|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2024 8:00 pm
World Event - Back Alley Potionswith Skadi
Belrea | Prentice----------------------------------------Aelfhun follows Skadi to a strange potion seller hidden away.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 28, 2024 7:01 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 28, 2024 7:04 pm
A Lesson in Lovewith Ahmanet
Belrea | Prentice----------------------------------------While wandering and looking for something interesting to do, Aelfhun stumbles upon one of the nearby Aishan who teaches him a very quick lesson.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:26 pm
Two Sideswith Meine
Belrea | Prentice----------------------------------------Aelfhun meets a beautiful girl on the street and asks her to have breakfast with him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:30 pm
World Event - Cold SnapBelrea | Prentice----------------------------------------A sudden cold snap targets Belrea, much to Aelfhun's annoyance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:32 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 4:59 pm
Class Solo - Fortress
Belrea | Prentice
----------------------------------------
A large yawn split the face of the dark man walking down the hallway, his boots muffled slightly by the expensive rug he was tracking the dirt from outside all over. One of the older maids who had been busy dusting a vase on a small table looked him up and down before blowing out her cheeks and returning to her work, her eyebrows knitted downwards just enough for him to know how much he had annoyed her. Whatever. It was her job, after all. He made messes and she was paid to clean them up. What else was she expecting when she took the job? She should feel lucky he was even giving her something to do. With the amount of staff his father had hired, he didn't know how they even found things to do. That vase probably didn't even need any dusting.
Not that it was his job to inspect it. With barely a glance at the maid and her possibly useless task, Aelfhun continued down the hall, brushing a spot of dirt off the edge of the sash draped over his body. He, however, had lots of important things to do. Such as making his way down to the kitchen for a bowl of whatever he had smelled through an open window in passing. Some kind of stew, by his reckoning. What time of day was it, even? He had failed to look at the position of the sun before he entered the house. Was it supper already? Whatever. Not that it mattered when he always took his meals alone, anyway. Which was fine by him. He didn't need the old man breathing down his neck about this or that. If he was lucky-and he usually was when it came to his father-the older Geian would be busy in his study. Pouring over the account books or whatever it was he did in there. Aelfhun didn't even need to sneak around the house most of the time. It was as if he and the servants were the only ones here.
But today, it seemed all his luck had vanished. Further down the hall, just coming around the corner, was a servant boy carrying a tray of food on which sat a few bowls and a steaming cup of tea. Golden eyes looked to the right, spying the familiar door of the master's study. If he stood back, he could avoid being seen from the open doorway until the food had been delivered, than continue on his own quest. He stopped in his tracks, pretending to be inspecting the painting hanging on his left. He heard the servant open the door, the muffled sounds of talking, and the heels of the boy's shoes clicking closer. When he thought he was almost clear, Aelfhun turned to continue making his way down the hall when the boy looked at him, jumping slightly in the process. The older man sitting unseen in the room must have noticed, because the worst sentence of Aelfhun's life came next.
"I am sorry, sir. Master Aelfhun had surprised me."
A deep, muffled voice came from the room behind the boy, who had turned his head to look back over his shoulder. A cold pit opened in Aelfhun's stomach as the servant turned back to him, an innocent smile on his face. "Master Yimir wants to see you," before scurrying off back to the kitchen. Much too quick to notice the look of despair that fell over the hybrids' face. The glare that followed the servant boy's back.
Today had started off so great, too.
Giving a sigh, Aelfhun squared his shoulders, forcing himself to look more confident than he suddenly felt and walked through the door with his hands in the pockets of his pants, as if he didn't really care one way or another.
The man sitting behind the desk was an intimidating being to look upon. Even Aelfhun, for all his rebellion, found his father's presence uncomfortable. Yimir expected people to obey him. It radiated from his every look. Every movement of his head. Even the slow and gentle way he was stirring his tea was a display of this power. How he managed that, the youth didn't know. He could never stop himself from feeling impressed by it.
"Yes, father?" he asked, figuring he'd take the polite route this time. Maybe it would soften whatever it was the old man wanted to say to him. Doubtful, but he could hope.
It of course didn't work out that way.
Yimir continued to stir his tea for a few more seconds, the spoon clinking against the sides of the cup for what felt like forever to Aelfhun. When he finally stopped, setting the spoon down on the tray, the older man looked up, his pale eyes already hard and narrow. As he always looked, be they family or staff. "Let me simply cut straight to the chase. I know how much you despise our little talks." That was an under-statement. His father seemed to only want to patronize and scold him when they did talk, so why would he enjoy it? "You are almost a man full grown, expected to take over when I am gone. Yet you continue to mess around with these...girls of little importance when you should be finding yourself a good one to settle down with. Have you even once thought about this?"
