Wandering Around

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I stepped out behind her into the bustle of the mount “Well there are enough cousins around town if you would like to meet any of them. I am afraid none of my immediate family is in town though.” I added a silent thanks to Kushiel, the knee jerk was to introduce her to the stabile Anacrasia but that was a subject I figured I would let her broach considering the situation.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I waited for him to come back to my side, and gently twined my hand in his. I preferred that to arm in arm, given the choice – while the former was intimate and affectionate; the latter always felt incredibly formal.

At his note, I shrugged. I was happy to be with him, happy to spend time with him. We’d been apart too long, I decided. “As you wish, love,” I replied softly. “If you want me to meet them, any of them, then I will. If you want to keep me to yourself, that’s fine too.”

I wasn’t going to make a fuss. If he had other bedmates, I had mine too, as much as the thought of it displeased me. But I had nothing on him – such was our agreement. He was free, so was I. I’d hold true to it.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I walked with her a bit as she spoke and let my gaze shift about the hustle and bustle. Some might walk in this area in mild fear after dark but that never was an issue for me trained with the blade virtually from birth as I was. In fact if anyone set upon us it would probably be more of a problem for them than me. Yet, I kept my eyes open just because one can take care of themselves it does not give license for stupidity. “Well we will see what shakes out. To be perfectly honest I do not spend an inordinate amount of time with my kin.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

“Really?” I asked in a curious tone. “The rumer has it your cousin Ana has you on a rather tight leash,” I stated matter-of-factly, but without agressivity.

I was starting to be rather intruigued bu this Anacrasia woman who kept so much of an eye on him, if the rumor was true. To a certain point, I undersood, because I figured he might yet be impetuous at times, but it still made me wonder.

In the bustle of the mount, a hand wandered on my rear end, and I distractedly grabbed it, twisting fingers at an uncomfortable angle. Preceded by a squeal, the hand retreated.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

“The duchesse and I have in fact been cross with one another in the past” I stated mildly as I shot an elbow into the gut of her friend without looking back. “But we get along anymore. In fact I dare say she is one of my kin that I count as more rational and stabile than the rest.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

“Ah,” I replied quietly. His ploy worked then, I assumed. I didn’t quite relish the visual that came with it, and so I forced a little smile on my face. “That’s good, I guess,” I told him with mitigated conviction. “I am glad things worked out for you.”

I understood that it was important to keep good relations with the leader of one’s clan. I could never do so with Kendrick, though, not with his techniques. Obviously, Gad and I didn’t quite have the same values in that respect, though I understood it was something I needed to accept.

To keep my mind off the disturbing visuals, whimsically, I asked, “Well, tell me the stories about the rest, then.” It was a little bit scary, but I ever did relish the danger. I held out my hand in the dark street. I wanted his contact.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I pondered how best to describe my line to her then decided "I guess the best way to look at my family is like a wolf pack. We tend to constantly test one another and woe be to the one who shows weakness." I looked about the street "For example myself and my one cousin seem to have a sort of escalating affect on one another. I test her or she tests me and it seems to escalate from there. If we are not careful it can get quite out of hand."

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

My hand was ignored and I stifled a look of hurt. Think of it as something as fleeting as the lash of the whip, and another tribute to your love. The one who uttered them might have been an ass, but there was wisdom in those words, and so I took the wisdom without the hatred that budded in my heart for the man who'd uttered the advice.

“Is that so?” I replied with a broken voice. “It must be interesting, then, to have her as an opponent.” I didn’t ask the question that burned my lips. I wouldn’t – it was better not to know. “Then again, that sounds like Kendrick and I, at times. If I don’t watch my tongue, I can make him crawl up the wall, and as you said, things get out of hand.”

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I noted the look and quickly took her hand. I was more distracted than I thought apparently though her words got a tight smile from me. “Hardly, we do not react or interact well with one another. In fact we have not spoken since our matriarch nearly had to pry us apart to prevent us from coming to blows.”

