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Post by Kodaka on Jul 21, 2022 15:43:45 GMT -6
Kodaka laughed at the look on Nightfire’s face and gave him a loving pat on the top of his head. The wolf-sized dragon shrugged and leaned his head into the pets, briefly closing his eyes. The Nephilim returned his ocean blue gaze to Keaira and he winked at her slyly. “That I do, love. That I do,” he said with a knowing smile. He watched the lady demon interact with Nightfire and he felt a strange lightness in the pit of the dark depths of his heart. Kodaka didn’t pay her leaving his lap any mind as she rounded the bar to take care of the dragon. He looked from Kea to Nightfire as the lady demon seemed to be measuring his snout with her eyes. Kodaka hid a chuckle with the back of his hand as Nightfire stared up at Keaira with a wondrous look in his eyes. “Shame they don’t have a cat bowl for ya, eh Nighty?” Nightfire’s gaze snapped to Kodaka and he snorted.
‘That would only work if I was cat-sized, which I am not.’
“You can probably still fit quite a bit o’ liquor in a cat bowl, though. I’d be mighty careful with that, I would.”
When Keaira filled the wide-brimmed glass for Nightfire a modest amount, Kodaka nodded his approval. “Thanks, hun.” As Kea made herself a drink, Kodaka reached with both hands toward Nightfire. With a little bit of protesting on Nightfire’s part, the mercenary lifted the dragon up by his under arms. Being as careful as he could, he gently he dropped Nightfire’s behind onto the seat he was leaning on earlier. The dragon gripped the side of the bar with his front claws and settled onto the seat, his tail sneaked around the swiveling part of the stool to keep him stable. He hummed at Kodaka in thanks before his neck arched his snout into the glass to give it a small sniff. ‘Thank you Lady Ke—' Nightfire’s eyes widened when the sweet scent entered his nostrils and the young dragon immediately stuck his tongue into the glass to give the mead a taste. ‘This… this is very good.’ He then began to slowly lap it up, savoring the flavor as much as possible. When there was only half left of whatever Keaira poured for him, Nightfire pulled away from the glass and smacked his chops together in very much the same way a person would smack their lips when tasting something absolutely delicious. ‘Wow,’ was all he could say as he felt the mead collide and mingle with his senses. Despite having the equivalent of half a shot just now, it was already slightly affecting his system. The dragon blinked a few times, his eyelids clicking audibly and he turned his gaze to the others.
Daniel shrugged as he was offered the alcohol. In a sense he’d hate to be the odd one out even though he is normally happy to be the only one in the room to not be partaking in liquor. The man continued to fiddle with his mask until he finally was able to separate the bottom section from the rest of the apparatus. At one point, the strange fellow depended on it to be able to breathe through his charcoal lungs but now it was more of a formality for those around him to simply hide his visage. This late into the evening and considering he was slowly becoming wearier, Daniel didn’t care who saw him anymore. This much of him at least.
The man set the bottom section of the mask on the bar top, filter and all. He quickly brought his steaming tea to his lips and took a long draught. A small gasp escaped him when he returned the mug to the bar top and revealed his mouth from the nose down. His skin around his lips had a light grey in pigment while his lips were of a darker shade and even a little chapped. Daniel did the best with what he still had and needless to say he didn’t look as bad as he once did those few years ago.
“Trouble in paradise, I take it?” Daniel said a little quietly, referring to the situation in the kitchen with Helena and whomever else. He felt a little nervous to be exposing this much of his face to someone he barely knew. He looked past Nightfire and Keaira to catch Kodaka’s eye and he opened his mouth to say something else but hesitated. The nephilim nodded at him, gave him a half a grin, and slid the bottle of whiskey he and Kea were sharing down the bar to Danny’s side. Nightfire rumbled in surprise when the bottle slid past his glass of mead and let out a relieved breath that nothing was knocked over.
“It’s okay, Daniel,” Kodaka said as he arched an arm around Keaira’s waist. “We can speak freely here.” He gave her small squeeze and as he turned them both around to face Daniel and Nightfire sitting next to them. Daniel nodded and managed the ghost of a smile, his teeth startlingly pearly white against his skin tone, and poured approximately a shot’s worth of whiskey into his tea. He slid the liquor back down the bar to Kodaka -much to Nightfire’s annoyance- and swirled his teaspoon around the inside of his mug to mix the contents thoroughly. Mr. Hawthorne then placed the spoon neatly on the bar top next to him and took an experimental sip of his new concoction. “Know you of the Eidolon Company, Miss Keaira?” Daniel asked. She might have known at least a little bit if she was close enough to Kodaka, and if the mercenary was as fond of her as what he’s seen so far, he had little reason to suspect her as an agent of the shadowy, criminal organization.
Whichever way Keaira answered, Kodaka would nod and stare into the depths of the mead bottle she left out on the countertop without really seeing it. His face, despite still being pink from either the alcohol or the woman on his lap, darkened a little. “We narrowed down our search for their base of operations,” he said with a tilt of his head and a roll of his shoulders, feeling a little stiff from sitting for the longest he’s sat in awhile. “And as far as we can tell, they don’t know we know yet.”
“Or,” Daniel mused, “they do know and are lying out a trap.”
“Heh. Tricky bastards, ain’t they?” Kodaka grumbled and poured out another drink for him and Kea if her glass was empty. “They were smart to cut ties with me after… well, you know.”
Nightfire lapped up the rest of his mead and used his tail to spin his bar stool slowly around and around. ‘Is it true that-‘ he paused and a rumble traveled up his throat and came out of his mouth in a sharp squeak. The dragon was getting the case of the hiccups. ‘-Oh bother. Is it true that you bought my egg from them?’
“Aye,” Kodaka replied after a swig of whiskey. “Jus’ thought you were a cool-looking rock at first. If only I’d known they were selling godsdamned dragon eggs at the time though…” he shook his head and rubbed Nightfire’s scaly cheek. “Luckily I think we tipped your dear ol’ mum off didn’t we?”
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Post by Yuko on Jul 24, 2022 4:02:54 GMT -6
"Did.. Did he really just?" She muttered under her breath but then just sighed, disappointed. He really just did do that to her and honestly, that was a sick burn. She probably would have felt proud of him in that moment, but she couldn't. She had a feeling that he wasn't going to talk to her anyways but still felt hurt by the situation. While alot of there life was surrounded by what one might call the medevil times, she was not totlly unaware of the advance technologies out there. She was just old and stuck in her ways. Plus, magic and electronics didn't mix well.
Her emotions were kind of all over the place, but she knew that he was going to need space more than anything and she was going to respect that. She just shoved her hands in her pocket. " Well. I guess later then." She wondered of helena would talk to her but then again thought against it. Aiden went and put up all the barriers that he could and shut them out. Helena was just as displeased with her. She just walked away from aidens door and headed down the hall.
