Silent Moon Plateau a queen to rise

Speech.

Seraphina watched as three other women, and two of the pups, came into the clearing. She was happy to see Myrrhis and Celandine, but was neutral towards the rest. Aesire was certainly not her favorite wolf, but even she was not an object of hatred for Seraphina. Phina rarely hated, but she would most likely feel tense around the woman until something happened to prove that a different emotion was warranted.

As Phineas walked around and nosed each woman reassuringly, Seraphina smiled slightly. He was a good man and she would be honored to serve by his side or as his subordinate. Though, Phina knew that if she lost here today it would only be more motivation to train harder and try again. She wanted to prove she could lead and she would never give up on that goal.

Listening intently as Phineas went over the rules and revealed the first pairings, Seraphina kept her face blank and stoic. When she realized her first match would be with Aestyn, Seraphina didn't quite know how to feel. Aestyn was neutral in her mind because she did not know the woman, yet. However, as the larger girl teased her and offered a playful wink, Phina thought that she seemed nice enough. Of course, it could all just be a plow to make Seraphina lower her guard. The girl's true colors would be shown after the match and until then Seraphina would not form an opinion about her. For now, she was merely an opponent. With a polite smile and a nod of her head, Seraphina followed Aestyn to find a spot where they would have a decent amount of room. Then, it was time to begin.

(@Myrrhis - I'm gonna go and set up the fight thread and the thread for rolls)

Phineas offered her a greeting and she gave a friendly nod in return before looking around at the different combatants as they arrived... one by one they trickled in. Aes wasn't entirely sure how many females there were supposed to be but she herself had always counted five or six. After a bit of waiting, three others had arrived. There were only four wolves eligible for this competition and Aesire liked her odds. She had started to examine the other wolves for possible weaknesses. She knew that she only needed to defeat two of them at most but Aesire had to admit there was one wolf here that she truly wanted to fight. She wanted to fight Seraphina. It was nothing against the girl, just Aes had been irritated over the weakness she (Aesire) had shown to Sera at their last meeting.

There was a certain level of desperation was masked by her emotionless and regal stance. She should truly get out of the habit of holding such a powerful stance but if she did become queen, then perhaps maybe she could keep it. Her emerald eyes watched as Aestyn and Seraphina left for their spar and she looked to the only other adult female there. She nodded, walking off towards a barren area where they could spar with little trouble. The other femme was named Myrrhis and she was apparently new as Aesire had never caught her scent before and she could not recall seeing the girl in the pack den. Aesire prepared herself for the fight as she walked, her muscles tensing and relaxing to help her motions.

So... she had pulled her first round off. Exasperated sighs of relief were welcome all too easily.

Aestyn had accomplished exactly what she had hoped to do. That simply was to keep her current status in the pack. It was only by sheer luck that she had stumbled upon being the number two subordinate among the rather large female population. She had every intention to move up into leadership, even if it wasn't her time right now. Aestyn knew she would never let herself go lower than what she was. It was providence that had brought her here and it was hopefully providence that would help her remain where she stood. The last thing she wanted to do was back track in rank. She had left her respected opponent behind her as she made the very short trek back to watch the action unfold from the second pair up @Phineas had set in place. The fight hadn't really revealed a necessary winner or loser as of yet.

Though, she was placing bets on the much larger fae @Aesire with the reason being only that of the health and condition of the far older woman. She was sure the more mature female @Myrrhis had plenty of tricks up her sleeve from nothing more but, experience. At the same time, you also need good strength and stamina to actually win a fair fight. Only time and fate would truly reveal the winner and she was eager to be part of the audience. Aestyn circled around the two at a cautious distance as she located the game creator Phineas. Upon seeing him she let herself cast a warm smile in his direction as she dipped her muzzle down respectfully as she spoke keeping her smile in tact. "I have won your first spar, Phineas." raising her dome back up she cast her aqua time capsules back into his waiting to see his reaction. She sat beside him at a respectful distance as she looked back in the direction she came from wondering where @Seraphina was.

(This post was last modified: Dec 11, 2014, 09:27 PM by Aestyn.)

Speech

Seraphina followed Aestyn back to where Phineas was and took a seat on Aestyn's other side. She walked up just in time to hear Aes tell Phineas that she had won the first match and Phina smiled politely. Though she felt worse having her failure exposed to Phineas, she wouldn't let that emotion show. Besides, her embarrassment didn't take away from the newfound respect she had for the woman."It was a good fight and she would make an excellent Queen." Seraphina added. What she said was honest: she truly believed that Aestyn would make a good Queen. It was also true that she wanted to be Queen herself and would never give up on that dream. However, it was not the time or place to make Phineas aware of her ambitions. As King he had called for this tournament to find a female worth leading beside and today, that female was not Seraphina.

Only now did Seraphina realize how much of a part impressing Phineas had played in her motivation to participate in this tournament. Of course, impressing Phineas still came second to proving to herself and to her father that she was capable of leading. But now the dappled Faye princess realized that it was a close second. As awareness of that feeling sank in, Phina averted her eyes from the ivory male, instead choosing to focus her gaze on the two females who were still battling. She didn't know what he would think of her failure or if he would think anything of it, but at the moment she was too scared to want to know what he thought. Was it possible that his disappointment could weigh heavier on her heart than her own?

Aesire felt a wave of success as she propelled herself into the second and final stage of the tournament. She just had to fight the winner of the other battle which she had heard to be Aestyn. She grinned at the other femme in a friendly manner while her tail wagged from side to side. Surely she had this? Worse comes to worse she would challenge for it again in a matter of a week or two. She gave a nod to Phineas. "I suppose it is time for the final round." She stated the obvious as she worked her way towards the clearing in front of them. There was only one fight to contend with and so she would find a way for them all to observe.

