The Black Queen, Part I
About 8 moons later...
Cartius sat quietly at his office desk, gazing over the chess board in front of him. A single window allowed more than sufficient lighting in the room thanks to the bright and sunny weather outdoors. He sighed quietly just as Vertigo entered the chamber, his gaze quickly meeting hers as he stood up. "Well?"
Vertigo shook her head at Cartius. "Still no luck. Kylin will not even listen to me. He insists on staying in his inn room. He'€™s still as much of a mess as he was last time I saw him. When he'€™s not drinking or partying somewhere, he'€™s bedding either some random floozy or some gullible man. His facial tattoo is gone though, surprisingly. I suspect that must have been quite a painful procedure for him."€Â
Cartius returned to his chair and continued staring at his chess board, a soft sigh overcoming him. "€œMy family is in tatters. It'€™s difficult for me to even focus on business matters these days. My children want nothing to do with me. My father is getting more ill by the day. The house is barely standing financially as of late. I don'€™t know how much longer I can keep House Felstar afloat. Islude is probably regretting granting me full control over the house affairs by now."
"You know full well your brother does not think that," a new woman's voice resounded through the chamber. Vertigo and Cartius both turned to see a faintly smiling Nefron in the doorway. Her black hair flowed behind her in slight curls, an elegant sight to behold along with her white priestly robes. "As for Kylin, love...you need to be the one to reach out to him. You can'€™t keep sending Vertigo and Reeve for everything, with all due respect to them. /You/ are his father. And there is no greater bond than family. He needs you just like the air he breathes."
Cartius smiled weakly at Nefron as she elegantly glided into the room. Vertigo quickly stepped aside to allow the woman passage to her husband. "Nefron, I wish I could be as optimistic as you. But Kylin will not listen to me. He won'€™t even listen to Vertigo or Reeve. Who else is left to talk sense into him these days?"
Nefron sat on the patriarch'€™s desk, glancing down at the chess board in front of her husband. She then reached out and picked up a single chess piece, handing it to Cartius with a faint smile. Cartius gently took the piece from the priestess, gazing at the black queen in deep thought as Nefron spoke again. "As I said before, love...there is no greater bond than family. You already know what your next move should be, but you'€™re too afraid to make it. The Cartius I know and love would never allow such fear to control him at the risk of losing family."€Â
A small smile crossed Cartius's lips and then turned into a wide grin as he stood up and walked around the desk to embrace his wife. "You are right as always, my darling. I know exactly what I must do to make this family whole again and I can no longer afford to hesitate in doing it. Vertigo, ready a ship immediately."
Elza finished tying her hair up in a ponytail and adjusted her indigo bangs in the mirror. The hyur then walked over to her cabin window, gazing out at the sea outside. She had never imagined living on a ship as long as she has, but at least the Scarlet Siren allowed for a very lavish lifestyle at sea. The woman quickly bolted her head to the nearby table as a voice came over the linkpearl sitting there. "What the hell?! Someone take her out already! There's only one of her!"
Elza wasted no time dashing to the table and picking up the pearl. "€œWhat's going on up there?!"
The sound of blades crashing together could be heard over the pearl. Had the ship come under attack from pirates? No, Elza thought. That'€™s impossible. They would have seen the pirate ship long before it reached them. And Sanctum's members were hardly slouches in combat, though the hyur woman remained fearful over the panicked tone in the voice.
"€œBloody hells!"€ The voice continued over the pearl as Elza listened intently. "Where did she learn to fight like that?! Damned masked miqo'€™te!"
Elza flinched at the mention of a masked miqo'te just as a thud became audible over the pearl before it went silent. The masked miqo'€™te couldn'€™t be...no. Elza dismissed the thought and quickly ran to the wall opposite of her chamber doors where an elm bow was propped up. As she reached for the weapon, she would stop suddenly at the male voice coming from behind her.
"I sincerely hope you won't be needing that."
The woman froze in her tracks, her eyes widening at the easily recognized voice. Taking her hand off the bow, she slowly turned around to meet the newcomer'€™s gaze. He wore a regal looking scarlet colored robe with white trim. His short white colored hair was neatly groomed and the man looked to be in his late forties to mid fifties. A single ruby ring rested on his right index finger. The man took a couple of slow steps forward, smiling at Elza as he did so.
"Hello, Elly," Cartius stated in a soft but powerful voice. "It'€™s so good to see my beautiful, beautiful daughter again."
