Tales of the Betrothed (closed)

[azuresky808]

I will become a torch for you, an aerial.
I will fall from the sky like ancient radio waves of flawed concrete.
Through underground springs and freezing subterranean rivers.
Through the bacteria of my gut and heart.

ДlєхЇ Chєrnσвчl
Яítє σf Ғσrtunє

Dalena's question made him wonder why she was there as well. For all he knew he was the only Rite of Salor who was there. The King was keeping something from them that was for sure. "Why else would I be here aside from seeing to it that this event does not hurt our nation," he answered carefully, "we have a duty to protect our homeland." He wore a lighthearted smile like he always did trying to not make her ponder the same thing. "So how is the lovely Dalena doing tonight?" he asked as he bent over to help Christopher.

He was not going to let his kinsman suffer this alone. The glass pierced his hands but he pushed the pain down keeping his smile. After it was nicely picked up, and his hands rather bloody, he sat down beside Christopher and slid off his pack putting it into his lap. He opened the top and peered in. The small fox spirit was buried underneath his supplies but he could still see little tufts of fur poking through the mess. He picked out a small wooden box and opened it up revealing a sort of medical kit. After a few moments he had picked the glass from his hands and wrapped simple bandages around them. That should hold.

He than held out the small box for Christopher to take. Not really knowing Christopher's experience with medicine he had to make the offer, "take it, unless you need my help than I can do it for you."

Through the bottomless boat and forgotten trawlers where nobody has died.
Like the hermit and Lot’s wife, I will fossilise and open a hole in the rock to admit me through.
I will hold the hand you offer to me; from the summit down to this well,
into the dark waters where the small flowers creep for the sun.

ooc: ouch ><

[XSenkoX]

Disregarding the initial insult since he had already called her names when she initially retreated into his side. Besides, he had just kicked her, it seemed they were even. Oh, but he was recognized finally. They were both elves, so he wasn't expecting much in the way of deference. Elya was a strange card, insisting on being so... respectful. Maybe he really was just that scary to people that had seen his temper flare? A smirk tugged at his lips, but faded when the woman continued speaking about the strange, cloaked figure. He hadn't heard enough to learn anything particularly interesting about the merchant, but enough to know that she wasn't about to let on that she had been talking to that lady for a good while before the prince arrived. He opened his mouth to make some catty comment but was overridden by Sonya's next question.

"Ah, yes, that." He lifted his flayed arms weakly, unknowing that she couldn't see the gesture or the damage at all, "She... used an illusion. Made it look like I was under attack, but I am responsible for my own wounds today." His words grew acidic toward the end of his sentence, frustration at having failed something so simple finally setting in. Why hadn't the healing even worked? Sure, there was nothing to heal, but there was no reason for it to have failed so spectacularly, either. Bah, he wasn't under such duress any longer, he could probably manage to fix his arms before unconsciousness claimed him.

Or not. "Poison?" Had that really happened? He couldn't say. "Well, that's no good. I can't have you dying in the middle of the night; I'd like us talk further when we aren't so close to passing out." He smirked again, and slid over closer to Sonya, positioning himself at her side, facing her. He didn't give a rat's a** if she died once he had figured out what that old woman had wanted with her, but until then he needed to keep the merchant alive. He would only be able to fix one of them tonight, and she had drawn the lucky number. "Hold still, okay?"

She was wearing enough clothes that the only exposed bits of her was the face and chest, and Reriic settled a gloved hand above her heart. It was cold and soggy from the blood, but he was oblivious to that. Hell, he was probably leaving an awful hand print, to boot. Truthfully he hadn't ever practiced with poisons much before, so this would be... a test? A high-stakes test, for sure. With a sigh of 'here goes nothing', he started channeling the last of his energy to fix... whatever he could. Unlike a physical wound that he could watch, this was guesswork. It wasn't like he could feel the flesh knitting back together or something stupid like that.

Luckily for Sonya, the magic didn't lash out this time and a comforting warmth spread from Reriic's hand and through her chest. It was searching for a poison that it wouldn't find, but Sonya didn't have to worry about him finding that out, either. After about a minute of Reriic staring at the back of his hand and a sweat breaking out across his body, his eyes finally lost focus and he collapsed, unconscious. Unluckily for Sonya, he collapsed atop of her, pinning her legs with his upper body. Not that he weighed enough to make it impossible for her to force him off. No matter what she did, Reriic was spending the duration of the evening in whatever room they had ended up in.

