[PRP] A Surprising Proposal (Elizabeth and Ambroise)

[Cajmera]

It was a beautiful summer day, complete with blue sky, a gentle breeze, and abundant green grass everywhere. Near the marshy estuary of the river, the droning of insects matched the rolling of the water tone for tone in providing the stereotypical summer soundtrack, the sort of sounds that were more than capable of lulling one to sleep in short order.

Well, that might be how it worked out for the lazy or the nonindustrial, but today both Elizabeth and Cajji had a great deal to do. Up to her thighs in the marshy water, Cajji stood gripping a handful of river reeds for stability. With her other hand, she was busily cutting off reeds and tucking them into a pack on her back. Periodically, she would wade out of the water to the bank where Elizabeth stood, wearing a stylish pair of baskets (one on either side) that were steadily filling up with the reeds from Cajji's pack.

It was quiet work, but important; with the reeds, Cajji would weave baskets to hold food, craft supplies...possibly even foals.

Thinking about that brought a smile to Elizabeth's face, the same as it always did when she saw or thought about foals. They were so cute, so energetic...so removed from her. That was a depressing fact, but that didn't mean that she couldn't rejoice in the thought.

Together, they were silent; two females, both busy with their own concerns.  

[Epine de Rose]

It was strange how things worked out. His mother had said nothing further in regards to their visitor and soon after Elizabeth had taken her leave from Islagiatt. The slopes had certainly been a novelty for the mare and while the stallion had left her to her own devices following their rather strained day together, he was satisfied in the knowledge that she had seen what she wanted. He hadn't said goodbye and had made no attempts to interrupt her activities, his awareness of her absence was down to the hearsay of others. However even after she had taken her leave she had left her mark upon the disgruntled male, an impression so great that he had dwelled upon it for a considerable amount of time. Such thoughts were so foreign a concept to him that he had only just recognised his parents' murmurs as they had taken their leave for their own vacation.

Whether Ambroise cared to admit it or not, his mother's impish meddling had stirred something in him. Over the following weeks he had continued to muse over her insistance that he find a mate. It was for his own 'happiness' she had said, but his current state of affairs and mindset were so detatched that no mare would come near him. Or rather, no mare who sought out a love match (which was pretty much all of them) would come near him. He could see logic in her argument of course, the mention that all creatures required some form of companionship to survive. Up until this point he had been happy on his own but as his brothers found their brides, his sisters dwelled on their potential love matches and his parents drifted abroad...

Urgh.

Meddling mother, was a meddler indeed.

Suffice to say the amiable nature of Elizabeth had stuck with him and it had been after a great deal of debate that he had chosen to take the plunge again and place his dignity on the line. The last time he had attempted something quite so forward he had been shot down and then stalked, it hadn't been a pleasant experience. Still, the stallion had made his decision and he could effectively say that this would be his second and last attempt at it. If he was refused then so be it, his brothers provided more than enough heirs for the herd and he need not get involved other than to instruct them.

Radiant wings flared once more as he came to land before they were furled with ease against his sides. Snuggly positioned, they were of comfort to him if only through their silent embrace. Ambroise had arrived in the lowlands for the approximately the fourth time in his life. He was about as thrilled to be here as the previous times as well, perhaps it was just the stifled air of the lowlands but it always put him in a bit of a foul mood. Alas it was not his time to have a hissy fit and with a disgruntled snort he shook his head and strode towards the Kawani Village with as much purpose as he could muster. Once again he was in foreign territory, the only human he knew was his mother's bonded but Elizabeth had mentioned she lived with these humans so this was where she had to be... right?

It was a logical and sensible gamble, or at least this was what he kept telling himself.  

[Cajmera]

Had she known what he was about, Elizabeth would have been both cringing for Ambroise's sake and amazed at his dedication to his cause. Their short meetings had been enough for Elizabeth to learn of Ambroise's particular dislike for the lowlands, and even living with a Kawani as...eccentric as his mother's, she didn't doubt that entering the village would be akin to entering the lion's den for him. Indeed, Elizabeth herself had only been to the village once or twice; she and Cajji lived quite comfortably in their tepee compound on the banks of the lake, a good hour's walk from the hustle and bustle of the village. Cajji preferred it that way, and Elizabeth liked it both because Cajji approved and for her own comfort. That Ambroise would take himself there was a concept remarkable indeed...

