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Post by Cygnus de Trevalion on Jan 26, 2011 23:21:11 GMT -5
Ever since the Queen’s death, there was a misery that hung about the people. She had been beloved, after all, by everyone that I knew and to think that she had not died naturally made an unsettling feeling live in the pit of everyone’s stomachs for the days to come. James and I had been pulled from our service in the military for the past couple of days to attend her funeral. After all, I was a Prince of the Blood and James held a high position as the general that commanded that he have respect at the Queen’s deathbed. So we rode together, not that it was the first time we had done such a thing. After all, I had trained under James since the moment I had joined in his service and in those years, we had grown close as anyone could expect men to who drank together and who killed for the sake of their country together. I was glad to have such a man at my side, wild and unruly as he could be at times, he was a man I could respect to call my general even though my bloodline constituted that I was in a higher position than he, I never saw it in that way.
I longed to once again reunite with Victoire and Noemi who I had not seen in months from my last visit, unfortunately I had been assigned to patrolling the grounds as soon as I had arrived and I did not want to slack even though others had, tired from the journey. I was out in the gardens, keeping my eyes sharp and my wits about me, the gravel path crunching underneath my boots. In just a few hours I would get to hug my dearest sisters close to me once more, but until then, I had work to do.
It was then from the stables behind me there was a sudden commotion and I flinched, instantly grabbing the sword at my side as if on instinct before I paused.
“James...? James, what in the name of Elua are you doing here?”
The man looked like he had just stumbled upon a treasure in the stables and knowing the man, my face went from a look of shock instantly to one of displeasure.
“You have GOT to be kidding me, not at a time like this... not in there.”
And yet I knew that was the only explanation to any of this. Elua’s balls.
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Post by James de Valois-Burgundy on Jan 26, 2011 23:49:11 GMT -5
After having my fun with the tasty little morsel in the stable, I was on my way back up to the Palace. I was a little bit drunk, no matter that the girl drank almost more than I had, so when I ran into Cygnus, I probably grinned a lot more widely than I should have, given the circumstances.
"Cygnus!" I said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Good man, out patrolling... you know, you are so dedicated, once again, I'm impressed." I fell into step with him, pleased to be able to tell of my adventures so soon after having them.
"You'll never believe what happened in the stables! I was in there, minding my own business, and this poor, cute little thing comes in and trips over a rake. Being the chivalrous man I am, I helped her out of course, and it was then that I noticed she was a bit drunk. Being of the same mind, I shared my wine with her, and well, I bet you can guess what happened next!" I knew that Cygnus loved hearing all about my escapades, though the man was so serious and spent barely any time with women himself, even when I bought them for him! He must enjoy living vicariously through me. Well, I didn't want to disappoint, so I prepared to launch into detail about my impromptu sexual encounter.
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Post by Cygnus de Trevalion on Jan 27, 2011 0:03:12 GMT -5
Oh Elua he was drunk.
I knew it the instant he opened his mouth. I had been around James so often that it made things quite evident and I could only shake my head. He was calling me dedicated, saying he was impressed but those words fell on false lips when there was alcohol on his breath.
"And shouldn't you be doing the same, my friend? I am here on family matters as well as my duties but you..." I looked him over and then decided against going any further with this conversation as he quickly barreled over with his description of the stables. Never believe what happened in the stables? Hell, I knew what he had done there without him even having to tell me.
"Never believe? James, my friend--" And once again he cut me off before I could even explain that I already knew and of course, he went into great detail and it made me quite a few degrees uncomfortable, which it shouldn't have done. After all, I was a man... surely other men enjoyed hearing and talking about their own exploits with others? And yet I was not one of those. It seemed indecent, even in a free loving country that I was in and it did not particularly interest me either. "How... noble of you," I said with a hint of sarcasm as I continued my walk and of course, James was right behind me.
