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 Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:54 pm
 The moon on the ocean was an image of heartbreaking beauty. The young, strong wind stallion floated on outspread wings, borne aloft by the ocean winds. Subtle movements of his flight feathers kept him balanced in the boistrous breezes. He gazed appreciatively at the vista. savoring the moment that would soon pass. For now the relection of the moon's pure white light on the rippled glass of the ocean kept his attention entirely.
It wasn't until the moon had risen too far to shine at itself in the water that he sighed deeply and tipped his wings back towards the land. He was out just beyond the furthest jutting of land. He allowed himself to lose altitude until his hooves touched the ground. He galloped a few steps as he folded his wings, then slowed to a walk, following the cliffline.
It was as he strolled along, long mane blowing sideways in the night wind, that another scene of beauty greeted him. Standing upon a rise in the ground, mane and tail blown back into a froth of curls, stood a vision of mystical measure. She was a unicorn, kissed by the moon and marked by the sea. Her pearly white horn rose to meet the sparkling sky, and her eyes were lost in the depths of the ocean waters. She simply stood there, as if she were a part of the magic of this perfect night.
His breath caught in his belly, where it ached and tumbled. Here was a mare out of a stallion's dreams, staring out at what he himself had just been admiring. In that moment of purest perfection, of surreality, he set his heart upon winning her love. Quietly, he stepped towards her, half expecting her to vanish in a glimmer of mist and moonlight.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:10 pm
 Mystre was out hunting. It pained her to force such a seperation, but he was such a large wolf now, she did not doubt that he could look after himself. Not any more. But it left her feeling so very alone, when he had to leave her to fill his belly. Such nights she always came to stare out at the ocean. She found it's siblant siren song comforting. Tha many sounds of the sea upon the land were her earliest memories, while she had lain inside her basket and waited for the time to emerge. The sea had been her home, before Delphia had found her.
So in times of distress or sorrow, she came here, to seek the ocean's solace. The temprature of the air was prefect tonight, and the fresh breeze heavenly. She despised warm, sticky hair, and despised the sound and feel of insects buzzing around her. Such things never troubled her here. And here, she could find peace, for mind, body, and heart.
For this unicorn mare was lonely.
Oh, Mystre did his best to fill the void she felt, but even he knew he could not ever be all that she needed. Only a mate could complete her, make her feel whole and not like such a shadow, a shade that flitted amongst the coastal forests like the mists that rolled in from the sea. Inwardly, in her heart of hearts, she feared that someday she would fade to a wisp, then vanish from the face of the earth, just as the mists did each and every day. And who but her faithful lupine companion would miss her?
Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as she stared out over the restless ocean, not looking for answers, but hoping for an easing of her heart's sadness. Perhaps praying for a solution.
And then she heard a step behind her.
She was not a mare of swift and hasty action. Feeling that she had a certain dignity to uphold as a unicorn, she always was poised and deliberate. To some this translated as cold and aloof. Little did they know, or care. So she did not whirl, nor did she snort in surprise. Slowly, gracefully, she turned her head to regard the one who approached her.
Her eyes did widen at the sight, however. For it seemed as if this was a being formed from her dreams, an illusion cast by the mists out of her desires. For it was a stallion. He stood tall and proud, his chest wide and his shoulders powerful. He had long, straight legs and an arching neck, and atop that neck was a fineboned face, with a narrow muzzle and a wide forehead. Wide, intelligent eyes regarded her and ears pricked towards her. What was this she had unintentionally created? She gave a faint gasp, waiting to see if the vision would speak.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:23 pm
He stopped when she turned to gaze at him with those dewey eyes, not willing to frighten or intimidate this lovely wild spirit. He watched her reaction to him, waiting to see if she would speak. When she did not, he doubted his sanity. Perhaps she really was born of the magic of a full moon on the calm ocean's mirror? But no... she seemed to be waiting for something. Waiting for what? He tipped his head to the side quizzically for a moment before it dawned on him. She was waiting for him.
