'Souls RPG - Our kingdom can see its end

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Coaxoch Ulrich

I'll fight till there's no kingdom left

OOC: sorry for the wait, i really wanted this thread though for sure.

679

It had been more than awhile since he had found himself thinking about her. He had more things on his mind than that of the inner workings of Salsola, for this war against Inferni still had been at the forefront of his mind. He thought still that it had been wrong of them to fight the coyotes, and that peace should have been disputed before they had laid waste to the mansion in which most of the Infernians lived. He had heard the screams, the yelps, only lucky to not see the bodies as they burned alive like the bodies he burned in the Blackwoods on a regular basis.

While he should have been proud, Faith made him feel ashamed of his Gods.

He asked his father how the Gods could ask them to burn the Infernians like they were lesser beings, but the whole thing still had Till very distracted, and he was more interested in not talking about the war and not thinking about how the Bastard's "father" was now labeled Pentiti. Coax had no answers, and this led him to spending a lot of time alone in the Blackwoods, listening to the sounds of the forest to find the voices of the Gods. He needed to know why. He needed to know what made the Salsolans so superior to where they were not to burn each other alive. Where did all the violence stop?

Only during the Solstices in which they were to find a mate? Coax still did not understand these rules, these traditions.

He didn't understand the bloodshed.

It took him even longer to decide to seek her out. He didn't want to talk to her all that much, because she still had been a brat in his eyes, and she didnt really deserve her spot on the throne that she took so forcefully from her traitor of a father, but he knew that some(most) things were out of his control, for he was nothing but a lowly Family member. He thought hard about how to act around the woman, he knew that her power could end up with him without a home, and he knew more so that he would have to show some sort of respect for the brattish Hierophant. Coax grimaced as he found that the snow had turned to wetness, and he headed home into the Springhill Cemetary. He stayed inside for some time until the temperature began to drop once more, to where the rain turned back into solid snow fall.

When he emerged from his home, he was dressed in a sharp suit that he procured from his father some time ago. He often wore this to the Last Suppers, and had been in a rush most of the times, so he seems sloppy sometimes, but this time, he was as sharp as his suit. He stood tall, and handsome, with carefully brushed hair (that was growing too long) and a frown on his face as he mounted his horse and headed to where he knew she was taking shelter in this winter storm. Her place was probably much warmer than his own anyways.

He did not mind the cold, for his coat had the thickness of a wolf, but one could not deny the luxuries that a Queen would have, no matter how small they were.

It took him some time to get the old stallion to the Ruins, but when he did, he dismounted and walked the rest of the way to the Central Ruins and easily found himself wandering down the hallways of the old Ruins to get to where he wanted to go.

This time he passed up Idrieus' Library and found himself going to the Throne Room with silent steps from dulled claws and trained feet. He would not make the mistake of letting her know that he was coming - not this time.

He finally made it to her door and he put a knuckle to her door and knocked with purpose.

"Elphaba. I need to talk to you."

Father, where are you now?

This whole world is ours that we'll take back

Table by Silverfrost | image by bran-flakes@FA | Edits done by Jmonster

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Word Count → ??? :: thank you for starting!

The weather was miserable. At times it snowed, sometimes lightly but sometimes heavy enough to paint the world outside her tall narrow windows white and indiscernible. Othertimes it rained, and this was worse even than the snow; For the cold remained but now everything was slick and icy, and the coldness seeped in easily through her thinner hybrid pelt.

Eventually it would pass, and the sun would return to them. She couldn't wait for another clear, bright night like the Last Supper had been - a perfect night to return to her beloved Blackwoods, and speak with her heart who dwelt therein.

For now Elphaba restricted herself to the throne room and its accompanying tower. Though regrettable, it was a good reason to get plenty of work done. She'd finished the tallies that grandmother had requested, and even begun organizing a parchment with assorted trade goods, weights and bartering values for the next conceivable trip to Portland. Satisfied at her own productivity, she'd had a quick nap and then got to work setting up a new shrine in one corner of the room.

The throne room was vastly changed from its time under Lokr's rule. In months gone by it had been a cozy yet suitable austere place, with plush furs and a roaring fire in the hearth; Her father's books and scrolls in disarray across the workbench, her mother's fine silks hanging from awning and beam to color the walls like bright tapestries.

