|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 6:40 am
ARRRRRRGH!
Was it possible for a soquili to facepalm? If it were, Ambroise would have done so. Alternatively, if it hadn't been detrimental to his well-being he might have smacked his head repeatedly off a nearby tree trunk. He was accustomed to the vast majority of mares in these parts being incredibly opinionated (or at least vocal). There were only a limited number who were quietly spoken and even then, they afforded a very particular view point. In a sense, Ambroise was largely unaccustomed to the passive nature of the mare beside him and her apparent shame was doing nothing to help matters.
She was going to be a permanent source of exasperation until such times as Ambroise could adjust. This was simply how things were going to be, he could sense it already. She was going to be the sort to say 'whatever you think is best' as opposed to disagreeing with him or picking out a more suitable choice from a list of options. He could see it now, literally visualise it before his eyes and while it was a novelty it was completely and utterly bizarre as well. It was in these moments that he delved into a part of him that he had never anticipated would ever get any screen time.
The result?
...In a time like this, what would his mother do?
Needless to say, it wasn't the easiest set of hooves to slip into but eventually he could picture his eccentric mother and her unique way of handling certain bits and pieces. It wasn't long before he acquired some inspiration and he promptly jumped back into a mindset which was significantly more comfortable. Thus, it was at this point that he closed the gap between himself and the mare, lowered his head to her level and released a small sigh.
"You know, it would be a much better apology if you ceased in being unhelpful and humoured me," he murmured, his tone lighter than it had been previously. "In the sense that you give me a list of what you consider your 'dream' or 'ideal' and I see what I can come up with..." he pointed out softly.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:08 am
If one followed the school of thought that it was healthy for couples to have disagreements, Elizabeth and Ambroise were already off to a very healthy start as a couple. They were also off to a a very interesting and backwards start: when most Soquili had disagreements, it was probably not in the form of acquiescence and accommodation, or lack thereof. There would be no raised voices on Elizabeth's, no shrillness or rudeness, but the disagreement would still be there.
And if Ambroise was doomed to exasperation, Elizabeth was equally tied into self-loathing and aggravation, fed by insecurity and continued paranoia. It might be a behavioral pattern that Ambroise was unfamiliar with, but it was also likely that he had little experience with mares such as Elizabeth. Very aware that she was older than the typical first-time mate, Elizabeth had long since given up any hope of home or family, held little credit with regards to her own desirability as a mate, and felt that she herself was completely the gainer in this relationship. On top of that, she had spent her entire life as the accomodater, first as a Colonial pet, then as a Kawani's companion, as the friend of her friends; she had always been there for them, undemanding and unasking of anything. There had always been appreciation for her, but she had very rarely ever been in a position to provide any requests herself.
And there would be her greatest challenge. She had made her agreement with Ambroise in good faith and meant to keep it, but he couldn't expect miracles; one agreement couldn't change the ingrained habits of a lifetime.
She could appreciate his attempt to console her. It was so odd to hear and there was such a long pause before he spoke that she wondered just what kind of reaction had first arisen, what sort of words had perhaps been bitten back. He was much more forceful than her, after all!
She managed to keep her expression mostly unflushed and her eyes tear-free, though, and her tone was level when she looked up and responded, "But I already did give you some suggestions, don't you remember? You said that much of the list was impractical for this part of the world, which is why I would prefer to leave this more to your judgement, as you are more familiar with the land. I would prefer something sheltered, access to water that isn't torrential, with plenty of grass...beyond that, I just don't know."
She truly hoped that she didn't sound petulant and could satisfy his list requirement with those three suggestions. Accommodating someone whose desire for her to be accommodating was for her to not be accommodating...that was a concept challenging to wrap her mind around!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:06 am
She had him there, he vaguely recalled a previous conversation where he had indicated that she was naive and her choices impractical. However, he couldn't remember what those choices were - suffice to say that when it came to issues that were not on his immediate list of concerns, his attention to detail was lacking. Truth be told, the stallion had never anticipated that he would be househunting and as a consequence, had forgotten everything she said. The irony in all of this? He was mentally kicking himself at the fact that they'd had the discussion no more than a few hours ago!
It was his first truly moronic moment of the day and also a little of a foreign concept - such behaviour was usually demonstrated by his siblings. When it came to matters even mundane subjects, it wasn't like him to forget them so quickly. Puzzling, was it customary for all males to become blabbering idiots the moment they took a female under their wing? He sincerely hoped not, he couldn't afford to transform into a fool and he had been of the impression that he had a level enough head on his shoulders to remain sensible.
If his father could do it, then so could he.
Right...?
An awkward smile lifted onto his lips and he shifted uncomfortably as he regarded the mare. He'd taken note of her body language and her discomfort, but perhaps his recognition that he was at fault would help to relieve some of those issues. He cleared his throat and then released a sigh through parted lips - better to regather composure before saying something else that could be seen as stupid.
