DocTomoe
Well-Known Member
Nyli III - Lorath Royal Palace, Noon hour.
"Sister, we have a bit of a problem." Velor stated as he sat down with his sister and children in their bed. The children were asleep for their afternoon nap, so Velor spoke in hushed tones.
"And just what would that be?" Harr'Ikke asked, softly stroking her daughter's hair.
"The United Outer Colonies are hung up on our petition to join as a protectorate. They're concerned about the Helashio. They wish to know what kind of conditions they live in, if they're willing to live as they are, and other such key issues." Velor silently spoke as he placed his hand upon his Sister's shoulder. He was tired, it was apparent in his eyes that he had been busy with the ordeals outside of the royal chambers for some time. It was made even more apparent by his need to touch his sister to speak telepathically.
Harr'Ikke looked up to her brother, concern in her eyes. "Stay with the children brother, I will look over such matters." Harr'Ikke nuzzled into her brother for a moment before she carefully untangled herself from the sheets, pushing her brother to the bed a little easily. With two steps and a light flap, Harr'Ikke was up and over the side of the bed. "Do we have the representatives of the Helashio tribes here?" She asked her brother.
"As they've always been. They've been good subjects, they honor their people well by their actions." Velor spoke in return as he moved close enough to the side of the bed to place a kiss upon his sister's ankle. He did not feel much like standing up for otherwise, the bed was like a quicksand pit to him, pulling him deeper with each passing moment.
"Very well, sleep well my brother." Harr'Ikke said to her brother, smiling a little as she exited the room, making her way down to the conference room where the Helashio would be.
As Harr'Ikke passed through the halls, she received the usual nods and salutes from the occasional palace guard and other individuals who came and went through the halls. However, as she neared the conference room she could hear the chatter of native Helashio language. They were quite talkative.
Harr'Ikke sighed, mentally preparing herself as she entered the conference room. Wrapping her wings around herself for a moment, she wiggled them to loosen them up and let them hang behind herself. she needed to seem unintimidating. With another sigh, she opened the door slowly and walked in, a smile on her face as she spoke in Lorath, a tongue both races would know. "Greetings! How good it is to see you again. Welcome to the palace, how have you been?"
It was no use for Harr'Ikke to go about trying to seem unintimidating, the Helashio would respond quite nearly the same either way, this was made apparent as the trio of elders quickly took to their knees and then bowed their foreheads to the floor. "Greetings Mistress Xiaah." They each spoke.
It was not that they had been forced to do such, quite the contrary. These elders were clothed, they received pay, they were permitted to speak, they were allowed to be as free as they ever wanted. However, they maintained with what they wanted. It was quite a confusing paradox that the Matriarchy was faced with since being told they'd have to free these people.
"Now now, I am not your mistress, simply your Xiaah..." Harr'Ikke knelt before the trio and smiled, forcing them to stand now.
The elder with most authority frowned and shook his head. "Its not our place to call you merely Xiaah, and it is not our place to stand in your presence until it is allowed." His gray with age brows were forced together as his forehead scrunched in troubled thought. "Just as we vowed to your grandparents, we're to serve. It is our place."
It was apparent that the trio of elders had caught word of why they were brought to conference. Thus explaining the chatter which came from the room before Harr'Ikke's arrival.
"Then rise and be seated, we have much to discuss." Harr'Ikke said aloud, touching the three on the shoulder to have them stand. In the room were four couches set around a circular table with a few different confections and drinks.
The trio of Helashio rose from their knelt positions. The audible sound of their aged bones making pops and snaps with the motion were quite audible to Lorath ears, however, the trio of elders shown no sign of discomfort. After standing, the trio split and each of the Helashio sat themselves upon a couch. After sitting, they merely waited for Harr'Ikke to sit and speak. They did not even once eye the food and drink available.
"Please relax and make yourselves comfortable." Harr'Ikke offered the treats with a wave of her hand as she smiled and took a cup of tea for herself. "I assume you all know why you are here?" She asked the leaders.
Once offered, one of the Helashio went about serving himself a cup of some sort of heated beverage, a sort of mix between a tea and a coffee. The other three however remained quite focused on the matter at hand.
"Yes, news travels quickly in both of our cultures. New people from the skies want to force us to break our vows it seems." The Helashio which seemed to speak for the other two went about stating as he looked at Harr'Ikke with a somber expression which seemed to indicate a sadness. "It burdens us so to have these people come and force us from the lives that we desire. It also angers us to see them make our same sins against your people, Mistress. However, these new sky-people, are they better than the Sorrow Bringers?"
