The Gathering of Whitecrest

[Zayuz]

Spoiler: HT

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Shushan waved dismissively as the two walked, only two of the hooded figures coming with them. They didn't appear to have any weapons. "Every rebel calls themselves 'the true leaders'. Even the clans that resist the Shushan's imperial mandate think the name I take is not rightfully mine. What makes your name any different?"

This 'Amerah' was confident and dangerous, that much was obvious, but she was also deluded. She thought herself loyal to the "ideals" of the Avakonian Empire and Dejan. The problem with that was that she could justify 'the ideals' as whatever she so desired, and so do whatever she pleased. Shushan had heard this all before, and alarmingly often in the last few years.

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[Later that night]

There are times when even a ruler and commander like Amerah needed to be alone. There was a point where even the greatest rulers would tire of flattery and seek only bed rest, that they would wish for a moment to read by candlelight, or perhaps just to reflect upon the day. Whatever the case, Amerah would eventually place herself into an empty room, with all the lights put out. She would relax, lower her guard, and be ready for a night alone.

And then the dark, empty room spoke to her.

"That was quite a line you threw my 'dear leader.'" It was the voice of a young woman, amused and mocking. "I don't think he liked it..."

Amerah chuckled at the Shushan's challenge, as he men behind her made to draw steel. She raised a hand, and they slowly put their blades away.

"Oh, but I'm not so different. The true difference is that I won, and that I will not settle for merely controlling a single part of my great peoples. In fact, we may yet again learn to work with the empire.. During our peace talks, the empress whispered much directly into my ear.."

With a small gesture to her ear, she slowly walked over to him. With her hands in the air to indicate she wasn't going to do anything harmful, she whispered to him quite closely.

"I will have a full review of your codex of law, military records, and details on your long and short term expenditures over the last decade within a fortnight, so that I might hold your rule to it's initial decree some one hundred years ago.. If I find it to be up to par, we might be great friends. Otherwise, you had best hope the warriors of your clans are as obedient to you as they once were to the great, all powerful Emperor Dejan. They do say the seeds of rebellion tend to spread much like a wildfire, after all."

With that she stepped away, waiting to see his reaction.

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Hours later, in the darkness of her room, Amerah hears a voice. She was just settling down by her desk to write a letter, her guards positioned on all entrances to the room.. She tenses, flipping the sheet of parchment over.

"He wasn't supposed to like it. Nobody likes being called out as a perversion of what they're supposed to be.. A bastion of order, unity, and justice for the empire.. Pah. With how the other clans speak of the Shushan, they seem too weak and too poorly liked to hold any real sway. Yet he enforces his will none the less over the clans, and tries, though it may not work out, to use them as puppets. I think a populace should serve on devotion to their crown, not fear or tradition. Come, join me in the light of my candle lest I get an early start on the road home."

Spoiler: Tentreto

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Keat had paid rapt attention to the news coming from the rebellious state, now independant. The recent ceasefire had been a major reason to hold the gathering. Though her dress was a slight worry- her glass amulet was probably an Imperial ward against magic- it mattered little here though, at the centre of his own Kingdom. Her lack of gift was little worry, few had brought one, but it was the slight edge she seemed to have that set Keat himself on edge.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Captain, I am King Keat Whitefeather, ruler of the Inyoni. For a gathering of realms, we would bar no one, even those who mean us harm, though we ask no weapons are drawn, though..." Keat gestured around the garden, at the various other delegations, "that is by no means the standard all go by. Out of interest, have the Firethorn Regiment sent delegates before this, or is this your first official attendance since your secession?"

"Of course-- Had I meant you any harm, I'd have brought an army much larger than a few soldiers. ..Thank you for granting us entry; I will do my best to ensure that our blades stay away even if we should meet any false imperial curs."

Amerah glances behind her to the guard, who don't really react to her words.

"But no matter, I am indeed the first delegate to leave our lands. I don't yet trust my men to leave the impression I want for in lands with new customs and peoples. You must understand, we're still in the process of rooting out much of the high level corruption back home.. But I expect the whole court to be cabinet within the year. You know my motives to be that of restoring the empire to her former glory; but I ask thee, King Keat Whitefeather of the Inyoni.. What are your motives?"