Welcome to Gaia! ::

That makes me happy to hear. biggrin Or, rather, read.

Maliarc only grinned before returning to his room. He had no idea about anything that was going on in this ship, and the fact that they were supposedly flying now was baffling to him. It had taken him some time to remember where his room was and how to get there, but once again, the crew were more than helpful. If Miss Red needed him, she would more than likely be thinking his name, and that alone would give him the chance to be summoned to her location, so him being this far away from her did not bother him. He would have to remember to ask where they would be going, and if she knew anything of the new location. He wanted to find a good library somewhere, and that would be hard if he were constantly moving. However, this woman would prove fruitful, of that he was sure.

Before meditating, he asked a question of the mind that he longed to find again. "Lady Aaren, can you hear me?" After waiting more than a few minutes and hearing nothing, he had no choice. He would have to put her on the backburners of his mind if he was to be of any help to Miss Red. Perhaps, in time, she would awake from whatever slumber she was in. It was doubtful anything had happened to her, she had many people near her that knew what they were doing. Her life was not in danger, of that he was sure.

It had been far too long in coming for Alfred's liking. It had taking some time for his parents and even himself to convince the Council to place him on the throne of Ater Nox. It was if they were questioning his ability to lead. Or maybe they were just cautious, which was understandable, considering their last leader had been a complete buffoon. Who attacked a leader in the open like that? To his understanding, that attack didn't even need to be a do or die situation, and yet Judith had still risked far more than was necessary just to even get a shot at Lady Aaren. He still didn't even understand what this so called war was about, or why it was being waged. He had been given a short description, but he couldn't even remember it. Until himself or Ater Nox were directly involved in it, he didn't need to care about it. To him, it was a speck on a fly of the books of history. Not that it mattered, he was going to lead Ater Nox much better that that witch ever could. The people didn't know that, and they sure liked to show him that. When he had been proclaimed the new ruler of Ater Nox many people had chosen to throw things at him, some even going so far as to throw potentially deadly things. It didn't bother him, he understood their skepticism. Their last few leaders had been nothing but idiotic lackeys working for the Council. His goals were not the came as the Councils, as far as he knew. But he did know he was going to calm the masses, and he would have to do that soon.

Today he was en route to his first speech to the people of Ater Nox. He was to tell them what he was going to do to better this city, and it's reputation. He was going to address everything that had transpired before him, or to his best ability at the least, and explain why they should like him. He was nothing like Judith, or the others, and he was going to let them know. If they didn't believe them, he was going to show them. If they still didn't believe, then he would have to make his second speech letting them know that they could very well leave his city. He was walking with an entourage of person guards, something he disliked, but couldn't deny the use of, to a personal studio where he would speak into some sort of microphone and it would be announced throughout the city. He didn't approve of this, but he was assured (for more times than he would have liked for that matter) that this was the safest situation for him at the moment. Once he entered the studio, as they had called it;he would have used the word "bunker" but it was as they wished, he was ushered into a little room that was supposedly there to ward against outside noise. He sat down and they told him he had a few minutes to think over what he wanted to say and what he was thinking of. He simply sat back in his chair, becoming more comfortable. He had no worries of what he was going to say, as he should not. Why panic? The people would take it as they wanted, him being nervous or confident had nothing to do with it.

He looked up and through some glass to see a few hands motioning that he would be speaking and being put through to the people in just a few moments. No panic struck his mind, and no indecision. Only decisiveness in what he would say, and complete confidence in his action in the future. He was going to turn this place around, and everyone else could watch in horror, or in awe of what he did. It was up to them the choose. He only acted. He heard some static coming from the mic and he got the "okay" signal from the hands on the other side of the mirror. Here was his time to speak with his people.

