Mira x Valdien x Opal x Tapar x Pykichi x Taoshira - [08.10.11] - Group RP - Starts at
page 1111 of main shop
Valdien trotted through the fields at a leisurely pace, enjoying one of his only days off. However, no relaxation could cause the stallion to shun his training; even on his days of rest, his eyes scanned the grounds around him. Valdien saw everyone, save his Chosen as a potential threat, and had five uses for every nearby object as a weapon.
He hated that he was forced to think this way, but in war, it's either do or die.
Opal lay on her side in a field catching the warm sun's rays on her. She lazily watched as Valdien passed not far from her.
Valdien slowed his pace, catching movement from the corner of his eye. With the shake of his head, he trotted over the mare, wings pressed tightly to his sides.
"Evening, Opal. It's been quite some time since I've seen you. Faring well, I hope?"
A cursory check-up on a member of the Greater Herd was always warranted. As his Chosen said, to lead the people, you must be one of them.
Opal peers up at Valdien yawning a bit. "Just finished with some alone time with Ion. It was rather nice. We've not had a moment to ourselves since we became lifemated and started the herd. There's always his brother or our adopted son around." She rolled over getting slowly to her feet. Her injured knees more sore then ever due to the adventure she took with her mate. "How are you doing?"
Valdien lowers his nose, brushing the soft skin delicately over her kneecaps, eyes saddened by the scars. He raised his head to nuzzle her on the jaw, his breath warm and smelling of alfalfa.
"Doing well. Patrolling, as always. The Six are gaining in their confidence to infiltrate our lands, and we continue to loose ground monthly." The stallion shook his head.
"I hear Enthallion is grown, now. Perhaps you and Ion will be able to have more time to yourselves, maybe throw some mares Tide's way so he can leave the two of you alone." Valdien chuckled, the sound a sweet baritone.
Valdien's tail swished lazily in the evening air, fighting off a few flies circling his legs. It was easy for any eye to see how Valdien himself had deteriorated; his coat had loss its luster, his mane and tail hung stringy and limp, and his feathers were bent, some broken and askew. None of the broken ones had been imped recently, and the disheveled state showed.
Still, he figured if he ignored it, so would all the other Azrein.
Tapar stares around and just listens to the stallions words."Six?Who were they?" He asked not really directing it towards anyone but hoping for an answer anyways.
The King strides up to the three conversing Azrein, throwing an arm around Val's withers, careful not to disturb any of the broken feathers on the first joint of his wing. He knew Valdien was suffering, and as terrible as it was, he rarely found time to speak to his Bonded, let alone ensure he ate and slept properly.
"The Six are the evil Azrein who are looking to destroy the bonds between human and Azrein." He nodded at the newcomer. "They stop at nothing to achieve what they want. in fact, several months ago, a few of their Agents slipped into the Greater Herd and killed some of our Unbonded Azrein, in the hope that no humans would bond with them." There was obvious pain in the King's tone, and Valdien turned his neck to nuzzle the man's chest in consolation.
The King raised his free hand, rubbing his ear between his slender fingers absently.
"If things continue as they're going, the bonds between humans and Azrein will be severed in the future, and we will lose the Isle."
Valdien cringed at the worry and pain in his Chosen's voice. There was nothing they could do with so few numbers against the Six's overwhelming forces. And these days, it was hard to tell which Azrein aligned with who. Even someone who was your friend could have already turned against you, and might be waiting for the moment to kill not only you, but the human you would give your life for.
She had seen the king and his companion in town less and less frequently, and each time they were spyed, they had looked more and more haggard. Yet they leaned on each other for strength; trust and love for each other apparent to anyone who had ever seen them together. Curious, and admittedly just a bit jealous, Pykichi had watched them each time.
Today, she had come all the way out to the fields searching for something she couldn't define. But she planned to figure it out as she drew closer to the ring of horses.
