The Forgotten Zodiac

"Yes, my leige?" A slight hissing came with the voice, and a large boa constrictor slid out from under the bed. A Naga, though it was apparent that the female Nethini much preferred her serpent form to the alternative. It was clear that she trusted and liked Dmitry; the end of her tail grabbed his ankle and she wrapped herself loosly around him, putting her hand-sized head on his shoulder from behind. "What is it you need from me?"

((It is done. o3o

If you hurryhurry, you can get one more post.))

Dmitry gave a slight smile and rested a hand on the top of her head, closing his eyes as he put his cheek against her nose softly. She was one of his long-time 'slaves', and though he had once given her the choice to run away to Alastor, she had refused and asked him to never give her that choice again. Her only place was by his side; he treated her very well, after all, and they were good, close friends. Not at all like any other slave and their owner in the land. She was even the only one that he allowed to stay in his room. For all of his kindness, though, the poor prince was commonly mocked by other people in the castle for showing his tenderness to 'lesser beings'.

"I need you to go and get some fresh meat and two bottles of strong mead," he said, scratching behind her favorite scale. "It's for a new captive I rescued."

((Sorry for the lateness. pDp I had gotten up to get breakfast. -nuzzles- Forgive meeeeeeeee.

Also, Dmitry and this snake are adorable. :eyes: ))

The snake hissed happily, but let go of Dmitry and slithered towards the bed, staring at Nate. "What IS he?" Marion questioned, sniffing pointedly as she transformed. "I'll get the meat and the mead, but what on earth is he? And goodness, he smells like smoke. Yech...why are you always taking in new slaves, Dmitry? Am I not enough for you?" She crooned, but it was obvious from the glint in her eyes that she was merely teasing.

Dmitry gave a small half-snort, saying "He's a dragonian, apparently. And you know your place with me good and well. I just...had a weird feeling about that one. You know about me and my...feelings. I had one over you, after all, and now look where we are." He shuffled over to a stand near the bed and slid his glasses from his face, giving his eyes a moment of rest. He closed them, sitting down in a nearby chair and rubbing his temples. It was a giveaway for Marion; he had a headache. He was, as he had said to Nate, very frail, and sickness liked to follow him everywhere, striking when he forgot to keep up his strength.

((I'm considering having he and Marion be a couple. Like, they've been for a while but it's a secret, because it if was obviously found out, it would be bad bad bad. But I'm considering not, too. You decide. ID ))

((I don't mind. Don't really like Marion yet, so don't make anything definite. xD))

The girl sighed heavily, sitting down next to Dmitry and wrapping her arms around him. Her dark green, nearly black hair brushed his cheek as she pressed her forehead to it, but the girl said nothing. When she did move, she stood and put her hand on the doorknob, but turned to look at Dmitry. "Well...if he works well for you, then I'll be glad. You need more of a break, master." She said the word as though it were bitter in her mouth. She would much rather say 'friend', but she didn't know for certain if Nate was unconscious or not. She didn't trust the big winged guy, not in the slightest.

Marion left, and didn't return for several minutes. When she did, she brought with her the requested items; two large slabs of meat, wrapped in butcher paper, and two bottles of mead, plus one of wine. "There was extra food down there," Marion explained. "Did Werr and his barbaric group arrive, then?" She wondered aloud, returning to snake form and wrapping herself around Dmitry yet again. "Have you met him yet?"

((A'right. :3 ))

He put his hand on her snout again, closing his eyes and tucking her nose under his chin, against his neck. "No, I didn't get the chance to speak with the King of Alastor," he said. "Of course, Izan made sure to distract me with something during the visit. I wasn't even in the castle at the time, and when I return, he's already gone." He scoffed, stroking the scales of the coils that were wrapped around his abdomen.

"You sure it was Izan? Maybe it was Lennon." Marion suggested lightly, hissing a bit. "That man is more snakelike than myself. I swear, he better be on his toes, because I'm ready to catch him when he slips up. Figuratively, of course...I don't think I've ever seen him so much as trip! He has a family, too. I overheard rumors about that in town. A woman and her son, always holed up inside, and the man of the house is away all the time. It might just be a coincidence, but...I dunno." Marion sighed heavily, having no idea what she was suggesting. Obelisk, having a family? A ridiculous notion, but Marion didn't know any better. "Well, at any rate, he--" She stopped short as the man on the bed moved, letting out a soft moan as he rolled onto his side, relieving pressure on his broken wing. Marion didn't continue her sentence, choosing to wrap herself fully around Dmitry and sigh.

