[ORP | House RP] Latchom Kan Villa for BDR

[Aishe]

OOC: Latchom Kan - Found Sun (Romanes)

This is a house RP where a lot of BDR reside, either inside the Villa or on its grounds, within their own vardos (wagon home).

The inspiration for Latchom Kan is Moroccan, walking a line between Bravian style and the Romany style back in Manjipoor, their homeland. Because there is a floor plan, I do not currently intend to do a written tour.

[Mallory]

"Messy, stupid, treat had to so it's making a mess" the cranky, and for once disheveled blonde muttered to herself as she carried the bleeding elk; leaving a trickling crimson trail as she made her way to the line in the snow. She moved faster stepping past the white fluff coating the ground in cold yuck that she was by no means fond of she sighed happily as she crossed into the sun shield that had been cast over the larger part of the gardens. The warmth made her happy and the flowers certainly agreed. The blooms were beautiful and fragrant as always. She loved the gift of magic traded for a glimpse into the future for a local coven member. Betrayal by a witch had made the young vampress wary of the entire gift sect of magic, and it had taken some time to convince her that this magic was good. Now she thanked whatever entity granted that power to the woman who'd helped them. She was a good woman and often helped supply items Mallory needed for her herb collection. Periodically she'd ask someone where Aishe was. She'd worked hard on a nice treat for the hounds and she knew they'd love it. She was determined that they love her too. She'd cleaned the elk, splitting it into two chunks before tying them together so she could carry the awkward shapes more easily. Unfortunately for her when she'd been taking the kill bite the elk had jerked ripping it's own neck open and creating quite a mess on her gown. Normally she'd stop to change but the hounds liked their meat fresh she'd been told. "Phei!? PHEI! Call the hounds! I've got a treat!" she called excitedly as she rounded the corner to the little seating area that was nearest the little fountain.

[Aishe]

Atop the cliffside sat a bubble of brilliant colour in stark contrast to the white world. As waves below crashed onto ice and cliff, bees hummed from within the bubble. It was a garden, vibrant as if it were prime summer. Pinks, purples, yellows, blues, and of course greens - it was all there. Hedges and bushes, a few trees and flowers (everywhere). There was a fountain in the center of the garden, with a few wooden benches spread out throughout the expansive garden. One of those benches was near the fountain, facing the moving display of water. It was there that the Kralisi sat. Dressed rather lightly for the snow around the garden, she wore a loose blouse and skirt, with her shoes having been kicked off at the edge of the bubble upon entry. She was leaning back into the bench with her legs outstretched in front of her when she heard her sister.

Straightening up, Aishe partially turned to respond, "You what?"

Her response was quickly re-asked nonverbally when Mallory came around a large bush. Blinking in surprise, her nose told her that her eyes were seeing true. Then came a laugh.

"What on secfenia have you done? You may have ruined your dress with this one!" The older vampire grinned before pursing her lips together for a shrill whistle. Mere seconds after, two dark clouds swirled up from the shadows around the bushes. The separate entities began to take form, one on either side of Mallory. At full height, the top of their heads reached Mallory's shoulders. Black as the night itself, their bodies were lean and rugged, with large scales covering its back that slowly got smaller as they reached the feet. Their heads were slender and long, coming to a beak like snout, with sharp teeth to boot. Their tails were like whips and could be used as such, but when perfectly happy and comfortable, the tails turn to little puffs of black shadow. It was a cute (to Aishe) feature to the Nether hounds.

Both beasties, Nightly and Greg, were facing Mallory by the time they solidified, creating a good barrier between the sisters.

[Mallory]

Her already slight dropped to sit cross legged on the ground. She began working on her own knots, carefully working to free the knots she'd tied in haste. "The dress can be replaced, besides, maybe someone knows how to get blood out. It's worth it to give these babies a treat!" she looked at the hellhounds with a smile, "Isn't it lovelies! Look what I've brought you." She tossed each half in front of the hounds. "There we go! Auntie Mele got you!" as she looked at them an idea crossed her mind and she shifted her seat to look at her sister. Her mind was racing a mile a minute and the smile on her lips refused to remove itself. She hoped her phei took it as a smile of pleasure at the hounds treat. She would need to approach this question carefully. She decided it was best to start by mentioning the things she'd done lately.

