Voice Test

[acquiescere]

I do not know what to say. [She barely moves her lips, her voice a gentle hush.] You know who I am? How can that be? My brother and I have been in hiding for years.

Comments

[impitoyable]

They like to remind us of their omniscience, [ last word more spit than spoken. ]

[acquiescere]

I shouldn't be here; I'm certain their plans do not fall in line with...mine. Or my brother's. [Viserys is someone she loves and fears.] Have you been held captive long?

[kingragnar]

They seem to think they know everything.

[acquiescere]

No one should make such an impossible assumption. [Even irritated, her voice doesn't rise.] I have a life and a place I need to be.

[Otherwise her brother will be very mad.]

[kingragnar]

[ ragnar can't help but smirk. ] Oh, but they do.

Tell me, where is your place?

[acquiescere]

With my brother. He...has great plans. I need to help him with them.

[kingragnar]

[ he raises his brows when she pauses. ]

Would you mind sharing your plans? Or your brother's...

[acquiescere]

He seeks the throne. It's...his...by right. It was taken from him by the Usurper. He murdered our father.

[kingragnar]

You don't sound so certain... are you?

[acquiescere]

He is...more ambitious than I am. I'd rather go home.

[kingragnar]

So then why must you tag along while your brother fights for his throne? Surely home is safer for you.

[acquiescere]

My home is...with him. We don't have anyone else. [Scattered allies are hardly family.] Home for him is Westeros. He won't be content until he has his revenge. But I was...very young when we left. I don't remember any of it.

[kingragnar]

Hm. [ he frowns, listening. ]

Does your brother have an army? Any ships? You are about to go to battle, after all.

[acquiescere]

He is...selling me for an army. [Now her demeanor might make more sense.]

[kingragnar]

[ it does. ]

What kind of man is your brother?

[acquiescere]

He's...good. He loves me. I know it. He is only doing what he must.

[kingragnar]

And as a leader?

[acquiescere]

He desires it so much that he might seem...too ambitious. [Mad.] But he has taken care of me since I was a baby. I know he would care for his people.

[humblespirit]

[ And here comes a dragon spirit, a long golden serpentine shape. His voice is rather raspy, but soothing as he can manage. ]

Those of special destinies cannot be hidden forever- or at all. Someone always knows.

[acquiescere]

[Is he really - ? She can't help but stare in open wonder, almost reaching out to touch him.]

How am I special? Are you...a dragon?

[humblespirit]

[ If she chooses to, she will find he doesn't avoid it but is sadly immaterial at present. ]

I am indeed, though as you can see, I am now naught but a humble spirit. A spirit fully willing to answer questions you might have... But never those you may answer yourself, if you look within.

[acquiescere]

[It's sad. The idea of dragons being extinct has occurred to her now and then, but to see a spirit of one makes her heart ache.]

I'm sorry. [You shouldn't be a spirit.] You seem very wise. I wouldn't want to waste your time.

[humblespirit]

[ He most certainly should be- though she of course, has no reason to believe Shendu is as malevolent as he is. Good thing he's getting in early before she wishes up about these things. ]

I assure you, precious girl, I have nothing but time at my disposal. [ A bow of his wispy head. ] My wisdom is at your disposal.

[acquiescere]

[Dragons of Westeros's past haven't been necessarily good or well-behaved. They partnered with her family members, but even the Targaryens knew not to push an angry dragon.]

My brother is so certain of what he wants and he is willing to do anything to achieve it. But...he has changed so much. I miss how he used to be and I'm scared of what he might do.

[humblespirit]

[ Shendu is worse than most, in many ways. But he is at least, very wise as advertised. ]

To have clear goals and commitment to them are admirable traits... But a fervour blinds, leading to a lack of sound judgment. As his sibling, you are the one closest to him for as long as you both live. You must ask yourself not only what will he do... But what will you do to balance him?

[acquiescere]

How can I balance him? He becomes angry when I say what I think. One day, he will marry me and that will bring us even closer. [She doesn't want to be a Queen or his wife.] I do not feel I know him anymore.

[humblespirit]

Therein lies the flaw in your thinking.

[ Coiling around to make a circle, he slowly spins. Casting an illusion of a taijitu on thin air inside the loop. ]

The secret is not to oppose, but to compliment. One who possesses an excess of agression cannot be directly confronted, but has a weakness for manipulation. For their own good, of course. Duality to become complete.

