#the acts and whims | darien

[universal-legacy]

Kink Shame + Roleplay (For Lucas, Michael, and Darien)

"Yes. Simply, yes." Not surprised with you

"Need I truly answer?" Michael, get rid of that smile-

"I'm not necessarily into it, but also am not necessarily not into it." Talk about. . . Roundabout bullshit.

[thepriceofburning]

As soon as she was out of the Commander's sight her face lost its innocence. Shit, she cursed silently to herself. What had she been thinking laying it on like that? Had she been thinking at all? Yes, she had. Far too much. Those warm brown eyes had sunk into her and she’d floundered. Worse yet, he’d seen right through it. She’d had him, she knew she did, and then she’d pushed it and raised his hackles.

She swore again as she blindly followed the path the other three women had taken before her. If anyone noticed she didn’t belong there, they didn’t say anything. It certainly looked as if she knew where she was going.

She turned over options in her mind as she followed the map Chanta was providing her. The Commander could be utilized, but she would have to be careful with him. For reasons she couldn’t define there was something about him that rattled her, and that was not a good position to work from. No, she needed someone a little more benign.

She looked up as she entered a large room and realized they were in some sort of art gallery. The walls were covered in painting, drawings, and tapestries. Sculptures sat on marble pedestals in various places around the room. She eyed a marble carving of a naked woman as she walked past and had to admit that the detail was exquisite.

The small group stood in a half circle facing a massive tapestry admiring the detail. Two of the Thyfa had taken up flanking positions by the door she had come through, securing the exit as per their training. Two more stood just a short distance from the group. Tower guards stood inconspicuously at every door.

“Tayanara,” Darien called, having noticed she had rejoined them. Grudgingly she put on her noble smile and joined the group. She was going to be playing at princess for the rest of the day.

With a polite smile she sidled up to Darien who looked every inch the disgruntled husband. With half an ear she listened to Mery’s recounting of the tale behind the tapestry and considered the woman critically.

Her smile was easy, but a little shy, and her eyes were bright and intelligent. Taya found the spray of freckles across her skin quite pretty. Feeling eyes on her, Mery turned to meet her gaze, and they studied each other quietly for a moment. Something in the way the witch looked at her made her feel like she was seeing more than the physical. A moment later she gave a blushing nod and turned her attention back to the group at large.

Unsure, Taya thought, but she has spine. Mery laughed prettily at something Alexa said and it was a sound full of warmth. Generous, kind, a caring soul, and probably quite stubborn when push came to shove, Taya surmised. That, she could use.

With a gentle suggestion and a motion of her hand Meryarna moved them on to the next part of the tour. Dani stepped up to keep her attention, and Darien and Taya fell back a few steps. When he offered his arm she clasped her hand around it lightly.

“Did you manage to make any headway with the Commander?” Darien asked quietly.

“Depends what you mean by headway,” she grumbled. “If by headway you mean making me even more convinced that Alexa should have been the hook, then yes.”

He gave her an unexpected smile. “She doesn’t have the grit.”

Taya narrowed her eyes. “What you mean is she’s too polished to pass as a street kid who made it lucky with a Duke and therefore would not garner as much interest or sympathy as I would, due to my lack of manners.”

“That about sums it up,” he delivered with a grin.

She tilted her head slightly as she walked beside him. “You are in an unusually good mood.”

There was a hint of something just a little malevolent when he spoke. “Perhaps having people bow and scrape and cater to my every whim appeals to me.”

Her mouth scrunched into a disapproving little twist and he laughed out loud at her expression. Three pairs of familiar eyes, and one unfamiliar, turned to look at them in mild curiosity. Taya pretended not to notice and Darien gave them all a dazzling smile. When they turned back and continued with their conversations, Taya shook her head at his audacity.

“Back to the point. Will the Commander be a problem?” He asked in more serious tones.

She breathed a small sigh. “I think he’ll be amenable… to a point.” Darien raised an eyebrow in question. “He’s got amazingly sharp gut instinct and he is definitely no fool. If we push it, chances are he’ll have it pegged that we’re not who we say we are pretty fast.” She paused for a moment. “What we need is a way around him. Someone who knows The Towers as well as he does, but whose latches are a little easier to flip.”

He cast her a sideways glance. “I take it you have someone in mind?”

She lifted her chin in the direction of the redhead leading the group. “Actually I do.”

