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 Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:45 pm
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 4:02 pm
Ardia yawned, and then gave a shiver, shaking herself as cold drops fell from the overhanging branches of the tree above her landed on her back. In the far distance she could see one of her children; her daughter Meena to be exact, by the looks of the green blob at her feet, she was talking to Ardia's familiar friend Nianus.
Ardia silently berated her slowing growing years, her sight was already not as sharp as in her youth, and she could swear that her coat was ever so slightly starting to grey. Of course her children shook their heads at that, declaring that she was ever-young, and lovely but she knew. It didn't bother her so much, except when she thought on all the things that she wanted to see happen, and she felt time slipping through her hooves.
One was to see all her children happily settled, two of her sons seemed to be long gone, to pastures far and she could only hope that their life was good. But of those whose whereabouts she still knew of, only Kitara and Sierra were settled for sure. Takoda she knew was close to being so, and Adrienne had said something about meeting a stallion she particularly liked. But Meena, her eldest daughter...poor Meena seemed to be destined to wind up spending her years unmated. That was a life choice for some, she privately acknowledged, but she knew that Meena wanted it to be otherwise.
She shook herself again and moved away from the tree, grazing on soaking grass, and wandering further from where her daughter and Nianus stood. They seemed to be deep in conversation, and she didn't want to interrupt. Ardia stood straight after drifting for a bit, looking around her as she inhaled the chill morning air.
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:11 pm
 There is a feeling, a feeling of never belonging, that seems to seep into one's bones after awhile. It's not a bad feeling, per se, just a lonely one. And he'd had it for so long, Seamus reflected, that it felt like those bones of his were hollow and light as a bird's.
It was at times like these that he stopped with the nearest herd, grazing and chatting for a few days. He liked to bask in the happiness of togetherness--even if there was nobody who wanted him to stay, even if he knew in the end that he'd have to move on again, still looking for spirits knew what, he loved those brief few days of possibilities.
It's been too long, Seamus thought. He'd been wandering for over a week at this point with no one but the occasional fox for company. It's time to find someone to talk with.
But first--breakfast!
He grazed nonchalantly, tearing out mouthfuls of cold fresh grass. As he moved, he began to be aware of a presence. Flicking an ear forward, he glanced up. Sure enough, another Soquili was breakfasting nearby.
He chewed quickly and swallowed, a smile forming. Two for one!
"Good morning!" he called, hoping he wouldn't be perceived as rude.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:04 pm
Ardia was winkling a blade of grass from out between two teeth when the stallion spoke, and she coughed, he'd startled her enough for the loosened bit of grass to go down rather quickly.
'Scuse me,' she managed, in between coughs. Ardia turned away slightly as she did so, and once composure was retained, she turned back to the young stallion.
'Should know better than to sneak up on an old lady.' she teased, but her tone of voice was warm, and she smiled at him.
'Hello to you to as well.'
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:52 pm
Seamus felt his skin warming and hoped his dark coat hid his blush. "Ah, hello," he responded, quickly followed by an "Are you all right?"
He quickly stepped closer, adding, "I was just having a bite and saw you. No intention whatsoever to startle you, ma'a--er, miss?"
Seamus waffled for a moment as he realized he had absolutely no idea who he was addressing. She'd called herself "an old lady," but he really couldn't see anything that made her particularly old. He didn't even stop to question the "lady" bit, though. He'd known mares before who'd given him a solid hoof to the flank for startling them.
"Seamus," he said by way of introduction. "I really am sorry for being so abrupt. Are you sure you're okay?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:25 am
If he knew how many great-great grandchildren she had he would probably revise his opinion. She knew she wasn't a spring chicken, but nor was she decrepit. She'd mostly been joking. Ardia gave a small cough to test her throat and nodded.
'I'm fine, little bit of grass tried to go down the wrong way when you spoke is all. Nothing to worry about.' she looked him over in a shamelessly appraising fashion, giving a quick glance over towards her daughter who still seemed to be deep in conversation with Nianus.
'I'm Ardia, pleased to meet you Seamus.' she smiled.
'Are you new around here? I don't believe I've seen you about these parts before.'
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 11:35 pm
"Sorta." He flicked his head in shrugging manner. "I tend to criss-cross a lot, but this is the first time I've been, well--" he glanced about, "--here, I suppose. You know what they say: traveling's good for the body, good for the soul. Or something." After a brief pause, he amended, "Okay, I don't know if anyone ever really says that. But it sounded good, right?"
Seamus had the distinct feeling that he was talking too much. It seemed he always had that problem. But Ardia seemed kind enough, so he wasn't about to start worrying about it just yet.
Shaking himself against the cold of the late-autumn morning, he took a brief look around. Although it was a bit bare due to the season, the area looked pleasant enough. Bowing his head a little and shifting back to mildly formal, Seamus smiled right back, "Well, I am happy to make your acquaintance. Do you live here, Ardia?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:05 am
Ardia laughed;
'Travelling is good when it's required. I've never really been one for travelling for no particular reason. I've always been very much a homebody.' she glanced over towards where Meena was again, and then back at Seamus.
'Yes,' she replied with a nod.
'I came here several years back, settled down and raised my children here, near the two-leggeds Village. Do you have a family somewhere?'
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 3:58 pm
"Sure!" Seamus replied brightly. "Somewhere!"