They weren't her kids; she couldn't just pull the mom act of you will talk to me. She had no right to intrude on them even if it she believed it was for their own good. There was a time and a place when she might have done that, but yuko had really changed in recent years. Respecting peoples boundries and stuff was something new for her and more importantly the topic of conversation was really going to affect their lives in a drastic way. It was a really delicate topic. She just walked back to her room and sighed. She grabbed the boots that she kept by her door and sat on the edge of her bed. She didn't know how long she just sat there staring at the palm of her left hand. Eventually she snapped out of whatever trance she was in and pulled her boots on. It was like slipping into an old pair of gloves, The fit was just perfect. She took a moment to appreciate just how many decades these old, enchanted boots had survived. She paused before leaving her room, staring at the back of her door.
She always kept it there on the back of her door hanging off the hook, despite having not worn it for years. She took a deep breath before grabbing it and pulling it on. It was like she was stepping into herself again as she pulled the black trench coat on and shoved her hands into the pockets. When she did, she found something in its pockets she was not expecting. She pulled out her hand and there was a small key with a red ribbon. She couldn't help but smile. " Thank you, Nightmare." She put the key back in her pocket knowing damn well that's not where she had left the key and knew it was that man's little way of making her smile. His little way of saying 'You still have a home here, even if you don't have one elsewhere.' Damn magical little keys. She knew they were tied to their owners, and this was not where she had left her room's key nor was this be the place the key would show up if she were to have lost it. She wasn't sure when he might have done it or really how he could have done it. It was probably something he had done years ago, and she was only now just finding it. His appearances were rare even back in the day, but it was like he had completely disappeared. She always wondered what happened to him, and if he was alright. No one had seen him for years, decades even.
She was one of the last of the old guard, one of the few remaining who came to the castle that had officially been given a role by the man himself. Over the years, her role of hunter had expanded as others simply stopped coming to the castle. Perhaps they no longer needed the old girl and found homes elsewhere. One day they were there and the next, they were gone. She had promised folks earlier that night if they needed anything, she'd be happy to assist them, but she had a feeling most of them had already gotten what they needed or simply served themselves. None the less, she was going to make sure everyone was good before she went and tackled the one thing she had been avoiding. Infact helping patrons of the castle was just another way for her to put things off and she knew this in the back of her mind.
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Post by Mya on Jul 25, 2022 19:29:09 GMT -6
Keaira was amused by Nightfire’s excitement for the mead and even doubly so when Kodaka had given him a hand onto the stool. “Don’t drink it too fast, Nighty. Give it time to hit you. Remember, you can always have more later but once you’ve started getting drunk… you can’t take it back!” She was reminded of her young years, back when she was still a human. Getting absolutely plastered was a right of passage for adolescents, surely dragons weren’t an exception.
When Daniel spoke again, Kea was quiet for a moment before speaking, “There’s always trouble in this paradise, Danny dearest. You’ll come to understand in time,” Keaira mused as she ran her finger along the rim of her glass. “The folk here are friendly, but they all have issues.” She wasn’t any different in that aspect. While Keaira didn’t spend nearly as much time at the castle as those that lived here, she knew enough through the demon rumor mill. Since the Deimos clan were the ruling family of the underworld, any demon worth their salt would be listening for any scrap of information.
“Eidolon... I’ve never encountered them personally, but I've heard some of the tales," Keaira listened to Daniel and Koda discuss recent events without interjecting or making light of the situation. Typically when she met up with Kodaka they didn't go into details about work. She knew of some of his dealings and understood his role as a mercenary. Her line of work wasn't all too different on a fundamental level, but the way she got results was much different.
"I'm surprised that they would even sell dragon eggs. That's risky," Mothers of most species were formidable. She had rare encounters with other dragons but she knew of their impressive strength and size. Their intelligence and cunning made them dangerous enough that even Keaira knew better than to cross one. Keaira accepted Kodaka's refill and took a long sip.
"Should you desire an extra party member, don't hesitate to ask. If it's for you, Koda, I wouldn't mind giving you a hand..." She trailed a nail along his jawline in a teasing manner. With an organization as corrupt as Eidolon, surely there would be a few damned souls she could collect along the way.
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Post by Mya on Jul 25, 2022 20:10:07 GMT -6
The garden was peaceful and Helena appreciated that. The garden was predictable and safe. Even though she wanted to break away from her mother's image, she couldn't' bear the thought of parting from her garden. To be one with the earth and feel it's power was a measure of peace she couldn't find elsewhere. It was as natural as breathing to her.
The evening breeze dried out her hair as she combed it with her fingers. It had started to get long again. Ever since the battle she hadn't had time to upkeep her hairstyle and let it grow. More often than not, Helena kept it piled on top of her head in a messy bun to keep it out of her face. Perhaps it was time to chop it off. Would Shane be disappointed if she cut it short? Knowing him, he wouldn't care what her hair looked like.
Helena laid back in the grass, enjoying the cool night air. Part of her felt guilty for abandoning the guests... especially after her and her brother's little outburst. They hadn't made a very good impression. She was still mad at Aiden for how he spoke to her, but part of her understood that he was scared. Helena was known to freak out when she was upset or scared, so she couldn't really fault him for it. This time she would let him come find her after he cooled off.
The flapping of wings could be heard in the distance. Good, someone let the raven out like she had asked. At least that was one less thing to worry about later. Helena spent enough time cleaning bird droppings out of the garden and wasn't too keen on having to clean it from inside the castle as well.
She couldn't see the bird against the night sky, but it almost sounded like it was approaching the garden. "Wait a minute..." Helena said out loud to herself. "Birds usually aren't out at night..." She sat up and got to her feet, squinting to see if she could make out the raven's silhouette. Finally it flew close enough to see it. Curiosity got to her.
"H-Hey!" She called out to the raven. "Where are you going? It's dangerous to fly in the dark in these parts! You can stay safe in the garden if you have no where to go," Helena hoped that somehow the bird would understand her intentions If the bird got close enough, she figured she would get a clue as to why this creature was out so late.
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Post by Kodaka on Jul 26, 2022 8:29:40 GMT -6
Nightfire the wolf-sized dragon kept Keaira’s words in mind when he happily lapped up the last few drops of mead from his glass. His neck arched backward as he looked up from his glass and toward the bottle the lady demon placed on the bar top nearby. The young dragon licked his chops and succumbed to a long yawn again, his tongue wiggling as let out a sharp, whine that ended with a rumble. Heavens he was getting sleepy, but the night had only just begun. He rather liked being this size, especially since it enabled him to converse in a totally new environment. Every few moments Nightfire found himself looking up at the ceiling or turning around to observe the room’s textures and smells. The fascination helped keep his brain working in overtime and fought off the sleep for now.
When the conversation drifted to Eidolon and their dragon egg sales, Nightfire visibly shuddered. He still couldn’t believe he and others of his kind were being sold into who-knows-what. Were they being sold into slavery of some kind, or some fool's idea of an exotic pet? When Kodaka mentioned his mother, he hummed in confirmation as he remembered her. He had only seen his mum once since she confronted Kodaka years ago, and that was when he was old enough to partake in his own rite of passage as a dragon. That was, however, something to relive later.