[K33LA]

『 кυиαℓ ѕα'ιя мαнαραтяα 』
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx▶ ▷ Prince of gяα∂ιυѕ

Frantic, guilty, and searching for his sister, Kunal scoured the castle for any sign of Bashirah. Though he had followed her only moments after she exited the ballroom, the Gradian princess had somehow escaped him. Images reeled through his mind, images of Bashirah collapsed in a hallway, being found by a maid! Kunal couldn't let that happen. He searched and searched but to no avail, and his internal panic increased with every passing minute.

Then, miraculously, he found her. The sound of her voice - hoarse and weak - reach the prince's ears. A brown hand extended and flung open a door, and the Gradian prince stepped inside a dank and dismal kitchen. What greeted him on the other side chilled him to the bone. Not only was Bashirah lying in the flea-ridden bed of a dog, she also shared the room with Kora. Stiffening, Kunal inhaled a sharp breath and stared down the Shastan princess. His heart stopped. Never before had someone beside himself witnessed Bashirah in this pitiful state... Instead of anger, however, a state of calm washed over Kunal. Whether this was some sort of defense, he did not care. His only goal now was getting his sister to safety.

Stalking toward the two women, Kunal lowered on one knee before Bashirah. For the second time that night, Kunal's hand made contact with his sister's face; tenderly, his palm brushed against her cheek and sorted out her hair. Their dark eyes meeting, Kunal offered her a weak and apologetic smile. Silence and tension. Then, his arms hooking beneath Bashirah's back and legs, Kunal picked his sister off the ground. Holding her in his embrace, he turned and headed for the door, yet he stopped just before he passed into the hall. Kunal's face was back to its usual hardness, though his voice remained soft.

"Please do not speak of this to anyone." And then he was gone, traveling swiftly but silently toward their suite. Kunal held his breath in fear they would be discovered, yet not a person crossed their path. When they were finally safe and he had placed Bashirah gently in her bed, Kunal sat down at her side. "I'm sorry," was all he managed to whisper. Whether she heard him or not was unclear.

[V I V L I O N]

a d e l e x v a n a d i s
Bodyguard To The Prince of Zuleidi

Adele grimaced as the stranger removed his hands from his eyes, revealing a blood shot eye. She knew injuries well enough to know that it would be swollen shut in a matter of minutes. Immediately she felt a sense of guilt run through her. Her one rule with her training was that her knowledge was to be only used in the service of protecting Jean. And despite the fact that this was an accident, she still felt like the incident could have been prevented. The worst part of it all was the fact that this was a complete stranger. It wasn't quite the best first impression! And though the other did his best to ease her conscious, there was little he could say.

She bit her lip nervously as the other began to stand up unsteadily. Forever the guardian, Adele stood up as well, her hands held out towards him incase she needed to catch him at a second's notice. Though, when he seemed steady, she brought her hands in and began to fiddle her fingers. Mustering a small smile, the girl nodded her head at his introduction. But, as he bowed, she caught sight of his wince, followed by a groan. And with that, she rolled her eyes. She had had enough of him pretending that he was uninjured, and she didn't care if his pride was going to be injured.

But mid-step, she stumbled off to the side when someone nudged her rather roughly. Catching her balance, Adele was not surprised to see that it had been Chandar. No doubt he had come over at the mention of Gradius. Though, the two of them could bond over talk of their homeland when she was able to brush her hands clean of having injured an innocent stranger. Stepping to his side like she had originally intended, the blonde instinctively slipped an arm around his waist and lift one of his arms over her shoulders. "All right wild hunter from Gradius, let us go get you checked out by a healer." Looking back to Chandar, she quirked an eye brow. "And if you do not want to be drawn back into a conversation with Cindy and his loyal dog," She nodded her head in the direction of Cin and Elya, making sure that her nicknames were understood. "You are more than welcome to come join us, Skip."

Beginning to lead Rohan inside the castle, she looked at him over her shoulder. Thinking over his introduction, the realization that she knew very little about the structure of other kingdoms (outside of Shazgard and Zuleidi) entered her mind. "So, wild hunter?" The blonde gave a short laugh, knowing that she had already found a nickname for the other. "What does that entail for you?"


