The King considered each pair in turn, trying to decide which order to go in if he wanted to maximize drama.
Which he did. Always.
But the situation was a touch different, in that one party clearly required attention immediately. Allowing them to remain as they were for any longer was unacceptable.
"Cornelius Steelsplitter," he announced, his voice low and rumbling through the room, sibilant consonants and rolling Rs in an accent foreign to everywhere. "Stand, and introduce your charge, that you may explain yourselves." The man that Gareth knew as Cory stood, and the man beside him joined him more slowly.
"This is Thrandroch," Cory said shortly, his voice deceptively soft around the edges. "He's a belligerent, violent moron who won't do as he's told. I've done my best, but he's a lost cause. Not even sure why we kept him, really."
The King came closer, claws clicking on marble, and brought his head low. He darted his enormous tongue out at both of them, uncomfortably close, taking his time to process the smell of him.
"Thrandroch cannot speak," he observed. Gareth, at least, noticed the subtle shift in his tone.
"He keeps spitting acid," Cory said. "I had to take steps."
The end of the King's snout touched Thrandroch's chest contemplatively. Then he stood, raising his head. "You were a good soldier, Cornelius," he said, and Gareth shut his eyes, his tail curling.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Cory said, before the King bit his head off. Followed quickly by the rest of him. He wanted to kill him quickly enough to avoid any screaming, but he also didn't want blood all over the floors. He used to just pick them up in one big bite, but then they'd scream and flail in his mouth, and the whole thing was just horribly undignified. This way it was just a few quick crunches and the problem was solved.
Gareth definitely preferred it this way, without the muffled screams. The crunching, though. He could have done without the crunching. The meaty sound of teeth through flesh wasn't half as troubling as the crunching. Like stepping on a beetle.
"You may kneel, Thrandoch," the King said once he'd finished swallowing. He looked to Grilka. "He is Thrandoch Strongthroat now," he decided, as the man in question fell gratefully to his knees.
"Very good, Your Majesty," Grilka said with an incline of his head.
"Make a note," he added, tail swishing. "Good soldiers make bad managers."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He moved on to Gemmarine Marshrose of the Fell Swamp Marshroses, who eagerly introduced Jaonos Valwynn before apologizing profusely about The Whole Thing With The Carts. Her voice was twice as high and twice as fast as anyone twice her size, and she spoke as much with her hands as with her words. The King sniffed at them both as they spoke. When he offered Jamie his snout, she petted it absentmindedly, still absorbed in her explanation. He withdrew.
"People died, Jamie," he said sternly, and she wilted. "Fortunately, I never cared for them." She perked up. "And I do like the carts. I would like a track around the tallest tower." Jamie and Jaonos gasped, grabbing at each other and nearly hopping in delight. "If you are given an important project," he warned, "and you do not think you can finish, you will tell your supervisor so they can reassign it. We cannot have people jumping out windows with nothing to catch them. It might be someone we like, next time."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jamie said, bowing at the waist. Jaonos imitated her.
"You may kneel."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." As soon as they were back on the floor, their heads were together, whispering ideas at a rapid pace.
Gareth tensed as the King stood in front of them. "Gareth," he said, and then paused. "Oh, Gareth," he said ruefully, instead of stating his full name. "Stand and explain yourself."
Gareth pulled himself up as gracefully as he thought he could manage. The King was watching him, and Gareth had to tilt his head back to look him in the eye. The enormous eye. "This is Ren," he introduced. "She is still having some difficulty with cultural adjustments," he said carefully, keeping his tail unmoving. "She is sometimes overeager, and her enthusiasm is often greater than her patience. However, I believe she has made great progress in her time here, and she's a valuable asset to the King's Guard even accounting for damages."
The King practically licked him, but Gareth remained still and blank-faced. When the dragon made a thoughtful rumbling sound, his face started to feel a bit hot.
Shit. Shit shit shit shit.
A dragon's tongue darted at Ren, mouth slightly open to let air pass over his palette, scraps of bloody fabric still caught in his teeth. He gave another thoughtful rumble. He looked at Grilka, who looked very pleased with emself. Then he stood. "Do you have anything to add to this testimony, Ren?" he prompted.
Gareth's hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides, his tail curling and uncoiling.
Which he did. Always.