‘She never found where those humans got to. They covered their tracks well, with or without their tails between their legs,’ he said, his tongue flicking out of his closed maw in irritation. Nightfire looked conflicted before looking back up at them again. ‘I fear she would incinerate all of Arendale if we told her.’
Daniel nodded at Keaira as she confirmed his suspicions of trouble around these parts. Still, this had to be better than where they were coming from. “Ah, we’ve come with our own set of issues as you might know,” he said with a chuckle. Daniel took another drought of his whiskey-spiked tea before setting the mug back down. “That’s not to say that we’re here to cause any trouble,” he said and raised his hands, palms facing out to reiterate they were just innocent patrons. “Not for Castle Moonlight anyway.” The alcohol was already affecting the man a little, it was certainly chipping away at the edge he was feeling earlier. He stifled a laugh as Nightfire nodded enthusiastically between them.
Kodaka shifted in his barstool, hugging Kea’s waist with one arm while his free hand held a half-full glass of whiskey. “Aye. I’ve told ya here and there, but Eidolon’s only gotten worse,” he said to Keaira with a stony face. He didn’t have to mention he used to work for them as she might have remembered. The nephilim was glad he only worked as a contractor and nothing more for the organization, because who knows what they could have done to manipulate him into their ranks. He remained an outsider the whole time and was cut off from them almost as soon as they fooled the mercenary into giving the Hawthornes that godsdamned box. What Kodaka didn’t tell Keaira yet was that it was his fault the rest of the Hawthornes besides Daniel had perished. His face darkened at the thought and Kea might’ve felt his half-hug slacken.
It was when the lady demon traced a nail along his jawline that Kodaka snapped out of of his internal despair. He cast her with an appreciative smile and he knew he wasn’t only just thankful for her offer, he felt like he was thankful for other things about her as well, but what? “Thanks Kea,” he said warmly for such a gruff and tumble man. Her name sounded as sweet on his tongue as any mead. “I think we just might take you up on dat offer.” The strength of his one-armed hug returned around her waist as he held her there in his lap. He scrutinized her face for a few seconds, not enough to be creepy but long enough for her to probably notice. “But enough about aaaalll dat that grim business,” he said and briefly looked away to clear his throat and sit up a little straighter. He returned his gaze to her as if nothing had transpired, “What da hells have you been getting into lately? It’s been been too bloody long, it has.”
A tap on his forearm by single talon brought Kodaka’s attention briefly to Nightfire. The dragon pointed at the bottle of mead with the same talon and let out a short hopeful rumble. ‘Kodaka. Can I have another?’
Kodaka glanced from bottle to dragon before a slow, cheeky smile played at his lips. “Dunno Nighty, have you asked your mother?” The mercenary said while trying his hardest to hold back laughter.
Puzzled, Nightfire blinked at him and was silent for a moment. ‘I… she must be thousands of leagues away…’ He looked like he was concentrating on something before he shook his head. ‘I can’t even feel her presence anymore…’ A glint suddenly appeared in his crimson eyes as they flicked briefly to Keaira. ‘Wait, you couldn't have possibly meant...’
Daniel took the opportunity to take another sip of his drink, this one significantly longer than the prior couple.
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Post by Fina on Jul 26, 2022 12:58:24 GMT -6
Once Brandon accepted the plate from her hands, Serephina casually shrugged. "It's safe to say that some is better then none in this case." She told him. Every treatment affected the patient differently. Taking in a meal was their best method to mitigate any adverse effects. She couldn't help her laugh as he then peppered her with yet another question. She considered his interest in their practices a good sign. He had been so overtly suspicious of her at first, so she was pleased he was now comfortable enough to ask honestly. "We do what we can, yes." She answered finally. "It helps keep operational costs down, especially with difficult to source items." A good example was henbane.. The herb was native to Europe therefore the average market value for just an ounce was ridiculous! The best thing she ever did was sign off on the construction for the greenhouse.
Hearing his second apology, she arched a puzzled brow at him. "Why?" She asked while frowning softly. "Have I given you the impression that questions bother me somehow?" That'd be rather disappointing.. She liked to think that she welcomed the inquisitive and created an good rapport. If she couldn't do that, she might just be in the wrong position. It'd be a shame if she had to put in her resignation letter.
Serephina noted his hesitation at her suggestion to teach or tutor a pupil as they were seated. She expected he might balk, but there was no harm in asking anyway. She was surprised when he tentatively agreed to take on students of her choosing. She snacked on cold cuts and crackers as she attentively listened to him. Sensing the shift in his body language, she considered it reasonable to conclude his family was a tender topic and thus this was best to avoid when possible. "..Perhaps this will be good practice for when he's ready then." She said tactfully as he distracted himself with his plate. She was enjoying her obsession with munching on cherry tomatoes as he cleared his throat. When he named his area of expertise, she made an awed sound before she finished chewing. "Shadow magic is discipline few have the aptitude to learn." She remarked, impressed by his revelation. She tapped her fingers on her chin thoughtfully as she considered the feasibility of filling a classroom for him. "Nevertheless.. I may know of a suitable group for you."
As Brandon pushed his plate away, Serephina paused mid chew when he apologized to her for the third time. She was starting to see a pattern with him.. "Sure," She said once she finished her bite, "If you're ready to turn in, we can save the tour of the second floor for another time." She told him. "If you can find your way back, I'll meet you out in the living room." She said before popping the last couple tomatoes she had left into her mouth and standing. She collected both of their plates quietly before shuffling off to return them, leaving him at the table.
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Post by Fina on Jul 26, 2022 14:38:31 GMT -6
As her flight path carried her towards the gardens, the raven's jovial mood sobered. Aesira could feel it almost, like an aura pressing in on her.. It built on the periphery of her senses, but it was unmistakable as like often calls to like. There was magic here somewhere among the garden's cultivated greenery. She couldn't quite pinpoint it, but it seemed more complex then enchanted apples or something.. Just what was this place?
The raven startled as a feminine voice rang out into the night from below her. The mystery of the garden perplexed her so and had ultimately distracted her from her original task. In the dim light of the rising moon, she could make out blonde woman hailing her from the ground. The conversational nature to her words piqued her interest. Curiosity eventually won and soon the raven was circling to double back to Helena.
The raven alighted upon a study tree branch nearby Helena with a rustle of feathers. Her quicksilver gaze studied the blonde woman as she tilted her head from side to side. "Stay?" The raven croaked. Proper speech was a challenge in her current form. However, her kin was known to mimic words with decent accuracy regardless. And, frankly, she wasn't sure she wanted to reveal her true form to this woman so soon.. "No guards..?" She asked, bristling her midnight feathers before shaking herself out. She resettled herself as she kept eye on the fair woman just below her perch. She honestly wasn't sure if Helena had seen Vasili chasing her, really.. She just remembered her instructing someone to release her at the window.
