Fae Courts Life, Freedom, and Revelry

[Astrid Bielke]

Astrid smiled at the gentle squeeze Cas gave her hand as the weaved through the crowd. She really did love her older brother. Despite Jago's size and aggression, he could be worked around if you knew how to do it.

Every once in a while, she found herself at the brunt of his mercy. She chose that though, taking punishment from her brother and placing it upon herself. Cas always seemed to rub the black shuck the wrong way no matter what he did.

"Oh my sweet brother, what am I going to do with you? You know that no matter what, he's going to find a way to abuse you. Out of all the people you had to run into him" She sighed softly as he pulled her into the bathroom.

Astrid watched Casimir take off his shirt, and she frowned as he began to wring the fabric out. He always put a lot of thought into his clothing, she knew he was more upset about that than anything else. She grabbed a pitcher of water as he asked about his hair. She pulled him over to the basin and gestured for him to put his head down while she ran water through his hair.

"Let's try and get you as freshend up as possible, so we can go have some real fun. We'll stay far away from the arena so we don't cross him again." She finished with his hair and grabbed for a towel, handing it to him with a grin.

Casimir Bielke

 

[Raphael]

Raphael frowned and when he opened his eyes looked at her in utter confusion. What did she mean start again? He already knew who she was and she knew who he was if she spent any time in the Court. He eyed up the chocolate instead and thought about the pros of just re-answering her question if it got him more.

"Raphael," he even attempted a smile though it was as stiff as a board and looked foreign to his features as though he was merely copying what he had seen other people do but had never had a reason to smile himself. "And I don't get a chance to... get out much," he shrugged and glanced back towards the fighting which was continuing on.

"Yourself?" he'd noted the other Shucks he had seen at the party but then Shucks had never been able to resist free alcohol or food.

 

[Jago Rhys]

Jago was annoyed, he'd had his plaything jerked out from underneath him. Both of the siblings would see his wrath brought upon them back at home, he would make sure of it.

He watched dismissively at the two fighting. It had started to really heat up, and he flexed his back at thought of being in the arena himself at one point tonight.

Jago scanned the crowd once more. He was towering and exuded a tangibly dangerous aura. No one would approach him, that much was certain. He curled his lip in a sneer as he caught site of Samara trying to befriend Raphael. Perfect.

He danced through the throng if people absorbed in the combat. His footing always precise and sure. He approached the two, bending to stoop in front of Samara. "Making friends are we? You're such a good puppy, aren't you?" He ruffled her hair and smiled, though the smile did not reach his eyes.

He turned his head to Raphael and nodded to him, straightening back up as his golden eyes narrowed. Raphael was a strange one to him, but his goal was to annoy Samara so it did not matter.

Raphael Samara Khalid

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara looked at Raphael as he tried so hard to smile and she appreciated the effort. She was not going to force more out of him right now. "Being social with people who aren't the Hounds I deal with on a daily basis," she paused before continuing. "Also, free food and free drinks, of course." She was rather easy to please when it came to what she needed in order to leave the Autumn Court.

Raphael did not have a chance to reply before Jago Rhys came over. Samara growled as he approached. She really disliked him and when they were not actually working, they were at each others throats. They had been in several fights at this point and she was still not strong enough to beat him. It had become her life mission.

Her eyes narrowed and her whole attitude changed as he spoke to her like a child. She growled again as he ruffled her hair. "Go away, Jago. Isn't your play thing here somewhere?" She looked over at Raphael with an apology in her eyes. She would love to be anywhere other than right here at this current moment.

Raphael Samara Khalid

 

[Sivan]

Cas sighed. He was just unlucky whenever it came to Jago, as if it were some twisted joke by the universe, some higher being getting joy in forcing Cas to be bullied. He stopped wringing out his shirt and aired it out to the best of his abilities. It was stained, but hopefully with some elbow grease and determination he’d be able to get it out. He looked over at Astrid as she held up the pitcher and nodded his head. He leaned himself over the sink, not wanting to get water on the floor. He tilted his head quite low into the basin and shivered gently as the water washed over his soft blonde hair. The stink of bourbon filled his nostrils, seeing the water being a tainted by the liquor and looking like a soft amber as it rolled down to the basin before disappearing from sight.

