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 Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 2:24 pm
Val returned from his holiday on the glimmersea in a less than cheery mood. He had not wanted to take the holiday, but he had not been given a choice. Though he had made fascinating acquaintances while traveling, he would have preferred to be home. He knew something was happening. His mother's manner said as much, even if she, herself, did not. He had not grown to the age he was without learning to read his mother's moods. When she had sent him away, she had been excited and a little on edge. She had also been extremely smug, which usually meant either bad news for his other aunt and her offspring or something to do with Shrisin. He surmised that Shrisin would be returning briefly to Llurth Dreir, and he was not supposed to see her. It galled him that the House was still playing that game. It had been years.
Despite his ire at being sent hither and yon for no good reason, he was otherwise pleased to be home and in a place where he was comfortable and things were familiar. He understood his House relatively well, for one with a male's mental limitations, and it was easy to be there. It was also boring, since the training was nothing like as rigorous as it had been when he was at the academy. He performed his exercises every morning and then he drilled with the House guard, except when his Aunt Rilinid decided to single him out and engaging him in one-on-one combat. This, too, was frustrating, though she was a talented warrior, because Val didn't dare win, even though he was certain he could. Instead he found creative ways to lose that didn't make it too obvious he was losing on purpose.
It was not an ideal existence, really, but he had no right to expect more. He occupied himself by exploring possible ways into the manor which an enemy army or assassin might take, crawling through the deep levels' low passageways and clambering about on the rooftops. At night he would wander the city, looking for trouble and ways to occupy himself. the only spark of interest that his House held was the rumor that a new family member had appeared while he was on holiday, but he had yet to meet this new family member, which meant he wasn't supposed to, he guessed. It partially satisfied his curiosity to know the presence of another cousin was the reason for his mother's smugness, but he couldn't help wondering.
In a manor the size of Baen'duis, it wasn't inconceivable that he could go for weeks without running into a particular person, but it was unlikely. At least if this person ate in normal places and participated in normal activities it would be unlikely, because a newcomer would not be familiar with the hidden passages of the manor, and therefore forced to take the more frequently-used routes between locations. He might never have met the newcomer, in fact, had he not happened to overhear a servant in the kitchen order another to bring a tray of food to Lady Ilmxena. He didn't recognize the name, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that she was the new family member. When the underling with the tray was out of his master's sight, Val relieved him of his burden and convinced him to tell him where it was to go.
She was living in the family quarters, which made their non-contact all the more improbable, but was also the reason he had found no evidence of her presence. He wasn't stupid enough to go through a family member's room. Some of them had very unpleasant preventatives in place to deter thieves and sneaks. He wouldn't have explored her assigned rooms. He recognized them, though, when he came to the door, because they had been empty a long time. He and his cousins and siblings had played in that room when they were younger. He scratched softly at the door - a servant's knock - and waited to be granted entry.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:00 pm
Ilmxena was of the opinion that her current greatest gift was her unidentifiable nature. She roughly knew about the rest of the family, but she was certain they knew very little of her. Save for her Great-Aunt. THAT one she suspected knew everything about her. It was a unsettling thought, to think that there was a person out there who had been keeping tabs on her and likely knew things about her that she had not yet discovered herself. Plus the uncertain nature of her family connection gave her more reason to be cautious. In short.... Xee was going to lengths to avoid anyone she could term 'family'. That was why she needed her males. Elaughfein was a Goddess Gift though. The compliant and devoted male was perhaps the best to have reclaimed first. She could at least expect things of him and she'd know he would get them done for her. She was still wondering about how good of a outside ear he could be. As pretty as he was he certainly would draw attention lingering about. That was a thorny prize there. Lovely to look at, it made him good company for keeping around. But too much of a eye catcher. She still wasn't certain if he'd prove anymore useful then a fetch and carry servant yet either.
Xee was nothing else if not careful. She had learned caution and the importance of taking one's time in unfamilar territory. That was how she viewed the House. Just another stretch of the Underdark Wilds in her mind. Still... She was going to go stirr crazy if she did not determin something to do Something to hunt at least! Perhaps she should personally look for the missing males...but she worried that if she took on the task it might tip the scales later on. She needed to exude power and prominance with the other two more so then with Elaughfein.
For perhaps the tenth time that day Xee paused in her pacing of her room and turned to glare scatheingly at her own reflection in a mirror. It troubled her, she hadn't grown a inch since she had been dragged from the Driders web. She blamed the poison she had been infused with a furious hatred. Being so small...she was a typical height for a male, that was granted, but most females she ended up staring chest level with. Ugh! At least traveling with the merchants she had never noticed! It was not until she returned to the city. Of course...her sour temper could be because she had not had anything to really keep herself distracted.
