New and Old [Closed]

[Travesty]

Darcy leaned his back against the smooth bark of the lemon tree furthest from the house, his head tipped lazily upwards. The emergence of spring meant the sun was heavy and yellow and for once he was content to just sit in the grass and get toasty warm from the sunshine that filtered through the waxy leaves and put the citrus to shame. In case one couldn’t tell, spring was his absolutely favorite season, especially because his two darling sisters suffered from terrible allergies. Not him though. No, he was perfectly adapted for this sort of beautiful weather.

He was, however, getting rather sleepy and the breeze, still holding a little winter chill, was the only thing keeping from falling asleep right then and there. Next to him an overripe lemon landed on the grass with a gentle poof, jarring him from his daydreams. The mixed breed stood on stiff legs and shook away his fatigue, his light blue mane falling over his eyes, before taking a few steps forward.

There. His was off his family’s expansive property. This place was like a drug: addictive and harmful in the long term. He needed a break from it, but where to go now? The world seemed to stretch on for endless miles, but at the same time seemed very small.

[Nako]

Flying; it was a truly amazing experience. He hadn't been doing it for too long; not since childhood like many species granted with flight; his wings had only molted and fledged when he finally reached true adulthood. This of course meant less practice, and maneuvering through the cliffs of Villa en Miir was a challenge in itself. Angling, ducking and weaving, he used the thermals to his advantage, careful of stray drafts that would send him smashing into the cliff face.

Finally, he reached the peak of the summit, peackock feather tipped wings flaring wide to slow his speed before landing on the precarious peninsula of land jutting out into the sky. A single tree sat on the very edge, a twisted and ancient looking tree with roots growing straight through the dirt and into the sky below. it was a tree native only to the cliffs, one that created superior instruments when one would actually be cut down. For now though, this tree was his model. With a grin that was wide behind his thick Bog mask, he pulled his sketchpad and colored pencils from his bag and went to work.

[Travesty]

So…what was he going to do now? It was all very rebellious to leave one’s home for the sake of being gone, but it was a meaningless gesture if there was no destination in mind. Sure, he could always go spend a few nights in the Capital, but been there done that, you know? The Villa wagged his heavy bone tail thoughtfully; maybe he’d visit Torquehelm, see if it was really so bad as he heard. Or maybe the Highlands – that was a beautiful place, as were its inhabitants. Yes…that’s where he’d go.

A shadow, a large and unusual shadow, passed over his face and he tilted his gaze upward towards the sky. …Was that a bat? It definitely had wings like a bat, but it seemed too big. Luckily for him it appeared to be landing and, overcome with curiosity, the mixed breed followed its slow path of descent and watched from a safe distance as the strange Card began to…draw? Was it an artist? The Villa within him urged him closer, but he was too genteel to trot right over. No, he wasn’t a mere puppy; he’d have to act like an adult, and an elegant one at that, if he wanted to impress this fellow artist.

He sauntered over, each step meaning to convey a feeling of overwhelming confidence – the vain little thing. There was an aloof smile playing around his face, but as he approached he had to check himself from snarling. Those hideous fingers…what sort of disgusting mutation were they?

Darcy was good at wearing his mask, however, and even in this situation it did not slip. He inclined his head politely and sat a few feet away, looking at the Jack’s face and not his terrifying fingers. “Hello, sir. I hope you're finding my lemon trees adequate subjects?” He asked lightly, his tail flicking behind him.

[Nako]

However good a mood he had been in, when the smarmy tone reached his ears, they tilted back a bit. He hadn't heard a self-important tone like that since last week's class in Esterberry. Glancing back, he saw a young man, younger than him most certainly, casting such a grin at him that his nose wrinkled. Perhaps being around Queen Donnie was affecting how he looked at people. Having to be a filter for some of the people who came to see her, he quickly was getting a feel for who the woman would like and dislike. Arrogant men were high on that list. Superiority over women would have him thrown out a window, most likely.

"Hm... your lemon trees?" He allowed the question to float for just a half second before continuing. "I take it your parents own the property out here?"

"But actually, no. I'm looking at that tree, right over there. The twisted one. You'd know the sort, right? They make wooden instruments out of them in these parts... though obviously you don't need.. a wooden instrument." That protrusion of bone in his tail freaked him out. Was the kid half Hisstor? No, he looked pure Villa. A strange mutation, to say the least. His might be construed as odd as well. If they had the webbing natural to bat wings though, people would have barely batted an eye.

"If this is private property though, I have no problem with leaving." The last thing he wanted was to be kicked out of the Villa for trespassing.

[Travesty]

The Villa nodded. “It’s an expansive estate.” Too large, really, it seemed to swallow up everything. Darcy chuckled at the bat’s comments and glanced at the gnarled wood. “That particular tree has been here since before I was born…in fact I think my great-great-grandfather was the one who planted it.” It was like glancing at his family history, these groves of ancient trees. He appreciated them more for their beauty than the heritage, however, no matter how much he seemed to vocalized his ‘familial pride.’ That was just one of those silly tasks that was expected of him.

His grin widened into something genuine. “My viola actually came from spruce and maple from trees growing on the property.” The Spades’ tail flicked lazily and he motioned towards it with his head. “I play it with this incredibly heavy tail of mine,” he explained with a breezy laugh. A clarification always seemed necessary, but he didn’t particularly mind discussing his passion, especially when the Card he was talking to also seemed to have artistic aspirations.

Darcy had to check himself from wiggling in a very unadult-like fashion, and instead merely shook his head and smiled. “No, no – don’t worry about it at all; you could say the land is practically a park for public use, and even if it wasn’t, I’m certainly not going to cause trouble for an artist.” Heaven forbid!

