RP:I'm Not C-Raiez-y! You're C-Raiez-y!

Part of the Do You Believe In Magic? Arc

Summary: Pilar and Khitti finally catch up days after Hildegarde's coronation, during which Raiez makes her usual sudden appearance, Khitti loses her mind, and Hildegarde, Dominic, and Pilar attempt to pacify the poor, paranoid vampiress.

Frostmaw Tavern

Khitti stood at the bulletin board, crimson brows knitted together, her dark line of sight flitting between the papers littered on it. Something was definitely wrong. The vampiress finishes tying her hair back into a ponytail, letting her long bangs trail along the sides of her face. It occurred to Khitti that the missing persons problem she had overheard the mages speaking of in Xalious was a bit more dire than even they had known. Her right hand reaches out, plucking a single paper from the bunch. On it held the name of a missing cryomancer, one from Frostmaw, that the trio of mages she eavesdropped on had uttered. "Damn it..." Well, it turned out they weren't wrong. This Dierdre was definitely missing, and so were plenty of others.

Pilar stopped into the tavern for the first time in a long time. At least this particular Frostmaw institution hadn't been destroyed. That was good, at least. She had on a blue halter dress, and white woven sandals, hardly arctic wear. But being that she was impervious to cold, it hardly mattered. She did get some looks, though. Upon her back was her fresh tattoo, a hill littered with flowers and graves. She spotted Khitti almost as soon as she entered and approached the ranger. She was going to greet her when she saw the look on Khitti's face. Concerned, she said instead, "Is everything alright?"

Khitti's lips twisted into a deep frown as she spun about to face Pilar. With the trip to Xalious and spending time with Dominic, she'd forgotten completely about the fact that she had intended to speak to her about what had happened at the coronation. The illusionist is stared at for a few moments as Khitti gathers her thoughts, a blink given before that look of concern on her own features returns, "Something's vrong." She handed over the paper, the details of the young cryomancer, where she had been last seen, and a way to contact her parents here in Frostmaw written therein. "People have been going missing zhis entire time and ve never noticed it..." A hand motions towards the board and the dozens of other papers that were strewn across it, all nearly identical to the one she gave to Pilar. "I zhink I'm going to have to talk to Hildegarde." She really didn't -want- to bother the Silver. She had so much to do to rebuild her city. Now really wasn't the time. "Or maybe I'll do it on my own." A slender brow raises in Pilar's direction, the vampiress canting her head, "How...are you?"

Pilar looked over the paper she was given, and then at the others. She looked stricken. "Gods above..." She shook her head. "With so many people killed in the war, it's no wonder... Yes, Hildegarde should know. She would want to know." As Queen, she needed to be aware of what was happening in her kingdom. As her own welfare is asked about, Pilar managed a smile. "I'm alright. I'm very good, actually. Hildegarde has offered me a job at the stables, once they're completed." She looked back down at the paper, then handed it back. "I was going to go to Larket to see their stables, but with people going missing, perhaps I should stay and help."

Khitti seemed pleased with Pilar's response about her new job, offering a nod of her head, "Congratulations. I'm sure you'll do vonderfully zhere." She doesn't mention what happened during the party. If Pilar was fine now, then that's all that mattered. The paper is taken and eyed again, "Zhe missing isn't just from here either. Zhis one in particular vas taken in Xalious, zhough her family is from Frostmaw. She was studying at the mage tower. Dominic and I vere zhere not long ago and zhere vere some mages concerned about it." She wrinkles her nose at the thought of Pilar being so far away, but she didn't want this to infringe on her duties at the stables, "N-no. It should be alright. Just be careful, okay? If something goes vrong, I vill let you know." A sigh is breathed as she turns to tack the paper back to the board.

Pilar 's gaze wandered over the missing persons papers. "If you are going to do this... be careful. Make sure someone knows where you are going. I don't want you to become missing, too... And neither does Dominic, I think." She managed a smile at Khitti. "I'm so glad you found each other. You deserve to be happy."

