Playing the Game [ Chai & Razgriz ]

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Half Moon Bay, CA
Thanksgiving (November)​

Aneira's form began to flicker, her features fading into Stella's, and she smiled sadly at her son. "Another time, hm? For now I must return Stella to her loved ones. She has spent so much energy already, as have I, and I don't wish to burden her any further. So bright, for a young one..." She patted Ric's cheek softly as only a mother would, her sapphire orbs swimming with love and affection. "And remember that I am always with you. I love you," she said at last, removing her hand from his face and taking a step back.

Thank you again, Stella, the princess heard Aneira's musical voice within her mind before the healer departed. Then exhaustion washed over her once more, and Stella fell to her knees as the radiant light of her magic faded from the others in the room. Questions, she had so many questions about Aneira and her relationship with Ric, but her mind and vision began to cloud with black as the loss of energy took its toll. Briefly she connected eyes with Ric, violet meeting his green. "Please..." she managed to whisper before collapsing against the floor as the darkness took her under.

* * * * * *​

"... It's impossible, Benedict. I know something happened. I just don't know what."

Her father's voice faded in and out of focus as Stella came to, her ears picking up on a conversation between him, Benedict, and Zeus. And though her eyes remained closed, she could feel the angry fire of Ric's magic was now gone, somehow put out despite being seemingly out of control. The air was light and breathable once more, evident by her own inhales and exhales. Or maybe she wasn't in the same room at all anymore; she didn't remember there being a bed in the Benedict's office, or that many pillows that were propping her head up. How long had it been since Ric's outburst and Aneira's intervention? It could have been five minutes or fifty; her concept of time was broken, warped by the fainting spell and consequent throbbing headache that dully pulsed in the back of her head.

"She's always been a talented witch," Zeus piped up, though even he sounded like he didn't believe his own words. "And, like all the other monarchs before her, she does possess an immense amount of power. Perhaps under the stress, she could have unknowingly tapped into it."

"Mmm... perhaps," Benedict agreed.

Some short moments passed and Lorencio stood from where he was seated, his light footsteps pacing back and forth across hardwood flooring. "Talented, yes, but nowhere near skilled enough to keep the shield going for as long as she did. She should have died under that black fire. We all should have."

At this, Stella stirred in her slumber, arching her back and stretching her limbs. Her entire body ached, muscles sore from the drain of energy, but it felt good to remove the stiffness from her arms and legs. Footsteps approached the bed—her father's no doubt—and when she finally blinked her eyes open, she found herself staring into Lorencio's face, concern and relief etched onto his aging features. She let her head fall to the side, and around him, sky-blue painted walls and antique furniture decorated an otherwise bland room.

"Guest room near the office," Benedict offered in explanation, and Stella nodded in response, attempting to sit up in the bed.

"Easy, Star," Zeus said, standing to hand her a glass of water, "the fire would have dehydrated you. You'll probably still be a little bit lightheaded."

She took the glass with gratitude and drank, not realizing how thirsty she was until the water hit her lips. "How long...?" she asked after she'd had her fill.

"Not long. Ten minutes or so," Lorencio answered, happy to see his daughter had remained unscathed from Ric's anger and the fiery inferno.

"And Ric?"

"Alive, confined to the office, but calmer. I haven't lifted the contract, and I won't until the replacement arrives... Stella, I know you've only just woken, but—"

The princess sighed, propping herself up on the mattress despite the headache. "I know what you're going to ask, Dad. Don't."

"This is a matter of your safety, Ellastaria. I need to know what happened. I need—"

"I don't know," she lied between her teeth, figuring she was doing both herself and Ric a favor. She knew they saw her act familiar toward him, and it was better to feign innocence and ignorance over trying to explain what happened with Aneira. Besides, the healer was obviously something of a personal matter for Ric, and Stella wasn't that tactless to reveal her to everyone. But the secret was obviously out between the two of them; she wondered if he'd guessed how long she had known about his... mother? Those were actions she recognized from her own mom, down to the chastising and unconditional love. "I remember casting the barrier, and that's when things went black. But it worked, didn't it?"

She locked eyes with the three men in the room, almost daring them to challenge her story. After a minute or two of silence, she laid her head gingerly on the pile of pillows. "I'd like to speak with Ric, if that's okay," she said, though it was obvious by the tone of her voice that it was a demand and not a request.

"Only if you promise to rest later," Lorencio answered and sighed, knowing his daughter was just as stubborn as he was. He was bound to ask her about this again, but later and alone. The princess nodded, and in turn he nodded once to Zeus, sending him off to retrieve the warlock.

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

This had certainly turned out to be one of those situations where it was simply impossible to un-fuck oneself out of; after Ric had extinguished the flames, he was immediately suppressed using the few of Nonso's men to siphon as much of his energy as they could without killing him. And while he was tethered, the authorities had come to shackle Wolfswift and held him in the office. Much like the police of the Normals, the officers dealing with rogue magi wore standard uniforms: Black cargo-pocket pants, black creaseless BDU-style shirt, and black combat-style boots. The exception here was that they all included an underlayer of inseamed ballistic weave, and hex badges on the shoulders and left chest to deflect and protect against basic spells that the criminal element might use to escape justice. No less than ten officers were present here, four outside the door and six watching the warlock himself, his body shackled in enchanted iron chain while they questioned him and the other involved parties on scene.

And right as they were about to take him away, Zeus stopped them, stating that the Princess wanted to see him. An argument was had, but they honestly had no real authority to overturn the wishes of a Councilor's child. And so, the entire troop escorted Ric to the guest room, marching him inside and sitting him rather roughtly on one of the available chairs.

"Alright then...Everyone out." Lorencio then stated, one of the officers - a crest showing a double-headed phoenix underlayed by a single chevron, his rank indicative of Sergeant - coming forward to say, "Sir, with all due respect, I don't believe that's wise." Lorencio just glared at the man, the Sergeant's eyes quickly averting as the Italian replied, "I appreciate your concern, but I know my daughter. And she's safe for now." He then turned his eye to Ric, who just looked at him with the utmost contempt, adding "Seeing as your contract hasn't been lifted yet, Mr. Wolfswift, I trust that you'll keep out of trouble until they can process you fully. Even if you didn't kill the King, there's more than enough to try you for the attempted murder of a Royal Family member. I just hope it was worth it."

Turning his attention back to the officers, he then motioned with his hands, "Everyone...Leave." He knew his daughter wanted to be alone with the warlock; it just reinforced the notion that she knew something and wasn't telling. But now was not the time to push. She wanted to make sense of this, as did he. And soon enough, the two were left alone.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for quite some time, Ric just staring intently at Stella as if analyzing her. Working something out in his head, or trying to at the very least. There were certainly many questions to be asked, but he started with the most obvious one. And his voice carried a heavy tone, a mix of anger, surprise and loathing all present in an odd mix that few could pull off.

"How long...How long has she been in contact with you?"

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Half Moon Bay, CA
Thanksgiving (November)​

"Are you... are you mad at me?" Stella asked with a considerable amount of surprise, turning her neck to face him, an eyebrow raised as she stared his way. "Seriously? The rest of us are injured and you're upset with me?" She almost laughed but decided against it, only choosing to turn back and stare at the white ceiling. Aneira was a personal matter for him, and she had an inkling of an idea that she wasn't supposed to know about the healer. At least, not until Ric himself decided to tell her about his past. But things didn't always go the way people planned them, and whatever secret Ric thought he was hiding was obviously out in the open now.

"That night in Japan, when I hid your things," Stella answered without looking at him, her voice soft, treading carefully on the seemingly sensitive topic. "She pulled me from within a dream to talk to me about you, but I had no idea who she was at the time. All she told me was that you were a pupil of hers a long time ago. A healer, like her. Explains the competency in lumomancy, huh? That was the first and only time she'd contacted me... until tonight, that is."

A sharp rap sounded on the door, and the Sergeant popped his head in. "Princess Durante, I'd—"

"It can wait," Stella answered automatically, irked that they would interrupt her when she clearly was not finished.

"Yes, but the rep—"

"Out, please," the princess said in a tone that indicated she wouldn't repeat herself again. Then the Sergeant sighed and clicked the door shut, leaving her alone with Ric once more.

Lost in thought for a minute or two, Stella finally turned to her bodyguard, her inquisitive eyes full of curiosity and some other intense, unidentifiable emotion. "Aneira... she's your mother, isn't she? You know, she'd asked a favor of me, one that I kept my word in doing, and this is how you're going to act? Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Ric? Putting her through that—making her watch as she loses her own son to whatever it is the hell you're doing? Didn't you hear a word she'd said?"

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Ric's lips twitched as she kept on; so, Aneira had reached out to her. Should have figured really; she never wanted him to take revenge, never wanted him to hunt and kill as mercilessly as he had. She had raised him to heal, to be the shield from pain for others. To care and nurture, to hold up the strength of the Light.

But when push came to shove, wasn't that what he was doing? He wasn't just treating the symptoms. He was taking the scalpel and cutting the cancer out at the source. Just because it meant he had to get his feet wet, she didn't approve. It was something mothers did: Never wanting their children to get hurt.

His eye narrowed dangerously as she then called him out on hurting the healer, a warning that she was far too close to crossing a sensitive line. Granted, he couldn't do much in his current state, but the hostility certainly went up a few notches. "Since we're such good friends, I'll let that ignorant drabble slide." he replied without hiding the heat in his tone, adding "And now that you're included in the not-so-fairy-tale history of me, I'll let you in on something so that your next words don't make you sound like such an idiot."

Taking a deep breath through his nose, the warlock just muttered, "I lost her. A very long time ago, to one of the monsters that your stupid Council tries to keep as 'exotic pets', that you all try to make peace with. The main reason I became a monster hunter wasn't for glory; I couldn't care less about that. They're an infection, a cancer on this world. The only cure of which is by thorough unflinching extermination, unyielding annihilation. Each of them, from the eldest to newborns, all of them deserve nothing less."

Sitting a little more upright, he then finished with "The only reason I got locked up is because some of you assholes make the claim they're 'friendly'. That I was hunting down and murdering allies of the Council. And the fact that my mother can't see that hurts me, especially after what happened to her. I will not turn the other cheek while they run rampant through these lands, not even if I must sit imprisoned for ten thousand years."

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Half Moon Bay, CA
Thanksgiving (November)​

"Jesus... I'm so sorry for your loss, Ric" Stella said truthfully, the cold violet of her eyes melting a fraction at his brief moment of vulnerability. She figured he had lost his mother in some tragic fashion simply because of Aneira's seemingly young age and the way she talked about her son. It certainly shed light on his behavior, especially with the way he detested Hana and Mei and their human-monster hybrids. It also likely explained the absurd amount of monster contracts on his file at Periculosis—most of his contracts had been for monster and Dreg hunting, and now she could easily imagine why.

