|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:59 am
Chuckling to herself, the hybrid mare named Salomé finally finished her game by stomping into the water with both forehooves before dipping her sleekly muscled neck down so that her lips could reach the pure, clean water of one of Yisi’s many streams. As she drank, the tall mare reached one tail up to scratch at an itch on her rump. The sharp black blade nicked the skin slightly, but she ignored the small hurt. The gold-eyed mare was used to such things and the itch was gone, which was the main thing after all.
Letting the tail drop back down beside its brethren, the mare continued to drink.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:09 am
He regarded her silently, patiently, from among the shadows of the trees, like a shadow himself. He had seen her ilk before; crossbreeds, mutants, outsiders, all the weird and wonderful creatures who found asylum, and eventually a home, in the Hellene Territories. But this one, thought Hades to himself, was a particular gem. Such weaponry. Such wing span. Such... - he smiled to himself - ...such potential. She would make, given the proper encouragement, a fine killer.
And of course, being forever on the lookout for fine killers, he wanted her for himself.
Finally detaching himself from the other shadows, he approached her with deliberate clumsiness. He snapped a twig under his hoof, just to give her time to turn and see him coming. Startling her was not his intent.((A word to outside readers: the beginning of this RP was written on paper in Stuttgart. Endless props to the Tawnerz for being willing to type it all up... XD))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:10 am
Salomé paused mid-slurp and swivelled one ear around. Okeee... Well, so a person was there. They had not spoken, but if they were trying to be stealthy they were doing an awful job of it. So. So maybe the creature behind her was friendly, or at the very least not hostile. One could hope.
The mixed-blood mare raised her head and turned about to discover whether she was right or wrong.
A Reya stallion was before her, pink and black with outlandish adornments he was. He was also rather short, and wasn’t looking in the least bit aggressive. Well good then, good. He couldn’t have missed her mix of Jala and Reya (if strange Reya) traits so he was at the very least neutral to her sort. He was probably safe to talk to then.
“Hello siry, I didn’t know you where there until just now... My name is Salomé. Might I ask yours?” They really were interesting adornments, and he had very lovely colours. She hoped he really was a supporter of her sort. She met too few Chosen, far too few.
((XD No problem))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:15 am
Hades began to smile. It was a deeply knowing expression, and one that he had been cultivating for quite some time. “You may indeed, Salomé-siry,” he said smoothly. “My name is a kind of secret in these lands, but the people call me - among other things - Aïdoneus. These are the Hellene Territories. You are no Hellene; I feel sure I should have remembered you if you were. Such a fine mare as yourself would not so easily escape my notice.”
That, at least, was the absolute truth. If she’d been born Hellenic he’d have had her marked Omega long ago.
“Have you been here long, may I ask?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:20 am
...Had she? No, no not very long; a few days at most, maybe only one or two. It really depended, she supposed, on where you drew the border between D’ob and Yisi... He had called her a fine mare. A fine mare.
“No,” the tall crossbreed said after a moment with a smile to the small stallion, “only a couple of days I think...”
Now why would his name be a secret? ...I don’t think he’s one of Them, but it’s odd all the same, wouldn’t you say? Tread carefully until you know more, he could still be a danger for all his nice words.
Salomé nodded internally to Anna’s voice; best to investigate then. The brightly coloured mare giggle at this point and gave the green-eyed stallion a grin. “If it’s my turn to ask a question again, Aidoneus biriew, might I ask you who the Hellenes are?... If that’s their name of course, I apologize if I’ve got it wrong.” She didn’t want to alienate him, he seemed so nice... but still she should be careful until she knew more, always be careful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:20 am
“No, that’s correct,” Hades confirmed. “Handrakai Hellene owns these lands - mihandrakai Hellene. I am a Captain in our army, and much of the herd has some fear of me. They fear, or many do, to speak my true name. So they call me Aïdoneus. I use it some of the time because - ” He chuckled. “ - hah - because it’s far more interesting than the actual name. I’m surprised you haven’t encountered one of our patrols before now; if you had, I expect you’d have been offered asylum already.”
It was herd policy to offer promising outsiders a place. This Salomé-creature would probably appreciate a haven where crossbreeds were welcome.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:21 am
The feather-winged mare tilted her head on one side, bemused. Asylum. ...These Hellenes as a whole liked her sort? It was too good to believe.
The mare blinked. “...Have I understood you correctly, Aidoneus biriew?... My sort are welcome here?” Yes, he’d called her a fine mare earlier... Could it be true? A place which did not sneer down upon crossbreeds? A people who offered sanctuary to those of mixed blood? A place, in fact, where people had seen the light. A place populated entirely by the Chosen.
Well, a lucky find indeed... I think you should join them; your power could be of use to them, and if they have an army perhaps you would be allowed to join it. Wouldn’t that be a thing? An army of the Chosen.
