Mona Rezart's Story

Another fight. Huzzah.

Servius wiped his mouth and shook his right hand, attempting to rid it of pain. He stared down the man who had tried to pick a fight and lost. He stepped over the contender's limp body and into the streets of Personale. Dust flew into his eyes and he grimaced, wiping it away. ’Damn sand,’ he thought to himself, turning the corner to move past the bustling marketplace he had been going through. He could feel stares aimed at him. He welcomed them. He wanted to fight. He wanted to beat the living crap out of anyone who wanted to try.

But he hadn’t come for fighting. He had come because of his summons.

Servius felt the parchment in his paper crinkle ever so softly. His fingers went over the uneven surface, trying to read the words through his fingertips. He sighed. Why would the King need any use of him? Was it his relation to Lilith? No, Wands never did something spectacular for the deaths of Card Holders. They barreled through circumstances like this like a bird through air. There was always too much to be done, especially with the recent proclamation against Medicinal Malpractices. So much to do, not enough time to mourn.

That’s what he hated and admired about this kingdom.

His eyes raised, meeting with the elaborate castle of the King where people came and went as any other building in the Kingdom of Wands. Always busy, never a time to rest. Servius took his sweet time going up the steps in the case anyone else wanted a fight but all he received were glares and muttered obscenities. He shrugged, moving past the guards and taking a good look inside. All around him were guild representatives all across the kingdom, all wishing to speak with the King over multiple items and propositions they could never get elsewhere. They gathered at stalls organized for receiving any request or letter. The liveliness of the area almost disgusted him. No, wait. It did disgust him.

Silently, he moved through the crowd to the Card Holder stall located at the back of the reception hall. He pulled out the letter to the attendant, an elderly man with graying hair. The attendant glanced at the seal on the letter before pulling out a card, placing it on the desk. Servius watched as the young man flipped it over and a cat came out, stretching and meowing. “What is it, Clarence?”

Servius lifted a brow. “Queen of Wands?”

Clarence smiled. “That’s me. Chat, please lead Seven to the King.” The cat looked lazily over at him, licking her whiskers. “I’ll get you a nice bowl of milk and a good book from Swords.”

The cat’s eyes rolled. “Keep the milk. I don’t want to ruin the book.” She hopped off the stall, nodding to Servius to follow. As soon as they were a good distance away, Chat began to speak. “Honestly, the boy treats me like a house cat instead of an all powerful familiar. The nerve of it after all these years together. Seven, stay close, I don’t want you wandering off.”

Servius followed small black cat in silence, not wishing to instigate a fight with a cat of all things. The cat sat down, waiting for him to open the door. “The King of Wands will see you now.” After a moment of processing the command, Servius opened the door, stepping inside. As said, the King waited there, brow furrowed. Servius walked in, closing the door. The head turned, eyes meeting his.

“Your Highness,” Servius greeted in mock servitude. “You summoned me.”

“Seven, I see you still have that attitude,” the King responded, standing. She tossed the loose end of her cloak over her shoulder, lips tight. “How are you faring considering the death of two of your fellow Card Holders?”

At times, Servius couldn’t believe this woman- younger than him by six or seven years- was the King of Wands. Yet, she carried the air of royalty and command that he didn't dare have at his age. His eyes narrowed. “If you summoned me for some therapy session-“

“No, that is not why I called you.” Her arms crossed as she stepped forward. “You are summoned for different reasons. One being Medicinal Malpractice, disruption of the peace, not to mention failing to protect several children near the Gateways-“

Servius could tell she was using it. His Danger Sensor was going haywire and his jaw tightened, temple throbbing. “Stop that,” he hissed, teeth clenched. She hmphed, brushing her bangs from her face. “Tone it down your Unsheathing."

“I will if you will,” she replied, irked. “Your ability is affecting my own.” Servius took a deep breath, his Discord lowering. The King sighed as well, almost in relief. “Good. The main reason you are called here is for a project. There is an interkingdom crisis about to unfold, one that I see is fit for your abilities.” He raised a brow. “No, it’s not because I want to get rid of you. Right now, you are the one Card Holder not wrapped up in current affairs. Your Danger Sensor will be crucial for the group.”

“Wanna tell me how I’m going to be ‘crucial’ to an interkingdom project? Last time I checked, the only way to another Kingdom is a Gateway. And I want to stay alive.” He wasn’t an idiot. There was no way he would be able to meet with members of another kingdom any other-

“The Evil Eye.”

His eyes widened, for once breaking through that barrier of never ending anger. “That’s only for the Kings-“ He stopped abruptly as he saw her disregard their conversation and move to another part of the room. There, she stopped at nothing but a bare wall and a candleholder, one of the only light sources in the darkened room. She reached up, removing the candle from its place, and stepped back. The wall fell away, swinging wide to reveal a glowing Gateway. Unlike the others he had encountered, this one shimmered a multitude of colors, all merging into white and separating to become their respective colors.

