Dahli stood at the roof of the Palace's East wing, right above what was once her living quarters. The heavy cloak woven from thick wool kept the bite of the chilly afternoon away. A bird floated way above ground, it's wings spread majestically and its cry piercing the silence above the roof. There were twelve Royal Black Guards, keeping vigil on separate parts of the roof. She'd come here to see the storm brew. Dark clouds, once separate and not bigger than a fist we're now gathered and a rolling dark mass stained the horizon and blocked out the light of the sun.
A period of darkness was descending upon them, the sun rare upon the sky and its light just as foreign. Rain, the wetness, it was a season that had farmers rejoicing yet she felt such dread within her at the thought of it. Suddenly the absence of the sun meant an absence of peace. She did not know why those two went hand in hand but the certainty with which she believed this could not easily be ignored. Something was wrong.
Dahli clasped her hands before her, watching the dark clouds gather, rolling. Soon thunder would sound and lightning would flash and the rain would pour, at first without cease before giving those of the realm brief respite to gather themselves for more.
The new Rank Three of the Royal Black Guard approached Dahli, bent his head to whisper. "With your permission, your majesty, I would like to dispense with the report of the day." The Black Guard was gangly, his black leather fell upon him as if it were wrapped to his body, giving his body quite the vivid outline. Dahli knew the man was adept in the form of Intent, perhaps even better than her half sister, Masutap, had been. Dahli nodded and the man spoke. "Our spies report that the Remu are gathering to march on Binoria."
"How soon do you think this will happen?" Dahli already knew the answer before the man spoke. She'd found herself, of late, anticipating things before they were. She just assumed it to be a perk of the Jojoh Meena but there was something else, a feeling that was ancient and horrible, gnawing at her insides.
"With the next moon they shall be at our gates."
The Remu were fools. They saw Binoria whose once frightful Legions were now incapacitated and raving lunatics under the hand of Ishar. Now they saw their chance, to gather and turn on those who were their masters. They fail to understand that there are more dire things that require their attention beside subjugation. There was something in the realm, an ancient evil that even the Goddess Meena fears.
Why was it that she was the only one who understood what was going on? Meena chose her and Masutap, Nielda chose Mairek, Rehny houses the Goddess Nyawe and Ovek has chosen Ishar. Meena spoke of a place beyond the Rankf Sea, where another one lies. The Gods are choosing and in the past the Gods united to bring down one who was among them yet of a potency that results in total annihilation. The Gods have chosen, and that God they united to bring down has chosen her brother. Leba wasn't dead, Meena had explained why she chose Dahli and Masutap instead of Leba.
Her brother, ever joking in the past. Leba the generous, Leba the loving, Leba the merciful, Leba the beloved. He'd helped those who were beneath him from the time he was old enough to walk. Leba was beloved by all of Binoria yet it had all been a ploy. A front to work in the shadows, his desire was never the Jojoh Meena, it was something more. Something more dire.
But now the Remu were gathering to lay siege to Binoria, the fools thought her weak. Most of those who served beneath her thought her weak too. The first Queen of Binoria, she would show them her might. She wasn't a fool to charge into battle as her father had done, she knew the stakes. She knew how to plot and scheme and bring about all that she desired. The realm would know Binoria's might... Soon enough.
For now she needed the time to see all the pieces on the board.
"A message came in by raven," The Rank Three said. Dahli was pleased to know he'd given her time to ponder, those who were adept at the Form of Intent knew how to cater to one's needs without being commanded to. "Rehny has been captured by the expedition you sent to get him." The anomaly, Rehny, the piece on the board she couldn't quite predict. Harder even than Ishar... Ishar who... She shook her head, as if shaking free thoughts of the mad Kolotian.
She needed to put an end to whatever the Remu were trying, but maybe she wouldn't have to face them at all. She stilled herself, breathed in with her eyes closed then opened them. The Rank three took a step away from her and she knew her eyes glowed red.
Ishar was in the desert, he needed to pass through Binoria with the Kolotians he would gather and he needed her to let him through. Rehny was on the way, that left the Remu and the Talisi. Mairek was in the Talisi Palace, safe behind its walls and under the influence of the Talisi crown. The Remu lacked a champion but their daring charge on Binoria means that this dilemma might have found a solution? Has the Goddess of the depths, Alietsi, chosen a Remu?
That was the only likely solution and she needed to find out who the person was so that when the time comes they could all unite against...
She heard it then, a whistle. It seemed to be emanating from the dark clouds overhead, traveling on a gust of wind that touched on her, the tune, the melody of the whistle, it was oddly familiar. She felt herself shuddering, there was something ancient in that whistle. Something as wretched as oblivion itself. Suddenly, there above the roof of the Palace. She did not feel safe, she no longer wanted to be in the open beneath those clouds of rain. And at the first patter of droplets upon the roof, she fled to her throne room where she didn't feel watched.
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