kick your shoes off (irene)

[Dawn]

Smooth, steady strides led the stallion back to his home in Larkspur Valley. With a backwards glance to make sure Irene was following, he continued forward a few steps and then halted, proud eyes combing the familiar hills. The sun was peeking out from behind grey clouds, and the flowers in his home were in full bloom. The purple Larkspurs which gave his home its name were most prevalent, but there were others as well; pinks and blues, yellows and reds. Nameless flowers that grew wild and tasted good, decorating his land with a riot of color. Gideon felt a knot of worry unclench in his chest as he beheld the beauty of his home. He hated to leave Larkspur Valley, it was his pride and joy, but as a land-owning stallion, it was his responsibility to go out into the world. There were things to be done, and he was hard at work building a herd once more. After losing most of his herd to the plague, he was determined to have a family here again. Amalthea would soon be tired of only having him for company. Gideon was not alone in rebuilding - the world was slowly pulling itself back together after the calamity of disease, and life had to carry on as normal.

He raised his stately head and tested the breeze, relieved to find that there were no new scents to be had. It didn't appear that anyone had passed through without his knowledge. Turning, he smiled at Irene, pleased that she had followed him all the way here. "Welcome to Larkspur Valley, Irene. This is the land I call home." Indicating with his head, he strode forward a few paces, wanting to invite her to explore. "There is another who currently resides here, and her name is Amalthea. I think the two of you will get on very well - there is not a mean bone in her body." Gideon led the way down the hill, comfortably navigating the grassy terrain. He moved a little bit slower than he normally would, knowing that Irene would be less familiar with the ground. Last time he introduced a mare here, she slipped up and managed to fall down the hill in quite spectacular fashion. Gideon found himself smiling at the memory, finding it humorous only because Amalthea wasn't hurt, and she'd also thought it funny.

When the pair reached the bottom of the hill, they stepped forth among the flowers blanketing the valley, which parted like waves to allow them passage. Gideon turned and directed Irene towards a stream which bubbled out of the side of the hill, full of cool, mountain water. He halted and drank, thirsty after his long journey, his ears flicking towards Irene as he paid attention to what she was feeling. After all, the last thing he wanted was to be a rude host! He figured she would be as thirsty as he, and that this would definitely be the best first stop when it came to exploring the land. Lifting his lips from the water, Gideon shook his head and licked them, then turned to Irene with a pleasant smile. "I hope you're not too tired after your journey. What would you like to see next, Irene? Your wish is my command." A mischievous glint came into his eye as he spoke, and he offered her a bow, sinking to one foreleg chivalrously. Straightening, he observed her for a reaction, positively glowing with joy as he gazed affectionately at her. There was little Gideon loved more than one-on-one time with his girls, and Irene was his newest.

tagged: Arzu

[Arzu]

The mare wasn’t bothered by the journey in fact she founded enjoyable, it was just like the day she had left her herd, the excitement bubbled within her and fueled her to keep going, not an ounce of tiredness in her bones. Irene payed close attention to the path they traveled making sure to pick out big landmarks so if she needed to ever go anywhere she could find her way back. She also noted a few new things she had never seen before and stored them in her brain for feature reference. She halted when he did and followed his gaze to the hills that stood proud upon a backdrop of gray clouds and peeking sun. The flowers were simply stunning in their own, there seemed to be so many kinds in his lands that she didn’t even know where to start naming and when she would reach the end of said list but all in all the flowers came together to create quite the colorful river of waves.

She smiled, “Thank you Gideon its beautiful and im sure we will I enjoy making and keeping friends, I cant wait to meet her and get to know her.” She spoke softly, following him more into the lands. They started down a hill and Irene took a moment to pause and watch how he moved down the hill and then took a moment to study the hill herself and find the route that wouldn’t send her sliding down the hill with legs every which way. She didn’t clam to be the most graceful or beautiful mare when it came to falling or any other time for that matter, she just found herself a plan jane kind of mare with some appaloosa marking that looked like no one else. She carefully picked her way down finding more confidence to pick up a trot and finish the hill with a toss of her crown, happy she had made it.

