Thy Friend of Foe?
#2 of The Dragoness' Cave
"We were worried sick," Alexei confessed, smiling ruefully at the Noivern; "Thanks so much."
"You're...you're his family?" Reishi asked, confused. There was no way in hell the guy who violated her the night previous was in any way a family man, yet here were these people claiming such. Well, except for the Mewtwo, but she could easily be a spouse and she looked pretty well for herself. "I'm so confused," she murmured to herself under her breath.
"Daddy's been gone for five days, hunting down Lithorex, his father. Please, please, come inside." Byron ushered everyone in, as her mother was not present, and Mongol was out of commission, she was the oldest blood heir. Inside was a monument, Mongol locked in battle with his Tyranitar father, Lithorex the Conqueror, the day he freed his home. "It was one year ago today." turning to Reishi, "He hasn't been the same since."
"Lithorex..."
The name was familiar to her. She was amazed she hadn't even heard about the apparently titanic struggle between Mongol and his father. Then again, the Noivern had been pretty much a hermit for most of her life, albeit a sexy naked one. "You mean to tell me that Mongol is a hero of some kind?" she whispered, not believing her ears.
Nodding, "His father," Pointing to Lithorex, "Tried to raise him as a rapist monster, just as he was. Mongol, being his only legitimate heir, was the only one who could assume his father's throne. Before that, before Movarah even existed, there was the Terran village, where Mongol and Lithorex were raised. Lithorex lead a campaign across the surrounding kingdoms, utilizing whatever methods necessary to conquer, rape, pillage, plunder, anything. After he amassed what is Movarah, he ruled with an iron claw, trying to make Mongol the same, but his mother had been raising him differently, and when he came of age, Mongol fought his father in a ceremonial duel for the throne, he won, and banished his father." Byron shook her head, "Raised to be a rapist, and raised to respect females, it really must have messed him up inside, he went out to try to find his father, so the law can punish him, but he must have failed."
"Yeah, uh...."
She was hesitant to tell them what had happened. They seemed to look up to him so much, who was she to tell them that their idol had committed an act of rape the night previous? It didn't seem right...and though Reishi was loathe to admit it, she was beginning to understand Mongol better.
She was torn between forgiving him for who he was, but also being unable to let go of what he'd done- hero or not, he had not behaved like one to her and in her mind, he needed to do a lot more than have an awesome backstory to make up for it.
But she wouldn't tell them, she decided. "He's gone through a lot, then," she surmised lamely.
"More than most." Byron hugged Reishi again, "You have no idea how much it means to us that you found him." She was so relieved to have her father back. "Is there any way we can thank you for it?"
Reishi tried to hide her uncomfortably- had she been wrong about him? Maybe what had happened had been just some kind of misunderstanding. Only time would tell....
"I...just want a place to stay," she admitted truthfully. "My living space, er, went through some complications when Mongol arrived...I need shelter from the winter. Is it alright if I stay awhile?"
Nodding, "That is fine, it is the least we can do for you." Beginning to walk, "Would you like me to show you around the castle, so you can find your way around?"
"Sure, uh, okay," she nodded, standing on her own two feet and following.
The castle walls were lined with various carvings and statues, things from his village. Its interior,aside from that reflected more so the surrounding desert and mountains than a castle. Many visitors eyed them up and then were on there way, Byron passed a dew or Mongol's other mates, but they said nothing.
Reishi was truthfully amazed by the surrounding environment, but choosing not to comment and just observe. He really /was/ a king...and a seemingly benevolent one at that.
So many mixed feelings.
Leading her up a flight of stairs to the East Tower, where the guests stayed, "Everything ok? You're very quiet."
"I'm fine," Reishi replied quickly, tail waving uncertainly. "It's just....Mongol isn't...well, he was...different to me than that you're all saying, that's all. I'm processing this."
"How so?" She cocked her head to the side, "Perhaps you should talk that over with him, these are matters for him to settle."
"Yeah, I will," Reishi agreed. A good talk with the FLygon would definitely straighten things out for sure, she decided. "Thanks for the tour, by the way. And for taking me in...you're all really nice."
"Daddy raised me right. I mean even before he was king, he helped everyone, mommy used to be a stripper, he helped her get out of that, and now she's a queen." Looking outside at the North Tower, "Daddy's room is over there."
Reishi looked out too, noting the location of said tower before turning her thoughts elsewhere- Mongol...really /was/ a hero. And the more she thought about him, the more his horrified reaction had seemed genuine after he'd raped her. Had he meant to do it? He'd been like someone else altogether..and she remembered him talking about his father not soon after. "A shame he's resting," she admitted. "I'd...like to get to know him more as a person for myself."
She was part psychic type, and as such, could tell if he was well, "He is awake, mother is talking care of him right now, but he is well enough to talk." She would have probed Reishi's mind about what she was truly looking for, but she didn't want to be rude.
Reishi blinked, ears flicking a bit; "Well, alright then. I'll go to him..thanks again, Byron."
Bowing, "You are welcome, Miss...?" She just realized she never asked for the Dragoness' name.
Reishi smiled and did a little curtsey in return; "My name is Reishi," she told the other, before turning and flapping off in the direction of Mongol's tower.
In his room, Mongol lay in his bed, Kari scurrying about on top of the covers. "Come on daddy, pwease, teww me what happened."
"Kari, maybe some other time, daddy needs rest." Resting his head on the pillow, his arms around his daughter.
