[fleabittengray]

Think that you can play with me, you better watch your back
The last thing that you'll hear will be my laugh

TW: language, murder mention

How had he ended up being painted the bad guy? How had he ended up being cursed and then stolen? What the hell was wrong with the Darks and them having sticks shoved firmly up their backsides? Xovad was tired of it. The guilt he'd felt for murdering Ragnar in defense of his brother was beginning to warp into something else, something ugly: wrath. When Selven had stolen him, Xovad had wanted to go straight to The Howling Keep, raging up to the King and tearing into him. However, the Versai Brother knew that would be nothing short of suicide. It had been several weeks since Xerxes had come calling, and the Curse that had been placed upon the Highlands was showing evidence upon the Druid. He had lost weight as well as strength. Food had become scarce and anything worth eating was cursed. Same with the water supply of Lyrarcor. He and his herd members were now forced to go well away from the mountains in order to eat or drink. But it was going to take more than this to tear the Seer away from his home, from the Versai. He was determined to beat this. And the next time he saw Xerxes, he wanted to spit at his feet. Or maybe tear some sizeable holes into those stupid leathery wings of his. Grinding his teeth, the Versai prowled through the realm of Wild Equines. He'd left Lyrarcor late into the morning, giving himself time to calm down and be rational by the time he reached the Keep. He had an idea of what the Dark Royals wanted with him. The same reason they had taken Hymn. Ragnar's death. They wanted revenge. They wanted Xovad to suffer.

But, by gods, hadn't he and his family suffered enough?! Who did Selven think he was, playing god and dealing out fake justice! You'd think Xovad had gone out seeking Ragnar to destroy him like he'd always wanted to. Oh, yes, he'd wanted to find Ragnar and bring the bastard to his knees, but his mother, his dear sweet mother, had always told him not to, that it wasn't worth it, to be the bigger man and let it go. And just where the hell had that landed them? Hymn and Dahlia now in the hands of the Helkaer! It was only because of Rasa, bless her soul, that Hymn was even still alive. Apparently, when Thomasin stole him, she'd wanted to hand him over to Xerxes to slaughter. Like a fucking pig. Rage coursed through the overo brute again as he neared the border of The Howling Keep, his ears flattening against his skull. Though his body was weaker now, from the Cursed environment he was living in, he'd never felt more alive. He was determined that, no matter what, he would not go down without a fight - and not without taking either Selven or his witch of a Queen with him. If they wanted a battle, they were going to get a war.

He walked with confidence, red eyes glaring as he crossed the border. He looked around, waiting to be found by guards, or by the King himself. His tail lashed against his hide, his head lifting and, as he continued to walk into the terrain, his maw parted and released a mighty, shrill call. Come on out, Selven, the young brute thought to himself, knowing that his call would alert any nearby guards or herd members to his arrival. He did not care. He was not here to be polite. He was not here to play nice. Let me show you what true agony and desperation does to a man. He bared his teeth, his head snaking out as from the bushes came a guard, settling firmly in Xovad's path. "Is your King so pathetic he sends a dog to do his own bidding?" he spat out, teeth snapping at the air. The guard regarded him with a narrowed gaze. "Go on then, pup, go fetch your Master." And again, his teeth snapped at the air. The guard looked ready to lunge at Xovad himself, causing the Versai to sneer at him, fearless and full of rage. There was a tense stand off between the two, Versai and guard, and then the other equine turned and disappeared once more into the darkness. Just like a good fucking pet would.

Xovad let the guard walk ahead several strides and then stalked forward, ears perked and swiveling on high alert. His red gaze darted to and fro. There would be no sneaking up on him, not in these quiet woods. His adrenaline was pumping and he was ready to react to any sound or sight of trouble.

[Tagged: Fallen w/ Selven]
[Words: 788]
[Character: Xovad / Valfrid]
[Notes: WELP....]
[Timeline: 6 years 7 months, spring, afternoon, approximately a month after Xerxes curses the Highlands]
"Speech"

[Fallen]

"Speech."
The Dark King was feeling a little... frisky... today. A pep that had not touched his step danced over his skin today, that wonderfully mischievous glint that sparkled in his icy eyes glittered like it first had when he was a wee babe, and his dance, his wonderful bold dance! It returned! His limbs carried him swiftly about the keep, an air of excitement buzzing about his slick and muscular frame. He had successfully stolen Aelin, his thorny little witch, and along with her he had acquired a much more savory prize. Valfrid. A prize that belonged to none other than the Versai. Selven's mouth nearly watered at the thought of the poor little druid. Selven's motives were simple for the beast though. Thomasin had informed the king of this beasts slight against her, against the kingdom. Interfering when he would of done best to stand idle. Now here they were. The ink and ivory hound with porcelain in his hair dancing with a target in his eyes. Shenzie cackled at the kings heels, the large hyena always an unsettling addition to the dazzling ink and bone stained monarch.

