Post by Arielle (Ivy Clark) on Mar 5, 2011 15:53:54 GMT -8
February 26, 2011
Approximately 8:00 pm
Los Angeles, California
The house was quiet, and too large to feel so empty. Elaine kept glancing around at every little sound, expecting to find someone knocking on the door to her bedroom. A few weeks in an inhabited freehold had made her used to the company of others again.
Queen Aeron wanted her wayward Countess to come with her on a tour of the Washington counties. The Queen had been displeased at Elaine’s report on the events surrounding Duchess O’Brien’s death, as much as Elaine had tried to keep the tone positive. As it was Carnival there was every excuse to go visiting.
Elaine was of two minds on returning to Seattle. She liked the place, but its motley collection of fae were… trying at best. She had found that even the ones that annoyed her were often competent, but Lenka was far too lax with them. They needed to be molded into a more cohesive group, a fighting force to defend their territory. She was sure Lenka was working on it in his way, in his time, but the itch to interfere had grown too great; hence her decision to go report to the Queen. And now the flightly little woman wanted Elaine to travel with her. She wasn’t sure if she was honored or not.
Elaine finished dressing and, as she was grabbing her last few things, heard the front door definitely open and close. She went downstairs warily, and sighed a breath of relief on merely seeing her husband, David, coming in the door.
He looked up the stairs at her and frowned. “You’re home. I haven’t seen you.”
“I’ve been busy.” Elaine shrugged and came down the stairs. “Where have you been?”
“Out.” David eyed her. “So… did you have fun with your friend?”
The question wasn’t exactly casual and it likely wasn’t meant to be. David Grey was a Silver Fang Ragabash, proud as any of his tribe and questioning as any of his auspice. He knew her better than anyone living. They’d been friends, once. Never lovers, but friends. Why had all their plans, the marriage that would save them both from other commitments they didn’t want to make, gone so terribly wrong?
“It was… interesting. Not fun, exactly. I have to go out, I’m afraid, it’s Carnival. The Queen wants me to attend her while we go visiting. But after, maybe we can have dinner together?” Elaine smiled, trying to break past whatever gulf was between them.
“Maybe. I…” David was cut off as Elaine’s cell phone rang. He looked at it pointedly.
Sighing, Elaine answered. Helen DuMond was on the other end. The Count was missing, again. Was he down there in California?
Elaine’s heart sank as she answered in the negative. Lenka missing again? Helen’s voice was worried, and perhaps the young butterfly would be worried over a minor matter, but Elaine thought it serious.
When she hung up she was pondering just what to tell the Queen. Let her find out on her own? Let her know now? The woman was flighty and naïve; Elaine hardly spared a moment for the thought that she herself was barely older than her Queen.
Something on her face must have tipped David off. “Is there trouble?”
Elaine sighed, and without thinking, said, “Lenka’s missing again. His people are worried.”
Her husband’s face went cold. “You’re afraid for him.” It wasn’t a question, and David knew what true fear meant to a Fiona. There was an accusation in his eyes, too: You wouldn’t be afraid for me. He’d never speak the words, but they hung there in the air.
“David, I… I’m sorry. I have to go. The Queen wants me, and the Seattle folk may need me. I have a duty…”
“Yes, of course. A duty to your people.”
Elaine just gaped at him. She wanted to scream at him to be a Ragabash, to tease her and poke at her and be his normal self, but she knew this was just as effective. For some time now she’d been drifting away from the Garou. She was choosing the fae over her duty to the nation; had chosen to go visit a lover from another life rather than try to consummate her marriage so she might at least bear children of proper breeding. She wanted to hit him for knowing her so well. For being right.
Instead, she just shook her head. “I’m sorry, David. I have to… I have to go.”
She collected her coat and brushed by him on her way out the door. He could have stopped her; could have shifted and kept her right there. He didn’t. He just watched as she walked out and left him behind.
Approximately 8:00 pm
Los Angeles, California
The house was quiet, and too large to feel so empty. Elaine kept glancing around at every little sound, expecting to find someone knocking on the door to her bedroom. A few weeks in an inhabited freehold had made her used to the company of others again.
Queen Aeron wanted her wayward Countess to come with her on a tour of the Washington counties. The Queen had been displeased at Elaine’s report on the events surrounding Duchess O’Brien’s death, as much as Elaine had tried to keep the tone positive. As it was Carnival there was every excuse to go visiting.
Elaine was of two minds on returning to Seattle. She liked the place, but its motley collection of fae were… trying at best. She had found that even the ones that annoyed her were often competent, but Lenka was far too lax with them. They needed to be molded into a more cohesive group, a fighting force to defend their territory. She was sure Lenka was working on it in his way, in his time, but the itch to interfere had grown too great; hence her decision to go report to the Queen. And now the flightly little woman wanted Elaine to travel with her. She wasn’t sure if she was honored or not.
Elaine finished dressing and, as she was grabbing her last few things, heard the front door definitely open and close. She went downstairs warily, and sighed a breath of relief on merely seeing her husband, David, coming in the door.
He looked up the stairs at her and frowned. “You’re home. I haven’t seen you.”
“I’ve been busy.” Elaine shrugged and came down the stairs. “Where have you been?”
“Out.” David eyed her. “So… did you have fun with your friend?”
The question wasn’t exactly casual and it likely wasn’t meant to be. David Grey was a Silver Fang Ragabash, proud as any of his tribe and questioning as any of his auspice. He knew her better than anyone living. They’d been friends, once. Never lovers, but friends. Why had all their plans, the marriage that would save them both from other commitments they didn’t want to make, gone so terribly wrong?
“It was… interesting. Not fun, exactly. I have to go out, I’m afraid, it’s Carnival. The Queen wants me to attend her while we go visiting. But after, maybe we can have dinner together?” Elaine smiled, trying to break past whatever gulf was between them.
“Maybe. I…” David was cut off as Elaine’s cell phone rang. He looked at it pointedly.
Sighing, Elaine answered. Helen DuMond was on the other end. The Count was missing, again. Was he down there in California?
Elaine’s heart sank as she answered in the negative. Lenka missing again? Helen’s voice was worried, and perhaps the young butterfly would be worried over a minor matter, but Elaine thought it serious.
When she hung up she was pondering just what to tell the Queen. Let her find out on her own? Let her know now? The woman was flighty and naïve; Elaine hardly spared a moment for the thought that she herself was barely older than her Queen.
Something on her face must have tipped David off. “Is there trouble?”
Elaine sighed, and without thinking, said, “Lenka’s missing again. His people are worried.”
Her husband’s face went cold. “You’re afraid for him.” It wasn’t a question, and David knew what true fear meant to a Fiona. There was an accusation in his eyes, too: You wouldn’t be afraid for me. He’d never speak the words, but they hung there in the air.
“David, I… I’m sorry. I have to go. The Queen wants me, and the Seattle folk may need me. I have a duty…”
“Yes, of course. A duty to your people.”
Elaine just gaped at him. She wanted to scream at him to be a Ragabash, to tease her and poke at her and be his normal self, but she knew this was just as effective. For some time now she’d been drifting away from the Garou. She was choosing the fae over her duty to the nation; had chosen to go visit a lover from another life rather than try to consummate her marriage so she might at least bear children of proper breeding. She wanted to hit him for knowing her so well. For being right.
Instead, she just shook her head. “I’m sorry, David. I have to… I have to go.”
She collected her coat and brushed by him on her way out the door. He could have stopped her; could have shifted and kept her right there. He didn’t. He just watched as she walked out and left him behind.