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 Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:12 pm
Dawn broke upon a violet sky, spreading color as far as the eye could see. Brilliant oranges mingled with vibrant yellows as a blanket of orange blocked out fading stars, the scarcest touch of indigo peeking through in places. The sky was blazing brightly, as beautiful as anything a mere mortal could imagine.
One such mortal was gazing at the passing clouds, her mind in turmoil.
Her body had changed, altered by the presence of life kindled within her. She had not known at first, thinking perhaps that she had eaten too much fresh grass or partaken in the juicy delight of one too many apples... but a flicker of memory had pushed all those doubts aside. A memory of cave, of seeking shelter from the rain, of wandering until her steps faltered from exhaustion... a sturdy stallion by her side...
She was pregnant.
It had hit her like a bullet, scattering her thoughts and causing her heart to race. She did not know what to think. It was too soon to know when the foals would come. What if they came before she was ready? What if... She felt a certain apprehension, uncertain of her worth as a mother. Would she be able to raise children, guiding their minds as they grew to adulthood? Could she protect them? Would she...
What would he think? Would he see her as an unwelcome burden, as no better than that Milkshake mare with whom he had shared a lasting friendship... a friendship that had been shattered by the arrival of foals? She had met him only once. Would whatever connection that had felt that first time, whatever had lead her to trust him enough to follow him to shelter from the rain, survive this? Would he look at her with disgust? Would he even remember?
She cast those thoughts aside. There would be time enough for them later. Many days had passed since she had made her decision to seek out the father and tell him what had transpired. He had a right to know.
There was only one stallion who could be the father. Only one...
... and he was nowhere to be found.
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Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:32 pm
Flat azure hues were focused blankly on the worn path before him as the winged stallion trodded down the forest's expanse, thoughts lingering on the only true companion that he'd made a lasting friendship with these past months. He resented the fact that he'd thought about her more than himself in recent days, but in truth, he was grateful for her companionship... her company. Only his mother had ever provided him with a feeling of solace... but even she didn't make him forget his troubles as this mare had.
A soft sigh tumbled from his mouth as he continued on his way, oblivious to the minute softening of his cerulean irises as her image surfaced in his mind.
A silouhette on the horizon drew his attention from the grass and dirt beneath his hooves, a soft expression settling upon his features as he recognized the mare that had occupied his thoughts. He dismissed the idea that he had become soft with an inward scowl... he supposed it was acceptable enough if it was only around this one soul. Her calm and gentle nature had soothed him enough that he could admit he owed her that admission, at the very least.
Drawing closer to her petite form, his lazy steps halted abruptly as he took notice of something he hadn't seen in the distance. Baby blue eyes widened in shock as they settled upon her swollen stomach, confused gaze raising to meet her own as a multitude of emotions swirled within it. She'd never told him about this... about having a significant other... and as much as he would have liked to deny it, a feeling of hurt was foremost in his heart. Hadn't he been forthcoming enough that she would feel comfortable confiding about this in him?
"Evelyn..?" his voice was gruff, like it always was, but it belied a small hint of what he was feeling... even if he couldn't identify all of them himself.
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Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:50 pm
Evelyn's eyes snapped shut, her thoughts coming to an abrupt halt. Her breathing hitched, the smooth flow of air cut off as her name, poised as a question, reached her ears.
She knew that voice.
It was a voice she had come to welcome over the past few moons. A voice that belonged to one with whom she had come to share a passing friendship, filled with rambling walks and idle chatter that seemed so strange when punctuated by awkward pauses akin to that a foal just learning to welcome the presence of others would make. Many times had she heard that voice change, altered subtly by amusement or idle displeasure. But not once had she heard him speak her name like this.
She took a slow, calming breath... and turned to face Kureno. Her eyes opened ever so slowly, as though she were afraid she might break if the motion was made too fast.
For him to see her like this... she did not know what he would think. She hoped only that he would not condemn her for it.
Her emotions were layed bare in the swirling pools of lavender light that served as her eyes, standing out in stark contrast when compared to the soothing calm warmth that usually radiated from them. She stared at him, her gaze wavering slightly.
She did not trust herself to speak.
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:06 am
He couldn't make sense of the tumultous emotions roiling within him as he observed her, the air between them suddenly more tense than it had been when they had first met. Was she sorry? Was she glad? Did the fact that he had considered her a friend, a close friend at that, mean anything to her? Why would she keep this from him, if he'd shared so much of what he was shared with her and no one else?
