the funeral echoes [o]

[Ariel]

"And we can thanks the stars you don't. If you did have faith towards that oversized lizard, I believe I'd be bound by law to kill you." A short jab towards the "Divine Dragon" Naga, as conceited as the being was, seemed harmless enough to make. After all, If Naga truly was listening, then it would know Ariel's position on things as it stood. Insults should be par for the course. As for her query about the risen, there was no easy information to gather from the Queen's reply. The Grimleal Priestess would have to force it out of her, as usual. "I keep hearing less and less about the Risen actually being sighted and combatted, almost as if they're a dying race. It certainly seems whoever was in charge of keeping Ylisse and Ferox occupied with them has quite dropped the ball. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" In complete honesty, between the scuffles between Plegian Royalty, the ever-shifting political climes outside their country, and rather recent ascensions on both sides of the civil war, Ariel seemed unsure whether it was her job or Maeve's to keep the undying scourge alive. It'd be rather oblivious of her to have lost the directions on such matters, but if the Royalty was supposed to be doing it, there had to be good reason for holding them back. Either way, it tells Ariel something she didn't know before.

TAGS Maeve

 

[Maeve]

If Naga was an oversized lizard, didn't that mean Grima was more or less the same? Maeve didn't ask. She knew it wasn't the sort of question you posed to zealots. Instead, Maeve smiled and laughed. The smile was fluid and practiced, but the laugh was a poor attempt to sound amused. Hm. She would have to work on that someday when she had spare time. She couldn't tell if Risen being a dying race was an intentional pun or not. She assumed not, because she didn't want to force laughter again. Maeve shook her head. "I have little understanding of the Risen and their affairs. It's something I leave to my tacticians, and none of them have not spoken to me about the Risen for quite some time. For my purposes though, this suits the crown just fine. I seek peace, after all. I see no reason to harass my neighbors. Should they see that as weakness and invade our borders, then we shall remind them of the Risen."

TAG Ariel_ actually I am extremely unclear about wtf controls the risen. want to talk about it ooc?

[Ariel]

"I see." While Ariel didn't get nearly as much information as she would have liked, there were a few things she could use - namely, Plegia's Royalty was deliberately not summoning Risen, which fell in line with Maeve's pleas of peace. How long that lasted, of course, was left to factors outside the Priestess' control. It would still behoove her to do some archive digging on her own time, see what notes the Grimleal had on the undead warriors. "In the interest of making a good faith effort, I'll implore my followers to not attack these so-called Knights of Cydonia - at least until we know what they're expecting to do within our borders. If their intent is hostile, I'm sure you won't mind us mopping up?" Ariel's smile was soft, a rare but unmistakable indication of true honesty. Of course she wouldn't attack the Knights, it would prevent her from trying to using them against the Plegian Guard. Them, Ariel thought to herself, she wouldn't need to prompt her followers to go after. Once the time was right anyhow.

TAGS Maeve

 

[Maeve]

If the Knights of Cydonia's intent were hostile, Maeve suspected her army would murder them all and turn their corpses over to conduct more research on controlling Risen. She also doubted the Grimleals had the manpower to spare to mount an extermination force, not without Risen hordes at their beck and call. "If you'd like, but you needn't bother. It is slightly demeaning to ask it of them, but my military is quite talented at taking out the trash--as I'm sure your devout faithfuls are too." Maeve considered this conversation about as fruitful as she could expect. The Grimleals were never much for reason or diplomacy, but perhaps Ariel was different, that perhaps they wouldn't have to fight this civil war out to the bitter end. "Is there anything else you would ask of me?" Maeve inquired.

TAG Ariel

[Ariel]

"No, I think that's all I have in mind - certainly nothing I could rightly ask in pleasant company." There was a strange level of respect there. Was it that Ariel considered the queen pleasant company? It's certainly strange, having a kinship with the person you're at war with. And while the Grimleal Priestess didn't come looking for war, it was easy to suspect she's not too keen on it continuing either. She couldn't out and out say that, of course - currently she lacked the bargaining power to restore a peaceful Plegia without losing the rest of her own power, so until that time fighting was her only option. Were it that the two young women could come to terms and rule the land as equals, Ariel would accept it. A bit begrudgingly, since the nobility that commanded the upper echelons of Plegian politics deeply disturbed the troubadour, but she'd accept it. "You should visit Altea one of these days, Your Highness. If you send word in advance I'll personally ensure your safe passage, just as you have ensured mine here." it helped that Ariel slaughtered any unsuspecting guards she did encounter, but that was neither here nor there. ...Then again, this meeting was hardly scheduled. If Maeve hadn't ensured the Priestess' safe passage, then...who did?

TAGS Maeve

 

[Maeve]

Maeve wasn't sure they could be considered pleasant company. She would've said polite company, because while she lied as often as any good diplomat, she didn't if sticking closer to the truth was perfectly acceptable. They were, after all, perfectly polite company. "Perhaps I shall. I do miss Altea. I have not been there since I was a child, and I remember it most fondly." All of Plegia was beautiful to her, even the parts that visitors found less than pleasant. Altea, however, was one of the many gems of her kingdom. "I'll send word if I do." ...Although, she couldn't help but wonder how Ariel's passage had been so safe. Where had her army been? (Dead, she assumed.) Maeve stood to see Ariel off, not bowing nor expecting to be bowed to. "I admire and commend your courage to visit here, and I thank you for coming to speak with me. It has been most enlightening, Holy One."

TAG Ariel

[Ariel]

"I'd say it was quite enlightening. This war may make enemies of us, but it's good to know not everyone is so openly hostile." Ariel certainly appears reasonable - likely much more so than her predecessor. This war is a strain on her people and her resources, but until the two can reach an agreement they can live with, and not die for making, the war would have to continue. All the more reason to have more research on the Risen - were it able to replace living breathing Grimleal warriors, so much the better. Even if the royalty were able to field their own risen, having the undead fighting their war would make the combat less bloody to the devout, if nothing else. "By your leave, Your Highness." Ariel offers the Queen an honest handshake, her sleeves far too short to hide any tricks Maeve might expect from an enemy. Maybe there was hope for her plans of peace after all...

TAGS Maeve_thread closed?