Oh sure... the whip gift from her cousin had proven to be a distraction enough. She supposed she could practice with it more. It took different muscle combinations to flesx and curl the whip according to her desire. A simple strike out was easy enough, but the rest required more practice. Xee's eyes dropped to where the coiled length rested upon her hip through her golden belt. The soft knock on the door broke her brooding. She crossed the room, feeling a bit grateful for the break in the tedium she had been suffering. Honestly. She should have been at least checking out the area around her room...but knowing this was a family section she was disinclined to leave her room during the waking hours. Perhaps later tonight she would explore her windows and see if there were any ledges that she could scale...
Xee opened the door and found herself facing a tray and a chest...granted...this one had no breasts...but still... Her white haired head tilted upwards slowly so she could peer up at the male that was a good foot and three inchs taller then her. "You." She began while placing one hand upon her hip, her fingers lightly curling over the edge of her belt as she took in his garb in that single eye sweep. "Are not a servant."
Ah, ever so much the blunt and charming Ilmxeena.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:34 pm
When the door opened, Val found himself staring at empty space, which was not at all what he had anticipated. He had rather expected that Lady Ilmxena would either answer the door herself or have a servant do so for her, but since he was the height of most females, and nothing remotely Drow met his gaze, he was forced to drop it. This was when he discovered that Lady Ilmxena had actually been the one to answer the door, and she was incredibly short. He was accustomed to dealing with Shri, who was also petite, but she was only five inches shorter than he, and Ilmxena was considerably more so.
Partly to disguise his surprise at her diminutive stature and partly to hide his smirk at her statement of the very obvious, Val bowed low, managing to sweep the laden tray gracefully to the side. That part wasn't very difficult, as the tray was not much heavier than some shields he had been made to carry as part of his training, and no one was bashing at it with a sword or cudgel or anything, which made for a change of pace. Ilmxena would probably start bashing at him, though, if she caught him smirking and thought he was amused by her height. In the brief moments where he had stolen a second of visual perusal and had the opportunity to hear her blunt manner, Val had formed an initial impression that she was the sort to take remarks about her stature very personally. It was, after all, a female's prerogative to be touchy, and she had more reason than most, ready-made.
When he rose his expression was controlled and his gaze was carefully lowered in a much-practiced manner that allowed him to look down without appearing to look down on his company. Being tall was not something for which he was frequently grateful. His continued silence might have been taken for shock, but it was, in fact, a space for his mind to formulate a diplomatic reply. He was about as practiced at being diplomatic as he was at not meeting the gaze of those his own height or looking down on people, which is to say that he was good at it. And this person wasn't even holding a weapon at his throat, eye, gut, or other vital squishy parts that don't take well to being punctured. It was significantly easier to think without that added pressure.
"No, Lady," he agreed. "I'm Valyrr." He bowed again, this time the less elaborate bow a male gave to a member of his family. "I have been eager to meet you for some time, Cousin."
He considered adding something about the tantalysing scent of the food he was bring up to her, but decided against it. It was beneath him to notice such things, one, and two, she might not want to deal with a chatty male. Given her blunt greeting and reclusive behavior - for he was now sure that it was no coincidence that they had not met - it was possible that she did not appreciate idle conversation. So he waited, quiet and still, for her next action.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 4:30 pm
When Val shifted his position to bow, Xee took a half step backwards. Once it was that she had determined he certainly was -not- a servant she had reached for her belt. Just because she had not done anything yet it did not mean someone would not pose a danger to her. Once again she lamented the fact she did not have any reliable ears to pass along any whispers to her. Perhaps she would just have to risk Elaughfein anyways and have him start listening around. As it was, she kept her hand upon her belt. He was...big. Even for a male she was certain it was not normal for them to be so big. She wondered how it was possible for a male to get so big. Perhaps he had been given something young to make him grow bigger? It was possible, just look at what had happened to her after all!
The resepect he showed her was something the had become accustomed to from the servants that had brought her the meals she requested. Though this was a bit different. As he used the term 'Cousin' her lips pressed into a small thin line. "Ah...another mysterious family member." She remarked while Val performed his more informal bow to her. Eager to meet her? That was...well... She wasn't sure. Xee tilted her head as she slipped to one side of the door. "Well then. Come in and meet me. Put the tray on the table over there." It looked a bit heavier then she wanted to bother with anyways. She would hold off eatinguntil after he left though...She wanted to be able to cast her spells to ensure nothing was poisoned or magiced without seeming too paranoid.
She waited for Val to enter the room, she hadn't taken it upon herself to change anything within. Save for her travelers pack dumped right at the head of the bed nothing was really out of place. She could not help but look him over again. He certainly had the build of a warrior. Still...such a big male! She wondered just what sort of 'eagerness' he had concerning meeting her...
"I take it then it's moderatly common knowledge I'm here.... I wonder if I should be surprised or concerned your the first to try and visit me Cousin."
