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 Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:14 am
Ashura was just a little taken aback by his sudden response, her smile somewhat faint as she continued to listen to his words. It appeared that while he may be shy there was a certain amount of justice and honour instilled in him. They were rare qualities to possess, yet the more he spoke the more she became aware of the fact that this particular stallion was more than just 'special'. He had a very strong mother if he had been raised this way, capable of accepting the differences of others even if they weren't exactly pleasant.
Family was family and blood was thicker than water, as they said.
Nevertheless it was with a certain amount of discomfort that she listened to his continued praise. In her opinion her choices had been made with little thought or consideration of the immediate outcome. She hadn't thought of what fate might await her parents for her stubborness, or the punishment they might receive for her poor behaviour. The gods only knew that her mother had already suffered enough and Ashura wasn't sure she could be held responsible for what else might happen to her. No doubt if she found her mother had been harmed, she would relent - while she didn't always care to admit it...she did have priorities.
"Sometimes you could say that running away is the easiest option," she pointed out softly as she approached the stallion and came to a halt. Closing the gap between the pair, she was able to assess his form more closely. "So long as you don't look back, you can't see what's happening to those who you left behind."
"Love is a very sweet thing, a nice fairy tale but it isn't meant for everyone..."
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:21 pm
To truly run away... there were countless times where Dante would have liked that idea. And frankly, he had run away before but the young stallion didn't last long on his own. It was a reality he had come to accept and running away would probably mean an instant death. But still, to be free of everything in his life would have been a wonderful thought. Was a life without hardship even possible once free from all constraints? The stallion always wanted to know, but truthfully never had the courage to try.
"I used to believe that thought process myself, but unfortunately there are those who search for you out of love and those who hunt you down till death. And in my case, I was forced to stay how and where I am." Was he thankful for those to forces in his life? Dante really didn't know, but even so he was always aware that he had his friends and his enemies.
The mare's other statement was quite true, though Dante felt a positive feeling reside in his stomach for a bit. "I think that's why so many creatures try at least, since there is always a hope that it can work out for everybody you know?" All his mother ever wanted was love, and rather then letting the depression of her abandonment bother her, she found true love in her children. That was always a success story for Dante.
"What do you search for in this life." he then said, while tilting his head gently. "Forgive me, but I am always curious as to how others spend their time, or how they dream and hope." Or really, just live!
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:19 am
What did she search for? The mare could do nothing more than muse over this question, it's very subject somewhat ironic. She had always been 'searching', ever the inquisitive one she flitted from place to place in search of one answer or another. Sometimes the subjects were trivial, other times they were more important such as the search for her brother. However in recent months what she had searched for were things she deemed unattainable and impossibilities - love and freedom were ammong the list. Alas, she had long since come to the conclusion that the fates had not foreseen such events in her life and as a result she had accepted her fate.
She couldn't run forever, nor could she pretend to be blind.
She had never deemed herself a coward until recently when she had fled at the very mention of an 'arranged' mating. It was only now as the paranoia left her that she began to chastise the idealist in her - she had allowed emotion to overrule logic and now she paid for the consequences. Her uncomfortable thoughts were enough to cause the petite mare to shift uneasily, her gaze no longer able to meet that of the otherwise gentle stallion before her...
Really if she thought about it logically, the pairing that her herd had set up for her had been rather 'decent' of them... the stallion was of a high stature and was 'willing' to accept her. Her parents had worked hard, kept out of trouble and had been rewarded; it had been her sudden rebellious streak that had all but marred their attempts to secure a happy life for her. If she were to go home now she could only assume that there would be very little respite for her but...
Argh, unattainble dreams were always the 'best kind' as the realists said. They reminded the dreamers of the fact that they had no escape from the real world and that ultimately, dreams were just a lie.
"You ask a very prying question," she offered at last, her voice soft and somewhat uncertain. It wasn't that she was unsure of herself, more of how her opinions and views might be received by a stallion who had already been embraced lovingly in some form or another. "But if I'm honest I really don't know anymore, one might say I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place...the answers will come in time."
"But...what about you?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:39 am
He was sorry to hear that the mare was somewhat distressed, and he nodded calmly while wondering what kept her at such a hard place. It was true, it wasn't his place to pry at all. But it was still sad because his mindset was that of a dreamer and he liked to hope and believe that everyone could find the peace they needed to make it through the day. Inside he knew that wasn't always true, though.
