Young Writers Society

Name: (if an unusual name, please include a pronunciation key) Thaddeus
Age: ( Characters can be any age- just be reasonable.) 21
Gender: (Male/Female?) Male
Rank (king, queen, prince, princess, other?) Prince, and young general of the armies of Karanjan
Allegiance: (country, king, self, other?) His allegiance is to his sister and his sister alone

Appearance: (description and picture-and please no anime orscene- digital paintings and sketches are fine though) Dark haired and brooding in appearance, his eyes are dark green and he's just above average height. He's lean, but it's all muscle, and he always has a sword at his side.

Personality: (Include likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. you can do this in points of you prefer) He's serious, but only because he's had a great load dropped on his shoulders in the last year. He once was the life of the party, joking and laughing his way through life. He still loves to laugh but finds little reason to any longer. He's very good at fighting, and a brilliant strategist, but terrible as far as working with other people goes. He comes off as rude often, and doesn't even realize. He takes practice to be around.

Flaws: (every character has to have them- they make them interesting) He's not the best people person when he isn't joking around and laughing. He often speaks before he thinks and that leads a lot of people to take offense. So he lets Addie handle the affairs of state, and will stick to stratagem and matters of war where he's best.

Skills/special abilities: (no magic please- unless cleared with Shadowlight first!) Clever and logical, he's a brilliant strategist and an even better swordsman.

History: (Every character has one, please give us a history of reasonable length) He remembers being the son his mother adored, but also how much she longed for a daughter. At the time he didn't understand, but as he grew older he realized what a struggle it was for them to have Addie, and how close they came to losing her. This makes him cherish his little sister all the more, and he swore to protect her a long time ago. As long as he's still alive he swears nothing will touch her.
As mentioned in Addie's profile, their parents died in an accident, and that's when he stopped being the care free prince that was overprotective of his sister. He's stopped laughing for the most part, and focuses all his attention on keeping the last member of his family safe. He refuses to lose her as well.

Up For Love? (yes/no, conditions, reasons for such?) Of course, but he's not easy to get close to anymore

Other: (anything we've missed?) nopers

Thaddeus

A servant woke the young general of Karanjan, timidly calling the young lord's name until he started awake, then quickly jumping back to avoid the dagger he threw dangerously close to the young girl's head. She stared at him with wide eyes as he blinked awake and frowned at her.

"What is it? It isn't even dawn yet." He growled, dark eyes still half lidded.

The little serving girl stuttered and stumbled her answer. "Th-th-the young E-E-Empress... Sh-she's s-s-sick," she whispered. "V-very sick."

Thaddeus couldn't get out of bed fast enough, mumbling an apology to the girl and ruffling her hair gently before dashing to find his sister.

Addie was in her bed, piled under blanket after blanket, and still shivering. Her skin was clammy and Thaddeus couldn't help the silent fear that crept into his heart.

"Have the healers been informed? She takes top priority." He growled out, towering over the maidservant at her bedside. "Find the best of the best. Immediately."

She scrambled off to obey him, perhaps partly out of fear and partly out of pure obedience.

Thaddeus couldn't bring himself to care that she was frightened of him, he had bigger problems. Starting with the ailing empress, his little sister. He seated himself next to her bed and took her limp hand gently, settling in to watch over her like his father once did. Even like that he could feel her burning up, and he hoped the fever wouldn't defeat her.

(Sorry it isn't very long! I'll endeavor to lengthen my posts)

~Tamsin~

Letting my Bow rest at my side, I walked over to my target and pulled the Arrows out. All dead center. Or as dead center as they could get being so close together. Once done with that, I went over to the table I had set up and set everything down. I stretched out before reaching for my throwing knives. A first light of dawn, I woke up and came out to practice. Better safe than sorry. Always. It was late in the day, the sun beginning to wane in the now multi-hued sky. I hadn't taken too many breaks, but then again, I never had when I was training. The only reason I ever really ate, was because my old mentor. And as if on cue, she came rustling through the trees with a tray in her hand and a smile on her face.

"Working as hard as ever I see." she set the tray down on the table and walked over to me.

She grabbed the knife I was about to fling at the target and set it down along with my others.

"Hey," I frowned. "I was using that."

"I bet you haven't taken a break since I came out here this morning, have you?" she crossed her arms over chest and raised an eyebrow.

I cleared my throat and walked past her, eyeing the tray she'd brought with her. "What's in the trey?"

"Check for yourself." is all she said, so I did.

I pulled the top off to reveal a hearty stew still steaming and bread. As the smell invaded my nostrils, my mouth began to water. I hadn't realized until now how hungry I was. "You're a life saver, Lorana."

"If I didn't feed you, I don't know anyone else who would." she sighed. "I'd let ya starve, but i've come to love you like my own daughter. What kind of mother would I be if I let you starve?"