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 5:05 pm
Val followed her into the room, carefully maneuvering so that the tray did not come anywhere near to connecting with her head, which was unfortunately at a level where it was a distinct possibility. He placed the tray on the table and used the action as an opportunity to look around and see what changes she had effected on the place since last he was in it. His memories were old, but he couldn't see that she had done much with the room, which was neither here nor there. It was well appointed, if bland and boring, and did not hold his attention very well. He wondered how she was able to endure keeping to these chambers for so long without going mad from the monotony.
Once he had completed the task of disposing of the tray he turned back to Ilmxena and did not sit, as he had not been invited to do so. He wished he could find an excuse to seat himself, though, as he had often found that relations were improved when dealing with shorter people if he somehow managed to look less tall. Sitting caused the least discomfort when held for prolonged periods of time, as positions went.
"I was unaware that we are mysterious," Val replied with a hint of humor. "Usually I am told that we are sick, perverted, and mad."
As he spoke his gaze fell to her hip, where her hand had strayed initially. On her belt he could not avoid noticing that she wore what could only be Shri's whip. He would recognize that particular weapon anywhere. Seeing it, his jaw went slack and his eyes widened before he could prevent the reaction. It had never occurred to him that Shri might be parted from that weapon. It was only the third bullwhip she had ever wielded, and she was far more attached to it than she had been to either of the other two. It was the one she had received when she came into what was guessed to be her full height.
He remembered clearly the first night she'd possessed that whip, and how she had practiced with it, turning it on his flesh with a degree of control exceeded only by her mother's, and only because the whip was unfamiliar. It became familiar to both of them in almost no time. Even thinking about it sent involuntary shudders down his spine that were mostly phantom pleasures, though there was always an edge of pain present. He was unaware of how strong his physical reaction was to the sight of the whip, but if he had known, it wouldn't have surprised him if his cousin was thoroughly convinced he had some sort of defect.
It didn't help matters any that the surprise caused his breath to catch in his throat, cutting off his next words with a strangled choking sound. This reaction he did notice in himself and with an effort he tore his gaze away and coughed very softly, pretending that he had something caught in his throat. The blush which spread across his face at what he remembered could have been attributed to a lack of oxygen, he hoped.
"Actually, it's hardly known at all," he said once he regained complete control over his body. " A few servants are aware of your presence, and there are rumours among them, but I've heard no mention of you from any of the family. I only learned your name and which rooms you inhabit less than an hour ago."
He didn't know how to respond to her last words, that she wondered if she ought to be concerned or surprised that he was the first to seek her out. If he knew her better, he might have joked with her, saying she might've been overlooked due to her diminutive state, but at present their relationship was definitely not one where that sort of joking would be appreciated. It would be a very good way to discover what it would be like to feel Shrisin's whip turned against him by another's hand. He wasn't interested in learning how that felt. In the end he decided to say nothing in response.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:05 pm
"Ah, but that is the mystery." Ilmxeena replied after val had set the tray of food down and turned back to her. She lifted a hand and pointed one finger upwards as she half slitted her eyes and continued. "Are you sick? Peverted? Or mad? Or are you a combination there of?" She thought she had sensed some slight hint of humor but she was not certain. her response she hoped would needle out a answer, as she personally thought it was clever enough to warrant a smile perhaps.
Goddess. He was tall. A small impish side of her rang into her ear how interesting it would be...with a male as muscled as him... to climb up on his shoulders and ride around there for a bit. It would be nice to look down on everyone for once. However, Xee had no idea how serious of a drow this male was, what his poisition was...Was he favored? Or was he out of favor? Was that why he sought her out? Her white brows knit momentarily in thought. If he was out of favor he could be hoping to earn the strange new family memebers good grace as a attempt to re-establish himself in a good place.
It was as she was considering the motive of her cousin for seeking her out that she noticed, rather easily, the sudden change in his features. Now..he hadn't looked at her that way when he first came in. So she was certain he wasn't 'smitten by her good looks and attributes' as laughable as her young girls body proved to be. He seemed to shake as he looked down at her hips and..well..perhaps Peverted it was then. Mystery solved? That was not a very comforting discovery... Xee shifted her stance backwards a step and unconsciously tilted her body into a defensive poseing. The choked sound that followed, along with the fake cough, did nothing to settle her stomach.
So help her...family or not if he tried anything she was quite determined to hurt him in ways that she would refuse to be held accountable for.
Her suspicion grew more as he admitted that it was mostly servants talk right now. He had to want something. Be after something. That could be the only reason he'd seek her out if no one else in the 'Family' seemed to be aware of her being here. "Well..." She began slowly, the fingers upon her belt tightened just a fraction. " I have to say I have appreciated the peace and quiet while settling in. I suppose servants are bound to talk. What sort of rumors have you hear? They always seem to come up with the most amusing stories. hardly believable half the time really."
