Most can see this is an element that Jude is most familiar with: individuals. She loves them - their quirks and ticks, their never ending depths behind their glistening eyes. The girl truly believes she can draw out the personality of the most lifeless equine. She presents herself as an energetic breathe of fresh air, concealing any malevolent ambition she may succumb to.
Peregrine Jude is not an evil character - conceited (sure), manipulative (yes), cunning (absolutely), but cruel? She cannot imagine harming those that do not deserve it; she can barely imagine harming those that get in her way, though she thinks it may not be beyond her. The girl’s desires are selfish in the moment, and she does not fool herself over that, but she is on a path not purely to her gain. Jude’s rising hunger for power is merely just a suppressed and swiftly consuming need to control. She likes authority, commanding others to create a perfect reality, one in which no one will ever touch her again. Direction and knowledge, she thinks, is all she needs to learn what it takes to lead. She must know the people, hear them and need them, just as they hear and need her jurisdiction.
Wisdom, though, wisdom and experience - that is what she actually lacks.
Leilan speaks yet again, almost seeming to chastise her for wanting responsibility. Contempt is what she feels when she meets his gaze, but a slightly tucked chin and coy smile is all she displays. She was right earlier - they are both flashy in appearance but deeply different in action. She does not respond right away, but instead turns to Magnus to see if he has anything to add.
When the rugged stallion mentions Tephra’s needs, Jude senses something roiling deeper within him. He does not give away his emotions, and she has no idea of what whispers behind his words - but it beckons for her to come closer. Jude - she’s always had a gut feeling, one she swore she would never ignore again. She will not ignore the hands of instinct tugging impatiently at her mane.
An ounce of guilt wells in her chest for toying so casually with these two when in an instant she knows of her decision - yet, she senses that Leilan will not mind and may even feel relief. For a moment, she tones down her personality and gives the dragon-man a close-lipped and demure smile.
Jude ponders her words carefully - yes, the fact that Tephra needs leaders is enticing, but it is not just about that. There is just something about the way Magnus holds himself that coaxed her in - not his charm, or his good-looks, something she cannot quite place but must discern. Jude desperately hopes she does not look like she is visiting Tephra purely to make a quick rise to power.
“Well, Leilan . . . Magnus . . .” her sweet accent dragging out her vowels, “You two are just full of good advice - I think I’d like to visit Tephra, maybe just to get a good feel of everything.” For a moment she blushes, the first automatic emotion Jude has exposed.
@[Leilan] @[magnus]