Pulling the Strings

[Max452]

OOC: oooo totally forgot this thread! and now let us revive it!!! mwahahaha!

Romulus stopped his babbling to gaze up at his wife. He gave her a sympathetic, but comforting look. "We will raise our children to their fullest, Tenel Ka; worry not. No matter what, I will not leave you nor our family." He told her with all the love and affection he possessed for her. "This war may begin, but that does not mean our lives will stop." He kissed her lightly. "We will do what we must, as always." He then gave her an impish grin at her final question. "Mmm, yes, a think a nice [/I]long[/I] celebratory bath is an order! We can think of names!" He declared as he began to lead his wife once more. "Now if its a girl..." He began to say as they walked off to the bathes, beginning to list of names that he had come to like from the Ismalian ancestry, hoping to put the war behind them for just a small moment.

***
Aramis did his best to hide his disappointment with Samara's announcement. He did not like her spending all that time engaged in politics; she was left to exposure from threats, but more importantly, to those vultures that plagued her with nonsense. He thought for a moment on what he wanted to do. He knew that his daughter's nap was coming up, so perhaps that would give him some time to stay with his angel. "No, we will accompany you." He told her, not wanting to leave her alone in this place.

***
Dastan removed his hand when he felt the scorching heat, but refrained from hissing out in pain; he knew that was what she wanted. He stared back into her threatening eyes with one of his own stubborn ones. He knew it was very dangerous to ignite Allecia's temper, but he could not help it and a part of him was actual excited to see her true emotions for once. At her words, his temperament grew, fueled by his own defiance and care for her. "No, I will not leave you be!" He hissed back, ignoring the burning on his palm, "You cannot simply command me away because my words or presence displease you! I know I hold no authority over you, nor do I presume so! You call me foolish and ignorant, perhaps I am, but as are you, dear Allecia. You believe that just because you are ageless and immortal that you have the right to sway things to your own selfish desires. Who are you to command others to do your bidding as such?" He asked her in a low, exasperating hiss. "Agh! Woman!" He scoffed at the gender in general; he would never understand them, especially Allecia. His gazed smoldered more as he stared at her threatening gaze. He grew more restless and fueled by his emotions than his logic. Those two things always seemed to become jumbled whenever she was around. "When will you realize that you cannot continue to dwell in the past!" Suddenly his words held more meaning than their previous conversation, "When will you realize that you are missing what is standing in front of you because of your obsession with what is not?!" He growled out, doing his best to keep his voice even and low, as more of his emotion spewed out of control. "Agh! Stubborn woman!" He cried out again, briefly breaking eye contact before his body surprised himself by bolting over to her and kissing her with unbridled passion.

[Tismri]

