Fae Courts Life, Freedom, and Revelry

[The Brothers Vitae]

A slight pivot on his heel brought Wulren's blade to bear against Luella's first slash, the clang of steel ringing sharply through the air. She was powerful, that much he could feel in the way his bones rattled from the shock absorbed from his blade. Still, a straight attack, even with speed and strength, was nothing for him to fear. Every attack found itself hitting the barrier of Wulren's blade as though a wall had formed between the pair. "You've been practicing, lass," Wulren grunted as their blades collided once more, this time above his head. "But have you had experience?"

Finally deciding to give the fight she asked for, Wulren changed his style. Rather than allow her blade to bounce off his own and start another attack, the lord of war stepped into the strike, locking his blade against hers. Though his right hand, which stood near his cross guard, hardly moved, his left by the pommel pulled up, forcing the two blades into a lowered position. So many of his foes had believed that the blade was the sole weapon in such a fight. In truth, it was the combatant's entire body, something Wulren was reminding, or perhaps even teaching Luella as he attempted to drive his armored shoulder into her chest with lunging step.

Luella Balsinde

The approach of the siblings brought an increased upturn to Rerreno's lips and his eyes seemed to glow at their compliments. "The pleasure is all mine to hear that such lovely ladies are enjoying the festivities that we have to offer," he assured, offering the pair a slight bow. As he rose back up, he finished what little wine remained in his glass, quite happy with the promise of another. "You're far too kind, lady Lusce." Watching for a moment as Sybil left for the bar, the master of words returned his attention to the younger sister. "Please forgive my manners, but I don't believe we've been introduced. Lord Rerreno, Master of Diplomacy of the Brothers Vitae, the triumvirate heads of the Vitae Court. Though, I will admit that what members we've had before now have left for busier fields, leaving my brothers and I to our own devices."

The fiery hair of the duo and the elder sister at least were things that were familiar to him, though admittedly, the recognition had taken the few seconds that were mercifully given as they approached. Rerreno and his brothers were old, and their court had been out of the game for quite some time. Well into their twentieth millennium, the brothers had long left the autumn court when Signe was born and he doubted that his brothers, being less connected with their fellow fae than he, would have had nearly as much luck in identifying the sisters.

Siobhan Lusce Signe Lusce

"I am aware of such a creature," Varos stated, watching the illusion on Olyssa's with a hint of glee. "Quite the cautionary tale, indeed." Watching the wooden skinned fae try his luck, Varos offered an approving smile at the skillful throw. Certainly not the center, but fairly close when the steel met the wood. In response however, the Master of Shadows flicked his wrist, hurling his own weapon through the air. With three turns in the air, it would thunk solidly in the middle of the bullseye, millennia of practice on display for the observers around them. While he had no intention of stealing coin from the participants all night, Varos couldn't quite help but drop by and show off a little bit.

"Back in my hunting days, it was always funny to watch the look of surprise as I dropped in front of the quarry chased out by Wulren, or chased them through the tightest of brambles." A dark light momentarily found his eyes as he remembered the olden days. It wasn't the fear that he quite enjoyed from such a time, but rather the test of skills that he had passed time and time again.

Olyssa

 

[Olyssa]

Olyssa gave a soft noise of approval as the blade sunk into the centre of the target. A few fae who had gathered to watch and place bets glanced over to the pair with a touch of surprise. Varos had thrown from a good meter further back than the other fae and several people clapped politely before bleeding back into the crowds. Clearly, nobody thought it was worth challenging their host.

"I'm not much of a hunter," she admitted, stepping forward to run her fingers over the blades on offer to use. She picked up a much daintier blade and let it dance between her knuckles. "At least not in the same way as you, I am guessing," she traced her steps back to his side and closed one eye, her head tilting to one side as she judged the distance and the circle she was aiming for. Archery was her preferred method when she did hunt but she wasn't opposed to a blade. It was just always a little messier than an arrow. With a flick of her wrist she threw and the blade bit into the target on the black rim of the inner circle. She sighed.

"Usually when I am hunting for something my aim is to study it alive."

