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 Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 8:51 pm
Tariel kept hold of Turin's hand, using him as her anchor to keep from getting lost in her emotions and thoughts. Although oftentimes, he is the reason she drifts. But today, at this table, in front of the important dignitaries, he was her support and connection to home and all that is comforting and familiar. She kept her mind open for Aeroniel's support and comfort as well, even though she knew Aeronial could only empathize. Knowing her Lady was there was important to her.
This meeting scared her more than she'd let on. She heard rumor of how organized and serious the Faun were, and compared to them, it was anarchy in the lake. She had hoped to walk away from this meeting with greater confidence and knowledge in how to organize her kingdom under the lake. But she was scared of judgement and rejection as well. Not good traits to have as a Queen, so tried to keep them as hidden as she could.
At Rais' admittance that he knew very little about the Naiads, she was relieved. At least she wasn't a dummy left completely in the dark.
Earthmother's warning felt odd to the Queen. It made her sad, knowing that her pae died first, and unknowing. "How did so many Naiad die so fast that they were wiped out before the others were only alerted?" She asked, incredulously. "Is that what the vision will show me?"
Earthmother couldn't answer the Queen's questions. She'd need to learn this on her own. She merely frowned and lowered her gaze.
Now suddenly Tariel was frightened of what she'd see. Not so eager now she considered just taking her Court and going home. This was turning into a horror show in her mind. Another squeeze of Turin's hand as she watched the Seer get up and slowly maneuver around the table towards her, helped to calm her down. She really needed to find a way to keep her anxiety in check better.
Gingerly, Tariel put her hand on Vanya's, keeping her grip on Turin with her other hand. I'm not doing this alone, she thought.
"Will it hurt?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 9:59 pm
She was not as used to reading Naiad auras, but Vanya could sense, if not the specific strong emotions from the Queen, the shifting emotional turmoil beneath the surface. When she felt the hand placed lightly upon hers, she placed her other over it reassuringly with a light pat. "Let us begin then."
Pulling her hands away after a moment, she reached for a small pouch at her waist. She withdrew a folded sachet, which she placed on the table and began to open. It was small, but compact, and within its compartments, a number of dried herbs, roots, and assorted such items could be seen. Her fingertips traced deftly over the surface, as if counting, then pausing over one that held what seemed to a couple of short sticks. "We cannot always predict what the spirits will show us," she answered as she went about her preparations. "We open ourselves to what they wish to show us. We may ask politely for what we wish to see, but in the end, it is by their will if they grant it." She drew one of the sticks out, laid it on the table, and folded the rest of the sachet to put away again. Then, she pulled a pair of flint rocks from the pouch. Waving distractedly in a beckoning motion, a ceramic plate, earlier intended for food, was pushed her way.
She laid the stick on the plate, setting it beside the Queen. Then, taking one piece of flint in each hand, she struck them together once...twice...three times before a spark caught the stick. It wasn't just a stick, however, but incense, as revealed by the heavy-odored smoke that began to creep up into the air. "Normally, this would be easier in a quiet place, alone, but we must make due in need. To help us relax," she explained, pointedly using the term 'us' instead of 'you' as a reassuring gesture. This was a exercise just between her and the Queen, despite all the witnesses. Peace was paramount, and there was more than enough tension here already to serve as a distraction.
Vanya reached out for the Queen's hand once more, pausing...then moving her own slightly to the left to make contact. She pondered the Queen's final question before answering. It was not in her nature to lie; nor was it in her nature to worry others needlessly. The Seer had had plenty of visions and dreams by this point, some of which had been quite painful, even if that pain faded upon waking to herself again. Then again, most of her visions had been of wartime and battle. She had no idea what the Queen might see. Only that it wouldn't be of the war itself, going by what Earthmother had said. So, she only smiled and patted the Naiad Queen's hand, answering, "No more than any dream."
With that, she held her hand loosely, raising her other hand to touch the Queen's temple. Vanya closed her eyes as a signal for Tariel to do the same, taking a deep breath, then letting it out slowly. "Clear your mind of worries, thoughts, all distractions. Focus only on my voice, the scent of the incense, the calmness within." She spoke slowly, her tone rising and falling in a rhythmic manner, intended to lull the other towards relaxation so that she could find clarity. "All is quiet...nothing else matters, except your connection to Queen Alu...focus on that, reach for it, you can sense it..." She continued to speak as such, her instructions vague, but intended more towards achieving peace than accomplishing any sort of task. The spirits would give her the visions if they deemed it so.
And the spiritual energy of the meeting site had been growing steadily stronger since the meeting had begun.
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Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2013 12:09 am
Earthmother sat calmly, watching Vanya lull the Queen into relaxation. The Seer had come so far since awakening. EM was proud of her, just like a mother would be. She knew the Queen was experiencing emotional turbulance -- Alu was the same in serious situations -- so she watched carefully to make sure the Seer or the Queen weren't opened up to outside forces during such a vulnerable ritual.
