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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 1:01 pm
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Yes, a walk in the gardens was exactly what he needed. His bare feet against the soil and fresh grass felt divine, and the Dragon King couldn't help but wriggle his toes ever so slightly as he walked. Shoes were a luxury that he did not feel he needed. There was a slight bite to the air, a crispness that appealed to all of his senses. Mang breathed deeply, simply enjoying the glory of All That Was.
Still, in the back of his mind, he knew how the frailty of this balance persisted, a constant reminder to never grow complacent.
Another breath rewarded him with a myriad of scents--and one struck him so suddenly that his amber eyes went wide with surprise. Delicate, yet strong, and carrying a hint of divine presence...
Could it possibly be?
Despite himself, despite the fact that he was no longer quite Laurence, he felt his half-mortal heart begin to beat faster. He hadn't seen her in what felt like months now, and guilt prickled at his mind even as he quickly wound his way through the gardens in search.
Would she be angry? Revolted? Part of his mind screamed at him to stop. There was no time for these emotions, particularly when they were attached to a Host who may not even reciprocate them. Besides! Were these thoughts even his, or were they Laurence's? The man was growing quieter and quieter as of late.
He rounded the corner, his feet still constantly in motion despite the frenzy of his thoughts. The scent was getting closer and closer still...
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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 3:13 pm
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Alice had been spending less and less time at the Pantheon of late. It had been a fascinating place at first, miraculously alive, and full of equally fascinating people and creatures, but she had long since grown restless. It was too peaceful here, too much of the same from day to day, month to month. She wasn't used to that, and she didn't like it. She had always hated the uncertainty and chaos of the Castle, or at least told herself so. There were aspects of it she could have done without, but as a whole...she missed it. Desperately.
She was bored, and boredom left her with far too much idle time to think. Time to think about the past, the present, the future, about everything she'd ever done or not done, to tear it all apart and find every failing and regret. She had always been her own worst enemy, and she was exponentially worse when she didn't have anything better to do than pick at herself.
And even that was getting old. I wish you'd hurry the hell up already.
Kyrjadis didn't respond, and Alice simply scowled. The lush garden might as well not have existed, for all the attention she paid to it, but she'd gotten tired of sitting inside and chewing on her fingernails. So now she was sitting outside and chewing on her fingernails, though by this point there wasn't much left of them. Preoccupied with mangling her nails and glaring at nothing, she didn't notice that someone was approaching until they came into view, tall and green and disturbingly familiar and unfamiliar.
...because that was exactly what she needed. Her mouth twitched, but she quickly suppressed what would have been a grimace. The flutter in her heart was more difficult.
"Mang." Neutral, careful, but internally she was panicking. She had no idea how to deal with this, or even exactly what 'this' was.
Well, you were bored.
Of course, now she talked. Screw off.
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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 3:40 pm
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Despite himself, he smiled at the sound of his name.
She was as beautiful as he--as Laurence--had remembered. Her sleek, dark hair, the mixture of strength and femininity... He had towered over her before, and even more so now, with the long, ribbed horns jutting from his brows. Though Alice seemed every inch a lady, she was a warrior too, and Mang's fondness seemed to deepen with such a thought.
"Alice," The Dragon king greeted gently, resisting the urge to take her hand and kiss it. He stood where he was, quietly folding his hands behind his back even as he gazed at her.
No wonder there were so many tales of gods falling for 'mere' mortals. Were they half the woman she was, they would be anything but mere. Shaozu would have scoffed at the ridiculous notions flitting about in his mind right now...
"Have you been well?" The last Laurence had seen her, he had... they'd... well. His fondness was not unwarranted. "I... apologize that I have not come to visit you. I have been busy." Busy changing, busy trying to readjust himself and slip back into the shoes he had been rebirthed to fill.
A part of him foolishly wished he could stave off his journey and simply spend time with her. But Shuo's duty could not be put aside... not even when his heart continued to beat at a quickened tempo in his chest.