I raised a hand a bit when I realized he was going to go into all the gory details. "Please James, I am pretty sure I can tell this story without you even having to. She was absolutely amazing, different from ones you have had in the past, she was passionate, did things you had never IMAGINED. She was completely to die for, let me guess, busty and generous in all areas?" I smirked. "I listen, my friend and all your stories are the same."
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Post by James de Valois-Burgundy on Jan 27, 2011 0:09:15 GMT -5
I laughed, shaking my head, well, Cygnus did know me better than most - no, any.
"You might think they are all the same, young Cygnus, but that is where you would be wrong! Each woman is unique, they all have their own particular scent, their own taste. While they may share a trait or two, no two encounters are alike." I waxed philosophical about the wonders of women for a bit, even though I did have a fondness for men on occasion, well, that was a topic for another time. Or was it?
"Take men," I continued, keeping pace with him even if I stumbled from time to time. "From the grizzled soldier -" Not that I had done a lot of those, my tastes ran younger, "To the untried youth, they each have their unique passions..." I forgot for a moment what I was talking about as I began to wonder if the girl from the stables might still be about. For another bottle of wine, I was sure she would love to spend some time with Cygnus.
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Post by Cygnus de Trevalion on Jan 27, 2011 0:22:43 GMT -5
I rolled my eyes. "I did not say they were all the same or did you just not hear my QUOTE from you." And yet, I had said it with utter sarcasm how 'each one was different than the last.' Honestly, James' stories of the women all seemed to meld together. I was beginning to be unable to tell the difference between the story from the virgin milk maid to the experienced bar keep. It all also gave me a bit of a headache. "Oh yes, but as long as the job gets done then what do those little traits matter in the end?" I asked with a smirk as I leaned in playfully before getting back to my disciplined stride.
"Take men..."
As soon as James said that, I stiffened a bit too much to be my natural military walk and my pace began to slow significantly as I cleared my throat uncomfortably. "I... wasn't aware you were... well of course you are, you are into everything," I snorted, not sure where I had gotten the notion from, but James had this idea of always pushing women on me that I just HAD to assume he must have had a thing for them especially. And both of his examples were soldiers. That only made me wonder further... "Oh for the sake of Elua, James, don't tell me you've been... doing such things with the soldiers in our division."
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Post by James de Valois-Burgundy on Jan 28, 2011 22:52:11 GMT -5
If I was anyone I might have blushed, but I embraced my D'Angeline heritage fully. "Not so many in our division, but there have been a few... take young Tegan, for instance, the lad with the Eiran blood..." I trailed off for a moment, remembering his fiery red hair and yet delightfully quiet and stammering personality. "Is he in the City with us?" I asked suddenly, unable to remember when it was that I had seen him last.
"Cygnus, Cygnus," I continued, clapping his shoulder again, this time with more force. "You've got to get out more! There's more to life than duty and war, and besides, it's peace time..." I trailed off as I said that. After the murder of our Queen, would it be peace time long?
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Post by Cygnus de Trevalion on Jan 28, 2011 22:58:02 GMT -5
"Tegan?!" I blurted out suddenly, losing the cool and calm stride in my step once more. I nearly tripped. I knew him quite well, he was my age, after all and the two of us had had a lot in common. Though I did not know him as well as James to me, he seemed like such a decent guy and one I wouldn't have minded getting to know better. "Yes, he came with us back to the city," I said, blinking with confusion until I put two and two together. "Oh please James, give the man a break." That red hair, Tegan's infectious laugh... and to imagine that he and James... well, the red of my cheeks crept to my neck and I coughed, waiting for the blush to pass.
"Oh there's more?" I asked sarcastically as James clapped me on the shoulder for what seemed like the one hundredth time in this conversation. "I guess you must be referring to the Night Courts. Honestly, I can think of a dozen better ways to spend my well earned coin." Though I had money to my family name, it was not something I wished to touch. Let me spend what I had earned and I was very wise with it. I was jesting, of course. I had never been to the Night Court though I knew the blessed City was known for it. Though it was an honor in the name of Naamah herself, I was not that kind of man to want to pay for someone to share a bed for me.
