The Latibule (Peregrine x Clementine)

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Peregrine

Waiting for Wit
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
  1. Looking for partners
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per day
  2. Multiple posts per week
  3. One post per week
  4. Slow As Molasses
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On fairly regularly, every day. I'll notice a PM almost immediately. Replies come randomly.
Writing Levels
  1. Adept
  2. Advanced
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Primarily Prefer Male
  2. No Preferences
Genres
High fantasy is my personal favorite, followed closely by modern fantasy and post-apocalyptic, but I can happily play in any genre if the plot is good enough.
No one could quite pin down when the rumor began, but by the time that the Royal Family caught wind of it it was too late to stop it. Most dismissed it as foolishness, as the dreams of children who still believed in miracles, as just another story. Some greeted the rumor with aggression, with pure rage. But some wished it was true with such great heart that they would do anything to take it from a legend into reality.

And what was the rumor that was circulating? The Royal Family, the oldest family of werewolves that ruled over the entire hidden supernatural population, had entered into negotiations with the Country of Canada. They were going to reveal the presence of the Supernatural to the world, they were going to use their massive wealth and the power of their military to buy off the National Debt of Canada, they were going to turn the island of Newfoundland into the Latibule, the fabled safe haven of the supernatural.

What no one knew, except for a certain select group secure behind closed doors, was that the rumor was true. Queen Annabelle and King Charles IV had taken the fate of the entire supernatural population into their hands, and had approached Stephen Harper, the President of Canada, with an offer he dare not refuse.

But as the deal drew closer to completion so did the number of worries grow exponentially. The King and Queen did not know how the rumors had gotten out, they had intended to keep their plan a secret until the very moment it was time to announce their presence to the world, but they took this time to gauge the reactions of their people. And despite the excited words of some at the prospect of not needing to hide anymore an undercurrent of fear ran through the supernatural world.

They had survived for millenia hiding from the humans. Many traditional families believed with all their heart that the fact that their existence was a secret was all that kept them safe from prosecution. And the sudden transformation of Newfoundland into the Latibule would not go unnoticed. their life of hiding would be over. Maybe they would be accepted, but it was just as likely that they would not. Humans were not known for their acceptance.

There were those who took even the hint of the rumor with complete severity. In secret they planned to do whatever was necessary to make sure that the secret of the supernaturals remained just that. A secret.

Surrounded by the potential of enemies on all sides, the Royal Family did everything within its power to prepare. But still the negotiations continued forward. The Royal Guard prepared for a battle the likes of which they had never seen before, certain that they would be able to overcome any troubles.

But the eldest daughter of King Charles and Queen Annabelle, Princess Clementine, could not view the optimism of the Guard with such confidence. She looked at the weapons of the humans and the ferocity of the various supernatural races. The High Families of the Demons had always supported the Royal Family, at least to general appearances. The Kin and the Fey had always been peaceable people, more inclined to take abuse and rise above it than fight back.

But should they all completely turn against the rule of her family, there was nothing that could save them. Even her own people, the Wolves, could not be counted to back the Family forever, and there were always those who believed that they had a greater right to power than those who existed currently.

The supernaturals would fall to civil war in the exact moment when they needed unity the most. The humans would turn against them, and eliminate them all. But still she believed in the Latibule with all her heart. She believed that it was the future, and, eventually, there might come a time when the Latibule was no longer needed, and supernatural and human could live side by side, openly.

But the Council that advised the Royal Family would not listen to her fears. The Guard had always been sufficient to quell any threat, and to them that meant they were immutable. And so the Princess took matters into her own hands.

As her family reached for the legend of the Latibule, so she reached for another legend. The legend of the lost people. The Dragons.
 
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"Mom? Mom!" Princess Clementine called out. She walked from her bedroom to her the large balcony that clung to the side of the castle. Her mother, in all her glory, stood on the balcony. Her long black hair flowed in the wind as she met her daughter's eyes.

"Are you ready for your journey, darling?" She questioned quietly. Clem ran up to her mother and leaned on the railing. Clem was wearing a long dark blue dress with white lining across the stomach and over all the seams. Her hair was down around her shoulders, curled and still wet from her morning bath. She looked to her mother.

"I will have Sebastian. I will be okay." She smiled and looked out at the land cascading around the castle. The low hills were full of different shades of green. The brilliant blue sky glistened with the soft, puffy clouds. She squinted slightly, following the path from the castle to the mountains. The path she soon would be taking.

"True. He will keep you safe." Her mother smiled and heard a noise, turning quickly on her heel. She went back into the castle and Clem let out a soft sigh. She had much to do still but didn't feel like doing any of it. Grumbling under her breath she went to her room and began packing.

She began adding things to her small bag. She was to wear normal clothing to blend in so no one knew who she was. She threw in her only pair of trousers, a few shirts and a few under garments. She went to her large mirror and looked at her own reflection. Her short black hair barely hit her shoulders and was easy to take care of once she was away from the castle. Her blue-gray eyes glistened and she felt her stomach turn. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to be away from her family.

