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City of Secrets *Started | Permission Only*



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Tue Sep 20, 2011 4:01 pm
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Demoness says...



Keira - The Palace

The moment Keira stepped out of the carriage, closely followed by Lynx - she had decided to call him that in her mind, she gasped. So many years had passed... or was it just one? Keira wasn't sure, but seeing it all in front of her eyes now made her doubt she had ever left it. Everything looked so familiar, the neatly mowed, green lawns, the big fountain installed by some long gone, but famous artist and the palace, the majestic building she had grown up in - it was all so beautiful and for a moment she couldn't remember why she'd chosen to leave.

Keira’s thought's and astonishment was interrupted by a gasp even greater then hers and she turned to her left to meet the wide-opened and shocked eyes of a guard.

"Keira!?" He asked with a voice both doubtful and a slight bit frightened. He probably thought he was going insane. Keira took a closer look at the guard, there was something familiar about those two big and brown blemished eyes and that worried wrinkle between them.

“Grub!” Keira exhaled at last remembering the guard from her childhood games out in the yards. She had often used the guards and servants as her playmates since her brother usually refused to play with her and she didn’t find the company of other rich kids especially comfortable. The guard who now stood in front of her was Julius Tucker, whom she’d called Grub. Keira had selected him and another guard to be stupid trolls whom she, who was a sorceress easily could trick. She had tried to get them to let her outside the walls but unfortunately these guards wasn’t stupid nor trolls and Keira wasn’t really a sorceress so she'd been unsuccessfull in that department.

“I’m sorry, I was being rude… I mean, Princess Keira of Alamea – it’s a delight to see you back here!” Tucker corrected himself but Keira felt a sting of betrayal when she saw the deception and fear in his eyes. He didn’t want her here… what if nobody did?

“Guard, will you please escort me and the young lady to her mother.” Lynx formed the words as a question but his tone was demanding and Tucker quickly nodded and made a quick gesture to the guard next to him, who for the record looked utterly confused, before he asked them to follow him.
Last edited by Demoness on Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice." - Robert Frost





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Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:51 pm
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Betheny says...



Ulta | Outside the Temple

"I feel a bit guilty for watching you," Aodán said as he emerged from the shadows behind me.
"Yeah well, nothing you haven't seem before," I replied a little too nonchalantly, "Anyway, it dosen't matter now anyway." The look of his face was a lottle hurt, and I felt bad for bringing up the past. "Let's get in. The sooner this is done the better." If I was right the back door, for want of a better word, should be around here somewhere, and luckily it was. We slipped through and only just avoided a group of Temple Maidens on kitchen duties. Once in a deserted corridor I pointed upwards to ancient oak beams that ran across the cellingss of every corridor and most rooms, they were wiide enough and strong enough to hold both of us. Aodán positioned himself against the wall and crouched down linking hands in-order to give me a boost. I ran into his hand and was thrown upwards, half climbing, half flying up the wall until I grabbed out for the beam. After a lot of mutted shuffeling into place I lent over the edge as Aodán jumped up wards to my hand. With massive amounts of pain racking my body I hauled him up beside me.
"Is me or have you gained weight?" I teased, but seriously... It wasn't as easy as it used to be. Or was it that I was still broken? Silently I led the way deeper into the Temple, to the dorms. To isranda.
"The world existed to be read. And I read it." - L.S Schwartz, Ruined by Reading





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Tue Sep 20, 2011 8:21 pm
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Demoness says...



Aodán - Inside the Temple

Aodán clenched his jaws tight and tried not to do anything irrational. He hadn't managed to shake Ulta off of him and now they were both climbing up the beams on the cieling without there being anything he could to to stop her. He wanted to just tie her down up there and make sure she couldn't do anything stupid, the thought had actually crossed his mind a few times, but he came to the conclusion it would do more damage than good. If he actually managed to it would mean he'd have to come back and untie her after the job was done - which was too risky... and if he just left her there someone would find her and think she did it and it would all be for nothing. Most importantly though, Ulta would hate him forever, and Aodán wasn't sure he could handle that.

They had reached the top floors where the dorms lay and Aodán hesitated for a moment when he saw the thick oakdoor that led to Israndas chamber. Were they really going to do this? Was he going to let himself do this? For him, assassining was like an addiction. He was like a crack-junky who'd sworn of drugs but that now stood outside a room full of the finest goods he could imagine. This wasn't just any assasination - this was the murder of one of the greatest temple maidens. Aodán could feel the blood pump through his veins and the familiar urge for power wouldn't stop lurking inside of him. His body could tell he would soon taste blood, and it liked it! This feeling made Aodán more than uneasy, it made him completely horrified. He didn't know what would happen to him if he did this... and the unknown scared him more than he could tell.

What would Keira think? Where was she even? Was she okay? He'd said he'd go find her as soon as he was done here... but what if he couldn't? What if his old self would take over? What if he'd hunger for that power that he'd once felt like he owed? The power of life and death? One part of him knew he loved Keira, and that he could never hurt her but his old self had been on a mission to assassin the Princess of Alamea - and what if that part of him chose to finish the job?
"Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice." - Robert Frost





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Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:50 am
Shadowlight says...



Haleighlia/Palace:

Two weeks. Two weeks of horrible painful riding were finally over! I was still incredibly sore but I was no longer jogging along the rough roads. Souji had been taken in charge of by the stablemen, who seemed nervous of my pet until I told them he eats what the horses eat and wouldn't hurt a fly. My poor Wolf-Dragon, he wasn't used to such a long trip and almost fell down as soon as he reached the stall prepared for him.