Dmitry chuckled, trailing his hand gently over where he knew her belly scales were. "Trust me, I'm well aware that Lennon is, to put it quite frank, creepy. And to tell you the truth, which I always do, I'm not sure where the order came from. All I know was that I was ordered to investigate some farmers out of the city that had skipped a few taxes, but all of their ledgers were correct. I...might've slipped them a few coins to help out, too..." He slowly slipped down to the floor, where Marion wasn't hindered by the back of the chair. She was able to pretty much hold him as he sat quietly, feeling conforted by his dear friend's closeness.

"I expected the coin bit, but the ledgers were correct? Hmm...that makes things more interesting. Either some accountant needs to be fired, or someone sent you on a goose trail. I think you need to poke around and see who gave that order. It might uncover some dark, hidden secrets. Or, you could just find that the emperor is insane. Which...I've thought so since day one. Absolutely batty." She slid off of Dmitry half way, looking at Nate curiously. She licked the air, taking in the scents. Oddly enough, she slipped up his sleeve. "Ew, he's got scars. Lots of them. They don't look like whip marks, either. These are definitely from battles," She pulled herself out, then nudged Nate's hand curiously. He certainly seemed to be unconscious...her eyes fell on the gold ring around his finger on his left hand. "Hey, he's married. That's unusual. I don't think this guy has been a slave for long, he didn't even try to hide his ring. I kind of wish he was awake so I could bite him for being stupid, and--" She stopped short as she was grabbed by the head, Nate's fingers wrapping around the base of her neck tightly. "Eep!" She screeched and whipped her body around, getting herself grabbed more by a groggy Dragonian. "Put me down, let go, let--PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT, YOU BIG OAF!" The top-of-the-lungs screech was apparently enough. Nate slowly released the serpent, who immediately fled back to where Dmitry was. "I don't like him," She said at once, watching as Nate took one look at the food and drink and started chowing down. He didn't even appear to be chewing.

Marion watched in fascination as Nate practically swallowed the food and chugged the bitter drinks. When he finished, he went right back to acting as normal as ever, pulling out his handkerchief and cleaning off his fingers. "Sorry about that," He uttered quietly, brushing a bit of meat off his shirt. "I was hungry. Thank you for the meal. And, uh...sorry, miss." He directed towards the Naga, who just hissed at him.

"I'm lucky you didn't eat ME!" She spat.

"Yeah," Nate nodded thoughtfully, suddenly wondering what snake tasted like. He shook it off, knowing that he would quickly regain energy now that he had something filling his gut. He was already feeling warm again, which was a good thing. He wouldn't be able to walk for at least an hour yet, but sitting up was easy enough.

"Ech...you're TOO calm. I don't like it. Dmitry, why did you buy this guy again? Does he even know he's a slave?" Marion hissed.

Dmitry held as much of Marion as he could in his arms, letting her wrap her coils around him. He grabbed his glasses and stood up, able to keep his balance with her wrapped around him, and grabbed Nate by the collar of his shirt. Nate could practically feel claws digging into the fabric. Dmitry words were delivered with a hiss that sounded almost like...a dragon.

"You know by now that I am a kind and good owner of my slaves. I'm willing to treat you right, but if you ever grab Marion like that again, I'll order you to be terminated and I won't have a problem with it. And you can't exactly 'leave', anyways. So long as you're under my name, you're mine. If you leave without my permission, you'll be hunted down and killed. I expect civilized behavior from you, do you hear me?" He growled softly, then released Nate and stepped back, now glaring at him for the first time since meeting him.

Nate returned the glare, frowning sourly. He sighed, then shook it off. "Understood. But honestly, I won't be 'yours' for very long, because--"

"He's going to try and escape," Marion hissed. "Idiot! Dmitry is the best slave owner anyone could ever have. You'll only get into trouble if you run away from here! Dmitry, you should just throw him in jail now and get him over with. Stupid thing, grabbing me like that..."

"I'm not an idiot or a 'thing', and I don't appreciate being called either of those names." Nate frowned. "At it isn't exactly my fault. You're the one that messed with a sleeping Dragonian."

"A sleeping what?" The Naga snorted.

"Dragonian? Oh...that's right. Look, I'm sorry, miss. Okay? Throwing me in jail won't really get you anywhere, though, I--"

"It'll get you away from me!" Marion snapped right back.

