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Post by Avery on Jul 2, 2014 12:40:48 GMT -5
As most of the kingdom slept, others stirred... The dawn of a new day crept over the city-state of Medieville. It was not the dawn that followed the feast, either, but the one after that.For you see, while the mourner's feast had let out around midnight, and Juan's tavern party had come to a drunken close sometime around sunrise, it wasn't until the following morning that most of the kingdom had finally slept off their wicked hangovers. An entire day has passed beneath their pillow-glued heads and booze-laden bloodstreams before finally most of the populace managed to sober up enough to do much of anything. (It was, impressively, not even a record: after the death of King Parrot a century back, the hangover that had followed the mourner’s feast had stretched for three days, not just one. The estimated loss of revenue in Medieville? Three thousand scrolls, fifteen-hundred amulets, and two tipped cows, for good measure.)But of course, in a place like Kyth’s burgeoning, scheming capital, you can’t expect everyone to have a safe and restful time while the rest of the kingdom is asleep…**Elin Ryer, for one, was not asleep.She lay awake on the floor of her cell in the basement of House Jade’s manor; try as she might, the thought of further interrogation by the Jade nobles kept her from catching any rest. (Or maybe it was just the stone floor. That would do it too.)She had no idea how long she’d been here. She’d tried counting at first, but she’d never been good with numbers, and soon she had it all confused. A sunrise, at least, then a sunset-- and now through the cell’s high-up window, the first beams of sunlight from a new dawn were streaming in. She hadn’t eaten, though her captors had offered her some bread a while back; she didn’t trust it not to be tampered with somehow, and anyway, it wasn’t like she hadn’t ever gone hungry before.She leaned back, trying to ignore the solidness of the walls, the inescapability of the entire situation, when suddenly--“Psst!”--Her eyes snapped open.“Psst! Elin! Up here!”Elin looked up, straining to catch a bit of light so that she might see where the voice was coming from.“Arthur?”Sure enough, the enthusiastic peasant was sticking his face up against the window grate, grinning as cheerfully as possible. “Elin! It’s good to see you. Well, sort of see you, the bars are kind of in the way. But don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here in no time.”Elin backed up against the opposite wall, getting a better view of him. “And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”“I can, you know, pick the lock! As the assistant thief and all.” The way he said this phrase-- assistant thief, as if it were a title he’d earned and not pulled from thin air in a desperate moment in the night-- would have made Elin roll her eyes had she not been so fraught and exhausted. Arthur added proudly, “I watched Laurie do it for you guys, it’s easy. I’ve been practicing.”“...Arthur, there are no locks. It’s a barred window.” After a moment’s notice, Elin couldn’t help but ask: “... And how exactly are you up there in the first place?”“Oh, for crying out lou-” this voice came from outside the wall, whereupon Arthur’s expression turned frightened for a moment before disappearing with a muffled “oh shoot oh shoo-” thud.Another face appeared in front of the bars for a moment - this time, that of Clarissa Falconer. “We’re here to bust you out, Elin. Trust us.” As if it was an afterthought, she added, “Oh, and you might want to back up against the other wall.”As Elin cautiously backed up, several more loud thumping noises emanated from the other side of the wall, growing progressively louder, and progressively… sharper…Finally, stone gave way under a loud crack, and several chunks of the wall came tumbling inward. Elin stared at the growing hole as it grew large enough for her to see first faces, then torsos, then finally full people -- a full view of several of her fellow Shadows.“Sorry it took us so long,” said Clarissa as she hefted a pickaxe to her shoulder casually. “Finding out where Jade keeps the cells in this manor was a pain in the rear.”“I helped figure it out!” Arthur said, swinging a second pickaxe. “With my breaking-in skills. Because. You know. Assistant thief.”“Arthur, you aren’t even an assistant thief, you’re just a bum who we couldn’t afford to kill after we met Laurie,” Clarissa replied wearily. “You hardly even did any work, Aldrich did most of the planning here.”“I still don’t know why we had to use my pickaxes to create the hole,” the sculptor piped up as he tried to brush off the stone dust that came from breaking down the wall (and finding, to his dismay, that it only stuck to the dust from his sculptures even more).“Oh, cheer up!” This came from a chipper voice outside the hole; Elin craned her neck to see that it was Babewyn, Aldrich’s gargoyle. “You never use these babies for anything, it’s good to let them get some fresh air.”“I’m just hoping they won’t bring that wall rubble to life,” he replied gloomily. “We don’t need anything incriminating us as it is. Now let’s go before they hear us.”“At least that’d be better than the wall being completely destroyed?” Arthur suggested helpfully. “Ooh!” he cried, a bit too loudly; all of his fellow rebels promptly shushed him. Much quieter, he added, “Let’s leave them something. You know, to cover the damage and help them fix it? Just so that they don’t think we’re so bad.”“I don’t think a few coins are going to change their opinion of us,” said an exasperated Clarissa.“Would it really hurt you guys not to shoot down all of my ideas?” Arthur sounded genuinely wounded. “Where’s that future guy-- he’s very progressive-- he would know it’s a good idea, why didn’t we bring him--”“Because he’s helping hold down the fort at our base, remember?” Clarissa interrupted. From within the cell, Elin sighed. “Let Arthur have his fun, guys. If he wants to leave ‘payment’, well, Arthur, it’s coming from your pockets, not any of ours. Now let’s stop wasting time-- the longer we spend arguing, the more of a chance that a Jade is going to overhear and arrest all of you, too.” As Arthur exuberantly thanked her and dropped two coins into the cell-- they landed with a loud chink-clink that made his fellow rebels cringe in unison-- Clarissa and Aldrich helped Elin out.And so the Shadows escaped into the muggy morning, another step closer to placing a true Heir on the throne of Kyth.**As Elin Ryer was being sprung from imprisonment across town, in House Stallion’s stately manor, panic overtook a particular noble.Long after the rest of the Stallion family had taken to their beds, one person was still awake, sitting at a workbench littered with tools. The feast had been a festive occasion, even joyous - and the sleepy day that followed perfectly calm - but even such celebration followed by serenity could not cover up the fact that trouble was brewing. It was a necessity that the House be prepared for anything -- anything that could arrive.Fortunately, it happened that as the new, sleepless dawn broke, necessity fostered a new child, a new invention. As the candles littering their workshop crept lower and lower, and the sun rose higher and higher outside, the Stallion inventor continued to tinker, muttering to themself:“But if we take that piece and place it here, and the sprocket runs along connecting to the wire shaft, then the force -- then the force ignites that powder, which means that… which means that...”Which meant that the device sitting in front of the inventor right now was a machine of death.The Stallion breathed out an uncharacteristically religious “Oh, Woo...”