Characters::. Violetta, Cassius, Kieran and Graham Prompt::. The Price siblings were called into a meeting room, all three of them. There they are greeted by their uncle sent by their father, with some surprising news regarding the latest status of the heir to the throne.
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:09 pm
LOCATION:Meeting RoomxxxCOMPANY:No onexxxCLOTHING:OutfitxxxAMBIANCE:Bury The Light
"Speaking #2a0f0b""Thinking"
The blood of a demon. That was what they said of the Price family tree: that they were born of infernal creatures many generations ago. As foolish of a rumor as it may have been, whispers among even the servants within the royal castle spoke of how there may be some truth to it despite the absurdity of the claim. To cross a Price was to pay the Price, they would say. And for good reason: none who dared to turn their blade toward the crown lived to tell the tale.
Nevertheless, it didn't stop people from trying. Perhaps the sight of such an insurmountable challenge lit a fire in those who thought little of the word "impossible." Countless attempts to antagonize the throne were made over several generations, and despite numerous displays of what would be done should they fail, the attempts continued into the present day. Whether it be outside forces or those within the land without light itself wishing to claim power for themselves, there seemed to be no end to the incessant dissent that plagued their existence.
Unfortunately for those attempting those would-be coups, the Price family had more power to them than just a crown. Demonic or otherwise, the reins they held over the darkness gifted them a terrible capacity for utilizing the cunning and brutality passed on from parent to child. To be a Price was to be a master of all that could be used to crush your enemies so completely that an eternity in hell would be considered a mercy. Their rule was absolute, and any who dared to even question their authority would face far worse things than the iron fist with which they held dominion over Shahiti.
Or at least, that had been the case for generations prior. When it came to the newest generation of Price progeny, there was a lacking in malice not seen before.
The first child, Violetta, only showed a modicum of talent when it came to becoming anything close to a proper example of what a "demon" child should be capable of. The pathetic girl generally had the maliciousness of a bouquet of flowers and was coddled by her mother to be especially worthless. There was a complacency to her, an inherent weakness that almost cost Violetta her life. After her failed kidnapping, however, a switch was flipped within her that caused the eldest of the three Price siblings to finally embrace the spark of darkness within her and learn to use her newfound hatred as a weapon. Perhaps it was the infernal blood finally starting to fester. But whatever had awoken in her only provided a meager shred of malice; far too little to be of any proper worth.
The next-born and first child of the king's second wife, Cassius, showed far more promise early on. Whatever so-called hellish ancestry the Price family was said to have manifested in the boy's very blood, which showed a tenacious will to survive all its own as it could mend his injuries. Unfortunately, that was the extent of his resemblance to the rest of his lineage. He was mild, quiet, and had a disdain for violence, the antithesis of everything taught to him. Whenever he bothered to open his mouth, something the useless sap seemed to have trouble with for some reason, he spoke more of mending than he ever did destroying. To add insult to injury, Cassius even went as far as to renounce his birthright as first-born son and refused to take the throne that called to him alone. And thus, Shahiti's greatest hope became its biggest disgrace.
Finally, there was Kieran.
Born only a handful of months after his brother, his existence was an oddity from the very beginning. Having only learned of his being there after the birth of Cassius, Kieran's hastily made reception was one without much fanfare at all. Early on in his upbringing, the boy was only given the bare minimum of attention and care, as all eyes were on the elder Price children to carry on the family legacy. Still, the burden of his name was not lost to him. He was taught the same dogma as his siblings, as he would have to carry the burden of the throne should his brother pass, a scenario that became increasingly likely as Cassius revealed himself to be a failure by their family's standards.
Kieran wasn't much better, though. Through his brother's brainwashing, he too found issue with the way things were currently run. And unlike quiet Cassius, the youngest Price child sought to do something about it. In his adolescence, the fool sought to make waves within the kingdom by going around spouting idealistic nonsense about being more than the barbaric people the rest of the world thought that they were. Making matters worse, Casisus's outright refusal to rule meant that the throne would likely go to Kieran instead. And for the entirety of his first life, he did not deserve such an honor. He knew so little about the way of the world, nor did he understand that it was that very stigma that made Shahiti a nation rarely attacked. Fear was a power unknown to him, only understanding it in his final moments.
Yes, the man known as Kieran Price would meet a brutal end at the age of nineteen. In a way, anyways. But this was a blessing in disguise for the kingdom, as from his lowly corpse came a man who had freed himself from the shackles that his former self clung to. No longer did he heed the poisonous inadequacy that his siblings bowed down to; the world would bow to him, not the other way around. Proving his newfound brutality by clawing his way out of captivity, he expected his father to tell just by the look in his eyes that he had changed for the better. Finally, he had gotten a son who truly took pride in their family name. While Cassius was said to have the blood of a demon, Kieran showed himself to have the heart of one.
In the years since, the prince of darkness worked tirelessly to wipe the board clean of his pathetic past. He even went as far as to have experiments performed on him to erase any trace of lingering weakness within him. The Kieran Price of the past used to cherish his ability to see through the darkness, but it was a false comfort. Through his suffering, he was finally able to see the truth: just as he had looked past that ebony abyss, he also turned a blind eye to the darkness that lay within human nature itself. He had been shielding himself from the harsh realities of the world, and it had cost him everything. And so, in the hopes of paying it forward, he put himself through hell once again to truly be forged into its spawn.
The procedure cost him an eye, but that only cemented in him that an eye for an eye was a fundamental force in this twisted world. And with that in mind, was it not then his turn to do the same? With a power that reflected the endless emptiness that his very soul had descended into, Kieran made it his mission to attain a power so great that no one would ever be able to wrong him again. In this relentless quest, he surrendered any trace of morality left within him, making a deal with the devil to gain this power in exchange for him continuously adding to the amount of blood on his hands. However, that was a price that Kieran Price was more than willing to pay.
In his pursuit of his wicked goal, an immortal body so that he could rule eternally, he had assumed that his father would take note of the initiative he was taking and give him what his brother so foolishly discarded. However, that day never came. This infuriated the prince of darkness, as it showed that even his own father could show the kind of complacency that he would always beat out of his children. But perhaps it didn't matter. After all, he would outlive them all in the end anyway. And yet the knowledge that he still wasn't worth being acknowledged, even after all he had done to become the kind of son the king could finally be proud of, festered within his mind with greater ferocity than any unholy genes would ever be able to.
It was that same fury that flowed within him in the present, as he'd been summoned along with his siblings to hear an important message that their father wished all three of them to hear. But what could be so meaningful that he had been required to attend but so meaningless as to also require his siblings to be there as well?
If this is his way of forcing us to have sibling bonding time, the old ******** going to be quite disappointed by the results.
Thoughts swirled in the endless phantom abyss that was the prince of darkness's mind as he made his way to their intended meeting place. Ever since his rebirth, Kieran couldn't be bothered to keep up with either Violetta or Cassius. This wasn't too different from his past life in regards to his sister, as her mother kept her and her half-siblings as separated as possible, but the distance he put between himself and his brother marked a noticeable shift in their dynamic. But it couldn't be helped; if that idiot couldn't see that his peace-loving nonsense would only lead to ruin, that was his problem alone.
