They began descending the dune at a daunting and tremulous pace, Voana pulling on the reins tightly and provoking a throaty groan from the mouth of the sand-horse, the beast tossing its head in obvious irritation. Itone slumped forward with a quiet [i]oomf[/i], the scarf wrapped around her head slipping down to cover her eyes as a result. Gritting her teeth, the Shield-Maiden wrenched the hem of the scarf up away from her eyes with a huff of indignation, leaning forward and delivering a kick between her Wifes shoulder blades. When Voana halted in her punishing stride and turned to look up at her Wife, Itone made to pull the reins from her, "I'll do it you fool, lest you tumble this poor creature as well as your Wife in your haste-" she stated, her voice clipped and firm, but her face softening as she looked down at Voana, "-go on."

Voana gave a short, grateful squeeze to the small hand laid upon her own before slipping the reins from her grip and turning back downwards, racing off down the dune, kicking up sand behind her. Letting loose a short song of laughter as she approached Sohena, Voanas lips twisted into a wide easy grin as she looked upon her Sister for the first time in years. Sohena herself, as serene in face as ever, received her with a slow, small smile, turning her tall and slender form fully to face Voana as the warrior charged up to her. Standing before her, Voana looked her Sister up and down, and reached out and grasped each of Sohenas slim shoulders, regarding her with a wholly fond and faintly disbelieving look.

"Sister..." Voana murmured, her voice soft and holding the same small measure of disbelief as her face, with that she pulled Sohena forward, and pressed her forehead against her Sisters. Voanas eyes slipped closed for several long seconds, comforted when Sohena didn't throw off the gesture and instead brought her hands up to clutch at Voanas elbows, squeezing shortly before letting go.

Pulling back, Voana turned her head to look behind her when she heard the sand-horse grunt once more, and saw that her Wife had successfully brought the beast to rest at the bottom of the dune, rewarding it with several calming strokes to the side of its long neck whilst she watched them both patiently. Voana released her Sisters shoulders and smiled up at Itone, "Itone, you remember my Body-Sister, Sohena?" motioning to Sohena with a wave of her hand. Recognition flooded Itones face, her hand ceasing patting the sand-horses mane as she sat up in her seat, offering a thin smile down at Sohena, "Of course, though..." her brow furrowed somewhat as she spoke "...it has been a while."

Sohena brought her hands to clasp together in-front of her, bowing her head in greeting at Itone before speaking, "It has indeed, I believe last we met you graced me with a wonderful feast at your home-" here she lifted her head, "-my apologies that I did not repay your kindness, I became quite indisposed afterwards..." her voice trailing off as she gazed up at Itone. The Shield-Maiden met Sohenas gaze and regarded her with a wary air for a few seconds, before bowing her head in return. "There are no apologies required save from myself," Itone replied shuffling in her seat atop the sand-horse, "I forget my courtesies, would you like to take my place and rest your feet as we travel?" 

Sohena shook her head, "My thanks, but I will be just fine, though we should continue walking if we wish to reach the Tower before the meeting begins." Sohena relayed, turning away but not before sending her Sister a pointed look. As Sohena began to move in the direction of the Tower, Voana turned to look at her Wife, her eyes firm and cautionary, Itone responding with a silent shrug of her shoulders before clicking her tongue and giving a soft kick to the side of the sand-horse, spurring it on to follow after Sohena. Voana turned and strode forward, catching up to Sohenas gliding steps quickly, and came to walk a steady pace beside her Sister, letting the silence reign for four short seconds before beginning her enquires. 

"You travelled alone?" 

"It is my preference, as it has always been. Did only your Wife accompany you?"

Voana shook her head, "Across the desert yes, but from the North a retinue of my pupils insisted on following us. We left them behind in Nursia-" a considering frown appeared on her lips, "-it was surprising enough that the summons had called for Upstarts to attend, I didn't want to push my luck by bringing mortals to the Tower." Sohena gave a small hum of agreement and replied, "Indeed, wise you are sometimes Sister, though I thought you wouldn't risk bringing Itone to an audience of our kin...". Voanas frown deepened, her voice lowering to a mutter, "I was against it of course, but my Wife has come to dislike the entirety of my protection." she glanced back at Itone before leaning closer to Sohena, "She has not been well,and she believes that the knowledge of our kin could help." 

