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 Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:05 pm
Loa blinked. "He has the ear of the king, always remember that." She murmured. When he locked eyes with her, she kept his gaze. "I'm merely a commoner, even before we go into my race, Master Revelin, and you should not risk your well-being over a threat that will never come to pass, or an insult that is honestly one of the kinder ones I've heard." She bowed respectfully. "But I thank you. It is not often that someone other than my prince acts in protection of this bodyguard." It was slipping through again, that she willed herself to see herself as nothing more than a bodyguard. There was also a slight thread of possession in the 'my prince' that not many would be able to pick up on. Maybe Jeremy would.
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:47 pm
Jeremy smiled to Loa. He knew that she and the Prince had feelings for each other. "You are far more than a bodyguard to Riordan. You are probably his most trusted friend and advisor." He said, walking towards her and laying a hand on her shoulder, "And I will stand in your defense. I will not stand for that kind of disrespect in my presence. And commoner or not, you are just that same as myself or the prince. You are a person. Not a possession, or an animal. Don't ever let someone like Demitri, or even the king, make you think otherwise."
Riordan nodded to Jody and listend to the exchange between Loa and Jeremy. He then narrowd his eyes at Jeremy at his last words, "You would do well, not to speak that way in the castle Jeremy. The walls have ears. I don't agree with my fathers treatment of Loa, either. But, even I don't outright criticize him." He sighed. "Please, don't give Demitri any more reason to hate you. I don't know if I can hold him off for much longer." He then looked to Loa, "Loa, you seem to be better at offering advice than me. I value what you say, as I would value the words of any advisor."
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Michel the shade Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 12:32 pm
Loa gave a weak smile. "If you say so, Master Revelin." She blinked when he touched her shoulder, but otherwise didn't react. Listening to his little speech, she felt saddened. She whispered, so that only he could hear. "A lifetime of being raised as a beast, a thing, won't go away with pretty words. I will always feel like an animal." She bowed, and walked over to Riordan, her face expressionless, her eyes vacant. Why was Jeremy doing this? Nothing would change, and he'd only get himself killed or exiled to the Incolumitas he admired so much. Riordan's voice reached her ears, and she gave a nod. "Yes, my prince. I thank you."
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:39 pm
Godelieve watched as Lorne ran off as a fox. Just before he left, she smiled. "Just like the old times, no?" She smiled to Oralee and nodded. "I'd love to learn. Thank you." She started to walk off and looked back quickly. "I'm going to head out and scout with Lorne, if I can even catch up." She chuckled. "For the moment, farewell." She ran off, trying to cover some of the distance Lorne had already cover while she had stayed and talked. Papi, I hope this makes you proud. She stayed to what she knew, which was staying under the cover of trees.
Faelynn got on the horse easily and smiled. "I've room for one more if there are any takers." She said it in a joking tone but, she was being serious. She stroked the side of the horse's neck and laid her head against the part of it's neck she could reach. She looked as Slaine excitedly, but at the same time, she was quite sad. They could all die for doing this. She hoped it wouldn't come to that.
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beleiveimgothnprttyalil Crew
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 4:29 pm
Jody shook his head at Loa's question. "No, you probably know better what will help me blend in here," he said.
So he was definitely an advisor, then. Head advisor? Jody realized as he listened to the conversation. He frowned a little when Loa said Riordan was usually the only person who protected her, for two reasons.
Something about the way Loa said "my prince" made him remember a certain pavo hominim beastial loudly proclaiming "Jody is mine!" and pulling Jody's arm against his chest. But the reason Jody made himself focus on was that hardly anyone protected Loa--and that wasn't even the first thing he'd heard that implied Loa suffered a lot at the hands of the humans she came into contact with--but that, combined with the way he'd seen the guard treated her, made him think the nobles weren't the only ones who abused her. Is that kind of behavior common even among the guards, most of whom she must outrank? Is it really that bad here? Jody knew in his head that it was, but he couldn't quite bring himself to believe it even when he saw it with his own eyes.
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 5:15 pm
Jeremy frowned. "Then, I will make it happen. It will be more than just words, Loa. I am going to get the country to change." He stated, before turning, "No matter the cost. I'm not going to stand for this mistreatment and inequality." he then sighed deeply. "I'll be damned if I let anything stop me. I must take my leave now." He said as he made his way out of the room.
Riordan looked to Jeremy sadly. He knew that his friend was upset. "Loa, what did you say to him? Whatever it was, it hit him hard." He sighed and looked back to Loa, "You know he cares for you deeply. He has since we were children, and the first time he met you." Riordan said, thinking it was only caring and admiration, unable to see just how far Jeremys feelings for Loa went. He sighed, wanting to move to a happier subject. "Perhaps we should all go visit Owen. He does like it when you visit Loa. It always raises his spirits. I never see him smile, quite like when you visit."
