High Queen Catherine De Villiers politely clapped as the latest bout in the dueling fields ended in a draw; the two contestants, some minor noblewomen who had been chosen to act as light entertainment between the official duels, bowing in their Knights as they limped out of the field, swarms of menials and mechanics swarming the same the second propriety allowed them to do so, their hands swiftly busying themselves with cleaning and salvaging all the metals and materials that had been lost in the fight.
"I am still convinced that this is a trap," Lisia De Villiers, her little sister, said in ominous tones, her face shadowed in her grey-black robes, bones of animals clinking beneath the same as she muttered spells over them. "To have one of our-I mean your systems be taken by a foreign power so quickly as to leave? There are foul magics at work here, my Queen," she said in dark whispers, leaning over to stare at her with shadowed eyes.
That is until Catherine rolled her eyes and pulled the hood of her sister back, revealing her golden hair and bright green eyes that had enamored so many boys at court. "Could you please act your age? You are already 13 cycles old; stop doing...this," she said, gesturing at the whole outfit her sister had dressed in today.
Ah right that does tend to happen, the break times with side shows or duels meant for filling up the space during breaktime.
pfffft this little sister is Chunni. or going through her goth/witch phase, could be either one. She is legit trying to dress like how she thinks witches are and trying the creepy/evil advisor trope. I do like the little bit of humor here and just humanizing bit with dealing with this in the Family of the reigning monarch.
She's not wrong though as they wasn't just a friendly gift and it was very quick and suspicious how fast they jumped on board with joining us. No Psykana at work there though, just chocolate and a high SoL with the thing that come with it. Oh and the ability to pump out enough Armigers to as a quick gift.
"No way! You don't have any Dark Advisors, and if I don't play the role, someone else will, and they may actually pull this off! Can't you imagine the damages that would happen if there was someone at court whispering poison into your ears?" Her little sister denied immedieatly, pulling her hood back on with a cute pout, squinting her eyes and scrunching up her nose as she did so, her freckles adding to the image.
Chuckling, Catherine ruffled her hair without care as Lisia tried to stop her. Tried being the operating word here, Catherine had her little sisters body-weight in muscle on her frame. A testament to the little sister needing some more "secret" visits to the kitchens at night to pilfer the larders for sweets. "Oh, if I only had your innocence. No, the scorpions in court are far too clever to wear dark robes and weave darker spells. They smile pleasantly and wear good perfume to mask the stench of politics clinging to them, dressed as they are in finery and jewelry. Besides, the Glimmering Federation may be queer about their views on gender, but they are honorable enough to be host to Her Angels for over a millennium. No, Brans is taken as a man on his way to the altar to be wed, there is no dark magic happening here. They'll come to their senses even if we lose. You'll see, they'll return."
Oh, that poor innocent sister. She really does mean well but things aren't that simple and she is trying to help in the way she thinks she can. Nice positive sister relationship and funny bit of sweet tooth and lack of nutrition affecting growth. And Catherine speaks truth of how it wears a friendly face and pretends to be your friend while plotting your downfall.
Ah, There's the swapped gender roles that the Black Ash Clan has had for ages. It took a second read on this but I think she means Bruans is like a maiden head over heels and blinded by love, so taken they're blinded to the truth or all such a union would entail. Which would track considering what the Federation brings to the table and can build them up.
HAHAHAHA, nope. If they do join I don't think they'll have a reason or incentive to rejoin.
"I don't know. Have you seen the Armigers they have sent? They are, to the last, freshly produced and perfectly maintained. The Federation has even sent Scions from their Knight Orders to partake in the duels and rites! Even if one of them is an Abhuman, they clearly have strings to pull Brans along." She paused for a moment, taking one of the snacks she had plundered from passing servants and munched it down in moments. "Not to speak of the-"
"One more word about those harlots, and I will throw you into a pigsty," Catherine half-jokingly threatened her sister, utterly done with hearing about the clone pilots of the Federation. Yes, they were novel; yes, it showed that the Glimmerlings had some sense in them, but Lisia was infatuated by them beyond propriety. "Couldn't you be more interested in the men they have sent along? I, for one, am more interested in the strapping Order Master of the Blazing Sun. Wouldn't mind taking him for a stroll, if you know what I mean," she joked, eliciting a retching sound from her little sister.
The little sister is both innocent and insightful/suspicious with being right on the money. the Armigers were freshly produced for this situation and occasion, it wasn't something we had lying around in hangars or the like for decades or centuries and we had experienced pilots for the Armigers with. Not just a few good ones to impress the locals and some recruits to train them up as they go, all decent and experienced pilots one and all. We do have the means to arrange them and we did.
