08-12-2019, 01:37 AM
The memory of the fire that day still burned within a dark place inside Aten's mind. His nightmares were not as prevalent as they had been in the early days, but it was enough that, on some nights, he would wake up shaking, and, on occasion, with a scream. He was lucky that Lethia and her foals hadn't had to experience that yet; he didn't want to alarm her.
He had told her some of his history in Taiga, but not how he had barely escaped the fire. The memories haunted him like a ghost, and it was painful enough to think about that time. He didn't know if he was ready to tell another soul more about it.
Add that to the negative feelings it brought forth. That day had marked one of the darkest in Aten's life... the day he'd lost his home, his family, his friends... they were all one in the same in his heart. He would gladly have given his life to defend them. He tried to do so, with Jinju, when she'd been trapped in the fire, but had escaped of her own volition.
Sadly, that would be the last time Aten would see his friend as... something potentially more than a friend. For the next time he did was when that magic had taken hold of her and returned her to her foalhood. Aten looked after her as a brother from that point on, and was glad to do so since he still cared for her.
But the fire... had left more than just physical scars that night...
When Aten had finished sharing his knowledge of Taiga's history, which was only a small part in what he knew of Beqanna's tales, Wolfbane shared some of his own. As Aten had heard, Wolfbane had indeed settled into Loess first, establishing it as a kingdom territory. Apparently, it had also been around the same time Lillitha rose to power, though Wolfbane did not specify if it had been here in Taiga or elsewhere.
Aten wondered how close that portion of their stories were... was Lillitha in charge of another kingdom before this? That would have explained some things.
Wolfbane then asked Aten a question that the golden stallion indeed chose not to answer due to how it was phrased. Aten, despite hearing tales of Wolfbane, had not yet heard of the stallion's birthplace. But he would keep that in the back of his head... perhaps he would have some searching to do, when he next ventured to the volcano kingdom.
Wolfbane would go on to finish his shorter story with a comment that, despite what both stallions may think, they were alike in a fashion too. And that Ruan had seemed to have a good idea. Aten had a similar one for himself as well, though he wished to expand it to more than just orphan foals. He wished to provide a safe haven for mares who wanted to get out of difficult situations, not just to offer them a place with a new stallion who could protect them and wouldn't force them to mate.
No. Aten would not follow his sire in that fashion. He would offer the secret glens he knew of here in Taiga to the mare herd to keep them safe, protected, until they were ready to make their next decision about life. Of them, he would ask no more.
Wolfbane asked Aten for one more piece of information before the golden stallion would do his own digging. The answer was simple, yet complicated, depending on how detailed and thorough Aten wanted to make his answer.
The golden stallion's eyes glassed over for a moment as he thought about his answer, and then took a breath as he began.
"I honestly did not wish to lead at first; I merely wished to protect Taiga's land and those who lived there. But when Lillitha offered me the throne, I saw it as an opportunity to achieve my dream and expand upon it as well. I could be here, watch over Taiga and her residents to keep them safe, and, like Ruan and Lillitha before me, I would offer help to her allies whenever she needed it.
"But this kingdom, while not neutral to a degree, would be a safe haven, for those who only wish to live in peace and not get caught up in kingdom politics and war. I had planned to have diplomats and protectors here, but merely for our own kingdom's benefits above all. The protectors would help defend Taiga's land, and the diplomats would conserve efforts of fighting so there would be no war in the hopes that the protectors wouldn't be needed.
"At least... that is what I had planned to do. I am not sure how much of that I can achieve in my current... status," he ground out, trying his hardest now to not speak of either Wolfbane or Lepis in a harsh manner. He was at least trying to act civil, a huge improvement from when this all started several moons ago.
"If you wish to know more, I will do what I can to answer you. But I have questions of my own, one of them being, what is the real reason you and Lepis came for Taiga's throne? I understood only what little you told me, but it can't be as simple as that. Every other leader I've met that journeyed to another land to throw out it's leader at the time only wished to do so for power and control. That never ended well.
