Hiya!

Welcome to SotE we are all glad to have you. Yes the cbox is out for the count right now. Feel free to open conversations in the general discussion or send private messages. When you are feeling ready to start RP'ing hit anyone of us. Personally I'm free to do anything and if you can't find a character you like I'm willing to make new.

Happy Writing to you!
~GoblinFae

"Go to my study immediately!" Primrose winced as she stood to follow her uncle's orders. "And take your guest with you," he spat out disgustedly. She grabbed the cat off her head and nodded to Ryuu. Her uncle followed close on her heels.

'I never should have let him bully me into coming home. I knew this would be a bad idea. Now I have gotten Ryuu in trouble too. This is so embarrassing. This is all your fault,' she thought glaring at the obese cat lounging in her arms. 'Ryuu is going to hate me now. I am such a terrible friend. Nothing ever changes, does it?' Primrose continued to berate herself harshly as each heavy footfall led her to the dreaded study.

Stepping inside sent a dark chill up her spine. This room was one she remembered well. Its dark ornate interior always filled her with a deep-seated dread. In her youth, this is where her punishments had always been doled out. It was also where she always heard the things she did not want to hear. Anything from "no you cannot play outside" to "your mother is dead" had been addressed in this room.

She waited patiently for her uncle to close the door and sit behind his desk. The moment he was in his chair with his brandy in hand she launched at him verbally. "Please Uncle, this is entirely my fault. Ryuu had nothing to do with this. I wish to accept full responsibility for this," she told him. Primrose stood straight and proper, her head bowed demurely and her hands clasped loosely in front of her. 'I will not let you hurt him because of me. He is the only friend I have. I will not let you destroy that!'

She sat up, biting her lip to contain the giggles. Now righted, Primrose smiled and plopped herself back down into Harkness' lap. Her eyes twinkled at him as she looked at him over her shoulder. "Has anyone ever told you that you make a very comfy cushion?"

Primrose leaned back against his chest, her uncle's letter back in hand. "What am I going to do with you?" she muttered distractedly. 'How many excuses do I have to give? How many do I even have left to give? It won't be long before he decides to come here himself. I am running out of options.' In her frustration, Primrose shifted, snuggling deeper into the warmth and comfort of her self-dubbed Harkness cushion.

'I am right here Kessy!' Where normally he would have appeared at the mention of his name, tonight he hung back. A surge of emotion gripped his belly tightly, holding him in place. Confused he pressed a hand gently to his stomach. 'Am I getting sick?'

Kestal talking about new songs quickly distracted him though. He began to ponder what ideas she could possibly have come up with when he was startled out of his thoughts by Aren recognizing him. Ocarern lowered his head to hide his now flaming cheeks. Through his fringe he caught what his friend was mouthing and snorted softly. 'Of course she was asking for me. I am her friend, stupid!'

Shyly he sidled his way out of his corner and over to Kessy. He refused to meet Aren's eye and instead addressed the girl sitting beside him. "You played well," he softly praised her. Even as he spoke his whole body tensed and he struggled to keep his gaze from shifting about the room. "I like your songs," he added as a small jibe against Aren's earlier comment.

Ocarern's stomach gave a bubbling flip-flop feeling and he winced slightly at the sensation. Rubbing his stomach he began to survey the room again. "Are you done tonight?" he asked feeling a little antsy.

His mind bounced around as it argued back and forth. 'Too many colors. Too many people. I need to go outside, now. What if Kessy plays again? I will miss it. I can hear her tomorrow. But, I never miss it!'

"You may go through the front door if you wish Mort. You are the one leading this after all. My only suggestion is that once we get inside we split up. It would be better for our partnership if you could prove to me you can kill the selected target without alerting anyone. While you are doing that I can disable any prowlers that may hear, allowing you more "room to work" so to speak," she told him.

It took everything she had to not to just kill him now where he stood. Why she did not, only the gods knew. "If you do not have anymore questions, then I will meet you here tonight. I have other matters to attend to in the mean time."

'A few more hours. That is all I need and this will be a forgotten memory,' she thought, impatiently waiting to leave.

"You would be of no inconvenience to us. Our home is always open to those who seek refuge within it. Do not worry about what talents you do or do not have. Time always shows us what we are meant to do when we are meant to do it. I am sure that your dream-weaving made itself known when it was deemed necessary. Worst comes to worst you can follow me around and keep my little monsters out of trouble," she told him turning the conversation more lighthearted again.

