Announcements: Cutting Costs (2024) » January 2024 Copyfraud Attack » Finding Universes to Join (and making yours more visible!) » Guide To Universes On RPG » Member Shoutout Thread » Starter Locations & Prompts for Newcomers » RPG Chat — the official app » Frequently Asked Questions » Suggestions & Requests: THE MASTER THREAD »

Latest Discussions: Adapa Adapa's for adapa » To the Rich Men North of Richmond » Shake Senora » Good Morning RPG! » Ramblings of a Madman: American History Unkempt » Site Revitalization » Map Making Resources » Lost Poetry » Wishes » Ring of Invisibility » Seeking Roleplayer for Rumple/Mr. Gold from Once Upon a Time » Some political parody for these trying times » What dinosaur are you? » So, I have an Etsy » Train Poetry I » Joker » D&D Alignment Chart: How To Get A Theorem Named After You » Dungeon23 : Creative Challenge » Returning User - Is it dead? » Twelve Days of Christmas »

Players Wanted: Serious Anime Crossover Roleplay (semi-literate) » Looking for a long term partner! » JoJo or Mha roleplay » Seeking long-term rp partners for MxM » [MxF] Ruining Beauty / Beauty x Bastard » Minecraft Rp Help Wanted » CALL FOR WITNESSES: The Public v Zosimos » Social Immortal: A Vampire Only Soiree [The Multiverse] » XENOMORPH EDM TOUR Feat. Synthe Gridd: Get Your Tickets! » Aishna: Tower of Desire » Looking for fellow RPGers/Characters » looking for a RP partner (ABO/BL) » Looking for a long term roleplay partner » Explore the World of Boruto with Our Roleplaying Group on FB » More Jedi, Sith, and Imperials needed! » Role-player's Wanted » OSR Armchair Warrior looking for Kin » Friday the 13th Fun, Anyone? » Writers Wanted! » Long term partner to play an older male wanted »

0
followers
follow

Bliss Barnard

0 · 519 views · located in The Kingdom of Mederva

a character in “Within the Castle”, as played by faeriebreath

Description

Bliss Barnard


Image









Image
Image

Name: Bliss Barnard
Nicknames: Mouth (what her little brother calls her b/c of her chattiness)
Role: Handmaiden to the Ward, Olivia Wilde.
Age: 24.

Likes:
  • Gossip.
  • Dancing.
  • Food.
  • Archery.
  • Books.
  • Trying new things.

Dislikes:
  • Cleaning.
  • Sewing.
  • Dull, simple-minded people.
  • Horses

Personality: Bliss is energetic, cheerful, humorous & kindhearted. She can be rather nosy & will never pass up an opportunity to eavesdrop or snoop around. She delights in romance & scandal, as she finds it to be a refreshing contrast to all the rules & etiquette of their time. She is not afraid to tell anyone what they need to hear, male or female, even whether they are royalty or not.






Image
Image

Bio:
Her father is a skilled woodsguide & her mother is an equally skilled midwife. Both of Bliss's parents are frequently sought after to be hired & thus are well known & well liked. It is through their good & honest reputation that her entire family has found decent work for themselves throughout the kingdom. In fact, that is precisely how & why Astrid got her first job in the castle of Mederva, and she has proven herself more than worthy of the opportunity.

Bliss became an apprentice to the royalty's seamstress & laundress at the mere age of 8 & has spent her life in the castle ever since then. Over time she has not only "worked her way up" to her current position of handmaiden, but she has earned the trust & friendship of both the Princes and the Ward.

Outside of the castle Bliss still washes & sews the clothes of townspeople for extra money, although she finds the tasks to be tedious & takes no joy in carrying them out. She hated it as a child & she hates it now still. Nonetheless, she is very good at it &, like her parents, is well known for her work. It brings in decent money and so she carries on with it for the sake of her family.

Her heart, however, lies in archery. She secretly dreams of being a hired archer. Since archery is thought to be an absurd occupation for a common woman (if any woman) to keep, she practices with targets on the sly & thus only a few people know of her skill with a bow & arrow. She is highly adept at it, even when riding a horse.

Bliss loves her parents & siblings very much, even though she thinks they don't fully understand her & that they worry about her too much. She has an older sister (who is learning to be a midwife like their mother) & a younger brother (who is taking after their father & learning to guide people through the woods). Her sister is like a best friend to her & she can confide in her with just about anything.

So begins...

Bliss Barnard's Story

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Giselle Angelou Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Giselle Arbella Angelou
Image Image


Giselle’s footsteps were nearly silent as she descended the tallest chamber floor to the dining hall. Her thin figure moaned in hunger as she began to smell the food that had been prepared for the morning. Giselle made mental note to thank the service provided to her, she did not do this often enough and fretted over the thought of others speaking poorly of her. Even if they were just peasants, she wanted people to admire her, not aspire to be like her. There was a subtle line between being loved by the public and being lusted by the public. Giselle undoubtedly wanted to be thought as an all together loving, kind and generous woman. Not just a royal attachment.

Her head was so swamped with personal reminders and other tickling thoughts that she had almost walked right past her handmaiden. A laugh escaped her as Bliss stopped her with a hearty good morning and a perplexed expression. Yes, it was a miracle that the Princess Giselle was awake at this hour. The ward nodded her head in saying that she was going to breakfast and waved Bliss to follow her. A whisper of friendship came from Bliss' mouth as Giselle turned the corner toward the dining hall. A frown planted on her face as she looked back at her handmaiden. "No, I had completely forgotten..." Giselle stood with Bliss for a moment longer before entering the public domain. No one was near where she spoke again. "And tonight I won't even get the chance to, seeing that the honorary ball for our visitors is tonight."

A little upset, Giselle glided into the dining hall and tried to forget. Bliss and Giselle were more of friends than a formal servant/lady relationship and she didn't care if Bliss went off to eat breakfast herself or waited on her. Really, it was Bliss' choice. The only time that Giselle really needed her was when she specially called for her.

It was strange how empty the dining hall was. Then she remembered that Ephraim had been swamped with political works as of late and he would skip breakfast all together to get his papers done. Giselle’s mouth shut into a hard line just a moment before toying with Elijah. He was sitting at the head of the table as usual and jesting with Lyanna who was sitting a ways down. A slight smile danced upon her face as she glided a playful hand against the flow of his perfect groomed hair. “Good morning, Elijah.” She cooed before taking her place next to him.

Giselle was immediately served a platter of oatmeal, fruit and some kind of meat as usual. Graciously she thanked the servant boy and began eating her morning meal. Satisfied with the bold flavors of the cook’s masterpiece she kept quiet as she ate. Her eyes were mischievous as she ignored any of the remarks that were to come out of Elijah’s mouth.

