eggses

Potente Byrd Mæmes - 04/11/2018
The King of the Storms, as Gwyndio had called the beast, has carved out its own little space of comfort in Anor Londo like its person had (since Gwyndio is reluctant to seek out what may remain of his old quarters). Ornstein thinks it makes a right mess of the little space it's decided to take roost in, but he doesn't really have much space to complain when the city is empty and it's not like they need to entertain visitors often. Visitors that aren't hollows or other undead trying to make a name for themselves in the ancient city of Gods only to get chewed up and spat back out by Silver Knights and illusions, none yet worthy of being the Chosen Undead.

Still, Ornstein doesn't really care for needless mess. Though the palace is dusty and neglected, too much for one knight to keep clean, he still goes through to at least swipe dust off surfaces now and then. But the mess of feathers and whatever other moltings and remnants of past meals the King of the Storm leaves in its roost? Ugh. Unseemly, really. If it weren't for the grace of his Lord, he wouldn't tolerate the beast roosting here.
At least, that's what he tells himself even as he drags a freshly killed elk to the King of the Storm's roost. He hunts now and then, in the lands of Lordran and beyond, to keep their pantry stocked. They don't need to eat terribly often, but it's better than not at all. And, perhaps, a drake may need to eat more frequently or largely than he, his Lord, Gwyndolin, or the Warrior of Sunlight (Smough feeds himself). It is only polite, if they are meant to host the beast, that he provide... That, and, it's only right that he, perhaps... show it the gratitude he feels, for it to have looked after his beloved Lord for so long, when he had failed to.

"Here, drake." He says upon approaching the large beast- plenty large enough for Gwyndio to ride, of course, and bigger still compared to Ornstein. He yanks the carcass forward, to leave it on the floor between them, as an offering. "Another meal for thee. I hope it is enough."
It's right about then that Ornstein takes notice of something that wasn't there the last time he paid the drake a visit- something the King of the Storm is acting rather jealous over, protective and vigilant. Or, more accurately, somethings plural. Somethings ovular and shelled and making Ornstein call into question the 'king' part of the drake's title. "Uh," He blurts, having just been openly staring at the drake's clutch of eggs. "I'll just excuse myself."

Whoop whoop whoop, he's gonna hustle on out of there to let the new mother(?) handle its nest and its meal in case drakes are particularly territorial when brooding, and he really doesn't want trouble- and besides, he has a new goal; tracking down Gwyndio to tell him the important development!

Endless - 04/11/2018
Although he had been asked before how he could stand being idle, being truly idle has never been a strong suit of Gwyndio's; particularly so in his childhood home, where he'd spent so much time dedicated to crafting himself into War. Of course, there's not much use for those particular skills nowadays, so he's taken it upon himself to do some amateur masonry to patch spots that hadn't held together quite so well over the centuries among other odd jobs. Fortunately for Ornstein, today's project is finally getting to that hole in the wall made months prior. You know the one.

He brightens instantly upon his knight's approach.

"Ornstein! What brings you here at this hour?"

Potente Byrd Mæmes - 04/11/2018
Yes, I know the one. And so does Ornstein, whose cheeks- visible as he'd removed his helmet a while ago after returning home- go a bit pink in embarrassment at the reminder. Ah. Yeah. That hole. That was a very shameful moment he really tries hard not to think about much. He clears his throat as he keeps his eyes from the damaged wall rather sheepishly as he approaches.

"Ah, well I had returned not long ago from bringing in fresh game," He begins, "And I had taken an elk to the King of the Storm, but my Lord, you would not believe what I saw-" Gwyndio is free to completely interrupt Ornstein to react to the fact that his dragonslayer knight had apparently gone to gift Gwyndio's drake friend a meal, all on his own without prompting.

Endless - 04/12/2018
Gwyndio's hands immediately fly to his own face, which even under the ever-present scarf very obviously sports the biggest, goofiest grin of delight.

"You brought food to the King of the Storm?" Gwyndio, buddy, focus.
Potente Byrd Mæmes - 04/12/2018
Ornstein is thrown out of his train of thought by his beloved making the most goobery delighted face he's scene in a while, Gwyndio smushing his own cheeks, and Ornstein finds himself stammering. "Er- well, ah, yes, I have been doing so a while now," He admits, which may be to his detriment if he winds up winning himself a bone-crushing hug, "It only seemed right. But really-"

Endless - 04/12/2018
Although he's spared the bone-crushing hug for now, Ornstein is treated to Gwyndio somehow managing to brighten even more. The sparkle effect may or may not be a figment of the knight's imagination. Two of his favorite beings are getting along-!

Potente Byrd Mæmes - 04/12/2018
With eyes like Gwyndio's, Ornstein wouldn't be so surprised if those sparkles were actually real! It's more charming a thought than the idea that he's slightly mad, at least. Regardless, all that grinning is making the knight blush and pout. "My Lord, please, I need you to focus." He huffs, crossing his arms and pretending like he's not being super bashful. "I need you to know- actually, first, allow me to ask: How is it that you know your drake was to be a 'king' of the storm, rather than, say... a queen?"

Endless - 04/12/2018
And focus he does, although not without taking a moment to admire how adorable his beloved looks pouting like that. Admittedly, this is mostly because the question is so out of left field that the god needs a moment to process what exactly had been said, and then another moment to try and remember what his thought process was a thousand years ago.

"...Truth be told, I have never seen another drake quite like the King, so I couldn't well base it on size comparisons, and I just... ended up making a guess." His eyebrows knit together in concern. "Why do you ask?"

