Prologue
A being that is basically a creature of purgatory. Neither undead nor alive. It accounts for the lack of scent, no aura, and more or less, if one did not know what to look for, they could both be present and unnoticed even when close. That is what represents an oracle in this place, this matter of creature. Who even now at the moment was settled somewhat serenely next to a tangled weave of vines and broken stone of which cradled a bit of water.
With a slither of step, through the rubble of ivory, stone and nature's grasp of vine did another of that dark blood stroll into view. Fingertips trailed against the one half cracked pillar remaining, feeling every carved in rune marking in passing before coming beside that of Siefa. Alighting down into a bit of a squat, tentative reach of right arm, to allow hand to gently tease the others head a moment. Pushing an unruly dark splash of tresses aside. " My love, of why do you spend your time here..in this place of places?
Reacting slowly at first, head teased upwards with a faint smile slowly curving into place as fingertips toyed with her hair a bit. Unconscious slide of head to the touch before responding. "Because they require us, without us they would be without guides." Somewhat innocent response to the greater question, while not really answering it fully. A glance back down at the pool of water below. " Does She know that I have been dreaming of a future without her? "
A slight bit of laughter from the older of the two, though that really wasn't anything of importance, not to them at least. ' Of course She knows dearly beloved. How could she not? She is infinite. I think she approves of this though, it advances our cause. " A withdraw of hand back, glancing towards the pool the other seemed drawn towards. " What future do you see? " A studious stare of the bound liquid, nary a ripple to be seen, nor a bottom. As if it went on forever, much as time did.
"What we see, and what may happen are of course the reality of the vision." Siefa purred out her response, the syllables rolling off of the other Grey's tongue, neatly and properly. Their lack of presence would be hard to explain, but then again, this grove had to be sought by those that knew of it's existence or stumbled upon it perhaps. It was not a way point, but a portal if you will, for a path that lay between planes of existence. A rueful look for a moment. "It speaks of our great mother's passing. We see the path you take during this moment, but there are many ways such can happen. No one is the right one."
"Such visions are of course not unusual. You also if I am not mistaken, predicted brother Thei's passing also." Contemplated a moment as he ended up coming to rest upon the ancient ground. Noting the vines that crisis-crossed about, almost as if they held the earth and stone together, like some sort of bandage. A smile appeared, like some sort of knife wound in the cheek, words passing forth soon after. "Are we destined to fade away but to dust, to pass into the night? To be but memory in an Oracle's eye?" Slight turn of head to the right, peering about the interior, to visually store the interior within his mind."Let the end of us come, do we not deserve it at long last Siefa?"
"What we deserve is but left to the will of the Goddess of ours. Should She wish it, we at long last shall rest." Slow dip of right index finger into the puddle, then drew it back, the liquid drew up and as if something other then the water it appeared to be, brought closer for examination. After a time it was flicked free, and the liquid drew back it's lone appendage with not a splash or a ripple. "If you seek death so, then of following us, you should partake. We have been guaranteed a brilliant death should we wish it."
"Pursuing you has always been natural to me, my love." Slow curl of frame, tease of head to the right, resting it within the open palm of left hand as said elbow laid against stone."Ever does the moon pursue the sun, does it not? So shall I, Hiendor pursue you Siefa. Until the eve of judgement comes from She." A pause for a moment, then spoke again after just a few seconds, while eyes wandered towards the crumbling ceiling above." The invitations to the League and more specifically, The Batorys were sent earlier before my arrival."
"Delightful my love, I do hope they come. " Slithered up from her seated position, carefully and methodically meandering about from stone to stone, never stepping on the same one twice as arms came to stretch out and then splay fingers out, eyes upon the ceiling. "A vision of our deaths, could it be so grand? Quite possibly yes, but then again, it could not be. As you say, not all paths are the same. Perhaps we fade into dust and never to be remembered." A slight laugh escaped, as she kept to her laying position, simply amused at the body movements and language that such broadcasted to her eyes as she moved about the interior of the grove's hall. Not so much really a grove, more such in just name.
"If we are to fade, then we are to fade. There is but little even we could do to stem the tide of the waves of passing." A slow twirl about, coming to a precarious position upon an upturned end of a pillar, laying as such upon the ground. " We are as we must be." He eventually made way back towards the laying form of Siefa, and bent over a bit, peering down at her with a smile the Cheshire cat would be quite proud of. A slow, tender reach, gently capturing the jaw of his delightful, and some would say, just as slippery and serpentine as he himself was. Gentle became firm, and firm became a vice, leading the head downwards." You know well as I, that you musnt speak of such, so openly. She would not be amused, even from you such words on such a thing. Be careful dear Siefa, remember the fate of Narcis." Such was a tale of woe amongst the Grey, a rising star of beauty and grace, yet delivered unto the final gates of oblivion for gracing to much the ears of others about the dominion of the bleak lands. Open lips do sink ships and all that ruckus. A bit of a hold there for a moment more, before release. Marks where the fingers were had placed dark trails against such sweet skin, yet as one would look upon the other, they would but fade away.
"You wound me with such barbs. Never would I sink to such, forever do I remember poor, sweet Narcis and her fate. Forever a feast for the ancient oblivion." A faint look of shock had crossed Siefa's face, turning her more of a ghost then possible before the flesh tone began to return. As captured jaw came free, the spiderweb like marks from the pressure created by fingertips began to dissipate. A pout of sorts offered before falling upon the ground in a fluid yet slow motion like manueover, coming to rest head in the crook of Hiendor's lap, right hand gently pressing to silk clad thigh. " We see so much these nights, yet we do not see our own end. Shall we pass together, or shall we be left alone? Constant as the northern star, is our queries of the future yet become past."
"I will make the promise that if I must go forth, that I shall stain thee with a blade's cruel touch, so that you may join us on the great journey." A light stroke of dark hair, curling fingers gently so as to act like a rake. A tilt of head, alighting those eyes of his upon the nestled figure below, who had ursurped his lap in a moment of willful and unecessary want. " You will not be alone Siefa. Our vow as Grey's shall bind us all to each other. Bonds as this, they simply do not come into existence without a reason. They must be earned, in blood, sweat, tears, in agony, and bliss. Bliss indeed, such as was the moment now, a dream amongst dreams that held peace of moment.
Visitors to be
The invitation spoken of had indeed been sent, through proper channels of course. Bouncing through the League of Imperial Nation's diplomatic hubs and stations to finally arrive heavily post dated and stamped at each othe empires said invitation had been mailed to. Within each mail bag was a cylindrical case embossed with a wax seal bearing the Imperial Gynecocracy's mark of the Matriarch and that of the House of Hiendor.
The message was short, but to the point, much like the Xukuthites themselves. It read as the following:
On Behalf of the Matriarch,
I, Duke Hiendor of House Hiendor,
Do formally invite you (League nations) Honoured sirs and or madames to the birthday and subsequent fesitivies of the Matriach
We await your arrival after acceptance of this invititation.
A thumb drive would be included, and one could plug it into any navigation system for complete and understandable directions that would take them to what was labled, Draeval d' Dol'ruth (Which literally meant Point of Passing), and in the world of the Gynecocracy, the international airport and submission area for foreigners before being fully allowed within the Xukuthite dominion.
It was here that the delegations aircraft were to land, and a notice that escorts were allowed but all would be met by an Xukuthite military presence as well. Foreign escorts were to be limited to two fighters and a host of no more then five security personnel amongst an entourage of no more then four. Though they were indeed inviting a foreign group of parties, the invitations latter half seemed to suggest that they did not wish large amounts of dignitaries within the dominion on any given day or time.
