Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Boy did he ever marry the wrong woman." Tegral teased with a smile, nudging her lightly with his finger tips, "You're not what I'd ever call a submissive woman, Kaiori." And all at once he sobered up again, very serious and to the point...the Admiral to the end, "All the same, no man should beat or abuse his spouse no matter the reason. To be wed to someone is the ultimate dedicate of love and commitment, a bond and vow to stay true to one another, keep each other happy, and well. The whole reason I've never been married, or hell even had much of a love life here in the Black Company is because I never found a woman like that." Dismissing his own love life away with the wave of his hand he continued on with his previous line of thoughts, "If Apollo ever gets out of line, Kaiori, you have my cell phone. Call me at any time, day or night, and I'll take him down no matter where he runs, no matter where he runs I'll crush him in such a way as he would never dream in his worst nightmares to raise a hand against you."


Back outside the curtains Xol was garnering more attention then he probably realized. Though he wouldn't be able to recognize the pair watching him, after all they'd never formally been introduced, but Rookin and Kah had more than enough data on the man to know he was a pain in the a** wrapped up in sheer arrogance. Unless the man had the tech to detect the he probably wouldn't be aware of the pair's weapon systems coming online, their sensory suits locking on not only him but his date as well. Phia was a bit of a wild card, she and Tegral had never really been formally introduced either - well there was that one time, drunk in the Dojo. The only experience either Rookin or Kah had with her was the passive involvement at ripping down her manor and aiding in D's death.

All the same, Xol was a pain in the a** and Phia was too unknown to leave to her own devices. Both would be watched and both would be destroyed if they made a hostile move.

"Bloodwyne if they 'ave it...otherwise I'll be fine with regular wine, red please love." She said with a purr and kissed his cheek. She smiled and her eyes swept the room after pulling themselves from his form. She recognized few in this place but sensed familiars. Thanantos didn't go unnoticed by her, certainly less so in his getup, she arched a slender onyx brow in amusement and adjusted the golden mast upon her features. She was wearing contacts tonight afterall. She turned her head over her bare shoulder to look at the emerging Sairys but made no indication beyond that after her eyes returned to the room.

Snaking his arm around Kaiori's shoulder Tegral rested his own head on the top of hers, sighing despite the fact his body really didn't need oxygen for any reason. "You know," He said, looking out - and through - the curtains that enclosed them in privacy, "I've got this great bottle of Chateau Lafitte Rothschild Pauillac, a very " His voice took a Frenchy accent as he named the bottle, waving his hand in an emphasis of his snotty-stuck-up attitude. "A bold, sweet, tasting wine that'll knock your socks off." Smiling he looked down at Kaiori without moving his head, arm around her shoulders, offering her something he hadn't really given anyone outside his command in what seemed like a lifetime...his friendship.

Even KB, who he worked for and waged a war across the Black Company, was nothing more than a means to an end, a drive to follow with his troops. Rookin and Kah, as much as he thought of them as brother and sister were still ultimately his subordinates and he couldn't really consider them friends so long as he held the reigns of commands. Griffin and Bell, Kiaori's children, seemed to look at him like some kind of savage animal that needed to be avoided or killed, so to be able to actually sit around, chat and joke, with someone was a huge relief. It made him feel...well not quite normal, but as close to it as he was gonna get.

Kicking himself for not coming in his real body as he'd wanted to Tegral let himself be caught in the moment, his sub-processors handling the information triangle between Rookin, Kah, and himself as the previously mentioned two kept tabs on the party goers with guns locked and loaded.

Upon entering and fiddling with her hand and mask, she literately came to dead stop as she was near the bar and her eyes locked into Xol's. She can feel the hatred burn through her from him. What was the history between him, why does he want my blood spilled? hopefully since they are at a ball no blood will be spilt. Many questions wondered her mind thoughm especially if she did live here for how long, and what happened to her that now she cant remember anything?

she came up to the bar several paces away from Xol, she held her head up as if she didnt care if he stood by her, and that she wasn't taking him as a threat. Right now she had no business in causing a war, but understand what happened to her. But if this man wants to duke it out, i'm sure they can step outside and annihilate each other, fine by her .She rolled her eyes away from him and walked to the bar. gently leaning against the counter and calmly asked the bartender. " Vodka and Cranberry please..light on the berry.."

