Long Live the Living II [Not started; accepting, 16+]

[Disclaimer: This Storybook is the sequel to Long Live the Living (Closed | Started). Although it wasn't finished on-site, it was more than enough plotted through, all the way to the end, and its events are now the history of the world and the characters. Not much of that is included in this post, but don't let that stop you from joining even if you had nothing to do with the original - we'll fill you in in no time!]





The Neverending War had been seizing the Five Kingdoms for 72 years and two seasons after - for almost a century, Kings and Queens had been falling and rising, battles had been fought and lost, heirs born and traitors raised.
But then the war ended.
A new dawn had risen, deals had been made and peace was declared. For fifteen years, the world was shaped by agreements and marriages instead of blood and steel, and the kingdoms had lived in peace.

Then as if built of cards, the world began to collapse, the pillars of what once were strong kingdoms shattering down, crowns falling into hands of enemies and truths well-hidden making their way into the light. Old kings fell, new kings rose.

Families were torn apart. Vengeances were sought. For a hundred years, after the death of King Megarus of Barqarnon and his son Daerys' rise to the throne, the world was a silence before the storm. The royal families mourned and thrived and rebuilt their kingdoms, generations changed and deals of immortality and power were made, new inventions slowly appeared and the people learned to live on and forget.

Until now.

Once a myth, in the last century simply the mysterious place where some criminals were sent never to return, and now the biggest threat on the horizon, the Prison is expanding. Its Mists cover the land slowly but unpredictably, shutting down all the magic they encounter and leaving all life hidden from the eyes of anyone who observes from the outside.
Some go in there and return. Others go in to never be seen again.

With the Mists and the fear they bring, there are those just waiting for their moment to act, as well those who have no choice. Once again, after a century of fragile peace that held the Six Kingdoms from destroying each other, times are changing once again - and as summer is approaching, the rumours of new wars are as easily spread as wildfire.

~ The Kingdoms
(in short, but it's still quite a long read)

Spoiler

Barqarnon - Ruled by Daerys Angroth, the equally infamous son of infamous Witch King Megarus Angroth, Barqarnon is set high in cold, dark, snowy mountains and hills of the west. While his enemies see Daerys as the villain of the world, his subjects see him as the king infinitely better than his father. Under its new ruler, the kingdom is rich and powerful, its people remain loyal and content, and his army is fierce and driven, willing to do whatever he pleases. Though food and supplies are shipped into Barqarnon, there are local sources of food, such as livestock (lamb), goat milk, berries, rum/ale/wine. Local sources of wealth are coal, oil, mineral, and jewel mines in the mountains. Nowadays, after the reign of Megarus's frenzied hunts is no more, dragons find home in hills around the castle, and people of Barqarnon are rather accustomed to having them around. Unlike Merillial, Barqarnon doesn't have and isn't intending on having an academy for magic - many people practice it in different forms, and many races coexist, but it is learned in the same way as other crafts; from more experienced practicioners.
Barqarnon's coat of arms is gray and midnight blue, featuring a sword thrust into a heart.
Ask Aria for details.

Merillial - In Merillial, magic is the norm. From a very young age, children of all races are sent to the Royal School of Magic to learn how to use their powers, spells and magical objects. Merillial's army has units that are formed according to the person's type of magic, and not their race. It also has a special unit of the best students from the School called the Crimson Guard. Ruled over by the Meliors - the very same family that has held the crown for centuries - this kingdom's values remain strong and unchanged; beings of all races and backgrounds are welcomed into the kingdom, and the population generally loves the royal family.
Its flag has a red background and black star, and its coat of arms features a black hawk on a crimson background.
Ask @Auxiira for details.

Eajra - Once known for its strict laws prohibiting magic in any part of the country, Eajra is nowadays more open to it, after King Marius Angroth brought an Edict to weave it back into the lives of its people. His reign wasn't long - he stepped aside to let the queen's son and heir take over - but it set the grounds for the country Eajra is now striving to be. It is a small, but wealthy kingdom, covered by golden fields that produces food for not only the citizens, but enough to supply the neighboring kingdoms. The majority of the citizens are still peasants, and it is a peace loving kingdom. The happiness and prosperity of the citizens are valued above everything else. The laws are strict, and always upheld. There are of course fair trials, but if you are convicted the punishments are severe.
Their coat of arms looks like two big, golden, pompous lions, one holding a sword and the other holding a wheat. The lions are dressed in fancy green robes. The background is red. Their flag has a red background as well. On it is a green cross with golden edges.
Ask @Alvarin for details.

