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 Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 9:18 pm
He couldn't avoid her quick movement, her dagger tip at the material of his shirt, seeming to freeze as he felt the gentle touch of the steel on his skin before his father gave her the first hit and he stepped back along with her. "Your enjoying this, Ailean." He sighed, getting back in to his stance. "I guess your skilled, your highness, but haven't you improved even a little since you last tried to test your skills on me? If I remember, on accident, I tore that dress as well." He joked lightly, he had her attention, now he needed her to attempt for his. "That prince is too smart when it comes to women." He stepped forward, thrusting his rapier as well to her shoulder, deciding to drop down once close enough and swipe at her legs with his foot. If she fell, he would catch her at this distance and touch the rapier lightly to her side and wink with a smile. She didn't expect dirty tricks from him, but then again she decided to wear a long dress to a duel. "I'm still learning the sword, but trust me your highness, I'll duel any man in the nation to become your lover." He was also told by Arric to not mention the word King, but lover instead as it would state he desired her, not the throne, army or riches.
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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 6:05 am
 Indeed, as he mentioned ruining yet another dress she became distracted momentarily. She lost her balance when kicked, but before she could try to steady herself she'd been caught. She looked up at him, violet eyes wide reflecting her shock. For a moment, just a moment, her heart rate picked up and she started to feel the strange, dizzying emotion he always forced her to feel around him. She also felt the blunt edge of the rapier tapping against her side. He'd dared to pull a dirty play against her! It was unbecoming of a gentleman, but how could she have forgotten that he was truly a worthless, filthy and utterly useless little peasant at heart? All of the luxurious clothing and baths could never change that fact. Her expression quickly shifted to a glare and color simultaneously touched her cheeks. She shoved him away as he spoke of dueling other men for her hand. She straightened, her mood darkening as his Uncle bemusedly called two strikes for Kenneth.
"Your arrogance is astounding. Just what is it that enables you to entertain the possibility of winning my hand? There are men of a much higher quality seeking to marry me. Also, you're a fool who can't even remember the simplest of proclamations. As I've said before, I'll never make you my lover. What's more, you have yet to win this duel so wipe that awful smirk off of your wretched face!" She said coldly, though the pitch of her voice was raised. Color still clung to her face and she was glaring at him. It was clear that she was furious with him and determined to defeat him. She shifted, almost wiggling a bit to move the somewhat tight material of her dress. It was her way of trying to subtly chase away the warmth that lingered there from him, when he'd caught her. She was overly aware of the space and she loathed that a simple touch could do that to her. She had no patience for frivolous emotions, least of all when made to feel them because of a man who was trying to manipulate her for her wealth and status as Queen.
She assumed her stance again, this time holding the rapier overhead in a more aggressive pose. She tried to observe him again, as she had before. But her eyes couldn't help but glaze over his body. It was difficult to focus even when matching his gaze. This had never been the case, she'd beaten him nearly to death in the past. Was it due to the fact that she couldn't avoid looking at his mouth, if she tried to stare him down? She couldn't help but be distracted by the memories of him stealing her lips, or the one occasion where she'd kissed him. To her he was a villain, though if Victoria knew of those occurrences, she'd praise him like the protagonist of one of those lewd novels she was so fond of. Since when had she allowed herself to become so weak that even a pitiful creature like Kenneth could make her falter?
She stepped forward, then back again, eyes searching for an opening but having a difficult time focusing on one. There were plenty. He wasn't as experienced with a rapier as she was. But she just couldn't focus. She lunged, thrusting towards his heart with her rapier while she used her dagger to swipe whichever blade he countered with out of the way. She just had to land two more hits. Once this was over with, she could put some distance between them and take some time to compose herself.
---
His hands shook as he clutched tightly to the knife underneath his shirt. He was half-way hidden behind a pillar, peeking out every now and then down the hallway. Just a few doors down from where he was standing was the door to Princess Victoria's bedroom. She'd just gone inside, probably to change clothes for the evening. A guard was walking down the hallway, after he was gone then would this slave take his revenge. The Princess had never harmed him, as male slaves were kept away from her. She wasn't really his target. She was, in his eyes, the embodiment of a family which he hated. They'd taken his life from him. Tortured him. Humiliated him. He was going to make them pay for everything today. Make her pay. Watch her bleed. He'd finally gotten a hold of a weapon when that fool Prince Arric had dropped it on the floor at lunch.
The guard was gone. Hallway empty. He was glued to his spot for a few seconds, unable to move or to stop shaking. Then he moved. Opened the door. There was the Princess, changing into a new dress with the help of two maids who seemed quite surprised to see him enter the room. He pulled the knife out and ran towards her. If he could stab her, he'd pull the knife out in order to stab her over and over again. He wanted to vent all of his fury, to kill the demons who had ruined his life.
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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 2:30 pm
Kenneth kept his smirk, it was working as the tint of pink evaded her cheeks the slightest. He stumbled back and stood straight again when shoved away, maybe he was being a bit arrogant, but now she couldn't seem to focus anymore. "My eyes are up here, your highness." He joked, hearing a attempted laugh from Ailean who quickly covered it with a cough. He assumed his stance when she did, waiting for her to make a move as she continued to have her eyes wander his clothed body and he couldn't help it. "You miss seeing my skin? I remember only once you touched me without your gloves...when I got that bruise from your tutor." He saw it then, maybe he was antagonizing her too much as she sprung forward and aimed for his chest. The smile dropped from his face as he stepped back, fumbling to block only to have his sword struck away and lose his grip.
He had remembered the last time she got that close to hurting his chest, not just when she engraved him with the letter T, but after he had taken one of her pencils, before she knew he could draw. Thank god that pencil wasn't sharp, and it hadn't scarred that bad either unlike his other wounds. He lost his footing, landing hard on his back and going to use his own rapier to block; since he was still new to it, he realized too late it wasn't a good blocking tool as she was prepared both ways unlike him. The rapier fell from his left hand and a small cut from her dagger on the top of his hand. "I-I guess you win..." He mumbled, staring at the tip of the rapier touching his shirt. "Well, I guess you get a prize for winning...whatever you want from me. Except I still won't back down from being one of your suitors." He moved her rapier away and stood up so he didn't have to talk to her on the floor. He picked up his weapons, giving them to a maid who would go return them to their holding place.
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Victoria was returning to her room, of all days to get cranberry sauce on her sleeve, it had to be today! She was so embarrassed and after Arric had told her, she needed to change immediatly. "Jan, Madison! Fetch my other dress, I was sloppy at lunch." She demanded, picking up a package from her desk and smiling ever so softly, it was suppose to be a wedding gift from her late father and she couldn't bare to open it yet. Her dress was off and she was just stepping into her new one and getting it zipped up before she turned to her maid's gasps. "How dare-!" She got wide eyed and stepped back, her heel catching on the end of her long dress as she screamed. She held the package tightly before shoving it forward at her attacked to stop the knife's pursuit. They both landed on the ground, the slave was frail and dirty, she hadn't seen him before...or rather never noticed him. The maids were quick to defend their princess, taking a silver platter and slamming it into the slave to get him off as the knife wouldn't budge from the thick...book?! Her father had gotten her...a book? "Y-You!" She shoved him off and tossed the book onto her bed as she was out of breath. The maids were trying to hold the slave down. "Talk before I get a guard! You ruined a precious present from my father!" She demanded, not known for having a short temper until the subject was her books. A knock on the door and she motioned the maids to move him out of sight and cover his mouth as she opened it slightly to a worried guard. "Everythin' ahhh' right?" She nodded and the guard took a easy breath. "Just a torn dress, can you fetch me some medicine for help sleep..? I'm still not sleeping good after the king's death." The guard nodded, leaving as she closed the door to address the slave, looking him over. "Wait, Arric just bought you, didn't he? Three months ago...that's right...he executed your parents for failing to pay their debt to him and then..." She looked down to his crotch and coughed lightly to look away. "Speak, why try to kill me?" She removed her veil to set on the beautiful stone desk of hers and go back to the stabbed book.
