Family Rivalries (Alexander and rwinrich)

[Alexander]

The man sometimes felt a little guilty about his role here. His little setup in the marketplace was innocent enough, trading trinkets and forged goods. But that wasn't where the money was, no, not at all. Even right here in the king's capital, there were the roots of insurrection, and with a disgruntled populace, came a want for arms and weapons. None of that was on display here, unless perhaps you wanted to count a ceremonial dagger, sharp at the tip but otherwise with no edge to speak of, a glorified needle. But he had connections, he knew the smuggling routes, the sewer paths, the guards at the gates to bribe, and which officials were sympathetic to the cause. It was funny how somebody's role was all a matter of perspective. "Sympathy to the cause" was synonymous with treason, it just depended which side of the king's favor you fell on. This one didn't like the ruler, no, but he focused more on the prosperity of the situation, rather than the politics. There were a couple... labor issues, it might be best to say, that were affecting him.

He scratched at his chin, a tiny bit of stubble forming on it, but never much, always shaved within three or four days. His hand continued a lazy stroke along his neck, bumping into a long strand of hair, very long indeed. There was something that just felt right, about letting his jet black hair grow out. It wasn't always the most wise; to his annoyance, he had to tuck much of it back in a band to keep it from brushing against the ground. After all, he wasn't that high up from the ground. He got to look up at most of his customers, his bright hazel eyes peering into theirs, whether he was in front of his stall trying to pull people in with a wild sales pitch, or sitting on a stool behind it concluding a deal. Fae weren't known for their stature, any more than dwarves were known for their even temperaments, or humans for their patience. That last one was what smarted most of all, and led him to his current situation. The king favored hearty workers with strong backs, the builders, the smiths, and so on. It was unusual but true that a simple tasker like a hauler had some respect here, even as beasts of burden pulled carts through the street ten times a man's load. Burton didn't have those things, at least, not usually. Fae had many tricks up their hands, and he preferred to be none too obvious with his own.

"Hey, Burton. You-know-what's a-comin'." A deep voice broke him out of his daydream, as a stocky man, taller than him but smaller than most humans, waddled towards him. "King's caravan. Might be time to clean up and clear out for the day." His friend Mullo was always worrying, as if there was something that they could catch him on in his wares. Fae weren't that stupid, at least, not the ones like him. "There's even something special about the carriage this time. It's got a different-colored cover." It was a completely different cloth cover over the carriage, in fact, carrying a completely different person, but with neither of them being attendants at the palace, they wouldn't have known much. Anything escorted by knights was bad news for this pair. Burton sighed. "So you're going to run away, just because you've got a witch's cauldron somewhere in your pile of junk?" He questioned his friend. The response was Mullo's usual boast. "Not just any witch. Mayavra's own cauldron. It took the king 6 years to clear her out." With Mullo's oafish face, nobody would suspect him of performing any witchcraft with it, but keeping a relic of a king's sworn enemy, well, let's just say Burton would have left it in a ditch somewhere, no matter how valuable it may be. Her ghost might come looking for somebody to haunt, and god forbid it be anybody but the king, somebody stealing her stuff might be a good secondary candidate. Also, y'know, the royal executioner might take your hand off just for having anything of hers.

 

[rwinrich]

Being a princess came with such privileges and requirements just to go shopping. All she wanted to do was go into the village and actually experience something outside of the palace. It had taken so much work just to be able to go this one shop for a fitting. Her father had kept insisting she have the fitting at the palace but she finally wittled him down enough to allow her to have the fitting in the village, as long as she was escorted. All of this was for a ball being held in honor of inviting every Fae of title to court Talula, so they could add more Fae blood to the bloodline. It was to be a masked ball, everyone was required to pick a color scheme for their outfits. Talula had obviously picked a mixture of blue's and greens that turned mostly into teal.