"Princess? We need to get the horses ready." She heard her maid call to her. "Be right there." She called and grabbed her bag, throwing it over her shoulder. She skidded to a stop and realized she needed to change out of her dress. Quickly she undressed and pulled on a light dress, one more suited for travel. The plain black dress barely hugged her body.

She ran out to the barn and met up with Sebastian. She looked at the horse that she would be riding. A large Clydesdale stood in front of her all saddled up. They had already changed out the riding equipment from the royal set to the plain set. The brown bridle laid on it's face, dissolving against the maple brown color. Clem looked at the horse and fastened her bag to the back of the saddle.

"Remember that we will drop the horses off in the next town and take the car from there." Sebastian said quietly. Clementine nodded and remembered her mother telling her about the trade they had to do with the next town. They needed two work horses and the Queen figured mine as well drop them off since Clem had to go that way anyway.
 
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Clem's mother and father didn't want her to go on this journey, being the eldest daughter. The saving grace was that Clem had a younger sister, one who could take over the throne if she did end up in peril on this journey. Her father had held the throne for many years and his family had passed it down through generation. Clem wasn't ready to take over the throne whatsoever but was more ready to go on a journey to find a suitor. Her father, the King, had found a new suitor in Italy he wished her to meet. Tarsin was her age but from a town where his family had quite a bit of army support. Her father wished that if she were to marry him he would gain a strong allegiance with Italy and therefore growing his soldier number. Currently the Royal Family didn't need much of an army to keep others at bay. The sheer fact, or rumor perhaps, about the werewolves kept most people at bay.

Clem mounted her horse and looked to Sebastian. Sebastian nodded and then took off down the path she had earlier glimpsed. Sebastian had been by her side for very long, but he was growing old. He could not protect the family like he used to. He also couldn't protect all of them, he was simply one man. She needed another man to keep her safe especially if she were to wed soon. There was much threat on the family currently as the rumor was making it's way around to surrounding towns. She had to keep herself safe. The horses trotted down the path and Clem already grew tired of this part. She wished that she could just skip being a Queen. She would rather stay a Princess forever. This needless trading between towns bored her. These two horses would increase Derry's farm production which in turn would give them more product to give to the Royal family. She personally could care less about the whole thing.

She looked up at the sky, leaning back slightly on the horse. She had been trained to ride a horse since she was young and could hold her balance quite well. The clouds crawled slowly across the sky, making her wish that they were already in the plane. The first leg of the trip was to go to Derry, then grab the car and go to the airport. Once they were in Italy they were scheduled to meet with Tarsin. Tarsin. A foul taste sat in her mouth. From what her parents had told her this marriage was best suited for them. She wished that they would just let her pick in time who she wanted. She knew that her father was growing old and would soon have to pass down the throne but she didn't want it to happen like this.

"Almost there, Princess." Sebastian's thick accent cut through her thoughts. Derry wasn't that far away, nestled in between the small caverns of the mountain her castle sat atop. The mountain stood higher up than the towns. Clem always thought it was to show that they were the royal family but she never was quite sure. The town soon began to unfold in front of them. Small shops entered first, followed by cottages and soon larger houses. Sebastian stopped and was greeted by own of the townsfolk. Clem saw the black vehicle they were to be going in and grabbed her stuff, going over to it. She touched it with her hands and gently lifted the handle to the backdoor, happy that it was unlocked. She climbed in and waited as Sebastian talked with the people. She hated people, deep down. People scared her, their hope in her was discouraging.

Once Sebastian finished he waved to them and climbed into the car. He flipped down the mirror and the keys fell into his lap. He gave a quick look to Clem, who was looking out the window impatiently, before turning the car on. The drive to the airport was one of the longest rides. Three hours in total, most of which she fell in and out of sleep. The airport was situated at the only flat area which happened to be the bottom of the mountain. A long stretch sat before them and planes came in and out without delay.

Sebastian pulled into a parking spot and looked back at Clem again. "Princess, we are here." He spoke quietly and she stirred in her sleep. Dreams flashed through her mind and she woke up gasping. Sebastian was at her side, clutching her face. "Are you alright?" He questioned. She looked up into his blue eyes and nodded, still trying to catch her breath. She hadn't quite noticed how old he had gotten. He had small lines creasing from his mouth and eyes, his bald head looked shiny and his eyes seemed that the color had been dulled.

"Yeah, I am fine. Let's go. I want this trip to be over." She mumbled and got up. He grabbed her bags and they went into the airport. Getting onto the plane was one thing, it was sitting there for yet another three hours that killed her. There were a few incidents on the plane that made her never want to travel by air again. A young kid ran up to her and began asking her questions which ended up in Sebastian switched seats with her so that she was by the window. She watched the air outside and the clouds they sliced through, thinking about the real reason she was going on this trip.