"Well I am no expert on myself, so the question is also a bit difficult for me. But I think I search for answers I sometimes shouldn't know, its an awful habit of mine. I really can't help the way my mind thinks and I tend to follow such strange questions and theories." he paused then, and wondered if his crazy thoughts were sometimes triggered from his strange anxieties. "But I suppose my one dream is to find complete happiness. Even if that dream might be somewhat childish in truth."
He didn't mind admitting what he thought, he wasn't trying to impress the mare or anything. He wanted to be truthful since she was being truthful herself, and it was all he could give back to the kinder creature. "Though I do hope that you are able to mend yourself away from whatever you are stuck between some day." he then added, while chuckling a bit from the rhyme. "But really, I hope whatever is keeping you gives you a break so you can live on as you like of course." he smiled then, and wagged his tail gently towards a small breeze.
She was a kind mare who deserved her own break, and Dante could vouch for that. He had gotten a break in life once, so hopefully she would too, and soon!
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:24 am
His well wishes made her smile even if his view of her was a little warped. He may have thought she deserved a 'break' but really, she didn't. As a coward she had fled from her herd, as a coward she remained in hiding and would probably remain there for quite sometime. She knew (deep down) that she would have to return home some day, either that or they would come for her but the idea of facing up to such a reality right now was something she wasn't ready for. Practical and logical as she might be, she needed to prepare herself just a little more for what would occur. They would tell her to come home, she would obey and it would be a test of her metal when she was punished.
Such were the consequences of a rebellious mare and a reckless choice.
It was so unlike her.
"A while ago another Soquili once told me that if you have a dream," she was referring to the dainty and excitable unicorn that she associated with often. "And it's meant to be a reality, then no matter what it will happen provided you hold on to it - even when things become dark," she sighed softly. The advice was sweet, if a little optimistic but Sparkles had lived her life based purely on instinct and spotaneity...she was never unhappy and she wasn't bound in chains. The dappled mare was somewhat envious of that and no doubt that if she hadn't been restrained by her family duty, she would have tried to emulate it.
"If you're meant to be completely happy then you will be," she pointed out with a small smile, tilting her head to the side. Cream strands of hair fell over her amber eyes and she released a soft sigh as she inspected his tail. "I will solve my puzzle eventually but I thank you for the well wishes - Although you flatter me too much," she finished with a small chuckle, shaking her head to thrust the hair from her eyes again.
"Sometimes things are already set in stone, it's just a question of getting used to them."
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 6:08 pm
He liked the saying very much, maybe even too much, and he found himself zoning out a bit to the truth of the words. He always wanted to believe that his dreams could keep him forwarded and content, but when others tried to smash those dreams it was always hard to continue forward. Even still, he tried hard to always keep hoping and believing. And it was also nice hearing that there were others who tried believing, too.
At her other remark Dante felt a bit saddened, since he truly did hope that the mare could find everything she ever needed herself. "Well you are a very brave and wise mare. So I'm sure all well go well for you." A usual smile returned to his face and he was content with that truth at least. "Trust me, I am not flattering either. I speak the truth with what I can observe from meeting you of course."
Although Dante wasn't an expert on advice he was hoping to cheer Ashura's own dreams on at least! That was what his own mother did, and she truly was helpful like that. He may not have seemed as amazing as Korrine, but he always wanted to give his heart to others, especially if they needed it.
"If there is something that is plaguing your mind or anything, I can offer myself out for help?" He paused then, and wiggled his nose in reflex. "I can try my best to be helpful!" Or at least, to listen too!
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:33 am
Really; you've listened to me far more than anyone else has," she confessed after a few moments. Having heard him claim his compliments were based on observation, she couldn't help but smile. He was by far one of the more pleasant stallions she had met even if he had a habit of zoning in and out of his own thoughts. While she wasn't aware of entirely what went on in the mind of the stallion, she suspected it was much more up lifting and gentle than the workings of her own. That being said his situation was not necessarily the same as hers...
"Brave should be replaced with reckless, I suspect..." she spoke up again with a wry smile, tossing her cream mane from her eyes. "After all it was a lack of thought and a rash decision that led me here. At the time all I wanted to do was run away, it wasn't an adventure like everyone thinks." Pausing, she glanced down briefly at her hooves and released a sigh. She really had been cowardly, it had started with the intention of finding her brother (a brave stance to take) but ultimately it had finished in her hiding in a foreign land. Hardly the glory filled picture she would have chosen to paint at all!