"For now just relax, tonight you are our guest. Tomorrow you can worry about helping us. Although," she said thoughtfully, "perhaps you could be of some help." Her eyes twinkled in the firelight. "If you could, I need an extra pair of hands for carding wool. The twins either refuse to sit still long enough or get it tangled. All you have to do is hold the wool rings between around your hands and keep it from falling or tangling while I roll it into skeins. You don't have to if you don't want to though."

Zurna pulled out a woven basket behind her and began lifting up one of the wool rings. "We could share stories too. I am sure there is much of your homeland that I have not heard of. I always love a good story! Manaia knows I have enough tales of my brothers' "adventures" to last several life times."

"I do like it," she agreed strongly. "But, I do not want you to show it if you do not wish to. I do not want you to be like this just for me, but for us. I love you no matter what form you take."

She snuggled in closer to him closing her eyes. "Of course I do not mind this form. You already knew I liked the purring, was that not hint enough for you? I am the oddball human. Are you not so lucky to have me all to yourself?"

A smile lit up Tirairs' face as he took her hand willingly. "Wrong? No. I am just a little tired. Loving you gets me that way," she teased.

'Liar! You go from telling him that you two need to be more open and then you hide the truth from him. Hypocrite! Some partner you make. Trust? The strongest form is always built of lies, your mother taught you that did she not? Learned your lessons well, Tiraris. He will die because of you. Just watch your mouth little girl. You will drown in your lies and if he catches you, the ending will be so sweet.'

"Do you mind moving to the bed? Or do we have more to discuss in this secret conference of the lovebirds?" she asked him straight-faced. The pain in her side was starting to strongly protest her current position and she could feel the day's travels and the afternoon's fight beginning to take their toll on her.

'Only friend? No, it can't be. Surely he has real friends, other people that he can relate to. He can't really mean it.'

"Trust," she repeated. "Such a fickle thing it is. There are those who trust too easily, I am one of them. My kindness is often taken advantage of," she told him. Her gaze bounced all over the room, never resting. "I grew up without many friends. In fact I only had one. He and I spent a few treasured years together and then we grew up, we moved on."

Looking at him now, she took his hands. "I do understand, better than you think. I just-" 'fear.' "I worry that when you say we are friends you are only humoring me. I am not well received in most circles. I refuse the nobility, I refuse my place at the healer's college, I am not a commoner, I have no friends and refuse suitors. To hear you say how much you value me seems like a dream."

Tears formed in her eyes but she smiled through them. "I feared that I was becoming more attached than you, that a few letters and two meetings do not make a friendship. I thought you might not see things the same as I," she told him smiling brilliantly.

"I am truly honored to call you friend, Saezer." Standing up on her tiptoes, Primrose leaned over and kissed her new friend's cheek.

A small smile graced her face as Rusger was moved to her lap. She gave the little pug a quick squeeze before resuming her current hostess responsibilities. Primrose felt him tense under her hand and looked down worriedly. "Russy what's wrong?" she whispered. She tried petting him and became more concerned as his constant panting seemed to stop. "Ryuu, I think something is wrong wit- Rusger!"

Just as Primrose tried to alert her friend to the problem off went the little dog. "Mr. Grimalkin!" she cried noticing the cat racing by. She spared a single terrified glance to her furious uncle before tearing off after the animals.

She winced as the feline jumped up onto the table and Rusger followed shortly after. Guests yelled and shouted, wine glasses fell and broke, food was dislodge, a candelabra was knocked over and set a tablecloth on fire. 'Oh Kia, Uncle's going to kill me!'

"Ryuu try to corner them!" she shouted to him, pointing to the end of the table they were heading towards. She ran down the left side, not caring about her dress as wine and food both ruined. Her shoes slipped and she fell, sliding the rest of the way. Grimalkin jumped landing on her head and hissing from his perch at the yapping dog.

"Primrose Dragoslav!" She cringed, wincing hearing her uncle's voice ring out and the room go silent.

Tiraris noted what he was doing with his hands, and fought the urge to roll her eyes. 'Caden, I have killed more dangerous things than you. If you only knew.'

"There is nothing to apologize about, love." She reached up and caressed the side of his face, running her fingers through his hair. "This is not something you need to hide or control around me anymore. We are in this together. As my problem is now yours, so too are yours now mine."

'How do I say this? Gods above, I love him! But, will he think I am going too far? Does he feel the same? I know I am his match, but does that mean he is happy with me? Would e have chosen me if he was not forced to?' Her thoughts went round and round in her head while her hands unconsciously fidgeted in her lap.

