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Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 9:24 pm
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While the voice was unexpected, Laelia didn't startle easy. The female simply grinned in response, glancing up in her company's direction. "You certainly know how to speak to a noble lady, Ravnos," she purred at him while pausing to bite her bottom lip. "The standing offer is.. oh so tempting, but surely you know why I sought you out." Her tail twitched behind her as her expression turned a bit more serious. "Our son brings forth babes to do your bidding, or so I hear. At the very least, they are ready for you to pass judgement."
With a slight shimmy down off of her perch, Laelia reached out towards the shadowy frame of Ravnos. "Will you walk with me?" she coyly asked, her arm curled for his to grab hold. "I would hate to miss such an intriguing reunion, so I simply must be present." She spoke softly then, lowering her head, "That is, if you wouldn't mind.."
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Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:18 pm
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Laelia stuck her nose up in the air at the puff of smoke, but merely smiled. There was something about the trivial habit that she considered sort of burly and.. sexy all at the same time. The brush of his lips against her paw sent shivers down her spine. "Surely, the lady insists," she purred, tugging his arm ever so slightly forward.
As she lead Ravnos through the woods towards the secluded clearing, she couldn't help but sashay in such a way that had her tail brushing against him every so often. From his reactions to her posture, Laelia had a feeling he hadn't forgotten their time together, as short as it may have been. As it turned out, neither had she. The reminder hit her just then as she curled her body closer to his, an evil grin appearing on her lips. If it suited her needs, she would see to his. Laelia was certain of that. But of course, the more pressing matter was at hand. She needed to distract her own mind, as well as his, she assumed.
"What would you do with babes?" she asked quietly, the grin slipping into a simple smirk. "Anything you desire, Ravnos. I am but a lady and not bound to anyone, but still I see the potential dangers to our kind, to your clan. Numbers are what you will need, in any such event. Strong-willed pawns to protect their king, in the metaphorical sense." A slight glance in his direction, but still she continued. "And yet, a pawn has the slim chance of doing something worthwhile. Surely that possibility would entertain a single thought from you?" Laelia clutched his arm a little tighter then, the visions of their kin rising up and bringing her little branch into power. The thought certainly was enticing to her, even if her own agenda would keep her in the shadows.
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Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 2:07 pm
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A lesser man might have given into his desires, but Ravnos had had centuries to tame his own. Though they still clawed at the back of his mind and she most certainly was not making it easy to keep a tight leash on them.
But now was not the time for such things.
A serious air came upon the Disciple as he listened. He knew the game she was playing. Oh yes, he knew quite well. It was not the first time he had done this dance before. And from what he knew of his night time companion she was hungry for a higher station but non-committal herself. Perhaps even a bit arrogant, but what woman wasn't? They all thought that they and those they suckled at their teets were above any other. That spreading their legs for someone with power meant they too had power, that they had tamed a giant when all they had done was prolonged their existence for one more day because it suited his whims to allow them to exist.
No, this was his game.
And then a laugh. A loud, echoing laugh that erupted from deep within his belly. "A king? Why yes some would call me a king of jackals. A king of shadows. Of lies. The raven. The king of lusty woman who's sweet flowers moisten at a mere glance. My sweet Laelia is this concern for my own well being or perhaps concern of the fact that with one brush of my thumb against my nose I could snuff out your progeny without a second thought?"
Unhooking his arm from hers, he grasped her hand. Whirling her out in front of him before pulling her in close, giving her a twirl to tangle her arm across her chest. His front pressing hard against her back as he brushed his lips lightly along the curve of her neck. "You have created your own slim chance of worth but never forget you are my pawn too. The only reason I have allowed you to entertain the thought of your own whims is because your tongue entertains my own interests quite well. So keep waggling it all you like but dear do hope it never grows tired nor you get a cramp from all your talking. Do not think me a fool. I am older than you can imagine. I have seen the rise and fall of kingdoms and at their centers scheming women like you. And I quite like my kingdom to remain intact."
A long pause. The air around them silent. He took another long drag of his cigar, blowing a puff of smoke into her hair before he finally released her. His face now a mask of delight as he held his arm out for her to take once more. "But perhaps if your pups prove to be worth my time I won't kill Laeros or the babes. Amria would be quite distraught to loose her brother."
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Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 7:57 pm
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The sudden booming laughter rumbling from her companion had Laelia's fur standing on end for a short while. She listened to him carefully, feeling her body slink back away from him, but not quite freeing herself. It was when Ravnos twisted her about that he had finally surprised her.
While the dark disciple held her close Laelia dared not to struggle. His lips pressed lightly against her gave her a kind of tingly feeling, but it was laced with a bit of fear at his words. There was no other that the baroness had come across that could see through her words as well as Ravnos. And while a part of her understood her place, which was really no place at all, a smaller and somewhat mischievous part couldn't resist. During that pause, she felt her smile return and her muscles relax some. A sigh slipped from her lips as she felt the his smokey exhale into her hair. That scent is going to linger a while, I'm sure, she thought to herself while slowly turning to face him.
A glance at the dark furred face before averting her eyes towards his chest told her that the moment had passed. She silently vowed to tread lightly as she nodded and took hold of his arm one more. "The fact of the matter is that you've come. That is more than I could simply ask for in one evening, dear Ravnos." Laelia tightened her grip on his arm, regaining her confidence as she stepped forward once more. "I am also fortunate to have you as my escort through these dark woods. Simply put, I am grateful, despite my seemingly rude expectations." Her eyes fluttered up to his, a bit of a pout present on her lips. "Could you forgive a lady if she were to apologize properly?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 7:47 am
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Laelia kept an eye on her dark companion's expression as they continued their stroll through the woods, nearing their destination. The return of the more level-headed, albeit smart a** type personality allowed her to relax once more. Again, she curled into his side, her claws lightly raking swirls into his arm. A giggle escaped her lips as she cooed in response, "From what I recall, the terms of an apology are decided upon by the one who was wronged. But perhaps I can offer a few suggestions to make amends. For now, however," she nodded towards the opening in the trees, "I would ask that we continue this particular conversation at a later time. We have company."
