"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
In a perfect world Ruinam would’ve been there for Sande’s birth. Adria could’ve made it here to Island Resort and gotten comfort from the father of her newborn, the two of them could’ve enjoyed those precious moments when Sande had taken her first breath or looked around the first time. He might’ve been the first thing his daughter saw, outside of Adria.
But for all her elemental power Adria still can’t control the entirety of mother nature, so Sande had arrived when she felt like she was good and ready. Her mother hadn’t exactly been prepared, so the filly had been born quickly and been alive for a couple of weeks or so now. Time kind of… got away from the Dame of Ischia.
Now she’s making up for it.
The ombre-vermilion mare had traveled over the water and come to Island Resort at last, with Ruinam’s daughter in tow. To her mother’s eager delight, Sande was more attuned to the ocean than Ionia had been, showing promise of further gifts after displaying that she, just like Adria, could walk across the surface of the water. In no time at all they’re on the sister-shores of the Resort, waiting patiently for someone to come and greet them.
“Ach, pou poutèt Bondye!” The seamare scolded her daughter while they waited, nearly stepping on a scruffy pile of tawny fur that slunk off Sande’s back, “I asked you to leave that chat Satan at home Sande.” Adria sighed unhappily. The Devil Cat was a native Ischian Fossa, who had shown up one day uninvited and had been invisibly attached to Sande ever since.
Adria couldn’t be sure that the strange, lemur-eating tree cat was exactly a safe playmate for her newborn daughter. That’s why she’s here, partially.
Sande squealed impishly at her mother, tickled by the fond nibble of her companion animal. The sturdy little fossa creature was weaving through the filly’s spindly legs, biting gently at her heels like it was a game. “Hopefully your father is along soon…” Adria smirked, giving into the whims of her sweet baby girl.
Oh my love, don't forsake me; Take what the water gave me
@[Ruinam] not a birthing post but still important :p time for the lovebirds to catch up
08-07-2019, 04:11 AM (This post was last modified: 08-07-2019, 04:25 AM by Ruinam.)
winter wonderland
Today the resort is delightfully adorned with an orange tint as the sun rises, creating a blooming light that scatters across the water, giving the ocean an exquisite vividness that is admirable to anyone. The ocean's bright charm makes his mind race to Adria, a smile painted across his face as he thinks about all the time he has spent with her, not regretting a single second.
He was also glad to have Mary by his side, without her advice he would probably still be panicking about becoming a father, fearful of not being good enough. But now he is able to relax, knowing Mary was safe and that the Sylvan chapter of his life was finished.
The stallion's companion alerts him to someone on the shore, though his yip and howl is calm, letting him know there was no trouble.
His companion leads him to a lulling sight, his smile increasing as he makes his way over to Adria and their child.
At first, he feels nervous, but with Mary's earlier advice the stallion can cast away any doubts as he comes forward "Bonjour, Adria" his expression lights up humorously as he lightly dips his head in greeting "And you too little one" he says softly as he reaches down to meet her.
"How have you been Adria? I have missed you" he says quietly, watching as his companion comes closer to inspect what was going on.
The arctic fox is unsure of what to make of the predatory cat, approaching it cautiously with a look of confusion.
"I am sorry I wasn't there for her birth," he says apologetically, looking toward the foal "She's just as beautiful as you are" he beams happily, moving his head to greet the foal.
At this moment he wants to tell her how he feels, how happy he is to have a child with her, though her eyes leave him entranced, his tail gently swaying in the slight breeze as he enjoys the moment.
She would never admit it, but Adria had also been nervous to see Ruinam since their last… rendezvous. They’d had great fun together; the big, pearly white stallion was a very capable lover, not afraid to stay on her island for a few days afterward to continue their tryst. The Dame hadn’t felt one ounce of guilt about their mutual attraction. What she felt was a growing affection for the Island resort leader, which was preferable since now they had a child to rear together.
Brennen had been an exemplary father and Adria expected the same for Sande’s sire. She wanted to be sure that Ruinam was going to set standards for their youngling, who had a bright future ahead of her. But when she spied the glimmer of his healthy, robust figure coming their way, Adria broke into a wide grin and Sande stopped playing to look as well.
“Alo to you too, Rui.” Adria hummed like a siren. She’d affectionately taken to shortening his name and considered that, given their circumstances, perhaps nicknames could be appropriate for them. It was important that Sande see a happy family unit, so in a quick motion Adria stretched forward to plant a warm kiss on her mate’s cheek.
