Whispers in the Wind:
Having a broom's handle smack you in the face was a lesson Corbin learned rather quickly. He should have paid attention to his broom after dismounting around Octativa. One thing led to another and Wywave arrived at the royal residence with his medical bag.
"You lucky it was just your nose and not your teeth." Wywave visually assessed his nephew.
"I didn't know a nose could …. " Octativa just went quiet.
Imp brought a basin and rag for Wywave to clean the bloody mess from Corbin's face before treating him. Warning Octativa to not touch since his blood color was a coral coloring. Didn't ease her guilt she felt for the state Corbin currently left in with his nose. When the blood was wiped away and damaged was looked over that Wywave reached out.
"Ready?" Wywave asked Corbon.
"…" Corbin braced himself.
Away Octativa looked unable to watch with Constantine watching from a distance with Maverick. Elanye stood right next to him with her basket full of their usual meal. Hoo Hoo resting on her shoulder with his wings covering his face as Wywave worked. Cornelius rested on Corbin's shoulders just watching the whole time.
"I really need to review broom safety with him." Elanye flitched at the sight of what her brother was doing.
"What he is going through is lesson enough." Constantine clearly stated.
"True," Elanye agreed, "Still reviewing with him."
"Be thorough since I don't want this happening." Constantine figured their lesson would end today.
"Want to help?" She asked.
He returned her stare rather speechless at her question about flight safety to a teenage boy. Way she stared at him without blinking in those ticking seconds just ticking. Face and those unmoving eyes emptied of any emotion.
"Done." Wywave announced.
He stated he used enchanted bandages to splint and pack his nephew's nose healing process. A pain reliever potion to dull the pain and skin paste to help with swelling.
"You're going to have a nasal sound for a few months." Wywave packed up.
"A few months?" Octavia and Corbin shouted at the same time.
Hoo Hoo practically flew into the air off Elanye's shoulder as he went while Maverick's ears perked up. Staring contest between Constantine and Elanye came to an end. Right toward a pair of upset teens they stared for an answer in loud voices. Cornelius lay his head down to,ignore the drama that was about to start up.
"Just two teens being overly dramatic," Wywave just stood up, "Nothing new."
"How are we going to explain this to everyone?" Octavia asked him.
"Knowing them," Corbin didn't like his voice, "Hephzibah will laugh at this and how this happened, Mirabelle will find it amusing, and Charlie … "
"You two do know," Wywave asked Constantine and Elanye, "How are we going to tell Charlie?"
Quiet settled on the five of them of how Charlie was going to take Corbin's nose. She was always so inquisitive about what he learned that day. Acting as an audience with her daughter for most of them. Sometimes Osmodai or other sins' children visited Hephzibah and him.
"She's never been one for bad news of any sorts." Constantine already knew this wasn't going to end well.
"My brother and I had to get her to back off when Alastor was mending. She didn't take how badly he was beaten by him before she took over," Elanye recalled, "This was before your father."
"I was this far aware from wasting a sedative to calm her down," Wywave couldn't take Charlie's worried state back then, "Reason why I gave strict instructions for her to leave him alone."
"She isn't going to like this… " Octavia pointed out.
Corbin pointed out, Zon wasn't going to take his appearance without flipping out. He had to be talked out and back down from supervising. Sight of the splint over Corbin's nose will just set him off. Bothered Constantine since he still had gotten approval to see Zon's training.
"How angry does he get?" Octavia asked them all.
Corbin was the one that answered that for her when he leaned over and whispered in her ear. Pulled away and she looked horrified at his answer with minor shock. His reached up to scratch Cornelius between his eyes with sigh passing his lips.
"I am getting my ear chewed off." He spoke with a nasal sound to his voice.
Pat on the shoulder he got from Octavia was enough to assure him he was going to be ok. Had her wording a nursery rhythm she liked as a child to him from memory.
"Star light, star bright," She tried to recall each detail, "First star I see this night, May I make a wish on you tonight."
"That wish would be?" He asked.
"You know I can't tell you," She reminded him about wishes, "I tell you aloud and it will not come true."
Which had him remembering what his aunt once said about wishes coming undone when spoken out loud. Set the mood for when they all sat down for lunch with Wywave leaving. He turned down his sister's invitation since Charlie wanted to see him. Making his way through the grounds until he came upon his ride. Familiar sight of his motorized carriage with Zon in the driver's side.
"How bad?" Zon asked him.
"Had to splint his nose." Wywave climbed up.
"…." Zon breathed.
Already knowing Wywave was called here had him figuring someone got hurt and needed treatment. Him flipping over an incident wasn't going to help Corbon recover. All he could do was breathe as he reclined in his seat with fingers fidgeting.
"We can't coddle them," Wywave reminded him, "We do and this place will eat him alive."
"I know." Zon started up the engine.
8*8
Constantine found Elanye reading a nearly erotic fantasy book over her usual classical first editions. Which he wouldn't bother her about when he caught her actively reading. Way her nostrils flared and eyes widened when she turned the pages. Giggle he rarely heard her make also escape her lips to a certain degree. Hoo hood flapping his wings or half way turning his head in sync with her reactions. Led to him being unable to ignore how she quietly placed her attention toward this book.
"Book Club?" He repeated her answer.
"We meet once a week in a sloth ring around 7pm." She informed him.
"Sounds fun," Serenity replied, "Wish I could attend."
"Lucky you aren't," Elanye sighed at the sight of the book, "Since we went with Asmodeus' choice this week."