**In the halls of Marson’s manor, blissfully unaware of the jail break occurring some four levels below (Marson had built his manor with the thickest, most soundproof stone that money could buy), a similar panic overtook a similar noble - but this panic manifested itself in another way.Those blasted Stallions could be up to anything right now! the thought came to the archmage. The only way to prepare ourselves against something as powerful as they could concoct is with power of our own -- truly potent power…And so the archmage pored over dusty tomes, scouring Marson’s bookshelves for any magic they could get their hands on. Something, anything to counteract their rival House’s abilities…That’s when they found it -- a small note, written in barely legible handwriting in the margin of one of the manor’s most abandoned spellbooks. It was hard to decipher the content of the words themselves, but the header said enough on its own:“The Killing Curse” **There are hangovers, and then there are hangovers, and then there are those-things-that-happen-to-Corinne-Bywater. After Juan’s tavern party, she’d intended to set off towards the Stallion manor, where she’d been staying, but in her drunken confusion, had not managed to find her way back. Instead, she’d taken a nice nap in a gutter, awakening around sunset that night-- and promptly tottering her way back into the nearest tavern, where she’d swilled down even more booze (she was practically the only customer; even of those who’d fought through their hangovers, no one else in Medieville much felt like drinking).By the time Stallion’s inventor was crafting the perfect weapon, and House Jade’s archmage was gaping at a dusty spellbook, and the Shadows were fleeing with their sprung prisoner, Corinne Bywater was…… passed out in another gutter.**When a Jade guard found Elin Ryer missing, Xavier Lynn didn’t know how to feel. On the one hand, he was secretly glad that Elin had gotten away, but on the other hand, he feared retribution from the Jades, no matter the reassurances Leif had whispered to him about being a ward, not a slave. Surely they would blame this escape of his friend on him-- surely they would punish him, for letting her get away--And yet they didn’t. They were angry as all get out, Everett instantly ordering a search launched for the absconded Shadow, but the anger was not directed at him. Instead, Xavier was lumped into a search party with Charles and Joffery (Everett would spare no one in this frantic search, not even his fellow nobles) and sent into the warm morning to look for Elin. No one scolded him. No one struck him. He was treated… just like everyone else: a member of House Jade, another body to search for the Shadow.It was a strange and confusing and exhilarating feeling for Xavier Lynn… even if, as he and the other searched, he was desperately hoping inside that they didn’t find Elin, that she’d gotten far, far away by now. “I don’t understand why I can’t sing while searching,” Joffery was whining as they combed the streets of Medieville, eyes sharp.“Because singing is distracting,” Charles replied gruffly----and then promptly went head over heels as he tripped over an obstacle that was sprawled half on the street, half in the gutter. Charles gasped as he landed, his palms scraping against the grimy cobbled street. Joffery let out an equally as dramatic gasp (in the key of C!), and Xavier froze in place, simply watching as Charles brushed the dirt off himself and glared at the thing-that-had-tripped-him.The thing was also making noises. Not gasping, but… moaning, as it sat up woozily, a frizz of dirty hair half-covering its face. It was a woman, Xavier realized. A… familiar woman. It took him a moment to realize where he’d seen her before: the feast. Destiney’s feast. She was the one who’d thrown up on his shoes.“Whass-happ’nin,” she slurred as Charles stood.“You’ve tripped me,” Charles said stiffly.“G-grand Duke Al… Alain?” she asked, staring up at him through squinted eyes.“No. Lord Charles,” he replied. “Oooh.” She nodded. “Are you from--” hic “-- Housh Shtallion? Cos I haven’t, um… what’s the word… um… saw... you before.”“I am not from House Stallion. And from the looks of you, I don’t see why you’d have familiarity with Stallion nobles, anyway.” Charles sniffed.“She’s one of them, m’lord,” Xavier murmured, surprising even himself that he’d mustered the courage to directly address one of the nobles unprompted. As Charles turned to him, Xavier added, “I saw her at Her Majesty’s feast. She’s a ward of theirs. L-like I am to you.”“A ward of House Stallion, sodden and drunk in the gutter?” Charles couldn’t help but laugh.… and promptly stopped laughing when Corinne made a sudden, horrid retching noise. Visions of the feast danced in Xavier’s head, almost in slow motion, as Corinne hunched over Charles’s very sharp, polished boots… and then… well.Once she was done, Charles merely stood there for a few moments, as if paralyzed from the shock of it all. Then, his teeth gritted, he said to Xavier, “Heft her up, will you?” A glance at Joffery. “And you help, Joff.”“But--”“No buts,” Charles snapped. Joffery, perhaps sensing that there were better battles to fight (and ones that could be fought through song!), sighed and grabbed onto Corinne’s arm; Xavier grasped the other; and then the both of them hauled Corinne up. She was far too disoriented to fight back, and could barely focus as Charles leaned in towards her (though not too close, for obvious reasons).“You’ll be coming back to the Jade manor with us,” he said thickly. “Your Grand Duke can come collect you once you’ve sobered up.” And then, with a wistful glance down at his soiled boots, he added, “You’d better hope he likes you enough to pay me, too, because you’re not going to be returned to him until I’ve gotten myself a new pair of shoes.”And with that, Joffery, Charles, and Xavier set back towards Marson’s home, the prisoner Corinne Bywater in tow.Arthur is the Vagrant.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Jul 2, 2014 13:57:18 GMT -5
Lucinda was awake with the dawn, as was her usual. She was careful to keep the vase hidden while Dolly was dressing her and doing her hair. Grandfather and his entourage had left before the sun had even hinted at its intention to rise the day before. Once her ladies maid left, she took the vase out of the box and sat it on the table. “Sorry, my friend, but there are rules about enchantments in these halls,” she apologized to the vase. Aldrich's bird hopped up to her and sat on the table. It sang out in its beautiful voice, causing the vase to join in whistling along. Lucinda laughed and stroked its head with her finger. “We'll be returning you to your master today, dear bird. I am sorry it has taken so long, but yesterday was rather chaotic with because of some party that happened in the city. Have you missed him, you mischievous creature? You caused such a fuss at the feast the other night. You quite ruined Uncle Garrick's moment with Queen Destiney. I forgive you in his stead, as he probably never would.” She looked out the window at the early sunshine. It was far too early for Lucinda to go out and fetch Jeniver to go to Aldrich's shop, of course, but not too early to rouse Corinne. Lucinda had decided to bring Corinne as well. It would do her some good, and get her away from the wine for a morning. Lucinda had been taught that one of her duties was to help the unfortunate, and well, Corinne certainly seemed to fit. She lifted the bird onto her shoulder, he might be helpful in sobering Corinne up, she decided, before leaving her room. She walked down the halls until she reached the bedroom Corinne had been assigned. She knocked on the door before letting herself in. “Corinne,” she said, not too loudly, but loud enough for her to hear. “It is time to be up and about.” It was then that she noticed that Corinne's messy bed was empty. “She's not up already drinking, is she?” Lucinda wondered, realizing how much harder her job would be if she were. She left the room and went in search of Corinne. However, what she found was that Corinne had not returned to the manor after the party two days ago. A hundred unfortunate scenarios ran through her head, Corinne trying to make her way home drunk yesterday must have met with a terrible fate. She began to panic. Usually, she would have run straight to Alain, but he had left. She knew Garrick would be worse than useless in this situation, and she wasn't sure if Ambrose was capable of leading a search for the missing girl with his strange spells. She decided to go Kirin. She ran to his room door and started to knock urgently. “Kirin! Please, Kirin, if you're in there. Corinne hasn't returned to the manor in the last two days! I'm afraid something has happened to her.” Lucinda awakens, early as usual, two days after the feast. She apologizes to Aldrich's ( Lizica) bird for not returning him the day before but hopes to do it today. She decides to rouse a Corinne ( Ginz ❤) and make her come along for her own good. She finds that Corinne has actually been missing for the last day. She goes to Kirin ( Killix) for help finding her.
