OOC NOTE: Please let @Zulema post first!

The journey to the Oasis was more pleasant than his last; in the heat of the summer Andal was an unbearable place for the Sigrun to be, but now - as the weather cooled, growing more overcast with each day - the trip was one he could make without flinching. He had not come alone, either. Zulema would follow alongside, and as the pair reached Seneca's borders the titan halted. He let out a call for the piebald High Sovereign, expression stony as it shifted across the golden sands that sprawled out ahead of them. He was burdened by the weight of the conversation that would come, and - silently - hoped that the Miroslav would not make them wait. The more light that could be shed on the situation the better.

@Seneca

Their march across the land felt like it had been in old times. Where @Magnus and herself traveled great distances together to share information, gather information as well as to promote an alliance between two prides. Now more than ever she felt herself stronger and most certainly for sure of herself. For years she had gathered everything that she could for the value of the Sigrun and she would continue to do so until she died. However, she had known her sister thought her loyalty was to the Sigrun over her she might have dumped sticking with magnus to the side. If only out of her love for her sister but it was to her understanding that Vitala chose to be away and not that she couldn’t stand to be in the way of the Sigrun anymore. It was a tough situation at best and she would’ve enjoyed her sister with her but thought that Vitala going off on her own was her trying to find her own independence and not purely based on the intention that Zulema would follow her. Just as she didn’t feel inclined to suffocate her sister and beg her to stay. The melanistic male she had become close friends with was almost just as much a sibling as Vitala was. She didn’t want to let go of the bond that she had made and knew that her sister would not want her to make the decision lightly.

Seneca has far from forgotten his tense meeting with Alaric, but his concerns have been swept to the side in recent months; his only focus has been the missing members of his family and his pride. The balance, though tenuous, has been restored — and he can set his sights to the rest of Amaryllis once again.

Convenient, then, that Magnus comes to him. It's unexpected, but not unwelcome, and he wastes little time in heading towards the edge of Andal (does he ever waste time?). He finds @Magnus there with a face he doesn't even remotely recognize; she is not Nadia or Desdemona, and she's never attended any of his excursions to the Lagoon. It piques his curiosity, but his attention is quick to sweep towards the features of his old friend.

"Magnus," he greets with an incline of his chin, halting comfortably in the sand a few yards away. "How can I help you?" There is an idle curiosity lingering in his gaze, flickering between the pair with intrigue; why is he here, and what role does the red woman play in it?

@Zulema

BG — ART — CODE

( I hope you guys don't mind that I throw Leander in here -- he's just here to listen )

Someone calls for @Seneca by the borders of Andal Oasis and though it is not for him, Leander wishes to be there with his brother in case he is required. That, and he is eager to find out more about the political comings and goings. Lumbering steps take him towards the small gathering, mismatched gaze soaking in the presence of those present. There is his brother, an auburn woman and an inky male figure that stands in waiting. His slow approach ends as he comes to stand a little ways beside his brother -- taking a metaphorical seat at the table. He wishes not to detract from the matter at hand so he offers a simple introduction to the two strangers: "Leander Miroslav." Perhaps his name alone should be sufficient to quell any issues about his presence.

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saga skulks behind them, simmering silently. it doesn't show; her face is as neutral as always. only those closest to her would notice the tension in her jaw, the tautness of her muscles. @Magnus and @Zulema move ahead of her and she finds herself watching them with something like envy. her brother has an easy way with others, making fast friends and allies, and she is so out of her league when it comes to alliances and politics. zulema has been a steadfast friend to the sigrun for ages, now, and she barely knows a thing about the striped beauty. perhaps they would have time, in the future, to speak. with her as the jarl, she needs to start to make the same connections her brother had - and she can't imagine it would be terribly miserable to spend time with her. as the trio pauses at the borders, saga presses close; she's tempted to march over it and find the piebald king without pause. but she's no fool, despite her anger, and sullenly shifts back away from it with a sound between a growl and a sigh. he doesn't make them wait long, thankfully, and his curiosity as he passes his gaze between her brother and their friend is met with a faint scowl, her lips turning down. she has no reason to already expect him to be an enemy, to have allied with her family's greatest rival, but she does - because she wants a reason to dislike him. it irks her that they're so much alike with that one very large difference ( but is it? a difference? won't she be the same, in sharing hakon? ). before any of them can speak, another face arrives. and @Leander is very obviously family, even before he introduces himself. but saga levels her gaze on him with a twitch of her whiskers. "we should speak alone." she says, finally, voice tight. her ear swivels to the oasis king, though her gaze doesn't waver from where his brother sits.

table by koi // stock

@Zulema is a reassuring presence at his side - as the witness, she would be the best to explain, and he could provide context on the bad blood between the two Northern families that @Seneca and his allies may not quite be privy to. Morrigan and the Valour did, but only because they’d fought alongside each other at the battle of the Brook. @Saga brought up the rear of the trio, but he did not have much chance to turn and watch his sister as they’d already earned an audience. @Leander looked awfully similar to Seneca, so it was no surprise that he shared the family name of the High Sovereign. Magnus would nod an acknowledgement to both of them. “Good to see you, Seneca. Well met, Leander.” Then, with pleasantries done, he would turn quickly to the matter at hand - but not without acknowledging his sisters words to the High Sovereign. “Yes, you ought to, but first…” he shifted his attention back to Seneca. “I do not seek to disturb you but I have urgent matters to discuss, I am afraid. This is Zulema, one of my most trusted advisors.” He would pause momentarily to gesture to the scarlet woman with an incline of the head, giving her ample opportunity to speak up if she wished or simply remain silent - either way. Once the opportunity came, he’d continue. “She can explain further, as she was the one to witness it, however we have come to learn that the Rike are in bed with a man you know well. Alaric Starke, of Ecrosia Mire. He is now a staunch ally of theirs, and is beginning to reach out to the other prides of Amaryllis in order to gain more allies. For himself, true, but also for them by proxy.” A foul concept, most certainly. He turned to Zulema, then, trusting she would relay exactly what she’d heard.

the finest fury is the most controlled

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Despite thinking that it was just going to be her, Magnus and the Andal leader -- another showed up that forced Zulema to immediately make the connection that it was a family member. Or just strange happenstance that they had similar markings, similar statures and looked the same age.
It doesn't take three brains to figure out that the brains of the operation here was rather confused by who she was and why she was present for this. Just as she could ask why a family member of his was putting his nose in business that wasn't his to know (unless he was a leader, then maybe she could look past it). As @Magnus so kindly introduced her she bowed her head in quiet greeting to them. She was but an information gatherer and she was happy to leave the others to their political talks while also acquiring the knowledge that was given and taken here.
Once she was given ample time to see if her "leader" was done, she spoke up. If you have any further questions that you wish to ask, I will do my best to answer. She could only tell them what she heard and what she saw so her knowledge would be limited so they would need to ask the right questions.

@Leander @Saga @Seneca

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