Talantera - This kingdom is based on the coast. The capital city is built around a large river mouth that leads out to the sea. The realm itself specializes in its naval armies and ship trading of goods such as seal skins, whale fat, fish, seaweed and other alchemical ingredients. The soil in the area is quite gravelly and is not fit for cultivating crops so the peoples diets consist predominently of seafood and native plants to the area. Both large trees and dangerous and thorny plants are commonly found on the hillsides. The people of Talantera are in general very clean and hygenic as the city is home to many apothecaries and health specialists whom are drawn in by the strange plants. Even though worldviews and the population have somewhat changed, magic that does not involve herbs is stull traditionally frowned upon and anyone found using it, although wouldn't be arrested, could be asked to leave the kingdom. The kingdom is ruled by the emperor and empress from the palace, which is made of glass and marble. Knowledge is power in Talantera and one of the very few welcome uses of magic is in the aid of science. Talantera technologically the most advanced of the kingdoms, prefering to invest in new ideas rather than treasure and reputations.
Its colours are aquamarine, pearl and silver, and its coat of arms is a finned sea-serpent coiled in a straight line up the middle with an engraving of the marble city across the ocean in the background.
For more info, ask @Blackwood.

Lethe - As the homeland of those who built the Prison, and the kingdom which Prison once shared space with, Lethe used to be a calm, neutral island-kingdom in the east. Its royals were traditionally tied to the Wardens of the Prison, and some of the best scholars used to live on the island. Now, the Prison's Mist surround it completely, keeping it hidden from the world's eyes, and those who ventured closer were never heard of again. Its fate remains unknown to everyone but the Prison itself. Has it been taken over by the Prison? Destroyed? Or is it triving far from eveyone's eyes? Perhaps the world will never know.

The Prison - Surrounded not by walls, but mist that can never be cleared nor affected by any light, and if someone manages to get to it at all, he will get disoriented and find himself back inside no matter which way he goes. On the inside, however, even for them it looks like a normal country, with its towns and whatnot. The people (and other creatures), though prisoners, there live, even have families and everything mentioned above, but they can't leave unless they're let go for some reason, and their strength (mostly magical, since no ordinary humans go there unless they did something REALLY bad) is drained to keep the "mechanisms" behind the Prison in order. Originally it was designed to be a nice place - a place to where the criminals would go to change, to work and eventually return home. As the time passed, however, more and more people needed to stay there and never leave, and so the Prison grew. Eventually, more people were born in it than imprisoned, and as its Warden - the person who was once able to speak to it and keep it under control - worked on finding a way to leave its premises, the Prison was learning how to be its own master. Now, the Prison is controlled by no one but itself, and it's spreading around the world with its Mists as only warning. During the last century, however, this spread has been slow and most of the kingdoms had been allowing themselves to not see it as the biggest threat - now, all of that is about to change.

For info about both Lethe and the Prison, poke Aria as well.

The Plains - Perhaps the most unchanged of all the countries, the Plains is a vast and barren landscape, where the ground is frozen more often than not. To survive on the tundra is difficult, but there are a few nomad tribes that have managed to make it their home. They survive by breeding herds of reindeer, which provide them with both furs, horns, milk, meat and everything else they need. To be able to keep their herds together they tame giant snow tigers that they use as means for transportation, and some of the nomads sleep next to their snow tiger, to help them keep warm at night. They live in tent-like huts, which are easy to transport just like everything else they own.
The different tribes all have different symbols and colours, as they all have their own leaders. The role of the leader is inherited from father to son or from mother to daughter, depending on the tribe. Each tribe also has a shaman, who acts as a negotiator between people and the many gods, as well as the doctor. The only times the tribes get together is during arranged marriages between two tribes, as well as the annual slaughter.
Ask Alvarin for more info!

Scarthia - Once the country of arts and imagination, it was destroyed in the Neverending war and then rebuilt years later by queen Aqui Van Aldarean, who then died at the end of the last century. Now, still, Scarthia is ruled by Brekyr Elgan, once War Chief of Merillial who fell in love with the young queen and inherited her crown upon her death, and under his leadership it's slowly but surely back in its former glory. It's famous for its mysteries, its nine Temples and the Palace, and armies of magical beings who only answer to the rulers they see as rightful. Aqui's only child, half-incubus prince Joaquin Van Aldarean, lives in Barqarnon on King Daerys's court, and currently wants nothing to do with his title or country or the humans living in it.
Also ask Aria for details about the creatures, inheritance and history, as well as @ShadowVyper about its current politics and setting.

