Knight's Intro Role-play

[KitClairvoyance]

The courtyard greeted Kit with a fresh breath of wind and a gentle splashing of sunlight. A welcome relief from the near-stuffy air of the castle. Already the small crowd had grown to a pretty sizeable congregation, too many people in too little a space for Kit. Maya had disappeared again, she had an annoying habit of coming and going without a word. Still, he was thankful for a little peace.

A sense of serenity hung around the courtyard gardens, the only movement was that of the leaves and branches of the trees swaying in the wind. His eyes closed for a moment, taking in the sounds and scents of the courtyard in midday. Nature had a way of calming one, both spiritually and mentally.

Rustle.

Kit's eyes snapped open and shifted to the direction where the sound came from. Two figures slowly came into sight, the first was Tamia the orange knight, and the second was the cat that followed her around, whose name Kit couldn't recall at the moment.

Rustle.

The sound came again, but from a different direction. Kit turned aside to look for the source of the rustling; his eyes coming to rest upon a small shrub in the shadows. The afternoon sun made him squint to get a better view of the shrub and its surroundings, but he turned up nothing. Probably a little rodent, or Maya. Still, he couldn't ignore an the unease that began to form.

"You're getting paranoid, Kit dear." Maya's voice came again. Kit swore under his breath; what happened to loyal, obedient familiars? He turned back to the direction where Tamia was coming from and faced the orange knight who was approaching, ignoring Maya for the moment.

"Greetings, Lady Tamia. Headed for the ceremony I presume." Kit said, trying to keep the annoyance with himself and Maya out of his voice.

[Shadaras]

Who's that in the courtyard? Shade looked closer and grinned. Okay, I've got to sneak up on him. Shade climbed up the walls until she was above Kit, before silently dropping down behind him and saying "Heya, Kit."

[Deleted]

((Sorry wolf, lots of chores to do, not much time to write))

Fenrix opened her eyes from her meditation. Ready to make the shot with deadly accuracy. She had never been very good at moving targets that weren't people. People, moving or not, were easier targets than bales of hay and bags of dirt. Raising her bow again she sighted the movements, waiting for the last possible second.

And Fired in rapid succession, one after the next. Each shot hit its mark dead center. She smiled and raised her head towards Wolf. "Nice try my friend. Shall we have a go?" Cross Fire interrupted her words with a quick sqwuack. {There is not time. The ceremony will be starting soon. And it won't help matters if you are late.} Fenrix sighed and nodded, retrieving her arrows. "Cross Fire suggests we make our way towards the Ceremony hall...what say you?"

[zarikrahia]

After a few minutes of rest, Zari stood up. 'Better get down to the ceremony, Alshevea Zari.'
'Zaha, I told you never to use that name again!'
'Alright...but only if I can come with you.' said the cat, pawing at the hem of her dress. 'If you're not allowed in, it's not my fault.' Zari picked up the feline. and made her way down to where the ceremony would be held.

[Tam]

Tamia stopped before the Grey Knight and curtsied as best she could given her short tunic. She smiled, feeling a little better in the fresh air of the courtyard. "Likewise, m'lord." Her smile wavered as she glanced towards the bustling crowd gathering nearby, waiting eagerly for the proceedings to begin. "Yes, I suppose it's almost time for us all to head that way."

Trying to shift away from her own misplaced thoughts about the upcoming ceremony, she turned back to Kit and was surprised to see a brief flicker of annoyance on his features as his gaze flashed to the shrubs growing beside the courtyard wall. For a moment she could only stared up at him, baffled by the unprovoked change. Fortunately for her, Oran meowed loudly from where he sat in the grass, tearing the knight's eyes away from Kit.

I don't like this one, the cat sniffed.

Sensing that the Grey Knight was already distracted, Tamia turned and stooped to pick up the dark-furred cat. "Kit? Why not?" she whispered, barely loud enough for her words to be audible.

Not him. Oran ignored her and stared at an apparently unremarkable patch of ground just behind the other knight.
Curious as to who the cat was talking about, she let him climb onto her shoulder and opened her mouth to inquire. Before she could say anything, however, something very large landed not two feet away from her, with a cheerful "Heya, Kit."

