Ambition Brings Privilege

[Bards-Tale]

The late morning spring sun shown high in the sky playing against the few clouds that hoovered lazily. Thunder clapped against the compressed ground as the hooves of the Blue Roan Ilderim ran up the hill. Ash trees came to view marking the entrance to like Lands of Kelsik Darra, the Lands of the Brown Rose. The brilliant horse ran through the Forest as fast as he could. Suddenly, in the distance, the howls of wolves echo through the trees. The stallion stopped and reared on his back legs, naying in fear.
"Easy Arion" his rider said calming him down "They are just my cousin welcoming me home, we need not worry about them... right now..."
After a few moments Arion calmed down enough to go back to a low gallop. A smile grew on his rider's face as she saw her castle coming into view, Sush Drende, the Castle of the Silent Wolf. Lykisska loved nothing more then to come home, and today she had good reason too. She brought Arion to the stables and jumped off, her boot buckles jingling just a little. She pulled off the packages that she carried back with her as the veth stable boy tended to her Ilderim. She nearly skipped up the stone steps to the front doors that waited for her arrival. The two veth on either side bowed as she entered but she paid them no mention.
"Errious!!!!" She called down the front hall way, her voice echoing. A well dressed summer veth hurried to her side.
"Yes, M'Lady" he said with a bow "Welcome back, as always."
"Thank you Errious. Now tell me, has dinner already been planned this evening?"
"But of course, M'Lady. Everything is organized like you like it..."
"Never mind all that. What ever is planned, scrap it! Tonight, we feast!!! The Althua was.... far more productive then expected"
"uh, Yes, yes of course M'Lady. I will tell the staff."
"And Zsanosz? Where is he?"
"In the garden, waiting for your return"
"Excellent, bring some glasses out there!"
Lykisska carried a bottle of fine wine with her as she hurried to the gardens. She couldn't even try to hid her smile if she wanted too. She paused only briefly as she saw her lover sitting at a table reading.

[wunderworks]

The Mandrake, a play by the author Adolphus was boring Zsanosz, it all seemed so obvious. Of course, friendship was shallow and without merit, lovers came and went all the time, and one day they'd sleep with you, the next they'd be in the bed of another and ready to stab you in the back if only to gain more pleasure from their newest flame. Ven were so fickle. He heard footsteps on the tile and looked up. Lykisska was coming with a bottle of wine. She was an attractive woman and smarter than people took her for as a Wolf. That was what he liked about her, her dichotomy, she was pretty, but also smart. She was a Wolf, yet understand the social waters that ven navigated, and she was young, but seemed to understand things far more mature ven failed to grasp.

Like Revenge.

He'd have to tell her soon, but not yet. Instead, he stood up, drew a fragrant rose from the bunch he had laying on the table, smiled at his lover and said, "Welcome back, I've counted the hours since I last saw you. How was your party?"

[Bards-Tale]

Lykisska composed her excitement as much as she could. Her and Zsanosz had not seen each other since her Uncle Lorr's... masterpiece...
Last he saw her she was just entering spring, only seasons out of the academy. But then the sea of blood had washed over her, and she had changed. Like a fine blade being tempered by the flame she had now entered her Summer. She felt alive from the transformation, she felt young, she felt more ambitious then before, and it had paid off.
She walked as calmly towards Zsanosz as she could. She highly enjoyed his company. Sure there was the time under the moon that all lovers had, and she knew Zsanosz would be a powerful ally, but above all she enjoyed his company. He was mature, groomed, elegant, but not as pompous as a lot of Elk came off. He had as much ambition as she did, which she found lacking in a lot of Ven that she saw. She felt if there was anyone in the world that would understand her it would be him, but she was not fool enough to think he held the sun and moon. Oh no, he was still Ven, and still as deadly as the rest, maybe even more then most, but then again didn't that add the the attraction???
She let enough smile show to express that she held a wonderful secret. She let the label of the bottle show so that her Cunning lover would notice it was no ordinary bottle. She kept her eyes hooded and the only sound she made was the jingle of the boot buckles and she walked down. She sat at the chair across from him crossing her legs and leaning back as she placed the bottle on the table. Errious didn't fall too far behind with two crystal and rose gold glasses and a cork screw. He masterfully opened the bottle and poured to glasses, sipping from each before presenting to the two nobles.
Lykisska finally broke her silence.
"The Althua??? Oh... it was... enjoyable" She said with a small chuckle. Finally her elation overcame her composure. "Zsanosz, my dear dear Zsanosz, you we a cleaver Ven when you signed under me if I do say so myself. Some lovers give gifts of a kiss on the wrist in public, other of random trinkets they find along the way. I however give you a far better gift, I give you the gift of Title. You, my lover, are now a Marquee, and I a Duchess!"
She drew a long draw from her glass with her glee still showing on her face, waiting for her lover's response.

