Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Learn magic for defence?" Aurana switched betrayed looks between Remus and Kaleeth. "But that would take a long time, wouldn't it? I don't want to be locked in any longer!"

"That will not be necessary for now," Remus opened his eyes halfway. "Aurana, tomorrow I am overseeing a training exercise in the Fighters Guild. I will introduce you to Yvonne, who will teach you how to string and shoot a bow with some other initiates."

Aurana shrank in confusion. She was being thrown in every direction by her father's words. "Father, I'm...How does that help, though?"

"Do you want to see the world or don't you?" Remus hinted at the edge of his patience.

"Yes! I do."

"Then you will do as I say."

Janius brought his fingers to the table. "Father, how do we know this isn't just a way to control her some more?"

Remus rotated his frowning face to Janius. "Because," he grumbled. "I have a meeting to attend in the Imperial City in two months, and she will be coming with me if I deem her capable."

At that, Aurana looked at her father as if he was a ghost.

---

Lunise tried and failed to jump over the wave that washed over her legs. She stumbled back to a stop on the sand and balled her fists. "Don't be so confident, Argonian! Justicars must adapt to- damn it!" she swatted away one of the balls of water thrown at her and dodged to one side. The others splattered on the sand behind her.

Leaning forward and blocking the water with her arms, Lunise took steps back up to the water's edge. The spell she cast next was not anything Meesei could recognise from her distance away. It bathed Lunise in a bright green sheen that faded until only the light reflecting from her skin had a green hue to it. Faint curved lines could barely be detected connecting her fingers and fanning beyond them.

Lunise skipped and dove forward under the water. The water's refraction made it initially difficult to see where she was headed.

Out of the corner of Meesei's eye, a long yellow shape streaked through the water beside her, swimming as fast as a rushing shark. It couldn't have been Lunise unless she was swimming unnaturally swiftly. When the shape stopped and curled around, a magical charge preceded an angled geyser of sea water aimed at knocking Meesei over.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Well playing an emotionally repressed, 200+ year old character is challenging enough. Just don't expect Meesei to get her out of her shell easily.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"That would probably be the spices then," Aeramina explained with a bright smile. "They were sent in from Hammerfell on trade ships and caravans. When they come this far they can strike a high price, but it's all worth it for just how delicious it can make things. You know, just last month we were at a dinner party where-"

Janius loudly cleared his throat. "I'm sorry mother, I really am..." He raised a hand and then gestured to Aurana. "It has been wonderful talking, and this was a delicious meal as always, but we really should get to speaking about Aurana's future."

Aeramina stared at Janius like a startled deer.

"He's right." Remus' wine goblet struck the table after he had sipped it to the last. He curled a frown and turned his eyes to his daughter. "Aurana, Janius, your mother is a successful businesswoman and socialite, I have been an experienced warrior and organiser. We are veterans in our fields." It was all suddenly blunt. "And we have been poor parents."

"Oh, Remus, no, there is no need to-"

"Aeramina, just this once, honesty." He cut a flat hand onto his chair arm. "Janius was right. We have been lying to ourselves. It is time that we let our unhealthy worries behind and do what is really best for Aurana."

"I thought we were," Aeramina whimpered.

Remus looked Aeramina straight in the eyes. "We are not. Janius was capable in the end. More than capable. Our daughter? The one we thought was the opportunity to do things right? Look at her. She wouldn't last a day on her own."

Aurana was beginning to look hopeful. Now her face flashed with anger.

"...And it is our fault," Remus continued. "Aurana, if you were to have complete freedom from this house, what would you want to do the most?"

The question was sudden. Aurana darted her eyes around, caught between anger and surprise. "Uh...I...um..."

"Go on." Remus weaved his fingers together and leaned his elbows on the table. He nodded to continue. "Say anything."

Aurana glanced at Kaleeth and Julan. "Well...anything...I..." Her eyes lit up. "I want to travel the world!"

Remus closed his eyes and sighed.

---

Lunise threw up her elbows and scrunched her face shut upon the water's impact. She wiped her eyes and opened her mouth in disgust, peering at her soaked purple uniform. Her crazed blue eyes lifted to Meesei.

"Right!" Lunise dropped her shoes, yanked off her gloves, and pointed to Meesei. "I could arrest you for no less than three Dominion offences for that!" She frantically undid the belts securing her lowered hood to her shoulders. "You...have started...what you...shall...regret!" Her distracted words were punctuated by her throwing her hood and gloves atop her shoes. Her shoulders were much less imposing without the hood accentuating them. "You challenge my pride..." Her fingers went to furiously untying her clothing. "...You challenge my decorum...You challenge my fashion sense...And now you challenged my patience!"

