RP:A Calculated Risk

Part of the The End's Not Near Arc

Summary; Iblis finds her way to Alithrya and delivers the pouch to Reginae, just as she was told, with no knowledge of the consequences. Reginae leads the young woman back to the Palace with her own heavy questions. A hitch in the plan...what to do now...

Main Street

Reginae didn’t often visit this sector of Alithrya. It was mostly abandoned, a port that brought few travellers and housed no citizens. A relic, to the days before the time freeze, when the naga were proud, strong, and invincible. Yozenra would be meeting her here later, to hang banners to direct the possible visitors to the realm to the upcoming coronation. The naga city could be difficult to traverse for newcomers and the last thing anyone wanted was to get lost. It would be bad news for the naga as well, to find weary travels lost in the hunting grounds or even the catacombs. Much better this way, Reginae thought, slithering through spots of water and examining the damage with her fingers laced against the small of her back. Her snowy tresses were pinned back with serpent pins of opal. There was no sound to the place beyond the roar of distant waves and the muffled sounds of city life that filtered through the levels below.

Iblis enjoyed the sounds of the waters. The body of water here made mighty sounds indeed, constantly reverberating throughout the city, soothing her. She was in a strange place, but here with a purpose. She'd been promised a baby beholder... and her naivete allowed her to believe such an empty promise. It had been hard to find Reginae, but she knew who she was looking for... somehow. Once within the city, the queen had been easy to scry. Though there were many wards against such around much of the city, few were prepared to counter the chaos magic she wielded... and Reginae wasn't in so protected a place, here in the main thoroughfares. Iblis had the pouch she was to deliver in her hands, when the short, odd drowess finally came upon Reginae, all smiles now that her quest was finally nearly at an end. She just had to give the pouch to the nice naga lady... that was all. It might be a wonder that such a strange creature was allowed into the city to begin with, even with foreigners coming and going... but Iblis had her ways.

Reginae spotted Iblis from a short distance away. Perhaps a traveller come early to tour the town and learn about naga culture? It doesn’t cross her mind that Iblis might be someone she should avoid. The Queen to be tugs her lips into a pleasant smile and lets her voice fill the otherwise humming space below the waves. “Good afternoon, and Welcome to Alithrya.” Her tone was as thick with levity as her polite smile. The guards had done a thorough sweep of this level and places many wards within the abandoned houses, just in case whatever power sought to snuff Reginae out of existence was hidden out of sight. It made the most sense, to search here. The downside was, most of the city was a maze, and finding all it’s hidden passageways would be impossible. Even to Reginae, who claimed an intimate knowledge of the place. Pink hair...she thought, while she grinned. “Very Exotic. Where do you hail from miss…?” Her hand extended, as if the naga meant to shake the drowess’ hand.

Iblis blinked at Reginae. She thought the snake lady was pretty nice! She blushed at the compliment to her hair, and walked to Reginae. She wasn't sure about hand shaking, but she was here to give Reginae something! She took it out of her pocket, the small pouch, and put it in Reginae's hand. Done! Now she could have her new baby beholder! She looked confused a moment. It occurred to her that she didn't know where the strange giant would be. Maybe she should visit that bath again? Ah, well, She'd figure something out. For now she clapped her hands, glad to have accomplished her mission, and had a joyful expression on her face. What a marvelous day! Everything had gone alright! Good thing she had brought her black bunny. It hopped around her feet, its red eyes gazing up at Reginae intently... staring into her own. There was something morbid about it, something very unsettling... and legends said that the black bunny's stare was worse than the usual ill omen of its mere appearance. It usually meant death. Scary, then, that it turned that stare back on Iblis, who looked down, then ruffled it between its long ears.

Reginae watched, with a twitching smile as Iblis set the pouch into her hands. Her azurite eyes shift from Iblis to the pouch and back again until the rabbit catches her eye. This is very long pause and she can’t look away. She’d heard no omens about red eyed black furred rabbits and just thought this animal had an odd interest. “Miss?” She asked, trying to call Iblis back. What was this pouch? Who was this person?

Iblis looked at Reginae, and blinked. She then tapped her chin. She held her hand up really high to indicate he was big, and held two fingers up, then pointed at Reginae. He had two naga guards. She didn't know his name or anything, though, and couldn't really communicate anything in words. She hummed softly to herself, wondering if it was worth putting on the ring to be able to communicate, but decided against it. After all, it bore such a terrible cost... instead she just smiled and twirled about on her feet, wondering if she'd get a chance to see Reginae open it! She'd wondered what was inside... but she hadn't been allowed to open it, herself.

Reginae shook her head, squinting her eyes. “I’m afraid I don’t understand…” She offers, looking over her shoulders as if someone was behind her. No one is there. Two? She blinks again, trying to think of what this lovely lady might be trying to say. Perhaps she did not talk? “I’m sorry Miss?” She looks at the pouch again to pull the drawstrings apart and reveal it’s context. A necklace, elaborate and racing with chaotic energy unfolds in her hand, separated by the pouch fabric. Her eyes narrowed, it made sense now. “I see…” The pouch is reformed while the smile fluctuates. “You are looking for a giant yes?” Her hand extends overhead, mimicking her height. “He should be around the Palace, I can lead you back if you like?”

Iblis looks at the item, as Reginae takes it out of the pouch. It makes her eyes grow wide. It's beautiful... and swimming with the chaotic energies that she was so familiar with. Reginae puts it away, and she lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Wow. She wished she'd just kept the pretty necklace for herself, now. Oh, well. She wanted that baby beholder, really bad! She clenched her fists in front of her chest, childlike, and nodded her head vehemently when Reginae mentioned a giant, and looked very happy to hear that he was around the Palace. She twirled again, glad for the company, and the help finding the place. She wasn't very good with directions, after all. She'd walk by Reginae, and marvel at her scales. They were so very pretty. They made her want to mimic the naga... so she did. She wiggled her fingers, and from her waist sprouted long, purplish black tentacles, that spiraled around her legs, and squeezed together, growing longer and longer and twining about one another, until she'd approximated a tail to slither along on for herself. Of course, it wasn't a proper tail, and as soon as she tried to move along on it, she fell on her face, and the tentacles withdrew back to their realm. Shucks. Well, it was worth a shot. She gained her feet, and brushed herself off, giggling at her own silliness.

Reginae watched with a mix of adoration and concern as the cute girl with the pink hair grew a tail that didn’t slither and fell on her face. Instinctively, she reached out as if to catch her but no motion would be swift enough. Finally, Iblis was beside her and the naga woman gave her a grateful smile. “Come on, this way…” And with that, Reginae led Iblis into the heart of Alithryian life. There’s no way the drowess knew what she’s really delivered. It would be the death of all good things in Alithrya for quite some time if it’s magic found a way to break it’s binds.