The biggest of them all.

the Rift

[OPEN] The biggest of them all.

Torleik the Bloodskald Posts: 354

Outcast atk: 4.5 | def: 8.0 | dam: 7.5

Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 11 HP: 66.5 | Buff: SWIFT

Irelyn :: Plain Griffin :: Molten Dagger RedGod

#11

08-23-2014, 12:15 PM

Torleik
The beard of glory...

The children's uncle listened attentively, curious to see the difference in information between the two. Aithniel gave a simplistic, bare-bones answer and Rikyn fleshed it out more, causing Torleik to frown. Of all the mares in this land to walk by an abandoned babe, Illynx was the last one he would wish on any creature with wings. He certainly admitted prejudice, but he didn't think winged equines were of some sort of...lesser blood, or inherently lesser as sentient beings.

They were just best to be avoided, and not trusted.

How must it be to grow up with your 'mother' treating you as Illynx likely treated this small, white child? How could you abuse a child? Obviously Illynx wasn't physically violent but it was no stretch to assume the Lady of the Basin was emotionally harmful to Aithniel. Anger burned brightly in his dark breast, and he turned to Rikyn.

"Where is your mother, Rikyn?" The question was delivered with the seriousness of an adult, enough to (he hoped) compel the child to answer honestly. There was a certain way to speak to young ones, to make them understand when they needed to be clear without frightening them and causing them to lie out of fear of disappointing anyone. Torleik was good at walking that fine line; he was gentle and calm, but his natural demeanor lent itself to seriousness.

But of course, Irelyn was more interesting than just another unicorn to the two children and the dual-horned stallion gladly answered questions about her. He was pleased to see she had little ones to play with and a sense of joy suffused their bond as she frolicked. Such simplicity in children. Torleik appreciated that.

Such honesty, too. Aithniel's verbal wish that she might be worthy one day prodded at his heart and the large stallion gently pressed his muzzle to her little forehead. "I am sure you will be. A good heart and honest intentions make you so, even if no one else acknowledges it. Just remember that, because the world is a selfish place that doesn't like to reward selflessness very often," he advised, "even though you should always try to act for the good of others where you can."

Torleik's glance shifted to Rikyn too, hoping that his words might sink in to the young male's mind - though he had less than little hope that the colt would turn out to be anything but a racist sociopath, rather like both of his parents. He was very fond of Ulrik, and would defend his cousin in a heartbeat, but the rabicano was not blind: Ulrik was just a racist and just as cold as Illynx could be; his only saving grace was that he cared more about his machines than people, and thus others were often spared his particular brand of madness.

Ulrik's...oddity...was also borne of genius. Illynx was no genius, as much as she'd like to think highly of her intelligence. She was just a sad, insecure thing that put down others to fill the voids in her life. He respected her resiliency and cleverness where it was due, but that did not extend far. How horribly she would ruin these two impressionable lives' futures.

It saddened him deeply.

Rikyn was saying something about the companions Aithniel could have and the adult snorted at the mention of a fiery bird. Fire and wings seemed inseparable. How apt. "Very true, Rikyn," he complimented, encouraging the boy's knowledge. "Unicorns or half unicorns may have griffins, pegasi or half pegasi may have zephyrs, and regular equines or half equines may have dragons."

Reaching out to Irelyn through their bond, he gave her a direction. "Draw Rikyn away, out of earshot." His owl-griffin looked at him curiously, but trusted him; so, she lightly batted at the colt's scruffy little form, landing a clawless smack squarely on his nose. Wiggling her form in pleasure and the desire to play chase, she bounded away for the child to follow. With a restraining hoof, Torleik gently kept Aithniel from following, looking down at her with kindness bordering on affection.

"I have a secret for you, but you must promise to keep it for me. Do you want to hear?" he inquired in a hushed, conspiratorial whisper. Children loved such things, he'd found, and this secret was not harmful or dangerous. The stallion just wanted to make Aithniel feel special in her own way without Rikyn or his possible jealousy involved.

@[Aithniel]
@[Rikyn]

"talk talk talk"

Credits: Image by Schwartze @ DA