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Post by libellule on Jan 4, 2013 0:17:47 GMT -6
11.Show Me Your Teeth Featuring: Asina, Ciel, Danalli, Mikhail, Ryell, and Zanen (and baby Zane) Location: Tekania She had learned to become even more tender than the days of being a mortal. She learned how to cradle and love even more than she could have ever imagined. All because of what she had come to protect and what she had become.
A mother.
Danalli had just roused, the soft rouge of the morning sun swelled and filled her room, her heartbeat moving in sync with her mate’s and two others, one of which she’d only assumed to be Ryell’s. Recently a crescendo of others had been added, but they were soft in their syncing, hers and Zanen’s being so close. It had to have something to do with Ryell’s and the one mysterious heartbeat. A coo broke her train of thought instantly, her attention rapt to the small warm creature that lay before her.
He was awake, her precious Zane. His eyes the most beautiful hue of amethyst. He didn’t have much hair, but the small tuft of white was obscenely adorable. Even though he was so small, he reached for her. He knew her scent the moment he was in her arms. He knew her voice when she hummed to him. Hers and Zanen’s.
Gods did that Shadowspawn of hers love his son. She’d never seen his eyes so bright, so full of adoration. And when he held Zane, the pride that extruded from him. It was almost unbearable. It brought tears to her eyes.
A graceful, loose fitting dress draped over the lithe creature as she took her son into her arms, where he instantly grabbed for one of her fingers. Even halfbred demons needed to declare and be close, comforted by their treasures.
She purred to him in a beautiful croon, kissing his forehead gently. “Good morning, Zane. “ She grazed his cheek with the back of her fingers and watched him gurgled and coo back. She sauntered back over to her bed, laying back into her covers and pillows, bringing her knees up to cradle him on his back. She found it amusing when she felt her little ball of love purr through her legs like this morning.
Soon he’d be cranky from hunger and she’d feed him, nurse him. But for now she’d bask in the dawnlight and they’d rouse together.
Danalli had felt Zanen wake earlier when it was still dark, her subconscious recognized the weight of his lips on her forehead.
No doubt tending to the duties he and Ciel shared on behalf of Asina, or Momma-Cat as Danalli preferred.
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Post by Willow on Jan 4, 2013 0:40:20 GMT -6
Supposedly, morning sickness was only supposed to last the first trimester if you got it at all. Well - whoever spewed those lies was certainly going to taste her wrath once she hunted them down. Whoever dubbed it 'morning' sickness was also going to have to suffer, because that was also a lie and Asina did not appreciate being lied to. She was well into her pregnancy and she still suffered this 'morning'-sickness-which-lasted-all-day. It was terrible. This whole process was terrible. She was sick and achy and almost always in a foul mood because if one thing wasn't hurting something else was. Also, her little demons were too aware for the good of the mother. If one of them heard something that upset them, they would both start fussing, and both of her children were very different and very picky. Loud noises scared Saela, and that angered Silus, and unable to do anything about it from inside his mother's womb he had no other choice but to take out his rage on poor mama in hopes that she would get the message and fix the problem. Likewise, she had to soothe Saela in order to soothe Silus.
Unless he was really on a roll, then there was no hope.
These past few weeks she'd also been having to deal with being treated as if she were made of glass. Nakiera had advised her to be careful these last few months. Carrying twins could be very dangerous for a small woman like Asina, for both the mother and children, and it wasn't unusual for the mother to go into labor prematurely. But they had made it seven months so far and it was looking good. Only two more and she'd finally hold her babies in her arms.
It was a heady thought.
Currently, Asina was rolling herself out of bed, battling that damnable so-called 'morning' sickness. For the first few months she'd been stubborn and refused to take any of the tonics that Iera had offered her. Now, she kept a pouch of them attached to her belt at all times and the drawer beside her bed was always stocked full.
