the Rift


[OPEN] Quality Time [Nasreen]

Quilyan Posts: 206
Deceased atk: 5.5 | def: 9.0 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2 hh :: 10 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Zarina :: Pygmy Marmoset :: Quantum Leap ChaoticMelodies
#1
Quilyan


He had only just stepped back from his appointment as Specter when Zarina drew the notice of his younger sister. The marmoset, curious, stared at the girl; but she was a frightfully jealous creature, and the thought of having to share her bonded with another female was simply too much to bear. She remained reserved, waiting in silence for the introduction that she knew would come, from long association with the stallion. But Quilyan merely smiled at his sister, nipped lightly at her banner, and whispered, "After the meeting," in her ear. They would have plenty of time to catch up - wasn't it his job to make sure of that now? - but for now, they had a duty to listen to their monarchs. The meeting ended soon thereafter, but Kaj requested a private audience, and who was he to deny their new king? And so with an elaborate goodbye and an apologetic glance, he had wandered away into the forest with the Stormbringer, leaving them behind for a calmer moment.



But now the King has dismissed him, and he eagerly seeks out the sister he had left. Of course, he is almost certain she will understand - after all, she, too, was raised in a castle - but he feels bad nonetheless, for she has been in Helovia for some time now, and he has not looked after her as he should. Zarina sighs heavily from his poll. Resplendence had been a constant presence since her hatching - but this new girl is simply a nuisance, out to steal more of her precious time with her bonded. Perhaps the marmoset is brooding a bit; Resplendence's dragon has hatched, and Zarina is certain that it will take her place on herb-gathering errands, a task she has come to enjoy. The mare shares her obsession with Quilyan and his well-being, and Zarina finds little fault in Resplendence in that regard. But Nasreen.... well, Zarina saw the way her gaze frosted over when Resplendence appeared. And Resplendence made the stallion better.

She wasn't about to watch Nasreen come in and ruin their happy little family. Or that silly dragon hatchling (not that she could do much about that, it had sharp teeth!).

Anyway.

The steed wanders through the trees, feeling his bonded's negativity but ignoring it, assuming she is in one of her many pouts. She always gets over it sooner or later, and he has learned to let her work through things on her own. Reasoning means very little to the creature, for though she is well over a year old, she is quite young in terms of maturity. Once she gets her teeth in something, she doesn't let go (figuratively, of course). "Reeni?" he calls out, confidently striding forward. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

"Talk talk talk."

@[Nasreen]

lumibear
Please tag Quilyan in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Quilyan? Visit his plot page here!

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#2
“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” Quilyan’s voice rings through the woods, and your ears prick. “Quilly!” you call, crashing through the underbrush. Ignoring the brambles, you move swiftly in his general direction, searching for the fastest way to reach your brother. “Quilly, I’m over here—where are you?” You stumble out of a grove of pines, and he comes into view. With a delighted squeal, you rush at him in a flurry of white and copper feathers. For you, finding him will never get old; every reunion brings fresh joy and renewed hope to your heart.

Clumsy greeting concluded, you back a step and face him, nibbling playfully at his withers. A memory comes rushing back: you are young, and you are laughing, giggling as you try to groom Quil with your stubby foal neck stretched awkwardly high. Back then, your muzzle barely brushed his shoulder. Today, you are nearly eye to eye with your brother. How much things have changed since then. Your grey eyes cloud with sadness, but it is only for a moment—something new has caught your attention.

A tiny creature perches high on your brother’s neck, dexterous hands grasping his poll for balance. Glittering eyes look down on you, and you get the feeling that should it speak, you’re in for a scolding chatter.
“Who’s this, Quilly?” you ask curiously, surveying the animal. You can’t quite decide what it is. You have seen exotic pets before in the courts of Th’orqui, but never any like this. The creature is small, smaller than a hoof, and furry too. A supple tail curls loosely into a question mark below Quil’s ear, resting lightly on his mane. Your nostrils flare slightly as you take in its scent, trying to place it. However, this is nothing you’ve ever smelled before. Maybe it’s some sort of Helovian squirrel? What a strange new place this is.

Your gaze flits to your brother. Speaking of strange, something about him seems different to you, and it’s not just the fancy squirrel. You can’t quite put your hoof on it, but it’s there. Maybe it’s the new pet, but maybe…your mind wanders, recalling the way he held himself at the herd meeting. You’d never seen him so proud, so serious. And the mare…you frown slightly, pushing her from your mind. You may have been young back in Th’orqui, but it was no secret that Quilly had had his fair share of conquests, that much Amaya had let slip. And you could see why they loved him—how couldn’t they? He was charming, protective, and could make anyone feel like they were the only one in the world who mattered. But for all that, these mares never lasted long. Quil was always running off with a different young lady of the court, that you remember. This one would be no different. But still…a prick of jealousy stabs at your heart when you replay how your brother’s eyes left yours to meet hers and the way she nestled under his wing. And though she is not here, you instinctively move closer.
“Quilly?” you say in a small voice, suddenly needing his affection more than anything. “I missed you.”

