|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 12:14 am
 
This is a solo RP by Moire Frost, between Glósóli and AF Goldenes Herz "Liebe"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 12:54 am
High above the Soquili lands, on a snowcapped mountain top, a small foal shivered. Alone and scared, she had found her way into a shallow cave and sought shelter from the storm that raged overhead; sheets of snow fell fast and heavy, and soon the entryway to the cave was mostly covered, trapping her inside.
She kept thinking to herself that maybe if she was like her father and brother, they would have found her by now. They had coats of shiny yellow gold, and could be easily seen through the fat, wet snowflakes that fell from the sky. She imagined the two of them leaping from beneath the snow, strong and gallant as they emerged from the icy prison, mares -- including her mother -- crowding around their hooves to thank the heavens for their safe return.
But she was grey. In the monotone of the storm, she was effectively camouflaged, hidden in plain sight. She was grey like her mother, who would not be waiting for her at the bottom of the mountain. She was grey like her mother, who was still too depressed to leave their small sleeping area. She was grey like her mother, who had lost her shining golden boys and would never again find them.
She shivered again. It had been hours, and she was beginning to think that the air in the cave felt a little thin.
Any minute now, someone would find her, curled up in relative safety as the storm howled outside.
She couldn't feel her legs.
Any minute now, she would be safe and warm, wrapped in her mother's tender wings, belly full and heart happy.
She stopped shivering.
Any minute now.
Liebe awoke with a cry, chest heaving as her rapidly beating heart thumped angrily somewhere in her throat. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness around her, but when they did, she remembered where she was; curled up, warm and safe, in the woods at the base of that same mountain. She fought hard to choke back the tears that spilled onto her cheeks, wiping them away with a wingtip as she steadied her breathing.
She wasn't sure if it was a repressed memory from her childhood, or a story she made up, but it was one of many that repeated itself in her dreams every night. Liebe couldn't remember the last night she slept more than an hour or two without waking up in a cold sweat, strangling her own screams or crying into her wings.
In every one of these nightmares, she was alone and scared, and usually close to death, but all she could think of were her long-lost father and brother; Kiefer and Phobos, alike in both looks and betrayal of her mother. They were the reason Liebe had to stay home and take care of Journey for months after they left. They were the reason she vowed to never trust a stallion. They were the reason she hated the gold in her hair and feathers.
Sighing heavily, she stretched and got to her feet. It was still dark, the middle of the night, but she did not feel much like sleeping. Maybe a relaxing trip to the wading pool would calm her nerves enough for another short, dissatisfying sleep.Word count: 549
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 1:57 am
Glósóli's mother had raised him right, and taught him how to be a proper gentleman; always let the lady eat first, never drink downstream of another Soquili, and politeness was crucial. Her words rang in his mind on repeat, over and over again through the night; "Even if you are being attacked, whether physically or verbally, always keep your cool and be polite. Never let your head or your heart get the better of you. Never let your feelings get in the way."
She tried her best, he thought. She had raised him on her own, and though he had never known his father, he felt he had a strong, proper upbringing. He knew how to treat a lady, how to disengage from a fight using only his words, and, most importantly, how to be perfectly content on his own.
He had never relied on anyone, even her. He often remembered foraging for his own meals as a very young colt, and learning very quickly that going to bed hungry was worse if he spent the whole day playing instead of working. Not that his mother was mean-spirited or cruel in any way, she was merely a firm believer in teaching her young, rambunctious son how to care for himself properly so he would not always rely on her. He never figured out why she had raised him in such a fashion, but it rarely bothered him; he was blissfully happy as he grew, learning how to take care of himself, as well as his aging, ailing mother.
When she grew too sick, she ordered him to leave her in the care of her younger sister. After some fighting -- what kind of stallion was he for leaving his mother in her hour of need? -- he finally relented, at her insistence. The two had waved him off from his mother's sickbed as he departed for his new life, on the other side of the world. He often wondered about her; was she still alive? Had his aunt taken proper care of her, as he had instructed, or had his mother died alone in the place they had called home his whole life?
