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Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 16, 2008 19:51:30 GMT -5
Heike wanted to scream. That was normal though. So was his desire to smack his head on the table that was in front of him. He was always the one who did the work. He was always the one who got punished if there was a screw up while running the Warren. All the work was left to him. Everything was left to him. Damn it all. He reared up on his hind legs to put the tray in its proper place. He had to wash the tea set today and polish the silver later. However, he had twenty minutes to himself, and his sister should be finished with her small set of chores that she usually went through. Twenty minutes of alone time without the Czar around. He had the same pattern so he wouldn't bother to interrupt with something. Maybe he and his Doe would have a fantastic time together and just leave him to fix more tea. Bother. He slipped and hopped over to one of the doors. He peaked his head out to see his sister returning. He gave a thankful sigh. "Nadja, we need to talk." |
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Post by Vyn on Mar 16, 2008 21:36:13 GMT -5
Nadja was humming blissfully as she hopped down the halls, pushing a cart with the dirty dishes from dinner back toward the kitchens. She was nearly done with her chores for the day and everything seemed to be going quite well. Nadja was pleased. And, apparently, oblivious. Heike abruptly appeared in the doorway caused her humming to strangle to a stop and she perked her ears forward, blinking in confusion, as he urged her inside. Whatever was his problem this time? He was always anxious or harping about something and Nadja simply couldn't imagine it was that bad. The Czar and his Doe weren't all that bad, even if Heike did get the majority of the Warren's workload put on his shoulders. She tried to help when she could. "Alright Heike." With a little hop, she pushed the tray into the room with Heike and peeked around it at her brother. "What's the matter, brother?" |
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Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 16, 2008 21:51:29 GMT -5
His ears twitched as he hopped out of the way of the cart. Right, he had forgot about washing the dirty dishes. Another thing to add to the list of things to do. Thank the sky above the Warren was small. If he had to do more work his head would probably explode.
Heike reared up on his hind legs to pick up some of the dishes with his antlers. They were good for cleaning sometimes. Before saying anything he set the dishes by the sink. His voice was lowered as he spoke. "We have to get out of here. Do you know what he's planning to do with you Nadja?"
His ears twitched furiously. The Czar never came anywhere near the kitchen. Neither did his bloody Doe. They were "safe," well as safe as they could ever be in this place. "We should leave. He's going to get bored of us soon, and the only reason I'm still around is because he knows that if I was gone you'd be miserable. It's only a matter of time before he wants you to become his Doe. Then he'll get bored of you anyway and trade you off."
Talking to him would be impossible. Nadja was the only one he would listen to and she was oblivious of all the work and horrible things the Czar did. She thought he was a snob, sure, but beyond that? Why couldn't she understand? This was just so frustrating. How many times had he gone through this with her and failed?
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Post by Vyn on Mar 16, 2008 22:09:42 GMT -5
Oh heaven's above! Was he at this again She recognized this routine already. Rolling her eyes and heaving her chest in a sigh, Nadja picked up some dishes and carefully hopped over to the sink to join her brother. "How many times have we been through this lecture, Heike? What good will it do us?" Her ears flattened back against her skull in agitation but she kept her voice low. As 'safe' as they were, she wouldn't risk saying something overly loud and getting her dear brother in trouble. Regardless of the differences between them, she loved him dearly. "All the options are just...insane. We won't have anywhere to go if we run away, you know that as well as I!" She huffed a little, her tail twitching as she began to work on some of the dishes. Better that she clean than think to heavily on her brother's words. Deep down she knew he was right, that The Czar was only kind because of what he wanted from her...but if he was playing that game then why was it really that dangerous? He wouldn't risk sending Heike away and making her miserable. Would he? |
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Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 16, 2008 22:27:11 GMT -5
"A lot, and you never listen to a word I say," he said with a humph as he grabbed the container of soap. He hissed in a whisper, "There are other jacks out there. There are better employers than the bloody Czar."
The Leveret visibly shuddered. How had they been stuck with the stuck up hateful Highlander Jack? Heike had to wonder how he was even alive if his Master hated men so much. Did he really want Nadja so much that he was willing to overlook his gender? It was terrifying when he had figured it out all by accident. Heike had thought he was going to die a horrible death...but the Czar thrived on his misery. And his various mistakes. If the Jack didn't have someone to take his anger out on, he got bored rather quickly.
Damn stupid Jack. If hate had a form it was him. Not like Heike would ever say any of it out loud. He always kept his angry comments to himself. After all he was nothing more than cannon fodder. He would be traded off. It was only a matter of time. And he didn't want to see his sisters downtrodden face.