Dragons. Her true love. The stories she read in books at the library fascinated her. She couldn't believe all of the legends. That they had been once a very powerful race, much more powerful than werewolves. Then they began dying out, people feared them and fear sparks anger. Soon they were going extinct. She closed her eyes, seeing the images in her head. The scales when they were in their true form, the vibrant colors. Each dragon was different. That was the part she found the most interesting. Werewolves all look the same, and technically so do dragons, but their different colors and shapes is what makes them unique.

The plane touched down and it startled her, she grabbed Sebastian's arm. She looked to him and mouthed "sorry" but he simply nodded. She loved Sebastian, he had been there for her forever. He was like another father to her. But if he got in the way while she was looking for dragons, she might have to just escape. She already had it set in her mind, once she met Tarsin she was going to look for Dragons. In the text it talks about a mountain not far from Tarsin that has had sightings in the past 20 years. It was a long shot but she was willing to go. As far as she knew, there were no more. If she could get into their cave though, maybe she could find something interesting.

"Stay here." Sebastian said once they got off the plane. She looked around the large airport, much larger than where they had boarded at. The place was bustling with people, chattering and greeting others. She stood there, feeling out of place. She was in a dress and everyone else was wearing what looked like.... comfortable clothing. She bit the inside of her cheek and waited for Sebastian, vowing to tell him she needed clothes and food. "Alright, Princess." He smiled once he returned and picked up her bags.

"Sebastian? Could we stop somewhere and get clothes? And perhaps food?" She questioned. He stopped for a minute and then urged her to move faster.

"There is all of that in the car. The Queen already had it set up." He smiled and she frowned. She didn't want to meet Tarsin. She didn't want to do any of this. Sebastian's smile faded and he motioned to the car she was to sit in. A limo? Really? She groaned and got in. He put her bag in the trunk and climbed in beside her. He pushed a button on the side of the wall and the driver began to move.

"Why aren't you driving, Sebastian?" She questioned. He began pulling out a brown bag.

"Because I am not their butler. They have their own. Here. Eat." He handed her a small styrofoam bowl with rice and chicken in it. She snatched the fork from him and began eating it. "You will get more once we get to the castle. They have a large dinner planned. You will also be changing once we get there. You will be told where your room is and I will be beside you." She nodded and ate quietly, slowly feeling her anger growing.

"Are we going to be able to look around? I would like to see this place. I have never been here." She questioned, closing the styrofoam bowl and handing it back to him.

"Tomorrow." He spoke without looking at her. She nodded and glanced at the castle they were driving up to. It was an old, very old castle, much like her own. It had gray bricks spiraling across the front and sides. The windows had been redone though, arched and brand new looking despite the overall age of the castle. The front door was a bright red door that had two doors that swung apart from each other. She looked to Sebastian with a face. "It will be alright." He spoke quietly.

The car stopped and they got out. The butler showed them to the front door. "Do forgive my unprofessional appearance. You will retire to your rooms to get ready and then I shall introduce you to the family and the house." He gave a weak smile before opening the door. Clementine stopped and her eyes widened. Sebastian gently pushed her at the small of her back to get her moving. The inside did not reflect the outside at all. It was splashed with colors, two staircases on either side connected in the middle. Portraits hung on the walls and immediately she noticed one of Tarsin. His smug face made her stomach turn again.

The butler brought them upstairs and showed Clem to her room. "I will be right here." Sebastian said closing the door behind her. She looked around the room and her breath caught. A large, queen sized bed lay in front of her, with a soft purple canopy and a bed set that matched. Off to the right was a bathroom and to the right sat three maple dressers. Who needed that many confused her but she walked straight to the bed where a dress lay on it.

She picked up the silky dress and smiled. She could get used to this. She changed from her plain dress to the beautiful one and looked at herself in the full length mirror beside the dressers. The dress was a deep maroon with white lace around the arm holes. It hit almost to the ground, enough so that it covered her but wouldn't be difficult walking in. It hugged her a little too well, she thought. She slid on the ballet flats and tousled her hair a little bit. She wiped her finger under her eyes, trying to fix the eyeliner that smeared a little.

She walked to the door and knocked so that Sebastian moved. She stepped out and looked to him, making a face. He smiled and held out his arm. She wrapped her own arm around his and walked down the stairs to the dining room. The whole house flowed together, making hers seem cluttered and odd. The dining room was to the left once you went under the stairs. Large cathedral ceilings matched the doors, all with woodwork that made Clem question her own boring doors. She walked through the doors and her arm tightened around Sebastian's. The table was traditional, long with seats on either side with a head of the table. Sitting at the head was Tarsin's father, who looked almost identical but slightly older. His hair was graying and his eyes seemed almost gray. Beside him sat Tarsin's mother. She was an olive color with brilliantly red hair. Her soft eyes met Clem's and Clem could feel her cheeks blush. She turned her head and met Tarsin's resentful gaze.

"Welcome to our home, Princess Clem and Sebastian. I am King Azail. This is my wife, the Queen Kay and our son Tarsin." The king stood up and motioned to each person as he spoke. Clem curtsied and smiled.

