Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 25: The Road to Jerdon

[Snike]

The Jace

"This simplifies matters. We can all travel there at once, in a day or so, perhaps," Jace said, finally coming to a stop near the door. "Now, I'll let you two go contact your comrades, while we get things ready. If you'll excuse me..."

[Phoenix]

Jace!Town

Kamilla turned to Henry now that the matter was mostly settled.

Kamilla: So we'll need to let the others in Ursibus know where we're going and that we've got Jace's support. (Jace's support. Wow, and he's Henry's father too ...? I don't think our luck could have been any better, and with Sir Doran leading us, I know we can stop them this time ... and I can get Tessa out of there before she gets herself killed.)

Kamilla let out a deep sigh at the thought, a sigh of relief.

Zaftrans

Lev: Well, good luck convincing Ixion of that.

Lev scratched his head a bit as he spoke.

Iso: I'm fine wherever. (It's not like Zaftra has an embassy in Vaorin anyway. I bet Ixion and the representatives are staying in a capitol building or something.)

Lev: It's not that we don't appreciate the offer, but you've got to understand the Zaftran nobles aren't going to interpret it in a positive way. (To be fair, I wouldn't either if I hadn't been in the group for a time, myself.)

Irina: Lev, just be frank. Can we stay here or can't we?

Lev shrugged.

Lev: Hell if I know. Welcome to international politics, Irina. Nothing's ever clear.

[Ether]

"If Ixion is who needs convincing, I am fairly certain that I am a better candidate to host you than most of this city. I did spend a good chunk of time with the man." Damian replied, pulling the coat a bit tighter about him, regretting not taking the time to wear a shirt under it.

"And besides, I would think the Zaftran Nobility would rather see the Prince and Princess sleep in the presence of comrades then on the streets. The inns are booked out completely, and I can't grant you a pass anywhere else in this city. If the nobles give a huff, simply inform them it was a gesture of good will, given by their Southern bretheren. To welcome the new regime, no?" Damian said with a chipper look, noticing an unfamiliar officer among them.

'She must be a representative of the Nobility... someone from the Capitol. no doubt.'

Stepping closer to Levski and placing a friendly hand on his shoulder, Damian moved closer to the Wyvern Lord's ear.

"Is she the reason you are so hesitant, Levski?" Damian asked, ensuring no one but Levski could hear.

[Phoenix]

Zaftrans

Lev whispered right back to the Haltonian colonel.

Lev: We're a whole day behind schedule is the main problem and Ixion's probably got someone around here keeping an eye out for us. I wouldn't worry about the girl too much. The nobles aren't going to like the heirs doing anything too frivolous, though.

???: What kept all of you?

The source of the familiar voice was a very short figure in the shadows. The chimera Fenrir stepped out into view staring at them with the same eerie gaze Ixion would give ... oddly enough, that's the voice Fenrir carried.

Fenrir: You're late.

Fenrir walked up to the group and sat down.

Iso: I-Ixion?!

Miranda: I know, right? I kicked him in the face the first time he did that to me.

Miranda stepped out of the shadows too with her arms crossed. She kept to a noticeable distance, however.

[Mercakete]

"So, Ixion can control dogs?" Tas asked in confusion and Namid scooted away from Fenrir of his own accord. That thing made him nervous. (And who's that with the dog? Someone Ixion knows? Is she from Zaftra too?)

[Inactive Account]

Halfway to the door, Kelas stopped; a discussion had started up about where people were actually staying. She walked back over, standing quietly next to Isotov. She probably wouldn't be able to influence this discussion.

The appearance of a monstrous wolflike creature had her reaching for her bow-- the weapon, she realized with regret, that she'd forgotten inside. She'd had trouble fighting these things before... it was outnumbered, but she still hated the uselessness she felt.

Miranda's appearance, however, just led to a hastily cut-off curse, and the sense of danger was replaced with fury. She kept her mouth shut for the moment, glaring at Miranda, but had plenty to say if it was called for.

[Ether]

"Ixion, Miranda. What a pleasant surprise." Damian responded nonchalantly, unfazed by Ixion's familiar, or the shapeshifting demon.

"Either way, regardless of what the Zaftran Nobility think, Isotov is going to be with us. I think Morgan would sooner have us storm Kalten than let him go again, and so long as he is here, Irina is likely to be at his side. Besides, you must be some sort of Royal Guard or something of the sort now. Surely with your recommendation, and continued presence, there should be no major hiccups... especially once the pair finds out that they are actually above the nobility at this point... I remember when Cassius' youngest came to that realization... far too young... though I think Isotov and Irina are old enough to not abuse to such an extent..." Damian noted, with a slight shudder.

"So, Ixion, I suppose it comes to something simple. Would it be acceptable for your late party to spend the night here, under the care of the Halton Embassy? I give my word that no harm shall come to them, so long as we ourselves are not torched to the ground."

