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 Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 8:41 pm
 The pale winged mare wasn't completely sure where she was. All she had been concerned with the past couple moons was getting away. Finding a place to hide. She needed... time. A lot of time. And more than anything, a friend. Or her father. But there was no telling where Sandsablaze was currently. Not until she found Shalira. Or Guide. But neither familiar had managed to find her yet, which was probably her fault. But Alarion couldn't bring herself to let anyone know where she was. She was scared. A little lonely (okay a lot). And so very confused. Everything she had believed, and still tried desperately to believe, had been flipped upside down and torn to pieces.
Shivering, Alarion got slowly to her feet, shaking out her mane and wings. The wooded area she had been staying in the past couple days was quiet and relaxing. But the pale mare felt she'd stayed there long enough. So she started walking again. Not flying. Her wing still ached from the abuse it suffered. And there was no way she was attempting to fly again. She just let her feet take them where they would, her mind still plaguing her with thoughts and arguments and trying to make sense of things.
It was probably a good hour or two of walking in the 'auto-pilot' like state she was in before Alarion stumbled and blinked, looking around. Where had she wound up now? The area was unfamiliar. Normally that was an exciting thing. But today, it made her uneasy.
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Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 12:07 pm
 It had been some time since Aquitaine had been out into the world spreading her knowledge and lessons about not judging others by their looks alone and of acceptance. She had brought those travels to a stop when she had found herself pregnant and since then she had devoted her time to being a loving and supportive mother. Now her children were grown and she found herself with plenty of free time once more. So she had made the decision to continue on where she had left off. She had managed to reach out to a number of Soquili in the past, some more successfully than others, and she was ready and determined to continue on this path she had made for herself, for her family. It was of course hard to leave her mate and children behind, but they understood her reasons for leaving them and that she would always return whenever she could. Heck, her children had also offered to come along on one of her future trips and she was glad that they were willing to insert themselves into her life's work.
It was hard to know if or when she would find someone who would be willing to listen to her, it's not as if all Soquili with a certain mindset lived in one particular area. They were spread out across these great lands like everyone else. The only way she could succeed at her goal was to travel to as many different places and talk to as many Soquili as she could find.
A rumble from her dragons head brought her attention around. She knew that that particular rumble meant that someone was nearby. Qith a quick glance at her dragon she followed his gaze off to her left. It only took her a moment to see the pale colors in the distance, they stood out among the darker browns and greens of the area. Aquitaine turned and made her way towards the other Soquili. Her dragons jaws opened and closed in irritation, he hated when others were close to Aquitaine but he had calmed down a lot since she first began her travels many months ago. "Hello." She called out to the other as she got close enough to not need to shout to be hear. Her eyes studied the mare as she got closer, her hide was a beautiful mix of pale colors but the way she moved stood out to Aquitaine the most, it was as if something was perhaps bothering the mare.
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Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 1:44 pm
To say she hadn't noticed there was anyone else in the area was probably an understatement. In her current state of mind, one could probably have waltzed right up beside her and traveled like that for some distance before she would have noticed anyone was there. But thankfully, the sudden arrival of another was announced by the friendly greeting. It still startled Alarion, having been so lost in her own mind. Her wings flared, the injured one aching as she skittishly twisted around to see where the voice had come from. Her pupil-less green eyes spotted the other mare, a small frown forming as she studied her. Had she been there long?
"H-Hello... " She said softly, settling her wings along her back again. "I... have you been there long?" The mare couldn't help but ask.
And then she really got a good look at eh blue mare. Surprise flickered along her features, mixed with a little fear. Both evident not only by her expression, but the crest of feathers atop her head rose. This mare was different than any other she'd seen. Instead of a tail like her own, or even a furred or feathered one... it was naked. But that wasn't what caught and held her attention. No, that was the mare's mane. Or what she thought was her mane? How could a mane have a giant head?! She was most likely being rude, gaping at this mare, but her mind was refusing to register anything else. And then, in a much more childish manner, she blurted out, "Your mane has a head!". She-Ra of Etheria -facepalms at Alarion- x3
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Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 3:12 pm
Aquitaine instantly felt bad for scaring the mare. It hadn't been her attention at all when she called out in greeting, but it had happened. At least the mare had calmed down quickly enough and didn't take off in a panic, though Aquitaine was no stranger to that reaction as well - although that was often related to her looks more than anything else. But in today's case, it seemed that she had simply started the mare by calling out to her, which given how she had looked when Aquitaine had approached her was not too big of a surprise. "No, I arrived just before calling out to you." Her voice was calm and friendly, something she knew mattered in moments like this.
