Trekori
i'm freezing, it's not winter yet
but my fingers and toes
are shivering beneath these sheets
and i feel so alone
i don't want to die, i want to sleep
Handy, that the two he chooses to invite are winged like him; and of course it is without hesitation that I leap into the air beside him, thrilled to be included in something as important as meeting with the Queen to whose kingdom we are most greatly allied. Although my wingspan is far smaller than Brennen's, I pump away to keep up, and the short distance between the islands and the northernmost coast passes more quickly than I'd imagined it would. As we are landing, I wonder to myself if my grandmother will be present at this meeting - but she'd been in Ischia for the meeting, and as a wingless creature, she may still be making the journey back.
I walk in silence next to my new king, spotting Hestia at the same time as he does. I'd seen her at the meeting too, but it's different seeing her close up - mostly because of the thing that trails after her like a puppet. I cannot help the small snort that escapes me upon sight of it, but I quickly remember myself and draw a neutral expression across my face.
Brennen first addresses Hestia, and then turns with a small smile to introduce myself and another, if Belgaer has chosen to follow. I dip my head to the Queen. "Trekori," I offer in as manly a tone a yearling can muster. "At your service." I cringe internally at how generic and stick-in-the-mud that sounded, but outside, I allow the awkward phrase to pass by, grateful to Brennen for having a literal novel to say to this woman.
He first touches on the details of our alliance, and I listen eagerly, but reservedly, not wanting to get in the way. I've yet to live long enough on this earth to know exactly how things used to be, but I am learning, and I stow away this important information in the schema marked relations between the bachelors and amazons. So, this wasn't going to be a half-assed thing; it's either all in, or nothing at all. My amethyst eyes linger on Hestia; she'd been there to support Brennen's mutiny... She wouldn't withdrawn the alliance now, would she? Stranger things have happened; that, at least, I know.
At the point of having representatives in the respective kingdoms, I clear my throat quietly. When their eyes turn towards me, I take the opportunity to say what I mean to, careful not to slip up or to have a voice crack or anything foolish at all. "While having representatives might work, here's how I see it: to my knowledge, the bachelor and amazon kingdoms from Before were exclusive based on sex. From what I know of Nerine now, and of what Ischia shall become, that exclusivity will be... Less harsh." I glance to Brennen for reaffirmation of this fact.
"But in truth, we know that it's hard to recruit men to a sisterhood, and women to a brotherhood - usually those anomalies present themselves to us, instead of the other way around. What if, in times of quiet, the women-members of Ischia came to help revive Nerine, or the men-members of Nerine came to help revive Ischia? What I mean to say is that we could recruit for each other." My eyes glimmer excitedly now, though I keep my voice even; it's a strange idea, one I've never heard considered, and I wonder at how it'll be received by those around me now. "If we are to be sister kingdoms, I don't see why not."
The conversation flowed forward then to spies and to examples of spies, and I remain quiet on this subject. Besides my physical traits, I am as plain as they come, and of no use as a spy. My eyes go thoughtfully to Belgaer, wondering what his thoughts might be on the subject, or if he is the lie-detecting child Brennen speaks of. Rolling my shoulders and shuffling my wings, I settle into a hip, curious as to their reactions to my idea.
Sorry for the wordsplosion. Oblivion can powerplay Kori
