Private Tales In the Imperial City

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Ahti Merira

Ahti Merira

Daughter of House Merira
Messages
19
Character Biography
Link
She was in the midst of a great crowd of people, all of whom circled round about the great orange light of pyres, which stretched out into the dark around and above them. Some wept, some chanted beneath their breath, but she stood silently. And while the eyes of many were upon the ground or upon the fires of death, Ahti looked up. Her gaze drifted between the rising sparks, and on into the dark of the sky.

She never imagined it would be like this...

* * *
​
Ahti took in a deep breath as a warm breeze passed through. She was soothed by the peace she'd found out here in the midst of the seas of sand, albeit from the comfort of the gently swaying howdah safely nested atop a great elephant. Its thunderous steps were muted by the sands beneath them, but she could still feel its weight with every footfall as they shifted and moved with its stride. This was something she was quite used to and found it to be another comfort. It had been some time since she had traveled like this, and though it had been several weeks since she'd been free to do so, she'd had a difficult time bringing herself to depart from the city. And now she returned with only a pair of empty urns. But the journey in itself was something she had thoroughly enjoyed.

But like all things it seemed, as the great domes of Ragash came into view it was clear that their pleasant trip was nearly at an end. She quietly lamented to herself under her breath, loathe to return to the Estate quite so soon. But, she knew that there were many people who now looked to her for guidance, and so she needed to portray herself with as much poise and wisdom as she could. She couldn't display her anxiety like she just had, but luckily those present were also those closest to her. They understood. Most of the others, likely would not. She was, after all, Daughter of House Merira.

It was while she wandered through her thoughts for the few final moments of relative freedom that she had left when they arrived at Ragash's great gates. They were quite well guarded with many swords stationed all around the surrounding area leading toward the gate, and she knew from having left days prior that there was a similar scenario inside the walls. The gates themselves were vast, with one side of them swung close to bottle-neck the majority of the traffic through one side, while making way for carriage, wagons, and elephants like hers through the other side only when needed. And such had been the state of things in recent weeks, not only here in Ragash but across all of the Empire she had heard.

After everything that had happened at Alabyad Palace that night, the Imperial Guard had more than doubled its presence, Enforcers patrolled the streets in far greater numbers, and travel in and out of the city was closely monitored. Given the cost of what had happened, she could hardly say she disagreed. However, as they drew closer to the gates where her subservient would handle the dealings with the guards, Ahti's eyes cast down to those who were making their way on foot into the city.

The scuffing up of some dust caught her attention. Her eyes fell upon a group of half a dozen guards lining themselves up against what appeared to be one individual. He himself was just upon the gates, and as Ahti's elephant came up alongside, it became clear to her that the guards had taken issue with him.

"I've never seen your face around here before," one of them said, quite loudly at that.

 
Last edited:
"Move as though you are without bone or muscle, as free and without true form as the crashing waves that fall from the tallest of rivers, as ferocious and untamable as the wild beast emerging from the tree line to strike at its dinner. Do not ask your body to move, and do not tell the ground beneath your feet to catch you. The steel in your hands is your anchor, tying you to the world. Hold your blade dear, as it is the only thing that prevents you from floating off into what cannot be known or spoken. Grip your sword and never be forgotten, my love."

The words never left Len. Not even death and the generations in the unknown abyss that followed it could ever erase those words from his broken, stitched mind. Since he awoke, dragged from an eternal rest into the body of another, the thoughts and memories that evaded him would return in throes. Fleeting, but powerful emotions would threaten to emerge and face him towards what he had become.

He remembered the first time he'd heard those words in his head, telling him to go forth and not to be forgotten, whispered through the darkness into his ear from a voice as soft as velvet. She had kept him warm on the last night of his Illya, both of their bodies chilled to the bone by the treacherous winter that had battered their shelter for a month prior. He could barely see her form underneath the dim light of the torches hung on the wall, but the way her warmth enveloped him was enough to assure him of all that he'd needed to know. Yura had been his first lover, borne out of a friendship cultivated through years of learning together. It was when he would dance that he would recall the time they'd spent together, underneath the Fifth Tree.

Life had been simple back then; it was before he knew the pain that the end of his Illya would bring. The times of drinking exotic concoctions on the branches of the seven between his training sessions wouldn't last. Much like many who grow up far too quickly, he wished he hadn't taken them for granted. By the time his love for Yura had finally blossomed, they had to go their separate ways. Len was willing to break from his fate, to run away with her and live out life cast out from his home. He asked her... "What do you want me to do?"

Those words... "Grip your sword and never be forgotten." That was her answer.

Even in his return to The Aberrant Kingdom, Yura's touch still lingered, though he would never see her again. His life would become nothing but battle and horror, soaked in naught but blood and valor. No longer would he dance for the entertainment of others, but only to defend the land which had given him everything. Yura's love had taught the young Len an important lesson, one that pertained to his dancing as well:

Sometimes the gentlest grip is one that it as hard as steel.

That was past. The Aberrant Kingdom was dust. The Seven Trees had long since fallen.

It had been only months since he'd awoken in this strange new world. He who had once been amongst the mightiest of warriors, a guardian of the sand and bastion of strength to his people now awoke in a land that had forgotten him. His city, the names of his people, and all that he had accomplished were washed away by the steady tide of time as it turned the hands of fate. Len Dy't B-taa was but a phantom. A remainder of what had been whole in times undocumented by history.

And for what?

There was nothing in this world for him. All that had plucked him from his grave was the greed of man, and turning it down had left him a sword without an owner, a hilt without a hand to grip it. So, he wandered, travelling the great Savannah that had once been his home in search of a reason. In search of a purpose. Perhaps somewhere out there, among the tall cities that reached towards the heavens themselves, there was somebody who needed his strength, his dance, his touch.

It was at the gates of one such city that he now arrived, his once brilliant armor weathered and rusted with age, the blade at his back chipped and broken. A tattered white hood hid the majority of his face from the line of irritated men who incessantly needled him with questions as to his origin. As if they somehow would believe him if he told them half of his story.

