INT - Windgrace Manor, Callisto; midday
Vedis Boyd hums softly as she sets down the food for the momma doggo, giving the little ones a nudge to find a nipple before straightening with a smile. She gathers the tea on a tray and turns to head to the stairs to bring up the morning tea to the Siblings. The soft clink of the silver the only sound beyond the crackling fire and the gentle notes of her song.
Dinah had been entirely over-people'd of late. Too many parties and festivals and whatnot. Besides. There were always studies to perform. She had been reading all morning in the secret arcane study and when she was sure it was clear, once more slipped out from behind the bookcase to pad down the stairs. She faked a yawn, perhaps trying to appear as though she had been asleep until nigh noon rather than tucked away and studying and she gave the loom a quick turn and watched for a moment as the mechanical musician jerked to life
Vedis Boyd hears Dinah coming down the steps and hurried to finish the tray, nodding to the old chef as she hefts the heavy thing up and moves into the sitting area, smiling as she hears the loom come to life once more, "Good morning Ms. Windgrace." she calls out cheerily, "Would you care for some tea?" She appears from the kitchen, neat and tidy as always, tray made for the upperclass with petite sandwiches to nosh on.
Dorian came padding over from his shed early enough to catch dew and dead grass on bare feet. He wiped them off at the door, then bent to give his sister a kiss on the side of her head.
He moved on again to wipe his feet on the rug until they didn't feel problematic. All of this en route to the couch which he threw himself onto in a lackadaisical heap. Whether he'd started the night in his own room was between him and his eldritch gods. And maybe a sibling. He'd call "Good morning," on his way.
Dinah peeked around the corner and she smiled, nodding gently "Morning, but not by much" she agreed. She approached the jar with the newest resident in it, lifting the lid and stirring the top of the water with her fingertip. "Tea? yes please. Do we have any lemon?" she gave a smile and tilted her head up towards dorians' kiss, chuckling softly. "Dori, dear heart, Vedis made tea." She replaced the lid on the octopus tank. "Did you both see my new friend? I have taken to swimming in the sea. I found him there. Isn't he adorable?"
Vedis Boyd steps aside so Dorian can make his way to the couch and flop, offering him a smile, "Tea, Mr. Windgrace?" she offers, then sets the tray on the table before she pours them both a cup, placing a bit of lemon on the edge of Dinah's cup and handing it to her. She smiled at the little octopus as it's legs stretched up towards Dinah's finger. "He is! Does he have a name yet?" she looks back to Dorian, "Lemon, sir? I also have milk and honey if you prefer."
Dorian hummed along to the loom's tune, where he lay, looking over at the pair of women with yellow hair atumble and silvery eyes keener than the rest of him, sparkling with interest. He'd answer his sister about the house's new occupant first, "I thought it might be Drystan's. That's yours? You've been swimming without me? What when I am at the shop?"
Turning then to tableside Vedis he'd offer a gentle smile and inform her, "Same as my sister, thank you kindly, Miss Vedis."
Dinah gave a warm smile and she bobbed her head in thanks to the lemon tea, and she hummed. "I was thinking i might name him jupiter" she said thoughtfully "he's such a pretty colour." she paced around from the tank to the kitchen, carefully dodging keiko and the dogs with a snicker to retrieve a small fish from the ice box and returned to slip it in to the tank to watch the tendrils creep out and snatch it.
She nodded towards Dorian and she chuckled, joining him on the sofa by climbing beneath his legs and returning them to her lap.
"Mostly at night time. I read in one of the Parisian fashion magazines that cold water is good for the constitution" she patted his knee. "you can come with me next time. but it's *dreadfully* cold." she smiled towards Vedis. "Are you much of a swimmer?"
Vedis Boyd added the lemon to Dorian's tea as well and hands him the cup. She leaves the tray on the table in case they wished for more. She looks to Dinah as we talks about swimming, nodding, "I enjoy swimming, though I am far from an expert. The ocean is deep and vast and she takes just as much as she gives." She laughs, brushing her hair off her shoulder, "I respect her greatly." She nods to Jupiter as he wrestles with the fish, "That little guy, however, is going to climb out of that tank if you aren't careful. Smart little things they are."
