Bending Fate [M] [Goblin]

[Juno]

He listened to what she had to say with interest. From what limited knowledge he had of plants he couldn't deny that she seemed correct. She must have learned it from somewhere, and why would anyone even lie about such a thing if they wanted to? Still, he was still having trouble grasping how such a, to him, large family survived let alone lived comfortably with such a thing for most of their income. He truly had been living his own life for too long, he was far out of touch with what a common family could live on as he was too accustomed to more vain people trying to claw their way into his lifestyle or always needing money for something or another. "Believe me, Petal, I've done more than my fair share of hard work in my life," he replied, a bit offended at her blind accusations.

"I am neither fragile nor averse to getting my hands dirty," Akakios continued with a frown. "No matter who I hire or what I have done for me, someone has to pick up the slack when the weaklings or liars quit their posts or attempt to sabotage me. I am very comfortable doing what needs to be done, and I am well-rewarded for it with my success.

"If you think hunting for your flowers and plants is the only hard work there is to be had in the world, you are sorely mistaken," he said, more disappointed than anything that she seemed like such a jealous person to him.

[GoblinFae]

Ladybird shook her head and sighed. "I am not out to demean the work you do. Frankly I have neither the knowledge nor truly the interest in knowing what it is either. If you have taken offense in the belief that I accuse you of not knowing difficult work then I retract my statement. I simply mean that I find it rather difficult to believe that someone as well-off physically and financially as you would willingly indulge in work that involved being elbow-deep in manure. I mean, my own sisters hate it for heaven's sake and personally I'm not too thrilled about needing to do it either but as I'm sure as a businessman you would know, you do what needs to be done to get the job done."

She took a deep breath to not only calm herself but also to regain her bearings from giving such a speech. It was not her normal habit to be telling other people their business but there was just something about this nobleman that got under her skin and made her want claw him back out form his happy little niche. What she failed to notice though in her small, private moment was a bush up ahead quivered with a bit more force than the current breeze was capable of.

[Juno]

He unknowingly twisted up his face at the idea of being "elbow-deep in manure". That was something he could certainly say he'd never done in his entire existence. "Well, no, not manure," he began, unsure if she might understand his own definition if that was her standard for hard work. "I am rarely away from my work, in any facet of my life. I hardly ever step away from it because there's almost always something that needs to be done.

"True, I may not do such physical work as you might, but I'm always writing, frequently travel, and still make arrangements within my household and my more local contacts. There are many people and conversations to coordinate, and there is a lot of responsibility and pressure that rides upon my shoulders. There is not a thing that goes on in my business that I don't know about. Not a thing, and I work very hard to keep everything in line and in order, Peta-" His ranting was cut off sharply and he bit the inside of his cheek as his stallion suddenly lurched his shoulders up in surprise as a couple of shadowed figures ran out towards him.

Instinctively, the horse slowed and moved himself to keep between the mare and the figures on the ground as he grunted and huffed his warnings. Throwing his weight around in a show, his rider was thrown off balance and left scrambling to hold onto the animal's dark mane as he muttered obscenities about being surprised in such a way when he himself could not see what was causing the problem. "What's the matter with you?" he snapped at him sharply, trying to calm him and gain control in his seat once more.

[GoblinFae]

The woman nodded her head in understanding. It was as she assumed; he knew the art of business but not that of the blood, sweat, tears that came from physical labor. She respected what he said but still felt that of the two of them, she had worked harder to get where she was. Ladybird highly doubted Akakios ever had to make the kinds of sacrifices she did in order to further business. There just was no way he had given up things like his social life or extravagant purchases. Yet, every month she had to way the pros and cons of her purchases and determine what was practical or frivolous.

She was just as startled as he though as his stallion suddenly pitched forward before moving to stand between her own mare and the road ahead. Instinctively her own hand relaxed on her horse's reigns for fear of the animal likewise startling and accidentally hurting herself.