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Post by Lizzie on Jul 2, 2014 14:41:18 GMT -5
The Day Before…Karma was walking the streets. It was getting lighter out, and scores of drunk peasants were waddling their ways back to their houses. Piles of vomit littered the ground every couple feet. Karma carefully maneuvered her way around the piles, making her way, finally, toward the keymaker’s shop. If she wasn’t up by then, Karma decided she would wake her. But then, of course, a wrench was thrown into her plan yet again. “Princess!” a voice called to her, and the girl froze in surprise, “What are you doing here?” Karma slowly turned around, recognizing one of the guards from the castle-- off duty, of course, going up to start his shift soon. “I… wanted a key,” Karma lied, clutching the blonde hair from the peasant tightly in her fists, “I was just about to go get it.” The guard eyed the princess, noticing she was still in her feast clothes, and without her small purse, meaning she didn’t have any money. Doubt clouded his face. “Yes, of course, Princess. Well, I believe you should come up to the castle again, and a guard or servant will assist you within a few days,” the guard said softly, taking the girl by the arm. “But I want it---” Karma began, her face turning redder as she tried to wrench her arm from his grip. “Now. Yes, I know you want the key now,” the guard finished her sentence with a sigh, “Come now, Princess, I’m sure your sisters are very worried for you.” Yeah, I don’t think so, Karma thought, and they began to march back up to the castle. --- TodayKarma was still on house arrest-- or rather, room arrest-- as the new day broke. She had spent the entire day yesterday in one room, and she was bored out of her mind. “Am I allowed to leave yet?” Karma whined to a servant, “I want to go buy my key.” The servant shook her head wordlessly, and the princess sighed in reply. Karma opened up a small chest, blocking it from view of the servant. There, laying in the chest, were her prizes. Chunks of hair, large and small, blonde, brunette, and black, even some gray, all lay tangled inside the box. She pet the newest addition lovingly, and then snapped the box closed yet again, turning to stare at the servant. “Am I allowed out now?” Karma asked, coldly this time. “No, I’m sorry, Princess,” the servant replied. -- Aura wasn’t allowed in her own room due to Karma. She had been awoken yesterday, several hours earlier than usual, the sun just rising on the horizon. A guard had come in loudly, holding Karma by the arm. Her younger twin was left near the bed, and the guard had sat there watching her. “Princess Aura, it is in your best interest to leave,” the guard had said, and so, she left. She wasn’t allowed back into her own room to sleep that night, either. Ugh. Aura knocked on the door yet again, calling to be let in. Finally, the servant opened the door, and looked down at Aura. “Princess Aura, you know your sister is to be in the room, she snuck out of the castle,” the servant said. “I don’t care. I want to be in my room!” Aura whined, and she saw Karma looking at her with an open mouth out of the corner of her eye. Hesitantly, the servant replied, “Fine. This once.” Aura flounced in, and the servant left the room quickly, as to be excused from babysitting the two whining twins. -- Karma watched her sister, feeling her jaw drop. Aura is never like this, she thought, and then, after the servant left, she saw her sister erupt into giggles. “You owe me!” Aura said between gasps for air. Karma joined her, and the ginger sisters giggled loudly at the show Aura had put on. “That was so cool,” Karma said after their giggling had subsided, “Do you want anything from the merchants?” “No,” Aura replied, and with a nod, Karma went out the door as Aura collapsed on her bed and fell asleep. - Karma was walking the streets yet again, clutching her purse tightly to her chest and looking around at everyone going about their daily business. She slipped practically unnoticed through the crowds, making her way to her destination. Karma stopped in front of a pretty building, and knocked a few times on the door, which quickly opened. “Hello, Princess” someone said, opening the door wider. “Hello!” Karma said to the guard, and smiled a genuine, toothy smile, “Is there any way I can see, um… Alain Stallion?” Karma gets in trouble for being out on the streets, and is confined to her room. Then, with the help of Aura, she sneaks out AGAIN, this time in broad daylight. She goes to where the Stallions are staying, and asks to see Alain ( Celestial), who isn’t there. (But she doesn’t know that yet.)
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Post by Shinko on Jul 2, 2014 15:24:16 GMT -5
Even though neither Morgaine nor Rosalie had drunken enough to be hungover the morning after the feast, the old woman had opted to join the rest of the city in sleeping in. After all, it was wildly unlikely anyone would come to the shop to buy anything from them when they couldn't even rouse from their beds. When she finally had woken up, Morgaine had spent the remainder of the day catching up on work around the shop that had been neglected during the funeral events. She tallied the account books, cleaned the displays, and written up an order for more metal, gemstones, and replacements for tools that had broken. As predicted no one had come in to buy anything, and at the end of the day Morgaine had once again gone to sleep. Two days after the feast, Morgaine left the shop about mid-morning with the order she'd written the previous day. The local courier had been as hungover as anyone else, but with any luck she'd be able to mail her order and get the necessary materials sent for. She hoped so at least- the courier kept his base of operations near the city's main gate, on the complete opposite end of town from the Merchant's Market. With no horse nor carriage to get across town with, it was not a hike Morgaine liked making more then she had to. She was in luck- the courier had the look of death warmed over, but he'd mutely accepted her letters and money, with the promise that they'd be delivered to the appropriate suppliers. That errand finished, Morgaine began the long hike back to the Market. It was an hour short of noon by the time she had made her way back to The Kings Arms. With the likelihood that the sick and wretched population would be queuing up at the shop pitifully low, Morgaine decided she probably had time to stop into the inn for some early lunch. She walked in, looking around for Ilsa- and the maybe-still-missing Xavier. Neither of them were in the room, but they could have been in the kitchen. Morgaine sat down at one of the tables to wait, sighing with relief as her weary legs were given a rest from all that walking. Morgaine does inane merchanty things like a responsible adult, and after dispensing with some errands in the city stops by the Kings Arms Inn for some lunch. Celestial (Alain) is staying there in disguise, and it's possible that Elcie (Ilsa) is there as well if she's not off rescuing Xavier.
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Post by Elcie on Jul 2, 2014 16:21:48 GMT -5
((Collab with Pixie!)) The previous night...Xavier had wondered if he would get a chance to report to Frederick again; he also wondered if he even should. Even if he did not belong to House Jade as literally as he had thought, his loyalty still lay with them. No matter what Leif had said, he was still afraid of crossing Lord Everett. Still… Frederick had tried to help him. He deserved to know what had happened, at least. In a way, slipping out of the manor, he was testing what Leif had said. If he truly was not a slave to the House, they wouldn’t stop him. And they didn’t. He was briefly intercepted by one of the minor mages who worked for the House, but rather than prevent him from leaving, she explained that he should have a protection charm if he wanted to wander at night. “Just a precaution,” the older woman had told him. “It won’t protect against everything, but it’s better than nothing. And with rebels abroad...” She shook her head grimly. Xavier felt another lurch of guilt, thinking of Elin imprisoned in the manor. He forced himself to set that feeling aside for now... he had an obligation. Frederick was waiting for him at the side of the river, seated on an old bench that had seen better days. Still, the view from his spot was calming and serene. It was a fine place to meet up with an agent, and a fine place to watch the sun set. He thought of the insanity witnessed and rather satisfactory racketeering at the feast, and after a time, he heard footsteps behind him. The mage turned his head to examine the source. Yes, it was Xavier coming to him with new secrets. “I am glad you were able to make it,” Frederick said cordially “Come, sit with me.” He motioned with his arm for Xavier to take the seat next to him. Xavier expected to feel calmer around Frederick, as he had the last few nights they’d met, but for some reason tonight was different. The young elf was not the calm, comforting presence that Xavier remembered; he looked dangerous, sitting there in the lengthening shadows, and his scar gave his face a sinister cast. Xavier approached him nervously and sat down on the bench, leaving a safe amount of space so he didn’t feel crowded. He couldn’t remember feeling this cautious around Frederick before. “I… I probably shouldn’t be here,” Xavier said quietly. “I’m part of House Jade, I don’t know if…” “I had noticed your new clothes. It is not too late for anything, however, and you are a man with free will.” The reluctance of his mark unsettled him, so he suppressed a yawn and