(And somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered: Only a yearling, maybe a little older, traveling with a group of two-leggers with his mother and the rest of their horses. Tied to a stake at night because he had a tendency to wander--even if he always did come back eventually. Then, one night as he dozed, the fire. The smell of burning bear-grease, then the material of the teepee nearby sparking into flame. The blinding, eye-rolling panic as the fire roared closer, igniting more and more--the desperate need to run, the sound of other hooves pounding away from the destruction. His shrieking brays of terror as he realized the makeshift halter wasn't coming loose from where it was tied to the stake, and none of the fleeing humans were stopping to help. Finally pulling free of it as his own master's teepee began to crackle, scraping his jaw and ears and nose painfully. Then running, heedless of direction or mother or friend, just away from the burning encampment--the smell of his own singed tail fueling his fear until he collapsed quivering and foam-streaked gods knew how far away.
It took him days to find the burned out camp again, and by then those who'd found their way back sooner had already moved on. He could smell the smoke-stained trail of them leading away, but he lost them after a river crossed the path. So he'd started with the wandering--and, after a while, the goal of finding his mother and former herd had melted into a more generic desire to find anyone to ally himself with.)
The phantom smell of burned hair tingled at his nostrils, but he just snorted lightly and said, "Yes, I'm quite sure they're about someplace."
A little keen to change the subject, he picked out a tidbit that Ardia had mentioned: "Children, hmm? It does seem like it would be a good place for raising them. Always seems a little safer around villages--fewer critters that want to harm young Soquili, I guess. Do you have foals about, then?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:53 am
Ardia had never been the greatest at reading all the subleties of body language, but even she could tell that family seemed to be a sore subject. That was a shame; she greatly enjoyed her large family, and despite the fact that she didn't know them all yet was having fun tracking them down and getting to know her grandkids, and her great grandkids..
She shook her head at his question;
'Not foals exactly..I have seven grown children, one of my daughters is just over there talking to my friend Nianus.' Ardia motioned with her head towards where Meena could just be seen.
'Some of them have their own mates and children..and grandchildren of their own.'
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Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:59 pm
Glancing around to the place where Ardia had indicated, Seamus could indeed just make out another Soquili--and not a foal, either, but a full-grown (and from what he could tell, quite pretty) mare. Taking another long look at Ardia, he raised one eyebrow and let out a low, quiet huff of astonishment. Well, she had told him.
"I do hope you'll forgive me, ma'am," he began, settling on an honorific at last, "if I'm a bit skeptical." He wrinkled his nose and smiled, no malice or disrespect meant. "But you? Seven kids? Great-grandkids? I just can't buy it!"
He was once told that flattery gets one nowhere. But here was the gods-honest truth: Ardia, yes, was obviously not a spring-turf mare. There was too much patience, too much an air of perception around her. These things, he knew, could come with those of all ages, but with her multiple mentions of being "old," he'd accepted that she may have a couple of years on him. But a great-grandmother? Nah. Not even close. She was sharp and lovely, and even if not physically young, she seemed plenty youthful to him!
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:47 am
'No? I'm afraid you'll have to.' she answered with a small laugh.
'I know that sometimes I find it hard to believe that I have so many relations but it's true. I was out walking and bumped into a mare who is the daughter of one of my eldest..and she has grown up children of her own. My daughter's daughter is a grandmother..'
Ardia grinned at the stallion;
'The flattery is all very appreciated but best directed towards my daughter,' she said, adding on a wink to further embarrass him.
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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:51 pm
Oh, he was embarrassed all right. Seamus coughed deep in his throat, a sort of hem hem sound. It wasn't the fact Ardia was a grandmother (great-grandmother?!)--no, good for her. It was the fact that he felt that underneath everything she was saying was a current of orneriness that he was only seeing the tip of. It was both slightly perplexing and greatly interesting. All the same, he felt a little discombobulated.
For a brief moment he considered congratulating Ardia on her...what, fertility? Almost as soon as that thought entered his mind, Seamus sent it far, far away. She'd probably just laugh at him anyway, but it just didn't seem appropriate. And, y'know, he'd stuck his hoof in his mouth enough times already in this brief conversation.
Instead, he tried to cast around for a different topic. After a second or two, he hit upon it. "Daughter, eh?" He squinted back over to where Ardia had indicated. The other mare was still talking to some other barely-distinguishable creature, and he turned back to Ardia with a smile. "Does she take after you or her father?"
That was an innocent question, right?
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:27 am
Ardia grinned to herself;oh she was a mother, & grandmother - she had found the knack to be completely embarrassing to anyone younger than herself, and all whilst still appearing warm and motherly. Matchmaking hadn't been in the forefront of her mind when she had immediately met Seamus, but it had reared its head now, and she gave a quick glance over at Meena to make sure she wasn't yet heading this way - Ardia wanted to lay the groundwork so that they met each other in the best light possible.
'Yes daughter, she's my eldest, along with her sister and brother from the first baskets.' she smiled.
'Oh, she takes after us both really. Got my romantic side, and my sweetness. She teases alot though, which I'm sure is the bolder side from her father. Her looks are from both of us, her father is natural coloured as well.'
She looked at Meena properly this time, and then back at Seamus.
'Unfortunately she's not been as lucky as I was in love, which saddens me. She's too attractive to be single.' she chuckled.
'But I am sure all mothers think so highly of their children!'
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Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:53 am
Seamus smiled, cheered by Ardia's words. Not the bit about her daughter's apparent lack in romance, of course--he could sympathize with that. But the way Ardia talked, the way she described her daughter...well, it made him happy. She obviously loved her very much, and that always made him glad. Turning back to Ardia after a quick glance to the subject of their conversation, he replied, "Oh, I hope so. I really do. All children should be so blessed."
He grinned a bit then, and added, "But I'm not so sure that all of her boldness came from her father. I dare say she might've gotten a bit from you!" But almost as soon as it came out of his mouth, he realized it might be taken as rude or wrong or or or... He quickly tacked on, "Not that I think you're bold! Or, er, too bold. Too bold!" Oh gods, he was making it worse.
Half-miserably, he asked, "So, um, what's her name?"
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