But more than that, Kieran harbored a grudge against his older brother for all that Cassius had put him through. If it weren't for his popping out of mother first, perhaps there would be no question as to which of the two was destined to rule. Perhaps, if he had been given the focus of father's teachings, he would have heeded them sooner as opposed to thinking his dear older brother knew what was best for them. Yes, quite a few crises could've been averted if their positions were switched.
Just as well, the prince of darkness chastised his former self all the same. If he had been stronger, if he had realized sooner that it was better to embrace the darkness rather than stray towards the light, he would still have his Emery in his arms. But hadn't he proven well enough that he'd changed? That he understood their infernal mythology far better than either of his siblings ever could? Why did he still have to breathe their air? At first he thought to educate the dumb ******** when he came to this school, but it was clear as night that they were beyond saving. Was that simply unacceptable to father? To accept the impossible as such was to besmirch the Price name, sure, but this was a bit excessive even for him.
Entering the designated meeting room, Kieran found the darkest part of the room to take a seat at and awaited the arrival of his dim-witted brother and half-sister. Whatever father had intended to tell those two would likely be lost to him, but perhaps he would do them the kindness of translating the message into something even idiots like them could understand. After all, he supposed the family was supposed to look out for one another, and he was quite looking forward to looking at the disappointed look on their faces as father reminded them that they were a lineage forged by cruelty alone.
ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴏᴏᴅ ➢ I WANT TO FEED MY DUCKS ◆◆ ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ➢ Meeting room ◆◆ ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ➢ Desmond's third bed trophy ◆◆ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ➢ Cass, Vi ◆◆ ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ➢ blacks and golds ◆◆ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴇᴀʀꜱ ➢ lacrimosa
Finally, the official word from Shahiti he had been waiting on came back. The Duke had been holding on to this substantial piece of news for days now but he wanted to be sure it came from the capital itself and not some enemy trying to sow seeds of discord within the royal family. Sure, that meant questioning the authenticity of his brother’s word but Graham did it anyway. Last thing he needed was to tell his brother’s hellspawns something inaccurate and create even more tension or worse, get his a** handed to him. Then again, it may have been all for naught; the words on the parchments in his hand were life changing for all three of them: One would be heir apparent, one would no longer be heir apparent, and one would never hear the end of it. Maybe after all of this he could take that third one out for a drink or two since he was going to be in the same boat.
He crammed the wax-stamped papers into his inner coat pocket and continued his short journey to the designated meeting room, mumbling Shahiti curses under his breath. Graham was well aware that, at least from where he was standing, he was in a better position than them. He only had to tell them, he didn’t have to actually do the job of running a kingdom. He didn’t want that duty and no amount of compensation would change his mind. There was a line of succession and Graham fell in there somewhere but unless these kids stepped down, got killed, or won some early Darwin Awards doing something stupid his number was never going to come up. It needed to stay that way. In fact, he needed the Price siblings to start spawning too. One of them was still betrothed, he was certain. The more they had, the further back in line he was pushed.
Why was he the one having to do this? Why didn’t Desmond do it himself? They were his kids. But NOOOO, he was ordered to be the bearer of this announcement. Graham was asking the real questions. The king was an inconsiderate jerk. He had plans! What plans, you may wonder? Doesn’t matter, he had them!
Being in a school was not at all how he imagined his life after the war. Being a Duke afforded him a nice chunk of territory where he would live and perform his royal duties on behalf of the King. And when he was not doing that, he could do more leisurely things as he saw fit. There would be things to rebuild that the war destroyed, crops to replenish. There would be quiet. There would be solitude. He could almost hear it now, the sound of stygian cicadas humming in the evening Shahiti air. Even if they lived surrounded by darkness, there were still people who lived lives that relied on the ruling class and needed to be taken care of. Once upon a time, he imagined such a life with someone he’d call his ‘old lady’ at his side. Maybe, Graham thought, he could eventually get to some of that reality, but that would not be this day.
The long black and gold formal coat continued to flap at his ankles as he closed the distance between himself and the room. Outside of balls and soirees, he didn’t feel he was able to dress up enough, and this was official kingdom business, afterall. Had some boots with the shiny steel toes on too, just in case a fight broke out and one of them decided to carelessly bleed all over his regal attire. For as much as he didn’t want to be in their positions, he didn’t want them to be in their positions either if they lacked the desire as much as he did. That line of thinking was neither here nor there when it came to royal duties, regardless of kingdom. They weren’t called duties for no reason. As much as he initially dreaded having to step into his military role during the war, it had to be done. To do otherwise would have been a treasonous act.
Everyone was touched by the war, some more so than others. The Price siblings were no exception. Vi was nearly kidnapped and Kieran had his beloved ripped away from him. Cass, the ever caring hippie-dippie pacifist even saw first hand the horrors of war, but he was unwavered by them. It was enough trauma for one lifetime, yet they were in line and essentially volun-told to do more when and if the time came. With ruling and leadership came the power of war, and one had to be responsible with it. Graham had his opinions on the King’s decision, and he could only hope he was right about it. The Duke closed the door after stepping inside, and looked around the room. “Olly, olly oxen free, kids.” He said out into the room, though did not see everyone. Two of the three were missing.
“My my,” Graham started, looking over in Kieran’s direction. “Aren’t we the eager beaver today? Getting here first with your bad self, your royal highness.” He took a seat on a different couch, crossing one leg over the other with an small, amused grin on his face.
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2025 6:26 pm
tab Violetta had awoken that morning dreading the meeting. She was warned of it the night before just before she slept and it kept her awake all night. While she certainly didn't object to seeing Cass again, or perhaps even her uncle Graham...she was dreading the topic at hand. That and the fact that all three of them were called? This could not be good news. Even if it was, it clearly wasn't for two of the three of them. She showered, dressed and as if to prove her point to her mother, she threw on her boots instead of the heels that she had sent with the dress. The boots still fit, but they were far more comfortable than the skinny heels Violetta would probably break her neck in. Well, even then she wouldn't because of her training as a child. On her way towards the meeting room, she stopped outside briefly to smoke, wearing a jacket to cover her dress so the smell didn't linger on the fabric. She rested her head on the side of the building and breathed out, watching the smoke as she thought to herself about her families state of affairs.
tab They were broken, that much was clear. Their father held multiple wives which created rifts between her and Cass, something she was working to mend slowly. Even more so with Kerian, especially after what happened to his wife. She knew that she was view as weak more often than not because she was coddled by her mother, trained in the ways of proper lady-like manners and posture and all that crap. Did she retain it? Of course she did. Did she enjoy it? Never. Cassius was never treated right, nor was Kerian all because they had a different mother. She remembered like it was yesterday when she finally asked who Cass was, and her mother told her that she was not to interact with him because of who he was. She found that incredibly demeaning and she knew that she made it worse by making space and not dealing with or talking to him much. But she'd rather do that than be cruel when it hurt her heart. They had the same father, that made them siblings enough! She sighed, putting the cigarette out on the wall before making sure it was completely out and the servant who followed her out took the jacket as she adjusted the flowers on the dress. She wasn't one to follow procedure all the time but she had a feeling it would be good to be correctly dressed for this event.
