Rise of the Ancients

[Igraine]

“Your King will do to me what Sieg would. Death is inevitable, little one. I do not deny my part in the fall of your beloved King. I do have some regret, for he was a formidable opponent, and stayed his hand in killing me when he had the chance. I think it surprised him, this human shell. He would have killed me, though, if he had survived.” Scarlet suffered the measurement of her body with quiet grace.

“I would like to see the city.” Scarlet agreed as she walked away from Katherine. She slowly descended the stairs and walked to the balcony. Once she was out there she turned back to the now seemingly young girl and smiled. She could be almost human sometimes and she swore that it was because of her extended journey as a humanoid.

“You should remain strong. Do not lose sight of what you value the most. Believe me, it may seem impossible, but you seem firm in your opinions.” Scarlet was amused as she stepped out onto the balcony and surveyed the city so far below.

“I already belong to Sieg. He said that he could fix my, ah, problem. No one has been able to do it, not even under pain of death!” Scarlet scowled as she leaned on the railing, her long fiery blonde hair flying like a flag in the breeze. She looked almost forlorn as she spoke to the first human she’d ever really had the desire not to eat.

“I had eggs, you know. I had a life. I had everything a dragon could ever hope for. Then, one day, a mage decides to put a stop to it all.” Scarlet felt her knees growing weak and so she sat on the floor of the balcony and turned to look at Katherine. “Explain to me why I shouldn’t detest every human that crosses my path? He wanted to kill me because I ate his sheep or his friend or something. I don’t really remember it was a long time ago. Instead of killing me he turned me into this abomination that I am. I can almost understand why you humans drink.”

Scarlet curled her legs under her and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply and letting that breath out slowly. She couldn’t lose her temper, not here, not now. She allowed the grief of losing her whole life to wash over her before opening her eyes. They looked reptilian for a second before flashing back to normal human eyes.

“I would much rather not be privy to any more of Sieg’s plans than are necessary. I may have allowed him a piece of my soul, but I don’t intend to give him any reason to consume me faster than he would normally.” Scarlet frowned for a moment before looking at Katherine. “What does one wear to a banquet? I admit that I am not at all really versed in human customs.”

[Sage]

Katherine became increasingly annoyed with the Dragon's disposition, but suffered the burden with a quiet indignity, setting herself about digging through one of he last trunks near the door. King Syrus had been set to marry a woman long before he met his true Queen. The first time was to a barbarian leader of a similar stature as Scarlet. Her name was Nobanzi, and Katherine sent a clone of herself to compare notes with the tailor that worked in the castle.

" Perhaps he made the right decision. Obviously you don't care about our laws, or feelings. And you don't care about dying, so he turned you into what you are now. Obviously you find this to be a much worse punishment...I applaud the mage, whoever he was. "

The words were brash, with a harshness allowed only with the absence of one piece of her personality via her clone. Within seconds the second Kat returned with a piece of parchment, and handed it over before dragging the last trunk away short one extravagant gown that she held in her arms now.

" Typically what you wear would represent your rank and position in our society. But I don't know who you are, or what you're supposed to do. I'm not even sure how important you are to the new King, but considering you're one of the very few members of his entourage, you will be treated as a Royal. "

She unfurled the gown, a luxurious white and gold number with links of replica chain armor fashioned out of pure gold making up the midsection. The cut of the neckline was thin, but low, drawing the eye to skin all the way down to the armor to split the breast all the way. The tops of the breasts remained covered by an ornate golden torque which flourished into a light gold pauldron on one shoulder, but thanks to the split, she would be exposed along her sternum nearly halfway over her stomach. The links would be see-through, but the outfit turned back into a fine white skirt before too much was revealed, though the tops of her hips would be easily visible.

Katherine sneered as she handed Scarlet the odd foreign garb, knowing despite any disapproval, this would be the only plausible outfit for her to wear in time for the dinner.

" Wear it well, it's worth more than everything I own put together. "

[Scarlet]

Scarlet was amused by Katherine’s brash behavior. She got to her feet, towering over the petite woman as the dress was thrust at her. A flicker of the dragon she was within showed itself in her blue eyes. When she grabbed the dress, Scarlet also grabbed Katherine’s wrist. There would be no escape from her unless force was applied – and the deep unseated anger roosting not far beneath the surface of her skin suggested that such force would be foolhardy – that a beast might be unleashed that was uncontrollable. Scarlet tugged gently on Katherine’s arm to pull her close, the heat radiating off her body was a strange and dismal reminder of what she was. Ice itself wouldn’t form on her skin because of what she was. Katherine would be close enough, now, to see the millions of tiny clear scales locking across the dragon woman’s skin.

“You may not fear death, and for a human I respect that in you. You would be wise in schooling your disgust and temper, and you will dress me. I may not understand your customs and your base desires, but I will not be killed earlier than necessary for your hatred of me.” Scarlet pushed Katherine away from her. The gesture was a gentle one, but it might upset the girl’s balance if she wasn’t expecting it. Scarlet walked back into the room and shed the shirt and belt that she had been wearing. Naked once again she surveyed her reflection in a piece of window lit by the fire.