[Phoenix]

Zaftrans

Fenrir: The leader of the new Zaftran regime is a former mercenary. The Zaftran nobility do not respect that in the slightest, and so until they are brought more fully in line, it would be best if the two heirs--Isotov especially--don't do anything to fuel their unease ...

Miranda: Hear that, Iso? No more starting wildfires or picking up random women-Oh wait! There's one right there. Isooo~

Iso flinched and looked to Kelas and then back to Miranda.

Iso: W-what the hell are you s-

Fenrir: AS I WAS SAYING ... The heirs are under careful watch right now, and the ease in transition depends not only on Ivanko's behavior, but theirs as well. If they're going to stay in the Halton embassy, there needs to be a very good reason.

Miranda: Wouldn't want to separate the prince from his-

Fenrir: Miranda ...

[Ether]

"What better reason than a show of good will? They are here, and the morning grows closer. When a new regime is brought in, what does it want more than allies? I am certain that there is someone in our Embassy that would be delighted to speak with the both of them and secure such an alliance when morning breaks. After the isolation that was Denisov's reign, would it not appease them to find friends so soon? If the talks of this summit go as I believe they will, then Isotov will likely be petitioned to the front, to combat the pending demonic threat. And that front will most likely be in Southern Halton. Would the best course of action for Zaftra as a whole then not be to open relations with Halton, as to best secure the crown prince in a time of great peril?" Damian said to Ixion's familiar, taking a breath of the cold air.

[Phoenix]

Zaftrans

Fenrir: I understand your points, however Isotov and Irina are little more than probationary royals. To put it bluntly, they are not nationally recognized as heirs yet, and as a result don't directly represent Zaftra or its interests. If you wish for them to stay here to keep as many of the crimson weapons together as possible, you'll have to agree to a few conditions.

Iso: (Is anything good going to come out of being a royal prince related to that bastard Ivanko? Anything?)

Kiev Tales

Kiev wandered around the outside of the embassy until he found his way to the stables. As he drew closer, he softened his footsteps. For a change, he realized that he might freak out the horses if he just waltzed on in. Unfortunately, he forgot all about this when he finally found Amari. He came over to her stall and sat down outside it like a dog and began ... talking ....

Kiev: Wamph! Wamphraph! Wamph Uamph!

Something along the lines of being a big damn hero.

[Balcerzak]

Iris had jogged along with the group after Kiev had taken off. Quite the special wyvern that one: doesn't correct for rider error, runs off without prompting, squawking like a dying animal... what next on the list of surprises would it have for her? The cries attracted unwanted attention, as their party was set upon and quickly surrounded by Halton guards demanding answers. Their concerns were tabled for the most part when a scarred officer and red-haired woman appeared, and were addressed by rank. The man seemed to be on close terms with Isotov, and the woman seemed no stranger either. Isotov was greeted by a hug when an androgynous nomad burst out of the building, with a wake of open doors left visible. Unlike the guards, the nomad didn't appear to be armed, having apparently come quickly bed. That one would probably be Kelas, assuming the prince wasn't exaggerating his claims of "only friend in the world", the lieutenant decided, and kept at trying to put names to the other two faces. She was sure they'd had to have come up in conversation yesterday. Taking a cue from Kelas, the red-head swiftly embraced Irina in a hug of her own. With both of the nobles being physically engaged she started to get a bit twitchy, but this was obviously supposed to be some sort of touching reunion, so Frederikov just grit her teeth a little, and continued to take in the situation. Tas offered a bit of aid with the names, and Iris learned that the woman with Irina was Aiya. Unfortunately the man was still a mystery...

The nomad turned to go inside, and it seemed that Isotov was about to follow, but refreshingly Lev had the good sense to step in and do something about it. After all, they'd only come chasing that darn fool of a wyvern, and it was the middle of the night, one day later than they were supposed to arrive, and Ixion and the rest of the detachment were unaccounted from and unreported to. Irina took the hint, and made plans for breakfast with Aiya. That was fine. Unfortunately the scarred officer seemed a little more stubborn, almost insistent, and pulled Lev aside for a one-on-one. Iris bit her lip at this, but did not interfere, instead moving closer to Isotov and Irina, as the two had drifted a little away from her during the course of the greetings.

The chimera dog bearing Ixion's message was unpleasant, but oddly comforting in a way. The other woman who randomly appeared was not, and something did not sit right about her. Nerves on edge, she stared a bit. Was this Morgan? Apparently not, as the man with Lev soon addressed her as 'Miranda'. Who the hell was Miranda?! That name had never once come up. Expression deepening into a frown, Iris noted the nomad was again nearby Isotov, having returned from the entryway, and didn't seem at all happy about the new developments.

