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Post by Luneby on Jan 17, 2021 8:33:44 GMT -6
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Post by Luneby on Jan 17, 2021 8:39:10 GMT -6
 E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
The golden hour burned bright on the streets of Sol District. Strangely fitting for the errand she was on, Euonia bitterly thought. She’d met with Aleksei in passing in the halls of Hearthstone Palace, they had exchanged formalities and honeyed smiles –glances, a few nods both of them understood. While Euonia did not announce herself – she deemed it wiser not to leave a written trace of her passage in Cinder Hall, the Advisor knew she was to pay him a visit soon. She had waited for her Sanctum to quiet down, and to feel safe enough from the royal gaze to leave Oralee without attracting suspicions. She was merely visiting a friend after all and hoped no one would investigate it. The mare trusted her attendants at least, and she had kept them from knowing too much about the visions that occurred a few weeks ago, for their own safety. Yet she could not shake the grave feeling that weighed on her as she slowly made her way to Cinder Hall, stripped of her candles and ceremonial garb, with her Familiar for only company. She hated that Isador had once again left such an impression on her when he came to interrogate her a few days ago. He had always inspired a cold, gnawing fear inside her – but she’d hoped her recent decisions and discoveries would have made her feel empowered against him. And yet, she stood frozen before his scorching eyes, eyes that made his intentions much clearer than his ever so polite words. She had dealt with the situation as gracefully as she could, but Aleksei’s return certainly was a relief. She had heard rumors of what happened during his trip. A few words Jessiah planted inside the secrecy of her mind that she had yet to make sense of, but that she did find comfort in. She was curious, and burning to share her recent experience with him, as much as she disliked the idea of even bringing up the topic of the New Year’s Ball. She was almost certain now that every vision she witnessed came to prove every allegation Aleksei laid out in front of her and Moira. Everything was falling into place. While her pace was slow, Cinder Hall was thankfully nearby, and she soon was climbing its marble stairs. She was greeted with respectful bows and “Your Holinesses” by servants and was swiftly introduced inside the Great Hall as Aleksei was called to meet her. Her eyes scanned through the immense room, noticing a usual, discreet frenzy amongst the servants. Something must have happened since the Advisor returned. She was pulled out of her thoughts as Caladriel hooted softly, noticing the stallion's familiar frame entering the room. Her ears perked up as she gave him a tired smile, and politely bowed her neck to him. “ Advisor. I couldn’t be happier to see you back safely from your travels.” she greets him, slowly drawing closer. “I believe there is much we need to discuss.”
***
WC: 500| Post # 1
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 17, 2021 10:00:35 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
His return to New Valore had provided little opportunity for rest or relaxation. He had found the city in uproar upon his arrival – not unexpected, really, but it still meant an additional workload. After reporting about the village to Isador as expected, he had busied himself with paperwork, especially pertaining to the Seroran slaves. There was also a notice of capture here and there, standard notifications from the Chevaliers about the riots and such.
Isador wasn’t seen much, but that was by now to be expected. He had not been exactly fond of his Advisers since December, and although he did see them on occasion, it was very formal.
Aleksei could feel that they were being watched. But, as fortune would have it, Isador’s ire and suspicion seemed to not be on him for the most part – or if it was, Isador had not yet found reason enough to act.
Time was still running thin, that much was clear. Tensions were reaching a point of no return, and he wasn’t sure how much mutual facades could be held.
There would be blood before the year ended.
Aleksei was nudged from his thoughts by a servant who announced a visitor. Aleksei had been expecting Euonia to show up eventually, but not quite so soon – that must have meant that she, too, had pressing things on her mind.
Aleksei made his way to the Great Hall, walking past the portrait of his family with hastened, yet still graceful steps. As he descended down the stairs, he responded to Euonia’s tired smile with one of his own – no less tired, to be sure.
”Your Holiness”, Aleksei responded, with a polite bow of his neck in return. As an Adviser, such gestures were rarely expected, and with other nobles, they would’ve seemed insincere. But Flamines were a category of their own, and although Aleksei was not exactly the biggest fan of the Smoldering Sun, he did still respect His priests.
Especially ones he saw eye-to-eye with on key matters.
”I do believe so. Please, follow me”, he said simply, nodding his head to the side. He led Euonia through a short corridor to a large, airy room with windows giving towards the Hall’s immense inner courtyard. With spring coming, the trees were beginning to bloom, with new young green leaves largely covering the view further into the garden.
The room itself was clearly a meeting room of some kind, furnished with bookshelves, comfy seating and a writing desk to the side, clearly suitable for a scribe to record the talks.
But now, that desk stood empty.
”I believe you have come due to what happened at Hearthstone? I’ve heard some of it; nothing in great detail”, Aleksei asked directly. He supposed that had to be it; the summary he had received did say the visions began at Oralee, so he felt it safe to presume Euonia would’ve been in attendance.