"Caden," she started hesitantly, licking her lips, "that is what couples do is it not? We trust each other with ourselves. We trust despite differences, because of differences. We share not only dreams but also fears." As her heart pounded in her chest, she moved slowly to press into his side. 'Why do I feel so unsure now? We have been together for months already.'

As she rested against him, she began speaking again. Her gaze faced forward at the gnarled and now clawed wall. "I hoped that in time you would show me this side of you. I am glad I have seen it, even if it is not how you would have wanted it. I would not mind seeing it more, if you want to that is. I know it makes you uncomfortable. I just want you to know, I do not mind. Whatever your decision, I support you in it. I-"

'I support you. I trust you. I believe in you. I am not afraid of you. I will stand by you. I will never leave you.'

"I love you."

Ocarern listened, entranced to Kestal's singing. No matter what she was singing and what he was doing, she always managed to stop in his tracks. To him, her voice was like that of a goddess.

The moment her song ended, his fidgeting began. Out of respect for Aren's father, Ocarern made a rule to not steal from the tavern's patrons, if he could help it. But, being in the crowded in the place made his will weaken. If it were not for the fact that Kestal and Aren were his only friends, he would have stolen thirteen purses already and fled. All the drunken emotions bouncing around the place was enough to give him a headache.

Ocarern retreated further into his dark corner by the bar. He was almost an arm's length away from Kestal and had been about to approach her when Aren showed up. This sight of his childhood crush had him flushing and trying to shrink in on himself. As he watched the pair he tuned himself into their emotions. 'Kessy is gray,' he decided. 'And Aren is red? Very red. Business must be good.' Ocarern blinked owlishly, his ears twitching about as he looked at Aren. To him colors and shapes were people's emotions. It was a childlike perception of empathy but it was the only way he could describe it.

Gray for Kestal after a night of preforming was not unusual. It meant that she was probably feeling a bit tired. It was the red that surprised Ocarern the most. It was so, vibrant. In his limited experience with people, Ocarern had concluded that it meant anger, excitement, or fear. Like a puppy, he cocked his head to side, sighing as his hair slid in front of his eyes. 'You never know with him.'

An unladylike squawk burst from her lips as her world began to change perspective. One moment she was sitting, reading and the next she was in the air and then resting over someone's lap. She struggled for a moment before what Harkness said processed in her mind. 'Spoon or hand? Why the nerve of him! I ought to...actually that's not a bad idea,' she thought smirking slightly.

Turning her head towards Harkness, she presented him with a solemn face. "If that is what you feel you have to do then by all means. But, I feel it is fair to warn you, in this household paybacks are returned tenfold."

Primrose struggled not to change her face from her innocent expression. Large, sad eyes and a chastised expression graced her features. Her eyebrow twitched slightly in its natural response to raise up in challenge, before she caught it. 'Your move Mr. Hoverstone! Remember, I give as good as I get.'

"Mad at you? How could I be mad at you for being yourself?" she asked. Tiraris let go of his hands only to cup his face with her own. "If I do not love you for all that you are, how can I expect the same of you? What you are has never bothered me. I have known it from the start; you have not deceived me with it. I was and am well aware of what you are capable of. I am also not afraid of that. Caden, between the two of us, who has hurt the other the most? Me. In spite of your nature, it has always been me who has done the hurting. I know we have had close calls. But, I do not love you any less for it. Can you imagine any other man trying to live me?" She gave a scoffing chuckle. "I would kill them."

'I already have.' Tiraris bowed her head as she recalled her past husbands. Among them had been good men and bad, friends and enemies. Those were deaths she regretted. She had lost people very close to her because of her magic, she hoped Caden would not join them.

"I love you Caden. All of you, fangs, claws, and heart included," she whispered sweetly before kissing him. 'Please understand Caden. I do not want to lose you, not when our time is already running out. Have faith, Caden. Have faith where I cannot, because I cannot do this without you. I love you!'

"Is it so wrong for me to touch the man I love, to hold his hand in mine? I am not glass, Caden; I will not shatter." Tiraris looked him in the eyes, searching as if she could see his soul.

"What are you so afraid of that you have to push me away? Am I that frightening to you? Is it my inability to control my magic that disturbs you so? Is that what this is all about, Caden?" Tiraris sighed as tears began to form. She was helpless to stop them. They burnt paths down her cheeks, drenching her face in saltwater but, she refused to look away from him.

