Trinh. Valdis recognized the woman immediately, her heart sinking with the realization that her old friend could only be there for one reason. Trinh had aged, like all should, but there was no mistaking that red hair and the sound of her voice as she called for her daughter. This complicated matters somewhat. She had sent everyone who knew her face far away, every ally, all to ensure that no one would suspect she was still here, but she hadn't expected her childhood friend to show up.
Valdis backed away from the ship, moving toward the edge of the crowd, keeping her hood up. If the woman recognized her here, there might be problems. Trinh would hopefully hold her tongue, but there were no guarantees, not after how they had parted. Yet, more than that, Trihn's daughter was now in danger, now she had to tread with more care than she originally planned.
There was too much, far too much, on Brynja's mind that Valdis didn't really need to worry about being recognized. Keeping her daughter safe was Brynja's first priority; the Emergence was vicious, in the strange way young girls could be when pushed to the point of desperation.
That and she was too busy looking at the wrong direction, for it was the Queen herself that Brynja remembered from her childhood. From the last Emergence. And she would keep her head down and do her best not to be recognized, for should the Queen discover that she had somehow survived... Ilda would not stand a chance at all.
—
Ilda, well, was an entirely different story.
To be fair, nobody told her that the Twelve would need to be introduced and presented to the crowd, so she didn't bother to wait for the ship to be properly docked, climbing and sliding down the ropes to get to the island first. She was nervous, sure, but a part of her was still excited. The Emergence did only happen every so often, with the last one already two decades ago.
She slipped into the sea of people, listening to the citizen's equally excited chatter... and bumped into a tall, hooded figure.
"Sorry!" she quickly apologized, although she was just as quickly overcome by curiosity. How mysterious!
The sudden bump caused her to spin and grab the girl by the arm. Trinh's eyes looked back at her, so she just as quickly released her. Time to pick up a persona. Her emerald eyes hardened.
"Watch where you are going, girl," she replied, "This place isn't as friendly as it looks."
Valdis glanced back over to Trinh, steeling her nerves as the crowd cheered the other eleven girls. Her friend had no idea what it had taken to do what she had done, how long it had taken to come up with a plan. Her gaze returned to the girl.
"You one of the girls here to replace Queen Meira?"
Ilda blinked, taking a step back from the hooded woman. It was the other's eyes that frightened her more than the sharp tone and the harsh words. "Sorry," she apologized, completely out of reflex; it's not the first time she'd offended anyone like this before, although most people would be more annoyed than actually upset. She opened her mouth to say something more, but quickly closed it. Whoops.
Valdis' question, though, made her blink again. The queen's name was Meira? She... actually didn't know that. She should really pay attention, or at least do a better job at pretending to be a devout worshiper. Why risk being arrested and put to death sooner than she had to? "Y-Yes. I'm one of the Twelve."
It was only then when it occurred to her that the people were cheering, and she looked back at the ship to see the other girls lining up to be presented. Double whoops.
The fear flitting through the young girl hadn't been her intent, but the prospect of seeing her former friend, someone who could spoil her plans, even by accident, did not sit well with her.
"You'd better get over there before the guards go searching for you," Valdis replied, "They can be pushy, don't let them see the fear you just showed me and you'll be fine."
For now at least. Trihn's dislike of her may still be around, not that Valdis blamed the woman, stabbing her in the back in order to break the system, even if she knew Trihn wouldn't have died...Trihn had no reason to forgive her.
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helloeverybunny2019-01-09 08:44 pm
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Valdis backed away from the ship, moving toward the edge of the crowd, keeping her hood up. If the woman recognized her here, there might be problems. Trinh would hopefully hold her tongue, but there were no guarantees, not after how they had parted. Yet, more than that, Trihn's daughter was now in danger, now she had to tread with more care than she originally planned.
no subject
That and she was too busy looking at the wrong direction, for it was the Queen herself that Brynja remembered from her childhood. From the last Emergence. And she would keep her head down and do her best not to be recognized, for should the Queen discover that she had somehow survived... Ilda would not stand a chance at all.
—
Ilda, well, was an entirely different story.
To be fair, nobody told her that the Twelve would need to be introduced and presented to the crowd, so she didn't bother to wait for the ship to be properly docked, climbing and sliding down the ropes to get to the island first. She was nervous, sure, but a part of her was still excited. The Emergence did only happen every so often, with the last one already two decades ago.
She slipped into the sea of people, listening to the citizen's equally excited chatter... and bumped into a tall, hooded figure.
"Sorry!" she quickly apologized, although she was just as quickly overcome by curiosity. How mysterious!
no subject
"Watch where you are going, girl," she replied, "This place isn't as friendly as it looks."
Valdis glanced back over to Trinh, steeling her nerves as the crowd cheered the other eleven girls. Her friend had no idea what it had taken to do what she had done, how long it had taken to come up with a plan. Her gaze returned to the girl.
"You one of the girls here to replace Queen Meira?"
no subject
Valdis' question, though, made her blink again. The queen's name was Meira? She... actually didn't know that. She should really pay attention, or at least do a better job at pretending to be a devout worshiper. Why risk being arrested and put to death sooner than she had to? "Y-Yes. I'm one of the Twelve."
It was only then when it occurred to her that the people were cheering, and she looked back at the ship to see the other girls lining up to be presented. Double whoops.
no subject
"You'd better get over there before the guards go searching for you," Valdis replied, "They can be pushy, don't let them see the fear you just showed me and you'll be fine."
For now at least. Trihn's dislike of her may still be around, not that Valdis blamed the woman, stabbing her in the back in order to break the system, even if she knew Trihn wouldn't have died...Trihn had no reason to forgive her.