Pipe Dreams [Kari] [FIN]

[Vyn]

Apocalypse had lead her right up to the door but here she hesitated a moment. It had been so long since she'd last seen Xiven and back then she'd just been a drugged out child lost in a coffee shop trying to dull her pain. What would Xiven think of the woman she'd become? Of the fact that she had shaped the very person that Poe was?

...Would she even remember her? Such a high-ranking noble as The Queen of Hearts surely didn't spend much time thinking about random Torquehelm children. What was The Queen of Hearts doing helping her in the first place? That question had troubled her for so long, even tortured her for a short while, but that wasn't why she was here today.

No, she'd come to say her long overdue thanks. With a deep breath, Poe finally brought herself to lift a talon and knock lightly on The Queen's door.

[Kari Muffin]

Xiven found herself with her forehead on her desk in an awkward position, staring at the floor. She had been doing her usual paperwork and just finally felt frustrated enough to want to give up.

Everything was always so damn complicated. Why had she bothered to play this ridiculous game? Why didn't she try to actually reform the system that they had? It was all just something she fell into and every once in a while she couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to be normal.

It was a shame normal never existed.

Then there was a knock on the door.

The Queen made a surprised mew as she found herself falling from the edge of her chair. Did she have a meeting today that she had forgotten? The woman quickly picked herself up, stumbling a bit as she tried to sit in her chair properly. Once she had she put on her smile and called, "Please come in!"

She quickly shoved a few papers in their proper places before the door opened.

[Vyn]

There was a stir of sound from inside that briefly made Poe worry but soon it was gone and she heard that familiar voice calling her inside. Poe tooth a deep breath, smoothed down her feathers, and eased the door open.

Ohh, another human? Poe couldn't help the admiration that sparked into her eyes. So many beautiful humans here and they were all such high ranks. They were all so impressive and here was little Poe, a low-leveled diamond just barely an adult and still trapped in her animal form. It made her wish she'd at least have waited until she were a biped.

Quickly the finch remembered her manners and bowed her head low. "Greetings your Majesty, thank you for having me." Slowly she straightened, purple eyes full of hopeful uncertainty. "I don't know if you remember me, it's been a couple years, but you did me a great favor when I was a child and had my binding replaced." She moved her bound wings in emphasis. "I've meant to come and thank you for a long time. It changed my life. You.. changed my life."

Poe smiled, feeling awkward but happy. This had sat on her chest for so long.

[Kari Muffin]

Xiven was surprised to see a Diamond walk into her office. It wasn't every day that happened. She perked a bit as the woman spoke. Her voice sounded oddly familiar. She remained rather stoic as the the bird spoke.

If she had been in any other form her emotions would have been completely obvious. As it was she was able to keep her surprise and wonder contained. The Queen of Hearts motioned to the seat in front of her desk.

"It's nice to see you again, Poe. Please take a seat." She said with a smile. It was impossible to forget the bird that she had helped. After all she had spent plenty of time running around the region trying to find someone who would be willing to change their bindings. Hers had been horribly cruel, and it was impossible to forget how dangerous they were. Why anyone would do such a thing to their child was beyond her.

Not beyond her mother, who had rebound Poe since Xiven had been at a loss of what to do. "I never expected to see you again. Your brother seemed terribly upset about your bindings and I thought you'd be down right furious."

[Vyn]

Poe's expression immediately switched from nervous to delighted as Xiven spoke her name. She did remember her! Her beak curved up into a smile and she made her way to the chair offered to her.

The woman's comment prompted a tiny laugh from her and she shook her head. "I... was." She looked down, thankful that her binding prevented her from doing any unsightly fidgeting before the Queen. "I wasn't quite right for a good long while and my emotions were all sorts of confusing..." It was the truth, she wasn't going to hide that from Xiven. The woman had stepped into her life in a night and, without warning, had turned it upside down.

"But then, I realized I hadn't had the old nightmare anymore." Poe hesitated, finding it a little harder to talk about than she had anticipated. "My... My mother had a binding like mine and... she died." Horribly, painfully, right before her eyes... but that was something Xiven did not need to know. "For as long as I could remember that nightmare haunted me and I honestly thought I would die like she did. You saved me from so much more than physical agony. That's what I realized and that's why I had to thank you in person. A letter couldn't express how grateful I am. I gave me my life back."