When the carriage arrived in the town and the princess stepped out, her silver hair left to flow freely down the back of her off the shoulder white dress with splashes of teal all over the dress, her cleavage was hard to hide as she was very well endowed. Now her dress was anything but traditional as it cinched in at the waist and flared out just before the hips but then flowed down to the ground. She had no tulle under her dress to puff it out and it seemed to really suit her as she was a nymph, they were made to attract the opposite sex. It was obvious she was causing a bit of a stir in the village as it seemed all eyes were on her as she walked into the tailor shop with her guard following behind her from a bit of a distance, obviously reluctant to follow at such a distance. It was about 20 minutes before she came back out with a smile on her face. The tailor followed to the door and profusely thanked Talula for gracing her shop like this and that she would have the dress delivered later tonight. Talula thanked her back, her voice seemed to sing to every man that heard it.

Now the guard was ready to walk her back to the carriage to take her home but Talula had other ideas and walked over to the stalls. Browsing each as she walked by until she stopped at the Fae's and picked up the dagger. Touching the side of the dagger with her bare fingers and then touching the tip, to draw a small bead of blood which she licked off. Smiling at the fae as she had to ask. "Why is this dagger only sharp at the tip and not around the sides? Wouldn't it be better for protection if it was sharp all around? Although being that it doesn't look as though it is made for protection it should still work better if it was sharpened." She did find this fae interesting as she had never seen a fae this small before. Her father was a fae and he wasn't even close to this size, actually her father was a rather rounded man and not really fae.

 

[Alexander]

Mullo's pace was frantic as he tried to stuff all the items in his stall away, as the carriage and its accompanying horsemen drew ever nearer, while Burton kept at his own, fist balling up and waiting for the challenge. Neither got what they were expecting, however, when the carriage came to a stop half a block away. Of course, Mullo thought, as his senses started to return to him, how would the king have known about his secret anyways? It was not as though he were trying to sell Mayavra's possessions, he had simply... obtained and stored them.

When the girl approached his stall, Burton was as awestruck by her as the rest of the crowd. When he leaned in to take a closer look at her, he nearly fell off his stool, and it was a long way up, the chair being about four times his height. When his hands caught the edge of the table, and he was able to steady himself, he found that he was staring right at her chest, and there was plenty of it to get lost in. With a breath, he tried to compose himself, leaning back onto the chair to give her all the room she needed to inspect his curiosities. It was easier to size up the girl if he had more to analyze than just her breasts, anyways. The carriage was a giveaway of where she belonged, but no peasant or worker could claim this girl's fashion. The dress she wore looked like something that could feed a tailor for a year, and if she had money, Burton first thought of how he might win his own share of it.

"That's a specific, powerful instrument you're handling there. It's use is in rituals, not to kill." He took it from her, blade first, to give an example. Normally that would be a dangerous idea, but with this piece, he could have grabbed it nearly anywhere and not hurt himself by much. An excellent tool for a priest or a hermit, who might not safely know their way around a real weapon. "Well, not to kill people. They say it works quite well against the supernatural." To give a demonstration, he lit a candle laying off to the side of the stall on its stick, though it shed no real light at this time of day. The flame could barely be seen, but the wick blackened, and licking his two fingers, he snuffed it out just as quickly as he lit it. A small stream of smoke poured forth, and he waved the dagger through it. All at once, the smoke stopped rising, and instead fell onto the wooden table, as if it were solid, dissipating only when it hit the surface.

"You're from the palace, right? Have you been haunted by any of the king's ghosts?" Part of him hoped that she was, actually, at least by Mayavra particularly, if only for the sake of Mullo. He handed the blade back to the girl, offering the handle end to her, holding it just as he had grabbed it away, in case any guards were watching and might take offense to him pointing a blade at her. "Ghosts don't much like blood, of course. They haven't got any of their own anymore, and they're much more interested in your tears and your soul. A drop might help ward them off." The thing was hers now, whether she was willing to pay for it or not. The king probably wouldn't like Burton selling anything that's had the princess's blood upon it, no matter how cleanly he might wipe it off. Once he had placed it back in her hands, though, he realized the mistake of letting on that he sold weapons, even this fake one, to the royal family.

