[PRP] Court Shenanigans [FINISHED]

[Daisicle]

Hjortur was, once again, swimming through the courts of the naiad palace. It was a place he was fairly familiar with, considering it's where he was practically raised, but it had changed since he was last here! Taking a number of turns, he tried to recall where exactly his parents were. It had been some time since he last spoke with them, and even if they didn't exactly condone or agree with his lifestyle, he still loved them.

Checking in with them on occasion was a way to show it, even if it usually ended on a poor note when he refused to resume guard training.

His eyes looked around as he went, taking it all in and remembering the little things from his childhood that had made it a special place to him. Ah, yes... It was all so nostalgic. If only he could have continued his life of little pleasures and greater luxuries.  

[Seiana_ZI]

Another day at court... That was usual for Aeroniel. Nine times out of ten, that was where Aeroniel could be found. Five times out of ten, she was in the throne room itself, but for the moment, she was wandering the palace.

She did that a lot more lately.

Knowing what Turin and Tariel did that night...

Well, it made things a little awkward.

Aeroniel had heard things that she hadn't wanted to hear many times before, no thanks to her telepathy and her inability to stop it, but hearing it from two pae'il she practically grew up with was still enough to make her a bit nauseous. At the back of her mind, there was more personal thought that rattled her ambition.

If Tariel was with someone permanently, that meant she had more opportunities to get pregnant.

Pregnancy meant princesses.

Princesses docked her status and line to the throne.

Aeroniel couldn't let these thoughts overtake, but it was sometimes hard for the ambitious second not to think about it. Where would her place even be in a realm with a new queen? Did she even fit? Would they even want her, or would she just become some part of an old guard no one cared for?

She was being paranoid. Tariel hadn't gotten pregnant before with all her little doings. Of course, they weren't as regular as this disturbing mess would--

Ah, yes... It was all so nostalgic. If only I could have continued my life of little pleasures and greater luxuries...

Hearing other thoughts than her own invading her mind, Aeroniel snapped out of her mental puzzling--and here she thought she could get some peace and quiet here--and looked around to spot...

Oh.

Hjortur.

Thrilling.

o0_Daisuke_0o

 

[Daisicle]

Turning a corner, he stopped as another naiad came into view. That face... She looked really familiar... Ah! That's right, Aeroniel! Man had she gotten prettier since the last time he saw her, or maybe he was just older since then and only now he could appreciate it.

Oh... Wait a second... Was she the one that could read minds...?

s**t.

Smiling and giving her a wave, he tried to brush off the little slip of the mind and instead engage in actual conversation. "Hello, hasn't it been quite the while since we last spoke?" So long in fact that he didn't even remember it. "How have you been, Lady Aeroniel?" A little less of- He stopped his thought at that, just smiling and waiting for a reply instead.

Seiana_ZI

I decided to start italicizing the key thoughts to help ya out :3

 

[Seiana_ZI]

... Ugh.

Men.

Aeroniel quirked a brow and smirked when Hjortur realized who he was talking to, picking up the s**t loud and clear. Good. Maybe he would keep his dirty mind squeaky clean for a little while. She didn't want to hear anyone's fantasies with her that was disgusting--

"Hjortur! What a surprise!" True. "It's so good to see you!" False.

"I've been alright." Also false. "What brings you to court? I do not see you here terribly often..."

And for good reason, considering how much of a lump he was. At least the actors earned their living...

And didn't think she was something so unpleasant he tried to cut himself off.

o0_Daisuke_0o

Haha, thanks! She can also pick up images/sounds/etc people are thinking on sometimes.

 

[Daisicle]

"The pleasure is all mine~" How the heck do people carry a conversation when their minds are being read? It doesn't matter if I check myself before talking, she'll know anyways. What a pain in the- "I am here to visit my parents, as I try to do. I was kept away for a long time with some" stranded on an island "differing sort of business. I thought it best to assure them that I am fine."

Though, it must be just as irritating for her to hear everything. I wonder if others are normally more guarded around her because of it or not, or do they just avoid her to avoid the situation? I'd find that kind of frustratingly lonely in itself. "Has anything of interest happened in my time gone?"

