Bringing Home a Goddess (for Mari)

[Halo]

Joker trots onto the scene with his head and posture held high, eyes gleaming but yet still holding their wicked intent. A dark can be in a good mood and not abandon his darkness and this stag is here to prove it. The reason for his high spirits follows behind him, a blue roan mare of like alliance, pretty and spirited...and he likes her. With a shriek he bucks and lurches into a gallop, covering a fair distance until he reaches the crystal forest before turning around for his gaze to seek Calypso out.

His herd is growing, yes, and it is exciting. His desires are being fulfilled, one by one, and soon he plans on being the most powerful being in all Penori. Everyone will see one day...and one day nobody will think to cross him. Without knowing it, Joker's expression splits into a wicked smirk.
~Joker

(OOC: Sorry it stinks...in a hurry)

[Mari]

She slowed to a trot, keeping herself extended. The snow crunched strangely underneath her milk-hued hooves. Calypso launched herself into a canter again, tossing her head wildly and letting out a few kicks. The chill set a renewed energy into her bones, where the warmth of the South had slowed her life strength to a sluggish pace. She whinnyed, a laughing sound resounding across the hills and after Joker.

Joker. Her purple eyes darted across the landscape laid out before her, catching the stallion at a full gallop towards the crystal forest. Calypso laughed again, and she liked the way it echoed eerily off of nothing in particular. The roan directed her steady, rolling canter in his direction, taking in the area as she went. Her home.

She approved - of the way her breath formed a steamy cloud in front of her, of the stark beauty, of the distance from her father, and, with that, the freedom. And, of course, the King, who now turns to look for her. She continues her canter, slowing only when she is within a horse-length. The mare set her lips to his mane, inhaling the darkly sweet scent that had called her to him.

((Wow. That got long...))

[Halo]

Joker stays where he’s at, allows her to approach him. She presses her nose into his mane and he continues to remain, watching her with a tilt of his orbs in his sockets and a smirk playing on his maw. He turns his head to nip the size of her muzzle and snake his tongue out to lap her lips in something that could be called a kiss before pulling away and going into a quick trot. He circles her, brushing against her and generally showing how pleased he is that she has joined him without words.

Then...his flints hit a patch of ice thicker than the rest, not so breakable, and slick with little opportunity on its surface for a grip. His fores go out from under him and he lands heavily on his side with a meaty though and a sharp exhale as the breath is knocked out of him. He barely suppresses the quiet groan as he sits up onto his belly, stretching his fronts out to try finding some footing on the slippery ground to pick himself back up. But each time he puts weight on his hooves they slip and he ends back up on the ground.

A low grow is emitted from clenched, bared teeth, his ears pinning flat to his skull in frustration. Here things seemed to be going so well, so his way, and then the ground had to go and betray him and spoil the moment. Now he must look a complete fool in front of Calypso, the good first impression gone like a wisp of smoke on the air. His irritability peaked, his takes in a breath and breathes out a plume of fire onto the ice cramping his style.

And with the obstacle gone he slowly rises, if a little stiffly, back up onto all four pillars. With a grunt he shakes away the snow clinging to his violet pelt, his mane falling disheveled on either side of his neck and his forelock hanging over his embarrassed vision. Joker turns his head and gazes at the fae in his company through the golden hued haze of his bangs, searching for some sort of reaction.
~Joker

(OOC: HAHA! Poor Joker fall down. )

[Mari]

A snort escaped her roaned nostrils, almost a scoff at the spectacle of the stallion before her. Like a newborn foal, unable even to balance on the flat ground. She did find it funny, this mighty stallion that had taken her home being forced to act so.

Calypso shifted her weight, lifting a back leg and standing back to watch. A bit of a wicked smile crossed her face, her purple eyes narrowing slightly. Interest flashed across her face at the flame the stallion beckoned, and she quickly categorized the use of Fire as one that could be of benefit to her.

The mare whinnied in amusement at the almost sheepish expression on her king's face. She trotted energetically in front of him, considerably more hyper from the chill in the air. Cold, glorious winter, forever away from that dulling heat. She touched her muzzle to his forelock and trotted away, encouraging him to give chase. She really did need to burn off some energy, before she lost her head from the temporary high the clear air gave her.

[Halo]

Oh, he hated that snort of derision, the smirk that tainted her pretty maw, when he had blundered about on the ice. It irked him severely, a stab wound to his pride. The dagger that pierced him is twisted in the gaping hole almost painfully at the whinny of amusement and he glares in her direction. Yeah, yeah, laugh and have your fun, pretty maid. It takes all he can do not to blow a lick of flame up at her ankles in spitefulness. But he resists.

Her muzzle touches against his forehead and he grunts in puzzlement, watching her trot out before him, drawing slightly away from where he stands. What? She wants to play tag now? Fickle mares, they never know what they want to entertain them from one moment to the next. He wishes he could understand them better than he does. But he’ll have to be satisfied with his mediocre knowledge for now.

Checking his footing, just in case, he takes after her in a swift three beat, reaching his dial out on his strong arch the graze her haunch with his enamels. His ears fall back in a wavering, grumpy expression before he picks up the pace into a smoother lope, coming up along her side and half passing her before slowing down and tossing his head. His breath mists in front of his face and he snorts at the fog that wraps about his face before dissipating onward.
~Joker

[Mari]

She picked up a canter, turning on a back foot skillfully and reversing direction. Calypso was more showing off than anything now, really. Perfectly executed flying lead changes punctuated each stride, and she skipped across the snow. Slow, but very much in control. Oul-, she stopped, correcting herself mentally, the Integrated King had taught her some fancy steps that human creatures enjoyed watching. Perhaps if she had been content with their mastery, she would have become great in what he called "dressage."

She switched down to an effortless trot, turning off her haunches again. Calypso then stopped cold, tail still twirling about her legs. She looked back at Joker, then smiled at him. She felt better now, not quite so much like the immature three year old she was.

"Well then, may I put in a request to see the rest of the lands, my King?" She pawed the snow a bit more, absentmindedly. A flower's petals took form in the powder, and she quickly stomped it out. Even the slight representation of greenery reminded her of a certain need... "And, uh, what do you about food here?" she asked, feeling overly stupid. But she was hungry...

[Halo]

Joker keeps up with her, albeit without as many fancy moves as she is pulling off, his motion more rugged and unrefined, yet not ungraceful neither. He never took well to the ways of the humans, the way they trained their horses to walk, trot, and run just so, completely destroying the natural rhythm of things. Yeah, he watched his mother when he was younger, trotting along her side when he was still suckling, and in his mind he had never really approved of it, becoming more determined than ever to be as ornery as possible to keep them from messing with his gaits.

Oh, but it looks fine on her. The king stays a step behind her shoulder just so that he can admire her grace with ease, a smirk playing upon his lips. But he quickly sobers up the expression as she drops from a trot into a sudden stop, his own feet kicking up snow a few more steps so that he might come up along her side, his neck arched regally. His ears swivel in her direction, locking on target and channeling her words down into his brain.

“Consider your request processed,” he answers with amusement brimming on his expression. He looks at her with her question of food for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. “The snow thins in the southern parts of the hills of my territory, past the ice forest,” he remarks as he takes a few steps in the direction he speaks. He had caught wind of the little hint and is willing to guide her to the place where she could fill her belly. It is his responsibility to take care of those in his herd.
~Joker

[Mari]

She stared blankly after him for a moment, still completely unsure of herself. She followed him, throwing a nose in the air. She couldn't smell a thing, even though the air was clear. All of her senses were so completely attuned to the stallion beside her, and she somewhat hated it. But it was nice, too, not being alone for a change. But the fact that she could not return to herself irked her.

"Lead on, then, good sir," she said, the words slipping from her maw with only a touch of sarcasm on the last two syllables. She could feel her mood turning blacker with each moment, especially so now that she was alerted to her empty stomach. She snorted, her ears flicking back momentarily when Joker didn't act quite soon enough on her words.

[Halo]

Joker snorts in her direction in distaste of her sarcastic ‘good sire’ comment. As he walks he turns his head in her direction and glares. “Good?” he spits, nose wrinkling slightly. That’s not how he would describe himself. Dark isn’t ‘good’. Dark is bad, but in a good sort of way. Well, good as in pleasing to him. He grunts and turns back to where he is going lest he pull another stunt to make himself the fool. And, intent on getting where they’re going, the king lifts his legs into a trot, carefully crossing through the crystal forest.

Reaching the southern part of his terra that he had spoken of, he lets his gaze pass over the light dusting of snow. Beneath he knows is the greenery of grass, only slightly obscured by the white. Taking in a deep breath, he heats the air in his lungs and casts the wave over a portion of the ground, completely exposing the ground foliage as the snow melts. He says nothing, but merely strides past it and turns, cocking one hip and relaxing while he gives the mare the section to eat from. He’s not hungry.
~Joker

[Mari]

She dipped her head to the ground, letting her thick forelock hide her eyes. Emotions flicked by her face faster than she cared to display to the stallion. Best to just hide it. Less worry that way. The blue roan mare cropped the exposed grass somewhat contentedly, well aware of Joker's every movement.

"So then..." she stopped, suddenly completely unsure of herself. She snorted. Honestly, she just wanted to kick herself sometimes... all this, over some stallion? She tossed her head up in the air, still shielding her eyes with her mane. "What's the rest of them like? The herd, that is." Calypso turned towards him, keeping her still vulnerable face out of sight. And hopefully out of mind.

[Halo]

OOC: AHHHHH!!! SORRY! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THIS THREAD! SO SORRY!
BIC:

The brute shrugs his shoulders in quick response to the question. What is there to say about the rest of the herd? Most of them are dark, save the two slaves that are currently residing with them, and he's really not sure about his son thrown from one of them, Zanatha. Overall he's pleased with how the herd has grown and how well he has been able to keep his terra. But how would he explain them, certainly not all one at a time; that would be a bore and Joker hates to be bored. So he snorts and gives a half-assed answer. "Dark of heart and soul, save the two slave mares. What more is there to say?" He shakes his head, really lost for words, but still not wanting to admit it.
~Joker

[Mari]

((OoC: No prob, I kinda did too with everything else))

She snorted, a bit of a scoff at the stallion's evasion. She could certainly get more out of him than that... but the idea of slaves piqued her interest. Horses, less than other horses? It went against everything that her... that that white stallion had hammered into her in her upbringing, and she was about to tell him off. Grouping equines of the same flesh according to lesser or greater value wasn't right... she shut her mouth and smiled. They would certainly be of value.

