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 Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:51 pm
"You ask why do I not talk much?"_______←« _____ ←« ____ ←« ___ ←« __ ←« _____"...Because there is nothing to say."Rath
------------  While the war continued, the crew at Eyris were kept busy with political matters. The nobles had become increasingly concerned and eventually got together to discuss the current situation. Rath, as acting Captain of the guild and ruler of Learania, and Isadora, acting Vice Captain of the guild, were also called to the meeting.
Within the conference room of Eyris castle the Learanian nobles, Isadora and Rath sat around the table, with Rath at the head. One of the nobles asked for an update on the current war standings, and Rath prepared his answer. "I have received word that Pentheus has been retaken by Captains Deborah and Needles. We are strengthening our defenses at every turn and driving out the bandits from our lands."
"And have you actually been doing anything to bring forth a peaceful resolution? ...Or are you really just focused on bandit extermination, like you seem to be?" a sneering voice chimed.
Rath glanced at the man, noting the obvious dislike held for him. "Yes. I have sent several messengers to Mordache. It has been several weeks since our wyvern riders first left. They should have come back by now, but..." He looked down. "So far, there has been no word from them."
The nobles glanced at each other and mumbled to themselves for a few moments before another one of them rose their voice above the others. "So you have not sent any messengers to Sentria? For Paggy's sake, why?!"
"Sentrian bandits attack our soldiers and citizens on sight, white flag or no." Rath, troubled such an ignorant question, narrowed his eyes. "Sending messengers to Sentria would be sending them straight to their deaths. It's obvious that they are being used by Mordache. I sent messengers to them in hopes that maybe the Baroness would talk with us or at least give us a better reason for why they are waging this war."
One of the nobles scoffed. "The attacks in Adliana that I'm still not convinced we are guiltless of, the Razevi debacle in which several guild members conspired to resurrect that witch and our response to it being to send an army into bandit territory.... Why, I'm astounded the entire continent isn't at war with us!" The noble slammed his fist on the table. "Ever since you took over, things have gotten worse and worse! It was hard enough for the people to even think of trusting you again after you abandoned them a year and half ago. Now they see you as the bringer of doom! Nino would not have led us down this path, that is for sure." The nobles muttered and nodded to each other.
Rath remained silent and let the nobles confer with each other as he took in what was said to him. A sharp, piercing sensation arose within his heart. It was all too familiar. It was something he thought he had buried away long ago. He looked down at the table as he prepared his final word. "I... am not Nino." he began. "Nor do I claim to be like her..." He clasped his hand together underneath the table tightly. "Hatred is embroiling the world. It is even in this room. From me, from you. As much as I would like to believe that the Learanian people are immune to this hate, I understand the reality that they are not. They may grow anger toward Mordache or Sentria, but they need somebody else that they can blame for what is happening to them. As ruler, I will bare their hatred, their anger, their fears. For every man, and every woman, young or old. I will bare it all for them. And I will bare it all until I can go on no longer. But while I am able, I will use all my strength, all my wisdom, all my knowledge to protect this land and its people. For that is my role. And I will follow it to whatever end... even if it should mean my death."
The Captain's chair scooted back after a moment and Rath stood up. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but I have a country to lead." He glanced over to the seat next to him. "We're done here, Isadora. Let's go." Rath walked to the door and before any noble dared protest his departure, both he and his vice captain had left the room.
The two crew members walked down the hall in silence until suddenly, Rath stopped. He looked down at the ground and the bandanna he wore cast a shadow over his face. "... ...Do you... think they're right?"
------------
Guild Captain "The future remains most uncertain, Nino."_____
»→ __»→ ___»→ ____»→ _____»→_______ "...But if this is your wish, then so it shall be."
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:42 pm
It was not easy trying to keep everyone at ease when there was war among the mist. With each war after another, it was no wonder how concerned the nobles were about the guild's work.
Isadora sat quietly next to Rath as she listened to him about the current update of the war. Though her face remained calm and poise, her eyes grew awry and concern as she watched the nobles' expressions. There were distrust and worry among their faces as they listened the nomad's speech. Some did not even bothered listening to him.
When Rath finished his report, one of the nobles questioned about their current struggle. The paladin couldn't help but gave a dirty look to the one who questioned.
