Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 29 April 2011, 09:42:39 »
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Seven days in a week
Seven continents
Seven seas
Seven deadly sins
Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Seven chakras

The list goes on and on.

Seven has traditionally been the number of spiritual perfection.  The number seven appears in nearly every religion ever known to man.  It appears numerous times in nature, and mystics and sages from many cultures and civilizations have been fascinated by it.

Legend tells that, at the time of the creation of the world, seven lightning bolts struck seven stones at exactly the same time.  Those seven stones were arranged in a perfect circle around a center point, whose site would later become the capital city of a kingdom referred to only as The Realm.  The seven stones were discovered by seven men who soon became the patriarchs of seven powerful families.  These are the seven noble families whose lands make up The Realm.

From each of the seven stones, seven pendants were made, each said to house the spirit and future of its family.  The pendants are worn by the member of each family deemed by his or her family members most capable of doing what is best for the house, and the gifts granted to the wearer depend on the individual.  Some rival Hercules, others seem to mimic Dorian Gray.  These men and women inherit the title of prince or princess, and their family members are Lords and Ladies.

The government of the Realm is unique in that its monarch is elected.  When the current king or queen dies, three representatives of each family gather together in a locked room until one of their own wins a majority of votes.  The populace has no say, but this method of succession usually manages to prevent a corrupt man or woman from coming to power.

The House of Arrington [the deer / green & gold] won the most recent election, and it’s a shame that their king, an aging man named Remus, was murdered a couple of days ago, with all of the evidence pointing towards murder by means of poison.  Remus was a particularly progressive man, having made many enemies in more conservative circles.  The suspect pool is wide, but his eldest son, twenty-five-year-old Prince Kael, is determined to solve the mystery before the new election comes to a close.  Now, with all of the seven families coming together for the funeral and the elections, all of his father’s enemies will be in one place.  Oh, and there’s the little matter of his candidacy for king to take care of as well.  He’s not so sure he wants to run, no matter how much his relatives pressure him.  He might just prefer to return to the flat plains of his family’s rural estate.

The House of Rhydderch [the horse / red & blue] has always been the smallest of the seven, and they’re the closest to nomads as nobility can get.  They live in the south of the Realm, on the outskirts of the Argall Desert.  Horses outnumber their subjects two to one, but the horses these folks breed are the finest in the Realm.  Unfortunately, tragedy struck their lands this past summer, when diseased cattle resulted in a plague that killed off most of the region’s human population.  Princess Eden, only twenty years old, is the oldest of her family to have survived, along with her sisters, ages seventeen and fourteen.  This young princess has become not only the most eligible bachelorette in the Realm, but also its biggest tease.  She knows that many men will seek to gain control of her lands through her, and she’s not looking for marriage unless there’s something in it for her.  Though, that doesn’t mean she won’t lead them on.

The House of Falk [the falcon / navy & silver] is the northernmost of the seven, making their home in the tall, snowy Fernaugh Mountains on the outskirts of the Realm.  These people are hardened by the harsh climate, and they are staunch political conservatives—therefore under suspicion for the assassination of King Remus.  Lord Maddox is, at twenty-three, the youngest of the seven sons of the Prince.  While he is believed to have a great destiny in store for him as the seventh son, he knows that he will not be king, nor will he inherit the land while he is young enough to enjoy it.  He comes to the capitol searching for a way to establish his own power and prove himself to the Realm, and it is then that he meets Princess Eden.  Marrying her would put him in charge of her family’s land…

The House of Fyodorov [the wolf / silver & green] have made their home deep in the woods far to the east.  These are the most skilled hunters and woodsmen in the entire Realm.  While outsiders balk at the prospect of entering the large Wynned Wood, generally thought to be haunted, these men and women find their dinner in its depths every day.  Yet, the woods also harbor the bandits who regularly pick off members of the family.  The prince himself was killed in the most recent incident, and his twenty-four-year-old son has stepped up to claim the title as Prince Raymond.  Charismatic and charming, this political moderate is widely regarded as the favorite to win the crown in the upcoming election despite his youth.  However, what no one knows is that he has a much darker side.  The marauders that killed his father were hooded, after all.  Lady Carina knows little of her brother’s darker side, although since her father’s murder, she has glimpsed hints of his odd behaviors.  At nineteen, this is her first time traveling to the capital. She loves her gowns, but she is as skilled an archer as any in the Realm, thanks both to natural skill and serious training from a young age. 

The House of Spiro [the shark / blue & orange] are the fishermen of the Realm, responsible for all of the region’s seafood.  Located in the southwest, this family and its subjects enjoy the breezy, warm climate along the coast.  Living in the Realm’s most popular vacation spot, they naturally live very relaxed lives.  Lady Olivia, at the young age of seventeen, is far from the top of her large, healthy family, so she’s never even had to think once about responsibility.  She does what she wants when she wants to do it, and she scarcely understands the meaning of the world ‘no’.  Perhaps that’s why she’s completely devastated when her father forbids her to marry the fisherman she thinks she’s in love with.  Hoping that she’ll catch the eye of some high-ranking nobleman, her parents have dragged her to the capitol for the elections.  She, however, is determined to be insufferable… until she meets the dark and mysterious Prince Aubrey.

The House of Rey [the lion / scarlet & gold] has traditionally been the heart and soul of the Realm’s police force and military.  Under their command, the people of their plains are brought up as soldiers—boys and girls alike.  If a child is weak or deformed, it is left out in the wild to die.  This dog-eat-dog world in which survival of the fittest is the only rule is where twenty-one-year-old Lady Marisela shines.  Naturally athletic, she’s been beating boys older than her with swords since she was seven.  She knows that her family is under suspicion for the murder of King Remus, but she’s not about to let that dampen her spirits.  Funeral games always include a tournament—imagine all the new meat she’ll get to play with.  What she doesn’t know is that her family’s been making arrangements for a marriage to place her close to the throne.

The House of Cardona [the dragon / black & silver] is the black sheep of the Realm.  Nobody really likes them, and they don’t really like anybody else.  Mostly, they’re left alone in their mountains and forests, but they’ve been roused to return to the capital for King Remus’s funeral and the subsequent election.  In the darkness, however, the House of Cardona has been practicing dark arts of sorcery and necromancy—and they’ve finally gathered enough power to make a bid at the crown.  Having murdered Remus, they now stand behind twenty-three-year-old Prince Aubrey, whose magical prowess and sharp tongue make him a force to reckoned with.  His younger sister, eighteen-year-old Lady Andrea, knows little of his plans—especially not his intention to sacrifice her to the dragons for more power.  She just wants to meet Prince Kael, the dashing man whom she’s heard so much about.

Prince Kael: UNSeaLove
Princess Eden: mnaberrie
Lord Maddox: Mrs_Snape
Prince Raymond: mzprez1021
Lady Carina: GinnyBonnie
Lady Olivia: Mrs_Snape
Lady Marisela: UNSeaLove
Prince Aubrey: mnaberrie
Lady Andrea: Mia Bellatria

As far as character relationships, this is how I foresee things… 
Maddox wants to marry Eden for her lands, but she merely leads him on until she’s sure that he loves her.
Andrea has always had a crush on Kael, but he doesn’t know she exists until she arrives at the palace for the elections.
Marisela has been betrothed to Raymond, and both protest vehemently until they realize just how similar they are.
When Olivia meets Aubrey for the first time, she’s instantly seduced by his mysteriousness, but he sees her only as a potential replacement for his sacrificial sister.

Eden and Marisela are very good friends.
Kael used to court Marisela, and Aubrey used to court Eden.
Kael and Raymond have been friends since childhood.
Eden was engaged to Raymond until the plague destroyed her family, then she broke it off.
Olivia and Andrea barely know the others, as they’ve rarely been at court before.

… but that is, of course, subject to change as the plot thickens.  Smile

WHAT I WANT FROM YOU:
—Appropriate name
—Photograph (no anime)
—Username  (if your profile is private and you want me to be able to contact you via owl)
—A promise not to disappear

You may double.  However, you may not play two female characters unless I say otherwise.
Also, you can (hopefully) tell that a great deal of time and thought went into composing this plot.  I expect multiple paragraph posts from everyone who joins, and I also assume that signing up implies that you have the time to commit.


« Last Edit: 01 June 2011, 15:32:18 »
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 29 April 2011, 10:22:10 »
Quote
—Lady Marisela Rey
—Appearance
—UNSeaLove
—Yes, you have my promise not to disappear on you!

I lied. I did have time <3
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 29 April 2011, 13:03:27 »
Edit post Quote Delete
Added.

Just get me that pic when you can.  Smile
Beautiful Lies
Anonymous
« 29 April 2011, 13:34:07 »
Quote
-Lady Olivia Spiro
-Picture
-Mrs_Snape
-Of course I will stay with it.

I might double later if needed. I was torn between her and prince number 4.


« Last Edit: 29 April 2011, 16:51:48 »
Mia Bellatria
Played by Mia Bellatria
Hogwarts Student
Seventh Year
Ravenclaw
« 29 April 2011, 17:39:46 »
Quote
Princess Andrea Cardona http://www.photoglebov.com/_cache/traditional/img/y_images_blue%20medieval%20wedding%20dresses_0.jpg
Mia Bellatria
I promise to keep posting, and I'll alert if for some reason I'm not on the computer.
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 29 April 2011, 17:56:56 »
Edit post Quote Delete
Gotcha.

And Andrea's a Lady not a Princess.  Wink
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 29 April 2011, 20:21:01 »
Quote
—Prince Kael (Arrington)
—Appearance
—UNSeaLove
—Yes, you have my promise not to disappear on you!

Approved to double!
Elieen Quinn
Played by mzprez1021
Hogwarts Student
Fifth Year
Gryffindor
« 29 April 2011, 18:22:13 »
Quote

—Prince Raymond Fyodorov
—Picture!
—Mzprez1021
—I'm not always on but I will always respond!


« Last Edit: 30 April 2011, 10:06:05 »
* * * *  *

~"Look at the stars, look how they shine for you, and every thing you do.
It was all yellow."~
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 30 April 2011, 01:04:16 »
Edit post Quote Delete
Yay!  That's everyone. 

We will begin, obviously, as everyone is arriving in the capitol for the late king's funeral.  Kael, of course, has been there all along supervising the preparations and plans as well as pondering his candidacy and making preliminary investigations into his father's death.  I will put up a post tomorrow, but if anyone else feels so inclined, they are more than welcome to beat me to it. 

Oh, and I still need Darvan's picture.
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 30 April 2011, 08:02:08 »
Quote
The death of his father was proving to be just as untimely as it was suspicious. It was also proving to be something that was stressing Kael Arrington out beyond all belief. For the past week he had been forced to separate himself from his family for the most part while he made sure that all of the funeral preparations and plans for electing a new ruling house went in order as they should.

The past week had been stressful to say the least. Kael was ready for this entire ordeal to be over. A new King would be elected soon enough and then he could go home to his family’s estate and relax a little bit. Laying down low for awhile would be absolutely wonderful. Or would it? As Kael strolled through the halls he realized that he had to decide whether or not he was put his own name up for the election.

Between the funeral preparations and getting plans in order for the election he really hadn’t had the time to reflect on his decision. His father had just died and by all rights Kael felt that he should be the next king but he knew that wasn’t how these things happened. Figuring out what had happened to his father was important. Whoever was responsible would have to pay for what they had done. Right now, however, he needed a little bit of time to himself. That was why Kael was sneaking off for a little bit of time to reflect before someone managed to find him.

It seemed like every time Kael could get some time to himself, someone was coming to find him. This time the Prince was determined not to let anyone find him. Usually he would have gone to some obscure, inconspicuous spot but this time he decided that he was going to hide in plain sight. The Library was the perfect place to hide and get a little bit of thinking and reading in at the same time.

The Library was a gorgeous place. It was filled with all of the rich, vibrant colors that composed the colors of each of the seven Houses. They ranged from the gorgeous green and gold of his own house to the blue and orange of The House of Spiro and the black and silver of The House of Cardona. Not only was the library beautifully decorated and elegant but it was the home to a vast number of books that could only be considered priceless. Each of the seven houses had contributed books to this library over the course of time. That allowed such diversity.

Kael selected a book that had been contributed by The House of Rhydderch before moving towards a more secluded corner of the library. Making sure that no one was following him, he slipped into an overstuffed chair and settled in to read and think. He could only hope that no one would bother him while he was otherwise busy. For once this week he truly needed an hour or so to himself before he went insane.

Was privacy so much to ask for?


a little short, i apologize, but i figured i would start us off.
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 30 April 2011, 11:34:43 »
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The summer had been a rough time for the House of Rhydderch, and, while the new princess was counted among the lucky ones for surviving the plague that decimated her family, she couldn’t help but think that perhaps she’d gotten the worst of it after all.

Her parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, grandparents… they were all dead, along with a rather large chunk of their subjects as well.  They were at rest, at peace, in the mausoleum.  The concerns of the Realm were no longer their concerns, and they would never be bothered by the cares of the living world ever again.  Eden knew not what awaited a soul when it passed through the thin veil between life and death, but it most certainly was not this—this chaos that ravaged the land in the wake of their passing and placed the weight of the entire community on her young, delicate shoulders.

Her father had been Prince Rhydderch, and he had expertly handled every single thing there was to handle around there—the money, the servants, the overseeing of the horses… everything.  At the time, she had underestimated his workload, though perhaps it wasn’t so daunting to an experienced, accomplished man.  Now, however, she could scarcely understand how he had done it.  Though, he had had his advisors… unfortunately for the new princess, they were also gone.

Their entire estate had to be cleansed of all traces of disease, and the only course of action that the physicians could offer her was to burn out the entire interior of the fortress.  It was made of stone, so the building could withstand such a thing, but everything inside—all of their furnishings—had to be destroyed and replaced.  It had been one giant, colossal headache.  And then she’d had to think about decontaminating the rest of the land, which had ultimately proved even more difficult.

Now, fall had arrived, and the people had begun to worry about whether or not they’d have enough food for the winter.  On top of that, Eden—and her two even younger sisters—were being called away from their home to attend the funeral of the late king and participate in the election of his successor.  Just by seeing how much work she had to run her country’s relatively small-scale community, Eden was sure that a man had to be absolutely crazy to desire to run the entire Realm. 

They’d been riding northwest towards the capitol for nearly a week now, and Eden was grateful that she and her people were so comfortable in the saddle.  She couldn’t imagine having to complete the journey in a carriage, and she was sure some of her peers were forced to do.  Being in control of her own mount gave her the opportunity to burn off some of her agitation and stress—something she was looking forward to doing over her stay at the palace.  There would be feasts and parties, tournaments and games—all to celebrate the death of one king and, later, the election of his successor. 

Hopefully, she could forget about the responsibilities that came with being princess for at least a little while.

The afternoon sun was shining brightly when her party first saw the impressive travertine façade of the king’s palace.  Her sisters whispered to each other in excitement.  Avalon, the elder, had only been to court once, and this was Tasnim’s first visit.  Of course they were excited.  Beautiful gowns, grand parties… handsome young men… what was there not to like?

Boldly, Eden urged her white gelding to the front of the parade, encouraging the proud creature to pass even the herald carrying her house’s standards and gallop through the gates of the capitol.  People rushed to move out of her way in the streets, and the princess laughed at her grand entrance, then brought the horse to a stop to wait for the rest of her party.

Together, they made their way to the palace stables and tended to their mounts without the aid of the grooms.  No Rhydderch would ever let a commoner touch his or her horse, as they had all been raised from birth to treat these creatures like gods.  Lovingly, Eden ran her hands over her gelding’s flank after he’d been watered.  “Behave yourself, Firdaus,” she whispered to him playfully.  “Make friends, not enemies.”

She wasn’t dressed like the other young women in the capitol, and she knew that many of the servants were staring at her and her sisters like they had about five heads.  She turned her proud nose up at them, wondering how they possibly expected her to ride in the long skirts women wore on most occasions.  It was much easier in the long tunic she wore, cinched at the waist with a gold cord, its blue fabric coming only to her mid thigh.  On her feet, she wore brown knee-high riding boots that seemed better suited for a common boy than a princess.  In fact, excepting the simple gold circlet she wore on her head and the stone she wore around her neck, there was nothing but her easy confidence and expertly manicured nails to say that she was a noble at all.

“Never seen a real princess before?” she questioned one of the baffled servants, grinning when he blushed and scurried around.  Laughing, she tossed her braid over her shoulder and returned her attention to Firdaus.
Mia Bellatria
Played by Mia Bellatria
Hogwarts Student
Seventh Year
Ravenclaw
« 30 April 2011, 15:43:46 »
Quote
Oopsy daisy! Got it!

Lady Andrea rode excitedly on her gleaming black horse towards the capitol. She was uncomfortable riding the horse in her long dress, but she ignored it completely. Andrea was estatic to finally get to go to court, but there also hung a dark cloud in her mind, knowing it was because of the death of the king.

Andrea looked on in awe of the glistening palace. The beautiful castle was unbelievable. She urged her horse forward. Her long dark hair flew behind her as she rode. Andrea laughed in anticipation. Her mind drifted to Prince Kael, whom she very much wanted to meet. Andrea had wanted to meet him since she heard he existed. She was determind to get Prince Kael to notice her.

Andrea rode through the streets of the capitol, the people in the streets watching and whispering. Probably wondering who she was. She smiled at them as she went, trying to seem kind. Andrea hadn't been here before but maybe once, but she could hardly remember it. This was something else indeed.
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 30 April 2011, 18:35:27 »
Quote
Being part of the caravan of horses and people that led to the Capitol was not something that was high on Lady Marisela’s list of activities. It had been an exhausting week or so. When they had found out that the new King was dead and an election and funeral would need to take place the only redeeming quality to all of this was the tournament that came along with it. Marisela had been besting even the best of the men in the kingdom since she had been young. This tournament was going to come with fresh meat for her and she was excited about it.

The sun was murder though! As it glared down on her procession, Marisela shifted uncomfortably before leaning forward to run her hand gently along the neck of her bay Akhal-Teke only to be met with sweat on her hand. Her horse had been bred for endurance but this week long ride had proven to be brutal on all of them. The Lady had half a mind to inform her caravan that they were stopping so that her stallion could get some water but she knew that the order would be met with resistance. Everyone was tired of riding and wanted to reach the capitol today.

“We shall be there shortly, my love.” She murmured softly before straightening out once more. Ever the swordswoman that she was Marisela had always had an aversion to the skirts and corsetry of the noblewomen in her house and in the Realm. Unknowingly she mirrored Princess Eden in her appearance on this very day. She wore a scarlet tunic embroidered with a majestic lion to indicate her house and a thin, braided piping in gold around the collar. She wore a pair of black leather pants with black riding boots that hit perfectly at her knee. There was a thin black belt around her waist and on her right wrist she wore a cuffed bracelet composed of rubies. Naturally she wore a thin matching necklace.

A heavy sigh escaped her as she nudged her horse around the outer edge of the caravan and towards the front where the heralds carrying her house’s standards. Pausing momentarily the woman looked down and made her wishes rather clear in a strong, noble voice.

“We are moving things along in a faster manner. I am eager to reach the capitol and give my horse a well deserved rest.” Marisela’s word was final and what she said would happen. She couldn’t help but feel as if everyone else felt the same way as murmured excitement about reaching the capital echoed through her people. There a smirk on her pretty face as they sped their approach.

The people in the capitol seemed rather excited as they entered. Marisela let a delicate eyebrow raise as they made their way towards palace stables. Her horse deserved a good rest and as she dismounted and led her horse to water, she glanced around.
Princess Eden.

Marisela smirked a little bit as she leaned against her drinking stallion.

“I’m not so sure if it’s the fact that you are a real princess or an absolutely gorgeous woman, Eden.” Once Nalash was done drinking, Marisela moved him towards and empty stall so that she could untack him. The woman was horribly protective of him. The stallion had been with her since he had been old enough to leave his mother and he was her prized horse. This was the horse that led her tournaments.

"I see that your sisters are here with you. I'm surprised they haven't scurried off to enjoy the men yet."
Elieen Quinn
Played by mzprez1021
Hogwarts Student
Fifth Year
Gryffindor
« 30 April 2011, 19:19:15 »
Quote
The insufferable sun beat down on Prince Raymond as they continued their journey to the capital. His eyes were transfixed on the dirt trail and so was his mind. He stared intently on it. As if it held the answer to the world's problems. Truthfully, he didn't want to think about anything at the moment. The past week's events happened so quickly that he just needed to focus on something that didn't require much thought; the dirt trail for example. Usually it stays the same, but once in a while it is carved by human forces. It is changed from it's prior state but it doesn't matter. Everyone overlooks the obvious, for it's just a dirt trial. Nothing more, nothing less.

His knuckles gripped the brittle of stead until each and every one of them turned a sickly white. The brown of his horse's fur clashed with the stunning black of his leather pants, which seemed to soak up the sun. Suddenly the trail begun to widen. The trees became scarce as they saw the capitol in the distance. It took a few seconds for his eyes to focus on the bigger picture. For a while there he was used to the small details of the trail. All the trees seemed to pass by slowly now. With each step closer he felt like he was leaving all he knew. What he truly understood.

They entered the capitol with an air of importance. Everyone was hustling around for the day's events. They greeted the arrivals with pointing and smiling. All he did was graciously wave at them. He didn't even want to think of why he was here. He didn't want to think of the election that laid before them. To think of why they were having the election was much worse; a murder. The thought sent a thrill down his spine. Not that the thought scared him or brought sadness to his eyes. It didn't even put him on edge. It just reminded him of his father's death. He pursed his lips and averted his eyes in another direction.

The ride in the capitol seemed to take forever. As if every single one of them were judging his every move. That wasn't true but the sun's heat effected him much worse now then ever.





* * * *  *

~"Look at the stars, look how they shine for you, and every thing you do.
It was all yellow."~
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 01 May 2011, 09:11:54 »
Edit post Quote Delete
Eden turned away from Firdaus at the sound of her name, and her eyes immediately widened when she caught sight of Marisela.  Running, she threw her arms around the other girl, wrapping her up in a big, friendly hug.

“Marisela!” she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.  “I missed you so much this summer.  How have you been?”

Eden and Marisela had been friends for years; their relationship was a product of the close bond their families shared as soldiers and horsemasters.  (The Rhydderchs bred and trained horses; the Reys rode them into battle.)  Both of their families encouraged their sons and daughters alike to take on the same roles, even though those roles were somewhat untraditional for the daughters of a noble family.  They didn’t always dress in what some of the other families would deem acceptable attire for women either—Eden knew for a fact that the patriarchs or matriarchs of some of the other families would probably have a bit of a heart attack to see a princess dressed like she was now.

But it wasn’t like any of their opinions mattered.  Princess Eden was in charge of herself now.  She had no more family members to tell her what to do—not that they would have objected to her attire, though, as it was quite common for Rhydderch women to dress in such a fashion for long rides.  She wasn’t running to be Remus’s successor either, so it literally mattered nothing what the others thought of her.

And, likewise, it certainly wouldn’t affect the attitudes of her male peers, especially those far becoming prince of their own house.  Thanks to the plague that dropped the title of princess into Eden’s lap, she had become the most eligible bachelorette in the entire Realm, as the man whom she married would become Prince Rhydderch by virtue of being her husband.  She would still hold power over him, but he would have a great deal of it himself.  In fact, Eden wouldn’t balk at the moment at turning over some of her duties and responsibilities to him.  Let him deal with the headache she got every time one of her new advisors approached her.

She glanced back at her two sisters, both diligently tending to their mares.  Each family was allowed three votes in the election, which was Eden’s primary reason for bringing them with her to the capitol.  The three of them were the only surviving members of the Rhydderch family.  They needed not only to vote, but also to being acquainted with the other courtiers.  Avalon was old enough to be married, and Tasnim wasn’t too far off.  For the good of the house, the three sisters needed many children.

As for Eden, she could afford to be a bit pickier than her sisters.  She fully intended on choosing a man who wanted her for more than just her power.  That was why she'd ended her betrothal to Raymond over the summer.  No one was controlling her anymore.

“No Rhydderch would leave her horse untended for such a cause,” Eden reproached her friend.  “Besides, we both know that all the men will be looking at us.”


« Last Edit: 01 May 2011, 09:13:46 »
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 01 May 2011, 14:37:51 »
Quote
Eden’s reaction was kind of priceless. Their homes were quite a distance from one another and in the summer’s Marisela was always busy training with her men. So getting to see Eden was something that was definitely a treat. The woman had recently acquired the title of Princess and she was eager to see how her friend was dealing with it. The death of her father surely had an impact on her.

Marisela laughed, slipping her arms around her friend for a tight hug. It was always nice being around the other woman. She was definitely different from the other noble ladies of the Realm and Marisela appreciated that. Besides, her horse had come from Eden’s people. It always made her feel like she had a deeper connection to the Rydderch's.

“I have been good. Busy training hard. My men gave me a run for my money this summer.” Marisela had definitely had to train harder. It felt like over the summer her men had been in it to try and beat her at least once and only for the bragging rights. Besides, the one who finally beat her would stand a chance at her hand one day if they were of noble blood. It would prove them worthy of a daughter of the House of Rey.

“How have you been, Princess?” Marisela had heard news of the tragedy her people had suffered recently. It was sad and Mari wanted to know how her people were coping with their losses. Any help that she could give she would. Eden was her best friend and looking out after one another was important to her.

Marisela was most definitely making light of Eden’s new title when she put emphasis on the title. It amused her. Being a Princess was most certainly something she knew that her friend did not want. Who would want the stresses that came along with her?

Eden was happy that her father was there and alive. That actually made her wonder where her father was currently at. He had been just behind her but perhaps he had been distracted by something. As far as she knew her brother was also with their father.