 

[rwinrich]

The guard reacted defensively the very moment she went to the stall. It was obvious the guard was upset with the princess for taking such chances of going over to these stalls. Not only was the princess in danger, she was even putting herself into danger by cutting her finger intentionally on a knife that she didn't know where it had been. The guard was so very unnerved and ready to just take her out of there immediately but the look she gave him, just by looking at him from the corner of her eyes, was enough to keep the guard from doing anything.

Talula smiled when she watched him actually fall, it didn't bother her at all that he was initially staring at her breasts, she was used to being stared at for multiple reasons, not just her chest. She was actually interested in what he was telling her about the blade. The fact that it was used against supernatural beings such as ghosts, was interesting. She hadn't really thought about her blood being on the dagger and that it could likely be used against her if someone else got a hold of it. These types of things were the thing that actually caught her attention. Something her father and mother both disapproved of and yet she explored at every opportunity.

"Yes I am from the palace. I can't rightly say as if I have been haunted by any ghost but I'm sure there are many surrounding my father. He tends to make enemies very fast, whether he wants to or not." Talula had no problems letting him know who she was, of course that meant anyone nearby listening also now knew who she was. This made her guard very ansty and anxious to get her out of here. Talula then grabbed her pouch and without much thought, placed more than enough coins on the table. "I find all of this very fascinating and I have to wonder if you would happen to be a pure blooded Fae? I ask because my father is holding a masked ball and inviting the pure blooded Fae in hopes of....." Her sigh at this moment was her realizing how silly this sounded to her own ears, let alone others. "He is hoping to increase the Fae in our bloodline as it has lessened over the years. So, if you are pure blooded Fae, I invite you to join in the festivities." With that she placed an invitation on the table. It was obvious she really did want him to come, whether he was pure blooded Fae or not.

Taking the dagger back from him as she placed it in her belt and looking over at her guard, who happened to be reaching for the dagger but then stopped mid-reach. Talula had a look on her face that spoke more volumes than words. Letting the guard know if he touched it, he would lose more than just an arm. It was obvious that the princess had a side that made one not want to see. Yet when she turned back to the Fae with a bright smile on her face, awaiting his answer. It wasn't just that she wanted to bring more pure blooded Fae to the ball but she wanted someone who wasn't one of the men her father invited as she knew he was going to pick her suitor. "Don't worry about my father. I don't tell him everything and my guard will not disobey me, right?" The side look she gave the guard, could make blood curdle and cause the guard to nod his head, which made the princess smile.

 

[Alexander]

The respect that this girl commanded from her companions, and the power that she held over them... there was much to this girl that intrigued Burton. When she first wandered up, he could have assumed that she was some ditzy child of the king, a chip off of his stubborn block. She had worked quickly to correct his impression. She did not shy away from dangerous things, indeed, he would find later that he himself was much more dangerous than one could ever expect. She knew how to wear two faces, and switch between them between breaths. She openly defied her father, and she forced her guard into compliance with her rebelliousness. Sweetest of all, she invited him into an opportunity to defy the king himself. How could he possibly turn down such a delicious opportunity to cause the king a headache and possibly some embarrassment while he was at it?

"Lady, I have to tilt my head up to look at even the half-men, or human children at that. Sometimes I am eye level with a young rascal's belly." He tried to explain his Fae nature. "If either of my parents weren't genuine, I'd have the fortune of this chair only being half as tall as it is." He knocked at the seat with his fist, causing a small rattling. It wasn't often a Fae would have anything other than a child among their own, but when it happened, the Fae side tended to have its traits emphasized the least. "Yes, I am pure-blooded. Have you met..." He caught his word in his mouth, all of a sudden. Of course, this was King Blockhead's domain. If she had ever met a Fae at the palace, it wouldn't have been in their natural form. The second one that Fae learned, it was often much, much taller. Not so much for utility or for convenience, indeed, Fae often found their minuscule tools, jewelry, and other crafts the easiest to create. Instead, it was often to create the impression of equality in social matters with the other races. She could have been introduced to a hundred Fae and they'd all likely to be at her height or taller, if under the shadow of the discriminatory king. But he couldn't wrap his head around the piece that Talula mentioned, about increasing the bloodline.

