Prince of Tabar

It felt strange to be marking the anniversary of his sister's and his own birthday so far away from home. For the first time since his father had found him and brought him home, he wasn't able to visit Danika's shrine and talk with her as he usually did. Cody wasn't there to wake him up with the smell of her traditional delicious cooked breakfast. He worried how his father would handle his absence, would his withdrawal from the world be worse, easing that pain with even more opium.

Instead, Danny was in his freshman year of college, and so far he had been enjoying the freedom -- although that was a relative term with the army of bodyguards surrounding him in a house close to campus that Hsu had rented because of the ease their security measures could be installed. His classes were good, and he was doing well in them, but even better than that was that he was able to stretch his wings socially, and that he really liked and already where the best parties tended to be. He had made several casual friends, and one of them had been vetted thoroughly through MacDonald's system so that Danny could have company, and a roommate.

"Are you going to class today?" Benjamin Phillips had been informed by Lars Jespersen, who was currently Daniel's senior bodyguard, that for personal reasons his birthday was pretty much a non-event.

Dan shook his head. He was sitting quietly in the kitchen while he wondered how he would get through the day. He and his roommate had become firm friends in the short, few months they had known each other, and were getting closer although not yet lovers. Not that Danny had any objections. He had been sheltered but sex had always been a very open matter at the Ranch, and in these months away his crush on Cody had, while not faded, been distracted. It was Ben, who came from a wealthy but very straight-laced family. He had loosened up a bit, but Danny was not going to push it. Thoughts of sex, however, were far from his mind today. "It'd be a waste of my time and the professors' today. Just feeling a bit homesick."

Ben sat next to him. Although he didn't know the history, it was clear that something must have happened to mark Dan's birthday as a tragic anniversary. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder, leaning his head in. "I'm not going to pry. I promised Lars I wouldn't, but if you ever want to talk about it, I'm a great listener. I'm sure your dad'll call and you guys can talk, make you feel better." Ben had yet to learn about the often contentious relationship between father and son, although this day or all days would be the one where there would not be a fight.

He shrugged. He really wasn't sure if Hsu would call or take his call, especially if this anniversary wasn't hitting him as hard as it was Danny. "I don't know. He's not in a good mood right now. Cody'll probably call, though."

It was stunning to Ben that a father who was so protective of his son to surround him with a dozen or more bodyguards would not want to speak to him on his birthday, but he sensed that voicing his curiosity would not get him far. He did know how much Danny thought of Cody, usually he couldn't help smiling whenever he spoke about her. "Yeah, I bet that she will."

"Ben? Stay home today. Keep me company." Danny had managed to cover his phobia on being alone so far. If he wasn't surrounded by friends, there was always the men guarding him to keep that fear at bay. Today he needed a bit more, a real friend to keep him company as he longed for his sister. "Please. I really don't feel like being on my own."

Ben laughed. "Your own, with this lot?" He gestured towards the security man sitting unobtrusively in the next room. "You can get skip class, but some of us have to attend lectures."

"You know what I mean! And you can skip one class." He let his eyes do the pleading. "I'll have one of the guys sit in for you, tape the lecture.... Just for today, Ben. I just need someone around. A friend around."

"You rich boys think you can do anything. Having a bodyguard tape a lecture!" He was chuckling, imagining one of these hard mercenaries sitting in on a lecture on Strategic Financial Management. "Alright, but you owe me!"

For the first time that day, Danny shot him a smile, albeit a small one.

***

Later that evening, they were both just quietly talking, sharing a beer each. Danny had just told Ben about the first time he had seen, really seen, Cody in a bikini and how it had been his sexual awakening, and also more than a little discomforting to realize your father's lover and the woman he regarded as something between a mother and a sister was an incredibly hot and sexy woman. And from that moment, he told Ben, he had been in love. Ben described his first sexual exploits in high school with girls that his social-climbing family would never have approved of, and that he'd only gone with them for the shock and scandal and not because he had felt anything for them.

Ben looked into those sad hazel eyes. "You doing better than this morning?"

"Not really. It's just a tough day, but I'm glad you hung around. It's been good to have someone around I can talk to. It's helped, really it has." He smiled softly at him. Grateful to have him there and more than comfortable with him. Even so, it surprised him when Ben dipped his head and came in for a kiss. Surprised, yes, but Danny welcomed the advance."

"Er...yeah...you don't mind, do you? I've, er, been wanting to do that for a while." Ben pulled back, suddenly unsure in his forwardness. Danny was very open sexually but he may not feel the same, and today may not be the best day to show how he'd been feeling.

