Cardan Greenbriar

#1

The night isn't dark in the very least, when Jude Greenbriar walks down a bustling alley of Los-Angeles, with the High King of Faerie on her arm, as if she is escorting him to a dance. Vivi, with a hand clutching Taryn's and an arm slung around Heather's shoulder, brisks alongside.

The night is young and the sisters are bold. Or made so by the spirits they've indulged in without limit. Oak grins at his brother-in-law, unknowing of his sisters' inebriety or perhaps, simply not caring. Cardan smiles back, his mouth pulling up at the corner, and his eyes gleaming in a way that would've scared anyone sane away.

But Oak doesn't notice, and strays further with a dangerous hop in his step. Heather stares ahead with a confused look. "Why is Oak here?" she says, groggily. She can't remember bringing him along. Cardan's smile widens, dangerously.

"You'll see,"

He might as well have crooned, Heather thinks, incoherently. Or did he? She couldn't tell. All she can think about is Vivi's arm slung around her neck and the warmth of the evening. The lightness in her step. The world swimming in-front of her eyes.

"Oriana–" breathes Taryn and stumbles forward. Vivi's hand grabs her collar just in time. Taryn chuckles and throws her head back. "Orian–Oriana is going to be so mad,"

"Isn't she always?" Jude points out, and almost topples on the sidewalk. Taryn laughs and Vivi joins in. Heather manages a grim smile.

Cardan stares ahead, his intoxicating smile not yet gone. Madoc's daughters were completely unable to hold their liquor. Perhaps he should try that, back home. His life would be ever so more hedonic. His drunken wife was infinitely more agreeable.

"Hey there, lovely," crows a girl, front of him, "Want to ditch plain-face here and come with me? The Petersons are having their–"

Jude growls at her, her response sudden. A lopsided smile appears on Vivi's face. Heather's eyes scrutinise the girl up and down. Taryn yawns, impervious.

The High King raises his eyebrows as Jude shrugs off his arm and pushes the girl back. The girl stumbles, but doesn't give up.

"What, you're his girlfriend or something?" She huffs. "I'm having a little trouble believing that, looking at you,"

"He's mine," whispers Jude, her tone menacing.

"Come now," puts in Cardan, obviously pleased by this change in events. "We never agreed on monogamy, dearest Jude,"

The girl smiles and twirls a lock of ashen hair along her finger.

"You," drawls Jude as she turns to him, "Shut it,"

Cardan's smile spreads upon his face.  Jude cannot blame the girl for trying, she thinks, but decides better of it as she turns back to the girl.

"Stay away from my husband," hisses Jude. Her voice is laden with the sweetness of wine and underlain with the presence of a threat. Her words are sharper than a sword, and more saccharine than death.

The girl's tone turns shrilly: "Husband?"

Jude tilts her head to the side and regains Cardan's arm. She bares her teeth a little, slowly.

The girl backs away as Vivi turns to Jude, "Jealous, sister-mine, of a mere mortal?"

Jude rolls her eyes somehow in her given state and leans into Cardan. Taryn laughs, drunkenly.

"You forget my m-mortal-ness," Jude slurs, "or is it mortality?"

"Mortality," agrees Heather.

"Yes, that,"

Vivi sighs and grins haphazardly, playing ever the part of the drunkard sister, "You are also the High Queen of Faerie,"

"Yes," drawls Taryn, "Her Majesty, Her Queenliness–Jude Duarte,"

"Greenbriar," Cardan corrects.

"What?"

"Jude Greenbriar. Not Duarte. Not anymore."

Vivi manages a exaggerated bow, nearly bringing down Heather and Taryn along with her, "Thank you, your Majesty for correcting our humble mistake,"

The sisters, and Heather cackle while Cardan rolls his jaded eyes and steers them to an abandoned alley. Oak casts a confused look at the alley and then at him. He opens his mouth to speak something, but doesn't when Cardan presses a long finger to his mouth and winks.

And they continue on, until Oak complains that he does not want to walk anymore. "Just a little more," assures the High King.

"Cardan, where are we going?" hitches in Jude, her words sliding together like beads on a string. She is tired and drunk and far away from the giddiness that plagued her before.

Cardan does not answer and Vivi kicks him in the ankle. "Vivienne!" Taryn chides, half-heartedly. "What?"

"He's the king,"

"Not mine, he isn't,"

"Vivi," Taryn hisses, half-appalled, half-inebriate. Or perhaps completely.

Cardan smiles. "Let her make proclamations, little-Jude, she's not in the right mind."

"Little?" asks Taryn, offended.

Suddenly, Oak lets out a shrill yelp and scurries behind Vivi. Heather screams, and Taryn clutches onto her sister's arm. Vivi's eyes widen, losing all semblance to the hapless sister she had been before. Jude slaps the back of Cardan's head.

"Really?"

"This was supposed to be a fun surprise—Jude, he's of no harm, truly"

Jude lowers Nightfell. "You swear?"

"Yes,"

Oak scowls, and Heather slumps against Vivi. Taryn, still wary of the giant tarantula in-front of her, doesn't let go of Vivi's arm. Quite wisely.

"I think we should go home," Heather sermonises.

"But the fun's just started," Cardan whines. Oak shrinks; There is danger in the High King's tone. Danger, and recklessness.

Vivi unsubtly pushes Heather behind her and bares her teeth, just a little, at him. Even after all this time, she recognizes the Fae's more... disastrous tastes of entertainment. "The fun has just ended, Cardan, we're going home."

Cardan regains Jude's arm as he begins to steer them around the beast. "Don't be a spoilsport, Vivienne." Whining indeed.

"Let's not be embodying my dead husband just yet, my king." Taryn says, nearly spitting the words. Jude straightens too fast."After all, it's not respectful, mimicking the—"

"Don't finish that sentence." Cardan snaps.

"Why? You are being him. Locke. The master of revels. The King, I should say, it's more proper–"

"STOP!" Vivi shouts, glamour blatant against her sweet voice, like the sun against the night.

Taryn slumps, dreamily.

"We should go home." Jude says.

"Yes, we should." Cardan agrees for once. The evening had taken a sharp turn and crashed into a ravine of terrible memories.

Heather, unspeaking, supports Taryn's weight and they continue home; An old apartment building for some, and a Faerie castle for the rest.