forum "I Will Never Bow Before You" (Fantasy O/O Closed)

Started May 31, 2022 by @ShadeStar

tune

Rowena opted to stay standing, but also stretched out her wings, showing off the barred plumage. When she tucked them in again, she turned to lean out of the door and make a high-pitched, piping call. Alerted to this call, a servant arrived, and once the queen directed them to the dirty dishes, they were swiftly taken care of.
Only once they were alone again did Rowena take time to study the Demon Princess. “Don’t call me that,” she said again, and she would say it every time if she had to. Though, if she were being honest, this was rather exciting. She had only ever heard about demons, never actually saw one up close like this. Although Cicada was still more or less a prisoner and enemy, Rowena would not hesitate to take the opportunity to learn from her.
“Hmm, let’s see,” she considered. “I’ll start with something simple, I suppose. Are you well?”

Cicada huffed at Ro's request and the queen showing off her wings but said nothing. She simply observed the interaction between Rowena and the servant. Back in the Demonic palace, her parents would have had her head if she had done what Rowena had just done. Once it was just Rowena and Cicada in the room, her focus returned solely to the Day Queen. Cicada huffed again at the Day Queen's question and replied in a slightly mocking tone, "I suppose I am well. Who all is in your family?"

Cicada had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with Rowena. Wanting to get information as soon as possible.

Rowena studied the Demon Princess in return. She just smiled a little, tilting her head at Cicada’s reply. “Why ask that, when you are going to meet them anyway?” But she let out a sigh. “Well, there’s the Night Queen Eris, my mother, former Day King Gideon, my father, my youngest brother who you have just met, Prince David, and Prince Edward, the youngest brother. Prince Edward had a twin, but he died many years ago.” Rowena’s gaze turned a little downcast as she mentioned this, but she moved her hair over her shoulders and refocused. “Well? Who is in your family? Oh, my apologies. Who was.”

"Becuase I would like to know their names before meeting them," Cicada replied curtly when Rowena sighed. Her mouth immediately shut as Rowena continued taking in the information she was being given. It seemed Rowena had a larger family, at least by demon standards, and it would have been bigger if Edward's twin was still alive. The Rowena turned Cicada's question back onto Cicada. Cicada's blood began to boil as Rowena corrected herself, though the demoness took it as if the Day Queen was mocking Cicada for her loss. She refused to let her anger get the better of her and instead deciding to see how much the Day Queen knew about knew subjects, "It was just me and my parents. What do you know about demons?"

Rowena nodded. “That is wise.”
Maybe she was mocking Cicada, but only a little. The Day Queen pursed her lips, not sure what she was expecting, but the Demon Princess’s small family came as a surprise. Just her and her parents? Then she paused to think over the question. “Thinking on it, nothing that isn’t biased or stereotypical caricatures. You are blood-thirsty creatures who invented metal and incendiary weapons, who build tall, dark towers of obsidian underneath a ruby-red sky. You descended from a race of creatures who governed the underworld and crave death. That is the image of demons I had been fed most of my life.” Her gaze focused on Cicada again. “I’m curious to learn from an actual demon, because I am quite certain that this image of you and your people is inaccurate. However, you make me curious about something else. What do you know about bird shifters?”

"Of course, that's all you know," Cicada muttered under her breath as she listen to Rowena. It made her even angrier that this was one of the people now in charge of the fate of her kind, and she knew nothing about them. Nothing true at least. She heard Rowena's question and thought for a moment. Cicada could say all she knew, which was a fair amount from her observations, or she could act dumb. Cicada never promised truthfulness in this game after all, "I know you are people who can shift into birds and to a form in between. You separate yourselves by those who are descended from birds who lived at night and birds who lived by day, hence the two queens. That you live in the trees and among the sky hardly ever touching the ground except when necessary. And that you are all so very very selfish. Only thinking of what you want no matter the destruction, ruin, and death you cause." Her eyes narrowed with her last two sentences, the only two biased statements she had spoken. Her wings were tense and ready to spring open at any second, but she kept them under control, "Is there anything I missed?"

