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 Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 3:44 pm
 ______Tyberius ↠Kingdom: Avarice ↠Rank: Twilight Knight ↠Location: Hiding The atmosphere was suffering, what with all spawn of royalty here and now some of the kings and queens themselves showing up. As if it were not bad enough. Actually it was, besides having to deal with the additional loud noises and emotions flaring, Tyberius had taken up wearing his mask/scarf to hide his face and a long jacket to hide the rest of his skin. Even though there were a few who knew what he was now he did not think walking out in the open, flaunting it, would bode well for Dorian or the kingdom. Hell it would be bad for him too. There were plenty who were not keen on "his" kind and some who were to the other extreme. In any case with all the new faces Tyberius had taken up sticking to the shadows and far off hiding places, keeping to guarding Dorian, though now at a decent distance.
Keeping to a particular shadowed corner Tyberius easily took note of the different faces that were up for free viewing. It was more for future reference then anything, but still getting familiar with their faces now would help lest he end up running into some later. How utterly boring. Sighing Tyberius took to leaning against a pillar, needing to bring in some change as he simply just stood there. He had always been a rather patient man, especially on stake outs. Something about all this mess, these people, the whole damn place just rubbed him the wrong way. Stifling a yawn, his body wanting nothing more then to find more sleep, Tyberius turned his gaze back to his target, watching as she slightly squirmed.
 I am dying.
Every day, with every breath I draw,
I am closer to the end of my life.
For we are born with a finite number of breaths,
and each one I take edges the sunlight that is my life toward the inevitable dusk.
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 5:49 pm
  
~Kingdom: Hubris~
~Title: Heir~
~Location: Dining Hall~
The heir tilted his head towards his sister, following her line of sight to see exactly what was bothering her. ”A pity to hear that your good mood is dwindling.. but I wouldn’t let it bother you sister,” he told her as he looked away from the King of Humility to glance at his sibling. ”I know he is the last person you want to meet, but try to tolerate it when the moment comes,” his voice was low, barely a whisper, but she would be able to hear it perfectly. He couldn’t relate to what she was feeling anymore. His own betrothed had been killed and that meant that he was a free man. He had no worries about being paired to someone he knew nothing about, but he could at least offer her a minimal amount of comfort.
Trey’s focus shifted once Autumn arrived, allowing a small smile to grace his lips as dipped his head. ”No, you are just on time, take a seat,” he told her as he motioned towards one of the vacant seats. He was about to answer her next question but Sara got to it before he even had the chance. Sometimes he wished that she could handle matters in a more civilized manner, but then she wouldn’t be Sara, would she?
”You’ll have to excuse her, that wound is still fresh and it isn’t something that one enjoys recalling,” he told Autumn as he threw his sister a look. He knew that their deaths must’ve had some sort of effect on Sara, even if she put up a solid wall to block out those emotions.
He was about to open his mouth to speak again when a voice broke through the air, feeling a grasp from behind as a pair of thin arms enveloped him. No one spoke to him in such a manner – nobody but his mother of course. A subtle twitch ran through his body as he turned in his seat to face the woman, pushing the chair back in order to stand. ”Hello mother, it’s been quite a long time since I last saw you,” he mustered the best smile he could as she once again moved forward to embrace him, though properly this time. He didn’t hesitate to return the affection, but he turned his head as he heard Kirkis’ familiar voice.
”Toast and jam will do, thank you,” he nodded to the butler before turning towards his mother to see if she needed anything. ”I’m not hungry at the moment, much too excited to be here,” she replied, looking at Kirkis with a small smile before turning her gaze on Trey.
”Quite a long time since I’ve seen you indeed,” she reached up to straighten his shirt before smoothing a stray strand of hair that he had sticking out. ”Mother..I’m not a child. Sit – please,” he grumbled, furrowing his brows as he pulled out a seat for her.
He took his seat once again once his mother was seated, letting his eyes scan the room once again. Others had entered and he examined each with a hidden curiosity. He watched the King of Humilty for a moment as he followed alongside his children, taking note of Dorian as she took company with the group. He caught the brief smile on her lips as she looked his way and he reciprocated the action with one of his own. Then there was the royals of Fortitude that looked as if just being near one another was a chore in itself. Trey couldn't help but chuckle lowly at their behavior - this was going to be quite a sight.
 
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:46 pm
Location: Dinning HallxxxxxKingdom: HubrisxxxxxRank: Countess
 xxxxxxxI guess I should be ashamed...The pale woman smiled as Trey invited her to sit. At first glance to Kirk, the woman did not respond or acknowledge him, chalking him up to part of her imagination once more. However, once the princess spoke to him, Autumn realized that he was more than a simple vision but a reality that other could see and speak with. How quaint. There were more strange things here in this castle that she was not accustom to…perhaps this was one of the reasons her parents had sent her to reside here? If she had more experiences that seemed surreal, then perhaps she could ignore her own hallucinations more aptly. The woman sent a smile much like the one she gave to Trey his way, waiting for his attention.
"Whatever my Lady Cousin is having."
She gave another nod towards Sara. Might as well be surprised too, no? But there was a softness that touched Autumn’s eyes at Sara’s reaction to her inquiry. Dead? They are both dead? What a shame that at such a young age the royal family would experience such loss. Not that it was uncommon to most people what with the war going on and such, the Countess doubted that there were many untouched by its thorns. Autumn herself had experienced loss and was not unaffected by the news of her cousin’s demise though she looked for the most part to be unphased, her eyes falling to half closed again as was typical. She turned to Trey.
"No, it’s quite understandable. That’s a dreadful thing to happen, but perhaps another time would be more appropriate to ask further about it."
