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Realms of Terrafynn - The Red Wars (Skeith Takahata II & MessedUpRP)

Asara wasn't sure that Nialla understood what she meant by ascendance. It wasn't about ascending to the throne. It was something much more important. Before she could respond, she had wordlessly left the room. "N-Nialla? What's the matter?" She watched her leave in confusion. Was it something she had said? When she returned, dressed with a weapon in hand, Asara sat up quite alarmed. "What is it? Why the weapon?" When she told her to get behind her, she quickly moved from the bed, wrapping herself in her sheet to cover herself. She fell in to position behind Nialla, watching her with a concerned expression. What had she seen or heard to make her arm herself?
 
Nialla looked around the room, her eyes searching for some unseen attacker. She closed her eyes tight and breathed out slowly, letting her other senses find what she was searching for. Quick as a flash, she threw the dagger at a curtain, cutting it caused blood to spurt and the person standing behind it to crumple to the floor. She held Asara back, someone was sent here to kill you Asara."
 
Asara could hardly suppress the scream that came from her mouth as the body fell forward. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth as Malaketh burst into the room. Seeing the queen as she was, he closed the door behind him. Malaketh had practically raised her, so seeing her indecent was no shocker. "What happened?" He looked over, seeing the corpse and then to Nialla. "Lady Nialla. I see that we once again have you to thank for saving our queen."

"Malaketh..." Asara began, panting heavily as she stared at the corpse. "Double the guard. And have my griffon brought to my room. From now on she will sleep in here with me." She looked back to Nialla and then closed her eyes before turning away from the corpse. "And please, someone do something about that."

It was the second attempt in two days that someone had made an attempt on her life. She sat on the edge of her bed, pulling the sheet tighter around her.

Malaketh nodded, bowing to Nialla for a moment before collecting the corpse. He returned Nialla's knife before departing. As soon as the room was silent, Asara's shoulders began to shake. It was so overwhelming. "I can't even sleep in my own quarters."
 
Nialla covered the body in a sheet and turned Asara away gently. She sat down next to her and out her arms around her shoulders. "No... You will stay in your own quarters. I will keep you safe Asara, I promise. I will defeat these Reds for you and I will marry you afterwards." She kissed Asara gently. "Now lay down and rest." She sat up, dingering her knife and looking around. "Tomorrow we will wage an attack on the Red army... I will leas the charge on our enemies."
 
Asara looked up at Nialla when she spoke. Her eyes widened as she continued. "M-marry?" Then their lips met. She melted into the kiss, clinging to Nialla gently. As she separated from her she breathed out an uneasy breath. She laid down as she was bid, clinging to her sheet. "A counter attack? Are we prepared for such a thing? Our walls are not yet built. Our soldiers have not yet received their new orders from you. I am flattered that you want so badly to protect me, but if we are only acting for revenge... I don't want to lose you. I want us to be ready."
 
Nialla growled softly to herself, she was right. They needed to prepare their walls better. "I want an immediate order to build the walls faster, I will make a Design and I expect it to be exactly as I have specified." She held Asara close, "I was so worried you would be hurt."
 
Asara cuddled close into Nialla's arms. Breathing out a small sigh. Her hand came up to gently cup Nialla's cheek. "So long as you are here, I won't be. I know that I'm safe in your arms." She closed her eyes resting against her comfortably. "The walls will be built and we will counter attack when ready. But tonight is not the time for either." She looked up at her hopefully. "Just lay with me. At least for tonight? I'll rest easier with you near."
 
Nialla softened and lay down, holding Asara in her arms. She smiled softly and slowly closed her eyes in a light sleep. That night, she dreamed she was on a frozen mountain, looking out onto the hills of her homeland. She heard a noise from.behind and looked back with shock to see a peculiar sight. A man with the legs of a snake and the body of a human, like one of the monks she had trained under. He had a flowing white beard and a necklace of large wooden beads with runes carved into each.

They stood staring at each other, Nialla recognized him from the temples. She slowly dropped to her knees and bowed before him, he seemed pleased. "Rise child of The frost." Nialla stood.

