The King's Favorites. [PRIVATE]

[The PrinceofHeart]

You can't leave the place you are...

Lucrecia looked up when she heard a sharp rapping of knuckles hitting the wood of Chez's bedroom door. She didn't recognize the voice that called through the door, but when she mentioned her own name, and then that of her twin's, Lucrecia jumped to her feet. Chez said he was taking away her slave status, so there was no reason to wait for him to open the door, right?
Quickly the former slave went over to the door and opened it, her eyes brightening when she saw her twin. "Hey!" She gave her a hug, smiling brightly and happily. It was... strangely relieving. Even though Vincent was gone, and she'd miss him terribly... in a way it was a little like he had released her. She knew how he felt... and he knew how she felt. It would take a while to get over this heartbreak, but she had her sister. And, even though she didn't get the chance often to speak with them... she could make friends with the other occupents of the castle. Lucrecia could start to have a life again...
"You have NO idea how many things I have to tell you."

...Until you decide where you'd rather be.

[CVKE]

「　The King　」

&＆「　His Accomplices　」

Chez raised his eyebrow, she thought he was pulling her leg. After all that happened today, he was in no mood for joking, she should know that by now. Sighing once again, Chez shook his head. "No, I'm not joking." But he wasn't just going to leave her like this. Being Vincents ex-slave, she knew too much and was in much as danger as she was when she was his slave. The nobles who didn't like Vincent would probably take out their anger on her, or they might try to touch her. "You're welcome. But Lucrecia-" he started to talk but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Before he could get it, the girl rushed towards the door. He didn't even have time to respond to the questions that were thrown at him from the other side of the door.

As Lucrecia opened the door, Chez's eyes caught a young woman with dark skin, and a good looking body. And since he had not seen in her in the castle before, she was obviously an assayan. Besides her, more towards the back of her, he could see...another Lucrecia? "What?" he mumbled to himself in confusion. Chez had enough surprised for a day, and yet here came another. Lu had a twin. Both were hugging each other now.

"Please, join me?" Chez asked out of courtesy, as he saw a blur of blond hair. The Queen obviously wanted to stay out of sight. As soon as the group was inside the room, Chez walked over to a cupboard where he pulled out a bottle of wine, and a couple of glasses. Setting them down on the table that was in the middle of the sofas, Chez walked away again, going to another cupboard this time. Opening it he frowned. He had no food to serve the guests. He usually did. "I'm apologize, My Queen. I have no food to serve with the wine."

Chez sat down on one of the unpreoccupied sofa, his legs crossed over each other, while one of his had rested on his knee, and other rested on the arm. "Lucrecia, I wasn't finish talking to you earlier, and before something else happens again, I Shall finish. Yes, I'm taking away you're slave status, but I'm making you my personal assistance. For now."

[NaomiHikari]

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀【Whεrε♂Årε♀Wε?】▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
What τhe Hεll ιs Goiηg Oη?

___

╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Venetia watched impatiently, waiting for a response from behind the door. It was taking too long in her opinion, but in a moment she wished she had a few more seconds to prepare as she saw her sister appear in the doorway before feeling herself being embraced. Her sister’s arms were wrapped tightly around her and she returned the gesture, coiling her arms around Lucrecia protectively. She was happy she was still here, it meant her hard work to find her had not been stripped away in a few hours. That would be cruel and she prayed her eternal mistress would forget her sadistic ways for now. She made a quick prayer as she held her sister, squeezing her as if to make sure she was real before saying the words softly, breathy words only she would hear. “Please, let us have a wonderful day when morrow comes, without obstacles, without strife.” It was desperate prayer and she hoped whoever looked after them would listen and consider it.

Venetia pulled back, curiously looking at her sister as she heard her statement and could hear the stress on one particular word. It seemed she was in for quite a story and she couldn’t wait to hear her sister’s tale. She smiled and out of the corner of her eye, she caught the queen had turned her head and was looking to her. She then remembered her pressing issue as Vitani mouthed one word, “Pregnancy.” Swallowing, her smile weakened and she gave her sister a reassuring squeeze, “Sounds like I’m in for a tale,” she mused and chuckled, pausing for a moment before continuing. “I have something I need to tell you as well,” she finished, deciding that since they were sharing now she shouldn’t hold back. Plus, her sister seems in a better state of mind now and she didn’t like keeping secrets. It would feel so nice to get it off her shoulders. She just hoped Lucrecia would take it well.

Deviant had expected a polite response, like the door opening and a small converse before the twins were allowed to the other. But no, she was answered with the door flying open and a dark blur passing her. That blur she guessed had been Lucrecia as she heard the audible gasp of Venetia from behind her. She didn’t bother turning and simply took out her clipboard as Chez appeared in the doorway. He seemed surprised, as if he had not known of the twins until now. Maybe he had not. There was quite a ruckus going on today and she wouldn’t find it unusual for him not to be able to keep track of things. As he stood looking around, she took the chance to look him over, taking in even the smallest of details. Her blue eyes landing back on his face and she squinted, her pen coming to halt as she felt something was familiar about him. She nodded and bowed, “Of course, Sire,” she murmured and then stood straight, entering his quarters with the other women following along with the boy. Or she thought he had come in.

Venetia disconnected from her sister temporarily before taking her hand in hers as they followed Deviant in to the lavish room. She gazed around the room and had the urge to search and discover. Of course, she held back her curiosity and took a seat next to her sister on a sofa. She sighed as she leaned heavily against the plush fabric, closing her eyes in contentment. Though she was forced to open her eyes as she found her comfort was lulling her to sleep. Her little nap earlier had not been sufficient and her now fully tummy made her feel the relentless tug of dreamland. She felt like a fat cat somehow and smiled drowsily at the idea. She could very well picture herself curled up like and purring in her sleep; in fact she felt she would be in that state very soon.

Vitani was the last to enter and she took her time, moving on autopilot as she made one round about the room to get an idea of just where she was. She found the room to be lavish like the rest of the castle and it seemed to fit Chez quite well. She heard the tinkling of glasses and curiously turned to see the newly stated king putting down enough glasses to accommodate them all. There was a long wine bottle and she examined it quietly before approaching the sofa and seating herself next to Deviant. Her mind was still fogged over with worry and she barely registered Chez’s words before chuckling, waving it off, “No worries, Your Highness,” she excused and then fell silent once again. She didn’t touch the wine, knowing that with her low alcohol tolerance, she would act disorderly.

Deviant speculated drinking the offered beverage and then out of politeness, picked up the bottle by its long neck. One of her sharpened nails punctured the cork and easily removed it from the mouth. The scent immediately caught her nose, but did not flinch and simply poured her a glass before offering to the others. As she offered to her queen, she noticed that she hesitated before nodding, stating to only pour her a small amount. Venetia declined and arched a brow before offering to the last twin, soon setting the bottle down and replacing the cork. Picking up her glass, she gently rolled the liquid before sipping.

They remained quiet while Chez spoke with Lucrecia, but the information in his words retrieved the women’s attention. The scientist blinked, had she heard right? She placed her empty glass down and began to write once again. She noted that she was running out of paper and would need to renew it soon. Vitani’s smile had returned for a few moments at this information and she wondered if he could be agreeable when it comes to freeing the slaves. She glanced at Venetia, the twin’s eyes having revived and showing only pure joy for her sister. A sleepy joy she noted after a bit and smirked at the woman’s determination to stay awake. Venetia couldn’t believe what she had just heard, Chez was taking away her sister’s slave status. She smiled and gave her sister’s hand a squeeze, congratulating her.

