04-18-2019, 12:16 AM
The sun was high in the late afternoon sky when Aten received a visit from his friend. The golden stallion, deciding to take a break from all he had been carrying out lately to help Taiga, settled into one of the farther meadows of the kingdom, grazing for an hour or two before moving into the shade and letting his body relax so he could take a nap..
Locking his other three legs into place, he cocked one of his hind legs and allowed his head to droop, absently swishing at the flies swarming around him until he began to fall asleep. The shade helped to keep him cool so the flies wouldn't bother him, and after a short while, things were quiet and peaceful near his little resting zone.
The stallion had perhaps been napping for only an hour or so when he heard his friend's voice. Opening his eyes, Aten was surprised, not by the fact that it was Lilitha who had sought him out, but rather by the condition she appeared to be in when she got close enough for him to see.
Aten had a feeling something had been going on with her, but hadn't said anything simply because he couldn't tell. Now, seeing her, he wished he had. Lilitha appeared to have aged a few years almost overnight, a fatigued step to her gait that had not been there before. She had a light sheen of sweat on her coat, which immediately drew his eye because the only time he'd seen something like that was if someone had a fever.
Her voice was also quite hoarse, as if she'd just spent the past several hours screaming at the top of her lungs. Aten started walking to meet her halfway to try and spare her the labored effort of walking to him, stopping when he was within a few feet of her. He opened his mouth to say hello, but didn't have a chance before the mare cut in and explained her reason for seeking him out.
What she said caught Aten even further by surprise. Was she sincerely asking this of him? She picked him, out of all Taiga's residents, to take up her mantle and lead Taiga into the future?
The golden stallion stood stock still for a minute, completely speechless, his eyes locked on the mare as he took time for his brain to process this. He finally put it together and continued to look at Lilitha, wondering why she had chosen him. He figured it was just Ruan's convincing; he remembered the lessons that the stallion had taught him before Taiga's destruction. Was Lilitha asking him simply because Ruan had mentored him in Taiga's ways? Or did she actually have the faith in him needed to provide the stallion support to run the kingdom?
Whatever the case, Aten was stuck between hoping that he was ready to take on this responsibility, and his own confidence shaking and saying he wasn't. Taking in a breath, the stallion faced Lilitha, holding his head up to stand tall and show he wasn't shaken by what she wanted.
"I must say, not what I expected when you found me," he lightly joked. "And, I will admit, I never thought this task would be asked of me. It's a big responsibility, Lilitha, but, hopefully by now, you've understood that I want nothing but the best for this kingdom and those who call it home. If you truly believe I am the best fit for this job, even if it will take some getting used to, I will do my best to uphold your legacy and lead Taiga to the greatest of my abilities.
"Though, I don't think any horse could ever hope to fill your hooves," he finished, his eyes softening as he wished he could help take away his friend's pain.
@[Lilitha]
Locking his other three legs into place, he cocked one of his hind legs and allowed his head to droop, absently swishing at the flies swarming around him until he began to fall asleep. The shade helped to keep him cool so the flies wouldn't bother him, and after a short while, things were quiet and peaceful near his little resting zone.
The stallion had perhaps been napping for only an hour or so when he heard his friend's voice. Opening his eyes, Aten was surprised, not by the fact that it was Lilitha who had sought him out, but rather by the condition she appeared to be in when she got close enough for him to see.
Aten had a feeling something had been going on with her, but hadn't said anything simply because he couldn't tell. Now, seeing her, he wished he had. Lilitha appeared to have aged a few years almost overnight, a fatigued step to her gait that had not been there before. She had a light sheen of sweat on her coat, which immediately drew his eye because the only time he'd seen something like that was if someone had a fever.
Her voice was also quite hoarse, as if she'd just spent the past several hours screaming at the top of her lungs. Aten started walking to meet her halfway to try and spare her the labored effort of walking to him, stopping when he was within a few feet of her. He opened his mouth to say hello, but didn't have a chance before the mare cut in and explained her reason for seeking him out.
What she said caught Aten even further by surprise. Was she sincerely asking this of him? She picked him, out of all Taiga's residents, to take up her mantle and lead Taiga into the future?
The golden stallion stood stock still for a minute, completely speechless, his eyes locked on the mare as he took time for his brain to process this. He finally put it together and continued to look at Lilitha, wondering why she had chosen him. He figured it was just Ruan's convincing; he remembered the lessons that the stallion had taught him before Taiga's destruction. Was Lilitha asking him simply because Ruan had mentored him in Taiga's ways? Or did she actually have the faith in him needed to provide the stallion support to run the kingdom?
Whatever the case, Aten was stuck between hoping that he was ready to take on this responsibility, and his own confidence shaking and saying he wasn't. Taking in a breath, the stallion faced Lilitha, holding his head up to stand tall and show he wasn't shaken by what she wanted.
"I must say, not what I expected when you found me," he lightly joked. "And, I will admit, I never thought this task would be asked of me. It's a big responsibility, Lilitha, but, hopefully by now, you've understood that I want nothing but the best for this kingdom and those who call it home. If you truly believe I am the best fit for this job, even if it will take some getting used to, I will do my best to uphold your legacy and lead Taiga to the greatest of my abilities.
"Though, I don't think any horse could ever hope to fill your hooves," he finished, his eyes softening as he wished he could help take away his friend's pain.
@[Lilitha]