Dorian was genuinely intrigued by his sister's choice of a pet, given recent experiences. She always had a way of delving deeper into mysteries than he did. Less keen on puzzles that weren't Dinah related, he'd just consider her offer for half a heart-beat before answering, "Of course I want to go." He was not content to be laying flat, mostly because of the tea coming his way. He'd tense his torso swing his legs off of his sister, taking up a somewhat what more respectable distance and posture while he listened, sipped, not waiting for the stuff to cool before drinking deeply.
He'd turned his admiring and questioning gaze from his sister to Vedis at length, something he'd not fully done since taking his tea, and append, "She is a mighty force, our lady, the ocean. Complex as the sky, and in the shallows here because of the isle's location, just as shimmering. Even when I have been down in the daytime with our boys."
By the time he'd done he was fully gazing at Dinah again, with a big broad grin expanding across his face, "You shall have to take me with you. I am afraid I must insist. Jupiter would agree I am sure."
Dinah reached for the tea and curled back in the sofa, following Vedis's look towards Jupiter in his tank. "I wonder if it would be worth getting him a larger tank? I'm sure there'll be somewhere on the isles that could. If you happen to see him trying to sneak out, just give him a little prod back into his tank?" she tittered. "I had heard that they are smart, though. They're so strange, aren't they? Octopus, i mean" she smiled towards Vedis and Dorian as they spoke of the sea.
"Dori was a navy man. I'm glad he is land-bound now, though. I always worried so terribly." she explained, but she chuckled again. "I must confess, I have never really been so close to the sea. I'm finding so much of interest in there. I might start collecting sea glass, too"
Vedis Boyd blinks at Dorian's words, lips parting in shock. She had thought him the dullard of the family, but his words spoke of something beyond just the ocean, they spoke of a poet's heart and she would not have expected such a thing to beat within his chest. She quickly catches herself as she stares, covering it by leaning down to adjust the tea set. Totally unnecessary, but it kept her hands busy. She smiles at Dinah and nods, "I shall keep an eye on him. Never you worry." she nods to the kitchen, "And don't let Strawberry tell you she's not eaten. She has, twice now." she chuckles at the mix up between her and the chef before looking back to the twins, "Oh! My family and I had just a love hate relationship with the ocean. We did a lot of trading by sea, it was the fastest way to get anywhere. But she's fickle, and once you are on her bad side, there is far to much for her to throw at you to feel truly safe upon her waves again." She nods, "It's always good to have the menfolk home." she murmurs.
Dorian shook his head about the navy, tossing curls, explaining about his lack of fighting in the current war embroiling his homeland, "I am only glad I already finished my service. I should hate missing living like this to fight in another endless morass. The bloody continent is a disgrace." There was the lunkhead again, repeating something he'd said before. Something he'd possibly even heard his father say. Though the family profiteered from shipping back aetherite to use in the war efforts, he was earnestly glad to have a room larger than his one-time accommodations, and explained to Vedis, "My room out there is a thousand times better than any shipboard accommodation the royal navy afforded me. And women are not considered bad luck here!" He chuckled and held out his empty cup for more, turning his gaze to his sister.
"Dinah is sick unto death of hearing me talk about it, I am sure. I am afraid I know very little about those creatures except that they are possessed of a great deal of strength. Perhaps not
Dorian: at Jupiter's size... though I am glad you are swimming, sister dearest. I really should like to come along."
Dinah squeezed her lemon into her tea and took a sip, pulling her feet up beneath herself. She grinned though and peered towards the kitchen "Aha. using those eyes to great effect as ever? she is deceptive, that one. Still, I feed her too often anyway" she admitted with a sigh "I am weak and she knows it" she blew on the surface of her tea, leaning in to bump Dorian's shoulder a little with a faint smile. "Depends on the women, I suppose" she snickered, but she peered towards Jupiter again.