“Come along,” she ordered, stepping through without a hint of hesitation. Servius, shell shocked, checked in with his Danger Sensor. Nothing? If it said so...

He took a deep breath and stepped inside, eyes scanning the area. Unidentifiable light filled the stone, round room, revealing a simple wooden table and chairs. Four other doors took up the walls, symbols etched onto their frames. His Danger Sensor was going haywire at each door he examined… except for one. He gawked at the door to their left, a strange dancing figure on the frame. He wondered where that lead to…

“That is the Fool’s door,” the King remarked, earning another stunned expression from the usually aloof Servius. “Do your best not to stare. It is unbecoming.”

… Holy shit, what was the King getting him into?

● Mona Rezart ●

Rays beat down on Mona’s face, the young woman in question sprawled out on the waving grass. The blades of green tickled her elbows and the round of her cheeks, swaying in such a way that proved them true to the meadow’s name. Distant sounds of laughter came from some distance away, coming from the joy and happiness of families and couples enjoying their free time. Yet, as far as Mona was concerned, she was all alone. Alone in the rare quiet that she’s come to appreciate, in the quaint atmosphere quite opposite to the world from which she had originated. Behind closed eyelids danced colorful orbs, entertaining her with a little show. And though she loved moments such as this, the quiet always grows from peaceful to alarming, and the urge to move herself surged in a spasm.

Her green eyes shot open, and immediately she shielded her face from the shining sun. Mona sat up purposefully, suddenly feeling too alone in the vastness of the Plains. The quiet quelled her excitement of the day, and she found herself trying to remember why she was lying there in the first place. There was Market. Then the summons. Summons. Ah, yes. The suitors.

Earlier in the day, Mona had been bargaining with the usual prospects. The older lady from across the town keeps returning day after day, being absolutely sure that the headpiece she was offering for trade was solid gold. The price she demanded was much higher than what Mona had deemed was much more suitable for the barrette. Noon struck, and amidst her cluttered thought Mona remembered the invitation to the Castle. After excusing herself from the counter, she made a quick escape to the streets of Market Market, but was met with double the obstruction from other days. Men and women pushed up against her as she tried to push her way through to the capital, and when they proved too much, she made a quick detour out of the village. And shaking off her pursuers got her lying in the grass to catch her breath. Right.

Well, she must have lost the majority of those people. The older ones must have given up for sure. It’s the more robust youth for whom she needed to keep an eye out. Mona stood from her spot and swiftly brushed the dirt off her hind before starting her walk to the castle. It wasn’t very far from where she was, thankfully. She would have to enter from behind, but it wasn’t any problem for her, probably. And it beat using her familiar to scope out the premises-- it can always be used to trace back to her.

As she approached the back gate of the castle, Mona searched the windows of the stone architectural achievement. She couldn’t find whom she was searching, so instead she reached her arm through the gate and waved her hand, signaling for one of the two guards posted at either side inside the gate. They ignored her for the most part, despite the young ladies rather obnoxious “Yoohoo”s and “hellooooo”s. Irritation threatened to imperfect the stoney look on either guard’s faces. Mona kept it up, her voice increasing in volume, until a sharp voice called out.

“Who goes there?” The woman demanded. She came into Mona’s view from within the corridors of the castle, her crown giving away her position. The Queen stood grounded to her spot, her dark eyes squinting to look at the figure on the other side of the gate.

Mona smiled widely and held onto the bars, squeezing her face through the space in between. “Nine, your Majesty! I’ve been summoned by the King!” She thrust her hand through, holding up two fingers. “Two days ago, I’ve been called to come here?”

The Queen lifted her chin, whether it was in contempt or scrutiny, Mona couldn’t tell. She heard a “hmph,” and then the ground beneath the young woman began to rumble. Mona’s eyes widened as she removed her face and hands from the gate, and her legs shaked from underneath. In an instant, the ground raised high at a quick velocity, launching the blonde above the gate. She struggled to maintain her balance, and she turned incredulously at the Queen, as if asking if she were expected to jump the distance to the other side. The Queen snorted, and leveled steps rose for Mona to use as stairs. She cautiously scaled the earth and began taking steps toward the older woman, hearing the ground behind her move back into place. She shot a wink to the guards before falling in step next to the Queen.

As they walked the halls and up the stairs to the King, Mona’s excitement could not be contained. ”Wonderful demonstration of your skills, as always, your Majesty.”