Khitti nodded in reassurement as she faced Pilar again, "I vill." When Dominic's mentioned, she beams brightly, "I am happy. -Ve're- happy." Finally done with the board for now, she takes Pilar's hand and leads her to a nearby, empty table. "So vhat has been new vith you lately besides zhe stables?" The dark ranger does her best to push her worry about the missing people from her mind for the time being.

Pilar didn't sit down right away. "Well... this is new." She turned to show off her back and the cemetery piece. Flowers of blue and white and pink cover her back, and the gray tombstones have names engraved on them, small but legible. The tattoo was done by a master of the craft, obviously. "It's a memorial for my family. Each grave is someone I lost the night I was turned. The big one with wings on it is for my parents." She turned back around and sat at the table, smiling awkwardly. She didn't know Khitti's opinion on tattoos.

Khitti hadn't really thought about tattoos much at all. It was never something she could ever afford anyway. The same applied to piercings too, though once or twice she had considered giving herself more ear piercings and perhaps one in her nose, but she had thought better of it. "It's a very lovely tribute." She eyes each gravestone and the other components of the piece carefully, "I'd ask if it hurt, but I suppose it'd be quite different now to get it done as a vampire as opposed to vhen either of us vere alive. Vhere did you get it at?"

Pilar smiled more confidently now. "Thank you. And as a matter of fact, it did hurt. Not as much as I feared it would, but it hurt. Mostly, though, lying there and trying not to move was boring. I got it at SoulsKin in Rynvale, actually, it's why I haven't been around lately. My artist, Meri, was amazing. So nice, and so talented!" And cute to boot.

Khitti grinned a little as Pilar bragged about the tattoo artist, knowing full well where that usually led in the illusionist's head, "Uh huh. I'm sure she is. She's attractive too, isn't she?" She liked to think that she knew Pilar well enough to know what was up. "Vhen's zhe vedding, hm?" A bit of snickering ensued, but she didn't tease her for long. She knew better, of course. "Maybe I'll get one some day too. I haven't been to Rynvale since D--..." She pauses, choosing not to say the elder vampire's name for now. "I've not been zhere in a long vhile. Perhaps I'll have to take Dominic zhere. Ve did decide to go travelling one day."

Pilar blushed from Khitti's teasing. "Well..." Khitti wasn't completely wrong. Pilar craved affection from a pretty girl. But it had to be the right pretty girl. Khitti thankfully dropped the subject and moved on. Pilar smiled sadly. She knew Khitti was still hurting from her break-up, despite Dominic. But Dominic was helping her, more than perhaps he knew. "That sounds fun. Maybe I should be asking when YOUR wedding is, hm? I can see your dress now. Black and red, with a leather corset."

Khitti's eyes widen as the tables are suddenly turned on her. "V-vhat? N-no. I...uh." She had mentioned to Dominic once that she -did- want to marry him, but he hadn't given much of a response; he had been too caught up in the moment. She thought about the dress Pilar mentioned, "Zhat does sound lovely zhough..." A shake of her head, "No. I don't know if he even vants zhat. I mean, ve haven't even been together for long a-and I don't zhink I'm vife material." She frowns a little, "Being vith me is one zhing, but zhat's a very big commitment..."

Pilar laughed lightly. "Maybe not a traditional do-the-cooking-and-cleaning-wife, but you would be a loyal, loving partner, and that is all anyone can really ask for. But you're right, it hasn't been long enough to decide on something like that. Still, nothing wrong with fantasizing. Oh, you would be a beautiful bride!" Pilar had a weakness for weddings, it was true. The dress, the flowers, the music! The ones she'd been to had been so fun.

Khitti would certainly be blushing if she was able to, "I-if you say so..." She shifts her attention back towards the board nearby, "I don't even really get the opportunity to zhink of such zhings apparently. It's always one thing after another." She puts her head in her hands, her elbows propped up on the table, "Vhat zhe hell does someone vant vith a bunch of mages? I don't get it." A side glance is cast towards Pilar, her mind flipflopping between subjects, "Do you really zhink he'll vant to marry me?"

