Post by Neoruko on Feb 10, 2007 12:32:58 GMT -5
For once, as she sat upon her throne, Usagi was surrounded by all her wolves. She would need them for her performance. The ebony Yang sat at her right hand, orange eyes burning away the darkness of his surroundings. At her left sat the ivory Yin, blue eyes crystal clear as the dawn's sky, intelligent and inquisitive, kind and nurturing. The Alphas of her little pack were as different as night and day, their names suited them well. Both behind and in front of her, the rest of the pack lay, unnamed, all of them children of Yin and Yang.
She had had her throne moved the the courtyard for the festival. Around her, many people had brought their whole families to watch the spectacle. From above, the 2-headed Atreyu kept watch, just in case anyone was stupid enough to try to kill her. And in the middle of it all was the entertainment for the time being, a group of FlameDancers using their skills in a performance. Usagi liked to play with them when she started to get bored.
DragonFire lay unsheathed across her lap, the silver blade glimmering with firelight in the darkness. Closing her eyes momentarily, she sighed contentment. The MoonFire Festival was one of her favorites, after all, she did get to show off. The music and laughter and all around happiness was reassuring to her that her people were doing well, despite what she might think otherwise. She knew it did wonders to boost their spirits. It also did wonders to boost hers, especially as a child, watching her mother . . . .
Opening her eyes again, her ember gaze drifted over the crowd, So many faces . . . and it's only a fraction of the whole! she thought wondrously, And all under my care . . . .
She noticed a small group of people shuffling toward her, one of them was holding something in her arms. They seemed nervous to come any closer with her wolves surrounding her, so she beckoned to them and they reluctantly stepped forth, "My Lord Denshin sent us with a gift for you, my lady," one of the men spoke, "He also hopes he might be honored with an audience with you after the festival."
Denshin . . . what does he want now? she gave a small sigh, I have too many suitors. Turning her attention back to the group before her, she spoke, "I will accept his gift graciously. Be sure to thank him for me. As for his audience, if he will wait another day for it, I would be very appreciative. I am sure he will understand . . . ."
"Of course, me lady, you'll most likely be tired after the festival. My master will understand, as you say," he bowed his head to her and stepped back, the woman holding something in her arms now stepping forward.
Usagi now saw what it was she held. A flame-colored wolf pup of about the same age that Yin and Yang had been when she had received them (as a gift from a different suitor). The pup's eyes were the lightest of blues, almost white and around her neck was a collar made of gold and inlaid with moonstones and firerubies.
"The pup is a FireWolf, my lady," the woman explained, already knowing Usagi's thoughts. She already had plenty of wolves, why should this one especially impress her?
A FireWolf . . . but they're so rare . . . . A breed of demon wolves, FireWolves had little in common with any normal wolf, except appearance. Her own personal symbol of power was a FireWolf, much of her clothing had FireWolves embroidered on them, yet she had only seen one in her entire life. She had researched them enough in her own time to know they had more power, were more intelligent and cunning, and had entirely different life-styles than regular wolves.
"My master searched a long while to find her for you. He hopes you like her," the woman spoke once more.
Standing, Usagi set DragonFire at the foot of her throne and gently took the pup from the arms of the woman, "Tell your master I greatly appreciate his gift. I look forward to our meeting."
She bowed as well, "As you wish, my lady. My master will be glad to hear it."
As the small group was retreating, she once more took her seat and looked down at the puppy in her arms, in turn looking up at her as if to say, 'Who are you?' "I am Usagi, little one . . . we'll have to think of a name for you though, I think, hm . . . ? First let's get this collar off of you," there were 2 very fragile-looking clips holding the collar in place which she immediately undid, taking the collar and setting it aside, "Now, that's better, isn't it?" She scratched her neck lightly to give her some relief.
She sighed one final time at the thought of Denshin, then of the one whom had given her Yin and Yang as well; Denshin's brother, Archaelen. The 2 brothers were the most driven and persistant of her suitors . . . both of them would make good leaders, she knew. Her mother had been good friends with their father . . . her mother had also hoped Usagi might marry Archaelen, the eldest of the 2, and very close to her age, "What do you think, little one . . . which should I choose? Denshin . . . or Archaelen?" she asked the puppy, who only tilted her head curiously.
Archaelen and I were good friends as children . . . Denshin . . . he could be a great pain at times . . . but he is the harder one, the stronger. If it came to war, he would be the one I went to . . . but . . . . Archaelen is kind . . . he cares for the people as I do, and I know he would put them first if . . . . Archaelen cares for me . . . but is he strong enough to be placed in such a position? Denshin is strong enough, by far, but does he really care . . . would he really care for my people . . . ? "If only they were one man," she mused aloud, petting the puppy absentmindedly, "Then they would be perfect . . . ."
She had had her first kiss with Archaelen when they were very young. It was easy to see she was fond of him then, "My mother never married . . . why should I?" She could just let her suitors continue to give her gifts, trying to woo her, until they got bored and finally left her alone, though she was sure Denshin and Archaelen would never stop trying to win her. It was that persistence that intrigued her most about the two.