"Thank you for having us here." Sebastian spoke in her absence. She hadn't known that her voice was caught in her throat until he spoke. The King sat back down and motioned for them to sit. Clem sat next to Tarsin and Sebastian next to Queen Kay.

"Please eat, we can talk after dinner. I am sure that you had a very lengthy trip." The King smiled and Clem nodded. The dinner was quiet, too quiet, she almost wished that they had talked. She kept exchanging glances with Sebastian who just shook his head and went back to his meal. Once the meal was finished Tarsin asked if she wanted to step out to the balcony. After giving Sebastian a look she accepted his offer.

"It is so beautiful here." She said quietly. The castle did not sit atop a mountain like hers, but rather was nestled in right amongst the townspeople. The balcony sat a little higher than the houses and looked above the roofs. The sky was a dark blue, small stars shining here and there.

"How was your trip?" He asked, handing her a glass of wine. She took it and smiled, noticing that he himself had one as well. She think he looked better than his picture. He stood a few inches taller than her. His skin was dark but it worked well for him. His bald head was kind of a turn off, but his chiseled body made up for that.

"Long." She said, taking a sip of her wine.

"It tends to be." He smiled, slightly. "I love this place but am ready for a new change." He cocked his head to the side slightly. "Are you ready for a change?"

"My father is. I am not sure what I am ready for just yet." She said, leaning on the balcony. She heard someone call Tarsin, someone she had not met and he gave her a smile.

"Be right back." He placed his wine down on the stone railing and she nodded, understanding. She looked out to the houses and scanned the area. Soon she found it, her safe haven. The place the dragon sightings had been seen. She peeked around the balcony and noticed a set of steps that led down to the ground. She bit her lip, wondering if she should do it or not. She began counting to ten, seeing if Tarsin would reappear. She got to ten and counted again. Nope.

She flew down the stairs and landed on the ground. She wished that she wasn't wearing this dress but clutched up the sides so she could run faster. As she ran her heart raced in her chest. She felt like she was doing something bad, something Sebastian would definitely scold her for later. She ran and once she reached the road she looked back at the castle, clearly seeing the balcony now. He still wasn't there. She turned and walked down the street quickly, her anxiety building.

The city was gorgeous, the houses all matched in one way or another. This house had the same base color as that one. These shutters matched the one four houses down. She liked this city, despite missing her home terrible. The different smells all mixed together, sending her nose into a fury. She couldn't distinguish the smells as well as in the mountains with the crisp, fresh air. She continued on, finding a small abandoned park. The swing clung to the chain, barely holding on. The slides had a large crack down the side. She passed by it, trees beginning to reappear, the farther away from the city as she went. The trees made her feel more comfortable until she heard a noise. She peered behind her shoulder but nothing was there. She continued walking, slightly faster. The trees seemed haunting now that the darkness from the sky had crept down. She heard a tree branch snap and quickly turned around.

"Whatcha doing out here all alone, chicky? Don't you know this is no place to walk at night?" She heard a male's voice and looked around until she saw five men walk out. They looked sick, deranged.

"Leave me alone. I am royalty." She said in a stern voice. They all began laughing, still creeping closer.

"We don't get much Princess' in these parts." Another spoke, this one's voice higher than the first. "First time for everything." She felt her blood begin to boil, the wolf within her begging to come out. She could do it, but there were five and she was nowhere she knew. There would be nowhere she could hide and plan an attack. She would also loose her clothing in the process and not have anything to cover up with.

She continued stepping back, reaching for something behind her. She clutched to a tree as they ran closer.
 
Over the course of his life, Hadrian Locke had been all over the world. But the place in which he now sat was a location that ran common through all countries since the founding of civilization itself. Now that the sun had set, business in the tavern was starting to increase drastically. The happy buzz of conversation was so loud that it was nearly impossible to think, but luckily most people did not come to a bar to think.

Hadrian was no exception. He sat at the far corner of the bar, his left side to a wall, his head facing the door, but his eyes darting from point to point. They flickered front the front door to the television, to a rather loud human who was onto his fourth round of beer with a small, devoted group of friends, to the barkeep, who was carefully wiping out a glass before filling it halfway to the rim with brandy, and then, finally, to the pale envelope that was placed near his drink.

It had been a long time since Robert had felt it necessary to contact him. The man knew well enough that Hadrian did not like to be be bothered. Robert was the man who needed to deal with everything that went on in the supernatural world, from the smallest rumor to the largest quarrel. The rumor with which Robert was now dealing was anything but small.

