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This is a Private Role-Play between FallenDove and Eoin ((me)) ONLY. please feel free to read, but do not post...

Name: Yenplu
Age: 17
Race: Neko
A Bit Of Bio:Yenplu was born into the royal family s the eldest, legitimate child so she was valuable to the royal family. In her father's eyes, she had been nothing more than a bargaining chip with a rival tribe. Between two of her father's enemies, she had been selected to marry the eldest son of the ruling family in one. She did not like her chosen destiny but being a female, and of a high rank, she had little choice. She reluctantly complied.

Name: Gaile
Age: 19
Race: Neko
Quiki Bio: Gaile was born the youngest son of Lleudd and Eilonwy, Rīdā of the Shiroi Kiba. The Shiroi Kiba have been at war with the Gurīn'aizu and Chi o Nomu clans since the beginning of time. Now that Gurīn'aizu and Chi o Nomu have agreed on an arranged marriage to unite their clans, Shiroi Kiba stands upon the brink of destruction.
This being said, Lleudd and Eilonwy and the Chōrō have made the unanimous decision to stop that wedding at all costs...who do they send to do this?
Purinsu Gaile: expert burglar.

Silence pervaded the room as Gaile stared at the grouping of people that stood in front of him. His left eye twitched slightly as he contemplated what the Chōrō and his parents had asked of him. After about five minutes of utter and awkward silence, Gaile came up with a brilliant answer.
“You want me to do what, now?" Gaile asked of his Father, deep golden eyes staring in earnest confusion at the older man.
The grizzled Rīdā sat forward, and gave his youngest son a reproaching gaze. This meeting was not going as he had hoped it would. He had hoped that the young Purinsu would be eager to complete such an entertaining task with no strings attached...no pun intended.
"I want you to kidnap the Ōjo of Chi o Nomu. From what our informants have told me, the Rīdā of Chi o Nomu and Gurīn'aizu plan an arranged marriage to unite their clans. If this happens, we're all doomed. So, I want you to kidnap the girl, and prevent that wedding from taking place at any cost." Lleudd-Rīdā smiled at his youngest son.
Gaile scratched the top of his head and grimaced, unsure of what to say about this. "Father, surely you must realize that I am not exactly 'suited' for this kind of work. I'm a burglar, a Shinōbi, not a thief or a Yūkai-han. Have me steal a weapon, or gold, or armour, or supplies__not a Neko. I can't..."
"You can, and you will." Lleudd interrupted, "You are the only one of my sons I can trust to embark upon this mission, because I know that you will not fail me."
Gaile looked up at his father, "But my Rīdā, surely there is someone else? Gwydion can..."
"You can move amoung the woodlands undetected and unaided by magyk or spells. You can steal the web from underneath a spider without it knowing...you're the best Shinōbi we have." a soft voice spoke from the shadows. Gaile need not look to know who it was, he recognized that sultry and chilling voice. Gwydion, his older brother.
Gwydion smiled brilliantly, and stepped into the light. The glow from the oil lamps glinted off of his crimson eyes playfully, "I am also pained to admit, although I exceed your skills in espionage, I'm afraid that I do not have the necessary 'utility' to complete such a task as this." Gwydion rubbed his left arm absently, an expression of pain writing itself on his features.
Gaile looked away from his brother, mouth twisted into a grimace of regret. Several years ago, he and Gwydion had conducted a raid on the Chi o Nomu...they had not escaped unscathed. Gaile had been scarred horribly, but Gwydion had received a serious injury to his left side...one of such magnitude that he experienced immense pain whenever he attempted to use the arm for anything other than the simplest of tasks. Gwydion could not have completed the mission...even if he had wanted too.
"What say you, Gaile?" Lleudd asked, frowning at his youngest son. Of all of his children, Gaile was by far the most skilled shinōbi, and the most dependable. That is why it surprised him that Gaile would shy from such an opportunity, but he supposed it was to be expected. As Gaile said, he was a burglar, not a Yūkai-han like Gwydion.
Gaile stared mournfully at Gwydion for a quick moment, then bowed his head to his Father once more.
"As you will, my Rīdā."
Lleudd smiled, "Good, you may go now."
Gaile stood briskly, and left the antechamber without another word.