"Yes, much better. They are the ones that aided our flight from home, and they are the ones who gave us the planet that you now call home." Harr'Ikke nodded a little and smiled, leaning back in her chair as she sipped on her tea.
One of the Helashio which was quiet finally spoke, his tone sounded stressed as he scowled slightly. However, he spoke in Helashio since he did not have the ability to speak in Lorath.
The voice of the group frowned and nodded. "As my friend says, if they are so kind, why do they try to force us to break our vows as well? What must we do to make it clear that we want this life to save our own souls?"
"You must go before their new council and make it known. You must make them know it is not us who presses this upon you, but it is you who wishes to stay in your position." Harr'Ikke let out a small sigh and nodded. "We feed you, we clothe and house you, we are willing to give a salary should you wish it."
"Lady Mistress... Did the kin which came before me go about feeding your people? Clothe your people? House you in something other than the damnation beneath the ground? No, they betrayed your memory and merely forgot you. It is my people's mistake to do something so utterly sinful. We do not deserve your kindness, but we will also not insult our Mistress by declining if we must accept." The elder let out a sigh as he shook his head softly. "For now though, we will send someone before their council which will show them our willingness. Who do you desire to send my Mistress?"
"I wish for you to go. You speak for the Helashio nations, and so it will be you who will speak before the council. You may bring as many as you wish, but I will be going as well." Harr'Ikke nodded a little. Of course she would have to tell her brother, but that was a moot point.
"Mistress, I am honored." The elder bowed his head for a moment before speaking again. "If I may ask, may I have a half a day to gather the information and my kin I need to plea my people's case, my Mistress?"
"Take your time. I must speak with my brother regardless, and he is sleeping so it will be a while." Harr'Ikke nodded lightly again and smiled.
The Helashio gave a nod before speaking. "Yes Mistress. I am at your command, as always."
"I will contact you when we are ready to go, you have the run of the palace until them. Use any resources you need." Harr'Ikke bowed her head once before standing. "Until I call on you, you are free to do as you need. With that said, this meeting is dismissed."
The trio bowed their heads before standing from their couches, bowing once more, then leaving the room in a slow stride. The last Helashio out the door gave a bow to Harr'Ikke before leaving the room.
Harr'Ikke bowed in return before waiting for the door to shut. After a silent twenty count, the Xiaah left the room and headed back towards her room to awaken her brother.
"Sister, we have a bit of a problem." Velor stated as he sat down with his sister and children in their bed. The children were asleep for their afternoon nap, so Velor spoke in hushed tones.
"And just what would that be?" Harr'Ikke asked, softly stroking her daughter's hair.
"The United Outer Colonies are hung up on our petition to join as a protectorate. They're concerned about the Helashio. They wish to know what kind of conditions they live in, if they're willing to live as they are, and other such key issues." Velor silently spoke as he placed his hand upon his Sister's shoulder. He was tired, it was apparent in his eyes that he had been busy with the ordeals outside of the royal chambers for some time. It was made even more apparent by his need to touch his sister to speak telepathically.
Harr'Ikke looked up to her brother, concern in her eyes. "Stay with the children brother, I will look over such matters." Harr'Ikke nuzzled into her brother for a moment before she carefully untangled herself from the sheets, pushing her brother to the bed a little easily. With two steps and a light flap, Harr'Ikke was up and over the side of the bed. "Do we have the representatives of the Helashio tribes here?" She asked her brother.
"As they've always been. They've been good subjects, they honor their people well by their actions." Velor spoke in return as he moved close enough to the side of the bed to place a kiss upon his sister's ankle. He did not feel much like standing up for otherwise, the bed was like a quicksand pit to him, pulling him deeper with each passing moment.
"Very well, sleep well my brother." Harr'Ikke said to her brother, smiling a little as she exited the room, making her way down to the conference room where the Helashio would be.
As Harr'Ikke passed through the halls, she received the usual nods and salutes from the occasional palace guard and other individuals who came and went through the halls. However, as she neared the conference room she could hear the chatter of native Helashio language. They were quite talkative.
Harr'Ikke sighed, mentally preparing herself as she entered the conference room. Wrapping her wings around herself for a moment, she wiggled them to loosen them up and let them hang behind herself. she needed to seem unintimidating. With another sigh, she opened the door slowly and walked in, a smile on her face as she spoke in Lorath, a tongue both races would know. "Greetings! How good it is to see you again. Welcome to the palace, how have you been?"
It was no use for Harr'Ikke to go about trying to seem unintimidating, the Helashio would respond quite nearly the same either way, this was made apparent as the trio of elders quickly took to their knees and then bowed their foreheads to the floor. "Greetings Mistress Xiaah." They each spoke.
