Living slow and loving fast.
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She/Her
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Post by aliyaah on May 21, 2023 16:33:55 GMT -7
It figured, didn't it? That in the moment that Avinash would be challenged as king the most, he would have to do so alone. Well, perhaps "alone" was a bit too dramatic of language to use. The truth was, so long as he had his family around, as well as others within the kingdom to depend upon, he would never be alone in his endeavors to the lead the kingdom. But yet, he could not help but feeling someone... desolate. Both in terms of the current political state that the Neutral Kingdom found itself in, but as well as the desperation he felt. The lands were at war. The factions of Utopia and the Underworld in strife. Avinash had agreed to offer his aid to the Utopians, just as Lady Rasa had offered to him and the kingdom. He was now having to balance his duties of maintaining the wellbeing and protection of his own dominion, but as well, attempting to support the heavens in their efforts. And now, he was having to do so without a royal counterpart at his side. That was a devastating blow for him and the Neutral Kingdom. Both eugenically for the monarchy, but personally for him. Orel had not just been his queen, she had been his friend. When she had ruled beside him, he had felt supported - having a partner who was equally as committed to the wellbeing of their domain had been huge. Without her, there was a void. And that void was something that he could not help but feel responsible for.
Laqueta, his first queen, had been forced to step down from her position after suffering grievous injuries. Hound's attack upon her had been ruthless and unprovoked. It had been unfair. Avinash had only found her at the end of the assault, and had been unable to change the outcome. Nevertheless, there had always been a part of him that had wished he had done more to help protect his royal lady. She had been queen long before him, and so it pained him that she had been required to give up her crown when it was he who ruled beside her. He had done what he could following this event - he had tried his best to follow Hound's trail, but when it went stale, he had sought out the help of someone who was a much more capable. Decay had been able to pick up the track that Avinash had lost, and located the hellish fiend back in the Dark Kingdom. Decay had not escaped from the encounter unscathed, but owed to his experience and determination, had been able to return to the Neutral Kingdom to inform the king of what he had discovered. With this news, the newly anointed Queen Orel had accompanied King Avinash to the heart of the Dark Kingdom to speak with their royals - to see if Hound's actions had represented an alliance attack against the neutrals. At this time, Queen Thomasin and King Joker had revealed tat Hound's actions had not been supported, and in fact, he had been causing issue within their own realm as well. They asked Orel and Avinash for the chance to deal with Hound themsleves, as he was a resident of their own monarchy, which had been granted. Despite tracking down Laqueta's attacker, despite the Dark Royal's raining hell upon him because of his behavior, Laqueta was still changed in a way that might not ever be fixed. And that was something that Avinash felt he was going to harbor guilt for, for the rest of his life.
The saving grace from that situation was that he had gained a partner in Orel. An individual, a friend, who he had known prior to her petition for her role as queen. Someone who he had trusted, and had come to greatly depend upon in their time together. He had nothing but good things to say about that woman. And yet, now, she was gone. Whether of her own accord or taken forcibly, he was not yet sure... But too much time had passed since she had last been seen, since anyone had repots of her. And Avinash was distraught. Not just that he was without a queen, but he fretted for Orel's wellbeing on a personal level immensely. Her loss was devastating... And it could not have come at a worse time. With war waging, the Neutral Kingdom needed not one, but two strong royals at the head of it. This was something that, whether or not his queen chose to be involved, he could not handle alone. And yet here he was, being forced to do just that.
This was not the first time this had happened in the Neutral Kingdom, and even during his short time as king, he had seen a great deal of turnover within the other kingdoms as well. His family members who had been royals had all endured such things as well. It was not something he had not expected to face. Yet it was difficult nonetheless. He hated the idea of having to find someone to replace his friend, but he knew that that was what was necessary. Not for himself. But for the kingdom. And at the end of the day, that was the entire reason he had wanted to be king, wasn't it? To commit himself to the wellbeing of the neutral territories and all within it.
Despite the majority of his time being spent towards war efforts a the moment, he would have to take a step back and work on finding Orel's replacement. That was something that could not be delayed, for he could not leave the kingdom in such a vulnerable state. But then... Then he would work on both supporting Utopia, as well as finding Orel. She had done so much for the neutrals, and he was not about to just let her meet a potentially unfortunate fate. Not without knowing for sure whether or not her departure had been something she wanted. If she was lost, he would find her. If she needed help, he would give it to her. He owed her that much.
These were things that would be dealt with tomorrow. But for now, he would be melancholy. He would remorse for now over the loss of his queen. But more so, he felt deep heartache at the absence of his friend.
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