A thick, uncomfortable silence filled the room. The atmosphere hung heavy with defeat, reluctance and disappointment. Four women of the Chi o Nomu sat around a granite table. One fiddled with her top, another shifted in her seat, and one stared intently at the youngest female at the end of the table. The center of all their focus. She sat there with a cold expression... it was unlike the warm, smling young female.

"I have to what?" Yenplu finally said, although her instructions were clear to her. She did not want her fate decided for her but her father was adament about this. She was dressed in the traditional tribal outfit of a female of her rank. A loose, flowing gown. Her hair was pinned back and did nothing to soften her features. They were feirce, only showing the potential of her as a leader.

Her mother, a slightly wisened woman, "You must marry, for the sake of our clan." Yenplu went to open her mouth, to argue with her mother but she just waved it away and continued speaking, "I will not hear how this is unfair. You have known since a young age what being the eldest royal child would mean, and especially with you being female. Do not make this anymore difficult than it truly needs to be." Yenplu let out a sigh. There was no going around this. She looked down, the other two women cast her looks of sympathy but no one moved in her defense. So be it. She would take this as a woman would. A grown one. She was no longer a child and she had to come to terms with it.

"Fine. I do not like this... I do not like the idea of marrying someone I do not love. Espeically that it is one of our enemies... But I will do this duty for our tribe and I will deal with it the best that I can." Her face had closed up then, shutting down. That was how it was going to be for her from now on. The other two nameless women let out a sigh of relief.

"So be it," Her mother nodded in some tribal gesture that meant everything and nothing. The two women moved about. They were just dervants, sent here to start measuring Yenplu for her bridal outfit and new clothes she would need when it was time for her to go on.

Yenplu sat brooding quietly in her seat, her mother ignored the moodiness. The atmosphere was now thick with tension. The tension broke when Nanoa appeared, Yenplu's younger brother. He was the oldest of the sons, just having turned 18 that month. He smiled brightly at her. He was an easy going male. He and Yenplu were closer than she was to anyone else of the family, sadly.

"Hello," He hesitantly came over to her, giving their mother a wide berth. He held a package in his hand. She blinked, wondering what it was. Nanoa laughed and handed it to her, "It is nothing much, just something I made. He crafted jewels and metal often and supplied the tribe with the finest jewelry.

"Thank you, my brother." She kissed him on the cheek. She opened the package and inside was a circlet. It was delicate looking, swirls and chains made up the piece. There was a nice sized black opal in the middle, surronded by two smaller ones on each side. She gasped and looked up at her brother. In a blatant show of affection, she threw her arms around her brother, "Thank you, so much..." She said again, her melodic voice going quieter with each word. He pulled away first.

"It is time for you to go," And they were brought back to reality by their mothers voice. He threw her an apologetic work and left the room. Her mother gestured again, it was time. Yenplu frowned but nodded. The measuring began.

