Dirt in the sky (open)

[iphigenia]

Iphigenia walked through the hunting grounds. Not that she was hunting anything. There wasn't much sport in it after all. Food was easily obtained in the kitchens after all. It was just nice to enjoy a walk through a mostly quiet area. The castle was bustling and there were far too many distracting things out among the city. Here she could relax.

She found a particularly shady tree and lay against it. The sound of the wind rustling through the grass was soothing. She was glad it wasn't snowing. The cold didn't bother her anymore but the memories of being trapped in the snow drift, unable to escape as she froze to death. She shook her head. Being trapped in the cave with Toph, while not a greatly exciting experience was certainly better. Still, the thoughts of being trapped the first time weighed on her mind. She looked up at the sky. It was rather empty. It seemed sullen. It depressed her.

She stared at it for awhile, her mood sinking. She dug a soft bit of dirt out from the ground and threw it. It flew into the sky, quickly disappearing from view. She sighed. It was a stupid thing to do, there was no point to it. Then she smiled. At least she could do useless things now. There was always a bright side. She leaned back against the tree and wondered if she'd get to see it come down this time. She doubted it.

[Anactoria IV]

Not far from where Iphigenia lay against a shady tree, a slight river cut through the hunting grounds. The petite power-house could no doubt hear it water babbling from where she sat. But after a moment, she would be able to hear something else.

"It seems then, Dancer, that the old adage was misleading. For behold: Not only have I led a horse to water, but I have made him drink as well."

There was a sound then, a curios cross between braying and neighing. The voice laughed, and it was musical sound.

"Do not act as though you are not glad to be away from the castle for a time," said the same voice as before. "I know you must be cross with me, but things have been so very hectic since my return, I have not had time to go on rides with you like I used to."

Silence was the only reply. "Oh, now you are just sulking," the voice said with a sigh.

Princess Anactoria stood next to her ebony furred stallion, Dancer, as the latter's head was bent own and forward, drinking from the river. The only sign of her station was the jeweled tiara atop her head, twinged in her dark locks as firmly as said hair was tied into a long single braid down her back. The riddling legging she wore were functionally tight and looked well worn, as did her boots. Her top was slightly fancier number, but not by much.

"What I wouldn't give for you to be able to talk back, Dancer. I could use some unbiased advice. This whole thing is getting confusing. I need to talk to someone, but as nice as all these women seem, they're all after the same thing and will tell me anything that they think will win them my hand." A pause. "Well, Rhiannon has been honest with me from the beginning, but its hard to think straight when she's around. Though I wonder... is that because of the woman herself, or her exotic appearance? See? So many questions, and no one to talk to."

Anactoria leaned against the side of the stallion wearily. "All these suitors and possibilities... but what I really need right now is a friend..."

[iphigenia]

The boredom was killing her, well, not the boredom. She couldn't relax was the problem. Normally silence was good, silence kept her calm. But after all the business she'd been going through and the general setting she had gotten quite use to the general noise. Then there was her hand. It had begun twitching more and more. It was a bad sign and she rather hoped she could do something about it soon.

She stood up and brushed off her skirt. She was glad she had found this one, she really needed to buy a new wardrobe and soon. She sighed quietly and steadied herself on the tree as she rubbed life back into her left foot. After the feeling had returned she walked a bit, tentatively to keep from falling over. It wasn't fully awake.

The sound of a voice and a horse caught her attention. She looked at her hand, while she was generally pale by nature, it had gone even paler and taken on an almost bluish hue. She slipped it into the bag she had at her waist, smashing it between two books. Then she stepped out into the open.

"Hello there, sorry to intrude but I heard talking and decided to investigate."

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria spun around with a started "Oh!", and even that movement managed to look like a dance. "Ah, I did not here you approach," she confessed. With a smile she added, "Not that I was paying much attention."

The princess took in the measure of the woman before her. She seem thin. Too thin in truth. Was she ill? Had she been recently ill? Her gait was sure enough. Blue-gold eyes chanced down to the hand inside the bag. What an odd stance. Was she reaching for something? So many question piled into so slight a container. Her smiled widened. Here was a pretty mystery that could distract her from her troubles.

The smile faltered, as she thought of her 'troubles 'once again. "It is no intrusion at all; the hunting grounds are open to all my guests. However... I do have a question. Just... how much of my previous comments could you overhear just now?"

