Murdock laughed softly as the stallion’s deep voice reached his ears, dipping his head slightly in defeat. Of course, if Thor shared his glorious tale, he would be obliged to do the same. He shifted his weight in the snow, looking up to the gilded treetops where branches that were layered thick with frost were reflecting the sunlight. The air warmed slightly as darkness slipped away and the meadow was bathed with light, but still he kept his wings close against his sides. He was thankful to have found company on this morning. Far too long he had spent his days wandering in solitude with little else but the trees and birds to share his thoughts with.
He listened intently as Thor shared his story, weaving memories into words and spilling his past into the cold winter air. As always, Murdock was fascinated by what this stallion had to share. So often you would meet someone new, exchange titles and mundane conversation, all without learning what tragic or wondrous tales they may have to tell. There was only so much you could read from one’s face or the way they walked, and it was a shame to miss out on what stories they might have.
As he finished, his breath billowing into a cloud of steam before his face, Murdock turned his gaze away from the wild dance of the sea. “You don’t have to be a king to be great, you know,” he tilted his head to the side, looking up at the giant beside him. Thor had accomplished much in his lifetime. To become king of any land was a success indeed, and one he had achieved. He might no longer hold the title, but his heart and his intentions were surely the same. “We have all made mistakes. You may no longer hold the rank, but you are the same man who helped and healed and ruled this land.”
As he turned away, looking out toward the dark and curving line of the horizon, the spotlight was turned onto him. His story was all of these things Thor mentioned; he had fought wars, found love, then lost it. He had seen much in his time and was unsure of how to begin telling his tale. “I was raised in a very militant fleet. For the first few months of my life, all I did was train and learn how to fight. I saw war many times, I saw my family torn apart and our land destroyed. I was captured and held captive by the enemy for more weeks than I could count. When I finally escaped their grasp, I came here.”
He realized he was sharing his deepest secrets with this stallion, practically a stranger whom he had only met moments ago. But, he felt no reason to hide the truth, and instead extended his trust to this honourable former king. “I joined a band of mercenaries shortly after arriving. Fighting was all I knew how to do and at least then I could put myself to use. We claimed the land that was once the Foothills, but the herd did not last. I found love at one time. She meant the world to me...But, as with many other things, I lost her.” Steam quivered before his face as he exhaled, the moisture gradually dispersing to leave the sea in clear view. Was she out there somewhere, beyond the far reaches of that dark and dangerous ocean?
“I joined the Edge in search of a new beginning. I wanted a family, some place to call home. I wanted to be a part of something structured again. I was General of the Foothills at one time, but I have settled for less here. I am no leader. Perhaps I could learn to be, but for now I am content to follow and offer what I can to protect this land.” His life seemed so simple when summed up like that. It was a story, just like the millions of other stories out there. It was one he had told few times, but lived over and over in dreams and memories. What he wouldn’t give to rewrite parts of his past, to change things so that he might not feel so lost now. However, there was little he could do except move forward. The future was waiting to be written and he wasn’t going to miss a page.
"talk talk talk talk "
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