"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.
Sheba another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
Dawn. The most beautiful time of day, the hour of new beginnings, when the world is fresh and the sky is bright; the part of the day when all is tranquil and even the birds are just waking up…there is nothing like it. As the sun began its slow ascent into the heavens, it seemed to smile down upon the land below, its golden rays reaching down to caress the earth, as if to tell it all is well.
Far to the west, an errant beam of rosy light slipped through the willow branches to kiss the surface of the glassy pond, where it split into a million beautiful fingers of sunshine. The Secret Grove, illuminated from its core, seemed to sigh. There were no birds left in the dead of winter to burst into simultaneous song, but one creature stirred. A pale unicorn, sleeping under the frosty canopy, blinked once, then twice as she was suddenly cast into the light, completing the picturesque scene.
Profanity broke the silence.
Shaking the light snow off of her back and muttering angrily as she struggled to rise, Sheba awoke in a bad mood, as she had ever since…well, technically ever since three years ago when she’d been cursed with this body. However, mornings had been particularly difficult ever since she had wandered out of her cave and Frostfall had impeded her return. Crisp mornings, the cloud of her breath in the air, and sun in her eyes were nuisances that she hadn’t had to contend with since marking out her corner of the Heart Caves. How she longed for the darkness, for that cozy black blanket to settle once more on her thin shoulders. At home, she had her fire, her caverns full of crystal--even her little moss bed was a creature comfort that she found hard to go without.
But instead she was here, stranded in the outside world until further notice thanks to the Frostfall storms. She supposed, perhaps, that she should be thankful to have shelter here in the grove, where the conditions were more temperate. However, that would require her to be familiar with the sentiment of gratitude, which in itself would be quite a stretch. Sulking was much more easily achievable, and so that was how she had waited out the winter thus far. Why enjoy the adventure, when you could pout through it instead?
"speech"
OOC: Come play with grumpy Sheba? I’m quite rusty but would love to get her back in action.
Image Credits || original coding by Tamme; modified by Shady
11-29-2016, 07:33 PM (This post was last modified: 11-29-2016, 07:51 PM by December.
Edit Reason: coding
)
DECEMBER
& this is Carl
Unlike most in the realms of Helovia; December loved the snow. She let it wash over her pelt each year in utter bliss, the way the cool shards melted into her ivory coat leaving soaked nearly to the bone, but feeling very content. She was in the process of her morning ritual of snow rolling when she heard the curse, causing her to reluctantly pause mid roll and turn her massive skull up in search of where the voice might have come from. Snorting, large hooves managed to turn her back upright, and despite an intense feeling of irritation began to bubble within her chest; she chose to refrain for now; because there were other more important things to find out. Like why the fuck someone was swearing in the early hours of morning where children, her child included, might hear. Of course she was still searching for Meria, who she assumed had to be around here somewhere. Despite the previous panic she had had when she had run into the other two unicorns, her logical mind was telling her that a foal her age wouldn't just be able to run off without either A) dying or B) finding somewhere to hide and rest until the weather was nicer. Everything within the ivory lass's mind was telling, actually begging her, that the former option was not the correct answer.
So with a woolly llama in tow the draft finally delved deeper into the groves, her steel eyes searching deliberately for someone who seemed utterly pissed off. Because that had to be the only reason why someone was swearing this early in the day. With a delicate snort, her eyes finally landed on a shorter creature emerging from the trees, ears pricking forward attentively. She was obviously a unicorn, a beautiful white one at that, and it was obvious from the way her hips jutted out from her sides and how slim her withers seemed underneath the alabaster skin; that she was very very old. That would explain quite a few things to the younger mare.
"I suppose that's one way to start the morning," she called out in her usual monotone, voice deeper than most women and eyes concentrating gently on the way in which the fellow grey seemed to try and do her best to still keep clean, despite all things considered. The faint crunch of snow beneath her hooves was a satisfying sound, but she didn't express it as she finally closed in on the only other being in this quiet clearing. Frostfall had the effect of making everything quiet, it was another thing that December greatly loved about the season, but it seemed not everyone is in favor of it. Searching the woman silently, she let her ragged, cut off tail swat lazily at her hips. She was deciding whether or not it would be the best option to speak; after all, the older woman seemed to be in quite the irritable mood, and it wasn't as if the snowy fae didn't mind long periods of silence. Perhaps she should wait for her new companion to make the next move.
Sheba another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
“I suppose that’s one way to start the morning,” came the dull voice from one side of the clearing. Taken by surprise, the old mare whipped around (as fast as she could, anyway), and bit her lip just in time to keep from saying, “And I suppose that’s a rather ugly baby!” It was a good thing she had managed to restrain herself however, for a) the stranger who had spoken was much larger than she, and b) the thing her weak eyes had initially mistaken for her rather unfortunate-looking offspring was actually not equine at all. “Well!” was all she finally settled on, huffing as she stared at the newcomer indignantly, “What business is it of yours how I choose to start my mornings? I suppose you like to start yours sneaking up on people!” Though her tone was defensive, Sheba found herself internally relieved that the giant who had stumbled upon her seemed to be placid enough—she hadn’t approached, she had spoken in that peculiar flat way, and she seemed to be content enough with the silence that now stretched between them. Deeming her to be not particularly dangerous, the older mare relaxed a little, though she kept a beady-eyed gaze on the woman and her llama. One could never let one’s guard down entirely.
