Northstar Vale Once More With Feeling

@Hime

He awoke to a sun beginning to warm the face of the Earth. His body took to it comfortably as he emerged from where he had slept. the grey scaled lad stretched beneath the rising sun and he felt perfectly refreshed. his day was beginning and he wondered what it would hold for him. 

 With a certain quickness to his step he made his way to the a pond within the vale. Everything seemed to have calm down lately and it took a weight off his shoulders. Reiko had given birth to her children and he knew it would help the empress return to her duties. in some way he felt as though it gave him more to do. There were now children that he had to offer the same protection he extended to her. 

 This was not just for Reiko, however, this was for all the children of the Vale. Everyone who would need immediate protection from whatever should come to them. Thankfully, there were no enemies and there was nothing to fret about.

It was noted that could change in an instance. 

 He sat at the edge of the waters and looked into them. There was a sudden sadness that had constantly ensnared a part of his heart. Valhalla was where his heart had been and adapting to this new life he had chosen was not always easy. Would things have been different had he come into leadership? Perhaps the efforts of their enemies could have been thwarted had he been just a bit older. 

Oh well. 

His destiny had changed and he was imbued with a new desire to serve and protect. He was not displeased with his new life and wouldn't succumb to regret or anything that would deter him from where he had come to thrive.

Reiko had returned to them with the aid of her guardsmen and brought her newborns with her, which would have overjoyed any other family, but Hime was too selfish to see anything but fault in her sister's creation. Then they had gathered for a meeting among the peasants, with Takeshi taking the throne with no small amount of drama. It all left a bitter taste in Hime's mouth. Allowing anyone to speak out against the ruling class was wrong. If Hime was the one in control of this so-called empire, Yuudai would not have left with his tongue intact. Let that serve as a warning to others. Except, of course, Hime's power was limited. She'd wrenched some power away from Reiko during her sister's lengthy pregnancy, and thought she could potentially keep some of it for the duration of the whelp's youth, but that time was slipping through her grasp with every passing hour. Eventually those royal-born children would grow in to their bodies and Hime knew, too, that her power would begin to fade while their's grew stronger.

She had to be careful. Covetous of the power she'd managed to obtain, Hime was not about to relinquish it easily. She had been plotting for this moment for a while, granted, she thought there would be more time to solidify her position and gather pieces of the empire to her cause, but fate was not on her side. Nothing ever was — so she would take what she was owed, hold on for dear life, and do what she must to keep herself strong and in control. There was time yet for Hime to ingratiate herself further to her sister, and while she knew Takeshi would not easily trust her, he was a complication that needed to be addressed. Playing the role of Reiko's doppleganger had gotten old fast; she had gained very little for all the trouble except to seed concern and doubt among the collective.

All of these things swirled within Hime's mind. Bitter thoughts and spiteful plans. She had no time to look upon the empire with any glee; the beauty of the vale, the warmth of summer's heavy grip, all of that was put aside in favor of more important aspects of empyrean life. Hime would have tried to rule this place even if it burned to ash, leaving nothing but a withered husk of a valley behind — because it was Reiko's, when it should have been her's all along. She hunted through the greenery but not for food. There had been little sign of Queen Ibis in the vicinity; she had not been at the meeting, and that was a clear insult to those that held power, to Reiko and by proxy, to Hime. But it was not the little trollop that Hime found sunning in the green — it was one of the guardsmen.

Heat pulsed over Hime as a beam of sunlight slanted over her head, washing her with warmth that otherwise had no place within her. She glared at the shape as she approached it, making mental notes of the masculine scent while dragging her chilling gaze across the ugly patchwork of Collision's coat; she could not remember all of the menfolk of the empire, as they were unimportant. But she sought this one out and upon confronting them face-to-face, Hime took on the poise of a true Empress, her head and tail aloft. The water rippled beside her from a brisk little breeze, distorting her reflection so that she was a messy white blob besidie him.

You, she snaps at him, a commanding tone she once used back home among the clan.

I have need of a guard. That is your job, is it not?

Collision was reeling over the events of the previous day. His demotion had come quickly, but not without reason. His mind triggered by the events that seemed to cause so much pain. What was the deal with Takeshi? Why had he chosen to act out so harshly? The thought wasn't directed to himself. A blow had been delivered to Yuudai....Awenfen cast out....Collision felt unwelcomed. Perhaps he should have followed the draconic girl away from this place in lieu of everything. Collision's life goal was to guard. He had done exactly that...perhaps he had been too quick. 

 No. He hadn't. He had to make a choice to stand up for himself or to fall in line. Takeshi was so quick to judge when it was the grey man himself that had been there for his wife and had made sure to get his children back here safely. The latter was only assitance alongside others. But still. Collision had made a choice to defend Awenfen and defend Yuudai at the hands of a leader he wasn't so sure he could accept. What choice did he have? Could he actually bring himself to leave this place? Did the bad outweigh the good?

 It was too much to think about. 

 He wasn't left to his own devices for too much longer. A voice with powerful intention shattered his silence and his eyes turned with a modicum of annoyance. Why was anything being asked of him and by who?

 Hime. 

 The sun flattered her. The light and dark finding a nice balance on her white coat. He supposed she was easy on the eyes...but the description fit, quite literally, half the pack. She had blamed the lot of them for what happened to Reiko and while Collision felt terrible and his heart seemed to stop beating for a fraction of a second...he couldn't entirely agree or disagree with her. His words to the fallen empress had been so harsh. Would things ever be the same? Equally, it would see, as though Reiko brought this on herself crowning her husband to be the ruler alongside her sounded like the right thing to do, but when it came down to it he was not the right one.