~ Character Template

CodeSelect all

[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Role:[b]
[b]Kingdom:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]History:[/b]
[b]Race:[/b]
[b]Abilities:[/b]
[b]Connections to other characters:[/b]
[b]Other:[/b]

For all things other than actual in-character posts, refer to the DT. If you have any questions, ask there. Complaints, comments and so on, same thing. If you understand everything and just want to submit a character, go ahead, but I'd suggest to let me know in the DT anyway so I can actually see it right away.

The Prison | Earlier
*

Vysperian lay there on the bed in his beloved palace, the same one he had shared with the prisoner who once was his wife, his skin pale and his heartbeats barely present, yet in sync with my own. He wasn't dead, although a mortal might think it if one was to venture into this room; if one had to give it a name, the closest would be to say he was asleep. Yet sleep is, from what I've learned during my centuries, a state one wakes up from eventually.
My Warden wasn't going to wake up.
My Warden was now but another prisoner, tangled in the strings he was once so proud of holding.
My Warden was no longer in control - I was.

Small sparks of my magic spread over his skin, over all the too familiar marks and spots, as a part of me was taking his appearance. I didn't need a human form to communicate with whomever I wanted to reach within or outside of my borders - the foolish beings who had made me all those centuries ago made me that way - but it was something I could do, and I had found my subjects to be calmer when I'd visit them personally. And I was in need of them being calm when hearing about their missions.

I made my way out of the palace and down the familiar road, letting the palace disappear without a trace behind me, and found the boy I wanted to speak to without even trying.
"Fabian Quartz," I called. I could see my voice coming from my lips, my face moving and my eyes meeting his. I could feel the breeze on my face, and at the same time I knew that I was the breeze. I was the Prison, and I was the Warden. I was everything.
But something was stopping me, during the past couple of decades, from spreading my Mists freely and at the pace I was fond of - and because of that, I hoped I could use this kid.

He looked up at me. I could see it in his eyes without even reaching into his mind, that the first words rushing through his mind considered Vysperian's appearance rather than my own.
"I suggest you not to speak," I said as his lips parted. "I have a proposition which I'm sure you'd like, but I'll change my mind at first sign of disrespect."
He nodded. "A proposition?"
It wasn't hard to tell how he felt - everyone felt the same when I'd come to them, regardless of how brave or strong they otherwise appeared to be - so I turned my face into a smile.
"There is something stopping me from reaching certain parts of the world," I said, keeping my voice calm and speaking as if it was just a minor issue. "Now, I can't manifest outside of my borders, and my hunters have more pressing matters to deal with. If I had someone willing to investigate and remove the issue for my sake, out there, I would be very grateful to that person."
I suppressed another smile as he opened his mouth to reply. I didn't need to hear his answer - I had known it since before I even came to him.
*

Spoiler

Strong language.

Brekyr Elgan
King of Scarthia| Castle | Day Negative Seven (stop judging, I need backstory)

I knew it made my attendants nervous when I stalked along on top of the wall that lined the roof of my palace. That's why I did it. I carefully pretended not to notice them as I allowed my body to sway back and forth and watched their horrified reactions. I'd learned to take pleasures where I could get them, ever since I'd been forced into a more docile position as king.

I glanced down at the courtyard far below, and narrowed my eyes as I saw a group of people approaching the doorway of my castle. I couldn't tell much about them from so high up, but I was pretty sure I saw a lot of dresses. That's strange...

I stepped down off the wall, deciding I'd go investigate before they sent more messengers to come bother me. I could practically feel my attendants let out a collective sigh. I walked past them without a word, and moved towards my throne room.

"Sire."

I turned toward the guard just before I reached the room and lifted an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Visitors from Merillial request an audience with your Highness."

"Merillial?" I frowned a moment, trying to think of who they might be. I'd regained the friendship of the crown of Merillial, since it passed out of the hands of that fool Creyo, but our alliance was something far from friendly visits. "Are they sent by anyone?"

"They don't claim to be, sir."

"Alright... thank you," I nodded. "Show them in."

"Yes, sir."

I strode into the room adjacent to my throne room and stripped off my comfortable tunic, replacing it with one of the heavily embroidered ones. I shrugged it into place, adjusting my collar and jerking a comb through my hair as I strode toward the door to my throne room. I hesitated just before I opened the door, glaring at the crown sitting on a stand. I really didn't like wearing it. The guard said they're not official... I'm not wearing it.

I walked into the throne room and sat down, then nodded at the guards to let the Merillians in. A single girl walked in. I looked at her suspiciously as she resentfully approached my throne, then stopped but didn't kneel. I considered her for a long moment. She vaguely looked like a woman I was pretty sure I'd slept with at some point-- but not recently enough for her to still be this young. A sister? "Can I help you?"

