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Black Pearl	Alas, sometimes fate intervenes, as it had done priorly just when things were starting to get interesting before. But after dealing with the unexpected emergency, people had gone to vanish elsewhere. And so it is on another day that Amethyst is joining Black Pearl. She's cleared her office, and has small snacks and wine, and juice loaid out as she waits for her fellow Water-caste for the appointed meating.
Amethyst	Even with the interruption, the little alchemist has one, and only one goal in mind. She has her hair back, no goggles today, and she's wearing something that would be charitably described as 'traditional', black and blue with the mon of House Peleps on either side, an outfit she reminds her of something her father had once worn, and perhaps now she feels like his legacy rests in her hands. Her face is stern, her ears are back, and she is alert. This is unlike her, usually her attitude is much more positive and uplifting. Something must be bothering her, but her expression does not betray what.
Black Pearl	Black Pearl stands and smiles. "Hello Peleps Yim Ametis, and welcome. I am very sorry about last time, but hello. Please come in, have a seat, and tell me what has you troubled?" Her smile is warm, and she sits on one of the soft couches.
Amethyst	"It's always a pleasure, Cynis Salara." the younger dragon smiles, gives a little bow and sits. There's a pause as she chooses her words carefully, "You wanted the names of the Anathema I know. I've come to work out a deal." She leans in a little closer, grinning, and what she doesn't say is that she won't introduce her should the two of them fail to find an agreement.
Black Pearl	Black Pearl nods. "Very reasonable of you. So I am curious--you know what I want of you. And now I wish to know...what do you want of me?" She smiles slightly and reclines on her couch. "ANd will you have any refreshment?"
Amethyst	"It's pretty simple." The alchemist says, "If I am going to be sharing with the secrets of those who I care deeply about with you, I want assurance that you will not simply betray us to a Wyld Hunt for your own benefit." And then there's this devilish grin, "And I would like to know your real purpose for wanting the Anathema, as actively going out of your way to simply learn about and see and play with Anathema is a bit much, even for a Cynis." "No refreshments, but thank you for the offer."
Black Pearl	Black Pearl hmmms. "Well, the first part is easy. I do not want to draw the Wyld Hunt's attention at all, and I will gladly swear such," she says. "As for wanting to know, well, it would be worth my life if it were to get out, and so I ask you: will you keep this yourself? Not letting anyone know, save that I grant permission?"
Amethyst	"Why don't we swear on it?" Amethyst lets her implication hang in the air for a few moments, and continues, "We two have been brought together by some strange fate, each with deep, dark secrets buried within us, so incredible that it would be the end of lives indeed if they got out. And you have taken me in, like a lost sister, to teach me about how the world of the dynasty works so that I may one day reclaim my place among my House, even as war nears closer." "And in turn, I look up to you, I give you what I can of my alchemy and sorcery. And, in truth," She glances away, and down, "You're really the only Dragon I have any real bond with now. And I'd hate to lose it." "And so, I think we should swear oaths of kin to protect each other, and each other's secrets." There is worry in her voice, uncertainty, and a bit of doubt. And yet, even so, she is determined. There is will behind her words, fire in her eyes, and hope behind her.
Black Pearl	"If we swear an oath of kinship," Black Pearl says, "Then all of your vendettas will become mine," she says, leaving the reciprocal obligation unspoken. "If this is something we can do, then our lives become much simpler now....but much more complicated later. Will you so swear? Will you take my vendettas for your own? Family to each other, joined willingly be oath?"
Amethyst	"Heh, yeah... There's good odds that Cynis and Peleps will end up enemies in the struggle for the throne. And when that happens, I don't know what will happen, but it won't be pleasant." Amethyst muses, and she rises to her feet to glance out a window or some such, "The world is going to be shattered when that day comes. The Anathema will be the only ones victorious in a civil war. Unless the Empress just happens to reappear and reclaim her throne, I doubt that it can be avoided. And even if it does, the next bull of the north might not be stopped in time to prevent the Realm itself from being under seige. I've thought long and hard about it. And I figure, with my blood, I can only make sure I am strong for when that day comes." "I only hope," She says, turning back, "That such bloodshed does not come between those I hold dear."
