"Where brilliance is good and madness is better..."
Helovia Info
Helovia opened in February 2012! We are an active fantasy equine RPG
Where once the world narrowed into naught but gray dust and desolation, the gods called for life. Wielding the elements of fire and light, dark and wind, earth and water, spark and time, they have created Helovia. The realm is set within the mythical globe of Loorien, a planet rich with all variety of creatures and blessed with all manner of magic. Originally populated by nomadic, tribal characters, they've since grown into massive empires saturated with culture and history. Separated into four distinct segments of Helovia, called "The Regions," each band of horse strong enough and capable enough, took up the power and responsibility of leadership. Unicorns, old, wise and mysterious, took to the north, hidden in forests of mists and shadows and rarely making themselves known beyond their cliffs of the World's Edge. Equines, vast, organized and militaristic, split into two, one group went north to the Windtossed Foothills and the other group went south to the Dragon's Throat. Pegasus remained nomadic, making their homes in various parts of The Wilds in a migratory manner. For many generations, the land was peaceful and calm, but peace was never the way of the gods. With a clash of argument, war and bloodshed massacred Helovia, and in the aftermath, the realm was eerily quiet. Now, as newcomers sweep into this land, they are met with the lingering bitterness of the gods and the struggle to reclaim what was lost. Nothing remains safe or certain while sorcerers and soldiers alike brood and bide their time for revenge, honor and glory.
Site Wide Plots
Kaos :: The Beginning of the End ☼ - 6/2017 - Kaos placed Helovia in a time-bubble for a short period of time, but the Helovian gods are fighting back. But Kaos is powerful- far more powerful than anyone thought. This may be the beginning of the end of Helovia as we know it.
Kisamoa :: A New Kind of Kaos ☼ - 3/2017 - Kisamoa asks Helovians to help him restore the Spectral Marsh. Which side will you choose?
Invasions :: All Out War ☼ - 5/2/16 - New layout and the brand new invasion rules are up! Thank you for your patience and we look forward to getting started with this new adventure.
The Rift :: Gods Do Die ☼ - 8/2015 - Helovia Gods are saving the Rift from corrupt gods! Can Helovians band together against these foreign deities?
The Literal Ship ☼ - 2/8/15 - Oh no! You have to pair up for Valentine's day!
Sky Island :: Murder ☼ - 10/25/14 - Vesta has been found dead on the island, and the gods have called to you to solve the murder!
Sky Island :: Peace ☼ - 7/7/14 - An island has appeared in the sky! Clouds carry Helovians from the Veins to the sky.
Restoration :: We Welcome the Dawn ☼ - 9/21/13 - The sun has finally risen on this day, giving the land new light, but the Time God and the Sun God have yet to be seen.
Endless Night :: Broken Magic Plot ☼ - 8/30/13 - The earth god has returned and is walking across Helovia to heal the land. Every area can now be considered lush and prosperous, but the sun has still not risen.
☼ - 7/19/13 - The moon has risen in the sky, heralding the return of the Goddess of the moon. Lamp trees which light the paths have grown brighter, moon flowers which grow in dark places have begun to grow and prosper and the world is brighter, filled with a new hope.
Endless Night :: Dead Magic Plot ☼ - 6/22/13 - The gods of Helovia, in order to protect the world, have disappeared into the rift, leaving the world sunless, moonless and magic-less in their absence. Only the herdlands have a source of light, but lamp-trees with glowing leaves and branches sporadically line the popular roads and paths from place to place.
Doppleganger Plot ☼ - 6/20/13 - The God of Time is still struggling to close the rift though which the dopplegangers have come. He has requested that his brothers and sister assist in closing this hole, but without knowing why it opened, the task is proving difficult. Magic still remains faulty and hard to control, but the herdlands continue to be places of refuge for those who are fortunate enough to call these lands home.
