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 Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:28 am
Sometimes, life just sucked and made you wish it would clear up, turn around, or even end. Sometimes things looked so bleak that no matter what you did or tried, nothing ever seemed to get better.
And sometimes, everything seemed to fall into place. The stars aligned, problems unknotted, and you found yourself thinking how very good it was to be alive. Having experienced the former situation in one shade or another over the course of his life, Antony was more than willing to embrace the latter, and embrace it he did!
He couldn't put a finger on the exact moment things had truly fallen into place in his life, but he had never been one to worry about the details. All that he knew was that, overall, life was great. He was the proud father to three wonderful children, had excellant friends, a supportive father, and, most of all, Loveless.
Just thinking about Lessy brought a somewhat silly grin to the stallion's face as he ambled along. It had been about two weeks since the two of them had become lifemates, but he still couldn't reflect on that fact without experiencing shades of giddiness and amazement.
And at the moment, loneliness. Given the situation, it really wasn't much of a shocker that the two of them had spent a lot of time together following their decision; today marked the first time apart for the two since, ostensibly to have a bit of a breather and enjoy a little downtime before starting the arduous process of telling everyone.
A breather, indeed. Antony was fully aware that he'd contributed to that suggestion, but talk about your stupid ideas!
Ah well, if nothing else, this was a chance to do a bit of roaming again, and he'd always liked roaming.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:29 am
Neve was content; she supposed that being so was being terribly unhappy. She had six (six!) healthy children, who dropped by every once in a while, and she'd not seen hide nor hair of her mother since long before her first children were born. She was therefore content with her lot.
It had been a while since she'd seen any of her family; by family that meant her father as he was the only one she felt close to anymore. She mulled over his words when they'd last met, her father had made the suggestion that she and her brother make amends. Neve wondered if either of them were mature enough for that, she supposed that she hoped she would be, it didn't send a particular good message to your children to be nice to your siblings when their mother was at loggerheads with their Uncle.
These thoughts were on her mind even as she virtually walked into Antony.
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:13 pm
"Whoa, careful now!" It was a major tell just how detached Antony's thoughts were from the here and now that he hadn't detetcted Neve's approach; one thing he learned from Diabetia was to always, always, ALWAYS be aware of his surroundings, a dictate that he'd always done his best to follow. After all, a moment of surprise could be a matter of life and death in the wrong setting.
He wasn't really thinking about THAT either, not even as his wings came up to prevent the mare from literally crashing into him. His warning, uttered in a mild but surprised tone, was also a bit of an auto response, as was the smile of apology he started to flash the mare before he realized that he knew her. Or had.
"Neve?" His sister's name, uttered in a tone of utter incredulity, was all that he could manage at first, too surprised to see her so suddenly and so...here. His father had mentioned to him once or twice that she had relocated to this territory a while back; he'd also mentioned that apparently Izusa had flipped out on Neve, or something like that, and that she'd settled down with a stallion and was raising a family. Yet in all this time, he hadn't seen her.
What exactly did one say when greeting a long-unseen-long-disliked sibling for the first time in...well, years? Especially given the various changes they'd both gone through, it was almost like he was meeting her for the first time. Hypothetically. Almost.
Which is why he, being his blunt and somewhat tactless self, managed to put his foot out to go in his mouth right off the bat. "Don't tell me you had to come all this way just to clout me one, Neve; I thought we agreed it was best to experience our mutual animousity from a distance."
Yep, few stallions were as good at hurting their own cause as Antony.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:30 am
'Sorry,' Neve apologised, the words slipping from her mouth before she realised who it was that she'd collided with.
'Antony?'
She sounded his name in the exact same incredulous tone. Part of her thought that he looked very grown up, and not like the idiot brother who she'd fought with as they were growing up and beyond. And another part though "yup, idiot brother".
She stepped back, her ears flattening a little, guarded. It was surprising that they hadn't come across each other before now, but even she had to admit it was bound to happen sooner or later. Before speaking to her father she had hoped for a 'never', but his words had made her think properly..but she hadn't wanted to bump into him like this though!
'All this way?' she echoed.
'Hardly Antony.' his name was spoken with a slight hint of annoyance, as his first words seemed to have been spoken purely to get her back up. But she was older now, mother of six and besides..she nearly always did what Daddy asked.
'I live in this area. I think I am allowed to walk around without being accused of inciting violence.'