Instead, he smiled, looking up at the one speaking loudest with lips parted and voice soft.

"I've been away on business for quite some length of time, sir..."

This city was under strict rules, it seemed. Perhaps the Savannah had found a new regime? It certainly wouldn't be surprising. Len would not be denied his entry, and if this route failed, another would be taken. After all, what did he have to lose now?

"I merely come seeking shelter and food. Would you spare a tired soul the trouble?"
 
  • Wonder
Reactions: Ahti Merira
"And what kind of business is that," ask the guardsman again, taking an exaggerated look around, "you don't have any merchandise. Are you some kind of mercenary," he asked, starting closer, "or maybe you're an assassin? Sent in to look the part and then cause hardship in our city."

The gathering of guards started up in their own murmurs and theories, all loud enough for the traveler to hear.

Above, unbeknownst to them it seemed, Ahti was closely watching. With her elbow propped up on the side of her covered howdah she peered down the length of her nose at the goings on. For whatever reason, perhaps it was the man's dress, they had picked him out of the crowd. While others were funneled through without much discussion or debate, he was now being edged aside and almost crowded. They seemed about to take him into their custody when she was alerted by her servant that their own business at the gate had been concluded, and they would soon be moving forward.

The half-closed gate began to slowly swing open.

Her eyes traveled between her servant, the opening gate, and back down to the man below surrounded by the guards. They were indeed encroaching on him and ready to detain.

The elephant took its first lumbering step forward.

"Wait," she commanded.

Durmak, durmak! called the mahout.

She urged her servants to move with haste and escort her down from her place atop her grand chariot. Also at her order, they shouted down to the guards encroaching on Len to desist. As their eyes turned to see who called to them, the banner of House Merira was displayed proudly, and they knew they best yield to the order. It was unwise to argue with those with voices in the Divan.

As her feet touched the ground, she enjoyed the warmth of the sand between her toes before lifting and sliding each foot into a sandal. Her white dress billowed about her in the wind as she approached, and her fingers came up to pull brown strands of hair away from her eyes as she brought herself in between the line of guards and faced Len directly. And wordlessly she looked at him for a moment, weighing her next move carefully.

The lead guard shuffled in his place, prompting her to quickly blurt, "you will release this man at once," she paused, eyes still upon him, "he is my recent vassal. We were to meet on the road and avoid this altogether, but I was delayed... come," she beckoned, fully confident they would proceed without incident despite whatever protest the guards came up with. They would not stop her.

He had only to play along... and she had only to know what she was doing, which she hoped she did.

 
B-taa kept his cool, even as his attempted explanation seemed to try the patience of those bearing down on him. Technically he hadn't told them a lie, but that didn't appear to matter much to the brutish guards, chomping at the bit for something to occupy themselves with on what was an otherwise boring shift. Indeed, the smile never left his bronzed face as they drew nearer.

"I assure you..." A low rumbling laugh came from underneath his hood. "If my aim was to have anybody dead, I would be forthcoming with the notion." If he wanted these guards to fall, they wouldn't have had time to realize it before they drew their last. They were brutish but undisciplined, and few were educated enough in combat to stand against his deadly dance.

Still, a fight here would end badly for him so close to a city. If the wouldn't have him, he would simply leave. If they would not allow him to do so, only then would he worry about the consequences of a spat with

"Wait!"

Len had been about to relent, to turn and seek another safe haven from the elements when he heard the commanding voice from above him, drawing the eyes of both he and his aggressors upwards to the feminine, regal figure descending from one of the many grand caravans headed into the city through the massive gates.

Her dress flared dramatically as she stepped into her sandals and moved towards him in what seemed an otherworldly glide. The beautiful sight was stunning amongst the bleak backdrop behind her, and it transfixed all who watched.

But when her eyes locked to his, Len wasn't looking into the eyes of a beautiful woman. That voice spoke of power, and when presented with power, one showed respect above all else. The hooded figure bowed low before her as she explained herself to the guards, claiming him as a member of her own party. "Alas, I didn't wish to admit it out of shame, but it is true. Pray forgive my lack of navigational prowess, my lady."

Glances were exchanged, but none was foolish enough to argue. Lady Merira now found herself with a powerful ally, though she didn't know it yet.

Ahti Merira
 
  • Bless
Reactions: Ahti Merira
To say almost would not be true - he hadn't missed a beat. It was immediate that her gamble began to pay off, and more than that this man who had captured her attention, throughout all her spoken words and his, had managed to keep it. Intently. She'd not noticed her eyebrow slowly rise, or her hand rest gently against her chest. She'd almost not noticed the silence that she'd nearly let drone on into discomfort. Hoping her momentary lapse went unnoticed, she let a smile cross her lips, and she turned to lead him to the elephant that served as her chariot.

She thought she heard the guards protest, but she ignored them. Members of her entourage were quick to address them in her stead.

She stepped to one side to let him ascend first, saying, "there is nothing to forgive. I am glad to have found you, we only regret not meeting you on the road sooner."

She tried her best not to wear it on her sleeve, but it was clear to her that there was something far different about this man than those she was accustomed to. It wasn't so much in his manners, she was usually regarded with a great deal of respect, more so it was in how quickly he'd gauged her intent. He was a shrewd one, and her father had often imparted that those with quick wit were often those worth your attention. She was pleased with herself that her eye had proven so keen.

Once they'd made their selves comfortable beneath the cover of the howdah and the lumbering steps of the great creature started forward, she introduced herself with a kind tone and pleasant gestures, "I am Ahti Merira, to whom do I owe the pleasure?"

 
The phantom of a time long past wasn't one to forget favors, and the frustrated mutterings of the guardsmen around them would be repaid in due time. If any could give him some possible anchor to this world, it would be one with the knowledge and power to set him on a path. In this lovely stranger, he discerned both of these qualities behind the sparkles of her eyes. "It is my own fault, my lady. Please, let us return to your escort. You needn't be atop the sand and dirt any longer than I've already forced you to be."