ORANGEMOON cools off the lands with a a viscious force. Colder than normal, a sign of things to come during Frostfall, Helovia is bathed in a rich tropical lushness - albiet a cold one. The coastlines of the Dragon's Throat are pelted constantly by tidal waves, and the desert climate is humid but chilly. Ice begins to form early in the Aurora Basin leaving the winding trails slick and dangerous. The mists of the World's Edge coat everything in a glistening crystalline shine which encourages mould to grow everywhere. The Spectral Marsh is the only area which remains fertile, blissfully temperature and lush.
Cotm
Character of the Month for
June, 2017
WEAVER, Corporal of the Aurora Basin, is a relatively recent addition to Helovia and has taken it by storm. Branded with the seal of Death on her chest, intrigue and interest follow both her past and present. Though she is assuredly beautiful, her sometimes sharp personality reveals that there is more to this uni-peg hybrid than meets the eye. Proving herself able on the battlefield in the Basin’s warrior ranks, we can’t wait to see her test her mettle against the looming Kaos happenings! Congratulations!
Helovia RPG was created by Tamme and Blu and coded by Tamme also known as Schwartze. All coding, palettes and imagery are copyrighted to the website and are not for use outside of Helovia. Thank you to our ServerMaster for hosting Helovia. A special thanks goes to Neo for all of her coding help and fixing Tamme's errors, Boom, for her loyal service and creation of the Time God, and to Ali for her consistent contributions and dedication.
10-18-2016, 11:41 AM (This post was last modified: 10-18-2016, 11:45 AM by Maude.)
The fall was a busy time for the garden, Maude was learning.
Certain plants wanted to be trimmed, while others wished to be fed more, and others just wanted to be left alone. Walking down one of the carefully tended aisles of the greenhouse, she paused occasionally to snip away a weary, withered stem or leaf from a needy plant, or to tuck the fragrant soil more snuggly about their stalks. For each plant she stopped to take care of, she tried her best to recall the name, and what it was used for.
“Uh…wood fern, for ouchies,” she mutters out loud, having had to taste this particular plant to identify it, but more easily picking out the next one, “cinn’mon fern, for old people!”
She means for arthritis, of course, though she doesn’t use the word, mostly because she always stumbled around its pronunciation, and it made her feel stupid. Besides, old people were the ones who most often experienced it, right? Tipping a conch shell full of water onto its roots, knowing that the cinnamon fern liked damp soil, she goes to refill her natural tote with water and rests it back on the soil, before returning to the next plant in her line of identification.
“Shoot,” despairs the filly when she moves to the next fern, and can’t remember what its called; staring at it for some time, she chews her lip in between her mumbled guesses, occasionally touching the plant, as if it will tell her if nudged often enough, “uh, princess fern? A king fern? No…”
It was an adjustment. Not just life in the vast World’s Edge, but trying to get used to day after day of not knowing where her brother was – the pit of her stomach churning in sadness and anger causing elephants and wolves to march along her back in a heatless, fiery parade. Life in the Edge so far had been interesting, to say the least. There were a billion children it seemed, and she continued to feel far superior to them in her advancement with her languages as well as practicing her magic. And so she tried to avoid them – aside from that boy made of stars who used to live in the Basin that she called her friend at one point. That was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. Life otherwise had taken a bit to get used to, and so the filly continued to disappear from her mother and father’s den – seeking out the land the Edge had to offer, seeing if it’d be willing to share any of its secrets.
That was when Kiada and Khairi found the greenhouse. Immediately, it piqued her interest as Lena and Tiamat begun to teach her herbs and the beautiful art of healing. Of course they chose to investigate the structure. The minute she stepped foot inside it, Khairi’s head swung around as he perched across her back, ever protective of his princess. There was the faintest of mumbles, and as Kiada’s ebony dipped head darted around she tried to spot the voice to no avail. Ink dipped legs carried her further into the greenhouse, capturing the swift ends of the voice. When Kiada turned and Khairi motioned with large pristine ivory feathers, she nodded to him and followed. Her sapphire gaze landing on the snow white filly she had met when she was introduced to her half-siblings.