But she snorted when he had finished, raising the same eyebrow at him with an incredulous look on her face. "Okay? I didn't ask why you do what you do, regardless of what the reasons are. I asked if you thought it was right that you make your own mother hurt like that. Or maybe in your mind, saying she hurts you in some fashion somehow justifies the whole situation." She simply stared at him, genuinely not able to understand.

It wasn't that she was trying to lecture him or make him change his mind, but she couldn't imagine watching her own mother suffer because of her, no matter what the circumstances were. And because she had seen it through Aneira's eyes and heard it from her mouth, the sadness the healer displayed was something Stella couldn't just forget. How Ric was able to look into those blue eyes and almost disregard the pain reflected in them was completely beyond her, but then again, she hadn't lost any of her family members like he had. In fact, it was currently impossible to even scratch the surface in understanding him, but she knew her family values. Was revenge and vengeance worth losing one's self? Maybe Ric thought so.

"The magical Council has made some decisions in the past that haven't entirely been the most wise or best of choices. But during a time when there was only chaos and death, they sought to end it and bring peace to the world. My world. Your world. Can you blame them for that? There were far more things to be concerned about than just monsters and supernatural creatures, Ric, and to think otherwise is incredibly selfish. They did their best given the circumstances and didn't want to shed more blood than what was required, and yes, that includes monsters." Stella glared at him now, her jaw clenched as she defended herself and her friends and family. Most people, Stella included, recognized that most monsters were a danger to both Normals and the magical kind, but she couldn't ignore Ric's hostility. And while she understood it stemmed from the loss of his mother, a pain that was difficult to heal even without the manner in which she'd died, it wasn't an excuse to be a dick.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence and she sighed, running a hand through her brown locks and closing her eyes as she felt the headache pound the slightest bit harder. "In any case, your lack of anger management and control has landed us here. Well, it's landed you there. As if I didn't have enough work already in making sure you walked away free from this whole thing. Fucking bitch ass," the princess tacked on at the end in a soft mumble, standing from the bed just as the another knock came at the door.

"Stella?" Lorencio's muffled voice came from the other side, "can I...?"

"Of course," she called back, turning to Ric to say one last thing as she heard the door open. "Please, try not to do anything stupid, okay?"

Then her father entered the room, leaving the door open, and the two officers posted at the entranced glanced inside before turning back again. "Stella, the temporary guard will be here soon. It's a wonder he was available on short notice. He's been working with the Council for decades now, and I figured he would've been on contract, but it seems we've caught him at an opportune moment. With the murder of King Adeniji, your safety is of utmost importance. And Ricendithas..." he added, facing the warlock, "I trust you know what that means when he arrives, yes?"

"Lord Durante," a new voice suddenly filled the room, the smooth baritone sound and British accent causing Stella to turn and see a neatly dressed man dipping his head in respect for the Italian Councilor. When he straightened, she could tell he stood just under six feet tall, artfully tousled ashy-chestnut hair falling onto his forehead, and a similarly colored stubble decorating his structured cheeks and jaw. But by far the most noticeable feature about the man was his eyes, golden as if they were drowning in amber, similar to how Stella's eyes were swallowed in a golden glow when she used large bursts of her light magic.

"Ellastaria," Lorencio said after clearing his throat, "this is Keenan Melchior. Your Council appointed guard, for the time being."

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Ric's lips formed into a grimace, her words sounding like poison despite their best intention. Anyone could say they were sorry, anyone could tell someone they "knew what they were going through", as he'd heard these snobs in their pathetic attempts to comfort one another. But what made it all the worse was that she CLEARLY did not know what his situation was, nor did she seem to care about it. Which was something the warlock couldn't care less about; he was nothing if not truthful, even if he rubbed almost everyone the wrong way in being so.

Though it seemed their conversation would have to wait, for Lorencio came in to greet Stella and her new bodyguard. Ric's eye narrowed on the man, a flash of recognition gleaming in his eye. This was her new bodyguard?

Boy, were these people gullible.

"M'lady, it is a pleasure to meet you." Keenan said to the princess with a formal bow, gently taking her hand and kissing the top of it all the while flashing her a prize-winning smile. It was clear that he was someone well taken care of, well-groomed to be part of Society

"And here you tell me not to do something stupid. Might want to relay that wisdom to your dear Council and father." Ric sneered mentally, hiding his amusement at the situation. "Yeah, yeah, I got it...I get to sit in Perry's Palace until my trial. Least they're doing me a favor skipping the bail hearing." he joked; for Dregs, any chance of a pre-trial release was thrown out. Part of their 'indiscriminate' law, an amendment made by the drafters of D.I.R.T. as a compromise for having to house them. Smart really, let Society keep a closer eye on those that got caught.

"So, you're the infamous Wolfswift." Keenan added, turning to Ric with a slight smile crossing his features. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'd shake your hand, but I don't see someone of your reputation being friendly with the likes of me." he added tactfully. There was another gleam, this one more sinister, as if to say "Nothing you can do now." though no one else would see it.

Ric held his tongue, his expression now neutral as he said, "Am I so easy to read? Must be getting soft, always thought myself sly and witty." Keenan chuckled, "Even with such accusations, you have moments of remarkable resilience. Will serve you well, Mr. Wolfswift." Pausing for a moment, the man's expression hardened a little as he asked, "I have to ask...Did you really kill Adenji? He happened to be a good friend of my father, you see."

Ric sneered, "What are you gonna do if I did, rich boy? Kill me? Sorry, the son's got dibs. You know, him being his father and all." Keenan let out a small bemused huff, "So, you know about the code of filial honor...Wouldn't have guessed you the sort, given your reputation and all." What was starting to piss Ric off was how polite this guy was speaking, not even raising his tone a single decibel.

Still, the fact that he was pulling it off so well, that was certainly praiseworthy. Nothing Ric would ever to say to him directly, of course.

Melchior just sighed and stood up, "I honestly wish you would give them a chance, Mr. Wolfswift. All of your actions, however you might disagree with it, have been those of a guilty man. Whether you claim lack of conscience or not." Ric sneered, "So, you're telling me you would just roll over and let them have their way, eh? The words of a coward, ladies and gentlemen. No spine or backbone to be seen." Keenan's gaze narrowed again, evidence of his distaste for the warlock's words, "You misunderstand. Of course, I would be appalled for the accusation. But I certainly would neither threaten nor attempt to kill my accuser. Especially not after such a tragic event."

Ric's teeth clenched, agitation very much present on his face. "Whatever, I'm not going to waste my breath. Useless when it comes to you lot. Just have the guards hocus-fucking-pocus me back to Periculosis." Keenan sighed, "Very well...Lord Durante, I believe we're done here".

Lorencio just nodded and went to grab the sergeant; he and several of his men returned, each taking hold of the warlock. Lorencio then handed over an envelope, something prepared rather quickly while Stella was recovering from the strain. "This is the writ?" the sergeant asked, to which the Head of House Durante nodded once more and replied, "Yes, present that to the Warden. Explain that Mr. Wolfswift will need additional barriers in his cell, and will remain there until trial. It already has the required signatures, as well as Prince Chidume's, seeing as he was the one most involved."

Lorencio started to speak to Ric, only for the warlock to spit on the ground in front of him, "Stuff it, pizza man. Think of it as time to write as much condemning bullshit as you can dream. You Society fuckheads love that sort of thing, especially when you're too damn blinded by your own bigotry to see the truth." At this Lorencio just waved his hand, the sergeant's troops vanishing.

"Well...He's a colorful fellow." Keenan commented politely, to which the Italian added, "Quite. Good at what he did, but maybe having him out was too ambitious." Turning to his daughter, he then said, "Stella...I'm sorry that I forced such a hothead to be your babysitter. I thought that maybe he would rein in hsi hot-blooded nature just a little, but let loose enough that anyone who dared get near you be too scared to even try." Taking his daughter's hand, he then asked genuinely, "I hope you can find it in your heart to grant an over-protective father forgiveness?"

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Half Moon Bay, CA / Colorado Springs, CO
Thanksgiving (November) / Late November​

"Of course, papà," Stella answered him, finally tearing her gaze away from the spot where Ric had been teleported away. She smiled warmly at her father, covering his hand with her own. "I understand. There's nothing to forgive. Besides, you think someone like him could have broken through the stubborn Durante temperament? Hah! Not even close."

Lorencio chuckled lightly, happy to see his daughter was the same as ever. "Molto bene⁽¹⁾," her kissed her on the cheek and stepped back, then gestured to Melchior to follow him out the door. "She's had a long day. Let her rest. You two can become acquainted with each other when she's fully recovered."

A Few Days Later​

Stella's mountain home crawled with magical law enforcement in the following days after the murder and the incident at the Ellison's Thanksgiving banquet. And while she detested the invasion of privacy and unnecessary crowd, she knew that allowing them to analyze her home would be for the better, beneficial for both Ric and the Council. Whatever evidence they thought they would be able to dig up in Ric's belongings over King Chidume's murder clearly wasn't going to be there, but they were free to look. It wasn't like the man had many possessions to begin with (Stella certainly didn't snoop, but she had eyes and took notice of the bare room whenever she passed by the open door), but whatever items the authorities found significant were brought down the library where her father and Benedict were looking over evidence. In the center of their table lay the torn cloak from the murder scene, and next to it was Ric's armor, still untouched from the night Stella had asked him to leave it off in favor of the tux. The princess herself was looking over her own notes, with Keenan on her right and Zeus next to his own father. It was largely silent, the muffled voices and footsteps of the authorities barely filtering through the closed room, until Nonso strode through the wide French doors.

"My men and I have analyzed Wolfswift's contract," he started, setting the thick book down and taking a seat across the two other Head of Houses. "Impressively solid. There seem to be no holes in the distance restriction you gave him from Ellastaria, although it doesn't rule out other possibilities. I looked over his files from Periculosis and it shows that he often used illusions to antagonize prison guards and the warden—"

"You think he might have used an illusion?" Lorencio interjected, "from that far away? With that much detail?"

"You know as well as I do the amount of magic suppression in the sub-levels of our Siberian prison. If he was able to do a believable visual representation of himself, I'm sure he'd have no trouble at all procuring an illusion that mimicked flesh and bone. He's a powerful mage... I don't doubt he's got more tricks up that sleeve of his."

Stella looked up then, tapping a pen against the legal pad in front of her before saying, "He had no way of knowing where the Chidume palace is, nor had he met you or any of your family prior to the banquet."