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:51 pm
Val was far more comfortable with the kind of question she put to him. His friends at the academy had teased him good-naturedly about his unusual habits and preferences. The fact that he didn't mind being punished, and often pretended to be more strongly effected by any beatings he incurred than he really was to keep from further irritating anyone. The fact that he felt closer to the Goddess after being beaten than any other time. The fact that he was in love with his sister. At first he'd borne the teasing stoically, until he realized it really wasn't meant to wound, and was their way of coming to terms with the oddities of his personality. And then he had laughed with them, willing to explain factually anything they wanted to know about the things which set him apart from the mainstream.
Seeing how she reacted when he reacted to Shri's whip, Val realized that he would have to do something quickly to convince her that he wasn't going to attempt to rape her or mutilate her or something. It was next-to impossible that he could do anything of the sort, even if he was so inclined. When he had proven to be as talented as he was as warrior, magical conditioning had begun which would make him physically ill if he tried to harm a female member of his House. The illness could be eased if his matron spoke a certain word, but he did not know the word, for it always sounded like someone mumbling through a mouthful of broken teeth and pudding. Briefly he entertained the thought that he could test her legitimacy by trying to do her harm and seeing if he got sick, but that would be stupidity in itself, and would do nothing to improve her view of him.
"Actually, I'm all of the above," he said with a wry grin. "But none of them will effect you in the slightest. I try to keep my vices to myself, though anyone you ask in the House will be able to tell you exactly what they are in lurid detail. As you say, servants talk."
It puzzled him a bit that Ilmxena didn't recognize him, since she was family. The whole of House Baen'duis had been present to see him punished and his infractions had not been kept secret. All of the family had been there for his trial, too. His hair was longer, and his nose had been broken a few times, and he was more muscular, but none of that should have altered his appearance beyond recognition. Besides, he was the only Valyrr in the House. That, alone, should trigger some sort of recognition in her brain. He considered the idea that she was being polite, but quickly dismissed it. She didn't seem the type. He couldn't impose his own habits on others. It was ridiculous to think that a female with whom he was barely acquainted would consider his feelings. Not that he had ever expressed any contrition for the whole affair. He regretted nothing.
"As for what's said of you..." he shrugged, and then reported: "It comes to very little."
"You were away for some time, studying, and now that you have completed your training you have returned. There is a male of the household whom you seem to favor. Elaughfein?" He shrugged again, as he couldn't match a face to the name. "You are to be a companion for Lady Shrisin."
That was the truest reason he had sought her out. If asked, he would cite boredom, but really it was that he wanted to meet this person who was supposed to be Shri's companion. He wanted to know what sort of a companion the new family member was, and if Shri was fond of her. Evidently. She had given her favorite whip to their cousin. It was definitely a mark of favor. Which made him wonder if Ilmxena bore other, more physical marks of Shri's favor. He knew that Shri was not averse to taking female companions, but she had never considered them anything more than amusing diversions in the past. It struck him suddenly that Ilmxena could be something like his replacement.
Rather than feel anger or resentment toward either his sister or their cousin, he just felt a heavy weight in his chest. He had failed Shri, somehow. Maybe. Maybe he was just being egotistical in assuming that Shri taking Ilmxena as a lover had anything to do with him. He had no right to lay any claim to her, and if she chose to seek other lovers, it was her prerogative, and may have nothing to do with him at all. And it wasn't as though he had been available to serve her. But he wondered with a hint of jealousy if Shri might prefer Ilmxena. She had never given him a gift as dear as that whip in all the years they played their game.
Suddenly desperate to know if he was correct, he added with no small amount of anxiety in his tone, hoping to learn more, "They were not specific as to what sort of companionship you provide."
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:21 pm
Her mouth felt rather dry. Xee hoped that the servants had included a bottle of something strong for her to indulge in later. Though at the rate this encounter was going she suspected it would be warm..and warm liqure never tasted quite right. She felt a tenseness in her shoulders from looking upwards at the male.
Could she tell him to sit down? Goddess ********, or even kneel! She wasn't certain if he sat down if he'd be any easier to look up at. His assurances that none of his vices would be a problem for her did very little to settle the slightly skittish Ilmxeena. "I am afraid I've been lax since coming... home..." Xee slowly responded. Was he trying to find out in turn just how much she knew? Goddess ******** utterly ignorant and stupid she'd been as a child... She should not have been so wrapped up in her own play and distractions. What sort of a fool paid as little attention to the actual owners of the House she lived in? Xee was begining to greatly regret her ignorance.
She listened with a partly distracted ear to the rumors concerning her. Away for training. Yes...that could be quite true. Though there may have been more motives to casting her amoung the merchants. The fact they already knew Elaughfein belonged to her was heartening. If the servants recognized him as her's then she could count on that trickling upwards, perhaps she'd need not worry about loseing him after all.
