Kingsley Family/Alyssa/Midnight Ride

Kingsley

Starlight's hooves clopped along the streets of the Water Town. Most of the peasants were in their homes as the sun began to set over the townsland. Armed patrols marched through the streets as the heavy militia made their rounds. The evening was quiet, but a chill seabreeze flew through the town, though Alyssa's dark leather jacket and simple woolen shirt kept her warm in the light early spring evening. She heard raucous laughter from a nearby tavern as some baudy song was being sung. It seems... normal here. Alyssa thought to herself. It did not seem so long ago that men were slaughtering each other at the base of the walls and yet tonight would be a typical spring evening, out of the ordinary for no one, except Alyssa who had been on the move with an army at her back for what felt like years now. Now it was only her, Starlight, and the small detachment of personal guards from her unit, and of course the dozens of armed soldiers who would be escorting her alongside her sweet and shining knight. As they passed through the walls towards Isana's meeting point she pulled the red ribbon from her pony tail which had come loose as Starlight's hooves treaded heavily upon the cobblestone streets of the Water Town. Her golden locks fell to her shoulders and she pulled it back into the ponytail, tying the ribbon tighter around it to keep her hair in place. Returning her hand to the reins, the other tapped idly on the saddlehorn as the approached the Stormfront rally point, soldiers loading supplies onto carts. She took a deep breath as she spotted her escort, her dearest Isana, receiving a report from the page she knew as Cedric. She looked to her own little detachment. "Fall in with the Stormfront. My knight shall see to my safety from here." She commanded as she dismounted. "Habbs, ensure Starlight is fed and rested." "Aye, m'lady Imperatrix." The quartermaster called Habbs nodded with a salute. "Take some rest, eat." She ordered the others, her countenance unmoved as she gave them their instructions. "We'll move in one hour, and be in the city to get some sleep before the sunrise." Her head turned slightly and her eyes met Isana's as the young page turned away with a salute. The stony face of the Imperatrix faded for a moment and a quick, sweet smile of Alyssa Kingsley took its place. "Dismissed" She said idly, waving her hand dismissively at the soldiers around her. They nodded and mumbled a few "Ayes" and "M'Ladys" as they dispersed into the Stormfront. Aly's smile warmed brighter as she approached her knightly escort.

Everlight

Isana kept her expression professional as the Imperatrix’s entourage dispersed. She gradually took a few reserved steps forward and nodded to their farewells. The next twenty seconds or so dragged on like a horse’s cart pulling through slushy snow: heavy, strained and impatient. Alyssa’s quick, sweet smile appeared in her periphery and warmed Isana’s heart as time stretched on. Finally the troops were at a distance allowing more privacy, and Isana’s wind-blushed face crinkled into a giddy smile. She closed the last few steps to Alyssa in a rush and took both her hands in her own. “Aly dear! Oh, what a lovely journey this will be. After watching you hold the field with more than half the army retreating, it’s been an intense time…” emotion was visible in her eyes for a moment, worry and pride in a tousled bunch. She held Aly’s gaze and the silence conveyed more than words could. I’m so glad you’re alright. “We’re in for a fast refit by the sound of it,” she said instead, and began leading her dear friend toward the loading carts. Alyssa fell into step beside her knight, giving the hands a quick squeeze before letting them gently go. Isana returned the gesture and gave her dear friend a warm sidelong smile before continuing. “I’ve got a few thoughts to discuss with you, perhaps we can tail the group and keep our words to ourselves.” Alyssa nodded briefly. “Those letters?” Isana’s deep green-blue gaze found the trampled path ahead. “Precisely that. I’ll keep words to myself until we’re on the road…”

Kingsley

"Yes, dear. That will do. The roads should be safe enough and we have the moon to light our way." Alyssa glanced at her companion and smiled. "And I have a dashing knight to protect me." Alyssa was rewarded with a little giggle from Isana which made her heart soar as it often did. "Of course!" her dashing knight replied smiling her familiar comfortable smile. "Will you take me for an inspection in the meantime? I should like to see the Stormfront again. To ensure they have everything they need." Alyssa said, looking out over the soldiers loading supplies and readying horses for their moonlight journey. Isana gave a quick "Aye" and a playfully earnest salute which earned her a giggle of her own from Alyssa. Together they toured the rendezvous point where their soldiers were working together to load carts and count inventory. Alyssa wore the face of the general as the strode about, Isana proudly introducing some of the Stormfront officers, some the same she had met before, many new faces who Alyssa solemnly realized were replacements for soldiers whose fates were left unsaid. In the distance a crow squawked as the sun crested past the horizon, a soft orange and blue twilight illuminating the road ahead. Alyssa tapped her toe rapidly against the bottom of her boot as the faces of her own dead flashed in her mind. Her heart began to race until she looked back to Isana who was still showing off her troops equipment cart, well-prepared and fully stocked she had noted. Alyssa breathed slowly and focused her eyes upon the other woman's as she spoke, the last vestiges of twilight sparkling across that deep blue-green sea, slowly replaced by the light of the stars. The clop of hooves broke her thoughts as one of her guardsmen approached with her white mare, saddled and ready to ride. Isana glanced towards the brightly-lit moon up above. "Ah dusk is here, we should be going if we are to make the City with time to sleep." Alyssa nodded as her soldier handed her Starlight's reins and she mounted her mare, settling into the saddle. Dusk will not fall on me tonight sweet knight, Alyssa thought to herself as she swung her leg over the horse's back and smiled softly to herself as she considered the other woman, settling into her own horse's saddle. My bright morning star is with me. Alyssa sat with Isana as the men filed out onto the road to Perdan City, before following behind them several yards, giving the two a comfortable privacy. "The stars are lovely tonight." Alyssa said idly looking into the night sky as their horses found an easy rhythm together, the moonlight shining down upon them as their journey to the city began.