Black Pearl	"I don't think she will," Salara says. "She either left and abandoned us, or was taken from us by someone stronger." Her voice is bitter, and she closes her eyes. "There will be war, because no-one will agree on any of the major candidates to unite under, but there is an alternative..." She looks up, her bloue eyes gleaming, "I have no special love for House Peleps....but neither do I for Cynis. They put me here, in exile even." Her eyes shine, "So why should we not try to shape things as /we/ will? I wish order, things to be proeprly run. Which means that someone strong must have the throne...." And she whispers, "...and no-one is strong enough. Not among the Empress's descendents. Do you agree?"
Amethyst	Ametis listens as she considers, "I really just want a family." She admits, "One with which I can be something more than an alchemist and sorceress and a friend." "And admittedly, I did once consider that I would, at the least, match the Empress in sorcerous might one day, given that I have accomplished workings of the Sapphire Circle before my 20th birthday." She gleams just a little. "What exactly do you propose we do? I'm not very much up to date on the current politics of the Realm so I'm afraid I can't really comment otherwise."
Black Pearl	"By all accounts, even the Immaculate Order's, the Anathema used to rule, and even the Dragon-chosen served them. I want to meet the ones here...because...could things be better with them? Start pushing the Wyld back again?"
Amethyst	"What about their madness?" Ametis challenges, "The reason the dragons threw them down is because with their unchecked power, they became mad and crazed and brought Creation near the point of ruin! ...I think. In truth, I have never actually found any records of the first age to study. And back then the Raksha were not even able to enter this world." "Also, do I /look/ like I'm terribly interested in pushing the Wyld back?" And she unfurls her mutations in protest, crossing her now-scale-y arms.
Black Pearl	"Do you look like you want to bring the Wyld in closer? To help weaken Creation?" Salara asks quietly. "As for their madness...remember. History is written by the victor. Treason sounds much better if you show that they deserved everything done in self-defense, don't you think?"
Amethyst	"I might look a bit like a Raksha," The Fae-Dragon considers, "Though I'm not anywhere near pretty enough for that." She shrugs her mutations back into her human form, "And yeah, I know the Immaculate Texts have falsehoods in them. But to see the look of my friends faces as I explained the truth behind why the Wyld Hunt targets them, it was pretty clear that they agreed with the notion written. There's a madness inherent to the other chosen that doesn't affect us Dragons, but how much it would affect their society, I can't say. I'd bet there are people who would know, though. But getting them to shed their secrets would be hard." Ametis sighs, "That said, we need to at least align ourselves with these chosen in some form or fasion. We can't continue like the past millienia and just hope that the Wyld Hunt can keep them from obtaining power. Even if they do not rule, they will need to be our allies."
Black Pearl	Salara nods, and smiles, "You do look exotic, and there are those who would prise you for those looks," she says. "So do not sell yourself short. And no, I'm not trying to get you to do something you don't wish to, at least not as far as working here goes." She reaches out and takes a grape which she eats while thinking. "But yes, I realize this. I...I think..." she closes her eyes. "I think you're right, and we need them to help restore order t the realm so that we can save at least the Isle. Or conquer the Isle if everything gets torn apart."
Amethyst	"Are you among those who would praise me for my appearance?" She teases with a giggle, "Regardless, I would rather not be ruled over by the Solars and Lunars, at the least I would like to be their equals. And it'll be a hard sell for anyone who believes in the Perfected Heirarchy to accept the other chosen as leaders. But those sound like the later problems to deal with. At hand, I think we need to trust each other." "And so, I am willing to swear an oath with you, and be bound to the potent magics of our blood."
Black Pearl	"I am," Pearl says wit a smile. "As I said you are exotic, and I am pleased to have you as a friend." She nods. "And there will be ways to use diplomacy, but ultimately it might just be power to see who has the right to rule." She nods, "To be kin to each other. To hopefully share friends, family chosen, and battles together. What is the wording of the oath you propose?"
