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 Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:08 am
It was clear that everyone could always count on Shen for answers, and Huojin only chuckled at his brother before nudging him lightly at the side. "See, if you weren't here we'd be standing here for days. Talking..." Huojin wasn't sure how he felt when it came to 'talking', but he supposed he would give it a try. He knew nothing of his father, and better yet, his mother either! And he didn't know of what excursions or adventures Shen had found out on his own now.
Giving himself a light sigh, he figured he might as well start this whole 'talking' ordeal. "So, why don't you tell us some stuff about you, dad." Since, he was the mystery man, of course. He would bother his mother later.. but for now his father was a good focus, since Huojin was sure Shen wanted to know anything new as well.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:54 am
She smiled at the son that so resembled her. He had always had a level head and been calm in situations where others might lose themselves. She admired him for that. She knew that she didn't have that ability at all. She nodded her head a bit at his suggestion.
"Yes, that would be a good idea. After all, none of us have seen each other in some time, so we could all do with some catching up."
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He was glad that things seemed to be calming down for the time being. At Huojin's question, he felt himself calming down and becoming more comfortable. He felt he could be more himself now that it seemed that he was being accepted.
"Well, I do have quite a story to tell that I believe will help you to understand much of what I am. Though it is a long story, I'd be more than happy to tell you if you're willing to listen."
He smiled at his family. He would like nothing more than to share his story with them right now. His legend was something that he was very proud of.
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Shen smiled at his brother. He was glad that he had a good relationship with at least Huojin. And he hoped now that he would form a strong bond with his father.
"I'd love to hear the story."
He smiled at his father, and looked over to Huojin, hoping that he would also be willing to listen to the story. They should learn all they could about their father.
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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:19 pm
"I'd also like to hear the story." Huojin then said, while blinking slightly that he copied his brother so much. But it was true, he wanted to know everything he could about his father! Finally he could have a father, and a father with a story?! How cool was that? Huojin certainly didn't have a story, but maybe one day he could be as accomplished as his father. He then shuffled his hooves a bit and fixed his posture to be more comfortable, and once he flipped his hair out of his eyes, he was completely ready to hear his father's words.
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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:44 am
Ju was also eager to hear the story. The way that she and Raksh had found each other was slightly unusual, and she didn't really know much about his past. But she was sure that he was the one she was meant to be with. But she was now glad that they had met up with their children. Now they could all learn a bit more about each other.
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Shen smiled at his brother. It seemed that he was finally accepting this sudden appearance of their father, and he was now eager to learn as much as he could about him. He also shifted his weight on his feet as he waited for their father to tell them about himself.
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He was overjoyed that everybody was so willing to listen to him. He was very proud of his unusual heritage, and was happy to know that others were interested in it as well.
"I am glad you are willing to listen. I hope it will meet you expectations. If I might say so myself, it it quite an amazing story."
He smiled and tossed his heavy mane aside, as a bit of it had fallen in his face. He sighed as he began his story.
"There was once a prince named Rostram. He wanted the best horse in all the lands. After visiting many breeders, he still couldn't find one that was good enough for him. Then one day, he came across a nomad herder who tamed wild horses. The original horse Rakhsh was just a yearling at the time, but already showed his strength and wildness. None could tame him. None could contain him. Rostram, admiring the power that the horse held, wanted it more than anything, and would have no other. The nomad shook his head and said that he would not try again to capture the yearling. So Rostram tried it himself. He alone was the only one who could capture the wild stallion, and so it was his to keep. They formed a bond and understood each other, and Rakhsh would never let anybody else ride him. Shortly after capturing Rakhsh, Rostram left on a series of wonderful travels, and he and his horse encountered many difficulties. They battled horrible beasts and defeated many enemies. Rakhsh was said to be the bravest horse ever to live. And he always stayed by Rostram's side. Not because he was his master, for Rakhsh had no master, but because they were bonded together by some unseen force. Rakhsh never required any training. He protected Rostram instinctively and fought the same way."
He paused for a moment after this long speech. He thought that everybody's ears could use a short rest. After a moment, he continued.