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Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 7:04 am
Arric sniffled, wiping his nose on the plush sleeve of his luxurious fur coat. His nose hairs itched, which was irritating as he couldn't sneeze even though he wanted to. He wiped at his nose, hoping the fur would be enough to relieve his tension. One of his slaves was absent, so he'd sent a servant to go looking for him. The wretch had a terrible look about him at lunch. He kept grinding his teeth, which Arric found amusing for it was all that the weakling could do. The young prince knew that he and his family were the source of the man's trouble. Arric didn't feel at all guilty for Mattias Blume. His parents had failed to pay their debts. He'd called for them to be executed, and for their children to be enslaved. As for how they'd become unable to afford their payments, Arric had some hand in that. He'd driven up the prices for everything they needed to survive.
It wasn't his fault the man's parents were too stupid to notice or do anything to prevent their impending ruin. Mercy wasn't any fun either, since it wouldn't have benefited him at all. This outcome was far more amusing. What was the fool planning to do with that knife? In all likelihood, he'd go for the weakest target. That would be Arthur, or even Ester or Hector if any of them were unfortunate enough to be alone when Mattias found them. Which left Victoria. A frivolous woman and quite likely to become a thorn in his side if she was left to her own devices. He sneezed, finally, and had his ever-present slave hand him a silk handkerchief to blow his nose with. Something began to tap at his window and in no time at all, the messenger pigeon was allowed inside. He read Kenneth's letter and smirked. He picked up a pen and quill and mused over what he would write to encourage the poor sod.
_______________
Astrid handed the rapier and dagger she'd been using to a different servant. Immediately after that, she folded her hands neatly over her waistline. She straightened her posture and assumed the mask of stoicism she usually wore, though some color still clung to her face. "I do not desire a prize. You turned a friendly duel into a matter of defending my honor." She tried to speak calmly, but it was plainly obvious that she was still furious with him. She merely couldn't do anything to punish him for it now, out of respect for an old ally to the crown. She was about to walk out of the room when his father spoke up. Her jaw tensed at the idea of what he'd proposed. However, she'd already chosen to be civil as she was essentially trapped in their home until the roads were clear enough for travel.
Ailean chuckled dryly, politely covering his mouth to stifle the noise. He was surprised by how easily his adopted son was teasing the woman who'd nearly killed him on so many different occasions. He was obviously terrified when she nearly impaled him, but clearly only because of her intensity. He'd never seen her express emotion quite like that before. She was usually such a tranquil, gentle woman, or at least she seemed to be. Of course, she was an Inrmis. He'd known on some level that she was capable of evil, like her ancestors. But it was an entirely different experience bearing witness to it. "It's something watching you two youngsters go at it. I'd feared before that, well, shall I just say that I'm grateful that isn't the case. Your Highness, I hope to see you display your skills with a blade another time. Ken, why not show Her Majesty around Blackwolf Hall? I believe that she'd never visited here before."
He glanced between the two of them, smiling to himself. The air was pretty tense, but the language between them was refreshing somehow. He chalked it up to the spirit of youth. "If you'll excuse me, I have other matters I must attend to. I'll see you both at dinner I hope." He turned and raised one of Astrid's hands to touch his forehead to it. With a polite farewell he hobbled out of the room, a dry smile touching his features as he pondered just how the two would behave without him around. Hopefully, his son would still be unharmed in a few hours when it was time for dinner.
As soon as Ailean left the room, and they were alone with the exception of a couple of servants, she fixed him with a stern glare. "You. Have you no shame at all? What must I do to make you understand?" Even as she asked, she was searching for a reason to have him executed. Perhaps banning him from the country would be better. No, she couldn't do either without proof of treason. His new family's name and status was protecting him. Should she send women of high rank to seduce him? She couldn't bear the thought of it, and that she would even be jealous over such a man, angered her. She continued to glare at him, waiting for a response, but wouldn't hurt him since they were being watched. Perhaps she should kick him in the seat of his pants again to remind him that she could still hurt him, even now. If he stopped trying, she was certain that she'd be able to move on. She didn't fully understand why she was in love with such a wretched man as Kenneth, but once she did she believed that she could fall out of love easily.
________________
He struggled in the hold of the maids, finally breaking free. Adrenaline was rushing through his veins and he began to look around the room wildly in search of anything he could use for a weapon. His hasty movements exposed the right side of his face, which had been hidden beneath his bangs. His right eye was missing, instead the gory vision of the socket left behind was in plain sight. There was scarring around it, and near his other eye. He heard every word being spoken to him but chose to ignore her. It was all or nothing now, if he didn't at least take one of them out he wasn't going to let them kill him! Hell wasn't worth a pathetic death! He kept a few steps away from either of the maids, throwing whatever he could reach at them to keep them away. His heart was racing, he could hear his blood rushing through his head. He finally grabbed hold of the chair, amazingly enough he was able to lift it over his head. "Die, devils!" He cried out, swinging the chair down on one of her maids. It hit, hard. She went down like a ton of bricks.
The other maid pounced on him and it was another struggle to get up until the woman managed to get his arms behind his back. His body was trembling, strength close to giving out. He threw his head back, hearing a sickening crunch as he broke her nose and could even feel it against his skull. Still, she wouldn't let go. He jumped, falling backwards onto his opponent and yelped in pain as his arms were pinned underneath him at an awkward angle. He tried to get up again, but his weakened body couldn't take any more fighting. He could only pant and wince in pain, totally at the mercy of his would-be victims. "I... won't... talk... Go to hell..!" He managed to wheeze out at Victoria. He tried to spit, but ended up only moving his lips awkwardly in her direction. His mouth was too dry.
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Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 11:19 pm
That sly smirk returned to his face upon seeing the color still clinging to her cheeks. "Defend your honor? Oh no, you can perfectly defend it yourself, otherwise you would gladly let me know if I needed to step in." He shook a finger at her while saying so. "I know I still need practice...you should teach me when I visit the castle next time, great dancer and perfect at a rapier, no woman is like you." He turned his head to Ailean and nodded, giving his father a slight bow as he left before returning his attention to Astrid. "Well...we could walk together and I will show you the castle, hopefully the snow settles a bit and I will gladly show you around the area." He dusted himself off, telling the servants to go back to whatever they were doing and that he could handle anything her Majesty wanted. They had become use to Ken still wishing to do some things himself although it was still nice to not have to cook his own meals since he feared he was unable to cook. Not to mention he disliked sharp knives still and tea.
He motioned her Majesty to follow before walking along the halls. It was awkward to say little and nothing was said at all except for her heels clicking on the ground behind him. "So...this is the main hall, that door leads to the bedrooms for family, that one is the guest wing, that is the door to the kitchens and dining room. The one we left was the ball room and weapons storage near it. We have guards wandering about, but they are suppose to blend in and are highly trai- are you listening?" He turned and saw her staring at the pictures on the wall, the ones made by his father. They had gone down this hallway while talking...and he still refused to look directly at the pictures anymore as it still hurt. "Those...were my dad's paintings...I-I...um..." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking around and trying to think of where to go next to avoid the topic of his father. "Want to see my study? I have some new drawings, mostly of different plants and just what I see during the day." He hooked her arm and pulled her gently, although it felt like budging a wall.
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Victoria had taken out her fan, rolling her eyes as she waited for his temper tantrum to stop. He was young...much younger than when Ken became a slave and she loved the fire in his...one eye? "How gross...did Arric do that? Ugh, savage." She fanned herself, ignoring his cries and rebellious behavior until she heard the panting and how much he was hurting. "Are you done? Lord, what was your name...? Oh! Mattias! Isn't your sister here...? A kitchen slave, wonder if that chef loves his new entertainment." She laughed, walking over and ordering the maid to get him on his stomach and sit on his back to keep him still. "Now, you pathetic pig, I could have you executed this minute, but you are Arric's slave so you might be useful." She made sure her heels were on tight before stepping on the back of his knees and holding her whole body weight on them to cause him pain. "I will gladly buy you from Arric and send you and your sister on the next boat to wherever you want....but I want to know if Arric is hiding anything." She lifted her foot and stomped, hearing the scream made her smile as she got off and walked over to her desk. "Of course you won't do it on a mere promise...you, go get his sister and two plates of scraps." She pointed to the other maid who looked hurt from the chair but Victoria could care less.