Word count: 486
Post #1
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Post by Luneby on Jan 17, 2021 13:25:27 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
Meeting Aleksei in a private setting was always a nice change of pace from the heavy, ceremonious formalities of court life in Hearthstone Palace. In his own home, Aleksei was forward, which Euonia appreciated. Neither of them had time to waste, given the gravity of the situation. She did not have much energy to admire the magnificence of the decor she was introduced to. Yet, once in the meeting room, her eyes could not help but drift towards the luscious garden which lied before her as she settled on a chair. What a truly peaceful sight. Caladriel silently flew towards the window, keeping a close watch on both equines from where she was perched.
Euonia’s full attention was soon set on the stallion as he spoke. She was not surprised he had heard of the visions and wondered if Azazel had visited him already. But there were points she needed clarified, questions that needed to be asked.
“You would be correct.” She nodded; eyes locked on the Advisor.
“There were apparitions in my Sanctum, about ten days ago. Four visions to be exact. Long story short, I believe each vision hinted at every major allegation about Isador, although only one made that somewhat clear. You may hopefully be in a position to shed some light on the meaning of those visions.”
While Aleksei did not appear in most visions, there was a chance he might recognize some of the equines which appeared and were unknown to her. Maybe with more context behind those visions, they could seek for factual, undeniable proof. Of course, the visions alone were not enough, but maybe they would give them the clues they needed to find what they sought after.
“I do not wish to burden you with details, but I do believe you need to hear the full story.”
She took a long breath, recalling the memories she had written prior, hoping she would not leave out anything major. Her notes were safely hidden, and she deemed it better not to carry them along for this meeting, in fear that they might be intercepted.
“The first vision depicted Captain Finley and a group of Chevaliers escorting Emin Lilith and her children somewhere. Finley seemed to be passing on orders from then Regent Isador, which confirms this took place right after Amadeus’ assassination, and certainly was about locking the remaining Soleil away in their villa, while Isador assumed the crown. While Finley seemed sorry, he did insist a lot on how much Isador cared about their safety, how attacks targeted towards the royal family usually made numerous victims, which is why Isador felt obligated to keep them away.”
She sighed as she looked away for a moment. There was more irony in her voice than she would have liked, but the hypocrisy of the situation truly was unnerving.
“The Chevaliers at Finley’s side did not seem too fond of Lilith’s children, some even mentioning how they would not mind if, “after all is said and done”, some were to disappear. The vision ended with the sound of mourning bells.”
She shuddered at the thought, remembering with sadness Ruby’s shocked reaction to this very last sentence.
“Of all the visions, this one was the clearest and certainly the easiest to decipher. One of Lilith’s children was with us that night, did appear in the vision herself. While she was a child then, it was clear to her that her family was being manipulated. It was… quite shocking to see Emin Lilith in such a state of confusion and fear. She clearly did not agree to any of this, and no Chevalier showed any second thoughts about rounding up and locking away an entire family because Isador told them to. The royal family, no less.”
She hesitated for a moment, looking up to Aleksei as she sought the courage to express what she truly thought – something she rarely did, as of late.
“…I wonder for just how long the military has been sold to Isador. He was not even King yet.”
***
WC: 674| Post # 2
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 17, 2021 14:38:02 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
Visions.
He was almost sorry he had not been here to see them himself; it appeared there had been two sources, for he had heard talk about the strange building in the Common District as well.
Then again, considering the content, he wasn’t all that sorry. Some of the events that he heard had been shown still haunted his dreams.
Waking hours, too, when it was bad.
So he settled to listen to the retelling of the first of Euonia’s four visions. These events sounded familiar enough; Aleksei was a Great House noble, after all, the head of his House. He had come out from his self-imposed isolation around this time, and the gossip about what had gone down on that autumn day had been absolutely inescapable. For a few weeks, it had seemed all that people would talk about, at least when it was polite to gossip.
What he heard did not shock him. Disgust, perhaps, but not shock.
”Isador used that time to claim many of the Soleil assets – technically Crown assets, but perhaps if the family had been more free to act, they could have made a case for keeping some of the Hearthstone Art Collection or personal effects, such as the private paintings of King Azar”, Aleksei said softly, his voice hiding his emotions – at least until he realized what he had just said, and blushed slightly. Those paintings were not for public viewing, and Aleksei remembered discovering them as a teenager with his siblings.
”Not… Not that your Holiness would know those paintings. But either way, they were hardly Crown property in the traditional sense”, he hastened to add, before clearing his throat slightly.
”I do suspect quite a few Chevaliers were loyal to Isador long before he became King. My b--- King Amadeus was never terribly popular, after all. Isador is more of a leader. Decisive. Efficient. Bold. He had been in the Court for much longer, was someone people knew and recognized”, Aleksei stated, before adding more ponderously: ”How many he has actually paid off is a different matter. I’m sure there’s a good few; I’ve noticed a rather limited number of faces attending to him these days.”
