Roses Black and Red (Lamuria/Malice)

[Lamuria Nerat]

Lamuria made his way through the trees of Alberisato, wondering what the future held for him. The wind blew him in this direction, although he knew not why. He didn't know of anything that was up here, except the Botanist's home. The wind's voice reminded him of the soft sounds of the harp at his back, and he stopped for a moment to breathe in the sent of nature - a lovely fragrance. Soothed, he began walking once more, his soft leather boots making no sound on the forest floor.

Possibly I should've brought a weapon, he thought, but the wind didn't seem to speak of danger...

[Maliciferum]

Malice awoke on the floor of his home. The smell of flame still lingered in the air. Malice rose to collect himself and survey the damage another failed experiment had done to his precious lab. Gathering pieces of glass that once fit together to make irreplaceable instruments of science, Malice reprimanded himself for allowing another failure. He ascended the stairs to the third level of his home, and entered into a long corridor lit, not by sunlight, but by bio-luminescent plants of his own design. He stopped at the third door on the right and entered the room. What was once a tidy library now appeared as a mass of dusty tomes. Some open, some in pieces, and a few had managed to escape harm. Ruffling through a stack, Malice paused....."...Someone is here." ...

[Lamuria Nerat]

He saw the home of the Botanist, then, emerging into a clearing in the thick forest. He looked up at the grand home and shook his head.

I suppose this was where I was being led after all, he mused, walking up to the front door and knocking. He thought he could smell smoke on he wind from somewhere within.

[Maliciferum]

Malice, while descending the stairs to the main level, wondered why anyone would come here at this hour. Reaching the first floor, he glanced across the hall at the grandfather clock that once called his parents room home and realized that it was a perfectly decent time for any normal person to visit another. Not knowing what to expect, and preparing for the worst, Malice turned the door handle and opened the door...

[Lamuria Nerat]

He was presented by the sight of a tall, lithely muscled... person? With the clothing, it was hard to tell if the one standing outside his door was male or an underdeveloped female. The white shirt was sleeveless and hemmed with lace, and a dark skirt-like wrap reached the person's ankles. Leather bootsreached partway up the calf, and long 'leggings' reached almost all the way up the person's thigh, bared by the fact that the wrap was slit up both sides almost to the hip. The person's hair was a rosy shade of tan that accented their starlingly bright blue eyes.

"Hello, there," Lamuria said, his eyes widening at the sight of the Botanist. "I thought I smelled smoke..."

For once, he simply didn't know what to say in excuse for his suden appearance on the man's doorstep.

[Maliciferum]

Composing himself, Malice responded "I had a small accident with the stove this morning, please, come in". Stepping aside to allow the...man...named Lamuria into his home, Malice began to ponder exactly how he was going to get him OUT again. "Nosy neighbors tend to talk a lot about the most mundane things..." Malice thought to himself, eying the lace around the mans collar. "Um...can i get you some tea? Perhaps something to eat?"

[Lamuria Nerat]

"If you wouldn't mind... I have been walking a long ways, but I wouldn't want to be a bother to one as distinguished as yourself."

The Botanist - for this had to be the man himself - seemed confused, and, in a way, Lamuria didn't blame him. Many seemed so upon first meeting him. He'd heard odd rumors about the Botanist, though, and he hoped he hadn't walked straight into a bad situation.

[Maliciferum]

"Distinguished?" Malice replied with a small snicker, "Please, come in, it is of no trouble at all...". A small hint of disdain tainted his words. Leading the man down the hallway, which was, compared to the library two floors above their heads, something akin to a palace garden, Malice began to wonder if letting this stranger into his home so easily was a mistake. But this man, eccentric as he may be, seemed quite docile. Malice was quite certain that he could defend himself well against this strange character if the need presented itself. Arriving in the large ornate kitchen, decorated with elaborate floral patterns on nearly every surface, Malice decided to get to the root of why this strange man had come to his home. "I assume you know who i am,", a touch of arrogance slipped from his lips, "and i assume you know what i do. Why are you here?"

[Lamuria Nerat]

Lamuria seemed interested in the flowers as he walked, and, when let into the kitchen and confronted by the man's question, he shrugged.