It was far from Len's first time schmoozing to one more powerful than himself, and it showed. After such reverential treatment, even the skeptics amongst the guardsmen looked rather convinced of the story. The creature he climbed to sit atop was unlike anything he was familiar with, but the poise and gentleness in its movements spoke of a species bred to ride and pamper, not unlike the H'rrleh of his own land. B-taa paused near the top, placing a hand upon its flesh with a smile. "Abahh..."

Obviously, the howdah wouldn't recognize praise in Len's tongue, but the gesture was customary and offered him a small dose of nostalgia. Taking his seat aside the stranger who'd become his savior, he again bowed his head in thanks to her. Ahti Merira.

"Lady Merira. I am Len Dy't B-taa..." His lips and tongue instinctively moved to continue with 'Grand Terios of the Abberant Kingdom', but such a title meant nothing now, and would offer only confusion... A pang of sadness gripped his heart for a moment, but quickly it was dispelled. "I must offer my thanks for your benevolence in assisting me. The truth is, I have not a home of my own. I thought perhaps this city could bring me some measure of direction..."
 
  • Bless
Reactions: Ahti Merira
Her eyes studied him with interest as he introduced himself far more formally, and she couldn't help but suspect there was far more to this man than just a traveler as he portrayed himself as. His voice carried strength, and his demeanour was of one who was familiar with many sorts, her sort included.

"You are most welcome. I took notice of your trouble when we arrived, and, had a feeling..." her hand came up to her chin inquisitively, "you must forgive our guards. Our city has had troubling times as of late, and the imperials have tightened their grip to maintain safety."

She cast a sidelong glance away, her eyes falling down into the streets and upon those who bustled around them in one way or the other. The streets of Ragash were great and wide, but their chariot encompassed a great portion. People were forced to move to one side or another, and they did so without a show of thought or frustration. Such was simply the way of the city's streets, especially at a time of day such as this. It may have become harder and slower to get around, but this did little to deter the populace from persisting as usual.

"We are starting to see some semblances of normalcy now, however. It seems you may have come at a fortuitus time," her eyes lingered on the goings on around them for a short while until she returned her gaze to him with a smile, "I'm sorry to hear that you have no place to call home. Please, join us and come with me to my family's estate. If nothing else, you may remain there with us until you decide your path."

 
  • Ctuhlu senpai
Reactions: Len Dy't B-taa
"A city not unified cannot find balance. Only when the light bakes every corner of its vast expanse can it glow in full splendor." B-taa mused as he peered out onto the streets, watching the passerby traveling the dangerously tight space between their mount and the walls of the buildings lining the side of the road without fear. Clearly, they were accustomed to such intrusions on the commute. "A city is like a heart, and the people its blood. Leadership and those they lead must beat as one to carry the blood to every extremity, to give the life a city needs to prosper."

Perhaps he truly had grown up around far too many politicians, however, he could not help but see the utopia he'd once lived as a part of in these roads, these structures, and skylines. An Empire, not unlike his own. Sleeping, perhaps... but alive. Len pulled his head from the streets below to look at his new acquaintance once more, smiling and bowing his head at her invitation, his hand raising to rest on his chest.

"I do not wish to intrude upon your family, Lady Ahti. You've already done me such a service that I cannot accept the room and board you offer me." Not only had she smuggled him into the city, but to shelter him as well? It could even be detrimental to her reputation, especially as the tongues of commoners so loved to engage in rumor and scandal. A strange man moving into the Merira home at the bequest of the lovely daughter? It wouldn't do. "A counter-offer, if I may be so bold?" Len straightened, his chin tilted slightly up as his back straightened to an almost regal poise. "Allow me to serve you, Lady Ahti. Point me at any who would do you harm as you would a blade, or use me as the most undaunting of shields, and I will take room with your family as my payment."

Direction. That was what he desired. A starting point to something new. This Ahti Merira would prove to be his savior in more ways than one.
 
  • Yay
Reactions: Ahti Merira
Her arms folded against her chest as she leaned back and listened to him speak. His words carried a timeless wisdom that for a moment had once again captivated her attention, and she watched as his eyes surveilled the surround as he spoke. She returned the smile he soon offered as he bowed his head, and she waved away his protests, but her hand fell lazily back to its place as he proposed his counter-offer, as he put it.

She'd been bluffing when she had declared him her vassal, but if she would have it then it would seem that this Len Dy't B-taa would indeed be a party to she and hers.

"Your proposition comes at a most... opportune time," she began, he voice starting boldly and then fading into a more solemn tone, "you see, though I am surrounded by many who serve me, I am the last of my family. Many changes have been taking place, and my parents..." her eyes turned away so that she might hide the sorrow that welled in them, "...not long ago met their untimely end."

She did not delve into the particulars of the matter, at least not right away, and given her demeanour it was likely she had no wish to do so at the moment. But with the words she shared, she remembered that the Meriras were hardly the only ones to have been affected, as the attempts on the Empire's elite at the palace just a few short weeks ago had impacted many noble families in very similar ways. But none had seen such a shift as the Meriras - no others were left with so few to take up the mantles left by those now gone. No others saw someone who was little more than a youth take up the leadership of their house.

She was in over her head. She simply didn't now how far yet.

"I accept your offer," she said, her eyes returning to him with a newfound sense of poise.

 
Even the mysterious, unreadable gaze that had so stoically examined the vastly changed world around him now softened at Ahti's words. There was no need to tell Len the exact manner of her family's demise; She'd used the word untimely, and that both her parents died at once meant it was not sickness or age. Either there had been a massive accident, or, more likely given their stature, a murder. More than just two, if he was reading her words correctly. It wasn't an uncommon thing even in his age for nobles to be targeted. Some things were eternal.

"I'm very sorry to hear about your family, Ahti. I've no doubt they would have wanted you to follow in their stead with confidence. So long as you draw breath, their will and their names live on within you." Len drew his attention away from the streets they crossed, now focusing all of it on the woman before him, opening herself in a way that couldn't have been easy towards a relative stranger. Dragging his hand through his stubble to rest on the black patch of hair on his chin, he leaned closer. "It leaves you without the standard transitional period, however. You're without too much of an idea as to what running your home entails."

