Setting
Default Location for Fractured Kingdoms
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Rhindeval is a part of 
Fractured Kingdoms.
25 Characters Here
Silvia Siria Shwetz [128] The princesses with the ruby pendant
Euphemia Isadora Apolline Regana Lavorre III [123] Seriously, just call her Reese.
Ishara Soli Eldiel [118] The Stoner Princess
Justice Chastain [117] White lips, pale face and breathing in snowflakes.
Sibylla Costrantina [106] The funniest princess on this side of Earth.
Lilith Evers [101] Good Sorceress who plans to stop her sister and help save the kingdoms
Meridian O'Donohue [94] Free-spirited princess who loves creating music
Aurora Givens [92] One of the princess who tends to get lost in her own head and dreams a lot of Rhindeval
Ivelda Evers [81] Evil Enchantress currently in control of Rhindeval
Artemisia Evergreen [62] "My persona may be quiet ... But my observations are loud."
Start Character Here »
#8E1717
Reese watched Artemisia's back from Freddie's lap as she confessed, her mouth slack and unable to summon a word of sympathy. She looked to Freddie, really looked, her chin tucked into her chest, eyes looking for something far, far away, but despite that distant look, she didn't seem sleepy or bored, her other two emotions. She was in deep somewhere she didn't like to go often. Reese only ever saw this a fleeting few moments around 3 AM when the high wore off and she didn't notice Reese had crept back from the bathroom. To Reese, Artemisia's tears for her brother were Freddie's too, even if they never showed. Reese sank her head back into Freddie's thighs, frowning at herself. And she would do anything to stop Freddie from going back. What an asshole.
---
Lilith's spell was far stronger than the magic Reese had tasted from Artemisia. It felt as though she'd been submerged in a freshly carbonated Sprite, fizzy on her tongue, popping in her ears, caffeinating every single molecule. It even stung her nose like she'd washed it down the wrong hole. It tasted... not sweet and powdery like Artemisia's spell, it tasted like a northerly wind carrying sea salt and sweet peas on its wings - could you taste such a thing? She was far too sensitive to this, perhaps Reese had a magic allergy. Through the salty sprite sweet pea nightmare Reese could feel a maternal presence reaching for her. She squinted over at Lilith. Her back was turned, her hands preoccupied, but she was holding out something for her, her spirit or magic or something. Reese tossed her head away and begrudging let her siphon her magic for the spell. It was a weird feeling. Like she'd just thrown her soul like a crushed can without a care whether it got in the bin or not. It must have, because suddenly Reese was in the presence of a fairy.
She stayed behind the girls as the Fairy Queen graced them, looking around the place for most of the encounter. Maybe she was disinterested. Maybe she was embarrassed. She only zoned back in when Freddie's brother was mentioned. "...Can we bring snacks?" Reese slapped her on the back. "Whatever you wanna bring, Fred. Whatever you want," she assured flatly, "Your Nintendogs, too."
Then, Artemisia said something that completely threw her off. "...how badly my parents suffered..."
Reese snorted, loud, snapping attention to her. She followed her immediate reaction with a raspy, humorless chuckle, shaking her head. Her eyes snapped to Artemisia and her sniggers abruptly stopped.
"No you don't."
She approached her with her hands in her pockets, scrutinizing her with a mean little smirk. "You want to know? You really just have to know?â She stopped a foot from Artemisia and scrunched her face with mock-thought. "OK, well, my Mumsy was decapitated. You know, preeeetty sure you keep on blinking about five seconds after youâre separated from the spine." Her mouth opened in a faux gasp. "That means⊠the last thing Mother mustâve seen was her daughterâs face, and the look she had when mummy dearest rolled to her feet."
Reese dropped the pretense, glaring at Artemisia as she leaned in, "And you donât want to know what happened to the old man." Her head tilted with a smile. "The only piece I found of him was his blood when I slipped in it.â
She stepped back, puffing her jacket up. "You want to know how they suffered?" she spat, "I can't get it out of my head." She tossed away with a frustrated sound, and dismissively declared, "OF COURSE Emperia's fine! They have a freakin' dragon! They don't need me."
Word soon got out about the 2nd assassination attempt in the queen's throne room no less. While no one would dare say it, most people had hope that the assassination would have succeeded since a good chunk of those serving the queen weren't 100% loyal. Still they had to fake it for their own sakes.
Ivelda had the interviews moved to the castle courtyard. The health staff, who were the next to be interviewed, were told to move there. Ivelda sent out servants to summon her other princes. Well, one had been sent to the dungeons to notify Eike and in her letter to him, Ivelda said that anyone she sent his way was to be interrogated thoroughly and if hiding anything was to be kept down there until she saw to the matter personally.
To prevent bias interviewing happening, Ivelda ordered her princes to interview groups they weren't familiar with. So Asher would not be in charge of interviewing the Health staff or Tyann be allowed to interview his own staff. By the time Adrian returned, having disposed of the body, he would be the one to interview which ever group of staff was left.
Ivelda had the interviews moved to the castle courtyard. The health staff, who were the next to be interviewed, were told to move there. Ivelda sent out servants to summon her other princes. Well, one had been sent to the dungeons to notify Eike and in her letter to him, Ivelda said that anyone she sent his way was to be interrogated thoroughly and if hiding anything was to be kept down there until she saw to the matter personally.
To prevent bias interviewing happening, Ivelda ordered her princes to interview groups they weren't familiar with. So Asher would not be in charge of interviewing the Health staff or Tyann be allowed to interview his own staff. By the time Adrian returned, having disposed of the body, he would be the one to interview which ever group of staff was left.
âThe two most powerful warriors are patience and time. Leo Tolstoy.â
Code ~ #088A29
The interviews with those belonging to the kitchen staff were extensive yet went fairly well, at least in Ryderâs opinion. Ivelda sat in and observed, occasionally interjecting with her own queries or comments if it suited her, but for the most part giving him free rein of the interrogations. The Head Chef was the second most nervous, as he was the one who actually hired all of the kitchen staff, so if anyone were to be held directly accountable other than the would-be assassin himself, it would be the Head Chef. He didnât have much information to give, even when Ryder resorted to not-so-idle threats. The man walked away with one fingernail barely attached as he was quite quick to crumble and divulge what little information he had - which wasnât much, unfortunately. This led to him not so much walking away as he was more so led to the dungeons for further questioning.
They were roughly over halfway through the kitchen staff when things took a turn, and one of the young men was oddly nervous and uncertain in his answers. When everyone exploded into movement, Ryder had barely enough time to remove his sword before Adrian had already struck him down. The young manâs final words, however, lingered in Ryderâs mind, and he felt his gaze wander over towards his Queen, who was visibly shaken, undoubtedly from the second attempt on her life. Noting the information and reminding himself to ask her later about it, as he did not want to burden her at that moment when she had already been through so much in such little time. Adrian made quick work of leaving with the body, and Ryder himself left the room to call for two servants to clean the bloodied mess that had become the officeâs floor.
Due to the scene, the rest of the interrogations were moved to the courtyard. At this point, he had finished his interviews; the man that was deemed suspect had been taken out, and the rest of the kitchen staff cleared by himself as well as the Queen. The rest of them would be carried out by various appointed officials by the Queen, ranging from the Head of Medicine to the Master of Beasts. Instead, Ryder would be at the Queenâs side for a majority of the remainder of the interviews, as was his duty as her advisor, occasionally wandering to check in on the interrogations and see how they were coming along. His eyes moved quickly and constantly, always taking something in, never stopping and always studying as they walked and stood, talked or remained silent in observation.
It wasnât until the interrogations had completely finished several hours later that Ryder relaxed even slightly, and that was only enough so as to speak to his Queen in a lovely manner. Despite his growling stomach - they had worked through lunch so as to ensure the safety of the palace and their Queen - he was still there to serve her and only her. Besides, if it were not for Ivelda, he would not even be alive right now to feel hunger, so a few hunger pains were tolerable enough in the long run of things. Placing one hand over his heart and the other arm folded behind his back, he bowed forward slightly at the waist before her. âMy Queen, now that the interrogations have concluded and we sent all those deemed to be suspicious to the dungeons for further questioning, what is your command?â he asked, awaiting her response.
Font Color: #0F569C
Thaddeus was enraged.
He had been known as intimidating among the cleaning staff but he had been one of their lesser concerns. His business had often been outside of the castle, having trained his best men to guard the castle itself. It had been a strange arrangement but they knew where Thaddeus' priorities lay. If the Queen summoned him, all else would fall to the side, just as it had earlier that day. If the Queen was in any sort of danger, he would be there with his men, just as he had been that day. Regardless of whether the Queen wanted or needed him, he would be there. He would be her defender, her attacker, her Rock.
But right now, he was one of her interrogators for the staff.
Thaddeus was assigned to the cleaning staff while his own men would be seen by another of her most loyal subjects. His petty concerns of cohesion among them were gone now that he knew they all had one main concern. The welfare of the Queen came above all else and he kept that well in mind as he commenced his own interrogations. His voice never rose but he was loud enough when he flashed his sword. He was persuasive enough when his gloved hand came down upon the table. He was threatening enough when his armored body came behind them, reminding them in a whisper that their lives had no value when it came to his Queen's own.
The staff quivered and blubbered, sputtered and pleaded. Their voices squeaked or remained low with earnest vows to never harm Queen Ivelda, to never even think of it. Only when they were kneeling, heads bowed down to the earth, did Thaddeus feel satisfied. Only then did he withdraw his sword and himself, the cleaning staff released as they were all cleared.
Aurora Givens~Meridian O'Donohue~Lilith Evers
#5477B9~#46935C~#C71585
#5477B9~#46935C~#C71585
The fairy queen listened in as more of the princesses chimed in. The first to speak up was Princess Ishara. She seemed to change very little in the personality department. Eowyn had made a point to keep a close eye on the kingdoms of Emperia and Emelas, who were often at odds with each other. Ishara was quiet and nonchalant at times, Niklaus didn't talk at all. Still she saw the girl's reaction to hearing about her brother, for she had been looking at her when she delivered the news. It may not seem like much of a reaction to most, but to Eowyn, it was a big one. Her question about snacks caused the queen to giggle. She never heard of the term 'snack', but decided to roll with it. Princess Euphemia commented that she could bring whatever she wanted and Eowyn nodded as she answered.
"Princess Ishara, I recommend you bring whatever you deem necessary."
Lilith decided to add to that answer.
"Ishara, keep in mind that whatever you do bring, there won't be any electric appliances. We'll be returning to a world that's very much like the middle ages, only they rely on magic rather then electricity and other modern Earth amenities. Queen Eowyn, the clothes here are vastly different here then in Rhindeval, so we're all going to need more clothes that fit that world when we get there."
"We'll just have to get your measurements when you get here then," the queen replied.
That's when Princess Artemisia spoke up. Her question sadden the queen. However before she could answer her, Princess Euphemia spoke up and rather harshly. Her demeanor was definitely more dynamic then what Eowyn remembered. She hadn't been there when Ivelda attacked, but had learned what happened, just not all the details. Seems that Euphemia had been traumatized by the death of her parents and that Artemisia didn't quite remember what happened.
"You would be able to know what happened to your parents better then me, Princess Artemisia. As for your brother, he's safe and to my knowledge isn't suffering now. However I don't know what kind of mental states all of the princes will be in when they remember who they are. I can imagine it would cause them to suffer, knowing they were assisting the person who murdered their parents and has cause great harm to the kingdoms. Princess Euphemia, Emperia very much needs your help. The dragon of that land has gone missing since Emperia sealed itself away. I've learned it's encased in a never-ending blizzard. Ivelda's sent troops there but none have ever returned. The frost fae that have lived there have managed to get word to me that the people have frozen over. Emperia needs you very much, princess."
"What can we expect when we get there? I mean, what do we do initially?" Meridian asked suddenly.
Lilith decided to answer this question.
"Well, you'll have to get use to Rhindeval. You'll have to relearn about each other kingdoms. We'll plan from there, but I imagine we'll want to make plans for saving the princes."
"I will do whatever I can to help you. Just remember that I can't directly oppose Ivelda since she's a servant of one of the main evil forces of Rhindeval. I'd been breaking an ancient treaty if I did."
That made Aurora think. She had started learning about the two opposing forces that resided in Rhindeval. Eowyn was one of the leaders of the forces of good. Magic was a balance, you couldn't have good without the evil.
"Do you know which one Ivelda serves?"
"Amodeus, the King of Demons. I picked up his signature when Ivelda tried attacking the shield around Traumet. That earned her some backlash from her master I believe for she can't directly attack anything under my protection since that be going against the treaty too. That was the only time she tried such a thing."
"So that's how my sister got so much stronger, enough to take out the rulers of Rhindeval. I felt the evil taint of her magic that day. Do any of you other girls have something to say?"