Tariel listened to Vanya's voice, letting it rock her softly to peaceful contemplation. She was instructed to clear her mind of thoughts and distractions, but that was harder than she thought. As she slowly let go of her anxiety, focusing more on Vanya's voice, she finally closed her eyes following the Seer's example.
Slowly, a fog clouded her mind. She opened her eyes, and she was floating in murky water. She couldn't see anything and she started to panic and flail in the water, crying out for Turin, Vanya, Arda, anyone.
"...tomorrow."
Tariel whirled around towards where she heard the sound. "Hello?"
"Yes, tomorrow." It was a different voice. Female that time.
Tariel started swimming in the direction she thought she heard it, still calling out. The murkiness started to fade, revealing a gold-veined marble floor below where she floated. A bed made from a giant clam's shell was in front of her, and other features started to become clear. She was in a room in the palace. Not just any room. Her room. How'd she get home?
Subtle movement by the window. A naiad leaned against the windowsill waving a flowing scarf in the water. "Tomorrow." Tariel heard her whisper. This Naiad didn't look familiar, and Tariel's first thought was why was this stranger in her room.
"Hey! Hello?" she called out. The other naiad didn't respond. When she did finally turn around, she had the most beautiful smile on her delicate lips. Tariel was completely mesmerized by this magnificent naiad. Her golden hair flowed so elegantly in the water, complimenting her fluid movements. Her beautiful green tailfin looked like nothing Tariel had ever seen in her own kingdom. It was long, slender and the fins were flowy like silk. This stranger was also decked out in some serious adornments. Gold bangles, pearls of every color, small and polished abalone accents. And upon her head a crown.
Tariel reached up to her own head, removing her crown. It was identical to the one the stranger wore.
A knock on the door behind her startled Tariel.
"You're highness?"
"Yes?" they both answered in unison.
The door opened and a very handsome and strapping, and very decorated male swam into the room. "Your Majesty, forgive my intrusion, but strange noises were reported in this area of the palace. I came to ensure you are safe." The guard bowed, his spear tightly fastened still in the holster. There was something familiar about this guy, but he didn't look like anyone Tariel had ever seen. His mannerisms were familiar.
"I hadn't heard anything, Ka'eo."
Tariel remained still. Her flashbacks were always first person. She had never been outside watching in. She watched this other Naiad, knowing who she was now. The voice was familiar to her. She heard the voice often in her dreams.
The guard, Ka'eo bowed and left the room. Another knock, almost immediately after the door was shut. This time, other Naiad drifted towards the door and opened it herself.
"I did not hear the disturbance, Tarni. I'm okay. No need to worry."
"That is not why I come. The Oracle... she's," the other naiad said. She also very decorated, like the guard. She had a sense of urgency to her voice. "I've been hearing stories."
"What kind of stories?"
"I think she's gone mad..."
The water turned murky again. Tariel was waiting to hear what was wrong with the Oracle, barely catching the other Naiad's words. She wondered who they were and maybe if she knew them now. "Was that Turin?" she wondered outloud as she just sat waiting in the murky waters. It was quiet, and still. She looked around, hoping to either wake up or move on with the dream, but it felt like hours that she just sat there in silence, with nothing but her thoughts. "So that was Alu. And Turin maybe. Who was the girl, was that Sadron? Would make sense I suppose. What was going on before I showed up. I heard a male voice before..."
As she was lost in her questions, the water cleared again. Tariel found herself bobbing in a river. It was dark, and most likely late, given the moon's position. She could see Laisidhiel in the distance, silhouetted against a dark blue, sparkling sky. She looked around and thought it bizarre that it didn't look like a jungle anywhere. She didn't recognize this river either.
The sound of giggling completely caught her off guard. She whirled around, but no one was there. She heard it again only this time, accompanied by sounds that caused her to blush slightly when she recognized them. She grinned and snickered, knowing full well what was going on nearby. She dared not turn into a voyeur now. She'd leave the couple to their fun.
She turned around, trying to figure what it was she was to see in the dead of night with only a couple of young lovers nearby. Certainly the spirits didn't want her to peep on them.
Rustling in the brush, snaps of a twig and a loud, shocking gasp. A shadowed figure fleeing towards the Tree.
Tariel turned, thinking someone had spotted her, but before she could even make sense of what was going on, she heard a panicked male voice. "Oh no! I've ... I've got to go..." It was the same voice from her bedroom earlier.
A flash of tan fur and antlers crawled up on the bank and darted off towards the Tree, after the shadow.
Then the flash of green and gold swam by Tariel. Quickly she covered her eyes. She was flushed with embarrassment. "No, no, that's not what it is. It's not what I think." She sunk down into the water, cradling her head as if traumatized. "Just my imagination. Just my imagination."
