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Post by Kristykimmy on Jul 27, 2014 9:17:47 GMT -5
Lucinda poured Ilaria a cup of tea while the girl sat down on a trunk and gave an explanation about her injury. “A villain sliced my leg open with a knife, but it’s fine. He was being a real menace at the Solstice Festival. I stopped him from murdering more people and got him put in the stocks! He actually kind of has tried to kill me before, but I didn’t let him. He thinks I’m a vampire for some odd reason.”“And are you a vampire?” Lucinda asked as she handed Ilaria the cup, but she said it with enough of a smile that she was sure the girl would understand the question is in jest. “He sounds like he be in more than the stocks. Have you gone to see the guard in this city to report his ill deeds? I hardly think such a man should be out on the streets.” Lucinda noticed Emery peering out the front door and frowned. Babewyn and Stippling still hadn't returned. She didn't have a clue where to look for them, but she thought perhaps Aldrich might. “Aldrich, do you know where Babewyn and Stippling went to? Emery and I could fetch them, if you do. I don't like the idea that they are out on the streets with the Courdonians around. I have had the displeasure of meeting some of them now; the impressions they left ranged from unfavorable to inciting outright contempt. Now that Miss Braide is here, she can keep you company. By that, I mean she can make sure you don't get out of bed and actually get some rest.” Lucinda talks with Ilaria ( Pixie) about the man who attacked her, then notices Emery looking for a sign of Babewym which isn't coming. She offers to go looking for her and Stippling, if Aldrich ( Lizica) knows where they might be.
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Post by Avery on Jul 27, 2014 11:02:48 GMT -5
... but sometimes there is calm before the storm. As night started to fall over the city of Medieville, the sound of clomping boots ricocheted through the air. Up the steps to the Raven’s Keep wound the Courdonian party, as the guards of the castle gave them a very wide berth. Rumors of their… activities... earlier in the day had already spread all throughout Kyth’s capital. Rumors had begun to swirl, too. That they were here for war-- that to appease them the rising queen would let them take freemen as slaves, in spite of Kyth’s anti-slaving laws-- that no, no, they weren’t here for war, they were here to ensure continued cooperation from Destiney by marrying her to one of their nobles-- but no, that was silly, it was definitely war and--“Stop staring at me, boy,” spat King Malik at a knight as he and his retinue reached the top of the steps. “And may the gods help you if you keep me waiting a moment longer.” He gestured impatiently as the knight and several of his comrades opened up the palace doors.King Malik had not known what to expect for his ensemble’s welcome to the castle. After all of the Kythian tomfoolery earlier on in the day-- disrespectful peasants! escaped slaves being protected by nobles!-- he was most certainly wary. Perhaps Destiney would try to pretend all was well and send slaves (no-- no, he reminded himself, servants) to hurry the Courdonian contingent to their quarters. Or maybe there’d be a spread of wine and bread in the great hall, served in an effort to convince the Courdonians all was well. In all, there were many possibilities Malik had considered.He had not considered Destiney herself, planted at the other end of the door. It took all of his self-control not to flinch when he saw her, standing ramrod straight and staring right at him. She was not flanked by guards as was he, but from her fine dress and confident stance, her identity was obvious. The look on her face was… Malik grimaced. Too familiar, and only now did he once again remind himself that despite what had been done-- the impostor Joram sent to him in gifted clothes-- this woman was his kin. Her raven hair was all Kythian, but her eyes, her pert nose, even the freckles on her cheeks… in the streets of Rakine no one would look twice at her. She reminded him of his daughters, could pass as one of them, even-- her jaw was Hannah’s, her long lashes Bryony’s, her--Malik steeled himself. No. Now was not the time for sentimentality. This woman-- this girl, really, he decided as he looked at her-- was his relative, true, but borders were thicker than blood. “Destiney,” he greeted icily, dipping into an exaggerated bow. “What an honor it is to be received by you.”“Why, of course,” Destiney replied. “I would not dream of sending anybody else to welcome my esteemed uncle.”Her voice was flat and professional, but Malik could hear the scorn underlying it. He bristled and exchanged a rageful look with Rafe, who set a hand upon his father’s arm to calm him. Now is not the time to go slitting her throat. The unspoken words nevertheless rang in Malik’s ears.“I am so pleased you could make it to my coronation, Uncle,” Destiney went on. “I know Grandmother will be so pleased by your visit.”“I’ve heard she’s ill,” Malik said thinly.“Quite,” Destiney agreed. “I’m not even sure if she’ll have the stamina to attend the ceremony.”“A pity,” said Malik. “I’m sure it shall be an event to remember.”Unconsciously, his hand curled over the sword at his waist. His fingers itched, and again he had to remind himself: not now.But soon. Very soon. As the sun’s last rays disappeared over the horizon, King Malik, Master of the Plains, Warden of the Stone, and Blessed Protector of the Nine Provinces of the exalted Kingdom of Courdon, gave his grand-niece a silky smile. “We are so very road-worn,” he said to her. “So if we might be shown to our chambers…”“Of course. You must rest up for the big day.”“As must you, my dear,” he said.“Oh, don’t worry about me.” She returned the smile, tooth for tooth, leer for leer. “I’m very rested, dear uncle. And it is wise that you, too, should rest, for who knows what will happen tomorrow?”Your head on a pike, thought Malik. His smile broadened. For too long he had tolerated his horrid neighbors to the north-- his father had even married one of his daughters to their king to appease them!-- but no longer, Malik decided. These fools sending an impostor prince to his Court had been the penultimate straw-- but the way his party had been treated today in the capital had shattered the camel’s back. These Kythians needed an education, a reminder of the social order, of obedience and of what happened when you spat upon the boots of Courdon. It would be better for everyone, if Malik were on the throne, instead of this wispy, pathetic girl-queen.Malik tempered his smile, not daring to let it melt into a full-on grin. He once more ran a finger over the handle of his sheathed sword, as he imagined the sharp blade of it kissing Destiney’s throat.**Jeniver Jade was awake.After the typical evening prayers (conducted by Friar Francis, as per the usual), all of the Jade family and their recruits-- save for Xavier Lynn, who’d slipped out into the black night as per usual-- had retired to their rooms to sleep and prepare for the coronation and departure. But Jeniver found that she couldn’t sleep, the silence of the room stifling her thoughts.Carefully, she got up from her bed, reached for her wand, and whispered “Mutican steppier”. Her footsteps immediately became dampened upon the ground, the creaking floorboards no louder than a whisper. Swiftly--and silently-- she crept through the halls of Marson’s manor.And far, far below, having broken in through the vigilante’s makeshift jail cell yet again, a group of shadows crept. They were pleased to find that the cell door was still open from yesterday’s escape (though Laurie Kidde could have picked the lock with ease once again, heading the entourage as she was).Finally, they found the room they were looking for. It was decorated with far more pomp than the Stallions had held, with the soft glow of candlelight offering a flickering illumination.As Laurie once again began to pick the lock on the ornately decorated chest, the rest of the Shadows congregated around one in particular.“The Jade Phoenix Ring has long been established as an artifact of House Jade’s illustrious legacy,” one said. “It has been rumored that it bestows upon its wearers potent magical abilities, including control over life and death itself. Indescribably precious to the House, it is said to have been bestowed upon them by the Jade Phoenix, most honorable acolyte to Lord Woo, herself…”“And you’re going to destroy it,” a second finished, handing the Heir the enchanted sword a second time. Another reached into the chest and pulled the ring out carefully, placing it on the ground; if the rumors were true, it would be best to back away from the jewelry.The Heir hefted the sword in their hands again, an uneasy feeling coming over them. It was for the good of the country that they smashed these old relics of the past, but the weight of a sword should never rest easily in the hand of a leader.Two artifacts should be enough, they thought as they swung the sword, enough to convince the Houses that we truly do mean business.As the sword came down, an immediate screeching noise began to fill the air, leading several Shadows to cover their ears to drown out the high-pitched wail. As the Heir brought the sword down again, several of the fragments burst into flames. It was only after the ring was smashed beyond repair that the Shadows all began to rush for the door and back to the jail cell whence they had arrived.And as Jeniver Jade, awake as she was, heard the horrifying screaming emanating from downstairs, she rushed through the halls of the manor, waking everyone from their starting slumbers. She hurried everyone in the direction of the noise but was swiftly overtaken by Everett Jade, who feared the worst--and his fears were confirmed when, thrusting open the door to the storeroom, he saw on the floor the charred, crushed fragments of the Jade Phoenix Ring--and on the wall a second message, written not in blood, but on a single sheet of parchment:TOMORROW WE RISE **As the Courdonians settled into their quarters at the Keep, and the rest of the Jades gaped at the remains of their precious artifact, a vigilante stalked the streets. Despite his encounter with Lord Duval earlier, Xavier Lynn felt… freer than ever, really. Like an iron weight had been lifted from his chest. He wore the bruise on his cheek from where Duval had struck him almost like an emblem, a mark of what he had been, but what no one would ever let him be again. What he would never let himself be again.I am not a piece of furniture, he thought to himself, as Elin’s words from the feast last week echoed in his head. No. He was a man, a free-man, a member of a noble House. And he would never ever go back to Courdon again. He would not let anybody be wicked again. A renewed sense of justice pumped through his veins as he wended through the city, cuffs jangling in his pocket. As he moved, occasionally he flitted his eyes up at towards the Raven’s Keep, where