"Wise, well such things come with age. I would like to think I had at least a semblance of intelligence though," she'd gotten such a thing from her father. He was a quiet stallion and rarely spoke out, preferring the quiet life and little drama to the ever active life style the 'nobles' of her herd led. When she had been born he gad been delighted and took further pride in bestowing on her the wisdom that he had. He might have been deemed the best 'suitor' for her mother a.k.a the lowest rank possible - but in the end he had proved to be the best father. He had supported both her mother and she in his own way, even if he didn't openly dispute the claims of others.
She had to be grateful for that.
"But I thank you all the same, it isn't every day that a stranger offers such pleasant words to another. It speaks volumes for your strength of character," she released a soft sigh and glanced towards her reflection briefly. The surface of the lake had begun to turn 'silver' and soon she would be able to see her own beloved show. The anticipation was still there but now it appeared the stallion had her interest too. "Then again you aren't really a stranger at all now that I know your name, no?" she offered tentatively, somewhat adopting the stance he may have taken.
"Alas, even though the offer is appreciated I doubt even someone so sweet as you would be able to fix my problems..."
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:03 am
In truth, Dante never would have suspected the mare in front of him was reckless. Up until now he had assumed quite the opposite from her personality and words. He sort of wondered what it was she was dealing with in her personal life, but at the same time it was not his place to ask. He would listen to whatever she felt the need to tell him, but even so he couldn't help but be worried at least. As Ashura even said herself, they weren't strangers anymore afterall!
"Your intelligence is indeed intact." he then said, while smiling and chuckling lightly. "I think running away could lead to great adventure, though." he then admitted, while reflecting lightly on the thought. "I've run away many times, as pathetic as that is to admit. But each time I've somehow moved forward and done something new with my life, so I try to be thankful with time. I think even common mistakes can be used somehow for something."
Maybe he was making excuses for himself, but Dante did try and be positive towards his actions. After living so long with countless amounts of negativity in his life, he decided to work hard to see as much positivity as he could in all things, even if they were initially his mistakes.
"Please, now you are flattering me too much. My character is quite frail, though day by day I am hoping to strengthen it more." he nodded softly while still feeling happy from the mare's complement. It was sort of frustrating knowing that he was of no help towards her own difficulties, but then again he was terrible at curing his own as well.
"Well, sadly not all problems are curable. But at least for now we can just enjoy the moment and relax I suppose. The least I can do is allow you to refrain from thinking about your problems, right?" And that meant that Dante was being helpful somehow!
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 5:19 pm
He was right, to a degree. There were certain situations that couldn't be righted, there were others that could and then there were some...like hers. On occasions likes hers, individuals had to make a choice between what was considered right and what their heart truly desired. The consequences that occured as a result of these decisions were things that they would have to live with for the rest of their lives. Placing her parents and their lives in the hooves of an otherwise abusive 'aristocracy' would do nothing other than to destroy the mare. She loved her parents too deeply, worshipped the ground they walked on and admired their strength of character. They had been through much and still stood firm, they were tired but they were happy. To subject them to further pain was something she wouldn't be capable of enduring.
She had her duty, her parents had fought for years to keep her safe. They had given her the best life they could and she couldn't expect them to protect her forever. She may have been their little girl, but eventually she had to grow up. She had always assumed she was grown up, but travel really had opened her eyes. She had been introduced to a world of danger, intrigue and choices she had never thought she would need to make. The world of a 'free' Soquili was so much more complex than that of one whose life was governed for them.
"Someone like me doesn't paint pretty or false pictures, while your modesty is an admirable quality...my words were more of an observation than a compliment," she complimented gently. Her expression softened and she turned her gaze towards the silver lined lake, the moon's reflection glowed coldly from the depths. It was an ethereal beauty, it held no warmth that the son did...but it was something she admired all the same.
To be so cold, so beautiful and so ethereal...
Something capable of surpressing all emotion, yet something beautiful and absolutely admired. It held a strength that nothing was capable of surpassing, she wanted that strength. The warmth of the sun couldn't preserve or save her but the moon could.
"Not all of use can live with the consequences that would occur if they just kept running. While mistakes can help you learn and grow, they can't save the other creatures that you repeatedly hurt in the process," she pointed out softly, clearing her throat. It was then that she shook her head and very sharply chastised herself. She wasn't about to drag another into her pit of despair, she wasn't so cruel or selfish as to do so.