She leaned back at Sohenas slow nod, and gave her Sister a goading stare, "Besides, you're one to talk of wisdom with these events, I honestly didn't believe you would attend despite the summons requesting all of us. Last I recall the 'Angels' did not regard you with much love." she pointed out.

"And, if I know what I know, they regard you much the same, Sister..." Sohena shot back smoothly before turning to Voana with a thin, knowing smile, "and yet here we are."

They began to climb the dune that lay before them, Voana looking behind her to supervise her Wifes ascent on the sand-horse, "Aye, we are here-" she muttered to Sohena, "-and I wonder if we truly need to be...whether the reasons to be here are true..." her voice trailing off as she turned her face to her Sister again, an unspoken question in her voice. 

The two Sisters came to stand atop the dune, the Tower of Broken Dreams now again visible in the distance, Sohena quiet all the while as Voana looked at her, unmoving and expectant. The silence prevailing, Voana sighed and pressed the subject once more, "Sohena...Thiriannas claims should be impossible, I scarce believed them when I read her summons but..." she paused, hands clenching and her eyes imploring, "...if it's true, I rarely ask this of you Sister but-"

Sohena, who had been silent and avoiding of her Sisters eyes, raised a hand to silence Voana, lifting a cool and firm gaze to Voanas face. "I appreciate that you rarely ask Voana, as I have appreciated such in the past...and I ask that you do the same now." Lowering her hand, she returned it to clasp the other in-front of her and turned to begin the descent down the dune, murmuring, "What will come to pass will pass, that is how it must be." 

Voana watched as her Sister travelled on, a frown deepening on her lips before it settled with a deep exhale of air. Hearing the plodding approach of the sand-horse behind her, Voana turned to receive her Wifes questioning stare. Before Itone could ask, Voana stated "It's fine...come we're nearly there." and reached up to take the reins from Itones hands, the Shield-Maiden relinquishing them with a slow nod but a hard stare that promised they would speak of this later.

The three women moved onwards in silence towards the Tower, Sohena and her shadow leading the way, until, in no time at all, the group beheld the splendour and enormity of the structure up-close, and crossed the threshold of the two heavy doors into the foyer of the Tower. The steps of Voanas heavy boots and the hooves of the sand-horse echoed deftly on the decorative but worn tiles of the foyer, whilst Sohena, as always, seemed to glide silently and weightlessly. Sohena gazed back at her Sister and directed a pointed look at the winding staircase that disappeared off up into the heights, making towards it after what seemed a moment of hesitation. Voana gave the stairs a brief glance before moving to attend to her Wife, reaching up to help her off the sand-horse, Itone grasping onto her arms before finding her footing and moving away, her eyes curious and distracted by the inside of the structure.

Voana looked back at the staircase, and saw Sohena still stood at the bottom of it, her eyes gazing upwards before glancing at her Sister with an expectant look. Voana gave a short sigh and relieved herself of the heavy robe that had hid her over the trek across the desert, revealing her armour, fine and aged and arousing the memories of a thousand battles. Throwing the robe to rest over the sand-horses saddle, Voana brought her hand back to rest on her scabbard, Iron-Spine a welcome and familiar weight against her hip. 

Looking over to her Wife, Voana saw that Itone had followed her steed, happily stripping herself of the various scarves as well as the woollen shift, standing small but solid in her cloth tunic, chain-mail vest and leather vambraces, her short-sword strapped to her hip. She offered her a small, reassuring smile and Voana felt a great measure of ill-thought melt from her, her muscles relaxing from stiffness into her easy confidence. She returned the smile and made to move towards the stairs, hearing Itone follow behind her with sure quick steps. Voana turned her gaze upwards, towards the heights of the Tower and the events that surely lurked at the top, the faint sound of conversation bouncing off the marble walls of the interior and drifting down to them.

Voana gave another short sigh, hand still resting on Iron-Spines hilt, "Right then." she murmured decisively to herself, and began to ascend the steps.