Wheeling Gull Isle where I'm going you'll be far away

fuck timelines idk when this is but after Ying drama thread and before aiolos×ruo, looking for @Aiolos

Still her soul was weighed heavy with thoughts on Ying. The idea of an exile was ripening in her mind, and still she could not will herself to do such a thing. But each interaction they had, Huā would trust her at one, distrust her at the other. She had a bad feeling about the silver girl and her constant expeditions to the land, her constant interaction with random strangers. Would she want someone so chaotic around when she was raising future children?

And yet- she thought of the times they'd spent together as children, their overcoming of their slavery, their joining into Rusalka as a team. The three of them had been inseparable.

But Ying was changed- the time in Rusalka had stirred up some ambition within her, leading her to attempt challenges- challenges that got the three essentially kicked out, or at least this was how Huā viewed it. And now that same determination led Ying to create her own army. Ambition was a dangerous thing for an emperor to see in their peoples; some ambition was good, but too much could lead to instability. 

As she considers it, she also thinks of Hydra. Hydra, who made her thoughts and intentions known, who ruled with an iron fist and kept her people under control. And those who disobeyed faced whatever sort of punishment that panther saw fit. Huā looked upon her and felt fear, but also respect. The woman was the perfect image of a strong empress who didn't take bullshit from anyone. Huā ought to look after her as an example, to be bold in her actions and hold loyalty above blood. It only seemed like the right thing to do as a real leader- she could not rely on her blood forever. Not anymore. 

These thoughts, and even more, plagued Huā's mind as she roamed the edge of the coast at dawn, marking the borders every so often as she could.