[M] the devil made you look

Salvia Eternity · 03-24-2012, 01:52 AM

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Since she had been a child, a careful and well-planned warping of her person had been groomed. Salvia was a perfect follower in this sense; the problem arose when she was presented with those she deemed as lesser. Instinctively her desire was to repress the weak. Faults were apparent to her; she saw them in the faces of all those below her rank, and in every form that was labeled outsider. Even her own family was put under this close inspection, for not that long ago the man within these walls had told her the truth of such matters. This artful manipulation, therefore, had taken what was left of her empathy and replaced it with the harsh Northland attitude that prevailed among those who had survived it to gain rank in the Thistle Kingdom.

His voice called from within the building. It was something well crafted and had she not known him so well, she might have missed the dagger hiding under black velvet. Salvia turned her ears back. With her shoulders squared and head high, she entered into his throne room. It reeked of his dominating male-musk, of the dead bear pelt, of foreign spice and unfamiliar women. These latter scents were fading; she wondered where his companion was but knew better than to ask. Salsola valued secrecy; it was a core value within their homeland, and to her among the strongest.

Yet she could not lie to him, for it was dishonorable and went against the other value she held above all others. The scientific mind within the girl sought simpler worlds; by condensing and stripping the fat of their lengthy behavior patterns and rules, she found easy laws. This allowed her to display a remarkable sense of self-control. A weaker person might have made excuses; Salvia had none.

“My lord,” she greeted him formally, and brushed her muzzle against his own. In doing so, she intentionally exposed her throat; it was a sign of submission, one that went above any pretense of groveling. What rebellion lived in her was not for him. “The borders of the mountain pack were crossed. We brought three of their beasts, and two horses for trade.” Her eyes fell, displaying that what she said next was the truth; to look him in the eye and speak of it would be most terrible. “We were spotted. In our withdraw, I failed to protect the Family—they have captured Magnolia.”

Her voice fell silent as she awaited punishment, head and ears bowed.

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