The 'Hospitality Den'

“Well. That’s probably because you’ve never held your family’s ancestral blade before, Liz. That’s ancient elven magic, you’ve got there. Old and primal. There are only a few things and individuals in Isra who have felt that sort of thing.”

Naoki states this rather matter-of-factly. However, as she does so, she begins to scoot off to the left, using her arms and legs in tandem to lift her bottom off the floor, and slide subtly off to the left. Her earring glimmers slightly as she does so, likely sending some manner of message to someone. However, her gaze remains fixed on Liz, and her blade. It’s something of a spectacle, she muses.

As the sparks abate and the blade is sheathed, Naoki slides down onto the couch proper, and moves back over to sit beside Liz. As Liz goes in for the hugh, Naoki isn’t quite surprised. That was the sort of reaction she was intending to elicit, after all. After spending so long effectively alone, this meeting ought to be doing an awful lot for Liz’ mental state. Intimacy- in all of its forms, is a fundamental component of companionship, which is in turn something that everyone needs some of. And while griffins may be excellent companions, there’s something to be said for sentience and Naoki’s plushness.

Again, Naoki reciprocates the embrace for what feels like the upteenth time, happy to indulge Liz. One hand gives Liz’ shoulder blade an experimental rub or two, and Naoki is pleased to find it considerably more malleable than it was before the massage. And again, Naoki waits for Liz to break off the embrace first. Considering what she’s just learned, there’s no telling how long she needs it.

“You do, don’t you.”

With that murmured statement, Naoki realizes the sheer amount of things she’s laid on Liz’ shoulders, between the various 'subjects' they've 'discussed'. An awful lot of introspection is going to be in order for her favorite griffin-rider. Naoki hopes she’ll take it well, and come out the other side in a better state.

“Well,” Naoki continues, holding Liz by the shoulders at arm’s length and maintaining eye contact, “You have a week to do it. Remember what I implied about meeting here next week? Yes. Well. Forget about that. Instead, next Monday, sometime in the earlyish morning, you’re to report to Port Silverion. There, I will meet you, and we will board a ship, and sail to Gauldin. You should bring St. George, a few changes of clothing, that sword- if you feel comfortable carrying it at that point, and whatever else you and he might need to enjoy a week or so abroad. You’re taking a vacation. I’ll see to it that you have no responsibilities to fulfill during the time I’ve absconded with you.”

An afterthought: “Oh, and, your garments will be sent to your quarters once they’re clean.”

At this, Naoki smirks slightly, betraying only a fraction of her amusement. The mental image of Liz making her way across The Citadel and into the predominantly male barracks with only the provided robe is an... interesting one to consider. For a moment longer, Naoki makes as if to hold Liz by the shoulders. Just long enough for the implications of her last statement to sink in and hopefully inspire one last blush.

Turning back about to begin tidying the room, Naoki responds in an uncharacteristically light and carefree sort of tone, “I don't know! I've only just decided that we're doing this. I haven't gotten that far in the planning yet.”

With the box of massage implements all packed up, Naoki spins about on one heel and saunters off into the curtains, with the box, her voice wafting backward, “Unless you have a preference, maybe we start over on mainland Gauldin, and hit Carmella on the way back. I don't know how quickly we’ll sail, through. Might not have time for all that. Depending on how long we stay, prevailing winds, and all that. We'll have to see. Your preparations shouldn't change, though, I wouldn't imagine.”

There’s a pause as Naoki pokes about in the back. Stowing whatever business needs to be stowed and preparing to leave. Presently, she returns, seemingly unchanged save for one item- the return of her small black pouch, bouncing along on her hip. Approaching Liz, she speaks again, pacing about to place her behind Liz.

