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Post by Trebias on Apr 6, 2008 22:42:09 GMT -5
“All right, all right, calm down. It’s okay. We’ll just sit here, and breathe for a minute.” All he cared about for the moment was dropping the tension level that Rai had inadvertently built up. El had to hand it to him, on some level: Rai’d $&%-blocked him pretty well who knows how long before El even met the woman.
When El thought he could continue soothingly, he did so. “Now, it really isn’t my place to tell you much about Rai’s past. What I can tell you is that I think he has good reason to hate A Ranger, a skunk actually. I don’t think he has a reason to hate ALL Rangers that way. Myself, I think they’re in a rough situation. Take one side, the other will be all over them. Tough situation for a region to be in, between two others that hate each other so much. But that’s not the point. That skunk back then, he let Queen Shinrai down at a crucial, life-forming moment. I’m not in his shoes, but I can understand the feeling behind his thoughts.” He paused, wondering what to say. “I hope you don’t think we’re all like that, for starters. I’m. . .I’m at a loss. I can’t repair the damage.” The damage to what, he didn’t say. It was too complicated. The damage that Rai had caused, the damage done to Rai. He also couldn’t voice what he was feeling, disappointment of a sort. Disappointment in Rai’s control or lack thereof. Disappointment that it would affect any relationship whatsoever with Kel, who interested him as much as she baffled him. But even moresoe, he loved Rai like a son.
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Post by seraaches on Apr 6, 2008 22:51:32 GMT -5
Kel reached out a hesitant hand to touch El's arm, uncertain wot emotions were flickering across his face just then. "I know about some of it," she admitted softly, not wanting to expand too much for fear wotever negative emotion was threatening beneath the surface of the canine's outer shell would explode out. She had a feeling he didn't want to look too closely at it, and she certainly had no desire to prod.
"I'm. . . afraid. . ." Her continued words were even more hesitant; it was obvious she was leery and uncomfortable about wot she was about to share. "That skunk. . ." She had to look away, to pull away from the Marshdweller as she cringed slightly in on herself, too worried about wot this man obviously close to Queen Shinrai would think. She took a deep breath and let it out in a slow, shaky sigh. "I think it was my brother." She pushed on in a quick rush, wanting to patch any cracks between the Queen of Hearts and this Club. "So he had reason for wot he did, really."
Not that she ever wanted to see the man ever, ever, ever, ever again. . .
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Post by Trebias on Apr 7, 2008 10:24:46 GMT -5
El looked at her quickly. He lauged, perhaps less heartily than usual, but he laughed nonetheless. "Well. Isn't that just the mother of coincidences?" he aske with a smile. "You're right, he did have a reason for what he did. I don't think I mean it in the same way as you. Like I said, if someone turned their back on me when I needed them like that, I don't know if I could forgive them. But that doesn't mean I'd hate or attack anyone that looked like them."
He dropped his voice low. He wouldn't risk compromising Rai's standing by having others hear him say anything possibly negative about the stallion right out in the streets. "No, what he did specifically to you, whatever it was, was wrong. He's got a lot of passion, which will carry him far, but you've seen the flip side of that.
"So, we only have one course of action for the time being, Kel. We don't let Queen Shinrai see you again for a while, and we go on into the library. I found that sometimes when you can't fix something right then, you push it to the side and work on what you can. Or get drunk. I don't know if you're the drinking type, though. That can be something I show you. If you're not too busy after the library, we'll stop by this place I found. I know you're busy, so I'll get you back before curfew. Alright? Good." And he began to nudge her into the library.
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Post by seraaches on Apr 7, 2008 10:36:21 GMT -5
El's laugh caught her off guard and she glanced swiftly up at him in surprise before her eyes dropped to the ground again and she bit her lip gently. She tried, at one point to interrupt, but that was done by moving her hands a bit helplessly and taking a breath, so it was unlikely he even noticed. The Queen of Hearts hadn't hurt her, as Elias seemed to think; he had just severely frightened her. Terribly so. But he had not actually touched her.
She was fairly certain that Theofilus had said something about the Marshdweller not touching her, but some of that first encounter was still a blur while the second she was working very hard to repress.
Then El had planned out the rest of their day, evidently, and when she tried a second time to make some protest, he was already pushing them towards the library. Kel sighed and allowed herself to be herded. Elias was a very friendly and nice man-- even if he was friends with the Queen of Hearts-- but now she wasn't certain if she was up to anything more than slipping back to the Palace of Diamonds and curling up in a corner somewhere with a good book and a mug of tea.
Still, she had agreed to help Elias with the library, so she obediently went in and glanced around. Her mind switched gears as they stepped through the doors and even her posture changed, showing more confidence and ease here than it had in the entire time the pair had known each other thus far.
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Post by Trebias on Apr 7, 2008 14:36:50 GMT -5
El had been watching the woman closely for signs that he was pushing too
much, so he clearly caught the change that came over her when she
crossed that threshold. Whatever she said, he could tell that this
place was her home.