"I doubt it," she said, crossing her arms with a teenage petulance that nearly made me roll my eyes. "But I was told I should come here."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Go on."

"My mother doesn't like my choice of... career..." she said, gesturing at the skimpy clothing she wore. My eyes flicked down to her chest, then to her partially bare abdomen. She dressed in a way that made my mind wander. "She thinks that it will be good for me to live with you for a while."

"Oh yeah?" I asked with a smirk as I stood up and approched her, my eyes travelling back to her face. She had to be at least eighteen or nineteen. Plenty old enough to consent. It wasn't like there were many women my age that were still living. I'd have to go for someone at least seventy-five years younger than me regardless. I didn't see the harm in going for the girls still in their prime. "And why should I let you? Do you work for your keep?"

I reached out and stroked her cheek gently. She smirked in a way that I'd seen few people other than myself smirk. She let me put my arm around her shoulders. "I'd love to, if you're not as strict as Mum was."

I chuckled. "Well, I don't know who your mum is..." I guided her into the hallway, then walked to the first vacant room. A room nearby on the right. I had time. "But I'm interested in seeing just what this career of yours is."

"Oh, gods," she muttered, pushing against my shoulders as I dumped her on her back on the bed. "Mum said you would do this."

"Oh yeah?" I murmured, unfastening the buttons around my collar.

"Yeah. You old pervert." She said, her attitude coming back as she glared at me. "Dad."

I stopped, meeting her glare with a hard look. I wasn't used to women sassing me like she did. "What?"

"You heard me, Daddy-o," she answered snarkily. "Mum sent me to you. Apparently it's your turn to deal with me."

"No." I said, shaking my head as I realized what she meant. An irrational fear gripped me inside like I hadn't felt in a very long time. "I don't have a kid."

"She said you'd say that, too." The girl held up a folded piece of paper between her fingers.

I snatched it from her and straightened myself, sitting on the bed beside her as she sat up. I quickly scanned over the shakily penned note, explaining the place and date that this girl had apparently been conceived. I couldn't remember that far back.

I looked at the girl again, narrowing my eyes at her critically. She had my brown eyes and my brown hair, though both were darker shades of brown than mine were. She definitely had my smirk and my glare. She had an attitude that mine probably would be like if I had teenage girl hormones surging through my veins.

"Look into my eyes," I said suddenly, grabbing her hands and pulling her around to face me. I looked into her eyes before she could yank away, then scanned through her memories. Her mother had come with her. She left as the girl was waiting to come in to see me. I focused on her face, concentrating on the long brown hair and emerald eyes, the fair skin, the small mouth and nose.

Merillian... I bit my lip. I remembered the woman. She was much older than I'd left her, much more wrinkled and tired-looking, but I'd slept with her, I was almost certain. "You're staying with your father and that's it. He can deal with your little rebellious stage. You can come back whenever you learn how to control yourself."

"I can control myself," the girl retorted to her mother. "You're just annoyed because you can't control me."

The woman teared up a bit, then shook her head. "Well I'm sure he can. Bye, baby girl." She wrapped the girl in a hug that she didn't reciprocate. "I love you."

"You're such a creep," the girl recoiled as I let my powers slip off of her mind. I rubbed my forehead, ignoring her comments, trying to think through this.

"What's your name?"

"Jadyn..." she looked at me again. "Jadyn Elgan."

I drummed my fingertips on the bed beside me, trying to process everything. I've got a daughter... f*ck... now what am I supposed to do? An heir? An illegitimate heir at that? I know nothing about this girl... I need to check her background out more... I need... time... think, Brek... it's just a little girl... not a little girl.. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Seventeen," she sighed. "What is this? A trivia game?"

"Yep. That's right. Gathering information on a nonessential."

She glared at me. I smirked. If I was going to have to fix whatever it was that this girl's mother couldn't handle I was at least going to have fun with it. I patted her cheek patronizingly, just because I figured it would make her sulk, and stood up. "Don't go away, sweetheart. I'll be back once I've thought some more."

"Oh, you're going to think? Trying something new?"

"Hey, why not?" I answered, making sure the sarcasm in my voice equalled hers as I glanced at her over my shoulder. "If I'm going to do this whole 'Dad' thing, I may as well branch out in other areas, don't you think?"

I shut the door on whatever answer she might have, and called one of the Spirit-Guards that Aqui was always so fond of. I kept them around after she died, partly as a tribute to her memory, partly because they were handy. "Don't let her leave. I'll come back or call for her later."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you," I murmured absently as I walked down the hall and back to the roof. I was going to need to do some serious thinking, and research, on this girl.