[iphigenia]

"Not much, I just heard talking and wondered who it might have been." Iphie glanced around. "However I didn't expect a single person talking aloud. I expected to run into two or three people, though I suppose a woman speaking to a horse is far from abnormal. There are certainly stranger women roaming the castle grounds." She smiled slightly. Attempting humour was tricky, but Iphie believed she had done it well enough.

"What are you doing out here, you don't seem much like a hunter to be perfectly honest, no overly visible weapons or anything of that sort." She glanced around. "You wouldn't happen to be hiding out like Princess Anactoria was would you? Hiding out from the hustle and bustle of the castle? It's kind of nice to think I'm not the only one who does that sort of thing." Iphie certainly had no idea that she was speaking to the princess herself, she was immensely pleased to meet someone else out here though. It pulled her mind away from the task she should have been performing in the library.

[Anactoria IV]

Ana opened her mouth to correct Iphie and explain that she was the princess, but closed it almost at once with a nearly audible 'click'. The fact that this woman didn't recognize her meant that she was most likely another suitor from someplace faraway. The moment they found out that she was Anactoira , the tone of the whole conversation would change.

"You caught me," she said with a little laugh. "I am no hunter. Though I am not exactly, hiding, either. I merely find it pleasant to go for a ride from time to time. I have not had much opportunity lately, and I was making up for lost time. The castle has become... well perhaps not crowded , but definitely boisterous of late. Some time away from it can only be a good thing."

She patted Dancer's saddle affectionately before turning and approaching the other woman. "And you? What brings you so far from the castle? You do not look like a hunter either. Are you one of her highness's suitors?"

She offered a hand to Iphie once she reached her. "But, I am being rude. My name is Annie. May I have yours?"

[iphigenia]

"It is nice to meet you Miss Annie. I am Iphigenia Carrow." Iphie took her hand and shook it, careful to be as careful and gentle as she could. "I'm not much of a hunter, though I won't deny I've had experience. Her face fell a bit. "I guess you could consider me another suitor of the Princess." She sighed and forced a false smile. "It'll all turn out however, so I expect that something interesting will happen to me whether or not I succeed in wooing her highness, especially with all the strange beings who have been drawn to the castle."

Iphie's mind wandered to what the consequences would be if she failed. Death seemed likely, but if she was forced to the blackness that she had found herself in before they brought her into their society then she had no idea how she would handle it.

"I suppose you're a suitor as well. Forgive me if I don't wish you luck in that endeavor, though I do hope that your days are numerous as well as pleasant."

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria inclined her head, in a slight nod, an impish smile playing om her lips. "And yours as well," she said, approaching Iphigenia with light easy steps.

"The replies to her highness invitation have been.. varied and colorful, to say the very least," she went on in what she hopped was a casual tone of voice. "All her for their own reasons, and not all of them benevolent. I.. do not envy her task, to pick out genuine interest among the sea of opportunists. It inevitable that the obvious choices such as you or I will be lost in the shuffle."

A frown creased her brow then. "Forgive me if I am prying," she said. "But I could not help but notice that you seem less... enthusiastic about the idea than some of the other guests. I have heard that some of the suitors are only here because their families or other authorities made them attend. Does that hold true for you as well? Is there someplace you'd rather be? Someone you would rather be with?"

[iphigenia]

"I would not call myself obvious by any stretch of the term. As for my enthusiasm, well, I had a few diverging roads along the path of life and I chose the one that seemed the most pleasant. So here I am." Iphie smiled, she of course neglected to mention that the other paths were the continued servitude of the cult or death. Still, her words rang true enough in her own ears. As for somewhere I'd like to be..." she paused. "Well I have no family left over so there's no reason to go home, and I have no specific goals apart from the few I've imposed upon myself here at the castle. So I suppose I'm free as a bird in the sky, or a dirt clod thrown by a bored suitor."

Iphie glanced into the sky. "It is very nice here, and I've met some strange characters, but I suppose I haven't quite put my heart into winning the Princess' hand. I haven't even seen her yet can you believe?" Her smile slipped. "I don't know anything about her, what she likes or dislikes, and to be honest I'm not sure I care.Let her enjoy her life. If she wants to participate in this farcical fairytale ball then I say let her. She'll choose someone and it will turn out well or it won't. We all have paths to choose and I'm traveling mine while she travels hers. Hopefully ours will intersect favorably in some fashion. If not, then I'll just have to keep moving and hope for the best for all parties involved."