Reishi's head poked in through the door, and she saw what was going on; her heart warmed a bit, but she kept it down. For now, at least. She sweatdropped a bit; "Er, is this a bad time?"
Hearing her, both looked at her, "No, no not at all." Sitting up, "Kari," Who began crawling up her father's neck.
When on his head, "I wiww mind-wead you!" She yelled, trying to be threatening, but only succeeding in being cute.
Looking up, "Go to your mother, our guest and i need to have a talk."
Reishi just stood there awkwardly to the side, watching but trying not to be intrusive or anything.
"Gah, come here." He grabbed her off his head. "Byron!" He yelled, and her sister came, taking Kari. Sighing as he shook his head, smiling. "Kids, i love them, but..."
Reishi crossed her arms, her wings extending a bit as she raised an eyebrow. "I see. Quite the family you have here..."
Smiling, "Yeah, they are a bunch...two daughters, I dread the teen years," From her appearance, he could tell she was not here to talk about his family, "You wish to talk of else?"
Reishi looked down a bit, tail lashing; "...I'm...not sure. It's....it's just kinda hard to believe all the things people have said about you. That you're a hero, that you're a good man..all the evidence is there. So why am I still doubting you?"
Shrugging as he sighed, "That means you have a good reason to think otherwise."
"I do," Reishi assorted. "So what I want to know is, if you're really such a great guy...then why'd you do it? What was it that I did that pissed you off enough to make you act out-of-character?"
"That cave," He turned to look out the window, in the direction of the cave, "that was where I took shelter when I was a child, to escape my father, It was the one place I always felt safe, my mother hid me there."
Understanding dawned on her and she uncrossed her arms, eyes creasing a bit. "I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't know. But...I needed a place to shelter too. I'd done it a few years over...how was I supposed to know it belonged to the king? I know you've apologised, and...I think I'm coming round to forgiving you, but...still."
He got out from under the covers, a scar visible on his back as he turned to get out. "I was in the wrong for what I did to you."
She noticed the scar, flinching a bit but not commenting; "Well...so long as you've apologised- which you did- and regret it then I believe you. I'm just sorry it came to that, I...shouldn't have been so unreasonable."
As his head was turned, he didn't see her reaction. "In what way were you unreasonable?"
"I kinda refused to reason with you," Reishi admitted, a little embarrassed. "I decided to fight instead of compromise...I should have just been less of an animal."
"You are not the only one who acted like an animal."
She frowned, but nodded. "Yeah...alright, I completely blame you for that. I mean, you /did/ burn your own cave down. Then decided to molest me for what /you/ did." She was quiet for a moment, then stated softly, "I don't think you're like your father. I know enough about him from the stories now. You just made a mistake...a really stupid, horrible and nearly unforgivable mistake, but a mistake nonetheless."
"That does not excuse the fact that I did do it."
"Maybe that's true," she sighed, exasperated, "but I'm done blaming you. Look, apparently, you're a nice guy...I want to see for myself if that's true. You think you can manage?"
Nodding, "But, um, how will you see if I may ask?" An eyebrow raised, not understanding.
She shrugged; "I dunno, really...I guess I just don't want to feel threatened by you while I'm staying here. Can you guarantee that?"
Mongol nodded.
She nodded as well, smiling a bit; "Maybe you're not so bad, Mongol," she stated. "My name is Reishi, by the way."
"That's a-that's a lovely name you have there." He sat on the edge of his bed, "Is there any way I can make you more comfortable around me?"
She smiled wider, blushing a bit; "Thanks," she replied. "Uh, well, you know when I said I wanted you to stay away from me? I retract my statement, I don't mind. As for how, well, uh...you got any food?" Her stomach growled. "I'm starving."
He got up, "As a matter of fact, I do." Opening a locked cupboard, "Seiren tells me not to ear in the bedroom." He rifled through it, before looking back at her, "I don't listen." He pulled out two large melons.
She snorted a bit; "A big eater like me then, eh?" She walked over and sniffed the watermelons, curious. "What are these?"
"Snusnu Melons, they are a symbol of apology, and also a great recharge after..." He blushed, "...Uh, 'intense physical exertion' I should say."
She raised an eyebrow; "So you're really into sex then, huh? Well, I guess I can't blame you." She took one of the melons and chomped into it with her sharp fangs. She enjoyed the taste. "Mmm! This is good, real energizing!"
"When you have wives like mine." Smiling as he shook his head, watching with repressed laughter as she went to town on it. His much smaller mouth could not have performed similar feats.
"You got many wives? Sex drive must be through the roof," she humoured, chomping into more. She really loved the fruit.
Nodding as he ate, "Sometimes it goes all day, we gotta steam clean this whole room, and about three others." Swallowing another bite, already feeling his strength return. "I go through more condoms than a whole place can supply in a weekend." He laughed.
She blushed and hid her face behind her half-finished melon; "So much sex surely can't be healthy..."
He scoffed, "You should see me in breeding season."
She chuckled again, then finished her melon, burping just a bit. "Excuse me," she said cutely, before smiling again. "Thank you, it was quite filling."
Smiling as he chewed, fruit juice on his face, "That's good, " Stretching his neck and rolling his head, extending his arms and wings, "Much, much better."
She watched him for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders a bit. "So uh, were you doing something before I got here or should I just go...?"
"I was just resting."
She nodded then, standing a bit awkwardly. "So, you wanna, uh...do...anything?"
Shaking his head, "Not that I can think of."