Word count: 365
Post #2
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Post by Luneby on Jan 18, 2021 8:33:53 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
Euonia lifted an eyebrow upon Aleksei’s musings, barely holding back a smirk as he seemed embarassed. She would have to question him about those… private royal paintings sometimes later, Moira surely would be very interested to know more about them. Euonia had come to respect and admire Aleksei more than she would have ever thought. It was easy to forget that he was in fact a decade younger than her, but sometimes his real age slipped in his speech and his behaviour. The mare found it endearing. It made him feel like a genuine person, and not a carefully curated, talking and walking image. If anything, it was reassuring.
« Yes, you’re right. Forgive me, my vision of Isador is rather… black and white as of late. What I am worried about the most is how much the military force has been a tool for him to use, for how long, and how it will play into his plans. While I do not think he would be careless enough to entrust too much information to anyone, someone may know something of value within the Chevalier ranks. While we are on that topic, let me tell you about the third vision. »
She shook off the thought of her recent encounter with the King, which had prompted her hatred of him to fester in her mind. She must not let her fear of him cloud her judgement.
“It was rather eerie and difficult to decipher. We saw a group of Chevaliers, brutally handling a single slave. Someone talked – not one of the chevaliers. They stood in the stairs, apart from the group. Their voice was detorted, muted, echoed – strangely dreamlike. They told the Chevaliers that the slave knew too much. That they would have to erase their memories. That they didn’t want to explain another corpse.”
She took a pause, looking in Caladriel’s direction as the Phoenix seemed looked intensely through the window.
“The vision ended rather strangely. The royal doctor appeared. Someone talked to her – I believe the same person and told her that they summoned her as fast as they could. That only she could save the King.”
Worried eyes locked on Aleksei’s face. She knew that was not an easy topic to bring up with him, and sadly she was not done bringing up the past yet. She did not dare saying out loud what she so clearly thought – the slave knew something about Solaris’ demise, and Isador was clearly involved.
“The voice was unrecognizable, and we only saw hints of the speaker’s appearance, as they were partly cut by the stairs… But we both know who that must have been. We did see their hooves – one was rimmed with white, and their coat was flecked.”
She cleared her throat, ears flinching as she spoke.
“We did see the slave pretty clearly. An old graying unicorn with white markings on three of their legs, one on their stomach, and were heavily scarred. If they are even alive now, somewhere, their memories would likely be gone, but does that sound familiar to you?”
***
WC: 514| Post # 2
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 18, 2021 9:26:22 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
”I do not think he has had them for long”, Aleksei admitted readily: ”He would have acted more openly if he did. I’m sure his popularity has taken a severe enough hit with these constant wars – so many Chevaliers have died, and it is not as if the widow’s pay for the fallen is anything to brag about.”
”I have my own eyes among them. My wife is a Chevalier, after all”, he added, somewhat amusedly. It was very unusual for a Great House noble to marry into a common family, even if that family was wealthy and well-established. It might’ve been more of a scandal had it not been for everything else keeping people thoroughly distracted.
The next vision was a bit more interesting, but also more cryptic. Some of it made sense, but not all of it – he could piece together when the vision took place, but less so why it had shown the slave.
”Edith?”, he asked, and when Euonia’s expression confirmed it, Aleksei’s face looked momentarily grim: ”It must’ve been when King Solaris… When she died. I wasn’t there, but she had been sick for a while. But the final decline was very sudden. I know Edith was summoned to try and save her, but by all accounts she was too late. There was nothing left to be done.”
And it wasn’t for the lack of Edith’s expertise. Amadeus may have employed a different doctor, but Edith was one of the best, and Solaris had trusted them.
”The slave certainly isn’t one of Solaris’ – she didn’t have that many, she was against the practice. This one sounds like none of them, and certainly no slave of Solaris’ would’ve been in such a sorry condition”, Aleksei said, looking momentarily unnerved. This was something he had known nothing about prior – not so much the detail of Solaris’ death, but that there may have been a witness to it.
Or at least someone who would’ve had too easy a time putting the pieces together.
He thought back to before the Ball, all the slaves that had been around Court. Both ones owned by Advisers, and the royal family.
This description matched none of them.
”I don’t believe I ever saw a slave like that at court, to be honest. If they belonged to someone there, they must’ve been recently purchased – I doubt a labor slave would hang around enough to know much to begin with, so it must’ve been someone’s, or”, Aleksei stopped mid-sentence, partially for dramatic emphasis, and partially just because he had to mull the thought over in his head for a while: ”It wasn’t a slave at all.”
Outside in the garden, a heavy thud could be heard.
Word count: 452
Post #3
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Post by Luneby on Jan 18, 2021 10:50:26 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
Euonia’s ears perked up in surprise upon Aleksei’s conclusion.
