Mea Culpa (Fantasy kingdom war RP)

[Toxias]

[[I feel sorry for the gutter 3nodding ]]

[SharadSun]

(So does the gutter neutral )

[Foxwolfy]

Rikky Moonshade

Being a shadow...


For a moment, Rikash was almost hard pressedto avoid Luma's lightning fast attack, but then the other girl turned away.
Rikash smothered a fierce grin. A back attack, didn't the others ever expect her to fight dirty? It was fun, after all. But now it seemed, her own planning had turned advantages against her. Ah well.
"I will take that as an invitation, Luma." She saluted at her enemy's retreating back, then scowled and turned away, sheathing one of her daggers as she scanned the battlefield with sharp eyes.
With Gabriella making a tactical retreat, the battle was slowing at a rapid pace. Make sense out of that one.
She stalked over to where Merc and Flyboy were nearly done decimating the fire soldiers, and yanked one of the remaining men onto the floor at her feet.
"Talk. Now." She stated bluntly, more than just ice in her tone.
"I don't like being stabbed in the back."
The fire man stared at her for a moment, until the shadow that had been stretching out at her feet returned to cross her face, hiding it, save for her eyes. Then he started talking, so fast that it was a struggleto make out the separate words.
When he was done spilling what little guts he had, she ran him through, and left him to bleed in the mud. She cleaned her blade of blood on his clothes and turned to scan the field around her again. Many of the men, sensing that her mood had returned, had vacated the area of the feild nearby, to mop up the soldiers elsewhere.
She snarled in disappointment, and turned on her heel. With a vague salute in the directions of her allies, she left the battlefield and disappeared into the shadowy streets of her city.
One of her military advisors was the only one to approach her, trying to mutter something in her ear about battle tactics.
She turned and pushed against his chest, sending him sprawling on the street.
"Just Shut Up."

...Isn't much different to being like one dead.

((Me vs compy update. The computer won.))

[DieGrosseHand]

((I have my own "Me vs Compy" now. My computer got a virus, and sadly, died. T-T I do have limited internet access, thanks to my parents computers, but don't expect much. I'm only allowed on if I need it for school. Like... Now.))

[YllibB]

Darkness surrounded him, engulfing him, making him a part of the vastness. Nothing could escape from it. Not when it wanted to consume another. As the fire kingdom prince seeped into blackness, memories of past events flashed past him, forcing him to suffer through what he always tried to escape. As if, even in death there was no escape from his pain. Wasn't death supposed to be peaceful? That when it finally claimed its latest victim you felt nothing more. No more hurt, no more heartbreak, no more anything. If that was true, then why was he having to live through this again? It made no sense. Somewhere in his mind he could hear a thought forming. 'I am dead now, right? If so, then just let me rest. Stop forcing me to live through all this. Just... let me die with the small amount of dignity I have left. Please.' Even the pleading died down as the memory took hold.

Two curious eyes peered out from behind a pillar. Something was going on, and as usual the adults were keeping him out of the loop. He always hated when they did so. If he was such an important person, then why could he not know what was gong on? A small child ducked behind a pillar as two adults walked past his hiding place, immersed in conversation. He could hear the tail end of their conversation. From the first adult. "They say that it was an assassin. That neither of them had a chance." From the second. "Was it the water kingdom? Those are the only ones that I can see doing such an underhanded tactic. The poor prince. What's to happen to him now?" Then the two moved away, too far to hear any more snippets of conversation. The young boy's eyes widened. What ever had happened sounded rather serious. He needed to investigate further without anyone seeing him.

Looking both ways to make sure no one else was coming, he ran from one pillar to the next, making it further into the palace. Every time an adult or two passed he hid, hearing pretty much the same thing. Something had happened that would affect the prince and it was probably the water kingdom. He was closer now to the throne room of the castle, and it was getting more difficult to hide. A crowd of servants were forming outside the doors, which were being watched by a few guards. More then was the norm. The boy's eyes went from curious to concerned. What had happened that would require so much security? No way he was going to make it through those doors. Since he was still a child they were clearly going to keep him away from this. At any cost. There had to be a way to get in without going through the-

Of course! There was a way. One that all but royals, the elite guard, and the most curious of servants was in the dark about. Smiling at his cleverness, the boy made his way through the crowd, but only to a point. He was making his way to the right hand wall. When he was sure that no one else was looking, he touched a certain brick that opened the secret passage. The boy quickly moved in and shut the door behind him. No one the wiser that he had come in. A few moments passed as he stood still, waiting for his eyes to adjust. He could just make out a small path that led forward. This he followed, going further and further in. A wall suddenly loomed up in front of the child, barring his path. He just smiled again and pushed another brick, making sure to hit the right one. If the wrong one was pressed on any of the parts then an alarm would sound that could be heard for miles.

