IT MUST BE LONELY
when you're up there looking down
There's a moment where she speaks to the bird , and idly , he honestly wonders if the metaphor is truly lost on her , or if she's just needling at him again , continuing to play games . An annoyance , certainly , he would at least admit that much if pestered repeatedly to do so . But he says nothing , shows nothing . He misses the days of instead clashing with another body , of feeling nothing but the surge of adrenaline and the beating of hooves on hard ground . The dance of battle and the thunder of their fights . He misses the days where tournaments were king , and his crown was a fever dream that he had chased like a fool .
He blinks when she speaks again , fixing his glowing eye on her almost lazily . " I run my kingdom with the intent of trying to bring it back to life . Not all of us have the grace of having such a lively home , Israfel . Some of us have nothing but sand and the whispers of a broken land because of those that have left it to rot . " His voice is a low tone , but there's a deep truth that resonates there . The only reason he had chased this third time crown in the first place . There was no one else that dared step up to such a haunted position . Who would chase after something so broken ?
His eyes lid lazily , and a hoof cocks upward , resting on the very tip as his massive body gives to rest for a moment , at least temporarily . There is no fear between either of them . As much as she had threatened and postured to him , he gave nothing in turn to her . A true fighter knew when to posture and bare their teeth , though Leviathan had long grown tired of doing it with his own . He only gave what was coming to those that deserved it , without warning .
" I didn't come here for a pissing contest . " The blunt tone falls flat , lips curling just as lazily as the rest of him , and his heavy head shakes a little , mane falling over his scarred face a moment before he tosses it away . There is no give , no budge , not from either of them . The tension could very well be cut with a knife , until something finally gives .
But with one side giving , so too , does the other .
" I've only ever been a fighter myself ; Champion of Battle , or a soldier on the side . All my life , it's all I've done . You've served Novus for years , I've served Novus for a little bit , and my old home for years . I've had crowns , sure , but I've never been alone with them , either . I told you before , I don't do politics . The ones I've had that ruled at my side .. they've turned on me , the ones that were political . Their little games , their posturing , their sly moves ... that's why I don't like them . It's better to just be straightforward , or fight . Either or . I've bled and scrapped and fought for everything I've ever gotten . What I've achieved , what I've gotten , I've earned . " Those shoulders rise and fall , a heavy shrug that rocks his entire dappled body a moment before he snorts just a little bit .
He's certainly tired , but at least some of the tension has broken away , and his posture is still relaxed . He won't be going anywhere , either .
" I'm not here to posture or measure dicks , as hard as it is to believe coming from a Solterran . So , I'm sorry . I'm not used to playing the uh ... royalty thing , here . I haven't done it in a long time , especially on my own . Turns out I'm a lot more of an asshole when I'm the only one in charge I guess and there's no one to temper me . "
He blinks when she speaks again , fixing his glowing eye on her almost lazily . " I run my kingdom with the intent of trying to bring it back to life . Not all of us have the grace of having such a lively home , Israfel . Some of us have nothing but sand and the whispers of a broken land because of those that have left it to rot . " His voice is a low tone , but there's a deep truth that resonates there . The only reason he had chased this third time crown in the first place . There was no one else that dared step up to such a haunted position . Who would chase after something so broken ?
His eyes lid lazily , and a hoof cocks upward , resting on the very tip as his massive body gives to rest for a moment , at least temporarily . There is no fear between either of them . As much as she had threatened and postured to him , he gave nothing in turn to her . A true fighter knew when to posture and bare their teeth , though Leviathan had long grown tired of doing it with his own . He only gave what was coming to those that deserved it , without warning .
" I didn't come here for a pissing contest . " The blunt tone falls flat , lips curling just as lazily as the rest of him , and his heavy head shakes a little , mane falling over his scarred face a moment before he tosses it away . There is no give , no budge , not from either of them . The tension could very well be cut with a knife , until something finally gives .
But with one side giving , so too , does the other .
" I've only ever been a fighter myself ; Champion of Battle , or a soldier on the side . All my life , it's all I've done . You've served Novus for years , I've served Novus for a little bit , and my old home for years . I've had crowns , sure , but I've never been alone with them , either . I told you before , I don't do politics . The ones I've had that ruled at my side .. they've turned on me , the ones that were political . Their little games , their posturing , their sly moves ... that's why I don't like them . It's better to just be straightforward , or fight . Either or . I've bled and scrapped and fought for everything I've ever gotten . What I've achieved , what I've gotten , I've earned . " Those shoulders rise and fall , a heavy shrug that rocks his entire dappled body a moment before he snorts just a little bit .
He's certainly tired , but at least some of the tension has broken away , and his posture is still relaxed . He won't be going anywhere , either .
" I'm not here to posture or measure dicks , as hard as it is to believe coming from a Solterran . So , I'm sorry . I'm not used to playing the uh ... royalty thing , here . I haven't done it in a long time , especially on my own . Turns out I'm a lot more of an asshole when I'm the only one in charge I guess and there's no one to temper me . "
@Israfel
cue me screaming at him always
