belle of the brawl - OPEN

[Straia]

i am the violence in the pouring rain

i am a hurricane

No, kindness was not weakness. Straia knows this very well. There are moments when she is kind, when it gets her what she needs. Certainly, kindness has its uses. But the Falls? Oh, the Falls is so terribly kind that their king can’t even pick a side in the impending war. As always, the Falls will remain open to heal any that need it (except, she suspects, they would turn her away in a heartbeat – good thing she can heal herself).

Of course she knows all this. The ravens keep her well informed, and where the raven’s fail, she does have a few spies. Not so many without Gryffen anymore, but still a couple here and there. Knowledge is the only real power, after all.

She comes to the field as a horse today, though with oversized black wings so she can fly. The Chamber does not necessarily need to recruit, but she enjoys finding others that want to call the place home anyway. Some are loyal to the Chamber like she is, and others serve it simply because their goals and the Chamber’s goals happen to align. Straia prefers loyalty, but she’s not about to kick anyone out that’s being useful.

It is honestly rather a lovely summer day, though Straia always misses the cool shade of the pine forests. There is sun in the center of the Chamber, certainly, but she has spent so much of her life wandering the pine forests of the Chamber that it will always be her favorite place.

She catches sight of two mares, one trying to tower over the other, and a slight smile catches her eye. Tucking her wings in somewhat, she descends slowly before pulling her wings all the way to her sides. Black feathers trail through the grasses of the fields, but she doesn’t shrink the wings. She’s always rather enjoyed the overlarge ones. Between the wings and the crown of raven feathers on her head, anyone who’s heard rumors of the Raven Queen ought to have figured out who she is by now.

She’s caught some of the conversation, the names and most of Ygritte’s speech. Yes, the Falls really would need caste members. They’ve struggled for years, though Texas at least seemed like he might be worth something as a king. “All of the kingdoms offer potential to climb in the ranks.” she says, skipping past the usual hellos and introductions for the moment. Seems like a waste of time, and Straia has always been rather to the point. Though she does offer each mare a nod, not forgetting to be at least somewhat polite.

The kingdoms are not particularly different in that one regard. There are not enough horses to fill all the ranks in a kingdom, and the monarchs were always looking for those who wanted the titles. Those who might actually earn those titles. “The only real difference in your choice of home is what you want to stand for.” She rolls her shoulders slightly. “I’m Straia, from the Chamber. And what I can tell you about the Chamber is that we are a rather determined bunch. Not a whole lot of hugs, but you’ll always have someone at your back. If that sounds vaguely like something you want, you can always come and check it out. Leave if it’s not for your liking.”

straia

the raven queen of the chamber