The high born

Shutting doors and Nia

Alexander kept his word and came back the next day. People came out of there house as the the sleek mobile sped past towards the house. He might have been a touch too enthusastic..

He slid off the mobile with practised ease. His hands cletching and uncletching as he approached the door. Before he even knocked the door was swung open.

Vicky stood there, staring at him, her chest rising and falling too quickly to call her calm. He looked behind her to see Nia standing, making frantic motions for him to go. There was also Pino making threatening gestures, but thats nothing.

Vicky adjusted her dress, a simple yellow one with a white collar, and looked him in the eye.

"Mate." She adressed curtly.

He bowed three times. When he rose the third time he met her eye again and a small smile spread from pointed ear to pointed ear.

"Hello, Zina." Her breathing stopped and she looked at Pino, who abruptly stopped making gestures.

Vicky raised a small, shaking hand to her mouth. As quickly as it opened, the door slammed shut in his face and he blinked. There was quick talk in the other language, Popt, and the door reopened, this time by Pino.

"Hello, Prepa." He gave a stiff bow and as he rose yelled something, "Poffta! Per ma wal!" He held up a finger and closed the door again. Alexander gave a laugh and lent against the door frame.

When the door opened for the last time, I promise, it was by Nia. She gave a bow and her eyes were crinkled with laughter.

"Hello, dear." She walked out and gave him a warm hug. She reviewed his appearence and caught his eyes gazing at her peg leg. "Don't be afraid to ask." She adjusted her leather coat and led him inside. "But, since you won't I'll just not tell you."

He inhaled the strong scent of varnish and glanced at the carvings lining the room.

"Welcome."

"Thank you. You are the first normal person I have encountered in this crazy house." He raised his eyebrows at the craving of a family and saw that many of them shared the theme of such.

"Oh, a compliment? Such a rare thing." She adjusted her goggles and sat at the stool behind the table. "Would you like anything? They're going to be a while."

"Just some explainations."

"Ask away."

"Does she want me as a mate?" He lent on the wall and tried to look her in the eyes, but only succeded in seeing the opaque blue of her goggles.

Nia swung her legs, letting a few moments of silence pass. She tapped her fingers on the messy table and turned back to him.

"No. Ah-" She held up a hand, "Let me explain." He closed his mouth and motioned for her to continue. "Well, you don't have the best reputation with the poorer people. I mean you were willing to give away 5 planets to which ever Tom, Dick or Harry that found your mate. Not the best example." He shrugged.

"I needed to find her." She let out a laugh, throwing her head back in the proccess.

"OH!" She gave another infuriating laugh. "My Bel! You 'needed' to find her! Fate was doing the hard work for you, idiot. You know how I found my mate? He was working here and I dropped a carving. My! How he hated me. But, we are mates. I didn't have to do anything." He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"I am 25. There wasn't hope for Bel to give me a mate." He looked out the window at the gathering crowd.

Nia slipped off the stool and aproached him, pulling his down to her height by the ear.

"Bel always delivers. She was completely fine, now you're here stiring up all these feelings she didn't need." She let go and stepped back as Vicky and Pino appeared.

Plastering a smile on her face, she gave gentle kiss on Pino's cheek. He viewed her with an air of suspition.

"Poffta." Vicky turned to her brother. "Walma." Vicky smiled gently and placed a hand on Alexander's arm, much to the crowd outside's delight.

"I will, Prepa." Pino led Nia away, she strongly disagreed to this action but was dragged along. Vicky turned back to Alexander, her smile fading, I could even go as far as to say she looked like she was going to cry. "Did you just want to talk? Or did you have something planned." Her eyes remained glued to the tips of her boots and he stifled an exasperated sigh.

"Well, I was planning on just talking. I didn't think I would attract so much attention." Vicky laughed. "Glad to know you find my foiled plans amusing. I was thinking we go to the tower." The laugh was cut off and a confused look emerged.

"I'm not allowed. I'm a commoner." She stared up at him, well at his jawline anyway, quite forgetting they were mates. He barked in laughter.

"Well, Zina, you aren't a commoner anymore. You own 5 planets now." Vicky blinked, then, coming to realisation, held her hand to her mouth.

It took her a few minutes to form a suitable reponse, in the time he gave multiple snickers and even had to lean on the wall to laugh. She stared at the ground, her face building in colour and heat. After giving a couple of coloured remarks about her muted state, she looked up, crimson face and all.

"Can we go then?" She held her hand her out and he looked surprised as he slipped his into hers.

"You think you can get through them?" He nodded to the outside, through the large glass walls. She reviewed his question for a minute then doned a smile.

"You think you can? I'll just follow." He chuckled and led her to the door. As soon as it was swung open, he started elbowing through the crowd, sheltering her with his arm. After making it to the sleek mobile, he swung her on and zoomed towards the tower's circular base.

"Oh geez, that can look even bigger..." Vicky looked up in astonishment.

"It is the largest building in the world." Vicky just nodded to Alexander's boast.

She absent mindedly stepped off, tripping on the way down, and walked cautiously towards the tower.

"Well? Shall we go in?"