The Queen sighed. “Thank you, kind-”

“I’m always so impressed by how dexterous you’ve become since-- ahem, well, they’ve forgiven you for the most part. And, please, stop me if I’m rattling too much, your Majesty, but I must say, for the amount of times I’ve visited the castle, I’m rather curious as to why this time I’ve been called alone. Oh, and by the way, I apologize for waiting so long, you know how busy it has been lately at the Market-- can never go too easy, even if we’re so superior in trade, haha.”

The Queen stayed silent. Mona chuckled.

“I do need to add that there are a lot of stairs! I know that the castle looks ginormous on the outside, but to actually climb the place is eye-opening. Where are we going, by the way? I’ve--”

“We are here.” The Queen stepped aside from the door, and Mona giggled in response.

“Oh, thank you, your Majesty!” The older woman could only elicit a grunt before making her way back downstairs. Mona watched the figure disappear then turned to open the door. Upon knocking, the door fell through the ground, and beyond led a Gateway. The colors reflected on Mona’s face, and for a second she could have sworn that perhaps the Queen was mistaken? She was expecting the throne room-- though that would mean that they would have taken a very long detour. She thought once about going back to be sure, but shook that thought away and stepped into the glow.

After a couple seconds, Mona opened her eyes to a bland room. Her eyes went first to the table, then drifted to the two figures standing in the room with her. She blinked in astonishment, not knowing what to say before uttering, “Hello.”

“A rather meek response coming from you, little Mona.” A regal woman, similar in age to the Queen came into Mona’s view from behind her. “Where did all that excitement go with the Queen?” The King of Coin smiled playfully at the young woman, then turned and nodded blankly at the King of Wands.

Mona could only furrow her brows. She turned her gaze to the only man in the room, sending an odd look. She observed his garments, and figured that at least they were not of Coins. She chuckled lightly. “I’m just taken aback, is all. I’m not sure what’s going on?” She searched the faces of the two opposite to the room, hoping for answers. An explanation. Anything.

[font size="+4"]Freya Adis[/font]

Freya was a bundle of nerves but she was determined to carry out her day as normal until her meeting with the King that afternoon.

After saying goodbye to her grandmother, her first port of call was a local cafe to read the morning's paper. The headlines told of dead children, towns swallowed by the sea and food shortages. ”How awful, those poor people”, she thought, though she couldn't really relate.

Following the cafe was a visit to console a friend, one of her former classmates, who had recently lost a close relative. Freya wasn't particularly close to this girl, truthfully she wasn't close to anyone outside of her family, but she saw it as an opportunity to hone her interpersonal and listening skills. She listened empathetically, provided neutral pleasantries and this seemed to help.

Freya's final destination of the morning was the MagE guild. She used this time as last minute practice of her abilities. This required her to enter a meditative state so she could become a blank slate, this allowed her to bury herself and focus on the emotions of others. After around two hours of this, Freya felt satisfied she had honed her craft to a good standard. She hoped she could impress the King as she suspected this meeting was to discuss appointing her as a diplomat.

As Freya, waited in the reception room of the palace, she absorbed the decadence and prestige around her. Every small detail of the room, from the marble engravings in the wall, to the intricate fountain, made her feel increasingly anxious. Eventually, the door to the throne room opened, revealing the Queen. She was an older woman, but still attractive and elegant, she wore a flattering embroidered blue gown and her greying hair her greying hair elaborately coifed. Freya bowed and cast her eyes to the floor. The queen smiled pleasantly and said,“You may rise Knight, His Highness is ready for you now”.

As she entered the throne room, Freya cast her eyes towards the King. Though was past his prime, he still cast an intimidating presence with his piercing gaze. Freya kneeled before the throne. Not one for pleasantries, the king immediately began with, “Miss Adis, do you know why you are here?”

“No your Highness, but it is an honour to be summoned.”

“You are not the strongest or most distinguished of the Minor Arcana of Cups, you have yet to prove yourself as a diplomat, but I have need of you.”

She stiffened at his abrupt words, but replied“I will serve Cups in any way I can and to the very best of my ability.”

“I will be brief, the Major Arcana are loose once again, you must go to the human realm. To do this you must go through the You will be accompanied by representatives from the other kingdoms, together you must seal them away once again.”

She paled, “Your Majesty, why me?”

He considered her for a moment, “I have need of the stronger representatives here, to deal with the domestic troubles of our kingdom. If you prove yourself it will mean my gamble has paid off and that I will have a talented diplomat, if you fail then I have not lost my best assets. I hope that answers your question. Follow me, if you please”

Trembling, Freya followed the King out of the Throne room, to the back of the reception room to an inconspicuous staircase. At the top of the stairs was a plain door, distinctly different from the regal decor of the palace. The Gateway. It was at this point the King wordlessly nudged her forward.