She walked back over and had the maid on his back keep him still as she got some rope from her curtains by the desk to tie his arms together and lift him up into the chair to tie his ankles next to the chair legs. "Oh you know...I bet you will be better off as a...special toy for some nobles." She smirked, hiding it behind her fan since she had some secret stuff Astrid didn't know about. She had a nice deal with some high nobles to sell them 'toys' whether it was a boy or girl although Mattias seemed too rebellious at the moment. "So? Want your freedom? I'll send your sister to my new home country first, you stay as Arric's slave and find me anything of use. Once you do, I will buy you from him and you will come with me to the island where you will be free. Arric probably sent someone to come find you, he keeps good track of his slaves so do be quick in your decision." She waited, wondering if he would really choose to get his sister killed or trust that Victoria can save them both.
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 12:51 am
With the servants gone, the two of them were completely alone. She scowled at the back of his head, reluctantly following along behind him. He'd been the one who had insulted her. During a duel or other fights, it was necessary to examine your opponents stance. She had no perverted intentions towards him at that time, wanting to kiss him had nothing to do with that. Yet he'd dared to insinuate that she wasn't a pure woman. She decided on how she would punish him for it. She couldn't order him executed or tortured. But she still had her poisons. She would drug his food or drink, or perhaps deliver the poison through touch with the help of her gloves? She still kept vials up her sleeves at all times to serve a small variety of purposes. She would use their contents when it suited her to. On top of that insult, he even dared to disrespect her by not offering his arm as a gentleman normally would. What were people saying, with the two of them wandering around without an escort? She was supposed to be in mourning. Still, she was far too angry to focus on the work she'd brought with her. So she followed him on his little tour.
The rest of the place was just as grim, until they reached this hallway. There were flowers placed here and there and artwork that didn't depict gruesome goings-on displayed on the walls. The brushwork looked familiar, though she'd never seen any of these works before. She glanced over to him briefly as he explained that these paintings which seemed so out of place had been created by his father. She eyed him, he was plainly uncomfortable being here. So why bring her to the eastern wing of? Her scowl soon returned as he tried to pull her away. She pulled back, in an attempt to free her arm. But had to grab hold of him by the ear to keep him still enough to pull her arm away. She glared at him in silence for a few moments, before turning to look at one of the paintings. "Don't touch me so freely." She ordered, examining the painting for a few moments. She couldn't help but notice his continued discomfort.
He'd seemed so happy here. So why keep something like this in plain view if it made him so uncomfortable? Was he being treated cruelly? Uncle had been the one to select his new family, and they had seemed to get along well. She didn't understand how he could make sure an expression if he was truly enjoying his new life. It was also quite far from the castle, from all of the people he'd known before. She felt a pang of guilt, the more she thought about it, and she detested the fact that he could still make her feel this way. She could do worse to him, and had in the past. So why feel guilty now? It wasn't logical. Still... She hated to see him like this, even if he had been so unforgivably rude towards her on so many different occasions. "Your study... Show me." Was all she said as she turned herself towards him. She tried to hide her concern, keeping her expression as emotionless as possible and her posture straight. Her hands were folded neatly one over the other, over the center of her waist.
As they walked, she stared at his back again. Her emotions were a mess. She couldn't help but be concerned for him and yet detested him for his numerous past crimes against her. He didn't deserve to be pitied or treated kindly by her. What he did deserve, she couldn't see through with due in part to his new status and the unpleasant feeling that she experienced when she thought of him enduring those punishments. It was another few minutes of silence, before she couldn't stand to remain quiet any longer. "Kenneth." She reached out with one hand to touch his lower back. As he stopped, she looked down at him sternly. "Are you... unwell?" As she began to speak, she knew how it would sound if she asked him what was wrong outright. So she decided to inquire about his health. She couldn't let him know that she was worried about him, he'd think it a victory and she absolutely did not want to see that arrogant smirk of his again.
________________
He gasped in pain, trying his best to keep from screaming until she used her heels to bore into the back of his spindly knees. He blinked after the weight was removed, tremors still running through his body as his flesh tried to recover. His breathing was uneven, he was having trouble thinking clearly. Just how had he gotten himself into this situation? This princess was supposed to be frail and foolish. He should've gone after that foreign princess instead but that would just be putting that heartless demon out of her misery. This one was the only one without guards, or at least that's what he'd thought before. As she described her offer to him, his mind was racing. He couldn't think. One point did stand out to him though and he glared at her with an animal-like ferocity. "You--How dare you speak my name! You have no right, demon!" He struggled against his binds, fists balled and feet stomping on the floor. The maid had to use her weight to keep him from lifting the chair. Seconds later, he was panting. The other maid came hobbling back, looking like a nightmare, and she wasn't alone.
He glared at Victoria, spitting curses her way with every bit of energy he could. The second person, a steward of his master, put a stop to his speaking by stuffing a glove into his mouth. He watched the well-dressed pig turn to the princess. "I've come to reclaim Prince Arric's lost pheasant, Your Grace." Was all that the man said before ordering the maid to untie him and shoving him out of the room by the collar of his shirt. He struggled to stay standing on ever-trembling legs as the man made him stop just outside of the door. He could only hear what was being said. "It should please your majesty to know that the slave your maid was searching for has been dead for nearly three months now. She took her own life. I'm surprised that you were unaware of this, Your Grace, and apologize for that woman's impudence. It is a rare honor to speak with one of your good breeding and status."
He saw out of the corner of his eye that the man was bowing to her, before continuing to drag him down the hallway, further and further away from his failed attempt at justice. As he was forced to keep moving back towards hell on earth, he thought of his lost siblings. He hadn't heard of her in a long time and it was his shame that her death didn't sadden him at all. He hadn't been able to do anything for her either. He wanted to know more, to justify the relief he felt that she was now dead and beyond their clutches. His other siblings, he knew that the youngest had been formally adopted by relatives. Then he thought about her offer. It wasn't what he wanted. He wanted her and the rest of her family to die. They were evil and didn't deserve to live. His passion to kill them died out as he was shoved into the dungeon to be punished. He found himself wishing that he too had taken his life when he had the chance.
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:48 am
His pleas went unheard for her to follow, he quickly let go once she gripped her finely tuned nails and soft fingers to his ear to keep him still. "Sorry." He mumbled, backing away once she let go and standing there nervous. He didn't notice how she looked at him, too focused on what to do next if he couldn't get her to stop looking at the paintings. He wasn't one to say how he was feeling either, having it engraved in his mind that he wasn't important enough to show his feelings unless forced. "Yeah, it's up the stairs...it's a bit messy." He turned and started to walk, feeling her at his heels with her heels so he quickened his pace just slightly to compensate for her long strides. He stopped when she touched his lower back, a shiver up his spine that vibrated his scars and he gripped his arm as a reflex. "No, no no..." He removed his hand, not wishing to let on that he had a fresh injury from Mirabelle. It would take a while to heal due to how deep the knife had gone, but would she blame the wound for him losing?
"I'm fine." He continued, opening the door to his study and over to his desk that was filled with drawings, pencils, charcoal and paint. "I've been trying to draw every plant in your garden, but I fear I've forgotten some or most, I'll have to visit and see to getting some details about it." He flipped a book open for her, a catalog of some of her plants. It barely had any at the moment, her favorite, her least favorite and her most popular plants were there, but the uncommon, rare and not seen as much plants had yet to be added. "I'm enjoying what time I get to paint and draw, feels like I was less busy at the castle..." he laughed lightly, moving some empty containers to set beside the basket of medicine she had sent him. Yitta and Inga did well to keep tending to his back, the salves were all used differently. Yitta tended to use the less dangerous ones while Inga was much more careful with the others. "The medicine you sent me was wonderful, I was able to move around within days!" He turned to and backed up against the wall as she came close, he became nervous again but tried to keep his smile. "Y-Your highness...?" The room felt very small now with her, where was that bravery he had earlier in the spar?