With a tiny click the second door opened just enough for him to look through. A good thing, too, since there was a guard right outside. How was he going to get past this one? No way he could talk himself out of this. A second guard came up to the first and they began talking. Nothing important, not even about the prince, just random stuff. Soon a third came and shouted at them to get back to their posts. They snapped to attention and left, leaving the boy free to escape. He closed the door behind him and ran across the open room to another door. There was a shout behind him as he reached for the handle, but it was too late to stop him. He pushed open the door. There in front of the prince, lay two dead bodies on their bed. His mother and father. The royal adviser came up from behind the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy could feel tears welling up from inside. His parents had been eviscerated.

If this had not been the master bedroom for his parents, one would not even be able to tell that it was them. Their faces had been cut to pieces. Somewhere above him a voice spoke, though it sounded miles away. "This is a true tragedy, to have lost two great rulers because of this war. And in such a way. We have already set a plan in motion to make it seem that doubles were killed. Another two that look just like them will be set on the throne, but only as decoration. You will have to rule now. We cannot let this defeat us. We will come back stronger then before, and take down the water kingdom until they are no more." The young prince barely heard what the adviser had to say, as all his mind could concentrate on were the dead bodies, and the tears running down his face. How could this have happened? How could an assassin get through their security? Was it really the water kingdom? This was his fault, wasn't it? If he had never attacked that other child from the water kingdom, then none of this would have happened.

The memory began to fade now, as it was finally concluded. And instead of feeling himself go further down the path of being dead, he felt lighter. As if from some how he was being restored. 'No. Please let it end. I want to die. No more war. No more bloodshed. Please.' Again his plea went unheeded as it was all in his mind. The light came rushing towards him as his eyes blinked open. At first he could not recall where he was. The bed felt unfamiliar, the ceiling looked different, and even the air was off. After a few minutes of laying there thinking it all came rushing back to him. His mouth formed into an oh, but no sound came out. There were voices next to him, and he turned his head to see the queen and some others who were leaving. "Your highness, Queen Luma!" Jacob moved to get up, but a wave of dizziness forced him back to the bed. It was a good thing, because if he had done what he wanted to, he'd be naked in front of the queen. He had wanted to get up and bow to her. "I hate to ask this of you," he began, his hand over his eyes. "But do you mind leaving for a moment so that I may get dressed? Then I can answer any questions you may have for me."

((Ugh. Sorry. The cold has really messed things up here. Oh, and for fire it's more like this. Fire: You have my respect, but I must kill you with honor. Laugh with me.))

