Vanilla and Pumpkins PRP (Nightmare & Lumriel)

[[+Katch+]]

Nightmare glanced at her and smiled a little " no, i do not have a family...i do not even know if i had a mother or a father...i have been here my entire life since i rolled out of a pumpkin shell...perhaps i was just made that way...as i am not as others...? who knows really..." he laughed a little hollowly. " i am not bothered by it though...if would be nice to someday have the company of a family of my own." He shrugged, his armor creaking " i can wait." He looked around his pumpkin patch, used to the quiet and unconsciously on the lookout for pests who ate is pumpkins..."eh?" he blinked and looked down at his hooves " these?" he wiggled his nose in thought " no, they do not hurt...though to folks like you with normal hooves... it would seem like it would...huh?" He huffed a warm cloud of mist " do not worry miss Lumriel, they do not..." He stared into the distance, beyond the gate at a world that was green and full of life and others like Lumriel...it was tempting...he spoke then, shaky at first but ok after a second " I-well...most do not take to my appearance kindly...they assume i am as Kalonas or Skinwalkers are...brutal mean beasts...i can't really blame them you see...i know what i look like. " He shook his flank a bit, his armor clunking about " i have ventured from here once or twice, but i have been met with odd review...i guess...it's just somewhere safe for me, here that is..." He watched her cautiously pick over to the pumpkins, even looking back to ask to go closer, as if they were dangerous or something, he smiled " go ahead, they're fine, just try to watch where you step." He scuffed one hoof in the dirt " as for your question, no, i do not eat them...though i could...i suppose. I have had few guests in my time, but they seem to find the pumpkins tasty...two leggers eat them i hear, so i suppose they couldn't be bad for you...it's mostly the inside i think...MY diet consists of.....other things..." he flicked his ears back, not wanting to be particular about what those "other things" were, lest it spook her. ... " I am glad you think they are...beautiful, i do my best to bring a bit of color into this place...tis a struggle..."  

[[+Katch+]]

Even though he said not having a family and not knowing if he had a sire and dam did not bother him she couldn't help but to feel a bit of sympathy burble within her chest. She didn't know what she would do without her mother and father or the other members of her family; she could only imagine how lonely it must have been growing up in a place such as this all by one's self. "You are certainly an enigma Night." She commented with a soft smile. "I am sure a stallion with your kindness and courage will be blessed with a family of his own soon enough." Clearing her throat before she overstepped some sort of line she found herself grateful as he spoke of something else. "Well, of that I am glad, I would hate to think of someone being in pain constantly." A smile lit her expression as she approached one of the pumpkins, watching her step as though walking in a field of unopened baskets, and pressed her nose gently to the surface. It was cool and smooth and smelled like nothing she had ever smelled before. She looked up as he responded to her question of why he never left this place; her head did not turn to look at him as her gaze peered off into the distance. "Others can be so judgmental sometimes. I am not above it, for I am not perfect, but I try my best to give everyone a fair opportunity to prove who they really are. Appearances can be deceiving." Turning to look at him she gave him a warm look. "If ever you should wish to venture out I would very much like to go with you, I will keep judgments at bay." The confidence in her voice was not something she was used to but she somehow felt it to be true. Turning back she once again placed her nose on the surface of the pumpkin, "They are far to pretty to be eaten." she finished. She took note of the comment concerning his diet but again figured she wouldn't pry, she would wait until he told her if that is what he wished. "You have succeeded." She responded happily.  

[[+Katch+]]

Nightmare felt his cheeks grow hot again “an...Enigma" he echoed, a touch of a smile curling on his lips " well, hopefully you are right Lumriel~ while i have been here...all my life...sometimes it gets lonely, it is half the reason...i choose to garden." He stared at the orange globes peeking out of the foliage " it gives me something else to think about..." He watched her pick through and investigate the pumpkins, as he was certain she had never encountered the squash before. " that is true....there are cruel and untrustful beings out there...but i know there are good ones too...such as you and some others i have encountered here..." he flicked an ear " i would be delighted..." he murmured, the word rumbling deep in his throat " if you would travel with me someday..." he chuckled a bit, watching the mist that his hooves constantly emitted curling around the plants like a blanket. " i am glad that you like my pumpkins...i do my best to take care of them..." He found himself looking into her eyes, a much lighter color than his bright glowing ones, but still very luminous, even in the dim light. “I am glad you were not scared of me, it is...comforting" he smiled " and that is a rarity nowadays"  