I myself had been escorted into the Throne room by one of the smartly uniformed guards and was left to myself to wait for a servant to take me the rooms prepared for me- The letter the Emperor had sent having already apparently reached the royals. I had been told by said guard that the Prince, Hector, was seeing to some urgent business and regretted he could not personally greet me, something about a dear old friend being deathly ill- another person I would see too, after I had seen the queen of course.

I looked about the throne room feeling slightly out of place, the palace was so different then the imperial house of Rapbhutan. This Throne room was all thick strong columns and rich earthy colors, the once from home was all open and delicate with bright colors all springing out at you. I walked over to one wall and inspected the tapestry hanging there.

It was a hunt scene, and yet again startlingly told the differences of the two kingdoms. I looked at the geometric patterns and rich overly dyed colors trying to follow the story the threads told. from what I could gather it told the story of one of the earlier kings who had tried to hunt the wild unicorns of the south, only to be killed by one of the beasts. that grisly act was quite heartily portrayed in the very center of the tapestry.I had never seen scarlet thread look so much like real blood.

"Lady Hijame." Someone said behind me. I turned sharply to look at a young boy- a page not much taller than me.

"Yes?" I said smiling placing my hands in my billowy sleeves. He stared at me for a moment, I'm not sure if it was my face that he found so fascinating or my hairpins that tinkled as I moved but he suddenly snapped back to attention.

"I'm to take you to the rooms that will be to your own personal use while you stay here." he said woodenly, like he was reading a lesson. I giggled.

"Alright then my fine young man lead the way." he blushed and quickly walked off, I followed more slowly taking in everything on the way.


My rooms, I had been given two, were quite lovely. Both were very near to the wing of the palace the queens chambers were in- or so I had been told. The bedroom had obviously been newly cleaned and it had seemingly been chosen with me in special mind. It looked out onto the royal gardens, had lovely high ceilings and light gossamer curtains. My two trunks had already been placed in this room and someone had put my things in the large heavy clothes-press in one corner of the room. My robes had been hung, The wide clothes belts having been folded, and my beaded slippers were all neatly places in the floor of this chest. I smiled, someone had the same neat taste I did.

The other room I had been given adjoined the bedroom by a small door. it was a small study of sorts with bookshelves lining the walls, but more important to me were the three large tables forming an opened ended box shape- a place for me to work. My other two chests, those filled with my herbs and tools, were placed on the floor near the tables. I guess they thought, and rightly so, that I myself would want to put those things in their place. I walked around the small study eying the knickknacks placed on the shelves for a few moments, the room had that musty book smell that I found intoxicating. but soon the realization of my real purpose here came back to me and I quickly made my way back to my bedroom.

I changed out of my traveling clothes; a pair of wide billowy trousers, a form fitting bodice with long trailing sleeves decorated with the imperial livery, and my favorite pair of small black boots.
I chose to wear simple long dark blue robe, with a silvery belt and underskirt. after I had washed with some water provided in a basin in one corner of the room, and I had found my small healers satchel, I ventured back out into the halls.

The Page had told me how to get to the queens chambers and I had very dim recollections of the layout of the palace when I had been here once many years ago. I slowly walked down the halls looking for anything I remembered. I found it soon after, a long hallway lined with the marble statues of all the kings. I remembered this place clearly for the stony faces had frightened me when I was small- they didn't hold fear for me now. Where before I had seen angry faces I now saw determination and courage chiseled onto the stone features.

As I stood studying once such face a slight noise further down the corridor caught my attention- a light clicking noise, actually many clickings, like gravel being dropped onto a flagstone. I looked up and my heart nearly leaped from my chest. Seven dogs came lumbering down the hall towards me!

I had a terror of all canines and here were seven of them coming at me! the leader of this small pack spotted me then and gave me a look, before letting out a deep bay and begin to advance upon me faster, a slow lope. My mind went blank with mind numbing terror as the animals all broke into a run right at me! I felt the primal need of prey to flee, but there was no way I could outrun all those dogs and no were to run too. the hallway had no doors leading off of it!

I scrambled for a split second before making a desperate leap at one of the stone kings, I scrambled halfway up out of reach of the dogs and held on trembling violently and fearing any moment I would faint or loose my grip and fall.

I don't know for how long I was trapped there by the hounds who looked up at me placidly but refused to move on. my hands were aching and I was beginning feel very faint when a deep rumbling voice suddenly sent the dogs scattering.

"Get you hounds! Briac get to the garden your frightening the lady!" it boomed, the largest of the hounds moved slightly to the left and a large bear of a man replaced him where he had stood.

"Are-are you alright my lady?" the man asked reaching up a hand. I took it, almost weeping from relief, but shrieked instead when the largest hounds tried to touch me with his wet muzzle. I clawed at my rescuer, clamoring halfway up his body in my fright- completely forgetting myself in my terror.

"Get you curs!" the man shouted, his voice strangely muffled. I watched wide eyed as the dogs slowly made their way down the passage, away form me. I didn't look to my savior, until they were lost to view around a corner. When I did look to him I almost died of shame.

The way I had climbed up his body, and how he was now trying to hold me, to keep us both from falling, had firmly placed his face directly in my bosom! I was rather well endowed as most women from my clan were and I was practicably smothering him! I felt myself grow as red a poppy, to stunned to do anything but stare.

.....

