With each passing day the Cadaverous seemed to learn something more about the role she now played. At four years of age she felt as if someone had taken her by the scruff and dragged her through life’s lessons, there was no gentle guiding hand. Just a scramble to know everything and a rush to apply it properly, whether she was doing it right or not Ghost had no idea. She made decisions when they needed to be made and hoped her intuition and Midas’ wisdom would lead her to make the right one. As she flew after him her mind wondered onto the Gallant himself, what made him so convinced that they needed to secure allies? Had the Hidden Falls done something in the past that warranted aggression or did he know something Ghost did not? She wouldn’t be surprised by the latter, he had been around much longer than the young Czarina and had surely seen more strife than she had. Yet, why did they ignore Ophelia’s land to the north? Perhaps she would take up the matter with him later.

For now, she shifted uncomfortably in the air as the hairs along her spine felt like they were standing up as soon as they reached the borders of the Worlds Edge. She hadn’t been here since the reign of Mauja, since she had been born and since the Frostheart had banished her. The Cadaverous knew from meeting him a few months ago that he no longer ruled here, but it still didn’t stop the feeling that she should turn and run from this place.

Ghost landed near the border, where Midas and his pair of bonded had eventually made their way to and the banshee looked at all his all his gold marked immortal face blankly. Their experiences in this land were starkly different it seemed. The Czarina shifted uncomfortably and slowly she walked up to his side, a shaky sigh passing through her lips as she looked out at the territory in front of them, “I haven’t been here in a long time” her eerie voice whispered. Soon the sprite's mind wandered between past and present, were the occupants so cruel now? Did it matter? Probably not, they were after security through bargaining a deal, cruelty could often be a sign of physical strength that they might need.

Much blood. Yes, Ghost could imagine there would have been blood spilt in these parts. In her mind this place was a dark place, not for its current inhabitants, but from her past experience or lack of. A perfect world would have seen this land as her home, the place she should have felt the most secure, except she looked upon it now with a guarded eye and a scared memory. Her thoughts filled by her mother that the place was no good and she should never return here, but here she was, stood on its borders. Mother would have disagreed, but mother was not here and she had already climbed higher that her dam could ever achieve. It was time she made her own judgements. Midas clearly valued this place and the Cadaverous stood dutifully by his side.

The first to arrive was a bulky stud, all fur and dispassion. His proffered greeting to Midas was much warmer than that he offered her and Ghost simply stared back at him blankly, her cold exterior boring into his macho makeup. Captain. Dauntless. Archibald. He was titles and bluntness, a bear but not the toy kind and though many might find him quite stifling, Ghost preferred this kind of personality. They were much easier to understand and respond to. Near him was a carnivore, a dog, also puffed up in hair and the banshee was sure that behind those velvet lips were rows of sharp teeth. An interesting companion, but one well matched it seemed for a Captain. Midas greeted him familiarly whilst the Cadaverous remained silent as the next stepped into the fray. This one of the winged race, blue lacing her pale body to make her intriguing enough to look at and she was quite a lot smaller than the beast who stood next to her. Parelia the Glazier. So the soldier and the artist had turned up, an interesting combination to say the least. Atop the mare’s shoulders was a falcon and Ghost began to wonder if it was becoming an increasing trend to be followed around by a creature that was not a horse.

The Gallant pressed on with proceedings with a kind introduction to which the banshee took the opportunity to finally greet them both with the same mutual nod. ”A pleasure” it wasn’t really, but her voice rang with pretend sincerity, there was no need to piss off the welcome party now was there? Midas might not appreciate her facetiousness.

An alliance was mentioned and Ghost watched their faces with intent to see how they might respond. Wasn’t the Edge former allies? What would they do if this failed? Would Midas agree to travel to the Aurora Basin? At least some of her questions might be answered today. ”With the land currently plagued by mysterious deaths, rekindling ties might keep both our families remain safe and, of course, opportunity to share resources is always an open option. We come with friendship and hopes of diplomatic discussion.” She spoke after Midas, her vocals held no clear emotion, but she was confident in her delivery.

