sea-drift sun ― russell

[skibbereenfarms]

ASTRID
―the valiant

Serenity was something Astrid had not been able to grow accustomed to in her youth. It was possible that this was the reason for her constant bitterness and strive to keep pushing forward, and miraculously, Astrid was beginning to realize this. She had witnessed many creatures doing it before, and so the mare decided that she would try to give it a go. Honestly it made them look rather foolish, but the mare was always willing to learn more if it benefited her in some way. This...ritual, she supposed it was called, apparently gave many creatures the inspiration they needed. Now it was Astrid's turn to give it a whirl.

She had not been welcome here as a child, but freedom was quite a wonderful thing. If one were not aware that they were in the northern territories, they likely would not have believed such an idea what with Cevelt being so warm. The mare could feel the damp air clinging to her pelt and filling her lungs. Such a place was ideal for one who wished to find solidarity, and thus it was perfect for what Astrid had in mind. As she galloped toward the coastline, she could already feel that peace beginning to fill up within her. It was an odd feeling, but a good one nonetheless. A mare such as her could never find such a feeling from another beast; it had to be harnessed from within her.

The mare suddenly stopped, her hooves digging into the ground as she struggled to remain upright. She stomped a couple of times in order to get her legs into a more comfortable position, and once that had been settled, the silver bay surveyed the area surrounding her. Nothing but ringing was in her ears, and the area around her seemed to watch with curious eyes. Astrid nodded slowly to herself, deciding that this place seemed decent enough. Though being right in the middle of nowhere, she felt that she and the land had a lot in common: so open, yet so empty.

It was then that the mare shut her eyes. Her breathing slowed as she lowered her head somewhat, attempting to make herself as calm as she could possibly be. What was it that they did next? Oh yes. Astrid cleared her mind of any negative thoughts; memories soon began to disappear, as well as any doubts. It was then that she waited. Something was supposed to happen, wasn't it? She was supposed to have some sudden realization, and then everything would be all hunky-dory. After standing there for a few minutes with absolutely nothing, the mare gave up this foolish little act. It hadn't helped her at all. Of course it didn't. She couldn't believe how stupid she was to think that this would actually work.

Standing there, the mare was left with nothing but the emptiness. The hole inside was even bigger than before.

[/blockquote]

[Hud]

"Rebel children, I urge you, fight the turgid slick of conformity with which they seek to smother your glory."

Racing up the coast, nothing could stop the determined Russell.

The stallion's every move was characterized with precise fluidity, his muscles doing all the work as his always-busy brain took a rest. Russell was a thinker, not a mover. However, he had to have these periodic spurts of activity to keep in shape. He cared about his body and never wanted to do it any harm. Appearances aside, the stallion was grateful to have such a healthy vessel in which to live his life.

Russell, kicking up clods of wet sand as he moved, closed his eyes to feel the ocean spray on his face - some mist and some droplets. Stopping himself from contemplating the ocean's size, from considering the anatomy of a grain of sand, and from analyzing the day's weather, Russell pushed on. He didn't know how far he'd come and he didn't stop to look back and count the prints, though it would've been entirely characteristic for him to. The liver chestnut paint needed to see how the other half lived - how most stallions lived their lives. In a way, he was examining his own existence by trying to stop all brain activity.

Unfortunately, by closing his eyes to world around him and focusing only on his exercise and movements, Russell began to lose track of his position. The stallion only had time to open his eyes for a split second when he caught sight of the other equine right in his path. He let out a startled whinny, cursing his decision to close his eyes. Unable to slow down effectively before he might run into her, Russell pulled his neck back and turned off-course of the sandy banks, his hooves grinding against beach grass now. All the ruckus of his near-collision left the sand in disarray behind him.

"Excuse me, miss... I guess I lost control back there," he offered in apology to the admittedly lovely mare. No stranger to good looks, Russell knew how to appreciate a lady with respect...

TAGS: Astrid | NOTES: Goodness xD

[skibbereenfarms]

ASTRID
―the valiant

She opened her mouth to curse, but found her voice had been lost. Astrid spotted the stallion moments before their near-collision, and she was fortunate enough that her reflex moved her away from this stranger. Then and there she would have started yelling, but it felt like something was just stuck. She shook her head as if it were the cause, yet the feeling clung to her like seaweed. The last thing she wanted was to be off in the presence of a stranger, and yet the exact scenario had been thrown at her. Here she was, entirely unsure of how to react. With her heart in a softened, somewhat vulnerable state, one would think her approach would at least be gentle. But that's also when one gets kicked in the back.

Astrid's brow furrowed, her chin raised high as her eyes scanned him, judging him. She searched for words, and it took her a few moments for her to track them down. By the time she had, he had already offered an apology, and the world around them offered the only noise. She realized she had left him in silence, and by now she would have been defending herself. Her jaw had been locked in place one second too long. The silence finally broke. "That's―" That's? That's...what? That's alright? No. Wrong. You don't apologize on another's behalf, Astrid. What was she thinking? Astrid did not accept apologies so easily. Though it had been a minor infraction upon her personal space, it still deserved proper judgement and punishment. However...yes, her mind was still clouded, but perhaps she shouldn't unleash her rage. If his words rung true, it was an honest mistake. But really, there was no way to prove this.

The mare cleared her throat, hoping it would also clear her mind. No such luck. She focused on her breathing, lowering her head to a more passive position. Astrid had no quarrel with this stallion yet, and at the moment she felt that it would not be wise to go picking fights. At last, she decided she would try again. "What are you doing all the way out here?" She decided feeding her own curiosity might be somewhat beneficial, as it could certainly distract her from the clutter of thoughts in her mind.

[/blockquote]

[Hud]

"Rebel children, I urge you, fight the turgid slick of conformity with which they seek to smother your glory."

The mare's behavior was curious.

She seemed at a loss for words upon his first apology. It didn't bother Russell, it just sort of intrigued him. What was it about the opposite sex that made one shiver and cower? Was it the mystery behind their gender's identity? That stallions would never understand mares and mares would never understand stallions? What made this so? The sexes were not created equally in the mind's sense. Mares thought one way and stallions another, and yet each was perplexed by the other. In truth, Russell found a conversation with a mare much more fascinating than those he'd had with other stallions. Obviously Russell could better relate to males; it did not force his brain to stretch. Mares, on the other hand, lived in completely different worlds. They were raised differently, they talked differently, they walked differently... There really was no comparing the two, except for the matching basic frame. The minds of males and females were just so different.

Thoughts raced through Russell's brain as he listened to her question with a smile. Awkwardness had always been a major player in Russell's encounters. Why was that? Was he just so unfamiliar with other stallions' usual charms that he couldn't hold up a normal air before others? It didn't bother Russell, really. It had become so routine for him that he didn't even think about it anymore. Not really.

"I live in Orut, ma'am. Advisor to His Majesty Gideon." Russell did not boast, he simply stated. How ironic would a pompous advisor be? Those in his post were supposed to be practical - thoughtful. The stallion's brown and white ears focused entirely on the mare as they spoke, his brows high with interest. Picking up his foreleg and placing it back in the sand, he continued: "Might I ask the same of you? I haven't seen you around before..." Russell was fairly certain he knew the few horses in Orut; it wasn't a very popular vacation destination, either.

TAGS: Astrid | NOTES: Goodness xD