Now, the room was largely empty. She'd placed a purchase order for some decorative items from the Outpost, but they likely wouldn't arrive till spring when ships came back to port. The chambers of the tower were grey and bare, cold with unlit fires and bleak with unadorned walls.

The shrine was the most important aspect of her planned redesigns, however. Piety could not only exist in the woods; If she was truly devoted to the Craft, it needed to live in her home, and in her heart. For now it was a humble thing, little more than an assortment of crystals and strange bristling plant cuttings. Fat wax candles lit the room and dripped slowly into their saucers. Elphaba was knelt on a hide rug before the shrine, her fingers dancing lightly over the many flickering flames, when his voice interrupted her.

A frown darkened her sharp features briefly, but it was accompanied by a curious glimmer to the bloodred hue of her eyes. She rose, pulling the silky red kimono closer about her waifish frame, and went to open the heavy door.

Coax was an unexpected sight. They hadn't had much by way of interaction since they were children; She recalled him following about after his father, who had come often to converse with the Pentiti. "Is something the matter?" The Hierophant asked sharply, her suspicion drawn by the purposeful sound of his knuckles rapping against the wood, and by the bold way in which he had summoned her. A cold air slunk in from the corridor behind him, and she resisted the urge to shiver.

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Coaxoch Ulrich

I'll fight till there's no kingdom left

OOC: I pped a little bit let me know if it needs to be changed. <3

722

The coldness of the hallway began to sink into his fur, making the top layer of the fur cold to the touch. His clothing helped with keeping the cold from his bits, but his pale hands and paws still found themselves cold on top of the stone that covered the floor and walls. He did not find that she took too long, for she did not, and once her frame found itself in front of him with a kimono hugging her thin frame, he found himself look over her and then put a finger to his tight collar and a clear of his throat came from him.

Her bright eyes that were both beautiful like rubies, and dangerous like blood trickling out of her skull.

His bright eyes of spring turned from hers when they accidentally met, for he still had not been completely used to her new rank. He did not quell his rage though, for he had a reason to be here, and this reason was important. He needed to remember that, and he reminded himself silently that he needed to be confident here. He needed to show her that he was worth what he was going to offer.

She asked if there was something that was the matter. He immediately shook his head and opened his maw to speak:

"Not exactly. Can I come in? I have a meal we can share while we talk." he told her as he motioned to his satchel that was on his hip that not only had a meal that he had hunted for this occasion, but also some jewels and gold that he had from a stash that his father had given him so long ago. He still had such gold, and would use it to bribe the woman, should he need to, but if he didn't, if there was something else from him that she wanted, he would gladly give her such over the remaining jewels and gold that he had, for he could trade these things for physical things, rather than spending it on words and promises. Her words were sharp, and full of authority, but this gave him an extra boost of adrenaline and courage to face the woman he once called a brat who had no realization of reality.

When she let him come past, he looked around the room and noted how empty it had been compared to the riches her father would have left her. He wondered why she had stripped everything down, and he found himself looking towards the only thing in the room. A small shrine. He knew better than to use this as a spot to put the food that they were to share. He looked to her in a way that asked "where should I sit?" and he tilted his head lightly to her.

He took in a deep breath from his spotted nose as his spring colored eyes looked at the high cheeks of the woman. He could see the resemblance of the Pentiti in her more so than her sister. He sighed lightly. "I know the last time we talked, I wasn't exactly friendly with you." he started to speak to her,
now thinking about how this all would seem like it was him just sucking up to her. He wished that this wasn't the case. He wanted to be rude, and he wanted to tell her about how ungrateful she was, especially when it had come to inheriting an entire fortune. He didn't though, and he held his tongue, thinking of how to phrase his request.

"It has come to my attention, that our Fathers had a deal of sorts. I have come here to make the same sort of deal with you." he told her as his eyes looked back up from his satchel and to the girl who was barely older than he was.

"Do you know what kind of deal they had, Elphaba?" asked the male, wondering if the girl had ever picked up on the dealings of her father and the many families within Salsola. It was her responsibility to care for such families that her father had abandoned, and the Ulrich clan was becoming too big to not be taken care of, to not be favored by the Salsolan Leadership.