[Toxias]

~~~~~Gɐ ɓ ɍ ȇ l l ȃ ~L ʉ ӎ ɐ x ӓ~S ɘ я ȧ p ʜ e ɨ l ~~~~~
Luma

A single choice, a single mistake…

Gabriella exhaled a sigh of relief when Jacob finally came to. For a moment, she thought she had been too late. However, she almost had a heart attack when Jacob tried to sit up. He might have been physically healed, but Gabriella had not done anything for him energy wise. Did he want to get himself killed again?!

But these thoughts were all washed away at Jacob’s next statement. Despite herself, Gabriella flushed pink and pointedly looked away, biting her lip lightly. She steeled herself, turned back to Jacob, a light and almost flirtatious grin on her face, “You better!”

Then Gabriella stood and left. She snagged a page standing at the door and ordered him to go get some new clothes for Jacob. Judging from the appearance of his wounds, his clothes would probably be beyond repair, or stained completely crimson. The sheets were certainly testimony to that.

As soon as the page left, Gabriella’s thoughts wandered back to Jacob and she blushed again. It had not escaped her notice that he was very well built, as was expected of the warrior kingdom, fire. She wasn’t usually shy around men, but the event had taken her so off guard. At the moment, she was only concerned about keeping him alive. As much as Gabriela enjoyed the thrill of fight, she didn’t believe in murder. Or at least, that was the concept.

Carefully steering her thoughts away from that embarrassing moment, Gabriella began to formulate her questions. Jacob was of fire, and Gabriella had not spoken with him in years. What could he want of the light kingdom? And furthermore, why had he helped her troopers beat off the dark invaders? Gabriella had taken a majority of her troops in an attempt to overwhelm the Dark kingdom. Since Gabriella had left, her soldiers had dealt heavy damage to the dark kingdom with sheer numbers and their ability to heal. However, the dark sneak attack had certainly been a surprise, and Gabriella was grateful to Jacob. Which might become a problem…being indebted to the fire kingdom was not high on Gabriella’s to-do list.

But this brought Gabriella back to Jacob. Why had he done it in the first place?

…rivers of blood, painful heartbreak.

[[It’s cool. The weather is so cold...it’s strange. (Haha, play on words!) Sorry. Btw, I have exams coming up, so I might not be on as often...I'll probably post anyways though. And wolf, don't give up! ^^]]

[YllibB]

Jake had not been able to see her reaction to his request for clothes since he was still feeling the effects of what had transpired a few candle marks before. His energy had been sapped right out of him. Just staying alive had taken most of what he had left after the battle. Now he was laying naked underneath the bloody sheets right before the queen of the light kingdom. Who wouldn't be woozy? To be honest, a Clearweather was never modest, most from the fire kingdom weren't, but that did not mean others were the same. More servants had seen him naked after a long swim then could be counted. If he had not been pushed back down due to weakness of the body, he probably would have been bowing in front of her... in the buff. Without a hint of humility or embarrassment. That's just how you were when born into a land made of warriors, by warriors, for warriors. You were either strong of heart and low of emotion, or you did not survive long. Or so the mantra of the fire kingdom went.

Not all believed in such a thing, though they still could not help but practice it. Even though Jacob believed that emotions should be felt and not hidden deep inside you, he still held in place a mask to keep others out. This pointless war was his fault after all, so he had to hide away what he felt. Anger had led to this bloodshed. So, he continued to show the appropriate for the situation, a smile at a joke, anger at an insult, but he never let it get the better of him. The last time he did a kid ended up near death. Why? Because he had said that something that Jake could hardly remember. It truly was best to hide your emotions from others. Being in the same area as Gabriella, who was fully hyper on a bad day, was going to be a trying time. Just keeping up with her was going to be rather difficult. It had to be done, though, for the greater good of the lands. In many places already so much blood had soaked into the ground that plant life would not be growing back for a good few decades. And the lives lost would not ever be able to come back. It had to end. Somewhere there was a beginning that would bring about that end. Hopefully, this would be that start.

He had barely been aware of the words being exchanged beside him as he was still nursing his headache. Hurthorn had never experienced a hangover due to the fact that he did not drink, ever, but many had described to him what it was like. If their descriptions were accurate, then this was the equivalent of twenty or more. A man appeared next to the bed he still lay in. When Jacob paid him no heed the man cleared his throat. 'Ugh. Go away. Why will no one just leave me alone to die? Leave me be you fool!!' Though, of course, he was no longer in fear for his life, but it sure as hell felt like he was dying. His mind was rude, but his personality normally was not. The prince removed his hand from his eyes and stared at the guy. "Yes? May I help you?" Instead of saying anything, the guy held up a set of clothing that looked like it would fit Jake. He nodded slightly. "Thank you, sir. Leave it anywhere." The man did so and left, not wanting to be around the guy from the fire kingdom any longer then necessary. The man had been taken slightly aback by being called sir, but that did nothing to take away from being in the presence of one rumored of such brutality.

"Ha ha! Oh!" Once more he grasped his temples as the laughing had set of another round of pain. No matter where he went the reaction was the same. Everyone saw the fire kingdom as a bunch of thugs, ready to run over the weakest of opponents if it meant getting what they wanted. No one really knew or seemed to care that they had an entire section of school now devoted entirely to scholarly pursuits. From understanding of the elements they controlled, along with the others' elements, to coming up with different ways to cement peace for the kingdoms. And the cost of that one? Anything but filled with destruction of others. Still, no one ever got past the first impressions of the fire kingdom. Back when they first arose as a power they were nothing more then a barbarian race that actually used heavy clubs as weapons, beating at anything they could get their hands on. Nothing more then Neanderthals with a bit bigger brains. First impressions were why this war was still going strong.

A few moments passed and the pain finally receded enough that he could get up. The pants and shirt were set out on a chair, waiting for him to put them on. Once he did he would have to be all prim and proper, to honor his name of Clearweather. Jake sighed and ran a hand through his hair, cringing slightly as a small, sharp pain rippled through his body. Yes, he had been healed, but that did not mean all was better. Light healed the wound, but it always seemed to miss any extra tissue damaged, so he had to wait until his tendons wrapped back together on their own. Thankfully, he did not have to get dressed this moment. He had to clean up, since he was covered in dry blood. The prince got slowly to his feet and moved to a bowl full of scented jasmine water. Just what he needed to cool down and revitalize a bit of his energy. Jake scooped up a handful of water, taking a long gulp. The cool water moved down his throat, down to his stomache, filling him with a slight amount of calm. Now he was back in control. The wound would soon be nothing more then a memory of yet another battle. All would be right with his body, which was good. Being weak would not help anyone at this point.

That water did make him feel a bit better. Just enough energy to handle whatever the queen threw at him. He grabbed a nearby cloth, dipped it into the water, and quickly scrubbed himself down, making sure to get rid of every last bit of blood. There was a lot of it to be gotten rid of. When he was done, the prince turned and looked once more at the clothing. Well, no point putting it off. He had promised her that once he dressed himself that he'd answer all her questions. She was sure to have many. Clearweather went to the clothes and grabbed them from the chair, quickly donning them. They were a bit tight, but they fit. Tight was fine. All it really did was show off his masculine features, along with his rear end, nothing that people hadn't seen before. None here, of course, but people all the same. Before he went out the door he ripped the sheets off the bed, stripping it completely, and scrunched them together so that the maids would not have to handle the blood soaked parts. Taking a deep breath, he put on his most diplomatic face, and pushed the door open. And there was the queen, still standing there. Jake raised an eyebrow and stepped out into the corridor. "And here I figured I was going to have to ask where you might have gone. I suppose this saves me having to search for you.

"Knowing how you are, that would have taken a while, and I'd rather get all the formalities out of the way now so that we may get down to business. I am guessing you have a few questions about what I'm doing here. Two things. One, could you see that Rena is taken care of? I figure she's waiting for me to come back, and I would like to see that after our ride, and our battle, that she's safe and clean. She hates being dirty for too long. Second thing is this. Can we get something to eat? I'm more then a little starved. Nearly dying will do that to a man. You can ask your questions while we walk, and during the meal. I just really need food. Haven't had a decent one in two weeks since I decided to travel light to get here fast. Fruits and rabbit gets old quickly. If... if that's all right with you, your majesty. If you would prefer I answer your questions first, queen Luma, then I will oblige." Even coming out of a catatonic state he remembered his research on all the peoples of the kingdoms, and knew she hated being called Gabriella. Probably only an emergency situation would have him call her that. "Whatever it is you desire, your majesty, since this is your kingdom. Not mine." While he awaited her response, or her questions, he set an appraising eye over her. She had definitely changed since they were kids. His last memories of her had been of a little blur of energy, running everywhere, even breaking things. He had actually found it funny. Back then she was stringy, awkward in her body, but now... Well, she was different. That was the point. They all were.

[SharadSun]

(You are a freaking awesome writer crying I feel mediocre now. XD)

I'll always be there for you.

Tatsumaki Kazuki…
The Brilliant Storm.

Responsibility is a responsibility I’d rather not be responsible for.

"You haven't lost your touch one bit." I walked a bit closer to Rikku (who was in a wonderful mood, obviously) and put my hand on her shoulder, scrutinizing her. She seemed completely winded, but resolute.

When was she not resolute? Beats me.

She always has that air of grim determination around her, that "I will kill you if you look at me funny" demeanor that's always such a charmer at parties. That and her natural tendency to kill people who piss her off, and you've got the perfect politician.

Relax, I was just kidding. Mostly.

"So... how's our beautiful Dark Princess today?" I call her Yamihime a lot... it sounds a lot nicer than "Rikash" and she seems like she hates it. I bet she secretly likes it inside, but shuts herself up.

I pat her on the head, then take a look at the administrative whoever that she's just shoved into the floor. "Yikes. That's gonna hurt." The twitching advisor... well, twitches.

I smile and turn back to her, looking her in the eyes calmly. The only reason I think she has a heart left behind all that "darkness" stuff is that she doesn't kill me on sight. "You need to relax, hun. Drop by Indraprastha and I'll let you in on some killer soma... eighty years' aged. Perfect stuff, and sweet. Saku loves it." Sakura looks up to Rikku as an idol.

"Oh... and are you hurt from the battle at all? I could get Sakura to heal you up nice and good." I smile. Despite my air of total blase, I actually care about her. She's like my little sister... since it obviously isn't going to get any better than that any time soon.

[Toxias]