* * *

The Brothers Vitae​

 

[Raphael]

Raphael could almost hear Sid's criticisms of the pair as they duelled. His brother in all but blood played the goofball for the most part and had a laid back, carefree attitude he envied but at the core of it Sid knew what he was talking about. Of course, as a Lesser Fae he wasn't listened to half so much as the warriors higher up the food chain but he had been raised in an army camp alongside Raphael and they both knew what it was to live by the sword.

He tossed a few bits of corn into his mouth as he watched the back and forth between the two. Their speed and finesse made them rival dancers as they swept back and forth to the song of steel and blood. It was only the glint of silver that made him take a second glance at the figure that passed him to take a chair a few booths over from his own. One of Midir's Hounds if he was placing her face correctly.

If she glanced his way he would raised his cup in a silent hello as he had seen normal fae do when they had spotted a fellow courtier before looking back to the match with interest.

* * *

Samara Khalid​

 

[Jago Rhys]

Jago knew he was pissing Casimir off, but it's not like the little runt would anything about it. Not against him at least. His lip curled up in a half smile, revealing his longer than average canine. Casimir made it so easy for them to toss around, it's not like he couldn't take some of Sluagh on if he wanted. He was a quick little shit after all.

He gripped the back of Casimir's neck tightly, not giving him any room to move or escape out of his iron grip. "You'll fight if I say you fight. Won't you Cas?" He leaned in as he spoke, his deep voice a dangerous hot whisper in Casamir's ear. He dared him to argue, if he wasn't careful, he'd end up in the arena as Jago's chew toy. Not that Jago wasn't already considering it.

Casimir Bielke

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara did indeed look in the direction of Raphael and he raised his cup as a greeting. Samara, being Samara, took that as an open invitation to be social and she gracefully stood and moved closer to him. She came to the seat next to him and smiled sweetly as she lowered herself down. Her black hair and coal lined eyes contrasted with the bright sparkle of her silver eyes.

“Hi,” she said cheerily without giving him a chance to respond before she continued. “I know who you are, but we have never actually officially met. I am Samara Khalid, The Huntress of the Sluagh.”

She was trying really hard to not come off too strong, but it was a serious problem when she wanted to be social and be friends with someone. She did not have the problem with many of her fellow Hounds since most of them annoyed her with their constant power struggles.

Raphael seemed like he needed friends though.

Raphael

 

[Raphael]

Ah. He supposed that was what happened 7 out of 10 times a fae had made that gesture to another. He had just expected to have been in the category of people where it didn't happen after all, not many fae liked his presence. Certainly only two fae ever actually sought him out out of enjoyment of his company. This was all rather new and unorthodox and he found himself folding his wings closer to his sides as she beelined her way over to his booth. Sure enough she plopped herself down and begun almost instantly to talk.

What had he done.

Raphael's hand slowly stopped gathering corn to eat and he gave her a long side-on look that one might give a viper.

"I know who you are," he said coldly then turned his attention back to the pit, popping another mouthful of food into his mouth.

* * *

Samara Khalid​

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara could tell when she was not welcome, unfortunately for Raphael she did not take no as an answer. It actually made her more determined when she was told no. She was like a dog with a bone, quite literally.

She looked back at the fight and watched Luella in silence for a few minutes. She needed to compose herself and remind herself that not everyone liked her perkiness. "I am sorry, I tend to get excited about meeting new people. I cannot help it."

She took a drink from the sweet liquid that she had picked up and still had no idea what it was. At least it was good, she thought. "What brought you out to the gathering tonight?" Her voice held a more normal register now.

It was clear that Raphael was not the social type and yet he chose to come here. She really was genuinely curious.

Raphael

 

[Sivan]

Casimir had tried wiggling his way out of Jago’s strong grip, unfortunately, his harness often hindered this process— which was why it was on him in the first place. His instinct always told him to run, and this magical harness prevented him from doing just that. With a sputtering breath, Cas shook his head rather defiantly.