Ghost didn’t quite know what she was expecting of the King and Queen here, her perceptions of the place marred by the Frostheart and so it was with great interest that the banshee observed them arrive.

The first, the Queen, hailed herself as Kahlua and as she did so a reptilian call rang that was followed quickly by a blue dragon, who positioned himself on top of a basket made out of glass. Again this one appeared to know Midas and Ghost gave the Czar a sidelong glance, did everyone know Midas? She wondered if her partner had a restless mind after all considering all the travelling he must have done to know so many souls. Or maybe they all came to him like sheep to a farmer. Kahlua thanked her comrades and questioned what they would desire out of an alliance as a rather large winged stallion landed on the ground. Kaj, the King, that was all he said. An enigma wrapped in his seemingly ordinariness, where many had interesting companions or appearance or accessory, this one was just a buckskin Pegasus. Though Ghost stopped short of judging him, knowing that there could be many attributes and secrets hidden behind flesh.

Swivelling her ears between the conversation, Ghost turned her attention on the herculean form of the Captain, who seemed more inclined to speak a warning that any form of stirring the pot or causing chaos he would not appreciate. She cocked her head to one side, does he not know what safe and friendship mean? Her satiric thoughts mulled, but she soon pushed them aside, deciding that chiding such a brute would not be in her best interest.

She remained silent as Midas took up the mantel of negotiation and spoke in response to the words put to them. There wasn’t much she could add, they had said most of what they wanted ”ways to stop such chaos is more favoured” she responded to Archibald instead, hoping to ease his gruff exterior and reassure him that they were not here to cause a war. ”We, the Hidden Falls, will also take into consideration what you and your family would like to gain from such an alliance” was her ending statement to both King and Queen.

Ghost watched as their words were taken and mulled over, she waited for the reply and when it came, her face contorted into a mixture of admiration and surprise. "A neutral land?" The thought echoes through her mind as she tries to garner an advantage to it within the world they lived. It was certainly endearing and, if it worked, the Edge would surely benefit from a wide range of resources. Yet, in their quest for wide spread peace and fun, did they not put their own in danger? Politics was a new thing to Ghost and she found that her own mind rather liked the debates that came along with it. She chaffed at the silence that was demanded of her in the current situation, the sprite so wanted to ask why and how. Maybe alliances in the past had been so bad that this misty land no longer wanted to be bound by word. The King and Queen spoke of their agreement in trade between arms and goods, but elaborated no more on what the Edge would offer. The games sounded like a fun addition, though Ghost herself would not find enjoyment in such frivolity, she hoped others in her herd would attend. In the end, she admired what the royalty here sought, but questioned its stability.

She looked to the hulking form of Archibald, his stoic presence commanded attention and her eyes narrowed, not in a confronting or angered way, but more out of curiosity. After all, a horse was never born this rigid and indomitable, whatever had made him this way was shaped by life and for some reason he didn’t quite fit the world peace agenda. He spoke like a warrior who knew something of war and Ghost found she liked his words better; he offered security whilst the others (including herself) dallied in trade. If the Cadaverous could pick, she’d rather have the armies to call upon in a time of need than the resources offered. Her prying eyes flicked between King and Captain whilst a meddling smile weaved across her dark lips, "who is King again?" It was a rhetorical question delivered on bantering words that were only meant as a fun jest with echoes of her true nosiness. She left it there, another day the sprite might have poked more fun, but there was an air of calm about them that stopped her from pressing any further.

Parelia, the Glazier, echoed her own Leaders words and ended on a note that Ghost couldn’t quite decipher what she entirely meant. Instead, she shrugged it off; it appeared the Edge wasn’t quite ready to commit all her eggs to one basket. Midas spoke again with his usual respectful, archaic flair and agreed to both the offer of trade and protection. It was apparent their conversation had exasperated all they were going to get from this meeting and Ghost met the eyes of the Gallant "no, I think we have obtained all we can from this" she responded dryly.

With that she cast a glance to their lordly company and inclined her head, folds of silky black mane falling over one side of her face. "Thank you for your audience and I wish our herds to have many more seasons of friendship." Ghost pandered to the crowd on lavishing words.