The murky waters did not return. Tariel was left in the river, wondering what had happened, knowing full well what it was she only heard. She swam in the direction of the fleeing Naiad, thinking maybe she needed to see if she was okay. Tariel never caught up with her, but she did encounter a couple other Naiads, far from the palace. Guards by the looks of their armor.
"Cap'n said we need to be on alert. They're up to something, but nothing we can do from under the water."
The other looked towards the surface and Angels and Demons could be seen flying above the lake. It was dark, and hard to tell through the water what exactly was going on.
Now the water turned murky. Tariel cursed silently, wanting to hear more of that conversation about the Blood Pae'il. What were they doing?
There was a pull coming from deep inside her. She felt like she was being tugged out of herself. Everything in her reality shifted in a blur of red light. Suddenly, she was no longer a spectator, but sitting on the coral throne with dozens and dozens of Naiad bowing before her. She didn't recognize a single face, but her gaze was drawn to a few select Naiad. The guard called Ka'eo stood nearest to her. My captain. The famale called Tarni stood beside him. She still didn't know if that was Sadron. To her right, a very elegant and flowing female smiled at her. And on the other side of her, another male, in armor, but not the same as the guards. The soft female whispered to Tariel, "Your Majesty, your radiance inspires all Naiad today."
Tariel felt herself smile and nod at the compliment, and she heard words come from her mouth, but she wasn't saying them. She wasn't in control of any of her actions. "Thank you, Mariya."
Looking out again, Tariel noticed that the Naiad rose back up. The most notable detail was that these naiad did not look like the Naiad of the Lake Tariel's from. They had all different manner of tailfins.
The scene spun around right in front of her eyes. The throne room was empty now, and she floated facing the Water element's globe behind the throne, she was alone and watching the little glowing fish in the magical waters. A feeling of happiness, and love warmed her from within. Memories flooded her thoughts; tangled limbs and tailfin on the soft cushion of her clamshell bed, watching the fur and hooves move in the water, glimpses of adoration in the gaze of those emerald eyes, visions of the river, the soft fur on the face of her lover, his warm embrace, the love and pleasure she felt to be with him. The feelings and joy associated with these memories were overwhelming. It became difficult to tell where Alu ended and Tariel began within the vision.
Without warning, a sudden sharp pain erupted from her chest. Time seemed to slow down and she looked at her chest. The head of a spear jutting out with fragments of flesh floating off the sharp edge. She opened her mouth to scream, but all that came out was red. A cloud of red surrounding her was the last image she would remember before blacking out.
---
In the real world, no longer within the vision, Tariel's body slumped over and she wasn't breathing.
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Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:32 pm
The scent of incense grew heavy around them, and while it took some effort to help get the Queen to relax and focus, once the vision began, it seemed to flow on some pre-determined course of its own design, showing no sign of slowing until it had revealed itself fully. Perhaps the spirits were feeling generous today to allow them such fortune in breaking through the wall to the other side.
Or perhaps they were feeling mischievous instead.
The scenes being shown to them were not exactly what the Seer had expected...but on the other hand, she hadn't known exactly what to expect going into this. But it wasn't this. The scenes showing those of the past were expected, but not necessarily those of the Queen's more...'personal business'. Still, there had to be some reason that this was what the spirits chose to show them. So, quietly, Vanya pulled back, ready to step in if necessary, but for now letting Tariel explore her past...or perhaps they were watching some pre-determined path for some ultimate purpose.
She hadn't expected a third presence.
The heavy scent of incense flooded his senses, causing Turin to frown and shake his head slightly, blinking. No, no, this was time to stay alert. Ignore the soothing voice of the Seer, ignore the heavy scent of incense lulling one into the haze. He was here to offer support and protection. That required his alertness, especially while the Queen was going to be so vulnerable.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath to re-center himself. Focus, Turin. Keep alert. Focus on your surroundings. The mistake had been in closing his eyes.
He wasn't trying to pry. He wasn't, really. He wasn't even sure what it was that he was seeing at first. Could have been his imagination. He wasn't even getting a full picture. He'd get a flicker or flash now and then, as if watching a scene play out from far away, with a fog covering the area. Voices filtered in and out of hearing.
"Your Majesty...
"...hadn't heard anything, Ka'eo."
Darkness, a flicker of light or color, then more darkness. Despite the calming effect of the incense, even now, the tension wouldn't leave Turin's form. He didn't like this. Something had set his instincts on edge, like a constant grumbling at the back of his mind how there was some reason he shouldn't be here. That they shouldn't be here. Wherever 'here' was. More exchanges just out of his range of hearing in the darkness, accompanied by a strange twisting in his gut. He heard someone on the edge of panic bite out "I've got to go", then a flash of beige and pointed antlers. Soon followed by the unmistakably aquatic tail fin moving in the opposite direction. What...the...?
