· 8 years ago · Feb 21, 2018, 12:00 AM
1In a land shrouded with wonder and mystery, there are four main provinces. The vast World of Eoande includes Ambriel, the cities of the fae, Roane, fields of the fair toned Nuri, the Upper Realm of Ryme, and wicked Caydranth.
2The land of Ambriel is to the Southwest, bordered by the sea on the vast coastline. Ambriel is the land of the fae. The air-flyers are often interpreted as small, but in truth, they are of a common size. About 1.5 metre high, with wide, with translucent wings of a silken texture, but in reminder - it was of the greatest taboo to touch another fae’s wings unless in emergency, sickness, or death. The fae are ruled by Lady Aeval, a grand and beautiful fae, with the lightest blue wings and the smoothest face, long brown hair tied back in an elaborate braid, beautifully intertwined with meadow vines laced with morning glories.
3To the direct East of Ambriel lay the great fields of Roane, where the Nuri graze. The horned, horse like beings lack colors of auburn or black, instead they are silver and alabaster – the manes and tails flowing such a pure, crystalline color that the mane in itself seems to include all colors of the spectrum. The spiraled horn on the forehead is beautiful as ivory, a mix of the purest gold and the most glittering silver. Eyes of the Nuri are deep blue or glowing yellow, never varying, and never combining to create green. The Queen of Roane is the graceful Caelia; a crown upon her head weaved of grasé and foxglove.
4The Upper Realm of Ryme is of the Northwest, separated from the other two countries by the Rhyle Mountains. The land was dark, and inhabited by the great winged beasts of higher altitudes. The dragun were proud creatures, following no alliances and having no enemies. They roamed the mountains, flew throughout their lands, fed, and drank from the sea.
5The Queen of Ambriel and the Queen of Roane were in a tightly knit alliance. Queen Aeval and Queen Caelia were both fair and just, ruling their lands well. The leader of Ryme was a deep black dragun named Iram, though he rarely associated with other lands unless it was in direct profit to his lands.
6The last of the great Eolande was wicked Caydranth. No one ever went into Caydranth, and no one ever came back. As far as the three realms knew, there was no population, and no leader of the amoral lands. Caydranth was vile, coated in the darkest ice and beseeched with death.
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8The grazing was particularly fine in the morning, especially sunny mornings after the nightly dew. A small Nuri was feeding in the Northern tip of Roane, where the grasé grew long and plentiful. Right on the tip of Roane, part of the Rhyle Mountains lay. If you were lucky, you might see a dragun, especially during the early or late. Likelihood was slim, but tales were spread of Nuri seeing them and making a wish.
9The population of Roane knew the stories of Caydranth, but this particular Nuri was blissfully unaware of his proximity to the forbidden lands. He ate and was joyful, and once he had eaten his full of grasé, returned to his Ael Adair along with his neighbors and family.
10The young male died that night.
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12Wind. That was all I knew. The rush of the air and the smell of the open lands, my wings beating and lifting my body in perfect harmony. I was in sync with the skies, parallel with Eolande, and I felt as if I were in Summerland.
13My name is Aeval, and I am the Queen of Ambriel. The great Queen of Roane, Queen Caelia, darted trees and rocks while I flew. Her mane billowed as she moved, a glorious color, or colors as it may have appeared. It seemed she had stolen a rainbow straight out of the sky after a rain shower and weaved it inside the very fibers of her mane. She was, by far, the most beautiful in her kingdom, simply radiating grace and power. The leaders of each land are cause of the greatest awe by the peoples of each country. The most dazzling of all brought royalty, for beauty in Eolande was a result of leadership and trust.
14The populaces of Roane are well known for healing and creation, just as dragun are skilled masons and metalworkers. My species, the fae, are intellectual beings, as well as war workers. We live for peace - but if need arrive we don’t hesitate to dedicate ourselves to greater good. War exists between intellectual beings because intellect comes at a price of opinion. Opinion causes conflict, and conflict is the main perpetrator of war. War is past, present, and future.
15Caelia and I reached the lake of Lewa and took our time approaching the banks, allowing us a cool down after the run (or fly in my case). The lake flowed right along the Lailah River, and was created many moons ago by a dam. Although the River Lailah ran from the Western Seas, the water was crystal clear. Not a single particle of salt soiled the water.
16“I, regrettably, haven’t visited Nero for at least twenty moons,†the great crowned one declared. We could see the top of a flag across the lake, undoubtedly the flag of Ael Nero.
17“Neither have I. Nero always has the nicest trading posts. A nice young man bought me a bouquet of Primrose here once,†I mentioned, gazing fondly at the billowing flag in the distance as a cool breeze went past and fluttered my wings.
18“Let’s make haste,†Caelia urged, “the sooner we arrive, the sooner we can meet as discussed.â€
19And with that, she began making her way around the lake. This was how we parted our ways for the time being – as I could simply take to the air and make my way across the lake.
