[The Trough] Need to think (0pen)

by **Bolden Denusk** on July 17th, 2011, 4:45 am

Bolden lifted an eyebrow in surprise at her answer.

"Van has -four- wives? Three is a harem, but four? Seriously?" He shook his head in disbelief until the curls fell over his forehead.

'Typical Vanator. Any other man would stop at three wives but he always has to go above and beyond!' The more things change, the more they stay the same.

His entire expression brightened at the thought of a ride. Any excuse to be with Nightwind was a good one!

This time his smile reached his eyes and the tension lifted from him. He noted her posture was different and her eyes were whirling pools of emotion.

"Well since neither of us is going to have that second mead, I'll be right back."

The young man walked toward the bar where an older man was sitting. His clothes were practically rags and he bore no Windmark. Anyone who hadn't felt the incredible bond of a Strider could never be whole. If someone ever needed a drink, it would be him.

"Kind sir, may I ask you a favor? You see my sister in law cannot drink it and I really must get her home. But of course, we cannot leave this fine cool mead to go to waste..."

Bolden let the sentence trail off as he set down the drink before the man. Without waiting for an answer, he clapped the man on the shoulder and left him with the fresh drink. He deftly slipped the bartender an extra miza and walked back to his table.

He smiled charmingly down at Khiara and stood behind her chair to help her rise.

"A ride is a good idea right now. I think one mug each is enough for both us, hm?"

by **Khiara** on July 17th, 2011, 5:15 am

"No, no..I said that wrong. Vanator has two wives. I mean one wife and me. I mean...Vanator married Kashik, and they both asked me to join with them. I am his second wife. No more wives. I meant he just picked other women over me..but...Goddess.." The vantha clamped her mouth shut to avoid digging a bigger hole for herself to go crawl into. Watching Bolden's face brighten at the mention of a ride, Khiara sighed a little sigh of relief. Drinking, whilst refreshing, reminded the girl why she didn't - and as the young man took the last mug away the violet eyed girl found herself surprized by his actions.

"That was a rather noble thing you did just then." The brunette said with a fond tone in her voice. Standing, she smiled at his sudden charm. Always a trait she could find in the Denusk's. As Khiara stood, she felt the heady rush of alcohol flowing through her veins. The second reminder, never sit and drink. Taking Bolden's offerd hand, the young woman marvelled at the warmth. Whether it was her thicker blood from the cold or the drykas were all inherently bursting with Syna's glow, their hands were always warm. Slipping away from the table, Khiara hoped the walk to the coral would clear her head again. Leaving the tavern, hand moving to curl around the drykas' arm, the raven haired girl made small talk as they moved through the quiet city. Crickets in the grassland chirruped their song and fires crackled outside of pavillions.

"Six years is a long time to be away from home. Did you ever return to visit?" She said softly, thinking of her family in Avathal again. Would she be the same? Would they think her dead?

by **Bolden Denusk** on July 17th, 2011, 4:30 pm

Bolden grinned at the brunette, thoroughly enjoying the stuttering turnabout as fair play. He chuckled at her explanation at first. But there was something..sad maybe..? in her pitch that he couldn't quite pin down. More of a feeling really. He was one to trust his instinct over his own two eyes.

He shrugged dismissively at her 'noble' comment. The young man honestly didn't see what the fuss was for; it was just his way.

"Anyone else would do the same." he answered, not sure what to even say about it.

The young Denusk saw her weave a bit and wondered at her being such a light weight. It was just one mead.

'If I'd known she was that woozy over just one drink I could've--' He pushed away the thought quickly before it fully formed.

'Sister in law. Van got her first, as usual. Don't even start thinking it or you won't stop.'

The moment Khiara slipped her tiny hand over his arm, he couldn't help but feel how damp and cool it was.

'Like water! Is it just her or is it a Vantha thing?'

