Humiliated. Viserys trekked purposefully and determinedly through the Thistle Meadow, trying in desperation to ignore the fact that his trip to visit the Sun God in the Veins, had left him with a bruised ego and a singed forelock and mane. His long platinum tresses, usually so kempt and well groomed, appeared tangled and the edges blackened and sooty from the Sun Gods flames. Viserys paused as he came to a stream in the meadow, shuffling to the water’s edge and peering in despair down at the sad, haphazard reflection that looked back at him. He wished more than anything that the stream was no stream, but a window in time that he could crawl through, back to Valyria, back to everything as it had once been.
But that wasn’t so.
It would be someday, if his plan continued to unfold as he foresaw it. Once his fire magic was returned to him, he could begin the tedious process of recruiting others to his cause. To retake his homeland and reclaim his rightful place of King of Light would allow him to die in peace, knowing he had fulfilled fate and fortunes true wishes. Irritated with circumstance, Vis pawed at the image reflected on the water’s surface, sending water flying in a spray and ruining the image in a wave of ripples and splashes. Now if only that damned Keahi would show herself. He had searched the better part of the day for the ebony pyromaniac and her green eyes, but to little avail. There was no telling where she had escaped too after the envasion, or if she was even anywhere in Helovia at all. Late afternoon was fast approaching, and Viserys detested the idea of spending the night alone in an unfamiliar place. There was no telling where she was really, it was all a game of chance, but he hoped that his limited knowledge of the Helovian lands would be enough to lead him to her.
The silver stallion waded into the water of the stream, crossing it and continuing on his way south to where he vaguely remembered the large river that tied into these northern running bodies of water. Most creatures kept near a water source of some sort, and equines, wretched unicorns and the winged Pegasus were no different. If Keahi was not around, Viserys hoped that some wandering soul would be able to point him in the right direction. Until then he continued to follow the stream, pausing every now and then to observe his immediate surroundings before resuming his rambling pace, muttering curses and obscenities under his breath as he went. No king, especially this king, should ever be subject to such nonsense in their lifetime.
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KEAHI
“You are without a doubt one of the most useless slaves I have ever kept.”
Her words cut through the air clearly without even raising her voice, so cold she might as well be spewing out frost along with them. She is not satisfied with him, and she has no scruples in letting him know. Like a large cat, she prowls up soundlessly, appearing seemingly from nowhere to suddenly walk right behind him. Her emerald eyes are hard as she passes his side, moving to stand in front and face him. Coward. It is not something she needs to say out loud, they both know she is thinking it. “You disappointed me, Viserys. Now is your time to make it up to me,” she says in her silky, dark voice, slithering across her charred lips to caress the earlobes of the pearlescent steed.
Glod-flecked emeralds drift across the steed’s unmarred body, bitterly recalling the night in the light of orange flame where she fell victim to the vicious Edgers, while all he thought about was to save his precious ass. There is something about him that repels her, she realizes now; he is too pristine, too perfect. With a flick of her leonine tail, she turns to take a sip of water from the stream they are standing by. Her winter coat has shed early, revealing the short fur of shining tar below, reflecting the birdsong sun vividly. As she moves, bones jut out under her skin as always, and Keahi is quite pleased to be back to being her old self. Velvet kissers break the surface of the waters and she drinks silently, not caring to really listen to what excuses Viserys may have to relieve himself of.
As she turns back to him, crystalline water drips from her maw and as the sun hits her eyes; her gaze for a moment appears to be of the purest gold. “He has sent you back to me. You should be grateful only your mane got singed, not many get off that easily with Our Lord, upon failing him,” she speaks, her voice ever so slightly softer now that she has had an outlet for her pent up anger, but words still blunt. It is difficult for her to feel disgruntled when finally, everything is back in place in her world; she has her magic, her Heavenly Father is returned to his position and freedom has been granted her once more. She takes this as a clear sign of His affection, and she glances briefly to the skies in gratitude, a smile sneaking its way upon her maw.
