Welcome to Gaia! ::

Gwen lay still, motionless upon the ground. Around her her advisory panel gathered. They looked mournful, as if the queen of the white lands had passed on. Zeus lay atop her slender frame, his body broken by the onslought, or so it would seem.

"Is she-" said a woman that neared.

"She can't be..." said a young man.

Francine, Gwen's dragon, neared, snuffling the ground around her master. Perhaps she was summoned too late.

All around the lady in white they gathered, but only one sound roused the Queen. It was the sound of Trocious approaching. The queen's azure eyes flickered open a low grumble issuing forth. Insantly she was approached by Illiad, her secondary advisor. Lord Brenau of Fionn, her primary advisor, was within meetings all day, but surely he had gotten word by now of the sudden attack.

"My queen, we were so worried." He stuttered as he touched her shoulder, grasping her arm and attempting to pull her up. He released her upon hearing her groan painfully. Zeus was already in route to the Royal stables, there he would be greatly cared for, gently nursed back to health.

"Once Dreor has returned...seal the gates." Her words bore an infinent weight, for in a great many years the gates to the city had never been sealed. The eyes of all grew wide as she spoke, getting wider as they watched her try to get to her feet.

"Be still my queen."

"No!" Said the blonde as she staggered to her feet, leaning against the bell tower that called her dragon. A cold sweat clung to Gwen's forehead, her garb tattered and damaged beyond repair. "What kind of queen cannot protect her people...." She hissed to herself in disgust. The day she had dreaded for so long had finally arrived, the day of of darkness that spelled the end for Athas as they knew it. There she stood, pushing away all help until she spied her sister nearing. Yet something didn't seem right.

"Lady Ginko! DREOR!" she cried, eyes wide. Instantly she barked orders to the dragon and to the healers. "Get her to the healer's house, NOW!" and instantly the wheels were in motion. The queen was escorted by her own dragon, along side that of Ginko and Dreor. There they would hold council, once they were sure the mortally wounded Dreor was secured and sound.

((my rp is rushty as heck =_= ))

((Another joint rp done between me, Dreor and Nanook))

Within the healing quarters a trio of wood elves surrounded the queen and princess. Their whispers of healing were low and cool, upon the winds they traveled seeking aid from the goddess of healing. After some time the first turned to Ginko and said, "They will survive..."

"Thank the gods... and thank you." Ginko bowed some to them. "The entire kingdom will be grateful... as will they I'm sure."

Lord Brenau entered and glanced from bed to bed. "They will; they're too strong to surrender so easily. Will they need long to rest?" he asked, standing at the Queen's side quickly.

the head elf returned the bow from Lady Ginko and turned to face Brenau. "The Queen's wounds were not as severe as Dreor's...She's lucky to be alive." He said low only to be followed by the queen's stirring groans.

Brenau sat on the edge of the bedside and patted Guinevere's hand. "My lady," he murmured. "are you awake?"

Ginko watched quietly, not sure what else to say considering Lord Brenau was asking the exactly what she was thinking.

"Dreor..." she stammered, trying to sit up.
"Is she okay?"

"She'll live. She may need some rest for a while and I have no doubt you'll have to force her to do so." Brenau gently pushed the Queen back down. "My lady, the knight who went after her is here."

Ginko stepped closer. "My fire dragon, Frieze and I are at your service... always milady..." She bowed.

"Lady Ginko. Your service to this kingdom will not be forgotten," she said smiling weakly.
"Lord Brenau," she added softly, "What knowledge can you bring us on our attackers. It is as if they came from the shadow's themselves."

"Such strange attacks they used... freezing everyone in the kingdom." Ginko muttered, bewilderment shown on her face.

"Not everyone," said a weaker voice from the other bed.
Dreor coughed and tried to sit up, was promptly pushed back down by an elf, and scowled. But she continued, "When she took me from the arena, I saw farmers working in the fields. The witch only froze those of us in the arena.
Otherwise, how would the dragons have come to our aide? They were in their dens."

The queen listened to her Knights. She was torn. Her sister was dear to her, and so was each of her people. "How were we not prepared for such an attack?" she asked still trying to sit up.

"Freize wasn't in the areana... does this mean they have a limited range or they just chose to freeze everyone there?" Ginko mused. "Rest you two, talking doesn't take too much energy right?"

Lord Brenau nodded. "The man called his sister "Cadwyn." They are therefore siblings and we have a name. I'm guessing from what I was told of their dress and horses that they are Sceaduweans."
He looked to Dreor. "If you do not lie still, I will see to it that you are tied down. And if you do not lay still," he said to Gwen, "I will hold you down myself."

Dreor continued to scowl and cough. "Yes, Ginko, they must have a limited range."

