Her Malevolence
(?)Community Member
Offline
- Report Post
- Posted: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:10:53 +0000
♦She continued to wait for several more minutes before Remian made it clear that riding with her was not at all his intention despite having made talk of doing so prior to boarding the Night's Edge. Victoria was not only surprised.... but slightly disappointed. She did not understand the latter of the two as only moments ago she'd been dreading the moment he mounted Cato but assumed it was due to their previous argument that he'd refused to do so and in turn the same reason she felt as she did. She needn't have those traveling with her thinking she was out to hurt or even kill them. Even if she had hated Remian to that extent she most certainly wouldn't regard his life without value. All life was precious in her eyes and to take that of another was to be done in defense of oneself or those incapable of doing so. Not for sport. It wasn't something to be taken lightly nor was it something to regret after the fact. There was a certain amount of respect that was required.... perhaps not for the person.... but their mortality. It was a complicated system of beliefs. One she didn't expect Remian to understand no matter how many books his mother had provided him with in the years he'd spent under her wing. She wasn't even sure if such a peculiar array of mixed thoughts could be defined in textbooks. Even so, she cared not for explaining herself to the likes of him. If he wanted to sulk over an old quarrel then so be it. As for Victoria.... Well she was prepared to take her anger out on whoever gave her the opportunity and afterwords, leave it at that. Fortunately there was at least one who seemed to look out for them where their spirits were concerned. Ronan was quick to make light of the situation and subtly poked fun at his nephew in doing so. A dragon of her own heart. "Why, that there is an excellent idea! But, oh, where will we find someone in all of Salia who remembers the location of Olivera's home, perhaps even visited such a terrible place? Bishop?"
Her brother lifted his eyes up from the journal he had pulled out and shut it just as quickly as Victoria had spoken, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That was twenty years ago. Forgive me if my memory is a bit rusty. The last I saw of it, it lay further up in the higher region of the kingdom...... But I certainly do not recall Salia having been so well expanded. Things have changed plenty since then. I wouldn't be surprised if it was torn down or moved. Perhaps abandoned all together. Look at these people... Do you really think that they would want to be reminded of such a dark time?" Victoria pursed her lips in thought as she scanned the kingdom only to find the back of Remian. His bare chest had not gone unnoticed and she was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate simply knowing he was facing the other way where she couldn't see it. "Yes, well I'm willing to bet money that it's still there. These people didn't exactly sound too aware of the power behind dark magic. If anything, the fact that so many had neglected to leave the city during the early stages of Olivera's arrival makes me think that they were either too comfortable with the situation or in awe of her power. Either way, they made a stupid decision, simply rolling over like ******** dogs."
"What else could they have done, Victoria? She was a powerful woman. You don't know if that's how it happened. There aren't any accounts written down before hand and little was heard from Salia after she arrived. She was a greedy, blasphemous thing of the shadows that fed off the pity and despair of others in pursuit of beauty and the love of a man unwilling to give it."
"A kingdom follows in the example of its ruler. If their king was quick to heed the demands of one woman without a fight, his people would recognize that fear as their own. That is why a nation needs a strong leader. Someone willing to take that risk." Bishop nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with her response but did not entirely accept her way of thinking. For he knew first hand the devastation Olivera had caused. "Well played. But I think you underestimate the sincerity of the situation. Suppose that's easy to do..... After all, seeing this place now one would never think it had been riddled with a plague so long ago." Victoria shook her head and drew a quick breath. "Deformity and plague aren't the same. All beauty fades with time." She paused then as they slowly closed in behind Ronan and looked down at the disguised dragon with an amused smirk. "Well..... most of the time. You certainly clean up nice. Need a ride stranger?" She offered with a laugh only to see Bishop subtly shaking his head in reaction to her gesture. "Oh for ******** sake, if you and birdy over there don't lighten up for five ******** well deserved minutes then maybe we should just pair off. Because I don't think I can stand another moment with sour puss and you acting as if you have a brick shoved up your a**. Ease up. Breathe. And try not to choke on your own pride because your sure as hell suffocating me." Victoria gave a quick slap on the reigns of her horse and made way ahead of them in a quick trot in hopes of putting some distance between them, already having returned to her fuming before the real work had begun. Given what Bishop had said, she'd already formed a plan in her head to speak with the oldest of the city. Surely they would have been around long enough to remember such events in detail. And if not...... well something told her the drunks in the nearest tavern would have an earful to share.