Dark Wings, Kind Words

[TheDarkDM]

Kyria's life had fallen into darkness. To some, the statement would seem redundant, a given fact in the wake of her blessings at Kina's hand. But the scars of her assault, her mutilation, thrust her into a black abyss far beyond the warmth of the Mother's embrace. Days had passed since the attack, and despite the divine blessing flowing through her lifeless veins Kyria's sight had not recovered. At best, she could perceive vague shapes in the brightest light, but she had been reduced to rule by proxy, a few trusted confidants becoming her eyes.

So it was near a week after the assassins had struck, the Queen ensconced behind layers of additional security at the heart of her realm, when a series of rapid footfalls approached her door. Normally, the approaching figure would be stopped, questioned, the voices seeping through the cracks in the door and coming to Kyria's ears like whispers on the wind. Not so that day, as the door was flung open with unseemly violence and the breathless voice of the palace steward echoed through Kyria's personal chambers.

"My Queen..."

The man paused, short of breath.

"You have a visitor. I don't know-"

The man's voice was cut off by shouts echoing down the corridors, the sound of bodies striking stone walls. Outside the door, Kyria heard the rasp of steel as one of her personal guard drew his sword against the unknown assailant.

"Halt, in the name of-"

"Do not speak to me."

The voice, so easily recognized, carried a weight that sent ripples through the air. In response, Kyria heard the snapping of bone and the jangle of mail as her guard's arm twisted in on itself despite his protestations, sending his sword to the ground and the guard to his knees. She could feel as Nezetkhamun stepped over the threshold to her chambers, the hot shadow that fell over every wall as he made his way past the stunned steward and brought a hand gently to her cheek.

"Oh my child, what have those monsters done to you?"

His voice no longer carried that terrible weight. Instead, it was laden with a deep sadness and a paternal affection that was almost foreign to Kyria's ears. But any further words were cut off, as a dozen steel-shod boots stormed through the door and stopped short of the strange tableau. There were angry murmurs, before a voice Kyria recognized as the captain of the guard pierced the heavy silence.

"Step away from the Queen, beast!"

[Reggiejam]

At the touch of Nezetkhamun Kyria lifted her hand to meet his own, her face drawn further to sadness that she could not see her friend's visage. The clashing sounds of steel and bronze assaulted her ears and before speaking to the dragon lord of the east she turned that, were she able to see, her gaze would fall upon her guardsmen.

"Captain Ophiniu, hold your tongue," her voice still carried a delicate mix of refined power and danger but there was a delicateness there that hadn't been before weighted with sadness and loss.

"Nezetkhamun is a guest and an ally and above all a friend. His soldiers bled for the Concordat as those of your brothers did. Even in my current state I trust him and yours is my will."

Though she could not see it the Captain nodded reluctantly, and realizing his mistake before the blinded monarch vocally affirmed his position and departed the Queen's private chambers. Kyria held out her hand in a smooth and unfortunately practiced motion and from the shadows Eevi Sam Ravitar stepped free of the blackness and took the Queen's extended appendage. The half moss-elf bastard of Gun Huang led the blinded Queen back to her reclined and cushioned lounge that sat beside a long box table made of black stone and embedded with gems. She beckoned for Nezetkhamun to join her assuming the Dragon of the East had not yet moved.

As he came closer he saw the table was not a table, but a coffin and laying inside with a blissful look upon her face and dressed in elaborate fineries was the body of Li Huanle Jarrow. Whatever wounds had been inflicted upon her had been hidden by her dress and makeup. She looked for all the world to be only asleep as her pallor had been one of pale death even before the attack that had taken life from her. The Queen looked over to where Nezetkhamun would have had to sit but he noticed her gaze fell slightly wide and beneath her black veil he could see her scarred white eyes were truly blind.

"They have taken from me more than my eyesight Nezetkhamun," she said, her veiled and scarred eyes looking into the coffin and her hand brushing along the edge until reaching in and stroking Huanle's face, "They have stabbed at my family and struck true with their foul blades. I remember seeing the Queen of Raaneka, the Doge of Guilder, the Emperor of Dawn, father to the current Empress, when sight was still mine. At the time I had thought little of them. Foolish perhaps. Short-sighted. Enemies of my friends but they had never been unkind to me or my people," she swallowed hard and paused prompting Eevi to come forward and lay a hand on the Queen's shoulder that the monarch patted but waved off.

"They have struck at my family Nezetkhamun. My young pupil, my sister, Huanle lies here because of the actions the Empire of Dawn and its foul allies perpetrated in the name of a war built upon its breaking of oaths and bonds of family. I have read the rhetoric of the Dawn before they took from me my sight. They call themselves a family but they are nothing but thugs and murderers," the Queen seemed to be growing agitated her face twisting in hateful anger that even Nezetkhamun had never seen upon her visage.