Dmitry cupped his hands over Marion's snout, pulling her face close to his neck and holding her quietly. "I'm not throwing anyone into jail," the young man said, frowning at Nate. "But if I hear another word of escaping, I'll report you to the guards. I don't like the idea of owning you as much as you probably like the idea of being owned, but I just fed you and prevented you from going to an owner that would've beat you into submission, or killed you if you hadn't submitted. Or to someone that would've used you as a male version of what the maids here are used for. It's a well known fact here that my slaves sometimes go missing; well they aren't missing. I let them go and helped them go to your homeland, where they were safe and free. I've offered every single one of my slaves that chance, and as you can see, some of them even chose to stay with me." Marion could feel him trembling as he held her close, pressing his cheek against her nose. "I would be nothing without them," he said softly, closing his eyes, and Nate realized that the boy in front of him was hurting. Maybe not physically, but he was definitely hurting from something that had happened to him.

He lifted his hand and rubbed his eyes under his glasses, then said "I am mocked and ridiculed enough by my own people for this uncanny caring for my slaves. I don't need it from you."

((How does he know what Nate's homeland is? He keeps trying to tell them, but he gets interrupted every time. On purpose, of course. 936))

Nate sighed. "I'm not mocking you for treating your slaves well. I'm doing anything but. And I've uttered not a word about 'escaping'. The only one who said anything of that sort was your friend there." He said quietly, but firmly, very tired of being interrupted. "I've tried to be respectful, but it's clear that you aren't listening to me..." He sighed heavily, then downed the second bottle of mead in a single go.

"Hmph. What's your name, anyways?" Marion tutted, wrapping herself tighter around Dmitry.

"Nate Furhblast."

((If Dmitry did his homework, he'll recognize the name, but it doesn't really matter either way. xD))

((Homeland? ...I meant to type Alastor there. -bangs head against wall-

And he did.))

Dmitry gave Marion a slight sideways look, as if warning her of something, then slowly said "...Sorry, then. Marion...gets worked up and I...I follow her emotions too closely sometimes." Following emotions. That was where someone allowed their spirit to become entwinned with someone else's, almost to the point where they begin to feel the thoughts and emotions of the other. But that ability was only given to one tribe of lerloch. And that tribed was said to have died out long ago.

Dmitry quietly sat down on the nearby chair, running a hand through his hair before looking back at Nate. "Furhblast, eh?" he said, tilting his head back calmly. "I recognize that name. The...head captain for Alastor, yeah?" He chuckled, then said "How did you ever wind up here, of all places?" He stroked Marion's snout, then said "Allow me to listen to you now, hmm, Nate? Speak and I'll make sure you aren't interrupted." He gave Marion's nose an extra pat at that, scratching her scales gently with his fingernails.

"Oh? Going to listen to me, now that you know I hold a position of influence?" Nate snorted, not meaning to be disrespectful, but he was still thoroughly annoyed. "Right. We took a short pit-stop south of here, at the crest of the waterfall. We made sure to keep our distance, but a young girl by the name of Diana slipped and fell in. I went over with her, but I underestimated the weight of the water on my wings. I managed to get her back up onto the cliff, and I would have been fine, but my wing broke under the pressure and I crashed into the water. It was impossible to get out, and I couldn't even glide to safety when I went over the drop..." He sighed heavily. "By the time I washed up on the riverbank further south, I had ingested too much water to move, and I was freezing to death. That man, the slave seller, found me and forced me to expell the water before it could kill me, but I didn't have enough in me to object to the chains he put on me the next second. I couldn't fight back, I didn't even have the energy to argue earlier. You saw me pass out. That doesn't happen often." He shook his head, looking at them both again. His glare was gone, replaced with his usual calm look. "Regardless, that's all I was trying to say earlier. That Werr Krow will want me back."

Dmitry listened quietly, keeping his head against Marion's and keeping his eyes closed. Once Nate had finished, the boy didn't say anything, simply continued to sit quietly and stroke Marion's nose, as if to comfort himself. Finally, he said "Another sad story, like I've heard many times. But, as always, I feel for the ones who tell me how they came to be captured. My own capture is perhaps more...simple." He stroked under Marion's chin, staring into the snake's eyes.