The man with the scars appeared to be intimately familiar with the members of Halton's ruling elements, and this was worrisome. If he kept pressing this, and forcing his will on the heirs... that was dangerous to the Zaftran autonomy. While abandoning the old isolationist policies was an excellent new beginning, if it just meant subjugation and colonization, then that was unacceptable. Resolve was filling her that she would do her utmost to urge against lodging here for the evening. She did not want to cut in before Ixion replied though, and when it came it was as she expected, a sensible one. An unexpected jab from this Miranda though, about the prince picking up random women caused her to start. Assuming that she was being referred to, she missed Isotov's reaction, while trying to come up with the proper rebuttal.

"Miss... Miranda. It's rather more like I was thee one doing thee picking in theese case. And I'd appreciate it if you had a little more tact."

When she realized that Ixion had pressed on with the negotiations, and seemed almost like he was going to give way, suggesting that if conditions were fulfilled it would be acceptable for them to spend the night in the Halton Embassy, Iris quickly dropped the matter of the annoying bitch, and refocused on what was truly important.

"Conditions? Ixion, please. I think you're being altogether entirely too lenient. You have thee right ideas, yes, just like you did two days ago, but if you keep conceding ground... Well, just look what happened theese last time? Detoured, delayed, and now in theese mess of a situation, instead of having arrived together in unity. It is clearly for thee best for thee heirs to go and regroup with thee remainder of thee contingent, at least for tonight. Not to mention, it is thee middle of thee night. This is no time to be negotiating conditions in thee first place. When thee sun comes up, we can all get together and sensibly discuss thee matters. Maybe it will be thee case that for the duration of the summit a consolidation of thee Crimson weapons is thee best. Maybe it will not. Nothing will be gained from undue haste."

Frederikov spoke sharply, confidently, and with more accent than she intended, as getting a little emotionally invested was causing her to slip. But she believed every word she said, and was no time to take things lying down. She'd already played passive observer long enough here.

OOC: Remember, I suck at accents, so she's usually going to have at least some that I will not bother to figure out how to express. (Try to remember this.) This time it is just getting notably worse than normal. In this and other instances I'll actually try.

Edited October 17, 2011 by Balcerzak

[eclipse]

Midori rubbed her eyes. What WAS that commotion? She wandered out of her room to

A bunch of people she never saw before were out and about. As if the decor in this place wasn't enough to put her on edge!

Great. More people. I've had someone call me by some weird name, and another who hasn't taken kindly to me. Now I have to deal with more? Why did I join these guys again?

[Phoenix]

Outside the Embassy

Miranda: You did the picking? Oh I see; yeah, I was the aggressor too when I was still human~

Fenrir: Miranda ...

Ixion listened carefully to Iris' interjection through Fenrir's ears and then turned his attention toward the Haltonians not saying anything else just yet. If what Iris pointed out wasn't enough for them, he still had his conditions.

[Balcerzak]

Prince Moody

Helios didn't want to be awake. The trip to Jerdon he had worked hard to help Charlotte with had been a disaster, and there had been nothing he could have done. If it was a case of a division between the nobles, some supporting some opposing, that he had been prepared for, and hoped to have been able to offer some influence on the matter. When the shocking surprise was that nobody believed in her, and in fact they all considered her to be dead and an imposter, well... that completely threw off his expectations. The berating he'd earned from Morgan just stung the worse when he realized how powerless he was when it came down to the truth of the matter. Would he have ended up getting himself killed? Who's to say. But he didn't end up doing a lick of good either, and it was frustrating.

Charlotte too, must have been suffering her own disappointments, and undoubtedly when they left her homeland the princess did so with heavy heart. Leaving behind Derek, and more importantly for Helios, Dani, was a sad occasion, and there was reluctance, and almost a dragging of the feet when it was actually time to depart. The prince was preoccupied throughout the whole of the church service, and the affairs at Directus wouldn't even have registered if not for the earthquake. He just needed somewhere to be alone and sulk for awhile, until he felt better. At least well enough to antagonize Chase over something trivial. Perhaps tomorrow.

If that racket outside would ever let up, and allow him to sleep in peace.

Hair of Gold

Arrin and Tessa had continued with some small talk in the 'experiment room' for awhile, and then there had been supper, and retiring for the evening. She had even been enjoying a nice dreamless sleep, the first pleasant one since that night, actually. The raucous calls of an excitable wyvern drifting up to her window awakened her, and now she feared it might be nothing but nightmares if she managed to get back to sleep. Unsure whether she go investigate, or remain inside, she simply lay there for awhile, clutching the covers tightly.

[Ether]

"Of course, negotiations would only occur on the dawn of the morn, not at this unseemly hour. Though the morn draws near, and nearer still. I know not the distance from here to wherever it is Ixion has made his temporary home, but the shelter of our roof stands directly in front of you, and your journey so far is already far too long. And as Levski, Isotov, and Irina can affirm for you, we mean no harm to you. Though would it appease you, I can allow you to retain arms on the premise you will not take action with them unless given reason to do so." Damian replied to the Zaftran woman, with a quick bow.