"great strength, you say? I wonder how big he will get?" she asked curiously "....if he gets big enough we shall have to get a bathtub for him" she pulled a face at the thought of sharing her bath with a squidly beast. "I never tire of your stories, Dori."
Vedis Boyd laughs, the sound a bark of astonishment as she eyes the little octopus warily, "Let's not raise a Kracken to haunt the harbor, aye? He's going to be a handful enough as it is, no doubt." she narrows her eyes as it looks like Jupiter's beady black eyes settle on her. Couldn't be... When Dorian held out his cup she leaned down and carefully poured another cup full for him, the steam curling through the air between them. "I admit I am... not as up to date on current events as I should be." she doesn't look at either of them, setting the kettle back on the tray with terribly deliberate movements, "This war... is it just on the continent? Do you think... Could we see fighting here?" she didn't seem afraid, more like a general who wanted to know the battle she was going into before she got there. She was a planner, and those golden eyes were far to sharp, far to intelligent for simple help. "If you don't mind the questions... of course."
Dorian had brought up that he wanted to swim with her enough that everyone in the room surely knew that there was a track of his mind devoted to imagining that just now. It slowed his tongue so that he only nodded about the great strength thing. And he very eventually pulled his gaze from his sister after she'd bumped him. to look into his cup. He'd stir up his voice to explain why he knew what he said he did, "We fish sometimes, you know? To supplement our stores when at sea long enough. Once we pulled a seven-legged one up in our nets. Hidden tentacle behind one eye. What it lacked in usual legs, it made up for in difficulty to unfurl. Beast was 10 feet long. We ultimately cut that bit of net off and let it go with the creature. I am glad for that, I did not have the heart to eat it. Nor the stomach."
He'd shrug off the question about the war, staring at the patterns the steam made when the rose in soft white whorls. "We have a German living down the lane whom we get along with well enough. It is my sincere hope we do not see the repercussions here. I think Europe has been at war so long it has forgotten how to do aught else. Bloody Hapsburgs. This place has hardly been above the sea longer than the war has raged." This recent one ran quite together for him, as he'd not been in the Navy since the discovery service days of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Dinah laughed and she beamed at Vedis "if he does turn out to be a kraken, i will have to train him not to attack Windgrace ships" she snickered, giving jupiter a smile. "Eat up, little love. you've got big things to do," she crooned, but she sipped her tea in thought "do I think the fighting will come here? Mmn. if we do.. it'll be a secretive invasion force. something covert. there are too many wealthy people here for either side to be stupid enough to try to seize the isles by bloodshed. Not with the academy and all the enthusiastic students" she ran her fingertip around the rim of her tea, smiling at Dorian's story "I wonder how old your seven-legs was?" she glanced back to Jupiter with a smile.
Vedis Boyd looked up at Dorian as he spoke of the tentacled nightmare he had caught in his nets and straightens, eyes wide. "That does not reassure me in the slightest." she murmurs, laughter tinting her voice. "If I go swimming, I shall be sure to stay in the shallows." she chuckles. Jupiter once again drew her eyes as Dinah coo'd softly to the creature, a sincere measure of doubt flashing across her features. Still, the news of the island's defenses seemed to ease her concerns and she nods, clasping her hands. "I can't imagine this island would be easy pickings for... anyone really." her voice cast low, eyes trailing to the front windows as she worries her lower lip.
Dorian closed his eyes and silently prayed that the isle would remain at relative peace. Then he rejoined the conversation, making light against the silent moment's solemnity, "Worry not Miss Vedis, this was in the deeps, days out of sight of Spain to the south and west." And beyond that, it was also back when the English and Spanish were fighting over routes to and goods from colonies that would ultimately fail to take root.
He went on, "And I am afraid we did not cut him open to count his rings, love. Nor had we the tongues to decipher his language and ask. Size like that, one hopes it was an adult. Should Jupiter live up to his name, perhaps we should outfit him with armor, and weapons. No one would expect a battle-kraken. I think you could get a knighthood if you managed this." Imagining his sister riding a battle octopus would silence him and drive his lips into his tea.