Day Negative Four

It'd been a few days since Jadyn showed up. I'd sent people to research her. Check out the story. Tell me about her mother. Her childhood friends. Her former living situation. To investigate why it was that her mother so desperately wanted this girl to live with me now. Why I'd never heard anything about her before she showed up in my country.

In the meantime I'd been doing my best to psychoanalyze Jadyn herself, yet I was finding it surprisingly difficult. Thranie I'd always be able to crack in a matter of minutes. He couldn't hide anything from me. Most people were like that, though not really to the degree Thranack was. Jadyn wasn't, though. The more I talked to her, and the more cuttingly sarcastic comments she threw in my face, the more I believed she was actually my daughter. I always knew it wouldn't end well if I had a child.

I was sitting with my leg thrown over the arm of my throne, "brooding" as Aqui always called it when I got into this mood, glaring at the wall and trying to strategize how to best deal with the fact that I apparently had a daughter. I suppose I'll have to hold a coronation... make her a princess and all that. I sighed and let my head fall back, closing my eyes.

"Sir?"

"...What?" I asked irritably, not bothering to open my eyes.

"Um, some woman requests an audience with you. She says it's urgent, sir."

"Who is it?"

"I'm not sure, sir. An Eajran."

I opened my eyes. "Did she say what she wanted?"

"No, sir."

I sighed, restfully twisting until I was sitting upright in my throne, and cracked my back, straightening my spine. I ran my fingers through my hair, making it lay down properly, then nodded. "Fine, then. Show her in."

"Yes, sir."

A moment later the doors opened, and a woman and young girl strode in. They stopped just before my throne, and the girl sank to a knee. The woman simply looked up at me. I looked at her suspiciously, unable to shake the feeling that she looked really familiar.

"Brek," the woman spoke. Her voice sounded familiar, too, but I couldn't place where I'd seen her last. Obviously she knew me. She didn't even bother using my title. She looked at me accusingly. "You don't remember me."

"I couldn't forget a lady as beautiful as yourself," I assured her as I stood up and strode toward her, taking a guess at how I knew her. My eyes flicked over the way she was dressed. Suddenly I did remember several visits to her, all those years ago when I'd snuck into Eajra. It had to have been over a decade by now. "Or the fun we had." I winked at her. "Don't be ridiculous"

She smiled as I neared her. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," I lied, but opened my arms as she moved forward for a hug. What's with you women and attacking me at inopportune moments? I don't have time for a reunion just now. I bit my lip, trying to remember more about her. I hadn't thought about her again since shortly after I'd departed. There were certain girls that I remembered throughout the decades, like Jackie... there were others that--

"Really?" She pulled away from me, looking at me skeptically.

"Of course," I didn't like her tone. It was the tone women always used just before men got in trouble.

"Then what's my name?"

"Your name..." I repeated slowly. What is your name? It's... I can remember... no, don't get mad at me... stop it.

"You can't even remember my name," she stopped back resentfully, glaring up at me.

"Of course I can, dearest. Julie."

Her frown deepened. Dang it. "You are unbelievable!"

"Josie, listen--"

"Really?"

"...Janet? Joni?" Suddenly a thought hit me. "Wait! Janie."

"Oh, guess that saying's wrong-- should be, what? Fourteenth time's the charm?"

"Janie, dearest," I glanced around. The young girl was staring up at us with wide eyes, seeming to forget that she was still on her knees "It's been almost ten years, love."

"Guess I'm just that forgettable, then," she turned away from me.

I came up behind her and rubbed her shoulders, cooing in her ear. "Names slip away from me, but experiences never do. Trust me, dear."

She softened slightly. Score. She sighed, then turned back to me, and started fingering my tunic. I glanced up again. My guards didn't like it. They were all standing stiffly, glaring at her. I lifted a hand, silently telling them to relax. She was hormonal, but mostly harmless. "Alright... I guess I overreacted. I probably wouldn't have remembered your name if... well... you know."

"Unforgettable," I assured her, stroking her hair down. "Now may I ask why I have the pleasure of your unexpected company?"

"Oh, yeah, her." Janie waved her hand vague at the young girl. "I need you to take her."

I looked at her, then back at Janie, then shook my head. "Oh, no. I'm not keeping her."

"Yes, you are."

"Janie," I said warningly.

"Brek," she retorted hotly.

"Watch it," I narrowed my eyes. I'd always let women get away with more than I technically should have, considering my positions. I didn't intend to stand here and let her bully me in front of my own court.

"If you think that you being king scares me then you are sorely mistaken, mister. I wasn't scared of you before, and I'm not scared of you now."

"You can't--"

"Watch me," she snapped, jabbing a finger into my chest. "She's as much your daughter as she is mine."

