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homebrew-and-heroism · 2 years

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Vespyr

“From the mouth of the cavern, one may have expected some angry bear, or a troll or giant of some kind enraged that our party had found its lair. Instead, there came the flapping of leathery wings, louder than any natural creature but far softer than those of a dragon or demon. As we raised our weapons, the flapping ceased, and a strange, furred creature alit upon the stone before us.

She was small, hunched over from the weight of the years on her back, but her blank eyes seemed to glint with excitement as her large ears flicked in our direction. A smile broke her broad face, showing off glinting fangs, and she spread her winged arms welcomingly.“

—Aban’zi, ‘The Caverns Below Karthe’

While many think of the Underdark as the only expansive spread of caves home to underground-dwelling races, the land of Karthe has its own network of ancient, abandoned mines and naturally-formed tunnels and caverns. This area is known as the Below, and many strange folk inhabit its recesses. The ones most commonly encountered, however, are those who emerge from the Below to hunt upon the surface.

The vespyrs are exactly that. Dwelling in dark caverns near the surface, they are the ones who venture out to gather anything they need upon the surface each night. They are humanoid, with black and grey skin, and have short brown or black fur covering much of their body, besides their hands, feet, and face. They have large ears and great, leathery wings that connect to their torso under their arms, from their wrists to their waists.

The vespyrs may have existed under Karthe for millenia, but their existence became commonly known near the end of the First Era, and their full integration into surface society only came about after the Second Era began.

Above and Below

Vespyrs have large wings with which to travel the skies of the surface, and keen ears so sensitive, they can use echolocation to track even the best-camouflaged prey. In addition, their favourite foods are found on the surface, from sweet fruits to delicious animals.

Vespyr society was quick to take advantage of their ability to thrive on the surface, and will often hunt or scavenge more than they need in order to trade with the other inhabitants of the Below. Some more greedy vespyrs will even descend on caravans in the night, spiriting away whatever supplies and trinkets they can get away with to trade with their eager customers.

Blood and Nectar

Vespyrs have a large variety of unique traits between colonies, but their diets are easily the most defining difference. While they are similar enough that they are technically omnivorous, most vespyrs have evolved to require nutrients from mostly herbivorous diets or carnivorous diets, and have taken to being called the nectyr vespyrs or hyma vespyrs, respectively.

In greener areas of Karthe, the nectyr vespyrs make their homes, enjoying a mostly plant-based diet. Any meal that does not include some type of berry as a main course is considered incomplete, and colonies will often set up an area with the express purpose of collecting the juices of berries to turn into drinks and quick snacks.

Where the fauna of the land is more appealing, the hyma vespyrs are eager to settle in. Blood is rich with the nutrients they need, but they see no need to waste the meat of their prey as well, bringing it home to snack on. They prefer rare meats, and if an outsider is treated to their cuisine, they may find that blood stew isn’t named such because of the colour alone.

Traders of the Caverns

When the surface dwellers sought community with them, the vespyrs once again demonstrated their opportunistic nature by providing the same services to their newest customers. As such, it is hard to tell if the vespyrs have any exports of their own, or if their entire economy is purely based on trading things for more value than they spent to acquire them.

Despite their shrewd business practices, vespyr traders are among the most trustworthy out there. If you feel that one had swindled you, then you usually have only yourself to blame. Nothing excites them more than someone willing to haggle, and so they will often set their prices loftily, but by and large they will never make false claims about their products, nor will they insist on an exorbitant price. If you can manage to track the same trader down, they will give you a full refund if you are not satisfied with the trade, but they are more than confident that their products are worth exactly what you were willing to spend on it.

Vespyr Names

One thing that vespyr society can hold as purely their own is their history. They are extremely proud of their family history, and parents will often name their children after renowned ancestors. Unfortunately, this does sometimes result in a line of vespyrs being named the same name as their parents, either inherited from the same ancestor or inherited from the sheer amount of ancestors that shared that name. As such, they differentiate themselves with the name of their colony, as well as incorporating their area of expertise into their identity.

Masculine Names: Alcard, Claude, Drach, Ferdinand, Louis, Vlane

Feminine Names: Ambrose, Arthene, Clauine, Drinne, Victra, Yvonne

Colony Names: Coal-dust, Gem-eyes, Sharp-talon, Blood-touched, Root-perch

Defining Names: of Harvests, the Miner, the Haggler, who Swoops in the Night, giving Magic, Dwarf-friend, with Swift Sword, the Warrior

Vespyr Traits

The unique living situations of vespyrs grant them an array of unique traits and abilities to give them an edge, both in the Below and on the Surface.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma and Wisdom scores each increase by 1.

Age. Vespyrs mature at a slightly faster rate than humans, being considered adults by the age of 15. Nectyr vespyrs will often live to the age of 100, whereas hyma vespyrs will usually only make it to 90.

Alignment. Vespyr society is built upon the honour system, and those that stray from it often find their communal ties strained at best. As such, they tend towards lawful alignments, but put little stock in ones’ morality so long as they follow the rules.

Size. Vespyrs stand about level with dwarves, if slightly taller on average. In contrast, however, they usually weigh 70-80 pounds. Your size is medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Flight. You have a flying speed of 40 feet. If you are wearing medium armour, this speed decreases to 30, and if you are wearing heavy armour, it decreases to 25. In addition, while flying, you cannot make complex hand movements, such as attacks or somatic elements for spells, and you cannot benefit from a shield.

Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Echolocation. You have blindsight up to 60 feet, and can extend this to 100 feet as an action. This effect does not go through solid material. You cannot use this trait while you are Deafened.

Fine-tuned ears. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. However, due to your overly sensitive hearing, you are vulnerable to thunder damage.

Market Tactics. You have proficiency with your choice of the Persuasion or Insight skills.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Undercommon, and one standard language of your choice. In addition, you can communicate simple messages to other vespyr using a series of ultrasonic squeaks and clicks.

Subrace. Two main subraces of vespyr populate the Below: Nectyr vespyrs and hyma vespyrs. Choose one of these subraces.

Nectyr

The nectyr vespyrs enjoy a diet of mostly fruits, and spend most of their time on the surface scavenging, rather than hunting. As such, they have a few unique traits to allow them to better forage in the forests.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Scavenger. You gain proficiency with the Investigation and Survival skills.

Fangs. Your fanged bite is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Hyma

The hyma vespyrs prefer blood, but enjoy rare meats as well. Far more territorial and physical than nectyr vespyrs, they possess abilities that give them a slight edge against their foes and their prey.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Frightful Shriek. As an action, you can emit a piercing shriek to stun your enemies. Choose a target that can hear you within 30 feet of you. That target must make a Constitution saving throw equal to 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Constitution modifier or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Once you’ve used this trait, you cannot use it again until you have finished a long rest.

Fangs. Your fanged bite is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

#d&d homebrew #d&d #d&d 5e #d&d 5e homebrew #dungeons and dragons #homebrew #jadeclyff #d&d homebrew races #d&d races #bats #vespyr

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baliportalnews · 10 months

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Wali Kota Jaya Negara Mutasi 61 Pejabat di Lingkungan Pemkot Denpasar, Gerak Cepat Bangun Kolaborasi dan Sinergi Wujudkan Network Government

BALIPORTALNEWS.COM, DENPASAR – Wali Kota Denpasar, I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara secara resmi melantik dan mengambil sumpah 61 pejabat administrator dan pengawas di lingkungan Pemkot Denpasar pada Senin (10/7/2023) di Graha Sewakadarma Kota Denpasar. Sebanyak 61 Pejabat yang dilantik terdiri atas 34 Pejabat Administrator dan 27 Pejabat Pengawas. Beberapa pejabat yang turut dilantik diantaranya, I Wayan Putra Sarjana yang dilantik sebagai Kepala Bagian Perekonomian Setda Kota Denpasar, Cokorda Gede Partha Sudarsana yang dilantik sebagai Kabag Protokol dan Komunikasi Pimpinan Setda Kota Denpasar, I Gede Putu Krisna Atmaja Karang yang dilantik sebagai Sekretaris Inpektorat Kota Denpasar, I Nyoman Oka Saljana yang dilantik sebagai Sekretaris Kesbangpol Kota Denpasar, serta Dewa Gede Rai yang diangkat sebagai Sekretaris Bapenda Kota Denpasar. Pelantikan yang dilaksanakan guna meningkatkan kapasitas kelembagaan dan optimalisasi pelayanan ini turut dihadiri Ketua DPRD Kota Denpasar, I Gusti Ngurah Gede, Sekda Kota Denpasar, IB Alit Wiradana, Wakapolresta Denpasar, AKBP I Wayan Jiartana, dan Forkopimda Kota Denpasar. Tampak pula Ketua GOW Kota Denpasar, Ny. Ayu Kristi Arya Wibawa dan Ketua DWP Kota Denpasar, Ny. Widnyani Wiradana. Wali Kota Denpasar, I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara menyampaikan kepada para ASN Kota Denpasar agar semakin kokoh. Sehingga terbangun integritas dan pola pikir yang positif konstruktif serta kolaboratif dalam bertugas. Hal ini lantaran Mutasi, Pelantikan dan Pengambilan Sumpah Jabatan seperti ini adalah hal yang wajar dan tidak lain karena tuntutan kebutuhan organisasi dalam upaya peningkatan kapasitas kelembagaan dan memaksimalkan pelayanan. Lebih lanjut dijelaskan, Pemerintah Kota Denpasar sudah diapresiasi positif dengan beberapa raihan penghargaan atas capaian pembangunan. Apresiasi atas capaian ini merupakan wujud komitmen Pemerintah Kota Denpasar dalam memberikan layanan kepada masyarakat. Sehingga capaian ini layak dijadikan motivasi untuk terus dan terus berbuat yang lebih baik dalam penyelenggaraan pemerintahan dan pembangunan. “Kedepan masih banyak ‘pekerjaan rumah’ yang harus diselesaikan. Kita harus cermat dan cepat mendapatkan solusi terbaik menghadapi permasalahan kota sebagai tantangan pembangunan berkelanjutan, sehingga mampu mewujudkan Kota Kreatif Berbasis Budaya Menuju Denpasar Maju,” ujarnya. Jaya Negara mengingatkan, seluruh perangkat daerah tidak terkotak-kotak dalam ego sektor. Pihaknya ingin ASN Kota Denpasar memperkuat soliditas perangkat daerah. Dimana, beragam ‘Karya’ yang berhasil diwujudkan merupakan hasil dari kerja bersama kita semua. Sehingga tidak ada yang merasa paling harus didahulukan atau paling prioritas. “Saya yakin pencapaian itu semua merupakan kerja keras kita bersama dan merupakan bentuk semangat Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, lascarya-lah dalam pengabdian dimanapun saudara ditugaskan. Bekerjalah berorientasi pada pelayanan dan akuntabel,” ujarnya. “Selalu meningkatkan kompetensi dalam bekerja. Pupuklah terus harmonisasi internal dan antar perangkat daerah. Loyal-lah terhadap pekerjaan, adaptif terhadap perubahan dan bangun kolaborasi dengan jejaring kerja. Niscaya kita dapat memberi nilai kemanfaatan dan dirasa masyarakat,” imbuhnya. Jaya Negara mengingatkan, sumpah dan janji yang saudara ucapkan merupakan sebuah kebanggaan pribadi. Sehingga harus diresapi untuk menjadi penguat integritas dalam bekerja. Pihaknya juga berharap pejabat yang baru dilantik agar segera beradaptasi terhadap tugas pokok dan fungsi jabatan. Terlebih lagi memitigasi segala potensi situasi dan lingkungan stategis di tempat baru. “Saya pribadi dan atas nama Pemerintah Kota Denpasar mengucapkan selamat kepada seluruh pejabat yang dilantik hari ini. Sekali lagi saya ingin seluruh pemangku kepentingan dapat bekerja kolaboratif dan bersinergi sehingga terbentuk network government mewujudkan Denpasar Maju,” ujar Jaya Negara.(bpn) Read the full article