Dinah tittered and she gave Vedis a reassuring smile. "fret not, miss. You are a part of the windgrace household now, I am sure Jupiter will know you as one of our own" she laughed and clapped her hands lightly around her teacup, standing up and setting it down so she could approach the tank again.
"A little battle kraken. I don't speak octopus. Though if they are so smart as that, I would hate to force him to war." she frowned in thought. "perhaps we can just keep him in here, happy and well-fed." she nodded towards Vedis. "This island is my home now. *I* certainly won't allow anyone to take my home. It shan't be tolerated"
Vedis Boyd nods, certainly not catching the timeframe of the catch, but she was reassured it was far from where they were currently located. For now, that's all she needed to know. She offers Dinah a smile as she giggles, inclining her head, "Thank you Ms. Windgrace. I'd ask you just remind him..." she nods to the baby kracken, "... when he gets fully grown, yeah?" she laughs. "It might be a bit too soon to go planning his wedding, yet. He might have his own opinions on the matter." she glances over her shoulder and sees the fire burning low. She turns briefly and quickly lays another log atop the embers and began to rake it awake once more, "I do... have something I wanted to discuss with you both... seeing as how I am now... employed here. A... legal issue has come up. I'm sure it's just details. But I felt it important to let you know. I will do my best to not let it impact my duties here."
Dorian smiled admiringly at Dinah as she walked off and drank down this cup voraciously as the first, and setting it down beside his sister's abandoned cup. He'd call after her, "Sounds like a wonderful life. Let us teach him arithmetic instead, and I will take his job. I normally behave in the bat--"
He'd broken off just in time to really have processed what Vedis said. This fairly drew his attention from his twin, and from the track of thoughts that was considering eating and talking about food. He'd clear his throat with seriousness taking over for playful smirk, straightening out his mouth as he looked at the pale haired new addition to the family's sanctum, inquiring incompletely, "Beg pardon?"
Dinah leaned in closer to the tank, watching Jupiter tearing pieces of the fish he'd been given to eat, and she chuckled. "well, I can imagine you will get to remind him yourself plenty. I dont think it'll be too much of a hardship if he gets a little chubby" she tittered, wiggling her finger against the glass. At the serious tone of voice from the housekeeper she turned, giving her a curious look. "oh? what manner of legal issues?" she asked thoughtfully, though she laughed at Dorian's words.
"Darling, I adore you, but I think you would not fit in his bowl" she teased. "we might be able to teach him arithmetic though"
Vedis Boyd clasps her hands behind her, wincing softly at Dorian's question. She clears her throat, unable to bring herself to look directly at them, "My last employer passed away on the trip over. I... I told Ms. Windgrace about it during our interview." she nods to Dinah and smiles hesitantly, "It seems the woman who initially employed me wishes for my ah... return." she waves it all away, "It's all a misunderstanding, I'm sure of it. I will talk with her lawyer and handle the matter soon enough. I just felt it was important to be upfront and honest with you, just... just in case." there was something flickering in the depths of those gilded eyes, fear. Abject fear, though of what was yet to be seen.
Dorian shifted both of his feet to the floor and clasped his hands together as she spoke. Getting the full heat of his attention on her in appraisal and consideration would last a long few moments. So long that he'd cede his time to speak to his sister, who had already known something about the matter. His face did go grim though and something kindled in his eyes as a natural reaction to someone trying to take a person against their will. Especially rightfully in the family's service. Through some force of will he'd keep his mouth shut rather than white knighting it right away.
