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 Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:54 pm
It was late morning, and a large tribe of nagas was already bustling with morning shoppers, and those with young. Though there was a tenseness in the air. Most seemed uneasy, but some of the more...unstable naga seemed to be bubbling with excitement, talking in half-hearted hushed voices. Spreading rumours, the occasional cackle ringing out amongst the crowd.
Just outside the village, a camp was set up. The nagas who wandered about, guarded, and lazed around small fires, were all adorned with something connecting them to the royal family. Most were what amounted to soldiers, but a few were nobles. This was obvious by the pampered air about them.
In the center of the camp, Nahuat was relaxing on a pile of cushions, his cheek resting in his hand as he stared towards the village through the thin line of trees that seperated them. This was it? His father must be delusional if he thought THIS was some kind of comeback for their people.
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:09 pm
 So, was it true? Was the time soon to be at hand? Whispers of a grand prince rallying the naga together to fight had somehow managed to reach Tanithia's end of the ill forest, piquing her interest. Of course, she wouldn't believe it unless she saw it for herself.
It had taken her a couple days to reach where the camp was, and was irritated at having had to travel so far. Reaching the camp, she stuck to the shadows within the trees, well hidden with her dark colors, to first observe the goings on. Her focus was on the solitary camp away from the main village. It stunk of self-importance. But she at least was surprised. She didn't see many naga in her end of the isles. She knew it was no where near enough to overrun the mindlessly multiplying taur, but it was a start.
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:08 am
Darcy wasn't the sneaky type.
When she arrived, her head was raised proudly with her blood red hair fanned out behind her. The pack that was slung over her shoulder held what momentos she'd been able to pick up over her short years on this Earth. A bit of jewelry, a scrap of silk, the tip of a Uni horn - all relics and yet useless in their own right. To her, they were worth more than anything the snakes around her wore.
She'd forsaken her territory, and her sons for the glory that her mother had fortold. When the last armless had been slain in their tribe, all had lost hope, but her mother. One day...one day we will have our rightful place. That day was close. She just wondered what kind of pompous a** would try to get them there. Cobra or not.
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:14 am
Nahuat's head lifted curiously as he caught the scent of two unknown nagas, both fairly close. He glanced at his personal guards and rolled his eyes. They hadn't noticed yet...pathetic. He was to entrust his life to these people? Many were too young to have ever even seen battle. But with their dwindled numbers, this was apparently the best they could do.
He rose slowly, alarming the men standing near him. Seemingly unprovoked, his standing was taken as a threat or sign of boredom, and they all moved quickly to give him his space. But he was simply moving out into the open. He wanted to encourage the approach of other nagas. That was the best way to get them on his side.
One, it seemed, was more willing to approach than the other. He could see her red hair amongst those who traveled with him, none of which had hair so obvious. His eyes turned towards where the other appeared to be (not that he could see her, so he could be staring at nothing). Those that chose to hide put him on edge.
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:31 pm
Tanithia's eyes narrowed as the hooded cobra raised his torso. That must be one of the head honchos... and he was nearly looking right at her! His gaze seemed to be off to the side a little. She scowled. This was why she didn't like leaving her forest. The scent there was different from anywhere else due to the decay, and probably obvious to him. No one else seemed to notice though.
She coiled herself tighter around the trunk of the tree, hoping the thick array of leaves would hide her scent more. She was surprised he was even there considering how he carried himself. Could he possibly be what her father had boasted of so long ago? One of the greats to bring about their rebirth? She made herself comfortable to watch the workings of the camp from the protective foliage. She didn't see a need to join the dirty mass just yet.
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:18 pm
Darcy took stock of things as she approached, wary of how the obvious guards acting as the cobra rose among them. He wasn't particularly threatening, at least not to her, though she did feel something she couldn't explain. Loyalty? Hope? Something unnatural and amazing at the same time.
She slithered with her head held high, a challenging gaze, before folding herself in a half bow. There were many naga here, to many to spot an individual amongst the flock and yet here he was. She rose with a grin. "We meet at lassst, your majesssty."