“I’m n-not going d-down there,” Cas said as firmly as he could, yet his voice betrayed him, stuttering and turning meek at the end of his sentence. Yet, he kept up with the facade, crossing his arms over his damp chest. “Why don’t you go d-d-down there by yourself, since you l-like f… fighting s-so much.” Cas muttered under his breath. Really, despite him disliking Jago, Cas couldn’t deny his fighting capabilities and the fact that Jago had this… bloodlust that Cas couldn’t quite understand. Seeing Jago take on someone in the arena would actually be a sight to see, Cas would stick around for that even if knew Jago would win.

Jago Rhys

 

[Zaire]

The change in her feature’s was subtle. The seriousness didn’t leave her eyes, but unnervingly, the slightest hint of the faintest smile appeared on her lips. There was a reason why she had trained so hard for centuries to wield a claymore in one hand. It was all for deception, her family’s speciality.

Her sword was useless in the current position unless she decided to use two hands, yet that wouldn’t be favorable. Luella had learned over and over how men always used their mass against smaller opponents and was never surprised when they tried such tricks on women. When Wulren lunged, it was the perfect opportunity for her to begin fighting earnestly.

Instead of avoiding his shoulder, when he began to bring one foot forward, she used her strong legs to catapult herself towards him with her right hand reaching out. Most fae men had long hair, which allowed her to use that for grip, but Wulren had short hair. So instead her right hand caressed up the back of his head. There was a brief millisecond that her face was nearly equal to his. If it weren’t for the bloodlust in her lavender eyes, it looked like she was going in for a kiss. Swiftly, Luella forced his head to dive down towards hers with explosive might.

The echoing crack that echoed around the arena when Luella speared her forehead against Wulren’s covered the gasp of pain as his shoulder did collide into her abdomen. She had prepared for such a thing by flexing her stomach, but she still was pushed away from him. Both hands went to the hilt of her sword as his force had her skidding away from him, dust kicking up everywhere. Blood dripped onto the ground between Luella’s feet when she stopped.

The skin on her fair brow had split open, blood sliding down between her eyes, yet that faint smile remained. “Have I had experience?” Luella mocked, raising her sword to point at Wulren. “Have the last 1,000 years of philandering with mortals made you forget how to address a Lady?” Luella asked, stepping towards him as both hands held tightly onto her hilt. “I’m no ‘lass,’ you may address me as Lady Luella, or else I’m going to have start calling you ‘old man.’” She raised her sword above her head as she spoke, dashing towards him. She couldn’t stand there after insulting him.

The Brothers Vitae

 

[Jago Rhys]

Jago almost couldn't believe the words that Casimir was spitting out. Defiance? To him? How dare he even think he can get away with such a thing. Weak as the attempt was, it was still an attempt and it would not go unchecked.

Jago snarled in the smaller fae's ear, softly, dangerously. "Do you really think you get to tell me no? Do you really think that's the best move for you right now? You've already managed to piss me off twice, and you're really going to try my patience a third time?"

Jago grabbed Casimir by the collar of his shirt and yanked him back. He was about to throw him to the dirt, ready to punish the sorry excuse for a sluagh member when he was interrupted...angering him all the more.

Casimir Bielke

 

[Astrid Bielke]

Astrid had been looking for her older brother all night. She had assumed she see him inside, but that seemed to not be the case. She meandered through the crowds, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

She went outside, the clash of fighting jarring to her ears. She scanned the crowd, her soft blue eyes catching sight of some familiar figures. They first alighted on Samara, a Hound She actually didn't mind. As she continued to scan the crowd for her brother another figure she definitely recognized came into view. Jago.

In the towering Hound's clutches, she found her brother. "Not again." He was always getting into trouble with The Spear of the Sluagh. Constantly running into him at the worst of times. She sighed and headed in the direction of her brother.

She slid between the two with a graceful ease, planting herself firmly between Jago and Casimir. "Jago, I see you found my brother for me. Don't you think punishing him at home instead would be better? Then at least you can still enjoy the fight? Let me take him off your hands, I'll make sure he doesn't bother you."

