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Realms: Taps Logs

I'll Wear A Mask for You

The next two weeks pass in a blur of work. Wagons and tack, costumes and clothing are gone over with fine-tooth combs. Entire days are dedicated to laundry or wheel repairs or harness mending or carpentry or brass polishing. The barge takes on an almost festive look at times, with drying laundry or mended tack or re-woven rope or such draped from wagon to wagon. Every fourth day the barge pulls in to the shore -- further annoying the Proud Mary's captain as he is forced to 'waste' a day's travel waiting for a bunch of damn cows! He's almost livid that what would be maybe two weeks' travel at full steam has now ballooned out to four or five.

The caravaneers are unaware of the captain's near apoplexy, however, carefully exercising and checking their precious livestock to make sure the animals' legs are not swelling up from standing all day in the barge's hold. During those days everyone wears their oldest and rattiest clothing, as they all pitch in to clean out the stinking hold and rotate the exercise and grooming duties. Suraksha is happy, even though she misses Roy; this time on the river is allowing her people to rest and make things better. She's delighted at how well everyone is doing, and she's very pleased at the possible trade awaiting them in Baton Rouge. All in all, the wedding has turned out far better than expected for the caravan. It remains to be seen, of course, if it has been equally fortunate for Suraksha herself.

Roy and his guards are kept far too busy for the king to get into much mischief, though he does send over for Mary to join them on the Proud Mary, and talks with her about coming to stay with him in the palace. After that, though, he lets her go back over onto the barge where there are other children.

Sna'tha's workouts are unsurprisingly effective; the men are learning quite a few techniques. Elijah and Travis are good students, but Alan works hardest and makes the most progress. Roy spends quite a bit of the sparse free time he has watching the caravan from the rail of the Proud Mary. He also puts his gifts to use smoothing out the river on the few places they might have had an issue. Suraksha has been working hard on the barge, but she too finds herself glancing frequently towards the big riverboat. She doesn't realize she tends to get a silly grin when she spots Roy there, but when she can she'll wave to him. It always warms her down to her toes when he waves back.

After two weeks Sna'tha sends a message to Suraksha to discreetly make her way over to the Proud Mary for the next morning's class. Suraksha happily packs her little bag for the trip; Cap'n Al is nice enough to pass the request for the dinghy via message flag, and Sura is careful to travel over to the riverboat while it is still dark-early morning. She dumps her bag in a free stateroom and changes into her gi... then waits for Sna'tha's cue to come down to the impromptu dojo. Sna'tha has told Suraksha to slip in as quietly as possible; she has also let her godsdaughter know, with some amusement, that Elijah has been dropping completely unsubtle hints that he would like a formal introduction. Suraksha smiles and shakes her head amusedly at Sna'tha's news, "You know I'm not interested in that. Surely he did not refuse to believe you when you told him?"

Sna'tha smirks, "I'm going to give them a chance to use some of the lessons they've been receiving in paying attention." Suraksha chuckles quietly.

The men have gotten past groaning about the early mornings, but Roy still needs several cups of strong coffee to get him fully awake and functional. This morning he's standing at the edge of the mat, watching Sna'tha and Alan spar. They're moving about one-quarter speed; it's a beautiful, deadly dance they're doing. The human and the sidhe are well-matched in height, and Jacko's second-in-command is concentrating very intensely on the sidhe's comments and moves. Suraksha slips in as silently as a curious tiger, looking around thoughtfully and then drifting quietly up to stand at the edge of the mat. She looks diminutive again in her big, rough cotton gi with the sleeves and legs rolled up so it fits her, and her long hair in a thick braid tucked neatly down the back of her gi. She picks a side of the mat where no one is currently standing... although she can't resist standing on a side next to the one Roy's on. She smiles faintly, her eyes sparkling as she glances at him.

The group is concentrating on Sna'tha and Alan, so Suraksha's entrance goes unnoticed at first. It's Roy's sleepily wandering eyes that find her first and he grins broadly at the sight. He wants to bundle her up in his arms and nuzzle her neck until she giggles, when she looks so adorable. The next one to notice is Jacko, followed almost simultaneously by Travis and Elijah. Travis winks at her and Elijah beams his big farmboy smile at her, starting to try and creep around the mat toward her.

Suraksha is no fool -- she keeps half an eye on Sna'tha. But she grins happily as Roy notices her, and she smiles and nods politely to the other men. Past that she holds position, her hands clasped neatly behind her back as she waits for Sna'tha's orders. The sidhe woman gives her a signal the two of them have shared since Suraksha was a child, telling her to try to take Alan off-guard. The sidhe has kept the man's back to Sura since she arrived, creating an artificial blind spot. Travis takes Elijah by the elbow and murmurs something into his ear that makes the bigger guard's eyes widen.

Suraksha steps lightly up onto the mat, bowing politely, then pads silently forward. She waits a moment until Alan is in motion, committed to his dodge from Sna'tha's flowing strike -- and then she rolls past and under the bodyguard, one leg sweeping out to trip him if he's not alert to her presence. She does not attack to wound; this is training in alertness, not punishment.

