Ruby in the Rough (closed)

[Tebridiar]

Year 510, Fall, Day 26
Tag: Kayiri

The russet horse was lead inside the twisting gates by the old man, a strange smirk twisted the corners of his mouth into a crinkled smile.

There was a lot going on within the city, it was nightfall but everywhere was alive with a buzz only this place could create. Great white tents and attractive market stalls closing up for the night where everywhere, aswell as some travellers and music makers, and a few story tellers.

A few people seemed to stare at the horse, she was quite a beautiful creature. A lovely, glimmering red, odd bright blue eyes. She seemed to take in and convey a lot of imformation through those shimmering pools. Almost more than a horse. Many Drykas eyed her appreciatively. It trotted ahead of her master slightly, eying everything curiously. The man tugged on the rope around her kneck, and she quickly settled down.

"Now, now, my pet. Not here, not now. Inside, my dear... I have a tent for us." He lead her forward for a while, and he stopped her at a medium sized tent.

"After you, my dear." To the surprise of some, the horse walked into the tent.

[Kayiri]

The nomadic city had stopped for the night. Semes were freed from the burden of the Pavilions that they pulled, left to roam and graze as they saw fit, but they were ever under the watchful eye of the Drykas. A traveler was not an unwelcome sight in Endrykas, but it was an odd one. Not many could walk the Sea and survive, let alone find the collection of tents and Pavilions that made up Endrykas. Those that did could consider themselves blessed.

Kayiri sighed as he sat at the edge of the Starweaver Pavilion, legs dangling over the side. Green eyes stared blankly into the never-ending fields of grass. This was one of the few times he could feel safe, when his family's Pavilion was this close to the center of Endrykas. Glassbeaks would not dare come this close to the center of the proud city. Or at least, he hoped they wouldn't. His hopes, however, did not exactly hold things out of Endrykas like armor. If they did, he was certain that the Sea would be notably safer.

Enough rambling in his thoughts! He had things to do, even at this hour of night. Or at least, he liked to tell himself he did. He pushed himself from the Pavilion, whistling sharply and calling out to Serenity in Pavi. Twenty seconds later, her buckskin head poked out from around the Pavilion, and she trotted over to him, stopping with a sharp breath passing through her lips. A loving hand found its way to her flank, stroking her affectionately.

Kayiri raised himself up onto her back after attaching her Yvas. "Off we go," he whispered, urging her forward with his legs. The Strider trotted off proudly, and together, they wove through the improvised streets of Endrykas.

A foreigner had arrived. Interesting. It was not everyday they saw one of those. A pang of pain shot through Kayiri's heart as he watched the man tug on the rope attached to the horse's neck. A scowl. Inconsiderate foreigners. "Learn to use a Yvas!" he shouted as the foreigner retreated into his tent. Wait, what? The horse followed him in. Horses didn't normally follow people into tents, especially horses that weren't Drykas owned and raised. What was this madness? The Drykas brought Serenity to a silent halt, watching the tent curiously. What was going on...?

[Tebridiar]

The old man took one last look outside the tent, craning his kneck around to see if anyone was observing his goings on. He could have sworn his old ears had detected someone shouting in his direction, and his blurry gaze fell upon a tall, dark haired man looking curiously at the tent.

The man considered shooing him away, but though better of it, content to give him a venomous glare then retreat inside. A small lantern was already lit for them on a little wooden table, giving the tent a heart glow, the canvas was bathed in a dancing yellow light and all the homely decorations danced happily in the golden rays.

The Drykas had curious homes. Strange pillows where placed around the little table, there didnt seem to be much in the way of chairs in here, but atleast there was something he required more urgently... beds.

The horse was lying down on the floor, the russet tones of her glossy coat enhanced by vibrant yellow. Her eyes were slowly succumbing to the tiredness that had plagued her for many, many days. The Sea of Grass was not an easy place to travel across, even with a band of people who knew it well, even across the well trodden caravan tracks and paths... It was wild, and none could tame it.