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 11:56 am
Nahuat felt no real threat from the one that was hidden, but he gestured for one of his guards to keep an eye on the trees. It could just be curiousity, but there was something suspicious about a naga that wouldn't show their face. The one thing that came to mind was that it may be one of those who had befriended four-leggers. The thought made him bristle with anger.
As Darcy approached, his eyes narrowed slightly. The way she held herself gave him a slight feeling of arrogance. Wasn't surprising, most nagas he surrounded himself with were quite the same way. He just hoped he wasn't going to have to make any kind of point. He lifted his chin as he looked down his nose at her, "Who are you, and why have you come?" while the sentence seemed quite rude, there was genuine curiousity in his voice. He hadn't summoned anyone. He had meant to talk to elders before trying to rally his people.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 1:30 pm
Observing for a while longer, she was about to climb from the tree when the red head caught her attention. The exact opposite in appearance to herself. ...No matter. Whatever their business was, she didn't care.
She carefully made her way down the tree, waiting until it seemed as though no one was looking before quickly slipping down the trunk and deeper into the forest. Check out the camp itself, as dirty as it was, then go from there with her decisions.
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Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 4:34 pm
 Near the center of the Naga encampment, not far from Prince Nahuat's lounging spot was a young Naga girl. She had found a place next to a tent, just off one of the camp's main thoroughfares; out of the way of any adults but still near enough to observe anything interesting. Her name was Melusine.
Melusine's body was tightly coiled on the grass and in her delicate hands was a slate and a chunk of chalk. Beside her was a piece of parchment with an alphabet printed neatly on it. Every so often her small tongue darted from her mouth to taste the air, but her attention was focused entirely on the slate and the chalk held tightly in her thin fingers. She was working hard, with a seriousness that was out of place in a child her age, to practice her letters and learn to read, just as she had promised the Prince when he had saved her.
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 3:28 pm
Nahuat's eyes were drawn away from the general crowd, to little Melusine. He was in no way a tender man, but he understood the importance of their children, and the way the little girl worked hard made him proud of her efforts. He gestured to a guard, in a blue wrap, and the man went over to the girl.
"Melusine?" he said lightly, bending down to her level, "The Prince wants to speak with you."
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 5:45 pm
Varinia huffed in annoyance and crossed her small arms across her dress. The nicely-dressed naga knew that she shouldn't have wandered toward the village, but she had slithered to its edge anyway, her curiosity getting the better of her. Now that she had gone back, she was lost in the camp. It may have not been that large, but for a child her size, it certainly wasn't easy to manuever about.
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 6:36 pm
Melusine reluctantly tore her eyes from her work as the guard approached, but as soon as he relayed the Prince's orders, she nodded obediently. Taking great care, she set down her slate and parchment before sliding over to the Prince. Bowing her head respectfully, as she had seen the other adults do, she said, "I am here, Prince Nahuat." She remembered that she must address him by his title in public, as he had asked her to do.
Her people had so many rules and customs that she had not been brought up to know, but she was determined to master all of them.
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:00 pm
Nahuat's attention was drawn to two murmuring guards, one of which was pointing out the child trying to make her way through the camp. "Go get her," Nahuat ordered, then turned to Melusine as she bowed. He gave her a light smile.
"How are your studies going?" he asked, heading back to his seat, and gesturing for her to follow, as one of his guards approached Varinia. The older female naga looked unfriendly, and spoke with a monotone.
"Come with me."
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:16 pm
Melusine followed Nahuat willingly, stopping several feet from his cushions; an acceptable distance for someone of her station. "They are going very well, your Majesty. I have my alphabet memorized... I hope I will be ready to read soon." Her eyes lit up with barely restrained excitement before her face once again became serious and she dropped her gaze respectfully, "I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for me."
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Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 9:38 am
Varinia brushed her bangs to the side so she could see the naga lady better, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Though the child remembered little of her past, she still had a bit of a superiority complex, especially since she could tell that what she wore was more elaborate than the average naga. So of course, she didn't like this simple guard ordering her about, but then again... she really didn't know what she was doing, or where she was going.
"Alright,"she finally agreed, doing her best to mimic the older naga's serious expression, and resist her usual pout.
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