....Oh dear. The sister
likes the Thules and is curious if the rumors about them are true. Its always the ones you least expect. And of course the side-comment of the Federation having the Sense of having women pilot and control/dominate the strikecraft with 90 percent or so. They only allow the women to pilot the Imperial Knights here and that shows.
pfffft, The Queen is looking for a Consort and seems to be after the GrandMaster of the Blazing Sun. or just a fun night. Which takes on quite a different approach when you see how other women of the noble and knight houses would view such men and what roles they would be if they married and stayed there. and of course disgusts her sister for placing that image in their mind. Its a nice relaxing chapter with some light hearted moments.
"I was actually about to talk about their casual use of sorceries and magics, but you do you, pervert," Lisia muttered, staring into the distance to where one of their 'Choirs' stood, the five witches doing Empress-knows-what as they drew cards and laid them onto a table. From the briefings and information given by the royal advisors and the Federation itself, she knew they were called 'Hymnals' due to using song to manifest their powers into existence, but beyond that the only thing she liked about them was the Mythos they had woven around their founder. Bnuy the First Hymnal had been depicted as a Bunny-Woman in every pict they had been sent, and she couldn't fault them for portraying her as such. Bunnies were fearsome creatures, fierce and loyal to their mates and pack, with wise foresight and quick in mind and foot alike. Still. Magic.
Bad juju and all that, she thought, munching on another snack.
hahaha, love the sisterly banter. Still the little sister is paying attention and on point for all the stuff that matters, even if she doesn't know how close she is. QM did note our Choirs and way of using Psykana is one of our core strengths and able to punch up to a ridicilous degree with being able to use planetary level psykana consistently and easily. Always interesting to see how other view the Choirs.... and they're doing tarots or playing poker right now.
pffft wait they depict Bnuy, Teeln's wife, as a bunnygirl? like just the ears? and the little sister thinks its amazing because of her own view on things. its adorable and true in a way with how rabbits are.
"ANNOUNCING THE FINAL DUEL BETWEEN THE HONORABLE CHAMPIONS OF THE BLACK ASH CLAN AND THE GLIMMERING FEDERATION!" The announcer finally screamed, her voice carrying through the speakers set around the stands and into the cities around the planet via vox and pict.
"CHAMPIONING THE CAUSE OF THE BLACK ASH CLAN IS THE MOST HONORABLE, THE GALLANT, THE BEAUTIFUL, AND HUMBLE MARIE-FRANCE BEAULNE OF HOUSE BRIAR-ROSE IN HER ANCESTRAL KNIGHT 'THORN OF BEAUTY!'"
With great fanfare and more tremendous cheer, the giant Knight Gallant strode unto the field, its entire form etched with artwork and poems, roses featuring prominently amongst them, its gauntlet raised in honor to the High Queen and to rouse the crowds to higher cheering.
"CHAMPIONING THE CAUSE OF BRANS ARE THE HONORABLE AND FOREIGN COMPETITORS; XEXE ONAST IN HER STALKER PATTERN ARMIGER; KIRI MILIZE IN HER DOMINATOR PATTERN ARMIGER; AND VIOLET SKIES OF DUSK IN HER HOWLER PATTERN!"
Another cheer rose as the trio of Armigers, smaller than the Knight on the field of battle, strode from their pens, presenting a united front in their black and yellow and gold colored Armigers, the banner of their Order carried by Violet and the pole from which it flapped in the wind driven into the ground once they were at the specified position with one swift strike, their faces of noble animals painted white with swirls of gold and black with red tears enlarged upon the hovering pict-feeds showing details to the assembled crowds. And as the seconds passed, so too did the servo-skulls carrying the pict-recorders swerve around the trio, recording the painted hands upon their backs and zooming unto the oaths etched into the thigh plates of each.
"LET THE MATCH..."
Cool Name for the Knight House and name of the Knight. I will admit I thought we would just supporting and propping up a local Knight house to fight for us but they are allowing a Pack to fight in a 3v1 and they will need it. I do hope we win so we can keep this up, I like the dynamic and interaction so far with the Black Ash Clan. it'd be a shame if things fell through and we'd have to do this with the military and get in a war.
1. If put into the 'faction/nations as human forms' what would you imagine the scene of the Federation barging into the Sub-sector here with the Knight Orders and 100 fresh Armigers out or seemingly nowhere to a Black Ash Clan and Black Cat Company?
2. what exactly are the rumors floating around about the Thules for the Black Ash Clan? and what was it about female pilots again for this faction? women take over piloting or just certain roles/job are gender specific?