tab As Violetta pushed open the doors to the room she heard the tail end of what Graham was saying and she glanced over to her uncle as he sat down on the couch. Her eyes flicked over to Kerian before she smiled at them both. " I'm not the last to arrive, that's good." that did mean she knew Cass might get in trouble for it, but he had more anxiety about this than anyone, as he was the heir apparent right now. So this could mean anything. She sat down on one of the single chairs, crossing her ankles as she rested her head on her hand and looked over towards her brother. She hadn't really seen much of him since they both came and for the sake of niceties she decided to speak up. " I hope you're having just as an eventful time here as I am." she didn't dare say a good time, because she knew that even she had issues with how things went. She found her hand drifting to the dagger that she had now on her upper thigh so it was still covered by the dress.
tab Her mind wandered to her old teacher, Ebony. She wondered how she was and hoped that she was doing alright. She had lost a limb last she knew, and that still didn't stop her from being impressive. She closed her eyes and thought to the dagger she named after her mentor, the last time she drew it and honestly had hurt someone. She didn't like the thought of it, especially what was stolen shortly after. She shrugged her shoulders and rolled them before leaning in on her legs and looking towards their uncle. " I wasn't expecting to see you here either, uncle. Were you summoned or the reason we were summoned?" she was kind of appreciative that if he was the one to break the news then maybe it wasn't so bad, but she still worried.
Where they are: Meeting Room, in the school. XXX Who they are with: Kieran, Graham. XXX What they're feeling: Curious XXX What they're wearing:Far Left Dress with These Boots, instead of heels. XXX OUT of CHARACTER:
Sunlight peaked in through the window of his dorm room as his desk was littered with papers and some vials of experiments from the night before. Much like most nights he had stayed up way too late trying to have a break through on his formula. Thanks to his time spent Nurse Gwyn he had some more medical grade components that she had given to him. Only with the stipulations that he did not use any of the formula’s on the students without her knowledge.
So as unethical as it might have been, it looks like the lab rats got the blunt of the experiments. Luckily though if anything went too crazy he’d just cut himself and drench them in his blood. Usually it would bring them back as if nothing had happened... Most of the time. With his studies though he had lost track of the night and worked straight into slumber. This wouldn’t have been a problem normally, but today he was supposed to be meeting with his family about some news from their father.
His uncle, for some reason was delivering the news.
The prince came to he saw the sunlight and his eyes immediately widened.Oh crud He thought as he began to scramble to get up. He still needed to change and at least make himself presentable. As he rushed over to the wardrobe Cass began to throw clothing out and onto the floor as he looked for something suitable to meet everyone. Surely this isn’t a formal thing? He thought pulling one pair of pants out and shoved each leg into them before adjusting the shirt he was wearing. He tucked it in and fixed the belt. The prince lumbered over grabbing the combat boots on floor before falling over trying to get the cargo pants shoved into them.
He sighed as he looked at the door from the floor. Well this day is going to be great... Cassius was already not looking forward to being around so many people in one enclosed area. Vi would have been fine, but he hadn’t really reconnected with his younger brother or uncle. So there was still that overwhelming sense of dread about having to make conversation with them. What if he said something stupid? Knowing him it was bound to happen. The prince knew that none of them cared about his studies, and they all knew he didn’t give a rat’s a** about the throne.
The prince glanced over to the lab rat in the cage,“No offense to you of course Petunia.” Cass apologized for his the choice of words. Even if she hadn’t heard it, he knew it was a bit uncouth to think with her being right there. As he made his way back to his feet he grabbed his bookbag from the back of the chair and shut the window where no light could make it’s way in.
Cass knew that Vi would have been happy to see to him. She had been trying to mend her relationship with him. And while it was sweet, a lot of times it was overwhelming for him. Though being siblings communication was draining for him. But it seemed to make her happy, so he would try. As for his little brother and his uncle he saw them in the hallways, but often would not make an effort to even look their way. Cass felt like there was a wall between him and that side of the family, whether that was built by him or outside voices he had yet to determine. He would have liked to be closer, but it was probably for the best. It was a lot of work to deal with the silent prince, and he couldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to put forth that effort.
He sighed again composing himself before he stepped into the shadowed wall. Within an instant the Prince appeared from a shadowed corner of the meeting room. Looking up to see everyone already arrived, which was natural, he was late. Cassius lowered his head and made his way to the seat next Vi and sat down.
Not making eye contact with anyone he just sat there, “Erm... Sorry.” He said aloud referring to his tardiness.
Graham looked up and turned his head as he heard the door opening. At last, the final person needed for this bloody gathering showed themselves. He raised his hand with a lazy wave then dropped it to his leg. ”Nice of you to join us, princess.” he said in jest and watched as she took a chair. The boots that were in place of what should have been daintier footwear did not go unnoticed by him. He eyed them, eyed Violetta, then looked elsewhere with an amused expression. It bothered him none but he knew at least one person who would have a conniption fit if they saw her small act of rebelliousness. When Vi asked her question, he looked over to Kieran. Where he sat was darker and his pitch-black attire did nothing to help with that.
The two heirs were not close; their lack of relationship was a product from the adults that raised them. It was likely they would never be, either. While they were born with the infamous family darkness™ and shared the trauma of their father’s ire, they were different people. With both of them there he could start, but he held off for a minute, at least long enough to allow Kieran to answer if he so wished. With what he was about to say, he didn’t know if the two would ever be afforded the chance again or if they would desire it.
He rose to his feet and adjusted his coat before retrieving the folded piece of parchment from an inside pocket. ”Your father’s message arrived this morning. It reads as follows.” And it was best he relayed it sooner than later before word got to them in other ways and in less controllable environments. Even if they weren’t to reveal their kingdom of origin to their peers, he knew this bit of news would be public soon enough. The other Kingdoms would learn too, just as Shahiti learned things about the rest of them. Perhaps not as big of a deal outside their borders, but on the inside this was going to make waves. The future of their kingdom and the people that inhabited it would depend on both Violetta and Kieran when the time came. Tonight, Desmond was starting the countdown to that day with Graham as his proxy. At least, The Duke remembered, The King didn’t bloat his proclamation with as much grandiose verbiage as he used to. He looked at each of them, then down to the words he read over a dozen times already and delivered it with the gravitas it called for.
Let it be known that I, Desmond Erebus Price, King of Shahiti, Ruler of the Shadows and of the first Phantoms, hereby declare in and outside of our Kingdom that Violetta Agnes Price be named the rightful heir to the throne of Darkness.
Pimeässä ja veressä, syystä tai voimalla. In Darkness and in blood, by reason or by force.
His brother’s change in heirs was unanticipated and out of the blue, so much so that Graham wrote back requesting confirmation for fear of some ploy to sow discord within the royal family or another nefarious venture. It took growing up and personal tragedy but Kieran earned his father’s favor in the end. Violetta, until recently, was never a consideration due her biology and The King's little regard for women outside of that box. Her rule would have its fair share of pros and cons but also provide a much needed respite for those weary from decades of rule by mad kings. A rule under Kieran gave him an uneasy feeling. The gut-wrenching ordeal that took his nephew's beloved Emery changed the man inside and out. Desmond's announcement and his own opinions were in alignment. That in itself was also a concern.