"My-- Whoa, now."

"Daughter," she repeated. "I took her when she was little, because I know you're rotten with children. She's getting older now, though. Take her. Get her a husband. Let her be your little princess."

"I don't have a--" I trailed off before I said 'kid', thinking back to Jadyn. "What makes you think she's mine?"

"You gave me that sickness you had, with the bad cough. Remember? I was too sick to f*ck anyone for weeks. By the time I got better, you were long gone-- and I was undoubtedly pregnant."

I hesitated, blinking once, at a loss of words for once. How did one answer a woman who came to your country and informed you had a daughter? A second daughter, at that? "Why did you wait until she was so old to bring her to me?"

"I wouldn't want any baby to have to put up with you taking care of it." She lifted a shoulder. "Now I'm in less of a state to take care of a child than you are."

"Money?" I looked at her. "Is that what this is about? Child support? I can give you--"

"Brek. You're taking her."

"You're just going to thrust the poor thing into a new country with a man she's never met before?"

"Yes," she hissed, then turned on her heel and stalked out of the room.

I stood for a long moment, glaring after the woman, my mind suddenly filling with all of the memories from before. Suddenly remembering why I'd chosen to forget about her. She was a crazy bitch. I ran my fingers through my hair again, sighing, then looked down when I heard a sniffle.

The little girl was still sitting there, big tears in her eyes, her bottom lip wobbling. I hestiated again, suddenly feeling like a bigger jackass than I had in a very long time. She is a real person... and she's just a little girl... and you're being a jerk about taking her in. It's not like she's a stray dog. She's probably no happier about coming to live with me than I am about it.

I swatted down beside her. "Hi."

She looked at me with wide eyes. "...Hi."

"Sorry about... well, all that..." I wet my lips, glancing around. "I guess that's not quite the reunion you probably hoped for, when you first meet your... Father."

"I didn't expect you to want me," she answered in a voice that was so soft I could barely hear her. "No one ever does."

Good f*cking going... "Oh, now, I'm sure that's not true... besides... I just was surprised. Your mom never told me about you before now."

Her tears slowed abnormally quickly. I felt my eyebrows draw together as I looked at her. Oh, you're good. Well done. Little actress.

"Are you going to let me stay here?" She murmured. "I don't know how to get home, if mama isn't taking me back with her."

"I'll... yeah," I said, her big, brown eyes making me feel weird inside. You're getting soft... what does this feeling even mean? I haven't felt like this since... Ludiv... "You can live here, Sweetie. I'll take care of you."

She smiled sadly. "I'll try to stay out of the way."

Again, she insisted on kicking something deep inside of me. I looked away from her, tracing a pattern on the floor with my eyes. Stop that. I don't know what you're doing to my mind, but you can knock it off. "Come on, let's get you settled in."

I stood up and looked down at the girl, offering her my hand. She fearfully reached out and took it, then stood up and walked next to me as I carefully guided her toward the side door. "Yes, sir," she murmured.

"What's your name, anyway?" I asked as I opened the door for her.

"Justice."

I stopped walking for a moment. Sadistic b*tch... I looked down at the girl. You think this is justice, Janie? F*ck you...I guess I already have. Dammit. I forced a small smile, when I noticed her staring up at me with wide eyes again. "That's a pretty name."

"Thank you," she looked down, smiling. "What's your name?"

"Brek," I answered. "You're welcome to call me that... or 'Dad', I guess, whenever you get comfortable."

She nodded silently.


I stood in the corner, alternating between looking out the large windows and looking down at my young daughter sleeping in her bed. My attempts at sleeping were fruitless, and evidently so were Jadyn's, since she was already pacing on the roof when I got there. I sighed and decided to satisfy myself with Justice's room.

She was so young. So innocent. I looked down at her with a small smile and pulled the blankets up to her neck, feeling much more out of my element than I had in a long time. I gently stroked her cheek. You're my baby, hm? Are you what that kid Aqui lost would've looked like? I shook my head slightly. Why do you make me feel all weak inside, baby girl?

I took a deep breath. I guess I'll have to name the two of you princesses sooner or later... which means that all kinds of people will be invading my home... and I'll have to up security... and explain how it is that I suddenly have two daughters... I sighed slowly, shaking my head and heading back toward my room.



Day One

I was near the point of tossing all of my attendants out of the room and pouting for a while, like Thran always used to do before formal gatherings back when he was crown prince of Merillial. I'd been prodded and poked all morning, and somehow coaxed into a green velvet robe that felt like it weighed about as much as I did. I glowered at the boy that kept making small snips off my hair then brushing the hair off my face with a brush that tickled intensely.

