Shindig

Dec. 31st, 2011 11:33 pm
pineapplechild: HELLO!, says the giant squid, wait why are you running away (Default)
[personal profile] pineapplechild
“My dear, you knew going in that he was going to be there.” She looked at him over the rim of her coffee cup, large blue eyes highlighted by elaborate eye makeup.
Kieran leaned back in his chair, cradling his own cup in his palm. He let out an uncharacteristically revealing sigh.
“I know. I knew. But.” He smiled self-deprecatingly at her. “I’ve always been a sucker for Miles in a suit. But don’t worry Heyoka, I’ll manage.”
She let out a sound that, if written, would look something like “Pfiffle.”
“Well then.” She said briskly. “What in the world have you done to your hair?”
Kieran grinned at her. “Ain’t I just a gem?” He said, flourishing his arms.
She arched an eyebrow at him.
 “You look like some sort of glam rocker.”
“And your boyfriend doesn’t?”
Heyoka raised her chin infinitesimally, acknowledging the hit.

—-

I have always hated these sort of things. Dress up all pretty, pull out the company manners, admire their pretty new mcguffin, then try and pull the other guy for as much money as possible. Give me a roomfull of first years with control issues any day. I’d much rather risk the burns.

“Try and look less like you want to run screaming from the room, Miles.” Samantha murmured to me. “No wonder you didn’t make it as career military, you suck at these kind of politics.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” I muttered back, then blanched. “Sam, save me. That Women is coming.”
Sam rolled her eyes, gave him her empty champagne flute, and turned around with a cheerful smile. 
    “Ms. Newberg! So good to see you.”
The Newberg matriarch smiled at her. “Samantha, my dear! And Professor Cormack—” She started to turn to him. I eyed her artificially augmented chest, which appeared to be about to make a break for it from her dress.
“I’ll, ah, just get you some more champagne, then, Sam.” I managed, and made my escape.
pineapplechild: HELLO!, says the giant squid, wait why are you running away (Default)
[personal profile] pineapplechild
“Well, as the Guard does not claim you, fox, we do not recognize your claim of safe-passage through out lands, and we find you in violation of our border.” The Elfin knight said coolly, thin lips tightening into a chilly smile.
“Hold on one fucking second,” Aaron burst out, as guards began to move toward Will, who was still in the binding circle. His tails were all puffed out, and his ears were flat against his skull, even as his facial expression was determined neutral.
Abruptly, there was the sound of scuffle outside, and the doors were forced open. The very last person Aaron expected to strode through them. It was Professor MacCormack, from Ravencroft. But, despite wearing the same slightly tweedy suit, without the jacket and sleeves rolled up, power hung like a cloak around him, and he moved entirely differently, much more assured, head up, and looking over the room like a king.
“Does the Elfanheim no longer recognize the Kingdom of Smoke and Flame?” he asked in a rolling basso-profundo, striding to stand before the Elf.
The elf squinted at him oddly, and recoiled, the odd harmonics of his voice suddenly dissonant as he said “We do not recognize you, mortal.”
“Really?” The professor asked, a faint smile around his lips. “I will be sure to inform my lord, the King of Smoke and Flame, when I next see him that we need not allow your traders to Our markets, then.”
What. The. Hell. Aaron thought. What was Professor MacCormack *talking* about?
“And who, are you, to speak to the King of Smoke and Flame so casually?” The elf sneered, but less assuredly now.
“His Consort, equal in power and will.” The professor said calmly, as suddenly what Aaron had taken for tattoos on his arms lit up with flame. The very air seemed heavy with his power now. Aaron was pretty sure he was gaping.
The elf paled, but continued onward.
“That may be so, but what interest does the Kingdom of Smoke and Flame have in this simple border-jumper?”
“Ryota, known as William Inoue, is the son of one of our most faithful subjects, the Lady Chinatsu. As such, he has a claim to Our protection, and is granted, by the treaty between Our land and Elfanheim, safe passage in pursuit of his duties to Us.”
Aaron was, as it happened, watching Will when the Professor (King? Queen? Was was the male consort of a king called?) claimed him
pineapplechild: HELLO!, says the giant squid, wait why are you running away (Default)
[personal profile] pineapplechild
Miles wasn’t surprised to be summoned to the Provost’s office, not with rumors of the University hosting the Coven’s talks with the Djinni Court. There would probably be a full meeting of the Deans by the end of the month, but Sammy was never one to jump into things cold. So, he went, after his morning class, to Sammy’s office, wearing his normal uniform of slacks and dress shirt. The sleeves were rolled up, and he hadn’t bothered to put the jacket on, what with the warm weather.
So, when he found Kyren, wearing the Djinni Queen’s colors, following Sammy out of her office, and laughing about something, he had to restrain himself from going for his wolf. Instead, he ignored Sammy’s gesture for him to be quiet, and instead pasted his most icily polite face on as Kyren paused as he came into the room. Ky was wearing a polite expression as well, that seemed deeply out of place on a man Miles remembered as disdaining tact as inefficient.
Sammy stepped forward, presumably to introduce them, but Ky bowed first.
Miles felt pettily vindicated, as it was the bow of a social inferior to a superior. He bowed back, and said, formally, “Master Ayo Caras.”
“Lord Andronikos, now, I’m afraid, Dean.” Ky said, sunnily.
“My apologies, Lord Andronikos. Autumn’s felicitations upon your gain.” Miles said stiffly, containing his outrage. What had Ky *done*, sworn an apprentice-bond to that bitch?
“No offense taken, I assure you.”
Sammy sighed, and said rudely, “Interesting as this display is, gentlemen, I need to speak with Miles. It’s been a pleasure, Kyren, and I look forward to hearing more from you and the Coven.”
Miles bowed to Ky, and ignored how much it hurt to think of him sworn to Eudoxia. He even more firmly ignored the whine of his wolf, confused and hurt.

Once Sammy and Miles were alone, Sammy turned to him with a disgruntled expression.
“Miles, what the hell was that? You know my feelings on the old manners.”
Miles shrugged. Normally, he didn’t need the crutch of formality to placate his wolf, but *damn*, it hurt to see Ky.
“Long story.” He said, with a shrug. “Old story. Knew each other during the war.”
“Ah,” Sammy contented herself with, but eyed him curiously. “Anyway, I needed to talk to you about some arrangements…”
pineapplechild: HELLO!, says the giant squid, wait why are you running away (Default)
[personal profile] pineapplechild
“Shove over, you git. Share the duuna.” Miles muttered at Ky, who was already in bed, and heaped with two duunas, and a quilt. Fire-mages. Give them anything close to below freezing and they started complaining. Although, if Ky was starting to feel the summons…
“Thought you were pissed at me and staying at your mum’s?” Ky murmured, sleepily.
“Venke is in the guestroom already, and I don’t like sleeping on her couch.”
“She made you go for a walk, didn’t she.”
“At least five miles into the woods and back. Is there further destruction in the back woods?”
“It is more then likely.”
Ky was like a space heater, and Miles relaxed into the nest of blankets. Wiggling around to find a good spot, he propped himself up on one side and poked at Ky until he allowed himself to be spooned.
“I’m still pissed at you.” Miles murmured into the back of his neck, breath tickling the short hairs at Ky’s hairline.
“And I don’t agree with you. But I know.” Ky murmured back, relaxing into his embrace.
“We can totally whoop your mom’s ass.”
“I doubt in, but I will entertain suggestions in the morning.”


 

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