Runes of Magic US / AU

Yes this is a fan fiction, and I know there is no "world's end tavern" in RoM to tell this story, but I figure it's better to tell it in RP Forum than the News Forum. Characters are based in the Artemis Realm (I know NOT RP, but I go where the muse is atm)...

A roaring fire illuminated the grand hall and cast a warm amber glow upon the polished wooden table.
In the northwest corner of the hall, a man and woman lounged in
large plush blood red silken cushions. The woman played with one of
the corner tassels, bored with the meeting. Two candelabras were
blazing behind her and casting an enchanted glow. She was clad in a
gown of white silk that darkened her skin and accentuated her
seductive body. Her hair hung like a mane of black curls which
smelled of jasmine.

Her counterpart, beaming with pride at his beautiful wive, kept
his left arm protectively around her waist. In his mouth, he chewed
on the end of a pipe oozing fragrant smoke. Inhaling deeply, he
closed his almond-shaped brown eyes to savor the intoxicating smoke
filling his throat and mouth.

The doors opened to reveal a cloaked, hooded being ushering a
smaller being. Behind the taller being, an escort of two wiry men
flanked the cloaked couple. The hooded being drew away his hood and
rested his hand back onto the tiny shoulders of the shorter being.

The reclined man opened his eyes, recognizing the face of the
visitor. “Ah, Aang...So glad you could make it. And I see you
brought the young Daydreana with you?” He motioned the group to
seat themselves at the benches.

“She refuses to leave my side when I come back from the siege
games,” the man named Aang smiled. He gently lifted her beneath
the arms and helped her to her seat. “I hope you don't mind.”

“The Dark Tower Guild is a family guild, Aang you know as
much,” the reclined man laughed, buffs of the fragrant smoke wafted
in the air.

“I am glad to see his lordship is in good humor and well,”
Aang turned to one of the escort and motioned him to stand outside of
the door. “However Lady Dubh does not seem so?”

“She tends to be testy when she is...deprived,” the reclining
man, Lord Dubh, caressed his wife lovingly after being chastised by
her cold glare.

“If this seems inopportune for you,” Aang stood from his
seat. “I am sure Lord Slii would not mind addressing this issue
tomorrow?”

“This should not take long,” Lord Dubh waved Aang's concern
dismissively. “As leader of the Dark Tower Guild these house
mergers are important for Dalanis records and to consolidate the
censuses for the beginning of the year. We need not have Aillic's
Community working too hard now?”

“I see,” Aang reached into the pocket in his cloak to produce
a folded parchment.

“Now we just need to wait for Lord Slii to-” Lord Dubh was
interrupted by a younger man rushing through the open doorway.

“Lord Dubh,” the younger man bowed reverently. “We were
held up, my father will be joining soon.”

“Ah, Dan son of Darr,” Lord Dubh's brown eyes were glazed
from the intoxicating fumes. “Your father normally doesn't keep us
waiting...is there something wrong?”

“Lord Daar had-” Dan held his tongue. “I was only
instructed to tell you that we were held up.”

“And by what? What could possibly hold up one of my best
archers in the seige games?” Tendrils of mauve smoke oozed from
Lord Dubh's pipe, entwining rope-like fingers around Dan's throat and
squeezing.

Dan coughed, choking beneath the wrath of the mellow Lord Dubh.
His eyes widened, how could he tell if this man was angry when he
always had that creepy grin on his face?

“Lord Dubh,” another man grumbled from the doorway. “Let
me punish my son, if it pleases your lordship, after these
delegations?”

The tendrils withdrew and Dan fell to his knees to drink in gulps
of air. Dan rubbed his neck, feeling tiny scratches flayed into the
skin. His eyes instinctively wen to the bench that he rested his
left hand on. He could see from across the table, a man shielding a
child away from the confrontation.

“Perhaps we should discuss the merger then?” Aang said
calmly.

“Yeah, the house merger,” Lord Daar Slii's eyes focused on
the smiling Lord Dubh.


“Oh, but my curiosity is
piqued,” Lord Dubh stood up, his sinewy form seemed to stop short
of Lord Slii's navel. “It seems your young ward has blood on his
jerkin...and no injury?”

Dan suppressed a shudder as tendrils of smoke escaped Lord Dubh's
thin smiling lips as well as clicking laughter. Lord Dubh gasped to
feign surprise and he glanced back at his languishing wife. “He
drew blood from someone else?” His glittering gaze turned back to
Lord Slii. “You must be a proud Papa.”

Gripping the back collar of Dan's jerkin, Lord Slii heaved his
son to his feet and whispered. “You dumb ass I told you not to do
anything stupid!”

Aang cleared his throat. “If I may be so bold as to surmise
that maybe his lordship is deprived as well but only of the bloodshed
and war of the siege games?”

“Well it sure as hell ain't our fault our brilliant leader
hasn't shown himself in almost the entire season,” Lord Slii helped
his son to one of the benches.

Dan plopped himself in front of the cloaked guise of Aang's
daughter who smiled shyly at the young man. In her hands she brought
out a large acorn to pass the time and roll on the smooth oaken
surface.

“Be careful with your oak seed, my dear,” Aang withdrew his
protective arm from his young daughter. “It will grow into a
mighty walker to protect you in your travels.”

“Yes, Papa,” the little girl smiled.

“Gentlemen if you wish to measure your weapons, might I ask you
do so after this meeting?” Lady Dubh rolled her eyes. “Lord
Slii, do you have your ledger of inventory?”

Lord Slii drew a folded parchment from the left satchel at his
waist. “Everythin' is accounted for for the next siege game
including recycled elements.” Lord Slii walked toward the awaiting
Lady Dubh.

Lord Dubh snatched the folded parchment from the veteran's grasp
and looked over the contents. “You have nine forges?”

“Uh-huh,” Lord Slii answered coolly.

“Yet six are working in full force?”

“If I had more resources I would have all nine forges going.
Hence the merger?” Lord Slii felt a tickling sensation around his
face and smiled. “That's cute Dubh, but you can't use your little
smoke trick on me.”

Lord Dubh's eyes narrowed and he grumbled, “Dammit.”

“I know it seems cruel to ask that both houses be merged. The
house of Slii goes back three generations, hence the three arrows on
the family crest,” Lady Dubh continued the deliberations. “Though
I am sure the patriarch would be willing to keep your crest separate
or try to merge your crest with his own. As it stands you are only
known as Aang. We have very little record of your family or your
roots other than you have a cabin and two mines to the west. The
cabin is a four day ride to the patriarch's abode and a two day ride
to the closer of the two mines. Would you be willing to do this
merger?”

“I would like to think we are a family,” Aang glanced from
his daughter to Lady Dubh. “That we are able to help one another
when times are trying. The minerals and ore that are mined by my
employees belong to the Dark Tower Guild. Therefore I accept the
merger into the House of Slii. I do not ask for a family crest to be
made or merged. Nor do I ask mergers to be commenced through
marriage. My daughter Daydreana will find a suitor of her own.”

“Merely paper, my friend,” the candelabras caught a faint
blush on Lady Dubh's face. “I do not ask Dan or Daydreana to
participate in this merger. The Dark Tower is a bit unconventional
as to alliances through marriage. We do not accept those since my
husband and I see it as bribery, particularly under circumstances of
Daydreana herself.”

“That is all I ask,” Aang said simply.