[private] lighting matches just to swallow up the flame; anaxarete

[Starsin]

and let me crawl inside your veins. I'll build a wall, give you a ball and chain.

Her position as royal advisor was a relatively useless position when nothing was ran by her. 

When she had seen Anaxarete’s alien-creature within the borders of Loess, she had released a sigh of exasperation. Castile was known for being rash, but Starsin wouldn’t classify him as stupid. Stealing a feral creature from the shadow queen certainly could fall into that category, however. 

She was not against stirring up trouble, and she was equally guilty of tending not to care who she angered in the process. But stealing a feral creature with no means to control it, and stealing it from someone much more powerful than yourself, was not something she personally would condone.

Starsin was familiar with Anaxarete, and her creations. The unsuspecting pretty pink egg that had been left in Loess and spawned forth that hellspawn, Ciara, was really all Starsin needed to know about Pangea’s queen, and to decide she was someone worthy of remaining wary of. There had been a point when perhaps it would not have mattered if Loess ruffled Pangea’s feathers, but Starsin had enough awareness to recognize they were no longer in that position. Loess, on its own, was not strong enough to withstand an attack against Pangea, and many of Castile’s personal allies – Vulgaris and Lie, to name two – had proven that their loyalties could be swayed.

When she crosses the Pangean border, she ignores the sickening feeling of nostalgia that blooms through her veins. She has not been here since Lie was king, and she had not intended on coming back, however, she was not going to let her family suffer for Castile’s mistake.

As expected, Anaxarete finds her easily enough. She had assumed she would instantly be aware of an outsider at her borders, and she offers the shadow queen a guarded smile once the two are close enough. “Anaxarete,” her dark blue eyes regard the other mare carefully, but her stance remains relaxed. “Always a pleasure.” Not being one to waste time, she states simply. “You have something of mine, and Loess has something of yours. I was hoping we might reach an agreement.”

starsin

it’s not like me to be so mean. you’re all I wanted.
( just let me hold you Like a hostage. )

[Anaxarete]

A N A X A R E T E. “Hello Starsin. I can’t say I expected to see you here,” she offered, as the shadowmare politely dipped her head in greeting, having sensed the other mare’s presence in Pangea. It was a curious thing that she had come. Last time it had been an outsider, negotiating on Loess’ behalf - and not all too convincingly, if she was being honest. So the shadowmare was interested to see what this visit would bring. “Tell me, are you here negotiating on Castile’s behalf, or are you here of your own accord?” she asked, though she knew well what the woman’s answer would be, especially considering the current status of Loess’ king. It was refreshing, however, to be visited by someone who at least seemed grounded in reality.  Loess was vulnerable. Anaxarete knew this. So did Starsin. And it certainly appeared to the shadowmare that Starsin was more interested in being proactive than some of the others who called Loess home.  The shadowmare is more than willing to listen to the offer, one she had perhaps expected to have received before now. No matter. “Oh, but Ripley is having so much fun in Loess,” she says, with a dry air of amusement. She’d half expected Ripley to be sent back as soon as she spilled Loessian blood. However it seemed like the dragon-king was a glutton for punishment. “However, I think we could come to an arrangement. My Ripley for your son.”  Malone. It was undoubtedly why Starsin had come. Anaxarete didn’t like the idea that her magic was spread thin by keeping a layer of protection around Ripley who was still in Loess, and she was burning through her own energy keeping tabs on their western neighbors. While she had absolutely no reservations about letting Ripley continue her ‘captivity’ in Loess and leaving a trail of destruction in her path, she would feel more at ease having her here. And having the full extent of her magic available to her should something appear on the horizon. And, of course, there was the fact that she was far happier to negotiate with Starsin than Castile, at this point. Anaxarete had met the dragon-king in person only once - a strange conversation filled with posturing and assumptions.  Then he takes it upon himself to steal what is not his to control.  It left a sour taste in her mouth, to say the very least. “You know, it really is a pity that Loess doesn’t have a leader like you,” the shadowmare quipped, offhandedly.  And it was true - especially given the circumstances.  Needless to say, she was curious to see Starsin’s reaction. Curious to see if it was something that Starsin had considered, given the current situation back at home. queen of the shadows.

 

@[Starsin]