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(5:35:46 PM) Earthflame: Luca walks arm in arm with her Kobold accompaniment, strolling around the outside of the Arch after having completed most of the tour. "Of course, showing off our facilities is important, but I treasure our location almost as much... It's so rare, these days, to find anything pleasant to behold out in the wastes."
(5:36:53 PM) IterationDrive: Gethename nods, hat currently doffed. "It is, truly," he says with a lizardy smile. "I myself take any chance to find beauty where I can; I've taken up painting recently to try and express myself a littl better through it."
(5:37:29 PM) Earthflame: "Ohh, I would love to see some of your paintings!" Luca gives him a warm smile. "Creative expression is very important... Even if my mistresses tend to be the practical sort."
(5:38:32 PM) IterationDrive: He smiles, inclining his head. "I didn't bring any with me, alas, but I would be honored to show such a beautiful woman my works," he says. "And there is something to be said for a practical mind in this day and age... but really, I have always felt that just living is not enough; one must have something or someone to live *for*."
(5:40:26 PM) Earthflame: Luca smiles and blushes a little bit, nodding her thanks before going on. "That's an important part of governing... Hope and motivation. Helping keep peoples spirits up... I try to help my ladies in that regard. I'm closer to the common folk, more than they are at least, so I feel I'm the best situated to do so. And so far it's worked." She smiles down at Gethename. "And I'm sure 
(5:40:26 PM) Earthflame: your Lord and my Ladies will be able to move forward together, as friends."
(5:43:39 PM) IterationDrive: He chuckles a bit. "Ah, such is the hope," he murmurs. "My Master certainly need something to help him hold things together, these days. He's been so despondant since the Troubles..."
(5:44:24 PM) Earthflame: "Well I do hope he pulls himself together... I wouldn't want him neglecting our children." Luca rubs her bump a little with one hand, looking a little concerned.
(5:46:34 PM) IterationDrive: "Oh, you won't have to worry about that," Gethename says. "He has his servants still, after all, and part of our duty to our dragon is to ensure his whelps are properly raised."
(5:48:01 PM) Earthflame: "Thank you again for that... And if there is anything I can do, please let me know. Good servants are so undervalued, and often underequipped..."
(5:48:33 PM) IterationDrive: He smiles, inclining his head... he looks Luca up and down. "If anything properly gentlemanly comes to mind, I shall let you know," he says.
(5:49:11 PM) Earthflame: "Are you having improper thoughts for a gentleman?~" Luca smiles as she teases him.
(5:49:56 PM) IterationDrive: He chuckles a bit. "Oh, quite," he admits with a smile. "Such is the fate of all gentlemen, though; the struggle is as important as the ideal."
(5:51:34 PM) Earthflame: "Perhaps after I have finished my duty to your lord... We could find a place to translate improper thought into improper action?~" She laughs again. "But I'll not tease you too much~"
(5:53:52 PM) IterationDrive: He chuckles a bit. "Ah, perhaps so, then," he murmurs. "If you must wait that long. A man shall steel his heart with patience~"
(5:54:48 PM) Earthflame: "You're getting off lightly~ Charles, the leader of the people up at the goo mine? He betrayed us... So I bound him to chastity for a whole year~"
(5:57:31 PM) IterationDrive: He quirks a scaled brow. "Well, I certainly don't PLAN for betrayal; it would break my heart to do such a vile act towards such beautiful ladies as live here!"
(5:58:38 PM) Earthflame: "You're too kind~" Luca gives him a smile and a nod. "I wouldn't expect it of you, Gethename... Although, I must indulge a little curiosity and ask if there is a story behind that name."
(6:02:38 PM) IterationDrive: "Mmm? Oh, not really, no," he says with a chuckle. "It's not Draconic, this is true; it's giant. It means 'Soul of a Scholar'. I was a bit scrawny as a hatchling, one of my clutchmates called me that as an insult... so I took it as my name."
(6:03:19 PM) Earthflame: She nods. "It is a worthy name... Fitting for you. How old are you, Gethename?"
(6:04:18 PM) IterationDrive: "Seventeen years; getting a bit on, but still in my prime!"
(6:05:03 PM) Earthflame: "So you lived through it all... What was it like, out there in the mountains?"
(6:05:59 PM) IterationDrive: "Mmm. We were underground when they started, fortunately," he says. "Most of the tribe wasn't; it was a gathering day, we were tending to the wilds around the master's cave for food and game. I was organizing scrolls, I believe," he muses.
(6:06:21 PM) Earthflame: "I'm sorry..." She moves a hand to gently rub his back.
(6:06:51 PM) IterationDrive: "It was all so sudden. There was this great light from the north, some of the survivors reported," he says, leaning against Luca slightly. "And then it began to flow along the ground, stripping life bare."