Potente Byrd Mæmes - 04/12/2018
The knight grimaces- well, this is quite awkward, isn't it? "I ask, because it may very well be that your friend is, in fact, a 'Queen' of the Storm." He says, and then clears his throat, before finally getting on with what he came here to say to begin with. "As I said, I had gone to take an elk to it, but I saw something there that hadn't been last I'd seen the drake's roost- several somethings, actually. It, uh..."

He hesitates, frowning and uncrossing his arms so he can use a hand to brush stray strands of hair from his face. "...Eggs, Gwyndio."

Endless - 04/13/2018
For several seconds all Gwyndio can do is stare blankly as this new information settles. When it finally does, his entire body very rapidly shows the entire journey of his thought processes, from 'Wait, what?' to 'But then who is...?' to practically bursting in delight as the idea that his long time companion has become a parent, meaning...

"You mean to say that we're going to be uncles?"

Potente Byrd Mæmes - 04/13/2018
Ornstein is still pretty uuuuhhhhhhhhh about the whole deal with the eggs in general but... watching Gwyndio's range of reactions, his dawning realization all the way to the way he shines utter delight with a smile like the warm sun, Ornstein can't help but smile back- until Gwyndio makes a comment about uncles, which makes Ornstein bark a half-coughing laugh. "*Uncles*?? Is that what this would make us, then?" He says, mouth crooked in a funny half smile before it fades. "If I am perfectly honest, I am not terribly sure how I feel about hosting an entire brood of whelps. What beast even sired them, anyways??"

Endless - 04/19/2018
Surprisingly, it's very easy to come to a likely conclusion now that the question has been properly asked. Whether or not he should tell Ornstein his suspicions though... Well, it's not as if he can truly keep anything from his lover, and it wouldn't serve anyone to keep quiet anyhow. Still, Gwyndio is a bit tentative in starting, very obviously choosing his words with care. "...If I were to hazard a guess, based on the drakes we have received recent report of and knowing that the King would never allow any but the largest and most likely to survive to even dream of..." He falters for a second, kind of blushing a little as he runs headlong into thoughts of how exactly the eggs came to be, and that's a weird, terribly awkward place to be when thinking about his second-oldest surviving friend, but continues nonetheless. "...Of having relations with her, then the Hellkite Drake is the most likely culprit."

Potente Byrd Mæmes - 04/19/2018
Gwyndio, no, please do not think about drakes doing the nasty, youre going to make people think youre a scalie even more- I mean-

Ornstein, somehow, managed to completely miss the fairly obvious conclusion of who the father of the eggs must be until Gwyndio points it out- and when he does, the knight promptly looks as though someone just punched his mother in front of him: shock, insult, and barely restrained hate shadowing his face each in turn. "... Of course." He says a bit darkly, a growl to his voice. His gauntleted hands clench tight enough to make the material on the palms creak, and his knuckles are surely white within from the strain. "Why did I not realize? Of course it would be that damnable wretch."

Yeah, he's still pretty mad about the Hellkite Drake. But at least this time he won't put another hole in the wall, right...?

Endless - Last Friday at 1:36 AM
Fearing that the not-yet completely repaired wall might suffer another blow and require starting over again, Gwyndio  leans down, taking a gauntleted fist in one of his own hands as he plants a kiss on his knight's forehead. "And I imagine she is done with him now that she has her children."

He straightens again, all charm and excitement and definitely not doing this partially as a distraction. Nope, not at all. ...Well, okay, a little, but Ornstein's fist is a bit more of a concern than the wall.

"Come. I want to see her eggs for myself."

Potente Byrd Mæmes - Last Friday at 2:24 AM
Evidently, Gwyndio's kisses carry a soothing power, as that tight-clenched fist relaxes in his hands. A moment ago it quivered with effort, but now, though still curled, it sits almost loosely in Gwyndio's hands.

"... Is that normal?" He asks, quietly, tiredly, "Unless, despite your allegiances, you know as little of the upbringing of dragonkin as I do." He even gives a little half of a chuckle at that, stepping aside to better fall in at Gwyndio's side, to walk with him to the drake's roost.

"Speaking of the eggs, admittedly, I did not take a terribly close look. I was a bit concerned that the King- Queen?- of the Storm may be a bit protective and did not wish to overstay my welcome." Please don't let your knight get eaten for getting to close.

Endless - Today at 1:59 AM
This gets a soft chuckle. "I doubt h- she would have actually done anything more than intimidate you had you decided to stay a few moments longer. She allowed you in, after all."

He starts off on the journey towards the King's roost (and she is still the King; it's been her name for millennia, and it's doubtful she would acknowledge any change), gently tugging his knight's hand to encourage him to follow.

"And yes, that is how things tend to go in my experience. Bonded pairs do occur at times as well, although I have observed it far less frequently."

If you don't stop him, Orn, your boyfriend is going to babble lots of dragonkin trivia at you the whole way there.

Potente Byrd Mæmes - Today at 2:01 PM
Ornstein gladly follows, and says, with the hint of a chuckle in his voice, "Well, maybe she just wanted that stag I was bringing." At least he's back to good humor despite that little pocket of rage a minute ago! But now, Ornstein finds himself... genuinely curious. He may just like to let Gwyndio babble dragonkin trivia at him. Everything he's ever learned about dragonkind up until now had been focused on how to fight them, counter them, kill them. Never about the more peaceful aspects of their lives, their social structures or the rearing of their young.

It's not often anymore he has the opportunity to learn something new. "You have been with the dragons longer than you had ever been with us at this point," He says, gently squeezing his lord's hand. "I'm sure you have observed much of dragons and drakes in times of peace and calm. It is only now that I realize I have never once considered what that may have been like- what dragonkin are like when they are not breathing fire down my back."