She had come to learn that at a young age, Elijah was easily ignorable. Or perhaps she just had the distinct talent of tuning out the all-together attractive and charming prince. Giselle had grown up with him, that’s what truly ruined his great status for her. She had known him for over a decade and he was just the same then as he was now.

Her plate was only half empty when she spotted a diligent messenger boy coming toward her. His words were nervous when he spoke and his finger fidgeted with his stocking cap. “A word, milady.” He said poorly, “The prince Ephraim would like to see you in his study promptly.” The boy turned to leave then remembered the rest of the message, “Come in your own time though!” He sputtered. Then without any warning the boy was gone in a flash.

A smile grew on her lips, first in amusement at the young messenger child, then at the thought of Ephraim. She wondered what he might wish to speak about this fine morning. She was asked to finish her breakfast, but found no reason to now. Giselle dipped her spoon into the oatmeal to grab another bite. She would finish her bowl before leaving the dining hall.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Giselle Angelou Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image


Bliss, as usual, woke up before the sun had even risen. The first thing she did was sit at the edge of her bed & feel around on her nightstand for her tinderbox. When her fingertips finally found it she quickly fumbled with the small box's contents & lit the oil lamp stationed near it. She kept the flame low to save oil & got dressed by it's dim, yellow flicker. Before she put on her cloak, however, she strapped her quiver (which was nothing fancy, just a long, draw-string bag) of handmade arrows across her back. Then, with her bow (an old gift from Lyanna du Lac) safely tucked under her arm, she started her day.

Image Darkness & mist still ruled outdoors as she discreetly made her way to the nearby forest. This was her daily routine- a session of bow practice squeezed in just before work. She snagged a white rag on a rough piece of bark to serve as a makeshift target. She ran a good distance away from that particular tree & found a spot (where the river bank ended & became lush grass & flora) to shoot from.

Bliss threw her wool cloak aside, relishing in the sensation of the moist, chilly air on her skin. It seemed to wake her up, as if shocking energy or life into her. Even so, she could not help but to think that if her mother or sister ever saw her like this, they would wear their poor lungs out screeching at her about pneumonia, colds & fever.

She gripped her bow just between its slender limbs & carefully nocked an arrow. She drew back until the string felt just right, neither too taught nor too loose, & firmly kept it that way until she was ready. Bliss always paused at this point to gather her surroundings. She was just good enough at it to where it only took two or three seconds now to process the needed information.

Today's breeze came from the southwest & brought with it a too-sweet musk. The scent was distinct to the starlight flowers which grew only around the western hills. When the wind shivered to a halt & the flowery smell seemed to ebb back, Bliss released the first arrow.

& then she moved like fluid! The elfin brunette deftly retrieved & nocked, one after the other, her entire quiverfull. The volley of arrows she unleashed each flew true, pinned & surrounded the helpless rag. A triumphant grin swept across her face & she performed a joyful, impromptu jig when she saw the result.

Bliss glanced at the horizon. The midnight blue sky had given way to a mystical purple, tinged with obscure pink at it's edges. Giselle was sure to still be in bed but Bliss made a mad dash for the target tree nonetheless. She retrieved her arrows, gathered them back into the quiver, & hid it & the bow in her stash spot (a mere hollow in a tree hidden beneath dense underbrush). She snatched up her cloak & trotted over to the river to wash her face. When she was finally done she wrapped the cloak around her shoulders once more & fastened the clasp at the throat.Image

By the time Bliss was back inside the castle the sky had begun to show hints of deep orange & yellow. She hastily made her way to Giselle's room to rouse the princess from her sleep & help her to get ready for breakfast. Little did she know that Princess Giselle had already woke up & gotten prepared for the morning meal on her own. No, the handmaid did not make this discovery until she nearly bumped into the ward as she was exiting her bedchamber.

"Your highness! You've awoken already?" Bliss did not even attempt to hide her surprise.

"Well, good morrow to you, Princess Giselle!" The servant girl did a curtsy & laughed. "And on your way to breakfast too?"

The princess shared in Bliss's laughter & cheerfully nodded. She gestured for her friend to accompany her to the dining hall & the handmaid happily obliged.

As they came upon a corner, Bliss slyly scanned the surroundings for anyone that might overhear before she leaned in to whisper to Giselle, "Did you not go in to the city last night?"

"No, I had completely forgotten..." Giselled murmured in response.They paused a moment longer before they entered the dining hall. "And tonight I won't even get the chance to, seeing that the honorary ball for our visitors is tonight."

"A ball? How dreadful, " Bliss teased, clearly joking. The handmaid actually looked forward to the event. She was always excited when there was dancing involved. The pair of women then entered the scantily occupied dining hall. Seeing as how Elijah was in attendance today, Bliss decided to forgo further archery practice & sat next to Giselle at the table. She greeted everyone warmly & accordingly before doing so, of course.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Giselle Angelou Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Ephraim de Montefort
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by Guest


Image



Lyanna focused on her breakfast with an attention usually reserved for drills. She found that, generally, if she looked occupied, people didn’t speak to her, which meant she didn’t have to speak to them, which meant that she didn’t accidentally socially humiliate herself. Things were probably better that way, really—as a knight, she had a certain reputation to uphold, for honor and chivalry, yes, but also for grace and dignity, and those were two things she didn’t always do as well. She was just too much
 herself. Her father had never cared how she spoke, and Ephraim had always encouraged her honesty, and given that, it was probably to be expected that she couldn’t tell sweet lies or come up with the right meaningless phrase or latch onto gossip like other people could.

She also wasn’t much concerned, or aware, really, of the social implications of different kinds of food, and tended to enjoy mostly vegetables at breakfast, cooked alongside eggs and with some oatmeal. She’d found that this, with maybe a slice of some kind of meat, was adequate to sustain her for much of the day, and if today went like she thought it would, she was going to need every last scrap of energy she could muster.

Then, it happened.

For most people, especially most highborn people, a simple comment at the breakfast table would have been welcomed. It would have been recognized as a joke, and perhaps returned with a demure smile and a mild agreement, or, if the recipient were truly adept, a show of wit to match. Some might have even seen flirting in it, though never Lyanna. The likelihood of anyone flirting with her was absurdly close to zero, bar when a lot of alcohol was involved. Men with too much ale in their systems tended to forget everything but her not-so-subtle bust and hips, and apparently, this was appealing to some, enough that they’d make their intentions so obvious even she could properly interpret.