She fell silent, so she could think about what the Advisor had just told her. While his explanation made sense, the idea of a free horse ending up in such a terrible condition – possibly at the hands of Isador himself, was worrying at best. As tragic as it was, it was easy to immediately associate a great number of scars with slavery – especially back when there was no branding.
Hearing that Solaris was against slavery by Aleksei’s own admittance was, however, heart-warming information that she would treasure.
“Had it been a slave belonging to the King, I’m not sure Isador would have been able to make them disappear so easily, especially if she kept so few. If that was no slave… Who could they be? I can only hope that their condition was not the result of recent violence perpetrated against them. I could not tell if those scars were fresh.”
She started musing out loud, eyes looking in the distance as she tried to recall as many details as possible.
“Could they have been house staff? I am afraid my knowledge is limited, and I can only speculate on who would have been able to witness anything so incriminating Isador would want to wipe their memory. I wonder if the Chevaliers also present would have known anything, but I doubt it. Besides, I have very little information allowing to identify any of them, but one appeared to be a Captain.”
Euonia interrupted herself as she noticed her Familiar looked uneasy – Caladriel’s beak snapped loudly as she let out an angry squawk. She must have been startled by the noise outside – but there was nothing to see in the garden.
“Easy girl, you’re fine.” Euonia spoke gently. While Caladriel fell silent, she did not leave the side of the window, decidedly keeping her eyes on it, which surprised the mare. She cleared her throat as her eyes once again fell on Aleksei.
“Now, if neither of us know anything more about the second vision, let me tell you about the third.”
She paused, the shadow of a smile rising on her face.
“In fact, I think you will be able to tell me something about it. I believe it depicted an audience with the Seroran Peacemaker about the recent peace treaty. Isador looked anything but pleased, as much as he swore that “Aodh always keeps her word.” Is there more context to this that I should be made aware of?”
***
WC: 422| Post # 4
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 18, 2021 11:24:59 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
”I don’t think making someone disappear is the issue”, Aleksei stated rather simply.
”When Amadeus died, several people vanished right along with him, but there was only the one body – his. It’s difficult to get anything that accurate out of the people who investigated it, but several people were never seen again. At least two Chevaliers, the King’s personal slave and his personal doctor vanished and no one has ever seen them since”, he told Euonia, before being quiet for a moment, and then adding: ”Well, except for me and the people who traveled with me to Kindlehome. I saw Amadeus personal physician there – we used to know each other, way back before. She had changed her appearance, but it was most certainly her, and she recognized me as well – asked if I had anything to do with Amadeus’ death.”
Aleksei let out half of a laugh: ”What she was doing in the middle of Aodhian wilderness and in such strange company I’ll probably never find out. Other things got in the way.”
He briefly looked outside as well, and then at Euonia’s clearly unnerved familiar. Aleksei supposed his own emotions were the cause – he could feel the bond clearly, and the energy and thoughts running through it.
It was still such a strange sensation.
”Could be. It could be anyone, really. I doubt the Chevaliers would know either, and if they ended up as a slave, Isador would’ve made sure the papers wouldn’t link back to him or the Palace in any way. They’d be almost impossible to find, which I am sure was the whole idea”, Aleksei said, looking thoughtfully out to the garden.
Even to those who believed slaves were indeed people, and who cared for their well-being, the fact was that slaves outside your home and perhaps close circle of friends and family were a rather unremarkable, easily confused mass. People wouldn’t be keeping an eye on a specific slave unless told to do so, and if this happened right after Solaris’ death, it had already been over two years – any trail would be long cold.
The third vision made a smirk grace Aleksei’s lips. It was a rather self-satisfied one, but it felt deserved.
”Why yes”, Aleksei said: ”That would be the treaty proposal I forged and sent to Serora under his name. He didn’t much like the situation it put him in, but he behaved as expected.”
Word count: 403
Post #4
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Post by Luneby on Jan 19, 2021 6:52:32 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
While she had heard of the disappearances conjoint to the King’s, it was no less a disturbing piece of information. His personal slave disappearing with him was one thing, but the doctor and Chevaliers as well? And the physician had just resurfaced recently? How could that be? Why were no bodies found besides Amadeus’? Why would they have needed to disappear if the murderers were caught and very publicly punished for their crimes? None of this made sense, but it was clear Aleksei did not know much more about the case.
Sadly, she knew exactly what company he was referring about. The same, cold feeling sent a shiver down her spine to the sole thought of it. For a splitting second, it seemed her eyes had lost all shine.
She worriedly looked at Aleksei and followed his gaze as he stared outside. It felt like something she could not quite put together was going on.
She was saddened of course that nothing she had seen would help them find proof Isador was responsible for the crimes they believed him to have committed, but she had expected it. Isador never did anything carelessly – finding a single mistake on his part would prove more than challenging, and only visions of divine origin had planted the seeds of doubt outside of Aleksei’s trusted circle and the King’s most fervent enemies.