As she stepped through the gateway into a plain, dull room two figures became visible, a girl similar to her age, who seemed eager but nervous and a tall young man who's expression gave nothing away. Their features, dress and demeanor set them distinctly apart and she knew instantly they were not of Cups.
As Freya eyed the two strangers up, she felt ill at ease, a rare feeling for her, but these were rare people. She breathed deeply and thought “How on Earth will I pull this off?”

The silence pervaded the room for an uncomfortable amount of time. His eyes remained glued to the door the King claimed to be "The Fool's Door." It was only a metaphor, right? The Fool surely couldn't exist. After all, that story of the Major Arcana was mythology...

..right?

He silently tugged at his collar, eyes glancing at the young woman next to him who did not breathe a word. Servius's lips tightened. 'Fine. Don't tell me anything.' Several colorful words followed, all directed to his King. He directed his attention back to the door they had come from, hiding the glint of ire in his gaze.

"You're flaring again," the King noted, moving to sit at the table, hands in her lap. A cuss under his breath. "Calm down or else we will being start a riot when the others appear. You know very well the King and Seven of Wands in the same room is a very risky. So calm. Down." Anger burned inside of him. Did she just drag him here, in the middle of mourning, to scold him? Of course he knew they were not supposed to be in the same room together!

But dammit. She was right.

With another breath, he brought his Discord down once more. Grumpily, he leaned against the wall next to the door they had come from, feeling the... Surprisingly warm stones through his clothes. The room did have its own comforting peculiarity to it, despite all the warning signals going off in Servius's head. He laid his head back, feeling the warmth seep through his scalp. It was... So comforting.

With a creak, Servius's head popped up. He pushed himself from that comfortable spot, standing vigilantly with his arms over his chest. The King of Wands stood, her cape flowing behind her as she took her place next to Servius. A side glance to him with the full intended message of "Be good" in it. Rolling his eyes, he dropped his arms, having them loll at his sides as he examined the new occupants. His Danger Sensor kept going off...

... Then their door closed.

Again, the sense stepped back, calming, like the lull before a storm, a tiger retreating in its hide away. He turned down again, concentrating on the two new women who approached him before glancing upward at the door they came from. A familiar emblem adorned the doorframe. "... Coins," he mentioned, recognizing their presence coldly.

The King of Wands took a step forward, nodding to the King of Coin with a smile. "It is a pleasure to see you once more, King of Coin. It seems you haven't informed your representative of her task in the inter-kingdom mission?" Servius watched her, hmphing. Of course she wanted to just get business done and just leave.

His eyes turned to the shorter young lady next to him, examine her with a discerning eye. Petite, innocent, and clueless. That's what he could tell right off the back. However, something else felt strange. His eyes narrowed, searching her with his eyes. He couldn't tell her temperature. Not to mention she did appear to be affected by his Discord... Maybe since she just stepped in. Maybe since he was surprised. "Kid, you don't want to stand too close to me. It's not going to be good for you." Despite his desire for a good brawl, punching out a small kid like her would be disgraceful. Especially when he was representing his kingdom of all things.

The King of Wands glared at him, frown evident. "Seven. You are to keep yourself in check. I apologize, not all the Wands are like this. But he will contribute to the mission, I promise you. Let's start with the fact he was wise enough not to open any other doors." He huffed, choking back a few choice words he reserved just for his King.

The woman kept pace with her king, ignoring the slight tingles from her arm as the two of them made small talk. As always, she was impressed with his memory. They spoke of her training, in particular, her first set of classes. She had been the smallest person there--and that was a fact that hadn't really changed up until recent years. She had gained height, that was for sure, but the weight... well, not so much so. She asked politely after his lady, to which she received a chortle of sorts. Marriage and warriors were always a strange combination to put into a topic--but the king had chosen a credible mate, an excellent tactician and (rumor had it) better with the sword than he was. Hm. Fearsome.

As they approached the end of the hallway, she set her sights on a peculiar door. She glanced around, she was sure that hadn't... been here before? She frowned, and gazed at it again. The longer she looked, the more it morphed in shape. In surprise, she snuck a glance at her king who was observing her with interest. The door expanded and the frame seemed to dissolve as it began to resemble more of a gateway. Before long, it was twice as big and producing slightly ominous lighting. She blinked, she wasn't really sure if she was seeing what she was seeing. Of course she had heard of this, of course she knew the rumors, but she had never imagined that she would be allowed to travel.

"Is this...?" She heard another chuckle and her king shook his head.