He vowed to return home to her when he had found what he was searching for in the new world, but first, he had to figure out what it was. A dull ache on the left side of his skull had distracted him for the first few days, but he became determined to rid himself of it after his third night of restless dozing, and while the moon was still high in the sky, he set off through the forest in search of a cure.
The headache intensified as he searched, and soon the vision in his left eye was reduced to a fuzzy darkness. He stumbled through the dark underbrush, catching his wings on low-hanging branches and losing tufts of fur on thorny plants, until he came to a clearing. The trees parted and the full moon illuminated a small wading pool, fed by a gently babbling brook. If nothing else, a good soak would relax his tired muscles and slurring mind enough for a much-needed nap.
As he gently lowered himself in, a sense of calm washed over him. The vision in his left eye was still blurred and painful, but he could feel the knots in his body and brain slowly unfurling. His mother's gentle scolding for bathing in a strange place echoed in his mind, but he paid no heed. This was exactly what he needed.Word count: 593
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 10:53 pm
Liebe tiptoed around her sleeping mother with the ease of practice, her hooves barely hitting dirt as she used her wings to silently propel herself forward. Journey slept peacefully and heavily most nights, but Liebe never wanted to chance waking her on a night when her sleep evaded her; nothing had made her feel as guilty. She would not let her hooves touch the ground until she was safely out of earshot of their makeshift camp, finally relaxing and settling into a brisk walk with her wings tucked neatly at her side.
Finding her way in the dark wasn't as easy as Liebe had hoped, and soon she found herself completely and utterly lost. She pouted for a moment, spinning in circles, before pausing and collecting her breath. She tried to use her best reasoning skills; where did she feel like she needed to go? Did she remember which way the wind had been blowing?
However, she forgot the most important part of these questions was noting their answers in the first place. She huffed impatiently, flicking her curly forelock from her eyes and soldiering on in the direction she thought was the right one.
For the first time in her life, Liebe felt she was correct in this assumption; things just felt right, and she remembered specific foliage and rock formations as she passed. She didn't feel like she was half-blind, stumbling through the forest, oblivious to everything except the next shiny thing.
Speaking of shiny thing, this was definitely the wrong wading pool, she realized as she rounded a corner and saw a bright, glowing gold Soquili submerged in the shallow, warm waters. But this could not be the wrong pool, it has to be the same one, everything else was the same!
She didn't know what to do. Thoughts became jumbled in her head as quickly as she could think them up; he was gold and she hated that color, he was trying to relax and she was very rude for intruding, she knew she was right and now felt silly for being wrong, but she knew she was right, what would happen if those big feathers got all wet?, the same thing that happens when her feathers got wet... It went on and on.
After a moment, she gathered her resolve, peeking out from behind a large cluster of bushes. From where she was, she could see the back of his head, and would have time to surprise him and have the upper hand (whatever that was). She noted how giant he seemed in the tiny pool and made the decision to announce herself from afar, instead of sneak up behind him.
"Um, excuse me," she called out, instantly regretting it and shrinking back into the bushes to camouflage herself. "But I think you're in my pool, dude!"Word count: 473
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 11:25 pm
As Glósóli settled into the pool and relaxed, he dozed on and off; briefly, never for more than a few seconds at a time. But the images that flashed in front of his eyes were some of the most beautiful things he had ever witnessed: a lush meadow dotted with thousands of flowers, dancing like flames in the setting summer sun; a waterfall cascading rainbows to the forest floor, cool mist reminiscent of the ocean spray back home, with a tinge of earth now; a pair of striking green eyes, staring right into his soul.
He opened his own eyes, suddenly feeling much more awake than he had only a few minutes before. Where did those eyes come from? Had he seen them before, and if he had, when? Was that a memory or just his mind, wandering through his subconscious, creating a story? Why did he care so much about the things his mind made up while he slept?
He shook his head. No use in worrying himself over dreams, he thought. Dwelling on dreams brought nothing but nightmares, in his experience, and that was something he would rather continue to avoid at all costs.
