An embarrassing accident (draconian)

[Anonymous]

It was a nice day out, the sun was shining with only a few clouds in the sky. The weather wasn't too warm nor too cold, it was perfect. A perfect day for a ride. Hatshepsut had decided to sleep in for awhile, something she normally didn't do. It felt good to do it, so she didn't feel bad about it. Since it was such a nice day Hatshepsut decided to go for a ride in the country. She asked one of her workers, she hated to call them servants, to get her favorite white horse ready. Then she got dressed in nice riding clothes.

Soon enough she was out of the house and in the stables, mounting her white horse aptly named 'Spirit'. The horse was very excitable and high spirited, but she liked him being that way. Hatshepsut rode out of town towards the country side at an easy pace. No need to wear her horse out this early, there was a lot of day left. Spirit had a very easy going lope that was easy to flow with. She kicked him into a fast gallop and enjoyed the way the wind flew through her hair.

Hatshepsut hadn't ridden that far out when all of a sudden Spirit stopped mid-run to rear up on his hands legs. The white stallion let out a very scared whinny and proceeded to flip out a bit. She tried calming him down, but the horse was panicking now and there was nothing she could do to stop him. She didn't even know what it was that had spooked the horse. He kept bucking and then without notice, burst into a fast run which she was not ready for. The sudden jolt of movement made her lose her balance and she came toppling off of the horse, smacking the ground hard. Spirit then ran off and in front of her was the reason the stallion had freaked out. A nice size snake was looking at her face to face and it did not seem very happy. Hatshepsut laid there, not sure what to do and not wanting to get bitten.

[Anonymous]

It was a nice day.

Theo tied his hair back into a high pony-tail, the only real difference between his twin and himself, that and Theo had a sword wound on his side from being stabbed once. Just once though, and it was faded now, so you'd have to look very closely to even see it against his tanned skin. Theodore was a true bred Adelan. Dark hair, dark skin, bright eyes. Of course, the slight serendipity influenced from his mothers side made his hair and skin not as dark as average, but, he looked Adelan.

Musing about his heritage, here on rather grim business, Theodore blinked and stared as a white streak rushed past him.

"Well that's odd."

He didn't hear screaming, and he wasn't that unused to rambunctious ladies from his home. Serendipity though. She might have been too polite to scream. Running a hand over Apara's neck, Apara being Theo's palomino gelding, he gave the horse a nudge and took off after the woman with the white horse.

White horse.

Theo chuckled softly, white horses get dirty too fast. Almost caught up, he saw the poor woman fall off her horse and the thing run off into the forest. Then he spotted the snake. Apara, just stood there, looking down doefully at the strange woman while Theodore jumped off of it and stared. " Quite the horse you have, ma'am." It was a veiled insult, a horse that spooked wasn't much of a good horse at all. At least Theo thought so, but his horse knowledge was as dim as talc. He knew that nudges moved it and being nice to it helped.

Quietly, Theodore went in behind the snake and snatched it by the neck before lopping its head off and throwing it off to the side, the tops of his gloves bloody, so he removed them soon after, also tosssing those to the side. "Ah..." Theodore paused and looked down at himself, dressed in his 'gentleman' clothes, which consisted of black breeches, a white tunic and a fancy coat and boots, hair up and his lips pursed.

"I'm Theodore Wynn of Adela. I'm ... Well. Visiting I suppose." He kneeled down beside her and Apara snorted into his hair, picking at Theodores ponytail with his lips. " Do you have a name or are we going to call you Tumblelina?" His eyebrows drew upwards and one hand waved back and forth behind his head to shoo away Apara. " Oh, Do you want me to help you look for your horse or take you home?" Before she could protest, Theodore had a hand on her back and was gently lifting her upright.

[Anonymous]

Hatshepsut knew better than to scream with a snake right in front of her. Of course the fact that she had had nearly all the wind knocked out of her thanks to the fall helped too. Then some man on a palomino rode up and he dismounted from his horse. She didn't say anything to him as the snake was still in front of her. Then the man deftly took care of it with a swift lopping off of his head.

Hatshepsut gave a loud sigh of relief. "Thank you very much for your help Sir Theodore Wynn. I was afraid if I moved that snake was going to bite me." She said as she accepted his help up. She took a moment to dust off the dirt that was on her outfit, though it didn't help much. Her hair was all messed up now, and she tried to straighten out the dark locks. "Yes, Spirit has quite the spirit. I generally can handle his more wild side, but I guess the snake was too scary for him."