#BaliPortalNews #Denpasar #JayaNegara #PelantikanPejabat #PemkotDenpasar

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dimplehyunn · 3 years

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CANDLE LIGHT

Pairing:Idol!Lee Donghyuck X Fem!reader | Genre:Fluff, established relationship AU | Wc: Less than 1k | No warnings<33

"Omg! Why are you covering my eyes like this?", You shrug as the man behind you kept covering your precious eyes with his masculine yet soft hands. "Trust me, you're gonna love it when I uncover your eyes, for now please co-operateee,y/n", he said in his pouty baby voice as he kept pushing you forward to help you walk with your eyes closed. "Okay okay Hyuckie",you giggle at his cute behaviour.

It had been weeks since your boyfriend took you out or even spent a proper amount of time with you,him taking you out all of a sudden was the last thing you expected to happen on this weekend but it happened.

Suddenly his hands uncovered your closed eyes and his masculine voice hit your ears,"Open your eyes baby". You opened your eyes slowly only to see yourself standing in the middle of the breezy beach with sands all around and a circle shaped restaurant covered in red materials, matching with your dress(which he got for you) and his shirt,made for only two. The table was decorated with pink and red flowers on white cloth. You couldn't believe your eyes. "What is this?", You mumbled out in awe.

"Candle Light Dinner!", The young man yelled excitedly looking at you. "Happy Anniversary baby", Hyuck said holding your right hand softly rubbing it as his shimmering eyes met yours, watering on his words. "Hyuckie,you remembered....", You hugged him in joy as you felt like the luckiest girl in the whole wide world. He hugged you back accepting that he craved that hug for quiet some time now.

"I know the days to come. They're too uncertain and I'm sorry for the past", the young man nibbles in your ears. His words kind of disturber because they sounded so sad as if he was going to be gone again.You let go of the hug slightly to look into his eyes, "what do you mean?". "Omo! Don't look at me like that. I'm embarrassed! But that means I love you", he said dramatically holding his chest making you laugh and blush at the same time. In no time, he dragged you towards the table that had a red velvet flavoured cake placed on it with Happy First Anniversary written on it. He slowly gestured, "Let's blow the candles on the count of 3, okay?". You nodded happily. You both had the most wonderful dinner that you had ever had before. Candles lightening your personal restaurant, sea growling behind you, the sound of the waves giving you both comfort and nostalgic feelings,the soft and chilly wind hitting your hair as you both tried to keep the candle alit despite the wind being so strong.

Not to mention the little dance by the sea on your Song at the end of the dinner as he nibbled in your ears, "will you be with me at this time next year too?". You took a deep breath in his arms while dancing in the rhythm he had created and replied, "I'll be with you at the same time, for the next 100 years".

A/N : I literally posted this when it was unfinished accidentally like I'm so sorry to @taemin-jaemin for the sudden deletion it was unfinished and I panicked. Anyways I hope it's good and y'all like it. Feedbacks are appreciated. Thank you. Have a nice day!<3

Taglist : @wonjaems @yurelic @ahsshilee-me -(send an ask to be added)

Network (s) : @ficscafe @neowritingsnet @pretty-neos @neoturtles @kpclub

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vannahfanfics · 4 years

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Nothing Else Compares

Category: Mild Romantic Fluff

Fandom: Atlantis- The Lost Empire

Characters: Milo, Kida

Hi, guys! I wrote this for a Atlantis zine I’m trying to apply for, so I thought I’d share <3

Milo barely registered the burning of his calves and thighs as he squatted beside the large, lily-covered pond stretching out before him. Throughout his stay in Atlantis, Milo’s physique had considerably improved thanks to frequent hiking, swimming, and climbing. Still, even the stoutest muscles would complain after being stretched for thirty minutes without rest. The dull ache was far from Milo’s mind, for he was far too captivated by the beautiful fish gliding just below the still surface of the pond. His pencil sailed over the notebook pages. He continuously sketched the gorgeous creatures and recorded the aspects of their behavior, not wishing to miss a single detail in his rapt scientific study.

The creatures much resembled the koi fish of the surface world, but they’d evolved a little differently due to the unique mesocosm of the rich waters of the Atlantean pond. Rather than the gold, black, orange, and white variations of patterning expressed by their overworld counterparts, the fish’s scales were dynamic arrangements of sapphire blue, cerulean, white, lavender, black, and violet. Nothing in the surface world came close to the elegant beauty of the gorgeous fish serenely circling the pond. Milo wondered if the surrounding underwater vegetation contributed to the adaptation. The seaweed rooted in the muddy bottom of the bond wasn’t any shade of green, but hued with deep purples and blues. That’s only speculation, of course… I’ll have to carefully observe their behavior to see if they utilize the seaweed for camouflage, he thought as he tapped the end of his pencil against his lips.

As his mind trailed off following the thought, Milo finally became aware of his thigh muscles’ screaming agony. Groaning, the academic slowly eased himself down on his rump, ultimately alleviating the pressure on his lower extremities. He could swear he heard the cells audibly sigh in relief, and the pain eased back into a dull, pounding ache. He set his notebook down to massage the distressed meat of his legs while casting a glance at the surrounding area. Milo had spotted the glittering fish first, so he’d neglected to drink in the environment around their secluded little pool.

The pond was fed by freshwater from the mountains trickling through the crevices of the smooth, rounded rocks piled on the north end of the area. Multiple streams dribbled through the tightly-packed stones to feed into the large pond, filling the air with the pleasant babbling of the water. The stone face extended out on either side of the fishpond, where thin, twisted, gnarly trees clung to the wet surfaces with a labyrinthine network of roots that bored into the rock face. Spongy, light green moss coated every inch of the rock where the tree roots didn’t permeate. White-gray lichens draped from the spindly tree branches like curtains; they ruffled in the breeze, making the trees resemble ghostly wisterias leaning over the pond.

Milo took a few minutes to scrawl the habitat across two pages of his notebook, just in case he needed it for future reference. The forest echoed with rustles and snaps and trilling bird calls, as all forests rich with life do. Gradually, a series of small susurrations and snapping twigs peeled Milo’s attention from his observations, making him glance over his shoulder into the underbrush to see who- or what- was approaching. A bright smile alit his face as Kida’s graceful form slipped out from underneath some elephant-ear plants to pad into the clearing.

“Oh. Here you are, Milo,” she smiled pleasantly. “I see you’ve found something new today.” Milo nodded and eagerly gestured for Kida to approach so he could regale her with his scientific observations. The white-haired woman strolled across the clearing to sink onto her knees beside him, leaning over his shoulder so she could have a clear view of the graphite-covered pages.

“Look, look! So, this lily system-” he gestated wildly at the collection of green lily pads floated serenely across the pond surface, blooming with lavender-colored flowers. “-is an effective filtration and aeration system for the pond, which only gets limited oxygenation by the addition of the small trickles of water from the streams…” Kida listened attentively as he lectured on all his discoveries and assumptions, her bright eyes scanning the words and diagrams while considering his speech. Kida wasn’t nearly as passionate about science as Milo, but she never berated or ignored him, and often posed some theories or considerations. It was just another small thing in a great list of many that made him hopelessly in love with the Atlantean queen.

“And, that’s as far as I’ve gotten,” he finished with a huff, snapping the book shut and smiling expectantly at her.

“Not bad for forty-five minutes,” Kida chuckled appreciatively. With a contented sigh, she leaned back on her hands and stretched her tanned legs out to soak up the relaxed atmosphere of the secluded little ecosystem. Her blue eyes beheld the assortment of lilies floating languidly across the pond surface with untroubled tranquility. Milo drew his knees up to his chest and leaned his cheek against his forearm with an endeared smile, watching Kida survey the area. After several minutes of comfortable silence, her sky-blue eyes flickered to her peripheries, and she grinned playfully.

“Want to go for a swim?”

An electric pulse of excitement propagated across every nerve junction of his body. There were no insinuations or innuendos contained within Kida’s simple question; it just reminded him of one of their first times alone, when they’d dived into the lake to swim down into the hidden cavern. Who knew that such a small event would trigger such chaos and drama? Milo reminisced silently in his head, drifting off into space as he so often did. Kida chuckled amiably and snapped her fingers in front of his face to yank him back to reality. “Earth to Milo.”