Danny shook his head. "No. I've been wanting you to do that for a while as well." Sex hadn't been on his mind, and maybe this would lead there tonight or maybe it wouldn't, but he longed for physical contact. The intimacy of a kiss and the comfort of arms around him. He leaned in and met Ben's lips again. This time the kiss lasted much longer.

[Pic here]

“What are you doing?”

Daniel, newly arrived at the Ranch, watched Cody as she finished tying a firm knot in the rope.

“Making you a swing.”

The young boy frowned. He was doing very well learning English, but there were still some things that confused him.

“But why are you using a…one of those?” He pointed at the tire that was hanging by that rope from a sturdy tree. “It belongs on a car.”

“A tire.” She prompted him. “Sometimes, a tire’s much more fun when you make it into a swing. Try it, and I’ll give you a push.”

Jumping ahead a little just to answer the prompt.

Danny held the gold leaf trimmed card in his fingertips, looking across his desk at his advisors. Captain Hart was sprawled on the couch while Maxil leaned against the wall by the door. Justine sat in one of three chairs and the one in the middle – Pirne’s – remained empty.

“Typical. It’s not so much an invitation as an order.” He regarded them each in turn. Attend or stay? He needed to make that decision. Either choice would potentially send a message to Hsu.

“Thoughts?” With his advisors chosen carefully to annoy Hsu, his gaze rested on the last chair. “Ash?”

Shortly after the Festival

“If you leave, I’ll go with you, Dan.” Justine looked up into her son’s hazel eyes. It was a price she was willing to pay as Hsu would assuredly kill her if Dan left Boukun.

Dan touched her face. “I’m not running away this time, Mom.” He was strong and successful now. Tabar a shining jewel in Hsu’s empire. It alone was unaffected by the Slitheen attack. “I’ll stay on Tabar, build it even greater, make it all mine. I want you here with me. You’re my mother, and I’m not going to let him hide you away any longer.”




OOC: More to follow on this later.

Link to picture

“Jamie! Where are you, little bro?” Danny turned the corner from the courtyard to the side of the house. “Have you seen Sig?” Recently, if he wanted to find out where his Husky puppy had disappeared to, he had only to find James.

And there was James, hiding something, and his dog licking his whiskers and nose, tail wagging madly. “What’ve you been feeding him this time?”

James looked down before revealing the ice cream cone…sans ice cream. His lip quivered as the puppy saw his opportunity to gobble up the fallen scoop. Then he giggled seeing Danny’s huge eyeroll.

OOC: On Hsu's yacht, with Daniel aged 14 and becoming aware of sexual feelings.

Danny stepped onto the sun deck and stopped suddenly, seeing Cody sunbathing in a very small, yellow bikini.

“Danny!” Her usual bright smile caused an unfamiliar and disconcerting knot low in his groin.

“I thought, er…” He coughed to clear the teenage squeak. “…you went ashore with Dad.”

“Other plans. Could you sunblock my back, please Danny?”

“Sure.” He perched on the side of her lounger, rubbing the cream over her shoulders. From nowhere, he wondered what it’d be like to kiss her. Suddenly, uncomfortable, he stood. “I..I..forgot, I left something in my cabin.” Trying not to blush, he left.

How many years had it been? Usually the tension between them was too strained for either man to safely let loose. Today, they had talked, not argued, enjoyed a ride into the mountains. When Hsu suggested sparring, Daniel jumped at it.

In the gym, both men shirtless and dress in comfortable workout pants, Daniel faced his father’s great scimitar with his own tulwar. The blades flashed, each clash ringing out as they moved around the room, each evenly matched. Swords locked, allowing both to catch breath. A look passed between them: respect, trust, competitiveness. Daniel grinned and the fight continued.

"So, why don't we just drive across the US?"

"You're crazy!"

"Maybe, but we'll drive from New York all the way to the West Coast and visit Cody! It'll be a blast."

"As if your dad will ever allow you to do that."

Danny grinned at his companions, Ben his lover and Van his primary bodyguard. Neither looked very convinced. "That's the magic of it. Once we're in New York, we hire an old VW Combi, and just head out. He never needs to know. Come on, guys...Road Trip!"

Ben and Van rolled their eyes. This promised trouble.

Like I said in my last post, there wasn't much positive to say about "Kites" except the delicious eye candy!

( Onto the prettehs....lots of prettehs. )

I miss you constantly, not just today.

Love you.