"Miss Amaren, no time like the present. After you." She nodded, he was right. A warrior didn't hesitate. It would get you killed on the battlefield. So she took a step through, not quite knowing what to expect. She felt a wrenching in her chest as she did so, like someone was tugging on her from deep inside. It was uncomfortably warm, uncomfortably cold--it was hard to put a place on all the things she was experiencing at once. She felt constricted, for a moment it was like she couldn't breathe... and then the pressure was released. She found herself standing somewhere completely different. She was about to turn around to check on her king when something very unpleasant settled in the pit of her stomach.

Her nostrils flared and she immediately swerved to meet the point of attention. Her gaze fell onto a man standing a ways off from a woman. He had a look of discomfort on his face (or was that annoyance?). Whatever it was, just staring at him was making her feel angry. She wasn't sure why and she clenched her hands into fists as her jaw tightened. She felt riled up, and this seemed the rather unexpected emotion when transported elsewhere--not to mention inappropriate. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked backwards, feeling a bit calmer as she met the stare of her king.

"Coins, Wands, my old friends. It is wonderful to see you again. It appears we..." Almost simultaneously, both her and her king caught sight of two figures towards the back of the room and she heard him adjust himself smoothly. "Well, we are in fact the last ones to this gathering. I apologize, I couldn't help but give Miss Amaren here a little test." She decided to look at the other people in the room while he was talking, lingering first on a small, petite blond girl. Hm. Cute, seemed a little bit a like a pacifist. But maybe that would be a good thing, all things considered. Since that other male was rubbing her the wrong way. She looked over at the blue-haired woman, who honestly seemed the most out of place out of all of them. While the first girl just seemed gentle, this one seemed ill at ease and terribly uncomfortable.

She wondered if she was to greet them in her usual manner. Her king had mentioned Coins and Wands.... and she was sure their kingdoms did not have the same customs as hers. So instead she extended a curt bow towards Wands, trying to smile but finding it incredibly difficult with that irksome male in the way. She placed a hand on her claymore, bowing towards the other occupants of the room. She heard a familiar laugh and settled upon her king once more, who seemed to be the only one in higher spirits.

"Ah, a warrior's fire is alit in this room." He gestured towards the man with the scowl. Y'nev glared at him subtly, why would someone like that be here anyway? "But where are my manners? Come, introduce yourself. Then we can get to business." He pushed her forwards and she privately thanked some higher forces for her training as she didn't fall flat on her face. This "push" was much more like a rough shove and she wouldn't want to be making a fool of herself so soon.

"Y'nev Amaren, blessings be to the Silver Mother." She bowed again, giving a slightly formal customary greeting. She half-wondered if they even knew who the Silver Mother was. Hm. She took a step closer to her king once more, almost in a guard-like position. She had not relinquished her hold upon her weapon hilt yet and kept herself at the ready. Just in case something went wrong. It was always best to be prepared, after all.

Freya observed the final arrival to the room, a tall young woman with the self assured presence of a warrior. Her greeting was slightly odd and Freya wondered who this "Silver Mother" was, but nonetheless she appreciated good manners.

Freya became conscious that she had let her demeanor slip and felt the King's judgemental gaze in the back of her head. Now was not the time for nerves, she was an Adis and she had to put her best foot forward.

She straightened her shoulders, fixed a pleasant, confident expression to her face and surveyed her "battleground", so to speak. Four regal presences, three Cardholders with wildly different auras. She cursed inwardly for allowing herself to be phased, especially by something as simple as a surly young man. She concluded she had too little information to launch individual introductions, that would come later, a group introduction was the best plan of action for now.

The King stepped forward and gestured towards her, "Illustrious majesties and esteem Cardholders, may I introduce my kingdom's contribution to this delicate mission, Freya Adis, The Knight of Cups"

She stepped forward curtsied with a smile and bowed her head slightly as she spoke, "I am deeply honoured to be here during this time of crisis. I hope we can all work well together to defeat the Major Arcana and form lasting bonds for our Kingdoms and people." She smiled and fixed her gaze on each individual, with what she hoped was a commanding presence. She focused particularly on the Seven of Wands, trying to project a message of " "Do not underestimate me and do not undermine this mission." in her thin lipped smile.

What the ever living fuck.

The entrance of four more people caused him minor distress, his eyes scanning them distastefully. From appearances alone, he could make out the Kings. Then the two women were Card Holder representatives. Great. He could- Why the fuck was this girl standing so close to him? Why were they ALL standing close to him? Discomfort evident on his face, he moved away from them very obviously. ‘Don’t start a riot, she said. They’re all standing too close for me to take the time to counteract it!’ Another deep breath. His Discord retracted even more that usual, dangerously so. Hopefully, he wouldn’t suffer any backlash later for it… But now wasn’t the time. He could barely catch their names before they were said. ‘A warrior’s fire,’ Servius mocked in his mind. ‘I’d give this up-‘

The blue haired woman’s words tore through his thoughts.

