[Bellamy House]
Reinholdt frowns a little in thought. "But... don't you actively seek out high-spirit energy places with your job and all?" That seems to be driving the incident rate up! Though there's another trigger involved, fulfilling one of two conditions is still playing with fire. Still, it's good to know she won't just spontaneously transform sitting here in conversation, so that's a bit of a relief and a disappointment.
Rein glances at Kitsuki, before shrugging a little. "Sure. I mean, I guess I knew. She's a kitsune right? Those are fey in some places. Honestly, fey's a little vague around here. Some even call me fey and I'm not sure how accurate that is." It is questionably accurate.
Home
Re: Home
► SHOW SPOILER
Re: Home
[Palace of Tina]
Tina winces. She closes her eyes as they drift on the breeze, resembling an angel in pensive repose that might guard the gate to an ancient cemetery. "I don't know if it's about what I want to do. You know what I mean?" She will start to take them in a slow, winding spiral down toward a grassy knoll below.
Re: Home
[Spookysitting]
Jaazha yelps and grabs hold of Orlane, and Eshe grabs Orlane's hand to drag the both of them along with Leis back to the kitchen. Rosabel runs into the kitchen soon after, with Maha in her arms. The younger girl has her face buried in her older sister's shoulder.
"Um no, nothing like that." Rosabel answers. "Mommy wouldn't let anything like that happen."
"Was it a ghost at the door?" Orlane asks.
Jaazha yelps and grabs hold of Orlane, and Eshe grabs Orlane's hand to drag the both of them along with Leis back to the kitchen. Rosabel runs into the kitchen soon after, with Maha in her arms. The younger girl has her face buried in her older sister's shoulder.
"Um no, nothing like that." Rosabel answers. "Mommy wouldn't let anything like that happen."
"Was it a ghost at the door?" Orlane asks.
~Images by Soushiyo
Re: Home
[Empress Looking Green]
h-choo!
AIkobaz sniffs and wipes her nose on her handkerchief, letting out a little groan of discomfort. After the obvious, maybe the worst part about being sick is all the little inconveniences, she thinks. Not being able to breathe through her nose. Not being able to sit back for a moment without her head feeling like it's on fire. Not being able to touch anything without it hurting. Not being able to swallow without feeling like there was a razor blade included with all that air.
Not being able to get up and go to school. Not being able to get a good night's sleep.
"Eungh." Aikobaz moans, returning her attention to her notebook. Sick as she is, she still needs to get this done. If she doesn't... well, maybe in the grand scheme of things, it won't matter, but... she'll feel a little bit better if she does manage it.
h-choo!
AIkobaz sniffs and wipes her nose on her handkerchief, letting out a little groan of discomfort. After the obvious, maybe the worst part about being sick is all the little inconveniences, she thinks. Not being able to breathe through her nose. Not being able to sit back for a moment without her head feeling like it's on fire. Not being able to touch anything without it hurting. Not being able to swallow without feeling like there was a razor blade included with all that air.
Not being able to get up and go to school. Not being able to get a good night's sleep.
"Eungh." Aikobaz moans, returning her attention to her notebook. Sick as she is, she still needs to get this done. If she doesn't... well, maybe in the grand scheme of things, it won't matter, but... she'll feel a little bit better if she does manage it.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
Green Empress
Whilst she's sick, she's being doted on by Mrs. Bloodplunder. This wouldn't be so bad, if it weren't for her... rather old-fashioned ideas of treating illnesses. This includes eating lots of food containing turmeric, and Mrs. Bloodplunder visiting four times a day with a glass she expects Aikobaz to drink; the glass is three-quarters filled with goat's blood, turmeric mixed into it, and then topped up with kumis. A copper statue has been placed atop her wardrobe, looking down at her bed, an idol shaped like a goat with thrice-curling horns and a rearing cobra for a tail. Because Aikobaz flat-out refused to sleep naked on the grass and under the stars, Mrs. Bloodplunder has opened the window, taken down the curtains and placed a mirror on the windowsill to reflect the sky and spread some turf under the bed.
Speaking of turmeric, Mrs. Bloodplunder opens the door and enters the room, holding a tray with a bowl of yellow-orange soup and a glass of blood and kumis, as well as a burning stick of sandalwood incense. "Here we go, dear. Have some lunch, fight off the invisible demons. You been sleeping OK?"
Whilst she's sick, she's being doted on by Mrs. Bloodplunder. This wouldn't be so bad, if it weren't for her... rather old-fashioned ideas of treating illnesses. This includes eating lots of food containing turmeric, and Mrs. Bloodplunder visiting four times a day with a glass she expects Aikobaz to drink; the glass is three-quarters filled with goat's blood, turmeric mixed into it, and then topped up with kumis. A copper statue has been placed atop her wardrobe, looking down at her bed, an idol shaped like a goat with thrice-curling horns and a rearing cobra for a tail. Because Aikobaz flat-out refused to sleep naked on the grass and under the stars, Mrs. Bloodplunder has opened the window, taken down the curtains and placed a mirror on the windowsill to reflect the sky and spread some turf under the bed.
Speaking of turmeric, Mrs. Bloodplunder opens the door and enters the room, holding a tray with a bowl of yellow-orange soup and a glass of blood and kumis, as well as a burning stick of sandalwood incense. "Here we go, dear. Have some lunch, fight off the invisible demons. You been sleeping OK?"