Bandit extermination? The noble made it sounded like they were killing disgusting animals and insects. These bandits were humans for St. Elimine's sake! Had they tried to bring peaceful resolution between three countries? Of course, they were trying! However, it was not easy getting the solution they wanted. There was no word from Mordache after sending countless of messengers. It was unknown what had happened to them. It could be that they were being held as prisoners or being killed by the Sentrian bandits along the way. As for Sentria, the country had no governor or a ruler to run the country. Even if they tried to get in touch with the bandit leader who ran the organization, there was no telling what negotiation the bandit wanted from them. To be honest, the paladin was unsure how they managed to form an unity to fight against Learania, despite fighting over territories in their own countries.
The Dame Knight tried to remain calm as the nomad tried his best to answer the nobles' questions. But underneath the table, she was clutching her fists tightly, shaking a bit not to let her anger took over her.
How could these nobles doubt their abilities? Did they not know how many times they had put their lives at risk to save their lives? If it weren't for them, this country would be in peril by these vile villains such as Madriana, Asami, and Loki. These nobles were starting to act like the nobles in Estarcia; ignorant, pompous, selfish pigs!
When the noble accused Rath about bringing doom among them, the paladin finally snapped. The Dame Knight got up from her seat, causing her chair to fall violently as she slammed her hands against the table.
"Don't you dare blame him for something you don't understand!" Isadora shouted at the noble who accused him. An angry venom dripped in her voice. She didn't care if she made herself look bad to the nobles. These nobles had no right to speak liked that. "He has his own reasons for being absent from Learania! As for the events that had happened while he's in charge, you do not know how much struggle we have risked our lives to protect the people we are entrusted and the country's reputation! You have no idea how much he have worked to protect your country and make your lives easy! Without his guidance, we would not have peace with those lunatic criminals running around during autumn season or clear our country's name for the act we did not commit during spring season! Without his diplomacy, we would not have alliance with Adliana and Estarica! Without him, our country would be already taken over by Sentria and Mordache right now! We cannot control what ill matter had fallen before us! But I will not sit by idle, listening to you blaming him for something that is beyond his control! You-"
Before the paladin could speak any further, four simple words from the nomad had stopped her from retaliate. Isadora looked over at Rath, curious of what he wanted to speak. She listened carefully as the nomad defended himself, speaking further to let the nobles know what was on his mind. She could see tension growing in his shoulders he spoke, but his determination and courage to speak for himself impressed her.
Never had she knew how much suffer he bared the burden than what she had thought. To suffer the burden so much so everyone in Learania could live in peace and be happy. A sharp pain of sadness struck her heart as she looked at him with compassionate concern. If only she knew. If only the crew knew. If only everyone who cared about Rath knew how burdened he felt. The nomad shouldn't dare bare the burden by himself. If he needed some help to share his burden, then he should have shared it with them to ease his heavy shoulders.
Rath... Isadora thought, both in pity and awe by his speech. It wasn't long to snap back from her trance when the nomad spoke to her that their business with the nobles was done. Not wanting to stay any longer with them, the Dame Knight nodded and followed him. If she dared stay any longer, who knew what sort of ugliness they would bring out from her.
As they walked in silence, Isadora didn't dare bother the nomad. Maybe Rath needed some quiet to calm his nerve from the meeting. She couldn't blame him for wanting quiet. In fact, she too would want some quiet time to calm her anger. Oh, those nobles!
When the nomad stopped suddenly, the paladin stopped her pace. Was her presence bothering him too? She didn't mean to bother him. She thought he wanted some company after that dreadful meeting they had. Maybe she should leave him alone for a moment before they could rethink their strategy about their current situation. After all, they all needed a breath to let the tension off their shoulders.
But before the Dame Knight could leave, she heard Rath asked her about the noble's thought. She opened her mouth in a surprised expression. She didn't think that the nobles' thought would bother him that much, not after seeing how he gave an expressive speech to them.
Isadora closed her mouth for a moment, giving the nomad her serious look before replying. "No. I believe they are wrong about what they say to you."
She then looked out the window, watching the sky as far as she could as if she was expecting an answer to their problem to come. "These nobles don't understand how much you have worked to bring this country peace, no matter how many wars we've been thrown into. They do not see the suffer you have made of trying to bring peaceful resolution to the situations without causing others in anger and pain. They don't even see how much burden has been placed on your shoulders to lead this land to be freed from war, pain, and hatred. Without you and Nino being absent on her duty, this country would be in turmoil ages ago. These nobles haven't seen how grateful they are to have you bringing ordeal and justice to the country from evil and misunderstandings. But one day, they will see how mistaken they are about you."