However, at the moment she continued on as she was, unaware that Ambroise was even IN the lowlands, much less walking into the Kawani village. Right now, she had other things to occupy her thoughts, as a soft murmuring noise from Cajji, accompanied by a pat to her flank, indicated to the mare that it was time to start back to the tepee. Glancing at the two-legger, Elizabeth had to smile; from the hips up, Cajji was her usual picture of order and tidiness, with barely a hair out of place in her smooth braids. From the hips down, though, she was speckled with algae and quite soaked; definitely a sign of a morning well spent!

At Elizabeth's glance, Cajji had laughed and swatted the mare's nose affectionately, offering, "I know, I know; it's terrible. I promise I'll wash up after we've seen to the reeds!"

Words to live by indeed, and with that Elizabeth turned and started off down the shore towards home, her slow steps keeping her right in stride with Cajji.  

[Epine de Rose]

Alright, so the Kawani village was most certainly not where Elizabeth was hiding. Had he been aware of this to begin with he would never have entered and as he made his escape he found himself to be missing quite a few feathers. It was a wonder he hadn't crushed the children beneath his hooves for their insensitivity but he had been raised better. He could do nothing more than mourn for the loss of these feathers and be deeply thankful that none of the flight feathers had been torn from their places. Suffice to say if those had been removed it would not have been a Skinwalker massacring the village, it would have been him and it would further seal his distaste for this area. He was adamant in this dislike and was unlikely to change it but his siblings were usually astonished by why he disliked it.

...Perhaps they were right when they said he attracted the bad lot.

Alas he shook his head and with a quiet snort he broke into a jaunty trot and proceeded to take long breaths. In and out until his patience returned and his fury was quelled. He arched his neck now and again to shoo away the tension threatening to invade the muscles. It was going to be a long day, longer still if he had difficulty in locating the individual he was after. No sooner had he regained his composure than his pace quickened and he covered the ground much more easily. His legs beat rythmically against the soft earth beneath his hooves and he seemed to 'fly' across the meadow with his elongated strides. He was certainly graceful to say the least and one might even consider his routines 'artistic' from a distance... in a manner of speaking it made up for his otherwise questionable nature.

Nevertheless he was making quick work of leaving the village behind him and with a light flare of his wings he popped down a small ledge and onto the lower ground within the meadows that led towards the lake. It wasn't too far away but if he had to cover anymore ground he was going to have to take to the skies again.  

[Cajmera]

As Ambroise was finding himself the abused point of interest for the local children, Elizabeth was taking some time to stretch her legs and smooth her hide. The walk back to the tepee had been uneventful, with Cajji making comments about the weather and the quality of the reeds they'd just gathered, enthusiastically describing her plans for their stalks; Elizabeth herself had simply enjoyed the walk, listening to her companion's voice and nodding now and then when it seemed most fitting. After reaching the compound, Cajji had unloaded the reeds and bustled off to start with then leaving Elizabeth to her own devices for the time being.

And Elizabeth was more than willing to take that time, meandering out of the compound and down the short path towards the meadow. After a long morning of work, she could do with a bit of a graze.

Needless to say, she wasn't expecting to have company for that graze, but as she came up the slight incline towards the meadow, the first thing that registered was the moving shape of another Soq, heading down towards the lake. The second thing that registered was that she actually knew that Soquili. Or did she? As far as she knew, Ambroise had no love for the lowlands and little reason to be down there; obviously that couldn't be him.

But goodness if that stallion didn't look just like him from a great distance!  