~~~~~Gɐ ɓ ɍ ȇ l l ȃ ~L ʉ ӎ ɐ x ӓ~S ɘ я ȧ p ʜ e ɨ l ~~~~~
Luma

A single choice, a single mistake…

Gabriella had been leaning against the wall and smiled brilliantly as Jacob stepped out of the room. He had a faint taint of something metallic around him, no doubt the lightest odor of blood. But Gabriella didn’t mind. She had been on the battle field too long to mind.

As soon as Jacob stopped speaking, she whirled and skipped a few steps down the hall. When she reached the opening to the courtyard she whirled around again and answered, “Sure thing, but if you want to eat, you’re going to have to wait for me to change.”

After a moment’s thought, there was another dazzling smile, and Gabriella added, “Your majesty.”

Gabriella snagged a passing stable hand, asking him to take care of Rena, Jacob’s valiant steed. Gabriella mildly remembered passing her on her way to the infirmary, all hooves and fire. Gabriella signaled another servant, and asked her to show Jacob the way to the dining room. The maid had to ask which one, and at this Gabriella paused, wondering. Of course there was a private dining room, and the grand one, for official kingdom banquets and the such. Gabriella decided she’d just go with the one that happened to sit in the middle, for small embassies. It was fitting, after all.

Then Gabriella danced off, light on her feet despite the battle she had just fought. Although she no longer minded the scent of blood, she still was picky about her clothes, especially if they were going to eat. Jacob might have smelled as fresh as a daisy, but Gabriella certainly didn’t. She wove her way up to her room, her old room, that is. She had always loved her room since she was a little child, perched on a high spire that overlooked the courtyard. It was almost a sort of rebellion against being queen that she had retained her old chambers instead of the new ones. Her mother had offered, in a brief moment of lucidness, to give Gabriella the queen’s room, but Gabriella had refused. Now Gabriella could barely bring herself to enter the dismal chamber of the mother she had so much loved.

A stab of sorrow made its way past Gabriella’s built up masquerade, and she almost doubled over at the weight of it all, slumping against the door of the stairway. She shuddered as she forced down her emotions, squeezing her eyes shut.

The moment passed, and Gabriella sighed, then regained her happy composure, genuinely relieved that no one had witnessed her brief lapse. Climbing the stairs, she entered her room, and undressed. She scrubbed herself clean, but did it thoroughly, unknowingly much like Jacob. However, unlike the fire kingdom ruler, she did it as much for appearance as she did it for her own pleasure.