Opal gave Valdien a loving yet friendly nuzzle back. "Well that is not good news." She gave him a warm smile. "Well I guess that Tide has found a girl to be his girlfriend. And Enthallion I just really don't like leaving him alone yet. I feel terrible that he lost his family. So Ion and I are doing our best to be his parents." She nudged him a bit. She had noticed his appearance but wondered if she should mention it. "So are you needing more to fight with you at keeping The Six back?"
The King frowned as he heard footsteps approaching; human, not Azrein. He caught Valdien's eye, and in a single motion, the two of them turned on their heels.
In a blur of movement, the King had drawn the slender blade at his side, which up until now had seemed only an ornament. It's blade gleamed wickedly in the dying sunlight, and Val stood beside him, his head lowered and wings extended, sheltering the King and blocking both Tapar and Opal from the human's view.
"Pardon the offense, my Lady. These are uncertain times, and my companion and I here would rather ensure the safety of our peoples and face a potential threat face-on." Even in the midst of a threat, the King never forgot the courtesy that had been drilled into him since birth. "However, you look familiar, as if I have seen you somewhere once or twice before."
Noting the woman appeared unarmed and his Chosen in complete control of the situation, Valdien turned his shoulder on the human, facing Opal and Tapar once again. His ears swiveled back to face the two humans so he could act on a moment's notice in the event his Chosen needed his assistance.
"More to fight, yes. Sadly, not many Azrein choose to lay their lives on the line for the bond between Man and Beast, so to speak." Valdien's voice was tightly strung, either to the subject or because of the newcomer was unsure.
The stallion stared at the human."So you mean they could easily destroy my human and myself? OR just the human so they can't be here for us and teach us the things they know so we can protect ourselves?"Tapar never usually spoke.He looked to all the other around him and he slammed his back hoof. "Are there others who would be able to help us protect our lands and not let them take over?"This type of conversation really caught Tapars attention.
Mira hummed softly to herself as she cantered through the open field of grass. She was extremely pleased with herself at having found an unattended sack of apples earlier that morning. After helping herself to a delicious breakfast, she picked up the bundle in her mouth and was off on her way. In the distance, she saw a couple of fellow Azreins, and she picked up her pace a little, eager to share her good luck with some others. One of them has wings! She nearly galloped to the group in her excitement to meet another Azrein with the gift of flight.
When she saw the human approach, though, she skidded to a halt a short distance from the group. She knew the apples she carried belonged to somebody, most likely a human. She tried to hide the evidence of her theft, but it was in vain. How does one hide something in flat land?
Noting his Chosen was still occupied, Valdien answered for the King, raising a wing in greeting to the mare off in the distance, signaling it was fine for her to approach.
By now, he hoped that almost every Azrein in the Greater Herd trusted his judgement, since he was seen by almost every one of them in his nightly patrols through and around their sleeping forms.
He nodded earnestly to Tapar. "They would destroy you and your human. They see those of us who Bond with man as filthy and unclean; below them because of the love and wholeness we found in our Chosen." Valdien shook his head, his wings drooping. "They could not be more wrong. In Azreth, I found the other half of myself that I hadn't even known I was missing. He and I both realized that in having each other, we would never again need to fear being alone, never worry about having the weight of the world on our shoulders."
His eyes hardened. "And the Six want to destroy that."
Opal sighed with a slight blush on her cheeks. "I am selfish I would send Ion out to help you but I can't bare the thought of losing him. And I'm in no shape to be fighting. I can't even run yet. But I'm almost healed. Maybe once I'm better I'll talk to Ion about the two of us going out to help in the battle. Maybe we can get Tide to go out also." She gave Valdien an unsure smile.
She had been watching the horses as she walked, admiring their beauty, but turned to the sound of metal being drawn. Without hesitation, the king had drawn his sword in front of her. Startled, she stopped abruptly, taking in his soft words that were so at odds to his body language and hard face. After a moment of standing stupidly quiet, she curtsied before her King, head bowed low. Without raising her eyes, she spoke to him. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I was looking for... I don't know what. Please, forgive my rudeness. Even as she explained her presence, she kept an ear towards what his companion was saying to the others.
