Closed Inner Coil (Xen)

[Traverse]

oocApologies for the delay on this post Xen, I will keep better track of it in the future

"That my dearesst Xen, wass the essteemed Shlasszareness, one of the two Queenss that invited you to thiss gathering." Salariss nodded in agreement to his observation. "She iss an individual who can sset the mosst paanoid Dhani at ease with only a few wordss, ssometimess I think that makess her more dangerouss than the everyone elsse that you know wantsss to sstab you in the back." Her face had turned nearly serious, but when she took his offered hand that rather easy smile reappeared, giving a light chuckle at his formality when he had just shirked her own. "I fear Madame, makess me ssound like ssome ancient Dhani in her lasst decadess of life."

Regardless of that Salariss guided Xen through the tunnels, finishing her own drink and discarding it as well on their way out. Though he was unfamiliar with the network and where an ante chamber might be located, it was clear this particular Viper had been invited to more than one of these soirees in her time. It took only a chime or so for the two of them to arrive hand in hand to a rapidly filling chamber. It was far more open and larger than any of the previous rooms, quite dark in comparison to the other chambers, with a border of glow stones and an ethereal phosphorescent glow upon the ceiling. Two braziers were the focal point of light in the room aside from the dim blue glow, very contained as per Zinrah's general dislike of open flame, and they illuminated a raised stone circle large enough for several Dhani to stand comfortably upon.

At first there was only the murmurs of the other Dhani, unsure of what was transpiring, then the sound of an unseen gong sent everyone into silence. Salariss squeezed Xen's hand gently, winking at him as she spoke barely above a whisper. "Thiss should be good."

Slowly, two figures emerged shadowed behind the limited light of the braziers. They were not Dhani, that much was obvious from the garish silhouettes thrown against the back of the cavern walls. When they emerged into the light it was clear that they were female, from the utter lack of clothing they wore, black strips covering only sections of their body. Their hair was black and long, but their bodies were strangely pale. Their faces were emotionless, blank masks, and after they stepped, almost identical though not quite, onto the raised platform, a steady beat of drums heralded them to begin moving. At first they barely shifted. Their shoulders tilted, their hips moved only slightly, and their necks began to rotate. As the tempo of the drums increased the movements increased in intricacy, and slowly the dance began. Dhani shifted with wine or company into more comfortable alcoves the large cavern provided, or the many cushions scattered about the floor. Some watched enraptured, while others became more interested in one another. Salariss seemed to be enjoying the show and guided Xen off to the side of the small crowd to lay upon a set of long lush pillows.

[Xen]

oocThat's okay, Traverse because now we're even with our late posts

“ That was!? ” She was one of the queens that had invited him? Now Xen was rolling in anguish inside his mind, he couldn't believe he actually let his chance slide pass him like that! He felt so disappointed that it made him feel physically sick slightly.“ Why does fate toy with me like this? ” He thought with the palm of his free hand on his forehead. “ Oh... ” Xen looks to the left “ I'd better not get on her bad side then. Those types are scary, ” He continues while feeling a bit awkward, because he'd probably opt to backstabbing someone, since he found them particularly useful in combat. The stealthy approach was the best approach: an opponent cannot defend against what they can't sense approaching.

And in a way Xen could respect Shlasszareness; her calm demeanor and open personality was able to disarm and lure with little trouble. If she put forth all her effort into talking and persuasion she could probably get anyone to do anything she asked. But Xen could only vaguely imagine her talent since he lacked the pure power and influence of royalty. To rival that he'd have to boost his appeal, his physical attractiveness; charisma. Yet, this in itself was against his life style; he didn't like the limelight and laying low was his specialty.

“ I'll have to consider using that tactic; be sweet and gentle to get enemies to underestimate me and loosen their guard , ” Xen thought deviously. He didn't know how he would go about acting all sweet and innocent, but he'd definitely try being cute, if it would lead him to victory.

Then the moment came “Whoa...” Xen, stepping into the ante chamber for the first time, was overtaken by surprise. The place was definitely dressed for something special; braziers fashionably placed and spaced from one another; moss which glowed pleasantly and not obsessively with its surroundings was all around, and fine seats were openly displayed for invited guests to rest on. Yes, Xen was liking this, this was his ideal setting here! Xen was scanning the area with his senses as he silently, and obediently follows Salariss, but all around him were unfamiliar faces.

A part of him was hoping to see someone familiar while another asked its other half to not have such hopes.

