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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 22:54:35 GMT -5
Mephit was in a foul mood. Xiven was off somewhere with Pale and the dungeon was scarce this evening. No work, nothing to preoccupy her mind. Just boredom and the need to be busy. Or to destroy something. In fact, she had a very particular something in mind. She had seen Xylia wandering through the Court not long ago and she was accompanied by the most intriguing little brats Mephit had seen in a long time. In fact, the little brats resembled the late Queen of Hearts a great deal. Xylia had been friends with that psychotic horse mix, from what Mephit remembered hearing through the grapevine, and it had ended badly - in pregnancy, again if the family grapevine was accurate. Long ago she'd discovered Xylia's tolerance for abuse, but she'd also dug out her weak point: family. How quaint, how like her. That, of course, meant that she needed a different sort of target. Like her son. |
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 22:56:09 GMT -5
Jovan was tired. But that was nothing new. Lately life seemed to cycle steadily through two states: training and not training. He was currently in an opening of no training but he would be back to training in just a couple hours. During that time he'd wander the Court and look for company, food, and a place to flop down and take a nap. His first goal, of course, was to locate Nico. Instead he found Mephitisia. The dark Avington appeared to have been looking for him, as the moment she caught sight of him a strange smile spread over her maw. She looked like she was contemplating eating him and the faint feeling of unease her stare left within him didn't make the feeling any better. She flagged him down with a slight wave, "Good afternoon, Jovan." He did his best to smile politely despite the fact that he secretly wanted to run the other way. "Good afternoon, Your Highness. I hope the day finds you well?" |
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 22:56:41 GMT -5
Oh how quaint! He was afraid of her!
The oblivious horse-mutt muttered in his thoughts about his fear, his desire to run, but she was impressed by the force with which he held his ground and smiled like a gentleman. Too bad. He would've done better to run.
"You've been here for such a long time, boy, and I've yet to get to speak with you on a very important matter." Already Mephit was feeling better. The promise of a little abuse brightened her day more than most things could. It took a bit of effort to force her smile to dim slightly as she leaned down, feigning concern. "Perhaps we could talk privately? I don't want any nasty rumors to leak out." The boy gave her a perplexed look and Mephit shook her head slightly, lowering her voice still. "You see, it's about your father. And it wouldn't do your mother well to overhear."
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 22:57:17 GMT -5
Jovan's expression crinkled in concern immediately and his eyes widened. About his… father? It was no secret to the children that Xylia did not know their father, but she had created a false family for them in the hopes of making the illusion of one. Thal and Odd were the best fathers Jovan could have asked for, and Jovan had never thought of seeking out the actual man or woman responsible.
The truth, however, being presented so blatantly was an opportunity he couldn't bring himself to pass up. Even if he didn't want to be hearing it from Mephitisia. "Alright..., privately does seem best." He tried to be adult about the matter, to not get overly excited or childishly hopeful. Mother had told him to be careful around Aunt Mephit, that her words could be sharp and that she had a streak for sadism. Jovan listened well for the most part, but curiosity was winning today.
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 22:58:42 GMT -5
Mephit felt the grin creep back onto her muzzle as he agreed and she nodded sagely before beckoning him to follow. She lead him to a small unoccupied office even as she heard him fretting over the possibility that this meeting might take place in the dungeon.
Good idea, kid, too bad they were already here.
The doe pulled up a chair and sat down, motioning for Jovan to take the other seat. He looked exactly as she'd expected, his face a mask of respect while inside he was a ball of awkward nerves. Mephit allowed the silence to draw out, savoring it, and then she began.
"Well, I do hope by now a bright young boy has figured out that Thallak and Oddr are not your biological fathers?" Jovan nodded and his mask faltered a little. "Good, I had hoped Xylia would be honest enough to share that much… but she hasn't gone all the way, has she? You poor kids never got to actually know your father." Now his expression fell properly and his head lowered as he nodded again.
"Do you…?" He trailed off as if he were too nervous to ask the rest. How cute. Mephit couldn't wait to give him what he was too afraid to hear.
"I do… But you must promise not to tell your mother if I do. We're on such poor terms, if she were to know then I'm afraid it would only upset her further. Can you do that?"