“So. Unless you’ve got anything further, I might be willing to allow you to go about your business.” This statement is punctuated by Naoki’s fingers finding their way down to grab a handful of Liz’ behind; the literal representation of Naoki’s joking metaphor. One might note, her grip is firm, but warm. Which could be a metaphor for something, if the reader would care to read into it. Naoki herself slides forward, pressing her chest into Liz’ back and resting her chin on Liz’ shoulder, even going to far as to raise her ears and one eyebrow inquisitively. It had sounded like Liz was leaving, but prompting for closing thoughts or questions never hurt anyone. Her grip isn’t as tight as all that.

Naoki smirks a bit to herself as Liz is startled. That was exactly the sort of reaction she was looking to inspire. So cute. After sharing one more embrace, Naoki returns the salute with a lopsided grin, and waves to Liz as she exits.

“See you later, Liz.”

After spending a few minutes to collect her belongings, Naoki also departs the Den, headed for destinations unknown.

The response from within the Den is far from immediate. About a minute or so after Liz and Crovan have entered, one pointed ear pokes up over the lip of the seating area. For a moment, it swivels about slowly, locating the source of the disturbance.

Once it does, however, the rest of Naoki’s head follows suit as she pokes the top half of her face up over the lip of the depressed seating area. One eye half-open, the other half-shut, and her hair frizzy and quite disorderly, it’s clear that Naoki has only just awoken from her aforementioned nap.

Poking her nose up over the lip, she addresses the pair of them, “You’re back.” This is stated plainly, but not without a hefty helping of residual sleepiness.

Naoki takes a moment to raise one hand just barley up over the lip to rub at her eyes and then smooth the hair on the top of her head- right between the ears. Once the hand disappears again, she seems for all the world to have become totally refreshed- peppy, even. Slinging a smile in their direction, she addresses the pair again.

“What are you standing around by the door for? Come over here, have a seat!”

With that, she inclines her head to her left, their right, indicating the seating area in the center of the room in which she is currently seated.

A few things have been changed since Liz’ last visit. First and foremost, the table is gone. Where? Who knows! But there is no table, only empty space where the table once was. Additionally, Naoki- for her nap, presumably, seems to have assembled a sort of… nest, perhaps. She seems to have taken the majority of the Den’s pillows, cushions, and blankets and arranged them into a cozy sort of construction, in which she currently sits, covered up to the neck in blankets. There may be more changes, or perhaps... preparations, but they aren't apparent as of yet.

Crovan took a look of surprise, he had never seen Naoki in any form other than one that was ready to conduct business. He walked over to the fort of pillows and looked at Liz, "Since what?" Crovan asked with genuine curiosity.

A squirming motion rippled up Liz's torso as Naoki's hand passed across the small of her back, accompanied by a very poor attempt to stifle a giggle by the High Commodore. Her lower back was very sensitive, and the alcohol had removed any effort on her part to attempt to suppress the activity.

"Since...we...ummmm...."

She trailed off and realized that the silence would suggest the same thing as what had actually happened so she reacted by grabbing his hand and attempting to pull Crovan into the fort of pillows.

Watching the proceedings, Naoki shakes her head slightly. Oh, the wonders of inebriation! This situation is playing out almost as if a poorly written work of erotic fiction. But then again, so does most of what Naoki does, she supposes. Regardless, she had intended to ease into things with a bit more tact, a bit more teasing, a bit more finesse. But it seems like Drunk Liz knows what she wants, and it’s apparently between Crovan’s legs.

And… Naoki supposes that she doesn’t have much a problem with that. Their ‘goals are in alignment’ or somesuch. Rather than proceed aggressively, Naoki continues down the gentle path, sliding about such that she’s kneeling behind Liz, and sliding her other hand in between Liz and her pants, gingerly caressing. Though she is still mostly covered by the blanket and obscured from Crovan’s view by the fullness of Liz’ chest, one might find that if they chose to look, Naoki would be clad in nothing beyond a two piece set of lingerie that would seem, oddly enough, to be constructed out of white feathers. The fluffiest and most pure white feathers one has ever seen, at that. Comparable to the wings of an otherworldly holy being, even.