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Post by Mya on Jul 26, 2022 19:48:22 GMT -6
Mya wasn’t sure how long she stood under the shower. Lately it’s been one of the few places that she felt comfortable. How Yuko and Dante had even managed to get running water into the treehouse was a mystery to her, but she didn’t ask too many questions. The fact that there was hot water was good enough for her. Mya rinsed out her shampoo and lathered up with conditioner while scrubbing every inch of her body. Satisfied that she was cleaned of all the dirt and blood, Mya rinsed off one last time. A cry from the next room over made a heavy sigh escape her lips. The child had awoken.
Mya stepped out of the shower and slipped on her robe. Her hair was still dripping as she left the bathroom an beelined right for the baby’s bed. Despite the child being less than a year old, he was easily the size of a child about to enter kindergarten. She sat down at the edge of the bed scooped the child onto her lap and rocked him gently while murmuring him words of comfort. Mya missed when her other children had been this size. Some of her fondest memories were being cozied up with her children and (now ex) husband in front of the fireplace. Now that seemed like ancient history.
The child may be of a larger size, but his mind was still very much that of an infant. He cooed at Mya, reaching up to touch her face. She wiped a couple of tears that accidentally slipped out. She felt guilty for taking comfort in caring for her child. Mya knew deep down that they weren’t finished with Demacia, that he was going to come for his child eventually. All she could do for now is love the child unconditionally and pray that he took after her nature. She also was constantly worried about the boy’s twin that had been stolen when she had slept off her labour. Both Dante and Yuko had scoured every inch of the forest but found not so much as a sniff of evidence.
Dante came over with a warmed-up bottle and a plate of meat cooked medium. “Figured he must be hungry with all the growing he’s been doing…Hey there little guy! Uncle Dante brought you some good yum-yums!”
“Thanks,” She placed the plate on the bed beside her and balanced the bottle against her hip. Picking up a piece of meat, Mya fed it to her son who happily opened his mouth for her. At least the child wasn’t picky. Bite by bite, Mya fed the entire portion and switched to the bottle. The little guy held it with both hands and relaxed while cradled in Mya’s arms. Mya stood up so she could sway her hips, rocking the child to sleep while singing a lullaby.
Once she was certain he wouldn’t wake, she tucked him back in bed. Dante came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re doing good, kid, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” He said quietly as to not wake the child. Mya turned around and looked up at her brother towering over her and let out a sob. Dante wrapped his arms around his sister and held her for a long time, just letting her cry it out.
“I-I-I’m trying so hard… I didn’t ask for any of this,” She managed to speak between sobs.
“I know. You did what you could with the tools provided to you. I don’t fault you for what you did so that you could be here today.” Dante kissed the top of her head. “Plus now you look more like me, so people don’t look at me think I was adopted!” Mya laughed and pushed him away.
“Now put some proper clothes on and lets go have some fun!” Dante ruffled Mya’s hair and shooed her away to get dressed. He wouldn’t accept any protesting. “You deserve a night off, and deserve to spend time with more than just me and the little one. I had beers with Kodaka before, he's entertaining to say the least.”
“Is Yuko back yet?” Mya called out from her changing area.
“Not that I’m aware of… but don’t worry, I am certain she will be back soon. I know you miss her. Yuko doesn’t strike me as the type to abandon you. I’ve seen how she looks at you. You’re very lucky to have a friend like her.”
“That I am. I don’t know what I would have done without her…” Mya came out from the change area dressed sweatpants and an oversized sweater. Dante shook his head.
“You can’t wear that! We have guests. Live a little!” He marched into her room and started rooting through her dresser. After pulling nearly everything out of place, he tossed a dress at her. “Wear this one.”
Mya folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes at Dante. She hadn’t dressed up in god knows how long. Most of her formal clothes were still in her room in the castle, with only a modest amount in the treehouse that was now strewn all around her sleeping area. Mya knew that Dante wasn’t going to let it go so she pushed him out of her room to change again. She slipped the dress over her head and stared at herself in the mirror. The dress wasn’t anything fancy but flattered her figure with it’s a-line shape. It was sleeveless with a modest neckline that didn’t reveal more than what she felt comfortable. The cherry-red color made her feel like she was more eye catching than she deserved to be, but Dante reassured her that she was fine once she had left her room.
“There’s my baby sister! Look at how cute you are!” Dante put both his hands on Mya’s cheeks and squeezed them together. He laughed and let her go. “Now that you look nice, have a little confidence! Maybe brush your hair a little first though.”
“I’m scared, you know?” Mya looked down and fiddled with the hem of her dress. “What if Helena comes at me? What if Aiden berates me again?” She went back into her room to grab her brush. Her wavy hair was down nearly to her waist. She got most of the tangles out and tied her hair with a red ribbon to match her dress.
“Look, Mya, staying hidden out here isn’t going to fix anything. They are your kids and deep down inside I am sure they still love you. You were a loving mother to them… you just were dealt a shitty hand. If you want them to respect you, you need to start sticking up for yourself and stand tall. You may have taken the Moonlight family name, but don’t forget you are an Ionis too! Now come along. I’ll get some guards stationed outside to keep an eye on things while we are out.”
“Alright, just let me reset the wards.” Mya’s magic was drastically different than before. She had little experience with demonic magic as she favored her mother’s side of things. Yuko had taught her some of the basics and Mya was able to apply a good chunk of her general understanding of magic to accomplish the spells she set up. While Mya wasn't nearly as powerful as before, her control was much above that of a novice.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Upon opening her eyes, she was able to see the colourful threads that wove together to form the wards. Different threads could be combined to change the rules the wards abided by. "Lets see..." Mya added threads and removed a couple. After a few minutes she was satisfied.
While Mya did her thing with the wards, Dante stepped out and summoned a couple of shadow guards. It was a pretty cool trick he learned since being assigned as a personal bodyguard. Now he had access to the countless minions that did grunt work for the Deimos. Giving it instructions to keep an eye on the place, he would be alerted if anyone approached.
Now that they were ready to depart, Dante offered Mya his arm to walk towards the castle. "I see you're wearing shoes these days," he commented as they walked. Mya glanced down at her sandals.
"Yeah, since I'm not connected to the earth anymore... and the ground feels much colder than it used to." She frowned. How she missed feeling the power in the ground beneath her feet. It took a long time to get used to wearing things on her feet all the time again.
"Maybe you'll get that back. Things are always changing..." Dante reassured her as they approached the front gate and main entrance. Just a few more steps and they had entered the castle. Mya held her breath as they made their way down the hall. "Breathe, Mya. It's going to be a good night. I'll go ahead and do a vibe check. Come in when you're ready, though if you wait too long I will drag you in."
Dante entered the bar with his hands in the air, "Ayyy, I'm back. Did you miss me?" He stopped and stared at the lot of them sitting at the bar. "Huh. Nightfire, I didn't know your kind came pocket-sized. Guess you learn something every day... Kodaka, please keep her out of trouble... and you, uh, got a little something right here," Dante pointed to his mouth, with a snicker.
He took a seat at a table closest to the bar to not overcrowd the stools. "Hey, where'd the kids go?" Noting a lack of Aiden who he figured would be the one crawling all over Kodaka's lap. He also figured Helena would have come in to greet the guests.