Graham had his reasons… but then what were Desmond’s? Old age making him softer, perhaps paranoia that he would meet a gruesome end similar to their own father’s, or was this a manipulative game that no one would ever truly win? He could come up with theories one after another but they never brought him any closer to what would feel like the right answer. For all he knew, there probably wasn’t one.
Unblinking blue eyes shifted between the Prince and Princess of Darkness and he watched for what reactions they would present.
Unsurprisingly, it took quite a while for Violetta to show her pampered face. Then again, it was far from likely that any message from Father had much to do with her. Despite being the firstborn, she was no son. No heir. Sure must sting, thought Kieran with a simper as the door opened to reveal his ever-dutiful uncle. Chiming out as if his niece and nephew were still children, the man who might as well have been a brother to Kieran entered with a decidedly hesitant step. Was he to be the one to be the bearer of bad news for the princess of Stabhiti? The prince of darkness smiled at Graham in a way that could most certainly be described as magically malicious.
“My my, aren’t we the eager beaver today? Getting here first with your bad self, your royal highness.”
"It's like they say, Uncle: the early bird gets the worm. And I plan on feasting tonight."
Something that required the presence of all three of them was sure to be big. Had Father finally decided to commend Kieran for all the hard work he had put into tarnishing his name over the past few years? It was no small task to destroy all the good faith his past self had given the people from the land of darkness. Oh, how they looked up to him so hopefully before; their groveling was utterly detestable. And yet he'd accepted it before. Wanted it even. The previous Kieran Price had dedicated himself to becoming a beacon of hope to a dark and dreary land. If only he knew back then that he could do his best work in the dark. Perhaps then it wouldn't have taken Father this long to acknowledge him.
After far too long, Violetta finally arrived fashionably late. Or, well, unfashionably late. As Kieran took a cursory glance at her, the prince of darkness wondered why she'd bothered to come at all. Although she strutted in as though she were dressed to the nines, he'd personally say it was to the twos at best with those boots. Couldn't she have come to her parental neglect party a bit more put together? Maybe looking a bit less like she were still a teenager? " I hope you're having just as an eventful time here as I am," spoke his sister in a voice that was trying way too hard to remain cool. But that was fine; it just meant that Kieran would get quite the wonderful scene or two from her once her ever-so-icy exterior shattered. Kieran's eye remained focused on his uncle, eagerly awaiting what was surely to be wonderful news.
" I wasn't expecting to see you here either, uncle. Were you summoned or the reason we were summoned?"
”Your father’s message arrived this morning. It reads as follows.”
Bringing his hands in front of him, Kieran rubbed them together in anticipation of the rightfully placed praise to come. And as Graham continued to speak, that grand prize got all the more enticing. The first phantoms bit, eh? This really is serious. Kieran's smile grew as his uncle's speech pressed on. Ah, this really was just to s**t on sis? Wow dad, hats off to you! After all, what else could he mean when he said the throne was now rightfully Violetta's? He wouldn't really give away his status as heir to the throne to this ungrateful weakling, would he?
...Would he?
Kieran let out a loud fit of cautious laughter, the words still settling in his stomach long after he'd ingested them. As it tapered off, Kieran found himself looking up at the ceiling in disbelief. "Aha....good one, uncle. That one got quite the cackle out of me!" The prince of darkness's singular blue eye sharply swung down, its gaze now meeting Graham's as an intense glare. "That was a joke, right?" Then again, his family wasn't really known for being humorous folk. But if what his uncle said was to be believed, the great and terrible Desmond Price had chosen his meekest child to take the reins and lead their country into the future. Had the old crow grown senile already? Surely.
Turning his attention to his sister, the prince of darkness's shocked face fixed itself into a tightly placed smile. His brows had folded down as if he were pained, and in a way he was. "So sis, get into the forgery business as of late?" It was more likely than what was presented to him; that much was for sure. Or perhaps this was a result of Ms. Tonnere's insidious machinations. She did seem to enjoy toying with him, after all. Kieran's eye darted back and forth between his sister and uncle, hoping that one of them would come to expect foul play like he did. This was simply too ridiculous to be true!
But if it did turn out to be the truth? That Violetta had trumped him in worthiness for the throne? Even after all he'd done? All he'd sacrificed!? Then the old man had truly gone mad. As he impatiently waited for one of them to open their mouths, Kieran decided that it would not matter. He could simply laugh at his sister's pitiful rule from the sidelines before taking over and beginning his immortal dominion of the land. Yes, truly there was no reason to be absolutely ******** livid. Not a one!
OOC:
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2025 8:21 pm
Violetta caught the look that Graham had despite nothing being said. She knew that he knew her well enough to expect something like that from her, and likewise, her brother’s response was as expected. Lack of reaction being more like it. She kept herself from rolling her eyes before she shifted back towards where her uncle sat. She was not pleased with the way some things had gone between her and her brother but that wasn’t something that could be mended by a visit to the school. From the time she was little her mother kept her separated from him. She had a friend and companion in Graham, in fact the time she spent with him was exactly what made her able to get out of her own sticky situation with the men from Alore.
When Graham began to speak, he was deadly serious and that scared her. He was never this serious. She felt tension begin to form in her shoulders as she waited to hear what it was. However, when she finally heard his words, she felt a ringing in her ears. What? Her eyes widened slightly as she processed the information and after a moment, she realized she had to breathe. Forcing herself to breathe out, a laugh interrupted her thoughts. Kieran. She didn’t dare look over at him, not even wanting to know what expression he had on his face. Her brother had always been interested in the throne, and she had never once planned on fighting him for it. The plan was for her to be a playing piece, something to be used to benefit the kingdom, right? No, this wasn’t like her father.
"So sis, get into the forgery business as of late?"
Kieran’s words made her snap out of her state of shock before she forced herself to look over to him. She had never fully made the effort to reach back out to him when he lost his wife, it seemed useless at that point, especially after all the efforts that were made to keep them apart. She didn't know what her expression was, but she knew she was surprised, and her mask had broken entirely. How was she supposed to keep her cool when her father pulled this and was giving her the throne? He was doing one step even further, taking it from her brother. She managed to shake her head slowly before she raised a hand up to cover her eyes. " No, I..." she turned back towards Graham and lowered her hand, but she flexed it out of nervous habit. " Are you sure? He's never given any inkling of this being his plan." it wasn't that she doubted Graham, but honestly? Her father really threw her for a loop here. What was this going to do to their dynamic now? She had a bad feeling that everything was about to get ten times worse after this. She also had no training, nothing to do with the actual ins and outs of the kingdom. Did he just want a pawn he could control? Not that she would let him control her and make things go his way but there was no other reason she could see for him doing this.
