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 Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2025 4:29 pm
(This is a private RP for ToniCourtel's Auqtauvre & "Lady of the Dead" Mictecacihuatl. Please do not post unless invited.)
[Teepee]
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2025 4:59 pm
Quote: It was perhaps personal bias to state that the best time to view a potential new homeland was in Autumn, as crops were harvested and the trees were in their autumn finery. So much was stripped away, one could argue it was honest without the stark, bleak somewhat harsh influence of true winter. Others would surely argue for Spring, for its gentle weather and new beginnings, or Summer for the height of frivolity amidst what might be a challenging season. At least one would have an idea of what the fierce temperatures might be like.
All of that being said, Auqtauvre was of such an opinion that Autumn was the best (not just the most tolerable or entertaining). The battle-trained Angeni Hippogryph had come to this place in the depth of fall, when the wind began to bite harder to as it heralded the arrival of winter. No snow yet on the ground, but certainly a great deal of leaves turning into their own crisp cover over the golden and slumbering grasses.
As far as Auqtauvre was concerned, this new land was a far more peaceful one than his homeland. That being said, there was still evidence that one of his stature and skill set could find purpose in this place, could find a place of belonging. Even if it was initially only through useful employ as it were. The black and gold Angeni stallion stretched and folded his sharp, seraph-like wings to his back and gave a heavy snort, clearing his lungs to draw in a deep breath and scan his surroundings. This was where they were supposed to meet, so here was where he would wait.
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Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2025 10:21 am
Quote: Every being had a past, whether or not they remembered it. Mictēcacihuātl, for her part, knew enough of previous lives that she was resolved to do things differently. To begin with, she had done everything she could in several previous incarnations to move away from the realms and lands she was once familiar with. Those she was born to, cast out from, and rose up to build into new kingdoms. Those with kith and kin alike, with loyal and disloyal followers, with friends and fans and enemies. All of them she had left behind, again and again and again.
Emerging somewhere new, worlds away, lifetimes away, she was resolved to start over. A new land, a new home potentially.. But she was still herself, even now. Still Lady of the Dead, festooned in flowers, keeper of bones, she who presides over festivals of the dead.
Even here, in a land where no one knew her. She had made it this far, only time would tell if it was far enough.
Stepping into the grove, Mict lowered her crest in a silent apprehensive way, slicking down her feathers and laying back her ears. She cast a glance around the open space, noting the soft play of light and shadow over the rich carpet of grass, the dappling as it eked through the branches overhead. Stepping into the space meant she could feel the play of light and shadows over her feathers and pelt, the bands of shadow corresponding to cooler points against the dappling light.
Standing on the far side of the grove waited a tall black stallion, fierce and silent, with sharp wings clad in feathers and strange gold light emitting from him. His mismatched eyes cut sharply across the space, and upon noticing her he offered a bow of his head.
"Good afternoon, I hope I didn't make you wait long."
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Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2026 5:39 pm
Quote: With another restless flex and fold of his many wings, Auqtauvre turns his head at the sounds of approach. To his ears the steps are light, almost dancerly, speaking to him of a graceful step and a more delicate figure. If he had to guess, it is probably the mare he is waiting for, but she is not yet in view to be sure. As the steps come from the west of the grove, it should be her, but he has only another moment of waiting and will not presume. When Auqtauvre sees movement at the far side of the glade from the corner of his eye, he turns his head to watch, and upon confirmation offers a greeting bow.
"Hail and well met. My Greetings, Lady Mictecacihuatl, I am pleased to see you have arrived without difficulty." The black and gold Angeni stallion offers in his somber, rumbling tone. "No, please be assured, I have not been here long. It seems that our timing was quite good. If you were wondering, Novaumbre has already gone ahead to make arrangements, as we have agreed that we did not wish for you to travel far by yourself without protection. I hope that my company will not be too underwhelming in comparison, I am afraid it was the luck of the draw in my favor today."
Auqtauvre gave an amused hum from the depths of his chest, offering a smile. "I can assure you that he was quite reluctant, but we are men of honor and bound to the terms of our agreements. Shall we carry on? The sooner we proceed, the sooner we can rest at our next encampment. And if you find the space suits you, we can stay for awhile... If not, we will continue to move on in search of the perfect place."