Gwen tried not to, but not in her right mind she blushed. Lord Brenau and herself grew up together, they took the same schooling, they had much in common indeed.

Ginko grinned just a little, hiding it behind a cough into her hand. "Siblings... just like those two... I wonder why they decided to attack us in the first place. We've never had a problem in the past. Have we?"

"There've been stirrings, rumors, stuff like that, Ginko," replied Dreor, and then went into a heavy fit of coughing.

Lord Brenau turned to the elves. "Can you heal her anymore than that?" he asked, pretending to be oblivious to Gwen's blush.

The queen turned to herknight. "It seems the past has come back to haunt our people." She said sadly. She shrugged Brenau off as she attempted to and finally succeed.

The lead elf came forward placing his soothing touch on Dreor's shoulders. From him he emmitted the healing sensation, numbing her body of the pain and setting his mystic power to healing her wounds further.

"The past...?" Ginko asked, raising an eyebrow. "Have there been incidents in the past to warrant such an attack?"

She sighed, "Lady Ginko. Our father sought nothing but to protect our lands. We were betrayed by those that lived among us, the darkness consumed them, the promise of power drove them. We defeated them, and now-"
she groaned as she pushed her feet to the edge of the bed.

Brenau sighed. "Unfortunately, they are coming back to punish us for punishing them," he finished for Gwen.

Dreor lay quiet, too tired now to protest anymore. "So much for us scouting Sceaduwe out before they attacked," she said, raspily.

"You had planned an investigation?" Ginko was surprised to learn all this that was being kept from them. "A pity that it was necessary... "

"No longer." said Gwen as her feet finally touched the floor, that brave front returning as she limped to her sister's side. "Who knows what else lurks in the southlands?" she uttered softly.

Dreor held her sister's hand and was quiet, tuckered out. Lord Brenau stood and put a hand under Gwen's arm just in case she needed support. "Lady Ginko," he said. "Perhaps you could spread the word among the knights to be prepared for anything now, and let them know we are not letting the threat pass idly."

Ginko nodded. "Do you wish for some of us to see what is in the southlands? Maybe going and finding out what we're up against will help us be prepared."

Another elf emerged, carying the limp form of Zeus in his arms. "My lady..." he whimpered, "We've done everything we can..." He said sadly as he placed the kitsusagi where Gwen was just laying.

Her orbs of azure turned to glass as she stared at his body. Once proud and graceful he now lay still and lifeless. "He can't be...dead." her lower lip quivered as she turned back to her guests.

Dreor sat up at the sight. "Trocious! Where is he? Was he injured at all? Heavens, Gwen, I'm sorry I didn't call him faster; I just didn't think of it. Zeus would be okay if I'd just--"
Then she groaned, hands going to her belly where the wound had reopened. "Oops." She lay back down obediently as an exasperated elf went back to work on her.

"He can't be... he's angelic. He's special in every way, that can't be right..." Ginko stared at the queen's kitsusagi. ~I want to help.. somehow but...~

"He's not dead. He's not. Right?" snapped Dreor at the elves.

Gwen staggered back, her back hitting the stone wall, her body slipping to the floor. She'd nearly lost everything, but in this moment it appeared that one casualty had come of this war. No sound left her lips as she looked blankly at Brenau, then to Ginko, then to Dreor and the elves.

"Answer, dammit!" commanded Dreor of the woodland people.

"Dear lady, we've done all we can...it seems he's lost." He said turning from the room.

Ginko kneeled next to the body of the still Kitsusagi. ~Gods help me... he can't die yet... Take something of mine, anything... Just don't let him die....~ she prayed, thinking of the egg at home. ~it's life?~

Dreor shook her head. "Bull," she said, defensive for her sister's sake. With a shove, she rolled from her bed and onto the floor, stumbled a little, and made it to the other bed. She checked for a pulse on the
kitsusagi as she watched Ginko pray.

The battered body of the kitsu lay still, nare a feather moving on his once majestic wings. Yet softly a whisper came, upon the wind it seemed, the song of the sky playing for all to hear. In the same tone a soft barely audible whimper came from the thought lifeless kitsusagi.

Dreor's eyes widened. She checked for a pulse again and to her delight-- found one!

~Thank you...~ Ginko sighed in relief and a little sadness knowing what it had cost for the queen's kitsusagi to regain life. "He's alive... he'll be okay."

"Ginko, what's wrong?" asked Dreor, keenly aware that something wasn't right in her fellow knight's voice.

"Nothing... everything is going to be okay now." she smiled, wondering how she'd break it to Fear.

She sat there numb for a moment, until she heard the words 'he's alive'. "ALIVE?" she uttered loudly, her eyes lifting to the table where she saw her Zeus's tails beginging to sway.