“Oh! Yes! Swimming,” he rambled as he climbed quickly to his feet. He shed his clothes between quipped phrases. Sometimes he dressed in Atlantean attire; sometimes, he wore the clothes he’d brought with him from the submarine voyage just for nostalgia. Today was a case of the latter. “In water.” He pulled his cream-colored tank top over his head. “The two of us.” He kicked off his sandals. “Together.” He shimmied out of his cargo pants and likewise flung them carelessly aside. “Great plan.”

“Milo,” Kida laughed, daintily covering her mouth with her hand as she rose from her position, “You act as if we aren’t engaged.” A pink blush painted Milo’s cheeks, and he flashed Kida a bashful smile while rubbing at the back of his neck. Giggling, she leaned in to pat him cutely on the cheek before unwinding the shawl that covered her upper thighs. They’d been engaged for some time now, so Milo really ought to be used to Kida’s jaw-dropping gorgeousness, but his jaw refused to get the memo. As the soft blue fabric slipped from her shapely tanned legs, his mouth fell open, and his head craned back a little so his eyes could traverse the smooth curves of her body. A polite cough brought his eyes heavenward, finding Kida’s sparkling with amusement while one of her white eyebrows quirked.

“Uhm, I, uhh… Pretty, you’re very pretty,” Milo stammered dumbly. Kida threw back her head in another bout of delighted laughter, making Milo smile sheepishly and play with the scraggly brown hairs at the base of his neck again. Kida’s arms lunged forward to grab him by the wrists, guiding his body to guide him into the pool.

“Thank you, Milo,” she chuckled as her ankles dipped into the cold water. The lilies bumped against her calves as she waded back into the pool, coursing across the ripples with much more speed than their previous lazy gaits. The koi scattered as Kida’s feet tracked across the deep brown mud, throwing up clouds of it in the otherwise clear liquid. When Milo’s bare feet kissed the edge of the bool, his spine tingled at the cold sensation that bloomed in his toes. The feeling spread up his legs as he slipped into the pool with his fiancé to feel him with a refreshing chill.

The deepest region of the pool only reached the height of Kida’s waist, so that is where she dropped his arms to begin running her fingers over the surface of the water, creating dozens of ripples. As her arms moved in slow, gentle arcs, something about the movement of her body made Milo’s heart thump in his chest. He must’ve gotten a strange look on his face because she snickered, “What?”

“You’re just the most gorgeous woman that I’ve ever met.” A flush deepened her cheeks’ skin tone, making the electric-blue tattoo decorating the area under her eye seem to glow. A shy grin spread over her pretty plump lips; he could visibly see the glee bubbling up inside of her. The water sloshed as Milo closed some distance between them to grip her arms by the elbows lightly. With a playfully considerate look, Kida watched him as he slowly raised them, hand sliding down the length of her forearm to leave dewdrops of water clinging to her gorgeous tawny skin, until he brought her hands to his face. With his eyes locked on hers, Milo kissed each of the tops of her hands and then smiled salaciously. “Definitely the most gorgeous woman that I’ve ever met,” he confirmed with an appreciative nod. Kida snorted, but he could see how flustered she was by his smooth words by the red flush creeping down her neck from her face.

“You’re in an awfully good mood,” she commented. Milo’s flirtatiousness instantly dissolved as his fragile thread of consciousness snapped. For a second, he wondered if Kida wasn’t in the mood, but that thought evaporated as she slipped forward to press her torso against his. As the soft fabric binding her bust pressed against his pectorals, Milo reflexively began to stammer; Kida silenced them with a seductive “shhhh.” Her hands detached from his to slide over his shoulders, and he shuddered as the cold water kissed his skin. Kida’s arms wound loosely around his neck so that her fingers could play with the curly hairs resting against the nape of his neck.

“Uhhh,” Milo blinked, compulsively pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “You’re in a pretty good mood, too.” Kida laughed airily; thankfully, his dumb comments always seemed to amuse rather than aggravate her, so he was grateful for that.

“Well, I am with the love of my life. That will put anyone in a good mood.” Milo’s face blazed crimson, and he began to sputter nonsensically. Kida snickered, gazing in his eyes for a few moments, before her eyes dropped down to the beautiful water around them. Instinctively, he glanced down as well.

The koi-like fish had acclimated to the lovers’ presence, as they were now freely and undauntedly gliding through the seaweed waving around Milo and Kida’s legs. Occasionally, one of the foot-long fish would bump against one of their calves; the creature would wriggle as if apologizing before swiftly swimming around. Their scales glittered like gems in the crystal-clear water- pearl, amethyst, sapphire, sugilite, onyx, and zircon glinting beneath the peaceful surface. Suddenly gripped by the urge to be even closer to the fish, Milo relaxed his legs, allowing gravity to tip him backward onto his rump. Kida cried out in alarm as her body followed suit, slumping into him on their downward slant. Milo laughed animatedly as the water splashed up around them, slicking them from head to toe.

“That wasn’t funny,” she pouted as she pushed the water-soaked strands of white hair from her face. Milo tutted apologetically and helped her tuck the large chunks of damp hair behind her ears. The fish were momentarily startled by their sudden movement, but soon grew curious; they swam forward to nip experimentally at the fabric of their clothes and their soft skin. Milo and Kida both laughed at the ticklish sensations. Milo hummed happily and drew Kida in, spreading his legs around her frame to settle her close. Kida reclined against his chest, nestling her head against the crook of his shoulder and began to trace the star-patterned tattoo adorning the other. “Milo?”

“Hmm?” he grunted. His eyes had resumed tracing the graceful swimming patterns of the koi fish.

“Do you regret not leaving with your friends?” They’d only been gone for a short time, almost as short as Kida and Milo’s engagement. But what did that have to do with anything? Milo looked at Kida incredulously, unsure of where the spontaneous question had come from. Kida’s face was drawn into a sad frown, and her downcast eyes bored into the groove of his neck. She continued to trace the jagged lines of his tattoos, but the motions even seemed despondent. “I just cannot help but wonder,” she admitted morosely. Milo took a moment to shove his gut reactions aside. He wanted to carefully consider Kida’s feelings to find the best words to say. After a moment of deliberating, he answered.

“My entire life goal was finding Atlantis,” he said quietly. He craned his head back to the heavens, where he could just barely see the ever-present stone-carved effigies of the former royals floating in the sky and brimming with spiritual energy. “Coming here was the fulfillment of my life purpose. But, more than that,” he smiled and looked down at Kida. He cupped her face, drawing his thumb over her cheekbone in a purely adoring gesture, “I found my new life purpose. You, Kida. I could never, ever regret leaving all that behind, because none of it compares to what I’ve gained with you.”

Kida’s eyes crinkled up at the corners as she smiled broadly. Her hold around him tightened desperately as she snuggled against him, ensuring every inch of them was touching. Milo inhaled happily, wrapped his arms around her in a similarly bracing embrace, and leaned down to kiss her softly.

The fish continued to circle them, around and around, as the two young lovers cuddled one another in the crisp, cold water. Peaceful, tranquil, unbothered by the tragedies and atrocities of the surface thousands of miles above the bedrock dome… Why would Milo ever trade blessed days like this, and the beautiful woman in his arms, for anything else? Nothing else compared.

Nothing else compared.

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

Tag List: @deliathedork

#milo x kida #kida x milo #atlantis #atlantis the lost empire

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talldarkandroguesome · 3 years

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26th of First Seed, Fredas

I am exhausted so I shall have to be brief. I should send word to Avon of the progress as well. And reply to Tel’s letter.

These are things for completing on the morrow. Or today, rather. But only after I have slept.

Importantly, it is done. Urtisa will no longer be a threat to my House or family.

That rabid alit had no idea what was coming until it was too late.

Nabine met her as intended and had her locked inside. So when we returned Urtisa began with launching into her complaints about waiting so long and why there were not better supplies of food and drink on the shelves. Nabine did her best to placate the situation.

Then once the door was shut and locked, I let the shadows fall away, my hands already grabbing Urtisa’s wrists and holding her back. Nabine coming forward as I used my Prince’s gift of webbing to bind Urtisa.

Predictably, Urtisa offered Nabine money. Lots of money. Deeds to countless properties and businesses. Promises of nights filled with passion.

It was not until I leaned down and told her that we would be taking something different that she stiffened. Then she knew it was me.

Many threats were made that her numerous contacts and employees were looking for her and that they would soon arrive. She tried to convince Nabine that whatever I paid she would triple. That I was just a creepy daedra worshipper and that she didn’t want to get wrapped up in my true plans.

Nabine laughed. It’s was such a satisfying sound, as she motioned for me to join her. Then in Bosmeris she asked me to open her pack and get her a leather case.

Urtisa gasped and asked if Nabine was the Bosmer. The look of fear on Urtisa’s face was so satisfying. Nabine explained she was the one that had insisted on this, not me, and that she was going to be taking her time. That she had infiltrated Urtisa’s contact network and that I had forged the documents. No one else knew where we were. And by the time they discovered Urtisa missing, no one would be able to find any trace of her.

Nabine was true to her word. Took her time. Made Urtisa beg.

I had to leave a couple of times. Urtisa deserved her fate, but some of it was still hard to watch.

I hope that my Prince enjoys this wicked soul.

It took until dawn to return home. And even after all is said and done, it is hard to imagine she is really gone.

I am too tired to analyze my feelings. Let that be for another day.

#ESO #TES #RP #Dunmer #Elder Scrolls Online #The Elder Scrolls

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razaks-wheel · 4 years

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[Favali seeks the wisdom of the Tribunal on behalf of Disciple Sildras, but she’s really asking for herself.

Note: This is based on the “Night of the Soul” quest in ESO, so the dialogue is adapted from there.]

It seemed Favali was beginning to earn a reputation as an "adventurer" to send on dangerous missions, never mind that she had never so much as been to the Radius alone before leaving the Clockwork City. Apparently, an Ebonheart priest, Disciple Sildras, was struggling with doubt. That made two of them, but at least Favali was keeping her doubts to herself. This priest was making it everyone's problem, and somehow it fell on her to solve it before it could become the Tribunal's problem too.