Dinah flattened her palm against the glass of jupiters' tank, the tentacles spreading on the opposite side to match her fingers. She watched Vedis, and she tilted her head. "Well." she said with a sweet smile. "there is a simple solution, miss. You either wish to return to this employer of yours, in which case, I will begin to search for another housekeeper, or you do not. In which case, that is entirely tough luck in their part and they can deal with it. If there is any troubles, *I* am your head of household, and I will be more than happy to emphasize your decision to whomever decides to try and twist your arm that you are a *windgrace* employee now, and we have both the means and inclination to crush absolutely anything that threatens the household. in *any* capacity"
Vedis Boyd was trying not to twist her fingers in her skirt, but was failing miserably. "My last employer..." she lets out a soft breath, tired of the mask. They were alone in the home, and Dinah had made it clear at her interview that she would know all things. "The Seids are demons. Evil creatures made to hurt, to betray, to..." she swallows the emotion in her voice, shaking her head, "No ma'am. I would not return to them if I had the choice." she lifts her hand to touch her necklace, the golden chain shimmering in the firelight, obsidian stones set in the cap of the vial of blood, the glass far stronger than it looked. "I am a thing... to them. I am bound to this necklace. The stealer of my name wishes it's return. Without it I am... " she steps back, reaching her hand to back to rest it on the mantle. Without watching them she presses downward and her fingers slide through the stone as if it wasn't there. "I fully expect to return to my phantom form when I find my family... but... " there was a struggle there deep within the heart of the little guardian spirit, "... but not... yet, if I can help it."
Dorian could not have said it better than Di, to the point that he only nodded agreement with her, and added a quickly growled promise of: "Hear hear," in agreement. As haphazard as the family lately had been with staff, those who did right by the Windgraces usually prospered. Loyalty entreated by generosity, mutual care with feudal flare, wealth, influence and longevity to back bluster up. Fear was a tool to be used in efficacious doses as occasional reminders. Dorian sat and listened to Vedis' tale, rapt in the sweepingness of it like he would be in a fairytale. This time he looked to Dinah as he spoke to the help for an entirely different reason. It was something between a desire for adventure and being the good guy and a kid wanting to keep a stray. He turned blessed big bright silver eyes on Dinah as he remarked, "Well by the great good gods, what a cup of tea you brew Miss Vedis. I know I should like to help you, if it is help you want."
Dinah stalked forward, the usual impact somewhat diminished with her bare feet and silk jammies. she reached for her teacup again, her free hand resting on Dorians' shoulder. "aha. hence your distaste for infernalism, I suppose? I hate infernalists." she clicked her tongue in distaste. "The necklace. Would they try to physically steal it? to compel you to give it to them?" fingertips curled around Dorians' hair at the nape of his neck. "Dori, dear heart. Vedis is a household guardian spirit. She told me when I hired her, but I would not bind her in service. not without her wishing it. Others have not been so generous" she explained softly.
"Vedis, if you fear that they will steal the necklace. I can keep it hidden for you. I will make certain that *none* will find it but for me." she opened her hands." what would you like us to do?"
Vedis Boyd nods as Dinah understands her dislike of demons, ten years in their keeping was far longer than she would have preferred, by like, ten years. She fingers the vial, glancing between the two of them warily, "Whoever controls the necklace, controls my ability to ghost, controls *me*." she takes a deep breath, considering her options. "For safekeeping. Until I'm able to explain to her lawyer. I am willing to let you hide it. I will always be able to find it, it is me as much as the shape you see before you. But I would keep it from the Seids." she steps forward hesitantly. She was putting a lot of faith into a family she had just met. "I will not be bound to you. There are other things that must be done for that. But you will have me, my loyalty, until I find my true place once more." she lets out a soft laugh, "Your kindness in taking me in means I shall not fade away. If you can keep my anchor hidden until I have dealt with the man... I would allow that."
Dorian tucked his head into his sister's grasp and stilled his tongue. He did say something like, "Mmhmm" as his very nearby twin laid her hand upon him. The next moment he was openly though quietly luxuriating in the experience of being petted, gladly leaving the current goings on for the women to discuss. Having a household guardian spirit in their service was exciting, even voluntarily! One imperiled? Well he could feel the thirst abounding for more than tea starting to take shape inside of him. Certain he'd be equal to the challenge of demons or any comers, particularly with his siblings here, well, that sort of engagement was far more interesting than any old war. When he opened his eyes to look at Vedis instead of being an insistent cat wanting petted with his sister, he'd smile at her, assuringly. At least that was the intention. The expression rested warm and languid on his lips below the smouldering excitement aglimmer in his eyes.