âSome things cannot be fixed ⊠They can only be carried.â
Code ~ #0B610B
The response that she garnered while not what she wanted was interesting, to say the least. Euphemia - or rather, she was known as Reese now - seemed to have been in some way triggered by Altheaâs question of the Queen and had snapped, immediately attentive to their conversation and interjecting herself. While older than she was by a year at most, the other woman was only a few inches at most taller than she, and seemed to be attempting to use her outer persona to intimidate Althea in some way.
Observing the dark look that had settled deeply within Reeseâs eyes, Althea tilted her head slightly to the side, her expression curious yet holding a softness to it that could only be explained as patience and understanding, if it were to be put into simple words. Althea did not interject, allowing Reese to continue her outburst, as it was clear that this was a serious and sore topic for her still. The anger that she saw, and the abrasive cruelty that she attempted to give off, did little to mask the underlying sadness that Althea could quite easily read within her. Once Reese had finished, Althea took a moment to absorb what she had said, vaguely taking in what the Queen had said in response to her question as well as the inquiries and reactions of those also within the room, but noting it nonetheless.
It was clear that all of their parents had perished in horrible and graphic ways, but in almost seemed as though, in some way or another, their deaths had been quick and at least not torturous. For that, Althea drew a bit of comfort, knowing that they did not suffer for very long. Adding to that the knowledge that her brother was otherwise healthy for what they knew, she felt a bit better about the situation, although was still deeply sorrowful and mournful over the loss of her family and potential life, and not to mention completely and utterly enraged. Her expression tightened a bit as she processed everything that Reese had said and she turned her face slightly towards the ground. The nice thing about her was her ability to keep her emotions in check for the most part, so pushing back the anger that boiled within her chest, she swallowed thickly and shook her head a bit.
It took a few moments for all of these thoughts to flash through Althea, but by the time that she had sorted her mind, she was calm once more, her features relaxed. Lifting her head, Althea took in a small breath and let it out in a soft sigh, her gaze fixating on Reese. A few steps took her to her side once more, and Althea never once wavered her eyes on the other girl. Reaching out, she laid her hand gently on her upper arm, near her shoulder but not quite atop it, both in order to get her attention as it had been drawn towards the Queen, but also in a movement of comfort.
âThe reason why I wanted to know how much they suffered, is because now that I know, I can be comforted by the fact that their deaths were quick. It does little to lessen the pain, but it does bring me some comfort, nonetheless,â she said softly, her expression holding that gentle understanding to it once more. After a moment, she spoke again, her voice holding a small bit of conviction to it, yet still quiet. âBansky once said, âThey say that you die twice; once when you stop breathing, and then a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last timeâ.â Glancing around at the other women in the room briefly, she returned her gaze to Reese once more, a sadness held in her features now.
âReese, we all lost our parents and the lives that we were supposed to have lived. I know it isnât fair that we had to grow up the way that we did, with some suffering more so than others, but we cannot compare pains at a time like this. We cannot change the past, but only the future. If anyone, in either this world or Rhindeval, can even come close to understanding what you have been through, itâs the people in this room,â she motioned a bit to the room as she spoke, her eyes pleading with Reese to understand. When she met her gaze again, Althea gently took her hand in hers, that look of plea remaining on her face. âNot only do I need you, but we need you - and so do the princes and your people. You heard the Queen - the dragon of Emperia is missing, and your people are frozen in an endless blizzard. I cannot speak for your parents, but I know that mine would want me to do everything that I can to save my brother and my people.â Searching her gaze, Althea gripped her hand a bit tighter, yet not painfully so. â'There comes a point where it all becomes too much. When we get too tired to fight anymore - so we give up. That's when the real work begins. To find hope where there seems to be absolutely none at all.'" Althea paused and bit her lower lip before she continued. "Christina Yang said that. Our hope is the fact that not only are we still alive, but so are the princes and the people of our kingdoms. That has to mean something. For us to win this fight, though, we have to be a team, and to operate as a team, we need everyone that is a part fo that team. At this point, all that any of us has is each other, and I frankly could not care less if any of you feel the opposing way, but to me ... I consider you all family. Reese ... We need you.â After another moment, Althea gently released Reeseâs hand, taking a step back from her and rubbing her own elbow. At this point, there wasnât much else that she could do to help the situation - it was out of her hands.
6565D1
When Ivelda acknowledged Ryderâs role in discovering the poison, Benedicto gritted his teeth. He had no love for the Queenâs advisor. The two of them were often at odds on how to deal with certain issues, and by all means Ryder was far too liberal and friendly with the citizens. He had never brought this up with the Queen, but he did think she was aware of the animosity between the advisor and himself.
âIndeed we have to express our sincere gratitude to Ryder for prevailing any harm that would have befallen you.â Benedicto stated without actually expressing his thanks.
The preacher rose to his feet again and stepped to the side when others were also arriving in the Throne Room. Remembering his lashing from his Goddess of the day before, he kept quiet, seeing the painting of the suspect in front of his eyes. The image burned into his soul and he could feel the anger in him rising. This person has dared to try and kill our Queen, this person needs the most severe of punishments.
Benedicto stood back to wait for instructions and looked on as the kitchen crew appeared in the Throne Room. He towered above them all and tried to read their faces. All of them looked nervous, but that was expected. He smelled a mixed stench of sweat and onions coming from all of them. With a note of disgust, Benedicto held his arm close to his nose. Appearing to be in thought, but in reality shielding himself from the smell.
He saw all of the men and women swear their loyalty to the Goddess. Out of nowhere a distracted Benedicto saw a man pull out a knife and launching for Ivelda. Adrian reacted the fastest and before the preacher could even react, the man stumbled to the floor. An audible gasp was interrupted by the manâs last words. "Curse you . . . . Ivelda . . . . Lilith and . . . the true rulers will . . . defeat you. . . . long live Prince Richard . . . .â
While Adrian wrapped the body in order to be disposed, Benedicto wandered if it was not better to display the corpse. A deterrent for anyone wanting to commit the same heinous acts. The bells of the castle sounded again in the same rhythm they had rang less than an hour before. By the time the sounds would reach the corners of the Kingdom, people would have a lot of questions. In his mind the preacher was already thinking of a phrasing in order to inform all citizens of what had happened.
LilithâŠ.why does it sound so familiar? The name disturbed him. He could swear he had read it before, but could not for the life of him remember where and in what context. He followed the rest to the courtyard with his head in the clouds. He kept whispering the name Lilith to himself, hoping to spark some kind of memory, but nothing came to mind.
Hastily, some tables and chairs were assembled in the courtyard, set up so the interrogators could do their work. Rubbing his hands as if excited, Benedicto took place behind one of the desks. He pulled one chair back and put it to the side. He rather stand while doing the interrogation. Normally he would prefer to do this in a closed room, but with the 2 murder attempts so far, he was happy some other people were around.
The Beastmaster's people were told to line up in front of his area. He started with the simple help, making people more nervous and nervous as time went on. With the victims seated, he would stalk around them like a lion around its pray. They might be used to working with horses, but they hadn't seen a real predator at work. He saw how the others used violence here and there, but this was not his style. He used words, threats and unlikely questions to shake up the people he interrogated. The people waiting in line were able to pick up words here and there, but it was difficult for them to hear it all.
He asked only non-sensical questions to the third person. He could see tears in the young girls eyes when she had no idea how to answer him appropriately without getting into trouble. He stood behind her and put his hands on the backrest of the chair. His long fingers were rhythmically tapping the wood, just behind her ears. He asked her about her morning, the people she saw and the food she ate. Then he started to talk about her family, about the people at home that depended on her. She answered how she had a difficult time providing food for all the people at home.
âSo, it would be better if there were not so many mouths to feed?â he asked calmly.
âI.. it would be easierâŠbutâŠit would be easier if we would earn more money. My father lost a foot when he was in the royal guard, so he canât help as much around the house.â
âSo, you say it would be easier if he was no longer thereâŠ., interestingâŠâ
After torturing the girl for a bit longer he asked her to swear her loyalty before he let her go. With tears running down her face she ran back into the castle.
He looked over to the next person, a young man this time. Looking at him with a friendly smile on his face he pulled the chair back, inviting him to sit down. After a stressful morning he started to feel more like his normal self again.
18D10A
His eyes darted back and forth over the streets. He could see little movement as the streets cleared out even further. The sound of slamming doors could be heard even as high up as Raiden was. His bow was relaxed in his hands, not pulling the string until he had something to shoot at.
From the right he heard a small sound over the wind. ââŠ.HEH! Cozy up there?â
Raiden couldnât exactly figure out what his âporker from another motherâ was trying to say. Knowing him, it wouldnât be a friendly word. Looking over his shoulder he saw the Outrider riding his new drake. Raiden felt sorry for it, it couldnât be easy to carry that amount of weight around on your back. He aimed his bow at the boar and pulled the string. So easyâŠit would be so easyâŠ
He could hardly imagine the ways Ivelda would torture him if he would actually release the arrow. After the bells had stopped it took a few minutes before the bells of the castle started to ring again. WaitâŠwhat does that mean? Are they going to repeat this shit the entire day?
As an answer to the bells of the castle, the bells right below his feet started ringing again as well, probably just as confused as he was. It drowned out and other sound that would be coming from Korgan or the streets.
Raiden relaxed his bow and kept looking below to see any suspicious activities. It was hard, if only they could check inside the houses instead of just the streets.
Hex Code: #ff0789
Tyann Rebal :: #F47206
Tyann had been given his instructions, though he found the situation a bit⊠Redundant? (After all, he would never hire a traitor. It would be absolutely impossible.)
Alas, he had been given his orders. A courier found him stalking the grounds and after nearly losing her hand to the snapping maws of his displacer beasts, he returned to the courtyard aboard only one of the beasts.
His mask was still that of a snarling demon, blue-black tongue and red skin, four crossed tusks and three eyes of madness were in place of his usual calm fox. The expression of the mask was that of fury and determination; and his voice barked out at Asherâs gathered staff members. He separated them from the other assembled staff, glancing at his own with a faint twinge of frustration.
Interviews were NOT his strong suit, he hated dealing with people after all! They were too willful, and as evidenced, prone to mistakes! Oh well.
He began his line of questions, moving from one medical woman and medical man to the next. The whole time, he and his beast paced in a circle around each individual. Tyann was hoping, even going so far as to place full belief, in the idea that the fear of being torn by both his claw and the displacerâs would be enough to crack someone who would otherwise be a betrayer.
Tempeste was nervous. Not so much for herself but for the rest of the medical staff and the deserted ward full of the sick and dying. This was perhaps the closest encounter she had ever had with Tyann, Ariâs overseer. Had things been different, perhaps she might have been working under him instead. She did like animals although she was not particularly fond of the beast that Tyann had chosen to mount today and stable hands did get injured quite often.
She took a deep breath, finding some comfort that Ari hadnât voiced any complaints about the prince in charge of him. As intimidating as the mask and beast could be, Ariâs opinion held more weight to her as her shoulders eased of tension.
The feel of the beastâs breath on her leg was enough to make the nurse next to her tremble and about to keel over any second. Tempeste looked about and the rest of the staff werenât doing much better. Theyâd treated disease and injuries, seen death a plenty but that didnât make them any braver in the face of the possibility of being injured or killed themselves. If anything, it made them more terrified with the understanding of how fleeting life could be. She held back a sigh and maintained her composure, trying to lead by example.
Tyann paused before one of the nurses as he was moving down the line, nose wrinkling behind his mask as the beast huffed once. He slid off its back, standing beside the creature as the woman made a singular whimper. His feet moved, his hands moved too, and as the Displacer opened its mouth in anticipation, Tyann slammed a clawed palm onto the top of the creature's skull. âHssst! Nâkrah! Shtalfos.â
Tyannâs voice snapped out, violent and rasping, as the Displacer snapped its maw shut and simply stared at the fearful prey item. Tyann himself used a hand to grab the woman by the chin and lock her eyes with his. At first she kept trying to look away, and with the frustration of a handler attempting to get a panicked horse under control again, Tyann shook her head gently and made the first truly gentle sound of his day. âShh. Shh. Calm down. Your panic makes the beast hungry. Simply give me your name and convince me you are not a traitorous spider,â he spat the word, âAnd you wonât be harmed.â
She eventually calmed enough to speak, and Tyann moved on.
It wasnât long until he was in front of Tempeste, her eyes locking onto the ones that peered out behind the mask. âMy name is Tempeste Ponce, sir. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Please proceed with what you must ask of me.â She said when it was her turn to speak, confidently but respectful of his authority.
âMiss Ponce⊠By the way you carry yourself, I assume that you are either Asherâs second in command? Or perhaps you are our resident healerâs brains, hm? ⊠I ask you, do you have utmost loyalty to our queen? Do note that a lie will be picked up by the beast.â Tyann stated, intrigued by the woman who showed more spine than the others had so far. She stood tall under his gaze, and showed no hesitation near the Displacer, and that in and of itself was admirable.
