Manifester: Diplomatic Avoidance
Chal’í (call-EYE)
Chamlann (KAHM-lahn)
Fenix felt lost. He would wander the palace for no apparent reason. It was like he was searching for something --or someone.-- He would find himself staring into nothingness. Tempyst had yet to return to her post. She was in T’y’light’s realm, just not at his side as his Guard.
“Fenix, are you alright?”
He snapped to, finding Maloria standing in front of him. “I’m fine, dear,” he said, forcing himself to use a term of endearment. Fenix stood and walked out of his room, Maloria following. “I’m sorry. I just have something on my mind.”
“Our approaching marriage, no doubt.”
Fenix stopped midstep. When did they set a date for the ceremony? “Yes, of course. Nothing else could be more important than our union,” he lied.
The short Princess gave an unusual grin. “Wonderful. Then perhaps you would not mind working out a few details?”
“Ah…” --I don’t really want to, but there’s nothing I can use as a-- He noticed An’gelucis coming down the stairs. --Distraction. Perfect.-- “Diplomat, when are you going to tell me about your mission to the Orcyd territories?”
An’gelucis halted and stared at the Fourth Prince with mouth agape and a quizzical look about his face. The expression looked odd on the heavenly being. His wings were hack, ready to propel him upwards if necessary. “Fourth Prince?”
“You remember, the mission you are going on next week?” --C’mon, play along!--
He cocked an eyebrow and studied the Royal’s expression. “My mission to-of course! How foolish of me, I should have informed you weeks ago! Would you like to be briefed now?”
Fenix let out a mental sigh. He only hoped Maloria didn’t catch on. “If you would not mind. Would you mind meeting me in the Map Room?”
“Not at all.” His wings relaxed and he bowed, extending them fully then folding them and made his way to the lower levels of the palace.
Fenix turned to Maloria. “I am sorry, dear, for the inconvenience this might have caused, but if I am to be King one day, it would be best if I stayed informed.” He clacked his heels together and bowed. “I shall return to you shortly, Princess.”
As he walked off, he swore he felt her eyes boring holes in the back of his skull.
Fenix took a deep breath. Old books, untouched for nearly a thousand years. When he was little, he would seek out rooms like this in the palace, thinking he could absorb the knowledge of the ages through smell.
He pulled out an old map and unrolled it, taking great care to not ruin the yellowed parchment. It was written in Archaic, which placed it before the Nen’dori Hunts. All the current territories were much smaller then, but the Capitals hadn’t changed. Chal’í for the Nen’roma and Sorvet for the Nen’dori were there, and were still considered “holy sites” for the older deDannan. He had even been to Chal’í, once, when he was very young. He would explore those ruins again someday.
“How may I serve as your distraction, Fourth Prince?”
He shook his head. “I thank you for playing along.”
An’gelucis bowed. “I am to use my skills wherever they are needed, even if it is to help a Prince avoid speaking to his ~Chamlann~.”
“And you did a wonderful job.” He re-rolled the map and slid it into its case. “You saw me kiss your Sister, correct?”
“I saw nothing, my Lord.”
Fenix just barely noticed the secret smile. “You’ve been around your Sister for a while--”
“Since she was born, minus two years for her training.”
“I stand corrected.” He sat down on one of the stools and motioned the Angel to do the same. “Tempyst said something about needing proof. Would you care to elaborate?”
An’gelucis sat, needing to lean to keep his wings from bumping the crystal globe. “Your reputation precedes you-rather, your Father’s reputation.”
“She doesn’t want to become one in a line,” he thought out loud. “She knows I won’t do that.”
His calm blue eyes watched the Prince. “Does she? Remember, you are a Royal. You are expected to provide many heirs so your bloodline will continue. She needs you to prove that she will not be a…baby factory, I believe is the term Commoners use.”
Fenix stifled a snort. Such improper speech sounded out of place coming from him. “You wouldn’t happen to know how I could, would you, Diplomat?”
He shook his head. “I am my Sister’s Keeper, not my Sister. I may be able to see through a woman’s eyes when the situation calls for it, but every woman is different.”
Fenix rolled his eyes. “You can say that again.”
“Yes, Fourth Prince. I may be able--”
“It’s a figure of speech,” he said, grinning. It must have been fun growing up with such a literal Brother. “Pretend for just one moment, you are Tempyst.”
“But, Sir, I--”
The Prince raised a finger. “Indulge me for a second. You, are Tempyst. How could I prove to you that I love you and would never hurt you?”
The hybrid raised an eyebrow. He seemed to have difficulty getting into his Sister’s head. “You could not marry Maloria,” he suggested.
Fenix sighed. “That’s a bit difficult. I must, for the good of the deDannan.”
“You could denounce your title.”
“And be looked down upon by every deDannan. Try again.”
The Solaris closed his eyes and thought. “You seem to be preoccupied by other’s perception of you. Have you tried asking her?”
“Yes,” he growled. “She didn’t give any hints.”
“My Sister is a hard book to read.” He opened his eyes. “Tell me, how do you see her?”
“She is beautiful.”
“How so? What is beautiful about her?”
Fenix closed his eyes and conjured an image of her. “Hair as pure as lamb’s wool…eyes that betray her true feelings…her secretive smile when she looks at me. The gentle curves of her body…the hidden strength within.” He smiled. “She was willing to give her life for me.”
“That is what you do when you are in love.” An’gelucis stood. “You are willing to sacrifice anything for the one you love. You would fall on your sword if it would make them happy.”
Fenix heard him step closer. He opened his eyes.
“She laid her life on the line for you.”
“That’s what she wants. She needs me to prove I’d be willing to do the same.” His smile grew. “Thank you, An’gelucis.”
“I live to serve--” Fenix cut him off as he hugged him and bolted up the stairs.