@[Quilyan]

OOC: Sorry that this took forever, but I'm finally off absent!
Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!

Quilyan Posts: 206
Deceased atk: 5.5 | def: 9.0 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2 hh :: 10 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Zarina :: Pygmy Marmoset :: Quantum Leap ChaoticMelodies
#3
Quilyan


She calls out, and he feels a rush of relief spread through him. They have been separated for such a long time that he worries over her absences. He would survive another separation, of course - he is not one to wallow in self-pity and loss, for if he was, he would have died of heartbreak long ago - but he has so desperately longed for the superior civilization that he had left behind those few years ago. He has so bitterly regretted the loss of the family that he did not appreciate until they were gone. He has so reluctantly hoped for someone, anyone to arrive from his homeland. He never expected to see Nasreen again, presuming that she had been killed in the rebellion. But now - here she was, alive and well, and he would not allow her to stray from the safety of his watch and his new family.

A delighted squeal hits him only a moment before he collides with his sister in a flurry of chestnut and ivory; he chuckles at her explosive joy, nuzzles her gently into an embrace. Oh, how she has grown! There was a time when she stood only to his stomach, a time when she fought for every inch, longing to be big like him. Now they are only inches apart, she stands eye to eye with him, and he cannot pretend that she is a child any longer. Even if she acts like it. The marmoset atop his poll harrumphs at that in agreement, and he rolls his eyes, his exasperation hidden from Nasreen's view from their mutual grooming. Just then, she pulls away, her expression shifting to intense interest at the little creature that had not been a part of him when they had last been together.

"This is Zarina. She is my bonded companion. She found me in a difficult time, and she showed me the way back into the light." His explanation seems to mollify the monkey, who promptly draws herself up with pride. Although she still has no interest in accepting another female stealing her bonded's attention, it is enough to thaw her demeanor, if only slightly. Besides, the young mare doesn't seem to have much interest in the pygmy marmoset, either, for she quickly presses closer to her brother. "I missed you," she says in a tiny voice, and the stallion is touched by the rawness of her emotion.

"I missed you, too, Reeni," he told her softly. "But we're together now. That's all that matters, isn't it?"

"Talk talk talk."

@[Nasreen]

lumibear
Please tag Quilyan in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Quilyan? Visit his plot page here!

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#4
Together. It’s funny how the word makes her feel, for as soon as he says it something in her recoils. It is as if a rubber band has been snapped on her heart—something about the word stings deep within, and maybe it is because for a while now she has known that it is not true. But it is not until she feels how foreign it is to fit into the curve of his neck instead of being able to fit perfectly under his wing, not until she senses how strange it is that she is able to look him in the eye instead of looking up at him, not until she sees this odd little squirrel-creature nestled in his mane and remembers that it is only one of the many new pets and ladies and ranks that her brother has acquired whilst settling into his new life instead of looking for her that the realization overwhelms her: they are not together, nor have they been in a long time. Overcome with emotion, the princess begins to cry. Her tears are of jealousy, of loneliness, and of an anger that startles even the girl herself. Despite everything she has experienced in her young life, Nasreen has never felt so many emotions with such intensity. Not their flight from the kingdom and the loss of her family, not Amaya’s death, not even her terror in the caves had raised conflicting feelings like this. She was used to feeling one thing at a time, and it was usually limited to curiosity, happiness, sadness, fear, and excitement. The anger is foreign—oh, she had experienced anger before at petty things, but never before had she been so angry at her brother. The feeling unnerves her, and Nasreen cries harder.

To Quilyan, it may appear as if she is merely overflowing with joy and relief at seeing him again, and she half hopes that he will think that. This feeling is so new that she does not know how to process it, much less how to approach him about it (and is that even her place? she wonders). And though she is angry at him for leaving her in favor of his new life, she still craves his attention and affection, still yearns for the time when he could tell her that everything would be all right and it would be. She is tempted to bury her duo-tone face in his strong shoulder and let the tears flow as she continues to sob, but given her newly-realized mixed feelings towards him, it doesn’t seem quite right. So she holds her head slightly away from his withers as she cries, taking minimal comfort in the nearness of her only remaining family member. What else is she to do?

But her sobs have gone too long without an explanation—for once, the chatterbox has fallen silent save for the sounds of her snuffling, and she knows that though Quilly might not pay much attention to her, even he will know that her behavior is out of the ordinary. Slowly, Nasreen forces herself to swallow her tears and face her brother. No longer can she meet his eyes, and her head is low as she studies the ground. “I…” she begins, hiccupping on a fresh batch of tears that threatens to brim over, “I…” Nasreen steadies herself as best as she knows how, staring fixedly at a flower. “I just feel like sometimes we…aren’t.” Aren’t together that is, but she can’t bring herself to finish the sentence. Afraid that she will start bawling again, she decides to leave it at that before she tells him-- “It’s just that sometimes, I feel like I don’t know who you are anymore.” The words have left her mouth before she realizes that she has spoken aloud; she has been so focused on retaining her tears that her voice has slipped out of her control. She gasps at her own insolence, half expecting him to strike her, surely as an elder would have had she shown that disrespect back in Th’orqui. “I’m sorry, Quilly! I didn’t mean--!” The apologies bubble forth from her mouth as she begins to back away, ready to turn tail and flee.

