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 Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 8:17 pm
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There was no denying it.
She was pregnant.
Nymphalidae had hoped she'd just grown to be... well-fed, and although she would have been upset at the idea she was just getting fat, it would have been much more manageable than this. At least she'd know how to deal with being overweight; she was already getting plenty of exercise on the long journey she was accompanying Hallow's Bane with back to his family's herd lands. She wasn't ready to be a mother, and certainly not to bare the children of a stallion who wasn't a pureblooded Kalona. How had she allowed her feelings to get in the way of what she felt was her duty? A goal greater than herself? Maybe -- maybe she would be lucky. Maybe the great spirit Kalona would take pity on her and bless her with pureblooded foals; would her desire to please him, to purify her bloodline be enough? She had killed many, robbed both the young and the old of their lives -- but was that enough to make her worthy?
There was nothing to be done about it, now. How would she tell Bane that she was pregnant? How would he react? Nymphalidae was sure that she had the stallion by the lead of his collar, but... perhaps he would leave her to raise the foals alone, leave her in this vulnerable state. And that is what she hated most of all -- that she would be unable to hunt with the same efficiency that she always had. Truly, if Bane abandoned her now... she would be on her own. Defenseless. |
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:49 pm
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The pale stallion had been following the fluttercorn for some time now -- she would be a fine meal and a fine sacrifice, to be sure. There was a strong, fierce air about her that Asmodeus could not deny, though -- a curiosity. But he could also sense her fear. It was obvious to him that she as with foal; how foolish of the young mare to venture off alone in such a condition. Ah, but it was no matter to him; a meal was a meal, and pregnant mares were a feast. Her heart would be a worthy sacrifice to Kalona. It was time to make his presence known; Asmodeus knew the small, pregnant mare was no match for his own strength. The kill would be swift, if she did not beg for death first.
"Ah, sweet little mare..." His voice was nearly a purr as he emerged from the cover of the trees and bushes, but he did not strike, not yet -- he wanted to see the look on the mare's face as she realized her own mortality. This was the moment she would die. |
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:04 pm
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The cruel voice did indeed send a chill down Nymphalidae's spine, but when she caught sight of the stallion who had made himself known to her, she did not look upon him with fear. Her breath hitched in her throat and her eyes went wide, looking upon the large kalona with awe -- she could not believe she was in the presence of those she so admired! "Kalona," she whispered reverently, the word a delicious taste on her tongue. And suddenly, she was filled with shame. The moment a kalona would grace her with their presence, and what did she look like? Fat with the foals of another stallion, a halfbreed like herself? She had wanted to be beautiful, powerful -- a mare worthy to be a kalona's mate.
But like this?
Her ears pressed back against her head. She had not even heard the kalona following her -- but of course. How could she, a mutt, ever compare to a pureblooded stallion like the one that stood before her now?
"Great kalona," she whispered again, her gaze meeting his and remaining there unfaltering, despite her shame. "It is an honor. Such an honor..." |
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:55 pm
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Well... this was not what he had expected the fluttercorn's reaction to be. Asmodeus stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes at the mare as he regarded her. "Yes," he agreed, speaking slowly, still unsure of what to make of the new situation. What was she playing at? Asmodeus was no fool; if she were attempting to trick him, she would be dead in a heartbeat. But for now, he would play along... "It is, isn't it?" He spread his large wings as if to stretch them, rolling his shoulders -- a hint of a threat, a reminder that he was much bigger than she was -- and then folded the leathery appendages back at his sides again.
"Tell me, mare. What are you doing out here... alone?" Asmodeus let his eyes drop to gaze at the mare's swollen belly, making no attempt to hide just what he was staring at. "I daresay you are hardly in any condition to wander in the forest... who knows what hungry beast could cross your path?" |
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:12 pm
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Was he trying to imply that she was weak? The way he stared at her pregnant belly made her uncomfortable, and the large stallion intimidated her, to be sure, but Nymphalidae held her head up high and puffed out her chest in defiance. "I am not afraid. Any creature that dares to cross my path, as you say, will find themselves more afraid of me than I am of them. Many have underestimated me, and I make sure they do not even live long enough to regret it. Perhaps I have these wings, and the horn of a unicorn, but within me is the blood and soul of kalona. I embrace that above all else. My horn and teeth are still sharp enough to tear flesh, and I do not shy away from my gifts." She needed to prove herself to him. That, despite her many flaws, she could still be worthy. She could learn if she had to. That she had so much to offer, even like this.
"My mother's bloodline may have tainted a kalona's, but they give me an advantage. Prey is foolish. Too trusting of my outward appearance to know my true self." She grinned, baring her sharp teeth. "It keeps my belly full." |
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:24 pm
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Asmodeus could have laughed if he hadn't felt so disgusted by the mare. She was as foolish as the very prey she spoke of. The fluttercorn seemed to trust him so completely just because he was a kalona. It seemed that it was not only her features that the mare's mother had tainted, but her intelligence as well. How dare she think herself on equal ground with him? That her mixed blood made her better than the pure blood of a kalona? She should be cowering before him, grateful that he had chosen to spare her life for this long.
His mouth twisted upward into a grin, small fangs peeking out from the sides.
