[PRP] The Silver Stallion's Story | Page 1 | Open/Private Canon IC RP | Guild Forums

ToniCourtel

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Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:10 pm

((This is just a thread for me to get Sibalto's past story written out and evolve it into his current ways... ))

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The Backstory

Sibalto's Information from the New World Event:
CHARACTER DESIGN CONTEST
Name of Character: Lady Taria Cromwell
Country of orgin: Raised in France, with some time in England
What is their purpose for coming to the New World?: Tired of the life of a lady... She wants adventure... And to get away from an arranged marriage to a man who would have her be a lady... The idea of a new world with new things to see facinates her, and she can't help but want to go.
What is their description? (pictures help): Dark haired (down to her waist) and fair skinned, she is not strikingly beautiful, or very curvy. Tari has an average figure and a wild spirit that makes it hard for her to meet men (not that she much cared to). Later she she chops her hair to shoulder length and keeps it in a tail, dressing as a man to get away from home. She succeeds and gets a job as an explorer on the first ship to the "New World". On the ship she has become tan and stronger, wise in the ways of water and wind, and well liked among her fellows. Her new life is something she has always wanted, challenge and joy and friendship, and she can't help but fear it's end.
Background: The daughter of Oliver Cromwell, she made her brother Richard (before he was thrown in prison) purchase a half-wild spanish stallion when she saw him at the market. The creature, whom she named Sibalto, and thrown and killed his last master, and would have been destroyed had she not bribed her brother to purchase him. She gave the bold stallion a second chance, taking him to her country house and letting him relax for some time before trying to gain his trust. She is one of the few who can approach him, for he is still untrusting toward most humans, however, he will go wherever she asks.
What does their horse look like? (pictures help): Pics Removed!
Write a short story about this character and their horse:
A day at the market: Taria held onto her brother's arm as he escourted her through the Fair, knowing she loved to shop so. She smiled and pointed at things, he grinned and replied, sometimes they purchased, somtimes they walked on. The noise of people, animals and music swirled around the stone walls and straw-roofed carts and selling tents, making the Fair an area of nearly living confusion. Raising a hand to her temple, Tari asked Richard to halt a moment, and fanned herself.
"Enjoyed it enough?" He grinned.
She laughed. "Never! I shall walk the whole of the Fair, with or without you!"
Richard shook his head, and led her on. The pair wove through the stands, reaching the animal market before long. Taria laughed at her brother and bent to investigate a litter of puppies in a crate, their owner appearing instantly to regail her with their pedigree and the fine hunts of their father.
After considering the hounds, they moved on, passing goats and geese, chickens and cows... Pigs, sheep, ducks, more dogs, and even the occassional exotic beast or bird.
Further on she leaned against the paddock fence of the HorseMaster, eyeing the stock he had for sale. The greasy haired man approached at once, trying to draw her eyes to a fine bay palfrey mare. She smiled a kind 'no thank you', and inquired about the dappled stallion with the fine arching neck and the hooves like thunder.
"Fine Spanish Blood that one." The HorseMaster agreed as he eyed the rearing stallion. "The Lady has an eye for Spirit and looks."
Richard rolled his eyes at man and horse. "That is my sister for you."
Taria smiled sweetly at her brother, watching the stallion pace about his small pen.
"Well Ma'am... I'd be glad to sell ye that stallion, if I was sure you could handle him....But if ye follow, that stallion's half-crazed and would be better for a strong lad."
Tali eyed her brother, and the HorseMaster did the same. An oily smile appeared on his lips. "Of course... Its all just high spirits Miss.. If your fine fellow could get him home for ye, in the quiet, with a bit o' trainin', I'm sure he'd be the finest ladie's horse ye could ask fer."
Tali beamed at Richard. "Oh please?"
"A horse?" Richard coughed. "And one as mad as that? NAY sister dearest... Not even for your birthday.."
"Birthday and Wedding." She corrected and Richard's face fell. "Not even for a Wedding Present, dearest brother?"
Richard caved. "How much is the beast?"