The scene kept changing, now a vast space, many others about, brightly lit...now dark again, empty. Even at this perceived distance from what was going on, he felt as if caught in a whirlpool; disoriented and lost. He started to grumble to himself about the situation about the time he felt an alarming prickle at the base of his skull.
Normally, his sixth sense triggered in that manner. Depending on the severity of the danger, the trigger could vary from a slight nuisance or a chill at one's spine, to even mildly painful, like that felt when one is exposed to a sudden, intense light, or a short, extremely loud noise. Momentary, but sharp enough to get one's attention. That was what he had felt before taking the hit from the viperfish for Tariel.
What happened now was beyond anything he'd ever experienced before. There was a swift movement in the shadows, a flash of red, and it felt as if his head had exploded with pain. Turin doubled over, the pain so extreme, his stomach heaved and nearly emptied itself. The action was mimicked back in the waking world as he was ripped from the spectating seat of the Queen's vision. Turin clutched his head in both hands, eyes tightly shut and trying to push down the excruciating pain even as it started to fade. By the Waters, what the hell was...?
His eyes opened, squinting at the light as he turned to the side.
"Tari!" Protocol was forgotten, as was the lingering pain, when he noticed the Queen had slumped over and was starting to fall. He dove to catch her, cradling her protectively in his arms as they both inevitably hit the ground. No time to worry about that. First, make sure she's alright.
No, something was wrong. Very, very wrong. Trying to work past the gnawing hole in his gut, he shifted his hold, tilting one ear fin towards her. Something was noticeably absent. Several seconds had passed already...and he'd yet to see the slightest flutter from her gills.
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Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:40 pm
Earthmother wasn't prepared for the Queen's reaction to the visions to be as such. She gasped, scared the Queen had experienced her own death. She jumped from her seat and sprang to the Queen's side nearly as quick as Turin had, belying her age and elderly mannerisms. "We need to get her heart pumping again. She experienced death in the vision, and her mind believed it."
This was not something that commonly occurred, but when it does, it's always shocking and difficult to deal with. But she knew that eventually, each of the former heroes would go through this. She only hoped they'd be better prepared and she would not see it on their first vision trip. She couldn't control the spirits, so it was their will she see this at this time. For what reason was yet to be determined.
She put her hand over the spot on Tariel's chest where her fine scales were a shade lighter than the rest of the scales on her torso. There was a jagged circle; her birthmark showing her fatal injury in her past life. Every Pae'il has one who was killed in their past life. Earthmother's healing abilities were bit less than what they used to be. She turned to Vanya, her eyes welling with tears. She reached for the Seers hand to "borrow" a little of her power to combine into a strong enough healing channel.
Her focus turned to Turin. His reaction had been passionate and she was glad the Queen had such a dedicated guard. "Hold her head, put both hands on each side. Keep her steady." She had to find something for him to focus on.
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Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:41 pm
Panic had gripped the Naiad Captain's heart and he felt his own breath stop. No. Tari...no. You can't... You can't leave me like this... A swift movement to his side prompted an instinctual growl from the Captain as he pulled Tariel closer, fins starting to flare before he'd even taken proper stock of the threat. His eyes met those of the Earthmother and he froze, hesitating before her words tore through his panic reaching reason. He loosened his hold on her slightly, looking down. Her heart...stopped? But, what...?
She wasn't breathing.
It seemed an odd time for a memory, but the situation reminded him of an event that seemed so long ago now. Back when they all still lived in the ocean. Life was more dangerous there, hazards a part of daily life. He remembered an unfortunately hunting expedition. They had a few new recruits, barely more than boys. They hadn't meant to take them anywhere dangerous, but sometimes, the foolish seemed to attract trouble all on their own. One of them had cornered an eel in an attempt to skewer it on his spear. Normally, the shock of an electric eel would be painful to a fully-grown Aernyn, but not deadly. Those boys were far from fully-grown. Energy had crackled through the water, the eel swimming free, leaving the boy drifting in its wake. His heart had stopped, but he hadn't been given up for dead. A seemingly stupid idea had saved the boy's life that day.
Maybe it would work again.
Turin had held Tariel's head to his chest while lost in thought, shaking it off in time to see the Earthmother reach to touch her. He frowned, puzzling over what she was doing for a moment before she started giving him instructions. A healer? Was she a healer then? Even so, would it work?
He shifted to lay Tariel on the ground, then shook his head while staring down. "With all respect," he said evenly, "I had something else in mind." He didn't disturb the elderly faun from whatever she was doing, but instead, knelt over Tariel and positioned the palms of his hands just below her collarbone, over her heart. He hesitated for just a moment, a foolish passing thought about being afraid of hurting her...then his mind angrily snapped back that it wouldn't much matter if she was dead.