She had to stop and catch her breath once she was upright, then she reached into the drawer and downed a tonic before waddling over to her wardrobe and pulling out her robe. Clothing was uncomfortable, especially when blown up like a balloon carrying two mini-demons inside of you, but she couldn't waltz around the palace naked. It upset the staff - and Zanen. Her nose wrinkled and she cast about her room with a scowl. For the moment she was alone, but she knew that Ciel was a breath away and so was Zanen. They'd worked out some kind of truce for the length of her pregnancy, but she never bothered to ask for the details. As long as they didn't snap at each other around her she could care less what their agreement was, at least that was her stance at the beginning.
Once her robe was donned she waddled toward the door, intent on heading toward the library. Immediately, she was joined by four furry guards. The cats purred at her but were careful not to get between her feet while she walked. She smiled down at them, one hand resting on her swollen belly. "See, my little beasts? There is no reason to be upset today, we have the fiercest of guardians to keep watch." She cooed down to the cats now, "Isn't that right, my little darlings?"
She opened the door and made her way toward the great library, along the way gathering more felines in her Queen's Guard.
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Post by libellule on Jan 4, 2013 0:44:27 GMT -6
He was barely conscious when he felt the pressure and the warmth of her leave him and their small alcove he never wanted to burrow out of. He didn’t want to open his eyes to rouse and stumble into his boots. The headache wasn’t from the ale, well at least not all of it entirely…
He didn’t want to see the hurt in her eyes, the forlorn pain. He wanted to stay in the yester, never leave. He wanted to keep his peace and protect her from demons of pasts and futures forever. He would not be able to today. From the covers he watched her braid and tame her hair with a skilled precision. He remembered when she would sit at a similar mirror, braiding, bantering and shooting insults, wanting him to wake up with her.
This morning was not so familiar. He had wandered over to her bitter smile and clamped a comforting grip on her shoulder blade. A sign of comfort and companionship. “I can’t let you walk into a dragon’s lair without your sugared pears,” he offered with a light glint.
- He’d dressed for comfort and easy detection. He was not as thespian as his brothers, but he was most certainly ready to be known as the second standing pureblood aeon. A loose fitting cream tunic tucked into a pair of belted pants with pouches and a mug strapped to it. He’d had the tunic made sleeveless to exalt his flesh adornments. The mug was a gift from Emma he never left the beginning of the day without, there was always ale to be had. She’d always mentioned that…
His sandy hair glinted in the warm morning sun as he saddled up his horse. It was time to make the short ride to their new future.
“I’m right next to you,” he offered reassurance to his sickly looking Partner.
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Post by Willow on Jan 4, 2013 16:14:17 GMT -6
Sugared pears for breakfast couldn't completely erase her dread, but it cleared a lot of it. After all they were sugared pears. She had spent a thousand years without them, and that was a lot of pears to make up for. She wasn't going to let Zanen or anything associated with him spoil a single one of them. So she ate her pears and enjoyed them, and after thanking Della and tipping her generously, they headed out to their horses. Neither of them really spoke as they saddled up, but Rye didn't mind. She needed to concentrate on preparing herself right now for what was about to happen up at the palace, because while she may be able to avoid Danalli and their child, she would have to speak with Zanen. She had to tell him about the kids back in their village, about the new raves and how they'd come to be. She needed to speak with him about starting up a clan again and she was going to propose something that he definitely wouldn't like - that she and Mikhail take lead of the new Order.
Long ago, before this terrible war and the disappearance of the raves, Zanen had been one of the leaders that made up the High Council of the Order, the ruling entity of the raves. He had been their liaison with the Ameghdalan Court and its Demon Queen, and was highly influential. He had been one of the focal points of their society, and would not be partial to the idea of passing that on to someone else. But Ryell wouldn't budge on it. It was something that had become her driving point ever since she and Mikhail had awakened the kits back home -- back in their little village. She knew what her purpose was now, what her place was, and it was with the raves.
Lifting herself onto her horse, she gave a wane smile to Mikhail and nodded. "Here we go," she murmured softly, then urged her horse forward. In a few minutes, they would be at the gates. Then they would climb the stairs and announce themselves, but from there she had no idea what would happen. She supposed anything could.