Kiada took a few moments to inspect the fern the child was looking at, vaguely remembering her name to be Maude and offered her a slight smile, ready to confidently tell the fact she knew the name of the herb – trying to show off to anyone she could. Her back illuminated with lions and griffons as she held her head high and proud. “That’s a royal fern.” She added in simply, her voice beginning to lower slightly as age took to the filly. She flicked her ebony tail against her legs as she searched Maude for a reaction. “What is it that you’re doing?” She questioned, now, cocking her head to the side as if there were more to this charade rather than naming plants.
10-18-2016, 10:04 PM (This post was last modified: 10-18-2016, 10:16 PM by Raeden.)
Have you ever noticed how every hurricane gets its name from a girl like this?
You're gonna wish you had a storm warning; you're gonna wish you had a sign.
</style>
They had always been searching, wondering, and doing their job. Being a Specter was not about just stealing things, and spying. She had a duty to protect the information in her own herd. Tin luckily understood this just as well as she did. Her companion, her best friend was always by her side. Raeden often wondered what Gawen was up to, but she knew he was safe in the boarders of edge. The glden was a lax mother, giving her child space to do what he wants, but he always came home to her at night. No matter what she made sure she was home and in their small thicket shelter before he was asleep. Teal eyes had roamed the lands until she heard a small meek voice in the distance. Tin looked at her with curious green eyes What was that? Tilting her crown she shurgged her shoulders Maybe a child...
Following the sound of the small voice they stumbled across a young girl. Lingering in the bush for a moment teal and green eyes watched the girl. She moved from one fern to the other. Then she got stuck on the name of the last one. With a soft smile Raeden moved from the bushes and stood next to her in the green house. Lowering her sharpened crown to look at the plant she smiled over at the girl. The second she looked at the plant another young girl came from the forest. Her answers were quicker than the specters. Tin watched from behind before moving closer. Lowering his own enchanted antlers he told his companion the answer to the question, Rae nodded her skull at the deer not repeating it over again.. Well you were close with your guesses.. Chuckling softly Raeden lifted her skull.
The girl glowed with her owe beautiful Ora. So filled with life, joy and happiness her little heart was. For a moment Raeden envied her, wishing times were simpler, easier, and just filled with the joys of life again. The filly was so pure, and had her whole life ahead of her... Only to be young again. The other girl was glowing with gold in her coat, but she was not as bright. Growing with age can do that to most, but this girl felt much older than what she really was. Honey coated words came from her maw Hello I am Rae a Specter, and this is my companion Tin. Tin dipped his head to the young ladies . Raeden took a step back to give the girls their space. Teal eyes glanced over each one with a tired smile falling on her face. Are you studying to be a moon doctor? she asked the younger girl after the inked one finished speaking.
“That’s it!” she exclaims, quieting (only slightly) to continue, “and it’s for cleaning cuts!”
Turning about with a gracious smile already planted firmly on her lips, Maude’s tuft of a white tail lifts as her neck arches in a girlish way. Meeting the gaze of the other filly (Kiada?), the cheerful daughter of the Moon Doctor bounds across what few steps separate them, her voice gaily rippling through the glass building. Her high stepped trot is dainty and contained, cautious to not trample any low hanging branches, stems, or leaves, and, while she’s not so sure about fire in the greenhouse (eyeing the rippling creatures along Kiada’s back with curiosity, for her own sake, and a general wariness, on behalf of the plants), she looses none of her girlish interest in making friends.
Maude is about to explain to the older-than-her princess that she was studying ferns, which her father had assigned to her early yesterday morning, so that she could become a Doctor one day, when a woman arrives, her earthen cerndyr companion in tow. Something about the pale woman makes the sunbeam of a girl feel uneasy, perhaps the rippling laughter following her words, or something else about her entirely. Still, she is very pretty, and older than Maude is, so she tries her best to be polite, though her exuberant smile becomes a much tamer one (though it flickers for a moment into its wild, natural state at the absolutely adorably gentleman-like dip of Tin’s antlered head).
“I’m Maude,” she says, her own small antlers ribboned with copper and adorned with pearls that shimmer as she curtsies, one cloven hoof crossed over a bending leg, and her neck gracefully bowed, “and yes, I am!”