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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:17 pm
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God, I hope you don't have spikes, was the fist complete, coherent thought that entered her mind. The spikes, the horns, the long green tail, she couldn't help but think that that must have hurt. Poor Laurence. Pain followed the thought, followed the realization of each changed feature, but she couldn't look away. Was he there somewhere? She needed to know, and yet...she was afraid to ask, because the answer might well not be the one she wanted to hear.
She stared up at him while he asked how she was. He seemed taller. Like he hadn't been tall enough already. "I'm...fine," she answered haltingly, rising from the stone bench, not that doing so helped matters much. "It's okay. I...probably wouldn't have been there anyway."
This was awkward. Not cute awkward, but painful awkward. Too polite, too much like they were just acquaintances. Which, on one hand, was what she and and the dragon were, but-
But. Fingers fretted at the ends of her blindfold, an old nervous habit. She couldn't do this. She couldn't just be polite. "I- I have to ask-" Alice struggled with the words for the question she needed to ask, how to phrase it, but in the end it came out abruptly: "Who are you?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:45 pm
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The dragon's expression faltered at the boldness of such a question, fading into something almost thoughtful. Who was he? He was not fully Mang--just as he was not fully Laurence. The best answer here... would be the truth. "I... am both of us. And yet, something new. The Dragon King, and the man."
He dropped his gaze finally, almost looking abashed. "...My feelings for you have not changed, however. I know that may sound strange, but--" He broke off for a moment, remembered to breathe.
"I regard you fondly. I would never ask you to return such feelings, but I find it prudent that you know." Mang paused again, studying her carefully before he spoke once more. "I will be leaving soon, for quite some time. To be able to see you again before then is... a relief."
In truth, he had not realized these feelings still beat within his breast, but there was no denying them now. Whether he was merely smitten with Alice or something more, though, he could not say.
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You're.. charming and strong, capable and smart... I must admit, I'm befuddled as to what to do next. But if that one night was all we had, then I can say that I am happy."
And he hoped that she would be happy too.
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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:54 pm
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Both. Alice let out the breath she'd held since asking. It was the best answer that she could have hoped for, far better than the fear that the priest had been devoured by the dragon. She knew full well that that didn't mean that this was Laurence standing in front of her, just as he had been, but he wasn't gone, either. It was as much a relief as it was complicated.
But hey, she was used to complicated, and as she was becoming increasingly aware, it was simple she tended to have a problem with. She took another deep breath, and resolved to take it in stride. Now that she had some semblance of idea of what - who - she was dealing with, her initial panic subsided. Her heart, though, refused to slow down, and it didn't help when he admitted his feelings hadn't changed, though his choice of words was, well, formal. 'Regard you fondly' was most definitely the god talking, which...actually made her smile a little. It always amused her when the gods spoke that way, all proper and old-fashioned. The smile was soon joined by a blush when he complimented her, and she looked down for a moment.
"I think what we do next is I get to know the...new you." Looking up at him again, she added, "Not that we um...knew each other especially well in the first place, honestly. I mean, not that I didn't...." Don't? Didn't wasn't precisely correct, but she wasn't sure about 'don't,' either.
Okay, starting that sentence over. "Not that I wasn't happy. But it was very...sudden."
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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 7:13 pm
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That blush had his heart soaring, and he fought down the urge to do something irrational such as kiss her. That, he figured, would not go well. Getting to know one another.. yes, that was the next logical step.
"I'd like that." He admitted, looking a little embarrassed when she vaguely hinted to their sudden, if passionate encounter. Some of that embarrassment faded, replaced by a rather hopeful look at the mention of her happiness. Good, that was good. The last thing he wanted was for her to regret what had happened. "It was sudden." Mang agreed, clicking his tongue. "But... I would like that. Very much."
Who knew if she would still be there when he returned, though? "I do not know how long I will be gone. I will be traveling through Yggdrasil to many realms, hoping to inspire faith for the gods in mortals once more. I would not ask you to wait for me. But if you did, I would... be happy to understand you better."
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