"And if he pried that information from your mind? Or someone else's mind? And still, who's to say that he didn't take you with him for a little trip to Nigeria?"

"Still using that theory?" Lorencio asked in a grave voice, "accusing another House and a princess of being an accomplice is not a wise decision, Prince Chidume."

"Not an accomplice, no," Nonso edited himself, "but if he forced her to show him or take him there?"

Stella clenched her jaw in slight annoyance, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "I can assure you the both of us were at the Ellison estate the entire night." How many times was she going to have to repeat this?

"I'll believe that when there's concrete proof, princess Durante," Nonso said firmly.

"There isn't any concrete evidence to say he was the murderer either," Stella fought back, now raising her voice to match his tone. "There are too many questions that don't have answers. Let's say he found a way to your palace. Why would he bring his cloak, but not his armor and sword, considering they're of substantial value to him? And if he did commit such an act, why would he come back to the Thanksgiving banquet as a guilty man? His hatred for the royal families are deep, but he has no motives to specifically target one House and none of the others."

Nonso simply looked at her as if she was a child drowning in matters too adult for her to comprehend. "Yes, all very compelling questions... that, unfortunately, all lead to nowhere. Perhaps he would reveal them through questioning, but I'd sooner trust the devil before a Dreg."

"So? The Veritas potion exists for a reason, and you have one the most extensive potion collections in the world. Use it, and surely you'll have your answers."

"Ah... I have none in stock, and the potion takes months to brew. That... simply isn't an option, I'm afraid."

Stella turned her cheek away and faced the window, forcing herself to bite her tongue before she accused the Nigerian prince of anything she might come to later regret. While the truth potion was extremely rare because of its difficulty to brew and the amount of dedicated time required, she refused to believe he didn't have a vial on hand. And something in the back of her mind told her that he wanted Ric to be convicted of the crime, if only so that he had a sense of closure over the murder.

Benedict cleared his throat and stood, gesturing for Lorencio and Nonso to join him. "Gentlemen, if we might take a short break? I think it would do us some good..." He then led them out of the room, murmuring something about exploring all possible options, before the door clicked shut and blanketed the room in silence.

---

Translations

(1) Molto bene (Italian) : very well

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Needless to say, Ric's return to Periculosis was not met with much enthusiasm from Alexei; however, when explained to that this was but an extended temporary hold and that no other paperwork was needed from him, he was a little more relaxed. Still, he did not like the idea of having this warlock back in his facility. The man harassed more than his share of guards, and his illusions made some of the female staff both excited and uncomfortable.

Nonetheless, Ric was returned to the sub-levels and this time placed in a much more secure cell, having had even more layers of suppression added to prevent him from even speaking a single word of magic or raising one bit of energy. The binds too, were enchanted so that he could not use them to conduct energy for unspoken spells.

And so it went, the warlock - now given a yellow woolen jumpsuit to match the others of this establishment - sitting with his limbs chained to the walls. How long would he sit here, he could only guess. Not that it mattered; there was no way in hell he was getting out. Especially now that the shepherd so foolishly let the wolf into the pasture.

"Good luck, Lorencio...You and your family are going to need it." he chuckled, no one in earshot to hear him speak those words. Never expecting that anyone was actually giving enough of a damn to get him out of prison.

---

Keenan stayed by the Princess' side the whole time, giving her plenty of space but still close enough to keep an eye on her. So far, Lorencio and Choi were pleased to see that the young man's reputation was not exaggerated in the slightest. Hell, even Stella's mother was starting to (not so subtlely) push for Stella to get to know the man better. In her eyes, he was perfect in every way for her angel. Smart, witty and level-headed, not to mention a fine looker with his exceptional fashion sense.

And now the day came when they 'raided' Stella's home in Colorado, gathering the few possessions of Wolfswift and cataloging them. Being users of magic, they didn't need to follow the Normal's practice of bringing to a central location. No, all required and requested analyses were performed onsite, overwatched by a licensed Arcane Forensic Investigator. In this field, his word was gold about the legality and accuracy of results, and his signature was one that could change lives in an instant. But then, this was more a formality for the Tribunal than anything; for a Dreg, even the best evidence of their innocence was sometimes overlooked just to get them out of Society's hair.

But now, here he was overwatching Stella and listening to their discussion of the warlock's events prior to and following the murder. It was interesting to see them banter on about this warlock, Nonso having the firm belief that Ric was guilty and they shouldn't waste any more time on it. Still, there were plenty of holes, something that Stella picked up on immediately. While it was true that Wolfswift held a public hatred for the Council, he'd in fact worked for some of the Houses while on assignment. And while he got the job done, he'd never hesitate to clarify that he didn't 'two shits about their whole lot'.

And it was this that Stella was focusing on when she made her comments about how his attitude would not let him go back to the Ellison estate. Quite a convincing truth, but unfortunately character was not going to be nearly enough to get the warlock out of trouble. All his years of hell-raising were finally catching up to him, and all his enemies finally found a golden opportunity to be rid of him.

He kept his thoughts relatively silent, however, as the men got up to talk about something else, leaving Melchior and the Princess alone. His eyes wandered down to her, seeing that she was still conflicted about...something.

"Stella...Is everything alright? You seem troubled." he then asked, sitting in the chair next to her. "If you want to talk, then I'm right here. Always."

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Colorado Springs, CO
Late November​

Stella tore her gaze from the window, looking at Keenan briefly before frowning down at the note pad in front of her. Loopy handwriting, scratchy edits and aimless doodles covered the page, lists of ideas and questions with arrows pointing to... nowhere. Empty space filled with drawn question marks. "This is crazy," she muttered more or less to herself, "totally crazy."

Her assessment of the situation wasn't that far off considering people actually thought she was crazy for fighting for Ric's innocence and wanting him released from prison. Most of Society knew who he was, and most of them felt comfortable with him locked up. Some of them probably would have felt better with him dead. But even in the short amount of time they'd been together, Stella could tell that he didn't deserve to die. He was dangerous, yes, but not inherently evil like so many others liked to believe. And while she would rather gouge her eyes out with a rusty spoon before admitting it to Ric (outlandish and exaggerated, but the thought behind it was the same), he was respectable in some manner. He couldn't keep that mouth of his shut for more than what seemed like two seconds, but he did his job and did it well.

Although she would begrudgingly admit to respecting him, it was more a combination of factors that pushed her to prove his innocence. Aneira was one of the largest for obvious reasons; the healer had saved both Stella and perhaps everyone in the Ellison home that night. Knowing what she did now, the least the princess could do was ensure Ric's safety and a smooth trial with the Tribunal. Of course, that was easier said than done. She was mighty influential when she wanted to be (a princess' requests were always taken seriously), but it would take more than influence and her word to remove the false guilt that clouded Society's eyes.

Stella tilted her head in Keenan's direction, not quite looking at him but still focused on the figure next to her. His body language indicated he was burdened with worry. Concern. Things she hadn't known Ric was capable of, or at least hadn't seen in him. The change was refreshing, welcomed even, and unlike Ric, she felt Keenan was someone she could trust. Never mind the fact that they both came from Society upbringing, but he was considerate and ever so respectful—qualities that she liked in any person. She lifted her gaze to his face, seeing the kindness in his eyes.

"Troubled? No, not really. I mean..." she paused, unable to decide whether she wanted to tell him of her suspicions and doubts about the Veritas potion just yet. "Do you think it's okay for me to be doing this? Defending Ric. I know what people say about me, that I have a soft spot for Dregs. But I've just never felt the need to treat them poorly when it wasn't deserved. Dangerous as some of them may be, I give respect where it's earned. I also treat people like people, as how it should be. I'm sure the same things were said about the rest of my family at one point or another, but I guess we can't all be hatred-filled beings, can we?"

Stella let out a small, quiet sigh, tugging lightly on a strand of hair that had managed to fall in front of her face. "I think I know a way I can prove his innocence, but I, uh, don't exactly know how I'd go about doing it..." A nervous expression flashed across her face, and rightly so. Creation and distribution of the truth potion was largely regulated by the Council, and even she couldn't waltz in and just ask for it. The only other witches and warlocks that skilled in potions were likely Dregs.

"Nonso has to have at least one vial of Veritas, but I doubt he wants to use it on something that he thinks is a waste of his time. I want to get my hands on that potion. I just... don't know where I'd get it."

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Keenan just listened as she tried to compose herself, never once making a move or statement to push her for an answer. It was her decision of how to go about it, after all, not his nor anyone else's. His eyes twinkled a little with curiosity, as if wondering what could be throwing the good Princess into such a tizzy.

But then she explained herself and there it was. The reason she was truly worried. He'd overheard Stella's initial concern about the 'truth serum', but honestly thought she'd let it go. Then again, she was a Durante through and through, seeming to have inherited the infamous stubborn nature. So, she planned to somehow infiltrate the Chidume household and take a vial of Veritas, assuming the Prince had one to begin with? A bold plan to be sure, but even Stella would unlikely make any headway with him.

Then again, there was also the old saying that there was strength in numbers.

"I think that's all well and good, but Stella, I don't think you need to be secretive about it. The truth is, House Chidume undoubtedly respects honesty and forthcoming above all else. They don't like beating around the bush, hence Nonso storming into the Ellison house last night and flinging accusations everywhere." he then replied with a light smile, showing her that he was very much on her side.

"I think, that if you're honestly convinced about Wolfswift's innocence, it would be best if we both talk to him." he then added, placing a hand gently on hers. "I might not look it, but I'm a pretty powerful convincer when I need to be. Nonso would be wise to let us use the serum on Ricendithas; it will give him the closure he needs. Not the temporary one he has now."

Standing, the man finalized with a confident grin, "And Stella...Don't ever think your treatment of others as equals, whatever their status, is a sign of weakness. Truth be told, it's a sign of strength, to stand by one's principles even in the face of overwhelming societal pressure. You don't find many people like that these days, and I were to be truly forward, it's a refreshing change to see it. Even still, we might want to wait a short while before we talk to Nonso; lord only knows the magnitude of grief he's going through right now. And he was already stubborn as an ox. To press him right now would be imprudent and likely counterproductive."

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Colorado Springs, CO
Late November​

Keenan's hand had left tingles on her fingers that traveled up her arm, and it made Stella want to cradle the hand in her lap. Not because the touch was unwanted, but because the touch was unexpected, yet also... enjoyable. Pleasing. Comforting in the way a friend might hold a hand, but did friendly hand holding also make hearts skip a beat? Or had she imagine that part? But she left her hand where it was and instead looked down, her hair shielding her face as she smiled to herself. While she hated when her parents tried to play matchmaker, maybe she would give her mom some credit for Keenan. Soyeon's hints hadn't gone unnoticed since the first day Ric was taken back to Periculosis, but for once Stella wasn't completely against one of her mother's choices.

