10-22-2019, 04:24 PM
V u l g a r i S
He watches when Adria approaches, sage green eyes observing silently as she interrupts as he had only moments before. How funny, he thinks, that each of the girls’ parents had come to protect them. Perhaps neither of them were ready for any sort of leadership just yet then. The corners of his lips turn downward in a slight frown, but he doesn’t voice these thoughts for the time being. There is still much to unfold and he remains a patient listener while they take their turns unleashing anger. At her proposition of a duel, he can only shrug his broad gray shoulders. Whether or not the girls would fight was entirely up to them. He could never force his brood to violence.
Vulgaris turns and watches his daughter speak again, her chin held high and her shoulders back to make herself heard. He’s pleased at how she holds herself and the way her words do not tremble despite her nerves. When Larke mentions Eva, he turns to her and tilts his head curiously. His child had done her best to usher in peace and civility and the nereids had spit in her face for it. But he holds back his anger and lets her finish by saying she desires no bloodshed and he had expected as much of his chosen heir. She had always preferred words over any other option given to her.
It softens his heart and he begins to think that she may be happiest learning directly under him, back at home, then. He turns to mention this to Maleficar when a familiar face comes out of hiding to stomp his feet and shout. Vulgaris feels his right brow arch, the corners of his mouth curling into a grin while he lectures the king.
“You think I forget dying, Jakub? I burned in those fires and I rose from the dead for Leliana and for Tephra. You think you know the stories better than I, and for that you are a fool,” he says with his head held high. This was not the place or the time to explain the friendship he maintained with Wolfbane, he knows, and so he saves it all for now. “Stop puffing your chest and go home before you embarrass yourself further, boy. Maybe next time you’ll think with your head instead of your loins when you invite yourself to the adult table.”
He turns then, dismissive of anything else Jakub has to say as he watches the blue and white kelpie rise from the waves to join them. But Ivar mostly observes and offers only a simple question to Jakub. Vulgaris assumes he has little interest in the goings on and so he turns his attention to Eva as she begins her own lecture. She apologizes but he offers only a snort at the words. They mean so little to him now. But he listens to the rest of what she says, watches her soft heart force itself rigid to speak up and be heard just as Larke had. They would have made a wonderful duo, he thinks with some disappointment.
He has no biting words for Eva as she finishes, but his expression has calmed to a more neutral tone. Aquaria speaks again and he wonders why she bothers. But perhaps that was why the group had begun to nominate Eva to rule instead of her? Vulgaris sighs and turns to his child once more.
“You did your best to find peace among their people, Larke. You should always hope for the best, as you did here, but it is important to also prepare for the worst,” he says as he gently bumps her cheek with his nose in reassurance. “I don’t want your heart to break any further, so find your brother and come home to the gardens. Meraki and Sabbath will be glad to have you back.”
He waits patiently as Maleficar finally moves from his position, the silent sentinel he has always preferred to be, and stands closer to the heart of the crowd now. Vulgaris had told him before leaving their home that a final offer may sound better coming from a more neutral party, were things to go sour.
“I am Maleficar, guardian of Tephra and the western region. Larke will return home to us to learn how to lead. Eva will rule in her place as herd leader, as I assume that is what you all would prefer,” he says in his ever-gentle voice. His dark red eyes examine them all for a moment as he considers if he should mention the shifting balance of the kingdoms, but perhaps it will not come to darken their door. Perhaps only a simple offering and warning, then. “A storm is brewing in the east and to the south. If you find yourselves in trouble, the jungle will shelter those who seek it.”
The witch has peered into the veil, but he makes no mention of what he has seen. He only turns and begins the journey back home while Vulgaris waits patiently for his children to join him. Once Chronos reveals himself from the foliage, he escorts them back to the mainland without another word. They had Loess and Pangea to face, now.
Vulgaris turns and watches his daughter speak again, her chin held high and her shoulders back to make herself heard. He’s pleased at how she holds herself and the way her words do not tremble despite her nerves. When Larke mentions Eva, he turns to her and tilts his head curiously. His child had done her best to usher in peace and civility and the nereids had spit in her face for it. But he holds back his anger and lets her finish by saying she desires no bloodshed and he had expected as much of his chosen heir. She had always preferred words over any other option given to her.
It softens his heart and he begins to think that she may be happiest learning directly under him, back at home, then. He turns to mention this to Maleficar when a familiar face comes out of hiding to stomp his feet and shout. Vulgaris feels his right brow arch, the corners of his mouth curling into a grin while he lectures the king.
“You think I forget dying, Jakub? I burned in those fires and I rose from the dead for Leliana and for Tephra. You think you know the stories better than I, and for that you are a fool,” he says with his head held high. This was not the place or the time to explain the friendship he maintained with Wolfbane, he knows, and so he saves it all for now. “Stop puffing your chest and go home before you embarrass yourself further, boy. Maybe next time you’ll think with your head instead of your loins when you invite yourself to the adult table.”
He turns then, dismissive of anything else Jakub has to say as he watches the blue and white kelpie rise from the waves to join them. But Ivar mostly observes and offers only a simple question to Jakub. Vulgaris assumes he has little interest in the goings on and so he turns his attention to Eva as she begins her own lecture. She apologizes but he offers only a snort at the words. They mean so little to him now. But he listens to the rest of what she says, watches her soft heart force itself rigid to speak up and be heard just as Larke had. They would have made a wonderful duo, he thinks with some disappointment.
He has no biting words for Eva as she finishes, but his expression has calmed to a more neutral tone. Aquaria speaks again and he wonders why she bothers. But perhaps that was why the group had begun to nominate Eva to rule instead of her? Vulgaris sighs and turns to his child once more.
“You did your best to find peace among their people, Larke. You should always hope for the best, as you did here, but it is important to also prepare for the worst,” he says as he gently bumps her cheek with his nose in reassurance. “I don’t want your heart to break any further, so find your brother and come home to the gardens. Meraki and Sabbath will be glad to have you back.”
He waits patiently as Maleficar finally moves from his position, the silent sentinel he has always preferred to be, and stands closer to the heart of the crowd now. Vulgaris had told him before leaving their home that a final offer may sound better coming from a more neutral party, were things to go sour.
“I am Maleficar, guardian of Tephra and the western region. Larke will return home to us to learn how to lead. Eva will rule in her place as herd leader, as I assume that is what you all would prefer,” he says in his ever-gentle voice. His dark red eyes examine them all for a moment as he considers if he should mention the shifting balance of the kingdoms, but perhaps it will not come to darken their door. Perhaps only a simple offering and warning, then. “A storm is brewing in the east and to the south. If you find yourselves in trouble, the jungle will shelter those who seek it.”
The witch has peered into the veil, but he makes no mention of what he has seen. He only turns and begins the journey back home while Vulgaris waits patiently for his children to join him. Once Chronos reveals himself from the foliage, he escorts them back to the mainland without another word. They had Loess and Pangea to face, now.
In this shook-up, twisted world, I'm gradually growing transparent and vanishing
Don’t look for me; don't look at me
Don’t look for me; don't look at me