--
A short ride later, they dismounted at the base of the steps leading up to the palace and handed off their horses to the stablehands. They climbed the stairs and were received at the main doors. She smiled at the guards who were there and they smiled back. Garth and Eurik were good men that she had gotten to know briefly during her stay before she'd left. They'd trained together and supped together and would have continued to grow into friends if she hadn't run off when she did. As it were, she counted them among her friends here. "You've been gone a while, missy," Garth scolded her gently and she made a face at him. "I had something important to do," she responded and gestured to Mikhail. "Garth, Eurik, this is Mikhail, a very old and dear friend that I had to drag out of the river." She grinned broadly as they greeted him courteously, and though both of them were obviously curious about this strange man neither said anything. After all, they were diciplined soldiers. "Is Asina around?" That broad grin only widened. "I bet she's waddling now."
Eurik snorted and shook his head. "Yeah, but it's not as funny to us as it might be to you. That woman is only more terrifying when she's pregnant."
Ryell laughed, "Where is she? Still in bed you think?" Asina wouldn't mind if she barged in on her, but Ciel might. Overprotective territorial males and all that.
Garth shook his head. "Nah, she's probably in the greater library. Just follow the cats." He gestured with his head toward the direction of the library, and sure enough there were at least a few cats meandering in that direction. A mama and her flock of kittens.
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Post by libellule on Jan 5, 2013 0:09:14 GMT -6
A few hours snuck past them as Danalli tended to her little devil. Well... almost. She’d heard horror stories of little halfing zephyrs. They raged and cried through all hours of the night. But there was calm in those big clear amethyst eyes of Zane as he watched her movements. He clung to her scent and presence often, only crying when he couldn’t see her or smell her. As strange as it was her little son’s sense of smell was incredible.
He was only shy of three months and he was already incredible. Constantly while holding him, she’d shake her head, still in disbelief. Instincts had kicked as easy as a breath of air. He would stir in discomfort or whimper from hunger and she would know as well as Zanen could feel a single unwanted step through the shades hundreds of feet away.
The first month was exhausting, but she never complained and never deterred him. Little Zane was a zephyr and she was his first possession. He was also an aeon, and her scent was the first one he’d experienced, Zanen’s second. If Zane needed her, she was there, even if she was half-asleep and exhausted three hours before daybreak.
There was a brightness at his cheeks as she dressed him, blowing little kisses at his tummy. That got him going and awake. There was nothing quite as endearing as a baby’s childish laughter. It set the heart full of energy and fluff. Danalli could not resist laughing with him.
She had just finished nursing. It would keep him happy and sound for a few hours. “Aren’t you so well behaved this morning, my little Lord,” she sang to him in a happy voice as he pawed at her cheek. She took him up into her arms with a length of cloth and wrapped him to her torso in a snug swaddle.
Opening the door to the corridor, Danalli noted a few kittens galloping towards the way of the library. “Oh! Little Momma-Cat must me awake,” she chuckled, resting a palm on Zane’s back, who was infatuated with the energetic little fluffs.
The aeon followed them, but turned a little ways before the great library, ending at a large ornate door and annoyed muttering behind it. She’d grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee for him. May have sneaked a drop or two of liquor to ease the muttering for him… He needed a break.
She pushed the door open and greeted her mate with a smile.
“I knew you’d be busy, but I thought we’d come by to cheer you up, Shadow,” she crooned sweetly and lovingly to him. Zane was already reaching for him excitedly.
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Post by libellule on Jan 5, 2013 0:35:13 GMT -6
The aeon scratched his head, eyeing the slew of kittens in the hall, cocking his head to one side. “I totally forgot how crazy this little queenie was,” he began with a smirk.
It had been a /very/ long time since Mikael stepped into the halls of the palace. Since his boots clipped against the ornate and lavish tiles of the great hall. Those were ancient times. Times of the Great King and their peaceful era with his queen… It almost pained him to step into these walls without him. His Overseer loved him, pledged allegiance to a demon when no other aeon would dare. Demons were their enemy, purists had always claimed, but Goderic had known what was coming. He always knew.
