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Post by songsofinfinity on Jan 16, 2017 23:27:24 GMT -6
- What Now? -
Characters
Keahi, Aisake, and Ciardha
Location
The road outside Inaria
Time of Day
Late evening/twilight
Weather
Clear skies with a chance of rain
 TALORI | ENTERTAINER
Keahi was terrified.
She stood outside Inaria, a few yards off the main road to avoid being seen. It was night, or nearly so, with the wind just starting to pick up, rustling the leaves and cooling the muggy air. In the grass at her feet slept her young son.
She twitched her ears, listening to him lying quiet at her hooves, and a feeling she didn't know how to describe filled her. It was love, but it was deeper than that, stronger. She would die for him without a moment's hesitation, and, yes, she would live for him too. He was small, so small and fragile, even though she'd given him the aging potions to make him look older. He could never be traced back to her. Must never be.
He shifted in his sleep, and she blessed Cascade that the night was warm and clear and she didn't need to enter Inaria. Not yet. She was being ridiculous, and she knew it, but still, she felt as if once she was in the city the whole charade would fall apart. Someone would recognize her and put it together. A rogue would be there, and congratulate her. Something would happen, and she didn't want to risk it. She couldn't risk it.
She would enter the city eventually. She wasn't stupid. There was no use in staying out here in the jungle; that was ridiculous. Aisake would need a safe place to live, and she had every intention of giving it to him. She couldn't take him to the villages, there wasn't enough work for an entertainer there and they tended to be more prejudiced against disabled horses. He needed someplace safe, too, which meant the Isles were out of the picture. No, Inaria was her only option.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, though her heart was still beating too fast and she was tense all over. She had hours before she had to move, if Aisake kept sleeping. The clearing she'd found was open towards the road, and she guessed they could be seen fairly clearly by other travelers, but somehow she wasn't concerned about that. Travelers would be strangers, like as not, and it wasn't strangers she feared.
She dropped her head, nuzzling Aisake. He stirred again, rolling onto his side, and sighed in his sleep. Her ears twitched, catching every noise, and it hit her as she listened to his slow, deep breaths just how tired she really was.
She heard distant hoofbeats, coming towards her out of Inaria, and her whole body stiffened. Despite what she'd just thought, the idea of meeting a stranger on the road while she was so defenseless was almost as terrifying as entering the city. She focused her whole attention on the sound, wishing not for the first time that she could see. What was going to happen now?
Post: 1 Word Count: 528 |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2017 19:13:55 GMT -6
Councilman
C I A R D H A
of Talori
... ...
If there was one thing Ciardha was known for, it was his speed. The stallion would set himself on a mission, and all of those in his way had better move, or they would find themselves under his hooves. With his long ears stretched forward, head high, and eyes wide and alert, he sped walked down the streets. His gait was odd, matching the speed of his steps to a slight limp in his cracked hoof; it almost sounded like a lame gaited horse clopping across the cobblestone. A dark cloak graced his back, the hood pulled over his neck and resting behind his ears. The lowering sun, although sending beautiful colors across the sky, brought a slight chill to Aquote. Ciardha was always cold, even with the sun among his back, but at least his cloak helped.
He slowed as he reached the outskirts of Inaria, catching his breath as his aging lungs protested. He wasnt even though old, but he felt like an elder. His nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath of fresh, salty air, royal blue eyes scanning his surroundings before he took ambling steps toward the city. Was that the slight scent of rain on the breeze? He sure hoped so; rain was always relaxing.
It was then that another scent found his nostrils and he found himself halting, his long legs tucking under his lithe body as he twisted his maneless neck to look behind him. His silver tail flicked from under his dark cloak, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a shadow beneath the trees. His brow quirked, his ears standing at attention. How odd.. he thought to himself. Most were already headed home due to the sinking sun; staying out in the night was an invitation for wandering rogues.