(Alright Isha, I hope I gave you a good starting point! xDD)
"D*** the torpedoes! Four bells! Full speed ahead!"~ Admiral David Farragut





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Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:18 pm
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Synnoev says...



Amar/Soren

I nodded towards Caira as she gestured to the bolted door, glancing back once as Isranda disappeared from sight as she went into her chambers, a single suspicious look cast behind her as she moved. The pair of us waited cautiously for another moment, looks thrown carefully down each side of the corridor, before dropping almost in unison to the floor, knees crouched to take the impact softly.

"There must be something here," she whispered softly, taking a small piece of wire from her knife sheath, stopping to glower at me once more as I tilted my head to watch the gesture intently, her glare only intensifying as I offered a conciliatory grin. "Stop staring and focus," she hissed irritably, shooing me away before crouching at the keyhole to peer through it, then inserting the wire with a concentrated expression.

"Go and keep watch," she muttered to me with a frustrated sigh, and I rolled my eyes exaggeratedly, moving away to pull myself up onto a bookcase and back on the rafters, jumping carefully from beam to beam until I could see a good distance down the hallway. I watched calmly, leaning my back against the wall and stretching one leg out on the wall to let the other dangle. My interest waning, I observed the empty corridors with little attention, my interest only sparking as a Maiden came into the corridor some distance away, the red dress easily visible, and sat up slightly to get a better look. As she came closer, it was easy to see that she was beautiful, dark hair falling around her face. I hesitated for a moment at her proximity to Caira, before remembering the disguise and staying silently in place, only moving slightly to conceal my form in the shadows of the roof.

I heard the click of the door as Caira finished picking the lock, then looked back once more as the Temple Maiden came yet closer. A few more seconds of watching couldn't hurt, anyway. The Maiden stopped, a bemused expression on her face, then looked straight at me. "What... what are you doing up there?"





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Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:03 am
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Rydia says...



Idahlia; The Temple Gardens

It was late, but that had never stopped her before. And it wouldn't stop her now. Although... These were troubled times. It made Idahlia feel bad for her sisters, for those who were taken and those left behind. It made her feel bad for being disobedient, but she couldn't help that. Not when the land was calling to her.

Idahlia's room was located in a tower and had a window over-looking the gardens. She hadn't always. It had been difficult in her youth, when her room had been all the way over at the other side of the temple, closer to the other Maiden's. She'd been moved, supposedly to make her duties easier. Perhaps if she'd had more intelligence, she might have questioned that; it was far too easy. But Idahlia was more instinct than brains and she didn't think anyone knew of her nightly visits.

Pushing the window open, she kissed the wind and slipped out, onto the ledge. It took her a moment to find the crevices in the wall for her hands, but once she had, she climbed down the tower edge as easily as if it were a ladder. Climbing had always been easy for her. She reached the ground and stood for a moment, breathing in the scents that came from the garden; rosemary for their supper, wormwood for healing and the thick scent of yarrow to defeat the poisoner's hand. Idahlia found reading somewhat difficult and had taken to it more slowly than the other maidens, but in plants at least she was practiced. Sometimes in her dreams she thought to become one of the healers, but there was little work for healers at the temple. The maidens rarely ever got sick.

Laying down by the plants, Idahlia closed her eyes and breathed their scents in. She'd never felt comfortable sleeping in her own bed and knew this was dangerous, especially in times like these, but she'd forgone it last night and the night before last. Not this night. Not again. She intended to sleep well for once.
Writing Gooder

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Betheny says...



Ulta | Inside the Temple

We were perched a little way down the corridor, just in sight of Isranda's chamber door, when the Temple Maiden passed beneath us. Together we froze, locked into place with silence. Glacing back down to the door I spotted another woman in red crouching at the lock. Gently nudging Aodán, I pointed at her and mouthed that she wasn't a Temple Maiden. You have compition now Ulta came an echo of a whisper. I watched the Temple Maiden stop, I could't see her face but her body language portrayed bemusement, then she spoke.
"Wh- What are you doing up there?" For a second I thought she was speaking to us but then I saw that see was looking up at the beam dirctly above Isranda's door. Focusing my eyes I saw a darker shape within the shadows there, easy to miss had I not been looking specifically for it. Moving on bare feet, I passed onto the next beam and continued forward until I was on the beam directly behind the Temple Maiden. The darker shape had become a man sat in a casual position, his eyes focused on the Maiden. Silently I dropped to the ground and stood behind her, slowly I wrapped my arms around her throat and choaked her into uncounciousness.
"The world existed to be read. And I read it." - L.S Schwartz, Ruined by Reading





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Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:16 pm
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Demoness says...



Aodán - Temple, Confronting other assassins


Aodán watched with both horror and to his own surprise and anger, he felt pleasure when Ulta smoothly and simply choked the unknown Temple Maiden to unconsiousness. He didn't have time to damn himself for feeling the way he did though for someone he recognized stepped out of the shadows and confronted them. It was Amar. Among civilians his face was just one of many but if you were an assassin that face was legendary. He was one of the most feared assassins there were and him being here must mean he had come to kill Isranda as well, didn't it?

Aodán spent a few seconds wondering what he should do before he made up his mind and took a leap down on the floor and watched as everyones eyes set focus on him. Appart from Amar and Ulta there was a third person in the room, she wasn't standing in the direct light so he couldn't see much of her face but her sillhouette hinted a fit body and the way she was postured reminded him of a thief... or maybe she was an assassin aswell - that would make sense considering who she'd come with. But yet it was odd, because as far as he knew, Amar had always worked alone, like Aodán.