Dinah gave a quiet laugh and she nodded. "I will let you choose where to keep it then. I have a study that *noone* is permitted into, but for myself. Where I *work*. Even dorian isn't permitted inside. it's heavily warded. I could keep it in there. Or. I could keep it with my person at all times in such a manner that they will *not* find it. My healing powers are so strong that if i were to cut off my hand, it would be regrowing before you had finished wiping the blood up. I could hide it under my skin and it'd not be an interference in the slightest. and if any demon came for ME..." she gave a tender look to her brother, looped her fingers around his curls. "I am well defended. If they brought any harm to me...my brothers would send them back to whatever shit-swamp circle of hell they came from and we'll be waiting when they crawl back out again" she gave Dorian a smile, recognizing the expression on his face "isn't that right, dear heart?"
Vedis Boyd shakes her head, "Blood will bind me to you. Let's leave it in your study then. I spent much of the last 10 years bound to a jewelry box, incorporeal. For now, I am most useful to you manifested." She lifts her hands and unclasps the necklace, letting the chain pool in her palm as she struggles with willingly giving up her anchor now that she had finally claimed it for herself. But she couldn't have asked for stronger protectors, so with a deep breath and a half hearted smile she places the necklace into Dinah's hands. The shimmer of her glamor rippling around her as Dinah claims possession of the talisman. Her glamor, her manifestation... it was all hers to command now. She clears her throat, "I should... get back to work. Thank you both for your assistance. I won't let you down."
Dorian nodded fervently at his sister's invitation. He'd told Vedis when he first met her, Dinah was the queen of this hive. Leal and affable as Dorian was, he hardly could claim half the havoc either of his siblings were capable of. So as Vedis made to part, he'd warmly intone to her, genteel voice fully loosened by tea, affection and excitement, "You are in the best of hands now, Miss Vedis. Let us know if we can be of further assistance, and thank you for breakfast." He had noticed the little sandwiches, and his stomach was suddenly awake.
When she'd gone, he'd chuckle up and ask his twin, "What a stroke of luck. I suppose we should keep this out of our letters home for now?" His hand would snake it's way around her pajama-clad leg to take hold of her about the back of the knee so DInah might not track away too far without some trouble.
Dinah grinned and she watched Vedis leave, letting her finger hook through the chain of the necklace. she laughed softly, examining it closely before tucking it into the pocket of her PJs. she'd hide it in her study when she returned upstairs, inside the skull in her terrarium. She smiled down towards Dorian's hand on her knee and she returned to the sofa beside him, slinging her arms around his shoulders.
"Gracious, can you imagine the trouble we'd have if we did tell them? 'why aren't you binding her to you'? I think papa would bind anybody to him if it were practical for him to do so" she pressed a smooch to his cheek. "I saw that look on your face. you were spoiling for a fight just now, weren't you?"
Dorian knew, even he knew that holding onto such a token and allying with such a creature was no small matter. They were no strangers to the preternatural in this house, all had touched something extra to live so long as they had. Before saying a word, before thinking any he'd sling his arms around his Dinah, holding her so close he could smell the sweetness of both her skin and hair. He'd entangle one leg with hers too, twining it under hers, because he'd probably not be content until she was on his lap. He did not want to talk about his father any further, so he did not, only gave a rueful headshake about how the foregoing generation would have dealt with things. Dorian, Drystan and Dinah were a bit more progressive.
As ever his sister had seen into his thoughts, and called to them, so he'd answer her, "Of course I was." He had been since Roesler, but did not engage. He'd throatily gloat on his good behaviour, "But see, I spoke not a word. I think I might have learned to sublimate that urge for diviner things. For the nonce." She'd know what divine things he meant when he'd bend to kiss her cheek in turn.