Father, where are you now?

This whole world is ours that we'll take back

Table by Silverfrost | image by bran-flakes@FA | Edits done by Jmonster

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Word Count → ??? :: ---

She wondered if her appearance had startled him; Coax was taller than she remembered, and as she looked up his summersky eyes slid away from the pointed weight of her gaze.

His request warranted a little thought, and Elphaba paused with her waifish frame blocking the doorway to regard him curiously. It was an odd hour to be calling without preamble, and something about the restless energy that poured from him seemed on-edge and wary. Pulling the red silk tighter about her, the Hierophant said nothing - Only pushed the heavy door fully open, and gestured in such a way to allow him entry.

She didn't particularly like that he saw the Throne Room as it was, stark and bare and cold like an altar. It would have been more fitting that he see it after her shipment arrived in the spring, decked out in splendor and suitably impressive. But not all things could wait for the mild season, and she was coming to learn that men were most impatient creatures.

Elphaba went herself to sit by the old hearth that held some faintly glowing coals - the remnants of an unstirred fire. There were three humble wooden log-stools there, some of the only remaining pieces of furniture the daughter had kept, and taking one herself, she indicated with a tilt of her head that Coax might seat himself in the one opposite.

He'd dressed finely for the occasion, the witch noted as her red eyes traced his movements through the room. As he settled across from her and began to speak, her narrow black pupils shrewdly sculpted the lines of his face, looking for something hidden therein.

"A deal?" Her cold fingers laced together thoughtfully, and the young woman's half-lidded stare was unmoving from him. "I know of no deal. Your father was once the Pentiti's ward and so it would make sense they were at a time rather fond of one another, though I nor any clever merchant would consider closeness alone to be a contract or binding agreement," She noticed the satchel that he was clutching, and for a brief moment of respite her gaze ceased pinning him to spare it a curious glance.

Then her black lips curled into a rather lovely smile.

"So I can only imagine that you are referring to a pledge of loyalty - That your father swore a fealty oath, binding your bloodline to serve mine. Is that it? I do so love guessing games," She leaned forward, long dark tresses falling like black water down the curve of her spine. One hand reached out, black fingers resting lightly against the tense muscle of his only arm, her dominance radiating through the gentle touch. "We are not squabbling children anymore; Tell me plainly what troubles you."

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Coaxoch Ulrich

The deafening silence is my crown

OOC: it a long post whoops

900

Coax would be lying if she asked him if he was nervous and he said "no". The fact that they knew each other had nothing to do with his nervousness,
it was his temper that he was nervous about. She had been annoying in his youth, and he still had that impression of her, and still did not like her, but his family was indebted to hers, and while that had to do specifically with their fathers, there had been some sort of unspoken deal that Till had with Lokr. Coax didn't even know if the Revlis clan knew of such dealings. Coax only knew what his father told him, and that was their position in regards to the royal family. She probably knew this nervousness by looking at him though. Coax was not all too good at hiding everything. He was not as good as his father. He doubted he would ever be that good.

Once she had pointed to a chair that he could sit in, but found that it was just a small stool. Coax could not say he wasn't disappointed. It was barren in there, and he felt almost as if she was left with nothing, even though he knew that this would not be the case. Lokr had too many things that Coax knew that he would not be able to ship out. She had to have destroyed it, or something of the sort. Coax did not ask, he knew better than to bring up the Pentiti more than he needed to in front of the woman.

He nervously tapped one of his feet a few times before he put his hand from his satchel to his knee, trying to stop his leg from bouncing up and down in such a nervous manner. She did not need to know how much he needed to convince himself to actually come to her, in almost the dead of night. He could have picked a better time, but Coax was not known to meet the leaders at all, much less at appropriate times during the day. This also had been the only time that he for sure knew that she would be in the Throne Room, and he needed the privacy that this room provided.

She told him that she knew of no deal. That was a good way to get out of any deal made by the Pentiti. He wondered if she wanted the Ulrichs to serve her in faith, where they would be bound by loyalty, to where in such cases of treason that the Ulrichs could not attack them, they would not. Coax thought carefully of a way to phrase this. He did not want to get his father in trouble for any contact that he may or may not have had with the Pentiti after the sentence had been carried out. She stared at him, and his large ears tilted back lightly on a crown of pale autumn hair. He turned his gaze away once more from her, for now her stare had become slightly intense, more so than it had been in the past. Coaxoch wondered what exactly changed in the girl. Power should not have given her such a cold stare, and he wondered who hurt her to make her gaze so...bloody...