"Well, having a lie down are we, Tebridiar?" The old man hunched over to stroke her mane. "You may be tired, but you cannot rest quite yet, dear. Remember? Your promise to me?" His glassy eyes seemed to rest on hers for a moment, she whinnied in surprise.

"No, no... Don't do this. You knew exactly what I wanted, exactly what our deal was, pet. Here, here are your clothes." He muttered, tossing a blouse and trousers onto the ground. "Be quick, we don't have all night.

---

The old man gave her a few more seconds, allowing her time to change and dress, then turned around swiftly.

Stood before him was no longer a horse, but a girl. A strange girl. Pale skin, icy blue eyes, and long red hair, waving around near her elbows. She wore a blouse, and some little quarter length trousers.

"Where are the rest of my clothes?" She said, her voice stern. The old man looked her up an ddown appreciatively, rubbing his hands together. The girl shuffled in her feet, suddenly made uncomfortable.

"Well, Tebridiar. I figured you wouldnt need them. No point putting on extra clothes...just to take them off again." He stepped forward, taking a lock of her silky hair. She snatched it back, turning away.

"Master... what are you doing?" She twirled the lock of hair in her delicate hands, stroking it down, as if to rid it of impurities. "I wont be forced into making a bond I dont want to. I wont have it."

The man frowned, his bushy brows closing in on his eyes, which were narrowed into slits. "Really, dear?" He crept forward inches away from her. "Do you really have the right to tell your master what you will and won't do, hmmn? Do you think you could let me down, after all I have done for you... after all the promises Ive made for you..."

His arms snaked round her waist, and the girl frantically struggled. "No... I... wont... I didnt choose... I didnt choose this! I didnt choose you... I would... never have chosen you!" The man tightened his grip, locking his hands in place. He attempted to lift her, but she was heavier than she looked. Tebridiar kicked wildly thrashing now. "I have never consented! You... you cant do this! You know what those men did to me, what they did to me in Sunberth! You won't make me relive that!"

The man whispered into her ear, his bristles lightly jagging her fragile lobe. "You dont have the choice anymore. And once I bond with you, theres nothing you can do..." Tebridiars eyes widened in shock, she attempted to root herself in the ground. She screamed, yelling for help, straining her vocal cords. A sharp slap was delivered ot the side of her face, but in doing that, her master had loosened his grip on her stomach.

Terbridiar clawed her way out and kicked him in the shin, her eyes ablaze with a new fire, hair tossed around her haid like a red halo. She grabbed her pack from the table, running wildly for the exit, checking the bags contents as she went. She opened the flap to the tent, and took off.

[Kayiri]

Screaming. Yelling. The voice of a female. Only a male had entered the tent. Where had the voice of the female originated from? The Drykas was curious, and quite damned certain that horses did not sound like females. A sharp scream from the female voice. Something was horribly wrong, he could feel it in his gut. The hair on the back of his neck rose to stand on end.

Then, a woman emerged from the tent, sprinting, as if she was running from something. Her feet fell quickly and lightly upon the ground. His entire body screamed that something was wrong with this scene, Women did not run from tents screaming without a reason. Not to mention, it didn't help that there was a big red hand print on her face.

Wait! He looked into the tent as the flaps closed. There was no horse left within the flaps. A quick examination of the area around him confirmed that it had not bolted from the tent... but then where had it gone? Horses did not vanish into thin air. Unless... Was Pygmy not the only animal girl? No, she had to be the only one... But what if...?

Kayiri urged his Struder forward, breaking into a fast trot. Very, very quickly, he caught up with the sprinting woman, pulling alongside her. Serenity matched her speed with ease. Eventually, he cut in front of her, green eyes meeting hers sharply.