“You are without a doubt one of the most useless slaves I have ever kept.”
Viserys came to an immediate standstill at the sound of Keahi’s voice, clear and sharp like a knife digging unceremoniously into his back. The platinum stallion wheels to face her, violet eyes narrowed from beneath the charred silver locks that fall across them, his body a coiled spring of infuriated muscle. He moves to speak in retaliation, but before a word can come out of his mouth he is cut short by her lamentations of disappointment. It is all Viserys can do to keep his head, and to resist the urge to lunge at the infuriating black creature in a fit of rage, but he resists. He knows the Sun God is watching, and it would be to his folly to lose his patience so soon. If anyone should be disappointed, it would be him, for having to deal with all these insolent creatures in the first place. Still seething he glares at the black mare’s back while she drinks, choosing to stick to sharp words rather than actions to voice his displeasure.
“I am glad to see I was missed, Keahi.” Viserys replied spitefully, no love lost in the inflection of his words, “I can see that time has done nothing to change you, how… unfortunate.”
At her talk of being grateful and giving thanks to the might Sun God for not doing further damage to his appearance, an irritated frown of exasperation itched its way onto his handsome face. Keahi was nothing if not loyal and practiced in her worship of the Sun God, a devotion Viserys would never be able to understand, but something he wished to have lavished upon himself. He snorted, eyeing the singed silver hairs of his mane and forelock in childish despair. If only he possessed the power to fast forward through this horrendous mess of a quest, but even Vis knew that the seasons could not be rushed, and he would be stuck with Keahi for the time allotted. The struggle would be worth it though, and when his rightful magic was restored, Keahi and those like her would no longer be able to mock him. All the wretched omegas who had dared to insult him wold be put in their rightful place.
“Tell me, oh lovely master,” The words were blasphemous as the rolled off his tongue, but he suffered through them, “ “What mad errands will we be running next?”
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KEAHI
“Sorely,” she replies to his sentiment that he has been missed. She successfully winds him up and she cannot help by smile, her emerald eyes glistening with amusement. “You’re too easy, Vis. Obviously you haven’t changed either,” she says smoothly, her words losing the poison with every syllable passed over her velvet kissers. Keahi knows that the only thing she must not do is to count on Viserys for anything; bitter experience has taught her as much. Looking into his eyes, she chooses to ignore his spiteful words in calling her a ‘master’ and a smile lingers softly at the corner of her sensual lips. “Oh but Viserys, I have no reason to tell you. You betrayed my trust. My plans stay safe with me, for now,” she murmurs, tilting her head a little to the side. Truth be told, she does not have any schemes brewing, but it does not mean that she has been thrown off of her game. She is not resting on her laurels; she just needs time to level the playing field.
“First you will elaborate on your activities for the last couple of months,” she speaks. It’s not a question, it never is. Moving closer, she makes sure to anger him by touching her lips against his shoulder softly, tugging at his scorched mane teasingly. He will not retaliate, if he knows what is good for him; should he ever wish to gain her respects, he will have to learn to play along with her little games every now and again. Truth be told, Keahi can hardly imagine herself as a follower of a ruler as weak as Viserys; following anyone else but her Divine Father has never occurred to her. But if she humored him, played along with his fantasies, there might be a reward at the end worth having. She glances upwards briefly without the pale steed seeing, knowing that The Lord of Light have previously not approved of her targets of pursuit, but she can only hope that he will see her true motives.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large pillar of flame shoots out of the ground a few feet in front of Viserys, blasting heart towards the duo and then disappearing in a split second. With a grin and a shrug of her shoulder, Keahi flicks her tail. “Oh, right. He is not the only one around here able to torch things anymore. Just so we are clear,” she says calmly, moving past him and letting her body touch against his lightly before halting, gazing out over the waters.
