Future of Azgeda

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TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: ash

The ride to the north was a long one. Most of which was spent inside a cart while Niylah’s father Rhego sat upfront, guiding their horse. It gave Niylah plenty of time for thought and reflection. At first, her father did not want to tell Niylah that he’d basically sold her to the new Azgeda king for reputation, but as he had her dress in the most beautiful clothes her mother had ever made she knew that they were not going north for a simple trade. She wore layers of fur; though her father had tried to make her wear a simple black dress. Instead she wore a warm tunic paired with leather boots and durable hide pants. Paired with the warm clothing was a wolf dress and cloak, against her wishes. It was the altitude that made this season cold. Even though they were still close enough to Polis, the mountain air was thinner and the weather less forgiving.

When he told her she was going to marry the Azgeda king she was... furious. He never asked her. He would never ask her when he made these decisions, but apparently losing his wife made him marry the side of him that had always been hungry for power. That was all this was. There were so many Trikru girls—but her father sold her off without even a word to their biggest foe. Azgeda terrorized the post when they were at war. Niylah killed her fair share of their bandits, but this was different he would insist. She would be their queen. Though Niylah never wanted to be anything more than what she was; what her mother was. She was no queen. Just a tie to Trikru. Queen Nia was a sadist and evil to her frozen core. Why would her son be any different.

When the cart stopped she pulled her hood up and over her head and stepped out; eager to escape the small cart and breathe some fresh air. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, but the cold was what made her fists tighten around her cloak. She’d never seen such a large Azgeda village, but she felt out of place. “Come this way, Niylah,” her father said as he came down from his place. He walked towards one of the larger cabins and Niylah followed with her head down. Scarred faces looked up from their work to watch them while Niylah scurried for the cabin. She didn’t belong here. “King Roan,” he said with a smile to his voice as he entered the cabin. He knelt—which she had never seen him do before. “This is my daughter Niylah.” Niylah lowered her head as she pulled off the hood, but she wasn’t sure how to address him. King, Queen, Leader... they were all just words. Heda was the only one she was taught to bow for, but she was sure her father would lick Roan clean if he were asked to. Niylah pulled her hair to the side before looking up at her potential husband to be—which made her freeze.

“We’ve met before,” she said after a moment. He was with the bounty hunter... this wasn’t good. She hadn’t made the connection and she probably shouldn’t have voiced it. She doubted he would remember her, even if she lied about seeing the great Wanheda.

OWL

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Roan was aware of the position he was in. His nation was powerful, but mostly feared, without allies. A harsh winter and they would stand alone, if heda would let them. That was why he endeavored to spread out, to make alliances. One of them with skaikru, another with flokur, glowing forest, all those with whom he had a personal link first. It was easier that way. With trikru it was harder. They were their direct neighbors, but he had no personal ties to them. He needed them more than anything. Which was why he wanted to dare something. It wasn’t unheard of, but rare, because why would the leader of a clan want to marry someone from another clan? He had good reason to. He needed an heir. He needed a Queen and in this case a trikru queen. 

Roan had noticed this mans eagerness to sell his daughter, basically, which was exactly why he agreed. Not to give him power, but to get her away from this idiot. This man did not deserve to handle a daughter. But maybe this daughter could do what he needed. From the sounds of it, she could negotiate within her household, especially with her tyrannical father, so she was, in essence, quite what he needed. Roan agreed to the marriage, not seeking love, but a Queen and heir, that was it. 

What he did not expect was the mans smugness or the woman. Roan was in the throne room, the fires keeping people warm. Everything was already being set up for the wedding, a wedding the man here would not attend, unless the girl begged. But as soon as she lifted her hood, Roan was struck. She was the girl from the trading post! He knew her and she commented on it immediately. She was good, capable of lying for the benefit of her friends. Perfect. “Indeed, we have, Niylah, it is, right?” Roan got up to walk to her. She was gorgeous and loyal to people, which was even more what he wanted. Who knew his defiance of this mans morals would end up bringing him a good option of a wife. “I haven’t forgotten how you protected our mutual friend. Please, come closer. These halls shall be yours as well soon, after all.” Roan then turned to her father. “As for you. I do not know if you heard it, but I am no stranger to parents selling out their children. A father like that is not welcome in these halls. If you would please leave. Otherwise I will have to have you removed by force. Niylah is to prepare in peace.”

