Something in Oliver’s speech, at some point, strikes Wessex as funny. Hilarious, even. And while she tries to stifle it, she simply cannot and ends up erupting in laughter by the end. It doesn’t even matter what it is at this point, but it has endeared the blacksmith to her, and as she rises to mAkE hEr OwN sPeEcH, she tries to pull him into a hug.
“Oh you sweet Longheat child. I belong to the world.” A scrawny little lost Outlander, bright in his own, unfortunate way. If there’s an embrace, when she pulls away, she ruffles his hair in a never-before seen moment of affection.
Cute kid.
But when the Wraith turns her gaze to the assembled, they all seem to burn a little - burn
brightly, her own brothers and sisters beacons of light dotted here and there. Gods, it’s
beautiful, it’s
inspiring, it makes her gasp and smile to see all the potential here.
“I see you,” she says, still in awe.
“I see what you - we - could be.There’s a beautiful light inside all of you, and I want to see it grow brighter, I want you all to be so fucking bright, that others will want to move here.” Her enthusiasm brings her right up against the podium’s edge, leaning over, ready to climb into the small audience.
“Did you know -” she begins in a loud whisper,
“ - that the other places think the Grounds is a shithole?” Pulling back, she slams her fist on the surface, yelling out,
“NOT MY HOME GROUNDS. Not anymore! Not ever, not if I’m Queen again.”
And what did the other leaders who came after her do anyway, hmmm? Nothing.
“I get shit done. I don’t shit anymore, but I get it done. You know I did the Militia and exploring and portals and - and - training -” she suddenly looks out to a specific NPC in the crowd and points.
“I taught you, right? Or was it your brother?” Definitely wasn’t his sister, she was -
oop. Not now, Wessex.
Shaking that thought away, she points to another person.
“Sal, I know, I think - bow and arrow? And Therese, you and your kids... Oh this is hard, but I was told to protect the families so you know I always do what I say I’m gonna do and I’m going to protect my families.” She gestures broadly to all of them, the people she’s grown up with, fought with, fucked, and hated.
“Cause Magrethe is here, and Mama too.” Looking out over the crowd, she sees them, smiling at her, beaming with love and support. She doesn’t leave, but there’s a long pause as she considers the other Theskyra faces.
“I may leave, but I always come back. Even when I die, I come back.” And that is particularly funny, because it causes a laugh.
“No one left behind.” Except for Kiada, right?
“Not even unicorns. Not even for Monsters.” A hard, determined look crosses her face and she grips the edges of the podium hard.
“We’re too bright to let them take it anymore. And if I - if I -” she scrambles for the words, physically clawing at something as if to find them.
“ - I can’t, we need everyone to listen. And I’ll make it bright and green and have healthy plants and cows and no more Monsters. Ever. Like my Mama and... all, the Mamas used to dream of.”
Gods, she feels as if she’s already fighting them. Whatever adrenaline and euphoria has kept her upright and buoyant slowly fades.
“Do you know what Eirachi tastes like?” A shiver of memory tingles through her mechanical spine.
“I do,” she says with a secretive smile as she turns to struggle back to her seat.
-------------------------------
Wessex was Queen already.
Stepped down
peacefully here:
{Mini Event} bellatrix audet concurrere viris
A smattering of things done for the HG:
Coming up with the idea to fight the Monsters and acted on it -
Raise my hands, paint my spirit gold
Actually getting everyone to agree to fight the Monsters -
{Mini Event} in order to form a more perfect union
Exploring what’s beyond the HG storms, twice:
{PQ+} cannot stare at our wounds forever
And
{PQ} should I choose the smoothest course?
Tried to prevent the Temple from being destroyed:
{KQ} dark star
Helped set up the new MHG -
{PQ} things just don't stay the same
Helped during the Mud Monster fiasco -
{SWE} The Festival of Fiat Lux!
Opened the portal to Halo -
{KQ} Through and through
Made the road from the portal to the Citadel -
{PQ} a long and lonesome road
LongNight preps:
{PQ} (SE) One Book, Two Book, Red Book, Blue Book ,
like a chicken with it's head chopped off ,
tryhard
Set up the Militia
{Mini Event} Let's Try This Army Thing Again
