Ayesha

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» ayesha. « "the alluring" ━ [ah ∙ sha] ♀ ENFJ ━ soft, glowing candlelit sparks danced, their shimmering light a delicate accompaniment to each breath. amidst scattered petals, of the highest quality, no less, twirling in graceful arcs, she lay motionless against a tapestry depicting none other than the flamecaller's grace, bedecked with ornaments that would arouse envy in the heart of every metallurgist. a serf made his entrance into the crypt from above the scorched surface, bearing a tray laden with exotic fruits, bowing low as he awaited acknowledgment. "finish the piece later," her ethereal voice echoed, subtle yet enough to send shivers down the servant's spine. raising her head from the far corner of the room, a young girl set down a stone tablet and chisel. after a moment's pause, the queen spoke once more. "well, billali, do you have something to say?" "apologies for the intrusion," the serf stammered. "there is something you may need to see... and a message I have been sent to relay."

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pre unified forges. "apologies for intruding" the sprangyroo stammered "there is something you may need to see.. and a message i was sent here to relay." "One of our scouts reported a lost traveller heading for our territory - we have confirmed he is meant to be prisoner #811." she listened intently as the serf delivered his news, her impatience evident as she impatiently emerged from her cave. drawing closer, the shapes of several dragons became discernible amidst the smog, their curiosity piqued by the commotion. ayesha's irritation at the breeding grounds for gossip was palpable, yet her attention swiftly shifted upon the sight that lay at the centre of the turmoil - a single young man, locking eyes with her. "i come bearing news. do these jewels perhaps belong to someone you know?" the boy's words hung heavy in the air as he displayed an array of delicate rings and a bridle. observing ayesha's incredulity, her light extinguishing upon beholding alois's belongings in such a dire setting, he continued his message. "they belonged to the guard escorting me here, where we were ambushed by men from the western forge. i believe he is imprisoned in their territory, under someone they call the Gilded. I was the only one who managed to escape." the news did not sit well with the queen, serving as a catalyst for imminent conflict. Alois was a captured captain from a previously enemied tribe that has since merged into the eastern forge after a defeated battle, a war that Ayesha would’ve lost if not for the sheer numbers advantage. The prowess possessed by the warriors of this tribe was meant to be taken and utilised, without Alois to lead them there was no possible way she could convince the rest- it was a poor decision to send him on such simple assignments as a test of trust.

__________________________________ "unfortunate." notes. » the golden coatl. » the tiny fae. » fodder #811. » the moon. » taliesin

in the ensuing moons, nothing but dreaded battles unfolded, a war inevitable in its arrival. this final act of disrespect served as the tipping point for ayesha, grateful for the young man's intelligence on the enemy. she promised him wealth in exchange for acting as a spy, gradually elevating him to the rank of general with each successful battle. rumours swirled among both fodder #811 and other espionage projects, suggesting the patriarch of the western forge was stepping down, unable to stem the tide of ayesha's advancing army despite his attempts to deny his actions or call for a ceasefire.

uncertainty loomed over who would assume his position, but ayesha believed she was prepared for any eventuality.

as the months passed, the moon finally reached its zenith, a night devoid of its luminous glow. a moonless night, when even the volcanic sparks seemed to fade, heralding ayesha's long-awaited assault on her enemies' capital. perhaps the end of these conflicts was not as distant as it seemed.

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ayesha sat upon her ornate throne, her brow furrowed with concern as she listened intently to #811’s newest report. The chamber was dimly lit, the flickering torches casting waving shadows across the walls, lending an air of secrecy to their conversation.

#811 stood before her, his expression carefully composed as he delivered his tale with practised ease.

"as your loyal advisor, I must bring to your attention a troubling development," #811 began, his voice laced with urgency. "deduced from both our scouts and my latest trip eavesdropping of aero’s cabinet, i have strong reasons to believe his forces are mobilising for a major offensive against us. It seems they are preparing to strike at our northern flank, somehow they seem to know our positions lie mostly in the south.."

ayesha's eyes widened in alarm, her fingers tightening around the armrests of her throne. "o thought their formation sounded off from billali's last update, but how could they have known to form in such a way? all that preparation, could we have a rat?" she demanded, her voice tinged with frustration. "we cannot afford to lose ground to aero. we must act swiftly to bolster our defenses and repel his advance."