"You cannot say you did not notice the frequency of our father's meetings." he mentioned to her, knowing that she had to have noticed that their father's had been somewhat more comfortable with each other than others could admit for their relationship with Lokr. "I dunno. Once I knew there was something else, it all made sense." he spoke with a shrug of both of his shoulders.

It was no less than a second passing before he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. His ears shot back up and he felt his spine shiver. She guessed what he had been talking about. He nodded lightly to her, almost blindly as his eyes met hers once more and he felt entranced. He shook his head suddenly and put his hand to his forehead and then to rub at his eye. He cleared his throat.

"I do mean the oath. You are right." he spoke, nodding his head once more as he looked at her ears, her hair, anything to keep his eyes out of hers. He did not want to deal with her venomous glare once more. "I worry that with him called Pentiti, you would not honor these oaths as the Ulrichs will, plan to, forever and always. My father served as a Confidante, a Warrior, a Merchant. Your father was a teacher. He gave my family riches. You know what Till is. A Bastard." he told her plainly, for this was what she wanted, right? "Our Fathers were close, and an oath to your family is something that is important, and it is something that I would like to continue. I believe that the Ulrichs can and will still be a valuable asset to Revlis. As Confidantes, as Warriors, as whatever you want us to be to you, Elphaba." he spoke to her as he took the satchel and passed it off to her. It carried what little riches he had - jewels, and gold - along with a fat leg of boar that was wrapped to keep any juices from getting on the gold.

When will they find out

That at some point there is no return?

Table by Silverfrost | image by Subdivisions@FA | Edits done by Jmonster

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He was hiding something from her. Elphaba had seen that look before; It was the expression worn by those who had seen her take her father's place at Salvia's side and felt something, something like an ill premonition, something like dread.

She wished it was as easy as peeling overripe fruit - That she could take her nails and rip any pretension from him, and see the truth therein plain as day.

But Salsolans were born with masks for faces, and the two did not always cleanly detach.

Coax was reluctant to meet her eyes, but this gave her the opportunity to study him freely, to try and absorb as much information as she could from his subconscious movements. Clearly he was uncomfortable in her presence, and she wondered at this - Sure, they'd not particularly liked one another as children, but was it more than that? It had been months and months since she'd spoken with the young man directly, and that amount of time was as good a balm for the ills of youth as any. They were both adults now.

With Till's noticeable... Instability, perhaps was the best word for it, she didn't doubt that Coaxoch would replace his father as head of the Ulrich clan soon enough.

As he explained, a number of things became very clear. Settled now with this knowledge, Elphaba turned her head aside to look at the candles flickering by her shrine. The little shivering flames held images of the past, the future; Sometimes they looked to her like silk dancers writhing in abandon, in pleasure or in agony.

"I can see why you are concerned," The Hierophant sighed softly, peering at Coax from the corner of her wide slanted eyes, "You fear that your father's loyalty to the exile may have contaminated your family name. Well, let me put your mind at peace," Suddenly she sat up straight, her spine stiff, her posture brimming with an authority granted her by Boss and Blood.

She held his gaze for a moment, as though weighing his fate in her hands like some cruel goddess. He passed the satchel to her, and she did not open it, but held it neatly in her lap.

"The man who was known as Lokr Revlis of Salsola is dead," She spoke clearly, calmly, as though the banished man meant nothing, was nothing, "Any vows or oaths made to him are sundered. Any loyalty given him is spurned. All his lands, all his belongings, taken. What he did, and who he was, is broken."

She had burned them after all, each and every one.

"But do not fear, Coaxoch of the Ulrich clan. I am the bearer of the Revlis blood and title. I will not accept your father's oath for it is tainted, but I will accept yours, and in doing so you will save your family of any persecution from affiliation with the Pentiti."

The red silk kimono was slipping down over one dark, angular shoulder, but she paid it no mind; Instead she reached out and drew the shape of a blessing in the air, and finished it by tracing her fingers down his cheek.

