Mature: Desert Moon

[Emora Deen]

Tenele wanted to object to him taking on more work, since though he was home... it didn't feel like he was home. Instead she nodded. "Okay," she replied, forcing a smile. "Try not to get anything that will take you too far away, if it can be helped."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad looked back at her warmly. "You know she won't give me anything on location outside of Lowight, or anything dangerous. I've never been so coddled. Instead, I'm up to my neck in administrative assignments."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled. "I like it that way," she replied, folding her arms. "I get to have my husband at night and she gets to have her bad cop by day. Alright, get going so you can catch her between meetings. I'm going to..."

What was she going to do? Retirement was boring.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled at her. "Would you like to spend the evening in the city? It's a festival night downtown."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele's smile brightened. "Oh, I'd love that," she replied. "I'm sure Sinead or Talon wouldn't mind watching Tenara for us..." Hoping he meant for them to spend it together.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad beamed. "I'm not sure what makes me happier - the thought of a night out with you alone, the idea of the queen of the realm acting as our personal sitter, or the fact that your brother can actually be trusted with Tenara now."

[Emora Deen]

"Let us be happy about all three then," she replied. "Our daughter is the safest child in all of Ighten. I look forward to our date tonight." It had been a while since the two of them had been out together alone, so Tenele immediately began to mentally fret about what she would wear for him. She stood up and began pushing on his shoulders. "Okay, go. Don't forget to ask Sinead to babysit."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked. "I won't. Perhaps I'll ask Talon as well, without telling either about the other, and enjoy the stories later." Sinead was still rather awkward at dealing with her adoptive-son-turned-bloodsucker, even if she'd dropped the animosity she showed him initially.

He raised his hand in a casual farewell as he left and shut the door behind him. He'd been too busy lately, and he knew it. It wasn't fair to his family. He was so pleased to finally have one, and determined not to take it for granted.

The vampire paused at the large ledger-book of open goals for the week, which sat on a pedestal just outside Sinead's council room. The guards eyed him warily as he thumbed through it. He was not a popular person in the courts right now, but he was among the most productive, and no one could deny his results over the past weeks Rather than ridicule him, the royal council and associated nobles had simply begun offering him a wide berth and trying their best to pretend he didn't exist.

Vlad was content enough to ignore them right back. He spotted something in the ledger and thumped it shut before walking confidently past the silent guards. Since they didn't stop him, that meant the Queen was available for conversation. Perfect, he thought as he strode gracefully across the giant hall. As usual, Sinead was not in her throne, but sitting at a small marble table next to a cathedral-sized window. The afternoon sunlight poured across her hair and the papers she was studying.

"My Queen," he addressed from a good distance away. It was all too easy to startle her if he got close enough, but such was not his plan today.

Sinead raised her head and looked him up and down. "Vladimir," she greeted formally. Her eyes sparkled with something her face held back. Worry.

Vlad despised that look. He'd been the recipient of it ever since the day she hauled him back, half-conscious, from Maxwell's citadel.

With a composed nod, he gave a cordial bow. "I was reviewing the ledger," he began. "I noticed-"

"You can not have it." The queen set her quill down and met his gaze firmly.

"With all due respect, I am more than capable of babysitting a diplomat."

"That is a questionable statement, and you know it's not the reason you can't have it."

"You don't want me to take it because I would serve as a bodyguard." Vlad's voice was flat and cold.

"Yes. As qualified as you are, you have a child to raise. Is it so difficult to stay out of action for a few years?"

"It is hardly a dangerous role. It is here within the city. I served as diplomatic functionary in Hajara's court for three-"

"No, Vlad. Stop asking."

The vampire rolled his eyes. "Whatever you like, then. What can I have?"

"Nothing." The queen studied his infuriated gaze and seemed unmoved. "Take a vacation, Vlad."

The vampire snarled at nothing in particular. "You have to be joking."

"I think you're procrastinating, and I'm not enabling you any more."

Vlad's eyes widened in rage. "You can't possibly think-"

"Not your work, Vlad. You're putting off something else. Go deal with it, then see me."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he snarled.

