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 Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:16 am
"Now wake up, you." Serghei sighed and shook his head at his familiar, Itza. "You're supposed to be keeping me company, if you recall." Serghei was currently experiencing the unyielding boredom that was guarding the Draculesti territory during the daytime. Most of the small herd didn't stir until the sun set, which meant that he had little distractions in his duty. He prided himself on his ability to tolerate all levels of dullness, but it was never his first choice to do so.
Itza declined to wake up, not to Serghei's surprise. She was most active around dawn and dusk and always had a hard time staying awake in the brightness of mid-day. Serghei considered giving her a nudge but decided against it. She needed her rest and would be a nightmare that evening if he kept disrupting her. Serghei would simply have to carry on through the boredom, as usual.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:21 am
Spring was in the air, and the blue and white mare had discovered how subtly winter had been disposed. Where once the world had been made of greys and browns, green had appeared, and a new softness kissed the world. Trees were beginning to bud and flowers dotted the landscape in an early arrival. It was a refreshing change from the bitter winter landscape that had once covered the world; and while she could appreciate the sterility of those months, it pleased her to see life (and warmth) return anew.
Where she was headed, she had no idea. . . no destination in mind. Since the loss of her second mate, the angeni Raiju, she had felt no ties to her home. The promises he had given her had been hollow and false. While he may have thought he loved her, he had been mistaken, and it wasn't something she could easily forget. Eponine hadn't been surprised, of course, for surely such a great stallion could find little amusement in her. . . but his loss had still hurt, even if she had always expected it.
So it was, the mare had taken to wandering. Her own family had scattered - Cassiel had left her in anger years ago, and though she still looked for her, the mare had hidden herself far too well; her brothers were gone, living their own lives, just as her mother and father had taken time for themselves. And Caely had found a beloved mate and partner, with children of her own. She was living her own life now with little time for Eponine. Nowadays, her world was essentially free from burden, free from close-knit ties. Though there was loss in her blue gaze, there was also maturity and wisdom.
She'd made many a mistake, but she did her best to learn from the rocky road she had walked. And so, like a shadow, the petite figure roamed the world alone. She was still a shy creature, and preferred not to make close ties anywhere. When the spirits wished her to meet a new face, she would dally, but ultimately would move on. There was too much of the world to see, too many memories to keep out running. If she stopped, she feared she might drown in sorrow. So she kept busy, and distracted herself from the shadow of abandonment.
Today was no different. Ever alert, the mare picked her way through the unfamiliar woodlands. She was always cautious about stumbling on to strangers territories, but right now, things seemed quiet and she had seen no indication that the land was 'claimed'. So it was, the petite mare delicately pushed through, quiet, unassuming, and completely unaware she was making a beeline towards the edges of the Draculesti territory.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 2:38 pm
Though Serghei was still bored, at least he was bored in beautiful scenery. Spring had never lost its magic for him. He always looked forward to the return of birds and their songs, and this year was no disappointment. The robins had been around for some time but now they were finally joined by the rest. He let himself listen to them and relax, relax a little too much as it turned out. While his mind wandered, a stranger approached. By the time he noticed the sound of the hooves, she was almost upon him. Flustered by the surprise, Serghei straightened himself up and walked forward to meet her.
"Hello, there." He was always polite first and harsh later. He found that the best way to get a reasonable response from someone was to behave in a reasonable manner yourself. Now that he saw her, this mare hardly looked like a dangerous invader. He guessed that she came here by accident. The locals knew about the Draculestis and generally kept their distance, so this mare was probably from elsewhere. If she had a legitimate reason to be passing through then he'd let her. It wasn't their policy to chase away every accidental encounter, after all.
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Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:47 am
Eponine had almost been surprised when she caught sight of what appeared to be another soquili. It wasn't often she crossed paths with kin, and often those she bumped in to had their own agenda. Oh, she chattered with strangers now and again, when the spirits granted her such companionship, but more often then not it was a brief nod, perhaps a smile, as both parties continued on.
The blue mare didn't really mind. Who was she to interrupt another's day? Besides which, she knew her stutter often caused uncertain or put others at unease; some grew impatient with her speak, while others did their best to translate her words. So spotting the pale grey stallion, Eponine had little expectation when it came to the wind. So long as she kept a polite distance, and didn't look threatening, she doubted he would even bat an eye her way.