“All right then,” she griped, gravelly voice breaking the quiet for the second time that morning. “Out with it—I suppose you’ll want to tell me your name and where you hail from, and all that chatty nonsense that neighbors like. Go on.” The wizened mare took an arthritic step forward, in a pained demonstration of goodwill. If the stranger wasn’t going to leave on her own, she might as well ensure that the larger mare wouldn’t decide to crush her. Glass clinked in the baubles knotted into her tangled mane as she moved, the only hint of beauty left on her body gleaming in the winter light. If anyone had thought her beautiful now, it would certainly have been a generous description or some innate character trait that allowed them to see the potential in even the most wretched of creatures. Though she had been beautiful once, she was no sight for sore eyes now, with her jutting bones and patchy fur, dark skin underneath dull and flaky from lack of regular sunshine. She certainly wasn’t the prettiest of pictures, yet still, she carried herself with a sort of haughty pride even in the presence of a much healthier-looking specimen. “What’s your name, then?”
"speech"
OOC: So excited! She's probably a little grubbier than December gives her credit for, but her ego certainly wouldn't mind if that's how she chooses to see her xD
Image Credits || original coding by Tamme; modified by Shady
She had apparently caught her by surprise, because soon the elder mare was lashing out, spitting the fire she had within her soul. December didn't need much more insight to see just how proud and strong willed the unicorn was. The sense of determination in her eyes was rather refreshing. With a blink of her steel eyes she let them wander almost lazily along the broken and withered body of the once beautiful woman, before finally murmuring matter of fact, None really. I certainly have no qualms with what you do in your own spare time, as that is your decision and your decision only. To answer your second, most likely rhetorical question; no. I don't particularly enjoy that." She left it at that until the old woman was speaking again in that commanding tone of hers. If December hadn't found the whole display to be somewhat entertaining, she might have been irritated. But alas, she was nothing of the sort, instead letting her placid gaze remain calmly in the snowy elder's direction, taking little time to gaze at the shiny baubles placed in her mane. She seemed to try to make herself look put together and somewhat pretty with them. The ivory lass didn't see a need in that, because age was natures way of showing others that you had lived a long life, that you were wise and had seen much of the world, and that was something to deeply respect.
She always had respect for her elders. So when she began to speak again, asking her name, December finally obliged in her own tone,I don't have much desire to tell you such tedious things, unless you deem it necessary; or honestly do want to hear about my simplistic life. But since it seems you're not one of those 'chatty neighbors' as you like to call them, I suppose we can both agree that neither of us in fact care about who I am and where I hail from." There was not an ounce of malice or sarcasm in her tone, because the mare was being entirely honest; she couldn't give a flying fuck about pleasantries. Too boring and unimportant to even consider bringing up, but she had learned through her time socializing in Helovia, that most people for some reason actually like volunteering such information. Because she usually didn't care what others knew or thought about her, she offered it out of politeness, but it was never a pleasantry. The only thing she ever found pleasure in was spending time with her small family; whenever they decided to hang around.
Miykael would often get into moods and would disappear for long periods of time, returning for only a short while before he was off again doing what needed to be done. She did really miss him, but her natural instinct to be alone helped curb her desire to be next to him, and so she was often content wandering around like a vagabond with her cranky llama. The one who happened to like the brazen unicorn his bonded was speaking to. Chocolate eyes watched her curiously, ears pricked in that lazy way they always remained when he was trying to pretend he didn't care about what was going on around them. The ashen beauty knew of course, because she could read every little thing about him within her mind, and she could only mentally roll her eyes at his fascination with anything that wasn't nice. If it was being kind to December, but wasn't really friendly or happy, it was right up Carl's alley. The fucking weirdo. With a snort, the mare realized she still hadn't really offered her name, and it seemed the woman actually did want to know that. So with her usual schooled features, she looked into her eyes calmly, finally introducing herself, "I am December." Then she left it at that. Because what else was there for her to do?
Sheba another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
She had lived her hermit’s life in the caves for seasons now because deep down, she did not know if she could take the stares. The ivory mare had never minded eyes on her before; in fact, she had relished the power she’d held to draw attention. Lecherous gazes, jealous ones, envy and awe—they were all the same to her, affirmation that she was beautiful. She’d sustained herself on those looks. And now that they were gone, what was left of her?
So, when December’s eyes wandered slowly over her gnarled frame, Sheba tensed. One comment, one smirk even, and she swore she’d cut the stranger to pieces. But to her surprise, the woman said nothing about appearances, only responded in her slow way of speaking that she rather didn’t care how Sheba spent her mornings. Well! she almost said again, taken aback. “I see you have some sense in you then,” she muttered instead, tone begrudging. The newcomer might be simple, but she definitely wasn’t like the rest of the chattering idiots that Helovia seemed to be full of. Sheba supposed that she might be tolerable, even.