Exhaling slowly, he attempted to relax again, until he heard a very distinct sound from somewhere in the dense trees behind him; the telltale sound of twigs snapping underhoof, low branches and bushes catching on long hair and errant feathers. He knew these sounds too well, making them himself as a young colt naïve of how loud walking in the woods really was. He froze, gauging the situation and measuring his potential responses carefully.
The voice he heard after a few moments was not the voice he was expecting. He had never been cornered like this before, or really in any dangerous situation -- most of the less trustworthy Soq back home knew to stay away from him because of his larger-than-average size and sharp, pointed horn -- but he was not expecting the first one to catch him off-guard to be a rather nervous-sounding female.
Maybe it's a trick? his mind piped up instantly. He pushed the thought back. Even if it was a trick, he had to rectify the situation; he was obviously very much in the wrong.
"Oh, pardon me, I apologize," he replied smoothly, honestly, hoisting himself from the water and shaking droplets from his coat before fully emerging; mama always taught him to dry off as he got out, to minimize puddles. He stared into the darkness between the trees where he thought the voice came from. "I wasn't aware this area belonged to anyone. My mistake, I'll just be on my way." He bowed his head respectfully and backed up a step, waiting for a response.Word count: 458
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 9:49 pm
Liebe watched the stallion emerge from the water in awe. He seemed to glow in the moonlight like a miniature sun, sparkling dappled gold with an aura of gentle calm; she instantly knew he would not put up a fight, and was gladly leaving without one. Even the tone of his voice confirmed this; it was low and strong, but he spoke clearly and politely, as if he had been coached in how to speak.
He was leaving though! Liebe suddenly felt a strange, panicked feeling running from her heart down her legs. It was the same feeling she got when she was in danger or running late for something, only much less life-or-death. She did not want him to leave. She did not know why, but she did not question herself too thoroughly. Maybe since he was a gold stallion like her father and brother, he would know where they went?
She gathered her resolve, squeezing her eyes shut tight and counting down from five in her head. This was a stupid decision, she told herself, ignoring the nagging feeling that she should just go home and get back to sleep before Journey noticed she was gone. Before she could change her mind, she took a deep breath and shouted down to him.
"Wait!" she cried from her place in the bushes, peeking out from behind the leaves to make sure he was not leaving. She emerged slowly, cringing as leaves and twigs stuck in her mane and tail. She made her way down to the stallion carefully, watching where she put her hooves to avoid tripping and falling and embarrassing herself.
When she reached the clearing, she stopped a few paces short of the stallion, eyeing him up as best as she could before speaking. He did not frighten her, but she hated stallions and she hated gold and he was both of them, so why was she standing there again? Was the possibility of finding the family that left her worth speaking with such a creature? Or was something else, unfamiliar and unknown to her, drawing her to him?
She took in as much of the stallion as she could in the few seconds before she started speaking, committing even the tiniest details to memory; the deep gold dappling of his coat, the delicate feathers dancing in his winglets, the way his deep brown eyes never left her green ones. She looked away when she noticed he was staring back, suddenly shy as she never had been before.
"It's technically not my pool," she admitted sheepishly, kicking at the grass with her hoof and twitching her wings uneasily. She looked up into his eyes, studying them for a moment, before grinning earnestly. "I'm Liebe. I guess we can share?"Word count: 462
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:22 am
The stallion quirked a brow at the shouting from the woods, eyes darting in the dark to locate where the voice had come from. From where he stood, with the moon shining bright overhead, everything looked inky black and misshapen, as if the world had opened up its jaws and was threatening to swallow him whole. It took a moment to his eyes to adjust in the dark, but once they did, it took everything in his power not to gasp.
Glósóli had lived for many moons, and had seen many beautiful things in his day; sunsets that painted the sky like blood, mountains whose peaks seemed to scrape the heavens, the miracle of life in spring after a bitter cold winter. He had traveled far and wide and experienced as much of life as he could. And yet, as this mare approached him, twigs and leaves sticking from her mane and tail, silhouetted against the moonlight, he thought to himself that he had never seen anything so beautiful.