Below her Sabra danced anxiously. Her nostrils flared slightly and head tossed about with ears pressed flat as if she knew something foreboding her rider did not. Ladybird tried to soothe the mares nerves by running a comforting hand along the creature's long neck but it did little save to cause an ear to flicker slightly. Grumpily, Sabra tried to nip at the stallion's flank while turning off to the side so that she could eye the dirt road in both directions.

The shopkeeper was just about to open her mouth and admonish Akakios for his grumblings when the bushes rustled moments before a body sprang out of them towards mare and rider alike. Sabra squealed and backed up quickly until her hindquarters bumped into those of the stallion. Ladybird on the other hand did the first thing that came to her mind when the figure continued to lunge at them; she kicked him right in the head. In an instant the man dropped like a rock falling in front of Sabra with a dusty thud.

[Juno]

The brushing of teeth against his skin only did to irritate the stallion to the point of squealing in protest at the mare. Thrashing his head about, he tried to appear as large and menacing as possible as Akakios tried to calm his usually extremely quiet horse while peering ahead at the figure standing in the road. Just as he was getting a clearer look at the human he was rocked to the side roughly as the mare backed into his own mount and caused him to sidestep harshly. "Easy, girl!" he hissed irritatedly as he put some space between the two horses for fear of his prized horse becoming injured.

Looking back to the person ahead, though, he heard the sharp crack of shoe connecting with bone and the quick thud that followed as the other, previously unnoticed person fell to the ground. Staring in disbelief as his horse startled yet again, Akakios grumbled and yanked him to face forward with the intention of confronting the other person but he was met with a gradually shrinking silhouette as they fled the scene.

Grumpy now from this disturbance in their travels, Akakios slackened the reins and quickly dismounted to confront the seemingly immobile lump. Grabbing the young man up by his collar, the vampire scowled down at him in disgust and shook him some in frustration. "Who are you?" he demanded angrily, not wanting to wait for this likely injured man to gain his bearings. "And what do you think you're doing? You realize this is private, owned property, don't you?"

[GoblinFae]

Ladybird continued to try and soothe the mares nerves, whispering gentle words of comfort while keeping a watchful eye on both the assailant and Akakios alike. Meanwhile, the waspish form of the now apparent adolescent male groaned as he was bodily lifted off the ground.

He winced and raised a hand to his brow, whimpering and whining as his fingers came away streaked red. "Damn horse kick-ed me," he complained, oblivious to the way the woman's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in displeasure.

"I know that voice," she muttered trying to place a name to the figure before her.

"Com'on gov'nor ev'ryone knows this belongs to the city. You canna take a road from me! I'll have you froggy-march-ed for this I will! Don't you know who I am? Unhand me you-you-cockapee!"

[Juno]

Ignoring his complaint of injury, Akakios glared down at him for his ridiculous squawking. "I don't care who you are, and I don't care about what the damn city says about a road that's on my personal land," he growled, certain he had some filthy squatter on his hands that had been leeching  his resources for who knows how long.

"What's your name?" he demanded again, irritated with his time-wasting as he continued bitterly, "If I knew who you were and you had some importance or purpose here I would have already recognized you."

[GoblinFae]

Before the boy could respond, Ladybird interjected with an angry utterance. "Goddfrey Marshalton what do you think you're doing?" she admonished, glaring down sternly at the young man who tried to shrink and cower away from the shadowed figure, silhouetted by the moon.

"See at least the chit knows my name? What kind of man are you that you don't knowa it?"

"Is that how you talk to your mother young man?" she growled, dismounting from her horse's back and moving to stand in front of the men. "Shall I tell her of her son's poor behavior? What do you think you're doing? Don't you talk back to me, now!"

Goddfrey stared at her flabbergasted, mouth hung open, unable to get a word in edgewise with the way she was carrying on. "You're going to get someone killed with this tomfoolery," she continued. "Most likely yourself for that matter. Perhaps though that kick to the head will have knocked some sense into you! I certainly hope so as I would hate to see your mother broken over how her son sits in the city jail for highway robbery and murder."