[[+Katch+]]

"My grandmother often tells me that mares are always correct, so I don't think you have anything to worry about." She said jokingly. "It is an admirable hobby, giving life to something and keeping it healthy until it is grown and can reveal it's beauty to the world. You bring a light into the darkness Night. Someone as patient and caring as you will not be lonely for long, it would go against the rule of the universe." Her mind had taken her away and she caught herself beginning to babble. "I apologize, I'm probably not making any sense." She laughed. Turning around she approached him, careful not to step on any of the small orbs that resembled the sun. "I would be delighted to go." She responded sincerily. There was just something about this stallion that made her feel safe by his side, something that made her want to show him how beautiful everything could be, including himself. "You do a wonderful job." As his eyes met her she felt a shiver tumble down her spine, not one of fear or cold, one she hadn't experienced before. They were not the eyes of evil nor were they cold and heartless, they were warm and tender. "I don't think I could be afraid of you, I am glad I can lend you some comfort."  

[[+Katch+]]

He chuckled a bit “your grandfather sounds like...an interesting guy" He smiled as she talked about his gardening, liking the way she put it. “well thank you...i am very glad you appreciate it." He paused and quirked a brow " ...rule of the universe?" he smiled oddly, light gleaming upon his fangs as he grinned, merrily in his case, though it still seemed creepy to most " i have not heard of that...but i'll go along with you, hopefully." He watched her laugh, thinking the sound quite musical, the only such sounds he heard here were the far off trill of the occasional songbird. He blinked, coming back into focus " mmm...no, you are making perfect sense to me Lumriel." he enjoyed saying her name, as it was a pretty one. " Oh...would you really?" his tone changed a bit, it was his version of excited, he could still count the amount of times he had stepped out from his gated domain. " Getting out of here would be...nice..." he looked at his pumpkins a shadow passing what could be seen of his face " but my pumpkins...well...life springs from death in their case..." he blinked down at her, not having noticed, surprisingly, that she had gotten close again...while he still wasn't used to girls, he found the closeness...pleasing...He found himself wondering what that was all about....He flicked his tail and put on his best charming face, though he knew he must look a fool. " you do more than you will ever know, company is...well, as rare as color, in this place..."  

[[+Katch+]]

Her laugh joined in his chuckle creating a musical with both a deep and light sound, one that was lovely in it's composition. "He is a Knight of old so he says, he is a very interesting stallion. Without my grandmother he would be lost." She smiled gently, many in her family had found true love, it was a tradition that she truly didn't mind. "You are very welcome, anyone who is so gentle as to care for something as delicate as a plant should be commended." Her thoughts turned to the flower in her hair and the seed pods upon her neck. Somehow her necklace lived, growing and remaining green even without care. "I wonder, you being so good with plants, would you like one of the pods of vanilla plant about my neck? I am sure you would take good care of it and I would love to have some part in your garden." Her father had once taken a pod of his own and planted it near their home, the flower still grew strong, a symbol of their family. "My mother always tells me the rule of the universe, I suppose I get it from her." She smiled. "I'm glad I make at least a little bit of sense here." She trilled. Looking him in the eye she nodded her head, allowing some of her two toned curls to wave gently. "I would. I could show you so many wonderful things! It would be nice to see you smile some more." She added jovially. "Well as my mother always stated, for something to have truly lived it must die." Her cheeks turned warm and she could tell the pink hue had returned, how was it that he could make her blush so easily? "Well, I quite enjoy your company. I don't normally spend time around others but this is quite lovely."  