[Epine de Rose]

Unfortunately, Ambroise lacked that 'spidey sense' that his brothers often claimed to possess. That moment when the hair rose on the back of their necks to indicate that someone they loved was near. This was probably down to the fact that Ambroise wasn't actually in loved and his 'spidey sense' generally related to life threatening events. Consequently he remained unaware of the mare that rested upon the small incline and continued towards the lake. Needless to say, even at his current speed most things would seem like a passing blur anyway and even a soquili that appeared in his peripheral vision would probably be dismissed as nothing more than a plant. With his own hoof beats thrumming beneath him and his breaths heaving in his chest his ears were most definitely not in the mood to take note of any other life form.

...Not necessarily a bad thing, given that the last life forms he had encountered were human children and they had squealed until his ears rang.

After a while though, his pace slowed considerably and the agitation he had previously felt had dissapated. The run had done wonders for his nerves and his composure had returned. The unrest at being in the lowlands had been silenced by the adrenaline that coursed through his veins and he now had that odd 'buzz' that put him in a rather good mood. Mmm, let the gods smite down any creature that claimed that exercise did nothing - in Ambroise's book it was heaven sent and he wouldn't be without it.

Unfortunately this run had placed a considerable distance between himself and Elizabeth's current position. Now out of even his peripheral vision he didn't stand the chance of seeing her and could do nothing more than bridge the gap between himself and the lake. If she wasn't there, he would pitch another mental fit and have a quiet drink while he mused over his options. He was no detective by nature and he was definitely not accustomed to tracking anything in the lowlands - maybe he should have gotten someone to summon her instead.

...Although that probably wouldn't have been as appropriate given his reason for being here.  

[Cajmera]

Watching in quiet curiosity, Elizabeth had kept her gaze on the fast-moving stallion until he had passed out of sight. In that time, however, she had come to the remarkable revelation that it was actually Ambroise out in the meadow. That understanding in hand, she had turned and started off after him before she lost sight of him, curiosity evident in her pricked ears and rapid step.

Following his trail through the grass, Elizabeth gradually sped up until she was running full tilt, her mane and tail streaming behind her. Perhaps she could have saved herself a bit of energy if she had called out, but yelling was NOT ladylike. Still, it was rather lucky for her that Ambroise had slowed down, as even the most determined of unicorns would have troubles catching up to a wind that was already in motion.

Perseverance (and luck) paid off when she made it to the slope down to the lake and once again saw the telltale rainbow mane. Cantering to a gradual stop, she raised her voice and called out, "Ambroise?"

Because it wasn't yelling if you were close enough to identify features, naturally.  

[Epine de Rose]

It was rare for Ambroise to give a start, even more amusing was the water that was snorted out of his nose as the mare interrupted his reverie. He generally didn't let his guard down, but given the circumstances and his already ruffled mood he had taken the opportunity to relax. Alas that had all been chucked to one side the moment the familiar voice reached his ears and his entire body stiffened. Now; that would teach him to drift off in a foreign land wouldn't it? The fact that he had been startled by something that hadn't even crept up on him!

"Elizabeth!" He lifted his head in surprise, twisting his head round at first to regard her before turning round fully. Suffice to say he had become accustomed to the mare's tidy appearance during their brief encounters so her overall appearance hadn't exactly been expected. She was more than a little dishevelled and her coat held signs that she had been carrying something on her back. He wasn't really sure what that was as the human nearby his parent's home never placed such things on the back of a wind but it was noticable all the same.

"You look..." He searched for a word that would indicate that she looked dishevelled but in a refreshed way. Alas, his vocabulary seemed to flee and he was left dumbstruck. He shook his head and continued, "Different." It was perhaps the most anticlimatic phrase he had ever provided to someone and there was a high chance his brothers would have facepalmed if they had the correct limbs. One might have called it a back handed compliment but really he meant no harm by it.

Maybe he'd come at a bad time...

...Actually any time in the lowlands was a bad time for him so anytime was suitable.

"Small world," he mumbled quietly and heaved a sigh, cuddling his wings closer to his sides for fear that a random child would pop out and steal further feathers.  

