Kreios
wildcat of the falls
“ Hello Ramiel, ” I say as the grey stallion approaches, swallowing the last of my brief meal. “ I'm Kreios, from the Falls. ” He might know this, of course, having been to my kingdom before (I recognize his name). I spare a quick glance to the gold streaks in his mane, and remember Texas' tales of the black and gold Tiberios. Had the two of them been related, I wonder? My step-mother marks her descendants with a bit of gold, I recall, but both Tiberios and Ramiel are too old to be Yael's children. No relation of mine, then, I decide, but the two stallions might have been more to each other than the monarch's of allies kingdoms. Perhaps my great-grandmother's habits have not died out entirely in Beqanna.
None of this matters, of course, but it flits through my mind as the smaller stallion comes through the brush to greet me and I wait until he's near enough to converse to reply. I;’m about to speak when an unexpected breeze whips through the air, smelling of ice and winter. That does not belong, I think, but not before the whirl of snow begins to solidify into a solid shape before my very eyes. I watch, intrigued, and when the shape is finally recognizable as a horse – and a living horse! – I do not hold back the amused chuckle that rises, unbidden.
“Now that’s a fancy trick,” I tell the stallion (and perhaps also the gigantic tortoise that’s appeared beside him; I’ve no wish to offend).
“It’s welcome back, really.” I tell him, and by default grey Ramiel. “I was born and raised here, back when my mother was Queen.” I do not name her (not because I am narcissistic enough to expect to be recognized immediately, but because saying her name is still painful these many years later). Still, there was only one large spotted queen in recent memory and given her romance with the equally large king of the Desert, there’s little doubt who I might be: one of Lyric’s sons. “Though I’m here on business, now, and not to stay.” There’s little pause between my previous statement and this one, just enough for me to put the words together in my mind.
“I’m here to discuss the possibility of renewing the Alliance that the Falls has with the Dale. To my understanding it still stands, but enough time has passed that I felt a reconfirmation was appropriate, especially given recent…events.” We had stayed out of the war, a decision made mostly out of self preservation. Still, we had (and do) intend to aid the injured as well as we could with the magic of our kingdom. Fortunately (or perhaps not?) no one has yet sought us out.
i’m screaming the name of a foreigner’s god