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  • Beqanna

    COTY

    Assailant -- Year 226

    QOTY

    "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


    [private]  Why Hide The Wonders of My Home? [Izora Lethia]
    #1
    Aten almost found it strange to be accompanied back to Taiga this time, now that he had Lethia following to come and see the beautiful kingdom for herself. If he wasn't already used to simple conversation when passing through other kingdoms or spending time in the Meadow and Forest, the stallion might've made the situation awkward by not saying anything to pass the journey.

    On their way to Taiga, Aten asked Lethia a few simple questions, such as how many springs old she was, what she had been doing since the ocean washed her ashore here, and anything else he got the feeling she might've been comfortable with. When the conversation did drift toward family in the smallest bit, hers at least, Aten could tell there was a shadow there, so did not press the subject further with her.

    He was brief in his description of family, saying how he had been separated from his dam but raised for a while by his wonderful oldest sister. He had not heard anything of them in some seasons, but had no reason to believe they were not out there, alive and well, perhaps making a living as members of other kingdoms Aten had just not been to yet.

    When they passed the border that Loess and Hyaline shared, tracking up the way so they didn't really set hoof in either kingdom, Aten made sure to tell Lethia of this thin line so that, should she ever find herself heading back in the direction of the Field, she would know where the border was in case she wanted to avoid trouble. The golden king always did, if only due to some rumors he had heard about Loess lately. With Taiga still in it's growth, he didn't need a kingdom investigating the business of his.

    The Taiga's border, like the majority of the kingdom, was lined with tall redwoods that seemed to be grapsing at the clouds hovering many miles above their heads in the sky. Their branches weaved out in complicated patterns that in some areas made it hard to detect where one tree ended and another began. The multitude of pine needles also lines the border, stretching a few feet past it since some branches were also quite long. The two horse's hoofsteps were dulled before they fully entered the kingdom, a silence that Aten found quant and peaceful.

    The further they got into Taiga's heart, the more Aten told Lethia about the kingdom's past. He stuck to only the big details, such as the fire that once ravished the land. A light layer of fog had also rolled in from the sea, a number of miles in, crafting a blanket that surrounded the forest floor and up to the horses' knees. The trees started to thin out once the two got closer to the heart of the kingdom, right in the middle, to where it opened up in some areas, revealing grassy meadows and a small lake of water off to one end.

    Deciding to really surprise Lethia, Aten asked her to continue following him to the north, and the golden king led her to follow up the stream that bled down into the lake near Taiga's meadows. It wasn't a very big sight to behold, what he was about to show her, but in a kingdom where the majority was a forest of redwoods so thick it would take three horses to reach across, it was beautiful.

    The terrain of the land changed as the duo started climbing a small hill that grew into a steeper incline a few feet up. Aten's hooves easily found the natural path that he had worn into this hill for some suns now, which would make it easier for a newcomer like Lethia to follow him. The rocks were quite slippery otherwise, and Aten doubted the mare wanted to take another tumble.

    When he got to the top, Aten hung back a few feet to let Lethia walk out and see the view alone for a moment. From the top of the hill where they stood, a waterfall poured down into the river they had followed up here, the water hitting the rocks creating a thin layer of mist along the cliffside and down into the water. The crystal-clear substance could almost be considered see-through if the two horses weren't already high up. The view stretched far out over Taiga's meadows, and far off in the distance, the ocean could be seen as a pinprick of blue against the green grassy backdrop.

    Aten glanced to Lethia, "Unfortunately, beyond what wonderful sights Taiga has to offer, there is not much I can explain about the kingdom's current state. It is lacking in horses who live here, but I can promise that life here is quite wonderful, and I wish to do right by the Queen who led before me. If you wish to pursue a life elsewhere, in another kingdom, of course I would understand, and hope we could remain friends.

    "However, if you do stay, in addition to a home, I would ask that you be willing to potentially help find others who are also in need of a home, to tell them of Taiga and provide them what they are looking for. Do you think that is something you would be willing to do?"

    @[Izora Lethia]
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    #2
    The journey was long, pulling energy from Lethy that she had never quite recovered but Aten kept it pleasant. He asked her questions about her journey and her age which she quietly but graciously answered. She explained how both of her parents had died when she was not quiet a yearling, protecting her the beast that gave her the very noticeable scar across her face, and that aside from that she didn't know much of her childhood. She had been taken in by another mare who gave her the nick name Lethia because she couldn't  remember who she was or where she came from. She had guessed her age then and told him she must of been about 5 by now. 

    She told him how she had ended up in the field, had met her first friend Kensa there. Then had found her way to Loess but had only spent a short day there beside the breath taking lake before the plague had claimed all of Beqanna including herself.

     She had wondered, in search of a home after that, and had fallen pregnant. The conversation on that particular subject dwindled as quickly as it had started. She had told him the plague had made taken its toll on her and her unborn child and there was not much more to say.

    She had found herself at the mountain after that and skirted around the conversation of her quest at hand. She had done alot of wondering since her arrival in Beqanna, until she had met him.

    As they trailed the borders of Loess and Hyaline she seemed to perk in manner as her friends hailed from both lands. She had not heard of the rumors of war between Tephra and Loess in her months of self pity.

    The pair came upon Tiaga and Lethy, like all the other lands, appreciated the beauty of Atens. She craned her neck to watch the birds flutter from one massive tree to the other, nestling their families high from predators and curious eyes. Squirrels skittered from one elongated branch to the next.

