Snippet #1736994

All was pretty quiet and nothing out of the usual in the small town of Thronecrest. Well besides the large pile of ash and black rubble that was once the Xandar Forge. In the place that stood of the pride and joy of both Escasriet and her family. A week ago, the smithy caught on fire and was sadly brunt to the ground. The Xandar’s had no doubt that the fire was not an accident from within the shop but was either done on purpose or by some stupid drunk. Without any real “proof” of anything explaining the fire, even it was obvious that the fire started from the OUTSIDE of the shop and not the INSIDE, starting from any other source than flames somehow getting out of their forge. Escasriet and her grandfather along with the pink haired girl’s five older brothers were digging through what was left of the smithy.

”Hey! I found one of the tongs!” The second to youngest son, Cythnar, yelled while waving a cracked tongs in the air. As everyone in the little search party went to turn their heads towards him, one side of the tongs completely broke in half. ”Never mind! It broke!.... Hey, can I take a break? We’ve been at this for like three hours now!” Cythnar started to complain…. Again. He was always been the most fussy one out of the siblings when it came to breaking a sweat in labor work. Escasriet and the other four Xandar siblings gave him the nickname, “princess”, years ago. ”Unless you want me to rib off your arm and shove it down your skinny little throat, I suggest you get working, Princess."

Escasriet answered with a glare aimed for Cythnar’s right arm, causing him to grumble about how he’s all sweaty and how Escasriet biting his head off every time he wanted a break every ten minutes. Escasriet’s threat caused Medarin, the oldest of the siblings to poke his head up with that sly, Cheshire cat-like smile on his face. ”I thought you were going to do that when you found out who brunt the shop,” he commented in a amused voice. It was one of his past times to tease any of his younger siblings when he had the chance. ”…. Shut it, Medarin.” She replied as she turned over a large piece of black wood.

'Conversations' went between the seven family members until a large traveling group entered the town through one of its dirt roads. Normally, people would think it was some company of traders that come year round for crops and items made in the Xandar’s smithy but this wasn’t the case. The company that came into the town were riding either pure white pegasuses, were wearing uniforms with Elphanors's colors on them, and there was a large carriage being pulled by a couple of horses with what seemed to be soldiers riding in a circle around it. This even caused Escasriet to stop the task of finding something, anything, that survived in the fire.

”What do you suppose Elphanor officials want from anyone here?” Scythe, the second oldest, asked as the unusually party didn’t stop traveling until they stood in front of Escasriet and her grandfather’s cabin-like home, which was basically right next to the ashes of the smithy. Since her brothers had moved out of the house years ago, it's only Escasriet and her grandfather left in the house. The carriage door opened to reveal an older dark elf gentleman in a suite as he stepped out and glanced around at his surroundings. There was more than a small little crowd that was trying to be sneaky as they were trying to get the scoop of what was exactly happening. Well, small crowd would be an exaggeration since nearly the whole town was trying to get a better look. The dark elf’s eyes stopped wondering as they landed on the Rainiar family.

”May this be the Xandar's residence?” He asked the group that was covered from head to toe in sweat and ashes. The grandfather was the first to climb down the rubble and walked towards the gentleman and his party and stopped once he was four feet away from him. ”It’s one of them… What is exactly your business with us?” The grandfather asked getting straight to the point.

The dark elf looked like he was taken back a little from the old man’s forwardness but he quickly regained his bearings and continued as he unrolled a document that was in his hands since he got out of the carriage. ”My business is with a Ms. Escasriet Xandar," he read from the piece of paper then he continues after glancing at the growing crowd around them. "If you would be kind enough it let me into your home, we could speak privately and away from the prying ears,” he answered. Not only her brothers and grandfather’s eyes were on Escasriet, but all the eyes from the townspeople. The last five minutes have been the absolute strangest on Escasriet's life. It's common knownledge that a carriage that bears the colors of Elphanor and being pulling by pegasuses is from the floating Elphanor captial where only people that work for nobles, nobles, royal family, and the High King live. It would make sense if the carriage being rode into one of Tibolt's major cities or even if the carriage wasn't as high class and was pulled by normal horses would be normal. Not only a noble carriage from the floating captial of Elphanor waltz into their blackwater town, but with someone from the party asking for HER. It was plain unheard of. One thing is for sure, she felt whatever is going to happen- she's not going to like it.


When the soldiers and gentleman connected the dots and figured out that the old man was Escasriet's grandfather and the men in the pile were the woman's brothers, it was some of the detail of the dark elf's document, and that the pink haired woman that covered with dirt was the woman that was requested to see by the party’s leader. Shocked by this as well, Escasriet hesitated a bit before she answered still more than a bt confused. ”Uh… Sure?” What did you expect her to say? Escasriet's pace been thrown off pace, tossed into a twister, and hammered the hell out of it. It may seem like a answer from a idiot, but who can really blame her at this point really. Then she carefully stepped down of the pile, making sure she stepped on a piece of ruined metal or wood that wasn’t going to give out and make her fall the rest of the way. She was already uncomfortable being in the dead center of everyone’s attention, the last thing she needed was to look like a fool by falling on her face. Too bad that was the same for the middle son, Thor, who fell face first down the little hill after he stood his very first step down. Well, at least the attention was off from Escasriet for a few moments until her feet made contact with solid ground and the rest of her brothers standing behind her.

