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For the moment, Shaheen had no answer for Lifen, as she continued to stand by and listen to the various "ambassadors" of silver. She turned her gaze upon the smaller woman, still eavesdropping but quirking her lips up into a small smile. "And congratulations to you, Empress." Her voice held a warmth that she didn't give to many others, not since....

No, she wouldn't think about him right now. She had promised herself that those days were long behind her and had forced herself to move on, and become what she was today, following in her fathers footsteps and not her mothers, molding herself into a warrior and biding her time until opportunity should chance to make itself known to her.

As it turned out, good things did come to those who waited.

Before anything more could be said, a swelling fanfare suddenly filled the Generals ears, and her small smile was just as soon gone as she snapped to attention, eyes searching for their source.

And then it happened. The voice, speaking to her, speaking to them all. Visions flashed through her mind, and she was startled by at least one.

When it was all over, all she could do was stand in silence, pondering what she had just seen, until the Emperor spoke, grabbing her attention as she strode towards him, ready to do his bidding and to serve him at the very best of her abilities.

With the assignments given, Shaheen wasted little time in leaving for her own destination, giving the Emperor a bow, before turning to leave.

The silver kingdom had fallen! And a chance to take advantage of what was otherwise probably meant to be a grievous occasion was upon them. She would not grieve them, however. Not when their fall could provide them with an advantage. All she could do was quietly thank them for their sacrifice.

((Exit))

((Entering))

Oh man everything hurt. Just twitching her fingers made things ache. But it was fading. Fairly quickly. She managed to mumble a few choice words. And then there was a flash... and teeth... "Iiiieeee! You're not getting me again-"

"Now that wasn't embarrassing or anything." A smooth silky voice chuckled, slipping his arms around her to assist her up.

"Ughhhh! That damn... living... plant thing. Whatever the hell it was!" Infinity shivered, grabbing at Vashi's arm to stable herself on her feet. "And I thought you were a horror."

"Precious, did you just give me a compliment?" He grinned devilishly at the look she sent him. "You tried. And you made it back, somehow. That's gotta count for something." Vashi whispered in a more serious tone.

Fini just sighed, checking and rechecking to make sure her injuries weren't there. And that no stupid tendrils of doom had followed her back home.

[ Entering ]

Lifen hurt everywhere, but it wasn't her main issue - for now, she just wanted to hold herself up high, making it look as if she had not just, you know, fallen in to a sword pile. Or something. Walking carefully, with a bit of a jutted step from the cut on her leg, she watched forward as she peered at the very few who had returned to the kingdom.

But oh, she was rather tired.

Taking a soft sigh, she nodded to the Emperor, before going to find a seat to sit in, figuring a small rest would get her back to tip-top shape, giving off a long little sigh.

She had done her work, now she was in need of rest.

Quote:

Anyone can interact with her.
She's a little bruised and banged up for a bit while healing u wu

((entering))

Every step Bastion had taken, from his retreat at the tower all the way up to his return into his kingdom, had been laced with grumbles. Sometimes, he got loud. He screamed her name into the sky, and cursed the very day he'd met her. He'd been such a child, then. The tiniest little thing, so unknowing. How could he have known that the angel he'd seen with his juvenile eyes would have this devastating power over him? He didn't even know if he blamed her for it. Never, had she ever given him any indication that she was interested. He should have given up on her long ago.

His mind had. His heart refused to listen.

Heavy footfalls finally returned to his homeland, and he briefly caught a glimpse of the Empress. She was in worse shape than he - did the Emperor realize what risk he was putting her in?

It was different, for them. Their statures were at level, and even if they fought past what Bastion saw when they looked at each other, at least they respected one another. That must be nice.

Not like being called an a**. Being told that women had to get drunk to sleep with him. Hearing from her lips, her torturous lips, that someone would have liked him back-

Wait a minute.

Yes, it had actually taken Bastion this long to realize that Mjoll hadn't been talking in general verse. His footfalls came to a halt, and he stood in the middle of the square, frozen in dread.

She'd said, someone would like you back.

She knew. She knew, and- and- she had been trying to tell him, that if he wasn't such an a**..

One knee hit the floor, before the other did. Then came his shoulder, and finally his head. Bastion lay like a crumpled carcass on the floor, and wondered if he just laid there long enough, perhaps the dirt would cover him and bury him away.

She caught two different sounds - one of desperation and a little bit of true depression and another from the woman in the pond, which made the Empress kind of hobble over, offering her hand up to Ligaya, eyebrows raised a little.

"Are you okay? Are you well?" She asked the young lady, hoping to help her out of the water, and maybe to help her find some cleaner clothing. "You look like you have been through the ringer also." She offered her, showing her that she was going to walk back to her spot in the sitting room again, at least for now while they both re cooperated.

As she continued, her shoe lightly landed on something . . . soft. . . and kind of squishy. Furrowing her eyebrows, she took a step back, looking down at the floor, where a gold laden-ed form of Bastion looked oozed on the floor. With a tilt of her head, she gave him a little look, eyebrows furrowed curiously.

"What are you doing on the floor. Are you okay?"

Huni Pi

Nio Love

Ligaya tensed at the approaching figure, her eyes wide as a deer caught in headlights. But her voice was gentle, and she seemed to be genuinely concerned for Ligaya, despite being hurt herself. "I-I don't think I like shadows much now. I think I died," she answered, accepting the hand and steadying herself as she stepped out of the fountain. The bottom of her soggy boot landed on something with too much give to be the ground.

Brown eyes darted down and she let out an apologetic gurgle, "W-w-why what I-" she stammered. Continuing to stand there, dripping wet over Bastion.

[ entering ]

Man did she feel crappy... that mission had not gone as she would have liked, and it really bugged her. Verusha's white eyes kept to the ground mostly, going over in her head what she could have done better, while lightly rubbing her head from the slight ache it now had from the arduous task of attempting to harvest miasma. Luckily, at least hopefully, no one would ask. She hadn't made any friends, or acquaintances so she had no worries about getting mocked.

Should have just purified half of them.. then I would have at least brought something back to the kingdom..

But with this failure came a stronger desire to do better her next time around. And she would do so.. for sure..

Aedan stopped at Lifen's words, turning to face her, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. He quickly bowed his head for a brief moment, ignoring the pain that his almost-quick actions provoked.

"Thank you, Empress, but no...I'm simply a bit...stiff, as it were. Is there anything I can be of assistance with, however?" The question was directed more at the Empress, since she had spoken to him...but the invitation was open to anyone. He found himself waiting, almost impatiently...wanting to be able to do something useful, at least.

His resolve firmed at the prospect of...whatever the kingdom might need of him next--this feeling of failure was one he hoped never to repeat.