| Logs |
2012 March 09
| Neverneverwhere |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Taps Logs |
Two Good Men
Suraksha picks her words slowly and carefully, "But he... just rolled to me less than an hour ago. Publicly. So... how can he, ahh... why would he be rude here, if he's acknowledged me a-" Her voice cuts off as she thinks -- then her gaze switches abruptly to Malachai. She looks, if anything, a touch guilty, "Oh. Oh, dear... I'd hoped to alleviate his attempting to undermine you by establishing dominance. Did I... just teach him that only I should not be messed with? Does he still feel he can argue with you?"
Malachai's eyes are a little amused and a little sad at the same time, "Meshek is convinced that he is in line to be the next alpha. He won't challenge you again tonight, but that doesn't mean he would be polite to your people. So, home he went. He knows if he argues too much with me that I will shred his ears for him."
Suraksha gives Malachai a completely bemused look, "Wait. He's acknowledged I'm higher in the hierarchy -- but he doesn't feel he has to listen to what I tell him?! That -- that's not thinking unclearly... that's just... well, it sounds insane!" As they're talking, there's a call for help from the edge of the encampment. The central ring is snug, but there are still a few people battening down the outer hatches. Suraksha blinks bemusedly as she's interrupted in mid-thought, glancing around at the yell -- then she adds quickly to Malachai, "Uh, talk later, ya? Gotta go!" She turns and darts directly for the wagons, calling, "Someone circle around outside -- I'll go over and hold it down!"
Several caravaneers are heading swiftly either to climb up the side of the biggest cargo wagon, or rushing for the closest opening between the snugly linked wagons in the ring. Malachai is a second behind, not changing gears quite so quickly, but he trots over toward one of the openings, intending to help out where Sulochana is going. She sighs internally as she runs, making a mental note to have the territorial border re-marked once the rain stops. She doesn't want Meshek anywhere near her people any more, now -- she doesn't trust insane people at all. Before she can make her way up the wagon, though, Fantine intercepts the Hetaera.
Suraksha is focused on getting to the wagon, so she smiles at Fantine as she neatly dodges around the loogaroo. When Gajara reaches out and neatly snags Suraksha with her trunk, however, the small woman gives a startled, "Oof!" then grins at the elephant, "Oh, good idea -- up, please?" She blinks and looks slightly sheepish as Fantine puts her hands on her hips and sternly demands to know when the lady planned on returning to her wagon to dry off and warm up -- next year sometime, perhaps?! There are a couple of chuckles from those caravaneers still working inside the wagon ring -- they all know how Suraksha can get sometimes.
Elsewhere, Malachai runs around to outside the wagon ring, expecting Sulochana to need his help there. Unbeknownst to him, though, she's been snagged and is currently being firmly told to go dry off and warm up in her wagon. Also, though he doesn't realize it, Malachai is a somewhat staid individual -- he's used to being kowtowed to and respected, and also used to a very homogeneous group of people. Their look, their accents, the way they move and behave and treat each other -- it's all pretty much a monoculture, though none of them have really thought of it that way.
Malachai glances around, wondering where his mate is -- and from overhead there's an irritated shout: "Oi! Ye bleed'n toff, dewn't jist stand theah -- grab a rewp!" He looks up, blinking in the rain and wondering what the hell that was -- and a couple of ropes slither down the side of the wagon, dancing in the rain. Leaning way over the side and clinging desperately to the ropes in an attempt to control the heavy tarps is a woman no larger than Sulochana. In the lightning flash Malachai can see her peculiar face: there are spots! -freckles, though he doesn't immediately think of the word -- scattered across her astonishingly pale cheeks and nose, and her wild red hair is curly! It sort of zigzags rather than lying smooth and flat like hair is supposed to. Further, she's glaring at him -- at him, the alpha! -with big, startlingly green eyes.
As he reflexively grabs a rope and starts to bare his teeth at her, he hears a rumble next to him, "Naow Maow-ruh, be nahce, gurl! He's volunteerin', trahn-ta be helpfal. Leest we kin do is trah t'be nahse bahk, raht?" Malachai blinks again as he realizes there's a very broad man standing next to him now -- someone with an astonishingly incomprehensible drawl; a hooked nose as broad as an axe; weirdly dark, almost bronze skin; and thickly curling, bushy hair like tangled underbrush. The big man has the other rope, and he grins down at Malachai without lowering himself at all, gently patting the alpha on the shoulder as if he's -- almost as if he's reassuring Malachai?!
