Iro and Shiruku vs. Orianna

Iro and Shiruku

https://uponherlips.forumotion.com/t3766-iro-shiruku

Orianna

https://uponherlips.forumotion.com/t2265-orianna-the-vampire-princess?highlight=orianna

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Iro and her companion, in the midst of their travels, took a leisurely nature walk through a vast forest. Midara around the location seemed amicable enough and didn't bother them much, if ever they encountered any. However just as there fill of the stroll reached its peak, Shiruku noticed a shimmer through the air a small ways ahead. How peculiar...

“I think I saw something shiny!” Shiruku excitedly tells Iro before rushing off towards the spot, Iro trailing behind her.

The child-like excitement that boiled over in Shiruku led her full-speed into a split second of resistance before her body was just as quickly allowed through the phantasmal wall. What Shiruku just moments ago saw as more forest ahead rather suddenly turned into a massive and ancient looking castle in the distance. She had a decent amount of time to take it all in before Iro passed through the barrier herself and had the luxury of drinking in the sight.

“That looks so cool!” Shiruku squeals as Iro catches her breath. “It is a breathtaking view,” Iro replies, already knowing what was coming next. “Let’s explore it!” Shiruku says, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging her along towards the castle.

As Shiruku dragged her friend along through the gates of the castle grounds, they passed by a gorgeous garden of a wide variety of flowers of many colors and shapes, very much well-tended to. The grass was quite short and well-managed, no weeds in sight or wild foliage to be seen. Quite unusual for a place that looked as old as this castle did...

"Oh my goodness, guests! Oh, I never thought I'd see the day again!" A woman's voice strummed along through the air, breaking the relative silence of the two young women's exploration of this strange place. A bee girl dressed in a maid uniform approached them from around the corner of the old structure, brimming with glee.

“Oh, we didn’t know this place was populated,” Iro says as Shiruku began to circle and sniff the bee girl, “I must say you have a beautiful garden.”

"Thank you very much, though this isn't my garden. I must apologize, we've not had guests in quite a while, else we'd have staff on hand to greet you properly." The bee maid simply continued to talk to Iro, ignore Shiruku's dog-like circling for the most part. Looking at her closely, though, she was quite a beauty, dark skin that sported yellow patterns, sizable curves, and a very pleasant small to go with an adorable face, with short black hair. "So, can I do anything for you?"

“I don’t believe we should have any right to ask you for something after arriving with invitation,” Iro says as Shiruku continues the circling, seeming entertained by the simple motion, “But, she is probably gonna do it anyways, so could you give us a tour of the castle?”

"Ah yes, a tour! That sounds like a splendid idea, before any of that, though, I should inform the princess of your presence. Until then, feel free to wander the garden and talk amongst yourselves!" The bee maid ran into the castle, leaving Shiruku and Iro alone.

Seeing the bee maid run, Shiruku tried to chase after her, but Iro predicted this and caught Shiruku by the neck of her outfit. “Shiruku, you heard her, she is informing the princess. We are in the presence of royalty so please be on your best behavior, follow my lead and don’t try picking fight or getting under their skin.” Iro tells her, getting a response of “But that sounds boring!”

After a while, the maid returned, a smile on her face. "My princess will be with us momentarily. She's agreed to let you tour, but she'd prefer to do it herself." Not too long after that information was related, a young woman emerged from the castle barefoot, dressed in a rather see through velvety lavender nightgown. "You really weren't pulling a practical joke this time!" She had stars in her eyes looking at the two outsiders practically. Was this really a princess before them?

“Greetings your highness,” Iro says, taking a knee in front of her and shooting Shiruku a look to do the same, who did so begrudgingly, “If I may say so, you are very beautiful.” During this, Iro was suppressing her urge to ask this princess if she may paint a portrait of her.

"Oh rise, you don't need to bow for me," the woman stated, seeming practically giddy at the sight of them. Looking up at the princess, her skin was paler than most you'd find in the world these days, and her hair was black as night and reached her waist flowing somewhat. More of her body was easy to behold and hard to avoid seeing, as she seemed to wear nothing beneath her see-through nightgown. "Especially not the way I am now."

The Bee Maid chimed in with a giggle, "You'll have to excuse her majesty's appearance, she was preparing herself for bed when I delivered the news of your arrival." A second glance gave credence to this added detail, as the princess's hair was a bit messy, a silver hair clap having been haphazardly placed to keep her bangs out of her face, and then there was the pre-observed fact that she was in a night gown. "She was so adorable rushing to throw things on. She gave up partway and came running out," she whispered, though it wasn't hard for the princess to overhear, but the most she gave her maid was a humored glance.