When she prompted the mare for her name, the draft seemed similarly nonchalant. The woman didn’t seem to care about pleasantries—Sheba supposed that she didn’t have to, when she was big enough to crush anyone that she didn’t feel like answering to. However, despite what the stranger might think, she did care for these little exchanges. Small talk was all right with her when it provided information. Not that she could do much with it now, but one never knew. And if there was one thing that Sheba liked, it was to be in control of her circumstances. She was just wondering if she would have to press harder for a name when the other mare gave it freely: December.
At this point in the conversation, most would have introduced themselves in return, but she only nodded in gruff acknowledgement. If December wanted her name, she would have to ask for it herself. As for her, beyond the mare’s name, she found that there was not really much she cared to know. Perhaps in her younger days, she would have wanted more to squirrel away, information about her herd, her purpose there, regional gossip, all tickled out of her source with carefully crafted casual questions. But today, she didn’t feel like playing games. What was the point, anyway?
However, Sheba didn’t quite want her to leave, either. If she had to be stuck up here aboveground, she supposed that some company might be useful—for protection’s sake, and all that of course. And this mare was quiet and dull enough. Besides, she sort of wanted the ugly non-equine creature to stay too. It had made no noise thus far, and it was the only creature that she had come across in months that was uglier than her. She immediately took a shine to it. “Hmmph,” she snorted finally, slowly beginning to turn away to paw at the snow for grass, “I suppose you can stay then.”
"speech"
OOC: well lookit there, someone she actually doesn't hate at first sight xD
Image Credits || original coding by Tamme; modified by Shady
12-01-2016, 01:26 AM (This post was last modified: 12-01-2016, 01:27 AM by December.
Edit Reason: tagging
)
DECEMBER
& this is Carl
She didn't think she'd seen a defense fall so fast. Not like December would have actually done anything to her anyway. And although she had been studying the mare's patched and thin body, never once in her mind did the word ugly pop up. It just wasn't in her vocabulary when it came to others. When it came to herself; absolutely. December was far from attractive compared to the other young beauties that wandered these lands. Her own white body was poorly groomed (mostly because she was too lazy and Miykael wasn't around to help), her hooves were chipped, and her mane and tail were thoroughly knotted, never to come undone again unless she were to cut them.
She had never been one to focus on looks simply because there were better things to do, but then there were those times where she had seen a pretty mare in passing, or watched Miykael look at them with disinterest, and she wondered why her mate had ever picked someone like her to be with when he could have well... options. It wasn't like he was ugly, no, he was absolutely gorgeous, a beautiful man that in December's eyes no one could hold a candle to. He could pick anyone if he smiled at them the right way, and yet he had picked her. The girl who her companion thought of as quiet and dull. December would have agreed with her had she spoken that comment aloud.
The mare took her name in quietly, and obviously wasn't going to offer her own in return. This was another thing that didn't bother the ivory lass. She would offer it if she wanted to, and if she wanted her to pry then; well, that was too bad. December was not the nosy type in the slightest. She preferred things to simply be, and that was how their encounter seemed to be going, because they were once again left in silence. The mare took this moment to finally notice the flakes beginning to fall, causing a mild spark to flicker into those emotionless eyes of hers, and before she could restrain herself she was lifting her head to embrace it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the tension leaving her as if it didn't exist, simply because it was snow, and the snow had never done her wrong. It never will. It was the mare's gruff words that brought December back to reality, and with a lazy expression she looked back in her company's direction, flickering an ear casually.
"That must have been a hard decision for you to make," the sentence had meant to come out as a joke, but because the ivory lass's voice was still so deadpan, and her expression matched it so well; her words could have easily been mistaken for an insult. Carl's nostrils flared in a small snort, the only indication that he had found anything she said to be amusing. His eyes didn't leave the unicorn though, and his ears were suddenly pricked forward as soon as she was watching him. Something began to stir within him, a sick, twisted warmth forming at his loins of all places, and before December could stop him (not that she would really, still shocked at this new emotion from him), a familiar missile sailed into the air, and managed to splatter a few inches before the old one's hooves.
He was prepared to do more, a sudden gleam of hunger in those brown eyes that his bonded knew meant trouble, and soon she was lashing out a hind hoof to send him spilling down a small hill towards the murky pond. The action caused him to land upside down, covered in white powder and very displeased that he was suddenly distracted. The warmth from before had dissipated much to December's relief, and before the unicorn could lash out some comment about how obnoxious her llama was, she spoke again dully,"He for some reason likes you. I don't mean that in a way as if you are not likable, but as in he usually doesn't like anyone. Myself included."
As if to prove the mare's point, Carl was charging back up to her, teeth out and sinking unceremoniously into her right hock, causing her ears to flatten and her eyes to flare with a sudden annoyance that one often didn't see. Except Miykael. Miykael often saw her annoyed. Before she could get too distracted, she bared her own teeth; snapping them into a large part of his wool and slamming him to the ground deliberately, waiting until he stopped struggling before letting go. Spitting out some tufts of the mammal's hair from her lips, she looked back to the woman calmly, panting slightly.
"I've concluded he's more likely than not, a sociopath."
Sheba another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
As they stood there, staring at one another from across the grove, it began to snow. The flakes drifted lazily at first, swirling in eddies around them. December lifted her head as if to welcome the weather, but Sheba raised her own with a hint of wariness. She did not like what she saw, eyeing the sky and the darker, heavier clouds that loomed on the horizon.