A small smile crept upon her lips as she watched the mare take her appearance in. Aquitaine could see the exact moment when the mare spotted her major oddity, the dragon head in her hair. He, of course, was still snapping his mouth in agitation, but at least he wasn't growling anymore, that was something he did less and less now. Unless of course she felt threatened, then he would rear his ugly head - quite literally - at whoever approached. "It does indeed." She said nonchalantly. Aquitaine had long ago accepted the dragons presence, after a small crisis when he first made his appearance in her long mane. "I am Aquitaine. He," she motioned o the head in her mane, "doesn't have a name." She told the mare, dipping her head slightly in greeting. After a bit of a pause she asked. "Is everything alright? You seemed a little preoccupied when I arrived."
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Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 7:23 pm
A part of her settled down knowing that the mare hadn't been there long. Unless she was lying, but Alarion didn't think she was. Why would the mare lie to her? Then again, she'd thought something similar before... Shaking her head, her crest of feathers lowered, though not the tense muscles and that look as if she was getting ready to bolt. "O-Oh." She squeaked out in a small voice, taking in a breath to try and calm herself.
Which seemed to go much more smoothly while she had a distraction. The dragon head thing was opening and closing its mouth, proving it was indeed a real thing. Alarion couldn't wrap her mind around how it functioned! "H-How... I mean, I've never seen anything quite like it. Or you." She said in that little voice, but there was less fear and more childish awe. And then she realized that she hadn't introduced herself and this mare had done so. "Oh! F-Forgive me. My name is Alarion." She managed a smile for Aquataine.
At her question, if it was possible, the pale mare grew a little more pale, ears falling back and a fearful look appearing. And then she felt embarrassed and ducked her head. "I... umm... " She looked at Aquataine and felt like a foal again. "I-I feel like... everything I believed, was all just a lie." Alarion blurted. "I believed everything was good. That what my father taught me meant no one was truly evil." But now, she wasn't so sure.
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Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:32 am
She could see the mare relax a bit, but there was still obvious tension in her body and so Aquitaine remained where she was, not wanting to push her into a fight or flight situation. Situations like this needed a patient and calm approach, something Aquitaine was well versed in. She would allow the mare to make the decisions on when it was safe to move or to remain as she was. "It is good to meet you Alarion." Her voice continued to be calm, attempting to ease the mares fright. When Alarion blurted out what was bothering her Aquitaine felt that she could help this mare, or at the very least we would do her best to help her. But first there was the matter of explaining her looks.
"As for the how, well that is a long story." She told Alarion with a smile. "But I will share it with you, as I share it with any who are willing to listen." Of course it would be a condensed version, since the story could be truly long winded to get everything in, but she would still cover all the important parts. "My parents, who are pure unicorns, found themselves at a sort of festival a few falls ago, and at that festival there was this tunnel. A tunnel that contained a ride that they and many other Soquili took part in. It was a short time later than my mother discovered she was pregnant, of course she and father were overjoyed since they had wanted a family for some time. But they did not know that the tunnel had done things, it had twisted the blood of myself and my brothers, so when we emerged from our baskets we were very different looking. I doubt you will find another who looks like me, for even my brothers are vastly different in their appearances. Our parents loved us regardless of our looks and raised us to be loving and accepting." She let out a big of a laugh then. "I didn't even realize I was truly different until a mare came along one day and pointed in out to me. Yes, I knew I was different from my parents but I never realized I was different in a way that others may find offensive or frightening, not until that mare said something. It was the first time I had ever experienced hatred or negativity in my life."
Aquitaine gave her head a bit of a shake then. "It was actually that mares fear and hatred of me that set me upon the path I live now. That path is about teaching others to accept those who look different for who they are on the inside, not by what they look like on the outside. Some see me as a monster because of him," she motioned to her mane, "but if they take the chance to get to know the real me they realize I am not a monster at all."
Explaining the how and the why of who she was had given Aquitaine time to digest what Alarion had said about everything she had believed in being a lie. "I have learned much about good and evil in my time traveling the lands and during my sheltered life growing up." She paused and looked over the younger mare. "Perhaps I can help you. I find that when things seem to be falling apart then best thing to do is talk about them. You will find I am a very good listener and perhaps once I know what has happened to make you stop believing that I can help you to believe once more." There was no guarantee of course, it would all depend on what had happened to Alarion and if she was willing to accept any help and advice that Aquitaine offered, but she was willing to do what she could.
