The Words of The Masses [c]

[Xanthe]

The sweeping changes instituted by the new Western Khan had been far reaching and rapid in progress. Riding a wave of success meant taking advantage of the victory and making the most out of it, after all. And as the first few months trickled by, a great many projects were put underway. From the construction of more ships to open up trade once more to the new breeding programs instituted to rear more mounts for her aerial cavalry, Xanthe sought to bring her Regnum up to par. It was about time that the way was cleared for progress once more and the Clan to rise to a proper station. It was time for change and it was what the New West promised.

A great many individuals were gathered outside of the citadel that Xanthe had made her new home. Representatives of villages and clans, all seeking to have their voices heard by the Western Khan. Warriors all seeking positions in the impressive army that Xanthe had gathered or attempting to become part of her vaunted Raven Elite. It was a throng of individuals that all sought to be something more. And eventually they were let into the great hall and given the taste of food or drink they desired while awaiting their audiences with the Western Khan.

And eventually the great doors opened and in the teeming masses flooded to the throne room. All at once their eyes were drawn to a rather unique piece of furniture. A throne composed of melted down blades took up the center of the front of the hall. Whispered words of astonishment at it's design, of admiration at the number of blades gathered, of bewilderment at that same number drifted among the gathered masses.

"PRESENTING THE WESTERN KHAN, THE PHANTOM RIDER, THE BLACK GENERAL, XANTHE!"

A guard's booming voice announced the presence of the violet haired warrior as she walked through another set of doors nearby the throne. Crimson eyes peered out at the gathered masses and jet black armor covered her body. An axe was strapped to her side and two guards dressed in similar manners with the embossed crest of the dual-headed raven flanked her. A look of serene calm adorned Xanthe's face and a pipe was carried in one of her hands. The Raven Elite struck imposing forms beside their Khan and as Xanthe was seated upon her iron throne, she had but one word for the gathered masses.

"Speak."

She lit her pipe with a match and awaited the first of many requests and demands.

---
Tags: Edana Freja

[Freja]

"How opulent." Freja merely muttered to herself as she stood among the masses, standing out like a sore thumb as she herself wielded a massive battle-axe; adorned in her trademark black dress. She was here not exactly for the same reasons as many of the others there. She had heard news of the new Western Khan and wanted to see for herself who she was all about. She looked around and tried to see who was there at the time. She sighed and tried to make her way forth closer to the iron throne. By the time she got to a distance fair enough where she could be heard, she slammed the end of her axe on the ground with disregard for anyone around her - possibly as an attempt to intimidate anyone who would laugh at her. "I'd like to speak out to your Champion!" Freja called out. "I have things to ask of her. That is all." Freja simply said, not even choosing to introduce herself. Regardless of what this Khan has to say to such behavior, Freja could hear murmurs from the crowd. A mixture of fear from those who recognized the Executioner in a Dress and of incredulence, they seemed to be rather mocking of Freja. Of course, what business would a lady wearing a cocktail dress have? Just because she had a huge weapon.

[Xanthe]

With an approval here, a denial there, or a "we shall discuss this later", the drudgery of the audiences went by. Though after the first few individuals there came a loud thud and a booming voice.

"I'd like to speak out to your Champion!"

Xanthe looked over towards the speaker, her bloody red eyes finally settling upon a dark skinned woman dressed in a dress that looked like it belonged at a fancy ball in the south. The axe definitely looked like something that belonged to a Feroxi warrior though, as large as the woman was tall and a head the size of an executioner's axe.

"I have things to ask of her. That is all."

Xanthe let out a puff of smoke from her pipe, briefly wondering just why it was this odd woman seemed familiar. A rumor or something no doubt, but she'd recall more later. The violet haired Khan instead turned toward the side and began to call out.

"Edana. It seems you may have a challenger here." Her voice raised slightly in volume to address the Western Champion who stood off to the side. Come to think of it, she still had not decided just what to do with that girl yet. Well, regardless. Perhaps this would be a good show to distract from the monotony of late.

---
Tags: Edana Freja

[Edana]

Why in all frozen hells was she being forced to stand and watch over the proceedings of this assembly? Edana was a Champion, a warrior, not some political witness. Yet here she was, leaning against the wall of the surprisingly opulent hall, watching families and lone warriors alike be given a taste of that opulence before seeking to become a part of her new army. Whatever. Edana didn't have much of a problem with this sudden change in management, so soon after she became Champion, but real warriors were given positions in an army based on proving their worth, not by how nicely they asked. Hopefully, the new Khan would remember that too.