OOC: Takes places in the future when Danny is about 70 yrs old, so around 2075-ish. RP storyline for loyal_2a_fault, futurescourge, and later (hopefully) involve other Immortals. X-posted to allmyimmortals.

Autumn. London offices of Global News Network

"This could be your big chance, Alyssa." The head of entertainment for the London bureau looked over her desk at the young woman in front of her. "We want a big exclusive on this man, everything about him. He owns three of the most popular nightclubs slash resorts in the world; he's young, rich and handsome, a playboy, but he's never given a personal interview, the security around him is airtight, and nobody knows a damned thing about him. To dig up any info on him will be huge, and if it's ours..." A ratings landslide.

The dark haired girl, in her mid twenties, gazed at the definitely handsome man on the screen hanging on the office wall. "The competition will be left wondering what hit them." She might be young, but Alyssa knew the cutthroat world of TV journalism, relished it. "So, I take it that you're after more than just an interview with this...Daniel Harrington, Helen?"

Helen smiled and nodded. "Interviews are good if you only want to hear what the subject wants you to know. That expose you did for Damien on Earth Loves Peace was excellent investigative skills. You really got in there with the group." ELP were one of the hottest new bands around, with a very environmental agenda that, given the planet's deteriorating situation, was becoming more heard. "Do the same with Daniel Harrington; see how close you can get to him. I mean, it won't exactly be unpleasant, will it?"

"No, not at all. Will I have a cover?" She paused, smiling. "Will I get credit for the story?" That was more important. Yes, her investigation into ELP was good, but her immediate boss, Damien Dyson, had been the one to break it, citing that her anonymity as well as skills could be useful again.

"Yes, of course you will. You'll be working this assignment for me, not Damien, and after, this will put you in front of the camera, where you belong." Alyssa was well aware that Helen was probably just stroking her ego in order to get her to take the assignment, but she had also already helped make the names of two now primetime commentators. "Now, we've set up a background for you, and it should be airtight. His security is known for doing extremely thorough background checks. You're a photography student who has won a chance to work with Pierre de Troyes photographing some of the world's top models at The World in Dubai. One of the islands has a resort and Harrington has just opened his latest nightclub there. All you have to do is get noticed."

She made it sound so easy! "What about a name?"

"It's best to keep it close to yours." Helen handed the younger woman a folder with all the information she would need. "I thought Lisa would suit you. Lisa Perez."

***

( Dubai. One Week Later )

***

Any comments to here at allmyimmortals. Thank you!

OOC: Word count=5,097

X-posted to Danny's journal at IJ

Boston, MA (Danny aged 23)

The Immortal he sensed and was now following was young, perhaps even only recently experienced his first death. Certainly, by the strength of his Quickening, he had taken few, if any, heads.

Just the kind of Immortal he liked to hunt.

For nearly a thousand years, he had walked this world, his skills as a warrior honed on the battlefields of the Holy Land where he had first realized he was Immortal. Since then, and learning of the Game, he had made the most of those skills, determined to become The One, and that goal was always made easier when he happened across a young, inexperienced one. And in these modern times, where the most many new Immortals knew of a sword was in video games there were plenty. If they were really lucky and found a teacher, they might have had all too few years in actual training and were no match for him.

( This one had two mortals with him. )

Set somewhere around the 30 year verse.

A. Muse Questionaire

1. What sensory memory comes to mind when recalling your first time? Sound. The way her breath blew against my ear as she whispered encouragement.
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The present Danny had intended to give Cody for her birthday, he had shown his usual impatience and impulsive nature and had given it to her one his own birthday. It was an exact copy of the pendant she had taken from her during her captivity.

Not that it didn't stop him from planning something for her birthday now it had actually arrived.

With Lars' assistance, so that no one else (i.e. MacDonald) would disturb his plans, he arrived at the palace and changed into the costume that he'd procured. Back on Earth there had been the phenomenon of the singing telegram at birthday parties, and Daniel thought it would be fun to recreate that...in private, of course.

So, with Lars making sure that no one else was around Cody's suite, Dan pressed the comm button. In one hand, he held a heart-shaped box of Venusian chocolates -- the decadence and sweetness of which far surpassed that of Swiss chocolates -- on that box sat a rare teddy bear, made in early twentieth century Earth that had somehow been preserved and saved, and he had discovered and purchased at no little expense. In his other hand was a small box, gift wrapped with a bow that dwarfed it.

As for himself, he wore only a loin cloth and his pendant.