Irene followed him through the flowers, stopping to smell a few before focusing back on Gideon as he motioned to the stream. She followed suit and lowered her crown taking a few refreshing sips of cool mountain water, before backing away and listening to him and watching him bow to her. She wasn’t use to this kind of treatment and looked around the lands pondering how she was going to answer her question and then finally settled upon an answer. “Surprise me, show me your favorite spots in your lands, I want to know more about what makes you, you.” She spoke softly, stepping close to him and reaching out and touching his cheek. Irene backed and waited for what he was going to say next.

Tag:Dawn

[Dawn]

One of Gideon's favorite things in the world was bringing a mare home. Not for the ego boost, not for bragging rights, but because it gave him one-on-one time with the newest member of his herd. He cherished the time he had to get to know his new mare, and always he tried to make it special for her. In her eyes, he could see the wonder and joy of exploring this beautiful land, and it reminded him without fail of the first time he made the decision to claim Larkspur Valley. Next to his mares, Gideon valued his land above all else, for he was aware that most equines in Imbros were unable to claim even a blade of grass. And what a land his was! Larkspur Valley was every bit the paradise Gideon had dreamed of owning one day. He was immeasurably proud of it, and every time someone else admired the sloping hills of his home, they reaffirmed the strong conviction he carried within him of its great worth. It was the foundation on which he built his life and the lives of his mares, and he was responsible for keeping it a safe place. He had borders that were his to patrol, and even though Theseus had never failed yet to keep a Draft from invading the South, one did not need feathers in order to be evil. Gideon tried hard to keep an open mind and treat everybody with respect, for he viewed fellow Southerners as comrades-in-arms against a common enemy, but he also was aware that not everybody thought that way. There were killers and abusers here just as there were in the Weaklands. He had yet to run into one in the South, but he knew they existed. The testimonies he heard from his mares were good enough evidence for him. Some of them had mind-blowingly awful histories, all from the hooves of those who were sworn to protect and love them. Gideon was determined to remain a benevolent leader, sensitive to every individual who cast their lot with him. It was the least he could do, to pay back all of the wrongs he'd done.

He was encouraged by Irene thus far; her reaction to seeing the beauty of his home was wonderful to watch. While she was busy admiring the sights, Gideon had taken the opportunity to admire her, thinking about how lucky he was that she had agreed to come and visit. He truly hoped she would decide to stay here with him - he would never hold someone against their will. He saw this as a trial period, where the two of them could get to know each other before really committing. Therefore, he intended to get to know Irene as closely as she would allow him to, and oh, it helped that she was really a stunning young thing. No mare was ugly, not in Gideon's eyes, but Irene in particular was one of the most beautiful ladies he'd had the fortune of meeting. There was a regality to the way she held her head that makes one catch their breath in awe, and when she looked at you, you felt as if you really could not look away. She had that effect on Gideon, who was rather shocked at the strength of affection he already felt for her, even though they had really just met. He wasn't sure how much of it was love or simply lust; the poor stallion really needed to get laid one day. Grimacing at the thought, disliking where it had taken him, Gideon brought himself back to the present and refocused on Irene. She had begun to respond to his question, and his ears were forward as he listened to her answer. She was really very sweet, and the words she said honestly made his heart melt, they were so cute! It was adorable the way she darted forward to touch his cheek, as if to punctuate the end of her sentence. Gideon leaned into her touch, his flirtatious smile telling her he enjoyed the sensation. He would be only too happy to show her his favorite places in Larkspur Valley!

Gideon returned her nuzzle, fighting back a shiver as he got close enough to feel the heat radiating from her skin. The perfume of her coat was intoxicating to the roan male, and he felt as if he would like nothing better than to stand there all day, enjoying her all to himself. "I would be honored to show you around," he said warmly, taking a few steps forward and then pausing to see if she would follow. Satisfied that Irene was in tow, Gideon made his way downstream, following the line of the river. It was a shallow creek that bubbled from an underground spring, coming out through one of the hills. The water hurried and splashed along in a carefree sort of way, and was home to a variety of small minnows and amphibians. For maybe ten minutes they trekked alongside the spring, and the terrain gradually changed from open plains and flowers, to clusters of trees here and there. They startled squirrels and sent them scurrying back to their trees, and once, the two equines were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a deer, far from its home in neighboring Hyacinth Copse. The trees grew in number - not enough to be called a forest, but not far from it either. Irene and Gideon were soon well shaded amongst the trunks, and still they followed the creek. Gideon had a particular destination in mind, and he was eager to share it with Irene.

