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Post by Beautiful Avenger on May 14, 2006 23:58:14 GMT -8
Avenger nodded to Souls, but walked towards Subtle. "Well...now I know why my Jet arrow wouldn't work." She had always relied on her poorly timed jests to bring a little levity to grave situations, and this time was no different. She guessed some things never changed. She pulled Subtle into her arms and held her, something she hadn't done in such a long time. "We're quite a pair, aren't we? If it weren't for your lovely children and my mate, I think I'd rue the day you met Viper." She nearly fell over in shock at her own words; her egg! It was still in Beyond! "Subtle!" She whispered urgently, wings flexing. "My egg! My mate, does he know where our egg is?? I was told you were keeping her for safe keeping, that someone had put a spell on her so she wouldn't hatch while I was missing." She hated to think of herself at a time like this, but her baby...it had been so long, it wasn't natural for a baby to be in the egg that long, magic or not. Without waiting for an answer, she opened a portal and hurried back into Beyond.
(Continued in the Courtyard)
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Post by Millifiori on May 15, 2006 0:04:22 GMT -8
Flowers overheard Dark Avenger's urgent whisper to her sister the Queen, and looked at her mother. "Oh mother, that woman's egg is still in Shadow's room! We should go back and find the husband and tell him, so they can prepare for a Hatching ceremony." She knew many of the Avian and Dragon Laws and customs, so she knew they needed a Hunter to go get some venison from the Common Realm, where they were. Tien e was likely scrying on them, but she wouldn't be able to hear things, and wouldn't know to send the Hunters. She and Spinner could never kill a deer, so they couldn't take one back with them when they went to find Shio.
(Continued in the Ormrland Palace)
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Post by Spinner Guardian of the Low on May 15, 2006 0:07:49 GMT -8
Spinner nodded, and said, "Open a portal, I will tell the Queen and her sister what we will do." She hurried to the Queen and Princess' side and curtsied. "Majesties, my daughter and I will return to Beyond, to inform the Hunters of the need for venison, and to located Lady Avenger's mate and egg. We will make certain that all is ready for your return." She didn't know a single thing about it, but knew her Milli would take care of everything. She was committed to helping these people, who'd done such a good job of making her daughter welcome, and keeping her safe from harm.
(Continued in the Ormrland Palace)
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Post by The Forsaken Subtle Sin Saint on May 15, 2006 0:20:06 GMT -8
Subtle nodded. "I have to tend to my daughter. Avenger, you go tend to yours. We will join you as soon as we are able." With that, she hurried to Shadow's side, joining the others, sparing a glance for the fallen general and her daughter. She would tend to them next, and hoped that there would be no further tragedies this day. She didn't even have time to focus on her own pain anymore, since as Queen it was her duty to keep the kingdom and her family together in this dark time. Laying a hand on Viper's staff and James' shoulder, she instantly joined the meeting of minds, and with a powerful yet tender voice, she commanded, "Shadow, come to me." The combined powers of the three twins, Souls, and Subtle was enough to snap Shadow to attention, and 'crying,' her soul self flew into her mother's 'arms'. The others came to them and enveloped the pair in a healing hug, the power reverberating through out the family.
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Post by Striker Renegade on May 21, 2006 12:14:16 GMT -8
Striker was not so caught up in personal grief that she didn't notice the fey women leaving the Nest. She looked up at her daugther and touched her cheek in a rare show of gentleness. "You are, as ever, the treasure of my heart. Thank you for being alive." She hugged her tightly. After a time, she disenaged and stood up, offering her hand to help Jasmine up. "Now, let's go help our Queen and her family."
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Jasmine Renegade
Fledgling
Daughter of General Striker
"The good die young that they may not degenerate..."%\2\%
Posts: 142
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Post by Jasmine Renegade on May 21, 2006 13:01:42 GMT -8
Jasmine was a bit taken aback; her mother was rarely tender, even with her. When her mother touched her cheek, unbidden tears spilled from her eyes, and she hugged her mother fiercely. She took her hand and stood beside her as they walked towards the family, bent in concentration and deep magic over Shadow. Jasmine harboured a small hope in her heart outside all the grief. She might not be getting the older brother she was going to have when her mother was to marry Bjairn's father, but she was still going to have a sibling. She would help her mother raise this child, and none of them would ever lack for love.
