RP:The Secrets That We Keep

Part of the The End's Not Near Arc

Summary: Diin and Regi run into each other once again, though she's in a different disguise this time. Her death prevents her from revealing her true form while the dragon also hides behind a humanoid guise. They discuss Alithrya's current usurper. Tempers flare and insults are exchanged before the two part.

Spring of Vitality

Reginae was still considered dead, and because of this she couldn’t be seen out in the wild in her naga form. Instead, she’s been roaming around like a male rogue for most of her time. Today, she’s occupying the spring of vitality as a naga, albeit a different composition. Her hair is long, black and curled tight around her angular face. Her eyes are green and murky like a scummy pond. Her skin boasts a golden tan with a naga tail the color of dark ebony. She’s waist deep in the spring, water nymphs buzz about her hair, pulling out the her springy curls and laughing with glee. They sprinkle water to weigh down her hair and braid little sections. Hushed whispers and the soft hum of wings blends with the rippling water. Her torso is decorated by a simple strapped top that cuts off at her ribs. Her almond eyes close and she sighs into the space overhead with forlorn undertones. As if silently asking the gods above for guidance. Sunlight speckles the surrounding woods and casts a shimmer on the spring.

Dyraxdiin , as if summoned by those gods Reginae looks to, appears through the foliage. A peculiar sight to some, perhaps, a mage wandering through the dense thicket of the woods of Sage. Even still, the great wyrm in human guise does well to play the part of forest-goer, his footsteps hushed upon the earthen ground, his gray half robes never catching upon an outreaching branch or twig. The only thing odd about him perhaps, is the fact he wears mithril halfplate. Nothing so unweidly as a knight would wear, but something of the nature for protection, as much as for appearance. The gray dragon brushes aside the few strands of hair that are always somehow free of the ponytail he keeps, as if in disbelief of the creature bathing before him. His blue eyes take her in, his head to tilt for but a moment. "I hope I haven't disturbed you, or interrupted something...?" He trails off, eyes to move around the clearing of the spring as if trying to garner a sign of another individual here. It's not often a woman is bathing alone. In the middle of nowhere. Unless she is some sort of spring mermaid, here to lure unwitting travelers to their deaths. That would be unfortunate.

Reginae drops her chin so her line of sight is level with her surroundings only when the male speaks. Her eyes turn lazily in his direction but her head does not. She keeps him in her peripheral and grins at no one, her lithe tanned wrist waving dismissively through the air beside her. “What is a spring for if not to laze about in?”” A huff before she continues. “If you are asking if I’m here on romantic business, I can assure you I am very much alone in all walks of life.” The tip of her ebony tail punctures the surface of the spring a good meter or so from where her torso sits. She recognizes him, but there’s no way to tell him who she is or that they’ve met before. It didn’t sit well with her. “You look familiar.” She offers, believing him to be well known for his work with the Mage’s guild. If she’d heard about it, it must have some truth. “Aren’t you a little far from Xalious, Master Mage?” Her tone carries the air of disinterest but her eyes stay focused on him, even out of the corner of her sockets.

Dyraxdiin approaches the Naga on admisssion of her present state of solitude. He didn't want some random young fellow attacking him for being to close to his lady. Such things never end well, after all. Then again, Dragons are a different sort when it comes to their protectiveness of their mates; Diin would be the first to admit his lack of knowledge on the culture and customs of other creatures. Especially things relating to Nagas - creatures he has little history with. He comes to a nearby rock which looks like a comfortable enough place for a bit of a respite. "I suppose my face is known enough in these parts to not be surprised you would not me, or have seen me in passing, Miss...?" He trails off again, unsure what to call her. "My name is Dyraxdiin. Master Mage is far too stuffy for my taste, if you would be so accommodating. As to my business in the woods, I was hunting mermaids. I hear they are delicious this time of year, you know." He returns her grin with a smile of his own. It's clear he is not here for mermaid hunting season, obviously. Given his line of work, he finds random strangers are probably not the best to confide in. The woods being his true concern here - the taint therein.

Reginae slowly tilts her head in his direction as he begins to move. “Rey,” She offers, “Charmed, I’m sure.” His reply about mermaids earns a small smirk, a scattering of water nymphs and the small spring back of a section of her curly ebony locks. “Dyraxdiin.” She repeats the name, as if committing it to memory. “I’m afraid you’ve only found a naga. Less delicious, far too many small bones.” Her fingers stretch as if demonstrating the composition of her hands. “See? All bones.” Her smirk lingers on her plump lips as she turns her cheeks to catch more sunlight, which reflects back into her eyes to fight against the previous murk of the shadows. “Happy to make your acquaintance. I dare say you are the most interesting thing to pass by in quite some time. Seems this region of the forest isn’t as active as it once was.”