strengthened his glamour. Previously, Xavier had been much more certain when he had been talking to Frederick. How much had joining the Jades changed him? “I am trying to help you. Is that so objectionable to Lord Jade?” “I...” Unconsciously Xavier had dropped his gaze again, adopting the same cowed posture he’d had around Lord Everett before. “Y-you don’t have to now. House Jade knows what I am, and they’ve taken me in.” He needed to explain, so Frederick wouldn’t make the same mistake he had about Lord Everett’s intentions. Frederick would try something unwise if he thought Xavier was enslaved-- Except Xavier found himself suddenly unsure about that. Why was he so certain that Frederick was trying to help him after all? He’d only known the man for a scant handful of days before Xavier had placed his life entirely in Frederick’s hands. He had expected this encounter to be reassuring, but he was just as nervous as he’d been around Lord Everett… “I would hope so, but can you be certain? It is important I know the Jades’ intentions with your induction. Have you heard anything suspicious from them?” He attempted to cover a yawn with a sigh, as he channeled his energy into a strong sedating charm. Xavier’s suspicions deepened, although he wished they wouldn’t. He wanted to believe in Frederick’s good intentions, but… the elf had jumped so quickly to pushing for information. Xavier hesitated, wrestling with his growing sense of unease and the lingering sense that he should have been feeling quite differently. Frederick was good and he should do exactly what Frederick asked of him, so why was his intuition telling him something so very different? He’d felt safer around Frederick than he had around Elin, or even Ilsa, both of whom he’d known for years. Why?As he hesitated, wondering how to answer and if he should even voice his suspicions, he felt something. Xavier’s blood ran cold. His magical senses were far duller than they once were, but… perhaps aided by the Jade charm, he’d just felt something unmistakably magical from Frederick. Aimed at him. Xavier leaped up as if he’d been scalded, and backed away. His heart was pounding, and he wasn’t sure if it was terror or anger. “You- you’ve been enchanting me. All this time. That- you weren’t going to help me at all, were you? You were trying to control me--” Xavier felt a sudden flare of anger. He’d had it all wrong. House Jade hadn’t tried to control him with magic. Frederick had. “You can’t touch me,” he said, his voice shaky but furious. “I’m under the protection of House Jade.” Frederick didn’t have much experience with his methods metaphorically blowing up in his face. He had ways of dealing with those who refused to co-operate with him, but he especially hadn’t had resistance come from someone who he respected as much as Xavier. The current situation had a great potential to end terribly for Frederick. It was a tricky situation for him, especially with his mark’s new connections to nobility. He wished he hadn’t picked the former slave as a mark in the first place and formed their relationship on deception. Against his sense of reason, his heart skipped a few beats and a faint flush appeared on his cheeks. He arose from the bench. Generally remaining calm, he dropped the glamours he was accustomed to holding and looked at Xavier in the eye. Frederick protested, attempting to stand his ground.“It is not as it seems-” Xavier stepped forward again. He still wasn’t entirely sure if he was afraid or angry, but whatever it was seemed to have hardened into a steely resolve. Sensing that Frederick had dropped his use of magic, Xavier dared to grab his arm. “I- I should take you in for this,” he said. Despite the boldness of his actions he did not sound nearly as confident as he had when he’d arrested Jeniver several nights previously. “No!” Frederick staggered as Xavier grabbed him by the wrist. The action was felt violently and invoked a violent response. His hand flared open, and he formed a ball of flame by his palm. He didn’t launch the fireball, but readied it to be fired if Xavier wouldn’t let him go. He greatly did not want to have to use it, but he would not be restrained, not again. Xavier had threatened to lock him up, and had a surprisingly strong grip on him. Images flashed through his head of a grimy cell, and of rusty chains. He had reasons for why he made a vow to never become someone’s prisoner. Xavier shied away from the flame, despite realizing a split second later that the Jades’ spell would probably have protected him from it. All the same, the advantage was lost as he stumbled back. Frederick’s guard was up. Xavier glared at him, tensing. If it came to a fight… Frederick had magic, and he was still terrified of using his. It was as likely to hurt him as it was to give him an edge. “I don’t want to fight you. You must understand, I have never been in war...I lost my arm in youth. I come from Elacs, where my family was affluent- until Lord Melvin felt threatened by our power. Life before wasn’t too terrible, I had my books but much was expected of me. My father was a selfish man... but he was proud. Melvin knew only one thing could get to him, to bring our power instead under his command. It was me…” Frederick became incredibly aware of his scars, and decided at the moment a way he could drive his story home. He took his shirt by the edge and then carefully, deliberately removed it. He bared his back and chest to Xavier, latticed in white with the multitude of scars from his past. Xavier shivered, his hand unconsciously coming up to grip his opposite shoulder where the slave-brand was. He still didn’t know how much of what Frederick was saying was the truth, but those scars… Despite himself, he felt a twinge of sympathy. His own back was similarly marked, covered in whipmarks that hadn’t healed cleanly. He was all too familiar with the kind of pain that left such permanent reminders. The younger man saw him reach for where he knew his brand was concealed. His reveal seemed to have struck a chord with Xavier. Was there hope to keep him close by the scars between them? “For two weeks, he tortured me.” Frederick continued, his breath becoming strained as his mind returned to a cellar beneath a nondescript home. “He had a healing mage on staff...so I wasn’t given a chance to bleed out. That’s the reason the knives could leave all of these scars, and how my arm was severed. I was bound when they worked at me, and the cell from the rest of that hell was deathly silent, cold, dark, and dank. I suffered and anticipated suffering in turn. My father capitulated after far too much damage had been done to me.” He let the shirt drop onto the riverbank, and his own hand tapped where his left arm used to be, brushing the stump. “It was not just my family’s ruin or my own. Melvin claimed it was rebels who had carved me, and kept my family under his court. Those ‘rebels’ were dissidents, and they met their ends while I was forced to stay quiet. I couldn’t speak up, for each of us was a hostage to each other. I lived in his awful court for years, playing as his puppet. After awhile, I had enough and I ran. I slipped away. I am, in a way, a runaway. People are frightened by me, and the way he made me. I regret terribly using magic on you, but you must understand. I didn’t know you would be different.You are the first person I have ever told this” Xavier was silent for a long, agonizing moment. He couldn’t help but shiver at Frederick’s story; he knew what it was to live under someone else’s control, to be stripped of the power to defend oneself. Something in Frederick’s voice made him want to believe him - but he was hesitant to trust him, not now, not when his instincts had already betrayed him once. And the man had always known Xavier was a slave. His story was probably true, or close to it, but he could still be trying to manipulate Xavier, playing to his sympathies… At the thought, something in Xavier’s eyes hardened, and he took another step away. “I trusted you,” he said quietly. “Because you made me. I-- I won’t make the same mistake twice.” Frederick hated seeing him so terrified. At first, his behavior was the sign of a decent mark. The rogue merchant had then felt detached from Xavier’s suffering, but after time his past had become real. As a teenager on his own for the past four years, the absence of a friend or legitimate ally was fully felt. Though much more submissive, in many ways, Xavier was like him. A major difference was that Xavier still had people close to him, and had even found a new place to belong. He realized then that he valued his trust on a personal level. He had to stop him from leaving, especially with at least partial understanding of what he’d done. “Please. I lo- look, I wish I could take it back. I truly care about you in a way I had not known before. That is not a lie, a spell, or a decept-” But Xavier was already backing away, shaking his head. “Don’t try to follow me,” he said quietly. “Please.” And then his nerve broke and he ran, back to the shelter of the Jades’ manor, and left Frederick standing alone with his thoughts on the riverbank . SUPER LONG COLLAB, IT IS HERE Xavier goes to meet with Frederick the previous night, and due to a protective charm from House Jade realizes that Frederick has been enchanting him with glamour this whole time. Frederick desperately tries to salvage the situation, revealing his scars and his horrific past to Xavier, but the vigilante's trust has been broken and he flees, leaving Frederick alone.
A note: I am posting this from my phone, there may be errors. Will edit tonight if necessary - Pixie, feel free to poke me or a mod to change things if you need to.