"It's only a matter of time. You know how he is. He plays his games, and when he wins or comes close to it... I'll be out the window."
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Post by Vyn on Mar 18, 2008 21:46:03 GMT -5
Concern flickered briefly in and out of Nadja's gaze but she stubbornly put it to the back of her mind and began to furiously clean the dishes before her. If she just worked hard enough she wouldn't have to take in Heike's words and the worry it instilled in her.
Master wouldn't trade Heike? No, of course not. ...Right?
The leveret trembled in quiet frustration before surrendering and setting the dish she was working with onto the drying rack. "Fine!" Nadja lifted her blue eyes to lock onto her brother, her expression tightening with stubborn frustration. She couldn't fight his worry forever. "Fine... So say you're right, and that he really is as bad as you say... What are we going to do? How are we going to find a new Jack without rousing his suspicion?"
Nadja slowly slumped down to sit comfortably on all four paws, peering intently up at Heike as she awaited an answer.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 18, 2008 21:58:40 GMT -5
Heike's ears twitched as he slowly came down to sit on all fours. He had knocked the water off so they would waste it. With a weak smile he shook his head. "We need to find other servants for him or something... that way he would focus on others rather than just you and me. Then we can just run away. If he has more people on staff then... then he wouldn't mind that we left."
It was just a matter of finding people. At the moment they were hopeless. There was nothing they could do until he was distracted. The Czar would be very upset if they up and left... oh why had they been traded to this Jack? He would have whimpered if he wasn't in his right mind.
Heike was determined to protect his sister. She was his saving grace. She was the only reason why he was alive. The Czar would have killed him a long time before this if it wasn't for her. And he would NOT have that barbarian touch her. His ears pulled back at the very thought. "I'm going to figure something out. I promise you. We will leave before he does anything."
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Post by Vyn on Mar 21, 2008 10:33:48 GMT -5
Nadja drew quietly closer to her brother as he spoke, listening intently despite her own inner frustrations. This was going to be dangerous and complex and...if the Czar ever found out he would blame it all on Heike. The very idea of Heike being hurt because of this made her tremble, but the possibility of being separated from him overwhelmed all else. He was her favorite brother, he always had been, and they'd been together forever-- that wasn't about to change now.
"Alright. That...sounds like it'll work." She nodded decisively, wringing her soft paws in quiet thought. "Only one thing, Heike... How are we going to find other servants?"
Why did this plan have to be so damnably complex? She almost wished it was as simple as just running away, but she knew the Czar was too fascinated by her for that to work. She'd even become quite close to his Doe, oi!
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Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 21, 2008 11:53:45 GMT -5
The rabbit tapped the ground with one of his paws. Well that was the hard part wasn't it? "I'm the one who has to go out and dress like a Card to get some supplies. I imagine if I'm gone for a little longer than usual I can come up with an excuse." He nodded to himself. It made perfect sense. He had lied so many times before it wouldn't be a problem.
He just needed to find a servant that would make a pretty Doe. That was a little harder... finding other rabbits was generally difficult. There had to be some running around that he could convince to work for the Czar. Well, their master's title didn't help either. Notorious throughout society for being a bastard, it was just... hard to get anyone to work for you.
Heike made a miserable sound. "I swear I'll figure it out. I'll figure it out before that bastard touches you."
No one was good enough for his sister. Heike would become a Jack and steal his sister before he let the Czar convince her to become a Doe. He shuddered as he looked at his sister. He couldn't let anything happen to his saving grace.
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Post by Vyn on Mar 25, 2008 9:58:19 GMT -5
Nadja wiggled her nose a little, ears falling flat against her back for a moment. Would this really work? If anything happened to her dear brother... She didn't even want to think of what would happen! For all that she played off being calm and casual she just knew that he was right. The Czar really would try and convince her to be a Doe...
Another little shudder passed through her, especially to that miserable sound Heike made.
Quietly she hopped forward and nuzzled him reassuringly before slumping a little against him. "Just make sure you don't get caught, Heike. I can handle myself around The Czar, but I couldn't bear it if he hurt you."
Pulling back, Nadja leaned onto her hind legs and smiled winningly, quickly attempting to put the concerns behind her and find a more cheerful subject. "Do you have a break or anything coming up soon? Maybe we could go for a walk while he's...preoccupied?"
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She recognized this routine already. Rolling her eyes and heaving her chest in a sigh, Nadja picked up some dishes and carefully hopped over to the sink to join her brother.