Recalling the library that sin of lust had hidden away in his tower wasn't a nice memory for anyone. Since those are ones besides Osmodai that got to look over his reading material. Made up of depictions of The Oirans of Japan, The concubines of Siam, The catamites of Greece, and The harlots of India. Not pleasant for Elanye nor Constantine within their memories after surfacing in those seconds.
"Any good?" Serenity asked.
"Seven spicy scenes that span 4 scenes in each chapter," Elanye marked her place in the book, "What would you think?"
"Definitely sounds like a book chosen by my uncle." Constantine wasn't surprised.
"How are people in that book getting things done?" Serenity asked more interested now.
Elanye would have gone on how close to the ending she was getting to give away the plot. Alastor's shadow didn't have her talking to her heel clad feet with the newest problem that rose up. Taking her book with her as Hoo Hoo came to rest on her shoulder. Excising herself from their presence while welcoming to chat like usual.
"Going?" Serenity figured Constantine would.
"Depends." He wondered.
Idea of attending a gathering having to do with a book outside his royal duties and research projects. Something he needed to think about and give a thorough answer to Elanye. Which came three days after he was informed as Mirabelle was visiting. His sister wanted his niece to bond with him on some level outside of the hotel. In the care of their family's lifelong servant while Charlie asked her brother about Corbin.
"Please tell me," Charlie hoped, "His nose isn't the result of a lesson gone wrong?"
"A simple accident that happened after he was distracted for a mere second or two," His tail swayed, "Miss. Bloodmarch with her brother arrived in time to treat him."
Was minorly relieved as she got her brother's side of the nose injury story after Octavia gave hers. Sounded exactly what Elanye told Charlie about wrongly dismounting. Still made Charlie cover her own nose at the thought of getting hit. Maverick lifted his paw to hide his snout behind on his front paws when recalled the incedent.
"They didn't want me using a healing spell on him," Constantine recalled being turned down, "Something his body needed to get used to healing on its own."
"Yea," Charlie recalled Elanye's take on healing magic, "She also turned me down."
They would have gone on about Elanye and her take on despite two potions to help with pain and swelling. Along with enchanted bandages used to aid in quickening the healing process. Came to an end when Mirabelle's laughing was heard throughout the halls. Had them followed the noise to the more public places of his castle. Where most paintings of the Morningstar family were hung for people to see. One Mirabelle stood in front of was Queen Lilith as she stood beside a familiar hooded figure. Whose apple tart wedge heels with black apple filling earn Mirabelle's attention. Owl that rested on her shoulder happily greeted Mirabelle.
"My my," Belveder greeted the rumored stranger, "May I inquire about you being my Sweet Tooth delivery? I just had to splurge and order a certain dessert."
"Flummery tarts?" She lifted one of her baskets.
"I want to, please?" Mirabelle wagged her tail.
"Luckily I bought extras." Hooded figure happily answered her.
Hoo Hoo happily hopped down onto Mirabelle's shoulder when she whistled. She recalled how to gently stroke his feathers when shown. Got Hoo hood to quietly hoot for her with wings flapping. Which allowed Maverick to walk over to her and their hooded figure.
"Hello there?" Hooded figure's glowing blue eyes greeted him.
A set of gloved hands in long sleeves of a blouse made of lunar moth silk from what Constantine guessed. Cufflinks were imperfect black sapphires polished into apple shape. Reached out to greet him when he jumped from the ground into them. Who caught him and allowed him to happily whine as his three eyes looked right at Hooded figure.
"Would you mind joining us?" Belveder asked Hooded figure, "If you're not too busy?"
"If it doesn't bother your highnesses?" She pointed out Charlie and Constantine, "I don't want to interfere in any existing business?"
"Please?" Mirabelle joined in asking, "Mom! Uncle Constantine! I want Miss. Elanye to stay."
Maverick wasn't any help when he started to make his best puppy eye impression toward Constantine.
8*8
Pulling out blood soaked bandages from both deep inside one's nose after a way mark. Normally bed disgusts anyone they watch him slowly pull cotton fabric one tag. Seemed to excite Mirabelle when she quietly watched him use a pair of tweezers.
"Does it hurt?" Octavia asked with her eyes covered.
"Define hurt." Corbin inquired.
He finally was able to breathe out of one nostril when he completely pulled the neatly rolled gaze out. To start up on the right one with Octavia refusing to uncover her eyes. He was just as careful in removing gaze with Hephzibah and Wasp watched.
"Man," Wasp dew is his own hand to his snout, "That had to hurt."
"Want to live it?" Hephzibah offered, "I'll give you a discount like I gave Monte."
"No thanks." Wasp wasn't up to relive the moment.
Plumping sound of the final bit from his right nostril allowed Corbin to feel sore as he put down the tweezers. Happy scars were going to be left as he flexed his nose with a vengeance.
"Is he done?" Octavia asked everyone.
"You can handle snake skeletons used as decorations or an antler chandelier," Corbin pointed out, "You can't handle the sight of me removing my bandages."
She puffed up her feathers when she uncovered her eyes and was comforted by Cornelius. She accepted as Wywave placed a wooden serving tray full with Semi Automatic tea set. Cups were hand carved from palm wood Zon harvested weeks ago. Wooden dessert tray of three tiers and full of individual mini tarts followed.
"Enjoy." He started the brewing process by pulling away his hand from the automatic tea set.
Herbs and tea leaves for a green tea blend slowly brewed with Corbin presenting Octavia with a gift. Taxidermy rodent doing a pole dancer pose dressed like a strip teaser.
"Cute." She removed the bow.
Wywave ended up pointing out how Corbin inquired about the clerk each day he visited his shop. Not caring about the condition of his nose made him appear when he was out in public. Had Wasp elbowing Hephzibah as Mirabelle was petting Hoo Hoo.