RP:Anything For You
Part of the The God of Undeath Arc
Part of the Mearcstapa Arc
Summary: Main land antics resolved, Brennia and Reginae return to Alithrya to start setting the stage for a party to celebrate Brennia's new 'position' in Regi's possession. Rumors run the gambit from the two being lovers to Brennia being kept as a prisoner against her will by the mad Queen. After extensive practice, Brennia demonstrates her musical abilities for Reginae but admits she's lost any bard powers. Needing Brennia's magic to lay the foundation for Caluss' cult, Reginae tasks a palace historian to find a solution.
Palace Tea Room
Brennia is somewhat happy to be back in Alithrya, but all of her clothes have been replaced with white or gold dresses. For some reason it is suddenly imperative that she practices the pedal harp that has been in her room for a minimum of four hours a day and the institute instructs her on proper royal palace etiquette. The education bit was easy since she was raised as a royal and the customs are nearly the same, but they made an emphasis on what Brennia's place is when addressing the Queen… which is basically never unless the Queen addresses her. Her heart aches every night for Reginae to remember their friendship or for Nicolau to sneak into her room one last time, but she has a feeling those days are long gone. 'Remember this part,' she replays the night in her head over and over. Maybe she is in love with someone that doesn't exist, but she cannot worry about that right now and it falls into the far corner of her mind. She came here for one thing, saving the Queen even if Regi doesn't remember the debt that Brennia has vowed to repay two fold, and she is going to make sure to keep her on course- whatever course that may be. . It has been a week of practicing and learning along with some isolation. No letters in or out after her antics at the bard's guild meeting, but Bre just assumes no one cares to write back. Nadia is gliding in and out of the walk-in closet of Brennia's room while the avian bard's hair is setting and mumbling something about today needing to be perfect, so she must select the perfect dress for Brennia. Once they have her dressed in a short white number with lace sleeves and an open back, she hand picks the perfect combination of gold jewelry to accent it before adorning her wings in thin gold chains specially made for the avian. The gold sparkles against the darkness of her feathers and she cannot take her eyes off them while Nadia is using a soft brush on her curls to create smooth deep waves. Yozenra then escorts Brennia to the tea room where Queen Regi is planning some sort of ball and another guard wheels the pedal harp in along with a stool for Bre to sit on. Yozenra presents, "Brennia, the lovely little songbird is here to demonstrate a piece for your event, your highness," she gestures to the avian who then bows deeply to Reginae and waits for the Queen to address her before standing back up.
Reginae's excursion to the mainland has proven most fruitful. Even though she'd lost the duel in the Blood Bowl, she's hardly sour about it. Since Reginae's shifted back to herself, after the night Nico became lucid, her memory is fragmented but her spirits high. She has no desire to sulk in the old labs when she had such a beautiful guest in her halls. Her core focus, along with her giddy excitement over her newest alliances, is throwing a splendid ball that may or may not account for some involuntary cult recruiting. Reginae, personally, hates rules like those of 'not addressing' her first. It was fine for outsiders or dignitaries but a guest?! Ridiculous. The instructions for Brennia's practice doesn't strike her as odd or cruel. Nadia and Yozenra had been instructed to keep Brennia company and grant her every whim. All of her clothes had been changed out for the Alithryian colors. The avian was a prized possession, after all! She must look the part of a pampered palace resident. In Reginae's mind, Brennia just lives here, and Reginae doesn't question it.
Yozenra silently did not comply, still miffed about the bard's guild incident. It had been a mistake to go. As such, Yozenra's also stopped all of Brennia's letters from going out. The Queen's guard is a stoic force when she picks up Brennia and deposits her for tea. Maybe after this party, the Queen's manic whims would calm. Reginae's face lights up when Brennia's introduced. She stands, waving Brennia back upright. "No such need, my dear. You're but an extension of me." Did Regi just call her a pet? "Look at you!" The Queen winds a wide circle around the avian to admire her attire. "These gold chains suit you brilliantly." She truly was the loveliest thing. Regi claps her hands together, filled with determination, and gestures Brennia to the harp. Back in her seat, Regi situates herself properly to give Brennia every thread of her attention. Yozenra stands beside Regi, rolling her eyes in silence.
Brennia is still getting used to how this version of Reginae talks about her as her cheeks warm again and because her makeup is kept light today, Reginae may catch the bard blushing. Her heart thunders away in her chest when the Queen calls her a pet and, no, the irony isn’t lost on Brennia. When she was grieving and her castle was newly built, she collected people as ‘pets’, anyone who wished for a room and to be doted on could come to Brennia back then, becoming her ‘pets’. That was back when she didn’t do romantic relationships, only physical ones to fill the void her Master left. Why does the prospect make her feel so warm and fuzzy inside? That definitely isn’t right, but she doesn’t know any better the last couple of months.
