Pink Poogle Toy Forum

Queen Emra, sat, as a page bustled in. He bowed low and then asked in a quick voice,
"You wanted me your Highness?" he asked. Emra nodded,

"Please, send the Queen up here immediatly, I have other matters I wish to discuss with her." she commanded mildly. For she did have other matters, matters with the meeting of the kingdoms. The page pratically ran out, his eyes searching already.

((Sorry for this strange tidbit of post,I thought this might be quicker to get Lillie here with the colliding page, or etc. - so we can move our little thing more along ))

[I'm sorry for the delay. I got a bit caught up in some other things.]

Althea came flying into the room and stopped up short when she noticed the others staring at her. She drew herself up with what little dignity she could muster, her face colouring deeply. The others withdrew from the room and there was a short silence after they had gone.

The girl broke it by approaching Emra hopefully, although a little of her enthusiasm had disappeared with her acute embarassment.

'Your Majesty,' she began eagerly and then noticed the recognisable treasury accounts. She was a little bewildered at first, then comprehension dawned on her. Pausing a little to gather her wits together, she spoke again, choosing her words more carefully.

'As I have said before, you have always been exceedingly kind to Zircon's ambassadors. I hardly like to press upon you any further but there is just one thing that would make the difference between life and death for my people. In Zircon all that matters is being able to be alive. My people struggle for food and life itself. Clothes and riches play little part in their lives. So although I appreciate your great kindness in giving Zircon financial aid, there is one thing that is far more important now.' She took a deep breath.

'Would you teach me how all the people of Sapphire can breathe underwater? If my people could breathe underwater, they would be able to come up to the surface and get light - and perhaps make a new life for themselves.'

[It's okay ]

Emra looked mildly surprised, but not shocked. She put her rather petite, slim fingers together, and then placed them gently on her lap. She seemed to be deliberating what to speak. She decided on analogy.

"Dear Queen, as a child we are born with a mouth, a tongue, a throat- to be able to speak. Without these we could perhaps make sound, but not truly talk." She paused, her eyes troubled, "As it is the way with our people, we are born with the needed---essence," she decided to say this instead of "parts" or something of that sort, "Without it, you can only teach so much- we are born with the skill, some can learn, to breathe for a while-but not forever underneath the rolling sea."

She carefully touched one finger to her cheek, "See how it is slightly blue and transparent, look at our hair- look at us," as a whole, and you can perhaps even see this essence."

Emra took a breath, her eyes gazing into the distance for a moment before coming back to the present, within those eyes wiseness and knowing seemed to lurk- much more advanced for a girl, even a Queen, of sixteen years.

"I can try." Emra spoke simply.

(EDIT: 400th post! I'll be back to my former glory yet!)

(( Good work, Forest_Majesty!))

Serenity
Serenity fled in terror, tears running down her face. The gate to Outah had to be somewhere here. The trouble was that Serenity didn’t exactly know where “here” was. As she ran, the various jewels that she had stowed in her cloak clinked softly against each other. He feet pounded on the soft cloud as she desperately searched for an exit. What if somebody found her? Then it would be all over.
The gate to Outah had not been used for years. In fact, the people of Diamond were beginning to think that Outah was not real, that the people that inhabited it were only a myth. That was what the council had wanted, after all.
But Serenity knew better, from Usnami, who told her many interesting stories about her homeland, Zircon.
She had to find it soon, or… or…
Before she knew it, she had lost her footing and she was falling through the air. She had forgotten that the stairway to Outah was actually ladder-like

Echo
Echo heard her before he saw her. She was screaming as she fell. He looked up. Unbelievably a girl was falling from the sky…from the top of the Stairway to Diamond. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. No, this was not a hallucination . He saw her light figure, a violet cloak billowing around her. If he didn’t catch her she would fall to her death. He dropped his swords and caught her surprisingly light body. The girl looked at him, and then fainted.
Echo examined her. She was very small. She had pale shinning pink hair and was dressed in a strange garb. Diamonds glittered all over her. Could this mean… was this girl truly one of Diamond? No, impossible. Legend stated clearly the people of Diamond possessed wings. Or maybe it was a metaphor. Maybe they “possessed” wings because they had found a possible way to live in the sky. Something sharp cut into his side. Laying the girl against the rock stairway, he found that attached to her diamond belt was a strange looking sword. He reached out to touch it, but the girl woke up suddenly, slapped his hand away and crawled away from him, fear glinting in her eyes