Vitani could see the twin was struggling to stay awake and sighed, “Venetia,” she called and the woman looked to her expectantly. “In your…. condition, I recommend you rest. You can speak with your sister and Chez when you are fully rested,” she stated, choosing her words carefully. She and Venetia had a small staring contest before Venetia nodded, smiling and leaned back. It was almost as if Vitani’s words had bewitched her, she fell asleep so quick. Not one second after her head touched the cushioned surface of the back of the couch had she drifted in to a deep slumber.

╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[The PrinceofHeart]

You can't leave the place you are...

Lucrecia was ecstatic to feel her sister's arms around her again and sighed softly in relief as they both took a moment just to hold one another. Even if the world fell apart, she at least had her sister...
Lucrecia turned her eyes back to her sister and blinked curiously when she said she had someone to tell her as well. "Alright." What could it be? By the looks of Venetia's face, it looked important... Hopefully nothing bad...
The twins walked into the room and took a seat on the couch with everyone else, Lucrecia next to Venetia and still clasping her hand. Now sitting side by side, it was easy to see the stong resemblence the twins had to one another, despite the slight differences as well. They both had the same face, skin color and hair color that matched perfectly. However, where Lucrecia carried herself as a defiant, yet innocent porcelin doll, Venetia was a more mature, refined and strong woman. Lucrecia glanced to her sister for a moment and smiled wider; she aspired to be more like her sister, refined and proper and yet still strong and vigilant.
Politely declining the wine the assayan doctor offored her, Lu turned her attention back to Chez. When he mentioned that he wasn't done speaking to her before, she mumbled a quiet apology. It wasn't her fault that she was so eager to see her sister again...
And there went her little surprise. Lucrecia squeezed her sister's hand back, extremely happy to be free of her previous status. Though Chez slightly deflated her balloon as he stated that she would instead become her personal assistant.
Lucrecia looked at the new King in confusion before realization dawned on her; so far, only the people in this room knew that she was no longer a slave to the previous King. Everyone else, however, still believed she was Vincent's slave, and Vincent was not one without many enemies. They might take advantage of his sudden absence...
So, in a way, Chez was doing this to protect her...
"...Alright. That's fair..." Lucrecia glanced back to Venetia for a moment before back to Chez, a quiet plea in her eyes. "...May I ask one favor?" More than anything... she wanted her sister to be free of the weight on her shoulders as well. If Lucrecia was no longer a slave, but Venetia was still technically carrying that title and was at risk of being locked away again, then Lucrecia's freedom was absolutely worthless.

...Until you decide where you'd rather be.

[junodog]

Kyle Bernham

Kyle looked up upon hearing his name being called. He saw that Deviant had spoken to him, and he listened quietly as she commented on how he’d grown. He frowned, trying to figure out when he’d met her before, but soon decided that it had happened when he was really young. She’d used his real name, for one, so she couldn’t have met him in the past seven years. Not only that, but she’d used his mother’s name. He hadn’t gone by that name since the war with Ginea had begun…

He didn’t think much more about it, though. He’d met a lot of important people as a child, and it wasn’t the first time someone he didn’t know had recognized him in the castle. He simply muttered a polite, “Thanks,” and turned his attention elsewhere. Lucrecia had just burst out of Chez’s office, and Kyle watched as she hugged her twin, feeling vaguely jealous of how happy she looked. He slid quietly off of Kairi’s back and followed the rest of the group into the room, resting his hand on the wolf’s shoulders as he looked for a place to sit where he could go unnoticed.

In the end, he sat in the corner of one of the couches, as far away from Chez as he could possibly get. He watched as Deviant offered wine to the others, and felt a very slight pang of disappointment when she didn’t offer it to him. But then, of course, he remembered that most people didn’t want to serve alcohol to someone as young as him. Which was honestly a good thing, considering how badly it would affect him…

He returned his attention to the conversation in the room. His heart leapt when Chez addressed Lucrecia, and he looked up at the new king with cautious optimism as the conversation continued. Lucrecia had been freed… did that mean he had a chance? Of course, he didn’t know whether it was proper for him to speak, and at the moment Lucrecia still had the man’s attention, so he held his tongue and began focused his attention on the giant wolf head that was currently resting on his knees. He stroked Kairi’s soft fur absentmindedly as he waited for a chance to speak, then felt a horrible pang of dread when he realized he had no idea what to say. And what if Chez didn’t want to grant him his freedom? Granted, it would reflect poorly on the new king if he freed Lucrecia and not the heir of a powerful estate, especially considering the present company, but what if Chez resented him for it? What if he let him go but then refused to acknowledge his rank? How could Kyle fight for Ginea if he had no political standing?

Kyle let out an almost inaudible growl as his hands continued to run through Kairi’s fur. He was being paranoid. Chez had no reason to want to keep him. In fact, he’d probably be thrilled to finally be rid of Kyle. Odds were he’d let Kyle go and make it a point to avoid ever seeing him again. It was almost ideal. Except if that happened, Kyle would still have difficulties restoring his mother’s homeland to its former glory. It was better if he stayed at the castle, that way he could find some way to contribute to the political decisions, but at the same time, being free would mean he wouldn’t even need Chez’s permission to go with Henry to Assanya…

He spoke without thinking, asking, “What about the Bernham Estate?” before he remembered where he was and sank back into the corner of the couch, trying to make himself as small as possible while pretending he hadn’t said anything. But it was too late. Everyone had heard him, with the exception of Venetia, who seemed to be asleep. He would just have to hope his speaking out of turn wouldn’t get him into trouble.

[CVKE]

「　The King　」

&＆「　His Accomplices　」

Chez smiled and thanked the woman who poured wine into his glass. Picking the glass up by its stem, Chez brought it to his lips and drank a small amount. He felt blissful as the scorching yet sweet liquid go down his throat. Coughing slightly, Chez looked up at his guests. His eyes caught Lucrecia's begging ones, and he raised his eye brow as he heard her speak. Thinking for a while, the man spoke again. "Yes thats fine. Its not like she's any use to me." He said, mumbling the last sentence. His eyes glanced over to the twin who was sitting- leaning back on the sofa sleeping. She did look exshausted, and Chez couldn't blame her. She was a pregnent woman.

Though they were twins, she looked softer, and kinder than Lu. And just from looking at her he could tell that their personalities were different as well. Lu more of a firece type and Venetia more of a girly type.

Setting the wine glass down, Chez stood up and walked over to the sofa where the twin lay sleeping. "It would be better if she slept on the bed." He said before leaning down, and delicatly picking the twin up. He made sure that he was careful as he walked over to the bed, where he softly put the twin down and covered her with the silk sheets. Turning around he faced the group. "How many months is she?" He asked out of curiosity. If she were to stay at the castle, Chez would need to make sure that he had a medical crew ready and alert for her.

Walking back, Chez sat down on the sofa. "My Queen, I recieved you're messege earlier. I'm afraid that I won't be able to meet you then. So it would be better if you told me what ever you needed to tell me right now."

His attention was turned to Kyle as his voice reached his ears. He hadn't noticed the boy come in, nor did he notice the wolf. Proof to how stressed he was, ignoring all his surroundings. Chez sighed annoyingly, and looked at the boys direct in his eyes. "What happens to Bernham estate you ask? I haven't really thought about that. But I guess I can't do them any harm, they weren't my enemies they weren't Vincents. Though they will if they present harm to me or my kingdom, but I'm sure that won't happen."

[The PrinceofHeart]

You can't leave the place you are...

Lucrecia felt herself grin from ear to ear as Chez declared that her sister was free. Both of them, free... They didn't have to carry that weight anymore. No longer did they have to hide away, be frightened of being separated anymore. The thought itself shot bliss through her body like a rush of waves, and she felt herself calm and relax. Everything was okay...
As Chez picked her sleeping sister up, immediately she got up and followed after him. She sat down next to her sister on the bed, and as Chez asked how many months she was in, she looked up at him in confusion. "...What?" What did he mean by months? Was she ill?
Lucrecia looked over at Vitani in confusion, now just seeking more answers. "What's he talking about?" Did they all know something she didn't?