As the pair stepped out onto the grasslands, Bolden's entire self eased in comfort. His stride became more confident, his stance relaxed and the sight of the corral had him immediately at peace.

Khiara might be tipsy from drink, but Bold only got intoxicated by Striders and horses. He didn't stop to think he'd be too much at ease now and say far more than he wanted to.

When she asked the painful question of return, he simply began to answer with no forethought.
"No. Not even on--"

He was abruptly cut off by a greeting from Nightwind so loud that it quieted the crickets for half a chime and Bolden swiftly smiled with pride.

The young man immediately nickered back with a soft and uncanny imitation.

Nightwind stood 16hh, with a rare chocolate palomino coat and flaxen mane and tail. His proud carriage and crested poll gleamed in the moonlight. The stallion arched his neck and tail, high stepping and blowing as he trotted to the edge of the corral, demanding attention.

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by **Khiara** on July 17th, 2011, 8:58 pm

Khiara began to listen as Bolden spoke, her heart sinking a little. No? Perhaps she held up some false hope that if he could see them in that time then maybe she would do the same with hers. The whole conversation ended quicker than it began as a loud nicker filled the air, breaking through anything. Glancing at the corral, Khiara saw the strider.

Tall, proud and sleek like the moon shimmering in a blackend sky. The horse was eager to meet them, and the way Bolden's body language changed, it was clear he was eager to greet the horse too. As they approached the fence, the vantha smiled.

"Goddess, he is breathtaking." She said with a shifting violet gaze, lavender hues creeping across her eyes. This she could understand, a horse your only companion on a long travel far from home. It created a bond far stronger than anything else. A soft nicker sounded from behind the strider, and immediatly Khiara let go of his arm to greet Vsenri. The great white Frostmarch walked to the fence as she climbed up on the lowest rail. Stroking his cheek, the vantha spoke softly to the stallion in vani, kissing his nose as Vsenri flicked his ears and snorted in return.

"Where is your..ah there she is." Glancing up, Khiara could see the golden coat of Adelita as she cantered over. The strider allowed the woman to stroke her nose, before pulling away and walking off again. She was uncomfortable around the other strider, loud and bold as he was. Adelita was a curious strider. Protective, calm as a still lake, and quiet. The vantha was reminded of herself sometimes. Turning to look down at Bolden from her spot on the fence, Khiara smiled.

"Does he always greet you like that? One would think you'd been gone for days."

by **Bolden Denusk** on July 17th, 2011, 9:35 pm

Bolden laughed heartily for the first time in Khiara's presence and nodded an affirmation.

"Always! We've been separated two whole bells so of course he's enthusiastic."

He answered blithely, climbing the fence with ease. The massive Strider dropped his nose over Bold's shoulder, now content to have his Drykas near. He stroked the thickly muscled neck with practiced hands as he talked to the woman.

"Four years with hardly a chime apart from each other." His geniune smile flashed for the first time that night, his elated expression transparent.

He looked over the white horse with an a appraising eye, from coronet to forelock.

"Nice Frost March. Did you breed him? You know a bit of training might tighten up his topline to take away the heaviness on his fore and improve his balance."

Bolden's eyes glittered pure gold in approval when he saw the beautiful Strider mare approach.

"She's lovely." he practically breathed out. The young man's eyes caressed the mare's form as his hands would a woman. He'd shown far more appreciation for the horses than the people in the whole time Khiara and himself had just spent together.

'Perfect croup, solid tendons and a marvelous head piece!' he thought, taking her measure carefully. 'Could have some nice breeding potentia--'

His thoughts were broken by Nightwind turning his head quickly on the mare's arrival.

The enormous horse tossed his head, describing a circle in the air to greet Adelita. He half reared and started to cut shapes with his forelegs to impress the lovely mare. The stallion showed off an energetic courbette, arching his neck and back to flex his muscles to advantage.

"I think Nightwind has taken a bit of a fancy to your lovely Strider mare!" He laughed for the second time that night.

