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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jun 3, 2010 17:49:59 GMT -8
Azura grinned. "I am always right, naturally." Getting some of his confidence back from her admission, he straighted his posture and reassumed his royal behavior all the way down to the snooty lifted nose bit. A few hours later they landed in the small airport outside of Ankara, Turkey and they were that much closer to his father. In his anxiousness, Azura practically bolted from the plane, not bothering with the fact that the sun had just barely sunk over the horizon, given that they were in a different time zone. The sky was still streaked with pinks and reds, the reflection, however subtle, from the clouds causing the prince to momentarily wince. The exposure wasn't lethal, but it was uncomfortable. "Let's get going," he threw over his shoulder to her. Please note that this thread is a continuation of the Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow thread, which can be found in Russia. She nodded, realizing too late that he hadn't turned to see her, so she followed up with "Yes," walking quickly to keep up with his long paces. Melora could see the importance of making a quick trip for him, he was obviously anxious to find out what had happened. In her head, Melora silently hoped that everything would be fine, and that the King was still alive and well. For political reasons, she reminded herself in her head. This of course wasn't true, she was more hopeful for Azura's sake than anything else, though she would never admit to herself that she had possibly become fast friends with a vampire. |
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jun 3, 2010 17:56:55 GMT -8
Azura barely saw anything as he moved like liquid between the crowds of people in the airport, and again on the sidewalk outside. He shifted easily, vampire senses and reactions taking over without needing a prompt. He found his car easily and was thankful no one had bothered to break into it, or even try. He just hoped that his luck held.
With some difficulty he fished the keys out of his pocket, shirking his woolen jacket from the cold of Russia, skin ready to meet the sublime night air of the country, and slipped into the driver's seat of the SUV. It was then he'd noticed, Melora as he waited for her to join him in the passenger's seat.
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jun 3, 2010 18:02:08 GMT -8
Melora opened the door and slid into the passenger seat of his SUV, clicking her seat belt over her lap. She was dwarfed by the big car, making her look more like a child than a full grown adult sitting beside him. Although he had already managed to make her look tiny just by standing next to her, and Melora was used to looking tiny on a daily basis anyway, so nothing about this phased her. She was anxious for them to get going, partially because she was curious about his situation, but also because she had only been in this city once in her life when she was a child and she didn't remember a thing about it.
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jun 3, 2010 18:07:36 GMT -8
Azura didn't pull back on the gas as he sped out of the parking garage and onto the main thoroughfare. He was deft in his navigation of traffic, weaving in and out of lanes, between cars and the finally taking a turn down what appeared to be just an alleyway.
"Short cut," he offered in explanation, though he really had no reason to explain anything to her at this point. Once making it through the alley, they emerged onto a second main street, however this one was much less busy and it led them right out into the wilderness beyond the city. They passed several housing developments on the way out, and then a few scattered settlements before finding themselves literally in the middle of no where.
"It's still about an hour's drive to the Castle..." he said after a half an hour on the road. Well, road being a very lose term in these parts.
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jun 3, 2010 18:13:29 GMT -8
"Hmm" She nodded from her seat, more consumed with what was going on outside her window. She had taken in everything she could from their drive through the city, and now she was doing the same during their night drive. She took off her seat belt and stripped off her jacket and long sleeve over shirt, then clicked her seat belt back on and folded her extra clothing over her lap. This place was much different than her homeland and far warmer too. Melora had a tendency to dress for the cold because it was what she was used to, but she reminded herself to always dress in layers because she never quite knew where she would end up next.
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jun 3, 2010 18:34:04 GMT -8
And true to his word, they arrived at the Gallu stronghold just about an hour later. He stepped out of the car, not bothering to turn it off. Something was wrong already. He could feel it
Moving at a jog up to the entrance, he was immediately let in, another odd thing.
"Prince Gallu!" one of the guards called, hurried toward him.
Azura thought his heart might cease beating. Was the old man right?
"Prince Gallu, the King...he died a few nights ago. We ah...we didn't send word. We didn't want to scare anyone."
He surprised himself with how calm his next words sounded. "How?"
The guard shook his head, telling him he didn't know. Without acknowledging him further the new King took to the familiar halls, seeking out his father's rooms. If he died, that's where his body would be kept until he decided what to do with it, as the last remaining member of his immediate family.
As he walked his kept his expression neutral, eyes forward, striding with dignified purpose across the marble floors.
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jun 3, 2010 18:54:07 GMT -8
Melora followed him, practically running to keep in step with him. The guard had tried to stop her, only to be met with her shaking his hand off of her wrist. She didn't have the want or the need to explain what she was here for, only to follow the Prince. Her mind raced, both with thoughts of politics and thoughts for her new found companion. As she kept up flashbacks of her own tragedy came to her, she had done the very same when she found out. When she came to their family home, she had paced the hall just like this. Turned a sharp corner. Then another. Then, the smell of blood. Melora shook her head to free the thought, but the smell of blood still filled her nose from memory, but she ignored it and focused her attention on Azura, the new Gallian king.
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jun 3, 2010 20:37:31 GMT -8
Azura stopped dead in the hallway, eyes seeming to focus on something that wasn't quite there. The expression on his face was pained and he seemed to wince at first. After a few tense moments, however, he seemed to relax a bit more, though he was far from happy.
Walking forward in much slower strides, he pushed open a pair of doors. They swung on their hinges silently, and he was met with a crush of people surrounding the throne room.