Very soon, the creek started to run downhill, and large rocks interspersed the water, creating rapids. The water rushed downwards and picked up speed, and very soon the banks of the creek widened, creating a large pond about the size of a small tennis court. Gideon paused near the water and turned to Irene, his cappuccino eyes seeking hers. "This definitely has to be one of my favorite places in Larkspur Valley," he murmured to her, brushing his muzzle tentatively against her dappled neck. "Sometimes, after the end of a long day, I come here to swim. I cannot say enough what a therapy these waters are." He paused in his speech to glance away, his gaze wandering idly over the ducks that floated on the surface of the pond. "You said you wanted to know what makes me, me. This is one of them. But honestly Irene, as much as I may love a few features of my land, I am happiest in the company of my mares, no matter where I am. Which means I am in one of my very favorite places right now, simply by being here with you." He glanced shyly at Irene, wondering what she would think about him being so open with her. His charming smile came back, and he flicked his tail playfully as he shifted his hindquarters away from her, so that now he had his back to the pond and was facing her. "What about you? What defines you, Irene? You helped your mother lead a land when your sire was ailing, so you obviously have a strong sense of responsibility. Were you happy to help her, or did you resent not having an easy foalhood?" Curiously he cocked his head to the side, hoping his questions were not too probing. He was eager to know more about her, and the moment just felt so right, with the two of them being right here in this place that he had long come to associate with refuge.

[Arzu]

Irene loved his answers, he was so thoughtful and sweet and she was happy that he seemed to be enjoying her company. However the tough question was asked, diving more into her past things she hadn’t even thought of when her mother had approached her shortly after her father had fallen. She hadn’t even thought to ponder her answer she had just simply said yes, without another thought giving her mother the time she needed to heal and morn. But now here he was asking if she had resented it, if she wished she had had a foal hood. Had she resented it, no, had she wished she hadn’t had to grow up so fast, yes, what child wouldn’t wish for more play time with friends or even the opportunity to make friends?

“Resent no, more time to be a child yes, however my family needed me and I needed to do what was right and that was helping my mother, yes I may have watched my friends chase each other and have a grand time but at the same time I got to experiences things I wouldn’t have just playing. I got to teach the new foals about life and yes every so often I got to chase them and play with them, so I guess that was my fun, I always had a way of making others days better and making my mother laugh, it was something my herd needed at the time, so I was happy to be given the chance.” Irene smiled and looked at him, hoping that was what he wanted to hear. It had been a tough question for her to answer but she wouldn’t have changed her answer.

Shifting she looked at the pond and everything around them, it was the perfect spot and she had just remembered him saying that he liked to swim. “This really is the perfect spot, even for an equine who doesn’t enjoying swimming this spot could offer therapy even on land.” She smiled and stepped near the water, reaching her front hoof in and pawing at the water, splashing herself and then trotting over to him and stopping next to him, she leaned against him and rested her crown on his spine. “What else do you desire to know about me?” She questioned him waiting.

[Dawn]

The consternation on Irene's face told Gideon that she was hard-pressed to answer his question about her past. He waited patiently as she cast her mind backwards, searching for thoughts and feelings that she obviously never really considered before. He still found the idea of a young foal in charge to be odd when there may be older equines better equipped to lead, but maybe she was from a different time or place where such things were accepted. The roan had always been taught that foals were to be protected and nurtured. His upbringing in the Weaklands reinforced this, as even there, every young equine was given a chance to survive. Rare was a Draft that would slaughter a foal. It happened of course, there were many atrocities in the Weaklands, but in general, it was the exception and not the rule. In an ideal world, every foal would have the opportunity to engage their childhood and grow up carefree, but the world was far from ideal right now. Gideon himself could barely remember his time as a foal - he and his mother weren't particularly close, and although she did her job in keeping him safe and teaching him about life, he was always aware that she looked after him out of duty, rather than love. They stayed together until he was about two years old, when he was large enough to protect himself. By then, his dam was pregnant with another foal, and wanted him gone so that she could focus on raising his little brother or sister. The two of them parted ways, with Gideon growing tall and handsome, and well-equipped with knowledge about how to handle himself in the world.