"Explain now, and explain quickly and throughly. Your explanation now decides whether you spend the rest of your life in slavery or if your shackles are to finally be lifted. A man and a horse walked into the tent, yet you, a woman who can not have weathered more than sixteen winters, emerge. How? Why did you scream? Where did the horse vanish to? They do not disappear into thin air, even in the never ending Sea that surrounds us," Kayiri spoke slowly, most likely due to the panic the young woman was in. Speaking slowly was always a good start when it came to helping foreigners understand his accent, too.

[Tebridiar]

No. No no no.

She longed to escape, leap past him, and just keep running, never stop.

But he knew. Somehow, he knew. Had he been watching since they entered Endrykas? Tebridiar trembled slightly, and twisted around, looking back at the tent. Shadows danced on the canvas. She didnt have much time.

She crept closer to him, out of earshot with the others. She felt safer next to the horse, a lovely warmth beating from its heart, beating in time to the galloping hooves of a wild strider. Tebridiar had a very strange way of speaking, and she somehow managed to convey a lot with her eyes. She had learned to, over the years. She projected her voice in such a way that it was nearly out of earshot of all the onlookers, but the man could hear her.

"I didnt see you, when I came here. You were watching, weren't you?" She snuck a glance towards her tent. "I am certain now that you know I am a kelvic?"

She looked into his eyes, holding a steady gaze. But deep down she was anxious, and terrified. She turned around, and people were beginning to gather outside her masters tent. A few people went inside, then quickly emerged, staring into the night, looking for something.

Or someone.

Tebridiar shot a pleading glance at the boy. "Help me, help me please! Ill tell you anything you want to know... if you get me away from here!"

[Kayiri]

The Drykas's eyes never wavered from the girl for more than a few brief moments. When they did, they shot up to the tent, checking the progress of the older man who would likely emerge in a few moments. Within, his heart was warring with his mind. He couldn't save the girl, it was illegal. He would be put to death-- or worse, exiled to the Sea on foot-- if he aided her! She was a slave, the property of another man, but she wasn't normal, she wasn't human. She was a horse, yet *also* a woman, something he had only seen once before. How many of these bizarre animal mixes were there?

Back to the topic at hand. His heart screamed at him to carry her away from the hands of her master, one who, more likely than not, was abusing her when she screamed before fleeing. Was he abusing a woman, one whom was her property, or a horse? A frown played across Kayiri's face as her eyes spoke to him, transmitting her fear more clearly than her eyes ever could. Her behavior, he couldn't describe it. She was terrified, but she didn't act like a terrified *person*. No, she, despite looking like a person, acted more like he knew Serenity to behave when she was scared.

"The Drykas see everything that happens on the Sea, girl," Kayiri said. The statement and its presentation were rather simple, but there was something about the way they rolled off of his tongue that made them more ominous than he had intended to a foreigner. Wait, these animal people had a name? Kelvics? Who in the world had come up with that name? The man's face scrunched up for a brief moment as he processed the word, then snapped back to reality.

His heart was too much for logic to hold back. If he was followed, he would explain, he would show them all that she was a horse, that the Master had been mistreating a horse and a woman at the same time. Without thinking, the man extended a hand to her, nodding silently. If his aid was accepted, he helped her up onto the back of his Strider, and bent over to whisper in his steed's ear.

"Run, Serenity. Run like the wind," He urged her forward with a gentle squeeze of his knees. And with that small motion and that little loving urge, they were off, galloping through the outskirts of the weaving paths of Endrykas, riding off to the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. Freedom was just around the corner.

When they arrived at his Pavilion only a few moments later, Kayiri dismounted, extending his hand to help the woman down from the back of his horse. The moment she was off, he buzzed busily around her, removing the yvas from her back. A brush found its way into his hand, and then ran up and down her flanks and legs lovingly. When he finished, Kayiri's mouth rose up next to her ear, whispering softly in Pavi. A kiss placed itself on her neck, and then she vanished, trotting off into the herd of horses near the Pavilion.

