A few more months pass. Much of the lower cliffs have lost their snow, the rivers and lakes swelling with the cold melt water. Spring has arrived, and so have some new changes around Arkoshia.
The castle of Skyhold is in a much fairer state. The outer wall and defenses have been strengthened, and several war machines have been constructed for both on and behind the structure. The new gate house is practically finished, enchantments as well as practical defenses being completed. The tunnels down below have been thoroughly routed and walled in by the gnomes to prevent any unwanted access, and the castle and lower temple to Io have been restored to a much more livable and usable state.
The gnomes have also gotten quite a lot of construction done in the low and high cities, as well as digging into the mountain itself to create a district for the Orcs. Panapip was happy to report that during the excavation, a few veins of iron ore have been found, as well as a level containing silver. It's made the construction of tools and weapons far easier for Ferrar and Leonar, who have repaired and taken over an old blacksmith building in town. It's smoke stacks constantly puff away, the two men working to supply the intense demand coming to their door.
Farmers have begun to show up, eager to return to the area and its once fertile soil. One of the first men pledging himself to you was Willem the Bald, the aged patriarch of a large family. He brought with him his wife, five children, and eight grandchildren, who all helped him start up a large farm and cattle ranch. Since he arrived, he's helped bring with him additional trade, new roads, and a more civilian feel to the heavily militarized area. Their families built up homes, started a small market, and even a tavern near the edge of the city. It started to breathe life into Skyhold again. The beginning of a town, and a network of civilization.
The soldiers seem happier now that they have their own places to stay--thanks to Atriox's suggestions and Oxious' handling of their pay--places where they can lay their head, drink ale, talk and relax after a hard day's work. The kobolds have practically doubled in numbers since you've arrived. The younger generation is rambunctious and excitable, and helpful despite the trouble they sometimes get into. With the fish they bring in from the rivers and the lake to supplement the farms and herds, there is enough food and material to support everyone you have and more.
It wasn't long before you had more visitors. The gnolls have helped see to that, hunting in the woods and visiting the surrounding settlements, singing songs and performing plays heralding the escapades of your group. Aside from the Blades and their occasional visits to check on your progress, a troop of infantry arrived last month, led by Brordel Bursk, a tan-skinned, burly human and his heavily armored men. They were more than eager to join your cause, perhaps once loyal to a fallen lord of a nearby kingdom.
***
@Andrew Woodhouse
Your training has paid off greatly, despite having to use a replacement bow and your martial weapons. Your family bow has been on your mind daily, but you haven't heard any news about its repair yet... only Oxious saying he needs more time to look into the magic imbued within it.
The place you've picked for your lodge was a perfect location, one with a good view of the area upon a small hillock. The structure now finished, you've begun renovating it to your liking. It is a beautiful two story building with a root cellar underneath. Thatched wild grass helps cover and insulate the roof, helping it blend in to the surrounding forest, and a massive stone chimney smells of cooking game.
A great place of hunting and security, you've noticed more game becoming plentiful in the area--both larger and fiercer than normal. It makes for great sport, and you often spent time practicing with the younger kobolds and even some of the humans when they want a bit of fun tracking a larger beast. It is always a joy, and the peaks of Skyhold and the Arkoshian mountains stand as strong sentinels watching over you.
But... despite all of the progress and healthy adjustments, you've been having more restless nights. Strange dreams and whispers have come to mind. More than once you've felt an intrusive presence in your sleep, but any time you've jolted awake, weapon in hand and bathed in a heavy sweat... nothing is there but the sound of the wind in the trees.
@Atriox Arkhosia
Your children are growing strong, and you see their blossoming abilities every day. The strange tattoos on their backs come and go, and even Oxious has been unable to determine exactly what they mean. But it doesn't seem to bother them at all. Dorokor has been working with her orcs as often as possible, and they've even been able to recruit additional orc refugees near the coast. Numbering close to 200 now, she's back into her old ways of whipping them into shape and keeping a close knit on her tribe.
Now diversified in a few different battle techniques from training with her, Etny, and Atriox as well, they are definitely a force to be reckoned with. The newer human troops were more than willing to keep up their own training, creating a friendly rivalry between the two groups. It seemed to help morale overall.