The soldiers were warm and friendly. They reminded him of some he’d met last night in Della’s tavern. Their curious stares had him fidgety for some reason. He did /not/ want anyone to get the wrong idea. That would not bode well. Especially if they did not get the chance to explain. Ugh the annoyance of the upheaval that would ensue.
“That woman is only more terrifying when she’s pregnant.”
He nudged Ryell in the side with his elbow. “Aha! I have you figured out. I see where you get all of that borrowed fire. Most certainly from your crazy cat lady…
“I wonder what she’d do for a tankard of ale right about now. I know what I’d do!” He beamed, enthusiastically at Ryell. He let the stressed of their night slide off of him and shrugged an arm around her shoulder, crushing her into his armpit.
“To the crazy cat lady and the jaws of pregnant hell we go!”
Sure a visit to her sister would cheer her and implore to wear a better persona. Ryell needed a lift and perhaps, Asina did too.
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Post by Willow on Jan 5, 2013 0:44:10 GMT -6
How in the name of the Circle of Hells did Asina wade through all of this idiocy day after day? Requests for this, demands for that. Statements from the council, pleas from the city and from the outlying territories. There was always so much paperwork! They were demons for crying out loud! They never needed this much rubbish back when they lived in the forest! They just lived their lives and that was it! They didn't need this ridiculous amount of organization, and Asina was the last person he would have expected to advocate for it. She was more of the 'dig your claws into it' kind of queen... or at least he thought, until he had to read all of her neatly scrawled notes and plans.
With a frustrated growl, Zanen ran his hands over his face and through his hair, shutting his eyes tight to block out the insanity.
Then a balm entered the room and he sighed, looking over as his mate and child entered the room. He had felt her coming down the hall but had figured she would head straight for the library where Asina was spending her morning. A smile spread across his lips and he rose to greet her. Hands reaching, though, he first took his son in his arms, that smile broadening into a bright and happy grin. "Well hello there young sir," he crooned, nuzzling the baby boy's belly before kissing his forehead and cradling him against his chest. He looped one arm around the child's mother and pulled her in for a hug and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"Thank you dearheart, are you on your way to visit Asina? She could probably use the company." He flashed a grin. "You could... leave Zane here with me and go hang out with you, you know just the girls. I tried to speak to her on her way to the library and she nearly cut me down." He grimaced, thankful that Danalli hadn't been like Asina during her term with little Zane, though he noticed that she was quite different with Ciel than she was with him."
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Post by Willow on Jan 5, 2013 21:12:40 GMT -6
Ryell raised her chin indignantly. "Asina isn't crazy, she's eccentric," she said with a very pointed nod before breaking into a grin. He notices her kitty-following and thinks her crazy, hm? Just wait until he actually meets her.... Though, thinking about it, she was pretty sure that he'd have met Asina at least a few times so long ago. She remembered crossing paths with him more than a few times before Forest, but it had never been anything terribly significant. After all, Mikael had been very close to Goderic and Asina and Goderic had worked closely together many times in the years before they'd been locked away.
With a roll of her eyes she linked her arm through his and dragged him after the parade of kitties toward the great library and the enlarged Demon Queen.
They found her lounging in a giant armchair with her feet up and a huge book open on her lap. She was reading it out loud in a storyteller's timbre as she roved her hand over her swollen belly, but her voice drifted and halted when she sensed the presence of two new arrivals in her sanctuary. She tensed for a moment and the room dropped in temperature, talons replacing nails on her hands before she pushed herself out of the chair with surprising agility and turned to face them.
Ryell made sure to keep herself still and nonthreatening. Asina had told her about what had happened the last time she'd been pregnant. She also mentally cursed because she knew the moment Asina went on guard there would be two agitated zephyrs rushing to find out what was wrong. They likely wouldn't be berserk, because if they went berserk every time a pregnant mate or dear one went on edge their race would be completely extinct, but neither would be happy and she was NOT looking forward to seeing Zanen. But it was what it was.