Dreor watched Ginko carefully, doubting her words, and sat slowly on the floor, wary of her sore stomach. "Yes, Gwenny, alive."

Scrambling she got back to her feet, nearing the table where she saw Zeus. She sobbed once her eyes met his.

One elf did emerge carrying the egg that Ginko had at that moment been thinking about.

Ginko blinked at the elf. "What are you doing with that...? It's supposed to be home in it's nest..." ~I don't regret it at all. our queen's happiness... she can't lose either.~

Lord Brenau looked from one person to another and then shook his head. "Such a great deal has happened today, what's going to happen next?" he asked. "What's with the egg?"

Dreor just blinked with exhaustion up at it all.

The elves siezed the bull headed knight and held her down while again attending to her.

Gwen stared in awe at the small egg, upon it there seemed to be many cracks and scratches. "Oh my..." she looked worridly to Ginko
Zeus gathered his strength, or wat little reserves remained, getting to his shakey feet.

"I'm not sure." Ginko went over and held the egg, sure that it was now nothing more than a shell. "It's okay highness... I asked for it..."

The elf holding the egg passed it to ginko and returned back to the stables.

"Asked for it?" said the queen. "What do you mean?"

"I prayed to the gods... to take whatever of mine they needed to bring zeus back. The first thing I thought of was the one yet to be born... it's life for zeus's" Ginko answered, hugging the egg carefully.

"No..." she said placing her hand on Ginko's shoulder. "I...can't thank you enough..." she sniffled nearing tears once more.
Zeus lifted his head, his eyes taking hold of the broken egg. His pelt began to glow, the dust and grime vanishing from his glorious pelt. He urged Ginko with the look to place the egg upon the table.

"Zeus...?" Taking his urging, Ginko placed the egg on the table. "It's okay highness. Really... You've been great to us as a ruling class."

Lord Brenau wrapped an arm around the Queen's shoulders to remind her to be strong before her knight. "What are you at, Zeus?" he asked, softly.

Lady Gwen embraced Ginko, holding her for a moment, strength returning to her at Brenau's touch.

Zeus approached the egg, his full strength not yet returned, but enough of it lingered to aid him in this last task.

Ginko closed her eyes, determined not to cry until she was home. "Hey... we have things to discuss don't we...?"

He wrapped his tails about the egg carefully, a few bits of shell dropping away. A loud howl left him as he craned his neck high. Once this was complete the egg began to glow, shaking and bits of shell still falling away.

Feeling the warmth of the glow and hearing Zeus's howl, Ginko turned around to watch what he was doing.

Dreor fought against the elves to sit up and get a good look at what was going on.

Shortly after the howl, his tails unfolded to reveal *click link* http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/nanook123/fear_keokeCHILD3.jpg
The newborn chirped as she lay there amid Zeus' tails. Her movements were weak, but with special care she would live.

"Oh my... Zeus.... thank you...." Ginko sobbed happily as she picked up the new kit. She hugged it carefully and nuzzled it's nose.

Zeus then promptly fell into slumber, a happy, yet weary look on his face.

Dreor breathed a sigh of relief and let herself be manhandled back into rest again. "Hey, guys, I think I need a nap," she said softly. "Would you mind leavin' the room if you're gonna keep makin' noise?"

Lord Brenau cleared his throat. "Come, my queen, let us get you some food and drink and make a bed for Zeus in your room."

"No casualties as of yet... and we will be ready next time." Ginko said proudly, and grinned. "Yes yes dreor... we can talk later. I need to spread the word of good news.And to take this little one home to the others...Kiara."

The queen bllushed once more as Brenau led her away from her sister. "Rest well my Knights...we will be ready next time." With that she carried Zeus under the guidance of Brenau to her chambers.

[[ So exactly what happens with our twinses now? ::hinthint, sis?:: ]]

A young, darkskinned woman sat in a comfortable chair, leaning with her elbows on her knees and twirling one of her numerous tiny black braids around a slender finger. Her brown eyes -- eerily light for her otherwise dark-themed complexion, with golden stars around the pupils -- were fixed on the rug in front of her blankly. She was dressed in a dark blue fitted tunic with bell sleeves and bell-bottomed dark blue pants. Both the tunic and the pants were embroidered in pale yellow. Around her neck was a wide collar of azure and garnet stones, and over that, a dyed-yellow leather pouch on a matching thong.

Next to the chair lay a creature which no mainlander Athasian had ever seen: a large golden feline with yellow eyes and black-brown spots all over, down to the end of her supremely long tail. The people of her land called her a cheetah. The young woman looked over at the large creature and sighed. "Well, Abiona... it seems the Queen does not want to see us," she said in an amused, accented voice.

A gentle rumble came from the large cat beside her. "Perhaps she is simply occupied," the cat replied.