"And though I have heard your name, there is not many in the common lands who seem to know a lot about your true history, let alone Lepis'. It makes me wonder what you are willing to share after I informed you of my connection to the forest."
@[Wolfbane]
He had told her some of his history in Taiga, but not how he had barely escaped the fire. The memories haunted him like a ghost, and it was painful enough to think about that time. He didn't know if he was ready to tell another soul more about it.
Add that to the negative feelings it brought forth. That day had marked one of the darkest in Aten's life... the day he'd lost his home, his family, his friends... they were all one in the same in his heart. He would gladly have given his life to defend them. He tried to do so, with Jinju, when she'd been trapped in the fire, but had escaped of her own volition.
Sadly, that would be the last time Aten would see his friend as... something potentially more than a friend. For the next time he did was when that magic had taken hold of her and returned her to her foalhood. Aten looked after her as a brother from that point on, and was glad to do so since he still cared for her.
But the fire... had left more than just physical scars that night...
When Aten had finished sharing his knowledge of Taiga's history, which was only a small part in what he knew of Beqanna's tales, Wolfbane shared some of his own. As Aten had heard, Wolfbane had indeed settled into Loess first, establishing it as a kingdom territory. Apparently, it had also been around the same time Lillitha rose to power, though Wolfbane did not specify if it had been here in Taiga or elsewhere.
Aten wondered how close that portion of their stories were... was Lillitha in charge of another kingdom before this? That would have explained some things.
Wolfbane then asked Aten a question that the golden stallion indeed chose not to answer due to how it was phrased. Aten, despite hearing tales of Wolfbane, had not yet heard of the stallion's birthplace. But he would keep that in the back of his head... perhaps he would have some searching to do, when he next ventured to the volcano kingdom.
Wolfbane would go on to finish his shorter story with a comment that, despite what both stallions may think, they were alike in a fashion too. And that Ruan had seemed to have a good idea. Aten had a similar one for himself as well, though he wished to expand it to more than just orphan foals. He wished to provide a safe haven for mares who wanted to get out of difficult situations, not just to offer them a place with a new stallion who could protect them and wouldn't force them to mate.
No. Aten would not follow his sire in that fashion. He would offer the secret glens he knew of here in Taiga to the mare herd to keep them safe, protected, until they were ready to make their next decision about life. Of them, he would ask no more.
Wolfbane asked Aten for one more piece of information before the golden stallion would do his own digging. The answer was simple, yet complicated, depending on how detailed and thorough Aten wanted to make his answer.
The golden stallion's eyes glassed over for a moment as he thought about his answer, and then took a breath as he began.
"I honestly did not wish to lead at first; I merely wished to protect Taiga's land and those who lived there. But when Lillitha offered me the throne, I saw it as an opportunity to achieve my dream and expand upon it as well. I could be here, watch over Taiga and her residents to keep them safe, and, like Ruan and Lillitha before me, I would offer help to her allies whenever she needed it.
"But this kingdom, while not neutral to a degree, would be a safe haven, for those who only wish to live in peace and not get caught up in kingdom politics and war. I had planned to have diplomats and protectors here, but merely for our own kingdom's benefits above all. The protectors would help defend Taiga's land, and the diplomats would conserve efforts of fighting so there would be no war in the hopes that the protectors wouldn't be needed.
"At least... that is what I had planned to do. I am not sure how much of that I can achieve in my current... status," he ground out, trying his hardest now to not speak of either Wolfbane or Lepis in a harsh manner. He was at least trying to act civil, a huge improvement from when this all started several moons ago.
"If you wish to know more, I will do what I can to answer you. But I have questions of my own, one of them being, what is the real reason you and Lepis came for Taiga's throne? I understood only what little you told me, but it can't be as simple as that. Every other leader I've met that journeyed to another land to throw out it's leader at the time only wished to do so for power and control. That never ended well.
"And though I have heard your name, there is not many in the common lands who seem to know a lot about your true history, let alone Lepis'. It makes me wonder what you are willing to share after I informed you of my connection to the forest."
@[Wolfbane]