Tembovu

Rewarded for his antics with her smile, he stilled and listen to her story as it faded. He breathed slowly and deeply beside her, taking in her scent, story, and the brisk evening sea air- his barrel brushing against her with each breath, color gradients mirroring each other.

Turning his deep blue eyes to her face- it was much easier to keep his mind attentive and away from studly thoughts when he could concentrate on her past- he watched her speak her story to the sea. And he watched closely, for not only did he enjoy seeing the setting sun play with black barking in her white face, but he also had a habit of studying others when they told him things. You could glean much from a small frown around the eyes or a tiny upturn of the corners of a mouth. And lying, generally the eyes moved rapidly as one concocted a story with their mind. Unless they were an accomplished liar. Learning and knowing to look for these traits had saved the stallion more than once.

But this beautiful mare- whose face had seemingly relaxed earlier- was simply plain as she spoke her story. He saw nothing on her delicate face. In his experience, this was a trait of both royalty and accomplished politicians- to bury their personal feelings beneath the skin. Pursing his lips once more, his eyes left her face and followed her gaze out to the ocean. Her face, though alluring to watch, sent echoes of a past life of lies and masks.

Hearing her voice drop- when she revealed that this “passing stag” bore some semblance to his own role in the fall of the council in his old kingdom- one ear flicked sideways while the other remained pointed to her. He felt such a draw- like a magnetic pull- towards this mare. But her past, and his, seemed to be colliding in unfortunate ways. She looked so much like his Mara, and he… Well, he had made it his mission to cause the collapse of an empire.

Though his head was in turmoil, darkening his eyes and creasing his face, he still felt a pull in his gut at the sad, small smile that flickered over her face. He reached out to stroke the curve of her jaw and neck lightly with his muzzle, it’s large mass dwarfing her face as he gently lipped the base of her ear, lips aiming to tickle the chain. At the mention of a foal, he stilled- breath held and mouth resting at her golden keepsake. Should he? Could he? He had spoken of his past to two other equines- and one was dead.

“It’s easy to make mistakes in matters of the heart when we’re young,” he delayed his decision by murmuring into her ear, “Unfortunately, and unfairly, the mistakes of royals so often have greater consequences than if another were to make them,” he pulled away from her now. But he did not want to pull away. What he wanted to do was run his nose along her jaw and tell her that- despite her past lover being scum- he was jealous of the attentions she had given him. He wanted to tell her that if he had had the affections of one such as her, he might have reconsidered his grand plot to take down a regime. He wanted to gain such affections right now, in the cool evening, as the sun winked below the horizon.

Instead, though, he made a decision to tell parts- if not all- of his story. Because he felt this pull. He felt the connection. That feeling didn’t allow for a quick mount and uncomplicated goodbye. It lead to more feelings. It led to attachment. And trust.

So it was time to start that trust. Well, actually, Rexanna already had. So he continued it. “You are more lucky than you know to not have had a foal-“ he broke off, struggling with how to phrase his chaotic thoughts. The staccato of his heart did not help as he spoke to the darkening sea, “I, too, had a past love. And son,” his deep rumble grew quieter, sadder, and thicker, “But I lost them… Perhaps- perhaps it is better to have lost the love of someone than to have lost someone you love.” He paused, letting his words sink into himself and the beautiful mare beside him. “Then again, perhaps I am just a blathering bachelor sticking his hoof in his mouth beside a beautiful woman,” his self-deprecating humor and accompanying smile were hollow and sad- quite unlike his previous warm and genuine demeanor.

The light from the sun faded and the coolness of the evening sank in.


ooc| Sorry for the delay. I was floundering with what to do with him o.O @[Rexanna]