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 Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 7:52 pm
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He was tired. So tired. Everything hurt but still Han kept some kind of face as he passed by huntresses, nannies and artisans on his way to see his mother. The rain had finally stopped, but the sky still lit and shook with lightning and thunder. Glancing over his shoulder, the wounded Duke offered a smile to the lion who saved him. "We're almost there, Tie Shi." He said, his voiced soft. Blue eyes traveled from the tan lion to the limp black one that laid on the back of one of the guards who had finally come to his save him while two others walked beside; just in case. A frown replaced the smile as his eyes began to narrow at the dark purple male. The offender was littered in scratches, some from Han, some from Thrain. The most noticeable was the one on his right paw where the North guard had bit down, essentially immobilizing him before finally winning the fight.
The Duke's head turned back around as he headed to his parents. He walked with a limp, his left leg raised but there was still a sense of dignity in him. He wouldn't let others see him in the pain he was currently feeling, not yet.
Thrain leaned heavily against the one guard who had offered him help. His wounds were not as severe as Halion's or Han's but there were many, the most prominent being the one across his face; a gift from the dragon, but exhaustion was the real threat for him. He had traveled far and was currently not even in his own House. Even walking now was more like stumbling, being nudged along by the West's guard beside him. |
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:07 pm
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A messenger had warned them ahead of time, and so the Lord and Lady were waiting for the situation to meet them. They kept themselves in a quiet part of the house, posting guards to make sure that no one snuck in. Though Lady Zhong wasn't too concerned about the repercussions of this problem, she was about ready to kill whoever dared touch her son.
The Lord, on the other hand, was always more patient than his wife. How could he not, when he was a lower-middle class lion in his birth pride? As concern marked his face, he strained to see how far back Jilie was with the guards.
Soon, confirmation. They were almost here. Lady Zhong resisted dancing on her feet, instead clawing at the ground before her in frustration. Lord Zhong merely sat beside her, calm and collected even if his face betrayed some of that calmness.
"Bring them in," he answered to an awaiting guard, his attention focused on his son. It was more painful than he imagined, seeing his own child in such pain. His eyes flickered towards the dark form being carried in, uncertain how he would hold back his wife if she was determined to kill him here and now.
The Lady's ears folded against her skull, her eyes full of concern. "We have only heard the barest of tales of what has happened. Please give us as complete a report as you can at the moment, my son." She noticed someone else she didn't quite recognize, but she didn't socialize with much of her house on a friendly-scale, not like her mother or daughter. |
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:18 pm
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Han came into the same room as his parents, along with the guards that were escorting them. Something caused a knot to form in his stomach, seeing both of his parents there. There was just something about it that made him nervous. Still, he nodded. It had happened fast, but as a spectator, he at least remembered some of what had happened. Maybe the scoundrel who attacked him could fill in the blanks later on, assuming he talked.
"I was attacked on my way to meet an artisan, Mei Mu. I commissioned her for a gift for my wife-to-be in the Pridelands. I was...attacked by him on the way there." As he spoke the word 'him', his head nodded back towards the limp dragon. The guard carrying him straightened, as did the two at their sides. "I wrestled with him, but as you know mother; I am no fighter. I was...losing." The word was choked out. The fear, the desperation. It was fresh, only an hour old. Still, the Lady of the West asked for a report. Swallowing down his fear, he continued. "That was when Tie Shi here intervened." He finished by stepping out of the way, leaving the guard to face both of the rulers of the West while Han took to his empty side.
Thrain looked around nervously as Han stepped aside, exposing him to the gazes of both of the Duke's parents. He had never been in the presence of royalty before aside from the Pridelands royals but they were family. This was...different. He straightened, tried to look as presentable as he could given the blood on his face, twigs sticking out of his mane and mud on his paws.
"He won of course." The Duke added in, noticing his savior's posture change.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:29 pm
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Lady Zhong nodded to her son, listening to him but moving closer to the fallen black form. Lord Zhong tensed for a moment, and a few guards kept closer to her as she inspected him. It was so tempting to rip a limp from his body, but the laws of the land forbid her from fancying that thought.
"Well, Zhong Jilie, I didn't train you to be a fighter," she openly stated, turning her attention away from the attacker towards her son. "I trained you to be smart and compassionate, dispite whatever your grandfather wished. The twins were stuck with his training, but..." Her eyed locked on his, a twinge of sorrow in them. "I wanted the anger that flows through our line to subside." She sighed, giving him a soft, short nuzzle. "Perhaps the mistake lies with me, for not ensuring our safety more."
Lord Zhong approached his son, his eyes shifting between him and the strange 'hero' that was near him. "We assume safety within the house. How would it look to all that we guard ourselves against our own people? There's no right answer here."
"True," was the Lady's only reply to that.
"Regardless, I want to thank you for your assistance," he said, turning to the brown lion. "I see you are from here, what is your station?" Lord Zhong was more familiar with his house's members than his wife, but even he didn't know every one...and this demanded knowledge, for one to help protect a Duke of the west.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:43 pm
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:03 pm
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Lady Zhong smiled back at her son, glad that he was still proud even with this incident. That's exactly what she wanted to see, and it made her feel all the better. Sure, she still wanted to rip out the black dragon's throat, but as long as Jilie stood strong she would continue to be what she needed to be; the Lady of the West.
