.^^ Rune w/messy hair and suit ^^

— Rune —

The Construct slipped into my bag without a sound, leaving me standing on nothing but air, but I landed easily, and walked over to Dashiva and the hooded figures, all of whom were staring at me incredulously, with a casual air.

"Oh hello, Council! I believe we agreed to meet tomorrow morning, correct? Too eager to wait? Your speaker is in the house, by the way, in case you were wondering where mummy went, so you know when to sneak back to your beds, like normal misbehaving children." I smiled, chuckling at the apt comparison.

Dashiva sighed. "Well, if the jig is up... they would like to agree to your terms, Rune."

"What?!? Without mummy dearest's permission?!? How rude!" I laughed.

"I'm serious, Rune."

"Oh I know, and I don't care. That's strike three, Council. That's three underhanded deals you've tried to hand me. Remember that, and remember that you were the ones who ruined your chances at getting a better deal than is currently still on the table. Now good night, all. I hope to see you all bright and early, ready to agree to my terms amicably! If you will do so in the dead of night, with witnesses, you will do so in the morning, yes? Good! Now scat!" I shooed them out of the hangar carelessly, and then walked towards the house, whistling a fun tune.

"Not sure that's wise..." the Construct hummed.

"Oh! You can still hear in there?" I asked.

"The airflow spell gives me sound, as well, so yes. It's quite comfortable in here, I wouldn't mind staying."

"Good to know." I nodded.

"Do you have that little respect for authority, that you would just casually kick out the entire Council? Really?" Dashiva hissed, catching up.

"First: Yes; Second: Yes; and Third: They don't have authority, when speaking against the Speaker, the Head of the Council. That right there was a trap. If I'd accepted, then any dealings I did after that would have been illicit, and cause to exile me. Also, Fourth: now I have ammo on them, to make them accept my deal, or at least get them fired, and have a re-election come up for all of them except the Speaker." I explained.

She blinked. "What? You... you don't act like a ruthless evil mastermind, but you have to be, to think like that..."

"Ha... Evil? No. Mastermind? Ehhhh, I won't toot my own horn, but... and ruthless? Absolutely." I grinned, and entered the house, looking for the Matriarch.

I found her in the library, and sat down across from her, waiting politely to be addressed.

After a few minutes, she marked a page in her book, and looked up. "I like your patience, Sir Rune... What do you want?"

"To inform you that there may be a major upheaval in the Council, tomorrow. They have attempted to go behind your daughter's back, and make an illicit deal with me, with Dashiva as an unwitting intermediary. I plan to oust the lot of them, except the Head, and force a vote for new council members. You are welcome. I hope this puts to bed any worries you might have had, about me, and your ridiculous theories as to my birthrights?" I stared directly into her eyes.

She paused, and spoke aside to Dashiva, without breaking eye-contact. "Is this true?"

"It is, Matriarch..." she murmured, staring between us in awe.

"I see... no, it does not. If anything, it reaffirms my belief that you are, in fact, a Faequell. But, I will believe, for now, that you are not here for some sort of revenge, and instead simply making yourself at home. This is less threatening, and more acceptable. I can live with a tiger in my home, so long as I know it is there, and what to feed it." She smiled.

"I prefer meat, along with corrupt politicians and evil businessmen." I shrugged, and stood, keeping the staring contest, but now standing over her sitting position. "And if I really am a Faequell, -which I sincerely doubt,- but if I am? I look forward to the challenges ahead." I smirked, and when she flinched, -perhaps seeing something familiar,- I walked around her, my head held high, having won the contest.

"Now that that's finished, mind telling me where the Construct went?" Dashiva asked.

"I placed him in an alternate dimension. Thanks for the tip, I built on that idea, and figured out how to use Dwarven and Gnomish magic to make the same effect." I nodded, and paused at the sight of a large iron door, which smelled of clockwork. "Ooh... what's that go to?" I asked.

"No idea, it's never been opened, and don't dodge the question, you managed to copy the most secret of Elven Magic's, just by looking at one of them?" She hissed.

"Hmm? Yes, are you not catching up? I understand every magic I can see. It's my Gift. Surely you've realized I'm stronger than any mortal my size has a right to be? You read about the Gift? The Steel-Hide plague?" I asked dryly, mildly annoyed that I now had to explain the simplest of things to her, who had seemed so smart when we first met.

She blinked, taking a step back. "Wait... you're one of the Gifted?"

"How do you think a Newborn Infant survived the Redwood until he could walk and talk and hunt for himself? My first meal, when I was born and my mother was dead, was the blood of a Goblin, infected with the plague. She had killed it while in labor with me, I think. The Steel-Hide kept me alive, allowing me to absorb some basic nutrients through my skin, such as sunlight, iron, carbon, water, and the mental acuity made me mature psychically, far before I should have been... but don't worry, I'm not contagious, unless you -for some gods-forsaken reason,- drink a half-gallon of my Blood, and even then it's a coin-flip. So chill out." I shrugged, and approached the door.

