Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Caesar (Chyril 25, ET)

[Keaira Morgandy]

OOC: Continued from here.

With a quiet complacency Keaira allowed herself to be led to the room which had been "specially prepared" for her. She was keenly aware of the discomforting feeling of drying wine on her breasts and dress; it was starting to get sticky. A small frown creased her lips. Pity that girl had spilled wine on her, it had ruined her plans for that evening -- and her hopes of leaving mostly undetected. But Keaira held no grudge toward the girl. She was not the malicious type.

It was kind of the Caesar to offer to have her dress laundered, she decided. She guessed not his true intentions, in her naivety, and Tigre was still too weary to correct the foolish girl. For now, she was on her own, and she followed the servant leading her without comment or question. Her impossibly blue eyes glanced about her surroundings with mild curiosity, and she took note of any twists and turns. After all, she didn't want to get lost.

[Grey Wolf]

It was not a long trip, as Caesar's chambers were just beyond the Great Hall, though for obvious reasons they could not use the door behind the throne, since that was reserved for His Majesty alone. The man who led Keaira looked ancient, his skin the color old wood, not quite wrinkled, but rather heavily textured, much like the bark of an old tree, his back hunched heavily. He held himself with an air of dignity, the kind old servants were known to have, his steps slow and measure like he had all the time in the world ahead of him. Dressed in an immaculate black attire, his white, starched collar pristine, he led the girl towards one of the alcoves, pulling the curtain aside and letting Keaira pass through.

He took the lead once more, leading her up a couple of dozen well polished steps, and then down the hallway leading towards the back of the Great Hall, passing two intersections before turning left into another passage. The floor there was covered in lush green carpet, the fabric swaying much like grass under their feet, several doors leading to the right, with one grand door to the left leading back into the throne room. Walls was covered in heavy tapestries, so much fabric drowning out the sounds nicely, the din from the coronation barely audible. The servant stopped before the third door, turning the nod and holding the door for Keaira to enter. He had a hawk beak for a nose, his once green eyes, now blurred by age, as he waited patiently.

Too call the room lavish would be an understatement, as the floor had been covered in the thick, purple carpet from wall to wall. It was probably a lady's room, the left wall pretty much taken by a huge mirror and a table, laden with a good number of beautification implements, starting from combs and brushes and moving on to make up and various salves and poultices, half of which an average male would not have any idea how to touch, let alone use. Of course, there was also an enormous bed, big enough for a dozen person to sleep in it easily, well stocked with pillows and covered in dark pink covers. A small bedside table sat next to it, a glass pitcher of water and a glass sitting atop it. To the right sat a sofa, plush purple velvet covering every inch of it, a low table holding a bucket of ice in which a bottle of wine was being chilled. Half hidden by the sofa, a low stool to rest her feet upon it was visible, and a corner of a bookcase well stocked with books. Near the back a closed door lead somewhere unseen, and it seemed that all the rooms were connected by doors as there were doors on both the left and right side of the room, presumably leading to the neighboring rooms.

"There is a house robe upon the sofa, milady. I fear we do not have anything in your size at hand, but your dress should be fixed by the morning. You are Caesar's guest until then." The butler's voice was deep and calm, words flowing easily like silk on a woman's bare skin, not a hint of emotion in his tone. "There is some chilled wine and I will gladly bring you more if you wish so. Just pull the string by the bed if you need me." he glanced towards the door at the back of the room. "I took the liberty of filling a bath for you. Just leave the dress on the bed if you choose to partake and I will take it to the laundress." he paused, politely waiting to see if she needed anything else.

[Keaira Morgandy]

Keaira was silent the whole way, as was the ancient man who led her, and she was careful to keep her steps politely measured with his, remaining a few paces behind and to his left. While Keaira marveled at the tapestries on the walls, Tigre was unsettled. As a madam, she had employed the same techniques at the Banner. While it was possible they were there for decoration, that fabric still muted sound very well. The sounds of the ceremony barely reached her ears, now.

Tigre watched keenly as the girl continued to follow the servant. She carefully memorized the route they took, repeating the directions to herself, while Keaira looked curiously this way and that. After a short walk, they arrived at the room she was expected to occupy.