"I am sorry I cannot fix that yet. I am trying. But, please Caden, do not give up on me yet. I will try harder, I promise," she begged him. "Just, just give me some more time. We will find a teacher and I will learn. Then, things can be alright. We will! We will," she whispered squeezing his hands tightly in her own. "Please, please," she sobbed softly. Tiraris leaned over the joined hands, her tears plopping down on them both.

'I love you! This wretched monster that I am loves you. How can you not see? You who are the most beautiful thing I have laid eyes on, has this destructive and abusive creature as a match. Why does Kia hate us so? Why did she pair this unfit match together? I am not worthy of your love. But, selfish thing that I am, I refuse to let another have it. You are mine and I am yours. Please, Caden have faith in me. Believe that I can make this work. Just a little while longer, love. Please.'

Primrose could see something was troubling this man she called friend. 'I have put him in a hard place. He does not wish to offend me by saying no and out of duty says yes. He is only humoring me. Oh Prim, you fool! He is only being nice to you out of courtesy. He really doesn't care. You frighten him just like everyone else!'

"You do not have to if you do not wish. Please, do not think you insult me by saying no. I know that two meetings and a few letters doesn't make us..." she trailed off looking down at her hands. "Such a fool," she mumbled under her breath.

Rising quickly she grabbed his cup. "More drink?" Primrose did not wait for an answer before taking off to get one. She stood a long while at the counter with her back to him. "I am glad you like the food," she told him, trying to regain control of her emotions. "Such a fool," she muttered again angrily.

Duck!

Lol Haze...at this rate you are never going to be ungoosed :P

"Is this what you truly want Caden?" She asked him, fighting to keep her voice steady. "You want me to leave? You tell me to seek happiness and then tell me to abandon my heart all in the same breath. What do you want? Tell me and I will do it, but I cannot do both. You are my heart. I love you as I have loved no other. When I said I was staying with you for good, I meant it. Do you not want this anymore? Was I wrong in thinking you did?"

Despite her words, Tiraris refused to move. She held on tight. 'This is where I want to be, more than anything. Caden, have I hurt you this badly? Am I the reason you push me away? Do you fear me now?'

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the hand movement and froze. 'He became his true self because of me.' Tiraris knew how much he despised this form. It would not be out of choice that he assumed it. She shifted herself so that she curled into his side and was no longer behind him.

Tiraris took his hand in her own, intertwining them. If he moved he could cut her, but she did not care. 'I would rather die than lose you Caden.' For a while she just looked down at their hands and then she smiled. She leaned down, ignoring the pain in her side, and kissed his hands. "I love you," she told him vehemently. "Please do not send me away. I love you too much to leave."

'Please Caden. I can be better, do not end this now. I promise I will change, just do not make me leave. I love you!'

Primrose watched his approach warily. "You wouldn't dare," she snorted. Looking away she began to read some correspondence Jain had left on the table for her. 'He wouldn't would he? I mean this is my house, my rules. I will not be carted around like a sack of potatoes. I am fine! What does he mean good anyway? Is he trying to say that being good gets you punished? But, how does that make sense? I am confused! Men are such strange creatures.'

She rested her forehead in her hand, shielding her eyes as she continued to distractedly read. In her current position she was oblivious to Harkness and Jolie. 'Uncle's usual mandate "come home and marry." When will he understand I refuse that life!' Primrose huffed under her breath, rolling her eyes. "Well good luck with that," she grumbled aloud.

I love what you say. I am on the short side myself but I still do not take too gracefully to being put in high places. Apparently when I was little I defined it as "I am not afraid of falling. I am afraid of the ground. Falling never killed anyone, it's the ground that gets you every time."

The worst I ever had with heights was when I got stuck on top of a lighthouse >.< I got nervous and could not get back down. Nevermind the fact my mind kept ignoring the fact that I had been on much taller things and got down with no problem XD.

"Can you seriously expect me to listen to a man who was cowed by a woman three or four times younger than him? What are you going to do Harkness, throw me over your knee and give me a spanking? You're not my father, you can't punish me," she told him raising her head in challenge.

The fact that Harkness also happened to be much older than herself seemed to escape her mind. 'Go ahead Mr. Hoverstone. Do your worst!' Her face was set in a blantant challenge of defiance.

In the back corner of the kitchen, Jolie watched the two waiting for the impending outburst. It would go one of two ways in her mind. Either they would snipe until one drove the other away or the young gentleman was going accept the challenge. Inwardly, the elderly cook hoped for the second. 'It'd be 'bout time Primmy remembered her place. She canna do everything herself.' She fought to hid the smile creeping across her face.