" I will not bow. I will not break.
I will not fall. I will not fade.
I will take your breath away. "

[Ariiadne]

xxxxxxx▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Bashirah’s burdened heart nearly stopped when she heard the kitchen door once again creak open. The darkness created a cruel suspense, her eyes desperately trying to make out the identity of the figure making its way towards them. Where there should have been relief when she realized it was Kunal, there was surprisingly little. He knelt down before her, gently brushing sweat-matted hair from her face. Bashirah said nothing, only looked at him. Finally, he asked Kora to speak nothing of what she had witnessed, picked her up and carried her away. The kitchen dog huffed and wasted no time reclaiming its bed.

The Gradian princess curled tightly in her brother’s arms as they traversed the palace halls, hoping that the smaller she could make herself, the less likely someone would notice. Maybe if she pretended she didn’t exist, the universe would forget about her and leave her alone. The marbled corridors carried voices and sounds like the pipes of an instrument, so each turn of a corner was not made without first a tentative glance by Kunal. Thankfully, the two of them made it to their suite without seeing so much as an insect. Her bed’s comforter engulfed her like a cloud – quite the transition from her previous location.

“I’m sorry.”

Bashirah took her time in responding to her brother. Tired eyes gliding in their sockets to set upon him, she merely breathed for a good minute. They finally closed in disappointment.

“What were you thinking?” she asked, voice scratchy. She shook her head. “What were you thinking?”

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❂ Whether a fℓσωєя in my hand or a gυи in my hand _____
_____ I’d gινє ιт xαℓℓx υρ for your нαи∂ ιи му нαи∂ ▶ ▷

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XXXXX

[Torgus]

≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡ ↖ ❖ ↗ ≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡

『 ⊛ The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows. ⊛ 』

╔══════════════════╗
Ⓡᴏнᴀɴ ⋙ ≎ ⋘ Ⓣιᴍιʀн
╚══════════════════╝

◇ Location || ❝ Heading into the castle. ❞ ◇ Mood || ❝ Slightly embarrassed. ❞ ◇

≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡ ↙ ❖ ↘ ≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡

█████☼ Rohan was delighted to see another member of his kingdom in his presence. With a chuckle, he offered another greeting from his, albeit slightly pained, bowed position. He forced himself to stand tall (one of his only true Gradian features, slight pride, no matter how much he tried to suppress it, it was in his blood), politely smirking out of the corner of his mouth. A smith. He didn't know much outside of his own life path as a wild hunter, but he knew his people did love their weapons. Hell, he loved his weapons. A small mental nod to his favorite weapon, the family shamshir passed down for generations made with expert hand crafting of the smiths of Gradius, put a bigger smirk on his face.

"Hello, Chandar! Pleased to meet you. It's an honor, your skill must be amazing." Any craft that requires time, precision, and extreme training was worth praise to him.

A healer, ha. He had become so familiar with his own special brews and herbs out in the field hunting, all of which he learned from the elder healers in Gradius. Rohan seemed surprised, and quite caught off his guard, to receive voluntary help from someone. The cold life of a Gradian had drained him of most of his natural desire for human interaction. That, he regretted. Though he hesitated for a moment, Rohan eventually accepted the compassion and began walking with the woman, after all, he was actually very sore and the assistance she offered was helping tremendously.

"Well, as I'm sure you know, the people of Gradius live in a volcano." He laughed quietly to himself. "It's not the safest of places, but it's a hard place for hard people, it seems to fit rather well." He flashed a toothy smile at the maiden over his shoulder as they made their way inside. "Since we live in a volcano, we don't exactly have a lot of wildlife to grow food or hunt in, so the government trains certain children to become expert hunters. Later, they, just as I did, are sent out into the wild plains and forests around the volcano to hunt for food and return to feed the kingdom." Rohan looked to the ground, remembering early on several points of his training where he realized the fragility of life. "But I always make a point to honor the animal and the Gods for its sacrifice; no matter how small the animal, it has a spirit and deserves proper thanks... But enough of my story, what is it, milady, that you do for a living?"