“Thanks, Astrid,” Cas said again, his tone a bit sullen if only because he was remembering his encounter with Jago ago, and all the other hundred before that. “We gotta stay away from Jago, when we get home he’s going to be extra pissed… so,” he said, standing straight after using his fingers to brush through his damp hair and shaking his head in the basin. His pale blond hair was a bit messy so he fixed it in the looking glass, at least now it looked like it was purposely supposed to be messy. He then pulled his shirt back over his head. “We gotta have as much fun as we can now before we face hell later tonight.” He said with a grin, once again grabbing her hand as they left the bathroom room. “Drinks now or later?” He asked her.

Astrid Bielke

 

[Astrid Bielke]

Astrid hated that Casimir was always the butt of the shuck's abuse. All of then targeted her brother, and it was undeserved. He was such a sweet and kind fae, one of the best she knew. Perhaps she was biased, but she did look up to her brother as an example of how a true and noble fae should be. She could see past his fear, and she hoped he would grow to stand tall one day.

As Casimir thanked her, she embraced her brother and patted his cheek gently. "You know I'm always here for you. Especially now that you don't stink." She grinned as she teased him. She was never malicious, even in her jests it was in good fun.

He adjusted his hair and she waited patiently until he was comfortable with how he looked. "Look, I'll take care of Jago tonight. Don't you worry about it. Just stay out of sight, okay?" He grabbed her hand and she beamed at his playful grin. Finally the Cas she knew was emerging.

"Definitely drinks, I haven't even had one yet because I lost you right away. I want to dance and drink and forget those brooding Hounds for a while!" She pulled him along, making sure he stuck with her this time. The drink table awaited, and she was ready for it.

They approached the bar, it was laden with pre-made drinks, as well as the tenders that made to order. She grabbed two glasses of unknown liquor and passed one to Casimir with a glint of a mischievous look in her eyes.

Casimir Bielke

 

[Sivan]

Cas always felt a bit of shame that his young sister always felt the need to protect him, but she had always been the braver one. Even though he did rub off on her a little bit. But that was only natural of siblings, was it not? He chuckled a bit at her joke, taking no offense to it whatsoever.

“I agree, we drink now, dance tipsy, get more drinks and then walk home drunk,” he said rather gleefully, and took the glass she handed him. Curiously, he sniffed it, and then examined the drink. It was pretty, with three layers, purple at the bottom, a reddish-pink in the middle and then orange on top. Playfully he clinked his glass against Astrid’s. “Chug it?” He suggested, almost mischievously as if chugging something would be considered naughty and he’d get reprimanded for it. Without hesitation, Cas downed the drink in quite a considerable amount of time. He took their empty glasses and placed them back on the bar counter, with a bartender swiftly taking them to clean. He debated about making getting another, but despite the drink being so pretty, Cas could taste the potency of the liquor.

“Okay,” Cas said, “i think this’ll hit us in ten minutes so it’s off we go to the dance floor.” Since he was a bit taller than Astrid, he led them through the throng of people, saying sorry consistently if he even almost bumped into someone. “Sorry, sorry, coming through, sorry, excuse me, sorry.” Was rolling off his tongue on repeat until he made it to the center with Astrid still at his side. He didn’t hesitate to swoop her up into a playful spin, even tipping her back and using his own momentum to go into another circle. At least one of things the “soft cwn annwn” were good at was dancing.

Astrid Bielke

 

[Raphael]

Whatever tiny little crack in Raphael's frosty walls Samara had broken with her olive branch of chocolate Jargo's appearance soon mended them. The puca narrowed his amber eyes at the other Shuck as he ruffled the woman's hair and spoke. He had seen friends or siblings behave in a similar manner before - Sid routinely liked to do it to Lorcan - but this had the hint of malice behind it and the secret keeper didn't like it. Oozing black tendrils of darkness begun to appear about his feet and the shadows in their tiny corner seemed to darken and grow.

Fears were a funny thing. Everybody had them no matter how deeply buried and it was his curse to see them, use them. He despised his work but right now perhaps he wouldn't mind it too much. Not with Samara looking at him in that way as though she wished to be anywhere else.

"This is a private conversation," he said in a voice like a razors blade edge.

 

[The Brothers Vitae]

"As the social one of my brothers, I believe that its fair to say your sister as as happy to have you here as we are. While its quite nice enjoy the company of a stranger, doing so with a more familiar face can make such an experience far more delightful," Rerreno purred. The differences between the pair were not lost on him, and he was quite happy to stand between the juxtaposition.