Tempeste nodded at his observations, catching his jest but sticking to business so the ordeal could be over with quickly. At the very least, it was a promising start as he somewhat complimented her. âAye. I am the head of his medical staff and I swear utmost loyalty to-"
"I can't!!! I can't take this anymore!" The nurse interrogated before her started screaming out. "Tempeste was there last night! She was in the kitchens! Please spare me, sir! I had nothing to do with it!!!" The woman started begging on her knees, clutching onto the ends of Tyann's clothes for dear life. Tears streamed down her face and she started choking on her own breath. "She asked me to look after the ward in her absence that night. I thought it strange that she left her shift early but I didn't think to disobey orders. Please forgive me! Had I known, I wouldn't have kept silent!!"
Tempeste could feel her heart pumping with blood as the beat became irregular, watching as the unexpected scene unfolded. What the nurse said was true, but misleading. She was innocent. Her focus snapped back to Tyann, uncertain what the wisest course of action would be. Outright denial might be seen as suspicious and/or condemn her fellow staff member. Odsbodikins.
Tyann came to a perfect stop as the other woman began her cries. His head moved as if he were some automaton, his body otherwise staying still as he turned his gaze down at the nurse who clutched his clothing. A heartbeat or two passed, and in the silence before he made his response, the beastmaster began to growl.
This day⊠Was not anything he could have ever wanted. First someone poisons his queen; that someone supposedly standing right in front of him. Then someone decided that instead of just having the staff be interviewed by Her Highness, Her Advisor, and Her ⊠Inquisitor? They decide that he and the others who know NOTHING about interviewing or anything of the sort, need to do so! This is then compounded by the absolutely splitting headache that had started his day and by now was mostly in the background but was now yanked to the fore by the BLOODY WOMAN WHO WAS SCREAMING HER FOOL HEAD OFF.
Tyannâs temper flared, and as he turned his entire body to the woman, his rasping voice lashed out into the air. âNâkrah! Tilmos!â
The Displacer at his side, with its curling, barbed, squid-like tentacles, lashed out in pure silence. The nurse, clutching as she was to Tyannâs kimono, was unprepared for the sudden violence that met her. What noise she would have made was silenced as Tyann shifted just enough for the panther-monster beast to leap forth and slam the doomed nurse to the ground.
His snarling demonic mask turned its way to Tempeste as he once again spoke. âMiss Ponce⊠I believe you have not had the chance to be utterly truthful to me⊠Would you care to explain what former nurse Almater meant by her words?â
He snapped his head at the others in the medical line, his face behind his mask twisted into a truly wrathful snarl. He KNEW he was being rash, being illogical, even being unnecessarily chaotic⊠But that could be damned! He was a bleeding PRINâ
His thoughts screeched to a halt as that once splitting headache became briefly overwhelming. The world turned white, and the sounds of the displacer beast ending a life faded.
Tempeste didnât look away at the horror that befell the nurse as flashes of that day in the Saintâs Sanctum mixed with the present like a fast-paced blur. The two events had little in common besides the death of another healer but it haunted her all the same to see another person she knew, gone, just like that. Tempeste wondered if she could have done something, anything to prevent it. âIf that chance is open to me, I am willing and able to explain.â She responded in a humble manner, a little shaken although her voice did not betray her as the words flowed out of her mouth smoothly despite the bad feeling. She had to be strong, or fake it until she made it.
The world snapped back into place as he drew a long shuddering breath, his throat rasping out a long growl as the hand that had pressed to his temple came back to his side. His brain was a lump of pure agony in his skull, and His Queen would not stand for any failure on his part.
And so a hand whipped out and angled a clawed finger directly into Tempesteâs face. âYou. Will come with me momentarily to the dungeons. We shall see if we cannot get anymore information out of you.â His voice rose as he took a look around the rest of the staff. âThe rest of you! Take note of this! GIVE. ME. YOUR. FULL. HONESTY. And this wonât happen to you! Do NOT touch me!â
#125131
In the open fields of the courtyard, a group of castle guards gathered in front of Korgan. The mountain of meat and muscle that made up his body hunched upon a bar stool one-tenth his size, his legs crossed, his chin rested upon his knuckles, his lips pursed into a grand pout.
"Right. You have ten seconds to tell me which one of you's a dirty rat, or I'm sending all of you to Eike." His stomach turned, and his eye twitched upon mention of the inquisitor's name.
There was a moment of silence.
Korgan tapped at his knee to count the seconds.
The silence persisted.
"We⊠we didn't do it, sir," one guard mumbled.
"We're all loyal to the Queen!" Another added.
"I named me cat after her favourite colour!"
Korgan took a moment to consider, then shrugged. "...Good enough for me. NEXT!"
The interrogations persisted with little to show for them. Groups upon groups of guards were cleared, with little to no harm visited upon them save a scant few cases of soiled trousers.
"If you think I'm pretty
You should see me in a crown."
- Billie Eilish
--------------------------------------
âČ Lucie facepalmed after staying silent for the longest time. âIf Ivelda doesnât kill me, the sheer stupidity gathered in this room will.â She muttered under her breath, unimpressed by everyone, Lilith, Eowyn, and the questions so far. It didnât really change anything for Lucie who was determined as ever to right the wrongs committed and return to the way things were supposed to be. However, listening to everyone talk right now was like having her brain smooshed against a cheese grater over and over. The only good news she'd heard was that the princes were all alive. She had assumed they were tossed in a ditch somewhere.
Lucie began with Lilith. âYou want to wait 2 more weeks because of the education system? Whatâs at stake if you don't? Grades? Isnât Rhindeval more important and uh, lives? Figure out where your loyalties and priorities lie." she said in a condescending tone.
Then she turned to Eowyn as the other older figure in the room. âAnd with all due respect, youâve been tiptoeing around a treaty for 13 years? I may not know much about Rhindeval as it is today but you do and I canât believe thatâs the lame excuse you have after all this time for not doing more. You know all about the suffering, the brainwash, and all the tricks going on at Iveldaâs freakshow and yet, still tiptoeing. So, I don't believe that you will do 'whatever you can to help us'. You should be ashamed of yourself. The balance has been tipped immeasurably and irreversibly.â
Then she turned to Reese and... paused. Her finger pointed at Reese, she opened her mouth and then paused again. It was hard to process the problem with that one. Before finally, âReese, that was T.M.I. I know you're a total nut job and I TOTALLY get now why you went barbaric on me the other day with your unresolved trauma issues but go get therapy or something. I donât want to hear you yap on about your mumsyâs rolling head and whatever else is wrong with you. If you can't afford it, perhaps the university counselor because Y i k e s.â she said, taking a step back from her general direction to emphasize her point.
She dropped her finger and moved onto Artemisia with her hands on her hips. That girl really got on her nerves, always trying to hog the spotlight when it was undeserved and uncalled for. Lucie laughed a bit though then brought her fist to rest against her bottom lip as she cleared her throat politely. âYou could not care less if we feel differently hmm? That sounds like a greeaat family dynamic." Lucie said, clasping her hands together and batting her eyelashes exaggeratedly. "Personally, I'm not going to take advice or draw inspiration from a graffiti artist and a fictional character. What do you think this is? The formation of the Winx Club? Powerpuff Girls? Whatever magical fantasy girl group you're thinking of, speak for yourself. I don't need a nutjob or you. You must have a mouth full of cavities from all that sugarcoating rubbish..." She said, shooing her away like Reese.
Lucie then released a sigh of relief that she got to say almost everything that was building inside her head. She thought she might explode if she didn't. Venting helped. âNo questions." Lucie added with a closed eyes smile, holding her hand up with an open palm as if she were the one people had questions for not Eowyn.
#8E1717
Reese stared at Eowyn in complete disbelief.
"Iddris... missing?" She repeated, the words hollow, no... nothing solid in them, nothing she could believe in. She didn't even think to complain about Eowyn calling her Euphemia. That defensive feeling, that desire to attack all but faded as she remembered being comforted by the shadow soaring over Emperia's walls. It was such a strange thing. Where most prey shied from the shadows of a winged predator, Emperians felt blessed to be in them. Iddris would never run in Emperia's moment of need. That means...
A violent image hit her. The great silver dragon being struck from the heavens against a backdrop of blood red skies. She had no way of knowing it were memory or imagination. She stepped back, horrified, a hand to her mouth and eyes shaking with fury within their sockets, ready to be launched with the fury Horus felt at humanity when he tore out his! Did everything have to...?! EVERYONE have to be taken a-!
A hand laid itself on her arm. Reese jerked to the pleading gaze of Artemisia.
"... comfort... compare pains... Banksy... family."
If there was ever a word that could break Reese into cold sweats, that was it. When Artemisia took her hand she looked downright disturbed. She snapped her hand back the moment it was released, regarding it suspiciously, as if the innocent Artemisia had laid a trap there, while Lucie blew up like she was prone to. How sad, the two of them were so destructive and yet so entirely different. Reese was fire and wanted everyone to burn with her. Lucie sought to stab through everyone's hearts and feelings with ice.
"In my defense, I didn't know I had PTSD until, like, yesterday, so, go figure," she muttered to herself with a flat expression when Lucie was through tormenting her. The other stuff she was saying - I mean, yeah, it checked out, but Reese still cared about her grades, here! Like she was gonna give up fixing her screwed up life in this world before jumping over to be a screw up in the other one! And like, that woman didn't even want to hear about heads...
Reese burned out. She leaned over to Artemisia as the others spoke and Lucie was reprimanded, catching her eye to state,
"Don't ever touch me again, you pretentious bitch."
She was about to storm out, done and dusted, but her brow twitched and she lurched back in for one final measure, "And it was Meredith Grey who said that, not Christina Yang! Or really, more like Peter Nowalk the How to Get Away with Murder Guy, he's the one who wrote the ep-... *inhale* ......nevermind." She sealed her mouth and gave Artemisia a proper dissuading mean-eyed glare before turning around and running up the stairs and out of there.
Up in the light, Reese really considered giving in to her old ways and pinching the silverware. Instead she took the pitchers of water and lemonade with her and went outside to sit on the porch.
Font Color: #E35D9A
There was a lot happening and Sibylla was just a tad overwhelmed.
What had originally been a simple meeting with the Fairy Queen had turned into a drama, the episode ending with Reese storming out. And as much as Sibylla enjoyed binging episodes of whatever drama she had been recommended that week, being in one was an entirely different thing. For one, she had no popcorn. And as for two, well, her parents were the ones dead. A lot of their parents were dead.
But not their princely counterparts.
The chance Sibylla had given Lilith's proposition became a guarantee she would help. It was secured the moment the Fairy Queen had confirmed there would be a way back to Earth. Backed by memories of the boys, one in particular sticking out, Sibylla embraced her name but only until the boys and kingdoms were rescued. Her kingdom had been one of the few which had sealed itself off after all. This meant that the people there were probably safe and thus, a new heir could be picked.
Of course, she wasn't going to tell any of them that with the way Justice was off scolding anyone that even dared to speak in her presence. Who knew what the girl would say to Sibylla if she knew of the partial commitment she was making. With the tense silence left by Reese's departure however, she did feel something had to be said.
"She has a point," Sibylla spoke up as she pulled the lollipop out of her mouth. She was aware of the eyes turning towards her, and her ears reddened. "That quote has a lot of uh, a lot of predeREESEsecors."
"Aha..."
Her face reddened and she gave them an awkward smile before hastily moving on.
"Anyway! Seeing as Reese there would slaughter most of us with one exception," she continued quickly, glancing at her new weed dealer, "I think we should let her cool off a bit. Nothing against you Althea but we all, uh, we all found out about this stuff like yesterday too so uh..."
"Though some of us could be a little less hasty about all this," Sibylla added, shooting a glare at Justice. "Some of us do have friends and family here that do actually enjoy our presence. Friends and family that probably convinced a good portion of us to even be here. Two weeks won't be that much of a difference compared to the what, thirteen years we've been gone? Chill."
Sibylla was about to pop the lollipop back in her mouth when she added to Lilith and the Fairy Queen, "Oh, I also don't have any questions by the way."
#740c50
Freddie cast her gaze low as she listened to Reese's story. Her words were harsh, and her tone visceral⊠she remembered those images, as clear as if they were just yesterday.
To be a child, and to see such carnage with her own eyes. Freddie tried to wrap her head around such trauma⊠but the only thing she felt was the ache in her head and throat. And that deep, sinking feeling in the bottom of her stomach...
Barbed words were traded between Artemisia and Justice. Three different personalities that just could not stand each other, until Reese had enough and departed.
"ReeseâŠ," Freddie murmured, gazing upon the door out of the basement.