---------------
Victoria sighed as the young man refused to listen, looking away as he was removed and sighing. "Hmph, inform my brother I will require his pheasant to right this wrong, I require an apology and suffice to say, I demand he give him to me and I will deal with him, if he wishes I will pay for the child with gold." She stood straight and tall, intimidating even to her maids at the moment. To hear this child's sibling was dead hit her in a different place than she expected. "I could give the boy to my fiance as a gift for joining my family...oh! He could carry all my books! With how he threw the objects, pounced on me, he could carry twice the books as my slaves!" She smiled, having her maids finish with helping her into the black dress and leaving quickly to find Arric in his study. She took a deep breath and knocked lightly, returning to her more dainty self to address this issue.
When the door opened, she shoved the slave without a tongue aside to go to Arric. "You need to stop losing your possessions, brother. He is very strong...I'm guessing you have him in the dungeon already?" She asked, seeing a bird leave the window and shrugging it off as he did own a few birds. "How much? I know you got him for free basically, but I want him." She demanded, setting a small sack of gold coins on his desk before checking her beautiful nails. "Let me buy him and I won't bring this issue up to Astrid when she returns, I believe he will make a wonderful slave for my fiance." She said, was the boy experiencing the whips? An iron maiden or just chains to a wall?
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Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 2:18 am
His animals had been very... mellow. Just way too calm, when he'd first checked on them. He didn't get it, had Arric given them enough to eat while he'd been away? They looked like they'd been eating enough. He'd spent a few hours now, going and bringing all of his precious pets fresh meat. He'd even tossed in a few of those slaves he kept just for his most dangerous pets. He had those slaves fattened up with high quality food, kept as healthy as can be just to give his man-eaters the best treats money could buy. But they'd barely taken a nibble. One slave was even trying to choke his cougar and the great cat barely did anything to stop him. It was confusing as all hell and he was pissed off to find them in this sort of condition. He had the slaves removed and locked up the cages in the old prison to keep the animals from escaping. Then started on his way to go hunt down that damned jerk who'd neglected them to this point!
An unfamiliar woman stepped in his way once he was inside the castle. Blonde with puffy eyes and a rounded stomach. "Prince Joseph! It's been a while..." He eyed her incredulously, having no idea who the hell she was. Was this some sort of stupid prank? Or was she a gift? He had more urgent matters to attend to, so he shoved her out of the way. She managed to keep herself from falling over and was blocking his way again minutes later. He growled at her. "Step aside, woman!" But she wouldn't quit, she just kept bothering him. He couldn't even make it to the end of the hallway without her getting in his way. "Joseph! Stop ignoring me, if you have any decency at all you'll listen to me! How could you abandon a woman after having your way with her? How could you be so cruel as to hurt me when it's so obvious I bear the fruit of your lust?!"
He glared at her, now thoroughly annoyed. "You should be grateful I haven't killed you yet! Go the ******** away before I kill you! And stop saying all that confusing s**t!" He tried to step around her, only to be blocked again. That woman dared to place her hands on his chest and meet his gaze. "What insolence! How dare you touch me!" He grabbed hold of her wrists and twisted her to the side. He heard her yelp in pain and then, she cried out something that broke his brain. "You brute! God won't forgive you for harming the mother of your child like this! How dare you treat me this way! You won't even listen to me! You don't know how I've suffered since that dreadful night when you forced yourself on me! I've waited here, in this miserable place, for weeks just to speak to you!" She began to cry, screaming all of this at him even though due to his efforts she was now on the floor, leaning against the wall for support. He stared blankly at her, his mind slowly processing her proclamation.
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Prince Barthomieu looked longingly up at the castle from the balcony of his room in the city. Since his poor, beautiful flower had left him his life had been dreary. He wondered how her brother was fairing, how she was coping now that she'd also lost her father. How he wished he could be by her side, supporting her and letting her express all of her worries and feelings upon his shoulder. She was so far away, as the city was miles from the castle. It was the closest he could get without showing disrespect for the culture of her people. If only he could be there to comfort her. But for now she was in mourning, and he couldn't see her for that was improper according to the rules and mourning rituals of her country of Criaswen. He could only send her gifts, letters and his desire to comfort her. Their wedding was also delayed by an additional month or so, sadly. But how dearly he wished to catch a glimpse of her. How greatly he missed her. He'd even come to her country, just to be closer though he would need to return in a few days. He sighed, alas yet another night without the hope of seeing her. He wondered what his gentle, bride-to-be was doing now? Thinking now? He departed, deciding to go into the market in order to look for more flowers and various other presents he could send to her.
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Astrid watched him, a constant sour expression bluntly displayed on her pale features. For harassing her for such a long period of time and claiming to want to be with her purely because of love, he had a strange way of showing it. Strange, or perhaps it would be best described as being irredeemably rude. A touch from her had made him tremble as if in pain. She knew that, for she'd been the one to nearly kill him on so many different occasions. She knew how his body moved when reacting to pain. A gesture that she meant to be kind had been responded to so thoughtlessly but this spineless little worm. It wasn't the first time she'd attempted to be kind towards him that he'd responded with fear. Which gave her even more proof that he held secret intentions. He wanted to marry her to achieve some sort of goal, to have revenge for what she'd put him through. Of that much she was certain. It mattered little how she felt about him, but she was beyond a shadow of a doubt, through with being tolerant of such behavior.
She decided that she would use this time wisely, to influence him to give up on his pursuit of her through subtle means. She couldn't kill him, couldn't beat him. But there were other ways of causing him harm which she could merely pass off as being accidental occurrences. She pretended to pay attention to his sketches of her most treasured collection, some of her darling poisonous plants. But beneath that displeased frown of hers she was forming a plan. She was thinking of her ultimate goal and the procession of accidents that would need to be created in order to achieve that goal. It would all start here, but not with an accident. For too long had he been the one to shock her with indecent behavior. He always seemed to derive pleasure in seeing her caught of guard or humiliated in some way. She also didn't wish to be suspected. She was still trapped inside of his home while the blizzard raged on outside. As he raved about the effectiveness of her gifts, she stepped towards him. He must of heard her, as he turned to face her. She continued to move forward until he'd backed himself up against the wall.
She stared at him sternly, her jaw tense. Then reached out towards him. She noted how he flinched upon seeing this and how nervous he was overall. She placed the fingertips of one of her hands against his chest. Incidentally, this was near the healing wound from where his brand had been removed. She felt him tense up and begin to tremble, as if he was frightened for his life. She regarded him coldly, looking up and down to let him stew in silence all without moving her hand. Then she took another step forward, pressing her nails into the material of his shirt. "It would seem that your body betrays your heart, Lord Catanach." She spoke softly, cold violet eyes boring down fearlessly into his vibrant red orbs. She was only a few inches away from his chest now. One foot was between his in order to achieve this short distance. She dragged her nails up from his chest, to his neck and then to hold his jaw still. She shifted from using her nails to instead use the soft tips of her fingers to avoid leaving a mark on him.
She pressed down, to keep him from moving. He looked to frightened to do anything, and even if he were to try to steal her lips from her again she was determined to act defensively before he could reach them. "Your new home holds mirrors, even if your wounds are numb. Your body is a testament to what I'm capable of. I have cut so deeply into your flesh, even though some of those wounds have healed they will forever cause you pain. Your bride, your children, your friends. They will all see the repulsive long welts from my whips and the burn scars from my fires. Even this..." With her free hand she grabbed onto his upper arm, the one she'd pressed into with a scalding hot poker. Some of his muscle had been pulled away when she removed it, to the point that there was and would always be a thumb sized depression in his arm. She drove her thumb into that depression, continuing to stare him down without blinking.
