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 Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 1:03 pm
 So this was it, the big, wild, open world beyond the Hieratic. Perhaps Aineias should be more excited, but considering that he was on a mission, and not a particularly easy one, he decided to reserve his excitement for when he could go home, apply elaborate makeup, and live as Andromache for a few hours. Until then, the shield and helm were a familiar weight on him, and his spear was slung over his back. If it should be damaged on the journey, he wasn't sure what he would do. Fall back on unarmed combat, perhaps, but it had never been his favorite tactic. No, far better to shield-rush them or, or something. It didn't work quite so well without a spiked shield, but...
But thinking about fighting was more comforting than thinking about his task. Find new members for the Hieratic; bring home new warriors and subjects for the Pharaoh. He assumed they would have to be willing. How else could he get them to come along? He was just one star. Not an army. But he held his head high, contemplated solitary battle tactics, and tried hard not to think about when he might next see home and what it would be like when he did.
It had been a long journey across the desert and the scublands beyond. Now in the shade of trees in parched grassland, Aineias lowered his head to drink from a cool stream in the twilight. A sound in the distance jerked his head back up. It was a metallic sound, like a piece of metal hitting another piece of metal. What was it? Who was there? He took a ready stance and scented the air.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 8:32 pm
 Valdis had left her companion for a moment, the other mare seemed to attach herself to Valdis. It was strange she supposed. Valdis still didn't have any idea what caused emotions causing her inability to help. That mare was fragile, and there was nothing physically wrong with her. Valdis had learned she'd been left by her family. Valdis too had lost her family. the mare was unsure if she'd left them or they left her. Valdis's mother was somewhere in this world. Valdis just had to find her, somewhere. She too had a feeling about her sisters. Valdis could sense them. They were here too, and they caused trouble. Not the fun kind.
Her family had never been normal, maybe on her father's side but her sisters... Children of a death god not something to be trifled with in the least.
What was that sound? Heavy hoof beats? Something was weighing down whatever made that noise. Valdis flicked her tail bell and the approaching hoofbeats stopped. Curious. Valdis began heading in the direction of the sound.
Valdis emerged from the bushes to see the stallion. What she saw did in fact surprise her enough to widen her dilated eyes a little. Even more curious, this stallion wore clothing similar to what her mother did, or used to when she was alive. Valdis remained silent observing the stallion through her bone mask.
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:45 pm
As the metallic sound drew nearer, Aineias unslung the spear from his back and scented the air. It smelled like...mare, lyra, older than him by quite a bit. Part arcturus, also smelling of...bone and herbs. Part of that sounded threatening. He kept his spear ready in case this was the sort of part-arcturus with a horn to gore him with. When the figure that came around the corner proved to be slow and sedate, he relaxed. Just a star with red eyes and a bone mask helmet. He idly wondered what sort of creature had gone to that helmet--it looked like a modified deer skull, though where those horns on the side had come from, he had no idea. Dragon, perhaps, then? He'd heard of dragons, but he'd never seen one in real life. The other quite curious thing about her were the bone-like markings on her wings. All in all, though a spooky sight she certainly was, she was also sort of pretty. Not in any way that he wanted to act on, but from a purely aesthetic standpoint, she was good-looking.
A bell on the end of her tail--so that was the metallic sound. The sound of a ringing bell. Now that he thought about it, it was obvious. He slung the spear back onto his back and bowed his head. "Apologies, miss. I admit I am jumpy this day. Aineias, at your service." He didn't bother to add the title of prince to it--he still wasn't sure if he was allowed to use the title. It seemed...pretentious. The last thing he wanted to do was to give a stranger the impression that he had any sort of power.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:33 pm
Valdis continued to watch him in a rather eerie manner. He began seeming familiar and Valdis couldn't explain why. Something bothered him, valdis didn't understand what or why. There was nothing in this wood dangerous other than the usual predators. The brown mare took in his name and after a long silence spoke. "Is it my bell?" she asked. She flicked her tail forward. "I was buried as a child, they thought I was dead, my mother and father." she paused gazing back at the bell tied to her tail "Father gave me this bell, I ring it so that I know I am alive." her gaze fell back upon Aineias "Does it bother you?" she asked.
The stallion smelt like dust and death. A normal mare would be worried or running despite his rather kind attempt. His appearance spoke otherwise. Who was she to talk of appearance though. Most fled in fear of her for the skull she wore and blood markings she was born with.
Why had she spoken so easily of the past? Why did this stallion feel familiar like she should know him? It was strange as though they were kin. Her feeling, was mostly just a hunch she could not explain. Why did the spirits not tell her?
"I am Valdis." finally giving her name. Again she'd forgotten to speak her name when he'd given his. The names of Dead things were never important after all.
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 1:00 pm
Her bell? Aineias frowned and looked again at the bell at the end of the mare's tail. He had noticed and dismissed it almost immediately, but her explanation merited thought and observation. The bell's edges were worn, but the metal was still polished. Clearly, she had been taking good care of her bell. And if she truly worried every day whether or not she was dead, then she had good reason to take good care of it. But was she dead? "You don't seem dead to me," he said softly. She didn't smell dead, either. Dusty, maybe, but it was a dust long gone, long since replaced with the smell of green, growing things. A...a healer? Ginger root, various berries, leaves, and sap. "You seem full of life to me. I suppose I am dead, though." He lifted one hoof to let his painted bandages dangle from his philanges. He'd painted them a long time ago. A hopeless little prayer, never answered. He'd been born with the dried-out, withered flesh of a mummy on his legs. Bandages and tar had quickly been applied. He wasn't even sure what sort of markings he had underneath, if any he had at all.
It wasn't really something he thought about much, though. Both of his mothers were dead. Even Cosmas, whose skin was healthy and strong, had been stillborn. The fact that they'd all moved in stillbirth had nothing to do with it. But no. He didn't think about it much. Except now. Wait...hadn't she asked a question...? "It does not bother me, Lady Valdis. I just feel as if I have met you before." Which made no sense. She looked nothing like any star he'd ever met.
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Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 11:32 pm
"Thank you for your honesty." she spoke evenly. She was pleased though she didn't show it.
Her brother was a stillborn foal but he was quite animated in comparison. She had been born silent and did no even cry. It pleased her to know from an outsider's eyes she looked alive; perhaps it was because of the dirt and herbs she carried, they were quite deceiving. But Aineias intrigued her there were more in this world cursed like her own mother? "You are like me then?" she said her dilated eyes focused on the stallion. "My father was alive but my mother if a creature of undeath." Her mother loved her at least to Valdis it appeared so. Morrigan had been so careful of her(Valdis) as a young one; over protective even. All Valdis had wanted was to be of use to her mother. When her sisters the twins were born Valdis had been distanced. The power the twins possessed was far beyond her own though Mother had never treated her the same. The twins were a twisted means to an end it seemed to Valdis.
Valdis was more akin to her father in body despite regarding herself more as an undead creature; a freak of nature. Life was far more fragile, and easy to lose. So easy even eating the wrong berry could cause the death of something living. Why did all these thoughts suddenly return to her? The mare wondered what could possibly be bringing them to the surface?
The Shamaness could not deny what he said she too could feel the strange familiarity. Perhaps it was something with his eyes?
"Strange, isn't it?" The mare admitted "I feel the same."
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Ice_Dragon_Demon
Ice_Dragon_Demon
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