    The branches reaching and intertwining like two long time friends, scared to let go of each others embrace. Her large, amathyst eyes caught the filtering sunlight and for a moment it looked as if she was genuinely happy, a feeling she had shoved deep into a box and put away high in the attic.  

    Aten pulled her attention back and told her he wanted to show her something. She cautiously followed, the cool cover of the canopy above nd the misty fog wrapping around her legs rejuvenated her strength enough to not object. The path was well worn, from many visitors or Aten himself she was not entirely sure.

    They followed along a stream that played a slow and steady melody. She found it quite refreshing and peaceful. As they continued on their way they began a trek up the hill, steepening as they went. Lethy's muscles strained, tightening with exhaustion by the time they finally made it to the top.

    It all faded away when Aten moved to the side opening Lethy's view before her. A waterfall that garbled into the rocks below. Foaming and misting in a pleasant surprise. The meadow in full bloom, the purples and blues catching at her heart strings. As she gazed out at the horizon she could see the oceans cost, the ocean that brought her here, mixed emotions filling her chest.

    Before any evidance of those emotions could surface Aten pulled her attention back to his face, her purple eyes flashing beneath the hanging summer sun. He told her of the lack of residence in his land, how could that be with such beauty and peace? And expressed his understanding if she wanted to live else where, but if she chose to stay he would need help in finding others who would also need a place to call home and making Tiaga their home. Lethy shook her head, It is a beautiful place Aten. It is a place I would be willing to call home. I would love to help you fill your land, though I must admit if you haven't discovered yourself I am not the best at conversation. she said turning her eyes to the ground.

    The idea of finally settling on a home, made her heart beat quicker she had never been good at making decisions. The anxiety and nerves bubbled to the surface when ever she felt the pressure of making changes, but Aten seemed to make the decision easier for her and that, she couldn't ignore. She was so tired of disappointing people though, and as she stared at the ground, brow furrowed she hoped she would not disappoint Aten.  
    forget me not; but never remember

    @[Aten] way longer than I intended lol
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    #3
    Aten watched as Lethia's eyes bubbled with emotion when she overlooked the land from the view above the waterfall he decided to show her, smiling in spite of himself. He thought it rather charming to watch the mare become captivated by Taiga's beauty, a thought she only made true when she said she would love to help him find other residents who'd like to call it home.

    Aten held slim hope as well that the mare was partially willing to stay in order to continue being in his company, for Aten had already felt close to the mare and would like to get to know her better than what he'd already learned on the walk over here. He wanted to know what made her happy, sad, what made her tick, what she liked and didn't like.

    But that would come in time.

    Lethia steered the conversation downhill again when she insisted that one thing holding her back from helping the golden stallion was that she wasn't a very good conversationalist. Aten simply shook his head with a light chuckle.

    "Honestly, on the way over here, I couldn't even tell. You held on just fine. If you really think so low of yourself, I think all it will take are the right words to bring you out of your shell. Also, don't speak so negatively about yourself; it doesn't suit you," he insisted, offering a friendly smile.

    @[Izora Lethia] my apologies for the wait, a family emergency came up.
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    #4
    Lethia dipped her head as a blush graced her golden cheeks. His remark was easier said then done. To pull herself out of the anxiety hole she had dug herself since before she could remember would be a change in her life bigger than she thought herself capable of. Everything bad that has happened so far seemed to have out weighed any good, but maybe that could change.

    Noone had been so direct with her, except for her adoptive mother. Maybe it was just what she needed.

    And do you intend to be the one to tell me those words? she said quietly. Lethia's purple eyes shined bright beneath her thick black lashes. Maybe she wanted to get to know Aten as well. She would not hate spending time with him she thought.
    forget me not; but never remember
    Lethy

    @[Aten] no problem. Sorry this is trash writing mobile fast before daughters softball game lol
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    #5
    Aten didn't quite realize he'd made the mare blush since she dipped her head, hiding her cheeks. He simply thought that she was hiding herself from his remark since she didn't seem to quite believe in herself all that much, something Aten had already long ago decided to help her with.

    The mare's purple eyes glinted under her long dark lashes, a sight Aten found pretty, but he did not say anything out loud. He smiled at Lethia, "I do think that you could learn to put the words needed together yourself. I was trained to do it, just as my siblings and dam were. It took practice, and understanding of more than just the situation at hoof, but it is a skill that any horse can learn, whether or not it takes them a long time to get the hang of it.

    "I can help you, teach you what I know, if that would give you the confidence to get started. But I have confidence in you and that you could become a fine recruiter for the Taiga. The only real thing lacking is, I feel, the belief in yourself. Have more faith in what you can do; I know you're capable. Now you just need to say it, hear how it sounds to your own ears," the golden king firmly stated, knowing this mare seemed to need a pick-me-up.

    @[Izora Lethia]
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    #6
    The directness of his comments seemed to send a nervous pitter of jitters through her. She knew she needed this, knew that if she didn't want to be so broken and useless that she needed to try. She needed to pack up what emotions that had escaped from their boxes and get on with her mission and get on with becoming better.

    Lethy drew herself up, holding her head higher then she was used to. She glanced at Aten's kingdom one more time, sucking in a cool, refreshing breath to clear her mind and calm her nerves. The depression of the early morning and the event of the river far behind them as the sun began its decent and the sky began to paint itself in hues of pinks, purples, and oranges.

    Teach me. she finally said I am capable.

    She stared at the horizon, determination setting deep within her as she packed away the last box of emotions and turning back to Aten.  
    forget me not; but never remember
    Lethy
    IMG-20190524-092123-677
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