Her ears perked up and her eyes widened as Aleksei admitted his responsibility in the treaty proposal. Quiet laughter chimed in the air as she gave the stallion a genuine smile.
“Of course that was you. This is the best thing to have ever happened since Isador was crowned, it could never have been his own work.” She giggled, a wave of pride and relief washing over her as she watched the young Advisor with thankful eyes.
“Does he have any suspicions? I would be surprised if he trusted his Advisors at all since he found out about the treaty proposal.”
***
WC: 328| Post # 5
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 19, 2021 7:53:39 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
”It had to be done. There was of course the chance he would have said no, but then he would have looked dishonest in front of everyone – and while most nobles wouldn’t care so much about the refugees, there would be raised eyebrows for proposing a deal and then backing out of it, Aleksei said simply, still smiling a bit. The actual worst case scenario would have been that Serora had said no, but he had been very hopeful that they would not leave their own in trouble. He didn’t have the highest opinion of the desert herd, but he knew enough of their culture to know that they seemed to care deeply about such things.
It probably also helped that they would come in rescue of impossible average farmers and other sucks common civilians, rather than some grand nobles or wealthy gentry. More palatable, relatable.
”Of course he does. He knows it had to be someone close to him; it seems to have been part of the motivation behind finding new Advisers to begin with – easier to spot people towing their own lines in discussion when you have more voices”, Aleksei said, a bit more seriously. It was not exactly a safe game, being so close to the King and trying to play him for a fool. Isador wasn’t stupid, and was well-aware that only a very limited number of people could’ve had enough money and access to do such a thing – that it likely had to be someone in his own court, most likely one of the Advisers.
”He seems to suspect Azazel the most; Azazel is most his equal, knows him well and has been around the Court for a long time. Azazel is a self-made unicorn, just like Isador, and hasn’t needed Isador’s help to get to where he is”, he told Euonia, before adding: ”Luckily it seems he mainly thinks it was done for monetary and political gain. He doesn’t trust us, keeps us at a distance. It is a strain, for sure, but at least it makes him look visibly paranoid in the eyes of the people.”
Word count: 353
Post #5
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Post by Luneby on Jan 21, 2021 13:44:02 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
Aleksei’s intervention was a sample of what his leadership would be like. She smiled to herself as he spoke.
“I agree, that was a very keen decisions on your part, the risk you took was clearly worth it. The King acting paranoid since will also be a useful tool to wield to undermine him.” Isador’s behavior would slowly discredit him, and she knew that she might be able to make the process faster in the right contexts.
Her thoughts drifted towards Azazel and how he behaved that fateful night.
“Come to think of it, Advisor Azazel appeared rather troubled during his stay in Oralee. While his behavior remained carefully controlled for the most part, I could tell the content of the visions were genuinely shocking to him.”
She looked down, sighing.
“Which brings me to the fourth vision. The New Year’s Ball.”
Sad eyes made their way up to the stallion’s face.
“I’m not going to describe what we saw – you very well know what happened that night. The only thing you need to know is that Isador very clearly appeared to give one of the assassins a sign, a pale coated hippocampus. Which prompted the slaughter.”
She cleared her throat, wings fluttering with discomfort.
“It was merely a nod but… The vision made the connection quite clear. We also saw him sneaking out, completely unharmed.”
***
WC: 226| Post # 6
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 21, 2021 14:09:01 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
Aleksei nodded to her musings on Azazel. Of course the older unicorn was troubled – it was never good to be in the bad graces of a King, much less one that had a wyvern at their command, and who had already shown a capacity for ruthlessness.
Then, it came to the most painful topic. Aleksei listened, and then merely nodded.
”I knew as much already”, he said: ”Had my own ways of finding out. I’ve known for a while, but had no proof.”
Plenty of people had been at the Ball, but after the attack, it had been complete pandemonium. With bodies falling, blessings flying around and people panicking, it was not as if anyone had the clearest memories of what had gone down. And the moments before it all went wrong had been so unassuming, so normal, that few had paid close attention to anyone except the royals.
”I don’t remember that night very clearly”, Aleksei admitted. In the garden, something rumbled, and the ground thudded softly as something moved closer to them.
”I have nightmares of it. Almost nightly, still. But awake, I can hardly remember”, he said. Sometimes he hated it – that he couldn’t properly recall the last moments he was truly happy with his family, the last moments they had shared. Most of the time, he was thankful for not recalling the detail. The images that chased him awake were horrid enough, even when they quickly faded.
”I only remember the screaming, and Solaris’ blessing ripping the room apart as Ramiro pushed me away from it all”, Aleksei told Euonia softy, before adding: ”I’ve often wondered if I was meant to die, too. Why I didn’t. I was right there, after all.”
For a moment, Aleksei looked troubled. Then he forced a half-smile, and added lightly: ”Suppose Ramiro was just faster than they were.”