"You're lucky to be free, your adventures must be fascinating...right?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 5:31 pm
She was right.. he was lucky. After all the time he spent rejecting his realities, now he could truly be at peace and do whatever he wished. He wanted to think that he deserved such a fate and that it wasn't just because of luck or anything. Something inside him wanted to always believe he deserved all of the fates that rested in his life, even if some were harder to bear then others. Either way, fate seemed to bring him closer to himself. And that was always a good thing.
"Well, I try to keep them fascinating." he then admitted while chuckling slightly. "But yes, I am a very lucky stallion.." And if only Ashura could be lucky, too! Maybe he was being too hopeful.
"So... are you unable to take an adventure yourself?" He wondered... Couldn't she use an adventure to distract any fates that awaited her? "Sometimes adventure creeps up on you, even if in the beginning you didn't plan for it!" Maybe Ashura needed a distraction like that.. or maybe she just needed a solitude of some sort.
"Well, either way, I hope with the changing season you can find whatever it is you need in your life. I've noticed for me that sometimes things fall into place while nature around me is changing." he paused then, only to observe a crusty leaf on the ground. "Fall may bring new things, so shall we look forward to that at least?" He smiled then, and gave her a stronger head bob. "I'll look forward to it if you do as well!"
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:10 am
"Oh, don't misunderstand me..." Ashura chuckled softly as he mentioned adventures. She supposed in a manner of speaking she hadn't been specific enough with her choice of words. It had been because of her adventures that she was in such a predicament now. Had she never experienced freedom quite like this, she suspected she would have accepted her fate much more easily. That being said, there was probably a likelihood that her fate wouldn't be as such if she hadn't been so rebellious! There were endless possibilities and though she didn't regret searching for her brother, there was no use in wondering what might have been if she had simply accepted the advice of her herd.
He didn't exist - but clearly he did.
"I have been on plenty of adventures, that's why I'm here right now," her smile grew and she tilted her head to the side. His expression seemed to flicker from quiet content to fondness. References made to the adventures he had enjoyed, the lessons he had learnt...clearly they had all played and role in his life. His insatiable optimism had even seemed to result in the darkest of lessons being embraced as 'part of life'. He didn't resent them, he simply accepted them. In a manner of speaking such a quality made her envious as no matter how logical she might have been, she still looked upon some lessons with bitterness.
"And though I don't shy away from them, it's probably wise I don't wander off to far until I clear my head..." she hesitated briefly and then sighed, tossing her hair out of her eyes. As much as she would have loved the opportunity to be thrown into a whirlwind of adventures and unrealistic love affairs, it wasn't something she could consider just yet. If she could find a solution to her problem then she would hunt something exciting.
Nevertheless, his reference to seasons did turn her attentions to that topic and indicated just how long she had been in the Kawani. She had arrived in the snow, it seemed it had already been a two years since she had come here. In a manner of speaking time really did fly, it was a wonder her herd had only chose to act now!
"You're right, a new season...a clean slate." She smiled again and adjusted her weight, exchanging it from one hoof to the other. "You have a very optimistic view on life, Dante."
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:04 pm
Ah, so it was both of their adventures that brought them there together at this one spot in time? When he thought about it that way, it sounded rather lucky and nice! He had to admit, he was enjoying their overall conversations and connections about the simplest things. Not everyone was keen enough to pick up on life's knicks and knacks. Ashura was as deep of a thinker as Dante was, so it was nice to relax with someone on that level. Finally Dante didn't have to feel strange for thinking so much about everything since the mare had her own habits as well.
"I'll admit, I wasn't always optimistic. Even I have my moments. But cleaning my slate each season with time has made me relax more, and maybe that's why I'm so respectful of nature." he sighed then, and brought a comfortable shrug to his shoulders. "One can never worry too much since there are so many seasons in a lifetime to look forward too, right? We 'got lots of chances to keep trying. I think that's natures little way of watching everyone, and protecting them too."
Optimism was a funny thing, and for Dante it came and left with whatever experiences were leading his life at the time. It would have been easier if he could just hand over the amount Ashura needed or something, but that was a childish wish that he needed to get over. Clearly things weren't that easy- but sometimes he wished they were.
"I hope I've at least cheered you up a little, so you can walk away feeling somewhat different? Or maybe I've preached quite enough on the nature issue..." He laughed lightly before bringing his usual bright eyes on the mares. "But really, I hope at least some of my words were helpful like that."
