The Meeting
The arrival of the Herald (see: The Omens) has been felt, if not yet seen. Those sensitive to magic and open to the fates already sense the destruction. Jadis' divination has warned Venera of the happenings, and now its up to Lady Nightbringer to do her best to warn Indrali's leader. Unfortunately, dealing with Domina Shakuntala hardly ever goes well.
Venera hesitated only once in her decision. For just one second, she stopped to eye the architecture of Shakuntala's manor, her gaze starting at the peak of the roof and very reluctantly scanning down to the door. Anymore than a second, and Rajnish would notice her unwillingness. Then he would turn and ask her what was wrong, and when she told him, he would likely talk her out of ever stepping through the door. Her Rajnish-isen was very good at convincing her she didn't need to do things she didn't like. Most of the time, she agreed with him. This time, though, a small voice in the back of her skull told her she at least needed to give this one good, strong try. Jadis had also advised it. Unfortunately, Jadis had also foreseen this not going well.
Sometimes knowing everything ahead of time was a curse.
She moved towards the door, tucking her wings close to her body and settling her thoughts. Exuding a calm energy would be the best approach to talking with Indrali's volatile Domina. Venera and Rajnish had hardly fully made it through the doorway before Shakuntala addressed them. "And the mouse comes out of her hole," She crowed at the other two Skydancers. Even flying straight to Town, it took time to get from the Nightbringer's Citadel to the manor. Plenty of time for word to get out that the two Nightbringer leaders had left their little safety nest. Hyat, who often took to the skies to scout, had reported their impending arrival.
Shakuntala sat on a raised dais, legs folded under her and tail curled around. She didn't bother to get up and show any sort of display for her two guests, and looked down her snout as they approached. Her narrowed eyes moved from Venera to Rajnish. "Some things never change, though," she sneered. The only thing more agitating than Venera herself was the fact that Rajnish was always in her presence, quietly supporting his mate. He couldn't be riled into a fight, and that made him all the more annoying to Shakuntala, who wanted control even of other dragons, all the way down to their mood.
Venera ignored the insults, approaching carefully. Her eyes left off Shakuntala to watch all of those the Domina had surrounded herself with. The paranoid leader had pulled every one of her warriors to her side for their arrival. Hyat, Luceiv, Brana spaced themselves evenly around the sides of the dais. Directly in front was the most worrisome of the bunch: Tantala, who already stood in a loose, flexible stance. Ready for a fight at any minute. When she noticed Venera's gaze, her wings moved, flashing her bright feathers. Primitive little female...but Venera couldn't afford to fight here and now. As long as Tantala stayed on her chain, Venera had a chance at getting through this discussion. She got as close to the dais as she dared, still a wing's-length out of reach of the bright-colored fighter, and stilled. Rajnish stopped just slightly behind her.
"What do you want?" Shakuntala asked. "Why are you here?"
"Ravana wouldn't come. I've already spoken with him, at dinner at the Citadel- the one you refused to attend," Venera started.
Shakuntala gave a laugh that held no real humor, "Some of us are smarter than you, walking into your enemy's fortress alone."
Tantala moved, just a step, and there was a tense moment of silence where Venera thought this was all going to end very badly indeed. Jadis would have warned her differently if the outcome was violence, wouldn't she? She would have spoken of death. Her next thought was one of regret. She should have brought Deirdre, hoard be damned. The imperial's very presence was enough to make most drakes think twice about attacking.
The tense air was broken by another laugh from Shakuntala, this one of true humor as she watched the Nightbringers squirm. Venera eyed the Domina with distaste, but moved on. "Jadis has given me a warning," she started again slowly.
"Ahh Jadis and her little pearl of fortune. Tell me, Venera, if she foretold that you could make a few gold coins by jumping three times would you do that at her command as well?" Shakuntala droned, visibly pulling away from the conversation. Shakuntala listened to only one voice, and it was certainly not Jadis, the Nightbringer's mousy little fortune-teller.
The insults tossed at her did not faze Venera. They were expected, even. She had been a part of Indrali since Ravana was Dominus, had watched Shakuntala grow up. From a shy little hatchling to the monster she currently was. She was more than used to the attitude that had slowly and terribly grown more awful. "Surely even you have noticed, Shakuntala, that change is in the air. There is something going on that isn't quite right."
The Domina raised her head, just high enough to show off two glittering rows of teeth.
Again Venera ignored the negative response, forging on ahead. She had agreed after meeting with Ravana to come here and give their Domina one chance. Ravana had told her not to bother. Rajnish hadn't been keen on the idea either. Still, Venera felt she needed to get the words she'd prepared fully out in the open before she too gave up hope. "You are not blind to the clan's happenings. I know it. There is something perhaps mystical, maybe magical. Even I can feel it without Jadis' foreboding words haunting the Citadel. Whatever is happening, whatever might be coming, we need to prepare. The dinner I hosted was for just such a proposal-"
"-And you want me to, what?" Shakuntala interrupted, sneering once more. "Band together with you and Ravana to fight some invisible force? Fate itself, perhaps?"