Quite proud of her choice of work, but still naïve to the often horrible truth of the healing arts (unpreventable death, withering sicknesses, foals born breathless and cold, war), her smile and gleaming gaze reveals her innocence. To her, being a Doctor meant bringing babies into the world to happy families, mending minor cuts, and, of course, working in the garden, or about the world gathering things to grow in the greenhouse, or to use in her craft. Even though her mother had disappeared, Maude’s faith in the goodness of the world had not been tarnished; her hope was still as vibrant and unbreakable as ever.
It was good to be young, and still in love with the world.
“Are you studyin' to be a Doctor too, Kiada?” she asks the appaloosa filly eagerly, her pretty, spring green eyes widening hopefully as she looks back to the princess.
“That’s it! And it’s for cleaning cuts!” Kiada nodded to her with a genuine smile, pleased to know that she was correct as well as helpful? She wanted to snort at the idea that Khairi had shoved into her mind, until his feathers ruffled uncomfortably as a woman entered the scene. “Well you were close with your guesses.” She addressed to Maude. And then she laughed. Kiada’s navy gaze narrowed on the mare for a moment, carefully looking to Maude then to see what her reaction to that might be. Was it demeaning? Probably not, but it sure felt like it. She was sure that Maude probably felt it a bit more. The snow filly danced closer to her, and Kiada stepped a bit closer to the mare after offering Maude another smile.
The mare introduced herself as Rae, and as Kiada stared at her a bit more she began to feel as though she recognized the mare somehow. Surely it wasn’t true, but there was something about the woman that seemed vaguely familiar. Perhaps that was a question for another day, or one to be forgotten completely as the cerndyr dipped his head. Khairi did no such thing as greeting like Tin did. He simply stood proud as his bonded introduce themselves, raptors gaze never letting something slip past him. When Maude introduced herself and what she was doing, Kiada nodded slightly. “I’m Kiada, and this is Khairi.” She added in, perhaps a bit uninterested until Maude asked if she too was learning to be a Moon Doctor.
“I don’t know about a Moon Doctor. But I’ve been learning about plants from the Basin.” She admitted, offering the snow filly another sneaky grin. “I learned from the healers in the Basin about some plants, maybe I can teach you a few sometime Maude? The ones that live up north that thrive in cold weather?” She added in, hoping that perhaps she might be able to find another friend to slip away with like Romina. But judging by her past experiences so far with the filly, she didn’t seem the devious kind like herself or Romina was. Perhaps that would change one day, and Kiada knew that she’d be around waiting for that day.
Then, she turned her attention back to Raeden. “Is a specter like a Thief here?” She questioned, cocking her ebony head. “My mother used to be the Thief in the Basin.” She finally added in, painting on a mask of curiosity.
"Following" is a...kind word for what he's really doing, which is entertaining himself by pretending to stalk her through the undergrowth like a hunter. Except Gawen isn't really that good of a hunter, and constantly loses her trail only to end up up walking in circles before catching a glimpse of her rose-kissed hide between the trees. He's not entirely sure if she's aware of him trailing her, though if she isn't it would truly be a miracle considering how loud the boy is while moving through the brittle autumn foliage. But he's late to this particular party, and as his soft ears twitch eagerly atop his cranium, the boy is heartbroken to have been left out of any discussion of herbs and healing. After all, Gawen's cornering of medics and moon doctors was practically legend now, and Evangeline was the next target on his list for interrogation.
With an eager crow of triumph the boy went skipping towards his mother, eyes bright with excitement at the prospect of meeting others of similar interests. Except the moment he made it to her warm flank, Gawen realized that he'd never actually met anyone his own age, and his confidence died like a crumpled up piece of paper being shot for a perfect three-pointer into a waste basket. Any execution of limbs is terminated immediately and he divebombs into his mother's side like a poor excuse for replacement brakes, and he happily remains there. Shamelessly using her as a shield against social interaction. Peering out and around the swell of her belly, the boy lifts his outside wing to nervously hug himself, trying to disappear. They were girls and they were his age. Or, closer than Lyanna and Ultima at any rate, who were more like family to Gawen than anything.
