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Post by otho on Sept 22, 2010 20:57:12 GMT 8
Nightshade
I trotted easily into the Forest of Mysteries, my harks pricked. Beside me was my son, Hemlock. He was black, like his father; like me. Wings protruded from his shoulders, and a silvery-gold horn jutted out from his forehead.
I whinnied to him softly, not really saying anything, but conveying my love for the little black colt.
Wanderer I was, yet Hemlock didn't seem to be. He had preferred the Gemdas to the lands between the lands.
I had promised Fantasma that I would bring his foal to his lands, at least for a time. Now the Alicorn could meet his young one.
I stopped and called out to him, a slight smile on my face. I was sure he'd like our colt. Little Hemlock...
~*~*~*~*~*
Hemlock
I stepped daintily alongside my mother, my white hooves picking out the best spots to tread with relative ease. I stopped as mother did, watching the land. I liked the terras better than wandering, but I didn't mind wandering either. It was mostly 'cause of the way some stags acted around mother. They looked at me funny too. I didn't trust them; it was like they were about to kill me and try to hurt mother.
I sighed and sank down to my knees in the grass, noting the stillness of this place, this forest-in-valley-land. It was so strange; the quiet. So very, very new, but I wasn't sure whether or not I liked it.
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Post by .:Phantom:. on Sept 23, 2010 5:34:13 GMT 8
Fantasma was grazing quietly with his beautiful mares: Frier Geist, Omeya, and Quiet Whisper. They were all so wonderful, and the ebony alicorn wondered when his wandering love would arrive or if she would. After a time, he heard them both treading through his forest home. It could be none other but the mare and her foal! This excited him greatly. "Nightshade," he said softly, galloping over to them, not even thinking to fly. Either it was an intruding horse, or it was them. It was surely not one of those in his herd, for they moved much more quietly and easily through the lands.
The blue eyes of the stallion shimmered as he flapped his large wings a little. It was not enough to raise him from the ground, but it was a display of his joy. In the mid day purple light, his ebony pelt shone brightly, happily almost as he nickered to them both. Oh, how he had missed them. The king wondered whether or not they would stay for long. Perhaps his son was not a wanderer. Perhaps he would stay with him in the beautiful paradise that he called his home. Fantasma soon found himself skidding to a stop right before them.
"Greetings, Nightshade and colt," he said, examining the offspring that he had given the fae. He looked a lot like both of them. Inevitably, he was black, like he should be. His ivory daggers surprised Fantasma though and the silver shining horn. The colt would be the heir to the throne until he had chosen his queen, which would happen shortly.
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Post by otho on Sept 23, 2010 11:13:16 GMT 8
Hemlock
I bowed to my father, my light purple eyes watching him. He looked like I did. Kind of. He didn't have the silver-gold horn I did, nor the white hooves. Still, I could tell that he was my father. "Hello, my name's Hemlock." I said to him, smiling a bit. "Can I go see everything?" I added, looking up at him and mother with interest. This land seemed almost familiar to me.
I liked this place. It was friendly. I could tell.
~*~*~*~*~*
Nightshade
The fae smiled at her young son, then with a glance at Fantasma, she nodded to the colt. "Yes. However, don't stray too far, Hemlock. I'm sure your father will want to share with you many things."
She sighed slightly as the black colt wandered off, gazing at something in the sky. Probably a migrating bird. He sometimes flew up to play games with them, but for now he seemed content enough on the ground.
"He's more like you than me. I think we'll likely stay for a while. I may leave every so often, but I won't be very far away. And he'll likely stay even after he's old enough to find his own way."
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Post by .:Phantom:. on Sept 25, 2010 7:24:44 GMT 8
Fantasma nodded, knowing that his winged son would be a good member of the herd, whether he was assigned the role of beta, gamma, or a herd stallion. There was not a chance of him being the omega, who was the lowest of the herd standards. Only those that Fantasma did not favor were omegas. "Hemlock, my son. Let me show you Forest of Mysteries," he said, looking to the purple sky that seemed more far away than usual today.
To the left, there were caves that had mysterious properties to them; there were odd crystals when light was shone upon them. It illuminated the entire cave with purple hued light. It was one of the oddest beauties of his land. Before them was the forest, which always had low mist circling around the old, wooden, strong trees. They were very mysterious too, but wasn't that the name of the territory. Behind them, there was a collection of lakes that sparkled at night, and the planet of Venus was always viewable in the night sky, no matter the time of year. In the lakes, there were huge fish, some bigger than his son. They were dangerous, some of them. Most caused no issue to horses. Finally, to the right was the path that led up to a tall mountain of the forest, which was odd in the territory. There were caves and a collection of fire trails which confused everyone but Fantasma. He knew their ways. On one trail, there was a beautiful hideout for mares and foals, if danger could threaten. It was the most beautiful place in the lands.
