Gareth would have liked to have held her and stroked her hair and reassured her. The King probably would have been delighted. Still, better to adhere to a certain protocol.
Gareth's mouth pressed to a thin line as he noticed Ren trying to stand in front of him. It definitely did not escape the King's notice. One of his brow ridges rose as he glanced at Grilka, who smiled like a snake in a nest. He darted a tongue at Ren again, looking over her outfit and her dainty little fists. Finally, he gave a nod of satisfaction.
She never could just quit while she was ahead.
"I accept your explanations," the King said primly, "and hope that you will both strive to better your performance in the future." He tilted his head. "Ren… Boldheart," he mused.
"No," Gareth said automatically. That could only possibly encourage her.
The King looked him over with a raised brow ridge. "Your objection is noted," he said, "Gareth Fizzgigg of the Everburning Rose." Gareth groaned audibly. "Grilka, update her file."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You may kneel, Gareth and Ren Boldheart. Jamie, Jaonos, you are excused."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," they both said, rising as Gareth fell. The King turned, and headed back to his hoard without another word. Once he'd reached it, he pounced, burrowing into the mound of it as easily as snow. The tip of his tail was the last to disappear beneath the gold. It was a moment later when a man emerged from it, white-skinned and raven-haired, brushing gold from his shoulders. His jacket and waistcoat were black embroidered with gold, his cravat fluffy. There was a crown of gold and opals resting on his hair, the large curls long enough to reach his waist like a capelet. His breeches were skintight, his boots up to his knees as he strode closer to where they knelt. It took longer, since this time he was not an enormous dragon.
"Stand, Thrandoch Strongthroat," he ordered as he came closer. The man in question obeyed, and the King didn't stop until he stood practically chest-to-chest with the man, of an equal height. Thrandoch didn't flinch as the King reached up and around him, unbuckling the muzzle around his face. "We'll not be needing that again," he said with some disgust, tossing it aside. He took Thrandoch's chin in his hand to admire his face better. "You'll be paired with Grilka until we find you a better manager. Ey'll take very good care of you." He let him go, and stepped away. "Take him to new quarters," he said to Grilka, with a dismissive wave of his hand. He stood, until there were only three of them there in the throne room.
"Up," he ordered, and Gareth was standing in time to catch the King, who had thrown himself bodily at the half-demon and wrapped his arms dramatically around his shoulders. He smelled like the smoke of burning mint leaves. "Gareeeeth," he whined. "You never pay tribute anymore."
"I've been busy, Your Majesty," he said, patting his shoulders. His tail swished loose behind him.
"That man tasted awful and I hate him," the King complained, his head only just beneath Gareth's chin. "Put something in my mouth, make it better."
Gareth produced a paper-wrapped candy from one of his pockets. The King let him go to claim it with both hands, popping it in his mouth and sucking on it. His teeth were as sharp as they'd been when he was larger, his nails sharp and black, his pupils slits.
"You never come see me," he complained again, around the candy in his mouth, "and you're always busy, and I'm going to burn your house down and eat all of your sheep."
"I only have one sheep, Your Majesty," Gareth pointed out.
"And I'm going to eat all of it," he insisted with a toss of his hair. "And then I'll get you a new sheep, and then I'll eat that one, too."
"No sign of the Knight of the Woods?" Gareth suggested sympathetically.
"No," the King said, biting down on his candy with a crunch, stomping one of his boots. "And I've been King for years now, and I've raised taxes eight times, and I ate all the old Barons and three of the Dukes, and he shouldn't even get to call himself a hero when he hasn't come to try and slay me even once. And! And! Torrie went South to, you know, do spy things, and try to find him, and instead that stupid man jumped out a window without checking to see if the balloon was there first, which it wasn't because Jamie was busy making those carts, so for all I know the Knight of the Woods is busy being in thrall to that necromantic whore and it would serve him right if he was because only an idiot would be enthralled by someone who wears that much perfume. I hate her, and I hate him, and I'm very cross with you and I'm going to burn your stupid house down."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Gareth's mouth pressed to a thin line as he noticed Ren trying to stand in front of him. It definitely did not escape the King's notice. One of his brow ridges rose as he glanced at Grilka, who smiled like a snake in a nest. He darted a tongue at Ren again, looking over her outfit and her dainty little fists. Finally, he gave a nod of satisfaction.