he knew the Courdonian contingent now slumbered. How he wished he could arrest them (something he knew was but a faraway dream in spite of his newly renewed sense of confidence). No, the Courdonians were out of reach, but others…Up ahead on the street, a woman tottered out of an alley. Xavier stilled, watching her, and he creased his brow as he realized: he knew her. He’d arrested her. His hands automatically loitered over the handcuffs in his pocket, especially when she gazed in his direction. But then, with a clumsy wave, she loped off in the other direction. She was drunk-- he was sure of this-- but that in itself was, alas, still not a crime.As he watched Corinne Bywater go, the vigilante did not notice the woman creeping up behind him, a lecherous grin on her face, her habit askew. Sister Purity been headed home from Marson’s manor, still running on a high from the sizzling sound of the pummeled Jade ring, when she’d seen him, and instantly recognition had washed over her. He was the one who’d been hauling in her comrades and interrogating them, the one who wore a slave’s brand but noble’s clothing-- and though of course as a pious woman Purity would never harm a living soul, that didn’t mean she couldn’t make his life more… complicated. She poised a finger over the nearly-spent airhorn in her pocket, prepared to startle him if nothing else. But then… she took too loud of a step. A branch cracked underfoot. Well, crap. The vigilante spun to face her, but Purity was faster, diving into a nearby alley. Did she want to scare the living daylights out of Xavier Lynn? Yes. But she figured if he caught her doing so, she’d be the next Shadow lugged off to the Jade cellars. And one visit to the Jade Manor in one night was perfectly well enough for her, thank you very much.As the jester hid, the vigilante gave the immediate area one last scan, deciding the noise had been only an animal, then continued on. He was in a residential area now, but maybe next he’d try around the Merchants’ Market, lest there be foulness afoot there… yes, the Market. That seemed good, a hot-bed for maleficent activity. He ran a finger once more over the welt on his cheek, then continued onward into the dark, warm night.**The sunrise cast filtered light against the streaky clouds that hung in the sky, still overcast from the rainstorm two days prior. As it rose, songbirds chirped a morning greeting. A strained ear could catch sounds of the great waterfalls cascading into Plume Lake.However, there was no time to appreciate the beauty of the scene. The city had to wake up.The rising Queen Destiney’s official coronation ceremony was slated to begin tomorrow morning, and carry on past midday and well into the evening. Though the kingdom was still recovering from King Starmey’s funeral and the feast which followed immediately afterward, Medieville’s citizens waited in anxious anticipation for the events that would take place during this ceremony. After all, the rumormongers whispered, would it not be fitting that the queen choose another ruler to wed upon the day of her own coronation? At Marson’s manor, Everett Jade looked out from his window view at the sprawling city, considering the possibilities. Had Joffery’s impressions upon the Queen left enough of a lasting mark? True, his personality was at times a bit… eccentric, to say the least, but he would certainly stand up and face the austere challenges of kinghood with a level head. The question remains as to whether Destiney herself knows that, he thought grimly… Tomorrow, we find out.Alain Stallion paced through the halls of his manor, turning over possibilities and calculations in his mind. Garrick’s actions and demeanor in Medieville had certainly caught the notice of the Keep, but would they be enough to sway the Queen? And in which direction? Even if Destiney was dissuaded by the suitor’s personality, everyone knew that the wedding was not the only element that she would consider; a wedding between Houses shifted the entire political network in subtle, but undeniably significant, ways. House Stallion has much more to offer the kingdom than a dancing prince. Any fool could see that. And tomorrow, they will.In small groups all across the city, the Shadows congregated. Not in large groups, no, never in any size more than a few at a time; any number more would draw suspicion. Huddled around candles, crouched in back alleys, they whispered in hushed tones: tomorrow Destiney will be crowned, and her reign will usher in a new era to the Ascension line, unless… unless…Tomorrow is our final chance to place the rightful Heir on the throne of Kyth. Tomorrow is the last opportunity.The anticipation hovered in the air like a poised axe. One day more until the Kingdom would see drastic change. One day more until Kyth would be transformed forever.With such high stakes on the line, it would be a miracle for this day to go off without a hitch.As a reminder, including today, you've three more rounds to submit moves-- so make sure to plot strategically lest you let all those points slip away!
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Post by Avery on Jul 27, 2014 11:38:42 GMT -5
King Malik of Courdon was exhausted-- and angry. He had come to Kyth with thoughts of war, but they had not been conclusive. But now... the way he and his fellows had been treated today... his blood boiled. The lords of Corvus had always basked in letting escaped Courdonian slaves through their province, like water through their fingertips, but when confronted directly, the law had always been to give the escaped slave back. And that was just to slavers. For a Kythian to refuse to give a slave back directly to his master? For a peasant to then storm up and strike a noble? Why, the Kythians may as well have spat in his face. They'd always been disrespectful of Courdon's culture, had been soft and weak, but now... And then had come Destiney. Standing there in the entry-hall with her face like stone and her tone dripping with sarcasm, with disrespect. This little child-queen. One look into her eyes, one glance of the defiant twinkle, and he'd known: she was the one who'd sent the goat herd to his Court. The one who'd taken the clothes his father, Saul, had given to the late King Falcon as a gift, a token of peace and cooperation, and planted them on a dirty peasant. It was vile. This whole country was a cesspool, and he'd let it gone on too long. He'd slept restlessly that night, had King Malik. His sword was never farther away than his fingertips. And in the morning, he immediately convened his advisers, Cornelio, Rafe, Duval, and Pipp to discuss the state of things. "Did any of you manage to prowl around the castle last night?" he asked of them. He hadn't dared try himself, because he was too conspicuous, and he knew that the Keep guards would be on him like fleas on a dog. "I did a bit," said Rafe. "But I found no signs of Joram, Papa. If he was here... I don't believe he is any longer." "It's a big castle, Rafe," Malik reminded. "You've probably only examined a very small part." He glanced at the others. "What about you? Did you find anything?" To Duval in particular he added, "And what of the courts? Have you filed a claim to receive back your slave, my friend?" He shook his head disgustedly as he thought of the whole debacle. "Is it really worth him going to the courts, my king?" asked Pipp. "If all goes as planned tomorrow... well." He smiled serenely. "True." Now Malik was smiling, too. ** It had taken a palace courtier far too long to track them down, the little sisters of one Kelcey Kidde. He'd gone first to their home, but they weren't there, and then he'd gone on a very fun scavenger hunt of sorts as he'd tried to ferret out their location. Finally whispers and rumors had brought him to, of all places, the Stallion Manor. Under the early morning sun, he rapped on the door. As he waited for an answer, his heart beat in his ears. On the one hand, if the girls were here, finally he could stop this searching; on the other hand... Well. It was never easy to tell a person their loved one was dead. And not just dead, but executed eons away in Rakine, his head neatly affixed upon a pike outside the royal palace. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the door swung open. The courtier assessed the person on the other side. "Good morning," he greeted. "I've been sent by the rising Queen Destiney to deliver a message. Might this be the current residence of either Laurie, Daria, Briar, or Ciara Kidde?" Malik stews. =D And holds a meeting with his BFFs, including Cornelio ( Rosalie Dylas (Maddy)) and Duval ( Elcie). Meanwhile, a palace courtier finally tracks down Kelcey's siblings to the Stallion Manor. Anyone who is there might receive him? ( Celestial, Kristykimmy, Killix, maybe? Or any other House member, I'unno who's around. XD)
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Post by Shinko on Jul 27, 2014 13:57:14 GMT -5
Morgaine was putting the last touches in a new door lock. Padlocks where easy to craft, but locks set into a door took a bit more finesse, and required more concentration. It provided a good distraction from her worries. Rosalie had told her the previous night about her encounter with the Courdonian. It unnerved the old locksmith, but there wasn't much she could really do about it besides stick close to Rosalie's side. The problem was that Rosalie was still bitter over what they'd discovered about Laurie, and still wanted to be alone. Morgaine respected that, but she didn't like leaving Rosalie so vulnerable. She was startled out of the trance of her work by the sound of the door opening. The person who walked in was wearing a long, hooded cloak, which was... rather odd considering it was high summer. "Can I help you?" she asked pleasantly. The person looked up, though most of their face was hidden in the shadows of the hood. "Is this the shop that sells magical keys, which can open any lock?" The stranger asked, coming up to the counter. Their voice was low, barely more then a whisper. Morgaine set aside her tools, trying not to show her unease. It wouldn't be the first time in the past few days someone had come to buy something from her while shielding their face- actually it was happening rather more often then not, especially where Rosalie's ornate keys where concerned. "It is, though I must warn you those keys do not come cheaply. And they only work once, so you have to chose how to use them wise-" She broke off abruptly as she saw the stranger's arm move sharply under the cloak. Before she had time to do more then jerk backwards, she felt something cold and metallic press against her neck- a dagger. "I want the magic keys- all of them." This is what happens when Shinko has no idea what to do with her character. 8D Random guy shows up and tries to hold up the shop. There are a number of candidates for who this fellow could be working for (heck, he could just be a random thug), but I think it's more fun to let you all decide. Regardless, Morgaine needs a little rescuing. Have fun guys!
