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kaylinasher · 1 year

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Asher was in his smallest dragon form, his tail laying across one of Kailyn’s delicate collarbones as his head and front claws were laying on the opposite one. For this occasion, he had turned his scales an iridescent blue and green with flashes of gold and purple. With his eyes closed and laying very still, he could be mistaken for a piece of jewelry if someone didn’t know to look for his small sides to be moving with his breathing. Few outside of the castle that Kaylin lived in knew of Asher’s secret, which is how it had been kept for so long.

Her dress was black, strapless with an empire waist, and went all the way to the floor. Simple and elegant, it fit Kaylin’s style perfectly. She had chosen mid-height heeled pumps since she was hoping that the Duke would not like being rebuffed, but if he chose to be stubborn she was prepared to have to stand her ground. Better to have shoes on that she could have stable footing if he chose to abandon all pretenses of being a gentleman. It would not be the first time that she had to deal with disappointing a potential suitor, but she was determined that it would be the last.

Even with Asher curled up and resting around her neck, Kaylin was nervous. From an early age she had learned to wear a mask of soft indifference on her face, no matter what was going on within her mind. It was expected as a Princess that she was never to appear troubled, regardless of her true feelings. When her mother had been slaughtered before her in the court by a traitorous soldier, she had been chastised later for her scream and outburst of grief. Only Asher had stopped her father from physically striking her. She had only been fifteen at the time, but already she was expected to react to nothing. However, she was different than her father, she felt too deeply.

That was where the rift had started regarding suitors. Her father just felt that she should pick one that she found attractive enough to have sex with and bear him children. They could both have affairs after the wedding, but that marriage was just a contract between families, not for love. After the conversation that she and Asher had a few days before, Kaylin was even more convinced that she and her father would never see eye to eye on this and the only solution was to go to the Palace in Imperium City and see her cousins. They would have to have an idea of some kind of solution. Even if that meant leaving all she’d ever known and starting anew.

Right on time, the Duke arrived as Kaylin was thinking all this over. Part of her had wanted him to be late as an excuse to pick a fight for him and send him home humiliated. Of course it would not be that easy, not with this one. He seemed determined to use her to raise his status in the realm, and she was just as determined not to be a stepping stone for him. Asher had never treated her as less, or even more actually. They were truly best friends, equals, and now that she knew his true feelings, the Duke had no chance.

“Princess Kailyn, you look ravishing.” Duke Xavier spoke, condescension dripped from his voice. He still did not understand why he was negotiating the land treaty with a female, let alone one that he was supposed to be convincing to court him. Surely the Princess did not have the education, training, or knowledge to be able to do these negotiations. Already he had tired of trying to explain to her why she should compromise with him on where the lines would be between her father’s and his father’s lands. However, she was stubborn and ignorant.

“What a unique piece.” Xavier stepped too close and acted too familiar as his finger lightly ran over her collarbones near where Asher lay. “Its beauty suits yours, Princess.”

Kaylin had to fight not to physically recoil from his touch and she was glad that Asher remained motionless. She was quite sure that neither of them were happy with the level of familiarity that the Duke had assumed. When she didn’t immediately respond favorably, he thankfully stepped back a few feet, which allowed her to feel as if she could breath freely again.

“Thank you, Lord Xavier. I do have a dinner later I must attend to.” The only dinner she had later was the one that she and Asher most likely would share together like always. She was considering having him take her to Earth, Maine to be exact. She was craving lobster and found that the preparation in that part of the Earthly realm was by far the best. That was not something she would mention to Xavier however, as that trip would be made in jeans, a heavy sweater, boots, and a parka at this time of year on Earth.

“I envy whomever’s arm you shall be on, Princess.” Xavier fought to keep his face impassive and not show that he was displeased that whatever dinner that she was going to, it was one he was not invited to or even aware of. How had that slipped by his father? “I wish you would have told me sooner, I would have been most pleased to accompany you and not leave you having to search for an escort.”

