Immortality.
An elusive chanteuse to some, but to Assailant, life everlasting is something he has never given much consideration to. In fact, the realization that death holds no sway over his existence is a relatively recent discovery, born of the interminable entrapment within the earth that he had escaped only a short time before embarking on the sprites’ quest. He ponders her comment and question about his immortality. ”…things you must have seen…a blessing or a curse?”
”Well, I can’t say I’ve seen that much, and, in truth, I don’t feel strongly about it either way.”
”I must have offended Mother Nature somehow, for she saw fit to trap me beneath the ground for a very long time. It must have been close to a hundred years, maybe longer. Many things have changed since my last time on the surface, and not just the landscape..”
”I lived in the days when the lines were much clearer between dark and light, between good and evil. I remember some of the battles, but I couldn’t really tell you what they were about. Truthfully, I’ve never cared much for politics and war, so I avoided the rulers and their lands as much as I could. Amusing, considering one of my children was a queen for several years..”
This memory’s appearance surprises him, apparently his subconscious had paid more attention to everything that he had realized. He would be even more surprised to know that his blood had spread to nearly every (if not all) of the kingdoms of Beqanna’s past and present. Oh, the irony.
”I suppose it could be considered a blessing to be part of such a long history, but I’ve missed a lot of it, so how much of a blessing is that? I could say it’s a curse because most of the people I knew are most likely dead, but I was never really close to anyone. Well, except for Demise. She was a spitfire..” The fondness brims in his eyes when he speaks her name. A maniacal woman, utterly devoted to him and the closest approximation to love that he had ever known.
He lapses into silence, which gives Famkee time to appraise his appearance. Unconsciously, his wings lift and spread ever-so-slightly as he thinks of Demise, easily the most favored of his mares. A twinge of longing picks at his heart. He wonders whether she would still care for him if she was still around to see the man he is becoming.. increasingly philosophic and, quite frankly, insecure.
Distractable as well. His attention returns to the buckskin mare at her soft words. This brings a small but genuine smile to his face. ”Thank you. A tribute to my past, perhaps? I was always told that my grandmother, with her delicate wings and horn, was one of the first mythical beings to set foot in Beqanna.” There is no boastfulness in his voice when he mentions his ties to Banat er Rih and her genetic contributions to the now-myriad magical traits of Beqanna’s people. It is merely fact, something that he does not realize may be awe-inspiring to the younger generations, therefore something he does not see worthy of ego.
Talk shifts seamlessly to his horn, his suggestion of becoming her pupil. He can feel the needles of her tone prodding at his senses when addresses this. He had readily assumed that she was some type of skilled veteran, so the fact that she does not immediately puff with pride when she speaks of her implied skills catches him off guard. Still, she does not parry his proposal. ”I will keep that in mind. I’m not sure that I’m ready to sign up for classes just yet. But I don’t deny that it would be useful to know how to pick up the artist’s brush. Someday”
The confident edge of her voice seems to melt away, not unexpectedly, as she describes her newfound soothsaying. He knows there is a word for it, but it clings stubbornly to the tip of his tongue as she tells of the confusion it brings her. As she finally discloses her name to him, another name springs forth to fall from his lips.
”Clairvoyance.”
”I’ve heard of it. I can see how it would be overwhelming in the beginning.. but you seem like the type that can handle it. Is there anything that I can do to assist in keeping you grounded, Famkee?”
@Famkee
no need to apologize! strike while the iron is hot! I've been itching to reply, but work was a killer this last week :/