The dragonborn sent news from the coast, Vance coming to deliver it personally. He was eager to share all the wonderful progress they've made in turning the area into a port city. It definitely sported their cultural style, but it was a functional, well-maintained harbor with both local commodities, trade with the river towns, and a place larger ships have started docking for trade.
***
You've moved into your lodge, with a rather comfortable room to keep you warm and safe. Soft pelts of your recent hunts are draped over the floor and the bed, an array of browns, tans, creams and whites. Some unique pieces have been gifted to you by the gnomes and even the kobolds, including some tooth and bone decorations and a few lanterns made of bronze.
You wake that crisp spring morning to find a scroll on your bedside table. It has a wax emblem sealing it in the shape of a goat. You know immediately that it is from Oxious, likely magicked here during the night. He doesn't travel if he doesn't have to, as you well learned during your travels.
Before you have time to read it though, there is a strong knock on the front door of the lodge. Locked at night due to recent... concerns, you're unsure if this is one of the scouting troops coming to report like normal. The knock sounds again.
Etny flings her legs over the bedside, and rises, stretching. "Coming," she calls to the door from her room, and approaches. Retrieving her Poleaxe, she comes to the door, sniffing the air, and making sure to double check anything is wrong with the outsider of the door.
She undoes the latch and lock beam, lifting it out of its place. From there, she pulls the door open, revealing the outsider beyond...
As the door swings open, you see a large fellow standing out front. He is a tall man, perhaps a head taller than you, heavily armored with light-colored metal plating. A white fur hood rests over his dark hair, the pelt of a massive winter wolf; it hangs down over his shoulders, another piece wrapped around his right hip. At his other side is a small mace and a satchel, and he smells heavily of healing herbs and spices from the forest.
"Hello ma'am!" He smiles, bowing slightly but keeping eye contact with you. "Elmeir Palepelt at your service. Am I at the correct residence of an Etny Elvenbridge?"
Etny perks up, her violet eyes bright. "Eyeh, yes, I am Etny Elvenbridge," she says, bowing back to the tall man, and opening the door further. "Come in! Come in! Make yourself at home! There's fresh ale, and a little food. Did you travel far, Elmeir Palepelt?"
She rushes back to the larder of the lodge, and in some haste assembles a plate of breads, fruit, and cheeses. Shiza! I need to hire a lodging staff or something! Etny comes rushing out and sets the plate and a full mug of ale on a nearby table. Smiliing, she gestures for the hunter to take a seat. She takes a seat on the other side of the table. Chuckling, she continues, "you've caught me a little unawares, I'm afraid. I could fix you something more filling, some tea, venison...," she counts them off of her fingers. "I could make some eggs if you'd lik--"
He holds up a hand, chuckling. "Tea would be perfect, thank you."
Elmeir finds a seat, looking around and admiring the beautiful lodge. "Wonderful place you have here. And on the edge of the Arkoshian mountain range... absolutely gorgeous. Very fruitful land indeed."
He nods at your kindnesses. "I heard about the culling of the evil in the area. Much more than any single group could handle, and growing every day. And yet," he chuckles with a bright smile, "It seems they have vanished into the foothills. And still being hunted, or so say the strange little creatures wandering the towns and villages round about..."
You can only imagine he's speaking of the gnoll family, who are quite a sight here in Arkoshia.
Etny quickly rises, nodding, and after a couple of short minutes comes back with a steaming hot cup of herbal tea. "Here you are, Elmeir," she says, setting the steaming mug in front of him, "it's adra root tea from my homeland. It soothes the aches and cramps of travel. And yes," she replies, taking a seat across from him, "we have largely cleared a good portion of the evil out of here, yet we cannot quite cull them all. Skaven are tricky little bastards, I'll say that much." She grins at the mention of the gnolls. "Ah yes, the gnolls, as they're called in their homeland. They'll open their mouths at anything!"
She rests her elbows on the table, her fingers interlocked. "So tell me, what brings you out this way to Akoshia?"