((MORE apologies for a severe lack of posting on my part. And I hate to intro my 2nd char at this point when there are SO many characters already, however, necessity calls))

Name: Haven Lopekey (Hay-ven Low-pee-kee)

Age: 20

Kingdom: Unknown

Position in Kingdom: Wanderer, Master of all trades

Appearance: Mussy irregularly cut not-quite-short jet black hair surrounds Haven’s tanned and somewhat weatherbeaten face. He has warm coppery blue eyes and his lips are orangey red and usually chapped. While his face is generally grave, he has a sense of humor that brings an almost out of place and brilliant smile to it and a sparkle to his eyes. Generally, however, he is just strikingly there, his emotions relatively unreadable to the outside observer.

He is about 6 feet tall and has a sturdy and muscular build. At the time of his entrance to the plot, Haven is wearing a rusty orangey brown tight-fitting t-shirt with no decorations on it whatsoever. He never takes this shirt off. Ever. He wears sturdy black cargo pants (made of the same light-weight yet durable material that Patrice’s shorts are fashioned out of and the same material the rest of the inhabitants of Garnet generally use for the purposes of pants, shorts etc). He also has black boots with thick rubber brown soles. On his left wrist is an obsidian bangle, too small to be removed without cutting it off, which means he must have been wearing it since he was a small child and grew into being unable to remove it. He is a wanderer and traveller, and so carries the minimum in the way of possessions in a black hiking backpack to which a bedroll and a water container are attached.

Unlike your average Garnetian, he is usually wearing a light-weight black jacket that has sort of the sportsjacket look to it. It is made of an unusual light-weight material (think modern day ripstop). Many Garnetians think it strange that someone can stand to wear a jacket in the heat of Garnet. It is the sign of an outsider, yet what outsider has a higher immunity to heat than the very inhabitants of a volcano? And so Haven is somewhat avoided by the general populace.

Personality: Haven is a very quiet young man. He has seen many things and has much greater knowledge of the world and its workings than your average twenty year-old. However he speaks of this knowledge rarely and is by no means proud or arrogant about it. By looking at him, one gets the idea his life has not been the easiest during his past years. He is completely independent and self-sufficient. Yet there is a softer side to his personality - he cannot refuse a damsel in distress (or anyone else in distress for that matter) and if one were to look deep into his eyes, one could tell that he seems to be yearning and searching after something. He is polite and well-mannered, but also practical and to-the-point. He is incredibly physically fit and seems to be capable of most any strenuous trip or task, although he appears to have no magical abilities to speak of. (another thing that differentiates him from the majority of the inhabitants of Garnet). Intelligent, observant, and sharp-witted, Haven keeps up with the politics both in the Kingdom he’s in and also listens to any news from other kingdoms.

Weapons: Haven has three or four daggers tucked in various places on his person at all times. He also carries a bow and quiver on his back, sandwiched between his backpack. He also is in possession of an Iglale (the large lizard-like creatures that are unaffected by lava and heat and used for transportation like a horse by many Garnetians). Attached to his Iglale’s saddle are several packs, which contain some throwing stars as well as a sword and sheath. Haven does not feel the need to carry his sword with him at all times as the Kingdom he is currently in (Garnet) is at peace. However, he is an excellent swordsman.

History: Haven is not one to share his personal history. Rumor has it that he grew up on the fringes of civilization in Garnet, which is why he has recently returned there. However, it is unclear as to which Kingdom he was born and raised in. He has been on his own since he was about fifteen however, and has been in many of the kingdoms; Haven is a wanderer and traveller, out of place wherever he goes. Usually he has a plan and something he wishes to do when he gets to a Kingdom, however, in Garnet he seems somewhat dazed, he has only been in the Kingdom of Garnet for about one month and presumably has never been there before. He himself is not sure why he came; he only knew that he must come. He feels uneasy around the newcomers in Garnet, and wishes they would leave, for while they appear to be harmless and hardworking, Haven feels an inexplicable destation for them. He dislikes having such feelings without knowing why he is having them. Also, many Garnetians seem to group him with the newcomers, and he is most certainly not associated with them; he is a relatively solitary young man.