The weakness of Signe's liver brought a sympathetic frown from the lord who took a moment to peer into his glass. "I don't envy your fate, my dear. While inebriation can bring delights, its far more fun to build towards it." Her question however caused him to peer back up. Once more, a fair question had been asked and it took him a fair moment to think upon his answer. "Busy I suppose. Managing a mortal race can sometimes be busy work. Over time, I suppose we simply decided to narrow our focus to make life a bit easier."

Siobhan Lusce Signe Lusce


Wulren snarled in the woman's face as she whipped around, crashing their blades together. It was a clever trick and one he would have expected from his brother. Still, it was effective and he couldn't fault her for that. Her kick came a bit unexpected, but unlike his head, his torso was heavily armored, the gleaming plate protecting against the brunt of the attack.

While unharmed, the warrior did find himself forced back by the combined efforts of her leg and arms to shove him away. Stepping into a stable stance, Wulren swirled his blade flourishing it before himself before taking a new guided stance. With his blade pointed down to the side, he locked his eyes on hers, his smile returning to replace a fierce expression. "I'll give you the effort you desire, Lady Balsinde. Rest assured, you've earned it through your confidence alone."

Luella Balsinde


Varos rose a brow as the coin was returned to him. For a moment, he considered insisting that she keep it. Still, his time among his more diplomatic brother had taught him that pride was not a thing that one should take lightly among his own kind. "Very well. Though, I must say that your display until my arrival does entitle you to some favor."

Olyssa's next comment caused that raised brow to fall and knit with its pair. It was a heartbreaking thing to see the fire of one's passion so diminished, extinguished by those that didn't appreciate the knowledge of the world beyond their own specialties. "Miss Olyssa, we of the Vitae court exist because we created life within these lands. Such raw power leaks out into the world and creates some of the world's most unique beasts right here in our own home." He did his best to offer a reassuring smile, hoping to show that cryptic and lonesome as he often was, Varos wasn't bereft of empathy. "If there is a place you should feel free to speak of your knowledge, it is here."

 

[Olyssa]

Olyssa seemed to wring her hands without even realising it as he spoke.

She wanted nothing more than to confide in a kindred spirit some of the creatures she had discovered right here on their doorstep, especially when - as he rightly pointed out - it was in part due to this Court. But when you had your love for something chipped away at, mocked, even sneered at, it was hard to find the confidence to speak of it. Especially in front of a ruler. Oh Midir always found what she had discovered fascinating but he was a busy fae with more important things to do.

"W-well..." her wings gave a nervous tremor before she took a breath and took a chance. "There are a few creatures quite near here actually. There's a winged creature with crystallised gem spikes that run down its back and seem to store water in them, like the camels of the desert, but they can use that water with their own magick. Then there's an odd beast that lives amongst the rock pools to the East of here. At first I thought it might be a new sub-species of the dragon but my investigations actually suggest it's closer related to a crocodile and a stag - but it eats only moss!" As she had gone on her voice had grown a little more confident and a fire began to burn deep within those blue depths of her eyes, melting the icy thaw. "Oh and one of my favourites is this new little fungus that seems to have developed a conscious and act like seahorses, that live in the swamps."

 

[Sio Lusce]

Siobhan stared at her sister with a look of pure awe. It always amazed her that this woman could string so many words into such a short amount of time. “She is my best friend,” Siobhan told Rerreno with a genuine smile. “I am not sure how I would survive my first party outside of the Night Court without her.”

Siobhan sipped her wine while the two spoke. She did not have the issue that her sister had. She had a high tolerance for alcohol and could outdrink most of her much older siblings. Saang being one of the ones that she had yet to best.

“Excuse my ignorance, but did you just say managing a mortal race?” If Siobhan was being honest, she did not know much about these brothers or this Court.

The Brothers Vitae Signe Lusce

 

[Signe Lusce]

Nothing made her perk up more with Siobhan’s comment about being her best friend. Of course Saang was the favorite brother of all the sisters, even if he were their only brother, but when another said you were their best friend? Well that meant something! And considering how Sio and Signe were opposites in quite a few things, it was a compliment. She tipped her head to the side, her full attention on Lord Rerreno.