"Good point." I smiled at her. "Well, you can go now."

She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. "Oh no you don't missy. I'm not leaving until you finish every last morsel."

I sighed. "Really?"

She pulled up a stool and pushed me down into it before putting the food in front of me.

"Eat," she ordered.

I ate. She watched me the entire time, like she thought I was going to stop eating if she left. At least she cared. She was the closest thing I had to family. When I finished eating, I pushed the place forward. "See? I'm done. Unless you want to cut me open and see for yourself."

She slapped me over the head. "Watch your tongue, or I might just do it."

I laughed as I stood up and hugged her. "Thank you. I appreciate you bringing me food."

"Yea, yea," she grumbled, picking up the tray and heading back for the tree line. "Just don't die out here. The others aren't fast learners like you are, and I don't want to have to train someone else!"

"I promise." I called back.

Just as the sound of her foot fall faded, the sound of hooves drumming along the ground reached me. I grabbed a dagger and turned in the direction of the sound, ready and waiting. A black horse came flying through trees at me, stopping a few feet shy. The man atop the horse was older than me. Not by much. Tall with a lean build and midnight black hair that fell just above his shoulders. The serious look on his made the hand holding my dagger tighten. "Are you the healer known as Tamsin?"

"Yes," I nod. "I am she."

"I have been sent by the Empress of Karanjan's older brother has sent me to call for your aid." he answered.

So he was a messenger. "What am I being called to aid?"

He dropped from his horse and handed me a scroll. I unfurled the scroll and read from it. My head shot up. "You can't be serious."

"I would never jest at matter such as this, my lady." he shakes his head.

"Even so, the Empress has her personal healers to tend to her. What difference would one more healer do?" I hand the paper back to him.

He rolls it up and puts it back in his satchel. "Not just one more healer, no. But you. You are one of the best, known everywhere in Drallion."

"I do just as any other healer would," I say with a shrug. "and many other healers are known in Drallion."

A smirk broke out across his face. "As modest as you are beautiful."

That took me by surprise. I shook my head to clear it. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

All traces of humor faded from his face. "I have come far to deliver this message. Will you not answer?"

I paused for a moment before answering. "Tell your highness that I will be there as soon as I can."

keep writing more! I'm enjoying reading this

((

therealme wrote:keep writing more! I'm enjoying reading this

Tip; this would be better in the DT. We're a bit iffy about non-SB posts in the SB. Thanks for liking it, though!

/end OOC))

Emperor Sumai Ahsera | Jaipine Royal Palace - Throne Room:

Sumai frowned, leaning back stiffly in his seat. The Throne Room was empty--well, empty if one discounted the guards, and Sumai often ignored them--and it echoed. He hated it. Every less-than-perfect breath he took echoed through the room, an almost rattling thing that highly offended him. If he hadn’t known it was his breathing, then he would order the death of whomever did own it. But, of course, that might disturb the peasants.

He snorted, raising one hand to tangle the fingers into his hair. Why was he bothering himself with the sound of his breathing when there hadn’t been news of the princess yet? Sumai didn’t know, or particularly care. He just wanted to get the stupid alliance over and done with so he could use their combined forces to defend his new ‘ally’. And his own country, of course. There would be no point in seeing this through if he wasn’t going to use it for his own gain.

Sumai Ahsera smirked. He knew what to do; check on the princess. It was only logical, after all. “Get me Vahko,” he announced, and one of the guards along the wall silently vanished.

Vahko Valtorii | Jaipine Royal Palace:

“Vahko, you have been summoned.”

Being called upon the same way for almost three years now, left the young Assassin in no doubt as to who he had been summoned by. “Where is His Eminence?”

“Throne Room.”

That was all Vahko needed to hear. With a tug of his cloak, he followed the guard out of the Palace dungeons, ascending the winding stone steps until they reached the ground floor landing.

The heavy double-doors of the Imperial throne room loomed at the far end of the hallway; black, thick and adorned with an emblazoned gold and cream rendering of the Jaipine wyvern. The guard standing by the door immediately stepped aside as Vahko approached, allowing him to pass through.

Emerging into the elaborately decorated chamber, his dark eyes met the Emperor’s and Vahko masked an instant look of concern. It was no secret in Jaipine that the old man was in poor health, the rumours had been circling for quite some time, but even Vahko was disturbed to discover the true extent of the Emperor’s illness. The sight made something deep inside his stomach clench.

As always, the silence that engulfed around them made Vahko feel uneasy. However, experience told him to remain patient until the Emperor was ready to receive him. Exactly how long that would take was a different matter entirely.