At the woman's softly spoken apology, Azreth immediately sheathed his sword, the metal letting out a low hiss as it kissed the velvet on the inside of his sheath. "Please, my lady, the apology is mine to speak. It is unseemly for a King to act in such a violent manner, though I pray you understand the situation at hand these days." He offered her a low bow in recompense for his actions, the gold of his crown gleaming in the sun's late rays. "I am Azreth, King and Protector of these lands, and this brazen beast here is my Bonded, Valdien." He grinned over his shoulder as Val shot him a glare, though the stallion knew he was meant to hear that last comment.
"Might I inquire as to your own, my Lady?"
Valdien nodded at the mare's words. "I understand your hesitation. If I had a mate, I would do everything in my power to keep them from going to the front lines." His voice held genuine compassion for the mare. "Besides, Ion needs to be with you while your legs heal."
Opal smiled. "Thank you for understanding. I love Ion to pieces." She gave a small sigh. "I'm hoping that some day we have some foals of our own running around the herd. And maybe if Tide's girlfriend works out there will be their foals to run around the herd also." She eyed Tapar. "Ohh sorry. I got all lost in myself and didn't realize you showed up. I'm Opal. Who are you?"
Mira saw the winged Azrein's gesture and silently cursed her inability to hide herself, much less a bag of stolen goods. Without a good way of escape, the mare was forced to join the group out of her own politeness. Her approach was halted once more as the glint of metal caught her eye. Having only spent limited time with humans, she was unsure of what that long instrument was, but the way that it was held led her to guess that it could be dangerous. She eyed the human and the stallion who beckoned her closer. She also noted other two Azreins present did not seem perturbed by the object. Timidly, the mare stepped closer to the group, making sure to keep both of those humans in her sight. "Erm...'arro urrywon," she greeted with the sack of apples still between her teeth.
Opal peered at Mira then smiled. "Hello! I'm Opal. Who are you?" The sweet scent of apples hit her nose. She loved apples. "Ohhhh have you been eating apples? I love apples! We have some of the sweetest apples in Azerth in these fields."
At his words, she focused her attention back on him and nodded, still bowed. Yes, your highness, I am aware of the current situation. Vaguely, at least. She blushed at her ignorance, lowering her head even farther. Being a simple shop girl meant that she wasn't able to buy the newspapers, much less be in a position to hear all of the latest news. Apologies are not necessary, as I should be the one apologizing. It was my mistake for coming here without invitation. My name is Pykichi, my lord. I had thought to come here and learn more about the horses. The ones who take humans as companions...
"Your Majesty, actually." The King's smile caused his words to have no sting; he knew the girl had grown up outside of Royalty due to how she carried herself, and so did not hold the mix-up of titles against her. "Oh, the Azrein?" Here the King's smile widened, and he extended his arm to place a slender, bent finger below her chin, lifting it so she was forced to meet his gaze. "The Azrein are the love of my life, Pykichi, and they will be the love of yours as well. Come, meet them." The King smiled warmly at the girl, motioning with an elegant sweep of his hand for her to precede him into the middle of the conversing horses.
"Welcome, mare," Valdien inclined his head respectfully towards the purple mare, a bit envious of how healthy her coat seemed in comparison to his own. He sighed a bit, scooting over at the King's tap on his shoulder to allow his Chosen and the new human female through. He turned his head to press his nose into the female's chest in greeting; something along the lines of a horse-hug. "Welcome, little one."
Confused, Pykichi replied. Yes, you are our king. That wasn't something that she generally forgot... sums and spellings were not her best subjects, but everyone knew that King Azreth was... well... the king. She lifted her chin as he raised it, and had to quickly fight to not lower it again. This was the king. She had never been in the presence of such a public figure before, and was uncertain of what to do. Dazed, she looked to the herd of horses. By his sweep, he expected her to precede him, and she started panicking. Thank you, your highness. But I'm not sure that I would be wel-- And was interrupted by a large horse head to her chest. Not any horse, but the king's companion himself! She froze again.