As Keaira entered the room, she just barely managed to keep a soft gasp from escaping her lips. While she was excited to be in such opulence, a surge of pleasure rushed over her skin that startled her. Tigre was thrilled. True, it was a bit gaudy to her, but the room was exquisite. The plush carpet, the vanity, the bed, all of it reeked of wealth. Keaira couldn't keep a smile from her lips.

The moment of revelry was interrupted, however, by the voice of the ancient man whom had led her there: smooth, deep, and calm. Tigre didn't like it, but Keaira found it soothing. "Oh, thank you very much," she said in a little girl's tones, curtsying gently to the servant. "It is very much appreciated." Tigre, however, laughed darkly. Nothing in her size? Bull shit. But of course she can't leave if she is not dressed... Again she surveyed the room. A large bed, a bath, and a bottle of wine? My, but the Caesar is sly. Even the way the servant said "you are Caesar's guest until then" smacked of evidence. To her, his intentions were quite clear. To Keaira, he was doing her a huge favor.

Keaira waited until the man was gone before beginning to undress almost immediately, eager for that bath. Leaving the dress on the bed, she was through the indicated door in flickers, closing it softly behind her; suddenly, though, she grew still, carefully pressing her back against the door. Tigre was recovering quickly, and Keaira found herself listening quietly. After all, she didn't want to get into the bath before that man came and got her dress. She needed to know she would be alone. These were things that Tigre suggested to her to keep her still. She didn't want that servant barging in on her plans. Very softly, Keaira began to hum, as if she were busying herself.

While she waited, Tigre began to push, inching her way up through Keaira's thoughts, slowly exerting control throughout the girl's body. It began as a numbness in her legs, which she noticed but did nothing about -- after all, she didn't want to make too much noise, lest she miss the man's re-entrance and exit. It spread slowly, catching in her fingertips and moving further, until nearly her whole body had lost feeling, and a dark haze began to form in the corners of her vision. It was only when Keaira tried to move her arm and couldn't that she realized something was wrong, but by then it was too late. A final push and a quick pull brought the girl down into darkness, and Tigre's smile spread across Keaira's lips, her eyes glowing softly. The humming stopped.

[Grey Wolf]

A few flickers after the door of the bathroom clicked shut, Keaira heard the door to her room open, a sound of female voices reaching her ears, muffled by the door and plush carpet in the room. They were there only a few flickers, the room falling to silence as the door clicked shut once more. Before the numbness sunk in, Keaira's hand felt a key in the lock of bathroom door, and then Tigre felt the same thing as she took over. The bathroom was simple, though compared to other such places it was insanely opulent, covered completely in pristinely white ceramic tiles.

One corner was dominated by a large bathtub, large enough to pass as a small pool, nearly ten feet across. Several fluffy towels were laid beside it, along with a pair of soft silk slippers, that would most likely fit her feet perfectly. A chair sat near a small sink, a rope hanging from the floor, His Imperial Majesty one of the few people in the world who had running water in his chambers. Tub itself was filled with water nearly to the top, bubbles covering its surface. The whole room smelled faintly of roses, despite the fact that privy door was not closed. IN fact the floral scent seemed to be coming from that very door.

[Keaira Morgandy]

A thin smile curled across her lips as Tigre relished the feeling of being in control once again. She stepped away from the door, lifting her arms above her head in a stretch and then lowering them, her fingertips trailing down her own sides. While she could see, hear, and experience emotions when she lurked in the back of Keaira's mind, she could not feel, and that numbness left her feeling less real.

The key had been noticed but quickly disregarded, for she doubted that a locked door would keep the Caesar from his "conquest" for long. With hurried movements Tigre made her way to the bath, irritably brushing the bubbles aside to access clear water and splashing it across her wine-covered breasts. A few passes of her palms across the soft flesh and another splash removed most of the offending liquid, the rest rubbed away by a towel as Tigre's eyes scanned the room again. The smell of roses caught her interest and, after a few more steps toward the toiletry, she had to repress a laugh. Really now, she thought with a sneer, closing the lid. To mar such a scent by placing it there...