A firm, short thrust of his palms, then release. Pause. Repeat. Pause. Repeat. At this point, he paused to press his ear fin to her chest, straining for any sound...nothing. So he started again. It seemed crude, almost as if he was trying to force her heart to start beating again if he had to do so himself...but it had worked once.
He only prayed that it might again.
Vanya had been slow to stir at first, taken by the same surprise as Tariel, only minus the personal connection to the act. The waking world seemed almost too loud, too real at first, until she started to adjust. She was shocked at the chaos she returned to. Emotional levels spiking in all directions, but nothing from the prone form of the Queen. Vanya started to bolt upright, but was halted by the Earthmother's arrival. The diagnosis was shocking, more so to the Seer than to most.
How many times had she experienced death in her visions? Countless Faun and Blood Pae alike...but her own? The battle unfolded much the same, slowly she started gathering wounds, growing slower until finally she dropped and all went dark...
Why had she never reacted like this to her own memories?
Now was not the time. Sensing the urgency in her movements, she grasped the Earthmother's hand. A shiver of energy passed at the initial contact, then stilled. With each breath, she almost felt as if she were letting go of a bit of energy on each exhale; she didn't question her former mentor...even if she'd settled into her role as Seer, she knew the wise, elderly fauness would always have more knowledge than she'd ever have. If she needed something from her, she'd have it.
Collective cries of astonishment, surprise, even outrage rose from around the table at the announcement. Rais was on his hooves in a flash, holding up his arms as a plea for order. "Please! Keep your seats. Anyone else with any healing abilities, step forward. Otherwise, give them room to work!" He pushed his own chair back, rounding the table before seeming to recognize his own advice and hanging back from the group crouched around the Naiad Queen.
Aside from the obvious concern, the Chieftain was disturbed by an additional problem: the strange ache in his chest that had started shortly after the Queen fell. He stood, hand on the back of a chair, watching with concern as the faun healers joined their energies, the Naiad guard...what exactly was it that he was doing? Ignoring the churning of his stomach, as well as the anxious energy urging him to shift back and forth on his hooves, Rais held his tongue for now. When he could hold it no longer, he blurted, "Is there nothing else we can do for her?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 1:48 pm
Gulliver had been sitting watching but silent through the entire vision his Seer was leading the Naiad queen through, and like the others around the table was shocked when the queen slumped over, and moreso when pae started trying to bring life back to her. His first assumption had been passing out not death. He stood, though slowed by the Chieftain's words, intending to help, he was no healing faun by any means but he could at least help keep the calm. Gulliver put his hand on Rais' shoulder as an indication of support and watched what happened in front of him.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 10:04 pm
Itsaso and Anatolio had stationed themselves behind and somewhat to the sides of the Queen's chair. They'd both kept quiet during the proceedings, but Itsaso's mind was alert. She'd stood at ready, constantly prepared to dive into battle in case these land-folk proved untrustworthy. The sea felt reassuring at her back, but still she gripped her spear.
Watching Queen Tariel enter a...trance-like state made Itsaso even more nervous. Agitated, she transferred her spear from one hand to the other, prepared to thrust if needed. Her stomach churns in her belly. None of this felt right. She wished Commander Sadron were here...this meeting could use his expertise, and also his cautiousness toward land-folk.
And then it had happened. Queen Tariel had slumped over, unbreathing. "Oi, NO!" exclaims Itsaso, springing into action. She dives for Queen, making herself a barrier between her and the antlered creatures. Clearly her mistrust had been well-placed! She brandishes her spear, her stance wide-legged and taut like a predator about to strike. Her eyes wild, her fins flared and her hair standing on end, she looks between the faun, trying to assess for threats.
The first thing Anatolio had seen was his father, his captain, doubled over in pain. His vision blurred, and his duty forgotten, he rushes to Turin's side, nearly crashing into him but stopping just short. "Father! Are you alright?" he asks, even as he sees him regaining his composure and turning his attention to the Queen.
Swallowing his concern and sheer terror at this turn of events, he mirrors Itsaso's stance, if a little less crazy-eyed, on the other side of Queen Tariel and Turin. His stomach drops even as he does; he'd never thought anything bad could happen to his father. Even after that ordeal, even after he and the Queen had been gone so long, and he'd come back injured...surely nothing could fell him. Surely...
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 4:42 pm
Earthmother held Vanya's hand, trying to channel her spiritual energy into the Queen so both of them could understand what was happening. It would help Tariel's mind convince her heart to start beating. Her soul was still in her body, so there was a chance. And it would help Vanya for the future, if this were to ever happen again.
Turin's survival techniques also helped. The forced movements against her chest made her heart pump even if she wasn't doing it on her own.