[Nako]

Hm. Cocky thing, but at least he was musically inclined. It would have been almost as bad as a Yarrow giving birth to a male had he been born without the talent. The unease he had felt though, was beginning to melt just a little bit. Any sort of good will toward him for his artistic skills was enough to offset even a nasty personality. He couldn't help but wonder if the entire thing was a false front. After living in the Courts all his life, it was no wonder he'd grown just a touch cynical about people. Of course, he'd also developed tact in the Courts. He'd certainly rather see the false, good side of a person than the nasty, rotten side of them. The only time he'd want to see someone's true side if he wanted to let them in that close.

And well.. that wasn't often at all. "Hm.. since before you were born.. you say? Yes, quite an old tree indeed. It's perched so close to the edge though. I suppose it'll be used for instruments when it finally falls? I wouldn't think you'd cut it down otherwise, but I might be wrong." He didn't extend a hand; this disconcerted most people, but he gave a polite nod to the younger, and lower ranked card as a means of formal greeting as he introduced himself. "I am Mikael, by the way. The people of the Court talk so fondly of this place that I found it necessary to come see it. I'd like to report that I am not in the least bit disappointed."

[Travesty]

Darcy’s lips flicked into a pleased smile. Odd fingers or not, he had infinite respect for anyone who was, like him, driven to actually create and not just consume, consume, consume. Even in a place like Villa en Miir, where everyone was supposed to be creative to the extreme, it wasn’t common to meet someone who was actually like that. It was a breath of fresh air.

“God yes, it’s older than even the house, I think.” He paused thoughtfully. “The trees fall all the time, I’m surprised that one hasn’t yet. I don’t think any of us have the heart to cut it down, though I suppose when it eventually tips my sisters will have nice new baubles,” his voice took on a steely edge, but he immediately switched back for his courteous self.

“Oh, I am sorry!" He exclaimed, horrified that he had forgotten such basic etiquette. “A pleasure to meet you Mikael, I’m Darcy.”

The mixed breed looked around. It was a pretty place, truly breathtaking. What a shame; if it wasn’t so beautiful, maybe it would be easier for him to leave. He smiled fondly, glancing at his beloved lemon trees. “I would imagine it would be hard to find anything at fault here.” Speaking only of the landscape, of course.

“But you say you’ve come from the Court?” He asked curiously. “I must confess that once I grow up,” and rank up, but that was besides the point, “I hope to make my way there. Is it as captivating as I’ve heard it is?”

He looked down at the Jack’s sketchbook. “But I don’t want to disturb you…” Darcy trailed off halfheartedly. Well...he did, but he'd leave if asked to, or maybe watch him from a discreet distance. He was so bored after all.

[Nako]

He'd thought he had caught an edge to the lad's voice, but it was gone so quickly he'd hardly been able to decide whether it had actually been there or not. Oh well, sibling rivalry wasn't anything alien to this particular card.

"Oh no.. no bother at all. If it decides to tip before I can capture it, then let it tip! It would be of a power far greater than my own, and one I can hardly deny nature's whim."

"But yes.. the Courts... It certainly -is- becoming something of a marvel under Queen Donnie's able hands." He spoke nothing of the degradation of the courts before her arrival; he didn't even know if this boy had been old enough to care at that point and time. No doubt if he had a spade parent he might have heard something of the.. shenanigans that had went on, if not during the former Queen's rule then certainly about the brutal and infamous fight between the Yarrow mix and the demure Torquehelm.

Reflexively his gaze went to his chest; he'd have a lot of ranking up to do, for sure. Then again it certainly wasn't impossible. He'd heard of some people taking great leaps and bounds from low ranks to becoming face cards. He smiled, and his tail gave a complimentary wag to show his emotion where his masked face may come up short. "It is certainly good to hear the younger generations be interested in the Courts. I started out my job there just out of finishing school, you know."

[Travesty]

Darcy was secretly thrilled that the other hadn’t sent him on his way; it would’ve been in his power to do so, he being a face card and all that, but the Villa would have been incredibly disappointed to be treated like the child he still unfortunately was. He inched closer to the other, his back facing tree they were discussing, but off to the side so Mikael could still draw.

“I haven’t heard very much about Her Majesty, I’m afraid.” He caught servant gossip from time to time, but not all of it could be trusted, and none of it was substantial. “But she is part Villa, that I know.” His pride was never very far from the surface. “And from what I gathered, many people weren’t too fond of Lysaras anyway.” At least, his parents and the neighbors weren’t, though he wasn’t exactly sure what their reasons were.

Darcy frowned self-consciously as the other inspected his chest. As if he needed yet another reminder that he was low in rank and there was a lot of work ahead of him. “Oh, but you’re so lucky.” And obviously was born with a higher rank than he himself had. “I’m allowed to go anywhere I like, except for to the Courts.” His parents were afraid he’d make a fool of himself, and he didn’t blame them. Being a six was unacceptable.

It was time to change the subject. “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the purpose of your mask?” His mouth twitched into a self-deprecating smirk. “I’m ignorant and have never seen one like that before.”

[Nako]

It was not his place to criticize past Queens. It was bad form for anyone in the Courts to mud sling in a manner where the general public could take their word as 'hot news', so he merely went about sketching and made soft noises of acknowledgment to some of the things he said. "Oh, there will be plenty of time to see the courts when you are older and can make your own decisions. I didn't much like the courts when I was younger anyways.. Not until I started working anyways. Then it was worse." He gave a soft chuckle and a wink, letting the lad know he was in jest.

"Well, the greatest thing about ignorance is that it can be cured with knowledge." More of those Esterberry folk had rubbed off on him than he would have liked, but it was certainly a very positive motto from the stuffy folk. "My mother was from Raemblen Bog. As I am partially Bog, I inherited the need to wear a mask to breathe air that isn't from that region."