The second he entered all went absolutely still. He could have heard a pin drop in the vacuum of silence.
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jun 3, 2010 20:42:53 GMT -8
Stopping just behind him, Melora fought the urge to grab his arm. Staring back at them was a mass of vampires, watching them stand at the doorway. She took in a breath and held it as she looked around the room. Her splitting headache from the amount of energy given off by the vampires was working to blur her vision, but she focused none the less as she took in the room and the people in it. The decor which she was sure would have otherwise been splendid was dulled by the crowd of mourners. Their sorrows hung think in the air and a feeling of uncertainty rolled it's way across the floor and chilled her feet. Melora's heart sank as she swept her gaze around the room again, knowing that it was indeed true that the Gallian King had died.
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jun 3, 2010 20:50:19 GMT -8
Remaining silent, Azura walked forward to and older woman, looking about the age of his father. It was his aunt, and the group around her was comprised of his cousins. She pulled him into a hug and began to cry, to which he had no words of comfort. He was reeling with the abruptness of it all. His father had been healthy as ever and for him to die so soon was nothing short of impossible. Unless he was killed, but he wasn't about to bring that up in this group. That could wait until he and his council members convened.
his cousins surrounded him as well and he payed special attention to each, even causing a few smiles in the younger ones.
Glancing behind him in a sudden moment of clarity, he motioned Melora over and introduced her to his aunt, stating her purpose here.
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jun 3, 2010 20:57:49 GMT -8
Melora bowed politely to the vampiress, more self conscious than she had ever been in her life. She was so self aware of her place in this group, she felt like an intruder upon a family gathering. She explained to his Aunt, while stumbling across her words, that she gave her condolences and that the politics of her clan could wait until a proper time to be discussed. Her mind raced a million miles a minute in Russian, but her English was slow and wouldn't come to her without some consideration of each word.
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Post by Doctor on Jun 3, 2010 21:23:35 GMT -8
Sabeen looked confusedly at her nephew’s companion.
“Banglaire? But we have already received your representative. This morning he came bearing condolences.” She glanced to a young vampire behind her. “Adad, find Mr. Lochem and bring him here.” He turned and left at once.
She shifted a panel of her skirt to reveal the gold hilt of a rapier and set her gaze upon Melora once more.
“Understand my apprehension. We have sustained a great loss and now have more than one hunter in our family home.”
She snapped her fingers and the entourage settled into defensive positions.
“Can you explain why your clan is showing such interest?”
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jun 3, 2010 21:39:09 GMT -8
Melora raised her hands above her head and tensed. Yes, death wish. Anshel was her greatest rival as a hunter, though she never found him anything to be impressed with, he had that whole vampirism thing going for him that she obviously lacked. Her thoughts raced. Who had he fucked to get this to happen? Her thoughts strayed to the last time he totally screwed her over, stealing her assignment and her target, taking the target back to the court himself and leaving her for dead in the middle of Brazil. Well played, Anshel. "My clan has given me this note, my task, and that is all they have given me. It is located in my back pocket." Indeed, the envelope stuck out of the back pocket of her jeans, gold trim glimmering in the light. "I would ask your nephew to please remove it from my pocket and hand it to you so that you may see it. It is all of the information I have been given." Melora looked the woman in the eyes when she spoke, glanced at Azura, then continued to speak. "Had it been my intention to threaten your nephews' life, I would not have allowed him to make it here to this very room. You will find that I come here unarmed as a hunter, and instead as a representative only. I have done your people no offense and do not intend to." These words were true as well, Melora had left all of her weapons with her coat in the car.
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jun 3, 2010 21:45:26 GMT -8
Azura regarded Melora out of the corner of his eye. His vision narrowed on her at the newest bit of news he'd received. He was inclined to believe the woman, but experience and accountability forced him to take a defensive stance.
"Clear everyone out of the room," he ordered, and soon people began filing away on their own, others needing a helpful prodding by a few of the guards. He kept his eyes on his aunt's, silently asking her to stay with him and help him decide whom was the real courier, and whom was the impostor, if that was the case at all.
He turned his gaze back to the Hunter, listening carefully to her suggestion. "No. I will wait for the other representative to come in. Then, we will all have a talk. If it needs to be at the end of my sword, then so be it."
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Post by Doctor on Jun 3, 2010 22:07:55 GMT -8
Anshel’s search of the bed chambers was interrupted by instructions to present himself in the throne room and as he passed the Gallu clan filing out through the grand double doors, the sudden tenseness made him nervous. This was an incredibly delicate situation made even more so after he opened that fucking envelope. Alliances and lives hanged on the precipice; a small gust of wind could turn this situation into a clusterfuck of epic proportions.
This fear was ultimately magnified seeing Melora with her hands in the air. The heavy sigh he meant to let out sounded in fact much more like a strangled one.
“Who have you offended now?” He demanded, exasperated by the thought of dealing with the risks and obstacles of involving her in any politically charged matter. Her spirit and single-minded drive to defeat her enemies would impress him if her vampire prejudice didn’t make his job so much more difficult.
“Put your hands down. This is not a hostile environment. Do not show fear and do not give this family a reason to believe there is anything to be suspicious of.”
He humbly bowed to Sabeen, catching the bright glint of her sword’s hilt.
“I apologize for any misconduct that has happened in my absence. This hunter is now under my observation and command.”
He turned to face the vampire Melora arrived with and his features gave little doubt as to his heritage.
He bowed again and softly acknowledged the son of a now dead man, “King Azura.”
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