**End bio, on to a post for Patrice and Garnet and such**

Lava surfing had done Patrice good and she had been relatively carefree for the next few days following her discovery of the letter. However, then a letter came again from Diamond, causing another yelling fit from her father. This time, Patrice was not lucky enough to see what it had to say, despite the fact that she earnestly searched her father’s study when he was out meeting some of the guards who worked at the fringes of the Kingdom of Garnet. There had been no trace of the first letter’s magnificent sparkling white paper, crumpled though it was, and certainly not a sign of the second.

Patrice nearly went mad trying to fathom what the second letter possibly could have said. Was the whole thing just a cruel joke? A hoax on her already very busy father? Or had things gotten worse? Was the threat now stronger? Was it now too dangerous to meet? Or had a meeting been organized?

These questions swirled and swirled in Patrice’s mind. And yet they had to be pushed aside for it appeared that dark times were approaching Garnet. Murmurs of unrest were coming to the palace from esteemed Garnetian citizens with regard to the newcomers, who had been dubbed “Aglales” by the general Garnetian public.

Even Patrice could tell that this was an unfortunate development, for now there was a distinct and accepted difference between the two groups of people living in Garnet. And the name “Aglales” was somewhat derogatory - similar to that of Garnet’s beasts of burden, Iglales.

King Ignesis was of somewhat of a loss as to what action he should take. He wanted peace in his realm, something he had always almost taken for granted as King. Surely, he had dealt with many disasters and terrible hardships as well as petty troublesome squabbles among the people of his Kingdom. This came with the job of ruling and the fact that they lived inside a Volcano. However, though the Garnetians had tempers and were violent, things evened out in the end and everything always seemed to turn peaceful again without too much of a fuss (and peace included the daily evening street brawls, you couldn’t expect all Garnetians to hold back their tempers all day long every day.

Patrice had grown tired of the endless senate meetings about the newcomers. The senators always spoke of either urging the Aglales to move on from Garnet, or accepting them more into the community. Patrice knew both ideas were too basic, too rigid, and too completely impossible to actually implement. The Garnetians couldn’t force these people to leave, nor could the government force the Garnetian citizens to accept them. After one of these long and droning meetings during which nothing got decided, Patrice once again slipped into her translucent black cloak-like veil and ventured out into the general populace.

No lava surfing today, she just needed a walk, some fresh air. The same words spoken over and over again, the same arguments again and again, the same ignorance of anything she had to say about anything - it made the palace feel unbearably stuffy. She trundled down the palace walk and turned the corner to stroll down main street once again.

It was mostly deserted apart from a couple walking hand in hand on the other side of the street and some children with their mother far at the bottom of the hill (for the main street was on a sloping hill that led down from the palace). And a strange young man in a black jacket of all things. Patrice blinked briefly wondering how he could bear the heat. Kids these days she thought to herself, forgetting that she was still almost one of them, and concentrating on the shops around her, trying to distance herself from the stress that had been surrounding the palace for days.

As the boy in the jacket approached she realized he was much older than she had first realized and as he passed her heart started beating quite irregularly for on his left hand was an obsidian bangle similar to her’s. She gasped softly but audibly, her right hand clutching at the bangle on her left wrist, and stopped dead in her tracks, staring down the hill as the young man presumably disappeared behind her. “Jaason...” she whispered, her vision blurring slightly as she pushed back tears she had never thought to cry when he had died. But he had had reddish brown hair and pale skin and was always short for his age. And plently of young people wore black obsidian bangles. They were in style and relatively inexpensive. Besides, she knew better, she had been at his funeral. She had seen the avalanche of lava and rock the day he died, seen him fall with a sickening splash into the lava flow. She had been helpless, unable to save him, unable to even mark where he had fallen, bruised and battered herself, shocked and just trying to keep herself alive as she raced farther and farther down the course on her lava board, farther and farther away from Jaason...

She briefly let her head droop, her left hand softly covering her eyes, willing the tears away.

Unknown to Patrice, Haven most certainly had not kept walking upon passing her. She was after all, a pretty girl, and even more importantly, she had made a strange sort of gasp as he had passed. He felt like he had to make sure she was all right - what if she had heat stroke and was about to pass out on the street? He stood several paces behind her and watched for a few seconds. Her head drooped, her hand rose to her face...

“Are you all right, Miss?” he asked quickly and quietly, silently rushing to her side.

Patrice turned, startled, squinting through her veil at the speaker. It was the same young man who had just passed.

“Oh, yes,” she said, flustered, “I’m quite all right. Thank you.”

Haven didn’t look convinced, and peered in at her through her veil perhaps a little rudely. He was trying to see if she was flushed or sweating.