Perhaps Richard would choose to join them and she could ask him instead. She was also curious as to why Jarred had been sent home. Wasn’t it for safety’s sake that they were at this residence to begin with? Why would they send him away? And what about Asuna and Alexander? How would the King and Queen feel about this? Surly they would want their children brought home? But as the thought ran through her mind, the Queen herself strode up. Autumn had missed her entrance and was a bit startled by the sudden presence beside her. Only the widening of her ice blue irises gave her surprise away though it only lasted a moment as she inclined her head towards the woman, her voice soft and respectful. Unfortunately, the subtle coldness that Autumn seemed to feel towards other females did not exclude her majesty.
"Your Grace."
Her eyes remained respectfully lowered for the proper amount of time before she raised her gaze, smiling.
But I forget to be vain Well I did the best I could I guess xxxxxx xxxxxxBut everything just bleeds xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx✿OOC✿:
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 8:30 pm
 Kingdom and Title:Veritas; head of staff (butler)
Location and Situation: The new dining hall; would you care to Supersize that?In culture after culture, people believe that the soul lives on after death,
that rituals can change the physical world and divine the truth,
and that illness and misfortune are caused and alleviated by spirits, ghosts, saints ... and gods.
~Steven Pinker
Kirkis thanked Sara at her out-of-character complimenting of his clothing, as it made him happy that someone noticed. Granted, it wasn’t as if he had actual clothing, but all the details were his work regardless. Nodding at her preferring a surprise, he started mentally planning what he’d ask the chef to prepare, of course insisting they spare no effort, for this was Sara Bellerose they were talking about! He glanced over to whom she whispered about and shrugged. “I would not know, my Lady Princess. He surely might, at least once he has finished speaking with his children. The Lady Dorian is sitting with them now to be pleasant instead of with the rulers of Fortitude and her husband to be. As you have your own relative here, I am sure the King of Humility would expect you to remain with her Highness for now, as would be a daughter’s duty until my Lord Ryan introduced himself to your mother first.” He paused, hoping his voice did not betray the pull Dorian had on him, and his feelings for Ryan. The good thing was, if he had, they were both mentioned at the same time, which should not make it too obvious his feelings were involved deeply here.
“Yes, if I remember correctly, in Humility, family is respected almost as highly as in Wrath, so I do not think he would be upset by you remaining with your own family members for now, though I do not know what kind of man the king is,” he added, bowing his head again. “I will see what I might overhear when I head that way, my Lady.”
He nodded at Trey and the Queen, then slightly returned Autumn’s smile before bowing to all of them and heading into the kitchen to give the specific orders. He also made sure to mention to keep Sara’s plate looking just a touch nicer, and perhaps add an extra sweet. It was not that he wanted to show any disrespect to Autumn, merely that he wanted to please Sara more. While that was in the works, he wandered over to Table Fortitude, giving a short bow to all present, and addressed the king and queen first, “Forgive my most rude interruption, I am Kirkis the butler, and I merely wish to make sure that you have been served your majesties, and if not, I would humbly ask to be able to serve you.” These extra touches of servitude were a little annoying, but Kirkis was getting fonder of the normal guests, and did not wish to upset their parents and family members for their sakes. This table looked like it was almost ready to collapse into an internal war, by the tension stewing in the air about it. He hoped he might be a slight distraction before things went too sour. As a mental aside, he recognized Sokar's friend (the princess from Lust), and remembered she liked fruits. At the moment she looked rather down, and told himself he would have to get her a nicely chopped selection if she chose not to order anything specifically. After that was settled, then he should have time to pop over to those from Humility, then the food for those of Hubris should be ready to drop off, so that if he was lucky, he could tell Sara what he might've overheard there.
Behind every man now alive stand 30 ghosts, for that is the ratio by which the dead outnumber the living.
~Arthur C. Clarke[Art is once more by Maniac. Click on image for larger pic. Please do not copy; I commissioned artist for this art.]
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:22 pm
Baldassare Kingdom: Lust Title: Priest Location: Main Hall Baldassare stood there, almost shocked. A servant this stunning? It just couldn't be...yet, she seemed to speak the truth. "My, butta they-a do take-a good-a care of the servants arounda here, no? Laetitia, la donna è un servo!(1) Eh, perdona mia surprise...I'mma notta used to seeing such a work of arte inna the ranks of-a the servants. Iffa you ever wanna good-a time, come-a to-a the Temple di Bacchus, and-a we canna teach-a you all aboutsa the wonderful fruits of his merry Vine and-a the sweet Lust of Venus!"The cat smiled his great toothy grin, laughing as his attendant's eyes opened wide at his comment. His right paw caressed Ella's flushed cheek like an artist lovingly studying their subject. "Oh, but those-a cheeksa so rosy! Wonderful! You'd-a make-a such a fine disciple-a, too! But, I digress...Ella, you-a ask-a why I bring-a my attendant here-a to-a da castle? Issa simple! We are-a here to bring-a the good news of the great Bacchus and-a his consorts to everyone! This-a castle issa good as any, eh?"He tapped his "foot" - which was actually just a bare hind paw - pensively, looking about. "Cose dell'altro mondo..."(2)As Laetitia nodded her agreement with Baldassare on this last comment, a loud growling erupted from his stomach. He stared down at himself in embarrassment, his fluffy burgundy tail whipping about behind him. "Sounds-a like-a I forgotta to eat again! Little Miss-a Servant Ella, could-a you show-a me to-a the food? Mia...how did-a you put it? 'Lady friend' could-a probably use-a some-a food, too! I prefer-a the term 'attendant,' though...preferences, eh?"He chortled, obviously having a good time of the concept of this girl being a servant, and also completely oblivious to the implications of the phrase "lady-friend." (Translations:
1: "Laetitia, the lady is a servant!"
2: "It's out of this world..."
