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Post by Peregrine Alexander on Jan 8, 2008 17:54:48 GMT -8
It was still cold at this time of the year, wind whistled in the mountains and down below where the place was inhabited by people. Ice covered the early morning surfaces and snow fell occasionally.
A boy on a black horse was out riding on this cold winter morning. He was clad mostly in black clothe, with a bit of leather and some furs for warmth. The horse which he rode upon sported a thick winter coat, which the youth allowed to grow long. This big, black steed was being ridden in an gentle ring snaffle hollow mouth and a bridle of black leather, accompanied by a dressage saddle all of black and a dark green saddle pad to cushion it. The saddle's girth was also made of durable black leather and stitched together with strong threads.
The youth upon the black horse's back was hooded, but he could see from under his hood. But, as he rode along the trail at a jaunty trot, his green eyes, usually so sharp and keen, missed one thing, it was...
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Post by alwayzrunning6 on Jan 8, 2008 18:17:35 GMT -8
Keira had only been at her new school a few days. She had never been around so many people near her age. But that's what she got for being born to elves. However, after living her whole life outside with her people, Keira felt the need to go for a ride. This new life was so overwhelming.
Keira sat bareback atop her black Arabian horse. Her gloved hands were gently clutching his mane. She wore dark green breeches, with a matching tunic, a black leather vest, and a long green cape with a hood. Keira's long light brown hair was pulled back in a half ponytail. Just off the trail Keira watched the birds flying over the nearby river. It was all so calming and peaceful and it almost reminded Keira of home. All of a sudden she heard hoofsteps coming down the trail. She twisted around to see who it was.
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Post by Peregrine Alexander on Jan 8, 2008 23:43:56 GMT -8
Peregrine, though before he had overlooked the figure on horseback, heard and noise and spun around, trying to locate who it was coming from. It didn’t take him long to find a horse and rider pair riding along the same trail he was. Judging by what he could see of the girl’s face, she seemed to be a Silmaril, or at least she was on the Silmaril side. Deciding to take what was usually a rare course of action for him to take, Peregrine turned Vollo back around and began to walk towards the girl on the Arabian.
I must be crazy to trust this girl right off the bat, knowing nothing about her. Peregrine thought to himself. It was most unlike him to trust anybody at first glance, but something in the atmosphere seemed to tell him that this girl meant him no harm, though Sceithians could creep into Erroterra by any means imaginable, just as Silmarils could sneakily invade Sceith in the same way or close to it.
Once he was about twenty feet or so away from the girl, within hailing distance of her, he said in his loud but king salutation voice.
“Greetings.”
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Post by alwayzrunning6 on Jan 9, 2008 19:26:56 GMT -8
Looking back at the boy who had hailed her she squinted to see who it was. Keira had never seen this boy in her life, which wasn't uncommon, she didn't know too many people outside of her woods. She admired the way he sat proud on his horse, dressed in all black. Personally, Keira preferred more earthy tones, hence her green attire. Keira felt a twinge of jealously when she looked at his saddle, it was beautifully made. She had never owned a saddle in her life and probably didn't have the money for one, but she was used to riding bareback, so it wasn't a problem.
Bringing herself back to the present Keira called out to the boy, "Greetings. Why don't you come closer, so we can talk easier." Keira smiled, but she wasn't sure if the boy could see it.
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Post by Peregrine Alexander on Jan 9, 2008 20:28:58 GMT -8
“Indeed I shall if you wish it.” Peregrine replied, and he squeezed Vollo’s vast barrel with his calves and the large stallion obliged to walking right up to the girl on the horse. You must be Mad. Peregrine thought to himself. It could be a trap! But his reason had to have left him when the other side of his brain chimed in. She doesn’t look like a Sceithian. It said reasonably. Shut up, you know appearances can be deceiving! the other side cried. Shut up both of you! Peregrine yelled at himself mentally. He was in no mood for a split mind, full of uncertainties, today. His mind seemed to flow back into his body as he came back to the present with a start.