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[Green Empress]
"Nob." Aikobaz replies, shaking her head. "I habn'd been able do ged any sleeb." She sits up and scratches at her chest, which seems to be developing a nasty rash, steeping vicious black streaks across her green skin. It's started out small, but now it's spread from her sternum all the way down to her belly, up her neck and onto the side of her face, and appears to have spread to one of her hands, too, skipping over her arm to get directly between her fingers. The empress has indeed taken Mrs Bloodplunder's advice of sleeping nude (she doesn't want to get any sick-sweat on her good clothes) but so far that's only served to make her more uncomfortable, especially with the window open like this... but if it gives her a fighting chance against her illness, she'll take it.
Sitting up and tucking the blankets around her waist for support, Aikobaz takes the tray and starts sipping her drink, wincing at the predictably awful taste and trying her hardest not to gag while she chokes it down. It doesn't matter that it's unpleasant; she'll need every hand she can get fighting whatever plague has managed to get to her.
"...Nana." Aikobaz begins reluctantly, setting down the half-empty glass of blood and kumis. "...I, ub... I addully hab somebing here bor you." The empress reaches over to her notebook, brushes the pen aside, and pulls it up where she can show Mrs. Bloodplunder what it say. "I know you cam'b read Adral Scribt, so I'll reab id bor you..."
"...Badically, whad I'm daying id... ib I don'b bead dib sicknedd, I wand you to hab all dib duff." She gestures around the room at what she has left of her worldly goods; a small pittance, compared to when she ruled all she surveyed, but still containing some nice furniture, clothes, and a few artifacts of some worth (even though their magic has since left them). "Ib da leab I coulb do. Youb been bery brabe an kine, loobing abber me libe dib... you could geb sibk too, cobbing do clobe to me lide dib..."
"Nob." Aikobaz replies, shaking her head. "I habn'd been able do ged any sleeb." She sits up and scratches at her chest, which seems to be developing a nasty rash, steeping vicious black streaks across her green skin. It's started out small, but now it's spread from her sternum all the way down to her belly, up her neck and onto the side of her face, and appears to have spread to one of her hands, too, skipping over her arm to get directly between her fingers. The empress has indeed taken Mrs Bloodplunder's advice of sleeping nude (she doesn't want to get any sick-sweat on her good clothes) but so far that's only served to make her more uncomfortable, especially with the window open like this... but if it gives her a fighting chance against her illness, she'll take it.
Sitting up and tucking the blankets around her waist for support, Aikobaz takes the tray and starts sipping her drink, wincing at the predictably awful taste and trying her hardest not to gag while she chokes it down. It doesn't matter that it's unpleasant; she'll need every hand she can get fighting whatever plague has managed to get to her.
"...Nana." Aikobaz begins reluctantly, setting down the half-empty glass of blood and kumis. "...I, ub... I addully hab somebing here bor you." The empress reaches over to her notebook, brushes the pen aside, and pulls it up where she can show Mrs. Bloodplunder what it say. "I know you cam'b read Adral Scribt, so I'll reab id bor you..."
...Never mind. That's going to be too much for her.I, Empress Aikobaz III, also called Aiko Baz, being of sound mind and body, in the event of my death, do hereby make, publish and declare this instrument to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all prior Wills-
"...Badically, whad I'm daying id... ib I don'b bead dib sicknedd, I wand you to hab all dib duff." She gestures around the room at what she has left of her worldly goods; a small pittance, compared to when she ruled all she surveyed, but still containing some nice furniture, clothes, and a few artifacts of some worth (even though their magic has since left them). "Ib da leab I coulb do. Youb been bery brabe an kine, loobing abber me libe dib... you could geb sibk too, cobbing do clobe to me lide dib..."
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
Green As a Cat Empress
"I got the flu, few years back. Got sick from that, and all this I'm doing now? I tried it then, and I'm still here. You got this better'n what I did, tuskling. You'll get better, just let the goat's vitality enter you and eat the soup." Mrs. Bloodplunder doesn't mention that the occasion was the second time she arm-wrestled Death. It won't help Aikobaz any. "The worst thing you can do with illness, the absolute worst thing, the one that leaves you dead with all the help in the world? You give up. You let the invisible demons into your head, your heart, your liver, and they eat you alive. Then you'll go up to follow the Sun to the Endless Steppe, where water's plentiful and life is good, but She'll refuse you. This isn't a battle, there's no glory to this death. And so you'll join the stars, glaring balefully down, lost and cold and alone and consumed by bitterness and regret. If you think you're gonna give up, I'll give you my flail an' take you to that fancy school o' yours and see if you can kill a dragon. Its blood, drunk straight from the heart, will have far more vitality than a goat, and is sure to heal you. But if it don't, well. You'll have died a glorious death and the Sun will let you past."
"I got the flu, few years back. Got sick from that, and all this I'm doing now? I tried it then, and I'm still here. You got this better'n what I did, tuskling. You'll get better, just let the goat's vitality enter you and eat the soup." Mrs. Bloodplunder doesn't mention that the occasion was the second time she arm-wrestled Death. It won't help Aikobaz any. "The worst thing you can do with illness, the absolute worst thing, the one that leaves you dead with all the help in the world? You give up. You let the invisible demons into your head, your heart, your liver, and they eat you alive. Then you'll go up to follow the Sun to the Endless Steppe, where water's plentiful and life is good, but She'll refuse you. This isn't a battle, there's no glory to this death. And so you'll join the stars, glaring balefully down, lost and cold and alone and consumed by bitterness and regret. If you think you're gonna give up, I'll give you my flail an' take you to that fancy school o' yours and see if you can kill a dragon. Its blood, drunk straight from the heart, will have far more vitality than a goat, and is sure to heal you. But if it don't, well. You'll have died a glorious death and the Sun will let you past."