Lunise's words were hard to take seriously while she was so angrily undressing out of her over-detailed uniform. She stopped at her plain undergarments which, if Meesei thought about it, might have been the real reason for her self-conscious requirement for a proper bathing suit. When she threw down the last article of her uniform, baring her pale bronze skin to the sun, Meesei noticed a feature of her body that had been hidden until now. Besides her strong -- if narrow -- physique and her now displaced shock of braided blonde hair, what drew the eye was four parallel red lines slashed across her upper-front left leg. They were healed-over scars, though what inflicted them could only be speculated.

"It's time you learned your place," she said severely. Knees slightly bent, Lunise took a few steps away from her uniform, walking along the water's edge. She stared Meesei down. Her palm was open to the water. Meesei could see a helix of transparent liquid curling up to her hand. Lunise suddenly lowered her body and shot out her arms. A jet of white water flew over the ocean surface from her palms. It had enough force to strike the centre of Meesei's chest just hard enough to sting against her scales.

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

I was under the impression that elementals spoke the god language too.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I'm going to be out tonight, so I'll say g'night for now!

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Aurana gave Kaleeth an appreciative look.

"That leaves plenty of time for catching up and getting to know you all!" Aeramina declared. "I do love meeting new people."

What followed was a continued conversation, mostly driven by Aeramina, to tick off a hidden list of just about every ancillary detail of everyone's lives, particularly to do with relationships with friends and family. Aeramina was more than willing to share her family's affairs, and indeed dominated most of the time. Remus gave small comments where asked or appropriate, though he remained terse. Aurana did not contribute, most likely because she had either been directly in Aeramina and Remus' company during the anecdotes, with little details to add, or had merely been locked in the house.

Janius and Kaleeth kept a good impression. They thought on their feet to extend their cover story to the relatively austere lifestyle that came with living in a travelling pack (adapted for the Penitus Oculatus) while covering for Julan where he was put on the spot.

Despite avoiding the main problems that they wished to discuss, Aeramina's endless words were undeniably effective at dampening the previous tension. It was still present, especially with how Remus held himself, though it was thoroughly distracted.

A short while into their conversation, the courses began to arrive. The conversation did not stop, rather the food gave Aeramina yet more talking points. She was very proud of the cook that Kaleeth, Janius, and Julan had not yet seen. The first course was a small bowl of wholesome pumpkin soup spiced with flavours that put a light burning sensation on the tongue. What came next was a fluted glass full of a cloudy, yet creamy fruit puree that lasted a mere two spoonfuls. Aeramina still went on in lengths about the fresh apples that made the palette cleanser up in the short time before the main course. Said main course was made up of marinated roast salmon with a variety of exotic condiments and sides. The richness and tastes were unlike anything but what would be found in a wealthy household. The dessert was made up of berries and nougat in a sweet milky jelly. Janius tried to be modest throughout, leaving small portions as leftovers, though even he had trouble finishing everything.

The Aetius family picked up their proper cutleries and manners from habit. Fortunately, whether stilted or relaxed about their approach, Kaleeth and Julan were not at any point called up on any mistakes in their table ettiquette. Aurana, on the other hand, was chided every five minutes by her mother Aeramina. Even the smallest of mistakes, like poorly aligning her knife and fork on her finished plate, was hissed at and corrected. Aeramina toggled between cheerful and bubbly with Kaleeth and Julan and quietly scathing with Aurana in blinks of the eye.

Two hours had passed before Aeramina finally reached the end of her next conversation thread after they had all finished eating.

"...And I still, to this day, will never forgive my sister for telling me how this jelly is made." She sighed with satisfaction and turned her bright smile to Julan. "Although that didn't stop anyone's appetite here, I see. What was your favourite course today, Kaj-shulan?"

---

"You may hold yourself to your own standards, Champion, but I shall still hold myself..." Lunise stopped as Meesei picked the water up from the surface with telekinesis. Lunise half-turned her face and lowered her brow. "Oh, you would not dare..."

In her arrogance, Lunise did not even motion to bring up a ward.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I can summarise the meal in Janius and Kaleeth's scene if you like. It will probably be more meaningless chatter by Aeramina and descriptions of the food, unless you had things that Kaleeth or Julan want to ask.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Aeramina raised her fingers to mouth height. "A beautiful name! My apologies for my tongue. The Black Marsh language is ever so exotic. You know, Aurana here has her name in old languages. I am told that her name holds connotations to gold. A treasure! As much an ample benefit, is it not?"