The companion part was a bit new to her though;. Well..it all should have been new considering how little interaction she had so far. Caution could also be a tripping hazard it seemed. Well..
that certainly would make sense. Xee's hand loosened upon her belt so she could slide her fingers to the coiled whip on her hip. Shri had given her a gift right away after all. She was the one she had been left with to become familar with. Perhaps she needed to learn more about Shri herself...then she'd be able to discern exactly what her future may have in store for her.
If they thought she was her companion..they may not know her true training. So that would be a bonus. Xee could fabricate some sort of story about being a Raider and it would make sense. it would be unquestionable really, no one needed to know other then Shri what her true talents were... She was going to have to let some things 'slip' the next time a servant was present.
Her head tilted as Val would also indulge her by stating her exact position was..unknown... "Well. I can't imagin how anyone would really know what sort of 'companionship' we have. As far as I know any time we have met we have had perfect privacy." Of course they had only met the once, but still..no reason to make him think perhaps Shri did not have any real plans for her. If she was going to be a... 'Companion' Xee assumed it would mean she'd end up perhaps having a position as a respected ally...at the -most-. She should probably encourage such a image, it would serve her better if the others in the House thought she actually was allied with someone rather then just a damn loose end.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:38 pm
When Ilmxena answered him, the weight which had been in his chest sank to his gut, to be replaced by a new, even less pleasant sensation: an impossible pain in his chest, as though he was being squeezed in a large vise whose wielder was trying to make the two hinged sides meet through his body. Arrows of pain shot through his temples and pricked the backs of his eyes. Any other time the sensation would have heralded tears, but - thankfully - he shed none, and his dry eyes burned him more than it would have galled him to cry before an audience. His body was not giving him a choice in the matter, however. Without warning his body enacted one further betrayal and he fell heavily to his knees and then his weight fell backward, leaving him sitting on his heels. If he had ever doubted his feelings for his sister, his body's response to Ilmxena's words gave undeniable credence to them.
"Forgive me," he said in what he thought was a quiet, somewhat embarrassed tone. In reality, his words fell from his mouth as though made of lead, and it wouldn't have been difficult to imagine that he was a being on his way to his own execution.
Despite his request for forgiveness, Val made no attempt to rise. First, his spirit felt too bruised to allow it, and less sentimentally, it put his head below hers, which she would probably appreciate. His head dropped and the point of his chin touched his chest. In a gravelly voice which was barely audible he said, "This was a mistake."
He wanted to leave, but at the same time he had a morbid curiosity, a masochistic desire to know more. It could only hurt him, but he couldn't help it. At best, she would dismiss him and force him to leave. At worst she would tell him that Shri had given her love to her, and that there was more to it for Shri than physical gratification. Somewhere between the two there were beatings for insolence or whatever arbitrary reason Ilmxena dredged up. Hells. He was willing to give her a reason to beat him, since it would allow him to escape to the semi-euphoric oblivion in which he, Shri, and a few others in the House found peace and satisfaction. The only thing which prevented him from provoking her, if he hadn't already, was that the most handy weapon was Shri's whip, and a part of him rebelled at the idea of receiving a lashing from that weapon if it was not in the hands of its proper owner.
From a strange place in his mind he observed aloud, "That whip is too long for you. Shri...Shrisin would not usually make a gift of a whip that was a bad fit for its recipient."
At least he didn't mention her height directly, he reflected as he marveled at what had come out of his mouth without his mind's active involvement. There was no question that he had earned himself a whipping now. No female in his family would hesitate to administer an instant reminder of his place. Perhaps he could get off with a slap across his face. It was unlikely that someone as tiny as Ilmxena could put enough force into such a blow for it to be dangerous. Well. She could break his nose or split his lip, or cause hemorraging in one eye, but that last would require very precise aim. He had recovered from worse, which was an unusual attitude to take, but it came naturally to him, rather like his late friend Zar's fatalistic attitude that he was going to die anyway, and he would probably suffer less if he was killed prematurely than if he met his intended end.
If he was going to be in trouble anyway, he decided to go all in, and let the hurt, jealous voice in the back of his head take control of his tongue.
"Tell me, does she call your name when she reaches her peak, or does she not allow you to pleasure her? Do you take the same pleasure in that lash that she does? Can you even take that pleasure, or are you just someone who's been adopted into the House for convenience sake? A whore on-tap, as it were."
Maybe she'd kill him. It wasn't an altogether unappealing thought. Except that she'd use Shri's whip to do it. Maybe he could pretend it was Shri, though he was certain he'd know the difference in technique no matter how far gone he was. He hadn't when everyone in the House had had a go at him over a decade ago - everyone except Ilmxena - but that was only at the end, when he was barely alive, and only conscious because Tri-no was able to turn her power to keeping him that way. Another reason to dislike her. But one b***h at a time was sufficient, really.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:18 pm
Caution wavered by the sense of confusion that Xee felt. The reaction of the large male drow was completely unexpected. Something had him unsettled, to a great degree. Simply out of a sense of personal preservation Xee slipped back a few more steps from him. Val was not reacting quite right. Wonderful...perhaps he was batshit crazy? No...He didn't have the feeling of being that mad. Despite his earlier jest.
