Matteo

It's tough to be a god

The delightful young mare before him was hardly the first to ever ask after his age or how he had managed to persist so long in a world that, at times, seemed nothing but utterly determined to destroy him in one way or another. It was perhaps, a hazard of his species. For all the power Fae could so learn to possess they remained a little more delicate, a little more fragile and a little less capable of healing then those far more hardy species. Such limitations were hardly helped by the very effect their blood seemed to have over vampires. Ah, but vampires would come for miles if they scented a Fae about! Precious few amongst the undead were given to prefer any other species. Fae, it seemed, who walked the borderline between life and death, held that very connection within their blood that vampires seemed to so desperately desire. How very hard it was on occasion, to befriend a being so determined to eat you. Matteo's own head shook lightly at the thought and yet he saw little need not to answer the young woman before him.
"I am, oh, around two thousand years old now. That makes me a little younger then Alexander still. I was born at around the time of Julius Caesar. Do you know of him? Terribly vocal fellow."
Matteo frowned ever so slightly at the efforts of one memory or another to turn about within the confines of his mind before he dismissed it once more. The young equine offered a near teasing simper then as he regarded her, those french lyrics laced with amusement and good humour.
"As for how I survived, Mon Cher, I am very clever."
A soft, warm chuckle fell easily from his lips then. Matteo, it seemed, content to say no more upon it outside of his apparent 'cleverness' so having seen him persist this far in life. The sudden press of the silver black mares nose to hsi side so readily drew his attention downward, Matteo inclined to offer her a curious look at the affection she offered. Fleeting thought it was. Calliel assuring him but a moment later that, were she to join a mission in which he too was a part off, she would surely do her best to watch out for him. She, after all, could heal. Matteo allowed his own features to soften then, his fingers running but smoothly down the length of her neck in his own touch of similar affection. He should tell her, perhaps, of his own abilities in this regard and yet.....if to watch out for him so gave her a purpose, a meaning, a reason to be- then whom was he to take it from her? Provided she so hardly put herself in danger to do as such he so no reason to dissuade her from her self-appointed task even if his own abilities would surely keep him from him.
"That is very kind of you, Mon Amie. I should appreciate it."
It was her very doubt over her own species then that so prompted the Frenchman to attempt to offer her his own understanding of the equine race- and all that humanity surely owed them. Matteo entirely inclined to believe that of all the species that walked this earth that only the dog, perhaps, could hold a candle to that which the horse had done for mankind and continued to do. Horses held value far beyond even those mighty lions or tigers or bears. For all their fearsome ways little could be done with them save for shooting at them and using their skins to adorn horses or containing them long enough to permit them as part of a zoo. Strength, after all, did not always mean useful. Ah, but how very misguided she was to believe anything less of her species! Caliel was silent for several moments then before insisting that even those Hunters did not value them, at least, not as they should. She had seen it, she said. Matteo inclined to believe her. Those Hunters he had watched over had been nothing but decent to their mounts and Frost had reported no discord amongst the horses and yet, perhaps, when Alexander and Frost and himself turned away those things were quite different.
"There are some who show their affection in ways much reserved, ways you would not see, but too, I believe these things you say. I will see to fixing this as best I can."
He would raise the issue with Alexander in turn. The Hunter likely to refuse to permit any man among their ranks whom could be charged with offering his horse improper care. His companions utter adoration for his horses, after all, was near as legendary as the being himself. Matteo reached readily for Calliel's mane then, the Fae so working to braid those long strands into something far more...tame then how it existed now before so finally offering the mare that assurance that it was hardly his talent as a horse whisperer that was allowing that communication but rather- her ability to project those words. A common talent, among the WereHorse breed and one she was surely deserving off in turn. Her assurance that communication was the best way to connect prompted that simper to his own features once more as he worked.
"Ah, Mon Amie, this is true, you are right."
After all, how could it be denied? Matteo had no sooner finished that work with her mane then the mare moved to raise her head to tease at his own hair until it was thoroughly mused. Ah, but how Giselle would not appreciate it! Yet, he so hardly had the heart to dissuade her. Calliel moved from him then to wander toward that plate of sandwiches before taking one from the pile. The sound of that satisfied crunching filled that small space. Darius, for his part, had finished his own meal and become content to merely doze as was often his way. One day he would surely manage to coax words from the stallion. One day. Calliel offered her name then as she wandered back towards him before insisting he was surely a trickster. Matteo finding himself rather proud of that title. The mare asking then after her mane and the braid he had maid.
"Ah, Calliel, like the angel, no? Is that for who you were named? As for your mane, that is a war braid. It is more common for a stallion to wear but I do not think anyone shall police my braiding tonight. It keeps the mane out of the way so the horse can see and the riders hands will not become tangled in battle. I thought it would suit you- and it does. Would you like to go for a ride, perhaps?"