“Well I didn’t necessarily mean now.” Marisela teased. “I’m sure that they won’t have to do any work for male attention here. They are quite lovely women.” All of the Rhydderch women were lovely. Most of the noblewomen of the realm in general were lovely. It had to be the bloodlines. Marisela was convinced that it was.

In an almost conspicuous manner she leaned forward to whisper to her friend.

“You know I hear Prince Kael is lurking around here somewhere.” Prince Kael was a gorgeous man. It was no secret that the last time they had all been together Kael had had his eye on Eden. Marisela herself had no interest in the Prince or in marriage in general. Even if she did have her eye on marriage then it would be to someone like Prince Aubrey. The fact that they were considered black sheep made him all the more attractive to her.

Marisela didn’t think that Eden having a little flirtatious fun with Kael would do anyone any harm. As far as she knew he didn’t have his eye on any of the other noblewomen.

Turning slightly, she reached for a rubber curry to loosen any dirt that was clinging to Nalash’s gorgeous coat. Grooming her stallion was of high importance before she went off to find entertainment or scope out her competition for the tournament.


« Last Edit: 01 May 2011, 14:56:53 »
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 01 May 2011, 12:41:15 »
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It was far too bright for Prince Aubrey’s taste.  The sun hurt his eyes, causing him to squint as he rode.  Squinting was not regal; it was not proper behavior for someone who saw himself as the next king of the realm.

While Aubrey himself had not physically murdered the late King Remus, he might as well have done it.  He wasn’t the man who had slipped the poison into the king’s drink, but he was the mastermind behind the operation.  He had brewed the toxic mixture himself and used his own sorcery to strengthen its fatal qualities.  The king’s murderer was dead.  Aubrey had had him executed for the murder of one of his cousins.

And now, the plan was to present himself as a charismatic, powerful prince for the election.  It would be nice if he could actually legitimately win the votes of his peers, but he wasn’t averse to foul play if it came to that.

In fact, he was counting on it coming to that.  By the time that the elections were scheduled to come to a close, he would raise the dragons and take the throne for himself by force.  It didn’t matter who the seven houses elected.  Aubrey would personally see to it that he didn’t live long enough to enjoy the title.

So he rode.  He had been riding for more than a week.  Still, riding was better than sitting in a carriage, and he was grateful that the mountainous roads of his family’s lands made carriages impractical.  He preferred to be seen by his people as a noble, powerful figure—one in which they could place their hopes for a better future.  Aubrey knew that the House of Cardona was disliked and even feared by the rest of the Realm.  The houses hadn’t elected a ruler from Cardona centuries.  Arringtons, Fyodorovs and Reys were most common, and there had been representatives from the others as well.  He was going to change all of that.

No matter the cost.

Anyway, as he sat there, squinting, on his imposing black stallion, Prince Aubrey proudly wore the dragon of Cardona on his chest.  His silk shirt was bright silver accented by black brocades, and the black dragon gazed imperiously out over the people in the streets to watch the representatives of the seven noble houses as they entered the city.  His family’s stone hung proudly above the dragon’s head, and the contrast of silver of his clothing and the black dragon was mirrored in the silver circlet on his head and the darkness of his hair.  

Lead by the black standards of the House of Cardona, the party moved steadily toward the palace, and Aubrey allowed his eyes to drift from the commoners in the city to his naïve little sister.  Like the child she was, she waved enthusiastically to the people.

“If you’re not careful, your arm will fall off,” he remarked dryly.  “And they’ll trip over themselves trying to scoop it up and steal your rings.”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 01 May 2011, 15:45:54 »
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How was she?

Eden didn’t know how to best answer that question.  Technically, she was perfectly fine.  Compared to the rest of her family, she was doing great.  However, she supposed the truth was that she was not fine.

“I don’t even know what to say, Mari,” she began, her tone markedly more serious than it had been before, when she’d joked about who the men would be staring at.  She sounded lost and almost scared.  “I didn’t ask to be a princess; I would give it up in a heartbeat if it could reverse the summer’s events.  My whole family’s gone, Mari.”

There had been no stopping the plague.  The most skilled physicians in the Realm hadn’t even been able to do anything to ease the pain of those afflicted with the disease.  Those who died died horribly, suffering and in agony—straight down from her noble father to the poorest of the poor.  It had swept through the outskirts of the desert like lightning.  It killed quickly and indiscriminately—once someone exhibited the first symptoms, he only had about eight hours left before he was knocking on death’s door.

And the fear… the fear that her father would be next, or her mother, or her older brother, or her younger sisters, or that she would be next.  The slightest, most insignificant cough was cause for sobbing and alarm.  Hysteria had crippled the region, and death itself had nearly destroyed it.

“They told me that there was a reason I survived, the priests,” she went on solemnly.  “They said that the Great Father of the seven gods had chosen me to rebuild the noble House of Rhydderch.  But I don’t know if I’m ready for that responsibility.  There is so much to be done, and now I have to look after my sisters as well.  It’s too much, Mari.”

Then Eden sighed heavily, leaning against the stall as she waited for her friend to finish with her horse.  “But I shouldn’t trouble you with such talk just now.  That is a conversation for a late night under the stars, I think.”

She let her attention be drawn to the subject of Prince Kael and giggled girlishly when Marisela leaned in to whisper obnoxiously.  Prince Kael was indeed very good looking, and Eden knew that he had fancied her when she’d been in the city last winter.  It had been a much less serious occasion, and Eden had always been inclined to flirt with men without any serious intention of anything coming of it.  They called her a tease but flirted right back with her anyway.  It would be most interesting to see how things changed now that her hand came with a rather lofty prize as well.

“Too bad he’s not here right now,” she replied wistfully.  “I’ll be lucky if I can make it to whatever chamber they’ve decided to give me without being admonished by some elderly crone for dressing so immodestly in the presence of men.”
Mia Bellatria
Played by Mia Bellatria
Hogwarts Student
Seventh Year
Ravenclaw
« 01 May 2011, 14:26:36 »
Quote
Andrea sighed and shot a dark glance at Aubrey when he spoke. No need to be bitter brother. Andrea threw her head back and laughed, soaking in the wonderful sun. I can't even remember when I last got to come to court. Please don't spoil my fun.

Andrea took off ahead, continuing to smile and wave. She was quite glad when she found her way to the palace stables. As she slid off her horse, she noticed two women speaking. They were dressed similarly, both wearing tunics. They laughed and talked like old friends- which, Andrea figured, they probably were. Suddenly, Andrea felt quite nervous about being here. She knew no one. She felt ver alone in that moment.

Taking a deep breath and swallowing her fears, Andrea approaced the two women. She smiled kindly when she spoke, but she sounded very small. Hello. I am Andrea Cardona. Might I ask who you are? She curtsied.
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 01 May 2011, 18:01:21 »
Quote
 Marisela had heard rumors of what had happened to Eden’s people but she hadn’t been aware of the extent of it. Obviously her father had passed because her friend was now Princess and with that title she had single handedly become the most eligible bachelorette in the Realm. Everyone wanted a piece of the lands controlled by  Eden’s family. Marisela listened carefully to what her friend was saying. Each and every word broke her heart.

Without even realizing it, her hand had rested gently on her friends arm. The plague had been horrible and Eden’s family had been severely affected but Mari couldn’t help but wonder why it was the Eden had been spared from this horrible plague. Were the priests right? Had Eden been spared so that she could rebuild the noble House of Rhydderch? It baffled her.

Her hand moved to rest gently on her friends beautiful face. Eden truly did have a lot on her plate and Marisela knew that this called for a little one on one time. In the stable they had people eavesdropping and that just couldn’t happen. Her friend deserved a private conversation about it. She deserved to be comforted where no one could judge her for her tears.

“After tonight’s festivities we shall sneak away.” Sneaking away from the palace was nothing new for the two friends. It had almost become their second job. They were professionals at it and they had yet to be caught. Marisela was hoping that tonight would be no exception. The stable hands usually ignored their duties at night so slipping their horses out of their stalls was no major deal.

The subject of Prince Kael elicited a girlish giggle from her friend which in turn made a mischievous grin slip onto her face. Oh, Kael was truly a handsome man. It really was no secret that he had fancied Eden last winter. Right now she couldn’t help but feel that a little attention from the handsome, powerful Prince would suit Eden right.

“Oh, I’m positive he would whisk you away and no one would say a word about it.” Really, Marisela had never really heard anyone question what Prince Kael said or did. It was like the noble, charismatic man could do nothing wrong.

“You know he fancies you. Maybe you should pay him some attention.” Marisela gave a demure shrug of her shoulder but the look on her face said it all. Should Prince Kael have the opportunity to properly pursue Eden then she knew it would happen. Mari was definitely encouraging her friend at this point.

“Why don’t you sneak to the Library since it’s the closest place. I can fetch some proper clothing for you and then not a single old crone can stop you and lecture you.” Besides, Marisela didn’t think they had any right to admonish a Princess.

The arrival of yet another house seemed to interrupt their conversation. Marisela raised a delicate eyebrow when Andrea Cardona interrupted them and approached them in such a common manner. It was safe to assume that Marisela was taken completely by surprise. Most people knew that the Lady was a critical woman and very judgmental. The manner in which this woman had interrupted them was definitely being judged.

But wait—Andrea Cardona. So she was the little Cardona Lady. Prince Aubrey’s sister. Surely Prince Aubrey was better mannered than his sister.

“Did anyone ever teach you that it’s rude to address the Princess of the House of Rhydderch and a Lady of the House of Rey in the manner that you have?” Snobbery was something that Marisela pulled off with perfection when she needed. Where she came from it was eat or be eaten. The men in which she commanded had nothing but the utmost respect for her and she expected that from everyone.


« Last Edit: 01 May 2011, 18:18:16 »
Mia Bellatria
Played by Mia Bellatria
Hogwarts Student
Seventh Year
Ravenclaw
« 01 May 2011, 18:08:13 »
Quote
Andrea was suprised by the response, but realized that she had made a mistake. She bowed by her head and curtsied deeply. My apoligies, Princess, Lady. I beg your pardon. I had no intention of being rude. Andrea hoped that she would be forgiven. She had hardly been in court five minutes, and she had already angered someone of great importance.

Andrea thought of her lessons to remeber what she had been taught of the houses. Rey-main part of the Realm's police and military. Andrea thought Lady Rey was likely the one who had responded. And Rhydderch-they bred fine horses. She remembered that they had recently been hit with a horrible plague.

Andrea was feeling even more afraid of court than she had been. Would everyone she met treat her like this? She certainly hoped not. Andrea no longer felt so light-hearted as she had.
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 01 May 2011, 18:22:18 »
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Oh, yes.  There was a need to be bitter.  Aubrey hated court.  He hated it with a burning, fiery passion.  All of those people looking at him and wondering if he was going to summon some kind of undead warrior to destroy them all… it was absolutely ridiculous.  They all looked down on the House of Cardona because they didn’t understand it, and there were few things that Aubrey hated more than being looked down upon.

One of them just happened to be the fact that his sister lacked any and all sense of propriety.  

Had it never occurred to her that there was a reason why their parents had been so reluctant to bring her to court at all?  She was so naïve and inexperienced, two qualities that would have been forgivable if they hadn’t also been accompanied by stupidity and impulsiveness.  

If Aubrey hadn’t known better, he would have questioned whether or not this girl was really a Cardona.  She certainly didn’t seem to act like one.  Her childish dreams and obsession with Prince Kael—a man whom she’d never even met—had led him to believe that she would be better suited to the House of Spiro, perhaps.  After all, all those folks did was relax in their giant beach resort.  Andrea lacked the seriousness that traditionally marked the Cardonas; she was far too whimsical for his taste, and it was doubtlessly only a matter of time before she wound up in a terrible situation because she lacked the ability to discern people’s real motives.

On the other hand, wasn’t that precisely why he was going to sacrifice her to the dragons?

They demanded innocence, after all, and it would be all too easy to lure his sister in the trap.  Once he had exploited the extent of her usefulness, the dragons would awaken, and, with their strength behind him, there would be nobody to stand in the way of Aubrey Cardona’s rise to the throne.

In the meantime, however, he needed to make sure that she didn’t get herself killed.  Sighing heavily, he took after Andrea, leaving his guards and servants in the dust with the two other Cardonas he’d brought with him for the vote.  

He tracked her to the stables, though he supposed that any normal person would make their way there first in order to properly care for their mount.  What he didn’t expect, however, was that he would find his silly little sister attempting to make conversation with Marisela Rey and Eden Rhydderch.  The two of them were notoriously close friends, and neither one of them had ever seem very open to making more friends among the female nobles, though Eden was usually more mild-mannered than Marisela.  Aubrey knew this because he formally courted the new Princess Rhydderch the previous summer.  She was beautiful, yes, but not his type.

He dismounted gracefully and handed his horse over to the grooms to be taken care of, then promptly approached the women.  “Princess Eden, My Lady Marisela,” he said smoothly, taking his sister’s arm to pull her backward.  “Please excuse my little sister.  Too many hours in the sun seem to have addled her manners.”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 01 May 2011, 20:45:41 »
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The very thought of sneaking out of the palace late at night sent shivers of excitement through Eden’s veins.  It was almost as if, for a few seconds, none of the tragic events of the summer had ever happened.  She was a careless girl again, and Marisela was her partner in crime.  Back then, their parents had been quick to scold the girls for venturing outside unescorted—there were plenty of unsavory characters in the capitol.  Now, of course, there was no one to scold Eden about anything.  She was completely and utterly in charge of herself.

That thought kind of spoiled the moment, and Eden hated herself for letting it happen.

In the meantime, she would be more than content to allow her friend to distract her with thoughts of Prince Kael.  Though, almost overnight, Eden had become the matriarch of her family, she was still a young woman.  She still loved talking and gossiping about the men with Marisela, and her attention was easily diverted by a man as handsome as Kael—or Raymond—or Aubrey.  Deep down inside, she wanted to be whisked away by a handsome prince who loved her for more than just her land. 

Which is why she’d broken her engagement to Raymond and rejected Aubrey.  Raymond had been her father’s doing, and she couldn’t be sure of how he felt, so she called it off as soon as it was within her power as a princess.  Aubrey… well, she’d just had a bad feeling about Aubrey.  He was dark and mysterious… the very type to keep horrible secrets and skeletons in his closet.  Eden had enough on her plate.  She didn’t need any of that.

And Kael… Kael was the Realm’s white knight.  He was regal and charismatic, good-natured and unerringly kind.  Yet, he was also clever and dangerous enough to keep Eden interested.  Last winter had been nothing more than a mere flirtation, however, and the new princess was wary of his spotless reputation.  Was that what the man was really like?  Or was it just how he wanted people to view him?

Regardless, Marisela seemed intent on pushing her towards Kael, and it wasn’t in Eden’s character to argue about such a matter.  She liked Kael, and—Mari was right—he did fancy her.  There was little point in ignoring him, and indulging him was sure to take her mind off of the responsibilities of running her house.

Just as she was about to ask her friend what she should do if one of those old crones happened to be in the library, however, their rapport was interrupted by a younger girl with whom Eden was not familiar.  Andrea Cardona… no, Eden had never met this one.  The only Cardona she could remember meeting was Aubrey.  Though, she supposed she could see the family resemblance.  She couldn’t help but think, however, that Aubrey—speak of the devil!—would be appalled by this behavior.

“Right,” she said awkwardly after Aubrey apologized for his sister’s faux pas.  She took a few steps backward before saying to Marisela, “The library.  Don’t leave me hanging.”

The princess turned sharply on her toes and left the stables, heading quickly but surreptitiously toward the library.  She pulled open the heavy doors and flinched at the creaking sound they made when she shut them behind her.  Holding her breath, Eden took a moment to quickly scan the large, colorful room.  She knew that it didn’t really matter what she was wearing—some of the older women would complain, but so what—but it was much more fun to pretend.

When she was satisfied that she wasn’t going to be eaten alive, she exhaled heavily and walked over to one of the shelves filled with books that her own house had donated.  Now that there were only three Rhydderchs left, maybe these volumes would help her feel more connected.

She didn’t notice Prince Kael sitting in a more secluded corner.
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 01 May 2011, 23:17:23 »
Quote
No intent on being rude.

For some reason Marisela wanted to scoff at that. The noblewomen of the Realm knew how to conduct themselves and this young girl had clearly not conducted herself in proper manner. It was off putting and Marisela was a little irked about it. Andrea’s only saving grace was the fact that her brother was coming to her rescue. If you could call it a rescue at any rate.

His attempt at a rescue was admirable. If anything it would save Andrea’s face from being smeared with figurative egg, wouldn’t it? The irritated look on her face quickly turned into a small smile as she inclined her head politely at Prince Aubrey. He truly was a handsome man and he seemed to have a better head on his shoulders.

“Her ignorance of manners will be excused this one time only.” Marisela stated. Just this once she was willing to ignore the fact that manners had been ignored. She had never seen Andrea in court before so she could only assume it was that fact that brought on ignorance of their ways.
Eden was speaking though. A wry smile slipped onto her face as she nodded at her friend. Why on earth would she leave Eden hanging?

Absolutely not! Once she was done in the stables then she would fetch proper clothing for Eden. Her advice on the issue of an old crone being in the library would have been to put said old crones in their place. In most cases her friend outranked these old crones. Mostly Marisela saw them as a waste of breath and space in court. Truly she didn’t blame her friend for excusing herself.

She took a moment to close the stall door behind Nalash before turning back to Aubrey and Andrea with a composed expression on her face. At her side was a small dagger with a jewel encrusted handle. Slowly she ran her finger along that handle before speaking.

“There are many people in this court that would not hesitate to pull a sword or knife. The Lady should watch her manners before she finds herself at the wrong end of a blade.” It was by no means a threat on her part but a mere warning. There were many men in the capitol who wouldn’t hesitate to pull a blade on Andrea for her uncouth ways. Marisela didn’t want to worry herself with the girl anymore though. Instead she turned her attention fully on Aubrey. Marisela hoped that Aubrey would keep a better eye on his sister.

“Will we be seeing you at tonight’s festivities, Prince Aubrey?” Marisela certainly hoped so. If he cut such a dashing figure in the simple outfit he was wearing now she couldn’t wait to see him in something more appropriate for court. It wasn't just tonight that she was curious about.


"And will you be participating in the tournament?"
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 01 May 2011, 23:32:57 »
Quote
The library was a relatively empty place today. In a lot of ways Kael was grateful for that. While everyone was busy prepping for the evening festivities and the tournament that would start tomorrow, Kael had the opportunity to spend some time to himself. He certainly knew that he more than likely needed to be greeting the incoming nobles of the Realm but he couldn’t bring himself to leave his secluded corner of the library.

Kale’s eyes happened to flick up at the exact moment that Princess Eden approached the bookshelves that houses the volumes that her own house donated. Her appearance took his breath away. There was an ethereal beauty to the Princess that couldn’t be matched by any of the other female nobles. Her defiance of protocol when it came to clothing always amused him. Over the summer he had heard of her family’s plight and in a lot of ways he felt like he could understand what she was going through. Almost all of her family was dead and his father had just passed.

Quietly he rose from his chair, closed the book in his hand, and made his way over to her.

“Princess Eden.” Kael briefly greeted her, bowing slightly.

What people saw with Kael was what they got. He was completely opposite in attitude and personality from Aubrey and Raymond. There were no doubts that he was every bit as regal, charismatic, good-natured and unerringly kind as people perceived him to be. It was the way that his parents had raised him and Kael could think of no other way to live.

“I apologize for not being on hand when you arrived.” The apology was genuine. Had Kael known that the Rhydderch’s were arriving then he would have been there. If anyone deserved his attention it was Eden. Almost everyone could see that he fancied her and it was genuine interest. Now that she was the head of her house and the single most eligible woman in the Realm it had nothing to do with her lands. The interest was still
completely on her and who she was. Eden was captivating.

Having given his apology, Kael focused his attention on her face. He had noted the fact that she was wearing a tunic and riding boots and he couldn't help but grin at the gold circlet that nestled beautifully on her head. A true sign of a dignified Princess. Kael liked it.

"Tell me, how was your journey?" Kael was truly sorry that everyone had to put their lives on hold to make this journey but it could not be helped. A funeral was required and elections were necessary. They needed a new King or Queen.


« Last Edit: 02 May 2011, 00:56:35 »
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 02 May 2011, 10:15:41 »
Edit post Quote Delete
Lady Marisela was a lot more like the Cardonas than Andrea would be, Aubrey observed curiously.  He’d met Marisela on several occasions before, but only now, when his thoughts had been focused on his silly little sister, did he come to that conclusion.

She was serious and sure of herself, quick to snap first and ask questions later.  She was more than capable of defending herself against almost any enemy, and she would never, ever approach a couple of courtiers she didn’t know with the familiarity that Andrea had just expressed. 

That meant, however, that she was of no use to Aubrey in his grand plan to win the Realm for himself.  He needed someone innocent and naïve, someone pure.  He needed Andrea, which is why he couldn’t let Marisela teach her a lesson with that fancy knife of hers.  Hell, there had been plenty of times when he’d wanted to teach Andrea a lesson himself.  That would be unacceptable, however, as he needed her just the way she was.  He wouldn’t compromise his plans for self gratification.

“We are grateful for your clemency and understanding,” he told Marisela frankly.  “Lady Andrea is new to court, and she is not aware that she cannot simply approach anyone whom she pleases.  I understand that ignorance is no excuse, and I assure you that she will not make the same mistake twice.”

That said, he turned his head slightly toward his sister, making it clear with the stern look on his face that she needed to mind her manners and not make a liar out of him.  Aubrey did not have a soft heart and, while he wouldn’t kill her—yet—there was nothing to stop him from striking her if he deemed it appropriate.

He would, of course, be present at the evening’s festivities.  All of the Realm’s princes and princesses were expected to attend.  Technically, no one could force them since the king was dead, but absence was frowned upon.  As he was vying for the crown himself, it would be detrimental to his bid for the throne to not attend.  Likewise, he would participate in the tournament with enthusiasm and vigor, trying his best every step of the way even though he didn’t expect to win.  He was a fair swordsman, but his strengths lied in sorcery rather than traditional armed combat—unlike Marisela.

Only in the House of Rey would one find a beautiful woman who could fight like the god of war.  Marisela was famous for her skill with a sword.  It was even said that not even her male relatives could best her.

“I will be, my Lady,” he answered smoothly.  “And I certainly hope I will not be so unfortunate as to face you in the tournament.”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 02 May 2011, 11:07:37 »
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Eden practically jumped out of her skin when she heard someone speaking her name behind her.  When she spun around and found herself face to face with Prince Kael—the very man whom she and Marisela had been talking about not fifteen minutes before—well… she understood what people meant when they asked if the cat had gotten someone’s tongue. 

She was speechless, having just checked to see if there was anyone else in the library.  She’d had no idea that Prince Kael was as silent and stealthy as the grave.  Perhaps she and Marisela ought to take lessons from him.  If he could sneak up on her so easily, then there was definitely something that they could learn from him.

For a moment, she just stared at him, then tried to give him the reflexive curtsy that had been necessary before she became a princess without thinking about the fact that she didn’t have a full, long skirt with which to curtsy.  She laughed at her own awkwardness and blushed.  She wasn’t self conscious about what she was wearing—she wouldn’t wear it if it made her feel uncomfortable—just a little embarrassed by how silly she must have seemed.

“Prince Kael,” she replied as smoothly as possible.  “You startled me.”

Straightening, she smiled and easily brushed off his apology.  She wouldn’t be bitter that she hadn’t been met upon her arrival.  It wasn’t like he had any special—official—reason to see her.  They were equals now, and she realized that the son of the late king probably had more important things to do than sit around and wait for his guests to arrive.  “You need not apologize to me,” she informed him warmly.  “I am sure that you had more important things to attend to.” 

With that, she paused, becoming more serious and reverent.  “Your Highness, I am very sorry for your loss.”  Indeed, if there was anyone at court in that moment who could relate to Kael’s loss, it was Eden, who had lost almost all of her family by the end of the summer.  She knew what it was like to feel lost and alone.

She sighed, then directed her attention to his next question.  “My journey was fair enough—about as much as can be expected,” she explained.  “I’ve always been comfortable in the saddle, so it was a lot less stressful than things at home.”
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 02 May 2011, 18:31:09 »
Quote
Marisela trusted that Prince Aubrey would keep his word. This was a learning experience for his little sister but she couldn’t help but feel like there was someone else that they could have sent. The Cardona’s were fairly reclusive so she wasn’t sure but she would bet that there was. Either way, Marisela was putting it out of her mind. There were more important things to focus on.

This meant that instead of commenting, she nodded her head at Aubrey in acknowledgement of his words. As long as Andrea stayed out of the way and minded her manners then she could see the girl adjusting to being at court. Or maybe not but only time would tell with this one.

No one was really there to enforce attendance at tonight’s festivities. Marisela knew that if they all wanted to they could sneak off early and no one would ever know. Chances were while everyone was occupied with wine, food, and pretty lady’s Marisela and Eden would take the opportunity to sneak away so that they could talk. Her friend needed comforting and she intended on seeing to that.

Rumors about her abilities were true. There wasn’t a single male family member that had ever bested her in her art. Marisela was waiting for the day that would change but she truly felt that it never would.

She gave a small laugh at both of his replies.

“Well then perhaps I may be able to enjoy your company tonight, Prince Aubrey.” Marisela could never say no to a little flirtation and company from males. She wasn’t sure whether or not Aubrey intended to put his name up for election (despite the fact she couldn’t help but wonder what a Cardonian King would be like) but she was a little thankful he was there. There was something mysterious and dangerous about Aubrey Cardona.