"My father left me and my sister here alone," he said. "He just...vanished one day. Up and disappeared, soon after our pregnant mother vanished as well. There had been a minor attack in the castle and she disappeared during it, probably fleeing in order to protect her unborn baby. What would've been our little brother. She had even picked out a name for him..." He sighed, holding Marion close for a few minutes before continuing. "Our father left not long after. Always in love with the coin, he was. And now we've got no idea where any of them are. See, on the day he left, me and my sister Mirage were called before the Emperor, who had found a page. A slip of paper with every last detail on us, stateing that he now owned us. Just like slaves. Except he took pity on us because we were...unique...and made us his 'children'." He went quiet, then said "Ever since then, I've been bound here. I can't leave without escorts or else risk punishment, even though I really just want to be...out there! I'm cooped up in here where my health constantly deteriorates, and I'm scarcely let outside. The most I can do is open a window once in a while, and even then, someone always forces me to shut it and return to my duties. I just...want to be free too, I guess. Except while you can wait for someone to save you..." He curled his fingers under Marion's chin, pressing his forehead to hers and closing his eyes.

"...I have no one."

Nate didn't take on a look of pity or sadness. Instead, he smiled. "You know, kid, I think everyone wants that. Freedom. It can be troubles from a tyrant or just an overbearing mother, we all strive to be free. But sometimes, there isn't much we can do. I understand what you're saying, though...have you spoken to the emperor about this at all? Surely he would understand..."

"Dummy," Marion laughed. "Izan make have taken Dmitry and his sister in, but he doesn't care about him. They're just heirs. He has a bunch more."

"More?" Nate blinked.

"He's completely insane." The naga rolled her eyes. "But honestly, I think you underestimate what these people will do just to keep things 'normal' in their eyes." She transformed, now hugging Dmitry from the side with her legs curled around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. She held out her left hand; it was pale and looked...dead. A scar ran along the top of her wrist, making it look...mangled. Horribly so. "I tried to help Dmitry escape once. Just into the courtyard for some fresh air alone. I came to his defense when the dumb guard came running, and he tried slicing off my entire hand as punishment. I'm lucky Dmitry stopped him, but I haven't been able to move my hand since. They don't treat us right here, Dragonian. Ask anyone."

"No. I believe you." Nate shrugged. "I still can't see why Izan would keep you two cooped up when he has other heirs to deal with...perhaps I can get my king to speak with him. Who knows, maybe we can work something out." He stood and stretched a bit, testing his weight on his legs. He started pacing, loosening up his muscles. "Any idea when they'll be back?" He asked, before there was a knock on the door. The Naga immediately flung herself under the bed, not wanting to be seen hugging the heir.

Lennon opened it (in spite of the lock), smiling a bit. "Pardon me, master Dmitry, but Mirage requires the presence of your new slave."

"What?" Dmitry said, his eyes narrowing. "What could she want this time?" He sighed, obviously exasperated, then looked up at Nate and said "You'll have to seriously watch your step around Mirage. She's...unstable. Has been ever since our father left. She's obsessed with finding him again, and it's all just messed with her mind. She works her slaves to death, constantly feeling like she has to...I don't know...make them suffer like she does." He shrugged, then glanced once towards his bed before turning away, saying "Even she has to listen to me, though. I'm older than her." He picked up Nate's chain, then said "We'll stop by a healer and get your wing fixed first."

"You have healers? Excellent," Nate smiled, following Dmitry willingly. The chain remained just as slack as ever. Lennon followed them, but eventually turned away and continued along his route while they turned into a room that was clearly the healer's offices. Nate glanced around the room; there were two healers, judging from the nicer looking beds in the corner, but the clean and crisp white beds that lined the wall were mostly unoccupied. There was a single person in one, an older male who appeared to be unconscious.

"Oh, what is it now?" The older of the two healers snapped, frowning unhappily. He was an elderly man, but he was known for his gentle touch and powerful magic. "First Lennon hands me this man and tells me he was found unconscious and in need of help, but the most I could do was wash him off...skies above, what is this?" He turned his elderly eyes on Nate, frowning unhappily. "I can't fix wings, that's like asking me to heal a bird. Ridiculous! Besides, he looks tough. I'm sure he can handle himself," The grumpy geezer waved them away, frowning.

Dmitry leaned against the wall, frowning heavily. "You'll heal him and you'll get it done right, just like normal," he said, folding his arms. "It's just like human bones, of course. There's only one way to fit them together. Just give it a go." He flicked a lock of his black hair out of his eyes, then eyed the unconscious man in the bed for a moment before returning his gaze to Nate.