Priyya gets into the spirit of things and quips, "Oh, demure, right. I can do 'demure'. I'll bonk your Aunt, cast Hold Person on the messenger, and run screaming from the room. Will that about cover it - demure-ness-icity-wise?"
Priyya watches the women do their make-up. "Right... so am I supposed to put that stuff on too?" Goddess! Is there a manual on these chores somewhere?
Lureene walks over to Priyya, and studies her facial features, noting where the best application and tone of her makeup should be applied. "Priyya, do you need any help with putting on the makeup? I am not sure what tones would look good on you, but I am sure Alis, the makeup wizard, knows exactly what you need to knock Felmor's socks off!"
"Yes, Alis, we all know you are the very picture of demure-ness!"
"Well, except for when entering new taverns for the first time, encountering gladiators in the lane, or if there happens to be a stage and an audience, right?"
"Well, except for when entering new taverns for the first time, encountering gladiators in the lane, or if there happens to be a stage and an audience, right?"
Lureene blushes a rather pleasant shade of crimson, and when Priyya starts to ask about this, she forestalls the response, saying somewhat hurriedly, "Boy, how time is flying by! We should hurry!"
"I don't wear make-up so I really don't know what to do. Fel would say that he likes me as I am - all natural. I don't think he'd want to taste anything on my lips but ME." She smiles at the thought.
"I just don't know. Maybe some of that sooty looking stuff around my eyes would make them stand out? Alis, help!"
"Oh you're not getting off that easily!" She grins fiercely enough to make a succubus blush.
"Time for the war chest!" She hefts what looks to be a small crate atop the dresser and motions for Priyya to have a seat. "Hold your eyes, I'm casting dancing lights so we can work better..."
Alis casts dancing lights to shed as much illumination as possible on Priyya's face. "First, we start with a moisturizing foundation..." she applies some to the back of Priyya's hand to check the color then selects a broad round brush with soft, inch-long bristles.
"You don't want to just spread foundation directly on the brush, otherwise you get it all clogged-up in there and it will be difficult to clean out without casting prestidigitation. More importantly though, it won't apply evenly!" As she explains, she lightly covers Priyya's face, chin, forehead and then smooths it down to less coverage over her neck. "And we just sort of buff it in so that it's nice and sheer..."
"Next some concealer so that no one realizes how little sleep you've been getting lately..." She winks and dabs her finger into a small jar and smooths it directly into the skin beneath the cleric's eyes before going over it with a brush to erase the dark circles there.
"Now for some blush, but since you're so much darker than I am, we'll use a more intense pink with some oomph instead of the rosy color that I use..." Once again, the princess uses the inside of Priyya's wrist as a paint-palette. "Now when you do this, you can use the same kind of brush, but you don't use the same exact brush as for the concealer, otherwise it will turn everything that color which would be bad."
Alis proceeds to blend the blush into the top and sides of Priyya's cheekbones. She picks up a large brush for stage 4 of infinity.
"Now some powder to make our work last longer. Forehead... nose... cheeks... Under your eyes, I'm going to use a slightly lighter, looser powder so that if any of the eye shadow crumbles, I can just wipe it off. Another reason for a lighter powder under the eyes is so we don't make the concealer too dark. Aaand we just smooooth ooouuut any creases in the conceeeaaaleeeer..."
She gets something that looks like a sort of lavendar paint and begins going over your eyelids with a more detailed brush. "Over the eyelid and just a little bit above the crease, but not up to your eyebrows or you'll look like some savage!"
A dark purplish-blue concoction is next. With Priyya's eyes still closed, she begins, "Alright and I'm starting with the outside corner of your eye and working in the darkest layer of shadow first, then we'll move onto lighter ones. Remember make sure that everything is well blended for this smoky-eye look you want!"
She picks up what looks to be a pencil. "Now hold still and tilt your eyes up while I apply the eye-liner. First on the edge of the lid, then some under it because that looks so good on a darker complexion like yours." She then smoother under the eyes with her finger.
"Ok close your eyes again and I'm going to blend a bit of the liner up into the shadow along the crease... some lighter shadow starting on the side of the tear-duct..."
