Against the Jade Empire IC

[Pockets]

Jade noticed Callistan and the other flinging grapes and sighed. This was going to get ugly. When Albajo approached Marisa with a hand raised she rose slightly from her sitting position on one of the large cushions with a low growl in her throat.

When Callistan started choking she rose the rest of her way to her feet and made to start across the room ti help Shea in saving the Knight Princesses life.

However when the grape flew across the room and lodged itself quite perfectly between her breasts she let out a rather high pitched shriek and jumped a half a foot into the air. Her wings snapped open instinctively in her surprise and a heavy gust of wind blew through the room knocking over goblet and sending platters of food sliding off the table as she scramble to remove the offending piece of fruit from within her shirt.

As she finally got it out she raised the grape in one hand and glared balefully at it for a moment until Callistan threatened its existence.

"Sorry, Red," she said, using Sheas' pet name for the princess. "But this one spent time between my breasts, that makes it mine." With that she popped it into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

A moment later there was a flash of purple light and a silent clap of thunder a concussive force that tingled over Jades skin and even made her teeth itch.

A low voice growled from the doorway leading out onto the walkway. "What was that about my wifes breasts?"

Jade turned to look and there, in the doorway stood a man, easily six feet tall and half that wide across the shoulders. His black shirt stretched tightly across his broad chest, heavily muscled arms gleamed a deep tan in the mid morning light and the black blindfold across his eyes did nothing to hide the obviously disapproving glare he was giving the room.

The right sleeve of his shirt was torn off at the shoulder and a black tattoo of a long sinuous dragon could be seen wrapping around his arm from his shoulder all the way down until its head rested on the back of his right hand. He wore black pants tucked into a pair of black boots and a long black cloak lay drapped over his left arm. A sword with a black hilt hung from a sheathe at his waist but he appeared to carry no other weapons. Oddly enough sitting on his left shoulder, tail curled about his neck was a small black cat, vibrant green eyes calmly observing the room.

Jade smiled. "Good morning, my heart," she said. A moment later her smile became a truly evil smirk. "I was just explaining to Callistan here how Shea," she pointed to Shea, "tossed a grape down the front of ny shirt. She wanted the grape but since it was in between MY breasts I claimed it."

Technically it was true. Shea smacking Callistans' back was what caused her to spit the grape across the room and thus, down her shirt. She smiled innocently at her large husband.

[Orion86]

Shea watched as Callistan spat the grape across the room. Then he smiled when he saw the grape land perfectly between Jade's breasts. He couldn't have planned it better himself but then his face sank when he saw the bear enter the room. He was not a tall man but he was as broad as he was tall, and it looked to all be thick corded muscles. Then Jade insinuated that Shea had thrown the grape himself and his heart sank as well. Callistan was right, the grape was going to have a destiny and it was going to be his doom. Jade's husband did not look like he was the sort of man that would take things in good humour. Shea had been in this situation before with husbands and father chasing him out of their wives and daughters rooms; but it had never been men that looked like they could have snapped him like a twig. Shea was not a weak man but he was lithe and flexible, Jade's husband looked like a rock come to life. Shea started to move around the room, positioning himself so that he could bolt for a window if need be,

"Well you see the thing is that we, that is Callistan and I, were just messing around. A grape may have been thrown, that grape may have landed in her throat and then that grape somehow managed to find its way between your wifes' tits, I mean bangers, I mean breasts. Oh Bother" Things were not looking good for Shea and he just hoped that he could either make it for the window or that her husband would see the funny side of this.

[Affili]

In all the confusion Cedric had moved toward Callistan to help out if need be but Shea's thumping had proven suffice. He humorously smiled as he stepped backwards and to the side, when Jade pointed at Shea to make absolutely certain, there was no mistaken identity, before taking in the formidable figure at the doorway.

He could not help himself as his smile broadened at Shea's feeble attempt for an explanation and watched him in amusement as he inched closer to a window.

He glanced at Albajo and Smiled at his Mishappened Dance posture before shaking his head and sighing.
"Lady Marisa, I'm sure it was never Albajo's intention to harm you, please don't stab him."
Albajo did indeed seem to be a Shadow Walker, but so far, had not done anything to cause alarm to Cedric personally and he rebuked himself for his initial reaction to Albajo. Considering that he had saved his life, perhaps there was hope for this one and he could only speculate as to how he had acquired his weapon in the Void.