She was a woman; therefore, she never was treated with that same respect as her brother, and she had long since gotten over how badly it actually hurt. Even when her life was at risk he took the one thing she had of value to her, and she never really fully recovered from it. She leaned forward, uncrossing her legs as she rubbed her temples. ' Father, what are you thinking?' this just over complicated things even further than they needed to be. This certainly was not what she was expecting to hear when she came into the room today. " Okay, given that this information is accurate, which I trust you wouldn't just announce that for fun, what am I supposed to do now?" she asked, this time mostly directed towards Graham, for he likely had more news from her father if he was being used as the messenger for this.
A flicker of emotion crossed Graham’s eyes before he set his face again. He had the great displeasure of watching Kieran and Violetta being ******** around with and he could feel a familiar, dulled rage sludging under his skin. Being an agent of chaos was a prized family trait and he’d be a hypocrite to deny he got some kicks from creating turmoil a time or more. The King however embraced it like the full-blown sociopath he was and nurtured it to be used on a grander scale, even if it meant his own blood and kingdom would suffer.
News of a queen for Shahiti sounded like good news indeed, but Graham couldn’t help but to see the betrayal between the lines. ’A betrayal against both of them, really…’
Kieran’s cackle filled the once quiet room and he shot Violetta a look before returning his attention to him. They both were in disbelief but wore it so differently. â€That was a joke, right?†The Dark Prince, who he observed to be as ready as a bird for a worm, rejected the news as fiction immediately. The glare in his direction did not go unnoticed and Graham met it with a solemn look of his own. â€No Kieran. It wasn’t a joke.†He shook his head slowly. A part of him wished it was a joke. It’d be a cruel one, but a joke nonetheless.
He could see the tension in the future queen’s posture. Vi became statuesque in her seat, stunned into silence. She denied her brother’s insinuation that the letter in his hand had been a fabrication of her own making. It was an answer he knew wouldn’t appease Kieran either. â€Are you sure? He’s never given me an inkling of this being his plan.â€
If he got an Oren for every time Desmond concocted a plan without so much of a warning to those it involved…
Graham ran his tongue along one of his canines then let out a dry breath. â€It was news to me too.†He rose from where he was sitting and unbuttoned part of his top coat to make his inner pocket more accessible. Much like him when he got the first letter, Violetta and Kieran were quick to question if not outright deny the authenticity of the change. To the table between them he put down a couple more folded letters with black wax seals that beared the family crest. His fingers took one letter and he laid it open and flat. â€This was the first one from your father, from yesterday morning.â€
â€I sent Oakley back with a letter asking him to confirm what he sent and that it came from him.†His servant, bless the old man. He shadow-traveled all the way to Shahiti to get an answer despite how dizzy it made him.
Another letter was unfolded and set down a hand’s width away from the first. In his mind, the open space represented his own letter, which he had a copy of in a copybook in his room. The latest letter was a rather rude one, written on the same creamy parchment as the first but riddled with ink stains and the King’s finest cursive chicken scratch. He dropped the proclamation he read from over it. â€These were what I got back this morning.†Graham took a step back and waved a hand over them, an invite for Kieran and Violetta to investigate what he had to offer. Perhaps it was a tad overkill to provide the receipts but they both had the right to decide for themselves if they believed it or not.
To Violetta’s question, Graham lowered his dark eyebrows and thought on what to say to that. â€Prepare for a lot of changes… and a lot more attention. And a lot less privacy. You may want to schedule a meeting with your father about it.â€
He looked over to Kieran and pressed his lips together. It was no secret he was pining for the throne, and the announcement took that away from him with little consideration. â€The same goes for you, if you feel up to it.†If he were in his shoes he wouldn’t have wanted to. Not right away. That was Kieran’s call.
â€Oh, and one more thing… Graham looked back to Vi, pausing again with a wince to his features. He honestly could not recall if she knew what he was about to tell her. “The arrangement between you and Stefan Calvino Jr. of Chronos was also dissolved because of this change.†That was a minor detail he forgot himself about until he read it in Desmond’s latest correspondence.
ÊŸá´á´„ᴀᴛɪá´É´: Utopia - Meeting Room ★á´Ê á´„á´á´á´˜á´€É´Ê: Kieran and Violetta ★á´á´‡É´á´›Éªá´É´êœ±: none ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ:pants, shirt, tie, coat★ᴛʜá´á´œÉ¢Êœá´›êœ±: "Lets see where this goes..."
Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:24 pm
LOCATION:Meeting RoomxxxCOMPANY:Graham, ViolettaxxxCLOTHING:OutfitxxxAMBIANCE:Broken Boy
"Speaking #2a0f0b""Thinking"
" No, I..."
Truly rousing words from his dearest older sister. Kieran rolled his eye as Violetta went right back to addressing their uncle, because god forbid she actually confront someone. How someone like her began such a prolific stabbing spree was beyond him. Was it really so hard to complete a sentence? Perhaps it was for the best that she was at an academy, then! But no, she seemed to yap away juuuuuuust fine when she also questioned Graham about the validity of his words. Right, just a coward then. Then again, it was to be expected from someone who was practically her mother's shadow her entire life. Here she was being given the black throne of Shahiti on a silver platter and all she could do was sulk and worry. Letting out a groan of disgust, the prince of darkness put a foot on the table to teeter in his seat with.
So this was what all of his work to restore his image after years of showing weakness was worth, huh? A sudden slap to the face while Ms. Business Casual, emphasis on the casual, got the crown. Looking up at the ceiling, a scowl had contorted his face with bitter fury. The shadows around him had begun to fester, tendrils creeping out from their normal shapes and spreading across the walls. Kieran quietly began to chuckle again as the white-hot rage had ascended into near-hysteria. Placing a hand over his face, he clutched his forehead as if to keep a hold of the jet-black malice that began to pour out of him.
Graham had been talking for some time now, speaking on his 10-step verification method or whatever, but Kieran couldn't find any reason to pay attention. His uncle was many things, but a prankster of this magnitude he was not. â€The same goes for you, if you feel up to it.†That comment caused a sharp "HA!" to abruptly come out of Kieran's mouth. Schedule a meeting with Father? They were his children, not his damn interns. And quite frankly, Kieran cared very little about following the king's rules after a decision of his as poor as this. If he wanted an audience with his deadbeat dad, he'd kick the door to that throne room wide open and demand answers with his hands on the old man's throat.
This was unacceptable. Completely and utterly unacceptable. What had Violetta done to be deserving of being a queen? Had there been blood pacts made behind his back? Was her overly timid attitude a facade, hiding the knife-wielding attacker within? Perhaps her brush with Aloran tyranny had done her some good, like it had for him. Was that possible? No, the idea only caused Kieran to laugh harder. And when Uncle revealed that the poor Deary was losing out on her marriage to Prince Stefano of Chronos? His rancor reached a fever pitch.
Letting his howling fit peter off, Kieran turned his face towards Violetta as he sat back down properly and gave her the most flippant little pout you've ever darn seen. "Ahhhh tough luck, sis! And I had my tux picked out this whole time and everything! You poor, poor Deary." The shadows from the ceiling trickled down, offering his sister a pat on the shoulder to support her in such harrowing times. Her life was just oh so difficult; now who would she spend her nights writing in her diary about? Dropping the mask of false concern, Kieran turned their attention back to their uncle.