At Home: Tari watched Sibalto rage around his paddock like he had day after day when he saw people within reach of his field. She ignored the stampeding stallion and climbed through the fence, her hair newly shorn and pulled back. She strode across the green, checking his hay before turning to the feed bucket.
The stallion halted, eyeing her as she emptied a bucket of feed into his trough and stepped back. He was confused by her altered appearance, but knew her scent for the one who had treated his wounds and brought his feed. Shifting from forehoof to forehoof, arching his neck and blowing, he considered her for long moments before moving forward. Slowly he stepped toward her and then faster, trotting over to feed.
Over the last few days he had become used to her, even allowing her to comb out the burrs and mud from his mane, tail and coat. Although everytime she pulled at him he would stomp a hoof or pin an ear. He was not ready to let anyone atop his back, nor did she expect it... But she wanted some of his trust, and he found himself giving it-slowly, warily, -but giving it never-the-less.
Eyeing her with a deep nod, he dipped his muzzle to the oats and sweet feed, and took a mouthfull, twitching his tail in farewell.
Smiling, she turned to walk away after eyeing his silvery coat to make sure it was clean. Still free of burs and brambles, Sibalto's coat glowed like starlight and ash scattered across the night sky. His legs and muzzle and deep eyes were black, mane and tail a streaked silver, white and black, and his coat a snowy white dapples with sterling. A beautiful stallion, wild and free, he eyed her smartly over his mouthfuls.
Satisfied, she turned away and began walking back across the field, stopping in shock as he nosed her shoulder. Tari turned and smiled as he bumped her chest with his nose, wuffling at her for a treat.
"So now we want to be a Prince?" She asked, giving him a carrot.
Sibalto seemed to shrug, noseing her cheek in thanks, and then trotted away, back to finish his feed.
"Perhaps there's hope for you afterall." She murmured at his distant form as he reared proudly and galloped across the emerald green.
"Perhaps we shall be freinds, you and I... Great One." She smiled, and turned away.

Some weeks later Tari sat on the great stallions back, basking in the sun as he casually cropped grass with the occassional flick of his tail. She watched a white hawk circle over the paddock, frowning slightly at its continued presence.
As though sensing her thoughts, Sibalto raised his head, eyeing her, then turning his attention to the bird. Tari smiled and leaned forward, brushing her hands up his thick, powerful neck, and burying them in the seafoam-fall of his mane.
"Ignore it GreatOne." She laughed. "Tis nothing."
The hawk screamed, and Sibalto whistled a reply, pulling into a half-rear and springing into a canter. Taria laughed in delight and clung to his back like a bur, relishing in his speed.
"Together, we can fly."

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:48 pm

:The Ship:

Deep in the belly of the darkness, there was no fresh air... No sky above... No earth below... Just the constant rocking and shaking of this man-made thing they called a 'ship'. Each day the horses were led up to the deck and walked around, keeping their muscles firm. It was better than being cramped in one's stall for the whole of the journey, and it was not like they could escape.
Water, for as far as the eye could see, the nose could smell, water and water and more water. In every direction. No sight of home, no sight of land at all... Water, water, and more water.
:If Father could see me now.: Sibalto thought to himself as Taria walked him around the deck once more. She walked him more than the other men exercised their horses... :What would he think?:
Alto Rien was no doubt lounging in his paddock on a hill, fondly overlooking his band of mares. In smaller enclosers at a distance were his sire Alto and a few of his sons... Kiralto, for one... Altorien as well... Shades of pearl-white, sterling silver and dappled grey. Fine stallions to breed more fine stallions.
Dancers and War-Horses.
His mother Sivria and sisters would be amongst the bands his father and brothers overlooked... Grazing in the sun, splashing in the streams, enjoying each other's company and the safety of their mountain-valley home.
Sweet Andalucia, he longed to be home.
But he had not been there for some time. Ever since being stolen by a foolish young groom and sold to a greedy lordling, Sibalto had known there was little chance he'd see his family or home again. A horrible accident had ended the man's ownership -permanently- and resulted in Sibalto himself being sent to market.
Death was in his future, unless there was someone mad enough in the throng to take a chance on a half-wild stallion. Death had looked all too certain, for many moments. Thankfully, there was someone mad enough to take such a chance... And as fortune would have it, that very woman had come strolling along on the arm of her dearest brother, who could deny her nothing.
And so, Sibalto found himself in the ownership of a lady... This was his second chance. Taria was not the type to beat him into submission or strike him until he lashd out in return... She was kind and soft and patient...
And cunning. Here they were, on a boat to what everyone called the "New World", she dressed as a ship-hand and making a fair job of it. She learned her tasks and kept her secrets. And they sailed on through day and night, storm and sun.

