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  • Beqanna

    COTY

    Assailant -- Year 226

    QOTY

    "But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura


    A breeze underneath your wings; ALL, Council
    #1

    Ilma
    And there's a lesson waiting to be learned
    the firestarters always get the burns
    and the good guys never get the girl

    What was supposed to be a year of peace, training, and bonding (getting Litotes and Pangea back had always been the intention, but the way how had been different from what I’d envisioned) - it had unfortunately been me trying to steer this rather large ship through the rocks in the middle of a storm.

    I stand by my earlier decision - Dawn and Clayton had been too young to be left alone to the wheel, especially with Dawn having her little family to worry about. Terhi had been my third, and I had had no political troubles with her father, so for me it had been a little different. But now I feel my age creeping up on me like a shadow in the back of my mind. I long for peace and quiet, and in my current position all I get is war and unrest.

    Tephra and Loess are on the brink of war, a war over the past and being mistreated. I asked for a little time, and I think a little is all I got. I haven’t gotten an answer from Castile yet - perhaps I never will, in all this chaos. If he’s taking too long, perhaps I shall act on my little threat.

    But I also know the decision is no longer mine to make - I’m ready to let go now, to let Dawn and Clayton handle this. I know they will be wiser than their predecessors, that they will call on the council in these troubled times.

    But since I intend to make this first day of the new season my last day as Queen, I am the one who calls them together. I fly over Pangea to call on Litotes, then to Hyaline to specifically name Kensa and Amet, then back to the Silver Cove and call all its residents.

    When they have gathered, I stand on a small ledge - the one where Kagerus made her announcement exactly a year ago. ”Welcome all - I have a few announcements to make.” I look at those gathered, smile when I see them. I love them, but I cannot continue to do this anymore. ”A year ago, our former queens stepped down from their thrones, leaving us to decide what to do with the Cove. I picked up the crown and named Clayton and Dawn here my heirs - I wanted them to be able to settle their lives and positions among us before having to lead three lands at once. I now think it is time for them to get that responsibility fully, as I have decided to pass on the seat of power to them. Please welcome them as your new Caretakers.” I nod to them, pleased with their progress, and invite them up with me.

    ”Before letting them make their own speeches here,” I continue, ”I’d also like to say a word of thanks to Litotes, who has agreed to take back his spot in our council and be our General. With that decision, I’d like to divide our lands into three parts of one bigger whole - the Cove will mainly house our Caretakers and our Sheltered, our residents who simply look for a peaceful place to live. Hyaline will be the home of our diplomats, our Speakers, and Pangea will house and train our Sentries under Litotes’ watchful eye. Of course, I will not force you where to live, but if you want training in either direction, that is where you should go.” It is a decision long time coming - otherwise we are three lands with roughly the same makeup; this should make us one whole, acting Kingdom.

    ”As a last announcement, Tephra has accepted the new magician Leliana as their new queen. She has been one of the healers held captive in Loess and plans to invade them. As I will no longer be your queen, I will not be calling the shots in this war - I’ll leave the discussion of whether we want to stay neutral or take a side, up to our new Caretakers and their council. If any residents have any thoughts, please discuss them with any one of the current Voices.”

    I look to my former subjects. ”It’s been my pleasure to call the Sanctuary my home and all of you my family. But times are changing. The Plague is no more, and our neighbours are preparing for a war. In times like these, I am no longer the first choice of rule. I will retire to Hyaline, if that’s alright with Kensa and Amet,” I look to them a moment. ”I can be found there if you need me to discuss things with you, but will not actively participate in the Council any more.” My time has ended - I need this to be a clean break now, not a half-done one in which people will still think me to be of high influence on Clayton and Dawn.

    These are my decisions in a relatively short, turbulent year for the Cove. I hope this Kingdom will change with the tides.

    and shooting stars cannot fix the world


    @[Clayton] @[Dawn] @[Kensa] @[Amet] @[litotes]
    Any fool knows men and women think differently at times, but the biggest difference is this: men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget.
    Robert Jordan, Wheel of Time
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    #2

    you could break my heart in two, but when it heals, it beats for you

    A summons to the capital does not strike her the way it once would have. As a girl she might have gone hurriedly towards that call from her leader, racing in to see what benefit she might be to them. She recalls her fear and fury in that first day of the plague, the desire to make sure that the people of their Kingdom did not lose the place in which their nation was born. What a child she had been, full of grand ideals, ready to hold the line without knowing the weight of it.
    As she turns toward the Cove another memory leers at her, but she simply acknowledges it and moves on with her duty to attend to the meeting with grace and serenity.

    She is a woman who is primly ignored in matters of politics, which has suited her during the last year. She has had the freedom to do as she pleases while observing the behavior of the others with what might have been taken for apathy. Upon crossing into the Cove the mare takes her place at the meeting without hurry or anxiety, silent as she watches the people gather. Her placid face all the more beautiful in its stillness.

