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Icy cold dots of snow scattered from the heavens, the temperature lost on the reduced body heat that she kept, her skin a light blue as it had always been. Being the queen of Esper and once the princess meant never venturing out beyond the walls of the city to explore. She was honestly quite unsure of how she would fair in a climate different than her own as her parents had used various methods of reminding her that she'd not last. The time had gone for her to do anything adventurous as her days were spent making decisions and solving various political and socioeconomic problems. She removed her headdress, long white & silver hair sweeping around her shoulders and accenting the deep crystal color of her gaze, her eyes moving along the sharp edges of the cliff, looking for something, anything. 

The people of Esper lived behind a large stone wall, the black city a sight for sore eyes as its beauty rang out for miles and miles, the allure almost irritatingly obvious. She'd wanted to change it many years back, but the counsel would have none of it, their concerns lost on things in the moment and not in dealing with the future. Having the foresight to run a country took more than getting the things done at present that needed to be done and she was the one that pushed the dastardly group of aging men to make decisions. She very much had the power to trump their ideas and decrees, but tried hard to maintain a sense of democracy and not dictatorship though if things went south she was ready to stand before everyone and require them bow. 

Varin abhorred the idea of bringing a stranger into the kingdom to assist them with this threat, her men well prepared to fight any opposing force, but the issues wasn't to deal with brute strength, but cunningness and investigation. She supposed her adviser, Jerim was correct in his assessment to find "the best" to assist them. She paid him well and spent many years learning to trust him. To stop now would just be irrational and unfounded. Pressing her long fingers to the bridge of her nose she exhaled slowly, releasing the angst that rode up the back of her neck and shoulders, hoping to find peace in the beauty that played about all about her. No one but her stood in the icy snow of early afternoon and yet she felt a million eyes on her, her own castle lined with protection in the form of strong warriors. 

Most of the towns people often wondered why she never aged and yet knew that she'd been at the helm of their world for twenty-plus years. Her body retained the appearance of a luscious woman in her late thirties, but to catch a glimpse of her gaze would tell a very different story no doubt. She cared not for an sensuality in her appearance, the men of Esper not calling her to feel anything more than a ruler-like protection over all of them. The time for romance and sex was not at hand and she remained focused on the things that mattered most - her charge. The dilemma of the situation before her was pressing and yet she couldn't see a way to get the word out properly that they needed help. She'd pray to the god of protection and ask him to send a warrior their way - one like they'd never seen. 

"My queen, you must come inside. The snow is only going to get worse and I know that you were born for this, but please." Jerim walked toward her, stopping a few feet away, knowing that she would not appreciate his closeness.

She turned at the sound of his voice, a snarl on her lips but she held it back. Her temperament was violent most days and if ever too calm then people began to gain concern - as they should. "I'll come in when I'm ready. Thank you, Adviser." 

She turned away from him and closed her eyes, lifted her head and let the wind sooth her fear as her voice lifted to the heavens in a language that only the gods understood. 

They would send someone. 

There was no other choice.