"Now, Palik." Syan Ravenshadow replied pleasantly, leaning back in
his desk. "I am going to ask you for the seventh time: When I have a
visitor-even one such as Suzaku-what do you do?"
Syan's young aide trembled a bit, his mahogany eyes wide, on the form of Suzaku who was sitting on the edge of the desk, arms folded across his chest, and when he spoke his voice trembled on several words. "T-tell you f- first and ask if they are t-to be admitted."
Syan nodded his approval, smile growing. "Good! You do know indeed." He turned to Suzaku and flicked his head to the gray fox's direction. "Make this one quick."
Hiding his disappointed, Suzaku hopped down and bounded quickly to Palik. The young fox's scream of pain nearly drowned out the crack of bone as Suzaku snapped one of his fingers. His task done, Suzaku took his spot back at the desk, ebon gaze burning beneath his mask and his body trembled in an entranced matter.
"Just three more and we'll be done." Syan reminded his whimpering aide, never losing the charming smile. "Now, when-"
"Nightmaster!"
The voice carried a sense of urgency, Syan sighed and signaled to Suzaku. "Get the door, Suzaku."
A scowl of disappointment was easy to picture as Suzaku hoppe down again and walked past the whimpering Palik who was staring at seven broken fingers. Suzaku opened the door and sighed. "Alderos Talune to see you, Nightmaster."
Syan's smile dropped, golden fur bristling in some area as crimson eyes narrowed. He was not fond of the one who was asking to be admitted. "I'll be right there.Palik, remain here."
Palik managed a shaking nod as the Nightmaster walked past him, beckoning the red fox to follow him as he faced Alderos Talune.
Fur as black as the night itself, chiseled, high features that would have made him seem more at home in the noble courts then in the studious areas of the temples, eyes that both captivated, entranced and repulsed, impossible to tell if they were a brilliant gold or emerald green.
"My lord Nightmaster." Alderos lowered himself from his waist as was proper for a creature of his lowlier station, black robes rustling around his lean figure.
"You have something to say to me?" He bit back the term 'cross- breed.' There were several important reasons Alderos was not well accepted and liked among the society. One of these was he was of illegitimate birth. His mother's husband was wife of the emperor's brother.
The two had gone on a brief trip with an armed escort. Only Alderos's mother had returned, telling of how she had been raped by a half-breed bandit, her husband and escort murdered with only an elderly weasel to accompany her back.
Alderos had been born eight months later. Accepted by few he had been an object of ridicule for most of his twenty-one years. One of his few friends was the emperor's son whose father had helped raise Alderos after his mother passed away at childbirth.
Alderos nodded, bringing his head up, but keeping it lower then the Nightmaster's. "My lord.the emperor has come to request your presence at the meeting at Alithan Hill.it will be beginning shortly."
Syan digested this information with barely a blink, nodding his golden head once. "Very well, Alderos.give my dear friend my regards and my vow by the Mother I will be there in ten minutes.you and Suzaku will be my escorts."
He could just see the pride and joy in the young fox's eyes when he mentioned that.
"But." Syan turned and nodded to Suzaku. "Give one moment.I have to ask Palik three more questions before I can depart."
Syan's young aide trembled a bit, his mahogany eyes wide, on the form of Suzaku who was sitting on the edge of the desk, arms folded across his chest, and when he spoke his voice trembled on several words. "T-tell you f- first and ask if they are t-to be admitted."
Syan nodded his approval, smile growing. "Good! You do know indeed." He turned to Suzaku and flicked his head to the gray fox's direction. "Make this one quick."
Hiding his disappointed, Suzaku hopped down and bounded quickly to Palik. The young fox's scream of pain nearly drowned out the crack of bone as Suzaku snapped one of his fingers. His task done, Suzaku took his spot back at the desk, ebon gaze burning beneath his mask and his body trembled in an entranced matter.
"Just three more and we'll be done." Syan reminded his whimpering aide, never losing the charming smile. "Now, when-"
"Nightmaster!"
The voice carried a sense of urgency, Syan sighed and signaled to Suzaku. "Get the door, Suzaku."
A scowl of disappointment was easy to picture as Suzaku hoppe down again and walked past the whimpering Palik who was staring at seven broken fingers. Suzaku opened the door and sighed. "Alderos Talune to see you, Nightmaster."
Syan's smile dropped, golden fur bristling in some area as crimson eyes narrowed. He was not fond of the one who was asking to be admitted. "I'll be right there.Palik, remain here."
Palik managed a shaking nod as the Nightmaster walked past him, beckoning the red fox to follow him as he faced Alderos Talune.
Fur as black as the night itself, chiseled, high features that would have made him seem more at home in the noble courts then in the studious areas of the temples, eyes that both captivated, entranced and repulsed, impossible to tell if they were a brilliant gold or emerald green.
"My lord Nightmaster." Alderos lowered himself from his waist as was proper for a creature of his lowlier station, black robes rustling around his lean figure.
"You have something to say to me?" He bit back the term 'cross- breed.' There were several important reasons Alderos was not well accepted and liked among the society. One of these was he was of illegitimate birth. His mother's husband was wife of the emperor's brother.
The two had gone on a brief trip with an armed escort. Only Alderos's mother had returned, telling of how she had been raped by a half-breed bandit, her husband and escort murdered with only an elderly weasel to accompany her back.
Alderos had been born eight months later. Accepted by few he had been an object of ridicule for most of his twenty-one years. One of his few friends was the emperor's son whose father had helped raise Alderos after his mother passed away at childbirth.
Alderos nodded, bringing his head up, but keeping it lower then the Nightmaster's. "My lord.the emperor has come to request your presence at the meeting at Alithan Hill.it will be beginning shortly."
Syan digested this information with barely a blink, nodding his golden head once. "Very well, Alderos.give my dear friend my regards and my vow by the Mother I will be there in ten minutes.you and Suzaku will be my escorts."
He could just see the pride and joy in the young fox's eyes when he mentioned that.
"But." Syan turned and nodded to Suzaku. "Give one moment.I have to ask Palik three more questions before I can depart."