She saw the shocked and now clearly displeased look upon the Duke’s face at her words, but she failed to care as she stepped forward towards him. Tiny claws bit into her collar bone as Asher tried to warn her not to be too hostile to the Duke, there were still diplomatic relations to be kept in mind, after all. “You are here, sir, to negotiate regarding our realms and kingdoms, are you not? I do not know why you then assume that I would ask you to escort me anywhere. Do you assume such of males who you are negotiating with?”

“You assume I shall be on anyone’s arm.” Unlike Xavier, displeasure was immediately clear on Kaylin’s face and if the Duke had missed it, the change in the tone of her voice would have been another clue. She had been looking for a reason for a fight to put him in his place, and now she had one. “I can assure you, Duke Noir, that I am quite capable of attending a state dinner on my own without the need of escort from a male.” Her chin lifted definitely and there was challenge to her eyes.

Xavier was at a loss for words at her challenge. He could not deny that he would not have said similar to a man, but admitting that would give her the upper hand and his father was steadfast in his demands for the negotiations that were ongoing between their territories. His father had also assured him that the Princess was looking for a suitor, but now he was wondering if that information had been in error, as she seemed most resistant to male attention. He could not think of what he could have done to upset her, it was not as if her place was really to be doing such diplomacy. Females were to be cordial and make dignitaries feel at home, not work out treaties. The only exception being Imperium’s Queen of course.

“I apologize for if I offended, Your Majesty.” Xavier bowed slightly, trying to save face and rescue the negotiations before he was summarily dismissed and the whole arbitration was canceled. If he had to go back to his father with nothing, the punishment would be severe, of that he was sure.

“I would suggest in the future, Duke Noir, that you remember you are here on matters of diplomacy ONLY. There is no further reason for you being here and for our talks. If you were given reason to believe otherwise by anyone other than myself, then you were misled.” There was no doubt that Kaylin was fully annoyed and done with the Duke. “Now, we have matters of this land treaty to discuss. My social calendar is not open for more discussion.”

Turning away from the Duke, Kaylin headed over to the meeting table where the maps had been spread the previous day. While then she had been contrite and demure, she had tired of him, and his forward nature had soured him receiving such pleasantries now. As her heels clicked against the stone floor, she could swear she felt Asher purring and she knew she felt his front feet lightly rub against her skin. She knew that he was pleased that the Duke had been rebuffed and also that he was trying to reassure her for the coming discussions on land partitions.

“Now, your idea of boundaries between our kingdoms within Imperium is not agreeable. Not to myself and not to my father. We do not want war as that would involve my grandfather and cousin, and you do know how dearest Abriella likes to avoid conflict within Imperium.” There was a smug smirk forming on Kaylin’s lips. Xavier seemed to have forgotten that little tidbit of information based on the look upon his handsome face. It was, after all, Kaylin’s ace in the hole the whole time. Challenge her family, and they would just go up the food chain. They didn’t need to renegotiate territory, this was a favor to the Noir dynasty, not hers.

“Princess, i was hoping that after you looked over what we were proposing that you could see our reasoning behind the new boundaries. The logic that motivated them. It would benefit both of our peoples in the end.” The Duke implored her; and possibly if she had been a simple female without the rearing and education that she had received, she might have fallen for it. However, her father had not only educated her, but so had Asher and others in the court who saw her as more than a trophy for her father to hand off to the first suitor to impress her.

“You do insult me, Duke Noir. You want me to hand over this land,” she gestured to the low land that led to the sea, “where our fishing and grazing of livestock is done. And you also want me to cut my people off from one source of water by giving you this forest here.” She motioned to a large green spot on the map. “I understand that to you these seem logical to go along the streams and rivers, when in reality the only logical reason to suggest such a thing is to weaken not only our infrastructure but our people’s ability to survive without relying on anyone else.”

