Queens and Vagabonds [Soleil]

the Rift

Queens and Vagabonds [Soleil]

Lace the Silverthorn Posts: 459

Deceased atk: 5 | def: 9 | dam: 5.5

Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 hh :: 14 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE

Fajira :: Plain White Dragon :: Fire Breath Chan

09-15-2012, 03:23 PM

LACE

Who, in his mind,
has not probed the dark water?

Strands of white silk swayed slowly by darkly painted hocks. Weight shifting between the strong legs, he remained quiet while she spoke and tried to imagine the hardships she must have been through. Again it felt as though guilt would overtake him, but this time it was of a different kind. If only he hadn't left Isilme when he did... It hadn't been from hatred that he sold out the herd, nor had it been the reason why he left the lands. Perhaps if he had been there, he would have been able to aid her somehow, lessened the pain. Soleil had been annoying to deal with as a foal, but he hadn't hated her either; only been too inexperienced to know how to deal with obnoxious children. He had been little more than a child himself at the time, with more pride then he could handle. Inwardly the stallion grimaced at the memory of how he had taken out his irritation on the small foal, pushed her into the sand. It wasn't something he was proud of. At that time Lace had reacted as if she was his own age and capable of defending herself, able to fight back. Of course she couldn't though, she had been so small, so innocent still. And look at her now. Those eyes he knew to glimmer of mischief and pride in herself was clouding over with sadness and pain as memories played out before her inner vision. He could almost see them himself, familiar as he was with the landscape around Isilme and some of the horses that lived within the herd.

He was surprised to hear about her relationship with Terrador, but didn't let it show as he nodded, making a brief pass at the revelation.
"I remember him. The son of Adalwulf, if I remember correctly... We fought each other once, and while he was young there was no lacking in power of bravery in him..." The grulla didn't mention that he had lost to the colt, and been relieved to do so; it might be one of the few times when a defeat had left him with only physical pain. Even now he looked back at the bout with gratitude rather than disappointment; how heavy would his burden not have been if he had won, and thus inflicted injury upon one he had promised to defend?

Clenching his teeth he forced his thoughts back to her tale, a story of love intermingling with loss until he wasn't sure how he was ever going to be able to respond. What could he say, who had no family save for Fajira, who had no children and no mate, hadn't lost anything but pride and faith in himself... In comparison he suddenly seemed so self centered that it almost choked him.

It was a relief when she mentioned Paladins name and he was allowed to react. This time his surprise shone through the emotionless mask; even Fajira shifted with a slight warble as they both remembered the tall black unicorn stallion they had met just after arriving to Helovia.
"Paladin you say?" he said and couldn't help a slight grin from tugging at the lips. "You have chosen a big one then, just like Terrador. I think I approve more to this one though; at least your current mate doesn't seem to hold that haughty I'm-better-than-you streak that seemed to ooze from the Valley." Of course he hadn't spoken with Paladin long enough to judge his character fairly, but the displeasure with which he had faced Delinne at the thought of her being a racist hinted quite strongly towards a more tolerant attitude. The simple fact that he had chosen Soleil as a mate was a strong indicator as well.

The smile faded slightly as the topic turned to himself, but Lace forced it to remain as he turned the head and gazed out across the landscape.
"Me? I have been travelling with Fajira. We left Isilme before the war of the Tides had ended, and I don't think I've stayed more than a season or two in any one place since then. The world outside Isilme is vast, Soleil... There is much to see, so many different cultures and faiths and ways of life that you wouldn't believe it, but somehow there is always strife. If it's not over food and water then it's over race, or land, or oppression. I've been fighting in countless wars, but no matter what I just couldn't find a reason good enough to justify all the suffering and death that followed in its wake."

A bitter grimace twisted the lips for a moment, before he forced the muscles to relax and turned to her with eyes shadowed by a tiredness that he really was too young to feel. "I'm glad that you have found a good mate. You deserve all the happiness you can find, little sun."

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