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:45 pm
 A lady with a violin,
Playing to the seas
Hearken to the sound of calling
I tied myself to the wheel
The winds talk to my sails, not me
Come to me....Come to me... Somewhere _____________________________________________________ there my fate revealed...
I hear but how will I see? Kingdom Lust Rank: Youngest Princess Location:Dining Hall His words, were more of a relief than he could have realized; they caused the tension to loosen its binding in her chest, allowing her to have a few breaths that were more than the shallow ones she'd been taking. She'd tried to make herself small, unnoticeable. And she'd yet to utter one musical syllable since facing her betrothed's parents. ~As selfish as it may seem, I'm grateful that your opinions of me don't coincide with sires'.~ It made a considerable difference in her confidence. It means more to me that you than you'd ever know. No one, save Cat had been so understanding, had chosen to look past her identity and see the person underneath. The fact that he'd said she wasn't a whore, made her want to let out a single chest-tearing sob to allow for years of anguish to escape and be replaced with the hope that Haven gave her.
She was flattered, that he followed the niceties with her, as though she mattered. And not like he was toting her around as a duty. The sentiment touched her, warmed her, and caused a slight change of hue in her cheeks, pallid flesh glowing faintly with a rosy color. “Thank you, mi'lord.” He sat next to her, and idly Lorelei pulled gingerly at a loose curl, biting the inside of her cheek so she'd not disturb dinner with her song. She'd speak only when spoken to, and quickly fell back into the routine that her father had placed before her as a child. The princess smiled at him, her face the epitome of perfection and serenity, despite how shaken she'd been.
Perhaps, Haven had noticed that, how easily she was set into tremors. He was graciously tending to her, appearing content to do so – something she'd not have expected, or even would have asked for. She wasn't really hungry, not with the recent events that had transpired, and certainly not with the impending meeting with her own father. And she couldn't ask Haven to protect her from that one. Though, she didn't voice any of her concerns. Haven had enough trauma today; she needn't test his patience.
John, Haven's younger brother, took the seat on the other side of him, and her amber eyes expressed a silent welcome, a greeting she dared not say aloud. Her intended gave the brother a warm salutation, mentioning his betrothed, and how it'd be a prudent idea for Dorian to make their acquaintance. Something told her that the shrew wouldn't indulge herself in any sort of liking to Avarice's future queen. She stiffened slightly in her chair; while Lorelei hadn't been one to retaliate.... Dorian would make mincemeat out of Fortitude's current queen.
Her eyes fell on the subject at hand, and a flood of memories of the girl that had been there to defend her during one season had left most traces of that person behind. She had blossomed fully into a woman; one of power that Lorelei would never even dream of yielding. The princess felt a tad guilty for not calling on the woman since her arrival, but there had barely been time to think, let alone make social calls.
“Forgive me, but I don't think that your parents meeting her is all that good of an idea.” Not if they didn't want Dorian to make the woman suffer. Because she would. “Lady Dorian has never been one to take any sort of sass, and your mother would probably not fare well when faced with the brunt of Dorian's anger.” She shrugged then, remembering only now that her harmonies had been satin ribbons in the air, unrestrained and able to flow freely in the wind. Though, she had to wonder... who would they detest more.. the siren who was to be queen of their land... or the Succubus that would essentially own the others.
She said little else, and instead allowed for Haven and John to catch up, wishing fervently that her own sibling would dare to make an entrance. ~Cat, please don't get lost today. We're in the dining hall... and Haven's parents are lovely.~ The edge of her voice was laced with a musical sarcasm as she implored that her sister show her face soon. ~No sign of father... you should dine with us.~
[[Oddly Oafish Commentary:]] The siren sang so sweet and watched the sailors go down, anyone would drown
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:49 pm
 Theoran Lynth Kingdom: Avarice Rank: Sellsword Location: The fringes of the forest. Theoran listened to Tantra and he sniggered at the imagery, but the humour was quickly replaced by the reality of the situation. "If they do begin to blame each other," he started slightly grimly. "Then the commoners will soon be fighting a pointless war." The thought unsettled him, he could abide by a war with obvious gain, but not a war over who was right. Feeling like he was yet again darkening the mood, he switched his thoughts to what she had said about why she remained at the castle. "As with mercenaries and freelance sellswords alike; you are here because there is a calling inside of you, dragging you towards an event as large as this. Of this I have no doubt, for were I not bound by a re-discovered homeland, I still would have found myself here eventually, and not for any potential profit I assure you."When Tantra asked the question of whether or not to wait, Theoran subconsciously straightened his clothing and brushed the dirt and bark from his back. "I'm sure we will eventually be dragged into the thick of it, either by the royals or Veritas." He paused as he mentally weighed the consequences of each possible action that came to mind. "Why make it easy for them?" he asked suddenly with a mischievous grin.
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:52 pm
 XARD THE DAEMONIC SORCERORLocation: Everywhere and yet not...Just kidding, entering the dining hall
Kingdom: Veritas, that's where the power is.
Rank: What, the big words above don't tell you? Simpletons.
