Open From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY

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From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - Z e i k - 07-31-2016

ZEIK

the way a falcon shook down on me, the dust of snow from a hemlock tree

Frost encrusts his immense wingspan showering bits of ice as his grey toned wings break through wind. The bird of prey glides effortlessly through the slumbering kingdom. Talons flex shattering the ice that lingered upon each individual toe, as his mandible emitted a deep screech. His sharp jaw remained agape as he allowed a call to be released, a high pitched kak kak kak. As he calls the few that lingered within her bounds.

His talons scrape up snow as Zeik returns to his equine form. His ashen body ambles beneath the Mother Tree, a ruin of the magical entity that once had magic running through it's embodiment. He inspects it briefly, as no one had been guarding it as they should. Running his muzzle across the damp bark, snow began to fall upon his withers and spine from above. The nares of his nostrils flare as he melts away the residue of frost upon his ivory snip.

He waits for every single being to arrive then he begins, "Comrades. Heavens still remains in an everlasting slumber." He pauses as thoughts hustle through his mind. "Yet, Wrym has seemed to have abandoned us as Tannor did before him." He husks. "In light of our rather dire situation as a kingdom. I ask of you to determine wether I am fit to lead Heavens Gates in her awakening." His optics sift through the few bodies around him searching for any looks of disapproval or disturbance within the group. Now would be the time for them to speak freely on their thoughts of him as their future king.

The man remains silent for a moment allowing all of them to speak out if needed, "If you allow it. I vow to not abandon her and, lead you graciously." He doesn't wish for them to be abandoned as their past leaders had done before them. It was time for Heavens to be renewed with life. For equine to fill it's greenery and ranks, for other kingdoms to look upon the kingdom of strength rather than weakness. It was time for someone no one other than him to step up and fulfill the duties as king.

But before his rule envoys would be needed and sent out, alliances and treaties must be formed. "Before that must happen. We must send envoys to the surrounding kingdoms, to see where they all stand. Are there any particular kingdoms that we should create an alliance with? Are there any that we should avert?" The stallion states, his vocals growing rough from both speaking and his previous calls for them. Zeik can't help but allow his thoughts to meander about his mind wondering what is in store for the kingdom if they did accept him as their King. He also wondered if Felinae would accept his decision to step up as ruler of their kingdom.

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE - magnus - 08-01-2016

you and I both know that the house is haunted
and you and I both know that the ghost is me

The Gates deserved better than absentee rulers. It deserved better than to become a pawn in someone’s play for power. It deserved more than to become reduced to a chess piece—moved about the terrain of Beqanna without thought for that which made it unique, that which made it special. Since his return, Magnus had watched the kingdom in its slumber once more. He had watched the borders with no one crossing either way—he had watched the Mother Tree sit silently in her own company. And he had mourned. Mourned for what should be but was not. That which almost was but was then forgotten.

He is not surprised when the call breaks out across the kingdom and although he does not come quickly, he also does not unnecessarily delay. Instead, he stretches languidly, rolling his scarred muscles and shaking his wide-jawed head. With the final frost of winter just beginning to dissolve along the kingdom’s border, he could begin to see the first signs of spring. It was beautiful; his favorite season.

He wished he could spend more time enjoying it.

But today is not a day for rejoicing, for languid hours spent under the boughs of the surrounding trees. Instead, today is a day for hard decisions. For proclamations and crowns and dusty thrones. He is quiet as he approaches the falcon-stallion, his gold-flecked eyes carefully blank as he looks around them. “Hello, Zeik,” he says quietly, his voice neutral, rumbling in his throat. For a moment he is quiet, weighing the options and considering what the stallion was asking of Heaven’s few, if any, inhabitants. He had never seen the stallion before he was jerked from this earth; he knew nothing of his moral fiber, courage, or work ethic.

There was nothing on which to judge him.

“I am unfit to weigh in on this decision,” he finally offers, leveling his gaze. “But I serve Heaven and not who temporarily wears the crown so be sure it is a weight you can carry before you take up the mantle.”

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - Ellyse - 08-01-2016

i swallow my doubt, turn it inside out - find nothing but faith in nothing.

"What do you mean, us?" Her scathing words emerge from the depths of the shadows in which she had kept herself hidden away. Her bristling plumage ruffles irritably, stirring at her slender sides as she expands them to each end, rattling the shining feathers of crystalline remnants of ice. Her eyes, a burning shade of hazel and alight with both mischief and overt disdain, linger upon the unusual and unfamiliar face. A wry laugh is wrought from her slender neck, reverberating from the depths of her esophagus as she utters bitter words once more, "You have been as absent as the King you are attempting to overthrow."