The draft’s reply interrupted her thoughts. “That must have been a hard decision for you to make,” came the flat voice. Sheba tilted an ear in her direction, unsure whether the slight intonation in December’s monotone was intended to be sarcasm or genuine amusement. “I give careful consideration to all of my decisions,” the wizened mare returned, keeping her own tone carefully even. “Only fools don’t think before they sp—AUGH!” she shrieked, as the spittle landed at her hooves. “C’est quoi, ce—!” she began heatedly, staring aghast at the steaming puddle in the snow. But no sooner than she was about to let fly the foulest word was the llama flying towards the pond, launched by a powerful kick from December’s massive hooves. Wide-eyed, she reined in her tongue. While she was seething, her offender’s swift journey through the air reminded her that it would be unwise to let curses fly at a giantess.
“He for some reason likes you,” December concluded, her slow drawl commenting upon the rarity of the situation. And I for some reason doubt it, Sheba thought, jaw clenched, though she kept her opinions to herself. Whatever had just happened certainly didn’t look like affection to her.
However, the show was not yet over. Undeterred, the fluffy creature came charging back up the bank and lunged at his mistress, only to be slammed to the snow again as though he were no more than a buzzing fly. Sheba stood frozen in place as the giantess casually spit tufts of fur from her mouth and remarked drily upon her animal’s, well, animal tendencies. More like a menace to society, she privately thought, but all she could offer the woman was an affronted gaze, the happy medium between preserving her dignity and preserving her physical wellbeing.
She might have walked off then and there, if the snow hadn’t begun to fall more heavily, large flakes cartwheeling from the sky to coat her back and cling to her lashes. A storm was rolling in, and it seemed that she would no longer have the option of rolling out. “There’s a blizzard coming,” she said abruptly, changing the subject. “Better find shelter.” And while the last thing she wanted to do right now was to wait out the snow cozied up to December and that maniac with an underbite, if she didn’t want to end up frozen beneath one of the snowdrifts, it looked like she didn’t have much of a choice.
"speech"
OOC: ...I don't even know
Image Credits || original coding by Tamme; modified by Shady
Obviously she had been surprised by Carl's sudden outburst. Everyone usually was. They didn't understand him like December did because one had to literally be in his mind to fully comprehend everything that was this llama. With a snort and glance at him, she murmured within her mind,Are you finished now? He responded with a loud snort, glaring up at her with those deep, soulless eyes before finally snorting back,Too rough.
I wouldn't need to be if you weren't such an asshole.
Before she could continue with her long line of arguing with the woolly demon, it was her fellow equid's words that caught her attention next, before she was up looking into the sky at the suddenly dark sky. This beautiful morning had taken quite the turn. Without another thought she was moving, gently attempting to press her muzzle into the unicorn's shoulder towards the right direction, before continuing in the direction of her destination. She knew exactly where she was going; she had learned where to find the most appropriate places for shelter these past few months, mostly because she had hoped she would find a brown and white filly in there. Snorting that thought away immediately, refusing to let anyone see what she was really feeling, because it wasn't something they needed to know about. The walls were back up and only came back down whenever Miykael was in her presence.
Of course, even with him she had grown distant, the loss of her beloved child still taking much more of a toll on her than most would think. It was especially harder to find comfort in him when he wasn't there. It was enough to drive that wedge between them deeper and deeper. Whether it was because of the loss of their only child or simply because he had other things on his mind, they hadn't been particularly loving lately. That was something she wished she could fix too. Before long she had found the small recluse of trees, thick in their branches and making the smallest of clearings; enough room for at least three bodies, and perhaps a little walking room. It was cozy and warm, and because the branches were knotted so thickly together, the wind and snow wouldn't be able to penetrate their walls. It was a perfect place for them all to remain.
"This place will protect us from the harshest weather. If you should get cold, don't be afraid to stick close to me. I will assist in keeping you warm," she rumbled calmly, searching the trees inquisitively, wanting to find any flaws in the structure in case she would need to patch them up in order to make this place better shielded. Harsh weather was harder on those getting on in age, and despite the way the older lady seemed to snap with such a cranky persona, December would ensure that she would remain comfortable and well rested. As she finally deemed the place sealed enough, she studied the mare again silently, finally realizing just how rough of shape she was. Obviously she didn't have anyone to groom her, and the patches where she had no hair were incredibly dry, most likely caused from her laying on harder surfaces for longer periods of time. It was starting to become clear that she most likely didn't interact with others often. She really was utterly alone.
Something tugged deep in her chest, pulling at those heartstrings so effortlessly as she remembered all the times she had been left alone when she had so desperately wanted someone to be there. Even just to say hello. Or simply see how she was for a little while. To let her know that even she was worth some company time and time again. Did this stranger feel the same way? Did she hide behind the bitterness and gruff attitude in an attempt to shield others from seeing the pain? Surely she couldn't stand the thought of being lonely anymore. She must have been desperate to give December a chance to keep her company, after all many would have opted for anyone other than her to entertain them. Yet again she also didn't seem to be like someone who wanted what was of the norm. She had never been even close to that spectrum, so maybe she wasn't either. A deep warmth began to fill her chest, and before she could restrain herself; the mare was approaching the smaller one, attempting to place her lips delicately along her scuffed up withers.