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[Green Empress, Hold The Gills]
"Nana..." Aikobaz tries to interrupt, to no avail. When it aounds like Mrs. Bloodplunder's rant is winding down, she caps it off with loudly blowing her nose, clearing it out enough to speak to her plainly.
"Nana, I promise you, I'm not giving up." The empress begins, hugging her blankets to her chest. "I intend to fight this thing tooth and nail, until either it leaves my body or I do." She rests her chin on her arms and looks up to Mrs Bloodplunder, sniffling quietly. "...It's just... last time I got sick, so did my parents, my brothers and sisters, my grandparents, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins... and..." She sniffs. "...None of them made it to the other side. They left... when they passed, I didn't have any idea what to do. I didn't want to leave you in the same position." She starts shivering and drapes the blanket over her shoulders, laying back on her pillow with a little moan.
"...I beat him once. I can beat him again."
The empress glances up at the little onyx elephant she has on her nightstand, leaving little doubt as to the object of her declaration. Even so, she... doesn't sound as confident as she'd like to be.
"Nana..." Aikobaz tries to interrupt, to no avail. When it aounds like Mrs. Bloodplunder's rant is winding down, she caps it off with loudly blowing her nose, clearing it out enough to speak to her plainly.
"Nana, I promise you, I'm not giving up." The empress begins, hugging her blankets to her chest. "I intend to fight this thing tooth and nail, until either it leaves my body or I do." She rests her chin on her arms and looks up to Mrs Bloodplunder, sniffling quietly. "...It's just... last time I got sick, so did my parents, my brothers and sisters, my grandparents, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins... and..." She sniffs. "...None of them made it to the other side. They left... when they passed, I didn't have any idea what to do. I didn't want to leave you in the same position." She starts shivering and drapes the blanket over her shoulders, laying back on her pillow with a little moan.
"...I beat him once. I can beat him again."
The empress glances up at the little onyx elephant she has on her nightstand, leaving little doubt as to the object of her declaration. Even so, she... doesn't sound as confident as she'd like to be.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Re: Home
[Palace of Tina]
"I do, but I don't think you need to." Kirk tries to stress one more time. "There are other options, other people that can look after this child. You don't need to burden yourself."
"I do, but I don't think you need to." Kirk tries to stress one more time. "There are other options, other people that can look after this child. You don't need to burden yourself."
~Images by Soushiyo
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
Green Empress And Ham
"I'm... sorry to hear that, poppet. But you don't need to worry about me, I got more life in me than five goats put together. You just rest, and concentrate on gettin' better, and fight off those invisible demons." Leaving the tray and its bowl and glass with Aikobaz on the bed, Mrs. Bloodplunder goes to the nightstand with the elephant on it and reaches into a pocket, putting a couple of phalanges next to it; a distal phalange, still connected to the intermediate bone connecting the finger tip to the rest of the hand. "And this time, you're not alone. You need me, yell and I'll be here quick as I can." Mrs. Bloodplunder smiles at Aikobaz, and will stay and watch to make sure she empties bowl and glass.
"I'm... sorry to hear that, poppet. But you don't need to worry about me, I got more life in me than five goats put together. You just rest, and concentrate on gettin' better, and fight off those invisible demons." Leaving the tray and its bowl and glass with Aikobaz on the bed, Mrs. Bloodplunder goes to the nightstand with the elephant on it and reaches into a pocket, putting a couple of phalanges next to it; a distal phalange, still connected to the intermediate bone connecting the finger tip to the rest of the hand. "And this time, you're not alone. You need me, yell and I'll be here quick as I can." Mrs. Bloodplunder smiles at Aikobaz, and will stay and watch to make sure she empties bowl and glass.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[Green Empress]
Aikobaz nods and sniffs, smiling back slightly, taking a moment to wipe her nose again (it's suddenly gotten very runny). "T... thank you."
It won't take long for her to finish the meal. While she still has trouble choking down the blood and kumis (and therefore does it quickly, to get it over with), the soup she seems to actually enjoy; she burns through it zealously, seemingly unable to get enough of it in her mouth. She slows down for the last few spoonfuls, wanting to savor what remains before it's all gone.
"...I... I think I'll be able to sleep now." The empress says finally, setting her spoon back into the empty bowl. She lays back down on the bed, facing the nightstand, where there's now not one, but two warnings to Death that he should stay away from this bed for a while. It's safe to close her eyes for a while.
Aikobaz nods and sniffs, smiling back slightly, taking a moment to wipe her nose again (it's suddenly gotten very runny). "T... thank you."
It won't take long for her to finish the meal. While she still has trouble choking down the blood and kumis (and therefore does it quickly, to get it over with), the soup she seems to actually enjoy; she burns through it zealously, seemingly unable to get enough of it in her mouth. She slows down for the last few spoonfuls, wanting to savor what remains before it's all gone.
"...I... I think I'll be able to sleep now." The empress says finally, setting her spoon back into the empty bowl. She lays back down on the bed, facing the nightstand, where there's now not one, but two warnings to Death that he should stay away from this bed for a while. It's safe to close her eyes for a while.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Re: Home
Nightly VisitShadowcaller wrote: ↑Nov 01, 2022 9:32 am
Nightly Visit
"Oh, yeah, that's actually a word that can mean a lot of things. In this instance it refers to the sky rather than all the immaterial stuff. It's also known as the celestial, the firmament or, well, heaven." Jaahlyn looks out into the darkness for a moment. "But if that's heaven it would make this hell, wouldn't it? So I, ah, prefer the aether as it's more neutral y'know? Some parts of us go up in the sky while others go down into the earth and it's not like we get to experience it. We're dead and our remains are just being taken care of."