The priest who gave Favali the task mentioned that there were angry alit by the shrines. She assumed that that was unusual—she didn't really know Morrowind-on-Nirn well enough to have that sense for herself yet—but she doubted it was any sort of divine intervention, or lack thereof, causing it. She would look for practical explanations first. Maybe that would take her mind off of the impending need to talk to Sotha Sil about someone else's doubt.

She went to the shrines of Almalexia and Vivec first. There were indeed alits nearby, but there was also a pile of offal at each shrine that seemed to be attracting them. She burned the offal before approaching, and then received the wisdom of the projected servants of the first two gods.

Now for the hard part.

Well, in theory, it shouldn't be any harder than the first two. It was the same process: go to the shrine, burn the offal, offer Roland's Tears, speak to the servant. Simple.

Except she still hadn't heard from her patron since her last plea for direction. And she knew that when he heard her words, he would know she was speaking for herself as much as for Sildras.

She reached the shrine and burned the offal, but took a moment to meditate before lighting the offering. She needed to approach this carefully and with a clear mind.

When she was ready, she lit the flowers in the offering pot and waited for the projection to appear.

"Speak," said the servant of Sotha Sil.

Favali recognized him as a priest and Apostle from the Clockwork City. She did not know him personally, though, and wondered if he even recognized her.

"Disciple Sildras of the Ebonheart temple wishes to know if the Tribunal hears his prayers," she said. And, Seht knows, so would I.

"All prayers are heard. Not all are acknowledged."

She paused. Who was that a response to? Sildras? Favali? Both? She could understand Sotha Sil not directly acknowledging the prayers of a Nirn-Above priest with a substantial support system. But Favali had been sent here by Sotha Sil himself. She had no support network here; she was relying on direction from Sotha Sil, and he had given her none.

"Are you saying Sotha Sil will not intervene when his servant needs him?" she asked. It was not a question about Disciple Sildras.

"Every small cog drives a greater gear. Each is necessary; otherwise, the whole collapses," the projected priest said. "When any cog shivers from the stresses on it, the Master feels it, but the load he assigns it is no more than he knows it can bear."

Favali reflected on those words. They seemed like they could be equally applicable to Sildras or herself. She assumed this was by design.

So Lord Seht still felt it unfit to respond to her pleas, even after sending her to her death, just because he knew she could bear the weight? She wanted to be upset by that, but she could not deny that it came with one simple truth: he trusted her.

Despite her own fear that she would make mistakes without guidance—or that she had already made grave mistakes—Sotha Sil evidently trusted that she could continue down this path without his overt intervention. After all, if he did not trust her, he would not have sent her on this mission. If she had greatly misstepped, his priest would tell her now. Sotha Sil would adjust the weight on her gear to be more manageable. But he hadn't done that. He left her to bear her load, because he believed she could handle it. And the more she thought about it, she had to agree. She had survived death itself, and still her gear turned.

Whether or not Sotha Sil knew he was sending her to her death (temporary though it was), she did not know. Perhaps she would never know. But with this new blessing of understanding in mind, her faith was renewed. His silence was not a sign of her failure and his abandonment as punishment, but of his trust and of her continued part in the Great Gear.

"Thank you, sera," she said at last. "I will keep these words in my heart and let them oil my gears that I may turn ever onward in service to the Father of Mysteries and Tamriel Final. Anuvanna’si. And I will relay them to Disciple Sildras."

The priest nodded simply. "Go forth and create, Apostle."

#favali #razak's ocs #eso

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artyblogs · 5 years

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Across the Frozen Sea ch9

Star Wars the Clone Wars, Ahsoka/Barriss/Riyo

Across the Frozen Sea summary: Ahsoka, Barriss, and Riyo find themselves stranded in the Pantoran Taiga. They must get back to civilization, but the wilds are more dangerous than they realize. If the cold doesn’t get them, the locals will.

First Chapter : Previous Chapter : Next Chapter : Last Chapter

Chapter 9: Into the Taiga

Dark liquid seeps through Barriss' sleeves, staining them. In the low light, it almost looks like blood. Is she bleeding? Barriss unbuttons the cuffs of her sleeves and rolls them up, looking for any sign of injury, but what meets her eye instead are smears of ink, running like mascara in the rain. One swipe of her fingertips paints them black, and leaves her forearms an unblemished green.

Panic shoots through every bone in Barriss' body, and she rolls her sleeves up higher.

PLIP.

A drop falls from Barriss's chin and onto her lap, and she wipes her face in horror. She stares down at her blackened, trembling hands. Her lumen. What is happening to her lumen?

Barriss goes to the refresher and locks the door behind her, then reaches up and undoes the buttons at the collar of her dress. She rucks down one of the shoulders and looks at her back in the mirror.

She spent the last several days on an ink shaman's table getting these particular tattoos: a thick line of interlocked diamonds running down her spine, overlapping other larger diamonds that cover her back and slightly wrap around the outsides of her shoulders like armor.

That's what it should be. But that's not what she sees.

Blank.

Barriss wakes up with a shout. She's in bed, in her room in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. The morning is silent and still save for a few chirping birds outside her window. Sunlight filters in through the blinds and hits the surface of her desk. Barriss lifts her arms and inspects them. Her forearms and the backs of her hands are covered in an array of diamonds. She skims the pattern with her fingers, and only feels skin. The ink remains intact, as it should be.

She did not paint these lumen on herself like a youngling playing dress up; she earned these. But the ones on her back…the way she feels about them, they might as well be airbrushed on.

Barriss drops her hands onto her chest and sighs.

Later, she meets Master Luminara Unduli in a closed airspeeder, and they zoom across Coruscant. The lights of the city paint streaks across the windows.

"Master?"

"Yes?"

"Did you ever have any doubts as to what the Force might have planned for you? Was there ever a time when you wondered if you were doing the right thing?"

Luminara regards Barriss for a long moment, her blue eyes piercing, and Barriss tries her best not to squirm. The humming of the airspeeder fills the tiny cabin.

"Yes, there were many times. But then I realized that the root of these feelings stemmed from a wish to control my surroundings. It took many hours of meditation, but once I let go of these desires for control, I was able to find peace. The Force will provide any answers you may seek through meditation."

"I see," Barriss says. But what if meditation provided answers that were so far from expected that it was frightening? Of course, the answers that Luminara might provide might be better if Barriss told her what was truly bothering her, but then…that would require Barriss to tell Luminara what was truly bothering her.

"There is no need to be nervous, Barriss. It is only a simple escort mission. The Council had hoped to send you to Drongar with the other researchers, but Senator Chuchi was adamant on your attendance, so they relented. Nevertheless, an escort mission is a fine first mission for a knight," Luminara says.

"I will not fail, Master Unduli," Barriss says despite the churning of her gut.

"I know."

The speeder parks on one of many launch pads. This network is a private terminal used by politicians, celebrities, and other important people. It's already busy with droids, baggage carts, and other personnel, all scurrying to and fro in order to service the ships. Barriss and Luminara make their way through the chaos to a sleek senate ship of silver and black. Anakin and Ahsoka are already there, and although they aren't close enough to hear them, Barriss can already feel Ahsoka's frustration roiling through the Force. Anakin gesticulates wildly and Ahsoka has her arms crossed defiantly over her chest.

Luminara sighs. "What a familiar sight. It is unfortunate that Ahsoka has gotten so erratic. She was such a reliable padawan."

"If she was reliable before, she can be again. Perhaps I can help her," Barriss says.

"Those who lift others to the light, sometimes cast themselves in shadow. Beware your heart, Barriss. Ahsoka may be your friend, but you must not let yourself be led astray. Not even by her."

At the sight of them, Anakin reigns in his arms and hides his hands in the sleeves of his Jedi robe. He scowls at Ahsoka. Barriss and Luminara come close enough to hear the end of his lecture.

"You will go on this mission, and when you come back, it will be behind you. All of this needs to be done, Ahsoka. There's too much at stake and we need you to focus, not asking the Council to approve some foolhardy mission."

Ahsoka sullenly looks away and says nothing.

"Hello, Anakin," Luminara says.

"Hi, Luminara. Barriss."

A tense awkward silence falls over the four of them, and all the while, the frustration and pain in the Force grates against Barriss.

She wants Ahsoka to talk to her. Ahsoka used to tell her everything, even when Barriss didn't want to hear it. She'd tell Barriss what she did today, or about a neat thing she learned during one of her lessons, or whatever she was thinking.

Barriss didn't realize how much she'd miss Ahsoka until Ahsoka came back as an impenetrable wall. She didn't realize how concerned she would be.

"Good morning, Master Jedi."

Everyone turns to see Riyo, who effortlessly strolls up to them and takes off her glareshades to regard them all.

"You must be Master Unduli. Hello. I'm Senator Riyo Chuchi." Riyo slides her glareshades into the breast pocket of her coat and gives Luminara a polite nod.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Senator," Luminara says.

"Hey Riyo. What's up?" Ahsoka asks.

Riyo turns to her with a grin. "How are you, you overgrown tooka?"

A fragile smile spreads over Ahsoka's face, somehow more precious and dazzling than all of her previous smiles. "Good." And in that moment, she might even mean it.

"I hope you're bringing that parka I gave you."

Ahsoka jerks a thumb at the pack on her back. "Got it."

Riyo takes a large parcel from beneath her arm and hands it to Barriss. "Can't have you freezing on us either, Master Jedi. Here."

Barriss undoes the thick flimsi wrapping to reveal a winter cloak. The outer shell is a cool, gray and black patten, with a roomy hood and a couple clasps inside and across the front to keep it in place around the wearer's body. Barriss delves a hand into the soft, fur lining and quietly marvels.

"Thank you, Riyo."

"You're welcome, Barriss." Riyo claps her hands together. "Shall we?"

Beyond the windshield of the ship is hyperspace, alit and beautiful. Ahsoka sits in the pilot seat, but now that the ship is on autopilot, there's nothing much for her to do but babysit the dash for an error message. She has been sitting there, motionless, for an hour now.