Alan shifts, committing to his evasion of the strike, and seems to stumble over Suraksha's leg. But it's a seeming only -- the stumble turns into a duck and roll, bringing him back to his feet in a position which allows him to have both women in his line of sight. Not only that, he comes up in a fluid crouch which is obviously something Sna'tha taught him. Suraksha grins delightedly at Alan, inordinately pleased for him! She swings easily up to her feet again and into ready stance, waiting for Sna'tha's lead. Sna'tha nods to Suraksha and stands up, bowing to Alan. Suraksha is beaming as she too straightens and bows to Alan. She looks, were she not in formal mode just now, like she'd almost bounce on her toes and clap for his success! She manages to keep it reined in, however... just beaming, with her eyes twinkling delightedly.

Alan straightens from his crouch and bows to the two women. He manages somehow to look very pleased with himself, without actually grinning like a loon. The other men around the mat applaud him. When it's died down, Sna'tha starts her questions, "How did you know she was there, Alan? You didn't see her arrive and you don't have eyes in the back of your head." Suraksha grins as she steps back off the mat and bows once, then falls into parade rest, waiting and listening.

Alan starts talking, very much like a schoolboy reciting a lesson, "Body-language changed. Not yours, sensei, but everyone else's. Their bodies shifted because there was someone else in their awareness. That's how I knew someone else was there. The fact that Elijah looked like a large puppy and His Majesty looked like he just woke up to remember it was Christmas told me who it was." Suraksha laughs aloud at that, then hastily covers her mouth. Her eyes are still sparkling, though, and she grins and winks at Roy.

Roy snorts, but doesn't bother to deny it; instead he just sips his coffee. Elijah is looking a bit abashed, but Travis is studying Suraksha closely. When the penny drops, it's quite obvious -- he starts laughing, slapping his friend on the shoulder. "Oh, 'Lige, you have got th' worst taste in crushes."

Suraksha smiles at Travis, murmuring, "Be nice." She points out logically enough, "You missed it too, after all."

Travis grins at her and says, "Sure did, but I di'n't try to finagle courtin' rights to the king's lover." Elijah gapes at Travis and then studies Suraksha, the blood all leaving his face.

Suraksha tchs at Travis, then glances at Sna'tha, "Sensei, you taught me gloating was unseemly. May I choose a sparring partner?"

Sna'tha nods and steps off the mat after bowing to it. Alan does the same. Elijah is starting to stammer an apology to Roy, who chuckles and waves it off, "Damn, boy, of course she's worth moonin' over. I ain't about to be all shirty because she's beautiful." Trav is still grinning; he has an idea what's coming.

Suraksha steps onto the mat, bows courteously to her sensei, then steps to the center of the mat. She stops there, raising an eyebrow at Travis. "Well?"

Travis bows to the mat, steps onto it and bows to Suraksha. "Yer probably right 'bout the gloating, but it's kinda cute."

Suraksha bows politely to Travis, glides forward to meet him, and whips through a feinted leg sweep and a strike, "What is?"

Travis has the very slight advantage of being warmed up, so he dances out of the way of the feint, but shifts just a fraction wrong and gets the strike on one side of his chest. He doesn't seem unhappy about it, "Elijah when he's got a crush."

Suraksha snorts amusedly as she swirls fluidly past Travis rocking slightly from the strike, "You haven't decided yet if I'm right? Do let me know when you make up your mind, mm?" She does a throw this time; she's not trying to seriously damage Travis, after all. She just wants him to cut out the gloating. Travis' misstep with the strike puts him in excellent position to be thrown and he goes down with a grunt, the air knocked out of him. That makes him quite effectively unable to gloat. Suraksha steps back, her hands clasped neatly behind her back again, and waits for him to either rise... or to answer her. Travis catches his breath, but as he's doing so he slaps the mat. Suraksha nods and bows politely, then steps off the mat. She bows then to Sna'tha, murmuring, "Thank you, sensei," then smiles quietly at Elijah, hoping he's not going to start avoiding her now out of embarrassment... then she really smiles at Roy. She's pleased he handled it so well.

Elijah smiles a bit at her and then steps forward to help his friend up. Travis coughs and says, "I gotta say, that is one helluva way to get taught humility."

Suraksha grins at that, her respect for Travis going up a notch. Her voice is coolly amused, "It is, yes. She did the same thing to me." She grins at Sna'thaid, her eyes warm with shared history. She's pleased... looks like everyone here is good with her! She's quietly happy inside, a small glow of pleasure. Maybe once their training today is done she'll get to spend a little time with Roy too! That'd be quite lovely, Sura thinks.

Travis is still catching his breath for a bit, so Sna'tha runs each of them through their paces against both herself and Suraksha. She saves the pair of Roy and his lover for last. As they settle themselves, she says, "You must not let emotion make you sloppy."

Suraksha nods once, her face calmly expressionless. Having run through the others has helped her center herself; she's staying in that fugue of grounded awareness of her environment, carefully not focusing on anything in exclusion, and not thinking of her sparring partners as anything but other bodies in training. Roy is more in his emotions than Suraksha, and his adrenaline is running high -- there is still very much of the street-fighting swamp-rat in him. Still, his limbs are loose and flexible and he's graceful in his movements. There's a little teasing grin at the corners of his mouth.