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◇ OOC || ❝ Sorry if this seems "distant," I'm trying to type while a very interesting movie is playing in front of me, haha. ❞

[Angst Werewolf]

xxxxxx ♨ Chαndαr Hαrí
{{ The Gradian Smith Mercenary }}
"I am a superstar and I don't care who you are!"

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Location: The Palace- Guest Quarters

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━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

It seemed Rohan was one of those... friendly Gradians. Chandar's eyes narrowed, but he managed to keep the scowl off his face. "And it is an honor to meet a hunter," he replied. Hunters were an essential part of Gradian life; if not for them, Gradians would probably be forced to eat rocks. "I am sure Prince Kunal and Princess Bashirah will be pleased to know another Gradian is present." Maybe. Who knew?

Adele spoke up, using that ridiculous nickname, and the smith couldn't stop himself from glowering. She did have a point, though- if he had to listen to the elf guard mouth off anymore, he was going to snap. So he followed, arms crossed sullenly over his chest as Adele and Rohan made small talk.

As they entered the palace, a thought hit Chandar and the smith paused for a split-second. Rohan was a Gradian, trained in combat and survival. The Mahapatras were unguarded and most likely looking for one. Chandar had been secretly toying with the idea of offering his services the next morning, but surely they wouldn't pick him- not with a well-trained Gradian like Rohan around. No, Chandar's fighting skills could hardly be considered "refined". And, to top it off, he wasn't even a full-blooded Supreme.

The smith halted. "I do believe I will turn in for the night," he announced. He gave a small nod to the two and turned down the closest hallway, boots thudding loudly on the floor. If he passed anyone in the hall, he did not notice. Luckily, the first door he tried was a bedroom, clearly meant for guests. He slammed the door behind him and sunk down onto the bed. "I was a fool," he growled, hands fisting angrily. How could even think that he could be a guard to royal family? He was a smith, and that was that. Maybe he would have been taken out of necessity, but that hardly seemed likely with Rohan around. And there was his little stunt with Adele out in the courtyard- what had that even been about? He despised Zuleidians, and yet he had been playing games with one! And he had liked it. Chandar cursed and slumped over onto his side, glaring angrily at the wall.

The surface was a terrible place, he decided.

[Laser Rain]

Christopher Metus

You know I am all you need.

Tick tock tick tock. Chris enjoyed the concept of time quite a bit. He smiled to his coworker as he finished helping him clean up and sat next to him. "I appreciate the support, friend." He said quietly. Be was returning to his more casual and yes more businesslike self. To the bandages he waved them away. "No no." He said. "True forgiveness will only come in time, with true suffering." He smiled. It was an odd thing to smile about, or so it would seem, but he saw life completing it's cycle as a nice finality. He swiftly folded his robes and stowed them next to him, exposing a nice black on black outfit. A simple pair of nice pants and a high collared shirt with a silver trim. He let his hands bleed on to the floor, although it was slowing know. He enjoyed to hear the occasional drips going into the small puddles they were leaving below him. "Drip. Drip. Drip." He said out loud and let a small laugh.

His eyes locked on the flickering candle. Ugh, fire. He didn't mine the fire so much as he minded what it gave off. Heat. Heat disgusted him and made him incredibly uncomfortable, in a weird way. He would rather be naked in a freezing environment, rather than be made to sweat by a fire. He shrugged away the thoughts, he was not in a bad mood. The man was seldom ever seen in what you would call a BAD mood anymore, he was simply content with his life at the time. He tended to be pretty straight laced, standing tall with a serious look unless spoken to. On the streets many would recognize him and he would just talk, he never felt rushed by his work, although it did sometimes anger the king. But his mind was rambling, so he brought it back to the present, where he was on the verge of sleep.

I wear my scars like the rings on a pimp,
I live my life like the captain of a sinking ship.

[jadeshaw88]

cαtαlínα "cαt" mαrtízxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Dancerxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"Everyone leaves me stranded
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxForgotten, abandoned, left behind
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxI can't stay here another night"



xxxxxxxxxxxCat looked up between Kiya and the prince and frowned. She already knew what Kiya would do. Now that it was said so plainly, Cat knew exactly what the prince was suggesting and she knew that Kiya wouldn't like that one bit. No, not at all. She cringed and then stood once more. When she made her decision, she would actually have to have a backbone. She wouldn't be able to hide behind Kiya right now nor could she ask her to step in for her. This was her punishment and surely she deserved it for what she had done. "I..." She paused to clear the knot out of her throat. "I will do it." She put a hand on Kiya's shoulder before she could object. "This is my fault, I will do it. Just..." She looked back at the prince. "...Just give me a moment please, my lord, I....I'll be right back." She told him before she fled the hallway. Once again, she had no idea where she was going though she was pretty sure she could find her way back. She just needed to breathe.

