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 Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:23 pm
Training. Perfect. I hope. Jody followed Loa and turned around when he saw her suddenly rush off in a different direction. He walked after her and saw her pick up a baby bird. By the time she'd put the bird back in its nest, Jody was only standing a few feet away from her and the tree. As she drifted back to the ground, there was an instant where she and Jody were exactly face-to-face, with their eyes at the same level.
As she landed, Jody realized his eyes had widened a little. Come to think of it, my face feels warmer than usual. s**t. I had better not be blushing. At that moment, he was very glad that Loa was so short. Might actually be a problem if she weren't. Pointless to think about it.
"Sharp eyes," he muttered to break the silence, referring to her having even noticed the baby bird.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:36 pm
Loa blushed a bit herself, at having been caught rushing off to help a baby bird. She couldn't afford to be considered soft. She noticed he was blushing a little bit as well, but misinterpreted it. "You needn't be ashamed, if that's what it is. I don't fly very often. Only when my prince wishes it." At his comment of sharp eyes, she shook her head. "No, ears. I heard it. And I felt it." She brushed her hair out of her face and wiggled her ears. "Some elves are attuned to nature. Predictably enough, I'm attuned to animals. It's how I knew you weren't a peacock, after all."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:45 pm
Jody tilted his head and squinted a little, puzzled at the first thing Loa said. "Ashamed of what?" he blurted out. Guh. No. Don't talk when you don't have to. No need to give people more information than you have to. Jody was hyper aware of how anything anyone uttered usually said something about them besides the literal meaning of their words, if the listener really thought about it. "I see," he said, nodding at her explanation of how she'd noticed the bird.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:48 pm
Loa tilted her head, honestly confused. "You were flushed, I assumed it was from shame of being seen with an obvious beastial, since I was flying." She gave a nod at his 'I see'. "I tend to downplay that. Not many know... Even my prince doesn't realize just how attuned to animals I am."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:01 pm
Jody's eyes widened in astonishment at Loa's explanation for why he should be ashamed. Then he burst out laughing, although he muffled it immediately with a hand he clapped over his mouth. Oh my gawd, if she knew what Nithya and I've done--remembering Nithya was enough to get him to stop laughing, but it didn't quite wipe the grin off his face. "I'll not mention it, then. And I'd never be ashamed of being seen with someone just because they were a beastial. I guess it didn't even occur to me that people here feel that way until you mentioned it. Though I guess it fits."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:13 pm
Loa blinked a bit, nodding at his statements. "Well... Honestly, until today, the only person I knew in the castle who wasn't ashamed to be seen with me was my prince. Even the younger highness doesn't like being seen with me, because he fears one of us will get in trouble." She glanced away. "What have you heard of the young Prince Erasmus?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:29 pm
Hmm... well, I think I've made it pretty obvious I'm from Incolumitas by now--or at least not from Exortensis. Still, if she noticed, she doesn't seem to be letting on. "The royal family calls him Owen, he's rather frail, no one knows exactly what's causing his symptoms--though you've been keeping track of them in hopes of figuring something out, and the prince supports you doing so even though the king doesn't really. The king will only let court doctors examine Owen, but Riordan wants to sneak in doctors with more modern methods from Incolumitas. You suggested Slaine and Faelynn Cael--I'd agree with that suggestion, by the way. I've never met either of them, but they've got an excellent reputation," Jody told Loa in a very low voice when he asked what he'd heard about the younger prince--nearly a whisper, in case anyone was trying to listen in. Wait a minute--did I just call Riordan by his name? Oops.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:43 pm
Loa gave a slow nod as he spoke, checking everything against her own knowledge. There was a minor bit of shock when he mentioned that she'd been keeping track of the symptoms, and glanced away awkwardly. She stiffened when he referred to the prince by name, and gave him a pointed look. She tried to suppress the slight brush that always occured when she heard his name. When he mentioned The doctors Cael and his agreement with that decision, it sank in part of why he was so at ease around her. "You are from Incolumitas." She murmured, stating it as a fact. "I'm well aware of their reputation, it's why I picked them. Also, since they turn no one away, they're more likely to have encountered his illness before than the exclusive doctors of the court." Loa gave a slight nod. "Once I feel confident that you are no threat to my prince, I will be leaving to find the doctors Cael."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:56 pm
Jody did not miss Loa's reaction to his using Riordan's name and gave a quick, apologetic smile to show it hadn't been intentional. Yep... definitely something to remember to avoid doing again. He didn't confirm or deny her first statement, but he knew his reaction to her assertion wouldn't make much difference. "True," Jody said when she mentioned her second reason for picking the Cael siblings, managing to not add that he hadn't though of that. I'm a little too chatty around her, I think. Better watch out for that.