Gabriella browsed through her closet, glancing from dress to dress. In the end she decided on a simple silver dress, short, by the kingdom’s standards. It was a sleek, strapless dress that fell a few inches above her knees, without any ruffles or trimmings. Running a comb quickly through her hair, Gabriella made a face at a few bloodstains. There was little she could do about that unless she wanted the servants to heat up a bathtub, and that would take ages.

Making another face, Gabriella picked up her armor and clattered/glided down the stairs. She was skipping again, and slightly breathless by the time she reached the place she had left Jacob standing. Pausing for a moment, Gabriella changed her direction to head for the stables. She checked to see if Rena was being taken of, before stepping back out and heading towards the dining room.

Making her way there, Gabriella’s mind drifted towards the war. It was something that consumed not only lives, resources, people, but also though. Every person in every kingdom thought of the war at least once a day, unless you were a reclusive hermit. But even then, it was hard not to at least know about the war.

Berlim. The alliance of Light, Water, Rock, and Nature. Water provided the best tacticians the kingdoms had to offer. Their strategies had won many battles and saved many lives. Their near endless supply of water as an asset as well, and with a non-aggression pact with air, remained steady. Light, of course, provided the bulk of the healers as well as a certain number of fighters. These were hard to kill because of regenerative properties, but not quite as tough as those of Rock. Rock was undoubtedly steadfast and strong. They provided the main bulk of the fighting force for Berlim, their soldiers able to take a beating and still continue on. Nature provided for all of these troops, their plant magic coaxing even the most stubborn of flora to grow at three times their normal rate. Berlim made a powerful defense, and Kaltar had found themselves hard pressed to invade the territories.

But on the other hand, Berlim didn’t quite have the troops to amass a full scale invasion against Kaltar, especially not with the fire kingdom on its side. A small frown graced Gabriela’s lips at this though. The war certainly seemed pointless. The two sides were about equally matched.

Which was why Gabriella had left the battle field to speak with Jacob. It could very well turn the tide of the war. Which way was a mystery that perhaps even the water kingdom could not unravel.

But Gabriella pushed those thoughts away as she entered the dining room, nodding at Jacob, who had obviously made it before her. As Gabriella sat, she mildly wondered if she had kept him waiting long. Ah well, he didn’t look particularly angry so Gabriella assumed she hadn’t taken that long.

Turning her mind back to the present Gabriella apologized, though more out of formality than of want for forgiveness, “I believe our meal won’t be plentiful at this time, the cooks were no doubt caught a little off guard, your majesty.”

Again Gabriella added the title. If he was going to call her Queen, then she might as well make sure he suffered the same treatment. Moving on from this admittedly childish matter, Gabriella asked her first question as a few servants came in, bearing trays of food, enough to make a good meal, despite what Gabriella had said.

“So…what exactly is it that brings you to the Light kingdom?

…rivers of blood, painful heartbreak.

[deaded123]

Mercury Cobalt Silver

The truth hurts...

[[Sorry guys...comuter issues should be better from now on xd ! SharadSun,(OMG gutter brain!!) you feel mediocre, Me feels pipsqueakish sweatdrop crying cry
haha lol slicey slicey says metal!! mrgreen ]]
Mercy sheathed her sword and looked around her.Soldiers were clearing up their colleagues remains and all important people save herself had left the battlefield. She walked quickly to where her horse was and saddled up. She took one last look at the carnage she had helped to cause and was suddenly overwhelmed with thoughts. It was unusual for her to think like this but she found herself wondering about families and friends that had been left behind. Mercy quckly shook her head to banish those thoughts and signed before heading back to her palace.
She let her mind wander but on a short lead. With a jolt she came back into focus as her steed jumped over a large molehill. Her palace rose above her and she couldn't help feeling a small bit of dread at the sight. Here she endured idiotic advisors and annoying guards. She wondered how her parents managed so well and was overwhelmed by a cold hard sorrow that ripped through her body. She thought of her parents and she remembered when they had informally eaten together and when they had gone for walks. Clearing her head she knew that those days were gone now. She was at the palace gate which was at the minute open so she trotted through. A couple of pages came to take her horse to the stables and she passed him over with a grunt after jumping off. Without looking back to check her horse was okay she strode through the doors and headed straight to her room.
All of the palace courtiers and advisers noticed her mood at once and passed the message through the palace not to disturb her unless it was important and as she stalked through the hallways she was met with polite and quiet people. Though in her head this did not register as she was deep in memories.
Once at her room she almost sleepily sat on the bed. She barely even seemed to notice the blood stains that were slowly staining the cloth of her bed. It wasn't her blood but the blood of the fallen soldiers and she would wash it off soon but at that moment there was nothing more that she wanted to do but stare at the wall, thinking.

...So we lie.

[SharadSun]

(Holy s**t. Merc is INTENSE.)

