Fighting With Yourself (OPEN)

by **Cain Valerian** Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:19 pm

Cain had wandered now so far away form his herd that there was no time for them to come and aid him if he got into any difficulty, not like they would anyway, he moved further into the center of the arena and looked over the seats that would have in the past been filled with people.

He fingered the long sword that he had attached to his flank and drew it out slowly, it was a heavy sword and he threw it from hand to hand trying it's weight, it had been a long time since he had picked it up.

He would be called to arms soon, he knew this, and he needed to get back into shape, to help the school that had become his home.

by **Ophelia Zabini** Fri Jan 27, 2012 11:53 pm

Ophelia often found herself wandering, wallowing in her self-pity. She was pathetic, worse than pathetic if there were such a thing. She ought to be destroyed, not meant to live. She would've loved to be avada'd then and there, for she had nothing to live for - is what she told herself. She raised the muggle beer to her lips - she was quite fond of it - and skulled the rest, letting the bottle drop into her bag.

Ophelia sighed. She was not drunk, not even tipsy. She'd only had a few bottles, yet she wished she couldn't hold liquor so well. She looked at her surroundings and decided that her surroundings were most definitely a long abandoned Roman Amphitheater. She smiled, for she had always loved learning about the Ancient Roman times. Such fascinating people.

While she was admiring her surroundings, she saw a strange creatures with a sword drawn. She moved towards this creature, not really able to make it out from a distance. She could see its powerful hind-legs and assumed it was a horse, until the sun disappeared behind a bank of rain clouds. Her eyes widened.

It was a centaur.

Ophelia walked up to the centaur with a smile. Stopping a metre or two away, she bowed respectfully. "Greetings," she said as she straightened up. "What brings you to this place?" She asked.

by **Cain Valerian** Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:25 am

Cain turned at the sound of a voice and stepped backwards looking a litle frightened at the sudden noise that he hadn't expected or had even heard anyone come into the arena.

He must have been that lost in his thoughts. Calming down he looked at the woman in front of him, always the human women he thought, he had never yet talked to a human man. Cain didn't mind however and smiled, his slow lopsided smile.

"Greetings to you Woman." he bowed low, dipping down on his front legs before standing back up again to full height "I come here to think, about battles, things you would not be interested in, and you?"

He asked, a little confused by her presence.

by **Ophelia Zabini** Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:37 am

Ophelia frowned when he startled, whipping around, but she smiled softly and carefully anyway. She did not wish to harm him, or frighten him, so she moved her weight to the other leg slowly. He was quite magnificent,

Ophelia stared at his lopsided smile, thinking it was adorable as she returned her eyes to his own. He bowed low and returned her greeting. When he drew himself up to his full height, she almost cowered. He was enormous, and if it wasn't for her own height that was taller than average he would've made her feel like an ant.

"Why would I not be interested in said battles?" Ophelia challenged, raising an eyebrow. "I enjoy the fight. Just because I am female does not mean I cannot battle!" Ophelia proclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly.

When asked why she was there, Ophelia grinned. "I enjoy to wander when I wallow in self-pity and loose myself in alcohol," she informed him, pulling the finished beer bottle partly out of her bag to show him what she meant, before letting it fall back in.

by **Cain Valerian** Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:22 am

Cain relaxed slightly when the woman in front of him seemed to not want to harm him, he calmed down from the shock that he had recieved and tried not to be too occupied about the humiliation of jumping a little.

He chuckled slightly, the way that this woman acted was most amusing, she acted almost like a child when he excluded her from what he was thinking:

"I only meant humans are not usually interested in the business of centaurs, just like centaurs are not always concerned with wars of humans."

Unlike myself. He thought to himself, looking at his sword he sheathed it, so that it wouldn't present a threat and Cain looked a little shocked at the woman, even more so at what she said.

Dipping his head slightly he said, in his low mournful voice:

"It is always such a sadness, when a person feels the need to self destruct, the world is beautiful although marred by sad events, it will always become beautiful once more."

by **Ophelia Zabini** Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:17 pm

Ophelia felt her cheeks flush as she realised she'd acted like a whining and pouting child. She lowered her head shamefully, before lifting it when he spoke again. She chewed her lip and frowned.

"Ah, but I am not so prejudiced. I have no problem with anyone, man or beast. But, I did not know of a war among Centaur's. Tell me if I am prying, but what is this war you speak of?" She asked. She was referring to the Centaur war, for she knew of the war between Britain and Germany.

She was not involved in said Witch/Wizard war, being from the beautiful and peaceful Australia. She wished she was home right now, but she couldn't return there. Not when everywhere she looked reminded her of him. Just a simple Eucalyptus tree could remind her of the first day she'd met him, where she had just been taking a walk and he had dropped out of a gum tree in front of her.

