[P] an evening stroll (on a knife's edge)

[Avdotya]

Ah, so she had been right to pursue the niggling spark of familiarity his horned head produced. Avdotya studied his curves and edges through narrowed eyes, her ears ever-attentive to each word that fell from his tongue - and then he spoke of the Davke. His purpose? Her own head tilted just slightly with the black bloom of a grim curiosity, one that whirled into a web of questions she was forced to hold back as he went on.  ”Then I am surprised it was not you, Anatoly, who stopped me just now if it is confirmation you were looking for.” Rather suspicious that he come seeking an answer when he quite literally walked right past it; she made sure her skepticism made itself clear in the tone with which she used. Avdotya, though, was more than happy to indulge him. ”Those rumours carry truth to them- Raum and I have indeed come to an agreement that satisfies both party’s desires.” Her deal with the Solterran King was no secret, considering it was struck in the open air of the palace’s front steps. That was no longer Avdotya’s focus, however, and she now sought to dig a little deeper. In the midst of his pretty gem’s twinkling, the woman stepped closer to him, her gaze as critical as it had been throughout the entirety of their brief encounter. ”Forgive me for straying off topic, but I do not recall seeing you during the burning of the Capitol...” A few eyes from casual passersby strayed to the pair, clearly perturbed by her carelessness towards Day Court’s woe and the supposed horrors the Davke committed. ”Did you receive Velorca’s summons? Perhaps he had forgotten you.”  She wondered the latter part aloud - it was partly genuine, but more so a pluck at his purpose. Would he not want to be at his kins’ side on the day of their retribution? And so it began - unbeknownst to them - the virulent games of the tiger and the viper. @anatoly image © pacificdash