The King laughed; a warm, rich baritone. The girl's hesitation was a welcome change of pace from the confidence and haughtiness of the nobles he usually kept in his company. "This is Valdien; I'm sure you've seen us around the town from time to time. He's nothing more than an old horse with wings and human speech, so please, don't let him scare you." The King grinned and ducked as Valdien's wing snapped out towards his head, barely missing him. "I suppose you came to the King's Fields in search of an Azrein of your own, then?"
"Please, do feel free to stay awhile." Valdien's voice dripped with sarcasm at his next words. "Someone needs to protect my innocent soul from this vile, shameless King's attentions. Another human would be welcome. Perhaps you could even take his place." Valdien chuckled softly at the mock-hurt on his King's features. The stallion let out a gentle sigh, his breath smelling of sweet alfalfa.
Valdien had forgotten the last time he and his Chosen had had the time to spend together, much less tease one-another! With the war going on, they rarely had several minutes in each other's company without a herald or a messenger summoning one of them in an emergency. Already, this night was becoming more and more perfect. Besides, Valdien's protective, almost paternal nature wanted to make sure that this human was well-received and taken care of.
Opal sighed then laid down. "Am I bad because I don't have a chosen yet? I've not met any humans except for ones already taken." She looked over at the King and Valdien. "Do I need a chosen?"
The dark blue mare eased a little at Opal's friendly greeting. Surely the humans could not be too bad if someone so polite and gentle would be around. "Hi," she said, dropping the sack from her mouth. "I'm Mira." She took a moment to loosen the muscles in her jaw, making some rather unladylike faces in the process. Mira reached down and nudged an apple with her nose, rolling it towards the pretty mare. "I like apples too! And you're welcomed to these." She poked her nose into the bag to fish out a treat herself.
Mira had half her face inside the sack when she heard the winged stallion's greeting, and she reflexively smiled in reply only to realized that the fabric completely hid the gesture. She pulled her head out from the bag and attempted to recompose herself. As composed as one could be with an apple in one's mouth. Just as she was about to offer the stallion a treat, he moved away at the touch of the human. It was then that Mira noticed a look of fatigue on the Azrein. The mare never seen anyone so haggard, and it sent a pang to her heart. She wanted even more to give him the fruit, yet she did not wish to disturb the human who introduced himself as King. She moved closer to the stallion and left the apple at the side of his hoof, hoping that he would see it. And possibly eat it when he was free to do so. Mira gave the King and the girl named Pykichi a glance before returning to her sack, wondering to herself what kind of soul, human or Azrein, could stand to let someone get to the sorry state that the winged stallion was in.
She began to relax, and even reached out to stroke the horse's nose before pulling back. Yet she couldn't help giggling at the exchange between the king and his horse. One could almost forget the seriousness of the kingdoms situation. Yet she found herself longing for a friendship like the royal pair in front of her possessed. She nodded at King Azreth's question, laughing again at the Valdien's reply. They had a way of making a her feel as if she, too, belonged to their world. At the stark reminder, she glanced at around at the other horses, trying to gauge their reaction to her presence. No one had stepped on her yet, or snapped their teeth in her direction, so she assumed that she was safe. A horse of her own, though. Is that why she had come to these fields? Had she been searching for a companion? She glanced around again at the horses, raw longing filling her face. She curtsied to them. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Pykichi.
The King frowned, noticing the apple placed at Valdien's feet. He met the mare's eyes and sent her a wave of wordless, sincere gratitude through that almost physic bond he had with every Azrein on the Isle. The kind gesture nearly brought tears to his green eyes; he could see the sorry shape the once-stunning Valdien was in, and it broke his heart that his Bonded had become so deteriorated.
The King bent down, picking the apple up off of the ground and rubbing the dirt on its skin on his expensive silk doublet, a signal that told all present how deeply he cared for his Bonded. He rested his forehead on Valdien's neck, and murmured something into his ear, holding the apple beneath his lips.
The sweet scent of the apple filled his senses, and Valdien bit into his hungrily in an attempt to ease the acidic pain of his constantly-empty stomach. Valdien couldn't remember the last time he had eaten, or even slept for that matter. His King had told him that the mare had left it at his feet, and he nodded to her in thanks. It appeared as if everyone noticed his sorry state, and it hurt him to think that they might think ill of the King for not tending to him.
