Lady and the Beast (M)

[visualspice]

Victoria stared at him soggily after he made his comment.
"My stomach is empty, my mind is reeling and I just put fine wine into it." she retorted.
Of course she wasn't going to hold her liquor!
But then as he moved to change, she gave a gasp.
"Mister Renqvist!" came a sharp cry. "Why are you-" And then he was in BED. In bed..
She blinked..
IN THE SAME BED AS HER!
Her entire face burned a cherry red.

Her head suddenly shot his way.
"MISTER RENQVIST! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" she suddenly exclaimed, feeling both the confusion, weariness and alcohol escalating as her voice came out shrill, her face, burning even redder.
"Need I remind you I'm not married! I couldn't possibly share the same bed as-" and as she tried to fight through the blankets, she gave ahuff, a cry, then tossed them down defeatedly.
"And what is WITH these things!" she said, somehow having tangled herself amongs them, feeling as if the blankets might hold her prisoner right htere in that bed with both of them in nothing but...

GASP!

Their under garments!

[Lion]

Urich raised a brow at her indignation and looked around.  Turning to lay on his side, he propped himself up on his elbow and waved a hand.  "And I don't see any reason for me not to sleep in my own bed?  It's nice to know you're not married.  Neither am I.  Never have been," Urich grinned at her struggled and moved forward to wrap his arms around her, holding her still.  "You keep fussing like that and you'll worsen your ankle.  Just relax all right!  I'm not going to hurt you...so long as you don't hurt me!

"Mister Renqvist was my father.  Call me Urich.  Please before I have to find some way to silence you."

[visualspice]

"Let I remind you I'm drunk, not stupid," she pointed out in a huff, then grew quickly red faced at their near contact.
"Mister Renqvist, er, Urich," she winced at having to say it, such propriety being forced off of her tongue was painful at best- and only would a lady dare call a man by his first name if they might be sweethearts or family.  Urich was neither. "If you were such a gentleman, you'd see there would be no way for us to share the bed! Just because no one is around to see it, does not make it any better! I did not come here for this sort of scandal!"  She turned away, sighing hotly.
"Perhaps it would be wise, indeed, if I were to sleep elsewhere. Have you no other beds?"

[Lion]

Urich sighed with resigned shoulders at her incessant ranting.  Yes, she was drunk he understood that.  And he supposed that only meant more fuel for her mouth.  Now he regretted letting her drink nearly the whole bottle.  As she persisted in her futil statements, he suddenly lunged over her and caught her mouth in his, kissing her hotly but persistently himself until her mouth ceased to make further noises.

After several seconds, he pulled away, lips sore from their work and tossed the other way around.  "Now be quiet and go to sleep.  If you're ankle's healed up, I'll send you on your way in the morning.  Thank you and good night."

[visualspice]

The kiss was overwhelming, crushing and desperate and took her breath away-
so when his lips pulled away from hers, all she could think ot do was...
well, what any other lady in her situation might do, and at the extent of her exhaustion, drunkenness and finesse.. well...


Victoria simply did that.
She fainted.

But more than that.
The faint lent itself towards her tiredness and the tiredness is what she succumbed to, and soon was off and away to a fitful night's rest. Inadvertently kicking her bed partner along the way as her once tamed black hair now came undone and about her in an exotic array of twists and tangles against her slumbering form.  Yes, perhaps she might have even looked pretty, exotic even with her tanned skin and dark lashes, full lips (that she, of course, considered flat and awkward)- and a long, but strong face, appearing gentle as she slept with little sound.

It wasn't until some hours int he morning that she work with a start, gasping and tossing off the blankets as she realized.

"Goodness! This is NOT my bed!"

[Lion]

Urich hadn't slepped as well as she did, after being kicked a few times, but managed to get enough rest as it were as his head was swilled with wine, wine, and more wine.  His sleep was uneventful and he didn't dream of anything at all.  When dawn arose, Urich was startled the the sudden movement of the sheets.  He jumped up and looked across at Victoria.

"Could you keep it down?" he said and smashed his head back down on the pillow, which fluffed out and he looked at her, slowly recollecting what happened.  He felt like a hammer was knocking at his head.  "Oh...I didn't drink that much last night," he said, turning over on his side and leaning up.

"Well, good morning to you to, Victoria.  What would you like for breakfast?" he said, glancing over at her. 

[visualspice]

Victoria was still far too taken by their situation as she stared at him and.. and.. his clothes.. and and.. his bed .. and and...