“Mortal race… like humans?” She questioned further. “Or maybe hybrids? By managing do you mean you can create them or other things like that?” Signe’s eyes sparkled, curious little creations coming up in her mind. She had no suck great magick, everything with her seemed rather basic, which was fine as she didn’t plan on going off and changing the world, but she was quite interested in what others always seemed to be able to do— especially if these things were quite grand. “Can you morph things together? Like maybe a duck and a turtle?”

Siobhan Lusce The Brothers Vitae

 

[Jago Rhys]

Jago chuckled at Samara's reaction, his deep baritone voice reverberating in his chest. She was easy to rile, and it seemed he had touched a nerve already. He flashed his teeth in a fierce smile as he towered over her.

They had their fair share of scraps, but the hulking monstrosity that he was always prevailed. It brought him inexplicable pleasure to rub her nose in the dirt every time. "He escaped my clutches for now, what don't you want to talk to your cousin?" He chuckled again, only pausing when Raphael stepped in.

He turned to the secret keeper, golden eyes flashing with annoyance. If he had been in wolf form, one would have seen his hair bristling, a snarl escaping him. He was not, however. Though he did not back down from a fight, he did not want this to get back to the Erlking.

He turned back to Samara, his voice a low growl. "Enjoy your time here puppy, while you can." He put his hands in his pockets as he glared at her with a look that meant later. He walked away, he'll bent on destruction with the next fae that dare get in his way. He was tired of the party. It was time to go home and wait for the siblings to make their return as well.

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara watched the black tendrils of darkness start to gather around Raphael’s feet and she was mesmerized by it. She had never seen anything like it. His voice was so sharp as he told Jago that this was a private conversation. She was so grateful for Raphael right now; he had no idea.

It seemed to work, though, and Jago left them alone but not before issues a threat – a promise – of later. He would try to make her pay for embarrassing him and she would have to defend herself again. One day, she thought, one day she would beat him.

Once he was gone, Samara turned to Raphael and gave him a small smile. “Thank you and sorry about that. He is the bully of the Sluagh and he is determined to make everyone around him miserable.” She looked down and studied her hands. She was embarrassed now. She had shown her weakness in front of someone else and it irked her.

“Where were we?” She asked, changing her tone to one that was a little lighter. She also broke off another square of chocolate and held it out to him.

Raphael

 

[Raphael]

Raphael's eyes didn't leave Jago as the shuck smothered a snarl. Behind him to the fear manipulators eyes a dark wolf snarled and bristled though what that could mean for what this Shuck's fears were Raphael could only guess at. As he turned and stalked off into the crowd his eyes tracked him until he couldn't tell him apart from the hundred other shoulders and heads that bobbed in the distance. The darkness had spread as his mind wandered and now almost encased the pair in a sphere of the darkest, deepest shade of black.

"You should tell Vaer," he said and then with effort dragged his eyes from the crowds back to the woman at his side. With some effort he tried to inject a bit of warmth back into his steely voice and begun to peel back the shadows once more. The offer of chocolate helped to pull the darkness back to his own skin at least and he took the square with a slight smile. "Or I could show you how to slit his throat," he had intended it as a joke but his anger still rode him and turned it into quite the serious suggestion.

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara was still in awe of Raphaels power even as it had started to retreat back within him to wait for its next release. She raised an eye and took a drink from her wine contemplating his words. She was not trying to start conflict within the Sluagh. They worked well enough together when it came time to get to business.

"No, it's fine. It's my battle to win. In my years here, we have fought quite a few times. He always wins, but someday I will turn the tables on him." Someday, indeed.

She took another drink and choked on it when he offered to show her how to slit Jago's throat. She studied his face and she could tell he was serious. Was this how truth-seekers made friends? She smiled with a hint of amusement, "I just need to work on beating him and then I can rip his throat out with my teeth." She grimaced, realizing how that sounded, but she was a Black Shuck after all.

She abruptly closed the chocolate packet and held it out to Raphael, "you can have the rest. I have more at home." Samara turned back to the fight for a few minutes and then spoke again without looking at him, "what are your plans the rest of the evening?"

Raphael

 

[Zaire]

Luella’s brows that had been narrowed for the majority of the match finally released some of the tension from her bro, the dried blood on her forehead beginning to crust and break apart from the displacement of her surly expression turning a bit softer. He called her lady Balisinde, and she couldn’t ignore the rush of pride that surged through her. It nearly reinvigorated her, which was perhaps she grinned.