"I believe I am beginning to show my age," he replied faintly and tilted his head to the side, his expression becoming more sheepish by the moment. "Refresh my memory?"
Argh - why did soquili even bother with this nonsense, the entire thing was so incredibly awkward. Alas, Ambroise's strong suit was definitely not in the form of courtship, that much was becoming much more evident as the day progressed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 8:38 pm
If either of them had hands, they'd likely both be rubbing their temples right about now. But as that was not the case, instead they were left with simple body language, expressions and tone to convey (or not convey, as the case might be) their respective sentiments at the moment. In Ambroise's case, as Elizabeth saw, it seemed to be in not expressing his extreme displeasure; in her own, it was not showing any more of her shame and regret. After all, hadn't Ambroise already said that he didn't want her apologizing all the time? Belatedly, she was realizing that her current pose and tone were extremely self-pitying, exactly the sort of thing that Ambroise didn't want, and trying to figure out how to get out of that stance was her newest concern.
Not knowing that her mate was forming a resolution to meet in the middle himself, Elizabeth lowered her head, shaking out her mane with a pronounced forcefulness, then straightened up to reveal a somewhat self-deprecating smile of her own. "If you are worried about signs of aging, Ambroise, I believe that we are both in a bad way, as I am certainly older than you. I propose that rather than rehashing what was said in the past, we merely start fresh." Her expression was hesitant, but hopeful; as he was no fool, she didn't doubt that Ambroise would grasp the dual meaning of her statement: that they start fresh not only with this conversation, but with this day. Unfortunately, she knew it would take more than one fresh start before she had sorted out this relationship thing; hopefully he'd have that much patience!
But without lingering, she was quick to move on. "Something near a meadow-like space; somewhat level, with lots of room to move around without having to worry about falling into a chasm; ready accessibility to water, preferably of the still variety, and a secure shelter for nights or cold weather." What she was describing, actually was her ideal place to raise foals, but that was a detail she kept to herself! No sense in rushing things, not when she was trying to not scare off said foals' father!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:24 am
He had never been so uncouth as to ask after Elizabeth's age, as far as he had been concerned it was largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, however, when she made reference to it voluntarily he did hazard a sheepish smile. A step up from wry, he was starting to make some progress and starting 'fresh' was sounding more and more tempting with each passing second. She wasn't the only one who was new to this relationship thing, while his siblings might have taken to such things as ducks to water, he was a bit of a slow learner. Give him an arena to fight in and he would be fine, dangle feelings in front of him and he cowered like a startled deer.
"I believe that starting fresh might be the best for both of us," he confirmed, clearing his throat to rid the lump that had formed in his throat. He hated awkwardness and this seemed to be the very definition of what such a thing was! He felt as if he had reverted to a toddler again, completely naive and clueless as to how the world worked.
Argh!
Nevertheless, he elected to take a deep breath and rather than dwell further on his own discomfort, which was surely mirrored by Elizabeth, he listened to her 'ideal' home. Much to his surprise, the reiteration of what she wanted rang more bells than it had the previous time. What he might have said wasn't possible to begin with now appeared to be inaccurate as various areas popped up in his mind... Granted, he still couldn't provide one of her requirements but...
"Six out of seven isn't bad," he murmured thoughtfully, moreso to himself than anything before he returned his gaze to Elizabeth. "How are you with arenas and noise?" he enquired curiously.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:01 pm
Now it was Elizabeth's turn to be confused for a different reason; while it was still confusing, it was borderline refreshing to NOT be worried about their relationship at the moment. Instead, she allowed her attention to be focused 100% on their new conversation. "Arenas?" It shouldn't be surprising, her lack of familiarity with that word. In neither her Kawani household or her earlier colonial life had she had much contact with fighting; beyond passing pleasantries with the noble war horses of the colony or occasionally dressing a wound in the Kawani encampment, her life was untouched by combat or violence of any sort.
She realized that Ambroise was a fighter, of course. His role in the defense of his herdlands was already known to her; if she chose not to dwell too much on the grittier aspects of that duty, it was her prerogative. But it was one thing to mentally block out violence, another thing to just not understand a term. And 'arena' wasn't exactly a familiar word in her sort of life! Noise, at least, she understood. "Noise is a grey area, I would say. It would depend on the type of noise and the frequency, I suppose. I cannot say I would enjoy living beneath a woodpecker's nest." A small smile accompanied that statement, a tentative showing of humor that felt...wrong coming so soon after her latest venture into awkwardness. Oh well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:09 am
"Routine sparring that occurs at the same time of day, every day, for the same duration. It is generally accompanied by barked orders and the occasional 'ouch'," Ambroise clarified, noting the flicker of unfamiliarity in the mare's expression. She'd never been exposed to such concepts and he was beginning to appreciate that she had led a very sheltered life in her former home. It should have come at no surprise to him that she was unaware of what an arena was, or what it's purpose was...and yet he still was. Whether it be her well schooled and intelligent mind or something else, he had assumed she might have an inkling.