ToniCourtel

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ToniCourtel

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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:47 am

:First Sight:

The call of 'Land, ho!' had Sibalto jerking his head up from his trough. Land? Silver ears flicked back and forth as the other horses around him stirred, eyes moving to the wood of the ceiling above them. Feet were thundering overhead, men rushing to the bow to see the glimmer of hope on the horizon.
"Land! Land!" The shout rang out overhead, until every voice on the ship joined in. Stallions raised their own pitched whistles and reared in their stalls, mares kicking out with dainty hooves and whinnying sharply.
"Land! Land!"

"Tarian! Get the horses calmed down!" An order barked at her, and she dared not disobey. She could hear Sibalto's clear call above his fellows, the first who had responded to the commotion on deck. Sometimes she wondered if he really did understand her.
"Aye Sir." She barked as gruffly as she could, and bolted down the stairs into the hold. The light filtering down was murky at best, so she lit a pair of lanterns on the way. Between the weak sunlight and the flickering flames, the shapes of horses, pack mules, and stored supplies were easily seen.
"There now." She smiled as she reached Sibalto. "It's just the first Sighting... We won't be there until tonight, maybe tomorrow... Settle down, Great One..."
Sibalto quieted under her hands, crunching on a treat she offered as she moved to soothe the others, one or two at a time. "Settle down all... Settle now. Its a wee bit far for you to swim to your sweet grass... Tomorrow.. Tomorrow.. Settle..."

Sibalto shifted from hoof to hoof, ears flicking back and forth. Tomorrow. Tomorrow HE would get his first sight of land. Sweet land.

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 7:04 pm

:Land At Last:

"Tarian, get below deck will you?" The First Mate growled at her as the men rushed to and fro making things ready. "Damn horses must smell the grass, because they're getting worse with every minute. One or two of the lads already tried to calm them down, and got bit for the trouble."
"I'll do what I can." She shrugged and ducked below, laughing to herself at the sound of all hell breaking loose. They knew, alright.
Moving down the ramp and then the hallway, the sounds of the chaos grew louder as she approached. It was a miracle they hadn't torn the hold to pieces and appeared on deck, with all the racket they were making. Pack mules brayed to add to the noise of pounding hooves, stomping, snorting and piercing whistles and whinnies.
"Settle down lads, settle..." She called as she rounded the corner into the stock section of the hold. Most of the horses were tied into their stalls, so they weren't able to go far. "There now lads.. We'll be on land soon enough, settle now..."

Sibalto's hooves rang out in a flurry against the walls of his stall, his ears pinned and nostrils flaring red. He had finally had enough of this captivity, this constantly moving thing that held him deep in its belly. Away from the sweet breeze, the warm sun, the grass underhoof. No more! Land was beyond the wooden prison, he could smell it, could sense it.
Now! He wanted to be off this rocking thing and on that solid land. Now now now!

Taria smiled and moved to the silver stallion first, gently reaching up to grasp one of the leads to his halter. With his head within reach, she began talking soothingly, rubbing his face and ears. "There now my Silver one... Easy now, Sibalto..."

Slowly the herd calmed, as Taria moved to speak and soothe them one by one. When through, she returned to Sibalto's side, grooming him thoroughly. She didn't know when they would be anchoring, much less if they would be moving the horses to the deck and getting ready to depart for land. The first of the longboats was already prepared -and no doubt sent off- so for now, they waited.

She wasn't sure how long it was before the call to bring the horses topside came.
"TARIAN! Bring up that palomino and the black gelding..."
"Aye sir!" She called back, leaving Sibalto with a final pat and going to fetch the easygoing pair. "Here we go lads... Time for the New World."