"So you're confident there aren't any other potential threats to the prince's well-being besides me?" he asked in response to the last thing she said.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:02 pm
"No. There are always threats. You're just the threat closest to him at the moment. All other threats can be handled by the bodyguards that I've gathered and trained myself can handle his safety until I get back." She raised her eyes to the sky and smiled lightly. "And he can handle himself as well. It should be a quick enough trip." She raised her eyes to him. "You're a bit chatty for a mere observer."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:02 pm
۞Demitri Conrad۞
Demitri kept pace with the King as they walked off but stayed a step behind as to allow his Majesty to lead the way. He frowned when the King spoke of those who thought his life was about to end. "Sire, Your health is not an issue. There are those who worry that Prince Riordan may not be fully ready to assume the throne. This compounds with paranoia and causes people to suggest rash things." Demitri said his tone even though you could tell these views annoyed him to know end as he had to listen to the prattle about them for hours upon end during meetings. "However, I do not think it wise to discount a war completely. This treaty...it has me worried. With all do respect Sire, We are not the most favorable kingdom. Incolumitas itself has a large pool of power and if they have gain allies. I fear we may be the target regardless." Demitri said producing a copy of the treaty from his pocket. After it had been received he had created copies for his own personal study as if he could unlock some secret through the words. "I think we should be preparing for a war but not starting one. Yet anyway." He sighed as the little monkey on his shoulder crawled down his arm to examine the treaty for itself.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:07 pm
King Kennard was aware that Demitri remained a step behind him out of respect for his status, and gave a grateful nod, before motioning him forward. Kennard wanted his friends to walk alongside him, and Demitri was one of them. "I know my health is not an issue, and yet even my wife acts as if I've one foot in the grave." He scoffed. "And of course Riordan is ready to assume the throne. His only damn weakness is also his greatest strength. That damn bodyguard of his. Nothing gets past her, but..." Kennard frowned. "But the way Rio looks at her when he thinks people don't see..." He shook his head, worried his boy would do something rash. "It's funny, isn't it? Such a small space, and yet it has such resources." Blinking, he nodded at Demitri's words. "Preparing for a war but not starting one... Yes, yes I agree with that."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:10 pm
"Bad habit of mine. Yet another reason why my peacock form is much better for doing my actual job," Jody said with a sheepish smile in response to the last thing Loa said.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:14 pm
Loa gave a nod. "As you've no doubt noticed, I'm chatty except when around those above my station. Or my prince." She glanced away, then back at him. "This question is for me. What..." She glanced down. "What do people say about my prince because of the time he spends with me? I can't hear honest answers from people." Loa was always so worried about the affect(effect?) her companionship had on her prince.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:25 pm
"They seem to see it as a character flaw on his part," Jody answered after a few seconds of thinking about it. "You said yourself that many of the nobles' problem with Riordan is he doesn't care what they think. Well, their strongest negative opinions about him are how he sees you. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if his relationship with you distracts them from any actual weaknesses he may have. But that's just within the castle walls. I don't think I recall ever hearing about you outside. General public opinion of the prince seems pretty high, as far as I can tell."
((Let me know if any of that's inaccurate/needs changing =].))
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