Len had served cocky young royals fresh off the teat of their family's protection before. Too often new rulers believed that the power they gained would be more than enough to ensure everything went their way. Nobility, however, was never that simple. That Ahti recognized her unpreparedness spoke well of her wisdom and potential success as the head of House Merira.

That she accepted his offer all but guaranteed it.

The four words were simple but seemed to have a profound effect on Len. A smile grew on his face, his eyes slid shut and a deep breath filled his lungs, the tenseness in his shoulders and the anxiety in his voice expelling with the air as it left his chest, as though a massive weight had been lifted from him.

"Thank you, Ahti Merira." He spoke with the breath, pale eyes sliding open once more. "I am at your service. Together, we shall rebuild your house to be stronger and sturdier than it was before the storm. You've my word on that."
 
  • Bless
Reactions: Ahti Merira
She bowed her head in thanks to his condolence, and appreciated the understanding he had for her. Being "without the standard transitional period," as he had put it, was apt. She'd truly been thrown into her new role, and though she still had those ears and voices that had been at the disposal of her parents before her, she sought to make her own way. The confidence in Len's words and the honesty she felt in him made her feel as though this would not be long from her grasp. He truly did seem like an invaluable asset, even so soon after their meeting.

For a few moments after they were quiet, but soon Ahti began at helping Len familiarize himself with the city. She pointed out various locations of interest, noting the direction of the Imperial palace, the modest dockyard along the riverside to the west, and as they came to and made their way through Baal-Asha square in western Ragash she would point, saying, "and that is the Rare Raven," a shisha den where apparently the Imperial Divan occasionally partook. Moving on from the excited bustle of the square they soon came to a more extravagant locale, "that is the Qajan Estate," she would say as she pointed, and elaborated on their noble status with a respectful tone, albeit laced with reservation. "That is the Akanamar Estate," she would say with the inclination of her head, and no further elaboration.

After some time they finally passed through the great gated archway of her own home, the Merira Estate. It was a grand, sprawling manor of several stories decorated with vinery and other flora, all diligently tended to. Where they dismounted from the howdah there was a great fountain, where Ahti soon drew near to and drank from. It was cool and fresh, and she turned to Len with a smile and gestured to the waters for him to also drink.

She'd hardly wiped the water from her lips before the doors of the estate had been burst open and an entourage erupted from therein. And in a moment they were upon her and about her. She'd hide the roll of her eyes, as there was a certain interest in her with her having been gone for several days, and her servants -in some ways - still behaved as though she was but a girl. She shooed them as best she could, and then announced their new arrival.

"He will be my right hand," she said with a sideways glance toward him, "and he will be treated as such."

There was no hesitancy, the party of busy bodies took only a moment to organize themselves and then split so that some could tend to Len and his needs, whatever they may be. They drew near him, though cautious as they were unsure and obviously respectful.

"Won't you join me for dinner this evening, Len Dy't B-taa? To celebrate our new friendship."

 
  • Cthuulove
Reactions: Len Dy't B-taa
Len immediately took to making mental notes of every piece of invaluable information Ahti afforded him. If they were to bring her family name back to its former splendor, he would need to know every inch of every city Ahti set foot in. There would be none who could bring harm to Lady Merira who could escape the edge of his blade. B-taa would ask few questions, if any as she acclimated him to their immediate surroundings.

The Rare Raven, the Quajan and the Akanamar, he would come to familiarize himself with their ways in time. Tonight, however, was reserved for Ahti. Len needed to know her as well as he did himself, and that would take time and patience. The reward, however, would be a leadership of two minds, far beyond any other.

When at last they arrived at not only her home, but now Len's as well, he finally sought speech once more as they departed the strange beast they'd arrived on. "A sizable estate. I assume the Merira's were a family of great importance before this tragedy?" It may have been a somewhat morbid question, but the small curl of his lips that followed spoke of a warrior looking upon a challenge. "We will have to ensure that it is used to it's fullest potential once again in due time." He finished as she drank from the grand fountain ahead of him.

At her invitation, Len knelt before the fountain, bringing his hands to scoop some of the crystalline water from its basin before bringing it to his mouth, sipping quietly even as the Merira servants burst from the estate and began to look him over as though he were some creature fallen from the skies. Their sharp gazes dulled a bit the very moment Ahti referred to him as her right hand. Not the title that Len had been expecting to recieve, and indeed even he cast her a somewhat bemused glance.

Gently, he waved the doteful servants away. He needed a bath, and a clean set of clothes if they were available, but he was capable of providing those for himself all the same. Instead, he smiled at his new superior, perhaps the most genuine he'd given her thus far.

"Of course. For the Lady to dine alone would be a crime in itself. Give me a few moments to make myself more presentable for you, Lady Ahti."

Ahti Merira
 
  • Bless
Reactions: Ahti Merira
She nodded at Len's comments, but reserved any spoken reply until later. Merira was a very wealthy family, and despite their disinterest in violence, were very well equipped. Not so much as the other nobility who were more inclined towards violence, but certainly well enough to secure the Merira grounds from most nefarious activity. And indeed, their home was a grand one, perhaps one of the most grand in all of Ragash, though as of late it did in fact seemed lessened. Though the care was still there, it was a somber, darkened diligence.

"Please, take your time. I'm sure it will be some while before dinner is properly prepared," she said, her eyes dancing between Len and the various servants that had busied themselves around her, "if there is anything you need, please allow my people to serve you. They are of great value," she said with an obvious affinity. It was clear that she did indeed value those who had and continue to serve her through these difficult times.

And with that, she bid him a temporary farewell, and was ferried off into the estate proper...