"Too occupied to see the first representative from Frikaans in a thousand years?"

"Don't show your youth, Akilah Nkechi. A ruler has many matters to attend to."

The dark-skinned woman sighed again and stared toward the large double doors in front of her. "Well... hopefully someone will come soon. I'm starting to get hungry."

[[ Enter Akilah Nkechi, the representative from Frikaans/Southlands, and her Critter, Abiona. ]]

It was clear to Shadow that something had happened, and she somehow had missed all the action, thus is always the case. She roamed through town on dragonback, but no one would speak to her and tell her what happened, with a sigh of resignation she turned Tia back towards their cabin in the woods. As of late she had been having thoughts about applying for a job at the castle, she didnt need the money but she thought it would be fun, and might give her something to do with her free time.

Lightly pulling on Tia's spikes she brought her dragon to a stop and turned her around to face the castle, she sat looking at the castle for a good 10 minutes before deciding to give it a shot, she figured the worst that would happen would she'd be denied and it would be back to the cabin for her. She urged Tia into a bit of a canter and approached the castle. She wondered where all the guards were but didnt really think anything of it, she dismounted from Tia and looked around for someone to talk to

"Hello!?" Grumbling to herself she didnt venture to far, she didnt want to get thrown in the dungeons or anything of that sort but it would be nice to find someone to talk to. Pausing to look at a painting of the queen

"well this is lovely, i've had to resort to talking to a painting, i've really been alone to long"

She laughed at that and carried on her way, stopping every once in a while to look at a painting or a sculpture or anything really. Mumbling under her breath as she went along.

"even a bloody guard would do...well maybe not a bloody one, but a guard would be nice...a servent anything..hell i'd even talk to the castle idiot. Every castle has one, maybe i can apply for that job i mean i am talking to myself which is the first sighn of an unstable mindset"

She wondered through the halls for what seemed like hours until she saw a servent

"Hel-or not" The servent just rushed by to where ever she was going

"hmph some service" spotting a bench she decided to take a break and plopped down playing with a plant that was beside the bench, tapping her fingernails on the bench arm she thought of a plan, or an idea of where to look for someone to talk to about a job.

In the distance to the west we see what seems to be a lone figure walking down the bare road on a horse, but when a closer look is taken, it can be seen two opposite colored Kitsusagi's are walking along with her.

One is purely black, with green on the tips of his tails and around one part of his hip, but on his paws is an intricate pattern of yellow and a yellow dewdrop in the middle of his forehead and by the way he seems to be holding himself, he seems to be purely male, and he goes by Aegis.

The one walking beside him with a dark tanned saddle bag around her torso is obviously the female. She is purely white, with yellow, pink and black on the tips of her tails and ears, a yellow mark on the bottom of her chin and black covering her belly area, and she goes by the name Miki. In the bag is one of the eggs that she and Aegis had bred together a few weeks back and their human and decided to keep with them so they could raise together. Only the top half is visible, but it is covered in a stripes of white, pink and black.

Sitting atop a dark brown horse is a young lady with light red hair which is cut short, barely brushing her shoulders. She is dressed in black trousers with boots underneath, but she wears a dark brown tunic, something not really befitting a Lady of her standing, but she really could care less. She glances back to the basket situated carefully behind her on the saddle and smiles as the dark colored baby dragon snuffles in his blanket loudly before settling back down for his nap again.

She turns back and looks down to carrier on her front, the thing inside that is the reasons she has that title, Lady. It is an Angelic Kitsusagi egg, given to her when she came of age. It is bright red, with a strange looking symbol on the front, but its golden wings poke out, fluttering every now and then. She sighs a little as she looks forward and smiles when she sees the castle and sets her horse to a trot, knowing Miki could keep up without disturbing the egg in her carrier too much.

When she finally arrives, she dismounts and is surprised to see a full grown dragon at the entrance, obviously waiting for whoever left there. She takes down the basket, not wanting to leave the baby dragon alone, and with her lone bag on one shoulder, Angelic egg on her front, baby dragon on her hip and two Kitsusagi's right behind her, she ventures in, trying to see if she can find someone to take her to the queen so she can introduce herself. But so far, she finds no one, and any servant she does see seems to run right off, like they are in a hurry. Finally, she spots Shadow, sitting on a bench and she walks over, a smile on her face "Hello there! My name is Leannan, what is yours?" She says straightforward, but friendly manner.

"Please, call me Leannan! Lady sounds too...formal..." she adjusts the carrier on her front to be on her back, knowing her Kitsusagi's would watch her back for any trouble and she holds the basket to the front, smiling as she walks down the hallway with Shadow. "I have just arrived here, but I feel a great tension here in this land...did something happen before I arrived?" The wings on the egg behind her wiggle about behind her, as if answering the question for her.