Pilar shrugged at both Khitti's statements. The one about mages elicited only a "I don't know," while the one about Dominic brought forth "I would think so, but we would probably want to wait a little longer. Just to be sure this will work. Though I don't know why it wouldn't."

Khitti sighs and nods, "Yeah. I know..." There was still plenty of time for her to screw up. "You're right. I shouldn't vorry about it." She wrings her hands together in a very Pilar-like way, "But...uh...if ve ever did...get married..." She stares at the table, then looks towards Pilar again, "Vould you...maybe kinda sorta be my...maid of honor?" She scrunches up her nose, ready and waiting to be turned down.

Pilar gasped. "Me? Really?" She had no idea Khitti held her in such high esteem! Not that she thought Khitti secretly hated her, but it was such an honor! "Of course I would! I... I would be honored." She smiled and gripped Khitti's hands. "I helped my older sister and brother with their weddings. I know you have a different culture and you probably have different customs, but I'll do everything I can to help... Hypothetically." She chuckled.

Khitti blinks at Pilar's enthusiasm, "Vell, yeah. I mean, you are pretty much family to me. You and Dominic are all I've got for now, you know. But, yes. Definitely hypothetically. Don't vant to get ahead of ourselves vhen ve don't even know if it'll happen." She returned the squeeze to Pilar's hands, then pulls them away, leaning back in her chair, thinking to herself. Would Dominic actually want that? It -was- too soon, but their connection felt so much stronger than any sort of relationship she'd ever had, friend or otherwise.

Pilar was already thinking of linens and venues and catering. It would be something fun to think about when she had nothing else to keep her occupied. Of course, she wanted to get to knew Dominic a little better, herself. She wanted to make sure Khitti was marrying well, after all. Pushing such thoughts away for now, she hailed a passing waitress and ordered herself apple cider. She looked to Khitti. "You want something? My treat."

Khitti eyed Pilar carefully. With the enthusiasm she just had and her obvious love for weddings, she wondered if the gears were turning in her head. "Oh...um." She shakes her head, her attention on the waitress now, "Hot chocolate please. Vith a bit of whipped cream and cinnamon." A smile is offered to the hired help and then her line of sight set back on Pilar.

Pilar was practically giddy. She was a romantic at heart, and seeing Khitti happy made her happy. As the waitress flounced off, Pilar said, "I'm glad things are looking up... This business with the missing mages will pass soon and they'll be found, I know it. Especially with you on the case."

Khitti tilts her head, shrugging a bit, "I do hope so. I can't believe no one really noticed or said anything. I guess maybe zhey zhought zhe missing vere helping in zhe var, but I mean...zhere's so many." She goes to shrug again, but their order appears before she can continue. Once the hot chocolate was set in front of her, she'd stir in the cinnamon and whipped cream, mixing it all together, "I vould be careful using your magic. If something seems amiss, even in Larket, you stick close to people." She pauses, then reiterates, "People you -know-, zhat is."

Pilar thanked the waitress as her cider appeared, then nodded to Khitti. "I'm not going alone, I'll be going with Sir Ashe Stormcrow. Hildegarde asked him to be her adviser, so I think I can trust him." She sipped her cider, then murmured, "You be careful too. If you are in trouble, call out to me and I will come. With reinforcements."

Khitti gulped down a bit of her drink, offering an innocent look to Pilar, "Me? Trouble? I don't know to vhat you're referring." Liar. You know exactly what she means. "I'll be fine. I'm sure. I don't have my bow and at the moment, Amarrah and I aren't completely on speaking terms, so I von't be able to utilize my magic much. So, no vorries, yeah? I'll rely completely and totally on my stealthiness and visdom to know vhen to run away."