Like Strider, like rider!

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by **Khiara** on July 17th, 2011, 11:07 pm

The genuine, hearty laugh that burst forth from the young man brought a wide grin to Khiara's face. A true drykas if ever there was one, it was clear Bolden was much more at home with the horses than people. As he cast a professional eye over Vsenri, the vantha stroked the stallion and shook her head.

"No I didn't breed him. Vsenri was...he belonged to my fianceé, in Avanthal. When he...moved on from this world...Vsenri was beside himself with grief. I cared for him, and we have been together ever since. Three years now. He carried me all the way across Mizahar. He's...everything. And I honesty wouldn't change a thing." Her eyes had shifted, flowing like liquid to a soft gold as her voice softened, brow drawn slightly. It ached to talk so openly about Eliac.

Watching Nightwind play up for the golden strider, Khiara laughed. Adelita glanced at the stallion and nickered, before turning away with feigned disintrest.

"It would seem she isn't so impressed by all that high stepping." Khiara said with eyes returning to a calm violet. Under the vantha's soft hand, Vsenri made a deep sound, muscles in his massive neck tensing and ears flattening against his head.

"Tsk that's enough." The girl murmered in vani, slapping the stallion lightly on the neck and pushing him away. If she was to ride tonight, Vsenri was not the one to take. The frostmarch could never hope to keep up with a strider, and the heat would drain him to fast. Climbing higher, Khiara swung her leg over the fence and placed her foot on the other side. Once the other leg was over, she jumped down, unsuccesffuly.

The world spun suddenly, and with a gasp Khiara found herself on the flat of her back, soft grass of the corral breaking her fall slightly. Laying on the ground, the vantha groaned awkwardly, cursing in vani. Her ankle protested angrily for a moment, the injury not ready for such a jolt.

"Petching mead. Ouch." She said with a wince. She wasn't drunk, but the alcohol had left her feeling light headed and slightly off balance.

by **Bolden Denusk** on July 18th, 2011, 12:04 am

He watched her delicate features as she spoke of her loss, her gentle voice lilting on the breeze. He nodded in complete understanding.

"You did the same thing as I, almost. When my mother died, I couldn't get out of here fast enough, far enough. I had a pretty good horse at the time; I only met Nightwind 4 years ago."

Bold admired her light touch with Vsenri and noted his loving response. Only time and an honest heart could earn a horse's trust like that.

"He's a handsome fellow and you've got a good touch with him." He said with respect.

Bolden disagreed with her assessment about the mare's disinterest.

"Nope. Her ears are listening too intently and she's crab stepping to show her subtle agility. Her way of coy flirting. If she stood square and unmoving, that would be her way of saying 'back off.' Also, she's standing at about a 45 degree angle so she can see him well. Their peripheral vision is much keener than ours, especially from a side view. That was her move, and now she's waiting for his response."

The young Drykas grinned easily and pointed as he talked, enraptured with his subject. His eyes developed gold flecks in the amber under moonlight.

"Their bodies are like poetry--meant to be read and admired."

When the Vantha hit the ground, he saw her ankle turn painfully and jumped off the railing.

"That doesn't look good at all. Does it hurt badly? Laminitis bad or thrush bad?"

He asked worriedly, trying to gauge the damage and not realizing he treated her like a horse. With the confidence of a horseman, he carefully and gently place his large hand around her tiny ankle, feeling for her pulse. It was quick and thready.

'She takes the laminitis pain well.' Bolden thought quickly, as he bent by her leg.

"You can't ride solo with that ankle Khia, you're leg's not sound."

The young Denusk was confident in his diagnosis and didn't wait for her answer. He closed his eyes briefly and Nightwind stopped flirting with the golden mare to walk to his side. He checked that the Yvas was securely in place and before she knew it, he'd lifted the little Vantha up onto the stallion, ignoring any protests she might make.

He vaulted astride Nightwind behind Khia, taking firm hold of the Yvas with his left hand and held Khia close to him with his right.

