Xander is able to locate Xiao. Apparently she was on her way back from delivering the chest to Umeko. The dark kiriga of course agreed to escort him back to Umeko's room. He gets the distinct impression she would agree to anything that she asked. This is actually the first time Xander has ever seen inside her room. He naturally has a small cabin on the estate meant for guests. The doors are drawn back and Xiao bows deeply, gesturing for the lapi to enter.

Umeko's Room Like other rooms in this house, the furniture of made from the finest carved wood and materials. The walls are decorated in immaculate ink paintings, lit by carefully carved and covered floor lamps. To one side is an ornate box-bed, the inside lined with a tightly woven mat. The bed is covered in freshly cleaned and pressed zolk. Opposite the bed is an ornate wardrobe that goes all the way to the ceiling. Great battle scenes cared in relief adorn the doors and all along the edges stylized kiriga snake and twist along its posts.

Umeko is sitting on the edge of her box bed. The chest is beside her. She's staring at it, having apparently not opened it yet. "I see that you have survived," she says, glancing up. "No obvious signs of bites."

"It would have helped if I'd known you'd already told her about.." Xander starts to say, then looks around to see if Nawar is about.

"Told her about which?" Umeko asks. The kiriga is very much alone it seems and she confirms this by saying, "Your sister is getting language lessons right now. From my father."

"Oh.. he's a very patient man I assume? Not that Nawar is slow.. but he's big and might intimidate her a bit," Xander babbles. Of course, he realizes that his little sister is probably sitting on the dragon's knee, eating a cookie or something..

"He tolerated me," Umeko answers then resumes looking at the chest. "And you have not answered my question."

"Ah, I meant your telling her about our.. uh.. intimate cuddling.." the Lapi whispers. He still isn't sure about eavesdroppers. Xiao always seems to be nearby after all.

"I didn't," Umeko notes and glances up. "Parents have a way of knowing what their children do," she points out.

"So.. your father knows too?" Xander asks. "Ryota seemed like he would kill me just for having notions towards you.."

"I do not know if my father knows or not. Are you ashamed of it?" Umeko asks. Women have this way of twisting things sometimes...

"Not me," Xander claims. "Your mom said I'd be great for you.. if I were a Kiriga. Being a mage makes up 'mostly' for not being nobility. I was wondering what other sorts of things can make up for not being nobility."

"What you would expect; money. Or fame for something," Umeko explains and gestures to the bed. "I hope you were polite and respectful to my mother?"

Sitting on the bed next to Umeko, Xander says, "I think so.. but I was also candid, since she asked me to be, as an outsider looking in. She wants me to polish her scales to see if my technique is adequate or needs improving. That scares me a bit."

Umeko's brow arches a bit. "You have managed to find a way to see my mother naked?" she clarifies, "I am not quite sure how to take that. At least you are ... a little afraid."

"Well.. more than a little afraid," Xander admits. "When I'm polishing you.. I really don't want to be reminded of your mother. Not that she isn't a handsome woman and all.. it's just.. uh.. not something I was expecting to share with other Kiriga."

"You could have politely declined," Umeko points out. "Do you wish me to tell her you have reconsidered?"

"She may have also suggested I polish your father," Xander notes. "I may have only imagined that. How would your mother react to declining? I could do it, just not.. how I do it for you. No hot-hands magic and such. Would it be better for me to be poor at it are good at it? What do you think I should do?"

"Well, I would not recommend you do it poorly, no. That would reflect badly upon you. I am surprised you do not know this; do not mammal women throw fits if their hair style is done wrong?" Umeko points out and rolls her eyes. "It is likely that doing it well is far better than doing it poorly."

"How well?" Xander asks. "I try to do more than just bring a shine to your scales after all - I try to make you feel warm. If I did that, would she think I was trying to curry favor or seduce her or something?"

"No, of course not," Xander says, and shudders. "That would surely lead to disaster. Besides, I'm terrible at seduction."