Sande was at first hesitant and then extremely at ease with her sire.
Ruinam dropped his gigantic nose down to her level and she froze, trembling. They greeted one another with quick puffs of air that sent shivers down her small, tan hide and left her tail wagging. Her father talked back to Mama and she stamped once, impatient, until a fluff of white fur caught her attention. “Gade Leon” She chirped and the Fossa perked up, staring at Ruinam’s fox, “yon nouvo zanmi!”
“No need to apologize. Her name is Sande, after her coat color. She takes after you I think.” Adria laughed gently towards the Resort’s leader. She watched the way he moved, how his attention always turned back to Sande with curious devotion, and she knew that despite her earlier concerns things would be just fine. Sighing happily, the vermilion Nereid drifted closer and tucked herself into the crook of Ruinam’s shoulder for a bit of familiar comfort. “Things are perfectly nice, as you can see. Ischia is healthy… we had a visitor from Sylva!” She remembers suddenly.
Oh my love, don't forsake me; Take what the water gave me
For a moment, the ivory-white stallion is lost in the mare's golden eyes, her voice pleasantly comforting as he gently sways with the breeze. He knew that he got too quickly and easily attached to people when he really shouldn't, though now he couldn't help himself. Ever since he had left Sinner and become independent, he longed to meet someone new, to make a friend or to find a partner and enjoy their company.
"Sande" he repeats, looking toward the young filly "It is lovely to meet you, Sande," he says warmly, playfully bowing to her as the arctic fox emerges from underneath Ruinam, also bouncing around playfully, inviting them to play.
"On you guys go" he smiles, nudging Sande toward the enthusiastic fox before returning his attention to Adria, his expression taking a form of worry "Sylva you say? What did they want in Ischia?" he asks curiously.
At first, the stallion is filled with hope, the thought of Sinner and Mary retaking the autumnal landscape and calling it home once more, but the thought quickly fades, his worry increasing with each passing moment, the thought of Sylva born anew under the hands of Loess casting a shiver through his spine.
The stallion hopes everything will remain as is, a wish that was most likely quite far fetched, but doable. Ruinam feels as if he can keep the resort peaceful for now, allow those that do not want to be touched by the spoils of war to seek shelter in the resort and find a home, though this would take time, before long he knows the resort will prosper.
Adria is content to settle in beside Ruinam and watch the father-daughter duo bond, momentarily. All too soon moments like this one would fade into memory. Sande would get older and Adria too, as well as Ruinam. They won’t always have time for simple, sweet gatherings just to be alone with one another. It made her sad to think about and she wished (as she’d wished so many times before,) that there was a way to preserve this moment forever. Adria breathed a pleasant sigh and smiled encouragingly to her youngest daughter, happy to see the filly bounding away with Fossa and Fox in tow.
The ‘parenting’ thing came suspiciously quick to Ruinam.
Turning to her chin to see him, Adria was halfway absorbed with her thoughts about how good of a mate Ruinam was shaping up to be and she didn’t notice the edge of concern in his look. The self-same smile she always wore looked fixed on her lips, elegant without excess, and she felt entirely relaxed despite what she’d told him. It all meant very little to her: who was leading what and where. They’d visited, and that’s what mattered to the deceivingly complacent Nereid.
“Apparently nothing extreme, darling.” The seahorse told him playfully. She felt the wicked shiver as it traveled down Ruinam’s spine and felt a bit guilty for seeming so nonchalant, so she kissed his parchment-white neck to try and soothe her stallion. “But I’m afraid they’ve been devoured by the Loess dragons for good.” She tsk’d airily, shaking her head in a mess of overgrown forelock.
“They sent a very stalwart-kind of mare, no?” Her accent mangled the word a bit, “She called herself Starsin.” Adria sounded contemplative. “Ring any bells?”
Oh my love, don't forsake me; Take what the water gave me
08-18-2019, 04:58 PM (This post was last modified: 08-18-2019, 05:07 PM by Ruinam.)
winter wonderland
His worry around Sylva had begun when everything fell silent, at first glance the male thought that maybe it had been abandoned, left to crumble on its own, but upon further inspection the Sylvan forest still had residents that remained, something worth fighting for, especially when the rumours started flooding in, informing him of the current situation inside the autumnal landscape.