Robert Balevan was the current head of the WARD, the uncontrolled gang that had designated itself responsible for ensuring that the Supernatural population remained under control. Over the course of history they had become the unofficial secret police of the world, unsanctioned by the Royal Family and therefore uncontrollable, but also untouchable, having survived every attempt to exterminate them. Part of the reason for that was that men like Robert were always in charge. Robert was a daemon, one of the fierce, spiked, bladed and horned people who had originally spawned the human legends back in Ancient Greece, and there was more ruthlessness in his little finger than most people had in their whole body. He got the job done, he got it done quickly, and he got it done well. And the reason he was the best of the best was because that is what it took to get into his position. There was hierarchy in WARD, but “promotion” was achieved in the most feral sense of the world. Those who were in charge commanded respect, and if they did not get it they destroyed those who rebelled. The only way to reach the top was to get the respect of everyone, and hold it by whatever means were necessary. As soon as Robert failed he would be replaced, and his successor would hold the spot until he too lost the respect of those who followed him.

The whole thing was rather bloody for Hadrian’s tastes, but Robert was one of the few men in the world who could actually command Hadrian’s respect. He was also currently the only person in the world who knew Hadrian’s secret.

Hadrian Locke was a dragon, an ancient being shrouded in rumor and mystery. And more than that, Hadrian was an ancient dragon, once a prince of his people. But his people had fled from this world as the humans had grown in strength. Long ago he had sworn an oath to remain behind and guard his people until such a time as every dragon had left this world. And when the last of his people had left Hadrian had tried to follow them. But his oath had held him back. For, unbeknownst at the time he had sworn the oath, he had bound himself not only to the living, but to those already dead. The bones of his ancestors bound him, entrapped him in this world until it failed, and their bones would be scattered, freed from their earthly tomb, and he, finally freed with the completion of his oath.

He was bound to this world both physically and mentally, and as he could not physically depart it, nor could he mentally. To the ancient race of dragons there was no such thing as suicide. Death was known as the Egress, the acknowledgement that a proper time had passed, and it was now necessary to depart from among the living. Sometimes the Egress came unwillingly, when the energy of the universe decided it was time for the Departure. But, for most, the Egress was a willing Departure. There was no shame in choosing Egress. But, for Hadrian, the Egress would not come, whether he willed it or not. His oath bound him, physically and mentally, to this world. He had tried more than once, longing to join his people who had departed, rather than remain trapped on this Earth, eternally alone. And, for a moment, every time, he thought he had succeeded. But then he was pulled back like a boomerang, the wound that had allowed him to attempt Egress gone.

When he had first met and fought with the teenaged Robert, the demon had not believed what he was seeing. Like everyone else in this world, human and supernatural alike, Robert had been bound to the image of a dragon as a reptilian creature. His had been the snake-like being known in the Eastern cultures, rather than the western dragon with horns and wings. Both had been wrong.

Just as there was no one dragon in human mythology, a dragon was no one thing. A dragon is an amorphous being, indistinct and constantly changing, fluid in shape and without discernible features, yet suggestive of something bird-like and reptilian. It is impossible for a single man, no matter how powerful, to fight a dragon, for a dragon can be everywhere and nowhere at once.

That does not mean it is impossible to kill a dragon. It had been done, more than once, before the dragons had fled from Earth. Of course, most of the time it was done by other dragons, who are better able to cope with the uncertainty of the true dragon form. But, once, a young human boy with all the luck of the world in him had succeeded in stabbing out at a rogue attacking dragon and hitting, quite by accident the heart of the pulsating energy that flows through a dragon’s form.

Even while most dragons fled early in the age of man, some had remained behind with Hadrian. He had not begrudged them their time on their home, even as his heart longed to follow his family and the rest of his people. Those few who had stayed behind finally fled when the machine gun made its presence felt in the world. While it takes pure luck for a single bullet to strike the energy heart, hundreds of small wounds will leak enough energy that even a dragon will die. That was the moment when the last of the dragons finally acknowledged that Earth belonged to the humans, and left to join the rest of the dragon people on a peaceable, empty world.

Robert had not stood a chance against Hadrian, and the Prince of the Dragons had been in a fowl enough mood to dispose of Robert, and dispose of him in the most flashy manner he knew how. But Robert had done something that none of Hadrian’s other unfortunate victims had ever tried. Robert bent down and swore allegiance to Hadrian, saying that if he had displeased Hadrian enough for it to be necessary for him to die, he would accept his death gladly. Hadrian had been surprised enough that he had spared Robert’s life.

A few months later, about the time Hadrian finally convinced Robert not to call him “lord,” the demon decided that he trusted Hadrian enough, and, more importantly, that Hadrian trusted him enough, to reveal that his allegiance had been a calculated move. He had been a member of WARD for long enough to know how respect, even pretend respect, worked on leaders. At that point Robert and Hadrian became something like friends, and Robert stopped acting in front of Hadrian. Their relationship became a lot more strained, for Robert was not one to truly bend himself before anyone, but it also became far, far more true.

Robert had not abused their relationship, so Hadrian knew that when Robert called on him it was for something serious.

Hadrian took another sip from his slowly depleting cocktail, before grabbing the letter and pulling it open. It was sparse at best, but had given him all of the necessary information.

Locke,

I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors. But things are starting to get a lot more serious than I was expecting. Dangerous serious.