Jim nods. The parallels don't seem to line up with the cosmology of the world Jaahlyn comes from so the same names as other places don't work.
"Yeah, sure. But that does still sound like visiting it would be pretty hard."
Re: Home
[Palace of Tina]
Fettina looks away from Kirk. A moment later they alight on the hill, and it doesn't take a second longer for Tina to flop over on her back in the grass. She looks up into the clear windy blue and says, "I wonder, even if I could be sure that the kid would be happy, and taken care of, and well loved... even if I could somehow be certain of those things... I wonder how I would feel, down the years. I wonder how I'd feel about myself."
Fettina looks away from Kirk. A moment later they alight on the hill, and it doesn't take a second longer for Tina to flop over on her back in the grass. She looks up into the clear windy blue and says, "I wonder, even if I could be sure that the kid would be happy, and taken care of, and well loved... even if I could somehow be certain of those things... I wonder how I would feel, down the years. I wonder how I'd feel about myself."
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
Green Eggs and Empress
Once the soup- which tastes mostly of turmeric- and the glass -which tastes mostly of blood- are emptied, Mrs. Bloodplunder smiles and takes the tray. "You do that, tuskling. Sleep well, and may the Black Goat bring you enjoyable dreams, of defeated enemies and pleasing partners." The old woman will pat Aikobaz' head and turns to leave, if she's not called back for anything.
Once the soup- which tastes mostly of turmeric- and the glass -which tastes mostly of blood- are emptied, Mrs. Bloodplunder smiles and takes the tray. "You do that, tuskling. Sleep well, and may the Black Goat bring you enjoyable dreams, of defeated enemies and pleasing partners." The old woman will pat Aikobaz' head and turns to leave, if she's not called back for anything.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[Green Ex-Empress]
"Nana..." Aikobaz lightly chides, cheeks blackening at the rather unconventional blessing. Well, unconventional for her and the proper court she grew up with. Considering the sorts of stories Mrs. Bloodplunder was telling her unprompted back when they first met, she supposes it's fairly conventional for the ex-barbarian queen.
Hard to believe that was only a few months ago. She's almost feeling nostalgic for this house. Maybe her fever is messing with her sense of time and place?
That thought still in her head, the empress settles in, pulling the covers all the way up to her cheeks, and quietly drifts off to sleep.
--Two Hours Later--
"Nnnnnh..."
thup, thip, thup, thip
Is the sound of a drowsy empress ambling down the hallway, listing into the wall every few steps and having to push herself away from it. She's heading for the kitchen, like she would any given morning for breakfast before school, but there are a couple of indications that she's not entirely lucid. Such as, for example, the fact that she hasn't gotten dressed... sort of. She's wearing her jewelry, including her rings and her diadem, but not much else. The first time she passes a light source, it's going to be obvious her eyes are still mostly shut, slowly drifting about a quarter of the way open and back again. She's carrying one of her textbooks in her hand (Theoretical Metaphysics, judging from the arcane symbols and formulas on the cover), and if she reaches the table, she promptly sets the book in front of her and flips it open to a random page, hunching over it and mumbling incoherently to herself.
"Nana..." Aikobaz lightly chides, cheeks blackening at the rather unconventional blessing. Well, unconventional for her and the proper court she grew up with. Considering the sorts of stories Mrs. Bloodplunder was telling her unprompted back when they first met, she supposes it's fairly conventional for the ex-barbarian queen.
Hard to believe that was only a few months ago. She's almost feeling nostalgic for this house. Maybe her fever is messing with her sense of time and place?
That thought still in her head, the empress settles in, pulling the covers all the way up to her cheeks, and quietly drifts off to sleep.
--Two Hours Later--
"Nnnnnh..."
thup, thip, thup, thip
Is the sound of a drowsy empress ambling down the hallway, listing into the wall every few steps and having to push herself away from it. She's heading for the kitchen, like she would any given morning for breakfast before school, but there are a couple of indications that she's not entirely lucid. Such as, for example, the fact that she hasn't gotten dressed... sort of. She's wearing her jewelry, including her rings and her diadem, but not much else. The first time she passes a light source, it's going to be obvious her eyes are still mostly shut, slowly drifting about a quarter of the way open and back again. She's carrying one of her textbooks in her hand (Theoretical Metaphysics, judging from the arcane symbols and formulas on the cover), and if she reaches the table, she promptly sets the book in front of her and flips it open to a random page, hunching over it and mumbling incoherently to herself.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
The Empress' New Clothes
Already in the kitchen is one of the people who also live here during the weekend. Hope Burning on the Pyre of Despair Smith, usually known as Hope, is a young woman, about nineteen, and one of Mrs. Bloodplunder's younger grandchildren. She's only a few years older than Aikobaz, a nineteen-year-old with a bodybuilder's exaggerated muscles and wearing denim short-shorts and a black sports bra, her bearded axe leaning against a counter nearby as she does some washing up, listening to some music on a little radio, and singing along as best she can given she doesn't know the language.
When the door opens, she turns to look at who it is and her eyes widen in surprise. "Uh, hey, you. Aikobaz? You, uh, there?" She'll put the pot she's washing down and dries her hands, before approaching and cautiously reaching out. You're not supposed to wake sleepwalkers, right? But... what does she do in this situation? She could just pick Aikobaz up and carry her, but how to do that without waking the girl up and making things even more awkward? Probably best to just do it and get it over with. She reaches out and tries to shake Aikobaz awake, hand on shoulder. "Wake up, you're asleep and should be in bed. Uh, your highness? Or your excellency? How do you address empresses?"