“Then you should be able to keep up with this,” She warned him, that warmth of pride still coursing through her. The air around them stilled for a moment, Luella taking a deep breath and once more launched herself into Wulren’s midst, her sword poised to strike— but not in a swing, as a stab. She planned on remaining on the offensive.

Luella was a whirlwind of slashes, stabs and swings, incorporating lots of footwork that involved her stepping forward, to the side, bending low and even completing pivoting spins that forced both her sword and Wulren’s to dance in a whistling flurry. At the breakneck pace Luella was creating, the whistling of their swords reverberated with incredible power, even with Wulren slipping back while Luella was mixing push and draw cuts to keep him engaged. She didn’t care if a lot of her attacks were hitting the air or being parried back, she was being methodical in this even if it looked like she was just attacking just because. She would get close enough sooner or later.

The Brothers Vitae

 

[Raphael]

Raphael took the offered gift with the upmost care as though he were afraid he would somehow break it - or scare her. He was not used to fae smiling and being friendly. They shircked and avoided him for the most part and when they were in his company it was usually never for a good reason. He frowned as he realised he had nothing to give her in return. Gifts held meaning after all, especially amongst fae, and now he found himself in a position where he owed her something.

"Just... to watch the fight," he commented and begun to slowly unwrap the rest of the bar, breaking off a tiny piece to reverently put in his mouth and savour. The rest he put away for the moments he needed reminding of kindness.

"I'm afraid I'm not the best company," he grimaced.

 

[The Brothers Vitae]

Olyssa's descriptions found themselves without a moment of inattention as Varos watched her explain every creature. The larger ones, he was quite familiar with, though the fungus was something he had yet to see on his travels through the woods surrounding his home. "I will need to take some time to peer into the swamp then. I prefer the more wooded areas and I prefer my water in clear pools, but the chance to discover something new may certainly be worth the trip."

His eyes darted for a moment to a passing servant who he called over with a whistle, happy to snatch one of the drinks they carried upon a platter. "Among my favorites is the Arrakit. Its a small vulpine creature, and it looks harmless enough, but its spores can have a variety of effects. Some of the Zorrens have actually taken to using them as pets."

Olyssa

Rerreno stood silently as he withstood the barrage of questions coming from the sisters... or sister. Sipping at his drink, he smiled at the meandering mind of Signe, simply waiting to see where she ended up. "Duckles... No, my dear, I'm afraid your first answer was far closer to the mark." Lifting his hand, Rerreno, uttered a small incantation. Then, with glittering lights coalescing together, a scene would appear, that which many fae were familiar with, at least in story. The wild hunt as it rode on, taking mortals and evicting them from their attachment to the mortal coil.

"My brothers and I were once members of the Wild hunt. We removed mortals and fae alike who the king believed to be problematic to the balance of our worlds. Over time however, we saw something else, a plague on the world that we realized a yearly hunt could do nothing to inhibit." The scene in his hand changed rapidly. Slavery, murder, treason, each one was depicted by shimmering actors. "The mortal realm was sick. And the fae were often no better. So we decided to do something about it. We would handle the fae. But we needed someone to handle the mortals."

Now, standing in his hand was a set of mortals, each standing beside a canine creature, and surrounding them, three figures, easily seen as the bothers and a few more who bore the marks of fae. "So we made some deals, called some favors, found some subjects and... altered them." The mortals and their beastial companions formed together, merging into a single being, a Zorren. "In the process, we linked ourselves to them. Their wills, their desires, and most importantly, their beliefs. Staying distant but ever present over the millennia, we've cultivated an idea that we, their creators, are gods. From their ideas, we can create truth. Surely, my brothers and I can die, we can be harmed, and if the other courts truly wished us destroyed, perhaps they could succeed." He chuckled softly and a dark look took his eyes as he closed his hand, breaking the illusion. "But even as we are now, three brothers in a single estate, the losses would be heavy. And sometimes to maintain our power, to ensure that we can continue our work, we must devote a bit of time to our mortals. Ensure that they stay true to their purpose and remember to believe in us."

Siobhan Lusce Signe Lusce


Wulren smiled at Luella's shift in stature as he steadied himself. A part of him wondered if he had miscalculated, but that was the fun of taunting and speaking with one's opponent. Sure his brothers were far more akin to works of the mind, but the warrior knew that there was something to be said about the thoughts of others, especially in combat.