[[+Katch+]]

Nightmare listened to her, his jolly mood printed right on his face, or what could be seen of it anyway " a knight huh?...that's lovely...some used to call me something like that...with all this armor..." he shrugged, his armor creaking " but that's another story, for now...i am just me...with a lot of squeaky armor" he chuckled and looked down at her dainty hooves " i see you have some...as well, it's very nice" He smiled, lost in the idea of something as nice as "true love" but then perked up as she mentioned the vanilla pods at her throat...He looked at them, a slightly bemused look on his face " i would love to have one Lumriel...but Vanilla, i am afraid...would not grow here, no matter how much i nurtured it...keep your necklace miss." He smiled a little “maybe someday we can travel somewhere and i can start a new garden...maybe it will grow there." he liked the idea. “well, i will say likewise to that Lumriel, as you are the first guest in...quite a while, now that i think about it " He noticed her cheeks bloom a delicate pink and he was nearly taken aback, as he thought she couldn't possibly have gotten more beautiful...this was of course, a new experience for him...But yet still out of his grasp, for Nightmare still did not know, that he, the spooky gardening soldier of the Headless Horsemen...was falling for this mare.  

[[+Katch+]]

Just like her mother, Lumriel was a very curious mare, walking closer to nightmare she placed her nose on a piece of his armor determining how it differed from her granda's. She hadn't really thought about what she had done until she noticed she had her nose on his shoulder. Backing up slowly, her cheeks even more red, she released a nervous laugh. "I am sorry, you mentioned it and I just...couldn't h-help it." Clearing her throat she looked to the side, wishing more than anything that her cheeks would cool and return to their normal color. His armor had been like her grandfather's but only a little different in texture. "I happen to like...just you." She responded shyly. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting like a filly who ate too many apples and ingested too much of their sugar? She was relieved to look down at her own hooves, observing the armor passed from her grandfather to her mother then to her. "Thank you, it resembles my grandfathers. Your armor is very lovely as well, it speaks of great strength." She gazed around them, taking in the soil and nodding in agreement. "Just remember that one shall always be reserved for you. I would love to go off and find a spot where we could plant it! Somewhere soft and green where the sun would kiss it each morn." A whimsical expression lit her face as she envisioned a flower waving in a gentle breeze, one that she and Night had planted. "I hope you would permit me to return then." Her heartbeat quickened, she didn't want to leave.  

[[+Katch+]]

Nightmare inhaled sharply and held his breath as he felt her nose touch the tip of his shoulder, the contact...well; he had just NEVER had contact...which was the shocking thing. He looked at her with a wide eyed expression as she backed up, her cheeks flushed with color as she apologized all over. He exhaled a shaky breath and cleared his own throat, responding in his flat baritone, using all of his focus just to keep his voice from trembling. " I-it's fine..." he flicked an ear in thought " i've never been able to get this armor off by myself..." he smiled a little " i don’t know if i would look drastically different or not..." he paused to look at her armor and nodded " it seems well crafted, while...i am not a expert on these things...the silver is quite beautiful..." he wiggled his nose, a sign of embarrassment for the spook, " beauty becomes beauty, i believe..." He glanced at his armor, or what he could see of it, some was armor and some was deftly tooled leather for the saddle that would never again have a rider. " Well thank you.." he looked at it, as if in a daze and then snapped out of it " i do hope i could be strong...i have spent so much time here i have never faced another i could not...simply...spook off." he chuckled a little. “I will remember that miss Lumriel, and yes....i think we should find...a nice spot to plant that." He blinked and looked down at her, feeling a bit sad at the prospect of her leaving..." uhm..." he looked at the gate, his pumpkins and then back at her...he didn't want her to leave either...choices choices..." maybe, i could walk you to...where you are going? i would feel bad if i let you go off by yourself..." he set his jaw firmly " i would feel more comfortable..."  

[[+Katch+]]

She was glad she hadn't offended him by her touch, the worst part was that she wanted to do it again. Not to touch his armor but merely to be close to him, to feel his warmth and nearness once more. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it of her desire she listened to what he was saying, as hard as it was with the distance between them being what it was. "Well, either way I think you would look quite handsome." She answered happily. He didn't need to change a thing about him, she couldn't help but to feel an attraction to everything that he was though she had only just met him. She could tell he had a wonderful mind and a beautiful heart as well as a gentle soul. "I thank you for the compliment; my grandfather knows much about it, I am sure he would enjoy looking at your armor." Again he made her smile, how was it so easy for her to smile around him? "I like the sound of that one better, much happier than the one my mother has in mind." Without much thought she found herself stepping only a little closer, it was as though he were a magnet pulling at her. "I believe you are very strong, not only in an altercation which I hope you never have to experience but in life as a general." She laughed and smiled at him warmly. "Unfortunately, I don't think you will ever spook me off." Her thoughts once again turned to the flower and she looked down at the vine around her neck. "It is a promise then, I will hold you to it." It was odd that the thought of leaving now caused her gut to twist when before even the thought of being here did that. "I would love your company but would worry about you having to walk back on your own." She blushed. This was an odd situation, neither of them wanted to leave the other alone.  