"People of Ater Nox. My name is Alfred Sareno. Right off of the bat, you may notice that may name is not native to this place, but I assure you that I am. In fact, I may have grew up with many of you. I may even have studied with some of you, under some of you, and maybe even above some of you." First part, over. He leaned back and lipped his licks, wetting them in order to maintain the perfect voice his sound carried even over radio. Second part, start. He leaned forward once more, addressing his people. "I am not here to tell you anything about what I am going to do as the ruler of Ater Nox. Nor am I going to promise you that I will better this place, or anything of the sort. What I am here to tell you is that I am not an imbecile, as the past rulers were. I dance to nobody's strings, nor will I ever do so. Do not believe that me being your ruler means that we will immediately surpass the other factions." Second part, over. The people by now were either confused as s**t, or angry as hell. Either way, he had captured their attention. They would listen in even further, even if only to know the man they were to hate better. Something he had always been told as a child. Any attention is better than no attention. He wasn't sure he agreed, but he supposed it didn't matter. He had that attention now. Third part, start. "Many of you remember our most recent leader, Judith. She was the prime example of the type of ruler I am not going to be. She was an idiotic marionette dancing to someone else's strings. She wanted nothing but to further the ambitions of someone else. To this extent she started something she at least speculated she wouldn't finish, and left us to clean up her mess. Well I, for one, am not very happy about that. I will clean up her mess, and I will not do it with a smile on my face. If you were in my place, would you?" Third part, over. He sat back once again, his tongue moving over his lips, spreading saliva to keep his voice clear. He was far from over, and he had to stay crisp if he were to keep this going correctly. Fourth part, start. "Now, I have already built you up to mistrust me, have I not? Good. I want you to hate me with everything you've got. Hate me with every bit of passion as you feel for your loved ones. Fuel that hatred into working towards a better Ater Nox. Whether you work with me, or against me to create this better Ater Nox is your own choice;I am not here to force you into slavery. It is your choice how we will rebuild this great place we call our home. With me or against me, it matters not. Do not think of me as your ruler, but as another man working to bring Ater Nox from the ashes that Judith and her puppet masters have put us in!" Fourth part, done. He had raised his voice towards the end, but it was necessary. Someone was bout to cut the audio when Alfred furiously worked his hands in disagreement. He was not done yet. A little more to go. "My people. No-the people of Ater Nox. Not my people. Help me make this city as it should be. We are not a city of evil ne'er do wells. We are constantly bettering ourselves and reaching the paradigm for which others will base their cities off of. We will become the great city we were destined to become. Judith ruined us. She ruined our reputation and she ruined our city. That will not stand with me. I believe we can be better than her, better than what she obviously believed we could be. Now, people of Ater Nox. Listen. Use your hatred of me and let's rebuild this place!" he finished, giving the signal to cut the signal. Immediately the static that was in the room was cut off, and he left the studio just as quickly as he had been there.

Outside in the sun that seemed to almost escape him, Alfred immediately noticed the large vehicle that had been ordered for him."Get that ungodly thing away from me....." he spat as he began walking back to his new home. He had, of course, given the biggest house in the entirety of the city, which he also disliked. It was far too large for one person, and so far no one woman had ever captured his attention long enough for him to even be able to consider having a family inside of it. As he watched a man speak to the driver of the ungodly vehicle, he thought what they must think of him. Did they think him a tyrant? Or maybe a man who didn't know what he was doing. He had always disliked being treated as if he were better than the average person. Smarter, maybe. More trained in the dark arts, maybe. But better? Hardly. He was as much at fault as Judith for the decline of this great city, so what made him better? He was jerked away from his thoughts and back into his normal mindset as the squealing of a tire plummeted into his ear, screaming at him like an alarm clock.

The rest of the day saw him back to his home, where he would spend the rest of the time sitting in front of a glass window that overlooked most of the city. The city that had, for all intents and purposes, become his. He watched all of the people run around the streets, filling their day with the tasks that he suppose he should think are now worthless. Compared to what he was going to do, they were, in a sense. However, no being was worthless. Maybe if one found the crown that they had all seen, they could render them all worthless, but until then, no being was worthless. Not in his eyes. His mind drifted off and away from him, thoughts of the crown at first, then thoughts of Ater Nox, and what was now going to come of him being the leader. Leader of Ater Nox. It did have a certain ring to it.

When Alfred heard a knock at the door, he wasn't sure if he should be happy for the company, or annoyed that he had been ripped from his day dreams. Deciding that neither were the correct course, he quickly called out to whoever it was that decided they had something important enough to bother him. "Come in!" he called loud enough to be heard, but not so loud that it would have been almost annoying. He decided to stand, as he didn't like people to think they weren't worth his time. With his back now to the window, Alfred awaited this person.

ninja *lurks* ninja

O.o eek

Yes. razz It got lonely D:

Likewise. Been missing my Sovereign family. Figured it was time i came back. Though I was a little disappointed that I was demoted during my absence... Not that I blame Arcine for it. So. What have I missed?