Suraksha doesn't watch her opponent's face, fortunately; she keeps her diffused gaze at chest height. Roy isn't as detached as Suraksha as they begin sparring. Suraksha has had years of training with and against Sna'tha, so serving as a sparring teammate with the sidhe is practically second nature by now. Her moves are fluid, dancing around and under the taller woman's swift strikes and steps, keeping their sparring partner on his toes. He's able to keep up at first, but then Suraksha's training starts showing. He finds himself pressed hard to keep up, but that just makes him grin even more broadly, mischief dancing in his eyes -- and pride.

Sna'tha has been drilling it into their heads to expect the unexpected and Roy can't help but turn her words against her. When he's forced to roll away from a combined push toward him, he gets his hands on the floor and pushes at it with all his ability, reaching through the hull of the boat out to his Lady. There's a short-lived but very powerful surge that rocks even the sturdy paddleboat. Suraksha is completely not expecting that; she does a startled flip, having to roll back to her feet. She glances around distractedly, hoping that didn't tip the barge -- or upset the livestock. Sna'tha has the advantage of having her wings and flares them out to keep on her feet at the unexpected rocking of the boat. Roy, having expected it, never lost his footing. He doesn't press the advantage, however, just grinning across at them; he knows they won't betray him. "Damn river's awful unpredictable."

Suraksha whips back into ready pose as she hears someone speak. She gives Roy an amused glance, shaking her head once, and makes a mental note to make sure Sna'tha knows Roy's a nix. Jacko rolls his eyes at his liege's playfulness. He rumbles, "I'll go topside and make sure everything's fine on the barge." Roy is still grinning, standing in a ready stance with his hands up, "They're likely fine. Felt pretty localized to me..."

Suraksha drifts past Sna'tha in a slow glide to a better attack position, her whisper to her godsmother in her native tongue, "[He's nix, godsmother...]"

Sna'tha murmurs back, "[You might have warned me earlier, child.]" She actually sounds a bit amused.

Suraksha glances back at Sna'tha, ducking her head in silent visual apology... and a flash of a rueful grin. It hadn't occurred to her that her redoubtable godsmother wouldn't be aware of that, "[I thought you knew!]"

Sna'tha is obviously amused as she shifts around in a fluid crouch. "[I have many gifts, child, but telepathy is not one.]" The king has lasted as long as any of his men, but he's coming to the end of his endurance. He's slowing a bit and his timing is just the tiniest bit off.

Suraksha murmurs with a faint smile, "[I apologize, godsmother; I should have informed you earlier.]" She swings around so Roy has to either turn to see both women, or back away; usually Sna'thaid delivers one or two more attacks or closes the training at this point, so Sura is ready for whichever the sidhe chooses. Roy shifts a bit and makes the decision to turn his attention toward Sna'tha and away from Suraksha. Suraksha makes a mental note: she's going to have to talk to Roy soon about her family. She sighs softly, still anxious about that -- then stoutly reminds herself he's been quite -- well, mostly -- unflappable by her up to this point! She should have some faith in him... and she should trip him now, as Sna'tha feints toward him.

Roy almost turns in time to avoid being tripped -- almost... and that moment of stumbling costs him dearly. Sna'tha only needs that moment to launch herself at Roy, using his own imbalance to take him to the ground, two of her wooden practice daggers at his throat. Suraksha rolls smoothly to her feet next to them both, and waits in ready position for Roy to slap the mat. She can't resist the impishly pleased grin on her face as she looks down at her beloved, though. She thinks he did darned well!

Roy grins up at Sna'tha and is almost lazy in slapping the mat. He's also gone limp under the sidhe woman. After he slaps the mat, he languidly crosses his hands under his head. Suraksha laughs softly as she straightens and bows to the other two on the mat. She's still grinning as she steps to the edge of the mat and bows again. Sna'tha shakes her head in indulgent amusement and lets him up. They bow to one another and then step off the mat, bowing to it as well. The sidhe says, "You are all much less likely to die than you were at the beginning."

Suraksha grins ruefully, rolling her eyes in amusement as she pushes her hair back out of her face and uses her sleeve to wipe the sweat off her forehead. Her voice is gently teasing as she replies with a variant on the same comment she always gave as a young adult to her sensei, "So they're not as good at dying any more, sensei?"

Sna'tha says, "There are some things it is best to be bad at." She claps her hands together briskly -- all of them, "Take some rest. I understand we will be in Baton Rouge earlier than normal."

Suraksha grins and takes the opportunity to quickly unbind and tidy her mussed-up hair, then to swiftly plait it up again as she heads over to Sna'tha. She murmurs quietly, "Do you need me for the afternoon as well?" She mentally crosses her fingers that she can get a little time with Roy, perhaps before lunch?

Sna'tha knows her godsdaughter's reasons for asking; she says indulgently, "You should stay until after lunch, at least. We will see what the afternoon brings."