"Now then, is there anything else important you have to tell us, or are we just sitting here for family bonding time at this point? Because let me tell you guys, I have far more important things to do."
That was more true than ever now. With the throne truly lost to him, his only hope for sound sleep was to find some form of entertainment beyond the three of them frowning longingly at one another. His former self was completely fine with playing the "who got ******** over by Dad the most" game, but at present no activity seemed more nausea-inducing. He also reminded himself that the throne of Shahiti would only remain relevant for so long. In centuries, or even millennia from now, the land of darkness as they know it would cease to be. But he wouldn't. Moreover, he could already think of the perfect pick-me-up after such shocking news. The ever-faithful Ms. Akimi would leap at the chance to watch him sulk; perhaps he would indulge her some.
Kieran rescinded his phantom limbs, returning their darkness to the shadows they originated from. He had half a mind to get up and go right then and there but decided not to. After all, he could still milk the moment a bit longer. Pointing towards Graham with a wild grin, Kieran decided to let his dearest uncle join in on the fun. "And don't look so glum, old man. With Father going nuts, this might be your chance to try and get something between you and little Miss Sunshine back on the table. I mean who knows, right?" While he knew it wasn't his uncle's fault that all this was transpiring, Kieran felt like shooting the messenger anyway. He had quite a lot of s**t to work through, and Graham always strove to be a supportive uncle; surely he'd be a good sport about it.
"Either that or you and Vi can go have a cry about your almost lovers together. Oh, the tragedies that this bloodline suffers through!" he exclaimed, raising his head up and bringing the back of his hand to his forehead as he continued to feign concern for his sister and uncle. As far as Kieran was concerned, though, such setbacks were a drop in the water compared to his own agony. Was that vain of him? Certainly, as was his right. Similarly, if he was going to have his birthright taken from him, he deserved to make it everyone else's problem as well. After all, isn't getting one another through difficult times what family was for?
Violetta was still in shock from the entire thing. Her whole life had just been turned upside down and there was nothing she could do about it. Sure, this had been her entire life, having it ran by the power-hungry parent she had, but this was a new low for him to do. Not only to take everything from her brother, but to then thrust it upon his only daughter who had been told she was worth nothing, except for a pawn in his games. Even the sound of Graham's voice, which usually helped her focus, didn't help her this time and she could feel her heart racing in her chest harder than usual. Her blue eyes landed on the letters that Graham had set down on the table, but she couldn't find herself with the strength to look past the familiar handwriting of her father. ' He's such a controlling person, what good does me being next in line have for him? Is he afraid of something?' even as she took in and registered what Graham told her about having no privacy that was something she immediately accounted for. She likely would have more classes, stricter schedules for her to learn what needed to be done. Although, it was also just as possible that her father would just leave her be, hope she didn't do anything to make a difference and let him continue to rule in his cruel way and give in to do the same. Her hands tightened on the armrests of the chair before she was snapped out of her daze by the overwhelming feeling of tension in the room. It didn't take long for her to realize where it came from. Her brother was leaking shadows, and she had once been on the receiving end of his powers, so she knew that he wasn't just bluffing. She breathed out and tried to not let the feeling to her right overwhelm her as she tried to come up with the words to say. " Okay, so he decides to turn things on their head and not be around for it. Typical father." her words were a quiet mumble to herself before she heard the beginning of what Graham said next, her head raising to look at him in confusion.
“The arrangement between you and Stefan Calvino Jr. of Chronos was also dissolved because of this change.â€
She swore her breath caught in her throat. The name caused a young face about when she was the age of 8 to come to mind, and she widened her eyes. " Wait, that was still on? That was so many years ago!" she had long since closed it off, she had been told to get to know the boy because they were going to be married but then she had not once heard anything of it. Hell, even her own mother didn't know anything, and she had assumed that things had been called off because why would her father neglect to say something so important when it had to do with her role to play with the kingdom. She frowned before she asked the question she dreaded to ask. " Has he been informed or do I have to tell him?" she didn't even know what he looked like now. Even she back then had her long hair, innocent expressions.... she hadn't yet been exposed to the darkness that was her kingdom fully.
The feeling of something cold on her shoulder had her tensing and she knew without even looking that it was one of the cold tendrils that her brother was letting loose. She glanced over to him as he made his mocking comment about having his outfit chosen and she could feel her tension reaching a point where it hadn't in a long time. She had always been raised to be quiet, if she wasn't addressed, she didn't speak. Not that she always followed that but in the presence of her brother and father she tried to. She knew what they were capable of, perhaps not all of it but enough, and she didn't want to mess with the consequences. This time, however? She didn't need his jab. " Will you just stop for a second!?" she directed her gaze fully to her brother, her expression a mixture of frustration and panic. She knew she wasn't hiding things well, but it was clear that Graham wasn't expecting them to take this well, considering he came with proof. " You act like we don't see through this act you put on! It's not like I wanted this to happen, so quit acting like I stole something from you on purpose!"
She had not once yelled at her brother before, through all of the chaos that they had grown up in. She had been kept separated for a reason, and even after everything she knew that she couldn't handle him in large doses. This seemed to be proof of that. His constant comments dug at every nerve she had like he knew exactly what he was doing, and she had enough.
She felt a tinge of panic as soon as the words left her mouth and she quickly turned her head away and looked down. She pressed her head into her hands and made a frustrated sound. Things had been going just fine and now her father threw a wrench into the plans. It was just like him, but it was so unneeded. " Do you think he'd even want to listen to me or is he planning to use me as a puppet?" she asked quietly, words directed towards whichever one of the men felt like answering her. She knew exactly what she thought. This was all a game, she was easier to control, to manipulate. That was why he kept her so sheltered throughout her life. If he even knew about her training, she knew he'd probably have a fit about her going against his word even though he was the one who punished her for not being able to defend herself against the spies who tried to take her all those years ago.
Her eyes snapped open when she heard her brother's suggestion if one could call it that. She lowered her hands and glared over at him, her hands landing on her legs. " As if that's the most important thing here!" she leaned back into the chair and groaned, her head hitting the back of the chair as she stared up at the ceiling. What a mess her father had made now.
No further questions came from either Kieran and Violetta about the matter, so Graham picked up the letters and put them away with the intention to fold them more neatly another time. He raised dark eyebrows as Violetta spoke under her breath, not catching everything but getting the gist of it. As she said, typical. The news was out there now and as expected, the tension was thick with no end date in sight.
“HA!”
The Prince of Darkness remained in his seat, holding his head while he wallowed in his deep disgust. So this was going to be how he responded. He didn’t know what to expect, but knew Kieran wouldn’t be grinning like a cat in cream over being told he wasn’t going to be King. Graham shot him a soundless stare before continuing with the final, minor detail he needed to inform Violetta of.