She sighed, then stroked the empty air above her lap. "I don't⊠think it's about⊠comparing pains." She stopped and brought the finger in front of her face. "If I touch a needle⊠I'll bleed⊠and pull away." She glanced towards Artemisia, her blue eyes a dull, dark shade that reflected the barest glint of light. "It's only human⊠to retreat from pain."
Freddie turned to Justice. "By the way⊠Reese had met the Counselor beforeâŠ" She shook her head, curled her fingers and gave a thumbs down. "No bueno⊠only thing he was good for... was his Mango tea."
She stared at her fellow silver-haired Princess for a spell. She was⊠mean. Some could say she was⊠a bit of a dick, even. There was no denying or arguing about it. But the sheer passion she radiated with every word⊠It reminded her a little of Reese. Justice truly didn't care what the others thought. If it came from a man, she'd call such arrogance⊠attractive. And even if it didn'tâŠ
Freddie blinked, casting aside that train of thought. She returned Sibylla's glance with silence acknowledgement, then looked between the group, the door upstairs, and back again.
"It's a good idea⊠to let her cool off⊠butâŠ" Freddie glanced at Artemisia. She was right about one thing. "We⊠are⊠a team⊠for a while."
Freddie bowed her head and sighed. "I can't be⊠the only one⊠that Reese gets along with." She said, pointedly directing her gaze towards the rest of the Princesses.
#DA0000
âIâll be going back,â Silvia answered once things were finally quiet again. She couldnât even think about what to say about the current mess going on. Although she knew this "familyâs" current dynamic was not going to work. They would fail as a team. What worried her the most was that Sia and Freddie would choose their brothers over everyone else. It made sense, but where would this leave the other princes? Silvia had no idea what she would do if she had to choose saving one prince over the other. She didnât even know what sheâd do if she had to save one living thing over the other. Well, that is if Justice wasnât one of those things. With how Justice was behaving, Silvia was ready to beat her until she was on the line between life and death.
She took a sip of her water. Silvia had refilled her glass before they all came downstairs. The glass was pretty full as this was the first sip of the new water. Silvia took another slow and deep breath. She had been breathing slowly to stay calm pretty much the whole time they were downstairs. Justice was a bitch, a royal bitch. Since she told her dad she would be the bigger person and focus on killing enemies with love, she hadnât dragged Justice outside by her hair. She turned her eyes to Meri.
âMeri, I am going to check on Reese. Can you please text me anything important I may miss? I donât have my phone on me now as I think my dad moved it last night, so donât feel rushed to text me right away,â she said. As Silvia walked out, she paused behind Justice for a second and poured the icy water on her head. Silvia then continued walking and climbed up the stairs, taking a few at a time. When she got to the living room, she paused as Reese was no where to be found. She wondered if she had left. Silvia opened the front door and poked her head outside. She was glad Justice didnât make Reese leave completely. Silently she walked over to Reese and sat right next to her. She held her empty cup of water out to Reese.
âMay I have some water please or the pitcher to fill my cup if you prefer?â she paused to give Reese a small smile, âMy cup was full, but the water was so attracted to Justice that it got poured onto her head. I was surprised she didn't start screaming that she was melting.â
âI wonder if we could convince Lilith we donât need Justice for this trip. She seems willing not to force everyone to go...think it would be safe to say Justice may make things worse," she added. Silvia wasnât sure how to comfort Reese as she didnât know her. She didnât know this version of her at least. Silvia had memories as a child of the girl. The only issue was she didnât visit her kingdom often. What she remembered most was the cold. As she did as a child, she preferred warmer or even hot weather. For now, she decided to talk a bit too much. She decided Reese would tell her if talking was not a good way to comfort her. Some people did just like silence.
She took a sip of her water. Silvia had refilled her glass before they all came downstairs. The glass was pretty full as this was the first sip of the new water. Silvia took another slow and deep breath. She had been breathing slowly to stay calm pretty much the whole time they were downstairs. Justice was a bitch, a royal bitch. Since she told her dad she would be the bigger person and focus on killing enemies with love, she hadnât dragged Justice outside by her hair. She turned her eyes to Meri.
âMeri, I am going to check on Reese. Can you please text me anything important I may miss? I donât have my phone on me now as I think my dad moved it last night, so donât feel rushed to text me right away,â she said. As Silvia walked out, she paused behind Justice for a second and poured the icy water on her head. Silvia then continued walking and climbed up the stairs, taking a few at a time. When she got to the living room, she paused as Reese was no where to be found. She wondered if she had left. Silvia opened the front door and poked her head outside. She was glad Justice didnât make Reese leave completely. Silently she walked over to Reese and sat right next to her. She held her empty cup of water out to Reese.
âMay I have some water please or the pitcher to fill my cup if you prefer?â she paused to give Reese a small smile, âMy cup was full, but the water was so attracted to Justice that it got poured onto her head. I was surprised she didn't start screaming that she was melting.â
âI wonder if we could convince Lilith we donât need Justice for this trip. She seems willing not to force everyone to go...think it would be safe to say Justice may make things worse," she added. Silvia wasnât sure how to comfort Reese as she didnât know her. She didnât know this version of her at least. Silvia had memories as a child of the girl. The only issue was she didnât visit her kingdom often. What she remembered most was the cold. As she did as a child, she preferred warmer or even hot weather. For now, she decided to talk a bit too much. She decided Reese would tell her if talking was not a good way to comfort her. Some people did just like silence.
#8E1717
Reese jolted as the door opened, her heart slamming fearfully into her ribcage. Lemonade went up her nose and she coughed, pulling away from the pitcher she'd been drinking straight out of. She hit her chest back into shape and wiped at her nose with a frown. What the hell, since when had she been so jumpy... Silvia sat beside her, towering a good half a foot or more over her head. Despite her fuming, Reese didn't hold back her smile at the image of a melting Lucie. She shuffled her knees in and rested her arms on them to hide her head behind.
"Luce's been like that ever since the orphanage," she murmured, "Everything's gone her way so far. Maybe Rhindeval will give in and revolve around her just like Earth did." Her fingers dug into her fluffy jacket and her brow furrowed. Right, Rhindeval, Justice... she'd known her longer than the orphanage, all of them, it was going to take a while to be used to that.
She stuck out the water pitcher to Silvia, not looking her way, and said very seriously,
"You can have it, but you've gotta dump it on my head too."
She straightened up and shut her eyes, awaiting her icy punishment. "So what about you, Princess Silvia," she continued abrasively, face scrunched up in preparation, "Think I'm a whiny nutjob too? Ready to brave the Evil Queen's reign of terror, no sweat? Take a few heads yourself?!" With each word, she sounded more heated. Really time for that cool off.
#DA0000
Silvia looked straight ahead when Reese made it obvious she did not want any eye contact. She stayed quiet for a bit as she took in all her words and thought about them. She didnât dwell on thoughts of the orphanage as they werenât exactly happy times. She had taken the pitcher and filled her glass, but had decided she was not going to dump it on Reese. It would feel like kicking a wounded puppy.
She wanted to hug her. She didnât as Reese seemed to get more upset as she spoke. Her being upset stopped Silvia from providing physical affection and dwelling on how she didnât like the title of princess. A soft sigh escaped her lips at her final questions and partly as she wasnât sure how to comfort Reese. She inched closer to Reese so they sat less than a hair away.
âThe only whiny nutjob in this group is Justice. Do you hear what comes out of her mouth? She is a real piece of work...I doubt everything has gone her way on Earth. I bet when something doesnât go her way, she twists it inside of her mind to make herself believe it went her way. Hopefully, I bet, Rhindeval will give her a very rude awakening,â she said before taking a sip of water. She placed the pitcher down on the far side of her, well away from Reese.
âAbout your other questions. I am not ready to brave Ivelda. Although, I think being brave is more about doing things despite your fear and not letting your fear stop you,â she paused to place her cup down, âAnd Iâd rather not take any heads, but I will if I have to. My mother always said it is better to kill your enemies before they kill you or someone you care about.â
The thought of her mother did cause her heart to ache. She had so much love for someone she had forgotten. Her mother usually only showed her tough side, but she made sure to show Silvia her soft side with a hug, kiss, or even kind words in private. She pushed memories away as she turned to face Reese. She glanced around, and it was private enough. Silvia decided it wouldnât hurt to act like she did as a child. Kindness was usually well received as well. She grabbed Reeseâs chin and leaned down to give her a kiss on each cheek. After, she pulled back a little. She did keep a hold of Reese chin so they could make eye contact if Reese opened her eyes.
âNow, letâs not think about the bad parts that may occur on this journey. We just have to think of the potential good parts...I donât go into a game or race thinking we will lose. I always think we will win, even if the odds seem to be against us during the game or race,â she said. Silvia let go of Reeseâs chin and settled back in her position next to her.
âWhen we find your dragon, do you think we can take it for a ride? I always wanted to fly,â she stated, deciding to think of a potential fun moment in the future.â
She wanted to hug her. She didnât as Reese seemed to get more upset as she spoke. Her being upset stopped Silvia from providing physical affection and dwelling on how she didnât like the title of princess. A soft sigh escaped her lips at her final questions and partly as she wasnât sure how to comfort Reese. She inched closer to Reese so they sat less than a hair away.
âThe only whiny nutjob in this group is Justice. Do you hear what comes out of her mouth? She is a real piece of work...I doubt everything has gone her way on Earth. I bet when something doesnât go her way, she twists it inside of her mind to make herself believe it went her way. Hopefully, I bet, Rhindeval will give her a very rude awakening,â she said before taking a sip of water. She placed the pitcher down on the far side of her, well away from Reese.
âAbout your other questions. I am not ready to brave Ivelda. Although, I think being brave is more about doing things despite your fear and not letting your fear stop you,â she paused to place her cup down, âAnd Iâd rather not take any heads, but I will if I have to. My mother always said it is better to kill your enemies before they kill you or someone you care about.â
The thought of her mother did cause her heart to ache. She had so much love for someone she had forgotten. Her mother usually only showed her tough side, but she made sure to show Silvia her soft side with a hug, kiss, or even kind words in private. She pushed memories away as she turned to face Reese. She glanced around, and it was private enough. Silvia decided it wouldnât hurt to act like she did as a child. Kindness was usually well received as well. She grabbed Reeseâs chin and leaned down to give her a kiss on each cheek. After, she pulled back a little. She did keep a hold of Reese chin so they could make eye contact if Reese opened her eyes.
âNow, letâs not think about the bad parts that may occur on this journey. We just have to think of the potential good parts...I donât go into a game or race thinking we will lose. I always think we will win, even if the odds seem to be against us during the game or race,â she said. Silvia let go of Reeseâs chin and settled back in her position next to her.
âWhen we find your dragon, do you think we can take it for a ride? I always wanted to fly,â she stated, deciding to think of a potential fun moment in the future.â
Aurora Givens~Meridian O'Donohue~Lilith Evers
#5477B9~#46935C~#C71585
#5477B9~#46935C~#C71585
The next to speak was Sia. Meridian wanted to groan after she finished what she needed to say. The girl had good intentions, but she did sound a bit too pretentious. Anyone could see that Reese was about to explode too. However before she could speak up, Justice finally said something. After she mentioned grades, the green hair girl spoke up.
"I don't know about you Justice, but I like to finish what I start. Yes, Rhindeval needs us, but it's not going to kill you to wait for the semester to end. My father always said it's best to never leave any loose ends. Think, if we left right now, our sudden disappearance would be marked. Plus are you even ready to leave for our old home yet?"
Her questions weren't answered for the light haired princess set her sites on the Fairy Queen. Even Lilith couldn't hide her surprise as the queen was spoken so harshly to. She knew the queen was generally easy going, but one was unwise to get on her badside. Indeed, Eowyn was not happy with Justice's behavior. She would have spoken up immediately but the girl said more unnecessary things.
"Silence your tongue mortal! You may be a princess, but you never take that tone with me. Obviously you've forgotten I've been around long before your ancestors built Serein. It's thanks to this treaty that the world isn't in a constant state of war. Let me refresh your memory, Justice. I am one of the reasons you are a princess since it was I who task your ancestors to protect Serein. If I could easily strip you of your rank and title and give it to someone more worthy. Believe me, you wouldn't be the first I would do this to."
Lilith would have spoken up, but Reese suddenly left. After an awkward silence, Sibylla spoke up. By this time, Eowyn had calmed down.
"I wouldn't blame you for wanting to say good bye to any loved ones. As for Euphemia's behavior, she is going to have to work on her behavior too. Ivelda would easily take advantage of her temper."
Ishara spoke up again and Lilith had to smile at her. Her analogy about retreating from pain was a good one. She was also a very nice person despite her quiet demeanor. It wasn't long before Silvia volunteered to check on Reese, but not before she poured her cup of water over Justice. Meridian couldn't help but laugh and Lilith frowned.
"Meridian, go get a towel really quick, there's a restroom through the 2nd door on your right when you exit this room."