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Post by Celestial on Jul 27, 2014 15:48:46 GMT -5
The Day BeforeAmbrose had come back to the Manor with his mind reeling. He had said goodbye to Leif and Xavier in due time but he was still focused on Kaldora's revelation. That his visions were caused by time magic, somehow. He had wished he could give her more information about his visions but he probably knew less than she did. But still...to have a cause laid out just there...maybe it really was better if he did not know. He knocked on the door of Alain's office, hoping to find him there. He needed to speak with somebody after all this and he did not know who else to trust. "Come in," Alain's voice said from behind the door. Ambrose opened it up, finding his brother at his desk, as usual, the map of Medieville spread out in front of him. Several places had been marked but Alain put it away before Ambrose could see it in detail. "Ambrose, hello. Is everything alright? Was your friend safe?" "He was. We took Xavier to the inn, where he got to relax," Ambrose nodded. "But I also learned something. In the square, my visons were triggered by magic. And a woman came up to me later, telling me she detected...time magic. Around me. When I was having visions." For a split second, Alain froze. His face was turned towards his desk so Ambrose did not see his eyes widen in surprise. However, he quickly straightened out and regained his composure, his expression completely neutral. "I see. Did she tell you much else beyond that?" he asked. "No. She asked me when they started and how. I told her about the former but not the latter," Ambrose lowered his head. "I remember that day," Alain nodded. His eyes darted away for a brief moment as he considered something. "She is right though. You do have a form time magic. But did she mention how strong it was or what its nature was?" "No," Ambrose frowned. "You don't sound surprised at all. How do you know that? What do you mean by 'a form of'?" "...You say it was triggered by magic? That's interesting," Alain turned around and smiled. "I'd say it's because you're building up a resistance to whatever wild time magic you have. Since your visions are much better than when you were a child." "Well, yes, but..." Ambrose looking him in the eye. "Aren't you going to answer my questions?" "I don't have any answers which would help you, Ambrose," Alain said without looking him in the eye. He sat back down at his desk. "If you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do with the coronation and the Courdonians coming here. Please leave me. If you're that determined, we could talk about it when we get home." Ambrose shot his brother a glance but he knew that bothering Alain anymore would be like trying to talk to a wall. If Alain did not want to talk to him, he would not. Besides, he knew there were a lot of problems that they had to deal with. So with that, Ambrose closed the door and went back to his room. TodayAmbrose got up that day and, as usual, brought down Briar's food and water, as well as more candles so she did not sit in the dark. He did not talk much to her, he doubted she would want to, but nevertheless, he looked her over to make sure she was alright. Spending time in the basement was probably not healthy for her but it would not be long. He doubted that Alain would keep her locked up after they went home to Destrier. He was not sure what he was going to do with her but he probably had a plan. He always did. Ambrose would have preferred her and her sisters to be let go to live their lives but who knew whether that would even be possible after everything. And he doubted that Briar would accept House Stallion's help. But they were looking after her other three sisters now. Ciara, Daria and now Laurie. Whatever they did, the fate of the Kidde family was tied up with theirs now. They still had a few more days. They could figure it out. Regardless, he was not going to let Alain use them if he wanted to. He doubted he would but Ambrose was still wary. He took the things back upstairs, got his cloak and began heading for the front entrance, wanting to go outside and try to find either the elf Ophid who he saw yesterday, Xavier to check on how he was or anybody else, really. Perhaps he could stop by Marson Manor too. There were some disturbing rumours going around that they had been broken into, just as they had been less than a week before. If it was Shadows...he might have to find some of the ones he had spoken to. Ask them the meaning of this. However, a knock on the door completely threw Ambrose off. He frowned as he opened it before any servant could get there and saw the messenger clad in the colours of House Ascension. "Good morning. I've been sent by the rising Queen Destiney to deliver a message. Might this be the current residence of either Laurie, Daria, Briar, or Ciara Kidde?" the messenger said. "Yes, it is," Ambrose nodded, letting the messenger through. Why would somebody from the Queen be interested in the affairs of peasant girls? "You will have to speak to my brother, however. He is in his office, upstairs and to the right." He watched the messenger as he went through and as he did, Ambrose got an unpleasant feeling about this. He wanted to stay and listen to whatever the messenger had to say but at the same time, this was probably bad news. He wanted to know and yet he did not want to know for the sake of the Kiddes. Perhaps it was news about their brother? The one who had gone missing? A chill ran down Ambrose's spine. If he was dead or hurt or missing, he did not even want to imagine what those poor girls would think, especially the younger ones. Regardless, Ambrose decided to stay a little bit longer. Perhaps he could ask the messenger on his way out. Yesterday, Ambrose came back to the Manor, wanting to talk about what he learned from Kaldora( Coaster) with Alain. However, Alain seems to know more than he lets on but doesn't tell Ambrose. He dismisses him by saying he has a lot of work, which is kind of true but still, Alain, an explanation would be nice. The next day, Ambrose decides to try to find Fred or go visit the Jades to investigate the rumours of the break-in. However, before he can, he lets in the messenger( Avery) and directs him up to Alain regarding the Kidde sisters. He gets a bad feeling about it and ponders what is going on.