It intrigued him enough, that he had little choice but to accept. "This ball... would I need to find new clothes for it?" He asked the girl. "Bigger clothes." He emphasized a moment later, after he realized his meager merchant's vestments compared to her beautiful dress. Burton was rather proud of himself, his natural self. But that view wasn't always shared by his kind, who discarded this diminutive form after acquiring one more to their suiting. He could imagine the king liking that kind of conformity, somebody ready give themselves up, as they chased the royal tailcoats. He ran a nail through the envelope, not waiting for her to leave. Perhaps there would be answers inside, to questions he wouldn't need to ask the girl herself. His eyes went wide as he skimmed through it. When she said increasing the bloodline, he had thought spiritually, or even thoughts of the misguided king looking for a blood sacrifice or donation had come to mind. But the prize for attending the ball was, well, the opportunity for a chance at the beauty standing in front of him. A girl not nearly as close-minded, and almost definitely better-suited to lead this community. A grin helped to raise his cheeks. "I'll be there, Princess Talula." He read off her name from the signature at the bottom of the invitation, having completely forgotten to introduce properly himself.

 

[rwinrich]

Talula had learned from watching her father and mother how best one could manipulate others and how to garner trust. Yes, she had her guard doing as she told him but that had taken quite some time. Now when it came to actually working on her father, that was more tactful as he could generally see through someone who was trying to manipulate him. The thing that made him easier for Talula was because she had grown up with him and yet even she had been punished. It was never traditional punishment for her though, instead it was depriving her of the one thing that she needed, her oasis.

This truly was her first time meeting a fae who wasn't at her height or taller. Everything her father did was the good for the kingdom, he always said that. Each fae that was to come to the masked ball was a youngster of the fae her father had been working on making deals with. This was all setup to be nothing more than a marriage of power. Talula couldn't truly say she trusted her father, his actions as of late were very questionable. This masked ball seemed like the best way to start figuring it all out for her.

She smiled at his question. "Yes, you will need to get new clothes. Bigger clothes too. Just visit the tailor I was at and mention my name, she will get you the needed clothes for the ball." She knew her father would hate that there was a fae not invited by him and that was another way of fighting him. The way he controlled every other aspect of her future by setting up this ball to gain more power and help to increase the fae bloodline. Talula never did notice her parents staying in the same room at night, for as long as she could remember. Her father even had other women in his room. Their marriage was exactly what he was trying to setup for Talula, a marriage for power and pure blood. Talula had known what her father was doing but she had no way of stopping it from happening. Other than to invite a pure blooded fae not approved by her father. She smiled when he called her Princess Talula. "I shall be looking forward to your arrival and do make sure to stand out. Wouldn't want my father to miss you." The smile on her face after saying that showed she was looking forward to her father's outrage.

Now that she had actually rebelled further against her father she was ready to go. Giving a head bow to the fae as she takes her leave. It was longer than her father had given her to go out. If she didn't head back soon, she might not have anytime in her oasis which could make her weak. Yet she had been able to find a way of getting a miniature oasis in her room, hidden from her father. Anything to keep her strength up. Climbing back into the carriage with her guard in tow. The carriage pulled away to head towards the castle. Talula was not looking forward to her father awaiting her once she was inside the castle. He would likely take her to her room and lock in her but not before berating her for staying out for so long. Something about the dangers of being out in the open, some likelihood of being captured or even killed. Being captured was likely but being killed wasn't even close. She wasn't as hated as much as her father.