But the situation was a touch different, in that one party clearly required attention immediately. Allowing them to remain as they were for any longer was unacceptable.
"Cornelius Steelsplitter," he announced, his voice low and rumbling through the room, sibilant consonants and rolling Rs in an accent foreign to everywhere. "Stand, and introduce your charge, that you may explain yourselves." The man that Gareth knew as Cory stood, and the man beside him joined him more slowly.
"This is Thrandroch," Cory said shortly, his voice deceptively soft around the edges. "He's a belligerent, violent moron who won't do as he's told. I've done my best, but he's a lost cause. Not even sure why we kept him, really."
The King came closer, claws clicking on marble, and brought his head low. He darted his enormous tongue out at both of them, uncomfortably close, taking his time to process the smell of him.
"Thrandroch cannot speak," he observed. Gareth, at least, noticed the subtle shift in his tone.
"He keeps spitting acid," Cory said. "I had to take steps."
The end of the King's snout touched Thrandroch's chest contemplatively. Then he stood, raising his head. "You were a good soldier, Cornelius," he said, and Gareth shut his eyes, his tail curling.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Cory said, before the King bit his head off. Followed quickly by the rest of him. He wanted to kill him quickly enough to avoid any screaming, but he also didn't want blood all over the floors. He used to just pick them up in one big bite, but then they'd scream and flail in his mouth, and the whole thing was just horribly undignified. This way it was just a few quick crunches and the problem was solved.
Gareth definitely preferred it this way, without the muffled screams. The crunching, though. He could have done without the crunching. The meaty sound of teeth through flesh wasn't half as troubling as the crunching. Like stepping on a beetle.
"You may kneel, Thrandoch," the King said once he'd finished swallowing. He looked to Grilka. "He is Thrandoch Strongthroat now," he decided, as the man in question fell gratefully to his knees.
"Very good, Your Majesty," Grilka said with an incline of his head.
"Make a note," he added, tail swishing. "Good soldiers make bad managers."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He moved on to Gemmarine Marshrose of the Fell Swamp Marshroses, who eagerly introduced Jaonos Valwynn before apologizing profusely about The Whole Thing With The Carts. Her voice was twice as high and twice as fast as anyone twice her size, and she spoke as much with her hands as with her words. The King sniffed at them both as they spoke. When he offered Jamie his snout, she petted it absentmindedly, still absorbed in her explanation. He withdrew.
"People died, Jamie," he said sternly, and she wilted. "Fortunately, I never cared for them." She perked up. "And I do like the carts. I would like a track around the tallest tower." Jamie and Jaonos gasped, grabbing at each other and nearly hopping in delight. "If you are given an important project," he warned, "and you do not think you can finish, you will tell your supervisor so they can reassign it. We cannot have people jumping out windows with nothing to catch them. It might be someone we like, next time."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jamie said, bowing at the waist. Jaonos imitated her.
"You may kneel."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." As soon as they were back on the floor, their heads were together, whispering ideas at a rapid pace.
Gareth tensed as the King stood in front of them. "Gareth," he said, and then paused. "Oh, Gareth," he said ruefully, instead of stating his full name. "Stand and explain yourself."
Gareth pulled himself up as gracefully as he thought he could manage. The King was watching him, and Gareth had to tilt his head back to look him in the eye. The enormous eye. "This is Ren," he introduced. "She is still having some difficulty with cultural adjustments," he said carefully, keeping his tail unmoving. "She is sometimes overeager, and her enthusiasm is often greater than her patience. However, I believe she has made great progress in her time here, and she's a valuable asset to the King's Guard even accounting for damages."
The King practically licked him, but Gareth remained still and blank-faced. When the dragon made a thoughtful rumbling sound, his face started to feel a bit hot.
Shit. Shit shit shit shit.
A dragon's tongue darted at Ren, mouth slightly open to let air pass over his palette, scraps of bloody fabric still caught in his teeth. He gave another thoughtful rumble. He looked at Grilka, who looked very pleased with emself. Then he stood. "Do you have anything to add to this testimony, Ren?" he prompted.
Gareth's hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides, his tail curling and uncoiling.
The following 3 users Like Tindome's post: megs, SolitareLee, Viala
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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
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RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 03:51 PM
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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
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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