As she tried to catch her breath, chest rising and falling in a rapid rhythm, the boy finally took his chance to get a word in. However, once he caught sight of the woman's face before him, he paled further and unconsciously pressed back into Akakios in an attempt to hide.

"Please Missy Petal, donna go tellin' my Ma. You know she has a bad heart. She'da die if she just knew."

"Well maybe you should have thought of that before you scared good people just minding their own business!" Ladybird growled, her hands in fists at her sides. She continued to glare at Goddfrey while she thought of how to handle this situation.

[Juno]

Akakios scowled at him as Petal took the reins for this situation, something he hadn't expected at all from her. It was clear to him after a few moments that she knew him somehow, especially with how harsh she was being, though accurate to what his actions might have counted for.

Surprised that he would turn his back on him in fear of the woman before them, Akakios simply watched in amazement as the young man cowered and pleaded with her. Noticing how worked up she was getting, though, he swiftly guided him around the other side of his horse and pushed him off towards the road ahead. "Get off my land," he told him grumpily.

"You're disturbing the lady, which is hardly an appropriate thing to do in the middle of the night. Go home and don't bother us again. Tell your cowardly friend the same. I don't care who any of you are, just go," he insisted, snatching up the reins of the stallion as he watched the boy scramble on down the road before he turned to face Petal with a frown.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, looking her up and down.

[GoblinFae]

"Yes, yes," she informed him distractedly, her eyes still trained after the disappearing figure. "I don't believe him! Her mother would be so ashamed if she found out. But then she would also tan his hide raw too for that matter." Ladybird sighed and shook her head, finally turning to look at Akakios.

"You said there was another? Did you see his face? I would've liked to tell him off too had he stuck around, I'll tell you. Some of these boys are such," the woman grumbled and let out an exasperated sound of frustration. "Adolescent heebie-jeepbies, is what it is. One of these days though they're going to get themselves killed. It just isn't right. No it just isn't Akakios," she informed him with a sad shake of her head.

[Juno]

"I didn't see, no, though he looked around the same height...and age," he told her with a shrug as he observed how worked up she was about it all.

Trying not to laugh or even chuckle at the name she called them, Akakios cleared his throat and tried his best to look as concerned and affected as possible. "I take it you knew him well, then?" he asked, waving his hand in the direction the youth had taken off in. "If not, there's no need to be so concerned for him. He looked a grown enough man, he can live and die by his own decisions and choices," he continued with a huff.

"Shall we be on our way?" he asked shortly, unsure why he was taking his irritation out on her even as his reasoning assured him she was not to blame for this. Moving quickly to her side, he motioned to the horse and moved to try and help her back up into the saddle even as he knew she was fully capable of doing it herself.

[GoblinFae]

Ladybird sighed in exasperation and shook her head. "He's a little younger than my little sister. I've known him since he was a baby. I would hate to see him get in trouble; he is an otherwise very respectable young man you see. Hopefully tonight was enough to scare them both off their antics, at least until they find other ones," she amended, rolling her eyes at the idea.

Just now realizing how she was being herded back to Sabra, Ladybird gently slapped away the hands that were trying to assist her. "I can do this myself thank you. No need to concern yourself, I'm not a helpless wallflower." Unconsciously she shuddered at the term. She hated it more than any other name as it was often used in reference to her followed by laughter that her profession dealt with flowers as well.

"If you want to return home, I understand. I have a desire to visit his mother and ensure he actually made it home and isn't trying to get into more trouble. His actions tonight worry me and that kick I gave him was a bit more forceful than perhaps he deserved." Ladybird blushed as she tried to hide her face a bit in Sabra's mane, her fingers idly rubbing soothingly up and down the slender neck of the mare.

[Juno]

Akakios frowned and muttered to himself at her dismissal. "I wasn't trying to call you helpless or a wallflower," he protested quietly, waving it off in irritation and slight embarrassment as he turned to mount up once more. It seemed proof enough in his eyes that she was generally quite ungrateful and unappreciative of any kindness extended to her, and he wanted to remember it that way for the future. Not that he expected anything particularly great of some pleasure woman.