“Greetings.” He said to the friendly-looking girl. “May I inquire after your name and your reason to be in Erroterra?” He asked. There! I told you she’s not a Sceithian; she doesn’t smell like a Sceithian. Would you shut up? Peregrine shut off his mind.
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Post by alwayzrunning6 on Jan 10, 2008 13:36:48 GMT -8
This boy has some manners, Keira thought to herself. She watched as the boy and his horse approached her until they had stopped right next to her.
Smiling Keira replied in her mild English accent, "Yes you may, and my name is Keira Rain Selassie and I am from the Forest of Mercia. My reason for being in Erroterra... is a bit of a long one, but I'll make it short. My parents were worried about me since I was so... reclusive and quiet. It was mainly because there were no others my age. So they had heard about the school and decided to send me here. That's about it. How about you, may I inquire your name and why you are here?"
Keira wasn't trying to be sarcastic, but she wasn't used to that kind of courtesy and was doing her best to be courteous back to the boy. I hope he doesn't think I'm some wild child from the woods who couldn't be tamed," Keira thought to herself. She sincerely hoped to impress the boy and make him her very first friend.
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Post by Peregrine Alexander on Jan 10, 2008 20:05:50 GMT -8
“I am Peregrine Alexander.” Peregrine replied. “I am on patrol this morning. I am Headmaster of the school you speak of.” He looked the girl up and down, noticing her camouflage-like attire and her bareback steed. Perhaps she’s a woodsman’s daughter. He thought, but either way, the issue didn’t bother him, as it bothered his brother, Peter, who was violently against ‘socializing with commoners’ as he called it. To which Peregrine had responded that there was no such thing as a commoner, or at least there shouldn’t be, and that it made no difference if you were the son (or daughter) of a king or the son (or daughter) of a beggar.
He noticed that when the girl spoke, she spoke with a peculiar tone in her voice. It wasn’t rude, but it lingering on the edge of sarcasm. It was as if she didn’t quite know how to speak, or at least that was how it sounded to Peregrine’s ears. Strange. He thought, but decided to forget the matter for now.
“You ride a handsome horse.” He said, by way of making conversation.
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Post by alwayzrunning6 on Jan 12, 2008 11:54:02 GMT -8
Keira observed the way Peregrine looked her over. She knew how her appearance looked, even though she was the niece of an Elvish king, she never liked to dress the part. Keira sincerely hoped he wasn't about to judge her by the way she looked, however she wouldn't put it past many people. Keira looked right back at Peregrine, she wanted to show that there was more too her than her outward appearance.
"You look a little young to be the headmaster of a school, but I mean no offense. And thank you, you have a rather handsome horse yourself," Keira replied as kindly as she could. She was a bit nervous, this was practically her first interaction with someone of the school. The fact that Peregrine was the headmaster and looked to be around her age made her feel rather small and insignificant, and she dropped her eyes and concentrated on Shadowflame's mane instead of looking into Peregrine's eyes. Nevertheless, Keira did her best to prevent that emotion from showing on her face, she had gotten too good at that.
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Post by Peregrine Alexander on Jan 12, 2008 14:29:23 GMT -8
“My thanks.” He responded, scratching the withers of his powerful Holsteiner steed “I am of legal age.” He said in response to her comment about being a rather young Headmaster. Many people had given him that treatment, and well, he would just have to learn to live with it.
When she seemed a little nervous and lowered her eyes, he supposed that it was rather awkward to converse with a person one barely knew and talk to them in a hood. Just something you would do. Diamond’s irritated voice spoke in his head, although it wasn’t really Diamond speaking to him through telepathy, she had to ask permission now, when she wanted to enter his mind, after the last incident. It was merely what he knew she would say if she were on the scene. Peregrine was one who did not have the gift of telepathy, and he had not yet learned and mastered the skill, so he could only communicate verbally. Even when in his alternative form of a horse, he could not speak through his mind.