She plucked Casimir from Jago's grasp before he could even agree. She grabbed Casimir's hand and began pulling him through the crowd. "Let's get you cleaned up, you smell like a whole barrel of liquor." She turned back to give her big brother a radiant smile. "Why'd you go and piss him off anyways?"

Casimir Bielke

 

[Raphael]

There was a collective "Oooooh" as Wulren slammed into the slender Luella sending her sliding back several feet. Dust kicked up around her heels and a few spectators scooted to the edge of their seats or stood up entirely to try and crane for a better view. Once the ground settled though the damage didn't look nearly so bad as it might have been considering who she was fighting. Raphael tucked the information away for another day.

"Hm?" He'd almost forgotten he had someone sharing his booth and glanced to her with surprise. "Oh. My brothers said I didn't socialise enough," he turned back to the fighting without seeming to understand the irony in practically ignoring the first and only person who had approached him that evening. As far as he was concerned, he had fulfilled his brothers' wishes by simply leaving the palace with someone other than them.

* * *

Samara Khalid​

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara was one of the spectators that had stood to make sure Luella was not seriously injured. Once she saw that she was fine and her lips were moving, she settled back into her seat. Samara liked Luella, even if the surly woman only grudgingly put up with her. She frowned just now realizing she always wanted to be friends with the difficult ones.

"Your brothers seem to be correct. Just coming to a place with people does not count as socializing. It is merely being there. Socializing means being social. Being social means talking to others, being nice, making friends." Basically, everything she was trying to do.

She was silent again and sipped her drink. The silence only stretched about a minute before she started talking again, "Listen, I deal with assholes everyday, I just want to talk to someone who is not a bullying, egotistical, asshole for once. You do not seem like any of those things." She pulled out a long rectangle wrapped in paper from her pocket - dresses with pockets were the best - and started to open it. "Do you like chocolate?"

Raphael

 

[Sio Lusce]

Siobhan narrowed her eyes as Signe excused herself to fetch them another drink. At least she was disappearing for a reason. Signe was most definitely the more social of the two and now she was alone with a man she did not know.

The brother then introduced himself with the longest title she had ever heard on a person before. Siobhan smiled and nodded her head at Lord Rerreno before speaking in turn. “I am Siobhan Lusce and I do not think I have any fancy titles,” leave it to Siobhan to be the diplomatic one.

There was a reason she had 215 years before she was allowed out in public. She was not refined and polished like her older sister. She had the grace of a newborn doe most of the time which is why she would never be caught dead in heels.

She smiled awkwardly and looked around the room, “What made you want to come back to the Court politics?” She had no idea if that was a good question or not. She was lost without Signe by her side.

The Brothers Vitae Signe Lusce

 

[Sivan]

Casimir looked down at the arena, seeing blood and shuddered. Oh no, he did not want to go down there. He wondered what was worse: Jago or fighting in the arena. At least he knew what he was getting with Jago. But, what would he get in the arena? Someone as massive as Wulren? Or someone like the blonde who had decided to smash her head into a bigger opponent’s? Casimir would never do such a thing.

“Astrid!” Cas couldn’t help but give puppy dog eyes to his little sister who had thankfully come to his rescue. If he had a tail he would be wagging it. And just as how she always did and was always able to do, she saved home yet again from Jago’s sharp clutches. If Cas was ballsy enough then he would’ve been flipping the black shuck off. He wasn’t though.

“I don’t purposely go and piss him off,” Cas interjected with a huff, giving a loving little squeeze to his little sister’s hand. “I tripped and then bumped into him so he got mad… and then he wanted me to get him a drink, but you know he’s big so I brought him a bottle because I thought that would keep him busier for longer.” Cas sighed, glancing over his damp appearance. He did stink like a barrel of bourbon. “But that upset him and he poured it all over me. I want a long, hot bath. With lots of bubbles.” Cas said dreamily, looking up to the sky and already picturing the comfort. He would need one anyways after Jago kicked him around when they got home.

