Post by Snowbird on Aug 21, 2011 8:37:42 GMT
The Legend
The land was in disarray. The horses of Zakiva were scattered and being hunted by predators, to near extinction. Three horse gods, Tyre, Lasciel and Eo couldn't bear to see their kin in such danger. Together they each created a mortal stallion; Vatal, Azrakon, and Santus. The three gathered the horses in herds to protect each other. Each of the stallions started their own herd: Vatal, the Willowbrook herd; Azrakon, the Emberlight herd; and Santus, the Whitefall herd.
Vatal was the kindest and gentlest of the three. He claimed is territory and began finding mares for his herd. He wouldn't take mares that didn't want to join him. He found a mare, Lia. They fell in love so he made her his Queen. Together they had twin fillies, Raikiela and Kareta. Knowing how many dangers to his herd there were, Vatal knew he needed counsel and warriors. So he appointed wise, old horses as Elders, to give him counsel and to teach the young foals. Next, he gathered the strongest and fastest horses in the herd to help guard the herd. He called them the Outriders, they were the guards and scouts of the herd.
Azrakon was a strict but kind ruler. He chose a mare from his herd as his Queen. She was a very ambitious mare, she had kept close to Azrakon, fighting the other mares to keep herself above them and in his sights. Her name was Clexia. They had a colt named Aelus.
Santus was the strictest of the three. He was more of a tyrant and forced mares into his herd. He chose the most ruthless mare in the herd for his Queen. Pytha was her name and they had a colt they named Joli.
Together they ruled Zakiva, bringing peace and order to the land.
Unfortunately, Santus was a power-hungry stallion. He wanted all the herds under his control. He wanted to start a war, a war that would leave him in total control. He used his son, Joli, to lure one of the Willowbrook daughters. He kidnapped Raikiela. He knew the Emberlight heir had a crush on her. What Santus did not expect was for the Willowbrook and Emberlight herds to unite to retrieve Raikiela. Vatal and his Outriders, Azrakon and Aelus attacked Santus and defeated him. He and Pytha fought to the death. After that, the herds didn't trust the Royals. They rose up to fight them. The rest of the Royals were killed, all except Raikiela and Aelus. They fled when the fighting started.
Together they began their life as outcasts, hiding themselves from the other horses. They had a foal together, a young filly. Knowing that she could never have a full, safe life if she stayed with them, they left her near a herd that could take her in. And they did, not knowing who she was.
A few years past and the herds banded together again. They passed the story of the Royals down to their foals and swore to never make the same mistake again and allow the herds to be passed from horse to horse by fights and not by blood.