She certainly seemed like a capable fighter herself, at least. After all, she'd managed to take the position of Khan. And Edana couldn't help but allow her eyes to be drawn to the throne she currently occupied, and wonder who she'd have to kill to get her hands on that many blades. While Edana was admiring the throne of blades, however, she heard the word 'Champion' ring out from the first to be granted an audience. The Khan then addressed Edana directly, with the implication that this woman may be a challenged.

"Well, shit, here I was thinking someone would wait until I was bored to death before taking a shot at me," Edana said, pushing herself off the wall. She swung her own axe, previously braced against the wall behind her, over her shoulder to slam butt-first into the ground as well. "Fine, if a scrap's what you want I'll be happy to-" She stopped, catching sight of the woman addressing the Khan. She knew that dress. And that hair. And those eyes. And especially that axe. "Oh, it's you. And here I was planning on coming after you for a rematch."

Xanthe Freja

[Freja]

"Fancy seeing you here." Freja smiled faintly, looking at the Champion of West Ferox, Edana. Freja had heard of a lady of her description being here, the Champion, indeed. The last time Freja had seen her she was a bandit engaging in reckless pillaging and the like. Freja had already fought the Champion before. Almost beat her. Almost. But decided both of them would regret continuing such a bloody fight. Honestly, Freja didn't expect her to become the Champion. But here she was. "I might ask you for a challenge, but if you wanted a rematch, you'll get it. Just don't count on me being any easier than I was when you first fought me," Freja said simply. "Seems like you've gotten far, huh. And you seem quite as pretty as ever. At least, better suited there than what you were when I first saw you. Regardless... I'm just asking what you thought of this whole arrangement. That's all." Freja smiled a bit more strongly this time.

Truth to be told, Freja didn't have much of a strong opinion on the new Khan. She had been wandering too much to settle in one place and hear of some news on the new management. Despite this though she had heard nothing but relatively good things, so she figured that the new Khan must be worth her salt.

[Edana]

"I would hope not. I didn't come this far just to be faced with pushovers," Edana said. Of course, Freja would show up again after Edana made a name for herself. After all, the last time they met she had been a no-name bandit just in it for the fight, and then here came some woman in a weird dress with a giant axe able to fight her to a standstill.

She...tried not to pay too much notice to the comment about being pretty, although she was secretly happy to hear it. A compliment from a beauty like Freja was not something to just be brushed off. but it was also not important to the business at hand. At all. As for the remark about where she was...whatever. Edana could brush that one off easily. It didn't matter to her at all.

"What I think of what? Being West Champion? The new Khan? This whole audience thing?" Edana asked. "The champion thing's not bad so far, but I can't say much until I get to scrap with the East's 'finest'. This 'Phantom Rider' on the throne now's too new to say much, but she can get shit done a lot better than her predecessor. I guess that's worth something. As for the rest of this, listening to requests and demands of everyone who can find their way here is ridiculous and I don't know how she stands it." Edana gave a sidelong look at the new Khan, wondering how she'd react. In her experience, plain speech was appreciated even by the leaders of Ferox. Hopefully the new girl felt the same way.

[Freja]

A smile curled up on Freja's lips as she took in what Edana said. Yeah, the two of them had gone their separate ways since then, but Freja's seen a lot of shit in her years. Since the rise of the new Khan, Freja had been curious about what the new Champion, a former roughshod bandit struggling to live on honest means had thought of it, having risen to a state of power herself. She already seemed excited to face off with the Eastern Feroxi champion, which hinted Freja to the one thing that remained constant about Edana... The passion and thirst for battle. Even her impatience showed as she seemed almost in awe of how the Western Khan was able to even stand the idea of being here, granting free audiences to the masses.

Though, one thing was for certain - the dictatorial approach of the Phantom Rider was doing work, and it was effective. Freja had her misgivings about the approach but it seemed that all was well. The military was becoming a force to be reckoned with, a far cry from its original, sad state. "Just like you to be so candid. But I've been thinking about something. Why don't we give the Phantom Rider a show with a battle? Think of it as practice. Surely you want to prove your superiority in the ring, do you not?" Freja said coyly, effortlessly resting the handle of her axe on her shoulder, causing people near her to have to step away lest they eat a face full of metal from how big her axe was.

It was a show of strength, something to get people who were staring at her to realize that the axe wasn't just there for display. It was a deadly weapon, and she knew how to use it, dress be damned.

