“You shouldn’t be in the fields all day.” One of the humans said as he looked up to face the four-winged angel working beside him. working through the earth with the same kind of hoe he used. The field around them was being prepared, and the sun-mother willing they would have a bountiful harvest. Again. “You’re our queen. Queens shouldn’t be here.”

Soleira never stopped working. “I’m not a queen.” She said. “Just… someone wanting to help.” The humans around her were insistent. They kept calling her queen or chiefess. She didn’t feel like a queen. She didn’t want to feel like a queen. Working in the field, ankle deep in the fertile soil with sweat rolling off her brow was always a good reminder of who she was. Just a girl, an Oraeliari. One without her halo even. Despite that, several other of her kin had chosen to join her.

Both of them, an all the other human farmers, continued their work in the field. Then when evening fell. “You did very well.” Soleira said as she petted the oxen that pulled the ards through the earth. They just brayed at her in acknowledgement. They were simple creatures, but always willing to help. Having thanked all the creatures that helped her and her people work the earth, they all returned to their homes. Soleras they called it, in honor of her and the sun. Soleira returned to her colorful clay-brick house as well. It was larger, but not by much. Just enough so her four wings wouldn’t push everything off tables and other furniture.

But before she entered, something glimmered on the horizon. Something larger than an Oraeliari or Neiyari. Other people stepped out as well, to look at the quickly approaching figure on the red horizon. Warriors, a necessity Soleira had learned to accept, formed up. Armed with leather, wooden spears and hide shields. A few of the people gasped in fear.

Luckily the figure seemed to descend faster than first though. At that rate, it would land not inside the village but further away. Amid the newly tilted fields. Soleira didn’t take any chances though. She moved out, ready to meet the strange thing outside. Hoping it wasn’t dangerous. In the distance, black spots of crows and eagles flew out towards the stranger. Soleolis’ first line of protection were the animals around it. Like a cloud they approached the thing, then flew away again. Soleira frowned out of confusion. The animals had never let her down.

The figured came closer. It looks animalistic. When it was close enough, dusk had well and truly set. She thought she could see white fur. It came closer. It was large and catlike. Finally, it landed before her, and Soleira could see the animal in its full glory. A leon, though she had never seen such an animal before. Immediately smiled as she extended her hand towards. “Hey there.” She said softly. The animal nuzzled her hand. “You must be far from home. What brings you here.”

“Nothing but an old man.” Something said from atop the leon. 

Surprised, Soleira took a step back. Then, appearing from the other side stepped an old, robed man. His long robes were strained with mud and sweat and filthy rain. His beard was an uncut, untended mess. His face was filthy. Yet his eyes flickered with a light she had never seen. Not even in the rainbow eyes of the humans.

“Who are you?” She asked as she still petted the leon, who gladly accepted the attention.

“Just a stranger. My name is.. Kal.” He made a small bow. As much as his body would allow. “You must be Soleira.” He then said with a smile.

“I am. Have you heard of me?” There were some stories of her going around in the Luminant, she knew. Several of the nearby villages had already come paying tribute in gold. Believing that was the only thing she wanted.

“In a way. Would you mind if we spoke some where more… comfortable? My old body you see.” The stranger said.

Immediately Soleira stepped forward to take him by the arm. “Yes, yes! Of course. Apologies. Allow me.” With the strength of an Oraeliari it was easy to uphold the frail human. Slowly they walked towards the village. With the winged lion creature in tow. Villagers were awaiting her return at the edge of torchlight. When they saw their queen helping an old man walk, with a lion walking behind them they all took a step backwards. “Easy! Easy! He’s not here to hurt us.”

The novelty of the stranger faded quickly in the face of the winged, white lion. Soleira stopped for a moment and turned to the leon. “Please be nice to my- I mean [i]these people[/i]. They don’t mean you any harm.” The creature let out a grunt and then a long growl. Soleira smiled. “Yes of course.” Then turned to one of the people around her. “Do we have any meat?”

“One of the goats took its final breath just this morning.” The man sounded gleeful about it.

Soleira only felt sadness. “It’s best you feed my new friend over there. He has flown a lot and has barely eaten.” With a nod the man walked away. Assumingly to grab the meat. Then she and this Kal continued to walk on until they were in Soleira’s house.

“I’ve got some fresh water, and the sap of elder berries.” She said as the man took a seat. “Oh and some herbs for a brew. If you want I can make some bread but that’ll take a moment. Sorry, I’ve got nothing fresh. Maybe some berries?” She offered.

The man just raised his hand in refusal, but with a bright smile. “Thank you but-“ His stomach grumbled. “Actually I think I’ll take the berries, and the sap if you’d please. It would appear this body missed food and water more than I thought. Ha! Mortals, how do you keep going?” He joked and laughed.

The four-winged Oraeliari didn’t join. She just raised an eyebrow before gathering up everything. Moments later they were both sitting, Soleira in her special chair that didn’t crush her wings against her back. The man was devouring the berries. Eventually she felt compelled to ask: “So… Kal. Where are you from that you’ve found such a strange companion.”

