Maellyn was glaring at her.

Kalli had merely endured it through most of dinner, even as it drove her mad. Unable to bear anymore, she waited until the Delegate from Methron had turned his attention away, before favoring her wife with a look that could kill.

"But as you know, the border has been declared and mapped out for the past four centuries; it was entirely undebatable." The Methron councilor chuckled into his teacup, but the humor didn't reach his eyes. He was entirely oblivious to the silent war going on between the Dawns.

Mae picked up her own cup, unsmiling, finally turning her scathing eyes away from Kalli. "You do know, Lord Braliin, that those people were not trying to steal your land. There are no border guards out there to tell them when they've overstepped your line. It was merely a misunderstanding."

Braliin held up his hands protectively. "Of course, dear Lady Dragon, I meant no offence. The misunderstanding has been resolved."

The Delegate continued on that vein for sometime, boring the hell out of the Phoenix Dawn. Kalli pushed her food around her plate, absently, wishing she were anywhere but here. 'And look at her; damn that Mae is so... dry! I wonder if there's a personality under there somewhere.' Soft, blue eyes turned up, watching the Dragon from behind thick lashes. 'Thank the Phoenix she's attractive. It's good she has something going for her!'

Mae certainly was not an eyesore; that was for sure. Her poker-straight brown hair was severely tamed, pulled back in a brutal bun. But Kalli had seen it down, that long waterfall of near-ebony. Her eyes were cold emeralds, bright and deep. There was so much in them Kalli didn't understand...

Green eyes flickered her way, a soft curiosity apparent over the cold. Kalli turned away quickly, a blush creeping across her nose. 'Good Gods, she caught me staring. Great, as if she wasn't mad enough...'

Kalli suffered through the remainder of dinner in silence, her eyes never leaving her plate. Maellyn continued with idle chatter on the desert's prosperity and the dealings of Methron nobles. Lord Braliin seemed content to speak only with Mae, his eyes never straying to even look at the Phoenix.

After what seemed like hours, Braliin retired, weary after a long day of travel. The Delegate stood, a broad (and obviously fake) grin across his ugly features. He bowed, once to each dawn, before taking his leave.

The two Dawns sat in silence, Mae nibbling absently at her bread.

"Well?"

The Dragon blinked at her wife, no emotion in her emerald eyes. "'Well,' what?"

"Aren't you going to say something?"

"Something?" Mae ripped a small hunk off of her loaf and chewed on it absently. "You mean about you being late for dinner, and staring off into space while I was forced to make polite conversation with that idiot Delegate from Methron? No, I'm not." The Dragon looked tired, toying with her bread like a bored cat with a dead mouse.

"Really?"

"Aye. Yelling at you in the past has done me no good. Now all I can do with you is sit around and wait for you to grow up."

"Grow up!" The Phoenix roared, her anger driving her to her feet. "How dare you?"

"How dare I? How dare you, idiot Phoenix! The least you could do is act as though you had some manners." The Dragon slammed one fist down on the table, the stone room echoing with her rage. There was an excruciating moment of tortured silence, as two sets of eyes, one ice-cold green, the other hauntingly blue and glowing faintly.

Kalli was the first to break eye contact. She flopped back into her seat, grabbing her goblet of wine. "I'm sorry, Mae."

Blinking into the candlelight, Maellyn's lips parted in confusion. "What?"

"I'm sorry, okay! I know I'm irresponsible. It's not that I'm trying to make you angry, really. It's just that... these damned meetings are so... fake."

The Dragon fell into her seat, a humorless smile twisting her beautiful features. 'Damn it all, she's gorgeous. I wonder if she knows how beautiful she is when she smiles?' Kalli turned away from her, sipping at her wine.

"I know, I know. I'm..." Mae growled at the back of throat, "...s-sorry too." She hissed the words out, hesitantly. Maellyn was even worse at apologizing than her headstrong wife. "But you could at least pretend you want to be here, even if you can't be on time."

The Phoenix just sighed, pushing her plate back and standing again. "Perhaps I could be a little more responsible. You know, play the part of a Dawn more often. I'll try, if you," she pressed one long finger into the soft part of Mae's nose, "try to be a little more fun."

Batting her Phoenix's hand away, Mae looked chagrin and shocked. "I'm plenty fun!"

"Are not," Kalli accused, laughing brilliantly. "You're about as much fun as a history book."

"What's wrong with history books?"

'Why do we have this conversation? Why can't she just accept that we're different?' The Dragon just watched her, emerald eyes void of understanding. 'Why is she such a hard ass?'

"Oh never mind, Maellyn, never mind. I'll leave you alone." Unable to bear her presence, Kalli pushed her chair back and walked out, her ivory robes fluttering around her body like wings.

'Damn that woman. Why did I have to end up with someone so dry?' Taking a deep breath, she sighed into the open air of the hallway. 'It's definitely time for a ride.' She changed her route to head for the stables, laughing as she stepped out into the cool dark air. Little did she know, there was a quiet pair of emerald eyes, watching from her balcony, curiosity and no understanding in the soft, broken jade.

Mmm, poor Mae, she doesn't even know she's boring. Oh, but that will change. :giggles:

Oh, so much to dooooooo... No time to write notes...

Mina