"Pledge your loyalty to me," Elphaba said simply, though there was a great and dangerous power behind the words. "Bend the knee to give me your own vow - not your father's, but your own - and I will uphold protection over your family for as long as you dutifully serve me."

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Coaxoch Ulrich

The deafening silence is my crown

OOC: :3 Oath included in WC because I wrote it. You can tell because it sucks.

666

He could feel her sharp gaze studying him relentlessly. Coax knew better than to meet her gaze, and he knew better than to challenge her staring at him. He could only writhe under her gaze like the plebeian he was. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was, for he still had not earned a rank within the Family that was higher than that. He was still lower than most of his peers, and while he had served in battle more than once, he knew that not all of it had to do with that. He knew his rank had to do with his arm and the lack thereof. He and his family were still looked at with scrutiny because of a curse that seemed to linger over the household. Coaxoch wondered if this all had to do with the Pentiti. Maybe that was the reason their luck had been so bad over the last year.

Maybe the Gods had been punishing them for keeping their loyalties in the wrong place. This was not all Coax's fault though, nor could it have been Till's for it had only been natural for the Bastard to swear fealty to the Pentiti. They were practically father and son. The Pentiti was the closest thing that the Bastard would ever see as a father, and Coax understood this in a way. Even now, Coax had been doing this deal, this oath for the safety of his House and specifically his Father. He was doing this for Till mostly, even if it had to do with him being indebted to the Heirophant.

Summersky eyes turned and watched her stiffen with authority, and his tall copper ears again fell back lightly on his head. She spoke, and he listened closely.
She claimed that Lokr Revlis was dead, and all deals and oaths were nullified because of this. Coax nodded his head lightly as he met eyes with her now, showing that he understood what she was saying and that she had his full attention.

Her next words made his ears shoot back up, for she had addressed him directly. With these words, he knew what he had to do.

Her touch had been unwarranted, and he flinched slightly at it, but as if it was a natural reaction, he pressed his face within her hand and his summersky eyes disappeared under the clouds of dusk as he closed his eyes and relished in the false affection. He knew that they still did not like each other, and it would probably be some time until they actually were friends. Coax did not know if they would ever be as close as their father's were, and he actually doubted it slightly, but only time could tell.

She ordered him to bend the knee. He opened his eyes and turn them to her and again he found himself nodding lightly. He slid from his seat onto one knee, and took her hand within his own. He kissed her hand before bowing deeply. With that, he spoke these words:

"I, Coaxoch of Die Ulrich Klan,
Swear fealty to Elphaba of House Revlis
To serve her and her House til the end of my days,
To stand by her side in the Darkest of Nights, The Brightest of Days.
May the Gods strike me and my down, Should we prove unworthy.
May Her Hand Be Quick in Judgement, Should I Fail
May My Own be Swift to Protect Her and hers.
May We Both Know Riches and Peace in Our Union, Always,
So Help Me Gods, I Swear this Oath to Elphaba Of House Revlis."

His words were confident, the most confident that he had been all night, and once he had finished speaking this to her, he looked back up at her with determination thick in his gaze. He would not fail her, may the gods see to it themselves to strike him down, should he do exactly that.

When will they find out

That at some point there is no return?

Table by Silverfrost | image by Subdivisions@FA | Edits done by Jmonster

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He was as compliant as she'd expected; Not exactly turning to butter in her hands, but soft and pliable nonetheless. Coaxoch had grown up on the fringes of their society, a member of it but ostracized for his differences. She suspected that he thought it was due to his missing limb - But Coaxoch would have been a strange creature even with a second arm.

As she spoke the powerful words, the witch could see them planted like seeds in the pale hue of his eyes, each one destined to take root and grow.

Her father's loyalties had all been sundered. Now it was time to build her own.

Willing, Coaxoch slid from the stool to take the knee before her. She allowed him to take her hand in his own. His palm was very warm, the fingers calloused from hard work, and when he pressed the back of her hand to his lips they were soft and whiskery.

With the candles drawing strange shadows over her face, Elphaba looked down at him and smiled.

The oath was very clever. She hadn't taken him for a poet or a wordsmith, but the words were binding and lovely; She committed them, and the sight of him kneeling before her, to memory.