She laughed a little at his joke. "My name is Lady Hatshepsut Kiwat. Don't worry about Spirit. He'll find his back eventually. I'm in no mood now to go looking for him. A ride back to town would be wonderful." She answered him, he was very kind for being so considerate of her.

[Anonymous]

Theo smiled and puffed out his chest slightly before he reached forward to, but stopped himself from helping the lady dust herself off. Quietly he stood, his hands at his sides while he watched, his fingers twitching, warm at the tips. Huffing slightly, Theodore went into a pack on the saddle and pulled out another pair of brown leather gloves, pulling them over his hands before going back and peaking around Apara to eye the new lady.

" A horse that you can't control is a useless horse." Theodore was confused. Why keep a horse that could break your neck? He shook his head, mystefied before turning his green-hazel gaze back on the lovely woman. " Of course, My Lady Hat..Hat..." Theodore blinked at her before licking his lips and giving up. " Can I just call you Hatty? The hardest name I can pronounce is my own." Pressing a hand to his thigh he stretched up and, without asking, hefted his lovely new friend Hatty - Which he was going to call her whether she liked it or not, onto Aparas back before seating himself in front of her.

" I'm going to assume you know how to ride horses, if you think you're gonna fall, just scream and flail and beat me over the head okay? Okay." With a loud 'hya!' noise, he nudged Aparas sides and got his palomino gelding to take off at a gallop in the direction he was coming from. After a quiet period, Theodore slowed Apara down and blinked before using one hand on Hatsheputs waist and pulling her closer to him, chest to back. " Would now be a bad time to say that I'm not at all sure where Arca is? Been there with the King once or twice, but... Never on my own. Do you know the way, Lady?"

[Anonymous]

"Well actually if you must call by a shorter name, I would prefer Shep." She said, but before she could say more she was swung up onto the palomino horse and Sir Wynn sat himself in front of her. Then they were off at a gallop and she grabbed a hold of Theodore tighter around the waist. This man was certainly a character, she was actually surprised sort of that he was a noble.

He slowed the palomino down to a walk and asked her if she knew the way. "Of course. Town is that way." She stated, pointing behind her towards the direction of Arca. "The way we are heading now would lead us to the mountains. Hatshepsut couldn't help but giggle a bit. "Actually, I can normally handle him, he's not uncontrollable. Besides which it's fun to ride on a horse that is a bit unpredictable." She explained, defending her horse for some reason.

[Anonymous]

Nobles were different in Adela.

In Serendipity they were all so... Prissy. Had to be tough to be from Adela. It was the nation with the deadliest military after all. That gave them something to live up to. Something to take pride in. Serendipity had... Boats. Musing silently, Theodore looked over his shoulder before placing a hand on the womans against his stomach. " You may prefer Shep, but that sounds like a dogs name, so I'm going to call you Hatty." He smiled and turned his head, looking in the direction she was pointing.

" Back... There." Theo dropped his head forward and sighed quietly before turning Apara around and nudging the docile horse. " Spirited horses are for war and breeding. Not riding." Theo commented, his own War Horse was a prickly bastard, Theo had to work to ride the giant beast, took every amount of effort to keep it from running head long into spears and sharp objects. Took out a good number of foot soldiers in his time, was one of the more sought after horse to breed new war horses. "Stallions are dangerous and should be ridden on game hunts," Theo paused, looking around, used to dense forest, the more open areas of Serendipity made him feel naked.

He coninuted. " Game hunts and wars. Not noble women. Noble women are important. Stallions are illmannered brutes. " Hazel eyes peaked over his shoulder and he leered for a moment before kicking Apara to go a little faster. " C'mon Apara, I don't want to have to spend the night out here again. You didn't like it much, either." Theo reached forward to pat his horse on the neck before puffing out some breath.

" So, are you close to King Fenway? I need to speak to him on King Akkiels orders." Theodore was unaware that King Fenway had been kidnapped along with Adelas Military Commander, so he was calm while he spoke. Curious. This was a noble woman. They deserved respect. Until they proved to have a brain akin to a door knob, then Theodore was bite-ie and disrespectful... But only then.

[Anonymous]

"Well if you don't want to call me Shep, you still can't call me Hatty. Hatty sounds like an old woman's name. If you must, just call me Lady. Anything but Hatty." Hatshepsut was disgusted by that nickname. To her Hatty was a name that only fit wrinkly, weathered old women. Even though she had many years under her belt, she was technically no older than 26. Men from Adela were certainly different than the men from Serendipity.

