Curiosity[Counter/Open]

[[-Kay-]]

LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE
_{I DON'T NEED IT, BUT I'LL TAKE WHAT I WANT FROM YOUR HEART
G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E}

The mare was standing by the riverside, sunlight splaying across her hide in a dappled pattern, having trickled down through the leaves. She moved slightly, the rippling silver in her mane and tail catching the light. There were darker, olive undertones in her thick mane, tail, and feathering; the shade so dark it was almost gray. She stepped down from where she was grazing along the bank, down into the water. It caused the hair to float up a bit, pooling on the surface. She was truly a sight to behold, the mare was of a good build; one that was attributed to knight's horses, though she was still graceful looking. Her audits flickered about, picking up sounds but not really focusing on them.

She was too far focused in her own mind. Whirling thoughts about creatures that didn't necessarily exist, but in all likelihood did. She snorted, dipping her head down to eat water-borne plants. In this case, she didn't hear whatever was coming up near her, whatever it was. She just continued eating, her green/gray eyes looked up at some butterfly that had landed on her nose, the black and blue creature fluttering its wings.

_{SO THIS POST IS FOR THAT SPECIAL PERSON I CALL you AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE done! THERE ARE ABOUT xxx WORDS IN THIS POST SO THAT SHOULD BE GOOD. LIKE THIS SONG TOO? IT'S NA NA NA BY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE. OH! BEFORE I FORGET, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT Anything goes. CREDIT FOR THIS TEMPLATE GOES TO BUNNYA! OF CAUTION 2.0.}

[counterklock]

It was a lovely day for a walk.

Before his last master’s passing and his subsequent sale, Devon had taken many walks outside the gates of Teirm. Lord Kelan, the kindly old scholar that he had been, insisted that his staff – mainly consisting of himself, the cook, and the two elderly maids – take the occasional day off, and had never taken no for an answer. At first, he had refused to ‘take a break’, as Kelan had called it, but he had fast learned that Kelan was a very persistent old man, and Devon had many a time been tricked into leaving the house only to find the door being locked as he went. Kelan reasoned that if his servants were in a jolly mood and well-rested, then their performance would reflect this. He had politely tried to reason with his master (through the keyhole, of course), but the door had always remained bolted.

After the fifth time this occurred, he finally grew tired of sitting outside the door for a whole day doing absolutely nothing, and had taken Kelan’s advice.

Wandering Teirm had never been something he had been a fan of, due to the fact that Devon was forced to wear a heavy cloak to cover himself up to avoid being seen, with his elf-like ears and slight figure. At first, he had never ventured more than a few yards away from his master’s residence, terrified of the possibility of being mobbed, but over the months he found the courage to go farther and farther away. He had soon explored almost every street of Teirm before he had finally gathered his bravery and left Teirm altogether, walking along the shores of the sea, or down the Toark River. Away from people, he could actually have the hood of his cloak down without fear. He began to enjoy his ‘days off’.

Today, his master, the Count of Teirm, was currently occupied with his own affairs, leaving Devon several hours of absolutely nothing to do. He had not taken a walk since the end of summer or so, well before Lord Kelan had passed on. With his chores done, he had found himself with nothing to do. So, he found a plain dark green wool cloak to wear to hide his face, and he had left Teirm to just walk along the banks of the River. He had with him a half-loaf of bread and a canteen of water in a burlap rucksack, so he would not need to worry about feeding himself. Just as long as he was back before Genji Lantieri finished his work, he would be in no trouble.

The thought of Genji made his heart flitter.

For days now, he had felt this very same sensation whilst in the presence of his master. At first, he had not known what it was, or what it had meant. Only after he had overheard two giggling maids gossiping over one of the guards at the Citadel gate did Devon finally realize, with equal fascination and horror, that this feeling was actually attraction.

He was infatuated with his master.

He could not even begin to list all the things that were wrong with this situation. The Count of Teirm was a very handsome man (his heart beat increased in speed at this thought) in his own right, but he was still very much the Count of Teirm. Devon was his servant, his attendant, his slave, and he knew that, if anything else, he would probably never even become close enough to Genji to be considered ‘friend’. Never mind the fact that he was male, and his master was also male, romances between masters and servants, however much fuel for gossip, never turned out well for either party. Devon was determined to keep his infatuation in check and make sure that it did not affect his performance negatively in any way, for the one thing he did not wish to do was displease his master, for obvious reasons.

So, this was the reason for his walk. He needed time to sort through his very illogical emotions, and to suppress them as much as possible. Devon sometimes wished he had been born a full-blooded Sylvan, because perhaps then he wouldn’t even have them.

As he rounded the bend of the river, his blue eyes caught sight of a beautiful horse standing in the water, and his mind went blank.

[[-Kay-]]

LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE
_{I DON'T NEED IT, BUT I'LL TAKE WHAT I WANT FROM YOUR HEART
G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E}

The mare wasn't paying attention until she heard the cracking of branches along the river bank. Obviously whatever was moving through the forest wasn't an animal. Her head swivled towards the sound, catching the gaze of a blue-eyed not-horse. Her ears perked up straight, focusing on the new creature. She had no clue what it was, having never seen people before. Her mind was open and it stretched towards Devon's. 'Hello..?' She thought, whisking her tail over her flanks.

