aetherius ruelle.
dialogue ; #7d869c. â thought ; #a7baa0.
"Thank you for your report Aetherius. I can see you're just as pleasant as the last time you reported. I already another job for you, but that can wait for tomorrow to give you a chance to rest."
The words from the woman suddenly bring him back from his drifting thoughts, ideas, predictions. How long would he be stuck here? Just overnight? That would simply be heaven in his eyes, truly, what more could he want? Clearly she wanted him out of her hair as soon as possible, and he wanted to return to the freedom of the ocean immediately anyway, so perhaps their seeming distaste with one another worked in both their favors, for work and responsibilities. Reports and a new mission, and they wouldn't have to see each other again for another month or two. Perfect.
Still, he can't help the click of his tongue at her first words, and perhaps it's stupid of him to show such an obvious display of disrespect to the reigning sovereign power of Rhindeval, but he was not Jiayi. Showing active displays of some form of rebellion or sense of individuality was just part of the way he rolled.
Still, eventually her attention is moved away from him, and those shining, sharp eyes of hers are settled on Jiayi's form, who straightens slightly at the attention, "so, Sir Jiayi, do you have anything to report?"
"Nothing, my queen. Lostein's lands and the palace estate has been peaceful for the past week." Simple, light in his words, and pleasing to the ears, as always. He only ever said what was asked of him, but unlike Aetherius's way of speaking to their queen, his fellow servant held no disrespect or disregard to the woman, wasn't biting back words of offense every time he opened his mouth. Surely he could learn to follow Jiayi's example to avoid discomfort and punishment, but he simply did not care nor did he wish to do so.
Still, the woman continues speaking after hearing their words, and soon she's turning around, putting her back towards them and making way for the room that he'd never even stepped foot in, nonchalant words to them as she walked, "since all three of you are here, I think I'll give you three my special drink now. Stay here and I'll be right back."
The silence that falls over the room feels suffocating, but he doesn't care to break it. He can feel Ryder's gaze on him, a wretched sort of attention he's seemed to gather much to his own disgust, but all he gives in return is a sharp glare to the man, another click of his tongue, nothing more than a "tsk" sound leaving him before he relaxes his posture and stands from his position on the ground. The sooner he could retreat to his usual temporary stay in the palace's bedroom, or an even more pleasing idea, to the taverns with his crew, the better. Anything, to get away from the bastards that roamed these halls.
Jiayi stands with him as he does, giving an awkward and unsure glance to Ryder with the movement and stare the man was giving him as well, and an awkward stillness he seems to decide on as he stays in his spot, gaze forward towards the door Ivelda had gone through. Aetherius stares at him a moment as well, but it seems the man has given up on peacemaking and conversation for the time being, so silence prevails.
Eventually Ivelda returns, a platter and drinks floating so close behind her, and something inside of Aetherius's stomach twists. What was it about those drinks she prepped for them every few months, that made him feel so uneasy? Like he was being dragged back down to the bottom of a dark, endless cave that he had just started to be free from, that he had started to just barely get a glimpse of light out of. Even so he keeps himself composed, taking hold of one of the drinks and shifting the liquid within around lazily, watching it splash inside its cup. It's always had an odd look to him, something far from right with it, but refusing to drink wouldn't end well for him, and he wasn't keen on being tied down and having it forced down his throat, either.
A wandering gaze cannot be helped, before he drinks. That odd sense of watching the others tip their's back, the way he sees Ryder's face blank, Jiayi's soon after, how their eyes lose focus and their entire selves seem lost to the abyss for a moment. It unsettles him, makes him feel queasy, but he turns his gaze back to the drink, a glance to Ivelda, and then he brings it to his lips finally, letting the elixir fill his mouth and overwhelm any senses he still had working. It feels like acid down his throat, a poison that muddles the mind and ruins his ability to think for himself, but it's swallowed and ingested by now, and something tells him that even if he tried to make himself throw it back up, it's far too late to halt the effects it would have on him.
Even if he was unaware of how he looked, that same blank, empty look and sensation takes its hold over his body and mind. Nothing, nothing, nothing, and then everything at once, back into his mind and eyes and ears, and then settled into normalcy again.
That was the last of his responsibilities with the woman here, wasn't it? He'd get his mission tomorrow and be out and gone before anyone could change their mind; just one night of tossing and turning over whatever the hell he'd just drank, and wondering why the hell his nightmares seemed to grow more vague and only worsen too.