"Come, now, let us be civil. I am Kayiri of the Starweaver Pavilion, of the Diamond Clan," the Drykas introduced himself, climbing up onto the Pavilion, offering his hand to her. "Just a word of warning, I will not hesitate to take you back to that master of yours if I find out you are not really both a horse and a woman."

[Tebridiar]

What... What?

This strange man had turned out to be very useful indeed. But it was still a time to be wary...

Somehow, Tebridiar immediately felt a connection to this person, Kayiri. He hesitated for only a moment when she asked for help. But even in that moment Tebridiar felt abandoned. Yet then he appeared to change his mind. Why?

It was a marvel to see how he talked to his horse. He acted as if this creature wasn’t a separate entity, it was more like she was an extended part of him, flesh and blood. This much she could read from the pair. Is it possible for people to love creatures, as if they were human? Lots of questions buzzed around the girls head like angry flies, she just wanted them to go away, she wished to lie down and crumple and rest. However, their was unfinished business with Kayiri. She was still stood in front of the pavillion, zoned out, and she suddenly snapped back to reality.

Tebridiar took the boys hand. It was warm, and large. Reassuring and protective. Tebridiar took a quick glance around, it was a vibrant place, and warranted exploration later.

"I cannot thank you enough for rescuing me, sir..." Tebridiar started, but then she faltered. "Yet I sense that this is not a time for thank-you's. I will let them come later. I expect you have a lot of questions for me, but I too seek answers." They both sat down on an inviting rug.

"You scared me, earlier. I was half expecting just to take off and keep running, but you stopped me. I thought you were going to hand me right back, you know. That man, he is my master. And what he was attempting to do, it disgusts me." Tebridiar occasionally made eye contact, and she noticed Kayiri's expression begin to change. "See, I have been in his ownership for about, hmmn... two years, I'd say. And they have been long. Half my life. My mother, and father, they are both dead. I am his, he tells me. And I am starting to believe it."

Tebridiar had to pause for a few moments, emotions were rising high again. She often restrained herself, she tried to be numb most of the time. "He tried to take me tonight, in the tent. That's why I screamed, and you obviously heard. But as for the horse you saw entering the tent, that was also me. We are called Kelvics, I don’t know how many there are of us, or if you have seen any before. We are shapeshifters, and we can take many forms. But I don’t know much, my Master keeps me in the dark about a lot of things."

It was deep into the night now, and it began to grow colder. Tebridiar longed to meet Kayiri's horse again, she would be warm and keep the cold away. "Well, there’s a lot more to tell you. And a lot more to show you, but I must wait until it is completely safe before I show you what I really look like. But I have a few things to ask you, also." Tebridiar bored her eyes into his, seeking deeper. "Like for instance, why were you observing me in the first place? You must have been watching us the whole time... Also, you and that horse. Your bond is strong, I havent seen anything like that before. Do people usually treat horses like that? Oh, and do you still consider sending me back to my master, or am I safe at last?"

[Kayiri]

"Thank me not. I did what was right," was all the Drykas said. He vanished within the Pavilion for a few moments, reappearing with a bowl of wine for the Kelvic. He handed it off to her with a smile and a nod, and then listened to her speak. Ugh, Passion. The driving force of more crimes and inhumanities than he cared to think of. Kayiri remained silent as she repeated the name of her species. Wonderful, more roamed the world. How many were there? Hundreds? Thousands? He furrowed his brow as he contemplated just how many of the strange things could be running across Mizahar.

Finally, she gave him a chance to answer questions, which he did silently and simply. "The Drykas know of every movement in the Sea. We feel it in it the wind, hear it in the conversations of the Grass," he said softly, choosing his words carefully. "I was." He let the weight of his words sink in for a moment before listening and answering yet another question. This one... had more than a little bit of fiery passion behind its answer.

"She is as close to me as my sister or my brother or my father. Serenity is one of us. It is by her grace that my life has been save many times, and by her will that I have the honor of riding her," he answered. "The rest of the world, they know nothing. They ride their horses without respect, wrapping their muzzles in full tack, strangling the creature with all they throw onto it. They treat their horses like pets, like animals. They do not understand that it is by their horse's will that they are carried from place to place," he paused once more, looking her in the eye.