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Danika was positively loving the royal banquet. So much chaos. Her favorites for the evening were the Zuleidan prince who was apparently fond of stirring up drama...and throwing food, the Gradian twins and the Faerie guard...that was priceless and finally the Rite who turned off the lights. She could practically feel her sister's panic. Honestly she could have kissed the man at that point but he seemed to be a bit drunk and she decided against it. Especially since revealing herself would have made her plans a little sticky.

When her sister fled, she followed and was pleasantly surprised when the idiot ran into the Zuleidan prince. Between her sister's pathetic pleas and her friend's attempt at rescue, the whole scene was enough to make her laugh out loud though she bit her lip and kept quiet. How could this foolish battle possibly convince the prince not to execute Cat? Not that that was his plan. Anyone with half a brain could see that he never intended to have her killed. Of course, expecting either girl to have half a brain was asking a little much.

She was honestly surprised that her sister managed to talk without stumbling over her words like the crazy person she was though not when she fled. That was perfect. She followed her for a ways and then took a shortcut or two to get ahead of her. When Cat finally stopped to catch her breath, she made her move. "Hello, Cat. That's how you like to be called, right?" She purred as she revealed herself. The look on Cat's face when she saw her was almost too much. Oh yes, sweet sister, you have a twin. Thank you for finally noticing. "I believe you were told not to come back here." Her lips twisted into a cold smile. "You should have listened."

"Wh-who...Wh-what?"

She could have done without the stuttering though. "I am the other half of your coin, so to speak. You hear the voices that I see the faces for. Powr wittle Cat. You thought you were really crazy didn't you?" She made a mock pout of her lips and moved closer, unsheathing the blade she had tucked in her bodice...the bodice identical to her sisters. "At first, I thought that I might find a way to absorb your power BUT I'm rather adapt at reading lips now so there would really be no point. I'll help you though so don't worry. I'll make the voices stop. Isn't that what you want?" Her sister was stunned into silence...it was doubtful that the girl was even breathing. They both knew what was coming next. "I should have done this a long time ago." Danika cooed before she struck. Just one lightning fast slice across her sister's delicate throat and it was over. She jumped back to avoid the blood spatter and waited until the body finally stopped twitching. Then she dragged the girl into a room that was clearly rarely opened and used her sisters sash to wipe up the mess.

After carefully inspecting herself for any evidence of blood, she returned to the hallway with the prince. "O-okay....m-milord...P-please forgive me for m-making you w-w-wait." Pathetic! She had decided the moment the dancers were invited to the banquet what she was going to do. This just made it easier. So easy.

[Rada Han]

a t r i p i n t i m e

↘ all is lost again



Departure: Part One





One thing was for sure that night. The sun would never see the city of Dradecus again. At least there was one place in Yardis that was no longer flipped upside-down. It was all thanks to the Royals and their companions, and the helpers that guided them.

What they did not know yet was that freeing Dradecus had been easy. With the help of the three elven Gods, a single beast was defeated. What happens where are there no Gods to help, and much more than one hungry beast to deal with? They were warned that the other Kingdoms had been taken hostage, but as a survivors and patriarchs, many of the Royals had no other choice to go... but it wasn't just the Royals. It was also the people who had been lucky enough to escape the damage, who wanted to follow their leaders into the fray to rescue their own Kingdoms. These people-- guards, servants, merchants, and people of all walks of life-- would follow their Princes and Princesses to the ends of the earth. Out of trust and out of faith. And some-- out of blackmail, or malice.

When the Zuleidan Prince, Jean-Baptiste Laurent, went to bed that night, he did so without the knowledge that his bedmate was a different person than she was before, and also without the knowledge that Dradecus' mornings were not determined by the sun. 'At dawn,' He'd said, when there was no such thing. Fatigued, he did not place a lascivious hand on the Shastan dancer girl. He had only coaxed her into laying with him because it was impossible for him to sleep without something-- or somebody-- to cling to.