After half a second, though, Asina blinked and relaxed, a broad smile spreading across her face.
"RYELL!" she greeted loudly and shuffled forward, arms wide.
Ryell laughed, bright happiness on her face. "SINA-LOVE!" The two embraced and Ryell pulled back with a shocked and happy grin. "They kicked me!"
"They know their godmama is here!" she replied with a wink, then looked around Ryell with a curious look at Mikael. "And you must be the one she rushed off to save, hm?" She gave him a long, evaluating look, then her brows drew together in a frown before her eyes widened in slight surprise. "My, my, Mikael, Goderic's Sword. I'll be..." She grinned. "How is the old fart?" she asked with a happy smile.
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Post by libellule on Jan 5, 2013 22:15:40 GMT -6
Danalli purred to him, tucking into the curve of his neck, nipping lightly with affection. She set the mug on his cluttered desk. She had been on her way to see him. She spent a large number of her days in the palace these past few months. She’d abided by his requests.
But the aeon hadn’t truly felt the sun on her face in months. Nor had she seen enough of Necro and Souzan, who’d barely even met Zane and if Danalli knew Necro, he’d be a watchful eye if they took a stroll… or a ride. She smirked lightly.
“You finish your work for the morning, lover,” she said sweetly, smoothing the back of Zane’s head as Zanen held him. “We’ll come back during midday when you have more free time.
“Besides I need a nice breezy stroll. I have been sunkissed for a while and neither has he… We need a little fresh air, don’t we, little Lord?” Zane, who had been staring at Zanen and a light fixture intently, had blinked and shifted to her with a cooing agreement. - She had kissed Zanen tenderly, with Zane nestled between their embrace before she wrapped him up snugly to her chest. Danalli had stepped off the secondary entrance to the palace and walked to the courtyard and its stables. It felt so good to be outside. She hummed and even skipped with Zane giggling with her.
They made to the stables and she allowed him to take in the smell of equines for the first time.
--
It had been a long time since he had seen her. Asina, the Demon Queen.
She looked… powerful and mature. Not quite what he had witnessed tens of centuries ago. She was beautiful and majestic even if she was about to burst and as wide as a battalion. He could see her beyond that. It was breathtaking. And when he watched Ryell take to her like a fly to flame, Mikael could witness the happiness in her soul, as it was clear in her eyes. She, too, was breathtaking.
”They kicked me!”
His smirk had turned into a full blown grin. A chuckle falling from him. Then Asina regarded him. “She did,” replied with a carefree face, “After I was thrown through a forest to find her.”
…Goderic’s Sword…
My, my indeed. It had been a long time since he had been called that. Since the days before the First Purge, before he’d known flight. Hn. It stirred something inside him. And when she asked him about Goderic, Mikael’s visage did not falter or waver from the smirk that had adorned. Goderic’s story was a time saved for another day. Not this one.
“I have many stories of him, beautiful cat goddess,” he mocked in an adorable manner, stepping to her and putting his arms around her in a humble embrace, “But they are best saved for another day.”
“It is good to see you, Asina. It has been much too long.”
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Post by Willow on Jan 6, 2013 2:59:31 GMT -6
Asina smiled and returned the embrace briefly. Ciel and/or Zanen would be right around the corner by now and she'd hate for a misunderstanding. "I would like that," she said with a nod, still smiling as she slowly began to waddle back to her seat, one hand resting at the small of her back and the other on her belly.
"So you were looking for Ryell when you escaped form the Forest?" she asked then, curious as she settled into her chair.
Ryell nodded in answer. "Over the past thousand years Mikael and I became very close, I don't know how I would have made it through it without him... When I went missing, he came after me and the Forest spit him out."
Asina nodded thoughtfully, then lifted her head and diverted her attention toward the door again. "Zanen," she said with a vague smile. He was standing in the doorway, looking reserved. Under that was also a hint of a kind of lost surprise. He still didn't know how to be around Ryell, probably just as much as she didn't know how to be around him. "Ryell has returned," Asina continued pleasantly. "I think you'll be pleased to see that she brought back the other rave. And she might have some answers to the 'phantom heartbeats' you and Danalli have been feeling so far off in the distance."
