04-28-2015, 08:52 AM
so you wanna play with magic?
"I told them I would compete." she answers evenly, without hesitation, her eyes unwavering on Kreios'. "But when I stood before the gods of the Deserts in the crown competition, I did not represent the Amazons. And I've sworn to those gods, on pain of losing what I love most, that I will serve the Deserts faithfully." her tones are calm, straightforward, gently confident. She looks around to all the horses assembled. "If ever I break that vow, if ever I stray from helping the Deserts, dethrone me or kill me. I won't resist." She states it simply, honestly, truthfully. And she means it – what is death or mutiny in the face of what she's sworn to the gods? If they strip her of her magic, she'll want to die anyway.
"If I had not agreed to help Scorch, she would've been that much likely to pick someone else, someone more loyal, someone who wouldn't have thought twice about entering the competition and competing under the Amazons' name. I know at least one other competitor who did that." she refers to Shahrizai, picking his memories from the wind easily, knowing how he'd been eliminated in the first round. If it hadn't been her, she does not doubt that it would have been another. One of Scorch's other children, perhaps. "And this is not the only kingdom where the Amazons – well, Scorch, really – has sent someone to rule. In the Tundra, Scorch's son Simeon has been sent to rule alongside their new king." there is no advanced knowledge here; she's simply picking at the fragments of conversations held many miles away, discussions between brothers with no cloak of secrecy. Words are wind, especially from the north. "The Tundra has declined to elevate him immediately, and will instead have him work his way up the ranks."
She pauses then. "And if any of you have further questions for me, about my role, about why I agreed to compete, about why I've won, please, just ask me. I have nothing to hide." It is true. She is herself, honest before them, no illusion to color her, nothing but the true black mare she was born as. Her magic is like a constant cloak wrapped around her, but for them it is no cloak of invisibility, no shroud, no mask. It is transparent, and it is a weapon she can use for their benefit.
"The Amazons have not dissolved the alliance." she moves right along, answering Kreios' question. "In fact, they're very keen on maintaining it." A life-size image of Scorch appears, an exact illusion replica of the conversation they'd had with the mare. (OOC note: copy-pasting directly from Scorch's speech during their diplomatic convo, cause ~*~MAgIc!~*~)
"My proposal, at its clearest, is this: an alliance founded on a decade of goodwill made even stronger by Pevensie, a solely Desert monarch, myself, a solely Amazonian monarch, with Camrynn as the binding tie. A Desert-Amazon. The Amazons would offer the bulk of our strength in times of trial for the Deserts, and we would expect the same from you. We would offer complete honesty, in exchange for complete honesty. In this way, we would make decisions best for the both of us. As I said, I am seeking a united front which will raise both of our kingdom’s strength.” She chuckles. ”And while the Jungle can only claim to having one very come-and-go magician, I promise you that our lack of such members will not make us a weak link.”
The image fades away. "That is what Scorch offers us. Not allies, but sister kingdoms." she speaks dispassionately, not betraying any opinion she might have on the issue. "I do not believe I can be the binding tie that she speaks up, as I am no Desert-Amazon, but her offer seems to stand despite that." She takes a breath. "As to whether it is a relationship of equals, or a subkingdom by another name, I can only tell you what Scorch has said. You know the circumstances – some of you," she looks to Romek "have seen how Scorch expressed these terms to us. While there is no doubt she has every right to be upset because I am not the Amazons loyalist she wished me to be, if my Deserts loyalty bothers her so much, would any sister-kingdom relationship be truly one of equals? Or would she become upset with the Deserts if we did not do exactly as the Amazons said?" A pause. "Why do you need a Deserts-Amazon to solidify a sisterhood? And why send one without a discussion with the current monarch first? Why not simply…ask?" Her question is rhetorical, her velvet voice quietly confident. There is nothing frantic or passionate in her tones, just as she had been in the meeting with Scorch, Camrynn is once again the voice of reason.
She is silent for a moment, looking to all of them. "When I asked about evil, I meant evil wherever we find it, not any specific kingdom within Beqanna. Are the Amazons evil? That's not something that I can decide on my own. Our kingdom, as a whole, must decide what is evil and what is not. Pevensie and I may be the rulers, but our power comes from your trust, and the blessing of the gods of the Desert." she pauses, her words plain and honest, looking to each of them as she speaks.
" And so, I would ask for a vote." Her eyes turn a deep blue as she looks between all of them. "We have an immediate choice to make in our relationship with the Amazons. As I see it, we may accept their offer of a sister kingdom, we may offer to continue the alliance, but decline the sisterhood, or we may break ties completely." She pauses. "If we offer anything less than sisterhood, there is no guarantee that the Amazons will accept it."