About 8 moons later...
Cartius sat quietly at his office desk, gazing over the chess board in front of him. A single window allowed more than sufficient lighting in the room thanks to the bright and sunny weather outdoors. He sighed quietly just as Vertigo entered the chamber, his gaze quickly meeting hers as he stood up. "Well?"
Vertigo shook her head at Cartius. "Still no luck. Kylin will not even listen to me. He insists on staying in his inn room. He'€™s still as much of a mess as he was last time I saw him. When he'€™s not drinking or partying somewhere, he'€™s bedding either some random floozy or some gullible man. His facial tattoo is gone though, surprisingly. I suspect that must have been quite a painful procedure for him."€Â
Cartius returned to his chair and continued staring at his chess board, a soft sigh overcoming him. "€œMy family is in tatters. It'€™s difficult for me to even focus on business matters these days. My children want nothing to do with me. My father is getting more ill by the day. The house is barely standing financially as of late. I don'€™t know how much longer I can keep House Felstar afloat. Islude is probably regretting granting me full control over the house affairs by now."
"You know full well your brother does not think that," a new woman's voice resounded through the chamber. Vertigo and Cartius both turned to see a faintly smiling Nefron in the doorway. Her black hair flowed behind her in slight curls, an elegant sight to behold along with her white priestly robes. "As for Kylin, love...you need to be the one to reach out to him. You can'€™t keep sending Vertigo and Reeve for everything, with all due respect to them. /You/ are his father. And there is no greater bond than family. He needs you just like the air he breathes."
Cartius smiled weakly at Nefron as she elegantly glided into the room. Vertigo quickly stepped aside to allow the woman passage to her husband. "Nefron, I wish I could be as optimistic as you. But Kylin will not listen to me. He won'€™t even listen to Vertigo or Reeve. Who else is left to talk sense into him these days?"
Nefron sat on the patriarch'€™s desk, glancing down at the chess board in front of her husband. She then reached out and picked up a single chess piece, handing it to Cartius with a faint smile. Cartius gently took the piece from the priestess, gazing at the black queen in deep thought as Nefron spoke again. "As I said before, love...there is no greater bond than family. You already know what your next move should be, but you'€™re too afraid to make it. The Cartius I know and love would never allow such fear to control him at the risk of losing family."€Â
A small smile crossed Cartius's lips and then turned into a wide grin as he stood up and walked around the desk to embrace his wife. "You are right as always, my darling. I know exactly what I must do to make this family whole again and I can no longer afford to hesitate in doing it. Vertigo, ready a ship immediately."
Elza finished tying her hair up in a ponytail and adjusted her indigo bangs in the mirror. The hyur then walked over to her cabin window, gazing out at the sea outside. She had never imagined living on a ship as long as she has, but at least the Scarlet Siren allowed for a very lavish lifestyle at sea. The woman quickly bolted her head to the nearby table as a voice came over the linkpearl sitting there. "What the hell?! Someone take her out already! There's only one of her!"
Elza wasted no time dashing to the table and picking up the pearl. "€œWhat's going on up there?!"
The sound of blades crashing together could be heard over the pearl. Had the ship come under attack from pirates? No, Elza thought. That'€™s impossible. They would have seen the pirate ship long before it reached them. And Sanctum's members were hardly slouches in combat, though the hyur woman remained fearful over the panicked tone in the voice.
"€œBloody hells!"€ The voice continued over the pearl as Elza listened intently. "Where did she learn to fight like that?! Damned masked miqo'€™te!"
Elza flinched at the mention of a masked miqo'te just as a thud became audible over the pearl before it went silent. The masked miqo'€™te couldn'€™t be...no. Elza dismissed the thought and quickly ran to the wall opposite of her chamber doors where an elm bow was propped up. As she reached for the weapon, she would stop suddenly at the male voice coming from behind her.
"I sincerely hope you won't be needing that."
The woman froze in her tracks, her eyes widening at the easily recognized voice. Taking her hand off the bow, she slowly turned around to meet the newcomer'€™s gaze. He wore a regal looking scarlet colored robe with white trim. His short white colored hair was neatly groomed and the man looked to be in his late forties to mid fifties. A single ruby ring rested on his right index finger. The man took a couple of slow steps forward, smiling at Elza as he did so.
"Hello, Elly," Cartius stated in a soft but powerful voice. "It'€™s so good to see my beautiful, beautiful daughter again."
