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After he had spoke, Shun looked around at the others who had stepped forth. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes for the moment as he saw Riley somewhat hidden away in the shadows. It was no surprise that she would be here... he just was never completely pleased to see her thanks to her general attitude about things and needing to be the 'utmost pure' or whatever.

His gaze shifted over, spotting Mot as he stepped forth as well. Ah good.

Quite frankly, he wasn't sure if he had it in him to fight. Maybe that intense training had done some good after all.

There were a few other familiar faces. Levi, whom he sparred with now and then. Gilly, who made some of the best damn noodles in the whole bloody kingdom. But his attention soon shifted back to their one and only King. She seemed worried, and he couldn't help but scoff lightly.

"I'm well aware of that already, Akai O-sama," he said calmly, "It changes nothing. My life is with this kingdom. But lets hope that we cut down our foes before it comes to that, shall we?"

Every time he entered the palace grounds his will was tested. He only ever ventured this close a handful of times in any given year, but he had been doing so since he was a child. He should not still experience an awe so powerful that it threatened to stop him in his tracks if he stared too long. West counted his steps as he strode silently forward, or rather he counted the number of times his heavy braid bounced against the small of his back instead. Six hundred and forty-six. Six hundred and forty-seven. Six hundred and forty-eight. He hefted the box of fireworks he held and quickened his pace. She might have been wearing heeled shoes, but she could still move quickly when she wanted to.

It would have been the wisest thing to keep his head down, but he couldn't very well continue staring at the ground once she had addressed him. He nodded sharply, lowering his eyes in apology to the ones she had flicked as he followed her to the front of the crowd. Not only was he here today to carry what Levi ordered him to, but he would be pledging his service to the kingdom as well. Tournament or no, he could not envision a future in which the dreamers did not prevail.

The next time there was a suitable stretch of silence between declarations of support, he spoke, his voice ringing out over the courtyard. "I am called Westus, my king. I mainly deal with explosives by trade, but I have been told I am quite the hand fighter as well. I pledge myself to you and my kingdom. I will fight until I can no longer stand, although I must say, I do not think that will be necessary." He managed to duck his head again before the hungry smirk lifted his lips. It was done. They would not lose.

He took a step back, keeping his eyes on the floor as he moved to Levi's side.

[enter]

Akhem approached the milling crowd as the King began to speak. She spoke of a great war about to befall them all, the fighting to claim the top. Sounded like his kind of party.

He had grown up under strict watch, said to be the demon child of his family as he had unnatural eyes and hair to his bloodline. He was taught the art of combat by wary teachers with shifting eyes. He had ran away from home at a tender age, tired of the hushed conversations and the claustrophobia of living in one room. Once out he began a small life of petty crime, basic thievery and unruliness. He as of now was unemployed, wandering around the red kingdom doing odd jobs.

He had learned to trust no one but the King, of whom he was forever fiercely loyal. She was the symbol of all that was good, something that Akhem longed to attain.

He stepped forward and bowed deeply, reverently. "Akhem, my King. I am here to offer all that I am towards your cause. I am skilled in combat and general thieving tactics. I cannot offer you items nor specialized skills, only my heart, mind, and soul."

He walked backward away from the King respectfully.

[Entering]

It was not often when Damien had the chance to view the palace up close. It was more intimidating in its magnificence now that he could see the intricate details in its walls. Far too long it had been in the background of the scenery as he went about his work, serving as nothing but a backdrop for what he tended to. The king herself was even more scarce to him as the tower where she resides, but there would be fleeting moments when she passed, and Damien would lose all ability to face her and simply bow in respect.

To his own surprise, the fact that she was calling onto them all today was surprise, and left him shaken as he asked for her countrymen's help, for the sake of their kingdom. The words were humble and yet still dignified and above all, earnest.

The time he had with the king was fleeting, but taking a pause to collect himself, Damien began his brisk walk near the palace balcony and began with a deep bow. "I am deeply saddened by the plight that our kingdom will soon face, your Majesty." he stated regretfully. "Across the land, much like us, there are people being sent to war, where lives will be lost and the ground, she weeps for them all, your Majesty." the male added with a chocked up sob.