Before anyone got the time to attack him, or ask anything he opened his mouth to speak himself. "What time does the eagles fly!?" Aodáns voice was low and his whispers crawled like snakes over the floor until they reached the ears of the others. He watched as their facial expressions changed at the sound of the familiar words. Aodán wondered if Amar knew who he was, or remembered meeting him - but he was even more curious about who the other girl was, and what she knew of him.
"Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice." - Robert Frost





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Wed Sep 28, 2011 4:45 pm
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eldEr says...



Aban | The Halls With Haleighlia

Gods, what did he do now? His stomach was rolling, and not in a pleased way, either-- what of his reputation if some unlucky person were to step around the corner and see him like this? My reputation? What of the lady's reputation? That should be of far more concern to any respectable general, shouldn't it?

Aban was vaguely aware of a horrified sound and tensing muscles, and in that moment he managed to pull himself together. Or, at least together enough to-- ever so carefully-- move one hand to pry her fingers free of him and set her back on her feet as gently as he could. The poor woman was a shade deeper than crimson, and Aban was afraid that he had to have matched her complexion. What would any normal, socially-enabled man do at that moment? Obviously, the less-courteous and the less-respectful would have laughed or worst... but what of the chivalrous? 

Aban had absolutely no idea. Not an inkling. He just stared, and then his gaze carried uneasily towards the tapestry that she had been holding onto. Perhaps it was inappropriate for the situation, but he was searching for tears or frays or any form of damage that he could find. He needed a distraction, and the seemingly undamaged tapestry had offered one, even if it had only been for a brief moment.

He finally forced himself to speak, eyes still glued to the threads of the tapestry. "I..." -he coughed- "I would like to... appropriate-" what? "-forgive me, I would like to apologize-" much better "-for... for the dogs." And everything that had happened in his chasing the dogs out, but there would be a few problems with that. Starting with the fact that Aban hadn't the faintest idea of how to phrase something like... that. He cleared his throat. "You... haven't come to any harm because of the mutts?" Save for the scorching of her dignity, of course. Not to mention his dignity.

The healer gave her head a slight shake. It would seem that her cheeks were just barely losing their color. Blast it. "No, no I'm... fine. I've never cared much for dogs." 

Any other man would have chuckled, but Aban furrowed his brow, expression hardening once again. He prayed that he didn't look cruel or inhospitable, but if he didn't look stern, he would look flustered, and if the poor woman was going to have any impression of him, he would rather it be one that he was used to people having. "Yes, well. I don't think that they would ever... harm a palace guest. Unless they were advised to do so by Ki--" he swallowed nervously, mentally striking himself with his own sword for what would have been that last comment. "Not that anybody would ever order them to attack you..." Gods, he needed to crawl into a pit and rot there. All he was doing was humiliating himself, and giving a woman whom he had been assigned to guard-- he still hadn't told her that, had he?-- all the more reason to detest him. Not that he would have blamed her if she did. He was homely, at least according to the vast majority of ladies in the court, hard and... well, he was Aban. Socially and emotionally impaired since the day of his birth.

 "Well, I don't believe that I've given you reason to hate me quite so much!" 

Aban was startled at her words. The tone in her voice was one that screamed offense. "No, no... I would never... I would never sic dogs on you..." and he was stuttering. Bloody hell.

But the healer, God bless her, was smiling. In fact, she looked genuinely amused, an it wasn't the taunting amusement of most other women-- or men, for that matter-- whenever he tried to speak in an unofficial situation. "I was joking with you, sir. I wasn't truly angered." 

"Oh." Thank you, Lord.

There was a bit of an awkward silence between the two, in which Aban continued to stare at the tapestry, and the healer's smile seemed to falter in the awkward atmosphere that Aban had, once again, created. 

It came as a surprise when it was he who broke the silence. "Forgive me-- I never gave you my name. General Aban... at your... service." The words rolled awkwardly, and he could very well feel his cheeks gain slight color yet again. "I've been assigned to keep watch over you, I do believe. You will... you can rest assured that you will be guarded by my best and most trusted men if I am unavailable. I have... certain things that I must investigate aside from this task, so I may not be of immediate disposal at all times." He couldn't sound anything bit official and indifferent, and it irked him now more than ever. "There's a guard named Joseph-- my very best-- who I will keep assigned to you at all times." His words were meant to be reassuring, but his tone refused to match. 

He started walking without another word, mind whirling with plans and other such distracting things. For now, he would be able to take the healer wherever she wished to go. They both had duties that must be attended within the evening, and those were what Aban was so busy meditating on. He just hoped that Haleighlia was following, for he was too ashamed and afraid to look back and check. He still hadn't apologized for having his face where his face shouldn't have been, but that could wait until he knew how to make amends for such a thing.

Gods, this was going to be a long few days. He just prayed that his dizzy spells and migraines were kept at bay, and that no more trouble was brewing.
Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurl.

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SubjectBlue says...