She looked to Aestyn. "Shall we spar now?" The question was simple and innocent enough for her to ask with a friendly smile. There was still some hope that her snow jumping friend would still show up to watch the final round. Perhaps he would be there to see her take up her crown. She was going to be the difference she wanted to see in the world and nothing was going to stop her from getting what she needed to make the changes. She took a deep breath as she fell into her own fighting concentration mode. She thought back to everything that had happened to her in the past two weeks alone. She had found a pack and now she had the possibility of leading that pack.

As he had settled back, the ivory male found his eyes drifting between the paired females, noting techniques used by each – intrigued and impressed at the same time. Even further to than looking for techniques, he was making sure they had followed his highest guideline – they were not to injure one another.

Seraphina and Aestyn finished theirs first, and upon the silver she-wolf’s announcement, Phineas tipped his muzzle in a silent congratulations to her, his bright orange eyes drifting from her to study Seraphina, who was noble enough to offer kind words of her partner. Aesire and Myrrhis finished shortly after – and Aesire came to collect her one remaining opponent.

He could watch this spar more closely this time – noting that both she-wolves were becoming fatigued. Yet when Aesire came out on top, the alabaster wolf rose once more to his paws, his tail giving an accepting sweep through the air. Perhaps she had maintained her stamina better as Seraphina had truly given Aestyn a ‘run for her money,’ but in truth, he would be surprised if this would be the true end of the challenges among the females. “It seems we have a winner,” he announced, waiting for them to finalize before coming back to the group, his gaze drifting down to his two present children to see what they had made of the fight.

With his form lifting proudly, the Argyris gave another tip of his muzzle, his fiery eyes once more falling to Aesire. “Congratulations.” At least for now, the hierarchy had settled itself slightly.

Phineas had made the announcement that there had been a winner just as Aesire had managed to catch her breathe and arrive to where she had been when it had all started. She was relieved most of all that she had made it through the two rounds of fighting but she knew that she was nowhere near ready for the challenges that would ensue. She was fortunate that the only wolf eligible to challenge her at any time was the beta wolf so she'd fight Aestyn unless Seraphina, Desdemona, Myrrhis, or Muerda could defeat the powerful beta. With that being said, she'd have to fight Aestyn again and that had been made quite clear by the other regal femme. "Thank you Phineas. I will try my best to be a good queen." She dipped her head in thanks towards him.

What was she supposed to do now?

Was she supposed to make some elegant display or give a speech? She was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to so she just sat there with her head held a bit higher than it had been when she arrived. She was a queen now but she did not have the respect of some of the subordinates. She still had a lot of work to do in order to prove that she was the one that should remain at the top of the rankings. First she'd have to prove it to herself and then to those who were below her. With a deep breathe, she glanced around the area. They had all been amazing.

It was with a newly fed intrigue that Takis kept his rapt attention upon the dancing females. The battles were quick, but not without their own intensity, despite the strict rules his father had placed upon them. Takis would allow his pumpkin eyes to sweep over to Celandine, wondering if she too was taking notes -- after all, he knew his sister was interested in reigning as queen one day.. would it not be for the best she learned tactics for when the time came, her rise would be quick? Celandine's ambitions were clear, and while he did not doubt she would be a force to be reckoned with.. Takis was not completely unsure he would not be challenging his own sister one day for the throne.

But that day was far from now, and so his shoulder would graze gently against hers as he watched Aesire come up as the reigning winner. The outcome did not surprise him, but nor had he chosen a favorite among the she-wolves.. for he knew none of them. They remained strangers thus far, and as the silvered lady moved forward to stake her claim of rank, Takis allowed his muzzle and body to slump down in submission to the regal female.

His ears would flicker with acknowledgement to his father's words, though instead his gaze now lingered upon those she had became victorious over -- were they bitter? Upset? if so, they did not show it, and the boy's tongue lolled from his jaws as he stood up, waiting to be dismissed as there was nothing else to be seen.

(This post was last modified: Jan 03, 2015, 01:11 AM by Takis.)

Last post. Will leave open for a few more days in case anyone else wants to add a concluding post. @Aesire @Celandine @Seraphina @Aestyn @Muerda

Aesire was quick to thank him for his well wishes, and expectantly, the male swept his eyes over the other members of the pack. Takis lowered himself in a hesitant display of submission, and the others.. spoke nothing. Amusement would have flickered at the corners of Phineas' lips at the absolute rudeness of it all had he not so carefully withheld these emotions, and instead, the ivory male chuffed his disappointment to the other she-wolves -- apparently, an amicable congratulations could not even be given.

Prowling forward to nudge Aesire upon the cheek in another display of congratulations, the male turned a cold gaze upon the others, his tail whipping through the air to reveal his slight agitation at the way they treated their new queen. But it was not his fight to prove - he may have held dominance upon them, but it was Aesire now to maintain her place among the ranks.

Dismissed then, he murmured, and with that, moved over to his two children. With a sharp gaze cast to either of them for their silence in quiet beration, he gave his muzzle a gentle shake before releasing a small sigh of exasperation. You'll both learn the hierarchy soon enough, he uttered quietly, for their ears alone, as he was not keen to reprimand his youth in front of wolves that in many ways were still strangers to them. With another disappointed look, the Argyris moved past them, his large figure traipsing through the territory and to the direction of the borders, where he would likely keep himself busy for the next few hours.