Elmeir takes a sip of the tea and you can see the pleasure of the taste shine in his face. "Mmm... Well, tales of you, actually." He lifts his cup, gesturing toward yourself. "An old acquaintance of mine was from Sossahl. Specifically the Orthal tribe, I think. He'd spoken a lot of his old country. I'd heard of the difficulties there, including the destruction of the Andraya."
"So," he chuckles, taking another sip of his drink. "You can imagine my surprise when I started hearing of your stories. Your name has spread, huntress. Quite far indeed. I wished to come meet you, and if possible, extend an offer of my services to you and your lodge. I am a healer by profession, and familiar with working on a battlefield."
Etny's fingers disentangle, and she rests her hands now on her lap. The sound of Sossahl on the lips of another and the mention of the destruction of her tribe shocks her momentarily, as she wasn't expecting anyone outside of the southern regions of the world to know, and yet travel all that way to Arkoshia. Shaking her head, she looks back up at the hunter, and eyes him carefully.
"I hope," she says, "that my name spreading so far hasn't attracted too much attention, unwanted mainly." She smiles again, just happy to have some company with whom she could level with. Hearing his skills, she is greatly interested now. "A healer, and familiar with battle..." She thinks for a moment, counting on her fingers for a moment, making calculations in her mind. "I accept your services, Elmeir. I could use a hunter and healer such as you around here. How do you feel about helping manage the lodge, and hunting large game to keep the hungry fed? And adventuring with me, when I need?"
Elmeir smiles broadly, his eyes alight. "Absolutely! It would be my honor, miss. I am devoted to your service and can begin immediately."
He bows politely again. "And this evening, I shall write to my friend telling him of our meeting. He is quite an age already, and is unfit for long travel, but as most from Sossahl seem to be... quite fond of stories." The man chuckles a little. "Would I be lodging here, Miss Elvenbridge? Where can I start?"
"Y-yes, absolutely! This lodge is mainly for anyone weary from long travel, but I shall ensure one of the staff rooms shall be yours. If you can begin immediately, I have business in the city, but if you could scout about the area and find what materials you need for healing poultices, herbs, roots, and the like, I will begin a store of these things for you. Also," she says, "please feel free to come and go as you please. The hunt is always on, and we could use another skilled hunter in Arkoshia. Would you be willing to hunt wild game as is needed? I don't want to shower you with burdens, but...," she trails off.
He stands, reaching to shake your hand. "Not a burden at all, my lady. Willing hands feed many mouths."
Elmeir chuckles. "I will do my best to hunt where I can, while I search the area for herbs and roots. I saw many promising places on my way here. Perhaps I can start a garden of the more needful ingredients, if it would so please you. I will unload my belongings and attend to this while you take care of your business."
"OH!" She rushes up, extending a hand, and giving a good firm grip. "Welcome to the ShalaFang, in Arkoshia, Healer Elmeir! I will make all the arrangements for you for the garden. It will be a plentiful plot of land, and walled in. Also," she blinks, slightly nervous, but excited all the same, "do not hesitate to write to or tell anyone else in the surrounding area about our little establishment."
Etny releases her grip from him, and turns away, heading toward her personal room. As she's rounding the corner, she calls out over her shoulder, "your room is through this door, down the hall on the right, next to mine!"
"That is splendid," he replies back, following politely after. He carries himself well, almost like a cleric or a paladin of some church. Arriving at the room he bows again with gratitude. "I won't be long, did not have much with me to begin with." Elmeir laughs. "The land is plentiful and provides."
He drops off a few things from his pack, admiring the space and saying what you can guess is a quiet prayer of gratitude.
Etny enters her quarters, and picks up the scroll from Oxious, unfurling it, and reading it.
You see his script-like writing and his frilly signature at the bottom. It's not a very long message it seems. It reads:
"Hello Huntress,
Your patience has been much appreciated. It is much more of a delicate magic than I originally anticipated. I believe I have a fix for your bow. Please come speak with me at your earliest convenience.
With the most generous of sincerity,
Oxious the Fanciful"
Etny rolls up the scroll and tucks it away into her satchel. 'Delicate magic?' I wonder what that could mean? She makes her way out of her quarters, and passing by Elmeir, gives him a wave. "I am going to the city, and shall return soon enough. I will see what I can do to get a plot of land going for you to plant your garden in." With that, she makes her way out of the ShalaFang, and descending the stairs, follows the paths that lead into Skyhold.