The room span dizzily around me, the world seem blur, and my head hurt terribly- as well as my chest and side.
My eyes landed on a figure dozing on a nearby chair, What is he doing here?! has he come to mock me at my defeat?
I knew I lost- and I assumed Hector realized it as well- the second I collapsed, I lost my claim of being the most stable, most fitting man to watch the throne.
They'll probably take away my ranks as well- they'll force me to become an advisor, and sit with deceiving, conniving aristocrats all day long, I'll have to see the crown, Hector, makes despicable acts, or foolish mistakes- and there would be nothing I could do about it!
my breath fastened, and my shoulder started tickling, so I took a deep breath and calmed down.
I sat up in the soft bed- Do I seem so old and weak? Darienis would have never done such a thing- if a healer would have told him to put me on a comfortable bed- he would have send the healer away, he knew how I hate those awful things
I then looked at the sleeping Hector- I remembered sitting next to Darienis bed at his final days He's so much like his father...
Suddenly, his eyes opened- he jumped a little when he realized I was awake- then tried to hide this younger gesture by standing very straight, he grew up too fast.
"General Tarasel"- I hated it when he called me that way, so formal...
"Please, my prince, when you were a child and your father and I would've talked- you'd call me uncle Tarasel- I'd rather have that name- if you'd stay so formal, however, I'll continue referring to you as 'my prince', and will insist that I am but your humble slave- I'm sure you'll hate that, and I'm way too old for it, so please- do an old man a favour"
he nodded, and I think I even managed to see the hint of a smile- it broke my heart, I knew I will have to kill him soon- then he said: : "fine, uncle Tarasel, I was afraid you won't make it."
I looked, and I Finally realized how stupid I was not to see it earlier- he was afraid- he just lost his father, his mother was dying, and he was struggling for the throne, I was the closest thing to a father he had now.
"I have no intention of leaving you alone so soon, Hector."
'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' -Stephen G. Tallentyre

"Great minds think alike- idiots are unpredictable"

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Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:34 am
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Shadowlight says...



(OOC: I am SO sorry for this ungodly long post but I needed to get BOTH my characters up to date. I promise no other posts of mine will be this long ever again! lord their going to be brutal for you all to read! Isha and Blue I hope I did an alright job with your characters, if not just let me know and I will edit gladly. :) )

Haleighlia/Palace hallway:

I watched the general walk swiftly away, that adorable blush still on his cheeks. I smiled inwardly,

You haven't changed a bit Aban Liamson.

I had blanched slightly when he had spoken his name but quickly recovered myself, as I now trotted quickly after him trying to keep up with his long soldiers strides.

I remembered him SO well from all those years ago in Rapbuhtan, I flushed again just thinking about it. I was such a child back then, so innocent and brash. I snickered, Aban looked back at me his eyebrows drawn together sternly. I smiled as nicly as I could- after all he was trying to ignore the-um- interesting situation of earlier.

Oh Ancestors kill me now! I had forced the poor mans face where no mans face belonged- well no man I hardly knew!

"Well General, can I ask you a question?" He turned, stopped and waited letting me catch up with him. When I did I smiled again-

Would he ever stop looking so serious?

"Well I have the fullest faith in your honor My Lord, but- where is it your taking me?" I meant it as a joke, but obviously by the plethora of emotions that played across Aban's face he thought I was dead serious.

"I-erm- you see- um." I rolled my eyes and decided to rescue him as neatly as I could.

"To the Queens chambers? that is where I was headed now before being- apprehended by the dogs."

"Yes, you wish to see the queen then?" I gave him a rye look.

"Well My Lord that IS what I'm here for, you know." He looked around frowning again and for the first time I worried I had offended him- maybe jokes were not the best thing to use with him?

he stiffly held out one long and muscular arm and screwed his face into what I thought "might" be a smile, but I really couldn't be sure.

"This way Lady Hijame, The Queen's chambers are this way." he kept his arm out and I assumed he meant for me to take it- nice gesture of him, but as soon as I had done so I realized I was wrong-

Oh well to late to turn back now.

"You don't have to use my surname you know General? if you merely call me Lady Haleighlia would be perfectly alright with me." he nodded stiffly and moved off with me half skipping to keep up in tow. He seemed to do everything stiffly, I fell into silence then, consumed by my thoughts.

Enlightened Beings almighty! this was NOT what I had anticipated, not at all!
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Hector/Palace:


I listened to Aban stuttering and stammering, tying to get his thoughts out- I had come to realize that if one actually intended to understand Aban you would usually have to wait a while. He seemed to be struggling with keeping our differing ranks apparent but still be personal. Finally it seemed to had steeled himself and continued.

"What I'm trying to say, Your Majesty, is that my company may not be exceptionally desirable, but I swear my loyalty, and if you... if you ever need somebody to talk to, I'll be the first who's willing to try his hardest."

This last statement had caught me off guard- he was willing to listen? I never doubted Aban's willingness to fight to the death for my father, and after the council meeting, for myself as well, but this? The man who couldn't hold a decent conversation that didn't revolve around warfare was willing to listen to me?

I actually was stunned almost to speechlessness- No one had ever offered to listen to me before, I was always the one who listened to them. Most thought I was the strong one, a steady immovable rock to cling to. I looked Aban in the eye and grabbed his shoulders.

"Thank you Aban." I said dropping the honorific. "You don't know how grateful I am for your words." we just stood there staring at one another and the silent bond we men have grew stronger that moment- we were both warriors at heart, both fighting for the same things. I was beginning to think Aban might be for me, what Tarasel was for my father.

I cleared my throat and let go of his arm and turned back down the hall.

"Will you walk with me?" I asked and started off, Aban matching strides with me. "I have a task I would ask of you my-friend." I looked over at him, as usual his face was that stern mask. "The Rapbuhtan Emperor has sent one of his own court healers to us, for my mother." I began trying to think of the swiftest way to tell him. "Lady Haleighlia Hijame is the healer, she is by all accounts a master with herbs and seems to have a knack for poisons. It is quite possible she may be able to help my mother, in any event her life may be in danger from whoever is picking us off." I spoke woodenly, even though my heart was breaking.