[YllibB]

Jacob nodded politely at her comment about changing. "Of course, your highness. It would only be fair." A small grin formed on his lips, calculating, since that's all he could ever give anymore. "After all, you let me change, did you not?" He dropped his grin down to a tiny smile, fake, of course, but it always looked real. That's what it had been like over the years. Clearweather no longer had a reason to give any real smiles, so he perfected the fake one. Using any reflective surface since he was much younger so that he could fool the best of them. And it had only gotten better over the years. Now it went into every conversation, along with the moods. He was a "prince" after all, and had a court to please, along with his soldiers, and the peasants, and pretty much everyone else. If he let his mask slip at the wrong time it could make matters worse then they already were, and how much more could it go downhill? Weren't millions already dead over the years? Weren't times leaner then they had been in centuries past? No, there was no way he could let slip what he really felt, because it was already his fault. If he was the cause for more...

Jake let that though float away. He tried never to think too much about those kinds of things, because they were only counter-productive to what needed to be done. Right now his kingdom was not doing so well. Things had gone really bad with them. He had to find a way to turn things around, not just for them, but for all. It was time. Time to set things right from his past mistake. The mistake that led to this continuing bloodshed. His mind had wandered, as it had so many times in the past, and by the time it came back, he realized that the queen was leaving. "I-" The prince did not even have time to get a sentence out as she was too far away, and royal decorum kept him from shouting out after her. Besides, they'd see each other again soon enough. That meal was too promising to his empty stomach to pass up, even if it had not been his idea. "Until later, your majesty," he said to himself, shaking his head, and giving a small chuckle. All fake, as usual. Even when no one was around he continued it, merely out of habit. Well, if he was being watched, at least he'd look like he always did.

Hurthorn rubbed a hand over his shirt where his wound had been as another stab of pain shot through him. 'I wonder if that will ever be back to normal, or if this pain will be with me for all time. I guess I'll see as that time passes.' Now what? He was a fire soldier standing alone in the middle of the light castle. Not exactly inconspicuous. It was best to keep moving. For a moment, he thought about quickly following after Gabriella, just for the hell of it, but he quickly threw that out, marked it as a bad idea. This wasn't his palace, and he had no right to just go following people here. Besides, even with his reputation in this place growing, following the queen to her bedchambers would probably look wrong. In many ways. And servants did love to gossip about goings-on, even if they were wrong. Him following her could lead to them thinking that they were a secret couple, or that he was planning an assassination of her, or anything in between. Best not to start off on that foot. The secret king had a bit of time before she would be ready, even if she hurried. The queen was still soaked in blood from the battle against the dark kingdom.

Though he could not follow the queen, nor could he roam the grounds completely freely as of yet, there were a few places he could go. And before dinner he wanted to check on some things. Making up his mind, he walked in the direction of the great doors, where he had come through to save the castle from certain defeat. When he was ready, he would make it to the dining room, since the maid had already given the instructions to him. It only took a moment after the queen had left and, though he hadn't really been paying attention, his mind had picked up everything she had said. For now, he wanted to check up on Rena, his beautiful white mare. As a child each member of the royal family is given a war horse. To the fire kingdom this was a sacred creature, one that you had to trust with your life, and vice versa. There was a big to-do when getting your horse. Lots of revelry and feasting afterward. One of the few times you ever saw the fire kingdom have fun, enjoy themselves. It is not like some horses, where you are just thrust upon the first one that you see, and keep it if you aren't bucked off in the first few seconds.

No, there was much more to it. Both the horse and the rider had to pick one another at the same time. The horse, whether it be stallion or mare, became a big part of your life. Like a lover, or a wife, just not intimate in that way. They had a sort of spiritual connection, the pair that found each other, one that nobody else ever seemed to understand that weren't a part of the fire kingdom. Most just thought it weird. A lot actually thought they were into their horses that way which, of course, ended badly for that other person. Jacob gave the tiniest hint of a real smile as he thought about how he came to be with Rena, and her with him, but he wouldn't get into that story this moment. Perhaps another time. For now he just wanted to make sure she was getting the best treatment. The doors were still open. They had to be since they had been blasted into splinters. So, the prince walked through the gaping hole and to the stables. He passed stall after stall of beautiful light kingdom horses, but none of them caught his eye the way Rena did.

No other horse could compare to her. Yes, it sounded weird, even to him, but this is how they were. Kind of hard not to get this way when your life is saved hundreds of times over by this magnificant creature. She had been placed at the end of the stables, probably one of the few open spots. It was a good stall as it had the best view of the pastures got the most sun. Yes, his war horse would enjoy it there. About five or so hands were at work, seeing that she was cleaned and comfortable. Rena hated being dirty for long, but she hated being waited on even more. When he got close, the mare raised her head and stared at the prince, giving him a look that clearly spoke of displeasure. Clearweather just smiled and shook his head, answering her plea to put her out of her misery. 'Sorry, girl, but we both know you need this. That blood needs to get washed off so there's no chance it will permanently stain your white coat, and you could use a little primp now and again. You're a royal mount. You should want to be waited on hoof and snout.' Rena snorted in his direction, as if she read her mind, and made it a point to ignore him.