Already in the kitchen is one of the people who also live here during the weekend. Hope Burning on the Pyre of Despair Smith, usually known as Hope, is a young woman, about nineteen, and one of Mrs. Bloodplunder's younger grandchildren. She's only a few years older than Aikobaz, a nineteen-year-old with a bodybuilder's exaggerated muscles and wearing denim short-shorts and a black sports bra, her bearded axe leaning against a counter nearby as she does some washing up, listening to some music on a little radio, and singing along as best she can given she doesn't know the language.
When the door opens, she turns to look at who it is and her eyes widen in surprise. "Uh, hey, you. Aikobaz? You, uh, there?" She'll put the pot she's washing down and dries her hands, before approaching and cautiously reaching out. You're not supposed to wake sleepwalkers, right? But... what does she do in this situation? She could just pick Aikobaz up and carry her, but how to do that without waking the girl up and making things even more awkward? Probably best to just do it and get it over with. She reaches out and tries to shake Aikobaz awake, hand on shoulder. "Wake up, you're asleep and should be in bed. Uh, your highness? Or your excellency? How do you address empresses?"
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[Green and Greener]
"...Mmmn... 's 'your majesty', Hope... I keep telling you, you don't gotta..." Aikobaz mumbles, rolling her head on her shoulders. "...lemme alone... got a test in a few weeks, gotta ace it..." Her head promptly drops to her book again. "...mrph... constant acceleration of 9.8 millifiats due to destiny... times metamass in kilodooms... equals force needed to counteract fate, in Oedipi..." She shuffles and runs her finger down the page. "...many heroes give up trying to fight fate because they only counteract the force and not the momentum... nnmm..." Her eyes slide up toward Hope, one corner of her mouth curling up in vague amusement, before her gaze again falls to the book and she starts quietly humming along to the song.
And still not seeming to notice any of the incongruencies with what's going on around her. Such as why Hope is talking to her right now and why it's so cold in here.
"...Mmmn... 's 'your majesty', Hope... I keep telling you, you don't gotta..." Aikobaz mumbles, rolling her head on her shoulders. "...lemme alone... got a test in a few weeks, gotta ace it..." Her head promptly drops to her book again. "...mrph... constant acceleration of 9.8 millifiats due to destiny... times metamass in kilodooms... equals force needed to counteract fate, in Oedipi..." She shuffles and runs her finger down the page. "...many heroes give up trying to fight fate because they only counteract the force and not the momentum... nnmm..." Her eyes slide up toward Hope, one corner of her mouth curling up in vague amusement, before her gaze again falls to the book and she starts quietly humming along to the song.
And still not seeming to notice any of the incongruencies with what's going on around her. Such as why Hope is talking to her right now and why it's so cold in here.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
Green and Nearly-Human Yellow
"Your book's upside down, you ain't reading it. Also, you're asleep, and naked bar your jewellery. Come on, wake up so's you can go to bed before Aigothurz comes in for some dandelion and burdock." Aigothurz has fallen in love with that particular soft drink, which is really hard to find when he's with his parents. Hope tries to shake the empress harder, glancing at the door as she mentions Aigothurz' name.
"Your book's upside down, you ain't reading it. Also, you're asleep, and naked bar your jewellery. Come on, wake up so's you can go to bed before Aigothurz comes in for some dandelion and burdock." Aigothurz has fallen in love with that particular soft drink, which is really hard to find when he's with his parents. Hope tries to shake the empress harder, glancing at the door as she mentions Aigothurz' name.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[It's Not Easy Being Green]
"...you talking about?" The empress mumbles, her eyes opening to about the halfway point. "I'm perfectly-"
Hope will see in Aikobaz's eyes the exact moment she wakes the rest of the way up. By the fact that they shoot open and betray a briefly mortified expression, if nothing else.
"...I did it again, didn't I?" She mumbles annoyedly, snapping her textbook shut. "Ugh. Please tell me Nana didn't see. You know how she gets about..." She stops and looks down, noticing a peculiar chill in the room, and just now seeming to register that she forgot something while drowsily getting ready for the day.
"EEK!"
The empress practically jumps into Hope's arms, desperately attempting to cover herself with the book, the only item of any substantial size she has on her person just now. "Getmetobedgetmetobedgetmetobed-"
Hope's right. No way in hell is she letting Aigothurz see her like this. Or Mrs. Bloodplunder. She'd probably die of embarrassment on the spot, and if she didn't she doubts either of them would let her hear the end of it.
"...you talking about?" The empress mumbles, her eyes opening to about the halfway point. "I'm perfectly-"
Hope will see in Aikobaz's eyes the exact moment she wakes the rest of the way up. By the fact that they shoot open and betray a briefly mortified expression, if nothing else.
"...I did it again, didn't I?" She mumbles annoyedly, snapping her textbook shut. "Ugh. Please tell me Nana didn't see. You know how she gets about..." She stops and looks down, noticing a peculiar chill in the room, and just now seeming to register that she forgot something while drowsily getting ready for the day.
"EEK!"
The empress practically jumps into Hope's arms, desperately attempting to cover herself with the book, the only item of any substantial size she has on her person just now. "Getmetobedgetmetobedgetmetobed-"
Hope's right. No way in hell is she letting Aigothurz see her like this. Or Mrs. Bloodplunder. She'd probably die of embarrassment on the spot, and if she didn't she doubts either of them would let her hear the end of it.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
Fifty Shades of Green
"Yep, but in a new an' exciting way never done before." Hope nods solemnly at the first bit, before Aikobaz realises her state of undress.