Good going, kid. Befriending adults before you're even old enough to string sentences together. Great socialization.
But he has been here long enough to hear the pretty pale one inquire as to Kiada's (or so she'd announced herself) plans for the future, if the Doctor rank interests her. And though he is suddenly painfully shy and insecure around these beautiful, intelligent girls, he can't help the passion that burns in his heart and wavers across his tongue towards the tree-touched girl. "I...I wanna be a Doctor." Already he feels faint just speaking those few words, and he presses even closer to his mother's flank, needing the reassurance of her touch and presence. Big blue eyes turn to Kiada then, and it's a little easier to talk to her, the older one who is surely dominant over him.
"Can you teach me too?" Gawen would sacrifice any shred of comfort if it meant learning more, no matter how his knees shook or his heart trembled in his chest. But maybe they could learn to be friends? And his sweet face turned towards Maude then, whose name he hadn't caught. "I'm Gawen," he offered shyly, tiny smile appearing on his face as he peered just barely past his mother's side at the older filly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad?
GAWEN
The sun is filling up the room,
And I can hear you dreaming.
11-03-2016, 07:04 AM (This post was last modified: 11-03-2016, 07:04 AM by Tilney.)
There was chatter among the wood and leaf, rattling over each trees skeleton. Voices travelled easily this time of year when foliage curled and withered away from the frost, leaving hollow gaps and cavities for air, light, and sound to flit through.
Tilney easily recognised the melodic chirping of his own young one floating between the mossy evergreens and bouncing off of the floor - she was always so chatty, hardly ever stopped it seemed. Even when there was no partner to converse with she would talk to the birds and the butterlies, even herself, and he loved her even more for it.
The physician was much more jovial than he had been the past days. Since Ultima had left some weeks ago improvement from his depressed state had seemed out of reach, And even back past to those brash days at the rift all those months ago he was convinced his lowest point had well and truly been found. Base and vile were just some of the feelings he still felt to this day sometimes to the pount of feeling physically ill, or even dirty.
It was as if his affair with that amazonian woman had left him covered in an imvisible mud that no amount of soap or water could shake. Guilt, despair, heartache - these were all things the stag had no experienced prior to entering Helovia as a colt.
As his dear daughter came into view, that changed his thoughts entirely. Every chemical in his brain switched and altered its remedy when he saw Maude. Tilneys coutenance lit up, a wide smile appearing on his face - finally, for a moment at least, he appeared the shadow of his usual jovial self. "Maudey, my little dove" Tilney chortled, stepping up behind the tiny doe and reaching down to place a kiss upon her snout. Then his green eyes found the others present; Easily recognising Kiada... and there stood Readen and her young. As his brain fumbled over the womans name it almost spat, recalling the time she had aimed her horn at him and attempted to strike. Were it not for Tallis's quick wings he could of just escaped with his life should she pin him in the right spot. He himself had been unnarmed, unprepared and unwilling to fight the council member.
"Are you Ill, Readen?" Tilney spoke with 'concern'. He glanced over his shoulder to the greenhouse, wondering what business a theif might have here, and he hoped she hadn't come to take anything. Soon his gaze turned to the painted colt who stood at her side. He shared almost no resemblance to his mother (what a releif).
The stuttering boy mentioned he wanted to be a doctor and that his name was Gawen - He reminded Tilney immensely of himself when he was the colts age.
"Well Gawen you have come to the right place" Tilney spoke with a wide smile, looking to the daughter of his friends Rexanna and Tembovu "I think there's a Moon Doctor around here somewhere... Want to help me find him?"
As he spoke he raised a brow to Maude, green eyes looking towards her affectionately.
Have you ever noticed how every hurricane gets its name from a girl like this?
You're gonna wish you had a storm warning; you're gonna wish you had a sign.
