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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Mar 3, 2011 22:33:14 GMT -5
The Czar. The last time Aimili had seen the man, he'd been talking of dispatching her like some kind of show animal that had displeased him. When he'd looked at her, there had been no familiarity in his eyes. She was like a stranger to him, and that had struck her like a blade. Even thinking about him now made her stomach do an uncomfortable little flip-flop, the Hisstor part of her screaming in agony at the loss of her real family. Even if she had a love, now, and the potential of a new family... She longed for that which she had lost.
Now, though, she felt the first upwellings of hope within her. To reclaim a part of what she had lost, even if just this small thing with her brother... She clung to that hope tightly. Perhaps through him, even her sister could be reclaimed?
"The Czar is... an old man, now.[/b]" She spoke quietly, glancing towards the ground. "I'm sure on some level, he recognizes you as the better leader. Someone suited to go down the holes he's dug, so to speak. I wish you luck with whatever comes, whenever it comes.[/b]"
His next question made her laugh, a blush momentarily spreading across her cheeks. "I am with child, yes.[/b]" Not entirely by her choice, it was true, but now that she'd found a new home she was quickly becoming attached to the life within her. "I am afraid of being a mother, but I am also excited. I'd never been... sure if it would happen, you know...?[/b]"
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Post by Nako on Mar 4, 2011 0:01:47 GMT -5
Aleah boggled at his sister at the things that were coming out of her mouth. Old. He'd never thought of him as such. In his position as a leveret that could easily be tossed aside like the property he was, the Jack had always been a foreboding presence. But… it was true. It was so slight… so very slight how he took just slightly longer to get up from his chair. The flame of his ire has been cooled just slightly. And he was so comfortable with Aleah's mother Doe. It was as if the man had settled. His mother Doe was unlikely to be capable of bearing children any more, but regardless, she was always his favorite.
Endearing… something Aleah could find soothing considering his heritage. He carried no Hisstor in his veins, but the mannerisms he grew up around were just enough to affect his ideals at least slightly.
But a better leader? Those were big footprints to fill.
The topic change was almost welcomed, his wavering set of ears perking forward again. "I can see why you'd be unsure! What happened to you wasn't exactly natural…" His expression pained, just slightly. He hadn't meant it so harshly.
"I think it will be… good for you. To build a family. I think in a way, Ashta would approve. In her own insane way anyways." Not that they could ever tell the woman. They both probably knew it. Ashta had mourned so deeply when she heard of the "death" of her child. Had the Czar not been so good to the Doe.. perhaps she might have died from it. She'd surely die if she knew what came of her daughter instead.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Mar 4, 2011 1:49:58 GMT -5
Aimili stared down at her body, expression thoughtful. The pregnancy was going well. If she was still a Rabbit, she would be a Doe, and be making some Jack very proud. As it was, her Jak certainly seemed content enough. On some vague level, she realized that her mother would be pleased at how well she had taken to bearing child. Hopefully, the birthing would be at least as natural for her. She sighed softly. "No... Though in the Card world, it might as well be. Strong magic like that which I encountered is... Almost day-to-day, for them.[/b]" Certainly Rabbits had magic of their own, but it wasn't bandied about with quite as much fervor as most Cards seemed to use. "My Jak... he can change everything about himself on a whim, it would seem.[/b]"
Seeing her brother here, now, gave her a small thought. Could Jak change his shape even to that of a Rabbit? It would be something to ask him about. Later, after she had left the Highlands... Because she would have to leave, she knew. That fact struck her deeply, now.
"She might. I wish only that she could meet her grandchildren... I think that she and the Czar would never have expected that I be the first to bear children, but Cards are... remarkably fertile.[/b]" At that, she blushed again, but her expression was tainted with something a lot like shame. "How is mother? And have you heard from Aisha? ...Oh, Aleah, I missed you all so much.[/b]" She finally lifted her gaze back to her brother, tears shining in her eyes. "I hadn't even realized until - until I was standing here, again...[/b]"
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Post by Nako on Mar 4, 2011 2:58:50 GMT -5
This talk about cards was remarkably unsettling, especially when speaking of their magic. He shifted uncomfortably where he sat at the mention of it. Oh yes, the sour grapes between rabbits and cards about magic was not one easily forgotten. The ridiculous cheapness of magical items in card society was beyond him. Sadly, most such objects were of little to no use to a rabbit, or they backfired in awkward ways. Cards.. they were so foolish with magic.