Everlight

There was a perfect calm around this moment, held together with a ripple of happiness both women held in their hearts as their journey together commenced. Isana leaned her head back to take in the enormity of the sky above, twinkling innocently far beyond this place and its human challenges. The night sky’s faint silver light seemed to linger on Alyssa, making the fair hair in a loose fall glimmer through the darkness. Isana took a deep breath of the cool night air and let it out in a slow swirl of steam. “It’s as though they know we're out here to enjoy them, Aly,” Isana voiced musingly. “There are stars up there that are rarely to be seen! Look at the tiny cluster in the Bruin, there,” she deftly moved dapple-grey Blizzard closer to Starlight to show direction. They were close enough that Isana felt the heat radiating from her friend’s graceful form as she leaned in to let Alyssa sight the stars along her arm. “Even with the bright moon. It’s so clear… unlike our world, some days.” Alyssa looked to her knight with a soft expression of concern. With their horses so close together she could feel that Isana wasn’t tense with tumultuous emotion, but rather perplexed in thought. “What is unclear, my dear?” she smiled a little at the unintentional rhyme. Isana echoed the smile briefly, dropping her head to one side to send a coy look and convey her entertainment. “Well firstly I didn’t know you were a poet, dearest!” She winked and was rewarded with another quiet giggle from Alyssa. “There are many things that are blurred. Whether an outline is known to me, or best course of action… take for instance, those letters. The poor dame had been wounded. She woke to reports and letters with language that was easy to interpret as inflammatory in intention and insulting in content. I have some idea why she sent her strong words, at least. Then there was the counter offer to contact us--and blast me if I know why Sir Kenneth suggested myself! I’m not any sort of ambassador, one skilled with tactical words to set my feet right around an upset and armed foe. I’m a girl from the wilds of Beluaterra, just waiting to be found out as an impostor, not diplomatic as all the noble city-raised folk around East Continent.” A flush had begun to creep up Isana’s cheeks. “I’m fair skilled with a bow, and can lead my soldiers aright, but I really have a tough go seeing what it is would trust me with something like that! And I don’t want to let Perdan down!” She stopped abruptly after that last, noting her voice had risen. Isana didn’t notice that her Beluan accent had appeared for several moments. The words had poured forth in a hushed and earnest stream-of-consciousness. Alyssa nodded thoughtfully. “Sana-dear,” she began softly, and waited for the dark-haired knight to meet her gaze. Steely-blue with strength and lit with silver from the moon, she looked ethereal--though to Isana she was the most tangible and natural connection of all, closer to her than her own hands. “Dearest, it is those observations, paired with your intent, that make you possibly the most qualified of any of us in this circumstance.” Alyssa’s voice was low and warm, but held an intensity that kept Isana from interrupting with a contradiction. “You can see clearly where the other knight was coming from, and how she got there. This shows a common ground between you, and common ground is the best place to start a connection. I don’t know how Sir Kenneth guessed it, but he was shrewd and wise on this point.”

Kingsley

A brief silence came over the two, the only sound the gentle clop of Starlight and Blizzards' hooves against the road. Alyssa took a deep breath of the crisp evening air and glanced back over at her companion who seemed to be mulling over her words. Hesitating for a second, she reached over to take Isana's hand. "You are the truest knight in all of Perdan. There is no one I trust more than you, my dearest morning light. I am happy in fact to know that there are others who see in you what I see. Strength, and grace, and resolve. You are no impostor my sweet darling knight. You are you, as you always are. Beautiful, kindhearted, and brave. The light who gave me hope, and I believe Perdan as well. Speak truly and openly as you always do, even our enemies will see what Perdan sees, what I see." Starlight gave Blizzard a little nuzzle as the two beasts walked close together in step, their mistresses riding hand in hand in the silver moonlight. Alyssa felt a nervous sort of peace come over her. With Isana's hand in hers she felt a calm comfort but her heart still beat quickly as the other woman considered her words. Isana's words kept her inspired so often. She only hoped hers could do the same.