"In the gardens?"

Claudia nodded, taking a sip of her tea- "Yes. Pretty often too." Which was kinda, maybe, totally, fucking annoying. The plants couldn't keep their mouths shut about it either.

"Damn." Urokai leaned back into the soft plush of her bed. He'd thought the lava pools and streams of the Agvain territory, and even the cemeteries of the humans, were impressive, but this was another level. Though it was on the same one as the Agvain rose gardens he supposed.

"Damn, indeed. Not too bad though. Since I've only known Aunt Mevek I haven't had to really deal with talking and wondering about it."

Urokai snorted, "Because everyone knew everything about her already. Sis wouldn't have felt any shame 'bout it either."

"Pretty much."

He wrinkled his nose at the reply. Oh, he loved his elder sister! He really did! But she could be so embarrassing at times and it lasted even after she was gone. At least his nephews and niece weren't like that, though Idris did take after her. Ironic, since his birth had been the same date as her death.

"With Rozaria around you'll probably have to deal with similar. She's just as wild as any Agvain or Ru."

"You know about it?"

"Zarga told me." So it could either be common knowledge or just one of the countless things he knew about that he wasn't supposed to be aware of at all. The Siriana were creepy like that. They would bring up things that were supposed to be secrets or that they just weren't supposed to know because of how uncommon it was, and they'd talk so nonchalantly that one would assume they had been there. That they had the right to have that information. It was too obvious that they stalked people or had familiars stalk people but the real question was how nobody noticed. They weren't Kertia after all. There coordination scared people too but... it wasn't that weird. So they hadn't revealed that the traitors had such plans because Zarga was in on it? His own clan had done the exact same thing. Some clans just cared about their own more than they did the entirety of their people.

"Oh." Claudia fiddled with her hair as she refilled their cups- "Of course he did. Did he mention it to anyone else?"

"Does his daughter count?"

She raised a brow- "Daughter?"

"He made her maybe a week ago. The cutest lil button in Lukedonia so far, though sometimes her head rolls off."

"Then no. That's fine-" she gave him his cup and he started to pile some sugar cubes in, it had to be sweet- "but her head rolls off? Like she likes to roll around?"

"No. He straight up used a dullahan and decided to keep that part so if anyone ever tries to kill her by cutting her head off they'll fail. It's super weird seeing her head roll around but she's always giggling when she does so we can't stop her." It had been scary the first time or three but she was too fucking cute when she was happy so nobody could find it in themselves to catch her head. It was fine as long as they kept her from bumping into anything hard or dangerous anyway.

"That sounds interesting. I'll have to visit sometime."

Urokai smiled, taking a sip of his tea. Perfect. He never could trust anyone else to get the proper flavour in these, even Frankenstein kept messing it up. They always made everything so bitter, and the cacaua atl that Lagus had tried serving to him some centuries ago had lost any remaining respect that Urokai had had for him.

'It's a traditional drink among the humans' he had said. So he thought that blaming his own faults on the humans was okay? Fucking asshole. He should take responsibility for the things he did instead of pushing others into the fire. It was why he didn't like him. Who could possibly enjoy being around someone who couldn't hold themselves accountable? Not him. Gejutel was just a total weirdo for it, though he'd already known that from when his nephews and niece had decided to give his sister's diaries to him. To think that was a good reminder of a dead person... complete sicko. It was why he avoided those two as much as he could. Having to resist the urge to summon Dragus and poke it in their direction whenever they came close was difficult, but he managed.

"You might not see her even if you go."

"Why not?" Claudia looked genuinely curious, though he was more worried about the flowers that had started curling around her ankles. She probably knew they were there but, he just hoped she wouldn't trip. He'd just focus on his drink to distract himself from the notion.

"She likes hiding between Zarga and a cloak, so he wears those now. Doesn't come out for ages."

"Huh-" Claudia's smile was nice, no wonder Rozaria was courting her- "I'll go anyway. Even if I don't see her I can congratulate him. What's her name?"

"Feng Mian."

"Beautiful. He has a good naming sense. Better than my clan leader does."

Urokai frowned. What had Lagus done this time? Couldn't he just keep himself from ruining this every once in a while? Or did he have to leave a trail of destruction everywhere he went? It was super annoying.

"What did he do?"

Claudia chuckled, stroking one of the vines that had climbed up to her armrest. It shivered, blooming, and his frown lightened. That was always nice to see; they were like excited little kids seeking their parents' attention. This one had deep blue petals, soft silver speckled within. It was gorgeous.

"Well, aren't you just a stunning specimen," she murmured, continuing to stroke the vine- "It's nothing big. Just my name."

He stared at her blankly- "Your name?"

She nodded- "Mine. It means cripple basically."

"He really is senile huh," he said, words coming out airy and any form of stress leaving him. Oh he really needed to tell Frankenstein this bullshit later.