Riyo gingerly makes her way to the co-pilot's seat and sits down. Together, they stare out at the oncoming streaks of stars. Eventually, Ahsoka's head tilts towards her, as if just noticing her.

"You were right," Ahsoka whispers. She turns to Riyo with a haunted face, red eyes, and slumped shoulders. Nothing like how she was on the launch pad. Riyo's heart tears at the sight. She had hoped that it would be one of those rare times in which she would be wrong, and she would have been so relieved, but of course she would be right about this.

"They shouldn't have sent me. I…wasn't prepared."

"I'm so sorry, Ahsoka." Riyo tries her best to keep a rising tide of hot rage out of her voice. Ahsoka is only seventeen! Seventeen! The Jedi could have sent someone else—they should have sent someone else to Zygerria, but they didn't, and now….

But that's why Riyo requested this escort with the Jedi for right after Ahsoka was scheduled to return, and why she demanded no one else but Ahsoka and Barriss. She probably ruined her reputation with many Jedi Council members with how unyielding she was about it, but she'd gladly shoulder that ire if it meant that Ahsoka would have the time and space she needed to recover from her ordeal and that she was with people who cared for her while she did it. If Master Skywalker and Master Kenobi wished to be a part of Ahsoka's convalescence, then they would have made their own arrangements, but judging by the tense atmosphere that greeted her on the launch pad earlier, they would rather hide the entire mess, like a fresh coat of concealer over an ugly bruise.

Riyo may have requested this escort mission, but she's not the client at all.

"I won't demand you tell me what happened; you can do that in your own time, if you ever want to at all," Riyo says. She reaches out between their two chairs.

Ahsoka takes her hand in a tight grip, her jaw visibly clenched. She nods.

The loading ramp of the ship lowers to let in a blistering cold draft. Barriss pulls her cloak tighter around herself to keep out the chill, but Riyo doesn't even flinch. Waiting on the launch pad, wearing a heavy coat and a domino mask pushed up to his forehead, is Sprekker Jok. He gives a brilliant smile as he meets Riyo half-way up the ramp and shakes her hand.

"It's good to see you, Riyo."

"Hello, Sprekker. Were you waiting long?" Riyo asks. She, the Jedi, and Sprekker walk back to his guards and down the long ramp that connects the launch pad to the main building of the Civic Center.

"Not at all! Here, here." Sprekker gives them all domino masks. "It's the last day of the Trickster Goddex's festival. Might as well partake in the festivities while you're here."

Ahsoka pulls the mask over her montrals and ties the ribbons behind her head, but Barriss lets her mask hang from her own neck like how Sprekker's two guards wear them.

"You're just in time. The press conference is still ongoing and they're asking for our statements."

"Pantoran, neh?" Riyo turns to Barriss and Ahsoka with a rueful look. "Time to work, I'm afraid. You'll have to do your part too."

"Oh?" Ahsoka asks.

"If there's one thing that both Pantorans and the Talz value, it is toughness. Our warrior cultures might be the only things our peoples have in common, so it's important to project that impression during the Summit. Otherwise, the Talz may not take us seriously," Riyo says.

"Very true," Sprekker says.

"Chin up, shoulders back. Think murder. If you can do that, then we'll get through the next few days without a hitch. It's not a bad gig," Riyo says. Before them, Sprekker's guards stand on either side of the double doors, and Sprekker himself adjusts his collar and cuffs.

"May I?" Riyo asks. Ahsoka hesitates, then leans down.

"Yeah sure."

Riyo reaches up and gently pulls up Ahsoka's mask so that it perches on her forehead at a jaunty angle.

"Do not talk to the press. If you are approached, tell them to talk to me directly."

"What?" Ahsoka asks, her eyes wide.

"That said, I don't think anyone will be paying that much attention to you. Take your cues from Sprekker's guards, they'll know what to do and where to stand." Riyo sizes them up one last time and nods in approval. She turns around and nods to Sprekker's guards.

"Let's go."

The doors slide open to reveal a series of holocam flashes and a crowd of people, all shouting in different languages. Besides Pantoran people, there are also a few humans from the Core, and other species from neighboring systems. Those with the holocams take up the space behind the rows of chairs.

Riyo and Sprekker smile and wave at them as they cross the room to the dais and the podium set up in the front. Sprekker goes up to the podium first and begins speaking in Pantoran. His guards take up a post at the front of the dais. Near the back of the room are several protocol droids with antennae slapped onto their heads. Despite the flashing of their vocoder units, none of them emit any sound.

Barriss and Ahsoka remain with Riyo on the side, and as they watch, a black-clad technical crew member comes from behind the group of protocol droids towards them. He passes to them three patches that are paired with little, rectangular packs. Comlinks of some kind. Riyo sticks one patch over the skin right before her ear, where her jaw hinges to her skull, and tucks the box into her clothes. Barriss follows her example and adjusts her hood to cover the piece, but Ahsoka sticks hers directly to one of her montrals.

"Bring a deeper connection between our peoples made of mutual empathy and respect," a protocol droid's vocoder voice comes through the comlinks. So, the silent protocol droids are translating after all.

Ahsoka also stares at the crowd of droids, but in confusion.

"What is it? Is it not working?" Riyo asks.

"I didn't know protocol droids could be so professional," Ahsoka says. "Anakin usually brings one, See-Threepio, and he's…he's a bundle of nerves."

Riyo nods sagely. "Yes, I remember him."

"But I think that is a question better asked to Senator Chuchi. Senator?" Sprekker moves away from the podium and invites Riyo onto the dais. His guards follow him to the far side of the room, and Barriss and Ahsoka move to take their places between Riyo and the press amid a furious storm of holocam flashes.

Ahsoka closes her eyes against the onslaught, but stands her ground. Some of the press whisper into their personal recording devices and scribble notes onto flimsi pads with stubby styluses as they watch Barriss and Ahsoka, but others ignore them and raise their hands.

"Senator! Senator Chuchi!"

"Over here, Senator!"

"One question, Senator Chuchi!"

"Yes. You in the blue." From behind them, Riyo says this in Pantoran, but the Basic translation comes through their comlinks.

"The Pantoran delegation has representatives from the entire political spectrum. Won't this be a hindrance to today's talks?"

"All members of the Pantoran delegation are very much aware of the enormous opportunity that this Summit represents. Intersystem cooperation is vital to the well-being of both of our peoples, regardless of political leanings," Riyo says.

More whispers into recording devices. More notes on their flimsies. The shouting begins once more.

"Is the Jedi presence an endorsement of the Pantoran Panel?"

"The Jedi are here to remind everyone, including myself, that my role in these talks is to be a peacekeeper and a peacekeeper only, as befits the role that the Jedi Order has traditionally kept in Intergalactic affairs."

Barriss' spine snaps straight at that. Out of the corner of her eye, Ahsoka goes still. While technically correct, that kind of answer is…controversial. A few more hands go up at that, and the shouting rises in volume.

"Will the Jedi issue a statement?"

"Do the Jedi have a stake in the outcome of this Summit?"

"Are the Jedi influencing you in any way, Senator?"

There's a spike of annoyance in the Force from Ahsoka at that last question, and Barriss hopes that she keeps quiet. It's one thing to hear in the holonet news that the Jedi Order's popularity has plummeted, but it's totally different to hear these accusations. Does the galaxy at large really believe that the Order would orchestrate political affairs that much? That they would cruelly manipulate people like that?

But Riyo doesn't skip a beat. "That was an incredibly rude question, sir. Without the Jedi, the Talz and the Pantorans would still be unknown to each other. I personally would not be alive and standing here before you today if it were not for the protection of a Jedi. And as we might all know, it was with the help of a Jedi that Che Amanwe Papanoida was rescued from the Trade Federation.

"Thank you for your time!" Riyo finishes with a wave and steps away from the podium and heads towards the other side of the room, where Sprekker waits. Barriss and Ahsoka follow her at a pace behind.

"Did she practice for this? I thought all she did was watch the holonet news and read," Barriss whispers to Ahsoka.

"You mean on the way over here? I don't think so," Ahsoka whispers back.

They go through the next set of double doors and into a wide hall. Long tables are set up in a large square in the middle of the hall and around this square are chairs. A low dais surrounds this square and more tables are set up on the dais so that everyone can see.

There are people and other creatures already in this room, including several huge, wooly creatures, the Talz. Draped around their necks are strings of polished teeth and strapped around their torsos are leather armors and brightly dyed sashes. They all wear comlink translators too, only while the power packs are clipped to their leathers, the actual comlink is hidden under their fur. Their leader, Chief Thi-Sen, is the biggest and shaggiest of the lot, and he presides from the middle of the Talz panel that takes up one side of the room.

The Pantoran delegation is also already there, taking up the table opposite the Talz.

The tech crew ushers the protocol droids into a box off to the side, where they continue to translate.

Riyo goes to the smallest table set up opposite of the main gallery and gestures for Ahsoka and Barriss to join her. There are comfortable chairs on either side of Riyo, and as they sit, Riyo whispers a quick rundown of who is who on either side of the panel.

"Will you be all right? Feel free to go to the 'fresher at any time if you need to. There's a table with snacks and water near the doors," Riyo finally says.

"Thank you, Riyo. I believe we'll be fine," Barriss says. Ahsoka smiles and nods. Riyo smiles back at the both of them and squeezes their hands; the most she'll be able to do while appearing before the public in a professional setting.

"Nervous, Senator?" Sprekker asks. He's stopped by the table with a hand over his comlink mic and he leans down to whisper to them.

Riyo turns around to face him.

"You should be on the panel, Sprekker," Riyo says.

Sprekker shakes his head 'no.' "I'm not a member of the delegation, nor am I an arbiter."

"And yet you think yourself important enough to attend these proceedings. What good are you?" Someone else says.

They all turn to see a Pantoran man. He's wearing the dress uniform of the Pantoran military, similar in design to the guards around them, only he must be higher in rank judging from the aglets draped across his chest. His hair is black and his facial tattoos streak down over his forehead to the middle of his eyebrows, and then from the bottom of his eyes over his cheekbones to his ears.