She picks up up a different brush with a fine head. "And some black mascara to make your eyelashes thicker."
Yet another brush comes into her hands. "Filling in the eyebrows with some dark brown..."
The eye work nearly done, Alis brushes away the loose powder she had applied under the eyes which cleans away some 'crumbs' of makeup that had landed there. Taking up a large brush she dusts it with some something that has the sheen of bronze and proceeds to lightly go over Priyya's face. "That will add a faint bit of shimmer..."
"Now some highlighter under your eyes." she hums a bit as she works, "Some more mascara..." Alis employs an odd-looking brush with a curved surface along its length and works on the underside of the lashes this time holding in parallel to Priyya's face and drawing it up and out with a twist of her wrist.
"Lastly, let's do your lips! We'll outline them first..." You observe that she wields another pencil-like instrument, before switching to a tube containing what appears to be a pink stick. That she dabs lightly onto your lips masking the cracks and creases from the sun and wind. "Lipstick folloooowed byyyy..." she goes over Priyya's lips with a small, slightly bulbous brush with a glossy substance on it, "the gloss — which blends it all together!"
At long last, the princess holds a mirror up and exclaims triumphantly, "And we're done!"
Priyya hesitantly gazes into the silver-backed looking glass that Alis holds up before her and nearly doesn't recognize the ravishing smokey-eyed beauty staring back at her. If it wasn't for the fact that the princess had been explaining her steps for the past 15 minutes, she would be convinced that the sly bard had resorted to spellcraft.
"Well, what do you think?" she asks. A well-pleased smile paint's Alis' face and she begins cleaning all the makeup off her fingers and your wrists and hands with a cantrip.
Turning to Lureene, she says, "Poor Felmor... He fell pretty hard for a priestess, but what's he going to do when he sees a goddess? I hope our good captain has a strong heart..."
Priyya stares at herself for a very long time, her eyes wide. She looks over at Alis twice, unable to say anything.
Finally she says quietly, "So this is what I'd be if I were truly pretty." She looks at Alis, her eyes brimming, thanks registering silently.
"If I cry, I ruin this, right? So no crying." Somehow, Priyya stops the tears in their tracks.
She stands up. "I'm going to be very elegant tonight, Alis. You'll see. I'm going to make you proud."
"If I cry, I ruin this, right? So no crying."
Alis nods very slowly as if any sudden movement might bring disaster. "For the rest of the evening... tears... and rain... are your mortal enemies..."
"I'm going to be very elegant tonight, Alis. You'll see. I'm going to make you proud."
Her expression softens a bit and she says, "Oh Priyya, you'd make me proud regardless... Any woman who can look amazing whether in battle screaming bloody hell, or looking shy in a designer evening gown is alright in my book! Let me just pack things away here and we can head down and paralyze all the men together! The porters and carriage drivers should be here in just a few minutes..."
Turning to Lureene, she says, "Poor Felmor... He fell pretty hard for a priestess, but what's he going to do when he sees a goddess? I hope our good captain has a strong heart..."
Lureene looks at Priyya, and nods slowly in approval, licking her hot pink lips and batting her own smoky eyelashes at the ravishing beauty. "All I can say, Alis, is for Felmor's sake, he had better have one!"
"Lureene, are you all set or shall I do your makeup too?"
Lureene checks herself in the mirror, and sees something she doesn't quite like. Maybe the shade of her blush color was a bit off."Can you see if I did this right? I want to make a good impression for Rath-hun...err...I mean, Countess Larathiel!"
At Lureene's words, Alis' eyes go wide, her face pales, and she clenches her teeth as if she just had a sword held to her throat. "No, no. The Countess is Corrina Rowan, my aunt. And it's Princess Larathiel Kirmoon. Not Lady Larathiel, Miss Larathiel, or anything else except perhaps 'your highness'. Fortunately I don't think Larathiel will be there but if she is... we'll, just remember she outranks Alexis and I by a good bit, alright?"
Regaining her composure, she give a 'hmmm' and gets to work toning down Lureene's blush and blending the liner applied to her lips.