She saw the Duke swallow and her smirk became more pronounced as she leaned over the map table that now separated them. “I will give you neither of these lands. In fact, I will not even take this latest proposal to my father, for the insult could lead to us demanding you hand over a large portion of your land as recompense. I suggest you go back to your father and tell him that the Dufrene’s are neither fools nor are they blind to the overtures that you are making.” A slight malevolence entered her expression. “If your dynasty’s acquisitions do not cease to threaten our sovereignty within Imperium, we shall be forced to take action, and I can assure you, Duke Xavier,” his name was said with a heavy dose of derision and her eyes became intense as her hands flattened on the table. “Not one of your family will survive.”

Xavier swallowed and took a step back. Nothing he had heard of Kaylin or her father had prepared him for this. He had fully expected to come in and charm her into a courtship, or possibly even a betrothal, along with an acquisition of land that would benefit his family. Instead it was clear that at some point he had committed a weighty offense and now was going to be lucky to escape with his life. Why no one had warned him of this, he was not sure.

“My sincere apologies, Princess Kailyn. I will pass your sentiments on to my father. I am sure that no offense was intended by his proposition of the changing of boundaries. As you say, we were only…” a raised hand from Kailyn silenced him. The look on her face was nie on rage.

“Sir, if you would like to exit this chamber with your tongue and head still in their original locations, I suggest you remain silent and exit NOW.” Kalyn was now standing erect, arms at her sides, and her gaze ice cold as she stared at the Duke.

Without another word, he bowed, turned on his heel, and quickly exited the room. Once had left, Kailyn sunk down in one of the large chairs that surrounded the table. The cushioning doing little to provide relief from the cold firmness of the hardwood they were made of. A tickle of magic across her skin told her that Asher had resumed his human form, so she was not surprised when a warm, large hand landed on her shoulder. She simply stared at the map and gave a small nod to acknowledge him. The gravity of the situation weighed on her. While she had every right to react as she did, and her father would back her up, it did not mean that what was tantamount to a warning shot at a neighboring kingdom would be well received.

For his part, Asher stood quietly next to her. He had known her long enough to know that there were no words that would ease the burden, and that what she needed was just for him to be there.

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virgosjukebox · 1 year

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Starter for @ncvelty

Kaylin had been bumped up from her spot after several attempts at telling her father his number two was a weak link. To her, if he was caught, he would spill everything and then their empire would crumble. It only took three close calls with the local police before her father finally agreed, and even got the local police to join them. Some leaving the force altogether to become a part of their empire. When most saw her, they didn’t think that she would even know what her father was up to when it wasn’t his normal 9-to-5 working as a lawyer, winning cases for his fellow cronies and their partners so they didn’t face prison. Even if their prison was a white collar high security prison. She was always in the courtroom with him, acting as a junior assistant for now, until he deemed it time for her to advance. With that, she felt she might have to take charge on her own again, like with the gambling and everything else.

Sometimes she felt he despised her because he only had a daughter, instead of a son and daughter. She was the sole heiress to the entire empire and fortune that came with it. She felt that he didn’t think that she had enough to run it all, when in reality, it’s what she did best. Which was why she was at one of the clubs owned by the now number three.

She was looking for more recruits, more workers. They needed more drug mules to carry their supply from the suppliers to the dealers. But they had to be just inconspicuous enough in order to not lift off any sort of red flags. But so help her if another man brushed up against her as a means to get past her. Those were a few of the things that annoyed her about being how she was. She followed rules when she went recruiting. Two real drinks, the rest were mocktails. She needed to be able to focus enough to weed out the choices that wouldn’t serve them long term.

She tilted her head as she noticed a few newcomers walking in from where she sat at her table and arched a brow. She wondered who, if they worked for anyone, worked for. Or, if they were there just for a good time. She’d finished off her drink before deciding to walk towards them, giving those who were sitting with her, her friends, a signal to stay. She needed to get them alone and away from their friends to talk to them. In order to do so, it just needed to be her. If she brought anyone else, it might give what she was doing away.

"I’ve not seen you here, and I know most people who come by here often.” She said, slyly looking at the one who seemed to be the leader, up and down a few times. She was sizing him up. “Can I get you a drink? What’s your favorite?” Kaylin cocked her head to the side slightly.

#ncvelty #ft mike warren #kaylin #it's always who you least suspect

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