[center]
[h2][color=f26522]Aurora Liesma[/color][/h2]
[sub]Bride of Zakroti [@darkwolf687]; Sister-Bride to Aymiria [@Amethyst][/sub]
[sub]Interacting with Zakroti and Aymiria[/sub]
[/center]


Aurora should have known better than to assume invoking the name of a literal god would be enough to intimidate a Drakkan, even if the one standing before her was so small. If anything he seemed… amused? At the very least he could have acted insulted, if not at the challenge then perhaps the mention of a god not his own, but it would seem that a different statement would bear more power than her first.

It was as if a fire had been lit, the air becoming taut with undisplayed rage as his face twisted into a scowl of sorts. She couldn’t be sure at first as to what exactly had caused his sudden shift in composition. While it could have been her stepping out of line that had set him off, but such a response was unwarranted for such a small infraction… No, it had to have been her sister, or at least the mention of her. It would seem her death was a sensitive topic for the pair of them, a concept she was not sure she was quite ready to accept.

He had stepped closer to her by the time she had calmed herself but made no motions to punish her in any fashion. There were many things she had expected of the creatures that lived in Drakka’s wastelands, the cursed children created in mockery to the creator Vivari. The men that had ‘cared’ for them upon their departure from the homeland were so much bigger, more threatening than the man that stood before her. Everything about them screamed predator to her, like a lion charged with the care of a lamb. Her husband-to-be was not like any of the ones she had met so far, but she knew better than to assume he was not as dangerous, if not more, than they. He was no lion, but a wolf, nay… a fox suited him better.

She was caught off guard a bit by his next words, able to maintain his position of authority over her even while admitting her validity. Aurora was determined for answers but she had never expected to be handed them so… diplomatically. Such a thought tugged at the very core of her being, a small flicker of concern that was quickly overshadowed by her desire for closure. This was her chance to learn all the details of what occurred instead of imagining the countless horrors that no doubt went through her family’s minds.

[i]'I understand your outburst; any one of these events would be difficult to handle individually, let alone thrown at you together. When we withdraw to my families spare residence here in the city this night, you may interrogate me for every detail of that morning your sister died and I shall answer the best I can. If you find it insufficient or find me at fault, you may throw every curse you like at me, launch whatever other empty threats you desire- vent your anger and hatred and sorrow and so forth. But here in public, I must maintain appearances. Is that a reasonable proposition?'[/i]

The Gem found his request to be more than reasonable, Zakroti leaving very little room for refusal to his propositions. Looking around the room, such a move was beginning to make more and more sense. In a nation ruled by the biggest and strongest, this man had to work twice as hard to earn a right to live among them. He would have been a fool if he believed he could rely on brute strength alone, so he adapted to his circumstances. To lean so heavily on strategy, she had no doubts he was able to fight his battles as one would play a game of chess, always several moves ahead. Had she not been so angry, she might have been impressed. 

Aurora did not answer him right away, instead shifting her eyes past him to size up the Gem who had looked equally as wary of her. Her stance had remained polite but her eyes were distant, as if she weren’t quite there completely. She was either a complete airhead, or she knew something… more accurately, she was remembering something. No doubt it was the memory of the topic at hand, whatever scene she witnessed enough to bring tears to her eyes. Ice crystals formed on her skin wherever the water touched, a clear sign of distress from someone of her typing. The fire Gem maintained eyes on the small girl as she came around, taking note of every glance she made toward Zakroti and the way she moved by him as she approached.

[i]'Peace, child of Pyrus. You are not the only one to have lost her sister that night. You are not the one who still bears scars of it. So- Trust. The matter is not what you think it is.'[/i]

What she expected and what she heard were two very different things, Aurora’s posture shifting ever so slightly as the girl spoke. It would have been one thing if she had come with real words of assurance, but such was not the case. The girl spoke of loss and yet even as she did so it was all in defence of a Drakkan. Aurora’s nose turned up from the girl, her gaze falling harshly upon the small creature.

“[color=f26522]If I required the input of a [i]Shattered[/i], I would have asked for it. I expected more elegance from a follower of Naia but it seems her wisdom is not so easily imparted upon her children.[/color]” She hissed, throwing a slur rarely used among her kind. It was not a word that was said openly, only whispered in rumor behind the offender’s back. Being taken by the Drakkan was a tragedy, to fall for one’s captors was a crime against her people and their collective suffering. To be called out on it was no small thing.

Turning her attention back to Zakroti, Aurora finally nodded her compliance.

“[color=f26522]Surprisingly fair for a Drakkan, but if it gets me the answers I’m looking for then I clearly have no choice now do I? Worry not, your ‘appearances’ will be maintained. But make no mistake… The children of Pyrus, daughter or not, make no empty threats. I would advise you to stop shielding your weapon from me though, it makes you look like an idiot.[/color]”

She made sure to keep her tone low so that it would carry only to its intended target, displaying her promise of maintained status while still making it clear to him that she was not yet completely under his thumb. A loud commotion from behind her startled her out of her stance, the girl whipping around to find the source of the disturbance. Aurora was surprised to find that she wasn’t the only one disturbed by such an entrance, even the royals taking up arms against the unknown threat. 

A smarter girl would have stepped back and taken refuge behind those that would have protected her, but Aurora was more stubborn than wise and chose to remain rooted to her position. If Zakroti wanted to assure her protection, he would have to come to her to make it happen. Seemed such a move would prove unnecessary, however, as the stranger introduced himself and scanned the room. Death was not his primary goal but quite characteristically within reason, his demands simple enough. A bride.

As far as Aurora knew, each girl that had been plucked from the homeland had been rehomed already, none to spare for a party crasher such as he. This left him with the option of taking someone else’s girl. Settling on a target across the room, Aurora turned her head slightly to look at Zakroti, silently inquiring about their departure. While she was interested in seeing what could very possibly turn into a battle, she had more important things to tend to. There were answers Zakroti possessed and had promised, and she wasn’t about to let some small matter distract her from her expected information.

[hider=Summary]
Ro is angry sprite, but compliant. Doesn’t like Miry very much and throws super harsh Gem insult to her face. Great start ladies.
[/hider]