Katapatan ran in. "Djinni!"
"I'll do my be-" Djinni jerked up mid-sentence, his eyes wide. At this point, he had at least a small measure of trust in Katapatan, since she seemed to know his thoughts in regards to Lulu. It wasn't that he was worried she saw how they held one another, it was her haste. Was his time up?
"What is it?" he asked, sitting up in a straighter position, the wrist of one paw still pressed against Lulu's fur, his tail still curled around her. He wasn't curled around her anymore, but damned if he was going to break his contact with her until he absolutely had to.
And, honestly? Maybe not even then.
Katapatan:
The worry in her face. "The rule went through.... Your..summoned." Kata's face was filled with an utter shock, if it had been her. Well, she would have left the pride right then and there. Ubi was the only one in this pride that she would ever love. Everything she thought was loyalty.. She tried to reason with Emi, but it was true. This was to ensure that Geishas could 'retire' and be taken care of for all the work- and defilement that they had to go through to be in the pride. To have them as a prize... for them to be in the purest of showing and beloved..
They could be sponsored..'bought'. And the first victim... The example....
Djinni:
Djinni's ears flicked back, a look of horror crossing his face. No. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening.
In an instant, the look was covered in a cool mask, a small, frozen smile on his maw. He would figure this out. He wouldn't be bought. He wasn't a toy that could be bought, sold, traded on a whim. He had turned away customers before, rarely, but he had. Perhaps he could refuse. Whatever it took, he would belong to no one but his beloved.
He gave Kata a small nod and turned back to Lulu.
"I have to go, my heart," he whispered to her, the mask slipping from his face in true, heartfelt tenderness as he nuzzled at her ear. "We'll have someone come in to change your bandages, I'm sorry I can't stay. I'll come back to you as soon as I can, I swear it."
And he would, if it was minutes, days, even a lifetime later, he would come back to her. Always.
"I love you." Now that he had said it, he couldn't say it enough. One more nuzzle and he moved away, the empty smile returning to his face as his paws took him farther and farther away from his heart and soul. The chill in his lavender eyes softened when he joined Kata.
"Thank you for giving me this time," he whispered.
Emi:
The queen hardly ever asked for help, and anything her children said- she would take in to consideration but she was not naive to the fact that sometimes her children were unreasonable. She heard from her daughter that she had proposed the new plan of action for entertainers to 'escape' the life of entertaining if someone took them in. This was already in practice but the fact that someone could get 'bought' was something new. Yet at the same time, the other must contribute to the pride for the both of them and with Ami being a princess and heir, she listened to her daughters words and to help give her daughter incentive with how well she was doing and excelling in the ranks of the pride to one day take the thrown... She gave her permission to have one entertainer of her liking as the 'prize'- and to help the entertainer as well.
This was rare, but the happiness of her daughter and the safe return when she was to leave the pride for her 'outlands mission' meant she needed them to have incentive to bring about her daughters arrival. This was one of them.
"Dijinni..." The Queen smiled softly.. Bowing her head in acknowledgement of his presence.
Djinni:
By the time they reaching the queen, all vestiges of pain had left Djinni. No matter how he ached inside, he refused to let it show. To any and all, except perhaps his own mother, he was his usual self, cheerful and most likely ready to crack some stupid joke or break into a cleverly amusing song. A curious smile was plastered on his face, as if he wasn't aware exactly why he was here. Damned if he wasn't, he knew why he'd been summoned. If his knowledge was correct... selfish little b***h. He had known, but for a moment had thought maybe... He blinked the thought away. what would come would come. And no matter what happened, he would return to Lulu.
"Your highness," he replied, dipping in a deeper, highly respectful bow. This was the queen after all.
Emi:
"Dijinni- I see your not doing no better." From the years she had been wither her mother and those of fake smiles. She bowed her head as he came in. Her ears naturally laid down with the crown upon her head. Slowly she lifted her paws to put it down. "I once knew the days where every day depended on putting one paw forward. Without a crown. I met your mother back then." She looked to him and softly lingered down towards them and sat a few strides away. Her back straightened, her strength as a pride leader grew and with her wisdom, she was first a mother and foremost. "I think of your family as friends. Although we had some rough times." Referring to his father. "But without the crown, without the ranks- like when your mother asked of me. I ask the same from you. I have a request, it is selfish but I do not see any other way to help." Sincerity in her eyes.
Djinni:
Djinni's eyes widened a fraction before the smile turned sheepish, far more genuine than it had been. Of course, it still didn't quite meet his eyes for all the trepidation in his heart, but at least now it wasn't a plastered copy of a smile.
"It's been a long few days, Highness," he replied rather frankly. Perhaps it was stepping bounds a bit, speaking so honestly, but then there were quirks to their relationship. While he wasn't as close to the queen as his mother was, at times in his youth he had sometimes seen her as a bit of an aunt. Removed, yes naturally, but an relation nonetheless.
His smile turned a little sad when she spoke of the rough times. It was a wonder to many that the entire family hadn't been punished. Only their mother had saved them, her visions and the friendship with the queen being their grace. He was thankful for this, and yet... A selfish request, one he couldn't deny for so many reasons.
"What do you need of me?" he asked, his brows pinching together ever so slightly.
