Kingdom Meeting (Reply by June 5th)

[Errant]

when my time comes around lay me gently in the cold dark earth Crito is the first to speak, and Errant turns his grey gaze (the same grey as Crito’s) to the roan stallion as he speaks. He speaks of the Chamber and Errant nods – he’d smelled the pine and ash in the air and had assumed diplomats from there had visited, but had trusted his Brothers to deal with them on their own. It seems that had done so, and Errant is glad that it had gone well. Crito also offers to go to the Amazons, which brings a small smile to Errant’s dark face; he wonders what it would be like returning to a birthplace after so long away. An unfamiliar chestnut stallion comes to linger at the edges of the gathering crowd, and though Errant does not know him, he greets him with a nod regardless. Perhaps a new recruit, or a stallion come to visit – Errant does not mind, and he has no secrets from his brothers. He catches something, a faint memory of a name that he might have known from the aura around the stallion, but Errant is not invasive or abusive with his magics, and lets the stallion keep whatever secrets that he has. Hurricane speaks up next, the pale stallion as opinionated as Errant had expected him to be. He is glad of those, though the other horse might think otherwise; differing opinions provide stability in a kingdom in the same way that alternating layers of stones strengthens the walls of a building. Errant appreciates this kingdom because they are a nation of Brothers, not of clones. Brennen echoes the other’s thoughts on alliances with the Jungle and the Falls, and Errant is sure that these had been good ideas. The large-winged horse does not agree with Hurricane on the issue of magicians though, and Errant finds himself nodding. The Valley and the Deserts both have magicians, and the idea of tying themselves into an alliance with two opposite ends of the spectrum of light versus dark would seem to inevitably lead to conflict. He’s about to say as much when something speaks, and he glances up, trying to pinpoint the location of the voice. It’s Nihlus, but as soon as Errant finds him he’s gone again, and then is suddenly in the distance, pulling up to the meeting with heavy breathing. Frowning, Errant only nods. He will figure out what has happened with Nihlus later. “We seem united on alliances with the Falls and with the Amazons.” He says, glancing around to see if there are any last minute dissenters. His grey gaze does linger a moment longer of Brisk, aware without effort that she is Rigdon’s daughter and Lea’s niece. She’s nearly old enough to choose what to do with herself; he is curious what she will choose. But for now, the kingdom is most important. “Crito, if you would go with Hurricane to the Amazons and propose an alliance, Brennen will go to the Falls. Perhaps Nihlus, you could join him?” Errant knows of the older stallion’s affection for the neutral kingdom and of Nihlus’ lack of commitment to any kingdom – he means to offer the young horse something to do and the older one as pleasant an experience as possible. “And Crito, if you could let your sister know that Simeon is unlikely to ever achieve any rank in the Tundra with his performance thus far.” Errant had hopes for the boy, but his absense and lack of dedication has done little to support that. “I do agree with Brennen regarding magicians. Allying with kingdoms with magicians is a defense that I do not feel we need. We should be wary of them, but not overly cautious. Perhaps with them – with the Desert and the Valley – a treaty might be in order. Friendly steals and challenges, but no promises of aid in war?” Here he looks to Hurricane, his grey gaze meeting that of the winged stallion to see what he might think of Errant’s addendum to his auggestion. e r r a n t no grave can hold my body down i'll crawl home to her