Raiez sauntered into Frostmaw's tavern, her ever present, haughty air plain about her being like a palpable thing. It was as though she thought she ruled all the lands, the way she moved, her feet carrying her in a straight line through a path that would have 'forced' people to move out of her path. Luckily (though for who is uncertain), her chosen path was unhindered and brought her straight to the bar. She sat upon a stool, her tail swaying lightly behind her as she waited for Drargon's attention. A raised brow was waiting for the barkeep when he finally got to her, and a silence hung in the air. Drargon, being the proprietor he was, was ready to give up on waiting for an order from the tailed woman, but then she finally spoke up, asking for the largest cut of meat the man can offer. The former warrior eyed the woman and the distinct difference in size between her and the giants that he normally fed there, but in the end he shrugged and went about getting her, and everyone else's, order.

Dominic made his entrance from one of the several rooms for rent, cautiously surveying the layout of the tavern from the perimeter before carving a meandering path that crossed as few other people as possible. He, too, made his way to the bar, but that was where any similarities to Raiez’s arrival ended. The man stood at the edge, his left side to the wall, patiently waiting to attract the barkeep’s notice, avoiding eye contact with the other patrons for the time being. His order was made with a murmur barely audible above the din -- a hot cup of tea, no sugar needed, just a dash of honey if you’d be so kind. Only once he’d received this would he turn to peer out into the room once more, half observing and half burying himself in his drink.

You know, it's days like today where Khitti wonders why she even got out of bed. As if this situation with the mages wasn't bad enough. While mid-drink, she just so happens to look up and past Pilar...and who did she managed to see? Only the worst dragon in existence. Well, to Khitti at least. Her hands falter in their holding of her cup and the hot chocolate-filled object is nearly dropped, though she's quick to grab it up again. Raiez is merely stared at for now, the woman having become quite an enigma to Khitti now. What the hell did she want? And where the hell had she been? And why the hell was she here now? Khitti was having such a good day. Thank the gods that the dragon was actually clothed this time, however.

Pilar saw the proverbial color drain from Khitti's face and her hand shot out to catch the cup as it started to drop, but Khitti had it. Pilar turned to look and see what had spooked her friend so, and she herself blanched (metaphorically) when she spotted the dragon. She looked back at Khitti. ~What do we do?~ she asked silently. Thank the gods for their bond. That's when she spotted Dominic at the other end of the bar. She caught Khitti's eyes and jerked her head to the side, indicating him.

Raiez didn't receive her meal for some time. Perhaps it was because she was a horrible person. Perhaps it was because she had a tail. Perhaps it was because she ordered after everyone else. Whatever the reason, she was not happy about having to wait on her food. But at least she didn't have the "I want to speak to the manager" haircut, and so she sat in silence when the thick cut of meat was set in front of her. She didn't bother with any silverware, instead picking up her meal with her hands and biting into it. For their parts, the two female vampires were left relatively ignored...for now. But the dragon knew they were there. She wasn't blind. Not to mention, it was hard to not notice Amarrah's taint after having noticed it the first time.

It hadn’t taken long for Dominic to locate Khitti and Pilar from amongst those gathered here. Familiar faces, thank goodness. In particular, one -very- familiar face. He braved the crowd once again to make his way over to the vampiresses, his free hand guarding the edge of his cup so none of that precious tea would be spilled. He needed that, you know. Very important. Four cups of tea a day keep the healer away. Or… something. At any rate, he arrived at Khitti’s side and greeted her with a smile and a quick series of kisses along one cheekbone. He was entirely oblivious, for the moment, to Raiez or their reactions to her. Not always the most observant of people, that Dominic, even for all the time he’d spent staring out into the room. It would only be once he’d followed her gaze back to the bar that he’d realize. Oh. Khitti and her thing with dragons. Again. Great.