Should he choose to, Len would find utilizing the estate's staff to be quite convenient. It seemed that nearly any need that one might come to could be satisfied through the skills of one servant or another. Anything from fine fragrances to an exquisite wardrobe, there were few amenities he would find far from his reach, or even just his beck and call. He'd been declared Ahti's right hand, making his word almost as her own. Though they were all an experience lot, and each with a mind of their own especially regarding their noblewoman's safety. They were at first, of course, somewhat leery of Len, but they were quick to gauge him as nothing less than benevolent. He'd be given no protest or shown any ire.

As for Ahti, she intended for no expense to be spared for their meal.


proxy.php
Len was given a plentiful amount of time to prepare himself, as dinner would be ready only after a few hours. Finally it had been prepared, and when the time came someone was sent to inform and escort Len to the dining hall. There, he'd find a large table rounded by cushioned, backless seats. It was set with many delicacies, surely far more than the pair of them would ever finish on their own, but the leftovers would hardly be wasted. After being brought to the dining hall, Len would not be left waiting long until Ahti appeared from an opposing corridor, dressed far finer with her hair set much differently than earlier. It was clear she had spared no expense.

The lingered in the archway for only a moment before coming into the dimmer light of the dining hall, saying as she approached the table set for them, "good evening, I trust you've made yourself at home?"

 
  • Ctuhlu senpai
Reactions: Len Dy't B-taa
With a final bow, Len watched her as she disappeared into the massive estate she called her own, a small measure of admiration settling onto his features... There were far more powerful than her that would have buckled and collapsed under the sudden and intense pressure she had been placed in. Len had seen great emperors quiver at the thought of running any semblance of establishment without significant help. Yet Ahti remained strong. She followed her instincts and judgement in trusting him, and B-taa was far from the type to let such displays of goodwill go unrewarded.

There was no more time to dawdle and think. The introductions had concluded, and now was the time for actions. Finally acknowledging the servants still wishing to tend to him, he nodded. "My chambers, if you'd be so kind. I'd much like a bath, and I must find an appropriate wardrobe for this evening. I cannot dine with Lady Ahti in these rags." Death seemed to play hell with a man's complexion; he felt as though he were more dirt than human, and these old tattered clothes wouldn't do either. Muttered, but excited affirmations showered him from the servants as they led him into the Estate after Ahti, many excited to have a little extra work, as slow as it had no doubt been as of late.


Len Dy't B-taa slowly pulled himself out of the large bath provided in his chambers, the warm waters that had stripped away an afterlife's worth of grime and dust running down and off his bronze skin and onto the towel he'd placed on the floor. These baths were much unlike those he was used to; Those of the Kingdom had preferred hot springs, usually in open spaces so that the warm desert air could slowly dry their bodies. Indeed, he'd noticed since returning that society as a whole valued privacy much more than they had in his own period.

It was strange, but not entirely unwelcome. As Len allowed his body to dry from the air as was his custom, he stood before an odd reflective surface affixed to the wall, using a sharpened, small blade to trim a majority of the black hairs that had been growing from his jaw, save for some spreading from his chin. Then, he looked towards the ludicrously sized bed he'd been given, several outfits somewhat resembling what he'd requested of the servants laid out for his choosing.

"It's far from my usual, but I suppose it will do..." He muttered to himself as he reached down towards the leftmost outfit. B-taa would have to ask Ahti about the possibility of having a new set of Terios Armor made. The components shouldn't be too hard to find, for somebody who knew the city well.

Len had only just dressed himself when Ahti's servants summoned him to dinner, and with a final inspection of himself, he nodded and followed. Though he had the position of Right Hand, it did not mean he could rest on his laurels. Even as the servants led him down the long hallway to the dining hall, Len walked as though he were an honored guest and nothing more.

He maintained that composure until he entered the hall properly and set his eyes upon Ahti under the dim lighting provided. Suddenly, he felt his breath catch in his throat for a moment. Len led a far from licentious lifestyle, but even the most professionally-minded couldn't be immune to the picture of beauty that greeted him. Ahti was... well, put quite simply she was ravishing.

For the first time since his resurrection, he found himself somewhat lost for words, even as he moved to sit across from her. It was good, perhaps, that a change in color wouldn't be noticeable on his darker skin. B-Taa himself had opted for a pearl-white coat, held onto his body by a single clasp at his breast, with pointed shoulders topped with golden fringe, and the visages of similarly colored serpents coiling down the sides of the garment. His unruly, messy black hair had been combed rather nicely to the side, and the patchy beard that had been growing was little more than stubble on his chin now.

Sliding into his seat, Len found himself conflicted on how to act. This was his superior, the woman he now served, but this dinner seemed far from business minded.

Then again... Len had never been allowed to dine at a table before.

"Yes, thank you Lady Ahti. Everything I need was promptly taken care of." He nodded, showing none of his conflict outwardly, or so he hoped. "If I may be so bold, you look divine this evening."
 
  • Ctuhlu senpai
Reactions: Ahti Merira
Len was, at least to Ahti, successful in his attempt at hiding the conflicts within himself. Ahti however, though doing well to maintain a dignified sense of poise as she approached, could not quell the heaviness that lingered in her throat. She was someone who was in many was somewhat oblivious to herself, but as she approached him and the table set for them, every step forward seemed to unveil a truth to her.

She felt her dress pressed against her.

She felt the air on her skin.

The dim candlelight helped the shadows seem to grow tall...

… for a moment.

Seating herself across from him her eyes turned up from the table to him. There was a warmth that grew in her, his composure not failing in comforting the anxiety that had begun in her. She let out an absentminded and obvious sigh before an innocent and almost shy smile found her features, pushing her now warming cheeks up against her eyes.

"I am glad that you think so," she said, and though she wished to exchange the compliment her confidence faltered some, and she instead moved along somewhat hurriedly with, "I trust you find everything you your liking," asking with a gesture toward the food.

 
Len was certain he'd seen something behind her eyes when she'd ever so briefly met his own with them, but far be it from him to call out the Lady of House Merira on any strange behavior. B-taa was grateful for the unprecedented generosity he'd been shown thus far, and ensuring she knew just how appreciative he was now became absolutely paramount.

