[PRP] Grumpy Contest? [Eigyr, Uther & Ygraine]

[Lithiasaur]

Uther was tired and looking forward to their den. It had been a long trip around the pride and he was aching for his comfortable fur bed and the peace and quiet of his mountainside cave. He looked at Ygraine and noticed his excitement was not on her face.

She looked sad. She very much enjoyed this world, this life. This pride. She loved the people and the way of life, and he admired her for that. She saw the good in everything, now that she was home, and appreciated it a lot.

But she was innocent, despite her ordeals in the rogue lands. That Druid that had taken advantage of her... she still wanted to see the good in them. Perhaps now more than ever.

Uther lacked that ability. He was grumpy and he walked them back toward their cave, at the slope of the mountain now. He wasn't speaking, but she didn't push him. She knew he was tired. After a long moment, she smiled and nuzzled him as they walked.

"Thank you for doing this with me, my love," she said softly, and he smiled at her. Even the pain in his paws was worth it, when he saw her smile and heard happiness in her tone.  

[Dulcea]

Eigyr's day had already been a long one, assisting with a juvenile druid who had twisted a leg while playing at escape in the ravine. It was a dizzying thought to her that children played such games, but she supposed it made it easier for them to swallow the obvious tensions they felt from those around them. His parents had been no exception, despite her assistance they had looked upon her with nothing but suspicion the entire time she was within their home, and she was certain she had been followed until she was near clear to her own.

She wanted to be angry about it, she'd done nothing but help since she'd come to the province after all, but she simply couldn't muster it. There were more important matters at hand than her own hurt feelings. Maybe with time she would come to be trusted fully, invited over for more than just emergencies, but she doubted on some level she'd ever live to see that day.

As deep as she was in her thoughts she nearly missed spotting the regents. Her throat tightened up when she noticed them and she made a choked noise when she stopped, her paw coming down hard on a sharp stone. She dipped her head slightly, trying as discreetly as she could to shake the stone loose from her toes.  

[Lithiasaur]

Ygraine spotted the lioness and saw her stub her paw, wincing at that. It had to smart: she hated doing that to herself, certainly. In the mountain it was very common, especially when the caves were dark.

Uther had not been paying attention, though he did feel the lioness coming toward him, and he was tense.

He couldn't help but be protective. The large lion moved in front of Ygraine, stopping her from going to see if Eigyr was alright. She huffed at him in response to it.

"Stop being so mean, Uther, she's a Toka."

Uther looked at Ygraine, then at Eigyr. "I suppose she is. Who are you, Toka?" He asked the Healer, not too good with names or faces, considering he rarely saw or took either as far as his people were concerned. This had been Ygraine's idea, and she was the one learning more about the pride than he was.

"Is your paw alright," Ygraine asked from behind Uther's large shoulder, "I saw you step on the stone."  

[Dulcea]

"My name is Eigyr," she stuttered, looking her paw over, "I know I reek of Druid slums, I've spent much of my day there in my trade. I'm a healer, you see." Realizing she was being rude she turned a soft smile to Ygraine, "My paw will be fine I'm sure, just a little bump, I thank you for your concern." She nearly said something about it being rare but caught herself at the last moment, considering how the king might take such a gaff. "My family have been merchants for many generations," she added, feeling as if she needed to expand upon her bloodline because of her appearance, "Good works too, never cheating the servants from the castle."  

[Lithiasaur]

"A Healer?"

Uther relaxed a little. Scholars were valued, and Healers not least of all. He nodded his head almost dismissively, not to make her leave but to indicate he wasn't going to attack her any more. He stood imperiously, shoulders drown back, head held high.

Ygraine's posture was a bit more relaxed.

She padded closer, now that Uther wasn't acting like a giant boulder in her way, and smiled warmly at the lioness.

"That sounds like a very fine family," She said, nodding her head approvingly. "How did you come to find yourself as a Healer, if they were merchants?" She was genuinely curiously and Uther let out a soft sigh. He knew they were going to be dawdling here now, because Ygraine needed to be friends with everyone, everything, she met. He was vexed, but not enough to be angry with her.  

[Dulcea]

"I had many younger siblings," she managed, trying to settle herself from feeling so anxious. She knew the queen did not intend to make her feel the way she did, she was so good hearted, and she tried to keep it from showing so as not to upset her. Still she could hear her heartbeat in her ears.

"When we were all small I often was called upon to take them to the healers when they hurt themselves. As I got older they told my parents I had quite the eye for it, so I was traded off as an apprentice." She could have phrased it more delicately, but her parents had essentially traded her mentor goods for her time. Not that she faulted them for it, her mentor had been an artist in the trade. Eigyr was skilled, but she had never approached that same level. "My parents went to their graves believing I've misspent their money," she added with a bit of a laugh, though she realized it hardly sounded humorous to an outsider, "Because of who I help, I mean."  

[Lithiasaur]

Ygraine certainly understood why people would be nervous around her, and she couldn't blame them. Uther wasn't helping, with his grumpy face and his grumpier attitude. He was aloof at the best of times, and enjoyed seeing the 'common' folk acting accordingly around him. Ygraine did not share that.

She smiled and nodded, listening with interest.