Suraksha grins shyly at the sidhe, "Thanks, godsmama!" She turns, her eyes bright as she looks for Roy. She needs to clean up for lunch; maybe he'd be willing to... scrub her back? She giggles at the thought. Roy is helping to put away the practice weapons with his men; he is clearly comfortable with them and they with him. Suraksha just about scampers over to help, feeling a little guilty for slacking off to play with her hair. She murmurs soft apologies for not helping sooner, as she too scoops up an armload of the wooden weaponry.

Travis grins and winks at her, "I'm willing to forgive you for being such a pleasant sparring partner." Roy chuckles and brushes a curl of hair off her forehead, "You jest keep gettin' more interesting."

Suraksha laughs softly at Travis' comment, blushing faintly; she knows she really shouldn't take advantage of her looks on the mat, or she'll start depending on them instead of skill. She grins uncertainly up at Roy, "Pardon?"

Roy grins again as he says, "Keep learnin' new things 'boutcha and likin' every one." He stops his work for a moment to tip her face up so he can kiss the tip of her nose. The men smile quietly at one another.

Suraksha grins shyly again at his words, her eyes shining -- then laughs softly as all he kisses is her nose. She reaches up to lightly stroke her fingers along his cheek as he straightens, murmuring, "I have to get cleaned up for lunch. Do you know if there's anything approximating a bathtub on the Proud Mary? I don't mind cold, but I really do need a good rinse." She unties the belt of her gi and shakes the top a bit, adding amusedly, "Sweaty! Sna'tha always gives intense workouts." She doesn't want to ask in public... but she is rather hoping Roy might join her!

Roy grins and says, "Just so happens there is a lovely bath in the royal suite!" The rest of the tidying has been done while they were bantering and when they look up, they are quite alone.

Suraksha glances around surreptitiously... then grins up at Roy, her eyes sparkling as she whispers, "Don't suppose there's room for two -- if I hurry and grab my bag?"

The king does a very good impression of someone who had never had the thought of what uses a large tub might have, and realizes suddenly that it could be quite pleasant, "Why, I believe it just might! -and there's even..." he leans and whispers, "bubble bath."

Suraksha blinks -- then laughs aloud, standing on tiptoe to throw her arms around Roy's neck. Her grin is mischievous as she purrs, "You had me on bathtub, lovely man!" She giggles, planting a light kiss on the tip of his nose before she releases and darts off, waving over her shoulder, "Be there in just a second -- want to grab my bag!" Roy grins after her and then turns, walking with more speed than is entirely decorous back to his suite to start the bath a-running.

Suraksha knows which door leads to the royal suite thanks to the captain's earlier tour, and now she's curious to see what it actually looks like in there! She taps lightly on the door a few minutes later, her bag slung over one shoulder. By the time she arrives there is a fragrant scent of the oils in the bubble concoction floating on warm, humid air. The tub is large and made of porcelain, though it is thinner of body than one might find on land. Roy himself is stripped to the waist when he answers the door. Suraksha tilts her head and smiles, taking a moment to study the man before her from head to toe. She purrs happily, "Very nice! Smells good too... going to invite me in, or shall I just admire the view from here?" Her eyes are sparkling with mischief. She knows they only have a little time before lunch, and she may have to return to the barge thereafter... so she intends to enjoy these minutes to the fullest!

Roy grins and says, "Please come in, ma'am." He steps out of the door and invites her in with a flourish. The royal suite is downright decadent. It is the room of four normal staterooms and has almost as many luxuries as Roy's private rooms at home. There's even a cleverly crafted writing desk with many little drawers and pigeonholes.

Suraksha's golden-green eyes widen a little as she looks around, and she smiles up at Roy as she sets her bag neatly in a chair, "This is truly elegant, Roy! No wonder Captain George is so proud of the Mary -- he has good reason." She strips out of her sweaty gi, leaving it laid out on the floor -- she doesn't want to dirty up any of Roy's nice furniture -- and pads silently over to the tub in her undies and a light shirt. She sniffs happily, "Mmm... sandalwood again? You charmer." She grins at Roy as she settles a hip on the edge of the tub, pulling her braid over her shoulder to unbind it and run her fingers through her hair in an impromptu combing. "Travis and Elijah handled the news about me well, I thought?" She finds herself admiring her shirtless lover again, and she giggles when she suddenly remembers him telling Elijah he wouldn't be "shirty" because she was beautiful. She sighs happily, restraining a sudden urge to wriggle with pleasure.

Roy leans past her to sprinkle a little more oil into the hot water, quite deliberately brushing against her, "They're good boys. Elijah's not real bright, but he is absolutely a good person. Very loyal, too. He's likely to apologize eight or nine more times."

Suraksha laughs softly, letting both her fingers and her hair stroke slowly along Roy's bare skin as he leans past her. "Mmm... all right, I'll do my best to reassure him he's fine." Her voice gets a bit huskier as she adds, "Sna'thaid will come barging right in if we take too long... so shall we get to it right away, mmm?"

Roy murmurs, "She might find that a little difficult. I can be patient, but I ain't that patient." He leans in and kisses Suraksha rather seriously, one hand stroking the side of her neck. When the kiss breaks, it's obvious what his other hand was doing, as he's stripped bare now. "Bath first. Think I'd like t' wash your back."