[[+Katch+]]

Nightmare didn't really know what to say, the girl was mesmerizing, she was charming, polite and she smelled like vanilla and spring time. Where normally, around here the only thing you would find was rot, dirt and the faint nutty smell of pumpkin. It was a nice change, though a fragile one, for he knew she couldn't stay here. This place wasn't for her. “Your grandfather sounds very wise as well, maybe if he knows so much about armor, he could look at mine, maybe figure out how to take it off...i'm not sure, some parts of it are like a second skin...and the others are just very cumbersome..." He looked down at her, thankful she was at ease with his appearance and the fear he emitted. " i am glad you think of me...in such a way...it is...very nice" he smiled a little and laughed at her jest " ahhh, no...and i do not hope to spook you off at all really, i do my best not to in this case." He looked down at her necklace with her, nodding a bit " i know...a promise..." he chuckled " i have so little i would be a fool not to keep such a thing." He smiled, the light gleaming off of his fangs and dancing off the silver of her armor " Lumriel, i know these woods like the chinks in my hooves...things here do not know better than to fear me...i remain unmolested in this territory, for it's where i grew up...things know me here. " He took a few steps towards the gate, the ribbons on his saddle brushing against the soft feathers of her wings. " i can see you to familiar territory...but trust me, if you come to visit, i will know..." he smiled as gently as he could, pricking his ears forward " i will smell the vanilla...next time, we can go...exploring perhaps..." he rumbled a laugh " in the day , this time..." He motioned towards the gate and making sure she followed, picked his way through a safer path down the desolate hill, back where the living and light things dwelled. She belonged there, and maybe someday...so would he.  

[[+Katch+]]

Though the sinking of her leaving still remained within her she conversed without showing sorrow in her tone, the last thing he needed was to be in the presence of more sorrow. She didn't want to leave him here, she probably would have gladly stayed had he asked. "I am sure he would be happy to help another such as himself. I am sure he will be able to sort out the parts and help you to feel more comfortable." Her gaze met his as he spoke of the way in which she thought of him. "How could I think of you in any other way?" She smiled. "I am glad you do not wish to spook me away, for I think I would keep returning." She couldn't be happier that he had promised as well that they would find a place to plant the vanilla bean. A place where they could both look upon it and where he could go whenever he needed some light and a breeze of vanilla when she could not be beside him. She giggled gently and looked to the exit, her mood dipping again. "Well, just as long as you are safe then I shall not object." She smiled gently. She followed him her wings tingling after the touch of his adornments. "I guess then that I will not be able to suprise you then, I will be glad to have you meet me though." She gazed once again at the structure as they walked beneath of it, the fear she once felt completely gone. "I should like that very much Night."  

[[+Katch+]]

He smiled kindly, mist trailing along under his hoof falls. " That would be very kind of him, if i decide to get that far, or wherever your grandfather lives...i should very much enjoy the visit." He blinked and stifled a bout of laughter " you are so sweet Lumriel...it is so odd to encounter someone as bright and lovely as you..." He looked at the exit and set his jaw again, not liking the idea of going out, or parting company with her, but...he steeled himself, this was the best thing...He half smiled at her, his eyes still bright, but now shadowed a little. " no miss, you wont be able to surprise me" he chuckled, the sound still very harsh in the normal quiet of the cemetery. " But yes, i will meet you, whenever you decide you want to come...preferably in the day though, as things are a little less....scary, around here." he flicked an ear in apology " i am glad that you enjoyed yourself Lumriel...at least somewhat i hope..." he took a path, traveled by most that went by here for trade, as it was safer and faster than picking through the woods and beckoned her to follow, the flames of his hooves casting a light like a green lantern for her stay in. " Now then" He smiled, his heart so full of mixed emotions he feared it would burst, the only thing he was totally sure of...was he was glad to have met her and, well...he would certainly see her again..."...let's get you home."

End ^^