They were right outside Vinanye's court, and magic was heavy in the air. The land was bright, with green fields that shone like gems under the sun and buildings made of glass, gemstones. The land smelled of greenery, something sweet and unidentifiable, and magic. Power, booming magic that caressed them as though it were sentient.
Here, in Underhill, the magic had a very different feel than what most on manta Carlos would understand it as. It was potent and cumbersome, not pure, exactly, but without the taint other magics possessed from years of tweaking. This was natural. The kind of magic born with the beginning of time.
Vinanye was home. She breathed in the scent, felt the warm tingle of Underhill's eye, and found herself grinning despite what she planned on doing.
Before they entered the court officially, she turned to Leon.
"We are here.... but there is something more." She twiddled her thumbs some. "I may have misled you some, my friend, and for that, I give my forgiveness.
"You said you were second in your clan... and well, you must understand the only way for me to remain on Manta Carlos..." Vinnie left this to hang in the air for a time. It was unlike her not to be blunt, but asking a favor (and such a large one at that) bite at her insides and stifled her words.
His expression didn't quite show any hint of wonder he had at that moment. He was here on some kind of business, that's what he was focused on. He'd already rationalized Vinanye hadn't brought him here to kill him. He was however coming to terms with the feelings that he was about to lose a bet. Why else would he have been brought all the way to Underhill?
"It's fine, we wouldn't be here if we didn't have to right?" that was his response. The dragon listened to him as Vin seemed to slowly inch towards the subject at hand. Fae debts were a serious matter. Context clues were enough to make it almost obvious. "The only way for you to stay is if you had a spouse. And a strong noble spouse at that, no?"
That would explain why they had to come all the way here. She had to make a move rather quickly if she wanted to stay on island.
@Foxy
"Yes," she said without bothering to pad around any longer. "I... I did not want you to refuse just on these grounds. I believed if I waited you would be more likely to say yes. I know this is asking a lot," her face twisted, holding back barely managed hurt, "I do not want to return to Underhill, Leon. I do not miss home."
The plea in her voice was sincere, as most of what Vinanye said was. She sniffed, refusing to cry and show that weakness here. She rose her chin to meet his eyes and continued speaking, offering him a little more background. She was already digging herself so deep it didn't matter what she told him anymore.
"My real name is Teinadae, and I was born of a precious stone from Australia. The people here? This magic? I got it because they regarded me as they do the halflings, with resentment and hatred. If I am forced to rule here, I will die. I cannot forge alliances. If I stay, my future is not good."
She paused, then added, "I would owe you my life."
"Well your being a gem thing explains a few things about what I see when I look at you. This is a pretty high stakes gamble you're making here you know. You even gave me your true name before you had your answer. Super reckless, what if I just ran off and left you here? You'd just be left to your fate right?"
He sighed, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The dragon was already in this deep, his pride wouldn't let him just turn around. Not to mention having ties to a fae court may prove beneficial down the road. He wasn't even sure what repayment on a debt like this would even entail.
"I'm not that terrible though, so I'll marry you. I do have a lot of questions but my answer is yes."
@Foxy
Vinanye shook her head, smiling ruefully. "You would not run. You are too honor bound. I should feel a dagger to my heart, to do something like this to you, but it is survival I wish for, and it is survival I know you will give me. My name has no significance now."
Vinny got to her knees, resting her hands on her legs and bowed her head as if in patronage. "Yes," her voice was small at the idea of being left to her fate in Underhill. That was never a good thing. A death wished on no one. To be killed by Underhill was to be killed by one's most amorous lover. "I make this gamble because it is all I have left. I offer you all or nothing."
When she felt Leon's hand on her shoulder, Vinanye looked up and met his eyes, her own full of unshed tears. Her smile was brittle before she wiped away the weakness in her eyes and nodded vigorously.
"Yes. I understand this." She stood, dusting her dress free of dirt and taking both his hands in hers in gratitude. "But you cannot ask them in front of her or hers. You cannot ask them in the open. They will wait, but I will answer them all to my fullest. This I swear."
Before anything more could be said, the pearl gates opened with a powerful force of magic and two sentinels appeared. They rode horses of pure white, with saddles made of unknown gemstones, dark as a starless night sky. The armor they wore represented many of Vinnie's hue. Blues, pinks, and purples. Their helmets held a round gem of bright orange and yellow.
Without a word, the two turned on their horses and trotted back from where they came. Vinny looked at Leon and nodded before gently pulling him along to follow.
They walked through the country side first, but it wasn't long before they made way into the center of the town right outside the court's castle. While the countryside had grass that crunched underfoot as though it had been frozen through and blue utterly clear skies with no known source of light, the town was more comforting.
