Kane stretched back the draw the string of his long bow slowly, his eye trained on the straw doll some ways down the archers range, a long drawn breath and the arrow let loose slamming into the target off centre.
“Ah come on” He muttered softly reaching up draw another arrow knocking it slowly, the second arrow was also off target “One of those days it seems”
The air was warm but a breeze rustled the trees above, the Mansion was off to the right, the archery range down the gardens a good distance for good reason. As Kane leant his
bow providing a crutch of sorts allowing him to survey his lands before he swung the bow onto his shoulder and made his way back to the Mansion, it was headed toward mid-afternoon which meant the next group of merchants and dealers we’re about due to try and pitch him a reason not to throw them out of Dentarius.
As he set his path, returning to the Mansion, something appeared to be off. It was a tickle in the back of his mind, almost as though, someone or something was watching him. But, then it came to him, the breeze was in such an angle that downwind carried in essence a scent but would one know how to avoid such, it was plausible to be forgotten.
Upon his return setting in his pathway were the arrows that were off centre on the archer’s range, laying like serpents at rest, ready to strike. Though, a quick glance around, he would catch a shadow moving away past the tree line. Slow, stalking and the swing of the hips announced a feminine grace. A cloak was upon the slender but strong shoulders with the fabric of the cowl concealing the hair and features from the backside.
Kane halted before turning to face her, his near 7′ frame slowly taking her in at least what he could observe of her in that moment. His mind quickly processing her scent as one he hadn’t come across. Or she was at least not one he remembered as he released his grasp on his sword.
“Good evening milady” He spoke “Welcome to House Elcarus, though considering you’re here I’m guessing you didn’t use the main gates?”
The woman that was walking away paused, then the chuckle that rolled past her lips was spent in a rich purr. “Gates? There were gates?”
She then turned to face him, due to her height in comparison to Kane’s own, the shadows concealed her features perfectly. Save for one golden hue that appeared to glow softly amongst the shade offered by the hood, her lips though, were succulent and plush, and stained by a familiar berry often found in the forests. A tilt of her head and adjustment upon her boots, offered him the quick glance of the gleam of two venomous daggers at her hips.
She was nearly dwarfed by his size, being only five foot five in height.
He smiled softly his eyes looking over her to the skies before taking them back to her “Lord Kane Elcarus, though not so much lord as elected to keep the town safe” Kane rocked on his heels for a moment before turning and offering her a direction toward the mansion.
“It’s been an odd day and I could really do with a drink or few would you care to join me?” It had occurred to him she could be a threat but it was what sort that bothered him the most.
She tilted her head a slight to his offer, again those plush polished lips coiled into a smirk. “Sounds boring, to be quite frank. Elected official, that is.” While he rocked on his heels, that golden eye focused on him, though, she remained still as though frozen in place. After a moment of silence, so long in fact it lead Kane to believe that she wouldn’t speak the purr rolled from her lips in much more bemusement. “I don’t drink. Fogs ones mind, but if we are talking juice, then I will greatly accept. Since I haven’t had the luxury in quite some time.”
“It’s not as dull as one might think, well up to the point of signing merchant contracts and removing the rabble, but Aerian takes care of the worst” Kane smiled and headed for the Mansion.
Sliding in through the main doors into the huge open hallway, it’s fires blazed high, the inhabitants milled about their duties and chores each would offer a bow as Kane made his way past to the office on the far side of the communal area.
He held the door and waited his eyes watching her carefully.
She walked with him through the main entry to the Mansion, while in a flicker; he saw her gloved hands, delicate and nimble digits that peered through the fingerless tips. A passive shrug rolled her shoulders to his comment, while he saw the grace of this woman’s prowess in each step, the subtle sway of her hips accenting the always present threat of her sheathed daggers, but, gave birth to something else new. Her legs held straps over the leather leggings, each fitted to small throwing knives.
Before they entered, she stopped, looking to him with that strange golden hue. “My manners have been poor. My name is Aishani.” Though, without a seconds pause, there after she stepped through into the office.
He watched her as she passed, before looking back out over the now filling room, he would have to deal with them eventually but for the moment he was content to be distracted by the new comer.
He slid his cloak free of his shoulders and hung it by the door, at his hips were his own twin blades, he had left his bow on the bar top, which had then been hastily packed away by the bar keep. He unhooked the sheath of arrows dropping them in the chest by the door quickly followed by his blades and gloves. He moved to sit at his desk a pile of papers on one side.
She kept her weapons fastened, even the cloak on her shoulders, though as he took a seat, Aishani’s slender fingers lifted to draw back the cowl that concealed her features. Now, with no shadows or cowl in the way, Kane could see her features.
