A new life(Open south stallion please)

[Arzu]

Irene

Dawn was her favorite time of the day with all the soft colors and the sun just beginning to rise, it really got her into her right frame of mind for the day ahead. It was none to fitting that she had arrived in time to fall asleep and rise with the sun. The snowcapped mare stood and gave her frame a shake, taking a deep breath of the chilled air, causing her lungs to come to life and her whole body to feel well. She loved the way the air always seemed to start with a chill and warm as the day went on, just like her frame started with a chill and warmed as well. Irene enjoyed this place it offered plenty of wide open spaces to see the sun rise and it also made her feel safe, she could see when a bad equine was approaching and move a safe distance away from them. Orbs danced to the horizon finally seeing that great ball take its place in the sky, she also could see if anyone was coming. She was smart in that sense, finally she decided to get moving, she was parched and need something to drink.

Audits danced picking up the sounds of slow moving water; turning her frame she followed the sounds until she came upon the slow moving creek. Maw lowered and took a few delicate sips of water, only taking her fill and nothing more she moved onward picking up a trot and reflecting on her journey to get here. She had met a few equines, made a few friends. Asked to lead a land but she kindly declined, yes she wanted to lead again but she hadn’t been so sure that place was to be her home and boy was she glad now that she had turned them down kindly because these lands felt like home.

Irene was happy she had stuck to her motive and kept traveling until she stumbled upon her and stopped. Just like now she had stopped and found herself lowering her maw again, tearing at the greens below her enjoying a bite or two to eat. Her frame was enjoying the early morning rays that started to warm her frame from the inside out; from crown to tail she could feel her body starting to come to life. In due time she would be ready to socialize on this fine morning, who knows maybe she would even find that special someone. Raising her crown she let a soft knicker float across the air before going back to enjoy this glorious morning.

[Dawn]

It was well before dawn that Gideon left his home in Larkspur Valley, his hooves making their tracks towards the Windswept Plains. He'd been spending a lot of time there lately, hoping to meet other equines and figure out what was going on in Imbros these days. It seemed there had been a mysterious illness that culled most of the equine population. It took virtually all of his herd, and he would never forget the names of those who perished: Hatshepsut, Alambil, Callypso, and darling little Cataleya, whose life was brutally cut short before it really had a chance to begin. Not all was lost, however - Amalthea, his first and favorite mare, managed to survive the devastating plague. It had been touch and go for a while as Gideon poured all his time and love into her, but she was finally stable enough for him to feel safe to leave her for short periods of time. He hated every moment he couldn't be by her side, but he had responsibilities to attend to, which she understood. It was time for him to begin his herd anew, for he was under no illusions of the fact that Amalthea needed female company. And he himself missed the multiple relationships he could have, every one of them unique and special in its own way. There was all too much evil in the world, and it was his job to protect those who entrusted their lives to him. His land was a paradise for all who chose to dwell within it, where he promised they would not be injured or abused. He'd failed his last herd, he'd failed Amalthea, and he'd failed Niamh all before that. He needed to prove to himself that he could still be of worth in the world yet.

He had done his best to clear away some of the bones that remained in the Windswept Plains, wanting to make the place appear brighter and more inviting to those who came here to await a stallion's approach. It couldn't be helped to disturb the dead, and he didn't enjoy the task. Gideon took the time to stand in memory of each skeleton he pushed to the pile. Eventually, there was a small mountain of them, and he had no idea of what to do with them beyond that; it was not in his physical means to bury them. With a guilty glance at all of what remained of once-living, thinking equines, he had turned away to go back home. There were still bones scattered here and there in the Windswept Plains, but nothing like the magnitude of before, and overall the place had a much more welcoming look to it. Gideon took note of this as he entered the grounds, his spirits lifting as he saw a shadow of what the Windswept Plains used to be. There were more equines to be seen today, and not all of them shrank from the roan stallion when he greeted them. The land was healing, equines were coming back in greater numbers, and perhaps the world was able to move on from this recent tragedy.