"My, my, so dark and brooding still? Tsk, tsk. You'd think he'd get over himself by now and accept what he is. It would be much easier if he just did his job as soul catcher, but no. He has to go on a revenge hunt to make himself feel better. Stupid child," thought Xard as Jack's thoughts poured into his own. He did get ever so tired of the Daemon Hunter's constant mind babble about killing him. It was always the same except for when he found interesting targets. The mercenary brought the news that quite a few top notch officials would be trouncing around the castle. That meant it was destiny weaving time again. With so much hate and anger that encompassed every royal thanks to a super war that started over petty reasons, by his own reasoning, he could easily manipulate the kings and queens into a bigger squabble than Veritas had intended. Or did he intend it? The man did get bored of happiness and tranquility, that is why he came under Veritas employment. He, Xard, was filled of malevolence. It comes with being from the seventh sphere of Hell. A place were the most retched go and are sealed away behind the vault door there. He got out thanks to the first murderer of another dimension named Cain. The poor man did not know where he was when his soul found itself in Hell country. Xard thought it was hilarious seeing his bewilderment, and he laughed harder from the torture coaster he put him through. Good times. But that was then, and this is somewhere else. Xard's shadow cloaked form twisted in his dungeon from the light that came from the thousands of candles that littered his domain. The dim lighting made his many "Toys" noticeable to this with decent low light vision. A stretcher table sat in the left hand corner next to its wheel. A pair of iron maidens sat back-to-back in the most rear corner. A moat of sulfuric acid lined the right wall area. Above it was a small cage lined with razors. A chair sat before the desk near the iron maidens. On the desk sat restraints and a device with several buttons aligned. There was a button for each finger, so when pressed the victim would have their nails removed. Behind the chair was a lever. A good pull would open a trap door that led to a pit, which housed two visible cylinder wheels lined with razor lined spikes. The force of the drop would send someone between them and chem them up. If the body was hardy enough to survive that, more gruesome torture rolling pins sat waiting. There were many other "Fun" inventions laying around, but pointing them all out would take too long. It was time for Xard to mingle with the crowd above him. From within the void that was his body, Xard produced a steel bound book with destructive runes covering it. This was aside from the many eyes that looked around randomly over its back and cover. A wisp of darkness opened the Grimoire and leafed through pages. "Now what should I wear to this party? I can't simply go was myself. The horror of my person would make them go mad. Hmm...that does sound fun, but not necessary at the moment. Later though. Ah! Perfect...this will do nicely..." said Xard as his shadowy trails from his cloak stopped at a page featuring quite the interesting looking harlequin. A hazed black hand glided over the page. Violent energy bolts erupted from the page and into his hand. The clown's clothes formed over his body like someone pulling up their arms through sleeves. His malicious grin was the last to vanish. In its place was the mask of a fool. To complete the outfit a mandolin hung itself on his back. Bardic stories were an enjoyment in this era, so he needed an instrument. Before going he looked over several pages to memorize. The spells in them would be used as gags, tricks, comedy of a more dangerous caliber. "Yes...this will do nicely..." came a nasally high pitched voice. ===================================================== Xard skipped over to a side door which led to the dinning hall. He placed his head against the large gateway and listened. Many voices echoed within. A great time to barge in. Opening the door a crack, the whites of his eyes peered through. "Ah, Kirkis seems to be enjoying himself. Nothing chaotic is happening, so damage control is not necessary. All he has to do is bring out the food and take orders. Well I should help him since he is a bit of a supervisor. A little fun and games will...hm hm hm...time go by..." said Xard quietly to himself. A sudden hard burst opened the doors. In the doorway stood a festive dressed jester with a musical tool strapped to his back. With a running start, the clown flipped forward several times towards the center of the room. A spectacular and clumsy tumble and slide on the fool's breast ended the show. But he pushed himself to his feet swiftly, bringing his arms in the air for a finishing form. "TA-DA! Greetings and salutations favored guests of Grand God Veritas. The almighty god, and your savior. I shall be your entertainer for this meal, because the old coot is too cheap for an entourage," said the demon in sheep's clothing that suddenly ducked and held his head in fear. "AH! JUST KIDDING!" When nothing happened he rose back up and nervously laughed. "Eh...anyway. Let us get some smiles stretched out and giggles going, shall we? For this day is day of rejoicing marriage bonds being formed!" spoke the host of entertainment with his arms stretched. He then brought a hand to the side of his as if to whisper a rumor, "Like they have a choice.
"To begin, how about some juggling?" he said as he took off his hat and reached inside. Purple light faintly emitted from within as his hand groped around. "I could juggle fruit, but that common chore is boring," came that nasally voice from behind the mask as he tossed out some red apples, "Knives? Forget about it." As five knives were produced and held up from the hat in a row to show the light reflecting blades before being dropped at the harlequin's feet with a clatter. "No, I am here to give you the best juggling showmanship ever seen by-JUGGLING DERANGED PITTBULLS!" A large dog with a lock jaw came struggling out of the hat. It snapped and barked madly at the guests. With a good toss it found itself in the air. Then a another came after it. Then another. And still one more until there were five being thrown in the air by their legs. Howling and the sounds of snapping mouths echoed in the room as the show went on. Slobber from the crazed canines flew towards the royals landing here and there. If it was not obvious then, it was now. This jester was insane. And that was what Xard was aiming for for personality. It fit Veritas's style, he felt.
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:39 pm
♬ Ίτ'ȿ ʟΊӃЄ ɱμȘΊϹ τѺ ɱУ ЄɑɌȘ... ♫ Ҭɑηтяɑ ♪ Kingdom: Humility Rank: Priestess [In Training] Location: Talking with Theoran by the forest.
Tantra let out a gentle sigh, "Well, if they try to force me into battle they will have problems with that. My music helps, or hurts, all who hear it." She grinned as she spoke, "I'm a double edged sword, I can make both armies stronger - and I'm sure Varita's would love to see the battle go on a little longer and with more power, or I can weaken both sides." She shrugged it off, "I'd prefer to stay out of it though, I'm more than content in the forest where I belong."
She listened silently as Theoran spoke, idly thinking about what exactly he was saying. "Yes... You're probably right. More and more people are coming each day, which only shows that the world is getting more and more chaotic..." She let out a deeper sigh and shook her head, she hated the idea of all the unnecessary deaths that were happening as they spoke. "Humans can be so dumb, for a race that calls themselves so smart." She shook her head again, "No offense, but you Humans fight over just about everything. I'm sure somewhere out there someone is fighting over who gets to sit on a rock or something silly. It's... moronic."
