stories on the tip of our tongues; mary

[kildare]

Mary can manipulate him however she pleases. Kildare finds himself a willing victim for whatever she intends, that wild grin on his face says that much. This a world that is teaching the young stallion he can be himself, whatever his faults and vices are, in Beqanna he can be whatever he damn well chooses. He is not 'Malachi's youngest boy' or 'one of the Legacy brood' here. Beqanna has no idea what being a Legacy even means and Kildare finds that freeing. It allows him to slip free of the shackles that his blood demands of him and if Kildare never measures up to his father's worth, who is here to compare him to his sire?

Here is his chance at freedom.

Mary's eyes widen in a beguiling way and though there is something about the mock innocence behind them that Kildare finds himself doubting, he plays along with her game. "Strongest in what way? Numbers? Armies? Willpower? If I am to give up my freedom, I would know everything about my new home." While its a joke, there is an underlying truth - what does make Loess so great? What makes it any different then the tropical paradise of Ischia, then the sprawling mountains of Hyaline? Whatever argument can be made in Loess's favor, whatever Mary has to say about it, she makes it a tempting one. 

One he is too tempted to pass up.

She moves away and Kildare's eyes darken as they rove at her lovely form, admire her curves and the alluring rounding of her hip. She has a willing acolyte in Kildare. He will exalt whatever goddess she is, offer up whatever prayers it is that she requires. It takes him another prolonged moment when she looks back at him but there is a careful shrug of his shoulder as the distraction of her wears off. "My father gave it to me. It was supposed to 'instill filial duty and heritage'," he says quietly, in a voice that tells of one too many lectures where he has heard that exact phrasing.

There is a moment where he wonders what Mary thinks of him if his 'filial duty' has lead him here, with no family and no duty.

But then he grins at her, breaking the moment and never giving her the chance to ask. "Well, hail Mary. I'm glad the winds blew you my way today."

@[Mary]