He woke in a panic, from a knock on the door, saw that it was still nighttime through the window, and immediately realized that he had no idea how much time had passed. Upon scrambling into his clothes, he opened the door to see none other than Ashcroft Igalios, the reigning King of the elves. He didn't look so well. The man had drooping eyes, and a hunch in his shoulders from being so hung over. His voice slurred, but he tried his best to remain regal.

Apparently, word had traveled during the party that Jean-Baptiste was pulling a group together to travel onward to Laelie and the other Kingdoms, regardless of the dangers. The King offered him supplies, mounts, men, and most surprisingly of all-- his own sons.

"I want them to see the rest of the world. I want them to experience these dangers so that perhaps in the future the King of Dradecus will not be as useless as he was yesterday. I spoke to Penelope and she won't have any of it. Reriic is still a baby to her, but without him, Cin would go down faster than a bird with its wings shot off. They need the chance to become men, so I'll be sending you with them, along with one of their guards. She's cute, you'll like her."

From there, everything was arranged. An hour before the morning bells tolled, Jean-Baptiste and Adele were out in the stables, preparing for the journey ahead. They had been given fine horses and a carriage for their supplies and extra room. They were given extra weapons, food, and clothing. Medicines, bandages, and other first-aid supplies. Tents, bowls, and pots. It wasn't much, but it was enough. It was at Ashcroft's personal request that a few bottles of liquor were stored in there as well.

Those who heard the rumors and wanted to join them would do so if they wished.

[PhantasmicRose]

Sonya’s first impression of the hand on her chest was that it was intended for making their evening a little more…colorful. Despite her profession, the elf recoiled from the touch momentarily, pressing her back up against the wall with a quick inhale, her muscles tensing as if bracing for an attack. But there was no violence in retaliation of her escape, no fingers tightening around her arms or seizing her hair. Just a warmth, a subtle tingle at first but growing comfortably and seeping into her skin. Sonya let out a breath, a quiet one in the quieter room, and instantly her body relaxed beneath the touch.

The demon, however, did not. She felt it stirring beneath the creeping warmth as if sliding deeper within to escape it. The creature didn’t fight her now, just shifted wearily. It seemed reluctant to touch the royalty in any way. Perhaps it was unable to as part of the deal with the gods. Perhaps it had a thing against healing magic. Either way, Sonya was greeted with a sense of weightlessness, a momentary comfort and freedom from the burden she had accepted. Her eyes fluttered closed, welcoming in the relief and soothing touch. She felt herself falling asleep…

And then the idiot fell on her. Sonya jumped with a curse as the hand slipped away and her prince slumped over her outstretched legs. The elf grabbed at him with a scowl to remove his unconscious figure, but her fingers touched the cold, flayed skin of his arm and he let a small cry from his lips. She drew her hands away in disgust, wiping the blood on her already ruined dress. It was only now that she noticed the sticky wet handprint on her chest.

“Well that’s just lovely. My savior,” Sonya muttered beneath her breath, slumping against the wall again. Resigned to her resting place for the night, the elf folded her arms over her chest and settled her head back against the cold brick. It was anything but comfortable, but she’d slept on hay and piles of dirt before, so it was easy to think of the palace as a luxury inn even now. Hell, she could even say she’d slept with the prince. That seemed good for a laugh.

“I hope everyone sees you leave the room with a whore,” she muttered, half asleep already.

[jadeshaw88]

۪D۫۰۪a۫۰۪n۫۰۪i۫۰۪k۫۰۪a۫۰ "۪D۫۰۪a۫۰۪n۫۰۪i۫۰" M۫۰۪a۫۰۪r۫۰۪t۫۰۪i۫۰۪z۫۰xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Mischief Makerxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"It’s too late to change your mind
xxxxxxxxxxxxEven though this fragile world is tearing apart at the seams
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWe can’t wash these sins away"


