The Pawn and His Queen

ZARIAH

I haven't been falling all this time - I've been flying

Remi could run, but he could not hide from Zariah, not for long anyways. She could be a patient huntress, silently stalking her prey until just the right moment to strike. Oh yes, she was aware of every move Remi made, his days but a chessboard and him but a pawn observed by the queen from afar. Was she afraid of the knight her little pawn had found to keep him “safe”? Hardly. His movements were predictable, easy to foresee and track – she had free reign to move as she wished without hindrance.

She did not enter the Artisan’s Guild by normal means – no she came in through the back, well before the crack of dawn, guised in her black, billowy cloak. The click of her heels fell on her ears alone as she made her way through the halls of the guild, quickly doing away with any locks she faced with but a hair pin. She did not stop her trek until she was tucked away inside the Guildmaster’s office, pressing her back against the wall behind the door in the small triangle space it would not touch when it opened again (being as thin as she was at its perks on such occasions). With the door re-locked, and her hiding spot secured, she set to waiting in silence for her little pawn.

He did have his monthly reports to write after all.

bring back the water

Remi hadn't wanted to get out of bed. Hadn't wanted to be anywhere that wasn't within an arm's reach of Ronin, really. But it was the beginning of the season, and as the alchemist was about to find out, he wasn't the only one thinking about the current status of his paperwork.

With a stifled yawn Remi opened the door to the small office that he'd reluctantly set aside for himself. Dressed simply as he was want to do, and somehow stained with charcoal already despite the early hour, the alchemist sleepily give the door a half-hearted push to close it behind him, before moving to take a seat in front of the desk.

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Coding base by Sky!

ZARIAH

I haven't been falling all this time - I've been flying

The alchemist stumbled into his office, not noticing her in the slightest as he shuffled to his desk. From beneath her hood, Zariah smirked. Such an oblivious fool. For a time she just watched him, letting him get comfortable, letting him begin his work routine with a semblance of normalcy. Nothing was amiss, all boring and mundane as any day.

Until it suddenly wasn't.

"Good morning, Remi, dear." she said, stepping slightly to position herself between him and the door. With delicate fingers she removed her hood, a smirk still curving her lips. "You know, I've half a mind to be offended that you've not even visited once. So I thought I might drop by and see what's got you so busy?" she cooed.

bring back the water

Despite the predators that lurked inside of the alchemist, Remi had never been a soldier himself. Even after all that had happened, still his outlook was sunny, his movements free of worry. And so it was with genuine surprise that he flinched at the sudden sound, knocking over some water at his desk that spilled over an assortment of papers.

Rising unsteadily to his feet, pale eyes peering forward to try and discern Zariah who, given her cloak, was nearly indistinguishable to him. Blinking unsteadily and yet somehow managing a boyish smile as he ruffled a hand through his hair, Remi tugged in a breath through his nose.

"Visit?" He half-stammered. "I...well..I had assumed you were quite busy." Remi managed after a moment, unsure quite how to say that not only did he not think he was on visiting terms with Zariah, but that she properly terrified him most of the time.

let your ships roll in

Coding base by Sky!

ZARIAH

I haven't been falling all this time - I've been flying

"I am never to busy for you, Remi, dear." she said, still in that sultry, coo-like manner, used to lull the weak-minded into a sense of comfort where there ought not be. Slowly she walked towards him, the click of her heels a clear indicator of where she was, even if she was difficult to discern in her cloak. "A little birdie told me I've reason to congratulate you. It's a lovely feeling, being engaged, isn't it?" she said, stopping uncomfortably close to him. For a moment she was silent, simply watching his reaction, waiting for a response.

"Thought, it does make me curious...whatever happened to your precious Ianto?" she asked, head tilting to the side. Part of her wondered if whatever his fall out with the fox was had him thinking he might be free from their arrangement. He wasn't, clearly. There were many other things she could just as easily hold over his head, so many things and people he held dear she could toy with. Such a shame people allowed emotional attachments to chain them so.

bring back the water

The fact that Zariah knew of his engagement made the alchemist feel internally chilled, rather than warmed as the spread of the news usually did. It wasn't just because the words from the Queen's lips sounded anything but friendly, but also because...

well...

was it even allowed?

Swallowing gently, the alchemist forced a smile, dabbing absently at the spilled water. "Yes...we..." Biting the inside of his lip and forcing himself to look up towards Zariah, the alchemist tried to exhale steadily. "...is that allowed?"

