[center][h2] [Color=98FB98] Rya Mira [/color] [/h2][sub] Suprise Bride of Azilon [@WeepingLiberty] Interacting with: Az[@WeepingLiberty] [/sub][/center] The harsh warmth of the day beat down on the small group of drakken that was the Dantanath family. Leading the pack was a monster of a drakkan who, in Rya’s opinion, was more like Salazar than Azilon ever could be. The eldest Dantanath, Tarkylian, overshadowed all of his siblings in height alone. While Azlion was only a few inches shorter, two and a half of him could easily fit with in his much broader brother. Tarkylian was the unspoken leader, but it was clear that Morganna was incharge. Standing slightly off to the left, she lead the group. Halting them all whenever she saw something on the streets that caught her fancy and moving on whenever she got bored. To the right of the leading trio was Gorrak. A smaller version of his brother, still larger than Azilon, but not the monster that Dantanth was. Compared to the leading three, the three behind looked distinctly out of place. Azlion towering over the two females on either side of him. Rya, of course, being one of them. The last of the siblings was Aeya. A mystery to Rya. Smaller than all of her siblings and much prettier than her sister. The family ‘outing’ being triggered by tournament. The invitation had come last night, not long after Azlion and Rya had arrived. [i][center] ~Yesterday~[/center][/i] [i] The house of Dantanath was dark, even while the sun was still shining. All of the windows were heavily curtained, the many halls lit by candle light. A place of whispers and hushed voices, less you wanted to draw out a monster from the shadows. At the center of it all, was Salazar Dantanath. [color=f4a460]“Ah, the prodigal son returns, and….he brings a little treasure, ”[/color] Every aspect of the patriarch oozed a toxin that tainted everything it came in contact with. Azlion looked relaxed enough, but his eyes betrayed his displeasure. And Rya...mostly she tried not to breath, less it drew his gaze. [color=f4a460]“Drinks,” [/color] Salazar's voice echoed around the chamber. At first it was unclear at whom the order was placed until a gem, even tiny by Rya’s standard of gem, arrived with a huge tray that held a heavy container of dark red wine. Rya watched the girl’s arm tremble slightly as she balanced the tray while pouring a glass for both Azlion and his father, before settling herself beside Salazar, the tray being held above her head. [color=f4a460]“Well, son, let’s see what you brought home,” [/color] There was a power play here. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Azlion tensing, but didn’t make a move to stop Salazar as he circled her. She felt the urge to cover herself, but like with any predator, she knew it was best to just stand still. Or play dead, but that didn’t seem like an option. As Salazar reach out to touch her, a crash echoed throughout the room, reverberating in every dark corner. All around the tiny Gem were the contents of the jug of wine as well as the shattered platter and glass jug. [color=purple]“I’m-- I’m so sorry M-Master, it was too heavy. It… it was hurting my arms--” [/color] There was an sense of panic in the girl’s voice, as she scrambled to clean up the impossible mess. [color=f4a460]“You. Little--”[/color] Salazar turned to the girl, her punishment already set in his eyes. Rya’s hand shot out before she knew what she was doing, grabbing Salazar around the wrist [Color=98FB98]“It-It was an accident,”[/color] she sputtered, alarmed at her own daring. Salazar looked just as surprised as she was to find her hand on his wrist. [color=f4a460]“Clearly my son hasn’t taken the time to teach you proper manners,”[/color] Salazar jerked first his hand free. Examining his hand for a moment, as though he expected to find filth, before he stuck her across the face with the back of his hand. [color=f4a460]“Perhaps I should take it upon myself,” [/color] For the first time that night, Azilon moved, placing himself directly between the two. [color=8493ca]“That isn’t for you to decided [i] Salazar [/i],[/color]” [color=f4a460]“Well, look who finally grew up,” [/color] came Salazar’s mocking voice.[color=f4a460] “Do you really think-” [/color] Whatever Salazar was going to say was interrupted by Morganna, who brought the message about the tournament. [/i] [center][b][h3]~[/h3][/b][/center] Strictly speaking, Azlion and Tarkylian were the only two who had received an invitation. But Salazar [i] suggested[/i] they all went, so they did. Everytime that Rya caught a look at her reflection through one of the shop windows, she would try and stop. Salazar’s Gem bride (name still unknown) had swooped in on her early that morning. Attacked with powders and creams,kohl, oils and pigments of a thousand shades were artfully painted on her skin. Layers and layers. Rya was left feeling...fake. Not like herself, but not different enough that she could be someone else. And what was more alarming was that the bruise, while she could still feel it, it was completely hidden. It left her to wonder with Salazar’s nameless bride actually looked like. Having left most of her belongings at the cabin, the outfit she was wearing was another thing given to her by the girl. Light green skirt that brushed the ground as she walked. The beaded top ended just below her breasts. It was clearly made, not only for a smaller Gem, but with fashion over functionality. The end result being that Rya dare not raise her arms, for fear of pulling the whole thing off. An all to real risk. Across her waist was Azlion’s only addition to the look, a silver chain that could have been mistaken for a belt, were it not for the thin ribbon that was attached to Azilon’s wrist. A leash, a pretty leash, but a leash all the same. It hadn’t gone on without a fight. [i] [center] [b] Earlier that Day [/b] [/center] [Color=98FB98]“I said no.”