"They're all ignorant, oblivious. Horses are a gift, part of the family as much as each and every Drykas is. They are to be loved, respected, and treated with compassion and adoration. No less." From this, he rolled straight into his response for the final question. "It depends, do I get a name, or not?"

[Tebridiar]

What a kind person. Tebridiar hungrilly devoured the food, she had been slightly underfed through the journey, the only time she got to stop was to sleep, and she was so tired she barely had time to eat. This food was delicious... the hospitality of the Drykas was admirable.

As he conveyed the importance of his horse, the girl warmed to him considerably. There was a burning passion in his eyes, his horse, Serenity, was like an extension to him. He had such emotion in his words. It helped her to relax, and trust him. She was usually very vague with strangers, but he seemed to whisper quietly to her heart and let her open up to him.

"A name? Ha, I forgot about that. Tebridiar is my name, I dont have a surname, never needed one." She laughed at the thought of it. Having no surname must be so strange to an ordinary person. It had been a long time since she laughed like that. "Maybe Ill find a surname along the way, who knows?" She nibbled on some food for a few moments. "So you are Kayiri. Either the drykas are wonderfully kind, or you are just... hmmn." She couldn't put it into words. He was proud yet humble, stern yet somehow, soft and caring.

"Well, if you want to see my other form, I can show you?"

Tebridiar slipped out of the tent, into the cool Autumn night. It was beautiful in its own way, stars twinkling brightly in the sky. She found a place mainly out of sight of people, and tents with entrances facing the opposite direction. She quickly stripped out of her clothes, the wind was cold. She forgot for a few moments about the boy who could see, well, everything...

Then she blushed bright red, and attmepted to cover herself, muttering apologies and avoiding eye contact. Rarely did she get embarassed, this person seemed to ellicit all sort of long lost emotions. She quickly transformed, and the world was a different place.

Its hard to describe what happens, when a kelvic changes. They don't really know what happens themselves. It just... is. Her vision became blurred, but she stood there in all her natural glory, her mane tossed into stunning shapes, framed bu the moon, her blue eyes twinkling while she regained her vision.

[Kayiri]

When Tebridiar offered to show him her other form, he made a silent gesture with his arm, telling her to go ahead, if she really wanted to do so. When she pushed off of the wooden Pavilion, his eyes drifted away for a while, watching the swaying grasses, scanning for the silent, hidden dangers that lurked in the grasses. When he was satisfied, his eyes danced back to Tebridiar... Wait...

Why was she stripping!? Kayiri watched in confused silence as the girl stripped every last article of clothing from her body, tossing them onto the ground beside her. His face twisted into one of confusion, whilst his brow furrowed. The only response he managed to choke out was He was about to ask what in the hell she was doing, but that was when she did it. Where a woman once stood, a horse sprang up, standing there plainly in all of its equestrian glory. Silently, with an expression of amazement, Kayiri approached the horse, extending his hand slowly.

His hand met the soft fur of the horse's flank, running up and down her side, feeling the muscles shift beneath his hand. She was a horse now. Not a girl, but an actual horse. It wasn't a trick of the eye, wasn't a cruel joke from the Gods...

So there were more people like Pygmy. Carefully, he stroked her mane, arranging it on one side, untangling the disorder caused by the wind. Try as he could, he simply couldn't pin her to one breed of horse, despite spending the entirety of his life around horses. He trailed his hand up her strong neck as he walked over to one of her eyes, staring into it silently.

Yes. This was the horse he had seen before. This was the horse that had entered the tent. He had made the right choice. He patted her neck gently before speaking, a tone of apology and finality in his voice.

"I'm sorry I doubted you. I hold no regrets for my actions," he spoke, once in Pavi and once in Common. Who knew, maybe she would understand Pavi in her horse form. Probably not, but it was worth a shot.