...Until you decide where you'd rather be.

[NaomiHikari]

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀【Whεrε♂Årε♀Wε?】▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
What τhe Hεll ιs Goiηg Oη?

___

╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Vitani simply observed as everything went along, chuckling at his mumbled words. The girl was quite endearing to her and she felt some happiness that two slaves was stripped of their ranking. She was bitter when it came to the subject of slavery and it was due to her people’s past. She is part of the thirteenth generation of the Lee Dynasty and sadly, she is expected to bear a child when she comes of age. She was not looking forward to this, since she would be out of commission for a while and she didn’t like sitting still. But looking at Venetia, the woman looked so happy even though she was alone in her pregnancy. It gave her a bit more confidence for when that time would come. Back on slavery, she frowned as she thought about how Assanyans had been lower than slaves; they were bred and fought like dogs. Smart ones were killed, strong ones were bred with the strong, and the weak struggled. But this was only their ancestors; no… those who held the leashes lived in wealth or hoped for wealth when they purchased a “Winner.”

Arching a brow as he moved Venetia to the bed. She was glad he was somewhat caring, but as he turned and announced to the room the very thing Venetia had been planning to disclose to her twin, she choked on her wine that she had finally decided to try and drink. It had not been a grand display, simply a slight cough and her head dipped. Deviant held out a handkerchief to her queen, chuckling in amusement. Looking up as she took the handkerchief and wiped her lips, she noticed her bangs, the tips were pink from where they had dipped in the wine and she tried meticulously to rid her once platinum hair from the girly color. Sighing, she gave up and hoped it would not stain the strands forever. How was she to respond to this? It had been the woman’s wish to disclose this herself and she would rather not go against her wishes. As she sat thee pondering, she resisted the urge to throttle Chez.

Deviant was quite curious as her Queen was normally more poised than this, even if the poise was masculine. She began to write again as it seemed things were getting interesting. Her painted lips tugged in to a smirk as she glanced between the two, waiting.

Vitani scowled at him, the wine glass now placed on the table as she mulled over telling the man. She wondered how exactly he had known that she was pregnant and her eyes narrowed behind her veil of blond as she tried to think of some explanations. Sighing, she shook her head and leaned back against the couch. Glancing at Lucrecia, she sighed and brushed her hair from her face briskly and closed her eyes, not giving any even a hint at what her eyes looked like. Hair still threaded in her fingers, she sighed and opened her left eye a slit, a surprising glow peeking through the lids in the dim lighting of the room. She heard Lucrecia’s confused voice laced with worry and cursed quietly within her mind. “This is for Venetia to tell. You may ask her when she wakes,” she stated with finality that was as firm as stone.

Frowning as he mentioned their set meeting, she sighed and dropped her bangs back in to place. She had hoped they would be alone and of course, outside. Her plan had not been to be a simple meeting, no.. she had planned to challenge him to confirm her suspicions. If he could hold his own against her, it was true. Slipping her hands in to her long sleeves, she felt the medal and gave a sigh of resignation. Her previous anger had faded in to something much denser. "I would rather discuss those matters in privacy, Chez... even if I have to wait. It's... personal..." she was not smiling as she spoke, no hint of her normal playful demeanor; actually there was just the barest hint of sadness. Just as quick as the emotion had made itself none, it had disappeared as her lips stretched in to a small smile. “What a day…” she murmured and glanced up at the clock, noting it was nearing the time for the castle to sleep. She managed to avoid the brunt of the day, but it still affected her.

Kyle had brought up his family and their country, but it was quickly dealt with a few words from Chez. She wondered about the boy and his family for a moment, wondering about the country itself. Surely the land had been incorporated in to Trinity by now and had been settled. What would happen to the new settlers there if the country was brought back to its glory? War was such a complicated concept and she wondered why anyone would want to indulge. Her lips stretched, tugged in to a grin as she thought of humanity and the many battles wrought. Greed, instinct, survival, vengeance, hatred, love, peace, and so much more were supposed reasons for war. It was such a hypocritical concept that she found herself chuckling darkly.

The sound died on her lips as something flickered in her mind and turned to Chez, frowning. Henry. The child had come to mind as she remembered the brokenhearted boy. She pitied him, knowing how it felt to be alone, but… he would have to learn. “Chez…” she called his attention back to her and leaned forward. “Your nephew, Henry,” she began and crossed her arms over her flat chest. “He has agreed to come to Assanya for training. It will be temporary and he will be returned if he chooses so,” she informed voice even as her lips stretched as the next string of words passed her lips. Light glinted off her sharpened canines, “I have decided to start his training early. At sunrise tomorrow it will begin, tonight he has to mourn and come to terms.” She sighed and her sadistic smile shrank to a close lipped one that was earnest. “You are his relative by blood, closer than he is related to me. It does not have to be tonight, but some day let him know he has family in this castle, some steady pillar, for he will need it,” she advised. “And Kyle,” she addressed, “same goes for you,” she finished , once again falling in to silence.

Deviant had been writing like she was possessed until she heard the word “family” and “related.” She nearly dented the precious metal in her tight grip as she moved her eyes up to Chez and then at the others. “Fuhrer, you cannot mean that Assanyan blood was mixed with-“ she stopped as she realized her queen would not answer, only smiling. She gasped and checked her notes, she had to had some information on this somewhere. To think the elite blood of the Lee Dynasty was mixed with… with… she shuddered at the thought. “You must be mistaken, my Queen,” she stated and turned to Vitani who was sitting quietly, having picked up her glass and sipping. “The only Assayan representatives to of come here was ten years ago, our Ambassador and she would never commit adultery. Plus, her weakened body never could conceive!” she argued with logic, her only weapon against the teenager. Sure, the boy looked like their dear ambassador and he had the family name, but… there was no way. Why was her queen not answering her? Vitani had finished her glass and sat patiently, her grin never wavering. She continued on, trying to argue the impossibilities and how rare it could happen. She went over every detail he knew before realizing why Vitani wasn’t answering. She fell silent, having realized that her queen was testing her. She prayed she had not angered her, remembering the bloody massacre this single girl was responsible for.

After five minutes, Vitani turned to Deviant and smirked, “Ms. Engel, finished I assume?” she murmured and Deviant nodded silently, her dark skin flushed furiously out of embarrassment. Her lecture had gone on for fifteen minutes and none had said a word to stop from this embarrassment. Silence and then her queen’s words shocked her, “I will let you examine him if it will satisfy you,” she stated flatly and the scientist beside her blinked, lips parted in a silent gasp. “After all, as a scientist you know all the details and common traits of our race,” she challenged and this seemed to spark something in Deviant.

“Are you challenging my intelligence, MY QUEEN,” she strained and turned to her ever grinning young leader. It was the alcohol in her leader’s system… yes, that was the explanation or all this. She carefully reached for the wine bottle and popped the cork once again, pouring herself another glass as calmly as she could. She drank down the glass and pured another, sipping at this one slowly. “This situation is not funny,” Deviant stated and finished her glass, “But I will drink till it is,” she declared quietly, mostly so only she would hear, and continued. It was comical how she managed to remain poised even while drinking glass after glass of wine.



oO0o.o0Oo


Renny sighed as he stepped in to his shop, having finally been admitted from the infirmary. They hadn’t wanted to let him leave, since he was still recovering from a serious heart attack, but he and Bizen managed to convince them to let him go. He could not stand anything resembling a hospital for too long and that included the infirmary. Plus, a little sleep in his own bed would not hurt him; in fact it would be quite beneficial. After the talk with Chez, he had been somewhat down hearted, but he still lighter now that he had disclosed it. But… he sighed and touched his neck, feeling the skin alter as it came to the tattoo. He was still technically property of the Valkery Family and could not leave the castle. He was stuck here, bound to this god forsaken place. Sighing, he wondered if Chez hated him now and felt himself hoping he did not.