"So it was," The witch said, and reached forward with her empty hand to draw an insignia on his upturned forehead, "And so it is. Blessings upon you; Familia Fortis Elegit." She let him rise back into his seat before turning her attention to the satchel in her lap. It was full to the brim, and her fingers curiously untied the simple leather thong so that she could peer inside.

The contents glinted and twinkled back up at her seeking red eyes, and a tasty smell rose from the wrapped bundle within them. Leaving the sparkling trinkets, she took the packaged boar leg and handed the rest back to him. "You will need your wealth in times to come," The Hierophant intoned cryptically, her voice low and warm, "But your generosity is noted. Tell me, Coax, did you hunt this boar yourself?"

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Coaxoch Ulrich

The deafening silence is my crown

OOC: :3

783

Coax had been compliant when he needed to be. He was a gentleman when he needed to be, and above all, he was respectful and tough. He knew how to be gentle when he needed to be, and he knew when to have a spine. The ridicule that he had gotten from his arm being missing had made him into a complicated individual, one that could be such a sad soul, yet one who knew how to be happy on the other hand. He knew how to fight for his family, and when the be submissive and courteous. He knew all of these things because Till had taught him most of what the male knew, and this was what he owed to his father. He owed him the resilience that he had given to Coax, while the expense of this meant that he would crumble from the inside with every tragedy that came his way.

Coax would stand by his father the entire way, but he also knew that things would begin to fall on his shoulders, should Till's shoulders fail to carry the weight of the Ulrich name in times to come. This - in its entirety- had probably been why Elphaba was keen on making this deal with him, this oath. Coax would still not be so keen on reporting to the Hierophant on normal days, for Coax liked his alone time, but he knew that this was necessary for not only his father, but also his brothers and sisters. As long as one of the Ulrichs were to swear the fealty, they would all be safe until it came to be their time to choose their paths in life.

He knew not of Calla and Helena's intention with the head of the Ulrich household, if they were only holding onto him to make their own families larger, to continue their blood or if they loved him, but Coax had to trust that they had Till's best intentions in mind. He hoped that they did, else he would have to step up and protect his father from the witches' spells and cast them down as snakes.

She accepted his oath as truth, and he smiled lightly at the matter as her hands hovered over his forehead to mark them as truth. He felt a great weight fall from his shoulders like a shell that finally fell from his aching back. He kissed her hand once more in blessing and then gently guided it to her thigh. He took notice to her kimono's slither from her shoulder, and wondered if she had noticed. " Familia Fortis Elegit." he chanted in reply to her before he found himself getting to his feet once more, and taking a seat back down in the stool.

She shifted through the satchel then, her long claws tinkering against the jewels and gold that she seemingly ignored as she found her hands grab at the roast. His head cocked lightly, and he truly watched her now and milked her presence for what it was. With his nerves calmed, her powerful glares seemed less threatening, and more or less natural. She swore her protection of him, as he had done to her, and this in itself made him feel a false sense of security.

"I hope you will not regret your decision to have me bend the knee to your clan once more, Elphaba Revlis. I will do everything in my power to not make regret fall on your shoulders." he told her, calling her by her full name, for sometimes he felt this was more respectful than calling her by her rank,
for this had been almost as if stripping her name from her.

When she asked if he had hunted the boar himself, he nodded sharply, and just then it really looked like he was a coyote because of the angles in his face as he turned to her and looked down at the leg that she partially unwrapped.

"I almost exclusively hunt by myself. I do not live with Till anymore, for as you know, The Old Wall is getting to be crowded. I moved out to the Springhill cemetary within the Blackwoods...I find it more peaceful there, and quiet...It also keeps the children out of my potions. " he told her, not knowing if she had known that he did not live in the same chambers as his father and hadn't for some time now. I did a lot of training with Dullahan, as you know. He taught me how to fight and hunt with a spear and sword. he told her, reminding her that he had been skilled, albeit young.

When will they find out

That at some point there is no return?

Table by Silverfrost | image by Subdivisions@FA | Edits done by Jmonster

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She did not miss the purposeful way in which he used her calling, her name in it's entirely, and wondered on this; A thing's true name is its power, after all. From beneath the thick curtain of her bangs and lashes, she looked at him askance and took the measure of the young man she saw there - More clever than he let on, it seemed.