"You may feel that way, but I love a spirited horse. They make me feel so alive and free. I mean I don't normally get to do anything very exciting at all, so a spirited horse is a way for me to do something thrilling without someone yelling at me for it. Besides, I'm kind of fond of ill mannered brutes." She said, still defending herself. Hatshepsut had always wanted to do some of the things that the soldiers got to do or even the young noblemen. Like swordplay and fighting. She remembered some of her past lives where she got to be involved in wars and other more physically harmful episodes, but with the changing times she had to give up those thrilling things to be able to keep her noble standing.

"Have you not heard?" She asked, surprised at his question. "King Fenway has been kidnapped. They are still searching for him now as we speak. The Adelan Military Commander was kidnapped along with him. I'm afraid it may be awhile before you have the chance to speak with him. I'm surprised that your king did not know."

[Anonymous]

Theodore grinned. Score. She hated the nickname Hatty. " Well, it's a habit of mine to call people things they hate, so, you're Hatty, and unless your horse is magical or you want to walk to your home - which I can't see anywhere nearby - you get to deal with it while you're on Apara." Shaking his head, Theo snorfled at the comment. A spirited horse was her only escape.

" They must keep you on tight leashes here. I don't think any of the Women in Adela don't know how to swing a sword or engage in some mild fighting at one point or another. Then again," Theo smiled, slowly, an evil glint in his eye, "We're not farmers." Towards Arca they went, Theo asked his question about King Fenway and Hatshepsut replied. Theo went stone still, straight.

Letting go of the reigns of the horse he rubbed his hands against his legs, breathing slowly. " I know the Commander is missing. I found," Theo paused, not sure he wanted Hatshepsut to know their military commander was a woman," Their wings pinned to the outter wall of the castle." Theo swallowed and grabbed the reigns again, " You're aware of the distance between the kingdoms. I'm surprised you know the Commander is missing, many of the nobles at home neither know or care." A king missing was one thing. A commander was replaceable.

" You don't seem worried about your King missing." He said softly. "I'm worried sick about the Commander. Are you a noble in line for the throne? Is that why you're not worried? A kingdom can crumble without the right leader." Theodore pulled his riding companion closer and kicked Apara to move faster. He hadn't been planning on this. The commander. A king. "What about any others? Mages have been disappearing all over the place. I..." Theo paused. " Do you know anyone- No.. it can wait."

They rode for a while, Theo was fairly quiet. Town was within eyeview and he looked over his shoulder. " Hatty?" He thought the nickname was cute. It made him think of adorable little hats. " Where do you live? The least I can do is give you a ride there now that I've used you to keep my back warm."

[Anonymous]

Hatshepsut couldn't decide whether she should slap this man for his rudeness towards a noblewoman, or thank him for giving her one of the most stimulating conversations she has had in a while. Either way she absolutely hated the name Hatty, but agreed that unless she wanted to walk all the way back that she would have to deal with it. She didn't have to like it though, so she silently huffed at him.

"Please, I know how to swing a sword, though I must admit it has been many lives ago. I was always better at the bow than the sword. Preferred it too. I'll have you to know I have not been a farmer since my....oh goodness it's been so long ago...Well I don't remember how long it's been, but it's been a very long time." She said again defending herself. She placed her arms down to her side, haven gotten a good balanced on the easy paced horse.

She was aware of the distance between the nation. Hell, she had a few memories of when the nations were created, so of course she knew how far apart they were. "I have my connections and I liked to keep up to date on what is happening in our neighboring countries. Though I haven't know it for long." She explained to him. "A lot of nobles only care to know about things that pertain to them personally. I, however, am not that stupid."

"I am worried for him, but in my life times I've seen many a king be killed, murdered, kidnapped, and still the nation goes on. Sure there would be turmoil for awhile, but so enough someone else worthy will take the throne and things will go back to normal. Well, most of the times that's how it happens. Sometimes turn out for the worse, but either way it works out in the end." She said, rather stoically as she ran fingers through her still very unkempt hair. "I haven't heard of anyone else being taken though and as for the throne. I could care less. I'm quite happy where I am thank you very much."

"You don't have to take me all the way to my mansion if you do not wish. Unless of course you would care for some tea or something to eat before you head to the castle. It's the least I can do for saving me." She asked him politely.

[Anonymous]

Chewing on his bottom lip, Theo rolled his hazel-green eyes skyward, praying to the many fae gods that he find a way to the castle. For the time being, he would enjoy Hattys' company.  " Just 'cause you can swing a sword doesn't mean you're good at it. I'm okay with swords, but I'm better with pole-arms and hand-to-hand fighting." Of course her comment about being a farmer got a raised eyebrow out of Theo. This was Serendipity. What else was there to do but fish and farm?