Suraksha leans hungrily into the kiss, her arms coming up about his neck as he leans over her. She shivers with erotic enjoyment when he leans back again, a bit flustered, "Uh... what? Oh, did you lock the door?" She laughs softly, not bothering to remind him a good assassin can both pick locks and go through windows if necessary -- the invitation to have her back scrubbed by her lover has her stripping hastily out of the light shirt and panties. Breathlessly she murmurs, "Thought you'd never ask!" and grins as she reaches for him.

Roy murmurs, "Yes, but it's also reinforced steel, as are the portholes. The royal suite is meant to be a secure location for important people and expensive things." He slides into the water and pulls her in after him before reaching for sweetly fragrant soap and a sponge. The captain had showed Suraksha with some pride, during her tour, how the royal suite and larger staterooms had hot water provided by a heater powered by the Mary's steam engines.

Suraksha doesn't worry about it -- she figures if Sna'tha really wants in, she'll find a way, especially considering her former profession. Right now the young woman is more than happy to lose herself in the pleasures of her much-missed beloved. She's never had someone she really wanted to be with like this, so the last two weeks feel like a long, arid dry spell she's getting to wash away with sweet water. She giggles, her voice teasing as she leans against Roy in the wonderfully fragrant, warm water, "So... you're the important people and I'm the expensive thing, eh?"

The king laughs quietly and works on carefully washing her back with pleasantly warmed water, then leans in to kiss that spot under the ear before he nips it lightly, "You're the important one to me, cherie." After that he does his level, enthusiastic best to show her just how happy he is to see her again. Suraksha is purringly happy to be where she is as well -- finally in private with Roy! -and she very much enjoys sitting astride her lover and running her soapy hands all over him as well, under the excuse of cleaning him. She finds herself exploring him with slow enjoyment, as if she's memorizing him... which in a way she is. She no longer must keep herself detached on some level from her bed partner, and it's a deliciously scary exercise to abandon herself so fully to the moment. It's actually rather a while before they make it out of the tub.

Suraksha murmurs as they're toweling off, "We should dress, yes? Otherwise we'll be late to lunch, I fear."

Roy grins broadly, "Or we could order lunch here and spend the luncheon hour feeding one another. Fightin' works up all sortsa appetites, and I been starving for days." He moves toward the door and blinks as he sees a message has been pushed under it.

Suraksha glances over as she wraps a towel about her, then grins and patters over to lean against him as he picks it up, "What does it say?" She grins again as she slowly runs a finger along his waist, where his towel would rest just above his hips. She loves the way he feels!

Roy opens the note and grins broadly, "It's from yer godmomma. She says 'I am returning to the barge for the evening. Training will resume in the morning. I will bring the dinghy back then.'"

Suraksha blinks interestedly -- then her eyes widen with glee, "Really? Oh, yay! Thanks, godsmama!" She laughs, hugging Roy as she adds, "So... lunch here, yes, please?"

Roy growls softly at the light touch of fingers along the skin at his waist, "Yeah. Lunch here." He saunters over, still naked, and tugs on the bell pull, "Lunch here. Dinner here. Dessert here." His voice is warm and throaty.

Suraksha laughs softly again, bouncing lightly on her toes with happiness -- then she darts over and hugs Roy exuberantly, almost caroling her pleasure, "Thank yooou!" She giggles, grabbing one hand and tugging gently towards the bed as she adds, "Let's not waste any time, mmm?"

Roy has been an inveterate womanizer, and so successful at it because he is quite careful to make sure his lovers have enjoyed their time with him. Most "proper" ladies will insist on him being in the superior position when making love, but he's also spent much time with ladies of less than noble birth who have been quite frank in the things they've enjoyed. The way Suraksha arches and giggles and gasps, when he's demonstrating something taught him by a lady whom he describes as having several silver rings through the petals of her sex, makes him quite eager for her. He's hungry and ecstatic, and feels like a boy again, during those times he and his Jacqueline would slip off to sate themselves. It's an almost painful joy as he realizes such intensity of emotion has returned.

Further, the fact that Suraksha is unabashed about the pleasure she gets from being the one on top is something he heartily indulges and encourages -- especially as it usually results in her later sprawling bonelessly across his chest and stomach. Roy is not shy about touching any part of his lover that makes her sigh in just that delicious way. The king grins as he realizes she has very feline body language; he loves the way she wriggles down into his arms when she's feeling sated. Their dinner is brought and left on covered trays outside the room and they have a little bed-picnic with it, having worked off the most intense of their pent-up eagerness.

Roy's head is laying in Suraksha's lap, eyes closed in a nearly reptilian expression of bliss. She herself is leaning back against the propped-up pillows, gently stroking his hair and practically purring herself. For once she's feeling sated with pleasure -- not just physically, but emotionally as well. It's a deliciously intoxicating sensation, and she's sleepy-eyed with contentment as she savors it. So this is what being in love is like? Mmm... she could get used to this! Or rather, she could get used to expecting this level of rapture. She dreamily decides she doesn't want to ever lose this sense of wonder. Roy is turning his head every once in a while to kiss one or the other of her thighs or trail his fingers along her calves. It's a comfortable sort of thing, homey for all its heat and passion. Suraksha sighs in soft pleasure, her fingers tangling lazily in Roy's hair as she murmurs slowly, "Get enough to eat, sweet man? Feeling as nice as I do, mmm?"