"Now as for Ixion. He can speak to my diligence, if so you wish as well. I spent a fair amount of time honing my skills under his tutelage. To move on to your proposed conditions, I am certainly willing to hear you out. Be that as it may, I believe it is about due time for me to be informed of said conditions."

[Phoenix]

Conditions

Fenrir: I suppose I'll just go over them, then.

Miranda: Getting visitation conditions from a large talking dog; how silly that would sound with no context~

Lev: (It's even sillier with context. Why does Damian want us to stay in the Halton embassy so badly? The reps are going to think Halton's trying to win over the heirs early or something. Not unheard of, but they're still politically powerless right now.)

Fenrir: The first condition, you've already addressed. We cannot allow ourselves to be disarmed for any length of time. The second condition involves exactly who would be staying at the embassy. That would include the following: Isotov, Irina, Levski, Iris, Stephanie, Miranda, and Fenrir. Everyone will require a bed to sleep in save for Fenrir. He'll still require unrestricted access to the other guests, however. You'll have to abide him in case I need to make contact speedily. The third condition is a meeting to be held after the summit. The Zaftran representatives will be present for this meeting and we and the Haltonian representatives can discuss any future relations since that seemed to be reason enough to invite Isotov and Irina before. Do you agree to all three of these conditions? If so, I've no other objections.

Miranda: (Condition one is a bit obvious. Condition two is more like ... "All your rooms belong to us!". Condition three ... hmm ... maybe he's plotting something. And he hasn't told me about it, yet? Maybe it just came to mind? I'll ask him why he really wants to hold a meeting later ... when there's less people around~)

[Snike]

Henry

Kamilla seemed pleasantly surprised and relieved at the outcome of the encounter. A score would double their intended numbers, and this was only after a single day of recruitment! It seemed that the attack would happen within a few days, though, so further gains could not be made, sadly. Now, the issue was to regroup with the others.

"We should return to the chapel, and go from there," the swordsman said, only one goal in mind: the completion of his mission.

[Ether]

"Those conditions seem perfectly reasonable. A meeting with the Zaftran Representatives is more a bonus than a condition, at least in my own humble opinion. As for the lodgings, I would not have offered had we not room to abide you. I believe there is an empty room that you should house all of you in your own beds, is that acceptable?" Damian replied, hoping that the negotiations could perhaps end with that for now, as it was late, and cold.

[Mercakete]

Tas decided that Miranda was Zaftran since she was included in Ixion's list of people the Haltonions were supposed to let into thier embassy. She probably worked with Ixion a lot, though so far she's seemed to be the Zaftran official's exact opposite. Also, Aiya hadn't responded to his greeting. That was entirely understandable. Maybe she was more interested in the conversation about where everyone would be staying or maybe she simply hadn't heard him. Either one was a legitamate reason for her lack of responce, though she also hadn't paid him any attention at all since their arrival. (Maybe she has things on her mind. The soldier earlier called her "captain," didn't he? Or was he referring to someone else?) There was also the possability that she'd simply forgotten about him. After all, they didn't speak much the last time they were both with the main group. That, along with the best friend theory, would explain why so much attention was given to Irina while not even a glance was offered him. It was perfectly understandable. (I'd bet Irina has a lot of friends here.) The idle thought passed Tas' mind as he contentedly continued observing the goings-on.

He supposed he was excluded from the list since he wasn't Zaftran, but it sounded like the summit would be among the various countries' leaders. That meant the group was already somewhat split up unless everyone was staying in the Halton embassy, which didn't sound to be the case. (Tristan's probably with the other Septiminians. I should go say "hello" sometime at a more reasonable hour.) "Excuse me, but is the group already split up? If there are representatives from each country, then it'd make sense that people would be staying with their countrymen," Tas innocently asked Damian.

[the_whistler]

Conrad:

General Jackson nodded. "I will do my best to influence the summit in a manner favourable to our interests, though one must keep in mind I serve as a representative of the Elyisiman assembly as well," departing from the room on that note of caution. Here lies the chance to separate rumor from fact regarding the Crimson Weapons and recent demonic occurrences, provided they behave themselves properly. His fingers tingled lightly as he saddled Thunderbolt and spurred the mount into motion, the captain following shortly. There is too much at risk to let an opportunity like this slip by.

"At ease, Sergeant," Conrad commanded as the guards snapped to salute. Handing over the reins, the general strode indoors, allowing a small satisfied expression to appear. While Captain Viveka suffered far worse traveling with the Crimson Weapons, the intangible embrace of military protocol in the slightly cramped, musty building was a welcome comfort.