"Occasionally, I am presented by a... feeling; a wanderlust, if you will, that often takes me to places where I am or will be needed. It's proved quite useful on occasion, though often rather annoying, as it means I must leave my duties elsewhere which may, at times, seem more pressing. I am as petals floating on the breeze; I go where the wind takes me, Botanist."

He put a hint of respect in the title, but wasn't impressed by the man's swaggering tone. He was used to it, being a Captain of Alberisato, and he knew he outranked the man - whatever this man was, officially, to the kingdom, Lamuria (along with Ruby, of course) was second only to the Queen within Alberisato's borders.

[Maliciferum]

"Interesting." Suspicion rose in Malice. "Here is your tea. Please excuse me, I wish to slip into something a little more...comfortable."

Without waiting for a reply, Malice left the elaborate kitchen and swiftly made his way toward the large glass dome behind his home. Passing through a set of double glass doors into the lush greenhouse, Malice began to ponder exactly what the Captain of Alberisato wanted with him. Malice was not for hire and had no loyalties to his homeland or the Queen, and would not become one the kingdoms lapdogs. Malice approached an arch, large and densely decorated with Toxicodendron radicans, and with a nod, the vines parted revealing a door. Malice placed his hand on the door and muttered "I am Natures dark servant". A small click echoed from inside the door, which promptly opened for its master. Descending a dark staircase, Malice snapped his fingers, lighting tiny bioluminescent fungi on the walls and stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a small room, among priceless scientific instruments, a small wooden box sat looking out of place. Malice opened the box and removed its contents. Malice quickly ascended the stairs and returned to the grand hallway on the ground floor. Before entering the kitchen to join the man with whom he was certain he would need to force from his home, malice shed his robes and stood naked, arms outstretched, in the hallway. From within his skin, small plants began to sprout and grow along his toned and somewhat tan body. Within seconds, the small vines had grown to cover his entire body, then receded to take the shape his desired clothing. Malice enjoyed appearing sexually ambiguous, and this outfit was a prime example of his taste. The vines had taken the shape of something akin to a satin ballgown, with a plunging neckline that ended right above the crotch, exposing his stomach and chest. Lush green leaves ruffled the edges of the collar, the largest part of which rested behind Malices head, and down the edges along his exposed flesh. The hemline extends to drag on the floor behind him, the color of the hemline is a gradient from green to black. The sleeves open up as they reach Mqalices hands which are taloned and black. Upon his feet grew large green heeled-boots that extended to his thighs, small thorns grew in a single line down the front of each boot. Feeling empowered Malice entered the kitchen, prepared for the worst.

[Lamuria Nerat]

Lamuria, hearing the entrance of his host, looked up from a sheaf of parchment in his lap, where it looked like he was penning musical store. It was all he could do, not to shoot from his seat. He turned his aborted start into a smooth rise, then elegantly bowed to his.... reather good-looking host.

"Ah, so you return. More comfortable, I can only imagine, but it does look marvelous on you."

There was no hint of sarcasm in his voice as he eyed the Botanist with appreciation.

[Maliciferum]

"Thank you. You must have some idea as to why you are here." Malice poured himself a cup of tea and sat opposite of Lamuria. "I cant imagine that a Captain of Alberisato would wander aimlessly through the forest." Malice was easily swayed by compliments, specifically those made of his beauty.

[Lamuria Nerat]

Lamuria sat back down and smiled. "Truthfully, I do not know. I often blow aimlessly on the wind, unaware of my purpose until I get where I am going. Usually, I find something there either important, useful, or both... not that meeting yyou isn't a fitting end to my wanderings."

He smiled and sipped at his cup.

[Maliciferum]

"Hm. Lamuria, what do you fight for?" Malice had no idea what to say, so he decided to change the subject. He still wasnt sure about Lamuria.

[Lamuria Nerat]

"I fight for Alberisato; I fight for Queen Lilith; I fight for nature, and the winds, and the heart."

His answer was spoken without hesitating, but he looked down at the teacup in his hands, before adding, "It's something I used to think about a lot. Not much anymore, but there you have it."