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:48 pm
"Point." Neve's words, supporting Guilian's as they did, served an important point in reminding Antony that now was not the time to antagonize. Consequently, he took a step back from Neve, folding his wings at his back and straightening up a bit before saying, very carefully and deliberately (so as not to let slip something tactless again). "One would think so, I suppose. I do recall Dad saying something to the effect that you were living up here now, it's just I haven't really seen you" As he spoke, Antony's speech loosened up, becoming more rapid and more along his usual speech patterns. "I mean, how long has it been? I mean, there are surprises and then there are long unseen siblings colliding with you in the middle of the woods. Seriously, what is the proper way to deal with that situation, if not to exchange insults?"
Unfurling his wings, Antony ran the spikes of one wing through his mane in agitation, abandoning his 'aloof' stance in favor of somewhat random pacing. If Loveless were there, she would have been rolling her eyes and probably having a good chuckle at his expense; however, she wasn't there, so he had to deal with his mannerisms alone. With his sister.
But after a few minutes, he managed to recollect his wits, stopping again to say, "So I hear you've decided to embrace the whole 'maternal' thing. How is that working out for you?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:53 am
'I would imagine that he would have said something,' Neve shrugged.
'And I was avoiding you, so that's hardly surprising.' she continued. Honesty was crucial right now she supposed, veiled words would probably only lead to misunderstandings.
'But, not just you. Our mother.' she followed him with her eyes as he paced. Honestly, males were just useless at confrontations about anything. Neve gave a small shiver after she mentioned their mother, her silvery scars on shoulder and side twinging.
'Fiiine,' she rolled her eyes skywards.
'You look and smell like the hind quarters of a unclean boar. There?' she said with a grin.
'Happy now?'
Neve flicked an ear at her brother, and replied to his latter question, still smiling a little from the insult. Sometimes it felt good to be immature.
'Twice. I'm a mother to six now, all grown up. I like it. I like being a mother, and I hope I've done a better job than..well you know.'
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:09 am
So she'd been deliberately avoiding him, eh? How...sensible of her. Not quite so sensible as the life-preserving sensibility as she was displaying with regards to their mother, but still sensible.
On the Izusa topic, a part of him wanted to know exactly what had happened. After all, of Izusa's three children he himself was most likely the biggest disappointment, yet she'd held off on attacking him even when she had ample opportunity only to turn on Neve, her staunchest supporter. To say that he was interested in the details was an understatement, but on this one note, he could manage to put sensitivity first. For now.
Though Neve was actually making it a bit easier than he would have thought, with her sudden foray into jests. Since when had he and Neve jested with each other? But at the snark, he had to grin himself, firing back "And you look like you've been set upon by a determined flock of birds out to make nests of your hair, but who's keeping track?"
This time, though, there was a lightness in his tone, a lightness that he kept as he continued. "Well, congratulations, I suppose; six sounds a bit strenuous, but if they were spaced out a bit then that really shouldn't be that much of a headache. Are the fathers or father still in the picture?" Again, excellant opportunity to pry...but he could wait a little bit longer.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:18 am
Antony really had no idea how much self control Neve had, and the personal growth that had been brought about by so many things; her mother's attack had started it, her relationship with Marius, and then her lovely children. She was still catty when it was called for, but she had more restraint than when she was a younger mare.
Of course, she was far off from calling him her 'loving' brother and that might never happen, but their family had been in pieces during their childhood and it might be nice to put some of them back together before it was too late.
'Thanks, Smell-tony,' Neve countered, coupling it with a quirked eyebrow.
'Well yes, you wouldn't have been able to handle the pain, even though it was only three each time. And fathers?' she shot him a look.
'There's only one serial romantic in our family as far as I am aware and it isn't me. There is one father, and yes we are together.'
Though she'd not seen Marius very much since the birth of Vatsa, Ishmael and Marut, she felt confident enough to say it.
'And you, any small Antony's about that the world needs to be worried of?'
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:32 am
"SMELL-Tony? Ok, that is quite possible the worst attempt at insulting through name calling ever, Neve; honestly, I think that I am now ashamed to call you a relation." Antony's attempt at a stern face failed miserably, hurting any hope that Neve would think he was serious, but he didn't care. It had been so long since he'd seen Nic, he really missed this sort of family interaction. Granted, there were the younger ones about, but he'd always felt so very much older than them that they didn't count. Besides, on average they were even more annoying than Neve! Or than Neve had been...minus the bloody violence part.