"Mm... I see your point," she said in response, shrugging her shoulders. "It just feels weird to sit and do nothing about it, even though I know so much can be done about it." Then she laughed, her shoulders dropping as she fully leaned back in her chair.

"I'm also not a patient person, obviously. If things went my way, I'd be trying to get a vial of that potion right now, so I could shove it down Ric's throat tomorrow." The princess paused for a moment, considering the words that had just come out of her mouth, then snickered mostly to herself. It was an immature thought at best, but still funny to think and hear out loud.

Just then, a knock rapped loudly on the door, and it opened to reveal Zeus on the other side. "Heard some laughter and just had to see what all the fun was about," he said, a lazy grin brightening up his face. "Stella? If I could talk to you for just a second?"

The princess raised an eyebrow and stood, murmuring, "I'll be right back," to Keenan before she crossed the room, being lightly pulled by Zeus past the threshold of the room. Neither of them bothered to close the open door, leaving them awkwardly standing partially within the bodyguard's gaze.

"You know my father is taking you seriously? About the potion for Wolfswift?" Zeus hissed at her in a hushed tone. It was as if he found the very idea that someone was defending the Dreg completely unbelievable. Granted, it was practically unheard of that Society members showed favor for the Dregs, especially for the ones with reputations like Ric had, but there was something in the tone of Zeus's voice that made it seem as if he even hated the notion that people were going to some lengths to ensure Ric's innocence.

"That's great," Stella looked up at him with an almost confused look on her face. "I mean, awesome. I'm glad people are actually listening to—"

"Why do you care so much?" He suddenly asked, a challenge lying somewhere in his eyes.

"Why shouldn't I?" Stella fired back, leaving the both of them in a silence.

Zeus ran a hand through his dark, tousled hair, the same lazy smile appearing once more. "He's just some Dreg, so I'm just curious. You guys friends or something?"

"No, we're not. But I don't have to be friends with someone to not wish them an undeserved death."

"I don't know, Star. The two of you sure looked friendly a few nights ago... but hey, you do what you gotta do. Just learn to relax a little, yeah?" He had reached up to play with a strand of Stella's brown locks, and even though the smile had transformed into an impish, boyish grin, the princess could hear the malicious note in his voice.

Stella sighed and nodded back in agreement, saying, "Of course, a break is always a good thing. You're so right, Zeus." The Ellison man seemed to brighten up at this, but Stella turned away from him and flashed a sweet smile to her bodyguard. "Keenan, Zeus says he thinks I should relax, and I think I should take his advice. You ever been to Italy? It's kind of cold there though, and I'm kind of feeling the beach... How about Florida?"

From her peripheral vision, she saw Zeus make the the largest pout she had ever seen in her life. He was huffy and annoyed, but that served him right. When had he become so hostile and cruel? He was usually so supportive of her decisions that his sudden opposition came as almost a shock. And while she knew Aneira's actions likely looked suspicious to everyone that was left in Benedict's office Thanksgiving night, she couldn't believe he had the audacity to suggest she was involved with Ric. Whatever her relationship was with the warlock wasn't Zeus's business anyway, and because he knew her almost as well as her own family, he should have known that she wouldn't take backhanded insults.

"It's true," Zeus finally said after he quickly composed himself. "She's always been super uptight when she's stressed out... But wherever you guys go, have fun I guess." He gave Keenan a tight smile and turned away, his footsteps padding against the wood floors as he went to rejoin his father and the other two men.

Stella only rolled her eyes and walked back inside the room, sitting on the corner of the long table, lightly swinging her legs back and forth as she looked at Keenan. Her eyes sparkled with unvoiced laughter; she was clearly in a much better mood now. "Seriously though, you want to ditch this place? In some way, Zeus is right. If I'm going to wait, I don't want to do it here. How boring is that?" She looked up in thought for a second or two, then pursed her lips. "I mean, if you're okay with that... What do you like to do anyway?" For such a simple question, she was surprised at how little she had ever asked that question to anybody.

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

"I'll be right here" he just replied as Zeus somewhat dragged her out of the room; not that it did them any good since he could see and hear exactly what they were talking. ["Zeus...Kind enough man when things are peachy, but can be quite the pissy bitch if events take a sour turn." Keenan thought to himself as the two of them soon started getting into it. His lips curled into a grimace as the eldest Ellison sibling took a rather unsavory tone with Stella; just what the hell was his problem? If things kept going like this, she might start looking at things the wrong way.

And that was something he could not afford. Not now when things had aligned themselves just right. But right as the man got huffy and stormed off, it was a position that would make approaching him for a reprisal very awkward. He would need to deal with it later, as now Stella was back with him, asking his opinion about what they should do to kill the time.

"And he calls you uptight? Seems he needs to look in a mirror at the moment; I don't know what's got under his skin." Keenan joked, using the situation as an opportunity to help defuse the tension and 'accidentally' letting her know that he'd heard everything he'd said. "You know what though? Florida sounds nice; thankfully the crowds shouldn't be as bad there this time of year. And the autumn there is supposed to be surprisingly lovely." he then replied lately to her question. His gaze was genuine, like he would follow her and just do what she felt was good for her.

Patting her hand, he then added, "But you know what, I'm guilty of being impatient myself at times. What say we pack up and make ourselves an adventuring duo? We can do the whole road trip type deal and everything." Laughing a little, he then clarified, "Not for very long I imagine; I can see that you want to talk to Nonso soon. But Zeus is right: Take some time to relax. Ric's trial won't be for a while anyway, so we have time to make sure we do things right."

A Few Days Later​

Instead of risking teleportation and being caught doing so, which would have been disastrous for them, they had opted to take the mortal's method of interstate travel: The ever-reliable automobile.

Naturally, they would get to stop in a different state every so often, but the question was: Where and for how long? Obviously places like Florida would be best since there was actually things to do there. But the only closest one would be Nevada, and really there was only one place with any kind of excitement.

Still, maybe going to Lake Tahoe first wouldn't be a bad start. It was the beginning of December and the weather reports were showing signs of early snowfall. And after a brief discussion, it seemed that wouldn't be a bad place to kick off their cross-country roadtrip. And thankfully, the pack wasn't heavy enough that they would need chains yet.

There were plenty of 'tourist-type' activities to take part in that didn't involve gambling or skiing, fitting since the pack wasn't heavy enough either to form good skiing snow.

"Well, what should we hit first? I mean, there are the casinos and all, sure. But we could take the Gondola up to the observation deck, grab a bite first, anything you want really, Stella." he then offered, showing her a pamphlet illustrating a selection of the wide variety of choices here. He then noticed there happened to be a magician giving a performance tonight at the Harrah's here, along with follow-up performances on other nights as well. Well now...That could certainly prove interesting. Most likely it was a Normal using simple sleight of hand, but it could always be a mage performing true magic too. "This could be worth checking out, if you want" the man offered once more, making no attempt to push her into anything she didn't really want to do.

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Lake Tahoe, NV/CA
Early December​

Both Stella and Keenan were seated inside her car, parked in one of the resort lots while they were figuring out what to do. The heater was blasting inside; it was chillier than Stella had expected, but at least the sun was out and the skies were clear. Snow glistened around them, and she adjusted the scarf at her neck before wrapping her fingers around a mostly-full Starbucks cup, suddenly thankful that she had stopped by earlier to get a hot chocolate. The warm liquid seemed to keep her fingers from getting frozen, though she was enjoying her time with Keenan anyway. The view of the lake, as little as she had seen so far, was absolutely stunning, especially with the clear sparkling waters and evergreens just barely grazed with fresh snow.

"Mmm... Eat something first," Stella answered with a smile, taking a sip of the hot chocolate. It was a couple hours past noon, and she had skipped breakfast to finish the drive to Lake Tahoe. Not that the two of them were in any kind of hurry—the point of the trip was to relax—but she did like leaving enough time in the day to go sightseeing. And while she loved that it was almost like a vacation for her, she wished she had the discipline to wake herself up on time when she was on vacation mode. But Keenan was understanding and considerate, and always so prepared for wherever they wanted to go.

"I'm starving," she admitted, blushing and setting the cup down on the console, then taking the pamphlet from her bodyguard's hands. A quick scan later, she was nodding enthusiastically to many of the items within the pages. "I'd love to see the view from the mountain. Heights just aren't my thing though, so maybe we'll do the Gondola as long as you hold my hand on the way up." She giggled and then went quiet, silently reprimanding herself for the flirty remark that had slipped out of her mouth. And while she didn't consider Keenan off limits (in fact her mother probably would have been watching on proudly), she also barely knew him and didn't want him to get the wrong idea. Or maybe this was the right idea?

"I mean, for all I know, heights aren't your thing either, and then we'll just have to hold on to each other for dear life at that point," Stella continued jokingly, shifting her eyes up to give him a warm smile. She flipped a page in the pamphlet and raised an eyebrow at the section about the magic show. The Normals of the world had known true magic existed for a while now, but they were still so fascinated by the tricks and illusions of their 'magicians.' But she couldn't blame them; she found herself getting sucked into watching those tricks and illusions, still amused by it even though she could freely use magic herself. "I want to see this later tonight, if you don't mind," she told Keenan, even though she knew he would follow anyway. He seemed to simply like spending time with her regardless of what the activity was. The thought sent a flutter through her stomach, but then a loud grumble filled the vehicle and Stella grimaced. "Food first, then," she laughed, handing the pamphlet back to her bodyguard.

A short drive later, they had arrived at Echo, a restaurant within the Lake Tahoe Resort, and soon enough she and Keenan were seated at a table for two. Stella's coat and scarf hung on the back of her chair, and she shivered as the chill in her bones finally seemed to melt away, no doubt helped by the coconut hibiscus mojito she was currently sipping on. "You've probably been around the US, huh?" she finally voiced the question she had been wondering, looking up from the menu to Keenan across from her. "My father tells me you've worked with the Council for a long time now."

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Keenan was secretly glad that Stella chose to have some food first; skipping breakfast to make the drive here left him starving, his gut threatening to rumble from the lack of sustenance. Even still, his body language suggested he would have gone with her wherever she wanted to go, no matter how hungry he got. "Absolutely; seeing this show would be a great way to end the night." he replied, taking the pamphlet as they drove to Echo.

Having ordered their drinks - Keenan deciding to go with just water for now - the two were left alone to talk. He was about halfway through a large sip when he heard Stella's question, and after finishing, turned to look at her once more. She really was something else, and it certainly helped that she was a looker. The way those honey-brown locks framed her youthful face really seemed to help make her more radiant. It truly complimented her affinity for lumomancy, and he could get lost in those unusual yet somehow very fitting violet eyes of her for hours.