Perhaps even she would have been more appropriate in her response, if she’d thought about it long enough to brush off with a smile and a faint stutter. But she was deep in her thoughts about the upcoming day, and as such, her brain-to-mouth filter rendered entirely inoperative. Without looking up from her plate, she responded, a fair hint of snark creeping into the tone. “Wasn’t aware assassins were the kind to let you finish breakfast first and properly arm yourself later, milord. I’ll keep that in mind.” Then again, most lords probably didn’t have to think too much about assassination. The princes on the other hand... well, there was always a risk.

Lyanna at this point froze in place, and took a couple of seconds to process the voice that had been speaking to her, and then what she’d actually said in reply, and slowly, her sea-colored eyes rose, to observe that, yes, she was speaking not to some minor marquis or whatnot as she’d assumed, but the prince of Merderva, and not the one that would appreciate her saying something like that. Her eyes widened almost comically, and her cheekbones and nose tinged pink. Ohnoohnoohno, what did I just DO? She’d been sarcastic to someone who might be king one day.

Perhaps understandably, her effort to recover lacked any redeeming features whatsoever. “I, um
 ah—I am s-so sorry, Your Highness, I-I didn’t realize
” Oh gods be good, her entire face was burning now, but she couldn’t leave. He was of socially superior standing, enough so that he could rebuke her if he wished. Ordinarily, he’d have to accept the insult and just act against the noble’s interests in the future, but she was a knight, not just a noble, and she could be reprimanded more directly. She hadn’t meant to be insulting, but sarcasm? Oh, she knew there was a reason she didn’t talk to people.

At that moment, Giselle the king’s ward entered, smiling politely at the entire table. Lyanna tried to return it, but was entirely uncertain if she managed to succeed. Bliss was a bit easier to respond to—Lyanna had given the young woman a bow and some archery lessons a while back, to supplement what she had already learned, and knew her maybe a little better than most of the people at this table. Oh, why did it have to be him? If anything, her mortification was only worse because she thought so highly of Prince Elijah. Not that she ever made show or mention of it, of course. He was a refined, socially-apt, gracious, interesting prince, and while her blood may have been good enough for someone like him, that was where her good qualities stopped. She had no effortless charm like he did, no ability to speak to absolutely anybody with charisma and poise. She was indelicate, unrefined (she knew what most people thought about the fact that she always wore trousers), and apparently also uncouth, and presently wished she could sink into the ground and disappear for a while.

Swallowing thickly, she returned her eyes to her food, but her appetite had suddenly vanished, and she wasn’t going to go looking for it.




Image



A knock at his door broke Ephraim from the haze of unpleasant paperwork, and he set aside some inane note on the floral arrangements for this evening and took a deep breath. She would be happy about this, obviously, but it was still going to be a big change, and he wasn’t sure her immediate reaction would be as favorable. He was about to cause a large upheaval in her life, after all, and friends or not, that might be a bit difficult to deal with, at first. He wondered for an errant moment if she would be angry with him, then shook his head at himself. It was obviously what she wanted, and he was going to use his newfound power to give it to her. She deserved this much.

“Come in,” he called, rising from his desk to pull up a chair in front of it. Turning back to the door, he gave a small half-smile and gestured to the plus seat. “Gigi. Have a seat, please.” It wasn’t as formal as he could have been, but there was hardly a point being formal with people who had known you since you were a troublesome brat with father issues and a bit too much cleverness for your own good. He retreated behind his desk, sorting papers absently while she made herself comfortable, neatening everything without really thinking about it.

“It’s a nice color on you,” he said offhandedly. Purples of all kinds suited her coloration, actually. Ephraim may generally be romantically challenged and mostly uninterested, but he wasn’t blind. He knew she was lovely, and was certainly polite enough to pay a compliment. At last settling back in his chair, he leaned forward slightly, propping his elbows on the desk and pressing his hands together. The dark violet of his eyes was vaguely troubled, and almost black in the indoor lighting.

“Giselle,” he started, then shook his head. “Gigi.” It was the name he and his brother had called her by since they were children, after all, even if he’d always found it a tad odd as far as nicknames went. It wasn’t like he could talk—his name was notoriously difficult to shorten. “My uncle was always adamant that we should marry, and the deadline for that is fast approaching. Though I don’t have the same talent for politics that Elijah does, I know what it would mean for my chances—frankly put, a married king is preferable to a bachelor one. It is politically advantageous and smart to marry you, and I don’t doubt that it would solve this succession crisis quite quickly.”

He paused, and one of his hands came up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Here, in this moment, he was allowing her to see a flash of his well-disguised vulnerability, and the worry that weighed him down. Worry for the kingdom, worry for Elijah, and worry for his friends as well. Whatever came of all this, he was under no illusions that it would be easy for anyone. “It’s also unfair to you. I recall when the king first suggested it that you protested rather vehemently, and regardless of what my uncle argued, you were right. It isn’t fair to ask you to marry me, and he was using his position as your warden to an unfair advantage.”

His hand dropped, and his lips quirked halfheartedly. “It’s why I’m fixing it. I can’t give those years of your life back, when you should have been free to talk to young men like any other lady of the court, to think not of the forced ties you bore me but only the will of your own mind and heart. But I can give you the rest of your future, and the freedom to decide what you want to do. For as long as I have the power to protect you from it, your marriage will not be used as a tool of politics in Merderva, that I promise you.” He’d always felt horribly about the fact that she was essentially forced to be his fiancĂ©e. Though he’d never had much time or patience for flirting and the games played between men and women, he suspected very strongly that she had a romantic heart, and that being chained to him as she was must be something akin to a cage for a woman like that.

He picked up the piece of paper he’d been examining earlier and held it out for her. “This is your freedom. It’s just a copy, of course—the official one has been filed with the courts of office already. As of this moment, we are no longer engaged to be married, and you are free to choose any husband you want, of nothing but the desire of your heart. I’m sorry I couldn’t do this sooner—there were a lot of legalities to be sorted through.” His smile widened into something genuine, and it was clear that he truly believed he was doing something worthwhile for her, with no ulterior motives at all. In fact, it was patently disadvantageous to him, but he was doing it anyway, because it was the right thing, and his duty to her as his friend.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image


Assuming that Giselle wished to have a private moment with her groom-to-be, Bliss made no offer to accompany her. She noticed that, ever since she had read Ephraim's note, the princess had been helplessly prodding at her food as if someone had placed thistles in her chair & she could not wait to get up out of them. As Giselle turned the corner, a playful smirk found the handmaid's face.