Xen's aspirations sought after companions and the nostalgia that they'd bring. Darker aspects of his being, however, only cared for the erasing of those heartfelt desires and memories, feeling it was better for them to fade, be forgotten, and be replaced with what his missing companions left him with...coldness. “This...was to be expected,” Xen thought apathetically; fate was never by his side when he needed it the most.

Then something makes his sour mood perform a three-sixty.

Xen raises an eyebrow at the figures which appeared before him and the rest of the audience. He wasn't anticipating this type of event and wasn't complaining either. The instincts within him began to burn and flare in response to the beautiful females on stage. ¨Go and court them both!¨ they screamed, but Xen knew better not to listen to his instincts when it came to more...sensual...things. “Oh~ Ohohohohoo~, laying down are we? ” Xen thought, “No, you won't overtake me this time, impure thoughts! ” But then thinks to himself again to banish and denounce his corrupt thoughts.

“ ”

[Traverse]

Other instruments slowly joined the drumbeats to make a rhythmic harmony. Tinkling of belts, and the staccato whistle of a flute, joined eventually by some stringed piece continued to gradually and slowly build up the beat and mood within the room, the two foreign dancers to focal point of entertainment. Salariss watched them with focused gaze, having found another container of wine to sip off of and enjoy the show. Unconsciously it seemed when Xen joined her upon the pillows she leaned her not so substantial weight against him, her win free hand running its claws gently along the scales of his side, though her attention was still focused entirely upon the dancers.

"They certainly know how to throw a party thesse queenss." She said thoughtfully. Her tongue flicked into the open air and her mouth pulled back in a knowing smile. "I can tasste the passsion in thiss room."

Then and only then did she turn to look at Xen, her expression not yet filled with the lust he had come to expect of females here. Though filled up with wine she seemed still in full possession of her faculties and will power. She raised her hand to stroke Xen's chin a kinder smile appearing upon her features. "Ssuch a handssome viper." She leaned in towards him, examining him for a moment, and her breath feeling hot against his scales, lingering there a moment before turning back to the dancing figures. Each of the females up on the platform had begun removing the sparse amount of cloth they had come out onto stage with and were creating patterns and shapes between themselves with it. Somewhere nearby Xen heard a soft moan.

[Xen]

Xen eyes widen; his body flexes and squirms in response to her actions, like a worm who had just been plucked from the soil. He wasn't expecting Salariss to touch him and especially not with such affection. The need to respond to Salariss affections was powerful...too powerful, but he refrains from gently pushing against Salariss and pressing his body onto hers with narrow, soft eyes.

“I'm sorry, Salariss. I'm not perverse or lewd, it's just...my instincts,” Xen thought as he restrains his body.

He was struggling with his instincts, which had been riled up by Salariss and empowered further by the moan he just heard.
“What kind of party is this!? The atmosphere changed from casual to sensual too fast, ” Xen thought. Is this what Shlasszareness meant by a ¨show¨ as in courting one another? In that moment Xen realized he'd been had... and it was too late to run now. His instincts bound him in place, making it apparent that he was going to finish the deed set into motion. The queens had gotten him in a sticky situation and one they cleverly invited him into, and he unknowingly stepped in.

Xen stutters“ I....a...agree,” in a low voice. What Salariss said was true there was a peculiar atmosphere or one forming around them as though someone was knitting a thicket blanket over them. It was probably the drums and the beautiful ladies on stage creating this atmosphere or the participants, who were starting to get a bit frisky.
“Fate, why do you frown upon my success? Yet, smile on my mischief and struggles?” Xen thought. He lays his body against the lush cushion supporting him with a slight blush upon his face and tries to relax despite Salariss's touch and her being so close to him.

Xen did not want to give off the impression of displeasure, because he did enjoy Salariss's affections. It was that his instincts were compelling him to do more, which is why he was being so withdrawn and bashful. He had just met Salariss some chimes ago, and yet, he wanted to court her. A feeling of both reluctance and willingness was swirling within him and he didn't know what to do or say against the instincts within.
“ ”

[Traverse]

"Xen, you look...uncomfortable." Salariss had of course noticed this earlier, but she assumed that at some point the Viper would unwind. First he had denied an alcoholic beverage, his politeness seemed to know no bounds, and now in this new situation, one most males would have been ecstatic with, he seemed to shrink farther into himself.

The female viper eyed him, though not with disdain, more curiosity. "Thiss gathering iss meant ass a way to bolsster our numberss, to hopefully grow Zinrah into ssomething larger than we are now." She removed herself so that she was not touching him. "Doess thiss offend you? Wass it different in the nesst you came from? I know you were not born here, but you sseem to have made Zinrah your home..." She trailed off, clearly at a bit of a loss, though Xen couldn't be surprised, she was an alluring female, and one males probably basked over on more than one occasion.