Surprised, she jumped, and stumbled in the direction of the brick courtyard wall, before finally realizing what had just dropped from the sky.

[Dice]

Pyro, after restoring the tapestry to its proper place, quickly walked to the training grounds. She tossed her still smoke-smelling cloak onto the ground and brandished her sword. She went into a series of routines, mostly crescent-moon swings combined with snakelike slashes of her sword. At the same time, the Black Knight attempted to keep a firm grip on the sword with her will as well, willing it not to burst into flames.

After a short workout, Pyro tossed her cloak over her shoulder and returned to the castle. The ceremony was about to begin, and it wouldn't do to be late. Or to smell of smoke. Entering her quarters, she switched her black cloak out for a more presentable looking one, and hesitated, her hands on the sword hanging from her belt. Her flame blade, while hard to control at times, was a very useful weapon in combat and she hated to be without it. However, in a situation like the ceremony, where her fellow knights would be around her and if the sword acted up it could harm her friends...

She decided to compromise. She buckled the sword back onto her belt, but also sheathed a large dagger into place. She would use the flame blade if worst came to worst, and the dagger if otherwise.

"I think I'll enjoy this ceremony," she said, sitting down and tilting her chair back on two legs with a smile. They were set back with a bang as she remembered since this was a ceremony, she had to *dress* ceremonially, and with much muttering, she pulled on a long black, silvery-embroidered skirt and silken shirt. Over her black pants, of course--nobody could fight in a skirt.

[Deleted]

((Don't worry about, Fenrix. I just hope you don't mind my splitting us up now...))

Lord Wolf smiled and nodded. "That proved quite a jest," he said happily as he returned his bow to where Fenrix had gotten it from and took hers as well. "You were performed quite amazingly."

As he turned back to the Amber Knight, he gave her no time to respond, "But, yes, milady, we should be heading towards the ceremony now that we have finished. And I do hope you are not offended by my haste, but I truly must be going now; I have quite a few things that I must get done before the ceremony begins."

And although Wolf figured that in time to come he would regret his rudeness towards Lady Fenrix, he nodded, shook her hand quickly, turned on his heel, and ran off. He had duty to fulfill, and his duty would have to come first with such little time remaining.

On his way to the castle, he waved to his fellow knights Shade, Tamia, and Kit--the three seemed to have been startled a bit by something, though it all looked under control so Wolf worried not for them--and quickly ran back into the castle.

Inside the cool confines that he had come to identify as his home, he found the stairs and furiously began ascending them. He had so much that he wished to get done before the ceremony. Come that time, he would have to be ready, and ready he would be.

But ready for what was a question even he knew not the answer to.

Throwing open the wooden door into his quarters but moments later and quickly slamming it shut behind him, he instantly pulled off his armor and set it aside. He plucked the damp fabric of his tunic from his skin, scowling at how uncomfortable it had been outside in the heavy armor that he was not used to wearing, and he began to undress, hoping that his usual armor would be returned before the ceremony, much sooner rather than any bit later.

And just as he had the thought, there came a knock upon his door.

Wolf stepped towards the door, but blushed in his haste and stopped instead. He grabbed his pants from the floor and quickly slid back into them before he fully stepped before the door. Then, he cracked it open hardly a bit and said, "Yes?"

"Your armor, m'lord," a servant girl answered, carrying a parcel.

"Ah, thank you," he exclaimed, fully opening the door and reaching out for his armor. He quickly dropped his one hand to his waist, however, as without his belt, his trousers had begun to slip. Once more, Wolf said, "thank you," and then the girl left him be. Gracious for the solitude, he closed the door and turned around, nearly tripping himself as his pants collected themselves in a heap around his ankles.

Nevertheless, he took from the incident a bout of laughter before he led himself into his bathing chamber.

((If anyone, anyone comes into my story and walks in on me bathing, they will be killed!

Y'see, my character's preparing for the ceremony, like Shino said to do, and he admires cleanliness...))

[Kat]

Nodding to Pyro, who left the workshop to put back the tapestry, Kat sighed, flopping into the bench and burying her face in her hands. "I'm just...nervous about the Ceremony," she said softly, almost more to herself than to Shino. "It's not always a pleasant thing to be able to see things like impending evil. In fact, sometimes it makes many mages paranoid, paranoid to the point that they end up killing themselves in their bid to save their lives."

