|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 11:35 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 11:42 am
 |
|
|
|
Ok, this was getting creepy. Raphael didn't know where or when he'd crossed this particular line, but suddenly he felt a bit like a voyeur, and he didn't like it. Never mind that he'd been alone in the meadow until they'd shown up, the plain, bald facts of the matter were that he was the odd one out. He was alone, and they had each other. 'They' being a mare and stallion who were obviously in the gooey-eyed stage of their relationship, with awareness of no one and nothing beyond themselves. Raphael doubted they'd even noticed him, they were so wrapped up in each other. It was an open meadow, so he might think that meant the couple had no expectation of privacy. And maybe they didn't have an expectation of privacy. But they weren't Raphael.
And darn, wasn't he jealous of that fact!
He'd tried to stay as he was, enjoying a good graze while leaving the couple to their own devices. But they just looked so happy together, so in love, that he couldn't help but notice them. Again and again, his gaze was drawn back to the canoodling pair, and that's when he realized he had to leave the area. Even if they didn't care they were being watched, HE cared. He hated being a third wheel, even in his own mind. He hated being the odd number the one off by himself while the world seemed to drift by, reflected in the eyes of one happy couple after another.
So with a wistful look that he hoped could at least fake being directed towards the grass, he turned and trotted away, leaving the love birds to continue on as they had been: Obliviously. They might not mind having a lone Soquili hanging around the meadow, but that lone Soquili minded a lot. Minded the lone-ness, his own singledom, the fact that he had yet to know the oblivious way of the couple...there was so much he minded in this situation!
But, as he reminded himself, good things come to those who wait. He just needed to be patient, and keep his eyes open. Somewhere out there, she was waiting for him.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 11:55 am
|
|
|
 |
"..once we watched a lazy world go by, now the days seem to fly. Life is brief, but when it's gone, love goes on and on.." Ishtar sung her favourite song as she strolled along, she loved the sentiment behind it, for she truely believed that love was the best and most enduring thing in the wide world, and whilst her voice would never be compared to a songbirds, she sang it with feeling.
As she walked on, she stopped singing and continued to hum the tune of the song, the small bells on her scarves chiming. It was a fine day, a day to make a couple perhaps! Of course she would have to find a solitary mare or stallion to begin her week, but she was sure if she kept wandering on this fine day she would bump into someone who would need her help to secure anothers heart.
As she wandered across the open meadow, she caught sight of a couple who most definately had no need of her help. As she passed them by, she bestowed a warm smile on the pair, wrapped up in each other as they were they did not see it, but it was a pleasing sight to see. A distance from them, she paused, scanning her surroundings, and caught sight of someone..a solitary someone. She set off at a slow trot, closing the gap between herself and the other, and in a short time was within hailing distance.
"Hey there!" she called out, though she was sure by now he would have at least heard the bells jangling if not the approach of her hooves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 8:37 am
|
|
|
|
He might have been metaphorically chased out of the meadow, but Raphael was not going to let that experience bring him down any further. It was an inevitable reaction for him to be jealous when presented with a happy couple, but time and practice had allowed him to make those feelings temporary. Honestly, it was a wonderful thing for there to be couples in love! In this world of hormones and giving into random feelings of lust, it was good to see couples loyal to one another, and in the relationship for the long haul. Granted, he had no way of knowing that any of the couples he'd seen actually WERE in it for the long haul, but a stallion could dream, couldn't he?
Once he'd put a bit of distance between himself and the canoodling couple, Raphael felt the gloom begin to lift and he let out a soft sigh of relief. He already fit far too many of the broody, pensive stereotypical qualities, and he didn't want them to become a reality. As he moved away from the meadow, his mood lightened and he was able to think about how good it was for the couple, to be out enjoying each other's company on such a lovely day. The sun was shining, the sky was bright, the grass was thick and lush, and a gentle breeze was chiming...
Wait, chiming?
He paused, cocking his head to one side as he listened. No, there was definitely a delicate chiming, or ringing noise being carried on the wind. He wasn't so naive as to think that the breeze WAS ringing, but it was so soft and gentle that his first thought wasn't so far-fetched. Now, his curiosity was piqued.