He studied her closely, memorizing every miniscule thing about her; the way she tried to flick her forelock from her eyes, the way she twitched her wings uncomfortably, the way she could not quite bring herself to meet his gaze at first. When she did, and her piercing green eyes bore into his brown ones, he felt a jolt.
Just like the dream.
He suddenly became very aware of his own body and focus, and shifted his eyes down to the dirt for a moment to collect himself. He felt her eyes on him, and he looked up to her again, this time maintaining eye contact. It was exhilarating, in a way; he felt his pulse quicken, and his wings fluffed themselves almost involuntarily.
Play it cool, he told himself firmly, forcing his body to relax. No need to make this any stranger than it already was, with him dripping wet and her toting around a whole tree's worth of leaves in her mane. He exhaled slowly, hoping his nerves would be suitably covered by his manners and that she wouldn't notice the winglets on his fetlocks fluttering excitedly.
"Liebe," he repeated slowly, savoring the way her name felt on his tongue. It was a pleasant, sweet name; love. He found it ironic, and he allowed a sly smile to find its way to his lips. "My name is Glósóli, and it is my absolute pleasure to meet you." He bowed his head again, a sign of respect.
"As enjoyable as I would find sharing a bath with you, I do not believe we could both fit," he joked, stepping away from the water and motioning for the mare to get in with one wing. "You are more than welcome to take my place, I will leave and no longer disturb you." Getting those words out was agony, but he knew the polite thing to do, regardless of the opinions of his heart -- that was now thundering somewhere in the vicinity of his throat -- and his hooves, which now refused to move from where they were anchored in the grass.Word count: 521
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 10:51 pm
Her name rolled off his tongue with such ease and a hint of relish that Liebe felt a chill run up her spine. It was not the kind of chill she felt watching a pack of wolves chasing down a deer, or the chill she experienced after a bath on a cold night. She had never felt this kind of chill before; primal, almost, like her nerves went on a minor overload and had nowhere else to expend their energy in a safe manner. She felt powerful when he said her name. She felt like her name belonged in his mouth.
Liebe blushed. She was not quite sure exactly what she was blushing at, but it happened nonetheless, and as she felt the warmth spread across her cheeks, she huffed impatiently. She twitched her neck and felt a single leaf flutter from her tangled, knotted mane and dance to the grass. She watched it fall to the earth, focusing on it a little too much to collect her thoughts.
“Glósóli,” she mimicked quietly, furrowing her brow in concentration to make sure she did not mess it up.
She looked back to the stallion, trying to devise a clever plan quickly before he noticed any lull in the conversation. She honestly had no idea what she was doing; why did she want him to stay? The question crossed her mind over and over, in different tones each time. Why did she want him to stay? Why did she want him to stay? Why did she want him to stay?
She wanted to ask him about her father and brother. She wanted to run him off into the trees. But, more than anything, she wanted to continue drinking him in like she was dying of thirst. She had never before been so transfixed by another, especially since Journey had instilled such a sense of hatred toward stallions in her from such a young age.
“Can you help me get this tree out of my hair?” she blurted suddenly, blushing again and cursing herself under her breath for being such a nitwit. To be fair, it would be nearly impossible to get all the twigs and leaves and things out of her mane and tail herself without some careful finagling that she was not sure she could manage. Journey would be more than happy to help, but then she would have to explain where she had been all night, and it was best to avoid mentioning any strange Angeni stallions in the woods to her overprotective mother.
“I mean, if you want to, I'd appreciate it,” she mumbled, trying to cover all her bases, just in case he was being overly polite and actually did want to leave. “I know you're probably busy and have to get back to your herd or family or whatever, but it'll take me hours on my own.” She paused for a moment, before adding in a small voice, “Keep me company, Glósóli?”Word count: 498
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 11:32 pm
Glósóli allowed himself to smile a little when she pronounced his name correctly; it had strange sounds, this he knew, and some Soquili did not have the tongues for it. Ever the dutiful, polite stallion, he opted to ignore the blush that crept across the mare's face, visible even beneath her grey coat. He thought it was cute, endearing, so very attractive...
