The stormy winter weather was strange and foreign here along the shores. It was strange to her, to see the churning sea, and yet feel the warm sun on her back. Strange, but not exactly unwelcoming. At least, it was better than where she was coming from, and sometimes wasn't that all you could ask for?

She walked silently, taking in the strange scents- the scents of so many- and the stronger scents, she assumed were kingdoms- divisions in the land. Those.... well, those she may have to tread carefully around. She had no intention of becoming someone's captive again- and instead sought the most intoxicating thing she'd ever found... freedom.

She walked along the shore, until she found a large flat rock near the water, that she jumped up onto- and laid across. She figured, it was a good enough place to rest in the sun, and perhaps even nap.

code by corvus

A palomino woman had caught his eyes - attention having been on the path home, but now he found himself veering towards her direction. The winter weather was less appreciated as of late, and Aeistrios withheld his scowl at the stormy cold, opting to not look like a complete distaste from the jump.

First impressions, right?

Seeing her laid across the rock, he found a glint of approval at it - he liked others who enjoyed relaxing. Attempting to near, he chuffs lowly before aiming to leap into the same rock, looking to lay out a few feet from her in a similar manner. “The cold stone doesn’t bother you?” he speaks, brown furrowing as he shifts his weight to get comfy, but the biting chill was making that extremely difficult.

@Yelena

CODE•ART•BG

The warm sun versus the cold stone.

It was like a metaphor of her life. Her warm personality versus the cold, pragmatic existence she'd been forced into. Yelena sprawled across it, eyes falling shut enjoying the sun. It isn't until there is a soft chuff- that she cracks an eye open, just in time to see a huge plum male jumping onto the wide flat stone and laying down as well. Yelena lifted her head, lazily looking at him, before she laid back out, rolling a bit so that she was more on her back, than side.

'The cold stone doesn't bother you?' He asks, and she shrugs, before murmuring. "The sun eez warm enough." Her accent, not exactly French or Slavic, but a strange mixture of all the lands she'd traveled through, making her words thick. "It bothers you?" She asks, her eyes coming to rest on him, half-lidded. "This eez good place for nap, no?"

@Aeistrios

code by corvus

He saw the way she lazily looked to him, not seeming to be bothered by his company in the lease. Aeistrios felt relieved - too many fights had happened in these lands. This was a welcome interaction, a stress free one and he was loving it.

She was right, the sun was warm enough - the words hard for him to make out with her accent. For the top layer of your body, yes. He comments back, before a paw drags across the empty, cold stone between them. But the bottom? It is so unfair to my stomach to be suffering, even if for a moment. Because soon enough the rock would warm from their bodies, but Aeistrios liked his comfort instantly.

A wide smirk sketches to his lips, her question on naps having his large frame sprawling out more, going as far as to go tummy-up so his stomach could get some of the sun from above too. A perfect place - and you make it better. He comments, purple eyes flicking over to her with a curious gleam. I know somewhere else, though. Nicer. I think you'd like it. If she could like the stone, man, he knew she'd love the Plains.

@Yelena

CODE•ART•BG

The sun was warm, seeping into her fur- as it radiated downwards. Yelena felt kind of like a plant, sunning herself in the warm light, near the water. Yes, this was the best way to recharge after a very long trip. And company? That was just making this more interesting, but not interesting enough to sit up. "Good comfort comes to those who wait or sumeting." She murmurs softly, her head raising to look at him as he speaks more.

She hears the compliment in his words, and merely smiles, looking at him now. "And where eez that?" She asks, curious about whatever place this is. "Lots of sun, many warm rocks?" She sounds simple, but well, it was the simpler things in life that she rather liked. She watched him for a moment longer, and then laid her head back, before rolling her shoulders against the rock again.

"Theez place smell of many kingdoms. You have one?" See, not all fluff and plant brains, there's something somewhere in there- even if she prefers the lazy act.

@Aeistrios

code by corvus

Waiting, that wasn't something Aeistrios was too good at unless it came with some food and a spot to lay down. Her soft, murmur of a voice replays through his head and he finds a easy smile to his lips.