The mare snorted, moving down the river towards him, but stopping a good distance away. She noted little things about him, the pointed ears, the slight figure. What was he? She snorted, tossing her head and flicking her tail. Her mane fell over her green-gray eyes as she peered out at him from under her forelock. She was curious, yet suspicious. 'Boy-colt.' She decided that this creature was male, due to his muskier scent, rather than a lighter one of a female. 'What are you, boy-colt? She thought with a snort.

_{SO THIS POST IS FOR THAT SPECIAL PERSON I CALL you AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE done! THERE ARE ABOUT xxx WORDS IN THIS POST SO THAT SHOULD BE GOOD. LIKE THIS SONG TOO? IT'S NA NA NA BY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE. OH! BEFORE I FORGET, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT Anything goes. CREDIT FOR THIS TEMPLATE GOES TO BUNNYA! OF CAUTION 2.0.}

[counterklock]

When he had been young, his father had owned many horses. He had spent many hours of his childhood on the back of a small but sturdy pony, happily exploring every nook and cranny of his family’s farm, often accompanied by his older brother, Jaden, perched atop one of the horses from their small but populated stable. They had roamed the countryside, imagining themselves questing heroes or enterprising explorers, seeking that one imaginary magical artefact. It had been an activity they had enjoyed immensely. In the past several years, however, he had not had the fortune of riding any horses, something he secretly found just a little bit disappointing.

Suffice to say, Devon was quite familiar with horses, though it had been much, much too long since he had been so near to such a noble creature. Sluggishly, his thought processes began to return to him, and he observed the equine that now approached. Intelligent and most unusual green-gray eyes gazed at him, and he knew at once this was no ordinary animal. No animal that he had encountered had ever stared back at him with such acute, perceptive brightness in their eyes. The mare was of large build, but with graceful conformation, and splashes of white over a predominantly silver-gray coat; if he remembered correctly, it was a most unusual coloring.

Devon, however, had no doubt this creature was not a horse at all, but something else. Her intelligence, for one, was a major implication. The fact that his thought processes had momentarily shut down was a factor. Her unusual behaviour was another. Upon closer inspection, he could see that her whole body was sleek with moisture, her mane and tail dripping droplets of river water. The most obvious indication, however, was the unique sensation of another’s mind brushing against his own. He could hear a feminine voice within his head, calm but curious, and he shivered.

The only other time he had had another being within his mind was within the days after his arrival to Alagaesia. A magician from Carvala had come to the room where he was being held by the slavers, to judge if he, a young ten year old boy with refined features and pointed ears, could be a potential elf spy. Every memory of everything he had ever experienced up to that point of his life had been scoured under the fierce and merciless tirade as wave after wave of cold cruelty ripped through his very essence. He remembered coming to, many hours later, a cold sweat leaving him frozen to the core, and shakily assuming that he had passed whatever test he had been subject to.

The magician’s mind had been cruel and unforgiving, and yet this mare’s mind was... just curious. Perhaps suspicious. She did not mean him harm, as far as he could tell. By the way she held herself, inquisitive yet wary; he could even assume that she had never seen a person before. Like him, she probably had no inkling as to what the creature in front of her even was. Never the less, Devon felt chilled.

”I...” His voice caught for a moment, and he had to swallow and collect himself before he continued. When he spoke next, his words were even and calm. ”I am half-human,” Devon answered softly.,”May I inquire as to what you are? Forgive me for any intrusion I might have committed. I was not aware that you were here.”

[[-Kay-]]

LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE
_{I DON'T NEED IT, BUT I'LL TAKE WHAT I WANT FROM YOUR HEART
G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E}

Gaelica snorted a bit whenever he spoke. She got the equine equivalent of a smile now, and she plodded forward a couple of steps. She was only a couple of feet from him now and her neck stretched forward inquisitivly. "Half human?" She asked, her nostrils flaring wide. "I'm an equine creature." She said simply, looking him over. "A kelpie." She was very curious about him though. "What's a human?" She snorted, nudging him with her muzzle. "where are you from?"

_{SO THIS POST IS FOR THAT SPECIAL PERSON I CALL you AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE done! THERE ARE ABOUT xxx WORDS IN THIS POST SO THAT SHOULD BE GOOD. LIKE THIS SONG TOO? IT'S NA NA NA BY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE. OH! BEFORE I FORGET, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT Anything goes. CREDIT FOR THIS TEMPLATE GOES TO BUNNYA! OF CAUTION 2.0.}

[counterklock]

The mare moved towards him, wading through the shallows of the cool waters of the Toark River, droplets of water dripping from her flowing mane as if she had submerged herself completely. As she neared, he could see her coat was smooth and sleek, like the pelts of the seals he often saw on the beach by the ocean in the summertime. Despite the fact that she was only up to her knees in the water, her whole body looked damp. Her mane and tail were darkened with moisture, and rivulets of liquid trickled down her strong shoulders and legs not unlike tears. It was obvious she was not a horse.

