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SAVANNAH: As Guardian of the Flesh, she was being revered by a grand gala thrown in her honor; with this in mind, it is understandable that the whole of the North Tower is in total chaos. It is only fitting that the ball should be her own brother’s debut within the Court. Her brother.. A figure she had shoved to the far reaches of her mind, hopeless to retrieve him in the same manner she found it hopeless to retrieve her father. Her mother had effectively robbed her of them and her life upon puberty; being the accepting being that all Ancients are, the fact that she was about to be face to face with him was completely unbelievable. Fond memories of him blurred the edges of her mind since the news he would arrive; he was the only male at that time in her life she allowed close to her, save the worshipping regard she held for her father. Ironically, she had been sent away, or so her mother told her, to find a consort when she would have been perfectly happy with her own brother. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- She rode now atop one of the dappled gray mares kept to occupy her children and those few equestrians of the Court, a particular favorite she had dubbed Appassionata upon purchase. It would have been lady-like to ride side-saddle; more’s the pity that Savannah dropped such pretences when at all possible. This was most likely because, during her youth, her father didn’t impend gentility upon her. The horse is eased to a stop at the outskirts of the forest, the Brat swinging from bareback to land stealthily on her booted feet. Smoothing the voluminous cream-colored skirts and adjusting her bodice, she starts off toward the place where his present imitates from. Thigh length ruby hair is glittering and hangs loose, a practice she held even while they were children. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KALEIGN: he sits in the darkness, amidst the thick twigs knit tightly together to make up the dense underbrush. the place was new to him, the sounds of creatures unlike those of his native land. azure eyes dart back and forth suspiciously, although he wad fully aware that he dominated this territory for the time being. the brambles of the bush prodded at his cold flesh as he lay in wait, a dark expression cloaking his apprehension. he was careful not to make any expectations, assumptions of any kind would surely provoke some sort of disenchantment amongst his great ideals of his beloved sister. the rhythmic pound of his heart echoed in his ears as he went over the situation in his mind. he had come a long way. his bones were weary but he should find satisfaction in the upcoming reunion. how long had it been since last he saw the redheaded girl, strong and beautiful? memories of that soft touch and tender lips contrasting the ever seeming violent terrain welled up inside him. he wondered at his illusions of the redheaded beast. he distrusted his mind to wander, he grew wary of the clarity of his memories. and so he sat, awaiting her, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. dark head was bowed down under his cloak, a mere shadow of the night, lying in apprehensive wait. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVANNAH: To say she was nervous was an understatement; she had little or no news of him past their parting, which had been so swift and complete. She assumed he had heard nothing of her as well, and this pleased her greatly for a plethora of reasons. No longer was she the assassin of her own father, a violent and solitary figure in a land as raw and dangerous as she - to some extent, this saddened her. Her cloak had, more than likely, been stolen by one of the children in a game of dress-up, and so she is unadorned in that regard. How informal and inappropriate. As she moves through the dense forest, it occurs to her that this place is wholly unlike their home and, seeing it as though through his eyes, she feels out of place. Shaking the feeling from herself physically, she catches her full lower lip betwixt perfect teeth and silently thanks whatever Gods exist that her brother resembles there mother in no way. Her steps waver in the clearing, a feeling of total exposure felt, making her fight the childish urge to fidget. Lips are freed from teeth long enough to breath a single word: "Samir." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KALEIGN: he watches her approach, noting placidly that amidst the twigs waiting solemnly to be broken loudly in the underbrush, his resourceful sister--large skirts and all--breaks not one to be heard by an untrained ear. a soft and animal-like rustling barely touches his sharp senses, and yet, her light cloaked figure stands out in the thicket from quite a ways off. he stirs inside himself, stomach sinking, as she approaches, worn hands falling to his sides to raise himself from the ground in a quick heave. he strides over to her, embracing her all-too-tightly, her tightly adorned bosom pressing against his cloaked chest. he leans cold white lips forward, brushing a strand of soft red hair aside from her ears. his finger nails dig into the soft material garnishing her back. a cold cheek brushes against her, eyelids fluttering shut to deliver a long awaited whisper. the greeting brushes the rim of her ear. "Lamia." he sighs deeply, contentment enchanting his senses. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVANNAH: In the fleeting moments where yards upon yards of forest floor, nonexistent to her - so lost is she at the mere sight of him - she gaze covers every detail of him, attire, posture, features, down to the most minute. Inwardly, she damns her chambermaids and the proprieties of the Court, for she stubbornly accuses her hammering heart to the tightly laced bodice. Voice is caught, a lump in her throat, wide gray eyes softly shaded with reminisces. Slender, alabaster arms ensconce him, slightly shocked that he is at all palatable and not a dream borne of home sickness. Her cheek, in response, grazes his with affection as a great cat might. Releasing him from marble embrace, she catches his chin between delicate fingers and studies his face. The edges of her lips move, smile slow to spread, the nervous smile of a young girl. "You’ve grown up." He had been stunning as a teenager, sprawled amongst tangled bed sheets; she could see now that he was breath taking, aloofly beautiful in the same regal fashion she herself was. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KALEIGN: he bows his head slightly to allow the hood of his cloak to fall down softly to his shoulders. hands come together in front of his face to brush back the dark strands curtaining his face. a wry smile captures his features, a bright twinkle illuminating his large azure orbs. their lashes fall against his cheeks as his gaze drifts downward to examine the growth that stood out in her fully formed essence of womanhood. he chuckled inwardly as it came to mind that her face had not changed. that determined little pout that spread across her lips remained, and, all at once, he felt a chilling urge pass through him. the urge was not long forgotten all those nights spent mourning the loss of his red-haired idol of passion. all at once he surrendered to this urge, gazing over that oh-so determined pout set back against that devilish face. he tilted his head softly to the side, cloaking large orbs in the blackness of his eyelids and leaned in. his ashen lips touched hers keenly as memories of the first senses of touch arose inside him. inside his deep dark mind he found refuge from a world that was too strange and new to him for his liking--it was much more than comfort. much more than the strong beef broth given to him to cure an upset stomach. a long awaited refreshment from a feeling of homesickness--a restlessness--that had went on for centuries. at last, he felt at home, even amidst the wild and daunting forest of this new place. his lips searched out hers with untamed passion, for he was undoubtedly a very wild man. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVANNAH: Gaze, while intent on his face, caught the subtle change there that she recognizes so well. Fiercely pale eyes darken instinctively, a fluttering reflex filling her stomach. With a soft sigh of release, the whole and total release that he provides, her lips respond to his until a slow aching begins within her. Hands, ever as youthfully smooth and finely boned as they were the first time they touched him in such a manner, sift through his impossibly dark hair. Chest rises and falls as her breath is quickened, testing the boundaries of her godforsaken stays. Such scenes of her youth, the last pleasurable memories of that time that she carries, envelope her. How odd to think that his flesh was the first to yield to her hands, and that he has returned to her as she is honored as the Guardian of such. Mouth parts with his unwillingly, tongue sweeping serpentine over her lips to catch the remnants of his taste and warmth. "We’re expected at the Castle.." She is slightly taken aback by the uncharacteristic husky quality she finds unrecognizable as her own voice --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KALEIGN: his lips hang momentarily onto the kiss as she pulls away, reluctant to halt such passion. eyelids quiver open, exposing the blue orbs. he cocked his head to the side sharply at her, thick black mane jerking with it. had she been any other insignificant lady of the night he might’ve forced another kiss upon her. a violent hungry tear of lips and then he would have his way. he blink emotionless as the though of his brutal way with women flashed before his eyes. he was not in the east anymore. he was not free do commit such aggressive acts toward the female body. and this was not just any female body. a sly smile washed over his features, his eyes losing their intense obsession for flesh. he nodded quietly, taking her small delicate hand in his large, worn one. "They expect us at the castle? I would wonder what they might expect here in the West. I should like to think these expectations are not overly refined. I have knack for stepping outside the boundaries of what is acceptable." the words pounded against the walls of his mind. the sinking thoughts articulated made it all too clear to him. it was time to play the game. it was his duty to follow the rules for now. manners were a must, propriety essential. he was delighted in this game as he urged her on to lead him through the woods to the castle. "After you, Lamia, darling." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVANNAH: She watches with a silent indifference to the play of emotions on his face, half of her wishing he would be as bold as to force another kiss on her; dully, she realizes that he ignites violence within her as surely and as thoroughly as passion. Not an ideal combination when the Redhead was expected to be demure. Fingers exude gentle pressure against his, thin eyebrows lifting endearingly. "We do observe some proprieties, but.." Her lower lip twitches with the divine need to smirk. She clears her throat, attempting to arrange her face into more serious lines. "The rules are often bent." With a sublime ease, she guides him from the forest; body placed several inches in front of his, just far enough to prevent any touches not premeditated and close enough that he might not watch her movements. No, it would not do to allow him to feel so predatory. "The rules will be bent this weekend, at my Ball." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KALEIGN: he follows her patiently through the forest, eyes aglow. his hands fall rebelliously to her hips to steady himself. his long fingernails brush against the cloth stretched out across the well-formed hip bones. a devious smirk sets off his features as he lingers behind her, moving forward through the forest at a deliberately slow pace. he sighs quietly at this arrangement, squeezing his eyes shut. he trustingly allowed her to lead him on in the darkness. trust had always seemed a foolish sentiment to him. you could trust only yourself in this blood tainted world. in his blood tainted world. but he was not in that world anymore--he was somewhere else altogether. this was Lamia’s world and he would do as she pleased and in turn be pleased. he rattled on behind her, in an all-to cheery tone for his character. "Yes, the ball. It should be quite--splendid--rather, I would hope so. And, it is your ball then? You make the rules . . hmmm. That should be very interesting. I shall look forward to it . . " he trailed off, attention drawn to the long beautiful strands swinging gently back and forth with each step. he pushed away his hunger and resentfully replaced it with genteel. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVANNAH: Hands shift to cover his, breath coming in a sharp intake at his movements. Battling the lust bubbling with in her, her voice remains scarcely casual. "Yes, I make the rules.." How she would set him into the harness of rules was beyond comprehension. She omits the fact that, because it is her ball, a lack of rules will be enacted. Incest was uncommon here and, lost in his scent and the feel of his hands, caught up in her youth that was spent in a manner not unlike this one, she thought not how to communicate this to him. As the clearing is reached, gaze skims the wide expanse of emerald grass and the crimson Castle welling up in the not-so-distance. Control: something she holds over a vast majority of those she comes in contact with. She is vaguely aware of two things. The first, that she can hold some sort of control over her brother while he is in Court. And the second, that she feels control slipping from the one person it ought to be iron clad over.. Herself. Untying the mare, she turns to him with an amused simper. "Remember how to ride a horse, Samir?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KALEIGN: he touches the muzzle of the horse lightly, a grin sneaking up his features. "Why, of course, Lamia." he takes the bridle of the horse almost automatically. a natural impulse of latter days take over as he swings himself atop the broad beast. he swings the reins to the side and offers a hand to the redhead. he gazes down at her questioningly, awaiting her pride to show. he suspected his hand to be flung to the side as the wild woman flung herself onto the animal. he sat near the rear, leaving a small space vacated for her to squeeze her body in front of him and undoubtedly be pressed against his. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVANNAH: Brow furrows in a harsh manner above her gently formed nose, the nose of their mother. Eyes flash with disdain; not only for him, but for herself. "Since when did you become a gentleman?" Her tone is childish and somewhat bitter, gaze fixed on his hand. It was very easy for the Redhead to be a lady outward, in clothes and manners. However, she could never be one inside, and only Samir truly understood this. Leaning forward, she sinks her teeth into his outstretched hand reproachfully, slate eyes twinkling with mischief as she hoists herself upon the animal. Damn him, she had offered him the horse first not out of lady-like pretenses, but so he could ride ahead of her. Now, with his body pressed tightly to hers and without the hope of its easing, her senses were utterly overwhelmed --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KALEIGN: he let out a startled cry. he kicked himself inwardly for not seeing it coming. but deep down he knew he had baited her. he thrust his pelvis forward to eliminate any chance of a gap between them. he wrapped an arm around to thrust the reins into her hand. he raised his other hands to his lips, to lap up the trickle of blood emerging from the bite. his hands now fall to her sides to clasp them tightly as the horse canters off. he leans in closer to whisper into her ear. "Since when did you become so enticing?" he lapped thoughtfully at her neck, sharp teeth brushing the tender skin teasingly. a taste for blood welled up inside him. the hunger returned, but now, not just for flesh, for blood and flesh alike. he lay his head down on her shoulder as the hooves of the horse pounded on to the castle. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVANNAH: She lets out her own startled cry as he so efficiently closes the slight space between them. Eyes pressed closed with a certain restrained violence, swallowing thickly as her fingers close over the reins. Blinking the thick haze of lust away from her sight, she fills her tone with as much pomp and cockiness as she can muster under the circumstances. "I thought I always was, brother dear." Shivers crawl up her spine, heart taking on a wild rhythm not completely unfamiliar to her but rare enough that she finds it alarming. Sweet longing shakes her completely as his teeth touch her flesh; in her current royal position, there was no one with the bravery to bite her and none aware how much she enjoyed it. When she trusts her voice again, she manages a biting whisper. "You’ll have to behave a little better at Court.." Though God knows behaving was the furthest thing from her mind. She, nonetheless, set her concentration on urging the horse onward at a quicker pace. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KALEIGN: the quickening pace of the horse lulled him as he clung behind her breath drawn in deep breaths against her tender flesh. "You were always enticing. Were you always this enticing, though?" he tried to muster up a little courteousness. they would arrive at the castle soon. a new place full of strangers, full of chilling new ideas. he would have to behave. he must stay wary, if not for his own protection, at least for Lamia’s dignity. how wild he will seem to the rest of the court. how strange. but at once he seemed indifferent to these thoughts. each deep breath Lamia drew in, each pulse of her heart, each thump of the horses hooves set off a rhythm which lulled him into indifference. he nuzzled Lamia’s neck, squeezing her hips tightly with large, worn hands. as they approached the castle, he let out a deep, contented sigh. he raised his head to view it’s large and powerful stone structure with a strange awe that to him was new. after all, wasn’t everything? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------