"Well, we need to do something about him," she said quietly to her son.
"The North? Interesting." He wasn't too alarmed, as they did share quite a long border. He only would have been alarmed if he was from the East, as it was a little difficult to randomly cross into a house that you did not share a border with. "Well, you have nothing to worry about from us; just make sure that your superior doesn't get upset with your diversion." The North's rules could be quite extensive, and as an outsider originally, the Lord didn't completely understand it all.
"We will send a message to the North entailing your good deeds. There's no need to hide it; we are thankful for your help."
"Yes. Perhaps it will wake up that lazy lord of yours," Lady Zhong said with a knowing smirk. "For him to know of such honors coming from his house...he needs to step it up a bit."
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:15 pm
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Han knew that his attacker could not stay in the West. Even though their laws forbid it, there were those loyal to the ruling family that would likely seek revenge for harming him. He had also seen how his mother had looked at him. It would likely pain her to keep him here as a criminal in the West.
The guard raised his head but not his eyes. While there was worry about his captain being infuriated with his absence, especially since he had not shared in Thrain's glory, he knew that whatever would come would not last long. Or so he hoped. A nod of his mane, he gave the family a tired smile. "I am sure my Lord would love to hear your thoughts on the matter." He was unsure of what else to say. What was there to even say, especially with a hazy, tired mind? Golden eyes looked to Han, who was looking at the limp dragon-like lion. What do with him...A thought sparked in Thrain's head as he looked back towards the Lord of the West.
"My Lord, perhaps I could bring him back to the North with me. He is a danger to your family here, but tradition and laws demand her pay for the crime he committed against your son."
The idea didn't sound that bad to Han. The North would keep him in check, but he would still serve the pride, likely for the rest of his life or a majority of it. Especially now that he would likely carry scars and walk with a limp for his lifetime. Han looked to his parents, curious of their opinion on the matter.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:27 pm
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"I'd end up killing him myself if he stayed here," the Lady grumbled. She didn't quite mean to say it aloud, but it made her feel better doing so. It was an open acknowledgement of what had happened and her anger, even if it was only for the few that were here to hear it.
"Now now," Lord Zhong laughed, knowing that his wife meant each word she said. "The last thing we need is a huge scandal that would escape the West."
He listened to the brown guard's words, giving them more weight than he would have had he not saved his son. Such were the ways and cultures of this pride. "I see," he began. "We of the West handle criminals, but their crimes are small and petty, and our guards can handle them should anything happen. For one that attempted such a heinous act, I fear that keeping him here would endanger everyone...even himself." Lord Zhong looked once again at the black beast, such a large size that even he wasn't sure if they had a guard as large as the criminal was. "No, the North is the only place for him to serve his time."
Lady Zhong's fur bristled at the thought of him merely getting away with a sentence rather than murder, but he was too dangerous to exile, and with much discipline he may be worth something....just far away from her violet eyes.
"Very well then," she agreed, clearly not thrilled with the decision but acknowledging its logic.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:38 pm
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"Mother, could he rest here until he's fit to return to the North?" The Duke asked quietly as he stood near his mother. "His wounds need to be seen to, and traveling back to the North with this...criminal now, he may be able to escape if Tie Shi has no recovered." There was always the option of sending a falcon to the North to explain. He was sure they would understand. After-all, one of their own had saved him. There were guards enough to watch the beast for now, and if needed, perhaps the Royal Guard would help.
"You are too kind. I can manag-" Thrain began, trying to persuade the young lion to rethink what he was asking of his mother. While it really wasn't much, he didn't belong in that house and he had already been away from the North for too long. He needed to get back and soon, but now he would be traveling with a criminal and hopefully a few of the West's guards to help him along the way back just in case the large black male caused any more trouble.
"No. If my mother and father would allow it, I would like you to be my guest until your wounds have recovered. You saved my life after all." Han interrupted. He nodded towards the wounds on Thrain's back as was as the one on his face. "You're wounded and they need to be seen too before they fester." Besides, he wanted a chance to get to know his protector a little more before he left for the North again.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:51 pm
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:03 pm
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:14 pm
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"Yes. Go rest. I will find you later, Jilie. Thank you again, Tie Shi." She nodded to them both, with her husband doing the same thing. "Everything can wait. I will have the Captain handle our black dragon for now. Don't worry...if it goes terrible, your grandfather can always handle him." Few were as vicious as the retired Lord. Even in his age he was still not one to be messed with, and the mere thought of it made the Lady smile.
"Just try to hide from your sister for the moment. And hopefully your grandmother won't swoop in with her hysterics." The Lady Ren was one of the sweetest souls the Lord had met, but she was a little too worried about her family, and it could get overwhelming at times.
"Let's work on that message to the Lord of the North," Lord Zhong said with a sigh to his wife, already mentally thumbing through the possible demands that he may have. The honor of this day landed on the North, and hopefully the West wouldn't owe him too much.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:21 pm
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