"Your face, pelvis and upper thighs are the only unmarked areas of your flesh. If you wish to keep it that way, I suggest you take a moment to view your reflection." She let go of his arm and shifted her hold on his jawline, stretching her hand out to sort of cup his chin in her palm. Then she stomped on one of his feet. She leaned in towards him, growing just close enough to bite down on his lower lip while his mouth was open. She pulled away, satisfied by the sight of the red mark left by her teeth. It was partially hidden on the inner line of his lower lip. She'd decided to take a page out of Joseph's book when she'd chosen to bite him. This was deliberate as to her it seemed like an incredibly unpleasant experience to be bitten when one was expected to be kissed.
She stepped back, just to be a foot away from him. She blinked slowly to moisten her eyes, taking the time to also folding her hands over her waistline in a proper fashion. Then looked over to the tall mirror which stood in a corner of the room. "Remove your clothes except for your pantaloons and face the mirror." She ordered, waiting impatiently for him to comply with her wishes. She'd just threatened him, so she fully expected him to obey her demands. She was unaware that though the door was closed, they were being watched through the keyhole. He was taking too long to comply. If he were still her slave, she would simply cut the clothing off with a dagger or sharp knife. But that was no longer an option.
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She was late! Yitta felt so terribly guilty for being so late. She was as'pposed to clean her master's study in the eastern wing hours ago. But she'd fallen asleep in the stables! They'd needed help so she'd gone with some of the other servants to dress the horses and brace the doors against the snow. There was already too much snow on the ground for her to travel to the farmer's barn and help him, so she'd asked for one of the groundskeepers to go in her place. The work had been tiring and the blankets so warm. She'd fallen asleep cuddling in the hay with one of the dogs. Even now, bits of hay and fur were stuck in her bright orange curls. She looked a mess, but she wanted to hurry and get her chores done. She didn't want to tell her master that she'd been lazy and failed to do her job. Even more, she didn't want to be punished by the head maid.
She stopped just outside of the door upon hearing voices inside. One was a woman's and she didn't recognize who it was. She could hear her master inside as well. She was afraid to interrupt them. Maybe they were discussing something important? She decided to wait outside for them to be finished. But as her master grew silent, she became quite curious as to the going's-on. She crouched, peeking in through the keyhole to see their queen standing so close to her master. She didn't hear anyone else in there. Were they alone?! Yitta knew the traditions of Criaswen well as a former noble. She knew it was forbidden for an unmarried woman in mourning to be alone with a man. She shortly realized that it looked like Queen Astrid was kissing him. Yitta's chest felt tight and she felt her legs go weak underneath her. She was frozen in place, trying to keep from crying in order to continue watching.
She knew it wasn't her place to have a crush on her master. But she just couldn't help it. Lord Kenneth was just such a wonderful man, any woman be crazy not to love him. But why did the queen sound angry? She blushed as the order for Ken to undress himself was given. She knew she should look away. Maybe even run away or send someone in to interrupt them? Someone else. Yitta was scared that she'd give away her secret if she went in or even if Ken were to see her now. Maybe he knew already, she couldn't bear to think of it. But her curiosity once again got the better of her. She kept quiet, knowing that no one would be coming around here at this time of day so she wouldn't be caught eavesdropping. This was also her only chance to see her master naked, since she'd only ever seen his bare back before. She wanted to see what he looked like, at least. So she stayed crouched down, watching the two of them through the keyhole.
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Arric looked up from his writing desk as the door was opened without his permission. He left the letter he was writing out on the desk, as he always coded his practice letters anyway. Life was too boring if he didn't. He turned, bulky white fur coat draped across his shoulders and dressed in all white down to his slippers. Looking pale and cold, he tilted his head as he regarded Tory. "How unbecoming it is for a young lady of your good breeding and status to barge into a man's private rooms like this? What will the servants say about such masters? Your unsuitable tastes are well known among the people. What rumors will they spread amongst each other and eventually, to others? What if word reached that fiancé of yours? You never cease to amuse me, 'Tory'." Then he smirked at her and ordered a set of tea and treats to be brought up to his room. He rose to his feet, standing just five inches or so shorter than Tory, and walked over to a pair of comfortable chairs he had positioned in front of the fireplace.
A fire was crackling away pleasantly, adding light and much needed warmth to the room. Arric gestured towards one chair, sitting in the other afterwards. "Do sit down, you look frightfully pale. My steward informed me of what happened. I hear that pheasant of mine made quite a fuss. I do hope your maids recover. I heard he nearly killed one of them. How scared you must have been, knowing that his true target was you." As a tray with the requested treats was brought up he had the servant set it down on a small table between them. He drank a little before he continued on regardless of whatever his sister was saying. "He's already due to be plucked and boiled as we speak. I can't allow such a villain to live, even if you do want to buy him. Think of the scandal, Tory. It's what your imagination is best suited for. A Princess in mourning and engaged to be married, keeping a young male slave in her quarters. Even if he isn't capable of impregnating you, he is still male."
He paused briefly to suppress a sneeze and took another sip of his tea. "To say that you'll give him to your fiancé as a present.. You do know that slavery is outlawed in his country? Do you believe that he will be happy to know how cruelly the boy's been treated? What of his attempt on your life? Will the honorable Barthomieu Van Amee IX welcome such a man into his home? Ah, did you want him to kill the boy for you? Would that give you a thrill? More importantly, what would father say if I gave you a male slave, having forbidden you from owning one? Would he be at peace, looking down at you from heaven and seeing that you're disobeying his wishes for you?" Arric regarded her snidely, his pale icy blue eyes taking in her reaction. It was true what he said. She was well known for being a lustful and immoral woman, though there was no solid proof to indicate that she'd acted on any of her little fantasies.
Still, he fully anticipated that she'd find a way to argue her way to getting what she wanted. He would pretend to resist, intrigued by her sudden interest in his slave. If she wished to keep him from being killed, what did she hope to gain? Was she going to sell a castrated slave to one of those indiscreet customers of hers? He noted that his slave was standing by the wall as always. But for some reason she didn't have an escort with her, which left them alone together.
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Mattias had been dragged down to the dungeon, fitted in scratchy men's pantaloons and his hands and feet had been bound. He was one a many criminals who were being paraded throughout the city. The people threw rotten garbage and various other items like blocks of wood and mud at them. They jeered and shouted insults. They called for the criminals to be killed in all sorts of cruel ways and expressed their desire to see it happen then and there. When one man fell after a rock hit his head, they erupted into cheers. It felt like a decade of his life had been taken away by the time it was all over. The incredible anger he'd felt before was replaced with shame and fear. He knew he was without hope or redemption. He felt like an idiot for risking his life. He should've known the punishment wouldn't be worth the attempt on that damnable family. They were stopped at the city's center. There was a stage, various implements of torture and execution were there. It stank terribly of death and human waste.
Some criminals were already positioned throughout. Two men being put through scathing torture for treason. A woman who was hanging by her wrists from a strappado, there was blood underneath her which indicated that a pear of anguish may also be in use on her. A sign indicated that she was being put to death for adultery and prostitution. There were two on a wooden horse for the crime of murdering a child. There were several others and several of the criminals he'd been walked out with were being positioned in other, vacant devices for the purpose of torturing and execution. Mattias was strapped to a Judas Chair for all to see. Where his back, arms, legs and any other part of his body would rest was completely covered. The only exception were a few holes in the bottom and he didn't know what those were for. He cried out in pain as the spikes sank into his flesh. His arms, legs and neck were strapped in tightly. A sign was posted in front of him, indicating that he was being punished for trying to commit murder.
He only knew, because they told him, that he was going to bleed out slowly over a period of a few days. Just as on the way here, other citizens of Criaswen were gathered around. A fence kept them from swarming the criminals. They threw things and spat and shouted and jeered. Mattias found himself wishing that he was on the other side as a couple logs were placed underneath his chair. He lowered his head, trying to breath through the pain. There had to be a way out of here! Why didn't he just ******** accept that b***h's request?! He could've been free! His siblings never did anything for him anyway! Why did he have to go and be loyal to his sister's ghost?