She reached up and tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear, feeling the gold star earring brush against her hand. "I'll go find Sir Kit." The knight-mage stood up, and beckoned to Shino. "As much as it's usually a nice place to think and discuss magic matters in, I'll be locking up my quarters."

[zhunter]

Shino bowed to the Lady Kalianne and spoke once again. "I will take my leave then, m'lady." He passed out through her door and went down the corridor to his quarters and shut the door. He saw the usual sight of his room which was a plain sheets bed, a table where his defense plans were spread out on it, and his sword mounted on the wall. His polished, white armor was laying neatly on his bed and his bathroom door open. He went to the bed and ran his hand over the armor looking at his reflection in it.

He lost himself in so many matters of darkness rising up at the present, in his mind, that he started fall forward. He caught himself before he fell on his armor and grabbed his head. He wasn't trained in advanced magic at all and knew only the basics of fire, his only element training, but he suddenly sensed a brief power rising in the castle. He staggered back and forth and walked dizzily across the room to the bathroom door and propped himself on it.

He retrieved his senses back and drew a bath for himself. He didn't like having servants or slaves of his own and refused and offer of that kind of "pleasure". He disliked the idea of telling people to run around do what you ask. The water filled the tub up and he took off his chain mail shirt, white trousers, and other clothes and sank into the huge basin.

[zarikrahia]

Lady Zari stopped and picked up a scroll 'Oh, the ceremony is in the evening? All the better, I will be stronger.' She smiled, brushing her black skirt, and then her sleeves, checking for spells woven into the fabric. The only one she could detect was the protection spell, almost as good as armour and not as heavy. 'Ah well. Better get down there and offer your services.'
'Zahaere Laxona Emaya, Be quiet NOW! There's nothing I haven't already done. I've put five protection spells on every entrance'
'Good thinking.'
'Be quiet, I'm concentrating.'

[KitClairvoyance]

"Hm? I just ca-" Kit was cut off by a soft rustle of a landing which was followed by a voice coming in greeting. At that very moment he felt Maya disappear again. For once he wished that she would just stay where she was, it was starting to get annoying. I wonder if I can trade in my familiar..He turned to see Shade and nodded in greeting, slightly surprised by her sudden landing. Still, it wasn't the first time he had something sneak up on him, after a while one gets used to sudden appearances and disappearances. Right Maya?

"A good day to you too Lady Shade, off guard duty already?" Kit asked the bronze knight.

"The cat doesn't seem to like me.." Kit closed his eyes momentarily, trying to suppress his irritation at his familiar. Will you just stay in one place? Still his gaze flickered for a moment to the cat on Tamia's shoulder. He seemed ... intelligent ... in a way.

Kit shook his head. Maybe he was really getting paranoid.

[Kat]

After locking her doors behind her and tucking her key into a secret pocket, Kat headed off to the training grounds, which wasn't too far off from the field she had been wandering in earlier before Shino found her. Her purple boots made hasty clapping noises as she hurried.

"Sir Kit?" she called, bursting out the gate and into the open grassy field. "Sir Kit?"

She found him, and ran towards him, not caring how much dirt and grass she was kicking up into the skirt of her robe.

[Shadaras]

"Yeah. I got off early 'cause of the ceremony. Hi, Tamia." The half-demon leaned against the wall behind her and looked around. Seeing the purple knight coming towards them, she blended in to the shadows near he wall, intending to surprise Kat.

[Deleted]

Fenrix watched Wolf leave with a placid look in her eyes. Turning she grabbed her bow and quiver from the stand, she didn't feel comfortable without it. Cross Fire landed on her shoulder and nipped her ear. {We should get ready as well....with all haste. I feel quite strange.} Fenrix nodded midly, still not listening. She slipped back into the castle through the hidden door she found and made her way towards her room.

Opening the oak door, the smell of jasmine and honey washed over her. She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the smell. Cross Fire flew over to the bed in the corner, and curled up on the pillow. Fenrix flicked her gaze around the bright room. Her bed was covered in dark purple sheets, and her family's crest hung on tapestry's all around the walls. Paintings and supplies were scattered around the room.