“Woah, woah, woah!” Servius called, hands raising. He didn’t even respond to the look the lady- what’s her face, Freya? - yeah, whatever look she gave him. “Major Arcana? Major- What- King!” His eyes turned to his King who had proceeded to run a hand down her face in internal agony. Did she expect him to just sit down and take this quietly?! “Major Arcana? They exist? Hell, you never said anything about this to me!” His fist clenched, Discord dangerously spiking. A glare from her caused him to halt before saying anything more, taking a deep breath. “I am not backing out of the mission. I want to know what this is about.”

The King of Wands took a silent breath, regaining her own composure for a moment before turning to the rest of the room’s occupants. “I had decided to not tell my representative of the situation until now. I see this was an unwise decision but I had expected the information to be given in a more formal manner.” Her eyes settled to Freya, nodding. “I am glad to see some representatives to be well informed and much more conducted. Despite his faults, the Seven of Wands will be useful to the mission, I promise you.”

Her eyes turned to Page and Nine. “As the Knight of Cups was informed, you representatives will be sent to capture the Major Arcana, the cards that had sought to destroy our world which have escaped into the Human Realm. As Kings, we found you able to contribute the most to protecting the Land of Evil Eye.”

At the side, Servius had been grumbling ever so quietly, eyes glaring at the King who was chastising him like a child. Fuck all of this, he would rather be at ho-

His head turned violently and he stepped between the group and the Fool’s door. His fists clenched, eyes searching the area. He was sure he felt his Danger Sensor go off… The sudden movement caught the King’s attention, eyebrow raised. “So. Even then you can even sense it from the Fool.”

A clap came from the opposite side of the room. “Oooh, very nice, Seven!” A joyous voice called. Eyes turned to the center table where the Fool sat, hands in their lap. In a way, the Fool was everything everyone portrayed but not. Servius examined him, a strange sense of danger and safety emerging from this one being. The Fool chuckled, crossing their legs. “So… We have a Knight, a Page, a Nine, and a Seven. Very, very interesting. Now, question time! Who wants to go first?” They giggled immensely. “It’s been so long since I’ve met new people! Oh, how exciting!”

Y'nev furrowed her brows. This day had been relatively pleasant, as a matter of fact, it had been a day of high honor. The key word being, had. The male, the Seven of Wands as was his formal title, certainly had a mouth on him. And he was getting on her nerves. She tightened her grip on her weapon and went to take a step forwards but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She whirled, glaring expectantly at her king. He shook his head, though he seemed slightly tense as well. Whatever that... boy was doing was causing her discomfort. It was like white noise, it was like someone ramming the most aggravating sensation right into her gut. She was sure she could take him but this wasn't the time or the place to be... picking fights.

She grimaced, restraining a groan as she glanced over towards the King of Wands from under her lashes. "The Major Arcana? While it is a wondrous responsibility to defend the realm, why us? Specifically, why him?" She gestured over towards Seven as she slid her weapon out of its hilt by several inches. A show of slight force seemed necessary since words alone were not enough to shut his mouth. She continued, the contempt clear in her voice. "He can barely control his temper, and dissonance does nothing to aid a group effort. If he can't even be effectively collared when given a mission, then--" She paused, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.

She fully drew out her weapon as she noticed the kings placing gazes around the room. Something was here, but what? Her ears twitched. She had not heard anyone enter the vicinity, what could...

A melodic voice rang out and silenced her internal questions. It was hard to put her finger on it, because the voice was simultaneously grating yet relieving. She was a woman that did not like contradictions and she turned her head very slowly towards the newest arrival. There was no mistaking it, there could be no question. She had seen the idols, she had read the texts. She did not sheath her claymore, merely pointed it downwards as she paced directly in front of her King. If something tumultuous was about to happen, she wanted to be near her liege. Better his safety than anyone else's in her books.

She took a moment to process the request of this bizarre character and cleared her throat, narrowing her eyes at them. She began carefully where she had left off, before she had been interrupted."What do we possess over others? While aptitude is not questionable for... most of us, why did this particular configuration strike the fancy of the Kings? Sending representatives for what seems to be a high task seems risky, to say the least." She looked at the other two women. The blue haired woman was more confident than she gave her credit for being and she extended over a polite nod of her head. Respect where respect was due. She appreciated intelligence and this woman seemed to have both that and a touch of grace. Much more classy than that... whatever he was.

Y'nev decided that his presence wasn't really going to be of much consequence. If she had to talk to him directly, so be it. But for now, she was just going to tune him out. He was causing her mental distress, and she wasn't a particularly violent person without a cause. But something about him rubbed her the wrong way and until she figured out what it was, she wasn't going to chance any prolonged interaction.