"Of course, that's all you know," Cicada muttered under her breath as she listen to Rowena. It made her even angrier that this was one of the people now in charge of the fate of her kind, and she knew nothing about them. Nothing true at least. She heard Rowena's question and thought for a moment. Cicada could say all she knew, which was a fair amount from her observations, or she could act dumb. Cicada never promised truthfulness in this game after all, "I know you are people who can shift into birds and to a form in between. You separate yourselves by those who are descended from birds who lived at night and birds who lived by day, hence the two queens. That you live in the trees and among the sky hardly ever touching the ground except when necessary. And that you are all so very very selfish. Only thinking of what you want no matter the destruction, ruin, and death you cause." Her eyes narrowed with her last two sentences, the only two biased statements she had spoken. Her wings were tense and ready to spring open at any second, but she kept them under control, "Is there anything I missed?"

Rowena just kept her expression blank and wings folded as she listened to Cicada. Once she was finished she nodded slowly, as if processing what she heard. “You know little,” she muttered. “You know little.” She chuckled faintly. “It’s sad, isn’t it? I know nothing, you know little.”
“Now,” the queen shifted her weight. “Do you want to start disproving those stereotypes, or are you too angry with me? I can see the rage in you.”

"I may know little, but at least I know something about the people who took over my kingdom. While you know nothing about the people you took over," Cicada retorted as she forced her wings back into a more relaxed position. It didn't remove the anger from her eyes though as she looked to Rowena, "You are only proving me right by thinking this is me losing myself to anger. Because trust me Ro, I am far from being 'too angry.'"

Her eyes hardened, and she frowned. Holding out her hand, she raised her pointer finger. “First, it was the former King Gideon who took over your people, not I.” She raised her middle finger. “Second, you are. You are right that I know nothing. I know nothing about you and that is why I ask. I do not know if I should leave you be or if we should keep going, and I would like to know your boundaries quickly if we are going to spend more time with one another.” She raised her ring finger. “If you are angry at me because I am ignorant, then please know that I am willing to learn. I want to use this engagement and marriage as a way to learn, for that is the best I can make of this situation.” She held up her pinkie finger. “Lastly, don’t call me that, please.” She lowered her hand. All of these words were true.

"Firstly, do not wipe your hands clean of what happened simply because King Gideon was the one who completed the takeover. The only innocent parties are the people who had no say in the matter. Which is most certainly not you," Cicada began starting with her thumb. Her eyes matched the intensity of Ro's though her face remained neutral.

She raised her pointer finger, "Secondly, you were the princess, and now are the queen of this kingdom. You had a chance to put an end to the war in a peaceful manner. Do not even attempt to lie to me. But you chose to say nothing and continue the cycle."

Her middle finger went up next, "Thirdly, I shouldn't have to teach you these about my people to correct your ignorance. It is your duty to know about your people, no matter their species, and ensure their happiness."

Her ring finger joined the other three. "Fourthly, do not act as if you are an unwilling participant in this engagement. Learning about people you should have learned about years ago is the last thing you can get out of it. The best you could make is to call off the engagement altogether. Stop acting as if you have no power over yourself and future, you are a queen."

Cicada's eyes narrowed with the last sentence. Everything she had said were lessons that had been instilled in her since she was a little girl living in the palace not knowing about the cruelty of the outside world. A queen was to be a servant to her people's happiness, but could not allow herself to be walked over by others who claimed seniority or more knowledge. A queen was to respect all people, no matter their status, but also had to be one who demanded respect from all. A queen couldn't be afraid to get her hands dirty and help in any way possible, but also knew when it was best to back away and trust those around her. It was better to be loved than feared, so give the people a reason to love rather than fear. It was those lessons that lead Cicada to search for any way to end the war peacefully when she was no older than 10. To being a part of war meetings with her mother, father, and the seven sins strategizing any way to bring an end to the conflict at the age of 11. To being apart of the frontline at the first chance she got when all other options proved fruitless at the ripe age of 13. And it was there she stayed until her 16th birthday, where her survival became more important than her presence there. Even after her parents were long dead, it was those lessons that lead her to create the rebellion in hopes that one day her people may be free from the slavery that was forced upon them and experience what peace is truly like. An experience that she had never experienced for herself.

Cicada raised her last finger, fury calmly raging in her eyes, "And lastly, I will call you whatever I damn please as long as you continue to look at me as if I am some specimen to examine. Do not think I haven't noticed you doing it and as such you have not earned the right to dictate what I call you. "