“I assure you that if you were to come against me during the tournament I would make it worth your while. I could use actual competition.” Men throughout the Realm naturally shivered in fear at the thought of competing against her in a Tournament. There was a small fraction that actually anticipated it and got off on it.

Competing against her was the same as competing against a god of war and they all knew that. No one else in the Realm had been gifted with the abilities that she had and she embraced them.

“Would you accompany me to my chambers, my Lord?” Marisela glanced over her shoulder, frowning slightly. “I hesitate walking by myself. The old crones around here tend to stop Eden and myself for dressing so immodestly in the presence of men.” And a lecture wasn’t something she was in the mood for. The only reason she had told Eden she would fetch proper clothing for her was because the Princess really didn’t need to be lectured right about now. Her friend had been through enough in the past few months.

“I promised Eden that I would fetch proper clothing for her but I need to change first myself.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 02 May 2011, 18:44:57 »
Quote
Eden’s awkwardness was awfully adorable. Kael couldn’t help but let a smile cross his face at the way in which she attempted a proper curtsy. It was natural that she couldn’t perform one in the outfit that she was currently wearing but he didn’t mind. There was something sexy and irresistible about a woman who went against the mold and wore what she wished to wear. Eden and Marisela fit that mold.

“I apologize for startling you, Princess.” Kael murmured. Startling her had not been his intention. Without even realizing it he could be as quiet as a mouse. He wasn’t sure if it was a talent that he had been born with or something that had been learned from sneaking around with his siblings. In some ways Kael supposed that both options were possible.

Just because they were equals now didn’t mean that he didn’t feel a need to meet his guests. That applied especially to Princess Eden and the other Prince’s of the Realm. The Ladies and Lords usually slipped in using a much quieter fashion but the Princess and Prince’s certainly stood the chance of causing a fuss amongst the peasants.

“I probably have important things to attend to but I’m fairly tired of attending them.” Kael admitted. This week had been the toughest week of his life. After it he knew that he could relax at least a little bit. That was assuming that he didn’t put his name up for consideration. Kael was still undecided on that as of this moment. He would have to come to a decision soon enough though.

“As I am sorry for yours.” They had both lost parent’s and it sucked. Kael could imagine what she was going through was awfully similar to what he was going through right now. He didn’t truly have time to mourn his father’s death and he was hoping that Eden at least had the time to mourn. She had all these new responsibilities thrust upon her so he knew she was probably overwhelmed.

Which was why he was hoping that tonight she could relax a little bit. Hearing that her journey had been decent enough, he gave a nod. At least it seemed like they hadn’t come across any troubles. Eden looked like she was in good enough shape for as long as their journey was.

“I am truly sorry about things at home. How are you coping? How are your sisters?” Kael couldn’t really explain why it mattered to him how things were going for the Rhydderch’s but it did.

The thought about tonight lingered in the back of his mind and without even realizing it, Kael was speaking once again.

“Eden,” he paused, clearing his throat. “Is anyone accompanying you to the festivities tonight?” 
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 02 May 2011, 20:09:46 »
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Indeed, there were other Cardonas that Aubrey could have chosen to bring with him instead of his silly little sister—and he had brought them with him.  Surely his naïve, inexperienced younger sibling didn’t think that he was going to let her participate in the vote for the new king.  He was permitted to bring as many relatives with him as he wished.  Besides, he was technically Andrea’s guardian.  It was his responsibility to look after her and see that she made a good match.

Not to mention that he had secret plans to use her for his own shrewd plans to promote their family.  Of course, very few people knew about that, and many more would frown upon him if they did… which was precisely why he wasn’t mentioning it.

He nodded indulgently, smiling rather mysteriously when she suggested that he entertain her that evening.  While Prince Aubrey had no immediate interest in courting any one of the ladies from any one of the seven noble houses, he saw no harm in a bit of innocent flirtation with a pretty woman like Marisela.  “It would be my pleasure, my Lady, to see you again tonight,” he told her honestly.

No matter what she said, however, the thought of coming face to face with Marisela Rey, a woman who would surely have her own legend long after she had passed, in the tournament made him fear for his own integrity—though he supposed that there really wasn’t any shame in failing where so many other men had failed before him.  Still, as open-minded as he considered himself to be, it was difficult to accept defeat at the hands of a woman, no matter how skilled of a swordsman she was renowned to be.

“Be that as it may,” he countered smoothly, “I fear that I would only disappoint a warrior who has trained as much as you.  You will soon find that my talents lie elsewhere.”

Elsewhere meaning the field of study that the rest of the Realm generally referred to as the Dark Arts.  According to his elders, he possessed the largest, most promising affinity for sorcery and the associated arts that they had ever seen.  That was why he was the prince when there existed others older and wiser than him in his family.  The title belonged to the individual most capable of bettering the affairs of the family.  In Cardona’s case, that was Aubrey, despite his youth.

When she asked him to escort her to her chambers, Aubrey raised his eyebrows in surprise, and his gaze drifted over her body as if to assess her attire.  It was hardly traditional, but it was practical—especially for soldiers and long rides.  He held nothing against her, and who was he to complain about getting a better idea of what her legs looked like?

“Of course, my Lady,” he agreed and offered her his arm.  “Personally, I see nothing wrong with your attire, but I will gladly fend off any old crones.”

Briefly, like an afterthought, he glanced back at Andrea.  “Behave yourself,” he warned.

Beautiful Lies
Anonymous
« 02 May 2011, 18:01:44 »
Quote
Never had the hustle and bustle of city streets been as welcome of a sight. It had been several days since Olivia had left her seaside home for the capital and each day had been more tedious than the last. Being used to the coolness salty sea breeze the air around her felt miserably warm and stale and made her itch for a long bath. Every inch of her slight body ached from the jostling of the carriage and she had lost since lost her sunny disposition with the world that is if you could call anything about her recent temperament sunny.

As she gazed out the window of her carriage her thoughts drifted away to warm summer nights, seashells and a pair of blue eyes that matched the sky and held all the tenderness of the world within. A longing sigh fell from her pale pink lips as she relived the memories of her love affair with her dear, sweet Sabin.  They had met by accident several months ago. One day she had found herself bored to tears so she had up and left her home and ventured into the nearby city. She had spent most of the afternoon exploring the markets, amusing herself with trinkets and indulging in a small basket of juicy red strawberries she had purchased from a rosy faced little boy with hair the color of the night sky. As the afternoon bled into evening she found that she had gotten turned around and had no clue how to find herself home. Her feet ached from wearing her new pair of blue velvet heels, the heels her sisters had called ridiculous saying they served no purpose other than making her a fashion plate, and the coolness of the sea air was beginning to cause a bone deep chill to seep into her skin.

She had her head turned up to the night sky, searching fruitlessly for a star to guide her but it was overcast and there was not a twinkle in the sky. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself as she tried to remember the way in which she had come, when suddenly someone bumped into her causing her to drop her purchases. It was then she had first locked eyes with Sabin. He was young and handsome. He had skin that was deeply tanned from the sun, hair the color of chocolate and eye like the sky on a bright summer’s day. It was love at first sight and after he walked her home that night she had fallen hopelessly in love with him. Every spare second they spent together and when that was not enough they would do whatever it took to find the time together, sneaking out late at night for secret meetings and stolen kisses. Months passed and their love blossomed until one day everything fell apart…

 Olivia closed her eyes tightly as the all too familiar pain in her chest returned and her eyes stung with tears she refused to shed. As they drew near to her destination she arranged her face into a mask of indifference. No, no matter how refreshing it would be to once again join the civilized world after her time spent cooped up in this blasted carriage, she was bound and determined to despise every single second of her stay here.

As they arrived at their destination she turned up her nose at everyone as they clamored to her assistance. She would not indulge them with even the smallest of smiles. She arranged her skirts around her so the fell perfectly and then with a roll of her eyes she swiftly glided away from the stuffy carriage and off towards the building looming ahead while her escorts rushed to catch up. As she entered the building she paid no attention to where she was going, her only intention at the moment was to lose those following her. From this moment on she vowed to make their lives hell. Every moment here would remind her of the grave injustice she had been served and she was bound and determined to make her parents regret forcing her hand. She would make them pay for their sins. Of that she was certain.
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 02 May 2011, 20:49:02 »
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If there was anyone in the palace—no, the capitol—at that moment that understand what Kael was talking about when he confessed to being tired of attending to ‘important things’, then it was definitely Eden.  They were both so similar in that they had both recently had responsibilities and chores and stresses they’d never expected to deal with thrust right into their laps without any warning.  With the murder of his father, Kael also had to deal with preparations for both the funeral and the election.  With the devastation of her family, Eden had to deal with that and more.

That was why she had been looking forward to this trip to the capitol, viewing it as a kind of vacation. She supposed that she shouldn’t tell Kael that, that she thought of his father’s funeral and important events dealing with the future of the Realm as a vacation—how irresponsible that would make her sound!  Honestly, she was very sorry to hear that Remus was dead—she’d met him on a couple of occasions and he had been a kind, just man.  And, of course, he had raised Kael.  

She nodded solemnly when he expressed his condolences for the events of the summer.  It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk about it, just that she was afraid of bursting into tears in front of him.  If everyone that she met was going to insist on expressing their sympathy and asking her how she was doing, then she didn’t know how she was going to get through the night.  She was looking forward to sneaking away with Marisela later that evening to have a nice heart-to-heart, girl-to-girl discussion.

“I thank you for your sympathy,” she replied demurely.  “I am as well as can be expected given the circumstances, as are my sisters.  They are here with me, Tasnim for the first time in her life.  They’re both star struck, expecting some handsome prince to whisk them away in a tumult of romance.”  She laughed.  “Just as I was when I was their age.”

She smiled, breaking the seriousness of the conversation, and laughed again.  Indeed, it was remarkable how she had changed over the summer.  She’d never expected that autumn would see her as a princess.  Before the tragedy, she really had been silly and frivolous, foolish and playful.  She’d been just like her sisters were now, dreaming of someone fairytale romance.  Now she knew that she would never be without a suitor as long as she remained unmarried, but it would be the story she’d always dreamed of.  Men were greedy.  They wanted nothing but her power and land.

Kael, though… maybe he wasn’t like the others.

And when he asked if anyone was escorting her to the evening’s festivities, she smiled coquettishly and stepped towards him, hands on her hands.

“No,” she told him flatly.  “Why ever would you ask?”
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 02 May 2011, 21:19:31 »
Quote
It greatly pleased the woman when Aubrey said it would be his pleasure to see her again. She was definitely not looking for any sort of romance with current courtiers but flirtation and perhaps a little beyond never hurt anyone. If anyone in the court had the audacity to think that she was an innocent woman then that was their problem.

She didn’t really think that he would accept her offer of competition. A man like Aubrey needed to keep his integrity intact and being beat by Marisela Rey was not the way to secure that integrity. Most men that she beat went running with their tails between their legs. None of them ever challenged her again and she was quickly running out of any competition that had any resemblance of worthiness. Truly she hoped that the tournament Prince Kael had arranged brought her that worthy competition.

“Perhaps you would care to indulge a lady with exactly what you mean?” If swordsmanship wasn’t one of his talents then she wanted to know what his talent was. A woman could only assume she knew but assumptions never got anyone in this Realm anywhere. Not coming up against him in competition would be a little disappointing but Mari had a feeling that it would be arranged so that they didn’t. Did anyone want to see noble against noble? It wasn’t likely. Mostly they wanted to keep peace didn’t they?

His gaze over her body wasn’t missed. It was true that there was really nothing wrong with her attire but that wasn’t how the older gentlemen in Court saw it. They felt that ladies proper attire consisted of skirts and dresses. Everyone knew, for the most part, that she was more comfortable in the attire of a man but she wasn’t going to argue with anyone. Whispered words and gossip behind her back weren’t worth the frustration.

As she slipped her hand around his arm a laugh escaped her.

“Oh I agree whole heartedly your Highness. I see absolutely nothing wrong with my attire but unfortunately the elders in court do not see it that way.” Marisela thought that their views were archaic but who was she to challenge them? She was simply a Lady. If she was a Princess then perhaps she would but she wasn’t. At least not yet, anyways.

Despite the fact that she was willing to change into a dress for the time being, Marisela wasn’t going to make it something that was as fancy or intricate as the other ladies. She wasn’t sure what would be given to her for Eden but she could readily assume it would be something similar to what she put on. The one thing she absolutely refused to wear until tonight? Heels. Marisela hated heels.

“I thank you for walking with me.” Marisela always seemed to be stuck with the same chambers whenever they were in the capitol. So that meant that she wasn’t even going to stop and ask on their way there. Instead, she gently guided the Prince towards an entrance near the back of the stables. It was the quickest way to her chambers.

“How was your summer? We don’t really see a lot of the House of Cardona.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 02 May 2011, 21:30:28 »
Quote
If only Kael could be so care free about his father’s funeral and the future of the Realm. Honestly, Kael could probably hide and no one would even notice that he was missing. Most of the work that he had been doing was behind the scenes. He delegated, gave his preference, and dealt with the important matters. Everyone else was in charge of getting the funeral procession ready, setting up the tournament, and seeing to the arrangements of where everyone was staying. All of the technical stuff had been dealt with and he was hoping that now he could relax a little bit. Although Kael knew that wasn’t likely. Eventually someone was going to need something.

A vacation would be a much welcomed thing right about now.

If Eden burst into tears then he would not judge her. It was understandable. He’d had a hard time being alone at night lately. Just once it would have been nice to have someone there to hold him. He hadn’t had proper time to mourn and it was catching up with him. Kael still needed to see how his mother and siblings were coping.

“If you need someone to talk to then you can always find me. I would welcome the distraction.” Thus far she was proving to be a mighty good one. It was nice to have a conversation that didn’t involve with official things, funeral arrangements, or election proceedings.

“Oh I am sure there are a couple of Prince’s that might oblige your sisters. Lord’s that stand the chance of becoming Prince as well.” The Princes and Lords of the Realm would definitely indulge Eden’s sisters. Kael just wasn’t so sure if a romantic match would come of it. That was doubtful. Still, her sisters were completely entitled to their fanciful notions of love and being swept away by a Prince. Most women, noble or not, had those desires.

Right now everyone seemed dead set on clinching the coveted title of King.

Except for Kael. He was certain that he was going to put his name up but what happened in the end was left to Fate. People would either think him a capable ruler or they wouldn’t. It was 100% out of his control what happened in the end. Either way, Kael knew they would be led properly.

Eden’s response was flat which made him raise an eyebrow. There was a charming smile on his face as she stepped forward with her hands on her hips. In an effort to close the gap, Kael stepped forward to meet her and if she allowed him, he placed a gentle hand on her face.

“Would you allow me the honor of accompanying you tonight?” Kael genuinely meant it. There were no thoughts of her people’s lands or her power in his mind. All he wanted was her company. Hopefully she would grant him the honor. He was worried of looking a little foolish in asking her but in life you had to take risks.

This was his risk.
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 02 May 2011, 22:53:53 »
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Aubrey brushed off her thanks with a wave of his hand.

“I’m afraid my talents are part of the reason why you don’t see much of the House of Cardona,” he told her quite cryptically—with no intention of giving any more explanation.

His arts were generally frowned upon in all other corners of the Realm, and she would probably be able to guess what he was reluctant to talk about by the rumors that often circulated about his family’s activities.  Marisela was a smart girl; Aubrey could tell that much already.  She ought to be able to figure it out—if not exactly, then she could probably come close.

Of course, she’d never be able to guess what he was using his talents for.  That was something that was strictly confidential.  But the rest of it?  His vast knowledge of spells, his ability to brew potions, his affinity for sorcery in general… it was nothing that was hidden from anyone else, just something that most people chose not to acknowledge.  It was all there, right in front of them… all they had to do was look.

“You may not be aware of it, My Lady,” he started.  His earlier bitterness started to seep back into his voice as he walked alongside her and let her lead the way to her chamber.  “But we aren’t usually welcomed anywhere outside of our own lands.  People are afraid of us.”

And, honestly, they would have no reason to fear the House of Cardona if Aubrey and his relatives hadn’t felt so alienated.  So there had been one or two… incidents… in the past that had led the rest of the Realm to fear sorcery and mistrust those who practiced it.  So what?  Magic didn’t have to be used for bad things.  Besides, now that the dragons had been forced into hibernation, the power of the Cardona family was nothing like it had been.  It was actually impossible for the past events to repeat themselves.

You know, until Aubrey managed to wake them with his sister’s blood.

“But anyway,” he started again, “my summer was… productive, I suppose.  Normal.  I heard about what happened to your friend—Princess Rhydderch.  What a tragedy.  I wouldn’t wish such a thing on my worst enemy.”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 02 May 2011, 23:32:48 »
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It wasn’t that Eden was afraid of what Kael would think of her, but that she was worried about what others would think of her.  She was a princess, and she couldn’t afford to be seen as a whiny, over-emotional woman incapable of ruling over her family’s lands.  She needed to be strong for her sisters and her subjects.  They needed to have faith in her.  Giving in too many times… could destroy her for good.

She noted his offer to talk any time with a smile.  In all honesty, she would probably seek out Marisela before Kael—as she was going to that evening when she snuck away for a sisterly heart-to-heart—but she wouldn’t discount the option completely.  She liked Kael, and she had a feeling that he had never been anything but genuine and honest with her.  He was probably one of the few she could trust unreservedly.

And it was precisely the fact that some of the noblemen at court would take her two younger sisters up on that offer that troubled her.  With the death of her parents, Eden had become their guardian.  It was her responsibility to make sure that no harm came to either one of them, and she wasn’t sure that she was cut out to be a watch dog.  She knew that either one of them would hate her forever if she interfered; she knew what it was like to be that age—seventeen in Avalon’s case.  Romance was a big deal, and every girl dreamed of a prince charming.

Eden knew what things were really like.  Men, especially men at court, would seek to use them for a good time.  They were seldom looking for marriage like the girls were.  Eden knew.  She’d been in those situations before.  She didn’t want that for her sisters, and she was afraid that it was unavoidable.

But that wasn’t a conversation she wanted to get into with Kael.  It was better suited for Marisela.

She smiled up at him almost defiantly when she forced the question out of him.  She knew that he was being real with her, but where was the fun of allowing him his victory so easily?  She let him touch her cheek, but stepped away after a moment.

“I don’t know,” she mused, turning away and walking back towards the bookshelves.  She pretended to browse, running her fingers over the spines of ancient books.  She glanced back at him at the end of the row, smiling coyly at him over her shoulder.  “I’m sure to get other offers.  You’re merely the first man I’ve seen since arriving…”

She paused and turned back around, leaning against the bookcase.  “Of course, Kael,” she answered, grinning.  “I’d love for you to escort me.”
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 03 May 2011, 08:09:30 »
Quote
Marisela was a smart girl but sometimes just because you were smart didn’t mean that it didn’t take awhile to put things together. The more that Aubrey talked the more that she would put two and two together. Of course, no one ever truly wanted to know what was going on in any of the particular Houses if they weren’t going to like the truth.

“It’s a shame.” That was how she honestly felt. The rest of the houses typically interacted with one another and she could truly say that the only family she couldn’t stand was the Spiro family. They just came off as so lazy and carefree. Did they really do nothing more than sit on the beach and enjoy the day while other people worked hard? Marisela wondered about that because she couldn’t figure out how people could just sit around and do nothing.

She didn’t want Aubrey to feel like there was a need to be bitter. Clearly not everyone was afraid of the Cardona family because if Marisela was then she would have ignored Prince Aubrey all together after he took care of his sister. She wouldn’t have invited him to walk with her or been interested in potentially seeing him again tonight.

“I cannot quite figure out why people are afraid of you. It’s not like you have some scary presence. Or maybe I am not like the rest of the people in the Realm. Perhaps I just don’t see the fuss.” It was a lot to muse over. She truly wasn’t sure why other people were scared of them. So far Aubrey had been nothing but kind and understanding. The fact that the Cardona’s were known for their sorcery hadn’t really crossed her mind.

Yet.

His words about Eden rather distracted her. The previously carefree look on her face transformed into one of pain and sorrow. Being best friends with Eden she had met the Prince Rhydderch many times before his untimely and tragic demise. He had been a good man and Mari couldn’t imagine what her friend was going through right now. Tonight when they had the opportunity to slip away and have the sisterly, heart to heart talk that Eden couldn’t have with her blood sisters Marisela could truly express how sorry she was to her friend.

“It is a tragedy. Eden hasn’t really spoken about it but I hope that will change after tonight’s festivities.”

Marisela wasn’t interested in tonight’s activities. Except duty called and they had to attend. It was slightly endearing to hear Aubrey’s words though.

Gently she turned them down a long corridor that led past the library, a small sitting room, and a couple of other rooms that were used for formal occasions. Once they were past that, Marisela once more turned them down a much smaller hallway that led to a long corridor that held chambers in which most of the nobility was housed during court. Soon enough they reached a door that she pushed open.

Pausing momentarily, she turned to look Prince Aubrey straight in the face. There was a changing screen inside the room so she didn’t feel as if it was a big deal if Aubrey came inside. It wouldn’t take her long to change at all. Eden’s chambers weren’t that far from her own so it wouldn’t take much to go get her proper clothing.

“You may wait here or inside. The decision is truly up to you.” That being said, Marisela slipped inside of the room and left the door cracked ever so slightly.


muse fail. sorry for the icky post!
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 03 May 2011, 08:24:24 »
Quote
Being in a position such as theirs was a delicate matter. When something bad happened or you were just having an extremely horrible day you couldn’t just break down where people could see. It was also hard to get time to yourself. So when you needed to escape you had to be careful. You couldn’t afford have people think that you couldn’t perform your duties. All of this was why he was being very careful who he revealed his true feelings to.

That defiant smile on her face was something else. It allowed him the knowledge that Eden definitely wasn’t like other girls in court. She was so independent and willing to push boundaries. Yet at the same time she could still be demure and follow protocol. Eden was a refreshing mixture.

Touching her cheek was like consuming alcohol. It was a little bit intoxicating. She pulled away a little too suddenly for his taste and turned towards the bookshelves. Kael kept his steely blue eyes on her shoulders for a moment before his gaze followed her fingers across the spines of the ancient texts.

Every move was enough to make him melt. Kael really needed to figure out why he was so attracted to this woman in particular. He knew full and well that there were other men who would offer to escort her tonight but Kael was hoping to one up them for once. It felt like fate that she had wondered into the library while he had been there.

Still, he was holding his breath. When she gave his answer there was a sigh of relief that left him. He was positive she could see his reaction but he didn’t care. Instead of worrying, he took several strides forward so that he was standing in front of her.

“I truly cannot wait.” Kael murmured. It would insure that he had a better evening than he originally though. Being at Eden's side would also insure that he could keep any vicious mongrel's away from her. Kael wasn't naive and he was very aware of the fact that men were now going to pursue her because of what she was in control of. It was land that everyone wanted. She had the power to give her husband the title of Prince just by virtue of being her husband.

Now that he was escorting her Kael felt a little more relaxed. It felt like something was finally going his way this week. After the stress he had been through he quite felt he deserved a lovely evening. Keeping his eyes on her, he leaned against the bookcase with his arms crossed.

"What brought you to the library, Eden? If you need help looking for something I can assist you. I'm not quite sure that I'm ready to vacate my hiding spot in here." There was a seriousness in his voice. Kael was not ready to leave the library. He wasn't ready to be hounded by people and advisors who wanted this or that. "I'm rather enjoying the time away from nagging people."
Mia Bellatria
Played by Mia Bellatria
Hogwarts Student
Seventh Year
Ravenclaw
« 03 May 2011, 16:18:19 »
Quote
Andrea watched her brother walk away with Lady Rey. By then, the rest of the Cardona house that had come had reached the stable. She silently waited, then followed them into the palace. Andrea let one of them help her find her room, and laid down on the bed with a sigh.

Sorry for the pathetic post.


« Last Edit: 04 May 2011, 06:09:13 »
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 03 May 2011, 21:04:13 »
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Indeed, Eden wasn’t like other women at court.  She was independent, and she was willing to push boundaries.  One look at her attire would tell anyone that.  She had been raised around horses and encouraged to learn to ride like the men.  She knew horses better than she knew people sometimes, and she was no stranger to getting down and cleaning out her own horse’s stall.  That was something that most court ladies would never, ever do.  She knew that for a fact.

Her independence was a product of that upbringing, as was her willingness to push boundaries and sometimes even make people uncomfortable as a result of it.  She had her enemies among the more conservative females in the Realm, but now nothing that anyone could say about her would mean anything.  As princess, she outranked most of them.  The others were her equals.  In this interregnum, she had no superiors.

And it was definitely a bit odd that she had run into Kael in the library so shortly after Marisela had been urging her to seek him out and allow him to give her his attention.  However, Eden thought that Fate was a bit of a strong word.  It may have been Fate that had allowed her to survive the horrible plague that had claimed the lives of so many others, but she didn’t think that she would go far enough with the idea to say that meeting Kael in the library shortly after her arrival was the work of Fate.  It was a coincidence, a fortuitous one, but a coincidence nonetheless.

She smiled when he let out that sigh of relief, knowing that she was exactly the kind of reaction she’d been hoping to elicit.  She’d wanted him to sweat a little, which is precisely why she hadn’t given him a straight answer right away.  With so many fortune hunters out there with the goal of romancing her and marrying her for her power, she wanted to make sure that everyone—even Kael—knew that she would have other offers.

Kael, however… well, he made her feel a little bad about doing it.  She’d played with the first couple of morons to come knocking on her door that summer without so much as one ounce of remorse.  However, perhaps it was the look on her face… something convinced her that Kael really meant it when he uttered that he couldn’t wait to escort her to the evening’s events.  He had always been genuine and chivalrous, and now she was starting to believe that not all men were as greedy and immoral as she’d previously thought.