[Xanthe]

Edana could see little change in Xanthe's body language or expression. Only the briefest of glints passed through her eyes and what it meant was hard to say. The Khan of the New West's pose began to relax a bit however, leaning back slightly, but not letting her back touch the chair. More than likely none knew what she had actually done in the construction of this iron throne. Too far back and the pointed edges that composed the high back of Xanthe's throne could still serve their true purpose of rending flesh from bodies. A fitting statement, for someone lax enough would feel the bite that their laxity would bring. And Xanthe was quite content to not grow so foolish.

She let out a puff of smoke and then nodded in a satisfactory fashion. "A fine idea. Let us all enjoy a grand combat between the Champion of The West and the Executioner in a Dress. And no fight would be complete without a proper arena, now would it? Tomorrow you both shall compete in the Arena that was constructed recently. Trials of not only combat, but of skill. From my Champion I would only demand the best."

Wrestling wild beasts in tests of valor, firing bows in tests of accuracy, and then the all important bloody fight to the finish. A true show that would appeal to the masses and then some. Xanthe was no fool and could see the discontent that lurked under her New West. Traditionalists of the Old West and lords that favored the lax Khan that had ruled before Xanthe all lined up against her in equal measure. But the Phantom Rider was not as foolish as her predecessor. The old Khan was lax, the old Khan was weak. But Xanthe was strong and any who lined up against her would all be put down just the same by her iron fist. If they would not heed her words, they would heed steel instead.

But a show like this could quell tensions for a time. Right now her focus was primarily on settling things in her own borders after all. Getting ships built once more and ready to bring trade back to Ferox, preparing merchant-marines for both the art of trade and the art of combat at sea. So much needed to be done before true progress could be made, but Xanthe's New West was on a steady course. Infact, this whole thing gave her another idea as well that she filed away for later. Nonetheless, her attention was primarily on the conversation at hand.

"You will have the rest of the day to prepare yourself and I to attend to the masses. Tomorrow you both shall compete in the challenges I set, as well as proper combat. Prepare yourselves well and bear the blessings of the West upon you. For tomorrow we shall see a true Champion of The West stand tall."

((OOC: Let me know if you want to RP the rest of the day in your posts or if you want my next post to be setup for the Arena Trials of the next day.))

[Freja]

Freja looked towards the Phantom Rider as she let out a puff of smoke, nodding and seemingly approving of the challenge. As she announced that the battle would not just be a battle but rather a contest of sorts, Freja had soon wondered just what ideas had gotten into the new Khan's head. From the sounds of it; it seemed more like a gladiatorial event that anything. Freja simply smirked in approval and kept her huge axe hefted over her shoulder. Perhaps she would have to see if she could get herself all warmed up for the big day tomorrow. She wasn't entirely sure what challenges this Khan would set forth for both her and Edana, but she was expecting only the most dangerous and taxing from this one, given her... More authoritative and more militaristic demeanor. Freja knew just as well as the ruler and Edana that the previous Khan was too relaxed, too weak for the power bubbling up within the area. There needed to be something that got the blood pumping.

And what better than a bloodthirsty show of skill, strength and cunning? Freja used her free hand to stroke her chin in thought. "As you wish, Khan. As for you, Champion Edana, I will be looking forward to our bouts of skill tomorrow. You'd do best to prepare yourself and warm up. I have a feeling a big pressure will be set upon us to give the masses a good show and a good blood-pumping!" Freja bellowed out as she turned away from the Khan and Champion and set off. "I shall be making my own preparations in the meantime. May the best warrior win!"

(( OOC: Satori and I agreed that we don't have too much to RP regarding the rest of the day substantially, so it would probably be easier just to timeskip. ))

[Edana]

Hoh hoh. A battle already? And against an old rival like Freja? All of a sudden this ridiculous assembly had a silver lining. She couldn't tell what the new Khan was thinking when she talked, but when Freja responded with the offer of a fight and the Khan approved, Edana knew right at that moment that she could come to tolerate her. Interestingly, it seemed she had more in mind than just a fight, but a competition in any form was not something that Edana would turn down. She grinned, then returned her axe to its original position, by way of swinging it up onto her shoulder, then rocking back so that it rested between her and the wall.

"You wanna scrap with me? I'll take you on any time, any challenge. Just make sure you don't disappoint me, and I'll do the same for the masses. ...Heh, I can feel my own blood pumping already. See you tomorrow." And that's all she said. Now with a completely valid excuse to get away from the audience chamber (preparations had to be made, of course), Edana pushed herself right back off the wall and set off as well.

It was going to be a long rest of the day. Not from preparations, but for anticipation of the event to come.