xxxxxxxxxxxThe knock on the door early the next morning had been more than enough to wake Danika, who was a bit of a light sleeper. If that hadn't woken her, Jean disentangling himself from her and the loss of his body's warmth would have done it. She had been a little disappointed last night when she found out they would just be cuddling but, of course, as Cat she was so relieved she had stopped stuttering and gave the prince a kiss on the cheek. She had protested when the lights went out, though, as Cat would have done. She just didn't freak out as badly as her sister would have. The prince didn't know what the breakdowns were like and she could easily say that it wasn't so bad when someone was holding her. Gods Cat was pathetic though Jean was a bit of a fool himself or at least naive. He had brought a stranger into his bead who could have easily slit his throat during the night. Indeed, she had even thought about it a few times but she found that the prince was more an asset than a nuisance to her plan. He had also shown her an insecurity, which was never a good idea. She supposed that it was a common enough problem, the fear of being alone, but to be so afflicted that one could not sleep alone...It could be an interesting tidbit to know. She supposed that Jean wasn't entirely to blame for trusting her either. After all, he thought she was the stuttering fool who was afraid of both people and the dark.

It was surprising to see that their...or rather his early morning caller was Ashcroft himself. Why Jean was so important as to receive a private audience was beyond her. Even if the idea to leave was his, there were several different royals that she would have chosen over him. Danika thought that he was interesting enough and amusing to boot but only so much as she would a trained monkey. She suspected that he had a similar mental capacity as well. Ashcroft was too concerned with the prince to notice her in the bed and she pulled the covers closer around her face. She didn't think that they had ever met before but she didn't know what the king did or did not notice. She had pretty much disappeared the last couple of years but she hadn't exactly changed much. With the covers pulled up, she was just a lucky girl who had bedded a prince.

The news that the king would be helping out the royal children was interesting but not entirely surprising. They had saved Dradecus and gotten the king and queen out of the belly of the beast, as it were. What was surprising was that he was sending Cin and Reriic with them. Apparently all Dradican's had poor parenting skills. At least she knew the princes didn't know her. She found it better not to be known. It was easier to play when no one noticed her.

She would have followed the prince when he left for the stables but she figured it would be suspicious if she didn't go and fetch Cat's friend and her belongings. The tag along would be a problem. Her stupid sister had actually opened up to the girl so she would have to be careful. Hopefully the dancer was as simple as she seemed. She went back to the little hovel of an inn that the girls had been staying at and let herself into the room. "Kiya...are...are you mad at me?" She made her voice sound teary and nervous as she suspected Cat would have been. "It...it really wasn't so bad. I think we...um...I think we could go with them. They're leaving for Laelie and...I think I could...I don't know, talk to the prince. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a few helping hands." Everything she said was like a plea for the girl not to be mad at her though in truth she didn't care. She just needed to convince her that she was Cat and that it would really be beneficial for them to go together. If she was unwilling or suspicious...Danika could fix that. It would be simple work to get rid of the Gradian. Tempting...so tempting.

[azuresky808]

I will become a torch for you, an aerial.
I will fall from the sky like ancient radio waves of flawed concrete.
Through underground springs and freezing subterranean rivers.
Through the bacteria of my gut and heart.

ДlєхЇ Chєrnσвчl
Яítє σf Ғσrtunє

Alexi took his leave from his two companions to retire for the night. That was somewhat subjective in a land with no rising sun. In truth he was not all too tired and he had a mild case of insomnia. None of it helped when he went to retire for the night. So he did what all good travelers do and go out into the party to hear stories from the party goers. He heard all about the great battle and the beast. It was an interesting story to say the least. As they retired for the night he found a quaint little supply room and hid away for the remainder of the night.

Sleep came to him out of exhaustion and it did not last long. He was glad. If he had slept any longer he would have missed the prince leaving. He slipped out of the castle into the courtyard. Knowing his horse was still stabled outside he gathered some provisions, namely food and water, and packed them away. He did not intend to pack heavy even if the trip was long. Foraging for food was not below him at all.

Approaching the stables he saw the prince and his bodyguard. What luck he was having this trip. Now all he can hope for is that the rest of them follow. As he approached the prince he noticed the man's quire regal appearance so he felt he should act with a little more respect and caution than normal. "Jean-Baptiste I presume," he announced with a bow, "I hope you do not mind the intrusion but I heard there is an invitation to follow you to Lealie and I am quite interested in coming along."