“Thank you my Queen,” she accepts while a smile on her lush ruby painted lips pokes dimples in her cheeks as she bashfully looks away toward the harp next to her. Then she takes a seat when she is prompted to perform what she has been practicing and she is worried that the Queen will realize she is useless. Maybe she will toss her aside and kick her out of Alithrya for not being good enough? Why does that make Brennia sad? The harp had actually been pretty easy to practice on for Brennia because it was quite similar to a piano, her first love, but it was still different. A lovely melody starts a few beats before her slightly raspy alto timbre accompanies it with, “wise men say, only fools rush in…” the majority of the song is beautifully sung, but there is no pull to feel what the lyrics imply like there should be. Periodically, her solid teal hues would shift from the chords of her harp towards the Queen, looking up at her through long lashes as the words of the song flow.
When the song comes to a soft end, she smooths her dress after standing back up in wait for the judgment.
Reginae is pleased as punch to be perched precariously in her pompous palace. Brennia's voice is enchanting, to Regi. Everyone else in the room watches with respect for Brennia's craft but they don't appear 'pulled' in beyond any other beautiful music. Nagas weren't the best judge of the arts. They weren't lovers, they were fighters. Reginae, though, keeps her eyes fixed on way the lights flickered on the harp, on Brennia's skin and jewelry. Who wouldn't follow this avian to death and back?
At the songs completion, Reginae's the first to rise. She claps furiously with Yozenra looking to meet Brennia's eyes over the Queen's shoulders. "Masterfully done, my darling." Chair abandoned, Regi's back by Brennia's side, examining the harp with a frown. Didn't they possess a nicer one she could play? One that matched her stunning beauty more closely? This thing might as well be made of common tin for it's appearance. "Who could stop themselves from falling for you? Talented and lovely as you are." Nico's presence itches at the back of her mind, reminding her through feeling alone that compliments on her beauty were not enough. "Absolutely brilliant that we've such a bewitching woman in our walls." Reginae's mind is elsewhere but Yozenra's keenly aware there was no music in Brennia's performance. Brennia herself told Nico she no longer had magic at her disposal. "Yozenra told me you were a bard but still." Reginae sighs happily, hands clasped together as if thinking of a lover on a distant shore. "All the guests will fall madly in love with you, anything you command of them will be child's play." In Reginae's mind, the plan was flawless.
Brennia's cheeks warm again at the Queen clapping even though all the other nagas in the room don't really seem that impressed, but who cares! The Queen adores her and it feels like she is on cloud nine! Brennia bows again unless the Queen stops her - again, "thank you my Queen." Her heart is thundering away as she is inspecting the harp, which is beautiful in the bard's opinion, but it seems the Queen is starting to realize how useless she is and a pit is opening up in her stomach. Hopefully not literally this time. "Oh," her voice is caught in her throat when she utters those words because it would be her for one. She thought a long time ago that there was some sort of spark between them because of their connection through Nico, but it was just the silly avian's imagination. So she simply lets out a soft raspy giggle and accepts the joke about the song as is - a joke. Her ears and neck feel like they are on fire now as her talent is complimented. This starts to make Brennia feel guilty about her loss of magic, but maybe now is not the time to bring it up in front of everyone? Her french tipped stiletto shaped nails gently caress over some of the strings without letting them sound out, "anything for you Queen Reginae." It seems settled! She shall use her bardic abilities to put a trance on her guests and for some reason she doesn't even care for what purpose. What is happening to her state of mind? Has she really fallen for her captor? "Your highness," she begins suddenly even though one of the institute members is glaring her way for speaking out of turn, but she cannot hold back the lie any longer. "My deepest apologies," her gaze focuses on the woman's flawless face, "but I lost my magical side to my abilities a few years ago now and the only thing your guests would experience is a pretty song." Then her gaze drops in sorrow to her own hands folding into each other as she softly repeats, "I am so sorry."
Reginae looks startled by Brennia’s sudden dismay. The rest of the room is watching like the two are trapped in a bubble, acting out a little play. The naga leans forward to lightly touch the bottom of Brennia’s chin, encouraging her up from whatever pit the beautiful woman saw fit to sink into. She tilts her own lips in a pouty frown. “This won’t do.” Onlookers would think, quite right. A bard without magic? How shameful. But the Queen is speaking only of Brennia’s forlorn expression. “My lovely, do not despair.” She has no access to the memories containing whatever Nico or Reginae feel for her, but the affectionate way she speaks indicates a soft spot of familiarity that shouldn’t exist.