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Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 2:32 pm
The pale mare gave a small smile, trying to war with her own mind and settle down more. This mare didn't appear to have any intent to harm her. And she really really wanted to believe her to be good. She found herself inching slowly closer to Aquitaine as she began her story, ears perked forward and the look of a highly interested child flashing along her features.
"Do your brothers have strange heads like your dragon, too?" Alarion asked without thinking, then realized it may have been a rude question and her face flushed a little. The mare ducked her head, a wing pulling up to hide her nose behind. But she was much closer to Aquitaine now. If she were to extend her wings to their full length, the feathers would brush along the other mare. Alarion didn't seem to notice, or was perhaps a little more comfortable around Aquitaine now. "I always felt a little different around my father," she admitted, "but it must have been hard hearing such a thing!" How could anyone be so mean, she wanted to think. But Alarion knew there were individuals out there that were cruel, now. "I-I hope... I haven't offended you... in any way." She added in a small voice.
And then she felt like she was seeing double vision. Her words... this mares... they rang so close to her own thoughts. To the ones she had believed. Still tried to believe. Yet... weren't there monsters in the world? No, she knew there were! Right? She shivered, feeling aches that reminded her of why she was doubtful in her beliefs.
All at once it seemed like a dam burst. "I thought that too! I thought there was always good in everyone. And I believed it with all my heart! But... but then I met someone. And I believed them to be good. To just be troubled. And yet... I was hurt. Attacked. Mocked for being a foolish foal. I don't know how I escaped. Or if I was allowed to. But... I don't... don't know what to believe anymore." She hung her head low, visibly shaking. Where was father when she needed him most? Alarion knew it was her fault for traveling in different directions from him. And maybe she'd been naive in believing he'd always be there. "Was I being foolish?" She murmured meekly. She-Ra of Etheria It just occurred to me that Aquitaine is the first 'motherly' figure Alarion has really had around >u>
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 4:25 pm
Aquitaine watched as Alarion moved closer as her story was told. The expression on the younger mare spoke of someone who was still unsure of the situation but also very curious. It was refreshing to meet someone like this and Aquitaine hoped that the mare would truly take something away from their meeting. But there was still much for them to discuss at this point.
"Not exactly." She began. "My brother Aurelian has something in his tail, it's much smaller than what I have and doesn't cause as many problems for him as mine has in the past. I suppose in a way his does look like a dragon, albeit a very small one, but few notice it when they first meet him. My other brother Arcadius has several plants that have made their home in his mane and on his body. They are the carnivorous kind but don't seem to cause him any harm. At least he has never complained about them to me." Of course her brother might not mention such things since he knew how difficult her dragon had been and wouldn't want her worrying about him if he were in a similar situation. And yet at the same time she knew her brother well enough that he would tell her, so that meant his plants were non-problematic. Hearing the mares words she smiled. "We all have our differences Alarion, some more so than others. My own children are very different from myself and my mate. I can assure you there is nothing wrong with being different. Embracing what makes you different can be a truly wonderful and freeing experience. Some choose not to embrace their differences, it's a shame that they do so but not everyone is open to the idea."
She gave her head a bit of a shake and let out a slight laugh. "I could have let my differences hold me back...in fact I did for some time. I thought that staying in my home was the best solution because then I wouldn't have to deal with anyone who would react badly to what I was. But I realized the error of my ways and began to get out more and with a bit of work I truly accepted who and what I am, and I have not looked back since." She paused for a moment before continuing. "It was hard at the time hearing those harsh words. I was still a foal when that mare come upon me. But you know, I look back on it now and realize that while it was painful at the time she did help me in a way. She opened my eyes to what things were like outside my sheltered home and life. That doesn't make her words and actions an acceptable thing, but sometimes we need a dose of bad to realize just how good everything else is."
She turned to look Alarion straight on. "You have no offended me Alarion. I find your questions and curiosity invigorating. Though I could tell you were scared at first you stayed to listen to me, to see who I was and I think even now you have benefited from this."