[/color] Rya puffed air through her nose indignantly, arms crossed and a scowl etched deeply into her expression. She eyed the thread of silver in Azilon’s hand warily, doing her best to stand defiantly all while fighting the urge to slink back. [color=8493ca]“This isn’t an option little Api, you have to wear it.”[/color] He met the small girl’s blazing eyes with a cold stare of his own. Azilon wasn’t exactly know for being the most patient man in the world, but this was a battle he already knew the outcome of thus he felt no need to match her fury. There was, however, something familiar about the expression that hid behind her defiance, a feeling he knew all too well and had long since rid himself of. [Color=98FB98]“I thought me wandering off was the least of your worries. The only reason you were here in the first place was to get rid of me, was it not?”[/color] She countered, both her tone and posture rigid. It was clear from her composure that she wasn’t going to go down without a fight regardless of her odds of winning. Azilon figured she already knew how this all would end and that resisting it for as long as possible made her feel better about it. If he had either the time or the patience he might have even indulged her a bit, however after all that had happened thus far, he was left with neither. Heaving a sigh, the man took a step forward prompting her to take a step back boxing her into the corner of the room they had been standing in. [color=8493ca]“That was the intention, yes. I am not the one with the dead husband, however, so you don’t really have much of a say. We could have always left you with the prince instead, but I figured there might be use for you yet so why hand you over to your death and waste an opportunity?”[/color] He allowed a brief moment to allow his words to sink in before extending his arm out to Rya, hand open so that she could take the chain if she wished to. [color=8493ca]“Let me remind you that this is not an option, you will wear it… I will allow you the dignity of opportunity to put it on yourself, if you do not then I will put it on for you. Will you make this easy for yourself and just get it over with?”[/color] [Color=98FB98]“No.”[/color] Her response was quick and decisive, there would be no persuading of any kind. With her back already against the wall, Rya had no escape from Azilon as his left hand shot forward and grabbed her right wrist. He maintained a firm, but careful, grip on the girl as he slowly raised her arm above her head. Every inch her arm moved upward was followed by the subtle shifting of fabric across her chest, perhaps not enough to fully lift it, but clearly enough to warrant the reaction he was looking for. In a panic, Rya’s free arm wrapped tightly around her chest to keep the fabric from moving any farther, the faintest smile of amusement crossing Azilon’s face as she did so. Having decided that he wasn’t quite done with her, he grabbed the wrist of her other arm and forced it away from her body until it joined its twin above her head. As expected the fabric of her top had inched up dangerously high, not enough to uncover, but definitely enough to make her squirm with discomfort. He tucked her right wrist into his hand with her left, leaving his right hand open once again to wrap the material around her small waist. Leaning his head in close to her ear, the man smiled and spoke with a tone that sent a chill down her spine. [color=8493ca]“You’ll do best to remember which one of us is actually in charge here, Api.”[/color] He didn’t end up saying much else, instead releasing her arms which quickly dropped to re-adjust the positioning of her top. Never once though did she take her eyes off of him, scowling at him with a fury unlike anything he had ever seen on her kind before. [/i] [center][b][h3]~[/h3][/b][/center] Even now, a few hours later, she was still salty about the event. Not wanting to draw the attention of Azilon's siblings, she played it off as nothing. For the most part. If she occasional (always) wait for the line to grow taught before moving, well, that was normal behavior. Also, making unnecessary trips around Azilon, just to force him to re-adjust his hold, less he get tangled in the leash as well. Or break it, which would have been a shame. They arrived at the tournament by late afternoon, the clashing sound of those already eager to battle ringing in the air. [color=FF8C00]“Ah, Azzy,”[/color] Tarkylian voice easily cut through the crowd. [color=FF8C00]“I’m so glad that I get to share this moment with both of my baby brothers,”[/color] the way his voice sounded, one could almost think he meant it. The family, eager to see the goings on, soon vanished into a passing crowd. Conveniently, Azilon had chosen that very moment to become distracted by the architecture of the building. Or the weather. Regardless of the reason, it gave Rya the chance to fully examine the area. Rya’s eyes were narrowed in on a gem standing just outside the door. She was upset, clearly, but that wasn’t why she held Rya’s attention. There was something about her, a muchness. It wasn’t her anger or rage, but something Rya had seen before. Something that she could figure out if she only looked harder. She felt a tug on her waist, only to look up and see Azilon pulling her expectantly towards the door. Rya turned her eyes towards the gem for a final glance, but the mystery of the girl remained. [Color=98FB98]“If she doesn’t go inside, death will probably be preferable, don’t you think?”[/color] Ask Rya. [color=8493ca]“Maybe”[/color] said Azilon, not even sparing the girl a glance, before guiding his bride inside. The space inside was chaos. There were a handful of gems, none that Rya recognized, flitting between the drakken offing their time, bodies and anything else a drakken could want. [hider=summary] Rya meets her new inlaws and they are all the worst. Rya and Azlion argue about a leash, Rya loses. They see Miry and stuff. Anyway, present at the tourney. [/hider]