"Rostram had divine protection from the gods, and due to the bond they shared, this protection was passed onto Rakhsh as well, and gave him an unusually long life. The final enemy that Rostram and Rakhsh faced together was Rostram's half-brother, Shaghad, who was very jealous of Rostram's power and strength, and his incredible bond with Rakhsh. He desired power over anything else, and saw his brother as competition that would eventually bring him down. In the end, it was Shaghad who finally defeated the seemingly unbeatable pair. They died together, and there was much sorrow in the world after their deaths. However, Rakhsh's spirit was so strong, and the gods were so fond of him, that a small piece of his soul lingered on in the living world. For thousands of years, it floated aimlessly around the world, searching for a soul that would be compatible with his. And he finally found one. Centuries after his death, Rakhsh found a soul that he though was worthy to carry on his legend. And at that point, I was born. I carry within me that bit of soul from the legendary horse that accomplished so much in his living life."
He stopped and sighed, lowering his head a bit as he thought about this. He had known about this piece of his soul as soon as he was born. There was a part of Rakhsh's original soul that spoke to him without words. And though he had lived with this his whole life, every time he spoke about it, he was reminded of the heavy weight that he had to bear in carrying this soul with him. Though there were no expectations from others, he held his own expectations, and tried his hardest to live up to the legend that he had become part of.
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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:33 pm
For most of the story, Huojin's mouth lay semi-open, and a surprised expression lay flat on his face. His father had told an amazing story, there was no doubt about that. As a son, Huojin had a helluva lot to be proud of, and he felt crazed at the thought of himself compared to his father. "Father, its as if you carry a huge burden, but the burden is rather positive in a sense." he smiled lightly, and imagined the courage his father had for experiencing this all. "Imagine that.. my father is literally legendary." With a slight head tilt, Huojin was truly excited about his father's truth. "Shen, isn't this amazing? I am just glad mom found such an awesome stallion when she had us." with a grin, he locked eyes with his mother's, before nodding happily. "But still, does it ever feel like an out of body experience, father?" Even he wasn't sure what that meant, but he thought he overhead someone talking about such a thing once.
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:59 pm
Ju smiled calmly as her mate told his story to his family. She was impressed throughout the entire story, and found herself feeling proud that he had chosen her to be with for the rest of his life. She looked up at him and leaned against him as he finished his story.
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Shen agreed that it was amazing. But he didn't find it hard to believe. As soon as he had laid eyes on his father, he noticed that he carried himself well, and had almost a regal quality about him.
"Yes, it is amazing. I'm very proud to have such a father."
He smiled and bowed his head lightly at his father. It was true. Not only did he come home to find his mother and his father reunited, but he now learned that his father was no ordinary Soquili.
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He had gotten this question before, and he chuckled when Huojin asked it of him.
"Not really. Like I said, I knew who I was from the moment I was born, and I knew what kind of live I had ahead of me. I speak with the gods on a regular basis, so it is not a burden I must carry without help. So, although it sounds like a very large burden, it always helps when there are others to help you along the way."
He smiled and looked around at his family. He couldn't be any happier than he was right now. He was surrounded by his family, finally reunited, and he was sharing his story with them. He only hoped the he would learn more about them soon.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:34 am
Huojin let out a nice sigh of relief, since he was rather worried that his father carried a harsh fate. But from his father's positive tone, he knew everything would be alright and he was rather glad! "So now that you have reunited with mother, do you plan on staying with her completely?" He rather liked the idea of his mother being taken care of, and she looked so much happier now that she wasn't alone. "Hopefully family life won't conflict with any God work?" Either way, his father could handle anything, look at how strong he was at the moment! "Shen and I won't interfere much, since we are all grown and mature." Well, Shen was already mature, and Huojin was still working on that!
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:37 am
She already knew the answer to her son's question, and rather thought that it was a ridiculous one.
"Of course he's going to stay with me! Why wouldn't he?!"
She scowled at Huojin for a while. She knew that he no longer wanted anything to do with her, and he was glad that somebody would be 'taking care of her'. She resented the fact that he thought she needed taking care of. She was about to say something else, but she looked at Raksh first and decided against it. She didn't want to upset him. He deserved better than to hear his family arguing upon first meeting his sons.
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Shen sighed slightly as his mother started yelling at Huojin. He had enjoyed the lack of her yelling at him, and wasn't overly excited to hear it start up again.
