Intrigue and Quandry (Tratara - Pre-Bonding Pg 3)

Intrigue and Quandry

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Note: Most of this story was modified from an online roleplay. It is in present tense, and I have tried to smooth it out as best I can. If anything is confusing, please PM NightBengal on the Nexus Forums.

Ingol is actually in the library when Bri goes to find him later, instead of his typically bringing a pile of books back to his room. Research, it looks like, though not terribly involved. He's got a couple volumes ribboned to his left and is leafing through a third, a fourth at the ready.

"Should I have chosen a better time?" Bri asks, and if she's done it right, she managed to sneak right up on him. She pulls up a chair, looking healed, but still hesitant with the badly damaged hand and foot.

He 'felt' her getting closer to him, but otherwise, he does actually blink when he looks up. "Hm. I can ... certainly set this aside, for the ... moment." He flips a ribbon down and closes that book, pushing it to a different area of the table than the others. "... my daughter did stop by, then?" She must have done at least some good, too; Bri looks significantly healthier, rest and all.

"Yeah, she did. She made some lovely tea." :: And... well, I don't know how to put it. She wants to get out on her own sometimes. ::

Ingol actually wasn't going to start gushing on her; he's only done that once or twice, really. The sudden switch does somewhat take him by surprise, though, even if he could 'feel' that Bri was serious about something. It's just usually been herself or someone around her, lately.

:: Get out on her own? If you could clarify a little...? :: Just another little bit of evidence that he trusts Bri: He isn't surface-skimming her thoughts to get his clarifications.

Bri picks up the book for pretense of looking through it, settling back in the chair. :: Wander off, find a spot outside, daydream... all those girly things. :: ... though Bri's certainly not trying to act girly here, for a bit of irony.

Ingol is genuinely curious. :: All those girly things, eh? ... can I ask how this came up? With her revealing her hiding place, earlier? :: He did note that's one of the few places she can sneak off to that isn't on the upper floors of the castle. Things are just plain desolate up there, and the servants don't like having their nice, clean rooms 'messed up.' ... not to mention most of them are locked.

:: Pretty much, :: Bri replies. :: It's probably a developmental thing - getting some freedom and all that. :: Which makes her realize how screwed up her own development and relationships with her parents were/are.

Ingol makes a face, quickly smoothing it over afterward. Don't talk to him about developmental things, dangit... he likes having his little girl, even if he'd never, ever intentionally hold her back. Comes with the professional territory.

:: Interesting... but where would one have her go, if her true intent is to be alone? I need not tell you that she is no warrior. ... I have of course taught her how to see a potential problem, but her psionic skills are not advanced enough to allow her to get out of a bad situation like that. :: Thought it through thoroughly, as usual.

Bri shelves her very personal thing for later, because she has a better, less involved, and less odd-sounding idea. :: My parents' ranch is pretty safe. She can't just wander to it, but I'm sure we could come up with some transportation system. Maybe she'd be okay with Comar`ssavi keeping her company or something. ::

Ingol considers that. :: Interesting thought... that is, if you believe that Comar`ssavi would be interested in having a quiet, smallish child as his charge for a while, especially if she just wanted to be alone. :: He pauses. :: I did not quite realize that it was such an issue. :: Even if she's touched on the 'I want out of here' bit before, it's never amounted to much.

Bri considers that, with how active Comar'ssavi is... um... wince. Maybe not... ... oh, Ingol, don't feel bad. :: I don't think I would have figured it out either, except that we talked about it. :: Hmmm... :: Varinal-n-tahn might be a better option... I don't know if you've met him. :: Him for convenience, since hermaphrodites make for awkward pronoun use.

Ingol blinks. :: No... not a name I have heard before. Who is it? Another bonded dragon? :: He thinks with a bit of amusement that the world might have another dragonet-fad on its hands. There are more than several of the fire-lizard-type creatures flitting about the castle and town.

Bri shakes her head, though. :: Nah. I don't even know how it happened, but dad ended up taking care of him, though I'd say he takes care of mom more than he even sees Dad. :: Psionic dragon who is mute... figures that Tatiana would be the preferred one, with her own psionic abilities.

Ingol almost smirks, 'diving' into that fourth book to keep up the study-illusion. :: Interesting, when you get someone there that has his own personality... but how would he be able to help dear Tratara? :: He's got to make sure his girl's safe, and all.

Bri smirks. :: He's 9 feet tall. He also has illusion magic and telepathy, that I know of... :: He may have more abilities, or just those, but that's what she knows for certain.

Ingol knits his brow, putting a paw on a page as if in thought. He's not the type that will go to lengths to 'test' someone, but he'll just have to ask the fellow, won't he... or someone will, anyway. :: If Tra really wants to get out, that sounds like a possibility. I should like to meet him, of course... ::

Bri shrugs. :: Of course - we'll have to ask if he'd want to do that, anyway. Though he certainly doesn't mind doing things for mom all day. ::

:: As long as he doesn't mind pausing in that to do things for someone else... :: He grins. He's run into that before, as bemusing as it is. :: When would be a good time to drop by, then? :: ... and then he'll worry about telling Tra.

Bri shrugs. :: I don't know, really. They're usually free between mealtimes, though you might just want to talk with mom about it in her next lesson or something. :: Tatiana would know far better than she would what goes on at the ranch.

:: That would be a bit simpler, would it not? Thank you kindly. :: ... and he pauses, with one of his 'I know there's something else on your mind' mental expressions, of sorts. He won't prompt her, though, unless she acts like she's going to leave, or something equally halting to the conversation.

Bri gets the look, and it both frightens and surprises her. What exactly is he picking up on...? :: Hmm? :: She also risks a curious look over the book she's reading, as well.