Word count: 308
Post #6
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Post by Luneby on Jan 22, 2021 5:12:55 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
Her heart tightened in her chest as she listened to Aleksei’s sorry tale. Nightmares every night. Trauma clearly spread out before her, barely covered up by a smile that looked more like an excuse. Among the people who frequently visited her Sanctum, numerous were those whose lives had been ripped apart the same day his had been – a generation of politicians and eminent figures within the herd was plagued with disabling levels of grief most of them had never processed. He was not the first one whose pain she had felt – but somehow, his smile pierced right through her heart.
He would not have to bear those memories alone, that much she could promise. She had been blessed with not being involved with the event herself – and to see it with eyes devoid of the excruciating pain his bore.
The first thing she did when the visions came to an end, and people left her Sanctum taking what they had seen to the street, was to lock herself in her study, and write a detailed account on each vision – fourth one included. She had been put in the position of a witness – as an outsider, she could record the events were remembered for what they were, to the best of her ability at least. She would ensure they would never be forgotten. Everything she had written down had then been used through disguised ways in her sermons.
Thanks to the visions, she could summon fear. She could summon doubt. She could summon rage. All within Ignacio’s good name. She was quietly spreading oil all around there – so Aleksei could light a match whenever he saw fit and set the world ablaze.
“Aleksei.” She called out his name, softly.
“We will not let any of this go unpunished. All those who have been lost to Isador’s crimes will never be forgotten. No one was meant to die that night. No fate is ever written in the stars – yours included.”
She took a pause, looking intently at the stallion.
“Had you been meant to die that night, who would have stood up to Isador now? Only you have the legitimacy to take back what he stole. Your legacy weighs heavy – but it also makes you more powerful than most realize.”
Her lashes fluttered as a sad smile found its way on her face. For a moment, his pain had become hers. She had felt the crushing weight on his shoulders as he spoke – and wished for nothing more than to relieve part of it.
“Above all, only you have been brave enough to do something. You are not guilty of anything that happened that night, and you are certainly not guilty to be alive. No legacy can change that fact.”
Caladriel let out a pained plea, as she agitated herself at the window, beak snapping and wings flaring open repeatedly. Euonia swiftly moved out of her seat to be near her familiar and look through the window. While the Phoenix was known to be prone to vivid fits of emotion, her insistence and growing panic was completely out of the norm, and the mare would never leave her companion in distress.
That was when she noticed the heavy noises in the distance.
Was something… getting closer?
“Aleksei… What is that noise? Is something happening?”
***
WC: 552| Post # 7
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 22, 2021 6:07:30 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
”I know that”, he said softly.
”But knowing doesn’t mean my heart does not ache”, Aleksei then added, sounding sad. There was a stark difference between what he knew, logically, to be true – that it wasn’t his fault others had died, that him being alive was not somehow undeserved. That it was not a matter of deserving, or destiny, or anything else. The idea that a god might have intervened to save his life that night so he could be here today had never given him comfort – Aleksei was too much of a cold realist for that, despite his romantic notions when it came to some things.
His relationship to the gods, too, had always been a bit too cordial, too clinical, for such thoughts. He was devoted to Kaia, but he was not the type to stand in a Sanctum, praying for guidance or wealth or protection.
He prayed only in times of acute need. His worship was in action, not in words; in the garden he nurtured, and silent moments he had there.
Aleksei looked like he was perhaps about to say something else, when Euonia’s attention was drawn completely towards the garden, and the noises that could be heard from within it.
He looked outside, too, and smiled.
”I suppose I should show you”, he simply said, moving out of the door and through a short corridor to the grand double doors that opened into the large inner courtyard. The garden was impossibly lush, as always, and nothing immediately seemed out of place, although the heavy thumping sounds could be heard much more clearly now, coming from across the garden.
”Don’t be afraid”, Aleksei said, and then called on Lucius in his mind.
There was an almost questioning roar, and then a short screech.
Sound of scrambling feet and the pressure of massive wings lifting up a large body – and soon after, a wyvern landed in front of them with a less than graceful and sounding ‘thump’.
Lucius had grown quite a lot in just the week Aleksei had had him. His massive wings were quickly tucked in, but the body itself was not yet all that large – it was clear the wings were growing out first. The body was about the size of a large horse, with a big head and big eyes that belied the young age of the creature.
Lucius screeched at Aleksei, then keening and purring when the unicorn gently touched his muzzle to Lucius’ head.
”This is Lucius”, he said, before stating the obvious: ”He is my wyvern."
Word count: 426
Post #7
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Post by Luneby on Jan 24, 2021 9:30:24 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
There was little else Euonia could say to comfort Aleksei. She knew she was not teaching him anything, she simply hoped that he understood he could lean on her, should he need it. She was a political ally to him – but she cared about him and his well-being for other reasons than the hopes for the future he embodied. The stallion was undoubtedly an incredibly strong, yet guarded individual, and she knew she could not get through to him by speaking in Ignacio’s name, and she would never force it on him.