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Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:34 am
He had a very poetic view on life, she had finally come to this conclusion as he explained himself further. Admittedly, he really didn't need to do so, but the longer he talked the more aware she became of this fact. He was so in love with nature and almost seemed to work in harmony with it. One side respected the other to the extent that opportunities were provided and signs were given. Hints and secrets were unveiled to him and he embraced them with optimism and a better future in mind. The manner in which he explained this was rather veautiful in itself...given that she had never really thought about nature to quite that extent.
The practical and logical sides of her personality had long since forbidden her to muse, mull and debate trivial and unrealistic ideas. The thought that spirits existed in the form of Mother Nature was somewhat bizarre to her. She had never requested distinct proof of their existance, but then again she had never thought it necessary. However, the more she thought about it the more she realised that there was something deep inside his words. She had on many occasions noted how the weather seemed melancholy when she was in such a mood, or seemed to lift considerably when she was less pessimistic.
Whether this was a reward or punishment for her improving behaviour remained to be seen.
"You have a very beautiful way with words," she offered after a few moments, her expression warming and her smile seeming to grow with it. With his thoughts still drifting back and forth in her mind, she had been put in a rather pleasant mood despite the rather questionable situation she was in. She could almost see that light at the end of the tunnel - not quite, but there was a pin p***k there.
"They're very soothing," she added after a few moments and turned her gaze towards the lake, admiring her reflection. "You certainly have a very unique outlook on life, no wonder you have been so blessed!"
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Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:33 pm
It was the second time he had heard that word, blessed. Both Ashura and his mother had made the word sound incredibly beautiful. Dante had never really believed in the word, even when his mother had called him and his siblings 'a blessing'. He knew that was wrong. That wasn't AT ALL what Korrine had planned. Reaper coming in and taking everything from her... it was a lie. But still, he was a blessing to her for some unknown reason. He used to hide from his mother's logic, since living in a colder and darker world seemed easier. He didn't have to fight for anything, not even his life.
But now, he had heard the word again, and it had a rather nice ring to it. Was his life blessed? Maybe he could finally understand its meaning since Ashura had so kindly brought it up. "I thank you for many reasons." he then admitted, while glowing a bit while speaking. "I've been waiting to hear that word again, I haven't heard it since I was a little colt. I never used to think I was blessed, but maybe one is allowed to admit they are? Maybe life allows us that wish." he grinned then, and looked at his hooves while feeling embarrassed. He was getting all deep again."I've always been trying to find myself, and man, I think you just helped me gain some confidence even more." And goodness, he owed her more then she'd ever know! It always took him longer then others to believe in himself more then anything, since believing in others was just easier.
"Maybe we've both gotten a bit stronger from this conversation?" He was still smiling of course, and swishing his tail in a happy beat. "Well, I'd like to think that no matter what, since we both deserve it right?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:55 pm
He had lost a small amount of his eloquence as he expressed his thanks. The traditional speak of the Kawani lands crept through and for the briefest of instances, Ashura had to resist the urge to giggle. A hint of an accent lay in those words, there was nothing wrong with the sudden change but she had always been fond of how Soquili spoke in this region. On occasions their choice of words and there definitions were not always the same. It had led her to misunderstand them more often than not when she had first arrived but now, she had a firm grasp on what each word meant.
"I should think the mention of such a word was by coincidence," she offered a wry smile and shook her head. There was definitely more warmth in her eyes, a sense of satisfaction welling up within her as the stallion's confidence grew. It simply proved to her that there were things she was capable of, even if she was a little bit disgruntled by her own state of mind. "You shouldn't have to thank me for words based on coincidence, though I am glad they offered you assistance," she confessed gently. Taking her own words into consideration she continued to observe his ever changing body language and released a gentle sigh.
"That being said blessings always come in a disguise, if they came in an obvious form they would be more of a direct gift then something completely special..." She mused over this thought for a short while. Her rather quirky friend had always said the spirits were subtle when it came to their help, when it came to life's choices it truly was a blessing to receive help. As he had said before, sometimes life's curve balls turned out to help in the long run.
"So long as you keep smiling and remember your own words I suspect your luck will continue to be as good as it is," she continued, her smile warming at the thought. "But I can at the very least agree with you, you've given me much to think over in regards to alternative possibilities..."
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