"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
"Thanks again for coming with me to this place Raxa. I would've asked Mom but she's busy with my brother right now, so I appreciate that you're here," Eiria told the brindled mare, giving her a friendly smile.
Eiria wasn't a fully inducted diplomat for the kingdom, unlike her dam. However, Anahi had trained her in what she knew, how to strike good deals with kingdoms, and so on, so that both sides would benefit from the alliance. The champagne mare had been planning on going with her daughter to the Chamber for this meeting, but the birth of her foal had caught up too quickly, so she was now at home, resting, watching over her newborn.
So, instead, Eiria had taken it upon herself to go to the Chamber. However, she wasn't comfortable going alone yet. Luckily, the day she'd decided she would make the trip, she'd run into Raxa by one of the brindle's favorite grazing spots, and had asked for her accompaniment. Raxa had agreed, even if she wasn't thrilled about it.
Which is why Eiria was making it a point to reiterate her thanks so that, hopefully, Raxa's cranky mood would lift a little bit.
The duo arrived at the borders of the Chamber. Eiria looked around carefully, seeing if there were any nearby horses, before she stuck one hoof across the border. She looked around again before taking another step, and continued with this same process until she was across the border line.
Once she was, the filly smiled eagerly, glad that the two of them had made it here okay.
She glanced back to Raxa, "Do you perhaps know who it is here we need to talk to? I know you've traveled a lot so, maybe you heard the name of the horse that rules this place?"
Kimber has been quiet in the wake of all the recent events, although she fought and won it didn't feel as good as it normally should have. Perhaps it was because she had only recently given birth prior or perhaps she simply couldn't shake the feelings of apathy in general. On the bright side, she no longer had wings and although it made traveling much faster; her shoulders no longer ached at the end of the day. The lands of Beqanna were certain to change, change was always promised even if it was non-sensical. The dip-dyed mare and been incapable of patrolling the borders for many days after her return from the plains but today she mustered some of her stubbornness to fulfill her duties.
She watches the two from afar, testing their luck - knowing good and well that entering the borders weren't likely welcomed. She sighs, jerking her head to the right to move her black forelock and moves on the inside line of the pines - slowly and quietly weaving in and out of the shadows until she gets closer to them, pulling up behind the pair. "Perhaps where you are from this is acceptable," she pulls to the left, encircling the pair, "things are changing in Beqanna, no doubt but the Chamber still runs a tight ship. I'm Kimber, the general - what business have you here besides making yourself a target?" she says, her tone sharp and rigid. She was done fighting battles for those who saw them as mercenaries for hire, she was also done letting everyone parade in for a tour.
Raxa seriously didn't know why she kept performing these favors for the other horses of her kingdom. Why had she agreed to accompany Eiria here again? Oh, right, because Anahi would probably go berserk if her two-year-old daughter went out alone. Raxa had figured Sirana wouldn't have been interested (something was going on there), and Nerius was still too young. Nitika was off spending time with her daughter in the Chamber, Archam was busy with his herd, and Jedi was training a new recruit to the Falls army.
So, by order of elimination, that left the brindled roan mare to look out for the champagne filly on her way to the Chamber. Eiria, being a naturally light-spirited creature, had tried to make conversation with the older mare. Whether it had been off-the-best topics or something about the happenings of the kingdom, Raxa was quiet enough that she hoped her ignoring Eiria's words would get the filly to stop talking.
No such luck there. Eiria simply kept trying, so, to get the filly off Raxa's back, the mare had settled for, at the most, four-word responses. Other than that, the journey was quiet, except for when Eiria settled for just talking out loud and not asking any questions to avoid total silence.
Raxa was somewhat grateful when they arrived at the Chamber's border; it meant something interesting would happen, and that hopefully Eiria would lose interest in talking to her.
The filly asked Raxa if she knew who ruled here, something that the mare did indeed have knowledge of. She didn't live here, and never had, but the benefits of traveling and engaging in a lot of mock battles brought knowledge and insight that horses who didn't journeyed outside their kingdom would never acquire.
"Yeah," Raxa replied. "His name is Killdare, from what I remember. I'm also sure he has a queen, but her name, I have never come by. I heard he's a fair king, persistent too, but not all his motives are always... I guess, seen with the better eye, for lack of better words."
Raxa picked up on the approaching presence first. The scarred warrior mare prepared herself for a fight, tightening her stance and stomping a hoof, ready to protect the champagne filly. Her blue eyes scanned the trees, picking out the form of a moving horse, despite its dark coat. She followed the horse's movements, turning her body so that, when the mare appeared, Raxa was between her and Eiria.
As she spoke, the mare circled Raxa and Eiria, like a vulture assessing its prey. Raxa would not have that. She began circling as well, only keeping her body in between the mare and Eiria to shield the filly. Even if she had never openly declared Anahi or her foals her friends, Raxa would be damned if any harm came to Eiria while she was here to protect her.
When the mare spoke of things changing in Beqanna, Raxa almost spat with disgust at the haughty tone in her voice, "Oh yeah? No kidding, and here I thought everything was fine, nothing's changed at all," she practically growled. Taking a step toward the mare, stomping a hoof, Raxa spoke up, "What business do you have threatening two visitors who came here to speak to the king?!"