"So you are saying my mother is unattractive?" Umeko asks next. Why is it women ask these sorts of questions.

"She's beautiful, and you inherited all of her best features," Xander notes. "But admiring something and wishing to possess it are separate things. She's a married woman, first off. She's your mother, secondly. And thirdly.. she's really big compared to me."

"But I thought you liked big and scary," Umrko points out. "You liked me because I was scary."

"I liked you for lots of reasons," Xander says. "The scary bit is just.. a little thrilling. If you can't guess, I do like excitement - I'm a fire mage. That's the most exciting type!"

"She could have asked you to do something worse," Umeko notes, "She could have requested demonstrating how a Kiriga and Mammal can be intimate."

"Your mother would never.. I mean, nobody's mother would.." Xander sputters. "I certainly couldn't.. perform.. And it wouldn't matter anyway. I'm a Fire Mage. I make love like a Fire Mage, not like a mammal.. exactly. I mean, a normal mammal would not be as effective.."

"The Kirin was quite effective," Umeko notes as she leans over, coming nose to nose with the Lapi. "And he was kind of a mammal."

"But he knew the proper way.." Xander notes, trying not to lean back. "I'm sure it's all very.. elegant normally. Without raising your temperatures and all.. I asked Ryota if he wanted to be your blacksmith in Viper's Hold."

Umeko blinks several times and sits back. She even folds her arms across her chest! "Why would you go and do something as insane as that?" she demands.

Xander blinks as well. "Because I worry you won't have enough trustworthy people to staff your household there," the Lapi notes. "People who care about you, and are willing to take risks for you. He turned down the suggestion though.."

"It was Ryota. He is a huge pain in the tail," Umeko huffs. "He used to tie my mane in knots."

"Well.. uh.. he wouldn't do that anymore," Xander says, looking ceilingward. "His concern was that he'd be too distracted if he had to work for you. And what was in the chest? Not a frozen demon heart was it?"

"No. Something worse," Umeko grumbles. Her arms are still crossed over her chest. "Look if you want."

Nestled inside in a sheathed knife. Its design is simple and elegant, like a miniature version of one of her swords. The wooden case is lacquered deep blue, as are the zolk wrapping about the handle. Beneath the zolk wrapping Xander can make out scales. It's an alternating pattern of blue and gold scales; the gold ones are familiar, if a bit smaller than he's used to seeing.

"Are those your baby scales?" Xander asks. "The knife is.. symbolic of something? It's not a marriage proposal is it?"

"Of course it isn't a wedding proposal, don't be silly," Umeko grumbles. "And yes, those are mine. And his. This is just like him."

"You'll have to explain it to me more," Xander notes. "I'm not privy to all of the details of your childhood relationship."

"He likes to /imply/ impossible things. Like being a better swordsman than me. Sure, he was back /then/, but not now,/" Umeko grumbles.

Xander looks at the knife again. "This.. this is saying that he's better than you with a blade?" he asks, just be certain. "That's it? It's not a challenge or anything.. just a statement?"

"No, it does not say that; he liked to claim it once. How can you not understand the message of the knife? His scales next to mine. As if we could be together," Umeko actually grouses.

"Soooo.. he's still tying your mane in knots, is that it?" Xander asks, and grins. "You know why he did that, right?"

Xander rolls his eyes. "No, that's just the side effect," he claims. "Children are dumb. They don't know the difference between good attention and bad attention, and he wanted your attention. He still does, in a way." He taps the scales, and asks, "What would it take? Do you want to be with him? He knows secrets about metal, that's pretty impressive. Not magical but still an form of artistry."

"Knowing me hurt him. I know how he was treated when it was discovered we were associating," Umeko says and looks away. "I won't cause that again."

"That's not an answer," Xander points out. "If he came to Viper's Hold.. where Imperial culture dominates.. what would be the consequences then? You're the Governess. You could appoint him to replace any one of Ex-governer Des's functionaries. They're all fat off his corruption anyway."

