For the Sky (DISCONTINUED)

13 - A Hopeful Turn

"No."

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Aro began to pace angrily. He wasn't prone to emotional outbursts but he was starting to get pushed over the edge. "This is the fate of the Northern kingdom we're dealing with!"

"No!" Vitali spat, his sunken eyes suddenly wide with a stubborn flame. "I admire your dedication to your patron's assignment, but I am not going to go on your silly quest."

"But if a patron were to assign their subject to such an objective, don't you think—"

"Shut up about your patron!" Vitali raised his voice, hoarse from lack of use, sparks flying from his nostrils. "If you haven't noticed, I no longer have one, and I'd rather not waste whatever time I have left dabbling in mortal troubles."

"But aren't you blood-bound to your people? Shouldn't you act and make sure that nothing happens to the pookas of the Northern kingdoms?" Aro was flabbergasted.

"I am blood-bound to no one, anymore, understand? No one," the stallion grimaced, tears welling up in his eyes. "I have nothing. I don't know anyone in the Northern kingdom. I've been locked up on this damned boat for Crocus knows how many years now - I'd rather die, you understand?"

"But wouldn't such a cause be a chance to start over? If—"

"Get out of here!" Vitali launched at the Ceffyl Dwr, the chains holding him back, his voice cutting off sharply as he inhaled too fast and began to sputter and cough. He wheezed, slowly losing his footing on the floorboards. "You tell me tales of grandeur, you're all just idiot children thinking you can meddle in politics - well, guess what..."

The little colt with beady eyes nervously paced around the fallen stallion, nudging him to get up but it wasn't any use. "It's all pointless anyway - it's all worthless if horses can't just be simple and herd-bound like they were when Crocus first breathed life into them - Crocus forgive me for my self-depreciation but I'd rather he never made immortals like me or especially like you because that power has done nothing but curse and corrupt this world."

"You're wrong," Aro arched his neck defensively.

"Wrong? Am I? Really? Look at the captain that sails this vessel right now - take a long hard look. A fool that thinks he can do whatever he wants with the ocean so long as he's impenetrable - he lures these poor children onboard so that he can raise them under the guise of a new and un-judging world but instead he meddles with the order ashore and these children grow up disgusting and ruthless just like him when they could've become anything else," he closed his eyes, the effort of speaking beginning to pain him. "Of course not you, my dear Tiri, I have nothing bad to say of you..." Vitali opened his eyes briefly at the mute colt that was now staring daggers at Aro.

Aro didn't leave, but instead stood, undecided. "Frin is going to talk to the hippocampi to return us to the Northern shore... we may come back sooner than expected. Perhaps if you change your mind..." he took a deep breath, but Vitali shook his head from where he lay.

"If you can do one good deed, set this one free," the pooka gestured to the white colt. "He's got too much heart to stay under Oskar."

Tiri shook his head violently and Aro could only look upon him in pity. "The current state of the Northern kingdom wouldn't accept a child such as him. He's a half-breed, isn't he?"

"I have nothing else to say to you, then, Ceffyl Dwr," Vitali closed his eyes again. "Our conversation here is over. All I can do is wish you luck."