Even if she were to reject her, to push her away and spit something profane in her direction because how dare someone touch her; she would simply try, because deep down she knew that there were many times she had wanted someone deep down to fight through her walls, and to break them down. Everyone need someone to turn to. So why not let it be her, just this once.
Sheba another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
When December saw the sky, she moved forward wordlessly, striding across the clearing. The sudden movement didn’t surprise Sheba so much as the muzzle that reached out to guide her. Before she could fully process the gesture, however, along came the llama. Ears flattened, she quickly sidestepped out of his way and into December’s wake, swirling along like the snowflakes that drifted behind them. As the blizzard intensified, she fell back, letting the larger mare blaze the trail. It was easier to step where bigger hooves had stepped and to use her as shelter from the wind.
At the copse of trees, she said nothing, only brushed past December and into the clearing and shook the snow off of her back. Sheba was too cold to be argumentative for once; her patchy coat did little to keep out the chill in weather like this. Though she still did her best to keep her distance from the llama in the small space, glaring at him from under her matted forelock, she found herself envying his thick fur. As if the giantess had read her thoughts, she glanced sideways, rumbling that she would help to keep her warm. The old mare’s dark lips pressed together and her brow furrowed slightly, but she did not move as December shuffled closer. If it was between frostbite and close quarters, she’d take the emotional discomfort over the physical. Sighing heavily, her lashes fluttered closed as she hunkered down to weather the storm alongside the draft and the llama.
Still, it caught her off guard when she felt warm breath, then the great gentle lips whuffling along her withers. Rheumy eyes flew open, and she shifted instinctively, but something gave her pause. How long had it been, since someone had groomed her like this? Since she had allowed someone this close, since the gesture had been so simple and the intention so pure? And the loneliness that had welled inside her heart swelled against its stone dam, and the tiniest of cracks appeared under the strain. She relented.
The pale lashes drooped again and Sheba exhaled, bones creaking as she settled into herself. “I wasn’t always like this, you know,” she murmured, letting the giantess work at the knots in her mane. “I was something once. Someone.” Look at her now. She laughed drily, a vocal chords cracklng like burning paper, breath a cloud in the air between the trees.
"speech"
OOC: -cries a million tears-
Image Credits || original coding by Tamme; modified by Shady
Either she had found a sweet spot along the unicorn's frail withers, or December had been correct in her previous hypothesis, because there was no arguments against her gesture, simply a shift that soon gave pause beneath her lips. She was tedious, ever so gentle against the tender spots of her braids and working the knots out expertly with a driven confidence. Her eyes nearly fluttered closed to the soft breathing of her companion and the presence of Carl pressing into her hip, when soon that gravelly tone was reaching her ears once again. Placing more weight on one foot more than the other, she soon began working on her actual coat now that her mane seemed to be in better shape.
As soon as the laughter ceased to exist in the quiet foliage, December paused by letting her chin tenderly rest against the dip of her shoulders, eyes studying the back of the shorter mare's head,"What you're implying is that you aren't something, or someone now. The outside changes nothing about the inside, only how you perceive yourself." Her lips found the soft white again, being ever so tender along the patches of dried skin, her eyes studying them with a hint of concern. It was too dry for her to be so exposed, she most likely need some sort of balm to place over them in order to heal, but December had no idea where to begin with that.
Miykael had only taught her so much, and how to help a crusty loner prevent bed sores was not on the top of the list unfortunately. She sighed to herself, beginning to work the dirt out of a specific spot gently, before casually speaking again through each break of her cleaning,"Are you ready to tell me your name now? I'm sure you must want me to call you something." She waited patiently for her response, knowing sometimes not everyone was so willing to volunteer information. She didn't know how this woman had come to accept her presence and befriend her, but the ivory lass couldn't help but be content with the results. Making friends was not a strong suit for her, in fact she most likely didn't have any; now that Midas was dead and Rostislav had been gone for, gee, at least a year. It was lonely, and she couldn't rely on her mate to be her only company, yet her lack of social confidence left her often wandering alone awkwardly, searching for something to keep her occupied.
Carl didn't help with making friends either.
His ears flattened at that sudden thought, but a warning snort from the mare left him quiet, his head gently resting along her hip opposite of his new interest, taking a few moments to peek below the swell of his bonded's belly to peek at her every so often, before going back to chewing on an interesting piece of cud. The wind howled around them, snow only skirting in along the edges, small bursts of dusts that barely tickled the edges of their hooves. Yet if one had gone out into the storm, their body would be coated with the intense ice and brutal harshness that Frostfall brought. As much as December longed to be in the center of that storm, to feel the cold nearly freezing her to the bone, she remained patiently next to the woman's side. She obviously needed her here, whether it was for warmth or company.
"No one really talked or acknowledged me until I met my mate," she volunteered the information easily, voice unwavering and full of nothing as it usually was, as she had finally finished her job of cleaning up the dirt and twigs, leaving at least a somewhat more pleasant-looking white in its wake. She would blend much better into the snow than herself; December thought. In that moment she felt a minor twinge of envy. She decided to keep herself pressed close to the elder, warmth radiating off her like a furnace as she turned to look into the wrinkled lines of her pale complexion,"As you've more likely than not gathered; I'm not an emotional equine. I never will be. It's not who I am, and I've accepted that. Others have not, which often leaves me alone to do whatever it is that I please. That had been okay with me for quite a long time." There, in the deep pools of liquid steel one would find a flicker of a emotion; a small spark of sadness that often dwelled in her dreams of what could have been.