Bliss returned her attention to her breakfast & the people that remained seated- Lyanna & Elijah. Out of those two, it was Elijah that she had known the longest, but she considered both to be trustworthy friends. Image

Bliss had spent over half of her life working in the castle. As a ten year old child she had dreaded the thought of being a castle servant, but at the age of twenty-four she cherished the people that she had invited into her life as a result. Particularly the youngest prince. She smiled warmly at her breakfast companions.

Her sister had warned her to keep her feelings secret though, from any and all, no matter how much trust she had in them. "You should not have even told me," she chided Bliss. "That sort of gossip would break mama & papa. Besides, even if it didn't, you could be hurt. You have no idea what people like them can do to people like us." The words had hurt Bliss, but she hid her pain from her sister. She knew her sibling was merely trying to protect her.

"You don't know them like I do," was her only reply.

The warning was not neccessary. Bliss had never intended to reveal her feelings for Elijah. A fleeting infatuation, that's all that it is, she told herself. A side effect of too much time spent here. It has to be. As much as she repeated this mantra in her mind, it did not soothe the ache she felt in her heart.

Bliss tried to pretend like she had never heard the warning, but this morning proved otherwise. She found herself strangely worrying if she had perhaps smiled too warmly at Elijah. Was it noticable? Would he care? Why did I ever talk to my sister about this?! It wasn't a problem before... But, luckily for Bliss, Elijah & Lyanna were too engrossed in a conversation.

The handmaid forgot about what her smile may or may not have been interpreted to mean & instead listened to what was being said. Bliss popped a grape into her mouth & chewed.

"Didn't realize what exactly? That there aren't any assassins in the room or that you were talking to a prince with that attitude- and not the one who you frequently get to stab at with that thing?" Elijah was jesting, of course. Bliss knew him well enough to see that he was trying to pull a prank on the lady knight.

Image
To which Lyanna matter-of-factly replied, “A-all due respect, Your Highness, but if you could pick an assassin out in a room, he wouldn’t be much of an assassin at all.”

Bliss laughed but immediately tried to stifle it, which caused her to sort of sputter instead. She covered her mouth to hide her grin, but it was far too large for her hand to effectively hide. Spoken just like a knight. Her behavior afterwards, however, contrasted & Bliss indeed noticed.

"I-I apologize if I offended you, Sire," continued Lyanna. "My tone was unbecoming. If there is some way I m-might rectify the error, you have but to ask.”

She & Giselle often watched Ephraim & Lyanna spar & the blazing confidence that the woman showed in battle was but a flicker here at the banquet table. She watched as the dark-haired girl's eyes lowered & her stammer seemed to amplify. Bliss swiftly interrupted, thinking that perhaps the other girl would appreciate the gesture.

"Pay no attention to him, Lyanna! He is all smoke & no fire." She gave Elijah a playful glance but immediately regretted it, because perhaps it too had conveyed too much affection. She quickly looked away & at the lady knight instead.

"He is jesting with you." Bliss explained. The handmaid smiled once more & her eyes seemed to sparkle en suite. "Besides, this particular prince could do with being reminded how many people might like to have his pretty, royal head."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Isabelle Marcot Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: James Bandeaux
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Isabelle Marcot




Isabelle kept her balance as she carefully unfolded her legs and stretched them out on the rooftop, hidden beneath the folds of fabric from both her sleeping gown and the cloak she draped over it before going to her window just moments earlier. She kept one hand firmly placed on the bottom ledge of the window frame and the other beside her on the roof.

She was barely seated comfortably -or as comfortable as one could be while sitting on a downward slanting surface, not ever meant for people, let alone princesses to be sitting on, hundreds of feet off the ground- when she felt his hand slide from hers and find it's way to the small of her back. Her entire body stiffened slightly in reaction. She was not used to people having any sort of physical contact, and certainly not something as intimate as that. She liked to keep her distance, only allowing the briefest of touches and only allowing them when she wanted them. But then again, that was just another way of her keeping control of the conversation and was all a part of playing the game. She also didn't climb out onto roofs with strange men simply because they came to her window and invited her to either though so clearly this interaction was one completely unfamiliar to her.

For once in her life she was enjoying the silence, it wasn't uncomfortable or forced, it wasn't due to a battle of stamina or anything of the sort. It was simply just silent, save that was for the background noise coming from the light wind and the early morning birds flitting around in both the open air and the densely leaved trees.

When he broke the silence she looked up quickly and then to him with a soft humming noise. "Oh." She said quietly, having processed that the new sound had been him speaking again. "Well, I would hope you mean the watching the sunrise and not people sleeping." She smiled softly even though she knew he hadn't meant the latter, it was just something of the moment she could use to tease him with.

When he spoke of his balcony at home, she remembered her own. A large stone-walled balcony perched outside of her bedroom at home. Though hers was never used for the same purpose as his. Instead she mainly would lean against the top of the stone wall and watch the people below, the fields, the farms, everything, and she would think, daydream even. Her balcony was probably the only place she ever really got any time to herself, though it was often interrupted by someone coming to reign her back inside. Maybe in truth the roof was the better idea, she made a mental note to see if she could find a roof at home to sit on instead. If nothing else it would sure be amusing as a way to watch her parents get worked up and angry.

"It is quite nice out here though. I can see why you do it. " She mused. "I have watched the sunset before, I can only imagine how much nicer it must be from such a height." Quiet too. She didn't add that out loud though, it wasn't proper to complain about ones parents especially when they were also one's king and queen. She did wish though that sometimes she would have a moment like that to herself, alone from all others, watching as the world too wakes up slowly.








Elijah de Montefort




A small smirk played on Elijah's face at the response that came his way. He obviously found it quite amusing. He could tell that she was clearly having some sort of internal debate with herself over how to respond to him. He could also tell she seemed uncomfortable by both her own response and his presence in general.

He found this quite odd as he had seen her multiple times with Ephraim and she never once seemed uncomfortable or intimidated by him, though most thought that she ought to be. It was odd to see her look so...scared?- She was, after all, a knight for Gods sake. You would think she wouldn't be afraid of what was simply a few words.

He watched carefully as she switched courses and quickly began apologizing profusely, another small smirk on his lips. “Oh no, by all means, keep going.” He said, still clearly amused. “I'm finding this quite entertaining. Besides, I like bossy.” He couldn't help but slip that bit in there. Flirting was like breathing to him, and it was almost as if it came with an extra bonus if it added a bit of social awkwardness to his... well victim would probably be the only appropriate term.

Before he had an opportunity to say anything else another voice quipped up from the opposite side of the room. She made a slight face, rolling his tongue against his cheek. Damn. This was almost as bad as trying to play with Giselle in the room. But on the brighter side, Bliss was much more easily swayed with a smile than Gigi ever was.

