[April 27, 2018]
Word Count: 986
| Prompt #5: Describe your leader’s (one of them, if multiple) least favorite task |
____This is always the worst part, Athanasia thought to herself, giving an exasperated sigh as she picked pieces of meat from between her teeth. She was not a negotiator by nature and never had been - not in the manner of normal diplomatic relations, at least. She could strongarm a Guardian out of their charge, but keeping the peace between clans and flights was quite simply not her forte.
____ She had resolved to give the burden of such dealings to Internecine, who seemed to quite enjoy it, but the younger Mirror was away at the moment on more important business.
____ Finally it seemed, there was a commotion outside and a sound of approaching dragons. The general exited her tent, seeing the glowing orbs that marked the Light Ambassadors’ convoy. They knew better than to approach unarmed, but Athanasia was not foolish enough to allow their forces to freely enter the campgrounds and everyone knew it. The procession was stopped at the gate, their glittering gold banners and trinkets casting a glow upon the sand that was unmistakable to their flight’s colors. At its head were two Pearlcatchers, adorned in sashes and wreathed in light, looking flustered at the gathering crowd of mercenaries blocking their path.
____ “Your General will hear about this insubordination! You will move at once for the Ambassadors of the Light Flight!” One was squawking, huffing at a collection of Mirror warriors watching him intently. The other was waiting impatiently, looking down her nose at the dirty dragons all around her, although she was not exactly large enough to quite make it look right. Her tail twitched in agitation and apprehension.
____ The crowds parted for Athanasia as she neared, her figure imposing and ominous. “They are my dragons. They will follow my rules. You did not think me so soft as to allow your warriors within my premises, did you?” She stopped when she was directly in front of them, and the male was not so eager to squawk anymore.
____ His fluster faded to faked courtesy. “You must be General Athanasia, most esteemed. We have heard much of your e-”
____ “Silence,” she snapped, the Light warriors sharing glances and shifting their weight as the ranks of the Order tensed. “I have little time and less attention to devote to your words. If you wish to use both wisely, then you will follow me, and you will leave your guard here.” The female opened her mouth, but a swift gesture of Athanasia’s wing stopped her. “I am not the one here who needs to be diplomatic, ambassador.” She turned, hearing the Pearlcatchers follow after her hesitantly, back to her tent, where she waited for them to speak.
____ The female cleared her throat, “We of the Light Flight are dragons of research and understanding, civilized, to the say the least.” Her eyes wandered for a second to the savage tent and discarded bones lying about. “But it is no secret to us or you that there are some things upon which light does not shine. In recent times, the elements have…”
____ The female continued speaking, her pompous voice droning on endlessly of the tensions between plague and nature, the new crystals in arcane territory, and so on. Athanasia barely caught the mention of the new generator being built in Lightning territory, unwilling to devote a large amount of attention to the Pearlcatcher’s blabber. Her claws tapped impatiently in the sand, staring down the two Ambassadors with disgust and annoyance.
____ Finally, the male seemed to have realized how thin of a line they had already begun pushing, cutting off the female and saying, “T-the point is, things have been changing. With that Emperor roaming about Light territory, we can no longer tolerate even the smallest infringements upon our borders if we are to be taken seriously. You understand, of course.”
____ “The point, now.” Athanasia had begun picking food from her teeth again, still watching them without blinking.
____ “O-Of course. You are a nomadic tribe, yes? One of your outposts is practically adjacent to our flight’s land, and your return to it is consistently marked by a sharp decrease in available food for every nearby Light clan, as your hunters care very little for borders. We would ask that you stay out of that outpost, or that you do not hunt within our borders, as a move of peace between all clans involved.”
____ “Make me an offer,” she growled, insulted.
____ “We offer but our friendship and alliance and ask for only that in return - and understanding.”
____ Athanasia was infuriated. “We follow the food. That is our livelihood. Do you ask me to starve my clan because those that you represent cannot expand their own hunting ranges?”
____ The two seemed to have realized their mistake, both backing up a step. “General Athanasia, there are more important things than just your clan. We understand that-”
____ The general shook her head, flaring her wings out to either side. “Get out! I’ll not be insulted by two overgrown, pompous clams that think they can demand anything of me.”
____ “G-”
____ “Unless you don’t want to keep those precious pearls of yours, I suggest you leave, now!”
____ They huffed, but left quickly, taking their guard with them and moving back out of sight.
____ Athanasia spat in their direction, retreating back into her tent and remembering the times when the Order was but a few dragons, each one starving and thirsty. Treaty after treaty, deal after deal, the story was always the same, another clan just looking to take advantage of their food and water situation. Jobs in exchange for food and water, always too much work and too little reward, but never anything she could do about it.
____ But the Order had grown.
____ Her clan had grown.
____ She would not sacrifice a single scrap in service to dragons that hadn’t worked as long as she had.
____Athanasia was nobody’s fool and nobody’s victim.
