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 Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 8:19 pm
Years of waiting. Months of preparation. Weeks of torment. Hours of anxious anticipation. Then, in a blink of an eye, it was over. The mansion had been turned into a gorgeous wedding venue full of decorations, entertainers, quality food, and guests dressed in all their finery. Though practically every guest knew it was more a business agreement than a happy wedding, no one was going to miss out on seeing Dazhiq’s infamous daughter get married off. Everyone got a little more than they bargained for though. When it came time for the bride to make her entrance, a group of guards marched through the doors instead with warrants and orders for arrests. The evidence the trio had gathered was enough to not only seal Dazhiq’s fate, but also quite a few of the other noble folk; and each charge was announced without restraint in front of everyone. Dazhiq’s reputation and standing was in shambles. Just a couple hours later, the guards had left with their charges. The remaining guests had gone to gossip about the unexpected turn of events. The mansion was quiet save for the soft shuffling of servants cleaning up the remaining mess. A couple hours, and the journey was over. While she waited for Nyko and Yunan to wrap up their business with their contacts that had been present for the show, Aari sat on a plush swing in the back gardens of the mansion to absorb everything that had happened. Seeing the furious but defeated Dazhiq get escorted away by the guards had been surreal, to say the least. She could hardly believe that it was real. She half expected him to come charging out at any moment to unleash his fury on her, to the point of even looking over her shoulder from time to time. The evidence was solid though. It was a lot to take in. After so long, it was finally over.
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Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2024 11:48 am
It it hadn't been for the true intentions behind the wedding, on all sides, the event would have been a glorious one. No expense had been spared and despite prior experience with Oban affairs even Nyko had been impressed. In the beginning he might have even been a little awestruck by the sight, but that glamorous veneer was quick to fade. The more he spoke with staff, guests and the 'family' themselves the more he felt the venom churn in his gut. Serenading the crowd before the wedding party made their entrance had been the easiest part. They were time honored vocals, chosen specifically to honor the bride's Oban heritage, but once the groom made his appearance Nyko shifted into more lilting tones. Deep, rich lyrics from his Zenan blood and an almost melancholy pull for his Matori side. And then, when Aaricia was to make her debut, Nyko wove those same Oban chords into a blend that honored them both. It would have made for a magical moment to be sure and in a way it still did. The 'big moment' came with such a burst that it jolted the Matorian. His voice echoed the sounds of the doors crashing open and Nyko didn't think he'd ever hopped off a platform nearly so quick. There was still something about brutish Obans, bellowing orders and hustling about that unnerved him, so the Matorian was just as pleased to cling to the shadows. Several of his contacts, primarily those that Madame Primrose had managed to acquire, were eager enough to leave the moment the guards arrived. With their own ties to the underground the risk was too great to stay so he was quick to divvy up their pay and see them off. Any of the 'attendees' that managed to escape the great hall were 'mysteriously' knocked out and left just outside the door for any stray official to pick up. With so much happening inside, Nyko managed to slip out the back into the gardens. He took a few steps backward, keen on keeping his eye on the event long enough to feel safe before truly turning his back to it, and that's when he caught sight of the bride. "Hey." Still in his ceremonial finery, Nyko gingerly made his way toward Aaricia. "Holdin' up okay?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2024 8:53 am
At the end of the day, Yunan felt satisfaction at seeing the guests escorted into their proper holdings but at the same time it felt a bit disappointing that he had only gotten some blood on his blade when a few acted out against the guards. Perhaps he should have skipped adding toxins in the meal to give them more of a fighting chance? It had been a while since he had a chance at a good fight, after all. Still, the event itself had been a marvel with luxurious decorations and expensive food lining the manor. He had worn his finest silk robes, the seamstress making good on her promise and providing them with everything that they needed for such an event. The indigo outer layer with its rich golden embroidery had quickly slipped away into finer dark leathers that were perfect for the round up of the corrupted that they had gathered to witness their nuptials. The seamstresses that had helped Aaricia into her gown had thrown pins into the necks of hired thugs who were trying to intercept her when the arrests began, Yunan also appreciating that aspect of the business he had gotten for today. His own blade had been carefully tucked within the folds of silk with their help, the loss of such heavy robes allowing him to pull out his blade against those who rushed him with curses as the guards flooded into the venue. Others had simply slumped over, some falling after indulging too much beforehand, some just going along with the arrests and hoping to pay their way out later while the few who did stand did not manage many swings against such a force.
Though the business that he appreciated the most was the music. If not for the fact that this was a faked event, the stage set for an arrest over actual romantic intentions, there was a moment that Yunan had to pause to simply listen to Nyko's singing. Damn. If only this was a true event then with him wanting to reach out towards the bard, but the sight of the crowd made his stomach instantly churn as he remembered where he truly was and he regained his focus after being nearly swept away by the beauty of the song. And it was just in time as the song shifted when Aaricia entered, the hybrid coming in with an array of guards to begin the arrests and the fighting. Still, he kept his distance as he trusted the others to wrap up their ends as the venue emptied out with nothing but discarded decorations and food littering the place along with some various splashes of blood against the previously pristine floors. His boot kicked a golden goblet across the floor as he strode outside, Yunan having paid off his own workers and sent a notice with the seamstresses for his own family to let them know that things were resolved and that he would meet up with them again soon.