Ophelia watched as he sheathed his sword, and instantly her body relaxed from its tense position. She had been worried about why he still held it out, but was glad he had put it away. She frowned when he spoke in such a tone of mourn.

"Are you sure it will become beautiful?" She asked quietly. "I am always seeing only a future of darkness and sadness for myself, though I do hope to change that."

by **Cain Valerian** Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:11 pm

Cain lowered his head, he was loathed to speak of the fight between his Kim but he didn't see any reason to shut this human woman out of things, there was no reason to. It would create bad feelings.

"There is no war as such, a war of minds, some believe we should act with humans in the war, others believe we should stay neutral."

Placing a hand on his head Cain sighed:

"They are so blind, a war against humans will soon engulf all species, and we need to stop it when the time comes."

As he saw the girl relax, he smiled once more, the sword was the thing that had set her on edge he thought that she was a very strange case indeed, the answer was of course obvious to Cain:

"The world will only become beautiful if you want it to be, if you see the beauty in the world it will reward you, dwell on the negatives, your path is doomed."

by **Ophelia Zabini** Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:25 pm

Ophelia immediately felt as if she should reassure him she was just being curious when he lowered his head, but he then began to speak and she listened with interest, her head tilted to the side as she thought about what he had said, forming an answer in her mind.

"Pardon, I do not meant to speak where it is not my place to speak, but isn't the answer a tad obvious? Why don't those of you who wish to remain neutral, do so, and those of you who do not band together and join the war as you wish? Personally, im remaining neutral. Being Australian, I hold no interest in this war." Ophelia felt as if she had over-stepped her boundaries, so she hung her head.

"Sorry. It is not my place to voice my opinions where they don't belong, forgive me." She told him, bowing respectfully so as not to offend him too much.

She sighed when he gave her an answer to her question. "It is not as easy as you say. I do not wish to be doomed, but right now I feel so alone... so-" she immediately stopped speaking when she realised her walls that she had carefully drawn around herself had begun to crumble, and she pulled them back up. Her eyes hardened and the clear pain on her face had disappeared, replaced with a loose smile.

"Whatever you say. I'll try to see things in a happier light," she quickly amended, laughing quietly.

by **Cain Valerian** Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:46 am

Cains eyes flared a little. This was the problem with humans, they believed that solutions that worked in their society would work in his own, but they wouldn't and to him that was unacceptable.

Calming down a little he said, in the same drawling tone.

"It would seem that way. Although you are lucky to have two centaurs who favour humans in a clan, and what good will one or two centaurs do? Not much my friend, not much."

Sorrowful, the idea of being unable to use magic, unable to help the humans he had met, made Cain turn away ashamed of himself as he so often was lately.

"Australia? What is this...'Australia'? Is it a foreign ground?"

Cain turned to the woman and smiled softly, placing a hand on her head affectionately, this is something he did like about humans, their complete compassion. Even if it was their destruction.

"I too know what it is like to be alone. We are not complete without that which we crave. But a piece once cut can be re-shaped, never forget the promise of the future, the gifts the stars will bring."

by **Ophelia Zabini** Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:25 am

Ophelia cowered under his angry gaze, and cowered still when he spoke in a drawl. She lowered her eyes to the ground and felt ashamed of herself. Of course she should not have spoken where it was not her place too.

However, she stood up straight again and tried not to blush to much when he asked what 'Australia' was. "Australia? It is my home country, on the other side of the world. It's not like England, where there are other countries connected to it and on the same land. Australia is like a big island, and its just Australia. No countries are joined to it at all." Ophelia explained, hoping it made sense.

Ophelia decided that she liked this mans smile very much, it was soft and gentle so she did not feel afraid of him, especially when he placed his hand on her head in an affectionate way. She smiled back at him, though it faded when he spoke.

He spoke of much wisdom, and she felt sad that such a handsome horse and handsome man was so lonely, even with his own kind. But, that happened in the human world as well. Sometimes you just need the right person to come along and talk to you.

"You speak of great wisdom. Of course, much like you said that a piece can be re-shaped, can a broken heart not be mended so long as someone takes the time to mend it?"

by **Cain Valerian** Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:03 pm

Cain smiled slightly wider, he liked the sound of this Australia, it sounded open and free somewhere where somebody could be accepted regardless of whatever they were or whatever they thought.

Britain could be like that at times, but you had to be with the right people or it wouldn't work at all.

"I would like to visit this Australia. However, I cannot, so I should not wish for things that are out of my grasp, be content with what I have instead of wanting what I cannot."

