so you wanna play with magic?
Yael speaks, Pevensie arrives, and Camrynn is quiet. She appears the picture of indifferent calm, almost like a child who has been scolded and made to sit in time out. But she's actually listening with great interest (and with more than just her ears) to see how Scorch is going to play her hand.
And luckily for her, Scorch decides to play right as she'd hoped.
She keeps a smile from her face as Scorch dramatically 'reveals' her tattoos. Or would have done so, had Camrynn not already mentioned that the Amazons had sent her to the entire kingdom. It's no secret, none at all. She finds it interesting how Scorch assumes that being Amazonian turn-cloaks (or not) matters in the slightest to the Deserts. With two magicians in their borders, and horses with many other powers besides, could she think that an Amazonian invasion would work?
As if on cue, Romek melts into the conversation and speaks up to defend them. Camrynn fights the urge to smile, her eyes deserts-gold as she watches. "Thank you, Romek." she says quietly. And then Yael is speaking, and Camrynn knows that her unlikely respect for the golden woman is not misplaced. She listens with the same blank interest, keeping a smile from playing at her lips. Pevensie speaks next, her words wise, but Camrynn can feel the intentions behind them, the growing distrust of the Amazons. Camrynn doesn't care about the Amazons per se; her sole interest in all of these negotiations is the well-being of the Deserts.
And when they all fall silent, Camrynn speaks. "My background isn't secret. In fact, the first thing I did when I called a kingdom meeting right after I was crowned was to tell everyone exactly how I came to be here." her eyes are fixed on Scorch, her tones still quiet, but with a current of calm authority. "It's always best to be completely honest with every resident of one's kingdom." her eyes are riveted on Scorch's. "I learned that from you." Whether she's speaking ironically, saying that Scorch hides things, or whether she means it honestly is entirely unclear. "As for the competition itself, it's just not possible to fool magicians, and it's even less possible to fool the ancient gods of the Deserts, who tested me and picked me and Pevensie for the crown." she speaks matter-of-factly. "Magicians have this way of being all-knowing, and of always holding all the cards. They're just impossible to deceive, and impossible to outmaneuver." Her voice is impossibly delicate, no hint of anger or aggression. Considered in light of Yael and Pevensie's words, her statement alone would be threat enough.
"It's like I said." she pauses for a moment. "I have sworn an oath to protect the Deserts at all costs, on pain of losing that which is most dear to me." If she steps against the Deserts, the gods have the power to strip her of her magic. Her oath binds her in a way she has never been bound, but she finds herself oddly accepting of the pressure.
"We will hear your proposal, but ultimately, the decision is not ours alone." The timidity is gone from her voice now. She is every bit the queen she had been underneath the ground, every bit strength and calm confidence. Ironic that she's the one least on edge out of all in this conversation. "This is a decision that all members of the Deserts will help make." she pauses again. "And actually, that conversation has already begun. They're currently considering the facts we have, but we will happily share any details that you propose." A quick pause. "And any other details of this meeting that might help them make their decisions." she says with a small smile.
Details like threats. Details like attempts to create rifts by revealing Camrynn's background. Details like managing to actually make Yael AND Pevensie angry. Details like those.
"So Scorch, what do the Amazons offer the Deserts?" her voice is impossibly diplomatic, impossibly calm, no hint of irony, just iron strength.
And luckily for her, Scorch decides to play right as she'd hoped.
She keeps a smile from her face as Scorch dramatically 'reveals' her tattoos. Or would have done so, had Camrynn not already mentioned that the Amazons had sent her to the entire kingdom. It's no secret, none at all. She finds it interesting how Scorch assumes that being Amazonian turn-cloaks (or not) matters in the slightest to the Deserts. With two magicians in their borders, and horses with many other powers besides, could she think that an Amazonian invasion would work?
As if on cue, Romek melts into the conversation and speaks up to defend them. Camrynn fights the urge to smile, her eyes deserts-gold as she watches. "Thank you, Romek." she says quietly. And then Yael is speaking, and Camrynn knows that her unlikely respect for the golden woman is not misplaced. She listens with the same blank interest, keeping a smile from playing at her lips. Pevensie speaks next, her words wise, but Camrynn can feel the intentions behind them, the growing distrust of the Amazons. Camrynn doesn't care about the Amazons per se; her sole interest in all of these negotiations is the well-being of the Deserts.
And when they all fall silent, Camrynn speaks. "My background isn't secret. In fact, the first thing I did when I called a kingdom meeting right after I was crowned was to tell everyone exactly how I came to be here." her eyes are fixed on Scorch, her tones still quiet, but with a current of calm authority. "It's always best to be completely honest with every resident of one's kingdom." her eyes are riveted on Scorch's. "I learned that from you." Whether she's speaking ironically, saying that Scorch hides things, or whether she means it honestly is entirely unclear. "As for the competition itself, it's just not possible to fool magicians, and it's even less possible to fool the ancient gods of the Deserts, who tested me and picked me and Pevensie for the crown." she speaks matter-of-factly. "Magicians have this way of being all-knowing, and of always holding all the cards. They're just impossible to deceive, and impossible to outmaneuver." Her voice is impossibly delicate, no hint of anger or aggression. Considered in light of Yael and Pevensie's words, her statement alone would be threat enough.
"It's like I said." she pauses for a moment. "I have sworn an oath to protect the Deserts at all costs, on pain of losing that which is most dear to me." If she steps against the Deserts, the gods have the power to strip her of her magic. Her oath binds her in a way she has never been bound, but she finds herself oddly accepting of the pressure.
"We will hear your proposal, but ultimately, the decision is not ours alone." The timidity is gone from her voice now. She is every bit the queen she had been underneath the ground, every bit strength and calm confidence. Ironic that she's the one least on edge out of all in this conversation. "This is a decision that all members of the Deserts will help make." she pauses again. "And actually, that conversation has already begun. They're currently considering the facts we have, but we will happily share any details that you propose." A quick pause. "And any other details of this meeting that might help them make their decisions." she says with a small smile.
Details like threats. Details like attempts to create rifts by revealing Camrynn's background. Details like managing to actually make Yael AND Pevensie angry. Details like those.
"So Scorch, what do the Amazons offer the Deserts?" her voice is impossibly diplomatic, impossibly calm, no hint of irony, just iron strength.
CAMRYNN
co-queen of the deserts, magical, mother of badassery
lolwut, Cam as the calmest voice in the conversation? o.O