"You have found yourself in a foreign land. A land that is in peril, I can see all that has, and will happen." He held up a finger as she was about to interject. "You must stay... Fight this threat, your fate is there. With the foreign queen. This is all I can say." With that, the mountain was shrouded in fog and she woke up in a cold sweat.
 
Asara's sleep was marred in nightmares. How could it not have been? It had been easily the most trying couple of days in her life. Still, she slept, at least until she felt Nialla stir. She opened her eyes slowly, seeing the woman awake and clearly distraught. She adjusted to prop herself up on an elbow. "Nialla? What is it? What's wrong?" She asked, her hand gently moved to cup her cheek. "Are you okay?"
 
She looked at Asara, her shock playing over her face. "I... I just had a conversation with a god." She rubbed her forehead and looked at Asara. "A god that the monks taught me about... He... He told me that he was watching us... That I would come... I would fight against the threat here. That was all he said about it."
 
Asara was surprised for a moment, but the look of surprise was replaced by a warm smile. "You should take that as his blessing. That this God has spoken of the steps you've taken and will take, should be reassuring. At least you are on the correct path." She gently stroked her cheek before her fingers trailed lower, her hand resting just under breasts. "I felt similarly when I first met Novura. That the gods speak of our paths as the correct ones should be a welcoming thing."
 
Nialla nodded softly. "It's an odd experience... A god speaking to you... You seem distressed Asara, what is the matter?" She slowly stroked the Queen's cheek. "A queen should not be distressed even in her sleep."
 
She shook her head softly as Nialla spoke. "It's nothing you need to worry yourself over. Just nightmares." She said with a shrug. "I'm quite young, Nialla. Some would say too young to be queen. To be faced with my mortality twice in two days and to carry the weight of a kingdom at war on my shoulders, it's a lot. Most women my age are idly flirting and enjoying much more peaceful lives."
 
Nialla held her head to Asara's face. Some day soon, you will be able to live like that, I hope you will at least. Wartime is no real way to live and certainly no real way to be a queen... But wartime breeds rulers and not just monarchs. Your people will remember you for what you were, a great queen in a bad time."
 
Asara smiled when she felt Nialla's head against hers. She breathed out a contented sigh as she held her. "I can only hope there will be a people left to remember me. I don't care much how I'm remembered. As long as my people and my kingdom survive." She took a deep breath before nestling against Nialla. "Let's go back to sleep, hmm? Moments like these I can pretend I'm a normal girl."
 
"You are normal Asara... You're a human just like I. Whether you're a monarch or not, you're still as normal as anyone else. You feel the same as anyone else." She kissed her softly and layed her down, "no speaking. Go to sleep now."
 
Asara smiled as she was laid back down. She snuggled against Nialla. She pulled the sheets back up, smiling as she closed her eyes. Having another body beside her made sleeping comfortably much more likely. Even more so with recent events. Nialla's presence would allow for Asara to sleep soundly for the remainder of the night.
 
The next morning. Nialla arose early, careful to slip from.the bed into her seperatw room me are minutes before Asara's attendants arrived. Especially the owl-headed lady she had come to silently loathe. So as she exited her small room dressed in her silken white tunic she looked around curiously to see Asmara being painted in the ink she ha also come to loathe.
 
Asara stood obediently, with her arms outstretched as the ink was painted onto her form. Her clothing was carefully donned by herself so that none other would touch her. She breathed out a heavy sigh, looking back to the bed. She wanted to wake in her arms one day. Hiding like this was painful. She walked out beside Taris and Malaketh, approaching her throne. She stood up straight, with an emotionless expression. She sat upon her thrown as issues were brought to her. She would speak with her advisors before making a final decision. All the while her eyes would drift around looking for Nialla. "Malaketh, how fairs training our new division?"

"They learn quick your majesty. The next wing of the military will be ready for departure in a few short weeks."

"Excellent work, Malaketh. Taris, I would ask that you travel with our messengers to Spartania to request aid. We need our best to protect them."

"You majesty, I must disagree. I can't leave you alone with..."

"With whom?" She asked seriously, looking down at her. "Nialla has saved my life twice. Her orders and actions in a few short days have begun winning us an advantage. All in spite of my father's unlawful imprisonment of her. I expect you to be on that ship for Spartania before sunset. I'm beyond tired of your childish complaints."