After telling himself again to get on with it, Peregrine reached up and lowered his overshadowing hood and revealed his face. His hair was long and dark brown, the color of silt at the bottom of a lake, and he kept it tied in a long ponytail. His features were finely carved and chiseled by their maker, and the face was unmarred at first and even second glance. Its only disfigurement was a faint thin white scar above his right elbow. This could only be noticed when one was very close to him, and it had been a sword wound. He was lightly built, but strong, and his eyes were a piercing, intense green.
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Post by alwayzrunning6 on Jan 13, 2008 14:00:13 GMT -8
Out of the corner of her downcast eyes Keira noticed that Peregrine was removing his hood. Finally, she thought to herself, so far she had barely been able to see Peregrine's face. Once his hood was removed she couldn't help but admire his finely sculpted features. He's handsome, Keira sighed to herself. Her eyes wandered over his lean, but muscular body, and couldn't help but wonder what he thought of her.
Keira had always been a slender girl, with an athletic body. She had a toned body, with tan skin that never faded. Her long, light brown hair was almost always in some sort of a ponytail. Keira had never known herself to be attractive, but that was because she was never around people all that often, and no one other than her parents or relatives had ever called her beautiful. Her soft complexion was unmarked by any scar, blemish or mark. She had dark eyebrows that arched above her uncanny green eyes.
Looking back at Peregrine, her gaze was caught in his piercing green eyes... she couldn't look away. Without tearing her eyes from his gaze she took a deep breath and quietly asked, "What is the legal age here?"
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Post by Peregrine Alexander on Jan 14, 2008 12:05:07 GMT -8
“Seventeen.” Peregrine replied in his Scottish accent. His voice hadn’t quite reached its full maturity, but it had deepened considerably, making him sound younger then he really was. Peregrine saw her lock eyes with him in a rather breathless manner, but he didn’t do anything about it. He knew he was good looking, but he already had someone else whom he had fallen for, but he had to admit this elf was very pretty.
“So,” He said, a little uncomfortably, looking away back a Vollo. “How did come to Erroterra, how did you hear of the Silmaril Knights Institution of Warfare and Magic?” He asked, reciting the school’s full name. Vollo sneezed loudly as he said the school’s full name, but Peregrine ignored him, half halting on the reins in a rather routine way. The great horse bent his neck and came on the bit sub-consciously, as Peregrine commanded him to.
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Post by alwayzrunning6 on Jan 14, 2008 12:26:25 GMT -8
Much to her surprise, Keira realized that she was of legal age here. Now that's something different, Keira thought to herself. Compared to her original home with the Elves, who didn't come of age till probably one hundred, this was something good. She smiled to herself when Peregrine looked away, it made her realize that she had somewhat of a striking appearance. Keira tucked a lock of hair behind her pointed ears and looked away from Peregrine in case he was making her uncomfortable.
"Well... my parents had heard about it from our king. Honestly, I'm not sure where he had heard about it. But they sent me away, to here. I guess it was for my best. I isolated myself from everyone, but... nevermind, I'm probably boring you with my history," Keira said in a slightly sad voice.
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Post by Peregrine Alexander on Jan 14, 2008 12:40:38 GMT -8
“No, no it’s quite alright. I enjoy listening to one’s past as they tell it.” Peregrine said. This was completely truthful, as he was forever on the look out for Sceithians, ready to capture or kill them. He highly doubted that this girl was a Sceithian or sent from the mages, but he always had an open mind, knowing from bitter experience that appearances were often misleading.
“My history is quite dry, let me assure you.” He said jokingly, running a slender, long-fingered hand through his dark messy hair. “Full of death and meaningless prophecy, please continue with yours.” He said, inviting her to continue and keep the conversation going. “Unless you would rather speak of something else.”
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