Sibalto tugged and bucked at the edge of his lead rope, ears pinned flat to his head and eyes rolling. Still anchored a good ways off the beach, they were lowering the horses to the water and swimming them to shore. Wanting to waste no time, the stallion eagerly pulled toward the sling. He had no fear over the cloth loop they hooked around his belly, it was far better than jumping from the deck.
Things swam beneath the ship, beneath the waves themselves, that made the stallion hesitate. Bigger than fish, to be sure... Like, and not like himself. He could almost hear their neighs...
But that mattered not. Beyond was white sand and then grass, trees and shade. The scent of fresh water in the distance, and food. Apples? He flicked his tail and rumbled in appreciation. Land.

Standing on the beach, Sibalto shook much of the seawater from his form and turned to watch as his fellows joined him. They milled about in a herd on the beach, watched over by the first crew of men who unloaded things from one of the longboats. Others were rowing toward shore, and still more horses made their way from the deck to the cool blue, and from the blue of the sea to the white of the beach.
Things were playing tag behind the clouds far overhead, and still more animals lurked in the trees. Horses? And more... Others. Not, like them.
'Where are we?' Sibalto wondered as he watched a dark eye gleam like a jewel in the shadowed treeline, gone the next moment. 'And are we welcome here?'

ToniCourtel

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ToniCourtel

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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:32 pm

:Hoofprints in the Sand:

The men were busy unloading the longboats, provisions, supplies and tools, while others slowly gathered the horses together. For now they would be picketed, until a decision for camp was made and preparations for that began.
With mischief in his eye, Sibalto dodged the lad in charge of catching the horses, trotting down the beach with his head held high. He obeyed no one but Taria, and that was that! When she wished, she could whistle for him, and he would return.
For now he moved away from all the hustle, ears flicking this way and that. Great lengths of beach melted away beneath his churning hooves, and he huffed slightly with each stride. It was more effort to canter on such loosely packed sand, but his ears perked to catch each sound and his nostrils flared in the wind. Freedom, from that horrid dank prison.
Freedom from the rocking motion of the sea.
From the tight quarters. Into the sun! Into the sea! Into the free air.
'Thanks the stars.' He whinnied as he slowed to a prancing walk, tossing his forelegs out with parade-worthy flair.
A strange slide in the sand had him pausing, then moving closer to consider it. How peculiar. Certainly not from any of the boats... But they hadn't really seen anything on the beach as they approached it. Not that he would know what such a creature would look like... But it certainly wasn't a fish!
A crescent moon shaped coil, as large as he was, was indented with damp sand. Near what he guessed would be the front were two hoofprints, and a skitter as though a foreleg had struck into the sand. Just beyond the strange impressions was a slide back toward the surf, and then, the rushing waves.
'Strange things in the water...' He thought to himself with a frown as he stepped toward the sea. 'Shapes behind the clouds and in the forest... This.. This is not like the land we left, no... This, this is different.'
But was it good or bad?
Sibalto pinned his ears and snorted. He just didn't know.
A piercing whistle echoed up the beach. "Sibalto!"
At a loss for what else to do, the stallion turned away and moved back up the crescent of sand. Not noticing when shapes shifted in their hiding places, eyes watching him.

Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:34 pm

:The Settlement:

Sibalto pinned an ear as he was picketed with the other horses, nodding a greeting to them and brushing a nose here and there. These were his friends after their ordeal in the belly of the 'ship'. They had shared the same fierce joy as they'd tasted fresh air and felt sunlight for the first time after so long in the crowded darkness.
"What's going on?" He murmured, nudging one of his companions.
"The strangers that live here..." One of the others replied softly.
Sibalto turned his head to greet the speaker, barely managing a nose-touch between the close-quarters with the others and the limit of the lead ropes. Lifting his head, he peered over the backs of the others and considered the forest for a moment. Glancing at the two-leggers that had been with them in the ships, and then back to the herd, he snorted.
"What about them?"
"They're want to talk to our humans..."