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Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2026 6:26 pm
Quote: Like so many of her lives before, Mictēcacihuātl is alone in this one... Has been, for as long as she can remember, in this and every other shadowy glimpse of her previous lives that she has managed to catch. Though there may be distinct highs and lows, much of the story remains the same... Consistently alone, trying her best, until she falls only to rise again, to try again, like the wheat in the fields or the leaves on the trees. This time she has left the lands she is familiar with, bidding farewell to the South where it is so hot, the rich and humid jungles of the island and southern peninsula, the arid desert of the dust dry inland...
Though it is quite soon, all things considered, she thinks she already misses the rich, vibrant jungle the most... Particularly the deep, wild places with the perilously hard to detect cenotes. The vibrant color of the water, the crumbling white teeth of stone that try to close around it like the very jaws of the earth... The offerings the herds she once walked amongst would offer... The way they might appear under one's feet with the solitary goal of devouring one. Nothing beautiful was without risk, Mict had learned...
She felt that held true for the black and gold stallions that had somehow become her warriors, even if she had yet to see their edges for herself. Dangerous to others, she knew they could be... But to her they were the picture of sworn loyalty, stoic and gallant, obedient to her whims except for when it seemed to compromise her safety.
"It is always pleasing to see you Auqtauvre." Mict offers politely when the silence stretches awkwardly between them. She does not wish to dwell on the information he has offered about the brothers somewhat at odds over her, and matters of her safety... Nor does she want to deeply examine how invested she might be over which one she gets to see when.
"I am sorry that I have caused you and Novaumbre to worry... You know it was not my intent, this was just something that I needed to do on my own. Shall we go then? The sooner we are back to the area you have scouted, the happier you both will be, I rather imagine."
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Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2026 1:17 pm
Quote: "You flatter me, of course." The Warrior stallion responds with a deep incline of his head and a flick of sabre sharp wings. "It is, as ever, an Honor to stand before the Lady. I am graced by your trust in this matter, and it is my honor to escourt you in safety. I assure you that Novaumbre and I take such a responsibility quite seriously."
He pointedly steps to one side, a silent invitation, carefully folding his wings to his back to minimize the target he presented. Standing in silent darkness for a moment, he extended his lowest wing on his left in a gesture that reads as wordless invitation. Silence settles patiently between them, the world humming with a gentle liveliness, Auqtauvre waiting with utter patience as the elegant Lady gave him a nod and then stepped forward. Allowing her to move until she's just past even with him, the warrior Angeni then falls into step at her side.
Auqtauvre is content to pace in silence, as the lady wishes to do at least for the moment. He is not one that is particularly skilled at small talk, nor is he what would be considered particularly adept at estimating when small talk should be made. Neither of these things are considered crucial skills or warriors, or even really supplemental skills or talents for them. A bodyguard need not be entertaining, nor loquacious, to serve their purpose. More often than not, they are the opposite. Perhaps those talents or gifts for someone else proves detrimental for them in their chosen field. Auqtauvre can certainly not recall any of his fellows that strike him as chatty. Maybe his brother would have better luck at such a thing, when they got back to him. He had already seemed to have something of a gift with their Lady, it was a shame he had drawn the short straw in this instance.
"The Lady of course cannot control whether we do or do not worry, nor do we expect her to apologize for such." Auqtauvre offers into the quiet air around them. "But you do have the right of it on certain matters. The sooner we are safely away, the better for all involved. Novaumbre does tend to worry, after all."
The remark is made with a quiet, amused smile. "But of course, he would rather I do not tell you this. So I am afraid I must prevail upon you to keep this secret. It is a small ask, but important, for the sake of brothers."
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Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2026 6:42 pm
Quote: Mictecacihuatl makes an amused sound at his easy response, uninterested in pointing out that the remark seemed like it was pre-scripted, perhaps... Planned, templated.. something to that end.
"I doubt that, very much." She says with a careless shrug, attempting to express a neutral sort of disbelief in spite of her skull and the limit to her emotional expression. "Your code and manners of comportment do you both credit, as ever. I of course would not have chosen poorly, but you do both reflect particularly well. I thank you for your attention to detail and the standards to which you hold yourselves."
