It Is Your Birthright

[Queen Nia]

Everything I do is for Azgeda SHE'S GOING TO CATCH A COLD Today was an important day. Ontari's training was going excellently. She had the best warriors ensuring she was training harder than any of the others. In addition to that however, they had to conceal the truth about her. Nia had not played all her hands yet and she much preferred to keep it that way. In her attempt to protect the identity of her secret Nightblood, Nia was often quite diligent when it came to kill those ho discovered the truth. Except for the select few of course. Today, one such man had the unfortunate experience of falling under Queen Nia's radar. Of arousing her suspicions. Whether they were valid or not, was irrelevant. She was going to use him as an example for her pet. She was going to make her spill blood. Nia was currently seated on her throne, the rest of the room empty with the exception of one of her warriors, and the war chief. The man in question was on his knees before her. Already trembling, begging for his life. Perfect. Though it got to be a bit ridiculous so Nia had her war chief gag him for some time. When the doors were open and Ontari entered -- as Nia had summoned her -- the queen titled her chin up a little. "Ontari. This man before you threatens to reveal your identity." He may not have known before, but he most certainly knew now. "What is your judgment?" A bit of a test. To see how far Ontari had come. To see if she was truly ready or if she would need to be shown more of the queen's wrath and brutal lessons. FROM THE ICE INSIDE HER SOUL Template by Lachrymosa of Adoxography 2.0

Tag iah Mood: Encouraging Location: Azgeda

[Deleted]

Onatri's heart beat loudly in her chest, sweat starting to appear on her brow. Never in her life had a personal summons from Queen Nia been a good thing, even if it were a common thing. Ontari's life could be summed up in one word at that point: Pain. It was all she knew, ever since her training had begun. There was the physical pain that came with her training. She didn't know if anyone else apart from her had been pushed so much, been made to train day in and day out like she had. Her muscles had ached constantly for so long before she had gotten used to it. Tears had been shed about it but only in private away from the watchful eyes of her trainers and Nia. There was also the emotional pain that Ontari still had no idea how to deal with. How could she deal with the training, the constant fear of being found out and the fact that she was constantly being rained upon by Nia? She was only thirteen and even if she knew that meant she was not a child, often she felt like she still were just a child. As she walked into the throne room, her head held up and back straight as she had been taught, her eyes didn't even widen at the situation in front of her. It was nothing surprising to Onatri, to see Nia on her throne and a man gagged on his knees in front of her. In her past, Ontari had seen much worse things from her Queen. It was nothing but normal. Once she was past the doors, she fell down onto one knee, bowing her head until Nia used her name. She stood again, stepping further into the room as Nia spoke to her and not letting her eyes move from Nia's face. She wore a mask deprived of emotion to hide the fear that she felt over this meeting. What Nia told her of the man did actually surprise Ontari because in her life she had known of very few people in his situation. To find out about Ontari's identity, the one she held the instincts to protect from years of it being drilled into her. The first thing she did upon hearing this news was rack her brain to find where she may have slipped up, where the man may have found out her identity but she could not work it out at all. Ontari hardly left the palace and she had not had a cut to her skin in well over a month, her blood kept hidden inside of her veins. Even her skin was covered in long clothing to protect her darkened veins from view. There would have been no chance for her identity to have gotten out but still, it had. That left a growing feeling of fear in Ontari's stomach, not for the man but for herself. Whenever this had happened in the past, Ontari had been punished and she did not want that to happen again. It was Nia's question of her that put her off. That was not something that Ontari had been asked before, as it was the Queen's job to make judgement, not her own. Yes, Ontari was being trained to become heda. That was why everything that happened to her happened to her. But that never left her in a position of making decision or judgement. The question sounded like a test to her and she didn't want to answer, more fear building over whether she would make the wrong choice, give the wrong answer. But still, she had to answer. A question from the Queen could not be ignored. At the very least, Ontari knew the fate that people like the man got and she could use that in her answer. Hopefully that would be what the Queen expected. "You have always told me that those who know my identity can not live," she told Nia, her voice as steady as she could keep it. The fear made it difficult to keep her voice steady and her face blank. "You would have him sentenced to death, would you not?" If she wasn't making the decision on her own terms, she couldn't mess it up. Everything she knew was doing what Nia told her to. What else could the Queen expect of her? Queen Nia || She's scared shitless XD

[Queen Nia]

Everything I do is for Azgeda SHE'S GOING TO CATCH A COLD Nia watched Ontari's movements as she entered, obediently bowing before her prior to answering her question. But her second sentence, caused Nia to grip the handles of her throne a little tighter. Her face briefly twitched into a slight scowl before fully revealing of her disapproval. She abruptly rose to her feet, inching closer to the descending stairs where her elevated platform was that held her throne. "Are you asking me or telling me?" She snapped at her, the disapproval as evident in her tone as it was in her expression toward the future Heda. "Speak with confidence. With certainty." Ontari surely knew what the judgment would be. In instances like this, Nia did not want her to question the inevitable violent punishment. In most other matters, it was best that Ontari ask for Nia's approval. Because when Ontari was Heda, Nia had every intention to continue to control her. She had been conditioned as such, and would continue to be. "What is his judgment?" She repeated, this time more strongly before. If Ontari answered incorrectly, then Nia intended on punishing her. FROM THE ICE INSIDE HER SOUL Template by Lachrymosa of Adoxography 2.0

Tag iah Mood: Disapproving Location: Azgeda

[Deleted]