As Selven tossed his heavy crown and arched his nape, his thick thorns picked up the sound of intruding hooves and the thundering of another. The king's interest was peaked. Selven shifted upon his powerful haunches, his thick cord of muscle gleaming under his smooth, scar littered hide. Heavy daggers were light in their travels as his lengthy and extended three beat gait carried him easily over the land he had grown to memorize. "Is your King so pathetic he sends a dog to do his own bidding?" The heated vocals caused a wide and amused smirk to curl his handsome features. The excitement that coursed through his veins caused his gait to lift even more, his broad chest and thick limbs high as he emerged through the tree's just as the captured spoke once more "Go on then, pup, go fetch your Master." A snap of the jaws, a stand off, gleaming red eyes holding his guard as if he was in a position to attack. Selven could not stop the loud bellyful laugh that erupted from his gullet and the mocking smile that showed his teeth as his eyes finally sat upon Valfrid. The king looked at the yellow bellied boy with his own maliciously playful sneer, Shenzie's loud vicious cackles a sickening backdrop to the heavy tension between all three stallions. "You should be saying, 'our' master," Selven said, his cold glacial eyes gleaming with excitement as that sickening sneer grew wider on his face. "You are after all, mine for the duration of your wonderful stay in my home." Selven flicked his heavy crown, a motion for the guard to disperse. Cold violent eyes wormed over the versai boy, Selven's vicious gaze equally unimpressed as it was wild. Another sickening smirk as the king slid up to his captives face, his heavy presence threatening to swallow the other whole. "come now, boy, bare those teeth at the king." Selven's heavily accented words slurred slightly as his own teeth were bared in a dominating smile. He wanted the fucker to dare snap at him. Was he foolish enough to do so? Was the versai smart enough to know this would be a losing battle if he even thought of challenging himself at this time. The kings banner flagged at his flanks, the heavy mass of coils and locks chiming eerily with weight of the bones matted within the sea of black. The tension was so heavy it was as if wading through tar, and Selven was enjoying every fucking minute of it.

WORDS 600 TAGGED fleabittengray MUSE moderate
NOTES spicy boys! TIMELINE ---

^{by ♛befera}

[fleabittengray]

Think that you can play with me, you better watch your back
The last thing that you'll hear will be my laugh

TW: language, murder mention

Xovad had never felt so hostile before. He stalked after the guard, waiting for Selven to make his appearance. He could hear some creature cackling. Not a horse but something else, something he'd never witnessed before. Selven must have a companion of some sort. How cute. How pathetic. Everything about the King was sending him into a rage. Perhaps it was part of the Curse, making him feel so volatile, or maybe Xovad had just reached a breaking point of traumatic events. He'd been stolen away from his home, a home that needed him now more than ever, and it was all Selven's fault. Come on out, you bastard, he thought, his ears swiveling, eyes flickering from side to side. The cackling was growing louder the further Xovad stalked through the woods. The afternoon sun was dimmed by the amount of trees here, though their branches were barren of leaves just yet, only a few having started to bloom. The shadows would not hide the Dark King. Not today.

At last, he heard the laughter of what he assumed must be the King. The Versai's rage roared and he walked quicker, licking his lips and imagining the taste of Selven's blood upon them. He imagined it feeling different from Ragnar. He imagined it feeling good. A chuckle fell from Xovad as well, red eyes scanning the nearby terrain before they locked onto the King. Selven was older and taller, but Xovad did not fret. He had every right to be angry. He had every right to destroy Selven where he stood now, mocking Xovad. The paint paid no mind to the creature at Selven's feet, the thing that cackled and seemed so giddy. It was some sort of canine, he thought, or maybe some weird cat-like creature. Either way, Xovad did not care. His target was the King right now.

"You should be saying, 'our' master," A deep, dark laugh erupted from the Versai Brother as his steps continued to carry him in Selven's direction, ignoring the guard giving him a warning look. "You are after all, mine for the duration of your wonderful stay in my home." Xovad sneered, his ears pinned and his eyes gleaming as he glared at the King. "Go on then. Get me to submit. Make me bow to you." For even if Xovad bowed today, there was always tomorrow. Already wheels turning in his mind, ideas and schemes starting on how to get back at the Dark Kingdom and the Helkaer. Make them feel just a fraction of the pain he felt so intensely.

With a silent command from the King, Xovad saw the guard retreat - but he doubted he would go very far, not with a hostile enemy in the King's home. So close. And Xovad had filled once. He could do it again, if he had to. He knew he had it in him now. "come now, boy, bare those teeth at the king." Xovad lifted his head, spat at the King's feet, and bared his teeth. "You're no King of mine." For Xovad was a Versai. He bowed to no King... and he was starting to think he bowed to no Queen, either. After all, not once had Nixi come to check on him during the war. The war he'd gone to warn her about. He'd gotten hardly more than a thank you before being sent away. Well, if that's what she wanted... let her find someone else to love. Xovad didn't want to break himself any further than he already was.

