Mysterious Meetings.

[Khuretia]

*Deep in the thick forests of Drowan, recently crowned Queen Khuretia and her followers were departing the location of The Great Moot; a place where the Queens met peacefully, and also where Queens could be challenged to rule...*

Khuretia trudged down the path of the condensed forest, the trees were tall and lush, primal and relatively untouched by civilization. Khuretia was bruised and sore, her muscles screamed and her eyes were heavy from the recent battle with her former Queen; The same Queen she killed to take the title thereof. Khuretia eyed her new followers who followed closely behind her, they were strong and willful, and most cheered for her in her trial of combat.. Khuretia could still hear their cries of bloodlust, it sent a chill down her spine. Khuretia let out a heavy sigh, not a gesture of exhaustion or stress, but of relief and excitement. She was Queen now.. She said the words aloud once, letting the words roll across her tongue. "Queen Khuretia.." She couldn't help but smile as a few of her warriors overheard her, and regarded her warily, but didn't let their eyes stray for too long. Khuretia straightened her posture and winced, her injuries weren't severe but she was definitely bruised, Khuretia ignored the pain, she had earned this with sweat, and blood.. she reveled in it.

They had continued on for most of the day covering many miles on their trek back to their encampment, but Khuretia's tolerance for the pain had reached it's limits. She dropped to a knee and stumbled forward, her knees sliding into the dirt. Her entourage was immediately alerted, thinking some unknown assailant had struck their Queen. Queen Khuretia calmed them with a mere gesture of her hand. Members of the Queen's Guard aided Khuretia by picking her up and throwing an arm over each of their shoulders, Khuretia stumbled along between the two bodyguards for a time. "Stop... Stop." Khuretia said once, then again more forcefully. "My Queen, are you ill?" Asked one of her guards that carried her, concern on the warrior woman's features. "Rest. I need to rest a moment." Khuretia said, adopting a commanding, inspirational tone.. She was still testing her newly found Queenship. Khuretia was helped onto a fallen log that was stretched beside the pathway, while the Queen's Guard corralled the others to begin setting up camp, the sun was setting, and as Khuretia's tent was erected, she heard shouting at the other end of the make-shift campsite, and stood up as a spear was handed to her by a young warrior who nodded to her Queen in respect before leading the Queen to the disruption. A stranger was approaching, and the Queen's Guard stood at the ready, spears at the ready, to asses this new threat...

 

[Tanith Alde]

[member="Khuretia"]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t8-_pI1-9Q


Nalfein was somewhat of a local legend. Tales spoke of ancient magicks and sorcere in these parts , since the dawn of civilisation. The name that these acts were attributed to was always Nalfein. No one knew the truth behind the name, weather it was a Title, A Name, a Position? Neither did they knew weather the current Nalfein was the same as the original, or if there was a series of them, stretching across the ages. For surely, it could not be the same woman, could it? That would be madness. The Name Nalfein was taken from two words of the Drowai language Nal, Meaning Shadow, and Fein meaning Weaver, so the common belief was that the name was a title taken on by the newest descendant of the legacy.


Nalfein had witnessed Khuretia's struggle with the former Queen, and her final victory, and decided, it was time to step out of the shadows. The Sorceress strode down the path purposefully, her heels clicking against the occassional cobbled stone. She was likely the tallest Drowai there, especially augmented by her boots. But that was not what made her noticeable. She had a natural feel of Charisma, of power, subtle and otherwise, about her. Clasped in her hand was a staff of dark metals, adorned with some strange crystal, and covered in subtly glowing runes.

She strode up to the spear armed guards readily. Fixing her eyes upon them, several, though not all, of the guard would find themselves involuntarily and subconsciously stepping away from her

 

[Khuretia]

Nalfein...few had seen her, some thought she was a ghost story to scary little Drowai at night and to keep them from straying too far from settlements at night, others knew the reality, while others still doubted her existence.. all doubts were dropped at this sight. The whispers of the name Nalfein echoed around the Drowai camp, and Khuretia's eyes narrowed. She had heard stories as a mere babe, but had dismissed them as she grew older... Khuretia marched forward to meet this supposed fairytale, scowling at some of the more fearful warriors. She showed no signs of fear as she stood in the path of the Nalfein.

"Speak quickly, stranger, and name yourself." Khuretia demanded.