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Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 5:40 pm
She was searching for him, he said he was going to tend to his animals and that it was too dangerous for her to come, but it had been a few hours and she was hungry! Why was she hungry all the damn time? Also was it nessesary for her to wear this mourning dress and not pants? She hated dresses and hated how the maids braided her hair and pinned it up to show her more feminine side. Voices...shouts? Joseph! She became excited and rounded the corner to hear the whore state her baby was his, again! Only to his face this time! "Move!" She moved past Joseph and lifted the woman up by her chest, sharp nails grasping on as she got face to face with the prostitute. "How dare you proclaim you carry his child! Your nothing but a whore! If anything your nothing but garbage he got bored with." She got the woman to stand on her own before letting go and showing her hand that held the silver band. "I am his wife! You dare accuse my husband of cheating, or are you...announcing that you have indulged in prostitution?!" She was whispering angrily at the taller woman, feeling large hands at her waist to pull her back. Bethany was fuming and ready to find the closest weapon to get rid of this whore.
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A maid was searching the criminals for the one who her mastered desired to be bought, he was the youngest one and when spotted she quickly became distracted when seeing a tall, tan man carrying a few gifts and trying to decide which one was right. "The prince! Oh master, forgive me..." She sighed and rushed to his side, stepping beside him. "Your highness! What luck! Your fiancée was nearly murdered and now her would be murderer is on the stands!" She adjusted his gifts, switching pink for purple and a book for once the princess did not have yet. All the while explaining the situation. "It seems the young kid was forced into slavery and beaten by Prince Arric, Victoria feels for the young man and wishes to buy him and free him, but she cannot do it herself without scandalous rumors against her forming, if you were to buy him...an unknown stranger and save his life, taking him with you to your country, oh she would feel you were the hero of her books!" She helped him reach his wallet, holding the bags for him after handing him a small purple coin sack with just enough to free the man and pay for medical care.
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He halted his breathing, would she hear his heartbeat as she got closer, flinching and looking away to avoid eye contact, then he felt her touch where the brand was sore from healing. He was trembling, beginning to breath again as she pressed her fingertip down to the fabric that protected him from the cold. "You tortured my body a lot, I believe it still doesn't believe in freedom like my mind does." He tried to joke, looking back into her eyes and freezing again, unable to back up anymore or move her hand from his jaw as she gripped it. He couldn't talk, she pressed closely to him and kept his head from moving. He hadn't really looked in mirrors as much as they owned quite a few, maybe he was avoiding the scars and wounds? He tensed when she gripped his arm, it wasn't the only wound anymore, due to Mirabelle. "Y-Your highness..." He mumbled, stopping when she stomped on his foot and he opened his mouth to yelp. His eyes grew wide, tasting the blood from himself. "T-That's not how you kiss." He barely got the sentence out before hearing her and standing straight again. Why was he undressing? Why listen? He had his shirt off, the undershirt as well to show the wounds before undoing his belt when she stepped closer and grabbed his arm to stop him and eyeball the thin bandage aroun the stab wound, right under the burn scar that she dealt him. He heard something...did someone just curse that he stopped undressing or was he hearing things? "No no no, don't undo it! It still hurts!" he smacked her hand away, redressing quickly and going for the door. "I will see you at dinner, your highness!" he panicked, not allowing her to see wounds from other people as he opened the door and stumbled over the crouching Yitta to land on his face and grumble. "Yitta! What have I told you about eavesdropping!" He stood up, helping her up gently and quickly holding his hand to his bleeding nose. "This is the fifth time in two weeks, go tend to Ailean and see if he needs anything, I'll have Inga clean my study later." He sounded mad, but he was being really gentle, rushing off once he remembered the princess was watching him interact with his chamber maid.
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Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 6:41 am
Joseph could only take a step back upon seeing his new bride's ferocity towards this stranger. He was confused that she knew who this woman was when he didn't. It never occurred to him that he'd probably just realized he wanted nothing to do with her, therefore he'd totally ignored her and banished her from his memory. He often did this when being told something he didn't want to hear. He sneered as the woman accusing him of fathering a child with her shouted back at Bethany. "Prostitute?! How dare you! I am Lady Colette Blackadder! My family has been loyal to the crown for generations! I am not some lowly woman who sells herself! I had no choice in becoming pregnant by him! He took advantage of me and he needs to do what is good and proper in the eyes of God!"
Joseph noticed that his wife was getting pretty angry. So he wrapped his arms around her waist, trying to keep his grip high to avoid her stomach and ultimately to avoid possibly harming the bun inside. "I don't know what you're talking about! I've never even seen you before!" He snarled at her, trying to look intimidating. It was difficult when he was straining to keep a very angry midget from clawing the offending woman's eyes out. Lady Colette then went on to continue to express her side of things. "Your blood flows through this child's veins, Prince Joseph! And I demand that you do what's right! Do you think I'm happy about this?! I didn't want to bear your child, I wanted to bear the child of--" The woman cut herself off before she could give a name and broke down into tears. "Oh, now no man will have me! Have you no heart?!"
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The young prince was particularly confused to being approached like this. He could see that the woman looked to be fairly beaten up and if what she was saying were true, he worried for Victoria. Now wasn't the time to be buying presents like this! The familiar dramatic drop in temperature around them signaled the presence of his bodyguard. The gloomy gargoyle of a man reached out, stopping the woman's hand from taking the prince's money. He clutched on to her wrist, looking her up and down for some sort of proof that she was who she claimed to be. Seeing nothing, he spoke a threat in his native tongue, being unable to communicate in Crias. The young prince looked down at the woman kindly. "Miss, pay him no mind. He wish for... excusez-moi. How do you say..? Ev-ee-dince? To show you are who you say. Please inform my beautiful bride-to-be I will free this man for her." With that he walked off towards the grim and horrifying area where those being publicly executed or tortured were presented.
It took some bartering and details became lost in translation, but eventually he managed to purchase the slave-boy who had tried to kill his love. He kept the man bound and walked with him back to the inn where he was staying. He wasn't certain what to do now. He didn't feel comfortable letting the boy stay around and his bodyguard wouldn't permit it either. Yet he couldn't let the boy go loose. What if he should try to harm another? He sat down at the small table in his room, staring at the boy as he tried to figure out the best way to handle this situation.
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Astrid walked swiftly, taking long strides, and easily caught up to Kenneth. In her hand she held one of the long, thick wooden rulers from his study. It had charcoal dust clinging to it. She swung the wide side of it violently against his upper back, then spun to his side in order to thrust the butt end of it against his new wound. It wasn't precisely aligned with the cut, as she couldn't see it. But she could already see blood coloring the cloth of his shirt. She then stomped on his foot with the long pointed heel of her shoe and shoved him against the wall. She clasped onto his jaw with one hand and dug her fingers in. She was wide eyed herself, with an insane sort of rage in her eyes like she might have every person on the grounds impaled just to sate her anger. "You unforgivably insolent little man! Touch me like that again and it won't matter who your father is!"
With that she shoved him backwards, then strode off down the hallway to try to find her way back to the room she was staying in. She didn't care about the maid who'd been spying on them, nor that the girl had seen her behave so violently towards Kenneth. It was the same maid that had accompanied him before, when he'd visited the castle to perform with Ester. Perhaps they truly were lovers. It was of little matter to her now. It was pass time to put an end to his behavior towards her. She held information that she knew would wound him deeply, about his true family's intentions for him. How they had tried to use him and when they couldn't, had simply sold him off like cattle. She would just have to wait for the right time. For now, she would give him time to think about what she'd said to him. And she would exchange words with his new father.
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Yitta's face was beet red as she realized she'd been caught. At first she tried to apologize and help him, but his orders shocked her. "What?! B-but!" She exclaimed, having no chance to plea for mercy as her master hurried away. She stood awkwardly, staring at the ground and pouting until she felt someone pass by her. She looked up in time to see what the queen did to him and squeaked in shock. She hurried over to him and tried to help him. "Ma-master?! Are you okay?" Her hands hovered over his injuries uselessly until she decided to try getting him to lift his chin so she could make sure his neck was okay.