Jak? Like a Jack Jack? No. That couldn't be right at all. Perhaps it was his name. What a hilarious coincidence. Either that, or his sister hadn't lost all of her rabbit impulses and referred to this male as her Jack. He wasn't sure if that was even healthy, but he kept the opinion to himself.
"Fertile… yes. With how prolific their numbers are, I believe it." His nose had wrinkled, just slightly. Then again he couldn't help it. Hopefully his sister understood his distaste for cards didn't exactly extend toward her.
"Oh, she's fine. Terribly content and still very much herself. And still… so beloved to the Czar." He grinned a little. Oh, how uncommon it was for a Doe to stay beloved for so long.
"Aisha? Well, she hasn't stabbed her Jack yet. From what I hear, they're getting along rather well. I'm suspecting she's secretly going mad in the Hisstor waves…."
But now she was crying? Or nearly. Ears pinning back against his head, he tentatively hopped closer. "Hey…hey. Come now. It's… really not any worse than if you were traded away elsewhere, eh? You've got your.. ah.. 'Jak', and your own little sprog coming along! That's a rabbit's dream right there! Tell me, do you get along rather well with the other girls? No doubt they're beside themselves with jealousy at you expecting."
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Mar 4, 2011 3:41:33 GMT -5
That bit of news - both bits, in fact - delighted Mili. It was the Hisstor in her again rising up, she understood. She had found herself a family, and she was pleased to hear that her mother and sister were both content, in their own way. She had often wondered what would happen to her dear mother should her father's attentions shift - both in terms of her own well-being, as well as for the sake of the rival Doe. It was good to know things had not changed. As for Aisha...
"I wish I hadn't needed to leave her so abruptly. But... I'm glad she's doing well for herself. It was foolish of me to ever worry, I'm sure.[/b]" She quirked a grin at that. Aisha certainly wouldn't approve of her sister's coddling. It was just something else that made her miss her home, her birth and blood family. White Rabbit love the man's wicked soul, she even missed her father.
She sniffled pathetically and looked up at her brother, then laughed. "Oh, Aleah... If only you knew. I'm the only girl there, and his b-brother... I don't think he likes me much, but Jak says that will change with time... The other brother is alright, but he...[/b]" She trailed off, then took a deep breath and shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. None of this really important. I'm well fed, and I'm warm at night, and Jak is probably the most wonderful man I've ever met. I am happy, but I'd never expected Card life to be so... so hard. I imagine it's not too different from Jackhood, in some ways.[/b]" She looked up at her brother, then leaned in and nosed his cheek lightly. She smiled at him, seeming to be attempting some form of reassurance.
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Post by Nako on Mar 4, 2011 3:57:24 GMT -5
Three men under one roof? Now -that- was the backwardness that he would expect from card society. Goodness, how could they all tolerate each other so well? Then again, cards didn't exactly have the issues of Need like rabbits did. He couldn't help but laugh out loud when that huge wet dog nose drug across his cheek, bringing up the back of his paw too wipe the offending area.
"It's a backwards society, for sure. Your ability to adapt is no doubt a testament to your own strength." And he certainly admit it. For all that he had to masquerade like the creatures on many occasions, he wasn't sure he could ever live amongst them.
"You should let me know where I can find you; I can probably meet you more easily in disguise than you can… risk things by coming all the way out here." His ears tilted back with mild worry.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Mar 4, 2011 20:53:39 GMT -5
The sound of her brother's laugh sent a little wave of delight through her. How long had it been since she'd last heard that sound? A while, that was for sure. Aleah was so... quiet, most of the time. Seeing his joy, even if just a brief flicker, made all of this worth it. Her tail started wagging much harder, beating against the ground and throwing up dust. Perhaps it would seem odd to her brother, but to Mili, it was just another aspect of her new life. She nosed him again, letting out a quiet little giggle as she did.