</style>
The golden girl named Maude was sweet and warming. It was refreshing compared to everyone else in the Edge. The specter's face brightened watching her respond to Tin. Although Tin could be grumpy around others, he always had a soft spot for children. The antlered beast moved closer to the bright gold girl. His small nose reached out to touch her if she would allow in the greeting. The bright colored cerndyr was weary of the raptor that sat on the other girls back. He was not in the mood to get pecked or fight with a bird today. The pair seemed dull and glazed over with uninterest. Raeden watched as the girls interacted and soon her son was diving into the mix.
He leaned against her flank for a moment, and she turned to him It's okay, come introduce yourself to the two girls. She reassures her son before turning to Kiada You are correct. Your mom held a great title in the Basin; I hope she plans on using her Sneak skills here in Edge. Do you plan to follow that same path of being a sneak? She questions tilting her head. After she spoke, Gawen finally found the courage to step up. He hugged her side, but he was talking to the other girls. Raeden could not help but smile as her sweet boy was trying to break out of his shell. She reached her honey muzzle around touching him with a loving nudge. He needed a bit more encouragement than others, but eventually, he will get there. His small voice came from behind her, speaking up that he wanted to be a moon doctor. It would be good for the boy to learn the art of healing. raeden was sure he would be good at it. In the midst of the children speaking a voice rang out that made her ears almost pin to her skull, but they didn't. Her sharpened skull only turned the man with a smile. Deep down she loathed this moment, but she was going to be nice around the children. I am well Tilney, thank you for asking.My son and I were just out adventuring Edge when I came across Maude and Kiada naming plants. As you can tell Gawen has an interest in being a moon doctor. Her eyes wanted to roll at the man, but he was someone who could help her child learn and achieve what he wanted to do in life. So just like any good mother she plastered a look of calm and happiness across her face for the sake of her child. There was no reason to get the children involved with adult issues.
Maude had certainly thought that three was enough company for the greenhouse, but fate? Well, she was learning that fate had its own way of thinking, and that it, generally, did not coincide with what the young fae thought best.
She accepts her father’s kiss upon her tender, copper muzzle with a giggle, and the maiden returns the gentle caress with a butt her head against the stallions shoulder in a diminutive hug, completely unashamed of the bond (and true love) that lingered between she and her father.
When Gawen arrives, and shortly thereafter her father, the girl does her best to keep up with the conversation (while still being able to add her own). Glancing at Kiada and Khairi (who was dangerous looking, and set Maude’s belly to doing tiny tumbles anytime she thought his eyes met her own), because the princess had asked her a question.
It was a particularly exciting one, which involved adventure and wandering. However, her father’s arrival stills the exuberant “yes!” that might have fallen from her ginger lips otherwise. An ear tilts in the direction of her father’s greeting and a single green eye glances knowingly at Kiada (how she longs to go, and how her father would forbid it), as the painted colt’s small voice pipes up from where he’s half buried himself into his mother. Feeling a smile grow across her face despite several annoyances (not getting to go on adventures with Kiada, the presence of numerous adults to further diminish what fun they may have, and the general struggle of having to follow so much at once), she finds the coy behavior of the boy child endearing.
“I’m Maude,” she quietly tells him, not trying to interrupt the adults talking with her reply, her smile growing all the wider as her words progress, “and daddy and I can help you!”
It’s then that her father’s joke rings through the air, making her smile burst into a row of sparkling laughter. With a tiny snort to clear her head when the giggles at last subside, she can’t help but playfully nudge Tilney with her nose.
“Why, you are a Moon Doctor, silly daddy!” she mirthfully cajoles.
The colt captured her attention then, speaking of how he too wanted to be a Moon Doctor. Is this what all children wanted to be? A doctor to mend the wounds of their loved ones? Was she in this for the wrong reasons, wanting to know just how she could strike down an enemy when they least expected it? Still, she watched patiently as Gawen smiled to them. She dipped her horned head to him, offering him a flashy smile as well. Raeden was quick to speak as well, mentioning about how her mother held a great title in the Basin. It didn’t seem like Rexanna had, in her eyes, but was she really the third greatest to live in the icy tundra she called home?