Hearing Alarion's confession as to how she felt and what was the cause of her jitters earlier Aquitaine felt a bolt of sadness race through her. She stepped forward then and reached her neck out, giving the younger mare a nuzzle. "Oh Alarion, you were not foolish." It was obvious that the experience had affected her deeply and still did, but Aquitaine could and would help this mare out. "I'm so sorry that you had to endure something like that, especially since it happened when you were a foal. But you are free from it now. The past, those memories can still hurt you, it's true, but you can also learn much from it." She pulled back to look at Alarion once again, but also to put that bit of distance between them knowing her dragon would only tolerate the close proximity for a short time. "The truth is, there is bad in this world, it lives along side the good. I know from personal experience that there is good in everyone one, when you don't see the good in someone it just means that it is buried under the bad." She paused for a moment, this was a lot for Alarion to take in but she was so glad that she had run into the younger mare to offer her this help and words of encouragement. "You know, my mate was one whom many considered to be bad..evil was the term most used for him, but with a lot of help from me he was able to change his ways. Even the blackest souls have good in them." Kyrieko So glad she's here to fulfill that role for her.
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 4:52 pm
Her head was canted to the side, regarding Aquitaine with all her attention. The mare's siblings sounded just as interesting as she was! She couldn't help glancing back at her tail briefly at mention of one of Aquitaine's brothers having something in his. She flipped her tail once before looking back over at her. "Something in his tail?" She murmured and then blinked. "He has plants on his body?!" Okay that was the weirdest and coolest thing she had heard yet! She frowned in thought, wondering how the plants survived without roots? Her father had taught her a bit about plants and how they grew. But she was willing to bet he'd never seen plants on a soquili before!
Transfixed on hearing just how similar her beliefs had been to what Aquitaine was saying had the tiniest spark of hope beginning to blossom again in the pale mare. She was still unsure, and knew she would be for a while. But... maybe she had been right? "M-My father said something similar to me, when I was growing up." Alarion admitted with a small smile. "He told me to never judge someone by first appearances." And she hadn't. Or couldn't, rather.
Until now, anyways. Things were so confusing and mixed up in her head now.
"I'm very glad of that." She sighed in relief, giving the older mare a bigger smile. "I have a habit of saying what is on my mind before thinking." A fault she was trying to get better at catching. But nothing 'mean' would ever come out of her mouth!
She listened to the words Aquitaine was saying, stepping slightly closer when she was nuzzled, wanting to believe them and maybe, a part of her did. But then she would see those eyes. And hear that voice. Her wings ached and she blinked to try and focus back on what the mare before her was saying. "S-She said I was." Alarion whispered. "And took great pleasure out of proving me wrong." Treating her like a prized play thing really. Then she hung her head, feeling a little like she had been defeated. Yes. Yes there was bad in the world. She knew that now. "But... how can we tell the difference?" She suddenly asked, looking up at Aquitaine. "Is there a way for us to know when they are not truly all bad?"
Surprise replaced her self doubt and fear. Really? Her mate had been?! But this mare was... well, Alarion was pretty sure she wanted to be just like this mare. "H-He was?" She thought about that, tail flipping absently. "You... are very kind. And I feel like maybe... I can get through this." With a lot of work.
"I wonder if this is what it is like to have a mother... " She said softly before catching herself and looking embarrassed. Her father had been wonderful! Still was. But... a part of her had always wondered what having her mother around would have been like.
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Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:16 am
"Yes and yes." Aquitaine said with a light chuckle. "I guess you could say that those traits run in the family in a way. It's not just my brothers than have such traits by my sons as well. Eadric has a head at the end of his tail that is similar to what I have in my mane, though it tends to give him less grief than mine does. And my other son Casimir has plants on him, but they are different than my brothers, as he has a tree growing up from his back and spines on his tail that are more like small short branches from a tree. So it is the same and yet different in each one us." She paused for a moment before continuing. "But my daughter, Ipswich, has nothing like her brothers." Ipswich was as normal as they came in their family, oh she had a few unusual traits but compared to her brothers the mare was the least affected by the twisted blood.
Aquitaine smiled hearing Alarion's words about what her father had said. "Your father is very smart to tell you such things. There needs to be more of us out there who think that way and that is why I do what I do. It is not always an easy task to see through but I can assure you that it can be very rewarding if you stick to those beliefs."
Her smile grew wider. "You are young still Alarion. There is nothing wrong with voicing ones opinions or thoughts without thinking on them first. Curiosity is a gift that many take for granted. Not everyone will appreciate what you say at times but how are you to truly learn about the world around you if you don't ask those questions?" She hoped that Alarion would continue on in her way of asking uninhibited questions until she had gained the knowledge that she sought. If anything Aquitaine wanted to help Alarion, not just right now but to also be there in the future for her to be a guide and a pillar of strength when needed. And she would do that, for as long as Alarion needed her.