He looked at his father, making eye contact with him, and rolled his eyes a bit in a way that he hoped conveyed that this was somewhat normal, but nothing to worry about, as they both usually got over it. He then allowed himself a small smile as he noticed his mother quieting herself again.
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He smiled warmly at Huojin.
"As your mother says, I do have every intention of staying with her. She knows the burden I carry, and the gods understand that I have found love, and that I would like to have a family of my own."
He smiled around at them all.
"It should not interfere too much. Perhaps I might have to leave every now and then, but nothing too severe. In fact, I hope that we'll have more children someday, so that I can see them from birth to adulthood."
He spoke the last sentence softly, as he was slightly ashamed that he wasn't there for Shen and Huojin's childhood, but it seemed that they understood at this point, and weren't holding anything against him.
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:52 pm
Aaand once again, Huojin was not surprised to notice the reaction from his mother. He WANTED to say a number of things, but instead he just ignored her, since that was the easiest way. He could also see his brother's discomfort with his mother's yelling, so there was no reason to pester more. Her temper with him was seriously ridiculous, but Huojin was far used to it by now.
BUT, at his father's mention of more children, Huojin only snorted in response, and stared at the ground with a rigid expression. Were they serious? Why would they need a bigger family? He understood that their father wanted to be involved, but why could he JUST be involved with him and Shen?
"Well, I hope you and mom have a swell time raising your children." he then said, while holding his eyes on the muggy grass. With every word he spoke, he felt an anger develop in his stomach. He knew his father had good intentions and reasons, but he was not happy at all. He was allowed to be selfish. For years he was not selfish, and now that his father was around, he felt a dire need to get the attention he deserved.
But apparently his parents were looking for a new brood to do that. Huojin just spat before speaking some more.
"Maybe you'll have the children you always wanted, mother. And you too, father." His tone was rather calm, but he was serious in his actually meaning of the statement. He knew he had a right to speak out as he was, but still, he knew all his parents wanted to do was be happy...
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:33 pm
She listened as her son truly spoke his mind for the first time. For a moment, she felt bad for him, but then when he made a comment about her wanting the children she always wanted, she couldn't hold her tongue any longer.
"Who ever said I didn't want you and your brother?! True, I may not be the best mother, and not the easiest to be around, but I never said I didn't love you. How can you think that I don't want you in my life?!"
She was outraged at what he was saying. How could he say that she didn't care for him? She had raised him from a foal, hadn't she? And she had put up with his pestilent behaviour as well. She sighed and turned away so that she wasn't facing Huojin. She stared into the distance, not focusing on anything in particular.
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Shen sighed as his brother launched into his monologue. He knew that this would happen sometime soon. He had held his tongue for so long, and Shen knew that he couldn't stay quiet forever. He decided to just stand back and watch for now. He didn't want to add to the conflict. He also thought that Huojin needed to vent a bit, and that he deserved a moment to speak for himself.
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Raksh was slightly taken aback at Huojin's reaction. He thought that they had reached an understanding and that his son wasn't upset with him. But as he thought about it, the sudden appearance of a father into one's life wasn't something that was just accepted and understood so easily. He bowed his head slightly before speaking.
"I'm sorry if you feel as though I will be replacing you with younger children, because that is not the case at all. By all means, I would like to get to know you and your brother before having more children."
He sighed as he watched his son. He wished there was something he could do to make him understand how happy he was that they were in his life now.
"And as for having the children I always wanted, I think you should know that I have never been prouder than the moment I found out that I was the father of two sons. A close second is to see you both as grown adults and living on your own in this world. I know you may never forgive me for not being here when you were young, but I hope that we can move past that at some point and enjoy the time we have left together in this lifetime.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:39 am
Was his mother insane? She never acted like she loved them?! Or him really. "True, you always wanted Shen around. But me? Don't even incorporate love with my existence. There is nothing more fake then that." He snorted just as angerly as his mother before turning his eyes off of hers as well. Was she serious? The nerve she had sometimes.
But still, he listened carefully to his father before nodding and knowing that he couldn't judge the guy. "I appreciate your kindness, father. But I can't help striking my mother back like this as I do. See, you haven't raised us, so I have every reason to believe what you say. But mother did nothing but pretend a father didn't exist, and sometimes I felt like I didn't exist in her mind."
