”Nah, I’m telling ya love when I showed up everyone thought twice before pulling the trigger, all of a sudden there was an angel ready ta pass judgement and that was all Ranger needed ta run up and put the hurt on them. Even got a ‘Good job kid’” he tried to hide the fact that he was patting himself on the back but he was actually patting himself on the back as they walked down the street to the next bar.

They had just finished at a nice seafood restaurant. Her choice not his. It was a little out of his price range but so were most things the princess had liked he still tried to pay where he could. Which was why he suggested they go out for drinks next.

”Anyways, ya ever think about home Ames?” it was hard to follow Carrick’s thought process sometimes... Bird! His eyes followed the flying prey as it swooped low grabbed a French fry and flew off. His tail flicked and he was half tempted to fly after it but had to remind himself he was with the person he cared most for in the world. His hand reached out for hers and he grounded himself.

”What was I talking about again? Oh home. It didn’t seem so bad when we went last time, I mean, sides from the flight there... and the chamber with the rock didn’t do much fer me. But the place seemed nice.”

>>”Nah, I’m telling ya love when I showed up everyone thought twice before pulling the trigger, all of a sudden there was an angel ready ta pass judgement and that was all Ranger needed ta run up and put the hurt on them. Even got a ‘Good job kid’”

"It is surprising how often people mistake you for an angel. Instead of a griffin." Amethyst noted, amused by his story. Carrick knew how to spin a tale, which was annoying more often than not, but it did grow on her after a while. She didn't really understand the general American preoccupation with angels, though. They were boring at best.

>>”Anyways, ya ever think about home Ames?... What was I talking about again? Oh home. It didn’t seem so bad when we went last time, I mean, sides from the flight there... and the chamber with the rock didn’t do much fer me. But the place seemed nice.”

"Home?" she blinked, holding his hand as he seemed distracted for a moment. Times like this, he really was like a cat. "Atlantis?" It was funny, it took her a moment to catch up. Home, for the past years, had been New York. More recently, the apartment they shared with Praxi. "I mean... it is quite a beautiful place. And it is becoming less... divided, I hear." It was still a sore spot, the things she used to believe.

>>> "Home?"

The Irishman nodded his head.

>>> "Atlantis?"

”Aye.” he nodded his head again. Trying to see where she was looking to see if there was a worthy distraction as she caught up to the conversation. ”That’s good! Right? Less divided?” it took Carrick a second to realize what she was talking about.

”Oh...Oooooooh....” his tail flicked towards her as they walked, ”You mean...” he held up the hand that she was holding. He was implying them without saying anything which was a lot for Carrick at times. This subject was a touchy one.

”Well that’s good right? Not that I normally care what anyone thinks. ‘Cept you. But means it’s easier fer us. Right? Queen seemed supportive I think... did she know? She had to right?” his normal bravado faltered. His tail and wings responded in kind and he thought to himself for a moment.

”Fancy a visit back? Pretty sure I could fit right in ta palace life.” he said with a wink. ”I’m royalty after all!” he said with a chuckle at his own lie.

>>”Aye. That’s good! Right? Less divided?.... Oh...Oooooooh.... You mean...”

"Yes." Amethyst nodded. Their relationship would not have been accepted in Old Atlantis. Even by her, honestly.

>>”Well that’s good right? Not that I normally care what anyone thinks. ‘Cept you. But means it’s easier fer us. Right? Queen seemed supportive I think... did she know? She had to right?... Fancy a visit back? Pretty sure I could fit right in ta palace life. I’m royalty after all!”

"You are a royal pain is what you are." the princess smirked at him, holding his hand. It really did grow on one after a while. "We could... although I don't want to move back there any time soon..."

”True. Still... a royal though. Ya said it!” Carrick said through a toothy grin back towards her.

”Nah, and leave Praxi all alone in our apartment? She’ll get everywhere!” technically it was Amethyst’s apartment he just moved in. The way a stray does. ”Sides, finally decorated me room ta how I like it!” he did little sleeping in it. It had some spots for his treasures, a corner for his guitar and of course a few posters of himself in his perfected form with motivational quotes. The ‘hang in there’ one was his personal favorite.

”Home is where me heart is. So where ever ya go I’m sure I’d follow. Used ta moving around a lot. Carnie fer life.” Carrick said with a chuckle and all the sincerity he could muster. He had never been shy about telling her how he felt.

”So the place I’m thinking is just round the corner here.” he said pointing with his free hand to the next intersection. ”Jazz band plays all night. Should be a good time.” that was when he slowed his pace something... was off. The shifter felt warm like he was being embraced by a someone. He looked down to his hand which was still holding the Princess’s there was no one hugging him either. That was when he noticed the shadows next. It was weird for them to be so tall at night. That was when he looked behind him and saw someone practically glowing.

“At Last! We have finally found you! Princess Iris Beryl Amethyst! It is I! I’ve traveled to this... city to find you!” there was an arrogant bravado there that the shifter picked up right away. His glowing died down a bit as he bowed and reached for the Princess’s free hand to kiss it.

Carrick was more surprised than anything though his smile widened at the gesture. ”Ah, a show! Ya know him Ames?”

>>”Home is where me heart is. So where ever ya go I’m sure I’d follow. Used ta moving around a lot. Carnie fer life.”

Amethyst's look softened and she smiled at him. A royal pain indeed. But a sincere man. And he loved her.

>>”So the place I’m thinking is just round the corner here. Jazz band plays all night. Should be a good time."

Carrick reacted to the warmth before she did. It took Amethyst a moment to place the strange feeling as they turned to see the glowing figure. It was familiar. Way familiar. From a lifetime ago.