Oh great, Patrice thought, any second now he’ll realize that I’m the Princess and I’ll have a terrible time getting away from him.

“Really, thank you for your kindness, but I’m quite all right,” she repeated backing away from him and then walking past him up toward the palace. As she glanced back at him she noticed a strange look in his eyes...he looked at her as if he knew her, but he certainly had not recognized her as Princess. Perhaps he thought she was someone else. She continued up the hill towards home.

“Well if you are ever in need of anything, Miss, the name is Haven, Haven Lopekey...” he shouted after her, just loud enough for her to hear. She kept walking and pretended she had not heard him, her thoughts drifting back to Jaason.

Perhaps there was such a thing as too much fresh air.

((I have a bit of plot to continue through before Garnet can receive Merle's letter, but I will address that )

Once again, Thisa was watching the sky. A small shape falling from a cloud far away caught her attention, but she shrugged it off. It was probably just another letter to another kingdom. Nothing to concern her, especially since there was an important task at hand.

She had recieved word that Governor Molan of Peridot has arrived, and was currently trudging up the steps to meet her. Normally the guests would make the journey alone, but the leaders from foreign lands usually don't come to Aquamarine, and the people of Peridot are accustomed to virtually flat land ((Sorry if that was a bit of powermodding, but it would make sense if it's a farming community)). Thisa doubted that he enjoyed the stairs, and thought it would be best to give him some company. Plus, it would give them more time to discuss the trade alliance and Induisha.

After about a mile of rocky steps, Thisa saw Molan. She bowed and gave her head a slight nod, then spoke.

"Greetings, Governor. How was your journey? If you are fatigued, you may rest here for as long as you like. We could even travel to the Ouhta Council together if you wish." She paused. "I suppose you've already heard from Diamond. This 'Serenity' has proven herself real to myself and the senate by enclosing a bracelet and and some feathers in her last letter. Anything you wish to discuss? We have a ways to go yet."

((I am so sorry about the not posting since page 2 but as I explained to Ria my Grandad's been in hospital and I've been quite busy. I promise to be more active from now on. I'll edit when I've completed my post))
Anka sat dining with his wife. The letters were still playing on his mind as well a cave in inside one of the mines.

There had been big casualties and the doctors had not been able to save most of them. The mountain was starting to fall apart. He knew it was so, but he would never admit it until he had to.
Of course there would be other mountains that they could mine, but that would mean sending people out of the mountain and away from the glittering city. The only people allowed to do that were the royal family!

Then there was the letters. He had received the second the day before this. It was playing upon his mind.
Had Induisha really returned?
Was this all a big hoax from one of the other kingdoms?

What he was sure of was that he would be attending the Ouhta Council, something which the Monarch of Ruby hadn’t done for over a century.

“Bella,” he began “I will be leaving for the Ouhta Council in two days. You will remain here. The council will ask questions. Do not tell them of the letter. It must remain secret until I am satisfied that it is not a hoax.”
“But Anka, they will not listen to me. You know how they are. They never to. They believe me to me beneath them because I was not born of noble blood.” She told him, looking worried.
“Then they will have me to deal with when I return.” he told her. “I must inform the servants that my bags need packing.”

With that Anka rose and left the dining room.

When Anka was out of earshot Bella pulled out a small Orb.

“Mistress,” Bella had moved her mouth but a voice quite unlike the one she had just used came from it. It was harsh and cold. “He is leaving for the Ouhta Council tomorrow. While he is gone I can carry out the plan.

“Excellent.” a slightly raspy voice came from the orb. “I will send Inferia to help you.”

“Another thing could you uh… send more hair dye… The purple’s coming through again…”

[Sorry I'm late - I've started school, and thus have less time to RP. Also, I meant that the stairways go way, way up, but under the mountains, to solve the whole not-breathing issue.]

Molan, who had found the stairs rather steeper than he would have liked, but better-lit than he had thought, nodded, not bothering to return the cordialities.

"Yes, indeed, discussion is in order. Diamond... has contacted you, then? Have they given you a straight answer about this Induisha's identity? Are you certain it was Diamond, and that it's not some stupid alias? Whether she is the Princess of Diamond or not, she needs to learn bluntness, with all that's at stake."

The Festival, came an unbidden pang, but he ignored it. He had to hear about "Induisha" before he requested any such trivial nonsense.

