Mount Capeisian, the sole territory of the late King Astaliad Talon. A mountain that stood overlooking the houses above his own. In his death, his widow Lady Yo'Jaelil Iraelia Secretar had come to claim the throne. The once vibrant kingdom had transitioned into a nest of violent and feared women of unmatched discipline. Her grace had yet to remarry. Instead. she ruled alongside her twelve daughters. Of the twelve nine had taken to her ferocity, leaving the remaining three to mirror the wisdom and brashness of their father. The young women were known as the Talon Sisterhood, they were and had been since the death of the King, the sworn protectors of the land. Each of the females had been born in the image of their parents, who resembled the perfection of the Malsevur Vaiduklais breed of Frostfires. To their race, they were the lowest ranking branch of Frostfire lineage, but even still the color of their scales did not remove the respect they had come to earn.
They stood casters of magic, each given a gift no other Frostfire before or after them would bare. For nearly a millennium, the Talon family had remained feral dragons, ones left with the senses given to Incendartou. Their sense of smell was heightened significantly when in the company of those unbound to their kind. No human genes had been mingled into their bloodlines, and many believed none ever would. They reigned as proud, wise and asphyxiating hunters that remained peaceful as long as they were not provoked. The eldest daughter, Daun'Maru had been named for her gifts of mind control and brash nature. She out of all her sibling's, held a willingness to slaughter with no remorse. Much in the likeness of her father, she bore tresses of apricot blooms and eyes of pearl that danced hand in hand with ribbons of teal. From the ranks of her siblings, including her brother Laxrindren, she stood the tallest and fullest in build. She feared no man and placed her trust in no other dragon but her parents and sisters.
The Talon Sisterhood was lead by Daun'Maru, though she preferred to be addressed as the Argent Guerrilla. She, in the absence of her mother, held rank over her eleven sisters, who she viewed as nothing more than enablers with the exception of her sister Dareiv. The two had been since their birth inseparable, and it was them who came to greet their little brother after nearly two hundred years. The coach of Crystal Springs came to roll to a halt as the royal couple, and their two children came to lay gaze upon Citioa. The walls stood as Talon remembered them, tall and grand overgrown with Winters Ivy. In his time away even the windows had become covered and now laid hidden behind the weaving vines of the frosted plants.
They came to step from the coach, Hexonia keeping the bundled and sleeping Lumion close to her warmth. The climate upon Mount Capeisian was bitter cold, and while she could handle the biting winds, her children could not. Both had been born of the sands and remained shivering in the dense fog that loomed about the grounds. The welcome to Citioa was far from warming, in fact, with each and every visit Talon's sisters made sure Hexonia felt unwanted. Talon's eldest sisters stood before the doors of Citioa, faces hardened with distaste and resentment. Each wore matching gowns of argent silk tulle that clung loosely to their curves. The females of Secretar were known to admire their bodies, and so their beauty was rarely covered. The twins came to step before the King and Queen of Crystal Springs, Dareiv the first to speak.
"Greetings brother it has been some time since we saw you last." She moved forth to embrace him as Daun interjected. "Yes, it has been quite a while brother. Though we do not expect to see you often, you seem to only come forth when you are in need of our aid. So tell me what is it you come asking for this time?" The siblings came to part, Laxrindren turning to face his eldest sister. "I have come to break words of marriage and for my kin to at last meet my children." Daun rolled her eyes. "We have heard of your desperate attempts to scramble for an heir to take your place. Because you do not visit your real home does not mean those who inhabit it are blind. You came to marry a fool, but you were not raised by one."
Hexonia dropped her head and remained silent as she always had. She knew she had never been favored by her mates family and she knew that until she bore him a true heir, she never would be. " I would not call my attempts desperate sister, I would call them an act of kindness guided by love." Daun and Dareiv came to exchange glances. " We both stand corrected." Spoke Dareiv her arms reaching forth to take hold of Lumion. "He is a diminutive child I must say, brother. Handsome yet diminutive." Daun leaned forth to inhale the air surrounding the child. Her expression soured, and her next words came forth as sharp as a whip's lash. "He is not of our blood nor our brothers. The child reddens at the touch of ice. He is no blood relation to our family, why have you brought him here? Has your barren wife at last fled from your bed in search of another to plant a seed of life? I always knew her to be an imbecilic and impuissant female, but I would never have guessed her to be a harlot as well."
