[CLASS QUEST] Naevius

[Suhuba]

This Quest is for Naevius who is striving to become a Beast Charmer.

OOC
||. The quest prompt must be answered with a 2000 word reply (can be more).
||. Respond to the prompt given with an adventure of your own creation as long as it meets the requirements of the specific tasks.
||. NPCs may be used as long as they advance the quest in an interesting manner.
||. You cannot include any playable characters other than the quest taker.
||. Your responses will be graded on a letter grade scale. A grade of D or F will result in repeating the quest process, C or better will result in passing and possible rewards.
||. Questions about quests can be asked here.

IC

Naevius had only been back in Oba for a short time before she noticed that things were beginning to change around her. At first it was just the eyes that quickly met her gaze before suddenly turning to look at something else, like she was being watched. Some of the eyes were under furrowed brows, like she was being judged with every things she did. Handmaids and noblewomen alike would take their time to correct her and stop her from doing something that was commonplace for her because it 'wasn't princess-like' or 'improper for a young lady of her standing'.

How was she ever going to be able to train as a beast tamer if training wasn't proper princess etiquette?

Quest Tasks

||. This quest is meant to solidify Naevius's new position as a princess of Oba and the responsibilities and hindrances that come with it.
||. Naevius should be trying to go about her business as she usually would, but will find herself stopped at any point she is found doing something deemed unworthy of her status.
||. Naevius will not be able to train herself as a beast tamer until she can overcome the women and nobles around her watching her like a hawk.
||. Naevius should eventually seek council with her father, the king, and negotiate terms that allow her to train, but still maintain her duties as a princess.
 

[Nilah44]

S O L OXX❂XXO N E
W E L C O M E XXB A C KXXT OXXR E A L I T Y
Word Count: 1,254

Her arrival at home was unlike any other. Unlike any other arrival anywhere in her whole life. While it was fairly simple, Sebastien escorting her to her father and then leaving, the whole shock of being at the palace, and how long her guards had managed to not tell her what all had happened was incredible to her. At least Sebastien didn't know, he would have at least told her...wouldn't he? He was gone anyway, Naevius thought with a pang of regret as she sat in her room brushing her own hair, which was something she had to force the ladies in waiting to let her do. It was quite the annoyance, having people hardly let you do anything. All because she was the Princess of Oba. A fact Naevius still couldn't comprehend.

Being back at court meant a multitude of things. First, she had to be much more careful with her words once more. Second, she was under watch nearly every second of the day. Third, she had no freedom whatsoever. And lastly, Sebastien wasn't with her. There would be no more conversations at night by his fire. She wouldn't even get to see him unless she convinced her father...the King...to let her go back home. Even she knew that was probably a long shot.

With a sigh, Naevius set down her brush and signaled to the ladies that she was heading out. Of course they weren't about to let her go out on her own. And even when she left her room...rooms...more women joined in with her ladies. It was a whole entourage, just to go to the market. If she had even spoken a word of where she had intended to go, she knew some of the older noblewomen would have denied her. Determination set in her eyes, she made her way towards the Palace exit, where the market would only be a short walk. No sooner did she get close to the exit did one of the women speak up. "Milady, if you intend to go to the market there are people who can do that for you." The woman's voice stopping Naevius and her entourage. For any that may have been watching the princess, they would see her jaw clench before she smoothed her expression and turned around. ”Lady Zviad, I can assure you that it is no trouble in the slightest. And if it would ease you, we can take a carriage.” The young woman’s time in Juahar had made her skills of dealing with nobles a little rusty but she tried her best. The woman frowned, obviously not happy with Naevius’ solution. ”Princess, we don’t have the guards with us to be able to ensure your safety and I must insist upon sending someone less important than yourself.” It was clear that there would be no going to the market. With a terse smile, she nodded her head slightly before turning around and walking away, not even bothering to wait for anybody.