“Oh you hush.” He told the handmaiden. “You know very well I am plenty of fire.” He made sure to catch her eye with a stare of his own before she looked away. Another grin danced it's way across his face. “Oh, don't you worry about that, dear. I know exactly how many people want me.”

Maybe that was one of the biggest downfalls he had, though he certainly wouldn't think so. He wasn't unaware of his charm, nor unaware of the effect it had on women. No, he knew exactly it's power and used it to his advantage. And in practice it had worked quite well for him. Because though he might have his arrogance and self-centeredness and conceitedness he was still the charmer that he was. Even things that elsewise might have been seen as vulgar, off of his lips it was nearly always a proposition, a challenge even. And he loved every second of it.

He enjoyed watching the way women fought between wanting to find him repulsive and yet still blushing at the things he said to them, though it was generally much easier one-on-one because then he could also throw in a few whispers or allow his hand to brush against their skin. But he would take this, watching them both squirm was just as, if not more, fun for him. Besides, if it got boring or they got over their shyness he would always have the opportunity to simply walk away, and sometimes that made him more wanted than anything he said could have.

Oh yes, this was going to be fun.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Giselle Angelou Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Ephraim de Montefort
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by Guest


Image



Well, it seemed he wasn’t interested in taking up her offer of recompense, which she took to be a good sign. For the most part, though, the words flying between himself and Bliss were just confusing to Lyanna. The metaphors, she understood—she was highly educated and the furthest thing from stupid, but
 there was something about situations like this that sent her better sense flying behind a corner to press itself up against a wall and hide for as long as possible. Maybe she couldn’t read what people thought of her, what their true intentions were, because she didn’t want to know.

It was a disquieting thought, but not a new one. Lyanna was one of those rare folk in the world who could truly call herself an idealist: she believed, in her secret heart, that everyone was a good person until they proved otherwise, and sometimes even then. She also liked to think that she wasn’t completely ridiculous to most of them. It was a defense mechanism really. From a very young age, she’d been a curiosity, a woman who caused scandal simply by existing and being who she really was. She walked around in trousers and chainmail, a man’s weapon strapped to her back and a man’s steely confidence on the battlefield. She spoke baldly when she forgot to hide her thoughts, and she took duty and honor very seriously—much more seriously than the cultivation of her (nonexistent) charms or the task of finding a husband. She was a Lady Knight, and who had ever heard of such a thing?

So, sometimes, she managed to convince herself that everyone wasn’t really laughing at her when she couldn’t see. She had to believe that.

Perhaps for this reason, something Bliss said struck Lyanna particularly hard. He is jesting with you. She blinked, glancing back and forth between the two of them. Why would he do that? She had been nothing but serious. Granted, her initial remark had definitely been snarky, but it was still true. Lyanna only ever lied to herself, not anybody else. Hurt flashed just briefly across her face as she misinterpreted the situation. “No, Bliss,” she said quietly, looking back down at her food, and pushing her half-full plate away from her. “I do believe his highness is laughing at me.” Jesting with implied that there was some chance she knew what was going on, or was herself joking. But she had been nothing save earnest and serious, and she wasn’t being taken seriously. It reminded her too much of the way she’d been perceived upon first setting foot in this place, when all those knights had looked upon her and smiled condescendingly. Silly girl, playing at swords.

It wasn’t that Lyanna lacked a sense of humor—not at all. With her friends, she could be funny, or at least they seemed to think so. But this
 it just made her uncomfortable. She was no good at it, and she was making a fool of herself in front of a prince as well as a friend. It was like they both spoke a language that was nothing but gibberish to her. Well, perhaps it was best to get out of their hair and let them speak it. Standing, the knight dropped into a bow, then rose. “My apologies, Sire, Bliss, but my duties require me elsewhere. Please excuse me.” Technically, she was supposed to wait for some confirmation from any authority higher than her own, but she leaned on the informality of breakfast and left anyway.

She wasn’t angry; that was an emotion that Lyanna did not often deal with. She was, however, frustrated—at herself as usual. It was better to walk away from a situation like that and get on with her day. And it wasn’t as though she had a shortage of things to do. Unbeknownst to most of the residents, they would be receiving yet another guest today, and though they were technically friends, his arrival was more of a strain to Ephraim at this point than anything else. Shahari was too important an alliance to jeopardize, but its prince was clever, and he would know the succession crisis for the weakness it was. They could only hope that he would not do anything in particular with the information. But what was the likelihood, really, of someone called the ‘Prince of Thieves’ adhering to honor?

She wanted to believe the best, but that had never stopped her from preparing for (and expecting) the worst. She needed to stop at the stables first


Lyanna realized she’d been standing just outside the dining room for a couple of minutes, and shook her head at herself. It wasn’t the first time she’d been utterly humiliated by a clever tongue, and it would not be the last. Taking a deep breath to fortify herself, she let it go as best she could and smoothed her face out into the iron impassivity that most were more used to seeing from her. She had to try and forgive herself—nobody had really done anything wrong. She just wasn’t suited for some things, and needed to do better at remembering them.




Image



Ephraim was confused for all of about two seconds when Giselle handed back the paper. Did that mean she wanted to
 surely not. The notion that anybody would want to marry a stick in the mud like him was absurd, especially when the someone in question was a free spirit like Giselle. Of course, then she explained herself, and it all made perfect sense. She wanted him to be king, and, like him, knew that his marriage would likely make that possibility a reality. Her loyalty warmed him and troubled him at the same time. What had he ever done to deserve it, really? He wasn’t even a trueborn son of the king, a fact that nobles loyal to his brother took every opportunity to remind him of. He had no real claim besides the strength of his conviction and the suitability of his demeanor. He was a nephew, not a son.

“Giselle,” he said calmly, but all the same, there was a kind of authority in it, one that naturally compelled attention. He was unaware of this trait of his, and invoking of it was therefore unintentional at best. He offered a soft smile in an attempt to soothe her protests. “I am humbled that you think so, and moreso by what you are willing to sacrifice to ensure that I do, but
” He paused. The last part of her exclamation didn’t really make much sense to him, and so he couldn’t really argue the point, so he bypassed it and focused on what he did know.

He sighed through his nose, perfect posture slumping slightly. “I don’t want you to have to make that sacrifice, for either Merderva or me.” He shook his head slowly. “I know what it must seem like now, that Elijah is too young and too reckless and too unconcerned with duty to make a good king. But I truly think that, if given the chance, he would rise to the occasion and do very well at it.” His brother could be quite stubborn once his mind was set on something, really, especially if he saw a challenge. Granted, right now that tendency was most often turned on recalcitrant females or people intent on denying him what he thought was his by right, but that didn’t mean it could never have other applications.