Something that had been discussed had upset him. Obviously it had something to do with his comments on her realtionship concerning Shri. had she in advertantly deposed him of his poisition? Xee's lips quirked slightly upwards into a faint amused smile. Was that it? Was he her previous right hand or something? Did he think that Shri had replaced him because she was a female? That would explain why he had sought her out. He feared he had fallen from favor after all. Funny that. Xee had no idea that she had competition until now.
"What's to forgive? Your only a male. You can't help your genders failing." Xee replied dismissively. She had been right before. having him on his knee's made him far easier to deal with. Now she did not have to crane her head to look up at him. Well, now that the mystery had been solved Xee felt far more at ease...but she damn well was going to double check her meal for poison just to be certain. She'd have to talk with Shri about this male... His comment about mistakes was curious though. Perhaps he meant verifying that Shri and she had met?
Xee stood in her spot for a few moments that followed. She expected the male would rise or crawl his way to the door. That would have been a little amuseing. Well... "Perhaps after you get over your..." Xee lifted her hand and fluttered it over his seemingly depressed slump. "We can share a bottle of something." She really didn't want him to leave with too hard of feelings. That's how one tended to hire someone like her after all.
The comment about the whip at her waist drew her attention from Val. She reached down and wrapped her fingers about the hilt. "Granted." She agreed to his strange comment about the whip not suiting her. "Cousin Shrisin said to accept it as a 'Welcome Home' gift and stated she'd have a whip commissioned that would better suit me later. Something about showing me how to use it properly too I believe. I've forgotten the specifics of the conversation. Reguardless, I've grown use to the length of it, it takes a bit more finesse to weild it with control at such a length."
Xee ran her thumb pad over the slightly familar handle of the whip. With so little to do she really had nothing better to do then play around with it and get used to it. Her fingering came to a dead halt at the next string of words that came from val.
At first she was certain she had misheard him. her breath caught in her throat and her red eyes shifted from the whip to the male. Called her name?? Ilmxeena could not keep herself from reacting physically to the implications of his words. Her body jerked back a step from the despondant male.
The implications she was stunned by, in a unpleasent manner. Where had he even gotten the idea that she would even indulge in such a filthy act!? With family no less! Perhaps a verbal outcry of disgust would have been all. But the foul term, and the unwise comment about her being adopted, rather then legitimate... Xee felt her blood flare with anger. It was bad enough she couldn't even claim true blood relations due to the familes thrice damned rule about the final line. But to be so heavily insulted as if she had been a outsider and honestly adobted into the family? She'd have taken that over her true blood parantage! Still!
"Dosib Quar'valsharess damned jaluk!" She hissed like a angry serpent "How dare you! How dare you mock me!"
Xee's first impulse was to pull, not the whip, but a dagger. In the past she had pinned other males for insults close to that which had been spoken to her. The whip was a new weapon though, still unfamilar and she would not instinctively pull it until she was far more familar with it. She wanted to pin him...but...
He was a actual family member. She wasn't...She was just...just some bastards daughter on the wrong side of the safe family line...
Xee could not hit him with a weapon...she couldn't even smack him in the face after those filthy words he had spoke. Her hand simply would not have the strength in it to actually hurt him.
But she could kick him. Down on his knee's he was in a great position to take advantage of. Thus she would not hold herself back from swinging her body around in a round house kick at Val. Of course she'd avoid his face. She couldn't risk leaving a mark...and she assumed a male as well dressed as a warrior would have proper protection between his legs. Pity that. But she could aim her kick at his shoulder. A place where her heel could connect and jar the joint reguardless of protection.
"I am not a ssindossa! I'm ******** chaste you goddess damned pig!"
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:15 pm
When Ilmxena described the situation surrounding her receipt of the whip, including Shri's offer to have another whip commissioned and teach her to use it properly, Val almost smiled. She had unwittingly given away that she had not grown up in Baen'duis. Not as nobility, anyway. Had she been raised in the manor, even if it was only up to puberty, she would not need instruction in the proper use of a whip. Females in Baen'duis learned that skill almost as soon as they could close their chubby toddler fingers around the hilt of a whip, though they were usually started off with tapered pieces of rope or riding crops, which were lighter. Also, the fact that Shri was planning on having a whip made to suit her indicated that she didn't have one of her own. It was possible that Shri had given her the whip out of convenience, because Ilmxena would need one to add legitimacy to to her claims to be family. That still begged the question of why Shri would want to help Ilmxena seem to be part of the House if she wasn't.