As her lavender gaze rose to meet his own, he noted the uncertainty, the anguish and the fear that lay there, and a tiny part of him cried out to comfort her, as he suspected that she would have done for him if their roles were reversed... but he couldn't completely expel the dull sting of what felt like betrayal festering in his heart. Did he misinterpret their kinship? Was he no more of a friend to her than any of the mares he'd only had a passing conversation with? He wasn't sure he could shoulder the humiliation of that thought, if it were true.
If he was as much of a friend to her as she had led him to believe... then why had she not come forth with this earlier?
"...Why didn't you tell me?" For the first time in his existence, Kureno allowed a single emotion to filter through his voice, his eyes softened into a look that was distinctly hurt. No matter how much he felt badly at the moment, he would only ever trust her to show his emotions to... even if they were negative emotions.
After a moment, his stoic mask was back in place... showing no trace of the disappointment he'd just displayed a moment earlier. The feelings he'd shown in the past had always been filtered, but he'd never worn the mask since that first night... not until now. Now... he felt that he needed it again. Had mother been right all along? Were friendships really worth the damage they caused in the end?
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:53 pm
Evelyn hesitated, anguish clouding her thoughts. For a single moment, she had seen the hurt in his eyes. She had heard emotion ringing in his voice. It was all gone now. The only thing that was left was a shell, a mask displayed to the outside world... a wall to hide one's emotions, to form a barrier between oneself and the pain caused by living. Had he truly reverted back to his former self, or only closed up again? Was her friend still in there? If he was... would he ever want to come back out again?
"I... I did not..." her melodious voice broke. "... I did not know. When I saw you last..." she took a deep breath before continuing "... I had not yet met... him. I would have told you. I would have, had I known what was to come..." she hesitated, uncertainty swirling in her lavender eyes. While others closed up when confronted with harsh situations or words that were painful to speak, they shut down and turned their thoughts inwards. When Evelyn was faced with the same situations, when her lips formed those same painful words, every emotion she felt was painted upon her ebon-grey features. Her melodious voice was wrought with despair, laced with anguish.
She gazed at the one stallion she would consider a friend, and pleaded with him to understand. "I met him only once. In all my travels, I had never come across him until that night. He was a stranger." she hesitated, realizing how foolish she had been. To trust a stranger... it was a naive thing for one who claimed to have traveled all throughout the lands to do. "It was raining. We sought shelter. He remembered seeing a cave a ways back, and we made our way towards it. We went inside. The rain was not letting up, and so we explored the cave... I remember being tired, and leaning against his sturdy form. Beyond that, I..." she faltered "... I do not know. I can guess as to what transpired, but..." a single, sparkling tear shone in her left eye "... It was not planned." her words were plain, nothing but truth in their depths "Had I... loved... another, had I planned this, I would have told you!" the last note rang out, holding within it all the pain this unexpected 'miracle' had caused her.
(( EDIT: Sorry if I killed ya with that one. ;o; ))
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:16 pm
The evidence that she was, at the least, sorry about the brief display of disappointment he'd shown tempered his chaotic thoughts, bringing a small bit of comfort to the maelstrom wreaking havoc on his mind.
The sting of hurt lessened a bit as she revealed that she had not previously known, but a new suspicion arose at her evident sorrow and shame as his eyes narrowed in the barest beginnings of anger. "...Was it without your consent?" No matter how emotionless a shell he was, there were things that even he would not tolerate when it came to those he did care about. If this stallion she spoke of had violated her... the consequences would be severe.
The sight of a shining tear sliding down the dark grey fur of her cheek loosened his heart a bit, and in a brief display of sympathy, and- dare he think it- caring, a feathered wing rose to brush the glittering droplet away. He told himself that it was only because of her resemblance to his mother that he cared, unable to comprehend the mere notion of caring for another besides himself and Sukari.
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:47 pm
Evelyn quivered slightly, holding back the flood of tears that threatened to break free. She would not return his kindness with undignified distress.
"I do not know." her voice came out as a whisper, barely discernible even though a scant few feet seperated them.
The fact that she did not know was grating at her. She did not believe that stallion would be capable of such a thing, but... she had been wrong before.