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Post by Killix on Jul 2, 2014 16:33:43 GMT -5
The large windowsill had proved to be a more comfortable spot than the desk in his room, so there he sat with paper and a quill. His drawing was coming along nicely; a school of iridescent flying fish swimming amongst the clouds. He switched to a quill with red ink to add colour to the scales of a fish, but just before the quill touched the paper, someone began knocking urgently on his door. “Kirin! Please, Kirin, if you're in there. Corinne hasn't returned to the manor in the last two days! I'm afraid something has happened to her.”It was Lucinda, and she sounded very upset. Kirin hopped down from the windowsill and placed the papers and quills on the desk. He opened the door with an expression of concern. Corinne passing out somewhere after a night of indulging in alcohol wasn't an unusual event, but she had never gone missing for extended periods, usually returning by the next morning. He doubted that she would purposefully avoid going back to the manor, the manor full of free alcohol. Something was definitely wrong. "She attended that tavern party, correct?" Kirin asked, hand on his chin in thought, "Perhaps someone witnessed where she went off to... We should ask around." He stepped back inside his room briefly to fetch his coat. Hopefully, wherever Corinne was, she was safe. Kirin's art time is interrupted with some troubling news about the unknown wherabouts of Corinne ( Ginz ❤). He suggests to Lucinda ( Kristykimmy) that they ask around, maybe someone knows where she is.
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Post by Celestial on Jul 2, 2014 18:20:37 GMT -5
Ambrose was awake. He had not really slept much in the past few days. The vision had stuck with him unlike most others he had seen. What made this one different was how grand and familiar it was. There were things in it he recognised, which scared him so much. All that suffering...in Kyth...and it could get so much worse. He was scared, but the future often scared Ambrose. He had to tell Alain. Alain would know exactly what to do. Instead of panicking when Ambrose foresaw the drought in Kine, Alain acted. Perhaps with this, he could also take measures. What measures, he could only guess at but he trusted his brother. After all, he was the ruler of Bern, not Ambrose. He got up and walked out of his room, heading to where he knew Alain slept. There were strangely very few servants around. Instead of the buzz of activity, Stallion Manor was unusually silent, even at this time in the day. Something felt off and Ambrose could only quicken his pace until he arrived by Alain's door. There was no response when he knocked so he entered. Alain's room was empty. For a moment, Ambrose thought he might be in his office working already but then he remembered: Alain was due to depart yesterday. How could he have forgotten? Ambrose sat down on the bed despairingly. No wonder the Manor was so quiet. It was likely that Alain had only left a skeleton crew of servants to look after them. It was likely that he was far on the road to Bern right now as Ambrose pondered. He did not even get to warn him about the vision. Sure, he could send him a message but when would Alain get it? He rested his head in his hands and out of the corner of his eye, noticed something: Alain's polished black cane with the horse head on it, lying on the chest as though it belonged there. Alain would not leave it behind...unless he had gone out in disguise. Ambrose did not know how to feel about this. On one hand, this meant Alain was still in town. On the other hand, there was no way to contact him. So whatever Ambrose did, he was on his own. And it meant that, in the battle for the throne, Alain had left them on their own. It was likely he expected Ambrose to take charge. Why did Alain have so much faith in him if he knew all about Ambrose's affliction? It made no sense. And yet, he had gone off on his own business, leaving Ambrose behind. Alain never did anything foolishly...so perhaps, whatever faith he had in Ambrose, it was justified. Somehow, that was a comforting thought. The vision was going to come true but right now, Ambrose had the battle for the throne to complete. One problem at a time. As familiar as the vision looked, there were aspects about it which suggested it would not happen this year or the year after that. He could warn Alain later. Right now, as best as he could, he had to take his place. Ambrose took a deep breath, feeling the weight of that realisation sit heavily on his shoulders. Feast preparations had gone well and he'd managed to even control Garrick. Perhaps it would be fine. He walked out of the room, just in time for Lucinda to run past and begin knocking on Kirin's room down the corridor. “Kirin! Please, Kirin, if you're in there. Corinne hasn't returned to the manor in the last two days! I'm afraid something has happened to her.” First challenge. He saw Kirin opening the door and grabbing his coat, but before he could say anything, a guard approached him. "Sir, Princess Karma is downstairs, looking for the Grand Duke. What should I tell her?" he asked, looking quite nervous. Second challenge. Ambrose wondered briefly how Alain juggled it all. What was the Princess even doing here? "Please tell Princess Karma that my brother has left. Ask her what she wants of him and maybe we can give it to her?," Ambrose told the guard. "Make her comfortable, give her what she wants. She's a Princess, we should treat her right, make sure she has not come all this way for nothing." The guard nodded and rushed off downstairs to where Karma was waiting. He bowed deeply to her. "The Grand Duke is not available to see, unfortunately, your Highness. But I've been instructed to make you comfortable in Stallion Manor. Please, come in, tell the servants if you wish to have any food or drink." *** The Grand Duke, meanwhile, exited the room he had taken out in the King's Arms Inn. He had heard of the break-in into Marson Manor, which meant that the Shadows had found their friend. Perhaps he had been too hasty. Too perfect of a recruit. It was no doubt that they were going to be suspicious of him. But no matter, Alain could deal with their suspicions. Perhaps they would contact him, perhaps not. If he were them, Alain would not let a potential recruit go, even if they were suspicious. He'd just be...careful around them. But the Shadows were not him, they thought differently. So if they did not come back to him, he would have to find other methods of investigating them, or hunting them, if it came down to it. Methods which carried more risk to him but they would be worth it. There was nothing of value to be gained without some risk. For now, Alain needed to get some food. He headed downstairs but the innkeeper, Ilsa, wasn't there. There was just one other person, a woman who had come in and sat down. Judging by her clothes, she did not appear too poor, probably a craftswoman. Well, if they were both here, there was no reason he couldn't chat with her. Maybe find out something useful. "Hello, I hope I'm not bothering you. I was just looking for the innkeeper," he said as he approached Morgaine. He gestured with his head down at his cane. "May I sit down?" Ambrose wakes up, still angsting about his visions, and decides to tell Alain about them. He goes to his room but finds Alain gone. He realises he's gone, in disguise as well, and pretty much left Ambrose in charge. Ambrose is scared but wants to face up to it. He exits Alain's room to fnd Lucinda( Kristykimmy) and Kirin( Killix) talking about Corinne's disappearance but before he can say anything, a guard tells him that Princess Karma( Lizzie) is here and wants to see Alain. Ambrose tells him to look after Karma but that Alain is gone. The guard tells her just that. Alain comes out of his room in the King's Arms and wonders if he's been a bit too hasty with the Shadows. He considers riskier methods but for now, wants to get some breakfast. Since Ilsa( Elcie) isn't there, he goes to talk with the only other person at the inn, Morgaine( Shinko).
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Post by PFA on Jul 2, 2014 19:24:37 GMT -5
It had been a strange past few days. Well, it had been strange ever since they got here in Medieville, really, but especially so since the feast. There were prisoners, there was Joffery coming home drunk, there was some business that kept Lucinda from showing up... there were a few broken chairs, since Jeniver never got the chance to visit the prisoner like she'd wanted. Daddy said it was too dangerous, and forbade her from going into that basement. But that wasn't going to stop her today. Once all the commotion had died down—apparently one of the walls broke or something? She wasn't really paying attention—Jeniver snuck into the basement, peering in to see who was there. Sure enough, in the cell, sat a lone girl, with messy blonde hair. Jeniver blinked in surprise. Was this the rebel they'd caught the other day? She looked a little familiar; she might have been that drunk girl who threw up on her weird jailor's shoes. ...Was that her way of rebelling? Throwing up on nobles' shoes? She thought she heard daddy complaining about his new boots... At any rate, she was here now. Jeniver took a deep breath. She'd said she wanted to help the prisoner not be lonely, and that was what she was going to do. "Um, hello?" she asked. Jeniver goes to visit the Jades' new prisoner, Ginz ❤, thinking she's their old one, Gelquie. Hilarity is bound to ensue!
