How Yael managed to miss the horned stallion behind the altar is really quite remarkable, but perhaps she was entirely too preoccupied with her own mess of feelings to pay attention to anything except the altar and the speech she intends to deliver to Kaos (regardless of whether or not he actually hears it). A woman wearing a skin of stars is not far behind her, and for a moment her thoughts flash back to Serenity, but no, it is not her. This mare is silver and stars, there is no sun in her stormy eyes. It seems to the Seer that this one has the intent of a warrior, but there is little that can intimidate her right now. At least she comes only with questions, challenges held behind a nearly overflowing dyke.

Yes, she knows the feeling, she can see it in the star-woman’s eyes; fear, confusion, anger - all in the name of love for one’s family. Yael knows exactly what she’s going through, and her heart softens from it’s original rankling at the intrusion (which is ridiculous, surely they’ll all be flocking here soon). “Yes,” she begins, unable to hide the bitterness in her voice, “ze Gods are gone. Kay-os xas come to take Xelovia, eet seems.” She pauses, hearing her own words and shakes her head a bit. “I am sorree you xaf to find out zis vay.” And then a sharp laugh, perhaps too harsh, too swift to even pretend to be nice. “Unless you can fight a God, I do not t’ink you can xelp. Ve vere po’erless against xeem before, eet ees not likely zat xas changed.”

Zani rebukes her, digging his claws in with a little growl. He sends her a picture of her dragon-self, and Yael visibly winces. Yes, she’s being the dragon bitch right now. No, she doesn’t feel like she has time to babysit someone who’s very clearly lost and confused about everything. But he is that good part of her soul, and so she relents and surrenders herself. In a softer tone, she begins again. “Xoo ees your familee? Perxaps I know t’em.” Perhaps she can help. Perhaps not… it will all be chaos soon, anyway.  

Thranduil materializes from behind the altar, and after a curious glance, the golden woman must bite back a scowl. How long had he been there, lingering? Listening? But the Laurelin, too, has a family, and she wonders why he isn’t with them, until his blithe words make her want to snap and snarl. He doesn’t understand. None of them understand, and they can’t ever, because that would be her crucifixion at the hands of the righteous and innocent. Yael wants to ask him if he’s seen whole kingdoms burn in dragonfire, watched dear ones go limp and die in front of his eyes. She wants to hold up a mirror to his masculine ignorance, but she has no tools save her words. And so with a derisive scoff, the petite mare turns to the altar and reaches to touch the engraved words. “And yet eet ees vhat xe promised. Xere - ve xad xoped - ”

Adonai, they were all right. He was not to be trusted. But even if she hadn’t read the words and spread them ‘round… all of this still wouldd have happened. she is an ant in the grand scheme of things. This was the gods’ fight, and they would be the casualties.

“Vhen you xaf vatched your loved vones die because of var, t’en tell me xow boreeng peace ees.”