We need to talk. Meet me at Vicolo's in Rome, Tuesday at 6.

- Your Servant

The letter reeked so much of Robert that it managed to draw a smile out of Hadrian. Only Robert would command him to be somewhere, not knowing where he was, the day before he was expected to be somewhere. Of course, Hadrian could get anywhere he pleased whenever he pleased, but it was cheeky. And it was only moderately tempered by the humorous reference of Robert to himself as a “servant,” since that was done as much for anonymity's sake as any desire to actually flatter Hadrian.

Robert, however, was now nearing on two hours late, and Hadrian hated being idle. He wasn’t worried about Robert. Not really. The man would make enough of a commotion if he got himself in trouble that it would be reported on the news in minutes. Then Hadrian would know he was in real trouble.

He distracted himself by turning his attention back to the letter. Yes, Hadrian most certainly knew the rumors that were flying about. The rumors that the Royal Family, the wolves who currently ruled over all of the supernatural population, and had since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, were attempting to create the Latibule, and were going to reveal the entire supernatural presence to the human world. Everyone had heard about it, at least in passing. It hadn’t concerned Hadrian, not really. It didn’t matter to him what happened to the rest of the supernatural population.

It was not surprising that things were quickly getting out of hand, though. The rumors were being taken seriously, and most of the reactions were unpleasant at best. Robert, and all of WARD, for that matter, were going to have their hands full.

At least the bar that Robert had chosen was moderately pleasant. Not like some of the shit-holes they had met in before. Perhaps Robert had decided that it wouldn’t be good to have a repeat of the last wait, when Robert had arrived only a couple minutes late, to find the building burning, and an irate Hadrian stalking out with the forms of several limp humans slung over his shoulder, and his clothes almost entirely burned off.

Hadrian noticed the moment that a demon wandered into the bar, but it wasn’t Robert. Most likely it was one of Robert’s servants, a young man who believed himself capable of serving the boss of WARD. Robert rotated so quickly through the boys that Hadrian didn’t bother to keep track of their names anymore.

Most likely, judging by his wild-eyed look as he surveyed the crowded bar, Robert had given the young boy only the most cursory description of Hadrian. Something along the lines of “short, dark, spiky hair, a square face, and grey eyes.” In the dim bar everyone had dark hair, and gelled spikes were the current men’s fashion in Rome.

The young man was about to walk up to the wrong man when Hadrian decided to take pity on him. He let out a sharp, high whistle, pitched to a frequency that only a supernatural would be able to hear it. The young man glanced up, and saw Hadrian staring intently at him. At least he had the self-confidence not to flush. He walked up to Hadrian, and asked boldly, “Locke?”

Hadrian nodded once, and the boy offered him a letter. “Robert sends this, with his...” the boy stumbled briefly over his own tongue, before continuing. “Apologies.” It was clear from the burning curiosity in his eyes that this young man was desperate to know who exactly Locke was, that he was worthy of an apology from the boss. Who never apologized to anyone.

Hadrian was in no mood to be stared at, though. He sent the young man away with a wave of his hand and a harsh look, and the boy, catching himself and almost certainly remembering the warning that Robert had given to him, left.

The note was short and curt, but the scrawl in Robert’s normally neat handwriting told him the hurry his friend was in.
Unavoidably detained. Nothing serious. Tomorrow. 3. My place.

Hadrian let out a sigh, crumpled up the note and shoved it into the pocket of his leather jacket. He finished his cocktail in one gulp, the burn of the Vodka barely even registering. He would go. He always did. But he didn’t have to like it.

Robert would need a very good peace offering.



The night outside had been nice enough that Hadrian had decided not to leave Rome immediately. He wandered through the streets at random, before turning and heading out of the city. The forest was quiet and rich, and he allowed himself a moment to just completely relax. All of that mess with Robert could wait until tomorrow.

His silence was interrupted suddenly by the sound of shrill voices. He looked up slightly, surprised, but unafraid. Before him stood five male demons, surrounding one, lone, female wolf.
Hadrian let out a sigh, his eyes fluttering briefly closed. How had he managed to find more trouble?

Because of that, he didn’t see the gesture from one of the five men. However, he did hear the crossbow bolt that the sixth man, waiting back in the trees to dispose of any unwanted witnesses, released suddenly.

He had time to dodge, but there was something about the situation that was bothering him, something about the young wolf, and the demons. Because of that, he stalled for just a second, and the bolt hit him in the back of the head, shearing through his fragile human skull, and coming out the front of his head. His body crumpled, and, for one second, Hadrian blacked out. But, by now, he knew enough not to pray for Egress.

The bolt did not kill him. All it did was make him really, really angry. All of the frustration of the evening, the attack, Robert’s delay, even the obnoxious humans he had been forced to suffer through for two hours, snapped out of him in an instant.