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Shadow
Hatchling
First Princess of Ormrland
I am the voice in the still night that will end the restless slumber
Posts: 88
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Post by Shadow on Jun 23, 2006 19:38:51 GMT -8
Shadow felt herself wandering around, lost, crying, when her family...well, most of them...appeared. She flew wordlessly into their arms and felt herself being restored in their embrace. Startled, she realized she hadn't been lost, at least not physically. Coming to her senses, she whispered, "Can we leave? Being here... touching our first Nest... it's too much."
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James Draconis
Registered Members
Mouthpiece to the Crow King, 1st prince of Ormrland
I am destined for great things
Posts: 134
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Post by James Draconis on Jun 23, 2006 19:44:11 GMT -8
James was relieved as his sister came to her senses. He'd lost so many people today, losing his twin would have broken him. He nodded in agreement with his sister's request. "Not only that, mother, but we should get back to Beyond and make sure that the threat Daniel posed is completely nullified." The fact that there were funerals to be held went unspoken, but his eyes conveyed that which his tongue lacked courage to speak.
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Post by Striker Renegade on Jun 23, 2006 19:51:40 GMT -8
Striker walked up to the family after Shadow had returned to herself. "Majesty, my daughter and I will go on ahead to Ormrland to assess the situation. We didn't exactly leave any top brass in command, and we don't want the dark forces that have so recently plagued our lands to be aware that we're vulnerable at the moment." She drew herself up sharply, and although there was no sign of her weakness, she no longer appeared to possess that fieriness that she was famed for, that ferocious, predatory look about her. It was if she'd become resigned to her first defeat ever.
(Continued in Ormrland Palace)
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Jasmine Renegade
Fledgling
Daughter of General Striker
"The good die young that they may not degenerate..."%\2\%
Posts: 142
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Post by Jasmine Renegade on Jun 23, 2006 19:58:35 GMT -8
Jasmine nodded mutely, presenting herself properly before the queen, and let her mother do the talking. She was right; they needed to get back to Beyond before that thing came back to wreak more havoc, but she knew the real reason her mother wanted to get back. Because her future father and brother had died under mysterious circumstances, there would have to be a formal inquest. She didn't envy the last people to see them alive. Striker had always ever been placed in charge of such investigations, and this time, having a vested personal interest in the outcome, Jasmine knew that she wouldn't rest until she got answers. She opened a portal for them after Striker announced their intentions to the Queen, then curtsied to the Queen, and led the way back to Beyond.
(Continued at Ormrland Palace)
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Souls
Fledgling
Former Lawgiver of the Crow clutch
Loved, but at what cost?%\2\%
Posts: 172
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Post by Souls on Jun 23, 2006 20:13:56 GMT -8
Souls watched Jasmine and Striker leave, and opened another portal silently, laying a supportive hand on Subtle's shoulder. Ormrland needed them, and the back of her heart, the part she kept shielded from everyone here, was eager to get back, having left Kiba there, probably wondering why she'd just left after having accepted him for her mate. She wasn't even going to think about the marriage until after the state funeral, and the inevitable Inquest that would come due to Bjairn and Bjorn's unexplained deaths. These were dark times for Ormrland, and she didn't see any light coming anytime soon, except of course her impending nuptuals, which she could hardly focus on while her friends were in grief. Walking through the portal first, she left them to have one last private moment.
(Continued at Ormrland Palace)
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Shadow
Hatchling
First Princess of Ormrland
I am the voice in the still night that will end the restless slumber
Posts: 88
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Post by Shadow on Jun 25, 2006 13:13:56 GMT -8
Shadow hugged her family once more, then gathered the twins. "I'll go ahead and get them fed and lain down for a nap, Mother." She quietly gathered them to her, easily carrying one on each hip, and walked through the portal, following Souls. She saw how her mother was still touching Viper's staff, and figured she and James needed a bit of privacy to talk about where he'd gotten it, what it meant if he kept it.
