a wild game.

the Rift

a wild game.

Psyche the DarkEmpress Posts: 380

Deceased

Mare :: Unicorn :: 15.3 hh :: 8 (ages in Orangemoon) Buff: ENDURE

RayoDeSoleil

#16

02-11-2013, 12:26 AM

She was silent as she weighed her options, and it stretched for an uncomfortable amount of time. Fine, let them wait. Let them worry, she thought moodily. They've wasted my time enough, let's just waste some of theirs. Truly, though, she found herself in quite the predicament. To allow them to leave unharmed was folly, and weakness before her herdmates. But to keep them here, to harm them, was to bring the wrath of the Grey - and that of their allies, if they had any - down on the Basin. And, while they were strong, they were not yet as established as she would like, nor as well-trained. They all had their strengths and weaknesses, just as there were pros and cons to any situation, but she could not see any advantage to keeping them other than to settle the personal vendetta that was long-standing between she and the painted draft.

Oh, yes, she still remembered that day in the Deep Forest, seasons ago when she had first returned to Helovia. How far we both have come, she thought, and angrily dismissed the admission of kinship. They were nothing alike, the hornless and the Empress. Tor had shown a remarkable stupidity, daring to step foot on their lands with no reason. What had she had in mind? After all, she had requested the Lady's presence. Was it all for show? A parlay of sorts? Surely she knew that she would get no mercy from the Empress? Stupid, she had to remind herself, and suddenly she realized that the mare had no plan, had no reasoning, had no goal. Contempt for her grew exponentially.

Still. She could not hold them and suffer the consequences. Forbidden to ally with the other herds (not that she would have even if she could have), the shadow-mare knew that she could always pay the Grey should the need ever arise for false friendships. And what better to pay them with than amulets or other trinkets such as the one she was offered? It was a barter item, a trade of sorts, and though she did rather think she was getting the short end of the stick, she knew that it might be of use to her later. And still, despite Ophelia's presumably traitorous heritage (for from the red in her mane the Empress assumed that she had descended from the despised brother of hers), the Empress could not help but respect her, for her presence demanded it. She didn't like it, but she would at least admit it.

Besides, wasn't leniency good for a leader sometimes? No, she thought to herself, but she could see no other option. Their benefit lay in the release of the idiot mare, and she would not put her herd in danger for one so brainless. "I do not think that the price is a fair one, but I have no wish to alienate your organization through rash, stupid," she glared pointedly at Tor, ears flattened, "actions. You may both go in return for the Earth amulet." She paused, waiting to receive her payment. Finally: "Go. But rest assured, if you ever come into my lands uninvited again, you will not leave."

Walk walk walk.
"Talk talk talk."
Think think think.