He was grasping at straws, and he knew it. His conviction that Shri would have taken another lover in his absence was such that he couldn't make himself believe that his reasoning was sound. For him, the basic flaw was that Shri was not one to deny herself pleasure. Even the momentary puzzlement he felt at why Shri would set Ilmxena up as family and have her stay in Llurth Dreir, rather than keep her handy in Gallidurth, was dismissed by the fact that it was like the Shri he knew to amuse herself with whoever caught her eye until something more intriguing or challenging came along. Which was why it took him a moment to realize that her reaction was not that of someone who had been caught at a clandestine game, but that of a person horrified by the implications of his words.
Of course, the string of profanity which poured from her mouth didn't really sound like the exclamations of someone who was simply angry at having her function discovered. The indignation and disgust was unmistakable. He was used to hearing disgust expressed like that. There were so many who found the relationship he and Shri had had repulsive or an abomination, it had actually become amusing to him when people reacted so vehemently. He had occasionally wondered if their rude denial was because when the matter came up they found themselves intrigued, and even aroused by the idea on a primal level, even as their minds rejected it, and they were objecting to their own suppressed desires more than his expressed perversions.
Her claim to be chaste surprised him, and seemed to be taking her denial a bit too far. He'd not met many females who were actually chaste. Shri was still a virgin, but he really wouldn't call her chaste. His cousin Trielnolu was chaste, but not by choice. No male would want her if he wasn't forced to be with her, and any female could do better, even if they were inclined toward others of their sex. Well. Shri wasn't really a virgin by choice, either. It was an investment in her future as Matron Baen'duis. But that wasn't the point. The point was that Ilmxena claimed to be chaste, which would make her an interesting challenge to his sister, but one which she had apparently decided to pursue. If Shri had decided to pursue Ilmxena, their cousin would not have seemed so appalled by his accusations.
Val saw the kick coming, but made no effort to evade her attack or ward off the blow. He certainly deserved that - and worse. When her foot connected with his shoulder there was an extremely uncomfortable explosion of pain at the joint which he guessed signified that something which was supposed to be connected had been shifted. Despite this, and not because of his Goddess-granted gifts regarding pain, he was grinning. There was no way Ilmxena had been Shri's lover. It was illogical, and while Shri's actions were frequently dictated by her whims, rather than carefully-considered plans, she had very good instincts, which tended not to steer her into totally illogical behaviors.
"You are, aren't you?" he marveled. "She must have something else in mind for you, and a sincere desire to keep you happy."
He would have liked to ask why that would be, but figured it would be better, really, if he had just remained silent and taken whatever she meted out.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:49 pm
The kick connected solidly. She felt the jarring that traveled up from her heel to her knee, and then to the joint between her leg and torso. It had been like kicking a solid wall. None too pleasent actually. Still, reguardless of the throbbing, she was able to set her foot back down and stand on it easily. Pain was nothing. Pain was like breathing. It was simply there, something that she could easily brush aside. Now, if her muscles stopped functioning according to her will then she'd begin to get worried. It would mean the pain was a mask for sme sort of damage.
Her anger had not abated any with that release though. her red eyes brimmed with her insulted feelings. "Of course I am!" She shot back heatedly at the male. "Why would I foul myself with such a...a..nasty...ugh! Sickening act! Cousin or otherwise!" Xee's hands gestured wildly in the air as if somehow she could throw the entier thought..concept out the window.
"Feh!" Xee had to bite her tongue. She did not want to give away anything of her situation. Not that there was much to share. But that was exactly the point. She wanted people to think there was more. That there was something going on, so that they would take her more seriously.
But if they were thinking she was commiting such disgusting acts...if they thought she was indulging in physical...Nygh! She could feel bile rising in her throat. And none of it had anything to do with the fact they were related remotely! Xee turned to the covered tray and with her fingertips flipped the lid up in a angry movement. She cared little to catch the clattering top as it bounced on the table, then off onto the floor. her eyes scanned over the meal with little interest until she found, and snatched up the bottle of liqure. Vith the possibility of poison. That is what her anti-toxin's were for. She'd down some after the drink. Xee grunted slightly as she twisted the cork out of the bottle and then tucked the opening into her own mouth and practically inhaled the drink.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 7:41 pm
Val's grin turned into a smirk at Ilmxena's distress. No one that Shri had taken as a lover would ever refer to recreational sex as nasty. He'd been in the uncomfortable position of meeting other lovers Shri had taken in the past, and the encounters had varied in levels of pleasantness, but they had been universal in that everyone agreed Shri was thoroughly enjoyable as a partner. He was still relieved enough to learn that Ilmxena was not someone he had to add to the list of Shri's lovers that he did little more about the injury she had inflicted on him beyond rolling his shoulder to see how bad the damage was.