In the safety of his shallow thoughts, Visery’s imagined all the ways he would scorch and burn and sear this infuriating, ridiculous excuse for a unicorn that the Sun God had stock him with for the season. Keahi’s sarcasm and blunt humor is lost on him, as he is only half-way listening, the other half of him nothing but taught, coiled muscles and grinding teeth of frustration. Humiliation did not befit him, nor did being subject to the mocking of these inferior beasts that continuously strutted and pranced before him like a never ending parade of petty pansies with their heads stuck up their self-righteous asses. It was enough to make him want to scream.
Viserys didn’t though; instead the pearlescent stallion returned his attention to the skeletal, scrawny black mare just in time to hear her demands being dished out to him on a less than silver platter. It takes every fiber of self-control in his being (which is in fact not that much) not to withdraw in hasty, appalled retreat from her touch. He grimaces like a school boy getting dirt on his pristine uniform when she takes his scorched, ivory tassels in her wretched teeth. Again he imagines what it would be like to stomp her into the ground, crush that not so pretty little face right into the mud in a crunch of skull and blood. Or perhaps, have someone else do it, as the idea of gore and entrails was a rather unsettling idea even for a great King such as himself. Yes, that’s what minions and armies were for, and someday he would have them at his beck and call, as he should.
But for now, he would attempt to play this wretched game the Sun God had landed him in, do his best to follow the rules for the sake of being given back his powers, with a mare made of less sense than a newborn colt. Speaking of colts… His thoughts lingered on sister fleetingly. He would have to seek her out at some point, sooner rather than later.
“As you wish, Lady Kaehi-” Vis’s voice was thick and heavy with overused decorum, but rudely interrupted by the massive, roaring column of fire that appeared out of nowhere.
The sight made the white stallion jump in surprise, the feeling and smell of scorched, burnt hair still fresh in his mind’s eye as he watched the bright, flaming column as it leaped out of the ground in front of them both. She scrambled backwards and away, for fear it would catch his entire body alight. He quickly regretted the movement though, knowing very well that the black mare would only spew epithets about cowardice and weakness once more at the sight of him racing backwards like some crawdad on the river bank, fearful of becoming a larger animal’s meal. He wants to spew and sputter in defiance at Keahi’s holier than though attitude at her little show she’s just put on, but he remains in a shocked silence, for once feeling that he no longer has the upper hand. He recomposes himself quickly, trying to act as if nothing had happened, shaking himself to rid the imaginary feeling of searing, burning fire that made his skin itch.
“As I was saying,” He coughed, voice cracking, “After I fled from your disastrous fire, I went into hiding, and that is where I have remained. My time alone has been spent in self-meditation, and now I after much deliberation I return to you, lovely master, to complete the undertaking the Sun God entrusted to me.”
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KEAHI
She tries to hide her thrill as he startles from the flames, her flames. The sight of their red and orange grandeur is almost rousing to her, just like that night the forest went up in smoke. The black minx bites her lip fleetingly, mesmerized almost as the light reflected in her emerald pools, turning her back to Viserys and his silly antics. “Tsk tsk, Viserys. Compose yourself,” she remarks in a calm voice. The game is hers, she knows he knows, and it brings a sweet tasting smile to her face to be in control. At least he is entertaining, if a bit of a pain in the backside.
Lobes perk to his voice, noting the absence of his former steady confidence in his words, but that is just about the only uplifting aspect of what he speaks. Her voice holds a hint of ice when she speaks again, caught on a single word in his stream of useless information; really she doesn’t care about him. If he had died and come back to life, she wouldn’t have given a single fuck. “Disastrous?” she snakes her nape around to regard him through hard, emerald optics. “It was perfection. Not that you would know,” she adds unamused. “You speak like you had a choice, yet we both well know that He is relentless in His demands. Do cease to pretend that you are here on your own mercy. If you refuse him, you will end up as torched as the forest you helped me ignite,” she speaks.