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Michel the shade Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:32 pm
Loa gave a nod to Jody. "We shall figure that out." When Jeremy spoke Loa, glanced back over at him, but wisely remained silent. It would do no good to argue, and it was not her place. She wanted to tell him not to get himself killed for her, but she knew that not only was it not just for her, it also wouldn't stop him. Jumping inwardly when Riordan spoke, Loa bowed softly. "I stated my opinion. He... did not take it well." Loa raised her eyes from the ground when he spoke of him caring for her. "His life would be easier if he didn't... As would yours, my prince." When he spoke of visiting Owen, Loa smiled softly, thinking of the young boy. "It's because he's a bright boy, and he wants to figure out whether the words you speak of me or the ones the king says are correct. He smiles because he's learning things. His Highness will be a genius..." Her voice faded from the 'when he grows up' she was going to add. Her prince refused to believe Owen might not live, and while Loa would like to believe he was absolutely going to survive to adulthood... there was a high chance he might not. "I'd like to visit him, yes, but I believe the Ladies Melody and her younger daughter are visiting him at the moment." Shifting her gaze to Rose, Loa remembered how accepting of her they had all been. "I don't wish to crowd him. I believe I will begin the peacocks training. Go ahead without me, your highness." Subtly, Loa gave a signal to one of the guards watching- close enough to see but too far to be in earshot- to take over watching the prince.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:49 am
I hope "we" doesn't include me. The fewer people see me, the better. Though I guess the king already knows I'm here... still... Jody didn't dare actually say anything and simply waited for clarification, which he got shortly, though he nearly winced when Loa called him "the peacock".
"Jody," he murmured immediately, though knowing what Loa probably got called on a regular basis he couldn't bring himself to make too much of a fuss about it. Being called a peacock didn't actually bother him, it was just that he considered shapeshifting to be his only real strength--and it was much more effective when no one knew he could do it. Well, that could just be a nickname? I guess the others won't figure it out.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:34 am
Loa glanced over at him, and bowed a bit. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." She straightened, "I did not know what to call you other than peacock. I shall call you Jody from now on." Apologetic for calling him that, she gave a weak smile, before glancing back to the others. "We shall see you later, your highness, lady Rose." She bowed, then walked down a hallway that would lead to a courtyard that held the guard training area. She beckoned for Jody to follow her and, once out of the earshot of others, asked him, "Do you have anything you consider your specialty? Other than magic. For example, are you quick, or do you favor strength?" She glanced up at him.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 12:29 pm
Jody smiled back at Loa to show he wasn't offended and followed her when she indicated he should.
He bit his lip when she asked if he had a specialty. He had an excellent memory and was very observant, but it sounded like she meant physical skills. "Running away. I'm pretty good at running away--in human form, at least--but I'm guessing that's not what you were thinking of. I suppose I have to be quick to be good at running away, though. I also--" Jody paused to make sure he did indeed remember what he'd been taught--"have a pretty good idea of which parts of the human body are weakest if I did have to actually fight someone, but my aim isn't that great. So."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 2:49 pm
Loa took a moment to pause and glance back at him. She was silent for a moment, before shaking her head. "You aren't a good fighter, I take it?" Loa shifted, crossing her arms and tilting her head. It was an idle position, and a humorous one for her to take when she was looking so far up at him due to their height difference. "Okay, what are you good at? Other than physical. I assume my prince already has you on a job, but for now I need to figure out what it's best to disguise you as. What do you want your... er... human disguise to be? For when being a peacock doesn't work?" She lowered her arms. "You're quite skilled at the peacock form. I almost didn't notice the difference. I wouldn't have been suspicious if there hadn't been one more than there should have been."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:10 pm
"Not really, no," Jody said with a faint, apologetic smile. He returned her gaze without saying a word or smirking (though the latter was a bit difficult). When she asked him what he was good at, he resisted the urge to rattle off everything he'd learned about her and the prince before she'd noticed him. "It's the only magic I'm good at," he said in response to Loa's commentary on his shapeshifting, though he couldn't help but smile at her praise. "I could probably handle being a valet, but--" Jody lowered his voice before continuing and leaned over a little, hair hanging in front of his face so it would be difficult for anyone but Loa to see it, "--I told Riordan I thought he could use an extra ear, and he seemed to like the idea. If I'm constantly hanging around him like I'm guessing a valet would, that'd kind of defeat the purpose."
Jody stood up straight again. "So if I'm going to be outside a lot, maybe it's better to say I'm a gardener? Which do you think would look less suspicious?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:37 pm
Loa shrugged. "Not everyone can be. I'm sure that it's only a fluke that I'm a good warrior." She listened to his statements, before nodding. "Alright. A valet only really dresses the prince, and arranges his wardrobe. You wouldn't get out of his room much though." Loa blinked a bit. "His Highness spends most of his time indoors." Except when he was with her, though Loa was sure that was a coincidence. "But many feel safe to discuss things outside. We do need a gardener. Are you any good at gardening? I'm afraid I'm not. If you know how to garden, then a gardener."
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:54 pm
"If it's just maintaining what's here, I could probably do that," Jody replied after thinking about it for a moment. "Although I have basically no experience with decorative gardens, so maintenance is pretty much all I could do." He had experience planting and harvesting from gardens, but all of that was under the instruction of Nithya's mother (who'd decided to make use of him since he spent so much time with them). He had his doubts on whether the king would accept it, especially since Loa already said he was going to be trained as a bodyguard, but if Loa said it would work he decided not to question her.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:13 pm
Loa nodded. "If you've already been approved to be behind castle walls, but failed at being trained for a bodyguard, then applying what you can do elsewhere will be commended- why waste manpower?" She resumed walking, though she changed her course to the decorative gardens. "We'll see if the head gardener can take you on. You'll get training if you already have a decent basis in maintenance." As Loa walked into the garden, she heard rustling. Turning her head, she spotted a baby bird flailing on the ground. She felt a burning pain in her heart, and rushed towards it. A perk of being a bird beastial, she could pick the baby up without it being rejected. Scooping it gently into her cupped hands, Loa gently flew up next to the tree, until she saw the nest, and she gently placed the baby bird into it, before turning back towards Jody and slowly drifting down to land on the ground.
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