 

[Alexander]

A hand scratched idly at his head as the girl was carried away by her carriage, the small fae wondering if this all had really happened. A finger swatted at the invitation that lay in front of him, he supposed that this was proof enough, but it was not signed to him, and she had never even asked for his name. His mind mulled over what it all might mean. The pessimistic part of his mind shouted out at all the things that didn't make sense, that were warning signs, and how this was all a trap, set after the king had found out one of his secrets. The rational part of him... mostly it agreed on all those points, actually. The only dissenting voice in his head, well, that was the lusty part of him, swayed by the girl's juicy and beautiful body. Exactly how a nymph would lure you. The hand atop his head lowered, dropping slowly towards the invitation, but with a small series of flicks, his other hand tapped at the invitation, pushing it and pushing it, until it fell off of the wooden top of his stand, and off to the side. He left it there. The wind could blow it away, or somebody else could find it and take it. If they were stupid enough to try to use it to get into the ball, well, they'd probably steal Burton's ill fate if he had chosen to go.

Regardless, he didn't have much taste any more for playing shop, even if it was mostly a front. He started to grab things off the top of his counter, and place them in a cart a few times his own size, and it dawned on him why he rarely closed up shop early. It was too big for him to haul off on his own, and he rarely switched to a greater-sized form, in order to never mix his public presence here, with the alias he used in his private deals. Fortunately for him, Mullo was wandering his way back over, as soon as he saw the princess leave, excitedly hoping to converse with the fey about the talk he just had with the girl. Burton tried to brush his friend's questions off, as he continued to fill up the cart, but he could not defeat his partner's persistence. "There is an exclusive event being planned. It seems the king is gathering all of the boot-licking fae, so that he can whore off his... er... marry her off." The small man jumbled his words, as he split his attention between talking and working. "For whatever reason, Princess Talula doesn't fancy that so much, and I think she's hoping for somebody to crash the party." Burton grumbled to himself. "Whether it's taxes, or enduring those racist decrees, or entertaining this absurd request to save her at my own expense, I hate being the playtoy of the royals." His friend's reply, after he took all of that in, was simple. "So you're not going to go?" Burton scoffed, a finger angled at the invitation that had been dropped to the ground. "Oh. I didn't realize you were afraid of women so much. I thought if anything, a beautiful girl like her could sway you from your lonely habits." When those words reached his ears, the bottle he was carrying dropped from his fingers, and it smashed upon the ground. Sure, he hated the thought of playing the role of the fool... but now his pride was at stake, as well. He could show Mullo. He could have the girl wrapped around his finger, leaning into him, much like she had been leaning her body over his stand a scant few minutes ago.

It was loud in the place, the party in full swing, but that's why such men as he was talking to now were stationed here. "And what introduction shall I make for you, sir?" Burton didn't have an alias in place, so he gave his real last name with a sigh. "Bitterbury". "Bitterberry who, of what, sir?" He blinked several times at the man, a blank expression on his face, and wishing he was at his normal height so he could scowl unnoticed, rather than standing tall enough to look a human in the eye. "The 'of what' part doesn't matter. Fae don't have any rights here. And that was my name. I'm Burton Bitterbury." His frustration in dealing with the man, having no idea how these formal matters went, made him feel so out of place here. He could be enjoying himself this night in a tavern, impressing a maid there with his coins, but instead he was here, absolutely wishing a drink made its way to him so he could start his path to inebriation, and trying to impress a princess with whom he stood no chance. He already felt strange about his appearance, being about five feet too tall off the ground, but it was nice not to have his hair touching the ground, he supposed. It was strictly longer than it had been before, but more proportional, coming down only a bit past his shoulders, and it was tied up into a tail in back. Not only was this one of his less-favored forms, he had also gotten a jarring outfit from the tailor that made him even more distinct. He wore a black vest with a black undershirt, and equally dark trousers, that might have been more at place at a funeral, than a ball, full of the colorful outfits on the other guests. He did have a bit of color added, some purple trim on the vest, and purple stitching all throughout. That was the king's color, and only the king's, so what better way to provoke the man? It was just subtle enough that he could probably plead ignorance, if cornered about it, but if the color of the trim was what enraged the king the most tonight, then Burton clearly wasn't trying hard enough.