"See to it that I don't," Her voice was low and husky and warm, but behind it was something dangerous, a shadow of smoke and ash.

Then she smiled, and the apparition of threat was gone; And she was only Elphaba, lovely Elphaba, once more.

It surprised her to learn that he no longer lived in the household his father kept. This, along with many other signs, informed her that she'd made the right decision in asking him instead of Till to bend the knee. Of course, the more she thought on it the more practical it seemed - The Ulrich clan had been expanding at an unprecedented rate, and with Helena's new pregnancy seemed destined to grow further.

It was for the betterment of the kingdom that they did.

Belatedly, Elphaba realized that her father would not be present to rear the new Ulrich babes; Should they live, that responsibility might fall to her.

That he was a practiced swordsman and a hunter did not interest her - men who wielded weapons and claws were as numerous and dispensable as her rings. But her ears perked up at his mention of potions, and the witch paused halfway through unwrapping the boar leg.

"What sort of concoctions do you brew?" She inquired curiously, her head tilting to give him her full attention. "The Blackwoods is ripe with all sorts of ingredients, for those bold enough to seek them out." He was a curious creature indeed, choosing to live in the purportedly haunted realm of the coven. Perhaps she would need to keep a closer eye on him after all...

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Coaxoch Ulrich

The deafening silence is my crown

OOC LATE AS ALWAYS

580

Coaxoch did not actively seek her approval like a dog to it's human, but part of him was curious to know if she had been at least remotely surprised about his independence from his family. Her face did not tell him much, only peering back at him with those bright, bloody eyes that shown like rubies against a face that had been as pale as his own. Sometimes, this marking upon her face had reminded him of his family, of himself, his father and Dirge, for they all had these pale masks that were almost untouched by other colors. These pale colors also mostly surrounded their eyes and maw, much like Elphaba's own. It was strange, to think that these markings were common enough to be found in bloodlines that were largely unrelated. Coaxoch did not know of how new the House of Revlis was, nor did he know that he and Elphaba would be distant cousins of sorts, should the Lykoi name had been kept by Lokr's father.

When her ears perked at his mention of potions, he too flicked his ears and took a deep breath as if he had been holding it for so long. She asked what kind of potions he was brewing in the depths of the Blackwoods, and he looked at her with a proud smile passing his maw. "So far I have been infusing some wines with hallucinogenic mushrooms. I finally found a brew that didn't taste like cat poop so since I finished that, I have been working on some poisonous potions...." he told her, knowing that it would still be interesting for her, for her kind loved to poison their enemies, and if there was anything that was valuable, it would be a poison that acted under the guise of a sweet and tasty wine, able to choke it's victims within minutes of ingestion. "I don't like testing it on canines, because a lot of the poisons would result in death, so I use rats and raccoons mostly. " he told her as a tidbit, a cover up to show that he was uninterested in poisoning any of The Family. "Anyway, I was hoping that my brews would help to help the coven someday, maybe it could be something like Loki's brews, though..maybe a bit tastier on that part." he spoke with a laugh as he mentioned the Crone's earthy brews. Coax had tried it once or twice, and this had been what had inspired him to start making potions and brews.

"I would have brought some of the wine with me if I thought you would have liked it. I did not see you try it at the Last Supper prior, so I was unsure if you liked it or not. " he told her, motioning at her gifts that he brought to her. He nodded to the boar leg though, and smiled still. "I hope you enjoy the meat though. Boar is pretty tough to take down with one arm." he spoke, chuckling softly at his mention of it being hard to get his 'hands' on a boar.
He'd been pretty lucky with that one, this was certain. He'd been more accustomed to hunting raccoons and smaller animals that bigger ones often gave him trouble, but he had been proud to be able to be blessed by the Red God enough to get a lovely gift for his lovely Heirophant.

When will they find out

That at some point there is no return?

Table by Silverfrost | image by Subdivisions@FA | Edits done by Jmonster

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With a curious head tilt, she listened as the young man detailed his potion-making endeavors to her - They were lengthy and profound, suggesting that he'd set himself to the task quite some time ago. This pleased Elphaba. Any individual who was willing to take the risk of experimenting with illicit and volatile substances was only as worthy as their patience, their careful practitioning. One foul step and a poison-maker would be as like to drink their own medicine, something that rarely ended well.