Snorting, Claudia covered her mouth as she laughed. Urokai just drank his tea, waiting for her to calm down. She did this sometimes, and would keep laughing for a while. It wasn't bad. It meant he could notice things he usually wouldn't because of talking. Like how her skin kept on glistening whenever the candles flickered. Probably her markings. They only showed up under the light of the moon and the candles dimming meant that they weren't dominating the night. It was a shame she didn't like showing them off, they simply completed her.

Then there was the letter on her side table. He picked it up, noting that it was a scroll rather than a sheet of paper. Elenor then, so it was from... Rozaria. He'd already known her writing was beautiful and that she doodled hearts everywhere from the letters she sent him, but the exclamations of love and adoration scribbled everywhere were new. It was adorable, and definitely made Claudia's heart flutter. After all, this one was dated to quite a while back and she still kept it close to her.

"So Rozaria even sends you love letters?"

Claudia's laughter morphed into giggling at his words- "Yes. She's very romantic, and just as domineering."

Oh? Well, he knew she wasn't nearly as domineering as Claudia herself though. There was nobody who could match her except his father, but he was long gone. Still, to describe her like that Rozaria must have taken the initiative and gone all in. That sounded just like that little spitfire.

"She's pretty gifted with words in general, you'll have to work hard to keep up with her. Don't want to lose that Tradio reputation,"

"So she's not just working hard for me?"

He grinned- "Nah. This isn't her best. She and Lusar challenge each other to reciting new poems on the spot every now and then, and she's written some for me."

Humming, Claudia's had came up to her face, fidgeting as she thought- "I'll have to get the best ones out of her then. Do you remember any?"

How could he not? Urokai loved the poems from her, and would read them out to his family. Even Idris asked if he'd gotten any new ones occasionally, and he was the pickiest out of them all. Sure it could be for a completely different reason from liking the poems with how he thought but the point remained.

"Of course I do, the only ones I remember though is um...

morning white

glistens

within

the

reach of a brighter light,

from sun or

moon's

own shine, who remains aware?

harmless teasing is

nothing more,

until

tears

fall and

the lesson

is learnt through cost of life,

is it

'help'

she seeks then? For herself,

or the dead?

"does she regret?"

I ask, and you defend

"hey,

she cries

and feels bad." but

you do not answer,

and I never to trust you or her,

again.

Leave.

And-

In dismal dunes of cities past,

There lay she, bequeathed to stone,

And so to grief, I am prone,

For she remains to me, my love, my heart.

Was it raging fires that laid you to rest,

Or the common folk fearing and their abhor?

Rising waters that sunk and drowned or,

At jewelled fingers and silvered tongues behest?

Like the sun and moon and stars, I will return,

But there is nothing to seek,

Nothing to learn,

The house stays empty and cold."

He had straightened up to recite them and collapsed back on the soft pillows when he was done. Even if he didn't have to go to this sort of trouble he doesn't really mind. The poems are nice after all, and though they aren't the easiest ones to remember they're the ones that he does because they're the first she wrote for him.

"She's only written love poems for me. That's unfair."

Urokai rolled his eyes- "And you're the only one she's written them for."

"I suppose so," Claudia said, expression complex.

She was thinking again and Urokai sighed. At this point it was better for him to leave. It wasn't like she was going to talk to him properly and he wanted to go back and get a hug from his bonded. He hadn't even dared to disturb Frankenstein because he had gone to see Ignes but if he was back it didn't apply. He was fair game then.

Standing, he only addressed her when he was at the door, "Bye Dia."

"Oh!" She turned slightly- "Visit again Urokai."

"I will."

Now just to survive his trip back.

It wasn't like the entire journey was dangerous, just the Tradio territory. Not because of the animals or plants or anything (because even if they weren't things he could deal with, he wasn't deep enough to encounter them), but because of the chance to encounter Lagus. Every moment he spent here, the possibility increased. So, as he walked down the hallway, his dread increased. Even if the plants climbing up the walls were adorable and fun to pet, they didn't assuage the dread that filled him. It seemed to grow, slowly making its way up his spine.

He just really, really, really, hate Lagus.

Once outside, he felt a bit better but the chance still remained high. Quickly glancing around to make sure nobody was in the vicinity, he quickened his pace. The faster he was out of this place, the better. In his hurry Urokai almost missed the presence in the clearing ahead of him. Rushing to a stop, he started to make his way around it warily. The aura was Lagus' and he had absolutely no intention to interact with him. Even if it meant having to punch him in the face or burn the place down, he'd do it right now.

Upon seeing a familiar face and that reddish-purple Tradio hair approaching, Urokai sped up. Fuck this. So what if Lagus saw him running away? He didn't care. Right now he would prefer death over talking to that asshole. Only when he was back in his clan's territory did he slow down, and only then did he process what he had seen. Hair? And hadn't Lagus looked younger?

Urokai's eyes narrowed. Oh, he had to tell Frankenstein about this bullshit.