Shaking his head, he rid his mind of the troubling thoughts and decided a hot bath would do him some good. Closing the shop door and making his way across the main room and in to the back, he entered his quarters and immediately began to strip down. His normally tidy ways were thrown to the dust tonight as he peeled off the uniform and simply let it fall to the floor. As articles of clothing fell away, he shivered as more and more of his skin met cool air. Kicking off his last article, he entered his bathing room and filled the tub to the brim with hot water before slipping in, sighing in contentment as his muscles began to relax.

Where was Bizen? She had parted from him to visit her old room and retrieve the kittens before coming back down. Plus, she wanted to make sure her bodyguard knew where he was going and was comfortable before she joined him in his shop. He smiled as he slipped further in the water, purring and hoping no more would thrown at him that night. He was ready for sleep and he was nodding off in the calm setting, purring like a contented cat. What a nice way to end his day. A smile curved his tired lips and he lazily cleaned up before standing and drying off, draining the tub. Drying his hair was much quicker now and he was thankful for that, but his hair grew quickly, in no more than two weeks it would back at his shoulders he knew. Laughing, he finished drying off and pulled on some satin pants and walked to the window, only now noticing the rain falling outside. Sitting on the window seat and opening the wide windows, he welcomed the fresh air and smiled at the beautiful sight. “Even you cry for us?” he spoke to the sky and smiled as he heard a rumbling thunder in response.

╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[junodog]

Kyle Bernham

Kyle felt a huge wave of relief wash over him upon hearing Chez's answer, but the new king's words still left a lot of unanswered questions. Would Kyle and his mother be allowed to return and rule over their small province at the edge of what had once been the border between Trinity and Ginea? Kyle figured his mother could return either way, but Kyle had no idea what was going to happen to him. Vincent had been the one to give Kyle to Chez, but whether Chez was going to continue with the arrangement remained to be seen. Kyle got the feeling he wouldn't be finding out anytime soon, though. There were, after all, more important things for the king to worry about.

"I think this matter is going to require further discussion, but it can wait until things calm down," Kyle said in reply to Chez, keeping his eyes on Kairi as he ran his hands through the wolf's soft fur. "We share close ties to the territory that was once the country of Ginea, and there has been talk of rebellion there, but I don't want to be part of any war. I'd rather help mediate negotiations than see things turn violent again," he added in a low mutter, then sank back into the couch and allowed himself to become part of the background as Vitani began to speak again.

It seemed like things were getting better for everyone. Chez wasn't just giving Lucrecia her freedom, but extending that courtesy to her sister, who was apparently pregnant, if Kyle's interpretation of the conversation was correct. While Kyle was pretty disappointed that Chez hadn't even brought up the matter of Kyle's slave status, he was still hopeful. He just had to be patient, which was probably the most difficult part of it all.

But then Vitani started talking about Henry, and Kyle's mood deflated a bit. He still had to go talk to his friend. He'd thought that coming here first would get him the things he'd been hoping for, but so far it was just a bunch of talk. He decided to wait a bit, though, in case Vitani mentioned the possibility of Kyle going with his friend to Assanya.

He looked down at Kairi as Vitani confirmed what Kyle had begun to suspect earlier in the day. Henry really was the son of the king. Or... ex-king. Kyle wondered how Vincent's sudden disappearance would affect Henry's future, but he figured it wasn't worth worrying about just yet. Henry's position was still a secret to most people...

He looked up when he heard his name, and decided that was his cue to leave. He nodded and said, "I'll go talk to him now. I was planning on heading over there anyway," then stood and politely excused himself before making his way to the door, Kairi following just behind him. He stopped at the door when he heard Deviant speak, but only listened for a moment before deciding it was pointless to listen any further. He slipped wordlessly out the door and closed it silently once Kairi had passed through behind him, then climbed onto the wolf's strong back once more and directed her through the complex hallways to Henry's room.

He tried not to think about the things Deviant had said. He knew it was just the way things were for Assanyans, but it bothered Kyle to no end. Henry was a wonderful person, and it didn't matter who his parents were. Otherwise Kyle would have ditched his friend the minute he'd found out that Vincent was the man responsible for Henry's existence. And even Kyle himself was proof that blood didn't matter. His parents' bloodlines were two of the most respected in the country, and yet Kyle turned out to be a nervous wreck who made life difficult for everyone around him.

But it wasn't worth thinking about that right now. Kyle saw the merit to the way Assanyans tried to keep their blood pure, and it didn't matter to him if Deviant was in denial about Henry's parentage. She'd see for herself soon enough. Even Kyle could see the resemblance Henry had to Vitani and Damien. And it didn't matter if Henry's mother had seemingly been too weak to bear a child. Kyle's own mother had a body that was terribly ill-suited to giving birth, and she had survived through two rough pregnancies, even if one of the children hadn't...

He shook his head and tried to force his thoughts away from the little sister he'd had for two short months. It was hard, though. She would have been around Henry's age if she'd survived, and as he thought about the hours he'd spent at her side, he realized her eyes were eerily similar to Henry's...

So they were born around the same time and had the same eye color and shape. So what? Kyle growled and buried his fingers deeper into Kairi's thick fur. She had nothing to do with why Kyle had bonded with the boy so deeply. She couldn't. She was just a memory. A distant memory of what could have been.

Kyle sighed and slowly climbed off of Kairi's back. They had reached Henry's room already. Before trying to get in, though, Kyle turned and walked down the hallway to his own room, then opened the door and slipped inside. He dropped his stuff on his bed and briefly considered collapsing onto it and sleeping off his misery and frustration before remembering what he'd come here for and getting his mind back on track. He rearranged a few things and shut the door to his room before heading back down the hall to Henry's door.

He stood silently in front of the door but waited to open it, wondering what the hell he could possibly say to his friend. He looked down at Kairi, who had been following him silently all this time, and quietly asked, "What should I do?" The wolf simply looked up at him and tilted her head.

[NaomiHikari]

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀【Whεrε♂Årε♀Wε?】▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
What τhe Hεll ιs Goiηg Oη?

___

╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Bizen smiled up at Stephen as she led the way up to her old room. It was a quiet trip since neither had much to say and enjoyed the mutual silence. It was a peaceful silence, not like the awkward ones shared between strangers. They had shared a few words, but that had been it before silence took over. Now, all they could hear was their own footsteps and the occasional voice of a noble or staff member. Was the truly over? She prayed so and hoped it would end peacefully. She was weary even though she had only experienced a small portion of the day. In her mind, she decided that the next day she would get s**t faced and enjoy her day, ignore everything and be in her own little world.

Arriving in her old room, she sighed and stretched, glancing around. It was as she remembered and she grinned from ear to ear. Her old furniture and carpets, quilts and blankets, tapestry, and pictures were all in their places. She chuckled as Stephen walked to his cross gun, unbuckling and releasing the weapon from the white cloth. He began to checking it and tinkering, replacing ammo as needed. She had only seen the weapon in action once and to tell the truth, it was quite powerful and even frightened her to an extent. She let him and went to gather some extra clothes for her stay at Renny’s shop tonight and even the few gifts she had planned to give the man on her arrival. Pulling a rope near her door, she waited and no more than ten minutes passed before a young man arrived. His uniform told her he was a butler and she couldn’t resist how cute was, like a puppy. Handing him the bags, gifts, and the kittens, her lips stretched in to a charming smile, “Be a dear and bring these down to Renny’s shop for me, please? Thank you dear,” she purred and kissed his cheek, making the young lad blush bashfully and stutter out a reply. As he left, she turned back to her bodyguard. “Are you sure you do not want to come down?” she asked again, but received only a kind hearted smile and polite no. She had expected it and kissed his cheek, saying goodbye before walking out in to the hall.