“Boy,” he finally grunted in acknowledgement. However, the rest of his sentence was drowned out by a series of sickly, rasping coughs that echoed off the stone walls. The guard standing beside the throne abandoned his post to approach the Emperor with a look of concern but was halted immediately by the old man’s hand. After a final exploding rasp, the Emperor cleared his throat and returned his gaze back to Vahko. “There is still no news of Saria’s Princess,” he began. Vahko knew, of course, what the Emperor was speaking of. Princess Saja had been due to visit Jaipine over three days ago, but her carriage had yet to arrive. “Find her and bring her back here,” the Emperor continued. Vahko knew the Emperor didn’t really care what had happened to the girl, the tone of indifference in his voice made that clear.“The last thing I need is her death hanging over my head.” And there it was, the real reason behind his request.

Vahko didn’t waste time asking if the scouts and patrols had been sent to look for the Princess. He knew the Emperor wouldn’t have summoned him had he not exhausted every other resource at his disposal first. So Vahko lowered his head in respectful obedience and accepted the task he had been given, just as he always did.

“And make it quick,” the Emperor added. “I want the girl found before her father realises what has happened.”

“Yes, Your Eminence.” And with that, Vahko took his leave, the Emperor’s raspy coughs echoing behind him.

Crown Prince Kailash | Jaipine Royal Palace - Hallway Outside the Throne Room:

Kai fell back against the wall, ignoring the guard on the other side of the hall. The door to Kai’s left was open slightly, and he’d heard his father speaking to his personal assassin. The princess was missing. He frowned, resisting the temptation to bit his fingernail. He was a prince, for the sake of the gods, he shouldn’t be doing childish things. So he shoved his hands down and pressed his palms against the wall, head bowed. Any moment after the assassin would leave the room and his father would be calling for him. Kai really didn’t want to stick around for that. He had a feeling it was going to be awkward.

The sound of coughing drifted out the door, followed swiftly by steady footsteps. Only one set. Kai dragged his head up. He should move before those footsteps reached the door, but he really did not feel like moving. He recognised the feeling; despair. Kai snorted, shaking his head. The guard across from him shifted and Kai shot the older man a glare.

“I wouldn’t stay there for much longer if I were you.”

Kai’s gaze narrowed. “Did I ask for your opinion?”

The guard looked away, slightly to his left. Kai realised the man was looking at the door. He pushed away from the wall and spun to face the damned thing. It was swinging back. He hadn’t realised that the footsteps had gotten closer, let alone stopped. Kai panicked, glancing up and down the hall. He was facing away from the door when he heard it open and caught the guard freeze up out of the corner of his eye. He turned towards the man slowly, and bumped into someone, who froze when he did. Kai looked up into eyes as dark as his father’s.

“Apologies, your highness,” his voice was deep and low. Without another word, he stepped aside to let the Prince pass. Kai looked from the man before him to the door and back, biting his lip. They could all hear his father calling for him, and Kai was very much inclined not to enter the room.

Kai inclined his head and inched backwards, away from the door. The assassin just stood there, looking slightly confused despite the rather neutral expression he wore. He watched Kai for a long moment before he nodded back and made to walk off down the hall in the opposite direction. Kai cast the guard a look. The man was frowning at the assassin’s back, but he met the prince’s eyes when he felt them on him.

“I'll tell him we couldn't find you,” he said, gesturing to the prince. “Go, before he realises we let you slip away.”

He could only stare at the man for a moment before he turned and fled down the hall.

I walked through the streets of Karanjan, silently watching those around me. I pulled my hood a bit farther down over my head. I always felt slightly uncomfortable when surrounded by large crowds in a public place. I continued to walk silently through the slightly crowded streets. Soon I arrived at the entrance to an alley and slid inside. I walked up to an old ragged door, my destination. It was a tavern called Stones and Daggers, though I could really care less what it was called. What I cared about was getting paid.

I walked near to the door and knocked on it in a specific pattern. Suddenly the door slid open and I stepped inside. I stared around the room, closely examining it. It was a dark, dank tavern which seemed to carry the scent of spoiled milk in the air. It was a home to the lowest of the low and the dispicable people of society. This is my kind of place!

I walked in and sat on a stool near the bar.

"What would you like"? The bartender asked, staring at me nontrustingly. That was okay. I didn't trust him either.

"I want information." I stated, "Tell me where Falk Yorken is."

"And why would I do that?" he asked.

"Because if you don't, I'll kill you." I tell him in a clear, calm, serious voice, pulling out a blade. "It would be a shame if the owner of Stones and Daggers was killed by a dagger to the throat, now wouldn't it?" I say mockingly.

"He's hiding in the back room." The bartender says defeatedly. "Do what you wish with him and then never show your face here again."

"Oh, I intended to do what I wish, whether I had your cooperation or not." I tell him. Lowering the knife, but not my guard, I walked over to the door leading into the back room and opened it.