Isadora then turned around and gave a small smile to her acting captain. "Rath, you do not need to carry the burden and suffer by yourself. You have friends and family who are there to help you. Let us carry your burden to ease your shoulders. Besides, if these nobles are right about you being the 'bringer of doom,' would the guild and everyone who cares about you follow you behind? It is not our fault if ill matters fall before us. We cannot control what is beyond our grasps. Furthermore, I believe there is a reason why Nino choose you to lead. After all, if the nobles cannot trust you to lead, then they have made themselves fools to trust Nino when she choose you to lead. Nino choose you because she trusts you and believes that you will help this country in her absence. She doesn't care if you have to follow her footsteps or be like her to lead. All she cares is that you will put the best of your abilities to help lead this country to greatness. And you should know that the guild and everyone who cares about you are right behind you, giving you support and our strength to make our goal accomplished. Remember our motto: Together, we ride."
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:23 pm
"You ask why do I not talk much?"_______←« _____ ←« ____ ←« ___ ←« __ ←« _____"...Because there is nothing to say."Rath
------------ "..." It was strange. She seemed so certain, as if the path had been laid out straight. As much as she may have claimed it to be otherwise, Rath knew that his role was something he had to shoulder on his own. Things had developed too deeply to be otherwise. That was something nobody else could understand. And yet, Isadora's words were soothing to the ear. It was a gift that many were aware of and possibly a main reason why Nino wished for her to be crew in the first place. "You are a good woman, Isadora. The people will need you in the future. ...Thank you."
"Captain."
A voice suddenly resounded behind the two crew members. Rath turned to see Crow kneeling before them. "...Crow, there you are. What do you have to report?"
The spy lowered his head. "Sir, Commander Vaida's and Sir Heath's armies have returned. The villagers are all safe."
Rath nodded. "Any word on Sires and Arejudia?"
"None from Sires. But a report from Arejudia tells that Captains Arashe and Valter have defeated the pirates of Sentria and Mordachean warships."
That was good news. The more naval capabilities Learania had available, the better. "Good. Have word sent to Arejudia. Bring Captains Arashe and Valter back with the guild members. We will send some extra troops to ensure protection of the port."
"Yes, sir. Also, one of the Tharis villagers is demanding to see you. He is being led to the conference room now, so he will be here shortly. That is all."
"..." A villager wanted to see him. That was fairly common, but never before had one gone so far as to demand entrance to the castle. That was most unusual. The person must have been very persuasive to have made the guards bring him in. But since he was coming, Rath would just have to deal with him. "Thank you, Crow. You have your orders. Dismissed."
Rath turned to Isadora. "...I will see what this villager wants. You don't have to stay if you don't want to."
------------
Guild Captain "The future remains most uncertain, Nino."_____
»→ __»→ ___»→ ____»→ _____»→_______ "...But if this is your wish, then so it shall be."
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 1:11 pm
It was hard to read the nomad's face whether his trouble had lessened or not. Even working together for so long, the paladin was still unable to read. The only people who could read him clearly were Lyn, the Sacaens, and the Aldraians. How were they able to see him so clearly? It was unknown to her. But hearing the words from Rath was enough for the Dame Knight to know that his thoughts of what the noble said were done.
"Well, it's my knightly duty to serve and help the people as much as I can." Isadora replied, giving him a small smile. Although she wasn't sure what he meant about people needing her in the future, she knew that it was her duty to continue helping those in need. After all, it was in her nature and blood as a knight to protect and help those in need.
Suddenly, the paladin heard a voice from behind, making the paladin jumped and turned around. It was the spy from earlier who delivered the news. She had to admit he was very sneaky. How did Rath get used to the spy's sneakiness? She couldn't figure out. However, it would take more than a while for her to get used to him.
The Dame Knight listened as the spy reported the updated news to Rath about the war. The villagers were safe and Arejudia was saved from Sentria and Mordache. Relief felt onto the paladin's shoulders. That was good news. With Pentheus and Arejudia back in their hands, all they needed to know was the news from Sires and launched a defense against Sentria and Mordache from moving in further.