Meri nodded and left. It didn't take her long to come back with a towel and gave it to Lilith, who handed it to Justice.
Aurora, silent for the most part, decided to say something.
"Um, Queen Eowyn, I just want to say thank you for your willingness to help. I don't know if we'll succeed, especially in the state we're in now, but I am glad you're here to help."
Eowyn nodded and Lilith replied, "I think that about covers it. I know you're busy, your majesty. We'll see you in a couple weeks."
"You're welcome. Before you close the connection, let me sent you an image of the place I want you to travel to. I will also do my best to mask your arrival, but I do suggest you lay low. One of my emissaries will be there to greet you and will notify me of your arrival."
"Why will you have to mask our arrival?" Meridian suddenly asked.
"When a portal opens between worlds, it causes a bit of a tear between time and space, and causes a surge in magical energy. Anyone with enough magical power has the chance of feeling it. I will feel it and Ivelda may also feel it and could investigate it. You girls are no where near ready to face her. I will basically masking that surge of magic to protect all of you. It's one thing my kind can get good at, hiding magical energy."
With that, she established a direct connection to Lilith's mind and sent the image. Lilith staggered a bit for the queen's own magical energy was nearly over-powering.
"Image received. Thanks your majesty," Lilith replied.
With that, she closed the spell and the Fairy Queen's image disappeared.
"Whoa, that was intense."
Lilith nodded and to the princesses there, she said, "Thank you, all of you. I wouldn't have been able to reach the Queen if it wasn't for you. Are there any more questions? If not, you are free to go. I can imagine all of you are getting hungry."
"No I don't. I am going to give Silvia a few more minutes with Reese before letting them know what is up. Or do you think it's safe to check on them, Ishara? Or do you prefer Freddie?" Meridian said, looking at Ishara for that last part.
"I don't have any questions at the moment, but I am sure I will at some point. Right now I need to figure out what to tell my adoptive father. He's super protective of me. I need to convince him I am capable of being on my own. He's unlikely to believe me if I told him I was from another planet all together too."
"Same here, my parents are very practical."
"I think I might be able to help you out there. Stick to the truth, but don't tell them the whole truth if you're that worried. Maybe tell them you want to spend some time in the place of your birth, but you won't be able to contact them for a bit? I would recommend if you signed up for Summer or Fall classes, you drop them since I don't know how long it'll take for us to defeat Ivelda."
"Well I am graduating, so no worries there. I was going to give myself a year off before applying for grad school. I now wonder if I'll go to grad school at all if we end up succeeding."
"I've already dropped my summer and fall courses. I never figured out a degree plan yet. Only reason why I wanted to go to college was to get away from my adopted family. I was feeling smothered."
#8F4AB1
Tyann and Tempeste went down, swallowed up by the sticky black shadows at the bottom of the winding stairs. Then they went down further still, down the hall into a darkness that warped with heat. The bells dimmed as they sank into the depths, until all sounds of the world above faded away in this deep, evil place. Groans and hisses emitted from the boilers, melting into the groans of prisoners and hisses of their chains.
⊠For someone down here, they couldnât even hear that.
At the end of a hall, wrists were tied together but unable to feel the ropes biting into them. An unseeing eye looked up, the lid peeled back with a hook, allowing droplets of water to fall down to moisten it. DripâŠâŠâŠâŠ.. DripâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠ dripâŠâŠâŠ. A repetitive, mind-numbing pattern. It was the only thing he could feel. A little girl in a bonnet and freshly sewn dress watched the man⊠or cadaver⊠from the doorway. A spotted brown and white rat chewed on the ribbon looped in a bow around her waist.
Screams were expelled as another door suddenly opened and Eike slammed it behind him. His clothes were spotted with viscera, quite unusual for him to get so messy at his job. He dragged his hand down his face in frustration, leaving a bloody smear behind, and glared darkly through his fingers. He stormed over, plucking a handkerchief off the table and wiping his face of blood as he went to get the door - opening it before Tyann could touch it.
Tempeste and Tyann were met with a dead-eyed stare, before it fixated on the woman and flicked up and down. Eikeâs lips pressed into a thin, unimpressed line.
âIn,â he commanded. He flung the handkerchief on the desk then pried his stained gloves off with his teeth and tossed them after it. The girl lifted herself off the ground with the rat clutched to her chest, eyes lit up at the sight of new faces - well, new face and mask. âIshara, do your assignment.â She looked dejectedly down at the items at her feet, a stuffed toy and small blade. The rat squeaked and tried to lick her nostrils. âShe was supposed to kill the rodent,â Eike stated as he ran his hand over the torture tools fixed to a rack on the wall, as if he was a parent discussing their child after dropping them off at school, âSheâs already woefully behind... But, I like the sounds they make when together.â
His hand settled on a pouch. Eike turned away from the torturer tools and pulled out a chair for Tempeste like a proper gentleman. Once she was seated, looming over her head, he tilted her chin up with two fingers to make her look at him. âOpen your mouth,â he instructed. He felt within his pouch, took out something small and cold, and laid it onto her tongue. A seed. His thumb pressed against her lips, hard, like he was sealing a letter. âDonât swallow,â he uttered, and let go.
"Oh, maiden..." he began, "... Do you put your faith in the reign of our Majesty, the Queen Ivelda?"
His smile widened.
Will I burn in Hell?
Then write it down
And cast it in the well.
Queens of the Stone Age.
"Try lying."
#8E1717
Reese's head swelled up with all the blood rushing to it when Silvia locked her chin between iron fingers and she was stunned by two kisses still vibrating on her cheeks where the giantess had left them. And she was short-circuiting from the kindness she was experiencing. Her nose itched. In the face of such pure optimism, she could only...
"Well... well that's too bad, cos..." she grumbled.
Her lips wobbled.
"... cos - he's... he's dead, and n-now Freddie's gonna die tooOOOOoooOOO...!!!"
Somewhere in there, her gruff words and demeanor had transitioned into embarrassing wailing ...and she was blubbering into Silvia's jacket.
âWords are free. Itâs how you use them,
that may cost you.â
Code ~ #0B610B
Lucieâs interruption came with her usual frigid and harsh words, her manner of speaking as cool as ice as per her norm. Althea felt a bit of annoyance twinge in her chest, something that she didnât feel often as her patience very seldomly was tested due to its immense height. This young woman, however, could try the patience of a saint. As she was distracted, Reeseâs spatted insult caught her quite off guard, and Althea jerked her attention back to the other girl, clearly startled by the vulgar words that she was referred to as. Before she could gather herself and react, however, Reese had already left the room and the rest of the women within it moved on, completely disregarding how she had just spoken to Althea.
To say that she was used to being treated as such would be an understatement, as the other girls at the private academy she had attended had not been keen toward niceties by any means. Therefore, she was used to being talked to poorly as well as treated in a similar manner; that didnât negate the sting of being called a pretentious bitch, though, when all that she had been trying to do was be nice to the other girl, who had clearly been under distress.
Throughout all of this, chattering went on around her, with the girls going back and forth and the Queen and Lilith occasionally chiming in. The audacity that was Lucieâs attitude seemed to set off the Queen, who in turn gave her a good lecture - not that it would probably do her any good - but she felt a bit of gratefulness towards the elder woman nonetheless for it.
Gritting her teeth a bit, Althea blinked back tears that were a mixture of embarrassment, hurt, and anger, before turning her attention back onto Lucie. âYou know what?â she asked, cocking her head to the side ever-so-slightly. âI will go ahead and admit that it was selfish of me to say that I didnât care what you all thought of that sentiment,â she said, her words dripping with something that couldnât quite be detected yet. It took her little time to stride across the room, and she found herself nearly toe-to-toe with the icy girl, her eyes locked onto hers and boring deep within her gaze, unwavering and a bit disconcerting in the intense emotion that she held within them.
âWhy am I willing to admit that, you may ask?â she asked, her tone a bit condescending. âI am willing to admit that because I have lost my patience, and as for you, in particular, I have no desire to become family to.â Altheaâs expression darkened, taking on a slightly angry look as she continued to stare the other girl down. âYou are nothing but an arrogant, selfish, prideful, insolent, spoiled little girl who thinks that she is able peter plus haut de son cul*,â she spat the words at her. Lifting her hand, Althea jabbed the girl once in the center of the chest, as though to bring emphasis to her point. âWell, I have news for you, cher enfant**; your shit stinks too, and there is absolutely no way in hell that you will ever be able to succeed in this mission on your own, or without the trust of your allies, and I, for one, do not trust your, nor do I believe that I can ever work with you because of this. If any of us were to be in danger, you would rather tuck tail and run like a sad little chatte*** instead of helping, and that makes you nothing but a hindrance to our cause. You may as well stay here in your safe little bubble and remain the princess of aigreur****.â
Turning to face Lilith, drew in a deep breath and simply gave her a small nod, unable to bring her usual smile to her face after the treatment that she had received today. âI will join you, but I want to make it clear that I will not stand for any disrespect amongst our team that weâve built, because that will signal a lack of trust and I cannot work without trust in my allies. You do, however, have my backing and my support, as well as the support of the Emerald Isles.â Pausing, Althea met the gazes of a few of the girls in the room before striding towards the door. âI would say that it has been fun, but it has been far from a pleasant experience, as I do not much appreciate being called names and not defended by anyone when my intentions were nothing but good. So, as for right now, I would rather be alone and am going to head home.â With that said, Althea left the room, allowing the door to fall quietly shut behind her.
When she left through the front of the building, she paused as she crossed the threshold of the front door, uncertainty crossing her features as her gaze fell on Reese and Silvia. Shaking off the feeling, Althea steeled herself and strode outside, sidestepping around the two girls without a word and making her way down the steps with ease. It was when she was about halfway down the sidewalk that she paused midstep, however, and turned halfway to face back towards them.
âI apologize if anything that I said upset you, Reese, because I promise you that that was not my intention, but that does not give you the right to call me names when my intentions were nothing but kind. I do hope that we can become friends, or at least trusted allies.â Fishing her keys out of her pocket, Althea turned away without waiting for a response and unlocked her car with a soft beep, glanced both ways before crossing the street, and then made her way to her car.
*To fart higher than one's own ass.
**dear child
***Pussy
****bitchiness
18D10A
The bells of the church stopped as sudden as they had started. It was only now that he could hear the screaming from below the roof he was standing on. He looked down and saw one monk tried to climb on the same roof with immense difficulty. Sweating and hanging on for dear life the midlife monk tried to catch his attention.
âMaster Hetral! Please, our Goddess advisor is requesting your immediate presence. A messenger is downstairs from the palace.â
Raiden but his bow back on his back. With more grace than any of the monks could have ever brought to the table, he swung himself off the ledge onto the floor below. Running down the stairs he saw a nervous wreck of a messengers eyes lit up when Raiden finally came in sight. âSir, you will be late! Advisor Veldine has requested you interrogate the gardening staff of the castle.â
âI think youâre forgetting your place, if you are telling me I will be late. You make one more comment like that and Iâll stab your eyes out, so youâll never realise what time it is again.â
The messenger looked taken aback, profusely apologising and asking for his life to be spared. âYeah, yeah, calm downâŠ. Pathetic⊠How does that windbag think Iâll be more useful interrogating gardeners than scanning the streets?â
The messenger replied hastily. âIt was on our Queens request, my liege.â
âIn that case⊠excellent plan, I will do as she commands. â He left the church and took the first horse he could see at the church entrance. âKeep on praying monks, I am sure Benny wouldnât be happy to just see you standing around.â
In top speed he left for the castle where he arrived only 5 minutes later. He got a quick rundown of what happened before he was shown the small line of gardeners he was supposed to interview. âOh youâve got to be kidding meâŠ. I can smell the manure on them from a mile away. Come on guys, isnât this more suited for Korgans sense of smell?â he asked no one in particular. He indicated for the first guy to come forward and sit down on the chair that was placed there.
Raiden walked forward to come closer to the gardener, an old man in his fifties was staring at him with beady eyes. He crossed his arms and brought up one hand to save him from the smell. âGood sir⊠if you do not tell me the truthâŠ. We will make you take a bath. Considering your odour that must be your very worst nightmareâŠ. So⊠DONT LIE!â
The man stumbled on his words. âIâd never lie mâLord, not to another server of our Goddess Ivelda.â
âYeah, yeah, calm your shit⊠or the hands you have covered in them.â
He asked a few more questions, but the guy was as old as he was faithful⊠and boring.
âFine, get back to your gardening old man. One more questionâŠ. Which of your colleagues do you find to be the least trustworthy.â
âIâŠI wouldnât know, mâLord. I..just⊠Jeremiah has been working here the shortest. He only started 4 years agoâŠ
Raiden let the old man go, and asked for Jeremiah next. The man who came forward was certainly a lot younger than the man before him, but still a fair amount older than any of the Queens advisors. âSoâŠJeremiahâŠitâs nice to meet youâŠbut awful to smell you.â He paused as he turned around to gulp a fresh breath of air. âHow long have you been working on the castle grounds?â
The man answered to all his questions calmly.
