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Post by Nathalia on Feb 10, 2008 22:06:47 GMT -5
 George dashed down the hall, turning to look over his shoulder before reaching the door to see if his Master was following him. He slowed, five feet from the door and gazed back, willing the tall, reassuring form to appear. The White Rabbit stepped out of the Queens' chambers and smiled at the Club, before vanishing completely. George's eyes widened in absolute terror. "M-Master? Master!!"He yelped, unable to stop it, his throat constricted and he began to wheeze slightly. Master had left him? Why? WHY? He was supposed to talk to the Queen in this room and then get away somehow? How!? How!?Panicking, he considered simply running away now...but he could hear others approaching the Queen's chambers. No, no, NO! Master wanted this, so.... He banged on the door, hoping the other Queen would at least open it quickly. He didn't want to die out here. |
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Post by seraaches on Feb 10, 2008 22:17:53 GMT -5
When the quick staccato of someone beating on his door reached his ears, the stallion considered just ignoring it and pretending he was back in his suite at the Capital for the night. After all, he wasn't quite finished with his paperwork and he didn't want to have more heaped on top of it. But... there was a sense of panic to that beating and little Jou was already beginning to growl at the closed portal. In a moment the bander would go into a coughing, hissing, sneezing fit. Oy. Rising suddenly, Rai nabbed his hat from its spot on his desk and pulled it over his right eye again, obscuring the sight of the bony circle just in case it was someone he did not know at the door. Though he lacked his jacket, a leather sleeve buttoned just below his shoulder fell down the length of his arm, hiding the bony appendage that now made up his left hand. Jou gave a small sneeze and the man quickly trotted to the door, pulling it open with a, "Yes, yes, wot is--" Grey-green eyes took in his visitor and Rai's breath caught in his throat in absolute shock. It couldn't be! It couldn't... it was! "George! You're safe! You're... here... grown." For all the practice he'd accumulated during his time in the Courts, for once the man couldn't control his expression. ".. Please, come in." He pulled his door wide, absently yet gently pushing the Highland bander out of the way to make room for the Torquehelm. |
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Post by Nathalia on Feb 11, 2008 1:00:22 GMT -5
George didn't even recognize the man, he was too panicked to realize the voice of the man who had helped him years ago...until...
"George! You're safe! You're... here... grown."
"Y-you know my name? How-"
He sucked in his breath quickly as he hurried by the Queen, never letting his eyes leave him as he entered the room, practically circling him.
"M-Mr. Whip? Is that really you?"
He could barely believe it, for a few seconds he even forgot the danger he was in. The man had changed, last George had seen the Equine had been a Jack, and had only had his animal form. And now look...a Human Queen...and here he was still a Four...
He stared for another few seconds before his pupils dilated and he rocked slightly.
"You...you're the Queen of Hearts..."
He couldn't figure out what to think. He didn't know how to react.
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Post by seraaches on Feb 11, 2008 1:16:19 GMT -5
It had been simple for the equine to recognize the little boy he'd once helped so long ago; George simply looked like an older and more worn version of that child he'd given his cloak to. Rai closed the door as George circled him, unable to stop a small grin from appearing on his face. As the days had moved into weeks, then months, then years, the young boy had faded from his thoughts, but never his memories. Even then, he occasionally would wonder wot had happened to the Torquehelmian, but he'd never been able to do anything about it.
And here! Standing before the man with his own incredulous expression, the answer to all those long years of questioning. Rai couldn't help his supreme pleasure. Of course, after a moment's thought, the Queen realized that he'd still only had animal form when George had seen him. No wonder the other man looked so shell-shocked.
"Yes," the stallion agreed easily. "I am a Queen of Hearts now. Do you need to sit down, George?" Concern decorated his features as it appeared George just might pass out. He grabbed a nearby chair, unaware, for once, of his rank. Jou danced out of the way before inching closer to sniff at the stranger's feet.
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Post by Nathalia on Feb 11, 2008 15:58:49 GMT -5
George listened to the Equine's words...Mr. Whip didn't understand...no.
The fact that he was still treating George civvily and with what appeared to be concern was reassuring, but he couldn't help but be terrified. Whether the man knew it or not...here he was; standing in the bedroom of The Queen of Hearts.
George thought his heart was going to leap out of his mouth and bolt. He probably wasn't going to make it out of here alive.
Why, oh why had master left him? Had he worn on the Jack's nerves too heavily already? Had master brought him here to be slain, or was this another test.
The Torquehelm visibly shivered and practically fell into the proffered chair.
"N-no, Mr. Whip, sir. You don't understand. I-...Queen Serafino is dead. You are The Queen of Hearts."
He ducked his upper body quickly in an awkward bow.
"Y-your Majesty."
He was breathing rapidly, his heart speeding. Would Mr. Whip kill him for telling him this? Would he assume George had done it?...Because in a way he and Master had...
He began to regret his rash actions. What if his father had had other children? Had he really wanted the man dead that badly?