While Alis is in the midst of playing esthetician, there comes a knock at the door and Miss Nell calls out that she and Alexis are entering.
"Go ahead and come in please." she replies.
Priyya rallies, no sign of tears in sight. "I'm ready when you ladies are... unless, do you think, I should leave my hair loose?"
Upon seeing that the room is still in disarray and that Alis has her 'war chest' out Alexis shakes her head and laughs a little. "Well, at least some things never change."
Walking past her sister, she closes her eyes, leans over the cosmetics and says, "Shazam!"
There's a puff of multi-colored powder in the air for a moment, but when it clear's Alexis' makeup is looking perfectly retouched and her short hair is done-up in an elegant braid that accentuates her slender neck. Without wasting any time, Miss Nell helps her out of the outfit she had been wearing and starts getting the older twin into her pearl bedecked 'ocean dress'. All the while, she stands quite still while objects fly about the room untouched as she uses telekinetics to pack and organize her belongings.
When Lureene catches a glimpse of the young half-elf's ample cleavage, she suddenly recollects how Suny felt in the dressing room at Lord Laithoron's studio about a week prior.
When Miss Nell has finally finished and Alexis turns around, her eyes light up, "Priyya?!"
She hurries over with a delighted expression on her face. "Felmor is going to pass out when he sees you! Did Alis help you?"
At Lureene's words, Alis' eyes go wide, her face pales, and she clenches her teeth as if she just had a sword held to her throat. "No, no. The Countess is Corrina Rowan, my aunt. And it's Princess Larathiel Kirmoon. Not Lady Larathiel, Miss Larathiel, or anything else except perhaps 'your highness'. Fortunately I don't think Larathiel will be there but if she is... we'll, just remember she outranks Alexis and I by a good bit, alright?".
Lureene stammers, "Ohh I am so sorry, Alis! I just am terrible with names! Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut, or call everyone there 'Your Highness'."
Priyya rallies, no sign of tears in sight. "I'm ready when you ladies are... unless, do you think, I should leave my hair loose?"
Lureene looks back at Priyya, and remembering the time it took for her to put her raven tresses up, replies with a wicked gleam, "Maybe you should let Fel do that for you!"
Priyya rallies, no sign of tears in sight. "I'm ready when you ladies are... unless, do you think, I should leave my hair loose?"
"Oh definitely! I have some curlers in one of my other bags, we could give your hair waves that would make the ocean jealous!"
"Maybe you should let Fel do that for you!"
"Hmm, I'm not sure that he's very talented at dressing hair. Priyya, is it alright for you to let your hair down? I don't think we have time for Alis to use her tools but I could use a cantrip to give you some waves for the evening if you like..."
Priyya seems genuinely flattered by Alexis' attention and concern. "By Kelesh standards, I'm already in a scandalous state of undress." She indicates her modest yet exposed cleavage, bare shoulders, and neck.
"Baring my hair will be merely a cherry on top of my cake of infamy. But we are in Avistan, the rules I grew up with don't apply here. This outfit alone would mark me as a wanton woman at home... I might as well enjoy the experience fully. I haven't walked openly with my hair uncovered since I was a child."
Nelliel smiles compassionately at Priyya's words and responds, "My dear girl, in over two centuries I have traveled many lands and seen many cultures. I assure you that it would be a culture's loss to regard such an elegant and noble presence as yours as unbecoming of a beautiful young woman."
The princess' middle-aged retainer busies herself packing Alis' belongings in a less haphazard manner while Alexis takes what little time is needed to help Priyya with her luxuriant ebony mane.
A knock comes at the door, and Morgaard calls out that the carriages have arrived and porters are waiting downstairs.
With everyone's hair, wardrobe and makeup in order, she opens the door and replies, "We were just coming down. Would you mind keeping an eye on the baggage handlers to ensure they are careful with the ladies' belonging, my old friend?"
Although the old dwarf has seen a lot in his day, even he is impressed by the bevy of beauties that issue forth from the Kirmoon suite.
"Were I 50 years younger, and 2 feet taller..."