I shrugged “You and Kendrick like one another. My cousin and I do not.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

His hand felt warm in mine, and his reaction summoned a soft smile. “Evidently,” I replied at his words. I guessed it would take me a while to understand the world from which my beloved hailed from. In truth, it was completely alien to me – I’d thought conflict was something his kin strove on… then again; perhaps he did not as much as I thought he might.

“I’m sorry,” I admitted with a little smile. “I’m still new at this, Love.” I thought a moment, and asked, “Do you think they would hate me, I mean, your cousins?” I guessed, what I wanted to ask was, do you think I would survive meeting them?

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I moved my other hand to cover hers as well and rubbed it as I thought “Hmm, depends on the cousin. Honestly more than a few of them are quite insane and would be best put down like rabid animals in my opinion.” I then looked at her in utter seriousness “But family is family and we look out for one another at all costs even the ones we would just as soon strangle.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

We must have looked a little bit on the distracted side, he and I, standing and holding hands, my hand lost betwixt his two own as the night revelers passed us by. It wasn’t convenient to walk this way, and so I’d stopped walking, merely listening to him, paying attention to what he said.

My brow furrowed at his words – that was very harsh, and somewhat complicated, but I understood, in a weird, twisted way, what he was saying. “Well, I leave it to your judgment to decide what you want to do in that respect,” I told him with a gentle smile. “But I’d like to meet your family, one day. After all, you’ve met mine, it’s only fair that I return the favor.” I paused, trying to find his eyes in the dim light, and whispered, “I love you, Gad. I trust you.”

For a moment, my eyes found his, but then they wandered on his lips. Gods, but he was beautiful.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I smirked at that and gave her a sudden kiss before breaking off and starting to walk once more. “I love you as well even if your bravery can tend to boarder on foolishness” it was a tease with a kernel of truth to it. “My kin are vastly complicated but then again we have made a place for ourselves on that complication.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I frowned. I was tired of being called a fool – I wanted, just once, for people to understand that I was who I was, and that it wouldn’t change overnight. I swallowed my little pride, though, giving a whimper for his unpredictable kiss. The walk was resumed, and as we went, I asked, curiosity replacing irritation, “Is that so? How did that happen?” I was almost flabbergasted by his words.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

Now that made me chuckle “I have no idea though I am sure most all of us would swear that it was patience and the fruition of long held and well laid plans.” I gave her a wink then and leaned in to whisper in her ear “Truth be known it was probably blind luck.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I shivered a little under his whisper. It had been too long, too long since I’d given him free reign over my body, too long since I’d made the windows rattle with my pain-pleasure-filled cries. I stifled the little whimper that wanted out of my throat, but I wanted him. I wanted my man, to do with me what he would.

“Maybe a proper offering to Lady Fortuna would be in order, then,” I replied in a ragged gasp. I’d heard that there were some ways, but I didn’t know how. The tsingani, or the people at Bryony knew better than I on that matter.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

“Bah, when one is of Kushiel’s line one does want to be sure and take care that their patron does not think they are cozying up to other gods.” I gave a small teasing smile “It would be just punishment but punishment none the less. We are the family of the rod and flail and we all know that from birth.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

“Then an offering to Kushiel it is,” I replied breathily, thinking of our last songs to the bronze-winged angel. “Let the adepts of Bryony and the Tsingani worship Lady Luck.” I added lightly. My eyes traced his shape in the darkening hour, and I smiled. He looked good, my Gad. Beautiful, dangerous, predatory. It probably had a lot to do with the wide birth we were getting, now that it was established that my rear was not for the taking.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I chuckled darkly at that and cocked my head "So what sort of offering to the bronze winged one do you have in mind?"