It was the first matter her memory had failed her in. Perhaps it was due to the exhaustion she had felt that night, perhaps because they had stayed up so late exchanging idle chatter. She remembered him suggesting taking a nap before continuing their wanderings. She remembered him wandering about, looking for a smooth portion of rock to lay down upon... and then finding one, and coming back to her. She remembered him nudging her towards it, urging her to rest. She remembered walking forwards, compliant. She remembered him dancing about as though uncertain, a second nudge urging her forwards once more. She remembered a light chuckle, the flicker of a tail...
Beyond that, her memory was a blur.
Perhaps he remembered. Perhaps, if she found him... no, when she found him... he would fill in the blanks, reassuring her that he had done no wrong.
She could not believe that one who had laughed so gaily could have... forced her. Surely she...?
"I... I have to find him." Her lavender gazed fixed upon the stallion's cool blue gaze. Searching, pleading... hoping.
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:10 pm
The sight of withheld tears pulled at him in a way that disturbed him, and for a moment, he broke their gaze to look away, speaking in a softer voice than before. "You can cry if you want. I won't think less of you for it." With anyone else, he probably would have thought less of them for showing a weakness... but she was different. And she had a good reason for her tears.
His eyes narrowed again, this time in confusion, at her admission that she did not remember. What sort of thing could happen to make one not remember such an event? Generally memory loss happened when something was excessively traumatic... but he preferred not to think of that as a possibility. Either way, this stallion was not getting off the hook very easily.
Turning his eyes to meet her pleading lavender stare once more, he heaved a soft sigh as he realized what she wanted, what she was asking for. He'd planned to find this stallion and deal with him himself... but he supposed that it would be a bit difficult with nothing to go on. Then again, with Evelyn present, he had a feeling she might hinder some of the violent thoughts he was planning on expressing.
After a moment's deliberation, he lowered his eyes and gave her a single accepting nod. "I will help you."
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:35 pm
A look of utter gratitude entered her lavender eyes, holding the tears at bay.
"Thank you." Those words were meant for more then the simple thanks protocol demanded. Not only had he given her permission to cry, something that she had thought would be so uncomfortable for the stoic stallion... he had offered to help her find the father of her children.
For this first time since she had came to the realization that life was blooming inside her, her mind was at ease. She would not have to face him alone. Kureno would be at her side, for as long as he willed it so.
Would it be wrong to say that she was in his debt? If he considered them to be friends, perhaps it would be so. If he did not... it might be expected.
"I... Do you wish to know who it is we are looking for?" The words came in a rush, and it was only once they had already left her lips that she realized their folly. If he did not know what he was looking for, how could he ever hope to help?
The smallest upward curvature of her lips hinted at a smile, something that had not graced her features in many moons.
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Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 5:36 pm
He could see the gratitude in her eyes, and it unnerved him a bit, having never dealt with such a thing before... was it warranted? They were friends, after all... and he had only offered to help her find the fool that had brought on this mess. And whoever that stallion was had a fair bit of explaining to do, if Kureno didn't kill him first.
He gave a swift nod as a response to her next question, keeping silent as the ire he'd repressed to offer some semblance of comfort re-entered his azure hues. Intended or not, this stallion had done her a great personal wrong- at least in the sense that she had obviously not planned on getting pregnant.
The smile that adorned her silver and ebon' features made him relax a bit, and he returned the gesture with one of his fleeting smirks before it was gone once again, replaced by the stoic mask that he wore so often.
Turning, he gestured to the path before him with one ebon' feathered wing, folding it back to his side afterward and focusing his attention on the road ahead. He didn't doubt that it would be a dramatic confrontation, and he hoped he wouldn't regret becoming involved.
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Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 5:57 pm
The familiar gesture brought comfort to her. He had made much the same movement, the light inclination of one coal-dusted wing, when they had first met... when they had gone on the first of many walks together.
Of course, this was no walk. It was a search.
Her eyes had warmed, taking on a look that was more like her normal countenance then the harried near-panic of moments before. As she spoke, her voice became increasingly steadier until it regained its usual smooth, almost lyrical rhythm.
"He... is about your height. He is... the color of... of... the outermost bark of a redwood tree, that has sat in the sun for far too long and become bleached in places... I believe the two-leggeds call his color 'Silver Bay.' His mane and tail are the color of new cream... both are braided. He has lavender eyes."
It was his eyes that would make him stand out. There were many bay stallions, many more with coats the color of mud or tree-bark... but he had lavender eyes. Evelyn's eyes.
If only those eyes were to be found around the next bend in their path.
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