Before the astonished (and, truthfully, somewhat confused) alpha can react, though, another someone comes sliding up from under the wagon, giving a good yank on the rope Malachai had been holding. This young man looks more like what Malachai is used to: almost white-blonde hair, tall, and graceful -- a bit light-weight and slender, but not peculiar, really -- not weird like the other two. Malachai relaxes a little as he realizes the rope has been firmly secured under the wagon by this man -- and there's also the relieved expectation of both proper behavior, and being able to understand this person as well. Heck, maybe he can ask what the other two weird people had said... but that expectation is rudely shattered as the slender man laughs and actually lightly slaps Malachai's shoulder, calling out to the other two, "Da, all ve int zis toogeda be!" Then, before Malachai can snarl at the familiarity, the slender man actually somersaults upwards along the side of the wagon -- landing on its top!
A heartbeat later Malachai is the only one still standing there in the rain... wondering if all the outside world is as confusing and -- and... shockingly, rapidly overly familiar!
About 15 minutes later Malachai straightens from checking the last rope, then walks back into the wagon ring. A bit hesitantly he faces the two women bedding down the livestock, asking them which wagon is Sulochana's, please? One of the two women that seem to be running things with the livestock is a blonde young woman, obviously lame in one leg, who is carrying a young child in a kind of cloth sling around the front of her body. Right behind her is the enormous gray creature, the elephant. When he approaches, Gajara reaches out and snuffles at him with her trunk, slightly disconcerting the Friendsville alpha. The other woman, who Malachai notices is leaving hoofprints in the mud despite seeming to be wearing boots, glowers slightly.
The various roustabouts, having finished scattering the last of a bale of straw for the animals to sleep on, laugh or give Malachai amused grins as they depart the area; some give him friendly slaps on the shoulder. The blonde leans against Gajara and studies Malachai carefully for a moment before speaking to Del, "Gajara says he smells okay, and Auntie Sura did accept him as a client. We think he means well." Del snorts a bit and curls up comfortably against a big, placidly eating Clydesdale. The big elephant gently curls her trunk around her mahout, gathering Ksushya in for the night. Ksushya smiles at Malachai and points at the appropriate wagon, "That's hers." The lights are glowing golden in the dim light.
In the wagon painted with roses and peacock feathers, Fantine is heating a bit of milk on the tiny stove to make some nice hot chocolate for everyone, and wet clothing is hung all about to dry in the warm, slightly steamy, very crowded little room. Rohana has just finished scolding and rubbing down a grumpy Alg with a towel -- although to those who know how to see it, it would appear the two of them are actually rather enjoying themselves. Suraksha is tiredly seated on her bunk, currently wrapped in nothing but a blanket. She's smiling in quiet, warm, tired pleasure as her littlest daughter solemnly (and not very effectively) tries to dry her mommy's hair, while Rattler (seated on the floor) is just as solemnly drying Sura's feet and legs... all the way up to about her hips, it seems!
It's as Alg finally escapes, slithering between legs and under the bunk to dart lightly up into the shadows on top of the built-in armoire, that there's a quiet -- almost hesitant -- knock on the door. Rohana cheerfully yelps, "I got it!" -- thereby effectively drowning out Sura's usual call of, "Open!" The child darts over to turn the door handle's lever and peek cautiously outside, being careful not to let in the wind and rain. A heartbeat later she slams the door shut and whirls, her eyes wide with worry and her small fists up to her mouth, "Mommy! We gots th' wolf at the door!"
Sura glances over with a small, slightly perplexed smile, "Well, if one of the Friendsville folk has a message for us, we should let them in, no? That'd be-"
She's cut off by Rohana, who is dancing from foot to foot in agitation, "No, Mommy, not them -- it's the Big Bad Wolf! He's come to take you away!" At the sound of the door rattling a little -- it's not clear if the wind or the person outside is responsible -- she gives a frightened squeal, whirling to throw her small weight against the door, "An' he's tryin'ta get in!" Outside, Malachai has heard himself called the Big Bad Wolf by little Rohana; he finds he is surprisingly hurt by the thought that he would try to take a mother from her children. He will have to find a way to reassure the little girl that she can of course come with her mother.