Forthcoming
(Needing another Settler's Horse if Possible, and a Time Frame)

ToniCourtel

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ToniCourtel

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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:37 pm

:The Betrayal:

Something had gone wrong. Horribly wrong.
They had been in this new land for quite some time.. Met some of the natives who called themselves the Kiwani, and the horse who were called Soquili... Wondrous creatures, far different than Sibalto and his brethren, and yet, alike.
Horses with horns that could heal, wings like birds or delicate butterflies that could soar, some that could even change their size! It was incredible, to see all the colors and patterns, bright sky hues and flower markings, swirls and spots, dapples, stripes, anything and everything...
Kind, tall, short, rude, belligerent. Their personalities were as varied as their coats, and yet, to most, there was an inherent goodness. A kindness that they extended, even their home was being invaded by pale-faced strangers and mundane horsekind.
There was peace, an alliance of sorts between many on the ship and most of the village... Soquili and horse mingled, spoke, befriended each other... Learning about a foreign land, a different culture...

But somehow, Taria was injured. And the 'pale-faces' had betrayed some of their friends... Horses were herded off, or taken back to the ship according to how they were viewed. One of the men -a man with Taria's blood on his hands- came to fetch Sibalto.
There was cruelty in his eyes... And a wretched scent to him that made the stallion shy away. Harsh hands forced the saddle to his back, the girth too tight, the reins drawn up short.
The stranger swung into his saddle and Sibalto froze, a rage echoing threw him unlike anything he had known since coming into Taria's care.
'You are not my rider.' The gray bellowed in outrage.
Sibalto was born at the School of Dance... The school of graceful warriors and musical movements. He could nose the sky, leap and kick in midair, rear and dance and fight.
And it was little trouble to throw this man from his saddle.
'You are not my friend.' The sight of the rifle was not a new one, though when it was turned upon him, the stallion shifted nervously.
He couldn't mean to?
Sib darted to the side, ears flat to his skull, only seconds before the shot rang out. Pain -as swiftly cutting as lightning, as burning as fire- echoed through his shoulder and foreleg.
Betrayal! These were their allies?!
Injured and raging, the stallion disappeared into the woods, his rage blinding him. He galloped through darkness, twisted paths, over felled trees and through brush. The pain in his leg would force him to stop, but until he could run no more, he fled. Taria was on the ship,he knew... To be returned home? If she lived.
'Farewell, my friend.' His heart grieved. 'Farewell, Lady Cromwell.'
And then the path dissolved beneath his hooves, and he was tumbling into briars.

Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:39 pm

How the Stallion Met his Kawani Maiden

Sibalto plunged into the forest, blood trickling down his leg and shoulder aching fiercely. His ears were laid firmly to his head, nostrils flared red and muscles tight with tension... The man who had tried to lead him into the sea was not a friend... Not his mistress... And yet... That same man had climbed atop his back...
'You are not my rider.' The silver stallion thought firmly, the same thought he had when he cast the man into the dirt.
A tear ran down the silver face as he ran, remembering.
'You are not my friend.' The crack of the gun was like thunder in his ears... The burning in his shoulder like fire... He leapt away screaming, plunging into the sweet dark of the woods.

Emerald trees and brush parted as he wove through, the damp branches tangled with his mane, leaves and flowers weaving into his tail. He plunged on, breaking through vines and brush.. Running.. Running from everything he had ever known...

A slight dip in the ground, surrounded by brush, was filled with a deadly trap. The silver stallion plunged in without seeing,-blinded by rage and pain and loss- and found himself up to his belly in a tangle of vines and thorns. He tried to leap over them... They entangled his legs, wrapped through his tail, cut through his silken coat and into his skin.
His angry screams filled the forest.

Tashika clung to the pouch at her waist, grateful for the gift of healing salve from the Shaman Foalen. Slowly she wound her way trough the forest, following the glimpses of silver or white hair caught on branches, and the occasional stretch of hoof-prints in the soft dirt.
The bellows of rage and defiance she had heard earlier had failed... Leaving the woods unnervingly silent... And as she followed the trail she hoped the horse was not already dead... Hoping she could find and heal it... Stumbling into the clearing beside the nest of thorns, Tashika gasped and realized she had gotten more than she had bargained for.