But how could he, when every breath the King had was speaking for the safety and health of the Greater Herd, and every beat of his heart was devoted to keeping all of the Azrein safe and sheltered?
Valdien's eyes glazed over as the juice of the apple filled his mouth, and he felt his knees shake, wanting to sob quietly at the simple joy he found in the apple. He had once taken the sweet fruit for granted, but now that he only ever ate every three days or so, he could have cried for its sweetness.
Azreth felt the muscles of Valdien's neck tense as he bit into the apple, and the King had to bite his lip in order to stop the burning sensation that came before tears. It killed him that Valdien had become like this, and he knew through the mental bond that he and Val had that the stallion wanted to weep. Valdien sent a wordless wave of apology and acceptance into Azreth's mind, and the King found himself leaning against the stallion, his eyes filled with tears.
However, knowing he had to appear strong in the presence of so many, the King grit his teeth, wrapped his arms around Valdien's neck, and prayed that no one looked closely enough to see the tears in his eyes.
Pykichi looked up from her curtsy, mildly embarrassed. It seemed that the horses were busy conversing amongst each other. She straightened, and looked over towards the king and his horse. Instantly, she diverted her gaze, embarrassed and torn to have witnessed such a heartbreaking scene. They seemed to have slipped into their own private world. Yet Pykichi couldn't help but finally notice the state that both the King and his companion were in. Her wonderful country was apparently worse off than even the high nobles knew, or cared to share. Her heart reached out to his majesty, and she found herself wishing for some way to comfort them both. But what did a simple shop girl have to offer that the king should have been able to easily find elsewhere?
Mira was just about to dive nose first into the bag again when the human girl introduced herself. The mare sighed inwardly as she straighten herself. Yet another foiled attempt to dig, she thought. Yet, she granted the girl a smile and lowered her head in a small bow. "Hi there. My name is Mira." She studied Pykichi with her deep blue eyes, thoughts of apples temporarily brushed aside by her fascination with these two-legged creatures. "How ar---" Her words were cut off by a quiet, but deeply sincere "thank you" that she heard...or thought she heard. She looked past Pykichi and focused on the King. Mira had a bewildered expression on her face for a moment as she tried to sort out how it was that she heard unspoken words of thanks. The winged stallion's appreciative nod added to her confusion, though she gave him her best smile to let him know that he was welcomed to the apples.
Mira cleared her throat softly and attempted to return her attention to Pykichi. "How're you doing today?" As she continued on with the pleasantries, she watched the scene between the King and his stallion. Even though both males tried to hide it, she could sense the emotions. She decided to pretend not to see anything and changed focus once more to the girl. "Sorry. I'm not usually so...distracted."
At the sound of a voice, Pykichi glanced around. It took her a moment to realize that it must have belonged to one of the horses, but the sentence had been cut off too quickly. Then the voice spoke up again, and Pykichi followed the sound to a beautiful black and purple mare. Gazing up into her face, Pykichi was again struck speechless. She had never had the opportunity to actually talk to one of the creatures, and was unsure of how to conduct herself. Nevermind that she had introduced herself to them first. Thankfully, habitual politeness was her way of life, and she fell into her routine. I'm well, thank you. And yourself? She failed to notice the bag that the mare had been continually trying to reach into, her eyes glued upwards.
The King took a deep breath and willed his heart to mend itself. Wordlessly, he ignored the looks of the mare and girl he could feel on him, turning to Valdien's wing. With the gentle, slender hands that seemed so unsuited to a King, he slowly began to straighten Valdien's feathers, reaching down to his belt with his free hand to draw his beltknife. Slowly, carefully, he began to cut away the broken feathers so as not to hurt Valdien.
After several long minutes, he reached into a long satchel on his belt where he kept primaries from Valdien's last molting, and with steady hands he began imping the old feathers where he had cut away the broken ones. His shoulders shook with contained sobs as his hands passed over scars and lacerations on the stallion's delicate wings, and it took all the willpower he had learned as King to not fall to his knees in despair.