"I see! That's very nice of you, taking care of them. And so many others. I think you're well suited for the task of Healer, then, if you're so capable of caring. Perhaps you might like to come to the castle? Uther is still looking for a Healer that will tolerate him."

She looked at her mate keenly and he huffed at her.

"I am rarely injured or ill," he said gruffly, "and need no Healer. It is not because they will not tolerate me." But he relaxed and looked at Eigyr, nodding his head after a moment. "But if the position interests you... perhaps Ygraine may need your care."

When she had their litter, certainly, though when that might be neither could guess. So far, they had been unsuccessful.  

[Dulcea]

Her heart skipped a beat and for a moment she thought the words might come pouring out of her mouth. With a quick swallow she managed to hold them back, thinking about the offer.

A life in the castle was even above what her parents had wanted for her, so she knew it would please the family, but then who would take her place? It wasn't as if good Toka healers were lining up to aid in the care of the Druids and their families. And many of them were good folks, just trying to live and keeping their heads out of politics. If she left they might be even worse off.

"It- It is an honor I don't deserve, certainly. I'd be so ill educated in the methods used by a proper royal healer, I've had to alter all of my own to do them cheaply and quickly," she admitted, "That though they work many of my concoctions stink or discolor the patient's skin and fur, there are others better suited." It was no lie, and though she did remember all the old lessons she had been taught she knew as well that she lacked much of the poise needed to fit in with the upper class. She had to, to be even remotely accepted into the slums. "But," she added, "Should my lady need care before you've found a permanent employ I can always be reached by asking the children. Toka or Druid they'll most like know where to find me, their gossip crosses all lines."  

[Lithiasaur]

Uther seemed to have relaxed a bit, but his face was still set in a frown. A scowl almost, but without anger. He looked at his mate beside him, seeing how excited she was, then at the Healer. There were marks of the same excitement in her, it seemed.

The King wondered how it was so easy for Ygraine to find friends and happiness. Even peace.

Maybe it was because she didn't frown at everyone, for one.

"Oh, don't fret," Ygraine said reassuringly, bounding closer. Uther watched her keenly, guard up again whenever she moved away from his immediate side. She was too busy to notice. "I think your own methods are what serve you best: and what the castle needs. New life and thought. Though, perhaps our reserves may better help your potions and their... side effects." She did not seem put off, though, laughing brightly.

She nodded though, not pushing.

"Then it shall be so. I will send for you sometimes, and you may come at your leisure, and learn from the mountain.  

[Dulcea]

"I'm sure I'll come running anyway if I hear it," Eigyr answered, relaxing slightly. Her mind was turning at double speed at the thought of having access to the royal libraries and reserves, there was a treasure trove of possible cures just hidden away waiting to be found. Perhaps she'd even find something to ease the itching disease that had begun cropping up among the cubs in the area around the ravine.

"I don't doubt you'll see me skulking around with my nose buried in some old dusty supplies soon enough," she added with a laugh, then a little more seriously, "The Druids will hear of your kindness, this benefits them as much as it does me." She looked toward the king, hoping she hadn't overstepped any line. Her tact had been slipping the more time she spent among the slums.  

[Lithiasaur]

Uther bristled, but a tail brush against his leg from Ygraine warned him against saying anything, or acting in any way but civilly. He bowed his head and thanked her silently instead, though it rang with him like a gong that he would be helping the Druids directly.

It was his duty, of course, to do so, but he did not have to like it.

Really, he tried to hide his bias, and leave them to their own devices. Of course the whole Kingdom was more than aware of his distaste, and the Druids suffered in the day to day because of it despite his decrees that the pride was integrated and safe. His thinly veiled hatred spawned much greater anger through the pride, where his eyes didn't reach or were purposefully not turned.

Ygraine saw it, despite her mate's chosen blindness, and she was making steps to both change his ways and aid the Druids in becoming actual equals within the pride, and not just outsiders allowed to exist there. She understood that anger bred terrible things, and what happened to her was in no small part to be blamed on the violence and tension between Toka and Druid.

On her mate, really.

"I look forward to seeing you at the castle. You will be very welcome there! We'll let the guards know, and add you to the guest list," Ygraine smiled brightly and glanced at Uther, who nodded again, this time to indicate that it would be done as she said. She was Queen, but Uther held most of the power. His word was law.

She looked back at Eigyr with a very pleasant and warm expression.

"It was lovely meeting you. I think I should get my mate home, before he picks me up and drags me back himself." She chuckled, and Uther made a face.  

[Dulcea]

"Of course, of course," Eigyr said as she took a step back and looked up toward the castle. "I wish you all the luck a healer's tongue can offer," she added, getting a bit of a girlish grin on her face as an idea crossed her mind, "And if you're looking to expand your bloodline, well, the lower classes have quite a number of potions that might be of aid in speeding and smoothing the process." Not that she thought they'd have any trouble, they were both well nourished and safe from neighborhood brawls, but sometimes they could add a bit of comfort when it was sorely needed.

With that bit of embarrassment voiced she began to turn from them, hoping she hadn't caused too much delay. The neighborhood cubs would certainly enjoy hearing about their meeting, that much she knew, they were always fantasizing about life closer to the castle. Their parents, well, she might temper the details to spare herself the mockery. It took tiny carefully planned steps to move forward after all.