"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
He can’t help the surge of revulsion that rises in his throat. Kreios lives there, had ruled there in fact, though he believes someone else has taken over leadership now. Wretched bastard. He tries to stop himself from asking, but he cannot withhold his curiosity. “Sylva … you wouldn’t happen to know … Kreios, would you?” He cannot keep the dislike from his voice as his father’s name slips from his mouth. “What’s he up to these days?” He would prefer rotting at the bottom of a pond … but he doubts he will be so lucky.
She seems uncertain, for which he cannot blame her. To have a strange stallion walk up to her and announce himself as possibly being her father must be a disconcerting experience. But there’s not much he can do to belay her nerves now. “Well, it’s been a pleasure to meet you Mandalocks. Perhaps I should drop by Sylva sometime. Does your mother live there as well?” At the very least he would like to confirm whether or not this girl is indeed his daughter. And only Blazed will have the truth of that.
Kreios. The king-stallion had gone missing, and for whatever reason, Mandalocks had a hunch he wasn't returning as far as anyone would know. She last saw him conversing with a rather suspicious mare. "Yes. He's.. Err.. Currently missing, though. Ygritte's currently looking for him - Marlyn, their daughter, is the 'ruler' right now. I actually temporarily left Sylva over her removal of the castes," She gives, against common sense. "Blazed lives there. So does my sister." She adds after a small moment.
She flicks an ear to the side when he starts talking as if he's leaving. She didn't know for sure what to do here; she's always been just dumped where she stood by potential talkers because of her mother's father. "It's been a pleasure for me as well. And that would be.. Nice. It's on the back of the mountains, and the right edge puts you near the Taiga & forest. Sylva looks like it's autumn all year; it's easy to lose track of the time there." She gives after a few moments of awkward silence. She'd noticed the surge of revulsion in him at her mention before of the Falls. Was it something with the leaders? She wondered about the possible relations, and it clicked in her head she might somehow be related to a royalty line. Her eyes brightened momentarily, and she cursed herself for showing the thought.
There’s instant recognition in her face when he mentions the name and his heart sinks. Of course she knows Kreios. Just his luck.
But his disappointment turns to smug amusement when Mandalocks reveals that Kreios is actually missing. Missing! “Oh really?” His tone is concerned - it takes all that he has to keep his true feelings from his voice. “Do they have any idea what’s happened to him? He’s well … he’s my father. Possibly your grandfather then, I suppose. It would be nice to know he’s alright.” Internally though, he’s almost jumping in glee. Hopefully the corrupted old bastard has gotten himself into trouble. Szeth certainly won’t loose sleep if he never sees Kreios again.
He keeps a contemplative, concerned look on his face, but turns his attention to the girl’s other comments. “It would be nice to … well, get to the truth of the matter. I have not seen many of my other children as of late. And … if I am your father, I would like to get to know you better. If you are willing, of course.” Sin Killer and Nefertem had left the nest long ago - he hasn’t seen either of them in years. And he’s only met Stoney once. He’s only had one other tryst, and he doesn’t even know if that one produced a child. It would be nice to know at least one of his children.
“That does sound lovely. Rather different from my old home, but lovely all the same.” Paradise Beach had been warm, wet and sandy … but he’s not entirely opposed to thick forests. It’s simply the traited ones he objects to. Speaking of which …
“Say, you don’t happen to have any traits, do you?” He keeps his voice light and friendly, but anxiety ripples beneath the surface. She doesn’t appear to have any traits, but not all traits show on the surface. None of his children have been so cursed so far … he would hate to think this one had not escaped.
"It's a nice place to be, compared to the mountain." She comments, remembering how odd it was to be without a place to go, without anyone to turn to for a time. She thinks on how to reply to him wanting to get to know her better, face guarded for a moment.
"I think I'd enjoy getting to know you," She tells him eagerly, content with her answer. She stands silently for a moment before he asks her if she is traited. She wondered about his views on traits; she knew some fathers would cast out a traitless child if they were traited.
"I don't have any traits that I know of," She admits honestly, wondering his intentions about asking. She didn't agree with the power of some traited individuals - Carnage she disliked the most, her position that of those who believe he should lose his power and that Beqanna should take it back into herself.
She wondered if he did, asking, "Do you?" Before looking around. She wanted to know.
She is cautious, guarded, and he can’t blame her. It must be so odd to run into a random stallion in the meadow and have him reveal that he might be her father. He’s actually surprised that she’s been as open as she has, considering the circumstances. Unless she’s lied … which he also wouldn’t blame her for.
His heart warms when she says she’d like to get to know him too, and he smiles at the eagerness in her voice. “I’m glad to hear that.” But he hesitates, thinking. “Perhaps we should visit your mother first though? Just to … confirm …” After all, he would hate to force his way into her life, only to find out that he’s not her father after all … and have her want nothing to do with him afterward. It would be painful for the both of them if that were to happen. “To be clear, I am eager to spend time with you … I just don’t want either of us to get hurt.”
He is relieved when she reveals that she has no traits, and the worry is lifted off his shoulders. He has been so lucky so far, so blessed. The three of his children (or possible children) that he’s been fortunate enough to know have been born untouched by the curse that are the mythical abilities. “No, I have not been so cursed. And I am glad to hear that you have not been either. I don’t know how many mythicals you have come across in your life, but in my experience, traits tend to corrupt …” He is cautious, testing. He doesn’t know how she feels about the mythicals - he might as well find out now.
"Their personalities and their habits. I know from one of my family; fire mane and tail was hers, then with the change in the land, she lost it and started trying to get it back. Begged for wings until she could earn the fire back." She said, a fire in her eyes. She'd never had many traited friends for a reason, the few she once had all started to admire themselves more and more, scolding those without traits for coming near them. That's why she left them.
She agreed with him trying not to hurt the two of them. "Want to start towards Sylva, then? I know a fast path." She asked the stallion after a moment of cooling her flared temper; it was like stoking a roaring forest fire to bring up those memories of her late foal hood.
Speaking of foalhood, she had noticed that the seasons had all lengthened to take up more time. Yet the days did not seem to be any longer, and her body changed and formed itself to reflect her activity at the same rate from day to day.
She speaks of the one mythical she’s known, and his heart fills with pride at the disdain in her voice. She’s figured it out already, all on her own. Despite their world being so full of magic and temptation, she’s already seen through the madness to the corruption within.
She must be his daughter.
“I am glad to hear you are not in awe of their mythicalities. They can be dangerous.” He can’t help the small smile that’s fastened itself on his face. “I have met many that have become corrupted by the power they hold. Too many have hurt the land and those around them.” So many wars, so many deaths, so much damage …
He’s convinced now though, they must be blood. So few others have seen through the mask that so many mythicals wear.
She suggests they head towards Sylva and he nods, still smiling. Though he’s already convinced, there’s no harm in confirming with Blazed, just for Mandalocks’ sake. It will be a weight off of both of their minds. “Of course! Let’s head out - I’m looking forward to seeing your mother again.”
She simply nods once before turning and leading the trip back. It was a short while before she started to think of things to talk about, which was unusual for her. "My older sister, also traitless, is considering traveling around and finding the remnants of her family. At least two of her four children are likely to go with - she's had twins each time she's had foals by her love." She tells him this calmly, blandly; as if it was a low topic. It was, though, when compared to the potential of her having found her own father by chance - all on her own.
(Want me to make a thread in Sylvia for this to continue, then, so that the confirmation can happen?)
@[Szeth]