Dismissing that thought, Antony let out a snort at the whole 'you wouldn't have been able to handle it' line. "Why do mares always say that? Personally, I think it's rather unfair to jump to that sort of conclusion, seeing as how it's not like we stallions have a chance to even TRY to redeem our good name...but anyway, congratulations on the offspring, and you don't have to get critical with me, it was an innocent enough question. Though obviously you have not met some of our younger siblings, or you'd know that Dad is not alone."
Though if Amary had her way with things, life would be one giant harem. Hell, that mare seemed to think it already was, but that was neither here nor there. He would much rather discuss his own immeadiate family, thank you very much.
Glancing at his sister, Antony couldn't help but grin in the silly way he always did when he thought about Loveless. "No small Antonys, no, but one rather sizable Anthone who is every bit as big if not bigger than his poor father, to say nothing of two wonderful daughters, Lessia and Pascale, who have had dab hands at manipulating both of their parents since they first came out of the basket. Lessy, my lifemate, and I are very proud of them all."
Neve had no way to know that she was the first Soquili Antony had had a chance to indentify Loveless as his lifemate to, but he himself was all too aware, and so delighted he thought he might just pop. His lifemate, indeed!
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:18 am
'I see, are you actually asking me to be as bitchy to you as I was when we were younger? You know I can be far more insulting than that,'Neve reminded him, poking her tongue out at her brother. She couldn't see that he would want to, this first meeting after such a long time was tentatively going well, and she doubted he would want them to fall back to old and bad habits.
'I've met one, and I know you wouldn't be able to handle it, males are terrible at handling pain,' she said, grinning.
'Err..Louie I think he's name was. Talkative colt when I met him. I imagine he must have grown a bit by now.'
Neve listened to Antony as he chattered and beamed, finding herself smiling at his happiness. She was actually feeling glad for him, at least her mother hadn't managed to ruin them into not being able to have proper relationships.
'Children and lifemated. I am pleased for you Antony.'
He'd probably find it hard to believe that she could be, but that was his problem. Her reply was genuine.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:49 am
At Neve's comment about being bitchier, Antony gave her a grin, clearly indicating that he didn't doubt that fact one iota. After all, it was in the genes for mares to be bitchy at least part of the time, and for all of their oddities they were somewhat 'normal' Soquili in terms of gender behavior. Emphasis on 'somewhat'.
"Yeah, well, some of us have been known to take a few knocks and survive without bursting into tears, Neve; obviously you are just spending time with the wrong sort of stallion. But ah well, you want to continue to build up a jaded perspective on stallionhood, that's your right."
Thus far, Antony was very pleased with the results of this meeting; the non-combative part of him had wanted to bury the hatchet years ago, but the stubborn grudge-holding part had refused to even consider seeking her out. Funny how random chance could help as well as hinder, in the right circumstances...
And by praising his family, she'd managed to raise herself another notch in his esteem. Bowing his head slightly in acknowledgement of the praise, he returned her smile with one of his own. "Well, it took a few ups and downs; you might say that ours has been a work in progess for a long time. In fact, it's so recent that the kids don't know about it yet, nor do the parents. We've thought about hunting them down before, but the two of us got a bit preoccupied with...other things."
He might be settled down, but he was still Guilian's son. Ah well, he'd managed to catch himself before being TOO indiscrete, and that was the important part. But just to be on the safe side, SUBJECT CHANGE. "Oh, you've met Louie, huh? Yeah...he was a bit easier to get along with for the masses when he was younger, even if he was hyperactive. Poor guy is even worse than me at saying the wrong thing, but HE does it on purpose. That's probably why he and I get along so well, come to think of it."
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:51 am
'Well of course you'd say that,' Neve replied with a shrug of her wings.
'Well, I would tell your children soon as you are able. I know that I'd want to know if my parents were planning on making it a long haul relationship.' she said slightly archly. She loved her father, and now she realised why he'd left so there was no bitterness in that respect, but sometimes she wished things had been far different.
'Err, yeah. Lovely.' Neve said, rolling her eyes. She did have six children after all, and she got what her brother was alluding to.
'Massively too much information, but thanks.' she snorted.
'I see, grew up that way huh?' it wouldn't have surprised her, given how much he'd spouted off at the mouth as a colt.
'Well maybe he'll get better once he has a family..or if he gets a hoof up the behind.'