Roy mmms, "Yeah to both those questions." He grins up at her from his viewpoint in her lap, reaching up to caress the undersides of her breasts, "Gorgeous view from here..." That leads to a longish pause while he spends some time kissing and nuzzling her breasts happily. Suraksha laughs softly at his admiration of the view, and purrs languidly at his delicious attentions, before he finally murmurs, "There anything else I should know? Keep findin' out there's more to ya than meets the eye." She's just thinking about drawing him in to her again when he asks his question, and he can feel instantly the results. Her golden eyes flick wide open, and the sensual languor of the muscles under her skin shiver instantly into alertness. She hasn't shifted position at all, but Roy can feel her abrupt readiness to move swiftly.

Suraksha remains still for a long heartbeat, then says with soft, worried care, "I... well, yes, I'm afraid so. Ahh... I'd sort of hoped to tell you someplace, um... safer, though?"

Roy smiles languidly, "How much safer could it get than in a steel-reinforced room on a boat surrounded by dedicated guards."

Suraksha remains utterly still for a moment, then murmurs a little unhappily, "I, ah, yes. You are quite safe. Um, I actually meant... for me?" She takes a deep breath, then adds, "Also... I would like you to have a, um... escape route, so to speak... if you feel you n-need one?" She doesn't say, but abruptly realizes she also wishes to be amongst family, should Roy reject her in horror. She's pretty sure Roy would not call his guards in to attack her even if he's horrified by her lineage, but that doesn't mean she wants to risk it -- or exposure, either.

Roy blinks slowly at that, processing the strange requests. He is, however, willing to offer her that safety, "Uh... sure... though if I ain't runnin' over you turnin' into a tiger, I ain't sure what might be that skeery to talk about."

Suraksha takes a deep, slow breath, deliberately calming and centering herself before she says through slightly numb-feeling lips, "It, um... I guess it depends on your... level of faith? So to speak...?"

Roy sits up, shifting around until he can pull her back against his chest, "Cherie. I will do anything to make you feel safe. Plan on lovin' ya fer the rest a' my life."

Suraksha hesitates, then carefully adds, "Would you, ah, be willing to..." She blinks and falls silent as he hugs her close -- then feels the tears abruptly rise to her eyes and roll down her cheeks as she blinks hastily again. She leans back against Roy, clinging to his arms around her for a moment and trying to pull herself together. She whispers shakily, "I really, really don't want t-to lose this, beloved..." She's silent for a heartbeat before she sniffles, rubbing her eyes with one hand, then smiles shakily at Roy, "All right... I suppose I should have some faith too, yes?" She takes another deep, quivery breath, then looks around. "Let's see... here should be all right. Umm... would you like to lay your head on my lap again while I talk, s-sweetheart?"

Roy settles back down with his head in his beloved Suraksha's lap, closing his eyes and stroking her thigh gently as he relaxes, "Swear on my Jacqueline's grave, I ain't leavin'."

Suraksha feels tears welling up again at that, and she has to hastily rub her eyes as she smiles a bit shakily down at Roy again, "W-wait on swearing, please, sweet man, until after my s-story, all right?" She swallows a few times, choked up on emotion, and simply strokes his hair as she focuses on calming down a bit.

When she finally starts her voice is a touch higher and more nervous than usual, but she's managed to steady it. There is a slow, almost musical cadence to her telling, as if she's used to hearing storytellers, "Know then, dearly beloved, that before the time of the Great Dying-Off there were countries of much greater size then, than now. One of these was known as India, where the Indians came from -- a land of mystery and supernatural entities, much larger than what we knew of as the States of the United Americas. Many were those who traveled from this fabled land to our fair continent, and amongst them was a man and his newly wed wife from an arranged marriage, who traveled to wild San Francisco."

"During the Great Dying the man succumbed, and the young woman discovered, to her shock, she was a magical and shape-shifting entity. Her life was very difficult in those first years, but she was befriended by a sidhe woman -- who was also surprised to discover she was something 'other' -- who helped keep her alive for the first year. Eventually the two women managed to survive comfortably by settling over some of the leylines of the great and fabled City by the Bay. Fearsome Grandmother hid what she was, and they used their abilities to create a thriving family business together. Grandmother's natural, restless, youthful strength and fierceness were turned to the cause of survival, and it was not until a few years later that one of her trading competitors -- a young man from a wealthy family also from the Asias -- accidentally discovered her true nature."

Roy murmurs, "That musta been a helluva a shock for the poor guy."

Suraksha sighs softly, then murmurs in quiet rue, "Which one? The lost husband, or the new young man?"

Roy smiles gently up at her, "Both of them. I know I was a teeny bit head-fucked when I realized you turn into a tiger." He gives her a toothy grin, "Sorta turned on, too. That was prob'ly the adrenaline."