And then, when she does, she leaps into Hope's arms, which is a bit of a surprise. Hope blushes a little and holds on, being as gentle as she can- though her hands are still callused from practice with the lockaber axe, and also damp from the washing up. "Nan's in bed, so no trouble there. Dunno where Aigothurz is, he might be out. He shouldn't be, but... I can't blame him if he is. Inside's a city, an' it's got far more to offer than his parents' camp does. An' Grandad's gonna look after him, so I don't reckon there's much he needs be scared of." She'll carry Aikobaz back towards her guest room, which does mean going quite close to Aigothurz' room... Which has a light on, and the muffled sounds of a movie escaping through the ajar doorway. A Jurassic Park film by the sounds, though it seems Chris Pratt has been replaced by Nic Cage.
"Yep, but in a new an' exciting way never done before." Hope nods solemnly at the first bit, before Aikobaz realises her state of undress.
And then, when she does, she leaps into Hope's arms, which is a bit of a surprise. Hope blushes a little and holds on, being as gentle as she can- though her hands are still callused from practice with the lockaber axe, and also damp from the washing up. "Nan's in bed, so no trouble there. Dunno where Aigothurz is, he might be out. He shouldn't be, but... I can't blame him if he is. Inside's a city, an' it's got far more to offer than his parents' camp does. An' Grandad's gonna look after him, so I don't reckon there's much he needs be scared of." She'll carry Aikobaz back towards her guest room, which does mean going quite close to Aigothurz' room... Which has a light on, and the muffled sounds of a movie escaping through the ajar doorway. A Jurassic Park film by the sounds, though it seems Chris Pratt has been replaced by Nic Cage.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[How Do You Solve A Problem Like A Green Gal~?]
Aikobaz pales as they pass by Aigothurz's room, internally noting that she was just one sleepy turn away from the most embarrassing sleepwalking slip-up in the history of sleepwalking slip-ups.
...Make that the second most embarrassing, Aikobaz internally corrects herself. Mrs. Bloodplunder's room is right next to hers, and previous incidents have involved her trying to curl up with the barbarian queen (completely unconsciously, of course).
"...I propose we both pretend nothing happened tonight." Aikobaz says after they pass Aigothurz's room, just a bit too loudly for comfort.
All this time, the empress keeps her book pressed against her chest, though the way she does it, Hope might get the impression it's an item of comfort as much as it is modesty. Like the teddy bear Aikobaz never owned (as opposed to the two in her trunk that she did).
Aikobaz pales as they pass by Aigothurz's room, internally noting that she was just one sleepy turn away from the most embarrassing sleepwalking slip-up in the history of sleepwalking slip-ups.
...Make that the second most embarrassing, Aikobaz internally corrects herself. Mrs. Bloodplunder's room is right next to hers, and previous incidents have involved her trying to curl up with the barbarian queen (completely unconsciously, of course).
"...I propose we both pretend nothing happened tonight." Aikobaz says after they pass Aigothurz's room, just a bit too loudly for comfort.
All this time, the empress keeps her book pressed against her chest, though the way she does it, Hope might get the impression it's an item of comfort as much as it is modesty. Like the teddy bear Aikobaz never owned (as opposed to the two in her trunk that she did).
Last edited by Ironsmith on Nov 09, 2022 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
With Violence And Love
"Deal. And, to make sure you believe me, I'll tell you something of my own that's embarrassing. Most the family know already, but me friends don't. My name isn't Hope Burning on the Pyre of Despair. It's Hope Flowering Eternal in the Garden of Beauty. I changed it because... I got bullied, and that really didn't endear me to the name, y'know? And it's... not a name easy to take seriously." Hope's whispering a lot quieter, and blushes a little as she says it. She really isn't very happy with her name. She's also going to kick open the bedroom door lightly so she can put Aikobaz on the bed.
"Deal. And, to make sure you believe me, I'll tell you something of my own that's embarrassing. Most the family know already, but me friends don't. My name isn't Hope Burning on the Pyre of Despair. It's Hope Flowering Eternal in the Garden of Beauty. I changed it because... I got bullied, and that really didn't endear me to the name, y'know? And it's... not a name easy to take seriously." Hope's whispering a lot quieter, and blushes a little as she says it. She really isn't very happy with her name. She's also going to kick open the bedroom door lightly so she can put Aikobaz on the bed.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[Palace of Tina]Murkus wrote: ↑Nov 05, 2022 4:58 pm [Palace of Tina]
Fettina looks away from Kirk. A moment later they alight on the hill, and it doesn't take a second longer for Tina to flop over on her back in the grass. She looks up into the clear windy blue and says, "I wonder, even if I could be sure that the kid would be happy, and taken care of, and well loved... even if I could somehow be certain of those things... I wonder how I would feel, down the years. I wonder how I'd feel about myself."
Kirk settles next to her, simply sitting, however. He breathes out a sigh. "I can't say I understand." He admits simply. He looks down at her searchingly, as if he can gain understanding by vision alone.
~Images by Soushiyo
Re: Home
[In That Order, No Exceptions]Earl of Purple wrote: ↑Nov 09, 2022 9:42 pm With Violence And Love
"Deal. And, to make sure you believe me, I'll tell you something of my own that's embarrassing. Most the family know already, but me friends don't. My name isn't Hope Burning on the Pyre of Despair. It's Hope Flowering Eternal in the Garden of Beauty. I changed it because... I got bullied, and that really didn't endear me to the name, y'know? And it's... not a name easy to take seriously." Hope's whispering a lot quieter, and blushes a little as she says it. She really isn't very happy with her name. She's also going to kick open the bedroom door lightly so she can put Aikobaz on the bed.