But what with the chicken farmers, the pigeon-keepers, and heaven knew who else, morale was higher than usual on the agenda, wasn't it? Could there be an uprising, with only Dela to deal with it?

Molan shook himself.

[I have been away, asleep, and tired. Not to mention how my creativity keeps going 'phut' because of how tired I am. I apologise in advance for how awful this post is about to be. I seem to be doing that a lot.

Many, many thanks to ria for looking after David. You played his character perfectly, and I shall love you forever more. =)

Side note to Andy - Stop making me laugh, dagnabit! >=(]

David looked at the small boy in Meret's arms, before sheathing his sword and sliding his left arm underneath the child. He carefully took the boy from Meret, not even asking her permission, as Jugtra settled on the tree next to the boy's companion, the wood pigeon, chirping softly.

David carefully laid the boy's unconscious form onto Arelore's would-be horse. Sliding the reins over the animal's head, David mounted his own horse and kept a firm hold on the reins. He waited for Arelore to move, or take the reins, and he waited for Meret to mount, so he too could leave.

When nothing happened for a few seconds, David grew impatient. Patience had never been his strong point. "We'd better hurry," he said respectfully, "he needs an apothecary."

---

Saria shook herself. She had just talked to Wolf about her feelings, and after staying up several consecutive nights, she was tired. She turned around and slumped in a chair, made of wood, but covered in lush leaves. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and then closed them. Wolf padded over to Saria and whined softly, licking her fingers and then lying down to sleep as well.

Suddenly, the tree house door burst open. Both Saria and Wolf jumped. Wolf turned and growled at the man who had just walked in the door. Saria opened her eyes and snapped at the man. "What business do you have, coming in here? Can't you see, I am trying to rest!"

The man bowed his head respectfully, and, looking closer, Saria could see that it was Asulou. Grouchily, she sunk back into the chair. She had a soft spot for the man. "What do you want?" she grumbled.

"Your Grace, I came because I thought you might want to know of this. It's from Merle, from Topaz. I have not opened it."

Saria stood up, and almost snatched the letter from the man, eager for any news at all. "Thank you," she whispered. "You may go now." Asulou bowed and left. When Saria was sure he was gone, she ripped the letter open. She read it quickly.

'I have received a letter from the legendary kingdom, Diamond.
My best historians have looked upon the seal, carried by this letter
and said it to be real.

Thus, I have decided to contact you all, and would suggest to meet
at the isle Returana. I will take the necessary safety measures, to see upon your safety.

I will give you all my oath, that no harm will befall you, during your
stay here.

King Merle Dahra,
Topaz.'

Saria paused, and reread the letter. "Returana, eh? So Diamond does exist. We shall see."

Saria turned and slipped on her jacket. She took some food supplies; she took three bottles of water, patted Wolf, and looked out of the cut in the tree house wall, the window. Saria couldn't know if anyone was down there. She looked down the wooden slide, grabbed her knife, and jumped. Wolf followed.

She slid down noiselessly, twisting and turning as the slide took her. Just before she was going to reach the bottom, she rammed her knife into the slide, and held on, so she had stopped completely. She grabbed Wolf as he came down, stopping him too. Wolf scrambled across to her, and jumped over the side. Saria rolled her eyes. If no one was guarding the bottom, there would be an easier way.

Three men were guarding the bottom, discussing in low voices. Saria swore and pulled her knife out of the slide, having good enough grip now to stay still. She sheathed her knife and hopped over the side of the slide.

She landed on the grass, and crawled away through the undergrowth, Wolf following. She ran to the woods, and whistled softly.

A horse came out of the trees, trotting towards her, whickering softly. Saria hung the food on the horse, and mounted. She didn't use a saddle, no one in Amethyst did.

She gently kneed the animal's sides, and the horse trotted off into the night, Wolf following in its wake.

---

A dark figure crouched in the shadows of the trees, breathing softly, and yet still managing to convey a sound that was rapsy, and hoarse. Suddenly, his voice started, a metallic voice that was hard to understand, "So, she is leaving."

Another figure appeared beside him, peering out through the trees, pulling his hood down to cover his face. "But where?"

The first figure inched forward, watching a girl on her horse, a black wolf following behind her. Suddenly, the wolf began to growl.

---

Saria pulled Aksul, her horse, to a halt and swung round around to look at Wolf. "What's the matter?" she asked her companion. When the Wolf continued to stare at the trees and growl, Saria repeated her question. "Wolf, what's wrong?"