The human form dissolved, clothes fluttering limply to the ground, and his dragon self exploded through the clearing like a shockwave. The six men didn’t even know what had hit them. He was everywhere and nowhere at once, a wave of claws and razor sharp teeth. The attackers fell to the ground, limp, bloody lumps of meat.

The only one left alive was the girl. The wolf. That was the one true casualty to his loss of control.

In an instant he was in front of the young wolf, collecting back together into a shape that mostly resembled his human form. He did not need another person who knew about him, and at least her family would have the satisfaction of knowing that the bodies of her killers would be found within the week. His hand reached out, preparing to close over her neck and end her life in one, smooth twist.
 
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Clementine watched the whirlwind in front of her and feel back slightly. She stood back up and clung to the tree as she noticed something in front of her. She watched as someone came and saved her. Saved her? Is that what they did? She still wasn't quite sure. They had stopped the people but were they going to hurt her? This new person was odd, something smelled off about them and she was scared that they were going to turn on her as well. She watched the person's eyes turn and gasped as their hand closed on her throat. Her eyes widened and she could feel her heart beat in her chest. She sucked in a breath.

"Please, please don't hurt me!" She said, as his hand got closer. Her voice was higher than normal. "Please. I won't tell anyone what happened." She closed her eyes, trying to calm the wolf inside her down. She couldn't turn now. She wouldn't be able to change back. She felt the wolf struggle against her and soon she would loose the fight. "Please, please let me go." She sucked down another breath and squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the transformation begin. It would be quick and effortless, but she hated transforming in front of people.

Her body shortened. Black fur began popping out of her skin. Her face shifted, her muzzle growing and her eyes changing shape. A black, fluffy tail popped out. She flicked her head down, meeting the person's eyes and growled fiercely. She could still feel the hand holding her but she had more muscle now than where she was. She kicked her feet out, hoping to connect with the person.
 
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The wolf was certainly persistent, he would give her that. She scrabbled valiantly against his inhuman strength, trying to wrench herself free. But Hadrian was not one to be displaced unless he wanted to be displaced, and even her shift into wolf form did little to unseat his grip. He held her a foot above the ground, her back feet thrashing wildly in an attempt to either harm him or find purchase on the ground once more.

It would still be a small matter to break her neck, and her desperate pleas before her transformation had done little to deter him from his course of action. Even the most heinous of criminals would beg for his life if given the chance. No, her pleas were not what caused Hadrian to hesitate.

He had felt that something was odd about the situation right from the start, when he first caught a glimpse of the five men surrounding the one, young wolf. They were all supernatural, and while it wasn’t uncommon for small gangs to attack lone travelers, it was uncommon to have a gang that was made up of different types of supernaturals. Three of the six who had been present had been demons. That was hardly surprising, as all demons had a taste for conflict. It was in their very blood, for the adrenalin that pumped through their body during conflict and caused their spikes and horns to grow was better than any manufactured high. It was a sign of an experienced demon, who could resist the allure of that high when faced with a challenger.

But the other three had not been demons. Two had been kin, the earthy, plant people who were known most for their healing ability. But it was very, very easy to turn the knowledge of a body from healing to killing, and those two had acquired a taste for blood. The last one, the sniper waiting up in the trees, had been an Angel, mystic wings carefully concealed until they were needed.

If the whole team had been demons, Hadrien would have easily dismissed this as some random, unfortunate hit. But the grouping suggested a team that had been carefully selected, built for a specific purpose; elimination.

The only supernatural species not represented was the wolves.

But, then again, as he saw something shiny glint around her neck, it made perfect sense. Wolves were almost included in a hit team, because they had almost all of the demon’s fighting ability, without the bloodlust that accompanied it. But wolves were loyal to a fault to those who were considered pack. Normally this was not a problem, pack was only ever by the first degree, so the team leader would simply pick a wolf who had no pack ties to the target. But there was one family of wolves to which every single wolf in the world owed pack allegiance.

His mind flickered back to the note that Robert had left him. There was unrest, but Robert probably wouldn’t be too happy if he killed the heir to the Royal Family.

But what to do with her? Did he just let her go?

“You really are making things difficult for me, princess,” he said with a sigh. His words were friendly, conversational, even warm, but they were belied by his grip on her throat, which hadn’t moved an inch.
 
She couldn't imagine what was going on right now. Her brain was reeling with possibilities. If he were to kill her she would be screwed royally, not only in this life but the next too. She was supposed to be here trying to find a suitor, not going out hunting for dragons. What a crazy turn of events anyway. All she wanted was to find some dragons and here she was, about to get killed for the second time. She looked down the arm holding her and met the person's eyes.

She could see the confusion in his eyes, something was bothering him. She couldn't get over the fact at how strong he was. He must be superhuman, must be something like her. Her mind raced and she remembered she was being held by the throat. She stopped wiggling when she heard the word "Princess." She felt her transformation consume her once more. The wolf ability slid away and she turned back into a human, still danging inches above the ground.