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TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: ash

Niylah knew that she’d surprised her father by speaking out; especially so informally. She watched Roan as he approached. If Niylah knew Roan’s intentions and the reason he’d chosen her of all people, she wouldn’t be so nervous. She knew her father approached him first and had probably begged him to marry Niylah—to have her produce his heir... She didn’t understand why he had said yes. Mutual friend? She had thought he was a bounty hunter, but looks could be deceiving. Slowly, she walked towards him—her nerves showing on her torn and hesitant expression, but when he turned to her father and spoke both of their faces went pale. “It isn’t like that,” Niylah was quick to say, though it was instinct to defend him. Her voice was small though... He’d betrayed her, any way she looked at it. She wouldn’t have chosen this on her own. Still, she couldn’t deny that her father was using her for political gain.

“I brought her to you; she’s everything I said that she would be—“ He said with a frown. “You agreed—“ He was confused and not making much sense, but he treated it like a trade gone sour. As if Niylah were a prized horse and he wasn’t getting the reward he was promised. Though, what did he ask for in return? Probably nothing—he probably expected it. “You can’t just take her and cast me aside. I’m the one who gave her to you.” He was finding his voice, but the more he talked the less Niylah felt the need to defend him. Not because he was doing a good job of it, but because it was demeaning.

“Stop,” she said after a moment; tugging at her sleeves. He was digging a grave. She hated speaking out against him or acting against his wishes—but that was loyalty for her family. The words made her father puff up his chest with offence, though Roan stood between her and her father. There wasn’t much he could do. Still, he didn’t move. He just looked at Roan with expectations.

OWL

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“I agreed!” Roan said, loudly, so that everyone would here. “To give you an appropriate price. And you shall have that. I never agreed to have you stay here. I never agreed for you to rise to power, power was always to go to your daughter. You were greedy. You wanted more than I promised you. You will get the appropriate price, of course.” Roan glared at him, a smirk playing on his face. The man had underestimated him clearly. It was his own fault. Roan was aware that people didn’t take him as seriously as they took his mother, but he would teach them. He taught this man first.

“I am protecting her from you. You sold your own child! Now as an appropriate price” Roan motioned for the guards to escort a woman in. “This is Cherise.” He explained. “You gave me a worker and a mouth to feed. The appropriate price is to give you a worker and a mouth to feed. She does this willingly. This is the appropriate price for you. It looks different for your daughter. Guards, escort him out. Farewell, Cherise.” He watched as they took her father out of the room, before he turned to his future wife.

“You can, of course, decline the union.”

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TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: ash

Niylah watched silently, shocked and confused while she listened to Roan. It was easier to look away from the look of betrayal in her father’s eyes and watch Roan as he commanded the guards to escort him out. She felt a twinge of guilt. No girl could take care of the post like she could, and it was one of the hardest things to turn her back on... She worried for her. Though, Roan said she was willing. Slaves were nothing to be handed out—and that is what Niylah felt like. That was until Roan turned to her. She could decline... Her eyes were on him, wide with inner turmoil. How... did you make these decisions. Her father sold her in hopes of gaining power... Azgeda was hostile, violent and downright terrifying but that was because of their queen.

“I didn’t understand why you chose me,” she said quietly. This was true. She wasn’t the prettiest woman he could have chosen, or the brightest—she wasn’t important enough for something like this, but the fact that he chose her to put distance between her and her father changed things. She knew her father had become abusive—whether intentionally or not... it was all she’d known for a long while. “I won’t decline it... you’ve gone through quite a bit of effort.” She tugged her sleeves and looked down with her lips pressed together. “Azgeda... have attacked the trading post my father owns before. I’ve killed... at least five of your people. I’m not very important to Trikru... I don’t know why you want me.”

