She's got the devil's eyes

There is very little that escapes the Nerinian queen’s notice. Especially something so significant as a leadership change. Of course, that Taiga had changed hands had not bothered her overly much. She knows the kingdom aspires to be little more than a home to those who might wish it. If there were any land that she might consider apolitical, it would be the forest that borders her southernmost point.

Of course, any leader change can stir unusual things. But then, from what she has known of Aten, she suspects it will not change overly much. Still, she is quite curious to see what had drawn the stallion to her kingdom. Taiga had not sworn any allegiance to Nerine, and she hadn’t had much interest in forcing the issue.

Aten of course could not possibly know that she knew so much about him or his kingdom. They’d never had the opportunity to meet, so unless he had heard rumors of her, he likely wouldn’t know just how much knowledge she has at her fingertips. Or hooftips, as it were. Still, she knows she has not lived a quiet life, and certainly she has gained something of a reputation. Of course, whatever he might have heard is likely only a fraction of the truth.

She approaches the gold stallion with an ease and comfort born of confidence. Her steps are not hurried, but she does not make him wait on her overly long. After all, she is quite curious about the reasons for his visit. She has many abilities, but unfortunately mind reading is not one of them.

When she has reached a comfortable distance, she slows to a halt, her blue eyes sharp and interested, her delicately lined features impassive, though not unfriendly. “Welcome Aten,” she begins easily, greeting him by name despite their lack of acquaintance. “What brings you to Nerine?”

and they'll cut you like a weapon

She's got the devil's eyes

As a woman skilled in observation, she can appreciate the way Aten appears to assess the situation so closely, taking his time and proceeding with more knowledge than might be gained simply from a carefully spoken word. It is a common mistake, she finds, to ignore the subtle, unspoken cues in favor of the much louder ones. Of course, there is also a reason she is so carefully composed in demeanor and face.

Certainly she and Aten are not the only ones to read into such things.

The new Taigan leader seems to be a man of careful consideration, and that is something she can appreciate. For all that others often don’t seem to understand her actions, she never does anything without due consideration first. And that Aten seems to be of similar caliber, she feels confident the relationship between their land’s could well benefit from it.

Still, the pale stallion is far more of a diplomat than she will ever be, and his greeting gives testament to that particular aspect of his nature. Being a woman of decidedly few words, she listens quietly as he announces his purposes, only tilting her head faintly in response to the elegantly polite greeting he offers. She makes no move to interrupt as he offers his reasoning for the visit today.

Perhaps the stallion does know something of her, or perhaps he is merely intuitive, but she is rarely able to discount intriguing proposals. And given the quiet nature of both their kingdom’s, presenting a united front could only be beneficial.

Eyes glinting a bright, unreadable blue, one corner of her lips tilts faintly upwards as she considers him openly. “You have intrigued me thus far,” she offers in response after a faint moment. “Though Taiga has always been welcome to Nerine’s protection, a formal accord would be… beneficial.”

She falls silent for a moment then, eyes fixed thoughtfully on the neighboring leader. She shifts then, settling beside him. “Would you care to take a walk and discuss your proposal?”

Though she doubts too many would be terribly interested in eavesdropping on this conversation, she is a woman of natural caution. And movement can certainly be beneficial in ensuring privacy.

and they'll cut you like a weapon

She's got the devil's eyes

They settle into an easy stride, the blue-laced mare picking her way easily along the windswept, stony planes of her home. She follows a path indiscernible to the naked eye, seemingly random in its nature, though anyone who knew her well enough would understand her actions are rarely random. She is silent as they traverse the simple landscape, her features unreadable and bare, ears tipped the take in each word uttered by her companion.

She makes no move to interrupt his speech, listening to his proposal with quiet consideration. Nothing of what he says surprises her in any way, but then, in the end, there are really only so many ways one can head a kingdom. And with her particular abilities, she had long ago seen them all. His plans are solid however, and she cannot fault him his dreams.

“Protection is always necessary for a kingdom, whether peaceful or not,” she agrees finally, once he has concluded his museful observations. She turns her gaze fully on him then, a faint glimmer of amusement crossing her features, almost indiscernible for it vanishes. “I think you underestimate what you might have to offer an alliance. As far as I am concerned, demonstrating a united from is sufficient for the moment. My only stipulation would be that you come under Nerine’s helm as an independent territory.”

She pauses then, allowing the weight of her request to settle. While she is not inclined to remove their autonomy, she does need some basis by which to offer the full weight of the Northern kingdom to the Taigan ruler. After a moment, she continues, “This means that you or a representative of your kingdom would be entitled to a position in Nerine’s council. Not only would our forces be aligned, but your citizens would be freely welcomed into Nerine, to come and go as they please. I have no interest in war-mongering, as you had likely surmised before you chose to come here. At the moment, I am perfectly happy to.... monitor the current situation. And, as a territory, you would be certain to benefit from whatever information we can glean.”

and they'll cut you like a weapon