Than didn't answer immediately, raising his right brow behind his mask. Of course Than hardly expected a warm reception, but he didn't expect a straight forward listening. Perhaps there was actually hope for Than to accomplish his goal without destructive means. "My memories of visiting your tribe are quite vivid in my mind. I haven't forgotten one bit the barbarism nor utter inhumanity and ingratitude your people have acquired being in your isolated little desert. Perhaps such culture is shaped by the history of your clan, and I won't guess at nor pretend to understand that history, but I've seen well enough what it leads to. And pardon my honesty, but I've never really believed you cared much about changing a damn thing." Thanatos to a break to let this random and rather uninteresting speech take its course.

"In short, I think the total obliteration of you and your clan would be the quickest way to rectify all this." He fell flat back in his chair. "But I'm not Tegral Kartos. I prefer to avoid destruction if it's possible, and the possibility I'm talking of is none other than yourself. I have no plans of how you could ever hope to change the barbarism of an entire society, nor do I think I could have the information I needed to make such a plan without being close to your position. But my main inquiry is not of whether you can make any changes to the hearts of your people, it's whether or not you would do it. A question of character if you will." Than seemed to let his speech linger on that point, rather than make any kind of satisfying conclusion. Than also doubted though, that Apollo was actually acute enough to pick up on what the real subject of his interest was.

At about the same time he finished the speech, Than's attention had momentarily been caught by the red haired woman. In that brief moment, he'd noticed how oddly still her movements were and quiet she was compared to everyone else. Her proximity to him and Apollo also was cause for concern. For the moment, he did nothing, but his body did seem to wind up a little, his attention diverted from Apollo for the moment and directed at this odd woman.

"Makes It easier fer ye to remember them then 'm?" She teased as he walked away from her to the bar. Her eyes were narrowed towards him as she saw the non- verbal exchange between her lover and the woman of questionable morals. Her mind glanced over Xol's thoughts making sure he wasn't going to try anything that would likely get them thrown out. That was one thing that irritated her about him, his need to constantly cause trouble. Her eyes drifted away after she was sure nothing was going to happen returning to Thanantos speaking with Apollo in his clown suit. That one was curious but she decided against listening in on that conversation. She smiled as Xol returned, taking the drink and leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Thank ye...for this an' not causing trouble with 'er." She said in a soft, caress of a voice.

Stop stirring up trouble, this party is for my children. *Apollo would demand sternly. he wasn't about to lower himself to petty threats in a moment when all eyes would be on his family. People would begin to stir with whispers of the clown's disrespect and how it should be thrown from the party. Apollo wouldn't out of proof of his growth as a man, his forgiveness of the past and the fact that he still thought him to be one of kaiori's closer friends.*

*The red headed woman would turn her head slightly to Breg. A daring glint in her red eyes. Her scarlet lips would part with a slight laugh.* My target isn't available it seems. *Ceres would laugh like a devil while running her hands up her thighs, pulling up the edges of her simple black dress revealing a daring array of knives strapped underneath.*

*Kaiori would nod into his chest with another soft sigh. She flutters her lashes and plays with the edge of her dress.* Sounds lovely, as long as Apollo doesn't plan to spend the night. *She mumbles softly between softly rouged lips.*

"Apollo, I will be kind and elaborate on what I mean by 'letting people prance freely.' I know you're not dull witted enough to not notice they aren't standard tier threats. That other man, Tegral Kartos, has probably got a weapon array locked on this whole tower. In fact, he may even have a cloaked ally holding a gun to your head right now, if my past observations are repeated." Tegral's ability to cloak his soldiers was well known, and Than sincerely didn't doubt the possibility of his stationing someone with a gun to Apollo's head at all times, especially if Tegral didn't like someone. "Your children were in a heap of trouble the moment Griffin, beyond reason, set up his headquarters here. However much I might wish Griffin would realize it, however, his alliance with Kartos.... " Than thought to let that topic drop, not because of Apollo himself who may not have known of the partnership, but because he doubted Kartos's eyes and ears wouldn't pick up on the subject. "To be short, you're a long way from being out of trouble. If the subject is too touchy for your highness, then perhaps I'll content myself to steal the appraisal of another royalty." Than hadn't considered Apollo would be so arrogant as to think he was the one in the place to give 'forgiveness of the past.' If Apollo had said it aloud, he might have incurred a much more brutal form of persuasion. His friendship with Kai and hers with him wasn't something Than cared to elaborate on at the moment, although if Apollo were beyond listening then Kai might have been the desert King's last hope.