Wolf would not stop growling. Curious, Saria dismounted and walked over to the trees. By this time, Wolf was growling terribly, and had bounded forward to protect Saria from harm. Saria stepped forward and walked through the trees, where, only a moment ago, two figures had been standing.

Disappointment flickered across Althea's face but was cleared up in a moment. She held her head bravely and reminded herself that she did have a back-up plan. She had been afraid that the Sapphireans might have been born with the ability to breathe underwater and that her people might never share this ability.

'Any time you give me will be of great value,' she said seriously. 'If my people could swim upwards to the surface without much trouble, they will be able to make new lives for themselves. I only have a thousand subjects. If the other kingdoms agree,' she added grimly, 'then a hundred can go to each kingdom and try and make new lives for themselves.' She stubbornly refused to think about the pregnant women, toddlers, babies, elderly, sick and disabled, all of whom would be unable to leave Zircon. Althea would think of the details later.

'I must bring the matter up at this - annual meeting of the kingdoms?' For a moment, the Lady looked a little confused. She really did not know much about any meeting.

'Where and when is this meeting going to be?' she asked curiously. 'Who usually attends?'

((okay, think back to my demon characters, sorry they haven't been involved until this point. a few more posts before i'm out of my little plot within my kingdom i think))

Kalai paced the makeshift stage in a small coffeeshop in the lower end of Garnet’s downtown. He had never been much of a public speaker before, but necessity called. Sure, he had convinced all of these people to migrate to Garnet (with the help of some well thought out assassinations by Rionme, of course), but there was no way he could possibly truthfully explain to them exactly why he had invited them to the main city of Garnet in particular. They were between-dwellers, migrant people who lived in the ‘no-man’s land’ between the eleven kingdoms. Most had previously lived on boats or barges, island hopping and never staying for long. They were hearty people, and many had been quite intrigued by the concept of perhaps owning their own land. Kalai had divided his personal estate and handed it out to them, and now land was becoming scarce in Garnet. Native Garnetians were loathe to sell their land to newcomers, even the poorest of the Garnetians would rather pay money to keep the rent up and go hungry than sell to the Aglales.

People with few possessions, basically exiled to the seas, these newcomers, or as they were now called, the Aglales, had little to complain about in Garnet. The weather was not perfect and the people were sometimes cruel and prejudiced, but they had a solid home and jobs. What more could they ask for?

A lot, in Kalai’s opinion. Well at least the opinion he voiced. He had to get these people to form an uprising. Their increasing numbers had not been enough to completely distract King Ignesis from foreign affairs. In fact, had King Ignesis not been so blessedly closed minded about some things, Kalai was sure that the King would be quite involved with the letters he had received from Diamond.

Oh yes, Kalai knew about these letters, as hushed up and quickly destroyed as they were. His source told him everything...everything he needed to know, that is.

“New people of Garnet,” he said clearly, though a bit gruffly, “I stand before you and ask you how you can tolerate such treatment by the citizens of this Kingdom, citizens so self-righteous that they put you beneath themselves, just because they can make a flame here or there, or get closer to the lava. They call you names, discriminate against you, and I ask, are you trying to do anything but start a new life? Since when do they have the right to keep you from enjoying the same caliber of life as they?”

A few of the Aglales started to nod in agreement, and Kalai desperately wished that it would catch on. He only had so much time!

“You must demand equal treatment,” Kalai bellowed, his oration skills flying to new heights they had never dreamed of reaching, “and if the leaders of this Kingdom will not give it to you, gladly, then you must fight for it! A few of us native Garnetians, we see the injustice, and we are willing to stand beside you to fight for your rights. Rionme will equip you with any weapons you may need, Meklop will teach you their fire magic ways and how to defeat them. I beseech you, even if you wish to attempt to settle this peaceably, if they do not respond...there is such injustice going on here - you must prepare yourselves for the worst. You must prepare to fight back!”

At this the crowd erupted into loud applause. For it was true, the Aglales had faced hardships and discrimination in the land of Garnet. It didn’t particularly help that the Aglales were typically ill-mannered and unsocial people. They were losing their jobs and finding it harder to get new ones. Garnetians were picking fights with them on the streets. All the newcomers needed was a push, a vision, a dream of something better.

Meanwhile Meklop and Rionme roamed the city during the day and at night, planting seeds of hate in the minds of the more inflammatory members of society on both sides.

Kalai would indeed do his best to spark a civil war. It was what he had been told to do.