[Cajmera]

Different. A word that was right up there with "interesting" for worst possible adjectives, colloquially known as "the Kiss of Death" when it came to the look, hairstyle, dessert, or behavior in question. Elizabeth was hardly the most up on the local lingo, and she was hardly the most vain of mares, but at the comment she couldn't quite suppress the squirm. Self-consciously, she realized that she still had bits of reed stuck to her sides and tail, marks from the panniers on her back, and no doubt looked rather wind-blown and winDED from her cross-country jog.

Still, there wasn't much she could do about that fact now, and worrying about it wasn't going to do anything except make her nervous. With a regal confidence that belied her inner-turmoil at the 'different' comment, she gave Ambroise a smile and a nod, looking for all the world as though 'different' were a compliment. "Yes, it has been a busy morning. But you look different yourself...or rather, you being HERE is different. I hope everything is alright with you all up in the mountains."

General chit-chat met curiosity there, as she had no idea why he was in the lowlands when he was so...unenthusiastic about it. Could his brother have run off again? Fenghuang provided conversation and an excuse, although she could have sworn that by now he'd be more than old enough to be on his own.  

[Epine de Rose]

Had he said the wrong thing? He wasn't sure if that was a flinch or not, it had been replaced so quickly by her typical airs that he was once again baffled. His brothers would of course inform him at a later date that 'different' was the worst thing you could say to a mare but alas, live and learn. By now the mare should have realised that general chit chat and compliments weren't really one of his strengths. Let him be blunt, abrupt and rely on his physical prowess and then he was strong. There was a reason that Islagiatt had two direct heirs - at least Seresai possessed the inherent ability to be polite to strangers while Ambroise would blatantly tell them to kiss his shiny orange butt.

...In more eloquent terms of course.

Alas he wasn't permitted time to dwell on whether or not he had insulted the mare as she moved on to more important matters. It was his turn to shift uneasily as she made reference to his existence in the lowlands. She'd hit the nail on the head with that one, it was different for him to be in the lowlands and it was fair of her to assume that something was wrong. Really the only thing that was wrong was that he was here, apply that to the torture he'd endured in the village and really he could have spouted a list if he felt so inclined to rant... but that had nothing to do with the slopes.

"The mountains are fine, quiet as of late. My parents have chosen to take a holiday but erm," he cleared his throat and tilted tossed his hair from his eyes. "I came for another reason actually, though I apologise for the intrusion..."  

[Cajmera]

Well, that was certainly a positive, hearing that there were no troubles recently afflicting the mountains, though it raised questions more than answering them in Elizabeth's mind. It was truly wonderful to hear that Ambroise's parents were taking a vacation; if memory served, they were the leaders of their herd and no doubt had earned some time away. However, if they were away, it seemed rather like Ambroise himself ought to be up there keeping an eye on things...

Then again, who was to say that he wasn't on a bit of a vacation himself? Thinking back on her stay in the mountains, he had seemed quite busy anyway even with his parents about. Mayhaps he worked in tandem with them and was on a vacation of his own while someone completely different kept an eye on things? From the sound of it, his family was definitely big enough to manage without him for at least a short time.

However, he looked a great deal more uncomfortable than someone on vacation ought to look, and his known distaste for the lowlands made her rather doubt that idea. Quite likely he needed to accomplish something in the lowlands and was seeking her out as a known friend/acquaintance of the lowlands. And if so, there was no reason for his discomfort; she would be more than willing to help out in any way she could.

Taking note of his uncharacteristically uneasiness, she gave the stallion a suitably warm and friendly smile. "There is no reason to apologize, Ambroise; you are always welcome here, whenever you choose to appear. It is no intrusion at all. But do you need any refreshment, before you get into things? Some water, an apple, anything?"  