This moment, perhaps, is what makes them a light kingdom. This fact that they are seeking the opinions of their people, that they are not simply deciding unilaterally, perhaps this is what sets them apart from all the rest. "The Amazons are waiting for our answer. Every opinion is welcome, especially alternative suggestions."
"But please, everyone, vote your opinion."
"If I had not agreed to help Scorch, she would've been that much likely to pick someone else, someone more loyal, someone who wouldn't have thought twice about entering the competition and competing under the Amazons' name. I know at least one other competitor who did that." she refers to Shahrizai, picking his memories from the wind easily, knowing how he'd been eliminated in the first round. If it hadn't been her, she does not doubt that it would have been another. One of Scorch's other children, perhaps. "And this is not the only kingdom where the Amazons – well, Scorch, really – has sent someone to rule. In the Tundra, Scorch's son Simeon has been sent to rule alongside their new king." there is no advanced knowledge here; she's simply picking at the fragments of conversations held many miles away, discussions between brothers with no cloak of secrecy. Words are wind, especially from the north. "The Tundra has declined to elevate him immediately, and will instead have him work his way up the ranks."
She pauses then. "And if any of you have further questions for me, about my role, about why I agreed to compete, about why I've won, please, just ask me. I have nothing to hide." It is true. She is herself, honest before them, no illusion to color her, nothing but the true black mare she was born as. Her magic is like a constant cloak wrapped around her, but for them it is no cloak of invisibility, no shroud, no mask. It is transparent, and it is a weapon she can use for their benefit.
"The Amazons have not dissolved the alliance." she moves right along, answering Kreios' question. "In fact, they're very keen on maintaining it." A life-size image of Scorch appears, an exact illusion replica of the conversation they'd had with the mare. (OOC note: copy-pasting directly from Scorch's speech during their diplomatic convo, cause ~*~MAgIc!~*~)
"My proposal, at its clearest, is this: an alliance founded on a decade of goodwill made even stronger by Pevensie, a solely Desert monarch, myself, a solely Amazonian monarch, with Camrynn as the binding tie. A Desert-Amazon. The Amazons would offer the bulk of our strength in times of trial for the Deserts, and we would expect the same from you. We would offer complete honesty, in exchange for complete honesty. In this way, we would make decisions best for the both of us. As I said, I am seeking a united front which will raise both of our kingdom’s strength.” She chuckles. ”And while the Jungle can only claim to having one very come-and-go magician, I promise you that our lack of such members will not make us a weak link.”
The image fades away. "That is what Scorch offers us. Not allies, but sister kingdoms." she speaks dispassionately, not betraying any opinion she might have on the issue. "I do not believe I can be the binding tie that she speaks up, as I am no Desert-Amazon, but her offer seems to stand despite that." She takes a breath. "As to whether it is a relationship of equals, or a subkingdom by another name, I can only tell you what Scorch has said. You know the circumstances – some of you," she looks to Romek "have seen how Scorch expressed these terms to us. While there is no doubt she has every right to be upset because I am not the Amazons loyalist she wished me to be, if my Deserts loyalty bothers her so much, would any sister-kingdom relationship be truly one of equals? Or would she become upset with the Deserts if we did not do exactly as the Amazons said?" A pause. "Why do you need a Deserts-Amazon to solidify a sisterhood? And why send one without a discussion with the current monarch first? Why not simply…ask?" Her question is rhetorical, her velvet voice quietly confident. There is nothing frantic or passionate in her tones, just as she had been in the meeting with Scorch, Camrynn is once again the voice of reason.
She is silent for a moment, looking to all of them. "When I asked about evil, I meant evil wherever we find it, not any specific kingdom within Beqanna. Are the Amazons evil? That's not something that I can decide on my own. Our kingdom, as a whole, must decide what is evil and what is not. Pevensie and I may be the rulers, but our power comes from your trust, and the blessing of the gods of the Desert." she pauses, her words plain and honest, looking to each of them as she speaks.
" And so, I would ask for a vote." Her eyes turn a deep blue as she looks between all of them. "We have an immediate choice to make in our relationship with the Amazons. As I see it, we may accept their offer of a sister kingdom, we may offer to continue the alliance, but decline the sisterhood, or we may break ties completely." She pauses. "If we offer anything less than sisterhood, there is no guarantee that the Amazons will accept it."
This moment, perhaps, is what makes them a light kingdom. This fact that they are seeking the opinions of their people, that they are not simply deciding unilaterally, perhaps this is what sets them apart from all the rest. "The Amazons are waiting for our answer. Every opinion is welcome, especially alternative suggestions."
"But please, everyone, vote your opinion."
CAMRYNN
co-queen of the deserts, magical, mother of badassery