He looked at Shea again and chuckled to himself. Ultimately, he was the ring leader of all the antics that had just taken place, but he did fear for the man's life for a moment.

'So this is the legendary Rhyven? A myth, a ghost, some say he's been dead quite sometime.' Rhyven had seemed to vanish from existence; even the Order had limited Intelligence on his current affairs.

Cedric glimpsed at Rhyven but was unsure if the legend could even see him as he inspected him
“I’ve seen enough death and suffering for a day” he paused briefly and smiled as he mused…”not to mention Lady Callistan’s brush with it just now so if you must, kill him quickly and painlessly will you?” he concluded with a smile. He did not expect any severe consequences for Shea’s Antics, but then again..Who really knew?

[Pockets]

Rhyven was silent for a time glaring balefully at the stuttering Shea. A moment later he snorted, then barked out a laugh. "Quite the trouble maker this morning aren't we?" He asked Jade as the stepped into the room and gave his wife a quick kiss and an embrace.

"Oh sit down and relax," he said waving one hand at Shea. "Believe me, I know my wife. Id be willing to bet some if not all of you have seen her naked by now. She really doesn't have any sense of modesty... or shame."

Jade pouted, lower lip sticking out quite comically. "Spoilsport, " she grumbled. "You couldn't HG's just scared him a little? Flashed some lightning or something?"

"Jade," he said. "Be nice honey." As he walked across the room he passed by Marisa squaring off against the gray clad Alabjo and in one smooth motion scooped her up and bodily tossed her over his shoulder. "Love the new dress Mar," he said as he gave her a swift smack on her rear. "No killing at the breakfast table, your cousin is becoming a bad influence on you." Jade stuck her tongue out at him.

Without even looking in her direction Rhyven spoke up. "Don't stick that out unless you intend to use it my love," he drawled.

[Swanmarkedblade]

Marisa put her Aga'Toh away. Rhyven had picked her up, and she was still not in the mood for that. So, she slid from his grasp, unhappy but unharmed. Her gown flashed very brightly, almost blinding several of them. "For your information, I was not about to kill him."

Marisa stared at Rhyven for several seconds, before bowing her head to the ground as her gown flashed brightly. A ball of light appeared above her, flashing brightly like white molten steel in the furnace, blinding everyone else in the room before disappearing.

[Lillian Thorne]

Callistan cleared her throat again and took in the big man, impressive. It seemed that Jade had good taste in addition to a sense of humor Callistan could relate too. She wasn’t certain if the fun was over or just about to begin with the arrival of this man. Either way things weren’t about to be boring and if Callistan had to be away from her brother and go on some cocamamie quest the least they could do was keep her entertained.

She grinned at Shea as he not so nonchalantly looked for an escape and was just about to come to his aid, he had saved her life after all, when the big man, Rhyven spoke dispelling the tension in the room without shattering the lingering humor. She approved. She pointed at Shea, catching his attention and mouthed, “Not over yet Mercenary.” Before sitting down and picking up a handful of grapes as if she hadn’t just nearly died from one of them. She popped one in her mouth and bit down on it, letting the explosion of flavor clear away the lingering taste of fear still upon her tongue. Her tone when she spoke was that of a courtier polished and smooth while the look on her face was rife with good humor and mischief.

“a pleasure to meet you Rhyven, we’ve heard so little about you from your nudist wife. I am Callistan, personal body guard to the King of Calendore and former bearer of the Grape of Destiny. I would suggest you keep your eyes on your wife. As she has eaten said grape, there is no knowing what sorts of effects it will have upon her.”

She settled back into her chair and her mind skipped over the conversation before she'd gotten so distracted with the grape war. Something tickled at her, something of interest and possible mischief. Then like a snap it was back to her. She looked at Jade, so happy to throw Shea to the wolves with a slight twist of words so Callistan felt no remorse when she did the same, feigning misunderstanding.

"So why on earth would you let a man rape you six times and then settle for only killing him once?"

[Orion86]

Shea relaxed when Rhyven started to laugh. It seemed that an immediate disaster was averted and that he would keeping possesion of all of his limbs. Now that all of the action was over he moved back over to his seat, picking up a large mug of ale on the way, he needed a stiff drink. He looked over to Callistan and saw that she meant to carry on their little game. It seemed that she wasn't fazed by her little brush with death. He supposed that nearly dying was not really something that bothered a body guard as they were always in a position of great danger. It was a benefit of being a mercenary that you were usually lucky enough to know who your enemies where, there were even rules on the matter. Matching her he picked up another couple of grapes and readied them in his palm.