Turning her attention back to the festival, she sighed once more. Watching the full moon sail slowly across the sky, she realized her part in the festival was closing in on her.
She had had her throne moved the the courtyard for the festival. Around her, many people had brought their whole families to watch the spectacle. From above, the 2-headed Atreyu kept watch, just in case anyone was stupid enough to try to kill her. And in the middle of it all was the entertainment for the time being, a group of FlameDancers using their skills in a performance. Usagi liked to play with them when she started to get bored.
DragonFire lay unsheathed across her lap, the silver blade glimmering with firelight in the darkness. Closing her eyes momentarily, she sighed contentment. The MoonFire Festival was one of her favorites, after all, she did get to show off. The music and laughter and all around happiness was reassuring to her that her people were doing well, despite what she might think otherwise. She knew it did wonders to boost their spirits. It also did wonders to boost hers, especially as a child, watching her mother . . . .
Opening her eyes again, her ember gaze drifted over the crowd, So many faces . . . and it's only a fraction of the whole! she thought wondrously, And all under my care . . . .
She noticed a small group of people shuffling toward her, one of them was holding something in her arms. They seemed nervous to come any closer with her wolves surrounding her, so she beckoned to them and they reluctantly stepped forth, "My Lord Denshin sent us with a gift for you, my lady," one of the men spoke, "He also hopes he might be honored with an audience with you after the festival."
Denshin . . . what does he want now? she gave a small sigh, I have too many suitors. Turning her attention back to the group before her, she spoke, "I will accept his gift graciously. Be sure to thank him for me. As for his audience, if he will wait another day for it, I would be very appreciative. I am sure he will understand . . . ."
"Of course, me lady, you'll most likely be tired after the festival. My master will understand, as you say," he bowed his head to her and stepped back, the woman holding something in her arms now stepping forward.
Usagi now saw what it was she held. A flame-colored wolf pup of about the same age that Yin and Yang had been when she had received them (as a gift from a different suitor). The pup's eyes were the lightest of blues, almost white and around her neck was a collar made of gold and inlaid with moonstones and firerubies.
"The pup is a FireWolf, my lady," the woman explained, already knowing Usagi's thoughts. She already had plenty of wolves, why should this one especially impress her?
A FireWolf . . . but they're so rare . . . . A breed of demon wolves, FireWolves had little in common with any normal wolf, except appearance. Her own personal symbol of power was a FireWolf, much of her clothing had FireWolves embroidered on them, yet she had only seen one in her entire life. She had researched them enough in her own time to know they had more power, were more intelligent and cunning, and had entirely different life-styles than regular wolves.
"My master searched a long while to find her for you. He hopes you like her," the woman spoke once more.
Standing, Usagi set DragonFire at the foot of her throne and gently took the pup from the arms of the woman, "Tell your master I greatly appreciate his gift. I look forward to our meeting."
She bowed as well, "As you wish, my lady. My master will be glad to hear it."
As the small group was retreating, she once more took her seat and looked down at the puppy in her arms, in turn looking up at her as if to say, 'Who are you?' "I am Usagi, little one . . . we'll have to think of a name for you though, I think, hm . . . ? First let's get this collar off of you," there were 2 very fragile-looking clips holding the collar in place which she immediately undid, taking the collar and setting it aside, "Now, that's better, isn't it?" She scratched her neck lightly to give her some relief.
She sighed one final time at the thought of Denshin, then of the one whom had given her Yin and Yang as well; Denshin's brother, Archaelen. The 2 brothers were the most driven and persistant of her suitors . . . both of them would make good leaders, she knew. Her mother had been good friends with their father . . . her mother had also hoped Usagi might marry Archaelen, the eldest of the 2, and very close to her age, "What do you think, little one . . . which should I choose? Denshin . . . or Archaelen?" she asked the puppy, who only tilted her head curiously.
Archaelen and I were good friends as children . . . Denshin . . . he could be a great pain at times . . . but he is the harder one, the stronger. If it came to war, he would be the one I went to . . . but . . . . Archaelen is kind . . . he cares for the people as I do, and I know he would put them first if . . . . Archaelen cares for me . . . but is he strong enough to be placed in such a position? Denshin is strong enough, by far, but does he really care . . . would he really care for my people . . . ? "If only they were one man," she mused aloud, petting the puppy absentmindedly, "Then they would be perfect . . . ."
She had had her first kiss with Archaelen when they were very young. It was easy to see she was fond of him then, "My mother never married . . . why should I?" She could just let her suitors continue to give her gifts, trying to woo her, until they got bored and finally left her alone, though she was sure Denshin and Archaelen would never stop trying to win her. It was that persistence that intrigued her most about the two.
Turning her attention back to the festival, she sighed once more. Watching the full moon sail slowly across the sky, she realized her part in the festival was closing in on her.