Thunder, a rolling sound as if one had rolled a boulder down a mountain side, was what met her ears as she walked through the dying hallways. Everyone was turning in and crawling in to bed, lulled to sleep by their personal lullabies. Fate was finally ending this day and allowing them to rest for surely another eventful day. What did she have planned for them when morrow came? Would it be tiring and frightening? Would another raid come? Would sorrow and angst define it? Or maybe she had a surprise for them? Maybe she would release the reigns and let them dance peacefully? It was a hopeful dream.

Hearing a weak keening she knew her day was not over, not until she lay upon her bed and let sleep take her. Her feet stilled as she listened carefully for the sound and wished the rain would stop pelting the castle walls so she could hear. Minutes passed and she was close to passing off the sound for nothing, but there it was again, weaker and barely a breathe. How she had managed to hear it was a mystery to her. Following the sound, she soon realized it was ragged breathing that was slowly becoming more breathy and broken. Frowning in worry, she found herself at a door and tried to open it, finding it locked. Glancing to her side, she blinked at the sight of a large wolf and a young boy with brown eyes and confused blue eyes. Normally, she would take the time to introduce herself, but she was worried for the poor soul behind the locked door. Knocking, she heard no answer and her frown deepened. Turning to the boy again, she spoke quietly as if she were to sin if she spoke louder, “Do you know the person inside?’ she questioned, wondering why he was there and with a wolf no doubt. She sighed and pressed her ear to the door, golden eyes narrowing as she heard nothing. “Excuse me,” she pardoned as she gently nudged him away and stood in front of the door.

Calling out to the person just did not seem to make sense to her at the moment and instead she thought of ways to get in. She could shoot the lock, but the bang may frighten the living daylights out of the poor soul within. And kicking it in would do no better. She scowled as she reached in her long strawberry colored locks and withdrew a bobby pin, bending the accessory before kneeling down and working at the lock. She had done this when she was younger and had become quite adept at lock picking. She worked at the lock for a minute, pausing to listen to the breathing of the person inside. They were near the door so it was a good thing she had not kicked it in.

Finally, she heard a click and turned the knob and entered the dark room. She would have taken time to look around if it hadn’t been for the sight that assaulted her as she found the being. A child with white hair, hunched against a wall and arms wrapped around himself as he sobbed weakly. How long had he been here like this? Kneeling down in front of him, she reached out to touch his arm, only to gasp as she felt how cold he was. “You’re cold as death!” she whispered and cupped his chin, making him lift his head. He was trembling as if his body could not grasp any heat and his eyes stared in to space. She frowned deeply and snapped her fingers in front of his eyes in an attempt to break him out of the trance. Innocent blue pools were filled with sorrow and a loneliness she recognized and had never wanted to see again. She examined the rest of him and found her blood running cold as she spotted the blood seeping from a wound on his arm and how his sleeve had taken the rusty color and even the white tiles under him were stained. He had been here for some time she deduced and managed to pry his hand from the injured limb. Rolling his sleeves, she put pressure on the wound and lifted him in to her arms. Why was he here alone?

She felt him begin to struggle and she tightened her grip, cooing to him and trying to calm him down. It took a few minutes before he caved and she held him like a mother would as he began to cry in to her chest weakly. “Shush…” she hushed and stroked his hair, moving it away from his face where it stuck to his moist skin. Turning to the brunette as she approached the door, she sighed and didn’t try to fake a smile. “You know him, don’t you?” she questioned and then smirked, “Come with me, then. You can fret over him down stairs, but he needs to be taken care of,” she stated and turned, making her way down the hallway, only pausing to urge the boy to follow.

╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[CVKE]

〖 S h h ,　 H　e 　T a l k s 〗

❝Chez looked up at Vitani, though he couldn't see her experssion he could feel that he had said something wrong and that now she was mad at him. What the hell. This castle has too many secrets for me to keep up with. Chez sighed, and ran his finers through his hair. He slowly made his way over to the couches, giving the group time to talk. No, he didn't care what they were talking, it probably wasn't anything interesting. Sitting down, he crossed his legs, and let his arms rest on the back of the sofa.

Chez was about to ask Vitani about their meeting again, when the Queen spoke. Private? He eyed the queen, suspicion visible in his eyes. Did she finally figure it out? Finally get him? More importantly was she going to blow his cover? Chez let his head drop back, and a little laugh came out of his mouth. No, she wouldn't do that. Vitani wasn't that kind of person...or was she? People did change over time.

He remembered the day he first met her, she was just a child, a cute child. He was pretty mad when he found out that she was going to train him. A child training a teenager. How stupid, he had thought. She was frail, and tiny. And didn't look like she could do anything. 'How can a small frail thing like you train me?' The words that had come out of his mouth were harsh, but the blows that he recieved from Vitani were harsher. He had bruises all over his body when she was done.

Chez laughed again quietly at the memory. Sure the time he had spent in Assanya was like hell, but he did have some moments. He had made some friends, and Vitani and him had gotten close. Not in a relationship, obvoiusly, since Assanya did have mating rules. The relationship was more like friends. Close friends. Whenever they weren't training, he would hang out with her and Damien.

His ears perked up as he heard Henry's name. "What?" He said. "Are you kidding me Vitani?" This was the first time he had said her name ever since she came to Trinity. His tone clearly showing that he was a little shocked and angry. He couldn't just let Henry go, he was his nephew, the only family left. " He's just a kid, and Assayan training could kill him. Theres no way I'm going to let him go." He tried to control his voice, but some rage seemed to seep through it anyway. There was no way in hell he was letting go Henry. No way. "I don't care how little he has your blood, he's not going." Chez murmurred, his pleading eyes looking at where Vitani's should be.

Chez's eye brow twitched in annoyance as he felt he was being ignored, the Queen's assistant, he was guessing, took the Queen's attention. About what? About Henry. About him being part Assayan or not. Clicking his toungue in annoyance, Chez looked away from the group ignoring their conversation all together. He wasn't interested. Besides Henry wasn't going to Assanya, nor was he going to let Vitani train him. He was afraid. Afraid that the boy would get hurt. He was the last thing, they called family, to him, and Chez definetly did not want to see him hurt.

His eyes caught Kyle leaving quietly, he wanted to say something but even if did say something Kyle would surely not hear him because of a certain someone in the room. Chez sighed and he leaned back against the sofa waiting for the woman to shut up. She was getting truly annoying, if it weren't for the Queen, he would told the woman to shut it.


- o - o - o - o - o- o - o -


Arata ran up the stairs even though he was warned so many times not too. He was a clumsy man who fell one to many times. Huffing to a stop he looked back, and saw the maids look at him with worried looks. "S'kay. I won't fall." He grinned like a child. Catching his breath he started to run up the stairs again.

Arata had just gotten back from his vacation to visit his sister who lived in the neighboring country. When he came back to Trinity, he heard so many rumors that it was really getting to him. Had Vincent really left the Kingdom to Chez? Chez who didn't even want Kingship forced onto the thrown. He must feel betrayed. Arata frowned at the thought, he's been friends with Chez ever since they were little. Chez told him everything, and he told everything to Chez. He knew how Chez felt right now. Arata just wanted to be there for him, to comfort him. "Ah." He shooed away the thoughts before he turned pink.