Emi:
Bowing to him as she came in to the viewing. Coiling her tail around her and sitting. "My request, is rather selfish." She sighed. "My daughter Ami has lost the will to do anything. I sent her right hand to help her but the help has caused a disease. A disease of 'lost'. Her mind is elsewhere and she is fading from me. I fear the worse from her, and she is due to leave the pride soon for her crowing test. I fear that she will not come back. She is.. in 'love' with you... and I fear she will deteriorate out there in the roguelands without something- someone to come home to." The concern of a mother, a genuine look of almost fear and sadness. "So I am asking of you, please. Be her reason, I know this is selfish to ask and I would not ask it if I did not think it would change the likelyhood of her safe return. I pray to the Gods that she will find someone new...." Looking behind her as she saw Buluu not to far from her. They were always near each other. "Like I did." She turned back to him. He- was like her Ajani. Her and Ajani were in love, completely and madly. They were a couple of teens with a brand new relationship, but that was destroyed by her father and mother. Making her never want to return home again.
"I have seen some things, and I know that it is unfair to you, and your time and workload but I am asking this as a favor- not of a Queen, but of a mother..." Her eyes were soft when she ended. Her mate, she knew she would never feel the same. It was thanks to the Gods that they found each other and by that, she knew she could return home with the new strength she had. "She ... I believe will one day be the ruler.. with her determination, her drive in knowing her pride.. she was in love with it... because you were here."
Djinni:
A muscle worked hard in his jaw, teeth clenching to a painful degree. Of course this had to do with Ami. She had to go out and see the world, to learn its ways and return, matured and ready to take over after her mother. But apparently her infatuation with him hadn't gone unnoticed.
She had seen some things. Had Kata told her about his feelings towards Lulu?
He didn't want to be Ami's reason to come back, to care for the pride. One in many was a terrible outlook for a future queen. His eyes darted away as he tried to hold himself together, to stop the cracks forming in his heart. Gods, it hurt so much.
Djinni's eyes closed for a moment, his breathing seemed harsh through his nose. Had there been anyone else here, he probably could have controlled himself better, but with Emi pleading with him, saying all the things he didn't want to hear, he just couldn't keep it up.
And then a small sigh, he relaxed and returned his silvered-purple gaze to his queen.
"What do you want me to do?" His words were soft, for her ears alone. He almost added that if she told him, he would do it. But... there were still some things he wouldn't, couldn't do.
Emi:
"Be her reason to come back."
She put it simply. Looking straight at him, with a look of want and need. she bowed her head once more. "I'm sure the future has enstore for her much more than this crush, I wish only a temporary happiness. Something she believes she can come back to and life will fix itself. I just have a feeling, with the look in her eyes she is fading to nothing. Its selfish for me to ask this, and put this burden upon you but I don't see any other way to make sure my baby comes home. I see her drowning and I don't see a way out, except to give her a nudge in the direction. I know it's a lot to ask, and to put your life on hold. You can continue or discontinue your day job. Kata has told me you May want an alternate job, if so it will be granted. Any one debt I can pay back to You. Will be met. What do you say, dijinni. .do we have a deal?"
Katapatan:
Kata was waiting on the outside of the den. Waiting, hoping emi, would make a solid decision. Kata could understand, she looked down at her stomach, ubi. . She had to find him and tell him she is with cubs. How she yearned to seek their happiness but on the other paw. She could not see herself pretending to love anymore more than ubi. .. but if her pride said, it would be done.
Djinni:
It was such an open request. Be Ami's reason for coming back. How? How was he supposed to do that? Was he supposed to change himself even more, to become the kind of entertainer he had fought his entire life not to be? What did she want him to do? Lie to her daughter? Play the besotted fool for the royal heir? Fawn over her? Love her in the darkness and pretend she was his beloved?
He could be Ami's friend if she would let him. Her dearest friend. Something like that took time, but he was willing, more than willing to hear her problems, help her share her burden, give his advice. In time he might even be able to share his own worries with the princess. But Djinni knew she wouldn't let him. She didn't understand his ways, he wasn't even sure she could comprehend how his trust worked. He didn't blame her for Lulu's punishment, that had been an innocent mistake, no matter how terrible the outcome had been. But she couldn't remain blameless in his eyes for his own punishment. She didn't understand him. What could he do for someone who was infatuated with him without knowing him at all?
Djinni bowed his head low to his queen.
"I'll do what I can, whatever is in my power," he finally replied, hoping that would be enough. He had hoped Emi would have been more blunt with him, had told him straight to the point what exactly he needed to do. Ami didn't know him, but she wasn't the only one between the two of them. He didn't know, didn't understand her at all. How could he give her a reason to come back when he didn't know her? Perhaps he would ask Kata. Much as he didn't know her, either... she seemed to understand his plight, perhaps even pity him for it. And what she had done recently... She deserved this amount of trust.
Emi:
"I knew I could count on you. Quite the entertainer you have become. Enough to get my daughter hooked." A light joke, as she came up to him and grabbed at his cheeks. "Your still the lil bugger I remember. Always will be." She smiled softly and gave him a hug. Yes, the queen giving him a hug. She remembered when his mother had told her of the secret. How it helped with the war, how she found everything out, if it wasn't for his mother. Could she have won? Although with the Gods- she may not have won the hearts of the pride on its own, it was revealing the worst of the worst that helped win them over. "The ceremony of the leave will commence in some time. I'm at least a lot more ok with the fact that now, the only one that needed a push is covered. With my other children, I didn't see quite the same flare that she gives. The fire.. Something familiar.. " It reminded her.. of her mother.
When she turned around she called out.. "Kata!"
Katapatan:
Then Kata appeared from the tunnels.. Looking exhausted and almost tired. "Yes My lady."
Then looked at Dijinni.. from the looks of it, he agreed. Her ears went down and she bowed to them both.
"Take him to go to the doctor first. I heard he wasnt feeling well a few moons back."
"My pleasure." Kat bowed again and turned to lead him away...
Djinni:
