[The Fringe Forests] A Big Misunderstanding [Sama'el]

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el acknowledged her request and vaulted up into Dohaina's yvas with his usual acrobatic flair. What had originally been a showy sort of thing to impress Dymphna Whitefeather was now impressive, but more economical, nothing more than the quickest, most convenient way to get from the ground to horseback. The golden mare snorted and turned toward Riverfall too. The Drykas smiled sadly in the direction of the cliffs. Issima was gone, and only the tree and some bone and fabric likely remained. The Drykas gave their dead back to the Sea of Grass. He could visit the site later; with luck, her spirit had gone walking on the Web to be reborn among her people. "Let's go," he said. "Your safety is my business now."

[Gianne Basete]

It was quite a sight witnessing Sama'el leap so effortlessly onto the back of his mare. The Drykas people made using yvas seem to effortless, but she imagined if she tried she'd slide right off onto her face. If she could even get up on Gill's back without a saddle. Where Sama'el was an athlete Gianne was a little on the plump side, so climbing up a slick animal's side wouldn't be the easiest task. Gianne was about to strike up further conversation when she saw the look on his face. It stopped her mid-breath. She pursed her lips and looked away, feeling she was intruding on something. The sadness in his eyes had been almost palpable. When he finally spoke she just nodded and nudged her heels into Gill's sides, urging him into a slow and easy trot. He would be able to keep this gait up all day and it was the most effective at eating up the distance ahead. "Do you have any family here in Cyphrus, Sama'el?" she finally asked after a few long chimes.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Dohaina was used to setting the pace of whatever little herd had gathered about Sama'el, but he urged her silently to keep pace with Gianne's mount, and she did so. His golden mare was not placid, but she had an amiable temperament, especially with him. When she spoke, his gaze swung back to her, dark, almond-shaped eyes kind and good-natured despite the shadow of recent tragedy. "Ah, well... Dohaina here is family. Back in Endrykas, there's my son, and... Well, I have several friends who I will invite to be my blood-brothers when I raise my pavilion. My wife died giving birth to my son, though. There's a tree on the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea that marks where her bones were laid to rest." He didn't go into the Drykas funerary rites, how her body was left cradled by the roots of that tree for the Sea of Grass to reclaim her. Outlanders rarely understood the beauty of it; the Sea reclaimed their bodies, the Web reclaimed their souls. "Eventually, I hope to marry again. My pavilion won't outlast me if I don't have children. And you, do you have family here?" Coming right after his own history, it might have sounded like he was interested in her. He wasn't asking, anyway. Not for that purpose, though she was lovely. If he had been an Akalak, she probably would've had his son in her belly by now.

[Gianne Basete]

"I'm very sorry for your loss," she offered tentatively, trying to find better words of condolence. None came. "It's good that you have those around you that you care about though. I wish you luck in finding love again." Gianne herself had never yet suffered a tragic loss in her life, so she didn't even pretend to understand how it must feel for him. A moment of silence and words he must have already heard a thousand times were all she could offer. She also never even considered if he would be interested in her. The fact that Sama'el asked of her family was just manners and the continuation of polite conversation. If she were shallow it might be another case, but she wasn't so there was nothing to be suspicious of. "No family here in Cyphrus. Just Zeltiva, and grandparents in Syliras. The shining light of Sylira," she added that last bit sarcastically. Gianne was not a fan of Syliras. She found the city exceedingly boring and humdrum. Too many people packed inside a stone box. "I think of Gill as you think of your Dohaina. He's my only family here. For the time being at least. I'm still settling in, so who knows? I might find a man here in Cyphrus. There's plenty around." Gill stumbled slightly but righted himself, and she absently straightened her reigns, tightening them a little. A few moments of wandering thoughts passed before she smiled and eyed Sama'el's golden mare. "How fast can she go?" Gianne inquired nonchalantly.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Thank you," he said, not wanting to pull a dramatic face before a relative stranger. But he nodded to her words, connecting dots in his mind, memories and such, with what she told him of her own history. His travels had taken him farther than most Drykas, well into Sylira and Taldera. He was just glad to be back where life was more predictable. "I have been to Zeltiva and Syliras. I like them better than Sunberth, at least," he offered. "But before I bonded with Dohaina, I rode a Windrunner stallion. He remains with my pavilion in Endrykas. I know how close a person can be to their horse." This was a sacred thing to him and to his people, of course. He smiled again. But the following question made his smile twist into a bit of a proud smirk. "Faster than your Gill, pretty though he may be."