Cas brought him and Astrid to a bathroom, both of them slipping inside. Some fae might have thought other activities were happening, failing to catch the familial appearance between the two cwn annwn. Once inside, Cas peeled off his dirty shirt, wrinkling his nose as his bare skin pricked the moment the cool air touched the wetness on him. He began squeezing the booze out of his nice linen shirt, shaking his head.

“I should have never left your side, Astrid,” Cas said with a slight smile. He never stuttered around his sister, she was always his safe place. “What should I do with my hair?” He asked her.

Astrid Bielke

 

[Raphael]

Raphael paused with the popcorn halfway to his lips as she started reprimanded him.

She was right, of course. He had known that his brothers would also agree with her and be giving him their own lectures for sitting alone when there were hundreds of fae dancing, talking, laughing. But that just wasn't him. In a way he welcomed the whispers and the stares that came with his job title. If people didn't want to come near him, if people were scared of him, then he could keep them at arms length much easier. He walked a path of shadows and there was no sense in taking others with him.

She snagged his curiosity with what she produced from her pockets and he finally looked at her properly. Then at the chocolate.

"I've never had chocolate before," he admitted slowly, awkwardly.

* * *

Samara Khalid​

 

[Signe Lusce]

Signe had most definitely left her sister’s side to force her to socialize with the host of the party. Besides, she would be back soon, as soon as she figured out where the bar was…. Directions to places was not her forte, and despite asking three fae where to head to, she somehow got lost and distracted and wandered here and there until she finally came to the bar. A journey that had taken her 5 minutes and yet when she looked over her shoulder she could see her sister and Rerreno just a few meters away.

“Can I get… uhm,” Signe murmured, lost in thought as she looked over the bar. Wine or hard liquor? Well, Sio liked wine, didn’t she? Signe then burst into a smile, wine it was, if only to make little Sio more comfortable! What a great big sister she was. “May I get 3 glasses of a fruity red, please?” She asked the bartender with her best smile. It didn’t take long for her to get what she asked for. Letting two glasses rest between fingers on one hand while carrying the single glass in one, Signe began making her way back to Siobhan and Lord Rerreno.

“Here’s the drinks!” She chimed, handing Lord Rerreno his first as was custom to do in the Night Court. She then gave Siobhan’s hers. “It’s a Cabernet I think? The bartender told me… but I’ve already forgot. It should be a bit fruity though.” Signe paused her blabbering to take a sip of the wine, and instantly her eyes popped open as if it was one of the best things she ever drank. “Oh, wow, isn’t this delicious? Don’t you like it Siobhan? You do taste the cherry notes, but it’s not bitter or too sweet, I think it’s perfect!” She then brought her viridian gaze to Rerreno. “I’m going to have to get the name of this one, it’s a delightful red, I’m jealous that you have access to such a delight!”

Siobhan Lusce The Brothers Vitae

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara looked at him in mock horror as she broke off a square of the semi-sweet dark chocolate and held it out to him. "It is my favorite sweet in the entire world!" She said with enthusiasm as she broke off another square for herself. For some reason it did not surprise her that Raphael had never had chocolate before. He did not seem like the sweets type.

Samara could eat sweets all day, everyday and be content with life. It was a little pleasure that she usually kept hidden in her rooms for easy access. She took a bite of her piece of chocolate and smiled with genuine happiness. She looked at Raphael with anticipation. She needed to know what he thought. If he liked it, she would find a way to bring him chocolate whenever she could. He seemed like he needed some happiness in his life.

 

[The Brothers Vitae]

The crashing of skulls brought a pained grunt from Wulren's lips as he staggered back. For a brief moment, his vision blurred and his blade wavered before him, thought he tip remained warily pointed in Luella's direction. While far from disabling, the attack was a nice reminder of why he preferred to wear a helm into combat. Her first few words were lost to the warrior as his mind reoriented itself, but he did manage to catch enough to understand the message.