"I promise you it's not a sickening act if Shri's involved," he said, smirking irrepressibly.
His smirk was faintly lecherous as he considered the truth of his statement, but it was also smug and self-satisfied. Now that he knew Ilmxena wasn't competition, he was much less inclined to dislike her or envy her. In fact, a small part of him said that she should really be envying him for his relationship with Shri, even if she seemed to find sex repulsive. Probably she'd had it explained to her by someone vindictive who emphasized the technical aspects, rather than the fun parts. The technicalities of the process, explained clinically, were enough to make anyone leery of it. Ah well. Less for him to worry about.
As he watched Ilmxena's agitated movements and actions with the service set he grinned easily. He watched the top of the service set fall to the floor and roll toward him. When it was within reach, he put one hand out lazily and stopped it in its path. He flipped it and caught it with both hands. He was able to completely ignore the aching in his shoulder, too amused by Ilmxena's attack on the bottle of alcohol to pay it much heed. It was only pain, and nothing was permanently damaged. Later he'd tend to it, but it wasn't anything he had to concern himself over for the moment.
"I didn't realize you would be offended. Generally it's considered an honor for her to take that sort of interest in a person. Shri only selects lovers who intrigue her. She doesn't like to be bored by situations or people. So, if you don't mind my asking, why are you here if you two aren't lovers?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:09 pm
The bottle emptied far too quickly for Xee. Pulling the bottle from her lips she looked at the empty thing as if her glare alone could refill it. The servants had only sent one drink down with her tray.... She'd have to mention to the next one she wanted a damn trunk full of spirits from the nearest tavern or something like that. Not that she expected to need that much at one go but it was nice to have as much alcohol on hand that she cared for. Val's commentary on the 'acts' gained him a small snort. She spoke as she set the bottle back down on the tray, and ignored the remainder of the contents.
"I don't care who's involved. It's a vile and foul act that I have no intention of ever involving myself in. I'd sooner throw myself on Lloth's alter then submitt myself to that. There are a hundred other ways to better use one's time too."
Xee's words tasted more of bitter vehemence then of believeable conviction. Perhaps the reasoning behind her firmly declared words was what made her tongue taste so foul. Either way...she was going to need some more alcohol to settle her stomach.
Xee turned slightly to give Val a unfriendly look, her eyes dipping down to look at the tray top he held, then back up at his face. "That's a honor I can certainly live without. How in the name of the Abyss could you even come to such a conclusion anways!?" Her hand lifted, and she half waved it at him and his question. "Why I am here is between me and Shrisin If you want to know you'll have to ask her yourself. I'm not sharing that."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:13 pm
Val bit back a smile. Ilmxena wasn't only small, but young, he had to remind himself. She was no younger than Shri had been when she began her experimentations, but her upbringing had obviously been different than the one he and Shri had shared. His bottom lip still caught by his upper teeth and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, he raised his gaze to meet hers, his eyebrows climbing with his gaze. On most people the expression would have looked innocent, or at least chagrined. Shri always laughed when he looked like that, because she knew it was more than that. It only happened when there was a smile fighting to come out.
"I won't argue that there are better ways to use one's time, but few are as enjoyable. Shri is...masterful, even when mastered." His head tilted very slightly, inviting her to share the joke. He doubted she would. It was, in fact, possible that he had met someone more straightlaced than he was, though in different areas. It was an amusing thought, and he wished fervently that Zar could meet Ilmxena. He wanted to hear Zar's thoughts on her. They'd probably be hilarious and outrageous.
"As to how I came to that conclusion...It's not a difficult one to draw from the way you behave. But the best support is really Shri's whip. She likes that whip more than she likes certain members of our family. It's a mark of her favor to be gifted with it. She is - was - the only person to handle it unless she put it into a lover's hands to feel its caress on her flesh. She...sometimes liked that."
Val wondered if it might be possible to guess at Ilmxena's actual function in the House, if she wasn't going to tell him. To that end, he looked around the room again, but it revealed nothing to him that his first inspection had not already found. There were no obvious tomes with archaic writing which might show that she's a mage, or any other ridiculously obvious tells. Unless her very lack of personal articles was supposed to be a hint of some sort. Some profession which required the ability to live out of a sack. An assassin, maybe, or a thief. Well. They'd be useful allies, he supposed, though he wasn't inclined to trust that sort of person, really, and he felt he could probably trust Ilmxena if he could convince her he wasn't a horrible person.
"Also, the fact that you keep to your rooms and are reticent about your relationship with Shri indicates that you're her kept companion. It would be a bit extreme for her to make you family, of course, unless you were particularly favored, but it's not entirely inconceivable. She likes to shock people, and bringing someone into the family just to have a handy sex toy would certainly shock...everyone." He couldn't help grinning at how Matron Umraevyll - or Aunt Rilinid - would react at Shri bringing another female into the House.
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