Though for now the stallion was enveloped in caring for his daughter, a promise he had made to himself, Adria and Mary, who he looked up to for advice.
Ruinam's attention returns to Adria as she places a gentle kiss on his neck, the shiver in his body and the faintest hint of worry slowly withering away as he runs his muzzle along the top of her neck, softly separating a few strands of mane as he reaches the top "I don't believe I've ever heard of her, or at least I cannot remember" the stallion says softly, placing a soft kiss atop her forehead "Though whoever she is, I doubt she's a threat to our homes as long as you're in charge" he smiles, returning the playful demeanour in their conversation.
His expression remains joyful as he turns to watch Sande playing, happy to see that she is safe in both Ischia and the Resort, away from all the troubles of the mainland and young enough not to have to worry about it. Ruinam turns to Adria with a thoughtful glance "I had a little idea, though I don't know if it is any good" he says, a hint of uncertainty showing in his tone.
"Shall we go on a scenic walk?" he smiles playfully, walking forward along the shoreline with a glance back toward her, his idea slowly taking shape in his head as he thinks it through again, thinking about all the preparations he had already made for it to take place.
"What if all of Beqanna's islands were to unite with one island as their kingdom. A sort of safe haven away from the mainland, its own sort of thing, y'know?" he says turning back to her, his head slightly tilted in curiosity.
The idea was in fact just an idea, though it was one he believed could turn out to be quite beneficial for both Beqanna and their own people, especially for those that did not want to get caught up in the troubles of mainland Beqanna. Ruinam enjoys feeling the mare at his side as they walk slowly along the beach, water slowly making its way deeper in land as he stares curiously at Adria.
Salt was all she could smell; salt and sweat, and the comforting scent of Ruinam beside her and Sande out further away. Her current mate seemed to enjoy the kiss she’d given him, returning the gesture with one of his own that closed Adria’s eyes and made her hum, satisfied, and the talk about Sylva, Starsin, and Loess ended in a playful joke about her elemental ‘abilities’. Ruinam had only seen one small inkling of what Adria knew she was capable of creating, and if that was enough to impress him into complimenting her, then she would accept the compliment. Nevermind that the way he said it left her chuckling along to his grin.
“My enemies tremble in their sleep.” The Nereid growled, managing to sound more seductive than terrifying. Every time the isabelline-colored stallion kept her company, Adria felt herself growing more accustomed to having him around. Especially when he kept glancing at their daughter like Sande was a fallen star. “My afternoon is yours.” The new mother replied flirtatiously, slinking alongside Ruinam’s shoulder with an obvious sway in her hips and a demure smile to set the mood for their walk.
Their steps were easy and Adria’s light, both accustomed to the gait of the other. Adria fell behind naturally, not so far away that they couldn’t remain touching (their curves bumped playfully against one another now and then,) just enough that Ruinam’s knowledge of the Resort’s walking trails shone through and pushed him ahead. She listened eagerly to what he proposed and looked thoughtfully ahead when he happened to glance at her. When Ruinam finished, a few questions and the vague idea of what her daughter’s father was scheming took shape in Adria’s thoughts.
“I do love the idea of an ocean haven made up of only the Islands,” She told him truthfully, “But defending a border entirely of water could present challenges, as well as strengths.” Sande’s mother mused.
“How about the fact that two of Beqanna’s three islands belong with Tephra now?” Adria posed the first big hurdle, glancing at Ruinam with an expression that hinted towards Queen Leliana, “And which of the three islands would become the new kingdom, I wonder?” She teased the large, handsome stallion by nipping lightly at his skin.
To herself, Adria thrilled at the idea. Ruinam couldn’t possibly imagine how oddly similar his thoughts came to hers. There’d be no better time to shift alliances than the present, considering all that’d happened. With the war behind her, Beqanna seemed on edge and hungry for change. Now Ruinam and Adria had a bit of that hunger as well, and personally Adria wasn’t entirely motivated when it came to supporting either Tephra or Loess. Both had disappointed her in action.
The East was still a mystery - she tucked that thought away for later - and Nerine hadn’t moved to send an envoy to anyone, really. In fact, Adria harbored a girl named Vita who’d left there on purpose. Adria assumed they were frozen in their ice and hidden in their cliffs.