Sighing slightly he thought about how his heart had once been broken, by someone he had hoped to wed, yet, there was a positive that came from that too, he would find someone who thought like he...he knew it.

"Yes, a heart can always be mended with care and with time, you just need to find the right carer for it, so that it won't be harmed again."

by **Ophelia Zabini** Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:09 pm

Ophelia was saddened when he said that he should not wish for things he cannot achieve, and she started to piece it together. She was suspicious now, suspicious that he was the one Jaqui had spoken of.

"But to wish is to dream, and to dream is to find determination. Do not think that you cannot achieve something unless you know for sure, and even then do not let go of your dreams." Ophelia smiled at him.

His smile suddenly turned to a sigh, and he looked sad as he spoke again. She suspected his heart had been broken, or something of the sorts and she was a curious girl.

"Has your heart ever been broken?" She asked quietly.

by **Cain Valerian** Sun Jan 29, 2012 11:12 pm

Cain smiled ruefully and he shook his head, there were things he knew it was realistic to wish and those that he knew it was completely unfounded to wish for, in his dreams perhaps he would get his wish.

"I do wish that it were possible, your sentiments are most accepted, it is something I wish I could do, and maybe one day it will be possible... But not now."

The quiet way in which she spoke made Cain smile, sadly, but it was a smile none the less, he nodded swiftly, and took a small breath to ease his speech, it still effected him.

"Yes. Once. Her name was Holly, she was going to be my mate, pardon the term, but then she found out my views and rejected me, it was for the best."

by **Ophelia Zabini** Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:51 am

Ophelia studied him carefully. At her Australian Wizarding school, she had always learnt that Centaur's generally didn't care to talk to humans, and would never do anything for them. He, however, was different to what she had always learnt and it made her curious.

"You are different." She told him, a small smile on her lips.

Her heart ached for him as he told about Holly, and though it was a stupid move that likely frightened him, she stepped forwards and enveloped him in a hug.

"I am so sorry. It is not fair, you are good and kind. Something that is highly valued in my world, and you also seem to be very justified. Pardon, but is that not what is right in your world?" She said, quickly stepping back and hoping she hadn't alarmed him with her sudden movement.

by **Cain Valerian** Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:55 pm

Cain smiled again, his full lop-sided smile, it was something he had been told every day since he was grown, and it was always said as such a bad thing, never with a smile, so to have it put in such a positive manner, made him happy.

"Thank you, I like to think that I'm different in a good way, but I leave others to make that judgement."

With a slightly saddened expression Cain thought on his society but his eyes widened and arms stiffened slightly as he has hugged, gently he placed his arms on the womans shoulders before letting go.

"It seems I owe you many favours today, I forgot just how good a hug can feel when you are sad."

Cain shook his head slightly with a small chuckle on his lips: "No unfortunately, that is not what is valued in my society, the amount of weapons, heads on your wall, the number of mates you posess, they all count, more than the qualities I possess."

by **Ophelia Zabini** Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:59 pm

Ophelia was already starting to adore the lop-sided smile. It was truly adorable, and make his wise features soften. "That smile is quite adorable." Ophelia pointed at it with a grin.

"And being different is good. I think that being the norm is quite boring, why be grey when you can be rainbow?" It was a common thing that she said, and she had always prided herself of being different. She had never been a master at spells, and had always had a slightly eccentric personality that had made her an out-cast at school.

Ophelia smiled when he spoke, and she blushed. "A hug is always nice." Ophelia patted him lightly on the shoulder, not sure how to act around him. She didn't want to startle him, but she really did want to comfort him. He looked sad about this 'Holly', and Ophelia couldn't help but feel as if some Centaur's were hypocrites.

Normal Centaur's went on about how they humans were so cruel and nasty to them, and yet they squashed out any different thought among their society themselves, effectively treating their own how humans 'supposedly' treated them.

Ophelia wrinkled her nose. Truly, Centaur's had many horse qualities among them. "Most unfortunate indeed." Ophelia said with a small sigh.

by **Cain Valerian** Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:47 am

Cain blinked slightly, today truly was a wonderous day! He had been complimented twice and recieved a hug, what more could you want? Smiling sheepishly he scratched the back of his head, this really was too much for him to handle.

"You're too kind my lady, far too kind to an old horse like myself, but thank you, nobody has said that for quite some time."

With a smile he picked the lady up and hugged her so that she could reach his shoulders easily instead of hugging him around the middle like most people had done in the past.

"Exactly, you yourself are quite perceptive, maybe you have been in the company of too Many centaurs."

Placing her down on the floor Cain blushed harder so his cheeks were actually pink and he placed his hand on his sword to gain some element of masculinity. Most of which hed just lost by blushing.