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Post by Tiger on Jul 27, 2014 15:50:17 GMT -5
The dream started differently this time. The location was the same, a summer field buttered with gold light from a sky like a yellow sea with puffed, pink cloud-islands scattered at the horizon. Leif was walking toward the center of the field, as usual, too. The raptor he carried perched on his shoulder rather than a glove, however. Apparently that was to put as little distance between himself and the person whose steps he could hear shifting through the grass beside him. There had never been another person here before. Leif looked over, and found Kirin. The Stallion had a bird on his shoulder, too, a golden eagle. ...If it was an eagle. It looked like one, mostly, but Leif had the feeling its face was supposed to be a little reptilian. Like Kirin’s dragon hat, maybe. Leif should have been confused. What he’d told Kirin about his dreams being uninteresting was true - usually they were just replays of things that had happened. Sometimes a few details were changed, but what he’d dreamed of Kirin - of anything - in the past few days had been replayed memory. There was one outstanding exception...but Leif faced that one alone. So...this couldn’t be the same dream. Maybe it wasn’t going to happen tonight. Kirin and Leif reached the center of the field. Leif could hear birds and the faint sound of flowing water. ...Everything seemed all right. Maybe it was safe. “Where should we go?” he asked Kirin. Even knowing this was just a dream, Leif felt a thrill of anxiety and excitement at talking to him. “I don’t know. Don’t we have to go separate ways?” Kirin asked with a frown. “No - or - we shouldn’t have to. I don’t want to.” “I don’t want to, either.” “Then...what do we do? Can we stay here?” They’d reached the center of the field, and came to a stop. Leif took Kirin’s hand in his. “Maybe,” Kirin said. “Or maybe we can go somewhere together.” “I think I’d like that,” Leif admitted. “But I don’t know if we can.” Kirin leaned his head on Leif’s shoulder. Leif wished his dream-self had a better sense of touch; he could only try to recall and imagine the feel of Kirin’s hair on his neck, or the way Leif could feel his own rapid heartbeat pulsing against the weight of the Stallion’s head. “Well, just because we’re not together doesn’t mean I’m not here.” Leif put an arm around Kirin to draw him closer. He happened to glance up toward the sunset. Shadows fell over the grass like floodwater. He looked up - stormclouds rolled in faster than any storm he’d ever seen, even in Corvus, but it wasn’t lightning that churned and guttered in the thick, soft bellies. The raptors took off and vanished into the storm. Leif’s stomach dropped with horrified realization. He turned Kirin around - they needed to go - but suddenly Kirin couldn’t walk, and Leif was supporting most of his weight. Leif’s gloves had disappeared and now his arms were wet to the elbows with blood - it must be Kirin’s oh Woo what had happened? A terrible, wrenching urgency grew like a physical pressure on his back. “Come on, Kirin, we can make it - just hang on, Kirin!” There was a fence ahead of them, dilapidated and broken but somehow unquestionably safe. The white eagle, huge and dark-eyed, perched on one of the posts beside the gate - she was somehow big as a horse without dwarfing the fence. If they got to the eagle, they would be safe - they had to get to the eagle - Leif felt the pressure start to swell behind him and he knew what was coming but no matter how loudly he screamed to himself to wake up, he was trapped in the dream and could do nothing as the talons lashed into his back. Leif couldn’t feel the pain but he thrashed in his sleep as he heard the sound of the claws piercing his flesh, like a fork stabbing into soft fruit, and then the hollow thok of the strike to his spine. The claws clenched and then released him - Leif hit the ground on his torn back, knowing without being able to see it that Kirin was still moving, still trying to get to the white raptor, but that there was no way he could make it on his own. And above Leif, looking out over the field, was a huge black creature with glowing, burning eyes. Gouts of flame spilled over its lower eyelids as the creature pulled its head back and opened its mouth; a terrible, terrible light in a color Leif couldn’t name swelled up in the back of its throat. Leif was pinned by one huge claw and by his broken back but he shouted at the creature to stop and it wouldn’t, that horrible light was going to destroy everything - Medieville, the Houses, Kyth, all looming now behind that fence, under a sky charred and red - and every one - Kirin, Xavier, Ayleth, Ruth and Kaldora and Lord Everett and his family, the Friar, Aldrich and his gargoyles, the Stallions, the Shadows, the people at the Keep... In the red sky above, gryphons bedecked in Courdonian battle armor swept in battle formation, people struggling in their talons. NO! With a violent effort, Leif finally, finally tore himself from the dream and catapulted into exhausted consciousness. He threw himself upright, choking back a cry of rage and desperation. He clawed at his back and found no torn flesh, no blood. He checked his arms, too - sweaty, but dry of blood. Leif was covered in sweat, in fact, though he shook as if he’d been dumped in a snow drift. The rattled sound of his shaky breathing filled the room as his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he tried to pull himself fully out of the nightmare. ...Nobody was dead. He was pretty certain nobody was dead. He’d been having this dream for nights now, and every time it was a struggle to remember for certain, there was always a horrible moment where he couldn’t be sure... But this time had been different. Kirin and the Courdonian gryphons - they hadn’t been in the nightmare before. That suggested a horrific possibility - that everything Leif experienced, good or bad, would conglomerate into the repeating nightmare, until...until what? Leif knew what it was probably a warning against, but if it was going to last until any danger had passed...then it was never going to go away. He was going to have this dream every night for the rest of his life. Just calm down, Leif. You’ll give yourself a heart attack. It was easy to tell himself that - nearly impossible to actually do it. The nightmare itself always left him shaken, and the idea of new elaborations was frightening enough, and the additions themselves...Leif’s stomach turned at the memory of his arms coated in Kirin’s blood. And the gryphons, snatching people up - like he was afraid Duval would try to do to Xavier. Maybe they weren’t the goriest pictures his brain could have fabricated - but there was something peculiarly disturbing about the realism of it. If Kirin had been stabbed or slashed instead of burned, there would have been blood all over Leif’s hands. Duval had swooped upon Xavier, and had expected no resistance in taking him back to Courdon. Actually, between gryphons and Duval, the slavelord might be the worse option - Leif could have used magic on an attacking gryphon. Okay - enough, Leif told himself. None of that happened. What I should be worrying about is the ring, and the Shadows...if it was the Shadows. It was difficult for Leif to be sure how catastrophic the loss of the ring actually was; having been adopted into the Jade family, most of what Leif knew about the ring was the same hearsay the rest of Corvus knew. What was certain was that the destruction was intended as a message, just as much as the note on the wall. Lief, lingering in the doorway, had suddenly remembered Kirin’s mention of the breakin at Stallion Manor. He’d come close to telling Lord Everett about it - but balked at the last minute. Leif had no proof that something similar had happened to the Stallions, after all...and even if it had, their Houses didn’t need to be seeking advantages over each other right now. At best, they had to work together to keep the Shadows at bay. At worst, they had to work together to fight the Courdonians. He got out of bed, opening the window to let in some of the cool night air. Ayleth stirred on her perch, eyeing Leif for a moment before going back to sleep. She had quickly adjusted to Leif’s...abrupt midnight awakenings. Leaning his head out the window, Leif rubbed at his temples. He could try to get back to sleep - and probably should - but sometimes the dream came back a second time if he tried to ignore it. With the new additions especially, Leif was not eager to experience it again. Instead, Leif took a few books and a box from his desk, turned the lights up, and set to work on his small project. There might not be a better time to finish it. A shattering sound jerked Leif awake - he’d fallen asleep leaning against the headboard, a book still open on his knee. The first light of dawn poked in through the open window. It spread across the desk, where a glass had just shattered. Leif hurried to the desk, picking up his scrollcase to mop the water off of it. To his surprise, the scrollcase was ice-cold. Oh - it must’ve chilled the glass…He opened the case and found not one but two papers inside. He skimmed the first sheet - a message from Baroness Lucinda of House Stallion had arrived sometime the previous night, but been shuffled into other letters for the House. Leif pulled out the second slip - the message itself. Leif’s brows furrowed as he read. Aldrich was sick. Not deathly so, according to the Baroness, but still… Sickness was harder to heal magically than injuries, but Leif had access to some potions that would be of help. He could at least make sure the man was in a good position to recover on his own. Although he wondered...was it wise to leave now? He'd told the council about Duval, so they ought to know to protect Xavier...if he was here in the manor, then he'd be safe. If he had gotten into some kind of trouble on patrol, then Leif would hear about it on the streets. And Aldrich needed help... Why is it so hard to keep the people I care about safe? Leif wondered in frustration. He went back to the bed and picked up the result of his little craft project. They weren't as refined as he'd wanted, but, as he'd figured last night, there might not be a better time for them. He quickly dressed, stashed away his books and materials, and found a satchel in which to carry the potions he’d retrieve from the Marson stores. Maybe he could be out and back before morning prayer and council. Leif opened the door. ...Then again, maybe not. Leif’s recurring nightmare finally gets written out, except this version features some new material related to worries about Kirin ( Killix) and Xavier ( Elcie) =D Come morning, Leif gets Lucinda’s ( Kristykimmy) message about Aldrich being ill, and prepares to leave to quickly go see him. Then he opens the door. (Collab incoming)
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Post by Draco on Jul 27, 2014 16:58:03 GMT -5
