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 Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 5:46 pm
What she had learned so far, she'd heard only from the guards surrounding her, and even then their information could be incorrect. So far, it seemed, Mordre and 'Cai had seen this mare first and had put everyone else on the alert. But why is she here?
She stomped a hoof down, pausing, and gazed ahead of her. She could hear the hushed whispers from the guards that were stationed at the entrance to the pathway, talking quietly amongst themselves. She could hardly see anything past that, it was true, as she was requested to remain in a small cave, or at least the entrance, to ensure her safety. The guards remained outside and all around, their eyes watching any and everything that moved. Their Queen would not be messed with, however much she disliked their presence.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 6:02 pm
 Storm was hiding, where no one could find her. As much as they'd like to think she was stupid, she knew this place in and out - or what hadn't changed. An old hiding place of a young woman playing tag with the other youths was a great place to be. Sure, it was cramped, but it was a good a place as any.
It had taken her a great deal of time to locate the queen. Not necessarily her whereabouts, but the damn stallions were so obnoxious. Their minds were loud, their yells were loud, and their feelings of her death almost overpowered anything the queen felt.
She didn't know how anyone could hate so much.
All she had was her temper, and that only existed in a world where there was something to protect.
Melantho.
She contemplated leaving several times, letting the whole thing slide off into nothing, Melantho didn't care anyways. Then the anger side would shoot up, and she'd find a reason for her task again. Whatever her end plan, she needed to go through with this.
Taking a deep breath she worked her way into the queen's mind, giving her a few things to toy with. At last, she seemed at least moderately accepted, and she could start speaking. Only a fool would force themselves into another's brain.
My Lady? she questioned, her voice polite, memories of the ancients marking her mind. She'd been polite to the Illusionist, too, for her, but it obviously wasn't polite enough. Even if he couldn't know that she had tried at the beginning, she still held it against him. For god sakes, she'd tried, and that was saying something. Its the Jala-ess. I need your help. . . well, the whole herd might.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 6:21 pm
Bored and growing more frustrated by the moment, the Queen resumed her pacing about the cave. She froze in an instant, however, as the foreign voice penetrated her thoughts, pushing itself above all her thoughts and the voices of the guards surrounding her mind. Before she had a chance to wonder if it was her own mind playing tricks on her or if it really was someone else, the voice spoke again.
The Jala-ess? You must hold some amount of magic to be able to speak to me through silent thoughts rather than verbal words. Where are you? It would be much easier to speak to you in person instead of through minds. She had no idea if this Jala-ess would be able to hear her thoughts, but it would be nice to try. The guards may think her crazy if she started talking to herself, seemingly. Even though these soldiers are persistent, I can rid myself of them within a few moments.
She turned her gaze, searching every square inch of the cave she was in, but couldn't see anyone there. Looking outside the cave, although highly unlikely for the mare to be there, she searched there, as well. Still nothing. It didn't surprise the Queen, however. None of the guards seemed to have any reason to be particularly active at the moment, so it was probable that the mare was in hiding until a chance to be less noticeable to others was brought about.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 6:31 pm
Storm listened silently for a few moments, compiling her thoughts in order to deem what was necessary to say. It was interesting that the queen was willing to see her in person. That couldn't have been safe. She wondered how she had lasted so long, but then again, who would want to die for attacking the queen? She could think of none, and there was no way any Reya could make it up here.
Seer she answered the question gently, her two colored eyes scanning the area for the signs of danger. She didn't know how well the queen could read in. Had she not been a seer, she would have been much more worried. Perhaps she ought to have been anyway. Who knew if the woman was adept at keeping her thoughts?
Still, there was at least some sort of trust there. Afterall, Savit'Taren had been her queen at some point in time.
If you'd get rid of them, I'll be there. Storm answered firmly. She highly doubted she wouldn't be able to find her way. Easy thought track, and she'd be in. No questions asked.