[Epine de Rose]

Refreshments? No, no - those would make his stomach churn and he couldn't afford further discomfort. He had kept to his daily routine and eaten his breakfast a while ago, when he'd come to a halt he had started to drink. All in all he had no reason to further indulge himself if only to put off the inevitable awkwardness that would follow. It couldn't be helped of course, any stallion in his position would be nervous but probably for an entirely different reason. The last time he had done this the mare had all but torn him to tiny pieces; well not literally, but she had made damn well sure that he was no sort of repalcement for his brother despite the fact that said brother had been a complete and utter player. His brother of course had found another mare by then, had even dedicated his life to her and Ambroise was not one to pull that apart... for the sake of a disgruntled female and the 'honour' of his family or not.

His family came first; she hadn't.

Nevertheless it had left a dent in his psyche that had ensured that for years after he had zero interest in actively pursuing any other female. He had no interest in their charms or what they could bring to his family; he had no desire to produce heirs when his brothers were more than capable of doing it for him. However, as his mother had always chimed in her usual sing song voice, the spirits had a way of making things work to their advantage. Sure enough they had sent Feng on his little adventure and in doing so had introduced not just the now missing brother, but the more gruff one to a mare in the lowlands that typically defied the general stereotypes that existed in the lowlands.

Perhaps if Fenghuang hadn't invited her to explore the slopes then this never would have happened but she had arrived and over the course of a few days had revealed that she was certainly something to consider. Apply that to how verbal and wistful his mother had become and suffice to say, Ambroise had received the 'shove' he tended to require when it came to this sort of decision. No sooner had his parents left for their holiday than he had taken flight and made his way to the lowlands.

...But uh; how exactly did one get on to this topic smoothly?

They didn't.

"I do not require sustenance," he replied smoothly, his tone still as gruff as ever as he 'politely' rejected her offer. It would be easier for him to just say this sort of thing, shoot himself in the hoof now and then limp home to lick his wounds and confirm that he would remain a bachelor for eternity. "I actually came to ask something of you, perhaps not something that is generally customary in the lowlands but nonetheless something that may occur on the slopes on occasions," he started. Once again it was one of those rare moments when he spoke far more than was typical for him.

"As you know my mother is a very insistant mare and strives for the happiness of her children in all manner of speaking," he shot a mental apology at using his mother as a stepping stone but he was being honest. "One manner is that of companionship and that would be why I am here." He explained. He ruffled his wings against his sides and kept his gaze fixed on the mare regardless of how difficult it may have been.

"Over the course of your brief visit I came to realise that while I do not know you as thoroughly as most would aspire to, I do know that you possess the most admirable qualities one would seek in a companion and consequently I have come to request that you consider this as an option..." he took a breath, whole heartedly aware of how disappointed most would be at how lacking in romance this proposal was (but what did people expect from one such as him).

"I cannot guarantee adoration but I can provide security and a family, though some of it may seem a little eccentric..." He seemed to be finished at that moment and cleared his throat, ridding it of the hoarse and rough feeling that often arose when he spoke at such length.  

[Cajmera]

Her mild attempt to set him at ease/be a polite hostess having been declined, Elizabeth gave a mental shrug and remained as she was, waiting patiently for Ambroise to deliver his apparently very important news. Given his shifting stance and uncomfortable appearance, she could understand that he wanted to get whatever it was out there and done with.

...Although quite frankly, what she got was enough to throw HER for an awkward loop of her own. Not once, not even for a second, had she so much as considered that Ambroise was seeking out she herself...for a marriage proposal??

Elizabeth had always considered it the height of good manners to be polite and in some way respond to or otherwise acknowledge comments or queries directed at her. Honesty was important, but so too was tact; most of her life had been spent first cultivating, then practicing the manners that now helped to define her. But right now, once again, Elizabeth was completely and utterly speechless.

She had certainly thought about finding a lifemate and starting a family, ever since she was a starry-eyed youngster. Each daydream involved a different scenario, a different backdrop, but in each one she'd looked beautiful and the stallion had gone off on some variation of preaching his devotion. As time passed, she had eventually come to the regrettable conclusion that some things were just not meant to be and accepted her single status as an inevitable reality.

Nowhere in any of those plans had she been tossed a proposal with as much dignity and emotional calmness as she was now getting. In fact, she might not even be reading this correctly!