"I want you to protect her, she is albeit distantly related to the Rapbuhtan Imperial family. if she is harmed in any way it could cause a international incident. Can you do that for me Aban? I don't care how you do it, I just want her to be closely guarded."

Aban Digested my words slowly making sure he understood every ounce of meaning to be gleaned from them. Only after this did he nod.

"You can count on me my king. I shall not let any harm come to her."

Just then a servant came quickly around the corner, face pale and tense.

"My Lord Hector!" he cried as he came up. The look on his face filled me with dread.

-Oh god. mother!

"Lord Tarasel," the man said wringing his hands in his tunics hem. "My lord something has happened to him."

-What the bloody hell!? Tarasel?

"The General was found collapsed in a corridor, the healers say it might be the work of the assassins."

I stayed to hear no more but took off running down the hall, my mind a screaming white hot blank.

-Tarasel now? why him?

A thousand different possibilities ran through my mind as I tore through the palace. Having lived there my whole life I knew many shortcuts and I used them now. Out the upstairs window and across the rooftops.

barely five minutes later I was on the other side of the palace and charging up the halls to Tarasels rooms. He had a house in the city but my father demanded he spend most of his time here so a set of rooms were specially for his use.

Not waiting to knock I rushed in, scaring the group of worried healers gathered round the Generals bed. I stopped dead in my tracks as my eyes fell on him.

-Oh gods, he's already gone. he's already gone and the last things I said to him were combative. he died thinking I was angry with him!

My already shattered heart broke anew and I felt my fists clench. One of the healers seemingly sense my emotions and touched me gently on the arm- she was a good natured looking elderly woman.

"He still lives my prince." she said, voice high and dry like Autumns leaves. "He still hangs in the balance but for now he lives." If I had been less formal, I think I would have hugged her right there, but as it was I only asked the question burning my mind.

"Was it the assassin?" she shrugged her shoulders.

"I do not know my Prince, but there is nothing more we can do, and certainly nothing you can do- except pray." she smiled contentedly and my heart suddenly froze a little.

"Do they hear us? do they even care?" I said bitterly, which wasn't fair to her but my emotions were so raw, and so near the surface just then.

I moved and sat in a hard backed chair very near the bed and stared down at him, the healers seeming to know my purpose left quietly, leaving me alone with him.

-My gods! he's aged to an old man in only a few hours.

I was both shocked and horrified as I beheld the change that had come over him. his cheeks were sunken in, the fine lines and wrinkles were startlingly apparent now, he was deathly pale and his barrel chest rose and fell shallowly, that frightened me. he had become an old man, a frail old man.

I clenched my jaws tighly, the pain of my fathers death coming upon me afresh at the threat of this new loss. Tarasel, though my words in the council may have sounded heartless and unkind, I cared for him dearly.

"I love you old man, you know that right?" I asked his still form, grasping his cold hand. "You were always like a father to me, you and papa were my heroes growing up- even now you still are. Don't you die on me." I said my voice growing hoarse. "Don't you dare die on me! I need you now Tarasel, Papa's gone and Mama, she's dying. I know she's dying even though she's putting on a brave face for me. I can read her easily enough."

I place my head in my hands and try to calm down. I look about the room, it is so familiar to me. As a child Tarasel was a surrogate father, if my own was busy or what-have-you, Tarasel always seemed to have time for me, or anyone for that matter. I had spent countless hours in here, peppering with with questions, or simply watching him work, he never seemed to mind my presence.

It was only in the last few months that he had begun to pull away... or was it me pushing him away? I pondered this leaning back in the chair, i continued my conversation with myself.

"You and papa were so different, Papa was the one who would have spoiled me rotten if it weren't for you and Mama. You were always the first to box my ears for some infraction, no matter what it was. I hated and respected that about you, I lived in fear of your anger but loved you all the more for it."

I begun to feel my eyes grow heavy,

-When was the last time I had actually slept?

I wouldn't leave him though, he had sat with me through almost all of my childhood illnesses, this was the least I could do for him.
****


I don't know how long it was I had slept for, but I slowly became aware of someone watching me. I started violently awake and looked right into Tarasel's open eyes. I blushed cursing myself for having fallen asleep- how weak I must have seemed.I stood up quickly.

"General Tarasel," I began,

-That sounded so formal, he's going to think I was angry or some thing.
Tarasel sighed heavily, again looking so much older than his years should have made him. it seemed all the cares of his life burdened him at this one instance.

"Please, my prince, when you were a child and your father and I would've talked- you'd call me uncle Tarasel- I'd rather have that name- if you'd stay so formal, however, I'll continue referring to you as 'my prince', and will insist that I am but your humble slave- I'm sure you'll hate that, and I'm way too old for it, so please- do an old man a favor"

I saw a bit of the old Tarasel I knew- the one who would box my ears- I smiled slightly and sat down on the foot of the bed.

"Fine, Uncle Tarasel." I paused and swallowed hard. "I was afraid I was going to loose you too." when he had first looked at me his eyes seemed almost hard, but now they softened and he reached out and placed his hard hand on my shoulder. he gave it a weak though attention getting shake.

"I have no intention of leaving you alone so soon, Hector." I felt like a little boy again when he looked at me like that, and I did what I had used to. I reached forward and gave him a tight though albeit gentle hug. He stiffened slightly at first but relaxed and patted my back.