She let out a small giggle, "Making it easy for them is no fun, but watching them try to get themselves out of the whole they dug themselves in must be a little amusing, at least to Vartias it seems." She wondered what the god really thought of the whole thing, and she also began to wonder why the gods didn't simply smite the kingdoms into agreeing with one another. The answer always came to the same conclusion, it took away their free will. Something every living thing was entitled to, free will. To do and say what they want, be it against or for the laws of the land. Only one another could stop the other from doing something deemed wrong, and even then that wasn't enough.
...βʯʈ Ίʈ ȘЄЄɱȘ ѺɳʟУ Ί Ϲɑɳ ΗЄɑɌ...♬ 
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 12:59 am
Location: Solarium-
I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my-
...Damnit, Rebecca, that's not what I'm thinking. This section is supposed to be reserved for what I'm doing and thinking. -_-
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Whatever nonsense Evony was spewing, the young heir found little difficulty in only catching half of it or so- for that was all he needed -when subjects such as this were discussed- to keep himself grounded within the conversation. A nod thrown here, a warm smile of understanding there- small talk was such an easy task. A frivolous one, but simple nonetheless, and he feigned it so well that his trickery almost seemed unfair where the other party was concerned; they were always so unsuspecting, Evony especially. Nathaniel ascertained enough of his sister's bustled utterances to note that she was still speaking quite amiably about tea; lemon balm, or what have you. It certainly tasted of lemons, anyway...with perhaps a touch of honey added to it; not really his preference where drinks were concerned, but he could manage it well enough. "I see, well...it's superb, Evony. You've always had such talent with herbs; I'm quite envious." A lie, but one which should please her. The heir sifted another small sip from the cup, eyes moving upward to find and study the young girl's face; the soft edges which were steadily fitting themselves to her bone structure more complacently...a sure sign that she was growing older, leaving childhood behind. He wondered if others might come to find her beautiful soon, or even if they already did; the soft flaxen hair, the perfect symmetry her features had acquired- things which Nathaniel was often unable to appreciate about anyone (Save now for Lorelei, in small doses), but at the very least was capable of noticing. She had grown silent, as she sometimes did; meek even in the presence of someone she had known for the entire duration of her life thus far...always so very nervous about what to say, or do; as if she had been granted all of the emotion which Nathaniel had somehow missed in his own creation. He was still intentionally pilfering small amounts of tea from his cup, silently waiting for the girl to find another subject which she guessed would be adequate for him- not that he truly thought her capable of it, but it was in his more fabricated nature to act as such regardless...though in the end it needn't come to that, for the sound of another's entrance wafted towards Nathaniel's notice soon thereafter. He looked up, as did his sister, and recognized immediately the face which came to greet them. Ah, now things were a bit more interesting. Lincoln Masterson was someone whom, in the past, he had met on a few occasions; but never in a setting such as this. Come to think of it now, he had heard his baby sister make mention of her growing friendship with the man in the past, though truthfully hadn't given the proclamation much credence until now. After all, the child had a rather fervid imagination; she was often rather prone to exaggeration, at least in Nathaniel's view. Now, though, he was intrigued. Fascinated still by Evony's quickness in inviting him to sit with them, when it was usually more in her demeanor to rely on the acceptance of her elder siblings or parents. Not that he would have denied the man a seat either way; indeed, Nathaniel was quick to wave Lincoln's self dismissal off, mirroring Evony as he said, "Please, sire, sit. I insist. There's always room for one more, especially when the company is as desirable as yours." He tipped the cup again against his lips, lightened eyes studying the heir of Wrath with a friendly cadence, but one also dipped in a certain amount of curiosity...which wasn't quite as feigned as the former feeling. " I understand that my sister has grown quite fond of you since our arrival here- I am glad to hear it...though I do regret that we haven't crossed paths until this point; I suppose I should have been more apt in seeking the heirs of friendlier kingdoms out. Being here, loathsome as this place can be," He let his eyes flit to Evony then, as if he were trying to emphasize with or acknowledge her obvious plights, "Does have its advantages in the sense that we of the Sinful kingdoms are all in much closer proximity to each-other than what it usual. Ah, but" Again his gaze went to his sister, one strong hand rising to wave his previous statements away with an air of nonchalance, "-Another matter for another time. For now, we should speak of lighter subjects, as Evony has suggested." Now he disregarded the teacup, bringing it to a stagnant position on the coster which the princess had paired it with and waiting for the other two to settle with whatever they opted to do next, "I suppose we could start...with how you two met- if you wish, of course, Sir Lincoln." Nathaniel laced his fingers together, ever poised, not yet giving way to any concrete form of emotion...which was intentional; proper. "I'm afraid I've not yet heard the story."━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ I said, "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter -- bitter,"he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart."
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 1:35 am
Kingdom and Title: Veritas; head gardener
Location/Situation, and Form:The gardens with Maelona; werehuman  [Art by Maniac. Click on image for larger pic. Please do not copy; I commissioned artist for this art.]
In the animal it is pure, in man it is led
astray by his reason and intelligence.
~ Denis Diderot
The werehuman made something akin to his ‘snuff’ing noise, which might have more correctly been described as a ‘hmpf’ of acknowledgment that a human might make. “Bats were bad. Bited much.” Not realizing his grammar certainly had a lot to be desired, the werehuman was at least satisfied there was nothing out here that had to be chased away. His main concern if it was not a predatory animal (since she was female) was a male human perhaps. Sokar’s ways would not let him understand how males could ignore females’ wishes who were not interested in mating, but he had learned it was so. A very disturbing and damning thing about the species, but what could be done about it? They weren’t sensible like wolves, unfortunately. “Little bats only, at night, no worry.”