[Gianne Basete]

"I would love to see Endrykas one day", she said airily, a wistful look crossing her features. It and the Drykas living there was one of the main reasons she'd come to Cyphrus. Things had gone different though, and actually much better than she would have imagined. Instead of trying to integrate herself with the horse clan, she'd gotten a job at the Sanctuary and lived there now. Gianne didn't regret this at all. In fact, she thought it might be more favorable in the sense that she could settle in without having to worry about being on the move like the Drykas so often were. She looked sidelong at Sama'el at his beautiful mare, eyeing the horse expectantly. An idea was stirring in her mind. Probably one that would backfire and make her look like a fool, but an idea nevertheless. Discreetly she tapped her heels to Gill's flanks, sending him into a faster trot. He tossed his head and the length of his gait extended, causing her to bounce a little in the saddle. She kept a straight face as much as she could, clamping down on the smile that was trying to burst through on her lips. No! Let him figure it out.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"You need but find a Watchman to lead you there," he said, smiling because he was such a one. Endrykas was happy to embrace friendly, productive visitors who followed the Seven Laws. He might speak to Kavala to be sure his snap judgment of this woman's character was aright, but that was the matter of a few minutes. All the same, she hadn't asked to be led there anytime soon. When her horse jumped ahead, he knew immediately what she was about. Gill wouldn't have done so without a command from his rider, verbal or otherwise. His own response was invisible to the eye, but Dohaina kept pace with her companion, barely making an effort to speed up. It was only when they would reach a gallop that she would need to tap into the Web to boost her to unnatural speeds, and of course the Drykas didn't explain the talent of their horses, which would only make them more enticing for bandits. Then again, bandits died upon Drykas blades.

[Gianne Basete]

It was that easy to get to Endrykas? Gianne felt like an idiot now. Heat rose up in her face and she knew she must be as red as a ripe tomato. Of course, she'd never actually asked anyone how to get there in the first place. It was supposed to be very mobile, though how much she also did not know. Would she be able to wander through the pavilion city sometime soon? Suddenly she remembered Sama'el mentioned being a member of the Watch. Would he take her there? For a moment she wanted to ask him, begging like a child who's present had been hidden from sight, clinging to his arm and being drug along behind Dohaina. But she mustered as much dignity as possible, pushing the urge away like she'd been offered a dress by her mother. Another time would be best. She'd surely see him again. Hopefully. Back in the mindset of competition, Gianne noticed how easily Dohaina sped up her gate, stretching out her golden legs into a longer stride. It looked so smooth and effortless, while Gill's steps jarred her a little in the saddle. Sama'el had probably seen through her subtle invitation, so she let go of all display. Instead, jumping right to it, she clapped her legs against Gill's flanks. Grabbing a fistful of mane and the pommel of her saddle so as to not become unseated, she leaned forward as Gill lunged into a faster lope. To someone like Sama'el, a Drykas and born horseman, it was surely a clumsy display. Gianne normally kept things to a trot, and Gill wasn't very used to carrying her any faster than that. He wanted to falter but she awkwardly tapped his sides again, righting his gait. "Come along now, let's see what you're pretty little pony can do! I've heard the rumors, but I want to know for myself." She smiled despite the stiffness of her posture, making the ride a lot more uncomfortable than it should be. Gill was now cantering as slowly as he knew he could without getting reprimanded with heels to his sides. She was starting to ease into the rocking motion now after several meters. How fast would a strider really run? How could he possible hang on if what she'd heard was true?

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el and Dohaina kept pace with Gianne and Gill without trouble, but he planned to let her win the race. It was only polite, after all. There was no such thing as a fair race between a Cyphrus Strider and any other horse on the Sea of Grass. But then she dared him and it seemed she didn't mind terribly losing if she could see Dohaina rivaling the wind for speed, and so he urged the golden mare forward, relinquishing control for the moment and giving her her head. There was a moment of gathering herself, and tapping into the Web, and then she began to edge forward. The acceleration grew almost exponentially, and soon enough horse and rider were a receding picture before Gianne. His hair whipped back behind him and he shouted his joy at Zulrav, whose winds stole his voice before it could land on any ears. To ride was to be alive. If the day came he could not sit a horse, it would be the day he sacrificed himself for the mobility of his people.

[Gianne Basete]

Just witnessing the sheer speed of this strider up close took her breath away. It felt like a blow to the chest. She realized what it was after a few moments. Envy. It was automatic and instantaneous. To ride on the back of a strider would be like riding the wind itself. If only Gill were a strider, then they could race the sun. But he was a wonderful horse, and if given the choice she really wouldn't change him. She'd grown the love him for what he was, not what he never would be. Gianne had relaxed into his canter finally, but he was lumbering at the slowest possible speed he could move and still have it be called a canter. Sama'el would stop eventually, or circle around, but she firmly thumped her heels against Gill's flanks anyways. He was lazy and it needed corrected. With obvious reluctance, he went into a fast lope. She knew he would have no problem keeping this speed for a good long while, it was just that he didn't want to. They should be getting pretty close to the Sanctuary, too. It couldn't be more than a bell's ride away, especially if she had Gill keep a semi-fast clip. She would keep him loping for probably 15 chimes and walk him for 10, then repeat the process. Gianne's stomach growled, reminding her why she was picking up the pace. It was time for a nice hearty meal.