationship, it was nothing like what she shared with Safi.

He had been startled to see her, but had been pleased all the same...until he saw that her wide eyes were brimming with tears. Instantly alarmed, he was about to ask her what was the matter when she unceremoniously threw herself into his wings, sobbing against his shoulders what he was only later able to decipher as 'He left me, Daddy!' 'He', meaning her heretoforth lifemate and the father of Safi's grandchildren, otherwise known as Aramis. It had taken hours before Saiena was calm enough to tell Safi the whole story, and even then it was marred by continued sniffling and bursts of tears. At the end, as the whole picture emerged, Safi found himself feeling an array of emotions he hadn't felt in ages. Most of all was concern for his daughter, but it was accompanied by shock, disappointment, and downright rage at Aramis' behavior. He had never been a great fan of his son in law, but he had been Saiena's choice, and a good lifemate. Or so Safi had thought.

Hours later, Saiena was sleeping in the cave; Safi had insisted she try to get some rest. After being appraised of the situation, Duo had decided to give Safi and Saiena some space for the time being; he and Saiena might be cordial to one another, but in the face of this kind of tragedy, close relatives were the best.

So Safi paced alone, trying to make some sense out of a senseless act.

Uta

 

[Uta]

Cajmera

As far as Vencel were concerned, everything was – more or less – all right. He had no reason to suspect on this fall day that everything was suddenly coming to pieces in his little family. These lands were the blue stallion’s home, and while he was more than old enough to pick up and seek out other territory, Vencel didn’t entirely want to leave. He knew these hills and woods like the back of his hoof, and above all else, it’s where his family lived: his grandparents, his aunts, his mother, his father, and most importantly, his brother. Sure, things were sometimes a bit strained—he didn’t always see eye to eye with his father, and sometimes there was the occasional tiff between his brother or mother and he – but what family didn’t get into disputes or little disagreements? At the end of the day, they depended on one another, loved one another, and their family was the greatest family Vencel could ever have wished to have.

Ignorance truly was bliss.

The day had been quiet – almost too quiet – and Vencel had been out traversing their lands borders, and just a little beyond. He didn’t like to go far, but he did like to make sure that nothing was amiss. One could guard their borders all they liked, but not having eyes and ears open on neighboring lands or territories was foolish. After the Kalona Invasion, which thankfully did not cross their lands, the blue stallion had been extra cautious in his protective routines of his homelands. One never new when trouble might stir, or where, and he didn't want to risk it. Rumor had it the kalona had dissipated, but he didn't want to assume that they were all just going to be fine. Kalona had wings, after all, and could get to places land-bound soquili like himself could not. If others called him paranoid or extra protective, than so be it -- he'd rather be safe then sorry! So it was, as he made his way past Safi and Duo’s preferred spot, a flash of pacing white and blue caught his eye. It was his grandfather . . . and his body stance alone put Vencel instantly on the defensive.

Was something wrong? He’d never seen his grandfather look so upset. Cautious in his approach, the younger stallion cleared his throat, unsure if it was wise to interrupt. He couldn’t decide if Safi simply was focused on stewing over a thought, or genuinely upset. The closer he got, the more he presumed the latter. “What’s wrong? What’s going on, Grandpa? Are you all right?” Maybe it wasn’t his place to ask so bluntly – and usually Vencel was far more considerate of his queries – but something clearly was amiss. He’d never seen him so upset.

 

[Cajmera]