"Come on now boy don't get like that, I'm not going anywhere." I moved back to the end of the bed.

"Good. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too." I paused and chewed on my lip, I wanted to tell him but I wasn't sure how to.

"Hector I can tell when you have something to say." he chided me, I laughed a little, though there was no humor in it.

"Can I keep nothing from you then?" he shook his head. "Alright, you have me." I swallowed then dived right in. "Today in the council, I'm sorry my outburst while you were speaking. it was wrong and it has been eating away at me all day. Also, I have nothing against you at all, I don't want my words at council to have seemed like a personal attacks. I just feel like I need to do this, I need to do it on my own, without someone holding my hand. I might make mistakes but they'll be ones I'll learn from, they'll be my own. I want to be a good king to my people Tarasel, I want to help them to the best of my ability. I just wish everyone else understood that." I fell silent then, wondering what he'd say.

........
"D*** the torpedoes! Four bells! Full speed ahead!"~ Admiral David Farragut





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Demoness says...



Keira - The Palace

Keira and her transformed companion, Lynx were being escorted through the halls of the castle by the anxious guard when they heard the screams. The guard stopped for a moment, as if he was uncertain of what to do but then he started pacing faster and seemed to forget about the long, lost princess.

Keira threw a glance at Lynx who just nodded approvingly as they both hurried after the guard. Keira didn't have time to put any thought to it, as she walked down memorylane passing all the things she'd left behind. Finally though they reached an open door around which servants, guards, healers and even royalty stood.

Keira and Lynx stopped a few feet away and kept their distance but Keira focused on hearing what people were saying.

At first she got frightened when she heard things like "Oh that poor, young prince" "They say it was an assassin" "Lost his father, lost his sister, nearly lost his mom and now this!" Keira thought it sounded like her brother was dead, like he'd been assassined like their father... like she was supposed to be but it annoyed her that they had said "lost his sister" as if she was dead. It made her think, maybe she was dead to them... maybe they had never bothered even looking for her, maybe her coming back woudn't be at all the way she'd planned.

Then she heard it, her brother's voice. Many years had passed since she'd last heardit but she knew it was him and she couldn't help but run from her safe spot behind Lynx and straight into the room where her brother was. She pushed her way through the crowd of curious guards and servants and past the murmuring healers and finally she reached the big bed where she expected to see her wounded brother lie.

Keira stood mesmerized hidden under her red cloak as she spotted her brother. He had grown a lot taller since the last time she'd seen him, more muscular too and he had lost some of that childish innocence of his. He was worn, and torn - but I guess loosing your father and having to care for an entire kingdom would do that to you. He wasn't wounded though, but he looked kind of pale as he stared at the person who actually were hurt.

For in the bed lay Tarasel - the grumpy old man who'd helped raise them. Keira had never liked him, he hadn't approved of their fathers way of spoiling them and when he'd been left to look after them things had been miserble for Keira. She had thought Hector felt the same way, when they were kids he'd often complained but it seemed as if he'd changed opinion. He looked sincerely upset about the old mans condition and she heard things like "you were always like a father" "I love you" "don't die on me".

Inbetween the lines Keira heard the words that would take the breath out of her and force her down on the floor. "Mama, she's dying."

Keira was sitting on the floor as she watched the room spin around her while she tried to stand up again but failing. She needed to get up quick, before anybody took too much notice of her. It was too late though, a few people were already grabbing her limbs, stabalizing her - asking if she was okay. Keira didn't answer, maybe they'd recognize her voice. Hector would - wouldnt he? But Hector didn't notice her, and nobody else did either. Well, they noticed, and helped but they didn't know who they were helping and soon she felt Lynx grab her and lead her out of the room and all the feelings, memories and confuse that had come crushing down on her in there faded.

"Air, please..." Keira murmured and felt her thoughts leave Hector, her mother and the Palace and wander off to Aodán. She would do anything to have him here right now. Keira didn't handle situations like this very well. She wasn't used to being a victim to her feelings, she was used to being in control of her emotions. She was known for being cold and she wasn't bothered with that statement, she was even a bit proud of it at times to others surprise and uncomfort.

But Keira couldn't control what was happening to her now. The Palace, her childhood, her murdered father, her dying mother and Hector that was too focused on an old, grumpy man to notice his sister was alive, right there, a couple of feet away from him and Aodán - the man who was sent to kill her, but who loved her, and whom she loved,but who she had no idea where he was - or if he was even alive. He'd gone out on a suicide mission, and Keira hadn't even tried to stop him.

She was just so confused about what was going on with him and she didn't understand what was going on with herself, or what was happening here, at the palace. What had happened after she'd left?

But what worried her most was her desicion of returning home. She had this strong feeling, that she didn't belong here, that nobody wanted her here and that maybe... maybe, whomever that had sent Aodán would send someone else to finish the job. Aodán never spoke of it... and Keira never dared ask - but the thought contantely lingered in her mind. Who wanted her dead? And Why? And if people knew she was back - would they come back and finish the job... would they come after Aodán?

Spoiler! :
I'm awfully tired so I don't know how much sense this post makes, if anything is unclear, please PM and I'll try to clearify it xDD Hope it was okay overall though xDD
"Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice." - Robert Frost





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eldEr says...



Aban | The palace halls

The silence was discomforting, bit not nearly as discomforting as actually having to speak. Let alone to a... very attractive, poised and sociable woman such as  Haleighlia. 