Amethyst	Ametis grows silent, and then takes out her notebook and starts making changes to the words. She had actually copied down the oath from the Immaculate Texts she has back at her home, and she begins shifting and changing things to suit their particular situation. "So, what do you think?" What follows is the text she's written down, "By air, by water, by fire, by wood, by earth, The five sacred elements of the Dragon's birth, Let us protect our secrets, and those we call kin, May we be sisters, united in cause and within, And pray to the dragons that the bloodshed bodes not between each other or our family chose. By air and water and fire and wood and earth, May we seal this sacred bond with a new kin's birth, Between I, Peleps Yim Ametis, and I, Cynis Salara. May the hearth never be shattered." "We'll say it in unison, except for the parts where we each say our names. Our proper names, I'd say. That's why I went with Peleps Yim Ametis rather than Yim Amethyst." She explains.
Black Pearl	Salara looks at it and nods. "We will be bound to keep our secrets unless the other allows it to happen. That...I can work with that," she nods, and smiles. "Do we simply summon our power? Do we need to slice open flesh to share blood? How does this work to sanctify this all?"
Amethyst	"Practically we just need to recite it with both our full names and with intent, but there's plenty of rituals around it." She hasn't been researching this for the past week or anything. "and if done right, both of our animas will flare and swirl together to show that we've been bound, and we'll feel a link to one another." "As for blood? You know I use my blood for just about everything, though I'm not convinced that you would enjoy it as much." She gives a little chuckle.
Black Pearl	Salara smiles and nods. "If it were needed, I would do it without flinching," she says with a smile, but the she simply stands and offers her hand to the other water-born. "I am ready to swear this oath with you," she says and grins, "Which means I'll be your big sister after this, yes?"
Amethyst	Ametis grins and decides to take out her athame anyway, which bares Danaa'd herself on the hilt, one side pure white silver, the other grey iron, as though to represent her strange heritage. "It's almost fitting for Danaa'd's image to be watching over this." She muses as she gently cuts shallowly into her hand with the silver side, letting her warm blood pile to the surface. It's pretty clear that the young dragon likes the whole idea of the two of them sharing blood despite it not strictly being necessary. But she doesn't say anything, instead just offering her blade inquisitively. Instead she says, "Yeah, and you'll have me as your little sister. That's kinda neat, isn't it?" She giggles, ears long relaxed and held aloft by her giddiness.
Black Pearl	Salara takes the athame and also cuts her hand, a deep enough slice, the rich red blood poolig in her hand, and then reaching out to join hands, blood and essence starting to join as she starts the words of the oath. "By air, by water, by fire, by wood, by earth..."
Amethyst	Ametis is pleased and joins her hand the words of the oath, "...The sacred five elements of the Dragons' birth..." As they speak the words, her anima grows with her conviction, and her blood pools like strings wrapping themselves around their hands.
Black Pearl	The oath swirls around as the speak in unison, in cadence, animas flaring out, mingling together as water and water. All goes well until it is time to speak their names. After a pause for Ametis to speak, she picks up in cadence, "...and I, Iselsi Rendili Salara." And then the pause so that they may speak the ending in unison, Her anima flaring, water swirling around the room, soaking everything, though kept from leaving the walls by will.
Amethyst	The animas playing against each other like a dance, with bits of rainbow thrown in between the hues of green and blue. It's quite the exhilarating experience, until the moment that Salara speaks her name. Ametis, however, is channeling and focused, though she can feel the blood strings tighten as she's surprised. None the less, she concludes the oath, "...May the hearth never be shattered..." The anima doesn't just vanish, though it does die down to 'normal' levels for it being at bonfire. "I-Iselsi?!" Ametis exclaims. "That's just an infamous Patritician family nowadays. By the dragons what do you mean your name is Iselsi Rendili Salara?" And the certainty of the oath sinks in, Ametis can /feel/ Black Pearl's link, for they will always know the direction and distance of each other for now on. So she's not lying. The younger dragon is at a complete loss.