An odd sensation of nervousness washed over him, but he quietly cleared his throat and dipped into a very deep equine bow, folding chin to chest and arching his neck as he lowered himself so low that his chest touched the soft fertile earth. He held it for a heartbeat before rising to regard the lovely mare again. "Greetings, fair maiden, lady of the sea mists," he spoke softly, though his deep voice carried fairly easy, even against the ocean wind. "I am Darius, son of the wind." He tipped his head, his moonwashed forelock falling rakishly across his eyes. "Your beauty has drawn me from the sky, and considered it a shame to not at least come and introduce myself."
He smiled then, brilliant white against his darker hide, though his muzzle did show slightly paler than the rest of him, save his legs. He flicked his wings, resettling them against his sides. "May I ask your name, vision of the sea?" he inquired quietly, holding her eyes with his own.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:33 pm
Her sense of surreality settled as the approaching stallion spoke, banishing her unusually fanciful thoughts that she had somehow spun him into reality by her wistful thoughts and wishes. No, this was an actual stallion, though one of impressive manners. She arched a brow at his bow and smooth words. So he was also a flatterer. Ever cautious, ever careful, she slipped into her detatched demeanor that had fended off other stallions that seemed drawn by her beauty and nothing else.
She allowed him to finish his pretty speech, keeping her gaze steady and cool. When he got around to asking her name, she inclined her head politely. "Salutations, sir Darius. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am T'Cora." She paused to cooly assess him, her gaze giving him nothing to work with or hang his hopes on. Too many... far too many had tried such tactics on her. Her lack of reciprocations often put their shallow fires of passion on ice immediately, or soon thereafter. She expected no less this time.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:44 pm
He watched her expression minutely as it changed to relief, then intrigue, then shut down completely. Her exterior became cold and distant, and her gaze was almost cold. But she could not hide what she'd shown him in that startled moment of truth. She was not a hard, uncaring mare. There were much deeper levels to her that she was not allowing him access to now. But his heart was set. He would find the key to releasing her again to be herself, instead of this calculating exterior.
"The pleasure is all mine," he intoned sincerely, stepping up to stand beside her, gazing out at the ocean. "I hope you don't mind me joining you. The night is beautiful, made moreso by the company of a lovely mare." His eyes remained on the horizon, which was barely discernable now that the moon was so much higher. The water even cast back light occasionally, mimicking the sparkle and shine of stars. "I cannot resist the pull of the ocean on the night of a full moon's rising," he commented companionably, gaze distant and almost dreamy. "It is like witnessing magic's beginning, the rebirth of every dream and every fond desire that echoes across the earth."
This was no prepared speech, think what she may. He tended to wax eloquent when something stirred him, or inspired him. He was a stallion of words. He cast a look at her beside him, but did not catch her looking at him. He knew she must have been though. He'd felt the searching, frosty gaze upon him as he'd looked beyond their high cliff perch. It was time for a slight change in tactics, he decided.
"What brings you to the ocean, T'Cora?" he inquired, his tone politely casual, though not entirely offhanded. He curved his neck so he could give her his full attention if she chose to respond. Being the well-mannered mare she appeared, he was reasonable sure she would, giving him another chance to learn a little more about who she was. If he was lucky.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:00 pm
She regarded him coolly still as he responded politely and then moved closer without exactly following protocol. Tehcnically he should have asked first if he could join her. THe unicorn mare allowed this as a mark against him, and held herself stiffly erect as he stood beside her. Eventually she turned her eyes away from this smooth-tongued upstart and out at her constant friend, the ocean. It needed no silvery tongue nor false praise to keep her, to call her. It only had to be itself. Oh how she tired of these prancing, pretending fools and their games!
Her ears flicked slightly at the unexpected spiel of thoughtful contemplation concerning the moonrise they had both apparently witnessed earlier. More pretty words, perhaps not even his own. She stifled an unladylike contemptuous snort and lifted her chin a little higher, refusing to look at the self-assured wind stallion.