#811 nodded gravely, his eyes alight with false concern. "i couldn't agree more, my queen. we must prepare for the worst and ensure that our forces are ready to meet aero's aggression head-on. i will personally oversee the reinforcement of our defenses and coordinate with our generals to devise a strategy to thwart aero's plans, i pray that you do not stress too strongly. while the position may seem unfavourable, we are now in the upper hand with our new information.”

ayesha's gaze softened as she looked upon #811, grateful for his steadfast loyalty in her time of need. "thank you, #811," she said, her voice filled with gratitude. "i trust in your judgement and leadership. ."

#811 bowed deferentially before her, a faint smile played across his lips as he stood up to walk away.

"before you go, i just wanted to say..” ayesha held up her hand to her heart as she spoke "i truly am grateful at your contributions, i can only imagine how difficult it must be to juggle a false identity in enemy land. ..and of course I hope there are no hard feelings regarding your initial status of a serf, i hope that once you have found a name for yourself you will enlighten me to know it. "

"i don’t believe in holding grudges, we are here to progress forward of course."

"i do believe that the hardest working souls are destined to climb to greatness. Best of luck to us all, garanhir should be waiting for your command outside.”

"this reminds me of a gift i had almost forgotten." #811 continued, " a lovely candle i found from a nearby merchant. i am told this one brings good fortune and success, and its smell is lovely, perhaps you could light it tonight."

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hours before the invasion, ayesha stood gazing at the darkened sky, a ritual observed each month prior, meditating amid her new wax candles which glowed a faint lavender hue into the air. even on such a night, countless stars twinkled overhead, until it seemed as if the moon itself was returning. yet, instead of a singular glow, there were two, fading into a soft orange hue, radiating a familiar warmth.

anxiety enveloped the frustrated queen, her thoughts consumed by the prospect of alois's capture - without him to organize the new governing method she planned for it would be longer before she could at last live easy. such notion was dispelled by the arrival of an unknown figure, its presence comforting yet unsettling. "do you never tire?" it purred. "of course, i do," she responded, her longing for simpler times palpable. "the summit of this mountain is within reach. can you hear the hymns of its power? you are not alone. iyour newest general has proven wise. perhaps this is not your battle to carry."

the notion was difficult to accept, yet the creature’s comforting presence made it... easier. it seemed as though she had been merely reacting to external pressures rather than following her own desires and dreams - this battle was not the one she truly envisioned. "i wonder what taliesin is doing now... i'll have to see him next time I can, it’s been so long since i’ve seen him" she murmured. the candlelit sparks returned, how lovely.

as ayesha began to rest her head against the warmth of the creature, urgency jolted her awake. "apologies, but it seems i have misplaced my key ring- i must find it!" she exclaimed. the candle stands had melted away, their flickering light barely holding on. "how long have I been here? and yet the night remains dark… what exactly am i looking at?"

silence enveloped the room as her breathe quickened frantically, the room around her seemed to contort around the presence of this strange creature who offered no sense of rationality, amidst the hallucination she could then make out the silhouette of #811’s entrance.

"the siege is complete, and the enemies have fallen. The new leader of this mountain’s first impression is the most important. your work is done; you are dismissed," he declared, the queen’s key ring held shamelessly in his hand with a severed head, of who should’ve been their ally, in the other. fear washed over the queen who still lay on the ground, but limply and without the usual tension one would expect. has she been breathing this raspily the entire time?

meanwhile, the glittering creature scurried past her, dropping her head onto the cold floor as its warmth dissipated. her dilated eyes stared, powerless, as the beast devoured the remains of her defeated ally, his face dull with disappointment as if he learnt of #811’s betrayal within his last moments

"don’t stay in here too long, we don’t know the precise amount of time it takes for the belladonna fumes to fully air out."

amidst the heart of the crypts, she at last experienced the alleviation of burdens from which her shoulders ached for so long.

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