Once more she charged and once more she was met with a blade that barely seemed to move from its original position, yet always seemed to be in her way. The wolf was grinning as he withstood the barrage, steadily moving back as he listened to the music of clanging leyron. Rerreno could have his ballrooms and bands. This was the symphony he lived for. "Aye, you've earned my effort, Lady Luella. But I said nothing 'bout a victory, lass," he growled over the din.

His blade dropped back into a low guard opening himself up for a horizontal swing. Of course, when she brought it, his blade would sweep up to crash into her, robbing the stroke of its momentum before twisting around the blade in a short horizontal cut towards her head. Being that it was a friendly match, Wulren did remember to give his blade an extra turn which would cause the flat to slap her cheek rather than the blade to cleave through it. Though, he wouldn't be surprised if she sustained a minor wound from the blow. In all, it was a bit of a risky play, especially considering how proper execution would put her weapon within inches of his head, but without the force to enact a cut, he felt safe enough to have it there for a brief moment.

Luella Balsinde

 

[Zaire]

Things seemed to be going well, at least in regards to the sword fight. This was the most challenging thing yet that Luella had tried to fight. And in all honesty, it should have been a good match for everyone to watch— this had gone on for quite some time, with both of them seeming to have the energy to go on for forever. This was pure skill, neither had tapped into magick, and neither had even tried some very dirty tricks, such as throwing dirt into each other’s eyes. The first trick never really worked on Luella who could who opt out of needing vision or hearing to fight if she chose to go that far.

But then, the first blunder happened, and an incredible one. He had dropped into a low guard, and Luella had taken that represent a horizontal swing, and so she poised her sword to go into a downward slash, planning that once he went to block it, she could kick him again. She was getting him rather close to the wall of the arena where she wanted to pin him and keep his movements confined to aid her in a victory.

And then she felt the strong force against her face. The issue with getting hit in the face was that you could never steel yourself for it. One could tighten their abdominals or their legs to reduce the impact, but your face was unable to do such a thing. She went flying, as should be expected considering Wulren’s strength and Luella’s size. If she had just been two second faster, her sword would have met the skin of Wulren’s exposed neck, right at the center of the trapezius.

The jolt of her head careening to her right, her feet losing their footing as Luella was pushed into the wall of the arena… well, that was what she had intended for Wulren but it seemed fate had decided otherwise. Her head hit the hard wall, with both sides of her face being bruised and in pain, and soon her body followed as she began sliding down to her knees. At the very least, she hadn’t let go of the claymore despite the force from Wulren’s sword and the force from the unshakeable wall. But now she coughed up blood, a ringing vibrating between her ears incessantly.

The impact from both the sword and the wall caused her to bite her tongue and even the inside of her cheek. She felt dizzy as she hung her mouth opened, saliva and blood drooling down onto her mint green dress. Her vision had blurred, being shaky, and with a pained gasp, Luella managed to stab the ground before her with the sword, placing both hands on the hilt and slowly began rising up to her knees, spitting out a wad of reddish goo to her side, a bit too close to Wulren’s foot. She heaved herself up. Her head felt so heavy.

“Unforgivable,” she whispered, blood still dripping from her mouth as she began raising her head up, her back slowly going back to be rim rod straight, looking towards Wulren’s mass and yet… her body swayed. And Wulren was a bunch of blurs and despite knowing he was just somewhere there. Luella felt blood dripping from her nose, adding to the crimson mess over her mouth, chin and even down her neck to the crevice of her chest. Her dress was most definitely ruined, good thing it wasn’t her favorite.

She had to use both of her hands to hold up the claymore, trying to steady it, trying not to sway. The tip wavered at Wulren, especially when Luella bent down to try and reclaim some semblance of balance back to her form. She squinted her lavender eyes at him as if that would make her see better, but it only obscured her vision even more. The arena was quiet, until Luella stepped forward shakily. She could faintly hear the jeers despite the ringing inside her head. Of course, the fight should be over, right? But maybe there was some way she could just… Luella spat more blood out, the red glob barely being felt over her numb tongue and swollen lips.

The Brothers Vitae

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara shrugged when he let her know he was not the best company. She had already figured that out. She chuckled at her own thoughts and tried to think of a safe, interesting topic to try to coax him out a bit more. She really didn't what to say though.

