Her role had not grown in the wake of her sister's pregnancy, nor after the birth of the royal brood. She had done her duty as she'd promised, taken the helm for the too-short duration, missing her window to do more; but that was alright, she reasoned. There was still time enough to get what she wanted. Hime was a patient woman. What she lacked in physicality she more than made up for in cunning. Given enough time she could move mountains - she was wholly convinced of this as fact - and so, if she could not truly become empress one way, she would find another. There was always another option.
This was the line of thought that characterized her morning. As the sun crested over the vale and the day began to warm, to grow humid between the trees, Hime sought out the relief of a bath. For now the water wasn't too warm for her, but in a few hours she would find it uncomfortable. She soaked her extremities for an hour or so, lifted free of the oasis, and after a very unladylike shake to clear the bulk of the water from her coat, began to groom her pale coat until it was pristine.
The sun helped to dry her quickly. She thought about visiting one of the empire's various midden-heaps for a bite to eat, but as she lazily journeyed through the vale, she caught the scent of @Takeshi and lost her appetite. Her trajectory did not change, though. She was not afraid of the emperor, and in fact found him more of a curiosity, as he held his power well and knew how to utilize it, unlike her soft-hearted sister.
This was the line of thought that characterized her morning. As the sun crested over the vale and the day began to warm, to grow humid between the trees, Hime sought out the relief of a bath. For now the water wasn't too warm for her, but in a few hours she would find it uncomfortable. She soaked her extremities for an hour or so, lifted free of the oasis, and after a very unladylike shake to clear the bulk of the water from her coat, began to groom her pale coat until it was pristine.
The sun helped to dry her quickly. She thought about visiting one of the empire's various midden-heaps for a bite to eat, but as she lazily journeyed through the vale, she caught the scent of @Takeshi and lost her appetite. Her trajectory did not change, though. She was not afraid of the emperor, and in fact found him more of a curiosity, as he held his power well and knew how to utilize it, unlike her soft-hearted sister.
July 05, 2020, 08:36 PM
can be a cameo!
another alabaster lady, striding with purpose through the lands that teya had come, slowly, to know as the empire. reiko. corra. the first she had known by hearing, but the name takeshi held a savage air that made the girl quake.
she flitted nervously roundabout berry bushes, darting her tongue at the hanging juice-laden fruit until she was stained, stained from chin to chest, a bib of sticky seeds and burgundy blood.
teya was not ashamed; she felt that she smelled of sweet things, and tail swayed as she followed the proud tread of the woman, trailing, trailing, slicing a last berry to nestle in half within either cheek.
she flitted nervously roundabout berry bushes, darting her tongue at the hanging juice-laden fruit until she was stained, stained from chin to chest, a bib of sticky seeds and burgundy blood.
teya was not ashamed; she felt that she smelled of sweet things, and tail swayed as she followed the proud tread of the woman, trailing, trailing, slicing a last berry to nestle in half within either cheek.
![[Image: zTO57rj.png]](https://i.imgur.com/zTO57rj.png)
July 12, 2020, 05:53 PM
Hime used to crave being left to her own devices, but that had been during her previous life as the empress of her own clan. It hadn't really been her clan, either - she had taken it for herself, driven out her competition (her sister, the friends she cavorted around with rather than pledging pure allegiance to her blood), and her recklessness had led to the obstacle of responsibility. Making decisions for the betterment of the clan was something Hime had been tutored to do, but she could not fathom putting anyone ahead of herself; she had been a foolish girl then, as power-hungry as always, and lacking the experience.
This place was different. This empire. There were opportunities here not just for Hime, but for Reiko too. Hime had the experience now, and her drive was unmatched. All she wanted was to make this place perfect - to make her sister choose her, choose blood over all these lowly peasants. And being left alone now, without a proper station nor any true power, only gave Hime time to fantasize, to plot, to covet what could be.
Takeshi's scent drifted away from her and faded among some trees. Hime could have pursued it, she could have followed that path until the inevitable encounter with the Emperor and done her best to tempt him with her plans; however, now was not the time. She had to be patient. So she veered off the path and drifted across the hillside, listening to the wind whispering through the grass, watching the greenery shifting in to a blur — and there, on the fringe, was an odd little shape.
Hime paused to watch it. There was a garish quality to it, a sharp red that did not look natural - or perhaps looked too natural, like the blood she was so fixated upon. The woman squints and tries to make out what it is, striding closer, legitimately throwing caution to the wind. It took a few minutes for her brain to patchwork the true shape together: it was merely a foraging woman.
This place was different. This empire. There were opportunities here not just for Hime, but for Reiko too. Hime had the experience now, and her drive was unmatched. All she wanted was to make this place perfect - to make her sister choose her, choose blood over all these lowly peasants. And being left alone now, without a proper station nor any true power, only gave Hime time to fantasize, to plot, to covet what could be.
Takeshi's scent drifted away from her and faded among some trees. Hime could have pursued it, she could have followed that path until the inevitable encounter with the Emperor and done her best to tempt him with her plans; however, now was not the time. She had to be patient. So she veered off the path and drifted across the hillside, listening to the wind whispering through the grass, watching the greenery shifting in to a blur — and there, on the fringe, was an odd little shape.
Hime paused to watch it. There was a garish quality to it, a sharp red that did not look natural - or perhaps looked too natural, like the blood she was so fixated upon. The woman squints and tries to make out what it is, striding closer, legitimately throwing caution to the wind. It took a few minutes for her brain to patchwork the true shape together: it was merely a foraging woman.
July 18, 2020, 05:48 PM
teya felt the sugar of the berries begin to suck away at her thirst, until she began to long for water. careful spindly steps carried her in that direction, but she was halted almost immediately by a flash of white fur.
"reiko!" the tones in her throat delighted, humble.
she drew in the snowstorm rows, the meltwater eyes; she fell into a frenzy of submission and inched her way toward reiko, whining to hand out berry-stained laps.
not reiko.
teya froze against the earth, a confusion paling over her worried face. "reiko?" a question. the scent was not the same. but the vision remained so identical.
teya did not dream.
"reiko!" the tones in her throat delighted, humble.
she drew in the snowstorm rows, the meltwater eyes; she fell into a frenzy of submission and inched her way toward reiko, whining to hand out berry-stained laps.
not reiko.
teya froze against the earth, a confusion paling over her worried face. "reiko?" a question. the scent was not the same. but the vision remained so identical.
teya did not dream.
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