Her bright, inviting smile was met with one of his own, and he bowed his head ever so slightly. "Everything here looks absolutely delectable, though I admit I am unfamiliar with most of these dishes, or table manners for that matter." Though he had served a very high purpose among his people, and worked closely with the emperor on many occasions, there was no seat for him at the table; The Grand Terios ate his meals from his post atop the city's highest tower.

Certainly, he looked a bit silly with how he poked and prodded at the unfamiliar foods with his utensils before taking bites, every time expressing a rather outward joy at the taste. Perhaps they'd had this food in the Kingdom and he'd not been privy to it, or perhaps the meals in this time were simply more delicious by tenfold.

"Lady Ahti, I do hope I don't come off as rude, but..." Len spoke after a few minutes, peering back up at his lovely host. "This home... It's incredible, but the emptiness is biting even to me. Your servants are expert at making themselves unknown, and I must wonder how long you've been living in these conditions?" Even the Terios needed interaction beyond business once in a while. Complete isolation can break the mightiest of warriors.

"Such solitude seems hellish. One would think you would at the very least be seeing suitors now that you wield a measure of power, would you not?"

Pausing, Len set his utensil on the plate in front of him.

"It matters not. Souls will come to us when they bear witness to the reborn House of Merira, and it's new leader standing undaunted."

Ahti Merira
 
Last edited:
Ahti was not exactly a culinary expert, but as a young child she had spent a great deal of time in the kitchen chatting away with the cooks. She'd observed a thing or two along the way, and so she responded with, "well let me help familiarize you."

As she had before with the places of interest through the streets, she pointed out this dish or that, naming them and doing her best to briefly describe their flavour. And from what she could tell it was true even by his own admission that his table manners, though not terrible, were clearly lacking. But the way he prodded with his utensil was only enough to rouse an affinity in her, and she stifled a gentle laugh while she beckoned for his attention, showing him how she used such utensils. However he chose to use them though, she was simply glad he seemed to be enjoying the meal.

After a momentary silence Len began to speak of just that: the silence. His assessment of the solitude as he called it was an apt observation on his part, but this was in fact partly her own making. She nodded thoughtfully to him as he spoke to her, but she waved away his mention of suitors. Her parents had likewise made numerous mentions of such, and she'd had similar reactions.

"That is right, those things matter little," she replied, "but please, have no worry about voicing your opinion. I welcome it, whatever it may be. As for the solitude, I have... enjoyed it. As for my servants... many if not all of them are more friends than anything, and I think they understand what I have needed in these past weeks. Please do not mistake their scarcity for indifference."

She looked down at her plate and started to prod at her food not much unlike Len had been doing, and she said, "my parents were very well respected in Ragash. They supported the Empire, and they supported Lady Medja - the empress-recent - quite vocally. My father was a strong voice in the Divan, and my mother was well respected among the people," she smiled as her eyes softly darted from one direction to the other, recalling a memory, but as the next words left her lips they slowly took on a more solemn tone, and her smile slowly faded away, "often she would leave with gifts for those who had little, be it food or water or sometimes even money. And almost as often she would return with modest gifts of her own. Trinkets, the like, small appreciations.

I'm not sure I can live up to the name they have made, Len..." she finished with a near whisper.

She'd not realized how deeply her thoughts had taken her until she'd said the words, and she caught herself from letting any more slip by clearing her throat some and covering her lips.

"But enough of that," she said, attempting to hide her urgency to move the conversation on, "tell me about yourself Len. I feel as though you have quite a bit to share."

 
At first, Len was somewhat reluctant towards being tutored on the modern foods and table manners of this time period, but surprisingly enough it proved a more effective icebreaker than any he could have come up with otherwise. Ahti was patient and kind, answering any questions Len had, no matter how simple or silly they might have seemed to anybody else.

It was a much-needed break from the serious tones of everything they'd spoken of thus far, and Len quickly learned that Ahti was more than a suitable leader, she was also a very pleasant woman to be in the presence of. There was a gentleness, a soft lithe to her voice, and a shine to her eyes when she spoke of things she enjoyed, such as her favorite dishes.

By the time their impromptu class had concluded, the mood was lighter, the tone of their voices far less dire and serious in everything they said.

And still, that soft whimper of a worry nagged at B-taa's ears. She'd said almost so quietly that he could not make it out, but it was clear enough. Her worries ran deep, and so too did the scar she bore from losing her family, understandably. Just as quickly as she'd shown her most vulnerable side, however, she pushed along, instead asking him of his own history.

Len played along with her subject change for now, leaning back in his seat and finishing a long sip of his drink as he looked up at the ceiling. "I feel as though we'd be here for some time if I was to recount very much of my story, Lady Ahti..." A long and sad tale it was. Not befitting a meal. Still, he should offer her something. "I was born in The Aberrant Kingdom. A magical city, that moved from place to place at our command. In my adolescence I was trained in the ways of might and strength atop the branches of a great and magnificent tree during my Illya, which was more or less a coming-of-age tradition."

Briefly, Len went over the Seven Trees that made up both the Illya and the Aberrant Society. Each tree representing a critical aspect of a successful and thriving civilization; Parenthood, Knowledge, Leadership, Cultivation, Might, Culture, and Labor.

"I wished to devote myself to culture, but my skills with a blade all but chose the Fifth tree for me. I ended up rising through the Aberrant ranks until I was The Grand Terios; a weapon for the emperor to wield however he saw fit. The blade of a sword that only he could draw."

A pause, a flash of inner thought flashing across Len's face, before he leaned forward, keeping his eyes locked on her own as he gently placed his palm over the back of her hand as it rested on the table. "And now it is a sword that will respond only to you. Do not doubt yourself, Lady Ahti. You possess my eternal loyalty for your kindness, and few survive a dance with me."
 
  • Wonder
Reactions: Ahti Merira
Ahti, was an expert liar. Or at least she was to herself. She told herself that Len hadn't quite heard her quiet fears, and that she'd done well enough in forcing the conversation along. She told herself that the look in his eye hadn't betrayed that he had in fact heard quite well enough, and instead played along, for nothing else it seemed other than her benefit. She'd have liked to show her appreciation if she had not wished to delude herself into believing the whole thing forgotten and done with.