"Your Highness," he speaks up, watching Ryder scamper back to her side like the damn lapdog he was, "if there is nothing more needed of me at this point, may I be excused from your presence for the night?"
The words from the woman suddenly bring him back from his drifting thoughts, ideas, predictions. How long would he be stuck here? Just overnight? That would simply be heaven in his eyes, truly, what more could he want? Clearly she wanted him out of her hair as soon as possible, and he wanted to return to the freedom of the ocean immediately anyway, so perhaps their seeming distaste with one another worked in both their favors, for work and responsibilities. Reports and a new mission, and they wouldn't have to see each other again for another month or two. Perfect.
Still, he can't help the click of his tongue at her first words, and perhaps it's stupid of him to show such an obvious display of disrespect to the reigning sovereign power of Rhindeval, but he was not Jiayi. Showing active displays of some form of rebellion or sense of individuality was just part of the way he rolled.
Still, eventually her attention is moved away from him, and those shining, sharp eyes of hers are settled on Jiayi's form, who straightens slightly at the attention, "so, Sir Jiayi, do you have anything to report?"
"Nothing, my queen. Lostein's lands and the palace estate has been peaceful for the past week." Simple, light in his words, and pleasing to the ears, as always. He only ever said what was asked of him, but unlike Aetherius's way of speaking to their queen, his fellow servant held no disrespect or disregard to the woman, wasn't biting back words of offense every time he opened his mouth. Surely he could learn to follow Jiayi's example to avoid discomfort and punishment, but he simply did not care nor did he wish to do so.
Still, the woman continues speaking after hearing their words, and soon she's turning around, putting her back towards them and making way for the room that he'd never even stepped foot in, nonchalant words to them as she walked, "since all three of you are here, I think I'll give you three my special drink now. Stay here and I'll be right back."
The silence that falls over the room feels suffocating, but he doesn't care to break it. He can feel Ryder's gaze on him, a wretched sort of attention he's seemed to gather much to his own disgust, but all he gives in return is a sharp glare to the man, another click of his tongue, nothing more than a "tsk" sound leaving him before he relaxes his posture and stands from his position on the ground. The sooner he could retreat to his usual temporary stay in the palace's bedroom, or an even more pleasing idea, to the taverns with his crew, the better. Anything, to get away from the bastards that roamed these halls.
Jiayi stands with him as he does, giving an awkward and unsure glance to Ryder with the movement and stare the man was giving him as well, and an awkward stillness he seems to decide on as he stays in his spot, gaze forward towards the door Ivelda had gone through. Aetherius stares at him a moment as well, but it seems the man has given up on peacemaking and conversation for the time being, so silence prevails.
Eventually Ivelda returns, a platter and drinks floating so close behind her, and something inside of Aetherius's stomach twists. What was it about those drinks she prepped for them every few months, that made him feel so uneasy? Like he was being dragged back down to the bottom of a dark, endless cave that he had just started to be free from, that he had started to just barely get a glimpse of light out of. Even so he keeps himself composed, taking hold of one of the drinks and shifting the liquid within around lazily, watching it splash inside its cup. It's always had an odd look to him, something far from right with it, but refusing to drink wouldn't end well for him, and he wasn't keen on being tied down and having it forced down his throat, either.
A wandering gaze cannot be helped, before he drinks. That odd sense of watching the others tip their's back, the way he sees Ryder's face blank, Jiayi's soon after, how their eyes lose focus and their entire selves seem lost to the abyss for a moment. It unsettles him, makes him feel queasy, but he turns his gaze back to the drink, a glance to Ivelda, and then he brings it to his lips finally, letting the elixir fill his mouth and overwhelm any senses he still had working. It feels like acid down his throat, a poison that muddles the mind and ruins his ability to think for himself, but it's swallowed and ingested by now, and something tells him that even if he tried to make himself throw it back up, it's far too late to halt the effects it would have on him.
Even if he was unaware of how he looked, that same blank, empty look and sensation takes its hold over his body and mind. Nothing, nothing, nothing, and then everything at once, back into his mind and eyes and ears, and then settled into normalcy again.
That was the last of his responsibilities with the woman here, wasn't it? He'd get his mission tomorrow and be out and gone before anyone could change their mind; just one night of tossing and turning over whatever the hell he'd just drank, and wondering why the hell his nightmares seemed to grow more vague and only worsen too.
"Your Highness," he speaks up, watching Ryder scamper back to her side like the damn lapdog he was, "if there is nothing more needed of me at this point, may I be excused from your presence for the night?"