At least he didn't have to wait long. A quick glance around the area revealed that once again, he was not alone; however, this time he wasn't the third wheel. The bells ornamented a tabbard, worn by a small pink mare with a friendly expression on her face and an equally friendly tone in her voice. What a nice change of pace! Smiling, he gave the mare a polite nod, returning her greeting with one of his own. "Good day to you, Miss!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:21 pm
|
|
|
|
Ah, weather; a universally acceptable topic of conversation for strangers and newly reunited acquaintances alike. It was hard to go astray with such a tried and true subject on one’s side, and Raphael heartily approved of the mare’s choice. It was always awkward to get too familiar too soon, and that went doubly for Raphael. Perhaps one day, he’d be a little more comfortable with casual conversation…perhaps. For now, though, it was a lovely day, he was in the company of a lovely mare, and he was no longer the third wheel. A definite positive twist to the day, if he did say so himself!
“It’s nice to meet you as well, Ishtar; I’m Raphael, and I couldn't agree more about the beauty of the day. It’s days like this, when everything is fresh and green and bursting with life, that we can truly appreciate the beauty of world, I've always thought.” Smiling, he glanced around him with comfortable satisfaction; after the awkward and depression-inducing incident with the other couple, he was glad to be able to move on to a more pleasant subject, and a more pleasant encounter. “But I don’t believe I've seen you around here before; are you new to the area, or perhaps passing through? I am a bit of a wanderer myself,” He added quickly, "but I've been in this area for the past few weeks. It’s very pleasant so far, if a little on the quiet side."
Though he couldn't help but chuckle at that description, given the sudden 'crowd' of Soquili in the area; first the overly demonstrative couple, now this mare. While it was true that most would not consider three others a crowd, they weren't Raphael!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 4:18 pm
|
|
|
|
Well, she certainly had a sunny outlook, didn't she? Smiling, Raphael nodded his head in polite agreement. "You're right, of course; it's only a personal preference that makes me prefer days like today to the cold and snowy sort. Or the rainy sort, especially if I'm without the benefit of shelter." That hadn't been a worry when he was staying closer to his parents' home territory, but traveling had found him often at the mercy of the elements, doing his best to keep himself dry and warm with little more than his own wings! "Fortunately, that's not an issue today...or it's doubtful to become one," he remarked as he glanced up at the clear blue sky.
At her comment about remembering him had she seen him, Raphael gave a slight bob; he had been raised to always acknowledge a compliment, no matter how slight. And it had been a very slight compliment indeed, just the sort he liked to get. Direct attention had a way of making him very uncomfortable, so the more delicate the compliment, the better! "Well, I'm sure that taking such a circuitous route through life means you get to see and hear much that the rest of us can only dream of, Ishtar; it sounds a most romantic way to live."
And much more poetic than 'wandering.' Even if he was doing a similar thing with his life, he continued to view it as 'wandering' as far as he himself was concerned...at least for the time being. "I do tend to circle back to my parents' home from time to time, but otherwise no, I have no settled territory of my own at this time. And yourself? Are you a pure nomad, or do you have a settled home? Perhaps a family, or a traveling companion?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 6:41 am
|
|
|
|
"True, sunshine is preferable to rain, but I do like the pattering sound you can hear if you're under a thick canopy of tree leaves. And the fresh smell that you get when it hasn't rained for a good while, there's nothing like that." Ishtar nodded in agreement.
"The outlook is fine for today I am sure, and such a pretty blue too." she said, but her gaze by then had moved from the sky to the stallion, so she could have been speaking of either.
"It's an interesting way to live, it doesn't feel so romantic when I'm shivering in a shallow cave mouth as I've not managed to find anywhere more suitable when poor weather moves in and I'm not familiar with the area." she chuckled, looking about her, catching sight of the now distant couple. She smiled at them, silently wishing them a lifelong love.
"But I get to meet alot of good souls, and I hope that in my own way, I've left them better than when I met them."
She shook her head at Raphael's questions.
"No settled home thus far, and no companion but the musical accompaniment of my bells." she gave a little sway and set them off again, laughing a little as she did so.
"I've been too busy making meetings between other Soquili to find likewise for myself. And you?" she asked directly this time, figuring that as he had asked, she had an excuse to do them same!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 12:18 pm
|
|
|
|
As Ishtar made her own little bits of polite weather-related conversation, Raphael went through all the appropriate expressions; interest, amusement, sympathy. At the lightly tinkling demonstration of her bells, he even made a light chuckle of amusement! But it wasn't until she made her last statement that his interest and curiosity were truly piqued. "'Making meetings' between other Soquili," he inquired curiously, his golden eyebrows arching to emphasize the question. "Do you mean to say meeting other Soquili? I don't believe I've ever heard that term before," he continued with a smile. "It's a rather nice way to put it, isn't it?"