But the promise of being in contact with her family again, even if only Aleah, was a dream come true. She felt the tears well up in her eyes again but quickly shook them away. It was the curse of pregnancy, she supposed: Almost overnight, she had turned into an overly emotional creature.
"We live in the Capital,[/b]" she said quickly, bending over to draw a crude map in the soil. "On the outskirts of the Outer Bazaar... But Aleah, you must promise me to be careful. It's not always the safest area. I can... I can take care of myself, now.[/b]" So saying, she gestured and a razor came from nowhere to land in her hand. She flipped it open skillfully, quirked a grin, and closed it again. "It came with my Bipedal form... I guess I'm a bit like a Jack now, myself.[/b]"
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Post by Nako on Mar 4, 2011 21:14:54 GMT -5
Aleah leaned over the map she drew in the dirt. He was well versed in the layout of the Capital, though had admittedly kept to the safer and busier parts of town. It was easy to lose people in the crowd, and it was a rule of thumb that any errand leveret had to learn. It meant going against common sense and instinct to stay far away from the powerful and strange creatures for the greater good of the warren.
"Yes, I know where that area is…" He said slowly, brows furrowing as he recognized it as a place he often avoided outright… but his eyes flickered when the blade was presented.
"I suppose you are, a little bit. Or perhaps at least a Doe with a power that is more suited to the…. equal gender status that the cards enjoy." What a foreign concept; he wasn't sure how a relationship could work without a defined leader to make the decisions. "But at least my blades are built in." He wiggled his own claws. "Funny. I think you're still being affected by that potion mother mentioned taking. For a while I hadn't thought you'd been affected. Aisha and I getting these claws. But.. I guess it was inherently there all along, huh?"
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Mar 14, 2011 2:58:53 GMT -5
The emotion on his face was, to Aimili's eyes, plain to see. She knew that the area that she lived was avoided outright by most, but that was part of why she liked it. She didn't want others to be able to easily intrude upon the little life they'd woven for themselves, there, and with Jakodi, Amhal, and Kieran's oddnessess... It was just easier that way.
But she wasn't ready to tell her brother that. Not yet. He needed... time to settle into the ideas of her life before he learned some of the more interesting details. They would start slow - first, just meeting her. Then, in time, he could meet her children. At least, that was what the Hound hoped, almost more than she dared to. It was such an odd idea, and dangerous for both of them. It was probably also unwise for her children to be aware of the existence of Rabbits, but... This was her brother! The need for family was a strong one in the young woman.
She bobbed her head in a small nod of agreement with him. Put in terms that they both understood, she felt a small surge of self-confidence at what she had become. It had taken a long time for her still mostly-Rabbit mind to adjust to her new two-legged form, and for a long time, she'd hidden its existence from Jakodi. It hadn't been until Kieran had seen her wearing it and congratulated her that she began to realize that this new form was a good thing, in fact. Having her brother be able to see it like that as well made her smile stretch happily across her droopy muzzle. She dropped her hand to her side, palming the blade carefully. "I always felt left out. It's funny that it came along now...[/b]"
The woman looked like she wanted to say more, but there came a sudden noise from the other side of the garden. She froze, dropping low to the ground, eyes as wide as saucers. "I need to go.[/b]" She said quietly, quickly, reaching forward to grab her brother in a tight embrace.
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Post by Nako on Mar 15, 2011 19:54:35 GMT -5
A soft whimper escaped Aleah when he was pulled forward. Not a protest so much as his own frustration with himself. He could not easily reciprocate the affection, having to tuck his clawed paws away from her to avoid hurting her. Instead, he merely lay his chin upon her shoulder and submitted to the strange feeling of a card scooping him up against them.
"I'll see you again." The leveret whispered hoarsely before pulling away, taking a step back with his ears directed toward the warren as Aimili made her escape.
Look busy… look busy. His eyes closed and he breathed out a long sigh before turning back towards the warren, making no small amount of noise as he nonchalantly brushed the clipped limbs from the hedges into a pile. That's right. He was the only one in this garden, just the weak little Aleah. The nuisance.
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