Wrapped in a towel, Tigre soon emerged from the bathroom, snatching the key out of the lock on her way out. It was a spiteful thing to do -- if anything, maybe she could inconvenience someone by forcing them to make another key. Her fingers clutched the bit of metal tightly, her bare toes curling into the soft plush of the purple carpet as she paused and surveyed the room once more. Her dress was gone, and for a moment she cursed Keaira's haste, before deciding that it had been necessary. The Caesar had wanted her dress taken so that she couldn't leave -- they would have required it from her anyhow. Another cursory glance revealed to her that there were no windows in the room, and she saw no wardrobe where she might procure another outfit. Just that house robe, sitting there, mocking her. Even her shoes were taken.

She was beginning to grow angry. While she had not been the one to be tricked, Tigre seethed at the idea of being trapped. How dare that little rat think he could take advantage of her? And all his little minions, working together to keep her there. Her fists clenched and unclenched, the muscles in her jaw working as her teeth ground together. I'm going to teach you not to fuck with me, Andolin. It mattered not that she might have done the same in his position. No one manipulates me.

First she needed to find clothes. Frowning as if there were a foul taste in her mouth, Tigre picked up the house robe and clothed herself as best she could at the moment, before walking to the door on the left side of the room and trying it. Perhaps it would open into another unoccupied room..one that might offer her more solutions than this one did. If it was locked, she would try the other door -- and then, out of desperation, the bathroom key, if there were a lock to try it on.

[Grey Wolf]

As she stepped forward, Keaira could feel the warmth of the tiles under her feet, each of her steps met by a soothingly heated ceramic, which kept the bathroom warmed, her nudity not inconveniencing her at all. The water though was heated quite a bit more, steaming up as the bubbles were splashed away, the scent of roses becoming stronger in the dancer's nostrils. There was something else mixed with it as she reached down, her skin turning a slight pinkish tone as water run down it. The towel was the softest, most fluffy one she had ever held. It was good being a Caesar and it seemed being his guest meant you had access to quite a luxury, albeit with a few drawbacks. Was being naked such a bad thing?

As it turned out, Keaira did not have to walk all the way to the other side of the room. As the soft, cool fabric of the house robe hung to her skin, almost cold enough to make her shiver, the door to the left clicked open, swinging into the room former Madame occupied at that moment. A flicker later, a rather well shaped female behind wriggled its way into the room, soon followed by the rest of the girl, a cascade of golden curls covering her shoulder, her giggle muffled by the hand she used to cover her lips. She was utterly oblivious that anyone was in the room, backing into it, leaving the door opened just a crack, peeking through it into the room she had emerged from.

[Keaira Morgandy]

Though she wondered mildly at the change in her skin tone, she shrugged to herself and instead took the towel, basking in its fluffy embrace for a few moments. But business was business, and she had to get out of that (comfortable, opulent, luxurious) prison. She might have enjoyed it, had she not been so hell-bent on making sure Andolin didn't get what she believed he wanted.

Tigre was surprised when the door opened, only just closing the robe (a faint shiver raising bumps on her pale skin) as the voluptuous curves of another woman's hind end wriggled their way into her bedroom. Another trick?, she asked herself wordlessly, a slender brow raising slightly. Quickly she looked over the girl to see if she was wearing something better than a house robe. Then, silently, Tigre advanced on the golden-haired girl, leaning slightly to try and see if there was anyone in the next room. A very faint a-hem escaped her throat as she stood upright again, crossing her arms smoothly beneath her breasts. Her eyebrows were raised questioningly, but she looked more puzzled than threatening.

[Grey Wolf]

The girl wore nothing, save her long golden tresses, utterly entranced by whatever it was that she was watching through the crack in the door. The subtle a-hem, caused the girl to gasp and jump back, bumping into Keaira and sending them both to the floor, the blond, whomever she was, landing hard on her butt with a loud OMPH. For a flicker she sat there confused, quickly scrambling to turn, hand over her throat, heaving a sigh of relief. "Oh, it is just you. I thought it was him you know. And that he surprised me, when I wanted to surprise him, and thus ruined my surprise. For him. And he so likes surprises. Besides, we have not seen each other in a while and I really wanted to surprise him." She smiled happily and rose up, taking another peek through the door. "But, it's only you and not him, and I guess that's alright. I can still surprise him."