"...What?" Aikobaz looks up at Hope skeptically. "People actually made fun of you for that?" She scoffs. "I'm sure they were just jealous. That's a beautiful name." She shrugs, momentarily seeming to forget her own predicament as she considers what Hope told her. "I mean, a bit long-winded maybe, but the sentiment is quite lovely."
The door creaks open without much effort, letting Hope into Aikobaz's room. It looks like the empress has been busy in the time she's asleep; she's pulled out all of her textbooks and set them in a pile on her vanity, along with leaving her jewelry box open. The trunk at the foot of her bed has been opened and the pages therein have been scattered onto the floor, swirling from a gust of wind that creeps in through the open window. The bed is still unmade, but tucking Aikobaz back in should be trivial. And finally, on the floor near the bed, there's a taped-down circle containing a quadrigram, a square with a pair of interlocking, nested hourglass symbols inside of it.
Apart from that, though, not much has changed since Nana was in here a couple of hours ago.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
Monarchy Woes
"I'm a quarter orc, and my grandfather conquered a quarter of the world, or at least helped it along. A name like that isn't very... conquer-y. My mother didn't want me to associate so much with that side of my heritage, which is why she chose it. But... my dad's heritage is really boring. He's a greengrocer, as were his parents, and their parents, and so on back to the point there started to be greengrocers. There's nothing there for me to embrace." Hope hesitates a moment, and possibly tucks Aikobaz in if she's getting under the covers. "Orc names are meant to inspire, they're meant to intimidate. In Old Orcish, Aigothurz means 'He Who Drowns His Foes in Blood'. And Aigothurz the First actually did, at least once. He took the city of Ecbatana and drowned the king in the blood of his sons, putting the king's nephew on the throne and carrying off the nephew's daughter as a hostage for good behaviour." And so not a people for whom 'Hope Flowering Eternal in the Garden of Beauty' is a very appropriate name.
"I'm a quarter orc, and my grandfather conquered a quarter of the world, or at least helped it along. A name like that isn't very... conquer-y. My mother didn't want me to associate so much with that side of my heritage, which is why she chose it. But... my dad's heritage is really boring. He's a greengrocer, as were his parents, and their parents, and so on back to the point there started to be greengrocers. There's nothing there for me to embrace." Hope hesitates a moment, and possibly tucks Aikobaz in if she's getting under the covers. "Orc names are meant to inspire, they're meant to intimidate. In Old Orcish, Aigothurz means 'He Who Drowns His Foes in Blood'. And Aigothurz the First actually did, at least once. He took the city of Ecbatana and drowned the king in the blood of his sons, putting the king's nephew on the throne and carrying off the nephew's daughter as a hostage for good behaviour." And so not a people for whom 'Hope Flowering Eternal in the Garden of Beauty' is a very appropriate name.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Home
[It Was Then She Realized Orcs Are Metal]
Aikobaz's eyebrows shoot up at that, and she slowly pulls the covers up over her chest, staring up at Hope with newfound... something. Respect probably isn't the right term. Not fear, either. But there's definitely a sort of weight to her gaze now.
"...Well." She begins, laying back down on her pillow. "I don't know if it helps, but I once turned a rival kingdom's entire royal family into a bunch of mallards. I had them cooked up and served as a feast to celebrate our conquest. They were thoroughly unpleasant people to deal with before then, but they paired wonderfully with a glass of chianti." She turns on her side and props her head up on her hand, resting her arm on her pillow. "Do you know what my name means? 'Child of love', with a suffix denoting me as a witch." She smiles. "Not the most intimidating, either. But I'd say people will remember you far better for what you do than what you're called, if there's any lesson to be taken there."
Aikobaz's eyebrows shoot up at that, and she slowly pulls the covers up over her chest, staring up at Hope with newfound... something. Respect probably isn't the right term. Not fear, either. But there's definitely a sort of weight to her gaze now.
"...Well." She begins, laying back down on her pillow. "I don't know if it helps, but I once turned a rival kingdom's entire royal family into a bunch of mallards. I had them cooked up and served as a feast to celebrate our conquest. They were thoroughly unpleasant people to deal with before then, but they paired wonderfully with a glass of chianti." She turns on her side and props her head up on her hand, resting her arm on her pillow. "Do you know what my name means? 'Child of love', with a suffix denoting me as a witch." She smiles. "Not the most intimidating, either. But I'd say people will remember you far better for what you do than what you're called, if there's any lesson to be taken there."
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
There's a Reason Mrs. Bloodplunder Decided Aigothurz The First Was The Strongest Man In The World
"Reason why my mum didn't want me to touch that side of the family is because her mum was the hostage princess. She died in childbirth, and Mum's never seen Ecbatana. My grandfather's probably Aigothurz the First, or one of his closest companions, and Nan raised Mum like one of her own, though that... didn't really help much. She never felt totally at home, not like I do." Hope is more surprised that somebody let Aikobaz drink alcohol when she's barely old enough now for it, in Hope's mind. This is also probably the first inkling that Aikobaz has that Hope isn't actually a Bloodplunder by acknowledged heritage, but rather by adoption as it were.
Which also explains why they've all accepted Aikobaz so quickly; actual known descent is less important than Mrs. Bloodplunder's affection.
"Reason why my mum didn't want me to touch that side of the family is because her mum was the hostage princess. She died in childbirth, and Mum's never seen Ecbatana. My grandfather's probably Aigothurz the First, or one of his closest companions, and Nan raised Mum like one of her own, though that... didn't really help much. She never felt totally at home, not like I do." Hope is more surprised that somebody let Aikobaz drink alcohol when she's barely old enough now for it, in Hope's mind. This is also probably the first inkling that Aikobaz has that Hope isn't actually a Bloodplunder by acknowledged heritage, but rather by adoption as it were.