She is a quiet presence, a lurking being hidden within the thickets that line the border, dwelling beneath shade and hiding away from the obscene sunlight that so freely shines in spite of wind, sleet or snow - she felt little calling to respond to Wyrm; he was not unlike the rest. He had come to seek power, just as the useless King before him had, leaving the land in a heavy dust with little care or concern for those who had inhabited it. He had not been worth her time then, and the blue roan that stood before her had yet to prove himself as well - but boredom so often ate away at her restless soul, and callous curiosity drew her out into the dreary daylight at last.

She pauses to glance to the buckskin beside her - she had seen him dwell along the border, much as she had - but she had never so much as exchanged her name with him. She knows of him, however - the lore runs deep. Alas, he is as uncertain as she, and so her muscles smooth out beneath her golden coat as the tension leaves her body. He had lived among the golden wheat and Mother Tree long before she had (and she could briefly remember glimpses of his wise eyes and weary face in her youth), and so his words carry more weight than her own. Nonetheless, her sharp gaze narrows once more onto Zeik, wary still of his intentions.

"What have you to offer us? You make empty promises and only proclaim what others already have - what sets you apart? You seem to lack even the basic understanding of current politics. Perhaps you are unaware, but Wyrm descends from those with bad blood with the Chamber, thus leaving us as the inadvertent enemies of the Tundra and the Valley as well. A King should be well aware of these tensions." She pauses, her voice deepening as she lingers on the latter statement. Her own father lingers within the walls of the Valley, once loyal to the now absent demon King and his father before him. She had not seen him in many years, but knew his loyalty knew no bounds with the darkened valley refuge she had been born in.

"The throne would eat you alive, as it has many others. I disagree with the nameless one," She pauses with a humorless chuckle, casting a mirthful glance in the direction of Magnus, who had neglected to introduce himself. "his name is Magnus and my own name is Ellyse. If any are fit to serve our kingdom as King, it is him. Not you. Should he desire to, I will stand behind him and him alone."

Ellyse

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - Kena - 08-04-2016

Kena

The inky girl enters the petite group. Allowing her cobalt eyes to inspect every single fragment of flesh before her. Two of whom are familiar, Magnus and Zeik. The other is a stranger. She grunts, listening tentatively to the stranger's, Ellyse's speech before allowing herself to intervene. The mixed sweet and rough vocals of her parentage enters the atmosphere, "Pardon me." She allows a short pause. "Ellyse who are you to disagree? As far as I know you've been quite absent yourself." The ebony girl allows a roguish grin to form upon her velvet lips as she extends her crest in a stretch. "I'm Kena."

Both of her parents served Heavens during Mast's rule. At that time her mother, Wichita upheld the rank as Lady. While her father, Rapscallion committed most of his time to the army, hardly leaving any time to be acquainted with his own creation. Kena held little memory of either of them, mainly of her mother's kindness and diplomacy and, her father's courage and experience in the art of war. Therefore the girl had blood both castes pumping through her veins, weighing her descions.

Her gaze meets Ellyse, "A new rule can make amends of past enemies." She pauses, "We need an alliance with the Tundra. Since they've opened their ranks to both males and females, their kingdom has grown like a wild fire. We need their support." Her eyes drift towards Zeik. "If we allow Zeik to become our King. The surrounding kingdoms will need to send envoys, to see where Heavens stands under his reign. With a new ruler the kingdoms that we should avert would be more open to an alliance or treaty, rather than combat or war." She states.

"Although I do agree that Magnus would make a more experienced alternative. But we need someone who hasn't already held the throne. For it gives us an advantage, as our history is renewed, rather than remains." Kena ends. Allowing her eyes to wander, searching for expressions of disapproval upon her argument.

Love's A Game - Wanna Play?

So Late >.<

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - Sahm+Newton - 08-05-2016

Sahm was quietly practicing his magic amongst tall grasses toward the eastside of the Gates. He was attempting to spring water from a single, circular rock that lied lifeless next to his hoof. His eyes focused heavily on the solid object, and his mind wandered intentionally to thoughts of rain, river, and sea. His mouth grew dry, and he tapped the rock gently in hope. It took mere moments for a single layer of moisture to shield the rock, but the dew-like cover did not relate to the fountain like water propulsion Sahm was imagining. He sighed. ”Aww carbuncles.” He muttered to himself. Sahm was growing stronger each day- he could now teleport, but his gift was definitely more difficult to control then he had originally thought.