"A vast land, plenty of shade by tall grasses - plenty of warmth, too. Numerous areas for nap taking, ones I have picked and designated myself. I wouldn't mind sharing those spots with you." An offer, subtly, gaze dancing upon her oddly-marked frame with a twitch of his ears.

"Many Kingdoms. The land I hold is called Lorien Plains." He nodded to confirm, the sun warming his stomach enough and so he shifts back to his side to watch her better. "Lots of danger around, too. If you don't wish to come to my Plains, i'd advise you stay clear of Vermeda Brook and Illyria Summit." He informed, gifting her some information as he made it an obvious choice for her. She didn't have to come with him (even though he would happily claim her), but at least she wouldn't get herself into potential issues without knowing first.

CODE•ART•BG

Yelena knows what she wants and what she does not want. When he speaks about this land, she considers it, and tilts her head. Rocks, tall grasses, sun... That did quite sound like a strange sort of paradise, but paradise... usually had a ticket cost. "Vhat do you require of one who resides in your Plains?" Pretty, Yelena is, but she is not stupid. Lorien Plains, a name she remembers.

He lists a few others, names of places he warns her from, and she rolls back onto her side, to raise herself up a bit better to study him. "You are king?" She asks him, appraising him with his eyes. "Lorien. Plains." She carefully pronounces the words, and then grins, the motion across her lips lazy.

The two other names, she logs back in her memory, and she waits instead, to see what he says about what his plains expects in exchange for the sun, rocks, and general laziness.

@Aeistrios

code by corvus

You meet the first requirement - being pretty. He muses, a tease in his voice before he finds a more serious gleam in his eyes. Help out where you can - and don't bring drama back to us. Which, could be seen as ironic since we are at war with Vermeda Brook currently... but that is because they tried to steal my pregnant wife. And, of course, all of the taunting and tormenting he did to them before. But ah, that was too many words to speak right now.

You won't be forced to do anything you don't want to - and I can't say that about many prides around here. Aeistrios Saxe, my name, and yes King. Leader, High Sovereign... whatever you want to call me. I'd prefer husband. A wink, daring himself to be so bold before her but he could not help it. Main rule? Keep the food storage full, no one likes a empty stomach.

CODE•ART•BG

She laughs at his words, the sound throaty and warm. A flirt! Yelena feels her interest pique, yet her expression shifts as he goes on to explain that this Vermeda Brook had tried to steal his pregnant wife? She did not like that at all, though she knew such moves were customary in war-time. She had helped with them herself. She did not say that, but she nodded, considering that.

He introduces himself as Aeistrios Saxe, the King of Lorien Plains. Then he went on to say he'd prefer her call him husband, and she barked out another laugh. "Flirt!" She accused. He said the main rule was that the pride food kept full, and she wasn't much of a hunter, but she supposed.

Yelena shrugs, before pulling herself up to paws into a sitting position, before shaking herself a bit, in the sun. "Yelena." She offers her name. "Alright Aeis-tri-os." She says his name once, slowly, and then nods- satisfied with herself. "I'll give your Plains a chance." She says simply. "I was once a warrior. Now, I like to think of myself retired." She adds. "Guess I can interrupt my naps to hunt." A shrug, and a flirt wink.

@Aeistrios

code by corvus

Her laugh was nice, something he found himself enjoying to hear and so Aeistrios made a note to hear it more. A smile, a wide smirk - her name given and he tucks it away instantly. "Yelena." He mumbles, testing it, before attempting to reach at her paw with one of his.

She agrees to come to Lorien, and it was a different type of victory. One he didn't have to fight to feel.

"You can take plenty of naps with me." He assures, slowly lifting himself up and waiting for her to do the same, so that he may escort her back to her new home - to his lands. Proud to show them off. "And if you wish to bring those skills out of retirement... I'd love to battle with you." His words might of been suggestion for something else, though, the gleam of lust slowly subsiding from his eyes as he began to make way home.

@Yelena

CODE•ART•BG