Finally reaching upon the room, he slowed down. He didn't want Chez to think he ran, since Chez was the one who told him not to because of his clumsiness. Without knocking on the door, Arata bursed in. "Chez! Are you-" His face met with the floor as his feet interlocked with each. "Ku -so!" Arata cursed in japanese, and looked up. Adding more to his shame were the guests that were sitting in front of Chez. Way to go Arata, Way to go. He had just cussed in front of Chez's guests, not that they understood anyway.

Chez glanced at the door as it burst open, and Arata stumbled in, falling on his face doing so. "Clumsy..." He chuckled lightly before getting up from the sofa and checking on his friend. Crouching down, he lightly hit Arata's forehead. Grabbing the young guy's arm, Chez hauled him back to his feet, and led him back to the sofa. "How many times do I have to tell you to be careful?"

"Itai! Chez, can't you be more gentle?" Arata pouted childishly as he sat down on the sofa. He looked over to Chez who had some tissues, and some ice in his hand. Sitting down next to Arata, Chez handed Arata the tissue for his bloody nose, and ice for the bruising forehead.

His arms slung back, resting on top of the sofa. "This is Arata." Chez nodded his head towards the red head.
Text❞



〖 D i d y o u l i s t e n ? 〗

[junodog]

Kyle Bernham

Kyle made up his mind a moment later to enter the room and was about to unlock the door when he heard someone approach. He turned to see a woman walking up to the door, and he blinked and stared in shock. That was... it had to be... but why...

He found himself unable to speak. He was standing in the presence of Bizen Ayira. The Bizen Ayira. He knew she was staying at the castle, but... she was here. Right in front of him. The Bizen Ayira.

He heard her speak, but he was too stunned to comprehend a word of it. He simply stared at her in awe. She'd spoken to him... He blinked and shook his head, finally noticing that she was trying to get into Henry's room. Which only served to confuse Kyle, but hey, at least she was saving him the work of breaking in. He followed silently and watched as Bizen attended to Henry, feeling his spirits sink once more as he saw how his friend was in such bad shape. And all over some damn advisor who'd probably killed innocent people without a second thought.

But Henry didn't know that. Henry just knew Valoris as a friend he'd had for years. And Kyle was just an outsider, making judgments on a relationship he barely knew anything about. There was no point in trying to change Henry's attitude. All he could do was help Henry cope with the loss.

But why did that burden have to fall on his shoulders? Why did Vitani expect him to take care of his younger friend when his own life was such a disaster? It was ridiculous, he'd had his entire life torn away from him, and now, just as he was on the verge of getting some of it back, they just wanted him to be another shoulder for Henry to cry on. As if it wasn't enough that his status had been reduced to nothing...

Oh.

How had he forgotten? He was still a slave, while Henry descended from two powerful royal families. Of course people were going to pay more attention to him. It didn't matter that Kyle had been on the verge of chucking himself headfirst out the nearest window since he'd arrived. He was nobody. He was just a shadow. Henry's existence actually mattered to people. If he started crying, even celebrities were bound to come running, because God forbid anything happen to their precious little spoiled brat.

He was startled out of his thoughts when Bizen spoke to him again, and he let out a derisive snort when she gestured for him to follow her. He wasn't sure if it was at her words or his thoughts, though. It just seemed hilarious to him that he'd used the words 'spoiled brat' to describe Henry. The kid lived a pampered life, to be sure, but he never acted like a brat. Kyle followed Bizen without a word. Guilt was rearing its ugly head again. He knew Henry couldn't help who he'd been born to, no more than Kyle could help his own heritage. And Henry was always so cheerful and optimistic, if he was this torn up about Valoris leaving, it had to have hit him pretty hard...

Maybe he'd gotten it all wrong. Maybe it had nothing to do with rank. After all, Kyle hadn't done much other than have panic attacks and feel sorry for himself ever since he'd arrived. Henry, on the other hand, was fairly well-adjusted and would probably recover from this sudden loss pretty quickly. Henry still had a chance to turn out normal. Or, at least, as normal as someone could be in this castle. It made sense to try and help him. Whereas Kyle's life was so ******** that everyone probably just saw him as a lost cause. He was just a sad little unimportant wretch who wasn't worth anyone's time. Nobody could possibly want to get involved with him. It was easier to just pass him onto someone else, like a game of hot potato that would end with someone getting burned.

None of that was Henry's fault. In fact, meeting Henry had been the one thing that had kept Kyle holding onto his last shred of sanity. He owed it to the kid to be supportive, at least until Henry got over the worst of his despair. Then he could go back to living in the shadows. Make it easier for everyone to ignore him. Maybe even find a way to make Henry forget about him and move on, so he could disappear completely. Nobody else wanted a basket case like him around, after all, so why not give them what they wanted?

As he considered his options, Kyle felt a strange sort of peace come over him. There was no need to worry about everything that had happened to him. He could end this hell anytime he wanted. Well... maybe not. He had to wait for Henry to get better, after all. And maybe he'd change his mind by then, who could say? But for now, he'd just relax and go along for the ride.

Plus, he'd just met Bizen Ayira. The Bizen Ayira. That was pretty ******** awesome, no matter how he looked at it.

[NaomiHikari]

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀【Whεrε♂Årε♀Wε?】▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
What τhe Hεll ιs Goiηg Oη?

___

╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

The brunette boy had been quiet the whole time, never saying a word, but his blue hues had given enough evidence that his mind was not quiet at all. She did not push him to speak as she led him down hallways and to the stairs within one of the towers. She would glance at the boy to make sure he was okay or still following, just to check up on him. These two, their faces were unknown to her and she normally was pretty good on keeping with the inhabitants of the castle. She could name every noble, servant, butler, and even the slaves if she was asked, so it puzzled her that she had never seen the two. Both appeared very young and she frowned as she spotted a few bandages peeking out from the brunette’s collar. Had they been caught in the raid? She frowned deeply at this and sighed, deciding she worry over their identities after she was assured both were okay.

Reaching the bottom of the stairwell, she waited for the boy to catch up before continuing, leading him down hallways, but came to a standstill as she reached the garden and courtyard. It was raining and she frowned, puzzling over how to get across without getting too wet. She would rather not have the two boys get pneumonia as well. She soon stepped back inside and glanced around before remembering the guard’s closets set around the castle. She found one near the doors and frowned as she found it locked, Henry balanced on her hip as she glared at the offending wooden barrier. Sighing, she took out the same bobby pin she had used before and carefully picked the lock. Opening the door, she took out a cloak and held it out to the brunette, “Use this, don’t want you getting sick,” she stated and smiled before grabbing a second cloak and managing to wrap Henry in it. She decided to go without, figuring her immune system could take it, plus she had no performances to do for a while so why worry.

The trek across the courtyard seemed longer than it should have been and by the time they made it in to the parallel section of castle, she almost regretted her decision to go without a cloak. Not only was it raining, but it had been quite chilly, but she doubted the cold rain would harm her. She glanced at the boy who had accompanied her and nodded her head towards Renny’s shop, “I get the feeling you’ve been here before,” she remarked as they stepped inside the shop, surprisingly warm air wafted over her as the door opened. She led them back and in to Renny’s personal quarters, arching a brow as she found the door open. In the colorful room, she looked for her friend, wondering if he had dozed off without her, “Renny?” she murmured and then quieted as her golden eyes landed on him.

