The island had crumbled to ruin shortly after Lucinda and the others fled, taking the secrets of the relic along with it. She didn't realize how much she had wanted to win until she returned empty handed. This land is still foreign to her, but the relic held a mysterious promise of power. Unfortunately, the magic of the island threw her back to the shore before she could see what happened. Had anyone grabbed it after all? Was it all an illusion? The curiosity tugs at her and she feels determined to find out more.
The woman is back at her home hidden in the canyon, courtesy of Vendetta and the Scorpions. When the red rose mare approached her with a proposition to help her group, she offered wealth and privacy. Lucinda isn't sure who followed her to this land from the Moors (if anyone), so being as hidden as possible is important. Very few know how to make their way through the canyon to find this place. It's nothing very large or special, just a simple hut hidden among the sandy stone. It has all the essentials, although it's a bit creepy and abandoned looking, which is just how she likes it.
Today she is working on an enchantment for a prospective buyer. Her magic isn't so strong yet, but it's been enough to get her by. She waves her staff over the golden necklace as she concentrates on the glow. Within moments, her eyes and the staff both glow green while the light around the necklace fades in and out.
"Come on," she mumbles, willing her magic to cooperate. She is determined to make it work.
Suddenly there is the sound of footsteps out front and Lu breaks her concentration. Her green eyes narrow until a familiar spotted figure approaches, red skirt trailing behind her.
"Ah, just the woman I was about to send a raven off to," Lucinda says, her expression now more relaxed. "How is the day treating you, Vendetta?"
She hadn't been expecting the woman to arrive, but she did need to speak with her. Since Ven had also been present for the race to the relic, Lu wonders if the woman knows anything. She had many connections and therefore must be able to get information somehow. For now, she'd be patient and let them get their pleasantries out of the way.
You should see me in a crown, I'm gonna run this nothing town.
Vendetta knows this path through the canyons like she knows the emptiest and darkest alleyways in the Solterra proper. It was one of her Scorpions who had initially discovered the small, hidden hut, long abandoned. They had done a little fixing up to make it livable for Lucinda, but she had been quite easy to please on that front as long as it is not easy to get to and well concealed.
As she approaches, she can see the distinct glow of the other woman’s magic: bright and saturated green. She must be working on the enchantment of a necklace Vendetta had sent out here somewhat recently. It was one of the more simple enchantments the Scorpions takes on, but when you do work like this there is very little competition for such things. But the more complex enchantments are the ones that keep her interest.
Once she is upon the hut, Lucinda seems to notice her presence and turns toward her, abandoning the project of the necklace. Her interest is piqued at the mention of the woman’s intent on sending a raven for her. “About as well as it ever does out here,” she responds, “although things certainly are interesting with that new Orestes about... Yourself?” Vendetta is still waiting to see if he has what it takes to be Solterra’s king. She's unconvinced thus far.
Rather than continue to talk about him, however, she pulls a bag from behind her and holds it in the space between herself and Lucinda. It jingles slightly with the sound of metal clinking together, “Have you forgotten that today is the day you reap your financial reward from the Scorpions?” Vendetta is nothing if not a fair employer, and for the important work that the enchantress does for them, pays her quite handsomely.
What Lucinda does with the money, she can’t possibly know. It certainly isn’t fixing up this drab place.
Her ruby eyes get a bit of a gleam to them, even in the din as she turns her thoughts back to earlier mentions of ravens and fetching. “What were you intending to call on me for?” She hopes it’s something that the unicorn will actually benefit from knowing. Some information, or item. It certainly wasn’t going to be to let her know that the enchantment on the necklace was complete. So, she has to wonder then, what is it?
Lucinda feels indifferent when Vendetta brings up talk of her new king. The woman has not aligned herself with any of Novus' Courts since her arrival and prefers to keep it this way. In her own way, she enjoys solitude and independence, but still remains loyal to The Moors. While they may be destroyed by now, that had been her home and the only family or kingdom she would pledge herself to.
"Ah yes, your King," she replies, her tone not showing any particular feeling on the topic. "I have heard some things about this man from the sea. Good luck with that. As for me, I am enjoying the freedom of having no ties to a Court." She laughs (a hint of mockery, perhaps?).
Although, she did not want the Solterran woman here to talk about the newly appointed Sovereign. First, Lu gladly accepted the money that Ven handed out to her. It made a beautiful clinking noise as the coins shuffled in the bag while she set it off to the side. "Oh, I assure you, I never forget," she replies with a wicked smile. Ven keeps her word in offering her protection, solitude, but most importantly, generous payment for her work. Should that ever change, Lucinda would take proper action without hesitation.