Buildings dotted the land, most of which were fashionably tipped and small, likely larger on the inside than the outside. They were made of brightly colored gemstones, given no name to the human dimension.
Bright, flashy colors were a trend here, and while most clothing wasn't an armor of unknown gemstone, it was woven and sewn as though it had once been rock. The erratic colors seemed natural, and the Fae who lived here matched the assortment of colorations they wore.
People stopped and stared as Vinny and Leon were lead by the guards to the castle doors. Vinny smiled at a few and waved politely. Most nodded before going about their day. The air here was thick – a mixture of tension and curiosity. Despite the beauty, this land had seen catastrophic war recently, and the countryside had not hidden that as well as the town did.
The outside of Precious Stone's castle was no larger or wider than a manor on the smaller side, but that was only the outside. Vinny clutched Leon's arm as if they had been engaged a long time. There was worry in her eyes and the grip she kept.
The doors opened.
They at least looked like a couple, Leon maintained a dignified air as he walked if only to put his now fiance at ease. He'd be damned if anyone even attempted to question the legitimacy of this engagement. They finally made it to a manor, smaller than what he was used to but given where he was, he'd assumed the interior would be much bigger. He gave her a look affirming he was ready as the doors opened. Her worry was practically palpable. "Breathe Vin, you need to at least look unwavering when you face a ruler," he whispered to her, squeezing her hand a little tighter and radiating a sort of warmth. He was keeping himself as composed as he could. It was all he could think to do to help her do her part. Dragons never took a knee for anyone. Dragons never showed fear. Their pride wouldn't let them. Vin was an entity that made people feel some level of comfort when they were around her. Maybe this could be a point where she could take comfort in someone else. It was all he could do at the moment for his bride.
@Foxy
Vinanye nodded at Leon and gave a strained and reassuring smile.
Inside, the mansion was more of a palace, decorated ornately in colorful stones that seemed to shimmer when the light struck them. The two of them were lead to the throne room, where on a rock altar, stained in dark reds, sat a woman waiting with her legs crossed.
She looked almost younger than Vinanye, with a soft, heart-shaped face, and eyes a deep purple that consumed the sclera. Her short hair was a bright, fire orange that stood and came together at a near point, hidden behind a strange design of gemstone-like designs on her forehead that wrapped over her head and seemed to be part of her skin.
Her skin was a soft purple, freckled with bits of gold that shone gently. Behind her, in the same gemstone design was a tail similar to birds and two classical fairy wings outlined in thorns and a leathery membrane similar to a bat.
She looked over the two of them coolly, before settling her eyes on Vinanye where her facial expression warmed considerably.
In the language common to Fae, Adhelien greeted her daughter warmly before looking at Leon and continuing. "And who might this be?"
Vinanye glanced at Leon before switching to her native tongue to speak with her mother. "This is Leon Drakenhardt, my fiance and second in line to his family's throne. He is a Dragon."
That knowledge received, Adhelien's eyebrows rose in unexpected pleasure. Switching to Draconic, she addressed Leon. "You must forgive me, Duke Drakenhardt, I am unaware to most of your culture. If I had known you were Draconic, I would have addressed you properly."
She opened her arms, expression turning neutral. "Welcome to my home. I am The Faery Queen Adhelien, and this is the Court of Precious Stone, which belongs to me.
"I do hope you will understand that before I offer you rest or room that we might step in private to discuss the... shall we say logistics of this arrangement?"
"I fear I would have damaged your home and caused a disturbance had I come in my fullest. I am prepared to discuss all terms before we proceed," Leon replied back, his native tongue sounded somewhat naturally harsher due to his throat effectively being made for it. He nodded politely to her, this was as close to taking a knee as you could get from a dragon, especially of his rank. He kept note of any possible reaction from Vin in the corner of his eye while still focusing on her mother.
He could only hope the terms she had in mind would be somewhat reasonable.
@Foxy
In this new room, Adhelien had set herself up behind a large table, where she stood with her upper half leaned over it and watched him with cold eyes. She remained speaking in Draconic, as it was the only language she figured both of them knew that would correspond.
"I want it to favor my daughter, this marriage arrangement. I have but one child and I am to understand you are not your family's successor with the title 'Duke.'"
He stood tall and unflinching, not at all visibly intimidated by her. She seemed a great deal less welcoming than just a few moments ago. Formalities were so irritating. But this was how things were. How they had to be, he assumed. "What is it you would have of me? Vinnanye would be able to live peacefully and with strong protection if married to me. Similarly, you would also have the benefit of being able to call on us for aid in times of trouble."
@Foxy