With that, the ladies make their grand entrance into the common room of Limbo. And in the next moment, the men knew only the color of the ceiling and the other women the green of envy.
Felmor sits idly by talking quietly with Morgaard and Ravarath, about the past exploits. He gets a chuckle at some of the antics of the succubus Lureene. Ach, I ots a feelin’ she will make this an interestin’ time that’s fer sure.
When he sees the ladies walk down the stairs, he recognizes Lureene and the Kirmoon princesses right away. But there was a fourth lady present, that he at first did not recognize. He stares at her, wondering at first who this was, then she turned to look at him…with those ravishingly beautiful almond eyes…
Felmor stares, and wonders why he has a burning in his chest, then only belatedly realizes he stopped breathing. Also he vaguely noticed his whole body, with one very noticeable exception, has turned weak, and he has lost all strength in his body.
No, it cannae be…can it? He thinks to himself. Ach, she be a goddess! I gotta greet ‘er like a knight! He stumbles to his feet, none too gracefully and moves in front of this enchantress, this goddess, his eyes fixed on her and her only. Priyya, Me Desert Rose
Once he stands in front of her, he regains his composure somewhat, and offers his arm out in a courtly fashion, and asks her, ”I see milady ye need some company, would ye mind it if’n I be your…date this fine evening?”
Once he stands in front of her, he regains his composure somewhat, and offers his arm out in a courtly fashion, and asks her, ”I see milady ye need some company, would ye mind it if’n I be your… date this fine evening?”
Seeing Felmor's reaction, Priyya thinks Worth it. An errant curl of black hair falls in front of her face as her smoky eyes regard Felmor with amusement. She takes his arm and presses against him. "I would have no other man escort me, beloved."
Alis and Alexis look at one another and smile happily content to see the results of their collaborative efforts.
Rath smiles as all the ladies come down the stairs. All he can manage to say is "Charming! Charming!" and bow to each lady in turn... until he sees Lureene. Rath looks at her like she is the invention of fire. He face is attired in wonder and delight and desire. He shakes his head and apologizes "Sorry, Meri bahuut subze suunder Devi - My most beautifulest angel - I have no words equal to your beauty. I am sorry... But think you are wrong about heritage. Clearly you are from UPPER planes not LOWER ones!" He bows low kisses her hand and starts working up her arm before stopping himself... and then contents himself with just watching her.
Lureene gazes at Rath-hun with a look very unladylike, but quickly realizes she is currently not alone, what with Princess Alexis on one side of her, and the goddess Priyya on the other.
She lowers her gaze and murmers to Rath-hun, in a voice almost choked with tears, until she remembered her eye makeup, "You are the one who gave me my angel wings, Rath-hun."
She offers her arm out, and when he takes it, she whispers in Rath-hun's ear, "I would like it if you would be my Knight this evening."
"I would like it if you would be my Knight this evening."
Rath looks at her and says sincerely, "My honor, Meri Devi. Thank you for asking me... I'd regretfully have to kill any other man who would try to take this privilege from me."
Once everyone has finished gathering and admiring their ladies, Alis speaks up and says, "Alright lads and lasses! It has been a lovely stay and I've enjoyed meeting all of you, but the time has come for my friends and I to move on now."
She nods to Miss Nell who hands Mors a purse heavy with platinum coins.
"I hope all of you enjoy wonderful adventures, increase prosperity, and freedom on your respective worlds. Perhaps someday in some when we shall meet again."
With that she turns her attention to Limbo's front door, purses her lips and makes an exaggerated motion with her hands. The door frame crackles, yet when she opens it, the red landscape of the Howling Wastes appears!
Slamming the door shut, she gives a nervous smile and says, "Just making sure you were all paying attention..."
Next she takes her time and tries again. This time, the scene looks to be Cassomir again yet as she waves everyone to start passing thru, the entirety of the inn begins to groan and the place gives an audible shudder! Cracks begin forming in the smooth surface of the portal and the door jamb itself beings to splinter as Limbo beings to turn itself inside out!