[Keaira Morgandy]

Tigre was caught completely off-guard, her arm reaching out to catch something but only finding air. With a soft flump she hit the ground, her teeth gritting in a mixture of mild pain and anger. What the hell does she think she's doing? Her robe had separated a bit at the bottom, and Tigre irritably moved it to cover her private areas once more.

"Who are you talking about? And who are you? You can't just barge into a lady's room without introducing yourself." She hadn't even apologized for knocking her down. What idiotic trollop had been placed in the room next to hers? If she had been chosen for the Caesar's hospitality as well, Tigre thought she might be sick. Surely Andolin had better taste than that? Slowly she stood again, wary of any other sudden movements the airheaded woman might engage in. In a cursory glance, she admired the woman's curves once more. Maybe if she kept her mouth shut...

[Grey Wolf]

For a flicker something akin to fear flickered over the girl's features, but soon an empty-headed smile replaced such expression, followed quickly by a light giggle. "Oh, you are so silly. This is not your room. This is one of Andi's rooms and I wanted to surprise him. He is going to be crowned and I simply had to jump him and......." For a moment her eyes went distant, staring at the ceiling as if reminiscing something. "Imagine. I Etain Clois du Bois am going to be Her Majesty. His Royal Highness' first wife. I hope he picks nice ladies as other six, cause I want to be able to have a civil cup of tea with them." Her expression turned serious at that point, a shadow of a pout forming upon her lips, again swiftly replaced by an utterly careless and happy smile. "Nah, my Andi is so smart. He would never pick someone mean and boring. Hmmmm, maybe he will marry Ygraine and then we can chat together every day."

[Keaira Morgandy]

She stared quite blankly at the golden-haired woman, though her own empty expression was one of blatant disbelief rather than a lack of intelligence. The girl was a fool! A complete and utter brainless wench! Tigre imagined, if she listened hard enough, she would be able to hear the air passing through the cavern betwixt her ears -- for surely Etain operated on little more than the smallest amount of wit.

It was laborious to tolerate listening to her speak. Frankly, she was impressed Andolin could bear her at all. Didn't he want some sort of intelligence in his women? Or was that too dangerous? All she knew was, she wanted to strangle the living daylights out of this girl. A lack of intelligence was not something she could tolerate for long, regardless of how attractive the body it inhabited was. Part of her suddenly wished that door had been locked. She would rather have been left to fume than to be forced to tolerate Etain much longer.

Had she stayed long enough to discover that the other woman Anora had angered was in fact Ygraine, she would have burst out into laughter at Etain's words. Instead she decided to play with the girl. Mess with her head a little. There was obvious scorn in her voice as she casually ran her fingers through her long black tresses.

"You? Andi's first wife? Hardly. That is to be my position."

[Andolin]

First there had been the ceremony. Then had come the interlude with Ygraine and Anora. Now it was neat gravetide when he approached to call upon Keaira. He half hoped that she would be asleep as he had the door unlocked and made ready to enter.

[Grey Wolf]

OOC: I suggest we give Keaira a bit more time to finish e her conversation. Andolin is still busy in the other room. Seems only fair. We’ll yell when we need you.

“Oh…..” The blonde seemed surprised for a flicker, her expression changing to disappointment after that, her blue eyes looking at Keaira hopefully, remaining silent for a few long flickers. She chewed on her lips thoughtfully and then smiled at the former Madame, her eyes lighting up suddenly. “I did not know. I just assumed. Well, that is okay then. You’ll be a Caesarii and I’ll be his second wife. We’ll have so much fun together.” Before Keaira could move Etain pounced and hugged her close, bouncing excitedly. “I am so excited. We’ll drink tea together and gossip. And we can even help each other with problem. Like what to wear for an official function and how to gather my hair before going out.” She paused and grew thoughtful for a moment. “Do you think…. Will Andi have us both in bed with him at the same time? I have never been with a man and a woman before. I suppose I could learn.”