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Post by Draco on Jul 2, 2014 20:46:18 GMT -5
During the night Davorin made his way over to The King'S Arm. He wanted to get to bed, and that was honestly the closest safe house that was a hole in the wall (literally in two cases). There he switched back into his normal garbs and packed away his new ones for later use (he would collect them later for another safe house). As soon as he was done, he layed in bed and passed out for the night... Day? For a while. He awoke at a unknown time to him. The sun was out, but what day was it? He'll figure that out later. What woke him wasn't the sun, no, it was actually the fact there were six figures in the room. All of whom were wearing very familiar robes to someone he met the other day... All of them were wearing white robes with some other bright colors splashed in, well almost all. There was one figure, in the back, wearing a black hood, keeping to himself... Odd fellow really, couldn't see his face, and he was just standing there, and the others all ignored him. For a second Davorin thought he waved, but he must have imagined it. Before Davorin could utter a word one of the others stopped him with a sword pointed at him. "Not a word. Now stand. If we're going to kill you, we'll allow you to die standing." Slowly Davorin gets out of bed and stands, "That's very nice of you." "I thought I said not to talk." "And I thought it was proper to know the name of who was about to kill you." The hooded person groaned a little then motioned to the others, "We're the Darkeyes family. A family of killers for hire." One of the other figures, female this time, spoke up, "We decided to claim this town for ours. So we sent my little brother here to scope the place out a bit. We found him in a hay pile." Davorin tried to keep from laughing a bit. So that guy IS related to this lot. One of the others stepped forward, "And after asking around, we figured out it must have been the likes of you who did him in. So now we're going to do to you, what you did to him." "Soooo... You're going to dress me up in white robes and push me off a building?" He stared at them unblinking for a moment, "Oh, and stab me in the throat. I forgot I did that to him as well!" In rage the closest Darkeyes assassin swings a sword at Davorin, who drops to the ground to avoid the attack. He then rolls around avoiding one attack after another from the five attackers. Glancing for a moment, the sixth figure seems to be still standing there. Was he checking his nails? Davorin narrowly avoids a sword to the scalp. " Ok, focus Davo... Ignore the creepy one in the back, focus on these ones first." He takes out two knives, quickly slashing at the legs of one of his attackers. Once dropped to the ground, he grabs him, rolls so he was above him, shielding him from another attack from his family. He pushes the now lifeless body to the side. The family even more enraged go in for another attack, again the attacks are avoided. No, one actually managed to slice his cheek... Moving closer Davorin manages to stand face to face with one of the Darkeyes. Unable to swing their weapon properly Davorin punches him in the throat, grabs hold of the sword arm, twisting it around until the sword is dropped. He grabs the sword, then kicks the owner towards the others. Before he could catch balance the sword is run through him. "Two down, four to go. Or should it be three down if you cound your brother?" The remaining Darkeyes Assassins look at each other, a mixture of anger and confusion. They decide to spread out, surrounding Davorin. Each wall now had a figure. Wait, the dark robed one moved. He was kneeling down beside one of the now dead killers, combing their hair with his fingers... Creepy... The other three dive in for their attack. Snapping out of it Davorin runs towards the dark figure, throwing a knife attached to a thin rope at the person behind him. It passes the figure, but with a twitch of the rope the knife comes circling back around both strangling the man, but also stabbing him. Davorin was getting tired of this. Not only was he out of breath, but he still had three more people to deal with. Also, how could no one hear this fight happening?! Surely someone would have checked in on the room by now, or complained, or something! He was also pretty sure the last person wasn't dead yet... That is until he saw the dark figure above him, finishing the job. One of the remaining attackers comes running over to tackle Davorin. Quickly he hunches over, allowing the man to pass over him, in the process Davorin steals his sword and dispatches him as he lands. The last attacking Darkeyes stands near a open window. She looks around, unsure if she should run or get vengeance now. Before she could decide, Davorin does to her what he did to her brother days ago, pushing her out the window. She lands in a shallow pile of hay. Davorin turns around to look at the last man, but he's all ready next to him, looking out the window. " Don't mind me. Just doing my job. I'll see you in four years, give or take." Now closer Davorin could see a almost skeleton like figure underneath the hood. He takes a step back as the man hopped out the window, almost floating down to the road. He checks the body of the last Darkeyes, and walks down the street. Only stopping to dance around a small fight between two drunks in the street, touching one and walking off. The one living drunk freaks out and runs off screaming as the man he was fighting falls limp. No one seems to notice this personification of death walk off. Davorin shakes his head. He wasn't really sure what he saw... He was pretty sure something weird must have been in his drink last night. He quickly gathers his things, and leaves the tavern. As he leaves he grumbles a little about how he'll need a new set of clothes now... He heads off the the church. Davorin wakes up at The King's Arm to a group of assassins out to get him for revenge.
After a long and drawn out fight, he manages to kill them all, except for a figure in black robes.
Not sure if he just literally saw Death, he quickly leaves to go back to the church...
Sayonara Darkeyes Family, hope this is the last we hear of you guys...
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Post by Kristykimmy on Jul 2, 2014 21:18:50 GMT -5
To her great relief, Kirin opened the door right away. He looked as concerned as she felt, which obviously meant he shared her fears that something bad had befallen Corinne. "She attended that tavern party, correct?" Kirin asked, putting his hand on his chin as he thought about it. "Perhaps someone witnessed where she went off to... We should ask around."Lucinda buried her face in her hands, feeling ashamed of herself. After the debacle with Garrick and Joffrey, getting locked in a closet with Kirin, Jeniver, and a few others, and Ambrose nearly being robbed by the strange maid the golden hair, Lucinda's mind had been preoccupied that night when they left and she had neglected Corinne. She knew Corinne was completely intoxicated, she should have been looking after her to ensure something like this didn't occur. “I believe she might have,” Lucinda said. “One of the servants mentioned that perhaps she had gone there. He said it was said that several nobles also attended, particularly that prince Destiney brought to the feast. Perhaps someone saw her? Should we go to the tavern first to ask after her, or around nearby to see if someone found her? The inn perhaps? Do they have a healer in this city?” She was just throwing out random information and places, but she hoped Kirin would have a clearer idea of where to look. All she knew was that they needed to find poor Corinne before something worse befell her. Despite what her mind kept suggesting, she refused to believe that something truly awful had happened to her. She ran back to her room and retrieved her cloak, trying to leave the bird safe in her room. He would have none of it, and made himself comfortable in the pocket of her cloak. She returned to Kirin, tying on her cloak and lifting the hood. “Where should we try first?” Kirin ( Killix) comes out and agrees they need to search for Corinne ( Ginz ❤). Lucinda throws out random information and places, then fetches her cloak, and asks Kirin where they should start looking.