“And it’s not as if I would have no hand in what happens here—I am still the Lord General of the army, unless he sees fit to depose me, and I do not think he would.” Leading an army would be far too boring for Elijah’s tastes, and Ephraim would be content to do that duty for the rest of his life without complaint. “If this country is forced to make a choice, I want that choice to be only about which of us would make the better king—not which one better matches a checklist of arbitrary criteria.” Being married might make him a better candidate, but it wouldn’t make him a better king, and he didn’t want to receive the throne because of that.

His eyes softened, the hue shifting subtly to something more obviously purple. “I am truly sorry if I upset you. I don’t want you to think that the enormity of what you just offered goes unappreciated—it doesn’t. But you are a person, not a bargaining chip, and I won’t let you be treated like one.” His tone was unwavering—on this, he would not budge.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image


Even if it was only for a split-second, Bliss felt a ball of ice instantly form in the pit of her stomach when Elijah held her gaze. “Oh, don't you worry about that, dear. I know exactly how many people want me.”

Bliss laughed- partly out of genuine amusement, but the rest was also an effort to hide the slight blush that had risen to her cheeks. Does he know? she wondered. But how could he?

My mind must be playing tricks on me, she silently rationalized. This is just typical, Elijah. Nothing is different, there is no deeper meaning. It is merely his habit. In an attempt to maintain her usual distance, she flung out a joking retort, "It is statements like that which make me fear ever letting you near reflective waters, dear Narcissus."

"No, Bliss," a stoic Lyanna said suddenly as she pushed away what remained of her breakfast. "I do believe his highness is laughing at me."

"Surely there has been a misunderstanding, Lyanna..." Bliss began to say, but the warrior woman swiftly stood, bid them a proper farewell & exited the dining hall without acknowledging the handmaid's protests.

Bliss sighed & idly skimmed her oatmeal with her spoon. "Well that escalated quickly," she muttered. She glanced towards the hallway where the lady knight had disappeared, curious as to what could have set her off so. Bliss knew that Lyanna took her position as a knight very seriously. It was her life! Could that be why she is upset? The handmaid looked over at the prince with a confused expression, but it soon became a scowl instead. "What was that about? Or, perhaps I should more accurately ask, what did you do this time?"

To be entirely honest, having breakfast alone with Elijah did seem like an ideal course of action for the young lady. But, given the circumstances, it would not be nearly as satisfactory. Bliss decided to do instead what she thought her sister might encourage her to.

She softened once more. She was hesitant, afraid she already knew the response, but she asked anyway. "Are you not going to follow her? You ought to."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Isabelle Marcot Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: James Bandeaux
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Isabelle Marcot




Isabelle grinned slightly at the king's response to her poking fun about the window incident. "Then I guess it's good that I'm not a woman of your kingdom." She replied. "I'm not easily swayed by a fancy title. After all in most cases its just good parentage or sheer good luck. And I'll have you know that mean would die for being at my window in my kingdom."

It wasn't entirely serious, she knew that, they were simply teasing one another. But that didn't make it any less true. Either of her statements for that matter. The idea of a title wasn't something she concerned herself with, it was always one of the first things her parents told her about potential suitors but she paid it no mind. She was more concerned with their ability to keep her from wanting to kill either them of herself during the duration of their conversation. And regarding anyone being outside of her bedroom window, that was pretty self-explanatory; attempted to climb up to a princess' bedroom window simply was not a good idea, that was unless you fancied getting an arrow shot through your brain.

Isabelle glanced up from the scenery in front of her and back to James when he spoke. said, no longer looking at her but gazing out at the beautiful kingdom in front of him. She swallowed lightly at his question, looking down for a small moment. "Perhaps we should start with breakfast." She replied, "I fear that if we ignore the rest of the palace for much longer they won't want to host a ball for us any longer and there won't be one to attend. "

Though she wasn't one for commitment this wasn't that serious of an offer. After all, the ball was in their honours and since they weren't very familiar with too many of the people living in the kingdom it wasn't exactly strange for them to go together. She used her hand on the ledge of the window to help her rise into a half-standing position so she could duck back through the open window and onto the chair. She stepped down from the chair and moved across the room to the dressing screen and slipped her fingers around the [url=oi40.tinypic.com/2cs6tjp.jpg]dress[/url] she'd hung there the evening before.

"And before we get anywhere near the rest of today my dressing would be a good start." She said stepping behind the screen and slipping easily from the sleeping gown and stepping into the new gown, adjusting it on herself and loosely lacing it up in the back before stepping back into the room. "Help me lace it up?" She asked, turning her back to the window and clutching the gown to her chest with her arm so the king could help her lace the gown up tighter than she could on her own.

"And I assume accepting your offer couldn't hurt any." She admitted in a softer tone after a moment. "But I'll warn you, I'm not exactly much of one for a ball, I have a habit of causing a scene. So I completely understand if you wanted to recant your offer." She added, it was true she wasn't one for a formal party. They were boring and tedious and she wasn't the type to smile and play the perfect princess while held in awful conversation with men of nobility simply because they were so and felt entitled. She had a nasty little habit of telling them exactly her feelings and they rarely took that well.









Elijah de Montefort





Elijah made a slight face at Lyanna's response to the handmaiden. He hadn't been aware he was laughing at all let alone laughing at her. Oh. Then he realized she hadn't meant literally laughing at her. But he wasn't doing it metaphorically either. He made a mental note not to try that again as she apparently didn't take his jokes as being anywhere near amusing.

Before he could even comment or respond, Bliss was talking and even she couldn't finish what she was saying because before she had even gotten near finishing it, Lyanna was excusing herself and walking from the dining hall. So Elijah sat that with the same dumbfounded expression on his face.

She had both confused him with her words and then with her abrupt removal of herself from the situation, especially since from what he had heard Ephraim speak of her she was a woman of honour and that didn't make her seem the type to commit such an informality, especially when it was in regards to someone of his own standing. But maybe that was just his own ego inflating again and blurring his vision.


He shrugged and turned back to his breakfast, which was quickly interrupted by Bliss speaking again, obviously to him. In response to her comment he shrugged. "Why would I? " He asked. "I did nothing wrong and I do not control her schedule. Besides, a prince doesn't chase someone when they walk away." That was the only answer he gave. It was true it wasn't something that a prince did, or at least it wasn't something that Elijah did.