He cleared his throat to get his own attention back, feeling heat creeping at his own cheeks and his heart thundering somewhere in the vicinity of his throat.
The stallion had never felt something so strong for another Soquili before, ever, in his whole life, and he barely even knew this mare. She could be lying to him, for all he knew! Yet every time he caught her bright green eyes, every time he caught her glancing up at him from under her dark eyelashes, he felt his heart stop and start, all at once. Usually quiet and confident, he fought himself to avoid blurting something he would regret and scaring her off; he did not think he could live with himself if he did that. It would shatter him.
Glósóli knew nothing about Liebe but her name, and all he wanted to do was spend the rest of his life learning everything she could teach him.
He chuckled when she asked him to get the branches from her mane. He thought they were cute and would have left them alone, however he had noticed how knotted and snarled her mane had become and knew it would not have been comfortable. Now he was faced with a task; what to do? He had to answer in a way that would make her fall as madly for him as he was already falling for her, but the words in his head were too jumbled to make a coherent thought. Should he be confident and bold? Or would he come off as too cocky? Would awkward and fumbling be too much of a turn-off for her, and force her to leave? He could not bare the thought.
And what would she think of his family, or lack thereof? Surely every eligible, sane, handsome stallion around here had a mate already, and here he was, entirely alone, thousands of miles from home. He of course had to tell her the truth, but how much truth was too much?
“I am a recent arrival to these lands, no mate or children or anyone to miss me besides my mother back home,” he replied. He hesitated for a moment, debating with himself about his next move.
Throwing caution to the wind, the stallion made a decision and stuck with it, stepping toward Liebe and maintaining eye contact as he entered her personal space. Gently, slowly, watching her every reaction, he reached forward, carefully plucking a loose twig from her mane with his teeth, showing it to her before placing it on the ground.
“Nothing would bring me more joy than to spend this beautiful night with you, Liebe,” he purred.Word count: 509
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 1:04 am
Oh dear, Liebe thought, panicking slightly. Oh dear, oh dear. She had never done this before; flirted with a stallion, that is. She had never had the slightest inking of how to do flirt, and even after a few lessons with Rosalind, she still had not figured out the art and science of the eyelash-flutter. She felt silly and awkward and the other mare had agreed, letting her down by saying gently that maybe she should not flirt, and just let the boys come to her.
That is exactly what had happened. Liebe felt the stallion's eyes on her, boring into her, burning through her skin with a pleasant tingling that ran up her spine and down her legs. She was sure if she had spoken, it would have come out in a jumbled, garbled mess.
Calm down, old girl, she chided herself, making an honest attempt to control her erratic breathing and failing miserably. Keep your cool. You will be fine.
She never pulled her eyes away from Glósóli's, carefully tiptoeing around him with as much grace as she could muster – which was not much, but she was doing better than she thought she would – turning her head to watch him as she slowly made her way to the shallow pool.
The second her hooves touched the sparkling, crystal-clear water, her worries instantly washed away. She submerged herself somewhat clumsily, ignoring the blush that crept back to her cheeks as she knew the stallion was watching her every move. Even when she looked away, she could feel his gaze on her back, on her wings, on her very soul... it was invigorating and terrifying, all at once.
Once she had settled into the pool, she turned back to him, smiling excitedly. “This water is amazing!” she cried, a little more loudly than she had intended. She laughed as her voice echoed around the clearing, pulling a wingtip to her mouth to stifle it.
“I'm sorry, I did not mean to be so loud,” she said quietly, sinking down into the water so only her nostrils, eyes, and ears remained above, playfully hiding from Glósóli. She remembered words Rosalind had told her, about what kind of mare stallions wanted – quiet, obedient, serious, not words that would describe Liebe in the slightest – and felt her smile falter. But she had not been any of those things before, when Glósóli first laid eyes on her. What would it matter if he did not like her for who she truly was? It would be his loss, no doubt about it.
