Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Ah....how... good of him..." Jett's smile was now a little forced. "How do you like the castle, what little you've seen of it?" A definate time for a change in subject. Out of the corner of his eye, Jett could already see a small group of courtiers whispering, and sidelong glances at Micoi. It was to be expected, but what could they be talking about?

Jett coughed, and a servant immediately offered him a glass of wine, which he gulped. It took him a moment to regain his composure, before he spoke again, "Ah...Lady Micoi, the name of the Youkai Lord is not spoken in this castle. His name died when he did, so long ago....Please....do not bring it up again." He could not bear to watch his new Queen shatter her reputation so quickly.

The chatterings of the Great Hall died down for a moment, as Micoi spoke, then stirred back up again with renewed fervor. "....Micoi," He said, his voice barely audible to her. "Consider it a swear word, to utter the past Youkai Lord's name. Consider it...ah, part of the game, I mentioned."

Liozu paused and turned half around to consider the throne, a strange smirk on his lips at the Queen-to-be's rather naive comments. In their shared mind, Liozu himself, momentarily distracted from the hurt Madiir had caused and his predicament, idly commented that he'd forgotten how uptight everybody was about mentioning the Youkai Lord. Smirking, Empress lifted that comment right off the bat and wandered over to Illusia.

"I had forgotten how uptight everybody was about this 'Lord Nadil' business. No wonder I couldn't remember enough, since it's all kept to hush-hush now," he said, easily loud enough to have been heard by the people around.
***

Don't be so loud about it! Shut up! Liozu snarled in their shared mind, angry that a very... sensitive and foremost personal part was being aired so nonchalantly. But this was... Well, it was a Youkai, whoever she was, besides being the "Youkai Empress" and he could hardly ask for *sensitivity* from her, now could he?

But, darling, she snickered. It doesn't matter. Nobody cares about it.

About you. Liozu winced, but didn't care to reply.

Besides... Why worry? You would have said it to him, if you were out here!

Which was true, but he certainly wouldn't have been so loud about it! It was personal, damn it!

"You're right. I'm sorry, " he certainly didn't sound particularily sorry. With a shrug, Liozu looked around the room, rather amused by the glimpse of Celia dancing with one of her ardent... admirers, and the other carefully "not" staring at them. She was such a cute thing, he fairly itched to do something about it. But with two interested people other tail, it would be much too concpiscious, and since there was a need to be inconspicious... it would have to be laid to the side. Though... That maid over there, possibly. It had possibilities, if only to alleviate the sure boredom that would set in after a while. Turning back to Illusia, Liozu smiled lopsidedly.

"That was a bit insensitive," he sounded sincere, and there was no mocking in his face, but somehow Liozu still managed to convey the feeling of being very amused by this reluctance for mentioning Lord Nadil out loud.
***

Liozu, on the other hand, had, almost insctinctly, perked up when the mention of information about Nadil popped up. He really shouldn't even consider it, but his dreams... He was sure he had been even just slightly mutually friendly with the youkai that would become the Youkai Lord, and... he wanted to know more.

Oh, the tales I could tell you, lizard~ Empress sing-songed behind him, but Liozu snorted and ignored her. Even that offer was so very tempting, but he shouldn't. He had already let her come too far, do too much...

Ahahaaa ha~!

Already admitting it, darling? I'm rather amazed! Squaring with your... flaws, as the lizards and worms would no doubt see it, so bravely, she laughed, mockingly before withdrawing again, and Liozu felt his face flush. If it was from anger or embarrassment, however, he had no idea.

Shifting on his feet, as if disturbed by the exchange (as he would be if things were... normal), Liozu snorted softly and nodded.

"It kind of it, isn't it? And don't worry, I will," Liozu smiled, his fleeting glance cast over the courtiers sweet and... uttely disconcerting. It was "lucky" Illusia stood at such an angle he couldn't see it.

"It's personal, anyhow," Liozu sounded cheerful as she shrugged, any earlier possible unseasiness gone. But as this was a regular situation, there was nothing strange with it anyhow.
***

Though what you see in him, besides power that even I can admit was formidable, Empress paused to sneer, as if the thought to admit something like that was unpleasant to her and tasted foul.

But it is oh, so personal, yes, she laughed again, and Liozu squirmed in his bonds, equally angry and flushed with denial/embarrassment. There was no use in telling her to shut up, however.

Definate time for a change in subject. "Lady Micoi, would you like to learn some of our dances? It... would be nice if we were able to dance together...." He was about to mention the wedding, as he didn't want to upset her.

"Ah, no, not now. I would arrange for a time for us to have a large, free space to practice in. And, perhaps you could teach me to dance the ways you have learned in Arinas. It would be quite fascinating to learn a different style of dancing. Perhaps you could start a new trend."