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

Innocently, I batted my eyelashes. “Wouldn’t the true scion of Kushiel know better than his redhead?” I offered with a teasing, purely feminine grin. Was there scheme in it? Just a little, because I desired him, but all in all… it was rather innocent on my part.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

“True, though you are much better than a simple whipping girl” I assured her though all the same I altered my course slightly toward my abode. I was not sure she would notice such but time would tell. It was all part and parcel of the game.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I smiled, blushing a little in the dark street. I liked that he saw in me more than just a play thing. “And you are much better than just a random Mandrake, I assure you, my love,” I said as I squeezed his hand a little, just a tender show of affection.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I quirked a brow at her words “Developing a taste for Mandrake’s are we?” Now this surprised me greatly as I definitely had gotten the impression that my beloved’s tastes did not tend to migrate in that particular direction.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I looked at Gadleon as though his suggestion had been the most natural thing in the world. Very nonplussed, I lifted an eyebrow, questioning his reaction. “So many times we’ve lain together, and yet you still think me a wimp, don’t you?” I asked with a mix of chill and disappointment in my voice. Inwardly, I wondered what it would take to prove him that I could take it – I’d threatened to go to Mandrake before, had he forgotten so fast? I was growing weary of being underestimated, in truth.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I of course noted the steel in her tone as she once more decided to take offense where none was intended. So I took a moment to order my words before I spoke once again. “Julie I have never once questioned your metal so please stop assuming that I am. There is a distinct difference in many things and that was the point I was trying to make.”

I considered a bit more “For example, I can make a forced march on short rations with relative ease. That does not mean I like to do it, it simply means I can do it.” I rubbed her back a bit “Along the same lines I understand your devotion to me and I realize you are capable of handling me. Having said that I would be an arrogant ass if I just assumed you liked some of my more peculiar tastes simply because you are capable of enduring them. Does that make sense?”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

There was impatience in his words, but I listened to him carefully – this time, he took a moment to think, he took time to say things in an orderly fashion, and I was able to follow the way he thought… it wasn’t my ability to endure that he questioned. He doubted that I enjoyed it. Poor Gad… if only he knew how his aura of danger made me quiver with want! Deciding nonetheless to drop the matter, I took a moment to think of what I would tell him, and finally paused in my tracks.

“I understand what you are saying, I think,” I said as I sought to look into his eyes, finding them in the dim light, and drowning a little. “I won’t think you arrogant, the day that you accept the fact that I enjoy every single one of your attentions, love.” His hand was at my back, and I relished the touch of him, adding in a whisper, “I’m sorry to be so moody. It’s those searing words I was told at the salle, they still resonate in me and make me testy.”

It was true – it wasn’t Gad I was in fact angry at, it were the Lackey’s words which made me prickly. They’d stuck deep. Why I was letting his slimy person affect me this way, I didn’t know. I needed to learn to steel myself some more.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

She paused and I paused as well and met her gaze all the while wondering how things so simple often become so complicated. But none the less it seemed she was still smarting over her little spar and was at the same time developing a taste for the wild side so to speak. “Alright love, I am not even going to try and offer you advice on such matters. There are certain things one has to figure out the answer to themselves and well meaning advice only serves as an irritant.” I gave a smile “Your sparring partner sounds like it is one of those matters.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I bit my lip before I replied tartly that Aleron was not a sparring partner. That would be Ellette, or Gad, or maybe even Tabien – hmm. I wondered what that fellow had disappeared to. Snapping out of my distracted mind, I smiled back, and said, “You are wiser than you like to let others think, love. Thank you for putting up with me and my silly ways.” I tiptoed, and kissed his lips fleetingly for it, enfolding apology, affection and gratitude combined in a little impulsive kiss.

That done, I squeezed his hand, and said, “Well, shall we?” I hadn’t really paid attention, and had no idea where we were headed. In truth, I’d just been following him.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I returned her kiss and made another turn toward my abode at her prompting “We are actually and I am not really wise that implies more experience than I have done living.” I gave her a wink “But I will settle for more intelligent than I let on.”

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

“You can be so cocky,” I said with an amused giggle, the double meaning of the epithet not lost on me. “Do you think I underestimate your intelligence?” I asked without guile or nerve, merely a small tease. Of course, I didn’t – I thought my Gad was cunning, in the way that those who play dirty can be…. Which he did.

Hands laced and another turn, and I knew where we were, though I said nothing, merely smiling. I hadn’t been to his house in a long time, and was looking forward to the comfort of the known surroundings.