Eyes wide at the unfolding calamity, Alis shouts, "EVERYONE GET THRU THE PORTAL "
When you hurry thru the portal, you have the oddest sensation as if your very soul was a braided rope coming undone into seperate cords and each cord fraying into a thousand fibers only to reknit into new and different ropes. For what seems like an eternity, you find yourself hurtling forward as alternate versions of yourself on worlds unknown turn to watch you in passing before fading back into the grey blur that is time and space.
Out in the street beyond, on who knows how many worlds, a popular old inn and tavern seems to suffer an engineering failure of catastrophic proportions as glass shatters, beams break, and walls collapse!
On the world of Elsemar, in the ancient human city of Caen Carrinac, Estoria, a patient hunter, accompanied by a grim, black panther witnesses a scene that defies logic. The Silver Hart Inn and Tavern, one of the oldest establishments in the entire city begins to implode just minutes after a trio of horse-drawn carriages arrive to collect his charge and her compatriots.
As he stands, clueless to what could be causing such an occurance, the front door flies from it hinges as if kicked by The Titaness herself, and an otherworldly... blob of crackling, viscous grey static expels four ravashing beauties, and nearly a dozen other less eye-catching folk including a powerfully built monk, a doughty dwarf, what looks to be the commander of a battleship, an older elven woman, and an entire retinue of porters with bags and boxes heaped higher than they can see!
Does that one woman have [i]wings? He thinks?
The group wheels about even as the windows of the place shatter and bards, patrons, cooks, housekeepers, and waitstaff leap to safety. From the top story, Malandraenas spies an powerfully built red-haired Valahrim barbarian, and a shorter, wiry Malatestan clad all in grey crash thru a window falling to a conveniently places hay cart in a side alley before running off into the night.
With a final groan of structural fatigue and laws of the universe gone wrong, the old tavern collapses in on itself in a heap and a peal like thunder splits the air on what had been a rather calm spring evening.
Wincing as she sees one of her favorite taverns collapse into rubble behind her, Alis gives a sigh of exasperation and says, "Exactly who thought it was a good idea to make bags of holding and portable holes incompatible?"
"Nevermind that," Alexis adds with great perturbation in her voice, "what sort of mage doesn't know you don't put one inside of the other?! He's lucky he got sucked into the Astral rift otherwise I should have a mind to judge him on the spot for reckless stupidity!"
Her shoulders slump as the last charred timbers of the once proud establishment fall over and are still.
Rath looks to see that no one is hurt, takes the opportunity to brush some timber remnants off his Meri Devi and regards the destruction of the building, "Karma."
"We even had our coming of age reception there after we snuck out of Aunt Corrina's estate, don't you remember?"
I am not going to cry, I am not going to cry...
As for the rest of you, as far as you know you have never known any world other than Elsemar with the exception of Lureene who hailed from the outer planes. Just a moment ago, you were watching a 'talent contest' inside the Silver Hart Inn and Tavern, when a 2-bit conjurer tried to impress the crowd with a trick involving a bag of holding, a top hat, a badger, a brown-skinned elf, and a portable hole. The results now lay in ruin before you.
Shaking her head and giving one final sigh, Alis looks up at the two moons overhead and the gently glittering rings encircling the night sky. "Well... at least the moons are where the gods left them," she says. "Come on everyone, we should probably get to the countess' estate. I don't know about any of you, but I for one could use something to drink after that... display..."
At odds with the raven-haired woman in the lavish gown is the scarf-bound, battered scimitar scabbard she holds idly in her right hand. Priyya's finger taps a nervous staccato on the hilt as she surveys the damage to the Inn with canny almond eyes.
Feeling the emotional blow the Princess has suffered, Priyya rests a hand lightly on Alis' shoulder. "I'm sorry. Take comfort in the fact that so many escaped unharmed. This could have been far worse."
The group's eyes all swing from the sudden wreckage of the old inn back to Mal in his deceptively coiled crouch on the ground, resting lightly on the balls of his feet, elbows on his knees, a position of coiled readiness. A position he can and has held for hours. Two pair of nearly identical green eyes stare unblinking back at them, pooling and reflecting the light of the evening . The great black cat and the hunter sharing both their eyes and a physical predatory presence.