Aurana herself was sat staring at her empty plate. Her mood didn't reflect her namesake in the slightest, likely because she had dealt with her mother's vacuous behaviour every day.

"Mother," Janius lifted a hand to interrupt. "Perhaps, instead of that, you might tell us what is for lunch?"

"Son, where would the surprise be?" Aeramina whined. "This is meant to be special. Let it be special, dear."

Janius pulled the corner of his mouth awkwardly. He tried to think of another way to turn the subject around when Aurana spoke up.

"Can we talk about being allowed out of the house now?"

Remus was leaning the side of his head on one hand. He spoke with just as much authority as before his temper was lost. "Not until after lunch."

---

Lunise stood still until Meesei began treading water. "I do not fear being undressed as some self-conscious Imperial, Meesei!" she proudly retorted to Meesei's back. "It is the principle of appropriate attire! A self-respecting High Elf does not swim in company without showing that she means it. That means a bathing uniform is necessary!"

For such an arbitrary issue, Lunise touted it with stereotypical Altmer arrogance. Still, Meesei had swung her opinion of lesser matters. This matter especially had many holes in its reasoning, especially on the lonely beach they shared.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The long table in the dining room centred just as ostentatious an array of decorations as other rooms in the manor. Gleaming polished silverware and candelabras reflected sparkles into the darker areas of the walls and ceiling. Harald had set up cutlery, crockery, and everything surrounding eating for each of them near one end of the table. Everything but the food.

Remus slumped into his seat at the end of the table. Aeramina was waiting with impeccable posture in the seat next to him, her hands folded in her lap. Janius took a seat between Remus and Kaleeth, staring down memories that flooded back with the setting. The cushions on the seats were never something that he thought would feel strange until he sat upon them again. Aurana, in contrast, found her seat on the other side of the table next to Aeramina, still holding some of the anger in her face from before.

Janius sighed. As usual, there were at least three sets each of knives, forks, and spoons in front of him. The complexities to high dining was certainly not something he missed.

"Harald will have the cooks make us something special, to welcome you home, Janius," Aeramina said with a broad smile. "And to welcome you here, Kaleeth-Rei, Kaj-Sulan." She leant forward, placing a hand on the table. "You cannot imagine my excitement! A daughter-in-law and a grandchild! Oh!"

Aeramina's oblivious manner of speaking extended to her mispronunciation of Julan's name.

---

"Thank you," Lunise said, angling her head up. "Having searched for the clans for so long, I would trust a lycan to provide a hiding place."

Lunise, now calming down from Meesei's werewolf form, did not appear perturbed by Meesei's tacit refusal to dress. It was the invitation to swim with her that put her at a loss for a moment. Her upturned head glanced at the water. "A swim?" She peered down at her uniform. "...I...am afraid I did not anticipate bringing the appropriate clothing."

The deadpan words did not sound so absurd to Lunise until she spoke them in front of Meesei.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Remus nodded, remaining cringed and wide-eyed.

"He's thirteen years old," Janius added. "We often hunt due to being on the road."

"Good." Remus murmured. His eyes wandered over the floor. "Good." He quickly nodded. "I...never did teach you any of these things, did I?"

Janius turned his eyes away. He didn't answer.

"We left you to learn on your own."

Remus and Janius shared an awkward silence.

Footsteps upon the wooden floor grew in volume outside of the room until Harald emerged at the entrance to the sitting room. He held his glove hands together. "Dinner is being prepared and will be ready shortly. I invite everyone to come to the table when you are ready."

Remus stood, in no rush.

---

Lunise closed her eyes, shook her head, and faced Meesei again. "I would see it a courtesy to warn me when you intend to transform around me." While still pushing back a quivering anxiety, Lunise spoke with appropriate severity. "I...recognised you through your beast form. That much I saw. It's proof your ring works, and so I should expect safety. However, my limited first-hand experience with transformed lycans is not something I would soon forget. Neither would I forget my more expansive experience with those that have tried to leverage me."

Extending an arm to the ground behind Meesei, Lunise craned her head to one side and cast roiling orange magic into her palm. Meesei instantly identified it as innocuous, confirmed by her folded clothing flying into Lunise's arm as she crooked it to secure the pile. Some sand fizzed off its surfaces. Lunise held the pile out, looking stern. "Your apology is accepted nevertheless."