With a huge gasp, Tariel inhaled sharply, trying to sit up quickly. Her eyes grew huge and her gills flared as she tried to capture that last breath of life. She looked up to see chaos around her. Turin was administering chest compressions and Earthmother was above her as well. She felt the warm feeling under EM's hand and the pressure on her chest from Turin because her ribs hurt like crazy.
She was pinned, so she wriggled while trying to speak. "What happened? Why are you...."
The last thing she remembered was pain and darkness. Nothing else. She waited for the next scene in her vision while sitting in the dark. The pain wouldn't go away, but she'd been hoping it would with her next vision. But what appeared in front of her wasn't part of the vision. She had not gone under like this. "Turin, did I die?" It was the only explanation for Turin's actions. EM's she didn't understand. "What ... are the faun doing to me?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 5:49 pm
Turin felt his heart leap into his throat as the Queen stirred, her heart beating again under its own power beneath his hands. Oh, thank the Waters... He'd never been so relieved. As she struggled to sit up, he pulled back, but was quick to help her with a supporting arm, unwilling to move far from her side. He used it as an excuse to pull her close to his chest, nearly overwhelmed with the desire to protect her, keep her safe now that she was back with him...er, with them again.
He paid no attention to the additional Fauns joining the crowd gathered to watch, nor even to the Naiad guards stationing themselves protectively on either side of the Queen; she was all he'd focused on. Her barrage of questions was understandable; didn't mean he was any more prepared to answer them. He was still trying to piece together what had happened as well. But, he couldn't ignore the question she'd addressed directly to him. Swallowing hard, he couldn't repeat the word, instead only glancing down as he answered, "You...stopped breathing." He glanced only briefly towards Earthmother before looking back to Tariel. "The Earthmother said...we needed to get your heart pumping again. I...I'm sorry if I hurt you..." he trailed off quietly. As he was holding her close to his chest for support, she was close enough for him to lean in and whisper so that only she'd hear, "...but, I was afraid I'd lost you."
He'd apparently lost his sense, that much was clear. Maybe she'd think he'd said 'we' instead of 'I'. Honestly, at the moment, he was having trouble caring. He'd never been as scared in his life as he had a few moments ago.
Vanya swayed slightly, still shaken by the shared vision in addition to the mild drain on her own energy. She caught herself, relief flooding her system as the Queen's aura flared before returning to its former brightness. Thank the Spirits. She placed her free hand on Earthmother's arm, taking a moment to try and collect her own thoughts now that the danger had passed.
Rais tensed as the Naiad guard had darted forward, spears raised threateningly. Well, to be more correct, the female had darted forward first; the brightly colored male had been at first distracted by the Captain it seemed. Father? That explained their similarities in appearance.
For now, it seemed things could easily spiral out of control if they didn't keep their heads level. Narrowing his eyes at the female's aggressive stance, the Faun Chieftain stepped forward with one hand raised palm up, the other arm sweeping out as if signalling the rest of his people to stay back behind him. He understood that such circumstance could easily be misinterpreted as a hostile gesture. The guards were only doing their duty and protecting their Queen. No rash actions had been taken as of yet.
Now, to keep it that way.
"Peace, friend," he said calmly to the agitated female, noting her stance, her eyes, and the rest of her body language. "We mean no harm to you or your brethren. Your dedication to your Queen is admirable. But now, she needs care. There may be enemies, but not here in this place."
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:08 pm
Tariel was caught up in the chaos, and just let Turin take her in his arms, wanting the reassuring comfort as well. She noted Itsaso and Anatolio's stances as well as Rais's actions to calm everyone down.
Turin's whispered words warmed her heart, but sparked another, not-so nice thought. "Was... I poisoned?" she looked at EM, unwilling to believe such a thing, but she didn't know Vanya, or Rais or any of them. Maybe Sadron's initial assessment of the hooved ones was right.
She pulled back further into Turin to get out from under EM's hand. She glared at the elderly faun, "What did you do to me?"
Forget this niceties thing. She got to her feet, flaring angry, and her trident materialized in her hand with a wave of golden, glittering light. The tip pointed at Vanya. "What did you do to me?" She repeated. Her guards she trusted would take care of the other faun. She wanted answers and right now, things did not seem very friendly. Her size seemed larger than when she initially arrived, and her power was far more visible in her angry state. She didn't look like the dainty damsel she normally portrayed herself as.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 9:16 pm
Vanya stared down the length of the trident without flinching at the show of aggression. However, it wasn't because she was being brave or putting on a strong show. Only because she had no way of knowing it was there.