However, he then asked her a direct question. She made him wait, pondering how best to respond. Unconciously she began to flip her tailtip from side to side, a mental rhythm to which she thought. Finally she opted for simple truth as the best way to answer him and also discourage him. "I come here for peace of mind, for quiet of spirit." She breathed in the salt air deeply for a moment before continuing. "I come to be alone with my thoughts and to find refreshment in medidation." Perhaps this last was a slight tweaking of the truth, but it was nigh on accurate. She did tend to slip into something resembling a trance when she needed to lose herself in the hynotizing pattern of the waves as they rolled in and crashed upon the rocks and sand. For just the space of a few breaths, she let her mind dwell on this before pulling herself back into the present situation.
She turned her aqua eyes upon the swirl-marked stallion (something she only now realized, since his wings were highlighted by the moon overhead) and continued in a stern, no-nonsense tone of voice. "I do not come here seeking company or romance." She gave him a cold glare, insinuating he should have understood this already and absented himself. Deciding she'd been clear enough, she left it at that, keeping him pinned with her eyes.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:13 pm
The brilliant blue stallion had not really expected her to be impressed with his shared thoughts and ideas, but he felt if you expected someone to eventually open up to you, you first had to do so yourself. So he had shared, regardless of what she thought about it.
As she answered him, with clear intentions of making him feel unwelcome, he caught the shifts in her eyes, in her face, and the steady movement of her lovely slender lion's tail. He resisted the urge to rest his gaze upon her tail, even though he thought it would be a pleasant thing to watch it move. Not because of it's location, but because it was her, and the very movement of her tail was grace embodied. But to stare at a mare's hindquarters was a definite no-no when you just met her, most especially if you were trying to court her. So he resolutely kept his eyes trained on her face.
He had to admit, though, that when she turned such an unfriendly stare at him, he experienced a moment of uncertainty. What if she was like this all the time? What if she did not care for stallions at all? What if... ah, but he caught himself there. What ifs were useless in everything but hindsight. Firmly he squelched the rising doubts and looked beyond the frozen disdain in her eyes. Looked deeper, looked longer. They stood silently for some time, eyes locked as his heart reached for hers.
But tonight was not to be the night. She would not let him in, though he could sense her heart, beating with the promise of love and passion that belied the icy outward shell. So he gave in, bowing his head graciously to her. "Perhaps another time then, fair T'Cora." His tongue lingered on her name, savoring it like the sweetest of honey. "May we meet again soon, at a time that better suits you." He dipped a swifter bow than he had performed earlier. "Enjoy your evening, lady unicorn."
With that he spread his wings and plunged off the cliff's edge, which loomed so near. He knew how to make the most of his wings when it came to dramatic exits and entrances. For now, he plummeted towards the beach, wings tucked in slightly. Before he was in danger of striking the sand, though, he snapped his wings open and swept upwards in a sharp arc, so that soon he was shooting straight up in the air. With powerful wingbeats he then conintued his ascention, intentionally driving himself upward until the cliff was but a ripple in the land that draped like fabric against the shining glass of the sea.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:41 pm
She had to admit it to only herself, at least, but his sudden lunge to and over the cliff's edge had made her heart flutter. She felt foolish a breath later when she remembered that he was winged. Silently she berated herself for falling for such a simple trick to gain her concern and favor. Even so, she couldn't help the urge to track his progress, stepping to the edge to watch him swoop up from the surface of the beach to climb ever upward and into the the light of the moon overhead, where he disappeared.
She let her head stop craning then, and sighed deeply, shedding her stand-offish demeanor like a cloak. It was so tiring these days to hold the mask firm in order to stave off the supposed affections of the foolish and stupid. That one hadn't struck her as stupid, she reflected. Perhaps foolish, but certainly not stupid.
With another sigh she turned away from the sea, which at this moment only reminded her of that forward, confident stallion. Right on cue, Mystre loped out of the forest a distance away, a white shadow against the moonlit landscape. She neighed a greeting to him and broke into a trot towards him. He'd always been protective of her, and tended to bristle when he heard of another pass at her by this stallion or that. She was sure this time would be no different.