 

[rwinrich]

As she had thought, her father was waiting for her the moment she got out of the carriage. As she had predicted, he sent her to her room and lectured her about taking too long and the possibility of her getting kidnapped. So as she finally got to her room, she wasn't truly that upset but she did realize she forgot to ask the fae his name. Now she wasn't sure she would recognize him once he came to the ball. If he came.... That thought has her nervous. She hadn't just invited him to piss off her dad, she had also just wanted to see him again. He had actually made an impression on her and if he pissed off her father, that was a bonus.

The preparations for the ball were underway and the palace was abuzz with life. Every servant inside was busy getting the palace ready for the ball. The very ball that was held to find the perfect male fae to court and marry Princess Talula. The gowns were delivered along with many of the other decorations and even some extra masks, just in case those who were invited lost or forget theirs. Inside of Talula's room were servants preparing the princess for what was essentially her debut party. The only difference, she wasn't going to be the one choosing who was to be her suitor, instead that job was for her father. This party was truly so the king could find the perfect advantageous marriage for his daughter. All Talula wanted, was to have fun. To dance and party with others but she knew it would be filled with mundane conversations. Her role was to be seen and barely heard. Her voice wasn't important for this decision at all. No matter that she knew her father and his decisions were wrong and that she had been swaying him to change his mind many times over.

Talula was given a bath in water filled with an assortment of petals to add fragrance. While in the bath her hair was washed and brushed, then curled and placed atop her head in a sort of chignon. Her makeup was applied several times as both her parents had to come in and make them change it several times. It was finally decided that she would have a teal eyeshadow, a natural skin look and her lips would be a light pink. Her dress was then helped into as the skirt was wider than her normal dress, it was a ballgown after all. It was a strapless dress as the top was a corset, which meant her cleavage would be even more on display with how tight the corset was pulled. Some might wonder if she could even breath. The skirt had leaf designs all over the base of the skirt and waves in the fabric, while the corset seemed to have flower shaped jewels all over it. Her mask was then the same color of the dress and her eyes, making her almost clear eyes pop.

Talula arrived after both of her parents, her father wearing his elegant purple and her mother wearing a deep red ball gown, not as flashy as the king as he always wanted to be the center of attention, no matter that this ball was for his daughter. They all walked to the chairs that had been setup for them, each chair matched the color of each of their clothes. Talula could feel all of the eyes on her. As much as she looked as though it didn't faze her, she was uncomfortable with the looks that weren't lust but instead looked at her as something like a prize. It was also the sensation that came with those eyes, it had a more malevolent feel, that told her they wanted to use her as something of a tool. To which Talula was not willing to allow if she could.

The moment she heard a name that wasn't associated with a title, she knew it must be the fae she had invited and it made her smile. Looking up to see what he looked like in his large form. Talula had to admit either form had her fascinated. The glance over to her father, his face was very tightly clenched but he was trying to hide how angry he was. This was what she wanted. Something to disrupt the feeling of her being property. Getting up as she walks over to Burton with a smile on her face and her father's eyes narrowing. "I'm so glad you actually showed up. There was a part of me that thought you might not show up. I can tell you that my father has not stopped glaring at you since you were announced. Even more so now that I am talking to you." She wasn't even whispering as she had no problem letting everyone else know she was excited to just talk to Burton. Taking another glance at her father, she then turns back to Burton. "Would you like to take me out onto the dance floor and show off how much we don't care?"

The King was watching the exchange and calling over his men to find out who this male was that his daughter was talking to. He was rather shocked when he was shown the invitation that Burton had handed to the guard at the front gate. His daughter had invited someone who he didn't know. This was rather upsetting to him. She was not given enough freedom to go against his wishes, but then he remembered that he had given her consent to go visit the tailor's shop. That was the only place he could think she would have met anyone. He was very upset and wanted to find out first hand who this male was. He advised his man to investigate this Burton as he would not allow his daughter to associate with just anyone. In mean time, he watched his daughter and waited for the right time for him to make his way over and interrupt, to introduce himself and intrude.