"Corporal Revnor," he spoke, shaking the enlisted man out of reverie. "Sir! Welcome back, General Jackson," the words tumbled out of the corporal's mouth. "With all due respect, sir, we were not expecting your return for another two days at minimum," apologizing for the sudden jump in activity at the otherwise sleepy embassy.

"There was an unexpected change in plans, and we were fortunate enough to benefit from the conveniences of warp travel," the general replied. "Two rooms will be enough, one for myself and the other for Captain Viveka. Before sunset, I would like for you and another soldier to ensure the knife wielder's residence remains secure. Plainclothes."

The corporal glanced quizzically. "Understood, General Jackson."

Heinz:

The thief had returned to Haltonian quarters, fully anticipating a good night's rest. Seems only the weary have the longer path to cross, a slanted smirk melting onto his features as he requested reentrance. The darkness hid any hint of expression as the guard squinted through the murky lighting. Grudgingly, the door released itself from bronze hinges and the mercenary slipped away silently upstairs.

A loud noise jolted Heinz awake, muscles half tensed till the sound rang a familiar bell. He glared mutely at the window. Sound's coming from the other side of the embassy…. still loud, crazy wyverns. Probably Kiev, shutting the pane closed and instinctively checking for his knives. Satisfied with a touch of cool metal, the thief tugged on his cloak and headed down.

Four leave, five come back, Heinz noted wryly, discounting the priestess, druid, and the new Zaftran emperor as nonmembers of the party. The demon too, snorting as Miranda teased the fire mage. Heinz twitched however, when the dog opened its jowls and talked. Thought it was strange…. probably a chimera, hoping the dark druid hadn't learned how to transform his own body. Lurking a few more moments, the mercenary stepped out into the moonlight when the matter of residence appeared resolved.

"Good to see you again," addressing the returnees in general. Sound in body, if not of mind, perhaps. Heinz smiled slightly, posture at ease.

For the Gods:

Kaileen trudged upon a dusty road. Several towns had been searched, but still the presence had been found lacking. Even Anglenar, of the mages seemed to have forgotten the old lore, and the altar's location was desperately, frustratingly beyond the priestess's memory. All she could see was blur. Kreistieg had fallen into disrepair, Dynko had lost its familiar sparkle…… where were they again?

She collapsed onto the ground as the skies grew bleaker. "Please Goddess, answer my prayers. Not…. not all is lost yet, and the damage I wrought upon this soil, upon you may be reversed," Kaileen pleaded, her voice raising to a pained whisper. Kneeling forehead to pounded stone, she dazedly attempted to recollect her son. His smiles, those chimes of laughter were a faded harmony to the chorus rising betwixt her own soul and self.

How memorable could mere earthly relations be to one sprung from the moon, after all? A full moon tonight, near the city of Vorhonten a voice whispered into her head. "Lord and Lady, please forgive me for my insolence. I caused you to defy and warp your true natures. Let thine blood, cleanse this world!"

Kaileen screamed as the world went black.

[Balcerzak]

While waiting on the continued discussion, Miranda had chimed in with a rather startling comment, that nearly made Iris double-take. "When I was still human~" Just what in blazes did that mean. Did some dark magician finally bend or break the barrier between life and death? Or was this the work of demons? She couldn't recall any sort of precedent for a claim such as this, but it somehow seemed unlikely the woman was joking either. The lieutenant flashed the gadfly a withering look, then turned again to the discussion.

The colonel was making some decent points, and did show some willingness for flexibility, though he still didn't seem to grasp the entirety of the precariousness of the Zaftan politics at hand here. While outside of her immediate mandate, she was reluctant to just turn a blind eye to the potential dangers involved. In the end it would be Ixion taking the responsibility, though, and Frederikov had already made her stance clear. "I'm only staying here if the prince and princess are," she clarified, "And I still think it is unwise. That said, this first night can perhaps be forgiven, with the proper effort and explanations, but if the conference drags on into a multi-day affair, well then there will be no compelling reason for continued reliance on the hospitality of the embassy, I am sure you agree?"

She looked to Tas and smiled with relief when he offered forth a question that seemed to express a similar sentiment, inquiring if there had already been some sort of separations, which if true would provide further support for her position. Her grasp of group composition and dynamics was still weak, so having someone fill in holes like this for her was appreciated.

Another greeting to those who returned, coming from a man in dark clothes, nearly blending into the dim-light atmosphere, caught her attention. It was certainly a much more reserved welcoming than some of the others, that's for sure, and given the ongoing discussion very sensible of him. Iris approved, though her only reply to the man was an almost imperceptible nod.

Edited October 19, 2011 by Balcerzak

[Phoenix]

Viveka

Once Viveka got a look at the room she would be staying in, she stood at the door leaning to one leg with her arms crossed and a hand on her chin.

Viveka: Well ... there's more than one bed, so I guess this will do.

Turning to Tobe who'd been following along and the four men carrying her gigantic cases, she put on a very rare expression ... a smile.