You know I've been helping with the kids in the natsia, and hunting as well. I did finally get the vardo sorted though part of me still feels its tainted. You know how that goes. She nodded in answer of her own statement, then all symblance of a plan flew right out of her mind, I want one! she said with a big eyed look. Please?

[Aishe]

Aishe readjusted on the bench to face her sister better, watching her feed the beasts the treat she brought. The hounds gladly accepted the offer, gobbling it up rather quickly given their size and general eagerness for food. They stood there for a moment after swallowing, staring at Mallory intensely as if to ask where the rest was. Aishe laughed and shook her head, "I think that's all she's got for you, boys."

The Nether hounds were extremely intelligent beings, for being dog-like creatures. (That implied she disliked dogs, but personally, she just preferred cats and knew the true intelligence laid with the little creatures that purred.) Despite being from another world, they always seemed to understand what was being said, regardless of whatever language was used. They could be unruly beasts, especially during mating season - a time that they often disappeared for days to weeks, presumably to their home world. However, overall, they listened well... To her, to Akos, to their offspring. They were a pack and while the hounds would never obey a command they fully were against, being sentient enough to have their own opinions, they did as they were instructed by their pack leader. So, as she informed the pair there was no more food, they reluctantly ceased in their intense staring. Greg laid down beside Mallory, while Nightly wandered to the fountain for a drink of water.

The Kralisi nodded to her little sister's words, following along until Mallory's burst of energy and excitement. Big eyes implored while Aishe looked back in more surprise, trying to understand the request. "You... Want a Nether hound?"

Yes, they were fantastic companions, usually... But they were stubborn and wild, with a strong will of their own. It took many years in the Nether to "tame" and train the pair that Akos and her had found as sickly pups. It was a stressful experience, but she had been a bit desperate for animal companionship in the dark world and persevered through the struggle. It certainly helped having beings of shadows assisting in the efforts - for a long time, Greg and Nightly only respected Akos and the boys, feeling a familiarity to them that they did not share with the vampire. After all, Nisha's descendants were creatures of the Nether themselves. Aishe was a foreigner to the Nether and the monsters that lived there, which had made her a target in the dangerous world. Thankfully, she was stubborn herself and in the end, her efforts won and the beasts came around to her. Now, they were rather bonded to her, though she knew they would listen to her wife or sons over her if given the choice.

"It's not exactly a puppy." Aishe gave Nightly's muzzle a scratch when he approached, sitting at her feet. "Maybe we should start with a puppy. They listen better, less temperamental... You did not witness the struggle it was to get these two to where we are today. You've only seen the results of years of work."

[Mallory]

She bit back her initial childish outburst and made herself listen and think about her answer, something she'd been working on. She reached a hand down and idly petted the netherhound by her. Her smile perked up a little at the name, Greg. who'd have thought of that one but Akos. Finally she exhaled, a habit left from her human days, Phei, I can't imagine how hard it was, but normal puppies, they won't stand up to playing roughly, and the running through the woods. They also aren't...well fond of me. Most animals I've found don't love predators. And like it or not I am one. She let her thoughts settle a bit longer, still petting the hound.

She tried to make some organized sense of her thoughts and make them make sense in spoken form. She looked down and bitterly smiled, I didn't realize how accustomed I'd gotten to company while married. Having someone, having companionship, it's different now that I'm alone again. And don't think I don't appreciate the children, but that still doesn't change the fact that I hunt alone, travel alone, sleep alone, think alone, eat alone. I never realized how alone I was in a crowd of people until I wasn't. And I was thinking the other night, trying to think of something or someone that could keep up with me, that could be part of my life too. And the boys dawned on me. They're strong, and smart, and spirited, and fast, and durable. She shrugged and expressive move this time indicating that her words were fleeting.

She stopped trying to force words and order them into some level of sense and just looked around her. She had always loved the gardens and the life there, the colors, the beauty, but she was learning, as she grew up perhaps, that even in winter there was beauty in things. In the thorns that protected the vines while the flowers rested. Maybe her life was just in winter? But she was growing weary of fighting to be happy all the time. She just wasn't that girl anymore and maybe with a new family member she would learn to accept the new her to and stop clinging to her life and the assimilation of the human she'd been in the past. She turned her introspection out and looked at her Phei, while her mind knew she was her Kralisi, her Queen, she still saw her first as Phei, sister. She was confident if anyone understood what she was trying to convey it would be Aishe. Sometimes her words just didn't come out the way she wanted, but emotions? Those she never lacked. No one would ever convince the young blonde of being cold and emotionless. Cold maybe, but never emotionless.