“Your hiding spot?” she asked incredulously.  “How odd that you would feel the need to hide in your own home.”  Yet, she didn’t really mean that.  She understood completely what he was talking about when he mentioned enjoying time away from those who would nag him.  Eden was nagged constantly at home, and now she had fled to the library to hide as well—also from those who would nag her.

She chuckled, knowing how silly that made both of them sound, like little children rather than the leaders of their respective houses.

“Believe it or not, I’m also hiding,” she explained with a mischievous smile.  She glanced down at her clothing, gesturing to her exposed legs.  “You see, there are some people who hold the belief that I am sinfully immodest.  I would very much like to avoid the stress of seeing them.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 03 May 2011, 20:51:33 »
Quote
Kael was never really confident when it came to women. Sure he was attractive but having good looks and a wonderful personality didn’t mean anything. Sometimes men like him were more the best friend figure than the romantic suitor. It definitely made him sweat a little bit when he was waiting for her answer but now he had it and he was relieved. He didn’t care if his relief was visible. He just cared that today was turning out to be better than he had anticipated. It was a sheer stroke of luck he had run into her.

“Yes.” His reply was serious. The Library was his hiding spot. Not many people came in here because they were often busy with the daily running of the castle. This was the one place he could count on to have freedom for at least a little bit. Eventually people realized what he was doing and came to find him.

“It may be my own home but sometimes I need to get away from the people here.” This meant hiding in plain sight in his own home was sometimes necessary. A place that was his home for now. Kael wasn’t really sure how much longer the capitol would be his home. It was something that he didn’t want to mention though. He still hadn’t made up his mind whether or not he would run and perhaps he would get her opinion. If he could trust anyone he felt it was Eden.

“Oh?” Kael grinned a little. His couldn’t help but let his eyes travel over her bare legs. If she didn’t want people to look at them then she wouldn’t have them exposed. Kael had to admit that she did have fairly lovely legs.

“I don’t think that you are dressed in an immodest manner. I rather like it.” If she was dressed in an immodest manner then so was Lady Marisela. Neither woman was dressed in a manner that was scandalous. They were simply reflecting the Houses that they had been born in. It was natural for someone raised around horses to want to avoid skirts. It was also natural for a swordsman like Marisela to feel more comfortable in combat in men’s pants.

He knew that he could help her though. Should he escort her wherever she desired in the castle no one would stop her about her choice of attire. Who would dare lecture her in his presence? No one, that was who.

“If you want I can accompany you through the castle. No one will stop you if you are with me.” They would risk being fired if they did. Lecturing a princess in his presence was something that would get you fired and possibly outcast on the spot.

“Besides, I was hoping to get your opinion on something.”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 04 May 2011, 11:22:42 »
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Mmmmm, she had quite expected him to say something along those lines when she drew his attention to her legs. 

She liked her legs.  If she hadn’t felt comfortable exposing them, she wouldn’t do it.  It wasn’t that she wanted people to look at them, as Princess Eden had never been much of a show off, merely that she didn’t mind if they did.  She knew that she had nice legs, and she didn’t care if men stared at them.  However, they stared at them enough for her to have a general idea of what they thought of them.

Of course he liked the way she was dressed.  When all of the other women were walking around in elaborate gowns that made them look like pastries or presents, Eden was real.  She was right there in front of them.  Her curves weren’t hidden, and her body wasn’t distorted by the trimmings of female fashion.  She had legs, and they could see them.

That was probably the biggest problem that the older women had with the way she clothed herself when she had plans to go riding or do some other activity that involved something other than sitting around and looking pretty.  They didn’t like the way that their sons looked at her or the way that she stole attention from their proper daughters.  Jealousy, that was it, and Eden simply didn’t care what they thought of her anymore. 

Yet, she had to notice that, when his eyes moved over her, she didn’t see one ounce of impurity in them.  When Kael looked at her, he didn’t seem to be thinking about possessing her, as so many of the others were inclined to do.  His voice, when he spoke to voice his opinions, was as genuine and honest as it had been since he’d first greeted her that afternoon.  He was kind and—Eden was beginning to believe—a real gentleman.

Or a very good actor.

She smiled graciously when he offered to escort her anywhere she wanted to go, offering the excuse that no one would dare to reproach her when she was in his company.  Remembering Marisela, she wondered briefly what her friend would do if she arrived at the library with a dress for her only to find that her friend was not where she was supposed to be.  To what conclusions would she jump?  Eden giggled, seeing in her mind an image of Marisela standing, nonplussed, in the doorway to the library with the extra dress in her arms.

“I appreciate the offer,” she replied, “but Marisela told me that she would bring me a dress as soon as she changed her own clothes.  I’m supposed to wait for her right here, and what kind of friend would I be if I deserted her for the company of prince charming?”

She laughed for a moment, glancing over at the doors, before turning her attention back to Kael.  “I will gladly give my opinion on anything you ask.”
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 04 May 2011, 14:27:56 »
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It was a shame. 

The other houses were so blinded by the past—by the actions of a handful of Cardonas centuries ago—to realize that sorcery, even dark sorcery, didn’t have to be used for evil.  It could make their lives so much easier if they would just let it.  Battles mages could be incorporated into the army, sorcerers could improve the quality of everyday life by reducing the amount of time that it took to accomplish menial chores.

And when he said that people feared his family, he didn’t necessarily mean that they ran away screaming and crying with their arms up in the air like they would run from a monster under the bed.  Fear didn’t always present itself that way.  This fear was more like distrust, a lingering resentment.  Most people didn’t even remember why they mistrusted the House of Cardona anymore.  It had become so ingrained into society that Aubrey knew that only drastic action on his part could hope to change it.  It manifested itself in the suspicious glares the other nobles threw his way, their aversion to being alone with him… the fact that the Realm hadn’t elected a king (or queen) from the House of Cardona since the incident.

Marisela was proving herself to be the exception.  Perhaps she was able to look past the stereotypes that characterized his house because she so regularly challenged stereotypes herself by dressing and fighting like a man.  She knew firsthand that stereotypes were often wrong or otherwise just plain stupid.  Yet, if it was her upbringing that allowed her to look past the rumors and general bad feelings about his family, then why did her female relatives not also give him the benefit of the doubt.

But… after tonight’s festivities?  How did she expect the events of the evening to alter Eden’s reluctance to speak about her family’s tragedy?  Surely she wasn’t planning on getting her friend drunk or anything… It seemed like an awfully odd thing to say, but Aubrey decided against questioning it.  In all honesty, he really didn’t care that much. 

All of his attention was on his master plan, and neither Marisela nor Eden had any part to play in it.

He was definitely surprised, though, when she offered him the choice between waiting outside for her or actually coming into her chambers while she changed.  Was she just going out of her way to make sure that he saw that she didn’t fear him, or did she really just look at him and see a regular, handsome young man?

“I’ll wait for you here, My Lady,” he answered, regardless of the answer to his unspoken question.

Let her see that he was just as ‘virtuous’ as the next man.  Or at least let her think that.
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 09 May 2011, 19:27:16 »
Quote
Kael really appreciated the fact that her legs were exposed. Most of them women wondered around the capitol dressed in clothing that completely hid their figure. He wasn’t a fan of that fashion so if she wanted to wear men’s clothing then so be it. Kael could appreciate it even when others could not. Who cared about what they thought?

It was a good thing Kael wasn’t an actor because he couldn’t fake this. His reactions were genuine. He really did think that she was quite an attractive woman and her style wasn’t immodest in his opinion. It was practical for her lifestyle.

Of course Marisela would ruin things. Granted, the girl didn’t know that Eden would run into him in the library. It was amazing the way that the two women interacted with one another. It was no secret that they were the best of friends and it was a relationship that he admired. Mostly he admired it because he wished he had something like that. The relationship with his siblings was definitely different. He wasn’t best friends with them despite the fact that he loved them dearly.

“Well then I guess this Prince Charming shall have to respect that.” The fact that she called him prince charming did make him blush a little bit. It was a compliment in his opinion and any compliment from Eden was one that was going to make him blush. Perhaps there was a little flirtation behind it? Kael would never know and he was probably reading into the situation.

No one was coming through that door. At least not yet, anyways Kael grinned a little bit and if she allowed him, he took her hand so that he could guide her towards a secluded corner of the library. Really, he didn’t want anyone to overhear what he was about to ask her. Any doubt about his abilities could be brought up if he was questioning himself. If he truly wanted to take his father’s place then he didn’t need anyone doubting him.

It could poison the votes.

Once they were in a more private corner he let her hand go. With a sigh, he sank into a chair and let his eyes rest on her face. Her opinion would truly have an impact on his decision.

“Do you think that I would make a capable ruler? The kind of ruler that the people of the Realm need?” Kael wasn’t really sure why he was unsure of himself but he was. What he wanted the most was the be confident that he could be what the people needed. He had no political gains to make from being King. Nor did he have any sort of personal agenda. Kael truly wanted to be the people’s King. One that could potentially make their lives better.

But was that what people wanted?
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 09 May 2011, 19:45:43 »
Quote
Marisela really didn’t feel the need to speak about what went on between her and Eden. As far as she was concerned their friendship was a highly private one. There was no way that she would ever betray her friend’s trust or give away their secrets. One of those secrets definitely had to be their sneaking away to have heart-to-heart’s underneath the stars in the moonlight. It was their private time.

Anyways, she shrugged her shoulder even though Aubrey couldn’t see it. It was a noble thing that he was doing by staying outside despite the fact that she didn’t care. It wouldn’t make her think any more or less of him but it did make her appreciate the fact that he was willing to respect her privacy at least a little bit.

Not that she really cared though. Honestly it probably would have been a little attractive had he opted for the more risqué path. Since he didn’t she wasted no time getting changed. On the way to her bed where her dress was laid out she shed her other clothing. It was a pain to change out of her riding pants and tunic because they were thoroughly comfortable but Marisela didn’t feel like angering some old courtier.

When she came back out Marisela was dressed in a rather simple dress. There was nothing overly fancy like the rest of the women in court. What she wore was a scarlet dress that just brushed the ground with sleeves that stopped at the elbow before giving a little flare outwards. A braided gold rope accentuated her waste, showing off her figure but instead of an embroidered lion there were delicate flowers subtly placed. Her necklace and cuffed bracelet remained. As for her shoes? Marisela was a flat’s kind of girl. Heels killed her feet.

“I think that if anyone has an issue now they will just have to deal with it.” She wasn’t going to wear something that was corseted, tight, or overly decorated. Simple was just fine for her while she was roaming about the castle. For the evening she would change into something a little dressier but right now there was no need for it.

Besides she really needed to get something for Eden to change into.

“If you have nothing else to do then you are free to keep accompanying me should you wish.” It was an open invitation. Marisela grinned a bit before heading off in the direction of Eden’s chambers.

“Besides I wish to know more about how the House of Cardona lives in their seclusion.”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 10 May 2011, 11:13:16 »
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Oh, there was definitely some flirtation behind it.  Eden was and had always been a flirt—a tease, some called her. 

As arrogant and vain as it sounded, she knew that she was beautiful; she saw it in the eyes of almost every man who looked at her.  Her mother, back when she’d been younger and her family was still intact, had spent what seemed like hours brushing her hair and telling her that one day all of the men of the Realm would want to marry her because she was so beautiful.  Her father had told her that she was beautiful, expressing concern about having to choose her husband from the entire male population of the Realm.  Her brother, predictably, had stubbornly refused to ever say anything about what she looked like unless he was comparing her to a troll, but that was only to be expected.

And, being gifted with such beauty, why not enjoy herself a little?  Now that she was the richest and most powerful unmarried woman in the Realm, she was determined to have some fun.  Some men she simply didn’t care for—Aubrey, for example, was simply too serious for her taste—but others, like Kael, she was genuinely attracted to.  He was handsome, kind, gentle, powerful… why wouldn’t she want to flirt with him?

Eden chuckled when she saw his faint blush, seeing just how adorable it made him look.  And when he reached for her hand, she placed it delicately in his and let herself be whisked away, wondering just what he had to ask her that couldn’t be said even in a public area of the completely empty library.

The private corner to which he led her, however, was definitely more exciting.  There was a sense of danger, of intrigue… even though there was absolutely no reason that the two of them couldn’t be alone together in the library unless her legs were going to be counted.   It was almost like they were children again, sneaking around behind their parents’ backs… except, as a child, she wouldn’t have been thinking about how naughty a kiss in the library would be.

Then he posed his question to her as she stood in front of him, and Eden furrowed her brow thoughtfully.  Of course he was considering running in the election.  Her refusal to even consider putting her own name in for consideration had blinded her to the possibility of some of her peers doing so.  Sighing, she situated herself on the arm of his chair, her long legs crossed as she looked over at him.

“Your Highness,” she began sincerely, “you are kind, just, charismatic and brilliant.  You have never once done something to make me think poorly of you.  From what I can see, you are genuine and truly concerned about the wellbeing of the people.  If you were not, then you would not be struggling with whether or not you would be a good king.  If you wanted only the power, no one’s opinion would sway you from entering your name.  I think that the people would love you as they loved your father, and I can pledge the support of the House of Rhydderch to you right here and now, if you will take it.”

Technically, she wasn’t supposed to be pledging her support to anyone until the names of the candidates were officially announced, but Eden had a history of being a bit unorthodox.  Besides, she couldn’t think of anyone whom she would rather see elected than Kael.

“Besides,” she added with a coquettish smirk, “think of what a handsome king you would be.”
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 10 May 2011, 11:57:18 »
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Quite frankly, Prince Aubrey was a gentleman even though he was currently plotting to take the throne by force and murder anyone who happened to be in his way.  He wasn’t virtuous, persay, but he was polite and he did respect women, no matter how unorthodox they tended to be.  The bottom line was that, even though Marisela had invited him into her chambers, he had no business being in there.  

In fact, he really had no business walking around the castle with her either.  He wasn’t courting her, wasn’t thinking about courting her.  It was true that he wouldn’t feel bad about deceiving her into thinking that he was, but the blunt truth was that entertaining any woman who couldn’t further his cause was nothing but a silly, frivolous waste of his time and energy.  Aubrey had a coup to plan and a secret ritual to practice for.  He shouldn’t have been wasting time with a lady—no matter how pretty, no matter how different.

And Marisela was pretty.  He tried to be discreet in looking her over when she emerged from her chambers after changing her clothes.  Scarlet was a very nice color on her; it was fortunate that she was from the House of Rey, as they tended to wear more scarlet than the other houses just as Aubrey and his family wore a great deal of black and silver because they were the colors of the House of Cardona.  The dress she had chosen was simple, yet it was pretty in its simplicity—it suited a girl like Marisela, who was more familiar with a sword than a sowing needle.  The only thing that seemed a little bit out of place was the floral decorations.  Marisela didn’t seem like a flower kind of girl.  The lion of Rey suited her much better.

“I can’t imagine anyone would raise their voice against you, My Lady,” he assured her.  “They are lucky to have gotten this out of you; they would be wise to realize it.”  He smiled and winked, ever the charmer, “Besides, you look lovely.”

Hmm, what was that he’d been saying about this whole conversation being a waste of time?  Nevertheless, it seemed that the Prince of Cardona couldn’t resist trying to charm a young lady even if she was nothing to him.  

Who was to say that he wouldn’t need her help in the future?  Marisela’s sword was legendary.  It would be prudent to ingratiate himself to her while he had the time.

“However, I believe I am going to have to take my leave,” he began, politely declining her invitation to accompany her further.  He had no interest in Princess Eden or her chambers.  She was young and beautiful, yes, but she would pose little threat to his grand plan and would be of little value to him.  She had power, but she didn’t know how to really use it.  His time would be better spent with his family, making sure that Andrea hadn’t angered anyone else with her ignorance and ineptitude.  “Perhaps I will tell you some more of my house this evening, Lady Marisela.  In the meantime, I must bid you good afternoon.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 11 May 2011, 23:19:09 »
Quote
Eden’s chuckle was just as light, beautiful, and elegant as she was. It was a pleasure to hear and it delighted his ears. Kael would have to remember to make her laugh again at some point. Even if he couldn’t make her laugh he was sure there was someone that could.

The sneaking around was rather fun. Except he refused to see it like they were children again but instead it was like they were teenagers who were sneaking around behind their parents backs. They couldn’t be a Romeo and Juliet of sorts but they could definitely be two sneaky teenagers. Eden wasn’t that far removed from being a teenager nor was he so it really fit better than the child thing.

When she situated herself on the arm of his chair he adjusted his position so that his arms were drapped across his stomach and his eyes were looking up at her. There was plenty of room for her to share the chair with him should she desire. There was no need for her to perch on the edge of the chair in a potentially uncomfortable position.

Her words were truly touching. Kael chewed over them quietly once she was done speaking but her comment about being a handsome king made him grin and snort a little bit. Eden was right though; Kael would be a handsome king but above that he was truly concerned with the wellbeing of the people on top of being kind, just, charismatic and brilliant. He knew all of these things about himself but being the humble man that he was he often forgot his own characteristics.

It was also nice knowing that he would have the support of the House of Rhydderch. Kael could see no reason why he shouldn’t put his name up for election. In all honesty he was probably the best fit out of all the eligible names. He was the better suited.

“I thank you for your kind words Princess.” Kael murmured softly. Her words made him think a lot and Kael definitely knew what he was going to do now. Yet, despite the fact that he knew what he wanted to do he couldn’t help but feel hesitant about it. Was the Realm ready for a fit, just king who didn’t want to use the position for political gain? He hoped so.

“I believe that you have confirmed my decision.” Kael was going to put his name up for election. If the Fates decided that it was his turn to rule then so be it. He would rule.

Adjusting his position once more, he moved over a little bit more and pat the spot beside him. He wasn’t sure about her but he was in no hurry to go anywhere right now.

“You are right though. I would be a handsome king.” That was arrogance but it was playful in a way. Another (playful) smirk crossed his lips as he spoke. “I suppose since I am a handsome fellow it would be fitting if I found a gorgeous woman to produce heir’s for my House.” Kael’s comments were purely meant to be picking at himself. “And it’s definitely fitting that I get to escort such a lovely woman tonight. Which is more of an honor than anything.”
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 12 May 2011, 10:03:03 »
Quote
Aubrey was the charmer wasn’t he? Marisela knew that he was right though. People were lucky that she was wearing even this. It was common knowledge that the Lady was opposed to the somewhat sexist and archaic view that women had to wear dresses while men got to wear pants. As a warrior she was much better suited to men’s clothing. One couldn’t really patrol and train in a dress. Though the thought of that would be an accomplishment but that was still for someone else to try.

“I thank you, Prince Aubrey.” Marisela gave a small curtsey before straightening up and glancing just over his shoulder. People were definitely milling around as more people arrived at court. The more people that got there the more she knew that inevitably it would be harder and harder to get to Eden with her new clothing.

“Well then I would enjoy that.” Truly she would. Marisela actually did want to know more about his house. Given the fact that they were so reclusive they were a complete mystery. If there was something that was a mystery then she wanted to know more about it. There was something in her that could not be satiated until she got what she wanted.

Perhaps that it was best if they were parting ways right now. The woman knew that they could always converse later on that evening. The hustle of activity in the evening was never one that interested her and the Lady often got bored very fast. Having interesting company would prolong that a little bit. Besides, knowing all she could about Cardona and Aubrey right away was no fun.

“Before you go, Your Highness,” Marisela paused with a small frown,” I would make sure that you give your sister a crash course in etiquette for this evening. It would truly be a shame if there was more egg smeared on the face of the House of Cardona.” It was meant as a friendly warning. Marisela didn’t desire to see people look down upon his house even more than they already did. Something like Lady Andrea not following proper etiquette would put a blemish on their name even more.

“Have a wonderful afternoon, my lord.” She gave one more curtsey before turning towards her friend’s chambers. Surely Eden was wondering what was taking her so long right now. Marisela had no desire to make her friend wait any longer.
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 12 May 2011, 13:39:57 »
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How could Eden be wondering what was taking Marisela so long when she was in the company of such a handsome and charming young prince?  If she thought of her friend at all, it was to hope that Marisela would not accidentally interrupt an otherwise romantic moment in her attempts to save her friend from the stress and humiliation of being scolded by some stuck-in-the-past old crone.  Besides, it wasn’t like her need for a proper dress was even that dire anymore. 

Like Kael, she had no plans to leave the library sooner than she had to.

She was glad that he had apparently taken her words to heart.  He didn’t explicitly state it, but it seemed implied by what he did say that he had made the decision to enter the race for the throne.  Eden didn’t know who else had decided to run, only that she herself was stubbornly against putting her own name up.  She didn’t think that she’d get many votes anyway, seeing as how she was so new on the scene.  She’d only been princess for a couple of months, and most people seemed to still see her as a silly, flirtatious little girl without the ability to take anything seriously.  Besides, she was struggling with the responsibilities of running her own lands.  She didn’t want the burden of running the Realm.

She’d heard rumors that Raymond was going to run.  Prince Fyodorov was charismatic and charming like Kael; Eden had been set to marry him before the summer’s tumultuous events, and she wouldn’t have minded very much under the circumstances.  She knew that Raymond was well liked by his subjects and by the people in general, but there was something about him that just didn’t sit right with her sometimes.  It was like he was hiding something, like he wasn’t always completely honest, which is something that she never got from Kael. 

Eden couldn’t imagine a better candidate from any of the other houses, to be completely honest.  She tried to think of some of the other princes and princesses who might be interested in the throne.  They would ever elect a Cardona, and the Falks had recently tended to be too conservative to win support.  The Spiros, likewise, were rarely taken seriously the majority of the houses.  Marisela’s father wouldn’t be horrible; Eden liked Prince Rey well enough, but he’d always been more interested in military affairs than in politics.

She slid obligingly into spot on the cushy armchair that he’d indicated she should take.  It was a little snug for the both of them, but Eden didn’t mind being so close to him, though she hadn’t been uncomfortable perched on the arm. 

She paused when he spoke of finding a ‘gorgeous woman to produce heirs’, as it seemed—at least for the moment—that that comment was directed at her.  It blindsided her, like someone had just knocked her horse out from under her.  Eden had broken off her betrothal to Raymond (1) because he didn’t love her and (2) because she didn’t think she was ready for marriage and children.  She really did like Kael, but could she marry him?  Furthermore, could she marry him if he became king?  She couldn’t be queen, at least she didn’t think that she could.  Her responsibilities were to the House of Rhydderch, of which she was princess.  If she were to be Queen of the Realm, then she would leave the Rhydderch lands to Avalon, who was even younger and more ill prepared than she was.

Then, however, he went on, talking about the ‘lovely woman’ he was escorting to the evening’s events, and Eden let out a proverbial deep breath.  She smiled cleverly and nudged him in good spirits.  “You faithless rogue,” she accused him playfully.  “I thought you were escorting me tonight.”
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 12 May 2011, 14:31:25 »
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Aubrey nodded his understanding at Marisela’s warning.

“I will, My Lady,” he assured her smoothly.  “Do not worry about that.”

Because, as much as he didn’t like having his flaws pointed out to him by others, he had to admit that Lady Marisela had a very good point.  And, as much as he needed Andrea in order for his master plan to come to fruition, she was a very big liability.  Under any other circumstances, she wouldn’t have even been able to come to court with him and some of the other, more experienced Cardonas. 

For all of her short life, she had lived such a provincial life up in the mountains and forests of their lands that she had no sense of propriety, of etiquette or of what it took to be successful at court.  The only one of the important court players that she knew anything about at all was Prince Kael—and that was only because she’d seen him once, probably ten years ago, when they’d come into the city for some festival or another and had since developed some kind of silly, childish infatuation.   Aubrey only tolerated it because Kael was likely to get in his way, and Aubrey was a strong believer of the philosophy of keeping one’s friends close and one’s enemies closer.

Anyway, if she didn’t behave herself and comport herself according, Andrea was likely to get herself into some kind of trouble that could ruin his plans.  That was just not an option.

“You as well, My Lady,” he replied, bowing politely to the Lady of Rey before turning on his heels and walking off in the opposite direction, towards the wing that traditionally housed members of his family.

By the time he arrived and pushed open the door to the room usually given to the Prince of Cardona on such occasions, Aubrey found that servants had already brought his things up—as he had instructed, nothing had been taken from the bags.  His clothes had not been put away, and his personal affects had not been touched.  This was, of course, in order to prevent curious boys and girls from stumbling across some obscure artifact tucked in with a shirt or a pair of pants.  He didn’t want anyone to see what he’d brought with him.

Aubrey unpacked leisurely, taking his time and as he refolded fabrics and arranged them appropriately in the closet.  He also unpacked several strange looking devices: sets of beakers and test tubes, jars and vials filled with odd liquids, stones and pendants, a set of bells, a horn… and he hid them all away amidst his rich clothes.  Lastly, he laid hands on a beautiful statue of a black dragon with silver eyes poised with its mouth open, as if it were about to spew flames.  That one he placed ceremoniously on the desk and stared at it for several moments as if in a trance, but abruptly turning away from it and walking out the door.

“Andrea!” he called, knocking on the door of the room across the hall, where he had instructed his sister be lodged.
Wicked Intentions
Anonymous
« 12 May 2011, 18:18:15 »
Quote
Maddox opened his eyes and squinted against the light. Judging by the amount of light pouring into his room he suspected it was getting rather late in the afternoon. He sighed heavily but didn’t move any further form that, he just laid there watching the dust motes glide through the beams of sunshine that filtered in through the window in his quarters. Part of him knew he should be out and about seeing as the rest of the seven houses were due to make their appearances today. However, that knowledge did not motivate him to get out of bed nor did it bring any amount of excitement to his surly spirits.