At her compliment, the wolf seemed to hold himself a little taller, fluffed up perhaps by her sincere tone. If he had been human, he would have blushed, but instead he turned his head slightly away from her. “Take long time. Lots work. Evony helps much, though young. And small.” He was quiet for a bit, knowing humans liked to talk, but not knowing what else to say.
Instead he picked up his little tree and looked around, then grabbed the shovel as well. “This little tree, will grow big. But now uprooted, unsure. But roots will settle, grow deep, will feel secure in time.” His words were a bit more practiced when it came to his gardening, and he tried his best to reassure the princess, assuming it was being away from her home that was also affecting her sleep. “Gardens outside big dinning hall very safe. Good to walk at night when no sleep.” The wind carried the scents of the other people outside, there were several today it seemed. He had met one of them once (Apollo), but didn’t actually know the others. Still, none (from here) smelled evil, so he thought she would continue to be safe here. “I go?” He asked instead of stated, not sure if his presence was required a bit longer.
The unnatural - that too is natural.
~Goethe
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 1:38 am
  Envy is thin because it bites, but never eats... Envy obscures joy. | Altonair Wood |
Prince of Envy  *~Location: Veritas' Study, then directly outside of the Study -- Currently: Escorting Max out, then running into a familiar face~*
The shadowy prince tentatively, unsure of whether or not his hand may fall off by a mere touch. Though he had to admit: despite the deceased appearance and grievous loss of flesh, Max still had the same personality, slightly hardened by Death's cold embrace. He was still a child, and did not immediately see the horrors of the present. In retrospect, it was probably for the better: had Max been wiser and more philosophical, he may have been bawling his soul out and lamenting his death. However, in his still child state, adolescent behaviors won over any feelings of dread Max would of had.
Altonair liked it, despite the obvious disturbing aspects of the whole event. "Oh yes, Nathaniel and Evony would be....taken in by your reappearance, indeed. Why, I bet Rosalie would have her spirits lifted slightly even! Heh heh..." the prince nervously stated, a weak chuckle punctuating the uncertainty in his voice. He knew this would be quite the moment for his siblings when they caught sight of Max...though, with emotions other than joy and shock swelling within them, no doubt. But hey: if Altonair could be somewhat okay with the notion of the walking corpse of Max reanimated with his very soul (bent on devouring his blood to sate himself, as well), then perhaps his siblings should be alright. Well, Evony might take it the hardest of them all, seeing as the two were indeed close to each other due to age similarities.
A gloved hand pressed on the door and he made his way out, Max's hand gently clasped on his own. "Come now, Max. While I would want to reunite some of Envy siblings back together with you, we must do something about your current appearance." he said comfortingly, gazing down at the young boy's face. He realized, that despite the ghastly appearance and decaying flesh, Max still looked as youthful as can be if you could look past the obvious deformities. Course, there are a lot of things that one needs to look past if they are not acquainted with Max. Altonair thought bitterly, letting out a small sigh as he knew that the other guests of the castle who laid an eye on Max would not have a pleasant reaction.
He raised his head and was set to leave when his gaze landed on Knight Amarenth Soren Hyuga of Envy, standing there and chatting with some other woman. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, a small smirk gracing his handsome features. "Dame Soren! What a pleasure!" the prince perked up, striding over to the knight in a casual fashion. Altonair was always friendly with the royal knights of Envy, as they were responsible with the well being of the royal family when needed. Plus, Soren was one of the friendlier knights he conversed with.
"I thought I recognized those flaming locks of yours. How are you? I was just on my way to...meet with Evony and Nathaniel. I have someone they may (or may not) want to meet." he spoke with a slightly embarrassed tone, his free hand rubbing the back of his neck. He certainly did not expect to see a familiar face so soon. However, he couldn't just ignore a knight of Envy like this. He had to keep the proper image in front of his noble guard, least he want to paint himself in a distasteful light of arrogance and impatience. Somehow.  Author's Notes: Dame is the female equivalent of calling a knight 'sir'. Just wanted to clear any confusion this might have stirred.
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:38 am
Kingdom and Title:Wrath; Heir
Location/Situation: Solarium, having weak tea with two of Envy  I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow.
- William Blake Lincoln felt quite pleased internally that Evony was so quick to not only invite him, but also start readying his cup. He was also warmed to hear himself being considered a ‘rather trusted friend’ to the young princess. Outside family, it was not at all safe to trust him, but he had made a vow of protection to her, and perhaps a part of her realized his sincerity about it. Though no matter how happy she was to have him join, he stayed standing until it was obvious Nathaniel had no problems with him.
The heir of Wrath moved his chair so it was like the third point of an equilateral triangle, not wanting to sit too close to either of the two. It would be horrendously rude and forward to sit next to Evony, and he actually thought she might feel belittled if he was actually closer to Nathaniel. He sat down with the practiced ease of always having his sword at his side, and nodded his head at the heir of Envy. The man’s eyes reminded him of Evony’s, but the difference Lincoln saw were clues that adult matters were whirling about the man’s head. An idle thought struck him that he bet that regardless of growing up, Evony’s eyes would stay the same, exuding innocence and sweetness.
He quickly shooed away the thought though, as he got a better look at his counterpart from Envy. Damn, what he wouldn’t do to see what was under those clothes. Unfortunately, Wrath’s spies did not make it seem that the heir was nearly as experimental as he was. A shame really, but what could be done about it? Even then, Lincoln sensed very much calm in the other, and it did not trigger as much interest as perhaps Altonair’s more active personality. Yet it could just be the Envious heir was being polite and detached, as he too should be in such a situation, despite its casual environment.