Things always stayed the same, it seemed.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:21 am
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Several days later she returned to the rise in the land near the sea. It was one of her favorite places to stand and gaze out at the ocean, after all. But today, something was waiting for her. A single rose, the color of pale aqua, with two delicate and perfect leaves, lay in plain sight. Dew still glistened on the petals, which were just opening, revealing the deeper inward color. It reminded her of the bright color of the shallow waters on a calm day. The perfect shade of summer, to her mind. But what was this doing here, and who had left it so carelessly?
After inhaling its enticing scent, T'Cora lifted the stem with her teeth and tucked it into her necklace, affixing it against one of the shells. She thought it would look lovely against her blue swirls. With a light heart she then turned her face into the fresh, sea-scented breeze and closed her eyes, letting it play with her mane while flicking her tail in quiet pleasure. Such little things in life that brought such deep joy!
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:15 pm
High above, beyond the ocean breeze to where the strong winds blew, a spot of deeper, brighter blue hovered. Wings spread to let the gusts hold him aloft, with his neck craned downwards, Darius watched the beatuiful mare discover his gift.
It warmed him to see her so relaxed, lacking that cold shell of a mask she'd used on him before. He'd begun to ask others about her, and learned it wasn't just with him that she presented this front either. She drove others from herself, intentionally making herself a solitary being, save for the wildlife and her wolf companion, whom he had yet to see.
It saddened him that she took such care to be alone, when she clearly could be such good company. He knew that unicorns tended to prefer to live individually rather than in herds, but he felt there was more behind her actions than just the natural desire to look after her own plot of land. That was part of the mystery of her. There was so much more to her, but it was hidden from view.
He smiled, warmed from within, as she tucked his gift against her lovely throat. It suited her, that simple beauty. he'd seen flashier mares, and more elaborate mares, with intricate hairstyles and bedecked with jewelry, but she outshone them all. It made his heart thud in his chest with a passionate desire to win her over, to coax her to confinde in him, to show her that he could truly love her.
Perhaps it was early yet to be thinking of such things as love. So far she had been nothing but frosty to him. But even so, with his heart driving him onwards, he could not dismiss the notion. She needed love. Her need for it cried out in every cold glare, in every sharp word, in her entire icy demeanor. She hid a longing for the warmth and safety of love.
He was determined to be the stallion who earned her love by loving her first.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:44 pm
He watched her for a time, considering whether or not to swoop down and announce himself as the giver of the gift. While the dramatic entrance appealed to him, the timing was all wrong. He wanted to give her more time to ponder on what she discovered.
He flipped his wings and did a wing-over instead, an idea for the next stage of his plan stirring. It would take some work, and some hunting. The aqua rose by itself had taken him two days to find. But it had been well worth it. A last glance over his shoulder made his eyes glisten before he began flying in earnest, on his next mission to win her.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:57 pm
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Two days later T'Cora was strolling along the beach, her cloven hooves leaving duo marks with each step she took. Beside her own tracks in the damp sand were Mystre's own four toed prints. They were talking softly within their minds, simply enjoying each others' company. They did this often, part of what kep their friendship strong. Despite his keen nose, though, it was the mare that noticed it first.
It was a sweet scent, rising easily above teh salty aromoa of the brackish waters that mumbled to themselves in slow waves nearby. A light, breathy scent, sweeter than honey, that appealed to her. She paused and raised her head, nostrils flaring. Step by careful step she followed the scent trail, until she and her wolf friend came to a shoulder of rock that pressed towards the sea.
There, nestled safely upon a shelf of the rough stone, was a puzzling sight. It was a seashell, a twisting, turning spire with a teardrop shaped opening at its base. But that was not all, for it rested gently upon a bed of small delicate white flowers, from which the lovely scent arose. She bent forward to inhale the enticing aroma, closing her eyes in pleasure. Such a simple but powerful smell it was! She was enchanted.
But why was it here? She sent a mental query at Mystre, who responded wordlessly, causing her to turn and look where he looked. Across a tiny bay, bright against the tan of sand and grey of rock, stood that same smooth-tongued wind stallion. He was dripping wet, his mane straggled along his neck and tail bedgraggled and sorry. His smile, however, was anything but. He flashed it at her in full glory, unspoken thoughts milling wildly behind his facial expression.