Oh my love, don't forsake me; Take what the water gave me
The original scheme was to wait everything out, let everything in Beqanna cool down before making a move for the Island resort. The stallion was going to keep to himself on the island and wait until the diplomatic visits came to him, though this plan did not go according to plan, the resort had remained as quiet as possible, without a horse in sight.
The stallion glances back toward Adria, his crimson-red eyes sweeping over her features as she walks slightly behind him. The stallion playfully sways his hips with a grin as he walks into the jungle, wanting to take Adria to one of the weird structures that decorated the resort's beaches.
The stallion cannot hide his enthusiasm as Adria agrees with his idea, adding her own train of thought as they both travel through the dense jungle, his hips playfully swaying as they walk "I'm glad you like the idea, we could always figure out something for our borders" the stallion chirps happily, the thought of a patrol rank or possibly a border guard crossing his mind "As for Tephra, I'm not too sure. I was planning to visit them soon as they have not yet sent any diplomats, though, in all honesty, I don't think they would deny us independence in their current state" The stallion says in a more diplomatic manner as they exit the jungle, various different structures coming into view as they reach the other side of the island.
Ruinam had been quite unsure about Tephra when he took over the resort, especially after the resort, the uncertainty overall casting a shadow of doubt over the relationship of the land.
The stallion turns around as the mare playfully nips him, his expression rather surprised "Oooh! I see why no enemy would want to anger you now" he laughs playfully, circling the mare "I definitely wouldn't mind a life under your rule" he whispers into her ear, his ivory-white coat sliding against her side as he trots off toward the structure in a playful manner.
“I would be the terror of the high seas.” She warned, slipping out from the edge of the jungle light as a feather. Her neck bent playfully, watching how Ruinam circled her like his agile fox companion. He could move well enough for his size, but he looked especially impressive when his long, pale legs flicked out at the trot. Adria’s eyes rose to the distant structures and she contemplated their lore, or what she knew of them from her mother.
The tall seagrass underneath her hooves muffled a hesitant stride; the Nereid followed Ruinam’s trail down the beach, gulls crying above the noise of the wind and her forelock whipping against vermilion, perfect cheekbones. “Going to Tephra first would be best, I agree.” The sound of Adria’s lonely voice echoed out to her mate as she passed the first structure - a high-arcing orca. Further on the effigies lost their shape, beaten by so many years of seawater and rain. A cautious shiver chilled the mare’s bones. “Even if Leliana disagrees with your idea of ‘independence’,”
She laughed, looking to see where the stallion had gotten off to, “she will most likely take our desires into account when you explain them to her… Ruinam?” Adria called, not seeing him anywhere.
Her legs twisted her first left, then backtracked and swung her around to the right.
Still no sight of him.
“Ruinam?!” Adria desperately asked. Silence answered back, carrying a wave of memories about the statues and their rumored abilities. Nighttime stories, just stories to keep me in bed, her frightened thoughts roared over the sound of a thudding heart.
Where was Ruinam? Now she was too frightened to call his name out loud again. She backpedaled, kept her head low and tried to twist around so that she could run away, run back to the jungle and find Sande, but when she did something stopped her instantly. Her nose was inches from the giant base of one pillar. The wooden effigy twisted in a wild, unnatural way and rose high above her with looming, dark spots like howling faces.
She gasped and looked up, causing a few gulls to take flight when she screamed.
Oh my love, don't forsake me; Take what the water gave me
Ruinam agrees to her points, responding with a validating hum of his voice as he weaves through statues and trees, playfully moving around the shoreline, his companion glued to his side.
Once he had everything figured out, he would most likely visit the icicle isle first and find out what its residents thought about the idea. Ruinam knew little about the frozen island, but he did know about its rich history and ties with Nerine and so he would have to find out if they would be willing to cut those ties kingdom-wise.
The ivory-white stallion stops as he realises Adria is no longer behind him, his forelock droops over his head as he lowers his head, trying to see if she was maybe behind him.
His heart drops when he hears her call his name, sensing a worried tone in her voice as she calls him. Ruinam quickly tries to follow the origin of her voice and uses his companion to locate her, his gut twisting as he realises his stupid mistake.
His blood almost runs cold as he hears her scream, his body twisting in the other direction as he runs toward her, spotting her in front of a wooden structure "Adria? I'm so sorry, are you alright?" he asks hurriedly, embracing her as soon as he reaches her, his expression mixed with guilt and worry.