Salomé grinned at her friend’s words before turning to the small Reya stallion once more. “Where do I sign up?” she asked, grin still firmly in place. The land of the Chosen; she could hardly believe her good fortune in stumbling across this stallion, or being stumbled across by him rather.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:23 am
Hades laughed, pleased by Salomé’s enthusiasm - and only partly because it meant he’d read her correctly. “You have understood me perfectly, my dear,” he assured her, “and your eagerness is delightful. Too many of the crosses I have wished to save have doubted me and my intentions, probably after years of abuse, and fled.”
He turned and headed into the trees. “Follow me if you will see proof - in our D’ob territories, all the breeds graze side by side with crossbreeds. Our soldiers will permit no outsider, no matter how zealous, to intervene.”
So far, this had all been remarkably easy. Hades hoped that Salomé’s case would continue to be so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:25 am
Well, she saw no reason to be mistrustful for now. Though she couldn’t see under his skin to the real him right now, it came and went her true-sight did, she thought that he was a good stallion. If he was not, she could always try her magic on him, though it seldom worked on those who looked like normal Nequus at first, and if that failed she doubted he was fast enough to catch her if she ran.
“Alright then,” Salomé said with a nod, “that sounds good to me.” So saying, the red-coated cross trotted after her guide, settling her wide feathered wings against her flanks as she did so. A place where crosses and pures fed and drank and slept and lived together. It was almost too good to be true, but only almost so the part-blood with the serrated horn trotted on after the handsomely adorned Reya, her ears perked forward attentively and her gold eyes alert; she didn’t want to miss a moment of this!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:40 am
They crossed over a few small streams on the way. Hades was glad there was nothing larger: being rather short, he tended to avoid anything that looked deep. Chances were he wouldn't be able to wade through it. As they crossed the treeline of Yisi and entered D'ob, he smiled at the sight before him. Sunset over the Hellene Territories was always a beautiful sight. To his left, a cluster of Nequus made up of three or four families chattered amiably while grazing. One of the families was crossbred - the two foals had Jala wings, but sharp little Reya horns protruded from their foreheads. To his right, a group of young soldiers were sparring two at a time under the supervision of a scarred Aeri matriarch - "Well done, Patroklos," she called to the little Bae cross, clearly the underdog against his Ichsa opponent, "that's much better! But don't let him beat you easily, Achilleus!" And ahead, the valley stretched out before him. It was populated with his people, at peace with one another and made stronger by the presence of their herdmates.
"Welcome," he said to Salomé as she stepped up beside him, "to my homeland."
No matter how many times he saw these lands, populated by his mighty handrakai, it never became any less uplifting to see them again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:54 am
Salomé grinned down at the rolling valley, and around at the people they passed. Crosses! Just like he’d said there were crosses! They weren’t hiding away, or being bullied or anything; they were just foals among other foals, adults among other adults. It was amazing, indescribable, unbelievable! This place, clearly, was where she was supposed to be. This was her home, and she would of course have to protect it. She would learn to fight physically as well as to use magic, for magic didn’t affect everyone, and she would die before she saw any of these good people, these Chosen, come to harm.
“It’s... beautiful,” the tall mare said eventually, tuning back to her companion with an enormous smile and shining eyes. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!” This was a safe place, a place where They would not easily be able to come; the soldiers would keep anyone who didn’t like crosses away. Anna, if only she could bring herself to be around people, might be happy here. Still, she understood the other mare’s reluctance; nobody liked to have even their friends know what they were truly thinking all the time.
Quite right, but I’ll sneak in and see you when I can. This is a good place to be, and Aidoneus is a good person to stick by if you can. He’s good, I can smell it, anything you can do to be close to him and help him is a good thing to do.
Salomé internally nodded her agreement before focusing her attention back onto the pink and black stallion beside her. “So... do I have to do anything special to join?” She was sure she could pass any test he threw at her, she was meant to be here after all, but it would be good to know if there were challenges ahead of her in advance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:14 pm
Hades shook his head no. "Nothing special at all - as far as I can see you fit the bill, and we offer asylum to crosses on principle anyway. You'll be sworn into the herd by one of the High Council within the next couple of days or so, along with anyone else we've picked up before then: by pledging your allegiance to the handrakai, you gain its protection on a permanent basis. You're also eligible to join the army if you wish, and that gets a little more complicated, but let's ford that stream when we get to it, shall we?" He grinned. "Actually, come to think of it, I might end up swearing you in myself. The Commandante's out of the Territories on a mission, and in her absence I'm acting Commandant - thank goodness I haven't had to do much thus far, but I think swearing in a few new recruits shouldn't be too terrifying."
He didn't want to become Commandant. He knew all too well what poor Nestra went through every day, and while she was utterly suited to the position and could enjoy it despite the trials he knew it would destroy him within a week. No, Omega Captain was the perfect rank for him - especially given he had a Commandante like Nestra to go to for advice and guidance.
...When she was around, anyway.
"Since you've got hold of me at the moment," he added after some thought, "please go ahead and bombard me with questions. Really. Anything you want to know about the handrakai, just ask. I can't be sure when I'll have this kind of time again to answer you, so make the most of me while - hah - while I'm standing still."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:55 pm
Well that was good news; she was in without a hitch. The complex army stuff could be sorted later, presumably there would be people she could ask, for now some basic things needed her attention.