[wunderworks]

A brief pained expression flashed over his face, but then his composure was perfect. "A Marquis? Why thank you my dear. I appreciate it." He looked away towards the woods with a distant wistful look. Quietly he said, "I never imagined myself as a Marquis."

[Bards-Tale]

Lykisska put her glass down. She was confused. She expceted her lover to be as elated as she was. What could be better then the gift of title?
She walked up behind him and hugged his shoulders.
"This is what I promised you. In fact I figured that was the great gift is the promise kept. I thought you would be happy from it. I can always give it to someone else if you would prefer if the title makes you unhappy?"

[wunderworks]

Zsanosz smiled up at Lykisska, yet his eyes did not. "It is a wonderful gift my love. I do cherish it, and you are right, the gift of a promise kept is greater than the gift itself. That is something I will always remember.

"But," he continued, his smile brittle, "while this title is a fair and grand thing, it is not the title I always dreamed I had. It might be a small thing, but I always dreamed that I would hold the title my father, and his ancestors had held before him."

He again turned to look across the lawn towards the woods and softly added, "But that is not possible now...."

[Bards-Tale]

Lykisska walked around to look Zsanosz in the face with a smile.
"The paper work is only signed for me. If you do not want it then I will not make you Marquis." She took both his hands in hers "Nothing is impossible. You are with ME! Look at me! From Count to Duke in one evening, one Althua! Tell me, how many True Blooded Ven have done that? Even my Grandmother Calista did climb that fast! If the gift of Marquis is not what you want then tell me what you do want my love. I wish for you to join in my celebration, not to be grieved by it."

[wunderworks]

For the first time that night Zsanosz smiled at her warmly. "Oh Kisska, I'd love to have the title you offer me. It is a remarkable gift. But what I've always dreamt of having was my father's title. A title that was torn away from me by a cruel and heartless braggart who came into our house as a guest and friend and who killed all who lived within except I, and took the title of Count Kether for herself." Zsanosz stared deep into Lykisska's eyes, never blinking never wavering.

[Bards-Tale]

Lykisska's smile grew again, but this time with a wicked twist. Her Houses reputation shown across her face. Even a small deep chuckle escaped for a brief moment.
"If that is what your heart truly desires then that is what you shall have. I have no loyalty for my Mother as she holds no love for me. In fact it would bring me great joy to help you gain this title. But why have just one? Take the title of Marquis for now, help me continue to gain power and advantage in The Game of Court, this is not a move we can do in a flash. We have to use our Cunning, we have to use our Advantages, she is wicked and powerful and has allies, though I think their bonds may be weak. There is a time to take things head on and a time to be subtle. If a Serpent sees you coming it will strike, but if you grab it from the back it will never see you coming and will not have a chance. This is what we need to plan. Together I think there very few who could be stronger then us." She kissed the inside of his wrist "Never hold back from me what you really want. If you have a desire tell me." She picked up her glass again and offered him his "Now then, is your heart happy?"

[wunderworks]

A deep and warm smile spread across his face as he took her glass and set it back on the table.

"More than happy," he said. Standing up he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. "Now, let me show you how much I appreciate you and everything you've done for me...but not here. In your bedroom."

With that he offered her his hand and led her indoors.