How had it come to this? His proud, glorious, handsome Valdien had been reduced to this by months of endless patrolling and fighting. And for what? To continuously lose ground to the creatures that had forced the stallion to protect those he cherished, because of some selfish desire to rid the Isle of that pure, selfless bond man and beast held so dear? The King shook his head, red-hot rage spreading through his body in a physical wave of heat, and he clamped down on his anger, hoping it didn't course through the bond between him and the other Azrein on the Isle.
When the feathers had been carefully mended, the King turned on his heel, dragging his fingers through the stallion's long mane in stead of a brush, fingers working expertly to remove the knots and twigs from that once-silken mane. King Azreth lost himself in his thoughts and anger, his eyes narrowed as his gaze traced the lines of open, weeping cuts on the stallion's proudly arched neck.
Valdien stood still to Azreth's careful ministrations, his eyes watching the human and the mare as he felt the almost physical rage coursing out from his Chosen's fragile body. Val was sure he was the only one who noticed, but the King himself looked worse for wear these days. He had lost at least ten pounds due to his own lack of eating, and though he tried to hide it with lady's cosmetics, the dark circles under his eyes were clearly visible.
It was obvious to Valdien's ice blue eyes that the King had not trimmed in nails in at least a month, which was saying something, considering Azreth took meticulous care of himself. And the King's personal scent was more heady than usual, telling Valdien that he hadn't found the time to bathe in at least three days, and had either ran out of or forgot to put on his perfume.
More likely than not, the King had run out, and it spoke volumes that he hadn't bought more of the fairly inexpensive stuff. Azreth had confided to Valdien last week that all of the money in the Treasury, even the King's own personal money, was being spent on the war. The castle had suffered for it; no longer did delicate food and dainties grace the King's stable. Instead, the King himself ate the fair of commoners, and he hadn't heard a word of complaint from the man.
Valdien sighed and leaned in to the King's gentle hands, and offered the mare and girl a soft smile, hoping that they didn't feel the white-hot anger pouring from the King. If they did, though, it was his responsibility to distract them.
"Thank you for the apple. You wouldn't happen to have two more, would you? One for the girl, and one for myself?"
Taoshira looked nervously into the clearing under the safety of the treeline. There was such a large gathering of horses and...humans. She had never met a human before and was sort of nervous to just go out into the clearing. Tashi watched from a distance as she contemplated over the current situation.
Azreth looked up from his work, sensing another Azreth near. He blinked through his anger, eyes narrowing as he scanned the darkness for movement. A smile spread across his features as he located the newcomer, and he nudged Valdien in the stomach with his knee, knowing the mare was probably nervous of him. "It seems as if there's someone else for us to meet, Val."
Valdien's ears swiveled back, listening to his King's words, and with a deep breath, he let out a whinny and raised his wings high in greeting to the mare, letting her know that this man was safe and was his Chosen, and that it was okay to draw near. He lowered his head, taking on a relaxed position to show the mare that there was no danger anywhere near.
Valdien hoped the mare knew him as Protector of the Greater Herd; if she did, she would trust his word and come near. Almost every Azrein either allied with the King or who were not allied with the Six knew him, as he guarded all Herds, even the Neutral ones, each night. By now, he was sure he was a familiar and welcome sight to most as they got themselves ready for sleep in the dark hours.
As hard as she had been staring, Pykichi would have had to have been blind to not notice something had momentarily spooked the horse. Looking around the clearing, she could find nothing that might have caused concern. As if broken from a trance, she finally noticed the day growing longer. When the mare offered her an apple, Pykichi turned her attention back, still awed by the horse, but not to the exclusion of her surroundings. Thank you, it's a very nice gesture. But I find I must be going. She looked over at the king, but was afraid to interrupt. As a rule, shop girls did not leave before those higher. She could not help but begin to fidget.
Now that Mira had settled down and regained her senses, she was enjoying the present company. When the girl excused herself away, the mare sighed with disappointment. "Aww'kay. It was nice meeting with you, Pykichi. Hopefully next time we'll chat more." She said with a smile.