"You might say that." he finally replied, sitting up a little straighter. "I actually started out on the lower end, being a messenger boy for House Ellison. Not the most glamorous job in the world, but it worked for building contacts. And as much as I hate to say it, see a less-than-pure side to Zeus." Letting himself pause for a moment, he continued, "But that's enough about him. I got to deliver important notices to minor nobility, and soon I got to travel the world as a Minuteskeeper whenever Benedict had to meet with one of the other Houses. Some of the meetings got quite colorful, as I'm sure you can imagine. Especially between Ellison and Saini...Believe it or not, House Saini's got a pretty hefty bone to pick with all the Houses."

Just then, the waitress - a petite brown-curled woman dressed in a black blouse and slacks with a black apron - soon came up to greet them. "Hello, my name is Samantha, I'll be taking care of you today. Can I start you guys off with any appetizers?" Keenan just smiled, "Yeah, I think that would work." Looking over the menu, he then said, "Let's start off with the...calamari fritti. And let's get an order of mediterranean flat bread. Could I also get a Sprite?" Samantha nodded and added, "We have Sierra Mist, is that OK?" Keenan just replied, "Perfect, thanks." And with Samantha took their order and went back, leaving them alone once more.

There was one thing that Keenan was curious about. "Hey, Stella...I honestly hope this isn't too personal a question. But the one who's about to become Queen has a mark of some kind right? Do you mind if I have a look at it? Sorry, I've just never seen it, only heard it through the legends and read it in books."

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Stella was mid-sip of her mojito when Keenan asked his question, and she shifted her eyes up in surprise. She figured that he would have known what the Mark looked like because he was so close to the royal families, but then again, the Mark was one of the most well-guarded secrets of the magical world. Most, if not all, mages knew that there was some physical indication of the next ruler, but few knew what to look for. Even fewer still knew the true meaning behind tattoo; Stella herself didn't know what it meant, though she knew the information would be revealed to her before being crowned Queen. She was, however, okay with showing it off, especially to someone like Keenan. What harm could it do? And after all, he was her bodyguard.

"Sure," the princess replied with a slight smile, sliding the drink to her left and placing her right arm on the table. With her palm facing up, she gently pulled back the sleeve of her shirt, revealing the soft skin of a slender wrist. A blue-ish green vein could just barely be seen on the side of her arm, and in the center about two-and-a-half inches down from her wrist was a silvery-white mark. It was a simple double-infinity symbol, the two signs intertwining together, and aside from the color, it looked to be a normal tattoo. It was like something even the Normals would get.

"The Mark of Aricia," Stella explained, "appears on every ruler of our world, but you know that already. It doesn't appear on the same place for everyone, though." She glanced up at Keenan's golden eyes and then dropped her gaze down again. It was just her wrist, but it felt strangely intimate showing her Mark to him. Perhaps it was because no one besides her family and the Council had specifically asked to see it, and they had only asked to verify that it was indeed her who was going to ascend to the throne. "This appeared on my wrist a few months ago. I was visiting my parents in Italy. Totally random, I wasn't expecting it... But who really is expecting something like that to happen, you know?"

"Your calamari and flatbread!"

Stella jumped lightly at Samantha's chipper voice, her startled self looking up to see that the waitress had returned with their appetizers. Samantha set the food down on the center of table, and when she had straightened, she eyed the Mark on Stella's wrist appreciatively. "Wicked tattoo. The color, I mean. Simple, too. Where'd you have that done?"

"Oh—um, we're not from here. But I got it done in this super small place back in Denver," Stella lied smoothly, offering a kind smile and tugging the sleeve back over her wrist. It was obvious she was uncomfortable, likely because Society kept their deepest secrets hidden away from the world of the Normals. The magical world was their own, and while they wanted to live peacefully alongside the normal humans, they also refused to share everything.

"Sweet, sweet. Well, are you guys ready to order or do you need a few more minutes...?" Samantha looked expectantly between Stella and Keenan, letting her gaze linger on the British mage before pulling a pad from her pocket and readying a pen.

"I think I'm ready..." the princess replied, flipping a page on the menu.

Soon enough the orders were made and the food brought out to the table. And as she ate, she couldn't help but feel like it was one of the most normal things she'd experienced in a while. The thought struck her funny, and Stella had to set her fork down from her blackened ahi. She giggled, shaking her head lightly, then wiped her mouth delicately. "Sorry, sorry... It's just that you have no idea how long it's been since I just had a normal meal with someone. No weird surprises, no arguments, no, um, death announcements and murder accusations..." She smiled down at her plate and took another bite of the fish. "Just... It's kind of nice, that's all."

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Keenan gazed at the mark, a look of moderate interest on his face; was something like this really a precursor to royalty? He was expecting something more...flashy. Aside from the color and design, there was nothing all that remarkable about it in terms of aesthetics. And honestly, the short but simple story behind how it appeared captured his attention more. So it didn't appear when she was born then? That of course begged the question about how it 'chose' the successor, but he doubted Stella would know.

Before he could comment any further, they were served the appetizers and moments later took their orders. He couldn't help but order the fish and chips when he saw it; as a native-born Brit, he remembered when his mother used to make it every Sunday using the pollock he and his father would catch on their fishing trips. The batter was always simple and for some reason, it was like heaven with every bite. Upon inquiring about the fish used for the fish and chips, Samantha told him that it was halibut. Not surprising given the locale, but now he was curious about the taste. And he would find himself pleasantly surprised. T

The batter was light, the chips crisp, and best of all she remembered the malt vinegar. "Reminds me of home" he muttered happily after the first bite, only to look up as Stella commented about the surprising normalcy of the meal. Something that Keenan could only chuckle at, "Well, not to insult your former bodyguard, but I've no doubt he's made things....'interesting'...for you. If his reputation is anything to go by." Yes, it seemed the young man always chose his words carefully. He then added on with an award-winning smile while raising his glass, "But yes, it is nice. To good company."

Setting down his wares, he then looked at Stella and asked, "So, after we've had our fill...What's say we hit the Gondola, then go see that show? That sound like a plan?"

A Few Hours Later​

The duo boarded one of the tram cars and were on their way up; thankfully, it was just the two of them, so there wasn't anyone else in the car. Plus, the insulation provided relief from the nippy temperature, and they wouldn't have to bundle up until they reached the deck.

Up and up they went, the ground falling away from them as they ascended to the top, where they would be afforded a spectacular view. Not that it wasn't spectacular already; the sun was just starting to set, the characteristic hues of orange and purple beginning to make themselves known as Lake Tahoe set the backdrop for the picturesque scene.

"You know, at the expense of sounding like a sappy romantic, it's things like this that make me glad to be alive. Everyone's so go-go-go now, they forget to lay back and take in the scenery." he commented, his eyes fixed on the beautiful landscape. Even though it hadn't started snowing fully yet, the light powder dusting really made the environment look like Lake Tahoe.

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Lake Tahoe, NV/CA
Early December​

"You say that as if being a sappy romantic is a bad thing," Stella teased him, a tiny smile playing at her lips, "and don't even act like you aren't one either! The sappiest romantics always make excuses... It's okay though, we'll just make it our little secret." She was fully turned away from the window now, instead flashing Keenan a wide grin. Her eyes danced with life, sparkling from silent laughter. She was being playful, but in truth, she loved that he was so relaxed and appreciative of what was around him. In a world full of distractions, she loved to take a step back and enjoy life as it was; even magic paled in comparison to what the world had to offer, and Lake Tahoe was a prime example.

Since it was only the two of them in the car, Stella had no trouble getting comfortable as she turned her body sideways, put her back against the glass wall and lifted her legs to lay them across the bench. After a moment, she hugged her knees to herself and continued to gaze out the window. "It really is so pretty..." She mused more to herself than for conversation, almost getting lost in the warm sunset colors reflecting off the lake surface as the sun disappeared behind the peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

"So did you know I was going to love Lake Tahoe, or was that just a lucky guess? Or maybe it was just obvious that I was a mountain person, huh?" She asked Keenan, the same sweet smile lighting up her face. A soft laugh escaped her, and she leaned her head back contentedly against the glass. "... I love the mountain scenery. It actually reminds me of home. Home in Italy, I mean, not in Colorado. The villa's on some low hills, and just behind them are the Tuscan Apennines. But it's one of the reasons I did choose Colorado. I didn't want to be in a place where I had to be so go-go-go. I wanted to relax and enjoy myself and be able to walk outside where it was so peaceful that I could almost hear myself think."

She wasn't entirely sure why she was opening up to him about her personal life, but it wasn't like she minded anyway. And these were things she never could have brought up with Ric, though she doubted Ric was the type of person to even want to listen.

"And I love it there, but I don't get to experience this every day." Stella gestured to the scenery down below, to the lake and mountains. "I usually see everything from down there, but it's totally different from up here. In a good way, I mean." The princess could see that they were getting closer to the deck, and she turned and placed her feet back on the floor of the car. "I'm really glad you're with me, Keenan," she said in complete honesty, beginning to wrap her scarf around her neck once more. "Mmm... after the deck and pictures, remind me to stop for another hot chocolate. It's way too cold!"

Later That Night​

Stella and Keenan were standing in the South Shore Room of the Harrah's Casino and Resort, watching on as the Normals in the room were awed and wowed by the magician having his show, 'Orlando Keys: The Impossible.' And while there was nothing significantly exceptional or special about his 'magic' tricks, Stella was amused all the same, clapping and cheering along whenever he had finished one of his displays. What was probably more amusing was the tone of this voice whenever he spoke, detailing every part of his set in some way that made it seem more intense than his last act. She could tell it was supposed to build up tension, but all it sounded like was some cheap amateur DJ.

"This next segment is my SUBMERGED water tank ESCAPE," the magician said aloud, capturing the attention of most everyone in the room. In front of him was a transparent glass box filled with water, and the attached lid had two small holes at the top, presumably for his hands and the grand escape. He stepped inside box, kneeling down on his knees so that he could still speak to his audience. "For a little bit, I'm going to spend some time expelling as much carbon dioxide from my body as I can, so that when I take my last breath, I can have as much oxygen as I can. And then I'm going to ESCAPE from this box with my hands cuffed OUTSIDE the top of the this tank!"

One of his assistants stepped forward to lock his hands together, and the magician sunk even lower into the tank. "The great part about magic tricks is that, even when you know the SECRET, it can still be a MYSTERY. There's no curtain hiding me from you. What you're about to see it REAL." Then the lights dimmed and his music played, other lights flashing and turning on and off in time with the song. Finally, he fully dropped himself into the tank, and the same assistant came forward to lock the tank.