Inside the wagon, almost everyone looks either tiredly confused, or increasingly wary. Fantine looks up alertly, then reaches out to brace the door with one hand as she smiles down at Rohana, "Mon petit, I will see who 'tis, oui? I will not allow any bad wolves to enter, I promise." Rohana looks nervous and unconvinced, but nods once and backs away just enough to allow the door to open a crack again. Fantine tilts her head to check through the crack she opens, then laughs, "Oui, our little fierce one is right -- it is indeed the wolf! But this one, I think, may come in, non?" She opens the door enough for Malachai to slide in. He ducks into the room, removing his hat as his eyes flick here and there to take in the crowded little room.
Suraksha looks startled, both as her former client steps in and as her eldest daughter bursts into tears, wailing about not wanting Mommy to leave. Rattler has stopped drying 'Chana's legs and is, instead, leaning back against the edge of their shared bunk with his body between his cherie's thighs, arms draped lazily over her knees. Suraksha sounds utterly confused as she holds out her arms to her daughter, "Baby, what's wrong?!"
Malachai shifts aside for Fantine to close the door behind him. He himself is more than a little damp from helping out with the ropes, but he's waiting for things to quiet down. His worried eyes are on the little girl, "I wouldn't try to take your mommy from you, little one."
Rattler drawls, "Dat's right, ma petite shou, Maman isn't going anywhere." He turns his head and places a warm, soft kiss just above her knee on the inside of her thigh, then chuckles and ducks out of the way as his daughter damn near steps on his head to get into 'Chana's lap. Malachai manages not to growl aloud at the kiss, but his eyes narrow and his fists clench.
Suraksha catches Rohana up into her arms, trying to keep the blanket mostly on as well -- not only is nudity too chilly just now, but she doesn't want to flash their unexpected guest. "Baby, why would you think I was leaving?" Rattler just moves to the side, still leaning back against the bed, although he's on one side of 'Chana's legs instead of between them now. He drapes his hand over her knee, fingers stroking there gently. Suraksha is completely ignoring both men, since they're both behaving themselves. She's busy gently rocking her sobbing daughter, crooning quietly to Rohana. At some point she gives Roy a nudge with her bare toes, and when he glances up at her she jerks her head slightly to indicate he should come sit next to her to help comfort Rohana.
Rattler nods and hops up onto the bed, wrapping his arms around both his daughter and 'Chana. It's a perfectly reasonable thing for him to do -- but he's been playing in the courts a long time, which can be not a whole lot different than the power plays in a wolf pack. Consequently he manages to put insouciance and an easy arrogance into his body language: this is his family. Malachai's lip curls and he growls low in his throat, starting to step forward. Roy comes to his feet, eyes gleaming, putting himself between Malachai, Rohana, and 'Chana. He's not grinning, but it's a near thing. The king-in-hiding has been behaving himself -- but if Malachai starts something, Roy's sure he's allowed to finish it.
Suraksha looks surprised as Roy shifts away -- then sudden comprehension crosses her face. She bolts up to her feet, her golden eyes bright with anger and Rohana still held in one arm. Elbowing her way past Roy in the tiny wagon, she pushes Rohana into him and stiff-arms Malachai's chest, snarling, "What is wrong with you two?! Behave yourselves!" She's doing her best to keep the blanket covering most of herself, but it slips somewhat in her rush to get between the two men. Her voice is low but heated, "Roy, take Rohana now, please. Malachai, settle down or get out! Gentlemen, I don't expect miracles, but you will! Not! Fight! In my wagon, while my children are present!" Her eyes occasionally flash scarlet as she fiercely adds, "So sit the hell down -- now!"
Roy, once Rohana has been shoved into his arms, turns to the crying child, snuggling her close against his bare chest and murmuring to her in his lilting Cajun French. One large hand rests against the back of his daughter's head, and he's swaying his body back and forth a little as he says with deceptive casualness, "Whadevah you want, ma cherie." Rohana is still hitching and sniffling a little, but the wailing has calmed down a bit. Malachai frowns but nods curtly once; it is only right not to want fighting in this small space, with the children present.