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Post by Shinko on Jul 2, 2014 21:47:29 GMT -5
Morgaine heard footsteps from the hallway that led to the inn's guest rooms, and a few moments later a man emerged. He noticed her at the same moment she glanced in his direction, and walked towards her table. "Hello, I hope I'm not bothering you. I was just looking for the innkeeper. May I sit down?"Morgaine raised an eyebrow. Bored, or just trying to be friendly? He didn't look like anybody she recognized from around town, so presumably he was one of the many that had come into town for the King's funeral. She wondered if he had come alone- the way he was leaning on his cane made that seem unlikely. She let a small smile pull at the corner of her mouth, and flapped a hand. "If you'd like, I'm not waiting for anybody else. I'm Morgaine Braham, and I was looking for Ilsa myself- that's the innkeeper." She fiddled with the key around her neck absently as she spoke. "So, what's your name stra-" She was cut off by a loud thump from upstairs. She looked up in surprise, wondering if someone in one of the other rooms had rolled out of bed. Then, another sound, one that the woman who had been a knight's wife for almost twenty years recognized all too well. Her face went white as a sheet, and her teeth clenched so hard her jaw hurt. The clanging of metal on metal. In more rational moments later she would berate herself, wondering what she had hoped to accomplish. She was an old woman, a small old woman, and she had no training in combat. But in the heat of that moment, Morgaine acted on an instinct she scarcely understood. Not stopping to see if the stranger followed her, Morgaine stood and bolted towards the staircase, skirts held up in her hands. Not again, I won't sit on the sidelines, not again...She found the door that the continued noises of conflict where coming from, and grasped the handle- locked. Unlike the front door to the inn this lock wasn't her work, but she could deal with it just as easily as if it was. After all, a locksmith didn't just make locks- they were who you called on if you managed to lock yourself out of a building. From her toolbelt she drew three of a set of nine metal rods- her lockpicks. She could have used the key at her neck, like all of Rosalie's ornate keys it had a spark of magic that would open any lock- but only enough for one use. She didn't want to waste it if she didn't have to. It took her several minutes to finally tickle the lock open, during which time she realized that the man who'd been sitting at her table had followed her. He might have said something, but Morgaine didn't notice- her attention was on the commotion inside the room, now gone eerily quiet. Too late...Her face set on a grim line, she pushed the now unlocked door open, on a scene of carnage. "What is happening to this city?" Morgaine initially greets Celestial (Alain) amicably enough, introducing herself and starting to ask his name. She's interrupted by the sounds of fighting upstairs. Hit hard by very bad deja vu (she was married to Belial for almost 20 years, so she's seen battles and their aftermath before) she zones out temporarily and goes to find the source of the commotion. She uses her lock-expertise to pick the door to Davorin's safe room, and finds the scene of horror inside. I still dunno if Elcie (Ilsa) is at the inn or not.
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Post by icon on Jul 2, 2014 22:20:39 GMT -5
Ahhh... this felt good. The sun's rays streaming through the windows, a warm breeze trailing through the room, lazily jarring the curtains... this was nice. It almost felt like there wasn't anything to have to worry about. Aines's eyes snapped open. Three minutes and one descent along the outside of the Keep's towers later, Aines burst through the official Heraldic Quarters' window, startling the curtains with his entrance. "Winsbury! Winsbury! I had the strangest sensation, almost as if I was forgetting all of my responsibilities!" The Heraldic Overseer looked up from his desk, pen raised mid-sentence. "Yes, sir. I made sure that nobody was to disturb you." "Nobody to disturb me? Nobody to disturb me? Winsbury, you know how important I am to maintaining the Keep! If I cannot advise the queen, then who knows what may occur?" "Of course, of course," Winsbury replied coolly, "but be that as it may, when you burst through the door last evening you had been awake for nearly thirty-six hours straight. Quite frankly, sir, you have been running around worrying yourself silly for the past week. You deserve a break." "But the Ascension entourage from Avia--" "Already occupied; one of the servants, Dill, is providing them an excellent tour of the Keep." "Princess Karma, after her outbursts the past few days--" "I've stationed guards for all of the princesses, under orders to maintain their posts by my personal decree." "And the feast aftermath--" "All taken care of. Sir, I'm telling you, take some time off." Winsbury finished writing his note and began to fold it up. "If the Queen is in poor condition, the Royal Adviser takes over. But when the Royal Adviser is in poor condition, who takes the reins then?" "The Advisory Overseer, if we're being precise," Aines replied after a moment's thought. Winsbury sighed as he dripped a blob of wax onto his letter, stamping it with the Ascension seal. "If you would contemplate my rhetorical question for a moment, Aines, you would realize that the kingdom needs you in top condition. With all due respect, you need to relax for a day." Aines gave this comment due consideration, then said "and what about Kelcey?" "Master Kidde is currently on the lam, or on the goat, ahem, as it may be, but we have several royal guards heavily set on his pursuit." Rising from his seat, Winsbury gave Aines a small smile. "You have no need to worry about anything right now, sir. We are in absolute control of the situation. And if you'll excuse me," he said as he opened the door, "I need to deliver this letter to Lord Sylk." The door closed. Aines sat in a moment of stunned silence in the suddenly very, very empty room. Aines actually gets... a day... off? what is this madness
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Post by Tiger on Jul 2, 2014 22:35:01 GMT -5
Leif felt a chill at his side and paused, tapping two fingers to the scrollcase hanging from his belt. Sure enough, the ornamented metal was slightly chilly to the touch, in sharp contrast to the morning warmth. “Hold on a moment,” he told the two Jades with him, unclipping the case, opening it, and tilting the scroll inside into his hand. While Lief would have preferred a messaging system that relied on falcons or at least courier pigeons, he had to admit that the enchanted scrolls were a lot more efficient. Reading the words that had appeared on his previously-blank scroll, drawn from the writing on another Jade’s scroll somewhere else in the city, Leif said, “Lord Joffery’s group found a Stallion. They’re bringing her in.” “A Stallion?” one of Leif’s companions repeated. “Woo, imagine the information we could get from her!” “And imagine how unhappy the Grand Duke’ll be. Or the Stallions who’re still in town, at any rate,” the third Jade said, crossing her arms. “Capturing rebels is one thing, but if we start stepping on toes…” “ They’re the ones who hate magic, and they’d be doing worse than stepping on toes if they could.” “Enough,” Leif snapped. “We’re clear to return to the manor, since we haven’t found anything by now. Rather, you two can go back. I’m staying out for a while.” Leif’s companions weren’t exactly going to beg for the surly falconer’s company. With brief farewells, they parted ways. Leif stood in the relatively quiet spot for a moment; they had been searching the farmhouse and field along the edge of Lake Plume, and so were on the opposite side of the Macarinth from the busy marketplace. Or at least, it was busier than it had been the day after the feast. “Well,” Leif said to Ayleth, who was of course perched on his shoulder, once the other Jades had disappeared from the bridge. “I suppose Master Xavier will be happy his friend escaped.” Ayleth, of course, said nothing. Leif eventually left the lakeside, heading for the bridge as well. He had no intention of returning to the manor yet, unless he was badly needed. They knew how to contact him if that was the case. Leif had errands to run, anyway. He summarized them in his head as he crossed the bridge; there was Ayleth’s cage to check up on, the shop where the magical statues allegedly came from, and perhaps a visit to the King’s Arms Inn to investigate what magic had broken the furniture so violently. Hopefully it hasn’t happened again. I doubt Lord Kirin will be around a second time to help piece the furniture back together. Where did he learn to do that, I wonder? It’s not as if most noble children learn how to build tables and chairs…I suppose he could be a crafter? Interesting hobby to get into, I should ask - “Leif caught himself. It was unlikely he and Lord Kirin - he or any of the Stallions - were going to be idly chatting. Especially after the closest business, which he imagined would rather put Kirin off wanting to be anywhere near him. ...So, right. Shops. Leif stepped off the bridge, glowering at the sun because that was surely the reason his cheeks felt a little warm all of a sudden. Where to start… The statue shop would probably be best; he didn’t know where it was so the sooner he found it, the less he would likely have to go out of his way, and also: Magical stone birds. Leif braced himself to start asking for directions if he couldn’t find the shop on his own. Though he didn’t spot it on his own, Leif only needed to ask two people for directions, and he got them quite promptly. Walking the edge of the Market as instructed, Leif found the studio. Forebodingly obnoxious laughter rolled from one of the windows. If Leif had to transcribe it, he would have spent more time trying to figure out why someone wanted it written than the actual act would take - but eventually he might have given in and chosen "DOHOHOHOHOHOHO!"Leif paused at the door, making sure he could reach his wand if he had to. As stupid as it sounded in Leif’s head, considering the setting and the bright sun and the not exactly terror-inducing laughter, he was technically preparing to enter the lair of another mage. He decided to knock before pushing open the door. “Mister...Aldrich?” Leif hoped he was remembering the name properly. He looked around; it was about what Leif would have expected a statue shop to look like - shelves full of pots, gargoyles, and, gasp, statues. The detailing was incredible, however, he could tell that by a mere glance. Was that because they were alive? Leif watched the nearest gargoyle cautiously for any sign of movement. He remembered all too well the gargoyle who’d sprung from the cemetery fence and - ...And was that the same gargoyle there? Leif and two NPCs are out looking for Elin but get a message via magic scrollcase saying they caught someone else and they can return to the manor. Leif sends his NPC cohorts back but stays in town himself (well, with Ayleth, his black-shouldered kite) to go run errands (aka visit people - the King’s Arms Inn and the smithy are up next, be warned!). After a momentary setback in planning due to errant Kirin-related thoughts ( Killix), he decides to start with Aldrich’s ( Lizica) statue store to learn more about the enchanted statues. He’s directed to the shop, goes inside, and spots a gargoyle that may or may not be Babewyn, however Lizica wants to roll ^_^ ((Magic scrollcase - Contains a scroll of parchment that appears blank until someone writes on the parchment. Whatever is written (or drawn, I suppose) appears on all the pages in all the scrollcases. The case gets cold when a new message appears (I figured that would be more noticeable in a warm climate like Corvus). Expand or twist or whatever this as much as you like, my Jade friends!