OWL

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“You underestimate your value, Niylah kom Trikru.” Roan stated with an almost boyish smile. He was glad she would not deny him. The quest for a Trikru wife was hard enough as it was and it seemed it was finally coming to an end. This was exactly why he had agreed to take her as wife, why he wanted her. She was not stupid. Nobody working actively in trade could be stupid, but some were cocky. He had hope in her, no more than that. She could do what he needed her to do. She already spoke of how some of his people attacked her trading post. She had the guts to tell him how she killed five of his people, showing how perfectly suited she was. 

“What I am looking for is a clever wife, a woman who can hold her own against me and others, against leaders and warriors alike, strong and diplomatic. What your father didn’t realize was how perfectly suited you were, despite him highlighting only your beauty.” She was more than that and he knew this now. “I don’t need you to be valuable to Trikru. I need you to know them and you are Trikru, so you are perfect for the job as Queen. If you accept.” But it sounded like it. “Do you have any questions, Niylah? I know you don’t exactly liked Azgeda under my mothers rule. Things around here are changing, you are the living proof of that.”

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TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: ash

Niylah looked up at him with a subtle smile of her own when she saw the boyish grin. He was handsome... She'd never seen the ice prince-- or rather ice king for herself in this way. She had only heard stories of his skill in combat, or his exile. When she saw him in the trading post, it was as a man searching for a woman she was protecting. There was no time to appreciate his looks under his disguise. His words seemed to be spoken with pride- like he had found it. He thought more of her than anyone did and he barely knew a thing about her. Especially if it was from her father's lips. She wasn't surprised that he had talked about her beauty... Not because Niylah felt that she was that beautiful, but because her father had developed an attitude towards people... He would talk about them like objects to be traded, which in this case he wasn't far off.

"Whatever problems I have had with Azgeda in the past are in the past." She said boldly. It wasn't an easy statement, but she could move on from any previous prejudices she had. If she was to be Roan's wife, Azgeda wouldn't harm her... The alliance would prove stronger than the coalition. Niylah looked up at her surroundings when he asked her if she had questions. Truth be told, she was still lost with surprise. So much had shifted and changed in so little time she wasn't sure what she should be asking. "When will we be married?" She asked after a moment. Her eyes locked back onto his and she made sure to keep her voice steady... "I... don't know where I'll be staying either," she said sheepishly; not sure where to go.

OWL

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“You are a clever woman.” He confirmed again, still smiling at her. It was good. She was good, just what he needed, even if their union would never move over this level, she was what he needed to make Azgeda great again. His plan would succeed more than his mothers ever could, because the clans would gain something from it. He just needed to lower the resistance he felt all around him. Roan walked to the window. For a moment he contemplated. He had two different options to approach marriage: A simple short affair to get it over with here or a far bigger ceremony, in the hopes of giving his future wife a taste of royalty. Niylah deserved a bit of pomp.

“For tonight you are not staying here.” Roan began. “We will immediately travel.” He wanted to take her to a place that would charm her with the beauty of Azgedas territory. “We will wed in a night following our arrival there, Niylah. I can not set a specific date, as nature will decide it. You will understand once you see it.” Roan held out his hand for her, wanting to lead her to a carriage that would take them where they needed to be. He had to make the men bring the supplies they would need for a long journey, but as he walked with her there, he explained. “Ever heard of the eternal night? It’s a wonderful phenomenon. Far in the north, the sun doesn’t rise for months.”

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TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: ash

Though Niylah wasn't exactly thrilled about more time on the road, she knew that Roan's method of travel would be much more comfortable than the splinter ridden wooden cart her father brought her in. Still, it was his words about the eternal night that made her smile. "My mother used to tell me stories about it... She had some friends she would trade with in the north... She said that sometimes the sky would light up with blues and greens-- sometimes even reds and yellows; like waves of color." Her tone was almost dreamy. There were so many things that her mother had told her about from her younger years. Some may have been exaggerated for a sense of whimsy but Niylah believed them with all her heart. "She would paint pictures of it..." Niylah took Roan's hand hesitantly. His tough skin was met with her own... She wasn't a warrior, but her hands were that of a worker not a maid. 