In frustration Sahm settled back. The Gates had formed a habit of cycling through kings. Sahm had grown tired of the constant rotation. He didn’t even try to introduce himself anymore. Eventually the king would disappear and another would take his place. Sahm’s job was to simply protect the essence of the Gates. He hid amongst the shadows, chatted with the deer, and rarely emerged to speak with any other wandering inhabitants. The Gates was quiet, and Sahm was equally as quiet.

Normally Sahm would not have dismissed his afternoon session, but his heightened senses had picked up on an interesting discussion. It sounded like another horse was proclaiming his right as king. Sahm laughed to himself with a gentle shake of his head. The endless stream of kings seemed never ending- but this time the self-proclaimed royal did not run unopposed. It was time for Sahm to hold even an ounce of his mothers strength.

In an instant Sahm appeared beside the group. ”Oh…hello guys…” He muttered while he caught his footing. ”I guess it is time for the Gates to come alive again. My name is Sahm” He glanced toward his constantly shifting front left hoof. ”I’ve been around….” He looked back up before speaking again. “It does seem like the mantle of king hasn’t meant much over the last few years. So I am not sure it really matters.”

sahm
the inexperienced, quiet magician of the gates

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - Heartfire - 08-06-2016

show them the joy and the pain and the ending

She had not meant to get involved. Indeed, had not particularly cared that the upstart had elected to go after the throne. He is not strong enough to hold it, and in the meantime, it would provide some entertainment. But things had started to get very... interesting.

And let's just say she has a hard time passing up interesting.

A kingdom in turmoil has a way of bringing the quiet, the absent, the passively interested out of the woodwork. This time is no different. She watches them come (she is always watching, always looking for the out of the ordinary), so many who were absent arriving to cast judgement.

But when the magician arrives, she cannot resist (oh, she sees. No sight, past or present, is safe from her prying eyes). Her slight frame wends easily through the kingdom, finding them in moments.

”My, my, such dissention.” Eyes if crystalline blue flick from horse to horse before finally landing in Zeik. ”None of you are in a position to throw stones.”

She smiles then, though it is not a kind smile. It is a familiar expression, though she has rarely worn it in equine form. ”Zeik, darling. There are those here that, inexplicably, seem to have faith in you. And there are those who do not. I have ruled a kingdom before, so tell me, convince me, that you can do so in truth.”

heartfire

i filled up my senses with thoughts from the ghosts

pic c lancerey.deviantart.com

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - Z e i k - 08-08-2016

ZEIK

the way a falcon shook down on me, the dust of snow from a hemlock tree

He feels the need to shift but he knows it's not necessary. The powers and gifts you wield shows little strength. Attacked by questions, the stallion remains silent for a moment allowing himself to ponder. He sifts through memories trying to answer his very own answer, what brought him to Heavens? And why did he stay? Felinae and Vlinder come to mind, his daughter was born within Heavens Gates after Felinae had escaped from Gryffin. His lover had seeked refuge in the Gates, as did many others that escaped from the wolf's wrath. There he had it, Heavens was meant to be a sanctuary.

"Heavens has been a sanctuary for many." He pauses, "She has been a sanctuary for me and, maybe even for you. If you allow me to rule, I will open her borders to equine seeking any means of refuge." Zeik searches their faces briefly before continuing. "I am aware of our current enemies. And possible threats, therefore with open borders each stranger that enters must be questioned and or inspected by a member of the army." The man silences himself.

Contemplating wether or not to send envoys to the Kingdom's foes and offer them means of peace. If they somehow could build a truce, Heavens will be able to have open borders without members of the army bombarding those who seek sanctuary. "Having open borders without threats would be ideal. Envoys must be sent to the Chamber, Valley and Tundra extending an olive branch. Are there any volunteers? Those who venture towards these kingdoms must show extreme caution and respect towards their borders." His optics search the group for volunteers.

"Envoys must also be sent to the Jungle, Dale, and Falls. I would prefer if a few mares would proceed in visiting the Jungle. Once again advance with caution respect their borders, and offer peace." He searches the crowd again for volunteers. "If we remain neutral or make peace with our enemies the borders will be opened with no need for a militant to question incoming equine."