Liebe decided the best course of action was to assure the stallion of what kind of mare she was. She reared out of the water and kicked at the pristine surface with one hoof, sending the splash directly to Glósóli. She grinned triumphantly as her attack hit its mark, half-emerging from the pool to position herself to retaliate should he decide to play along with her game.
“Oh no, did I splash you?” she teased impishly, dragging a wingtip across the water and awaiting the stallion's next move.Word Count: 521
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 8:17 pm
Glósóli watched her every move as she made her way to the pool. He knew she could tell he was watching, but the guilty feeling that crept up his neck was drowned out by the sheer exhilaration that came from what was unfolding in front of him.
His mother had always spoken of the electricity of finding love. He was never quite sure if she was speaking of his father or another stallion from days long past, but the way her eyes misted over as she described it made him realize it was never just a fling for her. She said the air seemed to dance around both of them like smoke around a fire, absolutely buzzing with the gentle hum of the earth. The stars seemed brighter, the moon seemed bigger, the grass greener. Even the smallest, most insignificant part of the other creature was something to be revered, worshiped, loved.
As Glósóli stared at the mare, urging his mind to keep this image clear until the end of his days, he felt a sharp, electric pain in his chest. All he wanted was her, now and forever. The earth hummed in agreement.
He stepped toward her without even realizing it, his whole body urging him closer to her. It was like she was a flame and he was a poor, helpless moth, grinning from ear to ear until the very end. He would go to the ends of the earth for her. He would move earth and water for her. He would give himself in her stead.
This is what love must have felt like.
Suddenly, without warning, the stallion was hit with an icy wall of water, kicked up by the mare's well-aimed hoof. He paused for a moment, taken aback by the sudden attack, but maintained his composure. He quirked his brow at the mare, stepping forward again without hesitation; his body hummed along with the earth, and she had piqued his interest.
“Oh, you want to play, do you?” he purred again confidently, stepping around the edge of the pool and dipping the tip of his wing as Liebe had done. He had the upper hand in this situation; she was stuck in the water, below him, with only one vantage point. He had the whole clearing to use, with literal higher ground and more resources.
“You should know better than to get into a splash war with a stallion such as myself,” he teased, feigning disinterest as he lazily made his way around the edge of the water. He felt like a predator playing with its food.
“I've done this a few times.” He kicked up his heels and made contact with the water, skimming along the surface and sending a sharp, heavy cascade down on Liebe. Part of him felt guilty for splashing her (girls did not like being splashed, did they?) but the other part – the primal, cocky, confident side that had only recently emerged – growled with delight.
He darted to the other side of the pool, using his wings to propel him forward swiftly. When he landed, he chuckled. “Oh no, did I splash you?”Word count: 529
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 10:24 pm
Liebe stared at the stallion incredulously, a sly grin cracking through her otherwise angry expression. Oh, this golden hunk had met his match with the fiery little grey mare; her eyes darted quickly to her surroundings when his attention was drawn from her, but maintained eye contact when he looked.
She felt as though she was both the cat and the mouse in this little game they had created; looking for the next opening to strike, while also feeling the cold chill of adrenaline up her spine, waiting to be pounced on. She had never played with another Soquili like this in her adult life, and was not quite sure what Rosalind's recommended rules and regulations of such encounters were.
Stop thinking like Rosalind, her inner voice chided kindly, encouraging her on. He seems to like you for you. You have got this.
The fact was, she was not afraid of him, or her growing feelings for him, at all. Not anymore. The moment he splashed her back and gave her that look – oh, the look he gave her was enough to melt any ice left in her heart – she knew she was done for, and would jump off a cliff if he had asked. She did not want to admit it, but in the very short amount of time she had been around Glósóli, she had already felt more at home than any nights she had spent caring for her mother. Even her little ticks, her excitability, her focus issues... gone. All gone when he was there.
It was as though he had taken her whole crooked world, and set it right.
Liebe took a deep breath, steeling her resolve, before calling up to the stallion, all hints of play lost from her voice.