They had come together not for fun or frivolity, though he was sure there would be some attempt at that, but to elect the successor to the throne. The seven houses were about to embark on a grand struggle for power and Maddox was fairly bitter that he was forced to be here when the power he so craved would be completely out of reach for him.

It was not that he wanted to be king exactly, but growing up being  the youngest of seven children had left him at the bottom of the food chain so to speak. His siblings had ruled over him and despite his families assurance that he was destined to do something grand in life his thoughts and words held little sway and the lack of influential abilities was a sore spot him with. The only reason he had even agreed to come to the capital was in hopes of finding a way for his voice to be heard once and for all. He had sat back for twenty three years while everyone around him wasted their power on nonsensical whims and flights of fancy when they could have used it to actually make a difference.  It was time that Maddox took control of his life and find a way to gain the power for himself regardless of birth order and politics. Sadly none of that could be accomplished while wasting away the day alone in bed with his misery.

With a grunt he swung his legs over the side of his bed and forced himself away from the decadent softness of his sheets.  He reached down and pulled on his boots, easing the supple leather over his feet before standing and stretching his muscles which were still sore from the long journey from his mountain home. He made his way to the wash basin and gave his face a quick scrub and once his clothes were smoothed and his jacket pulled over his broad shoulders he finally left the wonderful solitude of his room and ventured out in search of the other guests.

Being social was not one of his strong suits. Most people found him to be a tad too stoic for their pleasure but he didn’t care to indulge their delicate emotional state too much, it was not in his nature to do so. It was not that he was heartless, he just preferred to keep his emotions contained so he wouldn’t look weak. Maddox needed to have every advantage at hand if he was to get ahead after all.
Beautiful Lies
Anonymous
« 12 May 2011, 18:39:33 »
Quote
The corridors of the estate were vast and all looked annoyingly similar to the previous stretch before them so it came at no big surprise to Olivia when she found herself miserably lost in the unfamiliar halls. She had slowed her and taken a moment to gain her bearings before heading back in what she hoped was the right direction that would lead her back to the entrance hall where she could find someone to direct her to her rooms…or give her a map so she could find her own way without some misguided chaperone.

After a few moments of wandering she finally heard the sound of voices. She followed the sound of voices around another corner and there a short distance before her was a young man who stood rapping on a door calling after the occupant whose name was definitely of the feminine nature. Olivia couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the sight, the man (who may or may not be considered handsome) looked like a fool. Then again every man looked like a fool to her at the moment but she was not about to think about that right now.

With a soft sigh she shook her head and called out to the man. You know, shouting and banging on a ladies bedroom door incessantly is not the best way to earn her favor. She said in an exasperated tone as she continued on her way, walking past the man. She stopped a few paces past him and turned back to look at him. Not to mention it makes you look like a bit of an ass. She added with a wicked little turn of her lips before she turned away with a flip of her long golden hair intent on sauntering away, leaving him to shout at doors.

It was definitely not the most polite or proper first impression to make but she could care less about her impressions. She was not so stupid to not see why her parents had sent her here when she had made her wishes very well known already. If her parents wished her to come and make a lasting impression on some unfortunate male she would do so, but that did not mean she was about to go and play the part of the sweet young maiden. No, she would make an impression but it would not be one which her parents would approve of. She had plans and her plans consisted of being completely insufferable starting now.
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 14 May 2011, 10:35:34 »
Quote
Kael was rather glad that the Lady Marisela hadn’t shown up yet. This moment in time with Eden in the Library was exactly what he had needed. The conversation didn’t revolve around funeral plans, the election process, or the festivities set up for the noble’s while they were at court. It was a carefree conversation that he was rather enjoying. For once this week the Prince didn’t feel stressed out or ready to blow up at someone and for the ordinarily calm Kael that was saying something.

He wasn’t an idiot though.

He knew that his own best friend was more than likely going to run. They had been friends since they had been children and running against Raymond didn’t really give him the good kind of goose bumps. It sort of made his stomach sink a little bit. Would Raymond still be in good spirits if Kael beat him out? It was too much to think about right now.

The man was rather pleased when she slipped into the spot next to him. It would make conversation a little bit easier with her so close. Not to mention Kael wouldn’t argue with having her so close on any sort of level. By now he was positive that his interest in her wasn’t so secret anymore. Kael knew there would be competition for her attention now that she was the head of her house and he was willing to accept that little challenge.

Despite the fact that Kael had jokingly mentioned finding a Queen he wasn’t quite sure that he was ready to settle down and have children. His life had changed a lot lately and if he became King it would change a great deal more. It was a role he would have to settle into and adjust to. It would be nice having a companion that could support him but that didn’t mean it had to be a Queen. Kael would be happy courting someone until he was settled. But who was he kidding? Eden’s flirtation was probably just that. It was flirtation. Nothing more or at least it couldn’t possibly be. Why on earth would anyone be interested in the level headed one?

Her comment made him laugh deeply as he glanced down over at her. A grin spread across his face as he gently nudged her arm in return. Oh
Eden was rather mistaken if she didn’t think that she was lovely.

“You know I find that the women who are modest about their appearance are the most attractive ones. Especially when it comes to the noble’s.” Kael murmured. He truly hoped that she was careful with the men in court. They could be sly when they wanted to be. They would tell her anything she wanted to hear just to get a chance at her lands and the title of Prince Rhydderch. “Do promise me that you will be careful with the men in court, Eden.”

Kael shifted slightly so that he was resting on his hip and his eyes were directly on her face. It was easier to see her this way.

“If you could choose how to live your life what kind of life would you lead?” Kael knew that most people who were born into a noble house didn’t like their positions. Sometimes it was nice to dream about what a different sort of life would be like. Knowing how Eden would want to live would give him a better idea about who she really wanted to be.



Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 15 May 2011, 14:43:34 »
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Modesty… to be completely honest, Eden probably wouldn’t have listed it as one of her virtues if someone were to ask.  Confidence, justice, kindness, a real joie de vivre… she had all of that, but modesty?  The young princess smiled graciously and sighed softly when Kael paid her that compliment, knowing that she shouldn’t have accepted it at all.  Modesty, by the standards of the court, entailed wearing long dresses, demurely averting one’s eyes when a man looked at you and the like.  Here she was… with her long legs almost completely exposed, snuggled up to a man to whom she was not related, challenging him and speaking to him in a very immodest manner.

No, Eden knew she was beautiful and she was willing to use that to her advantage.  Modesty wasn’t her virtue.

As Kael shifted his position to aid the flow of their conversation, she moved as well, turning her upper body towards him as she crossed her legs.  Her elbow rested on the back of the chair, and she tilted her head ever so slightly, using that hand to support it as she looked at him.  And she laughed when he asked her to promise him that she would ‘be careful with the men in court’.

“The last time I checked, Prince Kael,” she started, placing her index finger on the center of his chest to assist her point, “you were not my older brother.  I think your warning would be better used on my sisters, both of whom are so eager for a fairytale romance that they would believe anything any sneaky, forked-tongue Lord whispered into their dainty little ears.”

It was a rebuff, a gentle reminder that she neither wanted nor needed him to look out for her in such matters.  “I do appreciate your concern, though,” she added gently, so as not to offend him.  She really did like Kael, and his thoughts for her were endearing, but she was an independent woman now.  She had no parents, no older brother to look out for her.  She was her own mistress, and she could take care of herself.  Moreover, she had to take of herself.  “I know that they will all be over me like the greedy fortune hunters they are, and I can assure you that I plan to play them just as they plan to play me.  I don’t trust many people anymore.”

Eden sighed and smiled gently, flattening her palm against his chest.  “My advisors have already tried to tell me the same thing.  They’ve warned me, in particular, against the Falks, whose prince has seven sons when only one had rule their lands at a time.”  She paused for a moment, thoughtfully.  “But as much as I hate to admit it, I need to get married.  I owe it to my house.  I can’t run everything by myself, and we need strong children if the House of Rhydderch is to survive.”  Her voice broke off, almost abruptly, and she laughed.  “But look at me.  You don’t want to talk about such serious things any more than I do.  You already have your title of prince; you probably have little interest in my affairs.”

And there was probably some truth to that assumption.  People like Kael, like Raymond, even Aubrey were already princes in their own right.  What would they want with her lands and the title that her hand in marriage had to offer?

“You ask what kind of life I would have liked to lead,” Eden stated confidently, sitting up straight and removing her elbow from the back of the chair.  She raised her head, leaning slightly toward him, and have him her answer: “I loved being Lady Eden.  I loved my family, the horses, the land, everything about the House of Rhydderch before this summer.  I wish that the plague had never happened, and that I could have grown old in that life, married to a well meaning, righteous man who loved me.  I could have been around horses until my dying day, when I would have laid in my bed surrounded by my own family and known beyond a doubt that I had truly known happiness and love.”
Aubrey Blackwood
Played by mnaberrie

« 15 May 2011, 14:59:13 »
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Aubrey was absolutely speechless.

He couldn’t even remember the last time a girl like that had been bold and audacious enough to speak to him in such an offensive manner.  Back home, squirreled away in isolation amid the forests and mountains that made up the domain of Prince Cardona, he had a few younger female cousins in addition to his sister, but none of them would ever dare to speak to him, their prince and only hope for a brighter future, like that unknown blonde had done.  Furthermore, the servants—both male and female—were too timid to even meet his gaze for more than a few seconds.

And yet, that slender blonde creature had dared to do it.  There were only two possibilities: (1) she had a death wish and was absolutely crazy (2) she was stupid enough to insult him without pausing to find out who he was.  It was like something his ignorant sister would have done.

Like something his ignorant sister would have done…

And just like that, his mind began to race to the possibility that Andrea wouldn’t be his only candidate for sacrifice while he was here in the capitol.  At least one other family had been desperate or silly enough to bring a young female member.  (Come to think of it, the younger Lady Rhydderchs were probably here someplace too.  They needed three people for a vote.)  He hadn’t gotten a very good look at the mystery girl, so he didn’t know what house she’d come from, but Spiros were usually blonde. 

A Spiro would be good, he thought to himself.  Lounging on their beaches and relaxing in their spas, what did they know of the hardships of the world? 

Finally, after that long mental discourse, he seemed to remember that he had a tongue.

“She’s my sister!” he shouted down the hall after her, probably looking like even more of an ass since she’d vanished around the corner already.

Aubrey sighed heavily and returned his attention to Andrea’s unresponsive door.  He held his hand a couple of inches away from the knob, and the black pendant around his neck—the one worn by the Prince or Princess Cardona—grew warm against his chest.  The door opened with a satisfying click, and Aubrey pushed it open tentatively.

“Andrea,” he all but growled.
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 15 May 2011, 19:15:58 »
Quote
Kael couldn’t help but raise his eyebrow the moment that finger was on his chest. It seemed like Prince Kael was getting a lecture for once in his adult life. Not only was it his first lecture but it was from a woman at that. It was amusing but at the same time he knew that she had a point right now. He was well aware of the fact that he wasn’t Eden’s brother nor did he want to be her brother. He simply wanted to look after her but maybe she was right. Perhaps his time was better spent making sure that no one took advantage of her naïve sisters.

“The last time I checked, Princess Eden,” Kael uttered, bringing a finger to tilt her chin up just a little bit more towards his face, “I do not care to be your brother.” Oh no. It was true that he didn’t desire to be her brother. What he desired was much more than that. The sort of relationship that a brother and sister definitely could not have.

He was well aware of the fact that she was her own woman now. Eden need not take orders from anyone nor worry about what it was anyone else had to say. She didn’t have to have someone take care of her but could instead take care of herself. The Princess continued to speak and it was with a pain of sorrow over her loss that he realized that she was very correct. Eden had been tossed into a life that was hard. Being a Princess was much different from being a Lady and for her it had been thrust upon her so suddenly.

“I understand that you cannot do everything yourself. You need to establish your rule, protect your lands, and insure the survival of your people.” Kael knew all of this. He had experienced similar emotions when he had become Prince Arrington but for Eden he couldn’t imagine what it was like. She was the only one capable of running her family.

“But have you ever stopped to think that it is not your affairs, your land, and your power that I am interested in?” Kael was truly interested in just Eden. He had his own affairs and power to worry about. On top of that he was interested in becoming King so that would be even more power there. He wouldn’t pursue her hand just for what it would offer him. Yet none of that was on his mind right now. Right now he was more focused on the fact that she was leaning closer towards him.

What she had to say about the life she would want absolutely tore him. If he had even bothered to think about what it was he was asking her and how it would affect her or the answer she would given then he wouldn’t have asked it. That didn’t change the fact that he had and when she finished speaking Kael felt absolutely horrible.

How was he supposed to respond to that? It seemed like something that words could not cover. Maybe that was because a simple apology, no matter how profuse it was, in this situation would not make up for the fact that he had asked.

Bringing a hand up Kael cupped her cheek gently and leaned forward to press a small kiss to the corner of her mouth. If Kael was not the gentleman that he was then he would have pursued a kiss of a different nature.

“You may not be Lady Eden anymore but I think that you are just as strong as you were before. I have no doubt that you will live a life full of love and happiness. You just have to wait for it to come to you.”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 16 May 2011, 10:45:14 »
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Yes.  Yes, she had stopped to think that he wasn’t interested in her power or her land.  Kael was probably the only man at court—or one of the only men at court—who felt secure enough in his own power and position to not think for a moment about trying to acquire the lands of the House of Rhydderch.  Furthermore, he was also probably the only man at court who would still spend so much time with her, who spoke to her like he genuinely cared, and who made her feel like her dreams of love and happiness weren’t so impossible after all.

“That is why you are one of the only people here I can trust, dear Kael,” she told him frankly, meaning it sincerely.  She couldn’t trust many people any more.  (Not that she could trust many outside her family to begin with, but her family were, for the most part, dead.)  In this time of confusion and turmoil, she was certain that Kael wouldn’t betray her or seek to use her in any way.  Unless he was an extremely gifted actor, then he really cared for her, a trait which was so rare in a time when money and power seemed to be all that mattered to anyone else.

Eden could see it on his face, in that honest, gentle expression he wore as easily as the rest of them wore fine fabrics.  Contentedly, she leaned into his hand when he brought it to her cheek, and she lowered her eyelids when he leaned in to kiss her… on the corner of her mouth. 

He was a gentleman wasn’t he?

She gave a short, surprised laugh and stared at him in amazement.  It would have been so easy for him to just steal a real kiss from her.  Hell, she’d practically been asking for it.  Any other man in his position would have done it in a heartbeat.  But not Kael.  No, not Kael.  He was so kind and gentle, so noble that he had probably decided that kissing her—actually kissing her—would somehow be taking advantage of her, even if she was completely willing.  And he would never, ever take advantage of anyone—let alone the newly titled princess whom he had placed so carefully on a pedestal.

The hand on his chest moved up to his shoulder, and Eden sat up a little bit straighter, leaning forward to give him that real kiss.  “You are a good man,” she said softly when she withdrew from him, sitting back against the back of the chair.  She rested a hand delicately on his thigh and smiled at him gently.  “Just the kind of man the Houses need to lead them.”

And then she let her thoughts return to their conversation about the life she would have chosen for herself.  If anything, she knew that she had grown even stronger than she’d been as Lady Eden—out of necessity.  She’d seen her whole house—and a great deal of their subjects as well—die before her eyes, and she’d lead the survivors out of the horrors of the summer to face the oncoming winter with stony, determined faces.  The harvest had been poor due to the plague, but they would survive somehow.  She hadn’t been able to let them know that she herself had her doubts.

“If I wait for it to come to me, that life of happiness and love, then I will not be happy until I am old and gray,” she speculated solemnly.  “No, Kael.  I need to go after it.  To actively pursue it.  When a horse wants for water, it does not stand around and wait for a stream to appear.  I can control my own life, and my happiness or unhappiness is in my own hands.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 17 May 2011, 15:54:58 »
Quote
Kael was truly a rare creature. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was the way that he was but he assumed that it had something to do with his mother. She had raised him and his siblings properly with the help of their late father. Kael appreciated the way that his mother had raised him. He wouldn’t change who he was for all the power in the Realm. There was contentment in what he had.

“As I trust you, Eden.” Trust was something that wasn’t easily bought in this Realm. To know that he had her trust without having to be any more than himself was something of a miracle. You had to watch who you placed that faith in because they could turn on you at any moment. Eden had it though. He didn’t think that he didn’t have any reason to not trust her.

If there was one fault that he had it was that he was a gentleman. The kiss to the corner of her mouth could have very easily been a real kiss. He hadn’t wanted to take an advantage of her though. It had been a nice moment though in his opinion. Who was he to know that Eden would have been completely willing and open to an actual kiss?

It was something that he didn’t have to ponder about very long. His eyes dropped to her hand when it slid from where it was on his chest up to his shoulder. The feel of Eden’s hand on his body was something that sent shivers down his spine. For some reason her touch was electric. Kael couldn’t get enough of it but he knew that he probably didn’t stand that much of a chance with her.

Until she kissed him. It was a brief kiss but a real kiss. Her lips were soft and warm against his own lips. It was something that was almost numbing. For a moment he was in a little bit of shock but when she spoke he shook it off so that he could pay attention to her.

“Your opinion means a lot. I only hope that other's have the same.” It truly did. Without her opinion Kael wouldn’t know what to really think about himself. “Your faith in me is reassuring.” Because it was really only her faith and those in his own House that he knew he had.

“Then maybe you should actively pursue it. Perhaps if you did then you should find that maybe there is already someone there who would support you, love you, and make you happy.” Kael knew that his comment was probably very thinly veiled. It didn’t bother him though. At this point he was positive that Eden knew he fancied her so he didn’t feel like a bad man for making the comment.

If Eden wanted to be happy then she could be happy. It was about finding the right person even if it wasn’t him. Kael sighed softly, placing his hand on top of her own.

“It’s a hard life but know that you can count on me if there is something you need. Your advisor’s may not always be right in their advice.” Kael had learned this long ago. Just because someone gave their advice about something didn't mean it was always the right way to go.

The serious conversation was starting to agitate him though. With a grin on his face, he pat her leg lightly before sitting up a little bit.

"I think we should sneak away from the library once Lady Marisela brings your change of clothing. If you have time we could go for a walk. It's rather lovely outside today."
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 17 May 2011, 20:05:07 »
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Aye, thinly veiled it was. Eden had been able to dismiss his earlier comment about finding a beautiful queen to give him beautiful children by telling herself that it hadn’t been directed at her, that it had only been an observation—though, in hindsight, it didn’t seem the kind of thing a man like Kael, who had been so hesitant to kiss her, would find important, unless he was directly it at a woman whom he thought could fill that role.

But now he was suggesting—or at least it seemed like he was suggesting—that that person who would support her, love her and make her happy was none other than himself.  And she didn’t doubt it.  She knew that Kael would support her in everything that she did (within reason) just as she supported him fiercely in his quest to become king.  He would be as loyal to her as her horse was.  She already knew that he fancied her, and she didn’t doubt that he would love her.  As for happiness… if every moment with Kael was like this time in the library, happiness would come without problems.

It would all be so easy.

However, nothing was so simple anymore. 

She was the new Princess Rhydderch, and he was Prince Arrington.  In fairytales, that would have been perfect, but not in the Realm.  Not in Eden’s current circumstances.  Especially not since he was going to be running for king.  She couldn’t be Queen and Princess Rhydderch, and she couldn’t let the burden of the title fall to her younger sister.  It was almost too much work for Eden, so how could she expect a seventeen-year-old to deal with the pressure of running the land and overseeing the affairs of the entire house. 

And even if someone else was given the crowd, if the vote favored someone other than Kael… she technically could be Princess Rhydderch and Princess Arrington at the same time, but she would have more than twice the land and at least twice the stress.  She couldn’t give up her title; there was literally no one else to take it.  She couldn’t ask Kael to give up his. 

And, unfortunately, every moment wouldn’t be like this one in the library.  He could love and support her until his heart stopped beating, but would that be the life she wanted?

Her smile was almost grim when she looked up at him again, after he offered to be there for her if ever she needed him.  It was exactly the kind of offer she would have expected from a gentleman like Kael, who had been afraid to give her a real kiss for fear of taking advantage of her.  She wouldn’t forget that he had offered.  It was very likely that she would need him in the near future, but, for now, she didn’t want to talk—or think—about such serious things at that moment any more than he did.

Her entire expression brightened when he suggested that they go for a walk when Marisela arrived with a change of clothes for her.  (And at the reminder of having to change her clothes, Eden had a couple naughty thoughts of asking him to tie or untie something, depending on what her friend selected from her wardrobe.)  Part of her wanted to suggest a ride instead of a walk, but Firdaus was tired from their journey and the gelding deserved to rest.  At any rate, just getting outside would be better than sitting in this library.  Eden was an outdoors kind of girl, having grown up around horses, and she was beginning to be stifled by all of these books.

“What’s the matter?” she teased.  “Are these books too scary for you, Prince Kael?  And here I was thinking you were too brave to be frightened by mere books.”  She laughed, shaking her head.  “No, I agree.  It is lovely, and I’d prefer to be outdoors any time of the year.  After I change,” she clarified.  “We wouldn’t want anyone to see you with someone dressed so scandalously.  It would surely negatively impact your chances for the throne.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 18 May 2011, 11:26:45 »
Quote
Kael knew that there would be a lot of technicalities that would come along if they ended up pursing some sort of relationship; however he wasn’t completely opposed to them. If he didn’t become King then he was completely capable of being both Prince Arrington and Prince Rhydderch at the same time. If he was then he could give Eden the help that she needed and she wouldn’t have to hand over the power of the family to one of her younger sisters. Kael was more than capable of running Arrington lands while Eden ran Rhydderch lands.

Even if he did become King they could work something out. Once Eden’s sisters were more than mature enough to handle the matters of Rhydderch, Eden could become Queen. It was all hypothetical and Kael knew that he absolutely stood no chance in pursuing her hand further than the flirtation that they were exchanging with one another. Eden had to look out for the best interest of her House.

That best interest more than likely didn’t include him. It was something that he would have to get over but for now he could enjoy the flirtation between them. Even if something further did happen he knew that their lives would be stressful. He also knew that not every moment could be like this one. Eventually something would change and even though he could insure they were both happy there would be a lot more public than private when it came to their lives.

Are these books too scary for you, Prince Kael?

Kael promptly stuck his tongue out at her in a child like manner. He was absolutely not afraid of the books! Maybe he was just a little afraid of being alone with Eden. Kael loved the library but sometimes the library could be overwhelming. It was time to escape.

“Despite the fact that I don’t mind the way you are dressed you have a point.” Eden was very correct. If he was seen with her dressed in what was deemed an immodest manner then it could impact his chances at the throne. It was something that he felt that he deserved. That crown was important to him in a way. He wanted to carry on work that his father had started and he wanted to start bettering the Realm in his own right. So it wasn’t something that he felt that he was entitled to but he felt he deserved at this point in his life. He would probably go to hell and back to make sure it didn’t end up in the hands of the Spiro’s, Cardona’s, or Falk’s. There were only a couple of family’s that he would trust with the crown excluding his own.

“I trust that Marisela is participating in the tournament? I would expect no less of the Lady.” Especially a Lady that was in the position that Marisela Rey was. Not only was she an incredibly lovely woman but she had skill with the sword and her mastery of the horse was incredibly. Truthfully he was surprised that no one had courted her after himself.

Speaking of Marisela he was actually curious what was taking the woman so long.

"How is it that you two are so close? You seem so different from one another."

marisela will follow shortly! <3
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 18 May 2011, 11:42:59 »
Quote
Marisela was intentionally taking her time right now. Eden was tucked away safe and sound in the library where people couldn’t bother her. If there was one woman in court who deserved a little bit of time by herself it was her best friend. The Princess had been through so much that Marisela wasn’t quite sure how she hadn’t managed to crack by now. It was so much pressure for a newly entitled Princess on top of the fact that almost her entire family had died over the summer.

So yes, Marisela was taking her time.

After leaving Prince Aubrey she made her way towards the Chambers that housed Princess Eden during her stay. Slipping into her bedroom she made her way towards where Eden’s things had been unpacked so that she could pick out an appropriate dress for her friend. There was a definite ulterior motive in wanting to pick out what Eden wore. Kael had definitely taken a liking to her and Eden had seemed to like the idea of that when they spoke. That was if the girlish giggle was any indication. So Marisela had every intention on picking out something that would be flattering and eye catching on her friend.

In the end after going through Eden’s things she picked something that would be comfortable for the weather and for her friend but flattering as well. The dress was a dark green with shoulders that would accentuate her delicate, lovely collar and neck and it had sleeves that fell delicately to just past her elbows. The back laced up and the skirts were not extravagantly flared or bushy. They fell in an A-line to her feet and were conducive to easily walking.  There was minimal detailing on this one as Marisela felt that it was more appropriate for her to wear something more detailed for the evening.

She also picked a pair of black flats to go along with it. Eden was a woman who was more comfortable on a horse so that meant she knew her friend would feel more comfortable walking around in something that was as flat as her riding boots. It would work for now.

Moving away from Eden’s Chambers she made her way to her final destination: The Library. Pushing the intricate doors open, she moved into the Library with her cargo in hand. Now the only problem would be finding where her friend was at. Her first thought was to move towards the books that had been contributed by the House of Rhydderch.

“Eden?” Marislea whispered her friends name as she reached the bookshelves housing those books.



Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 18 May 2011, 11:26:52 »
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Eden laughed out loud when he stuck his tongue out at her, like a little child being teased by his mother.  It was just so odd, so funny, to see the man who had just spoken so seriously about being king of the entire Realm indulging in such puerile gestures.  It was refreshing, seeing that he could be fun and playful as well as serious and mature.

