Trials and Tribulations (Tenebris)

Cyclone and Typhoon both grumbled as they walked, talking to themselves about their new trainer.

"That stupid Guardian."

"I know."

"He gives us twice the work of any of the other trainees, which is more like four times the work."

"I know."

"And what's the deal with some of the...."

"Cyclone, I know. I agree though. It sucks. He keeps harping on us not being Nightwings by blood." Typhoon would finally sigh as, looking at his red eyed sister as she didn't seem to calm down. He then shook his head, getting a response from her.

"I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I didn't thing...." Typhoon nodded, nudging her neck with his own as they kept walking to a quiet place to think.

Tenebris has felt the courtly duties of the day to his seneschal while he permitted himself for a brief respite. The Archon found himself away from the Palace, walking amongst his kin within the Tribe, making a note not to wear any of his usual attire that would denote his status. Apart from those who had met the Archon personally, he'd be able to move about almost unnoticed due to his rather plain-like appearance. It was in his internal musings as he heard the Twin's Cyclone and Typhoon talking to themselves, Tenebris remembered them mainly due to their unique appearance and disposition. Raising his head, craning his neck forward he'd come before the pair, feigning part ignorance that he only heard half of the conversation. "Ah, the Twins. Cyclone and Typhoon, yes?", spoke Tenebris in his usual regal well-measured voice, he'd then give them a humble nod of acknowledgment and respect. "I would be remiss if I didn't state that I somewhat heard your distress. Tell me, what concerns the two of you?"

The pair kept walking before they heard a voice, and turned to see Tenebris. They both looked surprised, giving quick bows as they listened to him. He... wanted to know what was wrong? They looked at each other before Cyclone started talking.

"Well, it's are current trainer with Guardian training. He's been giving us a lot more work than the others because we're not Nightwings."

"And he's made that part pretty clear. It's just...." The pair were clearly both annoyed right now, trying not to just vet for venting's sake right now.

Tenebris graciously lowered himself to a seated position as he regards Cyclone and Typhoon, he'd regard them through an eerie sapphire glare for a moment in silent scrutiny, before he gave an uncharacteristic soft smile, however, due to the mutilating scars on the right side of his maw, his smile would contort and twist into more of a sneer unintentionally. "One of your tutors unfavourably providing you with more work?", Tenebris thought and mused over the idea of merely Cyclone and Typhoon might not just merely be up to stratch compared to their fellow trainees and thus were required to do more such activities to have them on par with the others. None the less, Tenebris focused his attention upon Typhoon, "It's just? What Exactly? Please, you have nothing to fear from me, speak you mind with confidence".

Cyclone almost seemed to glare a little before she spoke up again, with what she would say getting her brother nervous.

" I mean, you should know. Nightwings are all taught they're the greatest. The best of the best. That no other dragons are as good as them. Me and Typhoon are hybrids that don't have Nightwing blood. I think you can connect the dots." Typhoon shook his head a little, looking back at Tenebris.

"I think she means.... Well.... Ok. No other way to really say it other than how she put it."

Tenebris regarded Cyclone and Typhoon evenly through his narrowed gaze as they spoke. Sobering thoughts came to the Archon as he mused over the Twin's words. A callous approach to this statement could be expected, the call of the emotionally cold and indifferent Tenebris, to act as if the emotional reality and pains of others are of no consequence yet the practicality of the situation forever took precedent and while many would state the Archon held an ignoble heart and would regard such with indifference the hearts and minds of the Tribe was of the utmost prominence. Tenebris nodded at the words of the Twin's before solemnly raising his right ink stained claws, he trailed the index talon over the scars upon the right side of his maw in contemplation, "Intriguing. It would be neglectful and irresponsible of me to not take note of these circumstances. For I must claim a degree of fault. Tis' true I have championed the cause of Nightwing blood, and I'm sure you will agree. That Nightwings are beyond the usual mundane Tribes of the rest of our world, to this end though tis' Nightwing blood what is superior, pure-blooded or not. The fact you two carry said blood ensures that you are empyrean above the common Dragon. This trainer of yours commits heresy by working you two in such a manner, he insults all Nightwing by doing such, for even though you are not a full-blooded Nightwing, you carry our sacred blood which makes you an equal in all respects".

Tenebris then lowered himself to a seated position, as he raises his right foreclaws, placing his talons upon his own chest as a gesture and bowing his head in a humble manner almost out of humble apology, "Pray, tell me, how I can aid you in this situation, I will ensure justice is met. For as you may be aware my own hatchlings are -half-blooded-, thus for this discrimination your tutor commits sacrilege and insult to even myself".

The twins looked at each other while Tenebris spoke, seeming extremely excited before hearing him call them Nightwing hybrids. The pair looked down a little as the Archon sat, asking if there was anything he could do to help the situation. The pair would sit down as well, still looking down as neither seemed sure how to respond. Typhoon thought that maybe the Archon would help, but was less sure now, and Cyclone was just annoyed that he seemed to ignore what she just told him. Surprisingly, Typhoon was the one to speak up.

"Archon.... We aren't Nightwing hybrids either...." Cyclone then spoke up, more aggravated in her tone.

"We were adopted by a Nightwing, Sting, when we were little."

Tenebris seemed to ponder both Cyclone and Typhoon's words as his glare seemed to narrow in a new light, illuminated from this news he wasn't aware of. He'd open his maw, showing a wide fanged grin which once more would appear all the more sinister due to his scars, the tip of his tongue, a dark and grey thing twitching between his upper and lower jaw, ran along the edges of his almost uncharacteristic white fangs and then disappeared with a soft clack. "Now this certainly is intriguing, I was not aware there was any left outside of Nightwing blood who willingly joined or rather in this case were adopted into the Tribe. You must forgive my ignorance", Tenebris spoke matter of factly in his usual hubris resonating tone as he seemed to merely gloss over his previous statements about the purity of Nightwing blood as superior, his mind quickly turning to possibilities "Such is admirable, to be a Nightwing but not of our heritage, if only others would realise the futility of resisting the Nightwings and would be adopted into the Tribe such as yourself. Such proves your superior intellect to be welcomed with open wings and strive to the greatest you were not inherently born with. Fear not, I would like to give you an offer".

