Kuro Shiro Beach

[Loiiypop-chan]

Suddenly as Amaya was thinking of what she was to do, she was struck with a powerful wave of grief, a feeling of missing someone strongly. She missed her mother. These emotions with her mother rarely came up anymore, her mother had died when she was much younger, and this far into her adult life she hadn't had her mother around for much of it.

None-the-less, those feelings showed their heads when she was trying to think of where to go. Her mother had always been her best friend and confidant, giving her advice and steering her in the right direction. Her mother had no fear, a noble sense or right and wrong that Amaya tried to uphold, and the courage to do what needed to be done.

Maybe that was what Amaya needed most now. The courage to do what she knew she must. She didn't want to face the task and had, and to her inner horror she had to admit she was afraid like a cub. But if she hoped to remain a Queen in a species that required you have the strength for the job, or you'd be pulled down, she must do it.

"Well Mother, I will find the courage in your example. When the time comes." She took one last look at the skies and the vast body of water ahead of her, and headed for the shore.  

[LoricWarrior]

SnowWolf1118

Loiiypop-chan

[[sorry guys! hope this helps move things along]]

Rose smirked at Armel's comment about her showing off. In a way, yes, it was, but not truly. Rose enjoyed being around others similar to her, without the need to knock down her skills. Never the less, Rose replied kindly to Armel's comment.
"'Showing off', as you call it, helps keep my skills sharp. I like to think I'm not so vain as to 'show off'." with a slight chuckle at the end, Rose didn't need to go to her backpack to grab a hunting knife - she always kept one on her when in human form. Taking this out of her boot now, she also took a piece of driftwood from nearby, and worked on it, letting the wood tell her what it was meant to end up as, as she often would when making arrowheads during her younger years.

She did take pause from her work at Armel's comment to dissuade her from learning. She supposed he did not want to seem too knowledgeably about such things in case Queen Amaya asked him to do more things for her? Or maybe it was just because he didn't think his skills as good as they were... Rose hoped the latter were true, simply because she hoped she hadn't been wrong - again - in her judgement of another, and the Polar Bear Queen seemed pretty decent - for roylalty, at least - and a small ego would be so much better than a repeat of THAT. So, instead of sharing her thoughts, she simply said, "One should never stop learning, even the most well-learned academic doesn't truly know everything. Learning and experiencing life is how you understand the world better, as well as others." Rose said, with a glance at the Queen - who was headed back toward them now - and at Armel. Two new allies who she knew really very little about. Rose waited for the Queen to get nearer to herself and Armel to see if she anything she wanted to say or ask before Rose went back to carving the piece of wood she held.  

[SnowWolf1118]

LorricWarrior

[Just so you know!]

Armel rolled his eyes at Miss Cameron as he shook his head. Sure, everyone who made excuses like keeping their skills sharp ad not being vain were certainly not showing off. Right. But, he still dropped the subject in the end because it was a conversation that would only take them both in circles, and he hated going in circles. It was just confusing to say the least and annoying to say the most, so he just pulled out his hunting knife to work on a piece of driftwood for his own time until Her Majesty deemed it time to take their leave. It wasn't like Miss Cameron needed it, not when she had one conveniently tucked into her boots.

At this point, Armel planned not to speak unless Miss Cameron needed some guidance on her woodwork. However, Miss Cameron managed to throw him for a loop with her comment about learning. Scowling, Armel tossed a small twig at her head. "What the Hell are you blabbering on about?" he asked as he unsheathed his knife. "When did this become a philosophical conversation? I literally just said not to waste my time. I don't like people who do things on a whim if it results in wasting my time." Armel, temporarily, threw out his proper linguistics to speak frankly with Miss Cameron because it seemed she didn't understand him.

Setting his jaw as he turned away from Miss Cameron, Armel began peeling off the bark from a small piece of wood he found. It was still a mystery as to what he'd make of it, but that was half the lesson in carving. Not knowing until inspiration hit. It was foolish to let a piece of dead organic material to "decide" what it wanted to be. "But if you want to be philosophical, be my guest. Just have the conversation with Her Majesty. I have no interest." With that, he decided what he wanted the small piece of wood to be and began carved the idea at what would be the base of the little statue. His queen was returning to them, so he needed to stand up once more and brush himself off.  

[Loiiypop-chan]

Amaya caught pieces of what was said as she got closer, and by the times she did, she used her paw to swipe a huge wave of sand onto Armel. "You're being rude!" She scolded him, her tone chastising, then promptly turned away from him to face Rose.

"I am sorry about that." She laid her great bear form out near where her new friend was working. "I myself don't think I know nearly anything, when I think of everything there is to learn. And you are correct, as Queen, the more I can learn about my people, the better I am at ruling them."  

[LoricWarrior]

[[Sorry guys I've gotten really bad at replying to anything besides my text messages with midterms]]

Rose raised an eyebrow at Armel's rude comment. "Well, if you think it's nonsense, you don't have to pay attention. Sometimes people talk to work out their thoughts, and are not talking to you." Feeling like this stab at his thick skull was enough, Rose was about to turn back to her work when the Queen was approaching them and threw sand at Armel, which didn't even touch Rose. Rose tried not to laugh, and that effort turned into a smirk she hid behind her arm, looking like she was protecting her face from the sand.

After a moment, she lowered her arm again, her face now composed. Addressing the Queen, she said, "No worries, Your Majesty, everyone has their moments. I'm sure Armel's slip up won't affect any of his future actions." Rose was liking the Bear Queen more and more over the time she spent with her. Smiling as she continued, she said, "That is very true. If you don't know your subjects' abilities, there is no way to know if something will be dangerous or if it may be helpful to your future endeavors."  

[SnowWolf1118]

Loiiypop-chan

[Don't worry, I've been dealing with the last of my midterms until finals, so I understand.]

Armel gladly took the scolding from both females. It did not bother him because he had dealt with worse in his youth. Much worse. Sand in his face and a mouthful of harsh words with no teeth to them were nothing to what he experienced in the past. Besides, if his rudeness left a bad taste in both their mouths, they would have no interest in his thoughts or opinions, his feelings or desires. They would focus on themselves, like they should. Their conversation could be frivolous or serious, it did not matter to him, so long as he remained by himself.

However, it did not mean Armel would not be wary of the topics his queen and Miss Cameron spoke of because they may elicit his involvement or create a topic involving him. Neither prospect was to his liking. He did not want them focusing on him when they had Her Majesty's quest to fulfill, whatever that quest was. Let us simply be done with this so we may return home, he thought as he began whittling his piece of driftwood while keeping a wary eye on their surroundings and a trained ear on Her Majesty's and Miss Cameron's conversation. It did not sit well with him that they were speaking of Her Majesty's subjects and their abilities. The conversation could easily be bridged to his capabilities, motives, and thoughts into the matter. It could possibly drag his past out into the open, and he undoubtedly strived to shroud it in darkness. The royal court knew nearly nothing about it, except for the carefully constructed outer appearance Their Majesties had crafted for them. If Queen Amaya had any spies, even they would find difficulty in tracing his movements. All they would learn was his loyalty to the bear who wore the crown. Armel would serve, without fail nor disobedience, his royal sovereign. After all, he was only a tool for his queen to use however she pleased.

And to dispose of once she tired of him; and Armel was sure to never allow Her Majesty to find him useless until he was physically incapable of serving her in her endeavours.