Quote:Perhaps he'd been too long around Mirage and her friends, for the great stallion felt a twinge of irritation when this painted mare gave him no more than a snort of acknowledgement. Just a season or two ago he'd have been indifferent to how such a mare thought of him, expecting little else than fear or anger or this. But now? Times had changed, and so had Vikram.

He would have been tempted to say or do something, had not the welcome he received from Mirage and Akaith been so warm. Their opinion more than outweighed that of the painted mare, and brightened his day considerably. Instead he remained quiet, still, standing near the black mare but not too close. Always he observed a carefully respectful distance that was perhaps a few inches smaller than what he'd've offered only a season ago. It was his own silent fashion of unconsciously mirroring that welcoming tilt Mirage had adopted moments ago.

Then he listened, and was somewhat surprised by what he heard. This painted mare, Brooke, was an acquaintence of Torasin's. Perhaps she'd been something more. An ear twitched in surprise at this, as he subtly altered his knowledge and thoughts of the golden stallion. And then he had to suppress a small smile, listening as his companion asserted her own claim to authority in her own way. For him, it was much more compelling than any physical display.

When Mirage turned her attention on him again, the hybrid shared that small smile with her. "I am quite well, Mirage. Nothing can marr a day in which I can enjoy the company of one of my friends." It was a carefully phrased reassurance, posed as simple niceties but carrying another message for knowing ears.

But he did have something to say to Brooke, and he slightly tweaked the volume and intensity of his voice to make sure his point got across to her otherwise closed mind. "Miss Brooke, a world of changes can happen in a season. Joys and pains alike, not all of which we necessarily appreciate." His voice was a deep rumble, pitched to resonate in another's body even if it missed their ears.

Then, of course, Torasin arrived. What was that old saying... speak and he shall appear? Rather apt. Turning his head to watched the painted stallion, Vikram offered him a welcoming smile when the other seemed to hesitate, which seemed to lure the smaller stallion right next to him. Had he not cared for Torasin, the hybrid would have chuckled at the way his own body had become the bulwark between the paint and the two mares who had claims on his heart, unwittingly or no. "Torasin! Well met." He offered in greeting, bending his head closer to give a supporting touch to the painted steed's crest.

Quote: It was only a little bit until words were coming out of her mouth again. Same as the dragon boys. Annoyed was my mood. It was obvious at that too.

Until there was that smell. It smacked me in the face, oh yes it did, it hurt too. It felt like my heart shattered to pieces and then restored itself. It was an aching pain, an ache of joy. Torasin, his face, was the first thing that popped into my head. The rest of the scene was blank. Mirage wasn't there and neither was her companion or dragon friend thing. My entire body stiffened and so my head shot straight up. I stared straight at his body. It was there and better than ever.

My memory sped up, and I looked back to the first day in the Gateway at Isilme. When we flirted like silly foals all the way back to the Oasis. As I slid to a stop and he ran into my rump. A smile ran across my face as I watched him make his way to the pegasus. I couldn't help but abandon every bit of hatred I had for the other two. They weren't even there anymore. I suddenly became really comfortable with the situation. Until he only greeted me with my name.

My heart sunk. I know I did him wrong by not showing up early. I know I hurt his heart, but I was here now, was that not good enough? We all make mistakes but its one of those that needs forgiven or we'll get no where. I was upset now. I wanted to take off running to see if he'd follow and play like we used to. If he would even ask about how I'd been.

I wanted to run up to him and just wrap my neck around his. I wanted to feel his warmth. Like I said though, I was upset by his greeting. Just my name. No happiness, he just spilled it out like a bad memory. Was that what I was? I closed my eyes and opened them again, my sky blue orbs staring straight to him. I couldn't believe it. I just stared in shock and awe. I just wanted him to show his love. Maybe it wasn't there anymore. I thought absense made the heart grow fonder.

I dipped my head in greeting, giving him no more than he gave me. "Torasin." regaining my gaze of hurt, I looked to his eyes. How did it feel Tor, how does it feel, to be greeted by the one you love like they don't care.

Quote:I tried Akaith.
Indeed you did.
I think she is beyond my abilities – or rather, my patience.
I think not. But she has to want to help herself in order to accept ours.
Indeed, she gets in her own way.