[Keaira Morgandy]

At first Tigre was pleased with herself, watching with hidden pleasure as Etain's bubbly personality popped before the assault of her own needled words. But alas, it was not to be, for it was only a few flickers before she ruined the whole thing by smiling again. Before Tigre could react, the naked fool had pounced upon her, hugging her close while bouncing. The face Tigre made was akin to one she might make if she had just ingested curdled milk, or perhaps if someone had told her she was pregnant. Her mouth contorted painfully as one of her eyes squinted and her arms locked at her sides, fingers curled. Her teeth began to grind together, the muscles in her jaw working visibly as she fought to control herself.

Carefully, Tigre detached herself from Etain, her skin covered with goosebumps. She just couldn't get past the woman's utter lack of intelligence. Why would anyone tolerate this empty-headed... She searched for a word harsh enough, but one did not exist. Tigre left the thought unfinished.

"How long have you been with Andolin? Do you know these rooms very well?" If she knew enough to come into the next room, perhaps Etain could help her find some proper clothes. She wasn't going to meet the Caesar dressed like a...well...dressed like she was.

[Grey Wolf]

It was not hard for Keaira to detach herself from Etain, the girl's dumb smile a permanent fixture upon her pretty face, her eyes crossed a bit as she looked up at Tigre. She waggled a finger, as one hand went to her hip. "Oooooh, naughty you. Calling him by first name means you have seen him naked." She giggled and glanced over her shoulder at the question, her nose wrinkling as she pondered how to reply. "I've known him since last Samheen. Before he was even Master of Protocol. He was handsome even then, but not so important." Then casually she added. "That is his personal bedroom next door. I thought to surprise him when he comes from coronation and present myself naked. Do you think he will like me more like this or with a bow-tie?" She pondered for a flicker. "Where could I find a bow tie here?"

[Keaira Morgandy]

As the burns went by, Tigre's awe in the face of Etain's ignorance began to diminish. It became more of an irritation, but she was getting used to it. After all, ignorant people were easy to manipulate.

"Oh, definitely with a bow tie." The enthusiastic poured out past Tigre's lips almost instantly, ere she forced a smile onto her face and gestured toward the Caesar's personal bedroom. "Maybe we can find one in there. Shall I help you look?" Perfect, Tigre thought with an inward chuckle. She had an excuse to go through the Caesar's things, and someone to blame it on if she was caught.

[Grey Wolf]

Etain glanced over her shoulder to the room she came from and then back to Keaira, chewing her full lips nervously for a flicker or two as she tried to reach a decision. I am sure there is a bow tie there, but where should I tie it? My waist? My neck? Oooooh, maybe around my thigh so he can untie it with his teeth. Or across my breasts to he would have to unwrap them and....... Only then did she become aware or Keaira's offer to help, and quickly shook her head. "Oh, I don't think we should go through his things. I am sure one of the servants will get me a bowtie if I ask him nicely." With that she moved towards the bed and the string hanging from the ceiling there, that was meant to summon a servant to the room.

[Keaira Morgandy]

If she could have read her mind, Tigre would have been in awe of the unimportant thought processes that Etain devoted the greater part of her minimal mental abilities to. Instead, however, she simply stared at the girl, waiting for her reply -- only to be utterly disappointed by it. Thinking fast, she crossed her arms dramatically and sighed loudly. "Well, I can see you are not going to be any fun when we are Andolin's wives. I'd hoped you were a little bit more adventurous."

[Grey Wolf]

Etain's hand was already on the string that would summon the servants, but she stopped just short of pulling it, fingers curled around the fabric, muscles in her forearm tensed. "But..... but.... Andi could get angry if we touch his stuff. I do not want him to be angry with me." She turned, her lower lip quivering, eyes already wet, with tears only waiting to burst through. "Do you promise not to touch anything we are not supposed to touch? We just go look for a bow-tie and you help me tie it around me. Do you promise?" A single tear did escape the corner of her eye at that moment, leaving a trail down the blond girl's cheek, though thankfully it did not smudge her make-up.

[Keaira Morgandy]

Tigre's lips curled into a wicked smile as Etain's hand stopped short of the string. It vanished, of course, before the air-headed girl looked at her again, and she nodded solemnly, despite the foul taste that formed in her mouth when she saw the girl's teary eyes. "Oh, of course. It shall be lots of fun, no? Come on, he'll be terribly pleased with you."