As if she needed another surprise for the day, even if this one wasn’t as life altering as the first one. ”Well, surprise. But now you’re not.” Graham’s eyes locked onto hers, knowing she knew what all of it meant for her going forward, not that it was much different. Stakes were higher. She learned what the expectations of her gender were alongside her three R’s and her mother made sure she never forgot them. To her second question, Graham put a hand to his hip and paused with an inhale before answering. ”I don’t know, but I would expect Chronos to be the ones to tell him. There’s no harm in you talking to their prince about it.” Their King being arrested years ago was not a good look for the Kingdom of Time, but Graham had neither positive or negative opinion on Stefan, and didn’t know him or what he looked like.
“Ahhh tough luck, sis! And I had my tux picked out this whole time and everything! You poor, poor Deary!” Oh how thick the bitterness and resentments were in his words and cackles. Graham’s lips formed a flat line and they were far from resembling anything like a smile at this point. He was blood and he was family but Kieran was becoming an antagonist to his patience.
”Will you just stop for a second?!”
It was a rarity to hear Violetta raise her voice, but that wasn’t exactly where his eyes landed when he looked her way. Instead, his eyes widened only to quickly narrow at the sight of one of Kieran’s dark tendrils hanging near her head. Blue eyes trailed up only to find that there were more of them strewn across the wall like invasive vines, his head tilting only slightly to get a better view. If he remembered correctly, the little suckers made their debut the last time something else was taken from Kieran. With a twitch of his wrists Graham’s hands faded to as black as wisps of smoke seeped out from under his cuffs, and they took on a flat, jagged shape of their own. The rest of him remained unchanged and he was counting on remaining that way. Violetta continued to let her words fly at her brother in a tenacious new way for her. His sights shifted back to Kieran and he tacked on a thought of his own with injected patience in his tone. ”I know this doesn’t look fair to you but Vi’s not the one to take this out on.”
Graham looked over to Violetta who was having what he would consider a perfectly reasonable and panicked reaction. It wasn’t quite the same place he was in; there was a noticeable but steady charge pumping under his skin but he remained planted where he stood. And just like that, he could hear Kieran speak without all of the theatrics, as if he were suddenly the one inconvenienced by them. ”That about covered it, Kieran. You are free to roam off and around to your heart’s desire.” A dark hand made a wave at the door they all walked through before pulling it back to his side.
“Do you even think he’d even want to listen to me or is he planning to use me as a puppet?”
With the phantom limbs recoiling back from whence they came, Graham waved his hands and just like that the smoke was extinguished and they went back to looking as they had before. He found solace in the fact Kieran withdrew them himself, but it did little to lower his guard. He gave Violetta something, not that he knew how helpful it would be for her nerves. ”He only hears what he wants to hear and pulls strings so long as he can get his hands on them.” His jaw was taut. Everyone in the room had been puppet to Desmond so he knew how what he continued with was going to land. There were only two ways to stop a puppet master from abusing their puppets, but for now suggested only one. ”You’ll need to find a way to cut the strings...”
’… or cut the hands.’
Just when he thought they were out of the woods, Kieran revealed he had one last hoo-rah in him, much to his chagrin. “And don’t look so glum, old man. With Father going nuts, this might be your chance to try and get something between you and Little Miss Sunshine back on the table. I mean who knows, right?”
The only thing he found himself agreeing on was that his father was nuts. The rest of his unwelcome suggestion was surprising enough that it took a second for him to realize what Kieran was actually talking about. His previous engagement with Chiara. His gaze darkened on him and the Duke crossed his arms across his chest. The vitriol was still alive and thriving in his dear old brother’s son but damn if there wasn't a new dull prickling, residuals from what happened during that big history lesson. Kieran extended the insult to Vi, who was quick to give him a vexed snap back of her own.
A low, tight chuckle found its way out of Graham and he pressed his tongue into one of his upper canines. As tempting as it was to match Kieran’s specific channel of energy in that moment, he bit his tongue and choked down the hot urge. ”Pot shots, Kieran? What happened to having more important things to do?” He imagined the youngest Price sibling sitting on his father’s throne with a tilted crown, black tendrils everywhere, laughing maniacally and speaking with the same dark vitality and feigned concern as he was then. It was unsettling, and in his current evolution the last thing Shahiti needed for a ruler. ”Real mature coming from the same person in the middle of throwing a full on fit!”
”Go do your important things. I got nothing else to say.” He saw no need for this to keep this going, not when emotions were running higher than they did a few minutes ago, and they were all feeding off of one another. It was best they all went to their own rooms and make blog posts to their deadjournals before something else happened.
Kieran had absolutely no damn clue how to play a fiddle, but he knew how to play his sister like one. Not that it was difficult; the poor Deary was never good at keeping her cards close to her chest. With the slightest provocation, she followed her stage directions perfectly and cried out in protest of his teasing. Ah, but I was hoping for a voice crack. Something to strive for, then. While he found some satisfaction in the turmoil he did cause within her, grinning in delight at her outburst, he couldn't truly enjoy it. She was still in his way now. But maybe that was the point. Maybe Father wanted to see what he was capable of when he was backed to a corner. The old geezer only had Kieran's own statements to go off of in regards to the last time he clawed his way past all who stood in his way. This time, however, he'd have far more eyewitness reports.
Violetta would go on to mope about how this wasn't on her. How she and uncle both could see through his "act." When the ******** did either of them become an expect on all things Kieran Price? Aside from the occasional game of "Pit One Sibling Against The Other" that father would put them through, what exactly did she think that she knew about him to make such accusations? Graham seeing something was far more reasonable. Nothing real, of course, but he had a far clearer image of Kieran's former self to desperately cling to. Unfortunately, that man was long dead. Sooner or later, they'd have to come to terms with that.
And of course Violetta would take absolutely zero accountability for this whole debacle. No, not poor, poor Violetta. It was never her fault for anything. And while she had a point this time around, it didn't make the behavior any less grating after having had to hear this exact number countless times in the past. "It's my mother's fault I never got to see you growing up!" "It's father's fault that we were treated the way we were!" Even now, Kieran sincerely doubted that Violetta was smart enough to see the truth in father's brutal teachings. To kill or to be killed was the way of the world. Did her own brush with death not expose her to that already?
No, of course not. Someone as weak-willed as her wouldn't be able to stomach it all. After all, up until her recent stabbing spree she always needed someone else to save her. And apparently today was a return to form.
Dear, sweet uncle Graham was quick to come to her aid, offering detailed musings on the prince of darkness's current mental state. But alas, he too knew jack s**t about how he was doing. He was right about Kieran's joy of manipulating others, though; kudos for figuring that much out at least. Perhaps I should give him a treat for at least being half right. Then again, he also seems to be under the impression that he scares me with that little shadow hand trick of his. Back in the negative points he goes. To Kieran, this was just further proof that neither his uncle or his sister had much of a grasp of who they were currently talking to.
Once upon a time, Kieran might have feared retaliation from Graham. The ugly duckling had been involved in more combat overall than Kieran, after all. But with his eye now opened to the base truth hidden behind all things, the prince of darkness could see his uncle for the two-bit snake that he was. The man's ability to compel others to voice their desires might be of some use on the fat pigs that litter the Shahitian elite, but Kieran already had no problems stating his goals. As for Graham's ability to turn into the abyss itself, what threat was that to Kieran? The shadows themselves already bowed down to his will. If anything, his dear uncle only made himself vulnerable to the same rule. Something he'd certainly have to test out.