âIf I have need for water hemlock, where would I find it?â he looked the man deep in the eyes, but the man tried to look away.
âWe have water hemlock in the Queens garden, mâLord.
âIsnât that something⊠the Queen was almost poisoned with water hemlock and you know exactly where to find it.â
The other gardeners would probably know the same thing.
âWhere exactly can I find the water hemlock in the garden?â
âItâs in the aisle third from the back, itâs in between the Knights Milfoil and the Joy of the Mountain. But thatâs not in my section, itâs taken care of by Lead Gardener Septimus.
âThe first guy I spoke to? FineâŠ. But you know how to use water hemlock, donât you?â
The man did not answer immediately. âYou know whatâŠ.wait here.â
Raiden called back the man he interviewed first. Oh my Goddess, is he smelling worse than before?
âSeptimus, you are in charge of the water hemlock on the castle grounds? Take me to your stock now.â
The two of them walked to the gardens. Hearing from the breaths of the older man it was at a far faster pace than he was used to. When they reached the place, the man was so exhausted he merely pointed at the herb they were looking for.
The young hunter kneeled down and inspected the ground around the herb. He could not see any disruption to the ground, nor could he see and of the leaves were cut. So they did not take the plant root and all and they did not cut off the leaves. He stood back up and asked the older man. âSeptimus, is any of your hemlock missing, or is the full stock here?â
It was now the man who sat down on his knees inspecting the area in much the same way Raiden had.
âNothing is missing, mâLord, not a single seedling.â
âThanks, then I know enough.â
He walked back at again a fast pace, Septimus not following as closely as before. He finished his interrogations with the last 2 men, and 1 woman. They all seemed to have a dislike for Jeremiah, but they all seemed loyal to the Queen.
âGuards! Take Jeremiah to the Dungeon for further questioning. The others, you are allowed to go. The Great Ivelda thanks you for your hard and dedicated labor.â
Raiden stifled a laugh. Jeremiah might know more, but there was little indication for it. However, if something could make the smell of the Dungeons worse, it was possibly this guy, and that was reason enough for the hunter.
He walked to the Queen and bend the knee before speaking. âMy immortal Queen, there might be one suspicious gardener. He has been sent to the Dungeon for further follow up. I was able to confirm that the water hemlock used, was not from the castle gardens. I donât know where they got it, but it wasnât here.â
"When I walk into the room
No, there's nothing you can do
To stop me from making moves."
- Tommee Profitt
---------------------------------------
"Meridian, that's not the point! It's not going to kill me but can you guess how many people are suffering and dying in Rhindeval right now? Two weeks could mean life and death for them." she said with one hand on her hip and wagging a disapproving finger. And people always thought she was selfish. These girls really could not grasp the bigger picture and it was highly concerning.
She half expected Reese to torment her back but the blonde exchanged a few words with Artemisia and left. Lucie shrugged her shoulders as it was a welcomed change of pace. Instead, Freddie spoke up and her words struck a chord with her. Lucie had been dealing with a very relatable issue. It was more than a needle and more than bleeding but she was definitely pulling away... to not be hurt again. Surprisingly, it was something that Lucie didn't deem stupid or see the need to refute. "No bueno? She's either a lost cause or needs help beyond her financial means... which is also a lost cause." Lucie thought aloud then noticed Freddie was staring. Lucie waved both her hands in front of her, not sure why she was being stared at but coming to her own conclusion. "Don't look at me. It would be chump change for me sure but I can't be charitable to people who openly attack me. I still have a messed up forehead you know!" she said, pointing at her fringe that hid it then huffing.
The not so miserable exchange was ended by the Fairy Queen getting fiery. Lucie was surprised that Eowyn actually lost her temper. It wasn't exactly how she imagined a Fairy Queen behaves. There wasn't a lie to her words, that much Lucie remembered from her princess studies. However, her defense was weak and she resorted to threats. That was amusing. She dusted her clothes down as if Eowyn's spit had reached her. "Right. Well, none of that stopped Ivelda for ruling 13 years."
Sibylla was next to toss her hat in the ring. "Need I repeat myself? I can't believe I am the one most concerned about Rhindeval in this room. Like me?!" She laughed sarcastically in disbelief. "Enjoy your two weeks of chilling then because I'm not going to forgive this. When I get the chance, I'm going to have a body count conducted of all who died in those two weeks and you're all going to feel stupid." she declared, pointing at Meridian, Sibylla, Lilith and anyone else who thought two weeks was such a great idea.
Soon after, cold icy water was dunked on her head and she froze in spot confused. Lucie shivered and turned around quickly enough to identify Silvia as the culprit, leaving with an empty cup in her hand. "WHAT.THE.HELL. I WASN'T EVEN TALKING TO YOU!!!" Lucie screamed after her at the top of her lungs. She glared daggers as Meridian laughed at her. Clearly, nobody recognized or appreciated her invaluable and passionate contribution here. Lilith asked for a towel, Lucie shivering again as she tried to tidy her hair a little by combing her fingers through. Silvia's words from the first aid tent reverberated through her mind but Lucie shook the reminder away. It didn't make sense at all. Maybe Silvia was just salty that she didn't want to hug or be good ol' friends again. How should she know? Lucie snatched the towel out of Meridian's hand upon her return as the girl did laugh at her but continued to say, "Thank you. I suppose this will do for the moment."
Lucie was in the middle of drying up her hair with the towel when Artemisia decided it was the best time to storm up to her. As Lucie had pegged about the girl from the start, she liked to talk a l0t of nonsense to take centre stage. The brunette admitted she was wrong, changed her mind about wanting to become family and hurled some French insults in between. Lucie had already been lectured, poured on... The only thing that got through to her differently was the jab on the chest. She did not take kindly to being touched. She removed the towel and had half a mind to start strangling her with it. Fortunately, the jab was a milisecond and didn't last long enough for her to pull off her initial instinct. Once Artemisia had left the room, Lucie touched her chest where she was jabbed just to check it. Reassured, she then smirked. "Did she just tuck tail and run because nobody defended her like a sad little chatte?" she retorted in a taunting baby voice, swinging the towel over a shoulder.
"Well, are we done? I'm going to go fix my hair in the bathroom if I may?" She said to Lilith as it was her home and she did not want to step out into the world looking like a drenched mess. She turned around to leave and took a few steps before adding, "Actually, Ishara come with." She gave the quiet girl an inviting wave of the hand before continuing on her merry way.
It had been surprising to an extent that someone had tried to kill Ivelda. It was not a surprise they failed. Rumours and whispers were already milling about what happened in the throne room. Ari overheard some, but decided not to give them much thought. He was more focused on his place in line. It looked like he would be interrogated by Benedicto, whoâs real name was Viliame. He kept a blank expression as he watched Viliame work. It was interesting to watch though. He did feel bad for those he already interviewed, especially the last one. Ari noted to bake her something that she could share with her family today. He was sure it would be welcomed after Benedictoâs questions. Ariâs blank expression disappeared as he returned Benedictoâs smile, sharing a friendly expression of his own.
âThank you, Sir Carama,â Ari said as he took a seat. He carefully crossed his ankles and placed his hands over each other in his lap. He had nothing else to say as this was a new experience for him. Ari decided he could only be polite, even if things went horribly wrong. He couldnât help to wonder where Tempetse was and if she was okay. It was a hell of a day not to be connected. They could catch up later though if things went well.
Benedicto walked around the chair three times, observing the gentleman that just took place upon it, before he even opened his mouth to speak. He looked different, more relaxed than the people before him. This was strange after he must have been able to see the reactions of his predecessors.
âPlease state your name and the province of your birthâ, Benedicto said calmly, keeping up his smile. As he asked it, he paused his walk, now standing right in front of the young man.
Ari succeeded in resisting the urge to have his eyes follow Benedicto movements. He just looked straight ahead while keeping a small smile on his face. He decided a smile was better than a blank expression. He noted how Benedicto circled him as if he was a predator getting ready to attack his prey. Ari was calm, but he felt calmer when the prince stopped moving. He hadnât seen him use violence yet when interrogating the others. Ari had little faith in positive outcomes though, so he was ready for violence if it suddenly occurred. He looked up at Benedicto from under his lashes to not mess up his posture. He met Benedictoâs gaze with friendliness and kept the smile on his face before replying.
âMy name is Ari Hunt. I was born in Serein,â he answered. Ari would keep his answers short and sweet. He could always change how he responded if needed. It all depended on how his interrogator liked or disliked his answers.
The preacherâs smile did not faint. He had been to Serein many times, and although there was beauty to be found, it was not apparent. There was more wildlife there than people. There were not more than a handful of churches there, and as per his reports they were not visited as much.
âSereinâŠâ, Benedicto let the name hang in the air and started walking again. He paused quickly, standing behind the stable hand now, his fingers again touching the wood softly. âA resolute place where beauty might have once existed. The last time I was there it had all but been abandoned. You were wise to leave such a depressing place behindâŠâ
Ari just stayed stilled as the other man spoke and moved about. He was saddened to hear Serein was abandoned, but he was not surprised. His parents were the first to leave when it was obvious things were going to get chaotic. He imagined Serein wasnât as beautiful as he remembered. He imagined if he saw it now in person, it would be a depressing view. He wondered if there were any wild pegasuses running around Serein.
âAnd look at you now, living in the Kingdoms capital. In the service of someone as honorable as our Holy Goddess Iveldaâs Beastmaster. He brought his head closer to Ariâs, his voice no longer more than a whisper. âTell me more about how it came to be that your luck changed for the better the way it hasâŠâ
âOne of our Holy Goddess Iveldaâs people, Ellen Jacobson, decided to take me in when I was twelve years old, just a boy. I had been orphaned when my family was murdered. We were leaving Serein as my parents believed the kingdom was changing for the worst. It seems they were right as you confirmed it is a depressing place now. We had been attacked by bandits while on the road. I was only able to escape into the woods as my sister sacrificed herself for me,â he said before taking a pause. The smile on his face now faded. His expression was blank once more. It was a short pause though as he pushed down his rising emotions from the memory. Now was not a time to let emotions come to the surface.
âI stayed in the woods hidden for days until hunger drove me out. This is how Ellen came to find me...I ended up traveling with her back here, and living with her until she passed away. After she passed, I ran the bakery for some time until I heard the local inn needed help in their stables. I offered my help and ended up doing more stable work than running at the bakery.I worked for them for two years before the opportunity to work at the royal stables presented itself. I applied for the job, and I was lucky enough to be hired. This is when I was twenty, and I have been happily working here for around five years now. I hope this answers your inquiry. I can give more detail if needed,â he finished, letting a smile grace his lips once more.
Ari had decided short and sweet answers would not work. It seemed Benedicto liked to talk a lot, so heâd mimic that when possible. Ari was hoping his sad story would gain him some sympathy. With how the prior interrogations went, he wasnât sure. He never liked to speak of his past or think of Serein. It was pointless and reminded him of how everyone who ever entered his life for too long seemed to die. Tempeste was currently the only expectation and likely the only person he could say he was close to. He did his best to keep his distance with her. He didnât need her to meet an unlucky faith as Ari seemed to be cursed.
The preacher listened intently to the story. The young manâs story would call for sympathy from most people. But Benedicto was not âmost peopleâ. The people he had interviewed so far sounded like people whose biscuits hadnât quite baked yet, but this one was different. More perceptive and looking to please the preacher in a less obvious way than the others.âEllen JacobsonâŠ. she sounds like a good person. She must have been a vessel for Iveldaâs grace. Through her Ivelda saved you from a horrible faith. How do you honor the memory of Ms Jacobson?â
âI honor her by keeping her bakery running to an extent. Iâll fulfil orders at night, so I can deliver them in the morning. She always wanted her bakery to outlive her, and she loved seeing all her customers happy. Although, she would be happy that I went off and became a stablehand. She liked when I learned or did new things. Her favorite thing to do was to surprise people with treats or food, so I do the same. I help the less fortunate like she did as well. I didnât want those she helped or gave her services to to suffer even more after she passed,â he replied.