Ingol blinks, glancing over at her briefly. :: My apologies if that was a bit too obvious... It just seemed like you had something on your mind when you first sat down, but changed directions. :: He pauses, not wanting to make it seem too weird... besides... :: I could be wrong... :: Hey, it happens.

Bri is mildly embarrassed, hiding in the book again. Fisk it all, he caught her, and it's not something she's really ... well... pfffffff. :: Uh... yeah, but this might work better. ::

Ingol takes another glance, realizing that he pretty much just screwed up. :: I apologize... that was a little intrusive of me. :: He doesn't want to be that way around someone he trusts. Intriguing, though, that it involves the same thing, somehow... protecting his daughter.

Bri shakes her head, slinking further down in the chair and lifting the book up higher, like a sullen 9 year-old. :: Nah... I mean... I haven't told anyone, but it'll come out eventually anyway, I'm sure... :: Sounds serious. XD

Ingol lofts a brow, expertly drawing his eyes across a passage he 'just read' for cover. Gosh. He didn't think it quite all that, when he first felt it... then again, he wasn't really paying attention. He sends a polite nod, waiting for her to continue if she will, or respectfully decline if she won't. Floor's hers, he ain't stepping on her toes again.

Bri just isn't looking forward to the possible ridicule. Will people think she's a horrible mother? Will she be a horrible mother...? Uh oh. Well, these guys will be pretty independent, so that's good - they won't be stuck with her all the time! She skirts the subject, while still addressing the question: :: Would she be interested in a dragon bond of her own...? ::

Ingol can very well tell what she's doing, but he ain't pressing. He does give her a curious glance, though, interested. :: Hm. You know, I had never even considered such... ... but she may. She just may... :: ... especially if that means she can go wherever, he thinks ruefully. He can see that, if-when-if, they'll have to have a goooood talk.

:: What does it involve, if I may ask? ::

:: Well, I've ... :: She hesitates slightly, then seems to reword on the fly. :: ... visited the place, and provided they let her - she's awful young - she goes, they use magic to bond them, and poof, they go home. There are some classes she might want to go to for them to learn about each other or magic the pup might have or whatever. ::

Ingol's brow goes up, both on her hesitation and her description. He's never been much on the actual study of magic, to be honest... just its effects and perceived effects on people. To have something cast on his own daughter like that, the way Bri put it... ... well. This is definitely a candidate for more research, isn't it?

:: ... but it is like a companion, yes? The bond is quite significant between them. Almost like... :: ... giving her a brother. An older brother, however that would work. :: Shhra came to be here the same way, correct? ::

Bri sends her agreement, thankful that she's not the one to explain it. :: She could probably tell you more about what it's like. :: From the bonding perspective, anyway.

:: Interesting. ... did you have a particular bond in mind for her? :: The question isn't loaded at all, though Ingol is of course very curious... and he has suspicions, even if they don't point to any one conclusion.

:: I... don't know. :: Deceptive, but the truth. Tra may not be bonded by one of 'her' kids, anyway, and the whole thing might not work out. :: There are lots of different creatures and types. ::

Ingol can sense he's playing with fire, here, and he doesn't want to cause Bri to draw up or anything; he's had far too much experience with that. He's got pretty much what he needs to know for further research, at any rate. :: Well, then. It looks like I have some work to do, later... :: He sends a smile along with that. Eesh, what a turn of events...

:: Let me know if you want to go to the Destiny, and I'll give you a ride. :: Because them going without her might be a nasty surprise... gah, she's in trouble, isn't she?

Ingol perks, unfortunately for her. :: Why, yes, I would. As soon as I am able to talk to Xaira, actually, provided that all goes well. :: Go figure, he's a nut for learning everything he can on something.

Oh effing crap, my life is over, she thinks, dramatic as her age occasionally allows. Her smile is mostly bittersweet. :: I should make that a short trip today, :: she says.

Ingol almost laughs. :: Goodness, Briana, I did not necessarily mean today. I have to track down Xaira first, for one, and then convince Juli, for another. My wife likes to know of these things, :: he adds lightly. He can't help thinking, though: Good grief, Bri, is this that huge a deal? What kinds of things await her there that makes her this uncomfortable about it, when she had the courage to at least bring it up?

To Bri, though, his response is a relief. She hadn't really thought of what to say to people, but she should at least start a rumor before they come back with tons of little dragon babies - especially if one is constantly around someone else. She certainly can't deny her children, but wouldn't it be cruel-seeming not to have her own children live with her? This is complicated.

:: Thank goodness. I can heal that way. :: Among other things.

Ingol knows she's still got a lot back there in her mind... but why make things even more of a mess? :: Great. This should be quite interesting, I would think... :: ... ... is he really thinking of inviting a dragon into their little castle suite? Eesh, he's got a lot of thinking of his own to do... not to mention convincing Juli of that bit, too.

:: Mmm. :: An "I hear you," but not really a reply. :: If you aren't going to make me do lessons today, I should get home.::

Ingol sends Bri a small grin. :: I do not intend to force anything upon you today, I believe. There will be other times. :: Go on, go somewhere and de-stress, or something.

Bri plans to do just that, too - a long soak in the tub, dinner and trying to tell Riya how the day went... because to Riya, don't ask means... ask. :: All right, I'm outta here, then! ::

Ironically, 'don't ask' means about the same thing to Ingol, most times... so it's a good thing she didn't use that particular language.

:: Have a good evening, Briana. I hope you feel better tomorrow. ::

:: I hope so, too, :: she says, getting up out of the chair. "I should go home... good luck on your quest," she says aloud. "I'll see you again next lesson." A polite bow and then she's on her way.

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