"Goodness, but one of us MUSt have drank too much!" she exclaimed, inching away from him, face as red as an apple.  "This will not do, not do at all! And breakfast, who can you consider such a-"
and suddenly she gave a yell. She had been fussing and inching herself clean away from the other man in the bed that she suddenly fell off backwards, clean off the other side!

With legs to air, she gave a start, skirts scattering everywhere and sheets entangling her within their grip.  It was only then she gave another cry of alarm as she twisted about-
and the damn ankle..
her ankle..
Her hand went to it as she seethed, dark hair about her face in wild locks.


"Goodness, I had almost forgot I twisted my ankle,"s he groaned, nursing it by stroking the skin, but was soon wincing again.
"Ugh, tell me this is some awkward dream, Mister Renqvist."s he began, rubbing at her tired eyes with the heel of her hand.  "Tell me we did NOT just share a bed."


Though, the evidence was more than clear!

[Lion]

He couldn't help the chuckle that came bursting from his mouth as he watched her fall off the otherside of the bed, clearly too repulsed by their current state to realize she had been inching to the end of the bed.  She took most of the blankets with her and Urich scooted over to her side.  He climbed off the bed, half naked as he was, and knelt down beside her.

"We did," he said, honestly and laughing at her predicament.  "Though we didn't do anything else.  I promise you...  At least I don't think we did."  He put an arm around her waist and lifted her back on to the bed.  "But even if we did, I promise not to tell if you won't.  You'll still be marriageable, don't get your skirts in a twist."

Urich rubbed his sore head and walked over to the chair he left his clothes on and reached for his trousers and slipped them on, notching up the buttons along his crotch and walking back around toward her.  He sat down beside her ankle and frowned.  "Look, I told you to relax, now it looks like you've made your ankle worse.  Doesn't look like you're going anywhere anytime soon."

There was an abrupt whining and scratching at the door as the pups were eager to come in.  He rose and approached it, opening one of them and seven wolf pups came scampering through, rushing at Victoria.

[visualspice]

Victoria gasped when he lifted her to her feet, but only let out a short 'hmph' when she was settled back on the bed. SHe looked down at her ankle, sighing, face still carrying a blush.
"Yes, I seem to not be very good at keeping myself off of it," she grumbled, smoothing a hand down her face, only to glance between her fingers, glaring at him at his comment about what they could have done.

She would have commented, but then soon the pups were rushing into the room and over to her. Gasping in alarm, she tried to draw back, but the puppies wriggled excitedly as they jumped at her skirts.
"Gosh, they're so many of them! And they look like wolves..."s he commented, but then soon realized with a start.
"Oh my goodness!" she sat up suddenly. "Are these the same wolves that attacked me before!?" she cradled a hand over her lips. "They're still... PUPPIES!"

[Lion]

Urich frowned at the mention of the magic that had transformed his hounds.  It had taken him years to harvest these wolves into a proper pack.  He'd had them since they were pups once...he supposed he'd just have to do it all over again.  Since the already knew him as their alpha...now he was alpha and mom.  But at least they were potty-trained and didn't have to be given milk anymore.

Urch crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged.  "And they would have succeeded had it not been for your magic powder stuff.  Exactly what do they teach you in that negotiator's school of yours, other than meddling in other people's business?  I suppose a strange form of alchemy is one of them.  But whether they're pups or full grown wolves, they're still mine and I'm inclined to take care of my own."

One of the pups, a white one with a grayed nose and stripe on his forehead approached Victoria's nose and promptly stuffed it in his mouth.  This tail wagged and he gave a puppy yap and did it again, licking her cheeks, shoving everyone else out of the way that tried to follow suit.

Urich chuckled in amusement.  "I think Draegr likes you.  Well, that's what I call him.  It was my father's middle name.  It means moonflower in some language he knew.  Well...what do you think?  Do you want him?"

[visualspice]

"Yes, well, it's not a magic all can learn. It requires a certain blood line, though the blood line has since been thinned over the years by reckless breeding, I'd assume." she sighed. "There aren't many of my kind left, which is why it has irked me that my Aunt wouldn't allow my to be more properly trained." she sighed, but stared down at the puppies who worked as a marvelous distraction.
"Really now, do mind your manners, puppies. I am in my undergarments and can not possibly remain at play in such a state. Especially," Victoria eyed Urich cautiously, "Int he presence of your Alpha."

