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Post by ash on Mar 30, 2016 21:00:41 GMT
Peace was worth working for. Roan learned that during his banishment. Politics were messy, but for his people he had to endure them. And after everything that happened, it was a handful of people from Arkadia that made him look at everything through their perspective, through their understanding. That night Roan fell to his knees, paralyzed by the horrors his mother inflicted on these people, everyone inflicted on them. He knew those wounds were impossible to heal, but he had to try to make them see there was a different way, that king Roan was not queen Nia, that with him, Azgeda could be an ally to them.
He began this venture by taking two men and a woman with him, to stay in Arkadia for a while. On one hand for them to get to know Arkadia, naturally, and their culture, on the other to help them. He heard, before he came, how infertile the soil in the direct area was, so he brought special plants, plants that were strong, resilient and happy to grown in places that were less than hospitable for any kind of life. One of the men he brought was a farmer. He helped the Arkers to find places for the plants, to secure them, to teach them about rodents and what else could ail those plants. The other man was a hunter, helping the Arkers around that and the woman was a cook and herbalist. He helped with construction, teaching them their culture and learned Arkadias.
Roan worked with the men of Arkadia, he liked to mingle with them, but given the temperatures he was used to, this climate was hot, so he liked to take of his shirt. That seemed to be a problem. For one young lady in particular. Raven. He grinned, catching her watching him more out of the corner of his eyes, as she was averting her gaze. Eventually he had enough. The next time she looked away he made sure to move swiftly. Within moments he was pressed behind her, holding a cup of water out in front of her, her back touching his chest. “Thought you might like a closer look. Drink?”
cherry1
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Post by ash on Mar 30, 2016 19:00:21 GMT
“Lexa will know I am here anyway.” Roan pointed out. There was no doubt that she would have him watched. He was previously an outlaw, a man hunted, banished from his people and used by her to get what she wanted. He didn’t like the idea of it, but he knew she was calculating. She wanted to keep the king she helped to the throne under her command. So she would know he was here and she was most likely pissed about it, unless she had reason to believe he was not there for an actual alliance between their people, but for a rather more private, more carnal alliance. And he didn’t mind that. “What?” He asked her with a smile.
“Primal reasons? Me?” He stepped closer as well, but before he could really approach her, she had taken charge. With a grin, he accepted her burning kiss, before he kissed her back, hand threading through her hair, pulling her closer, holding her there, as she did the same to him. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, battling for dominance over her, but for some reason that alone gave him the sense that there would be no dominant one. They would take pleasure in the constant battle for dominance, only leaving it to the other for a moment to enjoy the pleasure of this carnal act. In that light he pulled her away, grinning. Both hands immediately went to her shirt, ripping it open, before letting his lips connect to her neck, sucking, clearly leaving a mark.
Luna
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Post by ash on Mar 27, 2016 0:10:50 GMT
“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.”
amber4
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Post by ash on Mar 25, 2016 0:14:18 GMT
Roan lowered himself, exposing the wounded arm and putting it in the stream. He sighed at the sensation of the cooling water around the painful wound, soothing the stinging, almost as effectively as ice could have done, but this was Trikru territory and there was no way she was Trikru. They would not be surprised about his language. Neither would mountain men. They knew a rest of English lived in them as far as he knew. Her not knowing showed him she was entirely something else and he intended to figure out what.
“Of course I do, just like you.” Roan replied, rubbing small circles around his wound to make sure it got cleaned properly, as much as that worked given that the water was not sterile and there was no healer. Before he could ask her something else he heard the Trikru fog horn. A glance at her told her she had no idea what it meant. “Don’t worry. It’s a fog horn. A warning. But we’re outside of the perimeters. The fog only happens in a certain area, we’re just outside of it. It won’t reach here. You can relax.” And he knew she would not, because of him, because he was a stranger and potentially dangerous.
“You’re not Trikru or a Mountain Man. What are you? Where do you come from?”
@harp
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Post by ash on Mar 25, 2016 0:04:08 GMT
“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.”
amber4
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Post by ash on Mar 24, 2016 23:27:18 GMT
Raven Reyes. Raven. That was it, her ticket to survival. He knew she was skilled in building and important to Wanheda. An almost soft smile appeared on his lips as she finally told him her name and asked for his. Not that his name would do her much good. Instead of replying to her, he looked at the guards. “She lives. Prepare a horse. We’re delivering a message to Arkadia.” It was a bit of a risk to deliver that message, but better than to have her die. He hoped, he hoped the message would do what it needed to do. He had to explain himself and his position to the girl, but he had to prepare the message as well. Roan took a dagger into his hand. He approached the girl and reached out for her jacket. With swift, clean cuts he had the Jacket cut from her body. The now useless garment was brought to his table. Standing over it, he turned his head to the girl.