He finished up with his breakfast quickly and stood from the table. "Besides, I have my own things to attend to and I'm sure Gi will need you to brush her hair or whatever you girls spend your day doing together." He pushed his chair back from the table and walked from it and out into the hallway to attend to his own paperwork before the rest of that's day's festivities. At least getting that over and done with would make his brother at least moderately happy and then in turn Eliah would get nagged at much less since he would have all of his paperwork and attendings to done with for the day. That would also open him up to spending his afternoon doing much more entertaining activities.

He allowed himself to stride from the dining hall with no further excusal, not that he really needed one because he knew far well that no one left in the room would dare question it or say anything about it. Not to him anyway. He headed directly to his office nearly directly across the hall from his brother and sat down at his desk, leaving the door open; after all it wasn't like he was doing anything secretive and he liked to know if anything was occurring in the hallway or nearby while he was working. One wouldn't want to unintentionally find themselves under siege and not even know it until you were slaughtered. Plus the opened door kept people from spying on him while he worked and he wasn't unaware of the staff's tendency to do so through closed doors, not that he would have done any different then they.

He eyes the stack of papers, much of which he'd been putting off dealing with for some time now, and groaned. He hated this bit, though he couldn't really complain as this was really his only required task, well he could complain technically, and did on occasion but that was just him. He pulled a paper from the stack, the bit at the bottom that had been there for damn near forever now and actually decided to read its content. Dear all things godly this was boring, and this was not the 'important' things that he couldn't pass off to an adviser. He made another mental note, this one to never become an adviser.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Elijah de Montefort Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Malik Falmari Character Portrait: Laurent Adoroar
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image


When the prince spoke, the handmaid's fears were confirmed. He would hold fast to his pride & his nobility.

Bliss could not help but feel a little hurt by what he said. Over time she had come to think of Elijah as a good friend, & Lyanna as well, & the fact that he did not seem to feign any concern or interest in possibly having insulted one of her companions confused her. A warrior, nonetheless, a person who would lay down their very life to defend him- even they merit no priority? It only made her sister's warning ring more true. Her cheeks burned & she felt a strange stirring in her chest. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat.
Image

"Forgive me for expecting anything out of the ordinary." Bliss said, in such a way that was less than apologetic but still sounded polite. She then lowered her eyes to her bowl & silently ate the rest of her oatmeal & fruit. Because there is no amount of turmoil that can cause Bliss to lose her appetite, she ate with gusto & finished promptly.

"It matters not. At any cost, if you will not speak to her, I will." Bliss dabbed at her face with the napkin & stood. She spoke pithily & curtsied. "Good day, your highness. A pleasure as always."

"Besides, I have my own things to attend to and I'm sure Gi will need you to brush her hair or whatever you girls spend your day doing together." Elijah snappishly said, as he too began to make his leave from the table.

She ignored his final comment and briskly exited the dining hall, seething in her mind & aching in her heart. She knew she was foolish for feeling the way that she did. She knew Elijah; how could she ever expect him to be anything other than what he was? It was indeed too much to ask & she never should have. That was why she felt so rotten right now. Something has changed. I have. And I need to do something about this.

In the hallway she saw the lady knight making her way outside.

"Lyanna?" The handmaiden called out & ran to greet her.

Image


When the ship from Shahari arrived in the port of Mederva, Laurent's heart swelled at the sight of the castle in the distance. Home at last. It was not that he did not enjoy traveling, quite the contrary- for he adored visiting foreign lands, but no matter how awe inspiring a landscape was that he visited, nothing ever made him happier than his homeland.

This particular trip was an unusual one for two reasons: One being that Ephraim kept privy any details as to why the Royal Guest would be visting & in attendance at the ball, & two being that the Crown Prince of Shahiri was, in himself, unusual. He was a friendly enough fellow, that was true, & they had even found a commonality when they discussed traveling- both apparently sharing a deep passion for it. But his habits struck Laurent as a bit...eccentric.

Image
For instance, the Prince of Thieves refused to adhere to social niceties & strode about the vessel bare chested & barefoot the majority of times. & over the short course of their time together he had already taken to informally referring to the steward as "Lorri." All of which he could take with good humour, but his habit of sneaking up on the Medervan gentleman was a bit harder to get used to. Laurent was not entirely certain if he did it on purpose or if he simply could not help treading so silently.

"Your Royal Highness," Laurent announced, turning to Ephraim's guest with great flourish & a charmingly large smile. "I present to you my humble home land, the Kingdom of Mederva."

The dock workers busied themselves lowering stairs to the pier for the ship's occupants to disembark from.

"I hope you find it to your liking, sir." He bowed deeply & gestured for the Prince to descend.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Giselle Angelou Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Ephraim de Montefort Character Portrait: Malik Falmari Character Portrait: Laurent Adoroar
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by Guest


Image



Lyanna had shrugged off the lingering burn of shame by the time she set her feet back to the stones and out towards the stables, but she was interrupted in her progress by Bliss, who called after her. Slowing to a stop, Lyanna about-faced, perhaps a bit too crisply for a conversation with a friendly acquaintance, but then she wouldn’t really know that. The knighthood was just in everything that she did, plain and simple. She managed an expression of pleasant interest, which was honestly about as close as she ever got to smiling. Even Ephraim was less serious than she was, and that was really saying something. Those close enough to her understood that there was no offense to be taken in this, and Bliss was probably one of those people.

“Bliss?” she questioned lightly, examining the other woman’s face for any sign of distress. She wasn’t really sure if something had happened after she left, but Bliss wasn’t one to become overly flustered and needlessly frustrated in social situations like she was, so she doubted that. Perhaps the Lady Giselle needed something? No, she had left a while ago and was probably still with Ephraim.

She was aware, however, that her schedule was pressing, and she couldn’t afford to be late. “Can we walk and talk? The Shahari Prince likely just disembarked from his boat and is riding to the palace as we speak. I need to be there to receive him.” Actually, it might be a good idea to have a member of the castle staff there as well, and though Bliss was far from typical ‘staff,’ Lyanna didn’t think her presence would hurt anything. She was, in many ways, what the lady knight sometimes wished she was: gracious, graceful, kind to everybody, and clever. Not to mention sociable. If they wanted to make a good impression, Bliss wouldn’t hurt at all.

Tilting her head in the appropriate direction, Lyanna started walking at a moderate pace. “Is something the matter?” Her floundering tended to abate either in the line of her job or in conversations with those she knew well, and since both were true here, there was nary a stutter to be heard, only a subtle, surprisingly gentle confidence over a layer of duty-bound steel. It was really a shame it abandoned her at crucial moments.