Viveka: Okay, you guys just bring those in here for me and we'll be good. I'll take the bed on theeeee right side.

Once they had set the cases down, Viveka walked over to them and opened one up and immediately began digging through it. She eventually pulled out a nightgown that a whole foot longer than her usual one. She hurried the men out of the room but addressed Tobe before she shut the door.

Viveka: I need to change really quick, so just wait out here and if anyone bothers you, just tell them you're with the Captain.

She didn't leave Tobe out there long. Only sixty seconds later the door had opened again and Viveka's armor was lying at the foot of her bed, neatly arranged, and sitting on top of her riding coat with the boots sitting right beside it all. She was now in the gown and ready for bed, looking more noticeably tired than before.

Zaftrans

Fenrir: This is only for one night, yes.

Iso: Okay.

Iso said only one word before gesturing to Kelas that he was ready to go inside and then began following her in. Irina shrugged a little and then waved to Tas. If the matter was settled, then she was ready to head inside and get some sleep as well. Ixion conveying constant messages through Fenrir organized the Zaftran rooming arrangements before finally releasing the chimera back to its own will. Miranda and her chimera canine would be in the room right next to Iso and Irina, Lev and Stephanie would be on the opposite side sandwiching them in, and Tas received a room on the opposite side of the hallway facing Iso and Irina's room. Iso stayed up for a short while however speaking with Kelas about what had happened. Stephanie was out like a light as soon as she hit the sheets, and Lev stayed up for a time contemplating things.

Holster Blues

After relaying his incomprehensible story of heroism and valor, the young wyvern gave into his own fatigue and lied down right outside Amari's stall and fell asleep. The next morning, the hostlers arrived to find the gate into the stables broken right off the hinges and the door itself open. The horses were secure in their stalls, and the culprit was sleeping peacefully where he lied the previous night. Two of the men walked over, and one leaned over to investigate the wyvern. The other got fed up after his calls failed to wake the wyvern and gave the beast a swift kick on the rump. Kiev's eyes slowly opened and he looked over his back and wings to see the two men, one of which was still poking at him with his foot. Letting out a nearly silent yawn, the wyvern stared at the two for a moment, and then put his head back down.

Hostler: *sigh* Great.

Holster2: If this drake doesn't get up and out of here, I'm going to get the guards.

Hostler: We should probably find out who's wyvern it is before we do anything. For now, he seems fine just sleeping here.

Then Came The Morn

It came alright ....

[Ether]

As a rider Damian didn't quite recognize approached him, Damian listened to his question. He asked whether the group was split up already.

'Who is this now? He doesn't look Zaftran...'

Before Damian could respond, however, Aiya stepped in, and spoke to the man.

"Yeah, we have been split to an extent, Tas. General Jackson and Viveka have moved to the Elyisimian Embassy, as have Luc, Tristan, Alex and Fargo to the Septimian. Reika is staying at an inn somewhere because she refuses to be sociable. Aside from that, everyone is here at the moment." Aiya finished, with a quick smile.

"Yes. It is as Aiya says. I assume you must have joined while I was absent then, as I do not remember you. Well, no matter. My name is Damian Kleine. Wielder of the Crimson Lance Gae Bulg, as well as a Colonel in the Haltonian Military. And I believe Aiya said your name was Tas?" Damian said to the rider, extending his hand to the man.

[Balcerzak]

Flames from the North

The situation came to a close, and a provisional arrangement was arrived at. Before the Zaftrans were shown to their rooms, Iris picked up on a few more names, some that hadn't come up in her previous conversations, as well as confirmation of a fairly decent scale fracturing of the party. She filed this away for later, it seemed like it would be useful leverage if this Damian attempted to encourage continued lodgings. The lieutenant could have been less pleased with the rooming quarters for the evening, but only barely so. Being the room immediately next to the prince and princess was the only redeeming fact, softening the blow that she would be sharing hers with Miranda and the furry talking familiar. Frederikov made the pointed effort of going immediately to sleep; idle chit-chat was not an option.

When the morning came, she rolled herself out of bed, got into uniform and did her hair up, then left the room. She made a longer than normal stop in the facilities, taking time to use the somewhat secluded atmosphere to submit one of her regular updates to Borodin, keeping the general informed on the developing situation. As quick as she was able, she returned, and took up post across the hall from the room the heirs had stayed in, lounging next to the door to where Tas had stayed the night. While waiting on the others, she flipped absently through her tome, going over the various formulas and incantations she already knew so well, reading through them in force of habit.

