A Well Earned Change (Finished)

[Kitty]

Since his encounter with Serafino and Pravus Osias had been more motivated then ever to get his arse in gear and strive to attain his goals. This new found ambition, far more then he'd had before, had already shot him up to a 10 and at a rather unusually fast pace and now, not long after achieving that taste of the upper crust, he was here now, wandering the halls of his present court to find the one whom he was supposed to meet. He had decided against venturing to the Court of Diamonds at this present moment in time and found the convenience of this court to be far more appealing, plus he'd heard some fantastic things about the trainer here and wished to see him himself.

He was mildly disappointed that he'd had to have waited this long for this meeting as he'd wanted to make sure that he was fully recovered after his little... run in. But he was here, it was going to happen and he was ready. He briefly wondered what Lysaras thought of his sudden rise through the ranks, he hadn't gotten much from her face when he'd requested a quest, but that really wasn't relevant was it? No, no it wasn't and thus he shoved it away and dismissed it as he approached the location that he had been directed to be at at a certain time, a time which was readily approaching.

Or perhaps he was just ... impatient.

[Nathalia]

"Osias?"

A lanky figure separated from the shadows near a tall pillar of dark marble. Tall, with soft pale clothing and bone ornaments to complement his features. Varestes, King of Spades, approached.

"But who else could you be? I don't think we have any other Lowlanders employed...it's so hard to keep them together once they start to fall all to pieces..."



He smiled, thin lips stretched into a tight grin, long auburn hair falling over his face, obscuring one eye. He moved almost soundlessly, his eyes never moving once the caught the rats', his mask catching the light in a way almost unnerving.

"I hear you have need of me...your own Court will not do? Hmm, fine choice, King Vestra is naught but a slovenly, overweight, imbicile...you are far better off here."

He turned abruptly and began walking toward the stairs closest to them. The bone claws on his fingers curving slightly as he flexed them, grinning in anticipation...

[Kitty]

Rounded auditories flicked once and then traveled in the direction of the voice being followed by his head, which he only turned enough to properly view the shadowy figure, a smirk appearing upon his muzzle at the sight of the King, appearance wise he was looked to be everything he desired within a guide for his Quest, however the real challenge would lie within the test it's self. And the test it's self was really more a matter of his own skills anyway. But there WAS a rhyme and a reason for everything he did, including as to why he chose Varestes over a King of his own suit.

He did indeed catch the comment about his region, but he let it slide, a skill he was getting better at as time went on, time that seemed to favor him for he -didn't- fall apart, well, beyond the two gouges that is. Instead of taking offense to the crack at lowlanders his smirk merely morphed into a devilish little grin.

Aye, the Court of Diamonds will not do, it simply doesn't posses the eccentricities that I prefer.

And yes, that was his attempt at humor. He had an instant liking for this King, but first impressions were not everything and time would tell if that favor waned or not.

As Vestra turned and went toward the stairs Osias followed at a respectable distance making sure of where the King was headed as well as having a keen knowledge of the fact that, should he deem it worthy, Vestra could throw him out and he didn't want that, it just didn't fit into the present puzzle he was piecing together.

[Nathalia]

"Eccentricities...well, you'll find plenty of those here, I assure you..."

Varestes grinned without revealing his teeth, lips pulling back further than they should have and eyes half closing as his eyebrows raised.

He turned a corner and appeared to walk through a wall, in reality the space for the passage was simply very small, easy for most to fit through, but obviously designed for the Human form. Varestes climbed the black, marble stairs, his steps making no sound. Smiling to himself...

He could smell Lleurela on him. It may have been a while ago that they had been near each other...but finding the past...making it the future...was that not his job? Interesting that this rat had a connection to his favored little Jack...interesting indeed.

How will he fare in a test such as hers, I wonder? Or would I be better off simply asking him a few questions and having be done with it? Decisions, decisions...

The King of Spades turned to a small door, oak, placed into the wall. The stairs continued to spiral upward into the darkness, Varestes ignored them..he knew what lay above. Instead he stood inside, holding the door open, welcoming his guest.

"Please, do come in, Osias..."

The room was sparsely furnished, two large velvet covered chairs in front of a cold, empty fireplace. A few tables covered in quills and parchment, and a door near the far left corner of the room.

"Have a seat and we'll get started, shall we?"