Shaking herself from her trance, she drew the water for her bath, she had given her servants the day off. Slipping into the hot water she sighed with pleasure. After washing her hair with jasmine and lilac, she stepped out of the water and raised her hand towards the window and commanded a small gust of wind to dry her hair. her magic was small, considering that she wasn't a mage, wizard, or anything magical. {You're cheating you know, you aren't supposed to use your magic that way.} Cross Fire snapped. She grinned and waved at him. "Oh hush. I don't have time to let it dry on its own. The ceremony will start soon."

The amber knight layed out her clothing, a long velvet dress made of amber, the neckline was embroidered in gold, the sleeves were long, also embroidered in gold. She sighed and wondered if she could get away with no shoes, but thought better of it and put on a pair of soft brown boots. Slipping into her clothing she hesitated and let her hand hover over her knife. "Leave it. You won't need it. Lord Shino made sure that there would be double guards." She murmured to herself.
Strapping on her ceremonial sword, beautifully forged, she turned to the mirror. "Now I feel ready." Whistling softly she called to Cross Fire. "Come."

[Deleted]

Wolf stepped out of his bath and took a thick, cotton towel from where it hung on a wooden rod beside the tub and began patting himself dry with it. The delicate, chamomile-and-mint soap that he used had left his skin soft and strong, fortified by the very sun that grew those plants so well. The fragrance was also welcome from the musky scent of sweat smelled upon the battlefield. He never liked the battlefield, and hoped he would never be forced into battling anywhere near one, or even battling at all.

But if duty demanded it, he knew, he would rise to meet it head on.

Wolf wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped before his mirror and hand-washing basin. From its edge, he lifted his razor. He tilted the blade, staring at the emerald glint upon it rather than at his unconcealed hand and its pentagram scar, and then raised it to his face. The metal was cold, yet refreshing, as he slid it across his skin. It had been enchanted to never cut his flesh.

In the mirror, stepping up behind his left, the head of a storm-grey wolf appeared. It stared at him for a moment, looking deeply into his eyes, before Wolf nodded in acknowledgment of the spirit's presence.

"Welcome," the human said.

"It is good to know," the wolf responded, nodding, "that I am still welcome here. When you left the forest, I had the fear that I might never be welcome again."

"And yet," Wolf answered, holding the razor from his face for a moment, "you always return, and I always assure you that you will always be welcome."

"So it is," the wolf agreed.

"Why have you come now?" Wolf asked, uncertain if it were anger or haste in his voice.

"We," a second wolf said as he entered the mirror at Wolf's right side, "have come to assure you that your duties have been... taken care of." This second wolf was a mottled grey rivaling the first, though his markings were predictably dissimilar.

Wolf smiled, sighing away his apprehension, in appreciation for his faithful, if rather largely distant, guides from the wild. "Thank you," he said with utmost compassion.

The first wolf said, "It is always a pleasure to assist you, Erros."

The Green Knight's face fell short and paled colorless. "I do not go by that name any longer," he said.

"So it may be so, prince Erros Wolf," the same guide retaliated kindly, "but to us, you shall always be Erros. It is, in truth, who and what you are."

Wolf's jaw tightened. "However true that that may be, for a prince I was surely not treated as one in your kingdom."

"In our kingdom," the second wolf stated, "it was yours as well."

The first wolf nodded in agreement. "Yes, Erros, you were the Wolf Lord long before the title was bestowed upon you here."

Wolf's nostrils flared as he breathed in heavily, his jaw as if set in stone.

There was a knocking sound from the main room, someone at the door presumably.

"I must go now," the man said to his guides.

"So it is," the first wolf said and pulled away.

The second wolf nodded in agreement with the first and said, before pulling away himself, "We shall speak again soon, I hope."

Wolf turned away from his now-empty mirror and stepped into his main chamber. As he walked towards the door, he grabbed from amid his clothing his single, fingerless green-leather glove and slid it over his right hand before he reached out and opened the door.

No one was there any longer, but a scroll had been tacked to the door.