Gareth had tried to tell her—over and over, ad nauseum, ad infinitum—that she needed to be more careful. And yet. And yet.
The fire had been the final straw. Enough to get them on The List. Gareth had never before, not once, been on The List. He'd met with the King—and how—but never, never under these circumstances. He was furious and anxious, and doing his best to stay calm.
The King liked him. He was good at his job. They would be fine. They would both be fine. He'd worn his best uniform, and even put a ring on one of his horns, a gift from the King in years past. A reminder, he hoped. A flattery, maybe.
His supervisor—a naga of far worse predilections than Gareth's own—had pressed upon Ren the importance of wearing her uniform. And so they looked, if nothing else, good. Very good. Better than everyone else who'd had the misfortune of making The List this month.
Two of them looked… nondescript. A little wrinkled, a little tired, a little smudgy. The supervisor was a gnome named Jamie, and she seemed to get along with her elfin recruit just fine. That wasn't their problem, then. Probably too alike. Jamie fell down rabbitholes easily, and with a partner in crime they'd get distracted from their task too often. Build the wrong things, fail to complete assignments. They would get, Gareth was sure, little more than a gentle scold.
The others he was less sure of. The supervisor was almost as new as his recruit—Cory, he thought the human's name might be. He'd been in fieldwork before his transfer. The recruit was of indeterminate origin, a greyish tone to his skin and a size to him that could have meant any number of things. He looked… bruised. Not in any obvious way, but in the whole of him, battered. Cory had put a muzzle on him. It made Gareth bristle.
Grilka didn't seem any more pleased with the situation. The naga gave Cory a wide berth and a careful eye, and amused emself by fussing with Ren's hair to get it sitting right.
"Now then," Grilka said, clapping eir hands together and 'standing' taller. "Stand together, a little distance please." Ey urged the pairs to stand side by side, enough room between each pair that any happening would not affect anyone but the pair in question. Gareth didn't know if it was clear to everyone what ey was doing. "All together now," Grilka said, herding them forward. Ey moved ahead to step first into the throne room, holding up a hand to indicate everyone should stop.
"If it pleases Your Majesty," Grilka announced, projecting eir voice and letting it echo through the enormous room, "Overlord of the Northern Mountains, Elder Dragon of the Divine Opals, Scourge of the Skies Above Seven Kingdoms, Demon of the Winter Winds, Slayer of Tyrants and Merciful King of Aeris—six members of your King's Guard have arrived to beg of you your mercy and understanding."
Grilka gestured subtly for the assembled to step forward into the room, and Gareth resisted the temptation to pull Ren along bodily.
The King yawned. He'd been curled over what could only be termed a mountain of treasure piled where the old king's throne had once been. He was himself only barely small enough to be able to stand in the vast hall, and it was clear that no doors here were large enough for his body to fit through. His scales were all opalescent shimmering white, reflecting the bright red of the banners hanging along the walls. His eyes and his claws were black as obsidian, his eyes as blue as the sky.
His front legs reached forward and his back arched in a catlike stretch, a chill through the room as his mouth opened wide and displayed all his teeth. He shook the sleep from his head, and then started to slink down his pile of gold and jewels to approach his subjects.
Gareth immediately dropped to one knee to bow, as did the other two pairs.
The fire had been the final straw. Enough to get them on The List. Gareth had never before, not once, been on The List. He'd met with the King—and how—but never, never under these circumstances. He was furious and anxious, and doing his best to stay calm.
The King liked him. He was good at his job. They would be fine. They would both be fine. He'd worn his best uniform, and even put a ring on one of his horns, a gift from the King in years past. A reminder, he hoped. A flattery, maybe.
His supervisor—a naga of far worse predilections than Gareth's own—had pressed upon Ren the importance of wearing her uniform. And so they looked, if nothing else, good. Very good. Better than everyone else who'd had the misfortune of making The List this month.
Two of them looked… nondescript. A little wrinkled, a little tired, a little smudgy. The supervisor was a gnome named Jamie, and she seemed to get along with her elfin recruit just fine. That wasn't their problem, then. Probably too alike. Jamie fell down rabbitholes easily, and with a partner in crime they'd get distracted from their task too often. Build the wrong things, fail to complete assignments. They would get, Gareth was sure, little more than a gentle scold.
The others he was less sure of. The supervisor was almost as new as his recruit—Cory, he thought the human's name might be. He'd been in fieldwork before his transfer. The recruit was of indeterminate origin, a greyish tone to his skin and a size to him that could have meant any number of things. He looked… bruised. Not in any obvious way, but in the whole of him, battered. Cory had put a muzzle on him. It made Gareth bristle.