Just then, an odd news reached to her ears. A villager wanted to speak with Rath? Although it shouldn't be odd to Isadora about the villagers requesting the nomad's audience to hear their voices, but to only have one to speak out? That was something surprising. She wondered what made the villager different from the others. Could it be that he has an important message to deliver and refused to speak until meeting the certain person? Well, that could be one of the reasons.
Seeing the nomad finished his conversation with the spy, Rath informed her that he was going to see the villager. It seemed that the nomad was trying to do this task alone again. And even though this task was small and maybe unimportant, the paladin decided to come along with him. After all, after being stressed from the previous meeting with the nobles, there was no telling if this villager would shake the nomad's nerves. She hoped that the villager would not pull the same stunts as those foolish nobles did.
Isadora let out a small chuckle as she shook her head. "I don't mind coming along with you. I think the crew will be able to handle now that the situation had lessened a little. Besides, I'm curious to hear what this villager had to say."
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 8:31 pm
Lend me your ear!
...Heed my words. ℜogvald
xxxxx"Come, come, James. This way." The old man narrowed his eyes. "Hurry, soldier." The tone jabbed the soldier sharply and caused him to quicken pace. The old man pulled the child behind him down the twisting hallways of the castle. There had not been a second's rest from when they arrived in Eyris. The elderly one was intent on acting quickly.
xxxxxAs they came close to the room, the old man spotted him; the Captain, himself. A grin crept its way onto his face. He pulled lightly on the boy's hand and bumped passed the soldier. "Move it!"
xxxxxHe observed the Captain as he drew near. Tall, strong, oh so stern... clearly, the days of his rule had aged him. He had no clue what was in store for him. The old man stopped in front of the nomadic one, disregarding the woman as part of the background, and kept the child close to him. "Hello... Captain Rath. I am Rogvald. Well, my proper title is... Advisor Rogvald." He cackled. "I have come to you today to instill change to this country! How, you may ask? Well..."
xxxxxThe old man grabbed the cloak and flung it off of the boy. "I present to you.... James Medici! Successor to the throne of Learania! ...Leander's heir."
I advise you to listen. Not doing so could prove... deadly.
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Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:17 pm
"You ask why do I not talk much?"_______←« _____ ←« ____ ←« ___ ←« __ ←« _____"...Because there is nothing to say."Rath
------------ It seemed the villager was rushing in, almost impatient. The soldier soldier leading him was being forced to go faster and faster until eventually he was pushed out of the way. Rath looked at the elderly man, but could see no outward distinctions that would make him seem out of the ordinary. He appeared to just be a simple old man. And he must be an excessively grouchy one to have forced his way inside.
The acting Captain bowed his head in respect to one who had lived longer than he. It was customary in nomadic culture, though Learanians seemed to think it odd for the Captain to bow at anyone. Nobles thought it made him look weak. They could not understand that it was his knowledge of such culture that opened the Adlian elder's up to friendly ties.
Rath listened to the villager speak, glancing once to the cloaked child by him. His words were radical and uncomfortable to hear. The man had not even shown respect to acting Vice Captain Isadora by greeting her.
And then the ending came to the man's speech. Rath's eyes widened as he beheld the boy with blue hair and fair complexion. He was, literally, the spitting image of King Leander. None could deny it. But a claim was just a claim, and it would be seen whether the old man held validity to it or not. The nobles were still inside the conference room, they would definitely love to see the boy for themselves, though they would most likely laugh at 'such absurdity'. But the nobles were the only ones who could confirm or deny anything. They were Learanian, while Rath was not, by birth. They would be able to tell.
The knob was held and Rath began to turn it. "...It seems we have some discussion to partake in. This way, please..." He opened the door to let the two inside. He glanced at Isadora, then followed them in. A discussion for the future of the country was about to happen.
------------
Guild Captain "The future remains most uncertain, Nino."_____
»→ __»→ ___»→ ____»→ _____»→_______ "...But if this is your wish, then so it shall be."
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Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:47 pm
Isadora followed Rath as they headed toward the conference room where they would meet the villager. What sort of discussion did the villager want was still linger in her mind. Surely, it couldn't be good news or very grave news due to the war conflicting upon them. And in addition, if the news was nothing but a complaint, she didn't want to hear about it. The Dame Knight had heard enough from the nobles.