She couldn't see the queen. She was still a good distance away, and a great deal hidden, but she knew she was looking.
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 7:30 am
Perhaps seeing an armed Jala without any guards nearby could be considered foolish, but the Queen was able to take such risks. Out of sight, but not out of range of hearing, she knew there was always at least one guard within hail. All right.
"Guards," she said firmly, stepping out of the cave she'd had to stand in for at least an hour, if not more. "This is quite enough. I have seen neither hide nor hair of this intruder, and I have other more important things to do than stand here until someone spots her. If I need a guard, I will certainly call for one, but until then, go back to your posts." And before any of them could answer, the claybank unfolded her wings and took to the skies, passing over a couple minor peaks before coming to a secluded pathway. After a careful and much practiced landing, the brindled mare folded her wings once more. The guards knew very well not to follow the queen at this point, and she knew they would not leave that area right away, but would set up certain points to spy from, just to ensure that she was safe.
Light-colored hooves cast up small clouds of red dust as she walked down the small pathway, finally setting hoof onto the soft blanket of grass that surrounded a small pond. She had no idea where this mare was, nor if she would be able to find her, but if she had seer powers it would be a less difficult task for her than for a nequus without them. The guards have been left behind, and I am in one of the many grazing places. If I knew where you were, exactly, I'd offer directions, but I think you could find your way here without me having to supply you with them.
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:52 am
Truthfully Storm was having troubles. She'd never seen a few of the places and Savit really didn't look around enough. Finding where she was going was going to be hard. As soon as the alright sounded, she scampered out of her hiding spot and scanned the skies. A few moments later she spotted the claybank as a small object moving across the vastness of the blue.
It was irritating she simply couldn't fly up and meet her. That would seem a little bit to suspicious. Pinning her ears, she moved along her rock, attempting not to trip as she focused on the brindled's mind as well. It wasn't very sucessful and her knees bore the burden. She wondered if that would grab any attention. This really wasn't going well. Why did the damn mare insist on moving?
Finally she'd deemed it long enough, and travelled far enough that she could safely take to the skies. The brindled mare had long landed where she wanted to go and Storm figured they wouldn't be looking for a golden mare that knew exactly where she was going. If she was going to go airborn she had to do it fast and have a flight plan, so she wasn't looking around for something indefinately.
With any luck, they wouldn't even see her to begin with.
She didn't know how long it took her to compile just where she was - or where she had to go, but eventually she had something amply put together. Taking a deep breath she spread her wings and took a running leap.
Finding the actual place was much easier than she expected. Once she found the small pathway it was a walk in the park down to where she was going - and there, at the end, was the queen, near some small body of water, no doubt looking for her. She wondered how long she'd been.
She didn't bother dipping her head, or displaying common curteousy, the stupid Illusionist had done her in for that one. She was less likely to be a b***h than he was, despite how she talked. Still, if he hadn't had that stupid thing with the queen, she would have killed him on the spot. He was a threat, and a big one, and as a magical Nequus himself she had no idea of his range. For all she knew he could weave illusions of the mind, too, like the forest. It was not a pretty sight to venture towards.
Might as well cut to the chase.
"Mordre was none to kind to me. I suppose he expected chivalry, but there is none where I come from, and its a hard habit to break. I guess he enjoys tinkering with others lives, being an illusionist." She looked back the way she had came. "But that's not why I came. I had to see you myself, because I know in some way or another I can trust you with the information."
She took a pause. How exactly was she going to say this? She had to be careful, or someone she didn't want to die was going to get badly hurt.
"I know of a group of Reya, not to far from here." - Okay, so they were a HELL of a long way, but still. "It seems they are a warrior nation, at least some of it, and they pose a threat to you and everyone else's safety. In fact, there's one making her way here right now, but she's liable to be here to warn you, too. The Reya suffer no less hatred towards their own kind." Damn it hurt to make little lies like this, but it was what they believed was it not? "They'd sooner kill her than let her venture near, they wouldn't risk the chance of her giving you information before you tear her apart. I doubt they know she's come."