He could vaguely remember her, and was trying to calm his mind enough to recall exactly when that had been. It took a moment, and then he was blinking dazedly, step faltering.  Haleighlia. He had been a part of securing her homeland... this had been the girl who had... dear gods. 

He risked a sideways glance, looking sharply away when she caught his gaze with her own. Oh yes, she was definitely the love-struck little girl that he remembered. Of course, she was far more... grown up now, as had been so sternly pounded into him not so long ago. Don't think about it. Thinking was nearly as bad as living the moment... he shook his head subtly and slowed as they neared the queen's chambers. 

"We're nearing the queen's chambers." Another dry, emotionless statement. The kind that turned him into a bulldog in the eyes of the court. The kind that deemed him cold, relatively heartless and disagreeable. None of which he was. 

The "Mmm," that came from Haleighlia's end didn't help the paranoia that he had already given her that impression. Why did it matter, exactly? It was an impression that he was used to... maybe not from her of all people, but used to all the same. 

He stopped outside the queen's chambers,  knocking twice. One of the servants called for them to enter, and Aban opened the door, bowed, straightened and stepped aside. "Lady Hegaleigha Hejale." 

He waited for her to enter before closing the door, eying the two guards that had been ignored until... now. If there were men on duty, and he knew that only the best guarded the queen, it may give him time to start looking into Tarasel's motives, as the queen had so desired. Of course, word had reached him that Tarasel was gravely ill. Dying, perhaps.

Which could mean that the assassins were taking him down, as well. Or perhaps not. The man was getting old... if he had over-exerted himself in some way, it could cause problems. 

And he was still standing directly outside of the queen's chambers, staring at the doors, acting as odd as they came. Not that he wasn't, mind you. 

Perhaps investigation should wait until he knew what had happened to his fellow general. Was being mildly suspicious of a dying man disrespectful? Was disobeying a prince to obey a queen or vice versa disrespectful? Did he need more sleep and fresh air than he was allowing himself to get? 

If it cleared his head, then absolutely. Thinking straight had gotten... difficult when the headaches and dizzy spells started. 

Which meant that it was wiser to stay in one spot and fill out the immediate orders-- the last orders. Guard Lady Hegaleigha. He took a third position outside the door, back straight as it could get, hand on the hilt of his sword. His exhaustion levels hadn't become evident until just then. 

There was far too much happening in the city. Far, far too much.





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SubjectBlue says...



I felt like the times in the battlefield, when an enemy has sent his artillery straight before my cavalry, or a mistaken in a similar way. The feeling that I had him and I was going to win.
I almost never smiled at such moments- I wasn't much of a gloating person. and in the three times I did smile at the defeat of another, it was a dark grin.
This victory wasn't very joyous either- Just like when Darienis died, or when my agent reported me Nhara can barely stand.
He was so young, so insecure- he wouldn't survive a day in the politics of the court.
"I do understand, Hector. I rode with your father to his first battle, my first battle- I know what's it like to be young and to want to take your place in the world. But I also know my place in the world- by your father's side, now your's- and I know that in the moment, although you're very mature and eager, you need to take some time off. don't let your pride lead you to mistakes, Hector, there will be no one to save you if you will- as king."
While he considered my words seriously, I jumped out of the bed.
"I'm too old to spend my final years dying." I answered to his protests.
"I have army businesses to run."
'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' -Stephen G. Tallentyre

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ScarlettFire says...



((Blue, you've forgotten your character's name and place for your last several posts. Could you add that please?

As for me? Post time! Sorry I took so long. I didn't know what to post but now I do, so here you go.))



Nasira | Inside the Temple, picking a lock:

There was a click and the door swung open. Nasira looked up at the low question all assassins knew. Clearly, the two newcomers were like her. Assassins, and bloody good ones, too. She stared at the other assassins gathered in the hall and swiftly looked up and down it, eyes wide. They couldn't just stand in the hall! Anyone could come at any moment--in fact, was that a Temple Maiden unconscious on the floor? Nasira took another look. Yes, yes it was. She swore under her breath and approached the group.

"What in all of Alamea are you lot doing standing around?" she hissed, shooting the other male and female assassins a narrow-eyed glare. "Anyone else could come along at any moment!" She turned back to the door and paused, gesturing to the Temple Maiden on the ground. "Get into that room I just unlocked and take her with you!" She grabbed Soren's arm--when had he left the rafters?--and dragged him towards the door, ignoring any kind of protest. Nasira vaguely recognized the other assassins. The man--she was sure she'd seen him before, but she couldn't place him. Right now, though, it was best if they got out of the damned hallway. There was sure to be more Maidens around. Or maybe even Isranda herself.

Now half-hidden in the shadows before the door, she gave the other assassins a look--one that clearly told the to get a move on. She didn't want to see if they'd follow, she just pushed Soren into the room and quickly followed him, waiting impatiently while the female assassin dragged the Temple Maiden towards the door with the help of her companion. Soren was poking around in the room behind her so Nasira took the chance to put her lock picks back where they belonged--beside the dagger on her thigh. Judging by the silence behind her, Soren was watching her every move. This was acknowledged a moment later by a low, husky chuckle by her ear. She threw her elbow backwards, keeping it tight to her side. There was an "oof!" from behind her and a smothered curse. Nasira smirked smugly, and went back to waiting. By the gods, they were taking their damned time.
"With friends like you, who needs a medical license?" - Paimon, Aether's Heart


“It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.” - Grace Hopper.








I was never insane except upon occasions when my heart was touched.
— Edgar Allan Poe