Quest: Love Me [Kazifel] [Finished OMG FINALLY]

[Kari Muffin]

Kazifel would have let out a concerned whimper if he was capable. He had never been in a room with this many high ranking people. And that wolf. A heart. A very scary heart wolf was not good in his book at all. At least Femi was a higher rank. That was a small comfort. He did his best to smile, but he was pretty sure his eye twitch would interrupt. He had to fix that.

And he had to sit on the floor. He didn't have to look at the scary wolf. He could just sit next to Femi. Then again he had to look at that human... a pet? Somehow that didn't seem right at all. In fact Kazifel would have gotten a chill if he could. He waited for Femi to move before he did anything.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he got from the wolf. He just felt utterly helpless. The only thing he could cling to was Femi. She would not let the man touch him.

[The Jenn]

Femi felt his arms go around her and smiled, seeing it as a reaffirmation of his feelings for her in front of the only people who actually merited the status of 'important' in her life. Most people were just 'there' or 'annoying' or 'scary'. These three actually mattered somewhat. She squeezed him extra-tight, knowing he wouldn't feel it but not caring at that moment, and disentangled herself from her own grip and his enough to smile and take one of his hands in hers again.

She knew they were confused - well, her mother and Ghi were confused. Daddy wasn't really all there right now, and she could smell the opium clinging to his fur from here, so there would be no problems or objections or worries from his corner, and the pet didn't care about anything going on around him.

The chair waiting for her was situated between her father and Ghi and she moved so that Kazifel would be closest to her father, seeing the small twitching in his eye that seemed to mean he was upset about something. She really wasn't sure what, but it wouldn't hurt to have him closer to her father. Ghi might try to take an interest in him if she let him too close and he decided her doll man was a person... which he was, of course, but she didn't want them to push too close or she'd have to push back. She really hated pushing back. When she sat, she made sure he knew by gesture that he should sit right next to her, where she could feel his hair and wooden cheek pressed against her furry thigh. It was more comforting that way and lunch wouldn't be too long.

As the meal was served by one of her parents' most successful experiments, a canine they all affectionately called Charlie, Femi dug in with a voracious appetite, which seemed to both please and worry her mother. That was okay, though, since she was usually both anyway. She answered a few questions about her eating habits as best she could remember, and a few about what she'd done recently, all centering around Kazifel. She wished he could eat at the table with them, but that would just have to wait a little while, she supposed.

The whole time, Ghi didn't say a word to anyone and kept shooting Kazifel challenging, speculative stares. He knew very well the effect he was having, which convinced him all the more that this wooden creature might just be more than the doll he appeared. His hackles were raised at the thought. The girls paid him no mind, and father eventually seemed to doze back against his chair.

[Kari Muffin]

Sitting next to her and her father was a great comfort. He didn't want to deal with that creepy wolf. What was his name? Lord Ghi? Did it matter? He was shooting Kazifel glares that meant he wanted a challenge. No. Kazifel, however, didn't want a challenge. He didn't like the concept of being made subservient to a male. He held back a small growl that came out as a half cough.

He quickly shot a glance at the large wolf. He was still giving Kazifel looks. Why wouldn't he stop it? With a small concerned sound he slide just a bit closer to Femi. It was a comfort he needed. He knew her fur was soft. It was his only comfort besides her. One day he would be able to feel again.

Wait a minute... he was feeling again wasn't he? He had emotions again! Somehow this realization would be greater if he wasn't being bothered by that man.

He shot a quick glance at the human through the legs of the table. He had never seen anyone that... broken before. No. He didn't like this Lord Ghi at all!

[The Jenn]

Femi heard a small sound and felt something more against her thigh. She looked down to see Kazifel pressing himself more firmly against her, his head tucked down for the most part until it lifted again to shoot a small look to her left. She turned her head to follow that gaze and saw the look, almost a glare, that the wolf was giving him. Her tail fuzzed out a little at the thought that he was making her love uncomfortable or upset or the slightest bit worried in any way.