"I'll remain with you," he decided, quite irritated at the interruption and her rejection still. "He deserved every bit of it for his rudeness and trespassing," he told her bitterly as he nudged his horse forward. "Though I don't know why you're concerning yourself with him further. He startled the horses, he got hurt. That's his own fault."

[GoblinFae]

Her lips pursed tightly as she mounted up and listened to Akakios' bitter commentary. Sitting up straight in the saddle she finally turned her head to address him. "His mother happens to be one of my clients and was one of my father's before me. I cannot help but feel some responsibility given my part in these events even if it was not my fault he got himself into trouble. Looking after his well-being ensures against the lost of a client but also it is a common courtesy. Have you no compassion that you would not call upon a sick friend to see how they fare?"

[Juno]

Still irritated, Akakios watched her from the corner of his eye as she spoke. "Well, I suppose I understand your concern if it keeps your business thriving. Of course I would call upon any friend I knew to be ill, but I would not make it my business to ensure their safety and wellbeing if it is not necessary for me to do so, if I have no debt or responsibility to them.

"I suppose I don't see what responsibility you have to him other than care of the relationship... Though even that seems like something unworthy of pursuing with his foolishness. Where exactly do they live, then, just in town? Or further?"

[GoblinFae]

"Well I feel responsible she informed him emotionally. "And it's not just because of my business though I suppose that would be something you would understand. They are people that I know, people whose lives I have touched and been touched by. I care about them. I always will."

Ladybird held a concerned look upon her face as she tried to wrap her head around why he could not understand her feelings. "They live in town," she replied tiredly. "I would be much obliged if you would allow me to check on them. I'll go on foot if you wish to not tire out Sabra. You have been quite generous in allowing me her to ride tonight."

[Juno]

"I see," he finally sighed, feeling as though he could understand the principle behind her reasoning even though he felt he would not personally make the same choice. Her request was simple enough, but somehow it irritated him more than the clear disruption they'd just had. "We can go, but I'm starting to feel as though this trip was a waste," Akakios admitted.

"By the time we reach your relatives' home it might already be sunrise. Are you sure you don't just want to check on them some time tomorrow? Perhaps before we head back? It isn't a concern for Sabra, she needs the exercise, but more it's a disruption of our plans..."

[GoblinFae]

She bit her tongue to keep from saying the first angry thought that came to mind. Taking a deep breath she cautiously chose her following words. "It is not necessary that you come with me Akakios. I understand your desire to come with me however, I can take care of myself and your property. I would never do Sabra any harm. I just," Ladybird paused to lick her lips and rephrase what she was saying.

"I really feel that I need to do this. It is very important to me and I sorry that it is such a great inconvenience to you. Honestly the only plans I had for tonight were retiring for the night and then getting back up come morning to continue our meeting as was your wish."

[Juno]

"I trust you wouldn't harm her, but I will not be letting you out of my sight," he told her plainly. "I will keep my distance, if you wish, but I will be going along so I at least know where you've gone off to. It's hardly fair to have me waiting around in the dark for you to go do as you please after you all but dragged me from the comfort of my own home." It was far from true, he knew, but he felt it needed to be said and a point made.

"I don't want to prevent you, so feel free to go. I will simply follow."

[GoblinFae]

"I did no such thing!" she squawked back, appalled that he would accuse her of such a falsehood. "If you may recall you insisted on coming with me even after I profusely protested the need. I still do not think it necessary that you come especially given the late hour I am not so sure how well my family will be at receiving an unexpected guest. Family is one thing but a guest is completely different. If you are so intent on not being dragged any further from your home then you can take Sabra back with you and I will travel on foot. I do not have to deal with your attitude just for the sake of sparing my feet the travel. They are quite accustomed to the journey and I will do it myself if I must!"