Pan's hooves, I'm going to strangle her. Tigre smiled the best friendly smile she could manage before turning and walking into Andolin's room. Perhaps it would be fun after all.

[Grey Wolf]

Where once there were tears, a beaming smile ruled, as Etain nodded quickly and ran to Keaira's side, giving her an impish grin as he opened the door to Caesar's personal bedroom a bit and peeked in. "Alright, follow me." She slipped through, leaving it open wide enough for Tigre to follow her, pausing near the entrance to the chamber which looked quite sedate, compared to the guest chamber from which the girls came. Tastefully furnished, it was dimply lit and lacked a fireplace, though it was still pleasantly warmed. It was not square at all, but full of corners and niches, with smooth walls painted pale cream. Corners and edges were done in pure white, making the room look larger than it was.

Several potted plants were placed along the walls, well kept and maintained, visibly vibrant and full of life. Whether His Majesty took care of the plans himself or the servants did it for him was unknown, but the plants gave the room a subtle fragrance found in a forest or desert oasis. Illumination was done via a series of floating balls of light that were placed on each side of the bed and besides the couch near the opposite wall. Next to the comfortable couch done in soft burgundy tones with subtle gold stitching rested a pair of matching chairs and a low table which was bare at the moment.

The bed was simply huge and covered in crème silk sheets, perfectly smoothed and with dozens of fluffed pillows piled one atop another near the headboard. To each side stood a bed-side table and it was the left side that held a glass pitcher of water and a glass next to it. The carpet was the true masterpiece, as it bore a map of Empire done in exquisite detail, though it lacked the colors, being made in varying tones of crème and brown. Three doors lead out of the room, two of which were double. The one to the left probably led back to the hallway, while the other two were on the opposite wall and still closed. Exploration would be needed for Keaira determine what lay behind them.

[Keaira Morgandy]

Tigre nearly rolled her eyes at how quickly Etain was placated. Instead, however, she simply smiled and followed the blonde bimbo into the Caesar's room, looking around curiously.

Compared to the gaudiness of the previous room, the Caesar's was almost refreshing. She favored it considerably, and crossed the room thoughtfully, gently reaching out to try to touch one of the balls of light. As she did so she glanced toward the bed and hummed softly, wondering how many others like Etain had shared the man's bed. She even began to consider allowing him to achieve his assumed goal of bedding her as well -- though she certainly would not agree to having Etain there. An involuntary scowl flickered momentarily across her lips. She was unimpressed with the carpeting. Tigre had never been particularly fond of cartography, no matter the detail.

Then, humming softly, Tigre casually spoke to the woman as she advanced on the doors and tried to open them. "Where do these doors go? Anywhere special? I only had a bathroom.."

[Grey Wolf]

The light had substance and Keaira found it flowing through her fingers like thick mist, the substance thickening as she reached deeper, chilling her skin slightly, and leaving it aglow when her hands was pulled back, though mere flickers later not a trace of it could be seen. Her feet trod through the ocean waves, following the body of a sea serpent as she moved to a door, finding it unlocked, though there was precious little she could see within, as dim light in the room did not reach far through the door. A few feet she could see were bare, though the floor was covered in a carpet as well, this one simple sea blue in color, seamlessly continuing from the sea that was part of the map. "I don't know. I did not dare look, cause I did not want to upset Andi. Please, don't touch anything. Just the bow. Please?"

[Andolin]

Andolin was glad that Anora and Ygraine had left together. He did not want either of the women to be wandering the palace alone. It was a most frustrating evening so far, so he hoped that he would find a naked Keaira were he had sent her. A guard was supposed to be outside her room.

Saluting the guard, Andolin entered the bedroom, looking to find Keaira. He had arranged her dress to be cleaned, but not returned until later.

[Grey Wolf]

The guard stood right where he left him, his posture stiffening as Andolin passed by, the door unlocked and allowing for easy access to the room. He found the room itself empty, save for the rich furnishings, and both doors leading out of it open. It was from the left hand door that a hushed whisper came, and should His Majesty give it some thought he would remember the room there was still being furnished and was to be his bedroom in a month's time. Of course, provided he liked the way it was designed. Simon Ginneke was to place protective wards on the room and His Majesty's bed, and shield it from scrying attempts, making it as safe as possible.