He might have to try his hoof at using that term; it had a nice ring to it it! "As for myself, I'm on my own, too. I used to travel with my father's familiar as a companion, but we had a few issues of...temperament, I suppose you might say." He might say indeed; while Raphael was rather sheltered and naive in his world view, he had NOTHING on the rigid and puritanical Zaris, whose dour outlook and extreme paranoia when it came to females had managed to get Raphael into hot water on not one, but TWO separate occasions! "There are times when I miss having someone to talk to," Raphael continued in the same tone, "But I think it's best for me to experience things on my own at this point in my life. I doubt anyone would accuse me of being a child these days."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 3:00 pm
|
|
|
|
Oh, so she was a matchmaker? That was something Raphael could appreciate and definitely understand, even if her wording had originally thrown him for a loop. "Well, that's certainly a noble undertaking," he told the mare with an approving smile. "Love is such an important thing to have, I don't think anyone can really say enough in praise of finding one's true heartmate. I've never heard of a 'general purpose' matchmaker before, but I have heard of family or mutual friends serving as go-betweens." He'd never been in that position himself; though his parents deeply loved each other and wanted their children to find heartmates of their own, his mother's peculiar demons meant that neither Zaphiro or Hienna travelled beyond the reaches of their own little clearing.
Needless to say, that didn't create many opportunities for either parent to 'meddle' on Raphael's behalf!
Though he supposed he'd had enough of meddling during his travels with Zaris, and should be grateful not to have to worry about that any more! And he couldn't help but laugh at her comment about 'talking to birds.' As if she could know! "As a point of fact, my traveling companion actually WAS a bird, so you might say I am done with talking to them in every sense. And I am pleased to have met you as well; who knows, maybe you can even take me on as your next project," he said with a smile that was totally sincere.
After all, wasn't that what he wanted? He certainly wasn't making great romantic inroads on his own, so maybe meeting Ishtar was something preordained!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 6:30 am
|
|
|
|
"I always feel that having family members as matchmakers can be problematic, there always feels like there's an agenda, you know?" she said, pleased at his calling what she did 'noble'. She'd not really thought of it in those terms before because she just did what she did because she enjoyed helping others find love, but it was gratifying that he didn't find her to be interfering.
"Mostly the extending of the line through grandchildren as soon as possible, which can make some young couples really uncomfortable, especially if they are green when it comes to love and the enjoyment of one another through love." she gave Raphael a little wink.
Ishtar laughed at loud as he revealed the species of his travelling companion, the bells on her tabard jingling again as she did so.
"Well, that was a more accurate statement than I expected." she said, still chuckling.
"Hmm, well I'd certainly appreciate a males slant on a prospective match, though as I find my matches when I'm out wandering I can't really say when that would be. Are you free to travel?" she asked with another chuckle, sure that he would just politely veto that suggestion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 2:05 pm
|
|
|
|
"Hrm, that's an interesting perspective." Raphael had never considered that it could be 'selfish' to want one's children to settle down; then again, he and his siblings had never felt any pressure to settle down and start families of their own. If anything, it had been the opposite; Hienna had so loved having her children around that she had been hesitant to encourage them to get out on their own. Zaphiro, Raphael's father, had been slightly less resistant to the idea, but had still taken a long time to come to terms with the fact his children were grown. It had been Zaphiro's idea for Zaris, Zaphiro's hawk familiar, to accompany each child as they went out into the world; this had been problematic for multiple reasons, not the least of which there were three children and only one hawk!
After thinking about it for a moment, Raphael shook the idea off; if selfishness was a motivation for many family matchmakers, then he had been blessedly spared. "But it's a perspective I've never really experienced; my parents have a loving relationship and always said they wanted the same thing for us, but I think my mother worried about losing us," he said with a shrug.
"Still, I don't plan to be lost, or pressured into anything I don't want." Raphael smiled at Ishtar as he spoke, inclining his head ever so slightly in acknowledgement of her perspective. "That includes a mate other than a true heartmate, or children before we're ready. I want it to be right, when it happens. But while I'm waiting, I'd be happy to offer my perspective and wander with you for a time. I have no plans, and it would be a pleasure to have some company for a time. It's very kind of you to invite me; I'll be sure to give you an appropriate amount of space."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