Just a heads up, I've changed Danny's journal to prince_of_tabar. Seeing as I created this journal when he was still a very new muse, I think for boukun this now fits him better.

x-posted from LJ


1 question...
1 chance...
1 honest answer...

That's all you get. Ask me one question. Any one question, anything, no matter how crazy it is. An honest answer. No catch.

OOC : Honesty may actually vary. Each muse's thread will be considered locked to that muse only.

This dinner date could well prove to be the most interesting Danny had had in a while. Jenny was certainly a very forthright young woman, and she had caused more than a few headaches with the shuttle pilots and docking station crews because of her unofficial shuttle rides from Boukun. But she was fun, intelligent, and yes, cute. Danny thought probably disarmingly so. That's why he couldn't resist asking her for a date instead of arresting her. Maybe they could work something out. It would be a shame to see her in jai.

The restaurant was in the main resort on the tropical region of Tabar, Tali-xon. While much of the nightlife there was loud and pumping, this one restaurant was quiet and peaceful. Some might call it intimate, but it was also relaxed and casual. It overlooked a deep lagoon, which at night often reflected the glow of Boukun in its pink waters. Sea mammals, not unlike Earth's dolphins, could also sometimes be spotted swimming.

Danny was at the bar, dressed in simple khaki pants with a light short-sleeved shirt, with one of his bodyguards waiting for Jenny to arrive.

Blood is thicker than water, and twice as hard to get out in the wash...

...and that went double for the metaphorical kind. Danny had punched in the code for Cody to leave, and as soon as she vanished he regretted telling her he didn't want her to stay. Why the hell had he done that? Now he was never going to see her again because she would be halfway across the galaxy getting herself killed. He grabbed hold of the console and kicked it hard, and then again. Another well-placed kick and the whole stand broke. Great.

He went back into his suite and saw the barely eaten dinner still on the table, now cold. Eyes fell on his snowboard that Cody had bought him. He was an idiot, sent her off to confront his father. If he had taken her suggestion of chess, TV, and just sleeping together...and it would have been just sleep, maybe he would have been able to talk her out of that suicide mission to Grucin, it would've been better. She would be able to deal with Hsu, and still be here for them. He flopped on the couch, eyes closed. For a few moments her relived that weekend they had spent together. It was one of his fondest memories, if not the most. Charged by a double Quickening the entire weekend had been one never-ending bout of sex. Except that it did end. But now there was something new to the memory...know he knew that weekend he had become a father.

Roma.

She had grown up around him, a bratty, spoiled, reckless and rebellious, and on the rare occasion, sweet. Cody's daughter. She was fun to have around...to fool around with...and that was how Danny had ever thought about her, but now he knew. She was his daughter too. And every time he thought about that, he thought about the last time he had seen Roma, pleasuring each other orally. It made him want to throw up. How could he ever look at Roma again? He had nearly fucked his own daughter. Would she ever want to look at him? How could he even begin to be her father with that there. At least one thing he knew was that no one would know, and he hoped that Roma would keep her mouth shut. Bad choice of words.

Danny opened his eyes, rubbing his hand across his face and sat there in the quiet. It didn't take long before the silence and the emptiness of his suite started to get at him. He was alone. He hated being alone. To the point of being phobic. Already he was starting to shake and his breathing grew more rapid, but if there was one thing, and one thing only, that Danny was good at that was hiding his fears. He got onto the commlink to his security detail outside, ordering one in. When he arrived, Danny informed him that he was going to one of the clubs at the resort. There he would hopefully catch up with Pirne and the rest of his gang, and if not there were plenty of others happy to hang out with the Prince of Boukun and Governor of its moon, Tabar. Telling the bodyguard to wait, he grabbed his jacket and sunglasses and then left with his escort, for once happy with Andy insisting on such close protection.

Set before their dinner, and a just as a matter of record as IJ ate the thread.

Cody: Daniel?

Daniel: You called?

Cody: *amused* So to the point.

Hey...just wanted to tell you I was back is all. I missed you.

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Fandom: Highlander
Title: A Prodigal Return
Author: Jaye prince_of_tabar
Theme(s): (include the theme name, prompt number and prompt name) ANGSTS: 27. Together
Pairing/Characters: Daniel Hsu (OC); Hsu Danmei (OC)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer/claimer: All of the characters are original, from the Highlander fandom. Daniel, Hsu and Andy are all mine. Cody and Cassandra are used in limited manners with the permission of their author.
Critiques: Yes
Summary: Sometime after leaving walking out on his father, Daniel returns. Set sometime in the past.

( Read more... )