Dyraxdiin keeps his eyes upon her own, perhaps fearful of seeming indecent. Really. She is a woman, bathing in a beautiful spring after all. He isn't so old as to be oblivious of the awkward situation he finds himself in. "Ah, I see." He responds, looking at her offered hands, "It is a good thing I've got an appetite, like a dragon some would say, and I've never been squeamish about small bones." He smiles, rearranging his hands upon his lap, "I may end up with a Naga at the end of my hook today, but that remains to be seen." At her mention of the forest, he does break eye contact to look around at it. A shame, the lack of Forest Dragons to ward off the wrongness wrought here, the weakness of the Elves in their absence. "I assure you, I'm a pretty regular person. No more interesting than that squirrel over there," He indicates with a tilt of his head. "However, the forest... It has suffered much over the years. I believe that is why you have found no companion for yourself in that spring." His lips curl up once more in a boyish grin.

Reginae squints at the man. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear he was trying to be pleasant company. How strange. She had him pegged as an antisocial academic type. That goes to show you even know it all nagas can be wrong sometimes. “I’d prefer to remain in one piece, if it pleases your Dragon appetite.” A human? A regular ‘person’? Hmm. “No one who has ever claimed to be ordinary is made of such metal. I’d chance a guess that you’re extraordinary and hiding it for modesty or protection. Easier to snag pray when you are underestimated, no?” So was she prey or just a conversation piece? The male goes on to talk about the forest and she nods sagely. “Companions are hard to find, inside or out. Seems Aramoth saw fit to lead you here, or if you aren’t of the same belief the threads of fate or destiny...your own archaic design whathaveyou.” Again, her palm rotates lazily around her wrist as if dispelling formalities. “In or out, doesn’t matter. I’m not necessarily on the hunt. Just biding my time.”

Dyraxdiin shrugs his shoulders in response to his words, as if settling the matter of his ordinary-or-not status. "You'll just have to wait and see, though I assure you, what you find will be little." The great wyrm shows little emotion in regards to her statement - indifferent about it, more or less. He regards the Naga for a time, perhaps wondering if he is hungry enough, or maybe trying to ascertain her present status in the world. There is usually much going on behind the eyes of a Naga - they are, in fact, Saurian after all. "The gods have no interest in this plane. Even their blessed Ascendi are no more, in testament to that. I also am not a believer in fate or destiny, though those words and the emotion they stir are useful tools, so I do credit the individuals that created them." The mage winks, knowing full well that he is being difficult. "Coincidence? Yes, very much so." He waves his hand in gesture of the spring, "I would rather not. I hear tell that Naga have quite an appetite for mortal flesh themselves, and that the women are a particularly domineering type."

Reginae chuckles heartily at this reply. “If they had no interest, the naga would not be.” She turns her gaze skyward, soaking in the sunlight like a blessing from above. “Under the cold seas, we have only artificial light. It’s easy to take things like this for granted. Warm beaches and springs. Only was warm as the waters they migrate from.” Useful tools indeed. This remark about nagas have a taste for mortal flesh earns him a skeptical glance. “Only one naga I’ve ever met that’s of that mindset and she’s long gone now.” Vanished or dead. It’s unclear which she means. “I only fancy delicacies. Human hide is too tough and stubborn.” A flash of her fanged grin in exchange for this opinion. “Though I will credit your source correctly for the female of our species. Avid tricksters and fearless fighters. Though now is not a good time for the naga...under a terrible rule currently...”

Dyraxdiin laughs at the mention of her evidence of gods still active in the world. "Spells wear out over time, without further bolstering from the creator or those who know how they work. The Naga are not evidence in favor of the gods returning, yet evidence to the contrary. As for your artificial light, it could be bound to your existence. An easy spell is one that leeches off of a population without their knowledge. It keeps it strong, and useful for only the amount of time they exist. I suppose the trouble then, is why your existence was not doubly linked to the one that kept you locked away." He shrugs his shoulders, "I'm not here to dispute that though." He knows they exist, but is skeptical about their involvement in anything relating to the world at current. Dyraxdiin exhales slowly at the mention of Naga hardship, "What's happened in Alithrya?" He can't help but feel a sense of kinship towards them - after all, they too were locked away for reasons not of their choosing, much like himself. It goes beyond common blood.

Reginae kept her smirk. “I didn’t mean the light, my dear. I’m not so blinded by religion to lack belief in magics. Spells wear off, all things die...and yet somehow we are here again. By magic or mystery, who am I to say?” She lofts a brow as he goes on, ignoring her quip about delicacies. Ah yes, the state of Alithrya. “Quite a tale, really. A new Queen was taking the crown when the old one returned and killed her on the spot. Reginae was her name. Perhaps you’ve heard of her?” A pause while she considers him, examining his face for recognition in her true name or the suffering of her people. “Rumor has it she has some terrible power on her side. She was rumored to be dead after the fall of the Archmosian empire but the names are older now. People don’t remember everything they should…” Then she sighs and her smile slacks for a thoughtful frown. “I don’t dare to assume but humans rarely mettle in our affairs. I’d advise you to do the same. Jaize has a reputation for keeping human pets. Used to have a little human woman...before the Fold freed her.”