Zanen frowned. "Danalli told me," she supplied with a grin. "Ah," he said at last, then nodded tersely at Mikael.
Ryell was damn near holding her breath. She'd mentally prepared herself for it, but now it came time to speak to Zanen and she was frozen. She opened her mouth, no sound came out, and she closed it again. Instinctively, she moved closer to Mikael where her arm touched his and their hands brushed against each others. She tried again. "Yeah, I found him washed up on the shore near the Forest. It took a while for him to heal up enough to travel otherwise we would have been back sooner." Not exactly a lie.
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Post by libellule on Jan 6, 2013 3:36:59 GMT -6
Mikael felt him enter the room as Asina regarded him. Shadowspawn. He brought a heavy silence with him that the aeon felt as it weighed down of Ryell. It was suffocating her. He flowed reassurance to her, air that would strengthen a shriveling flame. Darkened amethyst eyes were on him then and to the garbed, concealed pureblood, Mika gave him a non-threatening grin. There was no need to stir a pot that was Ryell’s to cook.
“Bah,” he chimed in trying to break the tension in the air, “You put it much too mildly, Ryell.” His steel eyes glimmered to Asina with a carefree persona.
“To say the forest spit me out and ‘washed’ me up on shore would imply it ‘wanted’ me gone. And that it wouldn’t have dragged me through just about every boulder and tree trunk it could throw in my way. I was not just casted out. I was shattered to tiny pieces and sort of spewed out in disarray...
“And then your little fire ferret sniffed me out. It a few weeks before I came around. Do you have any idea how good of a healer she is?” He elbowed her in the ribcage with confidence before throwing his hands behind his head.
--
“Just stay gentle for a little while, you terrifying demon,” she hummed to the large black stallion. She saw quivers and ticks run over his back and flanks as she unwrapped her little Zane. Necro had even been kind enough to lower his body to the ground so she could rest against him and he could bring his neck around to see Zane. Maybe nuzzle him if the babe didn’t spook.
Zanen often told her how much Necro loved her company. She saw the brightness in his dark eyes when he saw her coming, smelled her. There was even a softer bay a few stalls down. Souzan. The aeon would visit him soon. It wasn’t that she didn’t care for Souzan, Danalli just knew that Necromancer would have a better understanding when he saw a baby in her arms. He would know instantly.
“I want to take him for a ride,” she sighed happily even if he snorted, “Not now I suppose, but in a few months maybe.” Zane had reach his little chubby fingers to touch the massive creature, giggling when his digits touched soft fur. Necro brought his nose to Zane, softly lipping his tuft of silver hair.
“Oh Necro,” the aeon laughed, “I just gave him a bath!” He snorted again before tensing slightly. Danalli heard footsteps approaching.
“Give a woman like the Lady Danalli every comfort and luxury she needs and what does she do? Lay in the hay with stallions.” Golden eyes met her happily.
“Oh Ciel,” she smiled excitedly, getting up to give him a brief hug, “Shouldn’t you be in the palace?” The massive zephyr hugged her back and nodded. “Yes I was just there but I stepped off for some fresh air and to brush my mount.” Danalli stared at him quizzically. “You? Grooming horses?”
“Just one,” the male mocked, “I sort of grew to that horse Nightmare brought along some time ago and the brute agreed to have a stall.” A neigh sounded in the near distance. “And what of Asina,” Danalli inquired. Ciel smirked and chuckled. “Rounder and more beautiful by the day, she’s in the library. I will let her have at least a round of minutes to herself. I’ve already got tabs on her and Zanen is near. No fret, little pony.”
Danalli rolled her eyes.