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Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 10:41 am
Bethany was taking deep breaths to try and calm down, although she still seethed with rage while being held by Joseph. "You don't look pregnant! You..you liar! How dare you try and blame you getting fat for him forcing himself on you!" She put her hands on her stomach, wondering if it really was true...did he force himself on this woman? "Another man? Who else did you wish to share your bed with?!" She got loose, grabbing Joseph's arm and turning him to walk away. "I won't hear anymore of this, continue and I'll personally see to it that I aim for your stomach with my sword!" She threatened behind her, a few curls falling from their held place on her head and she only wished now to see if there was any pie nearby. If she knew that some Lord Catanoch was involved, she would gladly arm herself for his next visit.
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The maid was rather shocked as the large man appeared and gripped her wrist, scanning him and nodding her approval. "Evidence, your highness? Oh! The satchel is Victoria's favorite coin purse! She loves purple you see- oh, okay!" She smiled, showing her missing tooth although glad she had cleaned up the blood from earlier. She resumed her attention to the large man once the prince walked away, a large smile brimming on her face. "Now what is your name?!" She followed him once the prince made his purchase and stood at a reasonable distance since the bodyguard didn't trust her yet. "I think it best to take him with when you leave, he is rather handsome isn't he?" She commented, only staying to retrieve the coin pouch as she had explained it was entrusted in her by Victoria herself. A doctor had been sent earlier, due to the boy's new injuries.
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He hadn't felt pain like that since...since he had been freed, he had heard her heels clacking on the ground too late when the ruler made contact with his back and he stumbled in an odd direction when she hit the wound that started this panic in him. He gripped his arm, right below where it was starting to bleed again, not knowing what pain to react to at this point, his back, his foot, his arm or his jaw? He looked at her with panic filled eyes, holding still with fear as she dug into his jaw with her nails. "Y-Yes, your highness!" He hit the wall again and stayed there, staring as she disappeared down the hall and barely hearing Yitta fret over him. "I'm fine...what am I going to do, Yitta? Every time I think she might fall in love with me, I ruin it. Go, I want to be alone..." He mumbled, shaking like a leaf and moving himself down the hall to his room, closing and locking the door even when his precious Rubert pawed at his poor for entrance, going to Yitta to whine.
Kenneth stared at another mirror in his room, why did she want him to undress? To see what she did to him? To admire how his wounds healed and would be like for the rest of his life? He remembered getting lashed for dropping dishes, for eating without her permission, he even tried to appease her once by sewing her torn glove, only to be punished for handling a needle. He undressed and stood there in front of the mirror, frowning at how little he had scars on the front, but could see how the wound on his arm was dipped and the mark on his chest where his brand use to be. He undid the wrapping from the stab wound, attempting to treat it and redo the wrapping. He had to attend dinner, retrieving pants and a shirt before unlocking his door when Rupert began to paw at it again.
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Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 5:02 pm
Joseph looked back at Colette and stuck his tongue out at her as he was pulled away by his new bride. That woman was an ugly sight, bawling her eyes out and for some reason she was on the ground now. But he didn't care, she'd tried to smear his name. What's worse, she'd gotten Bethany all worked up and it always took forever for her to calm down. "What the hell was that? How do you know that b***h?" He asked, putting his arm behind Bethany's back to lead her inside. He sat her down on a rather comfortable cushioned bench and shouted at a servant to bring some tea and snacks for her. Instead of sitting, he stayed crouched next to her. Just in case he had to stop her from getting up again.
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Barth looked back as the woman spoke with a flirtatious inflection, suppressing a laugh as soon as he realized it was being directed at his bodyguard. The man was like a demon, cold and about as cuddly as a lion. His amusement grew as he saw Armand ignore the woman and walk away. He'd known his bodyguard for most of his life, having practically grown up together. So he could tell that he didn't know how to react to being hit on. As for her suggestion, he was still uncertain as to how to handle his betrothed's would-be killer. They'd traveled on their own ship, so there was the possibility of locking him up and transporting him. They would have to wait for the paperwork to be finished though, and then the boy would probably have to be quarantined just in case he was carrying some awful disease. Victoria was beyond suspicion, but this boy was a stranger to him.
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Yitta followed after Ken, hoping to comfort him only to be locked out. She knit her lips together, hesitant to knock on the door for she'd never seen him act like this before. She crouched in front of the keyhole to peek inside and see what he was doing. She blushed upon seeing that he was basically naked inside and looking at himself in the mirror. Rupert whined and butted her with his head, wanting to get inside the room but she shoved him out of the way to keep him from blocking her view. When Ken started to get dressed again, she quickly remembered her own situation. He'd told her to go and attend to Ailean! What was she doing, leering at him like some sort of pervert?! She hurried off to the dining hall, where she knew Ailean would be. Rupert tagged along with her, now carrying a toy rattle he was very fond of in his loose, slobber-covered jowls. As she arrived at the dining hall, she spotted Ailean speaking with the Queen.
Rupert kept bumping the rattle against her hand, wanting her to throw it for him. This gave her an idea. She took the rattle from him and crept over to stand behind one of the suits of armor. She swung her arm back. "Look out, Queen Astrid!" She shouted before throwing the toy at the two of them. She hid right after, peeking out a few seconds later with a victorious little smile on her face. "That's for you, Master." She whispered, happy to have been able to get a little revenge for how their queen had treated him.
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Astrid was discussing something with Ailean when someone shouted her title. She heard the rattle before she knew what had hit the skirt of her dress. She glanced downwards, in time to see one of their large, fluffy dogs charging towards her. Before she or Ailean could stop it, the beast dove headfirst for the toy and into the bottom of her skirt. The pup kept moving forward, becoming stuck on the hem of her skirt and awkwardly standing between her legs. Astrid had to hold on to Ailean to avoid falling over. She had to stand on the tips of her toes since the dog was a little taller than her legs were long. The fluffy horse-dog kept waving his massive tail and shaking his toy about playfully, making it all the more difficult to stay standing.
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 12:06 pm
Bethany was fuming, how dare that woman...the audacity! "When you had been knocked out for several days, I read a few of your letters from home, your sister Victoria explained some woman had claimed to hold your child after it was stated that some Lord was able to drink the potion of purity after being accused." She sat down, attempting to adjust her chest in the tight dress, thankful they were wrapped underneath. "Can I stab her if she comes by again? Should just send her home with a prostitute label!" She grabbed at the snacks offered, stuffing them in her face, stuffing a few in Joseph's mouth as well.
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The maid winked at Armand, not deterred by his ignoring her or brushing off her flirts. "I can't wait to see more of you when the princess marries the prince!" She explained, noting that she would still be her maid once they married and that she would be able to always see Armand instead of being miles away.
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Kenneth opened his door to see Rubert walking off with his favorite toy, where was the pup going?He followed, seeing Yitta throw the toy to land in the queen's dress and Rubert was now tangled in it! "Y-Yitta..." He mumbled, rushing past where she hid to grab Rubert, the dog was too heavy and his back hurt too much to do so! His arm couldn't deal with it either so he instead tried to get the toy and throw it out of the room, not realizing how entangled the dog was as he sped off and they both fell from the sudden burst of fur. He landed on his back, holding the queen close to keep her from being hurt, thank god Ailean was still standing as he didn't want to hear that damn knee popping. "You forgive fast, your highness." He tried to make light of the situation, his arms wrapped around her middle back and letting go once she seemed fine, if not covered in extra fur. "Are you alright?" He asked, not able to get up until someone helped the queen off of him.
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Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:20 am
He was all too happy to eat whatever she gave him, fully enjoying that pampering. A smirk spread across Joseph's face. Bethany was willing to murder a woman and her unborn child to protect his name? It wasn't that long ago that she hated his guts. While still crouching, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her behind her upper back. He pulled her in close in order to place a rather passionate kiss upon her lips, playing around inside her mouth if she let him in. Even if she complained, he was still just smiling and chuckling to himself at the thought of her being so in his corner. He didn't understand why small breasts were so revered anyways. Totally overrated, he loved every inch and just to be even more public about his feelings he started to n** and lick at her neck playfully. A guard was clearing his throat and looking their way. It took a second dish of snacks, this time with meat, being delivered to get his attention again. He pulled back a bit in order to pick up a couple for himself and then offered one to Bethany.
