[hr][hr][center][color=darkgray][h1]Lucivar DeLuxor[/h1][/color]
[color=darkgray][h2][u]Askhevron Residence in Askavi[/u][/h2][/color][/center][hr][hr]

His sleep was troubled. Strange images kept cropping up in his mind, turbid scenes that made him twist and turn in the bed he’d been offered the night before. Flashes of faces he’d never seen before, of a fire burning down a strange building and armed men giving chase. Lucivar woke, his breathing level but even though he’d slept through the night, he felt as if he didn’t sleep at all.

He sat up on the edge of the bed and leaned over on his thighs. There was something familiar about those faces he’d seen, but he couldn’t exactly put a name on it, a vague idea, just beyond the limits of his memory, as if teasing him. And it was slowly beginning to annoy him. He took in a deep breath, and paused. There was another male in the house. One he’d never met before, but from the sounds coming up from the kitchen it was one that had been invited. Like him. 

What was that Healer doing inviting all these people into her home. She’d told him, in some way or another, she meant to tackle the Bitch Queens that ruined his home, or at least try and stop them taking over the realm. A part of him thought the idea was incredibly naive, a couple of people going up against an entire realm of Queens. And yet, it was those very queens that destroyed his home and killed the Queen of Dene Nehel, a woman he was somewhat fond of and he was honestly hoping could keep her lands free.

Lucivar’s plans were ruined with her death and the attack that came after it. He should have prepared a contingency in the event that something like that happened, but he’d been caught unawares. His fault, and he had two options before him. Either join those Queens that would force him into subservience or try and help this ragtag that the Healer put together in order to stop them. Somehow. It would take time, a lot of meticulous planning, but with Fatima having a new court it seemed they may have a chance. 

He just had to play his cards right. 

Lucivar stood and put on his dark blue shirt and pants and started heading to the door when he heard a knock on the other side. A moment later, Andressa peaked through. “You’re awake,” she said, a concerned look on her face.

[color=darkgray]“I am,”[/color] he said as he stepped past her.

“You were mumbling about an escape last night. Are you planning on leaving, Lucivar?”

[color=darkgray]“About a what?”[/color] He asked, looking at her genuinely confused. [color=darkgray]“No, no. It was the dreams, nothing serious. I’m staying. Perhaps might even offer my help to these people.”[/color]

“Is that wise?”

He stopped just as he was about to walk to the hall that led over to the living room. He turned to her. [color=darkgray]“What other choice do I have?”[/color] He asked her.

“How do you know they’re telling the truth, Lucivar? How do you know they’re not working with Sonya? Or at least in some way attempting what she failed.”

[color=darkgray]“Fatima working with Sonya?”[/color]

“No, not Fatima. The girl’s too innocent. Ashkevron. She’s hot-headed, eager, and has a lot powerful men in this house. And the one thing Queen Dorothea wants is powerful men under her control.”

Lucivar paused. He considered her words for a moment. It made sense, but why this ruse? Dorothea had enough power to just simply attack, but perhaps she was starting to look for more subversive means of subduing men, ways to catch them off guard and force them into service. Clearly the more overt means hadn’t worked, at least not with him. [color=darkgray]“We watch her,”[/color] he said, [color=darkgray]“we play along with her little game. For now.”[/color]

“And Fatima?”

[color=darkgray]“The poor girl. Watch over her, try to save her if you can, Andressa.”[/color]

She placed a hand on his chest and gave him a nod, then walked off towards the kitchen. Lucivar hung back leaning against the wall and let out a sigh. Damn but he hoped this Healer wasn’t pulling a fast one on them. Just once, for once in his life, he wanted to be around genuine people who said what they meant and fucking did it. Instead of… he’d been too long at court and this mess was making him question everything. He let out a sigh and walked towards the kitchen.