It was in heading back to her rooms that she saw a familiar face that caused a genuine smile to appear on her face. While their last meeting hadn’t exactly been nice, he was a good soldier and she normally knew she could count on him. ”Lucen! How are you and Masha?” Naevius had heard that the two she had informally set up had gotten married when they returned to Oba. Lucen was about to reply when a soft, yet noticeable and obviously fake, throat clearing stopped him. And of course it was Lady Zviad once more. Even though Naevius didn’t look behind her at Zviad, the expression on Lucen’s face told her that a look had been shared between the two. ”Please excuse me, Princess Naevius. I-uh-have some duties to attend to.” And with that and a bow he was gone. Naevius didn’t even try to smile at this point. She turned to all the women who had been following her around. ”I thank you all. I’ll be retiring for the evening.” She turned and walked as fast as she dared to her room before collapsing on her bed with a groan. Her little solace was soon interrupted by her handmaidens though, as they brought her food and drink before settling themselves around the room as they were required to do. Every day was like this, every day she was limited in the things she could do and say and the people she could talk to. That just wasn't working for Naevius. It made Naevius wish she was back in Juahar with all the Tendajian savages rather than suffocated within her own people. There wasn't much she could do except keep trying, so she decided to wait until it was dark, as she often had when she had been with the Army.

It was a suffocating week later when surprisingly, from the soft snores from her handmaidens that night, Naevius concluded they were all asleep for once. Pulling her least extravagant cloak out before slipping it on along with some slippers with a sole decent enough to still be quiet yet hold up to going outside. She tip-toed out of her room, carefully shutting her door and slowly making her away in case her steps were too loud to risk waking someone. A slight smile appeared on her face as she made it to the guard’s barracks. With the barracks came the armory and in the armory was bound to be some whips. Her eyes were wide as she began walking through the room filled with more weapons than she thought she had seen her whole life. And at the far end, almost as if they were a beacon of freedom, the whips stood out plain as day. Her steps were less careful than they had been before as she perceived the threat of discovery next to none. Naevius crossed the room swiftly before choosing a whip that appeared about the right size and sighed as she finally felt at ease with the whip in her hand. Her perception, however, was incorrect as a man who had been lightly sleeping in one of the darker corners awoke at her sigh. ”The armory is no place for a lady, especially at night, and even less so for the Princess.” She knew he meant it respectfully, but his words were clear. She was not allowed here. Naevius just stared at the man for a few moments, not able to really recognize any features in the darkness but it was clear that she was not happy. Night would have been the one chance she had to practice and she couldn’t even do that! She didn’t smile or even nod respectfully nor try to make her steps silent as she made for the exit. ”Milady, the whip?” Naevius’ eyes narrowed at him before she threw the whip onto the table and stormed angrily back to her room. Her handmaidens woke with small gasps as her door slammed. She was met with many responses: ”Milady, is everything okay?” ”Lady Naevius?!” Naevius didn’t even look at any of them when she took off her cloak and threw it to the ground and left her shoes wherever they landed when she flung them off of her feet. It had been awhile since she had been this angry, and even in the short time she had known her handmaidens, it was obvious they were taken aback by her display. ”Tell my Father I wish to speak with him in the morning. Now.”

 

[Nilah44]

S O L OXX❂XXT W O
L I K E XXF A T H E R XXL I K EXXD A U G H T E R
Word Count: 1,349

The next day couldn't come fast enough for Naevius, and she had to admit that she was getting a little nervous. She didn't want to seem like some spoiled rotten child being ungrateful and throwing a temper tantrum. That really wasn't the case and she wanted to do everything she could to prove that it wasn't that way. She just couldn't handle being smothered by people every day, Nae liked to have her space and didn't like to be forced to be in the company of so many people. Of course, she had to sometimes as it was part of being a noble and she understood that. But every day? Needless to say that night had been pretty sleepless as she tried to figure out what she would say to her father. They hadn't really spoken much since she got back, with him being the new king and all he was pretty busy. It was a shame, in a way, that he wouldn't really be able to do what his passion was anymore. Perhaps that was a topic she could hit on with him? Another point was not only convincing her father, but it would also be beneficial to convince the court as well. There was one good thing about it, most of them didn't know her that well so she was free to set things up as she pleased.

Sadly, things could never go back the way they were and Naevius regretted that her father would never get to teach her his beast taming secrets. Perhaps she could get him to write them down but it wouldn't be the same. It was why she had to talk to him so bad! He had instilled a passion in her and it wasn't something she was going to give up easily. So when they told her that her father was ready to see her, Naevius' stomach had butterflies and she prayed to all the gods and goddesses that everything would work out in her favor.