It was just then that Samara watched Luella get hit in the face by Wulrens sword. She watched her friend take the hit and she was on her feet with a low growl. Her knuckles were white as she gripped her wine glass with anger for her friend. Luella hit the arena wall and then slowly got up, spitting blood out.

There were jeers and boos as Lue pushed to her feet and Samara seemed to tune everything out to focus on her friend. "Get him, Lue!" She yelled and then turned to look at Raphael. "Sorry, yelling and growling was not very ladylike of me," she slowly sat back down and drank the rest of the wine. All of a sudden she was even more hyped up than she was two minutes ago. "Do you like to spar?" Her question was innocent, she was genuinely curious what he enjoyed in his spare time.

Raphael

 

[Astrid Bielke]

Astrid was ready to enjoy herself, she and Cas always got the brunt end of everything. It was tiring, and were she bigger, that tiny fire in her belly would make her snap at her tormentors. Unfortunately, she was not that brave. Instead, she tried to routinely step in and prevent her poor brother from humiliation and beatings when she could.

Astrid did not even examine the drink in her hand, she was too busy making sure Jago hadn't followed the through the crowd. At Casimir's words, she let a grin escape her. "I dunno Cas, you might have to carry me home." She giggled as he clinked his glass against hers and at his question, she nodded. Without a second of hesitation, she downed the glass and licked her lips. "Mm that was yummy!"

She too was tempted to grab another, but Cas was already pulling her into the crowd and onto the dance floor. She loved dancing with her older brother, he was amazing, even for the cwn annwn. He spin her lightly, giggles escaping her as he tipped her back. She was already feeling the liquor, giggles coming in waves. "Hey, I bet Jago can't dance to save his life. You've got him beat there."

Casimir Bielke

 

[Raphael]

Raphael winced as Luella went flying into the side of the arena. Samara wasn't the only one on her feet. All around the cage fae were pressed up against railings heckling and shouting. Black Shucks and Cwn Awn raised their hackles and snarled, goblins shrieked in glee and sidhe and duanann sipped at goblets whilst exchanging coins subtle beneath the table. The Puca merely shook his head with a quiet sigh; it was hardly surprising the Lord of War was winning. He doubted many would be able to best him.

"I do with my brothers," he said when she sat back down and motioned for one of the pixie who were serving drinks to come over. The tiny wisp of a woman with her mossy green skin and fully black eyes filled their glasses, bowed, and carried on through the crowds. "But it holds a certain edge for me... where I was... raised sparring was about survival not about fun," he grimaced at the memories but sipped his wine to cover it. If Samra knew anything about the Autumn Court puca she would know of their harsh and brutal society and the army camps they ran on the edge of the Spine.

 

[Olyssa]

Olyssa tilted her head then nodded it in a thoughtful manner.

"I suppose for the same reason some of the Dryads have started doing the same," she mused quietly and tucked the bit of information away for her books. It was always fascinating to explore how other groups of people used animals whether it was as pets or for a weaponised motive. As a staunch animal rights activist Olyssa also liked to keep a track so that she could step in if she didn't believe animals were being treated as they should. It wasn't that she was against animals having jobs or being domesticated - some thrived when in such a place - but she didn't agree with when an animal was forced into doing something it had no heart or soul for and was beaten when it, unsurprisingly, didn't do the job its master wanted.

"If... you're interested I could send you the book I'm working on," she said shyly and brushed a strand of green hair back from her face. "It would be nice to have input from someone else with an interest in the animals that live with us."

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara did not know his life story and she could see that the subject she had broached was not the best one for him. She grabbed her now refilled glass and took a long drink. She really was not going great with finding topics of conversation with the man.

Maybe she should just quit while she was ahead. She had given him chocolate and he had scared of Jago for her. Those both seemed like good starts. Samara instead fell back into the awkward silence between them and drank some more wine.

All of the inappropriate topics of conversation flashed through her mind with no issues. She saved those topics for another time and place however. A low chuckle escaped her as she imagined the look on Raphaels face if she asked the question she was thinking about. No, no, she would behave.

"So what do you enjoy doing in your free time?" She knew he was one to keep to himself but he had to take a break at some point. There had to be something he enjoyed doing besides being a broody loner...right?

Raphael