She never could just quit while she was ahead.
"I accept your explanations," the King said primly, "and hope that you will both strive to better your performance in the future." He tilted his head. "Ren… Boldheart," he mused.
"No," Gareth said automatically. That could only possibly encourage her.
The King looked him over with a raised brow ridge. "Your objection is noted," he said, "Gareth Fizzgigg of the Everburning Rose." Gareth groaned audibly. "Grilka, update her file."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You may kneel, Gareth and Ren Boldheart. Jamie, Jaonos, you are excused."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," they both said, rising as Gareth fell. The King turned, and headed back to his hoard without another word. Once he'd reached it, he pounced, burrowing into the mound of it as easily as snow. The tip of his tail was the last to disappear beneath the gold. It was a moment later when a man emerged from it, white-skinned and raven-haired, brushing gold from his shoulders. His jacket and waistcoat were black embroidered with gold, his cravat fluffy. There was a crown of gold and opals resting on his hair, the large curls long enough to reach his waist like a capelet. His breeches were skintight, his boots up to his knees as he strode closer to where they knelt. It took longer, since this time he was not an enormous dragon.
"Stand, Thrandoch Strongthroat," he ordered as he came closer. The man in question obeyed, and the King didn't stop until he stood practically chest-to-chest with the man, of an equal height. Thrandoch didn't flinch as the King reached up and around him, unbuckling the muzzle around his face. "We'll not be needing that again," he said with some disgust, tossing it aside. He took Thrandoch's chin in his hand to admire his face better. "You'll be paired with Grilka until we find you a better manager. Ey'll take very good care of you." He let him go, and stepped away. "Take him to new quarters," he said to Grilka, with a dismissive wave of his hand. He stood, until there were only three of them there in the throne room.
"Up," he ordered, and Gareth was standing in time to catch the King, who had thrown himself bodily at the half-demon and wrapped his arms dramatically around his shoulders. He smelled like the smoke of burning mint leaves. "Gareeeeth," he whined. "You never pay tribute anymore."
"I've been busy, Your Majesty," he said, patting his shoulders. His tail swished loose behind him.
"That man tasted awful and I hate him," the King complained, his head only just beneath Gareth's chin. "Put something in my mouth, make it better."
Gareth produced a paper-wrapped candy from one of his pockets. The King let him go to claim it with both hands, popping it in his mouth and sucking on it. His teeth were as sharp as they'd been when he was larger, his nails sharp and black, his pupils slits.
"You never come see me," he complained again, around the candy in his mouth, "and you're always busy, and I'm going to burn your house down and eat all of your sheep."
"I only have one sheep, Your Majesty," Gareth pointed out.
"And I'm going to eat all of it," he insisted with a toss of his hair. "And then I'll get you a new sheep, and then I'll eat that one, too."
"No sign of the Knight of the Woods?" Gareth suggested sympathetically.
"No," the King said, biting down on his candy with a crunch, stomping one of his boots. "And I've been King for years now, and I've raised taxes eight times, and I ate all the old Barons and three of the Dukes, and he shouldn't even get to call himself a hero when he hasn't come to try and slay me even once. And! And! Torrie went South to, you know, do spy things, and try to find him, and instead that stupid man jumped out a window without checking to see if the balloon was there first, which it wasn't because Jamie was busy making those carts, so for all I know the Knight of the Woods is busy being in thrall to that necromantic whore and it would serve him right if he was because only an idiot would be enthralled by someone who wears that much perfume. I hate her, and I hate him, and I'm very cross with you and I'm going to burn your stupid house down."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
The following 4 users Like Tindome's post: liarliaronapyre, 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
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