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Post by Yuko on Jul 26, 2022 22:30:48 GMT -6
--------------------------------Flashback to a couple of months ago: Softly she whispered something against her soft yellow hair breathing in that earthy smell before she carefully climbed out of bed not to disturb her. She checked on the small newborn who was also sleeping. She leaned over the edge of the bassinet and gave him a small kiss on the forehead before she quietly left the tree house. She stood at the base of the tree, looking up at the entrance she knew was protected by magic and smiled. There was a part of her that was absolutely terrified of what she was about to do, but there was a part of her that was looking forward so much to the future she was going to have. She simply faded away into the darkness.
And then she stepped out from the shadows in the one place that she knew that she could without arousing suspicion. Seth had closed off the library he had built for her, sealing it off from all others. She knew it was the only place she could quietly slip into hell without causing a scene. It was not unusual after a time for the queen consort to simply disappear from view and a new one takes her place however publicly she knew that seth had not been seen with another. She knew exactly where to find him, as Afterall he had never moved out of their bedroom. With utmost skill, she was able to slip past the palace guards. After all, how many times had she done this before? Even if she was caught, they would have simply looked the other way. Many of them appreciated what she had done and the changes she had made to the palace when she had been there. Partly because she knew folks on the guard staff, but she had made sure to improve the quality of rations and alcohol provided to them. She knew all she needed to do was get into the inner chambers, and there would be no guards. She was able to do so without alerting anyone. At least that's what she had thought.
She always knew where he was, just like he always knew where she was. She slipped ever so quietly into the room they once shared and choose each step carefully around the empty bottles that once held liquor. She was a master of moving silently and did not wish to disturb his multiple sleeping naked companions in what once had been there bed. She knew very well that he himself was not asleep and wasn't tangled up in the mass of naked body's. She could see him standing out on the balcony overlooking the river styx.
He was just standing there, a drink in his hand gazing out on the river of the damned. He knew she was there; he always knew when she was there. Every time she was near him, his pulse would begin to quicken and there was this feeling he got in his chest. He just looked down at the whiskey in his glass and swirled the stone in it around. She stopped by the entrance of the balcony and just stood there. He turned to face her and leaned against the railing of the balcony. The robe he was wearing had been open and he was basically just standing there in all his natural glory.
Yuko could not deny that he was indeed an attractive man but that's not what had initially drawn her to him. He had gotten even more in shape being in hell, and all of his extracalicular activity's had certainty got him exercise. Living in hell takes a toll on folks in different ways. Overtime, his tan had become darker close and had a light gold highlight to it. His horns had gotten longer, and his pointed devils tail just flicked back and forth. She took a deep beath, exhaling it slowly but her breath caught in her throat as she remembered why she was here. She had been brave coming all this way but standing there before him, it was a different story. All the hurt, all the hope, all the pain, all the joy just welled up in her. Golden tears were starting to well up in her eyes as she looked at him. Even now, She still loved him with all of her heart but she had to do this. She walked towards him and pulled something off her finger as she closed the distance between them.
He wanted to say something but how would he explain the naked women in their bed his time? His heart was caught in his throat. Had she been wearing it all this time? For a moment he thought she was going to kiss him but she wouldn't meet his gaze but the clink of metal hitting stone broke him from his trance. Her eyes were locked on something, and it wasn't him. His gaze followed hers and he looked at what she was staring at. She had placed her wedding band on the railing next to his hand that was holding the glass of whiskey. His left hand holding the glass. Suddenly he was very aware of how naked his hand was and wondered where his own ring was and how long ago, had he taken it off. He honestly couldn't remember when he had done so. There was a part of him that told him that it was years ago, but certainly that couldn't have been right. Could he truly have been that calloused to have done that?
His words were caught in his throat. All this time, she had never taken off her ring. All this time she had hope that their marriage was going to work. She was finally done waiting; she was finally done trying. There was only one reason why she would have done this. His tongue was sharper than he meant. "What's his name?" She sniffled, staring at his hand. Her eyes were locked at where his ring should have been. " Her name." He just pulled his hand away and took a drink as he turned away from her. He may have been trying to hide the emotions on his face, but his tail would rat him out every time to her. It hung low, almost limp. There was a part of him that was disappointed. He just chuckled as he took a sip. "Her name." he asked just as sharply. His words were dripping with poison. There was a part of him that didn't want her happy with someone else, He wanted her to be happy with him. Even if he didn't respect their marriage as one would judge by the naked women in their bed at the moment, He knew that she did.
It took him awhile for him to register those two syllables. She stepped up beside him, placing her hands on the balcony. He looked over at her, at the women who had given him several children. He knew that all this time, she had been faithful to him despite his many infidelities. The woman who could level civilizations, kill gods and walked through the darkness like it was an old friend. How long had it been since he last seen her? This was his wife; he always knew where to find her and yet he never made the effort that she did in this relationship. She had changed so much and even standing there, she could smell that person faintly on her. He just downed his drink as her words finally sunk in. They stood there in silence for what seemed like ages. He studied her, how the glow of the river below lit up the golden highlights in her hair. When was the last time he stood there and truly appreciated her beauty? When was the last time he had just appreciated her? When was the last time he had thanked her for all that he had given him? She had not only given him sons but daughters. Not only that he was a grandfather thanks to her. She had given him all that he had asked for and more. She had held up her bargain of their relationship, but in all honesty, he never had and he knew this.
He just looked down at the whiskey glass he was holding. "Does she make you happy...?" She just looked at him, she honestly was trying her best not to cry. " Yes, very much." He placed his hand on top of hers, and slipped a finger beneath her chin, turning her head to look at him. He just looked down at her, brushing her hair out of her face and cupping her cheek in his hand. "I want you to be happy, and if this is what will make you happy..." He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead " then you have my blessing. " His voice was shaky, and it cracked as he said those words and the gravity of the situation really sunk in for him. While he still present in the moment and not totally lost to his emotions, He had something important to ask of her. " Yuko I never officially announced our separation here. No one knows but us but for me and for the kids, would you still hold that title? There's a certain level of protection and authority with that. This is the least I can do, I can at least try and be helpful in some way." She simply nodded her head.
"You should go before they realize you are here. You know they'll do everything to keep you here. " She just nodded and stepped away from him. She walked away from but paused to look back at him. He hadn't taken his eyes off of her. He could have stopped her; he could have gotten on his knees for the hundredth time and begged her to stay like all the times ago. He could make empty promises they both knew he wouldn't keep. There were a dozen different things he could have said or done, but this wasn't the one she had expected. He was letting her walk away for good and with his blessing. The only thing he could see there in the darkness of the room, was the gold tears streaming down her face and it hurt her to see a single golden tear roll down his cheek when she looked back as she slipped out of the room. That's when the ground began to slowly shake before it felt like a full-blown earthquake, and he let out an ear drum shattering roar. She could hear the sounds of whiskey glass smashing against a wall as she ran. It had to be this way, both of them knew it for them to keep up the appearance and story. The guards would have been drawn to the inner chambers and would flock towards there king, hopefully leaving her an opening to slip out.