"I was to call for you for information," Lu begins, focusing all her attention now on the rose red woman. To some, she may look intimidating with her two large curled horns, but Lucinda does not scare easily.
"You were there with me on the island during the battle for the relic," she explains, thinking back to that very day. The large crowd gathered quickly, hovering over the relic like hungry wild beasts. Before anyone could get close, a snake creature had erupted from the ground to attack them all. It thinned the crowd down until there were only a few left by the end. She does not recall Vendetta being at that point and didn't exactly know where the woman had gone. "Everything disappeared including the island and the relic." Lu had been so close, so, so close to touching the stone. She had a complete straight shot forward to grab it, but she had been whisked away by an unknown force. Within a matter of seconds, she found herself back on the island and it was crumbling to pieces. Now it's at the bottom of the ocean and there is no trace of the relic or who may have gotten it (if anyone). The chase had so many twists and turns, there is technically nothing saying that the entire thing hadn't been a dream or illusion.
"What do you know about this?" she asks curiously. She is careful not to sound too accusing because she does not need to risk losing her source of income (at least, not yet). It's more in a way of her knowing that Ven has her connections and she wants to find out how deep they may go. If the woman has heard anything lately with the relic's whereabouts, she hopes she would disclose them. Otherwise, she hopes Ven can work her magic to find out for her so Lu does not have to get her hooves too dirty.
You should see me in a crown, I'm gonna run this nothing town.
“Tsk, surely you know by now that my ties are to myself and my businesses. Solterra is simply where I choose to do such business.” It’s true that Vendetta has little affection for the city that she lives and works within, but someone with such fine taste as herself would never do well out here living as Lucinda chooses to. Not only does she thrive in and within the markets, but she needs a stable and hidden-in-plain-sight sort of place to do her job.
Her interest, however, is dramatically more piqued as the winged woman mentions information. The real glory of the Scorpions—their true purpose—was to collect information from all over Novus. And the unicorn cannot help but wonder, whatever could Lucinda want to know? Her ruby eyes sharpen keenly, one ear lifting toward her companion as she waits.
She does not wait long.
Lucinda speaks of the island, and although Vendetta has thought little of it since that day she remembers it clearly. Although she would have loved to have such a prize as the relic to display in her home (with proper security, of course), it had been curious enough to see the sort of crowd it had drawn. So many equines after riches and glory… Mmm, now that is something that truly intrigues her.
It makes Vendetta wonder to what lengths such equines would go for promises of those things, reminding herself that she is standing across from one of them at this exact moment. She already knows what she would do, of course. The Mistress has done many things for her power, reach and status, none of which she regrets. But others, perhaps less assured, less driven; they are the ones to keep an eye on.
Lucinda’s question lands between them, dropping to the ground like a heavy bound book or a glass vase. Attention-getting, striking, echoing. Her ruby red eyes look into her companion’s with acute consideration. Her scorpions have uncovered some knowledge of the island’s aftermath, and a history of the relic that told her it had been here once before. “The island is indeed gone,” she says, but she can’t quite seem to gather any care into her voice. It had been distant, and full of many no good things.
“This isn’t the first time the relic has appeared on Novus, if my sources are to be believed,” and she gives no indication that they aren’t. Vendetta is certain they are right. “It is a fragment of Tempus’ own magic, from when he first walked upon the earth. It grants its recipient magic, or immortality, supposedly.” She turns in the small hut, glancing out a window into the canyon. The sun is bright off the sandstone walls that reach so high she can’t even see the sky.
Vendetta narrows her eyes, as if trying to remember the information she had been given. Of course, she remembers it quite well; she is only determining exactly how much to say. The relic had, according to history, belonged to only one equine. What had happened to them and why Tempus had thought it time to bring back the relic, she couldn’t say. “As far as I can tell, it is an item held in highest regard and even higher secrecy.”
It wasn’t a lie, perse, but a little omission never hurt anyone. At least not when she was the one omitting information from others. Very few deigned to lie to her. “I do not know who has it,” Vendetta says, anticipating the woman’s next question. And this at least, is true. Whoever has the relic now is being careful with it, smartly, she thinks to herself.
Much to Lucinda's liking, Ven does have some information to share. Of course, it would be unlike the red-rose women not to with all the connections she has managed to create. She has certainly not disappointed Lu thus far.