The day of adventures from apple theft to meeting the King and company was starting to tire her out. As she watched the winged stallion wave in another Azrein as he did to her, she lowered herself to the lush grass. Mira picked out an apple for herself and rolled two others towards the King and his Azrein. She crunched away at the fruit, trying to remember stories about the King of the Isle. "Not quite how I imagined..." she said to no one in particular in between bites.
When Mira saw an adorable blue mare wandered up towards the group, she greeted her with a smile, "Hi there! I'm Mira."
Having been spotted again, she left the cover of the trees towards the one who had introduced herself as Mira. Tashi kept her distance and willed her voice to sound strong and confident, though inside she was neither. "Hi, my name is Taoshira."
Valdien gratefully munched on the apple rolled his way, pressing his wings tightly to his sides. It felt absolutely wonderful to have his wings all mended and looking good again. Although he needed a bath in a river or something to get the dried blood and dirt out, he was sure he'd be looking a bit more like himself once he got in a few meals.
The stallion nudged the King on the shoulder with his nose, his breath smelling of sweet apples, and was rewarded by the King's laughter. He hated to see Azreth so upset; it wasn't his fault that the Six were constantly plaguing them with attacks. But Valdien knew that Azreth held the weight of the world on those strong shoulders of his, but how long could the King hold up under the pressure? With a gentle sigh, Valdien pushed those thoughts from his mind, instead focusing on the positive for now. He and Azreth were here together, with no threats. That was a good thing.
"Welcome, Taoshira!" Valdien's voice was a strong, soothing baritone. "I don't believe we've met." He allowed his wings to droop slightly as he cocked up a hind hoof; the very image of a relaxed, happy, confident stallion.
The King grinned closing his eyes and breathing in the scents of the night. How long had it been since he had been this relaxed? And lucky Valdien, to be in the company of two beautiful mares! Though he wished for it sometime, the King could not afford to fall in love these days. He was married to his country and to the war, and as grim as a realization at that was, Azreth wouldn't have it any other way.
Who else would take up the weighty cloak of responsibility if he were to fail in his duties to his people? And he would kill himself if the Azrein couldn't be protected. Granted, they were quite capable of taking care of themselves, but, well, he needed them, and he hoped that they needed him as well.
He held each Azrein up on a pedestal of sorts; thinking them akin to divine creatures. Thousands of years ago, if his great ancestor had not Bonded to the first Azrein of their kind...well, Azreth would have found no joy in his life. A small smile played about the King's mouth, all of his worries soon forgotten in the present company.
"Mira, you say?" The King smiled at the mare, once more feeling personable. "What a beautiful name for an even prettier creature. Thank you so much for the apples." He grinned, bending down to retrieve one, and held it out on his palm for the mare to take.
The stallion's strong voice startled her at first, but once she saw his relaxed posture, Tashi relaxed a bit as well. "No, I don't think we have met before." Tashi said as she bowed her head slightly in greeting. It didn't escape her attention that this stallion didn't offer his name. She wondered if it was just accident or arrogance. Taoshira guessed it was the former, rather than the latter, seeing as how thin a line there was between confidence and arrogance. She decided she would make no comment on it and see how it played out.
"Nice to meet you, Taoshira," Mira's smile soften into a kind and gentle expression as she tried to coax the light blue mare to come closer. "Would you like some apples?" She was getting a childish enjoyment out of rolling the fruits around, so she nudged one towards Taoshira and yet another at the stallion.
"You're welcome, and thank you for the compliment and all that you've done," Mira lowered her head in a bow. "If the tales hear about you are true, then a couple of apples," the mare conveniently left out that they were relieved from some inattentive fruit merchant or farmer, "are the least that I can do for the King and his Azrein."
Having finished her sweet snack and rested her limbs, she slowly rose to stand. The moon had climbed higher while she socialized, and now sleep weighted down on her eyelids. She stifled a yawn. "It was a pleasure to meet all of you, though unfortunately, I have to leave for now. I look forward to our next encounter." she said and, nodding her farewell to all, started a light trot away to find a sleeping spot.
Reply