Khitti's line of sight darts towards Dominic, and once he not only spots them, but makes his way over and kisses her cheek, she reaches up, grabs his shoulder and pulls him down into the chair beside her. "Hey. You know zhat problem I've got vith dragons. It's zhat. It's her." Before he can say anything, she gets all grabby hands again, this time with his chin, forcing him to look at her, "Don't question my sanity right now. I've seen her naked. You can't unsee zhat. She's also a massive dragon. Not some tiny little zhing like vhat Odhranos has. She is a real, live, man-eating beast. She also knows vhat I am. About Amarrah. She's going to eat Kreekitaka with a large side of butter. I've seen zhe bowl." Still keeping Dominic fixed where he is, she turns her head to look towards Raiez. "Look at zhe vay she eats zhat steak. It's terrifying. It's like me in private vhen I'm eating carrot cake. No one should see zhat, Dominic. No one." Well, Khitti's gone off the deep end. She focuses on Dominic again, "She says she's not going to eat me, but I don't believe it." A few blinks are spared in between her rantings. "She's zhe one zhat encouraged my feeding. Pilar vas zhere. She saw it all. I don't know vhat her aim is, but she scares zhe hell out of me." There seemed to be actual, legit terror in Khitti's eyes or maybe that was her crazed look. Who knows.

Pilar blushed at Dominic's show of affection, though Khitti's panic quickly squashed any cutesy romantic stuff. Pilar slowly got up from her chair and walked around to Khitti's side, placing her hands on her and Dominic. "Say the word, Khitti, and I will make us disappear from sight, and we can get out of here." She knew Raiez was not someone to be around, though she was not as familiar with her as Khitti. Still, this was not the time to be debating Khitti's sanity. That would be a discussion for when they were safe.

Dominic froze in Khitti’s grasp, his green eyes comically large and the only thing that moved as she rooted him in place. Only when Pilar interrupted her tirade did he slowly, ever so gingerly set that teacup down on the table. Khitti had definitely caused some to spill into his lap in the course of her excitement, but she was also pretty much the only one he wouldn’t be cross at for such a transgression. Such a waste, though. Such a pity. He turned to eye Pilar, his expression a clear “I seem to have found you at a -terrible- time to catch up on anything, sorry,” before addressing Khitti’s concerns. Like the rest of his movements, his words came slowly, cautiously, as if maybe he could calm her down just by appearing to be serene and tranquil himself. Nevermind that his insides were anything but -- he had to try, for her sake. “Khitti, no one is going to eat you. Especially not with us here.” Another nod to Pilar. “You’re fine. You’re not alone. Just take a deep breath.” He’d forgotten, in the moment, that she didn’t even need to breathe. Oh well, maybe it would help anyway. With one more glance to Pilar and a faint smile, he added, “I guess you’ve figured out more of your magic, then?”

Khitti listened to both Pilar and Dominic, drawing in that deep, unnecessary breath. "But...I...just..." That feeling of being coddled and comforted as if she were a child soon washed over her. Crimson brows knit together, her attention focusing mostly on Dominic with a strange, confused look. They didn't get it. They wouldn't believe her. They'd likely never see Raiez for the menace she is. "No. It's fine." is finally said to Pilar as she turns her head so she can stare at Raiez again. "Just. Forget about it." Well, that's weird. She gave up so quickly.

Pilar looked from Dominic to Raiez. She was just waiting for her to act. Despite what Khitti thought, Pilar DID believe her. Mostly. She just thought Khitti's anxiety was acting up, too, and making it worse. She gave Khitti's shoulder a squeeze. "If you change you mind, just say so. I won't let her hurt you." As if Pilar could do anything to stop her. She looked at Dominic. "A little."

Hildegarde enters the tavern with a heavy sigh. It isn’t a sigh of weariness or annoyance, but a great sigh of relief. The tavern had been largely unscathed throughout the war, given that it was a prime spot for Balgruuf and Balder’s cronies to gather and mock Hildegarde under Drargon’s watchful eye. Returning to it was a homecoming of a different kind: this was truly the definition of coming home to Frostmaw. Not simply because it had ale or food, but because much and more had happened under the roof of this fair tavern. “Drargon,” the Silver said fondly, offering him what was either a wink or a blink. “Free ale for all. Drinks are on me!” she proclaimed, one of many royal proclamations to come. The Silver made her way to the board, intent on perusing the notices there as some giants and elves alike cheered with delight at the prospect of a free round.