"Where's your tent? You need a healer fast."

The Strider danced a little at the unusual person on his back, but Bolden sent soothing thoughts his way, taking the time to calm him as he waited for the woman to speak.

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by **Khiara** on July 18th, 2011, 1:40 am

"Lamant..thru...what?" Khiara said in question as the drykas spoke to her in a no-nonsense approach that made the woman feel more like a horse than a human. Propping herself up on her elbows, she watched him take her ankle, wincing as he did so. It throbbed slightly, but not enough to cause her too much trouble.

"It's not that..." Her protest was cut short as in one sudden move she was swept up into his arms and placed onto the back of Nightwind. There wasn't even time to think before Bolden lept up behind her, asking where the tent was. Finally The vantha could speak.

"No!" She said firmly, before her voice softened.

"Bolden, I don't want to go to a petching healer, not again. I fell, weeks ago, and its just a little tender. Really, I'm fine. I'm not about to spend another petching two weeks cooped up in the pavillion. And I'm not a petching horse, so just stop." Her voice was exasperated, desperatly unwilling to go away. The night air called to her, and she'd be damned if a little slip was going to stop her. He was right though, the raven haired vantha knew she couldn't ride solo. She wouldn't be able to get up anyway without help.

"I have riden through much worse, Goddess knows that." Holding onto the yvas, Khiara turned slightly so she could see him.

"Please?" She pleaded, her violet eyes catching his in the moonlight, voice almost a whisper.

"I just want to get away, for a while. You can understand that, can't you Bolden?" She paused, breathing shallow as she waited for his response.

by **Bolden Denusk** on July 18th, 2011, 2:04 am

His brow furrowed for a minute, realizing what he'd done without thinking first.

"I..I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you're okay and I'm more used to horses than people." He looked down at her with puppy dog eyes, truly apologetic.

"I was trying to ask if it was a deep pain or surface pain. I've spent the last four years with mostly Nightwind as my only companion."

Nightwind had already eased into a smooth walk, his transition was seamless and graceful enough to not jar even an injured rider. He neighed quietly, dipping his head to see Khiara's foot better.

Bolden smiled unconsciously and told her, "Nightwind smells your injury so he's trying to walk carefully not to hurt you."

He sat up straighter at her protest and listened to her poignant explanation.

"Going tent crazy huh?" the young man responded with a smirk, his voice a breath away from her ear. "I can understand that but you don't have to plead with me Khiara..." he paused significantly,

"I'm not your husband..."

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by **Khiara** on July 18th, 2011, 3:30 am

As the strider settled into an easy walk, Khiara noticed the stallion nuzzling near her ankle. Again, she couldn't help but smile. Turning around to face the front, she listened to Bolden's explination, nodding a little.

"Horses seem to have an affinity for an injured soul. I know Vsenri and Adelita both seem to be gentler when someone is hurt." Easing into the gentle rocking rhythm of Nightwind's gait, she felt Bolden's warm breath in her ear, blushing deeply as he spoke. A small fire ignighted in her even as goosebumps rose to her olive skin.

"No, you aren't. And I don't know what you mean even saying that." It was then she noticed the hard plane of his torso pressed against her back, thighs pressed against the outside of her own and arms unintentionally wrapped around her to steer Nightwind. Shifting uselessly, Khiara lifted her chin.

"Vanator isn't keeping me locked up. It wasn't a choice to fall, and I haven't been able to ride until its healed. You know what, I don't have to explain myself...let me off, I'll take my own petching horse." Her cheeks were still red as she spoke, uncaring that it would be a foolish idea none the less. Her eyes had brightened to a bright hue, swirling like stormy weather with clouds of gold and violet. She was a Vantha, proud and firmly believing in honor. Already one foolish young drykas had marred her honor and she would be damned if Bolden even implied she was being unfaithful. Petching Denusk and their cheek.