Shuffling his cloak against his pelt, the counciler took hesitant steps toward the shadow. His gaze shifted to their feet, noticing the second figure tucked at their side. His head tipped to the side in curiosity. A mother and her child?
"Excuse me." He called, stopping at the edge of the worn road. "Would you like an escort home? It is starting to get late and I wonder for the safety of your child." Call him paranoid, but Ciardha had done enough traveling over his life; he knew the dangers that lurked in the dark.
... ... Word Count: 394 Post #1 |
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Post by songsofinfinity on Jan 24, 2017 0:17:52 GMT -6
TALORI | ENTERTAINER
The hoofbeats slowed, then stopped in front of her. Nervously she flung her head up, ears twitching to catch every sound. She was sure her heart was going to jump out of her chest; it was pounding so hard she could barely hear anything about the stranger. He had a cloak - she could hear it rustle against his fur - and a limp. He was tall, and his breathing was heavy. He was either older or ill. By his voice, probably a bit of both.
He spoke, and she found she liked his voice. It was... concerned, even kind. "Excuse me. Would you like an escort home? It is starting to get late and I wonder for the safety of your child."
Blind panic shot through her at his last words and she had to bite her tongue to keep from blurting out the story she'd come up with to explain Aisake. Of course he wasn't her child, not really! He was adopted! Her sister's son! But she kept her mouth closed for a moment as she processed the rest of what he'd said. Home? Tears pricked at her eyes. Where could she stay? She didn't know anyone in Inaria well enough to ask if she could stay with them, and she didn't dare go into just any inn with Aisake in tow. What if someone were to ask questions?
She realized she'd been quiet too long and hurried to answer. "I... thank you for your offer, sir. My adopted son and I are strangers here, and we don't have anywhere to go. I was going to let him sleep. It wouldn't be my first time out here at night."
Just then, she realized her mistake. She'd talked too loudly. At her feet Aisake stirred and lifted his head, waking at the sound of voices. She could feel him as he stood, grasses rustling under his little hooves, and pressed himself against her side, soft baby fur warm as he breathed slowly. He didn't say anything. He'd proven to be a quiet boy, willing to observe without commenting on what he saw. Tonight she was thankful for it.
But, now that he was awake, she'd lost her reason to stay out here. There was no avoiding Inaria now. She took a few deep breaths and listened to the stallion, who was still in front of her on the road. "Would you perhaps know a place we could stay the night?" Danger or no danger, she couldn't find it in herself to make Aisake stay outside tonight now that he was awake and ready to travel again.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2017 19:51:58 GMT -6
Councilman
C I A R D H A
of Talori
......
The stallion noticed the slight panic that seemed to cross the mare's features, but as soon as it had appeared, it was gone. He shrugged it off as perhaps he had startled her- it wasnt every day that someone came along and spoke to a random stranger on the street. His ears pricked and ears shifted to the side as she mentioned that it was not her first night out alone, concern flashing through his eyes before he allowed it to vanish. He often had to remember that not all were as lucky as he, to have a home and high ranked job- though, with the loss of his wife, he hardly felt lucky at all.
He opened his mouth to speak, but then the child at her hooves stirred. Dipping his head down, the stallion smiled ever so slightly at the colt before turning his attention back to the mother.
"You can stay with me for a while if you would like." He replied softly, taking note of the colt's large eyes watching his every movement. A quiet, but observant one he was. He reminded Ciardha of himself when he was young. "Inns charge a ridiculous fee and my wife's old crafting shop is always empty." He turned and tipped his head to motion her to follow, taking steps with a light limp in the direction of town. "Well, when i say shop.. she made it very homey." He rattled on, a soft smile present on his wrinkled lips. He could still remember her dragging him around to different shops to buy this and that to decorate her own. She sang while she put everything in place, her long hair dancing with each step she took.
He found himself getting distracted by his own thoughts, quickly shaking his head to bring himself back to reality. He glanced back at his new friend, ears flicked forward. "What is the boy's name?"