>>“At Last! We have finally found you! Princess Iris Beryl Amethyst! It is I! I’ve traveled to this... city to find you!”

Oh boy.

The man picked up her hand to kiss it; she felt his unusual warmth. Amethyst tensed up, even as Carrick seemed entertained.

>>”Ah, a show! Ya know him Ames?”

"Hello, Iason" Amethyst said calmly. If there was a contest of bravado, Carrick had already won it. "Of course I know him. He was one of my suitors back home."

‘Fight!’ the shifter’s smile continued as he was ignoring his primal instincts. It told him to defend what was his and chase off anyone who was trying to take it. The only sign of this internal battle was his tail which went from swaying to more of a flicking motion. Still he tried to play the part of entertained after she said his name.

”A suitor ya say?” his tail flicked a little more aggressively behind him. The tail might have flicked Amythest once or twice. Carrick’s hand tightened slightly around hers, the one that wasn’t in the suitors hand. ”Wow! Didn’t know ya had that big of a following! Are there more?” the shifter said with some sass.

Iason stopped basking his warmth for a moment and looked over to Carrick up and down dumbfounded by the question. “Surely as her pet you would know her charm!”

Was this why she didn’t want to move back? The shifter looked from his girlfriend to the golden boy who was still holding her hand. ”Was he one of the reasons ya left?” Carrick asked not really thinking about what he was saying. As usual. ”Aye, know her charm took me a bit ta find it. Not a pet though.”

“Very well, Concubine then. Mine prefers that title as well.” Iason smiled once again gracing all with another wave of warmth. “She is many things... Princess! I have come to seek your company, surely you know a place where we can go for a more intimate conversation?” Iason stood up and released the Princess’s hand. It was clear to Carrick the man was out of his element here.

”Right... Hey concubine?” Carrick said waving his free hand to the woman a few steps behind Iason immediately feeling bad for the woman. ”Prefer Carrick personally.” the shifter said turning his gaze back to the Princess to wait for her response.

>>”A suitor ya say?... Wow! Didn’t know ya had that big of a following! Are there more?”

Amethyst could read Carrick's body language by now, tail and all. She knew he was not the aggressive kind, normally, but he did get jealous when 'jerks' hit on her. And honestly, Iason qualified as a jerk even by Atlantean standards.

>>“Surely as her pet you would know her charm!”

>>”Was he one of the reasons ya left?... Aye, know her charm took me a bit ta find it. Not a pet though.”

The princess snorted. Took a while, indeed. It was mutual. But now, knowing better, she was glad they both stuck to it.

"Not really. I don't think the queen would have forced me to marry him after all." She shrugged.

>>“Very well, Concubine then. Mine prefers that title as well. She is many things... Princess! I have come to seek your company, surely you know a place where we can go for a more intimate conversation?” I

>>”Right... Hey concubine? Prefer Carrick personally.”

"He is my boyfriend." Amethyst clarified. She had come around to the term. Pet was definitely a no, and concubine didn't describe their relationship anymore... And people seemed to cringe at 'lover' although she had no idea why. She glanced at the woman standing back. Now she was probably really a concubine. Iason was not the romantic kind. "I don't think we need an intimate conversation."

”Boyfriend.” Carrick mouthed in more of a hushed tone. It wasn’t the first time she had said it but every time she did he’d pretend to swoon. It was a nice feeling though, not to be claimed like a piece of property. She was already good at that but to be counted as an equal in the relationship. The butterflies in his stomach did a little jig.

>>> "I don't think we need an intimate conversation."

That was that. Or so Carrick thought. His back had already started to turn and he reached out to take the Amythest's hand once more then stopped when he noticed a perfectly manicured hand reach out for the Princess’s arm to hold her back. “I wasn’t finished speaking. Really I think this would be best in more private.” Iason was oblivious to the low growl that started from Carrick. He was too busy looking around at the ‘commoners’. “It is in regards to my position as well as yours and I think it could benefit us both. I have come a long way after all for an audience.

The growl turned into a rumble. Carrick’s eyes now slitted Irises focused on the suitor who now overstepped in his opinion. ”Best remove yer hand from her less I remove it fer ya. Only warning.” as much as he hated to admit it he was his fathers blood. He’d seen his father take a hand for less to protect what was his. His features started to get more feline as he was fighting off the urge to shift. Not that he’d need to. This man was everything Carrick wasn’t. He wouldn’t know how to fight right?

“Princess. I implore you to control...” Iason looked Carrick up and down with a look of disgust and then struggled to say the word. “Your boyfriend. I only wish to talk to you about your standing and how we can improve it. Did you not know of my standing? My father has given me yet another promotion and with us paired I believe you can jump the line to the throne. At least by two. What can this creature do for you other than keep your bed warm?”

>>“I wasn’t finished speaking. Really I think this would be best in more private.”

Amethyst hated this whole situation. She was just getting used to a different kind of life, and now the suitor from the past showed up with his Atlantean idiocies. She tried to move away but was held back. Big mistake. She could hear Carrick growl.

>>”Best remove yer hand from her less I remove it fer ya. Only warning.”

>>“Princess. I implore you to control... Your boyfriend. I only wish to talk to you about your standing and how we can improve it. Did you not know of my standing? My father has given me yet another promotion and with us paired I believe you can jump the line to the throne. At least by two. What can this creature do for you other than keep your bed warm?”

Strange. It was strange, almost surreal, listening to someone talk like that. She had been so used to it, a lifetime ago. She would not have even noticed. But now she did.

"Control him?" Amethyst tilted her head. She gave an impish smile. "Na. I don't feel like it."

Iason gave her a surprised look. It was satisfying.

"And I am in line to the throne. You are a boy who gets promotions from his father. I will be jumping no lines with you."