If he was honest, yes. He had. But only to think about how little he wanted that life. To settle into the boring life of book keeping and accounting. Where the most exciting part of his day was getting some new stock in to sell at one of the many family businesses around the city. He never wanted that. He did everything in his power to get away from it.
"I have," Aelfhun answered, straightening his back as he faced his father, his voice deep and full of an authority of its own. An authority to decide his own fate in life.
Yimir narrowed his eyes in response, at the same time reaching out with one hand to pick up his spoon. Taking a moment to pick out the best pieces, he chewed before answering, his tone of voice a lot harder than it had been previously. "And I assume you intend on continuing as you have been? Not taking responsibility for anything?"
"I take responsibility." Too quick. Aelfhun realized he had said that too quickly. He indeed did not often take credit when things went wrong. He rarely tried to make them right. He ran away from them like he ran away from the burden of being the sole heir to his family's business. And everyone knew it.
The older Geian put down his spoon to stare even more at his son. "I have given you many chances to change. People like us can't afford to be childish, Aelfhun. I thought you understood this."
The young hybrid had little in the way of an answer to this one. At least not something he knew his father would appreciate him saying. Despite how rebellious he was against his old man, how much he tried to push his buttons, Aelfhun was able to read the room. Now was not the time to be snarky. Still...It was very difficult to resist the temptation to say something.
In response to the silence, Yimir sighed, tapping the fingers of one hand against the hard wood of his desk. "Time is running out, Aelfhun. I am a patient man, but even I have my limits."
Now it was the boy's turn to narrow his eyes, his fists clutching at his sides. It wasn't as if he'd asked to be born into this family. To be the only heir to this vast fortune and business that his ancestors had worked so hard to achieve. He didn't care about that. He wanted to find his own way, in his own way. "What do you want me to do?"
Before responding, Yimir took a sip of his tea, making a small face. Probably because it was sour. His father had always been fond of adding generous amounts of lemon to it. Helped him to stay alert to do his work, he claimed. "To find a wife, at the very least. And than to take your studies more seriously."
Of course. Always those two reasons. He didn't exist in this world for anything else. Who he was as a person didn't matter. What he wanted, what he liked, and what he disliked didn't matter. He was supposed to benefit the family. Nothing more.
"And if I refuse? What will you do, than? Find a new wife and make a new son?"
As if the conversation no longer mattered, Yimir tore off a hunk of bread, dipping it into the stew at the same time he announced, "Yes. That is precisely what I mean to do" before taking a huge bit of it.
Aelfhun's whole world seemed to reel before his eyes. What....Did he hear that correctly? Surely not. How could he....So casually...?
Before he realized what he was doing, the hybrid had taken a few steps closer to the desk, his nails now digging into the palms of his hands painfully. "I'm not sure...I heard you correctly..."
The smile that played across the older man's face was almost sadistic. "I have found a new wife. You are stripped of your title as heir and may do as you please, for all I care."
It was like a slap to the face. It was what he had wanted, yes, but Aelfhun had never expected to get it. Least of all in this manner. His father was far past his prime. If his hair wasn't so pale, the grey would have stood out like a yellow flower in a field of blue. His fists unclenched and he backed up, rendered speechless and stricken. Unable to understand why it bothered him so much. Wasn't this what he had wanted?
Yet the rage that he had been feeling before slowly returned, as Yimir sat calmly eating his supper, ignoring his son like one would ignore a bothersome fly in the corner. Not yet a concern until it got closer or made a noise.
He really didn't matter at all. Not even one tiny bit.
Without really thinking, the youth glanced at the fireplace where two large axes were, their wooden handles criss-crossed over each other.
"Since you don't need me anymore....."
"What are you doing?" came a deep voice from behind him as he moved towards them, reaching up to grab the one in front in one hand. He easily pulled it down, cradling it in both hands as he turned back towards his father, who was now watching him with suspicion. Perhaps a little fear?
"I'm leaving! And I'm taking this with me! You owe me that much!" Spinning on his heel, he left the room without a backwards glance. With axe in hand, he packed one large bag and left out the window, vowing never to return until he was successful.
----------------------------------------
Wordcount: WIP
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