His eyes meet Magnus and Sahm he knew that Magnus had been within Heavens for long. Kena also hinted that he may have been king in his past. Meanwhile Zeik could sense that Sahm held some sort of means of magic. The ashen stallion would need advisors, he would need guidance in his rule. The two seemed resourceful and necessary in order for the kingdom to function as it did. Zeik needed them by his side, so they could aid in his descions.

Hey just wanted to let everyone know Zeik had permission from Dianna to be King.... So give him a bit of a break... He's really trying here. Also I'm sorry if I interpret questions wrong, I'm dyslexic.

Alright. So either Magnus and Sahm can stay behind after the meeting ends so Zeik can ask them to be his advisors or I can create a separate thread.

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - Felinae - 08-08-2016

I'm so excited, delighted. I won't deny it nor fight it.

She’s late, terribly late. But, in her defence, that isn’t something you can blame her for. She loves him, wholeheartedly, but this isn’t the stallion she had met in the meadow when she had still been a girl. Just shy of life without any experience, neither good or bad ones. Zeik had provided her with good experiences, had introduced her to love and devotion. It was Gryffen who had shown her the dark side of life. Magnus was the one who had brought her, Minette and their children to the Gates, where her lover had joined her again.

But Zeik had never been a kingdom horse. It hadn’t been for nothing that they had chosen a herd to live in, well, until the red eyed demon had come along. He had agreed to stay with her in the Gates, not because the falcon shifting stallion had wanted to serve a kingdom, but because she wanted it. Felinae had felt grateful for what Magnus had done for them, what he had risked. And she wanted to live for the Gates, to offer others the same new life she had gotten. And it was the Gates she still lived, although it slumbered and was barely alive. Leaving wasn’t something she actually thought of. The Heaven’s Gates was her home and her home it would stay.

Unlike her lover she is a small bird, a prey rather than a predator. The color of her bird matched her own coat, complimenting it, but it didn’t allow her to fly really fast. Felinae circles around the group a few times, before landing on her lover’s back. She chirps softly before flittering towards the ground, where she shifts. Feathers, claws and beak get changed for a cobalt blue roan colt, four legs and an elegant head. She offers her nose to Zeik, in a silent greeting, before stepping back. She hesitates, her gaze moving from Zeik to Magnus, before her eyes linger on the blue roan stallion again.

”Is this really what you want? Do you really have what it takes? I have seen you passionate about things before and I know you can devote yourself to it, but the kingdom life wasn’t what appealed to you when we first settled ourselves in the Gates.” She voices out her worries, voice gentle. Of course she would support him, but it is odd for her to see this different version of her lover. Biting down on her lower lip Felinae steps back a bit, so she can look at Magnus for a short second. Honestly, she’s afraid of what the future might hold for them if Zeik indeed crowned himself king. For her things would’ve been much easier if Magnus would’ve been the one that had stepped up.

felinae

OOC: The Zeik I describe in my post is the one played by Calcifer, with CL as his new player he has changed a bit, but yeah.. Feli of course knows the 'old' Zeik.

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - magnus - 08-08-2016

we carry these things inside that no one else can see
they hold us down like anchors; they drown us out at sea

Quiet. Magnus remains quiet as the spectacle unfolds around him; quiet as voices of both dissension and approval arise. His gold-flecked eyes begin to smolder beneath the tangled mop of his inky forelock, but he still says nothing. Still, he glances away from Zeik momentarily toward the mare who had arrived after him, Ellyse, and just nods at her—almost imperceptibly. He may not think he was worthy of ruling, but he could appreciate the support all the same; it helped that he had a soft spot for sharp-tongued women.

He, however, remains wordless, again looking back toward Zeik—waiting for him to address the concerns that had been raised, to show his worth as a leader. What came instead was a shock to Magnus, and his carefully neutral expression flickered into a sharp frown, scarred mouth dipping in the corners. It wasn’t that he disagreed with the words—it’s just that they were awfully familiar. If Zeik had overheard Magnus discuss his own vision of Gates and agreed with it, then Magnus would be elated. But if those words were simply being echoed and used as a ploy to further Zeik’s play for power, then it would be grave indeed.

When Felinae arrived Magnus’ golden gaze brightened momentarily—thrilled that the little blue mare had stayed within the borders of the kingdom. They may not have talked much, but he had always tried to look after her when she had first arrived with Minette. To know that she had found a home, a purpose, within the boundaries of Heaven was enough to make his heart constrict painfully in his chest.

