Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I am of the opinion that it is attached to personality as well," Lunise said while handing out tea cups. "I have noticed children and less outspoken adults in the Silent City take on smaller forms. Though it is only an opinion -- I cannot prove it."

Lunise sat back with her tea cup in both hands. After taking a sip, she regarded Nytala's nervous look. "However, do not be fooled by just size. I am sure you are aware exactly what Meesei's full control entails. Other lycans follow instinct. Meesei is the safest werewolf you are ever likely to interact with. Speak in terms of temper, of course."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise smiled wider at Meesei's affection, narrowing one eye and bringing a hand up to straighten freshly her ruffled hair. "I am unsure I have a simple answer to that question," Lunise murmured under the Nytala's rummaging. "What little I remember from before she left was caring, albeit...busy, distracted." With her hair more or less fixed, Lunise looked ahead and reached up around Meesei's head to stroke over her ear. "Perhaps this is coloured by the way my father and I interacted after she left, but she has been remarkably more accepting than I had expected. I could even call it motherly, though that begs the question of what I had predicted in the first place."

As she leant her head against Meesei's torso, Lunise grew even quieter. So deliberately whisper quiet that Meesei had to strain to hear her. "But her absence in the past is still there. Nothing can change that."

Lunise did not hold onto her negativity for longer than a short pause. She began pouring cups of tea while Nytala continued her search.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise was on her way back to the table with a ready tea set when she answered. "It shall not bother me, but if there is one thing I have not grown used to it is Meesei's table manners whilst transformed." She smiled at Meesei as she took up the tea pot to heat in her hands with a spell. "You may claim your snout is no good for sipping tea or wine, but lapping it up like a dog hardly shows decorum, my dear."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise hesitated on her way to finding a pot, cups, tea, and water. "Really? We may have imposed enough on Zyausak by now." She continued anyway. "Though, I will believe you."

While the reason may not have been immediately obvious, Nytala's question ended with a stack of saucers accidentally slipping from Lunise's fingers when she tried to pick them up. She managed to wrap her other hand around them before any could fall and break, though she was grateful for being faced away from Nytala. Her face was burning bright red from the memory of the morning she had shared with Meesei.

"Oh, it does, to an extent," Lunise answered reassuringly. "Meesei, you know it better than I. Mother should be asking you."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise reached to take Meesei's hand as soon as she noticed the movement. "As much as I am heartened by your research, mother, I must agree with Meesei. If other, less time consuming contributions could be made -- a sample of fluids or a more passive analysis whilst we can socialise, for instance -- that could be more suitable."

It was at that point that Lunise's eyes were drawn to the contents of the room they stood in. "Shall we have some tea if we are to continue? I could brew some here if this chamber belongs to you."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The hint of a smile came across Lunise's lips. In the moment she left silent after Nytala spoke, she realised just how closely she had been watched over the years. Pircalmo's notions of Nytala keeping an eye on them all suddenly seemed more real.

Nevertheless, it was too profound a thought for the current topic of conversation.

Lunise smile broadened. "You see, Meesei? I told you this was all a ploy to obtain a test subject in you." She tried not to dwell on having made a straightforward joke for once. "Well, if Meesei has anything to do with it, lycanthropes are going to be less hidden in the coming decades. Even if it is from a cloistered place such as this, I hope it served to help them as the times change."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I see. Quite interesting." Lunise did not sound entirely convinced. She apprehensively narrowed her eyes and showed her teeth. "Perhaps that might be a side project for the future."

While she did not regret satisfying her curiosity, Lunise's discomfort was such that she quickly found a way to steer the conversation away.

"Speaking of expertise and transformation," Lunise said, her face tilting. "Word reached our ears this morning that you had been performing your own research on lycanthropy. Had you taken an interest before I met Meesei or was it incidental?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise followed Meesei's eyes behind her back. "Oh, my apologies, Zyausak." She gave him a respectful nod. "Please do seek us out later if we do not seek you out first. As I said to mother, any help at all is a gift."

As Zyausak left, Lunise slowly turned back around to Nytala. There was a pause she held with an expression that had something to say, but not a word emerged before Zyausak closed the door behind him.

"Okay." Lunise resumed, suddenly sounding determined. "Now that I shan't be mortified in front of a particularly ancient and wise mage, I need you, mother, to fulfil my...purely academic interest, if you would." Her shoulders slumped and her brow knitted up. "How on Nirn is a woman meant to conceive a child without a man? And before you answer, know that father has filled me in a number of times on what Hist sap can do to a willing Argonian body and I dare say such a method is rather more drastic than may be necessary."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

A soft warmness emanated from Lunise's smile all the way from Meesei's answer to Nytala's mention of children. At that point, Lunise gave Nytala a pleading look. "Mother," she said, barely maintaining her calm. "That area of magic is not my expertise, so do not take this as dismissal, but I hope you will not mind if we focus on the more pressing issues first." She looked at Meesei. "Beside that, I am already stepmother to a talented and lovely young woman in Sabine. We shall have to tell you more about Meesei's family, mother."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lunise lowered her eyes with a small smile while they laughed. "Hence my efforts to avoid fluster," she mentioned, letting go of Nytala's hand.

Unfortunately, Lunise was at a loss for words again regarding a marriage date. Her wide eyes shifted between Nytala and Meesei, mouth open yet speechless. She let out a small sigh. "I am afraid I do not know. There are many unanswered questions just with the event itself. The date is one detail. We would have to find some way to perform the ceremony in secret. There is father to think about-"

She stopped, closed her eyes and mouth, and let the rest of her breath out through her nose.

Collected and calm, Lunise turned to Meesei and opened her eyes. "Is your schedule clear exactly two months from the day of the invasion, Meesei?" Her eyes darted down and up as her tone stumbled over what she thought should be more formal. "Would you...like to become my wife on that day?"