"In case you missed the introductions, my name is Y'nev Amaren, my fickle Lord. Blessings be to the Silver Mother." She made peace with the fact that perhaps some humility was due in this situation. She wasn't sure how... generous this entity was going to be feeling today and considering the discord already rampant in the room, well, it'd be best to do this kindly, quickly, and concisely. Her temper was already a bit short, she didn't like surprises, and she had a sickening feeling they wouldn't have long to ask what they wished.

Y'nev felt something warm clasp at her arm, not very tightly. She took in briefly the blue hair out of the corner of her eye, registering that Freya had taken some steps closer to her. Was the other woman seeking to make her feel better? Or perhaps seeking some protection--with how volatile the current energy was, Y'nev couldn't blame the diplomat. She let herself relax just long enough to extend a smile to the other woman. She didn't really do anything to slip out of the other's grasp--it was comforting in a mild way and she had a slight feeling this might become a normal stance. Freya did not look equipped for battle in the slightest. And she had something of a soft spot for those that were out of their element, she knew that feeling very well.

She returned her stare towards Fool as the King of Wands spoke. She was hesitant to remove her gaze from them for too long, all things considered. The entity had suddenly appeared in the room without so much as a heads up and she wasn't about to risk losing sight of them again. She listened quietly to the explanation, it seemed... "logical" enough. Seven had been alerted to the Fool's presence before any of them, and that was a useful tool on the battlefield. The thought of going to a strange new place filled her with a mixture of anticipation, some dread, but mostly curious excitement. This would be a grand story to tell in time--she should only hope that they would live through the whole ordeal to speak of it to others.

She nodded faintly when the King was done speaking, taking note that Serverius' reply seemed curt but... a little sincere. She didn't look at him but took in what he was saying. "If what you say holds true, then we have no reason to quarrel further. But if you step out of line during battle and endanger our lives..." She trailed off, shooting a quick but intense look in his direction. If he was to be her companion, if they were to travel together, disagreements could interfere with their dynamic as a group. With their unity as a team. And most importantly, with the livelihood of the party. She couldn't protect everyone--and that... strange ability of his colored her vision and turned her temper a bit short-sided. And that could be detrimental in the throes of conflict. As long as he understood that...

Besides, she couldn't exactly... ignore him the whole entire trip. It seemed he wasn't going to be able to be replaced (unfortunate) so she could extend him mild civility. At least until he earned proper respect. Something of which had been a bit marred by his previous introductions. The Silver Mother preached, however, that one must allow forgiveness in the face of ignorance and perhaps she had to suck it up too. Even if she didn't really want to.

The Fool interrupted her chain of thought, answering her questions extremely vaguely and without much directive. But what did she expect? A full assignment page? (That only happened during training and this certainly wasn't her Kingdom anymore) She wrinkled her nose but extended another graceful bow to the Fool when they had finished... "explaining".

"If that is the wish of our Kings and the directive you shall assign us, then I have no reason to disagree. A request, however." She turned to her Liege and bowed again, furrowing her brows slightly. "Please tell my family that I will return? I don't want them to worry, my brother in particular gets antsy in my absence. I don't know how long this will be for... But I would at least like them to know that I left bearing them well wishes." She stifled the urge to get more personal. If she had properly known, she would have written a letter. She would have hugged them each especially tight. As it stood, all she had were their scribbled signatures on her hilt. And that would have to do until she... had the chance to see them again.

It filled her with some melancholy. She was going to miss home life. But she had a mission now, a new duty. And she had to lend herself to her kingdom. That was a duty in high esteem. Her King nodded, and released a loud laugh--a sound that calmed her if but slightly.

"Of course, Miss Amaren--you are doing us a great service. I can extend out your wishes to your family." She smiled earnestly. Her Liege was a good man. She knew she could count on him. She looked out at her future travel companions, brushing some hair out of her eyes to meet each of their gazes firmly.

"I will do my best to see that we do not come to much harm. All I ask for is honesty, and you will earn my loyalty in return." She took a deep breath and exhaled very slowly, directing her next words towards the Fool. "I'm ready to depart, My Lord." Whatever she was about to get into, where-ever this journey were to lead her... at least she would not go at it alone.

Freya listened intently to the King of Wands and the Fool, from her own experiences and perspective she wasn't entirely convinced that anger and volatility could be useful tools. She had spent so long living under a veneer of calm she had almost forgotten how anger felt, bitter and numb she imagined, like a stiff drink.

The Fool spoke of another world, of heroism and kingdoms in the balance, this stirred up a longing in Freya she didn't know existed. Finally she could use her powers for something other than meaningless pleasantries and vacuous social gatherings. She could be useful, she might even find some answers about what happened to her parents.