Just as they were about to enter the room, she suddenly heard a voice down the hallway. Turning her head, she saw a cloaked figure dragging the smaller cloaked figure with him and talked rudely to the soldier to hurry up. Well, that was rude of him. Being so impatient to meet with them. Haven't the fellow know manner? However, now was not the time to teach proper manner. It was the time to hear his words.
Letting out a small smile, Isadora greeted the guests. "Welcome, sir. We're glad to-"
Unfortunately, the rude villager ignored her as he addressed himself to Rath only. How rude! Here she was trying to be friendly and the villager ignored her as if she wasn't there. Didn't that villager know who she was?
The paladin gave a small frown at the villager as he pulled the smaller figure in front of him. As he took the cloak off the boy and introduced him, Isadora gasped in shock.
What? This boy? Leander's heir? This... This couldn't be true. How was it possible that this boy was the descendant of Leander? The paladin knew that Leander had a wife who resembled close to Nino. However, she was unsure if Leander had children before the untimely accident. She admitted that the boy the resemblance to King Leander, but was he really the descendant from the king himself?
It was then that she heard Rath spoke, opening the door of the conference room to their guests. She took the glance from the nomad. It seemed that the nomad was sharing the same thought as her, curious of the boy's identity. Isadora let the guests go first before she followed Rath. As they headed toward their seats, the Dame Knight moved closer to the nomad to whisper.
"Rath, is what Advisor Rogvald speak true? Can this child be the descendant of King Leander? How do we know if he really is descended from him?"
The paladin looked at the guests before her and bit her lower lips. If this child was the descendant of King Leander, why was it that they had never heard of it until now? Surely, if Leander had descendants, they would have meet them when they came to the world. Something made the paladin feel rattled and uncomfortable. However, she just couldn't place her finger to the problem.
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Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:16 pm
James
Take me home, to the land of my fathers...
The heir to the Learanian throne was... not terribly impressive. The curious shade of blue hair that ran in the royal line was striking and clearly apparent, but try though he might, the twelve year-old simply could not carry himself with the learned and mighty air of the ancient Sage King.
He had, however, mastered the ability to walk in stiff, itchy clothes without fidgeting, and that's pretty impressive all by itself. Upon his introduction, he offered Rath a sweeping bow, his mop of blue hair unfortunately falling from its immaculately combed position and into his eyes, forcing him to as nonchalantly as possible blow it off his forehead when he stood. "It is an honor and a pleasure to meet the man who has ruled in my family's stead. I have heard many good things about this guild of yours, and I will be quite interested to see how it all operates for myself."
He was softspoken and surprisingly charismatic for such a young boy, or at the very least he made himself appear to be. "Your men were quite effective in dealing with the bandits, so far as I could tell. I only hope the whole war will go as well as that battle." A smile spread on his face, curving the small birthmark above the edge of his lip a bit. "Rogvald, shall we?" He glanced up at his advisor and guardian, then walked calmly and steadily into the conference room to address the nobles therein.
Of course, he would wait to be introduced; a king should never need to introduce himself.
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Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:12 am
"What is this madness?!" a noble shouted. "You expect us to believe that this child is the heir of the late King Leander?!" They were reacting the way that they had probably been expected to. Eyes stared at the boy, looking him over, always starting at the hair. The boldest noble of them all was the first to make an exclamation. He flicked his hand, dismissing the idea presented. "This child is nothing but a lookalike! Queen Nadalia was unable to conceive before the tragic events that led to her untimely passing."
One noble, a noble who had remained silent, even when the others were speaking out against Rath, finally chimed in. "That is... not exactly accurate, Sir Argyle of house Raetia." His voice was solemn, but firm. He glanced at the others, then back down. "The ancestors of my family, house Eyris, were very close to the king and queen. There came a time when the queen was with child, but there were concerns with her health. Leander feared that she would not survive the delivery, thus news of Her Majesty's conception was withheld, so as not to raise concern. Only house Eyris, who tended to the the queen, was confided in. When the tragic events that caused the king and queen to perish occurred, the child was raised by my line. He grew and eventually took a woman of house Eyris for his wife and they had a son of their own." The noble sighed. "...However, somewhere down the line, one of the heirs wished to leave the care of house Eyris and thus left the capital to settle down and live on his own. My family tried to keep in contact with him, but... he did not care about his lineage. I suppose what I am saying is that this boy could very well be the heir he claims to be..."
