02-07-2016, 02:49 PM
The Falls are lovely in early winter. The snow covers the place completely, but is not too deep, and pockets of greenery remain beneath the shelter the trees. Texas does not see this as he looks to over the kingdom - he sees only the emptiness. He’s never cared about the population of the kingdom; even this emptiness does not drive him to action.
With no residents though, there is nothing him to do, and Texas does very poorly when he is bored.
Perhaps, he thinks, it’s time to move on.
As fate would have it, the moment that this thought crosses his mind, someone emerges from the woods.
It is a stranger, a red and white stallion, and he looks far more like a walking corpse than a living creature. He stumbles towards the waterfall, and Texas moves forward to meet him there. There is a moment of conversation between the two stallions, and then Kreios steps into the water with a weary sigh.
Texas does his best, willing the water and his own particular gift, but despite his best efforts the appaloosa stallion’s appearance remains unchanged. Krioes appears to feel far better though, and he emerges from the icy water and shakes off the excess.
It takes several days, but eventually Kreios explains his strange appearance to Texas. It takes several more weeks, but eventually Texas decides that perhaps this heavily built, emaciated stallion is slowly becoming a friend.
By the time spring rolls around, the sickly-looking (though not acting) Kreios, and the lanky bay Texas are sparring beside the waterfall and patrolling the kingdom. Krieos has firsthand knowledge of wars that took place a century ago, and Texas knows more about the native flora and fauna of the Desert than he has ever wanted.
“Did you ever think about ruling a kingdom” Texas asks one early morning, as the two stallions real after a mock beneath the newly budded trees.
“Sometimes,” Kreios replies, “But I knew that if any of us were to inherit from our parents, it would have been Dorne or Kratos, never me.” He doesn’t seemed bothered by this, and in fact has never considered himself true monarch material.
“I think you’d make a good king,” Texas replies, a rare compliment from a stallion that prefers to see the good in himself rather than in others.
“King of where?” Krioes replies with a laugh “King of a herd, perhaps?”
“What about king of the Falls?” Texas answers, his expression more serious than Kreios. This could be his chance, he thinks, this could be his way to leave the Falls, but to leave it in good hands rather than to be forced out with death.
“You’re the king of the Falls,” says the appaloosa stallion, a frown marring his thin face. He does not understand.
“There’s almost no one else here but you and I and Ygritte,” Texas replies, “And none I like as much as you. I’m tired, and I am bored. I’m ready to leave.”
For a long moment Kreios is quiet, and Texas remains so as well, watching as the younger stallion looks over the broad meadows and the old forests that make up the heart of the kingdom. He is thinking of his other homes, or the Desert, the Dale, the Orange Country, and of the broad savannah where he has thought he was finally at peace.
Kreios has always thought that a home should feel differently than a place that one lives. Does he feel that way about the Falls? It is most like the Dale, temperate and green, and he wonders how much his mother and father would have liked it here. Had they ever come? Had they wanted to?
“Give me time,” He finally says, “Give me time to prove myself to the members of the kingdom that remain here.”
Texas, ever doubtful of the presence of anyone but himself shrugs, but nods.
“Alright,” he drawls, looking out at the empty meadow. “Complete a steal, win a battle, and recruit a new member, and you’ll have been three times more of a candidate than anyone else here.”
“I can do that.” Keri’s replies. He could not do that, of course, could easily sidestep the verbal agreement they’ve just made and continue to live quietly in the kingdom. Or he could try. He could do his best, prove himself to be something more than just a herd stallion who was born to great parents.
The healing nature of the waterfall appeals to him, as does the innate protectiveness that he feels towards the kingdom. It mirrors the same trait in himself, the reason he looks far worse than he feels. Perhaps Krieos is meant for a different life than the one he had chosen for himself.
With no residents though, there is nothing him to do, and Texas does very poorly when he is bored.
Perhaps, he thinks, it’s time to move on.
As fate would have it, the moment that this thought crosses his mind, someone emerges from the woods.
It is a stranger, a red and white stallion, and he looks far more like a walking corpse than a living creature. He stumbles towards the waterfall, and Texas moves forward to meet him there. There is a moment of conversation between the two stallions, and then Kreios steps into the water with a weary sigh.
Texas does his best, willing the water and his own particular gift, but despite his best efforts the appaloosa stallion’s appearance remains unchanged. Krioes appears to feel far better though, and he emerges from the icy water and shakes off the excess.
It takes several days, but eventually Kreios explains his strange appearance to Texas. It takes several more weeks, but eventually Texas decides that perhaps this heavily built, emaciated stallion is slowly becoming a friend.
By the time spring rolls around, the sickly-looking (though not acting) Kreios, and the lanky bay Texas are sparring beside the waterfall and patrolling the kingdom. Krieos has firsthand knowledge of wars that took place a century ago, and Texas knows more about the native flora and fauna of the Desert than he has ever wanted.
“Did you ever think about ruling a kingdom” Texas asks one early morning, as the two stallions real after a mock beneath the newly budded trees.
“Sometimes,” Kreios replies, “But I knew that if any of us were to inherit from our parents, it would have been Dorne or Kratos, never me.” He doesn’t seemed bothered by this, and in fact has never considered himself true monarch material.
“I think you’d make a good king,” Texas replies, a rare compliment from a stallion that prefers to see the good in himself rather than in others.
“King of where?” Krioes replies with a laugh “King of a herd, perhaps?”
“What about king of the Falls?” Texas answers, his expression more serious than Kreios. This could be his chance, he thinks, this could be his way to leave the Falls, but to leave it in good hands rather than to be forced out with death.
“You’re the king of the Falls,” says the appaloosa stallion, a frown marring his thin face. He does not understand.
“There’s almost no one else here but you and I and Ygritte,” Texas replies, “And none I like as much as you. I’m tired, and I am bored. I’m ready to leave.”
For a long moment Kreios is quiet, and Texas remains so as well, watching as the younger stallion looks over the broad meadows and the old forests that make up the heart of the kingdom. He is thinking of his other homes, or the Desert, the Dale, the Orange Country, and of the broad savannah where he has thought he was finally at peace.
Kreios has always thought that a home should feel differently than a place that one lives. Does he feel that way about the Falls? It is most like the Dale, temperate and green, and he wonders how much his mother and father would have liked it here. Had they ever come? Had they wanted to?
“Give me time,” He finally says, “Give me time to prove myself to the members of the kingdom that remain here.”
Texas, ever doubtful of the presence of anyone but himself shrugs, but nods.
“Alright,” he drawls, looking out at the empty meadow. “Complete a steal, win a battle, and recruit a new member, and you’ll have been three times more of a candidate than anyone else here.”
“I can do that.” Keri’s replies. He could not do that, of course, could easily sidestep the verbal agreement they’ve just made and continue to live quietly in the kingdom. Or he could try. He could do his best, prove himself to be something more than just a herd stallion who was born to great parents.
The healing nature of the waterfall appeals to him, as does the innate protectiveness that he feels towards the kingdom. It mirrors the same trait in himself, the reason he looks far worse than he feels. Perhaps Krieos is meant for a different life than the one he had chosen for himself.
T E X A S
immortal silver bay hybrid stallion
king of the falls