"My name is Orianna Rosella, princess of this castle you see here, and I'm sure you've noticed the garden as well. That was me~!" she added with pride.

“Oh, so we don’t have to do that formal nonsense?” Shiruku says as she springs up from the ground, “If you did this garden, how are you so pale?” “I’m sorry about her unmannered nature, princess Orissa, she wasn’t taught any and by the time I meet her it was too late,” Iro says as she gets up, “I am Iro and this is Shiruku.”

"Orianna," she corrected, too excited to mind Shiruku's poor manners. In fact, she found it rather charming, offering the fox a pleasant smile in turn. "Well, I'm a vampire, we don't exactly favor the sun too much, so tanning isn't much of an option and this barrier weakens whatever power the sun has to harm me. Even then, I don't often come out during the daytime. Force of habit, I'm afraid."

After her little explanation she remembered what it was they requested and gestured to the front entryway of the castle. "Right, you wanted to tour my home?"

“Vampire? So are you going to try drinking our blood?” Shiruku then asked. “Shiruku! Don’t assume things because of her race!” Iro scolded, “I’m sorry if that offended you, princess Orianna, and we would love a tour of your castle.”

"Oh no need, I fully understand the assumption, but no worries! Any blood I drink is willingly provided by those in my court, and I always make sure not to overeat for their sake," she stated, not so much as batting an eye at Shiru's question. "That doesn't stop some distrust, but I hope I may gain yours in time. As for the tour, allow me to lead the way. As you've already witnessed my lovely garden, we shave move along inside."

“Why would you being a vampire cause us not to trust you? If anything, if you tried to drink our blood, we could fight back and fighting is fun.” Shiruku replies. “Yes, let’s go inside,” Iro tells her, letting out a groan as she stops herself from apologizing for Shiruku anymore.

"Oh, you like to fight, do you? I'd be more than happy to grant you that later, if you'd like," Orianna offered as they moved through the stone corridors, scarlet rugs ran along the floor to offer a soft feel to the footfalls of those who wandered. "Since you two have seen what I deem to be my favorite place in the castle, perhaps we could get a rather darker place out of the way first? The dungeon."

“Yeah, me and Iro against you later!” Shiruku says excitedly, “But why do you have a dungeon if you don’t have people coming here often?” “Shiruku, you can’t keep making battles two versus one, it always seems like we are bullying the opponent,” Iro tells Shiruku.

"Well, this castle wasn't originally mine, of course. It belonged once to the queen, my mother, and back in the days when we ruled more than a simple castle, it would be used as a place to punish criminals of rather high regard. As you say, there's not much purpose to it these days, but we do have one resident, though she resides there happily." As she led them down a flight of stairs deep under the castle, she noted Shiruku's excitement and Iro's cry for fairness. "You know, Iro, if you want things a bit more fair, I could persuade a servant or two to join me in battle, if you'd like."

“I’d feel better if you did that, if they are willing to and have a little experience fighting,” Iro said as they descend down the stairs, Shiruku humming happily knowing a fight would happen eventually.

They soon reached the darkness of the dungeon, where numerous holding cells lined either side, their bars rusty and locks unusable now. At the far end, though, there was a heavy door of metal, rust and degradation having been stalled at some point. "This used to be a noisy prison for criminals both petty and dangerous, but it's been many centuries since that day. Now we have only one resident here, and perhaps she'd like to introduce herself."

Orianna looked upward toward the ceiling, but those with average human eyesight wouldn't see much of anything. A gorgeous and shapely woman descended on what looked like a thin rope, her clothes hanging loosely off her body, and though her finer physical details were hard to make out, a bat-like sigil was just barely noticeable on her neck. "This is Yuko. She lives here in the dungeon, making a home of it. Yuko, these two are Iro and Shiruku, my guests."

Though Yuko seemed quite interested in the pair, her face became glum once Orianna emphasized their status as guests. "Hello, you two. It's quite a delight to meet such pretty faces down here."

“What delightful about meeting people in this dark place? Wouldn’t it be more fun in that bright garden?” Shiruku immediately asked, “And what are you hanging on? And what is that on your neck?”

Yuko found her mood improving as Shiruku started to butt in a few questions for Yuko. The woman approached the fox and crossed her arms, pushing up her chest a bit, her breasts looking ready to spill out of her fabrics any minute. "I could answer all your questions happily if you... don't mind a bit of fun~!"

Orianna rolled her eyes and brought a hand down between Shiruku and Yuko. "Alright, that is quite enough. These two are touring the castle and I came down here only to show them the dungeon and introduce them, but only momentarily. Lest they pick something up from you." The woman shivered delightedly at Orianna's harsh words, her smile widening some.