She paused, gathering together things.
"But a massacre isn't wise. Only a few of them are potentially dangerous, and as long as we are rid of them, the others won't dare come near. If we kill to many the Reya may think it a blood war, and we are bound to lose some Jala if it came down to it."
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 3:40 pm
She had been watching the pathway ever since she stopped in the secluded spot, and though she didn't see Storm pass through the air, she heard her hoofsteps as she approached the path. Her eyes lighted upon the golden mare, and she noted that the red mountain's sharp rock walls had taken their toll on the newcomer. Had she not been told of Storm's horn, she wouldn't have noticed it, as it blended in with her white mane too well. She didn't pay much attention to it, all the same; her speech and information was what she sought, not to stare at the Jala's horn.
With a few nods to show she was listening and understood, the Queen listened attentively to the information that Storm was readily supplying. Well, this was certainly interesting enough.
"Why are you telling me all of this?" She asked, after picking a starting point for questions fairly quickly. "You haven't been here for years, as likely as not, and here you are, telling me that the herd is endangered. Why would either your or a Reya travel all the way here, past all of the guards, to warn me of these things? What concern is it of yours, or the Reya mare's that you said would also possibly come to tell us?" The Queen, obviously, was not convinced.
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 4:01 pm
Oh please. Would someone spare her the 'I'm a queen and I don't trust anybody' kind of talk. Honestly, who cared what her motives were?
"I don't know about the Reya's concerns," Storm said, which was true. She didn't even know if Melantho was coming other than to see what on earth Storm was up to. "But they haven't taken a liking to me, it seems they are as angry at crossbreeds as the rest of the world." Only half true, but still, enough that most wouldn't tell the queen otherwise.
"I wish to put them away myself, or at least. . . have some protection from their herds. You're a strong nation." She paused.
"Besides, I don't think the Katilenuck world will bargain too well on a queen who knows of the existence of such people without dispatching something to deal with them." That was about all she could say and for the most part it was every bit of truth stuck together. Sure, there were some parts, like Clytaemnestra and the fact that Melantho might be leading them here, but it was honest enough.
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:10 pm
With an aggravated flick of her ear, the Queen began to pace back and forth, trying to think. "Do they pose an immediate threat to this herd?" She paused to ask, looking over at Storm. "I will have scouts sent out to watch them if they're not headed this way right now, but if they do pose a threat I shall certainly deal with them right away. I know the majority of the herd would like to have every single one of them slaughtered simply for their race, but that could possibly be too great a task for our army. We are strong, yes, but Reya have a weapon we do not, as you know well, which aids them in combat."
She continued pacing back and forth slowly, her light-colored hooves kicking up the red dust from the rock beneath them as she went. What to do? If they were headed this way immediately, this mare could join the army, possibly, and they could fend off the attackers. But if they had no intention of harming the herd and were only after this mare, then why was she coming to the Katilenuck area at all? Did she merely seek protection, aid, for herself, or someone else? It was too frustrating to think about, the claybank needed more information before she could form a more definite opinion, so she paused in her pacings to watch the golden mare and await her answers.
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 12:52 pm
"I have no idea," she answered truthfully, though if Melantho was coming, then the answer was yes. "But they won't tolerate scouts. They'll be dead before they can turn tail and run." That was probably an overexhaggeration. She'd never seen Clytaemnestra in action, but she was liable to ask them questions first.
At the last statement Storm grinned.
"That's where I come in. I have a trade proposition for you." She flicked her gaze around to make sure no one else was watching.
"You have some of the greatest fighters known far and wide. If you allow me just a few of them to lead, I'll dispatch of the Reya before they become a problem and scour the outer lands for anything else that would threaten the herd. I am, afterall, a seer, and if anything were to be amiss, you'd hear of it." She narrowed her eyes. "Can I trust you?"