Chamlann (KAHM-lahn)
Fenix felt lost. He would wander the palace for no apparent reason. It was like he was searching for something --or someone.-- He would find himself staring into nothingness. Tempyst had yet to return to her post. She was in T’y’light’s realm, just not at his side as his Guard.
“Fenix, are you alright?”
He snapped to, finding Maloria standing in front of him. “I’m fine, dear,” he said, forcing himself to use a term of endearment. Fenix stood and walked out of his room, Maloria following. “I’m sorry. I just have something on my mind.”
“Our approaching marriage, no doubt.”
Fenix stopped midstep. When did they set a date for the ceremony? “Yes, of course. Nothing else could be more important than our union,” he lied.
The short Princess gave an unusual grin. “Wonderful. Then perhaps you would not mind working out a few details?”
“Ah…” --I don’t really want to, but there’s nothing I can use as a-- He noticed An’gelucis coming down the stairs. --Distraction. Perfect.-- “Diplomat, when are you going to tell me about your mission to the Orcyd territories?”
An’gelucis halted and stared at the Fourth Prince with mouth agape and a quizzical look about his face. The expression looked odd on the heavenly being. His wings were hack, ready to propel him upwards if necessary. “Fourth Prince?”
“You remember, the mission you are going on next week?” --C’mon, play along!--
He cocked an eyebrow and studied the Royal’s expression. “My mission to-of course! How foolish of me, I should have informed you weeks ago! Would you like to be briefed now?”
Fenix let out a mental sigh. He only hoped Maloria didn’t catch on. “If you would not mind. Would you mind meeting me in the Map Room?”
“Not at all.” His wings relaxed and he bowed, extending them fully then folding them and made his way to the lower levels of the palace.
Fenix turned to Maloria. “I am sorry, dear, for the inconvenience this might have caused, but if I am to be King one day, it would be best if I stayed informed.” He clacked his heels together and bowed. “I shall return to you shortly, Princess.”
As he walked off, he swore he felt her eyes boring holes in the back of his skull.
Fenix took a deep breath. Old books, untouched for nearly a thousand years. When he was little, he would seek out rooms like this in the palace, thinking he could absorb the knowledge of the ages through smell.
He pulled out an old map and unrolled it, taking great care to not ruin the yellowed parchment. It was written in Archaic, which placed it before the Nen’dori Hunts. All the current territories were much smaller then, but the Capitals hadn’t changed. Chal’í for the Nen’roma and Sorvet for the Nen’dori were there, and were still considered “holy sites” for the older deDannan. He had even been to Chal’í, once, when he was very young. He would explore those ruins again someday.
“How may I serve as your distraction, Fourth Prince?”
He shook his head. “I thank you for playing along.”
An’gelucis bowed. “I am to use my skills wherever they are needed, even if it is to help a Prince avoid speaking to his ~Chamlann~.”
“And you did a wonderful job.” He re-rolled the map and slid it into its case. “You saw me kiss your Sister, correct?”
“I saw nothing, my Lord.”
Fenix just barely noticed the secret smile. “You’ve been around your Sister for a while--”
“Since she was born, minus two years for her training.”
“I stand corrected.” He sat down on one of the stools and motioned the Angel to do the same. “Tempyst said something about needing proof. Would you care to elaborate?”
An’gelucis sat, needing to lean to keep his wings from bumping the crystal globe. “Your reputation precedes you-rather, your Father’s reputation.”
“She doesn’t want to become one in a line,” he thought out loud. “She knows I won’t do that.”
His calm blue eyes watched the Prince. “Does she? Remember, you are a Royal. You are expected to provide many heirs so your bloodline will continue. She needs you to prove that she will not be a…baby factory, I believe is the term Commoners use.”
Fenix stifled a snort. Such improper speech sounded out of place coming from him. “You wouldn’t happen to know how I could, would you, Diplomat?”
He shook his head. “I am my Sister’s Keeper, not my Sister. I may be able to see through a woman’s eyes when the situation calls for it, but every woman is different.”
Fenix rolled his eyes. “You can say that again.”
“Yes, Fourth Prince. I may be able--”
“It’s a figure of speech,” he said, grinning. It must have been fun growing up with such a literal Brother. “Pretend for just one moment, you are Tempyst.”
“But, Sir, I--”
The Prince raised a finger. “Indulge me for a second. You, are Tempyst. How could I prove to you that I love you and would never hurt you?”
The hybrid raised an eyebrow. He seemed to have difficulty getting into his Sister’s head. “You could not marry Maloria,” he suggested.
Fenix sighed. “That’s a bit difficult. I must, for the good of the deDannan.”
“You could denounce your title.”
“And be looked down upon by every deDannan. Try again.”
The Solaris closed his eyes and thought. “You seem to be preoccupied by other’s perception of you. Have you tried asking her?”
“Yes,” he growled. “She didn’t give any hints.”
“My Sister is a hard book to read.” He opened his eyes. “Tell me, how do you see her?”
“She is beautiful.”
“How so? What is beautiful about her?”
Fenix closed his eyes and conjured an image of her. “Hair as pure as lamb’s wool…eyes that betray her true feelings…her secretive smile when she looks at me. The gentle curves of her body…the hidden strength within.” He smiled. “She was willing to give her life for me.”
“That is what you do when you are in love.” An’gelucis stood. “You are willing to sacrifice anything for the one you love. You would fall on your sword if it would make them happy.”
Fenix heard him step closer. He opened his eyes.
“She laid her life on the line for you.”
“That’s what she wants. She needs me to prove I’d be willing to do the same.” His smile grew. “Thank you, An’gelucis.”
“I live to serve--” Fenix cut him off as he hugged him and bolted up the stairs.