Was it not more than that, at least, sometimes?
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Post by James de Valois-Burgundy on Jan 29, 2011 0:30:48 GMT -5
"Give him a break?" I queried, raising a brow. "Go ask him if he'd rather I leave him alone, I dare you." Cygnus could say a lot of things about my sexual exploits, but never that I forced myself on anyone who wasn't interested. That was the basest heresy, and besides, it was completely unnecessary.
I hadn't been referring to the Night Court at all, but what a great idea! "The Night Court, I haven't been yet, actually. We should do that, my treat." I knew that Cygnus had funny ideas about money, but I had no such compunction. "We should visit each House... hmm, which one first?" The idea had already taken root in my mind, and if I had to drag Cygnus along with me kicking and screaming, I would, even if all he did was play cards with his Adept. After all, you could lead a horse to water...
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Post by Cygnus de Trevalion on Jan 29, 2011 3:24:19 GMT -5
"It was a joke!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up into the air. "Elua's balls, you are the god of sex and all of its exploits. Forgive me for my disbelief, my lord," I grumbled sarcastically. James could always get so... uptight when it came to being accused of things of such a nature. And yes, it was a dire offense but I had been joking and merely meant for the other to calm down a bit. It seemed there were always enough people around to handle him, thank Elua. After all, one of him and whole population of Terre d'Ange could thankfully satisfy this man.
My eyes widened when the other actually AGREED to the Night Court statement, on his treat. "Can you not tell the difference between a joke and an actual statement or are you that dense?" I asked, though I knew I was already waist deep in this issue. Once James set his mind on something, he did whatever it took to accomplish it. It made him such a great general... and a major pain in my backside. "I am not going, I haven't even SEEN my sisters yet, that is the top of my priorities," I said, moving to stand in front of James and stop him as if he were going to drag me there right now.
"Mandrake," I said with a roll of my eyes, hoping that would deter him from this idea. "We should go to Mandrake because I think I need to go and... do that, those things," I said, not even sure what I was referring to but I knew the reputation that the house had of... unspeakable acts. I rubbed my forehead and placed one hand on each of the man's shoulders. "James, I love you dearly my friend but there is no way in seven hells that you are going to get me to go with you."
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Post by James de Valois-Burgundy on Jan 29, 2011 22:38:41 GMT -5
"Mandrake..." I said, ignoring the way he rolled his eyes and tried to get me to see that he was kidding. I wasn't so oblivious as he thought, but it suited me to seem so at times. Anyone could see that Cygnus not only did not want to go to the Night Court, but even less did he want to go to Mandrake House. Well, too bad, he should have chosen better. I didn't think of myself as the type to visit Mandrake, but then again... my imagination was already running away with me. "Mandrake it is," I said, ignoring the part when he said I wouldn't be able to get him to go with me. The thing was, we didn't actually have to go there. Already I was plotting when would be a good time to spring a Mandrake adept on him, while smoothly changing the subject.
"So, any sign of trouble out here?" I asked, feeling the knot in my stomach that always appeared when I remembered that Sabrina was dead. That she had been murdered, on my watch. It was enough to make want another drink, but unfortunately that little minx in the stables had run through two bottles.
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Post by Cygnus de Trevalion on Jan 29, 2011 23:00:31 GMT -5
When he said Mandrake in that pensive way of his, my eyes bugged. "I uh... James," I said, quickly panicking when the other reaffirmed by saying 'Mandrake it is.' I felt my breath hitch, my heart jump as I grabbed him and gave him a good shake. "For the love of Elua and everything you love, James, I was KIDDING please don't... oh god, please don't," I said, releasing him as I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a shaky breath. "I am trying so hard to relax here, why must you make it so difficult with your pranks?" I groaned. The problem was, nothing seemed to shake James at all. "Look... just... please, don't, I'm begging you."