“I am Roan, King of the Ice Nation.” He finally introduced himself, still unused to this title. But he had to use it, it was his power and his potential downfall. He was willing to go to extreme lengths to make Azgeda as great as the stories told, but in a greatness that would have history praise them. “Our mutual friend Clarke, Wanheda, helped bring down Azgedas former Queen. She helped put me on my throne. As far as I am concerned she has my loyalty.” He knew this was a dangerous game to play, but he would take her to the capital, keep her safe there, while all of this played down. Like many others his goals were different than what he saw. He saw a clever girl in Wanheda, but more importantly a strong potential ally in Skaikru. If he wanted Azgedas greatness, he would have to go this way, with his people. Roan sliced his palm open with his dagger and smeared his blood onto the wound, quite aware that Arkadias medicine was well ahead of theirs, he was betting on it.
“Take this. Drop it somewhere at the wall of Arkadia, not at the gate. Try to be undetected. And prepare a kart. Our friend Raven will accompany us to our capital.” While he said that he stared at Raven. “I’m afraid I have no other choice. We can’t openly break Lexas commands, not yet at least. You'll be a valued guest in my halls.” Much more valued than wanheda and he were in Lexas halls.
cherry1
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Post by ash on Mar 24, 2016 23:03:11 GMT
“I am aware of that.” Roan replied. “From now on all the ports in the north are open to your people. The rivers as well, should you need them.” And he did not expect to be allowed into her territory at first, obviously. It was his people that needed the teaching not hers. Hers were defending more than attacking. “But for the time being, I would be careful. Word travels fast, but it takes time to take root in deaf ears.” Some of his people were beyond stubborn. And her people would most likely be naturally careful to deal with their former enemy.
“What can I say? I’m young and foolish.” A quote given to him by someone else, but it made him smirk. He grew up under Queen Nia, the foolishness was out of him by the time he turned four, the first time he was literally bathed in fucking blood! He was skilled in this game that his mother was playing, but he was the one, who rather didn’t charge, but watched and plotted before making his move, trying to stay ahead of the game and calculating his options. “Besides, Luna, why the hell not?” And on top of it, it would serve a purpose. Lexas spies were surely in this port as well. “On the contrary. You are a strong leader, which is why I turned to you, but you’re also a clever leader. Lexas spies are probably out there, how about we give them a proper show?”
Luna
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Post by ash on Mar 22, 2016 14:07:10 GMT
Roan didn’t trust Lexa. Least of all he trusted her to bring skaikru justice, because why should she ever do that? After what she initially disguised as justice for skaikru failed in appeasing them, he decided to no longer go by her rules, not in this. It was his clan, his kingdom, his own mother that wronged them and they deserved justice. With the knowledge acquired in Polis and the knowledge Roan found in his capital he had three people arrested and put away before he made his way to Arkadia.
Roan was fully expecting hostility towards him as he steered his horse towards the gate, he did not expect his stallion to full on shy away from Arkadia so that he essentially had to force him towards the gate. With his escorts and those holding the prisoners, he stopped. Roan personally got down from his horse and walked up to the guards of Arkadia, having their weapons trained on him. “I am Roan kom Azgeda. I have come to speak to one of your people. He goes by the name of Bellamy Blake. Please tell him we are here. If it’s better for your people, we would of course put down our weapons, save for those holding the prisoners.”
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Post by ash on Mar 20, 2016 16:58:51 GMT
Stupid damn mountain. Roan had come to close to Mount Weather. He noticed by the fog ascending over the area. It send him running, for his life. Roan knew usually it was impossible to outrun the fog, but by some dumb luck and a steep fall, Roan managed to get out of the perimeter of the god just by inches. A part of his arm was itching, burning from the acid, but that was nothing compared to possible death. His next goal was any stream. He needed the liquid, water, to clean his wound and perhaps the seaweed grew there, allowing him to treat the wound as he should.
As Roan approached the stream, he noticed someone close by. He stopped, watched her, a girl, through the bush first. Her clothing was unfamiliar. And she spoke in English, but there was no way she was of the Mountain. She didn’t look like a mountain man. She didn’t wear this weird protective suit. Roan slowly came out, raising one hand, while having the other hang. “Hello.” He replied. “Think you can share the water?” He didn’t know if she was friend or foe, but he decided to be friendly first, he could always fight here, he had no problem with fighting or punching women!
@harp
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Post by ash on Mar 19, 2016 21:13:38 GMT
“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.”
amber4
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Post by ash on Mar 19, 2016 19:13:29 GMT
Let me go. Feisty. She reminded him more and more of the girl Wanheda mentioned. She could be it. He hoped she was it. He didn’t want to kill, but he needed a reason to keep the skaikru alive. With her, he had the feeling he might find a reason. He hoped he would find a reason to keep her alive. He liked her spirit already. Roan motioned for two more guards to leave. It left him with one guard and just him and the girl. She was still kept in a tight hold. Roan noticed the brace on her leg. He doubted that was happening often. This had to be the girl with the bird name! There was no other way. In that case she was skilled. They could use her skill.