She coughed and poked one furred hand out to point straight at the wolf, startling him into looking up at her rather than at the man by her side and tucked partly out of view. "Excuse me, milord, but I don't think my Kazifel appreciates your attention. Please stop acting like that or we'll be forced to leave."

He could collect all the people he wanted, but if he thought he was getting hold of her beautiful love, he was sorely mistaken. Kazifel had already been broken by someone else once. She was never letting anyone try to break him again if she could help it, and she knew if she didn't make her stance on the matter clear... Ghi would try. Oh yes he would. Silly collector. He had so many more options than she did, and this was the only one who truly mattered. Never, he would never touch her beloved, and her fingers ghosted over his cheek possessively.

The wolf blinked, and blinked again. Femi rarely got testy. She rarely got anything at him. That was sign enough to leave well enough alone until he could reexamine the situation. The creature still intrigued him, but not that much. It was made of wood, after all. A brief nod of his head, no words, and he absently jerked on his pet's choke collar as he looked to the feline in slight surprise. The human made a strangling noise for only a second before he was once again deathly silent.

Hands waving the whole situation away, and presumably thoughts of Kazifel as well, the bejeweled feline reached down to a small envelope that had been resting on the table. "Femi, darling, here's this period's allowance. Make sure you spend at least some of it on food before you go out and buy dolls' clothes or anything like that, alright? I'm glad you... have a new friend."

[Kari Muffin]

That matter seemed to be settled. He really did love Femi. There was no other word for the appreciation he felt. He was still curious to know why that man was still interested in him, but her hardly wanted to tempt fate.

He looked to the feline curiously. Oh, so Femi got allowance. That explained things. Kazifel took it upon himself to take note that she needed to buy food. Hopefully she would listen to him, but somehow he doubted it. He would have sighed if he could.

He looked up at Femi expectedly. Did this mean they got to leave and he could get away from this creepy man or did it mean that they simply had to stay and socialize. He was quite curious about this breaking of people... morbid curiosity was a bad thing. It always got him in trouble with Cassiel, but she wasn't here now. He peaked through the table legs again. That human was so timid... he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

[The Jenn]

Remaining oblivious to most of the turmoil, curiosity, and pity within the wooden man beside her, Femi just smiled and laughed at her mother, her father waking up at the sound and laughing along as if he'd missed something. The two of them had a very similar laugh, though his was a bit less sure, a bit slower with the drug. "Oh, Mother, you worry too much! I haven't died from not eating enough yet and I don't plan on doing so anytime soon, especially not now that I have someone to live for!"

The feline looked uneasy. She had never, ever understood her daughter, and most times it was just easiest to give her the money and send her on her way. "Yes, well dearest, you just... keep on eating and living for your dolls, then. We'll send a maid through your house sometime in a week or so to tidy up and dust and take care of all that unpleasantness."

A nod from the squirrelly head, pink bow bobbing behind her, and Femi hopped down from her chair to give her father a kiss on the cheek and Lord Ghi a polite, if somewhat frosty, nod before leaving the room. She came, she ate, she collected money, and now it was time to go back to her house again. She liked it so much better, having her own place to go since she turned eighteen a year ago. Once they were out of the room and partway down the staircase, she turned to Kazifel and smiled. "Are you okay, dearest?" she asked. It could be noted that she got the habit of constant endearments very much from her mother.

[Kari Muffin]

Kazifel was happy to get out of that room. He stole a quick glance backwards as he left. That man, he swore he was still staring at him. He shuddered slightly as they made it down the stairs. When she asked the question he tilted his head slightly. He wasn't sure if he should respond to her truthfully or not.

"That man," his words came out as whispers, "Lord Ghi... he... I don't think I like him very much." Kazifel seemed to choke on his words. The man, was he still in hearing distance? He didn't want to know he just wanted to go home. That was a very uncomfortable position to be in. He twitched slightly at the thought of the other wolf. "I'm sorry," he muttered as they made their way out of the house. He felt as if he had made her upset for being worried. Honestly though, that man was out to get him.

