Luck be Damned

17

^^ Cala ^^

— Alice —

Seeing the little girls surround me like a pack of jackals, I sighed, and leaned back in my chair. "My name is Duchess Alice Taurus. I do not know you, and therefore the least formal moniker you may address me as is Lady Taurus... but go ahead, you wished to speak to me? I usually don't allow people I don't know to take my valuable time without an appointment, but I've nothing better to do than listen to whatever you've got to say, so have at it." I raised an eyebrow slowly at the stunned girl.

She slowly narrowed her eyes, gripping the sword at her waist. "Now see here, little girl-"

I sighed, hearing one of the girls behind me draw her sword partially. "I really, really don't want to kill anyone today, so if you're going to do something stupid, here's my advice: Don't." My Voice deepened dangerously, but I kept my eyes on the girl in front of me.

She glared at me thunderously, and drew her sword, pointing it at me. "I've got a better idea! How about-"

"Are you bothering my friend here?" The orange-red haired girl I'd met briefly yesterday stood behind the other girl, her large biceps flexed from the crossing of her arms in front of her generous bosoms, (for a 12 year old, I assumed, I had no frame of reference, and mine were rather flat, for now,) and waited for a response from the irritated girl.

"Cala, dear, wonderful to see you, but I assure you that I can handle these little rats..." I smiled at her serenely, and shook my head.

"Rats?!? Stand and offer for such an insult!!!" The girl in front of me snapped, pointing the sword at me again instantly.

"I'm a Queen, my dear, I don't stand for rabble." I raised an eyebrow at her, and casually flicked her sword out of my face with a single fingernail, strengthened by my Bulette spirit. The sword ripped itself out of her grasp and crashed against the wall, snapping into several pieces.

She stared at her hands for a moment, looking both horrified and confused, and raised a hand to stop the one behind me from drawing a weapon, but Cala got there first. Her foot, -shod in a steel-studded leather boot and attached to an impressively long leg, which I couldn't help but be jealous of,- shot past my shoulder and slammed that girl down into her seat, leaving her thigh on my shoulder and chest.

I smirked up at her, and raised an eyebrow. "I usually like dinner first, darling..."

She grinned down at me, and patted my cheek while retracting her leg. "First time is on me. Are you sure you're not going to stand up?"

"I believe I was clear, my darling, and I don't like to repeat myself. It denotes that people weren't listening the first time I spoke, and that irritates me more than almost anything other than perhaps patronizing or disrespecting me blatantly." I explained succinctly.

"Now listen here you sanctimonious, impertinent little Bumpkin!!!" One of the other girl's growled, a flame appearing over her hand.

"Yes darling, your Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness is as amusing as your ridiculous notion of superiority due to that spark you seem to believe a proper Conflagration, now I suspect your continued survival would be better served your taking a seat, before you are taught a lesson you shall not forget, not anytime in this life or even your next, which will be sooner than you think, if you throw that at me; regardless of its complete inability to harm me, what with me being immune to Flame and all." I raised an eyebrow at her disinterestedly.