Through the bottomless boat and forgotten trawlers where nobody has died.
Like the hermit and Lot’s wife, I will fossilise and open a hole in the rock to admit me through.
I will hold the hand you offer to me; from the summit down to this well,
into the dark waters where the small flowers creep for the sun.

ooc: if this were a game of DnD I would try to convince the DM to let me get a giant ant to ride on.

[Laser Rain]

Christopher Metus

You know I am all you need.

His mind ran circles while he slept. Dreams, or more usually nightmares, overtook his resting mind. His body was stiff, staying up against the back of the chair. His body seemed to lock when his eyes closed for rest, unmoving, unflinching and it seemed almost like he wasn't even breathing. He flinched. His mind was waking his body. UP! UP! His mind screamed and he launched forward, hitting the floor and scrambling to his feet. His hair was thrown around in an unruly manner. He stood and his placid face was set. First, without even thinking of others being in the room, he stripped down and dawned an outfit for the day. A black button-up, with a sleek silvered vest over it. He had a pair of identical black pants from the former day as well. Next, a simple robe of maroon coloration. He then dawned a set of pauldrons, made of black leather and iridium, with a matching gorget. As far as armor, that's all he wore, it was blackened to go with the overwear he did own, mostly robes.

A quick glance around the room showed that he had done his cleaning job well. The room was spotless and all the partially filled bottles were arranged, as well as the full and empty. He took a full bottle for the road. He bent down and laced up his shoes, which were simple yet durable. The man of few words stood and walked quietly out the door. He opened his small black notebook and wrote down hastily scrawled notes as he walked. Day One, It's time to meet them... The book had a small lock on the front only a Salorite would understand, and he tucked it in to his back pocket as he approached the stables. He nodded to the small group and leaned against a nearby support beam.

I wear my scars like the rings on a pimp,
I live my life like the captain of a sinking ship.

[XSenkoX]

Unfortunately for the elves, they were not to sleep long.

"S-sir?"

A cautious voice dragged Reriic from his sleep reluctantly. Unwilling to give up the ghost of rest, though, he kept his eyes closed. Whatever he was asleep on wasn't as comfortable as his bed, but it certainly didn't feel like the floor, which was a boon. Maybe the vague memory of some old woman and collapsing in a room had just been a strange, strange dream.

"Oh gods, your arms!"

Well, that certainly explained why they felt so heavy and sore. Reriic had been holding out the wishful thought that it was simply a by-product of sleep, but apparently it wasn't. Finally sliding his eyes open, the prince turned the orange orbs to his arms and flinched. Yup, that was a serious-looking series of wounds. The servant that had stumbled upon them (apparently if you wanted to sleep anywhere except a bedroom, the larder was a poor option) was starting to turn a little green at the gills. He mumbled something that sounded like 'healer' and started for the door, only to have Reriic's bloody glove snake out and grab his arm.

"No. If you get a healer or speak of these injuries to anyone else, I will end you personally." The words escaped the young elf with impressive force and malice. Reriic would not have word of this getting to anyone outside the room, especially his mother.

Scowling at the servant until he nodded weakly, the prince finally released his grip and watched the servant flee before pulling himself up off the floor. Woman. Woman?! He stared down at her, slowly piecing the half-remembered bits of last night before he had passed out, and did remember the woman before him. Sonya. Well, she was softer than the floor at the very least. And if she looked that bad, he probably looked quite similar.

"C'mon, I know you're awake." He stuck his hand out to help her up, then prodded her with his foot when she didn't take it immediately. "You look awful, I look worse, the servants would probably like us to get out of here so that they can begin cooking for the nobles that are likely scattered across our grounds like leaves. And, the way I see it, you don't have much of a choice other than to come with me. Someone has to distract them from my arms, and I vote that to be you."

He smiled icily at her, hoping that she wasn't going to fight him about it. Besides, he was the prince, she was supposed to do whatever it was that he wanted her to do, right? If she didn't, he could have her hanged or crush her to powder himself. Ugh. It was too early in the morning to deal with something this stupid. Why did all of the others insist on travelling during the day? What was to be gained by that?! Not to mention that if they were travelling to gods only knew where, he wou-- He had never located Cin last night. Reriic groaned, hoping that Elya had at least managed that on her own and hadn't gotten stuck babysitting that stupid dog all night.

"Hurry up, dammit, we don't have all day!"