"Then she was the fool Alarion." While Aquitaine didn't know all of the details of what the younger mare had gone through she was certain that whoever had said and done things to Alarion was the wrong kind of Soquili to be around. "Some Soquili take pleasure in hurting others because they themselves are hurting for some reason. That doesn't make what she did to you acceptable in any way though. If you need to talk about it, to get anything off of your chest about what she did to you, I am here to listen. It can be difficult to talk about bad experiences but it can also be hard to keep them to yourself."
She paused to think on those questions. They were certainly not easy to answer because it was one of those things that even Aquitaine herself didn't fully know yet. "Honestly, I don't think that there is a way to know right away. Sometimes you can see someone and just know by looking at them whether they are good or evil. And I don't mean based upon what they look like, but by how they act and what they might say. It can also depend upon what breed they are. A Kalona is rarely a pleasant beast to be around. But a Kalona cross can often times be friendly as long as they know how to control their Kalona blood." Aquitaine glanced off into the trees considering other ways to know how to tell whether someone was good or evil upon first meeting them. "I don't know of any perfect way to know of someones alignment upon first meeting them. A lot of this is learned by trail and error. In my travels I have met individuals from various parts of the spectrum. It has given me a lot of knowledge to work with and I have learned how to look for certain mannerisms and traits to figure them out. But even that cannot guarantee what they will be like until you approach and talk to them." This was the one question she didn't really have a solid answer to, it was something she was still learning herself. "The best thing to do if you are uncertain of someone is to be cautious but open. In time you will learn how to read them and make more informed decisions on what they are like on the inside. The more strangers you meet and interact with the better you instincts on this will become."
Aquitaine smiled again, seeing the fear leave Alarion a bit to be replaced with hope once again. "Yes, he was. Not everyone can be turned away from evil, but he decided to be a better Soquili and changed his ways. It wasn't easy for either of us, sometimes I felt like he was regressing faster than I could help him, but we endured and pushed past the struggles until he was a new stallion." She stepped closer to Alarion. "I know you can get through this. I am willing to help you in any way that I can. You have a good heart Alarion, and while things haven't been perfect for you, I can see that you have great strength and determination, not to mention your acceptance and curiosity, and all of those things will help you to get through this."
Her head lifted slightly at the younger mares words. "You had no mother in your life?" Oh the poor thing, to grow up without a mother. Aquitaine couldn't imagine that, nor could she see her own daughter growing up without her in her life.
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Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 9:58 pm
Her sons had acquired such traits as well? That was so neat and interesting! Alarion found herself feeling more comfortable around this strange looking mare than she had the creature that had looked so... plain. And average. "I wonder if she feels left out, in a way." The younger mare murmured allowed, thinking about Aquitaine's daughter. Maybe she felt similar to how Alarion had felt, having wings when her father didn't?
Hearing the kind words about her father, Alarion smiled. "Thank you. I think he'd like you." She said with feeling, and nodded her head slowly. "I-I agree! I... I want to continue believing like that. It just, well, it makes me almost ill if I even try to think any other way." But she wasn't alone in those beliefs. And then she felt herself flushing a little more, trying not to hide behind her wings in embarrassment. "I never thought on it like that, but it's true. Without questions, how will you learn?" Aquitaine was right! She definitely shouldn't feel so embarrassed by the questions her mind thought to ask of its own accord.
The pale mare shifted her weight from side to side with some of her earlier unease. Thoughts of the mare she'd been fooled by were still too raw in her mind. But she had desperately needed someone to speak with! To get it off her chest. She was more grateful than she could really express, now, for having run into this mare. Hesitating, Alarion whispered, "She... was what one calls a... Skinwalker." A creature she had never met before until then. Nor realized how evil they were. She had just thought the mare was hurting, had needed some comforting. How wrong she had been.
Swallowing around the lump that had suddenly caught in her throat, Alarion couldn't help but glance around them, fearful the skinwalker that plagued her mind would appear. She haunted her dreams. Crept through her thoughts. It was with more hope than she should have unfairly put on Aquitaine that she listened to the answers to her question. Or lack of answers. She had known, really, that there was no right way to answer. It had merely been the hope of a tormented soul. But Aquitaine didn't seem deterred by this knowledge. Alarion wondered if, she could fully heal from what plagued her mind, she could be like this mare? "Being cautious, but yourself, is the best answer there is, I guess." She let her ears droop a little as her head lowered. Trial and error. Yes, she was beginning to learn this.