[Tagged: Fallen w/ Selven]
[Words: 591]
[Character: Xovad / Valfrid]
[Notes: xxx]
[Timeline: 6 years 7 months, spring, afternoon, approximately a month after Xerxes curses the Highlands]
"Speech"

[Fallen]

"Speech."

The hyena at the kings heels was quickly sent to the shadows by the king, a heavy stomp of his rear dagger the signal. Selven wanted this beast's flesh all to his fucking self. The versai cunt laughed. He fucking laughed! There was something devious in that sound and those glowering red eyes, Selven had seen such a look many, many times before. His little mental state was cracking. Selven could not stop the smile that seemed permanently etched on his mug now and it grew even wider as valfrid spoke. If the bastard king was anything other than mortal, his jaws would of split to his ears with how hard his smile hit. "Go on then. Get me to submit. Make me bow to you." The vicious giggle that erupted from the bastard king made shenzie cackle again in the shadows the sound of her rustling bodice ticking the pricked up hairs along the kings back.

Before Selven could reply, the fucker spat at his feet. defiant words leaving the other stallion with a quickness. "You're no King of mine." The semi translucent froth landed just on the tip of his beautifully sharp dagger. The king sneered right back now, lips pulled back in a feral snarl in return. The versai lifted his head, its crimson gaze burning with a look of anger not suitable for a peace loving fuck. Selven did not hesitate. Before either stallions could blink, Selven lunged forward. His strike quick and narrow. His fangs were bared at the fuckers face, a vicious smile plastered heavily on the kings face as he did so. He wanted to taste blood and wipe that stupid smirk off the others face. "If you won't bow, you will bleed!" Selven said between the snap of his teeth. Valfrid was weak, he would only be able to fight off the much fitter king for so long before his pathetic body would give. And selven, oh this wonderfully cruel monstrosity, he had two lifetimes worth of violence egging him on. He had the stamina and the experience to hold him out in this little tiff, and he damn sure would make Valfrid regret spitting his filthy mouth at the bastard of a king.

WORDS 371 TAGGED fleabittengray MUSE excellent
NOTES sorry its short, but here ya go! TIMELINE ---

^{by ♛befera}

[fleabittengray]

Think that you can play with me, you better watch your back
The last thing that you'll hear will be my laugh

TW: language, violence

Xovad hated Selven. He hated the Dark King. He hated everyone who was tearing his family apart. His brother and sister gone, and now his mother left alone to hold down the fort. Who would be next? Lirana? His blood boiled, red eyes glaring at the King with a seething hatred and rage within them. For so long, the Versai had been ridiculed and called wicked and cruel - yet look at them. They had done nothing to deserve what was happening to them! He, Luna, and Oleander were not cruel or wicked or evil. Why could the world not see that? Why could the world not see them? What gave Xerxes the right to put a curse on his home, on all of the Highlands, when Ragnar had been the one at fault? And before Hymn had gone off to Toxin Raj as part of the tax from Nemesis, Xovad had heard that Ragnar had been a part of the Keep. He'd been a heard member. But so what? Xovad had herd members and family, too! He was doing his damn best to protect them but it was just one tragedy after another. He could feel himself cracking and fraying. How had his mother done this for so long?

The King's creature went scurrying away as Selven stomped and Xovad stood before the King, eyes never leaving him. He wondered if it was the curse making him feel so goddamn vicious, despite being slightly weakened by it. But he was still strong enough to give Selven a new scattering of scars, he was sure of it. Make him suffer and bleed, just as he and his family were doing. And no one was helping them. Where were the Vigilum in all of this? Where was the Light Kingdom? He wanted to scream with frustration but clenched his jaw instead, ears pinned flat against his skull, hidden within his flaxen mane. Selven giggled and the sound of unnerving, but Xovad did not care. He stood his ground, waiting for the King to strike, because he was sure that Selven would. A heathen like him would not be able to resist.

And just like that, Selven was lunging for him. Xovad saw the shifting of his weight, having been so focused on the King, and he flung his own body out of the way - but only just barely, teeth snapping near his face - so close he could feel the warmth of the King's breath against his skin. "If you won't bow, you will bleed!" Xovad hissed, propelling himself forward toward the Dark King's right shoulder and letting his teeth attempt to sink into the flesh of his withers. If Xovad was going to bleed, then the bastard King was going to bleed right along with him.

[Tagged: Fallen w/ Selven]
[Words: 464]
[Character: Xovad / Valfrid]
[Notes: xxx]
[Timeline: 6 years 7 months, spring, afternoon, approximately a month after Xerxes curses the Highlands]
"Speech"