***
Atriox is on his way to the throne room to meet Vance himself and discuss things. He’s been happier of late, it finally sinking in that his really home. Though he’s still definitely battered and stiff, his accumulated scars and injuries from fights have taken they’re toll. Atriox just works with it not really surprised that his body is how it is. He’s been on the run for 12 years, fighting and surviving.
Vance waits for you there, bouncing on his heels as he looks out one of the repaired windows. It's a glorious view indeed. When you enter he turns, peppy and excitable as always.
"Prince Atriox! Brother!" He stalks forward, clapping you on the arm as he shakes your hand. It's almost like a half hug, like someone greeting a family member. "I have heard many things from the other soldiers, but good gracious! What a change." He puts his hands on his hips, looking up at the ceiling. "Hardly recognize the place! How have you been?"
Atriox laughs at his young enthusiasm. Though not to different in age, the prince has a habit of treating himself much older
“I can’t complain really, life here is setting into a bit of a routine. People are happy. How’s the port ? Any word from your father or family ?”
He chuckles, his red tail swishing about like a whip. "Father is busy as always. I think he conquered another island down there... hard to keep track, really. My sisters are doing well too I guess. You fancying them?" Vance gives you a funny grin.
With another laugh he pats your arm again, pacing by the window. "The port is fine. More than fine, really! Already seeing growth and gold from it. I think a shipment went back to father already, he enjoys seeing the goods from other countries. We brought up some too on our way here, interesting stuff from along the river."
It looks as if there's something else on his mind regarding the port, but he just keeps smiling. "Anything new here in grand ol' Arkoshia?"
(Rolled a 20 on a d100.)
Atriox snorts and points up at the Snakes mutants skeleton hanging above the the throne room in it’s entirety of length
With a sassy smile Atriox simply says “a little bit. That’s new “
Vance lets out a long whistle as he admires the trophy. It was meticulously preserved and a terrifying sight.
"Well daaaamn! You slew that?!" He looks even more impressed, his face shining with admiration. "Wait til Kybirus sees, he won't believe a word I say."
Vance laughs again. "Well, perhaps you could help us then. He uh... He didn't want to bother you none. Presentation and all that." The young dragonborn uses air quotes as he says it, rolling his eyes mockingly.
Atriox chuckles with a smile at the young Dragonborns attitude
“Indeed, such is the way of politics and still newly found alliances. But we are brothers in spirit are we not ? Tell me what I can do to help Vance.”
"Yeah, yeah... that's what he keeps saying. Maybe he thinks its weak if we can't handle it alone but, isn't that why he have allies?" He snorts a little steam out his nose.
"We aren't sure what's going on really. Just that some of the patrols have been targeted. We're used to slaves rising up once in a while, and we've cracked down on them to make sure that's not the case. It doesn't appear to be this time. Plus the... aftermath is more brutal than we've seen, even from them."
He clears his throat, trying to find the right words. "Been finding bodies with their heads and tails removed and mutilated. Always arranged in strange ways." He scratches his neck with his claws, finding the thought gross. "Maybe six since the time I left? I haven't seen them myself, but those who go out to get 'em, including Kybirus, said there's been snakes pouring out of the corpses. And some kinda weird symbol on the ground near them. I can't remember it well, but it was definitely dark stuff. He said it was probably someone trying to leave a message."
He shakes his head, trying to make the mood not so heavy. "Sorry brother. We can talk of happier things. I'm not quite sure how you can help us really, just wanted you to keep an eye on things here, ya know? Don't want you losin' anyone."
As soon as the boy get to the part about snakes Atrioxs eyes go wide. He quickly shuffled around in his bag for the old flag and takes it out, holding it up for Vance to see
“Did what was described to you look like this Brother ?!?!” He asks in a worried and demanding tone.
He looks taken aback by your change in demeanor. "Uh... I think so? He said it was something like that. I guess some had a snake design wrapped around the body, like it was eating it. Kinda eerie seeing it drawn out like that." He reaches forward, hand hovering but not touching it.
