08-26-2016, 10:53 AM
I was in the darkness; so the darkness I became.
The Valley had an affinity for keeping strange pets. Whether they were put on display, or kept carefully hidden behind iron bars, they were there. Lurking in the trees and the forest, blending with the shadows and melting into the surrounding darkness. Many came and went, allowed a brief reprieve from their mistress; but they were never far. Never too far to hear Her call, never too far as to not feel her fist around the thumping of their heart.
Even without delving into the pits of his mind, Topsail recognized Gunsynd as one such pet. Sent away and called back with a mere twitch of the leash and tightening of the collar. And like others before him, he had clearly heeded the call lest he be strangled by the choke chain.
It leaked from him like some noxious gas, that Valley stench. It was as much a part of his skin as his own DNA, seamlessly melding with the cells and atoms that made up his equine form. It did not offend her, but it certainly intrigued her. He seemed to be a throw back of the Valleys darker days, when a Dark God ruled the land with the whims only a dark magician could have. Not to say that the current inhabitants of the Valley didn’t indulge their darker sides occasionally, but their fearsome reputation as blood thirsty monsters was, for now, simply a note in the history books. For now.
She took note of his demeanor, the carefully cloaked slyness that slithered about his black frame. It was clear he had used the powers of intimidation in the past; they would not work with her. Despite the lack of her kingdom trait, she was still confident in her own skin, unfazed by bad boys looking to bully the girls. And so she merely gazed at him, her pretty face a porcelain mask to hide her own emotions. The tension in the air around them was palpable but she ignored it, focusing her energies on Gunsynd and him alone. But when he spoke, she couldn’t honestly say she wasn’t taken aback. He was quite brash, and though his tone demanded nothing, she took the challenge head on. Raising her head she regarded him carefully, a brow raised over one eye. “And what of those who have been here, hm? Should I simply cast them to the side and thrust you to the top?” she asked, swishing her tail nonchalantly around her slender back legs. “If you’ve got the Valleys best interests in mind, then surely you’ll have no trouble working for, and thus earning, that Generals position. Besides that, it gives you nothing other than a proverbial badge to wear upon your lapel. It comes with no special benefits, nothing. You can do the same thing climbing the ranks as you can at the top of them, no? So no, for now, I won‘t make you my General…for now. Prove yourself on the battle field, work your way up. However, I am going to promote you to Major.” She knew most he would bristle, and throw harsh words back towards her, but she didn’t give a damn. He wasn’t the first to try and use her as a doormat, and he wouldn’t be the last. The only difference was she had hardened her resolve immensely since the first time.
Topsail
Queen of the Valley