"Oh, how very clever you are, sweet little mare. But even the wisest knows that a pregnant mare is only as strong as their mate... and yours seems to be nowhere in sight." Asmodeus paused, lifting his head to breathe in deeply. "... and I cannot smell another stallion close by, either." He tsked, lashing the long whip-like tail behind him as he began to walk in circles around her, examining her from every angle. He could tell the scrutiny made her extremely uncomfortable. Judged.
Good. That's exactly what he was doing.
"... perhaps you have made a poor choice," he suggested, watching her closely for her reaction. When the mare flinched, he grinned even wider. "Ah... I see. Is that why you are alone, mare? Have you left your mate?" |
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:51 pm
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Nymphalidae felt the urge to shy away from him as he examined her, turning her head to watch him before he came back around to stand at her front. She felt less sure of herself than she had, and her ears pinned back against her head in shame. She wanted to protest -- a mare was not only as strong as her mate, a mare was only as strong as their own self, pregnant or not! But Nymphalidae kept silent as he continued speaking and, with regret, knew he was partially right. She wasn't so far along that she couldn't still put up a fight, but as her pregnancy progressed and she became heavier, she knew she would be at much more of a risk without someone at her side. In this much the kalona's words were true.
Shame rushed over her again as he accused her of leaving her mate. "I haven't," she retorted quickly, without pausing to think. "I -- I haven't. Not yet." Nymphalidae paused to collect herself, breathing out slowly before she spoke again, this time more boldly. "I am keeping him around for as long as I have use of him. His blood... it is not as pure as yours. He is not like you, but he is not like any other I have met, either. The blood of a demon flows in his veins. It is... an experiment. My only wish is to purify my bloodline, but how could I pass up an opportunity for more power?"
It was partially true. She desired more power -- and in the end, that is why she had agreed to travel with Hallow's Bane in the first place -- but the pregnancy... had not been planned. |
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:01 pm
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Ah, power. Asmodeus' curiosity was piqued. It was the one and only thing he would willingly taint his pure bloodline for. Any other reason... especially love... was beneath him. His loyalty was to himself -- and to his father -- alone. But how this 'demon' the mare spoke of was different than a kalona, he did not know. Even so, if she spoke the truth... this mare was suddenly far more interesting to him than she had been moments before. No, not her -- her foals. He wanted them. He would see how powerful they truly were. If not -- if they served him no other purpose -- he would dispose of them.
Asmodeus feigned laughter at her confession. "Yes... power. It is what drives the world. Those without power are our prey." He stressed the word 'our', toying with her admiration of him. Yes, he would trick her into thinking she was worthy of his attention... for as long as he had use of her. But once she birthed her foals...
He stared at her silently, as if in deep thought, and just as she opened her mouth Asmodeus began to speak again. "Perhaps it is fate that we have met, mare. Tell me your name." |
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:16 pm
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Now that he appeared to be done appraising her, Nymphalidae felt a little more at ease. The kalona had begun to speak to her as if they were equals, and he heart fluttered in her chest. Our prey. Yes, ours. Everything could be ours, she wanted to say. The whole world, bleeding and worthless beneath our hooves. With any other stallion she would have spoken her mind, but not with him... not with a kalona. She had to choose her words wisely lest she show herself to be less worthy than she wanted to be.
Perhaps it is fate that we have met...
Fate... yes. Nymphalidae hung on every word he spoke, hoping they were true. "I am Nymphalidae," she breathed her response softly, reverently, relishing the fact that this kalona wanted to know her. "May I know yours, great kalona?" |
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:48 pm
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"You let me worry about that, my pet. Us kalona have more power than you realize... and will soon learn." Asmodeus had no such 'powers', of course... but he had his ways of getting by. He had eyes in the forest, in the trees -- even in the shadows themselves. He would know if Nymphalidae decided not to return to him -- and it would be at her own peril.
"You must go back to your stallion. But first, a gift." He turned his head to gaze at the shadowy forest behind him and growled, "wolf! Come forward."
And from those very same shadows a wolf emerged obediently, silently pawing his way over to where the kalona stood. His body seemed to be made of the shadows themselves.
Asmodeus curled his tail around the wolf, then pushed him forward, closer to the fluttercorn. "He is Hródolf. My gift to you, Nymphalidae. A strong mare should never be without a servant -- don't you agree?" |
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Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:31 pm
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There was hunger in the stallion's eyes as he regarded her, and the smile that spread across his face was no less so, full of malice. Whatever spawn this mare would have, he would take for his own, and then he would see what power the father -- this so called demon -- possessed, and whether or not it had been passed down to the children. If not? Ah, well. If that ended up being the case, he would just dispose of them too, just as he would dispose of this mare as soon as he got what he wanted from her. "Details, details," Asmodeus murmured, his voice like silk. "You let me worry about that, my pet. When I desire something from you, I will find you and make my request. Surely there is nothing you would deny me?" He knew the answer already, of course -- it was obvious in the reverent way the mare looked at him, how she hung on his every word. She seemed far too... independent to ever be useful as a servant, but he would reevaluate that come the time when they met again.
For the moment, though, he would enjoy the worship and reap the rewards as they came. Perhaps if the children the mare had were powerless, they wouldn't be so useless -- they would be young, susceptible to influence. He could raise them to serve him; surely, they could be just as useful than Malphas and Hródolf have been, if not more so. He would just need to be sure to train them well -- and make sure they knew their place.
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