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 23:00:00 GMT -5
Jovan hesitated. Mother would be upset if she knew he knew? Of course, she'd kept it a secret this long, hadn't she? Surely she had a good reason for that, Xylia was the most honest woman he'd ever known. Was it better not to know?
Suddenly Jovan felt terrible, like the worst traitor of all time, but still he couldn't stop himself. The words seemed to to spew forth on their own, quiet but eager: "I can do that."
"Promise me," Mephit demanded.
Jovan swallowed, closing his eyes. "I promise I won't speak a word of this to mother. Please... Just... tell me the truth." He hated himself for his need but it was true. He needed to know. He just hoped the old adage was true: What mother didn't know wouldn't hurt her.
Across from him, the frightening woman's face split into that sadistic smile. Oh suits, this really was a mistake and now there was no going back.
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 23:02:16 GMT -5
Jovan couldn't believe it. Perseus? Oh suits, oh suits. He could believe it! The region, the breeds, Nico's wings! He knew that part of their mutations were from grandma's science - the tentacles, their strange colors, the strange rocky growths - but the rest.
It was obvious now. Disgustingly obvious. That madman... He had killed his own father, he had terrified the Courts, he had... his mother! Finally everything made sense. Why his mother had hidden them away in Avington, why she had hadn't let him even approach the Court of Hearts until that man died. It was all so terribly obvious now.
Jovan's hung his head, clutching it with his tentacles at the horror of the realization. But Mephit wasn't done. She had given him a moment to absorb her words and now the horrible truth had to continue. Worried, she was saying and Jovan already didn't want to hear the rest.
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 23:07:24 GMT -5
"You see," and Mephit shook her head sadly "insanity runs in the bloodline."
She fixed her orange eyes on him, watching the chill run up his spine. The sadistic woman was terribly glad her little nephew was so very quick on the uptake. She didn't have to drill anything in, she barely had to say anything at all!
"I'm sure you've seen it if you've read any of the recent Court history: That whole lot is a little off, even Shinrai and Dierdre have displayed touches of this family degeneracy. Undeniably, though, Se was the worst and - Jovan - that's your stock." Mephit took a moment, letting Jovan absorb her words before she went on. "What concerns me most, however, is that his insanity developed as he aged. By the time he was an adult, he'd completely lost him mind... Those blank eyes of yours, those black stones - your mother said he carried around a smooth little black stone everywhere he went... " She looked pointedly at the young King.
"You're a ticking time bomb, child, and your time's running out."
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 23:09:09 GMT -5
What?
Jovan's ears fell back against his head and his fur all fell flat as his heart seemed to catch within his throat. She couldn't mean all this. He shook his head in unspoken denial but the worst part was that he knew it had to be true. That was why she'd looked so pleased, that sadistic woman had wanted him to suffer the knowledge. She'd hunted him down, isolated him, and convinced him to beg for the truth he would never want to hear.
His eyes watered but he bit back the tears to deny her the satisfaction.
"I..." He swallowed and closed his eyes. What could he say? What could he do? "Thank you... Your Highness... for your honesty and your ...worry." He sat up, fixed his mane with a tentacle and took a deep breath to compose himself. "I suppose you wouldn't know how to... fix this?"
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Post by Vyn on Jul 12, 2010 23:09:46 GMT -5
What a cute little breakdown!
Mephit couldn't help but smile as she listened to his thoughts running rampant in his head. You're a terrible bitch, Mephit. There was laughter in that light voice, hinting at more amusement than the weapon's words otherwise suggested. Mephit chuckled mentally but kept her face a clean mask to Jovan's distraught gaze. She was a terrible, wicked woman, wasn't she? Tormenting him like this? But it was such a delightful way to form her revenge!
"Oh, of course. You're my nephew, dear. I couldn't let you go blindly into your future." That would be far too kind of her. After all, ignorance was bliss and how many years did he have ahead of him? He was only 12 now and it would be another 6 to 8 years before he was a proper adult and every single one of those years would be filled with the dread of the future. "A cure? No, I don't believe there is a proper cure for insanity. Surely someone would have taken a stand to help the late Queen if that were the case, don't you think? He had a large family, and your mother's affection for many years."
No boy, Mephit laughed to herself, you're screwed for life.
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