She'd felt the surge of power when the Queen had summoned her weapon, and she could see the anger touching her aura, causing it to burn fiercely. And she'd felt the attention shift in her direction, realizing she was being addressed. To her knowledge, that was the extent of the threat. Though still knelt on the ground, she withdrew her hands from Earthmother's, folding them calmly in her lap. "Only as you asked, Queen Tariel. I helped you connect to Queen Alu's memories." She frowned, tilting her head slightly. "Do you not remember what you have seen? I realize that the first time can be quite overwhelming and confusing. I'm sure you're still disoriented, given your additional difficulties. I had no idea the spirits would choose to show you such on a first attempt, but...I would be glad to talk though the things that you have seen. There is no need for shouting or aggression. I mean you no harm."
Turin had to grudgingly admit he was mildly impressed. Not many could stand before Tariel without flinching when she was like this. Either this Seer had more daring than any Pae'il he'd ever met, or...she had no idea the force she was dealing with. Unless she had some secret of her own...
He quickly followed Tariel, climbing to his feet with the aid of his spear that he grabbed from the ground nearby. It'd laid by his chair, almost forgotten until now. He held it ready in his hands, remaining close to Tariel, but not yet pointing it at any Pae.
Honestly, he was all too ready to believe Sadron's warnings of war-mongering Fauns after what had just happened. Some part of him was ready to take vengeance on the ones that had apparently fooled them into coming here today, only to make an attempt on his Queen's life.
And yet, some small, rational part of his brain remained, pipping up that there was still a chance that this was all a misunderstanding and that they shouldn't take action until they had all the information first. The vision...he hadn't had as clear a picture as either of the women had; yet, he had questions of his own. Was it legit? Was it really Alu's memories that had been tapped into? Or was it all some trick of the Faun's witches?
He was taking stock of the situation. If all else failed, the numbers were fairly even...the main problem would be convincing the Queen to run while her escort covered her escape...
"Queen Tariel!" Rais' voice cut through the tension in the air like a sharp sword. "It would be greatly appreciated if you would stop threatening my Seer," he said with deceptively polite words that did not match his tone. It was one thing when the blue female had taken a threatening stance to defend her Queen. It was another matter completely when the Queen herself was making a direct threat against one of his people. Rais knew this situation was nearing a point of no return. If it didn't diffuse soon, there would be no salvaging this meeting and all peace talks to this point would be moot. He didn't want to have to turn this into a battle of postures, but if it kept this from getting any worse...
A subtle, almost inaudible grumble of the earth accompanied his next step forward. "We have invited you here in the spirit of peace. I would not wish that changed. I do not know what you have seen, but it seems to me that you owe your life to my people as well as your own. If everyone would calm down and simply speak to one another, perhaps we can get to the bottom of this!"
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:17 pm
Tariel did not move, but kept her eyes on the Seer. She listened, but her hackles had been raised and she felt threatened. She had almost accepted the Seer's words until she heard Chief Rais' aggressive tone. She'd not be bullied, not by anyone.
She turned with a hiss, her trident now pointing towards the faun chieftain. "My life was threatened by your people," she snarled. She could feel a slight change overcoming her as her bulk began to increase. Her eyes narrowed. She did not know yet of the powers of healing by touch, only that what Turin had done was a proven method to help Naiads live.
Calming down was a lot easier said than done with the Queen.
However, the moment she made eye contact with the chief, something inside shifted. She froze in her gaze, her size returning to normal, and her anger subsiding faster than it ever had. She remained pointing her trident, however she looked more like the Queen and less like a leviathan ready to erupt. Those intense feelings she had while in the vision as Alu returned.
Her eyes did not move from his as emotions flooded her body. Warmth, love, sacrifice, betrayal, death. It all came back in a montage of memories. She had not been threatened, but she stand there pointing her deadly weapon at the chief of the Faun on a day they were to negotiate peace.
Guilt.
She dropped her trident, which vanished in the same golden dust it had appeared before it even hit the ground. Tariel's eyes swelled with tears. "Arda," she whispered before pushing Itsaso aside and moving in front of Rais to fall to her knees before him. She wrapped her arms around his legs and started weeping. "Arda, my love, I'm so sorry," she whispered again.
She was not handling the memories of Alu very well. She could barely contain her own emotions, but now was dealing with the former Queen's as well. She continued to cry, trying to get the sadness and guilt to leak out.
Earthmother stood, stepping backwards. She was worried this may not have been a good idea to attempt, at least not yet. Like Vanya, she had not expected these memories to a part of her first vision. But the Spirits do as they will. She bent over to take one of Vany's hands again, and whispered very quietly in her ear. "May I speak with you, in private?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:23 pm
Vanya hadn't even realized there was any threat besides words until the Chief had spoken up. By the spirits, she must look like a mad woman, speaking so calmly to the irate Queen, who could have been posed to run her through for all she'd known.
The display that soon unfolded shook her even more than this realization. Though the words had been whispered, the Chief and the Queen weren't that far behind her...and Vanya's ears were sharp. Was the Queen mad? Of all the things in that vision to share...shouldn't that have been something she'd want to keep quiet?!?