Ash

Ash threw her cloak around her neck. Despite her mothers warnings she knew it was time. Time to leave the kingdom and go for help.
“With all of the powers of the kingdoms I know that we can overpower Ishatiri. I will find my brother. Then everything shall go back to the way it was before I was born, and I can finally have a normal life,” Ash had reasoned.
“Yes, you do deserve a normal life, but it is doubtless that you won’t survive the perils of the outer realms. The sun… how will you survive it?” Alanni reasoned.
“Don’t worry, I always get through,” laughed Ash.
“No, as your mother, I order you not to go. I don’t want to, but I will have the servants lock you in your room, for your own safety,”
“We both know that the only way to save the kingdom is to let me go!”
“Let someone else go!”
“No, I am the princess and heir to the throne. I must go myself and ask for help, on behalf of Opal. I will go,” said Ash, stubbornly.
Alanni let out a resigned sigh, “I cannot let my only daughter go into danger,”
Ash sighed and thought for a moment. Then she smiled, “ I know…That small town, above the main city? What is it called…Estel?”
Alanni gasped, “I heard that the people who left Opal died straight away,”
“That’s what you heard. It is not true. I have heard people talking. People have been communicating from this Estel to Opal. If I can get there, they can teach me to tolerate the sun. And I am sure one of them could escort me to the council,”
“That is some plan. You seem so sure of yourself,”
Ash’s eyes glowed, “ I mean to come back with an army, mother.”
Alanni smiled weakly and laid a hand on her daughter’s arm, “ Don’t come back too late”

The challenge was being smuggled past her uncle, and the guards. Alanni caused a distraction with Ishatiri, while Ash covered herself with a long brown cloak and lots of dirt to make her look like a beggar-woman.
Before she had left she had formed a plan to get the town of Estel to help her. In her pocket she carried a formal letter from her mother and a silver circlet, which she usually wore on her head as princess. Close to her heart she carried a locket, which carried three of her mothers lavender hairs and a small portrait.
“I shall fade quickly without your company, my daughter. Come back soon,” Alanni had told her.
Ash touched the locket and sighed, making her way out of the palace.
She had decided not to take anyone with her, as it would be easier to sneak herself out of Opal, alone.
She ran from the palace, pulling the cloak close around herself. A pair of stron hands grabbed her, but she was not surprised. It was a guard.
“State your name and your business,” the guard said.
“Ildila Herndome, I have come to beg the king for money. My family is dying,” she said, her voice shaky and pleading.
The guard sneered, “You will not find help here. Be off, cow woman,” he said, shoving her away. Just as she would’ve hoped. She kept her face hidden as she ran from the city.
She walked for many, many hours, through the dark tunnels of Opal. She had not brought food, as she had hoped, the journey would not take long. She was right. After about four hours, she saw a ray of light through a tunnel.
A stair led to the ray of light.
Excited she ran up the stair and opened the small door that separated Opal from the rest of the world. She rose out of the earth, triumphant…then the light hit her. It burned her skin, like flames. It blinded her. It tortured her cruelly. Ash shrieked and fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Then finally, tender darkness eloped her, where she could hide from the vicious light.

Haki

After the scaled one had passed out, rude voices and sounds of a stampede of two leggers woke him up. Haki's wings flapped in a dramatic movement, gaining altitude with a whirly motion, he just wasn't stepped on by the two leggers.

The winged snake noticed a girl fleeing. Her broad wings and long nearly white hair draw the snakes attention. Somewhere deeply buried in his mind.

With a few strokes, Haki started to follow her.

It didn't took too long before she reached a strange construction. In Topaz, there weren't many stairs and Haki had difficulties finding out what it was exactly. While the snake was trying to get warmed up, beating his wings and thinking, she suddenly disappeared.

Haki's tongue flicked in confusion. He zoomed around, going up first. But after a few beats, he smelled that she wasn't there. The winged serpent glided back down. Flapping throug a particulary large cloud, he found himself nearly colliding with rocks.

Haki moved slightly up, hanging silent for a moment.

There he saw her and she wasn't alone.