Eiria had picked up on Raxa's tense behavior the moment the mare's stance changed. She carefully watched the brindle, knowing that she sensed something was out of the ordinary. And Eiria had learned to trust Raxa's instincts, no matter the circumstances. At times, she could've sworn the mare possessed some sort of sixth sense to be on such alert and pick up on trouble before other horses.
Eiria's eyes didn't pick out the form of the horse as easily, so she wasn't following it the way Raxa was. Instead, her gaze remained forward as Raxa turned around, the champagne filly's eyes widening a little as she tried to find this new horse. Then, a voice spoke up from behind. She turned rapidly, seeing a dark coated mare in front of the trees.
So that's why she hadn't seen the mare so easily; her dark coat made it difficult to be picked out.
Raxa was clearly getting angry, maybe thinking this mare posed a threat of some sort. She could be right, but Eiria knew she had to stop this before it escalated beyond her control, and the consciousness of two mares who had obviously seen battles in their lives.
Eiria stepped close to Raxa, nudging the mare, "Raxa, enough. Don't get us into any more trouble," she chastised. Feeling a bit out of place for scolding a mare older than herself, Eiria turned to look back at the other mare.
The champagne filly dipped her head as a sign of greeting, "H-hello. My name is Eiria; I come from the Falls kingdom. Our king, Kreios, has asked the diplomats, those in training, and others to venture out to the other kingdoms to propose an alliance. Would that be a proposal you are willing to listen to? You and the king? Killdare, right?"
He feels more a diplomat than a king of late, and to a stallion born with fire (unable fire perhaps, but fire just the same), it has begun to grate at him.
Ygritte is responsible for the peacekeepers just as he is responsible for the army. Both are small, but after the brief trip to the Tundra this past year, Kreios is cautious to let anything slip by that he does not directly oversee. Perhaps it is trivial - watching after all the little things - but it is times like these that he is grateful he does.
Having been absent at the diplomacy meeting he is not sure if Yrgitte had given the instructions that their plethora of diplomats are following, or if perhaps they are making up their own rules. Whatever the reason, he comes alongside the unfamiliar filly and Raxa, his pale ears twitching to catch her words.
He had not wanted to cross the border, but he had seen the blue mare in the raid that has left his sides scared and his chest still bruised, and the king is wary to trust her.
He hears his name and frowns, but waits until the champagne filly has finished speaking before he interjects, doing his best to keep his tone mild.
“We’re here to inquire as to the state of the Chamber, actually.” They do not want an alliance with the Chamber - neither he nor Ygritte had ever said that to any diplomat. This he is absolutely sure of. Perhaps this youngling had gotten confused, and he is ever more grateful that he had decided to tag along.
“We’ll save talks of alliances for later,”…if ever, the pregnant pause seems to imply. “For now, we’d like to see the king.” Kreios doesn’t know that their king happens to be the magma stallion that had given him the battle scars he currently wears, but once he does, perhaps their trip will be cut short.
He did not come right away, no, he took his time. The Chamber King was not a dog to be called to heel. The earthy bay came but not all too quickly, he heard their voices, smelled their unfamiliar scent but Kimber had arrived and for now that was fine. Of course the ombered blue was not a Diplomat, nor would she be his first choice but she had gone all the same. Kimber was better suited for the war caste and he had left the dealings of most of their warriors to her, save for the few times he had need to beckon them. It would have been more prudent for Nymphetamine to see to the visitors but given the current circumstance perhaps it was a good thing Kimber had responded first instead.
Killdare had grown into a grouch of a man some might say, perhaps Warship had rub off on him a little too hard hmm? He was debating as he walked if the mares to enter his Kingdom without invitation were either stupid or rude, or both. He had stressed several time the importance of borders and though they may not get along with all the Kingdoms they could at the very least show respect. The Chamber King would be cross to hear of his own crossing lines and overstepping boundaries on any such Diplomatic visits. What a terrible way to start of seeking an alliance if that had been why they had truly come.
Glassy green eyes find them all as he emerges from the forest, taking in the two unfamiliar women's voices before nodding to Kimber. Lastly he takes in the spotted Falls King and there is a touch of amusement in his eyes as he listens to the King’s words. Perhaps he was not the only one to regard the two visiting mares as incompetent.
“And alas, here he is,” Killdare comments on the request for the Chamber’s King. “I see you have your own concerns to tend to so I will not keep you long on the account of our well being. It is, kind, for your concern and the Chamber fairs as well as it can. We are still standing if that is what you seek to know, we are whole in some ways and not so much in others.” He pauses, flicking his wavy black tail against his hocks as he glares at the females and now from what he can see, a foal.
“ I think all things considered, that today is not a day to discuss alliances. Perhaps a bit more practice in courtesy first?” A brow raises, wondering how they two had wandered off from the Falls on such a mission, how they had ever thought they needed to proceed with such a task. “Your Grace,” he turns to look at Kreios, “I hope the Falls fairs well in light of recent situations, please do not hesitate to call on me if any of my own are practicing such poor communication skills.” He ends with a nod, not yet turning away but wondering if there is indeed anything left to be said about the awkward meeting they were having.