Which also explains why they've all accepted Aikobaz so quickly; actual known descent is less important than Mrs. Bloodplunder's affection.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
-
Shadowcaller
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2902
- Joined: Aug 02, 2022 6:29 am
- Location: Sweden
Re: Home
Gullara wrote: ↑Nov 04, 2022 4:01 am [Spookysitting]
Jaazha yelps and grabs hold of Orlane, and Eshe grabs Orlane's hand to drag the both of them along with Leis back to the kitchen. Rosabel runs into the kitchen soon after, with Maha in her arms. The younger girl has her face buried in her older sister's shoulder.
"Um no, nothing like that." Rosabel answers. "Mommy wouldn't let anything like that happen."
"Was it a ghost at the door?" Orlane asks.
Arkhosia wrote: ↑Nov 02, 2022 3:49 am[Spookysitting]► SHOW SPOILER
"Alright, here -" Leis approaches the door and then suddenly freezes, staring at the spray-painted words in shock. She's about to lean out and look for the kid when the laughing begins. "What?" Leis spins around, her face pale. "Oh gods, not again!"
Slamming the door shut, Leis runs back to the kitchen and tries to gather up the kids, looking around for any signs of something else in the surroundings. "Um, hey, you guys don't get any ghost problems around here often do you?"
[Spookysitting]
Leis and the girls can hear a door slamming shut with such incredible force that Leis might be concerned it just came off its hinges.
It sounded like it came from so-called 'maids room'.
Nightly Visit
"Not harder than visiting this place. Easier in fact. It tends to look a lot nicer too but... things are different there." Jaahlyn shakes her head. "Anyway, we should focus. We're almost at the other side now." She gesture ahead into the darkness. Jim of course seeing nothing.
Indeed, while he can feel that they're moving Strider movement across the river have been completely silent.
"Hoping you folks have had a nice trip. Usually I talk more but it sounds like you two got some catching up to do, ye'?"
Re: Home
[Fostering Sisterhood]Earl of Purple wrote: ↑Nov 10, 2022 5:59 pm There's a Reason Mrs. Bloodplunder Decided Aigothurz The First Was The Strongest Man In The World
"Reason why my mum didn't want me to touch that side of the family is because her mum was the hostage princess. She died in childbirth, and Mum's never seen Ecbatana. My grandfather's probably Aigothurz the First, or one of his closest companions, and Nan raised Mum like one of her own, though that... didn't really help much. She never felt totally at home, not like I do." Hope is more surprised that somebody let Aikobaz drink alcohol when she's barely old enough now for it, in Hope's mind. This is also probably the first inkling that Aikobaz has that Hope isn't actually a Bloodplunder by acknowledged heritage, but rather by adoption as it were.
Which also explains why they've all accepted Aikobaz so quickly; actual known descent is less important than Mrs. Bloodplunder's affection.
It might have been, if not for Hope's radically different name from her brother, the readiness with which Mrs. Bloodplunder took her in the first place, and the simple fact that she just wasn't as orc-y as her siblings or uncle. She stuck out, even if Aikobaz was only now putting together why.
"...You know, I sort of get it." The empress pulls her blankets up to her neck and lays on her side. "...My mum was sort of the same way. She didn't adapt very well to palace life. She didn't really want me to have anything to do with Da, except for... you know, him. Be close to the man but far from the job." She shuffles under the blankets, wincing and pulling a burr out of the sheets, tossing it back into the soil under her bed. "But the first time I was ever at the palace, I was smitten. And not just for how luxurious it was... it genuinely felt like home."
She gives a nostalgic smile and shakes her head. "...Truth be told, Nana's house reminds me more of my mum's place than the palace." She gives a little smirk. "Not that that isn't obvious. But... I do like it here. It still feels like home, just not the way the palace did."
The fact that most of her surroundings carried over might have had something to do with that.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2110
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Home
Green About The Gills
Cousins, all of them are cousins. Hope is an only child, Aigothurz has younger siblings still with his family.
"Mum has never been able to see Aigothurz the First as anything but the man who'd carried her mother away from her palace into a war camp until she got pregnant and died. Nan bringing her in and adopting her as one of her own, even though she's probably the bastard daughter of Nan's husband, didn't help with that. Mum doesn't remember the steppes and the army fondly, like my uncles and Nan do. She thinks of them as the reason why she wasn't in a palace with a thousand servants just to serve her breakfast. She wasn't able to get a clear picture of how her mum took to it all, though, just the recollections of people who didn't really know her that well." So slightly different to Aikobaz, then. Given Hope's mother isn't the bastard daughter of an emperor, but rather a legitimate daughter of a princess with questions over the identity of her father and the nature of their relationship.
Cousins, all of them are cousins. Hope is an only child, Aigothurz has younger siblings still with his family.
"Mum has never been able to see Aigothurz the First as anything but the man who'd carried her mother away from her palace into a war camp until she got pregnant and died. Nan bringing her in and adopting her as one of her own, even though she's probably the bastard daughter of Nan's husband, didn't help with that. Mum doesn't remember the steppes and the army fondly, like my uncles and Nan do. She thinks of them as the reason why she wasn't in a palace with a thousand servants just to serve her breakfast. She wasn't able to get a clear picture of how her mum took to it all, though, just the recollections of people who didn't really know her that well." So slightly different to Aikobaz, then. Given Hope's mother isn't the bastard daughter of an emperor, but rather a legitimate daughter of a princess with questions over the identity of her father and the nature of their relationship.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.