Mal watches passively as the group pours from the collapsing building, and takes a few moments to let his senses inform his instinct about the individuals there-in. His eyes are met with a deceptive juxtaposition of information. All are dressed in their useless courtly foolishness, but at the same time, all have signs of their true capabilities… the odd curved, well-worn and well-used blade in the steady grip of the dark woman, the dangerous gleam in the eye of the winged one, the massive build and sunken knuckles of the dark bald man, the ready stance of the human Ship Captain… all had an element of 'capability' to them. He was sent to retrieve and escort the princesses, but it appears he'd be escorting their entire retinue as well. His nose is also met with a powerful wave of clashing sensation. Sea salt, vanilla, elf, hot cinnamon, lavender, sweat, ale, soap… it was all too much to take in and sort out in the moment. Individual introductions would have to help him isolate scents to their masters.
Mal uncoils to stand, rising to loom over the group at his full 7 feet, his body long and rangy but with thick, ropey muscles under his utilitarian if expensively cut black clothes. His lean, powerful build is that of one of the great hunting cats of the plains; athletic, graceful, and powerful. His face carries features with the same look, but somehow mixed with traits you know to belong to those of elven-kind, slightly tilted eyes, angled edges to the jaw and cheek, straight-pointed nose, and long, straight, falling black hair. His green eyes seek out the two half-elven girls, and when he speaks you can just see the tips of four sharp teeth, "Princess Alechsularis. Princess Alissariel. I'm Corporal Malandraenas. And am to escort you to the Countess." His head dips in a slight bow, far less than you'd expect from a simple messenger or soldier.
Lureene leans against Rath-hun and allows him to clean off the debris from her gown. She barely notices the arrival of the Corporal, and tries to sift through her memories, she remembers bartending in a place called Limbo, but at the same time, she was preparing a magic trick to show off her newfound wizard abilites. She had received a telepathic message, "Take me with you!" just before Alis had started opening the portal to Cassomir, or was it Estoria. Now, with Majeff safely stored away, he speaks to her, "Very good Lureene, you will be fine, the disorientation will pass."
She then focuses on the strange catlike elf man, nd cursties to him, "I am Lureene, charmed to meet you."
Priyya notes the tall and chiseled Corporal but her attention is fixed on his hunting cat companion. She moves slowly to one side, observing what the cat's eyes follow - the attention it pays to each person and when. Its discipline is extraordinary. With regret, she realises she probably won't be able to lure the impressive beast over for a pet. Still she has to try. She crouches down, almond eyes never leaving the cat's face, her gown billowing out.
Priyya pitches her voice low and speaks to the she beast as another person. "You're a magnificent girl, aren't you? I'd like to say hello to you, you wondrous beast. Would that be acceptable to you?"
Priyya watches both hunters to see if her request meets an objection. Priyya makes a beckoning gesture to the hunting cat. In a voice that starts pitched high and drops very low ending in a throaty chuff, a change in register guaranteed to perk up the ears of any canine or feline, Priyya says, "Come'ere, ya big girl. Come'eeere." She waits patiently to see what the massive cat chooses to do.
Noticing the towering corporal, Alexis dusts herself off with a cantrip before doing the same for her shell-shocked twin. Tapping Alis gently on the shoulder she whispers, "Our sister's messenger is here, he's going to come with us to Aunt Corrina's."
Felmor watches the performance of Priyya charming the huge leopard cat, fighting down a quelling of fear in his throat. Being a sailor, he was uncomfortable with such beasts, and visibly relaxed when the leopard accepted Priyya's ministrations. With a trace of humor, he murmers quietly, "Aye, it seems like everyone likes me Desert Rose."
Alis takes a deep breath and wills herself to smile. She turns around, hands interlocked before her and tilts her head a bit when she notices her eye-level on the man is about a foot below where it would be on most other people.
Noting the style of his dress, bearing, and his companion, her brow furrows a bit. She tips her head slightly and says coolly, "Very well, Corporal, let us proceed to the Rowan estate. If you would ride with or walk beside us in the lead carriage, please..."
