08-16-2016, 12:03 PM
I was in the darkness; so the darkness I became.
They gathered, as she knew they would. One by one they slipped from the shadows of the forest, keen to hear her words and eager for action. Their kingdom was floundering, as was the rest of Beqanna. It was time that they rose from the ashes of their slumber and poor decisions and made right the wrongs of a bloody past. Now, more than ever, their kingdom depended on them. For once it would not be the other way around. They would nurture Her, and preen Her, and help to grow fruitful once more. Together.
New faces joined the old, a fact which made the grulla queens heart soar. First was Padma, a steadfast figure in the Valley, followed closely by a chestnut pledging herself to the war caste. Then Eight; the Valley guardian, and sire of her children. She returned his silent hello, their eyes meeting for but a brief moment and conveying some type of private message. They did not share love (despite sharing children), but an understanding of one another that allowed them to work closely side by side. Then a golden filly-mare, with eyes too wide and a naïve smile; she would learn. Another mare was soon to follow, one that Topsail had never seen before. She did not smell like the Valley, in the way only Valley dwellers could. Like fog and shadows, a darkness that radiated from their skin like light bounced off of the others. Time would tell for her. Finally her son, her Underwood. Her be all to end all; no matter that he had full siblings, he could never be replaced or replicated. Lastly came Elysium. The Valleys strange moth man, but who’s heart was as consumed with the Valley as any of them. Despite his recent absence, he was a valued member of their kingdom, and Topsail knew that come hell or high water, he would be there for them.
“To our new faces…Welcome. To the old faces, thank you.” she said, a gracious nod to the group as a whole. The pup at her heels whined, and she spared it a small glance before continuing on. “As you have probably heard, the fairies have stripped all of the magic from the kingdoms. Ours is not the only one; in fact, the Deserts are currently uninhabitable. Whether or not this is a direct reaction to the raid, I’ve no idea. On that note, we will no longer entertain the ideas of spineless worms looking to stir the shit pot. Instead, we will be the hand forcing them to lick the spoon.” she said, a glare in her eyes and a bite to her voice. She would not mention names, no…at least, not now. “For now, we must protect our entities. These wolf pups at my heels are dependant on all of us. We must nurture them, coddle them even, if it means they are to grow. Without them, we have no kingdom.” Like fledgling birds, they could do nothing on their own. Topsail had even taken to showing them where to find food, albeit mostly carrion. Without her own kingdom powers, she had no means with which to hunt and kill food for the tiny predators, but she could still point them in the right direction. “Our ties with the Chamber and Tundra are still strong, though I think it would not hurt for Eight and myself to go and check their bindings. Underwood, if you would like to go to the Gates, then please feel free. Rumor has it their kingdom has changed hands once again, and it would be in our best interest to see just what the new ruler is about.” a pause, as she nodded in her sons direction. “Everyone else…for now, we with hold kingdom envoys. The state of Beqanna is dangerous at best, and it would not due to set the wrong impressions straight out of the gate. Instead, recruit. Friendly steals and challenges. Mock debates. Whatever you would like; I’m sure our allies would not mind a little extra practice themselves. The field has been active and it would be nice to see Valley faces amongst those recruiting.” There was always someone looking for a home in the Field, and they would never come to the Valley if they weren’t offered the chance. “Due to recent events, I would also like to ask Eight to stand beside me as King and to lead the army as General for the time being. He has proven himself worthy time and time again, and he performed above and beyond in the Valley raid, conquering the magician Yael. Eight, if you will, I would be glad for you to take the other crown.” she said, bowing her head slightly in his direction. He could say no, true, but it was only right of her to ask. “Any questions, comments, or concerns? Lets voice them now.”. And with that offer, she opened up the floor to the Valleys people.
Topsail
Queen of the Valley