It was not that they had been forced to do such, quite the contrary. These elders were clothed, they received pay, they were permitted to speak, they were allowed to be as free as they ever wanted. However, they maintained with what they wanted. It was quite a confusing paradox that the Matriarchy was faced with since being told they'd have to free these people.
"Now now, I am not your mistress, simply your Xiaah..." Harr'Ikke knelt before the trio and smiled, forcing them to stand now.
The elder with most authority frowned and shook his head. "Its not our place to call you merely Xiaah, and it is not our place to stand in your presence until it is allowed." His gray with age brows were forced together as his forehead scrunched in troubled thought. "Just as we vowed to your grandparents, we're to serve. It is our place."
It was apparent that the trio of elders had caught word of why they were brought to conference. Thus explaining the chatter which came from the room before Harr'Ikke's arrival.
"Then rise and be seated, we have much to discuss." Harr'Ikke said aloud, touching the three on the shoulder to have them stand. In the room were four couches set around a circular table with a few different confections and drinks.
The trio of Helashio rose from their knelt positions. The audible sound of their aged bones making pops and snaps with the motion were quite audible to Lorath ears, however, the trio of elders shown no sign of discomfort. After standing, the trio split and each of the Helashio sat themselves upon a couch. After sitting, they merely waited for Harr'Ikke to sit and speak. They did not even once eye the food and drink available.
"Please relax and make yourselves comfortable." Harr'Ikke offered the treats with a wave of her hand as she smiled and took a cup of tea for herself. "I assume you all know why you are here?" She asked the leaders.
Once offered, one of the Helashio went about serving himself a cup of some sort of heated beverage, a sort of mix between a tea and a coffee. The other three however remained quite focused on the matter at hand.
"Yes, news travels quickly in both of our cultures. New people from the skies want to force us to break our vows it seems." The Helashio which seemed to speak for the other two went about stating as he looked at Harr'Ikke with a somber expression which seemed to indicate a sadness. "It burdens us so to have these people come and force us from the lives that we desire. It also angers us to see them make our same sins against your people, Mistress. However, these new sky-people, are they better than the Sorrow Bringers?"
"Yes, much better. They are the ones that aided our flight from home, and they are the ones who gave us the planet that you now call home." Harr'Ikke nodded a little and smiled, leaning back in her chair as she sipped on her tea.
One of the Helashio which was quiet finally spoke, his tone sounded stressed as he scowled slightly. However, he spoke in Helashio since he did not have the ability to speak in Lorath.
The voice of the group frowned and nodded. "As my friend says, if they are so kind, why do they try to force us to break our vows as well? What must we do to make it clear that we want this life to save our own souls?"
"You must go before their new council and make it known. You must make them know it is not us who presses this upon you, but it is you who wishes to stay in your position." Harr'Ikke let out a small sigh and nodded. "We feed you, we clothe and house you, we are willing to give a salary should you wish it."
"Lady Mistress... Did the kin which came before me go about feeding your people? Clothe your people? House you in something other than the damnation beneath the ground? No, they betrayed your memory and merely forgot you. It is my people's mistake to do something so utterly sinful. We do not deserve your kindness, but we will also not insult our Mistress by declining if we must accept." The elder let out a sigh as he shook his head softly. "For now though, we will send someone before their council which will show them our willingness. Who do you desire to send my Mistress?"
"I wish for you to go. You speak for the Helashio nations, and so it will be you who will speak before the council. You may bring as many as you wish, but I will be going as well." Harr'Ikke nodded a little. Of course she would have to tell her brother, but that was a moot point.
"Mistress, I am honored." The elder bowed his head for a moment before speaking again. "If I may ask, may I have a half a day to gather the information and my kin I need to plea my people's case, my Mistress?"
"Take your time. I must speak with my brother regardless, and he is sleeping so it will be a while." Harr'Ikke nodded lightly again and smiled.
The Helashio gave a nod before speaking. "Yes Mistress. I am at your command, as always."
"I will contact you when we are ready to go, you have the run of the palace until them. Use any resources you need." Harr'Ikke bowed her head once before standing. "Until I call on you, you are free to do as you need. With that said, this meeting is dismissed."
The trio bowed their heads before standing from their couches, bowing once more, then leaving the room in a slow stride. The last Helashio out the door gave a bow to Harr'Ikke before leaving the room.
Harr'Ikke bowed in return before waiting for the door to shut. After a silent twenty count, the Xiaah left the room and headed back towards her room to awaken her brother.