While most people slept or wandered the streets, Davorin had other plans. He spent the night sneaking around the outside of Raven's Keep, avoiding guards. He needed to get a closer look at the Courdions, more importantly the bountied ones. Sneaking around he peered into window after window. Most were either awake or had guards... This was becoming annoying. He was ready to give up when he saw a open window, and what appeared to be a sleeping bounty. He had looked into this window earlier, only to see the man sitting around reading. Now the fool left his window open. This particular bounty tended to throw slaves into lakes. Which doesn't sound bad, except he makes sure they don't know how to swim. The ones who do know, or happen to learn very quickly, he executes for learning. Needless to say, he went through a lot of slaves... And a couple of these slaves happened to have free family, who didn't like the idea of slaves or "competitive swimming." As Davorin slipped silently into the window, he's sucker punched across the face. "Did you think I didn't see you lurking in the window, assassin?" "Two things. One, how did you know I was there? Two, how do you know I'm an assassin?" The Courdion, Haru Nan, laughed. "Fool, I have had assassins come after me for years. I know how to tell when- WAIT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Davorin had Haru by the back of his robes, and pushing him out the window. "And do all assassins wait for you to stop talking to do anything?" "Normally, yes." "Those weren't assassins." Davorin pushes Haru out the rest of the way, watching him plummet to the ground screaming. He looks around quickly, and grabs a small chest, which hopefully holds some of Haru's personal goods. He then climbs out of the window and hides on a ledge... It took Haru several hours to get down the keep and back to the church.... Davo spends the night hunting a water loving bounty.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Jul 27, 2014 18:12:28 GMT -5
Lucinda was in her room the next morning, holding her vase and singing to it as she moved about the room aimlessly. Her mind was a jumbled mess from the day before. She had stayed with Aldrich until he had finally fallen asleep, and then she and Ilaria had left him to rest. She intended to go back to visit him again to see how he was. Lucinda's spirits were low, but she couldn't put a finger on why exactly. She supposed it was the air in the city. It felt dank and heavy, poisoned by the Courdonians. She twirled, her movements becoming more like dancing as she tried to lose herself in the music, forgetting the day before. “Anyone else would have locked you up for being mad.”Lucinda stopped, remembering the look on Ambrose's face as she threw those words at him. The way he had looked away, the pain. Lucinda looked down at her vase and sighed. “I'm not sorry for what I said. I don't understand how Ambrose could have thought so ill of Grandfather; that he would kill an innocent girl for that pig slave lord. I am sorry for the obvious pain I caused him. I should not have brought up the madness. Everyone says that he is mad, but Grandfather doesn't seem to think so. Grandfather clearly would know best; he is his brother. He is also my Great-Uncle, and he has been better to me than either of my mother's brothers have ever been. How does one make amends for this?” She spoke to the vase, even knowing it couldn't answer, couldn't even whistle unless she was singing. Still, speaking aloud felt better; it helped her to get her jumbled thoughts together. Her mind flashed back to the first day of the festival. It had only been four days ago, and yet it felt like a year. It had been such a happy day; touring the festival with Aldrich as they search for Babewyn. She'd never done something like that before, something so normal. Festivals in Destrier were usually social events for her, an appearance with the rest of the family. She had never just enjoyed one, especially not with a friend. But, what she recalled strongest was Ambrose telling her he didn't mind if she owned or associated with enchanted items. It had been so strange at the time, she had been sure he would mind as much as she suspected Alain would, but she believed he was sincere. A sudden thought struck her; she could bring him along with her today. Surely Aldrich would be feeling significantly better, and having Ambrose to talk to might cheer him up. “You're a good listener,” she sang to the vase, tapping it gently with a finger. “Thank you.” It whistled in response as she set it on the table and went to get ready to go out. Once she was ready, she set out in search of Ambrose. She knocked on the door of his room, but there was no response so she continued on. As she passed through the halls, she passed the entrance. She happened to glance in and saw Ambrose standing there. She noticed he looked grim, so she was glad she had decided to invite him. After yesterday, Ambrose probably wanted distracting. She entered and smiled at him. “Good morning, Great-Uncle. I am going out to visit a friend. I thought you might like to accompany me. He is a very interesting person; I think you will be amused, or at least not bored.” Lucinda's mind wanders between Aldrich ( Lizica) and the unease created by the presence of the Courdonians. She also be begins to feel badly about her words to Ambrose ( Celestial) the day before. She decides to head to Aldrich's studio to check on him and take her great-uncle with her as an attempt at reconciliation.
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Post by Omni on Jul 27, 2014 18:49:24 GMT -5
((Collab with Tiger.)) Turns out, Leif had an obstacle of sorts to get around before he could get to morning prayer. An obstacle that took the form of a figure standing in front of, but facing away from his door. The figure was over six feet tall, clad head-to-toe in armor, and had an extra set of arms. Said obstacle also seemed to be snoring a bit. The sound came out with a bit of an echo as it bounced around inside the figure's helmet. Leif blinked a few times. He pinched his arm - it hurt. All right, not a dream, then. Even Leif wasn’t so unaware as to not know there was a four-armed knight working for the Stallions now. That did very, very little to explain what he was doing in the wrong Manor. A grim thought came to Leif’s mind, but if the Stallion knight wanted to hurt him...he wasn’t doing a very impressive job of it. “Er...Sir? Sir...Orrin? What - what are you doing here?” At the mention of his name, the knight woke with a start. Reflexively, he turned toward the voice and gave a salute. "Yess- Oh. Good mornin'." He tried not to let the sound of his yawn escape his helmet, though he had the impression that he failed. "Well," he said, raising his visor and lowering his arm, "it felt like I should come and do somethin', but I couldn't figure out what. This is what I came up with. Startin' to wonder if I was wrong; it didn't seem like anythin' happened." Might've slept through it, he thought to himself. I just HAD to doze off, didn't I? Seems like I'm always asleep as the sun's rising and the stars're fading...That didn’t really answer Leif’s question, though it gave him a few new ones. “Do something...about what? Does your House know you’re here?” The knight had...stopped a thief from stealing from Ambrose at the feast, if Leif remembered correctly. Was he trying to stop a thief again, then? Or...someone worse? Leif’s grip on the strap of his satchel tightened. As Leif spoke, the knight stretched a bit where he stood. He ended up mixing it with a shrug. "Dunno. Just a feel- OH!" He visibly started, turning toward the stairs. "I should get back to Stallion! 'Scuse me!" Leif looked with alarm up and down the hallway - to his relief, nobody was there. “Wait a minute - do the guards even know you’re here?” He had no idea how someone like Orrin would sneak into the manor, full suit of armor and all - through the Shadows were managing all right, so maybe he shouldn’t be so startled. “You’re going to get caught if you just run out that way!” Which perhaps Leif ought to have let happen. But the knight hadn’t done anything to Leif, had possibly been trying to protect him from something, even. So far, the only really loathsome Stallion Leif had met was Garrick...and he hadn’t even technically met Garrick. he knight paused. "That's a good point…" Come to think… he hadn't seen any guards when he came into Jade manor. It struck him as weird, but he hadn't been able to find out anything about it. He didn't exactly want to make a big commotion, but if either he or Freddie were spotted… "Do ya think ya could get me to the stables?" Leif looked up and down the hall again, and drew his wand. “I think so, but keep close and stay quiet. Abewoo cultivate!” Normally, Leif asked permission before using magic on somebody, but there wasn’t really another option, unless Orrin wanted to try climbing out Leif’s window. The spell would let Orrin, armor and all, become chameleon-like,changing color and texture to match whatever was behind him. “You’re just invisible, not intangible - don’t knock into anything or anyone,” Leif warned. Leif took the lead, heading for the stairs. He tried to school his expression to one of indifference. Maybe a little grumpiness. That was in-character. The urge to turn around and make sure Orrin was behind him was almost overwhelming, but it would be both suspicious and useless - it wasn’t as if Leif could see him, either. There were only three servants in the entryway, one dusting and the other two quietly bickering over...breakfast for someone, it sounded like. Deciding that getting out of the house was the best strategy, Leif headed for the door. A mage stood at the entrance; her tired expression sharpened when she spotted Leif. “I’m just running a quick errand in town,” Leif assured her. “The protective spell is still good from last night - I’ll be back before Lord Everett’s council, I’m sure.” “I doubt that,” the mage muttered, but she let Leif pass. Leif opened the door, making sure it was wide open, and then paused, trying to peer back inside without actually blocking the entryway any. “Did I drop a - a quill on the stairs, there?” he asked the mage. Come on, Sir Orrin, right this way…The knight tried his best to quietly sneak out the door. The boy had said that Orrin was invisible, but he hadn't said anything about inaudible. So he tried creeping out on tip-toe. But of course, a luck would have it, as he was stepping down, his armor gave a creek!Orrin froze in place. Hoping the mage would dismiss it as a squeaky step or something. The mage said, “I don’t see - “ Leif tried his best not to wince as she no doubt heard the sound of the armor. “What was that?” She drew her wand. “What was what?” Leif pulled his own wand, but didn’t know what good it was going to do - he couldn’t see Orrin to aim a counter-counter spell. ...Maybe he didn’t have to enchant the knight. He flicked his wand toward the door hinges, hoping the green light didn’t flicker too brightly through the gap between wood and wall. “I’m sure it was just the door.” He opened and closed it a little, and the hinges creaked audibly. Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, Orrin continued out the front, trying to step at different intervals so any more squeaking wouldn't happen in a regular pattern. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to wait for Leif or not, but he slowly started toward the stables anyhow. “I guess that’s a ‘no’ on the quill, then?” Leif opened his bag and looked inside. “Ah, no, here it is. I’ll be back soon.” He closed the door slowly, until he heard a bit of squeaking past him. He shut the door, sighed in relief, and rejoined about where he thought Orrin was. “Still with me, Sir Orrin?” Leif whispered, watching the ground. “The stable should be easier - you can go out the back entrance and hop the fence, there shouldn’t be anybody out there at this hour.” "Yeh, still here," Orrin replied. "Now... how long is this spell supposed to last?" “Oh - sorry. I can take it off as soon as we’re in the stable. ...I guess I’ll be taking a horse, too. Maybe I will make it back in time for council.” "That'll work," the knight replied. "Let's go then." They entered the stable, and Leif was glad to see nobody up and mucking the stalls. It had probably been finished already; Marson only owned a few horses, this being a city and the manor’s population being much smaller. If any of the stableworkers had noticed the black horse with the white star who had not been there the previous day, they’d said nothing. “All right, we should be safe now.” Leif hesitated, hoping he was pointing his wand in the right direction. “ Reparifors.” Orrin made sure to stand in front of the wand when the disenchantment spell was cast. He watched as the invisibility faded. He was actually glad for that: being able to see through his own hand was weird."Thanks," the knight said. He looked at his horse to see that Freddie's back was bare. "Aw… Where do ya keep the saddles?" Leif looked around; though he sometimes rode horses while hunting with the raptors in Corvus, he hadn’t yet tried that here in Medieville. “Ah...here, I think?” He peered behind a divide and, to his relief, found saddles. “I’m not sure which one is yours…” Selecting a saddle of his own once Orrin had found his, Leif asked, “What did you mean when you said you had a feeling? Does that mean you’re not here on House Stallion’s orders?” Orrin shrugged. "There was a feelin' that somethin' bad was gonna happen here." He set the saddle on Freddie and began to tighten it, glad that he had only brought a saddle and not, say, a blanket with the colors of House Stallion. "Can't really describe it. A gut feelin' maybe?" The knight the reigns on his horse and let it out of the stable, making sure to tighten the saddle again before mounting. "I didn't see anythin', so I'm startin' to wonder if it was wrong. Unless..." he turned toward Leif. "Did somethin' big happen last night? Something that drew the guards away?" Leif frowned - that might explain how he’d gotten in. He wondered how Orrin had known - maybe he had a gift of precognisance. Magic in the Stallion House...hm. After a moment, Leif said, “There was an incident. Nothing we can’t handle.” He hoped. “But that would explain why the guards didn’t see you, they were preoccupied.” Another hesitation, and Leif said, “Thank you for trying to help, though.” "And thanks for your help." Orrin started riding out of the stable, having Freddie start with a slow walk. "Sorry I couldn't do much. Maybe next time I'll have better luck." “I hope so, Sir Orrin.” Leif followed the knight on the bay horse he’d chosen. “Maybe send a message ahead of time when you’re going to break into the manor, hm?” he added with a thin smile, pulling his horse to a stop so it didn’t follow Orrin to the back fence. The knight chuckled. "I'll keep that it mind. See ya tomorrow, then?" Ah, the coronation. "I'll see you then. Take care." "Ya too. Stay safe." And with that, the knight rode off toward Stallion manor, hoping that no one would see this particular knight coming from where the Jades were staying and think he was out-of-place. Lief ( Tiger) opens his door to find Orrin standing in front of it, asleep. He addresses the knight and asks why he's there. Orrin wakes and says that he was there based on a feeling. When Lief mentions House Stallion, Orrin realizes he should head back. Lief helps Orrin get out with a bit of invisibility magic, though it's still a bit of an adventure making sure no one notices. They get to the stables and each ride off. Either one has a chance of bumping into someone.
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Post by Shinko on Jul 27, 2014 19:40:15 GMT -5
Sieg emerged from the inn, a hand on his sword hilt. After hearing rumors about the commotion in the square yesterday- apparently someone had been executed?- he was on edge. For the first time since his arrival in Medievile, he was wearing his armor again. This, along with the small shield badge bearing the crest of the knights of Nid'aigle that he pinned to his glove, would give him the authority to intervene in any disturbances he came across. It seems Mother might have been right to call me here after all, he thought grimly. As he moved to go to the stable and fetch Freya, however, he caught sight of another armored figure riding down the street. That made sense- he couldn't be the only knight in Medievile, and surely with both rebels and foreigners running amok anyone bound by the Code of Chivalry would be on edge. "Heyla, good sir," he called to the other knight, saluting politely. (Did he have four arms?) "You seem to know your way about the city- could you perchance offer me any insight as to how I might make myself useful to the people? It chafes me to stay my blade in leisure when the city weeps for the loss of innocent blood and cowers before the whims of a foreign crown." Sieg arrives on the scene. Having heard an incomplete version of the events in the square, he is dressed in armor and determined to prevent anymore Kythians from dying at the whims of the Courdonians. He sees Omni and, guessing by his armor that he's a knight, asks for advice on how he can be of service to the people.
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Post by Celestial on Jul 27, 2014 19:47:27 GMT -5
“Good morning, Great-Uncle. I am going out to visit a friend. I thought you might like to accompany me. He is a very interesting person; I think you will be amused, or at least not bored.”Ambrose looked up as he saw Lucinda walk in, distracting him from his morbid thoughts about the Kidde girls. He gave her a weak smile as she approached, though he remembered her anger at him from yesterday. In hindsight, he had been wrong to believe that Alain was capable of such a thing but he knew how much he kept from Lucinda. He had to keep up the image of a good, loving Grandfather for her, she should not have to see the Grand Duke who would do cruel things for the greater good. But regardless, what she said still hurt, mainly because it was true. But here she was, willing to make amends and Ambrose was grateful for that. It was not good to hold a grudge against family, especially now with all of them potentially on the path to war with Courdon or at risk of being overthrown by the Shadows. And her friend certainly sounded interesting. "Good morning, Lucinda," he said to her as she came closer. "I would very much like that, though...I'm a little surprised that you chose to invite me, after... everything that has happened." Ambrose opened the door for Lucinda and they exited the Manor together. He let her lead the way, keeping slightly behind her in order to not get too ahead of himself. "I am sorry about what happened in the square yesterday. You were right, I should have trusted your grandfather to do the right thing. Things have been so strange and confusing lately, especially with this battle for the throne and the Courdonian delegation coming. I worry about Alain sometimes, I don't want him to lose himself," he shook his head. "Nevermind. I'm just going to ramble if you don't stop me. You do believe I'm crazy after all." He winced, remembering what Kaldora said and Alain confirmed. That his madness was really time magic. He'd have thought it would have made people thinking he was mad hurt less but it was the opposite. "Nevermind. Let's get off this depressing subject. I'm sorry, Lucinda," Ambrose smiled at her. "Maybe you could tell me about this friend you're visiting? What is he like?" A thought suddenly struck him. "Is this the same person with the living stone bird, by any chance? Did you get to return it to him?" he added. Ambrose hears Lucinda( Kristykimmy) and thinks about what she said yesterday. He agrees to accompany her, however, and he apologises for what happened at the square. He also reveals a shred of the worry he has about Alain but quickly changes the subject. He asks her about Aldrich and wonders if he is the one with the living bird statue.
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Post by Kristykimmy on Jul 27, 2014 20:19:45 GMT -5
Ambrose gave Lucinda a weak smile as she approached. "Good morning, Lucinda. I would very much like that, though...I'm a little surprised that you chose to invite me, after... everything that has happened."He opened the door for her and she led the way, him trailing slight behind her. As they walked, Ambrose began to talk. "I am sorry about what happened in the square yesterday. You were right, I should have trusted your grandfather to do the right thing. Things have been so strange and confusing lately, especially with this battle for the throne and the Courdonian delegation coming. I worry about Alain sometimes, I don't want him to lose himself,” Ambrose said. These words were a dagger in her heart. Why would Alain lose himself in the midst of this? He was clever enough to find ways to out-maneuver the enemy, to trick them, like yesterday. What he said next was worse. "Nevermind. I'm just going to ramble if you don't stop me. You do believe I'm crazy after all."Guilt struck her again at those words. “Nevermind. Let's get off this depressing subject. I'm sorry, Lucinda. Maybe you could tell me about this friend you're visiting? What is he like? Is this the same person with the living stone bird, by any chance? Did you get to return it to him?"Lucinda stopped and turned around, holding up her hands in a gesture for him to stop as well. “Yes, Aldrich. I'll tell you more about him if you wish, but not now. Great-Uncle Ambrose, I don't know what I believe about you. All my life I've heard whisper that you're mad. Everyone around me in Drestrier said that. And yet, the person I trust most in the world doesn't seem to believe you're mad, Grandfather. So, what is it? Are you mad or not? If you are not, what are those spells; why does everyone in Bern believe you are? If you don't wish to speak about this, then I understand. I simply wanted to make amends for yesterday. You're Grandfather's brother, and I want to be fond of you, Great-Uncle. I simply don't understand anything about you. To a child, the whispers and spells were frightening. I'm not a child anymore; I would like to understand, if you will let me.” Lucinda sighed and adjusted her hood uneasily. She was beginning to realize how little she actually understood about the world, and it was changing so quickly since coming to Medieville. Alain had told her simply to trust him, and she did, unconditionally, but the unexpected could so easily happen. Her father had hardly expected to die the way he did, thrown from the same horse he had ridden for most of life. All it would take was one angry Courdonian, one underhanded attack, and then they'd be lost. She didn't want to be lost if the worst happened, though she knew it was likely unavoidable. “If this isn't the time or place, I understand. Perhaps you're right and we should continue.” Lucinda sets out with Ambrose ( Celestial) and listens to him ramble about Alain and her own belief that he is mad. She stops him when he tries to change the subject, telling him that she'd like to know the truth about his spells.