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Post by otho on Sept 25, 2010 8:25:07 GMT 8
Hemlock
I smiled as I trotted beside my father, intrigued by the things I saw as he showed me the land.
The land I was currently heir to, until he chose a queen, and she bore him a son.
On that note, as well as the notion that knowing faes beside my mother would help me when I was old enough to have my own herd, I turned to where the herd was. "Who are they?" I asked my father, nodding to them with interest. "I haven't seen many others, except for my own mother and those within the Gemdas."
I looked up, feeling the dying rays of the setting sun, and seeing the strange, glowing light of the coming Venus.
My mother had said that faes sometimes had a strange connection to that planet. Perhaps that was why my mother and others had chosen Fantasma. Perhaps Venus had chosen him to help them.
Then too, by the same right, I, sharing his blood, might be so blessed as well...
I shrugged, then opened my wings a bit, reveling in a cool breeze that drifted through the valley.
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Post by .:Phantom:. on Sept 25, 2010 22:27:03 GMT 8
Fantasma looked over to his three mares, watching their beautiful forms as they grazed. All three were bay, with different markings upon their beautiful pelts. "That is Omeya, daughter of Cadifor and Kanchana," he said, motioning to the yearling fae that was his. "That is Quiet Whisper, a beautiful fae of mine with purple eyes," he said, smiling as he said her name. "And, finally, that is Freier Geist or Free Spirit. She is half hellion, half pegasus," he said, glad to have one of her kind in the lands.
He knew that Hemlock did not know that Fantasma had wanted to claim another land before this one. Before he saw this one, he thought that Cadifor's land was his for the taking. Then, he stumbled upon this border one day, and he instantly fell in love with it. "Hemlock, there is one thing I must warn you of. There are red berries that will be out in a few months. Do not eat them," he said, knowing that any who did would perish.
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Post by otho on Sept 26, 2010 5:47:09 GMT 8
Hemlock
I nodded, smiling a bit. "Mother found some early ones while we were in the Gemdas. She and Hadley crushed them all." I said to him, then studied the mares. Three bays. So mother was his only black fae it seemed. Well, that didn't seem strange. I had heard of one named Therthis, who's herd consisted mostly of white ones, though he himself was black.
"They look like they're nice. Are they? What are they like? Are they like mother?" I asked, feeling a bit too shy still to go down and meet them all. "I'm your only son though; aren't I? I hope I'll have sisters and brothers soon. I liked playing with Jegathema's daughter. She's my friend."
I looked to him, then cocked my head a bit, trying to decide if I should tell him what I was thinking. "Her name's Melodia, but I call her Mel...."
"I... Can you keep a secret?" I asked him nervously, wanting to confide in someone. I knew I could trust mother, but I didn't think she was one of the ones I should tell. Father seemed like someone who I could talk to about it though.
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Post by .:Phantom:. on Sept 26, 2010 8:57:03 GMT 8
Fantasma nodded, knowing that he would have to destroy all the red summer berries before the poison was even in them. "That is good. None should die of those horrid things," he said, shaking his head. Some had though, and he felt truly sorry for the cause of their death. The ebony king smiled down to Hemlock and then at his three mares, knowing that he would want to hear all about the herd.
"Oh, yes. They are all kind and beautiful, just like your mother. If she was not a wanderer, she would be one of my favorite mares," he said happily, looking to the three that grazed in peace. Fantasma liked the talk of Jegathema's foal, Melodia. Fantasma knew he had seen her somewhere before, probably with her mother, Angel. "She is quite a nice filly. There is no doubt in my mind that she will grow up to be just like Angel and Jegath, who are both kind and loving," he said, approving of his friend immediately.
"Of course, son. I will not speak of it," he said softly, for he was a stag who was true of his word. He had a small feeling that he knew what his son would say, but he would not rush things. Fantasma smiled to him, waiting for him to speak.
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Post by otho on Sept 26, 2010 9:03:10 GMT 8
Hemlock
I smiled at him, then began, trying to voice it all just right. "Well..." I started, then shook my head. "Melodia's wonderful. She's pretty and smart, and she's funny and nice... I... I really like her daddy. I don't want to see her hurt. I want to keep her safe... And I want her to stay with me..."
"But..." I added, looking down and hitting a pebble with my hoof. "I don't think I'm good enough for her. I mean, she could have anyone, and there're stallions like you who are so great and such... But I'm... I'm just me. There's nothing special about me, and I'm not all that great."
I sighed, looking up at him. "I don't even know if she really likes me."
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Post by .:Phantom:. on Sept 26, 2010 9:22:12 GMT 8
Fantasma looked down to his son, his eyes concerned and wondering why Hemlock didn't think of himself worthy. "You are good enough for her, Hemlock," he said, reassuring his son with a small nuzzle. "Believe me. As long as you're not mean or hateful to her, you have a chance," he added, looking into his son's eyes. "Don't try to force her, and certainty don't act like Blade or Exile," said Fantasma, shaking his head in disgust as he thought of them.