"How long since you attended any of our strategy meetings for Hajara?" The queen asked pointedly. "How long since you started taking the longest route to my councilroom, rather than passing the chapel?"

He just stared at her. Those worried blue eyes again. He faltered under their weight. "Please, just let me do my job," he almost whispered.

She actually did look sorry then. "No."

The finality of her voice left them standing in awkward silence.

"Is there anything else, Vladimir?"

He tried to calm his anger enough to remember what he had to talk to her about. He hated being pitied. And even if he knew now why she hadn't come for him herself, something wouldn't let him forgive her for it.

"Tenara will require a teacher."

Sinead was quiet for a moment. "I've heard rumors."

"They are true," the vampire looked at her. "Will you?"

He caught a flash of happiness in her expression, quickly subdued by formality. "Yes. When time allows. Bring her tomorrow after court."

"That is-" he broke off awkwardly. "That is past her bedtime, Queeny."

She laughed musically. "Alright. Lunch, then."

Vlad nodded. "She also needs a babysitter tonight." He glanced at her with a tense smirk.

"I'm afraid I can't. I'll be dining with my planning committee to discuss the emissary." She studied him, and as an afterthought, said "I'm sure Tenara would be better company though."

"She would," Vlad admitted. "I will ask Talon."

She looked uncertain, but nodded.

"Pick someone good."

Sinead raised her brows.

"The diplomat isn't the only one who needs to be guarded when an emissary is in port," the vampire said, frustration leaking into his voice despite his effort to contain it. He raised a hand in cordial farewell and turned, leaving her with her papers.

The queen smirked at his back as he departed. They'd been on awful terms lately, but... Worried about me, Lord Dracul? she thought with a trickle of fondness.

[Emora Deen]

Talon thumbed the alchemy book he was re-reading for the thousandth time. If he was immortal he was defintely going to need to expand his library, and jump into some new genres. The room was dark, the curtains drawn closed to hide the midday sun. The only source of light were the short, fat candles cluttering his desk in Vlad's old tower.

"I need a hobby," the young vampire muttered. He looked off to the book he'd walked away from, for sanity's sake. It lay folded over itself near the corner. It would probably stay there too if he didn't gather the courage to delve back into it. So, instead he kept reading the information he already knew.

[Soran Nightblade]

It was several minutes later when two strong knocks came at the door. Vlad leaned his forehead lightly against the frame outside. "Hope you're wearing panties," he called.

[Emora Deen]

Talon glanced up at the door. "Well, damn, I just took them off," he muttered as he glanced down to his brown trousers. "You'll just have to settle for pants."

The vampire got up and went to the door, slinging it open. "You aren't coming to claim your room again are you? I just got everything moved in and I'm quite comfortable now."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked and strolled inside. "I'm glad it's found a good tenant." He observed the familiar walls. "Now you'll never know if I'm here to see the tower, or you." He turned a teasing grin to his blood. His eye caught on a book lying in the corner. "What have you been reading?" he asked idly, bending to investigate it.

[Emora Deen]

Talon would have lied. But, he couldn't. Vlad asked a question, and Talon had to answer. "Teleportation... I'm trying to learn how I can do it. Its frustrating. I promised Sho I'd visit her, and then... we never went back to Hajara. I don't want to break my promise to her."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad blinked. It really should have occurred to him that Talon would want to learn similar powers at some point, but for some reason it hadn't. "That is among the roughest skills to pick up," he noted, not necessarily disapproving. "It's not that it takes a whole lot of power, for small jumps anyway. But when it's botched, it royally messes you up. Practice is pretty harrowing. Getting all of you to end up in the same place, with no do overs. You should really learn conscious regeneration first."

[Emora Deen]

Talon nodded, taking the book and placing it on the desk. "I was only researching. I hadn't planned to experiment just yet. I feel a little more discouraged now. I can barely manage being a regular vampire, but throwing teleportation in... And what if I burn too much energy and lose control of my hunger? The last thing I want to do is wake up to realize I've drained a ten year old dry." The young vampire shook his head fiercely as he settled into his chair. "So, to what do I owe the honor of your presence?"