Casually leaning against one of the trees farthest from the opening was Sir Laeros, a cocky smile upon his face. "Mother," he called out into the shadows from which he had heard her voice. "Have not seen you for quite a few moons. Hiding from your grandchildren, are you?"
To the left of Laeros was his son, Veiros, kneeling in the grass, one knee on the ground. Just behind him was Laesira, sitting cross-legged and holding on to her brother's shirt, her keen eyes shooting daggers into the clearing opening. Neither said a word, remaining almost completely still for the time being.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 5:01 pm
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The baroness gazed upon her son, a smirk appearing on her lips once more. She remained close to Ravnos, her fingertips still touching his arm, as if she felt more comfortable by his side. "Hiding?" she asked giddily, "Goodness, no. As you can see, I've asked your father to join us during this special meeting."
Kicking himself off of his tree, Laeros glared at the dark furred figure. "Ah.. " he started, standing up straight and glancing quickly at Veiros and Laesira. His tail flicked violently behind him as he collected his thoughts. "Father, how.. good.. it is to see you. I must admit, I was not expecting you to grace us with your presence this evening. And do not take that as disappointment. Merely.. surprise is all." Laeros nodded in his father's direction while taking a step towards his children. "As expected of them, only Veiros and Laesira must speak on their behalf of whether or not they're of use to you. As it were, I will take my leave if I'm no longer needed."
As soon as the male voice entered the clearing, Veiros had been on alert. His keen eyes took in the image of his grandfather, a slight gleam of awe present within. He could tell they were very much related. A lot of his features had certainly been passed down. Veiros stood slowly, feeling his sister's paw tugging on his shirt once more. Rather than glance at her, he reached one arm under hers and hoisted her up along with him, keeping his eyes focused on Ravnos. "Grandfather," he said softly, then lowered his head in respect.
Laesira, on the other hand, merely scowled at her brother as she was pulled up along side him. She tossed her magenta shaded hair over one shoulder and stared at Ravnos, showing no definitive expression. "Sir," she mumbled and nodded curtly. A slight shove backwards from her brother caused her to step aside away from him, revealing herself more to her grandfather. "What kind of tricks would you like your puppets to perform?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 9:04 pm
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The only movement from Laelia for a long while was her tail, continuously twitching back and forth, intrigued by the conversation. She kept her eyes on her son and grandchildren, slightly worried about whether or not Ravnos would continue to be amused.
Laeros felt his ears perk at the mention of his sister. He glanced at his mother, a look of questioning on his face. Why, he hadn't seen Amria in so long. Perhaps he even missed her company from the time they were mere kits. For the moment, Laeros stayed, but slunk back against his tree once more, watching and waiting.
The youngest male frowned at his grandfather's words. Was it not normal to show respect to an elder, especially that of his own blood? Of course, with such a response he dared not respond for the moment. Instead he picked his head up and looked to Laelia, his grandmother, with admiring eyes.
The young female snorted. "The Kara-whosee-whats-it? Sorry, my father forgot to tell me that bed time story when I was young." She watched Veiros turn towards her and give her such a glare that made her grin. "What, brother? Do you think it fair for us to be put up for judgement the first time we meet? I've heard of first impressions, but this is ridiculous." His tail flicked in her direction, slapping her arm as a warning. A tug on his long hair was her only response.
"What my sister means is that she's grateful for the opportunity to meet both of you, but we were under the impression that this would merely be that; a meeting of our grandparents. How is it that so soon we need to prove our worth to you? Of course, we look forward to making our elders proud," (a whisper of "To hell I do," from his sister coming from behind him,) "but a little direction goes a long way for young ones. Surely you must realize this."
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:32 pm
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Beside Ravnos, Laelia flinched at his words, but more so for the fact that they were full of truth. The part about his time with Malks, however, made her smile and she choked down a giggle that nearly escaped. Best not to test the beast when he was on a tangent.
The kits' father, however, leaned forward again, intrigued by his sudden outburst. He was used to these little speeches by now. That was part of the reason he kept his distance. His philosophy with his father included something along the lines of staying out of his way and refrain from disappointing him, if he could help it. So far, this had worked, or so he thought from the lack of communication stating otherwise.
"Was that your attempt at consoling us, grandfather? A serenade of sorts and sweets? Clearly you haven't spent enough time with us," Laesira said, a haughty expression now as plain as day. Her arms lay crossed in front of her chest, her smirk turned into a scowl. "You are my elder, yes, but I am now adult. Please do not see my desires as such lowly things."
For a long moment, Veiros was silent, his eyes glancing back and forth between his grandparents and his sister. Mother had warned him of having an attitude in front of the Disciple himself. It was rude and unwelcoming. How could his sister do so so freely? Family or not, he was afraid Ravnos would keep true to his word and cast her out if she chose to go. A sigh suddenly escaped him and he stared at Ravnos. "While a hug might do the trick," he said slowly, gauging just where he could draw the line to avoid being disrespectful, "Perhaps some simple advice instead? You want us to find our own way, then? Absolutely. Give some wise words and we'll be on our way. Otherwise, make a request of something that might impress you, or at the very least, not be a disgrace in your eyes."
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