[Aishe]

Mallory's words made sense to the older blonde. After all, she had suffered her own similar pain. The pair of them had gone through quite a bit of loss in the past few years. Their lives had been completely upturned, losing people who held their still-hearts in their hands. It was loss that the sisters had handled very differently. While Mallory felt stuck in lonesomeness, Aishe had actively sought it out. She had intentionally fled the realm to the Nether in search of it. She had needed it, desperately, and abandoned all else to find it. Perhaps one the biggest differences was that, even though Zuan had ripped her heart out and tore it to shreds, she still was not alone when the dust settled. She had Akos: her wife, her soulmate, her best friend. In the beginning, she could not handle the support and needed time - three years of Nether time specifically. When she returned though, she still was not alone. While there were things to work out, like the hurt of abandonment, Akos was still there at her side. She always was. Hell and back, time and again, they came out stronger for it. So, while she did hold understanding of the situation, she supposed she couldn't entirely put herself in Mallory's shoes because she was never truly alone, even if she had sought it, wanted it, needed it.

There was also the difference of how the loss came to be. Death verses betrayal... Both out of their hands, both dealt so suddenly, and yet starkly different. One of those two was an active choice. In her eyes, one of those two was worse. An individual can accept and heal after Death took someone they loved. It required time, of course, but it was possible. She was not sure how one could ever really recover from the level of betrayal that partook in the Imperian Castle that day. All the broken promises, vows, dreams... Ripped from her so forcefully. She (and Akos) had truly been stabbed in the back, twice over, and the wound was still gaping two years later. Death was a natural part of life, sad of course, but to be expected. Betrayal, particularly by one so close and to the degree that had transpired, that was not so easily accepted. Two situations of such searing, deep pain, but different enough that Aishe could only sympathize, not fully empathize.

The queen looked over her sister in a moment of silence, considering what she had said. It did, indeed, make sense. Mallory had, all in all, handled her situation well (much better than Aishe had handled hers). To see so clearly the pain that remained caused her lips to purse in a delicate frown. Was this a sign she was failing as a sister? Was she there enough for Mallory to lean on? Aishe was a particularly busy woman: ignoring the fact she had gotten back into Bravian politics, she had the Boreens Durri to look after and assisted the young Kralisi of the Zoralo Natsia in her governing as well, who had decided to make a more long term stay alongside their sister nation. And that as ignoring the fact she had an army of children she was an active participant in raising, or two wards, or even her involvement with her grandchildren. Her life had always been about finding balance between too many things and while she had found it in Fenia, perhaps she still had yet to find that perfect balance in the Republic. How could she do more to aid the woman she felt responsible for?

"Alright," she finally said. "I'll speak to Akos and see if she can find you a hound pup. I can't make any promises - on finding one, or the success you'll have with one if we do find a pup. But, the least I can do is try."

[Mallory]

She fought her usual broad grin as Aishe spoke, not wanting the drying blood ok her skin to crack against her lips, a feeling she hadn't yet grown accustomed to, perhaps, after all this time she wouldn't. She tilted her head, "I'm not sure why they stuck in my mind when I began thinking of finding a companion. I guess some part of me is afraid I'll loose someone else? Or that they'll choose to walk away when the wander takes me and i uproot to travel. I'm not sure I could do that again. So my mind found other. If you think of another creature I'm not likely to exhaust to death or want to eat I'm open. she nodded at her thoughts. She looked at Aishe then, eyes scanning her face. She didnt know how the other would answer, and she knew it was selfish to lay her thoughts on her, but who else, if not her phei? She waited for a response to the somewhat jumbled thoughts then realized she should verbalize them or the conversation might make less sense. But no spouse, no children of my own, always someone else's.
It eventually began to eat at me. I may travel a bit, soon. Just see things. Maybe sow discord in a few places that need it. she smirked and winked, wanting to dispel some of the worry she saw in her sister's eyes. She was okay. Just...lonely.