♥ Starr Ranch ♥ 1x1 ♥ Remake/Continuation ♥

[minus infinity]

When Roman escorted Kahlilia to her door and talked to her in a tone she had never really heard him use before, she began to chew on her lower lip and her blue-green eyes glinted with fear. At the last second, she put a petite hand on his shoulder in place of the words she still couldn't find. However, her hand quickly drew away and went back to her side when she saw Esmeralda re-emerge from her room. She too managed a smile and a quiet 'see you later' when Roman was about to leave. For a split second, her mind whispered: I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here ...
Kahlilia opened her door just then, fishing the key from her pocket when she realized she was standing against the still closed door. As she opened it, she stepped inside and hopped onto the bed to sit just on the edge of it and wondered what Esmeralda would say to her when she came in. Lily's room was already completely unpacked, an army line of scrunchies sitting dutifully on a windowsill that allowed a view of the fields nearby. Most of her clothes stayed put in her suitcase for later, the suitcase of which sat sort of sideways by a chair. A baby blue cell phone sat on the chair, and if someone looked into the phone they could see she had already taken an array of photos of Starr Ranch. Unless her memories counted Xavier and all that he was going to try to do to them to exact revenge, Kahlilia hoped she could keep these memories forever.
In her thoughts, a genuine smile rose in her face and she said softly to Esmeralda, So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?

 

[SilentShadowDreamer]

Esmeralda smiled a little bit. "Oh, anything and everything. How things are going with Roman. How you're feeling." Her eyes were a little concerned, but kind. "About...this whole mess. Whether Roman's talked to you at all about the...other things. The weather. Your horse. My horse. What we'll all do later today. I don't know; since we have to stick together for now, I figured we might as well chat."

She leaned back. The door was unlocked, but Ez wasn't worried. The loose clothes weren't just for comfort - she had found a comfortable way to carry her paper-knife with her under them. And no one would know.

Xavier would not catch her off-guard again. If he tried to go after her or Kahlilia, she would be ready for him.

((OOC: *generic post indicating that Roman brings in Phoenix for basic horse care*))  

[minus infinity]

Kahlilia brought up her legs and crossed them on the bed, thinking. Well um, I think I'm just about head-over-heels right now. The girl hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip again and looking up at the ceiling in a way that certainly made her look silly.Well um, her voice sounding surprisingly casual even to her, Roman and I found a place near the pond where we can be all alone for hours at a time, all alone...practice jumping with Phoenix and running with Benvolio. Oh my gosh, I don't know if this was a fluke or not, but the other day Phoenix jumped part of the pond! Kahlilia's feeling of astonishment and pride from that day came back to her then, finally filling in the holes that the fear from earlier had left. And then right before everything happened, Roman lightly told her how maternal she was becoming over the animals ...
Sort of looking like she was doing the butterfly stretch, Kahlilia took hold of her knees and rocked a tiny bit on the bed. However, it quickly failed and she fell backwards onto the bed - thank goodness she hadn't landed on the floor. Although she made a sound like a mouse's squeak when she realized she had lost her balance, she immediately began to giggle. Her fear was finally taking its rightful place in the back of her mind, where it should be, if not completely erased.
The girl finally caught herself before her giggles became a fit as they usually might and apologized softly before returning to her perch on the edge of the bed. So what have you been up to?

 

[SilentShadowDreamer]

Esmeralda had to glance away for a moment to hide her grin. The smaller girl had definitely fallen hard for her brother. Her whole face lit up, though, when Kahlilia talked about Phoenix jumping. "That so?" She smiled. "Roman was always good with animals. I thought Phoenix couldn't even be ridden."

It was odd, how protective she felt of Kahlilia. After all, Lily was older than her. Maybe it was the height - Esmeralda had a good three inches on Kahlilia. Maybe it was the sense of innocence, one Ez couldn't remember ever having. Either way, she thought, she would keep it all clear of Lily for as long as she could.

"Oh," she said airily, "riding some. Trying to get myself back under control. I went into town, got some letters." Had made a call to Dev - the last time they'd ever spoken, and she'd been annoyed with him. Had wanted to hang up so that she could get back to the truck on time. She'd cut it all so short, so very short, because she'd thought there would be more time.

You always thought there would be more time.

Forcing it away, she continued, "Got some news from home, dealt with Crazy a few times." She managed another smile, though she was having more trouble with it now. "Ended up here. I think we should go out and ride this afternoon. Maybe we could go out to the river or something."

She glanced out the window with mild worry on her face. What was Roman up to? Surely he wasn't off hunting down Crazy.

Surely not. He'd promised.  