But then as he went on about how the pups were his, she blinked and bent over towards them, allowing them to nip playfully at her fingers.
"Now, now, now, here this,"she said, wagging a finger at one as it began to tug at the lace of her under skirt. "Lace is NOT for puppies to chew." but what was a lady to do? The pups were too excited that they were nearly bursting with it, and finally she scooped the one up that was lickign up her face.
"Oh, alright. I suppose i could coddle you some."s he said, smiling down at the one Urich so graciously called Draegr." She raised a brow and peered over at him.
"So you've raised them all yourself? Don't you have any werewolves in your pack? Just these wolves?" she looked down at them, but then gave a cry of alarm, a gasp, when he mentioned she could have one.

"Mercy, what would I do with a wolf pup?" she said, then looked down at the little rascal as it licked her face. "Really now, I suppose they DO look an awful lot like you." she commented, a bit of a play and jab at their owner as she smirked, and then proceeded to try to hand off the pup to him
"But I couldn't take one of your dogs. He's part of your pack," she replied. "And really, I'm a cat person." But Draegr only barked, howled even when she tried to pass him off. She sighed.
"Now really, what is this fuss about." the puppy squirmed and she sighed, and brought it back into a hug against her chest. It began to lick at her neck as she laughed.
"really now! He DOES seem to like me!" and the licks were ticklish, too! She continued to laugh and laugh before she fell back onto the bed, puppy kisses all over her face.
"Really now!" she pulled the thing away. "It's like he doesn't know who the alpha is here."

[Lion]

He scoffed aloud and walked closer to them, two pups tumbling over one another and falling off the bed with a thump and another jumping up at him.  He picked up the small gray wolf with a black scruff and cradled her against his chest.  She laid there lazily before yawning and laying against his arm, closing her eyes.

"I'm not too keen in having any other werewolves in my pack.  And suffer competition?  I think not.  These wolves were a handful enough.  I don't need other werewolves coming around here thinking they own the place...."  His eyes drifted to her curiously.  "Speaking of which...how is it that you have the wolf's blood?  Father?  Mother?  Grandparent?  Can you change with the moons?  At all, even?"

[visualspice]

"My, aren't you the nosy sort," and Victoria wasn't talking about the little puppy that was licking at her unruly curls, either!
She shuffled the weight of the pup in her arm.
"I couldn't say, the genes are suppressed because of what I am. It was several generations ago, however.I  remember it brought out quite a scandal.  People still talk about it, saying my Armani blood line is no longer 'pure' or some such, but I can tell you I can smell human in a lot of them; and my blood line is just as 'pure' as there's.  But, as your nose might inform you, there are traces of it in my blood, but there will never be a transformation or anything of the like.  The Negotiator genes will always keep it back."
She sighed, "But some dare to claim it's why the Armani family appears restless."She gave a shrug.  "I wouldn't know. My parents died when I was rather young, and my Aunt saw fit to raise me."
The puppy then drew her attentions away as it bit at her curls.

"I say! That is enough of that!" and she placed the puppy onto the bed, watching it bark and wriggle about.  "Really now, behave. You can not eat my hair. It is not proper and will most likely give you indigestion."
The dog just made a noise, cocking it's head as one ear poked up higher than the other. Victoria only laughed, one strap from her under garment falling over her shoulder, but the woman seemed not to notice as the pup's distraction kept her well occupied.

"Oh, alright!" she bent over hte bed, the other strap on her shift falling down the other shoulder as she went about ruffling the furr about the puppy's cheeks.
"Who's a good boy! Who's a handsome good boy!" she told him- and the puppy bark, barked knowing "It's me! It's me!" so proudly and dashingly romping about upon the bed. Victoria couldn't help but giggle.
"Oh, you are such a trying boy! Too bad I have no where to take you to and you would surely miss your pack if I were to go and take you away." Victoria was now on her knees before the bed, resting her arms across it and resting her cheek across those arms. She sighed and the puppy wagged it's tail excitedly, barking at her and pouncing about, trying to goad her into play.

"Come now, I told her, I am hardly dressed to wrestle with pups!" that's when she turned to Urich suddenly. "Oh! Mr. Renqvist! My dress! Where ever is it?"

[Lion]

Urich grinned at the play.  "Few people get along so well with my wolves.  They can sense the wolf's blood in you, maybe that's why they like you so much.  Now, pack, you sit and wait.  Robern will bring you your chops shortly.  I'll have no biting, no nipping, no stealing...and no whining."  All the pups' eyes were glued to him, as if they understood every word he said.  "Now go on!  Chops are waiting!  While they're fresh!"  He clapped his hands and they all bounded off toward the kitchens that were clanking with ghostly activity.  Draegr was quite reluctant to move from Victoria's embrace but after a playful nip goodbye, the wolf followed his brethren and gave Urich a defiant and rude scraping of his backfeet before leaving the room.