With that, she gives a nod to the porters who begin loading everyone's belongings.
"Priyya, Felmor, I don't think there will be room enough in our carriage for five, why don't you ride in the next carriage with Lureene and Ravarath."
AA for Alis:
Priyya nods and rises. "Absolutely, Alis. I'm thinking I may need an entire carriage to myself to fit this gown... but I hope Sir Felmor won't mind being pressed against me for the ride." Priyya nods to the Kirmoons and gently ushers Fel, Rath, and Lureene to the furthest carriage.
"Well, me Desert Rose, I t'ink i'll manage somehow."
Felmor, enjoying the role as Sir Felmor, opens the carriage door and allows the ladies Lureene and Priyya, his Desert Rose, to enter the cabin. Once Rath enters, he gives the stoic monk a wink, and whispers to him, "Aye, it seems like ye has got yer own angel, as well."
The smoky cat's bright green eyes follow the dark woman as she circles slowly, her head and neck swiveling on an otherwise statuesque body. As Priyya settles into a crouch the cat's haunches spring from the ground, and there is a moment of bloated tension as you all wonder if it's an aggressive move or not. She tilts her head to the side slowly, however, as Priyya begins to speak softly. Legs left too long in a crouch extend in a graceful stretch as she makes her way to the waiting Priyya, nose rising rhythmically as she breathes in the warrior woman's scent.
The predominant emotion Priyya registers from the sleek black cat is that of curiosity, and she stands for a full minute staring into Priyya's eyes from mere inches, deep inhales and exhales the only response to the woman's words.
Finally a nearly silent rumbling of a purr rolls from the cat's throat, and it casts a backwards glance at the tall warrior and gives few grunting mewls in his direction.
Rath smiles pleasantly in response to Felmor, "Every so often our good deeds are greatly rewarded. Think maybe this is true for both us right now, eh?" Rath deftly squeezes his large frame into the small carriage.
The fumbling it takes to get the four situated, with gowns unwrinkled and everyone comfortable amuses Rath. He takes a few liberties with his hands under the pretext of helping to accommodate Lureene's wings and gown in the carriage. He can't help himself. Who could resist touching an angel?
A surprised look crosses Mal's features as he looks back up at Alis's words, and his deep tenor voice responds in elven "I will ride with you."
He looks once again at the interaction between the dark woman and Talvyra, "Anyone mind if my friend rides in the second carriage? She doesn't take up much room."
Mal look back to his companion and emits a low whining set of vocalizations. Keep an eye on those in the second black box, please?
Mal does a cursory inspection of the lead carriage before stepping up to personally help the sisters in. All this he manages to do despite the fact that the simple black sleeves of his jacket extend far beyond his fingertips, masking his hands.
When both girls finally settle, he will wait for their glance before stepping up into the carriage, which shifts staggeringly under his weight. Once inside, he does his best to not look like an adult in a child's house.
Surprise registers on Priyya's face. She nods to the great cat saying quietly, "You honor me, sister. I am Priyya Surya-ka-Vahaak, Warrior-Priestess of Alita." Priyya offers her hand and arm, palm down, for closer inspection by Talvyra before responding to Alis' request.
As she walks to the carriage, she continues to watch Talvyra. Remarkable.
"Anyone mind if my friend rides in the second carriage? She doesn't take up much room."
Priyya responds quickly, "Not at all! I... WE... would very much enjoy her company. May we know her name, please?"
Lureene shifts her body several times trying not to hit either of their passengers with her wings. She did notice her wings were not as flexible as they once were. I think I may need to start practicing with my wings again, I don’t think I can fly like I used to. she sighs inwardly.
When Rath put his hands on her wings, ostensibly to fit them in the carriage, she felt tingles shoot up and down her body. She has a hard time stifling her tears, knowing her time with him is running out, but she resolves not to sulk over it, and to be his angel this evening. She knew he would be missing her while escorting the Princess Alexis to Wildemar, and she wanted to give Rath-hun a good time.
She gazes at the feline form of Talvyra, and thinks, Wow, such a beautiful creature.