She stopped mulling over Aleksei’s mental state when he offered to show her what so worried Caladriel. Her latest encounter with Jessiah kept looping in her mind – could this be related to what they had hinted at?
Her heart beat loud and strong as she followed Aleksei in the garden as fast as she could, shooting puzzled glances all around her, the strong flowery fragrances making her head turn.
She already knew what she was about to witness.
Yet, she refused to believe it.
A wyvern.
A second wyvern lived within New Valore’s walls, so close to the first one.
She clenched her jaw shut as the beast landed before them- finding herself frozen at the sight of its massive wings.
She knew she should not be scared and that she could trust Aleksei, yet images of Sola flashed before her eyes as the creature appeared. The smell of ashes and blood, as well as the noises she could unfortunately hear whenever she stepped out of her Sanctum mercilessly invaded her thoughts as her eyes widened with fear. She could not bring herself to say anything while Caladriel was perched on her back, loudly protesting, wings defiantly flaring open yet not daring to fly away.
Part of her fears were eased when she witnessed the tender moment Aleksei and his wyvern – Lucius, shared. Slowly, she could see the creature for what it was – smaller than Sola, awkwardly proportioned. Mostly, his eyes struck her – such big, curious eyes; nothing like Sola’s impenetrable gaze. It occurred to her that Lucius was likely very young – and if he were, he would likely catch up to the King’s wyvern very quickly.
What was one to do when introduced to such a creature? Despite how much she feared wyverns and despised Isador for using his the way he did, they were still one of Ignacio’s greatest creation. Few beings flew closer to divinity – and she could not help but being in awe of the beast she so feared. She would not disrespect this formidable being – she and her peers of all people had to live up to everything Ignacio had ever created.
She wordlessly bowed before the creature – never letting him out of her sight. Slowly, Caladriel grew quieter. Her fear retreated in the back of her head- cold, watchful.
“You certainly do take travel souvenirs very seriously, Adviser.” She chimed in, her eyes still looking inside Lucius’ with more curiosity than fear.
“He is… beautiful. I will not pretend that I’m thrilled about seeing another wyvern inside New Valore’s walls, but I trust you enough to believe that you will not use him in destructive ways.”
She intended to hold up Aleksei to this. While she wasn't oblivious to the fact Lucius would probably have to battle against Sola in the future, she hoped that he would never be used for terror. This was a challenge for the trust she had in Aleksei– but she would leave him the benefit of the doubt.
“How old is he?” She asked, tentatively drawing closer, neck stretching towards the creature as she curiously inspected him.
***
WC: 610| Post # 8
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 24, 2021 14:26:50 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
Euonia’s fear was understandable – despite Lucius’ young age, he was still a large, predatory creature capable of breathing fire, and far larger than most equines, at least with his wings opened. Already the long neck and tail were showing signs of the impressive size he would grow, and his back legs looked clumsily large for the rest of him.
Lucius, for his part, eyed Euonia with open curiosity, puffing out his chest at the bow. Aleksei gave him a somewhat amused look, which made Lucius huff – his breath warm and smelling slightly sulphury, but not hot enough to be uncomfortable. He did not seem exactly delighter by Euonia’s presence, but Aleksei hoped that proper socialization would take care of that issue.
It was a shame they really knew so little of wyverns. Perhaps once this all was over, he’d find some non-hostile ancient kirin to explain them to him.
”I don’t know. They don’t really speak as we do, or like familiars when you have the skill of whispering. It is more… How would I put it”, Aleksei looked thoughtful, gently tapping his hoof on the grass as he tried to put his thoughts into words that Euonia could understand, even never having experienced such a bond.
”It is as if he is me, and I am him, and yet we are two. It is like we have always been. I feel known in the same way I did when Kaia looked upon me and laid my soul bare. But its not a bond of words or explanations – it’s emotion, feeling, images”, he told Euonia, before adding: ”I don’t think he really knows how old he is either. He was alone for a good while before I met him. Closest I can guess is several months – he showed me a bare earth devoid of grass or flowers when I tried to ask.”
Lucius was certainly growing quickly, but that did not give Aleksei much information, as he has never seen a wyvern grow before – Sola had, after all, already been an adult when she emerged from the tunnels under New Valore.
Word count: 351
Post #8
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Post by Luneby on Jan 28, 2021 5:09:17 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
While the concept of another wyvern within New Valore truly worried her, she could not help but soon find the beauty within Lucius. He was the first wyvern she ever saw up close – and oh, was he truly of Ignacio. Her eyes lingered on his dark scales glittering gold as the creature expressed his discomfort with her presence, that much she could catch on. The more Lucius moved, the clearer his young age was, which deeply amused the mare.
The bond Aleksei described truly fascinated and puzzled Euonia. A bond like none other, making two drastically different beings into extensions of one another – there seemed to be nothing quite like it, and part of her was envious of such a holy experience. Few divine expressions were as flamboyant as the very existence of wyverns – but this bond they could form with equines was sacred and was what prevented them from being monsters or mindless beasts.
