Bramblepoint königinklinge

Had she been aware of her words to be considered anything else than what they were, truths delivered and that the simple heart of it, Hydra might have been more choosy with them; as it was, she was an honest woman... certainly to a fault, for she cared not who the honesty inflicted. If they could not take the truth provided, that was their own cross to bear; she would not lie to any, as it was simply not her way. But if one were to deduce she did not like the pale woman that lightning had seen fit to smite... well. 

The Stormcloak only had herself to blame; Hydra hoped the wretch found a way to right her wrongs against those undeserving of them. She was certain she would live to regret it, if she did not. Or maybe it truly was possible to simply let go, to forget—but Hydra did not think so. 

Hydra was pleased to hear he took her words seriously; and she took his rejoinder as evidence that he was a smart man, though this she had already supposed. The Ostrega matriarch listened on, ears pricked forward as he spoke again; his next words were met with a slow blink, as she drawled, wondering aloud: I do not recall us speaking on such a thing, She felt this was something she would not have forgotten, had she done so; and yet she did not resist in the idea of its existence, and for this Hydra did not argue the point further than the remark. It must have been something the General of Diaspora desired; Hydra, frankly, was flattered. 

It made sense, with their similar ambitions. Two leaders of different domains, allied from afar; the shadow they two could cast together was one Hydra saw the appeal in. And so she offered him a look that spoke of her interest in the subject, drawling as she drew her head upward, let us speak on it now, then—tell me, what have you been thinking, Mahler? The Queen was rapt as she waited, lending him the near-entirety of her attention. The rest was for their surroundings, Winter having sharpened the softer edges of her; it had made her always at the ready to act if it was needed.