 He stood before her after she spoke and he nodded his head, "It is my job, but does a lowly peasant deserve the honor of guarding someone such as yourself?" His question is passive aggressive. Unlike him. Perhaps ithe stress was burdening on him in a grave way. He didn't want to let some hell-bent agenda leave him bitter. It seemed like a battle he was losing...he would just have to fight back that much harder, "Apologies. I shouldn't speak so harshly after..." well you know... "anyways, What can I do for you, hime?" I'm yours to command. 

After all the chaos of the meeting, the demotion of various loyalists to her sister, and the eventful fainting of Reiko, Hime was locked-in as an interim governess for the most part and was going to take full advantage of her empowered role. While she had agreed to serve as the proxy Empress while her sister was caring for her newborns, her weakness was an opportunity that Hime could not let slip by. Reiko had been taken back to her children and left to rest; without Awenfen there post-meeting to tend to her sister, Hime had taken it upon herself to a degree. She was not a trained medic and had done her best to fashion a remedy - not too far from what she'd been gifting to Reiko earlier during her pregnancy - and now needed more support.

It was a good time to be Hime, in other words.

Her need for protection would grow with her responsibilities. Depending on how long her sister was weakened and how things shifted post-meeting with Takeshi's rise to the Emperor position, Hime was confident she could snake her way through the mire of ensuing changes, but she also knew having physical support would be a boon - thus, calling for Collision. He had an edge to his voice as he replied to her comment; likely feeling prideful but sore from his dismissal and demotion. The correction after brought a glimmer to Hime's gaze, although her jaw was firmly set.

I worry for my sister. The meeting was hard on her, and with the fainting - and her newborns to care for - she needs more support now than I alone can give her. It was the truth, and while Hime did not want to appear weak, she would allow a modicum of that worry to cast her in a humbled light. With a more conspiratorial air to her words, a drop in her voice to something low and secretive, she says, I wish to employ you as her protector. You were stripped of your rank but not your duty, and it was wrong of our new Emperor to do so. You care for my sister, yes? You would do this for her..?

A small sigh erupted from Hime then, heavy, diminishing her prideful stance as her shoulders sagged. The longer my sister remains ill and locked beneath her husband's thumb, the more I worry about the kingdom. Her children need their mother, and I need my sister. We all need the Empress - more than the man she's tied to. There's a dark undercurrent to that last comment, but there she silences, watching him carefully.

There was no mistaking that a change was most necessary. Something had to give so that they could all move on and recover or this. Well, those that could. It was not Takeshi that broke his heart and it would not be Takeshi that broke his well. However, it was not something to dimiss: The pseudo-king would pay for his crimes. Of this Collision was most certain. For now, it was time to see what he was made of. Man or martyr?

 He condoned Hime for her actions. An admirable sister to be had to be searching for help for Reiko. Collision didn't know if he was ready to do such a thing. Was he prepared to protect Reiko despite everything? Despite the fact that she was not strong enough to stand on her own legs? He hated her. No, he didn't. A burdensome feeling crept over his body as he realized, again, he didn't know what he wanted to do. 

 "When did she support her pack?" His eyes narrowed in on Hime. There was that bite to his voice yet again. That cold vendetta personifying itself. It would be right of him to stand and protect the Empress. Did that have to continue to be his duty? "The Emperor can go to hell. He deserves to burn," A fire ignited in his eyes and he stood strong. If he was to be excused for such brave words then so be it. Would helping Reiko help Takeshi? Perhaps that was enough to make him refuse. Hime had his respect over one mutual agreement. The new Emperor had been wrong. 

 Another argument had arisen within his head. Was the duty still his own? Besides being Reiko's sister she held no title over him. She held no rank. Perhaps, however, she knew what he needed to hear. Perhaps she was right. A girl come to seek help for her sister with innocent intentions. That was what this was. 

 "I've cared for Reiko over and over again while that fool has remained the one reaping the benefits. He thinks he's something special because he fathered her children. Where was he when she needed him? Where was she when I was the one chasing away the hunger by bringing her food? I have been the loyal friend. I have been the one...that guarded her. As always I said I would," He looked away from her. There is pain in his chest now. A tightness over his heart. A tear forming in his eye that he hides from the colorless dam, "Why now am I called upon? Takeshi...He has caused all of this pain. Am i to assist in the remedy? He doesn't know what love is. Whatever he feels for her. It is not love. It is only selfish obsession,"

It was difficult for Hime to listen as this man denounced her sister. He had the same ire for the Emperor, a stronger sense of righteous indignation when his attention shifted to the man, but to see the flash of aggravation flare within the guardian made Hime immediately regret her choice to confide in him. This particular guardian had denounced her sister and she'd put that aside, briefly, in favor of how he had presented himself at the meeting. She had wondered how strong his defiance would prove to be, and if it could be utilized in favour of her own aims. If she could somehow cauterize the parts of him that had grown to distrust Reiko, he would be a great asset. This moment required temperance and a semblance of faith in her fellow empyrean, peasant that he may be now, and Hime was losing interest quickly.

My sister has been tainted by her husband, that much I concede, she offered. A frown creased her face. I understand your reluctance to render aid for her. Instead, aid me. If Takeshi remains as our emperor then he will further spoil my sister, and in time their children, and for the betterment of the empire we must not allow that to happen. But Hime would not beg him for anything either. If he refused his role in this - as protector, as guardian, as her eyes and ears in places where Hime could not always be present - then he was truly nothing to her. A mere peasant felled by poor attitude and circumstance.

His obsession may cost us our home. It may cost me my sister. Quiet as she was as Hime carefully murmured her fears, she felt the words turn thick upon her tongue, as if they may choke her. She was silent after, swallowing the emotion that threatened to unravel her.