A young lady caught his eye, grazing all by herself in the weak light of the early morning. She was unusually colored, her appaloosa pattern reminding him of Slawter's varnish roan. Hers was more defined, though, and of course no two appaloosa's coats were exactly alike. As Gideon observed her, she raised her head and let out a quiet nicker, inviting nearby equines to come and join her. The red dun glanced from side to side, making sure there were no Drafts in the vicinity. This innocent creature seemed to have yet to know the dangers that could be had here, and it was his intention to keep it that way. It would be so easy for a hulking brute to drag her to the Weaklands and force breed her. Gideon pricked his ears and approached, making sure to scuff his hoof on a rock and weight his steps so as to warn her of his arrival. The last thing he wanted to do was catch her off guard and alarm the poor thing, who seemed so innocent and so happy bathing out here in the sunshine. He halted a couple of feet away, his expression polite as he gazed at the strange mare. "Good morning," he rumbled, dipping his head respectfully. "May I join you? It's a fine day to be out in the sunshine." His ears forward, he observed the lady with curiosity, hoping she would allow him to get to know her better. He was glad to meet another equine out here, and at the very least, he could help fend off any Drafts that came along to hunt for Captives to increase their number.

[Arzu]

It wasn’t hard to notice bones and remains, the lands seemed so silent sense she had arrived and she wondered if something tragic had hit and if it was only a matter of time before it made it back to her mothers herd. Irene raised her crown, looking around and hoping it wouldn’t go any further. Her mother would be growing frail and old now and Irene knew she wouldn’t be able to fend off whatever this had been. She took a moment before going back to grazing, it wasn’t that she was being careless in these lands but merely trying to keep some normalcy in her life. Harks were ever dancing and in her own ways she was paying attention to the surroundings around her. Just with a quick glance she had noted another equine some feet away from her enter the lands and begin moving bodies, taking the time to stand where each had fallen before moving on.

As the equine got closer she could tell it was a he and she started to pay more attention to him, making sure his attentions were good and not evil. She heard his hoof hit a rock and she raised her crown, harks pricking toward him as he spoke. She smiled and bowed, raising she spoke, “Good morning I am Irene and of course you may join me a little company would be wonderful.” Smiling again she did a quick check of the land and then settled back on him, “Im sorry I didn’t catch your name, you are?” She questioned softly with another smiled. She found the red dun roan quite charming and handsome at that. She loved learning about others, each equine had their own unique story that brought them to the point where they stood now.

She couldn’t help but go back to looking at the lands and the remains that still laid about, it had her curiosity but she didn’t want to ask in case it was a very painful subject for the equines around her. She couldn’t imagine going through what they had quite clearly gone through here, she could only imagine that a lot of them had lost loved ones and maybe even children. She shook her crown and focused back on him, trying to get the images out of her head, she had only experienced death in her herd a few times, her father being one who had died from illness but there hadn’t been time to morn, she had needed to pick up the pieces to the herd and get everything back to normal. “Im sorry I have seemed to have gotten myself lost in my thoughts please excuse me for that.” Irene once more smiled and waited for his replies.

[Dawn]

It was truly delightful to be so warmly received. Gideon allowed a gentle smile to shimmer across his face, grateful for the lady's trust as she granted him permission to spend time with her. After all that had happened these past few months, the red dun roan was beginning to hope that things in the land could return to normal. There had been a time when the Windswept Plains was lush with pasture, where stallions and mares could gather and converse, and hearts broke or were swept above the clouds. There was a feeling of normalcy here - everyone knew their place and role, and like it or not, they would find their destiny eventually. It wasn't all idyllic, either; a few Draft stallions prowled the meadows, searching for hapless mares to seduce or drag to the Weaklands. The occasional Draft mare also appeared, but no southern stallion was foolish enough to try and claim her. They left her to the big boys, preferring to keep their herds pure from the blood of that evil breed. Besides, everybody knew about Theseus' bias against the feathered-fetlocked kind. Who among the southern stallions was ungrateful enough to challenge that?