"Were her stories true?" Niylah asked with genuine curiosity as she walked with Roan. "I was a child when she told me these stories... Sometimes we remember things differently as children." She chuckled at the thought, knowing she could have imagined beautiful lights dancing across the sky. The most beautiful thing she had ever seen were flying stars across the sky. Sometimes they would break into pieces and turn to flame... There were strange happenings with the sun and moon, but nothing like her mother had described. When they got to the carriage it was more than Niylah had expected. The smooth furs inside were clearly meant for warmth and comfort, but the size of it was surprising. This was clearly a cart meant for royalty. Not a trader's daughter. "Will you be riding with me?" She asked curiously. She needed to look up at him when she spoke, but she didn't mind it.

OWL

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"You heard of the lights." He commented, clearly surprised by the knowledge that was not wide spread outside of Azgeda. They meant a lot to his people, so he had to teach her about them eventually, but he didn't expect to be faced with that so soon. Azgeda, like many grounder clans, was very focused on nature as the mother of their lives. Nature gave and took life. Nature gave spectacular lights. And nature gave hope. "You will see them. We will be married under them actually. " He told her. "It's for blessing." He wanted his people to have no doubt about her. "Many of our festivals happen around the lights actually. They are gorgeous. Maybe you can tell me if your mothers drawings met the reality." He bet they didn't. But it was due to the impossible beauty of the lights.


"If you want me to join you, I can. I can leave you alone, too. It is your choice." And he wanted her to have the choice. He needed her to know she was able to make her own decisions as well in this marriage. She was no prisoner.  She was to be a queen and to be treated as such. He was so royally done with oppression in Azgeda.

amber4

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TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: ash

“With the way she described them, it seems impossible that any painting could do them justice,” she murmured as she shifted to get a little comfortable among the soft furs and candlelight. Roan... he was misunderstood. At least his people were. She already found her husband to be alluring... curiosity drove her to learn more about him and the life she was about to begin. When he said he could ride separately the well adjusted woman in her thought that it would be best, while the excitement that bubbled hot beneath the surface of her skin was having none of it. “I... I’m comfortable with you riding with me. I would like to learn more about you... and your people.” Her words were spoken with respect and a soft tone, but the light that glimmered in her eyes was youthful and filled with curiosity. “Please,” she murmured as she shifted to give him space.

She leaned into a stack of soft rabbit furs and rested her chin amongst the velvet soft hairs with eyes never leaving him. “Everything we hear about Azgeda is... probably not all true. Trikru have their own stories.... but you don’t seem anything like those stories would make you seem. If I’m to marry the king, then I wish to know about those who I would be representing... from your perspective.”

OWL

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“My perspective is different from the common Azgeda warrior.” Or anyone really. Roan smiled at her, softly actually. It was rare that he managed to speak to someone who wasn’t scared, but intrigued. And he would tell her tales. “I heard how Trikru thought of us. That was all my mother and her forefathers.” With the travel ahead he knew he had quite some time to tell her everything she knew and needed to know. “Azgeda was always more cruel than other clans. It’s simply the circumstance. The skies make no difference. It kills the weakened and so Azgeda values strength. Otherwise out clan would have not survived in the north. Winter kills everyone. My ancestors took it to another level, though.” 

“It soon became all about power. Power was all they wanted. My grandparents, my mother. It was all about ruling everything and power. I must admit I am not against ruling everything, but power isn’t everything. The strength they sought is not everything. My mother wanted power through destruction of everything in her path. I think it’s my fathers heritage is what makes me reconsider the violence. They called him weak. I… barely remember him, to be honest. It was always me and my mother.”

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