The twins were honestly both shocked at Tenebris as they heard what he said. This was the same Archon who always seemed to say that Nightwings were superior To other dragons. The pair would slowly watch and listen before the last thing he said finally hit them.

“An offer?”

“What kind of offer?”

Tenebris craned his neck forward as the two spoke, the tip of his tongue, a dark and grey thing twitching between his upper and lower jaw, ran along the edges of his almost uncharacteristic white fangs and then disappeared with a soft clack as a sardonic grin spread across his features. "Fret not, tis' within reason and rather intriguing proposal. First, I will personally deal with this fool who dared to insult you in such a manner with his unsavory behavior. And as an apology, as this tutor is a servant of mine and thus, it a personal insult upon myself that he acted in this unbecoming manner in my name, I will promote you to Guardian. I ask more though if you would be willing to join my personal retinue as a Royal Guardian of my own person. You would move to the Palace, your further training to would be seen to be the elite of our tribe, and you would act in my voice and will, an agent to my whims". He then raises his right foreclaw and waved dismissively as he let a soft chuckle escape as he thought of the potential use of the Twin-headed Dragon, the Twin's not being a Nightwing would be a powerful move to remind the other Nightwing nobles that the Archon could make will will manifest however he pleased by promoting and exalting whoever, and should the twins accompany him or be present at any meeting from emissaries of other tribes they would see that he was willing and accepting to all. "I ask but one thing in return, you are unique, and you are certainly of interest to me. Long before I was Archon, I was a scholar, and the two of you are fascinating, I ask that I may be allowed to study you, and fear not, you would be some experiment torn open and operated upon within one of our laboratories" He chuckled again in mirth as though what he said was just a light joke and not the fearful image it no doubt gave. "I would like to observe, perhaps take the odd scale during anytime you shed, or a blood sample here and there, only with your permission when you allow such of course".

The Twins both gave the Archon a shocked look. He... he just offered them to become Royal Guards!? The looked at each other, than back at Tenebris. He... he seemed serious. They seemed really excited before hearing the second part of this. And part that really made them worried.

The Archon wanted to, for lack of a better way to put it, research them, noting that they were unique, and that he was scholar before he was the Archon. The pair began to think a bit. Tenebris might would notice the slight movements of their body, and the fact that they seemed to be almost discussing something. Really, they didn't know what to do. This seemed amazing, but the idea of basically being guinea pigs didn't exactly sit well.

“This... this seems incredible, but... well we do have some questions.”

“Yeah.... Like needed permission wouldn't just stop right?”

“And, well, what about our mom?”

Tenebris noticed the shifting of the Twins in their subtle movements, he maintained his smile as to relieve any tension and to make them feel more comfortable, despite perhaps his how unnerving the wide white fanged smile of the Archon would be almost uncharacteristically bizarre as with his wings folded he was completely black apart from his toothy grin and his azure gaze.

As they spoke his jovial grin would falter as his face would become stoic and apathetic in a serious manner, “Your Mother is Sting correct? I have deliberated with her in the past, she is a capable Dragon, yes she may move with you to the Palace, however she would still see to her duties outside of it. As for your question, no the permission wouldn’t just stop, it would always only ever be with your consent, I have given my word”, he’d speak matter of factly before grinning again, “Plus, I will be frank, if I planned on making you face such without your permission and had no intention to honour my own word I wouldn’t of given you this option and offer now, I mean I could of just had you abducted by the Inqusition without another word” , he’d chuckle at his sardonic humour, the joke intending to break the tension.

The pair listened carefully as Tenebris answered their questions. He'd let their Mom move into the castle too. That was... that was incredible. Then he made it clear that he wouldn't take away the permission, and though his... Cyclone assumed it was a joke made both slightly uneasy, it was true they guessed. If he had really wanted to do that what would stop him, other than maybe a noble putting up a stink. They then looked at each other one more time before answering the Archon

“We'll do it," Cyclone said as both seemed to smile, if still slightly nervous.

Tenebris in his usual narcissistic nature seemed to not notice the discomfort of the Twins at his joke, his eerie sapphire glare however would narrow in silent scrutiny at their answer though as his jovial expression would fade back to its neutral stoic apathetic one, he'd crane his neck forward in an over exaggerated nod "Splendid, splendid. Such pleases me, rest assured, you will be afforded all the comforts your new position deserves, and for your own willingness to participate in my observations, you will be additionally compensated. You may feel free to ask a boon of me at any time. In the meantime, however, rejoice and have your affairs in order, within a few days I will send one of my attendants and an attachment of slaves to bring yours and your mother's belongings to the Citadel".

Cyclone and Typhoon both looked a shocked and excited as things started to sink in. Cyclone would quickly nudge her brother.

“We need to go tell Mom." Her and Typhoon would almost turn before stopping for a second. “Oh! Thank you, Archon. We won't let you down." And with that the two quickly took off, discussing what would happen next as they did.

Tenebris couldn't help but smile at the sudden excitement of the Twins as the offer dawned on them. They reminded him of his daughters in a way like even Zylah when she allowed herself to actually act like a hatchling behind closed doors. The thought brought a chuckle to Tenebris as he called to them as they left "I look forward to seeing you within the Palace my friends"