If Sprekker is hurt by the insult, he hides it masterfully. "Master Jedi, meet Duke Rommeruk Cho. Your Grace, this is Jedi Knight Barriss Offee and Jedi Padawan Learner Ahsoka Tano. They are the Senator's retinue."

Rommeruk looks the both of them up and down, his lip curling in disgust. "I see. I thought Jedi would be more…impressive."

Barriss pauses mid-curtsey, but Ahsoka says something first.

"What?"

"Rommeruk," Riyo warns.

"If all Jedi are so deficient then it is no wonder my father died while under their protection." Rommeruk waves it away. "I've wanted answers from the Jedi for a long time, but now I see that it isn't necessary."

"Is this what awaits us in the Summit? You'll have us at each other's throats before you can say 'knife.'" Riyo takes Rommeruck by the elbow and drags him away so that they can talk in private.

Barriss straightens up, but says nothing.

"What was that? What the hell did we do to him?" Ahsoka growls out.

Sprekker cringes. "Rommeruk's father was Chairman Cho."

"Chairman Cho was his father?" Barriss repeats. She did a little research on the recent history of Pantora and the Talz before this trip and while it doesn't excuse what might be the height example of disrespect on Rommeruk's part, it might be an explanation.

"He's not so bad once you get to know him," Sprekker says.

"He insulted you in public," Ahsoka says, but Sprekker shakes his head.

"It's how things are between us. You know, once upon a time, there was speculation that Rommeruk would propose to Riyo."

Silence, then, "Like business, or what?" Ahsoka asks.

Sprekker chuckles. "Pantora wasn't fond of the Cho family back then. Still isn't. But when Riyo came back from Orto Plutonia without the Chairman, and the people threatened to finally revolt, she persuaded them to not march on the palace and slaughter the Cho family in their beds. Instead of begrudging her for it, Rommeruk has been demonstrably grateful, which is why he agreed to be one of the delegates on the Pantoran panel for this summit. With him, the panel includes the conservative faction of the Assembly."

"Okay, but that doesn't answer my question," Ahsoka says.

"In order to solidify their shaky political base, Cho's widow allegedly tried to set up a match between Rommeruk and Riyo. Don't ask me how it would help; I'm not one of the few people who understands what goes on in that woman's mind," Sprekker says.

Barriss saw the speculation in the Pantoran gossip flimsies during her research, but she didn't give the absurd stories much thought or weight. But seeing it playing out before her now, she can see where the reporters might have been coming from. Rommeruk is handsome, if also brooding, and Riyo has always been so lovely. He and Riyo are also within a reasonable age bracket to be matched. She watches now as to how careful he is to temper his behavior and expression when around Riyo, or when he's talking to her, but not towards anyone else. Even in the Force, his frustration is tightly controlled despite the choice words that Riyo gives him.

Why is it so repugnant?

Ahsoka likewise shudders. "I don't like that."

Riyo strides back to them, her chin held high and her eyes still flashing, and Rommeruk follows her back at a more sedate pace. "My sincere apologies, Master Jedi. It was not my place to criticize." Rommeruk pulls Riyo's chair out for her and leaves for his own place on the Pantoran side of the hall.

"Please take your seats, the Opening Statements are about to begin," the protocol droid says through the comlinks.

"Hmph." Riyo opens the black folder on the table before her, revealing an itinerary, a flimsi notepad, a stylus, and other things. She turns to Ahsoka and Barriss again and says in a low voice, "And now I play ambassador, and will need to mediate for the next few hours. There won't be any time for us to talk, but at least you will be able to understand."

And with that, Barriss and Ahsoka take their seats at Riyo's side. Riyo picks up a gavel and bangs it against the table. "I call these talks open. Let us begin."

Together, the delegates discuss trade, space borders, treaties, Pantoran migration, and other issues. It's a delicate balance between facilitating Talz independence and Pantoran control of the system, and Riyo is in the middle of it all, subtly directing the conversation.

The Jedi are peacekeepers, but Barriss doubts that any Jedi has done anything on this level in years. There is no doubt at all that despite the serene facade, these talks are extremely volatile, and could erupt in into blaster fire and more war with one loaded word. The Talz and Pantoran guards—and even the presence of Barriss and Ahsoka—aren't here just for decoration. But by just looking at Riyo, one would be hard pressed to figure out if she feels any pressure at all.

There is no fidgeting on Riyo's part, nor are there any errant tugs at her suit collar. She isn't even sweating. Riyo is the very image of calm, every movement and statement deliberate and confident. Even if the Force around her is tinged with nerves, it never solidifies or grows into anything truly overwhelming.

Barriss and Ahsoka take turns with their breaks, so that at least one of them is in the room with Riyo, and even when they're outside of the main meeting hall, their comlinks still receive a feed of what is going on.

During official breaks, Riyo remains with the other delegates. It's only at lunch, when the Summit is declared over for the day, that Riyo is left alone with Barriss and Ahsoka. Ahsoka stands up and stretches, her spine lining up with audible pops. Chairman Papanoida, looking very tired indeed, crosses the hall to them.

Riyo closes her folder and looks up at him. "Chairman, this is Jedi Knight Barriss Offee, and you remember Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano. Master Jedi, meet Chairman Papanoida."

"Is that really you, Master Jedi?" Papanoida's mouth hangs open as he looks up at Ahsoka. "Eish! What are the Jedi feeding you?"

"I'm actually short for my species, Chairman," Ahsoka says with a smirk, but she shakes his hand all the same.

Papanoida swears in Pantoran. "I was congratulating the Senator on how well the first day went. This wouldn't have gone so smoothly without her."

"The Pantoran Delegation was unusually civil under your eye, Chairman," Riyo says.

"Thank you, Senator. Tonight is the last night of the Trickster Goddex festival and I and my children are hosting a small event at the Silver Palate. Will you and the Jedi come?"

"Terribly sorry, but our itinerary is full today, Chairman," Riyo says. Technically not a lie, even if their plans for the evening are just Riyo taking them on a tour of Defiance, they'll be busy all the same.

Papanoida's mustache twitches as he smiles. "One day, I will get you to attend one of my events."

Riyo smiles up at him. "Eventually, Chairman."

There's a lull in the conversation as a tech crew member comes by to collect all of the comlink packs.

"If you and your friends wish to avoid the press, then you better take the back way." Papanoida nods towards a nondescript door that Barriss assumed was for maintenance purposes.

"I wasn't aware there was a way to escape. Shouldn't I give a statement?" Riyo asks.

"You are the mediator. Anything you might say might be too biased and would undo our good work. If the press must have their statement, then I will give it," Papanoida says.

"Thank you, Chairman," Riyo says.

"Right, let's go," Barriss says. She, Ahsoka, and Riyo make their way around the edges of the room until they reach the far door, then sneak out. They find themselves in a deserted corridor, but a public-facing one, not one reserved for staff. Far down, at one end of the corridor, is a crowd. There's the mad click and flash of holocams, and a lot of shouting. They're shouting in Pantoran, however, and Barriss doesn't understand. At least the press don't seem to notice them.

"This way," Ahsoka says. She leads them away to the other end of the corridor, which is mercifully empty, and the three of them make their way through the exhibition hall until they burst out into the street. The crisp, Pantoran air fills their lungs and Orto Plutonia hangs low in the sky.

There's a street vendor on the corner, and hanging from the awning of his cart are bundles of dried cuts of fish. Even more bundles are piled high on the counter, so that the vendor can barely see the customer, and they fill up wide baskets that are bolted to the sides of the cart.

The three of them fall into the long line along and wait. Some people are talking on their comlinks, and others tap on their data pads.

Passerby of all species walk by without a second glance at any of them, all of them are bundled in warm clothes. Most wear suits, but a lot of people also wear masks. There are domino masks, like the ones hanging around their necks, and also full animal masks. A man has pushed his bear mask up to his forehead so that he can see the screen of his data pad more clearly.

"What are these for?" Barriss fingers her domino mask.

"It's for the Trickster Goddex festival. It's supposed to be good luck, because then the Trickster supposedly won't prank you too hard if They don't know exactly who you are. Harmless stuff only." Riyo places her own mask on her face and grins.

Two people wearing porg masks ride a hover bike by them, blasting music at full volume. The passenger tosses confetti at everyone on the sidewalk as they zoom past.

Half of the people in line laugh and shake out their clothes and hair, spilling confetti across the sidewalk, but one woman turns and spits some confetti out. Ahsoka picks a few confetti out of Riyo's hair and flicks them away.

There's visible counter space on the cart by the time they get to the front of the line, and behind them, the line has only grown even longer than before as the lunch rush continues. Riyo orders in Pantoran, and the vendor nods and plucks three bundles of dried fish from the awning. He slides them into thin, flimsi bags and hands them to her.

"Enkosi!" Riyo gives him several credits, then holds out the bags to the Jedi. "Here."

Ahsoka eagerly chomps down on a piece of fish almost immediately, but Barriss and Riyo nibble as they walk down the wide avenue. The fish is chewy, and tastes like butter. No fish smell or taste at all. If it weren't for the sign, Barriss would have guessed that she was eating some kind of toughened bread instead.

"Where're we going first?" Ahsoka asks.

Riyo clears her mouth before she speaks. "Defiance is the capitol because it's the site of the Great Pact, where all the tribes agreed to stop fighting each other. And then all the chiefs came together to create the first version of the Assembly. There's a walking tour through the city for all of the historical buildings, like chief houses, the meeting hall where the pact was signed, stuff like that. One of the sights is a large pond, and they ice skate out there. We could do that too."

Barriss frowns. "Wait, a pond? Isn't that dangerous? From what I understand, many people drown every year from skating on natural bodies of water."

"There is a technique of what to do if you fall through ice. Papanoida's wife is pushing mandatory lessons in the schools," Riyo says. They turn a corner onto a quieter, emptier street. There are hardly any people about, and the speeders that do come through do so at a slower pace.

"So what do you do if you fall through thin ice?" Ahsoka asks.