Oh. Right Noble. " Oh, of course. Your serfs tend your fields." The mention of connections got Theo to stay still, processing the information. Connections. That could travel faster than the couriour knight to send work that they were missing someone. That wasn't good. He looked over his shoulder at her, spys? Someone in the court, obviously. Theodore stored that piece of information away for later. It would be useful. Connections. That worried him.

Careful not to show any suspicion on his face, Theodore sat and listened. She didn't care. The way she was talking about how Kings and Queens could be replaced like paper dolls worried him. Theo would freak out for a while if Akkiel left. He's gone out on his own personal missions, but he's never left. The fact that she hadn't mentioned them just dying normally made Theo mildly worried. It didn't occure to him that she was immortal.

Even if he knew, the way she spoke was still a little off putting. " The king and the Adelan commander have been taken only?" Theo pondered, his tongue running over his lips as he entered the city, turning towards Hatty and smirking at the offer of tea. "We drink coffee in Adela. Tea is for prissy Serenians." Theo spoke in the ancient Adelan language, spoken usually as a ceremony aspect, of course it has evolve over the years, now he spoke it to be a smart ass. Fluent in Common, he left the word 'tea' to bother her. Unless she spoke Adelan, in which case, Theo just made an ass of himself which he'd never own up to.  Common was more generally spoken in Serendipity and Adela alike, the accent from the ancient language pushed through, making another slight difference between the two countries.

Adelans had an accent. Theo did as well, though less pronounced since he'd spent a good deal of time with the Commander who wasn't natively from Adela at all.

"I'd appreciate something to eat. Could I feed my horse as well? Of course, assuming you have stalls. I'll pass on the tea, I'm more of a water drinker." He smiled and paused. " Uh... Where did you say your house was?"

[Anonymous]

Hatshepsut shook her head no, though he wouldn't be able to see it being in front of her. "I don't own fields of any kind. I tried the whole farming thing awhile ago. I found it to be too boring. Quite frankly I'm rich enough I don't need a steady income to keep my noble status." She explain to him, being a bit more braggarty than she cared to be. Somehow though she figured that it might strike a cord with the Adelan.

Lucky for him Hatshepsut hadn't spoken the ancient Andelan language in so long that she didn't remember most of it. Of course she'd never really been good at it in the first place, so she simply ignored his statement. "I am not sure if they are the only ones. That's just what I heard from my good friends in Adela. At first I figured them for just rumors, but then I kept hearing more and more until finally I found out it was true. I'm sure they will be rescued safely."

"Of course I have stables and I do not mind feeding your horse either. I have multiple stables. Instead of boring old crops I raise horses. All kinds and breeds. I guess I am a breeder of sorts. My house is on the very outskirts. You can't miss it." She said, in fact her house was right up ahead of them. The long row of stables very visible from this distance and the large fields the horses had to run in.

[Anonymous]

He coughed and laughed at the same time, a lame attempt to hide his entertainment. " You're from Serendipity and you don't farm?" That's what Serendipity was. The farming country. Endless fields. They had crops. Theodore didn't understand. Looking down at his arms he blinked a few times before shaking his head again. This place was weird. " From what I learned, Serendipity is the country with the crops and fishing." He nodded and smiled over his shoulder then sighed and dropped his head forward again.

"Commander is the only one missing from Adela. Commander and mages. Mages have been going missing too." Theo rubbed his thumb and forefingers together. Theodore and his twin Nathaniel had a natural talent for fire manipulation, Theo was never quite sure how it manifested in his brother, but it made his own fingertips burn almost painfully.

Theodore snorted at her being a breeder. There were no horses like the Adelan Plainspeople horses. Apara wasn't one of them. They kept their horses to them self. The Plainspeople occationally raided small outskirt villages in Adela and on more than one occational Theodore had been there to chase them off, spear in hand. Too fast, too dexterous. " I'm sure you are, Hatty, I'm sure you are."

They rode for a while longer, to the outskirts of the town to a large plot of land. This was it. Looking around he jumped off of Apara and without asking - Theodore wasn't exactly trying to make a good lasting impression, he wrapped his hands around Hatshepsut's waist and lifted her up and off of his palomino gelding. " There we are. Ah..." Theodore stretched and yawned before turning to his horse and petting at his head, talking to him soothingly in a soft voice. " Lead the way Lady... Hatshep...pie..." His lips were thin and he just blinked. What an odd name. " Where's your name from? It's... Different. And hard to pronounce."