[minus infinity]

Kahlilia nodded, lighting up even more when the memory of meeting him, and soon after Phoenix, came back up into her mind. Phoenix certainly seemed to have turned around in terms of personality. She still didn't know why that was, but Esmeralda's insight gave her a clue. She nodded, agreeing. Even during the storm, he had gone on that roan and back out into the storm without any fear - or at least none that she had been able to detect.
When she had regained herself after her little fall, Kahlilia too was aware of their height difference. She never paid much attention to it, because it was just something she had gotten used to over the years. Some people treated her like a child, some tried to protect her from the inevitable cruelties of the world, and some people were just indifferent towards her. So the thought left her mind quickly and went on to the next one, like a cashier beckoning "I can help the person who's next in line!"
'Crazy'. Kahlilia also remembered she had called him 'Mr.Smooth'. Certainly, this girl was far braver than her when it came to Xavier. As she had just before, Kahlilia put the thought at the back of her mind and smiled again as she suggested, Would you like to go riding?


_______________________________________



Xavier knew he wouldn't be able to go into the cabins without being clearly spotted by the others. Still reeling from the way he had been thrown, he decided to just go back into the barn and ride back to the river which he had gone swimming in yesterday. It already looked like it would be a scorching summer, despite the angry storm last night. Summer storms, is that what they were called? Disregarding the useless thought as he entered the barn, Xavier found Lady and tacked her up to go riding. He hadn't seen the other boy just yet, and even if he did he probably would have just ignored him. Who knew a guy that seemed like such a little wuss around his girls was so strong? Damnit, he sure hadn't known that until it was too late. With a deep sigh, Xavier mounted the snow white mare and eased her into a gallop in the direction of the river.

 

[SilentShadowDreamer]

When Kahlilia mentioned getting back out there with their horses, Esmeralda's eyes lit up, and her lips curved into a real smile. No artifice, no hesitation.

"I'd like that. I really would." Then she broke into a lazy grin. "And I'd think our horses would be enough the knights in shining armor to even ease Roman's nerves. Let's go."

Getting up, she waved Kahlilia forward before exiting the room and then the cabin. For a second, her smile faded as she felt the knife handle under her fingertips. Then she shrugged. A little protection never hurt anyone.

She felt like dancing, even though there had never been fewer reasons for it. For some reason - maybe just because Roman finally knew it, all of it, and could be there with her - she felt lighter.

Waiting for Kahlilia, Esmeralda took a breath of warm summer air, and tilted her head back towards the sun.

~

Roman had finished his careful, thorough grooming, and stood back to look at the results. Phoenix's coat shone softly in the dim light, and Roman decided that that would do.

He had heard footsteps at one point, and had forced himself not to go out there and confront Xavier again. Esmeralda had asked him not to, and he had promised. He tried to keep his promises.

But he had been tempted.

Not bothering with a saddle - he needed the air and the speed more than the safety right now - he bridled the stallion and led him out. Once mounted, he gave the horse his head and let Phoenix run as he would.

He needed the space to breathe, at least for now.  

[minus infinity]

Kahlilia obediently followed Esmeralda towards the barn, excited to be able to ride Benvolio again. Maybe one of these days, as Roman had suggested to her the other day, she could see how fast Benvolio could run when he gave it all of his might. Maybe not today, but one of these days ...
As soon as they entered the barn, there was Benvolio with his nose sticking out from his stall. Lily's smile became even wider as she tacked him up for riding and pet his handsome coat. When she had been doing her morning chores before everything had happened, she had cleaned out Benvolio's stall and his water bucket and also made sure he had enough to eat. The two were almost having a quiet conversation amongst themselves, Kahlilia murmuring and occasionally giggling and Benvolio snorting and whickering. With a little pat to the horse's neck, Kahlilia mounted and leaned forward a tiny bit to scratch Ben behind the ears. For some reason, even though she had just ridden him yesterday it felt like it had been a long time and she was excited to go out into the fields again or wherever it was they were going to be riding. Fishing a floral print scrunchie from her pocket where she also fingered her key with a feeling of safety, Lily pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. She knew by now that Benvolio loved to run and almost seemed to enjoy it when she would dismount and her hair was all over the place. She smiled, adjusted the stirrups a tiny bit and waited for Esmeralda. She hadn't seen Roman, she figured he had probably gone out riding too - probably off to that spot near the pond where they had been jumping. She suddenly remembered she didn't know how old any of the horses were, and resolved to ask Shannon during lunch. So far, she wasn't really concerned. Xavier was in the back of her mind in a closed and locked drawer right where he and his cruel intentions belonged, and she was ready to go riding.

 

[SilentShadowDreamer]

((OOC: Holy s**t, it's almost one in the morning. This is my last post for tonight, and I don't know if I'll be on much tomorrow - company prep. :S I'll try to post at least once, though.))

Esmeralda spent a while with Sahara, stroking and crooning and petting while she groomed. She even sang to her for a little while, completely ignorant of the fact that anyone who listened would be able to hear her; she had the confidence born of someone who knew darn well she could carry a tune.