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Post by Ginz ❤ on Jul 2, 2014 23:24:01 GMT -5
((Collab with PFA)) Corinne’s peaceful slumber had been interrupted when someone tripped over her. At first, Corinne was thankful. She had tried to find the way back to Stallion manor on her own, but she had given up, thinking it was hopeless. Finally, Grand Duke Alain had found her and come to get her! Except he hadn't. It wasn’t him. Corinne had been mistaken. It was lucky that she didn’t remember anything that had happened at the Dragon’s Quill the previous night. She wasn’t awake enough to recognize Joffery as she took one of her arms and led her to the manor of a noble house, but not the one she hoped. Corinne sat at a corner of her cell, sulking. She wasn’t sad about being imprisoned, however. No, she had barely had time to think about that. She was upset because she had been denied any alcohol since they had locked her up. Not even a sip! But if you ignored that, she wasn’t too bad. Her cell was nicer than the gutters she was used to sleeping in. It was much cleaner, if nothing else. "Um, hello?" someone asked.Corinne looked up from her moping to look at her greeter. It was a girl who looked a little younger than her. Judging from her clothes and her manner, she was a noble from House Jade. “Hello. I’m Corinne,” she said as a sharp pain shot through her head. She held it with both hands and moaned. Corinne paused and tried to think of how she had gotten there, but she couldn’t remember any specifics of what had happened. She was full of questions. “Who are you? Where am I? It’s all a blur.” And before the girl could answer, “Do you think I could have some wine? Or ale? Ale would do. I feel terrible. I think I need a drink,” she added. Jeniver blinked at the onslaught of questions. That wasn't what she was expecting. "Um, I'm Jeniver Jade. This is my uncle's cousin's house. And, um... I don't know if we have any ale." Corinne sighed. “That’s too bad,” she said. “Do you know why they brought me here? When I was woken up, I thought it was Grand Duke Alain to take me back to Stallion manor, but instead I was carried all the way here.” "I thought, um..." Now Jeniver was really confused. Stallion manor? She thought the prisoner was supposed to be rebelling against the nobles or something, but if this girl was from House Stallion... Jeniver frowned. Did House Stallion have a rebel in their ranks? If that was the case, she would have to warn Lucinda! Rival House or not, she didn't want them to fall victim to constant rebellious shoe-soiling. "I... don't know," Jeniver lied truthfully. “Oh.” Corinne was still fairly confused and slightly disappointed at how little she had managed to find out, but as the alcohol washed out of her system, her friendly nature started to shine through once again. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Jeniver!” "Yeah, you too. Um, I can go ask about getting you some ale, I guess?" Jeniver replied, heading back for the stairs. "I'll be back." Corinne’s spirits rose upon hearing that. But as she became more and more aware and alert, a thought crossed her mind. She should have said she was Fate Sparrow and asked to be released at once! She had no idea how much time she’d have to stay there, but she hoped it wouldn’t be too long, because she didn’t know how much more she could take without a taste of alcohol. Corinne is imprisoned by the Jades, and she findS herself moping in her cell, mostly because she is now deprived of any alcohol. Jeniver ( PFA) comes around to talk to her, and Corinne asks her a lot of questions about what happened, because she can't remember anything. Jeniver is confused because as far as she knows the prisoner was supposed to be a rebel!
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Post by Avery on Jul 2, 2014 23:27:45 GMT -5
Destiney Raven, of House Ascension, rising queen of the Kingdom of Kyth, had spent the past day and a half in complete and utter misery. The feast had been lovely, so perfect, her and Kelcey together at last-- together forever!-- they were two of a kind, the happiest pair now! And then, when Desi had gone off to fetch a servant to take care of her drunken little sister, she'd returned to find Kelcey gone. Poof. Not there. It had been very clear to Destiney Raven-- so clear, and so immediately!-- that her beloved had been abducted by someone wicked. It made perfect sense, after all: uncaring Aines had dressed Kelcey as a Courdonian prince-- a slave lord!-- and surely such a man had enemies. Enemies who would jump on the chance to see him harmed, if the opportunity presented itself. It didn't matter that Cloudey had drunkenly insisted that Kelcey had walked away of his own volition. No, the words of an inebriated fourteen-year-old meant nothing to Destiney Raven. Someone had stolen the Joram-Kelcey. And yet when she tried to sound the alarm, she was... ignored. The servants tried to assure her that nothing was wrong, it was all fine, and even when she'd screamed and demanded to speak to someone higher on the totem pole-- Aines, she wanted Aines!-- she was roundly denied. DENIED! Who could deny a princess, a rising queen!? She'd threatened to jump from the window again, and had even numerous times stood up on the ledge when servants came 'round, but even this didn't lead to Aines being brought to her. And so though Destiney knew it would make a fantastic point to leap dramatically to her death, she also realized this would not help her find the poor, kidnapped Jorcey! So though it pained her, she had to go on living, oh Woo, she was a martyr. Until finally... a full thirty-six hours after Jorcey had been mercilessly abducted from the Keep... Destiney awoke in the morning (having slept barely at all, in between her crying jags) to the sound of Aines's voice echoing from somewhere in the Keep. AINES! That nasty bird. Not even bothering to dress herself properly-- who cared if the dumb crow saw her in her nightdress-- Destiney pulled herself out of bed and followed the sound of Aines's tone. She tracked it to the chamber of the Heraldic Overseer, whose office was directly below Destiney's chambers, hence the drift of voices. She arrived just in time to see the Overseer departing from his office, a letter in hand. He smiled apprehensively at her and opened his mouth to speak, but Destiney shouldered past him, just in case the words he sought to say now were "Don't go in there", because Aines was in there and so Destiney was going in there no matter what, Woo darnit.She shoved open the door and spied Aines sitting atop Winsbury's desk. "KELCEY HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED!" she shrieked in dramatic greeting. "I don't care what you say-- he's been stolen, Aines, and if you don't find him and bring him back to be unharmed and then make sure he's never ever hurt again and then see us married instantly... I'll... I'll... die. I won't even have to jump out the window, oh no, my heart will just break." She paused, then added for good measure, "And-- and if you won't commission a search for him, then I'll go out and find him myself. You seem to have so many dangerous disguises, I'm sure it won't hurt you any to provide ME with one, too!" Destiney comes to a shocking conclusion about Kelcey's disappearance from the Keep back after the feast: he was kidnapped! She laments and agonizes over his disappearance, as well as the sudden unavailability of Aines ( icon). When she finally hears Aines's voice a few days after the feast, she tears after him and demands that he find Kelcey... or else she'll do it herself, dangit.
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