Atriox grunts still very serious
“How many men did you bring ?”
Vance blinks. "Men? A dozen or so, Kybirus was pretty insistent on a larger guard than normal. Why do you ask?"
Atriox grabs his arm gently and firmly and heads out of the throne room
“Get them ready to ride. And send your boat back without you or them. It’ll serve as a diversion. I promise you an explanation but it will have to wait. Once your done go to my stables, have them prepare horses along with my personal horse. I’ll be along soon. Now go brother, we are in more danger than you think."
***
Passing by several gnomes and a rabble of small kobolds, she continues onward, taking a left once inside the castle gates. She approaches Oxious' tower, and gives the hard iron-bound wooden door a solid knock.
It opens at your touch, rather silently which surprises you. Oxious is sitting in an armchair with a pile of books nearby, reading one carefully as he sips a cup of strong tea. He looks up and smirks when he sees you.
"Etny, wonderful. Thank you for coming up. I didn't wish to send more in the letter than I had to, force of habit I hate to say." The tiefling closes his book, stands and walks over to one of the larger tables. There are instruments carefully organized about it, both magical and mundane. In the center is your bow, the pieces laid out as if a broken body of a fallen warrior. You see the string carefully wound and set to the side, and smaller wooden splinters catalogued in a little book.
"Is there anything more you knew about your bow? Aside from it being passed down to you?"
"Oh...uuuuh, well, this bow was indeed passed onto me by my father, and he taught me its ways. It was always a special kind of wood that the curve arms are made from. The wood was from Andrayan lands, and could be found at the feet of the vast mountains there. I am sorry I do not know more. The string, I think is made from some sort of hempen and kalaforra gut mix, twisted very tightly together. This is all I know."
(Kalaforra=sabertooth tiger)
Oxious nods, stroking the whiskers on his chin. "Yes... that is all true, for sure. The string is still in fairly good condition, and the wood..." He runs his hand above the pieces, and they shake from a glow of pink magic emanating from his fingertips. "If it were ONLY this Andrayan wood, I could mend it in a heartbeat. Magic is quite helpful for things like this."
"However..." The tiefling trails off, flipping one of the pieces over. You see more of the core of the bow itself, exposed to the light in the room. It seems to shimmer weakly. "There is magic in this bow that prevents a simple fix such as that."
Etny's brows knit as she approaches, eyeing the strange thing in the core of the broken curve arm. She had always thought that this was just a simply-made Andrayan bow, and that there was nothing else to it. This however, showed that it was even more special than she originally thought.
"Da was always telling me as a little one to never touch this bow, and that I could only handle it when I was eight years old. He never told me anything about this though. Not a thing. I wonder...may I?"
He gestures to it openly. "Be my guest. It knows you best, and even broken as it is registers you as its family."
Etny carefully, delicately reaches out and rests the palm of her hand on the curve arm, and wraps her fingers around it. Gently, she lifts it from the table, and holds it vertically, her violet eyes watching, not knowing what she could possibly do.
The magic in the core flickers a little more excitedly, small rivulets of ether dripping from it like sap from a tree. Oxious regards you and the bow curiously.
"What took time was deciphering the components within the magic. It is older, and contains materials I haven't personally come across in my own travels. A lot more research was needed than I thought. It seems to have three parts to it."
He moves his hand near, not touching it but close enough he can point out various magical qualities. "There is a central core, here. This is the source of the magic and where it is strongest. It appears to be a meteorite of some sort, a metal I am unfamiliar with. From my readings, Sossahl has regular meteor showers, correct?"
Oxious smiles, gesturing to the next component. "You can see something is wrapped around it. Whether to protect it or enhance its fighting ability I cannot say, but it seems to be... reptilian? Something bleached white. And then there a a third item, a substance grafting both this... skin and the meteor together. It seems to be blood, and my assumption is that it is Andryan blood."
Etny turns the curve arm to her, and looks into the center of the bow. "Yes, it is true. We would have seasonal, and even phased meteor showers from my land. The Orthal are expert miners of this material, and have traded with the Andraya for many centuries. The only thing I know of that is 'metal' in my homeland," she pauses, musing over the broken bow, "is known in the common tongue as 'Sheolium.' In our tongue it is...it is called Elektar."