Oh, to be known and understood so deeply. What an absolute, frightening, and magnificent experience that must be.
“I see. His young age shows clearly – I’m glad you bonded with him before he grew into adulthood.”
Lucius being with Aleksei was the safest solution, in the end. Had Aleksei not bonded with him, he might have fallen into wrong hands. The idea of a wild, adult wyvern roaming the wilderness of Eithne was not a pleasing thought either.
“He is safer with you than anywhere else.” She adds, eyes drifting towards the stallion.
“I wonder how fast wyverns grow. He is quite big already.”
She had no knowledge of wyverns to speculate – simply knew of Sola and couldn’t help but notice that Lucius was not very small compared to her. Would he catch up to her soon?
***
WC: 292| Post # 9
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Post by ThatDenver on Jan 29, 2021 12:26:57 GMT -6
ALEKSEI
”As am I, believe me. It was frightful enough to stand before him now, even though I had a good feeling about how to bond with him… Based on the stories I’ve heard about Isador and Sola”, Aleksei said, hiding a guilty smirk. Honestly it had been incredibly risky, but in the moment, he had remembered how Isador had done it – how the would-be-King had stood before Sola and commanded her to attend, and she simply had. Aleksei had belief, he had faith – and that day, it had paid off.
Experiencing the bond had been different than what he expected, and on some level, it made him understand Isador better. The bond between a wyvern and its equine was special, and now the way Sola acted made so much more sense.
He could see Isador in Sola, in the same way that others would surely see him in Lucius as the wyvern grew into adulthood.
”They seem to grow very quickly. He has grown several feet in wingspan from the day I found him – less so in body mass, admittedly, Aleksei said. Another thing to ask one of the ancient kirins about. They would surely know.
And at the same time, he could not possibly grow quickly enough. Aleksei did not know when the fight with Isador would come to pass, but he felt it would be soon. Sola stood between any force willing to take on the King and their prize.
And Sola was a wyvern fully grown. Lucius would in his maturity more than match her in size, of that Aleksei was sure – but at the same time, right now he was but a youngster.
That reminded him.
”I should give you something”, he said suddenly, and with a thought sent Lucius back deeper into the garden. The wyvern huffed but rose to his wings, swooping once above the two equines before flying into the deep corners of the garden, and landing there.
Aleksei walked back inside, and took a small piece of jewelry from a box. He returned to Euonia, giving it to her.
It was a plain, almost dull-colored purple gemstone set in a simple gold pendant. Small in size, and absolutely unremarkable in every imaginable way.
”It doesn’t look like much I know, but I think it will prove useful to you”, Aleksei said simply: ”It is imbued, you see. When the time is right and there are those willing to hear us out, it will help them see the truth.”
Word count: 416
Post #9
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Post by Luneby on Feb 2, 2021 15:38:11 GMT -6
E U O N I A"Renunciation, total and sweet."
Euonia’s thoughts were also driven towards the final, inevitable battle that awaited the young wyvern. Curiosity soon shifted to concern as she watched the creature, carefully listen to Aleksei’s every word. She did not dare to say a word about it – they both knew it would happen and could only hope for the best.
“Truly impressive. I have no doubt he will grow up to be majestic beyond belief. Hopefully through him, we can learn more about his kind.” She smiled sadly. Noticing how awkwardly proportioned Lucius was only made him sweeter in her eyes – she was happy she got to meet him in his youth and got a chance to see a wyvern at its most innocent. She hoped she would see him grow. She hoped he stood a chance against Sola.
Detaching her eyes from him almost proved a difficult task when the wyvern flew away. She shook off the fears that came with learning of his existence and wordlessly followed Aleksei inside.
Euonia was far from expecting that she would walk out of Cinder Hall with a gift. Curious eyes watched the plain necklace – but there was no clue on its immaculate surface that could give away any of its secrets. While the piece of jewelry was likely imbued, it certainly did not look like anything out of the ordinary. Of course, she what kind of spell the necklace had gone through, and what she would need it for – but she figured that if Aleksei wanted her to know, he would have told her. That was for the best, she thought.
She politely dipped her head upon receiving the item, and promptly passed it around her neck.
“Thank you, Aleksei. I shall keep it with me at all times so it may aid us spread the truth to our people.” She had no reason to doubt Aleksei and would treasure the necklace until it has been used.
“The sun is setting – I should take my leave.”
She took a step closer, wings fluttering as she watched the stallion with determined eyes.
“Stay safe – I will do everything in my power to spread our cause until you are ready to do what you must.”
A genuine smile found its way to her lips as she bowed before the young Advisor one last time.
“May you walk in the light.”
***
WC: 391| Post # 10
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Post by Dream-Lark on Mar 7, 2021 15:00:53 GMT -6
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