As she listens, her ears twitch at the thought of the relic being around before. It's an interesting fact, meaning it must be very valuable and the crowd it drew makes more sense. She knew it came from a god of some kind, but this isn't the part that intrigues her. It's when she mentions it could potentially grant magic or immortality. Now that would be worth the risk and fight. The woman is glad she made the right decision going after it, but is still bitter that she did not win it in the end. Unfortunately, Ven admits she does not know who possesses the relic and this makes Lu frown. Even with it being such a secretive item, surely there must be some way to find out.
"Pity," is all she says at first, raising an eyebrow. Whoever it is could be hiding because they had won it or, maybe, they disappeared along with the island and were transported off. The possibilities were endless, but so were her questions. There is an ambition inside her that continues to feel the pull to the relic and is eager to find it, or rather, steal it. Before she could get anywhere though, she needed more information.
"Well, I know you are at no shortage of informants. Perhaps you could fetch one of them to find out more for us?" the ebony mare asks, her lips forming a wicked smile. "I believe we are much more worthy of such a prize and its powers could be useful."
Out loud, she makes it sound like it would be a team effort, but she hasn't completely decided this yet. If the relic only works for an individual and must be held at all times in order for the power to work, Lu will likely not want to share.
But, time will tell. Maybe she could have a change of heart.
You should see me in a crown, I'm gonna run this nothing town.
“Pity,” says the other woman, but judging by the raise of her brow, Vendetta knows she has further questions. Whether Lucinda questions the validity of her words or not, the unicorn can’t say, but the wheels are certainly turning inside her brain.
Vendetta has all the power she could desire, and she didn’t need some god-divined relic to achieve it. That is her strength and her pride. It would have made a great prize, a totem, to her empire, but that is all. The others who had gone after the relic had no doubt been in search of their own power, hoping they would be fortunate enough to get their hooves on it.
She wonders just how motivated Lucinda is for that kind of power, and if she’s pressing Vendetta for information the woman must be pretty keen. It’s curious, what lengths equines will go to for that sort of control.
“You are not wrong. Scorpions aren’t only found in the desert, after all,” the Mistress replies languidly, ruby eyes bright, a smirk turning up the corner of her lips. Lucinda is shrewd, she will give the pegasus that. Including Vendetta in the idea of her grand plan to uncover the location of the relic, as if to offer her some of the reward of finding it.
Whether Lucinda actually intends to share the relic with her seems unlikely, at best, but the sword is double-edged for a reason. Vendetta could easily discover where the relic is and keep the information, and the relic, for herself, just as a trophy. Surely Lucinda knows Vendetta is not so forthcoming. “I will see what secrets they can reveal.”
The rose-red mare agrees to seek out information, but whether she follows through on it or finds out anything is a different story. Lucinda may need to do some digging herself and make her own connections. She's known Vendetta long enough to see traits of herself within the other woman. This could mean Ven withholds any information from Lu if she chooses to be selfish, and she can't really blame her. Still, it would be interesting to see how it all plays out.
"Excellent," is all she replies with, a smirk still evident on her face. Her eyes look back to the piece she had been working on earlier. "You will have this piece by dusk tomorrow, as scheduled." As stubborn as it's been today, Ven doesn't need to know that, but Lu knows she'll get the enchantment to cooperate soon enough.
"Goodday, Vendetta," she says as she turns her back to the woman to focus on her work. In other words, it's a cue for Ven to leave.
You should see me in a crown, I'm gonna run this nothing town.
Lucinda doesn’t seem to have much else to say on the matter, and Vendetta personally has nothing else to say to the woman either. She had come to drop off the enchantress’ pay and to check up on the pegasus as she often does the equines she employs, and she has done that.
The pegasus turns back to the necklace that she needs to enchant, saying that it will be done as scheduled. “You can expect pick up from Elior,” Vendetta says, almost idly. Elior is a younger serpent, but clever enough to keep less valuable enchanted items safe on the trip from the canyon to the court. It won’t be his first trip, and he’s always been rather eager to prove himself.
When Lucinda makes to dismiss her, Vendetta lingers a few moments longer—observing—as if to prove a point. Then, when she is satisfied, the Mistress turns and makes for the entrance to the small hut. She will leave, on her own terms.
“Farewell, Lucinda,” but to tell the truth she cannot wait to get out of this place and back to her own house in the court proper. How the enchantress lives like this, she will never know. She could be living in such better conditions, in such finery, without worries. Sometimes the best hiding place… is in plain sight.