The crowd gasped and fell silent, but Stella could only be disappointed. She tugged on Keenan's arm, standing on her tip-toes so her head was as level to his as possible. "That one isn't even a real magic trick," she complained lightly, her lips accidentally brushing against his cheek before finding where she could murmur the words in his ear. "The Normals have it all wrong. This is magic," she giggled just as Orlando made his grand escape, and she made the intensity of his stage lights grow monumentally brighter before raining down what looked like small five-pointed stars. And with the audience already in awe over how long the magician could hold his breath, she knew nobody would really question the lights; it was all part of the show now.

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

It seemed that the trip to the Observation Deck was a great success; it was nice to be able to enjoy such a scenic view with someone equally appreciative of nature's wonder. Stella was in a great mood through the whole ride up and down. Needless to say, he had told her that he was a fairly good judge of character and as a joke, told her that anyone who disliked views like this had no soul.

And soon enough, they were at the show. He couldn't help but chortle at the name of the magician performing: Orlando Keys the Impossible. More like it was impossible that anyone could buy this garbage as real magic. But then, he supposed that having been around REAL magic so long, that it biased his views about how Normals viewed magic. This was just cheap slight of hand and small tricks of illusion to make the stunts seem more dangerous.

When she whispered about how this wasn't real magic, he snickered and replied, "Poor Houdini; the old man must be rolling in his grave to see his stunt so perverted like this." Sure Houdini was just as much a fraud as this guy, but at least the man had a flair about doing dangerous stunts like this. But at least Keys was paying homage to the old classics, that much he could give him credit for. But then Stella did her stunt, causing Keenan to nudge her playfully and tease "Hey, I thought we weren't supposed to do magic around Normals."

Still, it was funny to see the audience's attention divert to the sudden explosion of color and illumination. Inside the tank, Stella's bodyguard could make out the miffed look; clearly he hadn't called for that little light show. Oh well, that was what he got for mocking true magic. And a devious thought crossed his mind; maybe he could have some fun with the water. Before he could put his plan into action, however, Orlando reached for the key...And subsequently dropped it, the little metal piece clattering before slipping through a crack in the stage. The entire crowd gasped, horrified at the development; some whispered that this was just another stunt to draw public attention.

Needless to say, the assistant rushed out, but upon inspecting herself couldn't find the spare that she would normally have. And a closer look would reveal that the water in the tank had not sunk enough to provide an air space where the magician would be able to breathe. "Help! Someone get a hammer!" the assistant shouted as she pounded on the hard glass; but by this point the magician only had about ten seconds of air left. No way they'd be able to get him out without him inhaling water. And for a few terse seconds, no one did anything; would this be Orlando's final act?

Keenan suddenly clasped his hands together: His thumb, pointer and middle finger extended while his ring and pinkie fingers were interlaced with each other, making it look like he was praying for the illusionist's safety. In reality, however, he was casting a non-verbal spell that find the weak spots in the glass, his own aura applying considerable pressure to those areas; within a fraction of a second, the tank shattered into fragments, making water and Orlando rush out onto the stage, the latter coughing hysterically from the horrifying experience as a medical team rushed out to evaluate the performer.

In the lobby of Harrah's​

"Well, that was an interesting performance..." Keenan said half-heartedly; really, that was way too close. What could have caused that key to fall off? That was pretty amateurish of a 'respected magician' to make such a mistake, especially during a considerably more dangerous stunt like the Chinese Torture Cell. The other Normals that filed out were in shock that they had witnessed something like that. No one would know that he had acted to save the fraud; even if his magic wasn't real, it didn't feel right that he should succumb to the likes of his own device.

"Sorry that moment got spoiled for you, Stella...Maybe we should head back to the room or something?" he then asked, looking before suggesting "Or if you're into gambling at all, maybe we could play some of the tables? I've been told I'm quite the master of Blackjack, and that's without using magic, mind you. Or we could go dancing at a club somewhere? Whatever you feel like."

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Lake Tahoe, NV/CA
Early December​

"Spoiled?" Stella asked absently while she turned away from some Normals who were raving about how great the show was save for the mistake near the end.

Still, they seemed to be largely impressed by the magician's skills, and they could even be heard praising the other features of the show. "...And the light work at the end was awesome!" One of them told another, bringing a smile to the princess's lips as they walked away.

"I wouldn't say the moment was spoiled, Keenan," she said, walking slowly with him across the lobby. "I still got to see what I wanted to see. Their magic is so fascinating. Illusions, dangerous escape... You'd think it would be something that faded away once they knew our magic existed, but I guess not. Just kind of weird, y'know, considering some of them could probably even learn the basics of our magic."

The princess shrugged, the statement sounding somewhat casual, but in truth, she knew accessing magic was difficult for most Normals. Even with the aid of wands (much like the ones that magical families gave their children), many of them became frustrated with the amount of energy and focus it took to accomplish something simple. She could see it took maximum effort just to make an item a few feet, and it was extremely rare for them to develop affinities for a type of magic. Perhaps it was one of the reasons they seemed uncomfortable around the witches and warlocks of Society; even with access to power, the playing field simply wasn't even, especially with families like the Ten who seemed to have the ability to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. If only they knew about some of the Dregs that existed in the world...

A heavy beat and muffled music filtered out of a blue-lit hallway as the pair passed, and Stella paused to look at the line of people waiting to get into PEEK Nightclub. A pang of envy hit her as she saw young women, Normals around her age, hanging off their boyfriends' arms and giggling as if they hadn't a care in the world. How long had it been since she had been able to act her age? Besides, Keenan did say it was okay to go to the club, and in her dress and heels, she just happened to be dressed for the occasion.

"I feel like that," Stella told her bodyguard, a twinkle in her violet eyes, stepping forward to the front of the line. She rarely ever took advantage of her family's wealth, but she knew money talked at these places. The others at the front sniffed in not-so-obvious ways when she pulled out a couple hundred from her bag, but the magic of the green bills worked on the doorman, who scribbled something on his clipboard and opened a velvet rope to let them through.

"So baby come light me up, and maybe I'll let you on it
A little bit dangerous, but baby that's how I want it..."

The song blasted out as the heavy black door was opened, and Stella laughed softly. "I love this song," she said with a radiant smile, biting her bottom lip and grabbing both of Keenan's hands to pull him through the entrance.

A Few Days Later

Dallas, TX
Early December​

"Yeeeees, another one! Only because you're so beautiful, like these flowers and trees."

Light, teasing sarcasm decorated Stella's voice as she held up her phone so that it was facing her, and in some short distance behind her, the camera was capturing Keenan as well. She silently snapped another photo, then tucked the phone in the back pocket of her jeans and turned to talk to her bodyguard. "It's true, you know. Why do you think all those women have been trying to talk to you this entire time? Obviously, you remind them of the plants." She grinned playfully at him, then turned back and continued walking through the garden.

In the four days since Lake Tahoe, the pair had driven down through Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico, spending time in Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Albuquerque, and finally reaching Texas. Passing down through the south to get to Florida had mostly been Stella's decision, mainly because it provided relief from the intense cold of mountainous regions. And such a relief it was, being able to go out wearing jeans and a light sweater. Although there was no snow to be found in Dallas, the scenery was beautiful in its own way, and the weather was comfortable enough to be strolling through the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

The princess paused and opened a map of the full grounds, starting to walk in a different direction. It was one of the things she loved about having Melchior as a bodyguard over Ric. There was no distance restriction, no abrupt, awkawrd pull against her body when she had reached the limit. And Keenan seemed content to let her go where she pleased; as long as he knew where she was going, she was free to wander wherever she wanted. At the very least, it was a step up from Ric playing pretend babysitter.

"I'm gonna look for a just a second..." Stella called to Keenan, pointing to a stone pathway that lead to one of the smaller, more secluded gardens. It was the Sunken Garden, named for the descent down the stone steps to reach the small grass courtyard and the fountain in the center. While it wasn't as grand or exotic as the other botanical displays, there was a certain je ne sais quoi that gave it charm and charisma, like a setting straight of those children's stories that Normals loved to read to their kids.

She stepped up to admire the seasonal planted flowers, the combined colors making a sea of blues and and purples, and creating a striking contrast against the vibrant green.

"So pretty, isn't it?"

A male voice startled Stella out from her silent appreciation, and she glanced to the side to see a handsome man standing next to her. Odd... She was sure she had been alone just a minute ago; when had he come?

"Very," she replied, fully facing him now and giving the stranger a polite smile. He had the darkest eyes she had ever seen, almost black even with the sunlight glinting off of them. And as alluring as they were, looking into them gave her the strangest, faintest feeling of distress. It felt better to look away, down to the flowers. "This is probably my favorite garden so far. Small, quaint, with lots of character. It kind of feels like I've stepped into a fairytale."

At this, the man grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his gaze. "A fairytale, you say? How fitting... so are you the princess?"

Stella froze where she stood, a mix of suspicion and panic rising within her. "What?" She asked harsher than she intended to, placing her hands inside the pockets of her jacket to hide the Mark.

The same relaxed smile remained unwavering on the man's face, even as he attempted to diffuse the brief moment of tension. "Fairytale? I was asking if you were going to be the princess of my story, seeing as you're even more gorgeous than these Winter Pansies."

"Oh... haha, no, not today," Stella laughed nervously, following his gaze down to the blueish-violet blooms. Of course he didn't reference her royal status. Normals wouldn't know about it anyway, so why did she assume that he meant it that way?

"A shame," the man said in a husky whisper, his voice sounding considerably closer to her now, almost right against her ear. "Of course you can be my princess, Princess." And for the briefest moment, Stella thought she felt his fingertips brush against the back of her neck, her mind going blank as a delicious shiver ran down her back.

"I thought I said none of that?" A new voice entered then, a feminine voice that sounded as hard and cold as ice. Unlike the man, she was obviously supernatural in nature. She was plumpish and short and had pale blue skin with the texture of leather; she had wild, unruly and knotted black hair that looked more like a mess atop her head, and facial features that could only be described as too hideous to be human. "This is the last time I ask the Gan Ceanach to do anything..." She grumbled out loud, more to herself than anyone else.

The male gasped and then laughed, wearing a look of mock shock on his face. "Well I can't help being me! Besides, I can do things like approach the girl and say hello. Anything with eyes is bound to run from you!" He giggled gleefully to himself, and then pointed at Stella, the princess's eyes glazed over blankly as she stared at the male faerie. "I would say this is definitely a mission accomplished," he mused to his partner.