(Continued in Ormrland Palace)
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James Draconis
Registered Members
Mouthpiece to the Crow King, 1st prince of Ormrland
I am destined for great things
Posts: 134
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Post by James Draconis on Jun 25, 2006 17:53:12 GMT -8
James looked at his mother quietly after everyone left and the portals closed. "Mother, I..." He looked down at her hand resting on his biological father's old staff. "I'm sorry. I was going to keep it in Occulto until things had calmed down some. Your Uncle, Alan... we were battling Daniel, and all of a sudden he just...he just gave it to me. I nearly died of shock right there." He turned away, leaving her holding it. He was angry again. "Look at this place, Mother... we used to live here. He left us here to rot!" Suddenly seized with fury, he grabbed the nearest pillow and visciously eviscerated it with his extended talons. "He didn't even love us, he didn't care. And that Lady Van..." His eyes went black; he was certain his mother thought him too young to remember the day Viper dared to bring his mistress to their very Nest. He knew through telecommunication that Shadow had always wished she'd had her grimmoire back then; Lady Van would not have left this realm alive in her lover's arms. He was seething with anger, and set to the rest of the pillows like a demon possessed.
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Post by The Forsaken Subtle Sin Saint on Jun 25, 2006 18:12:46 GMT -8
Subtle nodded quietly as he explained where he got the staff. She sensed his anger, and allowed him to vent. She had a feeling this place would open old wounds, but he and his sister had never been allowed to work through their grief and anger at being abandoned by Viper. She watched him decimate the first pillow, then was shocked when the name Lady Van fell from his mouth. She'd had no idea they were old enough to understand what went on that horrible day, and that hurt her more than nearly anything. She held the staff with no small amount of distaste and watched her son annihilate the rest of the pillows. She knew in James mind, Steele was a hero, and Viper was evil. But in the end, they'd both taken the same path. They'd both left her to bear the responsibility of raising their children alone, to face the clutch, or this time, the entire kingdom, without a helpmate. She swallowed hard and shut her eyes against the pain, the sense of abandonment the men had left her with. It was bad enough her children had to suffer alongside her, without her wallowing in sorrow again. Her youngest son was now King of Ormrland, and as he was not of age, she was left as the sole ruling power of an entire race, not just a nation. She sighed heavily and opened her eyes, gently touching James shoulder as he ripped apart the last pillow. "Let's go, love. There's nothing here for any of us anymore but pain. Let us go try to pick up the pieces of our family, and our kingdom. They all need us."
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James Draconis
Registered Members
Mouthpiece to the Crow King, 1st prince of Ormrland
I am destined for great things
Posts: 134
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Post by James Draconis on Jun 25, 2006 18:20:01 GMT -8
James felt positively feral. True, it was only pillows he shredded, but with each lethal slash, he was taking things back. He was taking back the family honor in his mind, standing strong against the senseless deaths of both his so called fathers, leaving him the only capable male in the family to defend their growing clutch. He took back his personal dignity, at having felt so betrayed, first by Viper, then by Steele. He took back the anguish at losing first his mother, not once but twice to the Madness, and then having to suffer the sight of his very own twin caught in its throes. Every strike, every sound of cloth shredding brough a tiny grim sense of satisfaction, but this was nothing. This would not be enough. He jumped when his mother laid her hand on his shoulder, and he was covered in feathers and sweat, panting. He nodded slowly, catching his breath.
"Sorry about your pillows, Mother," he replied somewhat sheepishly, the black dissapating from his eyes. He opened a portal and kissed her hand, taking the staff. "I'm going to visit the Thunderbirds. I want this staff purified, so it can stand on the side of honor, not cowards." He led the way back into Beyond.
(Continued in Murder Cliffs)
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