Poor Thor was picking himself off the ground as their grandfather opened the cabin door to let the dark elf, himself, and Escasriet in. As the five brothers tried to go in after their sister, but the two guards stopped them which made Escasriet turn her body around to face them. ”Whatever that guy has to say to me, he can say in front of them.” She stated bluntly without a second thought. The soldiers glanced into the house from the outside to see the dark elf sitting at the dinner table, who gave a nod. Agreeing to Escasriet’s request.

After the Xandar family was in the house, a soldier closed it. Leaving Escasriet and her family to listen to what their visitor had to say. "Let me begin by introducing myself, I'm Badic Pharalnup, the assistant to the High King. As why I'm in this.... lovely town as I'm sure you seven are eager to heard. By now, I’m sure that you heard some rumors that the heirs of the five land kingdoms and Airis are getting engaged at the ball which was thrown by the High King himself at Elphanor's captial, Galanor. Now, what you have not heard is that the princes and princesses are going to be promised to be wed to commoners. Much like yourself, Escasriet. Which brings me to my means of my visit, for reasons of his own the High King has chosen you out of all the commoners of Tibolt to be engaged to one of the crowned princes,” The Badic stated. "My job is to gather all the commoners and bring them to the castle. After I drop you off in Galanor, then I'll take off and pick up the remaining five commoners." There was an awkward silence that filled the room, sounds of breathing couldn’t even be heard, but it quickly ended by roars of laughter escaping everyone of the Rainier’s mouth. That was until the man cut the family cut after a few moments of tear jerking laughing. This had to be some sick joke or something, it wouldn't be the first time. Since Escasriet lived in a small town, everyone knows everyone pretty darn well. Friendly pranks are not uncommon. It was the only logical explantion to the outmost craziness of this afternoon. Sadly, the hopes that all this was some little joke quickly died when Badic spoke his next sentence.

”I’m serious. Now before you refuse the offer, keep in mind that this isn’t a request. This is an order from the most powerful man in all of the five kingdoms, the High King. But it would be so crude to threaten you into agreeing… So how about a little bargain? I couldn’t help notice that you lot were digging through that burnt down building. If I had to guess, it was probably your shop. If you be kindly come with me, Escasriet, your family will have no trouble of rebuilding the shop.”

The old man turned his head towards his grandaughter, who was ticked off but mainly confused by all of this. Escasriet basically had her own life planned out. She would continue working in the shop until Gramps felt it was time for him to retire and then she would take the role of the owner since her brothers were either really bad business since, too lazy for the responsiblites of being the owner, or liked the jobs they had. Most likely she would have her own house at that time so her home would be opened for her brothers if they get into a fight with their wives and needed to cool off their heads for the night. Even though she wouldn't really be willing but reliantly sheltering them. She would grow with or without a husband, the only part that she has not planned, and would retire. If she had a husband, the smithery would likely be passed down to her child. If not, she would be willing to sell to someone that at least respects the art of blacksmithing. She would then live the rest of her life as an old lady that was still kicking until she finally died in some way.

That was going to be her life in a nut shell, that's what she always believed what was going to happen. Nothing too boring but simply ordinary. Nothing special like suddenly becoming a princess like some cheesy fairy tale that's read to little girl when getting ready for bed. But here Bedic was telling her that she was going to be wisk away to a castle to marry a prince and completely turn her world not only upside down but being tossed in a twister and being spit back out. Not if she had to say anything about it.

Before Escasriet said her answer, She glances at the faces of her grandfather and brothers. Which made her calm down slightly and made her comment a bit sugar coated then it would have been moments before. "I refuse. As you probably gathered by now that I am far from being princess marterial and I'm more than happy where my life is now and we could always build Rainiar Forge on our own without your help. If your really insist getting a girl from Thronecrest, there's a dozen or more girls out there that would accept your offer. So please take your rusted scrap metal and get out of this house."

Medarin opened the door and kindly said, "Well you got your answer. Now please get your ass out of here and go back to your gorillas and take them with you." But Badic stayed in his seat with his legs and arms crossed with a emotionless expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, like I stated earlier this is not a request. Meaning you have no choice in this matter, Ms. Xandar. The decision has already been made by the High King. He has his reasons, that are unknown to me, for choosing you out of the 'dozen or more' girls outside. I don't think you quite understand the situation. If you don't come willing to Galanor, then I have no choice to use force. I could make not only your life but your family's lives that death would be welcoming. I have been ordered to bring you back with me, at any cost. Even if I have to make it that your little shop would never be rebuilt, becoming outcast in not only here but out of the whole kingdom, or destorying your family. So I ask again, will you come willingly or do I have to use force?" Badic explained his voice as cold as ice and his expression and eyes un moving, that man was died serious and he wouldn't think twice before carrying out his threat.