But... it would stop now wouldn't it?

[The Jenn]

Femi stopped once they were outside, closing the door and nuzzling his cheek, holding him against the side of the house while being careful of his pretty new wings. "There's no need to apologize, my love," she said with a fond smile, one hand brushing through his hair. "He does that to most people. I guess you could take it as a compliment if you chose to, since he's normally never ever interested in my dolls, only Real people... which goes to prove that I'm not the only one who sees you as a Real person."

Her voice turned to a conspiratorial whisper, a hint of a giggle lurking in its depths. "Besides, he has so many people tied to his head right now, I don't think he could take another one on until one of them dies, and none of them are close enough to death right now for it to be a problem. He can only control you if you're of his rank or lower, and you're a King now... so you don't have anything at all to worry about. Don't let him bother you. He's perfectly harmless unless you're a lower rank or you make him angry."

She kissed his nose and pulled away, keeping him close and spinning around a few times. "And that's why I've never had to worry about him!" she added with a loud laugh. "Because if I'd been born a Jack or less, I would probably be his little puppet wife right now and wait on him hand and foot, but that isn't going to happen because he can't raise himself any higher without letting go of everyone in his head. His powers are finicky. And really... he isn't going to do that."

[Kari Muffin]

That was very reassuring. He smiled at her, "Thank you. That makes me feel better. A lot better." There was still one thing that bothered him about the Heart. Perhaps it was the fact that he was a wolf that bothered him? He never did get along with other men. Not one.

He hugged Femi. One day he would be able to feel it, but this was good enough for him at the moment. He couldn't he but feel thrilled just being around someone who cared for him. "Are we going home now or do you have another plan in mind?" he tilted his head in question. She hadn't really mentioned plans for today besides meeting her parents. If she had... he couldn't get past the bit about meeting her parents. People were always a stressful ordeal.

He continued to smile though. Even with this bit of stress he wasn't down in the least bit. It had been so long since he could smile and mean it.

[The Jenn]

Femi looked at him sideways and smiled, clasping her hands in front of her. "We~ell, I'd actually been thinking that maybe we could visit a mage I know who lives not far out of town. He's a bit of a recluse but he knows my parents and used to play with me when I was a little girl so we get on rather well. Unlike my parents, he's very good at 'animating' and enchanting things. You know, like brooms that sweep by themselves and toys that play with you and such. He offered to make me a doll that would move around and dance once, but I just... well, it wouldn't have been Real." She looked a little sad, then seemed to shake off the feeling. "He's gotten a lot better in recent years, though, a lot more interested in theories and exploratory magics. Been going off the deep end, Mother says, but Daddy seems a lot more interested in what he's been doing of late. The least we can do is pay him a visit and see if he'll give you a once-over for a fee, hmm? See if he has any ideas about how to bring back your sense of touch?"

Full and happy and recharged from the lavish meal, the squirrel girl seemed even more motivated to take that extra step, the biggest one so far with her beautiful Kazifel doll man. If he could feel her... yes, she was firmly convinced that he would hug her more. That would just be marvelous. She took his hand and tugged him along beside and behind her, eager now to go see the mage.

He really did live 'outside' of the town. The walk through the Wood took them perhaps an hour, with the sunlight becoming progressively dimmer as the trees grew older and larger. This was much, much closer to the Heart of the Wood, whether Kazifel knew it or not. More of the eccentrics and crazies preferred to life in solitude near this part of the Wood.

When it seemed nearly pitch-black in the middle of the afternoon, a gentle glow appeared ahead, becoming progressively brighter with each step they took. A short walk further and the trees opened up into a clearing large enough for a small tower, spiraling up five or six stories and still not close to the top of the tree line. The sun shone brightly through the hole where there was an absence of trees and she grinned, releasing his hand to run up to the imposing front door and bang the knocker, then jumped back with a gleeful squeal as it began to complain of the rough treatment in a loud, strident voice.