Even so, there was a small part of her that grew reserved at the thought of Coaxoch making wine into poison; After all, he'd brought two bottles of concoction to the previous Supper. Now that she had more information, this seemed rather ominous.

Her pupils narrowed ever so slightly as she watched the young man from beneath a curtain of sharp bangs and dark lashes.

"The Crone has a knack for making palatable potions," She agreed, thinking deeply on this, "Though his brews are for elevation of the soul, translucency of the spirit; For walking in a different realm. Not for death." The mushrooms that grew on Salsola's Isle were cultured for this purpose; In ritual and in sacrifice, they took the mind to another place. She wanted to know how he'd purified the substance so much that it made the separation of soul from body permanent, but did not ask.

Leaning forward, she reached out imperiously to tuck a wayward strand of blonde hair out of the bright blue of his eyes. Her touch, as with all things about Elphaba, was undeniably possessive.

Reclining back, she hummed thoughtfully. "I can only imagine - but I've long been a believer that the mind is mightier than muscle alone. We work smarter, not harder; That is why we've survived two wars. You are cleverer than most, Coax, I know that; You should focus your mind on its strengths, rather than your body's weaknesses."

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Every filthy bird and makes us drink

Word Count → 660 || OOC: This went on longer than intended, we can close with your next post if you'd like.

She had commented on his poisons and potions, while also speaking of Loki's own "palatable" brews. Coax chuckled lightly at her words only because he knew that Loki's brews were hallucinogenic, but they were far from tasty. Coaxoch had been rather proud of his own brew that he had brought to the Supper, having found a good mixture of sweetness and hallucinogenic. I strive to be a master of both poisons and spiritual brews. I don't strive to be the Crone's successor, but I do want to be part of the coven, should you and the Crone would have me. he told her, as his bright eyes of spring turning to actually look her in her bloodied rubies that were embedded into snow covered stone. He turned his eyes away lightly as he leaned forward with an elbow connecting with his thigh. He didn't know if Elphaba would enjoy having both himself and Till within the coven, but it seemed like the only step that Coaxoch could take. Coax could try to go for the Milite job, but he knew better..He would consider becoming a Mercante as well, but he did not know how well or how far his father's connections could help him, nor did he particularly find an interest for it outside of personal gain.

Elphaba touched him again, and he found himself with a little avoidance of the touch, and he pulled away lightly, with his ears tilting back lightly on his blonde crown. The touch had been one of ownership, dominant and with a newly found power. Coaxoch did not lean into this touch, and rather, his jaw fell slightly agape as his eyes turned back up to her. Her touch was fleeting, but when she leaned back and spoke more, he decided then that he needed to cut his hair again. He had let it grow for too long, and her possessive touch only reminded him that he needed to keep up with hiss growing hair. He tilted his ears back up to listen to her words of compliments and advice. She seemed wise for her age, and maybe she would be a good leader. Coaxoch still didn't like the idea, but for just a split second, he believed that she might not just be a crazy witch leader, and instead maybe she could be a somewhat benevolent leader.

Coaxoch found his hand come to his necklace that the Boss had given him upon his Cueponi and he chuckled lightly. Do you think the Boss finds that same cleverness within me, or am I just another pawn on the battlefield? I do not find that it had been the best thing to send a one armed man onto the field, even if I did hold my own. he told her with a spark of mischievous find his bright blue eyes. He had almost committed treason in the last battle, and would have likely been cast out as Pentiti should his father's horse not cut him off as he did. The Bull had been the one to save him then, and while he hoped that no one else had seen such things transpire, for it had not been a particularly fun time for Coaxoch. He did not, and would not be likely to return the favor, for the Bull had been in Salsola for some time and still was a lowly Associate, and therefore, meant less to him than that of if the male had been art of The Family. But maybe she knew that I could handle it, with my 'clever' nature. he spoke with a small laugh.

It's strange how some luperci pick up on that sort of thing. Never thought that you or The Boss would think much of a Bastard's son. he wondered if they truly thought of him so fondly, or if he was just another pawn in their Game.

The poisoned wine to fornicating with our kings.

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