Hi, We're Related. [Finished]

[seraaches]

She strode proudly into the Court of Hearts, glaive carried familiarly in one hand and head held high. She was trailed by a white Card. The guards straightened further to attention at the sight of her, which, of course, they had to do. She was herself, after all. No one asked her to stop, though she paused near one fo them to smile brightly. He cleared his throat nervously.

"Excuse me," her melodic voice sounded near the man. She seemed to speak in melodies and harmonies, though no magic needed to rise and fall in her words to keep the guard's attention. "I am looking for the Queen of Hearts."

"OH, of course," the man said quickly. "His Majesty is in the main hall. Just follow this main corridor. They can direct you further in."

She granted him a beatific smile. "Why, thank you. Come, Drostan." She gracefully strode into the Palace, Ace in tow.

[seraaches]

Ira flicked his tail curiously, tilting his head to one side as he watched his Mommy dearest speaking in low tones to the man before him. It was like open stage night at the local pub; everyone came up clambering for attention and praise. Ira found the whole thing extraordinarily humourous. His ears twitched as one of the servants called out to him and his pale eyes swiftly slated in the appropriate direction.

The feline spoke in quiet yet hurried tones uneasily. "I don't know where they went; I swear they were in their rooms when I left. They were supposed to be napping."

Ira smiled in fond amusement. "They must be around somewhere; I doubt they'd leave the grounds. Just don't go looking by yourself, hrms? Make sure you bring someone with you." It was never wise to go looking for Rai's children whilst you were alone.

[seraaches]

"Keep your eyes open, Drostan," the woman murmured as she stepped through the ornate doorway, golden eyes already skimming the crowds within. She had picked the perfect day to come. The Queen of Hearts stood just off the dais; anyone could recognize the man based solely on a spoken description. He had an air of readiness around him and even though his attention was upon the Card speaking with him now, his eyes would slip away to scan the people in the room. She knew the moment he was aware of her, his eyes pausing on her weapon and the ease with which she carried it. He weighted her but let his eyes continue onwards.

That was fine, she wasn't looking for him anyway. She saw the man she was looking for, however, and her equine ears perked upwards then she swiftly began to stride towards him.

[seraaches]

He was aware of the eyes upon him, but stares weren't unusual. The servant he was speaking to turned to stare at the newcomer, and her mouth seemed to drop in awe. Ira's ears twitched backwards but he turned to see what had so distracted the nursemaid.

The woman who stood before him was, in a word, gorgeous. Dark green hair was piled up upon her head and her golden eyes stared intently at him. He recognized her even as he did not, but she certainly reminded him of someone very dear to him. She stood regally, with all of the pride of a Heart Highlander.

His tail flicked from one side to the next and hers echoed the movement. Ira tilted his head slightly, eyes dropping to the black-bladed glaive then back up to the woman's face. "Hullo," he said wryly. "Can I help you with--" He was swiftly interrupted by her next words.

[seraaches]

"Hi. You're my father." She was rewarded with an ear flick. This was actually quite expected. Her mother had informed her that her Josiggy Marsh father would probably make up his mind immediately about her, but that it was equally likely that he would not respond for a very long time.

Her Highlander mother was very caring and level-tempered. She took everything in str thide, even when she did not necessarily know how to do so. The falcon/equine woman regarded her father with the same, level gaze he gave her.

Behind his master, the Tulgey Ace glowered as he kept his body slung low He hated them all so very much. But anything was better than still being in the Wood, even if it meant following this idiot woman around. He was a person too, blast it all; his paents had told him so. He was as smart as his siblings had been, but now. . . Oh, now. Rage shuddered through him, causing those near him to shiver slightly.

[seraaches]

"Okay," the stallion said suddenly. He didn't have a real reason to doubt the validity of her claim and, thus, did not. His eyes strayed curiously to the Ace lurking behind the woman, and a strange light seemed to flicker briefly through his gaze before his attention returned to the woman. He contemplated her yet again for a very long moment.

"How is your mother?" he suddenly asked politely. "Is she still dancing?"

Even as he asked, he noticed his Queen Mother striding purposefully towards them. "Oh, good; here comes Mommy dearest." He turned as the Queen of Hearts approached and inclined his head to her.

"Welcome to the Court of Hearts," the older man greeted her, voice light though his eyes were watchful.

"Mother dear," Ira announced cheerfully. "This is your granddaughter."

Shinrai froze for a moment before offering his right hand towards hre. "Well, then It's quite the pleasure to make your acquaintance."

[seraaches]

The woman shifted her weapon further out of the way and allowed the Queen of Hearts to briefly clasp her hand. "It is, of course, a pleasure to meet your Majesty Queen Shinrai," she said with the same quiet dignity. "I am Dierdre Kavanagh, daughter of his Highness Ira of the Court of Hearts and Katarina Kavanagh of the Melody's Song clan." She dropped graceful curtsy and finally directed her attention to her father's original questions.

"Mother is doing well enough now that Sevren is dead." She caught their curious glances, and realized she needed to explain. "Mother gave birth to four children; the eldest looked a great deal like you, Father. He had the same markings under his eyes as you. About two months ago he ate my other two siblings."

From behind her, the white Ace made an annoyed face.

[seraaches]

Rai felt his face freeze as he listened to her story. It was as though a chill was creeping along his spine. It was as though there was a sign opening in the heavens before him and he was rather afraid to see what it meant. He cleared his third uneasily. "Wot happened next?"

Ira, for his part, seemed entirely unaffected by her words. His ears were turned in one direction, and his eyes in another; it seemed almost as though he hadn't heard a word she said. His tail flipped from one side to the other, however, and after a moment he turned to stare at the hybrid again. Whatever he saw there, he didn't share.

The Queen glanced over at his eldest son, concerned passed through his grey-green eyes. It was impossible to tell, however, whether he was worried about his son's mental health are about the implications of Dre's story.

[seraaches]

The woman glanced over at the Queen of Hearts with a shade of surprise across her face. She swung the glaive up and around in an easy, practiced motion, that immediately put the two men on alert. She was only presenting the weapon to the men for them to examine as desired. Ira simply tilted his head, but the human Queen accepted it curiously and ran his hands over it with the deference of one who truly understood weapons.

"Eight days ago, I took his head with this." The men's eyes shot to her face, but she had no emotion to show them, nothing more to give.

She'd lost the last of it when she picked up the tuft of Sarai's tail; all that had remained from an extraordinarily sweet girl. She had presented it to her mother and o n that worthy's tears she had sworn her revenge.

Drostan snorted under his breath, but he was well below notice here. With scarred ears flattening slightly, he slowly began to inch away.

[seraaches]

"Well," Ira said in a low voice, before his voice suddenly rose in a very cheery manner. "You're obviously related to me."

That conclusion evidently settled the matter for him, leaving Shinrai to heave a low sigh of some difficult to define emotion. He couldn't deny the similarities between even these two, and he didn't doubt the veracity of her story, horrible as it was; it was, however, a bit flabbergasting just how his eldest accepted the news. With a slight shake of his head, the Queen of Hearts returned the glaive to the woman.

"You are welcome here, Dierdre." He offered the woman a small smile. "I wonder if you would like to take some time to get to know each other. Ira, feel free to take the rest of this afternoon off."

Ira waved at his Mommy dearest, unconcerned by the offer since he would do as he desired either way.

The Queen retreated from the pair with an amused smile.