Grilka didn't seem any more pleased with the situation. The naga gave Cory a wide berth and a careful eye, and amused emself by fussing with Ren's hair to get it sitting right.
"Now then," Grilka said, clapping eir hands together and 'standing' taller. "Stand together, a little distance please." Ey urged the pairs to stand side by side, enough room between each pair that any happening would not affect anyone but the pair in question. Gareth didn't know if it was clear to everyone what ey was doing. "All together now," Grilka said, herding them forward. Ey moved ahead to step first into the throne room, holding up a hand to indicate everyone should stop.
"If it pleases Your Majesty," Grilka announced, projecting eir voice and letting it echo through the enormous room, "Overlord of the Northern Mountains, Elder Dragon of the Divine Opals, Scourge of the Skies Above Seven Kingdoms, Demon of the Winter Winds, Slayer of Tyrants and Merciful King of Aeris—six members of your King's Guard have arrived to beg of you your mercy and understanding."
Grilka gestured subtly for the assembled to step forward into the room, and Gareth resisted the temptation to pull Ren along bodily.
The King yawned. He'd been curled over what could only be termed a mountain of treasure piled where the old king's throne had once been. He was himself only barely small enough to be able to stand in the vast hall, and it was clear that no doors here were large enough for his body to fit through. His scales were all opalescent shimmering white, reflecting the bright red of the banners hanging along the walls. His eyes and his claws were black as obsidian, his eyes as blue as the sky.
His front legs reached forward and his back arched in a catlike stretch, a chill through the room as his mouth opened wide and displayed all his teeth. He shook the sleep from his head, and then started to slink down his pile of gold and jewels to approach his subjects.
Gareth immediately dropped to one knee to bow, as did the other two pairs.
The following 3 users Like Tindome's post: megs, SolitareLee, Viala
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »
Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 08:34 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 09:03 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 11:24 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 12:43 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 01:16 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 02:26 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 02:55 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 03:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 04:28 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 05:12 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 05:42 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 11:21 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 01:03 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 01:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 02:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 03:15 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 03:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 04:23 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 04:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 05:48 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 06:09 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 06:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 07:03 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 07:28 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 08:11 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 08:39 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 09:01 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 09:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 10:14 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 10:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 05:41 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 08:32 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 08:48 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 09:36 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 09:53 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 10:24 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 11:05 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 11:45 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 12:02 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 12:39 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 01:15 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 01:51 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 02:16 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 05:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 06:13 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 07:08 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 08:01 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 09:32 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 10:30 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 11:21 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 11:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 12:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 01:31 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 02:09 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 02:28 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 03:24 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 05:32 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 10:18 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 10:46 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-22-2019, 03:26 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-22-2019, 03:51 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-22-2019, 11:13 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-22-2019, 11:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-22-2019, 02:23 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-22-2019, 03:02 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 03:06 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 03:39 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 04:52 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 05:07 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 05:49 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 06:16 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 06:52 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 07:20 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 09:45 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 10:27 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 12:59 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 01:16 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 02:14 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 02:30 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 02:57 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 03:22 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 10:16 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 10:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 03:20 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 03:59 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 10:40 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 10:57 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 11:43 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 11:59 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 02:05 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 02:23 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 02:50 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 03:01 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 03:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 04:05 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 04:49 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 05:07 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 04:40 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 05:08 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 09:04 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 09:25 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 10:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 11:00 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 01:07 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 01:28 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 05:52 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 06:58 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 02:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 03:33 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 07:35 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 08:09 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 09:24 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 10:09 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 12:13 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 12:44 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 02:06 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 02:24 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-28-2019, 06:58 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-28-2019, 07:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-28-2019, 08:37 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-28-2019, 08:54 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-28-2019, 12:18 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-28-2019, 12:40 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-29-2019, 01:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-29-2019, 02:09 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 06:25 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 06:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 08:16 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 08:34 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 12:14 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 12:57 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 01:22 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 01:37 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 02:11 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 02:29 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 03:05 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 03:33 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 03:57 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 04:15 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 10:46 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-31-2019, 02:52 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-31-2019, 09:15 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-31-2019, 09:33 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 09:25 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 09:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 01:16 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 01:42 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 02:13 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 02:25 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 02:44 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 02:54 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 03:33 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 03:48 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 04:50 PM