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Post by Willow on Jan 6, 2013 4:14:08 GMT -6
Zanen’s eyes snapped to Ryell and stayed there while Mikael talked. He didn’t really know what to think or what to say, but his eyes narrowed when the stranger aeon mentioned Ryell’s healing ability.“Healing?” he asked stiffly. “I never knew you’d developed that particular skill to the extent you are able to literally piece a man back together again.” It came out less curious and more accusatory, but he really didn’t mean it to. He was just… at a loss. It was Asina’s turn for her eyes to narrow, her body going still as she stared at him. “Well, a thousand years is a long time, Zanen,” she said coolly. “A lot can happen.” That one was accusatory on purpose.
Zanen looked like he was about to snarl at her but swallowed it.
Ryell blinked. Did he really almost snarl at Asina? When she was pregnant? What had happened in the last thousand years that had rattled his senses that much? Admittedly, she figured she was throwing him off a little bit, but really? He was aware of her healing ability. Not the true extent of it, but he’d known her potential. Asina, she’d noticed, looked slightly surprised at Mikael’s comment about her healing but then seemed pleased by this somehow.
“I probably wouldn’t have been able to heal him as completely if we weren’t both raves,” she said, trying to move on. “That connection helped.”
Zanen nodded like this made sense. “That’s how it worked in the old days, too,” he acknowledged. “Do you have any idea how you or Ryell awakened?” he asked then, directing his question at Mikael this time. Asina had to give him credit, he was trying. He frowned for a moment. “Asina said that you know about the heartbeats. You’ve heard them too then? I tried to See them, but I didn’t get anything useful.”
“I don’t know about that,” Asina said. “Danalli said something about you repeatedly getting visions of a Clan Sigil.”
Zanen hated it when Asina knew things he didn’t tell her about his visions. “Yes, but not one I recognized. It wasn't like any Clan Sigil I've ever seen. Rave sigils, as these two would know, are usual of that clan's patron element or force of nature or a combination of the like. This one was of a dragon in flight, breathing fire.” What he didn't say was that it had been a strange looking dragon, too. Turned at an angle, it looked almost like two figures dancing, one with wings and the other spouting fire from its hands. Yet he knew for certain that it was a Clan Sigil. There were marking around the edge of the symbol in the ancient tongue. Birthed from those who were born of Dragons and together revive the power of the Ancients: We are the Draigon.
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Post by libellule on Jan 7, 2013 13:36:22 GMT -6
Mikael observed Zanen speak. It seemed the initial threat of him had receded. Mikael could only hope.
It was difficult to be here and to feel the constant fluttering of Ryell’s heart in his chest. A fast breath every now and then. It stressed him out, honestly, even though he was trying to pace her beat with his, to soothe it before it leapt out of her chest. He wanted so badly to reach out and rest a hand firmly on her shoulder, to give her ease. But that would be incredibly foolish because that /would/ be taken the wrong way.
He didn’t want to be here… Mikael realized it with such precision and accuracy. He was fidgety and on guard. He could feel his spine twitch every now and then from the discomfort. The aeon wanted to be above that inn or out on the docks with Conner, or traveling with a few of the town’s traders to Qu’ria for a few days. Being in the palace gave him ticks and made him straighten his back, follow protocol. Ugh… he hated protocol.
But he couldn’t leave Ryell to fester, to decay before Zanen’s very eyes. Even though she’d let him coddle her, comfort her, Mikael knew he couldn’t leave her to do this on her own. Pride or not. Even Asina didn’t share their bond.
Then Zanen sent a question directly to him. The aeon smirked, stepping into a better light, his aeonic glow settling about him and his iconic blue flesh charms glittering about.
“I didn’t think it would take you this long to figure me out, cousin,” Mikael began, introducing himself with surefire wit, before he settled his persona, “The gods had us find each other. I’m sure you being already awakened helped us as well as it was already put into motion. I’m the second to be removed from that forest. So it’d appear that balance is part of releasing us from the Forest. Aeon for a Zephyr and so on…”
“As for the heartbeats,” the age old aeon pondered idly, putting a hand to chin and sharing a chipper glance with Ryell, “That was kind of an accident…”
Then Zanen went on to ponder about visions and Sight. Mikael’s persona remained, relaxed and loose… That is until Zanen spoke of Clan Sigils containing, stealthily, and perhaps even obviously, the elements of Air and Fire. And with that Mikael’s jaw tightened.