Her right golden eye was like an softly glowing amber against her dark ashen skin tone, a inset precious metal, her left eye was milky from the damage of a grizzly scar that drew the pain from her left brow down across her eye and over her nose to the bottom apple of her cheek. The structure of her face held high and beautifully defined cheekbones that spoke of her youth, while the scar and the intelligence in her good eye spoke she was much older then she appeared.
Her elegant elfish ears peered from between; ebon threads were fixed in dreads, gathered at the back crown of her head in a high tail, spilling down to the middle of her back. An ornament graced the dreads, as a black raven’s feather. The tip of one such shell to her ear was missing the point, a common sign of a criminal, or a immoral punishment. Now, as he sat, Kane held the perfect view of her partially concealed shape beneath the shadows. Her figure held delicious birthing hips with a waist that spoke of the trained core muscles beneath the black under bust leather corset and a haphazardly placed tunic beneath, causing plumpness to the endowment of her bosom. Aishani moved with that paramount grace to settle upon a chair before his desk, the black leather leggings worn in places softening the pull on her limbs.
“My feet. Wind. Ground. I could go on.” Aishani commented lightly, leaning back into the chair, casually withdrawing her dagger but this was not in a threatening manner, gliding the very tip of her blade to expertly work the grit from beneath her nails. “But, let me cut to the chase. Since that was your angle from the beginning. I understand that the Treaty of Dentarius. Individuals are after me, the less known the better. I lost them in Elvera. I am requesting temporary sanctuary within your lands, Kane Elcarus.”
Kane lent back in his chair his eyes tracing her slowly taking her in carefully, finally he sat forward placing his hands in front of him on his desk.
“Elvera? That’s quite a feat, and no doubt maddening to the Queen” the thought curled his lips slightly at the thought
“However, you’re request for asylum would come with a couple of problems, firstly my authority extends in name only past the grounds, should the Dentarian guard catch you I would have a job getting you out, secondly the Queen is my ex-wife, which I guess isn’t really a problem and reason enough for me to grant you asylum”
Kane fell silent for a few moments as he processed his thoughts it wouldn’t do him well to turn anyone away now, he never had before and as such he had the authority to grant asylum to anyone on Dentarian land even with the complications of the Sherrif and the Mayor.
A brow inclined at his mention of the Queen being his ex-wife, though, her expression remained indifferent otherwise, still her golden eye was fixed on the methodical cleaning of the grime beneath her fingernails, as he caught the fleeting moment of color it appeared to be dried blood in the hue of the flakes. “Pledge myself to you…as what? The last time I was forced to pledge to anyone caused me a great deal of pain in my life. I understand that I have little choice at this moment but I have landed here, sitting before you for a reason.” She lifted her fingers to purse her lush lips with a blow to remove the excess dusting, licking the berry stained surface with the grace of her pink tongue. “If it is too much of an issue. I can of course move along, as I said I evaded those individuals looking for me in Elvera. I gave them a false trail in the wrong direction.”
“It would be personal assistant, or some such position” Kane smiled softly his eyes watching her carefully eyeing the dagger for just a moment “It would be a title and no more, I hate paper work but it must be done, it will also avoid questions”
Kane turned the page to her and laid the quill beside “They won’t ask and we won’t tell, no expectations”
Kane lent back once more his eyes settled quietly upon hers, his mind now wondering if his offer was incorrectly put. He wanted to help her and that he was entirely and completely sure of.
Aishani glanced with her single good eye upon the parchment that was turned in her direction, there was a partial view within the milky eye was defiantly a possibility. She continued the idle attention to a nail, splaying her hands while inspecting each nail critically, then slamming down the dagger in the paper. Her expression still remained calm, enigmatic, as she appeared to decide that the written words may be poison to her, some viper ready to strike.
“Ah, yes, such a fine position. Me, a personal assistant?” That rolling purr of amusement dripped past the luscious polished lips, tongue flicking upon the surface again. “Ah, there is always expectations. Either from you, or me. Regardless questions will be asked, as well as motives, one can not escape that fact. I made that mistake once…” She dislodged the dagger with little force, placing the weapon back within the bedding of a sheath. Pulling the paper close, though, her eye skimmed it improperly and at length, the way one that is too stubborn to admit fault…then again, perhaps, this female could not read.
Even with her driving a dagger into his desk he remained quiet simply watching her with a curious sense. A soft smile form as he finally drew the paper back placing it among the rest, he folded his hands on the desk leaning forward to study her a moment, his long dark hair framing his features, the a face of a young man but his eyes would tell the tale of someone much older, all part of the vampire in him.
“I have come to learn to expect nothing from another, unless they wish to give it of course, but things here are only just starting to find some normalcy after the Dragon Wars, we all lost something some more than others.” He paused for a moment “Your request for Asylum is granted, should you encounter any trouble simply give them my name”
He had not mean to complicate things but she intrigued him, and of course he had to ensure she wasn’t trying to kill him. He had in truth never denied an asylum request to anyone, he had and always would help those in need.