At the sight of Nyko and Aaricia, Yunan's steps slowed and he found himself lingering in the doorway. He had already felt victorious since obtaining the permit for his business to spread in Sulburi, Yunan turning it over to his aunt right before the event, but surely the empty manor was going to be an adjustment for Aaricia who had suffered so much here. Would she feel empty or victorious now? Revenge had its perks, but it often left much to be desired whenever one had to deal with whatever happened next. "You could always tear this place down or sell it, get rid of anything that you dislike and start anew once more." Yunan offered, finally coming over so that he could be closer to the pair. Instead of reaching out for either of them though, the hybrid simply bent to pick a budding flower from a bush and twisted it around in his fingers thoughtfully.
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Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 7:58 pm
Though her mind was constantly spinning over events of both recent and distant past, Aari remained acutely aware of her surroundings. She knew she would have to remain alert for the foreseeable future anyway. There were sure to be threats from the family members and any business associates related to those who had been arrested. Many finances and relationships thought stable were ruined thanks to their mission. There would be loyalties that even exposed lies couldn't break... Thanks to the learned habit, she wasn't startled when Nyko approached. Even so, her eyes took a second to focus on him and a tired smile faintly curved her lips. "Well, I'm still upright." She raised two fingers to gently touch her neck as though checking for a pulse, and nodded. "No matter how many times I confirm it, I keep wondering if this actually happened. I know it did." Yunan's suggestion sent her gaze over the large mansion. "Honestly, I didn't think much about what to do after all of this. I certainly don't want to live here.. but there is my brother to consider." She smirked sourly and picked at one of the fabric flowers that lined the hem of her bridal sash. "If I got rid of everything I disliked, I can assure you the whole place would be razed from top to bottom."
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Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:47 am
The Matorian offered a tired smile to his friend. "It seems a little crazy, right? But we did it-," Then, after a pause, that smile grew, "-we really did it." There were a thousand conflicting emotions inside of Nyko, but none could take the light from his eyes. He'd told himself from the start that no matter how this evening went down - even if he was in prison or worse - that any attack on Dazhiq and his group would be worth it. Now, to be standing outside with his freedom, Nyko couldn't help feeling as if the chain around his neck had finally been cut.
When Yunan came out to join them Nyko turned that exhausted, goofy grin his way and waved the hybrid closer. As the topic shifted into the future..."Well, you know what I'd do; regardless of your brother." It's what he planned to do to his own estate. Destroy everything inside, burn it to the ground...maybe start fresh, who knew? "But he is young and he'll need a place to grow. Best thing for him would be to leave Sulburi though; I can't imagine living here will be easy for either of you and I'd be worried about others influencing him. The last thing we need if for him to take after daddy dearest."
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Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2024 11:31 am
Yunan let out an amused chuckle at Aaricia's response, his expression already brightening without any hesitation from seeing Nyko's grin. Even if Yunan didn't realize it in the moment, just seeing the relief of the other two and Nyko's obvious happiness made something in him relax as well. "It wouldn't be the first time I've helped raze a place from top to bottom. Why not?" The hybrid gave a shrug, his fingers tightening on the flower before watching the crushed petals slowly drift towards the ground. "Unless you're truly wanting to dig in new roots here then I would agree. Sometimes relocating is best, you could find him tutors elsewhere if you cannot trust anyone here to be his guardian and raise him yourself."
Yunan hesitated, thinking over the situation a bit more as the last of the petals fluttered to the ground. At this point was there any need to even bother playing coy around Aaricia and Nyko? They had worked together to take down Dazhiq and it would be silly to stop trusting either of the two now. "My business in Sulburi is over after this week. I'm leaving these stores in the care of my aunt who lives in Matori, so there's a home there where she would gladly welcome anyone I recommend...though Belrea is a good experience as well." He glanced over Nyko, tilting his head as if seeing how his partner took towards the offer. They had first met in Belrea, it would not surprise Yunan if Nyko would prefer to return there over staying close to Oba. Despite taking out Dazhiq the city left a foul taste in even Yunan's mouth who couldn't stand the prickly society and the nobles he had overcome to get his business this far.
Yunan 2
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Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2024 8:26 pm
"We really did it," she repeated softly. She would have to keep repeating that to herself for a while for it to truly sink in. Oddly enough, seeing Yunan and Nyko looking as relaxed as they did was having the most impact. She couldn't put her finger on it exactly, but they looked different. Perhaps she did as well now that the worst was over? She could tell that she was starting to feel different. There were too many emotions swirling through her chest to be able to tell what it all meant. For a moment, she simply allowed the guys to talk. Her eyes continued roaming over the walls of the place she had spent too many years in. Despite the pain she had endured within those walls, her time outside had also awakened her to the realities of efficiency. The place was well built, and it would be such a waste of resources to tear down. If she could turn it into something useful... "His mother isn't bad, from what I can tell. I already have a couple associates that I trust to be his nannies. Help her to raise him properly. ..I certainly couldn't do it myself." What did she know about being a mother? Or even being a big sister? Just... no. At the shift in topic, Aari nodded to cover the bit of sadness now in her eyes. Of course they would move on to their own lives now. What had she been expecting? She sighed and leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. "I have no idea where I will go. I have finally accomplished that which I sought out to do, and I have no desire to stay in Oba; least of all in Sulburi." She looked up and an adventurous smile that was weakened by nerves and emotions and the need to rest. "I guess that means I can go anywhere, really."
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