"Daun! That is a horrid thing to say. Out of all the things she may be, a harlot is not one of them. Her entire life revolves around our brother." "Then ask me, sister, where did she come about a hatchling? For years our brother has been attempting to plant his seed within her womb and yet it bore no fruit. I know the issue lies within her he has planted seeds before without issue." Hexonia looked to her husband pain and surprise in her eyes. She did not dare speak, after a moment she realized she couldn't, she was stunned into silence. Daun slid her eyes towards her sister in marriage, a dark grin coming to slide over her expression. " Oh do not let your heart crumble so quickly. We all know what could happen if it did. We would not want to see you attempting to jump from the roof of our castle as you did your own. Then again, if you cared as much for my brother as you proclaim, you would have succeeded in your actions. With them, he could have been set free. Not to worry though, the child he sired died mercifully." Hexonia looked to the ground and allowed her arm to slide around Wailora who had come to comfort her. "Oh.. I see he never told you about that, did he. Not only are you his barren Queen you were not even his first choice." Laxrindren stepped before his family, his eyes coming to cut in frustration. "That Is enough Maru, are you going to invite us inside or shall we stand here as if we share no ties?" Dareiv gave the baby a few pats on the back and cradled him softly. " Nevermind her, she is as always in one of her moods. Come I will see you all inside."
They all moved to find subtle warmth within the walls of Citioa. The hanging tapestries and century old paintings brought a small wave of comfort to the Arctic King. He knew his wife was near to tears, but he knew he did not have the courage nor the right to defend her. "I will say again, that boy is not of our blood. He carries the stench of witches and festering curses. If she did not lay with another, you have brother. Did you think I would not notice what he was?" Daun snatched the boy from her sister and hung him upside down by one miniature ankle. The boy began to wail, his cries bellowing into the halls. "Did you not think I would recognize the scent of a Tydran?" Hexonia began to weep as she reached forward attempting to take hold of her son. Daun pulled him further away and placed him back into the arms of her sister. " He bears the tail of demon uncertain of his beginnings. You have legitimized a curse to take your place, and now you have the audacity to bring it onto our soil."
"That is enough Daun'Maru." A soft and passive voice came to say. It was Lady Secretar, she had been awoken by the wails of the child, a sound she had not heard in countless ages. The elder sisters came to step aside, Deriev passing the boy to Hexonia. Daun moved to her mother's side, her hands now resting on her back. "Mother, your son has brought damnation upon us. Along with the company of what I believe to be a Tyliquin witch." The old woman's eyes shifted sharply onto Wailora who came to hide behind Hexonia. "That may be true, but we do not turn our backs on our family. You two are dismissed." The twins gave a bow and ceased from view. Lady Secretar moved gracefully down the spiraling staircase and seemingly came to glide over to her son. She kissed both his cheeks and embraced the stunned Hexonia with a pat on her back. She wore her night robes, she had yet to see herself bathed in the early morning. Her hair sat high in a perfected bun of aluminum that claimed half her locks girth, while the rest remained swinging at her hips. Like her daughters, her robes swung in silk tulle, even with her age progressing, she bore the body of a young woman. Her small hand came to softly soothe Lumion who had yet to silence his cry's.
"You must excuse my daughters Lady Hexonia, they are what they were taught to be. They view anyone unlike them as weak and unnecessary. Though I thought by now, you would have grown hardened to their verbal assaults." Wailora came to gaze over the woman's features, finally realizing why her King stood irresistible to her. He favored his mother greatly, and she began to wonder what his father looked like. At last, Hexonia came to find her broken voice. "I had hoped one day I would be granted the strength to, but I am nothing more than a useless wife in their eyes. It seems with each visit, their hatred for me grows." Yo'Jalil came to raise the young Queen's face. "Respect is something that is earned, it is not something that will so easily be handed to you. You must win it for yourself, hold your head high radiate your pride and glory. One day they will see that you keep confidence in yourself and thus, they will be forced to respect you. Do not let them break your emotions, my son has yet to earn their respect either, and he is their brother." She gave a chuckle and turned from them walking into the Grand Hall.
The Talons followed and took a seat near the fire. "I know why you have come here my son, you need not speak the words. I will help you as in doing so I will secure the safety of my people and yours. While my daughters hate your wife, I do not, I will see her father placed within my protection if such a time comes." Tears welled in the eyes of the Arctic Queen, so much was being revealed to her. She came to wonder why so many things had been kept in the shadows, For the first time in their marriage, Hexonia began to doubt her worth in her husband's eyes. "Gratitude mother, I knew my sisters would most likely deny me." "They might have yes, but they all know their place rests beneath my order. It is I you should have feared my son, not them." He gave a nod of respect. "And who is this young one?" "This is Wailora my adopted daughter." "Ahh, I see lovely little thing she is. So well kept. Come here Wailora I wish a good look at you." The young Tyliquin turned and looked to her father for permission. He smiled and waved her forward. "Go ahead my mother is a kind being."