The mention of Ianto made the alchemist wince slightly, running a slightly-damp hand through his curls. "He...it..." Softly he shook his head. Didn't work out? "...it would not have worked." He added, lamely.

let your ships roll in

Coding base by Sky!

ZARIAH

I haven't been falling all this time - I've been flying

Zariah smirked. His fear and hesitation wafted off him and it smelled so sweet. The Queen placed a finger under his chin, coaxing it up with light pressure from her nail til their eyes were indeed locked. "I think it such a pity that you would waste your seed on a man. With the right woman you could produce such powerful children." she said with a low hum of thought. She actually thought his bloodline, magically superior by some fluke, crossed with Edrei's perfect pedigree would be quite successful.

"But otherwise, I don't care where you stick it Remi. Not unless you should ever wish to be Launceleyn, my dear." she said, her magic seeping into his mind. "It would be oh so beneficial to you were you to have that strong a bond to us, you know. You could protect them all just from a little name change." she said before straightening. She would just let that little bit niggle in the back of his mind. Suggestion magic or no, he was motivated my his loved ones. She was just giving the thought a little juice.

"A pity." she said, running her fingers through his curls. "He didn't appreciate your sacrifice, did he? Such a shame."

bring back the water

Swallowing awkwardly with his chin lifted just so, too-pale eyes wary like some caged animal, Remi all but held his breath. Her next words startled him though, the withheld air puffing from his nose making his nostrils flare and quiver and his brows to narrow with confusion.

Become a....Launceleyn?

"...how?" He whispered, without even realizing that he was doing it, saying it. A name change to protect all those he loved? Surely that seemed...wouldn't it be...?

Bearing Zariah's touches with unhappy reluctance, the alchemist bit the inside of his cheek as her fingers tousled through his curls. "It wasn't that." He murmured in a low voice. "But....he did ask me not to interfere, when I told him of our arrangement. " Remi said with a reluctant sort of sigh. "So I suppose...." Softly his shoulders rose and fell in a rather hopeless shrug.

let your ships roll in

Coding base by Sky!

ZARIAH

I haven't been falling all this time - I've been flying

Her lips curved into a smirk, so pleased by one word. "How?" Music to her ears. "Why, very simply. I would adopt you, as one of us, and you would take our name as your own." she said with a smile in her tone. "We value loyalty to our kin, and thus you would have to obey my word as law...but it is already, isn't it?" she said with a light chuckled. "And as for your engagement...that would be problematic. I would want you to take a wife, so that your bloodline could be passed on to create magically gifted children. But of course we know marriage is not always a matter of the heart but of duty...so you could still keep your love at your side in a manner of speaking." she explained. It would probably be the deal breaker for him, but she could always hope.

"So you suppose what?" she asked, curious of what he made of this new development.

bring back the water

"But..." Northaven crashed down around Remi. "I am a commoner...a shapechanger." To use the old word. The word that identified him as lower than low, at least on the old ladder that they'd both been raised with. The notion of having to take a wife, to procreate had Remi's blood running cold. It was perhaps the first thing Zariah had ever said that caused open defiance to roar across Remi's normally kind and gentle expression.

"I have Aoife." He said, voice terse. She might not be biologically his, but she was as much his daughter as any child possibly could be.

As for Ronin? He would always be more than just a love at his side. He was Remi's forever. His always. His only.

"No." He said at last, taking a step back from Zariah and swallowing unsteadily. No. This was certainly a hill he would die on, to be sure.

"Ahh...only that there is no need to go after Arduinna now. She is dangerous and if Ianto does not want..." Remi bit the inside of his lip. "If he does not want my help, then I cannot force it upon him."

let your ships roll in

Coding base by Sky!

ZARIAH

I haven't been falling all this time - I've been flying

Ah yes, old habits certainly do die hard, don't they? Zariah chuckled a bit, shaking her head slightly. "I shall let you in on a little secret about the Launceleyns. All we hold dear is magic. It is the epitome, above all else. Had it been possible for a shapechanger to use magic in Northwind or Northaven, and such an individual were as talented as yourself, we would not care about such petty technicalities as shapechanger or not. Your magical abilities trump all other possible defects." she said smoothly. Truly, such a revelation might be enough to shake the young man, given how hierarchical their nation had been. That a family of such status would overlook that in pursuit of something else was indeed a rarity.

But alas, it seemed his heart had him deadset on something else.

"Aoife is an interesting little girl, but unless she presents magic, she is hardly of interest to me." Zariah said with a shrug. His step away and refusal was no surprise, and she took it in stride. "I see. Well, should you ever change your mind, you know where to find me." she said with a smirk.

