Trouble in Paradise

[Soran Nightblade]

“King Dracul. King Dracul!” the whispered plea pulled his face up from the overstuffed satin pillow where it had been buried. Vlad glanced to the door and studied the manservant’s politely disapproving face. “You instructed me under no circumstances to allow you to be late for court this morning… do you remember?” the boy almost begged from the doorway.

Vlad rolled to his left, and paused as his left arm caught under him. He wormed onto his stomach so he could prop himself up and study his wrist. A black metal cuff gleamed lovingly up at him. A few raised red marks on his inner arm hinted that his neck probably looked worse. Tenele and Atul had been…quite thorough the night before. He threw the bond a rueful smirk. He forgot to release it. I’m going to pound him for this. No wonder he felt so human-groggy.

The vampire glanced at the dresser across the room and noted the small black key next to Atul’s cologne. “Bring me that,” he sighed.

The boy look confused. The king usually got things himself when he could. But then he blushed purple and scooted the key over to Vlad. “Good. No gossip,” the vampire’s smile had too many teeth. The servant complied with a gushing bow and fled, stifling laughter.

Ten minutes later, Vlad strolled into the main court hall, dressed finely and exactly in bright red and gold. Three thrones stood at the head of the hall, but only Tenele was there. Atul, of course, had left at dawn for his visit to Katar, the village just south of the capital. He met his wife’s eyes as he entered. A king did not apologize for being late, but Vlad didn’t flaunt his tardiness either. He cast the line of appealers a nod of acknowledgement as he glided to the end of the room and perched in the throne next to Tenele’s.

“For some reason, I was slow to rise,” he murmured into his wife’s ear while trying to catch up with the long explanation of the two gentlemen currently arguing their appeal to them and the court seated before them.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele's cheeks hurt from withholding the wicked grin she was eager to show him. She tilted her head in his direction. "Oh?" she inquired, keeping her gaze on the ones addressing her. "How unfortunate. Perhaps you shouldn't taunt so easily?"

"... but his family said they'd pay me three silvers for the guineas and I've yet to be paid!" shouted the man addressing them. He pointed accusingly at the thin man next to him. "I demand that his daughter wed my son or that he be locked away until the debt is paid."

Tenele's attention drew back to the man, a little disappointed that she could not pick at her husband any longer. She felt a bit of anger well in her at the man's demand of the farmer's daughter. Even though they'd outlawed such barbaric acts like forced marriage and slavery, it still was prevalent in smaller villages and the outskirts of the kingdom.

"I can tell you that his daughter will do no such thing. As for how the matter will be dealt with... What do you think King-Soul?" she asked Vlad.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad frowned. These issues were common enough, and never failed to annoy him. "Where was your city council in this matter? Why bring such a thing to the capitol court, to us?"

"I didn't come to address you," the plaintiff snarled. "I came to address the Light of Attara."

Vlad raised a brow. "Do you expect her response to differ? This is a matter for your local governor.

The man gave a spiteful laugh. "The local council is too divided to function, while you sit here and feel off the blood of your people and I am OUT THREE CHICKENS TO THIS VAGRANT AND WHO THE HELL IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?"

[Emora Deen]

Tenele let out an exasperated sigh. For two years she'd been the Queen of Hajara, and Vlad had been Atul's King-Soul, sharing dual kingship with him. It seemed with each passing year the people of Hajara grew more distrustful of the inhuman side of their leadership. More and more converts to Thar meant more hatred towards the demonic nature of their kingship. This was the first time, in open, that someone had publicly expressed that distrust. Tenele didn't think it would be the last, which is why she had begun to push her presence upon the Crown Diocese of the kingdom. She'd attended more of his palace sermons, though she hadn't the stomach for religion after all that had happened with her mother and Verin. He held private dinners and meetings, and she endured them though they bored her to tears and seemed to have no real meaning other than to entertain her company, and she did it only to hold his favor. If he turned against the crown, she dared not think of what something like that would cost them. Hajara could not afford another civil or religious war.

She motioned to the servant tucked just behind them. He stepped up quickly and bowed so that she could whisper to him. He reached to a bag tied to his belt and placed the contents in her hand. "I'll settle this."

The queen rose slowly from her chair, eased down the short stairs, and walked dutifully to the two men. "Hold out your hand, sir." When he did she rested her hand in his, depositing three silver coins. "You have spoken out of turn and insulted your king. I want you to understand the severity of this, and know that if he were half as cruel as you imagine him to be, he would have eaten you for such words. But, we are not the same regime that Verin enforced, and we understand mercy. We understand that sometimes emotions get the better of us, and that we speak with passion when hurt. I choose to see your words as anger, and not hate. Therefor, I will pay the debt of this man to prove that we are rulers of compassion. However, I do not want to see you in this chamber again unless it is a matter of grave importance. Settle your debts with the small council. If it appears that they cannot do their job, report them, and we will insure that a new council is established with ability to do their jobs unflinchingly."