And she merely nodded, the traces of laughter still on her face, when he affirmed that she was right about how his being seen with her while she was dressed like this would negatively impact his campaign.  It was true that he would have her support—and maybe the support of one or two of the other houses—no matter what, but he needed to appeal to more than just her and a couple of the more liberal families.  He needed to be seen as a competent, good candidate to everyone—including the ultra-conservative Falks.  If people thought that she was dressed shamefully and then he was seen with her, well… it would bring up questions about his morality.

Come to think of it, it was probably a good thing that they were planning on leaving the library as soon as she changed clothes.  If anyone were to stumble upon them now, alone in this secluded corner of the library, snuggled up so close in the same armchair, her hand still on his knee… imagine the rumors that that would start.

“I would be shocked if she wasn’t,” Eden answered frankly when Kael asked her if Marisela was planning on participating in the tournament.  “I can’t imagine that she would have come otherwise.” And it was true.  Eden knew that her best friend was a lot less tolerant of court attire than she was, and she also knew that Marisela wouldn’t have been willing to put up with the politics of being at court without the promise of being able to knock a few poor young men around as a reward.

“And we’re not really that different,” she informed him lightly.  “If you think about it, we’re actually very similar.  We were both raised in untraditional roles for girls to be raised in.  She was practically born with a sword in her hand, and I might as well have been born in the saddle.  I guess you could say that we bonded over how different we are from the other girls in the Realm.  Our lifestyles require us to actually go out and do things rather than sit around and do embroidery.  It’s true that we have our differences, but we complement one another.”

And then, almost as if on cue, someone came into the library and Eden sat up a little straighter, hoping that it was indeed Marisela and not some nosy servant.  She heard several soft footsteps coming from the direction of the door, and then the telltale soft whisper of her name.  Smiling, she reached for Kael’s hand and got up to meet her friend.

“What took so long, Mari?” she asked playfully, emerging from the depths of the library.  “Lose your way?”  Her eyes drifted to the dress in Marisela’s arms, realizing that it was one of her favorites.  It also—coincidentally or not—was green, one of the colors of Kael’s house.
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 18 May 2011, 18:46:52 »
Quote
Kael should have known that the Lady would be participating in the tournament. If there was one woman in the Realm who was not shy about putting her skills on display it was Marisela. It always amused him how hard headed and competitive the woman was. He could see where she got it from though. Marisela’s father was a tough man despite the fact that he loved his family. Her family was one that believed in having the best of the best and nothing less would suite.

“And I am sure that the men entering the tournament are shaking in their boots.” Literally. Most men didn’t want to go up against her and those that did knew that they didn’t stand a chance. Truthfully he was kind of glad she was competing. Someone had to remind the Realm that the House of Rey was still worthy of being the heart and soul of the Realm’s police force and military. Although he never once doubted that anyone doubted them. They were tough.

“I can see how you would complement one another. I haven’t seen anyone else with a bond like the two of you have. It's good that you have one another.” It was all very true. No one else seemed to have the bond that Marisela and Eden had. If he didn’t know any better he would have thought they truly came from the same family but he did know better. Their appearances were night and day. Still he felt that they really were meant to be sisters in a way.

Speaking of the devil herself..

When Eden took his hand he allowed her to do so and he followed her from where they were sitting to where they had heard Marisela’s voice. His eyes immediately went to the dress that the Lady was carrying for the Princess and a grin slipped onto his face.
Green. How coincidental was that? It was almost like Fate was saying something. Except Kael knew better than that and he knew that it really was just a coincidence. Marisela had probably picked whatever she thought would look the best on Eden.

Eden asked what took Mari so long but Kael didn’t care to know. The woman taking so long had allowed the two of them to interact with one another for a bit. It had allowed for a decent conversation and Kael was completely happy with the way that it had gone.

He knew Eden had been playful in her question but it wouldn’t have hurt if Marisela had taken just a little bit longer..

“Good afternoon, Lady Marisela.” Kael gave a courteous nod of his head. “You look lovely. It’s a pleasure to see you.” Truly it was. He had once courted her and he never regretted that decision.



pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 18 May 2011, 19:02:30 »
Quote
What took so long, Mari? Lose your way?

Marisela laughed a little as she grinned at her friend. She definitely hadn’t lost her way but had been spending time with Aubrey instead. Mari could see, however, that Eden had been in very good company while she had been taking her sweet time.

“I did not lose my way, dear Eden,” Marisela stated, “Instead I was spending a little bit of time chatting with Prince Aubrey.” There was a tone in her voice that indicated that it had been well worth it for Eden’s sake. It was clear that she had been spending a little bit of time in the corner of the library with the man that had to be the Realm’s most eligible bachelor. Kael was attractive, he definitely had power that people would love to have, and he was potentially putting his name up for election.

Oh it was good that her friend was spending time with him.

“I hope the dress that I picked out is suitable.” Marisela held the dress out to hand it over to her friend. There were shoes on top of it which should be everything that Eden needed.

She turned her attention to Prince Kael with a genuine smile on her face. Kael was definitely looking good indeed. If Eden decided to pursue him then she would end up with quite the catch. Mari could only hope that her friend had a good head on her shoulders about marriage prospects.

“Good Afternoon, Your Highness.” Marisela gave a small curtsy. “It is a pleasure to see you as well. You are looking as handsome as always.”
She wanted to give her friend some time alone with Kael. Marisela would never intentionally push her friend in a direction that she didn’t want to go but right now Eden deserved to spend time with someone like Kael. He was kind, compassionate, and a true gentleman.

“If you do not mind I need to go speak with my father. I bid you two a wonderful afternoon.” Sacrificing time with her friend wasn’t a big deal. She would get to see her tonight and then they were going to slip away from everyone else and have their sisterly, heart-to-heart.

Marisela gave them both a curtsy before turning to take her leave from the library.



Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 18 May 2011, 18:02:48 »
Edit post Quote Delete
In a lot of ways, they were like sisters, Eden and Marisela.  Now that her family—or most of it, anyway—was dead, if there was one person at court whom she could trust completely—with her life—it was, without a doubt, Marisela Rey.  They spent more time apart than they did together, but they were as thick as thieves when they were together.  Eden had a bond with Marisela that she didn’t have with her younger sisters, especially now that her role in their lives had shifted from older sister to guardian so suddenly.  She was their authority figure.  Marisela was her best friend and closest confidante.

Blood meant nothing in this case, and she didn’t know whether or not anyone would be unable to understand that without experiencing it for themselves.  Eden was looking forward to sneaking away from the crowd that night and talking with Marisela more than she was looking forward to going with Kael.  Nothing against him, of course… she just needed to let all of her feelings out in the worst way.  She trusted him, but maybe she wasn’t ready to let him into her head that deeply just yet.

Grinning, she raised an inquisitive eyebrow when her friend informed her that she’d been with Aubrey and that was what had delayed her.  Eden knew that Marisela was intrigued by Prince Cardona, but she was still wary of him.  She couldn’t shake the feeling that he had some big, giant, dangerous secret.  Unlike Marisela, the princess hadn’t turned her back on the Realm’s deep-seated aversion to the House of Cardona.

However, she could tell by her Marisela’s tone that she wasn’t thinking much about Aubrey.  Having seen her emerge from an isolated corner of the deserted library with Kael, her friend was quickly jumping to conclusions about what may or may not have happened—just as she knew anyone would have been prone to do.  Eden blushed in spite of herself, letting go of Kael’s hand to reach out and take the dress from her delivery girl.  “I’m sure it’s perfect,” she replied, giving Marisela a look that seemed to say we’ll talk about this later.  “You are a lifesaver, Mari.  What would I ever do without you?

Then, as Marisela bid them good afternoon, Eden’s eyes dropped to the mass of fabric in her arms.  Yup.  It was most definitely Arrington green.  At least, she observed, it wasn’t trimmed with Arrington gold as well.  Her friend could be devious if she wanted to be, but Eden didn’t think that she would have intentionally dressed her up as an Arrington.  That would have been too much.  Her circlet, however, was gold.

Turning to Kael, she told him, pretending to be stern and serious, “No peaking.” 

With a short laugh, she wandered off behind a couple of bookshelves and put the dress down so that she could remove her boots.  Setting them aside, she untied the gold cord around her waist and slipped it into one of her boots before pulling her tunic over her head and folding it up.  She slipped into the dress quickly and slid the flats onto her feet.  When she gathered all her things and returned to Kael, however, the ties in the back of the dress were still undone.

“Can you help?” she asked coyly as she turned her back to him.  Eden watched him from behind long lashes, looking over her shoulder and waiting for his reaction.  “Mari probably didn’t realize… I can’t reach the laces myself.  I usually have a servant help…”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 18 May 2011, 20:15:10 »
Quote
Considering the fact that he had once courted Marisela he wasn’t too pleased to hear that she had been spending time with Aubrey. Prince Cardona was one man that he didn’t want any of the women that he cared about interacting with. There was something dark and dangerous about him. On the other hand maybe that was why Marisela had been speaking with Aubrey. Perhaps the dark and dangerous vibe attracted the woman. Kael didn’t know but it wasn’t his position to warn her against Cardona.

When Eden let go of his hand, he slipped them into his pockets and cleared his throat. No doubt as Marisela left the library various scenarios were overloading her mind. He just hoped that she would keep what she saw quiet until Eden had a chance to explain.

No peaking

Kael laughed and made sure that he was turned away from the bookshelves that the princess disappeared behind. It was definitely a situation that ordinarily would not have occurred. Should anyone but Marisela enter that library it wouldn’t look good for either one of them. That was why as much as he truly wanted to peak he kept his back to her until three words left her lips.

There was a look of shock on his face as he turned around and cleared his throat. Kael was clearly nervous as he stepped forward and took the dangling ties of the back of her dress into his hands. How devilish it was of Marisela to pick this dress and then leave. It was almost cruel.

“It isn’t a problem.” Although it was clear in his voice that this situation was one that was definitely making him feel a bit unsure of himself. Delicately he laced the ties up the back of her dress, pausing every now and again to glance up at her face. When he was done he let both hands rest on her delicate shoulders and momentarily leaned his head against the back of her neck.

She truly looked lovely. Why was it Eden and Eden alone that was capable of making him nervous? Not even dealing with his family affairs made him this nervous.

Lightly he let his hands trail down her shoulders and her arms until they reached her elbows. Then he removed them and cleared his throat to regain some sense of composure.

“You look lovely. Mari made the right choice.” Kael was starting to think that cruel didn't even begin to describe it. It was something much more than that.

"We can stash your other clothes here for now or return them to your chambers if you please."
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 18 May 2011, 23:34:23 »
Edit post Quote Delete
That look of shock, the nervous clearing of his throat, that awkward, uncertain way that he stepped toward her… his words said that it wasn’t a problem, but it was very clear—to Eden at least—that Kael wasn’t used to doing things like this.  And why would he be?  Prince Arrington was an incorrigible gentleman who wouldn’t even give her a real kiss without permission.  What business did he have helping a princess get dressed?

And if Marisela was devilish for unintentionally picking out a dress that Eden would have a hard time putting on by herself—after all, she had no way of knowing that Eden was even with Kael and that she would be forced to ask him for help—then Eden was diabolical in taking so much pleasure in asking for his help.  Marisela might not have been remembering that this particular dress had laces when she left, and Eden did have to ask, for it wouldn’t have been acceptable for her to walk around with the back of her dress hanging open.  However, she didn’t have to take so much pleasure in teasing him like this.

But it was so much more fun this way.  To watch his face and smile at him as he came forward and took hold of the green laces and tentatively tied them up, closing the back of the dress. 

It occurred to her that they were practically begging someone to walk in, some hapless servant or some wandering nobleman, and see Prince Kael helping Princess Eden back into her clothes… she could hear the rumors now—along with the admonishments of her advisors.  Kael’s chances at the kingship would practically be shot, but the sad thing was that she would still have no dearth of suitors vying for her hand in marriage and the title of Prince Rhydderch to go along with it.  Nobody would even care if she allegedly had a little rendezvous with Prince Arrington in the library.

And then, before she knew it, he was finished, and she could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck.  She let him run his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, leaning into his touch.  A part of her didn’t want him to let go, even though she knew that that was completely irrational.

She turned around when he withdrew from her and smiled in response to his compliment, still cradling her other clothes in her arms.  “Only because you helped me,” she pointed out, and then turned her attention to the matter of storing her riding clothes somewhere. 

She certainly had no intention of carrying them with her on their leisurely walk—that would just be weird.  It wouldn’t be that far out of the way if she were to insist on returning them to her chambers, but she had to admit that his suggestion of leaving them somewhere in the library was oddly appealing.  Like practically everything else she’d done since arriving, there was a certain sense of danger to it—what would someone do or say if they stumbled across her clothes in the library? 

Disappearing for another brief moment, Eden quickly stashed her clothes behind the chair which they’d occupied only a couple of minutes earlier.  “Shall we?” she asked, returning with a conspiratorial smile on her face. 
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 19 May 2011, 20:17:46 »
Quote
Kael didn’t want to think about how uncomfortable the situation had been for him because despite the fact that it had been he really hadn’t minded it. His only regret would have been if someone had walked in on them while he had been helping the princess with her clothing. It would have given the wrong impression and tarnished his name but it hadn’t happened. That meant there was no use dwelling on it.

There was a smug but playful look on his face when she credited him for helping her to look good. Right, like Kael had done anything. He had simply laced the back of her dress so that it was properly fitted. There was a definite grin on his face when the woman went to hide her clothing.

It was definitely like their own little game.

While she hid her clothes he waited patiently. His hands found their way into his pockets and he rocked back and forth on his heels slightly. When she returned he gave a nod of his head. He was indeed ready to go on their way and explore the grounds with her.

“We shall.” Kael offered his arm. If and when she took his arm he led the way through the library and out into the hallway. More people were definitely arriving at court and that was evident by the fact that there was a lot more chatter. The halls seemed filled with voices, conversation, and laughter. It was nice to see his home so filled with activity but at the same time it was upsetting. He knew the reason they were all there and it was disheartening.

But he was determined to forget the reason that they were there. All he wanted to do was enjoy the time that Eden was allowing him to have
with her. He wanted it to be free of talk about the funeral or about the election proceedings. After tonight all of that would be in full swing and
Kael was positive he would be ready to get away.

“Okay now I have to say what direction we go in is completely up to you.” It was one less decision that he would have to make this week.  “I promise I won’t put my two cents in if it’s a direction I don’t want to go in.”

There was definitely something light about the way he said it. Kael didn’t want to be seen as someone who was oh so serious right about now. He wanted to be seen as capable. Besides, he really didn’t care where they went. This little walk would be fun in and of itself. He was positive of that.

"So if you ever thought about kidnapping me I guess now is your chance Princess."
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 19 May 2011, 19:14:23 »
Edit post Quote Delete
It almost seemed like he had her laughing again as soon as she took his arm.  For a man whose reputation didn’t include being the court jester, Kael was certainly turning out to be quite amusing—at least in Eden’s opinion.  She made on attempt to stifle or contain her laughter as they left the library and came back to the public scene of the palace.  More and more people were arriving and getting settled in, meaning that there were many more people in the halls than there had been when Eden had first snuck away from the stables and sought shelter among the books.  The young princess, however, didn’t care much about what others thought of her.

Any one of her advisors would have warned her against the very opposite of what her companion was suggesting—that she should be wary of kidnappers, especially with the king’s murderer still unidentified and at large.  Her council would inform her, quite matter-of-factly, that it would be very easy for any man to steal her away and force her into marrying him, later making it out to seem like they’d been so madly in love that they’d decided to elope.  They’d tried to convince her to have a loyal Knight of Argall escort everywhere and guard her at all times, but Eden had refused vehemently.  She was willing to take the risk in order to preserve what freedom and privacy she had left.  Besides, she wasn’t as easily kidnapped as they seemed to believe.

So, therefore, the thought of her kidnapping any man, Kael included, was quite hilarious to the princess.  It would have provoked laughter even if her advisors hadn’t presented her with that unpleasant scenario only a few short days earlier. It was such a ridiculous reversal of roles that every time she tried to picture it she only seemed to laugh harder.  The image of her, slender and appropriately attired, trying to carry off Kael, both taller and broader…

“How much of a ransom do you think I’d get for you?” she asked mirthfully, her warm brown eyes sparkling in amusement as she looked up at him.  “I could do it, you know,” she told him, her voice suddenly full of mock seriousness.  “Once I got you on a horse, you’d be completely at my mercy.”

And then she was laughing again, though not as heartily as she’d originally laughed.  It was true that she would have a distinct advantage on a horse, but how could she possibly manage to get him up onto one’s back?  She wasn’t particularly strong, and he was probably far too heavy for her to move on her own. 

Soon enough, her mind flicked back to the remark that led him to that hilarious comment—his statement that she could choose their path.  As she herself was in a position comparable to the one that Prince Kael was mired in, she didn’t want to make any more decisions than she had to either.  She was in the mood to be whimsical and even perhaps a little foolish—it had been so long since she’d simply been permitted to be carefree and free from duty and responsibility.

“But you know the grounds much better than I do,” she pouted.  “I would be likely to run us right into an awful dead end.  Surely you should guide us.  Or we could just go where the wind takes us,” she suggested recklessly. 
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 25 May 2011, 23:17:54 »
Quote
Kael actually had a pretty serious look on his face while he contemplated how much ransom the princess could possibly get for him. Honestly? He wasn’t very sure. Sure, he was the head of his family but how much would they really put up for ransom for him? Kael could easily see one of his siblings taking his position because he had been kidnapped and considered a lost cause.

Though he did have to give his family the benefit of the doubt while he debated the ransom issue.

“You know I’m not sure. We could find out.” Kael wouldn’t mind testing that idea. Being kidnapped and held ‘prisoner’ by Eden wouldn’t be so bad. In fact he would probably enjoy it if she happened to be a kind, generous captor. “And I am positive you could kidnap me.” There was a matching tone of mock seriousness in his voice.

Even if Eden was good on a horse she was a lot smaller than he was. There was no possible way that she could get a full grown man on the back of the horse. Wouldn’t that look a little funny? The image that danced through Kael’s head was a pretty amusing one. He could just imagine the petite, pretty princess trying to get the much larger prince on the back of her horse.

It was a comical thought to say the least.

“You know that pout might make men fall at your feet all night long.” And this time there was no mock seriousness because Kael was being serious. That pout was probably enough to make grown men stop in their tracks and falter at her appearance. More than likely he was definitely going to take full advantage of being her escort tonight. Without a doubt they would be the best looking pair there. Although he had to admit the liked of Aubrey and Marisela would give them a run for their money. Except he couldn’t really see Aubrey and Marisela like that.

“I think that I quite like the idea of seeing where the wind takes us.” The air of freedom that seeing where the wind took them was nice. It allowed them the option to do whatever it was they pleased when something interesting caught their attention. It also meant that they could probably get into a lot of trouble if they wanted to. Trouble that neither of them needed right now.

“We should start our careless, go where we may journey this way.” Because the opposite direction led towards the living area and just past that the one part of the grounds that he was very eager to avoid right now. They were all probably in a tiff over the fact that he had disappeared but he didn’t care. Right now he was actually enjoying himself for the first time all week.

An adventure! That was what they were going to set off on. Kael was excited like a kid on Christmas Day waiting to tear into his presents. It had been a very long time since he had been excited about doing something so carefree and possibly reckless.

“We could pretend to be pirates. Except I don’t think pirates wear dresses.” Of course pirates were definitely something that he had only read about in stories. Even in those stories he was positive that the rare female pirate didn’t wear dresses and instead dressed like a guy. Eden would make the perfect pirate in that aspect.



Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 27 May 2011, 11:47:11 »
Edit post Quote Delete
As tempting as it was to actually fake-kidnap Kael and hold his hostage long enough to find out how much money his family would give her for ransom, Eden didn’t think that either one of them wanted to deal with the complications that would arise from that.  Furthermore, it was highly unlikely that she would be taken as a serious threat.  Even though she was a princess, Eden had the unsettling feeling that most of the Realm’s aristocracy didn’t see her as anything but a silly, pretty little girl.  She was too young, too reckless, too new on the scene to be taken seriously in anything.

Kael had faith in her.  So did Marisela.  They were probably the only two who did.  The rest of them either dismissed her entirely or viewed her only as a prize to be won, a step on the way to controlling the weak, fragile House of Rhydderch.

And this was exactly the kind of childish stunt that would hurt both of their reputations.  It wouldn’t hurt her as much as it would hurt Kael, though, since he was planning on entering his name in the election.  He would either be seen as weak enough to be held captive by a woman or childish and immature enough to go along with such an ill-conceived scheme.  Besides, the people of the capital had no need for a scare like that.  Their king had just been murdered.  They deserved a peaceful transition.

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind kidnapping you,” she told him mischievously.  “I’d take you somewhere, lock you up and then I could do whatever I wanted with you.”  She looked up at him, her last words dripping off her tongue slowly, tantalizingly.  “But it wouldn’t be wise,” she concluded, looking ahead.

She felt herself blush when he commented on her pout.  Good, she thought to herself.  If they fell at her feet, then she could easily kick away the ones she didn’t want, and she would have enough control over the ones she deigned to consider to keep them from trying to take advantage of her.  Though, she knew that Kael must have been exaggerating to compliment her. 

She let him lead without a second thought, confident that he knew the castle and surroundings grounds well enough to her them out of any trouble that might tempt them.  Eden was perfectly content to follow him without a care or a thought to their destination.  Lately, she’d had to put so much thought into things that it made her head ache. 

And then he suggested that they pretend to be pirates, and she laughed out loud as she had when he’d suggested she kidnap him.  “Well then you are out of luck, sir,” she told him playfully.  “For I have already changed out of my pirate clothes, and now that you’ve gotten me into this dress you’re certainly not going to get me out of it that easily.”

She paused for a moment, and a impish smile appeared on her face.  “Though, there’s nothing to say that you can’t be a pirate.  I bet a princess would fetch a pretty high ransom.  Aren’t pirates incorrigibly greedy?”

Good news: yesterday I received a very flattering owl, and now we're going to have another character joining us since some people seem to be MIA.  Her info's been edited into the first post.


« Last Edit: 29 May 2011, 14:04:47 »
Masquerade
Anonymous

« 29 May 2011, 22:57:43 »
Quote
Where was her brother?

That was Carina’s main concern as she and the rest of her people neared the entrance to the capital. He had been disappearing for periods the entire journey, and her best bet right now was that he had ridden up ahead and was lost among the train of horses and carriages from the other Houses. His absence was doing nothing for her nerves. Since her father’s death, she had been leaning more and more heavily on the Prince, and it was occasions like these where she needed her brother’s expertise.

The fear of danger played no part in her nerves. She was a Fyodorov, after all, a hunter, and the bow and arrows slung across her back attested to that fact. She brought them wherever she went, although they were more useful in the woods from whence they came than the city they were about to enter. No, her nerves were due entirely to her being in a foreign city in a novel situation without any guidance whatsoever. She had never traveled this far beyond the eastern woods before, and she had never been in the company of such varying peoples. What was more, she was expected at some point to assist in the decision of the next King of the Realm, and she’d never been exposed to the ways and people of the other Houses! This was a recipe for disaster, but she felt it her duty to at least try to be useful. Still, she wished her brother was here to guide her through all this madness. Curse Prince Raymond, wherever he was.

The sun seemed to shine brighter as she passed the gates of the city, highlighting the magnificence of the great capital. Honestly, Carina was certain she was more fascinated with the people on the streets, looking up at the long train of representatives from the various parts of the Realm, than they were with her. How many lords and ladies, Princes and Princesses had they seen pass through their gates so far today? While this was the Lady’s first time in such a city, the grandness of which seemed tenfold when compared with the relatively modest holdings of the House of Fyodorov.

They were led into the stables, and Carina realized that her party was one of the last to arrive. She waited for one of her servants to come around to help her dismount, uncomfortable with such a long distance travelled on horseback and not wanting to make a complete fool of herself trying to get off the horse.

As soon as you find him, tell my dear brother I need a word with him. She whispered to the man, and he bowed his head to show his understanding before leading Carina’s horse away to be watered and tended to.

Once she had made sure that all of their party had arrived and were tending to the horses, Carina straightened out her hair and dress. For her first entrance into the capital, and her introduction to the rest of the Realm, she had chosen a long green gown with silver trimming and detail, and a silver cord to tie back her hair. She didn’t think it a crime to look her best no matter what, even if the situation included days of riding under the sun. She felt pride in the fact that she could still look like a Lady, even if some of her family’s behaviors, including hunting their own food, may contradict the image.

Now she faced her first dilemma. How was she to figure out her room without her brother there? She feared asking anyone from another House directly in case she unintentionally offended them. She knew of a few of the families with which the Fyodorovs were closer, but she couldn’t use that to decide who to approach because she had never met any of them personally. Oh, what a situation to be in.

Carina followed a group of chatting servants into the castle and then broke off to an empty corridor. Her first thought was to knock on every door until she found her brother, but that was completely out of the question; besides being rude, she would be scared out of her mind.

Raymond? She knew this probably wasn’t the best idea, but nothing else was coming to mind and she couldn’t do anything until she found her brother. He had to be here somewhere and once he heard her calling him he was sure to come find her. Raymond?! She moved down the wing and then down another, each call quiet, so as not to disturb the residents of the rooms, but getting increasingly more irritated.

It was as if he wanted her to publically embarrass herself before she could make a positive impression on the other nobles! If her calling wasn’t successful, and she was nearly positive it wouldn’t be, then she could only hope that her brother would find her roaming down one of the corridors and relieve her of her misery.