If only he could say the same for Minette.

Shaking himself of the thought, he gave her a quick smile, then turned his attention back to Zeik, his expression falling somber once more. “Before we discuss politics,” he began carefully, his voice full of smoke, “we should discuss the questions asked of you.” His words were not unnecessarily harsh, but you would have to be a fool to not sense the underlying steel. “Your kingdom has raised concerns, and if you are asking for them, for us, to follow you, then they deserve to be answered. They deserve that much.”

He leveled his gaze with Zeik. “Kings lead only by serving first. If you are to ascend this throne, then it would serve you well to serve now. Answer your people.” His mouth hardened and then he fell silent again, waiting for the falcon stallion respond. In his heart, he wanted to work alongside whoever was to wear the crown, and had done so time and time again, but he could not shake the dread that settled in his heart—the memory ticking in the back of his mind when another King had taken the throne so suddenly…and the bloodshed that had followed. He could only hope history would not repeat.

magnus

RE: From A Hemlock Tree; EVERYONE/MANDATORY - Ellyse - 08-08-2016

i swallow my doubt, turn it inside out - find nothing but faith in nothing.

Kena's tone is an assault to her own hearing, and Ellyse has to tense her jaw tightly in order to hide the evident cringe lingering beneath her attempted stoicism. Such sticky sweetness is nauseating, at best, and listening to the uptick of her voice at the end of each emphasized word is enough to leave her feeling ill. A wry laughter emerges from her lungs as her eyes, fiery and yet with endless depth, set intently upon the haughty female, and she contemplates for a long moment how it might feel to pull, twist and manipulate her fragile bones from within her body. Albeit a slightly improper thought, it stirs amusement to the surface rather than the intense irritation simmering beneath the surface.

"Magnus is a name etched into the markings of history; and Zeik is .. I apologize, who are you, exactly?" A humorless chuckle rumbles from within her throat as she tugs her thick alabaster plumage tightly to her sides. "I have little to gain either way. I merely seek to see the kingdom thrive, and will it beneath Zeik? I have not seen him venture even once outside of these walls, as Magnus does with the dawning of each day."

Her heavy gaze shifts away from her at last, observing the quiet and rather reserved magician as he approaches. He is humble, gentle - there is a kindness beneath his exterior, albeit a lack of confidence. Alas, Sahm too has remained even after the dust had settled upon their empty and dying land, and for that she has little to argue. "I disagree. I think it matters very much. Who ascends the throne will set the pace. What effort has Zeik made? A fixture of the shadows, as you and I have been. He is an unknown. A wild card. How will that benefit us at all? We have had two unknowns take the helm previously - our potential allies would not agree so easily to an alliance, or even neutrality, with no experience to base it off of." She murmurs irritably, her mind lingering on Tannor - the immature boy's abandonment still burns beneath her skin, and forgiveness would not come swiftly.

"As they say, burn me once, shame on you; burn me twice, shame on me." A snort. Her eyes raise as Heartfire approaches, her feminine yet imposing form taking its place among them. She is radiance and confidence, and curiosity sets in as she listens carefully to her cryptic words. Ellyse falls quiet for a moment as she speaks, wisdom in her words and yet her youth gives her away. Yet again, a nameless one. A lack of identity leads to a lack of weight in words.

"He is attempting to take the throne - is that not good reason to question his motives?" Her mouth grimaces slightly, though she flatters her expression into a thin and narrow line, listening as Zeik raises his voice once more.

Again, her rich yet dry laughter breaks through the tension, eyes wild again. "How very regal of you to ignore the questions asked of you. Your idea of a sanctuary, of a refuge - words many of us have already heard Magnus say. Unoriginal. You come to us and ask us to determine whether or not you should be deemed fit to rule, and yet ignore dissension?"

At last, a sigh emerges from her lungs, her deep eyes searching Zeik's imploringly. "Tell us your plan. No one will accept peace after what has occurred here, with or without a new ruler. What loyalty can we promise? You intend to ascend the throne and neglect to visit the rulers of potential allies and enemies personally? None of them will agree to any of it without knowing you first. You must be the one to reach out, to ensure them of your plan and intentions, not simply send us in your place. We are not sheep - we will not follow blindly, Zeik. To assume so is foolish on your behalf."

Ellyse