(6:07:37 PM) Earthflame: She squeezes his shoulders gently at that.
(6:09:13 PM) IterationDrive: He sighs. "We tried to help as many as we could, after. But most of what we found was bones," he says. "Some people survived the worst, but inevitably, they died in days..." He shakes his head. "Kobolds have never been the most resistant race to such things."
(6:09:51 PM) Earthflame: "The ones who died quickly seem like the lucky ones... I hope my parents were like them."
(6:11:23 PM) IterationDrive: "Mmm. Iw ould say those of us who survived the whole thing were the lucky ones," he admits. "Though of the dead, the ones who died fast I will agree." He reaches over to squeeze Luca's hand gently.
(6:12:38 PM) Earthflame: She squeezes his back. "And now... It's our job to build a new world, for the generations to come."
(6:13:08 PM) IterationDrive: He nods. "Built upon the ashes, and not forgetting the lessons learnt."
(6:14:26 PM) Earthflame: Luca smiles. "I'm glad you came as your Lords herald, Gethename. I feel I've found a kindred spirit."
(6:19:15 PM) IterationDrive: He chuckles a bit. "Truly, I feel the same. The other kobolds are good servants, but they're rather... grovelling. And reactive."
(6:20:46 PM) Earthflame: "Servants like that have their place... But those coordinating others must be able to anticipate their lords wishes, to make the right decisions before they're even aware there's a problem. My father always said, even at big meetings like the Council of Guilds... The real power lies with the person taking notes."
(6:28:08 PM) IterationDrive: He chuckles a bit. "True power lies in those letting the people who think they have power keep it, our old chief used to say."
(6:29:46 PM) Earthflame: "I'm sure they would have gotten along." Luca chuckles. "And I think we can, too... Allies, working together to ensure your Lord and my Ladies are happy... And that they keep doign things as is right and proper~"
(6:32:56 PM) IterationDrive: He chuckles a bit. "I hope so," the kobold says. "Perhaps my Master will get over this little depression of his with your help."
(6:34:33 PM) Earthflame: "We'll try our best. After all, he's not much used to us like this either~"
(6:35:13 PM) IterationDrive: He nods. "Or to himself, or to us. It's really quite disappointing, from our perspective. He's supposed to be our god, you understand." THe Kobold sighs.
(6:36:06 PM) Earthflame: "Well... At worst, we can put our faith in the next generation." Luca smiles, rubbing her belly again. "Your Lords blood mixed with mine and my Ladies... They will not fail to impress."
(6:41:04 PM) IterationDrive: "We'll have to see, hmm?" He muses, chuckling.
(6:42:57 PM) Earthflame: Luca smiles, putting an arm around the Kobolds shoulder, turning to look at the view from the arch. "Gethename, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship~"
(6:43:26 PM) IterationDrive: He chuckles and turns to look as well, leaning against Luca; his head is right at her stomach and rests there for a moment.
(6:43:51 PM) Earthflame: "Hear anything?~"
(6:45:50 PM) IterationDrive: "MMm, not much," he admits. "But an egg will only make so much noise, hm."
(6:45:53 PM) IterationDrive: ((*?))
(6:46:35 PM) Earthflame: "I suppose... I've started talking to them, though, singing to them... I hope they'll hear it." She glances at the Kobold. "Do your people have any advice for those being a Dragons young? Any traditional practices or remedies?"
(6:51:01 PM) IterationDrive: "Mmm... some," he says. "A few herbal drinks to make things easier... you have to understand, though, it's easier for us Kobolds in general. Our bodies are similar; adn we already lay eggs."
(6:51:46 PM) Earthflame: She nods. "It's been fine to now, but... Lady Feana and I are both preparing ourselves, mentally and physically, for the event itself."
(6:53:05 PM) IterationDrive: He nods. "It might prove... difficult," he says. "Have you a good doctor? I understand that it may be easier, for mammals, to just cut the egg out when the time comes to lay it."
(6:53:39 PM) Earthflame: "We have some... I'll ask around, see if anyone can perform that particular procedure."
(6:56:09 PM) IterationDrive: He nods. "It's certainly one to consider, anyway," the kobold says. "I can't speak for what laying is like; I'm quite male, as it stands, but I understand that large clutches give the females of the tribe trouble sometimes, so." He shrugs.
(6:56:35 PM) Earthflame: "We've all got just the one... I think." She bites her lip at that. "I Hope."
(6:57:56 PM) IterationDrive: "Likely so," he says. "I'm no expert at mammallian anatomy, but that is generally how many you have per birthing, hm?"
(6:58:36 PM) Earthflame: "Yeah... But who knows how that interacts with Dragons?"
(6:58:49 PM) IterationDrive: "Ah, a fair point," Gethename says, musing softly.
(6:59:39 PM) Earthflame: "Still... I suppose time will tell."