He gave a small hum of approval. “I was thinking the same thing. See what you can get from her. I’ll have Alexa befriend the magic users, Dani on the staff, and Chanta on the townsfolk. The faster we can figure out what the Voro are looking for here and how to get it first, the better.”

Taya let her mind wander the surroundings as they were led through a large archway, the ever present tower guards standing like statues on either side. There was static against her skin and the smell of the air noticeably shifted and she realized that they must have entered the Second Reach. Mery began to tell the group about the various experimentations happening currently.

“You know,” Taya said in hushed tones, “with all the reports we’ve received of how the Voro seem to be gathering here, I expected this place to be crawling. I haven’t sensed one yet, Darien.”

Mery led them into a room that smelled so strongly of peppermint it almost made Taya’s eyes water and briefly introduced an elderly witch who began a rambling speech about the properties of the plant.

“Do you find that surprising?” He said with just a hint of disappointment. Taya’s impassive expression spoke volumes. “This place is full of magic users, Taya. I imagine that they would be quite easily detected if they couldn’t effectively hide it. Not to mention the Wolf Knights are a larger but less informed variation of the Thyfa. I’m sure the Commander is aware of the existence of the Voro, even though it’s doubtful he has any idea that they are actually a threat to his Towers at present.” There was just the hint of a sneer in his voice with the last statement.

“But,” he continued as the others patiently listened to the peppermint lecture, “they would be taking a huge risk sending any of their own in here. One gets caught and the Commander might get an idea that there’s something going on and do something to try and stop it. They wouldn’t send anyone in but their best. If they do have people in The Towers I’d say that they are using something like a barrier that would stop others sensing their differing energy levels. A dam let’s say.” A group of mages entered the room then, chattering among themselves and Darien cast a look in their direction. “And with so many people around, all they’d have to do is become a part of the crowd.”

Taya nodded on a breath. “I just wish we could catch one in here. If we could make one squeal-”

“What?” Darien asked sharply. “We could make all the Voro in the area aware of our presence and invite them to kill us? The reason we are performing this ridiculous act is so they don’t know they’re being watched, Taya. With as many Voro as there are in the area as soon as they knew we were here everyone would be in danger.” He shook his head with a lowered brow. “You should know better.”

Of their own accord her eyes found Alexa and she considered what would happen if the Voro learned her face or her name. They’d never stop hunting her.

“Okay,” she replied, “no torturing. So what? We just wait and see what happens?”

“Patience is a skill you’ve yet to acquire,” he said drily. “Yes, we wait. And while we do we learn every entrance and exit, every weak spot and malleable point. Then when we figure out what the Voro are after, it’s a simple matter of getting it before they do.”

Meryarna thanked the peppermint witch and asked them all to follow her in bright tones. Taya and Darien held back and watched as the other four women walked together, the conversation bouncing back and forth between them. It seemed they had quite an affinity for each other.

“I take it you have a plan to explain our extended visit?” she asked quietly, mindful of the way her voice carried in the hall they were in. When his only response was a lifted eyebrow, as if to say “of course”, she followed with the next thought. “Dani still thinks we should tell the Commander what is going on here.”

He glanced sideways at her. “Dani can howl all she wants but we all know she will not do a thing without your approval. Just remind her that our way saves lives and keep her contained.”

Taya gave a small nod of acknowledgement even if she disapproved of his tone towards her sister and went along easily as he drew her forward so that they could join the conversation. Other than polite smiles and nods, she offered nothing in the way of talk. Instead she drew inward and ordered her thoughts.

She felt his press against her mind and was a little surprised at it. They rarely, if ever, communicated in this intimate manner. She lowered her barrier.

You never told me how it happened. His deep, rich voice passed through her mind.

Outwardly her demeanor never changed but she passed the feeling of confusion along with her words. How what happened?

A charming smile lit his face as he replied to a question asked by Mery. How you got lucky with a Duke.

Taya pressed her lips together to contain the grin. Do you want the bar room version, or the dining table one?

She felt the sudden rise of his interest as he considered the possibilities. I remember the bar room version very well. But I wouldn’t mind rehashing the details.

She bounced her shoulder against his, causing him to side step a fraction and they both kept moving forward with heads held high without outwardly acknowledging the bump. Inwardly a mental grin passed between them and she set her mind to work on creating a dining table story of how she had met the Duke.

~Copyright C.J. Staunton Tag list - @stuffylana @atheona-darkclaw