"I make it a point" said Mihai, smiling, "to never travel anywhere that is more dangerous than I. But what do two dangerous things have to fear of each other?" He smiled again, and his eyes sparkled. She was a stunning woman, and he sensed something more under that pretty veneer...something he had to find out more about. "Regardless, though I find dangerous things to be rather...intriguing...and therefore seek them out, perhaps more often than is wise" he laughed "I have in fact come on business. But it pertains strictly to my cousin here, more a matter of information than anything. Trivialities from the south." He smiled again. "And now that it has been sorted out, I can focus on a visit for pleasure rather than business as I wait for this storm to calm down." Something about the way he said it indicated that the storm was in no way, shape, or form, impeding him.
"But you are right, these passages do grow cold. Let us to that fire you speak of." His delivery and accent were smooth and polished, and partway Russian...but at the same time, not. "After you." he said, bowing. He nodded to Dimitru, who joined Katya in the walk, and Mihai followed just a step behind and to the side.
Placing themselves around the fire, Mihai finally undid the golden wolf clasping his cloak and spread the garment over the back of his chair. With the formless cloak off, it was easy to see that he was a man in his prime...muscles pulled under his skin, broad shoulders and a powerful chest filled his clothing. His hair hung down around his eyes and ears, romping playfully over his head. Yet every movement was practiced, graceful. Leaning forward to place both elbows on his thighs, he looked up at Dimitru expectantly as a lock of blond hair fell down into his eyes. He didn't move it, but rather looked through.
Dimitru took the cue and spoke, simply throwing the conversation back. "Perhaps it would be best if you explained the relation, Mihai."
"Certainly. My father, Ciodaru Litovoi, was Alexander the Good's brother. He married a woman from Kiev, and I spent much of my young life in both cities, ah, Iasi being the other. So I am half Rus, half Vlach. In fact, part of the reason I came is because I have never seen Pskov or Novgorod before, and wanted to see such jewels of the Rus. Iasi by night is a beautiful thing, but nothing I have ever seen can compare to the splendor of Kiev. Oh, I also hoped to visit Ostrova, after my char...I mean, Prince Ivan, talked about it." Realizing what he had almost said, he blushed a little. "I am sorry, I should not refer to a Prince of your people as my charge. But while I was still in Iasi, I was assigned to make sure no harm came to him, since I speak Russian. He is" Mihai chuckled "a difficult one to protect, sometimes. But he has guts, I like that."
Dimitru looked at Katya. "If there is anything you would like to know about the Lup Fantomas, now may be the best time to ask. All I truly know are the stories told of them, but Mihai is one of their captains. Ah, as for my half of the relation, Emilia, the child taken in by Alexander, is my sister. I was taken in by a second family, from whence I took my name. So, the term cousin is not technically correct, but we use it for simplicity's sake."
"But you are right, these passages do grow cold. Let us to that fire you speak of." His delivery and accent were smooth and polished, and partway Russian...but at the same time, not. "After you." he said, bowing. He nodded to Dimitru, who joined Katya in the walk, and Mihai followed just a step behind and to the side.
Placing themselves around the fire, Mihai finally undid the golden wolf clasping his cloak and spread the garment over the back of his chair. With the formless cloak off, it was easy to see that he was a man in his prime...muscles pulled under his skin, broad shoulders and a powerful chest filled his clothing. His hair hung down around his eyes and ears, romping playfully over his head. Yet every movement was practiced, graceful. Leaning forward to place both elbows on his thighs, he looked up at Dimitru expectantly as a lock of blond hair fell down into his eyes. He didn't move it, but rather looked through.
Dimitru took the cue and spoke, simply throwing the conversation back. "Perhaps it would be best if you explained the relation, Mihai."
"Certainly. My father, Ciodaru Litovoi, was Alexander the Good's brother. He married a woman from Kiev, and I spent much of my young life in both cities, ah, Iasi being the other. So I am half Rus, half Vlach. In fact, part of the reason I came is because I have never seen Pskov or Novgorod before, and wanted to see such jewels of the Rus. Iasi by night is a beautiful thing, but nothing I have ever seen can compare to the splendor of Kiev. Oh, I also hoped to visit Ostrova, after my char...I mean, Prince Ivan, talked about it." Realizing what he had almost said, he blushed a little. "I am sorry, I should not refer to a Prince of your people as my charge. But while I was still in Iasi, I was assigned to make sure no harm came to him, since I speak Russian. He is" Mihai chuckled "a difficult one to protect, sometimes. But he has guts, I like that."
Dimitru looked at Katya. "If there is anything you would like to know about the Lup Fantomas, now may be the best time to ask. All I truly know are the stories told of them, but Mihai is one of their captains. Ah, as for my half of the relation, Emilia, the child taken in by Alexander, is my sister. I was taken in by a second family, from whence I took my name. So, the term cousin is not technically correct, but we use it for simplicity's sake."