"I'm not old, lass," he growled, a smirk touching his lips. For all his teasing of the woman, there was a definite respect in the undertone of his voice. "I'm ancient." His stance shifted and his blade moved in front of his face as he prepared for her charge. Lifting to the balls of his feet, he remained otherwise still, watching for where her blade would come down. This time as their blades clashed, there was a definite change in tactic. Where before he had blocked with a static defense, rebuffing her attacks as a solid wall, there was now a yield to his weapon. Aiming to deflect Luella's blade to her left, his back foot swept around to pivot his body, bringing Wulren to her right side while his blade swirled out in a fluid motion, partly propelled by the force of her strike, to offer a retaliating slash at her back and shoulder. He was done testing the woman. It was time to show off his own skills.
Luella Balsinde


"The titles I have offered are merely those that are relevant to the circumstances," Rerreno mused. "I'm sure you will gain your own as time moves forward. Stars know that my collection has taken some time to accumulate." The younger sister's question brought an approving look from the lord as he looked up to briefly observe the festivities. It was certainly a fair question and one on the minds of many. "The world is changing. We can feel it in our bones. Varos sees it through his warlock. Wulren and I hear it in the prayers offered to us. The world is being born anew, and we hope to play a part in it."

Signe's arrival was a welcome one and he nodded his thanks as he took the offered drink. Letting the eldest speak her mind, he simply sipped at the drink, enjoying the flavors that danced over his tongue. Each note she mentioned was one that he himself could taste, though a few thousand more years of experience allowed him to get some of the more hidden notes that lay within. "Delicious it is, but a cabernet it most certainly is not," he corrected. He took another sip, closing his eyes as he studied the taste. He'd tried the selection before the party, but remembering each name and their origins took some effort, particularly when it came to to he later wines that he had tasted.

Thankfully, this was one of the first he had tried and while he would need to ensure that his bartender was not making such dire mistakes in wine type as Signe's words suggested, he was at least comforted that he had chosen a perfect taste for the guest. "A Pinot Noir of Elbion. You'd need to take a bit of a trip to get it from the source. Of course, our halls are now open and I'm happy to share a drink with those that can appreciate it."
Siobhan Lusce Signe Lusce


"Doubtful, though admittedly, much of the hunting I do nowadays is far less literal. Rather than chasing those that have angered me or my brothers, I prefer to track down ancient scripts and sources of knowledge. I leave the more dirty work to my warlock." He watched as she prepared to make her throw, remaining silent as he waited for the result. "Not a bad shot. Certainly enough to get you out of a tight spot." Despite the praise, it was Varos' hand that reached out to take the pot of betted gold. Still, he wasn't so heartless as to not recognize that much had been collected by the work of his competition. With this in mind, Olyssa would find herself in possession of at least half of the gold that she had earned before his arrival.

"Have you had any recent discoveries?" Having sated his pride, he turned his attention from the game to the beast master, his dark eyes gleaming with curiosity. The wilds shared by the Autumn and Vitae Courts were teeming with such an abundance of creatures that even he wouldn't be surprised if there lived something that he had not yet seen.

 

[Sio Lusce]

Siobhan was mercifully saved by the arrival of her older sister. Signe had purposely left her to force her to be more social and Siobhan did not appreciate it. She was not the social butterfly of the family. She was the silent planner who wanted to cause chaos and make others miserable.

Siobhan took the wine and immediately took a long drink of it. It was good, she had to admit. However, she was unable to get a word in with Signe around so she just nodded at the question of if she liked it. She did let out a low chuckle when Lord Rerreno corrected Signe. It was not often that Signe was wrong about something.

“We appreciate your hospitality beyond your party, Lord Rerreno. My sister is definitely the most social of our family and she likes to make friends. She would easily defeat anyone if the fighting ring was one of social skills.” She playfully elbowed her sister and smiled as she took another drink. “It really is delicious.”

The Brothers Vitae Signe Lusce

 

[Signe Lusce]

Signe was happily drinking the wine, too fast in all honestly, but when Rerreno talked, she tilted her head up towards him, smiling brightly despite her green eyes being vacuous. Where the heck was Elbion? Was that a place? Maybe it was in Summer Court? Or Dawn court? It sounded exotic at the very least, so it couldn’t be in Night court or Winter court. Elbion didn’t sound cold enough to her. She took another sip. Luckily, while she had spaced out, Siobhan took over and was polite and elegant and perfect. She beamed at her little sister with much pride and joy. And Sio had complimented her too! What a lovely party this was.