The tail of the lioness flicks lazily, growing restless fast but having an idea pop into her mind that calls a smile to replace the pout. She knows he will not like this, but he will have no choice but to follow her. “I do not know if you noticed, but while you were away, tending to your ‘meditation’, the Edge was invaded. It became my escape, but I never found out just how it all played out,” she pauses, trying to get him to follow her train of thought as her smile grows wider. “We will go there next.” Yes, Keahi loves to play with fire, haven’t you found that out yet? She is ready to run the risk of meeting Mauja’s scorned ass, just to satisfy her own curiosity. Hell, she can feed them Viserys for all she cares; should buy her enough time to disappear, before the frothing unicorns would have any mind to pursue.
V i s e r y s
Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright, in the forest of the night.
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“Tsk tsk, Viserys. Compose yourself.”
There is nothing that makes the ivory stallion angrier than the smug look of satisfaction on the black winch’s face. He feels like a scolded child stuck beneath the thumb of an insolent mother, who has nothing better to do than fill his head full of her own spiteful, monotonous dialogue of supposed superiority. He bites his tongue, singed hairs of his mane still simmering in his mind as he recalled the flames of the Sun God rushing up to meet him, and now this blasted mare with her own magical prowess seemed fit to gut him and roast him over an open fire of her own. It was ludicrous, this endless goose chase that he was being sent on, to appease this lunacy laced creature with his services. Keahi would likely get him killed in the process, and all his struggling to regain his rightful powers would be for naught. The thought makes the stallion’s stomach twist in distress, and he grits his teeth as she babbles on with her sick adoration about how he will end up torched yet again if he does not do as the mighty Sun God demanded.
“I do not know if you noticed, but while you were away, tending to your ‘meditation’, the Edge was invaded. It became my escape, but I never found out just how it all played out. We will go there next.”
Viserys, despite his overwhelming need to worry about himself and how he was going to manage to get out of this mess without being maimed or murdered, perked up at the obsidian unicorn’s recollection of the Edge’s invasion, and her wish to return to the land where she had been held prisoner. A mixture of dread and trepidation immediately sullied the pearlescent stallion’s flustered attitude. He remembered all too well the power of the Edge and those that inhabited, and he wasn’t too sure he enjoyed the prospects of returning to those lands after they had been faced by war and bloodshed. Viserys knew just as well as anyone that had faced the trials and terrors of battle and domination that in the period of restoration those wounded or injured – whether it is physically or their pride – were often stronger than they were before. Two outcasts, two unwelcomes outcasts at that, would hardly be welcomed with open arms. Vis chewed his lip distractedly, already envisioning the hysteria that was likely to unfold if their arrival was received with panic or suspicion. It was enough to send the cowardly stallion fleeing in the opposite direction.
However, for as spineless as Viserys was, his greed was far more overwhelming. If he left now the Sun God would not only smite him, but then the dethroned king would never receive his magic, and in turn there would be no reconquering of his stolen kingdom, or returning himself to his rightful rule as supreme leader of the Kingdom of Light. No, he was too far involved to give up now. Patience was not something the stallion practiced very often, but he was becoming far more accustomed to it. Despite his reservations and doubts of Keahi’s sanity or abilities of self-preservation, he would follow her if it meant his own vicious flames would be returned to him. All the pieces on the playing board were set in place, he just had to allow the game to be played. His mind wanders briefly to his sister, and the child that should be at her side- his child. He would have to seek them out if the chance arose, for dear Daenyrs and the babe he had hoped to reap from her was as much a part of his twisted game as he himself was.
"While I think you’re mad,"He replied crassly, cooly, eyes narrowed and the tone of his voice obviously displeased, "I will do as you command. Lead the way, master.”
It might have been rather bold of the alabaster coated nuisance to speak in such a distasteful manner, but he couldn’t help himself. He fell in line subserviently in the black mare’s tracks, all the while grumbling inwardly to himself about how absurd this entire situation was turning out to be.
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Image Credits
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