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Post by Omni on Jul 27, 2014 21:11:57 GMT -5
As Orrin passed by the King's Arms, he was greeted by another man in armor. Stopping his horse, he observed the man. From his armor, Orrin guessed that he was another knight. He also seemed to be Elven. Interesting... "Heyla, good sir," the man spoke, saluting Orrin. (Orrin saluted back.) "You seem to know your way about the city- could you perchance offer me any insight as to how I might make myself useful to the people? It chafes me to stay my blade in leisure when the city weeps for the loss of innocent blood and cowers before the whims of a foreign crown."Orrin blinked, glad that he had his visor down. He was used to hearing nobles talk all fancy, but that was a lot more than usual. Well, if the man liked speaking with extra elegance, Orrin figured he might as well at least speak back like a noble. "Well met, sir. I'm afraid that I'm just a visitor, myself," he replied in his Booveen accent. "My apologies. I do understand that the Cordonians are staying in Raven's Keep - if you're looking to seek justice against them, I recommend against it, if only because striking at someone in the Keep would be unwise. Might I suggest the market? I find that no matter where one travels, markets have a way of attracting thieves. The visiting noble houses have also had nothing but trouble since they came here. I'm sure they would appreciate your assistance if you were to offer it. Orrin paused. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking: perchance are you familiar with a woman named Morgaine?" Orrin suggests to Sieg ( Shinko) that if he wants to help someone - or stop wrongdoings - that he stay away from Raven's Keep, but that he might try hanging around the market or helping a noble house. He then asks if Sieg knows Morgaine.
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Post by Shinko on Jul 27, 2014 21:54:09 GMT -5
When the other knight mentioned Morgaine's name, Sieg was so startled he actually started laughing. He had to cover his face in an effort to stem the reaction, waving his other hand apologetically. "Sorry, sorry. It's just that you are the third person to ask me that question in as many days. Aye, I know Morgaine very well indeed; she is my mother. And apparently she has been making a good many friends for herself in this city!" He finally managed to get himself back under control, and grinned up at the other knight sheepishly. "Sir Sieg Braham is my name. I do hope you can forgive me if I came across as overeager to make a fuss with the Courdonians. Certainly I should not think to do anything so foolish as to confront them, that would be suicidal and a diplomatic disaster besides. But if at all possible I would rather avoid further ugliness such as we witnessed in the square yesterday." He scrached the scar on his chin pensively. If the nobles were having issues, as this knight suggested, it probably wasn't Courdonians- more likely it was the rebels. As if things weren't complicated enough. "I'm afraid I have my oaths to the elves of Nid'aigle to consider, so I cannot pledge fealty to any of the nobles in the city. But certainly if there have been disturbances at their homes I can lend my sword to help." Sieg slips out of "formal knight mode" and defaults back into "stupid grin" mode, admitting that Morgaine is his mom (and wondering exactly how many people she knows). He explains he wasn't intending to attack the Courdonians because he knows that would be stupid, he just wanted to keep them from abusing the commoners any further. He then expresses interest in the idea of helping the nobles if someone has been chewing on their tails.
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Post by Coaster on Jul 27, 2014 23:07:05 GMT -5
((Collab between Pixie and Coaster)) The previous night…Taking into consideration what Ambrose had said, but somewhat troubled by his reaction, Kaldora left the King’s Arms later that evening (with a quick stop to Jade Manor to ensure she wasn't looked for). The whole experience of the day, compounded with the illusion nearly fading as it already was, left Kaldora looking quite haggard; as she wandered into the streets, she realized that she might not be able to hold it overnight until tomorrow’s meeting. If this was going to come out into the open, it’d have to at least be done properly. Ilaria had left Aldrich’s a few hours after taking tea with him and Lucinda. She felt better about leaving to the markets knowing that others were taking care of him. The young tailor’s mind was elsewhere as she was selling her wares. The next day, she was going to meet her friend in the woods and learn something very secretive that couldn’t be said in public. Kaldora had ensured her that she hadn’t done anything wrong, but wild scenarios still came to her. She was jumping out of her skin anticipating the rendezvous as she made her way home. Fortunately, Kaldora and Ilaria sighted each other in the street; making her way over slowly to her friend, Kaldora broke the news. “Sorry about that. It turns out the girl in the square is safe after all, but… I don’t have much time to chat here, but would it be alright if you came to the Woods tonight instead?” Ilaria’s eyes lit up as it felt like a boulder was lifted off her shoulders. At this point, there was nothing her friend could gain by lying about it. She hadn’t cost the girl her life through inaction. “I’m so, so relieved she’s okay. Meeting now? It’s a plan! My shift’s over; I haven’t any other responsibilities tonight.” Despite knowing the girl was alive, there was still an air of tension between Kaldora and Ilaria as they redirected their path towards the Woods. Their thoughts were busy, and stray emotions from the argument still lingered in their hearts. They walked in silence as the sun set above them, with only the sounds of dusk filling the air. The two were not far into the woods before Ilaria grew conscious of the silence. She cared about Kaldora far too much to let a wall stand between them, even considering what had happened only earlier that day. It felt outright unnatural not to be chattering and laughing with her. She had to break the silence somehow. Many things to say came to mind, but similar thoughts kept on coming back to her. There was no denying that she really loved Kaldora. Meanwhile, Kaldora shuffled along, burdened by both the weight of her illusion and Ambrose’s surprising (and frankly, quite depressing) reaction during the day. Thankfully, despite the lingering tension, Ilaria seemed to have recovered from the scene earlier, but Kaldora would still have to gauge how much of herself to reveal, and-- “Kaldora?” Ilaria asked, her voice sounding sharper than she intended. The elf was snapped out of her reverie. “Sorry, I’m a bit distracted... What is it?” “While we are here, there is something I want to tell you. Actually…” Ilaria stepped much closer to Kaldora and rose up on her toes to order to meet her gaze. She abruptly set her crutch on against nearby tree, and rested her hands on the elf’s shoulder for balance. After a wide smile, she placed a gentle kiss on Kaldora’s cheek. To Kaldora, this was wholly unexpected and equally flustering, and she lost focus entirely. If this was what Ilaria was trying to tell her, well… Kaldora stiffened, and she was entirely sure her face was beet-red by this point. There was a heat forming in her chest, and her stomach felt like it was floating, and she knelt there, feeling totally exposed, tail twitching in anticipation… ... tail?... ...and her wings were poised, and... This can’t be good, she told herself, petrified as she saw the ripped fragments of her dress tangled around her forelegs. At least it could be worse. In a fortunate departure from the expected circumstances, she was still a dragon, not a frog, and she didn’t have to do that tongue thing--but apparently, there would be no time to gauge Ilaria’s reaction after all, as the tailor appeared to be equally dumbstruck. Flabbergasted, even. In light of what Kaldora wanted to say to begin with, this had the potential to make things incredibly awkward. “...surpriiiiise?” Kaldora growled in her raspy dragon voice, with a fearsome approximation of a toothy smile. Ilaria had lost her balance with Kaldora suddenly transformed, falling by her crutch at the base of the tree. She was incredibly confused. Although she normally went through life incredibly confused, this was a new level of incredibly confused . She kissed her best friend, and for reasons not known to her, the elf had turned into a dragon. Ilaria did not know much about dragons, other than stories which put them as villains. She knew her friend wasn’t a monster, though. Kaldora had not attempted to attack or eat her. Overwhelmed, she couldn’t put her thoughts into words. “What!...I...You... dragon… a dragon? huh?” Ilaria stammered, blushing incessantly. Kaldora turned to let out a throaty cough, then after a moment of thought, attempted to respond. “...yes,” she started, dragging out the consonants to buy some time. “...Formally, Kaldormi of the Kee... of the Bronze Dragonflight…” She tucked in her wings and tail and attempted to shrink herself as much as possible, seeing as she couldn’t grip her illusion magic. “...Don’t worry, I won’t try to eat you?” Ilaria wasn’t quite processing what her friend was saying, beyond the last part. The dragon didn’t sound like the Kaldora she knew, but she talked like her. It still felt odd to believe the girl she fell in love with was a dragon. “How are you also an elf? Why…? I always thought you were very beautiful, but...” “I could ask why you kissed me without warning,” Kaldora retorted, huffing, stretching