The silver stallion was down on his knees, head laying on the brush as he breathed heavily. His eyes were dark, weary, but there was defiance in them... At the sight of her he struggled, pulling against the vines, struggling to stand and be free of this place... He could see the blade she had...
Ripples of panic paced through him. He pulled and thrashed and trumpeted his battle call with all he had left... Blood racing down his silver hide... He wanted to escape... To live... To be free of all of this...

"I don't want to hurt you." She spoke as soothingly as she could kneeling and beginning to cut away vines and brush. At this distance she couldn't even reach forward to lay a comforting hand on the tension arched neck.
At this distance, when she knelt, he was almost completely obscured by the brush, and only the sign of life was his breathing, his thrashing... She kept cutting through, slowly pushing away bramble and vine to clear a path to the beast she so desperately sought.
Inch by painful inch, foot by careful foot, she crept closer to him... Wincing at the sight of all the blood, the sound of his harsh breathing, the scent of his defiance fading to weariness... To despair... He was giving up.
"Don't..." She soothed, sidling forward to rest a hand on his withers. "Don't worry... Don't give up... I want to help you."

Sibalto shuddered, sighing softy at the kindness in her voice and hands. He could see the path to safety... But it lay in her... He had little strength left... His legs pained him.. The pull of the bit at his mouth and the pinch of the too-tight girth troubled him... And he so desperately wanted to just close his eyes and sleep until it all went away. But not yet... There was an edge of steel under her voice... He couldn't rest yet...

She smiled, beginning to cut the vines that secured his hindquarters... Somehow looped over his fine back... Sawing away at them, whispering all the while. Soothing words fell out of her mouth, only half of them being thought over. She said anything she could think of, wondering aloud where he had come from... Then remembering the visitors with a start. "You're from over the ocean!"

He twitched at her squeak, rumbling as she freed him enough to straighten. He stood slowly, neck drooping... His forelegs were still bound, but he had little strength to flee anyway. As she knelt at his forelegs, he dropped his nose to her hair, sighing softly.
It was an odd thing, to find himself trusting this human... This female, she was kind like his Taria... And fair of skin.. But her hair was the color of moonlight on silver... And her eyes the deepest indigo..
Eyes that matched exotic flowers Taria had fell in love with when she found them in this land... It hurt to think of his other human, wounded and in the company of the same people who had injured him. That life was far behind him now. He would never again see his parents, or his brother... And that thought was not as painful as it should have been, but then, they had not been all that close...
A school of dance is for dance, not for horses to spend their lives with with their dams...
Perhaps he could find a new home in this world, with this kind new human...

Taria continued at her work, wondering at the sudden peacefulness in the silver stallion. His muzzle still rested in her hair, the occasional sigh dancing down her neck... But he was as still as a statue... An elegant, breathing, silver-coated statue...
She moved around him slowly, freeing him, watching... He followed her every move, eyes patient, trusting, though pain flickered... She would have to get him to see Foalen... And soon... But first, the healing salve...
"This won't hurt." She soothed, putting the knife away and beginning to smear the sweet-scented salve onto his wounds. It took away pain, and sped healing, or so the Shaman had said.
She believed him. Foalen was the first Kawani to be her friend... Was her dearest acquaintance... "It's from a friend... I'll take you to see him, he'll have you fixed up in no time..."

Sibalto closed his eyes as the cool tingle filled his wounds, erasing the fiery bite of pain. Her voice was kind, and gentle, and sweet as she spoke of her friend... And he found himself willing to follow as she stood and led him carefully out of his prison. She walked gingerly, hand on the arch of his neck as though she didn't know what to make of the reins, and kept glancing at him as though she were waiting for him to bolt.
With a gentle nicker, he bumped her with his nose, then turned his strength to walking... Following the gentle pressure of her hand on his coat. She promised to take care of him, to let him rest....
Rest.... Yes... That's all he really wanted to do... Plenty of time for the other things later...

ToniCourtel

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ToniCourtel

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Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:28 pm

:Healed:
Forthcoming

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:30 pm

:The Meeting of Two Worlds:

Old World & New

ToniCourtel

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