[Kitty]

When his eccentric host grinned, Osias couldn't help but do the same, however, since he'd left his charm levels at normal his grin looked more like a devious little smirk then anything else. There was just something about a lowland rat's face that twisted any sort of a toothy grin against him, but he figured Varestes wouldn't care either way. Plus Osias was in a good mood today and that just didn't seem to happen often so surely that's count for something.

When he slipped through that invisible crack Osias wasted no time in following, he'd heard of such things and it didn't concern him in the least bit. However, if he would have run into a wall, things would have been much different and his temper might even have gotten the better of him, but everything was fine. He also kept up rather well with Varestes in his bi pedal form, even if he was like the average rodent and possessed shorter legs.

He hadn't spoke to Lleurela scone they'd arrived here the same day, but he probably didn't remember picking up the rats scent on her when she first came to him and really she was somewhat of a distant memory now. She had served her purpose, and he'd not found another for her and he was terribly busy, thus she just... faded away in his mind. He also had no idea what her test was like, but he also hadn't a clue as to what his was to be like either, and that was far more important to him.

He stopped, keeping a respectful distance between himself and his guide, looking up into the blackness only for a brief moment before his voice brought his gaze back to the Hissstor native. He nodded and entered the room, taking in the sight of it first before slipping into one of the velvet chairs. His gaze traveled past the door and momentary curiosity grabbed his mind before it was dismissed for the task at hand, whatever was going to happen was going to begin and that was that and it required his full attention, he would succeed.

(( sorry it took me so long ))

[Nathalia]

((I just hatched your green egg XDDD))

The King of Spades turned to a small oak cabinet, pulling out two glasses and and old, twisted wooden bottle.

Uncorking the flask, he filled both glasses halfway and handed one to the rat. He smiled, lips thin and still, nodding once before making sure the rat saw him drink first, he knew a healthy sense of mistrust when he saw one. He respected that...

"Just a bit of a drink, it always helps one to relax before a trial...now...if I may. Tell me about your family, Osias, will you?"

He seemed to slink down into the other chair across from the rat, taking small sips of the wine as he watched the others features with interest. Reaching down a long fingered hand to grab a small bit of bracken and toss it onto the fire.

"I have great interest in the origin of one such as yourself...don't worry, everything you say is pertinent to the quest at hand."

Finsternis would like this one, he could tell. He wondered how the rat would fare against a person he could not harm physically...or charm well, as those seemed to be two of the Lowlander's most highly prized qualities...goo ones they were, but he would need to learn not to rely on them so heavily.

Settling back in the chair, he sipped at the incredibly thick liquid and waited.

(OOC: Toward the end of your next post, Osias will probably end up drowsy and passing out/falling asleep due to the fumes created by the bracken. He will enter a dream sequence much like Lleurs 83 <3 Sorry for taking so long D8 I'll be better able to keep up with this once I'm out of school for a bit, I'm being eaten D8))

[Kitty]

Osias had his fill of the room they were in and watched the King with a mild amount of curiosity showing, he preferred to keep most of the things he felt guarded but his temper stood in the way of that sometimes, his temper and lust that was. Those two things alone were the downfall of many men in the past and hos Osias had managed to make it this far in life was more then a little surprising, even to the rat himself.

He took the offered glass gingerly and, even after Varestes took a sip himself the Lowland rat still ran the liquid under his nose to take a whiff, even though he knew a King like this one wouldn't go to such a length to poison him and leave something with a powerful scent within the mix, it was just a habit of his and old habits died hard. He scrunched his nose a bit, momentarily regretting the gesture as the pungent odor offended his nasal passages.... he'd always disliked the scent of wine.

He lifted the glass up, taking a sip and tasting it like any dignified man would, even though he wasn't technically in the cusp of life. It was a good year, or at least to him and the sips that followed were more normal, he did enjoy the occasional cup of wine. However, his attention did drift back to Varestes, especially when the other man began to speak again, and his question obvious hit some sort of negative chord, even if his reaction was slight. His family? That was a subject he didn't speak of... and for very person reasons.

He took a somewhat long pause, looking into the glass of wine and only acknowledging the addition of something to the fire with a twitch of his ears before finally speaking. It wouldn't be very advantageous to him to totally clam up here and now, and he believed Varestes had better things to do then spread his business around to a bunch of people who Osias knew quite well didn't care for the rat's presence in the Court. When he did finally speak, he managed a tone that was somewhere between uncomfortable and chipper, it was quite strange really.