But all the while he told his tale of his time and place in history, her worries still nagged. They always did. But they did not detract from her attention to his tale, and it was one she listened to with growing interest as he progressed. His was a grand people, whimsical and fantastic, and she felt humbled in the presence of one who was once considered such a great name in the midst of so much greatness.

"The Grand Terios," she almost mouthed in response, and then she offered him the subtle bow of her head and a closed set of eyes, "I am honoured to have one such as yourself to defend me, Len," her eyes lifted and met his, and again a soft smile found her lips.

She set her utensils down, and if he made motion to show his respects she'd gently wave her hand, dismissing any continuing formality between them. She moved away from the table with her wine-glass in hand and made her way to the open balcony nearby, where the warm breeze of the evening blew.

She drew near to the railing there, leaning on it and saying, "having heard your tale, I have no doubt there is little reason for me to fear with one so capable as you by my side," she turned her face to him for a moment with a softly said, "thank you," and then after turning her gaze out again to look out across the city, she continued, "my only fear is that by pledging yourself to me you may be subjected to far more violence than I myself would have. You see, I believe my life is in danger Len. The death of my parents was no accident, I imagine you already figured that out..."

 
Len watched her as she rose, his brow creasing a bit at her mannerisms. He had served many, and with such service came a talent for reading body language. In front of a crowd of thousands, men and women of power could conceal their true feelings with distance, grandiose speech and the blind fervor of their supporters. In private, though, with the ones they trusted to serve them, that is when the cracks began to show.

Even so, Ahti concealed the dents in her armor well. The pain she was in was obvious to him, but still she maintained the outer shell of a determined woman, ready to carry out the will of her family in their stead.

It was admirable, and indeed Len did admire it.

His personal feelings for her strength aside, his position was such that he was to uplift her; to support her in whatever she decided to do. What would be the deciding factor in the longevity of her reign is her own decisiveness and willingness to act. It was an intangible factor, instilled at birth and difficult to change, in his experience.

Raising from his own seat to join her at the balcony, the warrior clad in white and gold stands close beside her as she looks over at the city of Ragash. The sun had set, and the lights beneath him were torch and lantern alone. "You accepted me on a whim, gave me purpose where there was none. Thanks is not something I need." He affirmed softly, leaning forward as well, the breeze whipping his groomed hair to the side of his head. "Nor do you need concern yourself with my safety. I've yet to find anybody in this new world who can match my skills, and with time I should also recover the use of my people's magic as well, The Arts."

That would take considerable training, re-unlocking that part of his abilites... Still, it would be worth it to keep Ahti safe.

"Your mind is troubled, understandable considering how your parents were taken from you. Admittedly it was not hard to put that together." Len conceded. "And indeed your life may have been in danger, but it is no more." He turned and placed one hand on her shoulder, tilting his head to look into her eyes as she watched her home from above. "Nothing will come of you while I am here, that I swear. Please, try and relax. Gripping your worries and fears will only cloud your judgement the longer you entertain such thoughts."
 
  • Bless
Reactions: Ahti Merira
Her eyes had fallen upon the Ragash's night-time light. Though her estate was grand, it was not so much so as the palace. She could not gaze upon the entirety of her city's vast sprawl. She could see, however, down into many nearby streets and onto the rooftops of many homes. And Ragash was always a plenty of activity, no matter the hour. And all the while she watched, she listened too as Len reassured her, and a contented smile rested upon her face.

Her eyes fluttered shut when she felt the warmth of his hand on the bare skin of her shoulder. Her back straightened some, and she took in a quiet breath. Her arm crossed her chest and her hand rested atop of his, and she turned her face to meet his.

"I'm very quickly finding that my whim was an apt one," she breathed, her eyes studying him.


The kitchen was usually its busiest in the evening, but tonight had been something else. Ishra had barely been off his feet since lunch-time had ended, and only now after hours of labour he found himself a place to rest, just outside the back door. Serving the Merira's was something he did with pride, and he did not spite the lady Ahti for the day's toils. In fact the truth could not be further from, as he was happy that Ahti had found herself someone to dine with. It was the first guest she'd had in... well, ever!

He lit his pipe, and took in a long and contented breath. He only had so much time to relax before it would be time to clean up, so he would enjoy this moment while it lasted.

The sound of some shuffling nearby drew his attention, and he pulled his pipe away from his lip.

"Is someone there," he asked, smoke rising out from his mouth.

When the only response he received was silence, his attention returned to his pipe.


Ta-ei had just finished wiping off the counters when she heard and odd clinking sound from just outside the back door. She untied her apron and made her way to the partially propped door, reaching for the handle to push it open. She stuck her head outside, and cast a glance one way and then the other.

"Ishra," she called, her voice carrying only so far.

Her eyes looked around some more, eventually falling to the ground and upon something partially covered in sand. She swung the door open and approached the object, kneeling down to pick it up. The porcelain white of it contrasted with her olive skin, and immediately she knew what it was. She grabbed it up frantically, and looked around with the same haste.

She turned to the open door to see someone there, waiting for her.

 
Ahti turned to face him, her hand gently draped across his own, where it lay gently on her shoulder. It had been meant as nothing more than a gesture of comfort, but the look that now raised to meet his own, the breathy voice in which her voice reached his ears... That strange feeling in the back of his mind that he'd repressed reared its head again as he gazed down at her beauty with eyes of azure.

The smallest of smiles pulled at his lips as though they were a puppet on strings, and Len felt his fingers trailing slowly down the smooth flesh of her arm, his own voice lowering as though speaking some secret none could know but her. "Perhaps then, we should keep following those whims, Ahti..."

The turmoil, stress, worry and pressure that bore down on this ambitious young woman's soul was as heavy as they beast they'd rode into Ragash atop of. If Len had not encountered her when he did, The Grand Terios wondered how long it would have been before more attempts at her life was made.