"Even that can get lonely after awhile. Others choose to avoid you because you do not fit into the standard mold of society. It's a wrong and awful thing to do."
Sheba another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
When the harsh laugh died, dissipating as quickly as the fog of her breath in the wind, December shifted. “What you’re implying,” she mused, in that deadpan of hers, “is that you aren’t something, or someone now. The outside changes nothing about the inside, only how you perceive yourself.” The old mare made no immediate reply, other than the nearly-imperceptible droop of her ears. Of course, with that logic, what December was implying was that if she was nothing now, she had been nothing before. She knew that the placid woman hadn’t meant it that way, but it cut close to home all the same.
However, her companion was wrong on at least one count. The outside had changed how others perceived her—the world was a cruel place, and she had long ago determined that beauty and power were its currency. Perhaps the draft was unconcerned with how the world viewed the outside, but would she say that had she not the strength to command their respect? She was by no means a pretty thing, but she possessed enough bulk where most should know well enough to leave her alone. Sheba’s beauty had been one of her greatest assets, and its loss had nearly crippled her (both figuratively and literally). What good were her wits, of what value a serpent’s tongue, when the world shied away from the likes of her? Even this whole pathetic scenario was proof of it all. Where she had once inspired desire, now she could only elicit pity—and on her best day. She clenched her jaw.
“Are you ready to tell me your name now?” came the gentle voice, and she shook herself out of her thoughts. “Ma cher, I was never withholding it from you. You merely had to ask—I thought that you didn’t care about such tedious things,” she replied drily, invoking December’s earlier comment on introductions. “They called me Sheba,” the crone said, “and I suppose you may as well.” Name given, she lapsed into silence again. The giantess continued to work at the knots.
Eventually, December struck up the conversation again. “No one really talked or acknowledged me until I met my mate,” she offered, pulling a twig from the tangles. Internally, Sheba sighed. She probably wouldn’t have bothered with the mare in her heyday, she readily admitted to herself. What did December have to offer that some warlord couldn’t provide? It was only now, when she no longer had the looks to catch a lustful general’s eye, that she had to seek out other means of protection. That was not to say that the draft deserved such treatment, but again: that was the order of the world.
The larger mare continued, speaking of loneliness. The corner of Sheba’s mouth lifted ruefully, and she shook her head. That, at least, was not unique to December. Sheba had been around long enough to know that underneath it all, they were all lonely. Even the most powerful and the most passionate had an emptiness inside—what else did she think drove their constant pursuit of more? And she said as much.
“We’re all lonely, darling,” she chimed in with a hoarse laugh. “Only some of us have more distractions from it than others.” Distractions like friendships and family, distractions like love—none of it had sustained her in the end, anyway.
"speech"
OOC: ;__;
Image Credits || original coding by Tamme; modified by Shady
Sheba. A name that somehow fit the vixen at her side, whose eyes seemed to now be watching December as she spoke, listening to every word as if she truly were interested. She didn't know if this was out of humor or reality. Letting her lashes flutter against her eyes delicately, she only kept her presence against the mare in order to keep the warmth, one ear in the direction of the storm to listen for when the winds would begin to die down. From the sounds of things they would still have awhile. This didn't sit well with December; they needed something more than just this place, perhaps food or even bedding for the white one; who would most likely need to end up laying down after some time. The ivory lass had a feeling deep within her that this storm was going to be longer than most, and thus she wanted to prepare.
It could wait until her companion was asleep though, and she would be gone for a few minutes and be back with bedding before she knew it. She agreed with herself mentally, ready to up and go until Sheba was speaking again, her words somehow piercing deep within her. She could agree to an extent, it was true everyone was lonely after some time, but she didn't think that family, friends, and love were distractions. They were what had made her whole again, and she wouldn't trade it for the world. Letting her expression meet the crone's, flickering over her face patiently as she softly asked, "What is your distraction Sheba? Do you have one?" If she didn't December would offer to be one. To stay by her side and bring her home to Miykael who would check her over and make sure she was in fact okay. She would introduce her to Meria once she returned, let her admire the trinkets in her mane like she always did over shiny things.
They would bask in the sunshine when Birdsong came as she watched Carl and her child play. Miykael would make kind conversation with both, and would check to see if Sheba's joints were not too stiff, because the shift between cold and warmer seasons was always the hardest on old bones. December would be able to laugh, to find comfort in some snarky comment the mare would make in response about him worrying too much, before she would blissfully doze because she felt safe enough to do so. They could be happy. All of them. Wasn't that something everyone wanted? Happiness? The possibility that Sheba truly had nothing broke her, not because of pity or obligation, but because deep down in her hardened soul she understood. Life was a tough game to play, and once you were losing you felt that there was no way to turn it back around. She could be the older mare's advantage, would help her through her loneliness and let her know that she too could be loved. In a way December was already making the mistake of caring too much, of growing attached to someone she had met maybe a few hours ago; but her mind was adamant that this was the right thing to do.