    Ilma climbs up onto a ledge to peer down at all of them as she speaks her piece, and Kensa’s topaz eyes pass over the faces of those in attendance, many of them friends and loved ones. Hyaline, the Cove, Pangea… how quiet they have been these last 2 or 3 years...Her eyes land on Litotes and her expression remains unreadable. General. Archon of Pangea. Lover. They have tried to rip free of one another, but they are always meeting eyes among a crowd, clutching each other’s hearts across any distance. She looks away from him to track Clayton and Dawn as they are invited to stand on what Kensa has internally dubbed ‘the balcony’.

    These are her dear friends, and though she would rather see them in Hyaline every day she is pleased for them to find happiness wherever they will. Even as Ilma hands over power she dictates the way the Kingdom will proceed and Kensa says nothing as her sectors assignment is laid out, there will be time to share her thoughts on this. It makes little sense to her to discuss such things in public forum with all their members gathered round, looking for strength from their leaders rather than quibbling over details.

    As the speech turns to war, a single small line mars her brow. There have been no emissaries that she is aware of, no declarations among the peoples beyond Tephra as Leliana turns her face toward war or Castile prepares to return fire. For the first time her look sharpens slightly though she again offers nothing as to her feelings, only lets her gaze flick briefly between the trio standing atop their balcony. Once again this is not the time and place for a wider discussion. “The council  and our new King and Queen must convene separately to discuss this.” She says firmly, with a characteristic boldness she has not often turned towards matters of politics. “Everyone will benefit from an organized approach to such a decision, I believe my counterparts would agree. For now let me be the first to congratulate you, Dawn and Clayton, I wish you well always. Ilma, you will of course be welcome to make your home in Hyaline, as is anyone who would like to return.” Kensa would never turn away or treat with suspicion anyone who wished to make her mountains their home. She remembers how that feels, but luckily her emotions do not reside so readily upon her sleeve anymore. Let this be a new beginning.

    Kensa

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    #3

    DAWN

    i just killed off what was left of the optimist in me

    While she had expected the ascension to be soon, she hadn’t realized that it would be quite so soon. It is still the depths of winter, though the beginning of spring is beginning to show itself in the east, and she has only just given birth to her youngest – twins, again, but her heart is so full that she does not mind the fact that she has hardly slept in a year, amidst raising children and falling pregnant and battling emotional turmoil all the while. A boy and a girl this time, trueborn heirs to the throne if they are to follow a royal line; Nolin and Athena.  

    She hasn’t missed the threat looming on the horizon, especially after their visit to Tephra and her new queen. The magician had been fearsome to behold, and yet Dawn had felt empowered to speak up, to share the unjust and hurt that Loess had put upon her and her family. There was something about the magical woman to the west that frightened Dawn but filled her with hope all at the same time – she is someone powerful enough to start and end a war all on her own, and she is grateful that Tephra and the Cove are allies. Leliana is not someone she would want as an enemy.

    They gather at Ilma’s call, all of the council and the Cove residents, and Dawn joins them at the base of the ledge, not yet stepping forward to claim her crown as Ilma begins to speak. She has left her youngest in the company of her elder girls, and if she turns around, she can see the four of them hanging back at the edge of the crowd, too young to participate but too curious not to stay away.  

    Ilma announces her abdication and invites the duo to stand by her side, but Dawn only moves forward below the ledge and turns to face them, not wanting to address them from above when her turn comes. While she is now a queen, most of these people were her friends first – she does not think herself above them, aside from in title.

    The white woman goes on to explain her plans for the East, and Dawn’s ear flicks back to listen, her face a mask. Why should Ilma’s decisions hold any weight now, after she has passed on the leadership to Clayton and herself? Annoyance rises in the golden girl, but she pushes it down until Ilma is finished speaking.  

    She watches Kensa’s brow furrow and smiles at her friend as she begins to speak, nodding before she even finishes her sentence. She goes on to congratulate the new rulers and Dawn’s smile broadens, her dark eyes glowing with delight. Kensa’s approval – and Lie’s approval, though he has remained silent so far, and she cannot yet bring her eyes to meet his – is what means most to her, aside from perhaps her Sunny’s... but he is not here to see this.

    “Thank you all, for this wonderful opportunity and for your support as we make this transition,” she begins, voice echoing over those gathered. Her eyes fall on her children in the background and a tender expression crosses her face. There is much to be discussed, but she has to know that even if it comes to war, they will be safe. They are all that matters to her in this world. “Kensa is correct, the Council must meet immediately and discuss the coming issues. Clayton and I will call a kingdom meeting later to discuss the changes to the East, and our decisions moving forward. Give us a few hours, everyone, and we will reconvene.” A simple dismissal, and hopefully one they heed. The things that the Council must discuss are urgent, and they do not currently have the time to waste.

    clean.
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