She looks deeper at the broken bow piece in her hand, and rotates it slowly. The sinewy sheath the Sheolium rod rests in can only be one thing that exists in Sossahl:
Etny sucks in a sharp breath as she realizes, "Einhycacht!"
"We have plenty of Andrayan blood. Let me see..." Etny looks around for a blade, arrow, or sharp implement that she could use. Finding an arrowhead from one of her normal arrows laid out on Oxious' table, she cuts her fingertip, and lets the blood drop onto the sheolium core wrapped in...white kobold skin. All the while, she begins to softly utter a song to the All-Mother.
As soon as your blood hits the core, it lights up with a brilliant sparkling like the night sky. It almost brings tears to your eyes, reminding you instantly of the evenings filled to the brim with showering meteors. It was a special event that your family was keen to share together, and often lulled you to sleep with the rhythmic flashing of blue and white. It's almost as if it allows you to re-live those moments for a time.
The song to the All-Mother fills you with warmth and an intense, passionate comfort. Like that of a mother to a child, you feel enveloped in her magic and the flowing of it through you to the weapon. Oxious watches all the while, making mental notes as you handle the materials.
(17 Arcana check to control the magical properties inherent in this bow, and 7 Survival..bleh...to attempt to assemble it.)
You feel the magic flow over your skin like water, filling the air not just with the scent of mint and clean snow, but pine, cedar and river water. It reminds you, with a terrible ache, of family. Although able to harness the magic inside of it, it is too much to control and, at the same time, to assemble the bow properly. The pieces almost seem to reject one another.
Oxious sighs. "I'm sorry. It seems to mend this we need not only your blood but... the other magical components. At least a small piece of meteor, and this strange pale hide."
Etny backs away from the table, trying to stem the flow of tears threatening to escape her eyes. The only place such a meteor element could ever be found was the ruins of her people at the perpetual wintry foothills of the Spine of the World mountain range. She covers her mouth, and strives to keep her composure. She was close. So very very close to having her bow back, and now knowing its properties and those things that made it especially powerful against those it hunted, made the sting of not being able to bring it back together to completion all the more poignant.
"Ma... Da... Oras elim hegenti riras llann! Elektar...as Elektar! Shiza! Ma... Da... Oras elim hegenti maras ata-alann," she sinks to the floor, unable to quell her emotions any longer. She feels useless, hopeless, and alone. No family, no home, and nothing but her vengeance to drive her forward. And now, nothing more than a broken magical bow to witness her paltry efforts to keep what memory she had of her family alive. She hugs her arms tightly around herself, and sobs weakly. Finally after some moments, she let's herself stand, and reaching into her satchel, she produces the hide that Zabrenossk had given her down in the caves of Skyhold.
"Here is your 'strange pale hide,' Oxious. It is the hide of white kobolds. May the dourest, most heinous of curses haunt them after their bloody graves..!"
With that, the Huntress of Andraya takes off running, not bothering to close the door behind her, and departs the presence of the tiefling.
Oxious, although polite with you often, seems to struggle with wanting to comfort you. He almost had a brotherly air as he looks between you and the Kobold hide, distraught, and reaches after you as you run. You hear him calling your name worriedly as you depart.
***
At that point Atriox breaks off and heads for the hands tower quickly. Shouting over his shoulder
“If you see Kora along the way tell her to get her ass to oxiouss office !”
Then Atriox is gone around a corner.
Vance looks even more surprised, but nods anyway. Even though he himself is a prince, you're sure he's used to being given orders by older, wiser people rather often. "Y-yes Atriox, will do. I'll head that way now."
You turn the corner and head down the hall only to run right into Dorokor. She gives you a sneering smile. "Get my ass to his office huh?" You can tell she's being playfully sexy about it as if up to some mischief, but her expression changes as she studies you. "What's got your scales itching, Atriox?"
Atriox stops flat in his tracks when he sees her around the corner. Her words are playful and more than suggestive.