Venera blinked. Her guess hadn't been totally off, at least. "Well, yes. I-"
"Or maybe this is your latest scheme. Or Ravana's, and all he's done is bribe you to come deliver the message. Don't tell me you're working together? A partnership to undermine me somehow. Your Domina. You've never respected me and now you're finally making your move, is that it?"
"Shakuntala-"
"It's Domina to you,
VENERA."
She paused and tried again, her patience running thin. She might not be Domina of the clan, but she was a leader in her own right, of her own people. To play this submissive messenger was consuming all of her self-control. "Domina. The laws that have always been in place still are. To dethrone you I would openly challenge you. See reason."
Shakuntala let out a grunt. "You know what I see? A dark-dwelling schemer who has suddenly appeared before me warning of doom and destruction but with nothing to show for it. Your reputation precedes you, Lady Nightbringer. I don't know what this newly-hatched plan of yours is but it won't involve me. Get out. Go back to your pretentious citadel and keep your face within the shadows. Out of my sight."
At that, even Rajnish stirred. Venera took a slow breath inwards, cocking her head to the side as all of the goodwill she'd entered with seeped out of her bones. This immature little Domina and her treasure-bought wolves would be the end of the clan. Or at least the end of Shakuntala's faction. But it would not be the end of the Nightbringers. Venera would do everything in her power to protect her people; she'd already started preparing in fact. Now those who chose to side against her could suffer without her help. "I hope whatever is coming brings about your end, you poor excuse for a Domina. If your blood doesn't paint that dais you sit on by the time this is over it'll be such a tragedy I might have to ensure it myself," Venera announced, her voice clear and crystal-cold.
Shakuntala let out a screech. Tantala darted forward. Rajnish moved in front of Venera, shoving her back towards the door while he blocked an attack against her with his body. Panicked now, trapped in a room full of her enemies, Venera backpedaled. Though there had been no clear and direct challenge, she had certainly implied it. There would be bloodshed if they didn't find their exit fast enough. A yell sounded out, Brana trying to call off her wild friend. Venera craned her neck to look at the dais, then sent a small thanks to Shadowbinder that neither Shakuntala nor any of her other guard had moved.
Rajnish took Tantala's head-on charge as best he could, struggling to stay standing. He was bigger, but the female fighter was heavier, a ball of muscles. Venera checked back for the entryway as it burst open and a heavy roar deafened the room. Deirdre. No doubt sent by Jadis. As predicted, his appearance was enough to make Tantala stutter in her motions. Venera and Rajnish took the opportunity to quickly move back, now safe in Deirdre's reach. He moved forward, placing himself in front of the two skydancers much like Rajnish had first done for his mate. Hyat, possibly the most deadly weapon in Shakuntala's possession, slipped forward and paused beside Tantala, shoving with her shoulders as the skydancer moved as if she wanted to attack this newcomer, too.
"Don't," Shakuntala called, eyeing Deirdre warily. Tantala snarled as she sensed the end of her short-lived fight. Hyat appeared amused. "Get out," the Domina shouted.
The Nightbringer leaders needed no further prompting, swiftly exiting the manor. Deirdre eyed Tantala hungrily from behind his dark mask, but wordlessly backed out once his leaders were clear of the entryway.
Outside, it was with alarm that Venera noticed blood running down her mate's forearm. "You're injured. I shouldn't have provoked her."
Rajnish leaned forward, brushing against her affectionately. "It's alright. That little fiend has sharper claws than I thought."
She glanced towards her guard. "Deirdre, could you fly ahead and tell them we'll need bandages-"
Deirdre shook his head, refusing. "I'll fly behind. So none follow."
Venera let out an exasperated noise, tired of her words not being heeded. "Fine then.
I will fly ahead. Protect my mate."
She received a grunt from the imperial that she took to mean 'yes ma'am'. With one last loving, worried look at Rajnish she crouched and then launched herself into the air, pumping her wings hard for a speedy flight back to the Citadel. She chastised herself as she went. She knew better than most how to deal with Shakuntala, and certainly knew better dealing with anyone than to reveal her angry thoughts. But the threat to the clan, while yet unseen, was real and worrisome. Danger was in the air, and Shakuntala was unwise to ignore it. If nothing else perhaps the anger Venera had stirred in the Domina would be enough to rouse her into action.
DRAGONS INVOLVED/MENTIONED:
The Nightbringers
Shakuntala and her Guard
Ravana
STATUS: Rough draft! I definitely found myself writing 'presides' instead of 'precedes' so it will need another read-through or two. Especially to make sure Venera and Shakuntala are completely in-character in their dialogues. Turns out never writing for them makes it hard to get a feel for them.