Devon was fascinated.

The beautiful and mysterious creature stopped just a few paces from him, close enough that, if he wished, he could possibly reach out a hand and touch her. He felt her scrutiny, acutely aware as she gazed at him, studied him, taking him in. He felt tiny in comparison to her, more so than he did in the presence of other people. His petite stature and distinct lack of height often made him feel miniscule next to mostly every other being he knew. Her large and graceful body, which he dared estimate at seventeen hands at the least, made him feel like a small child.

She spoke again in his mind, her inquisitive mind brushing up once more against his. A kelpie? He had never heard of kelpies. He supposed she was a fine example of one, in any case.

”A human is a creature that walks upright on two legs, much like myself. They generally tend to be larger and bulkier, with distinctive rounded ears.” He informed her, keeping his voice low out of habit from his younger days, when one spoke in a low tone around horses in order to avoid spooking them. He assumed, from her reaction and her questions, that she had never encountered a human before. He intended to make a good impression.

”I am from... Devon paused. He supposed there was no need to say he originally hailed from a land across the sea. ”... -From down river. I reside in a port city called ‘Teirm’. Where are you from?“

Was she just as intrigued of him as he was of her? Obviously so, or else she would have fled long ago. She snorted, and stretched her nose out to him, nudging him, nosing him, taking in his scent. He went completely still, allowing her to sate her curiosity, before he indulged his own and slowly held out his hand. After a moment of wariness, waiting to see if she would move away, he gently touched the sleek fur just above her nose.

[[-Kay-]]

LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE
_{I DON'T NEED IT, BUT I'LL TAKE WHAT I WANT FROM YOUR HEART
G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E}

Gaelica watched him carefully. She was intrigued with the fact he could walk on two legs. She was also curious as to how he was small. She listened intently to his description on a human. Her head tilted to the side a bit, like a puppy that was seeing something new. He smelled diffrent, sweet and amusing. She snorted a bit, listening now to where he came from. 'Teirm?' She thought curiously. Whenever he touched the fur over her nose she froze.

She inhaled and exhaled his scent in a whuff. "I've always been here." She thought at him. "I've never been anywhere else....I'm curious as to what's out there."

[/color] She nudged his hand a bit more, letting it slide over the blaze on her muzzle. "Is your home like this?" [/size]
[/blockquote][/blockquote]

_{SO THIS POST IS FOR THAT SPECIAL PERSON I CALL you AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE done! THERE ARE ABOUT xxx WORDS IN THIS POST SO THAT SHOULD BE GOOD. LIKE THIS SONG TOO? IT'S NA NA NA BY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE. OH! BEFORE I FORGET, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT Anything goes. CREDIT FOR THIS TEMPLATE GOES TO BUNNYA! OF CAUTION 2.0.}

[counterklock]

Her eyes were alight with intrigue and curiosity. Her head tilted, taking in this new information, all the while studying him. She inhaled, taking in his scent. His suspicions were confirmed with her behaviour; it was obvious she had never seen a human in her life, which was truly a rather remarkable thing, considering the only way to Teirm on foot through the Spine was to traverse the road alongside the Toark River. How odd he must look to her, with his lack of fur, his trappings, and, of course, the fact that he stood on two feet. She was surely as fascinated by him as he was of her.

When he felt the mare stiffen underneath his hand, Devon was momentarily concerned. Had this contact startled her? He knew from prior experience that the touch of a strange person could be unnerving to some horses until they became familiarized. After the tense moment, she let out her breath in a snort, and nudged him again, as if to encourage his touch. He relaxed, before realizing he hadn’t even noticed he had become stiff.

”Teirm is not like the river,” Devon answered, thinking carefully for a moment on how to explain his home in the city, ”My home is... unique. It is a fortress built of stone, and the buildings grow larger and larger from the outside. The Citadel, where I reside, is the highest point in the city. On clear days, sometimes I am able to see several miles out to sea, and several miles down the valley.”

In hindsight, the kelpie probably did not even know what a building was.

”... I have not even introduced myself. I beg your pardon for this oversight.” He murmured politely, dipping his slightly in respect, as he would to greet any new individual. ”My name is Devon Blackwell. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”

[[-Kay-]]

LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE, GIVE ME LOVE
_{I DON'T NEED IT, BUT I'LL TAKE WHAT I WANT FROM YOUR HEART
G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E G I M M E M O R E}

Gaelica stood and listened politley. She snorted ,amused by his story. "Devon....." she said softly. She tossed her head a bit. "I'm Gaelica....." She dipped her head to look him in the eye, blue ones meeting gray-green ones. "Your home seems interesting....Will you show me?" The mare was quite curious now. "If you didn't want to walk I could carry you....

_{SO THIS POST IS FOR THAT SPECIAL PERSON I CALL you AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE done! THERE ARE ABOUT xxx WORDS IN THIS POST SO THAT SHOULD BE GOOD. LIKE THIS SONG TOO? IT'S NA NA NA BY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE. OH! BEFORE I FORGET, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT Anything goes. CREDIT FOR THIS TEMPLATE GOES TO BUNNYA! OF CAUTION 2.0.}