Suraksha's laugh is a little higher in tone than usual, a mix of nerves and amusement. She strokes Roy's hair silently for a few seconds, then continues quietly, "He must have been an extraordinary person, for he not only recognized her species, but also did puja to her, worshiping her properly -- much to her surprise. Over time he aligned his family with hers, slid himself neatly into her service, became indispensable to his chosen goddess... and without meaning to, eventually the two of them fell in love."

"His patience and devotion are still remembered with amazement within the family, for the lady did not know what to expect or what to do -- she was the first of her new matriline, and was learning as she went. Fortunately he knew some of the old myths, some of which turned out to be true, and between the two of them love finally bloomed. Because he was a nice, traditional boy, they also married... and they bonded, though they did not then know how critical that would be, or even what exactly was happening. But at some point when in her native form, the young woman eventually bit her beloved, slowly rendering him immune to her, ah... venom... and their love was consummated... and she laid an egg." She falls silent then, slightly tense as she strokes Roy's hair and waits for him to process that.

Roy is listening with a serious expression. The words 'goddess,' 'worship,' and 'egg' are a little disconcerting to him. The word 'venom,' however, widens his eyes as he looks up at her. He's careful to keep his tone level, "Cherie... tigers ain't venomous, far's I know." He thinks, then adds, "Don't lay eggs neither."

Suraksha hesitates, then nods jerkily just once. Her golden pupils are slowly narrowing down to slits due to how nervous she is, but she inhales slowly, exhales just as slowly... then continues speaking, "The time of egg-brooding is when my species is both the most dangerous, and the most vulnerable. We remain in our native form, running mostly on instinct, and we are venomously short-tempered and viciously fierce in defense of our eggs; we will not abandon them without greatest and direst cause. Only our chosen mates, or sometimes our motherline, can approach us without inspiring attack at that time, and we depend utterly on them to bring us food. This is why our instinct is to head back to where we were born when we become fertile, for even though there are only three known in my lineage, we know our nesting area is as safe as more than two centuries of preparation can make it. This is also why we keep house warriors." Her tight grin is nervous as she whispered, "You did ask about the house warriors, after all..."

Roy nods slowly and says, as if he's trying to get his words just right, "Yer... a princess? 'Er a holy woman o' some kind. An' ya lay eggs. An' yer venomous." He takes a few deep breaths, "Ain't much lays eggs and is dangerously venomous. Snakes. Spiders."

Suraksha shivers, then stutters nervously, "S-should I stop?"

Roy shakes his head and reaches up to stroke her stomach and chest; it's soothing rather than erotic. "Naw. Think you feel like I oughta hear this." He pauses and says, "'M I gonna wake up one mornin' in a giant web?"

Suraksha sighs softly and relaxes a bit at Roy's stroking, but at his query her face wrinkles up, "Ew, no!" She gives Roy a faintly bemused look, "I hope that was humor. You do know spiders and wasps and things like that only wrap up food that way, right?"

Roy nods and says with seeming seriousness, "Good. I don't mind bein' messy an' dirty, but I jes' don' like bein' sticky." He makes a face then, and grins up at her, "Go on, cherie. Gotta admit a bitta nerves, but I made a promise. I'm real stubborn 'bout that shit."

Suraksha opens her mouth to continue, then hesitates, studying Roy gravely. Finally she whispers, "I... I release you from the promise, then, lover. I would rather you left than felt trapped, yes?" Hastily, before he can reply, she continues, shuddering slightly as she collects her thoughts, "So where was I... ah, right. So, unfortunately for Fearsome Grandmother, this was all new to her. Her chosen beloved and husband did his best to care for her during the handful of months of brooding, and they were overjoyed when the egg hatched and a perfect little baby girl emerged. What they did not realize, due to their absorption in their egg, was that there was a vicious power struggle in process in the City's Underworld. My granddam had no idea why her beloved husband did not return from his hasty trip a few days later, to take the good news to his family, who lived only a short ways away. It was his sorrowing family, in fact, who returned to her with his body, later."

Roy shakes his head and murmurs, "Cain't do that, cherie. I made the promise. I'm th' one chooses to keep it. You ain't gettin' rid o' me that easy." He is still petting her gently, eyes still closed. He finds it's sometimes easier to talk when you aren't being watched.

Suraksha does seem to be relaxing a bit into the flow of the story and Roy's slow stroking; she whispers, "I... well, th-thank you, lover." Her voice gets both stronger and sadder as she murmurs, "Fearsome Grandmother earned her sobriquet that night, though even today they do not know for sure it was her. She left her new-hatched daughter, my mother, in the protective hands of her family-in-law, and with her dearest friend she rampaged through San Francisco's Underworld in vengeance for the death of her mate. Sna'thaid was simply killing members of the opposing faction; Fearsome Grandmother was taking advantage of the turmoil to seek out her lover's killers. She bit them and let them escape her and flee in terror, dying from her venom though they did not yet know it, and she slid silently through the shadows of the City as she followed."

