|
|
Post by Kasatsu on Sept 25, 2008 19:20:16 GMT -5
He had been spending the better part of an hour looking for Dre and his not finding her was putting him in a foul mood. He had no doubt that she was okay, probably just up to something that had distracted her attention, but his lack of progress still had him frustrated.
Giving another futile look around the room that they shared he found it just as vacant as it had been a moment before. With a frustrated growl and a mumbled comment to Juris he turned around, heading out to redo his search. He was bound to find her somewhere.
Heading down one of the hallways he came across a familiar splash of white and black. "Drostan!" He called out to the male his voice carrying every ounce of his displeasure. Wherever the ace was his master was bound to be. Maybe his luck was looking up some.
|
|
|
|
Post by seraaches on Sept 25, 2008 20:36:02 GMT -5
The woman's words had a difficult implication behind them and the other King of Hearts was very careful to not pry about this particular aspect of the other King's life. Dierdre moved over to sit on the chair, bringing her brownies with her. She would have offered some to the dear Treasa and her own pet, however the pair seemed to have distracted themselves. So she happily dug into them anyway.
At Rhiannon's observation, the avian/equine gave her usual gallic smile, the expression mysterious. She tilted her head at Rhi's explanation of her past and it was difficult for her to relate to even that concept. "A Six? She disliked your rank?" Disbelief laced her voice at that, though she was born a Ten herself. She knew quite a few highly respectable Sixes.
Drostan tilted his head at the girl's strange behaviour; his entire family had been mustelids and they had played that way and not like canines. He was taking his first hesitant step forward to try and figure out exactly what the girl wanted from him when he heard a very familiar, very angry voice.
"Oh, *#(%." His body crouched close to the ground and his ears flattened against his skull and he turned to watch the man bearing down on him.
|
|
|
|
Post by carcinoGeneticist on Sept 25, 2008 22:14:25 GMT -5
Rhiannon's expression turned somewhat thoughtful and she absently reached out to her child, scratching at the fluff of fur that peeked out between his mask and his cheek. The hybrid purred, moving into the movement and stretching out rather sleepily. A smile crept slowly across the woman's face, and she turned her attention back to Dierdre once more.
"It wouldn't be fair to say that she disliked my rank, exactly,[/b]" she said softly, beginning to wonder where the other King had begun her life. "My mother... Living in the Bog so long affected her mind. Not as badly as it effects some, but it gave her a strong paranoid streak. She knew of people in this court who would not take kindly to a child of such an 'inferior' rank.[/b]" the woman snorted as she said this, eyebrows furrowing slightly. "So between me and my Club brother, she kept us very close at all times.[/b]"
The saddest part was the fact that the woman's paranoia was not entirely unjustified. There were those in the courts who would not have taken very kindly at all, had they stumbled upon Rhiannon or Hadrian as Dierdre had stumbled upon Kieran.
Feeling that the conversation had taken a rather dark turn, Rhiannon grinned at the woman and finished what was left of her brownie. "I found ways around their restrictions as soon as I was old enough, of course. That was how I met my Queen, in fact.[/b]" That was a fond memory for the woman, indeed, and she sighed happily before chuckling. "And my children are learning to do the same. Stealing my Apocalypse to gather me brownies... I really can't complain.[/b]"
Treasa's tail faltered slightly when the Ace seemed confused. Was she doing something wrong? That would be dreadful, wouldn't it? When the man finally began to move forward her tail began to wag at a furious pace once more, and she let out a happy little bark - one which was interrupted by the powerfully deep voice of the man who was striding down the hallway towards them.
The girl let out a startled yelp, spinning where she stood so that she was between Drostan and the man, beginning to tremble. She could see the man's rank, and her eyes widened - he was the same as her mother! Carefully, she bowed to him. "H-he's a-a-allowed t-t-to p-play with me..." she stuttered, the hitches in her voice increasing as the intimidating figure drew near. He was handsome... but so big! "C-c-can I h-help you with a-anything, s-sir?"