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

As they traveled through the states, they would make short stops in some of their neighboring territories. It was never for very long, since they didn't really have much of anything in terms of attractions, save for the namesake locales that most tourists visited anyway. Las Vegas was really only truly amazing in the night-time; during the day, they both agreed that it looked downright hideous. It wasn't know as the 'City of Lights' for a reason, since it was one of the few well-established areas in the whole region.

The Grand Canyon was a nice detour, however; granted, it was literally just a giant crack in the ground. But something about its simplicity made it all the more wondrous. What sort of event could have caused the Earth to fracture like this? Even if they knew what had caused it, Keenan doubted it would detract from its wonder. Simply *because* it was so large, one could not help but look for hours on end at the deep crevasse. And of course, they took a couple of tries flipping coins onto the 'wishing wells' there: Which here happened to be smaller mesas of stone that had piles of coins on it, mostly pennies and nickels, but the amount likely impressive in terms of value. He couldn't help but wonder if some Normal might try to hop over and grab it....Wasn't really worth the risk in his eyes, but to each their own.

Albuquerque was fairly uninteresting, but there were a few decent places to grab a bite. Plus, they had a fairly comfortable hotel to stay at where they could recharge and look around. Even with the sudden drop in 'fun', all in all this road trip was turning out to be quite a blast.

Little did anyone suspect just how interesting it was going to become.

As Stella faced off with her two potential captors, Keenan was nowhere to be found at the moment. Sometimes there was a downside to the distance restriction, but maybe her bodyguard would sense she was in trouble? "Come on, just take her already! We have other things we need to do!" said the blue-skinned woman, her face contorting into an even uglier version of itself as she grew even more impatient. "Come now, Edna...Must you frighten our guest even more? If you're going to make a mirror crack, at least have the decency to look the other way."

The man then turned back to the Princess, "So sorry, Your Highness, but my colleague can really forget her manners at times. Now if you'd be so kind as to come with us...." But at this the male fae felt himself shoved in the back, pushed out of the way by the plump shorter Edna, "That's for calling me ugly, you braggart!" She then turned viciously towards Stella, snarling "We'll see how much our boss will pay once we destroy that pretty face of yours!"

And within moments, she raised a hand up and pointed it right at Stella, apparently about to use her fae-like energies to do something to Stella herself, until a low whispering could be heard resonating through the hollow room:

"Includere in ferrea, et clauditis formam in potentia, signantes off in fluxum!"

Within moments, Edna's body was being enshrouded in what could only be described as liquid iron; seconds after it formed around her, her arms thrashing as she tried to break free, it ensnared and solidified. Her shrieks became grating as the metal burned her skin and caused steam to seep through where her head poked out. Her partner tried to wrench it free, but soon found his hands burning the moment he made contact, grunting in pain as he retreated; a similar bolt of light struck the makeshift cocoon, but bounced harmlessly off of it and took a chunk from the nearby wall. "Iron..." he mumbled, covering his scorched hands over his ears. The shrill emissions soon silenced, her body still acting like it was howling, but more like someone had hit the mute button. An occurrence that all parties were likely to be grateful.

"So, found a couple of fairies, have you?"

That was Keenan's voice as soon as Edna was silenced; the man turned to see what could only be her protector standing at the bottom of the staircase. "Interesting bit of magic...Bit cruel to do that to one of Titania's children, wouldn't you say though?" the man asked, to which Keenan replied lazily, "Well, you were trying to kidnap this woman...Couldn't let you do that, could I? Tell you what...Give your word that you'll leave her alone, and we can all walk away from this...relatively...unharmed."

The male fae just shrugged, "Sorry, no can do...I've got my orders. Oberon wants this woman alive, so you'll do kindly to hand her over. And believe me...You don't want to be messing with a fae's magic." The fairy's black eyes soon began to glow, becoming shining dark lanterns as he called upon his power. Keenan just snickered, "Your magic's not going to do you much good against this." And in a flash, he held out what could easily be described as the most ridiculous thing to carry around:

Almost a dozen packets of sugar.

At once, the fae-man halted; his voice stammered out, "No...you wouldn't! I'll be stuck here for weeks, if not months!" Keenan just shrugged and replied, "Not my fault; you're the one who said you couldn't back down." He then gave a gentle toss, the packets going into the air, his voice stating "Concidit" as the thin paper of the packet burst, sprinkling sugar granules everywhere. He then gave a sort of playfully evil grin, his next command likely to bring woe to the fae.

"Augeo geminus."

Unseen largely by either party, the number of sugar bits doubled, the fae powering down as his impulsive nature forced him to his knees. "I think that should keep you busy. Give Oberon and Titania my regards." He then grabbed Stella by the arm, leaving the pair of fairies to horrendous torture below as they climbed the stairs. A close encounter to be sure.

"Sorry about that, Stella; didn't expect there to be fae here in Texas of all places. Thought they mostly stuck to the North where there was more cold forest." he then said to the Princess, adding with a humorous grin "Guess it helps that I'm a bit of a sweet-tooth, huh?" Once they were relatively out of harm's way, he then turned and grabbed Stella by the shoulders, asking "Are you alright? Did they hurt you at all?"

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Dallas, TX
Early December​

The odd mix of haziness and desire lingered in Stella's mind as Keenan gently dragged her away, up the staircase and to a different area. And without the presence of the Gan Ceanach and his beguiling nature and magic, awareness began to return to her.

The floral scent in the breeze. Light chatter from the other garden visitors. The warmth of Keenan's hands on her shoulders... His lips moving, but her brain not immediately registering the words.

"You came for me," was the first thing she said, feeling suddenly grateful, relieved and incredibly fond of him all at once. "...I mean, no I'm not hurt. They didn't really do anything to me. Well, the guy did. He—" Stella stopped abruptly, realizing she was about to tell her bodyguard of how, when the faerie had looked at her, she got the strangest feeling of wanting him to sex her up right there on the grass courtyard. No, it probably wasn't a good idea to tell Keenan about how she was a horny mess just a few minutes ago. But she did recall something about a specific faerie from her studies, one that liked to seduce women until they died pining for him. Perhaps the male had been that faerie?

"Anywayyy..." she continued awkwardly, stepping away with a silly grin on her face, "Everything about faeries is true, then? Iron, counting sugar, silver, all of it? It's just that I've never seen them in person, and I thought they were just people at first. Well, except her. It was easy to tell she was something else."

The princess bit her lower lip gently, another thought scratching at her. How did those faeries know she was the princess? Sure, Society and mot of the Dregs knew who she was, but that was because she was relevant to them. The large majority of magical creatures didn't involve themselves in the affairs of magical persons, or even keep track of what was going on. So what did the fae, Oberon and Titania especially, want with her? Would the other creatures and beasts know who she was? She wanted to ask Keenan, but ultimately decided against it. The attack had dampened the atmosphere, and she wanted to return to her good mood and high spirits.

"Let's go?" Stella looked up at her bodyguard and tousled her hair as if trying to shake off the attack. "I never did thank you, did I? Well thank youuu. What I'm actually most curious about was that spell from a distance. The iron one? If you tell me, I promise we'll go to that one bakery, the one that's supposed to be super good! I mean, for your sweet-tooth, of course." And with another playful, flirtatious smile, she led him on to finish the walk through the botanical gardens.

Elsewhere​

"THEY HAD HER! They had her, and Melchior swooped in to save the fucking day. I mean, Christ, did he forget his job for a second? Did he fucking hit his head and get amnesia when he pretended to fall for that prissy BITCH?! Or maybe he actually likes the bitch, who really knows."

A man paced back and forth across a wide room, swiping his arm behind him in a cutting motion and disrupting the misty vision of Stella's diminutive form as she walked next to the sandy-haired Brit. At once, the scrying spell ended, and the princess's laugh that previously reverberating softly through the room abruptly cut off. The room was left in silence, save for the man's heavy footsteps against the stone floor.

A mild chuckle emitted from another man, this one seated lazily in a luxurious chair some distance away, grinning as if he found amusement in the whole situation. "Relax, will you?" He asked, the wide smile somehow getting even wider. "Let me tell you something. You're too stressed out, mate. Learn to have some fun; that's what I'm doing right now. Listen, I don't give a shit what Melchior does to those faeries. He could have nail'd 'em dead for all I care."

The pacing man stopped in his tracks, a guarded look on his face as he looked up. "And Titania? She likely won't be happy about the fate of her children."

"You think Titania knows who Keenan is? All she knows is that she, like every other beastie of this world, hate that bloody Council. Oh, and Ric. They all hate that one-eyed dickhead, which is great for me. Now, all you got to know is that the Melchior bloke can be trusted." The second man leaned back in his chair, sinking into the plush material. "Just sit back and take a breather, and she'll be apples⁽¹⁾. After all, the games've only just begun."

---

(1) she'll be apples (Australian slang) : it'll be alright

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Keenan just grinned, "Yeah it's all true. Salt would have worked too, but who in their right mind carries that much salt in their pockets?" completely ignoring her moment of awe. Of course, the irony was not lost that he had ten packets of sugar in his pocket for no other reason than having a sweet tooth.

But then again, it was certainly likely that she was just grateful to have not been taken by fairies; little did Stella know just how true the tales about fae-kind's maliciousness towards humans were actually true. What she heard through the books was a child's play version of what fairies really did to some of their victims. And while not all were malevolent, very few treated Society with any degree of respect and acknowledgment; Normals got the shortest end of the stick when it came to the Fae Kingdom.

Regardless, Keenan could only smile as she thanked him and asked about the iron-weaving spell he used. One little tidbit of knowledge couldn't hurt, right? Besides, with her light affiinity, she would have a hell of a time using any form of earth-based magic. Princess or not, very few were able to overcome the limitations of single-nature magicka. "It's kind of hard to explain really, and only those who are pre-inclined to Earth-based magic can have any measurable success in performing it. I'll tell you about it as we continue."

He then reached into his left pocket and held out a small coin-like item; it was about the size of a silver dollar and similarly-colored. But a closer inspection would reveal runic inscriptions and markings, forming what appeared to be some kind of seal. "It utilizes a small bit of alchemy to form the iron itself from nearby materials, then the magicka I provide allows it to travel as atomized vapor it contacts whatever my target might be. Then, boom, solidification and a fairy in pain." At that he let out a slight chuckle; oh he imagined his colleagues - one of them at least - would be livid.

But there was a method to his madness. And that didn't involve her getting taken by the spawn of that bitch Titania. Besides...He had intended to pay the Gan Ceanach back for what he did to his best friend's aunt. Teach him to play with people's emotions like that; a small niggling of thought resounded in his mind about how long he would be stuck there. Oh well, wasn't his concern anymore.