So when Serghei did finally take notice of her, the blue eyed mare couldn't help but be surprised. Perhaps he was tending to the border of land or a herd's territory? It was possible. It was just as possible he wished to be friendly, amicable, and perhaps yearned for a spot of conversation. Either way, he didn't look threatening and his mannerisms were calm and polite. While Eponine knew looks could be deceiving, she knew better than to assume. Besides, she was cautious. . . she was no spring chicken, after all, and thought she had a good eye for character. thus far, there was absolutely no reason to take the wind as a threat.
Not yet, at least.
Dipping her head politely, respectively, Eponine offers a small, albeit almost shy, smile. "Salut-t-t-tations," she greeted softly, not quite as self-concious of her stutter as she had been years prior. It used to cause her endless aggravation, which only made it worse, but with age and maturity, the mare had learned to accept it. So she didn't, couldn't, speak so clearly. . . that was one of the few things she couldn't change, and there for, could only accept it.
"I d-d-dare say, I hope I haven't been int-t-truding on your land, or in-t-tterrupt your solace." Eponine continued, ever formal and polite. Her smile changed from amicable to apologetic, as she waited for the stranger to confirm. Even if the land wasn't his own, that didn't mean she hadn't unknowingly upset him, or upset the peace.
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Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:54 am
The mare seemed slightly startled herself. Apparently Serghei wasn't the only one letting his mind wander that day. His assumptions were immediately confirmed when she spoke. He could sense no deceit about her and couldn't imagine her being a problem to Vlad or the others. The mare appeared timid enough that he doubted she could be a bother even if she tried. That much was a relief. He always preferred the friendly encounters to the less so. He especially hated having to drive off females. He had enough of a sense of chivalry to be uncomfortable treating any mare harshly.
"You have no need to be worried about intruding," he assured her. "While I am guarding the area for my lord, we aren't so private as to deny passage to those that mean no harm." He smiled, hoping to convey to her that she had done nothing wrong. "And as for solitude, I find that a little solitude goes a long way. Company does wonders for breaking up the monotony." He spoke with a light accent which hinted at his foreign origins. He was now well versed in the local language, though he still tripped up over a cryptic figure of speech every now and then. Fortunately, her stuttering wasn't strong enough to impede his understanding.
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 10:35 am
((Sorry for the delay! My pony muse puttered out for a small amount of time. . . ;0; ))
Eponine easily picked up upon the stranger's accent. It was peculiar, one she hadn't heard in her travels, and very difficult to place. Still, it told her that he was not of these lands, at least not initially, and she wondered where he and his herd had come from. What story did this stranger have to tell? Ah, but it didn't much matter, really. . .everyone had a story, after all.
Perhaps what was more peculiar than the stranger's touch of accent, was the fact that he referred to someone else as his lord. While she knew of the term, and heard it used among older generations, it wasn't common language. Usually herds referred to their leaders as Alpha's and Protectors, so it was just a little different. But, once again, it was none of her business, after all, and she was not going to poke and pry.
She was grateful that the stranger wasn't about ready to run her out, and certainly he didn't seem the vicious or conniving sort. While Eponine had long ago come to learn that one could never judge a book by its cover, and just because someone seemed safe didn't mean they were, she also was far from suspicious when it game to initial meetings. Until given sign or knowledge that someone was not whom they seemed, she had a duty to trust their words, and Serghei was no exception.
"It is gracious of your herd t-t-to allow access t-to its lands, b-b-but I really feel no need to t-t-tresspass. I can pick my way around its b-b-borders, or s-s-simply find a different route. It isn't as if I r-r-really am heading anywhere part-t-ticularly." She added with a small smile, her sincerity obvious. It didn't much matter to Eponine where her hooves took her; she had no direction, no sense of urgency or belonging. She roamed because it was better than sitting back and thinking of everything she had once lost.
"It is g-g-good to know that there is a herd out in t-t-t-these lands," she added as the stranger spoke of monotony and solitude. "I was beginning to wonder myself if t-t-the lands I walked were b-b-barren of other soquili life." Or worse, if there were more devious sorts that kept others away. Perhaps a pack of kalona or even a resident skinwalker. Either way, Serghei's presence was a refreshing change.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 8:43 pm
Serghei's mouth creased slightly in a disappointed frown. They weren't about to find a new guest in this mare, it seemed. He internally toyed with the idea of trying to cajole her to stick around for the day. They did have a couple rather scenic locations in their territory. The limestone cavern in particular was a sight to see. The large caverns were open enough for a soquili to walk in without bending and they were a favorite haunt of Alexandru Draculesti. In the end, he decided that it wouldn't be very kind of him to try to waylay the mare simply as a cure for his boredom. She had her own agenda and he didn't want to disrupt it.