"You keep your hands up above your head as you fall, then you hold them out to your sides, so that your torso doesn't sink beneath the ice." Riyo pantomimes as she explains, her bag of fish nearly hitting some passerby in the face. "Then you lean forward until you float on your stomach, and when you float on your stomach, then your upper body will also be lying on the ice. All you have to do after that is crawl out of the hole, and then keep crawling until you get to thicker ice."

Ahsoka's eyebrow marks go up. "That's it? Just belly crawl to safety?"

"It's harder to break through the ice when your body weight is spread out over a larger surface area," Riyo says. Her data pad beeps and she wipes her hands on a handkerchief before she pulls it out of her pocket. She frowns.

"What is it?" Barriss asks.

"Sprekker wants to join us for the tour. I suppose I could just tell him where we're headed, and he can meet us there." Riyo gives her bag of fish to Ahsoka and taps out a message on her pad, then puts it away in her suit jacket. "There. It's not that far away; he could probably get there before we do if he moves fast enough."

The first site of the tour is surrounded by a high wall made of mud, but the low, sweeping roof is still visible over the top. A large, weathered, bronze plaque is stuck to the wall next to the entrance, which has a toll booth and turnstile set in it. Riyo frowns again.

"Is it closed? Why isn't there anyone in line to get in?" She checks her chrono.

An urgent twang sounds through the Force, and Barriss tenses. Ahsoka looks up too, her eyes wide.

"We shouldn't be here," Barriss whispers.

"Where did everyone go?" Ahsoka asks. The three of them find themselves in an empty street. Whatever other passerby that used to be here with them, they've all gone.

"Riyo," Barriss begins, but she doesn't get further than that before they're all enveloped by flashes of blue light. Stunning blaster bolts, Barriss groggily thinks even as they all hit the ground. The blue light continues as whoever is shooting at them keeps aiming at Ahsoka's prone form.

Barriss struggles to keep awake, but dimly knows that she only has seconds, and won't even remember the past few minutes when she next wakes up. The last thing she sees is the mask of a snow wolf.

Want to read this on Ao3 or on FF.net? Click here for the links.

#star wars #star wars the clone wars #Ahsoka Tano #barriss offee #riyo chuchi #fanfiction #fanfic #artillery writes

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rom-e-o · 6 years

Note

Hello! Could I ask for another drabble from Prompt List #2? Ephraim/L’arachel prompt number 23. Thank you!

I DIDN’T FORGET. I’M SORRY.

Fun fact, I know @my-name-is-gypsy personally, and she reached out beforehand to ask about submitting another prompt. Very sweet.

Please know that my ask box is always open for requests and that you’re never bothering me! I can’t promise I’ll do anyone’s fabulous ideas justice though.

The prompt is, “I immediately regret this.”

This was bad.

It was so, so bad.

Ephraim felt his head slip between his hands as the sounds of shuffling bedsheets and sluggish rambled swirled around him. Every sound was a bitter reminder of the events that had transpired early in the evening.

The worst part, in Ephraim’s opinion, was that the series of events leading up to the less-than-ideal situation had been mostly innocent. It had been a perfect storm of oversights and misguided attempts at camaraderie that led to Princess L’Arachel of Rausten laying fully-clothed and passed-out in his bed while he spent the evening cleaning broken glass in the parlor room.

It had started around a week ago when L’Arachel first contacted Ephraim following restoration efforts within the kingdom of Renais. She made a simple inquiry about what supplies the young man and his sister, Eirika, required. He’d responded honestly to her letter with what the kingdom needed, and as promised, the princess sent the requested supplies and extra for the kingdom’s citizens.

The incident reignited a fondness for the woman that he’d forgotten since the rush of returning home. Restoring the kingdom had taken such a toll on his mind that he’d forgotten about some of their wartime comrades. He was beyond grateful for the correspondence.

The next time he saw L’Arachel in the flesh was later that same week. Both of them were guests at Eirika and Seth’s wedding.

Upon arriving, she had greeted Ephraim’s sister with ecstatic hugs and kisses. In true L’Arachel fashion, she also came with Dozla bearing an almost embarrassing number of gifts for the newly betrothed couple and their kingdom. Grand amounts of supplies and foods were passed out to the people, and some more subtle gifts were given to the married couple, including two snow-white steeds and a rose-gold tea set that L’Arachel told her friend was best for, “romantic breakfast in bed situations.”

Considering L’Arachel’s squareness, the woman was probably being sincere in her recommendation. Eirika had laughed and Seth had blushed at the unintentional implication.

The interaction between the princess and prince had been otherwise minimal, aside from some teasing remarks about the color of Ephraim’s pale suit and some mischievous banter in-between the ceremony and the reception.

The woman was so busy making conversation and talking with all her old acquaintances that she barely touched any of the food or delicacies served at the ceremony.

From Ephraim’s perspective, it was quite impressive to watch. The thought even crossed his mind that he should ask her to offer him a few networking tips since he’d no doubt be assuming many more royal responsibilities from now on.

However, when Seth and Eirika noticeably slipped away from the ceremony to a more secluded area of the castle, he did notice a light blush on the blonde’s face. Not that he could blame her. The reason for his sister’s absence was obvious.

To avoid the awkwardness following the disappearance of the couple, he offered instead to show L’Arachel around the castle while the rest of the party began to wind down. Naturally, she obliged merrily, having grown bored with the other festivities.

The two sauntered through the modest halls arm-in-arm. Along the way, there was enough amicable chatter to create a sense of comfort between the two. Surprisingly, once the two were alone, both felt much more at ease. Ephraim didn’t need to worry about maintaining a princely persona and L’Arachel didn’t need to force any of her usual gusto.

After Ephraim had personally witnessed L’Arachel work herself into a tizzy over a bare shoulder and she assailed him with names that stunned him into silence, the two were able to show their true colors more honestly than before.

The two eventually arrived in a brightly-lit room that Ephraim has been utilizing as a personal study.

As L’Arachel took a seat on a nearby ottoman to rest her feet from walking and dancing all evening, an idea popped into his head. The prince strode out of the room briefly only to return a couple moments later with a large crystal bottle.

“My word, that’s quite the impressive goblet!” L’Arachel said as Ephraim carried the bottle through the doorway with flamboyant suaveness. “Is that cognac? You have better taste than I thought.”

“It’s orange cognac,” he said with playful eye-roll. “Please don’t worry. It only looks expensive.”

“How does it taste then?” she asked, her blonde brow lofting in sadden suspicion. “I refuse to consume swill.”

“It’s leftover from Seth and Eirika’s wedding earlier,” Ephraim reminded her smartly. He gestured a gloved hand out the door and toward the dining hall where they’d celebrated hours prior. “So, it’s good enough for them.”

“Oh!” she said in realization, her brow furrowing in confusion as she stared at the rouge-tinted concoction. “I don’t remember drinking such a thing, but I suppose it doesn’t matter. I trust their taste much more than yours, so I’m sure it’s worthy of consumption! I almost feel guilty drinking it.”

“You needn’t worry, it’s a special occasion,” he reminded her with a coy smile. He went to fetch a stout brandy snifter that would amplify the aroma and flavor of the beverage. He poured a small amount and offered it to her. He then poured himself the same amount in a matching glass.

With a smile, he held the glass to the heavens.

“Cheers,” he said.

After a moment of mock musing, she smiled brightly and raised her glass overhead. “You’re right, dear prince. Cheers!”

They clinked their glasses.

Less than a couple minutes later, the glass fell from L’Arachel’s hand as she slumped over the edge of her seat.

The woman cupped her head in her gloved hand and used the other to keep herself from slipping off the ottoman. The alcohol muddied her grace fatally and caused her to slip anyway. Ephraim was as her side in an instant, abandoning his own glass on a nearby credenza.

“L’Arachel?” he asked, consumed with worry as he used his arms to keep her upright. He used his chest as leverage to reassure her head didn’t roll back.

She answered his questions as if in pain, grinding her teeth and slurring her words in exhaustion. “Goodness…that was quite a strong drink. I overestimated myself, it seems.”

“You only have a few sips,” Ephraim said, looking to the glass on the floor. It had been discarded and broken on the hardwood, and he could see that no drips of liquid had been discarded. He’d poured her the same amount he’d poured himself.

Then it dawned on him.

She hadn’t eaten anything at dinner. He’d witnessed her bod and wave between tables all night without touching any of the savories that had been served at dinner. Now that he thought about it, she’d probably spent the entire day traveling to Renais. It would have been unlikely that she would have eaten much at all.

The realization hit him like a brick across the cheek.

“L’Arachel, I’m so sorry,” the prince fumbled frantically. “Damnit, I wasn’t thinking.”

“S’okay,” L’Arachel responded with such informality that Ephraim was stunned to stillness as he tried to haul her upright. “I should have refused, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to spend time with you.”

“We didn’t have to get you drunk to do that,” he retorted. Although his tone was biting, his face was clearly a visage of worry. “You know what, now isn’t the time. We can discuss that later. How do you feel right now?”

“Dizzy,” she mumbled. Her blonde brow was furrowed in obvious discomfort. “Sleepy too. I have a headache.”

The prince slipped an arm beneath her long legs, covered only by the length of a sheer gown. He muttered a sincere apology at the intimate contact before lifting her up and carrying her out of the room. He would personally clean the mess later. At that moment, all he wanted to do was make sure he could make her feel as comfortable as possible.

Ephraim carried her down that hall on the search for an empty guest room.

Unfortunately, due to the wedding ceremony, every free room was filled with guests that were either already asleep or would be retiring shortly.

“Damnation,” he cursed under his breath as he padded the winding corridors completely luckless in his search. Finally, he decided to take her to his bedroom.

He kicked open the door as quietly as he could and rushed her onto the bed. He laid her down softly, making sure to be extra careful with her head and neck as to not cause her any more discomfort.

Once her body met the moonlight-warmed sheets, she rolled over and smiled lightly against the silken fabric. She inhaled deeply, sounding much more relaxed than before.