“I will have a room prepared for you, you are free to remain here as long as you wish” A soft simple statement that he let hang between them.
Aishani leaned back as Kane folded his hands an bent forward a slight, almost as though in that moment, she was repulsed. Yet, her expression warranted of next to nothing. While his intent was to observe, that single golden hue was fixed on him, like the terror of something unknown. Amusingly, this held a strange standoffish quality but much intrigue upon the two. Each suspicious of the other; Kane’s assistance to those in need, Aishani’s enigmatic purpose and nature.
Then suddenly the rolling purr of her amusement began to drip from the luscious lips, deepening then raising in pitch to a laugh, while it must have been normal to her the
sound was as silver as bells to some but sharp as daggers to others; everything was left to interpretation. The smirk upon her lips remained after the amusement had died upon
her lips. “My, my…you are amusing. It is refreshing for being chased for so long and being alone with only my Shadow as company.” But then she sobered, even the expression upon the plush surface of her lips absent as though it was never present to begin with. “Yet, I have signed nothing when it was a binding contract. I understand, trust is earned and never given. You have extended courtesy it is time to work to that…mutual understanding between us.” She nodded the raven’s feather ornament in her hair glistening like liquid black in the light. “I will stay as long as it is safe and those that are chasing me have not found me. Provided I remain to be welcomed. But, who, knows. Times and events can always change.” Aishani stood, now, he caught her scent, strange it wasn’t smelt before on their original introduction. The aroma, was just beneath her skin, possibly the pheromones of a strong woman, yet, it was positively mouth-watering, a light dusting of feminine musk and rare flower that…could not be place to his recollection but it could easily be a subterranean flower.
Kane felt the prickle across his skin a sense of her so deep his mind clouded from the stimulation, it forced him to shift awkward as he watched her stand.
Finally he brought himself to his feet, a slow breath as he moved from behind his desk, a glance over her shoulder told him enough to know he wanted to avoid that room beyond her.
“I think perhaps a tour would serve me better today that politics, and your company would make that tour much better” He tried to choose his words with care, but it was now he allowed himself to look her over properly, he had already assessed she was a better ally than enemy. “I assure while you are here, it is highly unlike anyone including the Elverans would attempt to harm you, my name carries some weight with the whole realm, you have my word”
She nodded briefly to him, while following he gaze to the room behind her, a knowing smirk forming on her plush lips.
“Politics, do bore me, entirely. But, it would be simpler to say that you wish to avoid the conflagration of individuals behind me in the room. Do they not deserve as much respect as I am entitled to? I can wait for you to conclude your business. I could use some rest and a warm bath, if that is not too much to ask? Just point me in the direction of one that can assist in settling me. We can meet later, after your duties have been finished.” She chuckled in that sensual purr, watching him for his reaction to her words, the golden eye softly humming in the shadows of the room, while her scent appeared to grow more delicious by the minute that she lingered.
Kane looked out among those waiting, a faint twist in his gut as he longingly wished for his brother to take care of such matters, but he knew she was correct and some-things simply shouldn’t be avoided.
It was then he caught sight of one he seriously wished he hadn’t one which would require his attention, he sighed softly as he crossed back to retrieve his weapons.
“And so it seems I have no choice, I will have one of our maids take you to your room, there are baths and we actually have hot water, the world may appear to be stuck in the dark ages but we do have a few luxuries”
Kane stepped into the Main Hall instantly drawing the attention of most within. “I will join you once I am done here” Kane was in that moment thankful she wasn’t able to see his face as it flushed with slight embarrassment at his last statement, inwardly he groaned before turning to face her “We can discus things later perhaps over dinner?”
-= Kane & Aishani =-
a real twisted way of getting into my knickers … wow I really just said that … the issue with all this is no one in Dentarius had motive to want Raven dead, she was healer, not Sarantha powerful but still a healer, a White Mage, they’re not even dangerous, unless she happens to be dating my Dad, but then we’re right back to that. The motive of this killing is clearly to get to Dad, it as I said before was because she wouldn’t bring him back into the fold with the Elveran High Council (Yes, they think they are that important now), of course they fundamentally screwed any chance now.
The doors clattered shut behind me, the magic of the Mansion was still there but heartbeat man that was gone, as I made my way to the main hall, the stairs that led up to the upper levels as lavish as ever and the short hallway to the side had light which meant dad was in his office.
That night would all of us for some time, it took a need to belong to bring me back but as for her, I couldn’t say, she is one of the smartest girls I have ever know a testament to all she’s survived, while I disagree with her methods of employ, I cannot help but feel proud of the woman she became in the end.
Elcarus Mansion 