One of the nobles arched one his abnormally sharp eyebrows, as he pushed back his long black hair over his shoulder. He gazed distastefully at the head of house Eyris with dark eyes that only appeared darker from how sunken they were. "Well, leave it to house Eyris to keep such an important secret all this time. As head of house Arejudia, I must express my sincere disappointment." he said, in a voice remarkably like Jason Isaacs. "To think we could have actually had a proper ruler on the throne..."
The head of house Eyris shook his head, disdainfully. "My family feared that if knowledge of an heir got out, there would be attempts on the lives of all his family. They would not have been able to protect them.... especially with foul play already being orchestrated by house Raetia.."
"Ah, yesss... Indeed." The head of house Arejudia raised his head, lifting his nose to be higher, as he glanced to the head of house Raetia. "I remember the stories well about house Raetia's foul play in their attempt to seize control of Learania. Well, I suppose I should call them rumors. But then again, we all know better than that." He chuckled at himself.
A fist was slammed on the table. "Do you think I will sit idly and allow you to insinuate such things about my line?!" the house of Raetia shouted in response. "My family served King Leander flawlessly, knowing the true meaning of self sacrifice! We have always served Learania, and my line became the one to take up the role as Steward because we deserved it! I would still have the title had Lady Nino not arrived and been chosen by the eternal spirit of flame, herself!"
Lord Arejudia scoffed. "Come now, Sir Argyle, I hardly think now is the place to express proclamations of envy."
Sir Argyle growled in frustration, but before he could continue the banter, they were both interrupted. "Enough, all of you!" came an older, harsher voice. Another noble opened his narrow eyes and looked at the boy. "You are going off subject... as the heads of the houses of Learania, it is our noble duty to be able to discern whether this lad is of the royal line or not. Now, I suggest-"
"Now just a moment, Lord Zeon!!" Lord Raetia interrupted, as he slammed his fist on the table yet again. (He has an act for that) "I still have questions that need answers! This... this whole business is just too peculiar! This child appears out of nowhere without any warning... I find it all most suspicious!" He shifted his eyes, trying to hide his true desires of wanting to be the steward again. "You there, old man!" He pointed out to Rogvald. "You are the one who has brought him here. If you have a story to tell, then please, grace us with it!"
[props to members who suggested the names used for the noble's names]
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Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:39 pm
Lend me your ear!
...Heed my words. ℜogvald
xxxxxRogvald's eyes flared. "Do not speak to me in such a way, Lord Raetia, lest you risk losing your tongue." He smirked. "Yes, I know you. I know all about you. But clearly, you do not know to whom you are speaking. Allow me to enlighten you. I... am Rogvald Van Sceptan! Yes, that's correct. I'm sure that's a name you haven't heard in a while." He snapped his fingers. "Oh, and about what you were saying earlier, Lord Raetia..." He lowered his head and pierced the man with sharp eyes. "Do not speak as if your house was the only one to serve the king. House Sceptan served King Leander just as well! We were always the house to supply the head advisor for the throne." A scroll was pulled from the old man's robe and handed out. "If you do not believe my claim of nobility, just take a gander at these documents."
He raised his hands as if stopping himself and shut his eyes to release the noble from his gaze. "Ah, but you wish to hear how I came to find this child, don't you? Very well, but do not interrupt me." He took a moment to clear his throat before continuing.
"Now then. It started when I came to Learania on business. There's not all that much to say, really. I happened to come across him, while he was just an infant. His appearance drew me in and I was able to confirm who he was from his parents. Unfortunately, they were very ill. They didn't know what they were going to do for their child, until I came along. When they died, I became his sole guardian and raised him in his small village. It was a very droll place, but it suited our needs. If I brought him home and news of him got out, then he would have been in danger. So I stayed and informed the next in line of my house that he should become the head in my stead. I knew that once the boy became old enough, he would rise to greatness. And he needed me to make that happen. When I heard of this war, I was outraged! It was the final straw, once our village was attacked. That is why I have come now. For immediate change!"
He looked down upon Lord Raetia. "I take it you are satisfied, now?" Rogvald placed his hands on Jame's shoulders, then looked to all the nobles of Learania. "If there's no more attempts to stall or question our sanity, then perhaps you should get to proving to yourselves that what I say it true."