âSo⊠you choose to honor the vessel instead of your actual savior? That does not sound like a faithful servant of our Goddess. You are ignoring the true force that kept you alive and healthy until this day. Benedicto stayed standing behind the chair. His smile could not be seen by the Sereinian. âSame as you, the man who tried to murder our Queen failed to see the true force and power in this world. The true reason why we exist. I hope you have not fallen so far from our path that you harbor the same intentions as that man.â
Benedicto paused when he heard some commotion to his left. As he looked over he saw how one of Tyannâs beast slaughtered one of the people being interrogated. âGIVE. ME. YOUR. FULL. HONESTY. And this wonât happen to you! Do NOT touch me!â
Although Ari would not be able to see what happened as it was out of his sight, he would be able to hear the shouts of Tyann across the courtyard. âOh my⊠it seems not everyone is getting through this interrogation unscathed. Is there something you are not telling me?â
As he spoke he kept looking over at the scene unfolding. He was not bothered by the blood that came spewing out of the corpse. His attention was grabbed by the woman that was now being led to the castle for further interrogation in the Dungeon. âAm I supposed to think nothing of it, that the person taken to the Dungeon right now also seems to be of Sereinian descent?â
âIf I have not told you something, it is not intentional. Please ask more questions if you feel as if I am leaving something out or giving too little information,â he replied. He had not looked before as he didnât want Benedicto to think his attention was elsewhere. Ari felt like he had to look now because of the comment about Sereinian descent. He kept his face blank as he turned and saw who was being led to the dungeons.
Ari was cursed it seemed. Tempeste was the one being led to the dungeon. With how things went with some people in his life, sheâd likely be murdered. He didnât dwell on it as he had not answered Benedictoâs second question. His gaze left Tyann and Tempeste to meet his interrogator's gaze. Slowly, he let a frown grace his lips and worry fill his eyes.
âI know her. Her name is Tempeste. She is Sereinian, and I would say we are friends. Tempeste is a kind and caring young woman. The other stable hands always talk of how well she is at her job when they come back from being injured. She even helped treat Ms. Jacboson as she came closer to her end,â he paused to push his hair back, press his lips together into a tight line, and shake his head in disappointment, âAlthough..if she has anything to do with the murder attempt, she would be my enemy as sheâd be Iveldaâs enemy. I never guessed she would be a traitor, but I have faith truths will be told in the dungeons. Even though she is my friend, I trust in Tyannâs judgment as well...it seems we will need to wait and see if Sir Eike can confirm if she is a traitor or not,â he said.
âAdditionally, I am sorry if there was some confusion with my earlier answer. I had taken your question as you asking how I honor the memory of Ms.Jacobson, not Ivelda. I do know Ivelda is my true savior as Ms. Jacobson was her vessel. I honor Ivelda different ways. I make sure I do my job well here so all the animals I care for are healthy. It makes sure they can do their job well, like the animals Tyann used today. I even help with training some, so when they are needed, they are tamed and not wild. The best way I believe I honor our Holy Goddess is by being loyal to her, and going to church. I plan on going to church today to pray for Iveldaâs safety and that no one else will try to murder her. She is our savior, and I canât imagine what we would all do without her,â he added. Ari had not forgotten Benedictoâs earlier comment and wanted to cover all his bases. The last thing he wanted was to go to the dungeons.
Benedictoâs smile disappeared slowly the more the young man was telling him. If he was hiding anything, he was doing it well. He grew irritated with not getting anywhere. As soon as he thought he was going somewhere, he was stopped dead in his tracks. Benedicto would like to trust the judgment of the Beastmaster as well, but then again, hadnât that same Beastmaster appeared in front of Ivelda in a drunk and disorderly state? Still being bugged by the little voice in his head, he decided to try something different.
âPlease tell me what you know of Lilith⊠she is familiar to you, yes?â
Lilith?â asked Ari, confusion lacing his voice. Why was Benedicto asking about Lilith? And did he mean the Lilith Ari was thinking of? Lilith who couldn't save anyone about 13 years ago? Who was likely dead with the princesses? Ari did not believe Lilith or the princesses were alive like some of the rebels. At this point the rebels were working on defeating Ivelda on their own.
âCan you give me more details on this Lilith? Maybe I know or have seen her, but havenât had the chance to learn her name. Is this, Lilith, familiar to you?â he asked. He decided he could get more information for the rebels. If the princes knew of Lilith, Iveldaâs sister, then that would be very interesting. It was worrisome as well though as who knew what Ivelda said of Lilith. No one knew exactly what Ivelda had down to the princes. It was obvious they had no idea who they truly were.
âOh my, excuse me, but I believe my interrogation is scheduled for much later, and will certainly not be conducted by you.â Benedicto answered sarcastically when the stable boy asked him a question. He continued partly as a bluff, finally having the feeling he threw Ari off of his game. âI told you to tell me more about Lilith. If you know 20 Lilithâs you will tell me about every single one. Any further delay in answering my questions promptly will secure a second Sereinian being seen off to the Dungeons. I assure you, Sir Eike will get any answer far faster from your mouth than I will.
âI apologize,â said Ari sat himself in the chair properly again, and bowed his head. He decided it was best to stay in his chair and try to bow to some extent. He didn't dare stand in case Benedicto thought he was trying to escape.
âPlease forgive me as I meant no offense or for it to seem as if I was interrogating you. I was just trying to find out more details of this Lilith in case I saw her before. There are many people who I know the faces of, but not the names. I do not know of anyone named Lilith unfortunately,â he finally answered. It was the truth in Iveldaâs world as she had forbidden certain topics.
âPlease send me to Sir Eike if you see it fit,â he added.
Benedicto let out an angry âHmphhhâ, basically sighing in anger. He could imagine his face being red by now, although he could not see it himself. He finally thought he had landed on something, but it panned out badly again. This man was driving him up the wall. Benedicto moved around the chair again a few times, again holding when he was in front of the chair. He looked him in the eyes. âYou are free to go⊠BUT⊠I will remember your name, Ari Hunt. And if I ever hear your name negatively again, I will be on you like a Tyann on a disobedient beast.â He paused for a moment to let the words sink in. âIf I hear your name negatively again, you run⊠understood?â He crossed his arms waiting for the answer.
âUnderstood,â replied Ari before he slowly stood, bowed, and walked away. He made sure to keep a blank face and not smile. Ari was pleased he made it through the interrogation without being sent to the dungeon. The only worrisome thing was that Benedicto would remember him now. He always tried to go unnoticed and blend into the background the best he could.
The next issue was he had information for the rebels, but no Tempeste who could give it to them. It seemed Benedicto apparently knew of someone named Lilith. Ari wished he had gotten more information, but would not dwell on it. He decided to be grateful for not having the same fate as Tempeste. He smiled once in the stables to greet the little staff that was there. Ari would work on trying to make each one feel better. Humans were like animals too. He knew calming and or comforting them would be best for everyone; their work day would suffer otherwise he imagined.
Benedicto looked at the man as he got up. He was in a bad mood now, not getting what he wanted. There was a gut feeling that he had been fooled, but then, how could a stable boy fool one of the Queenâs most loyal and trusted advisors? He shook it off before he continued down the line. After interviewing about 8 more people he was done with Tyannâs staff. The way he was able to torture the last few made him feel a lot better about himself. He had made a list for himself to go after certain people in town, certain family members of the people he interrogated.
He moved closer to his Goddess. âAlmighty Goddess, I have completed the interrogations. It is my conclusion the stable staff was not aware nor involved in the despicable attempts on your life today.â
âThank you, Sir Carama,â Ari said as he took a seat. He carefully crossed his ankles and placed his hands over each other in his lap. He had nothing else to say as this was a new experience for him. Ari decided he could only be polite, even if things went horribly wrong. He couldnât help to wonder where Tempetse was and if she was okay. It was a hell of a day not to be connected. They could catch up later though if things went well.
Benedicto walked around the chair three times, observing the gentleman that just took place upon it, before he even opened his mouth to speak. He looked different, more relaxed than the people before him. This was strange after he must have been able to see the reactions of his predecessors.
âPlease state your name and the province of your birthâ, Benedicto said calmly, keeping up his smile. As he asked it, he paused his walk, now standing right in front of the young man.
Ari succeeded in resisting the urge to have his eyes follow Benedicto movements. He just looked straight ahead while keeping a small smile on his face. He decided a smile was better than a blank expression. He noted how Benedicto circled him as if he was a predator getting ready to attack his prey. Ari was calm, but he felt calmer when the prince stopped moving. He hadnât seen him use violence yet when interrogating the others. Ari had little faith in positive outcomes though, so he was ready for violence if it suddenly occurred. He looked up at Benedicto from under his lashes to not mess up his posture. He met Benedictoâs gaze with friendliness and kept the smile on his face before replying.
âMy name is Ari Hunt. I was born in Serein,â he answered. Ari would keep his answers short and sweet. He could always change how he responded if needed. It all depended on how his interrogator liked or disliked his answers.
The preacherâs smile did not faint. He had been to Serein many times, and although there was beauty to be found, it was not apparent. There was more wildlife there than people. There were not more than a handful of churches there, and as per his reports they were not visited as much.
âSereinâŠâ, Benedicto let the name hang in the air and started walking again. He paused quickly, standing behind the stable hand now, his fingers again touching the wood softly. âA resolute place where beauty might have once existed. The last time I was there it had all but been abandoned. You were wise to leave such a depressing place behindâŠâ
Ari just stayed stilled as the other man spoke and moved about. He was saddened to hear Serein was abandoned, but he was not surprised. His parents were the first to leave when it was obvious things were going to get chaotic. He imagined Serein wasnât as beautiful as he remembered. He imagined if he saw it now in person, it would be a depressing view. He wondered if there were any wild pegasuses running around Serein.
âAnd look at you now, living in the Kingdoms capital. In the service of someone as honorable as our Holy Goddess Iveldaâs Beastmaster. He brought his head closer to Ariâs, his voice no longer more than a whisper. âTell me more about how it came to be that your luck changed for the better the way it hasâŠâ
âOne of our Holy Goddess Iveldaâs people, Ellen Jacobson, decided to take me in when I was twelve years old, just a boy. I had been orphaned when my family was murdered. We were leaving Serein as my parents believed the kingdom was changing for the worst. It seems they were right as you confirmed it is a depressing place now. We had been attacked by bandits while on the road. I was only able to escape into the woods as my sister sacrificed herself for me,â he said before taking a pause. The smile on his face now faded. His expression was blank once more. It was a short pause though as he pushed down his rising emotions from the memory. Now was not a time to let emotions come to the surface.
âI stayed in the woods hidden for days until hunger drove me out. This is how Ellen came to find me...I ended up traveling with her back here, and living with her until she passed away. After she passed, I ran the bakery for some time until I heard the local inn needed help in their stables. I offered my help and ended up doing more stable work than running at the bakery.I worked for them for two years before the opportunity to work at the royal stables presented itself. I applied for the job, and I was lucky enough to be hired. This is when I was twenty, and I have been happily working here for around five years now. I hope this answers your inquiry. I can give more detail if needed,â he finished, letting a smile grace his lips once more.
Ari had decided short and sweet answers would not work. It seemed Benedicto liked to talk a lot, so heâd mimic that when possible. Ari was hoping his sad story would gain him some sympathy. With how the prior interrogations went, he wasnât sure. He never liked to speak of his past or think of Serein. It was pointless and reminded him of how everyone who ever entered his life for too long seemed to die. Tempeste was currently the only expectation and likely the only person he could say he was close to. He did his best to keep his distance with her. He didnât need her to meet an unlucky faith as Ari seemed to be cursed.
The preacher listened intently to the story. The young manâs story would call for sympathy from most people. But Benedicto was not âmost peopleâ. The people he had interviewed so far sounded like people whose biscuits hadnât quite baked yet, but this one was different. More perceptive and looking to please the preacher in a less obvious way than the others.âEllen JacobsonâŠ. she sounds like a good person. She must have been a vessel for Iveldaâs grace. Through her Ivelda saved you from a horrible faith. How do you honor the memory of Ms Jacobson?â
âI honor her by keeping her bakery running to an extent. Iâll fulfil orders at night, so I can deliver them in the morning. She always wanted her bakery to outlive her, and she loved seeing all her customers happy. Although, she would be happy that I went off and became a stablehand. She liked when I learned or did new things. Her favorite thing to do was to surprise people with treats or food, so I do the same. I help the less fortunate like she did as well. I didnât want those she helped or gave her services to to suffer even more after she passed,â he replied.
âSo⊠you choose to honor the vessel instead of your actual savior? That does not sound like a faithful servant of our Goddess. You are ignoring the true force that kept you alive and healthy until this day. Benedicto stayed standing behind the chair. His smile could not be seen by the Sereinian. âSame as you, the man who tried to murder our Queen failed to see the true force and power in this world. The true reason why we exist. I hope you have not fallen so far from our path that you harbor the same intentions as that man.â
Benedicto paused when he heard some commotion to his left. As he looked over he saw how one of Tyannâs beast slaughtered one of the people being interrogated. âGIVE. ME. YOUR. FULL. HONESTY. And this wonât happen to you! Do NOT touch me!â
Although Ari would not be able to see what happened as it was out of his sight, he would be able to hear the shouts of Tyann across the courtyard. âOh my⊠it seems not everyone is getting through this interrogation unscathed. Is there something you are not telling me?â
As he spoke he kept looking over at the scene unfolding. He was not bothered by the blood that came spewing out of the corpse. His attention was grabbed by the woman that was now being led to the castle for further interrogation in the Dungeon. âAm I supposed to think nothing of it, that the person taken to the Dungeon right now also seems to be of Sereinian descent?â
âIf I have not told you something, it is not intentional. Please ask more questions if you feel as if I am leaving something out or giving too little information,â he replied. He had not looked before as he didnât want Benedicto to think his attention was elsewhere. Ari felt like he had to look now because of the comment about Sereinian descent. He kept his face blank as he turned and saw who was being led to the dungeons.