Samara gave a small sigh, knowing her news displeased her husband. She hated to have him out in the open like this for extended periods; it put him in constant danger. Katriana's people might learn he was still alive and finish the job they had set out to do. She put her arm around his as they walked back toward one of the noble's houses. They were meeting there and discussing the current political situation.
"It is so disgusting," she told Aramis, allowing him to know her opinion. "Some of the others are looking at this coming war as an opportunity. Taxes are inevidably going to be raised in order to support the army, and they want to use that as an advantage, tax their citizens more so that they will have their own gain." She gazed at the city in frustration. "Why must people be so selfish?" It was a question that had plagued her all her life, ever since Joshua had explained to her the truth of killing her mother.
~~~~~
Allecia gazed narrowly at Dastan as he spoke. His outburst of emotion made little sense to her. Then the next thing she knew, her mouth was being consumed by his. His action was so unexpected that she stood there, frozen, and her first inclination was to smite him for his presumptuous actions. But before she did it, another thought stopped her.
I can use him...
He was so young. So naive. So innocent. She had done this before, easily. And he was already hopelessly in love with him. If she did everything right, she could find a way to cause a rift between Ismalia and Alagaesia that might last for centuries, and beyond that, divide their forces and allow her little pets out in the wilderness to decimate the world.
She remained still for a moment or two, then softly started to return his kiss, allowing him a taste before she pulled back.
"Why?" she asked him, upset, confused, but with a sense of longing buried in her voice. "You know who I am and what I do. Why do you insist on pursuing this hopeless infatuation?"

[Max452]

Aramis listened to Samara as she outpoured her frustrations, gently entwining his fingers with hers as they walked. He carefully held his daughter close to him, eyes every assessing the area for any threats toward his family. It would never cease to amaze him - the greed that people held. He merely shook his head at Samara's question. "Greed is something we will never understand, I think." He told her as they entered into the higher, more distinguished part of the city. "It is a strong motivation to be selfish, especially among the more privileged." He gave her a comforting grin under his cowl, "But I am glad that not all are so selfish." He hinted toward her. "Have you any ideas if the nobility here are willing to compromise?"

***
Dastan's thrilled the moment Allecia returned his kiss (little return it was, but returned nonetheless). Though, a small part of him somehow knew, from the slow and careful way she had done it, that she was probably going to use this against him. He relinquished her from his grasp and pulled back, flustered their contact. He watched her carefully for her reaction, knowing that by some fortune that he was allowed to live; she was not one to trifle with easily, but he could not help himself. He listened carefully to her, noting the various emotions in her voice. He gave her a defeated smile. "I cannot help who I love, just as the sun cannot help but rise each day." He told her. "You accepted me for who I was, long ago. Would it be such a surprise that I had done the same for you?" He asked her, before bringing up a hand to cup her cheek. "Can you love me in return, Allecia? Or are our fates destined to only cross and never intertwine?" He asked her, truly wanting to know if she was truly capable of returning his love without the manipulations and games.

[Tismri]

Samara sighed, hating that she understood what her husband was saying. Greed was so evident among the higher class, whereas it seemed most of the poor knew the value of working together for survival. However, she knew there were exceptions on both sides; she only hoped she could appeal to the other nobles' more generous natures.
"They had better be willing," she stated as they entered their temporary home in Surda. "Otherwise we will remain in a stalemate." She closed the door behind them and turned back to him with a concerned expression. "Are you sure you'll be all right staying here?" she asked him. "If Katriana has any spies in the city, she might learn that you're still alive." Though she kept a courageous expression, her eyes reflected the worry she lived with every day for his well-being.
~~~~~
Allecia gazed at Dastan, her mind piecing the future together. If she could catch the right thread, she could weave a new, breathtaking pattern in history, just by allowing this man to continue his infatuation with her. Its beginning would feel familiar, but its ultimate consequences would be far more grand.

She hesitated, then slowly touched the hand that cupped her face, keeping her eyes steadily on him. "I think...perhaps I could love you," she said. "I only hope it does not end up in a disaster."
~~~~~
A short distance away, a hooded figure watched the interaction in front of the shop. Despite the heat, she stood perfectly still beneath her dark cowl. She had been watching Allecia for a while, wondering what she was doing so close to the Surdan castle. No doubt had something in mind for the royals there, whether for King Orrin or Queen Tenel Ka. The cloaked woman had to admit that she was curious about the Ismalian as well. Though she had certainly opened the box years ago, it appeared as if no long term personal consequences had befallen her. She had a theory, though, but was still uncertain whether or not it was correct.

When the young man appeared before Allecia and had a passionate argument with her, Pandora watched with increased interest. She had never seen this man before, but it was obvious that he had at least met her mother. She listened passively to the conversation. It sadly amused her to hear the young man's desperate pleas; the arguments he was making were similar to what she had told Allecia many years ago, before she gave up trying to reason with her stubborn, selfish mother and instead devoted herself to trying to lessen the impact she left on the world.

She could not help a shocked hiss that left her mouth when the man kissed her mother. What was the fool doing? He was going to get himself killed one way or another. But when Allecia responded positively to the affection, Pandora narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth together. Beneath her cloak, her draconic tail wrapped tightly around her leg; were she not trying to hide it, it would be whipping around the air anxiously. She had to stop this man's foolishness before whatever her mother was planning came to fruition.