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And just as she thought she was in the clear... someone she didn't know approached. Drats... normally she'd be all for some conversation, and the like, but after such a terrible defeat... she wasn't really feeling it.

She also didn't want to admit it, but she was more that a little worse for the wear from the assignment, having barely hung on after all the miasma had been sapped from her, as well as the viscous swamp monsters went after her without mercy. But, she mustered up a grin, and held her head level as Lifen approached. She didn't want some stranger seeing her in a disgruntled state. Flipping her heavy bangs out the way, Verusha gave a light shake of her head, "I think I'll be alright, but thanks." she shifted her gaze to the little soul in question, crooking a curious brow, "Is this another Silver kingdom member?" she asked. There couldn't help but be a bit of sorrow in her usually carefree tone. To lose their home like that... she couldn't even imagine...

The return with the miasma was not exactly easy. There were still to many underpowered questions, too many twists and turns, and now, figures unknown had entered the picture. It was vaguely distressing given that silver's people had scattered. If the silver king had fallen why did it leave such a thing behind? More so, the items. She'd need to discuss this with the others, and with her king as soon as she could.

When he arrived back into his kingdom, stepping out of the gilded front doors of his castle, it was to find that those he had sent elsewhere had, for the most part, returned - and most of them looked a little worse for the wear. Mengyao descended the steps a little quicker than usual, his golden robes billowing out behind him, though he kept up his calm facade, in spite of the fact that his heart seemed to seize in his chest.

Where is she?

He couldn't see her at first glance, but there were many who were in need of help. Mengyao swept through the throngs of people, carefully taking note of them, of who would require medical attention, who would need to rest and regain their strength.

Mjoll stood - or rather, slumped - on a nearby bench, looking as though she had just gone through a warzone - which, if he thought about it, she probably had. Mengyao's jaw tightened a little.

"What happened?" he asked her.

[[Exit]]

Scarlett said nothing as her king's orders were issued. The voice had spoken and so had he. She took one moment to steal herself, drawing in a deep breath. Then, with one hand placed across the breast of her vest, where her emblem still shone, she left to make her kingdom proud.

((Entering~))

Madison was in a sour mood - she felt foul, filthy from the dust of the Silver Kingdom and stained by her own blood, injuries sustained during her exploration. She had only brought back the tiniest of spoils for her Emperor.

At least the others who had been in the Tower looked as well worn as she did... which was some small, if hugely petty, comfort. Madison sighed and scrubbed at her face with both hands, trying to regain her composure. Failure - or close to it - made her feel so pathetically weak.

[Enter]

Scarlett had no idea what had happened after she fell into the pit. She simply woke up in her kingdom once more, carrying new scars and a wounded ego.

She eventually found the courage to head back to the gathering before the King, lime eyes a little downcast as she reentered the throng. Some looked worse than her, some better, but she sincerely doubted anyone had made as much of a fool of themselves as she had.

Her layers of skirts were nowhere insight, including her treasured skirt of red cloth. They'd been lost in the pit in an effort to escape the creature that had only managed to win in the end. She mourned the loss of one of her few expensive pieces. The tails of her long shirt managed to barely cover what her black stockings did not, though glimpses of her thighs shown through as she walked. Her shirt itself was ripped open on the side, exposing two fresh scars that had somehow healed themselves before she arrived. Jagged teeth marks were visible in two semi-circles, criss-crossing one another. She was dry, but her white hair was stained with a filmy, sooty darkness and disheveled, like it had been wet recently.

But her vest was intact, as was the emblem shining bright across one side. She was still a member of the Gold kingdom, even if she felt like the weakest link.

"I'm back, your grace," she said, softly, but directly towards her leader, "the Valley is.. not a kind place."

((Entering))

Everything hurt when she reappeared. Even things she didn't think could hurt, hurt.

If she hadn't had to will to stop herself Meixiang may have wretched from the intensity of it all. And that would've been embarrassing. So she swallowed the bile that was rising in the back of her throat as she braced herself with one hand on a nearby wall. Snapping her eyes shut as she tried to get the world to stop spinning and turning inside out. Her stomach flip flopping until finally she found the control to push it back.

She was slightly disappointed in herself. Not having made it very far in the valley, it felt like a complete failure. Which honestly it probably was. But perhaps others had fared the same and not made it as far as she had.

What a horrible place that had been.

Scarlett immediately reached for the clothing that Lifen was passing around, feeling only a tiny spark of guilt over what probably seemed greedy. She was dirty though, and could seriously use something to cover her lower half.

Her hands closed around the fabric and for a moment she simply stood in awe. It was very nice, and very.. bright. It was a mixture of golds and reds that made Scarlett question where their Empress had gotten it. But she didn't dwell and she didn't ask questions - if Lifen wanted her to have, she was going to take it.

As well as the offer of a bath, so she could wash the grime of that pit out of her pale hair.

"Thank you," she said softly, giving Lifen a deep bow, then turned and headed for the baths without needing to be told twice.