The speed of thought, a mere few milliseconds, was all it took for the assessment to be made. Again, the raven mare sighed, watching as both her words and Vikram’s fell on apparently ignorant and deaf ears. Golden eyes peered towards the draconic stallion, silently thanking him, and expressing her weariness in pursuing the matter. It was useless trying to speak to the painted mare who was as perceptive as a brick wall. The obsidian one noticed the approaching stallion probably the same instant that Brooke did, and Akaith let out a little chortle in greeting. Mirage’s own musical vocals sent out a warm whicker upon his arrival, pleasure in seeing him radiating throughout her. A warmth within her that had begun when Vikram arrived seemed to grow in intensity – truly she felt whole when both stallions were present. Such was their acquaintance lately, it was more often than not that they would be in each other’s company.

His warm welcome to her did not seem to spread over to Brooke, however. This, honestly, surprised Mirage. After seeing the deep love between the two that one time in the Threshold, she had assumed that Torasin’s heart was taken by Brooke, and her annoyance towards Brooke was based on this fact – Brooke had abused the cherished loving nature of Torasin, she had hurt him, and Mirage wanted to know that the mare regretted this. As it was, all she could observe from the circumstances was that Brooke was too busy wallowing in her own self-pity to fully appreciate the torment she had caused. But Mirage had never considered Torasin’s feelings for the painted mare to ever diminish – the charred mare herself, never loved someone less despite long times apart or upon meeting new friends, the sheer enormity of her emotional capability allowed her to simply love more and more. For Mirage, it was either love, or indifference. Very few, select beings reached the upper end of the scale, and the area was filled with both genders, all species and also included her love for the moon.

But of course the mare understood that not all were like her. It was hard to injure to convince the mare to let go of feelings, a fact proved by the extensive amounts of time between meetings of herself and her siblings – though time and distance might separate them, the love never died. Absence makes the heart grow fonder? No, love was a continuous thing, once it was truly obtained, it never disappeared. The charcoal mare was now trying to understand Torasin, reconsidering the way she thought about him, and perhaps, the way he thought about her. Akaith had always tried to comment on the intense way in which he looked to her, but always she had considered that adoration in friendship, nothing more. Guilt dared to spike its irritating head up, as she realised perhaps she was the cause of further confusion for the stallion. And yet, she wouldn’t change any of her actions even given the opportunity, for she did love him, but doubted any could understand her ability to love more than one soul equally – more than two or three souls, even.

The mare reached out to him then, her shoulder brushing by Vikram’s muscular side as her soft nose moved to tough Torasin upon his nape. Amber eyes bored straight into his own – Mirage may had given up speaking directly to Brooke, but she knew that she could communicate to Torasin, still, at least.
“The day we met, Torasin, I advised you to live honestly. I ask you now to not hold your tongue and embrace these words.” She hoped to ease the tension built up between the two, to restore some semblance of friendship. Torasin was not like her, nor was Brooke, and Mirage feared that what Brooke and Torasin had was not as strong as the love she was more familiar with, the love that lasted unquestionably throughout the ages. The love that did not inspire petty, weak, cold greetings when reuniting after distance separates them. She thought back to the dance the heat of the season had inspired within her, the reunion with her sister, the intensity of the love she felt for her sibling meant so much more than the time they had spent apart. She thought of every time she looked upon Vikram or Torasin, the warmth and completion her soul felt, no matter what they were doing or where they were.
“Vikram,” she said softly, tugging gently upon his mane. “Come, I think words not intended for our ears need to pass. The southern end of the meadow is host to clover and lucerne, sweet on the pallet and forgiving on the stomach.” Though she would not truly enjoy eating, given the thoughts cascading through her tiara, she wanted to provide her friend the opportunity to speak whatever it was he felt needed to be said without the pressure of her presence confusing his lovely, happy mind. She touched the golden painted stallion briefly in her departure, a touch that she hoped communicated that she wasn’t truly leaving him – she was always there for him when he needed – but right now, he needed to stand on his own feet, and sort things out.

[ ooc : Basically, Mirage is hoping Vikram comes with her to the other end of the meadow where they can no longer hear what’s going on but can still see. If later on you want her to be involved in the conversation again just RP it out and I’ll post her again. But for now, don’t include her in the posting order :-) ]