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Previous Page: Intrigue and Quandry
Ingol paces about the foyer to his family's castle-suite, his catlike paws making almost no noise on stone and rug alike. Informed though he is by now, this is quite the decision he has to make, and one quite unlike the typical things he faces each day as advisor to the throne. Noble squabbling he can handle, his lessons with students and even his own daughter fly by with ease, but making a decision that will impact her life in ways untold... What's a father to do?
He casts a glance over to the girl's quequmra mother, who's almost too casually tidying things up, apparently just for something to do around the pacing felpurr. She glances over to him as she feels she's being watched, rolling her eyes and grinning at the same time. "Will you knock it off, already? I told you, I'm fine with this, especially if Bri is. I bet our last bag of gold Tra will be tickled pink, too."
"Of course. You do ... realize why I am so ... serious about this, though..." Hang that cat-tongue.
Juli shakes her head and wanders over, nudging her husband lightly, still with that grin on her face. "You know she'll be fine. The bonding process is pretty simple and safe, from you're telling me, and if it'll give you the peace of mind you're looking for, plus give her a playmate at first and a special relationship for life, I don't see the harm in it." She smiles more warmly, though there's a tease in her voice. "I think you're just squabbling over 'putting her in danger' by trying to 'protect' her." She does tend to stay away from the straight-on "Daddy's Girl" talk, not wanting to tease him too much... ... often.
Their wait isn't long, though, and soon the little golden-haired girl is bounding into the room from her other lessons. She gives Ingol a hug first, then trots over to her mom, depositing a book on the couch-side table before giving Juli a hug as well. "Hi, mom!"
Juli gives a chuckle, hugging her daughter briefly before giving her a little pat on the shoulder. "Well, hello, Tra. I believe your father wanted to talk with you about something." ... and, so saying, she saunters over to the door and heads into the other room of their little suite. "I'll be in here if you need me," she says, flashing a grin before disappearing, Ingol's glare following her quite readily. Gee... thanks.
Tra blinks after Juli, looking from the closed door to her dad, her reaction rather predictable: Whuh-oh. "Daddy...?"
Ingol suppresses a sigh. Had to make this harder, didn't you, Juli... ya little sneak. "Despite the ... antics your mother performs... you are not in trouble. Come. Have a seat." He heads over to the couch and sits, patting a cushion next to him.
Tra can't help but blink a couple times, but she comes all the same, sitting next to her dad and snuggling close; always been the affectionate kind, this girl. Ingol responds by draping a paw around her shoulders, taking pause before looking at her. "I am not ... certain how to ... initiate this ... conversation, but ..."
"Daddy."
Ingol blinks, giving Tra an inquisitive look. He hadn't expected her to protest quite this early... but no, not what Tra has in mind. She leans her head gently on her dad's arm, smiling up at him. :: It's okay. Go ahead and talk to me. :: She loves sharing her gifts. If it makes it easier for Ingol, all the better.
Ingol can't help but smile back to her; it does put him at ease, and the fact that she isn't on guard does wonders. :: Well, then. ... I get this impression, especially over the past few days... that you might like to escape the confines of the castle a bit. ::
Tra smirks a little. :: Starting with me blurting out my hiding place, huh? :: That wasn't exactly her brighteset of moments.
Ingol holds back a chuckle, making her giggle a bit. :: That was a definite indicator, yes... but in all honesty, I understand your desire to explore. Your mother and I, after all, wandered for a good part of our lives. ::
Her smile fades a bit. :: It's not just that, though. I can't escape this anywhere. Everywhere I go, there's some courtier trying to rub elbows, or some noble complaining, or some servant trying to give me something... I just want... ... :: She trails off, looking up at him again.
:: ... somewhere quiet? :: Ingol suggests.
Tra nods a little. :: Sometimes... but sometimes it's just to get out, you know? Like with Danny, or one of my other friends. ... or to find all these neat places that Rowan and Nate are always talking about... or to go on adventures with Sel, or ... :: ... for some reason, this is starting to sound like quite a list.
Ingol can't help but smile. :: Some of that will come with age, you know... but the other reason, of course -- ::
:: -- is because it's not safe out there. :: ... and she can't always bum a ride off her sister... or Danny. She knows it's the truth, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Ingol nods, but then quirks a brow, using a paw to ruffle her long, golden hair. :: ... but what if it was not? ::
:: Well, if it ... :: Wait. :: ... if it wasn't? What do you mean? You can't make all the monsters and bandits and ... :: ... it can't just all go away, can it...?
Ingol doesn't bother holding back the chuckle this time. :: No... it will not just disappear. :: He pauses. :: You have played with Shhra`yalii often enough, have you not? ::
:: Well, yeah, but ... :: ... and the gears finally click... and her eyes flutter, then brighten, and she would leap up, if her dad's arm wasn't over her; as it is, she gives him a very nice bounce. "You mean... you'd let me bond?? Daddy!"
The little girl, small as she is, practically knocks Ingol off the couch as she tackles him in a hug... and the next few moments are lost to the two, Ingol laughing and trying to keep from falling over the arm, Tra trying to push closer and hug her dad as tightly as she can, and maybe, just maybe, trying to push him off just for fun. When they finally settle, Tra is quite breathless, but still beaming. "You want me to bond... you want me to bond!" She can hardly believe it... but it couldn't mean anything else.
"Provided..." Ingol begins, and Tra blinks a couple times, but promptly hops off and sits right beside Ingol again, smile not budging even if she knows she'll have a 'few' rules about it all. If he's serious, though... and he's almost always serious... she'll live by almost anything he can come up with, if she can bond a dragon of her own.
It took quite some time for the near-medieval psionic to figure out some of the paperwork... but figure it out he did, and with a little telekinetic help, his cat-paws didn't even get in the way of filling it all in. Now, with that all finished some time ago, he and his daughter walk quietly down the halls of the Destiny toward the hatching bay, Tra's eyes bright and wide, her little mind awe-struck at everything new she's taking in.
A little breath escapes her lips as she finally peeks through the door into the bay, spying the eggs on the far side. She remains there for several moments, one hand on the door frame, one bare foot in view (unless the crew insisted on shoes), her mouth partly open in the likes of a smile as she quietly looks over the clutch. Finally, she almost whispers... "Dad... all those papers said... one of them said they might be ... sentient? Is that the word?"
Ingol looks from the eggs to his daughter, curious. "Yes... pre-sentient, I ... believe, is the term they used."
She looks silently up at him, her eyes asking a question, and he nods, giving the girl a friendly nudge. Go on...
Tra pads slowly into the room, eyes quickly acknowledging the employees there, but they needn't worry at all: She stops several feet from the eggs, pausing before dropping lightly to her knees, sitting on her feet there on the bay floor. She watches for a moment more, before offering... :: ... hello, in there...? ::
Ingol watches silently from his position, still partly in the hallway. He's stoic as he ever is in public, but inside, a little smile toys with him. This is certainly going to be interesting... very interesting, indeed.