“A smile, dove?” She purrs with gentle eyes and she’ll only be satisfied when Brennia tries to smile, even if it’s fractured or false. “And there she is, my radiant songbird.” It wouldn’t do of Brennia’s magic was gone and she felt uncertain about a performance. What this world lacked in kindness, it made up for in twisted magic. The silent room goes beyond still when Reginae casts her unhinged gaze around the room. After a long moment, her voice barks out a name and the individual it belonged to stepped out into the center of the ballroom and bowed.
It was a thin man with broad shoulders. His short, dark hair clung in a styled mess close to his face. His narrow green eyes looked to tremble when called upon. He bows deeply, his copper scales shining in the light. “Your highness.” Reginae studies him with deadly warning. “My beautiful guest is in need of a magical instrument and you’ll do all you can to find and aid her in that search.” The undercurrent warns of punishments worst than death should he fail. He nods vehemently, holding his bow while Regi turns back to smooth Brennia’s beautiful hair away from her face. “You shall have anything your heart desires, my darling. We will find a way.”
Brennia practically holds her breath as the room becomes consumed in a tense air that courses between each individual within it. Surprisingly, the bard keeps her cool even though her heart is thundering away in her chest and her palms feel slick with sweat, but her wings shift ever so slightly. Luckily only other avians know how to read what different wing movements hint at which emotions are hinted at. She raises her head at the command of Regi's finger and locks their gazes as the room shrinks away. The request to smile is obeyed after a short hesitation because she cannot help the warm little fuzzy feeling it gives her when she is called dove by Regi.
Lush lips painted in a muted pink lipstick spread into a sweet smile that pokes dimples in her cheeks once more and twinkles in her large solid colored eyes. More praise earns more blushing as she feels like her whole face, ears and chest are on fire. The sudden care and attention is in vast contrast to the fits of rage and abuse she suffered mere weeks ago. Brennia had no opportunity to ease into this suddenly pleasant treatment that it is so easy to forget that she is a prisoner here. Her dream-dazed expression remains as Queen Reginae seems to be on a mission as she searches the room and she becomes so lost that she even jumps ever-so-slightly when a name is barked.
She follows the Queen's gaze to the man as the exchange happens before finding the Queen once more when she declares he finds her a magical instrument to play. Why hadn't she thought of that? Probably because the last magical instrument she played turned out to be quite wicked. Nevertheless, Brennia still looks quite flattered to be so important to Reginae that she sends someone out on a quest. The avian cannot help it as she smiles again when Reginae pets her silky black hair and softly croaks out, "yes my Queen." With a gentle clearing of her throat, she speaks up to properly say, "yes, *my Queen*. Shall I play another song for you?"
Reginae was oblivious to any judging eyes in the room. The Royal Historian would help Brennia find an instrument to help her powers. Powers Reginae would use to help start the cult promised to Alithyk Caluss. And wouldn’t her little song bird look so beautiful? The party was bound to be successful. With Brennia by her side, how could it not be?
The naga’s half lidded gaze falls back on Brennia’s, something in her mind recalling seeing her wings react this way before. Her smile widens as the rest of her expression softens. Her fingers trail away from Brennia’s hair, sliding down her jaw line. To onlookers, it was impossible to say what their relationship was. Brennia could be seen as her lover, or just as easily her prey. “Ça m'dérange pas.1” Reginae purrs, anticipating gratitude. But an overtone accompanies the words, sounding more like Nicolau. The Queen’s fingers fall away from Brennia’s face but her smile is firm, her gaze adoring as she moves to take her seat again. Her snowy white tail coils around the raised base of her chair. Her voice cuts the quiet with a sickeningly sweet “How could I ever say no to you?”
Brennia doesn't understand the pull of the Queen just yet, but all she knows is that she would die for this woman. The way she looks at Brennia, through her and into her nearly makes her knees go weak. If Regi ever admitted even a mild feeling for the avian, surely she wouldn't mind wasting the rest of her life away in hre care just to be looked at this way. That would be enough for her, nothing more than loving eye contact. Many in the court spread rumors that the Queen has taken an avian to be with her den of concubines, how scandalous and disgusting. A naga wouldn't dare take up a lover who isn't also a naga! With a hard swallow in anticipation while it feels like the Queen has been cupping her face and gazing into each other's eyes for eternity, Brennia cannot help it as her gaze slips down to Reginae's lips in wait for anything… SOMETHING!
Finally words come to twist the knife in her chest, her native language laced with hints of Nicolau and she blinks a couple times to keep from crying. Gratitude is instant as her eyes shine and her smile is easy, poking those cute dimples in her cheeks again, but she promptly misses the Queen's touch. "Anything for you my Queen," she lowers herself back down on the stool for the pedal harp and begins to strum out another lovely melody which accompanies her sweet timbre all the better.
*1 - Translates to "I don't mind" in French