the dead are gone

She limps out into the central clearing, shoulder stinging and heart heavy. She pauses at the edge for a moment, thinking back on the scene she’d just left. She sighs heavily. She knows what she must do, but, even now, she knows she hasn’t even begun to comprehend the amount of work that is ahead of her. There is so, so much to be done.

For now however, she should at least speak to her sisters.

She steps forward into the centre of the clearing (wincing at the dull pain in her shoulder) and calls to the sisters, raising her voice high above the din of the jungle. She waits for them to gather - there are so few of them these days - and then she begins.

“Sisters, I regret to inform you that Lagertha has disappeared.” She pauses, letting them take in the news, then takes a deep breath and carries on. “Yael was tending to the wounded after the raid, and in her exhaustion … something happened to her magic. The backlash killed some, and others simply … vanished. Lagertha among them.” She hopes that it means that Lagertha is still alive out there, somewhere, but there’s no way for them to know.

And now for the hard part. “In light of this, I ask if you will consider me to follow in her footsteps in the position of Khaleesi.” She pauses again, taking a moment to look at the gathered faces, to see if there is any shock or disapproval there. If there are any that would oppose her ascension to the throne, now is the time to find out. “If you will have me, I promise that I will do my utmost to lead you well.” She is, strangely enough, the logical choice. They have dwindled to so few, and she has been the most active among them.

“But before I do, I wish to know what desires, if any, you might have for the Jungle. Are there any kingdoms you would wish us to be allied with? Any that you would hope to avoid?” She has her own opinions of course, but a kingdom so small will not survive without communication and consensus. And she wants the Jungle to do more than just survive. “As well, do we have any new sisters here that might be interested in taking the oath?” She falls silent then, waiting patiently for her answers. Her mind wanders briefly, and she can’t help but wonder what her mother would think of her now. Lyris would scoff, most likely, at the idea of taking on so much responsibility - she’d always been one to skirt her duties. But, Lexa thinks and hopes, that the old lightning mare would’ve be proud of how far her eldest daughter has come.

and the living are hungry.

the dead are gone

They come, those few that are left. Lexa nods in turn at the appaloosa, the paint, and the silvered buckskin. She hopes there are more, but at this point she’s not optimistic. All of Beqanna is struggling these days, and they are simply lucky to have as many as they do.

She is actually surprised when there isn’t even the faintest whisper or grimace at her suggestion that she take the crown - she doesn’t know any of these mares after all - but she supposes her time spent here must at least be evident, and she doubts any of these ladies want the responsibility themselves.

She returns the buckskin’s introduction - “please, call me Lexa” - and smiles when both the appaloosa and the buckskin speak up and voice their desires to take the oath. But the paint - Riva, as Odezsa calls her - voices an important point.

Lexa had been half way between on the Jungle’s borders when the fairy’s voice had rung out. She’d frozen, stunned, as her tattoos (a part of her identity for so long), had been burned away. The news that the kingdom she’d just fought for had been damaged beyond repair had only deepened her shock. But being only a lowly mortal, there is only so much she can do. They can only move forward.

“In the old days, the women of the Jungle had no tattoos to show their allegiance. Our sisters will say the words, and that will be enough. We do not need a binding magic to keep our sisters honest and loyal.” They’d managed without binding magic before, and they will do so again. “However, if you would like a mark - a scar of some kind, a symbol - I would love to hear your suggestions.” There are plants in the Jungle they could use to create dyes, and if they wish for scars, Lexa could assist with that using her abilities. She will wait for their opinions though, before asking Odezsa and the appaloosa to take the oath.

“As for kingdom relations …” Lexa glances amongst them quickly. “Who would you prefer us to offer alliances to?” The Deserts, which would have been her first choice, is obviously off the table. Personally she would like to avoid ties with the Chamber … but she will wait to hear what her sisters have to say before making any decisions.

and the living are hungry.