Once again she took stock of her group. Y'nev, unquestionably a warrior through and through, she seemed dependable and honourable, traits they would need they were going. The young girl from Coins had not spoken much but she seemed earnest and bright. And Servius...unpredictable, a hothead but she couldn't help but admire his passion and strength, it wasn't a warrior's strength, it was something different, forged through hardship she suspected. And then there was her; socialite, ice princess, blue blood, it was now or never.

She looked at King Yoren, bristling with authority and power, he had heeded the Fool's words intently and was looking at her impatiently. "Miss Adis, your answer please."

She breathed in deeply, and addressed her companions "I believe the time for discussion has passed, and the time for action has begun. I'm willing to place my trust in all of you and I hope you can do the same. There is plenty of time to get to know each other better on the long journey ahead, for now let us advance to the mission at hand."

She turned to the Fool and bowed her head, "I'm ready, do what you must"

● Mona Rezart ●

All the interactions in front of her came as a blur. So much had happened she barely had time to catch up with her own thoughts. Not sure what to take of the situation just yet, she waited patiently on the side, trying to take in the hustle and bustle in a calm and collected manner. She had to have some sense around her! After all, to be in a room with such important people with many important titles! Everything felt so new around her and she decided to sit back and watch it all unfold in front of her until an opportunity offered itself to her. Then she would formally engage in the conversation herself.

However, that time came all too late. Before she knew it, there was yelling from the obviously disgruntled Wands and nearly everyone else seemed to take up his attitude. Mona bit her lower lip, fingers curling in and out of each other. How should she approach the situation? Her eyes glanced to the King of Coins, searching for any sign of what to do or how to carry it out. The King, on the other hand, seemed all too concentrated with her furrowed brow and tight lips. How could such an atrocious attitude fall on everyone on the room? If anything, this appeared as a battle ground rather than a inter-kingdom meeting as was revealed. Was she to be tasked with balancing them out? Oh, dear, no, that would be… Difficult. She considered opening her mouth for a moment, just when the Wands - Servius… That was his name…? He began to yell and his King silenced him, just as irked as he - she hadn’t expected the Wands folk to be so easily angered or temperamental but that seemed like the case. She began to explain more into the reason behind this meeting.

Mona’s breath nearly escaped her as the explanation came. Them? Capture the Major Arcana? The term sprung up old memories of the Sorting… Joyous celebrations she often took her brother to, in the company of her parents of course. They’d wander about, trying different treats, viewing rare items from other kingdoms that surfaced more during the event, and then returned home to share the spoils of plays they had seen, food they had consumed, people they have met, and the spectacularity of all it. She would have smiled at the term were it not for the dangerous shadows that forever loomed in stories, the malicious beings under the bed, and the imagined growls that caused misfortune at a flick of a finger. Major Arcana… She allowed the shock to hit her before regathering herself, eyes focused and head high. For a moment, she could feel a gaze on her. Her King? A gaze of a proud monarch, determined with the decision they had made.

And that did not even signal the end of it! Mona’s breath fell further away from her as a man - or woman - or child - or… She could not tell. But a being dressed in regal but humorous garb appeared, dancing about the room with extreme confidence. She knew not what drew her to think the name but it came almost naturally.

’The Fool…’

The Fool carried all the powerfulness the Fool should carry. Their movements, their words, their clever smiles, free of any worldly care but giving the effort to contribute to their existence. She stifled a gasp and incoherent words, holding herself tall and collected (despite being one of the shorter ones in the room). The presence of such an important being could only constitute to the seriousness of the assignment handed to them. Mona took a breath. She released. Mona knew she would take up this duty with the utmost diligence. She could do this! She knew she could! A thought struck her and for a moment she faltered, looking back at the King. Having been caught up by the energy that circulated the room, her own family had slipped from her mind! The King leaned in, whispering in her ear.

“Do not worry. They are capable and are well aware of what you have been summoned for.”

Despite the reassurance...

An image of a growing young man entered her mind. Her brother... Her parents. How long would she be gone? Why would she go so far out of her way to represent her country? She was confident in her abilities but surely there were others. They needed her at home, especially with the trade going so high. As much as she wanted to contribute and knew she could, this would probably beget an undesired response. She turned her head to her King.

"I... Cannot take up this duty, your highness. I apologize. There are others more qualified than me."

There were words of protest. She shook her head. She could feel the stares but refused to acknowledge them as she again reaffirmed her denial of the request. The King paused, nodding.

"It is... Understandable. I should have acknowledged your reluctance before doing this." She turned to the rest, stern and professional. "I will retrieve another representative in the next few hours. Please wait here."

And thus the King and Mona left, both in search of a proper representative.