She held herself still, both outwardly and inwardly. She would not fall prey to this tactic, she admonished herself. This was nothing but a pretty boy's ploy to lull her. She stood rock still, staring at him. Seeming unperturbed, he flipped his wings several times, sending sparkling droplets of water into the air. She watched guardedly as the sun caught the tiny bits and turned them into diamonds. He nosed his feathers into place before flashing her another dashing smile and then launching himself upward. This time he did not fly into the sun, but alighted at the top of the rocky edging of the land. There he neighed a happy call before turning and galloping out of sight.
T'Cora bit her lip and lowered her gaze to the flowers and their unicorn-horn shell. This might be harder than she thought.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:00 pm
Mystre farily bristled as he stood next to his friend while they stared at the stranger. Usually he was her voice of reason, speaking to her rationally when she wasn't thinking rationsally. When it came to these roving bandits, however, she had enough sense on her own and hardly needed his input. She was quite good at running them off. Usually. But this one did not seem to be getting the message.
Had he not been mute, a growl would have rumbled in his throat as he watched the vain thing intently. Stupid stallions, always showing off for pretty mares, without properly discovering whether that mare cared to give them the time of day! The wolf would have bounded over to chase the foolish soquili off, but this one was winged after all, and probably would merely mock him in the air.
So it was a relief when the stallion didn't approach his lady, nor stick around to ogle her. Instead he took himself off, even his demeanor wasn't nearly cowed or contrite enough for Mystre. He had a feeling that they would see him again. Perhaps he should stick closer to T'Cora for a while, he mused, then promptly sneezed on the pile of flowers and their fragile offering.
He was somewhat astonished though when this earned him a scolding huff from T'Cora as she bent and gathered both flowers and shell into her mouth. Why, she wasn't really considering accepting the gift, was she? Why, so she was! He glared at her suspiciously. He definitely needed to stay close to her, if she was losing her wits like this.
Determined in his self-appointed role as her protector, he trotted after her as she returned the way they'd come, hoof and paw prints now tracing both directions, waiting for the waves to erase them.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:14 pm
He set off into the forest with his heart singing. Oh, she had tried to hide it, but he could tell, through the thinning mask of ice, that she had liked it. Few could resist the lure of jasmine, with its alluring smell and lovely delicate appearance. And when he'd found that shell, he'd known it was meant for her. He found the similarity between it and her horn striking, while the teardrop opening into the heart of the shell was quite symbolic. Whether it stood for tears she had yet to shed over pain that caused her to hold others away from her, or whether it represented the thawing of the chilly ice that encased her, melting to drip away at last, it seemed fitting.
But that wolf! Nothing could give Darius second thoughts, but that wolf had most certainly not been happy with him. It had looked furious enough to rip his throat out, given half the chance. The stallion found this curious, and wondered at the relationship between the two. Perhaps he would hold off on his next gift, and simply watch and learn more about the two companions, so he would know better what to do with the changing situation.
For now, his heart was light with his growing success. Time would prove his friend, and was the key to his plan. Time, and a little well-applied thoughtfulness.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:00 pm
She was aware that Mystre disapproved. Perhaps that was why she held onto these small tokens of favor. Or at least, that's what she told herself. That was her excuse, that his ire over the stallion is what drove her to rebel. She wasn't ready to admit otherwise to herself.
She had waited until he'd stalked off upwind, muttering to himself, before she ducked her head under a fern. Already lying there was the drying aqua rose. Beside it she laid her small burden of jasmine flowers and the shell that so resembled her own horn, if brown and cream instead of white. She gazed at them for a few moments, considering who they came from, and what little she knew of him. Could it be she should give this bold stallion a chance?
She withdrew her head with a snort, sending the fern's fronds dancing crazily. What was wrong with her? Of course she shouldn't give this upstart a moment's thought! She pawed the earth in her agitation, leaving two neat furrows in the dark, fragrant earth. The very idea!
With another snort, she tipped her nose in the air, switched her tail side to side, and haughtily strode off from her little treasure trove, ignoring the fact that it still remained a warm glow in her mind, knowing those little things were there to look at any time.
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