“Have you ever met someone, in such a random, impossible sort of way, and just know that all the stars aligned and the Universe came together just so you two could meet?” she asked, almost dreamily. Her eyes never wavered from Glósóli's. “Can a heart feel like home?” She felt a lump well up in her throat, but she swallowed it down.
Her heart knew what it wanted, and it knew where she needed to be. She had never felt more certain of a decision in her entire lifetime, and that decision was to be with this stallion, wherever it took her.
“I know I'm a foolish girl you met in the woods, but I think the Universe brought us together for a reason,” she explained, surprising herself with the confidence in her voice, driving her to say more. “You've already broken down my defenses and have a clear shot to my heart...”
She blinked away a single tear as she smiled up to him, his golden form silhouetted in front of the bright moon behind him. “Please be kind to it.”Word Count: 481
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 1:40 am
Glósóli stared at Liebe for what felt like an eternity, all cockiness melting away as he turned all of his attention directly to her. His mind spun at a hundred miles a minute, trying to process everything she had said to him; had he ever met anyone who made him feel like the stars were aligning? Had a heart ever felt like home?
Only hers. Only Liebe.
The thumping in the stallion's chest skipped a beat as he realized she was speaking about him, asking him to be kind to her. The idea of being unkind to this mare was so far beyond incomprehensible, he almost laughed out loud. Before he could, however, it felt as though the forest floor was being pulled out from under him; when he had registered what she had said, and realized that she loved him just as he loved her, his knees felt so weak for a moment, he thought for sure he would fall to the grass.
Instead, he used the excuse to move to his advantage, and plunged himself fully into the water, maintaining eye contact with the mare as he closed the small gap between them. To his pleasant surprise, they indeed both fit in the tiny pool comfortably, with enough room to spare for their wings and his completely asinine amount of hair. His pale mane and tail billowed on the surface around him, soon intertwining with Liebe's as he got closer.
“Forgive me if I am too forward,” he purred, choosing his words carefully, getting within inches of the mare. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as he slowly reached for her mane with his teeth and plucked a leaf out, dropping it politely in the water as he went back for another, and another. He began humming as he worked; quietly at first, under his breath where he was sure she could not hear it. But the more leaves and twigs he pulled out of the mare's mane, the louder he became, until he was singing aloud. He was not quite sure of the words of the song, as they were in another language he did not speak nor understand, but he made do with what he remembered.
When he had finished, and Liebe's mane and tail were soft and tangle-free due to the deftness of his teeth and wingtips working in unison, he stepped back and admired her; not his handiwork, but the creature underneath, glowing gold in the early sunrise with a faint, sleepy smile on her face.
“I have a gift,” he whispered to her, growing a little nervous now. He lifted his right wings and reached beneath the soft feathers to a small bag he had hidden there; he carried his most prized possessions in that bag, and he knew exactly which one Liebe would find altogether relevant and sweet, although slightly morbid.
He placed the bag on the grass with his teeth and gently lifted out the item he was looking for with his wingtips, holding it up for a brief moment so Liebe could see; a Soquili heart, glowing gold in color, which instantly attracted all the butterflies in the small clearing. He had owned it since he was a foal, unsure of its origin or purpose, but his golden heart had yet to lead him wrong.
“My heart is yours,” he began, watching her face for any semblance of disgust or distaste toward the gift. “Forever, if you'll have me.”Word count: 586
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 9:51 pm
If Heaven, or the afterlife, the greener pastures across the rainbow bridge after one's worldly body ceased functioning – if any of those places existed, Liebe could have given anyone a run for their money with her argument that this moment, out of every moment she had ever experienced, was the closest to it she would ever be. She could have lived in that pool for an eternity, as long as Glósóli stayed there with her.
She felt every muscle in her body relaxing, every ounce of tension she had held in her neck and shoulders for so long, carrying the weight of being her mother's burden, releasing with her every exhale. The stallion seemed to work in rhythm with her breathing; whether that was his doing or hers, she was not entirely positive, but the effect lulled her into an almost sedated state.