Sahara, in her turn, responded by snuggling and nudging until Ez had to giggle. Considering that last night she'd thought she might never laugh again, there was an improvement. Sahara could do wonders for her mood.

Once she was tacked up, she went out with Sahara and joined Kahlilia outside. "Want to go play in the river, or would you rather go out into the fields?" she asked, a smile still playing on her lips. All Ez wanted to do was run, and she knew Sahara was right there with her.

So she would leave it up to Kahlilia, at least as far as place went.  

[minus infinity]

( OOC / Yeah, my ideas are pretty much fresh out. xD G'night, I'll post tommorow. )

 

[minus infinity]

Kahlilia distantly heard singing, and remembered the day when she was in her room and had heard someone singing. What a pretty song it had been, she thought then. This song she was hearing certainly sounded beautiful, but she wouldn't have been able to identify it even though she was very close this time.
When Esmeralda came towards her on Sahara's back, Kahlilia seemed to beam. Hmm, she said as she began to think out loud and even ramble before she had time to catch herself, Maybe we could go towards the pond. It's really pretty out there, and it takes a couple of minutes so that our horses can really run around ... and then, um, we can go to the river and go for a swim. We'll be back in time for lunch. Now she was realizing how her maternal instincts really were threatening to take over her. Be back in time for lunch dear, it was like she was echoing her mother. Certainly she couldn't deny that she felt a tiny bit homesick, but Lily was enjoying her time here too much to focus on any negatives - for the moment anyway. She didn't know that Xavier too had planned to go swimming in the river and was there right now. Besides, now that the mild chill of the morning was gone it was leaving a summer heat that promised to be almost overwhelming.
So, looking forward to running around and getting sweaty and gross and then swimming, Kahlilia beamed again and eased Benvolio into a gallop in the direction of the pond.

 

[SilentShadowDreamer]

Esmeralda listened to Kahlilia's rambling suggestions with a hint of a smile. "Yeah, sure," she said in reply. She wasn't wearing her bathing suit, but what the hell - it would just be the girls.

Running her fingers through her dark hair, she nudged Sahara into a canter, then into a gallop. The mare wanted to run, and Ez was content to let the pretty little Arab take her flying.

They set off in the direction of the pond, Esmeralda careful not to allow Sahara to try and pass Benvolio nor to fall too far behind. Either way, it would be a massive pain to try and find the pond on her own, since Kahlilia said it took a while to get there.

That reminded her of something, and she nudged Sahara until they caught up to Kahlilia and Ben. "I won't be intruding on anything here, will I?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her dark eyes. "I mean...since this place is special to you and my brother?"

She put a slight emphasis on the word special and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Of course she was teasing, but she wanted to see what Kahlilia's reaction would be.

~



Roman had already made his way to the pond. He was sitting under one of the trees at the moment, watching the black stallion graze by the pond's edge. The quiet here was - at least for the moment - taking the edge off his nerves.

He still would have liked to find Angry Boy and smash his face in, just on principle. But Ez had been too canny for him there, and having made his promise he did intend to keep it.

With another, more irritable sigh, he leaned back and stared up at the leaves of the tree whose trunk he leaned against. Thinking about what he'd seen in the barn was not helping his mood.

Glancing back at his horse, he watched Phoenix's ears perk as he whinnied at something far out of Roman's view. He knew what that meant. Someone was coming.

He remained comfortably against the tree. Phoenix wouldn't go anywhere, and whoever was coming would get here eventually.  

[minus infinity]

Benvolio galloped at a relatively easy pace, happy to be outside and running again but not so quickly that he was going to tire himself out. Kahlilia sort of remembered where the pond was, it was kind of like how on the walk back to the cabins she had been marking landmarks from memory. She was doing it again now, because really it was her best sense of navigation. When she had been driving to come here to the ranch, she remembered she had gotten lost several times because she didn't really know where she was. With Benvolio, though, it was much easier - thank goodness. The smart but ever child-like horse seemed to know where they were going as though he'd been there a million times rather than about three or four. Kahlilia was thinking about all the times at the pond, like the day she heard the frogs singing, when she heard Esmeralda's question and immediately blushed again.
Well um, ... of course you're not intruding! Kahlilia didn't really know that Esmeralda was asking to see her reaction, but she certainly was getting one when in she started to hesitate, 'um' constantly and even sputter. We ran Benvolio around the pond and timed him, and it was something unbelievable ... and even timed Phoenix jumping, now of course she was just thinking aloud because she had realized she was really putting on a show of letting the girl next to her how hard she was falling, hoping it didn't perturb the other girl. For a second, she closed her eyes in memory but opened them again when Benvolio made a friendly whickering sound, responding to something he had heard - possibly Phoenix? And um ... once Roman asked me if we would ever want to try riding Phoenix ... just because he might go right to his old personality if he only gets used to one person ... I guess. She remembered how she had reacted with a bit of fear when Roman asked her that question a few days ago, and he had told her Esmeralda could try if she wanted to. Certainly, she was up at a height even with Benvolio who was shorter than Phoenix, so she was excited with the normal amount of butterflies. Just nervous butterflies ...
Benvolio slowed to a trot just as the trees became numerous suddenly and clumped together like siamese twins. Weeping Willows joined the large group of the other trees, a 'Wheres Waldo?' kind of thing. And then, after a couple minutes of trotting Benvolio slowed to a stop. There was shade now, almost like the sun couldn't touch this little area on the land, like it was dusk rather than early morning outside of this area. Kahlilia found it magical, and patted Ben gently as he stopped and looked around.