His conclusions had certain implications, ones Zariah needed to snuff out before they grew out of control. "Well, I suppose that does make killing Arduinna a non-issue. A boon for me - I do hate the idea of having to destroy a woman of such power. There are so very few of us in this world after all." Though she had never met this Arudinna, she actually held a great respect for her. Really, any woman of such power would receive that from Zariah. It was much more difficult to rise to such greatness as a woman than as a man, and finding such determination was worthy of respect. "But of course, you do still have people you need to protect, don't you? Ronin has quite the track record of being a rebel-rousing troublemaker...and it would indeed be such a shame were his antics to land him on the bad side of my court. And my guards have a tendency to be overzealous when searching for evidence...which of course might lead to accidental trauma for such a young child as Aoife." she said, examining her nails. Were these direct threats against Aoife and Ronin? In a roundabout way, perhaps.

"And of course there is that young friend of yours, the midwife. Such a sweet, defenseless little thing. A shame she is associated with a young man with clearly rebellious intentions against my court. And of course there is also the natural girl - Amalia I believe her name was? She clearly has very strong feelings about me based on reports I have received and I do think you two are also close." she said, glancing at him with a smirk. "So many friends of yours putting themselves in such danger. It seems you've plenty of other reasons to continue to serve me so I might grant them favor...doesn't it?"

bring back the water

Defects.

Remi swallowed hard at that. Even in this world where it was magic that was considered an abomination, Zariah still managed to elevate herself about appearances and century-long held viewpoints, reminding him in no uncertain terms, that there was still something wrong with him.

The urge to defend Aoife was immediately swamped by his need to protect her. She has starlight in her eyes, and a demi-god as a father, he might have said. Instead though he merely averted his eyes and nodded gently.

Bristling at hearing Ronin and Aoife's names mentioned in such a casual threat made tufts of golden hair appear in the alchemist's curls, as his more predatory instincts bubbled to the surface. Looking down and away, a snarl biting at his lips, Remi swallowed hard and focused on his breathing. But then it continued.

Phoebe. Amalia. Emmett.

Grinding his teeth together hard enough to make the muscles in his jaw flex, Remi gripped the back of his desk with hands turned suddenly into claws. "You can't just..." He shook his head. "You can't just...just...threaten them.." Remi said numbly.

let your ships roll in

Coding base by Sky!

ZARIAH

I haven't been falling all this time - I've been flying

Tufts of gold fur worked its way up through her fingers, and she grinned, knowing she had indeed hit on a very raw, very real nerve. Unfortunately, she did not care to coddle his suffering. She did not care about is contentment. He was, at his insistence, not a Launceleyn, and therefore he was naught but a tool in her mind. His suffering was his own doing, for being so loving of heart, so open of mind, and so weak of will. "Oh my, whatever are you planning to do; bite me? Kinky, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass, thank you." she said dryly.

At his protest, she pulled her hand back, as if burned. Her lips pursed in a slight frown, brows furrowed with fake worry. "Oh...oh..." she said softly, as if to reconsider in the wake of his words. But instead, her lips slowly curled in a feral grin, an unsettling laugh escaping her lips and echoing in the room. As the laughter faded it was replaced with a crack as lightning shot from her finger and hit the alchemist straight in the chest, enough power coursing through it to perhaps knock him back but certainly not kill him. "You would do well to make a more convincing argument by not insisting I cannot do that which I have already done, Remi, dear." she said, laughter still playing on her voice.

"You see, Remi, so long as you love, so long as you care, so long as you've a single soul in this world for whom you'd mourn should I bring them to a very slow, very agonizing death before your eyes, you belong to me." she said, her voice lowering to a near whisper at the end before building back to a low chuckle. "Do you understand now? I do hope so because I've something I need you to make."

bring back the water

Not expecting that attack, though he really shoulder have, Remi''s clawed-fingers clutched at his chest as his knees buckled beneath him. If it weren't for the desk behind him, he might have collapsed altogether. Electricity hummed through his bones while the burn of the bolt scorched painfully through his shirt and onto his skin.

Teeth grit together—teeth which, were now elongated and quite sharp—as the gentle alchemist tried desperately to get his other half under control. The predator in him was more than aware of the predator in Zariah, and while Remi was not confident in his ability to dominate the dark-mage, the lion was.

"How will you rule if everyone turns against you." Remi whispered, genuinely curious, as he fought to get his breath back. The mention of needing him to make her something made him squeeze his eyes closed, silently snarling towards the floor.

let your ships roll in

Coding base by Sky!