A/N~Sorry about the tardiness of the post but I had a hard time getting Sophia out of my head and down on paper. The Romanian title for Queen of Gypsies is phonetic, so my apologies if the spelling is not accurate. Sophia was a popular name eighty years ago, thus her majesties name. Read, enjoy and review.~A
DumbAshe
The older woman's silver grey eyes stared into the eyes of the customs agent who was looking through one of her bags. This one among other things held her under things. The young man had no idea how angry he was making her, he was just grinning inanely at her. "So you're from Russia. Right? I'm sure you're used to illegal searches and such."
"No I am Rom and we are used to persecution, but we are also used to retribution being meted out in measure against those who seek to do us harm." she said coldly to the man.. She had removed her fur coat and one of the young men with her was holding it. She leaned her hands against the table and the young mans eyes were drawn to the tattooed number on her forearm and his face blanched.
Wildly curly salt and pepper hair with more pepper than salt, seemed to tremble with rage for her, "Please be good enough to remove your hands from my luggage." the man snatched his hand back out of the suitcase as if he had been scalded. Followed quickly by his closing and latching the case.
One of the men with her took the case from him and set it beside him on the floor. "Thank you, Now where would one go to acquire transportation?"
Through quite a bit of stuttering and stammering the young claims clerk indicated the direction of the rental car kiosk.
The elder woman was led away by her entourage and the clerk heaved a sigh of relief, he ma not be familiar with what the woman had meant by the Rom. He was familiar with the look in the woman's eyes. His own grandmother had given him that look when he was a boy and had been caught breaking into the local church with a couple of childhood friends. The look that said, "I'm gravely disappointed in you.", he had never wanted to see that look directed at him again.
The woman and her escorts were met n the main concourse where a liveried driver was holding a placard with Regina de tsigani Sophia on it. Well aware of how little money her granddaughter had Sophia walked toward the young chauffeur and said, "Did my granddaughter send you?"
The young man stood straighter almost at attention while replying deferentially, "No ma'am, the Ashe did, with his compliments, your majesty." he almost stuttered as he gave a deep bow. Returning to attention, the young man offered, "May I take your bags ma'am?"
With a slight huff of resignation the older woman indicated to one of her older servants to continue on to rent the vehicle, while she said to the younger fae, "You may lead the way, the others will follow." as an older man with a beard stepped forward to take her arm.
She really would have preferred to see her granddaughter first but apparently politics would rule out familial obligations. However Sophia had never appreciated the more onerous duties of her station. She would give the Ashe fifteen, thirty minutes tops. Then she would seek out her granddaughter, and they would have a long overdue reunion. Heaven help anyone who stood in the way of the Queen of Gypsies and her beloved Kenzi.
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Meanwhile Bo, Lauren and Vex after several episodes of lovemaking, two showers (the first one had ended in another episode of lovemaking, so yes another shower had been necessary), and another meal that had ended up being sandwiches. They had tried the door to discover that yes they could actually leave. The ladies had gone to Laurens apartment for fresh clothes before heading to the Dal for something more substantial to eat.
The trio were currently enjoying a beer at the bar. While explaining to their friends a very watered down version about what had happened to them and how they suspect that Dyson was playing matchmaker for the three of them. Although they are obviously trying to spare the sensibilities of Bo's grandfather as well as that of their friends. It is obvious to everyone there that the three had become or were about to become lovers.
Their attentiveness to each other was obvious and almost disturbingly sweet. Trick was just happy to see his granddaughter relaxed and content. Everyone noticed the much more healthy and vibrant appearance of the human doctor. Lauren was actually animated and discussing a very interesting home remedy for the equivalent of the fae common cold. Vex was actually looking a lot less manic, and his smile did not have the "rip your throat out" appearance that was his usual appearance. He was actually giving the human doctor a rather proud look as she spoke.
Kenzi and Hale walk in the front door of the Dal. They are deep in an intense conversation and at first barely register their friends being there. After joining their friends at the bar and ordering beers. Trick shoos them away to a table so they're not taking up valuable space at the small bar. Kenzi places an order with Fleur and waves affectionately at Trick, she drags Hale over to where the trio have already claimed one of the larger tables
Before the gray eyed girl can even speak, Bo asks, "So did you know what he was up to?"
"He did mention that he was going to try and fix you three." Kenzi said with a shrug and a quirk of her lips. "When someone mentioned that sign he put on the door of the Carpe Noctum, I sort of figured it out." She snorted a little before asking, "So I take it D's plan worked, a little menage action, huh?"
Merriment danced in her eyes as she saw both women blush and even Vex ducked his head a little, although she hadn't actually received an answer, Kenzi pumped her fist and said, "Yess!"
"Now just one problem," she said as the joy bled out of her eyes and concern replaced it, "Our wolfy Cupid is missing."
"What do you mean missing?" asked Bo with concern, "He's not with you?"