Black Pearl	"The Empress /abandoned/ us," Iselsi Salara says. "All we did was at /her/ behest, and before she could make that known, and grant us her favor, she /vanished/." Anger roiling through her as she grips firmly. "We were broken, scattered, and so we did what we do best--be in the shadows. House Cynis /thinks/ I'm one of them. But my true loyalty is ever to my mother, and her mother, going back to Iselsi." And the truth echoes through it. "So that is who I /truly/ am. And the Realm?" Her nostrils flare, "They kill us, hunt us worse than the Wyld Hunt. I'll do whatever I must so that my House is safe. And if that means allying with Anathema, I will. Better them than those who betrayed us."
Amethyst	Ametis pauses and takes in this information, and slowly realizes what she just swore to. The realization is visible as her ears gradually droop down until they're pressed against her neck. She puts away her athame and puts a hand to her cheek, "Anathema and the shadow remnents of House Iselsi allying with each other. And I just swore to protect your chosen family as well, so that means that." She sighs, "I really will need every bit that you can teach me if I am to be a Peleps scion while being secretly loyal to Iselsi." "And since we're on the topic of things that must not leave these walls," Ametis starts, and also disrobes. She grabs one particular bag after she's fully naked, and opens it. "To the Lunars, I am not just a Dragon." She reveals a wolf skin that's larger than she is. And as she wraps it around herself, the colors of the five elements swirl around her, changing and melding her form into the skin, until a wolf is there staring at her new sister, and her tattoos show through at the same moment her transformation completes. They very rapidly change colors as she sits and looks very happy with herself.
Black Pearl	Iselsi looks at her, and calms, nodding then and watching. Intrigued, curious, slightly perturbed but only slightly. "Well, this is definitely a surprise, and I'll be intersted to see how, and why, you did this. And what you can do as a wolf." She crouches down to pet gently. "NOw that we are sisters, I will make sure that the staff knows you are to be treated as such." She smiles and pets gently. "Do /not/ tell the Anathema--yet--who I truly am. You may certainy say I am a dynast from the Isle, and even of House Cynis." The former a truth and the latter a half-truth. "But you may assure them I mean them no harm, unless the mean me or my family harm. Is this...sufficient?"
Amethyst	Amewolf barks in acknowledge, tail wagging. She leans into the pets, but as they stop she runs around, and lays...down? It becomes obvious what she's done once her tattoos vanish, and a pair of hands appear parting the seem of her skin, which returns her to human form. Standing up and covered in some strange substance, she gives a little bow, "Tis a Sapphire Circle working I did to try to emulate my lunar friends. And I can do anything a wolf can do, and, really, I can do that with any animal I can skin and wrap myself in their skin. Believe me this is tame compared what some Lunars get up to. If you're going to ally with them, best get used to it." "One problem though, is Bright Journey. She will see right through any attempt I make at hiding my true intentions, she's a socialite like yourself. And even if she doesn't, I'm sure it'll come up when she speaks with you. She and Silk Moon Lotus will be the two you'll meet with first." "And I would rather not keep secrets from my loves Rishi and Hoarfrost, but I will do my best for now. I doubt they'll be able to read me anyway. As for the rest? I have no special reservations of hiding things from them."
Black Pearl	"I can tell them my true intentions--at least true enough where they are conerned--and simply keep my true identity a secret. If I come to trust them...perhaps I will let them know. But if I do...each person I tell risks the secret spreading. 'Three can keep a secret....if two of them are dead.' And even then their ghosts can be made to speak."
Amethyst	"I understand. As I said, I'm definitely going to need more lessons on how to make sure others can't find my secrets." Ametis says, "It'd probably be good to do some of that today so I'm better prepared next time I meet them." "It's definitely going to be interesting being your younger sister." She rubs her head just a little considering the mess she's gotten into.