11-13-2015, 02:18 PM
I am iron and I forge myself
Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d
thrice and once the hedge-pig whin’d
Harper cries: ‘tis time! ‘Tis time!
‘Tis time, indeed. It’s an honor, really, that both sides have come to them, requesting to be allies. The women have Beqanna at their hooves, and all they need to do is choose.
Their Khaleesi summons them with a resounding call, ululating to make it carry through the densely packed land. It’s been two years or so since she’s been crowned, and hopefully there are enough newcomers that will want to take the pledge if they haven’t done so already. But that isn’t the main reason for this gathering. No, the main reason should be heralded with drums of war and trumpets and fanfare loud enough to rouse the sleeping old ones from their slumber.
It isn’t, of course. But Lagertha can hope. She, too, has made some personal changes. Her horns, the ones that spiralled high above her head and gave the illusion of a headdress are now gone. They fell off recently, when the Jungle offered her a far more deadly weapon. As Beqanna seems to do this days, the spirit required that she give up something. The horns were merely a symbol for the position she held (one that she still seeks to fill - but that is another story), and knew the gift it offered would change her for the better. So now she is simply a gunmetal gray mare, broad-chested and well-muscled who hides her skills instead of flaunting them. All the better to take one’s opponent by surprise, right?
Oh, and then there’s the blue roan colt that takes the place of Anguisette. That might be a small surprise as well.
She waits until they come to her, making small talk if they wish, but generally waiting until more than two or three have come to start her speech. She’s been rehearsing it, trying to figure out how to present the two sides equally. The decision was finally made to leave her personal opinions out of it for now, unless asked. “Sisters, it is good to see you all. Let’s get down to it. We have been approached by two kingdoms that are seeking alliances: The Chamber and the Gates. Some of you may know that last year the Chamber attacked the Gates, stealing their Queen and burning down their tree. The Gates is itching for revenge and have been actively recruiting. I’ve seen them far more often in the Field than I have seen our own members.” Nevermind that when she did come up against Magnus in the friendly competitions, she usually won. Perhaps that speaks more to her ability to pick suitable candidates than her own skill at recuriting.
“The Chamber has been causing some ruckus about Beqanna, and clearly are not afraid of confrontation. I imagine that they are allies with the Valley which could make them formidable opponents. I do not know if the Gates has anyone else on their side. Frankly, I would not be surprised if everything depended on our response, given our size and our strength, and our alliance with the Dale. What I do believe is that the possibility of war is very real and could be imminent.” She pauses, looking out over the faces she loves and feels a great deal of responsibility for. “So I am putting it to a vote. Do we ally with the Chamber or the Gates? You may abstain from the vote, but you may not vote for staying out of the conflict. We cannot stand by and not take action. I am not that kind of mare, and I do not believe that you are either. You may of course, choose not to fight should it come to that, and that choice will be fully respected. That being said, our choice is up to you. Majority will rule.”
That is the absolute truth. She would never make them fight if they didn’t want to. For now, she waits, letting them take all the time they need to make their own decisions.
thrice and once the hedge-pig whin’d
Harper cries: ‘tis time! ‘Tis time!
‘Tis time, indeed. It’s an honor, really, that both sides have come to them, requesting to be allies. The women have Beqanna at their hooves, and all they need to do is choose.
Their Khaleesi summons them with a resounding call, ululating to make it carry through the densely packed land. It’s been two years or so since she’s been crowned, and hopefully there are enough newcomers that will want to take the pledge if they haven’t done so already. But that isn’t the main reason for this gathering. No, the main reason should be heralded with drums of war and trumpets and fanfare loud enough to rouse the sleeping old ones from their slumber.
It isn’t, of course. But Lagertha can hope. She, too, has made some personal changes. Her horns, the ones that spiralled high above her head and gave the illusion of a headdress are now gone. They fell off recently, when the Jungle offered her a far more deadly weapon. As Beqanna seems to do this days, the spirit required that she give up something. The horns were merely a symbol for the position she held (one that she still seeks to fill - but that is another story), and knew the gift it offered would change her for the better. So now she is simply a gunmetal gray mare, broad-chested and well-muscled who hides her skills instead of flaunting them. All the better to take one’s opponent by surprise, right?
Oh, and then there’s the blue roan colt that takes the place of Anguisette. That might be a small surprise as well.
She waits until they come to her, making small talk if they wish, but generally waiting until more than two or three have come to start her speech. She’s been rehearsing it, trying to figure out how to present the two sides equally. The decision was finally made to leave her personal opinions out of it for now, unless asked. “Sisters, it is good to see you all. Let’s get down to it. We have been approached by two kingdoms that are seeking alliances: The Chamber and the Gates. Some of you may know that last year the Chamber attacked the Gates, stealing their Queen and burning down their tree. The Gates is itching for revenge and have been actively recruiting. I’ve seen them far more often in the Field than I have seen our own members.” Nevermind that when she did come up against Magnus in the friendly competitions, she usually won. Perhaps that speaks more to her ability to pick suitable candidates than her own skill at recuriting.
“The Chamber has been causing some ruckus about Beqanna, and clearly are not afraid of confrontation. I imagine that they are allies with the Valley which could make them formidable opponents. I do not know if the Gates has anyone else on their side. Frankly, I would not be surprised if everything depended on our response, given our size and our strength, and our alliance with the Dale. What I do believe is that the possibility of war is very real and could be imminent.” She pauses, looking out over the faces she loves and feels a great deal of responsibility for. “So I am putting it to a vote. Do we ally with the Chamber or the Gates? You may abstain from the vote, but you may not vote for staying out of the conflict. We cannot stand by and not take action. I am not that kind of mare, and I do not believe that you are either. You may of course, choose not to fight should it come to that, and that choice will be fully respected. That being said, our choice is up to you. Majority will rule.”
That is the absolute truth. She would never make them fight if they didn’t want to. For now, she waits, letting them take all the time they need to make their own decisions.
Lagertha
warrior queen of the amazons