Taris stormed out of the throne room, drawing a sigh from Asara.
 
A few moments later, Nialla walked into the throne room, full regalia with two odd looking soldiers flanking her. Each one wore black armor. Their helmetw forged with twisted faces of horrible beasts on the front. Each one stood stone faced, standing at full attention, not a muscle moved. The one on Niall's left was slightly taller with dark close crooked hair and a scar on his cheek. A scimitar hung at his belt while the other was broad shouldered and short. His head was bald and his eyes beady, a great club slung across his back.

Nialla smiled and motioned to them, "behold your highness... The twenty-first division. It seems the gods have favored us, for these troops are made mostly of previous warriors and fighters. The ones that have me experience are learning fast and I feel that we will have this new division formed in a few short weeks. I have also made my plans for the walls." She held aloft a rolled piece of parchment.

She looked back with a grin at her soldiers. "Their armor is also something of my design... The Northern Witch rode with a black army of demons at her back. So they were made to strike fear into their enemies." With a wave of her hand, each soldier mechanically donned his helmet. Even Nialla seemed to tense at the sight of the ghoulish faces. With another motion they removed them. "I hope this pleases you, your majesty."
 
Asara's stone like façade cracked as she stared at the soldiers flanking her champion. The momentary shock faded as she examined them. Malaketh recoiled at the sight, looking back and forth between Asara and Nialla. "I am most pleased." She said as professionally as possible. In truth, she was positively elated by the progress. Nialla's enthusiasm filling her with the confidence she had been lacking. She looked to one of the servants, motioning towards Nialla. "Take the designs and bring them to the chief architect. I want development to begin as soon as possible."

The servant bowed her head, stepping forward quickly to take the parchment from Nialla.

Asara looked to Malaketh. "Malaketh, as it was last night, I want the tightened guard maintained. I do not want a repeat of last night, am I clear?"

"Of course, your majesty." He bowed his head. "Are there any other steps I can take for your safety?"

"With Nialla so close, I am certainly protected. But have Marna brought to my quarters. There is room enough for a griffon."

"Of course, my queen." He bowed his head, moving to make it so.

"Champion Nialla, I will be dining in my own quarters this evening, perhaps as a reward for your services thus far, you might consider joining me?" She extended the invitation professionally, as much as she wanted to make it more personal and caring.
 
Nialla knew exactly what she was doing and responded professionally in kind. "I would be honored your majesty, I will be at prayer later today so send your messengers there to find me." She bowed to Aware before exiting, her soldiers following her.

Later that night she was knelt in prayer. Bidding the old god to speak to her again, she begged and pleaded and commanded and asked politely but nothing happened. When the messenger came for her she tried her best to lift her spirits.
 
When the day ended, Asara entered her private chamber. She saw the meal being prepared by a couple of servants, making her smile faintly. "Thank you both. For your extra work today." She set a small sack of gold coins on the table for them. "Please, treat yourselves this evening, as a gift from your queen." The two thanked her extensively before departing the room.

Asara scrubbed the ink from her body, bringing extra crocodile meet over to where Marna was laying. "Here you are, my precious girl." She smiled at the creature before moving to sit at the small table, waiting for Nialla to arrive, not wanting to start without her.
 
Nialla's plastered on smile fell away as she saw Asara again. She sat down with her smile still in place and looked down at the food. "Thank you my liege, I am honored to eat with you." She picked up her utensils and began eating with Asara. Soon she worked up her courage and looked up at the queen. "I think we should seek out our neighboring nations. Find an ally in someone who we can trust. This docility is not going to save us."
 
Asara smiled brightly when she saw Nialla enter her room. She frowned a little as she spoke, especially how she spoke. She looked about the room to verify they were alone before sighing. "I have already dispatched messengers to Spartania. They are on the mainland and our nearest neighbors. We rely on one another for trade, so I'm certain they will come. Their king is a good man."

She rose from her seat, walking around to where she was seated. "Now, why are you speaking to me like last night never happened? Why is it so hard for you to look at me?" She frowned a little deeper, looking away for a moment. "Are you having regrets? Perhaps, I'm not the woman you'd hoped I was?"
 
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