Or maybe they just don't even care. Would not monitoring your thoughts to the appropriate manner of talking or politeness be considered offensive in such a situation?

Seiana_ZI

 

[Seiana_ZI]

Yeah, Aeroniel was pretty certain Hjortur thought he knew a lot about pleasure... Eyerolling. So much eyerolling.

She was tempted to cut him off and say she probably heard worse ambiently than he could think, but something else in his words caught her attention. Stranded on an island? How did a naiad get themselves stranded on an island? And never mind how-- why? Hjortur wandered, she knew, but she didn't know he had wandered that far off.

Had he gone in the direction Tariel and Turin had gone in? As much as he annoyed her, it was good he was okay, then. Vera would have still be upset by the disappearance.

Aeroniel knew others avoided her. As one of the more introverted naiad, the idea of other pae having a good reason to stay away was frankly only a benefit. Plus, it meant they feared her. They took her presence seriously if they were ever considering lying to the queen or taking advantage of her naivete.

It really wasn't all that lonely... Was it?

"We have solidified an alliance with the faun." As much as she still viewed their visions with skepticism and derision, they would have their uses. Plus, it was news. "That is the most major event of note."

And Tari's a thing with Turin now...

o0_Daisuke_0o

 

[Daisicle]

"We have?" Well... That was new. "Are we under some sort of threat to necessitate an alliance?" As much as he would follow the queen's orders to the ends of the sea, he didn't quite see the point of doing such a thing if everything was fine. Almost seemed a bit rash, even. Though... Yeah, that sounded a bit like the queen as he understood her. Who was he to question anyone's motives, anyways?

At least it seemed the faun could be trusted. That was good, he supposed. Though, he didn't really know much, if anything, about them.

Though, if they were under threat, it was unlikely that he would have an easy time finding his father. Probably best that way, though. Of his parents, he was particularly vocal about his disapproval. Maybe if he would just take the time to try and understand... Nah, that was probably asking for too much at this point.

Seiana_ZI

 

[Seiana_ZI]

It was definitely a fair question from Hjortur. While the faun seemed to be a lot more battle ready than she thought was really necessary, a modicum of caution never really hurt. Still, they weren't really under threat.

"Not right now," said Aeroniel, shaking her head. "Nothing says that cannot change, though, and it is good to have allies you can stand strong with, who you know will have your back if the tide is high."

Rash decisions were indeed well within their queen's nature, but she did not believe the alliance to be once of them. Her ready acceptance of visions crom some blind priestess faun might have been another story, though. To Aeroniel, that was doing without enough thinking.

It seemed to have her all mixed up, too...

"You had good combat training." Even if he was ultimately squandering it on bring a wanderer. "I'm sure you understand the usefulness in a good ally."

o0_Daisuke_0o

 

[Daisicle]

That was as fair a reason as any. Her comment about his training caught him a bit off-guard; how long ago had that even been? Sure, he had gone through most of the training, and yes, he had been far from the worst there. He had actually had a sort of knack for it (though he wouldn't go so far as to say he was the best, particularly since he had never applied himself). Smiling a bit awkwardly, he nodded. "Yes ma'am, I can understand that much. One can never be too prepared."

Speaking of which... That reminded him of something.

"Have you an idea where the armory is? Some time ago I happened upon some old equipment. A gauntlet of sorts and a number of armbands," which he happened to be wearing. Just because he was no longer being trained or used did not mean he couldn't wear them. "I have reason to believe they might be of some use."  

[Seiana_ZI]

Considering he had been ready to call her such names earlier, the 'ma'am' terminology was slightly amusing. Perhaps it was because she reminded him she knew of his training, though. His wasted training, anyway...

The armory? Did she look like a soldier?

Still, Hjortur wasn't asking the wrong person. Aeroniel had an idea of where everything was in the palace, even the places she never really went to. She tended to gravitate towards the crevices where she could get some quiet, and the armory was not typically one of those places, but she did know where it was. "It's that way," Aeroniel pointed, vaguely, to the southwest portion of the palace. "Down a bit. It'll be pretty obvious because a lot of the guards are over there. You may even see Turin."