This is not what they’d come here to find. To spend time with Asina and to make Ryell stronger against the most painful. To allow her to grow They’d come here to reignite bonds, at least for this meeting, not to discuss what he and Ryell had given birth to, or their little alcove. Not to spew everything they’d found, witnessed, and learned on the floor in front of Asina and Zanen without prior planning.
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Post by Willow on Jan 7, 2013 13:59:43 GMT -6
Zanen's eye narrowed when Mikael stepped forward. He was a cocky bastard, wasn't he? Not to bright either it seemed. Though watching him as he spoke, the blue markings over his body and the way he stood, Zanen felt he was familiar. Like he'd known him somehow in another life.
And he didn't like how he skirted around answering his question, or the tension that suddenly showed up in the otherwise relaxed aeon's jaw. This was obviously a topic he didn't want to discuss, making Zanen all the more keen to know what it was that they knew.
Before he could press further, Ryell spoke. "That's something to discuss certainly, but not right now," she said with a nod, steel in her voice that made him look at her. For a moment he saw her as she once was - a powerful and strong warrior, a leader, a commander of armies capable of bringing fall to all of their enemies. The vision lasted for less then a blink, and then he saw her as she was standing before him again. She looked the same, but... softer somehow.
His eyes narrowed. "Do not attempt to reprimand me, soldier," he said quietly to her, looking directly into her eyes. The fire hissed in the fireplace as she met his gaze evenly. Her heart thudded in her chest, but she was outwardly calm. Deadly calm. "I am not your soldier to command," she returned just as quietly.
This was not going well. Zanen looked over at Asina, who was preoccupied for the moment with some apparent pain that her unborn demons were giving her, face contorted and her hands at her belly.
"Ryell. May I speak with you privately?" It was clear that this conversation was going to happen now, whatever it was. His eyes glinted with the order to obey.
"After you, Shadowspawn," she said courteously with a bow of her head. It was said the right way, with courtesy and the tone of respect, but somehow it still sounded like 'fuck you'.
Zanen turned to Asina, opened his mouth to say that they would return shortly, but she waved her hand in hurried dismal. "Go, you're upsetting the princess, which upsets the little prince and -ah!- I think he's trying to claw his way out of my womb to get at you."
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Post by libellule on Jan 7, 2013 14:20:40 GMT -6
There was a silent, calming noise that hummed in his throat. Aeons did not snarl often, but Mikael was about to take on the feat. Zanen made it difficult for him to bite it back. An impressive feat.
His Focus was pacing, almost with a demonic character. He’d seen the frown and the annoyance in the zephyr’s glittering eyes. Ah… so he’d caught him hiding things. Mikael did not think this was an interrogation. It was obvious The Oracle did not recognize him, perhaps if he had this would have gone differently.
And then the banter began in a deadly dance between Ryell and The Oracle. Mikael had crossed his arms over his chest, that classic persona of his had simmered. Protocol had slid over him like a smooth luscious caress and the Calm in him was rising quickly... He could not voice his disdain and annoyance for Zanen when he spoke to Ryell as if he’d recruited her within the past two days. So much for ‘True Mates.’ This was the man she was tied to? How could he /speak/ to her that way?!
Shouldn’t he be happy to see that she is well? Healthy? Shouldn’t he be impressed about her picked up skills? Or was he always just an arrogant asshat?
And then he asked her to speak alone. Mika could only stay frozen, even if he breathed, ushered one noise… He even reframed from gritting his teeth. Any movement when simply alert Zanen of his standing. Instead, Mikael sent Air with Ryell to keep her strong. He couldn’t do much else.
As they cleared the room, Mikael took a deep breath to try and clear his lightening vision. Then he took a few apparent steps to Asina. Slowly in a non-threatening manner, eased in a sitting position near her on the floor.
“Don’t worry, little prince,” he crooned to Asina, borrowed fire in his eyes as they watched the door, “Still your princess. I will get at your uncle at his first wrong move on your god-mother.”
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