Jacob chuckled again, and turned away from her, heading back towards the door. It had not taken too long to check up on her, so he still had some time. A page passed him, and the prince quickly got the man's attention. "Excuse me, can you tell me where the barracks are located?" The man was too busy to notice who it was asking the question, so he wasn't scared, or suspicious about the question. Instead, the man just pointed him in the direction, then ran to make up the few seconds of lost time. It wasn't too much out of his way. The barracks were located inside the castle courtyard, just a few clicks North of his location. Most soldiers quarters were. This made it easier to drill without prying eyes, they could practice without anyone bothering them with trivialities, and if there was ever an emergency at the castle, they would be quick to respond. Probably why it wasn't a massacre of the civilians here, and the castle still stood. Had those brave men and women not laid their lives on the line to keep their home safe, well... Let's just say the flag flying on the upper towers would be of a different alignment.

He wanted to congratulate them properly, since he clearly had not been able to do so earlier. A sentry was posted at the door to the barracks and, when he saw Jacob approach, he ran back into the fortified station. Jake waited outside the door, as he did not just want to barge in unannounced or uninvited, until one of the soldiers he fought with came out. As soon as she saw who it was, a huge grin spread across her face, and she pulled him inside. When the others saw him, it illicit the same response. Some even came up to him and clapped him on the back. For a few minutes he and the soldiers chatted as normal soldiers would, with dirty jokes and tales of grandeur. They treated him like he was one of them, or as they would an old friend. It was sort of nice. Especially compared to how people normally reacted to him. Finally, he could wait no longer, as he had to get back soon. "I just wanted to tell you how proud I was of you soldiers. Truly. To hold off that many with so few? You would have all made fine fire soldiers." A high praise from the commander of the fire army, and they well knew it. "Even with your energies surely depleted, you still kept them at bay until help could arrive.

"I never knew that other soldiers could be that brave, or that strong, so thank you for showing me that the fire kingdom does not have the market cornered on strength. You should all be proud of yourselves as you fought bravely. The ones that fell in the initial attack? Their sacrifice was not in vain. Would that they could be here to bask in your glorious victory, but you will honor their memory by continuing to protect this land they loved so much." So, it was actually possible to make grown soldiers flush with embarrassment. To see the day that a few words of praise could even bring tears to some eyes. He smiled at them, half real half fake, and pretended not to notice their response. "That's all I wanted to say," he spoke up after a few moments of silence. "I really must be getting back now. I do not want to keep the queen waiting." He turned and prepared to go. His hand was on the knob when one of the soldiers stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Jacob turned his head, his hand on the handle of the door, confusion in his eyes. Did he say something wrong? No, that's not what this was.

"We wanted to give you our thanks, as well, for helping us. Everyone here knows that you did not have to do this, that dark is one of your allies," this made him cringe inwardly, "but we could not have made it without your expertise and ability to think on your feet. We are all truely grateful. Had you not shown up when you did, the rest of us probably would not be here to keep protecting these lands. If there is anything we can do for you, and it does not go against our oaths, then feel free to ask it." There was a pause, then another spoke up. "Already word of your good deed spreads, and people are coming to know what the fire kingdom is capable of. Not just in brute strength, but in compassion. We never thought anyone from the land of fire would be able to show such kindness. There is a lot about others that no one knows. Hopefully, one day, everything can be brought to the light and shown for how they really are. Until then, at least there are a handful of us that know the truth of fire." Everyone was grinning and nodding, agreeing with what they were saying. One opinion at a time. That's one way to start.

Jake turned, brought up his arm, and saluted them, joining in their grins. Though his was fake, while theirs was genuine. Then he was gone, through the door and rushing towards the location of the dining room. Hopefully he had not spent too much time walking and talking, and he had not kept the queen waiting. Wouldn't that be a great to start things off with them? Him being late, though he had been the one to request the food, and having already been prepared to go there. Hurthorn burst through the doors, startling a few servants who were still setting the two place settings. No Gabriella. Phew. He'd made it in time. Not by much, though. The prince had just settled himself into a chair near one of the ends, figuring she would take the head of the table, when she walked in. Her outfit made one of his eyebrows raise. Sure, he'd seen those sorts of outfits before, but why was she wearing it just to meet with him? ...Oh, it was probably to try and throw him off his game, so to speak, to confuse him in order to give away more then he thought appropriate.

'Not that I mind,' he thought with a chuckle in his mind. 'I don't exactly get people dressing up for me. To be around me, sure, but not for me. Too bad that's wasted. I was already planning on telling her everything. No secrets. Just one of many things I hope to do to put an end to all this bloodshed. Well, I'm not about to tell her that. Let her think that she has power over me. Might make things more interesting later on.' Jake hid a grin by rising to greet her, as was proper for a man when a woman entered into a room. You had to show your respect for a woman, otherwise it reflected poorly on your status as a man. "Your majesty," he said politely, giving her a small bow. When she sat so did he. "No need to apologize. This is your palace, your home, so you can make one wait as long as you deem appropriate. I might very well do the same if I were in your position. As for the food, I do not mind. Hunger does not care if the meal is a fancy one, or a simple one. It just wants to be fed. My arrival is a surprise after all." As it will be with the rest. If they know I'm coming, then they may prepare either something nasty, or put on their best face. They had to be taken by surprise.