"You need more than pastries, eat some meat! You've got a royal growin' in there and out here." He said with an impish grin whilst pointing to himself. He'd put the other woman out of his mind, more than happy to relax with Bethany with the hopes of becoming even more relaxed later on.
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Barth looked behind himself to see the maid next to Armand. The gargoyle of a man was ignoring her, but he knew he may be able to make it more difficult to ignore her. He offered her a cup of tea, making sure that she had his fiancé's coin purse returned to her as well. "Pardon, jeune femme(young lady), my friend do not speak Crias. Please to allow me translate?" He offered kindly with a smile, trying to contain his amusement as he then turned to Armand, who was a few inches taller than himself. "Cette jeune femme vous aime. Elle est la fille de Victoria et dit qu’elle veut passer du temps avec vous après que Victoria et moi sommes mariés. (This young woman likes you. She's Victoria's maid and says she wants to spend time with you after Victoria and I have married.)" Armand's dull expression did not change, and he was refusing to look at the young woman. Instead he turned his almost dead-looking hazel eyes over to a window as he gave his answer. "Dites-lui que je n’ai aucun intérêt chez les femmes de ce pays. (Tell her I have no interest in the women of this country.)"
Barth sighed softly, shrugging his shoulders. "Ah, vous ne pouvez jamais prédire quand l’amour va frapper, mon ami. Je n’avais pas le moindre indice, que je rencontrais mon bel ange en Criaswen et en quelques mois, elle et moi serons comme un pour toute l’éternité... Peut-être cette femme est votre destinée ? Ne soyez pas si têtu. (Ah, you can never predict when love will strike, my friend. I hadn't the faintest clue I would meet my beautiful angel in Criaswen and in a few months she and I will be as one for all eternity. Perhaps this woman is your destined one? Don't be so stubborn.)"
He realized that he was being a bit rude towards the maid and decided to let her know what was happening. "He tells me he is... Comment vous dire(how you say).. The word in Crias, I believe it is flatter-ed? But he is of old fashion, he will marry woman who suit his family. He does not play this love game. Just secret, yours and mine, he does not, I think, even believe that love exists." He tried to describe as best he could in what Crias he knew that Armand wasn't the flirting kind. He didn't wish to say that the man had no interest in love at all. His bodyguard had devoted his life to serving and protecting the royal family. He did this well, to the point that he didn't seem to have any other interests or hobbies.
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"What sort of--?! Lord Catanach! Cease this indecency and control your animal!" Astrid shouted as Ken dove down to try to free the toy from her skirt. He was a little too close to her for her own comfort level, which made her lose the normal stoic persona she tried to express. Once the dog decided to run forward, however, she lost her balance. She released Ailean's arm, at first meaning to catch herself. But as Kenneth was directly in front of her, she ended up grabbing on to him. They fell with a loud thud and she stayed where she was for a few moments, just collecting herself. She realized that she had bunched up the material of his shirt in her hands and that she'd been clinging to him. She found herself wishing that he'd been late to dinner, or perhaps that they didn't allow their dogs to roam the house freely. Anything which would have avoided this situation. She knew she'd waited to get off of him for a few seconds too long. How many had seen them fall? Was her face red? She could feel it burning. What would this look like to observers and would the rumors follow her back home? Why did this have to happen after she'd just formally notified Ailean of her intentions, should Kenneth step out of line again?
"Why must you always embarrass me?" She muttered by his ear as she'd landed with her face next to his. She breathed in deeply, trying to calm herself and gather her courage. She could feel that he had been holding her since they'd fallen. Being as close as they were made it difficult to calm the rapid beating of her heart and that dizzy feeling was back again. Why did he always act as if he were entitled to touch her in any way? His lack of manners was infuriating! She pushed herself up, accepting an offered hand from one of the guards. Then stepped away, being careful to avoid stepping on Kenneth even though she wanted nothing more than to make him suffer for making her feel so foolish. She moved her long, ash blonde hair back over her shoulders and corrected her misplaced veil. Then looked down at Kenneth, doing her best to hide the anger she felt just in looking at him. "You have my gratitude, due to your quick thinking I was not harmed by your pet." She stepped aside as Ailean came forward to check on Ken. She saw him place a hand on the younger man's shoulder, asking if he was hurt at all.
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Arric struggled to suppress laughter as his normally quick-witted older sister had nothing to say in return. If he laughed, he might cough. If he coughed, it would be obvious how sick he was feeling right now. To be sick all the time meant his body was weak and that was one disadvantage he didn't want to let anyone know about. He smirked at Tory, shifting comfortably in his chair and sipping on his tea as he gave her a little more time to defend herself. "Well, what have you to say in regards to all of my points? There's more, of course. You always have followed your own path without thinking about anyone else. Hmm. Perhaps your time would be better suited to mothering poor Hector. There are other slaves just as handsome as Mattias Blume, after all. I'm sure you'll find another, one you can purchase. For whatever purpose you had in mind." He knew full-well that she'd spoken of wanting to send the slave to her betrothed as a gift. But for the reasons he'd pointed out already, clearly that wasn't what she was really thinking. He believed she held more devious intentions towards the slave and he was already plotting a way to put those suspicions to good use.
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Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:59 am
Bethany enjoyed the snacks, the kiss surprising her along with the tongue that snaked itself in. She blushed brightly, kissing back just as fierce and nearly losing her breath as he pulled away to grab the meat they were offered. "I do...don't I?" She ate the piece offered, leaning in to kiss his nose and grab at the rest of the meat to eat. "He'll be as tall as you! Strong as well, oh, what if it's a girl?!" She thought out loud to him, a little princess just for Joseph to spoil and love. She continued to pop pieces of meat in her mouth, completely forgetting all about Lady Collette and her false claims. "Oh, Joseph, if it's true she holds your baby, I will make sure to deal with it, alright?" She kissed his lips lightly, smiling that look that said she would take out Collette and him, if he dared to have any child that wasn't from her.
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The maid nodded, now understanding the man couldn't understand Crias! How silly of her to forget they were from their own country and the prince was suppose to learn other languages unlike his bodyguard. "Mon cher Armand, la prochaine fois me dire vous ne pouvez pas comprendre la langue ! J’ai été avec Victoria dans ses leçons à apprendre votre langue! (My dear Armand, next time tell me you cannot understand the language! I've been with Victoria in her lessons to learn your language!)" She knew the language as much as Victoria, having stood beside her during her lessons and to help for when she came with when Victoria would become his wife. "A stubborn, cold man! I will make sure to send you letters, my dear! Warm that old heart of yours! I must be going now though, princess Victoria will be happy to hear of Mattias's purchase, please send word of any plans with him, she intends to free him or have him as a gift to you as a servant since she knows you dislike slavery." She dropped the now empty purple sack within the opening between her chest, to avoid thieves obtaining it.
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Kenneth struggled to get the toy free, once free though he regretted it as they both fell and she was...clinging to him! He held his breath while she stayed there, staring at the ceiling to avoid anyone's gaze. "Why does Rubert embarrass me..." He muttered back, sitting up once she stood and taking it slow in case his back decided to fail him. "I'm glad your alright, your highness, I'll keep him in my room from now on or on a leash for your safety." He looked up to Ailean and nodded that he was alright. "I'll have to recheck my arm later, but I'm alright, Ailean." He stood up once he knew his back wouldn't betray him and felt his arm to make sure nothing was bleeding again. "All this chaos is making me hungry, lets go to dinner." He held his hand out to Astrid, to show her where they would be dining for the night and to make an excuse to have her close to him in a more appropriate stance.
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Victoria was fanning herself, huffing as he made claims of her being indecent for a princess. "I will get Hector to stand again like the strong prince he is. I might drop my desires, if I am to marry Prince Barth, if so then I could entrust the business to you to care for. I don't think I could purchase one for myself against father's wishes, you know I cared for him and I'm saddened by his passing still..." She closed her fan and set it in her lap, staring right at Arric. "So, where did you get this fur coat from this time? Looks new...Wolf?" She changed the subject, trying to get him to talk about himself for a change.
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