 

[SilentShadowDreamer]

Esmeralda bit back a smile as Kahlilia talked about the pond. She hadn't really needed the words - the tone and the blush were enough.

She's in love with him. She doesn't know it yet, not as well as she should, but she's in love with him.

And in her way Ez was happy for them, since it was kind of adorable. But at the same time it reminded her, painfully, of what should have been. What would never be now.

Before she could answer Kahlilia's statements, the forest surrounding them became cool, dusky, even welcoming. Esmeralda immediately lost herself in the enchanting look of the forest.

"It's a beautiful spot," she breathed, and nudged Sahara forward. "A faerie land." She almost expected to see Titania come gliding out from between the trees. Though it didn't happen, the sense of magic and expectation remained.

Then Sahara tossed up her head and snorted, and Ez looked up. "Is that it?" she asked, gesturing towards a glimmer of water nearby.  

[minus infinity]

Kahlilia looked around briefly, making sure they were where they needed to be. They were, and even though she had been here before she was glad she was in the right place. For that though, she mostly had to thank Benvolio.
The smaller girl of the two seemed at peace here by the pond, her blush fading to her usual creamy skin tone, her smile genuine and cozy rather than sheepish and embarrassed. Still, her eyes glittered even with the minimal sunlight that would somehow break through the leaves of the trees and illuminate the pond in a beautiful way Lily hoped she could keep with her forever. Like a faerie land ... Lily thought about that. Yes, it really was. Like a seduction, it took away most - or all, she remembered as she stupidly had broken down - of her inhibitions. Losing her inhibitions ...
Letting that thought slide, Lily looked up to where Esmeralda had gestured. Yes, that's it. She seemed to chirp as she spoke in affirmation, even though her voice was usually a little high-pitched. Sometimes, she even sounded like a little girl. Maybe that was why she was bonding with Benvolio so much, they really were like two children.
With a nudge and a click, Benvolio eased back into a steady trot as they neared the pond enough to see the others who were already there. Lily could see Phoenix distantly, mostly she recognized his height and build, and then eventually Roman as they drew nearer. Finally, Benvolio seemed to think he had gone close enough to the water to stop after a few more minutes, and even before Lily dismounted he was testing the post-storm grass by tasting it quizzically. Kahlilia did eventually dismount when she felt she could, and surveyed the pond again. Certainly the storm had taken its toll, debris in the form of dirt and tree branches had been littered around the water and in some of the more shallow parts, and the grass was still wet and even a little muddy. She didn't really mind that, she knew it was just what a storm like that would do, and then noticed that Phoenix didn't have a saddle and only a bridle. She wondered briefly how Phoenix had reacted to that, but lay one of her hands briefly on Benvolio's saddle as he grazed and smiled a little.

 

[SilentShadowDreamer]

Esmeralda let Sahara have her head as the mare scented the other horse on the air. They arrived at the side of the pond even faster than Benvolio, and Sahara stopped abruptly, waiting impatiently for her rider to dismount.

As soon as she did, Sahara pranced away from her to nuzzle Phoenix, who responded in kind. Uneasy about that, Esmeralda went over to grab her horse's bridle again, and was rewarded with a snort and a toss of the mare's head.

She should have thought this through, she thought, grimly amused. It hadn't occurred to her that Sahara might be...in season. While their behaviour didn't seem more than mildly flirtatious, she would have to keep an eye on them.

Warily, she released Sahara in order for the mare to graze.

~

Roman glanced up and smiled as the two girls came into the clearing. "Lily. Ez," he greeted. He watched Phoenix's greeting of Sahara with a twitch of the lips. Clearly his boy hadn't lost his touch.

"Came to drag me out of my misery?" he asked. He rose gracefully, almost without effort, in one of the moves that in a more self-aware man would have seemed designed to bring a woman's eyes to him.

Then he flashed an easy grin at Kahlilia. "Or did one of you decide to take me up on my offer?"

Ez, knowing what he meant, grinned and said, "Not me, not yet, but maybe Lily wants to hop on your pony there."