Calypso sauntered away, quite bored with eating. She'd had some, and some was enough. The smile remained on her lovely face, somehow menacing. She was plotting again.

"So..." she said, facing away from her companion and looking off across the lands. She turned her head quickly, looking back at him over her withers and through her forelock. "What am I to you, then? Just another... herd member?" The roan did her best to sound insulted. And she was, a bit, if he did think of her that way. "Or... am I more?" The way she looked at him should let him know he had better answer favorably, or... well, she didn't know what she'd do, because she didn't think she'd be able to leave him. Hopefully he wouldn't call her bluff.

[Halo]

She is certainly no slave, if that is what she's asking, most definitely more important than that to him. But if she is asking about feeling, maybe a feeling for her, that he is uncertain of; he's never been very hewn on on emotion and the only one he has ever thought of learning it for had been Revair, at one time. Now he isn't even sure about her, so how can he possibly be about this one? Does it really matter? Calypso should be overjoyed that she is even in his presence, forget worrying about what kind of care he has for her. Besides, the lord doesn't think she would actually leave so maybe he should call her bluff and see what happens.

"Hn," is his opening comment, if it could be called a comment. He can't say he dislikes that menacing hint in her smile, that tricky glint in her gaze being somewhat appealing to his own nature. Still, he refuses to be underhanded by some minx, whether she has a sharp mind and an enticing bodice or not. "You expect me to betray my queen?" (Like he cares anyway...he's had relations with other mares and it isn't as if Revair has heart for him.) "Isn't the fact that I found you appealing enough to invite home good enough?"
~Joker

(OOC: Did you have something in mind?)

[Mari]

He had her there. Again, her father's mixed morals sprang to her mind. She couldn't ask him to cheat... She laughed, turning away from Joker and letting the sound echo across the plains. Not a pleasant sound, really. "I don't belong to my father anymore," she mumbled, not really meaning for him to hear. Hearing the words said somehow made them feel more true.

Calypso turned back to Joker, a look of deep thought ingrained on her face. Did she belong to him, then? Part of her screamed 'No', but a larger part seemed glad about that. She felt kind of disgusted at herself. Really? Glad to be at the beck and call of a stallion, forever bound to someone else? She sighed internally, and let the majority take over.

"What if... it's not good enough for me? What if I want..." she trailed off, approaching him slowly. She laid her dark head on his chest, drinking in that sweet scent of his. She corrected herself."... I need..." The blue roan inched her body closer to him, all pretenses of trickery lost. She just needed contact and reassurance, now. "...more?" The last word was barely audible, and she closed her eyes and waited, not really wanting to hear his response. But she wouldn't be able to not hear it, either. Damn. What a fine fix she had gotten herself into.

((OoC: Not really, but I think Lady-in-Waiting would suit her, if that's all fine and good with you))

[Halo]

Joker watches her as she approaches him, waiting for the deception to reveal itself, and not bothering to hide the suspicion glaring from his orbs. What might she be up to? Oh, if she is after a little bit of a pleasurable sport he’d be more than happy to give it to her (after all, cheating is really no issue for a lead stallion). But could there be something else that she wants? Does it really matter to him? He’s not too sure and the question doesn’t get to mature in his mind before her next action startles it from his tending.

The brute blinks rapidly, unmarked confusion replacing the distrust as Calypso presses her forehead against his chest, even inching to be even closer yet to him. She speaks and his ears twitch to listen to the words uttered from her pretty velvet kissers, detecting no illusion in her voice, hearing only an odd sincerity. Joker doesn’t move, allowing the fae the proximity, the privilege of snuggling against his warmth. No harm, he figures.

Except for that fluttering that started in his chest when she touched him, the unfamiliar sensation that is growing stronger the longer she remains this close and the more he contemplates her words. ’What if...it’s not good enough for me? What if I want...I need...more?’ Truthfully, not even Revair has ever voiced such a thing, never wanted anything more than the power brought by being his mate. So, what makes this wench any different than his queen? All dark fem’s are the same like that, thirsty for power and willing to control or break any stag’s heart to get what they want from him.

Joker snorts quietly at the thought and changes the bewildered expression into a new glowering glare as he looks down at the offending witch; and still he doesn’t move away, enjoying her touch too much. “And what more might that be, wen...Calypso? Power and rank? There is no way I can believe you are after my heart.” It would be a hard thing to grasp for him. Nobody has ever loved him, not for real.
~Joker

(OOC: Actually, I was thinking the same thing. Might piss Revair off, but it would do Joker some good if he had someone who cared about him (at least more than a ticket to power). ^_^)