However, the unspoken plan did not go the way they both hoped would work. Someone who was loyal to the council had spotted yuko and had reported back to them that she was there. Yuko wasn't a demon in the traditional sense anymore and being in hell had everything was firing off in a million different directions for her. Feelings, emotions and senses were all over the place. She didn't see the councils guard until it was too late. There was a poisoned dagger already buried deep into her back, severing part of her spinal cord and rendering her completely limp. They scooped her up and carried her to the deepest dungeons. Afterall, she was still the queen consort, but she was a female. As far as the council was concerned, Seth owned her. She was shirking from her royal duty's and that did not make the council happy. They had already passed judgement on her and had sentenced her to severe punishment. Her job was to produce many male heirs for the throne until the day she died, whether it was by their hand or childbirth. They would see to it that she would be a good submissive woman to her husband. That was the way it was in hell, and they would do there damnedest to keep the status quo.
Her injury was healed by literally the best, but that was only so she could receive her true punishment which was to be confined to the dungeons with nothing. She was to be deprived of everything. Enchanted shackles were placed upon her so that she simply could not whisk herself away. Her power would be drained down to mortal levels by them, and she would be given no food or water. She would be placed in a cell that would deprive her of all her senses and would be monitored remotely. There was only two ways out of this particular cell and shackles. Either they let you out after you learned your lesson, or you called their bluff and died. Afterall, they thought her a demon of hell who should have been able to sustain herself off the residual energy that was given off by the shackles. Starving to death was not something they thought possible. They were supposed to keep her just on the brink of death, but never push her over. They were geared and prepared for a demon, but not what she was now. They thought they had planned for every contingency of someone of her heritage, but they had no idea. The way this confinement was set up, she should have survived for years without intervention.
She fought every single day, knowing that the more she struggled the more they would leave her alone because that was her punishment. Deprive her of everything, even of the presence of another being. The goal was that when she was just on the verge of giving up, that's when they would swoop in and offer her an out and the goal was that she would accept this offer and be a good little son producing wifey to his lordship because Afterall the one thing that all demons feared was true death and all of it ending. Seth had no idea she had been captured nor knew what punishment was being served to her. He would have rocked even the heavens to see that she would be released and never punished in such a way again. Before seth had been born, A similar punishment had been sentenced on his mother and it was a punishment that seemed to work because Seth's mother only lasted a few weeks before she was begging to be released and swore to be a good son bearing wife. Unbeknownst to them all, it was the toll of this specific punishment that had weakened Seth's mother so much for her to lose her life to birthing Seth. A demonic pregnancy was hard even on a healthy demon woman. A woman in such a weakened state, was practically signing their own death warrant. Seth's father did not care, only that she did what was her duty.
Yuko knew what she needed to do and held out for what seemed like forever until the day came when she simply could not do anything anymore. Her body was too weak and frail, how she was still alive she didn't know but she was truly on her last legs. Her last defiant act in this hellish place was that she bit off her own tongue and caused herself to bleed out. She was unconscious in seconds and bled out in mere minutes. Yuko dying caused the inescapable shackles to fall off, and her prison to open. She had to do it while she was that weak and too far gone, so that there would be no chance of stopping her or rescuing her at the last moment. Sure enough, her plan had worked. Yuko had died but for whatever reason, she didn't stay dead. She was gasping for air shortly a few moments later. She scrambled of her prison within the deepest dungeons beneath the palace and used every bit of secret path and doorway she knew to eventually get out of the palace. The next challenge was then escaping, Hell itself.
(Flashback over, TL:DR - Yuko Officially left seth, Played a game of chicken with death and escaped hell.) ------------------------------------------------------ How she managed to come back to life, would be a secret yuko would take to her grave. How she ended up cursed and escaping from hell, she'd never elaborate on. At least not just anyone could ask her. There was a very short list of people she would tell how she managed to get out of hell and an even shorter list of who she would tell the truth too. Mya's connection to the earth may been severed, but she would always have this specific scent to her that no matter what she did, there was no covering it up. Yuko would always be able to smell it regardless of what form yuko was in, human, beast, it mattered not. Perhaps it was the years they had spent being friends that had permanently changed her scent to her or maybe it was just some weird thing about her now, but the faint scent of it hit her like a tidal wave and actually caused her to stagger a bit. It was like stepping into a garden blooming with flowers, with earthy undertones mixed with a strong herb like smell. She smelled like the back gardens to her when they were in full bloom on one very specific summer day. It was like a memory that would always continuously flood her, it had been a while that she had taken in that scent, and it was almost like a high she couldn't get enough of. That strong of a reaction from the tiniest wisps of her scent, really would only affect yuko and no one else. Afterall, coming back home to her had been the one thing that kept her motivated all this time. She could have taken the easy out many times, but she didn't.
For a split moment, she forgot the stress and fatigue that she had, and whatever worry that she had before simply slipped from her mind. Her brain had gotten a dopamine rush and was riding that happy high of mya was here. If she had a tail, it would be wagging like a bit dopey dog who was happy that master was home. Maybe that much time hadn't passed. Maybe it had only been a few days and she could explain a few days absence. She just followed the scent and stood there at the other end of the hall. She uttered but a single word, fairly quietly but just loud enough that mya would surely have been able to hear her. "Mya."
Yuko still looked skinny compared to how she normally was, but at least looked healthy. Mya would recognize the outfit she was wearing as the clothing she used to wear years ago when she first came to the castle. Her prescience was barely even a small flicker, nothing more than a tiny spark. Her clothing smelled a bit musty but beneath that, she stilled smelled like a desert that had just been rained on mixed with the heavy scent of all things, Honey. She smelled of honey mead. She hadn't bothered to take a shower after her incident down in the cellar and the moment she laid eyes on mya, her feet felt like lead. Her brain may have been on a happy high for a moment, but it was starting to remember why it feared running into mya and while there was an optimistic hope that it had only been a few days she was gone, she knew that wasn't the case. Deep down, she knew it had been longer. Last time mya had seen her, Yuko's hair had been close to short pixie cut but now, her hair went past her waist.
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Post by Mya on Jul 28, 2022 15:44:02 GMT -6
Nightfire’s visible discomfort while discussing how his egg had been stolen pulled at her heartstrings. Keaira may be a ruthless demon, but she wasn’t heartless. While she didn’t care for children, she could sympathize with him. “I hope you get the revenge you deserve, Nighty. Don’t let anything stop you,” Kea tucked some hair behind her ear. Revenge was something that she was familiar with. Sometimes it was satisfying but other times it left her feeling empty. She hoped that for Nightfire it would be the former.
“Trouble is half the fun of this place, Danny! I’ve caused more than my fair share around here!” Keaira’s lips formed a mischievous smile. When she felt Kodaka’s hold on her waist slacken, she simply placed her hand on his for reassurance. As Kodaka held her gaze for a moment longer than usual, she felt butterflies dance in her belly. What was on his mind? Despite that they had been entangled in each other for countless years, Kea still had a hard time figuring out where his train of thought went.. not that she was any better. Keaira was well practiced at keeping her thoughts away from her expression, though it was easy to tell what kind of mood she was in by how she acted.