Too much time to prepare was never good, because then you could hide your feelings easier. This way they were taken aback, and though they thought they hid it perfectly, things were easier to spot this way. Already she had played a hand that he saw through. At least, he figured that was her hand. She could just want to dress up for the dignitary, or be polite, but he had seen enough power plays to spot them pretty quickly. He was sure he was right, but he could be wrong, he could always be wrong. Jake was smart, that was without a doubt, but he was no person from the water kingdom, the land known for its tacticians and powerful thinkers. Anyways, back to the conversation. The question that she posed to him was the first one he had expected, it was the most obvious one to ask, after all. And he'd even had well over two weeks to come up with a response. Still, he did not answer her right away. Being too forthcoming with an answer would make it seem rehearsed. It was, but still.

For a few minutes he pretended to ponder through the question as he ate a few portions of his meal. He truly was starving. After a while he set his fork down and looked directly at the queen. "To your question, the one you asked of me a few moments ago... First, perhaps, I can enlighten you to a bit of what's been going on in the fire kingdom as of late." What he was about to tell her was not exactly public knowledge, and some of the ones doing it probably thought they were the only ones. It was best to get this all out from the start, so they could move forward with the rest. Clearweather took in a deep breath, folded his arms onto the table, and let it out slowly. He was in no hurry. "I do not believe anyone else is aware of this at the moment, but we have no true peace with anyone anymore. Most of the attacks have been covert, but our scholars are pretty certain that we have gotten attacks even from our own allies of late. Powers used leaves behind a certain aura, invisible to all but the user of that element. For the most part. Our university people have found a way to see others elements when in use, or find any trails left behind. Over the last year or so, we have been attacked by all lands, including dark, metal, and air. I know not if they are direct orders from the leaders of our allies, or if they are groups that do not believe in being allied with the fire kingdom.

"Either way, we know about the attacks. We dare not rush into any rash decisions regarding them, but for now we are going with the assumption that we have no more allies with the other elements. We have been raided more times in the last year then we had before in the last ten. The percentage this has gone up is staggering. We have lost many good people, and not only soldiers. Men who worked what little fields we have, the elderly that did never harmed more then a fly, and even women, heavy with child have been cut down. Honestly, we cannot take this anymore. Everyone is tired of the deaths, of the blood, of the families lost, but mostly with this endless war. It has to end. So we-and by we I mean me, my people, and especially our scholars-have decided that it's high time that someone does something about all this. That it's about time that one person sets in work peace talks for all the kingdoms. To bring all the leaders together, on neutral ground, with as many guards as the others feel comfortable with, and begin talking treaties with all. No more fighting, no more loss of life except by natural causes, no more loss of the beauty our land tries to provide us daily.

"This is why I have decided to set out on my own, as I feel traveling with a contingent of warriors would send the wrong message. I am planning on going to all the kingdoms to try and set this in motion. Your kindom is the closest, so I have decided to talk to you first, your majesty. To hear your thoughts on this, your opinions, test the waters to see if the time is right to bring all this to an end. You may take as much time as you feel you need. This is not my only stop after all. Do not feel pressured to give a response now. Instead, think about it for a while, then contact me with your decision." For the first time since he started talking did he take his eyes off hers, and only to take a quick drink of water. When his throat felt a bit less dry, he looked upon her again and started talking once more. "Let me just leave you with this. Are you not tired of having to bury so many in the ground day after day? Week after week? Month after year? Is this not as good a time as any to put an end to all the bloodshed? How many more must die before the Fates decide they want there to be peace? I say we grab it for ourselves, so we can finally grow our families, to let our children know the true meaning of safe.

"And so all of us, for once, could be truly happy." Jake stopped talking for a few minutes, pondering quickly as to whether or not this next part would be a good idea. He had not been sure at first, which is why he said nothing at the start of the meal. "And, I must say, even with those last few blood spots on your body, your look ravishing in that dress." There, let him throw her off her game this time. She wasn't the only one that could play games, though his words were one hundred percent genuine. The prince smiled coyly at her for a moment, then dropped his gaze back down to his food and began eating once more. Now he would give her time to process what he had said, to work through all his words. There was a lot she would probably need to do now. From searching for hidden meanings or threats, to actually thinking of the chance of peace. Was it really possible? Could it happen? these questions and more had been posed by him and their teachers at the school. Perhaps, one day, and hopefully that one day would be soon. Sooner still since he was helping it along a bit.

((He he. God modding emotions. lopl. Ugh. I'm so tired right now that I can hardly think. I hope I found all the spelling mistakes I made. Even switched over to Firefox to make sure I got most of them. Man, my mind is barely even working right now.))

[SharadSun]

(That was slight godmodding, but FUNNY. AHAHA your ego is almost worse than mine.

Almost.)

[deaded123]

((Sorry YllibB, your posts are so long so i haven't read the last few paragraphs. Your posts are fenomenal!))

[YllibB]

((Ummm. Ego? I hate to burst your bubble, but I don't have an ego. Never had... I doubt my posts are phenomenal. Not with how many words I repeat.))