Dara walked into the stable and smiled widely. Growing up she'd loved the stables, horses had always been her favorites. As she walked forward all their ears pricked forward causing them to turn towards the center aisle. Her hands caressed the snouts of the horses as she walked pass. When she neared the end, she saw the only horse that hadn't turned toward her. It was a glossy black with accents of a fiery orange red on its haunches, neck and hooves. It turned, quietly observing her with bright red eyes. She gasped and took a step back; she was staring into the eyes of a Nachtmara. She hadn't seen one of these majestic beings since her childhood. She'd been told they'd died out. "You are so beautiful," she whispered reverently, "I thought your kind was all gone." It nudged the door open and walked out into the aisle making her take another step back to allow it room. It nudged her shoulder before she pressed both hands to its snout reverently. Eyes sliding close it pressed its forehead to hers. "You are an old one," a masculine voice spoke in her mind. Her eyes snapped open, and she stared into brilliant crimson eyes. "You speak?! You spoke to me," she exclaimed. The creature rolled its eyes, but she heard his laughter in her head. She smiled sheepishly, "It is said that your kind psychically bond with only one person in your lifetimes unless that someone dies. Is that true?" He nodded. She bowed at the waist, "Then you have afforded me a great honor." That laughing again in her head. "Highly unlikely, vampire queen, on the contrary I may have just endangered your life. I am the last of my kind, there are many creatures out there that would love to capture and use me," he said. She stepped back apprehensively, "What did you call me?" He lowered his head to look her in the eyes. "You didn't really think you could hide who you are from me, did you? Your aura is massive, I felt you long before you even opened the stable doors," he chuckled. She blushed before sighing, "I guess it can't be helped. Just try not to spill the beans, huh?" He snorted, "Who exactly am I supposed to tell?"
"I had no idea you like horses," Garrick said leaning against the inside of the door. She turned to look at the wolf king with a smirk, "Spying on me?" "I suppose," he grinned sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "Well good king you've only known me for little over twenty-four hours. Hardly enough time for you to discover my secrets," she chuckled. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you," he asked with a lopsided grin. She arched one elegant eyebrow then looked at the creature by her side. She felt the question long before she heard his voice in her mind. "You are his mate," he stated. She grinned and answered aloud, "He certainly believes so." The chuckling in her head grated a bit, it felt like the creature knew something she didn't. "What is your name old one, I can't very well call you 'horse," she grumbled. "Are you communicating with the creature," Garrick asked cutting into their private conversation. She rolled her eyes, "this creature as you call him is older and far more intelligent than you or I could ever be. He deserves respect!" "That horse is dangerous, he's never been broken," he grumbled. She shook her head on a sigh, "So because YOU could not break him, he does not deserve respect?" Garrick watched her closely, he could see she was agitated. Her eyes swirled from a glowing green to gold as she paced between him and the rather odd horse he'd stumbled across in his youth. No matter the method the creature never responded to anything him, or his men had tried. Watching her agitation made him think that perhaps he'd made a mistake in the way he dealt with the animal. "I am Phalanx, young queen," he said. She stopped suddenly and turned towards the creature, "I am not as young as I look. My name is Darra." She placed her hand over her heart and bowed. As she and the horse walked by him, she turned her head and asked, "Do you know what a Nachtmara is?" He frowned as she walked away.
Going over the name in his head he suddenly remembered stories his father and uncles used to tell of certain creatures that were perceived as horses but were something else entirely. The stories said that they chose their rider, bonding with them so they could speak mind to mind with their chosen. He stopped suddenly, replaying the interaction in the stables. His eyes widened in shock; she really had been talking to the damn thing. The more shocking thing was that he'd had Nachtmara in his stables all this time, no wonder they could never break the damn thing. He raced off after her, but she was gone by the time he reached the courtyard. With a sigh he headed back inside, steering himself toward the dining hall for breakfast. That's when he heard a sharp screech of outrage coming from the dining hall. Garrick and Mathus reached the dining hall at the same time. "What do you think," he asked his cousin. Garrick shook his head and pushed the doors open. What greeted him was a frantic and frazzled housekeeper. He looked pass her to the three sitting at the table eating, Aiden, Raven and Darra. The horse stood by her side, and it seemed they were having quite the conversation. "Sire, she just.... she just can't bring a horse to the dining table! It's unsanitary! Has the savage vampire no manners at all," she screeched? Suddenly there was a heavy silence, it felt as if the room had been instantly pressurized. Darra stood but before she could utter a word, Phalanx waltzed over to Margo, towering over her. The change started in his eyes, they started to glow a red orange. Smoke billowed out from his nostrils and mouth. It looked as if he was lit up from the inside, you could see his skeleton through his skin. His hooves ignited along with his mane and tail. He reared back and pawed the air in front of her face. She screamed and collapsed on the floor in a crying heap. Darra seemingly appeared out of thin air and pressed her hand against the massive beast's chest. "Enough," she said softly, "you're scaring her. You've made your point." Phalanx snorted and stomped before turning and squeezing his massive size thought the side door. She turned to Margo and extended her hand. The woman stared at her for a minute before accepting her hand. "Imagine, that you are incredibly old and supremely intelligent. Imagine also that you are the very last of your kind," Darra gripped her hand painfully, "You've insulted me twice now because of your own ignorance, I will take my meals elsewhere and because the "savage vampire" has manners I won't challenge you to combat." Darra turned, releasing the woman's hand in the same movement. She left through the same side door as Phalanx had just moments before. Margo wiped a hand over her face, wiping away tears. Aiden approached them with a sad, disapproving frown on his face. "You know, I think Darra has done me a disservice teaching me to keep an open mind. To judge a man by his character instead of his people. Because it seems my people are in the business of jumping to conclusions first and persecuting or insulting second. I've found myself constantly wondering why I would want to be a part of or lead such a people," he said sadly. As he walked pass Garrick grabbed the boys arm, "You are out of line." He frowned up at his father, "Am I? You're her mate, at least you claim to be." He snatched his arm back and continued on his way. Garrick and Mathus looked over at Raven who was shaking her head sadly. She took her food into the kitchen, leaving the three of them alone. With a long-suffering sigh Garrick rubbed a hand over his face feeling every one of his incredibly long years. "Are you alright, Margo," he asked? She bowed at the waist instantly, "I am so sorry my lord! I had no idea she is your mated one!" "I believe the point my son was trying to make is that it shouldn't matter whether she's my mate or not. We've all handled things poorly today," he grumbled.