What has she done?

OOC: Poor Quil gets to experience teenage Nasreen Cx


@[Quilyan]
Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!

Quilyan Posts: 206
Deceased atk: 5.5 | def: 9.0 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.2 hh :: 10 (ages in Orangemoon) HP: 62.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Zarina :: Pygmy Marmoset :: Quantum Leap ChaoticMelodies
#5
Quilyan


Despite his numerous encounters with the opposite sex and his self-proclaimed understanding of their finer features, the prince has absolutely no ability to handle the mood swings. Oh, he's gotten better at it, of course - after all, just look at his mate. But even so, he simply doesn't understand - how can a female go from one extreme to the other in approximately 0.5 seconds? Why is it that they can be ecstatic one moment and miserable the next? And, for the love of the gods, how is he supposed to make it stop?

At first, he assumes that Nasreen's tears come from their joyous reunion - after all, they have only just found one another again, and they were exchanging pleasantries and were able to tease one another, just as siblings should. But then it keeps going - and it goes on and on, and it doesn't abate, and even though he knows ladies can cry like this, it is so unlike his darling sister that his brotherly condolences fade away in favor of a perplexed stupor. He uses a wing to gently trace along her back, offering his version of a back rub in an attempt to offer her comfort, and the only thing he can think to do is apologize. So he does. But there is still no halt to those damned tears. He is at his wits' end, and Zarina is remarkably unhelpful seeing as she has no interest in sharing her bonded with this newfound sibling, and so he is left to wait in awkward silence as Nasreen cries herself out.

Finally she manages a few deep, shuddering breaths, and words fall precariously from trembling lips - and the prince doesn't know whether to laugh or to continue apologizing, for his darling sister is, in his opinion, being absolutely absurd. "Reeni, look, I - we are together, I'm right here, I'm always going to be right here, and you can find me any time you want to, I promise. I'm not going anywhere." His brow furrows in confused hopefulness - is that the right thing to say? "I'm... well, I'm better, now, Reeni. Being here has made me grow up, and I'm... I'm not sorry, but I'm sorry that you weren't here with me, maybe that would have made it easier, I don't know..." He paused, helplessly watching, waiting for some kind of reaction.

"Talk talk talk."

@[Nasreen]

lumibear
Please tag Quilyan in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.

Want to plot with Quilyan? Visit his plot page here!

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#6
To her surprise, he does not deliver the swift punishment that she knows she deserves. Instead, he…apologizes? Wide eyes watch her brother as he pleads with her. They are together, he insists, promising that he will always be there, and that she will be able to find him whenever she wants. He’s better, he claims, he’s grown up. If she wasn’t in hysterics before, she is now.

The princess knows how to hold her tongue; it was a lesson instilled in her early on, taught by stern warnings and brisk wing cuffs (gentle ones, but corrective nonetheless). She knows that she should mind her manners, respect her elders, and above all else, she knows that she should not question her king. But every second with Quilyan is forcibly reminding the girl that they are not in Th’orqui, and his apology has made her bold. Nasreen’s retreat halts, and she looks up at her brother with grey eyes gone as wild as a storm at sea.

Better?! she screeches, copper and ivory wings flaring at her sides as if to emphasize her anger. Better?! Where was better when we left home and you came here without me? Where was better when I finally found you, and then I don’t see you for months on end? Where was it when I was wandering around in those--” here, angry tears spring to her eyes and she chokes on a passionate sob, “—in those awful caves, lost in the dark and wondering whether you were down there at all? Were you even looking for me? So don’t tell me that I can come find you any time, Quilly, because I can’t.”

The more she speaks, the more exhausted she becomes. The power of her own voice startles her as she releases all of the hurt, all of the abandonment, all of the fear she’s felt since leaving home, gathering the worst of her woes and heaping them one by one upon her brother’s shoulders. Wings droop in deflated defiance, but Nasreen is not quite done yet. There is one more thing she needs off of her chest, one last thing to drop at Quilyan’s feet and watch shatter. She will finish what she started. “And this?” she asks quietly, voice thin, but resolute. The girl spreads her wings, gesturing to their surroundings, the herdland that is decidedly not his. “You say you’ve grown up, Quilly. I always thought that when you were grown up, you were supposed to be a king.” It is a childish insult, but an insult nonetheless. Final blow delivered, her ears slump, and she turns to leave. Perhaps tomorrow she will regret her outburst, but for now, Nasreen has worn herself out with her tears and her anger, and she is weary—she is certainly not about to stay here for the consequences that Quilyan will surely dole out. In Th’orqui, to turn her back on a king would be the ultimate disrespect, but as she pointed out only a moment ago, he is not her king; he is only a brother whose title is lost and whose love she misses.



@[Quilyan]
Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!


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