20We were going to Ael Nero for a grand meeting with the ambassadors of each land and species. Iram was to be there in representation of the dragun, I was to be there for fae, and Caelia for her homelands, as the issue was to do with Roane. What, to be truthful, had not been revealed to me yet. Meetings involving the Upper Realm of Ryme were always important, as the dragun were rarely involved with our affairs.
21The banks were nearing as I soared across the light blue waters, in the world of the Aves. A sweet dove passed by as I made my descent, a miniscule branch clutched tightly in its beak for creating a nest. My landing upon the bank startled a raccoon, which scampered away with a fish tightly clutched in its greedy paws, slightly shifting tiny pebbles upon the shore. The lake was in direct correlation with Ael Nero – literally not but a few metre away from each other. Plenty of Nuri and Fae took their home in this ael, as well as the lesser known – elvans, dŵarv, peyiers, caps, and plenty of others.
22As my foot stepped upon the paved roadway, I felt a calling, just like every ael does as you enter. An ancient magick throughout the ael, and throughout the entirety of Eolande as well, was in place. As you enter upon an area in which you have business, you will be guided to where you need to go. It was called drevaeo, in the ancient language of the ancestors meaning ‘Guide’. Common practice was to use ancient language words, for example, using ael, which was a word for a village or town. Ael, just like in any other place, come in different classifications, settings, and characteristics, such as grander ael than others - some with marble, others with simple brick, occasionally even with dirt roads. Each was equal stature, unless in comparison with the capital of each land.
23Ael Nero was quite grand – a city of trade upon the waters. As River Lailah flowed toward the East, the fae could send boats down to Ael Nero, and the Nuri could simply make their way upon the grand roads back to the fae, because the grand species exhibited much more endurance and strength than the fae.
24As drevaeo tugged me toward the center of the city, the population began noticing exactly who was walking amongst them, many kneeling or exclaiming a quick “madam†as they went on their way. When I had first become Queen, it was an oddity at best, and made me quite self-conscious. But, as everything progresses and is repeated, a pattern sets in that is quite possible and probable to get used to. I wasn’t proud, though people would think a Queen would and sometimes should be. Instead, I asked others how they were, made conversations with others headed the same direction as me, and otherwise just acted polite as possible. Regardless to my status as a good friend with the Nuri’s Queen, Roane was not my homeland, so it was only ethical to treat the people and nature of Roane with utmost politeness.
25I entered the grand hall of Ael Nero, and the tug of drevaeo eased. I was in a room with two of the grandest crescent shaped tables placed in opposition, as if to create a circle upon the center. A space existed between the two tables, to allow walkway between the two for speeches to the attendants. The point of having the circular tables and speaker upon the middle was for leader benefit. Being inside a center of listeners forced you to turn, and acknowledge all. The grouping was meant to encourage the leaders of a species or land to realize to pay attention to everyone, make plenty of eye contact, and to show appreciation thus so.
26There were representatives from each intellectual form of being around the table – two of dŵarv, one of elvan, three of peyiers (as they were untrusting folk), a single capper, another representative of fae - my cousin Eraain, two Nuri with a space between for Caelia, and grand dragun Iram with a cliff owl attending to him. Iram was placed at the edge of the two tables, sufficiently making it so there was only one walkway between the two circular tops, followed by the two dŵarv, the three peyier, and the capper. On the other table were the elvan, Eraain, the two Nuri, and an empty seating for myself and Caelia.
27“Welcome, Queen Aeval,†Eraain greeted me, standing upon my entrance as a common courtesy. Meetings such as these were of high importance, and the olden ways were followed strictly. We touched our left cheek together in greeting – the ancient way of acknowledgement between the fae, and sat.
28“How much longer do you see Queen Caelia taking?†The peyier in the center of all three questioned, quite obviously being the leader of the species and one of the grand ambassadors.
29“She won’t be but fifteen minutes or less,†I assured, watching the questioner taking a sip of his wine.
30“It is far past time to begin the grand conference of ambassadors,†Iram growled, vibrating the floor slightly.
31“I apologize. We made haste as much as possible,†I blushed in reply, furiously making my point of apology the most prevailing point in the sentence.
32“No matter,†Eraain assured. “Waiting for a little longer won’t harm anything.â€
33“I assure you, the matter is of utmost importance,†the grand ambassador of the peyier exclaimed, almost anxious sounding in tone. This was the confusing part. Peyier are harsh creatures, taking quiet pride in the seeming lack of emotion. You could compare them to vanpyrr, yet without the silly notions of blood drinking. Yet the Peyier in question was in a near state of panic.
34And no one spoke afterwards. It was an awkward pause, everyone curious as to the matter that was bothering the Peyier so profoundly.