Huojin then looked at his brother, and wondered if he ever felt any anger towards their crazed mother. "I just want the next batch of siblings to have something more then what Shen and I had, and that is where my concern arises from. Mother may be better now, but I refuse to let any children understand what we went thought ourselves." He was only looking at his father now, and hoping he understood what he meant.
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Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:42 pm
She listened to her son, still keeping her eyes away from him. When he brought up the notion that she pretended that there was no father, she scoffed.
"I didn't know there was a father. I've told you that!"
And it was partially true. Ju had found herself in such a state of insanity that she would push out memories that she didn't want to remember. The encounter with Raksh had been embarrassing to her in the beginning, so she forgot about it. When she found herself pregnant, she just assumed it happened somehow without a father.
She sighed and looked at her son.
"I really am sorry if I ever made you think I didn't love you. I just didn't know what to do."
She looked back at the ground, her cheeks reddening a bit.
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Raksh nodded his head, looking at his son.
"I understand how you feel. But now that I am here, I will do all in my power to make sure that any other children we have will have a better childhood than you did. I wish I could go back and replace what you didn't have, but all we can do for now is move on in a better fashion than what was done before."
He sighed and looked at his other son, who had remained quiet throughout most of the discussion.
"I do hope that your silence is not in anger. If you feel the need to say something, please speak up. This is the time to do it, while we are all here together."
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Shen shook his head.
"No, I am not quiet out of anger. I just don't feel that I have anything to contribute to the conversation. I am not angry like Huojin is. I understand how mother had deluded herself into believing that there was no father. And I also understand that there was nothing that any of us could do to fix it. But for the time, I will remain quiet so that Huojin can get any feelings he has off of his chest. I believe that he needs to work some things out, so I will give him that chance."
He smiled lightly at his brother, hoping that his effort was appreciated.
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Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:23 pm
Huojin was much calmer at this point, and he was definitely satisfied that he had said everything that was built up inside of him. For years he had held so much immaturity and anger inside, and now that it was all released he felt rather content and pleased. "As I appreciate that Shen, I must admit that I am feeling much better at this moment in time. Thank you for that patience I envy so dearly," he paused then, and turned to his father. "And thank you father for believing in me and being so kind." he then finally turned to his mother, and he gave her the kindest smile he could. "And thanks for being honest, that's all I've ever wanted." He nodded then, and swished his tail to distract his deep words.
"May the family continue on in complete happiness." he then beckoned, while glancing sheepishly at his brother. Shen was smart, and Huojin was finally realizing that. To stay on the sidelines as he always did was a safer move, and Huojin was much too fiesty unfortunately to be that smart!
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Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:58 am
As she listened to her son, Ju's heart swelled until it almost burst. She was so happy to finally hear that her son was at least somewhat at ease with their family situation. She moved forward and leaned into him, leaning her neck against his in a hug.
"Thank you, Huojin. And I'm very sorry that I didn't give you the childhood that you deserved."
She pulled herself away and looked into his eyes, smiling.
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It was now Raksh's turn to stand back and remain quiet for a moment. It seemed that Huojin was finally making peace with his mother, and he was indescribably happy about that. All he wanted was to have peace in his family, and it seemed that they were finally getting there.
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Shen smiled at his brother.
"I'm glad that you're finally comfortable and at peace with our family now. I know our childhood was difficult for you, and I can understand that. We just handled it differently...in our own ways."
He smiled and looked around at his family. He was so glad to see that his brother and his mother now seemed to understand each other. It seemed that they were all actually starting to resemble a family now.
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:39 am
Now that all was well, Huojin nodded to everyone and also released a comfortable smile. "Well, since we are all here, why don't we go spend the day together? This area has all sorts to see, so we can all catch up and enjoy ourselves since the conflict is over and passed?"
He then moved himself forward a bit, and lead everyone away from their meeting area. They were instantly acting like a family, and laughing and smiling to each other. It was a moment Huojin had wanted his whole life, and he was completely happy. His father and mother were also laughing and smiling with him, and he couldn't believe it. Even Shen was having a wonderful time, and Huojin wondered if he was feeling it all too. How a true family felt. Everything was all right with them, and he knew it would continue to be even better as the family grew and learned from the past.
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