“Well, whether it’s Cabernet or Pinot Noir or whatever else red wines are called, this is now my new favorite.” She announced and promptly finished her glass. “But I can’t have more than one,” she said, a sullen expression falling upon her face. “I could never hold my liquor very well, and I also don’t like to eat before parties, so two glasses make me a mess.” She said all of this with intent seriousness. “I already talk a lot enough as it is, but even I’m even the slightest bit tipsy then I really can’t stop. And, speaking of stopping,” Signe said, once more brightening up, “why did you and your brothers stop interacting with us for a thousand years?” By us, Signe meant fae in general, but usually her mouth formed words faster than her brain could keep up with.

The Brothers Vitae Siobhan Lusce

 

[Zaire]

Luella’s gaze narrowed once more, understanding the disrespect Wulren had placed once again upon her name, calling her lass for a third time. A part of her wondered if it was because she was a Balsinde, a name that once resembled “strong” but had sank down to mean “unworthy.” She wanted to win, she had to, and so that smile stayed on her face. Especially when Wulren forgot she was left handed— clashing his sword against her raised sword did indeed make it go left, and so she let her sword curve diagonally down to the left of her. She matched his pivot, bending more with her knees and went left instead of right. Using two hands to grip the hilt of her claymore, she followed through with the flow of the swing; arcing the blade upwards to block.

“When you go to strike me put more effort into it!” She shouted, the last three words undulating into a fierce, thunderous battle cry, a complete contrast to her smooth voice moments before. When it came to upper body strength, Wulren was the winner, and so Luella couldn’t afford to hesitate since she already needed both arms to support her sword while in a bind with him. Her strongest asset were her legs, and so she directed a front kick to his abdomen in tandem with pushing up with her sword to push him away from her.

The Brothers Vitae

 

[Raphael]

Raphael stared at the piece of chocolate as though it were a snake he didn't know where was venomous or not. The Autumn Court might not have been the worst Court to live in but when it was lived in by fae, a species that lived for hundreds if not thousands of years, the level to which they would stoop to play a game or a prank was lower than any mortal would consider unless the intention was murder. Seeming to reach the decision it might be worth the risk as the other woman had eaten some herself he took it and slowly put it in his mouth.

The puca had had 'sweet' things in the past but nothing like this. Deep and rich he couldn't help but close his eyes as he savoured it, letting it melt on his tongue to draw out the process.

"This is... Incredible."

* * *

Samara Khalid​

 

[Olyssa]

Olyssa weighed up the gold in her hand as he passed it back to her. It wasn't as if she needed it. The Erlking was generous with pay even to the lesser fae. The notion of justice and balance that ruled their ruler ensured wages were the same depending on job title regardless of race or gender. Of course, a girl could always use more but she preferred to earn or win it off her own merit. After a small hesitation she offered it back to him with a shake of that forest-green hair.

"Thank you, but you won fair enough," her lips curled into a half smile before considering his next question with a hint of wariness. She could talk about the beasts that roamed this world for hours if anyone let her but people didn't often find it interesting. At least, not interesting enough to talk about it for any length of time and the last thing she wanted to do was start to only be shut down. It had happened enough times to make her guarded about talking of a thing she loved more than anything else.

"A few in the last hundred years... But I am sure it is not a subject that would interest one of the Brothers," she smiled faintly and almost... sadly.

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara smiled smugly as Raphael closed his eyes and savored the chocolate. It had yet to let her down when she was trying to make friends. "It really is!" She broke off another square and held it out to him. "You can do so much with it too. All kinds of desserts, drinks, so much!" It was clear she loved chocolate.

"Can we try this again, perhaps? Hi, I am a Samara. What brings you to the party tonight?" Her tone was slow like she was approaching a dog that she did not want to get skittish and run away.

Raphael