"When they fled to their superiors, babbling hysterically of crazed, mesmerizing dragons and glowing eyes shooting daggers in the night, she waited until they quickly died -- and then she emerged from shadow and slew everyone there in a frenzy of fury. She made sure to bite the next person up in the hierarchy, letting him flee as well... and so the two women went throughout the night, leaving a bloody, twisted trail of dead and dying." Roy nods, listening quietly. He doesn't want to interrupt the narrative.

Suraksha's voice is flowing smoothly through the story as she continues, her own gaze far away as she remembers some other time and place, her hands very slow as she strokes Roy, "By the time Fearsome Grandmother reached the leader of the San Francisco Yakuza, Sna'thaid had shattered the opposing faction's will -- and Grandmother's native form had morphed into something new... something else. She was practically thundering as she floated, they say, crackling with ley energy, writhing through the air and glittering with the power flowing like lightning through her body. She was not in her right mind any more; her will had been shaped by grief and fury into one furious, terrifying focus."

"The Yakuza leader knew she was coming by then -- not only was the entire Underworld in a panicked uproar, but she would have been hard to miss, flowing as dramatically above the City in the thunderclouds as she did. He'd set up ambush for her, gathering all his powerful bodyguards, Taps, and supernatural allies to him... and when the Dragon Lady finally came for him, he was as ready as he could be for her."

Roy hesitates and then asks, "Was this before the Dyin' Off, lover?" He seems unsure of the question. It has been, after all, centuries.

Suraksha shakes her head slowly, her soft voice remote, "It was almost a century after the Great Dying, dearly beloved. The storysingers will tell you the battle raged for the rest of that night of blood and terror... and partway through the next day. The steep-hilled earth herself rippled and groaned in protest as the ocean rose up in waves of fury and lightning crashed down on the streets; buildings screamed and shattered as the populace fled the exploding fires, desperate to avoid this horrible battle between giants. Fearsome Grandmother was unstoppable, they say -- she dropped walls on the desperate, gun-wielding bodyguards, she incinerated the screaming lightbearers trying to seduce away the energy which flowed through her, she contemptuously spat venom at the supernatural attackers as they swarmed her, and with negligent ease she surged free and clawed apart the nets and snares they tried to pin her down with. Those of the Yakuza who fell down in terror and worshiped her, she simply ignored; those who dared do battle with her... she utterly obliterated."

Roy speaks slowly, "I always heard that wuz a big quake."

Suraksha nods and sighs, some of her usual animation returning to her voice as she adds quietly, "That's what people outside San Francisco are willing to believe, so that's what they are told." With simple rue she adds, "Would you believe me, as some random person, if I told you that night was due to battle between the Imperial Dragon of the Sky, and the rogue beasts of Earth and Sea?" She looks away, adding, "The stories do not mention her, but I believe my godsmother was instrumental during that battle also. No one will talk to me about it, but unless Fearsome Grandmother truly became some sort of... of elemental force of nature, I do not see how she could have survived that, ahh... lethal winnowing."

Roy says with quiet certainty, "If you're locked into the lines, you can sometimes do extraordinary things."

Suraksha nods slowly, her voice thoughtful as she murmurs, "That... that is what I am afraid of, actually..." She's silent for a moment, thinking... then she quietly continues: "In the end, all that was left was Fearsome Grandmother and her White Dagger; the leader of the Yakuza -- who was a powerful Water Tap -- and his last bodyguard, who was an Earth Tap. The more romantic of the storysingers will tell you the wild, glorious City herself heaved and fought back at the abuse, and the kobold burned herself out stopping the huge earthquake. Doing so, she inadvertently saved the life of the Yakuza head -- but the thanks she got from her nix leader was him fleeing and abandoning her to what looked like, by then, an enraged Imperial sky dragon. When she knelt and begged for mercy, Fearsome Grandmother spared the kobold, flying past her out over the ocean after the nix."

Roy stiffens slightly, voice worried, "He was a Water Tap? Damn... your mamaw ain't gonna like me much, is she?"

Suraksha laughs and nods with soft rue, her voice a little shaky as she murmurs, "Almost done -- hold on but a moment more, please?" She takes a quick breath, then continues, "They say the hurricane on the ocean's horizon screamed and thundered and frothed for the rest of the day and well into the following night, although Fearsome Grandmother claims now they exaggerate. The weather was utterly insane; small tsunamis were sweeping in and the thunderheads spat lightning unceasingly. The White Dagger left to make sure the hatchling was still safe, and got caught up in helping excavate and aid the remains of the City. She told me later it was that terrifying day and night, in fact, which convinced her that swift, clean assassinations performed with surgical precision were better for the populace. She ended up testing that theory on the other coast for a century or so."

"At the end of the sea battle, in the pale, watery, early dawn, only one exhausted, bloody, near-dead body washed up on the beach under the remains of the Golden Gate, where Ying, the former kobold, silently awaited. She gathered up Fearsome Grandmother and cared for her wounds, then took her back to her grieving, waiting family. When Fearsome Grandmother woke up two days later, she took the Venerable Ying into her service... and that's one of the people who helped raise my mother." Suraksha sighs and nods ruefully again, "So yes, that is why Fearsome Grandmother is still a bit cranky about Taps. Well... Taps in general, I suppose, and nix in particular."

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