Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Channelknight Fadran]

"I'm bus--"

"Come in!" Ivian's mother called.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nico let himself in timidly. "Uh... sire? I has a question, request of sorts."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Nicolae!" Louis said, grinning. She grabbed him in a massive hug, despite being a full two heads shorter than him.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh!" Nico felt himself smile genuinely. "'ello, miss, Louis. Good tuh be seein' ya."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Wha'dya need, honey?" She asked.

"Mom, he's..." Ivian frowned. "What, nineteen?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nico nodded. "Yeah, nineteen, tha's right. Um... It's about Alienor, it is."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"The princess?" Louis frowned. "What about her?"

"I assigned him to her as her personal servant," Ivian answered. "What, is there an issue?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Iv’an… I’m honored you’d trust me with your Alienor, bu’... I just cannae. Not only does I not deserve the position, but we jus’ don’ get along, sir. I wanna be your servant again, sir, not ‘ers.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Don't--" Mal.

Ivian held up a hand. "Alright. I'll get back to you about that. I'm a little busy at the moment."

"He has his birthday to plan." Louis explained.

"No--Mom!"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh! By all means, don't let ol' Nicolae get in yer way. An', uh... happy birthday, sir."

[xinoehp512 he/him]

1 hour ago, Zephrun's Imperium said:

"Look, I-I-I don't want any sword or throne. I really just want to know anything you can tell me about my little brother."

"What do you want to know?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Well, for starters, what Darrin was going with you and your... organization."

[Channelknight Fadran]

Nicolae's been gone for awhile, Wendy thought, as soon as she was able to think again. Her cranium still throbbed like something awful, but it was manageable now; somewhat.

"Hey, uhh... medic. Person. You." She pointed at the doctor. "Could you find Nicolae? He said he'd come back, but... I dunno. He hasn't yet."

The doctor sighed and muttered, "well I don't have anything better to do." They finished washing their bandages and left to find Sir Kimby.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nicolae felt something wet on his hand. A glance downward revealed that blood had begun to drip down his wrist and onto his fingers, apparently having bled through the bandages. "Dammit," he muttered, hastily putting his hands behind his back. "Uh... I gots tuh... G-gotta- G'bye!" 

As he ran out the door, he bumped right into the maid that had been sent to fetch him for Wendy.

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Kimby!" The doctor yelped, then quickly composed herself. "My patient is requesting your presence."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Ah…. Your patient… Wendy?” He bit his lip and clasped his massive hands in front of him by instinct, forgetting the blood. “Uh… I cannae see her, miss. I… got things to do, yeah.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

"What exactly do you have to do that's more important than easing the mind of a pained patient?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Uh..." He raised his hand, then, upon seeing the blood, thrust it behind his back again. "Um... I can explain."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Stars, Kimby, are you bleeding?" The doctor grabbed his hand. "Alright. Now you have to come to the medbay. Come on."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nico groaned, but let her lead him along. 'Livia'll kill me...

[Channelknight Fadran]

Quote

*One timeskip later*

Wendy waved weakly. "Hi."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Aww, Wendy!" Nico leaned in to give her a hug, then remembered his hands and chuckled weakly. "Y-You doin' alrighty there, miss?"

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Not really, no."

Before Wendy could say anything else, the doctor grabbed Nico again and pulled him over to her desk. "Alright, lover boy. Let me fix that hand of yours."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Uh... it ain't me hand, miss." He shakily unbuttoned his sleeve to reveal bloody bandages.

[Channelknight Fadran]

"NICO!" Wendy yelped. "What happened?"