"And the crown!" The lead attendent crowed, smiling broadly as he brought my crown forward on a ridiculously over-embroidered pillow.

I sighed irritably and bent my knees slightly, so they could reach me to put the crown on my head. I looked in the mirror. I looked ridiculous. A hundred years and I still wasn't accustomed to dressing up in a stupid dress to impress the other rulers. I lifted my chin slightly. "Where's Corbin?"

My favorite advisor stepped through the doorway. "Here, sire."

"Oh, cut it out," I sighed. He never called me 'sire' when we didn't have a royal audience. "Just because I've got to dress like this doesn't mean I have to tolerate you being a d*ck."

He smirked. "Of course."

"Get out," I looked at the attendants. "All of you. I'm as trimmed and scented and dressed up as is humanly possible, I'm sure. Go."

They resentfully left. I looked in the mirror, tilting my head slightly to the side. "I look ridiculous."

"Kings always do when they're trying to impress other kings."

"Mm... " I carefully walked over to the windows. "Well the two of them had better be all there are. I'm not going through another one of these."

Corbin chuckled softly, crossing his arms and leaning against the desk. "A coronation can't be so bad. You had one yourself, no?"

"A long time ago, Corb," I sighed, trying to cross my arms then giving up after a few failed attempts. "What am I supposed to do, anyway? Feed me some lines."

"Alright. So this is how I had this planned," Corbin leaned forward and started to explain what I was supposed to do.

Aernie Melior of the Räjroë tribe | A Tavern outside of the kingdoms | Day negative 3


I pulled myself from the dark with a start, my eyes instantly searching for Ki. The ground was hard against my back as I sat up, mud matted into my hair. My body ached, but that didn't matter. Ki was on the floor next to me, eyes closed, even paler than usual. I frowned. He shouldn't be out where it was cold. I moved closer to him, laying a hand on his arm. His skin was cold, enough to make me flinch. His eyes flickered open, taking me in. A slight smile touched his lips.

"Ki, what's wrong?" He shook his head slightly. "What did I do?"

"Nothing. It's not your fault." I wanted him to tell me what had happened, what was happening, to shake him if I had to. But he was avoiding it, like always, trying to save me from everything, and I didn't dare to touch him more than I was.

"Ki. Tell me." He couldn't move away but wouldn't look at me. "Ki, please, let me help." He stayed silent. Worry stirring in me, I pushed a thought into him, trying to check him, to find out what was wrong, what he was hiding. Pushing me back out, I still managed to catch a glimpse of darkness, the kind that I could never heal. I dropped my hand from his arm, stunned.

"Don't worry. I'll still be with you." I shook my head.

"Don't leave me." I could feel the terror slowly mounting, bubbling up, despite his reassurance.

"I won't. I'll be a part of you.. And we'll still talk, just like now, I just won't be here physically." He was trying to calm me down, sending his feelings the same way he'd send me his thoughts. "I've seen it. You'll never be alone."

I shook my head, not finding the words to reply, his words not really passing through the buzzing fear and panic. His waves of calm helped me to take breaths, but I couldn't stop the world from reeling. I knew he was telling me the truth, he almost always did now, but I couldn't make sense of it. "Let me heal you,please, let me at least try." My eyes stung.

He shook his head slightly. "There's no point. You'll try, and try again and again, and it won't work." He seemed to hesitate for a second before continuing. "Couldn't you just let me hold you for a bit instead, please? It's a much better last memory to have."

I blinked at him through tears, brushing them from my eyes before curling up next to him, kissing his cheek gently. The terror died down, simmering at the back of my mind, just waiting. "I love you," I whispered, wanting him to hear it.

He slowly put his arms around me, seeming like just that small movement took great effort. "I love you too, Ni." His voice sounded so horribly tired. He smiled a little as he closed his eyes. "This isn't a goodbye. I'll just be in your head instead of right next to you.. I'll be closer to you than ever before."
I nodded, holding him slightly tighter, trying to make sure he couldn't see the tears spilling over. We stayed there until his breathing stilled and I couldn't hear his heart beat, and his mind slipped away from mine. I choked out a sob as I grabbed onto his consciousness and didn't let go.

~~

Tears had left salty reminders on my cheeks when I woke up, muffling a sob in my pillow. I wanted to reach for Ni, for him to reassure me that he was still there, but there wasn't anybody to hold, to whisper in my ear and tell me I was safe. Even after the time we had been in existance, I still felt utterly alone. I could feel my control slip, and let it, managing to finally breathe as my power started to cut into my skin, as red beads welled up and grouped together. I let it cut deeper until I could actually feel the pain from the marks being sliced into my skin and it overwhelmed the pain from my mare.