"Will you ssstop talking? You're ruining the perfectly sultry mood." A wide dark head with blinking yellow eyes slid over to them, looking ruffled and impatient. Salariss only leaned forward and gave a hiss. "My business iss my own bitch, get back to laying whatever unfortunate male you have in your clutches."

A tense moment came them both female vipers staring each other down, each looking as if they could rip each other apart with their fangs. After a moment, however, the intruding female gave a derisive snarl and backed off. Though Salariss's face had been the picture of viciousness, as soon as the female retreated a smile curled across her scales, revealed those immaculate teeth once again.

"Ssorry Xen-" She said turning back to him. "You were ssaying?" Regardless of whether he had actually been saying anything, it was clear Salariss was looking for a story or explanation.

[Xen]

“Ah....,” He was seen through, but Xen was not surprised by this. His demeanor and body language definitely gave way his awkwardness. Xen felt that his attempt to conceal his emotions from the perceptive Salariss was nothing but foolhardy and frowns upon himself. In the spur of the moment he did not consider telling Salariss his true emotions, probably, because of how she became affectionate towards him so suddenly. Instinctively, he felt the need to recoil, it was a reaction that came to automatically when someone touches him unexpectedly.

“I didn't know that this was the parties purpose,” Xen leans back slightly in shock and then lowers his head. Why was he not told of this parties importance!? Xen's mind does a three-sixty as regret overtakes him. Here he was just mindlessly enjoying himself—completely unaware of his meaningful purpose. Salariss was trying her hardest to court him for his kin, for the sake of Zinrah, but he was too busy thinking of himself and how he could escape temptation. He should have returned Salariss's feelings and closely paid attention to her in earnest. Instead, he tramples on those feelings without much thought.

“Salariss... I— ” Xen finds his words being interrupted by an exceedingly rude female. The suddenness of the females intrusion irritates just as much as it surprises him. Xen clenches his fist and opens his mouth to speak to the ungraceful female, but was interrupted again by Salariss, who was just as angry, or more so, than he was. If someone interrupted another persons personal moment without the slightest bit of respect conflict was bound to happen. So, Xen would not have cared about the strange female should Salariss decide to punch her. He'd probably have to brawl with the females mate, and for the sake of harmony, would fight along side Salariss.

He'd remember such a moment forever.
Yet, it was not meant to be it seems.

Salariss and the female part ways after a brief moment of silence. From Xen's perspective it looked as though the two ladies came to some form of mental agreement in between their death stares. He watches them as they part ways, and witnesses the complete turn in Salariss expression. “Poised and poisonous too, ” Xen thought upon seeing another part of Salariss's personality. She was indeed a serious female, it was only right that he return her feels and reply in earnest.“ No, what you did wasn't offensive at all, Salariss, you just surprised me. And we never did this in my nest, it was only myself and three relatives. So, things like courting weren't really okay,”

[Traverse]

Salariss simply nodded at Xen's explanation, her eyes narrowed, and she seemed irritated, almost as if Xen had tried the last nerve of her patience, yet even as this thought sunk in she shook her head angrily. "I do enjoy thesse partiess, but they tend to drown out even your own thoughtsss...even though that iss part of the point."

She grabbed Xen's arm. "Come with me, let usss away to sssomewhere a bit more...private." There was a different tone in that last word, and a smile hinged upon her scales, though she was not facing Xen when she said it.

Despite the writhing small throng of vipers, Salariss was able to fairly easily maneuver around the forms, showing her practice at such events. She took him through a couple of side passages, and gestured with one hand towards the entrance that he vaguely remembered coming in not so long before.

"I can undersstand your hessitationss, Xen, even if I do not undersstand the reassonss behind them. You can leave if you wish, and I will make ssure no offensse is taken by the hossts." She paused, eyeing him carefully, then continued. Or. You can come with me to some little comforting corner where no one will find us till the morning." She ran a claw softly along his cheek, then retracted it, and cracked her neck, heralding her own transformation. A slow thirty ticks passed in which her yellow and grey brown scales turned into well tanned flesh, legs separating from undulating tail, and chestnut brown hair sprouting from her scalp and falling in curving rivulets around her shoulders and down her back. When she was finished she rolled her shoulders and smirked, examining her nude form. "I have heard you favor your human form. I have to admit I have never bred in it, though...I am always open to new things."