Tenele turned to the other man. "Do not make agreements you cannot fulfill. Pay your debts. The court will not show you this kindness again."

She turned from them to ascend back to her throne. "Go."

[Soran Nightblade]

It was a long, boring day at court. Normally, Vlad could sit back, his attention perking only for issues that brushed up against national security. With Atul on his trip, the vampire was forced to actually focus on the banal domestic conflicts that rolled through. He didn't have much reaction to the anti-Verin sentiment that leaked through here and there. He was accustomed to such attitudes from his life in Ighten, and had never paid enough attention to them to notice if they were on the rise or on the fall with popular opinion.

It was a relief when court was finished. As usual, the finish was punctuated by a playful knock at the throneroom doors. A guard opened the heavy gate and Tenara came bounding in like a clumsy rabbit, all legs and smiles. She was in a huge growth spurt and more adorable than ever, much to the delight of pretty much everyone in the capitol. She ran at them full speed and flung herself into the air.

Sensing her trajectory, Vlad dropped to a knee in front of his chair, held out his arms, and telekinetically broke her fall as she tumbled into his arms. He enjoyed how trusting she was of his catching skills, although one of these days, he was sure he'd be distracted and she'd end up face first in a carpet.

"It's raining snacks," he chortled, ruffling up her hair.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele laughed, running her hand over Tenara's hair and smoothing it out after Vlad ruffled it. "So it appears," she smiled. "How were your studies?"

"Boring," Tenara muttered. She was too young to really like studies, but most of council insisted that the Princess of Hajara have some lessons on Hajaran etiquette and history. Tenele was pretty sure she was still too young to really appreciate any history lessons they gave her.

"We're finished for today, do you want to go to dinner?"

Tenara nodded. "Daddy also promised to take me hunting."

Tenele paused just as she was standing. "What?" Her eyes narrowed on Vlad. Tenara giggled wildly.

[Soran Nightblade]

The vampire cast a smirk at his wife. "I figured it would be good for her education, and Atul would never allow it while he was in town," he played along. "Of course, she won't need to do the hunting. I was just going to use her as bait."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele's green eyes widened. She opened her mouth to scold her husband, but then caught sight of Tenara snickering behind her hand as she twined her fingers in her father's tunic. "You two...."

Tenara burst into giggles and skipped down flung herself into her mother's lap. "I'm good bait mommy!"

Tenele wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter and pressed a kiss to the top of her silver hair. "Yes, you are, which is exactly why you won't be any bait ever. You'll get gobbled up." Tenele pretended to bite her daughter's neck, the child squirming and giggling until she escaped and crawled back into Vlad's lap.

Tenele looked out over the room and spotted the guards laughing at their posts and smiling in their direction. It was nice to know that they cared about her family.

"Well, I can't eat too much. I'm supposed to also have dinner with the Crown Diocese tonight." She frowned at her feet. "I'm sure it will be just as thrilling as last week, but never the less I should probably attempt to feign hunger."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad rolled his eyes like a teenager. "I see no reason to cater to him so." He turned toward his wife. "Besides, I've learned something new."

Atul had been teaching the vampire to cook. Every few weeks, he'd been experimenting with another recipe. He was on week three of beef stroganof. Weeks one and two hadn't gone well.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled at him. She knew that Vlad didn't see the Crown Diocese as a threat, but she was more concerned with his influence on the people and what he might say. She also knew that her catering to him did give him more leverage than she liked...

"You're right. Okay, let's have dinner. I'm eager to try what you've learned." She stood and kissed his cheek and then the top of Tenara's head. "Let's get dinner. The crown Diocese can forgive me."

[Soran Nightblade]

A half hour later, the three were relaxing around a table in the corner of the palace kitchens the head chef had permitted them to experiment in, nice and far away from the rest of the food.

Vlad served out a small portion of his concoction and split it between his wife and daughter, then put a small amount on a plate for himself. It was a little tradition he enjoyed ever since their first trip to Atul's beach cabin; eating with them, even if it was pointless.

"Alright, bottoms up," he announced proudly.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele gave Tenara a pointed look with a quirk of her lips and they both took a bite at the same time. Tenele chewed and swallowed. "That was much better than last time!" Tenele said, and smiled. "Not that last time wasn't good. This is just... tasty....er."

Tenara hummed while she ate, as she always did. It was an adorable sound that lulled Tenele's nerves about standing up Harim Abesh for their weekly dinner and discussion.

"Do you want seconds?" Tenele asked Tenara, who shook her head wildly. "I guess it is a hit, Vlad!"