[kingragnar]

Yet he's selling you because he hasn't convinced anyone else he is fit to be a leader in all these years of hiding.

He sounds like a coward. Is he?

[acquiescere]

How could he when the Usurper wants us dead? We've had to flee every home we've ever had. [But she still holds one home in particular dear.] He even sold his crown to give us safe passage.

He isn't a coward.

[acquiescere]

You are saying I must...deceive him? [It doesn't feel right.] I'm not good at lying.

[humblespirit]

Not necessarily. If a man has a taste for that which destroys them,,, Is it wrong to convince them they never wanted it in the first place?

[ With snake like undulation, Shendu floats about the illusion of the black and white circle. ]

If one is light, the other must be dark. If one is loud, the other must be quiet. When one pushes, the other pulls. Learn to convince him to the correct thing... and have him believe it was his idea in the first place. Even good liars simply say something untrue, easily undone. But subtle coaxing shows them what was true all along- to their own benefit.

[acquiescere]

That means I must know a better path in order to guide him. I...don't. [She has been sheltered - protected - and there is much about the outside world she doesn't know.] He wishes to marry me to a...Khal. I could learn more from him.

[humblespirit]

You have much to learn. But you are young and that is what the young are for.

[ His tail, though totally immaterial, swishes her way in what would surely have been a gently stroke of the cheek... if it felt like anything at all. ]

And what the old are here to teach. The world is vast, precious child. Learn your lessons well. When things are dark... burn the biggest fire you can imagine. That is an old dragon's advice.

[acquiescere]

It seems like the old should rule, then; not the young.

[But that is blasphemous if Viserys hears and she quickly presses her lips together.]

I like fire. Heat has never burned me.

[humblespirit]

Then it is my pleasure to introduce myself...

[ His eyes glow a brighter red, rising up somewhat, spectral flame and smoke flowing around him. ]

Shendu, noble dragon and the Sorcerer of Fire.

[ He leaves out the 'demon' from his sorcerer title for obvious reasons. ]

[acquiescere]

Shall I call you Lord Shendu? [She watches him in open awe, purple eyes wide.] Will you show me your fire?

[kingragnar]

You know how many rulers have wanted me dead? [ he chuckles a little, but at the end of the day, daenerys's brother doesn't affect him. so there's no reason to argue. ]

I just think if he can't get anyone to follow him before he gets his crown, how could he expect them to follow him after? But what do I know? I'm only a king myself.

[ said bitterly. he never wanted his crown. ]

[acquiescere]

Why? [She examines him intently. He is young - perhaps not as young as her. If his crown is his birthright, why does anyone contest it?]

Could you give him some advice if he... If you see him here? Perhaps if you are gentle about it -

[humblespirit]

If it so pleases you. [ Though by his tone, he'd like that a great deal. ]

As for my flame... Unfortunately in my current state, I have no breath to ignite. Though perhaps, with my assistance... you could show me yours.

[kingragnar]

Why do you think? I was ambitious. I acted against my rulers.

[ and, said flatly: ] No.

[acquiescere]

Who can rule a King? [She blinks and looks away.] There are many great rulers in my family. Some of which allied themselves with dragons.

[acquiescere]

[She is careful with titles; she must be.]

I cannot breathe fire, but... [Lifting a candle, she places her hand squarely in the flame.] It does not burn me.

[kingragnar]

I wasn't born into it. I became one.


Dragons, you say?

[acquiescere]

Through force?

Yes. They rode them into battle.

[kingragnar]

I wasn't forced to become king, if that is what you are asking. I was very ambitious, and a good warrior. I know how to direct my people, but it wasn't something I ever wanted. Me leading just sort of happened. To the benefit of everyone, I suppose.

[ he nods. ]

Have you ever seen them?

[acquiescere]

That isn't what I meant, but if it was truly for the good of all... You are able to reach others in a way my brother cannot. [She knows the truth of the matter. Acknowledging it is just...difficult.]

They have not been seen in my world for...some time. I would like to find one. We are traveling in the East, so it is possible some still remain.

[kingragnar]

Then you mean I became king through force? I suppose it depends on how you look at it. [ and he smiles a little, he can tell she's being honest. ]

You think they still exist? In my world, they have been dead for a very long time.