Bizen couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips as she saw the dressmaker slumped in the windowsill, lost in his dreams. She was glad he was actually sleeping, resting, instead of the restless naps he took during those years before. How could she tell the difference between the states? One would think he were dead if it were not for his even breaths and the slow rise of his chest. A truly restful and deep sleep causes you to relax completely, just like when you die, there is no tension. Your mouth is ajar, limbs limp, and you’re very pliable; except in death, these properties leave you after some time and the body hits rigor mortis. Plus, you can’t wake someone up so easily when they’ve delved so deep in to unconsciousness and she knew Renny was normally a very light sleeper due to his paranoid habits. She would have enjoyed the beauty of the moment, but a whimper from her arms woke her from her trance.

Gold irises flicked down to the bundle in her arms as watery blue eyes stared up at her, somehow the boy could still cry. She had thought he had passed out on the walk downstairs, but obviously, he had awakened and this was her first time seeing his blue eyes or him for that matter. A new face in the castle? She didn’t think on it too much as she glanced at the brunette child and smiled, “Why don’t you rest while I take care of your friend here?” she offered, indicating the bed, sofa, and the various cushions and blankets Renny normally would sleep on. For some reason, her friend always enjoyed sleeping on a pile of cushions and pillows, rather than his bed. “Or if you want to help, you can,” she said and glanced down at the boy at her arms, he had closed his eyes again and she shivered at how icy he felt.

She waited a moment for him to decide before heading to the bathroom and running warm water in the bath and hot in the sink. Taking a towel and rag down, plus a few medical supplies, she lightly patted the boy’s cheek. “Wake up,” she murmured and continued until finally he opened his eyes a bit, his lips now hued blue parted to murmur a few shivering words, but they were inaudible. “Don’t speak,” she ordered and held up a dropper filled with a clear liquid. “Open up,” she gently tugged at his lips and after a moment he obeyed, quickly she squirted the solution down his throat. Henry gagged a bit and coughed, making a rather scornful face at the ill taste in his throat. But soon he relaxed, as if put under a spell. Bizen chuckled as the drug took effect and began the tedious task of undressing the boy. She had the wet the bloodied spot with hot water to loosen up the dried blood so she could slide off the garments. Once he was stripped, she sighed and cleaned him up with the rag, not wanting to place him in the tub just yet. She’d rather not shock the poor boy. She found the wound on his arm where the stitches had been pulled and opened the wound. She winced as she looked at it and dabbed away blood before removing the old stitches. She had learned a few things with Renny, especially during his rough days and he refused to see a doctor. She swore sometime she thought the man had a phobia of hospitals and doctors and anything related to the two.

Replacing the stitches, she was careful to move him to the bath, slowly laying him in the warm layer of water before cleaning his hair and body a bit more thoroughly. Once he was hygiene acceptable, she ran the bath water out and picked him up looking at his condition as she dried him off. His lips had taken on a more lively hue, less frightening than the blue they had been before. His skin was still cold as death, but that was to be expected since he would need help to generate the heat had lost with the blood loss. She bandaged his arm and checked him for other injuries, noticing he was still blissfully unaware, but awake. Wrapping him in a towel and cleaning up everything she had used, she moved him out of the bathroom and laid him on the bed. She seemed to be on autopilot as she moved to the other side of the room, searching Renny’s wardrobe. She came back with a pair of flannel pajama pants and a thick turtle neck sweater. She slid the clothes on to him and sighed as she moved to the kitchen to whip up a few drinks. She took down six cups, filling three with water and the other three with her homemade hot chocolate with a little something special. Stepping back in to the room after fifteen minutes he glanced at the window sill, past Renny at the falling snowflakes. When had the rain become snow?

She smiled and glanced at the brunette, offering him a drink before moving to the window. She hoisted Renny from the seat and laid him on his favorite pile of cushions and wrapped him a thick blanket. Closing the window to lock out the chilling air, she sat on the bed with her own cup of the creamy hot chocolate. She patted the bed beside her, hinting for Kyle she join her. “I won’t bite,” she giggled and held up her pinky, “Pinky swear!” she chirped and then lifted up the bundled up child she had just cleaned up. The jostle woke the young lad and he blinked, still shivering. She smiled and held the cup to his lips, “Here, drink this, it’ll help you warm up,” she murmured and he mutely complied, sipping from the glass and raising shaky hands to help the woman. She didn’t allow him to drink too much at a time, only allowing decent sized sips. Once he had finished, she smirked as she saw him shudder once before relaxing, the shivering slowing. She had added a bit of alcohol to help him warm up and she allowed him to lie on her lap as he began to doze off as the cozy warm feeling consumed him.

Turning her attention back to the brunette, she smiled, “We never got to make introductions,” she murmured as she drank from her cup. She held out a hand to him to shake as she spoke, “Name’s Bizen Ayira, may I know your name, young man?” she introduced. At some point during her busy rounds had changed out of her bloodied clothes, now wearing dark blue satin nightie and matching shorts underneath, and a golden robe of the a thicker, more plush material hung open on her shoulders. Her feet were bare, tucked under her legs as she sat Indian style. The only thing missing from her make-up wise was lipstick, making it clear that her beauty was natural. She didn’t believe in wearing pounds of make-up since it ruined your skin and made it to where you couldn’t go without it. The most she allowed herself was lipstick and lip gloss.


oO0o.o0Oo


Vitani’s eyes were focused on the red liquid swirling in her glass as she sipped it, finding it wasn’t as bad as the first sip. The more she drank, the better it tasted and it made her interest pique. She had never been allowed anything alcoholic since it would have more negative effects on her than anything due to her anatomy. She paused as she heard a light laughter and let her eyes shift to fall on Chez, the king had his head rolled back against the seat and chuckling at something she did not know of. It caused her to tilt her head at the interesting display, her smile shrinking a bit, but still lingering on her lips. She glanced at Deviant, the scientist had put down her glass and was leant back against the couch, eyes closed and body lax. Her caramel skin was slightly flushed, giving it a warmer tone. The only thing telling her she was awake was the flicker of her lashes every now and then as the woman tried to open her eyes again, but was failing.

The queen was ripped from her reverie at Chez’s outburst, his anger barely contained in his voice. She turned as he finished and after Deviant was fully gone due to the alcohol’s affects along with the time of day. Staring at him, she frowned as she realized he was genuinely defying her, but it was to be expected. Henry was his nephew and possibly the only family he has left. She sighed and sat up, stretching her arms above her head as she did so. She had also not meant for Kyle to leave so soon when she had made that statement, but somehow she was happy he did. A certain chill was running up and down her spine, making her anxious to end this and check up on her kin. Glancing at Chez, she opened her mouth to speak, but it snapped shut just as quick as she heard the door open and soon after a very audible impact of someone hitting the floor. Standing and glancing behind, she arched a brow at the male on the floor.

Taking the moment to nudge Deviant, the woman stirred reluctantly and glanced up. “Yes, my queen?” she asked and Vitani chuckled, even drunk she was still professional as always.

“You’re dismissed for the day,” Vitani stated, her smile stretching as it took a few minutes for her words to sink in before Engel stood, nodding mutely. Deviant raised her finger tips to her brow in a salute which Vitani returned, dropping the salute first, giving signal Deviant could make her leave. The tall Assanyan said a few quiet parting words to the others before turning, heading to the door. Before she left, she paused and peeked over her shoulder at Vitani before speaking, “My Queen, I almost forgot,” she murmured and took out a piece of paper, a neat little scroll. She tossed it to Vitani who caught it with ease, curiously blinking at the parchment beneath her platinum veil. She barely heard the click as Deviant closed the door and disappeared.