[Kari Muffin]

Xiven felt a little bad. She had forced her views on someone else, and even though that someone else seemed had seemingly needed them... perhaps it had been wrong? The thought had occurred to her on occasion, but she had simply brushed it off. After all, she had never thought she was going to have Poe walk into her life again.

Funny how things worked.

A large part of Xiven was relieved to hear the next part of the woman's statement. So it was a good thing that she had stepped in. "I'm glad.. .Though I do apologize for putting you through a living nightmare. I know bindings mean everything to most people from our region. And I shouldn't have used such an underhanded fashion to get you to agree to surgery."

She smiled. If she didn't have so much willpower she would have been crying tears of joy. But what Queen of Hearts cried in front of someone that they didn't know like the back of their hand? "Though, I have to say, I'm so happy that I did help you. It's wonderful to know that I at least helped one person properly."

And then Xiven remembered that Poe probably lived in Torquehelm or Tulgey... "You've come a long way. Would you like to have a bit of tea with me?"

[Vyn]

Poe couldn't help but smile. Xiven was a kind woman and Poe owed so much to her, if only she could think of a better way to repay her than this simple thank you.

"Sometimes it takes a little force to understand a good thing. The troubles I endured adjusting were nothing compared to the misery of my life before hand." Underhanded or not, Xiven had ultimately saved her life. Poe couldn't even muster up the will to remember that old frustration. It seemed so foolish. "You're such a generous woman to help a nobody like me, I can't imagine I'm the only soul you've helped." What was more likely was that no one else had come forward.

The offer of tea caused Poe's feathers to fluff up happily. "Tea would be lovely if you have the time, Your Majesty. I'm not at all that picky - any brew is fine by me."

[Kari Muffin]

After years of practice Xiven had managed to control her blushing. Though it was clear that she was flattered by Poe's words. Not many people had actually called her generous in her life time. She brushed a bit of hair behind her ear as she tried to remember to keep a somewhat professional air about her.

She grinned through when Poe fluffed up. "I wouldn't have offered Tea if I didn't have time for it." She stood up behind her desk and walked over to the door. Popping her head out she waved over one of the servants who typically wandered the halls at this time. She gave them a brief set of instructions before shutting the door and returning her attention to Poe.

"So does your family still live in Tulgey?" she asked as she returned to her desk. "Unless I'm mistake and that's some other family. It has been a while."

But she could have sworn Tulgey came up at the very least. And she very much remembered the girl's strange mix of a brother.

[Vyn]

Though she hated to admit it, Poe had always had an intense fascination for humans. So unusual, so attractive. There was something especially intriguing about the way the woman moved, so professional and yet so... Poe shook her thoughts away as the woman returned to her desk.

Oh my... Xiven had remembered that?

It was such a tiny tidbit that she'd expected Xiven to have long forgotten it. "No, Your Majesty, you are very correct." The little bird beamed at this. "My brother Parzifal and I have both left The Wood - he travels a great deal for his studies, however, so I'm never entirely sure where he is. Imre - the brother you met - still lives in Tulgey. He's become a bit of a recluse." For a good reason, but that didn't need mentioning. "I'm currently still living in Torquehelm." And she'd probably remain there for a long time. Her meager income didn't afford her that luxury.

[Kari Muffin]

Xiven mentally cheered at her accomplishment of remembering something correctly. It was hard to forget her trip to Torquehelm and the mention of Tulgey. The site of it alone was something to remember. It had been terribly creepy and she hadn't even gotten that close.

That was a sad thing to hear about her brother. Then again he had seemed a little... odd. "At least you'll never lose track of him if he stays in one place," she said with a small smile.

And Poe was living in Torquehelm? She couldn't help but wonder if the woman enjoyed it or not. Frankly she had no idea how anyone could stand it there. The somber atmosphere, the depressed people, and she had the wonderful addition of being stared at.

Xiven shifted in her seat. A tiny idea popped into her head. Though she wasn't sure if she should act on it or not. The woman was a diamond and probably wanted nothing to do with her after this meeting.

It was a shame too. She was so sweet and... pretty. Though XIven did her best to ignore the other thought that followed.

"This is terribly rude of me... but do you like it in Torquehelm?"