phoenixstrut | [AU] For the Greater Good

Blink.

"That's... quite a name," she admits, unsure if she'll even be able to shorten it. "I...um..."

How does one even follow that up?

"Thank you." A tiny salute, toast in hand, to make it obvious.

She laughs, still weirdly hollow, and dips into a deep bow.

"If my lady needs anything else, she can call for me!" And somehow the way she says it makes it seem like she expects the full name.

Either way, she'll gather up the cart and head out, shutting the door softly behind her.

Back to the awkward alone room you are, Dove.

Oh boy.

She offers a smile as the woman, whatever her name is, heads back out with the cart, waits until the door is shut, then bites into the toast at hand.

Oh. Boy.

She takes her time with breakfast, wondering if she should stay here and wait for the King or if she should take advantage of the unsupervised time to explore. The latter wins after a fair amount of time, and she stands, careful to be sure she's at least mostly presentable, then heads out of the room, wings hidden from sight.

It isn't long, and only a few staff members later, before she finally finds herself peering into what appears to be a library. Odd how empty it is, but her eyes do light up at the sight of the neatly organized shelves... row... after row... after row.

Rows and rows and rows of neatly organized shelves obviously means there's someone about who likes them that way.

Whether she stays at the door, or actually ventures in, a mildly irritated presence moves closer. Although it mostly seems the irritation of a librarian who likes their domain exactly one way, and sees visitors as likely to disrupt that.

Hope being casually appraised by an albino demon (?) isn't too alarming, because he's not likely to say anything before just. Studying her. Is she a mess maker, or is she not...

She does eventually wander in, very obviously at a loss for where to even start. Zaveid had called her out... while her council had sort of been training her all this time, her studies about the low had been... broad and vague at best. Even if she were to explore the city, she wouldn't have the slightest idea of where to begin...

She notices the man watching her and turns to study him in return. ....fallen? Surely that's what he is... too familiar in aura not to at least be partially angel, but those eyes.

"Hello..." she finally greets, waving a little. She wonders if introducing herself is even necessary...

There's a bland lack of recognition for a couple seconds, then a little click of ah, he knows who she is.

And by the lack of any other change, it doesn't matter to him that she is the archangel.

He nods slightly - yes, he heard you, no, he doesn't care to greet you back.

Right before it would be horribly awkward, he looks deeper into the library.

"I keep a catalogue." And perhaps a hint of 'if she messes with his organization, there will be problems between them.' also surprise, he has a very deep voice.

Ah... She nods, confused by the declaration but wary of his unspoken warning all the same.

And mildly captivated by his voice. She definitely hadn't expected that.

"I see... I'm guessing that makes you the head of this library," she assumes, making her way to him. "Do you think you might have the time to help me?"

He simply watches her approach, and a thread of caution joins irritation. Seems the guy doesn't trust anyone.

"With?" this isn't agreeing that he would or can help, however isn't a blatant no.
He's so talkative.

"I...don't really know," she admitted, averting her eyes. Surely that would only irritate him more, but at least she was honest. "I'm afraid I wasn't exactly given the same training as my brother."

That much, was common knowledge, and more and more obvious the more she had been spotlighted by the Low. Embarrassing, really, how little their Archangel knew of their demon counterparts and their 'underworld'.

"I don't know where to start... A map, maybe?"

He studies her a little more, before he nods and begins striding toward a different section of the library.

"This is the section that contains recent, and past, local geographical information." He's leading her to both some travel-magazine type things, and folders containing maps that are probably what she expects, and far more than she expects. Does she want to know the water main lay out? It's here. Streets are also here.

Even with his guidance to the proper section, she still looks just as overwhelmed as she had before. She does, however, head slowly for what looks to be the most recent map, then glances over her shoulder at a conveniently placed table. "I suppose I should at least know the layout of my new home, right?" she jokes weakly, looking down at the map in her hands.