Ari was cursed it seemed. Tempeste was the one being led to the dungeon. With how things went with some people in his life, sheâd likely be murdered. He didnât dwell on it as he had not answered Benedictoâs second question. His gaze left Tyann and Tempeste to meet his interrogator's gaze. Slowly, he let a frown grace his lips and worry fill his eyes.
âI know her. Her name is Tempeste. She is Sereinian, and I would say we are friends. Tempeste is a kind and caring young woman. The other stable hands always talk of how well she is at her job when they come back from being injured. She even helped treat Ms. Jacboson as she came closer to her end,â he paused to push his hair back, press his lips together into a tight line, and shake his head in disappointment, âAlthough..if she has anything to do with the murder attempt, she would be my enemy as sheâd be Iveldaâs enemy. I never guessed she would be a traitor, but I have faith truths will be told in the dungeons. Even though she is my friend, I trust in Tyannâs judgment as well...it seems we will need to wait and see if Sir Eike can confirm if she is a traitor or not,â he said.
âAdditionally, I am sorry if there was some confusion with my earlier answer. I had taken your question as you asking how I honor the memory of Ms.Jacobson, not Ivelda. I do know Ivelda is my true savior as Ms. Jacobson was her vessel. I honor Ivelda different ways. I make sure I do my job well here so all the animals I care for are healthy. It makes sure they can do their job well, like the animals Tyann used today. I even help with training some, so when they are needed, they are tamed and not wild. The best way I believe I honor our Holy Goddess is by being loyal to her, and going to church. I plan on going to church today to pray for Iveldaâs safety and that no one else will try to murder her. She is our savior, and I canât imagine what we would all do without her,â he added. Ari had not forgotten Benedictoâs earlier comment and wanted to cover all his bases. The last thing he wanted was to go to the dungeons.
Benedictoâs smile disappeared slowly the more the young man was telling him. If he was hiding anything, he was doing it well. He grew irritated with not getting anywhere. As soon as he thought he was going somewhere, he was stopped dead in his tracks. Benedicto would like to trust the judgment of the Beastmaster as well, but then again, hadnât that same Beastmaster appeared in front of Ivelda in a drunk and disorderly state? Still being bugged by the little voice in his head, he decided to try something different.
âPlease tell me what you know of Lilith⊠she is familiar to you, yes?â
Lilith?â asked Ari, confusion lacing his voice. Why was Benedicto asking about Lilith? And did he mean the Lilith Ari was thinking of? Lilith who couldn't save anyone about 13 years ago? Who was likely dead with the princesses? Ari did not believe Lilith or the princesses were alive like some of the rebels. At this point the rebels were working on defeating Ivelda on their own.
âCan you give me more details on this Lilith? Maybe I know or have seen her, but havenât had the chance to learn her name. Is this, Lilith, familiar to you?â he asked. He decided he could get more information for the rebels. If the princes knew of Lilith, Iveldaâs sister, then that would be very interesting. It was worrisome as well though as who knew what Ivelda said of Lilith. No one knew exactly what Ivelda had down to the princes. It was obvious they had no idea who they truly were.
âOh my, excuse me, but I believe my interrogation is scheduled for much later, and will certainly not be conducted by you.â Benedicto answered sarcastically when the stable boy asked him a question. He continued partly as a bluff, finally having the feeling he threw Ari off of his game. âI told you to tell me more about Lilith. If you know 20 Lilithâs you will tell me about every single one. Any further delay in answering my questions promptly will secure a second Sereinian being seen off to the Dungeons. I assure you, Sir Eike will get any answer far faster from your mouth than I will.
âI apologize,â said Ari sat himself in the chair properly again, and bowed his head. He decided it was best to stay in his chair and try to bow to some extent. He didn't dare stand in case Benedicto thought he was trying to escape.
âPlease forgive me as I meant no offense or for it to seem as if I was interrogating you. I was just trying to find out more details of this Lilith in case I saw her before. There are many people who I know the faces of, but not the names. I do not know of anyone named Lilith unfortunately,â he finally answered. It was the truth in Iveldaâs world as she had forbidden certain topics.
âPlease send me to Sir Eike if you see it fit,â he added.
Benedicto let out an angry âHmphhhâ, basically sighing in anger. He could imagine his face being red by now, although he could not see it himself. He finally thought he had landed on something, but it panned out badly again. This man was driving him up the wall. Benedicto moved around the chair again a few times, again holding when he was in front of the chair. He looked him in the eyes. âYou are free to go⊠BUT⊠I will remember your name, Ari Hunt. And if I ever hear your name negatively again, I will be on you like a Tyann on a disobedient beast.â He paused for a moment to let the words sink in. âIf I hear your name negatively again, you run⊠understood?â He crossed his arms waiting for the answer.
âUnderstood,â replied Ari before he slowly stood, bowed, and walked away. He made sure to keep a blank face and not smile. Ari was pleased he made it through the interrogation without being sent to the dungeon. The only worrisome thing was that Benedicto would remember him now. He always tried to go unnoticed and blend into the background the best he could.
The next issue was he had information for the rebels, but no Tempeste who could give it to them. It seemed Benedicto apparently knew of someone named Lilith. Ari wished he had gotten more information, but would not dwell on it. He decided to be grateful for not having the same fate as Tempeste. He smiled once in the stables to greet the little staff that was there. Ari would work on trying to make each one feel better. Humans were like animals too. He knew calming and or comforting them would be best for everyone; their work day would suffer otherwise he imagined.
Benedicto looked at the man as he got up. He was in a bad mood now, not getting what he wanted. There was a gut feeling that he had been fooled, but then, how could a stable boy fool one of the Queenâs most loyal and trusted advisors? He shook it off before he continued down the line. After interviewing about 8 more people he was done with Tyannâs staff. The way he was able to torture the last few made him feel a lot better about himself. He had made a list for himself to go after certain people in town, certain family members of the people he interrogated.
He moved closer to his Goddess. âAlmighty Goddess, I have completed the interrogations. It is my conclusion the stable staff was not aware nor involved in the despicable attempts on your life today.â
#740c50
Even after Reese had left the scene, the chaos continued. Artemisia's demeanour shifted in an instant, as if a demon had unburied itself from underneath her skin, snorting fire and bile at Justice⊠Much of it in French. Or was that Lebanese?
Lucie's confidence didn't falter in the slightest. Freddie stared at her with wide-eyed awe, feeling the slightest bit bad at everyone's ire towards her.
"Actually, Ishara come with."
"Huh?... Me?" Freddie asked, pointing to herself. She took the wave that came as confirmation, stood up, and followed.
The bathroom. Freddie stood beside Lucie, her dim blue eyes darting between their reflections. Despite the peculiar, silvery hair they shared, they couldn't be more different. Lucie's hair was finely coiffed and straight, like the finest Egyptian silk, carrying a neatness shared by her wardrobe.
"You know⊠you definitely look the part⊠of a Princess," she mused aloud. Freddie hung her head. Hers, meanwhile, was a mess of waves and knots. She couldn't even remember when she last brushed her hair⊠or if she even had a brush.
Freddie paused, giving herself a moment to digest those thoughts, then turned lazily towards Lucie. "...So anyway⊠what can I help you with, Luce�"
Her eyes lit up with the glint of an idea. "Would you likeâŠ."Freddie flicked her hand, and candied beans appeared between the tips of her fingers, each a different and vivid colour. "...Some⊠'jelly beans?'"
Freddie wiggled her brows in anticipation.
#DA0000
âHeâs not dead...only missing. We are missing from our kingdoms technically. I am sure he is alive though. I hear all the time of people being reunited with their pets 5,10 years later. I am not calling the dragon a pet, but you get my point. If I was your dragon, Iâd stay hidden, especially because of Ivelda. I imagine he could be looking for you too, or somewhere sleeping as he is sad that you went missing,â she replied. She stayed silent as a memory flashed through her mind of a dragon hatching out of an egg. Silvia was pulled back to reality when Reese threw herself to the other side of the porch, trying to look all casual. It confused Silvia until she noticed Sia. As Sia spoke to Reese, Silvia worked on collecting the pitchers and her glass. She drank the rest of her water as well.
âSome people donât know when to stay quiet,â she commented once Sia left. Silvia glanced at the door and then Reese. It seemed people were starting to leave. Her helmet was still in the living room, and she couldnât leave without it. She wondered if the others were getting ready to leave or if someone had made Sia leave early.
âI am going to get my helmet, but then Iâll be right back. Rather not have to go back in once everyone else has left,â she said. She knew she was likely paranoid, but she didnât want to be confronted by Lilith. What if she knew her power had awakened? Silvia entered the house and took in her surroundings. This floor was empty. Her curiosity grew as she wondered if someone did in fact make Sia leave early.
âSeems like everyone else is still downstairs,â she stated as she came back out. Her helmet was now under her arm. Silvia walked over to Reese and smiled. âAlso, before we were interrupted, I wanted to say...Freddie is alive now, and Iâll make sure to keep an eye on her for you. I think if we both watch out for her then she wonât die,â she added. Though, Silvia knew sheâd tried to keep an eye on everyone. She didnât want anyone to die or come to too much harm. She was most worried for the princes at the moment. Silvia was sure about one thing; sheâd die before letting anyone else lose their life. She wouldnât be able to live with herself otherwise.
âSome people donât know when to stay quiet,â she commented once Sia left. Silvia glanced at the door and then Reese. It seemed people were starting to leave. Her helmet was still in the living room, and she couldnât leave without it. She wondered if the others were getting ready to leave or if someone had made Sia leave early.
âI am going to get my helmet, but then Iâll be right back. Rather not have to go back in once everyone else has left,â she said. She knew she was likely paranoid, but she didnât want to be confronted by Lilith. What if she knew her power had awakened? Silvia entered the house and took in her surroundings. This floor was empty. Her curiosity grew as she wondered if someone did in fact make Sia leave early.
âSeems like everyone else is still downstairs,â she stated as she came back out. Her helmet was now under her arm. Silvia walked over to Reese and smiled. âAlso, before we were interrupted, I wanted to say...Freddie is alive now, and Iâll make sure to keep an eye on her for you. I think if we both watch out for her then she wonât die,â she added. Though, Silvia knew sheâd tried to keep an eye on everyone. She didnât want anyone to die or come to too much harm. She was most worried for the princes at the moment. Silvia was sure about one thing; sheâd die before letting anyone else lose their life. She wouldnât be able to live with herself otherwise.
Font Color: #E35D9A
Sibylla pulled the lollipop out of her mouth as Justice and Freddie headed off to the bathroom together. Most of the girls were out of the room at this point and the tension within Sibylla released with a loud sigh. She rubbed her temples. It's the second day, it's only the second day.
"I'm... also going to head out," Sibylla announced to Lilith, Meridian, and Aurora. "Thanks for everything you're doing Lilith. I appreciate you waiting as well, even if..."
Sibylla paused. Even if it is costing more lives. She bit her lip and suddenly looked really drained. Her shoulder drooped and there was a look of ire on her face briefly before being replaced by a small smirk. She straightened her back and cocked a finger gun at the remaining three women.
"You're doing a fantastic job, Lilith. Meridian, I would love to catch up but I haven't thought ahead like you two so I should probably get on that. I'll see you two in a couple of weeks. Aurora, I'll probably see you sooner."
With a small wave, she headed up the stairs to collect her helmet. The events that had just transpired were already replaying themselves in her head as she tried to figure out how she could have handled things differently. Nobody even acknowledged my pun, she thought with a small pout as she grabbed the helmet. Though honestly, that was probably for the best.
Distracted, Sibylla didn't hear the sound of voices from the front porch. In fact, she didn't even realize Silvia and Reese were there until she was already stepping onto the porch, eyes wide and with a strangled yelp as she stared at the two.
"Oh! Uh, heeeey," she said awkwardly, quickly realizing she had just sort of walked into something. Her eyes were more on Silvia, not really wanting to meet Reese's gaze. "Everything, uh, everything okay here? Lilith said we could leave so, um, yeah. I was on my way out. Just thought you two should know before the other girls also barge in on... whatever you two are disCUSSing. Cuz there was a lot of cussing in there. At least I thought there was from the tone. Didn't take French unfortunately."