From Irene's story, Gideon gathered that she had found peace with her lot in life. She adapted to what her environment demanded of her, and although there were regrets, there were joys to be had as well. He admired her strength in the face of doing what needed to be done. And he understood the feeling of putting aside what you want, in order to make others' lives better. He was very much a creature that lived for the happiness of those around him, and considered his own needs to be secondary. His arresting head nodded in acknowledgment of Irene's words as he smiled back at her, enjoying the closeness that the two of them were sharing. It must have taken some measure of trust for her to open up to him that fully, and he felt honored that she felt safe to divulge these tidbits of her past to him. He himself was only just beginning to make sense of what happened in his past. Time and his new life here were healing him, but he was shy of delving too deeply into dark memories, for fear of losing his sanity. These days, he didn't think about Niamh much anymore, but was painfully reminded of her sacrifice for him. She was the only reason he was alive today, and it was his fault that she'd been brutally murdered. So much shame and so much guilt followed him everywhere he went, and the weight of it was hard to bear sometimes. He could not tell anybody though, for fear of judgment. He could hate himself quite comfortably, but to be spurned by someone he trusted? It would destroy him.

The two of them took a moment to admire the pond, surrounded by cattails and irises. Irene seemed to have nothing but admiration for it, which Gideon was pleased by. It was a show of trust for him simply to take her here, to a place that was special for him. But he had little to fear, as the pond truly spoke for itself of its sacredness and beauty. One ear swivelled towards Irene as she affirmed her thoughts to him. The bay appaloosa moved towards the water and splashed one feminine hoof into the pond, playing with the clear water. Because the pond was simply a large area of the creek, water constantly filled and left it, traveling downstream in a continuation of the stream. It eddied and had rapids, thus it remained very clean and sediment really did not have much chance to settle itself. You couldn't see down into the depths due to the fact that the water was never really still, but it was obvious how clean the pond was. Now slightly damp from her play in the pond, Irene trotted back over to Gideon, who had remained where he was. She leaned her body against his, her warm weight draping itself over him as her head came to settle on his back. Gideon closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment of contentment, thrilling in the physical closeness between them. He could have happily stood there forever entwined with Irene, basking in the warm glow of her affection, but he was aware of her need for a reply.

"One more thing," he murmured, craning his neck around so that he could meet her gaze. His voice was serious, halting, as he did battle with himself to figure out how to ask this very important question. "Please be honest with me ... do you - do you happen to like ... swimming?" "With a cheeky grin, he jerked away and cantered towards the pool, splashing through the shallows. The water was cool and refreshing, and he enjoyed the sensation of lightness that always seemed to envelop him when he engaged in swimming. He turned back and flashed an encouraging smile in Irene's direction, dipping his nose in the water and flipping it back up playfully, creating a spray of mist. It was not a deep pond, so there was little fear for those who didn't know how to swim - the water came only up to his chest. "Join me!" he called out to Irene, arching his neck and raising a muscled foreleg to paw at the surface of the water.

[Arzu]

Irene waited as he pondered what seemed to be a very important question. She was prepared to answer anything, anything at all that he could possible ask. So she waited patiently for him to speak and when he did she hadn’t been expecting that from him, here she had thought it was something serious and it was about swimming. Not that she minded she was kind of happy to say the least that it was a swimming related question and not something more serious. She smiled holding back a smiled from him and watched as he went bolting for the water and splashed through the shallows and then flicked the water playfully. She laughed and trotted toward the pond, stopping just before. Just so she could watch him for a little bit more.

“Oh I don’t know if I should I might ruin my mane.” She teased lightly, she wasn’t worried about how she looked at all, she would go roll in the mud all the time and greet others covered in mud. “Im only kidding, watch out because here I come.” She spoke and trotted into the water deciding that she didn’t feel like cantering. She made her way towards him, dipping her nose into the water with a light laugh as she flicked water towards him and took off, trying to get out of his reach.

The water felt amazing and was especially refreshing after such a journey and was even more enjoyable being her with such good company. Irene knew she was going to love it here and she would never leave him, she would always be true, faithful and loyal to only him. “I already love it here and you make it all that much better.” She spoke with a sheepish smile, waiting to see how he would react.