The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 30 May 2011, 09:15:06 »
Quote
I’d take you somewhere, lock you up and then I could do whatever I wanted with you.

Lord have mercy, Eden was doing this on purpose wasn’t she? The tantalizing way that the words dripped off of her tongue combined with what she was actually saying was enough to make even a grown man absolutely melt. Kael found himself clearing his throat while he attempted to formulate something somewhat intelligent to say.

“Well, I would be a willing victim.” Of course he would only be a willing victim with Eden. He was hardly the kind of man to be a willing victim in any other situation but if she were to kidnap him and so whatever she wanted with him then he would be more than fine with that. Heck, at that point he probably wouldn’t even be a victim but a very fortunate soul.

“It wouldn’t be wise but it would be awfully fun, princess.” Kael could see all sense of propriety going out of the window if he was ever alone with her in that sort of situation or really at all.

His eyebrows definitely shot up when Eden said he’d not be getting her out of that dress that easily. He wanted to beg to differ because he was certain that if he sweet talked her just right he could get her out of that dress. At least Pirate Kael could. He wasn’t so sure about Prince Kael because that wasn’t the sort of thing that the Prince would do.

“Aye, love, I think you’d be wrong. I think that Pirate Kael could get you out of that dress with a few whispered, sweet nothings.” He wasn’t intending on trying it but he just wanted to let her know that Pirate Kael was more willing to do it then Prince Kael. Sometimes he felt that he really just needed to get out of his shell and break free from the person that he was. There was yearning to do so but he wasn’t sure how it would be looked upon by his peers and elders.

A princess would, indeed, fetch a pretty high ransom. A grin to match her impish smile slipped onto his face as he slipped his arm around her waist and gently guided her down a lesser traveled corridor.

“Oh, I imagine that I could be a fairly greedy pirate if I wanted. I could place a high ransom on your pretty little head and do whatever I wanted to you while I wait for my money.” Mock seriousness filled his voice and the grin remained in place. Oh, yes, Princess Eden would fetch a lovely sum for a dastardly pirate like Kael.

“Would the princess put up a fuss to being a prisoner of an incorrigible pirate?”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 30 May 2011, 19:16:42 »
Edit post Quote Delete
Of course Eden was doing it on purpose.  She wasn’t the sort to delight in another’s pain in other situations, like in the cases of real physical or mental pain, but she saw nothing wrong with a teasing a man a little.  Hell, she’d always had a reputation for being a bit of a tease.  There was just something about knowing that she had the power to make their throats go dry and their tongues go still that was so… exciting.

And with Kael, it was especially fun.  He was such a gentleman that she doubted he would ever try to do anything to her that couldn’t be done in public.  He was a man, however, and that meant that she could torture him by suggesting all of the naughty things that she wouldn’t mind doing to him or having done to her.  Because of his honor and nobility, because he was a righteous man who wouldn’t even kiss when properly when she was practically begging for it, he would torture himself by trying so desperately to maintain his self control.

Did that make her cruel?  Maybe a little.  Eden would admit it.  But that was how she was, and she wasn’t going to change.  Besides, by the look in his eyes, noble, righteous Kael didn’t object to the direction in which their little conversation was headed.

How often unwise and fun went hand in hand, she mused, listening to him as he informed her that he would be a willing victim and as he pointed out that staging a kidnapping would provide them with some entertainment.  It would undoubtedly be the most fun she’d had in ages, probably since she’d been allowed to practically live in the saddle and ignore the young men who asked her father about her.  However, they would pay for that fun later, and the price was something a bit too steep for the House of Rhydderch, devastated by the plague and left with an inexperienced young girl for a leader.

Eden’s eyebrows rose to mimic Kael’s when he told her quite seriously that he believed he could get her out of her dress that easily.  She stared at him for a moment with dumbfounded wide eyes, as if she couldn’t understand what he’d just said.  She was shocked that her proper and chivalrous Prince Kael would say such a thing. 

A few seconds later, however, she was laughing again, delighted that he seemed to be loosening up a little bit.  She had a feeling that it was a comment meant in jest, but she couldn’t ignore the little shiver that went down her spine at the thought of Kael’s lips whispering in her ear.  She thought she could feel his hands on her arms, back and shoulders again as his fingers moved over the laces in the back of her dress.  He had tied them up; it was too easy to imagine him loosening them.  Then it was just a short step to undressing her.

She was giggling when he surprised her again, catching her by the waist and pulling her into a quieter corridor.  If he was actually going to kidnap her, she guessed that that would be the first step—getting her away from the crowd.  She stumbled slightly at the change of direction, catching herself with a hand on his chest.

And then he was teasing her, turning her own words against her.  Eden had to admit it; she was impressed.  She hadn’t expected any of this from Prince Kael.  Then again, she thought to herself, she wasn’t dealing with Prince Kael anymore.  This was Pirate Kael, and he was a dirty scoundrel if ever there was one.

Good Lord.  She’d created a monster, she realized with a smile.

“If the pirate looked so much like a handsome prince that the princess didn’t realize she’d been kidnapped, I can’t imagine she’d struggle at all,” Eden replied frankly.  “She’d probably be a willing victim, now that I think about it.”  Smirking, she stood on her tiptoes, putting her face closer to his.  “And, by the way,” she breathed, “Pirate Kael is welcome to try that trick with the dress anytime.  This princess is immune to scoundrels’ tricks.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 30 May 2011, 19:41:39 »
Quote
Kael truthfully felt that he could get her out of her dress as easily as he felt that he could. Prince Kael was a gentleman without a doubt but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t work his way around a dress if he absolutely needed or wanted to. He was still a man and every man had needs; however, Kael was far too noble to publically speak about his own conquests.

He could imagine his lips brushing against her ear and the thought of it truly made a shiver of his own run through his body. Lacing up her dress had been something that had felt unnatural but he could feel, as if it were very real, the silk of the ribbon sliding through his fingers as he unlaced the back of her dress. It was a sensation that made his fingers itch to feel the fabric of her dress underneath his fingers again. Eden’s smooth skin was another texture that made his fingers itch as well.

Was it really Kael the Pirate speaking or were these the words of Prince Kael? Were they words that he would ordinarily not dare to utter in such a public setting? It was likely that it was the latter that was the truth of the matter. Then again it could be the persona that Eden had created for him. There was no telling which was truly speaking right now.

But it wasn’t going to stop him from enjoying the feel of her hand against his chest or how close her body was to his.

“I think that having a willing victim would be worth kidnapping you.” Kael’s words were murmured softly as her face inched closer to his. This time her face was so close that he could practically feel her lips against his already and it was so tempting. If she was immune to the trickery of Pirate Kael then he couldn’t see her being immune to the trickery of Prince Kael.

It was all too much but he was enjoying it. There was a definite grin on his face as his hand slipped onto her back to play with the dangling ribbons of her dress.

“You are tempting, my lady. Getting you out of that dress would be all too tempting.” It was a dangerous, seductive game that they were playing but he didn’t care. The possibility of someone traveling down this quieter corridor was of little concern to him at the moment. For once in his life he felt like taking a risk.

Which he did providing Eden allowed him to cup her face gently in his hand and let his lips gently meet her own soft, wonderful lips.

i am going to post marisela for carina but i had to post kael first...heh.
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 31 May 2011, 17:33:26 »
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Eden smiled up at him when he remarked that she would be worth kidnapping if she was indeed a willing victim.  She was about to right herself from her stumble and straightened up to continue their walk when she felt his hand on the smooth laces of her dress.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she stared up at him with eyes wide with both excitement and alarm.  The rise and fall of her chest as she her heart sped up brought their bodies into closer contact.  Her spine tingled when his fingers brushed against her back and gently played with the ties.  She had never been more aware of the fact that there was nothing holding the back of the dress closed except for that easily undone bow.  If he tugged with just enough force, then her entire back would be exposed.  From there, the dress might fall of her shoulders, and then it would be like she was holding a blanket against her naked body to preserve her modesty.  It would be just as ineffective.

What an unexpected turn of events this had been, she couldn’t help but think to herself.  She was supposed to be the one in control here.  She was the flirt, the tease, the temptress.  Prince Kael was supposed to be all honor and chivalry—the perfect gentleman.  He wasn’t supposed to do anything more than politely compliment her and offer to escort her places.  She was taken aback by the shift of their roles—so much so that everything seemed to be happening too quickly—but it was a pleasant kind of surprise. 

Was this just an act for him?  Was this Pirate Kael, the character that she’d helped him to create?  Or was this really Prince Kael, just the more dangerous side of him? 

Who was she kidding?  She didn’t care if he was acting or if he really intended on undressing her right there in that hallway.  Her body was alive with anticipation.  The closeness of their faces, his chest beneath her hand, his fingers on her back… it was so tantalizing.

Was this what it was like to be one of the men she regularly flirted with?  The thought was fleeting, however, because soon enough she had something much more important to focus on.

She knew he was going to do it before it actually happened; the man who, just a few moments ago, had been too polite to kiss anything but her cheek, was going to kiss her for real.  Eden lowered her eyelids as he cupped her cheek, and her eyes closed when his lips finally met hers.  She had never been one for kissing men like this in out of the way corridors, but that didn’t stop her from kissing Kael in that moment.  Unconsciously, she slid the hand on his chest downward, feeling the muscles of his torso beneath his shirt.  Her other hand settled on the back of his neck, inviting him to follow her as she came down off her tip-toes and kissed him sensuously.

When she had to pull away for air, Eden was breathing quickly heavily, but she smiled softly and laughed when she looked into his eyes.

“How sneaky you are,” she whispered.  “I don’t even feel like I’m being kidnapped.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous



The Dark Lord of the Sith
« 31 May 2011, 18:03:37 »
Quote
Scandalous.

In the grand scheme of their lives this was a scandalous little encounter but Kael found himself actually not caring about the fact that it was. The feel of the fabric underneath his fingers reminded him how all too simple it would be to untie the back of her dress and let it slide from her shoulders to the ground.

At this point it definitely wasn’t an act. It was the more dangerous, risqué side of Kael that was slipping out from underneath the calm, gentleman exterior he usually exuded. If it wasn’t for the fact that they really were standing in a hallway and could be discovered at any moment he would have untied the ribbon of her dress in one smooth motion.

As a response to her hand sliding down to his torso, his own hand pressed against her back to pull her slim body closer to his larger one. Hungrily his mouth followed hers as she came down off of her tiptoes and he leaned in to deepen the kiss between them. It was only when she broke away for air that Kael realized how intense the kiss had really been. The moment that her lips had parted from his he instantly missed the sensation of her lips.

Eden’s words sparked a smirk on his lips. Lowering his head, he gently pressed his lips against her collar bone before placing a kiss just below her ear. Those sweet nothings? Well, Kael was saving those but he was going to whisper something else in her ears. Slowly he brought his ear to her lips and when he spoke they brushed ever so gently against her ear.

“Maybe you aren’t being kidnapped but swept off your feet by a prince.” Kael murmured. If he had his way then he would be sweeping her off of her feet but he knew he couldn’t control that. Gently his fingers pressed into her back before trailing to where the ribbons were tied at the bottom of the back of her dress.

He tugged at them lightly and playfully. It wasn’t enough to undo the ties of her dress but it was enough to make her dress a little loose on her. The looseness of her dress would be something that made things even more tempting. His hand slid back around to her waist where he let it sit while he cleared his throat.

The smirk was still on his lips and this was definitely the darker, dangerous, risqué Kael that Eden was seeing right now. He wouldn’t be opposed to sneaking away from her and enjoying themselves but it was up to Eden. Whatever happened between them was completely up to her.

“Whatever happens between us is up to you but just know that I may be forced to kidnap you sometime tomorrow..” Kael couldn’t be bothered to be at the entire tournament. What he could be bothered to do was spend time with Eden.



pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 31 May 2011, 18:11:55 »
Quote
It would seem that her father was nowhere to be seen. Her siblings didn’t know where he was at and  she couldn’t find his advisors to track him down. Marisela had not been lying when she had informed Eden and Kael that she needed to speak with her father because she did. As far as she was aware he had made up his mind about placing his name up for election. That was exactly what she wanted to speak with him about right now.

The moment that she turned down a corridor into a different wing of the building her ears were met with a name being called out. Raymond’s name. It was being called out be a female who sounded a little irate and that made Marisela wonder what on earth Raymond had done to get himself into trouble. A small chuckle escaped herself imagining that it was some irate, rightfully angry woman coming to scold him for his lecherous ways.

Except when she saw who was actually calling his name she actually stopped in her tracks. The girl looked incredibly like a Fyodorov which could only mean one thing. This woman that she had never seen before was Raymond’s sister. It wasn’t really that surprising. There were a lot of noble’s in the Realm that had never been to court before this very day. Despite the fact that she was amused Marisela knew she would take pity on the girl.

“You won’t find Prince Raymond shouting down every corridor like that.” It was very likely that there were some nobles who were resting right now. For a lot of the houses it was a very long journey from where they lived to the capitol. Marisela would feel sorry for the girl if she managed to wake up the wron grumpy noble. Pity would be taken upon her.

“Perhaps Prince Raymond is taking a rest at the moment.” She was just trying to be helpful. If this girl was really in the need to find Raymond then Marisela would help her. Moving towards the girl, she gave a small curtsy. Marisela knew how to interact with the other nobles but curtsying was something that she never felt the need to do; however, she had never seen this girl before.

“Would you like help finding him? He has to be around here somewhere.”
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 31 May 2011, 19:52:46 »
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Where had a man like Kael learned to handle a woman like this?  Eden was well on her way to believing that there was much more to him than most people—including herself—ever saw.  Her breath caught at the touch of his lips to her collarbone.  The kiss below her ear and the way his lips brushed over it as he spoke sent shivers down her spine.

“What kind of a prince would lull me into a false sense of security with a gentleman act and then lure me into a deserted corridor for such an unchaste kiss?”

The question was meant in jest, and she hoped that her light, teasing tone combined with the immovable smile on her face was enough to prevent him from taking offense.  She honestly wasn’t trying to question his character.  Even in the midst of this scandalous little interlude, Eden still believed that she wouldn’t find a single man in this city more moral and chivalrous than Kael Arrington.

Still, her query was not ungrounded.  She doubted that he had intentionally tried to deceive her by convincing her that he was some kind of moral paragon, but she had bought into that image nonetheless.  She’d been completely off her guard…

Maybe she ought to let men fool her more often, she couldn’t help but think.  Maybe there were more Kael Arringtons out there, masking this dangerous, seductive personality with one of righteous nobility or even mundane tedium (thought this last one was not the case with Kael).  Maybe more of them could surprise her, romance her, if she simply gave them the chance.  

A couple more steamy kisses in deserted hallways and who knew what could happen…

But Eden had almost forgotten that she was in public at all.  It had been so easy to lose herself in that wonderful kiss that she’d nearly lost track of where she was.  For all she knew, she could have been back home on the outskirts of the Argall Desert.  She could have been in her chamber here in the capital.  She’d all but forgotten the possibility of an passerby catching a glimpse of the two of them.  It would be no puzzle for even the dumbest of observers to figure out what they were doing.  If the intimacy of their embrace hadn’t been enough to give it away, the sight of his fingers on the laces of her dress certainly would.

And oh how he tortured her with those laces!  Every time his fingers caught the smooth silk, she was even more certain that he was going to pull them hard enough to untie the bow.  It wasn’t just the sensation of the way his fingers brushed across her back, but the anticipation of what he was going to do with them… She nearly gasped when he pulled on the strings just enough to loosen her dress.

Whatever happens between us…

Her heart practically skipped a beat at the thought of what he was suggesting.  And on that subject, she knew one thing for sure: this hallway was not the right place for it.  Hell, she didn’t even know if it was the right time either.  Still, she couldn’t deny that there were metaphorical sparks flying between herself and Kael at that moment.  Hadn’t she told herself that she didn’t want to make any decisions?  At least not any serious ones?

“We said ‘where the wind takes us’, didn’t we?” she reminded him delicately, taking a tentative step forward, down the hallway.  “If the wind takes us somewhere… or if it doesn’t… who am I to argue with the wind?”


« Last Edit: Today at 20:39:36 »
Masquerade
Anonymous

« 01 June 2011, 15:22:44 »
Quote
At some point, Carina knew she would meet the nobles from the other families, who thus far were mostly strangers to her. She knew the names of most of the lords, ladies, Princes, and Princesses, but had only rarely had the opportunity to match the names with the faces. In principle, she wasn’t opposed to making new acquaintances but she had hoped her brother would be there beside her to help her along. He knew more about the inner workings of the court, and would have been very helpful to have around from the beginning.

As it was, the Prince had disappeared and Carina was having no luck in her quest to find him. She was so busy calling his name that she didn’t notice the woman approaching her until she began to speak.

Carina turned around quickly, finding herself in exactly the type of situation she had hoped to avoid. The woman looked about Carina’s age or slightly older, though that could just be that the woman seemed so much more confident and comfortable than Carina felt. Her dress indicated she was from the House of Rey, but Carina wouldn’t risk calling her the wrong name.

I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. She curtseyed, hoping that her behavior would not be deemed offensive and that she hadn’t already made an enemy here.

The woman’s words of advice made Carina fairly certain that she had not been overly offended by Carina’s actions. If the woman was offended, she was hiding it very well. Instead, she seemed to be trying to help Carina and Carina was grateful to her for this fact. If her brother was indeed resting, or was purposefully ignoring her which was more unlikely, she would appreciate any assistance in finding him.

Thank you, but only if you have time to spare. I don’t want to inconvenience you in any way. Surely the woman had somewhere better to be than helping a lost Lady find her brother for the express purpose of making the Lady feel more comfortable. Carina would probably find her brother on her own eventually, but it would be nice to have help, especially since the woman seemed to know her way around the castle.

Do you know Prince Raymond then? Carina could only assume that she did. It had occurred to Carina that she would do best to attach her brother’s title to his name, so that no noble unfamiliar with her relation to the Prince would find her disrespectful.

The Illusionist
Anonymous

« 04 June 2011, 13:04:33 »
Quote
Kael was a gentleman and a noble individual but that by no means meant that he didn’t know how to handle a woman. There was definitely another layer to Kael Arrington that people typically did not get to see. Usually everyone saw the put together, noble, charismatic Prince Arrington. This side that Eden was seeing was a rarity.

Eden had a valid question even if it was in jest. There was a devilish grin to his handsome face as he gave an ‘uncertain’ shrug of his shoulders. Kael knew exactly the sort of Prince that he was but he wasn’t going to bother with a verbal answer. It added a bit of mystery to who he was.

There were no doubts that there was definitely more to this prince.

Deceit wasn’t part of his game though. He didn’t have any intentions on deceiving anyone for any reason. It wasn’t how he operated. Despite the side that he was showing right now Kael was very much the Prince that people saw on a day to day basis: caring, charismatic, gentle, kind, and noble. He was an individual that was unique and he didn’t think that there was another in the Realm like him. It had nothing to do with arrogance but more simple fact.

In a way Kael had forgotten that they were in public as well. The hallway was so deserted that it hardly seemed to matter what they did. There was a time and a place for everything and this wasn’t the time or the place. Though those laces really were torture for him as well because every time his fingers brushed them he wanted so badly to undo them. He had to be the gentleman though.

“We did but one can always hope that the wind will blow a certain direction.” Kael murmured. As she stepped forward Kael did so as well. He let his hand rest lightly on her back as they walked down the corridor. He wasn’t actually sure where this lead to. Possibly it opened up into some private, quiet garden that was rarely occupied by anyone but the groundskeepers.

If Kael was going to be honest with himself he would say that he hoped that the wind led them in the right direction with this entire thing. Things would happen as they were meant to happen though. So even if that didn’t fall in Kael’s favor he had to respect it. Time would tell though.

Eventually they would need to head back towards the housing area so that they could both get ready for tonight. Kael had some last minute things to attend to but at the moment he was in no hurry.

“Perhaps we should turn our attention to a different topic at the moment though.” So that neither of them dwelled too long on the issue.
pretty little liar
Anonymous



Hogwarts Student
Sixth Year
Slytherin
« 04 June 2011, 13:21:29 »
Quote
“You did not disturb me. I was simply looking for someone myself.” Except her father really seemed to be nowhere at the moment. Marisela wasn’t sure where her father had disappeared to but she had to assume that he was busy with more important things. Presumably he was with someone important at the moment. As long as they could chat briefly tonight she was fine with not seeing him at the moment.

What did Marisela have to be offended over? Absolutely nothing. Of course, the Lady could offend easily but right now there was nothing to be offended over. Traditionally she had a very thick skin but things could get under her skin. The simple matter of someone being a little loud wasn’t one of those. Besides, she hadn’t been resting or anything.

“I have time.” Since Eden was with the dashing Prince Arrington and her father was now here to be found she had nothing better to do at the moment. She could have been outside in the stables preparing for the tournament but was a confident woman. Sometimes she felt that she was a little too confident but not many men had ever beaten her in competition or in a real life situation. Besides, she could always check to see that her horse was being properly taken care of later.

“I have met Prince Fyodorov a few times.” It was only natural that she had met the Prince of another house. Her father made it a point to introduce her whenever he could. Besides, Raymond had courted her best friend once. If Marisela didn’t know who he was then she would have been a daft idiot and Marisela Rey was no daft idiot.

“If he is not in this section of the castle then it stands to reason that he may be elsewhere. Have you tried the stables? I am sure many people are out there getting ready for the tournament.” All in vain hopes of beating the Lady Marisela. Really, the way that some of these men boasted about their abilities absolutely made her die in a fit of giggles.

No one could beat the Lady. They could try all they wanted but they would fail each time. A real, worthy opponent was one she had not met yet.
Maybe this time she would. It was doubtful though.
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« Today at 11:06:07 »
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One can always hope that the wind blows in a certain direction.

Eden let his words echo through her head for a moment, realizing just how true they rang for her.  One could always hope.  You could hope that a certain man would love you, that you would win the tournament again, that your family would somehow come back to life.  You could hope that anything would happen, but, in the end, it didn’t matter how hard you hoped or how desperately you wanted something.  The wind would always do as it pleased, and, if something was meant to happen, then it would happen as it was meant to when it was meant to.

The princess wasn’t a firm believer in fate or destiny or whatever you wanted to call the idea that the events on one’s life were already predetermined.  Eden was the kind of girl who liked to be in control of her own life, which was only one of the reasons why the plague had shaken her so badly.  However, there were things that she couldn’t control, no matter how hard she tried—the wind was one of them.

And there were some times, however rare they happened to be, when the new princess didn’t want to be burdened with the task of having to make decisions, when she wanted to surrender to that higher power that she couldn’t control—the ‘wind’—and just go with the flow.  This was one of those times.  If she and Kael were together, they were together.  If they weren’t, then they weren’t.  

Whatever was meant to happen would happen.

And, in that case, Kael was right—there was no point in dwelling on the thought of it.  As much as Eden enjoyed teasing her suitors, she had no interest in teasing herself.

Just as they turned to continue down the hallway, however, Eden heard footsteps and a few scattered pieces of conversation coming from the hallway that intersected with the quieter one, the one from which they’d come.  Because she didn’t want to be found—and those voices sounded very familiar—she instinctively pressed herself up against a nearby doorway, intending to pull Kael out of sight as well as she reached for his hand.

“…haven’t seen her since we arrived.  Knowing your sister, she’s probably getting herself into trouble.  A pity, too.  I need to talk to her about something…”

Eden watched curiously as her chief advisor passed by in the adjacent hallway accompanied by her two younger sisters.  As they passed, their words became fainter and more difficult to hear, but Eden though she heard Avalon complaining about how she wasn’t even around to introduce them to any of her gentlemen friends.

Eden drew in breath sharply.  As she had no intention of being discovered by anyone who wanted to bother her with court business or something so boring, she turned the knob on the door and pushed, surprised to find it unlocked.  Hopefully, it would lead someplace more isolated, where no one would look for her.

Light flooded the corridor when she opened the door.  It creaked, making her think that perhaps it hadn’t been opened in a very long time.  Before her was a small courtyard, overgrown with bushes, vines, weeds and a lovely array of flowers.  From the look of the place, it had been forgotten in Kael’s father’s time here in the palace.  There was almost something magical about it.  It was enclosed by the palace on all four sides, and there didn’t seem to be any other doors in addition to the one she’d inadvertently discovered.  It didn’t even look like there were many windows overlooking the open space.

“What is this place?” she asked in amazement as she stepped inside, leaving Kael to follow and close the door if he wanted to.  She didn’t know what it was or how it even existed, but it was exactly what she had been hoping to find.  She couldn’t explain it, but she had a feeling that no one would ever find her here if she didn’t want them to.
The Illusionist
Anonymous

« 05 June 2011, 16:41:39 »
Quote
What Kael hadn’t expected to hear was voices. The voices seemed to give Eden a reaction though because she took his hand and pulled him with her against a nearby doorway. Really, it wasn’t the sort of position they needed to be in right now but Kael kept close to her as they listened to the words that were being spoken.

His eyebrows were cocked in a curious expression as he glanced down at Eden upon her sharp breath. Obviously the two young girls were Eden’s sisters and the gentleman that they were with could be none other than one of Eden’s advisors. No wonder her reaction had been what it had been. Kael’s would have been the exact same.

Judging by her reaction Kael was going to assume that she didn’t want to talk about it. Neither one of them seemed to keen on talking about court affairs at the moment and he didn’t blame her. Perhaps their attentions were better placed on the room that Eden had stepped into. With a small sigh, Kael stepped into the room after her and gently shut the door.

This was a room that he had not seen in years.