Her cheeks flushed and her voice somewhat halting, she looked at Ambroise with as much directness as she could muster and asked, "Ambroise...are you asking me to be your lifemate?" If he wasn't, she could just crawl into a hole and hide for the next ten years, but it was better to be safe than sorry!  

[Epine de Rose]

If the mare had been seeking declarations of love, devotion and adoration then she probably would have received as much from his brothers. Ever the romantics, they had inherited their silver tongue from their father and usually put it to good use. Unfortunately, this particular stallion was not the best at pretty words and consequently she would receive none. The fact he had even managed to say what he had was a miracle in his eyes and definitely a turn up for the books. Alright, so it wasn't the ideal proposal and it wasn't the romantic one that all mares seemed to aspire to but he was not an individual who gave out false hope. Besides; if she knew him well enough (which he suspected she did), the second he spouted any of that nonsense she would know he was talking out of his backside.

That being said he had not anticipated her response. The uncertainty that followed wasn't something he had prepared for, he had been musing along the lines of acceptance or rejection - admittedly it was moreso along the lines of complete and utter rejection but it had never been his intention to baffle her. He was fairly certain he had been clear as well; he hadn't mumbled and his words hadn't been littered with romance so where had he gone wrong? Now wasn't the time for her to think that he had developed a sense of humour, why would he come the whole way down to the lowlands to crack a joke like this!

It should have come at no surprise that he released a small sigh and shook out the locks of mane that cascaded down his neck. His forelock shifted from his eyes and the pale gaze continued to observe the mare for quite some time before he deemed it wise to speak again. If he answered in the wrong tone or with the wrong phrase that would amount to shooting himself in the foot.

"That was the idea, yes." He replied at last. It was easy for him to resist the phrases that would have bordered on cheek and sarcasm, but more than one of them did crop up in his head.  

[Cajmera]

It was interesting to compare the differences in thought processes. On the one hand, Ambroise stood expecting a prompt, clear-cut answer; on the other, Elizabeth stood there not knowing WHAT she was thinking. Her strong suspicion having been confirmed by Ambroise's direct (if terse) response, she was as full of confusion and surprise as ever.

It wasn't that she disliked Ambroise. Quite the contrary, in the time she'd spent with him she'd come to respect and admire him for his devotion to his family, his duty, and his behavior. He wasn't a demonstrative stallion, but he had allowed her to explore and indulge in her own whims without being judgmental, which was much more important than necessarily smothering her in attention.

No, it was just that it all seemed so...sudden. They'd known each other for a long time, yes, but hardly spent much of that time in close quarters. Or perhaps that was the idea?

For a few moments after the confirmation, Elizabeth had stood in silence, mulling over the situation. From what she knew of Ambroise's personality, she knew that this wasn't a common thing for him. Indeed, she doubted she'd ever heard him say that much in one sitting, ever, except for perhaps when he was talking about the Islagiatt. She could respect that, indeed she could...but she could never agree to anything blind, not without getting an idea of the particulars.

That in mind, her query of, "May we walk?" was totally in line. Nodding for him to accompany her, she started off at a slow pace, stating in her mild way, "I have to say that I'm surprised, Ambroise, even though you likely already know that. It's also very pleasing to know that you find me...unobtrusive enough to put yourself out like this. I have to inquire, though, are you sure that this is something you want?" She paused at that, wincing internally at how very old and negative that statement sounded. Just as quickly, she brushed it off; he would understand where she was coming from, she was sure.

So she continued, rather than falling apart. "Rather, would this be something you would be comfortable with? I've never viewed myself as a demanding sort of mare and would never try and restrict you, but matehood and the potential of children would inevitably change things for you. I wouldn't want you to be making a rash decision now and then decide later it was too confining or problematic." At that, she paused again, weighing her words carefully before continuing, "But I respect you and trust your judgment. If you feel that you are truly willing to commit to this sort of lifestyle change..."

A bit amazed at her mental process and her own boldness, she looked down at her hooves and the waving grass to hide the new blush that accompanied the words, "then I believe that we can come to an understanding."