As scared as she was, she wouldn't let the Ace take the blame - after all, she was the one who'd asked him to play.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kasatsu on Sept 26, 2008 0:08:09 GMT -5
The Ace's reaction to him pleased him on some level, though it had not be necessarily the aim. It was only as he drew nearer that he noticed the other person that was with Drostan. He lofted an eyebrow when she stepped in front of him. If he really wanted to get to the Ace he could easily do so, even with her defense.
"I do not care about that." He replied with a sense of dismissal for the topic. "I want to know where Dre is." Though his tone was closer to something appropriate for kids it was not rid of his agitation. He looked expectantly at the Ace once he had addressed the child.
It was only logical that Drostan would be the once to know where the female was, and he expected for him to rat out her hiding location.
|
|
|
|
Post by seraaches on Sept 26, 2008 0:22:20 GMT -5
Dre's head tilted to the other side as she assimilated this information as well. Oh, that was right! Cards were often affected by their home region. Born and raised in the Highlands, occasionally she forgot that people grew up in bad places and not the same happy sort of things that she had.
"It seems that you are raising them quite well," Dre complimented the other woman with pleasure, genuinely believing her words. "To already be showing the wonderful traits of independence and forethought." She smiled over at Kieran happily. "A desire to bless others. They are wonderful." Used to a bit of curiousity about her-- she truly had just shown up one day-- Dre was, nevertheless, unaware of how much people wanted to ask about her past.
Drostan gave a low growl, slipping up beside the girl to hopefully be able to protect her in case the new hybrid snapped. He just couldn't read the man and the Ace wasn't certain what Ignatius might do. "Oh, now you want to take note of the lowly Ace?" the grison snarled, and the hallway grew chill. "Too bad he's not going to take note of you."
Another blatant lie, actually. The Ace didn't have any magic or real physical prowess with which to protect himself and, of course, this was the sort of backtalk that had gotten him beaten up in the first place. Blast it all.
|
|
|
|
Post by carcinoGeneticist on Sept 26, 2008 0:42:15 GMT -5
((-avoids doing chemistry homework-  )) " Thank you,[/b]" the woman replied, dipping her head slightly. She liked to think that it was true - after all, the children that she had with her were in perfect health and were quickly adjusting to the world around them. Sometimes, Rhiannon worried about Treasa's shyness, but the girl seemed happy enough and she could only hope that she would begin to grow out of her nervous stutterings. " But as much as I would like to, I can't take all the credit. They are exceptional children, after all.[/b]" She paused, gently licking at the swirled lock of mane that sprouted from Kieran's head, taming several unruly hairs back into their proper locations. Kieran stretched out again, the movement stirring him momentarily from sleep. His masked snout poked in Dierdre's general direction, a musical purr bubbling into her mind as he settled in again. He was still young yet, and the day had been quite busy! His feet would ache when he woke up, but it was worth it. Rhiannon looked back up at the woman, pawing a strand of bright yellow fur from her eyes and tucking it aside as best she could. " And what of yourself, if you don't mind my asking? Do you desire children one day?[/b]" Treasa was trembling violently when the man spoke, words dismissive. She was a frail thing who took after her father in many ways, and she was quick to shut down. She really wasn't strong enough to protect the Ace, even if she wanted to... And when he moved in front of her, his posture defensive, she almost started to cry. The fact that they seemed to know each other passed completely over her head in her fear. She wouldn't let the pretty lady's pet get hurt because of her! The only thing she could think to do was bolt into her mother's room, tail tucked so firmly between her legs that it was flush against her belly, whimpering louder and louder with every step. When she finally burst in, she was crying, her lower lip trembling even harder than the rest of her. " M-mommy, t-t-there's a scary m-man out t-there! H-he's looking f-for you, Miss D-D... 're." she paused, gulping for breath between her sobs. " And he l-looks like he w-wants t-t-to fight w-with D-D-Drostan." |
|
|
|
Post by Kasatsu on Sept 26, 2008 1:05:38 GMT -5
He was just about to retort to the ace's words when the little girl bolted. He watched her for just a moment before turning another glared on the ace. "Now look what you have done," he accused. How could the ace be so insensitive to others, especially small children? Mind you, he was probably not the best person to make such a judgment. An incident from just last week where he had knowingly fed Sid sugar came to mind.