“I....I uh.....require your assistance with something.....
He keeps trailing off as he looks at her damn it what is going on. He shouldn’t be so distracted. After a moment he simply mutters in an exasperated voice
“You do”
He growls and picks her up by her legs as he slams her into the wall. He starts hungrily kissing her while trying to talk in between
“There’s....(kiss) a.....(kiss) emergency....(kiss)......we should.....really (kiss) attend to.....(kiss) it”
(omg xD Lollllll distracted indeed)
She actually lets out a laugh for once, snickering in between the kisses. "Your emergency (kiss) ... meetings are (kiss) ... boring as (kiss) ... hell."
Kora grabs one of Atriox's horns and pulls his head back, biting at his neck. "You know, you're not getting my ass into Oxious' office any faster this way. What's the matter, prince?"
Atriox grunts and calms down a little. He rest his head on her shoulder next to her neck breathing heavily. Finally he looks at her with a smile and sets her down begrudgingly
“Come to the meeting and find out. I promise this won’t be boring “
Dorokor seems to pout a little, a small grumble in her throat. "Oh alright... if you insist." Pushing her braids back behind her ear and straightening her armor, she follows after Atriox toward the tower.
"Your meetings are fine, by the way..." She grunts quietly, feeling awkward at voicing a roundabout apology. "I just meant they are boring compared to other things. Any meeting is."
Atriox grunts with slight amusement
“Kora we have two kids together, so you think I don’t know when your being playful. There not fun for anyone but they’re part of being a leader amongst other leaders. Cohesion.”
He says the last word with an air of playfulness
“Maybe later we should explore the possibilities of cohesion.”
As he walks he turns to wink at her
The chieftess snorts in amusement. "Well that makes the prospect of a meeting more bearable. You could have just led with that."
She playfully pulls at your tail as she follows behind you, her tusks and fangs protruding in a smile. "I miss our nighttime engagements."
Atriox playfully slaps her leg with his tail
“Why just at night?"
It was said in a very playful manner but he stops as he’s reminded of something more serious
“And by the way ...just so you know......the royal wing is far from done, but a part of it is for you. Your part of my family now and not just because we have two kids. Your as much of a queen as anybody can be of this place......tho I’m not sure these walls have ever seen one like you. I even came up with a title for you...”
The playful smirk fades just slightly, your words sinking in. "The royal wing? I didn't think..." She looks away, unsure of how to respond. "I didn't think you saw me quite that way."
Dorokor folds her arms, walking quietly with you a moment. "What title did you have in mind?"
Atriox stares at her seriously but at the title he gets a bit of a smirk
“Bloodreigna or in common.....The Blood Queen.”
Dorokor seems to mull over the title for a moment, taking in all the meaning that entails. Your smirk helps soften her mood again.
"The Blood Queen, huh?" She sneers slightly in play. "Kind of on the nose, don't you think?"
Atriox moves his head from side to side with a smile
“That’s a private joke but it’s more than that. Your my queen of action. My greatest fighter and the one I’ve chosen to lead my armies. Blood is in your nature as a vampire and as a orc leader. This title.....won’t require marriage like traditional queens....not that I’m opposed to marrying yo....uhhh sorry just saying I don’t want to force anything on you.”
He shrugs And gives her an encouraging smile
“ I know you don’t care for politics and I will need to marry a traditional queen for that. I have someone in mind...but in no way does that diminish.....it doesn’t affect how I feel about you is what I’m trying to say damn it Bonebreaker."
Dorokor lets out a barking laugh and she runs her hand along Atriox's jaw and cheek. "Seeing you flustered is a nice treat."
She gently tugs his beard, then strokes it as she studies him carefully. "I get what you're saying. And I understand. I'm not that petty. I can't say I won't be a little jealous..." The orc tilts her head teasingly. The love in her eyes is apparent.
"Perhaps you can give me a more thorough tour of the royal wing later. We can have a..." Kora leans forward and plants a small kiss on his snout. "...cohesive discussion on our feelings."
Atriox grunts and murmurs some sassy reply before turning to continue walking. As he does his tail swats Kora on the ass.
As he walks away the corridor is filled with his chuckles.
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