her wings, and sending a gust towards Ilaria with them, grateful that dragons couldn’t blush. “I love you, Kaldora,” Ilaria confessed, as her own blush shown brilliantly under her pale skin, “It was so quiet, and I could not bear to lose you.” Kaldora trembled slightly, feeling some poorly-timed memories coming on, but suppressing them enough to notice the use of the present tense. “I… see…” She trailed off, returning to Ilaria’s question: “...as for the form you’re used to, it… She is a disguise I use, and hopefully the reasons are obvious.” She paused and looked away again. “...But maybe I should have toned it down a bit,” she added quietly. “Nah, that wouldn’t have helped,” Ilaria giggled, “It wasn’t just because you were pretty. You were very kind, and fun, and charming- you still are… even if you are a dragon. I hope.” Kaldora blinked and stood up on all fours again. “Maybe I should demonstrate the obvious, then.” She attempted to sit on two legs and balance in a somewhat ridiculous posture, but promptly wobbled and fell back down to four. “Biology happens to be a hindrance,” she added. “Not to friendship.” Ilaria remarked, resisting the urge to laugh at Kaldora’s adorable attempt to stand humanoid. Kaldora tilted her head and lay down again, gazing up at the waning sliver of moon that had begun to rise in the dark corner of an otherwise red sky. “All the same, maybe you should get going while you can still see your way back,” she warned. Ilaria realized that it was getting dark out when Kaldora brought it up. Likewise, she realized she didn’t want to leave her friend by herself while the fervent and ignorant slayer might try to harm her. Her own disappearance might be a tad suspicious, but it would be worth it to protect Kaldora. “I’d rather stay with you tonight. I want to protect you, from people who’d think you’d eat them. You don’t have to be here alone.” Ilaria affirmed. Kaldora scanned the perimeter and responded, “These Woods are fairly isolated, and I doubt anyone would attack a dragon at this hour, but… thanks.” This also brought the tattered dress back to her attention, and she added, “...Especially since it would be a bad idea to head into town with--with the current resources.” It then came to Ilaria’s attention that her friend was pretty much naked, and her dress was rent to tatters. It had been a nice dress, too. A lot of thread would be necessary to fix it, and she had left most of her sewing supplies at the guild base before encountering Kaldora. She did have a small sewing kit in her pouch, but it wasn’t likely to be enough. “When the sun comes up I’ll do my best to fix it,” Ilaria promised. She settled down into the grass by Kaldora. “Goodnight, Kaldora. I’m sorry for making you lose your form.” Meanwhile, a certain slayer watched the scene from the Woods’ outskirts. Without making a fuss, he headed back to town to stay the night; he would have to pick his sword up in the morning, and see about acquiring some dragonbane bolts... and a silver stake. In his wake, a few white, tear-stained flowers were left on the grass below... --- The next day...Kaldora roused herself around sunrise, still in one piece, but apparently lying next to an albino rock. The dragon felt much better from the rest, but she figured she should at least wait out the morning before attempting to disguise herself for another sustained period of time, especially with the coronation happening tomorrow. She lightly rolled Ilaria over with her snout, attempting to wake her. The girl awoke, disoriented, before the past evening’s events came rushing back to her. It felt almost like waking up from an unusual dream, but the fact a dragon was waking her up confirmed it had been all real. She yawned heavily and picked out twigs from her hair. “Morning, Kaldora.” “Good morning,” Kaldora replied, thankful that Ilaria didn’t forget about the night’s happenings and, apparently, wasn’t shocked at all to be woken up by a giant reptile. “Sorry for keeping you like this--is there anything you needed to attend to today?” “I have work. Might be difficult to explain an absence because of ‘protecting a dragon’, but I don’t want you to get hurt while I’m out.” Ilaria answered after some thought. Kaldora considered this a moment, then noticed Ilaria’s crutch lying not far off. “If that’s the best healing you could get, there might be an excuse we could use...” “Yes, go on? I’d rather not have to lie to my family, but…” “You won’t have to. Remember, my character’s a priestess, I… Just, hold still for a moment.” Kaldora took a claw and gingerly placed its point on the bandages on Ilaria’s injured leg. (This would have been a much less delicate procedure were she in disguise, but it would have to work anyways.) As she started, she spoke, “I can’t write a doctor’s note or anything, but you could say you were going out of town for a healer to fix your leg...” Before long, the healing magic began to flow, and as skin, blood, and muscle wove itself back together, a soft yellow glow emitted from the spot, ceasing as the wound was sealed. Of course, using magic now would mean a slightly longer wait until Kaldora could go back to town, but it was worth it. “...and you would still be telling the truth,” Kaldora finished, bringing back her claw. Having a claw on her leg made Ilaria feel a little nervous, but she was joyful when her leg began to heal. By the time Kaldora was through, it was like Ancel had never slashed her. Ilaria chirped “Thank you. It’s all healed now! I can stay to guard you, too.” “There’s no need,” replied Kaldora. “I’m going to be heading back to town later in the morning, and I’ll be safe for another few days.” “Suppose I’ll go back to town then. Stay safe!” Ilaria rose to her feet, pleased to be able to put weight on both her legs again. From her new perspective, in a somewhat faraway stretch of wood, Ilaria spotted blotches of white she was certain had not been there before. “Wait, what’s that white stuff over there? That wasn’t there before,” Ilaria gestured towards where Ancel had left the roses. Kaldora took a closer look in that direction and sniffed. “Flowers. And you’re right, they weren’t--and they didn’t grow here, either.” She recalled a similar sight in the alley the other day, and reports of similar occurrences around town--bodies of outlaws popping up with a white flower in the wound. “Still, whoever left it left us alone, at least,” she mused. “Unless it was just an accident, they know I’m here. That alone doesn’t help them, anyways, since I’ll… well, I’ll look like Kaldora again, and nobody will believe the story of a disappearing dragon in the woods. Or if they do, I suppose I’ll go down in local folklore,” Kaldora explained with a chuckle. “That’s still pretty odd, though. These woods are out of the way. If it was on purpose, I can’t understand why.” Kaldora sat in silence, unsure of what was developing. It was definitely a calling card, according to the rumours, and not one used by anyone she had met… but there were no stories of anyone getting away. “...They might be after you,” Kaldora suggested after some thought, “and thought better of potentially waking up a dragon? I’ve seen this flower around town before, but always on top of a dead outlaw.” “I’m an outlaw?” Ilaria replied incredulously, “Someone else wants me dead? Kaldora, maybe you were the one protecting me.” “Or maybe it’s a gift from one hero of town to another. In any case, I think we can both only think of one person who’d attack in broad daylight, and he’s not that classy.” “You’re right. I really don’t have a clue, but all I can do is stay vigilant. My leg’s fixed and I got my sword.” Ilaria’s frown turned to a weak smile as she patted the hilt of her blade. She withdrew her sewing kit from her pouch, and turned to Kaldora. “I guess I better leave, but I’ll leave this on that log for when you need to fix your dress. I can always make another.” Kaldora stretched in a rather catlike manner. “And I’ll be here until the afternoon resting. I’ll see if I can find you after that, but... stay safe.” “You too. I couldn’t stand you getting hurt. Goodbye for now!” Ilaria left Kaldora with a wave of her hand, nearly forgetting the crutch behind. Her head swam with the past evening’s events and the mysterious finding from when she awoke. Ilaria wandered back into town with a single, curious, rose tucked into her bag. Ilaria and Kaldora are released from their respective appointments and bump into each other during the evening. News about Elin’s fate is shared and the two head to the Woods early to talk about stuff. Ilaria wants to tell Kaldora about her feelings, but kisses her on the cheek instead. This causes already flustered and tired and now shocked Kaldora to entirely lose focus on maintaining her disguise, so she reverts to dragon form, which in turn causes Ilaria incredible confusion. They clear things up with each other as questions get answered, though. Ilaria wants to protect Kaldora while she recuperates overnight, so they sleep in the Woods. (Without going to bed in Jade Manor at all, for that matter. I reject your night action and substitute my own! 8D) Unfortunately for them, Ancel was still creepy-stalking and saw the whole thing. He seems to be back to wanting to kill them, now. In the morning, Ilaria needs to leave for guild business, but needs an excuse for where she was, so Kaldora uses up a little healing magic to heal her leg. Then, they notice some of the flowers that Ancel left behind in his teary departure; Kaldora recognizes it as that one assassin’s handiwork ( Draco), but neither of them has any clue why the assassin would be after either of them.
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