Heals from the Center

Like Tessa had been afraid of, after wakening in the middle of the night, she had had a terrible time getting back to sleep, drifting in an out of fitful dreams. The past half-hour before dawn she'd just been lying awake with her eyes shut, but she finally decided that enough was enough. After a few morning stretches, and a staggered yawn, she made her way to the stables... or so she had intended. When she ended up at the dining hall, she took it as a consolation. She took a seat, made a pillow of her arms and rested at one of the tables. She would simply wait a little bit, and then either food would be ready, or someone would come. The Lady knew Arrin loved to eat, maybe he'd show up... A few random light thoughts drifted around the healer's head before she dozed off where she sat.

Winds from the South

Helios was in a right proper mood. The time for moping was past. The time for training was now. There had to be rocks around here somewhere. He made his way to the outside, looking for either a courtyard, a front yard, or a back yard. He wasn't picky. The prince knew he'd get an earful from Morgan if he left the embassy grounds, but within the perimeter there would have to be something, wouldn't there? Upon reaching the outside, the sage realized the flaw in his plan. Guards. They were everywhere, and probably wouldn't take too kindly to destruction of Halton property, or whatever fancy term they'd try to call it. He heaved a sigh, and wondered if it would even be worth asking permission. Maybe... over there, near the stables there seemed to be a couple of folk dressed a bit different than the rest. If they were lower in the pecking order just maybe...

He was a little disappointed when, as he moved closer, it became apparent that they weren't guards at all, but merely hands to tend the horses. They also seemed like they might have their work cut out for them too, as the stable gate was a mess. Helios kicked the ground and wondered if he oughtn't turn around and find something else to do. Maybe it was a good day to pick on Chase after all, hmmm....

Edited October 21, 2011 by Balcerzak

[Phoenix]

The night before

Finally the discussion had ended, and Kelas was free to stop shivering and staring at Miranda and duck inside. There was a quiet flurry of activity as rooms were readied, and she stayed close, but did not start up a conversation-- none of what she wanted to ask was especially secret, but she didn't want to give Miranda cause to... do anything. She wasn't entirely sure what the demon was up to; this time, it was almost like she was trying to drive her away.

As people were sent off to their rooms, she hung back, waiting for Miranda and the new woman to retire before leading Isotov back to her room to talk. She wanted to ask him how things had gone before he returned to his room.

Now out of the sight of potential sources of commentary, she walked up beside Isotov and wrapped her arms around him again. She couldn't deny that the gesture was at to some degree for the purposes of warmth; she was still shivering a bit from the wait outside. "I was worried about you," she said quietly. "How did it go?"

Being hugged yet again had Iso both holding still like a statue and blushing heavily. The only thing that snapped him out of it was Kelas' question.

Iso: (How'd it go? Where to start ...?) It was ... a massive aerial battle. I had to learn to ride Kiev just to not be a burden on them out there. The Zaftrans put up a strong defense ... even a fire dragon showed up to fight for them, and hundreds of guys on our side were dead before it was finally over.

"You didn't get hurt too bad, did you?" Kelas asked, letting go and walking over to sit on the bed. She scooted over to make room for him to sit down. "And what all happened after?"

Iso made the short trip to the bed and sat down beside Kelas with a deep sigh.

Iso: I made it out with no serious injuries. I didn't have to fight the dragon. It was still a close call, though. Once the dragon was taken out of the picture, we landed on the roof of the palace and the mercenaries tried to get reorganized. I ended up traveling around with Ixion and the Empress herself trapped us in some kind of room and then set the whole place on fire trying to cook us alive.

He put his hand to his forehead while reliving the event.

Iso: She almost killed us both right then and there, but Ixion had me convert her attack into my own with Proxima and then turned the tables and blasted our way out. I was delirious from the heat, so I couldn't think straight ... but tried to find Irina anyway. The next time I saw her, though, the battle was over, and I learned that she had killed Emperor Denisov herself. Being on the front lines has probably earned us all the respect we're ever going to get from the other nobles ... which isn't much ....

As Isotov sat down Kelas moved to rest her head on his shoulder-- it was late, after all-- but caught herself, remembering the exchanges outside. She continued to keep herself still through the description of near misses, the mention of the nobility at the end just another reminder of her friend's new status. "...Am I going to need to act differently around you now that you're-- do you need me to leave you alone?" she asked finally. She wasn't sure she would like the answer.

Iso: W-what? Leave me alone? No way. You're one of the only friends I've got in this group. I don't really care what my status is. I'm not going to push you away just to have a 'chance' at appeasing a bunch of Zaftran hardasses. If they don't like the company I keep, they can go to hell.

Iso's voice was a bit stressed, almost as if fighting to keep his voice down. It was also very defensive.

Kelas hid most of her relief with nonchalance, but couldn't suppress a bit of a smile. "Shh, you'll wake whoever's next door," she said, settling back down next to him-- she'd edged away, nearly getting up, in case it became clear that she wouldn't be able to talk to him anymore. "So... what else happens now with you? I guess--" she paused to yawn-- "that mage who was with you is some sort of official to keep you in line? What all happened after the dust settled?"

