@thegodhunter
The last of the cool Spring air had since dissipated in Attilan, replaced by the warm stillness of the beginnings of Summer. The fruits of the Spring Harvest were beginning to show too, through her dresses. The worst of the morning sickness was behind her now. Crystal & Lockjaw were playing chase amongst the budding roses & fragrant jasmine of the meticulously curated palace gardens whilst Medusa sat upon a stone bench sunning herself. The King was busy within the stone walls, conversing in his silent way with cousins Gorgon & Karnak about their stronghold upon the border of Latveria. Truthfully Medusa would have preferred to be in the room with them all, translating for the King as was her duty, but Maximus’ attack upon her person had inadvertently (or, perhaps, purposefully) caused her to be watched round the clock like some petty thief or precious treasure.
The guards were often interchanged but this one was the largest & the most intimidating. Usually when the captain of the guard sent Sir William Torrance to her side, Medusa half contemplated if they knew something that she did not. Had heard some wind of a plan against her or the heir that was growing in her belly. Maximus was hardly one to keep secrets — so often did he rave & rant about his plans that would never quite come to fruition. Max was lucky, where the rest of the family were not. He had no powers to hide. No hair to keep still, no voice to silence, no hooves to cover up behind thick, long robes.
Her baby sister was less thoughtful about hiding her powers. She was still quite young, only sixteen & so childish still — Medusa’s eyes widened as she spotted those budding roses bloom beneath her sisters’ delicate touch & got to her feet at once to scold her. “Crystal! Come away from there, you shall prick yourself upon the thorns!”
She would have let her sister be, of course, but unfortunately they were not alone. The Queen inclined her head toward the towering Knight & his hidden face. It was not customary to wear a helmet outside of the battlefield, but Sir Torrance always did. It was not her own preference. Medusa liked to see faces so as to better read them, to better know a person & their true intentions. She squinted, just a tiny bit, trying to see beneath the grate of his faceplate. No such luck. “They are meeting about the state of the border.” she tells him, wonders if he knew already. Wonders if there’s something happening that her family is keeping from her in her delicate condition. “Is Doom planning to breach our trade agreement?”
He would be a fool to — Latveria depended upon Attilan for their crops. But Victor Von Doom was infamous for his sudden bursts of temper. Which was why their troops along the border had to be ready at a moments’ notice.