"So tell me, your star sign, what is it?" he asked, interested in her stars history.

by **Ophelia Zabini** Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:26 am

Ophelia beamed at him when he said she was far too kind, and went to protest that he should receive more compliments, but he had swooped her up into his arms and rendered her speechless. She wrapped her arms lightly around his neck, returning the hug.

She felt proud that he had noticed she could be perceptive, it was one of the traits that had annoyed her classmates. It was what made her different, she actually cared more about the well-being of others than herself. Her mother said it was a curse, but her father said it was a gift.

"Thank you. Mum has always said that was a curse of mine, but dad thinks its a gift." Ophelia said with a grin. When he placed her down, she looked at his cheeks and the light pink spread across them. It made her giggle slightly, and her grin turned into a soft smile.

Slowly, she reached out a hand curiously and touched his cheek, quickly withdrawing it. "I didn't know Centaur's could blush, I only ever assumed." Ophelia smiled at him warmly, feeling rare happiness that she could cause such a reaction in a creature she had thought to only share emotion with their own kind. When his hand went to his sword, she stepped back quickly. Perhaps she had gone to far.

"My star sign is cancer." She said quietly.

by **Cain Valerian** Tue Jan 31, 2012 7:54 pm

Cain smiled gently when Lucia returned his hug, it was a somewhat addictive feeling and he couldn't help but wish that another human female he had met would have given him a hug also...but this was more than enough for him.

Dwelling for a moment on what the woman said Cain believed that it was a medium of both view points, and that it was definately the sign of a kind soul.

"I believe that those who act for others before themselves are truly noble, but to do so to such an extent that you begin to destroy the person that you are, it becomes a curse, an addictive feeling that will ultimately lead to unhappiness...a medium perhaps is best."

Feeling the woman touch his cheek Cain closed his eyes and then realised what exactly she was doing and backed away slightly with a small smile on his face.

"Forgive me my blush, I am not used to such compliments from a female of any species, or any male in that matter." he smiled ruefully. "Think not of the sword, I was attempting...attempting to get some aspect of masculinity back, I will not strike a lady."

Cain nodded his head and said in a quiet tone: "As I suspected."

by **Ophelia Zabini** Tue Jan 31, 2012 8:56 pm

Ophelia felt suddenly very silent, a wave of depression crashing over Ophelia. She listened to him with saddened eyes, not sure what had brought on this feeling, but now that it had started she wanted to drink herself back into happiness.

"I guess so." Ophelia said in a hollow tone in response.

When his eyes shut, he suddenly backed away and Ophelia was confused, but she shrugged it off. With a sigh, she shrugged.

"You're forgiven, though I do not think blushing is something to need forgiveness for. And I understand now, though for a moment I had been confused by such an action." Ophelia said dismally.

When he said 'as I suspected', Ophelia frowned. "What are you talking about?"

by **Cain Valerian** Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:45 pm

Cain looked at the woman and sighed himself, he turned away from her to leave it was obvious that he had upset her in some manner and he wondered just what he was supposed to do when women were upset.

"Forgive me if I have upset you, I didn not mean to, I think I shall take my leave of you now, so that I do not upset you further."

At her question about what he meant about knowing, he smiled, he should have known that her star sign was Cancer for a number of reasons, none of which he would divulge except what she already knew.

"I knew you were a cancer. You're too loving to be any other sign. But you are also unable to let go of your past...which you must, in order to be happy."

Turning and beginning to walk away he smiled softly:

"Be good to yourself."

by **Ophelia Zabini** Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:46 pm

Ophelia felt hurt flash across her features, but she quickly ducked her head to hide her face from view as he turned as if to leave, and leave he suggested. With a sigh, she nodded. "You have not upset me, I merely feel sad from time to time." Ophelia mumbled.

Ophelia listened with curiosity as he explained why he suspected her to be a cancer, and she tapped her chin in interest, a thoughtful look on her features.

"Letting go of the past is easier said than done, when it is so hard not to desperately cling to it." Ophelia sighed tragically, wiping at her eyes as tears began to form.

When he turned and began to walk away, telling her to be good to herself, loneliness consumed her and ate at her being as she watched him retreat. Desperately, she called after him.

"Do not let yourself become someone you are not!" She yelled, also turning and continuing on her lonely path of life.

by **Cain Valerian** Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:39 pm

Cain smiled slightly, he knew now that the offer that Jaqui had made him a few days ago was the last thing that he needed, he needed to be himself and find people to accept him for who that was, and not to let himself be changed in order to fit in.

Bowing his head he galloped out of the arena and into the woods surrounding it, hopefully going to find his herd, but not really caring now if he did or didn't.