[member="Nalfein Rhain'Allure"]

 

[Tanith Alde]

"I come to address the Queen. And to warn her" Nalfein spoke, looking straight at Khuretia as she spoke. She moved easily passed the warriors untill she stood in front of her. "You need not have my name, for you already know it. If you do not, then I have no use in speaking to you" Her tone was neither angry, nor reproaching. Soft, wistful almost would be the way to describe it "And tell your guardswoman to stop pointing there spears at me, those are weapons, not toys"

Would the queen listen to her warnings though, that was the question

[member="Khuretia"]

 

[Khuretia]

Khuretia stayed silent for a moment, she was rather intrigued by the audacity of this Drowai woman. She was...different in a way, in what way specifically Khuretia couldn't tell.

Khuretia's warriors kept their spears trained on the stranger, their muscles tense and ready to strike, however they backed off as Khuretia said "Put your weapons away, she is no threat." How could she be? Outnumbered at least two dozen to one, she posed no serious threat. Khuretia circled the woman, eyeing her up and down, gauging her. "Warn me of what, Nalfein?" The sound of the Nalfein caused some of the warriors to shrink, and step back, still in bewilderment at this living 'fairytale'.

[member="Nalfein Rhain'Allure"]

 

[Tanith Alde]

"It is news for the queen. " She fixed her gaze on several of her warriors "And not for her lapdogs. What she wishes to do with the news once she has received it, that is up to her. But it is not for the ear of the common woman"

"Does her Highness agree to this, or would she rather I leave?"

Nalfein asked of the queen, her gaze swinging back to fix upon her, as she stood impassively as the woman circled her

"My times is little, my duties much. How long will you delay me, Oh Queen of all Drowai?"

[member="Khuretia"]

 

[Khuretia]

"Then let us speak. Privately." Khuretia lead the Nalfein away from the others, walking a ways down the wooded path. Khuretia's followers were a distance behind them, visible but no possible way for them to hear what they spoke about. "What do you wish to tell me, and why is it so important? Why only me? Why did you not approach the former Queen?" She inquired with so many questions, and she remained guarded. She didn't fully trust Nalfein.

[member="Nalfein Rhain'Allure"]

 

[Tanith Alde]

"The last Queen was revealed this truth, and she was not ready for it. I see a great change. Great birds of metal swooping down from the sky, strange beings walking out ancient lands....I see a war, if all is not handled well"

She whispered, her words carrying omens and warnings of death by their very tone. She clapsed her hands around the staff, resting against it, as if a great weight had been taken from her shoulders

"It is up to you now, Queen of the Drowai, and up to you how the future will fall. You hold the fate of your people in your hands, they will soon look to you, all of them, for judgement, and leadership. Are you ready for such a burden?"

[member="Khuretia"]

 

[Khuretia]

Khuretia could feel the very magnitude of Nalfein's words, and she heard her yet again calling her Queen..but not how others did, there was more emphasis, more power in the word when Nalfein said it. Khuretia tried to think of what these "great birds of metal" could be, but hers wasn't an imaginative mind. Khuretia felt a shiver run up her spine as Nalfein finished her prophetic rant. "What would I have to do?" She asked hesitantly.

[member="Nalfein Rhain'Allure"]

 

[Tanith Alde]

"That, is up to you, My Queen..." She paused for a moment "I can not tell you what to do. I can only tell you what I have seen. I can warn you however, be cautious. Your actions, will define the future of the Drowai, forever. Fail, or Succeed, your name will echo through history"

Nalfein began to turn, as if to leave the presence of the Queen, her message carried, duties fullfilled. Unless the queen wished her presence, she had nothing more to offer her

[member="Khuretia"]

 

[Khuretia]

Khuretia watched her go, still absorbing the words the witch had woven together to form the tapestries of destiny. "..your name will echo through history." Those words chilled Khuretia the most, she watched Nalfein walk away for a brief moment before returning to her cluster of intrigued warriors, leading them back the way they had came, and continued onward in their journey home.

Khuretia shivered again as she went over the witch's words once more. What could she have meant by all of this? Khuretia could come up with no logical answer, yet couldn't shake the feeling that there was something the witch wasn't telling her. Khuretia had a feeling this wasn't the last time that she would see Nalfein, and the next morning as she finally reached her home she settled into her bed to get some well-earned rest. Khuretia's last conscious thought was of meeting Nalfein, and of her soothsayer's preachings.

[member="Nalfein Rhain'Allure"]