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:07 pm
"Well, the kids are pretty smart; besides, it's only been a couple weeks, and tracking them down could take easily five times that long. I am resigned to the travel, though; it seems to be the way of things in our family, after all." This was said with no dissembling, no dancing around the subject; after all, ever since he was a young adult Antony had been off on his own, keeping in touch with a wildly roaming father. Beyond that, he knew that Guilian kept tabs on and contact with almost all of his children; if Guilian could manage with 6 out of 8, there was no reason he couldn't manage with three. Theoretically.
But yeah, keeping up was tough. Raising a brow at Neve's solution to Louie's attitude, Tony allowed himself to chuckle. Yeah, he couldn't really see that working for Louie; then again, he didn't spend a lot of time with their youngest brother, so who knew? "No one would ever know Louie is Dad's son, with how terrible he is with mares; on the other hand, I suppose it's safer to have fewer descendants running around. Did you know that we have five younger half-siblings? I swear, I don't know how you Soquilis with massive amounts of kids do it."
That got him smiling again, thinking of his three kids again. They were really something special; he wouldn't mind having more of them, not at all.
Someday.
"But anyway, how are things going for you otherwise these days? I think I heard that your older kids were about the same age as Louie and his sisters, so I suppose that your younger ones must be about the same age as mine. Girls? Boys? Mixed?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:38 am
'So Dad is sure that Louie is his son right?' Neve snickered at that thought. How terrible for their father! A son that was a complete dunce with mares.
'Well I know what you mean, I'm ever really sure about my sons because my daughters bump into them every so often. But I know they are out and are healthy and strong so I am reassured.'
Neve laughed;
'I called them all really easy names.' she joked.
'Honestly you just cope. There isn't anything else to do. And if you're lifemated, then I think your family is only just beginning.' she poked her tongue out at her brother.
'Hmm, well yes, Maharet, that's my daughter from my first lot, she was a filly when I bumped into Dad and Louie. Belial and Jaci are my oldest sons as well. Maharet got my wings, Belial - well he looks alot like a cross between you and Dad. He got the same wings as you. Jaci is a grounded. And my second lot was the exact same gender balance, Marut is my grounded daughter, she takes after her father's side of the family in looks. Ishmael got my wings, and his Grandmother's tail. And Vartan is my second grounded son.' she smiled fondly.
'What about yours, do they look like you, their mother? Or their grandparents?'
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:35 am
Well, the mask and wings are Louie's physical concessions to our side of the family, as far as I'm aware; he takes after his mother more than anything, though, in both looks and personality. Not that I've actually met the mare, but I've heard as much from 'Tina." Which was good enough, in a familiy as large as theirs. He'd leave it to their father to keep tabs on the whole lot of them, and he himself would be content trying to manage his own little brood.
And listening to Neve, that seemed to be the parental trend.
"Wow, sounds like you have a lot of variety, if nothing else. I imagine it would be quite the dinner party if your whole family was together and a stranger happened to stumble in. Though maybe they wouldn't be as freaked out as if they came across mine." The chuckle that accented that comment was part humorous, part wry; after all, as one of the most kalona-esque of their sibling group, he'd come in for more than what he considered his fair share of suspicion and fear. But what didn't kill you made you stronger, and his fast friendships with non-kalona and kalona alike had helped him overcome that particular drop of bitterness, at least in part. But whatever, he couldn't blame non-kalona Soquilis for what was really a smart plan of action.
Though it still stunk.
Dismissing that thought, he smiled at the question about his own family. "Well, it's easy to tell whose family they're in, I'd say. I don't know if you ever met Dad's friend Ariston or heard him talk about him, but Lessy is his daughter; she's a full-blood kalona, but these days if it weren't for the looks you'd never know. The kids all look kalona, but since Lessy's a pure and I'm a half it kinda makes sense. Lessia, the oldest, is our tomboy; she looks a lot like me, with me eyes and being mainly white. She's got dad'd red for her mane, which he adores, though couldn't care less about it, much to his regret." With that, he gave Neve a wink, knowing that she would likely share his amusement at that fact. "She's also the only full kalona of the three, with horns, wings, fangs, cloven hooves, and the tail; a very sweet girl, though, if I do say so myself. Pascale, the baby, looks the most like her two grandfathers; she's got Kalona wings, but that's really it. Has Dad's cardinal markings, albeit in purple, and Ariston's blond hair. Anthone, my son, has the kalona wings and tail; he looks like Lessy and her mother, being almost entirely black; he has Ariston's mane, though, and in Dad's red, so I'd say he represents very well. But listen to me!"
Realizing how long he'd gone off about his kids, Antony broke off with a laugh. "I sound thoroughly domesitcated, if I do say so myself."
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