All passed but my mother, whom went mad but I hear is doing quite well none the less.

Another pause, much shorter then the first, before he went into a bit more detail, which he figured was what the other really wanted. He felt strange, but he passed it off for just memories surrounding his present subject.

My father was a Diamond rat, like I was... and strangely enough from the Highlands... He remembered that handsome white, red and gold coat well, it mesmerized him as a youth, A Jack I believe, or maybe a King? My memory there is a bit fuzzy...

He still felt strange, and it was making him tired. Was speaking of his family, stirring up those memories..... was it really that taxing? He straightened himself up in his seat, momentarily feeling more awake.

Mother was a Lowland Spade, a ferret actually... the sickness barely having an effect on her.... she was quite lovely... for a lowlander... and my siblings were low ranked lowland spades as well

All the while he'd been taking short pauses, and sips of his wine, which he finished now. He also was once again slumping in his chair, but putting up a rather valiant effort to stay awake, but it wasn't quite working.

And then there was that strange man..... And it seemed the rat was asleep, but he made one final statement before he slipped into unconsciousness. He made us call him uncle... even tho...

[Nathalia]

Upon awakening Osias would discover himself in front of a tall cavernous entrance to what appears to be a maze. The air is utterly devoid of sound, aside from those that Osias makes himself, his footsteps make no sound and if he pauses or hold his breath to listen more carefully, the silence might even seem to press at his eardrums.

The maze seems to move in one direction eternally, taking what feels like hours before the thick stone walls give way to a widened, dark, and crumbling stone courtyard, plants growing from the cracks in the floor and a dried up fountain in the middle of the yard. A stooped figure is hunched on the side of the fountain and the very edges of the dark courtyard almost seem to pulse with odd energy.

Beyond the fountain are three dark passages, all look the same and smell the same, but none of them sound the same.

The figure hunched by the fountain twitches every few seconds, but makes no sound.

The darkness seems complete beyond the Courtyard, the silence oppressive.

[Kitty]

Osias' eyes began to flutter before he opened them suddenly an apology for Varestes resting on the edge of his tongue, but it swiftly disappeared. Varestes wasn't there... he wasn't in the King's quarters at all anymore, or whatever the room had been. Had he decided that he shouldn't be a Jack and simply... drugged him and dumped him somewhere? Where WAS this somewhere anyhow? The silence was almost unbearable.

He gathered himself together and rose, taking a few steps forward... he heard nothing. He cocked his head to the side and peered down, going to take another step... nothing. He lifted a hand and snapped his fingers, he heard the muffled snap that came from it... odd. Shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders he moved forward, eyeing the wall of the path as he walked, his nose twitching all the while. He didn't like this one bit, not one bit.

After what seemed like an eternity he finally found his way to the courtyard and his gaze instantly landed upon the figure. His short wiry fur bristled involuntarily, now what was -that-? Rounded auditories moved back toward his skull a bit and he moved forward, eying whatever it was that was ahead that was, indeed, moving... and therefore possibly alive.

He buried his cautious behavior and puffed himself up, trying to look far more impressive then he was, his voice was just as confident, and mildly agitated, as it always was. Who's there?

[Nathalia]

The figure twitched again, its shoulders jerking slightly as though it were recovering from a rather great shock...or had just been slapped.

"Osias...?"

The voice sounded familiar, if gravelly and broken. Masculine and thick with phlegm and rot.

It shot upwards suddenly, with an odd snapping noise, as though its shoulder had dislocated in the process. Still hunched, but definitely able to move now, the figure turned toward him and began to walk heavily to him. After a few paces, it moved into the low light...the drifting cold illuminate falling over a thinly furred, white muzzle, splashed with two thin stripes of red and a thin spiral of gold.

The creature's tail dragged heavily along the ground, scaly and naked of fur...

It raised its head as best it could with the odd wrench in its back and looked up at him, burnished gold eyes, hollowed but still vibrant.

"Nothing ever surprises you, eh? Just like your mother..."

It gave a rasping cough and then grinned, lips pulling back off of thick, yellowed incisors.

"Still...its good to see you again...son."