Suraksha tiredly hauls her blanket back into place with her now-free hand as she scowls at Malachai, pushing gently until he steps back again. Without looking at Roy she snaps, "What I want is for you both to not fight, you hear me? You don't have to be friends, but I seriously do not want to hear one of you started something."
Rishima says calmly, in her small, fluting child's voice, "I'll dry off the wolfie, Mommy, so he doesn't drip onna carpet." She slides off the bunk and patters over to stand in front of Malachai, tapping his thigh with one small finger, "Gotta take your boots off an' sit down, Mr. Wolf, or Nanny Fanny'll scold you for getting the rugs wet an' I won't be able to reach your head." Malachai looks bemusedly down at Rishima, who looks very much like 'Chana but not a bit like Roy, and lets the child lead him to the only actual chair the wagon. He feels a pang in his chest as he does; it has been long years since he's had this particular feeling of family in his life.
Suraksha sighs tiredly, relaxing a little as the emergency seems to be over, and settles wearily back onto the bunk. She pats the spot next to her as she looks up at Roy, adding gently, "Hana, baby, why would you think your Maman would leave you?" Roy settles back onto the bunk, still holding 'Hana and stroking her dark hair. With them being this close together, it's almost impossible to mistake the family resemblance.
Fantine smiles quietly to herself as she watches Malachai do as Rishima asks despite his clear confusion; the little loogaroo pulls down another mug. Malachai silently, intently watches the close, warm little family members as Rishima starts wiping his hair off with her now-rather-damp towel, softly singing a repetitive children's song to herself, in her quiet, sweet voice. On the bunk, as the sobs abate and Rohana clings tightly to both parents, her fears are slowly explained. She stutters and sniffles: she's afraid she's going to lose her mother the same way as happened to her big sister Mary and her two little playmates Loshya and JosieAnna. Though Rohana doesn't mention them by name, the children's fathers (Alexander and Little Joe) both lost their wives very early -- although for very different reasons -- and were left with small children to care for. Fortunately for them all, not only is the Sokoloff family a very close and warm one, but the entire caravan is overjoyed to have more children in their extended family.
Malachai is looking perplexed, but he's letting Rishima go about her self-appointed chore. They're all certainly talking like 'Chana is the girls' natural mother, but if that's so... she must be much older than she looks. WIth no makeup or jewels, she definitely looks no more than fifteen or maybe sixteen on the outside... but that would mean she would have had to be prepubescent when she gave birth the first time -- especially if there is a third child he hasn't seen yet!
Both Rattler and Suraksha gently comfort Rohana, cuddling her and stroking her hair. Sura points out she's not going anywhere long without her beautiful little girls, and Rattler and Fantine both add that even if Mama Sura had to go for an extended trip for a client, she promises to always come back -- and there's still Nanny Fantine, Daddies Rattler and Jyome, and scary Auntie Sna'tha to keep them safe and warm and dry! As Rohana's sobs slowly taper off, Suraksha smiles in amused affection at Rattler and Fantine, quietly murmuring, "So, did someone keep his little girl up past her usual naptime today?" Fantine giggles, glancing amusedly at Rattler as she pours out steaming milk into each mug, then briskly stirs the mugs' contents.
Rattler tries to look abashed, but he doesn't do abashed very well if he doesn't actually mean it, "We's all havin' such a good time, an' I don' like missin' time with 'em." He's not even aware that he's rocking slightly with Rohana. It's been a while since he was a full-time daddy, but he has never forgotten the knack.
Hearing the child's fears, Malachai says in what he seems to think is a soothing tone, "Little one, I would never separate a dam from her cubs. When I came this last twilight, it was to bring your mother and you children." He looks around the room, still a little bemused, "It seems she has more family than I thought, but anyone that wants is welcome to stay with us. Family is important."
Suraksha gives Malachai a perplexed look -- but before she can say anything she's distracted by a small sigh from little Rohana, as Fantine gently tucks a small mug of hot chocolate into the child's relaxing hands. Rohana sips cautiously, although she's looking rather bleary-eyed -- it's a good bet she'll be soon asleep. Suraksha shifts just enough to gently lay the little girl out on the bunk, and Fantine steps over to Malachai in the process of handing out appropriately sized mugs of steaming hot chocolate to everyone. Rattler sits with a hand on 'Hana's tummy as she starts to slip off into sleep. It's not really obvious who he's trying to reassure with the touch, but it seems to keep him calm as well as soothe her.