Scarlet’s body was tight and firm, she was well put together by human standards – though she wished she were ugly. It was in an attempt to disfigure her face and body that she found she couldn’t. Some part of her curse sealed self-inflicted wounds before the cut could be finished completely. It still didn’t keep her from trying, or begging for death from another source. The bad thing about dragon scales was that very few things could actually penetrate them, and those people that had such weapons were usually too wrapped up in their own uses of a dragon-like weapon to kill it.

Scarlet shook her head and turned her back to the window so that she faced the room. As she stepped into the gown and pulled it over her shoulders, the collar remaining loose until someone could clasp it, Scarlet was a little mortified at how much skin was showing. She felt a breeze brush against the skin of her exposed chest and belly, the gentle curve of her breast only slightly exposed from the side. The gown was beautiful, stunning even, but she still felt incredibly naked standing there with her hip bones pressing against the chain armor that dipped perilously close to her lady parts. She took a deep breath, feeling the fabric tighten against her chest, and relax as her chest recoiled. When it was laced and clasped together it fit like a glove.

Scarlet would turn anyone away that insisted on doing her hair and makeup. She sat with whatever brush would be brought to her and combed out her knee length hair herself. She spent a long while spiraling and braiding her hair until it was all tucked expertly together with very few pins. She looked about Syrus’ desk for a few minutes before spotting settling on some netting of unknown origin. She decorated it with small pins from the array of goods the servant that would have styled her hair had. She took no time on her makeup, simply brushing soft dark kohl on her eyes to bring out their brilliant blue. In short, she looked like a legend, but she felt incredibly naked and quite tired.

“I’m ready.” It would have taken some time to get ready, and so she would be right on time once she arrived at the banquet.

[Sage]

Katherine allowed Scarlet to handle her as she chose. She did not resist when she was grabbed, though she could have easily split her form and freed herself. The look in the thing's eyes before her was enough to deter such a rebellious act. In so much as she felt disdain for the creature, she also felt pity when she studied those inhuman eyes. It was obvious that Scarlet had emotions, and that being Ancient had not stripped her of them. They were simply buried, numbed to a point where the dragon could stand to live inside her own head with what had been done to her.

She assisted with the dress, holding it straight so that the chain did not kink as she slid it on. She also applied a preparation across the woman's skin beforehand, only a slight sheen of oil and a balm to prevent the thing from chafing her, though she did not even know if she could feel such minor pains. As Scarlet finished her own hair and make-up, Kat went about shifting the dress ever so slightly in places. Tucking and concealing where needed, keeping things tasteful and symmetrical, while also adjusting and revealing other bits of her beneath the gown.

Once she was satisfied, she went to the door, allowing Scarlet to finish her own work while she greeted two people at the door. After a brief consultation with the immaculately-dressed individuals, and after checking to make sure Scarlet was ready to receive said guests, she led them in.

" Allow me to introduce, our Sous-Chef de Cuisine, Beatrix Baptiste. And, Boucher Sangreus Messer. Respectively, our Underchef and Butcher for the castle. While you are here, I will be responsible for your diet, planning any meals you eat in the castle. We would just like to know if there is anything we should know about your tastes, or any allergies you might have to the food we might prepare. It would be a shame, if you died thanks to something I had made for you. "

Kat's gaze remained fixed, an unrelenting stare at the dragon. Her voice gave away her obvious concerns, but Scarlet would know by the serious nature of her tone that she was asking purely as a professional, and not as someone trying to plot a murder.

" Anything you can tell us about your preferences in food, preparation, or otherwise things we might need to know about your diet would be helpful. And quickly, dinner begins within the hour. "

[Scarlet]

Scarlet snorted, a very strange sound coming from someone as stunning as she. She settled into a chair and tucked stray wisps of hair into the netting she’d formed around her intricately woven hair. She glanced at Katherine with her ice blue eyes, which seemed to glow somewhat from within in the darkening room.

“I am allergic to nothing. I prefer red meat and fish. I will eat green things if they are presented but I do not prefer them. I have managed the use of a spoon, knife, and fork so soups and such are not an issue. I never have understood why you humans want to water down your food and turn it into a soup.” Scarlet chuckled to herself as she swiped a cloth over her face to remove any excess kohl liner that may have fallen to her cheeks.

“Most poisons burn up before they can reach my system. I believe Sieg might be able to tell you a few that would work, if you’re interested.” Scarlet was playing with Katherine at this point as she got to her feet and twisted to look at the dress and how it fell on her body. It was a bold number, and she could hardly understand why some human had desired to wear it. She could smell the human on the garment, even though it was an older gown. She smelled exotic and somehow Scarlet felt like it was befitting that she wear it in honor of the exotic woman that had left it behind.

“Shall we?” Scarlet had chosen not to wear shoes, the scales on her body far better than shoes in any situation. If they were forced on her she would wear them – but the gown that was given to her to wear was one that didn’t need shoes. Scarlet motioned for Katherine to lead the way, and as she followed she pondered what she might have to do during this banquet that Sieg had planned for his victory over Algeroth.