When he asked if there was any trouble, I shook my head. "No, none. I think I'm going to head to my sisters' place in a bit..." And at the thought of my sisters and my stomach dropped. "My sisters are off limits, do you hear me, James?" I said, accusing him before he could think anything. I knew him too well. "Do you hear me?"
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Post by James de Valois-Burgundy on Jan 29, 2011 23:08:49 GMT -5
"Relax, Cygnus," I said, laughing as he shook me, the pure fear in his eyes amusing me to no end. "That's your problem, you're too uptight. Maybe a good whipping at the hands of a beautiful woman is just what you need." I finally held up my hands in submission. "Fine, fine, no Mandrakes. Relax.."
When he brought up his sisters, I raised a brow, ignoring the whole 'off-limits' thing. This was Terre d'Ange, love as thou wilt and all of that. "I didn't know you had sisters." I gave Cygnus a once-over ... funny how you could spend so much time with someone that you didn't really see them. He was handsome, especially right now, with the sun hitting his golden hair just right ... hmm, his sisters were probably just as good looking, and Princesses at that. Of course, I'd bedded the Queen ... remembering Sabrina again made my head hurt. "Maybe I'll come along to make sure they feel safe. They must be terrified, the City in a panic and all."
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Post by Cygnus de Trevalion on Jan 30, 2011 0:28:21 GMT -5
"Oh, that's exactly what I need," I grumbled sarcastically. "I am not uptight I merely do not... find enjoyment in the things you relish in, that's all." Drinking and women. Well... and men, apparently I had just found out recently. Funny how I had not even noticed such a thing when I was around him nearly every day for the past couple of years. "Maybe you can just whip me, that ought to be equally fun," I said sarcastically, as I continued my rounds, finally making it all around the entire castle from where I had first started.
"I have two sisters," I said flatly, making it clear that I did not want him to make a move on them. "An elder sister named Victoire and a baby sister named Noemi. Off. Limits." I paused after each word, making my point punctuated and clear. At least, I hoped, but who was I kidding James was as stubborn as a bull when it came to getting what he wanted and it made my head ache at the mere thought. "Well, I'm about to head out," I said, wanting this conversation to end but when he suggested coming along, I hesitated. "I am sure that I can keep them feeling safe just fine by myself, but thank you for the offer," I said, beginning to head towards the barracks so I could pick up my things.
"You're... not really coming, are you?" I asked, looking over my shoulder as he was still following me.
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Post by James de Valois-Burgundy on Jan 30, 2011 17:53:30 GMT -5
"Victoire and Noemi, lovely names," I said, committing them to memory. It was likely I'd see them around the Palace at some point. Cygnus tried to get ahead of me, and the fact that he really did not want me around his sisters was so amusing that I had to go with him. To be truthful, I planned to respect his wishes, I wasn't a complete cad, despite what he thought, but it was amused me to watch him fret about it.
"Of course I'm coming," I said, catching up to him in two quick strides. "We can go over my list of suspects on the way, I could use your perspective." Despite the amusement of our personal lives, there was a much bigger issue at hand, and Cygnus' insight had often proven invaluable to me. He was adept at seeing the things that I would miss, which what had made him so indispensable, out of all the men I had served with.
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Post by Cygnus de Trevalion on Jan 30, 2011 18:39:08 GMT -5
I bristled when James commented on how lovely their names were. Lovely indeed. They were beautiful, both of them. I had not seen them in years but I knew they would have grown into beautiful young women, while I had grown into a man in the army. The thought of anyone tainting them, even my closest friend made me feel completely violated. And then he said he was coming and I turned to give him a look, the look that said 'I love you James but you are getting on my nerves and I really want to strangle you if that's okay.' However, I would never do such a thing, but it was such a withering glare before I turned away with a roll of my eyes.
"Sure, list of suspects." I picked up my duffel bag and rubbed my forehead. I couldn't believe I was doing this. "This way," I said, gesturing in a motion that said 'you first' before I began to head down the street to our address in north borough.
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