“Indeed. The day of... the second loss to Hubris,” he wished not to upset Evony by stating it point blank, “myself and Altonair came to a simple understanding along the lines of our respective kingdoms’ alliance. "Watching each other's backs would seem quite useful at times here.” He dropped the subject smoothly as Nathaniel waved his hand, but turned to Evony handing him his cup of tea, having pride enough not to wish to look as if he was Nathaniel’s servant, speaking only what the ‘master’ wanted to hear. “Danke Fraulein,” he said as he took the cup and saucer, sipping in a genteel manner before setting it down, not realizing he had added to the name he called her with another word from Old Wrathian. The fact he was here with Nathaniel made him wish he had some stronger tea, but it was Evony’s, so he would not hint of it. Besides, it did seem they would talk of more casual things than the wars and politics.
The green-eyed heir stared right at Nathaniel as the man worked with non-expression with not just equal ability, but perhaps even better than he could. It made him suspicious, and perhaps a little bothered (mainly that Nathaniel imagined he had improper thoughts about the young girl), though his answer was in a light tone. “It is not all that spectacular really. We merely ran across each other, she having a slight scare from Jonathon of Patience, and I escorted her to the dining hall,” he said the man’s name with a mild bit of a sneer. “The night previous to that he had tried to run me through, for whatever mad reason. I haven’t seen him since however, though I do not know if he simply returned home, one way or another.” Damn, there he went again, saying something that might frighten Evony. It was a good thing she was just a little girl though, a youth or adult that sensitive might have driven him mad by now.
He sipped again, allowing his eyes to pull away from the ice crystals of Nathaniel, though not without looking down the man’s face and shirt, just to see. Really now, if the younger heir could be intrigued for a little fun, who was he to stop it? But he would not flirt openly; not only because he was just barely testing the waters, but also because of the presence of their third party member. Lincoln realized he was actually a touch nervous. He didn’t lie about who he was, but he did wear a mask when it came to politics, he had to. There was conflict though, because he had shown Evony who he truly was (mostly, anyway), but did not trust Nathaniel nearly enough to do the same.
Lincoln considered asking Nathaniel to call him by his first name, try to get the other to relax a bit. But that was inviting a little too much casualness, wasn’t it? Then again, Evony had all ready done so, and he did not wish to unnecessarily upset the heir, not when there was something (well, more than one thing) he wanted from him. “I would prefer if you would address me by my first name, if you please. In a few years we’ll be masters of our kingdoms. Wouldn’t it be easier to drop the ‘sirs’ and ‘sires’ now?” Another sip, and it seemed this tea was growing on him indeed. Still light, but not so watery-tasting as the last time.
Now whom to speak to? Evony might feel ignored, yet he might get a good answer if he got to take a turn asking Nathaniel a question. Split the difference. “Are you two expecting any family coming in the new arrivals? I am sure tonight dinner will end up being a memorable one, one way or the other.” He glanced at Evony and smiled, then looked back at Nathaniel for an answer. “I remember one party between Wrath and Envy, perhaps 12 years ago, do you recall it?” He paused only slightly, thinking the young man must have been close to 12 himself at the time, and he around 17 (and probably only in between diversions when the incident took place). “I believe one of our Valkyries, a bit tipsy there, punched out one of your guards, without giving him any indication or warning, then started dragging him towards the chapel? I believe she said he was flirting with her, and she agreed they should get married.” A short chuckle then, almost disapproving, but still amused. He had also just remembered what the legal age was in Envy. “That created quite the uproar, and we we stronger allies back then, before other kingdoms tried to fool us, and make us enemies.”
There, the seed planted. True they were not in a position to speak much of politics, but perhaps he had made Nathaniel curious. There had been a few skirmishes between that time and the new alliance, in which Wrath might have lost some of its workers in the way that Envy took slaves; but Wrath had also gained control of a few islands (with various resources, including precious gems) in return. What Lincoln was trying to do, ever so slowly, was remind Nathaniel of those islands, and their wealth. One of them had been ‘given’ to Lincoln when he was 23, in order to teach him to manage the people and resources, which he had handled well so that it prospered. And thus prospering, it might be a temptation to Envy. It would be difficult to defend again if they became enemies, but if they were on good terms, the green-eyed heir could just give it back, no strings attached. Well, at least no official strings. Favors, especially of that kind of caliber, would carry a LOT of weight.
Mmm, yes. This tea did taste ever sweeter now.
Sport begets tumultuous strife and wrath,
and wrath begets fierce quarrels and war to the death.
- HoraceThe Oneiric Oracle's Conclusion: Holy cats, this was NOT supposed to end up being this long o_o But I work the next four nights, so maybe I’m just trying to get ahead?
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:54 am
 Jack Rohaun
Kingdom of Interest: Avarice
Occupation: Mercenary/Daemon Hunter
Location: The GardenJack ran around the western spire flag pole to gain momentum. Once he thought he was fast enough, he swung himself over a wall. The updraft created by his decent bad his cap fly up above him. It revealed all of his person including his bandaged left arm, which had nothing wrong with it aside from the evil parasite beneath the dressings. Faster and faster he went till he hit the ground with a tumble. He slowed to a stop after a few rolls in a flower bed.