"That's... that's terrible... illuminating, but terrible... can I ask, though... do you remember her? Your mother?" She asked softly.

"No... I remember some tunes, flute and drumming, but not a face, or a voice. Sorry to disappoint." I chuckled. "Anyway, good night. Go kiss your husband, do the things spouses do, I don't really care for company, right now."

She nodded, and patted my hair. "Right... Bright and early tomorrow, yes?"

"Sure." I shrugged. She walked away, and I shook my head, looking back at the door. It was made of titanium, not iron, as I'd first thought, and was pulsing with magic, as I placed a hand on it.

Nothing happened, at first, but then it groaned to life, and unlocked with a heavy, echoing 'BOOM', as if something heavy had stepped away.

I pushed it open, and stepped inside, closing the door behind me. "Interesting..." I murmured, looking at the locking mechanism, a giant reverse-battering-ram, that was already settling back against the door.

The room itself was rather humongous, at about 160 by 80 feet, with an arched ceiling of another 80 feet, if you didn't count the massive crane that was on one side, holding up the ruins of a Dwarven construct, totally destroyed, or perhaps its creation had only just begun.

One side held a smithy, and the ruined remains of a workshop, as if something huge had slammed through everything, scattering it about.

I touched a wall covered in mirrors, and it shivered, sliding away and revealing a second, hidden wall, which held a single sword belt, and the sword and pair of pistols that adorned it. They were of beautiful make, with the finest materials being used in their construction, and the tip of the blade was still sharp enough, even after twenty years hanging here, to cut my finger a bit.

I closed those doors, humming, and began looking for other creations, or plans; remnants of the tinkerer who built this place.

"You gained entrance without trickery... but I do not recognize you." The Construct hanging from the Crane spoke in the language of the machines, but with a deep, grinding tone.

"I suppose you wouldn't, having never seen me before... I am called Rune, and you?" I asked warily, reaching for my Construct already.

It chuckled. "Names are given to Beings, little Rune. I am simply Designation: Construct Beta. You have a familiar Scent... a Clockwork Mage. That explains why the doors opened for you, and none of the Elves infesting my master's home... tell me, Rune... why are you here? You did not steal the master's Prized Weapons, his premier works... so greed does not drive you. What does?"

"Knowledge, mostly? Discovery? People keep telling me they think I'm related to this 'Tyrant', but I'm not sure it's true. I'm human, he was a Half-Elf, his wife was an Elf, so obviously we're not related!" I frowned.

"Mm... obviously, you say? Logic must have changed, while I have been locked away in here... you do not smell to me of human, but rather a Dwarf... one of the Gifted Ones... yet you appear human... it is entirely plausible that you simply never received elven features, because your growth was stunted, then forced to accelerate. That is one plausible explanation. Another, is that you are a bastard, born of the Master and a human woman. Another-"

"Alright, I get it, anything is possible." I waved a hand at him dismissively.

The glowing eyes blinked slowly. "You are displeased by the knowledge that you might be related to the Master?"

"I was raised by a Construct, on the continent of Ulfavir. I never had parents. And now I get here, and the first thing I see is a picture of an Elven woman who reminds me of myself? And learn that I might be a Noble? Me? The Unnamed, Bastard child who never met his mother, because she died before his first breaths? Born in the Mud, clawing my way through the first years of my life, then clawing some more? It makes me very angry, the thought that my life could have been different." I pulled out the Construct, and he walked over, inspecting the other one.

"Hmm... an Elven Construct... I never thought I'd see one... in terrible shape, true, but ah well..." he hummed, and then sat down next to the crane's base.

"I see the dilemma, yes... and I cannot help the shape of my body, as I do not currently possess arms, thank you very much! Dwarves, always so bloody rude..." it grumbled back.

I chuckled. "Either way, we'll know soon enough... I don't suppose you have some of his hair, to compare his essence to mine?"

"Well, I'm sure there might be enough of his essence left on his tools, for such a thing... but they are all flung to the winds, terribly rude of that Elven Mage, the one who took the Master, however long ago... say, how long has it been?"

"Since the Uprisings? I'm told it's been twenty years, the same as my age." I tapped one of the ruined hammers, and poured some water on my fingers, enchanting it with a comparison spell. When I touched the hammer again, there was a dull glow, but no bright flash. "A Small, Dull glow... That means either distant relation, or a lack of of Essence to compare... either way, fuck." I sighed.

—

I ended up sleeping in the ruined workshop, after spending most of the night cleaning up the mess that the previous owner had left, in his haste. Being dragged out in chains did not leave much time for cleaning, I supposed.

Come morning, I stretched, dressing for the day, and cleaned myself with a splash of enchanted water. I slicked my hair back, and tied it with a thong of leather, to keep most of it out of my way.

As I exited the workshop room, Dashiva careened into me, barely even slowing down before she began dragging me towards the matriarch's quarters. "Let's Go, no questions, the Matriarch is coming to your meeting, as a 'casual observer'! There's nothing casual about this!!!"