"Stop!" He was loud, loud enough to drown out my own thoughts. [i]"Ni, please don't hurt yourself. Stop. I'm here. I'm still with you."His thoughts sounded desperate, and I could feel him trying to comfort me, like a mental hug.

"But you can't be here! You died because of something I did. You're not here!" I was shaking, bunching the blanket over my head, letting the sheets get stained. Another cut to bring me closer to reality. He was dead and it was my fault. There was a distressed groan from Sjaaven outside.

"It's not your fault. You know it isn't. I've seen my death since I was a child, and the only thing that ever differed was the location, not the time." I could feel him tugging at my mind, like he wanted me to look at him. "Even if we had stayed in Merillial I would've still died. If going with you would have given me less time, I would've refused.. So please, don't blame yourself for my death. It's not your fault."

"I should have been the one to die, not you. I was the one dying, I didn't ask you to help me, you didn't let me decide. It's always been that way. I should have known it would happen, been more careful so that it wouldn't have happened."I didn't want to see whatever he wanted to show me, it would be lies to comfort me and to stop me from fully letting go of the control, but I let me pull my mind to his anyway.

"Look. There's nothing that you could've done."He started showing me scenes, all strangely blurred around the edges, like I was looking at it through a bottle, all of him dying in one way or another. "Even if you hadn't been hurt I still would've died. I've been sick my whole life. It was going to kill me sooner or later." Merillial, the Plain, many other places that I didn't recognize... Either with just me, or with mum or people that I'd never seen, he died every time. "Ni, it's not your fault. It never was and it couldn't have been no matter what you did." The images of him dying suddenly stopped, and instead I was brought back to my room. "It's not your fault."
The images of his deaths jolted me, seized control over my powers again. I felt his flood of relief as the magic stopped tearing at my skin. Though I couldn't change the thought that I was at cause of his death, I let him coax me away from the thoughts. The need to feel his arms around me, stroking my hair, actually proving to me he wasn't just my imagination hit me, almost knocking the wind out of me.

If he wasn't really dead, like he would have me believe, then there had to be a way to bring him and Kraevies back, so that he would be his own person again, so he could truly be alive. And I would take his power for him, take everything, anything so that he could live his life properly.

"Ni, no. That's not the kind of thing you want to mess with. Dark magic is dangerous."

"I know, I know..." But still I stored the thought, keeping it. It was worth thinking about. "It was just a thought."

The Plains | Day one

As I walked, I turned the artefact I had taken from the strange creature over in my hands. I was pretty sure it was magical, but didn't know what it could do. I wondered what Ki thought of it, then decided better of the idea. Sjaaven nudged my hand, wanting me to ride her. I pushed her nose gently, wanting, needing to walk.

I wasn't sure, but I could almost feel something follow me. It wasn't a tangible presence, just a prickle on the back of my neck, but it was there. I rolled my shoulders and decided to forget about it. If something wanted to follow me then it was more than free to do so.

I turned my attention back to the surroundings. I assumed we were in the Plains. The grass was waist high and the air smelled like pollen and nature, in short, summer in the Plains. But I wasn't sure. It had been so long since I had brought us back here, and the last time had been when... My thoughts trailed off as I remembered how alone I was. I felt Ki's consciousness start to leak into mine, trying to soothe me. I took a breath. Another.

I turned back to watching the Plains as we walked. I couldn't see a hut, and I was grateful. Though even if we did meet our old tribe, no one would recognise us.

As we walked, I partitioned off a corner of my mind. I needed to think. Especially about the idea of giving Ki his body back. Though he didn't think it right, it wasn't something I would regret doing. I needed to be able to touch him, to actually hear his voice, not a likeness of it in my mind. I needed to be sure it was actually him, and not me going insane. Maybe I was already insane.

It would be dark magic then. The few people I knew with dark magic lived in Barqarnon. After all this time, I didn't feel any resentment towards the kingdom or its rulers.

"Ni?"

I blinked at Ki's voice and retreated from the thoughts. "Yes?

"Where are we going?" It was true that I hadn't decided where we were going. I had needed to get away from the chains and the loud voices and the insanity. Home had seemed like the best refuge.

"I'm not sure. Merillial, maybe. Or I could get a hut and live out here." I wanted to hear my own voice to remind myself I still existed. I glanced around and caught the form of a castle. "Maybe we could go there."

"Be careful." I hummed a noncommittal reply.

Spoiler

SURPRISE!
Haha. I just felt like posting in this. Shake things up, add a little random in our lives. If I remember rightly, Marius' place is in the Plains, so that's where she's going~