She wasn't going to let go of her now, as Sheba had found away into the crevices of her heart where she would stay, just like all of those who had left her in the past did. Rosti, Isara, Midas; they gave her something to live for, and though they were gone she still held hope that one day she would see them all again; dead or alive. She was aware of the potential pain she was putting herself through by placing a bond on the unicorn, and she knew that Sheba could easily reject her and move on once the storm had passed. Despite all of the possible repercussions of her decision, it never wavered, and with a soft huff she pressed her cheek gently into the curve of the smaller neck, feeling her heartbeat through the ragged warmth. Yes, there was a soul inside that frail chest of hers, she had a heart, and most likely a hurt and lonely mind that followed it. December wanted to help that, to make her see that you did not need to be beautiful to be loved, that you could be who you were and still be admired. Because as time continued slowly and the blizzard howled around them, that's how December had begun to feel about the white damsel. She was okay with it.
Sheba another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
“What is your distraction, Sheba? Do you have one?”
Ah, and there it was: the reason that she didn’t offer life advice. It always got too personal. Give them an inch, and they always took a mile. If December thought that she was about to get touchy-feely, however, she was sorely mistaken. The old mare shook her head, sidestepping the question with one of her own. “Do I look distracted to you?” she asked, opening her eyes and turning to regard her companion with a dubious look. The question was meant to be rhetorical, yet the gaze that met hers was so honest, so earnest…sighing, she changed tactics and softened her answer a little. While she might not do life advice, she’d give December one last pearl of wisdom, if only because she detested the idea of being indebted to her for…well, whatever it was she had done today.
“Though I may not look it now, I was a great beauty once,” the hag admitted, joints creaking as she turned back around. If she was going to yield another inch, the giantess certainly wasn’t going to get the added emotional perk of looking deep into her eyes for this. “Beauty often helps one forget loneliness,” Sheba went on, tone carefully detached. “Of course,” she concluded, “We all are equipped to handle loneliness differently. I’ve never been one to put the responsibility for my wellbeing on anyone else—there are some whose whole worlds would fall apart at the first sign of deception or disloyalty. Others disappoint. Perhaps the sooner they’d learn that, the less lonely they would be.”
The old mare snorted for emphasis before settling again, cocking a back hoof and closing her eyes. There was no reason to go on and risk riling herself up, lest she give the giantess reason to believe she doth protest too much. She wasn’t about to break down and confess her entire life story to a near stranger—or to anyone, for that matter. Sheba was a secretive creature by nature, and she had locked away the most painful of memories from even herself. If there had been a distraction once, the past would remain in the past, and she would let sleeping dogs lie.
"speech"
OOC: much shorter than I wanted, but goshdarnit Sheba clams up about feelings
Image Credits || original coding by Tamme; modified by Shady
How many times had she turned away from someone when she was admitting something, just to hide the emotion filling her eyes. It was a tactic she knew well, but she did not insist, because she knew just how hard it was to feel vulnerable. She felt vulnerable now even listening to Sheba, but that was more because of the way her heart was swelling with endearment for the harpy and how hope glimmered in her dark depths. She had been waiting with bated breath, hoping that she would hear the truth, that the woman really didn't have anyone to go to in her time of need. The excitement was rushing, the hopes and possibilities of what it could mean for the two, for what it could mean for her beloved and their child. Their little family could grow, just like she always wanted. They would come together and form their own little herd, filled with love and understanding, no rules or restrictions to make someone feel discouraged. There wouldn't be roles, and one could go wherever they pleased as it should be. The most important thing was that someone should always feel like they have a place to come home to. December wanted Sheba to find her home with her. Always.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Sheba," she breathed at last, a slight choke to her tone as the emotion was all at once overwhelming her, but she stuck true to herself by remaining mostly stoic in her expressions. It began to waver when she continued though, her eyes filling with affection,"You're beautiful in your own way. One can look past the scars, the tattered mane and patches of skin and see that you are still alive. You are still fighting to survive, to beat the odds and tell the world it can go fuck itself because you will not back down. If that isn't something one can admire and find beautiful, then I wouldn't want to know anything else." Her voice caught in her throat before she could say anything more, making her realize the true gravity of the situation. She was beginning to deeply care. It was growing and spreading like a wildfire, and she couldn't stop it no matter how much she wanted to. Sheba was a bitch and a posh crone, determined to push others away with her brash nature. She was a fire that dared to lick her flames at anything that try and simmer her down. She was an ember that would never die out, and December felt nothing but admiration for it.
She felt comfort in her gruff tones, could relax when she gave her nothing but the solid truth and no sugar coating in between. She could let a hint of amusement fill her expression when she saw just how something irked her, but somehow managed to keep herself together enough not to comment, even if she wanted to. In the small time she had spent alone with this white, decrepit unicorn, she had learned many things, and she had come to feel as if she had known her for years. Like two kindred spirits they called to one another, closing in and accepting each others light, because they found comfort in the familiarity. There was a reason why Sheba had said she could stay after all. She had saw something in her that others didn't, and that made December want to try so much harder to earn her approval, her acceptance and devotion. Even if it was reluctant. Yet on the same token she was terrified, because caring meant the risk of pain, the vulnerability she had faced when speaking to Miykael that day on the steppe where he had confessed to her his sins, and to him hers.