Raiez finished off the steak in short order. She was, after all, a dragon. They were gluttonous beasts, those dragons. Always fattening themselves with various forms of ingestible things (even people!). All this talk about her, though, had the dragon spinning about lazily in her seat to face the trio over at that particular table that were so concerned with Raiez's presence. In fact, she turned just in time to witness the Silver's entrance and consequent announcement of free refreshments. Well, that was fine for the Blue. Free drinks were always welcome. If there was one that could get her drunk, too, that would be even better. Well, for Raiez. Maybe not for Khitti.

Dominic probably -didn’t- actually believe Khitti. Well, sure, he believed that she believed what she was saying. But he also believed in the safety offered by this tavern, and the promise of peace after a war… and he believed in maybe finding lasting happiness now that that was done and now that he’d found someone like Khitti. Nothing bad could possibly happen to them anymore, right? Not now. They’d been through enough already, hadn’t they? He wanted it to be true, and so he’d decided that it was. It was the foolish naivete of a first love, maybe, but he was going to cling to it as much as he could for as long as he could, and he -certainly- wasn’t going to let some stupid dragon come along and ruin his otherwise perfectly good day and that starry-eyed optimism he’d found for the first time in his life. She wouldn’t further interrupt his tea, either, for that matter. He took the cup back into his hands now, contemplating Khitti over the top of it, choosing to drain the cup over the course of only a minute or two rather than take his time with it like he usually might have. Just in case Khitti -was- right and they found themselves dodging dragon fire in short order. And then… -another- dragon disrupted his thoughts -- the wonderful Hildegarde, no less! -- and whatever additional reassurances he’d been trying to come up with to give to Khitti paled in comparison to the Queen’s presence. “Look,” he nudged Khitti, as Hildegarde offered a round of drinks for all, and he accepted the one eventually sent his way, “and here is Hildegarde. You’re perfectly safe here, Khitti.”

Whatever mood Khitti had been in in that distressed state of hers waned and was soon replaced by the irrational anger. She slides from her chair, promptly grabbing the tea from Dominic's hands, whatever had been left of it anyway, and puts it down with a bit of force on the table. "You don't understand. It's not even just -her- zhat scares me." Booted feet lead her angrily over to the board, grabbing as many of the various missing persons notes as she can, a faint apology muttered to Hildegarde as she squeezed by her, as if despite the fact that she was told Hildegarde was indeed here, she didn't hear it at all. "No one vith magic is safe." is said as she storms back over to their table, dropping the papers in front of Dominic. "-No one-." It hadn't just been the one or two missing that the mages in Xalious had spoken off. More than a dozen at least and who knew if there were any more that hadn't been documented. "So no, Dominic. Ve're -not- safe here. Zhere vill come a day vhen zhat may be, but it is not today or perhaps not tomorrow or any day in zhe foreseeable future." For all the times that he listened to her, why couldn't today have been one of them?

Hildegarde caught the words of Dominic, the way Khitti squeezed by her as if she weren’t really there. Turning on her heel, the knight watched the situation for a moment and the way that Khitti insisted she – and others – were not safe. Immediately, she approaches Khitti’s table and addresses her: “Milady,” she begins, even going so far as to drop to her knee before Khitti herself. “I know not of what you speak, nor will I ask you to repeat it for I fear it may upset you terribly so. But I promise you, I give you my oath, that I will do all within my power to protect you. And if I cannot protect you in that moment, know that I will do all in my power to get you. You are my subject. This I vow to you,” she told her, already paraphrasing a vow she had given Khitti before. “That is the way of Frostmaw. Protect, avenge, cherish.”

Pilar felt incredibly awkward. Was she witnessing their first fight as a couple? She had to nip this in the bud right now. But Hildegarde had beaten her to it, with her insistence that she would personally protect Khitti. Pilar looked nervously to Raiez, then around them. The show had started to garner some attention, and Pilar blushed slightly.