Iso: Well ... right after the battle, everyone started picking up the pieces and Ixion recovered a family relic, a powerful one that can identify members of the royal bloodline. Ivanko wanted to test it to see if it worked. I was just a nephew type of prince until that test was done. We learned that ... Irina and I are only half siblings. Ivanko's actually my real father, not Aleksandr. The only one that wasn't completely disappointed to hear that was Ivanko ... for some reason.

Iso kept his head down while explaining.

Iso: So now I'm a prince in line for the throne, but I certainly don't feel like it. I know I'm not the perfect candidate, but they could at least ... I don't know. Most of the time you hear about heirs being trained and prepared for their roles. Ixion and the nobles just want to keep me alive until they can find a better heir from the looks of things. I guess that's for the best ... it's not like I really wanted to get saddled with ruling Zaftra in my later years ... but it still hurts. I feel like I'm not even worth a second glance to those people. It really reminds me just how few allies I really have in this whole mess.

Having gotten that well kept feeling off his chest, he ventured into detail about what else happened.

Iso: Well, Ivanko was crowned emperor, obviously, and Irina and I ended up with Iris as a personal bodyguard. She seems more like an adviser, though. I accomplished what I set out to do, at least. I made sure my sister didn't get stuck in Zaftra, and I made sure we weren't separated ... well not for very long. It wasn't all sunshine and daisies for Tas either. We found the ruins of his old ranch and his father's body on the way back. I'd never done a cremation before ...

"That sounds... exhausting," Kelas replied, trying to process the implications of all of that. She wasn't at all sure what to do, or even that there was anything she could do. She settled for resting a hand on his shoulder; a hug might have done better as a comforting gesture, but he seemed to react badly to those now for some reason. "...Any way I can help?"

It didn't take Iso long to come to a conclusion on that. He turned to his friend with that depressing look on his face and kept eye contact.

Iso: It's ... it's just nice to know that you actually care. Just keep doing that and ... and I think I'll be able to stomach all of this garbage.

"Well, I can definitely do that," Kelas replied, trying to look reassuring. It was becoming very hard not to go for another hug. They continued to talk as the night wore on. Both were exhausted for different reasons, and eventually fell asleep.

The Morning After

Iso hadn't had any dreams the previous night, none that he could remember, at least. His waking moments were like most others, only he felt a lot of warmth that couldn't possibly be coming from him. He didn't even manage to open his eyes before he realized there was another person in the bed with him. He then realized he never did make it back to his room the previous night and slowly opened his eyes to confirm everything. He was on a bed with Kelas' arms wrapped around him. He also noticed his own arms around her which almost prompted a flinch. She still seemed to be asleep, but now Iso was wide awake and completely unable to think straight.

Iso: Wh-! ... (Oh crap, did I just fall asleep here? Was I really that tired? Why is she ... why am I ... oh crap, what am I supposed to do here? ... what if she freaks out when she wakes up or I accidentally wake her up while trying to get free? Uhhh that looks like a no go. I'm not sure I can move my arms, either ... ... I'll probably wake her up if I even make an attempt ...)

Iso's head softly fell down and he stared off at a wall, not sure what to do or expect. The only thing that could make matters worse would be a knock at the door, he thought. An occasional twitch of his left eyelid and a persistent blush were the only remaining signs he was still nervous.

Awkward Timing

Miranda seemed to be asleep in her bed, even after Iris woke up and left. Whether or not she actually was was anyone's guess. She was a demon after all. Fenrir was also on the bed with her and resting his head on her stomach. The chimera was most definitely asleep, but that didn't stop Miranda from occasionally stroking his head in the middle of the night. By morning however, Ixion thought to check in. Fenrir's eyes opened. All Ixion could see was Fenrir's view of Miranda's chest ...

Fenrir: ... (What am I-What is Fenrir doing here ...?)

The chimera then shook its head as if trying to shake something off which got Miranda's attention.

Miranda: Oh, you're awak-GAH!

Fenrir was swiftly punched in the face ...

Fenrir: Stop that. I thought you were used to seeing an overlapping face or whatever it was you described it as.

Miranda: It's still pretty much the creepiest thing on this green earth. Also you were lying over me this time. Why don't you make a chimp chimera and possess that instead?

Fenrir: No. How are the siblings?

Miranda: Alive, I guess. I can sense Iso though he's not in his room. Never came back, actually. He's probably with the nomad. Irina went straight to sleep. Stephanie too ... and I guess none of the others really matter, but they're fine.

Fenrir: Right. Very well, then. I'll be in touch.

When from Miranda's perspective, Ixion's face had disappeared from Fenrir, she quickly snuggled the beast.

Miranda: That's my Fenriiiir~ I'm so sorry about thaaat; Ixion's just got lousy timing, yes he does, hahah~

Edited October 21, 2011 by Phoenix