As he turned to leave and give her privacy, the woman groggily grabbed his wrist and tugged him back. The prince snuck a look back at her and saw her half-lidded gaze alit in the darkness. Although her lips were still, her golden eyes somehow seemed to smile back at him.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Stunned for a moment, Ephraim was thankful for the dimness of the room for concealing the blush on his face. He nodded and reached out to smooth her hair dotingly. Although he didn’t want to stay long, he did want to stay until he safely saw her fall asleep.

He tried to focus on watching her relaxing features and calming breaths, but he couldn’t help but notice something else. In the starlight that came from the window overhead, the woman looked like an angel that would be painted on the roof of an elaborate palace or chapel. She didn’t belong in his corporeal bedchamber.

It’s plainness, and his own plainness by default, paled in comparison to the gracious setting her beauty deserved.

In the morning, he’d candidly ask for her forgiveness for putting her in such a setting.

She deserved a glorious pedestal, not his private bed.

When her eyes finally fluttered shut and her breathing calmed, only then did her turn and leave the chamber.

Ephraim spent an hour or so cleaning the spilled cognac and broken glass. He also took time to dispose of the fragments accordingly. After that, he returned to the hall to assist with remaining the clean-up of the evening’s wedding festivities. Confetti had to be swept and leftover delicacies were saved for later in the castle’s kitchen area. Plates needed to be scrubbed and all the fresh lilies and hyacinths scattered about the banquet hall needed to find new homes in vases.

He also touched base with Dozla and the rest of L’Arachel’s party to let them know she was resting after the long event.

Oddly enough, nobody seemed at all fazed by the announcement. Ephraim created some last-minute accommodations for the small team in one of the castle’s many sitting rooms.

The process ate up a couple more hours.

Whenever he had a spare moment, he checked on L’Arachel to make sure she hadn’t rolled off the bed or gotten sick in the middle of the night. Every time he peeked in, she was sleeping peacefully.

By the time dawn peeked over the horizon, he’d used a nearby washroom to clean his teeth and wash his face and hair. He still needed to shave, but that could wait for a few more hours. When people asked why he was still wearing his suit from the night before, he said it was because the festivities had kept him too busy to change. People mourned the prince’s efforts and told him to relax and get some sleep.

If only it was that easy.

The next time he returned to check on her, the sun was streaming through the windows over the bed. Dawn had officially broken hours before, but he’s been too busy to notice.

In his humble bed, he saw her sitting up and looking out the open window at the gardens below. She’d untied her hair and removed the bulkier parts of her outfit, now donned only in her dress.

He paused only for a moment to admire the sight before clearing his throat to make his presence known.

L’Arachel quickly looked over to meet his gaze.

He braced himself for the onslaught of verbal lashings and perhaps incoming projectile of any personal trinkets that might be within grabbing distance for her to hurl at him.

Nothing of the sort occurred.

In fact, there was only a second of silence before he noticed her inhale apprehensively. The sound was strident in the otherwise silent bedroom.

“Ah, hello Ephraim,” she said slowly. The woman spoke slowly and with a more hushed tone as if she had a headache. Or perhaps she didn’t want anyone else to hear that she was in his bedroom.

Either way, he gently closed the door behind him to conceal them before slowly walking to the bedside to greet her.

“Are you awake?”

“Obviously,” she retorted in her typical, haughty fashion. However, as soon as the word left her mouth, she seemed to bristle and avert her gaze. “I’m sorry. That was unnecessarily rude of me.”

“You don’t need to be sorry,” Ephraim said patiently. Her brash attitude hardly bothered him. What he cared more about was that she was feeling okay. “You were in pretty bad shape. Do you remember everything?”

L’Arachel moaned and scrubbed her aching forehead with the palm of her had. “I do, fortunately and unfortunately. My behavior was so undignified. I should have known better.”

The prince laughed a little bit in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Well, at least you remember everything. I was prepared for a well-deserved beating.”

She shot him a confused glance. “Hm? You didn’t do anything wrong. Well, you didn’t do any more harm than I did. I should have known better, but alas, the offer was so tempting! Without your help, I’d be rolling in a carriage in agony toward home. At least I didn’t get drunk.”

Ephraim snapped his eyes back up and blinked his eyes gracelessly as he absorbed her words.

“Wait, you didn’t?” he asked in shock. Last night’s event played repeatedly in his head as he tried to determine what alternative scenario could have possibly occurred.

“Then what happened?” he asked more loudly than before, more confused than anything else.

She shushed him and proceeded to explain.

“Well…I was already feeling faint from not eating all day,” she sighed, patting her stomach. “The trip from Rausten is long, you know. I wanted to badly to catch-up with everyone at the wedding that the evening just got away from me! I was so famished that anything would do. Even a neat cognac sounded refreshing at that point.”

In the middle of explaining, she suddenly paused and flashed him a vaguely annoyed glance. “Wait a moment. Did you think I got inebriated after a few sips of alcohol?”

“Well, it didn’t sound implausible,” Ephraim rushed to say in his meager defense. “Especially because of, you know, every reason you just described. I wasn’t going to judge.”

The exasperated sound she made was loud enough to wake the whole hall.

“Thankfully, dear Ephraim, I only drank enough to be severely uncomfortable,” she explained, rubbing her temples. “But me, intoxicated? Not at all. I resent the sentiment wholeheartedly! I remember everything and, upon waking this morning in your…bed, I felt quite embarrassed by my behavior.”

He supposed that what she was saying was probably true. After all, who would know better than her if she was drunk or not? L’Arachel was many things, but she wasn’t irresponsible with her safety or well-being.

“Well, I suppose this was the ideal outcome,” Ephraim finally proposed. Before she could say anything, he held up his hand defensively and quickly added, “Well, it would have been better if none of this happened at all, but I’m just glad you’re okay.”

L’Arachel paused as something subtle changed in her expression. It was hard for the prince to pinpoint, but her visage appeared to be a delicate mixture of confusion and relief.

“Oh, well,” she stammered, lost for words. She cleared her throat quickly and said, “If that is your measure of success, then I suppose it’s true that things worked out well.”

The prince couldn’t resist chuckling at her stuffiness.

“Well, the problem isn’t completely solved,” he said, standing up and offering her a hand. “You need food. It’s unacceptable that you haven’t eaten. I don’t like the idea of you going home famished.”

His words brought a slight blush to her cheeks, but it paled in comparison to her attractive smirk.

“Well, Lady L’Arachel is never one to deny an invitation!” she proudly said, her usual enthusiasm slowly returning as she got up and stretched. “Oh, I also need a change of clothes. If I walk out in this, people might form unsavory ideas.”

She had a good point. Especially following his sister’s wedding now was hardly the time or place to be stirring rumors.

“I’ll be right back with some food and water,” he said, nodding for her to stay in bed if she desired. “As for the clothes, I’ll try. If nothing else, we can dine together in here and I’ll run out to the market and grab something.”

“Oh?” she asked curiously, her golden eyes lingering on his form in the doorway. “Are you requesting for my audience in your bed again?”

“As long as you accept my invitation,” he said tilting his head impishly at her suggestion. He couldn’t help but obviously tease her in return.

She sat back in the bed for a moment, staring upward in mock contemplation. After a few seconds of thoughtful humming, she finally conceded with a breathy sigh. “I suppose that will be fine. A nice brunch sounds lovely, even if this isn’t the way I wanted to spend my first time in your…”

She stopped mid-sentence and snapped her mouth shut. “Ah, never mind! Go forth, my dear. Fetch us some food, but please, only water to drink.”

Ephraim was completely lost in thought for a few seconds. What had she been so close to saying? Was she about to say, “Even if this wasn’t the way I wanted to spend my first time in your bed?”

His face started to burn. No, that couldn’t be it. There was no way, he thought. She had to have been thinking about something else entirely.

“Um, right,” he fumbled, realizing there was more uncomfortable silence starting to lengthen between them. “I’ll bring back some food right now.”

Damn, how many times had he made that promise during their morning meeting? It was hard for him to pull himself away from her presence and playful banter.

As he tripped over his words, she smiled back at him radiantly. Her usual confidence had returned, but there was something different about her expression. L’Arachel had pulled her knees up to her chest to prop up her elbows. Her fingers crossed beneath her chin as she titled her face at him coyly.

When he stared too long, she prompted him again by saying in singsong, “With haste, Ephraim.”

Before he could start away, L’Arachel lightly seized his wrist. For a moment, his brain flashed back to the night before when she had thanked him for helping her to bed. He pivoted his body slowly and she placed a small, hesitant kiss on his hand. Her lips only brushed the tops of his knuckles for a moment, but the touch felt like it lasted a century.

When she pulled away, she gave him a wink.

“Thank you again,” she admitted. “Although you may not look the part…you truly are a prince. The people of Renais are lucky to have you.”

The words lit something deep inside him. The fondness he already felt for her gave way to a deeper emotion in his heart. It was as if she’d lit a cozy, warm hearth within him. At that moment, he wanted almost nothing more than to drift closer to her and return the sentiment personally.

The only thing he longed for more was her utmost comfort. That meant he needed to get some fine food and tea for them to enjoy together. He relished the thought of sitting next to her, sharing food and spending the morning chatting with her.

“I’ll…be right back,” he muttered, turning sheepish for a moment while he struggled to find his next words. Ephraim was so nervous and excited at the same time that any sense of proper vocabulary seemed to vacate him mind in favor of boyish swooning.

When no fitting words came to mind, he settled on asking her, “Um…are pastries okay? For breakfast, I mean.”

She let out a glorious laugh.

“Surprise me!” she announced merrily. Then, she punctuated her command with a more softly muttered, “Oh, and hurry back, my love.”

Ephraim’s ribs softened at the sentiment.

‘My love.’

Not ‘my dear’ or ‘dear Ephraim.’ She’d referred to him as her love.

“I believe…we have much to discuss,” she finished with a tilt of the head.

The prince nodded in agreement and dashed from the chambers in a hurry to grab the best food and drink he could find. Like she suggested, he made haste to return to his chamber as quickly as possible.

He knew they had a lot to discuss, and thanks to her kiss still burning atop his knuckles, the prince felt like he finally knew what he wanted to say.

#ask meme #my-name-is-gypsy #ephraim/l'arachel #long post

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