Though she was poised and with purpose, she did not look expectant, after all, if Xen chose to leave, all she had to do was make her way back into the lustful pile of vipers not so far away.

[Xen]

“Thank you, Salariss, for your patience with me,” Xen bows sincerely; though, his action probably wouldn't be seen since he was behind Salariss, but he does out of habit anyway. Xen was bad at describing things and his nature only made it worse. However, Salariss's understanding of his hesitation did make him feel a bit better and the way she carried herself with poise only made her that much more appealing to him. “Her human forms beautiful too, noice,” Xen thought to himself as he slithers in his absolutely, positively good fortune.

For fate to bless him with a beautiful female to court with and an invitation from the queens—something terrible was coming. Xen understood how cruel fate was and how it enjoyed his misfortune and misery. So, for things to be going well for him now only meant that suffering was bound to befall him later. Xen prepared for this, but for now he'd need to focus. “I...I'll stay with you, Salariss, ” Xen felt his spine tingle upon feeling Salariss's touch, but kept his composure. Xen knew he couldn't continue being bashful and a total spaz when it came to courtship. This deed was for the sake of his race and for the continuation of his bloodline in a way. He had to shape up and play the role of a responsible male.

“Words in the nest spread quickly, ” Xen was amazed. He was not expecting his preference to reach this far into the nest; especially, into the ears of Salariss, who just met him some many chimes ago. “I do favor my human form a little. Though, I'm getting into the habit of staying in my current form a lot more, ” Xen felt he could only move the fastest and be the strongest in his dhani form—his senses were sharper, and his reaction speed excellent. “You haven't...you know... in your human form before? ” Xen was curious, and slightly upset that he wasn't Salariss's first partner, but curious nonetheless.

[Traverse]

"There are not many within this nest, Xen" Salariss smiled. "For good or ill most everyone knowss everything about everyone elsse." She looked at her body, twisting it this way and that, running her hair through long locks thoughtfully. "No I have never tried it, from what I have always heard it iss sstrange and awkward to mate in such a fashion, like the Myrian monkeyss, unlike linking and coiling around your partner when in Dhani or sserpent form."

She walked up to Xen, pressing her soft skin against his scales. "I can ssee there are benefitss to the ssenssitivity of thiss form, however." She smiled, then pulled away and took Xen's hand once more.

"Come, I do not mind the crowdss, but I think I would prefer only your company upon thiss evening."

She led him through many passageways, into a small chamber, its usually hard rock floor covered with cushions, several fine lengths of cloth draped over the entrance, as well as hanging down from the ceiling, Salariss let go of Xen's hand slowly then draped herself upon the floor, arms spread apart, awaiting his embrace patiently.

[Xen]

“That is true, but I never knew everyone was that informed,” Xen was intrigued, and yet slightly disturbed. He doesn't remember who he told his preference to, but if Salariss was this aware of his likes, what did the queens know about him? Xen immediately began to understand the power and the quickness of words; they spread like a sickness and were not easily forgotten by a healthy mind. However, there was a flip side to this as well. If his words reached this far, then he could gain information about the nest, his kin, and anything else just by simple communication and asking. Xen just needed to talk to his customers more often, and be more appealing and poised...like Salariss.

Very much like Salariss...yes.

Xen bites his lower lip as he takes notice to Salariss's movements. Whether she was seducing him purposely, or just moving her human form around, he did not know, but she definitely getting to him now. A strange anxiousness began to spread throughout Xen's mind, which then spreads throughout his body and penetrates his muscles and nerves. The touch of Salariss's skin only transforms this anxiousness into a searing, burning passion that made his instincts wail! This time he doesn't shrink away and responds to Salariss' sensual touch with a soft, affectionate nudge.

Xen silently follows Salariss while she leads him to their next nighttime destination. The heart within him races as he traverses the passageways leading to some private place that only Salariss knew of. Xen felt the suspense eating his innards, like it would devour him whole before he reaches Salariss's secret room. “!!!!!” When Xen arrives and enters the room with Salariss, he was taken back by the rooms extravagance. There were plush and soft cushions everywhere, and the clothes draping from above, gave it a rather sensual atmosphere.

Xen then turns his attention from the environment and atmosphere onto Salariss, once he felt her hand slip his from his own. He watches her as falls onto the soft cushions with a ¨pomf¨ and invites him to her with open arms. Xen graciously responds by changing to his human form, positioning himself atop Salariss, and indulging in her warmth. “What a night,” Xen thought as he gazes softly into his mates eyes.