He liked his fingers clean before answering: “I’m from the far north. A place called the Highlands. Beyond the mountain range there. Do you still call it the Anchor? Well, I’m from a place even further than that. They call it the Dûnanlands now, I think.”

Soleira just frowned and cocked her head, then remembered the stories of the far away Frostlands. Where the bitter winter cold struck for more than half a year. A place of stone and hard soil. Not a kind land, especially not compared to the fertile Golden Fields just a bit to the south-west or the Luminant itself. “You must’ve travelled for very long.”

“I have, actually.” And he looked that way as well. Even smelled that way. “And I guess you now want to know why I am here.” He leaned backwards. Making himself comfortable. Soleira quietly nodded. “I’m here for you?”

“For me?”

“I am what you could call… a prophet. But a crappy one. I’ve only ever had one vision in my entire life, and I’ve gotten it a year ago. When I was in that cold land. In my dream I saw you, standing on an island floating in the large void.“ he pointed up at the sky. “You are destined for many great things.”

She let out a chuckle. “I’m sorry you came all the way here for me but I am not even a queen. Your dreams, however vivid, were just that. Just dreams. I’m not made for greatness. There are others for that. The sun giant maybe, but not me.” She got up and walked over to her small larder. “You can stay as long as you want though.”

“I figured as much.” Kal did not seem to take offense at Soleira’s dismissal. He just raised his cup in dismissal. Seemingly accepting it before taking a sip. The two of them kept talking though. About the Frostlands, the split rivers that ran along the east of the great mountains and the sun-touched, golden lands to the far north-west. Where a temple sat that could cleans everything. He told Soleira about the leons and Lucia, the Firstborn of the sun. The girl took it all in. Alas, in the end both of them were exhausted and fell in a deep sleep.
[center]~[/center]
“How do you do that?” One of the mortal humans asked as they watched Kal simply mutter a sentence and raise his vertically held, flat hand. Before him, the earth opened up. Creating a furrow without ever touching an ard.

Kal just turned and smiled. “This? It’s a little spell created up north. Do you want me to teach you?” Despite his casual toon, glee rose up in the mortal newcomer.

“Magic?” The man said, taking a step back. A few of the people looked anxiously around. “We aren’t mages, sir.” Mages here were still rare. It took study, and there were few opportunities in a world where dreadful creatures could come from the skies and kill you. Even in the relative safety of Soleras.

“Nonsense! Here, I shall show you. Just hold out your hand and say the following words: Tennath, Erak Nee Tiré.” A few of the farmers dared to step forward, closed their eyes, held out their palms and recited the  words. From the Winds of Magic high above, Qael could sense the flicker of an attempt. A careful touch of a mortal upon the mana. It remained unresponsive to such a delicate, uncertain touch. “It takes practice.” Kal said, and then joined the farmers in working the fields by hand.

It felt weird, working the fields as a god in a mortal body. Despite the body’s shape, he though he made good progress. Not as fast as the younger men of course, but fast enough. That wasn’t really his point. At night a few words muttered would make him catch up. The village of Soleras wouldn’t suffer because of him. Still, as he took a break at midday he realized how tough it was to be mortal. He looked around, beats of sweat fell from his face. His muscles ached. It was a strange, but not entirely unpleasant feeling. All around him people were working still. Some planted seeds, other just dug. He smiled as Soleira was hard at work in the far off distance as well.

“She’s been a blessing to us.” One of the farmers, an older gentleman though not much older than Kal, said. “Just wished she would start leading us for real.” There was a sense of flustration in the mortal’s words. “I don’t know why she keeps refusin’.”

“Take heed friend.” Kal said as he turned around to face the man and put a hand on his shoulder. “Someday, a god will crown her as empress.”

[hider=Summary]
Soleira is helping to work the farmland, though farmers insist that she shouldn’t. Still, she just continues. Finding the work to keep her humble. In the evening though, a strange thing is spotted at the red horizon. A creature many times bigger than a Oraeliari came flying towards them. Luckily it landed outside the village of Soleras. Soleira steps out to meet the creature, and then also the rider it carries. A stranger from the Frostlands.

She takes him to her own hut, where she offers him food and drinks. He accepts and then they talk about why he is there. He claims he is a prophet who saw she was destined for greatness. Soleira rejects the vision, claiming others are destined for such things but not she. Still, she allows the stranger to stay as long as he desires.

The next day the stranger, Kal, uses magic to dig a furrow. Astonished, the farmers ask to teach them, though they’re not really magically talented and the spell fails in their hands. No matter, everyone goes to work by hand then. Even Kal. Which gives Qael himself some insight into mortal lives, and allows him to admire the hard work of his daughter. A farmer says he wished she would finally accept her title as queen, but Qael tells him not to worry. Someday she will be crowned as empress by a god.
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[hider=Prestige]
[b]Post Length:[/b] +10K Characters
+5 Prestige >> The Conduit
+5 Prestige >> Soleira
-3 Prestige >> The Conduit: Extraordinary feat: Tame a Leon
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