She shrugged.

"Can I ask why you're thinking they may be useful?"

o0_Daisuke_0o

Sorry, crap post x x;

 

[Daisicle]

Alright, that would be easy enough to remember. "Thank you very much." He bowed his head politely, having had every intention of ending the conversation there and just continuing with his errands. Take these things to the armory to see if they were useful, visit his parents, get an earful, maybe see if he could stay for dinner, then leave.

Her continuing to speak had been a bit of a surprise. Didn't she dislike conversation?

He in turn shrugged. Why...? Well... "I believe they are from the past... from long ago in the past. They were recovered in the sea, after all. I cannot know if they have a use or are simply decoration, but if they on some small chance might help protect the Queen..." He smiled lightly. "It is obvious that they should at least be looked at then, no?"

Seiana_ZI

Sorry about taking so long; midterms were a b***h

 

[Seiana_ZI]

She did dislike conversation, that much was true. There was a reason why Aeroniel didn't keep many things like friends or a social life. That was why she kept to herself.

But if he was declaring something may be useful to their guards and therefore to the queen, Aeroniel wanted to know why. The Queen's safety was, after all, paramount to her. Perhaps it was not paramount in the same way it was to Turin--nor did she look at Tariel the same way Turin did, apparently--but it was paramount in the sense that it was her job to make sure Tariel was never taken advantage of, and to make sure that she was always aware of everything disadvantageous or advantageous that occurred. As much as Hjortur was typically a disadvantage, perhaps these objects would be useful.

The past caught her attention, and Aeroniel's brows lifted. Items of the past? That was most interesting indeed .... though with all this talk of past visions which she believed were nonsense, Aeroniel wanted less and less to do with such. She knew there was a society here, before. That was why Tariel was who she was, after all...

"Yes, you are right, Hjortur. Especially if they are of ancient times. Perhaps they will help us gain some insight."

The smile she offered was clearly trained. There was real truth to the emotion underneath it, if there was any at all.

"I am glad you still have the Queen's best interests in mind, Hjortur. Thank you for answering me."

o0_Daisuke_0o

It's okay, I've been a bit out of it.

 

[Daisicle]

It looked like she didn't believe him, that she was humoring him. Well... At least that was more polite than outright saying anything. Made sense; why would somepae like him, one who had forsaken a very esteemed lifestyle, happen upon anything that could possibly be important.

Nodding, he answered back. "Of course I do; her guaranteed safety is of the utmost importance for us all. Above any of our own wishes or needs."

Shifting a bit, he glanced away, at a loss for conversation. He never was good at these situations; music spoke louder than words. Hjortur would offer to play her a tune and show her how he'd improved, but... Well... He didn't really think that would be appreciated.

Seiana_ZI

 

[Seiana_ZI]

Aeroniel was polite when it was needed. She was courtly. That was within her job's sphere.

When people messed with the Queen, that politeness faded rather quickly, but ... at least she was never harsh about it. Always measured, always precise. It was part of what made her so frightening to some of the subjects, but that was part of doing her job right.

"I am glad you think so highly of the queen." She probably would not have accepted otherwise.

Seeing Hjortur at a loss, Aeroniel crossed her arms. He was right--she wasn't really into hearing music played for her. She liked her silence. It was something that was hard for her to obtain.

"Did you want anything else?"

o0_Daisuke_0o

 

[Daisicle]

Offering back a hesitant smile, Hjortur shook his head. "No... Nothing in particular." As much as he didn't mind lulls in conversation, they were usually filled with different activities in between: music or dancing or food. Standing around and trying to come up with things to hold one? That was a bit more awkward.

It didn't help that he was familiar, to an extent, with Aeroniel's personality already and knew her well enough to know that she would probably be just as content holding a conversation as not. Actually, she likely preferred the latter.

At the same time, he did not want to act rudely towards her. She was a higher rank than him (probably most everyone was at this point, mostly of his own fault), so to leave without a prior approval from her would be very disrespectful. He might be ridiculed now, but if nothing else, his schooling growing up had taught him how to behave in the presence of those above him.

Seiana_ZI