[Anonymous]

Hatshepsut was lifted without asking, off of the palomino horse. She didn't complain though. Theo was nice enough to give her a ride, so she would nick-pick about his rather strange behaviors. "Thank you. Yes, you are correct. Serendipity is very much farming land, but not all of us have to be farmers. The horses I breed are some of the best racers this side of the country." She said rather proudly.

At that moment one of Hatshepsut's servants came out to meet them. It was a older gentleman, bald head, white mustache, and plenty of wrinkles on his face. "Are you alright, ma'am? Where is your stallion?" He asked in a worried voice, giving her a small bow.

"I'm just fine Alfred. (aren't they all named that?) Spirit got spooked by a snake and threw me. He's probably still running around out there somewhere. He'll be back though. Alfred do you mind getting some refreshments ready for me and my guest. This is Sir Theodore Wynn of Adela. He was kind enough to give me a ride back." She explained to the older man. Alfred gave another bow to Theo and then rushed back towards the house to start the refreshments. Another servant, a young stable hand, came up and Hatshepsut asked him to take the up most care of Sir Theodore's horse.

"Please, come with me to the house." She said to Theo as she looped arms with him. "My name? My name is a Devan name. You see I am half Deva. This gray skin and odd markings aren't something I did to myself. Deva's are as old as time itself, so are our names. I do not quite remember where I got my name from, but my father gave it too me." She tried to explain to him. Her birth was a true miracle in and of itself. Her mother had been human, her father Deva. Deva's were never suppose to have children since they are immortal and only die if they are killed. So for him to have gotten a human woman pregnant was something amazing. Hatshepsut herself didn't know how it had happened.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure they are.

Theo just smiled and nodded, a lesson he'd learned from dealing with his mother and aunts and annoying cousins. When women were showing off how wonderful they were at something, the best thing to do was agree and smile and nod. Theo eyed the servant, blinking a few times. Poor guy. Old and still working. Pressing a hand to the back of his neck, he stretched and rolled his eyes at the mention of horses.

Spooked by a snake.

Nathaniels horse just stepped on them. Apara stood off to the side... Spooked by a snake. He sighed and smiled politely when he was introduced to the servant before removing his gloves and turning to Hatshepsut. " His name is Apara." Theo mentioned to the stable hand, before accepting the arm Hatshepsut put around his and holding her hand with his other. Safely tucked against his side.

Devan?

Huh?

"Pardon my... Not knowing. But, pray tell, what's a Devan?" The way she spoke of it, it seemed like it was something he should know. He'd never heard of it. The fact she was half of it didn't occure unusual to him at all. The gray skin and odd markings didn't phase him, he was used to unusual looking people. There was blue man with a fawn tail and horns at the brothel in Adela. Theo still couldn't think of anyone more odd looking than that.

Of course, her mentioning it got him curious. Just because he was a knight didn't mean he was ignorant. As they walked towards her house, Theos thumb stroked over Hatshepsuts fingers. Theos hands were unusually warm, perhaps too warm, the manifestation of his fire magic irritating his palm and fingertips.

[Anonymous]

Hatshepsut couldn't think of anything at the moment except about how warm Theo's hands were on hers. Jeez was this man on fire on the inside or what? Finally his question reached through to her mind. "Never heard of us? Honestly I'm not surprised. For an immortal race there seems to be very few of us around anymore." She said in a rather sad voice. Her thoughts went to her father. She hadn't seen him in so many lives, she wasn't sure where he was anymore. They'd never really been close, though she always had wanted to be.

"Devas are very ancient beings. I don't remember all of our history, but I believe we were created by some god or goddess as personal guardians. We are immortal, but can be killed. Though when a deva is killed they don't really die. They are reborn someplace sacred and start a new life, but some of the memories of their last life stays with them." She said explaining as best she could, but she knew it was a bit confusing.

"My birth was a bit of a miracle. Normally Devas never have children, we're suppose to be sterile. Some how though my father managed to get my human mother pregnant and I was born. Hence why I'm only half Deva and therefore my immortality is a bit....off. I can be killed, die of disease, things like that just like any Deva. But I also have a life span, roughly the same as a humans. However I never appear to age and when I do die of old age and come back the same as a Deva. In a new body with part of my past life memories. I've never bore a child, but I do not think I am sterile like my kindred. I hope all of that isn't too terribly confusing." She said as they came up to the house. She opened the door for him and was greeted by the smell of coffee instead of tea. Normally Alfred made tea for her, perhaps he knew something she didn't. "Welcome to my humble home."