Hale replied, "As far as anyone can tell the last time anyone saw Dyson was apparently when we sprang the trap on you three." He then explained that he and Val had helped the wolf set the trap for their three friends. The trio had parted ways shortly after that and no one had seen Dyson since then.
"Do you think the Morrigan took him?" asked the Siren.
"Nah, I've been incommunicado for a few days but I think I would have heard something about something like that as soon as I came out of the club." He looked a little shamefaced as he admitted, "Evony would have invited me to join her in the torturing of the wolf."
"Yeah and Dougal would have said if he heard anything among the Shifters." said Kenzi thoughtfully.
"Dougal? Who's Dougal?" asked Bo suspiciously.
Kenzi winced slightly, "Oh yeah guess you missed a bit." She said and then proceeded to fill her friends in on what had occurred for the past several days.
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The Ashe had to admit he was impressed with the Queen of the Gypsies, Sophia despite her obvious age was beautiful. She had thrown open her long hooded fur coat to reveal a very slender frame, so slight she looked as if a good stiff wind could blow her away. Her face was were beautiful and fine boned, her eyes were a striking feature large and gray and coldly regal. Her hair was a mass of black and silver strands held back with an antique silver comb. The older man standing beside the queen cleared his throat in a clearly affronted tone. The Ashe realized that he had been staring into the Queens familiar eyes for a bit too long to be appropriate.
"Forgive me, your majesty. I am afraid I was mesmerized by your beauty." the Ashe said charmingly. Surprisingly the woman's eyes cooled even further, before flickering to his throne, no not his throne to the Shifter chained by his throne. In truth he had forgotten Dyson was there, but the look the Queen of Gypsies gave him after seeing the Shifter actually had the Ashe stepping back.
"Why did you request an audience, Ashe of the light fae?" came the beautifully accented voice in a tone that clearly said she found the meeting a waste of her precious time.
"I wished to offer the best suite of rooms in my compound to Your Majesty, as well as accommodations for your entourage." said the Ashe while tilting his head slightly. An offensive move as he was of a lesser station than the Queen.
He was startled to hear a growl come from the throat of the man who stood beside the Queen. He realized that this human queen and her retinue expected him, the leader of the light fae to actually show her the respect of her station. They must be mad, she might be a queen but she was still only human.
"As I am here visiting family that will neither be necessary nor convenient." came the voice that was actively sending chills down his spine.
He made the mistake of looking into those mesmerizing eyes again and realized the ice in them was so intense now that the ice in his veins was burning and not remotely in a good way. Stepping back even further the Ashe asked in confusion, "I thought you were here to participate as a witness in the Challenge?"
"I am but I have family here whom I shall be visiting as well." then gazing pointedly at the Shifter chained to his throne, "Not to mention the fact that you are obviously holding a Shifter against his will. This does not bode well for the impartiality I must engender."
Incensed that a mere human would call him to question for his conduct the Ashe spoke before thinking, "You dare to question…"
"Mind your tone!" the male beside her said sharply and suddenly the Ashe felt a fine tremble in the floor of the room.
"I think you forget yourself Ashe, and to whom you are speaking and how much you and the rest of your people owe to me and mine." came the wintry snap of the Queens voice as she said, "Short is the memory of the long-lived fae, amazing that the Shifters is much longer. Perhaps instead of enslaving them you and yours should learn from them. Your list of allies grows shorter and your enemies longer by the minute, Ashe. I suggest you heed the advice of your counsel, while you are still in power for however much longer that lasts."
"Come Aloysha." she said to the bearded man beside her as she hooked her arm through his, "We are done here." before sweeping out of the room.
The Ashe opened his mouth to call her back only to find his throat squeezed closed as if in a powerful fist. He even reached up to try and pry the fingers that were wrapped around his neck away only to find nothing there. He stumbled back to his throne with black spots beginning to dance in front of his eyes.
"That was well done," said the voice of the Shifter who had been kneeling by his throne for some time now without complaint or comment. Though the collar was supposed to shock him when he made disparaging comments against the Ashe, it apparently didn't recognize sarcasm. The Ashe would have punished him if he could draw breath to do so.
"During the second World War, the gypsies protected the fae at the sacrifice of their own freedom and lives. Hitler wanted their magic and ours and the gypsies protected us and were rounded up by the Nazis." Dyson said staring at the Ashe reproachfully as he continued, "Her majesty lost all but two of her own children, and her husband to the death camps becoming a prisoner herself. To insult her is to shame all fae." The wolf said calmly as the Ashe was finally able to draw breath.
"Her magic…" came a weakened voice from the assembled light fae.
"Will now be turned against the fae for this betrayal, no doubt." said Dyson. The smirk on his face said he thought the retribution that was undoubtedly coming their way was deserved.
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"Aloysha was that my girls wolf or am I mistaken?" said the very calm voice of his queen.
"No Majesty you are not mistaken," the bearded man said as they headed out the gates of the light fae compound.
"Then I think I have more than enough reason for any impartiality to go right out the window, yes?" the woman said almost gleefully before turning to the driver and saying. "Nikolai take me to my granddaughter."