Raiez got up from her stool and ventured off towards the door. However, it was not without any sort of harassment of Khitti and Company. No, she slowed by their table, stopped even, to stare at the women and the man. She said no words, made no move towards them, but those eyes of hers settled on Khitti's. A smirk is given as her eyes flick to the missing persons notices, and a wink given before she makes her way onward and outward.

Dominic was evidently more than a bit taken aback, the way he blinked at Khitti with lofted brow and canted head. As Hildegarde approached and made her vow to Khitti, he picked up the paper nearest to him by a corner, squinting as if that would help him remember his letters better. Unfortunately, it was only a few letters here and a word there that he was able to truly work his way through unassisted. Progress, without a doubt, but he was still -mostly- illiterate. ‘Mage,’ though, he could make out that word. It was an important word and one that had come up often in Khitti’s reading lessons. He picked up another paper and found that word there, too. Then a third. Then a fourth. Well, he got the picture. “Mages,” he repeated aloud, his line of sight dancing from Hildegarde to Pilar to his beloved Khitti. “These are all about mages.” And it was then that he locked eyes with Raiez, and it was -then- that an involuntary shiver ran up his spine and Brand whispered words of disquiet in the back of their shared mind. Oh. Okay, so maybe -this- dragon was a little unnerving. He understood Khitti’s outburst a little better now.

Khitti stared down at the papers, listening to Hildegarde and her vow, the same that she had heard before. "I'm sorry, Hildegarde. I just..." She sighs, looking towards the Silver with a frown, "I don't know. I vanted zhings to be fine now zhat I finally have a home, but my luck is not always so great, it vould seem." It then that she too finds Raiez staring right at her. The way she looked at the papers. That smirk. That...wink? No. No way. It couldn't be...could it? Dark eyes narrow and watch as the Blue leaves, an angry frown gifted in Raiez's direction. "Yes. It's all mages." She looks down at Dominic, "Every one of zhem." She seems a bit more passive now, especially with Hildegarde towering beside her. "I'm sure Hildegarde's right. I shouldn't have doubted her. Everything vill be fine." She was oddly calm for someone that had been so angry just a few moments ago. Her attention shifts back towards where Raiez had been. While Hildegarde could protect the rest of her people, Khitti certainly had her own ideas now.

Pilar shifted uncomfortably when Raiez drew closer, averting her gaze and shrinking away. As such, she missed the look that passed from the dragon to Khitti, and any hidden message was lost. She relaxed a bit, as Raiez made her exit, and she looked at Khitti. She might have said everything would be fine, but Pilar knew she didn't believe it. "If you want, you can sleep in my room at the fort tonight." She glanced at Dominic. "Both of you. There's enough room for all of us." It was a very nice room, after all, a queen-sized bed and a couch.

Dominic rose from his seat and closed the gap between Khitti and himself. An arm snaked around her back and squeezed her at the hip as he, too, stared to the spot left vacant by Raiez. This was one of those times where he felt completely incompetent with words. Nothing came to him, especially now that his earlier positive mood had been dampened. Something to be fixed with more tea later, surely. For now, he just squeezed Khitti and hoped that said enough. To Pilar’s offer, he only added a side glance Khitti’s way, a non-verbal “you decide” thrown at her.

Khitti just shook her head, "No. My place is not in zhe fort." It didn't matter that she was sworn to the Silver now, she still felt like an outside. Even more now as her worries and fears were just cast off like nothing. "I'll be fine." But, knowing Khitti, she probably wouldn't be. A brief, small kiss is gifted to Dominic's cheek, and a wave to Pilar was given. She knew that the vampiress would definitely keep an eye out for trouble and stay far away from it. Khitti, however, slipped from Dominic's grasp and headed towards the staircase that lead up to their room, to figure out just how she was going to get in to her own bit of trouble and find Raiez.