It was a painful idea to realize, that the ground that nurtured them all will soon swallow them up, be it their own countrymen or not. Painful but an inevitable realization. "Your majesty, I am naught but a humble gardener. Trained in the art of tending to seed and saplings alike and knowledge of the language of flowers, but I can fight." he assured her. "The land of dreams have always been close at heart with the mauve carnations that flourish in its rich soil."

"I, Damien, wish to take part in this as well, not as someone who will have to cut flowers for caskets, but as someone who can help defend his countrymen, the kingdom that is my only home." he stated in his solemn vow before flitting his green eyes up for a fraction of a second before losing all nerve.

Such words... The white-haired girl chuckled at the King's concerns. there was no questioning her choice as far as she was concerned.
With Westus handling her goods at her side, Levi's eyes fell to Shun, agreeing with a nod and smile. He'd been a familiar sight around the courtyard for quite some time. Agreed. With our assertion of skill, I am confident there is little we cannot handle united. Though there is always caution to consider. If they did not, in this moment, have the will and drive to assert themselves, there was no reason to lead them into their demise.

Shun would recognize this better than most. There was no daring action without potentially unfavorable consequences.

She also spotted Damien, offering the farm boy a nodding bow before inquiring about something relatively important to her deep down. How are the crops fairing? Fresh food was important for proper nutrition and growth in their kingdom. It was good to learn about how well the land was providing them with sustenance.

Demi knew it, deep in his heart. If the kingdom was in a crisis, SHE would be here too. He knew it, and yet he was always taken off guard by the girl's presence, her and her obvious question. It was like a nail that continued to be hammered day in, day out. aggravating and consistent.

The boy bristled as Levi approached and made the hairs on the back of his neck raise. as he gave her a pout. "For the upteenth time, I am one of her majesty's gardeners."he explained again, punctuating each word with a breif pause for effort.

maybe this would be the time when she finally gets it. He was sure it wasn't. "i take care of the gardens and flowers here, not the produce in the village crops." he continued, giving the dense girl a further explanation of his duties, and a scowl to boot. "Hydrangeas and daffodils, not eggplants and rutabagas."

He wasn't sure if this was her way of saying that he needed more work or not, like it wasn't enough keeping the royal gardens pristine. It did nothing but make him lose face with the king.

Like many of the others present, Rosciel wasn't dressed terribly fancy. He was dressed well, but he was a physician, not nobility. His arms crossed over his chest, hazy and slightly glowing blue eyes never leaving their king as she explained what the Voice had told her, he listened and took it all in.
A tournament. No matter what words the Dragon used to describe it, Rosc knew better. This wasn't just a tournament, this was war. Warning them that they might die was all he needed to confirm that this battle between the kingdoms in order to determine the ruler of all was nothing less than a war.

War was a good time for many of those who quickly stepped forward. For the warriors, it was a time in which they could prove their skills to those around them, but also to themselves. For the tacticians it was a time to hone their minds and test their methods.
For the gravediggers it meant more work.

In war even he had a role to play, should he accept it. He was no stranger to fighting; following the loss of his mother and father, his uncle had taken care to train him carefully in the martial arts. He was not unfamiliar to the feel of a sword in his hand. But that wasn't who he was, he was a healer. In times of conflict, in times of peace, he always had a place, for even in peacetimes, people took ill.

One by one, fellow citizens stepped forward. Fighters, tacticians, shopkeepers, the variety was mildly astonishing. And still he did not move. One might take his hesitance for cowardice, disloyalty, any number of disrespectful assumptions. But that wasn't why he stood still. He was only doing what the Dragon had asked of them, considering the proposition with all that it was due. He could fall, they could all fall. Their kingdom could fail if they were deemed unworthy. And that was the heart of the matter. Were they truly worthy of taking on these roles? Was he?

"Majesty," he finally said, taking a step forward to pull himself into the others rather than remaining apart. "Though I may not have the strongest of bodies, I have a sharp mind and a healer's touch. I yield myself into your service, into the service and defense of the kingdom. My sword arm, my mind, my craft are yours to command should you wish it."
His arms unfolded and moved to his sides as he bowed his head with his offer.