“Right, great, thank you,” Salomé grinned at her companion and set her mind to finding questions for the small stallion. “Well... umm... Oh! Who's on the High Council? Who's the person in charge of the herd come to that? Are there designated grazing and sleeping areas for different people? Are there any big social things I should know about? If I want to is it okay for me to go out of the herdlands sometimes?... Ummmm...”
Enough! Leave him to answer those you big silly, you’ll overwhelm him. I know you’re exited, but try to keep cool. You want to make a decent impression after all, not to come off as some flighty, ditzy filly. If you want to get into the army, you’ll need to be taken seriously so go on and apologize! Yesh Salomé, you can be such a dingbat sometimes.
The red-coated mare grinned sheepishly at the gentle poke; it was true, she was being a dingbat. “Sorry,” she said after a moment of silence, “I didn’t mean to throw so many things at you all at once it’s just that I... Well, I never expected to find a place like this, you know? I think I got a bit over exited there, I’ll try to keep myself a bit calmer in future.” She would. She didn’t want poor Anna to be forever mentally looking over her shoulder and keeping her from acting like a fool. The other crossbreed had her own life to lead after all; it wasn’t like she was just some phantom existing only to offer good advice and companionship!
Exactly right, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to vanish on you love. I’m a mare; I can multi-task.
The gold-maned mare chuckled internally at that and thought her thanks to her friend. It was good not to be alone even when you, physically speaking, were.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 3:39 pm
Hades had been chuckling quietly to himself all through Salomé's apology. "Don't worry your head about it," he said once she had finished. "Your enthusiasm is delightful. I rarely see such youthful spirit maintained into adulthood, particularly here. I do love my herd, but people can be so...serious." He shook his head, grinning. "In any case, your questions. The High Council consists of four members: the Herdleader Meleager, he's the first among the Council, the Master Tactician Castor, new to the post but shows a great deal of promise, the First Ambassador Iris, head of our more pleasant foreign affairs and quite the famous beauty, and the Commandante Clytaemnestra, head of the army and my direct superior. Meleager-hallah you can't miss for trying; he's a big fellow, Reya, dapple-grey, walks like a warrior. Castor-hellene's a tall stallion, blueish colouring. You'd know him for his Ichsa wings and Reya tails, and the horn he doesn't have to go with them." He chuckled a little. "Hm - poor b*****d. Iris-hellene, she's pale with a rainbow sheen, an Ichsa. Lovely creature, as I said, but a little out of my league. A little out of most people's league. And Clytaemnestra-hellene is, as I say, indisposed at present, but when she comes back you'll see her around. Big Reya mare, tan brown and cream and white in patches. That's her eldest daughter over there, Iphigeneia - the Aeri-Reya palomino." He gestured with a wing. "She's by an outlander I've never met. In a lot of herds there'd be a big fuss over something like that, but here nobody so much as lifted their head from the grass."
Except me. But only because I was wondering who'd beaten me to the strike.
"Your other questions...no to the first one, and the second one I'd say...mm. The -hellene suffix is a safe bet in conversation unless someone tells you otherwise, and the army is our highest honour. Don't ask if someone has a special rank; for one there are next to none and for another it's insulting to suggest that one might be needed. Leaving the herdlands is all right provided we know roughly where you're going and why - visiting family, going to Shrilal, pilgrimages, trips to Ryuten for human aid and so forth...we understand that these things need to happen. What I will say, though, is that once you leave the herdlands we can't give you the herd's direct protection. If anything happens to you and the fault wasn't yours, you can expect the herd to make a reprisal on your behalf. If you're dead, that's not much consolation."
He thought back over the conversation. "...mm. Did I miss anything?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 4:51 am
Salomé, trying to fix the information she had just received in her mind, shook her head. “No, I think that was everything; thanks... Oh! One more thing; you said that I’d get sworn in in a few days, so do I need to be somewhere visible so I can be found, or do I need to go somewhere specific?”
No way she was missing out on this chance just because she didn’t manage to be in the right place at the right time. From what the pink and black stallion had said, she probably wouldn’t be kicked out for not getting sworn in in a timely fashion, but the spine-tailed mare had a feeling that it wouldn’t make a very good first impression. If she was to make it into the army the last thing she needed was to make a bad impression on the herd’s leaders, and indeed its people in general; she did want to make friends too after all... Would Anna mind her having other friends?
No, don’t worry about that; I know you won’t forget about me just because you meet new people. I’d like to see you with more friends, but do remember to be careful. These guys do seem to be Chosen but... well, you never know where one of Them could have slipped in, hoping to bring the Chosen down. Keep your eyes open and your mind sharp when you’re making friends, that’s all I ask.
The red-coated mare smiled and sent a feeling of assent to her friend; wariness she could do very well and would do. Anna was right; it always paid to be cautious.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