Perhaps Irene wasn't as nonchalant as Gideon previously assumed her to be. As she greeted him, she raised her head and gave the lands a quick scan for danger. He found himself doing the same, feeling quietly glad to see no Drafts nearby to cause them trouble. Plague or no, there was still a war going on, the same war he had grown up with. His entire life was a study in violence and heroic deeds, pain and heartbreak, battles won and battles lost. This war was all he knew; it spanned generations upon generations, and a little disease was not likely to change things now. There would always be survivors to pick up the pieces and begin anew the work of their forefathers. Thus, there was always a cause for evil to be fought and for the innocent to be made aware. It was Gideon's job to take on personally every foul deed done in the name of war, and to do his best to combat it. There was no one to tell him that nothing was his fault, he wasn't failing in his duty by not being there to help that poor stallion over there being slaughtered by Drafts, or the filly being trafficked violently to the Weaklands. Gideon's tortured mind took on responsibility for all of this, and he beat himself up with guilt every day for not being there. Because of this, he had a very low opinion of himself, and the only way he could open his eyes every morning was by reminding himself of those who depended upon him right now. Amalthea. Slawter. And there were many more that he could save, if he just kept trying.

A small silence enveloped the two of them, as Irene appeared to lose track of her thread of thought. Gideon observed her as she cast her gaze about the land, and he could tell she was seeing through the cracks that he had so carefully tried to cover up. There were still bodies here and there, decomposed skeletons of those who had perished from sickness, and the brittleness of the air still hinted at the anguish this place must have been once. Ghosts from the past still roamed here, unable to let go or move on, and occasionally one's skin will quiver and their coat will stand on end, though for what reason, they cannot say. Only time will forge a new beginning for the land of Imbros, and recovery will be slow. Irene's enigmatic gaze swivelled back and focused on Gideon, and a polite smile graced her features as she apologized for her inattentiveness. "It's perfectly fine, Irene," Gideon reassured her, trying out her name for the first time and enjoying the feel of it on his tongue. "I'm Gideon, and thank you for allowing me to enjoy the morning with you. What brings you to the Windswept Plains today? What are you looking for, if you may excuse my boldness in asking?"

He had refined his technique when it came to inviting mares back to his home. The question he was asking may have a perfectly obvious answer, but he would ask it anyway, for he saw this as an opportunity to get to know Irene a little bit better and to find out what she would expect of him should he invite her home. He was protective of Amalthea and Slawter, and that made him cautious. The last thing the red dun wanted was to cause them unease from a troublemaking newcomer in his lands. They had entrusted their lot with him, and he owed it to them to be picky about who he brought back with him. He was curious about Irene, but also wanted to be sure that she would get along with them, and the best time to be honest about these things was here and now.

[Arzu]

The mare didn’t mind his boldness in asking what she was here for, it would give her the chance to lay it all out on the table, her past, hopes and things she may want in the future. It was to her what every stallion did, they didn’t want trouble in their lands and she was far from seeking to cause any trouble for anyone. “Im glad you asked Gideon I value a stallion who gets to the point and protects what he owns, but know im not a mare who seeks to cause anyone any trouble, merely just arrived from my travels.” She paused and thought about what next to say, “I watched my father become frail and weak, eventually he passed and it was left to me to pick up the pieces of the herd next to my mother, I was still young but I knew what I had to do, it was good for a few until finally my mother took another king, that was when I bid my farewell.”

She stopped again, explaining her life she felt would help explain her better. Maybe he would understand her just a little bit more, “so I started traveling stopping along the way to make friends, I had a few offers to lead lands but to me it didn’t feel right, it didn’t feel like home until I arrived here, only then did I feel like this was home.” She smiled now feeling like she could tell him what she was looking for, “Im merely just looking for love, a chance to have a few foals, a family of my own and if ever it happened again lead a land but for now im just letting the wind and fate decide what will come my way.” With that she stopped talking giving him the chance to process everything she had just thrown his way.

After all it was only fair for him, to get the opportunity to decide if he liked her and if she was worth giving a chance. But she would also understand if he didn’t feel like she would fit in, Irene flicked her harks, listening for any harm that maybe approaching, she also took another scan of the land and was still pleasantly happy not to find anything alarming. Despite her seemingly young age, she was wise and sometimes felt like an old soul, however there were the times when the young side came out and she could be found playing in the water or racing the wind, but today she didn’t feel like playing in the water or chasing the wind, she had a job to do and that was to find herself a place she could feel safe.