Urich laughed aloud and moved to help Victoria out of bed.  The fact that her straps had fallen from her shoulders had not gone unnoticed and he eyed her with a devil in his gaze, but said nothing more on it.  "Here, let's go to the great hall, I'll have your dress and skirts all cleaned and dried and you can finally put some clothes on again.  Althought I do have a few dresses left over from...a ladyfriend i used to have.  She was about your size.  Maybe a little more petite, but it wouldn't be any trouble at all to let you borrow it for now.  Since you're concerned with being decent.

"And then I'll see to your ankle.  Up now, c'mon.  Easy does it."

[visualspice]

Victoria was more than happy to have Urich guide her, but then he mentioned the dress was not clean, and then he went onto mention she'd have to borrow clothes from a lady friend.

SHe gasped, a hand to her chest.
"Really now, I mustn't be seen around your manor like this!"
Then she looked down, face reddening as she worked at fixing the straps of her dress. Really now, she was already having a hard time keeping her figure in check with the straps up, let alone down!
"And further more, it would be rather outlandish for me to wear the wears of a former mistress! Really now, do you have any idea of propriety!?"

[Lion]

Urich made a face at her and actually laughed outloud as he led her down the corridor to the great hall.  "Who exactly is going to be looking at you half-naked?" he asked sarcastically.  "Everybody here is dead!  Except you and me and the pups of course!  And I think I'm being nice actually, offering you a clean, pressed garment other than the one you brought it I'm sure is still filthy from the rain!  Don't you think it'd be more courteous to except?  Though," he added, looking her over and grinning to show that he was pleased, "I wouldn't mind you walking around like this.  But it is up to you of course."

[visualspice]

Victoria gave a thought to his expression.
"I suppose you might be right,"s he grumbled, but then his eyes began to roam her after his remark and she gasped, pushing away from him.
"Mr. Renqvist! How uncordial of you! Really, such a remark is best left unsaid! Especially in the presence of a lady in such a condition! Really now!" Really, indeed! ANd her face was red from it. "Just fetch me the gown, if you'll please." she said, averting his gaze as she gritted her teeth. Really now!  Why on earth was he being suddenly so.. so. so flirtatious! it was making her head spin, amongst other things!

"But that still does beg one question- as to why you're being so kind to me." she lifted her eyes to his, appearing much more soft and sincere, even a bit sad and uncertain.

[Lion]

He chuckled and nodded to her, letting her rest and balance near a wall and moved toward his wardrobe.  He opened a drawer from the bottom and pulled out a neatly folded dress.  It was violet, a deep one with hints of crimson woven in, sleeveless and showed plenty of cleavage.

"I suppose, you might answer your curiosity with the answer that you are a guest in my house and I'm trying to make it as comfortable as possible.  It's the least I could do since you let me keep my house.  I'm partly grateful and while you're still not on my list of trusted associates...it wouldn't be too fair of me to leave you lying out in the rain like you were.  I proposed a truce...for now, until you leave and then we can go back to being the enemies we were born to be."

He smiled at her and presented the beautiful dress to her and held it out.  "I don't suppose you wouldn't need help climbing in would you?  I'd be more than happy to oblige you.  Besides...when there's a lady in my house...I'd like to see to it she's as comfortable as possible."  He grinned wickedly.

[visualspice]

Victoria listened onwardly to his lecture.
"Right.."S he frowned. "A truce." but she herself, knew she couldn't just go back to bickering when they've already shared such... interesting circumstances. SHe sighed sadly, but didn't press the issue, but upon seeing the dress, she outwardly frowned.
Then he made the comment and she gave a huff, snatching it away from him.
"I can manage on my own, but the corset ties.."s he gritted her teeth. "You can do well of yourself to wait outside and help me when I am modest." She gestured for him towards the door.

"Now, if you'll excuse me."s he said, hobbling over towards a mirror with the dress. "I will take this oppurtuninty to simply thank you and see about getting myself into this dress." THough as she peered at it , she frowned again. She feared she might tear the poor thing. But she supposed it might be better than nothing.

[Lion]

He put his hands on his hips and eyed her accordingly.  Raising a brow, he nodded and bowed to her.  "As you wish, my guest," he said, smiling.  Before he left he reached for his shirt he left on the chair and pulled it over his shoulders.  As he left, he closed the door behind him.  Though he had serious reservations she could do it on her own, he left her to her own devices and just listen from the otherside as he worked at the buttons on his shirt.

No doubt she'd fall any time now.  And that's what she'd deserve for her own silly judgment.