Safi
~~~

Safi had hated seeing Saiena in such a terrible state; though it had pained him to do it, he had managed to maintain his silence during the story of her woes. He had never been the type to stand quietly by, especially in tough situations, but his paternal senses had told him that Saiena only needed him to be a sympathetic ear. After he had packed her off to sleep for a while, he had been glad to have the time to think; this was so much information to process! And he, the doting father he was, wanted to be prepared with the perfect Plan of Action when Saiena was awake. Whether that was trying to cheer her up, letting her spend the next few weeks weeping, or just hunting down Aramis and stringing him up by his tendons remained to be seen.

He had NOT been expecting to have his mulling time interrupted by his grandson. It really shouldn't have been a shock; after all, they all lived in the same region, and Vencel had been stopping by with relative regularity over the past few months to make sure that 'everything was ok.' Safi was quite fond of those visits as a rule; he doted on his grandsons, and loved the fact that Vencel took the time to stop by and see them, even if it was a bit along the lines of 'checking' up. Still, this was not a normal day, and Vencel's sudden arrival caught Safi unawares.

He'd never been good at schooling his features or hiding his emotions, a fact that had made his years as a parent at some times trying. But for a long, awkward moment, he considered making an attempt. Vencel's words had immediately killed any question as to whether Vencel knew what had happened' there was no way he'd be this calm if he knew. Though calm and reserved as a rule, Safi's oldest grandson was fiercely protective of the family and tended to view himself as their protector; wasn't he even now stopping by to make sure the Safi and Duo were ok? If he even suspected what had happened, Vencel would no doubt be in a white-hot rage.

What was wrong? At the moment, everything.

Clearing his throat, Safi stopped in his pacing and gave his grandson a weak smile. "You're as considerate as ever, Vencel, and as timely in your rounds as ever." Rather inconvenient, but timely! "And I'm fine, physically, but I'm feeling a great deal of emotional stress right now." It had taken less than a minute for Safi to decide against dissembling; he didn't want to be the one to tell Vencel the news, but he also was not going to lie. Therefore...nebulous information! "Duo and I are fine, but I have received some distressing news today." Pausing, he suddenly found himself wondering just how much Vencel might know. "I hope your day has proved less upsetting than mine has, Vencel; it IS good to see you."

Uta

 

[Uta]

Vencel knew he wasn't the most impressive of stallions; he wasn't overly large, overly strong, overly intelligent, or particularly outstanding in any sense of the word. He was average, but he found no shame in such a place. He had a loving family, in a safe area of land, and had been given all the love, affection, and kindness a growing colt could want! Though he might not be some stalwart prince, or some valiant knight, Vencel took great pride in his blood and his home -- while he had no fear of the outside world, he had no intention of leaving his family's territory. He loved the area far too much, and had little interest in exploring. For as average a stallion as he might be, Vencel was very proud, and very stoic.

So it was, purple eyes stared at the white and blue stallion, studying his body language and obvious agitation. His grandfather seemed completely and utterly shaken, or aggravated, and he couldn't fathom what might be the cause! His grandfather did indeed confess to distress, but didn't go into further detail. Damn! His white tail gave a swish, and he debated whether or not it would be rude for him to press. "That must have truly been tragic to have you so shaken," he stated, concern clearly on his brow. "Is there anything I might do to help?" Leave it to old reliable -- he wasn't going to pass up a chance to ease someone's burden with aid.

"I'm well enough. Concerned, now, but well enough. It's been a quiet morning." It was easy for the lands to be quiet when two members were no longer present.

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

It was fortunate that Vencel was such a considerate stallion, Safi thought with no small amount of relief. He hated keeping information from his grandson, but he felt firmly that this issue was something Saiena needed to discuss with her sons first. If she didn't feel up to the task, then he would certainly step in and assist as best he could, but he wasn't going to jump in without first giving his daughter the chance to take care of things herself. She was the one who Aramis had talked to, after all; she was the one who had heard the outrageous story from that cad's own lips. Even thinking about it was enough to make Safi's lips curl in disgust; he strongly doubted he would be able to maintain his composure and relative neutrality while explaining to either Vencel or Falarnon.

Not that he felt any neutrality, or any call to neutrality. Though he had tried to like Aramis for Saiena's sake, he'd never been all that pleased with her choice of lifemate; he'd always found Aramis to be aloof and removed from family life, and much to didactic when it came to the boys. But it had been Saiena's life, not Safi's, and he'd done his best to be supportive. He'd been angered to learn of Aramis' behavior not jest because of what it had done to Saiena and what it stood to do to her sons, but also because it had proved Safi's worries of all these years correct.

Sometimes, it didn't pay to be correct.

Still, he would try to leave all of those negative thoughts behind for now and focus on the present. It was nice to have Vencel's company; he was always glad to see his grandson, and right now Vencel also stood to provide a welcome distraction. "Well, try not to be too concerned for now, Vencel; when you have the information will be soon enough to be bothered, if you want to then." Sighing, Safi shook his head yet again, then gave his grandson a smile. "I'n glad you're well, and have been out enjoying the morning. It really is a beautiful day, weather-wise, isn't it?"

Holding up his wing to shade his eyes, Safi looked about at the fading green hillsides, the sparkling expanse of the great inland lake. Even now in the subdued colors of fall, the landscape was attractive. "I suppose your brother is out taking advantage of the warm weather while it lasts?" It was a question, but only so far as what Falarnon was actually doing. There was no question, at least in Safi's mind, that Vencel knew where Falarnon WAS, whatever he was up to there! Those two really were peas in a pod.

Uta