"....and if I were to need more information on the king himself...?" The High had nothing- nothing - valuable on the current king aside from rumor and hearsay.

Duke simply watches. He seems to be that sort.

"Information you cannot get by speaking to him?" Yeah your request is ringing kinda silly now, isn't it?

Even with her empathic power.... he's really hard to read...

She blinks at him, then flips the map a little in her hands, cheeks turning pink. He's got a point. "Ah, right... I guess that would be easier, but I'm not sure I should really... bore him with the basics?"

Lame excuse. She's not even sure he would talk to her if she tried at this point.

It is a lame excuse, Dove. "Isn't the point of a partnership such as this to learn about your partner... From your partner...?"

He's a tiny bit amused, but a little exasperated.

... She doesn't really have a response to that.

He's.... not wrong.

Instead, she just nods, ears turning pink as her cheeks as she tries to hold back the embarrassment. "I... thank you, for these. This should help immensely."

Attempting a queen's dismissal? ... perhaps. But also perhaps failing.

He's silent for a moment more. You tried-

"Do not leave the manor with them." You can move about the building with them, but his books don't leave this place.

..... And with that, he turns on his heel and vanishes into the library.

Right...

For now, she just plans to pour over everything she can find on....pretty much any subject she thinks might help her along. However, when the light in the room starts to dim, and the streetlights outside the massive windows down in the city start to come alive, she carefully folds the maps and sets them back where she found them, leaving the books and articles in a tidy pile at the edge of the table. Whether he wishes to put them back in their proper places or no, she'll be back later for more.

With a deep breath, she heads back to her- their - room, and changes, grateful for her things having arrived while she was busy. Donning a simple outfit of solid black- leggings and a slim, fitted hooded tunic- she makes her way out of the manor and into the streets, tugging the hood over her head and refusing a guard around her.

She wants to see the area first hand, and she's the archangel, more than capable of taking care of herself.

...right?

It's not long before she's lost herself in the labyrinth of streets and buildings.

There's enough activity, even this late, that the guard she didn't ask for probably blends in for a while.

But when it becomes pretty clear that she's lost....

Here's a young man who probably should have stood out more, for his choice in traditional japanese clothing, and the hair purposefully combed over the side of his face.

"Y'know... the guard was half guide, right?"

She hates herself for it, but she jumps a little when she's approached and addressed.

"I..." A quick survey of her surroundings before she shakes her head at him. "What?"

"How they were all, hey, someone should go with you, and you were like nah, I'm good?" The man says cheerfully, sure, that might not have been how Dove put it, but its more or less accurate, right?

"A guard from the manor would have been a guide too, you know."

Ah.... right.

"I just... didn't want a real entourage. Makes exploring a little less authentic when people know who you are..."

Because, of course, there's no way all those demons can feel her Light, right?
Of course not.

She eyes him carefully, adjusting her hood. "....remind me of your name again?" She knows she's seen this one...

Of course not! How did she think he found her so fast.

He smiles, bright and cheerful.

"Rokurou Rangetsu." Which isn't the name of one of the demons on Zaveid's council, and possibly the name of the leader of the house of pride. Definitely... not.

She mentally kicks herself for not remembering. "Right... Rokurou." Another headshake. "I'm sorry... still trying to set names straight...." And she has a lot of them to learn.

For now, though, it's the streets she needs to keep straight, and given the increasing number of unruly sounds in the immediate area...

"Where... are we?"

"Hmmmm... South of center, judging by the housing." yes, Dove, these squished together buildings are houses.

Those unruly sounds, he seems to perk a little as he recognizes what they are. Look, he may be of pride, but he's definitely also of war - of violence.

"Ah, there's a dispute being settled."

She was afraid of that...

She's about to ask him what he means by 'dispute' but... The demon woman being cast through a door up ahead draws her full attention instead. Without thinking, she...might be advancing on the scene much more quickly than a new and...frankly delicate queen should be.

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