“Kid, your life depends on this. There is a kill order on everyone, who leaves Arkadia.” He began, hoping reasoning would do it for her. He needed her name. He needed her to cooperate. “So, tell me your name.” It was a demand, though surprisingly softly spoken. He had no reason to speak harshly to her at this moment. “Because it so happens that an affiliation to Wanheda could save your life. Tell me your name and give me the right answer and I will be able to spare your life, kid. Do you want that? Or would you rather I string you up and kill you right now?”
cherry1
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Post by ash on Mar 19, 2016 16:27:23 GMT
“My mother tried to have Lexa dethroned. It’s in my blood to be treasonous against Lexa. Besides, can you blame me? She is the reason I was banished to begin with!!!” He knew this treason would be okay here with Luna. Luna was a kind and honest soul. She was the one leader out of all the others Roan admired the most. She was devoted to her people and generally didn’t give people bullshit. Luna was because of that the leader he really wanted an alliance with. Roan nodded at her noticing how fragile the coalition was. He agreed. The clans weren’t fully loyal to the other. His mother caused a lot of this, he knew it, which was why he was left with things to fix. He had the ruins of Azgeda to pick up and he would, for his people, those who only had guilt loaded onto them, by being loyal to a misguided leader.
“That is exactly why I want an alliance outside of the coalition. I want our people to be united in friendship without the coalition. I want our people to stand by each other even when the coalitions fails. A harsh winter, the eternal night in the north will last for another two months. I am aware of my peoples need, Luna, but I will not satisfy them at the cost of others. We have rich summers in Azgeda, syrup, herbs, meat, we can provide you with a lot, but we might need support. My people will have to learn a better way. And they will.” He would make them learn. But at her next words, Roan leaned back with a smirk.
“On the contrary, dear Luna. With the rate Lexa is going, Azgeda will be the last clan to leave the coalition. My mother was many things, mad, disloyal, completely despicable, but she knew strategy. Times are changing. She had a strong hand for Azgeda, she had a reason to try and provoke a conclave. And if that happen, Azgeda will stand firmly in the coalition.”
Luna
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Post by ash on Mar 19, 2016 15:03:25 GMT
Roan stared at his mother in shock and disgust as he was dragged away. He didn’t expect much from the commander. She had no reason for loyalty towards any of Azgeda, he knew. But to demand his mother cast him out was telling enough. She wanted to uproot the royal family, it seemed, and it worked. Roans mother had him banished. The anger he felt was unparalleled for him so far, towards Lexa, towards his mother. He couldn’t read his mother in the moment he was dragged away, but the fact that she didn’t put up more of a fight, tried to bargain for her only son, it evoked burning rage in him.
He was granted a moment to say goodbye, but Roan would refuse that moment. He would not give his mother the privilege of parting words, not her. There were more important people and those found him as he packed what he would need to survive out there, all by himself as he had to leave the lands of the coalition. For a certain time at least. It was his second, his friend Ontari, who came in. Roan turned to look at her, as threats fell from her beautiful lips, lips through which black blood cursed, making her the logical successor of Lexa, without that woman even knowing. He did have hope in Ontaris rule. She was trained to have a sense of justice, as hard as that could be at times. “Don’t say that too loud, Ontari. These walls have ears.” But he didn’t mind. He had something else to do, to say. He turned to take Ontaris hands in his. “Be careful, Ontari. Remember that this is all about strategy. Always try to anticipate my mothers moves and react to it. You’ve seen how she and Lexa are. Be ahead of their games and you will rise to become the greatest heda our people ever had. My faith and fate lie in you.”
iah
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Post by ash on Mar 16, 2016 23:59:08 GMT
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.”
amber4
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Post by ash on Mar 16, 2016 22:55:09 GMT
Roan watched his old friend. She seemed unsure, yet took it with stoic dignity. They were apart for so long, he guessed she couldn’t judge his thoughts anymore like she could do once before. The same counted for him. He had no idea who this woman was now, how much of the Ontari he knew was left in this young, gorgeous woman. He hoped she was still in there and not completely disfigured by his mothers manipulation. She wanted to have her her perfect pet, a heda shaped to be bent to her will. Roan never thought that would happen, but he wanted how loyal she was to his mother.
“You were loyal to my mother.” He pointed out. He could not fault her for that and would not. No harm would come to her, she had done her job admirably as far as he heard, why should he punish her? He could not tell the future. “The question is: Were you loyal to Nia or were you loyal to your queen?” The different was simple: Was she only loyal to the person, who had once all but raised her – with the simple thing that she didn’t even raise her own son, neither her really, but they were in the same position. Or was she loyal to her queen and therefore to him. “Where does your loyalty lie, Ontari?”
iah
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