" Do you think he'd even want to listen to me or is he planning to use me as a puppet?"
But that would have to wait. For now, he would stay quiet for a moment as his family began to consider what Violetta's usefulness as queen would actually be. While he agreed that she'd likely end up a pawn of some kind, he was far less panicked about it than either of them were. In fact, the thought of it helped to ease his furious heart. Finally things are starting to sound sensible again. Of course, he couldn't let the scene stay so gloomy for long. What fun was there in that?
Thankfully, both of them got back on script in a heartbeat when he made that comment on marriages. Violetta once again condemned his words and Graham once again attempted to deescalate the situation. What lovely, predictable archetypes they fit themselves into. ”Go do your important things. I got nothing else to say.” There was a slight lift to Kieran's head as his cold stare met his uncle. His smile had long since faded, and his mouth was now slightly agape as he considered whether it'd be worth playing this scene out any further. Ultimately, he decided that this little skit had gone on for far too long already. "Y'know what? That sounds like a great idea." From the ceiling, shadowy tendrils shot down to wrap under Kieran's shoulders and lift him off his chair. Once gaining a firm stance, he rescinded his phantom limbs.
Turning away from them both, Kieran took a step towards the door before stopping. "But don't think this is over, dear family. I hate to say it, but the two of you will find that I'm quite the sore loser. Displeasure to speak to you both, as always. Ta-ta!" With a wave of his hand, the two of them would lose their ability to see. And by the time it returned, Kieran would be nowhere in sight.
On his way back to his quarters, Kieran found himself unable to contain his fury as he stopped to slam the side of his fist against a wall. "Dammit!" Taking a moment to catch his breath as his heart pounded in his chest, dread began to creep its way around his form. Even if he just intended to use Violetta as a puppet of some kind, wouldn't it be better to just have someone who actually wanted to carry on his dark legacy at the throne? Perhaps it was paranoia of betrayal that drove this choice. A fear that one day Kieran might topple over everything Desmond Price stood for in the name of his own eternal law. As Kieran's hand loosened upon this realization, a wild grin returned to his face for a moment.
You're showing weakness in your old age, Father. You'll come to regret that.
With that, Kieran regained his composure and continued his walk back to his room. This was not the time to lose everything he had built here. As much of a setback as today's events might have been in the short term, his long-term aspirations remained unchanged. Whether it was in days or in decades, he would be king over all. So what if he now had another person to step over before then? Kieran had sold his soul to devils countless times since the night of his dark rebirth; one more sin would not deter him. No matter the cost, he'd see to it that his birthright was returned to him. The only path left for him...was straight ahead.
OOC:
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 10:40 am
You could cut the tension with even a breath. Between her own tense shoulders and the darkness that literally rolled off her brother she knew they were going to be in far worse shape than before. Even if they had been okay before, even kind of neutral as they just didn't know each other, she was now directly in his way of the throne. One of the final steps that he had to break through to get what he wanted. Historically that was never a good place to be. She lifted her head back up as she listened to Graham's comments about her now previous engagement to Prince Stefan. Talking to him would be a good idea. If she was just recalling the arrangement, perhaps he had been in the dark as well. Or just didn't care. Either way, she knew she'd have to figure out what he looked like now, and she certainly looked different from before. She shifted and looked down at her lap, willfully ignoring Kieran and his not-so-veiled threats of being a sore loser. ' I know the person I ran into when I first came to the event was familiar...perhaps that could have been him? No, his name was Fane. Oh. Wait.' realization dawned on her and she rubbed her nose. She met him on the first day! That was absolutely embarrassing, and she was grateful her brother had left the room before it dawned on her. ' The last time he saw me I was...' her eyes opened as she froze again. It was before her brush with death that triggered her father to chop off her hair. The very same situation that made her so nervous around her brother's tendrils. Even if he wasn't able to hold her down on his own, it still played a part. Back then it wasn't his fault, but now she didn't trust him not to do something out of anger or pre-planning. She honestly, she wasn't surprised with how things worked out, her father wasn't known for being compassionate.
She heard the words Kieran said towards Graham about what she realized meant the engagement he briefly had with the princess from Alore. She tensed her shoulders and only when her brother's back was turned to them did, she look back up at him. Her expression faltered from her anger and frustration to one of regret. She knew there was so much more that needed to be done between them, but neither of them was in the right headspace to do anything. Their conditioning while they grew up made sure of that. So instead she smiled bitterly, speaking under her breath before her brother left the room. " I wouldn't expect anything less, brother." her loss of sight sent panic down her spine, but it returned, and he was gone. She placed her hand up near her face. Did he do that? she didn't know he was able to do such a thing, and it became another mental note in the back of her head to remember. He had other abilities that she didn't know about. Rubbing her eyes she sighed, the tension in the room lessening greatly with her brother gone. It wasn't gone entirely though, knowing that now there was a greater expectation tossed onto her shoulders by the man who ruled her life in his own way.
Lowering her hand, she turned her eyes up to look at her uncle again and leaned back in the chair. Silence stretched between them briefly as she thought things through and she finally spoke, breaking her own tension present in her shoulders as she did so. " There's no changing this, is there?" she knew it was set in stone, if there was one thing her father knew to do it was to make sure his bidding was done. She rubbed the back of her neck and closed her eyes as she thought on her next words, careful before she opened her mouth again. " Correct me if I'm wrong here, I'll have to be more careful in what I do and say, I'll be watched over much more closely and...I need to tighten the hold I have on my secrets." not that the princess gave much away already, not to most people. She had found herself getting closer to Stephano, Bonnie...and the pair in art class weren't bad but she had a feeling neither of them would be entirely close with her. They were kind enough people but that was as far as she'd go for now. She opened her eyes, a new thought in her head. She would need some sort of training, what she knew now wasn't going to be enough. Not if she was going to be making an enemy of her own brother, someone she knew to be as ruthless as her own father.
Straightening her spine, she looked up at Graham and tried to keep her eyes calm, but he was one person that she allowed herself to let her worry slip through without wondering if he'd use it against her. " I need to be ready, for anything." she paused, eyes softening slightly. The thought of her old teacher Ebony came to mind as well as one of the dukes from their kingdom, she didn't know much about him but knew his name. Perhaps he would be a good asset as well. " If it wouldn't take time out of your days, would you be willing to work with me to train in combat? I at the least need to know how to protect myself, now that I'll have a target on my back." a bigger one, anyway. She would talk to Ebony after this, and perhaps go find the other person she had in mind, Charon? She wasn't entirely sure, but she could at least make a deal with him perhaps, see if he knew some things that would come in handy for her to know. " I want to be able to keep myself safe, if I'm to actually help the kingdom." If she was unable to do that, she wouldn't earn the respect of the people and she certainly didn't want to do that the way her father had, out of manipulation and fear. She knew it was a daunting task, but it was one that needed to happen. This was happening, she couldn't stop it. The least she could do would be to lean into it and do the necessary things to make sure she did her best and tried to make her home better than it already was.