For all it took was a change in idea in the queens head to ship all the warriors off her way to beat her into the ground. All it took was one riot she failed to catch in her mind when she was occupied. Advantage, yes, invincible, she could only wish.
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 3:26 pm
She paused and flicked an ear, studying the white-horned golden Jala before her. This newcomer could certainly trust her, yes, but could she trust this gilded mare? If the Reya didn't pose an immediate thread, could they soon? Could they be rid of the herd before ever they set foot in the herdlands? Yes, yes, and yes.
"Yes, you can. All right," she said with a toss of her mane, trying to dispel the annoying strands of hair from her eyes. "I will send Mordre, Mavasu, and a portion of my army to accompany you. How large is the herd of Reya? How many of my soldiers go with you depends on how many they have in their herd. Do you know how many are in their herd, or not?" She asked, peering at the horned Jala before her. "If you don't, I will send a large portion with you all the same. I will need to speak with Mordre, Mavasu, and my tactitions before I send them off with you, and your presence there would be needed as well."
She flicked her tail, watching Storm with her chocolate brown eyes. "When, do you think, would be an appropriate time to send the Reya herd a Katilenuck welcoming party?"
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 3:44 pm
(( Psst. Savit has green eyes with hazel insides. ;D ))
Oh god, not Mordre - she couldn't deal with that slut of a man. Full of himself, old, oh, and making direct attempts not to listen to anything anyone said. Whatever he wanted, or decided, that's the way he went. So, naturally, he was in a position to do just that. Being the queen's lover had its advantages didn't it?
"I know for certain that there are eight with the leader as a scouting party - so I would imagine, many, many more."
As to the next question - she wasn't a mastermind! "You're a queen, don't you have advisors or something to tell you that?" Really she was willing to wait as long as she needed. "But the sooner, the better."
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:31 pm
She shook her head, flicking her tail moreso out of irritation than anything else. "I didn't expect you to know, but I thought it necessary to ask all the same. And all right, we shall organize a meeting between Mavasu, Mordre, the tactitions, yourself, and I in a short while to sort everything out, and hopefully we can send you along with them to this Reya heard within the next day or so. Would that suit you?" She asked, peering at the gilded mare curiously. "I hope that's soon enough for you. But, I really am curious about why you even came to tell me this. What can you gain from our aid? Or are you helping a friend?" She flicked an ear, studying Storm carefully. It couldn't hurt to ask, and the question was plaguing her badly. This mare with an Ichsa horn whom she hadn't seen before suddenly risked her neck to come up and warn her of a Reya herd nearby. What good could it do for this mare? Certainly she could have just stayed out of the matter, but she hadn't. What could she hope to gain, then?
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:37 pm
The answer was pure and simple.
"I have a lover whom they're out to kill."
She hoped that was a suitable enough answer. Sure, Melantho wasn't her 'lover' just yet, but hell, she didn't care. It was the reason, afterall, and with the thick conversation that had gone on between them, it might as well have been.
"As quickly as you can. I'll stay with Mordre until then, he can cast an illusion to keep the staring to a minimum." She wanted to have some fun until then. Besides, that assistant of his looked mighty attractive.
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:06 pm
Savit nodded, studying Storm carefully. "I understand. Is your lover the one you mentioned who would come to warn me, as well? Describe her, and if she comes I will see to it that she suffers no harm." This altered matters slightly, but only slightly. She thought it might be a friend or simply a personal gain this gilded mare was after. A lover was quite different, in her opinion. While still partially personal gain, this mare sought to protect someone she was very, very close to. "I will also see to it that Mordre helps you, especially with your horn," she nodded her heard towards it, "as most of the herd would hardly think twice about you if they see it. I'll take you to him myself, if need be, as we need to arrange a meeting to take place quite soon to arrange everything. Would that suit you, or did you have something else in mind?"
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