As the conversation shifted, Alarion gave herself a shake, as if this could rid her mind of the unpleasant thoughts. Whether it actually worked or it was the topic change, she felt better. "Thank you. Really, you've already helped me more than anyone could have. Save my father, I think?" Who she was still going to seek out soon.
Alarion gave the older mare an unfathomable look. "No. She met my father by chance and wound up pregnant. He says she was not the type to settle down, and instead took my sibling with her." She frowned. "I've always wondered if she just didn't want me... " But her father strongly discouraged these thoughts. She-Ra of Etheria Even if things don't wind up working out with Eadric, Alarion would love being able to see Aquitaine! x3
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:14 pm
Aquitaine pondered Alarion's thought on her daughter. "If Ipswich does feel left out before of her lack of mutations she hasn't shown it nor has she mentioned anything about it to anyone in the family." It was possible that Ipswich felt felt left out in some but given their open ways in the family she was certain that she would have heard about it by now. But then again, life was full of surprises and unknowns.
She smiled. "It is clear those ways are ingrained into you, and that is a good thing. An ill reaction to going against that shows that you understand that thinking differently and judging others without giving them a chance is wrong." At Alarion's question Aquitaine laughed slightly. "Well without questions one would learn quite poorly." They would still learn, but it likely wouldn't be the best was to approach it, nor were they guaranteed to learn the correct things.
Hearing that the mare who had affected Alarion was a Skinwalker made Aquitaine feel sympathetic towards the mare and it was something else that bonded them together. "Oh you poor thing." She stepped closer and gave the younger mare a comforting nuzzle. "I know all too well the damage that a skinwalker can cause, both mentally and physically. Being attacked by one is something that takes time to recover from, but I can assure you that you will heal from it. There may be some minor residual mental scars but with enough time the pain and fear subsides." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I let the fear from my own run in with a skinwalker eat away at my confidence. It kept me secluded in my home for too long, fearful of too much. Eventually I was able to break through the fear and move on with my life. I still wear the physical scars, though they are hidden by the bulk of my mane but the mental scars are all but gone." Sharing this was important, it would let Alarion know that it would take time and some effort to heal from the skinwalker, but it also showed that it wasn't impossible.
"I am so glad that I could help you today. In a way I feel I we were fated to meet because of our similarities in thinking and some of our background. Know that I will always be here to help you if you ever need it, simply follow the path from here to the ocean and you will find my home." Aquitaine wanted to make sure that Alarion knew that her home was open to her whenever she needed and that any help or advice would always be given freely.
She thought on what Alarion said about her mother for a long moment before speaking. "Not every mare has what it takes to raise more than one foal at once. I do not think she chose your sibling over you because she didn't want you, perhaps she wished to take you both but could only bring one along. I don't know the exact situation, but I am certain that she still loves you in her heart and likely thinks of you every time she looks at your sibling. The only way to know for sure would be to find her and ask why she made the choices she did." Smiling at the younger mare she said. "The important thing is that you had your father in your life and it is clear he raised you well."Kyrieko Sorry for the huge delay in reply
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Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 7:22 pm
The pale mare pondered that thought, trying to imagine what Aquitaine's daughter might feel. It occurred to her that Ipswich might not find anything different about her family at all, having grown up with them. It was probably just her skewed thoughts, not ever having seen a Soquili with such mutations before until now. Yet Aquitaine's daughter had been born to this mare. And had siblings similar.
Siblings... Alarion felt a deep loneliness at never having known her sister in addition to her mother. But she had her father. And... her familiar, who seemed to take on a motherly slash sister role with her. This little thought made her smile, refocusing on what Aquitaine was saying.
She nodded in agreement, so very glad to hear someone else voicing her opinions and thoughts. And then a laugh bubbled out of her, almost unexpectedly. She felt her cheeks warm up as she refrained from pulling a wing up to duck behind. "T-That is what I have always believed, at least." She smiled. There had been many times as she grew from foalhood that she even tossed that same question right back at her father when he said she was asking too many things. He'd just snort and laugh, but not disagree.