His sister had used to come here but one day she had suddenly stopped. There had been a sudden decline in interest and for the most part it had worried Kael. On the other hand he figured that she was probably just growing up and out of her ways. Now that the room had been neglected it was overgrown with bushes, vines, and weeds but the flowers that littered the room were the same pretty flowers that had been there before.
Kael had researched this room many times but to his dismay he had never found anything on it.

“Kailynn used to come here when she was around five or six.” Kael murmured. He moved through the room, running his finger along a railing as he moved towards the center of the room. There in the very center, hidden by the overgrowth was a beautiful fountain of a dancing girl.

“Just after my father became King but her explorations here only lasted a year. Then she suddenly decided that this place wasn’t worth her time anymore. I’m not quite sure why but something spooked her. It used to be her hiding place whenever my father was angry with her. Only I knew where she disappeared to.”

Except this place had been abandoned and Kael wanted to know more about it. He gave a small shrug of his shoulders as he turned around and smiled gently at Eden.

“It’s a lovely place. I have tried to research it but have come up empty handed every time.” It was as if someone or something didn’t want anyone to know the origins of this room.

“Unfortunately now she’s more interested in the gentlemen and my father isn’t here to keep an eye on her.” Which meant that it was Kael’s responsibility to do so.

"After she lost interest I never came back here. I assume that no one ever found this place again. Until you brought us in here."
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 05 June 2011, 21:20:21 »
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So Kael and his sister had been to this wonderful place before… Eden found herself mulling over the thought with something dangerously close to jealousy.  She could only imagine what it must have been like to have such a secret little paradise to escape to when you were trouble or to disappear in and pretend to be a fairytale princess.  

Oh the good times she could have had as a little girl in a place like this.  As a child, she’d been big on pretending to be a character in a story.  Her imagination had been her best friend, and there was only so much that even the most active of imaginations could do with sand and the lack of vegetation that her home in such close proximity to the desert offered.  She could have made a fort out of vines and climbed trees and hid in the flowers.  The fountain was dry now, but, filled with water, it could have been a lake or a sea or a well.  The possibilities were endless, she realized now, and she ached for that carefree time when she could have lived in only this strange room and been completely content.

It was also, she mused, a perfect place to meet a lover… it had all the charm of a romantic garden and all the seclusion of a private bedchamber.  

She nodded in understanding when he explained that Kailynn had grown out of this beautiful courtyard.  His sister was between hers in ages, and even Tasnim, at fourteen, would rather spend her time making eyes at gentlemen and handsome servants alike than pretending to be in a magical garden.  It was a shame, really.  Here she was, at that age where she was desired by all of the Realm’s bachelors and a fair number of married men as well and all she wanted to do—in addition to spending time with Kael—was go back to that age of innocence where this place was all that she needed to entertain herself for weeks at a time without a break.

There was something magical about it, she decided, venturing further into the overgrown garden, approaching the fountain centerpiece.  She ran her fingers over some unruly vines and paused to examine a thorny rosebush.    It was like the air was alive, electrified, full of something…

Until you brought us in here.

“No,” she corrected him quickly.  She didn’t know how she knew it, but maybe the soft breeze that blew through her hair and rustled the foliage around her had something to do with it…  “I didn’t bring us here.”  She paused briefly, turning back to look at him over her shoulder.  “The wind brought us here.”

Circling the fountain, Eden pulled away some of the overgrowth to examine the figure in the center.  After admiring the sculpture for a brief moment, she looked up and smiled brightly at Kael.

“If you haven’t been able to find this place for years while you’ve been looking for it, what are the chances that someone else is going to find it?” she asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
The Illusionist
Anonymous

« 05 June 2011, 20:08:53 »
Quote
When Kailynn had been coming here it had been a little girl’s fantasy. Kael could recount the numerous times he had come here only to find her playing to the extent that her imagination would allow her. Back then she’d had a pretty limitless imagination and that was the one thing that he loved about his younger sister. She was so bright and innocent even now despite the fact that she had her eyes on the gentlemen of the Realm.

Now that he was here with Eden he was seeing this place in an entirely different light. He would be lying if he said that the same thoughts hadn’t crossed his mind. The truth was that it really was the perfect rendezvous for a pair of secret lovers. A grin slipped onto his face as Eden corrected him. Kael had to wonder if she had a point. What was the reason for them discovering this place today? There had to be something that had guided them to this long abandoned courtyard.

“Maybe it’s a sign.” Kael gave a shrug of his shoulders. There was no telling whether or not it really was a sign. At this point it probably didn’t matter much.

As Eden circled the fountain, Kael leaned up against the arbor that covered it. The vines wound all the way up the arbor in a gentle, intricate manner before wrapping around the top and all the way back down the other side. This place really was magical and Kael felt at peace here.

Why was it that his sister had stopped coming? It worried  him but in a way he couldn’t really be bothered to figure it out at the moment. Kailynn had certainly forgotten about this magical place by now.

“Something brought us here, Eden.” His words were murmured as he watched her admire the sculpture before looking up at him. There was more of a contemplative look on his face as he stepped forward to brush some hair off of her face. 

“We could clean it up and use it as our own personal sanctuary.” If there were two people in the court that deserved the privacy it was them. Kael could see himself sneaking away to this place to enjoy time with Eden away from the watchful eyes of judgmental individuals. It was something to think about. They could add a caring, compassionate touch to the place.

Kael couldn’t think of anyone that would give this place the care that it deserved. Not anyone besides them.

"If we are meant to remember this place then we won't forget where it is."
Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« 06 June 2011, 16:47:06 »
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The idea of having a place like this… of having a sancutuary where she could retreat to when she just wanted to get away from all of the stresses of these elections and her advisors and court life in general was so wonderful and comforting that Eden was certain the look on her way was silly, content and probably more than a little stupid.

It was exactly what she needed at that moment, when her chief advisor had passed so close to her—almost finding her—with her two younger, needy sisters at his side.  More than that, however, she and Kael had spent almost all afternoon trying to find someplace where they could disappear and hide from everyone else—not necessarily for any reason other than that they were both incredibly stressed.  And now they just happened to stumble upon a wonderful, fantastic, eerily perfect place where no one would ever find them and they could be together as both of them so clearly wanted?

Eden didn’t know about Kael, but her skepticism about destiny and fate were definitely starting to shake as this room pulled up their deep roots.  The timing was too spot on for this to be a mere coincidence.  He was right, she realized with a chill down her spine.  This was a sign.

Of what, she couldn’t be sure.  That she truly did need to relax?  That there was some deeper reason for their discovering this room?  Was this the ‘wind’s way of pushing them together and telling them in an awfully sappy way that they were ‘meant to be together’?

Regardless, what he said as he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face was true.  Something had brought them here, and the way he said it—so soft and sure—made her believe. 

She reached for his hand, covering it with both of her own and holding it close to her heart.  “I never really believed in fate,” she told him quietly, “but this is too odd to be anything else.”

Then she smiled, laughed a little bit, and looked around at their new discovery.  Despite the fact that no had come in here in years, the majority of the flowers were alive and blooming.  The only sign of abandonment was in the overgrowth, the way that nature seemed to have taken over.  From the twisting vines, thorny roses and even the overgrown grassy patch beside the fountain, everything was beautiful in its current state.

“Can we get water in the fountain again?” she asked excitedly.  “I would like that very much.”

And all the while, it didn’t even occur to her that she would have to leave this place to return home.

The Illusionist
Anonymous

« 06 June 2011, 21:03:48 »
Quote
At this point Kael wasn’t sure what to think. Surely something was attempting to push them together but he wasn’t really sure what it was or if it was even true. For all he knew he could be imagining the entire thing in his head. Either way, Kael was bound to enjoy the fact that they had found this room again. It really was a magical place.

When her hands covered his and brought it close to her heart there was a warm feeling about it. There was a little bit of comfort in having her hands wrapped around his own. All he could do when she made her comment was give a nod of his head. Kael wasn’t sure if fate was something that was real or something that people made up to fulfill their romantic notions but this was definitely something. It was the only explanation.

“I think that once we clear the vines away from the fountain water may flow again.” It was worth a try. Eden wouldn’t be in the capitol longer than a week or so but that didn’t stop him from wanting to spend time with her and this was the place to do that. They could start making this place their own by clearing away the vines and brush from the centerpiece of the room.

Flipping his hand so that he took one of hers, he pressed a kiss to her palm before letting her hand go.

“Come on, let’s clear the vines and brush away. Just be careful with your hands.” Kael didn’t think that they wanted to explain to her advisors or anyone else why her hands were mangled up if she managed to get them caught in something. He wasn’t really sure if these vines were dangerous but it was better to be safe than sorry.

His shirt posed another problem as well. The fabric on this one was delicate and if it happened to get ripped then someone would have to fix it and that would raise questions. He didn’t take any time to debate before slipping the tunic off and placing it gently on a banister.

If the water was something that she wanted then he could get it for her. Turning towards the fountain, he got down on his knees to start clearing the brush away. It wouldn’t take long if they were both working on this to get it done. There could be water in a matter of no time.

The fact that Eden would have to leave eventually? It hadn’t crossed his mind. Right now he wasn’t worried about it.


"Clearly this room enchants you. How do you suppose it got here? Has anyone in the House of Rhydderch written about this room or mentioned it?"

Erin Taren

Played by mnaberrie

« 07 June 2011, 18:40:48 »
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The funny thing was that it never would have occurred to Eden that moving the vines and other overgrowth would somehow make it possible for the water to flow again.  Of course, she would have done it just because… but she didn’t see too clearly how it could directly restore the fountain to its previous state.  Then again, maybe the plants were getting in the way of the plumbing and obstructing the pipes.

Or maybe it was magic.  In a land like this in a room like this, magic was always a possibility, and it could explain many, many things that logic or science could not.

She smiled girlishly when he took her hand and pressed a kiss to her soft, sensitive palm.  She was probably just imagining things, but her palm was suddenly warm and tingling where he had touched it.

Of course, he was right to warn her about being careful with her hands.  While she wasn’t one of those princesses that didn’t use her hands at all, Eden’s hands were still softer and more easily scratched or marred than those of… say, Marisela, who spent hours using her hands while practicing her swordplay.  Furthermore, if she were to mess up her hands, people would notice.  Her maid, other servants, her sisters, her advisors… they would all want to know what she had done to herself, and this was not something that she would look forward to explaining.  She wanted to keep this wonderful little room to herself—or herself and Kael.

And then, before she could say or do anything else, he was taking off his shirt without even a second thought.  Immediately distracted, Eden just stood there and stared at him.  He wasn’t the best specimen she’d laid eyes on, but he was certainly up there.  She’d felt those smooth muscles beneath his delicate shirt earlier that day, but that was really not very much like seeing them for herself now that he was naked from the waist up.

He spoke again, reminding her that she was doing nothing but standing there and gaping at him.  She shook her head quickly.  “No, no,” she answered, reaching over and pulling some stray vines away from the figure’s head.  “No one in my family has ever been here.  I’ve never come across anything like this in any of the writings I’ve been over.  Though, I have to admit that I’m not historian or librarian.  I have no idea how it got here.”

Gingerly, she stepped up onto the ledge of the fountain to better reach to statue centerpiece.  She did her best to keep her loose sleeves out of the way of any thorns or anything else that they could catch on, but it was really only a matter of time before the fabric caught and tore.  Hearing the rip, she swore under her breath, dropping the overgrowth she had in her hands as she moved to examine the tear.

“I liked this dress,” she lamented.  “Good thing it’s not any larger or I’d never be able to explain it.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous

« Today at 09:48:03 »
Quote
Kael was a firm believer that there were many things about their land that they still were not aware of. He was positive that there were still things that were hidden from them. It was just a matter of time before they were allowed to discover those things. There was  certainly something magical about this room and he could feel it as he started to clear brush away from the fountain centerpiece.

Secretly Kael preferred Eden’s hands remain soft and unscratched. They made his skin tingle.

The prince was unaware of her staring and he was fairly distracted clearing away vines until she spoke. Then he turned his head ever so slightly so that he could listen to her. If Eden had never come across this room in any of the writings from her family then it was hopeless. Kael would never find out how this room had gotten here.
Or maybe he wasn’t supposed to. That idea never crossed him.

“Huh, it’s like the room doesn’t want anyone to know its origins.” A frown actually crossed his handsome face as he watched her climb onto the ledge of the fountain. If she fell then he was definitely not going to be a happy man. That was probably the reason he was watching her so closely right now.

When the rip of fabric filled the air so lightly, Kael laughed a little. He had taken off his own shirt so that the delicate fabric didn’t tear and Eden was over there tearing her own dress. He turned his attention back to the vines, wrapping his hands around a particularly large section and pulling it away from the centerpiece.

Just underneath was writing. The inscriptions were a language that he had never seen.

“Eden, do you suppose that maybe there were ancient languages in the Realm that we have no prior knowledge of?” Curiosity flooded his voice as he leaned forward to examine the inscriptions. He ran his fingers over the smooth surface almost like he was trying to memorize what was written here.

“And be careful on that ledge.” While Kael wouldn’t mind carrriying the princess back to her chambers he didn’t want to have to explain to people along th eway how she had sustained injury in the first place. That wouldn’t go over well at all.

The language on the centerpiece had him fascinated though so he wasn’t really watching what she was doing. It was amazing. Kael couldn’t help but think that this was one of those things that they were being allowed in on. Some secret that the land was keeping to itself.

Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« Today at 16:58:57 »
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“Hmmmph,” Eden mused, curious about  Kael’s suggestion that the room itself was preventing him from discovering its origins.  Could a room actually have a personality like that?  Could it seriously act of its own free will and conceal its secrets from prying eyes? 

An ordinary room couldn’t, but maybe this room could.  Eden had sensed it the very moment she’d opened the door from that out of the way corridor.  There was something unmistakably mystical about this room.  The air was alive with something magical, like there were microscopic fairies floating on the breeze or like there was an electric current running through the wind.  It sounded completely absurd to say that the room didn’t want them to find anything out, but Eden understood exactly what he was talking about.

She looked up from the brambles she was busy clearing away, intrigued, when Kael asked her about languages that may have existed before their knowledge.  Furrowing her brow, she peered curiously at the old inscription that he had encouraged, crouching down on the ledge to place it at eye level.

It was obvious that these were no runes that she had ever seen before, neither in use nor in history books.  There was something intrinsically ancient about them.  Perhaps it had something to do with the magical atmosphere of the room itself, but she had a distinct feeling that these words belonged to a very, very old, magical language.

“I know that there were,” she told him, though she was still staring at the words in the stone.  Just as Kael had done, she ran her fingers over them, feeling how the letters had been cut into the statue.  “I know there were other languages.  Before the Seven Stones, and even after them.  A very long time ago, when magic was more commonly practiced than it is now, there was a language just for spells and things.”  She paused, standing back up as her eyes shifted back to Kael and the vast expanse of skin he had exposed.  “I think this might be that language.  Of course, no one would know for sure.  There’s only one house that still practices magic.”

And that was the House of Cardona.  Admittedly, not even that was certain anymore.  The rumors had died down slightly, but there were still stories about their dark arts.  As far as Eden was concerned, however, the Cardonas still dabbled in magic.  There was something weird about Aubrey.  Magic was the only thing that made sense.

She laughed when he warned her about being careful on the ledge, though.  “I learned how to stand on the back of a moving horse when I was thirteen,” she informed him lightly. “I think I can handle something that’s just standing still.  And flat.”
The Illusionist
Anonymous

« Today at 17:23:53 »
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“It’s possible!” Kael murmured. It was very possible. There was definitely something magical about this room because they had both felt it. There was no use speculating though. If this room didn’t want to have anything found out about it then it would have refused to let them in, right? Maybe there was something special about Kael and Eden.

Kael’s attention was turned from the inscription to the way that she was studying it. In all of his studies he had never really studied anything about the magic used in the lands before the Seven Stones so what she was saying was absolutely new to him. He leaned back on his heels a little bit with a slightly perplexed look on his face. All of this was far too strange.

“I highly doubt that the Cardona’s would tell us anything about this room. Although if we study their writings a little closer we might be able to find something about this room. If they know anything at all.” The Cardona’s wouldn’t tell them anything. It was no secret that they were one of the more secretive, reclusive houses. There was a good reason that people had a tendency to stay away from them. There was something eerie about the reclusive family.

It was probably best to leave the origins of this room alone but Kael couldn’t help his curiosity.

“There has to be information on that language somewhere. With a little digging something could probably be found.” Although it was all just talk right now. Kael knew that the next week was going to be incredibly busy and he didn’t want to spend his free time researching this room. He wanted to spend it in the room with Eden.

Of course Eden’s words made him stick his tongue out at her playfully. He was well aware of the fact that she was capable on a horse but you could never be too careful.

“I know you are capable on a horse but I don’t want to have to explain a sprained ankle to anyone.” Kael winked. No, Kael wouldn’t mind carrying her back to her chambers at all. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her thin body close to his would be wonderful. But he didn’t intend on allow her to accidentally get hurt.

Then she wouldn’t be able to dance tonight! Kael could definitely feel his hands resting on her gentle back already. The feel of the fabric of her dress underneath his hands was already teasing. He could only hope that he would be able to keep her away from other gentleman tonight. Having her attention stolen away from him would probably end up with an irritable Prince Arrington.

“Maybe we should just enjoy the room instead of wondering about where it came from right now.”

Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« Today at 21:01:09 »
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No, Aubrey Cardona would never tell them anything about magic.  It was too close to the secrets of his house, and everyone knew that the Cardonas guarded their secrets even more carefully than they guarded their lives.  Any question about this ancient writing or spells or anything of the sort would likely be perceived as an attempt to access those secrets.  

Besides, Eden wasn’t sure if she even wanted to know what went on deep in the mountains where their castle loomed over the trees.  Aubrey had courted her last summer, and the very thought of winding up as his wife, locked away beneath those dark stone walls for the rest of her life, was unbearable.  She’d heard the rumors, knew the stories.  Necromancy, demons, all sorts of dark magic were rumored to be practiced by the Cardonas over the ages.  The very thought of it gave her a shiver.

But it didn’t matter what she thought, because she would never be privileged enough to know.  She saw how protective Aubrey was of his family’s Stone.  She could only imagine what kind of dark favors it did for him.  Her own Stone hung dormant and cold from her neck.  She’d only worn it for a month or so, and it had yet to reveal its power to her.

Yet, it was true that they could probably dig up a little bit about such things on their own.  After all, Eden had managed to find her little bit of knowledge about this language in her library back home.  Surely the palace library was more extensive.  However, she doubted that the Cardona section would be of more help than its prince.  Aubrey’s forefathers would never have donated anything revealing or incriminating.  They would have to search very far back in history, and Eden wasn’t sure how far back records went.

But then the mood changed, and Kael was sticking his tongue out at her like a little child.  She could only imagine what he was thinking when he winked at her… though she doubted that he would pass up an excuse to escort her back to her chambers like a real prince charming.  In all honesty, finding an excuse for a sprained ankle wouldn’t be too difficult, but servants wouldn’t keep quiet about the fact that Prince Kael was in their mistress’s bedchamber, and then her advisors would be livid.

Like she really cared what they thought.

“What would you have to explain?” she asked, cocking her head with mock innocence.  “As I understand things, what happens in this room stays in this room.”

Indulging him, she came down off the ledge and instead sat on the edge of it, turning her body to face him with a bit of a mischievous smile.  “But I agree with you.  We should enjoy this while we have it.”  She paused and sighed, batting her eyelashes at him.  “Unfortunately I’ll be gone as soon as you’re elected king…”
The Illusionist
Anonymous

« 08 June 2011, 21:48:20 »
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The thought of Eden ending up as Aubrey’s wife actually made him a little angry. What right had Aubrey Cardona had courting Eden Rhydderch? She was far too good for him. Everyone more than likely knew that Eden was far too good for anyone in this Realm. Kael wasn’t even sure if there was anyone in these lands that was a perfect match for her.

The moment that the mood changed, Kael was no longer in the mood to think about the powers of this room. He just wanted to enjoy himself while he could.

As I understand things, what happens in this room stays in this room.

Now, that managed to get Kael’s attention. His eyebrows raised and he looked Eden over several times with a small grin on his face. The look of mock innocence she was exuding was absolutely amusing. Eden was far from innocent at the moment wasn’t she?

“So whatever happens in this room stays in this room?” Kael just wanted to make that absolutely clear. If that was the case then anything could go on in this room and no one would know about it. No one but the two of them and the walls of this room.

Innocent. Mock innocence.

It was something that Eden played so well. Kael was amused as she sat there batting her eyelashes but there was truth behind her words. Eden was rather confident in the fact that he would be elected King of the Realm. He wasn’t sure of his own confidence in the matter but only time would tell.

Leaning forward off of his heels, Kael placed his hands on the tops of her thighs to steady him. What happened in  the room stayed in the room so the fact that Kael was touching her in a less than appropriate way really didn’t matter.

“You are confident that I will be elected, Eden. I wish I had that confidence.” There was slight wavering in his voice. Clearing his throat, he looked up at her face with a small sigh.

“What if I do not wish you to leave?” If Kael didn’t want her to leave, would she leave? It would take a bit for Kael to settle into a new position as King but as King there could be new changes to rules and protocol. In the end it could be possible for Eden to be a Queen and still run her house at the same time until her younger sisters were ready for the task.

Right now the thought of Eden leaving was something that bothered him. He wasn’t ready for her to leave. Not when something between them had potential. Shaking his head to shake it off, Kael brought his face closer to hers to steal a kiss.



Erin Taren
Played by mnaberrie

« Today at 18:40:27 »
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Yes, Eden meant it.  Whatever happened in this room would stay in this room.  She wouldn’t tell anyone.  She didn’t think that Kael would tell anyone, seeing as how he didn’t seem like the type to brag about his… conquests… to his friends—he was too much of a gentleman for that.  She was fairly confident that no one would stumble into this strange, magical room by accident and see something that they weren’t supposed to see.  

And, of course, the room wouldn’t allow any of its secrets to get out.  Despite all of the research he’d done in the past, the room had not allowed Kael to discover anything about its origins.  Kailynn had been silent about why she had suddenly stopped spending time inside of it.  Eden had a feeling that this room would protect its secrets with its very existence.  Whatever she and Kael did in this room would then in turn become one of its secrets.  She had a strange, uncanny feeling that whatever happened in this room would stay in this room.  Perhaps forever.

But at least as long as it mattered to them.

And, okay… maybe she was a little less sure of his victory in the election than she was letting on, but what did that matter?  She believed that he truly was the best man for the job, the one who would govern the Realm with justice and compassion rather than greed and corruption.  She would do anything that she could to get him elected; she’d already pledged to him the support of her house—no matter how small it was.  It wouldn’t hurt to bolster his confidence a little bit. Besides, the fact that he wasn’t arrogant or cocky only strengthened her support for him.

That was enough serious talk, however, she decided almost as soon as he rested his hands on her thighs and leaned toward her.  He was right—it didn’t matter how inappropriate his touch would be considered by an outsider.  There was nobody else there, and she wasn’t planning on telling anyone.  His chest was already bare, tempting her almost as much as the laces of her dress tempted him.

And then he kissed her.  Eden reached for his face with her hands, placing one on each of his cheeks to gently hold him close to her as she parted her lips and kissed him in return.  It was softer, sweeter than that kiss in the hall, but the passion was still there.

“If you are King, then who would I be to resist your will?” she replied, smiling tenderly at him as she ran her thumb along one of his cheekbones.  

It was true that she didn’t want to leave him, at least at that moment, but she didn’t know whether or not she’d be able to remain in the capital unless the king himself requested her presence at court.  Technically, she could decide to stay… but there was just so much to do back home that she wouldn’t be able to justify an extended vacation.  After the events of the summer, she really was needed back at home.  There were only three surviving members of the House of Rhydderch left, and she really needed to be at home.  

She still had at least week, though, and her pending departure wasn’t something she wanted to dwell on at the moment.

“You know,” she smirked, sliding her hands down his neck and onto his bare shoulders.  “They say that power is an excellent aphrodisiac…”

The Illusionist

Anonymous

« Today at 20:04:31 »
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It didn’t matter what either of them believe about the election right now. What was meant to happen would happen and they could go from there. If Kael became king then, yes, he could technically order the princess’s presence in court for awhile longer. It was something that they could use to their advantage.

However right now none of it really mattered.

The position that they were currently in was one that was far too distracting to think about anything else. With the way that his hands were positioned on her thighs he could easily slid them up and to her back where those tempting laces were at whenever he wanted. The kiss that they were presently sharing was enough to trap Kael in Eden’s little web.

It was a soft, gentle kiss that was still full of the passion of their previous kiss. Except this one felt different in a way that he couldn’t really explain and that he didn’t want to explain. When their lips parted and Eden spoke, Kael laughed a little.

“If I am King then I could definitely use my power to my advantage.” In other words he could make it to where Eden didn’t have to leave the capitol. Kael was confident that she could stay in the capitol and they could manage her House at the same time. She could have both if she wanted. With his position as King they could make anything possible.

Eden’s sisters most definitely were not ready to be the head of their House but there were ways to get around Eden not being there. Rules were meant to be broken; laws to be rewritten. The feel of her thumb along his cheekbone was distracting him from this line of thought.

It was a combination of the weight of her slender hands on his shoulders and the comment that Eden made that coerced a devilish smirk onto his face. If it was said that power was an excellent aphrodisiac then who were they to not test that theory out?

 “Then who are we to deny the opportunity to test that theory out?” Kael’s words were spoken softly as his hands slid to where her already loose laces of her dress were at. One could assume that as Kael leaned forward to press his lips a little more vigorously against hers those laces came undone.

After all, what happened in the room stayed in the room. Which meant that if those laces came undone and they tested the theory that power was an excellent aphrodisiac? That was between them and the walls of the room. No one would ever know otherwise.

Just two people..and four walls.