Vitani only shook herself from her trance when Chez introduced the young man and she turned, wondering how they had ended up there in such short time. She smiled and bowed her head, “Pleasure, Mr. Arata. I’m Fuhrer Vitani Lee,” she introduced briefly, deciding to use her military rank instead of rank. She truly did not want anyone else calling her queen. It was quite tiresome really. She sat down and sighed, reluctant to return back to the subject that was at hand before the disturbance. “Henry’s training will not be the same as adults,” she stated firmly, “First, he requires his mental knowledge and stamina to be increased. This is done through studying, tutoring, and concentration exercises, not him getting beat around on the ground. We may be a warrior race, but WE are NOT savages,” she stated firmly and crossed her arms, tapping the scroll against her upper arm. “His physical training will be in the form of games, children’s games such a tag, hide and seek, et cetera,” she explained further and her smile stretched as she came to the end of short retaliation. She raised a lazy finger and directed it at Chez, point blank, “If he is to stay here instead being trained and meeting eager family in Assanya, I expect you to train him. He is unstable and if he does not learn to control himself, he will cause more harm than good when danger arises again.” Her smile had shrunk to stern frown as she stated the last sentence. “Concentration will be on his mental state more than anything,” she summed up and sighed, smiling a bit as she leaned against the arm of the sofa.

She sat silently, patiently waiting for his reaction and smiled, “It surprises me how… over a week ago, neither of knew he existed and now, we’re fighting over him. Quite selfish…” she murmured and closed her eyes. It was selfish of them to take him from either side of the family and she strained her mind to find a way to satisfy both their wants. She could request her immediate families’ presence here in Trinity to meet the boy, but they were still on a temporary treaty. She could invite Chez and his company to Assanya, but even that had complications. She found herself developing a headache all too soon. And she needed to return to her home and complete her duties as Fuhrer and Queen before her people think she has deflected. Opening her eyes, she sat up, tucking the parchment in her sleeve as she gazed passed Chez, Arata, and Lucrecia to the large window above the new king’s bed, in which Venetia slept silently. She stared up at the moon that returned with its own silver gaze and she smiled a peaceful and genuine one. The rain had become snow and she found it quite beautiful. She was even more eager to leave this meeting so she would be free to gaze. When had winter come? It had snuck up on them through all the chaos and she chuckled, briefly thinking back to her family and winters she enjoyed in Assanya.

In a good mood once more, she stood, gathering the empty glasses and placing them neatly to the side, placing the cork back in the wine bottle before standing erect. She bowed briefly, “I believe we should end this session, it is late and I have a few chores to finish before retreat. We can continue another time, so good night Chez,” she nodded to him and then turned to Arata, “Arata, it was pleasure meeting you. I hope you fare better the rest of the night,” and then nodded to Lucrecia, “Goodnight Lucrecia.” She briefly approached Venetia where she lay and smiled, leaning down and whispering a quiet good night and wishing her luck for the coming day. A mumbled reply was all she got before she fell silent again and she chuckled, erecting herself and heading for the door. One last nod and she left the room, pulling the door closed behind her, she sighed as leant against the wooden barrier for a moment.

She went over her “chores” in her head and quickly set a fast pace to complete them. First, she needed to check on Henry and she briefly wondered where he could be. Kyle would be with him she knew. She asked servants and butlers, maids and nobles, everyone who she would of thought might have spotted the boy. Finally an elderly butler nodded and guided her to her desired destination, surprising her as she herself outside the dressmaker’s shop. A man she was currently investigating. She thanked him and stepped inside, stilling the bell so it would not sound. She did not see them in the immediate area and frowned, wandering around silently until she found a door at the back of the shop, past heavy curtains. The door was slightly ajar and she stepped forward, voices could be heard from within the room. She listened and smiled, though she could not recognize one she soon discovered from the conversation that everything was well here. She had confidence in Kyle and doubted he would be at leisure if Henry was harmed. Before she left, she left a brief note on the door and headed back, retracing her steps. Silencing the bell once again as she departed and made her way upstairs, she briefly check in on Deviant and her brother.

In the suite, she found her brother dozing on the couch, his favored weapon on the table beside him. She shook her head at the lazy figure and grinned, turning to enter a room and she peeked past the double doors. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the darkness and soon she saw the silhouette of Deviant sprawled on the bed, fast asleep. Grinning and closing the door carefully, she approached the couch and smiled down at her big bad brother sleeping like a kitten. She sighed and leaned down, placing a kiss on his forehead, “Night, Damian,” she whispered against the cool skin there. Standing, she took the blanket from off the back of the couch and laid it over him before gliding over to the curtained window. She pulled the curtains aside and stared out the large window to the moon. The cushion of the window suit felt plush underneath her fingertips and she sighed, enjoying the dance the snowflakes created outside the glass.

Vitani’s lax form tensed as she felt something encircle her as she tried to look behind her to see who had managed to sneak up on her, but her efforts were halted as large hands covered her eyes. Her world sank in to darkness and she pouted, not liking to be blinded. “I was wondering when you’d return,” she smiled as she heard Damian’s voice and chuckled, guessing the man had been awake the entire time.

“Damian,” she growled and heard him laugh, relinquishing her sight and letting his hands snake around her, cradling her against him. She purred as she basked in his warmth and soon realized that he had brought the blanket with him. “Miss me?” she teased and felt him purr, rather than heard him as he rested his head on her shoulder. For a while they stayed like that, both watching the scene outside the window. Soon she felt him lift her and blinked, but soon realized what he was doing as he sat down on the window seat and pulled her in to his lap, seating her between his legs with her back against his chest. She shifted and began to untie her boots, sliding them off, and placing them neatly on the floor before relaxing against her brother’s chest. It felt wonderful being cradled against him and she felt herself being pulled off to sleep as he ran his fingers through her hair idly.

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[CVKE]

〖 S h h ,　 H　e 　T a l k s 〗

❝No sooner than Arata had sat down, the blond lady had introduced herself. He stood up again, and bowed as he heard her name. She was the Queen of Assanya; it was due to his recent travels he knew that. "Please to meet you my Queen." He smiled, before taking his place next to Chez.

Chez kept his gaze away from Vitani, he didn't want to let Henry go. She started to speak, and finally gained his attention. "Vitani, I never said that you or the others were savages. I know how the training goes. It’s just-" He didn't know how to finish the sentence, yes, actually he did. 'It’s just that I'm being over-protective.' But he couldn’t say that out loud.

Chez listened, as Vitani continued to explain the training. Sighing he spoke again. "I'll train him to a certain point...but Vitani give me your word that when he does go to Assanya, that you will keep train him, and keep your eye on him at all times." He finally gave in. But he wasn’t going to let his decision nor Vitani’s control Henry. "Tomorrow. We ask what Henry thinks of this. If he wants to go, then I won't force him to stay."

Standing up, Chez stretched his arms and legs. He titled his head towards the queen as she spoke. "Well, its been a long week. And I wouldn't say that I didn't know he existed. It’s just that...he had disappeared for a long time." Chez frowned to himself. "That reminds me. Henry has family in Assanya, is there a way they could come here?" He questioned. "And we could make the treaty final."

"Leaving already?" Chez smiled as the queen picked up the empty glasses and placed them to the side. He waved at her as close the door to his room. "Good night, Vii-chan." He muttered.

"No way that’s the 'Vii-Chan'?" Arata spoke up loudly from the sofa shock visible in his voice. "Does she know your Va-" A hand shot through the air and clamped Arata's mouth shut. Chez hissed out a shh, and nodded his head towards Lucrecia. Arata had forgotten that the girl was there. "Sorry..." He mumbled into the hand.

Sighing for it seemed to be the third time (In the post), Chez looked at Lucrecia, and then at Venetia. "What to do..." he mumbled.”Stay the night?" He asked. "You could share the bed with your sister...Arata, and I won't be sleeping anytime soon though and if we do we can use the sofas.”
❞



〖 D i d y o u l i s t e n ? 〗