For the briefest of moments, Alarion froze, the other mare getting closer. But the comforting nuzzle made her muscles relax and she gratefully accepted the small sign of affection. "Thank you." She murmured, referring to the nuzzle, eyes widening slowly as what Aquitaine was saying sank in. Had... she suffered the torment such a creature found pleasure in as well? But Aquitaine was so composed and didn't question her beliefs! Alarion swallowed thickly. Time. Time was what she would need. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Y-You don't fear them... still?" She asked in a tiny voice. Was it wrong for that fear to run thick through her veins? Even though she had never feared a creature before?
"I am very glad to have met you." She said with feeling. "Very glad." There was a strange feeling that tingled at meeting the older mare. Sort of like she felt when seeing her father for the first time after a few months being away. "To the ocean?" Alarion glanced down the path indicated, a curious look replacing the others. Maybe... she could go there? For a few days? To see what it looked like where Aquitaine called home. So that she could find it again if she ever wanted to.
Surprise and... a bit of hope flashed through her eyes. "Do you... really think that?" It was true. Neither she or this mare knew what her mother had been thinking. Or why she hadn't stuck around. Except her father. Sort of. Even he didn't know where Kal had gone. But Sandsablaze had been there. And raised her well. Alarion smiled. "Thank you, Aquitaine. He'd be so happy to hear that." She-ra of Etheria Apologies again for not realizing this was waiting on me!
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:23 pm
Hearing the younger mares laugh brought a smile to Aquitaine's lips. It was good to know that even though Alarion had been through some tough times that she could still laugh and experience happiness. "If it is what you have always believed in then continue to think that way."
Sensing Alarion's unease when she stepped in ot nuzzle her Aquitaine wondered for a moment if she had made the wrong move. But a moment later the younger mare relaxed and hearing those two little words meant everything. What Alarion really needed was encouragement, someone to listen and talk to her and some time. Pausing Aquitaine considered the question. Was she truly fearless when it came to skinwalkers? "Deep down, I still have a fear of them." She admitted. "But I do not let that fear overwhelm me or control my life. A certain amount of fear is acceptable, especially when talking about such dangerous creatures like skinwalkers. It took me a long time to get over my fear of them after the attack, when even the mere thought of them practically paralyzed me with fear. I think in time you too can live without the fear of them." The fear would be there, buried deep within, but life without fear could be just as dangerous, if not more so, than a life overwhelmed by it.
Aquitaine smiled once more. "I am glad as well. That I met you, and that I have been able to speak with you about these things." She knew that Alarion still needed time to overcome what she had been through in the past, but she would be there for her, and this was just the first step in her journey to recovery. "Yes, the ocean." She said, casting her gaze towards the trail once more. "My fathers family has lived there for several generations and I have continued that with my own family." She could see the curious look in Alarion's eyes. "Would you live to see it? The ocean can be quiet beautiful this time of year."
Aquitaine nodded. "Yes, I do believe that. As I said, I can't say for certain but I believe that is the case." Her smile grew. "You are welcome. I hope one day I can meet your father, to personally tell him so." She may meet him, and she may not, but if she ever did meet Alarion's father she would be certain to compliment him on raising such a wonderful mare.
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 4:52 pm
Continue to think that way? The words were echoed all through her being, and she did desperately want to keep believing. Things felt... better. Alarion knew it was most likely because she wasn't alone and that she'd unexpectedly found someone as sweet as Aquitaine. But when she left? When they would part ways? The younger mare feared she'd forget everything encouraging that she'd been told.
Then her heart skipped a couple beats. She still feared them? Deep down? Alarion considered this and tucked it away into the back of her mind. She wasn't alone in her fear. "H-How... long did it take you to get to that point?" She asked softly, afraid of prying too much. "I mean, I know it will take... a long while. But... was there anything that helped you?" Or maybe it was just someone? Like father, she thought to herself. He'd be - had always been - a pillar of strength for her.
Alarion was more glad than she wanted to admit for a change in subject, though she was ever so grateful for having someone to talk with too. "Wow, really?" A glint of a buried spark flared in her eyes. "I... kind of remember the ocean. I went there when I was a foal once. But we always traveled close to the mountains and desert." So the most water she ever saw were lakes and rivers. And then she was flushing pink, shifting her weight as wings unfurled slightly. "I'd... I mean, I don't want to intrude on your family. But I would adore seeing the ocean again." And spending more time with this mare. Her company was very comforting. "Are you sure no one would mind?"
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