That such a burning soul would be callously ripped from this world was a crime, but not it was his duty to shoulder that weight with her, to be bastion of safety and support that she could lean herself against in times of trial.

The hand that slid down her arm now took her own, hanging at her side.

"I wish to see wherever they may lead us."

Ahti Merira
 
  • Smug
Reactions: Ahti Merira
At first there was a curiosity in her eyes, departing from his own gaze to one of his features and then the next, noting each of them, committing them to memory. She seemed almost lost in his countenance for a time, even somewhat unaware of his hand now gently caressing the length of her arm, ignorant of the goosebumps that began to rise. That was until his voice rose up like a low melody which brought her eyes sharply to his with a silent gasp.

Her eyes moved between his, and her shoulders began to rise and fall as her breath became somewhat more shaky, and for the first time she revealed the weakness in her, and a sorrow momentarily flashed in her eyes before they snapped shut. Her face turned from him, and she drew in a breath to help steady herself.

Though to him she seemed perturbed, the truth of it was that when he took her hand in his she felt a safety she'd not felt since her parents had been torn away.

Without looking up at him, she stepped forward to close what little gap remained between them and laid her head against his chest, reaching up with her free hand to place it just there as well.

"Len...I hope-"

Just then, some hollering broke out somewhere within the estate, and was abruptly silenced.

She pulled away from him in a panic, "what was that?"


Sanda's lifeless body dropped to the ground. She'd tried her best to alert the rest of the estate that something was wrong, but little more than some panicked shouts were all she could manage.

Even still, the assassin knew that it had been more than enough to raise the alarm. He moved quickly, obviously familiar with the estate's layout, and well informed as to where the Lady Ahti would be found...

 
It wasn't clear what Ahti was thinking as her eyes almost drunkenly scanned over every feature of his face, her expression soft, vulnerable, and yet unreadable. B-taa found that aspect of her unrelentingly alluring, the mystery of not knowing exactly what she thought, unlike so many leaders he'd met in the past, with desires and opinions painted all over their faces because of their egos.

Then it cracked-- That iron facade that hid her innermost thoughts from him dropped for a fraction of a second, and in an effort to hide what lie behind her eyes, she turned away.

But it had been enough. Len knew the pain, sadness, and loneliness she was suffering. More than that, he saw the hope she felt in him. It was, admittedly, a heavy burden to bear, but it was a hope he wished for her to grasp and never let go.

for a fraction of a second, Len wondered if perhaps he'd pushed her too far, looked too deeply into the emerald recesses set in her face. "Lady Ahti..." It had not been his intention to stir the feelings that ran so deeply within her.

Perhaps though, the emotions he was stirring were not the ones he'd feared. Ahti turned once more, falling into his chest as his arms rose instinctively to catch her, the warmth of her body against his foreign, dangerous, and thrilling. He wrapped her in his tight embrace, his head tilting down towards hers, closer and closer as she began to murmur something...

"Len...I hope-"

A sharp cry, and then abrupt silence broke the spell the pair of them had begun to fall under.

The expression on Len's face shifted immediately from that of soft wonderment and affection to the hardened steel of a warrior. His brows creased, pupils dilated, and lips tightened. As Ahti pulled away from him, he maintained the grip he held on her wrist.

"We've visitors. No doubt looking to finish the job they started with your family." Len stated plainly, as though it were nothing to fret over. Looking back towards his Lady, he gently pulls her along as he moves back inside from the balcony, his head darting to scan the emtpy, dim dining room for threats, before closing the door behind them. "No sense leaving you vulnerable to ranged weaponry. Now, listen to me."

The white-suited man turned to face her, his gaze that of steel as he brought his hands up to her shoulders. Paramount was that she remained calm, that she did not allow panic to take her.

She was not alone this time.

"It's likely they already know where you are. They won't waste time clearing every room." That the screams seemed to be coming from beneath them indicated the kitchen was the entry point; an odd choice unless they expected her to be dining. Len leaned forward, one hand dropping to his hip and pulling a dagger from it, holding it by the blade and offering Ahti the handle. "You should stay here, while I tend to our guests. Moving around will only make you easier to trap."

Len had only one dagger of his own to defend himself with, but what little remained of The Arts within him would make do for mere assassins, he hoped. "I will return shortly, Lady Ahti." With that, B-taa spun and drew the remaining dagger, raising a booted foot and kicking the large dining table onto its side to provide some manner of protection. That, and the crash of the remaining dishware atop it would further attract their aggressors.

Then, before Ahti's very eyes, he would seem to vanish into the dimly lit air before her.
 
  • Wonder
Reactions: Ahti Merira
As the events began to unfold she couldn't help the anxiety that was all too quick to well up in her chest and bring her breath short. She hardly even registered the things that were done in said from where she stood at the balcony to where she stood now, dagger in her hand. She tried to call Len's name but her voice failed her, and before she could manage another try he was gone. But nearly as quickly as he vanished, there were others who rushed in to her side. They were but a pair of hand-maidens, unarmed and a tither, but a welcome sight regardless.


Whoever had become so inspired to bring an end to the Merira family had certainly no intentions on failing. Stalking through the halls were a half a dozen men, cloaked and armed with a variety of weapons most favoured by the guileful sort such as assassins. And though Len, wherever he now found himself, might at first appear to be outnumbered, before long there were enough of the estate's guardsmen drawing near as to even the odds.

The guards themselves were a diligent sort, and not exactly sure of how these attackers gained entry to the grounds. But it was no secret that their home was guarded by far fewer swords than one would initially expect. The Meriras of the past had always been a pacifistic sort, and despite their wealth they always sought to portray themselves as ones trusting of the people around them. But in these changing times it was now more apparent than ever that they could not afford to portray themselves in any kind of way other than ready. So long they lived out the night.

Despite the skill of the guards, which was true, it was not long before two of them fell to what seemed like moving shadows before they ever had a change to join with Len. As far as assassins went, they too were of great skill.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back