It was better, in her mind, that she focus more on Auqtauvre. He was the one standing before her, he was the less emotional or compromised party. Not that such things had been said out loud, but Mict now knew they did not have to be said in order to be felt. Things with Nov had not been said, but there were certainly feelings involved. The start of something, potentially earth-shattering, world-shaping.
Things she could not bring up or even discuss with Auq, because in many ways it was beyond what he was part of. Nov deserved to be the one she spoke with, and he was not here. So this, like so many other things, would be kept internalized by now. She would keep these things to herself, until the time was right to address them in a more targeted conversation.
Stepping out ahead of Auqtauvre has the feeling of taking the first few moderate steps at the beginning of a monumental journey. Mictecacihuatl moved with a quiet confidence, to a music only she could hear. Her crest flared and steps light, jewelry chiming softly and sighing with her movements, heavy at her head and neck and tail. It did not slow her down but lent weight to her movements, an air of regality to every step and stride. A Queen in exile, with her bodyguard like a faithful shadow, never far from her side.
"No, I suppose that is true, I cannot control your worries or that of your brother. You are both proud professionals, dedicated to doing your jobs and doing them well. Besides the fact, and I hope I do not overstep when I say, you may also be my friends... There might be some personal aspect to these tasks. Perhaps that is a contributing factor to the worry."
She laughed softly, clicking her jaws at him. "Well, I would not dare to assume more. Such things might be somewhat fantastical, don't you think?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2026 3:12 pm
Quote: It is a strange thing, to look at a stranger and know that he has amused them. Perhaps that he has played right into their metaphorical claws, stepped right into a trap he did not know they were setting until it snapped shut and they were laughing at him from the outside. For all that she is giving little away, that low huff of sound certainly feels like laughter. Apparently he has done something expected, predictable. She set a snare in polite words, he stepped into it, and when it cinched shut about his ankle she was standing on the outside laughing softly. He barely resisted the urge to flail in the unseen trap.
It is not a familiar experience. It is not one he wishes to repeat. But he won't flail and snap futilely, either. It feels too much like letting her win.
She is employing guards, but that means they see to her safety. That does not mean they have to let her win. Perhaps he should have brought Nov along, reinforcements might have evened the playing field.
"We are here to ensure your safety, it is best that we do the task assigned to us well and with discretion." Auqtauvre offered in a neutral, observational capacity.
Amusement brews slowly in him, a strange sort of fondness like that he feels when Nov manages to make a mistake or otherwise fumbles and Auq -somewhat unexpectedly- finds it entertaining.
"I wouldn't dare to presume to tell a Lady what she can or cannot think." Auqtauvre retorts. "As I would not dare to tell Nov what to do, outside perhaps of emergencies and those situations which require that I am in charge of strategy or reaction. Outside of that, what happens is the whims of fate or destiny, and beyond my control or influence."
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Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2026 6:49 pm
Quote: Mictecacihuatl will concede (in silence) that perhaps she should not have laughed at Auqtauvre, as evidently stallions seem to be especially sensitive about such things, but it had been a soft and subtle thing. Admittedly, she did not expect that he would even pick up on her amusement, so quiet and restrained a thing it was. It had been so long since she'd laughed, truly laughed, that this did not truly count... though it was more lighthearted than what she had felt in quite some time. Compared to her past, it was probably fair to categorize the reaction as uproarious.
She grasps at a collective sort of silence, preferring not to alienate those that are working to ensure her safety in a new land as she travels to find a place to call home. Auq is the more reserved of the two, as far as she understands, though the only one here at present. Perhaps Nov will take better to her laughing at him, when she has the opportunity to do so in the future.
"That is wise of you, considering how ladies might take to such an overstep of one's authority." Mict responds serenely with a gentle sort of amusement still lapping around the edges of the words. "I would think orders given in the field might be an exception to such things, considering matters? Or perhaps in matters of extreme distress or unrest? Even I might forgive orders given for reasons of personal safety or out of fear, given specified parameters."
She hums and flicks her feathers, smoothing the crest back down over the arch of her neck to lessen even the suggestion of posturing. "It is, after all, what you were hired to do. Holding it against you seems, petty and resentful?"
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