She was quite literally speechless, no idea what to say or how to react when Earthmother took her hand. She'd been so tense, she actually jumped at first, startled. "Of course," she answered automatically, equally as quiet. She rose, realizing that the disturbance behind them was giving them an adequate distraction to step away from the rest for a moment.
Turin had felt the gathering energy of a shifter radiating from the Queen, and despite the desire to stay close to her to offer support and reassurance, instinct had him taking a couple of wary steps backwards unbidden. He was still torn between the anger he'd felt seeing Tari lying on the ground lifeless...and the small nagging voice that kept saying that they shouldn't be escalating to a direct confrontation. At least not here. at least retreat to the water first...their own element...
Before he could react, Tariel had dropped her weapon, which disappeared, and was racing away towards the Faun Chieftain. Turin stared in slack-jawed disbelief as she fell to her knees. For some reason, as he watched, he could have sworn he felt his heart plummet from his chest, not to his feet, but somewhere to the rocks far below the cliff-face.
Perhaps, he'd seen and understood more of the vision of the past Queen's memories than his subconscious would allow him to admit.
Although hoping for a peaceful resolution, Rais had already begun surveying the scene with a different eye; measuring the distance between him and the nearest Naiad guard, her grip on her spear, the placement of his own people, including Mo and Gulliver at his back, and how quickly he could get to the women ahead and get them to safety if things went awry...
And awry they went...but in a way he'd not have predicted. The Queen, whirling on him in anger, seemed as if shocked by something, dropping her weapon, which vanished in a manner similar to how it had appeared. He would have started relaxing...when she was suddenly rushing towards him. He caught the name 'Arda' as she moved, and suddenly she fell at his hooves, wrapping her arms around his legs. Not exactly an attack as he caught her whispered words...
Eyes widening, Rais flushed slightly beneath his fur. "Err...I think this is a good time to take a recess. Everyone needs to take a moment to collect themselves; we'll meet back here shortly," he tried to sound commanding as he had a moment ago, but it may have come out a bit rushed. He was honestly bewildered by what was happening at the moment.
Hoping that their respective councils would give them a moment, he turned his attention to the Naiad Queen crying at his hooves. Kind of hard to miss. He wasn't exactly experienced in dealing with crying women. What was he supposed to do? Well, first, he fixed on what she'd said. She'd called him Arda...and then she'd said...something else... Awkwardly, he reached down, pulling her arms firmly, but carefully away from his legs so that he could move freely. He didn't move far, just enough to crouch down to her level, reaching out to lift her chin so that green eyes met green. "Queen Tariel...I'm not Arda. My name is Chieftain Rais. Remember?" He kept his tone quiet; kind, but firm. Could she still be lost in her memory? She seemed disoriented since waking. Confused. Not the same as before, when they'd first arrived and started the meeting. More...he didn't want to say unstable, but her reactions were varying wildly in nature and intensity. Perhaps, a moment in private to calm and recenter herself might help.
A nagging voice at the back of his mind still wanted to know what this 'my love' business was about...
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:52 pm
Earthmother led Vanya aside, not too far, but far enough for a private conversation. She brushed a stray leaf that had fallen on her shoulder away and pondered for just a moment what she was going to say. "Lady Vanya, I think the Queen is reacting to what she saw. It's obvious she experienced her death, but I think she experienced something else, equally as emotionally charged. If Tariel is anything like Alu, she's likely as emotionally volatile as the former Naiad Queen. What did the spirits show her?"
Sniffling, trying to compose herself, she let the chief untangle her from his legs. The moment their eyes met once more, Tariel whispered, "Arda, don't you remember me?" She listened to him claim to be someone else. "But you have Arda's eyes," she pleaded, reaching up to touch his face, but pausing before contact was made. The memory faded, but the feelings remained.
Tariel pulled her hand back, wiping at her cheeks and averting her gaze downwards. She sniffled again and then rose to her feet. She did her best to regain her composure, and avoid looking directly into the eyes that were most familiar to her. She couldn't help but feel overwhelming love and adoration for him, which was a new feeling, considering she'd only met him. But her rational mind was beginning to take control once again. She turned to her own kind, the faces of everyone around her were startled, to say the least. She searched for Turin's face, needing to feel something she knew was real. But his face looked more crestfallen then the others.
She'd embarrassed herself in front of their would-be allies, in front of her guard, in front of Turin, again. She had no idea how to save face this time, so she just took what Rais had said to heart, and rejoined Turin, Itsaso, Anatolio, and Aeronial -- who was oddly quiet during this fiasco. "I'm sorry. I ruined everything. I'm sorry." she said meekly, thinking what she always thinks, 'I'm a terrible Queen.'
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