Dinah giggled as he shifted her with such ease into his lap and she adjusted her position so she was more comfortable. She buried her head against his neck and she grinned, tittering at his words. "You are a scoundrel. I know it in you to be a scoundrel. Diviner things, he says~" she teased, resting her head against his shoulder. "..I'm just pleased my kimono didn't get torn like the last dress, in honesty. people will think we either have clumsy laundresses, or a beast in the house" she whispered with a grin.
Dorian made a low grumbling sound of satiety at feeling her voice near his neck. Another chesty chuckle followed and he'd prove he could go easy on her clothes by not destroying her silken sleepthings. He could caress a supple thigh without tearing off a leg, probably. He'd jest quietly, "But we do have a few beasts in the house. I love that kimono, and would see it on you again. That gown was already ruined as my clothes. It was best I burned them." Perhaps she'd not even known where the remains of the gown he'd ripped off of her had gone, but both were soaked in Gunner and thus purged with all the heap of bloody rags and unsalvageable carpets.
"I do owe you a gown. Can I make a down payment in something less material, weregild my promise with this?" He'd show her what he meant, holding her close against him, when he pressed a painstakingly slow and attentive kiss to the space just behind one of her ears, nestled past her golden curls. He'd let his face linger there and breathe her in before opening his mouth to bite her earlobe. Only for a moment before pulling away with a scoundrel's smirk sideways up his unshaven face.
Dinah made a noise of assent with a titter. "we *do* have a few beasts in the house, don't we? But you are the *good* one, Dori, you aren't supposed to be the beastly one" she hummed, but she nodded again. Definitely for the best that the clothes, the carpets, the...chunks were all disposed of. "I don't *like* cleaning" she grumbled quietly. She nodded though when he said that he owed her a gown and she giggled as his kiss brushed her skin. She gasped though as he bit her and she gave him a push, tumbling from the sofa with a giggle. "you ARE a beast. A true beast. no wonder we keep you in the shed" she reached up to feign a wounding to her ear, rubbing her ear with a feigned wail and an entirely artificial sniffle.
Dorian did try very hard to be the good one; however he'd been taught to emulate brother and father. By now it was as much habit as anything else. He was an utterly happy beast though with Dinah in his lap, no one here to tell them to behave as had been for most of the foregoing centuries. And when she made pretend he'd wounded her grievously he'd let sympathy overtake both voice and expression, asking conspiratorially as he did conciliatorily and concernedly, "Shall I kiss it better? I might have magic lips. I think I do. They just touched a goddess."
Dinah pushed out her lower lip again and she grinned, rubbing her ear again. "Aren't I the one with healing powers? I suppose you could *tryyy*" she pushed her hair from her ear, tilting her head and tapping her earlobe where he had grievously mauled her.
"if that doesn't work, I dont know *what* we will have to try." she sighed in dramatic weariness.
Dorian had an idea. And it started with shifting his arms around her to flip her to more readily face him. With her face accessible, he'd start to close the distance to her lips, murmuring, "I know something to try, always makes me see stars and feels more divine than anything beyon--" By then his mouth should have been upon hers and venturesome warm hand in her hair at her nape.
Dinah reached to grip the front of his clothes and she tittered, inching herself close to him. she grinned at his words, nodding once more and as he met his lips with hers, she pressed herself against his chest with a giggle in her throat and pushed up to him on tiptoes. she broke the kiss first, not entirely wanting to scandalize the remaining staff they had, and she gave him a playful smile. "I suppose we ought to try your methodology then, Dear heart." she teased "just in case."
Dorian forgot other people existed. That Keiko might happen back in, or Vedis. His sister had that effect on him. No matter how many years elapsed, he'd never found a bottom for his appetite for her. And that was not likely to change anytime soon. Staring at her mystified, he'd take a moment to come back to the present and stop himself pressing forward. He'd suddenly pull her to her feet, as he moved and declared, "Let's have a picnic in the orangery. There are sandwiches. And.... what do you think, ale? Ale for sure." They could end that meal with his prescription's next dose. He'd be late to the shop today, but that wasn't going home in a report either. Staff got paid extra to open when he wasn't there as a matter of course.