The thought boggled her mind for a few moments, nodding along with the idea that perhaps her mother would enjoy spending time with the sneaks here. At least it was something she’d know how to do. When Tilney appeared to speak with Raeden again, she stayed silent. Her eyes landing on Maude as she went to try and say something in return to a quick adventure with her. Instead, her thoughts seemed to die and her attention drew onto Gawen while the adults spoke. Kiada’s ears flickered briefly against her skull as Khairi’s attention remained on the rose gold mare. His feathers ruffling slightly before he settled himself down at the swift annoyance that passed through their bond.
Tilney began to speak again, mentioning a sort of joke as if nobody knew who the Moon Doctor was standing here. She refrained from rolling her eyes, despite the incessant need to. “Maybe Mr. Tilney would be willing to teach us a few things? Lessons perhaps? We could all get to know one another?” She questioned when the ideas died down. Her blue gaze trailing from Maude to Gawen. They weren’t the greatest partners in crime, but they seemed innocent enough. Perhaps her blackened heart would be more than enough to sway them to follow her and do whatever she’d like. If only Raeden and Tilney wouldn’t get in the way.
Still, her offer stood, and she waited – her eyes staring into Tilney’s tree marking as she waited for his answer.
Gawen can't help but give his mom the stink eye when she calmly encourages him to come greet the girls. Is she stupid? He can't just waltz out there in front of Maude like a fool! And the other girl, Kiada, she's so much bigger and prettier and older! God, adults didn't understand anything, why did he even try? But at least when he finally ventured out his mom gave him a nice little nuzzle of congratulations. Not that Gawen needed it of course because he was brave. Duh.
Maude's gleaming smile struck Gawen dumb where he stood, and if his mother hadn't continued talking to Kiada, he's pretty sure he would have knelt where he stood right then and there and offered to serve her for the rest of his pitiful existence. He'd never met anyone his age before, and certainly not a pretty girl who liked healing. The hawk was so badly out of his depth he almost felt like turning around and staggering love-struck away from the gathering, if only to cry and kick a few rocks over his own misfortune. A pretty, elegant filly like Maude certainly wouldn't want to befriend a clumsy, awkward, pitiful colt like Gawen.
Oh, but Gawen so badly wanted to be her friend already.
Normally Gawen would welcome and thank the arrival of someone new, especially with how stupid he almost made himself look, but then his big blue eyes glance over and -
MOTHER FUCKER.
Gawen's knees really do turn to jelly and he sags against his mother with a stunned, awestruck whimper because there he is. Doctor Tilney. And oh god, he's talking to Gawen and Gawen's mama.
Was the air a little light here? He was feeling a bit lightheaded.
And he used Gawen's name! Gods take him, he could finally die happy with just experiencing Maude's smile and Tilney speaking the syllables of his name.
"Hu- I- nice to sir you meet Tilney Doctor!" he spat dizzily, and then promptly had to suck in a breath to stop from crying because oh my god Gawen you're so fucking awkward what is your problem stop screwing shit up. And then MAUDE IS TALKING TO HIM AND GOOD GODS GAWEN WANTED TO DIE HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO HIM.
But instead he wobbled forward away from Raeden, his fringe falling into his blue eyes as he shyly smiled at her, pretty much in love. "I-I'd love to learn," he confessed as quietly as she had spoken, not wanting to interrupt the flow of conversation as his mother's tight voice answered Tilney's question. "Could you show me the greenhouse?" Whispered like a secret between them, his eyes big and round. He hadn't dared to step inside on his own yet, and his mother was busy with her own duties, but it was like a palace of amazingness and he wanted to see it like, yesterday.
Then Kiada and Tilney are talking again and he looks away from Maude to the gleaming idol of Tilney once more, feeling like he couldn't handle one more minute in their shining company. He was too dull, too uninteresting for their brilliance. But he also couldn't help but want to stay, to soak in their brightness, hoping for it to rub off on him somehow. "Could you teach us Doctor Tilney?" his shy, respectful voice warbled out towards the stallion, casting a smile at Kiada, who he'd somewhat forgotten. "Lessons would be fun!"
GAWEN
The sun is filling up the room,
And I can hear you dreaming.
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