"The arena itself is not directly beside the area but it is near it, thus you would be exposed to the noise at sunrise. If you were one who preferred to sleep long into the afternoon then it may not be appropriate," he concluded. Admittedly if she was disinclined towards such a place, then he would have been out of ideas - it was the closest place he can think of when it came to her 'ideal' area...but it was also the only one.
Everywhere else would be a compromise.
Granted he knew that she would be perfectly comfortable with making that compromise but it wouldn't be one that resulted in happiness. He might be horrendous with the emotional aspects of an individual but he was no fool, compromise never did anyone any good when it led to misery.
"Other than that, it would be the only thing that might be regarded as objectionable when taking that particular area into consideration."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 8:53 am
Elizabeth tilted her head to one side as she listened to Ambroise's explanation. It seemed a strange concept to her, that one could voluntarily wish to be beaten on, although from a practical standpoint she understood the need for training. It sounded unpleasant, though, especially with regard to the 'ouches'. Perhaps she would be allowed to provide healing to those who were injured in the training. This was an idea that made her smile, though she hoped she would not disgrace herself by any overly-dramatic responses to wounds she might see. She had always considered herself at one with her unicorn abilities, but she'd never been exposed to a truly gruesome injury. Hardening her sensibilities was going to take a great deal of time, of this she was already aware. However, that was never going to happen unless she took appropriate steps! Really, an arena sounded fine. "I am by nature an early riser, so I doubt I would be too distressed by any noises in the morning." Other than the natural distress caused by hearing another creature in pain, but that was a different story. "Would it be permissible for me to observe the...arenas at some point? It sounds like something I might benefit from seeing." She'd ask about healing later; no sense in being too obtrusive this early.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 10:13 am
Cajmera We can finish this one up soon-ish, it seems to be getting there!
...Maybe, it wouldn't just be something she was 'content' with, but that would come in time.
"You are more than welcome to attend these meetings, they are open to everyone, though the sparring is limited to those in training," he said with a wry smile. Suffice it to say that he did not expect this mare to be entering the ring any time soon, other than to potentially chastise someone - he might not be completely on the mark, but those who were calm almost always exploded at a later date if something irritated them.
"It would also prove to be a useful tool for meeting our neighbours and those you'll see quite frequently?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 3:11 pm
Epine de Rose Agreed, this one seems to be reaching a natural end. It was a relief to hear that her idea was feasible, and that it didn't seem at all objectionable to her new mate. She would have to get used to speaking her mind, she knew, and it would help the process a great deal if she were not met with with too many rebuttals early on. It was perhaps a childish behavior, but she didn't like the feeling that she was overstepping herself. This was all too new and different for her to want to miss any boundaries, known or otherwise. So she was able to smile in response to Ambroise's 'invitation', responding with a soft "I would like that very much, I think it had the potential to be fascinating. I would like to become more...familiar with the things that are part of normal life in my new home, and with the Soquili who will be my friends, family, and neighbors." Though if she were to be honest, she rather hoped there wouldn't be too many new Soquili to meet all at once; she'd rather ease her way into this new society over time rather than just dive in! Yes, this place sounded just fine, that it did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:09 am
He was relieved to find that the place he had selected was up to snuff, and a curt nod followed as she made reference to her plans. If she wanted to introduce herself to family, friends and neighbours then she could certainly start from there. More importantly, as the individuals were often the same, she would be able to grow accustomed to their faces and names before exploring further. Suffice it to say that the slopes were of ample size and she wouldn't find herself overwhelmed unless his mother decided that a family reunion was just the thing!
"Then it's settled, we will make this particular location our home," he offered a smile and flicked his gaze towards the beaten trails not too far away. They weren't directly in line of sight, but the tail end was visible enough. "And whenever you feel ready you can visit the arena," he unfurled a wing and motioned to the dirt track in the distance. "You need only follow that and the noise," he murmured.
"However, that aside, I have no doubt you'll wish to explore the immediate vicinity further, if only to acquaint yourself with what is here, no?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 3:53 pm
Their home. It was such a pleasant sounding concept, and Elizabeth couldn't hold back the bright smile from her face. She glanced from her lifemate to the surroundings which would, with time, become even more familiar and dear to her than those she had left behind. There would be a lot of adjustment pains, she knew, and she hoped that she wouldn't make too great a fool of herself during that time. She would do her best to acquit herself in a way that Ambroise could be proud of! "Sounds lovely," she said in agreement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