It might have been very true that Melody wouldn't like him; maybe she didn't like him at all. Maybe she was liked him too; perhaps she liked him a lot. Fantasma's son could have a future mate already. This excited the king to no end. "You won't know until you ask," he said, a warming smile upon his features. "How old are you now son?" he asked, wondering when he would be able to claim her as his own. She couldn't be too much younger than him.
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Post by otho on Sept 26, 2010 9:31:24 GMT 8
Hemlock
I smiled, then answered his question with a nod. "I'm a year and a half. Give or take a few days. She is almost exactly my age. Only a month older than me, at most, I believe."
I looked up at him in surprise though as well. "Why would I try to force her? Seems kind of pointless. I don't want her to hate me! That would be terrible!" I said, perhaps a bit louder than intended. But I was a bit nervous talking about the pretty filly.
"I just don't know if she likes someone else a lot more. And it's not like she knows how I feel..."
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Post by .:Phantom:. on Sept 26, 2010 21:35:16 GMT 8
Fantasma sighed, knowing that time was moving very quickly. The ebony Alicorn stag was very young to be a king, yet he had conquered these lands so easily. The king wondered what his first heir thought of the lands that he might someday own. Fantasma doubted that Hemlock would be the king though, for there were three others to carry on his lineage too. They had not yet had young ones in this season. Some had never had them. "That is good. Perhaps I shall invite her over here for a few days," he replied, knowing that Jegath and Angel probably wouldn't mind.
The winged stag smiled down at his son, remembering how Nightshade had said that Hemlock was much like Fantasma. "You wouldn't. I know you wouldn't turn into a forcer. You're much too alike to me and your mother. Please don't change ever, for anyone, my son," he said, pleading with his eyes. Some couldn't change their ways, but one so pure and innocent....it would just be a shame if he ever did.
"Hemlock, the only ones around her are her brothers and sisters. You definitely have a good chance. You just have to talk to her, and don't be afraid. It'll either go one way or the other," he said, knowing that being truthful was the only way to teach his colt how to act around faes. Fantasma was not innocent, for he knew of the struggles and heartaches of the world. He had seen creatures beaten and burned. It had stripped him of his innocence. There were some things that could not be hidden forever from Hemlock.
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Post by otho on Sept 27, 2010 0:47:42 GMT 8
Hemlock
I grinned a bit at that. "Not yet there aren't. Hadley hasn't had her foal yet, and Blaze's daughter, Jegathema's first, isn't in the Gemdas. The other foal there is the colt of the beta and his queen."
I sighed, bowing my head a bit. "He's nice and kind, and he has more time to speak with Mel than I do. What if she likes him more? Or what if Amani comes along and hurts her?"
I shook my head, looking sad. "I don't know what to do yet. And maybe it'll be too late when I do know what to do." I murmured, more to myself then to Fantasma, though my harks immediately pricked up at the mention of Melodia coming to visit for a few days.
"I could ask her. I can get there faster than mother, and that way you can stay with Frier Geist, Omeya, and Quiet Whisper. I'm sure they don't want you gone for long, and mother knows that in the sky, nothing will touch me."
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Post by .:Phantom:. on Sept 27, 2010 4:00:57 GMT 8
Fantasma frowned slightly at the thought of Zandere also liking Melodia. The bay colt that he had seen several times a pure hellion, so the ebony alicorn had no idea whether or not he would even been interested in a normal. His father would cover for him; Fantasma would act like he hadn't left until Melodia came home, to The Forest of Mysteries with him. Fantasma knew that Angel, Melody's mother, would be heart broken if her filly left so soon. Angelica would not come to Forest of Mysteries, he knew. It was obvious that she wanted another mate after Jegath passed.
"Go now, my son. I give you permission. Waste no time, and most importantly, listen to your heart," he said with a smile, running up to stand upon a ledge. All of his land would be find while Hemlock went to tell his first love what he thought of her. Hopefully, he would not come back heart broken. Hopefully, he would come back with a small herd of his own. Fantasma had started his herd at about Hemlock's age too. Those days, they were so fun.
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Post by otho on Sept 27, 2010 4:43:51 GMT 8
Hemlock
I nodded, and with a bow to him, and a nod to mother, I took off, circling in the purple sky before finding the quickest route and flying off.
Melodia, I thought, grinning happily. I'm coming back to you!
~*~*~*~*~*
Nightshade
The black fae moved up to Fantasma. "Where's he headed?" she asked simply, wondering if, already, he was thinking of future queens, of a herd of his own.
She hoped not. He was little more than a colt still! He was her little dear.
Then again, maybe it was best for him to think ahead. He was the only heir. For now, at least.
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