A small bit of surprise showed on her face as she was showed to her father's rooms instead of the throne room or meeting room as she had expected. The informality of it all was what had surprised her. The entire time she had been back, everything was so formal, not only in day to day things for Naevius, but also with her relationship with her father. "Come, Naevius, and sit." Her father said from his chair behind a table. He had a book in his hand, though it was angled so Naevius couldn't read the title but it must be important or good as his eyes never left the page as Naevius came and sat down across from him, waiting for him to say something. They sat in that silence for a few moments until Naevius couldn't stand the quietness that they'd never really had between them. "Daddy..." It was her voice that finally brought his gaze from the book, his cool and knowing gaze. The book was promptly shut and laid on the table as he gave Naevius his full attention.

Naevius knew it was time to plead her case and tell him that she felt like a Xaaran with a broken leg, unable to do anything it was meant to do. But in that moment, she found herself unable to speak. It was only when Elitharius raised his eyebrows at his uncharacteristically quiet daughter did she finally begin to speak. "King..huh?" Naevius said in almost a whisper but she knew her father had heard it from the slight raise in the corners of his mouth. That was enough to put her at ease and she felt the words flowing out.

"Daddy I know I'm the Princess of Oba now and I know that with that comes special responsibilities and tasks and all that kind of stuff. I just...can't. I mean, I can, but not in the way I've been forced to since I got back. Being in Tendaji, Daddy, though there were some scary parts, was the most freeing thing I've ever done. It made me realize just how great my passion for taming was. When I got back, though, I feel like I'm suffocating. I'm sure people mean well...except maybe Lady Zviad...however, all its achieving is making me unhappy. I'm not able to freely talk to anyone anymore and you know how beneficial that has been for us. I'm not even allowed to train! If you wanted to keep me from training you should just take my right arm because that would be more fair than my suppression at court!" Her eyes began to well with tears from her passion as she let out her feelings and let her father know, almost exactly, how she had been feeling.

There was no more smile on the king's face, in fact, quite the opposite had happened as one could imagine. He looked sad and tired, and it was now that Naevius had realized this and began to feel regret as the silence grew between them and she figured out she must have sounded like an ungrateful brat. Naevius ran fingers through her hair absentmindedly as she waited for anything, anything at all to be said. When it appeared her father wasn't going to say anything, she found herself scooting to the edge of the chair and leaning earnestly over the table towards her father. "Daddy I'm s-"

"Don't be sorry, my daughter. You've just grown in the time that you were in Tendaji. You've become more like your mother." There was a longing there, one that anybody who had ever lost a loved one could understand. But there was a hint of something else in his voice, was it pride or was it disappointment? He too leaned forward then, his forearms propping up on his knees as he folded his hands together. "So what do you propose we do, Naevius?"

She hadn't really expected him to ask her that outright, Nae had figured he would come to some conclusion on his own. But he was asking her? She thought on this for a moment, and realized there was one place she wanted to be before all others at that moment. "I want you to let me go home, Daddy, to the compound. I'll take over things there again, and I can learn from some of the tamers you had trained. I know I'll be expected here at court, so I'll come back every two weeks and spend a week here. Or if there are special occasions, I'll come back before then and when I'm needed. I just don't want to feel trapped, I can't have all those people telling me what I can do and who I can talk to, and I want a chance to do what I love which is beast taming, the same as you."

There was a glint in the King's eyes, yes, it was most definitely pride. Elitharius leaned back, the smile returned to his face as he regarded his daughter. She wasn't the same little girl who had come running to him when his wife had been foolish. No, she was as brave and confident as his wife had been. Hopefully she wouldn't make the same foolish mistakes. "I see. Well, since you are so unhappy here, we can give it a try." The excitement on Naevius' face made him pause, his own smile growing bigger though he forced himself to get stern. "I'll be sending more guards to protect the compound, and your handmaiden Varinia will accompany you. You are to send weekly reports, not only on all things about the compound, but of your training and studies as well. It's not a holiday, Naevius, if anything it will be more difficult than being here would be as you won't have any free time." Naevius nodded eagerly. Even with all those amendments, it was still worth it. Naevius stood quickly and ran around the table to give her father a big hug.

"Thank you Daddy. I'll do all those things and I won't let you down, I promise."

 

[Suhuba]

Class Quest Result

Pass!

Naevius has passed and received a rank of Beast Charmer!



Congratulations Naevius!

Nilah44

Naevius may choose 1 shop item (not including fairgrounds) as a reward for her quest. PM Suhuba with your choice.