He looked up from her to see the layout of the library. He'd not had as
much time as he'd liked back before his exile to really get into the
library and study. He'd borrowed books when he could, or asked someone
to pick him up something while they were out, but then again, his real
love for books came with the isolation he'd imposed upon himself.
"Now isn't that something," he said, whistling through his teeth. "I
never really had a chance to go to a library before," he admitted.
"It's a good thing you're here, Kel. Where do we start?"
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Post by seraaches on Apr 7, 2008 14:50:09 GMT -5
Kel turned to smile rather brightly at the man, looking him full in the face and seeming to forget entirely that she was shy and not 'supposed' to have any happiness at all. He was absolutely correct; she was home here.
"Well, if you want to get caught up on news, we should probably start with the most recent things first." Even her speech patterns changed; gone was the stutter and hesitancy. In it's place was confidence and the hint of a good sense of humour. "We can start at the newspaper archive and work our way back, hrms?"
She led the way, never hesitating, though she stopped once to help an older man carry some books to a table. She gave him a small smile, then hurried back to Elias to take him to the racks and rack so newspapers.
"These closer to the door are the newest," she told him. "They get older the further back into the room you go. But these should be good for an isolationist to begin on."
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Post by Trebias on Apr 7, 2008 15:46:18 GMT -5
"Good, good," Elias mumbled as he began looking at the stacks. He was
still in his animal form, so with a quick glance around and a quick
warning to Kel, he shifted to his "bipedal" form so that he could carry
the stacks without mouthing them. "Nice, huh?" he asked, indicating his
bipedal form.
He picked a few newspapers to start off. It wouldn't be too hard to
find what he wanted, most of the information would likely be headline
news. Of course, there was the possibility that the really important or
good news had been suppressed. It wouldn't be easy, but he could get
some contacts worked out, he thought.
"So, how are things in the Court of Diamonds now?" He really couldn't
think of what to say, since she'd already pointed him in the right
direction to start. Maybe conversation would come more easily in the
library with this new Kel.
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Post by seraaches on Apr 7, 2008 16:59:33 GMT -5
Kel lofted an impressed brow at the 'taur form, but she was mostly just glad that he had hands to carry the newspapers in; she wouldn't have let him take them in his mouth. He did have a rather striking figure, even it it was one that would cause most people to scream, or run in fear, or some other negative reaction. Kel still thought it was rather cool, though, and it didn't bother her at all.
Nevertheless, when he asked about the Court of Diamonds, she couldn't help but turn her head away, part of her confidence slipping slightly as she walked with him to a table so he could go through the papers easily. "It's going well. Queen Theofilus is very well-liked and his changes to the Court are for everyone's betterment."
There was a gasp from one side as they returned to the main of the library, and Kel turned in mild surprise to see a feline standing there. "Oh, hello, Hetti."
"Kel," the rather elderly cat gasped softly, obviously trying to cover her shock and not stare rudely. "You're. . .ah, you're back so soon. Is everything all right?"
"Oh, yes, Hetti, please don't be alarmed." Perhaps Kel was using her Diamond charm now. "This is Elias. I fear I bumped into him and my repayment was to help him locate the library." She sent the man another smile. "Fortunately for me, he didn't know it's not a punishment to come here."
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Post by Trebias on Apr 7, 2008 19:55:44 GMT -5
El had for the moment forgotten the reaction that his form more often than not got. He caught the reaction, but wasn't sure what it meant. He was about to pursue the topic when he was surprised nearly as much as Hetti. He fought off a burst of irritation, because something that was by now so normal to him was still alien to so many, and the woman's surprise caught him by surprise because he hadn't been thinking about it. He forced the irritation down, though, and smiled. "Next time I'll have to make sure to have her take me drinking instead. I think that will be a suitable 'punishment.'"
A rare bout of tact told him it best to be discreet at this point. In fact. . . "Kel, would you say we're somewhat well acquainted, or at least friends at this point?" he looked around the library, and aside from Kel, he didn't think anyone would pay enough mind if he slipped into the crowd. He'd done some research on his new ability, and it mentioned that he could reveal himself to certain people he chose, but wasn't quite clear on how well he had to know the person. He was hoping that just knowing their name would be enough to reveal himself. He'd find out. . .
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Post by seraaches on Apr 8, 2008 2:31:17 GMT -5
Hetti didn't look overly pleased with the man's joke, but perhaps it was just that she was still very surprised. Kel, however, gave another, slightly wider smile, though she rolled her eyes as she turned away. "Is there something I can help you with, Hetti?" she asked kindly.
"No, dear, I just wanted to make sure everything was all right since you had already left for the day." She bit her lip then turned to give the man a quavering smile. "It was, ah, nice to meet you, Mr. Elias," she said politely.
"Thank you, Hetti. I'll talk to you later." the skunk waved good-bye to the older woman then turned her attention back to Elias when he called her name.
Puzzled, she tilted her head slightly to the side at his rather unusual question. Maybe he needed money. She hesitated slightly before answering softly, "I don't know if you would say we were friends just yet, but given a chance, I can't see us not becoming them." She hoped that was a good answer.
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