Dyraxdiin knows what the gods are, or once were. His kind is old enough, he is old enough, to remember the stories of the creation of Lithrydel, of Hollow. How the gods were once mortal and ascended after attaining great power and knowledge. That begs the question, is the divine simply another form of arcane magic, the worship of these gods nothing more than the worship of magic? Dyraxdiin scoots further back on his makeshift chair, getting a bit more comfortable to listen to her reply on the Nagas. "I have heard the name Reginae, and even read about Jaize. I don't think I personally knew either of them, but I have suspicions." Another shrug of his shoulders beneath mithril half-plate pauldrons. "As I said before, I am an ordinary person, if gifted in the arcane. However, I wouldn't wish to see people suffer under an unjust rule. Perhaps I will take a keener interest in the events unfolding there." And assuage if the balance of the world is being disturbed by the previous queen's reappearance. "Tell me, Rey, how was Reginae killed?"

Reginae was not used to discussing her own death. It's still a sensitive subject, for it had nearly come to ‘actually’ pass despite her best laid plans. Her features tighten while her gaze shifts up to the right overhead, catching glints of sunlight in her eyes as she strains to remember. “No one is entirely sure. Hildegarde stepped up to present Reginae with the lost naga crow, she gave a speech about change for the better and then per naga ritual put on the royal necklace. The necklace took the place of the crown, historically…” She explains, moving her eyes back to the human male beside her. She still wasn’t sure if he was as human as he said. She’d never met a human bold enough to approach a naga with ease. Her pupils slit in annoyance at the circumstance, not her company. “And then she collapsed...and Jaize showed her face, slithered out of some dark corner like it had been her plan all along to gather people there so they could witness her take over. It felt very… ‘You all saw it. The old queen is dead so it’s my turn.’ You know?” She shrugs, sighs and sinks further into the water, elbows braced on the side of the spring as more of her tail comes into view to keep the water from spilling back out of the spring. “And I haven’t been back since.” She explains, forgetting for a moment that it’s Reginae’s story and not Rey’s. “No sense in living under a mad queen, if I do say so myself. No matter how long you’ve lived there.” Viridescent optics remain trained on the dragon. “What about you Mage? Are you far from home?”

Dyraxdiin leans back, placing his hands on the face of the rock he sits on, his head tilting back. Blue eyes regard the sky in silent speculation; Rey’s story to unfold in his mind’s eye with each word. Once she finishes her retelling, Dyraxdiin releases a low whistle. “So you aren’t sure that Reginae is dead? I mean, unless you witness her last breath, there could be more to the story.” He straightens up and peers back toward the Naga. He affords her a scowl, “Even if she is dead, you are a coward for fleeing. Saurian’s, true Saurian’s, are proud and resilient. But instead you run? And what if your hand is what tips the scales?” The Mage’s shakes his head, “Hire an assassin, call on your allies or kin. I’m sure a dragon could be convinced to fly in and pluck the usurper from her tower.” Dyraxdiin snorts in irritation, something sounding a bit more Saurian than human, “Too often do people sit by and allow this sort of thing to happen. You are empowered to rule your life.” His blue eyes regard her for a time longer, studying her features and reaction. Maybe she has some spirit left? This might tell him something.

Reginae was momentarily impressed. Her theatrics had fooled her sister and all those present. Perhaps the weight was lost in storytelling. It wasn’t her strongest attribute. She’s about to say as much when he called her a coward and her pupils dilate into slits of rage. A coward was she? She has to remind herself that it would do no good to fight him. Her aggression bleeds into her voice, humanoid lips curl back to reveal more of her fangs as she speaks. “And just what do you think I’m doing human?” It’s reflexive, like his race is some sort of weakness. A belittling comment made to unnerve him. “I’ve already garnered Frostmaw’s allegiance in the battle, but they are locked in another conflict. The naga kin I’d wrangled are sparse and distracted. Disinterest in the fight is rampant.” She sighs, releasing all the oxygen she’d puffed out her chest with. “I am the hand that tips the scales. A coward…” She scuffs, turning her head away from him in annoyance. “And if I knew any Dragon, I might have already called in their services. Problem is, Dragons are more reclusive these days. Hard to dig one out of the mountain side if they aren’t keen on leaving.” Here her nose is turned up, eyes closed and expression indignant. It’s clear she’s taken heavy offense to his advice. Mostly because, unbeknownst to him, she’d been working like a dog to find answers to the riddles that her sister had unfolded. She couldn’t go against her without a plan! Sheer might wouldn’t win this battle. Still, the naga faulted him for his judgement. He saw a lazy naga splashing about in a spring, complaining of things that appeared over her head. Bah. What did he know? Her long tail ran aground while her torso bobbed along the water’s surface. Ebony coils curl and sway until the nagas entire length and person is on dry land, near the rock where Diin rests casually. She casts her gaze at him, huffing again and waiting for him to speak against what she’s said.

{In Progress}