Tale Weaver Festival

Venom led those who wished to accompany her to Fenmyre’s festival. The Empress had never been so close to her brother, but after their long history there were few that she trusted as she did Chimera. He offered up comfort and refreshments, and Venom accepted with grace. She lay elegantly on the comfortable furs, white gloved paws crossed as she was welcomed by her brother and she listened to the first story. Her sunset gaze shifted to watch the reactions of the wolves around her as the young man finished his tale. Quiet took the group and Venom cleared her throat politely to take the next exhibition.

"This story takes place millenia ago, to the Kings and Queens of old. Their names long forgotten, but their deeds were not.” Venom began, pulling herself up as the story began. "There was once an Emperor, who was sorely dishonored by his wife, to the point where the woman was banished and he was forced to choose a new bride. Many young women were brought before him, but his eye was drawn to the most beautiful of them, our story’s heroine.” She allowed the visual to settle before she continued. "The girl was from a foreign family, an oddity in the land of Kings. One that was not looked upon in favor by the Emperor’s right hand. However, her identity was kept secret as she moved to the royal residence and began her new life as Queen.”

"At the time of her choosing, the girl’s father lived and worked in the palace as well. His sharp ears were able to detect a plot against the King, they were found out and their plots thwarted, thanks to the foreign man. His deeds were forgotten, and life continued. At the same time, the right hand was plotting against our hero’s family. He desired them all dead and wiped off the face of the earth. He had the King’s ear and convinced him to put out a decree that all of the foreign wolves were given a bounty upon their heads and were to be killed at the equinox.”

"The father was able to meet with his daughter, she was told of the plot that would see all of them killed, and she knew that she needed to change her husband’s mind. Now, the culture was much different in those days. The Queen was not seen as equal to her King, she was yet another servant to his whim. Thus, coming to him without summons could mean her own untimely demise. However, the Queen summoned her courage to save her family. For she would certainly perish if she did nothing.”

"She fasted and prayed that she might be successful, and at the same time the King made the realization that he had not offered his bride’s father the honor he deserved for thwarting the plot on his life. So he asked his right hand, how would he best give honor to one deserving of being uplifted. Thinking that he was the one to receive such a gift the hand said such a man should be paraded to the masses, proclaimed he was honored by the Emperor adorned in jewels, gold, and fine furs. Then the King had him adorn the one his hand hated the most as he proclaimed him to be honored by the King to the entire Kingdom. After being so humiliated, his hatred for the people, and the Queen’s father, burned brighter.”

"This ignition had him planning to ask the King to hasten the deadline when he could see his enemy made extinct, but before he could, the Queen appeared, unbidden, to the Emperor and his hand. Because of the King’s admiration for his wife, she was invited to his feet and allowed to make her request. She sought for both King and hand to accompany her to a banquet. The King’s love could be seen as he agreed to her request, but he knew there was more that she sought.”

"As the hand returned to his residence that night, he boasted to his wife how he would soon have his revenge upon the Queen’s father, and his family. That he was invited solely beside the King to the Queen’s feast. This honor would be a perfect backdrop for the Hand’s request that the execution be hastened, and his enemy killed. That night he prepared a pit, with spikes at the base, for his enemy to be thrown into the next day.”

"When the banquet began the King asked his wife what she truly desired. He would give her anything up to half of his own kingdom so deep was his love for her. Then she revealed her heritage to him, and begged him to save her life and her family from the edict that the King’s hand so deeply desired. The blood drained from the Hand’s features, as the King realized he had plotted against his beloved wife and the captain that had saved his life. The King’s anger would only be sated with blood, as the hand was thrown into the pit intended for the Queen's father, and the same man was promoted to right hand. Because of the Queen’s bravery, her family was saved and they became prosperous under the King’s rule.”

Venom became quiet again as her story completed, and she finished the ancient account.

"Venom"