Kahlua

The child queen was no mother, but it seemed she had a way with children. Or rather, a way with getting them to leave. As the child monster, no doubt meant for evil greatness, tottered off, Kahlua felt one weight lift from her shoulders. Even heavy anchors, chains, lead sinkers could be removed, if for a moment, and she was no longer drowning in thoughts of being tied down by child. A small win on her part, surely. Or at least, she decided to count it as one. She doubted she would get many more in this conversation.

Honestly, Kahlua expected rejection, expected to be pressed from the Basin's borders to return empty handed to her homeland- especially in consideration of the way Illynx's face fell as she fashioned her question. The poor queen took it as anger or frustration rather than contemplation. After all, the queen did not consider her magic to be a threat to the Basin's less... desirable denizens. Rather, she considered it a gift to their very souls. As it was, Kahlua was given a gift. A small one, but a gift nevertheless- Illynx's (momentary) cooperation.

What are you wanting to know? Oh thank the lucky stars. Kahlua's knees stopped shaking. A tiny smile even managed to turn up the corners of her lips. This was not a futile exercise, not a waste of her time and life. But Kahlua did not really give Illynx credit where credit was due. Rather, her eyes looked up to the skies and she sent a silent thank you to the Lady Moon or Sun God or whichever of the four it was that had turned the tides in her favors. If devoutly stupid, she was also devoutly religious. Perhaps that is just the law of the universe.

Not a breath later, the queen turned back to Illynx, blue eyes settling easily now on the golden frame. Not that she would close the distance between herself and the Basin royalty any further. But it was a start. “Why do you feel how you feel? What makes you prefer the company of unicorns? Were you brought up this way, did something happen?” Too many questions too fast, she knew. Or maybe she didn't and that was why she asked them that way. But it was a start, an entrance to the terrifying depths of Illynx's life and times.

And that realization made the girl's eyes flick away suddenly, wanting to look anywhere else for half a moment. Her gaze returned to the monstrous unicorn that towered over the entrance. “What does it do?” she asked suddenly, her question similar to sentiments Ulrik had expressed so long ago in their short meeting. And if she had learned anything of the metal crafter that day, it was that he did not believe in any way shape or form in objects for the sake of beauty. Was there more to the lurking statue?

here comes the sun