She rose and came to curtsy as she had been taught. Yo'Jalil smiled and pulled her closer by the hand. "You are a kind yet troubled girl. You have seen things no young woman of your age should ever see. You have endured things meant for women bound by marriage, for this I am sorry. But I am confident that those years while you may never forget them, will be replaced by many more pleasing memories. You and I will come to talk one day of your real feelings." The young girl tried her best not to let her shock trickle down her face. Her eyes wished to do nothing more than widen in shock, within moments this woman seemed to know everything about her. She swallowed hard. "It will be a pleasure Lady Secretar." She returned to her seat and remained silent. She was interested in learning more about her King, after all, she was dangerously infatuated with him.
"So, I hear that Lord Draconvieh is to take another wife, and so soon after the death of his first." "This is true mother. Lady Alexandria was murdered, we do not know by whom, but she was slain and left to rot in a nearby village." "What of her wounds? How was she killed?" "We are unsure, though according to several sources she had been held captive and tortured." " My son, I was under the assumption that I instilled common sense into all of my children. Even you, my only boy, yet I find myself wondering if it happened to flee your mind. Whoever came to kill that dragoness was working with the Dark King. The rumors of his neglect towards her did reach my borders. He never loved her, nor would he. Everyone knows that Emperor Raye'Zore is a coward. He used his only son as a way to manipulate his enemies. He is cunning, but a fool, just like his son." She turned and gave Hexonia an apologetic look. "I do not think he killed her mother. If that was his wish, he could have had her assassinated long before now." "Open your eyes Reeny, perhaps, at last, he came to figure out his father's puzzle. What loyalty would a son hold towards an abusive father? Maybe he realized with his wife dead he could kill his father and never get his hands dirty. But what he does not know, is the fact that those who would do the work for him would claim his life as well."
The Arctic Queen came to shed a tear. Worry had set in, and the feeling of panic was slowly crawling up her throat as if a serpent seeking to strangle her every breath. Laxrindren placed a hand on hers, but it was no use. "May I be excused, perhaps the children, and I could find our chambers and see them prepared for our stay." Lady Secretar gave a long and high pitched whistle. Two maids came forth, their bodies bare with the exception of silver chains across their breasts and hips. " See Lady Talon and my grandchildren to their chambers. See that they are fed and made comfortable during their stay." Hexonia gave a delicate and almost forced smile, as her children became recognized. She sat off with them and left her husband to attend the business of both her clan and his own.
"I will write to the Matriarch of the Emerald Isles. While I can not ask a favor as steep as sparing Lord Raye'Zore, I can see one of your sisters offered in exchange for peace." "But mother, they already ride upon the back of a grudge towards me." "Can you truly blame them? You did not attend your father's burial. It was a time when they needed you most." "I know, but I would have been going against my vows as a husband. My wife was near to taking her own life." Yo'jalil folded her arms across her chest, her right brow coming to arch. "So because your fathers had already been claimed he was the lesser in importance?" "No..I.." "I understand your meaning they will not. They are strong, but they are selfish, they are scornful, and unfortunately, that is something I can not change. Speak with them perhaps you can get them to understand why you came to do what you did. We will talk more about the past in due time, right now what matters is the future. I know you have taken on a burden far too large to fit on your back, I am your mother I shall bear the weight with you." "For that I give thanks. I just pray that my sisters will eventually come to see me as you do." Yo'Jalil began to laugh. "Do not pray to the gods for things you can change yourself. I did not raise you to be dependent upon those who made us pets. I warn you son, they do not always listen."
The wise queen came to stand. "You are my only male heir, my last chance at ever gazing into your father's eyes again. Do not shame our efforts with stupidity. Go and tend your wife you have a great deal of explaining to do. Leave her in the dark no more, she deserves to know what is happening in your life. To leave her blind is to leave her vulnerable." "Yes, mother..." Yo'jalil took her leave, allowing her son to admire the paintings on the wall. Laxrindren stood and came to stare at the portrait of his father. His hand moved to rest atop its rough fabric. "I hope you forgave me, father, I suppose that is all that would matter."
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