"I have never gone before," Emra admitted, "But here is what I know about it anyways. It is held in Returana; a small island that is cloaked in dense forest. It is situated near Topaz but is uninhabited by law. The law is that the island is so holy that people may not approach it until a week before the annual Outah meeting and they must leave it at least a week after the meeting. The meetings sometimes go for days, even weeks. The meeting is held in a large temple and we each stay in a castle with the appropiate servants and whoever else we wish to bring."
Emra looked up, for she had been gazing a little bit downward and looked into the Althea's eyes. Emra was crying, though her voice was strong.
"I am truly sorry for your people...and I will try and help however I can..." Emra looked outside for a moment, her tears drying a bit at the huge stretch of beauty and wealth. Then she realized that Zircon hardly had any of this grandeur, this perfection, and she snapped her head back to Althea.

Miles away...

A Griyye came back from his morning hunt, showing the rest of the small clan his small basket of fish. They all grinned evily and started tearing the fish apart, and eating ravanously.But, before each fish was eaten the Griyye would grunt:
"Kintley" as though blessing the food. Inside their air pocket, when the eating was finished the Griyye started laughing. Terrible laughs of throaty grunts and evil chuckles, rolling on the ground laughing. They were getting closer.

((Hope the demon update is okay
))

[When to start learning to breathe underwater?]

For the first time, the younger girl smiled geniunely at Emra and reached out to pat her hand. She was touched by how much the queen wished to help her kingdom and it gave her hope that her mission would be successful.

'If there is anything I can do to help run your kingdom, I would be glad to do it,' she said. After all, she too was a capable ruler and she was interested in seeing how another kingdom worked.

Althea thought briefly of Returana and a pleasant shiver ran through her body. She was not sure why, but she felt sure that Returana would be good to her. She did not possess any foresight but she felt so sure, it could not be wrong, could it?

Dev would have to come, of course. He was the only other Zirconian on land that she knew of. No other person could stay at her castle. Her castle. It was going to be strange to live in a castle - that in a way, the Lady had always owned a castle without knowing anything about it.

Suddenly, life seemed a lot more hopeful than it had ever been.

---

A small, anxious crowd of people were crowding the harbour-side, peering fearfully into the dark, murky depths of the water. Small waves lapped gently and nothing seemed to be happening.

Then a head popped out of the water, gasping loudly for breath - and another head - and two more - and then another. A few people ran to help them out, slipping on the wet ground as they did so. Althea's old teacher remained still and looked about anxiously for a sixth head but when it did not appear, approached Thoral, the head diver.

'Where is the Lady? And where is the sixth diver?' he cried out.

Thoral took a few deep breaths before gasping out, 'The Lady and Dev are safe.'

Everyone relaxed visibly. 'Where are they?' the tutor asked quietly, after waiting a while longer to allow Thoral to catch his breath.

'The Lady and Dev are both staying with Queen Emra of the Sapphire Kingdom now,' he narrated. 'Her Majesty the Queen welcomed us all warmly. The Sapphireans were very hospitable and the Lady has never looked better than when we left her. Dev chose to stay as her bodyguard.'

'Her bodyguard?' the tutor asked in surprise. 'Wouldn't one of you be better suited to the position?' He glared at them meaningfully and they shifted uncomfortably.

'Her Lady was adamant that we return to Zircon and our families before it was too late,' a younger diver spoke up bravely. 'It was Dev's idea to stay with the Lady. He wouldn't dream of returning and the Lady couldn't make him come back.

'He has nothing to come back to anyway,' the diver added, a little more quietly so only the other divers and the tutor could hear. A couple of the divers looked at the floor. None of them knew much about Dev except that he was an orphan with no family and he had no real friends that they knew of. He lived in a poor shack of a cave in a bad area and a few shady cavemates.

'Well, well, that's it then,' said the tutor, and he motioned for the people to go. A woman suddenly started crying and then a few others joined in. Before long, men, women and children were weeping.

'What's all this?' the tutor cried out in amazement.

'We might n-never s-see the Lady again!' one woman hiccuped. 'And we never even got to say goodbye!'

'Nonsense!' the tutor exclaimed, although he knew perfectly well it was not nonsense. 'If you said goodbye you might have jinxed her for all you know. Have some faith in our Queen, good woman. She will be back. She said so herself. And she will be back with a solution to our problems. Hasn't she always healed the sick and the needy before? The Lady will be able to heal the whole of Zircon. Now hurry off.'

With this measly bit of comfort, the people left, hoping against hope that what the old man had said was true.

When the harbourside was deserted, there was no one to see a shadowy blob disappear with a gulping sound into the ocean. Where it had been was a small pool of black oil and the echo of a wickedly delighted gurgle of laughter.