And after another hour or so of their tour, the two would find themselves at the nearby bakery, Keenan holding a rather impressively-sized bear-claw in his hands. "Guess everything is bigger in Texas." he commented, taking a huge bite and practically melting in delight. "I can't tell you how long it's been; this is by far the best thing to ever be made by Normals." It was true that Normals didn't have the affinity for magic like Society did...But sometimes their culinary creations could be described as such.

"Alright...Well, let's find somewhere to hunker down, grab some dinner later, then head on down to Florida." was his next comment, walking with the Princess to her car.

Later on​

The two had finally arrived in Florida; thankfully because it was just starting out as winter here, it wouldn't be quite as hot as it was in the summer. Unlikely they would see any snow this far south, but Keenan was hoping. In any event, the road trip turned out to be a huge success so far, aside from the Texas incident.

"Here we are, the Sunshine State. Living true to its name on this glorious day." he commented playfully as they entered through the borders of Jacksonville, Florida. There were certainly a few cities they could visit here; though he imagined Stella would want to go somewhere with a beach. Thankfully, he'd packed trunks and other swimwear. And of course...One perk of being able to use magic was that they could quickly form barriers to ultraviolet rays, saving them many days of painful peeling and scattered bottles of aloe vera.

"Alright so, where to first, Stella? We still have a ways to go before we reach places like Tampa or Daytona Beach. Oh, and let's not forget that Disney World's here. AND...It's the offseason." he then commented; Stella seemed like the type of girl who would go crazy at the chance to visit someplace like that, especially if there was even a remote chance of there being no huge crowds for any of the attractions.

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Jacksonville, FL
Early December​

"It's been forever since I was last here," Stella sighed happily, her head slumped to the side as she watched the scenery roll by. Blue skies and scattered puffy clouds, palm trees and the flat terrain for miles... Just as the mountains were their own special place, the coast was it's own and just as beautiful too. She closed her eyes, the hot sun on her face making her slightly drowsy, but Keenan's comment about Disney World made her sit up immediately.

"Disney?" The princess repeated, a wide smile already forming. Her face seemed to light up at the suggestion, giddy and excited. "Can we? I mean, if you're up for it. I don't want to, like, drag you along to things you don't wanna do... But if you're okay with it, I'd love to go!" She said the words out of politeness, but it was fairly obvious that she would be disappointed if there wasn't at least a small part of their Florida adventure dedicated to seeing at least one of the parks.

"I do want to stop here first, though. Jacksonville is supposed to have one of the best beach spots, and I want to relax for the day." Then Stella rolled down the window, breathed in the smell of ocean air, and set their destination to Atlantic Beach.

The beach community itself wasn't that far of a drive from the actual city; it was about 30 minutes outside of Jacksonville, and when they arrived, Stella was pleased to see there wasn't much of a crowd save for families and the occasional group of local university kids who were likely skipping out on studying for final exams. Of course, she didn't know how any of their schooling or studies worked, but she knew enough from small conversations here and there to know that their testing season was coming up. She could only guess that they wanted to escape from the stress of life, much like she did.

Only a short time later, Stella was changed into a swimsuit, a simple pale-pink bikini that showed off her light olive-toned skin and slim figure. Her hair was piled into a bun at the top of her head, loose tendrils of the honey-brunette locks falling gently on her face.

"I don't know how the Normals do it," she said to Keenan after they had created a bubble of protection from the ultra-violet rays and spread large towels on the sand, laying on her stomach on one of them to lazily soak up the sun. "I mean, I'd still go to the beach too, but the sunburns would kill me." The burns looked painful when they were fresh, and even more painful the next few days when the peeling began. She was more than grateful for magic during times like these, though the barrier was completely normal to her, just as loads of sunscreen was for the Normals.

Gentle waves lapped at the shore, sounds of seagulls filled the skies above them, and a slight breeze ruffled her hair. It seemed like the perfect place to be, with no one to bother her, until a rough male voice floated down from up above, and Stella looked up to see an older man in a tacky Hawaiian shirt, swim trunks, and a worn straw hat.

"'Eyyy... y'er what's-'er-face, the girl with Ric, right? Sorry, not with him, but just with him, regular, if ya get what I mean." He frowned at his own statement, seeming somewhat confused himself before smiling off the confusion and lifting a bottle of Captain Morgan to his lips. He was obviously drunk, but a happy one at that. "Eh, ya know what I mean."

Turning to Keenan, his smile faded into a look of surprise. "Y'er not Ric. What happened to my buddy? I love that one-eyed sunuvabitch... But you... Oh, I know you! Y'er that... I met you before at that once place... y'remember? What's y'er name now..."

 

[Razgriz]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

The beach turned out to be a splendid idea; the weather was just right, almost picture perfect. The sun was shining bright but there was a cooling breeze from the Atlantic that made the scenery more tolerable. There weren't too many other people around, and even better - to Keenan at least - almost no children running around and screaming. Though he kept this to himself, since he wasn't entirely sure on where Stella stood on that. And to top if off, they wouldn't have to worry in the slightest about sunburn thanks to the invisible shield around them.

Keenan himself was dressed in a simple pair of black nylon shorts, showing off his moderately-muscled arms and toned chest. A body that would have made nearly any girls who looked for that sort of thing drool over him. But right now, he was contently enjoying himself in Stella's company as they basked in the rays of the sun. Yes, this was perfect...

Or it was until a certain drunken idiot decided to show up.

Keeping his voice level, but his brow twitching in annoyance, the bodyguard replied "I'm sorry, sir, but I think you must have us confused for someone else." The man just chuckled, "Aha, yer a funneh 'un, yenodat?" He then gave a small 'hic' as he took another swig of the rum he held; wiping his lips with the back of his hands, he then added, "Imighnahnoername, but...I...I know you...Fromsomer, Idunrembe." His speech was really starting to become unrecognizable, his words slurring as his intoxicated state seemed to worsen.

"Sir, I kindly ask that you leave now..." Keenan started to reply, only for the drunkard to shout "WAIT...I REMEMBER! MOONLIGHT SPARROW, THAT'S YOU! I REMEMBER NOW BECAUSE WE HAD A FUCKING LAUGH AT THE BLACK PEARL! YE FRIGGIN' HIPPIE-DIPPIE!" The man then started laughing hysterically and practically fell over onto his back; needless to say, Keenan was speechless. Mostly because the man was spot on, but his expression was one of neutral annoyance. All he did was shoot Stella a clueless look, as if to say, 'I think this guy's mental.'

Sitting up, the drunk seemed to calm down, letting out the errant chuckle as he asked, "So...Where's my buddy? I ain't seen Ric in ages, last I heard he was guarding this 'un here...Why're yoooou doin' his jerb?" Keenan let out an exasperated sigh, deciding to hopefully get this man to leave, "To be honest? Complications arose and he had to take a leave of absence." The man's face fell, "Ah, is that so....Can't say I'm surprised, what his mother's death and all. Wouldn't've been as bad if she adn't died how she did....Break just about any man."

Keenan by this point was about at his limit; a wordless curse left him, imbuing the man with a single thought. A singular purpose of self-destruction. One that would make everything look like an accident, but it would take some time for it to affect him. Meanwhile the man continued to ramble, "Ahno ah shuldn't saeh mucccchhh, but Ric's had it hard. Harder'nmost". Taking another sip, he continued, "So'ehyou....Do Ric a favor and watch after her, would'ye? Dunno 'oo she is, but if Ric 'as guardin' 'er...'ust be someun impertint."

 

[Chai]

RE: Playing the Game [ Ariamella & Razgriz ]

Jacksonville, FL
Early December​

Now it was Stella's turn to look confused, her violet eyes glazed over in a lost expression at the drunken man's words. For a second she was following the conversation, then she was lost again. Something about Keenan being Moonlight Sparrow, and something about a Black Pearl...? What? She wanted to pause and ask Keenan himself, but then the man was on again about Ric, and the princess's ears perked up at the mention of his mother. Strange, she thought, that he knew about Aneira when Ric seemed like such a private person, especially about his personal life.

Despite the strangeness of it all, her lips twitched up in amusement when he mentioned that she must've been important if Ric was assigned to her. He obviously knew her face enough to recognize what she looked like, and she wondered if he'd remember who she actually was if he was sober. Or at the very least, not so intoxicated. Important indeed.

But she also wondered if he was such a loose-lipped drunk that he'd divulge more upon being asked.

"Ric was a great at his job," Stella started off, hoping the truth of the beginning statement would ease her conscience of trying to gain information from the drunkard. "It's a shame that he had to step away for a while. He really is a talented mage and uhm... a nice guy." A nice guy? She internally cringed to herself; it was clear as day to anyone that it was lie and that she thought totally different of him, but hopefully their new beach friend wouldn't notice.

"Yep, a nice guy 'e is, an' a helluva warlock. I once seen'im go at it with a sea serpent... the damn thing was 'IS LONG." He stretched his arms as wide as his body would allow, then seemed to get frustrated at the fact that his arms wouldn't separate any further. "I mean 'IS LONG," he repeated, thrusting his arms out harshly as if they would stretch out past their limits, then gasped as the force of it caused the bottle to slip from beneath his fingertips.

"CONCESSO!" He said with sudden clarity, the bottle pausing mid-fall to hover nicely in the air in front of him. Slowly, he reached out his hand and grasped it firmly by the neck, then swung it up to take a long gulp of the golden liquid. "An ol' man still got it, heh, ya get ol' but the magic never leave ya..."

"Right, great," Stella responded slowly, then sat up from her position so that her legs were curled beneath her and she was leaning on one arm. "So anyway, what do you mean Ric's had it harder than most? You knew his mother?"

"Nah, I ain't ever met the woman, but she means so much to 'im, y'know. Few things could make a grown man cry, an' lemme tell ya somethin', that story sure could make 'em tears come down like a waterfall."

"Oh yeah? You think it'd make us cry too?" She was being a nosy bitch and she knew it; felt bad about it because it was wrong, but Stella couldn't help her curiosity. Ric never told her anything!

The man sighed and drank some more, let out a loud burp, and looked out to the ocean. "I'on'know... Ric's a frien' y'see, an' I said too much already... Nah, if ya wanna fun story, I got 'un about Sparrow o'er there!" He winked at Keenan and lifted the bottle in gesture to the Brit. "E'er walked in on a pub fis'fight an' seen a man punch a whore right inna jugs?" He cackled loudly, throwing his head back before calming himself once more. "On accident, o'course." Then his memory seemed to fail him, and he cocked his head, looking at Keenan in a confused drunken stupor. "Hm... 'At was you, wuddnit..? Ah, I can't remember no more..."