I advise you to listen. Not doing so could prove... deadly.
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Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 3:23 pm
Lord Arejudia looked at the man curiously. "House Sceptan, eh...? They left Learania nearly two centuries ago..."
The documents that Rogvald handed shook in Lord Raetia's hand, as he listened to the old man speak. "These are... unmistakably real." He gulped. "But I doubt that you have such documents to prove the same for this child!"
Lord Eyris shook his head. "The documents can only be tracked back until the point where the line faded from my family's reach..."
"Exactly!" sir Argyle exclaimed, cheerfully. "Therefore-"
"Forgive my sudden urge to force my way back in, but I'm sure you'll understand, since it was you who interrupted me, before." Lord Zeon said, as he glared at Lord Raetia. "What I was saying is that I suggest we start with retrieving the legendary staff, Sophos, from Lady Nino's chambers." He narrowed his eyes and glanced back to Rath. "Or I suppose you should, seeing as it seems you are the only one allowed inside..."
Lord Eyris frowned. "That is a good suggestion, but I could not say with clarity whether it would prove or disprove anything. After all, Lady Nino is able to wield it, so him wielding it does not reveal his lineage..."
"Good point." Lord Zeon replied. "Perhaps I was a little more interested in whether he was deserving to rule, rather than his lineage."
Before any comments could be made about what Lord Zeon had just said, Lord Arejudia, who had not taken his eyes off of the child, tilted his head and spoke up. "Dear boy, if you.... if you wouldn't mind... could you just-" He waved his hand upward. "-Raise your chin a little..." The other nobles, confused by the request, looked at the boy. As the child complied, a clear mark was revealed on the lower side of his face. Lord Arejudia grinned devilishly. "Ah.... I see."
"Is that..." Lord Eyris got up from his seat and approached the boy. "...Forgive me, child, but..." He used one of his fingers and wiped it across the mark. It remained, and the touch of it was cold. The noble's eyes widened and he nearly tripped as he stepped back. "It is the birthmark....! You are his heir....!" He dropped to his knees. "Your Majesty..."
The other nobles looked at each other, then turned back to James. For once, Lord Raetia was speechless. He knew he had lost his chance to retake the throne and once more become the Steward of Learania. He had to accept the boy's claim as truth. He bowed his head.
"Well then, welcome back, You Majesty..." Lord Arejudia said, politely.
Lord Zeon nodded. "Hmmm... Very well. We here accept this claim as truth. You, James Medici, are the one and only heir of Leander and rightful successor to the throne of Learania. As such... The guild Captain can no longer retain his title as ruler over Learania. He may be young, but now that we know he lives, James must be crowned immediately. We can have this done within the next few days. Sir Nils should be notified so that he can make arrangements with the Host Club." He glanced to Rath and sighed lightly. "Captain Rath will aid the prince and help him to settle in to the position. After all, no child can deal with a war, no matter who he is. But I suggest we get to it. Since you are still ruler for now, Rath, we will leave the preparations to you."
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Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 5:36 pm
"You ask why do I not talk much?"_______←« _____ ←« ____ ←« ___ ←« __ ←« _____"...Because there is nothing to say."Rath
------------ So, the child really was the heir. The warmth left Rath's body. A sudden feeling of uselessness overcame him. The child was to be crowned and Rath would no longer be ruler. He would be able to help him, but that did not include making orders for the war. The entire existence of the guild was uncertain, as well. If the prince wished it, it would have to be disbanded...
To add insult to injury, it was up to Rath to make the arrangements for the coronation that would officially withdraw his leadership and pass it to the prince. He had no choice but to accept. It was part of his duty to Learania. Rath could only imagine how pleased the nobles were that he would no longer be the one in charge. Though they may have wanted to quarrel over who amongst themselves should lead, they probably figured it would be easier to influence a child and perhaps get their way.
Rath bowed his head to the nobles. "Yes. I... will do this." He turned away. "..Let's go, Isadora... We need to inform Nils." Hiding his face from the woman, Rath opened the door and left. Plans had to be made.
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Guild Captain "The future remains most uncertain, Nino."_____
»→ __»→ ___»→ ____»→ _____»→_______ "...But if this is your wish, then so it shall be."
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