Gaile sighed as he closed the door to his chambers. The young Neko stood there for a moment, leaning against the wooden frame. He gazed around his room once more, wishing that he did not have to leave...this was not his normal attitude, understand__normally Gaile would be excited to embark on another mission; he loved his work, and he was good at it. But this time was different, he would not be stealing anything as worthless as gold or information or supplies, this time, he was stealing a person...and that didn't sit well with him.
With a dejected sigh, Gaile moved away from the door, and grabbed his canvas pack from beneath his bed. It was already stuffed with what he would need for his expedition: water skin, gold pieces, twine, small knife, and various herbs and spices that could be used for different reasons, be it medical or defensive...or offensive.
"You're lucky you know,"
Gaile turned on his heel and tripped over the large carved chair that he kept in his quarters. He fell backwards, and ungracefully landed on his backside. He glared at the place where the voice had come from, tail twitching in irritation. Gaile's cousin Eryi was leaning against the wall behind the door.
"What are you doing here, Eryi ?" he asked as the younger Neko moved forward to him. Eryi extended a hand to the fallen Gaile, and helped heave him to his feet.
Eryi was just the youngest son of Erroll, Lleudd's younger brother. Eryi was only twelve, but already he was one of Shiroi Kiba's most skilled fighters, and unlike Gaile, he was a Kirā, not a Shinōbi.
"Coming to wish you luck, and to give you a warning." Eryi replied, stepping away from his cousin and sitting down on the chair that had served as such an obstacle for the older Neko.
"Warning? What could you have to warn me about that I would possibly need to hear?" Gaile asked, cocking his head to the side. He folded his arms across his chest, curious to see what Eryi would say.
"You're very lucky, you know that, Cousin? Every single one of the Kage no Rīgu was pushing to get this assignment. We all thought that Ellydir or Faolan would get the job, but Rīdā-san assigned it to you. You, who thinks that 'fight' means steal the other guy's weapons and food, and wait him out. You, who is under the impression that anything can be solved with a pilfering raid or two. This mission is important. The survival of the entire clan depends upon it...you're going to have a lot of enemies if you screw this up, Cousin." Eryi growled bitterly, violet eyes narrowing at his Cousin.
Inside, Eryi was boiling, he had been one of those Kage no Rīgu that had pushed for this assignment. He had wanted it more than anything, and it pained him to see Gaile take on such a task...especially since that task was at such complete odds with Gaile's personality. He sighed, and looked at the ground. His ears twitched slightly, and he spoke in a pleading voice.
“Just be careful, alright, Gaile? If you don't come back...” he bit back his words, voice choked with coming tears.
Gaile looked at his younger cousin with pity in his eyes. Three years ago, Eryi's elder brother Eiri had been killed on a mission similar to the one Gaile was about to embark on. Eryi and Eiri had been close, closer than Gaile was with any of his brothers. It had nearly killed Eryi when he had received the news, and since then, Gaile and his cousin had formed a similar relationship...though not as strong. Gaile knew Eryi's pain, and did not want him to re-live it.
Gaile walked past his Cousin, and placed a gentle hand on the young lad's shoulder. "Then I'll just have to watch my back then, won't I Eryi ?" he said softly, cobalt eyes filled to the brim with affection.
Eryi looked up at his cousin, and launched himself into Gaile's arms. The young Kirā held his cousin tightly, not willing to let him go.
Gaile smiled, and held his cousin just as tightly. They remained like that for a long moment, and then, with much difficulty on his own part, Gaile pulled away.
He knelt down in front of Eryi, and placed his hands on the young Neko's shoulders. Gaile stared into those Brobdingnagian violet seas with a strange mixture of fear, love, and excitement.
“I'll be back, I swear.” and with that, he turned and left the room. Gaile never looked back, but what had he to look back to, other than the solitary tear that rolled down Eryi's cheek...so brilliant and fragile in the flickering light, only to be wiped away and destroyed by a furiously distraught hand?

The two women gathered around Yenplu, her mother standing off to the side like the imperial woman she was. She was telling the woman what to do, hushing Yenplu when she was about to give her opnion. They draped various kinds of cloth around her as if she were a decorating piece. She sighed inwardly, she better get used to it. This male she was supposed to marry wouldn't probably overrule her. That tribe held different customs. She just wanted to crawl into bed and be a child once again.

"No, no, the green looked..." Her mother frowned and shook her head, "No, not that one," The woman froze and set the colour down. Her mother placed her head into her hands and shook her head again, "Go with the blue combined with the purple." She nodded, satisfied. The woman smiled bleakly, grabbing the correct material. Atleast she would look nice as she was caged, Yenplu thought sarcastically.

"Alright, I think we are done for now." Her mother announced three hours later. It was nearing dark by the time they were finished. Yenplu was overly relieved and she managed to hide it from her mother. Her mother, gesturing to the two women, left. It was almost as if she had not been there at all. Yenplu went over to her bed and sat down with the circlet in hand. It almost represented her future. The cool metal felt nice against her hand, but was hardly reassuring in the comforting sense.

She lay back in her bed then, listening to noises from outside her window. It was calm around her, unlike Yenplu's insides. That, was in turmoil. She wanted to fight her chosen fate but knew she had not the power to. She curled up into a ball, her dress shifting with her weight. She looked into the siver coated plate that hung on her wall, serving as a mirror. She looked as she felt, if one looked close enough. She felt blackness clawing up at her as she fell into a restless sleep.