The sounds of the forest had died down, and all she could her was Glósóli's singing. He sang as he moved around her, plucking twigs and leaves from her knotted mane, gently untangling the strands without pulling or breaking a single hair. His voice floated up through the trees and sank somewhere deep in her chest; his voice sounded like the first happy day of summer, of the fireflies lighting up the fields and the first booming thunderstorms that rolled through the valleys.
Liebe opened her eyes when the stallion spoke, curious as to the gift he spoke of. When he produced a glowing golden heart, she was overcome with questions: was that actually his heart? If not, where did he get it? If so, how is he alive? Why does he have it with him? Does he just carry it around in hopes of finding himself a pretty lady to give it to? How fragile is it? How cool is it?! Is she allowed to touch it or is it a look-at-it-only sort of gift? Are the butterflies supposed to be there or are they heart-munching butterflies they need to watch out for in the future? Can she wear it? Would that be weird?
And then she heard the second part. Forever, if you'll have me. Me. Him. Not just the golden heart he pulled out of seemingly nowhere, but him. Deep in her bones, she had never wanted something more in her life.
She struggled for a moment before responding, weighing her silly questions against her answer. She had to word this properly to not mess it all up. Her future depended on it.
“I am already yours,” she said, her voice steady as she maintained eye contact. Even she was a little surprised by her composure and assurance, and felt a tingle run up her spine. “And of course you've got a heart of gold.”
She rolled her eyes dramatically, a sly grin on her face, catching sight of the rapidly approaching dawn before noting the time with a small groan.
“I've got to be heading back to my mother,” she lamented, inching closer to the stallion despite her intent to leave. She paused for a moment, the gears turning in her head, before coming to a sudden realization. She looked back up to him expectantly. “Want to come meet her? I can't promise she'll be thrilled to see you, but the thought of leaving you for even a moment is unbearable.” The last bit sort of slipped out, but she felt no embarrassment; only absolute certainty that what she said was true.Word count: 582
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 10:53 pm
Glósóli slipped the glowing gold heart around Liebe's neck, chuckling under his breath when a butterfly landed directly on his beloved's nose. The heart seemed to glow brighter as it settled on her chest; was it responding to her own steady heartbeat, or was it reflecting its former owner's unfiltered joy? The stallion was not sure, but either way, he felt better than he had in months.
With the sun peeking just above the horizon, the early morning blues and greys cast Liebe in an almost ethereal light, and with the golden glow at her chest, she looked like a goddess sprung from the shallow pool, eager to save drowning souls. But this was the queen he had dreamed of meeting his whole life; not a warrior princess, nor a high priestess, but a normal creature that inspired him to revere her in such a way. She was way out of his league and he totally accepted it.
“I would be delighted to meet your mother,” he responded coolly, mentally patting himself on the back for hiding his minor terror. He had no doubt he would give Liebe's mother a fantastic first impression, along with an outstanding review and a list of exceptional references; however, from how she had said it, he was positive she would have some sort of problem with him, regardless of how charming and funny and handsome he was.
“I was not planning on leaving your side any time soon, if at all,” he continued, forcing his hooves to move from the spot and guiding her toward wherever her mother waited. “I hope that is not a problem. I would not want to intrude.” He winked at her slyly, deeply thrilled about the entire adventure.
They settled into a steady rhythm once they had made it to the forest, Liebe leading the way and Glósóli following dutifully, lifting tree branches and stomping back shrubbery to keep her path twig-free – not that he would mind picking through her mane again, but the gentlemanly thing to do was keep her as clean as possible and look like a tough guy in the process. Right?
“Be careful with that heart, by the way!” he remembered suddenly, laughing at his own oversight. “It is very durable and hasn't aged a day since I found it, but I also take extraordinary care of it... and you, I'll take extraordinary care of you, too.” He smiled down at her fondly; he already felt like he had found his missing piece that made him whole, and he barely knew this mare. This is what magic must have felt like.
Approaching the camp where Liebe and her mother stayed, he pressed himself up next to her, walking in stride and presenting the pair of them as a united team. As afraid as Glósóli was, one look at the golden heart glowing around her neck assured him he had made the right choice; his golden heart.Word count: 495
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