It had been an uphill battle that she almost didn't win, but when he looked at her with such adoration in his eyes, she couldn't help but feel it was right; and it had been ever since. This was her moment, to let Sheba know that she would not be judged, would not be hated or ridiculed for being who she was. She was a broken gem needing to be mended together and made whole once again. But was December willing to step forward and volunteer herself, her heart and fragile soul to this woman, all for the sake of granting her salvation. Bile began to rise in her throat as she took in a breath and stepped away at last, looking outside in search of some sort of distraction. She wanted to say yes, to forget about her worries and bombard the damsel and embrace her and never let go. There was that nagging part of December, the part of her that still hadn't fully healed that told her this wasn't right, she was going to hurt herself and mayday, mayday, mayday-
"Of course, that is all up for speculation," she concluded, receding back into her shell as quickly as she came out. She couldn't do it, no matter how hard she tried she simply couldn't do it, because she wasn't strong enough to overcome her fears. This realization was more painful than any rejection she had felt from anyone. As the winds began to die down outside, December couldn't help but notice a glimmer of light between the dark clouds that once plagued their morning. As time went on between the two; the storm slowly began to cease, and even Carl began to awake from his slumber at the sudden thought of freedom from this cramped spacing. As soon as the storm was over and nothing could give the hag a reason to remain, she would leave her all alone. To do whatever it was to soothe the pain of not having anything. December remembered when she had been like that. It had been the worst feeling to ever feel in her life.
Suddenly there was that absolute resolution again, the desire to drive herself into her life because she knew she wouldn't regret it. Her pounding heart was the only sign of her sudden apprehension, and before the unicorn could notice just what exactly was happening she turned to her, determination flooding through her yet stopping just before her stoic expression,"We should probably have my mate look at your sores. He's a healer, he'll know what will make them well, heal. Should you like to accompany me, we can go once the storm has cleared." It was a casual suggestion, one only in her best interests after all, but to December it was so much more than just a simple stroll in search of her winged lover. Before she could notice it, her eyes were conveying her desire, her hope that if she waited long enough, then maybe she would say yes. She prayed to the Gods that Sheba would say yes.
12-06-2016, 05:07 PM (This post was last modified: 12-06-2016, 05:07 PM by Sheba.)
Sheba another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
For a minute, the grove was silent. Then December spoke, an uncharacteristic hitch to her voice as she claimed that beauty was in the eye of the beholder. She would say that, thought Sheba sourly. Inner beauty always seemed to be the most important to those not fortunate enough to possess a pretty face. Given the choice between her old body back and a good heart, the latter became a consolation prize that she did not want. Nevertheless, she could not help but wonder how her companion found her to be beautiful (even with the modifier “in her own way” tacked on the end). “You’re still alive,” December was saying, “You are still fighting to survive…” You don’t know me, she wanted to tell her. What in a few hours’ acquaintance gave the giantess the assurance that she could pin down Sheba’s character, that she could lay out who she believed her to be with such conviction? The impudence!
And yet, a part of her wanted to listen. Part of her liked the light that December cast her in; for while she might not agree that stubbornness and survival were beauty, the idea of strength and noble suffering appealed to her vanity. Besides, whether or not December had characterized her accurately was beside the point, she supposed. It was the perception of her that mattered in the end, wasn’t it? She tried the description on for size: Sheba, Ugly Bag Who Gave No Fucks—it had a decent ring to it, she decided. If she had to look like this, at least she gave off the impression that she couldn’t be hurt by the world. That appealed to her most of all, and so she did not contradict the draft as she painted her into the heroine of her own sad story.
“Of course,” December concluded, as if she had only just now remembered that she had known the old mare for mere hours, “that’s all up for speculation.” True, the crone thought, but she threw the draft a bone for her troubles. “That’s very….generous…of you,” Sheba mumbled, bones creaking as she shifted her weight. Speculation perhaps, but complimentary nonetheless. Briefly, the older mare wondered why her companion was bothering. As she had learned, a good heart only got one so far—what could be December’s ulterior motive? But wrack her brains as she might, Sheba could come up with nothing solid. She had nothing to give the mare…not now, anyway, and there was very little evidence to suggest that she would be useful down the line when she looked as if she could die tomorrow. So why had December taken an interest in her? She was familiar with the notion of kindness, but she had never found the concept of genuine altruism viable until now. It was interesting, she mused with a touch of bitterness, that it was ugliness that had brought the possibility to light. While beauty might have helped one forget loneliness, it also had the effect of masking others’ true intentions. She had been comfortable for so long with the idea that they were all playing the same game on some level, but December’s words baffled her and the uncertainty made her uneasy.
She was grateful when the other mare changed the subject. “I have nothing to give him,” she replied gruffly, “just to make expectations clear. And I won’t be able to travel far in these drifts, which is why I’ve had to winter in the Grove in the first place. But if you bring him back to me,” she said, wondering if the draft would indeed return after they parted. “I will be here.”
"speech"
OOC: merp
Image Credits || original coding by Tamme; modified by Shady
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