[Dawn]

Gideon kept his ears pointed alertly forward, listening closely as Irene told her story. He endeavored to keep his expression warm and inviting, not wanting her to feel awkward or like this was some kind of interview. He simply wanted to learn more about her, and was willing to hear anything she wanted to tell him. Her story was interesting, to say the least. He was intrigued by her account of leading a herd with her mother. In his experience, mares did not lead, at least not here in Imbros. When he thought about it, he supposed he could see no reason why not, but the idea unsettled him. If mares ran the show, then what good were stallions like himself? He protected his herd, it was a constant task now that its numbers were swelling once more, and he took great pride in how safe his borders were. Besides, he did not have the biological disadvantage of pregnancy to contend with, nor the threat of being raped (unless the stallion in question had no standards), so it just made sense for him to be the leader in his lands. True, none of his girls had foals or were raising any, but they were able to live their lives as they pleased, without fear or insecurity, and all of this was possible because of his full-time job which never ceased. Gideon was not impressed by how much Irene emphasised her ability for leadership; he felt she was practically bragging, and her anecdotes about others wanting her to lead their lands made him suspicious. Who begs others for leadership? And if, say, he did ask her to be in charge, would she turn him down, as she had all the others? It raised a whole host of questions that made him uncomfortable.

He felt he was being harsh, but she did mention authority quite a few times, making sure that it was impossible to miss. Sandwiched between ideas of love and family and foals, of course, how could he deny her that? She sounded like an insecure soul just wanting to find her place out here in the world. So she talked up her strengths, put on a mask of confidence, and did her best to impress. Gideon, she's merely trying to appeal herself to you, by telling you how versatile she is. Have some empathy. You have nothing to lose out here, and she has everything to gain. The red dun let out his breath slowly and shot Irene a look of kindness, hoping to put her at ease. He was not perfect, sometimes he judged, and it took a minute or two for him to figure out why he was wrong. However, if she wanted to lead, she would have to work for it and prove herself trustworthy. Gideon would consider his options for second-in-command carefully, after much time and deliberation. A bad lead mare can ruin a herd, and he wanted to be sure that the mare he chose would understand that her role was to serve, just as he did, not to be served by others. "I understand," he murmured softly. He could remember how he felt after escaping the Weaklands. It was liberating, being able to embrace his new role as a southern stallion and not a Captive.

Raising his head a little bit higher, he stepped closer to Irene, his neck stretched out in invitation. "I currently hold Larkspur Valley, a truly delightful place in the southern lands. Would you like to join me for a tour? You can leave anytime, and I will not hold you against your will. The last thing I would presume to do is take away the freedom of one so spirited as yourself," he smiled. Gideon could only hope that she would accept his offer, but if she chose to go her own way, it was her decision. But surely coming out for a visit wouldn't hurt, right?

[Arzu]

She had felt like she had done something wrong, just because he had seemed to be judging her so heavily. Taking a step back from him she watched him closely, not for sure what was going to come out of his mouth. She could just feel his judging eyes and the conversation he seemed to be having within his mind and then it all seemed to stop and he said he understood, which was relieving to heat but she was also still worried she wasn’t going to get an invite, she hadn’t meant to share her successes. Obviously that seemed not what he was looking for until he merely stated he understood, however she wasn’t for sure he did and she knew she would have to work her butt off to show him she wasn’t all about leading and that she could get along with everyone and respect law and order. It was a pleasant surprise when he extended his neck and offered her an invite to his land.

She was once more taken aback and now it was up to her to decide if she wanted to accept or deny his invite. Irene hadn’t realized that she had seemed to given the vibe off as a spirited being, she was content to stay in one place and settle down, she didn’t go running off when she found what she was looking for and for Irene she had found just that here in these lands. That and she had no reason to want to leave, she wasn’t going back to her mother’s herd because she was to old so now it was up to her to prove herself here and change the visions he had of her already. Irene extended her neck out and touched his cheek with a smile.

“I accept your invite and im not always a free spirit dear Gideon I find it pleasing to have a place to settle my head at night without having to worry, I also find it beneficial to not run off that’s when you seem to find yourself in the most trouble.” She smiled again and looked around the land, there wasn’t anything new here that she hadn’t seen before, but she was eager to see what was in his lands that she hadn’t seen before, Irene was always learning it made her happy to do just that. “Anything else you would like to know Gideon I don’t want to leave anything out.” Smiling once more she waited.