Now finally Koda asked what was new with her. She jumped out of his lap, “I am so glad you asked. You’re looking at the newest upcoming runway model of the underworld!” She sashayed to the end of the bar, swinging her hips dramatically with each step. She paused and turned to look behind her with a hand on her hip. She gave the boys a playful wink before strutting back in front of Kodaka once more. Keaira struck a pose: her weight shifted on to one leg while the other peeked out from the slit in her dress, arms in the air above her head and last but not least, a sultry pout. “I was scouted while on a job and figured, why not? All the outfits they have me wear are absolutely gorgeous, and the pay isn’t anything to sneeze at. They let me keep this dress after my last photo shoot…”
At Nightfire’s inquiry of a refill on his drink, Kea stood with her hands on her hips casually. She didn’t pay much attention to Koda suggestion to ask Night’s mother but realized what he was getting at once Nightfire looked right at her. Keaira burst into laughter, having to brace herself on her knees to keep herself upright. “We all know here I would make for a terrible mother,” She said once she had caught her breath. Very gently, she wiped the corner of one of her eyes as to not smudge her make up. “Fuck that was good.”
“So if I’m the mother, would that make you Daddy?” She was going to save that ammunition for later. “…but I think the boy deserves another drink, don’t you, love?” Kea leaned in to give Kodaka a big ol’ smooch while she reached behind him for Nightfire’s bottle of mead. A familiar voice called out from behind her. Kea stood back up and leaned over to give Nightfire a refill. Finally, she turned around to see Dante sitting at his table.
“Look what the cat dragged in! How lovely of you to join us!”
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Post by Mya on Jul 28, 2022 16:10:08 GMT -6
Oh good, Helena thought to herself, the bird was curious of her words. She watched as the raven flew around her with a wide berth and landed in the tree next to her. Helena made no sudden moves as to startle the bird, but she was a little taken aback when the raven spoke with it’s unusual accuracy. She had heard birds mimic her words before, but this one seemed to understand more than what an average animal should. Stay, no guards? Helena furrowed her brows for a moment trying to make sense of it.
“No guards here. My garden can take care of itself,” She paused for a moment, considering her words. “Did one of the guards give you grief? If they did, I will have them reprimanded… though one is a new recruit and just started today. My apologies if that is the case. I will speak with him. As long as you do no harm, you can stay here.” Helena was as diplomatic as ever. She had a soft spot for woodland creature. Birds especially, as they kept some of the smaller pests out of her garden. Helena turned her back to the bird and walked over to one of the many garden beds. Kneeling down, she placed her hand on the dirt. In her mind’s eye, she reached for her wellspring of magic within her and channeled it into the earth. Within moments a small bush pushed up through the roots and rapidly grew about a foot tall. Another moment later, berries had formed and began to ripen. Helena picked a few and commanded the plant to stop growing. She turned back to the raven and held her hand out with her offering.
“Getting stuck inside at this hour, I don’t imagine you had much time to forage for your dinner. Please help yourself. If these are to your liking, I can get you some more. Bear no ill will and this garden will keep you safe. You can stay here until it is safe to fly again.”
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Post by Kodaka on Jul 28, 2022 21:40:21 GMT -6
Revenge was a strange concept to Nightfire. Neither himself nor anyone he was close to was harmed during his time on the black market, as he was safely encased in his stone-like obsidian egg and completely unaware of the world around him. When he thought of the concept of revenge, he was always reminded of Kodaka and Daniel’s predicaments since he knew both their stories quite well by now. Though he never put his observations to light with either of them, Kodaka and Daniel shared strikingly similar paths despite having been born and raised under very different environments. Their life-paths were parallel to each other with the occasional crossroad. It must have been why the duo got along so well despite having different morals and outlooks on life. Nightfire felt happy to call them his friends.
The dragon was stricken silent for the moment, though one could tell by the glistening of his eyes that he was deep in thought. Did he, a dragon, also crave revenge against the Eidolon Company? Weren't his kind above such mortal concepts? From listening to the horrible tales his companions told to him, and even from just reading Kodaka’s disgusted face and Daniel’s pained expression whenever Eidolon came up was enough for the dragon to do his part to drive away the evils with all the might he could muster. Come to think of it, Nightfire soon realized his view toward the organization was being slowly influenced his friends’. One thing he knew for sure however, if the dragon egg business was indeed still an Eidolon operation today, Nightfire would do his best to rescue them.
An audible blink brought Nightfire back to the waking world when Keaira left the apparently very-comfortable lap of Kodaka. He would have to try napping on the Nephilim’s lap someday while in this smaller form of his, though the dragon wondered how she could look so content when the man’s legs were but hardened and rigid muscles. Nightfire would probably prefer a much softer perch to lay upon.
Speaking of hard and soft things, Kodaka watched Keaira with a grin that slowly widened when he beheld the demoness saunter away with as much emphasis on her strut as possible. He met her eye as she stopped at the end of the bar and turned to look behind her at them all. “No shit?” The nephilim laughed heartily and as she leisurely strolled back to him he whistled appreciatively. “Daaayyumnnn, babe. You’re just… fantastic,” he said as his chuckles subsided. “Absolutely gorgeous is right, heh.” He briefly admired her look before clearing his throat. “Well if you ever need a bodyguard while on da job, let me know. I know you can take care of yer self, but…”
Nightfire looked puzzled when both Kodaka and Nightfire laughed at the remark about the lady-demon being a motherly-figure. This was a joke? The dragon didn’t know her well enough, but she seemed like a good-hearted 2-legger. She was kind and nurturing toward him when she didn’t have to be and she was undoubtably strong from what Kodaka has told him. Strength and kindness were two qualities his own mother, Voltaire Nightstrider had. What were the things Keaira claimed to have that would have cancelled out the possibility?
The wolf-sized dragon snorted and sat on his hunches upon the bar stool in a disappointed sort of manner. That disappointment was short-lived of course when Keaira poured him another delicious spot of mead. A short, dragonly purr issued from the base of his throat in appreciation toward Kea but something was still troubling at him. He could actually begin to feel the barstool underneath him begin to wobble. With a rumble, he looked down at the stool and wondered if he would fit better if he was just a little smaller. Without willing it on his own, a haze of purple smoke suddenly materialized around the dragon and hid his body from view as it became more and more opaque. In the time of only a couple seconds, the haze dissipated in an audible “poof!” And there sat Nightfire, the Labrador-sized dragon. ‘Oh,’ he said with a blink. ‘So that is how that works.’