Rishima politely says to Malachai, "Can you hold mine, please, Mr. Wolf?" She clambers carefully onto his lap, then starts wiping down his beard as well, "We can share your mug -- just pour mine into yours, all right?" Fantine and Suraksha both smile quietly at that, and the nanny sits comfortably cross-legged on the floor with her own mug. Malachai takes a long sip from his cup and then carefully pours Rishima's hot chocolate into it. He makes little faces at her as she tries to dry his beard, making the smaller girl giggle a bit.
Things are quiet for a few minutes as everyone drinks, dries, sleeps, or thinks. The gentle rap on the door, followed by a cheerful halloa from Sabrina, causes everyone to glance over, and Fantine jumps up to let her in. In the bustle and chatter of getting the children ready to go, everyone but Rishima forgets Malachai is there too. She has a long sip of hot chocolate from his mug, then pushes it back to him and smiles with unexpected sweetness -- it's easy to see who her mother is. "You keep it, Mr. Wolf -- you need it more'n me. I got you as dry as I could." She leans to whisper confidentially to him, "Don't worry, Hana's just scared! She'll like you when she gets to know you." Solemnly she adds, "Also, the magic word is please." With that she slips off his lap and is scooped up and wrapped in a blanket by Fantine, who is now wearing her boots and a heavy hooded coat.
Sabrina already has Rohana similarly wrapped up in her arms and is laughing and cheerfully teasing Rattler, "Lolling about with no shirt on? Gracious, what will the neighbors think?!"
Suraksha is giving Rohana a kiss on the forehead, and when the fretful child insists she wants Alg to come too, the small woman gently says, "Honey, that's up to Alg -- you can't just demand people do what you want, you know?" From atop the armoire above Malachai's head there's a small scrabbling and scarlet eyes gleam in the lamplight -- then, startlingly, the goblin drops with a quiet thump to the bunk and bounds over to stand by Sabrina. He pats the bundle of Rohana, growling gruffly to Suraksha, "Alg always keep his pups safe."
Rattler grins at Sabrina and drawls, "Why, they'll thank ma cherie has one dam' fine lookin' man in her bed!" He winks roguishly at the former noblewoman and leans back so he's resting on his elbows. It's true: he is quite fine looking, even with his hair cropped so short. The snug jeans and the tan he's picked up doing roustabout work with the caravan help.
Fantine giggles, throwing a shyly admiring sideways glance at the lean, tall man. Sabrina and Suraksha both laugh, and the Hetaera wrinkles her nose teasingly at Rattler, then smiles and hugs Alg, "Thank you, sweetie." There's a little flurry of hugs and kisses all around as the children are prepared for departure. Malachai has to stop his upper lip lifting in a snarl at Rattler's comment, but he doesn't want to startle or scare the little girls. To distract himself, he says to Rishima, very solemnly, "Thank you for your help, little miss."
The tiny girl tilts her head wa-a-ay back so she can look up at Malachai from under her blanket, wrapped in Fantine's arms, and flutes softly, "You're welcome, Mr. Wolf." The old wolf shifter gently strokes both girls' foreheads -- a brief, soft touch. It's an old sign of benediction and blessing, not to mention affection. In the tiny wagon everyone is all crammed up against each other, so it's easy for everyone to reach everyone else. Malachai's gesture makes Suraksha and Fantine smile faintly, while Sabrina raises an amused eyebrow... and then, in a whirl of sound and gust of wind, the little wagon is emptied of everyone but Rattler, Suraksha, and Malachai.
There's a long, slow moment of quiet but for the soft drumming of rain on the roof and the soft crackle and pop of the fire in the tiny stove. Suraksha wraps her blanket more closely about herself with a shiver, making sure the door is securely closed... then she settles back with a tired sigh onto the bunk, leaning relievedly back into Rattler's arms. Rattler wraps his arms warmly around 'Chana and leans his head down to nuzzle the side of her neck and place a kiss there. He's trying to behave himself... mostly. His hands are staying on the outside of the blanket, at least. One of them is spread low over her stomach, and he looks entirely too pleased with himself. His free hand is playing with 'Chana's damp hair and he almost seems to be enjoying the cold glower from Malachai.
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