Topsail was quickly learning that Demian had made many promises he hadn’t intended to keep. Or maybe he had, and circumstance had gotten in the way. Life had a way of doing that; Topsail knew all too well. Her father had been a dreamer as well, and often times his gypsy nature had over ridden good common sense. She had started down that path, and at one time had even found herself scattered amongst the stars. The part of her life was mostly a distant memory, but she could still recall the bitter taste of stardust. A gypsy life wasn’t a productive life though, a promises lost their charm when whispered through prison bars. As much as she admired her father (and even Demian, to an extent), they were dangerous footsteps to follow in. instead, she would forge her own path. The path may eventually lead her through the darkest parts of the forest, but it would be done in her way.
She followed their gaze, registered their apprehension and overall shock. It wasn’t surprising; for the most part, she was unlike anything Beqanna had ever seen. A living breathing fossil; a fossil capable of making plenty of corpses to join the extinct. But the two before her were friendly; rather, they weren’t enemies. The wolves of the kingdom seemed to welcome them, and that was assurance enough for the Queen. She could easily look past their odd appearances, and in Padma’s case, unnerving personality. They had chosen to continue their ties to the Valley and put their faith in her as their leader.
As she shifted back into her given form, she couldn’t help but notice how hungrily Padma’s eyes had swept over every lethal curve of her former body. The snake of a mare had seemed particularly interested in her teeth. That (and the claws) were normally the features that caused most to recoil in fear. In any case Topsail noted it in the back of her mind; perhaps the hungry glean in the mares eyes would come in handy in the future. Once the leathery skin was completely shed she offered them both a genuine smile, gracious under so many eyes. “Again, I welcome you both back. The Valley and myself value loyalty. I think you’ve both proven that.” she said as she inclined her head to both of them. “Both Demian and my own father had many grand plans. Grand plans that would never come into fruition. Some might even say they left rubble and others to pick up the pieces. I intend to start picking those pieces up.” She had no desire to be the Queen of a slumbering kingdom. Like a phoenix, they would rise from the ashes and become greater than before. They would take the pieces others had left for them and build them into something magnificent.
topsail
I was in the darkness, so the darkness I became