(OOC: Okay, Krel... after this, I'm ready to work on that post we were talking about. ^_^ For the rest of you... it's short. I can't seem to write anything of decent length these days. ^^ I guess that's a relief, hmm?)

It was funny, how sleep worked... A person could be dead tired, and never get a moment's rest... or even the other way around, blessedly lucky as that would be.

Unfortunately, she was suffering from the former.

The wind found her, whispered across Zephyr's small hands as they gripped the marble rail of her gazebo, and sifted through her thick robes to lay its cooling touch upon her skin. Her hair - uncovered and flowing loose as she rarely allowed - drifted on the warm currents of the summer breeze. They glimmered with the first rays of the sun, as the burning orb crept past the horizon to meet her gaze, floating into her field of vision in silken beams.

What she would give, to see the rest of the world blanketed in this beautiful sense of peace... If not for the greater good, than at least to erase the marks her decisions had left upon the unsuspecting Lambs. It was selfish, perhaps, but then... what wasn't? Humans had always tried to serve themselves while serving others... She was human.

She liked to think she was, in any case. Krelian likely wouldn't agree. The Lifeline - 'sharounai' as he called it in his native language - was his way of removing her from the world, and its people. His point, indelicate as it was... and an infinitely effective one, she had to admit.

Since the day he had imprisoned her in his cage of eternal life, she'd not aged a day - at least, not in body. Yet in mind... though Krelian might dispute her if she were to say she'd grown wise, she had certainly aged beyond anything a human should have to endure. Was Shevat better for it?

Because the world most certainly wasn't.

Yet the world would have been without Sophia, if she had not existed -- and for that reason alone, she had been kept alive. Tortured in life, rather than eternal death.

"But death is the only solace... By your belief, the soul lives for all eternity, and that, in turn, makes life the eternal torture... Is that not so?"

The rail had grown hot, searing under Zephyr's hands. Or perhaps she had grown cold... She couldn't feel anything but the resonance of that voice, and the knotted tightness of her muscles as she drew a deep breath.

So cold, that voice. She remembered thinking, years ago, that the owner's gaze could have frozen the city all by itself... But the woman had demonstrated quite a few times that while she could not freeze with her gaze, her power would be quite enough to take care of that little oversight.

"Krelian is quite the genius, I would say..." The barest shift of cloth reached the Queen's ears, as the speaker moved forward. Her presence was shadow, felt more than seen, and heavier than any royal mantle. "He has you thinking in circles, and drawing me in with you. Even I can't help but commend /that/ achievement."

Zephyr's eyes shifted down, as if to look behind; but she did not move. Movement in this presence was dangerous, and resistence even more so. What good could one frail old woman do, against one with the power to see her intentions? "You have a point, I presume... Unless you came all this way out of spite..."

Her visitor shrugged - another soft hitch of cloth, barely heard. "Or perhaps I have nothing else to do. We're playing a waiting game, now... and I do not have the advantage of a throne to keep myself busy."

"A little fun, here and there...?" The queen let her hands drop from the railing, and her robes enveloped them in silky softness. "You won't find any entertainment here today, if that's what you're really looking for. Sabbath generally doesn't lend itself to anything other than rest."

Breezes whispered past the gazebo, dancing over the stone and the two women within like children playing a game of chase. "Then today is your unlucky day... Or perhaps not, as I come bearing... a gift, or sorts."

Did she, now? That was a surprise... and an unlucky one, just as she had said. Nothing she offered was ever without a price... When she gave something out of the goodness of her heart... only a fool would accept.

But she would have to be a fool... because there was never any way to refuse this woman - none in all the long time they'd known each other.

The presence drew closer, her movement punctuated by the sharp staccato of heels upon stone. The figure, slender and garbed in pure white, was still shadowed by the retreating night, limned with the golden light of sunrise. Like an angel... but an angel of death. And she halted beside the queen, all promises... but witholding her deathly touch.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Kaira. You yourself said you wanted to help your kingdom... and I've come to you with a way to do it. No need to be so... moralistic." She glanced down, a gloved hand sifting through glimmering indigo hair. "It hasn't stopped you before."

Zephyr flinched away from her maiden name, making every effort to conceal her reaction from her 'guest'. But it wouldn't do any good - one could not hide things from her. Whatever power she possessed had been proven time and again... "You don't have any concern for the good of Shevat... and certainly not for the good of the surface-dwellers. So please, tell me why I will find this deal so enticing...? I really am curious."

Another gust of wind danced around them, lifting the violet hair away from the gloved hands and wavering into the current. "You expressed a desire to right your wrongs... I can provide you that chance." Miang's voice softened into something that might have been sympathy, had she anyone else. "There is a group of rebels gathering together on the surface... they don't know it yet, but they will all meet eventually, and form the same cause you have pursued, these last few centuries...

"You'll know them when you see them. There will be quite a few familiar faces among them, so many you might find it hard to face them, at first. But I'm sure you'll be able to steel yourself and do so."

The more she heard, the more she knew it had to be a trap of some sort. Miang Hawwa did not work against Solaris... She did not work against Krelian. At least not so obviously. And that meant that this plan, this offer of hers, would benefit them in some way she couldn't see at this point in time.

And Zephyr would never actively help Solaris. /Never/.

"All you have to do is protect them... keep them alive, and keep them away from Ramsus, and any other Solarian forces." Miang shrugged delicately. "I know what you're thinking, of course... All I can do is assure you that it will hinder us more than help. Whether you believe me or not is your choice."

"Forgive me if I choose to be skeptical," Zephyr commented drily, glancing at her companion out of the corner of her eye. "I find it a little hard to believe that you would want to help me so suddenly."

"I have a vested interest in keeping these rebels away from Solaris... Krelian wants them, the Ministry wants them, even Cain wants them. And when those three agree on something, I do everything in my power to make sure they don't get it. If you don't believe me..." Miang shrugged again, and fell silent.

It was intriguing... Zephyr could admit that to herself, if not out loud. Miang's offers rarely began with the idea of /protecting/ something, or someone... if Solaris wanted to protect a potential pawn, they were quite capable of doing so with their own resources. But this...

It was almost like a call for help... heavily veiled and loaded with deception certainly, but... it was an unusual offer. Or rather, an unusual request.

This was most definitely a request... or she would already feel the compulsion to accept that had made her suspect so early in their dealings that Miang was more than she seemed. Not a telepath, to her eternal relief, but... Gods, just what was it she was after this time?

"Familiar faces, hmmm?" Zephyr sighed, casting a more open glance at the other woman. "I think you owe me a bit of an explanation. /Before/ I accept this time, if you don't mind... I'll admit that I'm curious, but I reserve the right to send you on your way if I don't like what I hear."

Her companion arched an eyebrow. "You aren't a very good liar, /Queen/ Zephyr..." Miang's mocking smile shined, briefly, though it was shadowed with something unidentifiable. "But, your wish is my command... Just try not to enjoy it much."