"Khaditna shall unleash upon them a terrible fury and I am to be Her vessel for it. So I have seen. And the lives of their traitorous and backwards leaders shall be exchanged for the return of Huanle's own life. I have seen it thus. I will make it so. Blinded, maimed, muted, or deafened I will have my revenge, and their lives shall exchange for the life of one far more worthy to walk this world."

The Queen's fists were clenched and rested upon the edge of Huanle's coffin and the Queen's entire body trembled with a rage far exceeding the capacity of her objectively frail frame.

[TheDarkDM]

There was the whisper of fabric on the carpet, and without warning Kyria was wrapped in a strong embrace. Arms imbued with the strength of ages held her gently, while a clawed hand lifted her veil to plant a single warm kiss atop her brow. When he spoke, it was a whisper, his body still pressed close.

"Shhh, Kyria, shhh. What has been done to you, to our family, warrants the blackest curses."

She remembered then, that while Li Huanle had been her child and confidant she was also sister to Nezetkhamun's own son in law. As if accompanying the remembrance, Nezetkhamun's hands gripped her arms tightly.

"And we will have blood. But what you speak of is dangerous - to restore the dead to the fullness of life is an art unknown even to one such as I. And I would not lose one daughter in the quest to restore another. Revenge is a sweet wine, but if you destroy yourself in the process your triumph will turn bitter in your mouth."

[Reggiejam]

Kyria was silent as she shook in Nezetkhamun's embrace and again from the shadows came another member of her court. This one however, was not marked with the deathly pallor of a member of the Brood. He was Quill by appearance, John FX Robson by reputation, the Chosen who had caused such consternation at the International Technology Conference. Eevi stepped respectfully away from the Queen as the Chosen looked over at the monarch and the eastern visitor.

"The old dragon is right," he said standing apart from the Queen and the former Teotlkan, "He has run from death to avoid Kina's embrace for his sins and you and your sister were restored by her Blessing but at a cost none could bear for Huanle. She might restore Huanle's body my Queen, but it would not be Huanle any more than the Chosen are themselves when possessed of the Mother's will. We are Blessed by the Mother not indebted our entire lives to Her and yet we owe her much of our action within this mortal realm."

Kyria thought quietly on Nezetkhamun and Robson's words. She had seen John compelled to follow the Mother's will, his eyes blackening and his actions and words no longer his own. She had felt the compulsions herself but they had only ever been guidance. She had felt Her pulling her to act for Huanle, she knew she had, but the Mother was more than Kina. She was Khaditna, the Great Deceiver, the bringer of the Year of Skulls to judge all men. Her motivations were not clear, and Kyria was not of sound mind blinded and in fury over the actions of the murderous foe.

I cannot let them have done this Nezetkhamun," she said her voice a whisper, "I cannot let these murderers take from me my sight, my sister, and my family of the East and remain living. The Triumvirate, Raaneka, Guilder, Sererendel, they must pay for what they have done to me. To us. That I cannot look upon their faces as they scream out for mercy is my greatest lament. I can feel the power of Khadi rush through me and it calls to be released with great fury upon those who wronged us."

[lt_murgen]

"My Queen, if I May." John Francis stepped forward. "I apologize for my absence these last few weeks. I only know after her attack, I found myself in the Grove once again. The Eldest child of Kina was handing me this." He unrolled a piece of parchment. On it was simple decree, stating that the Blood of the Mother would be made available to one who would seek the truth of Haunle's death.

"There are copies for those that you would challenge to find the truth. The Doge, perhaps. The Queen of Raaneka. The devil-lion claiming to be Mosi." He named a few. "He also has placed the Holy Order of the Great Deceiver at your disposal." He laughed. "A pale imitation of us who must still hide in the shadows. For now. They are relatively skilled at moving unnoticed and can deliver them even in war zones." He conceeded.

[Reggiejam]

Eevi read the decree quietly to the blinded Queen whose face twisted into a scowl.

"This is not the first time the Old Guild has sought to strike at the loyal of Kina, remember the prophet Tupelo, Chosen Robson. They hold in great enmity all those who hold homage to the Mother and that I sought to defend allies whom they hold as enemies and named Huanle as my Regent gave them all the motive they needed to strike. They sought to break my nation, but in turn they have only made the breaking of their own all the more disastrous to unfold. The time for investigation is done, the time for action is upon us."

[TheDarkDM]

Nezetkhamun remained close as Chosen Robson delivered the verdict of the faithful of Kina. It was not his faith, and in many ways it seemed a blasphemy that the chosen of Tzetultep remained in the room. Yet remain he did, and as Kyria's face twisted into a scowl he placed a hand against her cheek.

"Well spoken. The vengeance that falls upon them is long overdue. But you, my Kyria - you have suffered unjustly, and no measure of Triumval blood will remove the scars. Yet there may still be a way to undo the brutality inflicted on you, if you will allow it?"

[Reggiejam]

Kyria looked, or would have could she see, into Nezetkhamun's face.

"What are you proposing Grand Uncle?" she asked, her voice smooth but among those who knew her here betraying some sense of reticence.