He smiled when Rhyven mentioned Jade naked again and he turned his wolfish smile onto Callistan, he had not left her eye line since he had sat down. Then Callistan threw out both a reasonable question and an out right challenge to Jade. Shea wa not looking forward to what was going to happen next. With that question hanging in the air he decided to hold back on firing his next salvo. He wanted to be sure that there was still someone in the seat when he fired it across the room at her.

[Pockets]

Rhyven roared out a laugh and in his mirth missed dodging a swift punch to the shoulder from his wife. He co tinker to chuckle as he sank onto one of the heavy cushions and looked across the table at Callistan. "Nudist wife indeed. Oh don't get your feathers in a ruffle," he said to Jade. Indeed the feathers of her wings were standing out slightly like a cats fur when angry. "You have to admit that was funny."

As his laughter subsided he straightened up and looked back to Callistan. "Its a pleasure to meet you Callistan," he said. "I met your brother a few years back. Good man and a better King I've never met. My name is Rhyven Donough and I understand you guys are in need of some information. Jade could we get it a little darker in here?" He asked.

Jade nodded, still glaring grumpily at her husband and motioned to several of the Nethlim woman. Within minutes the door was covered by a heavy cloth and two small lanterns were lit casting the room into much dimmer light. The lanterns were hung high from the ceiling and behind Rhyven as he reached up and pulled off his blindfold revealing eyes of a solid black. No whites or irises, just two deep pools of darkness.

"Thank you, my love. That blindfold was really getting irritating. So!" He clapped his hands sharply. "What's the story?"

Jade looked to Callistan as she took a seat near Rhyven. "Alernon didn't rape ne six times," she growled. "He tried to once. I have killed him six times. Three times I removed his head but he came back days or weeks later. We've no idea how or what is going on with him but we are certain that it is always the same man."

Rhyven scowled. "Alernon was here? Why? The Empire should have no reason to be here anymore."

"Where have you been recently?"

"I've been on tell Drat'Al paths for the last week. You Muriner is in chaos I've been tryingnto help the Gurrels. Right now the Urrels and the Cherubim have been making a nuisance of themselves."

[Orion86]

Shea listened intently at what Jade had to say to Callistan's comment. It seemed that she was angry but Jade seemed calmer now that her husband had come to join them. He hadn't know her very long but he had never really imagined her married, and she didn't seem to be in the dominant position in the relationship. That was most interesting because it meant that Jade was really human and that he didn't have to worry to much about becoming a monster. Then he picked up on the name and remember the man that had disappeared. He had not connected the dots he didn't believe that a man that he had killed four days before could come back to attack him. Shea stood up and spoke, letting his voice fill the space,

"I met this Alrenon four days ago on a road in Justrim. I thought that I had killed him, it seems that removing a man's head from his shoulder is curable now. I didn't mention anything at the time because I belived that he would be laying in a ditch somewhere..." He turned to Rhyven it seemed that he should introduce himself, it only seemed proper as he had seen his wife naked.

"...I am Shea Allanon, Captain Commander of the Sacred Knights. I was returning to our camp when me and a companion where attacked. If he is here now then it seems that he also can travel great distances incredibly quickly." Shea stayed standing and stared at Jade and Rhyven. He sipped at the ale in his mug and waited for their response.

[Pockets]

Rhyven sighed, turning his disturbing eyes to Shea. "So that makes seven times that we know of that he's died now. No one said though. Why is he here? When half of Jades Crystal was lost they said they couldn't perform their Rite they were attempting and left. Why would they return now?" As he spoke he reached for a mug of spiced wine and sipped thoughtfully, moving from person to person around the room.

"Why did you give me this?" Sven asked, looking up from his little notebook for the first time in a while. He lifted his right hand to show the gleaming metal and leather gauntlet and more specifically the dimly glowing blue stone set in the back.

Rhyven frowned. "I wouldn't know," he said. "I honestly can't say that I've ever met you."

"We met in Treyn yesterday. You were standing out in the rain and you gave me this in a cloth wrapped bundle. I would never forget those eyes."

Rhyven and Jade exchanged looks. "Another mystery it seems. Im positive I've been in the Shadow Realm for the last week straight. Civil war is coming and im trying to limit the damage. I would just try to wipe out the Urrels and Cherubim but Tsun would carve out my tripes."