Yes...
"Congratulations, sir..."
Please don't kill me...
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Post by seraaches on Feb 11, 2008 16:16:07 GMT -5
If he'd been in animal or bipedal form, his ears would have slowly gone back until they flattened against his head. Rai's face slipped into the cool, political mask the Queen of Hearts had taught him. His body grew still and even Jou watched him warily.
After George's first statement, it was as though the world had taken a breath, waiting for the joke to pop, for the other shoe to drop or... something. But your Majesty meant 'a' Queen, not 'the' Queen, and congratulations were hardly fitting because he hadn't -done- anything. He'd been here, working on paperwork.
Was that a scream in the hallway? Rai's head turned towards it, even as the words tried to seep into him. He tried to make them roll off of him, away... somewhere... else.
"... Wot are you doing here, George?" his voice was still and he made no move towards the other man. "Wot has happened here?" Grey-green eyes zeroed back in on the younger man that he'd once helped. The Torquehelmian was cowering... again. Had George always been afraid? Had he never a moment free from fear? Rai felt his heart twinge painfully at that thought. He had failed the lad once upon a time.
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Post by Nathalia on Feb 11, 2008 17:37:54 GMT -5
George watched as the other Humans' features fell into a flat, impassive look. He felt his heart rate increase to the point where he felt ill, he wanted to run, but he was frozen to the chair...oh god...why hadn't he just shouted the message through the door and run? Why had he come in?
The scream that suddenly shattered the stillness caused George to leap nearly a foot off of his chair from fright, he began to shake visibly and continuously. He was going to die, going to die...
"I-I'm here on behalf of my Master...t-the White Rabbit. He brought me here to get one last look at my Father...he was then assassinated by the man who came in through the window. I'm here now to tell you that you are t-the new Queen. I didn't know it was you..."
His voice trailed off miserably. He choked for a second, then tried to start up again.
"I can't stay here, Mr. Whip. I have to get back to the Wood."
He made as though to stand, wondering if the Equine would really hurt him...and guessing that he would.
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Post by seraaches on Feb 11, 2008 18:09:03 GMT -5
The more George talked, the more confusing the situation became. The White Rabbit? Unlike many of his contemporaries, Shinrai believed in the existence of the White Rabbit-- who could believe in ghosts and not Jack Rabbits? Still... for the little Torquehelmian boy he'd run into on the street to have such a close tie.... Rai's thoughts weren't coming in clearly.
Suddenly, something else clicked. Oooohhh, dear. George -was- one of Queen Serafino's children! The thought had come rather idly during their first meeting, but he had brushed it off. And now... proof.
Wails in the hallway; Rai needed to get out there soon, even if he had just been told the cause of them. Misery seemed etched into George's whole being and the stallion moved closer to the younger man even as the Club made to rise. Despite the fear in George's demeanour, Rai simply laid a gentle hand on the other man's shoulder. "I'm not angry at you, George." The words were in an instinctively gentle tone; something he could only rarely use with his own insane children. "And I'm not going to hurt you. Do you know who killed the Queen?" Despite how calmly the words came out, inwardly Rai flinched; he couldn't believe it was true. But... the cries in the hallway...
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Post by Nathalia on Feb 12, 2008 16:15:53 GMT -5
Though the words were reassuring, George wasn't sure if he could believe them. Sure, his father was dead now, but mightn't this Queen of Hearts now desire him dead as well so as not to smear the name of the Courts with having produced him...?
"I-"
He flinched as though burned when the Equine put a hand on his shoulder, expecting a Queen's ability to go sizzling through his body at any moment. He started babbling, terrified.
"I don't know who he was, I don't, I don't please! He was a huge Bird, Highlander! With curly gold hair, he was coming in through the window, please!"
The Club curled in on himself, drawing away from the touch and hoping to any god that might be listening that he wasn't about to die.
"My Master just brought us by so that I could see my father, I was safe with him, then that happened and he told me to come and tell you that you were the new Queen....please, Mr. Whip...Oh god- I mean, your Majesty..."
He was speaking in gasps, trying to breath more regularly.
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Post by seraaches on Feb 13, 2008 18:34:53 GMT -5
Rai lifted his hand away when the other man flinched and cringed away from him. After a moment of contemplation, the stallion stepped back. The years had not been kind to George and it nearly broke the Queen's heart. There was no way the White Rabbit could be a much better influence on the little Club, not with how badly the Torquehelmian was reacting to Rai's presence. How to reach out? How to make a connection?
With a sudden, decisive gesture, the stallion moved around to the front of the chair so he could kneel in front of the younger man. He kept his voice gentle and his gaze steady if compassionate.
"You can always call me Whip," the man said decisively. "No matter the circumstances; do you understand, George? And I will continue to be available to you if you ever need me. Just let me know and I will do all I can to help you."
George would soon bolt; the equine could sense it. He was a horse, after all. He knew skittishness. He simply wanted George to understand where he stood on their relationship.
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