Ratkings Court, the Captains Roost.

[LoreNoMore]

He laughed at the question. "You must have grown comfy with the ground m'lady, for the word of the skies is no word at all. With tall tales of a great evil coming about, people have decided it's safer to be in there own homes."

He sat on the floor, cross-legged. Obviously what he said didn't imply to him. "And with everyone gone the pirates have no one to loot. Those foolish enough to continue searching have starved themselves in the clouds."

"The muddled masses are slowly trickling back to the skies though. It was why I returned to this port. If your looking for a crew, I can borrow you mine, I have the only to keep me company." He floated around the room while he spoke, in the same pose he was when he was sitting. His appearance and tone was both care-free.

 

[dakki-dono]

"Hmm...thank you for the offer, but I don't think your crew is what I am... looking for."

Carefree was not her goal. Seriousness and responsibility...and fear. Yes, fear was the greatest motivator.
They needed to care.

The skies were still foreign to her. Wickit was supposed to accompany at least one journey...but things happened...as they tended to. Earth-bound and wanderlusting, Dakki could not wait much longer.
Hopefully traffic would pick up again soon.  

[LoreNoMore]

"Aw, that's a shame. They would of really cheered you up, you look like you need a pick me up."

He was now floating above her, upside down, staring down. It was people like her he despised the most. The greedy will forever be miserable with what they already have. But he dared not break out of character and point this out. "What's got you so down anyway?"

 

[dakki-dono]

"Down? Well, you haven't come to wonder how this throne was free?"

Her face softened a little, but straightened in defiance.

"I am not 'down'. Perhaps it is you who is merely 'up'. Now get down, you look like a fool."

Her head appeared to remain looking directly ahead of her, but her gaze...well, she could see everything in the room...and beyond it. She sat back again in the throne.  

[dakki-dono]

Dakki sat, opened legged at the throne, peering over the empty room, her only company the empty staring eyes of the rat-backed circle before her. Her elbow leaned on the arm and a glaze had slid over her eye as she meandered in thought.

Road's End was hers. The port, the docks...the castle. It still hadn't been cleaned. She didn't know if she could go back in yet. There was a thick vicious mucous about the main hall's presence.

Here in the court, however, it was silent and thin. But not the sapid warm type. No, it was noisome and chill. Perhaps she just hadn't noticed before.  

[User 1289611]

He walked through the doorway. He was clad in an expensive tailored brown suit, although one could question why someone would pay such a price for such an ugly suit. No, Vincent never really had an eye for color, but he did enjoy foliage. He made his way down the dirty court, his stride enhanced by his 6' 7'' frame, as he slowed to a saunter as he approached the throne. Dakki was sitting there, in all her glory and glamor. Alone, dirty, and cold, in her castle built by a blind man.

"Nice place you got here..."

He put his hands in his pockets, his one orange eye gleaming at her.

"..could use some cleaning, though."  

[dakki-dono]

Her gaze slid languidly to the figure, meeting her yellow with his orange. Unable to be assed to shift in position, she afforded him her attention but little more.

"Be my guest."

Cleanliness was not her main concern. Dust, mold...all things that could be ousted rather quickly.
She didn't know if she liked the renovations, though. Dakki didn't like anything in particular, but in some sense, it was worth not loathing anything, either.

The year had put a patina of abandonment on the castle. Not even the docks had been particularly busy. Once word was out about big game in Dref Dur, there wasn't a lot to promise.  

[User 1289611]

Vincent looked towards the ceilings, those large vaulted arches that seemed to be so high up. So many cobwebs.

"I take it you are the queen of this palace?"  

[dakki-dono]

"Queen? No..."

She didn't take the place by rite of birth or marriage. Tyrant perhaps, but never a queen. Her crown of flies was that over another kingdom.

"What is it you seek from me? I know you can only be here for one reason, so quit trawling and out with it."  

[User 1289611]

"Reason? Nah. No reason. Felt like going for a walk. Guess I ended up here, and here we are. "

Vincent took out a map. He twiddled around with it until he finally got the thing open. He looked at it, and then quickly folded it back up. He brought his attention back to Dakki, but he seemed off, like in a haze. Distant. Not cold, just "not there".

"So uh, you are an islander demon, huh? How'd you end up here and with all this stuff?"  

[dakki-dono]

"A strange blend of fortunate events, I've always assumed."

She knew when she was being played with, and this man was not normal. She could see it.
Her nail traced a design on the throne and she payed about as much mind to him as he to her. She wasn't going to ask about the map. It was a prop.  

[User 1289611]

"Isn't always? For what are we but in a dream, and we are but thoughts. Nice meeting, you, though."

He began to pace away from the throne, then he turned.

"I'm sure we'll cross paths again. It's only inevitable."

With a loud thunderclap, he vanished.