Rising to his feet, he looked down at himself to see that he was covered in pollen. With a disgusted look, he began busying himself with brushing motions over his clothes. It was going to take a bit using one arm. "The last thing I want is smelling of daffodils, lilacs, and tiger lilies," grumbled the mercenary as he swept some yellow dust from his legs. He did not notice Maelona and Sokar at all. Nor would he care until Sokar's appearance was noted. Then Jack might be interested. Good or bad though? Who knew but himself and the future."Nonsense! I think the odor would do us some good. Think about, Jackie! It would be like wearing cologne almost. Dames would be attracted to you, and that means souls for the taking. "Consuming fluffy, friendly animals is nice and all, but I haven't had a human snack in ages. They are the most filling, especially pure little girl souls. Don't you agree? It's been some time since we've dined on one of them. "And oh look over that next to that wolf-thing. What luck, huh? She looks really ripe. Why don't you say hello, kill the dog, then drink her dry? Hm?" said Ra in Jack's head. If the parasite had a mouth, he would be smacking his lips thirstily for Maelona; also, Sokar looked like someone good at heart. He would be a nice appetizer for the main course if Jack Rohaun was bent on draining every single being he saw. "I am not going to get myself ready for a hot date just for your amusement and for you to eat some poor girl. I am here to find Xard and kill him, that's it.
"Secondly, what wolf and gi-" Jack stopped in mid-sentence once he looked up to see yet another beautiful and well dressed princess. "This damn place is full of them. I wonder if ugly princesses exist in this world. Probably not," thought "R" to himself. He was going to just ignore them and be on his way towards the main hall when he noticed what was with her fully. Werewolf, from his point of view, dressed in gardener's garb stood there. What intrigued him about the wolf creature was that he did not attack the girl but was conversing with her; furthermore, the beast's nose and ears gave him an idea. If this creature was indeed the animal he portrayed then he could sniff out Xard, or perhaps he heard something odd lurking within the castle. How to get the creature to work with him though? Animals had an inane sense concerning other worldly beings, evil, ghosts, and anything else that others could not perceive. He found that out through experience. Animals never liked him, or rather what was attached to him; because Ra was his left arm he himself was always automatically associated with Ra's sinister vibes that the parasite gave off. Solace's owl was quick to distrust him. Sokar, he predicted, would be no different but he approached them anyway.
"You there! I want a word with you...if you can spare the moment..." said Jack as politely as he could while pointing at Sokar, which was poor to be honest. The words even tasted sour in his mouth. Being kind was not in the unter's nature. Not after what he had seen and been through. Even so, he still tried when he had to.
As a side note, Jack thought Maelona should probably move out of the way if a fight broke out. He had nothing against the girl, so bringing her in a possible battle was not necessary. She did not possess the appearance of a fighter anyway. Looks can be deceiving. Jack made himself out to appear that way: A chump with an arm whose muscles had been torn making the limb useless.
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 3:09 am
  
Ladies and Gentlemen.... Claus Revelle
Royal Jester of Veritas Where am I?: The Dining Hall ~*~ What am I up to?: What's this? An amateur?
....Boys and Girls  The scene unfolding before him caught his attention, all previous distractions from before suddenly disappearing. The scene in particular was one of just utter disbelief: someone was doing his job of entertaining the guests! A job that he was still preparing himself for! A task that Veritas himself had recently given him that came along with a recent personal words with him. How dare he! Though he must admit, he did have an excellent wardrobe, and a desire to entertain. However, he did it through danger to himself and the audience! The unseen figure scoffed from his hiding place/vantage point hidden atop one of the chandeliers in the dining hall.
"Hmph. Amateur. Allow me to show you how it's done...." Claus' dark voice whispered, audible to none but to himself....
Suddenly, a polished white mask dropped from the ceiling and hovered a few feet off the floor, next to the Harlequin(Xard). A ghostly laugh emanated from the mask, though it also seemed to echo throughout the dining hall perfectly. Then, the mask seemed to sprout clothing from behind it, materializing from nowhere and placing itself accordingly. First, the tunic. Then, the leggings. Next, the jester boots and the white gloves. His joker hat was the last thing to fold into existence, popping itself firmly into it's place. Once the ensemble was completed, the jester raised his arm and wiggled his index finger in the air.
"Forgive me for 'dropping in', folks! I'm just doing my job!" he shouted playfully, the smiling mask he wore turning to look around the room as he addressed the audience. "Now, my similarly well dressed (and great looking, if I do say so myself) companion is certainly entertaining! But....that's nothing compared to me!" the jester spoke, his hand patting his chest. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am your true entertainment for not just this evening, but ALL evenings as well! I am....Claus Revelle, entertainment extraordinaire and royal jester of Veritas! And a hell of a singer, I might add." Claus spoke, arms raised in a slightly very odd way.
"'But Claus! How do you ever hope to compare, lest outdo this other Harlequin's performance!?'" he asked in a high falsetto voice, the back of his hand placed at his mask's forehead and feigning helplessness. Then, Claus raised his finger and waved it, his laugh escaping his person. "Ha ha ha ha ha....how? I'll show you how....like this!" he shouted, pointing at the pit bulls being juggled. Suddenly, the halted and hovered out of the other Harlequin's reach, whimpering at the new situation. "My friend, are you sure these are pit bulls? Are you sure they are not...doves?!" he bellowed, snapping his fingers. The dogs then swelled and popped, but there was no blood! No guts! No gore! Just feathers and doves flying out from the amusing pop of the canines. The doves circled around the dining hall, in a seemingly choreographed fashion.
"My friend, it is not about how dangerous it all looks, but rather, how wondrous it all looks! It's elementary, my dear Harlequin! Absolutely phenomenal and paramount! Superb and undeniably amusing! Fantasical and magnificent!" Claus raved, turning to face the jester and outstretching his arms as if he was measuring the magnitude of his words. "The audience just HAS to love it! Don't you agree!? Its truly irrevocable and incredulous to dismiss this teaching! Am I not correct?!" he continued, his voice becoming more frenzied as he frantically flailed his arms about and spun around in a child-like fashion, the bells of his costume ringing for the audience to hear. Author's Notes: That's Claus for ya. I apologize for the length of the post.
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