Daniel was mostly silent during the exchange. Though he did turn around to shyly admire the show Keaira had put on, anything he could’ve said was drowned out by Kodaka. He shook his head in silence at their shared laughter and took another swig of his tea. He pulled the mug away from lips and frowned when he realized it was starting to get cold already. Such a problem was an easy enough issue to solve for the likes of him however. He held the mug in both hands and simply warmed it back up again with a small shot of heat that radiated from his very soul. His hands gave off a momentary wave of warmth as the tea bubbled a bit. Satisfied, the man placed the mug back down on the bar and peered toward Nightfire when he thought he saw a peculiar violet smoke. He was rightfullystartled to find the dragon had somehow gotten smaller. “Blimey, Nightfire. How’d you do that?”
‘The contract!’ Nightfire chirped happily. ‘I think I’m getting accustomed to how it works already!’
“Ah, I see,” chuckled Daniel. Nightfire went silent and scrutinized the man for a moment. His ever glistening ruby eyes studied the man who stared back with a small frown on his face. “Nighty, why are you st—“
‘-You removed part of your mask!’
“Well of course. I need to when I want a drink, you know.”
Nightfire was sure Daniel knew what he was getting at. The man could have very well removed a less-revealing part of his mask if he fancied a drink. Daniel was coming out of his grim shell a little more each day. Kodaka, a little pink-faced, sat with a grin as Keaira planted a big kiss on his lips. “Yeah, I’m convinced. Give da lad a bit more.” Before he could think of the implications of Keaira calling him Daddy, a voice from behind them caused both him, Daniel and Nightfire to turn around in their seats.
‘Nope!’ Nightfire said proudly to the gatekeeper, ‘just me!’
“Welcome back, Master Ionis,” Daniel said with a dip of his head.
When Dante came in to join the party, Kodaka raised his glass in the air, “‘bout damn time ya showed up!” He laughed and got up from his stool to attempt to climb over the bar. In a way that represented someone surfing a crowd, his abdomen slide over the bar top and he rolled behind the counter, only to slowly get up to scrummage through the glasses and booze selection.
“Uh, Kodaka,” Daniel said while gesturing at the nephilim. “What’re you doing?”
“Why- I’m tendin' dis here bar, Mister Hawthorne,” Kodaka replied simply, “What’ll you have, gatekeeper?”
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Post by Fina on Jul 29, 2022 9:52:32 GMT -6
Aesira smiled inwardly as her words, rudimentary as they were while a raven, earned her bewilderment from the fair woman. Raven's were known to demonstrate a intelligent and curious nature. Some of her kin were even noted to use tools and engage in playful games..
The raven studied Helena with her quicksilver gaze as she processed the statement just made. "..A garden that cares for itself?" She puzzled. Did she mean that it had drip irrigation and therefore didn't need watered? What did she do about weeds then? It was the raven's turn to be surprised as Helena quickly vowed to dole out punishments for the guard who'd hassled her. She had to squash the instinct to scoot away from her as concern washed over her. What sort of power did this woman have here that she could hastily make an offer like that? Furthermore, she had no desire to see the strange blue hair guard reprimanded for his actions! When Helena turned from her to tend to a garden bed, Aesira's decision turned resolute. Once the woman knelt, the raven hopped down from her perch.
When Helena turned towards here again, Aesira comfortably knelt beside her and the garden bed. Her shifting was smooth and never had much fanfare, really.. Her feathers had clothed her in a casual black cotton tee and matching colored jeans over her favorite pair of boots. Her hair fell loose in raven black waves to her shoulders as those same quicksilver eyes admired Helena's work. A soft smile graced her lips before she shifted her attention to the fair woman. "Nice work." She complimented before she helped herself to one of the offered berries. "Don't be too hard on that guard, please?" She asked. "He was only the job he was hired for after I tired sneaking into the castle behind him." She explained, nonchalant as her smile grew. "I should have known better, anyway. I've never been a good sneak.." She told her with a giggle. She popped the sweet berry into her mouth and sighed in delight before she plopped down beside Helena. "I bear no ill will and this would indeed be a lovely place to wait out the night." She said, admiring the well maintained garden lit under moonlight. "Does your offer remain or do I need to be a raven still, miss..?" She asked, hopeful as she regarded the fair woman. If she was lucky, she might get a name along with her answer.
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Post by Fina on Aug 5, 2022 13:06:25 GMT -6
The suite's door closed behind Serephina with a soft click before she pulled her hand away. She retrieved her trusty pen from its nest hidden behind her ear to make a couple of quick notes for follow up on her handy dandy clipboard. As per their agreement, he would be residing in residence on the second floor while he taught shadow magic. They would make it official in the morning and work out his classes later.. In the meantime, she was thankful to say Brandon had responded well to the sleep aid potion and now rested soundly. Heaving a heavy sigh, Serephina tried to gather her resolve as she strode towards the staircase. There was no denying that it'd been a long day and yet there was still much to be done before she could turn in for the night herself. Starting with a return to the alchemy and spell lab..
Serephina's purposeful stride ate up the distance across the quite living room. "Akanthra?" She called as she entered the lab. "Yes, Magnus?" Came the prompt reply from the supply room as she filed her paperwork. A lithe young apprentice met her at the doorway. "Dear, have you seen Anari?" She asked, smiling her pupil as the woman smoothed the wrinkles from her apron. "Out in the garden, I think." She answered. "Of course. How like her mother.." She said, "Thank you. I'll need a word with her before I pay a visit to that castle." She explained before easing herself out the back door with a parting wave. The conversation would be short, but meaningful and soon she was again on her way.
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Post by Mya on Aug 10, 2022 15:18:13 GMT -6
Helena nearly fell over when she had turned to offer some blueberries to the raven who suddenly transformed before her very eyes! “Whoa!” Helena stared at the woman for a long moment, processing her next course of action. Ah, so it was Vasili chasing down this woman. Did he know her? The guard was the newest edition to the castle guards, but she wasn’t sure if Dante had explained to him that the castle had guests from all walks of life. Despite that it was mostly just the two families that resided here, the true owner of the castle allowed anyone to stay as long as they didn’t harm anyone. So far she wasn’t aware of this raven hurting anyone.
“Still, he shouldn’t be scaring off guests. We live here, but we don’t own this castle,” Helena tossed a couple blueberries into her mouth and flopped onto her back on the grass. The moon hung high in the sky with it’s brilliant light casting shadows on her garden. “You can have a room in the castle if you’d prefer more comfortable accommodations, though the garden will still welcome you.”
“Oh, I didn’t tell you my name... how rude of me. You can call me Helena. I’m the one who tends the garden. Welcome to the Moonlight Castle. What’s your name? Where do you hail from?” She turned her head to look at the woman again. Helena smiled softly, proud that the woman was admiring her garden and the fruits of her hard work. Even if it was her mother that had done most of the legwork getting the garden going, Helena had been helping maintain it for as long as she could remember. Now that she had inherited it, Helena had been implementing some of the design ideas she had. Mya liked to let the garden grow as it pleased… but Helena enjoyed giving it organization. She was thrust into many different roles without her consent, so she appreciated being able to control at least one aspect of her life.
“It’s a lovely night,” Helena knew that once she went back inside things would become chaotic again. What a headache.
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