As she pushed me into a large bedroom suite, the Matriarch looked up from a small mirror, where she was applying kohl to the corners of her eyes. "Ah, my favorite little savage... remove those furs, if you'd be so kind, and allow my tailor to get your measurements."

"Yeah... You're very beautiful and all, and mature women who know what they want are definitely my ideal partner, but I'm not stripping to my skin in front of your daughter, who is married, and does not need to be scarred with a view of my naked body." I snorted.

She blinked slowly, then began laughing, making Dashiva flinch. "Oh you're adorable!!! Yes, I understand your hesitation; daughter, leave us in private at once." She flicked her fingers at her daughter casually.

She backed out, looking both confused and disgusted.

"Now! The furs, off." She snapped her fingers at me.

I shrugged, and undid the laces on the sides, pulling the two layers of leather and fur off, and laying them on the bed, on display.

She blinked, and traced a line on the leathers. "These are masterfully tooled... you did this?"

"Yes. Weizenbeast, like the fur. A Matron, actually. I was 14." I grinned.

She laughed softly. "Impressive... and-... you weren't joking, you're not wearing anything else? Truly, you walk around without underclothes, and it doesn't bother you?"

"Not really." I shrugged, and set my bag next to my clothes.

She sniffed, and looked at it slowly. "Already stealing secrets, I see... that's fine, so long as you're good at keeping them."

"Always." I smirked.

She laughed again. "Oh you little rascal! No, while I am flattered by your attention, I'm sure, and Others might welcome advances of such a tawdry nature, I am a refined woman, with refined tastes... Tailor! Begin his fittings, please?" She snapped her fingers again.

A small elf entered the room, and began measuring my body with a knotted cord. At one point, the hands got uncomfortably familiar, and I yelped. "Oi! That particular part doesn't warrant measuring, thank you!"

"Doesn't it? Oh well. 8x2, Madam." The elf smirked.

She raised an eyebrow. "Ooh, respectable."

"And that concludes my fitting, madam... would the madam like the clothes made now, or-"

"Yes, immediately." She nodded, cutting him off.

As the elf scuttled away, I smirked. "Refined woman of refined tastes, Hmm?"

She grinned. "Yes, well... That doesn't mean I don't enjoy a tawdry delight every now and again... anyway! Dress, and then you will escort me to the Council's meeting." She commanded.

The elf returned just in time, a little red and flustered, and handed me a midnight-silk set of fancy clothes, with a noose-tie, leather shoes, and everything. I grumbled, but dressed in it, enjoying the feel of the silk over my skin.

"You completely ignored the bottom layer... and while I find this entire image incredibly enticing, it is not suitable for a meeting with the council." She commented softly.

I looked down, and realized there was a buttoned shirt and thin pair of shorts left over. "Oh... hmph." I sighed, and put them on, redressing properly. "Better?" I asked.

"Yes... now the glasses and hair." She crossed the room finally, and took my glasses off, tucking them into a pocket in the jacket, then undid my hair, letting it spill over my head, the silky strands moving like water, free and without the seeming of rules. "Oh! Now that is refined." She purred, and stepped back, admiring her work.

I smirked and shoved my clothes into the bag, slinging that over my shoulders. "Well thank you. I'm sure my schedule is free for any refined activities you have in mind."

She laughed again, and shook her head. "Oh, Stop That! And No, the bag doesn't match anything."

I hummed, then took off the jacket, quickly enchanting the two side pockets and the breast pocket with the spells to expand them. They didn't have much space, but it was enough for my weapons and some tinkering supplies, as well as a flask of water.

"There." I nodded, pulling it back on, letting the silk slide over my skin again. "Mm, can I keep this? I like the silk, never had it as anything but gloves, before... speaking of." I pulled out my first pair of Tuning Gloves, and slipped them on. The midnight silk blended well with the white, and the crystals and platinum claws looked to be ornaments, instead of working materials.

She hummed, tapping them. "Interesting... they do go well. They match your skin. Now watch this." She disappeared behind a changing screen, and reappeared with a flowing black and silver gown, which accentuated her womanly features with a wide, low neckline, Diamond-shaped thigh-cutouts, and a collection of white earrings, which she was placing along the bottom ridge of her pointed ears.

She certainly didn't look like a grandmother in the latter-half of her first century, not at all, but that was the trouble with elves, they never looked their ages.

I blinked slowly. "You... are certainly a sight to behold, My Lady... I've never seen such a stunning creature, that fills me with such a rush of adrenaline and awe... the Matron I hunted comes to mind, but only vaguely, as if a distant dream..."

She smiled. "Oh! We'll make a poet and a gentleman out of you yet, won't we?! I appreciate the compliment, my dear... now! Let us be off!" She offered me her hand.

I chuckled, and kissed her knuckles slowly. "Not too quickly, I hope... I'd like to have you on my arm for as long as I can draw out this mornings events... and perhaps into tonight?"

She laughed again, shaking her head theatrically. "Dear god's, I've fed a beast! Now it will come for me forevermore..."

"Or until you let it devour you in the night." I murmured in elvish, and winked at her finally blushing features, turning to lead her out.