Wrong answer. It was immediately obvious to Ontari that she had given the wrong answer to Nia's question and her fear spiked, enough to slip through the mask that she had put up. Only for a short moment, however, before that same fear caused her to put the mask back together and make her face blank again. Ontari watched Nia as she stood and as she stepped forward, expecting the Queen to then descend down the stairs. When she didn't, it was a relief, a second chance. At least for the moment, while Nia was angry, she wasn't going to yet punish Ontari. The only thing Ontari had to do was manage to answer correctly a second time, to listen to Nia's words and try to work out what the correct answer was. That didn't sound too difficult but yet, Ontari didn't hold much confidence in herself right then. Her body was already beginning to stiffen, already expecting punishment for not knowing how to handle the situation in front of her. Asking or telling? Ontari had no idea. She had been mainly asking, really, but which it was that Nia wanted of her she couldn't know. Didn't Nia want her to ask? To always ask her before doing anything? That was how things had always been, the expectation that Ontari would always take the lead from Nia but in this moment, it was almost like Nia wanted Ontari to be sure in her own decision. That was different and it just made Ontari even more scared because it made the whole situation seem like a test that Ontari couldn't pass without doing something that would be a cause for punishment. Being confident in her answer would be making a decision on her own yet Nia had grown angry from her asking for the Queen's confirmation... What could Ontari do? "I, um..." Ontari started, her voice coming out barely above a whisper. No, that wouldn't work. Her voice needed to be clear and loud. Thankfully, though, Nia spoke again and Ontari could use a small amount of time to try and push past the fear she was feeling. Confidence and certainty. That was how how Nia wanted her to speak. That at least answered Ontari's question of whether the Queen expected her to be asking or telling her about the sentence for the man. Nia wanted a clear answer. Ontari felt no confidence in herself and her fear made it near impossible for her to imagine being able to say the statement without faltering. But Ontari held no choice and to go against clear instructions from the Queen would hold a much greater punishment than anything else she did. So she would tell Nia what the judgement was. "He is to be executed," Ontari said, somehow forcing enough certainty into her voice that it came out both loud and clear. In the large room, her voice even seemed to echo, like the gravity of the sentence was so serious it needed to be repeated by the walls. With the sentence given, Ontari let herself give a quick glance down at the kneeling man and forced the feelings of guilt and sorrow she had to be pushed back. Emotions she couldn't have. Emotions that had only been more frequent now as she had grown older. Queen Nia  || Poor lil' Ontari!

[Queen Nia]

Everything I do is for Azgeda SHE'S GOING TO CATCH A COLD Ontari's initially stammered words were aggravating. Igniting an annoyance in Nia which was never a good thing. She was ready to strike her should she not speak better. This could not be all those years of training she had put into the future Heda. But Nia waited, watching Ontari with a cold gaze. And fortunately for the young woman, she rectified her statement. Fixed it. Spoke with more confidence and authority as it filled the room. Nia slightly tilted her chin up with satisfaction. The man groveling at her knees practically trembling with fear. "So be it then," Nia spoke. No pride or praise came into her tone. Why should she offer Ontari either when this is what was to be expected of her. There was only anger in her failures. "And by what means shall he be executed?" Nia questioned. Azgeda of course had a reputation for being ruthless. For their methods of torture. She was curious to see how far Ontari would go in carrying out the sentence. Whether she would show mercy and be swift in death. Or whether she would do justice to Azgeda's name and reputation that Nia had fought tirelessly to build. One was clearly the weaker decision than the other. FROM THE ICE INSIDE HER SOUL Template by Lachrymosa of Adoxography 2.0

Tag iah Mood: Disapproving Location: Azgeda

[Deleted]

The relief that flooded through Ontari at having given the right answer this time was almost overpowering and she had to fight to stop any of it from showing on her face. She kept her face as blank as she could and forced her eyes to stay on the Queen when she was being spoken to. As much as Queen Nia knew the affect she had on Ontari, it didn't mean that Ontari enjoyed showing such things. To allow the Queen to see her fear, to allow the Queen to see the relief she held when she knew she had avoiding a punishment, it would only make Ontari feel even more powerless. If that were even possible. Ontari really held no power at all in her own life, only able to do what she was told and try to avoid anything that might lead to a punishment. Other than that, Ontari didn't even really have a life. But there was still a need for her to have some sort of feeling of control, even if it was small, even if it was something made up. And really, Nia's control never ended. Just like now, she was never really finished with Ontari. Ontari felt her whole body stiffen at the question given to her and she felt even more unsure of how to answer this, knowing now that the Queen wanted her to be confident and commanding in the answer she gave but... could Ontari actually do this? It was common knowledge the punishments that Azgeda gave, the way they were harsh in everything they did, including executions. It was easy for Ontari to know the sort of answer that Nia would be expecting her to give. It shouldn't have been that difficult, honestly, to just give the answer and be done with it. Give the Queen what she wanted so Ontari might get some peace but as she keep looking down at the man, Ontari found herself struggling to say the words. Eventually Ontari feared that she may have to do more than just say words but for now, she struggled with doing just that. With each second that passed, Ontari's heart beat grew louder in her ears, drowning out the world around her and warning her to the punishment that could come at any second. No. Ontari couldn't let that happen. As much as she hated, hated, having to say this in front of the man. As much as she felt like she deserved the same punishment for giving the sentence, Ontari knew she held no choice but to satisfy the Queen's request and answer the question in the way she knew was expected. "He will suffer for his crimes," Ontari said, forcing confidence into her voice even if she felt anything but that. She also, as much as she knew that her secret needed to be protected, didn't really believe he had committed a crime. Not yet, anyway. He would still be treated the same as someone who had done the worst of crimes against the Queen, however. "He is to be tortured before he is a executed." She swallowed, her eyes staring just behind the Queen, unable to look at her or the man. Her feet were itching to get out of the room. Queen Nia || This thread is so positive, don't ya think?