"It is an answer. Don't you know anyone that both drives you crazy and you enjoy being around?" Umeko asks. Her arms are still crossed.

"That's usually me," Xander notes, and tries to rub the back of Umeko's shoulders to relax her. "If you really want to get the last laugh though, you could always send Ryota an illustrated copy of Kazuhiko's book.."

"No. I would rather go kick his butt, stick him in a crate, and ship him to Viper's Hold," the Kiriga practically growls. "He only said no to you because he knew it would get me to make him; then he can claim he was following the order of a noble."

"So.. what's the problem then?" Xander asks. "Big crates can't be that hard to find.."

"Whose side are you on?" Umeko now has to ask Xander, her head tilting and twisting to look at him. "You are encouraging me to replace you."

"No, I'm encouraging you to surround yourself with more of me," Xander notes. "Err, that is, more people who have your best interests at heart. Someday, you'll have to have children you know. I can't really help you there aside from helping you choose a father.."

"Then you should get a copy of Kazuhiko's book for your parents and tell them you want a brother," Xander suggests.

"I'll do that and tell them it was your suggestion. You'll get to live out your fantasy of being eaten," Umeko notes then play-bites his left ear. It is a good thing she's mindful of her fangs.

"Well, you know what I mean," Xander says. "You went through a lot to save your family - I don't think you're going to just let the bloodline end with you. Don't you want to be ancestor, giving advice to confused young girl someday? Or have a little version of yourself to dress up and train to use tiny swords?"

"Besides, if you don't want Ryota then maybe he'll be suitable for Nawar when she grows up a bit," the Lapi adds.

"If I had a child I assumed Master Longtooth would teach it," Umeko remarks dryly. "He should probably teach Nawar how to defend herself, come to think of it."

"Do you think she's ready for.. The Arthritic Open Fist of Severe Drubbing?" Xander asks.

Xander twitches a bit. "We didn't have a crazy old coot around," he notes. "No offense to Master Tooth.. but he is a crazy old coot. And he seems to have a grudge against me for 'poisoning' him that one time."

"Do you deny that you were glad he drank the wood alcohol?" Umeko has to ask. "You can learn a lot from a crazy old coot."

"Yes I deny it," Xander claims. "I'm the one that didn't want you to bury him after all, just in case."

"And yet you also liked to mock him with your familiar," Umeko reminds. "You enjoyed annoying him."

"He's an old man, everything annoys him," Xander argues. "My familiar always looked like that. It did not resemble Tooth at all! It didn't stoop over, or drink or complain or grow long whiskers. And it was tiny."

"It was orange because it was made of fire," Xander points out. "And it was a dragon. Kiriga just happen to resemble dragons."

"Well.. there, you see? Totally a coincidence," Xander notes. "Plus we weren't allowed to have snake familiars because the Naga got upset. Nevermind that Naga Fire Mages always had them.."

"I rather expect it was to keep the young fire mages from running around and talking about their large hot snakes," Umeko says and looks ceilingward again. "I remember the College and the way the students acted."

"If I conjured one up, what would you do with it?" Xander asks, grinning wildly now.

In the distance the rumbling bass of a large gong echos. Umeko's head tilts. "And that would be call to dinner, Xander. We can continue this argument later," she says as she rises. "I can expect you to behave at dinner, yes? The chef will not ask you to get on a tray this time."

"I will be very decorous," Xander claims. "There will be rice-balls, yes? I like those."

"And plenty of fish," Umeko says, probably to the Lapi's dismay. She heads for the door and waves for the Lapi to follow. Possibly to his dismay, he does detect her gait, posture, and the way she holds her tail is a lot more formal lately. She might be picking up old habits, something he worried about.

"There will probably be pickles too," Xander notes. The formal tail pose worries him though. How soon before Umeko is standing still in the garden? He needs to get her to be rebellious again, somehow. And get her and Ryota to either fight or kiss. Hmmm...