Anything else he might have said or done to pull information out of the Tulgey was cut short by a familiar, happy cry and a feathered body to accompany it.
"There you are." He greeted hugging her tightly to him, his tone still holding some of its previous ire but not nearly as much as he had turned on the ace. "Where have you been?" He felt almost like an adult scolding a little child. Especially one who would either ignore it or give that cute look that made all feelings of annoyance disappear.
|
|
|
|
Post by seraaches on Sept 26, 2008 1:12:43 GMT -5
"Oh, yes!" Dre's response was immediate and fervent. "It's going to be wonderful! I hope they're even half as wonderful a yours." Though her genetic heritage didn't really give much hope of that.
"Wot I've done?!" the Ace spluttered, but Treasa was pleasantly swift on her feet and her intervention was probably all that kept the spat from snowballing into something much worse, especially for the Ace.
Dre turned in surprise when Treasa came flying back in, but she gave a happy chirp at the description, knowing immediately who that could be. She hopped up from her chair and put down the plate in one smooth motion before nearly skipping out of the room so she could glomp Ignatius and give him a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"I have brownies," the woman informed him proudly, as though that answered his question. "Come have one, Perli did an excellent job." She pulled him after her back into Rhiannon's room, leaving Drostan to follow on his own.
|
|
|
|
Post by carcinoGeneticist on Sept 26, 2008 2:12:02 GMT -5
The whole interaction was a swift one, and the only thing that kept Apocalypse from flying into Rhiannon's hand was the happy chirp that emerged from Dierdre before the woman fled the room. Treasa, still whimpering and sniffling, clambered her way up onto the bed with some help from her mother, pressing her face in against the older woman's chest and sniffling pathetically. "I like D-D-Drostan, momma..." she snuffled, and Rhiannon made a soothing noise and gently stroked her daughter's head. "I d-d-don't w-want him t-to g-get hurt..."
In a way, Rhiannon was rather glad that her mother and father weren't around to see their granddaughter. She was extremely soft. But... the hybrid herself treasured that quality. Treasa was precious and gentle, so much the opposite of some of her siblings...
Kieran, very much unlike his sister in many ways, was rather abruptly woken by her sudden entrance and Dierdre's exit. He hadn't been quite asleep yet, oh no... But now he was as far from it as one could possibly be. He stood once more, ears standing at attention as he leaned as far as he could to peer through the door - who was that stranger outside? He looked... even more different than the beautiful woman who had suddenly appeared, and his long tail swished thoughtfully.
"Greetings, your Highness,[/b]" Rhiannon offered when the pair had returned, one ear flicked forward slightly, the other standing in a much more neutral position. She had no idea if the man was a titled Noble, but she wasn't going to risk offending him by not providing him with the respect the rank deserved. Three Kings, she thought briefly, feeling rather entertained by the notion. "Please, make yourself comfortable.[/b]"
Treasa peered out from beneath one of her mother's yellow-toned wings, golden eyes flickering with slight worry before they vanished in the protective shadows once more. It would take a few minutes of mustering to work up the courage she needed to show her face once more.
Her brother was much more daring, and had yet to find something that truely scared him - he sat on the edge of the bed, paws hanging off the side, his oddly-splayed toes kneading at the corner of the blanket. "Hi," he offered cheerfully, masked face inclined gently to the side as he watched the man enter. "Are you Miss Dre's husband?"
Ahh, children. One could always rely on them to tell you exactly what they wanted to know.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kasatsu on Sept 26, 2008 10:53:33 GMT -5
"Brownies?" He asked slightly confused by her answer but did not find it all that odd. For some reason spending most of his time with Ira and Se had left him with that.
He followed her into the room, standing behind and to the side of her. With the hand that was holding his he wrapped it around her waist. Now that he had found her he was feeling much more relaxed. Dre was one of the few who he felt fully relaxed and recharged around.
"Greetings to you also, your Highness." He returned inclining his head toward her. His eyes flickered briefly to the child who he had seen in the hall and was now taking refuge behind her mother. At the kid's greeting he inclined his head both in returned greeting and in answer.
He glanced about taking everything else in. Where were the brownies Dre had mentioned?
|
|
