03-09-2019, 09:11 PM
Following Aten's return from the fairies' quest on the Island, he had withdrawn himself from kingdom affairs for a day or two, in order to try and maintain control of his own frustration. He wasn't angry that he had failed the quest, just disappointed in himself. He had been hoping he could contribute to trying to find a cure for the Plague, not for recognition, but for the dozens if not hundreds of lives out there that had been put in danger by the Plagues' effects.
Aten was only sated by the knowledge that he was alive, and that there were other horses who had succeeded in their portion of the quest to find the ingredient for the cure the fairies asked for. Unfortunately, there was a side effect that Aten was... less than pleased with.
Shattered sea shell pieces, along with a few small ones that were still intact, decorated the stallion's mane and tail in a fashion with no specific pattern or taste, instead checkered here and there, woven in so that Aten couldn't try to get them out himself. He learned that after trying to do so himself, only winding up with a few pieces of hair missing from his mane after purposely getting it tangled in a thorn bush.
The stallion learned he would have to live with this feature for some time, so instead just sucked it up and tried to ignore the stares he got from others. At the very least, those who were his close friends, like Ruan, Lilitha, and Jinju hadn't said anything; others that were his friends had only moderately teased him, not going full out like Aten's older siblings might have if they were here since they so loved to tease their youngest brother.
Once he had come to terms with his... problem, Aten once again assimilated himself into Taiga's society, spending time with his friends, attending to kingdom duties, and even venturing outside the border a few times to go in search of those who might need a home.
One of his duties, of course, also included greeting those who came to the kingdom, and this day was one of such. The golden stallion was out in one of Taiga's smaller meadows when he heard the nearby stranger stallion's call, moving to investigate before this new arrival could get too far inland. Aten's eyes sought out who was on his way inland, easily spotting the roan colored coat of the stallion against the winter backdrop.
Aten himself had not yet met Leilan, but had heard tales of the king of Isicle Isle, a land that was a subdivision of Nerine's kingdom, just as Taiga was. Sure, a number of horses in the land shared coat colors, but there wasn't one Aten could think of, that he'd met at least, who resembled the king as much as this stallion did.
So, out of respect for his status and not yet his character, for Aten didn't know it just yet, the golden stallion approached the Isle king and dipped his head in greeting, going slightly lower than he usually did as a sign of acknowledgement that he was speaking to royalty.
"King Leilan of the Isle," Aten spoke up, raising his head after a moment but keeping his eyes on the king's face just below his eyes so he was not making direct contact. "You have made quite the journey to come visit us here in Taiga. To what do we owe this pleasure?"
@[Leilan]
Aten was only sated by the knowledge that he was alive, and that there were other horses who had succeeded in their portion of the quest to find the ingredient for the cure the fairies asked for. Unfortunately, there was a side effect that Aten was... less than pleased with.
Shattered sea shell pieces, along with a few small ones that were still intact, decorated the stallion's mane and tail in a fashion with no specific pattern or taste, instead checkered here and there, woven in so that Aten couldn't try to get them out himself. He learned that after trying to do so himself, only winding up with a few pieces of hair missing from his mane after purposely getting it tangled in a thorn bush.
The stallion learned he would have to live with this feature for some time, so instead just sucked it up and tried to ignore the stares he got from others. At the very least, those who were his close friends, like Ruan, Lilitha, and Jinju hadn't said anything; others that were his friends had only moderately teased him, not going full out like Aten's older siblings might have if they were here since they so loved to tease their youngest brother.
Once he had come to terms with his... problem, Aten once again assimilated himself into Taiga's society, spending time with his friends, attending to kingdom duties, and even venturing outside the border a few times to go in search of those who might need a home.
One of his duties, of course, also included greeting those who came to the kingdom, and this day was one of such. The golden stallion was out in one of Taiga's smaller meadows when he heard the nearby stranger stallion's call, moving to investigate before this new arrival could get too far inland. Aten's eyes sought out who was on his way inland, easily spotting the roan colored coat of the stallion against the winter backdrop.
Aten himself had not yet met Leilan, but had heard tales of the king of Isicle Isle, a land that was a subdivision of Nerine's kingdom, just as Taiga was. Sure, a number of horses in the land shared coat colors, but there wasn't one Aten could think of, that he'd met at least, who resembled the king as much as this stallion did.
So, out of respect for his status and not yet his character, for Aten didn't know it just yet, the golden stallion approached the Isle king and dipped his head in greeting, going slightly lower than he usually did as a sign of acknowledgement that he was speaking to royalty.
"King Leilan of the Isle," Aten spoke up, raising his head after a moment but keeping his eyes on the king's face just below his eyes so he was not making direct contact. "You have made quite the journey to come visit us here in Taiga. To what do we owe this pleasure?"
@[Leilan]