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria's frown faded, replaced by -- well not truly a smile, but definitely a somewhat bemused expression. "That," she said, "may very well be the most honest and succinct expression of intention I have heard yet." She clasped her hands over her chest, exhaling deeply, feeling as though a weight she had not been aware of had been removed from her shoulders. "You are a lucky meet, Iphigenia Carrow. I came here for a breath of fresh air, and found it in places I did not expect."

Now Anactoria was smiling, changing the subject with a wave of her hand as if to dismiss the last line of conversation. "But we've talked enough about her highness and this -- how did you put it? -- Farcical fairytale ball. If we came here to get away from it, then let us be away.

"Do you ride, Iphigenia?" Anactoria asked, indicating Dancer with a sweeping, graceful gesture.

[iphigenia]

"No, horses have a tendency to take a disliking to me when I try to ride them. I expect I'm not gentle enough with them." Iphie gave a wry smile remembering the disastrous attempt at teaching her to ride back at the temple. That had gone incredibly badly, though her smile faded at the thought of the punishment after. "I've had some bad experiences with them so I sort of stopped trying to learn. I leave them alone and they return the favor." She smiled.

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria wrinkled her nose. "I suspect you just had lousy teachers," she said , giving her single braid which a flip. "Given a month or two, I could have you ridding as though you had done it all your life.

"But for now... will you ride with me, Iphigenia? I will handle Dancer myself. All you have to do is hold on, and enjoy the fresh air. Trust me, it feels even better while at a full gallop.

Anactoria clicked her teeth and called, softly "Dancer!" The horse perked its head up and headed over to it wonder at once. The princess climbed into the saddle effortlessly, then approached Iphie and offered her hand.

[iphigenia]

Iphie took her hand lightly, though it was still incredibly firm, and mounted the horse. Bad memories came flooding back, horses panicking at her scent, her grip, or whatever else it was that made them hate her so. But now she wasn't controlling the horse, it was someone who knew horses and this one seemed well trained. Iphie wrapped her arms around the still unidentified princess. "Is this ok, Annie?" She asked, hoping it wasn't too tight, though she didn't want to be so loose that she fell from the horse. Trampling was a rather unfortunate occurrence that she had no interest in experiencing again. For some reason fleeing bandits thought that running her down with their horse was a good idea. It was worse for them but Iphie didn't enjoy the experience certainly. "I'm not holding you too tight am I?"

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria raised her eyebrows slightly. For someone so slight, this young woman had an impressive grip! But for all her protests about riding, Iphie slid into place behind her like a pro.

Dancer did neigh suddenly and jerk where she stood as if to buck them both off, but Anactoria rubbed his neck gently. "Easy, easy boy," she cooed softly, and the horse settled down in short order.

"See, nothing to it," she said over her shoulder as a thin pair of arms wrapped around her, and again with a solid force that she never would have expected from so slight a woman. "Actually that's just about perfect! Just hold on, and try to enjoy the feeling!'

Anactoria took the reigns, simultaneously ticker her teeth and giving the horse little squeeze with her legs. Well trained animal that he was, Dancer took of like a shot, leaping to a slow gallop at once, down the hunting grounds away from the castle.

Something not unlike elation poured though Anactoria, and she let out a rather un-lady-like squeal of delight. A fallen tree lay across the path before them. Dancer barely needed her input; the next moment they were flying over it, landing and off again, with barely any loss in momentum. She was not sure what she liked more: finally ridding again, the opportunity to not be princess Anactoria for a few hours, or the feeling of behind held buy a interesting young woman, even if was more out of necessity than anything else.

"Doing okay back there?" she called out over her shoulder.

[iphigenia]

Iphie enjoyed riding, she really did. It was exhilerating to be going at such a high speed yet still feel so graceful while doing it. Her own full speed running was more like a brick kicked along the ground. It was solid and it definitely ignored most anything in its way, but it was just clumsy and awkward. Here she was free, well sort of. She managed to keep from tightening up when the horse jumped but only just. It would be bad to break the ribs of her new friend. Despite her tremendous strength, Iphie knew that too much pressure could cause a bit of damage to Annie's soft body.

"I'm alright for now." She replied a bit breathlessly. She really shouldn't have been holding her breath as much as she had but the fear of a bucking kept her on edge. "If we could maybe slow it down I'd be a bit grateful to you."