Ophelia felt rather than saw Locket's presence stride up at her side, and she was more confident without facing this potential threat alone. Together, she and the panda son were beautiful and dangerous. The emerald gazed stallion looked different on the same side of the line. No longer did the long and curling hair seem a liability, but a unique and defining feature of beauty. The delicate, sculpted shape of his face put hers to shame, and Ophelia was not plain. Though her lineage held equine blood, both she and the stallion held dangerous points on their brows and their toes were of opposite colors. The pale mare could almost smile at their similarities, but her attention and emotions were spent on suspicion and irritation.
The irritation only rose when the young mare decided to answer with her own name. Ophelia snorted passionately, stomping a forehoof on the ground and shaking her pale and crimson tresses around her arching neck. "I did not ask who are you. I asked what do you want." Ophelia's voice was a quiet and delicate whispered punched with sharp enunciation. Honestly, did the mare even listen? Or was she too caught up in her own universe to pay attention to the world around her? The only child Ophelia would tolerate babysitting was Hototo, and that was because her nephew had a solid and lovely head upon his strong and muscular shoulders. This Demetrie showed up on the borders of her newly fought lands as an adult and Ophelia would treat her as such. No one had ever given the alabaster lead the opportunity for immaturity, so she expected the same of everyone else.
Perhaps that thought was cruel, but the image of dark shades chasing her and her six month old twin from Isilme was enough to make her want everyone to grow up quickly. Ultimately, being forced to age mentally would ensure the children's safety, as the world was an unkind and uncaring place. So harsh, perhaps, but it emerged from a place within her heart that still surged with the tides of compassion.
However, her compassion was still well locked beneath iron walls, only allowed to emerge in subtle ways. The Sun God had made sure of that; whether or not it was his intention was irrelevant. Ophelia was aching, tired, and out of this exhaustion spawned the desire to snatch the information from the child's mind herself. This way, no more communication needed to be had and perhaps the entire confusion of this random encounter could finally be settled.
What she found was not what she had anticipated, and it only tempted her to yank memories from other's heads even more. Ophelia operated on a code that she would never use her magic unless necessary, but now? The temptation of knowing potential threats was too great; what darkness lay in the minds of even her closest friends? Was this exhaustion speaking? Or was this a fatal flaw in her design? An inherent weakness in the very fabric of her making?
A small group had gathered in the Frostbreath Steppe, lead by a mare named Ignita who called herself the Assassin leader. A dark stallion by the name of Tonka, Demetrie, and one other had come together, bent on taking over the Edge.
"The plan behind us is to eventually take over one of the herd lands, The Edge, to be more specific. I need spy's over there and in the currant herd there so we know what we are up against."
Through the eyes and ears of Demetrie, Ophelia learned of a group of assassins who operated similarly to the Grey and intended on using their tactics for their own benefit. The cause, effect and emotion of this realization was reeling. What was the point of the Grey if the under-represented formed their own band of mercenaries and assassins? How was the Grey to operate with this threat looming against the free peoples of Helovia who would, hopefully, hire her band?
Anger swiftly followed, and her dual colored eyes flashed in raw anger, and the alabaster lead gnashed her teeth, crimson eye flashing dangerously. Ophelia approached slowly, neck arching threateningly. "Did you truly think that the Grey would never learn of this group of assassins and their threat to us?" she whispered, too sweetly. "Did you think that you would come and spy on us to return to your leader, Ignita? You are a fool." Ophelia set her body roughly, prepared to fight. "I will not allow you to leave, interloper. You can willingly become my prisoner, or I will take your freedom by force. The Edge will be informed of this potential threat to their sovereignty, and I will challenge each of you one by one until any credibility you may have once had disappears like a leaf on the wind."
Ophelia's gaze was absolutely burning, raw anger flowing through her veins like a drug. Was this her brush with the dark side? Was she flirting with the left-handed line of the fork in her road? "Your secret is no longer a secret. I will alert all the herds of your false band." Phi snorted sarcastically. "Come or fight. I am prepared for either." The snow princess then flashed her tail around her hocks and widened her stance, dipping her chin to her chest so that the point of her horn stood as a menacing reminder of her glorious physiology, naturally honed for war.
[Permission for magic use give by Vallie]
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