"What did.. you say to me?" She choked, gripping his arms with hers, trying to get some more air. She kept seeing spots and was scared that she would faint soon. "Please, I can't breathe." She said in a hoarse voice. Her head began to spin, her limbs becoming fuzzy from lack of feeling. She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. Easy, calm breathing. She could do this.
 
Should he set her down? There was no doubt about it, if he held her like this for too much longer she would die just as surely as if he snapped her neck. And that would put him into the same unfortunate situation. It wasn’t as though she could run away, either. Or, rather, she could try, but there was no way that she could get away from him.

Hadrien let out a weary sigh, running his free hand through his hair. His mind made up suddenly, he released her, allowing her to fall heavily to the ground a foot below her.

Now what should he do? Hadrien did not really want to have anything to do with the Royal Family. It was bad enough that Robert knew about him and expected him to help out on occasion. If the Royal Family found out about him he would never have a moments peace. Every wolf in the world would be put on his scent. Robert’s peace would certainly be ruined, as they tried to use him to lure Hadrien back into the open. And those families who secretly opposed the Royals would come after him with just as much tenacity. After all, having a dragon owe loyalty to them would ensure that they could get anything they wanted.

Not that anyone could make Hadrien swear loyalty to them, not if he did not want to. But Hadrien was tired, and he did not think that any part of him would appreciate the excitement that would go along with being discovered. Best just to walk away now. Before things got any more complicated. The Princess seemed confused and uncertain about exactly how he had killed her attackers, which meant she had yet to understand what he was, and his loss of temper had not revealed anything unfortunate.

With a small shrug of his shoulders, Hadrien turned away from the princess and began to calmly walk, hands shoved into the pocket of his coat. As soon as he was out of sight, he would vanish.
 
Clementine fell to the ground, immediately feeling pain when she slammed into it. She stayed lifeless on the ground for a while, trying to breath. A coughing fit overtook her and when she finally stopped coughing she looked up at him. He had turned and was walking away from her. He could be so useful though! She needed to talk to him. The way he had taken care of that situation was exactly what she was looking for. She had to talk to him.

"Wait!" She said, trying to push herself up. Her arms wobbled as she moved but she fought it, eventually standing up. She could feel her chest heave with pain, trying to get back the air it lost. Her rib felt like it was cracked but she couldn't be sure. Looking down she noticed the rocks she had fallen on. "Wait." She said again, slowly walking over to him. "Can I talk to you?"

"Please don't leave. How did you know who I am? How did you know I was in trouble? Why..." She cut herself off and continued shuffling closer to her. She rubbed her neck, feeling like it was bruising. "I'm Clementine. What is your name?" She wasn't sure if the person would talk to her but she had to try. He would be a perfect fit for her. She needed someone who could keep her safe.

"Please, will you talk to me? You obviously aren't stupid, you knew I was a Princess. I was wondering what are you doing, like... " She tried to think of a better way to word it. "Are you just randomly walking around saving people or do you have a job?" She frowned, still not sure if that covered what she was asking. She stopped moving, feeling the pain subside slightly.
 
At first, it was easy enough to ignore the girl. If Hadrien didn't want to give his attention to something, he wouldn’t. Or so, of course, he would like to believe. But there were times when he got roped into things, whether it was his will or not. The fight, or rather the slaughter, had been a perfect example of that. It seemed that Princess Clementine was going to be another exception to the rule.

“You are either oblivious,” he finally said, turning to face the naked girl, “or you are downright stupid. Neither is a desirable trait for the Heir to the Royal Family.

“You want to know how I knew your rank? Try looking down at your own neck. It isn’t surprising you got attacked. In case you are unaware, a lot of people are unhappy with the Royal Family right now, whether the rumors of the Latibule are true or not.

“Technically you should be dead. The only reason you are not is because I don’t like getting shot in the back of the head with a crossbow bolt, and because I’ve got enough things to worry about without killing the heir to the Royal Family.

“Now, scamper on home like a good pup, and try and stay out of trouble.”
 
"No, please. I need your help." She said quietly, feeling the cold wind whip around her. She felt a ripple go through her skin and realized what it was. Sebastian would be there soon. "I need your help. You obviously know who I am. I am looking for someone who wants to help us, the royal family. I am in need of a new bodyguard." She crossed her arms, covering most of her. "You seem to know what you are doing and you seem to be able to pick up on supernatural people."

She took a few steps closer, hearing Sebastian yell in the distance. "It would really mean a lot to me. I can give you all the details but Sebastian is coming." She looked behind the man in front of her. "I don't even know your name. At least tell me that?" She questioned, seeing Sebastian's head just out of the forest. He ran over to her, giving the man standing there a look before throwing a coat around Clementine.

"What on Earth happened?! What are you doing out here? You should be back at the castle!" He turned, his gaze meeting the man's. "We need to go." He wrapped an arm around Clem forcefully. She tried to protest but he was much stronger than her. He pulled her close against him, trying to keep her safe from whatever monster was next to her.

"Please! Think about it? Let me know." She looked at the man. "I really need you."
 
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