... ... Word Count: 321 Post #2 |
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Post by songsofinfinity on Jun 20, 2017 22:20:59 GMT -6
TALORI | ENTERTAINER
Keahi froze in surprise when the stallion offered her a place to stay. Her first instinct was to refuse, of course. Charity was a difficult thing to accept, and he was a stranger. But he did have a point about inns. What savings she had were meagre and would be needed in the coming weeks until she could find steady work again. Nervously she smiled. "If it wouldn't be an imposition, sir, that would be wonderful. I... I've found myself unprepared for this situation. I appreciate your kindness. Are you sure-" She was about to ask if his wife would mind, but something in his tone made her pause. He'd used past tense to her, and there was a note of melancholy in his voice. Perhaps she was no longer living. Either way, Keahi didn't want to dredge up a painful topic, and he did sound certain...
It would be wonderful to have a place to stay while she looked for work. Perhaps she could even find someone to watch Aisake for an hour or two so she didn't have to try and find a job with a child tailing behind her. That would not look well to prospective employers. Ah, she was getting distracted. It had been a long day.
His follow-up question caught her off guard and she realized she'd not given him their names. "He's Aisake, and I'm Keahi. Aisake, want to say hi?
"Hello." Aisake sounded tired and short and she nearly frowned at him, but, like her, he'd had a very long day, and there was no harm done if he was a short with the stranger. Surely he'd understand.
What is your name, if you don't mind my asking?" She stepped onto the road, Aisake pressing close to her side. Insects buzzed softly in the jungles around her and she was starting to feel a little cold. Her mind jumped to Aisake and she realized the colt was no longer at her side. She could hear his breathing, so he was still close by, but he sounded as if he were close to the stranger. Before she could call him back to her, she heard his little voice, quiet against the background noises of the forest.
"Why do you wear that scarf? It's very nice." There was a faint rustling of fabric. "And soft!"
Keahi nearly groaned aloud and her ears flicked back reflexively. "Aisake! Leave the nice man's scarf alone!" She fought to keep her horror out of her voice and didn't entirely succeed. Instantly she regretted her tone and sighed. "Sorry, sir. And I'm sorry, Keke."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2017 20:49:03 GMT -6
Councilman
C I A R D H A
of Talori
......
A small smile lit the stallion's lips as she asked if he was sure, taking note of her quick pause and want to drop the topic. He nodded softly and tipped his head for her to follow, his limp evident in his uneven gait. "Yes, of course. Anything I can do to help." He replied with a chipper tone. He took note of the pair's names, committing it to memory as he always did. While he often struggled to remember a name, Ciardha never forgot a face.
"My name is Ciardha." He replied. "I am a councilman." He paused in his introduction as the young colt found his way toward him, lifting his muzzle to his patched scarf. Ciardha stood patiently as he touched the fabric, his long tail flicking behind him as a bug landed on his leg.
"I think its nice as well." The older stallion replied with a chuckle. "It keeps my maneless neck warm. We may live in the tropics, but I still find a way to get cold." He scowled slightly at the thought. Even when he was working in Sedo, in the middle of a forsaken desert, the lanky dark stallion found a way to get cold.
His ears shifted as Keahi scolded her son, tipping his head ever so slightly. "The boy is fine, he is merely curious." He said, dipping his head before turning to continue on his way. Oh, how he wished most adults had the innocence of a child. While he was never lucky enough to have a foal of his own blood, he was incredibly blessed to have his adopted daughter. Perhaps she would be by the shop when they got there and she could meet the colt; though, that was usually wishful thinking.. Stormcry was always out and about, even when Ciardha wished she would stay close.
He noticed the silence that fell between the three of them and cleared his throat, slowing in his walk to allow them to catch up.
"Where do you come from, then, Keahi? Do you not have family willing to take you in?" Perhaps he was prying a little too much, but Ciardha had never been good at staying behind the line of conversation.
... ... Word Count: 372 Post #3 NOTE: turning this in for AP at this point, can continue the rp if wanted |
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