"Well," he mused softly. "Perhaps I could escort you across the territory? It would be faster than going around, and we could easily avoid all others, if that was your wish." He had no desire for Vlad to come across this mare and frighten her. He wasn't a bad sort, but he did seem to enjoy getting a rise out of strangers. Even young Alexandru could be overwhelming upon first meeting. Though he was an usdia, his personality and pride were far greater than his size.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 9:09 pm
Eponine wasn't so blind as to miss the slight frown cross his features. She wondered if perhaps she had offended him by claiming she might travel around the borders, as opposed to trespassing through the lands itself. Her intentions had been pure; she honestly had no desire to disturb the home of whomever resided within . . . . but perhaps she had come across more disinterested?
Oh dear.
Ever self-conscious and aware, Eponine decided it would be rude of her to deny the stallion his request. "Only if you're c-c-certain I won't be upsetting th-th-th-those within or taking you from your d-d-duties." She dipped her head meekly, almost shyly, though her gentle smile never wavered. "I'd hate t-t-to be a burden or oblig-g-gation," she added with a small, self-deprecating chuckle. Unfortunately for the blue eyed mare, those two definitions had summed up much of her life. There were very few who had truly desired her company, and thus, she had learned it was best if she just drifted by as quickly as possible.
It was only then that Eponine realized her manners had been completely ignored. Not only did she have no idea who she was speaking to, but she hadn't properly introduced herself either. Either wshe was getting old and losing her mind, or she was clearly rusty when it came to socializing with strangers. Maybe, just maybe, it was a touch of both, even if she didn't wish to acknowledge her silvering fur. "Perhaps, g-g-good sir, I might request the n-n-name of both this land, as well as your own? I'm Eponine, and I hope you m-m-might forgive my lack of manners."
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 3:19 pm
As soon as Eponine introduced herself, Serghei wondered why it had taken him so long to do likewise. His diplomacy skills really were deteriorating after spending overly much time with the same group, it seemed. "I am called Serghei, and this is my dear friend Itzpa." He gestured to Itzpapalotl, who had not woken up throughout the entirety of the encounter. She slept still now, apparently declining to consider Eponine a threat. "I serve Lord Vladislav Draculesti, who resides in these parts with his family." He omitted that Vlad was an angeni/kalona. It didn't seem like a relevant detail and would probably just make the mare more nervous.
"As for the name of the land itself..." He smiled bemusedly, with a slight shrug of his wings. "If there is a native name for the area, we have not heard it. We have simply called this area Nou Wallachia." It was an exceedingly uncreative name that meant 'New Wallachia' in their native language. Vlad excelled at many things, but coming up with names was not usually one of them. His son Alex should have been glad to be named something other than Vlad himself. Naming ones children after oneself was somewhat of a tradition in the Draculesti family, and many Vlads resulted from it.
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 2:32 pm
Eponine listened to Serghei, her curiosity getting the better of her as he spoke about the lands. Everything sounded so different -- from his accent, to his Lord's name, to even the land they resided upon! Surely they weren't originally from this land. "It's g-g-good to meet you th-then, my f-f-fine sir, Serghei." She smiled gently, dipping her head in proper greeting to the wind that had so kindly hailed her. "And Itzpa as well." She added with a chuckle, not wishing to exclude the dozing cougar. The feline seemed to have the right idea when it came to spending a lazy after noon.
Glancing around, peeking past the wind in to what was clearly his herds territory, Eponine turned her eyes back upon the curly maned stallion. "You d-d-do a service to your Lord t-t-to greet strangers so warmly. If you're most c-c-certain it won't be any t-t-trouble, I'd be honored for your assistance through the land." She honestly didn't want to be a burden or obligation. This wasn't her land, after all, and to just pass through so freely seemed like a terribly rude thing to do. Still, this land, this New Wallachia, seemed hospitable enough. Thus far she'd been greeted warmly by its guard, and she could only assume this Lord Draculesti, whomever he was, was of similar good breeding and mannerisms.
Though she wouldn't be trespassing, even with Serghei to lead her, the pale haired mare just couldn't let herself dawdle too much. She had no where else to be, had no place to go or call home, but the wind before her likely did. He was (apparently) guarding the territory, or at least standing as sentry.
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