Image



At first, he was almost certain that he’d mortally offended her, and was thinking to apologize again, when she thanked him. At first, it was a bit tremulous and uncertain and not at all like spirited Gigi, but then she repeated it with a smile and a gale of laughs and her usual fire back in her tone, and for once in his life, Ephraim grinned, broad and unabashed and lively. He’d never say it out loud, because it sounded trite and clichĂ©, but nothing in the world made him quite as happy as the happiness of others, especially his friends. If he happened to have some hand in it, well
 that was all the better.

He stood with her, escorting her to the door. “I’m glad my earnestness is amusing,” he said with the arch of a brow. But he knew it wasn’t that she laughed for, and that was just fine by him. If only securing the happiness of the rest of the people in his life, in this kingdom was the matter of a gesture so simple and obvious to grant—kingship would be a much easier burden to contemplate.

They reached the door, and he glanced back at the stacks of paperwork on his desk. Most of his work was done, at least everything that he could do for the day, but he still had a few last-minute matters to set up regarding the ball. “Just so you know,” he informed Giselle, opening the door for her, “Prince Malik is arriving from Shahari today. I don’t think the two of you have met—I only met him on a state visit a few years ago, but he’s a very
 interesting fellow.” He shrugged; it seemed prudent to inform her so she knew the stranger staying in their hallway was supposed to be there.

“Alas, I have to go see the chef and a few other people about arrangements for tonight. Also
” he hesitated for a moment, unsure for once if the offer would be poor form or not. It wasn’t, after all, every day one broke off an engagement of nearly seven years, “If milady doesn’t find an appropriate escort to this evening’s festivities, she would be welcome to rescue me from the boredom of it all.” He wouldn’t want her to be uncomfortable because he’d chosen today to drop this on her, after all. “Of course, I highly doubt finding an escort of more suitable sort will be a challenge for you.” His tone was light, even jocular, and it was clearly one of those rare moments where it wasn’t so impossible to believe that he and Elijah were related after all.



Image



Malik threw on the shirt Su’da handed him with an air of faint disappointment. Sailors rarely bothered adorning their upper bodies, and the prince of Shahari was definitely not new to sailing, or heated weather. But Merderva was a temperate clime, and frightfully stuffy about certain points of etiquette that simply didn’t exist in his country. So a shirt it would be, and boots as well, for that matter. It was probably for the best; the place was honestly a little too cold for Malik, even now, in the height of summer. Ridiculous.

He tied the dark blue sash over the black-and-silver shirt, pulling his boots on as Lorri gave him the traditional welcome speech, variants of which he’d heard in every country from here to the ends of the earth. Still, it wasn’t bad—he could tell this particular Merdervan had a real fondness for his home, even with so formal a recitation. “Well, she does come highly recommended,” Malik conceded with a crooked smile that lit his sky-blue eyes as though from within. “My father was Merdervan, Lorri, and he never did quite get over how much he missed it.”

The diplomatic marriage between his parents had been basically the opposite of a love match, which was probably why there was only ever one son. Add to that the fact that his father was dead, probably at his mother’s hand, and it was perhaps understandable that Malik himself didn’t much believe in things like romance. Sensuality, sure, and sexuality was great, but love was
 well, it was something for stodgy, stiff people like the ones who generally tended to occupy such traditional countries as this one. Malik didn’t really do traditional, but for his mother’s sake, he curtailed the worst of his habits on his diplomatic missions, and only ever complained to Su’da.

Then again, he shared almost all of his thoughts with Su’da, so that was hardly surprising. The man was an astute listener, and much smarter than most people would assume. That he’d done a lot of the father’s or older brother’s work in raising Malik tended to help. Glancing over his shoulder at said manservant, Malik flashed a grin, one that clearly read ‘let’s see what trouble we can stir up,’ and descended the gangplank on feet as quiet as cat’s paws. That was something he’d learned from the man behind him, as well, and now it was as natural as breathing.

There were several horses awaiting their party, and though Malik preferred boats to beasts, he’d learned how to ride over the years, perhaps somewhere back in a visit to Effemagne, where it was like the men were born riding. If you were going to pick up a skill, learn from the best. Swinging astride the beast, he surveyed the port, finding it not half as lively as the one back home but almost as busy, and then they were off. The palace itself was about an hour’s ride from the docks, part of that through town and the other part through a bit of farmland. He was looking forward to seeing it. Travel was rarely boring, after all.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Malik Falmari Character Portrait: Laurent Adoroar Character Portrait: Su'da
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image


Lyanna slowed her pace, which allowed Bliss to quickly catch up to her. She took a small step back when the knight turned sharply.

“Can we walk and talk? The Shahari Prince likely just disembarked from his boat and is riding to the palace as we speak. I need to be there to receive him.”

The handmaind had heard stories of the Shahari Prince, but she had never actually set eyes on him. If any of the rumors were true then this would prove to be a rather interesting time for the castle.

As the knight spoke, Bliss could not help but notice that there was not a shred of a stammer left in her speech. There before her stood, once more, the confident warrior of the battlefield. Whatever had befallen her in the dining hall had left no traces behind. Bliss wondered if she should still even ask about it. What if I misunderstood? She smiled cordially.
Image

"But of course! I do not wish to interfere with your duties." With that said, she strolled along side Lyanna & together they made their way to the stables.

“Is something the matter?” Lyanna tilted a concerned gaze in the handmaid's direction. She had probably noticed the flush of pink in her cheeks that Elijah had elicited with his remarks.

"I was going to ask the same of you," Bliss replied. "Did you truly leave in such a hurry in order to recieve the Shahari Prince?" She made sure to keep her tone pleasant & curious so as to not sound accusatory & risk offending the girl. "It's just that...I thought you might be upset," she explained. "& I wanted to check on you."

Image


"Ah. Pardon my forgetfulness, m'lord," Laurent said. In truth, he was a little embarassed by it. All that time spent devouring historical documents & he couldn't even remember the simple geneology of a neighboring royal family. Glad that education served for something, Laurent. Nonetheless, Malik's comment appealed to Laurent as he took great pride in his homeland & was always glad to hear positive statements about it from others.
Image

He waited for the prince & his servant to get down before he did so himself. There on land a party awaited with horses, the best one (a beautiful, gold hued palfrey), of course, being reserved for Malik Falmari. Laurent mounted his own horse, a white rouncy named Hughe. Su'da was accomadated with a horse similar to Hugh, except a charcoal in color.

He noticed Su'da's scowl as he approached the horses.

"I assure you, they are gentle & well trained creatures." He said to them, thinking that perhaps they would be apprehensive to ride. This thought vanished however when he saw them skillfully mount the beasts & guide them forward. "Ah. Nothing such fine gentlemen as yourselves can't handle," he quickly added.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Giselle Angelou Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Ephraim de Montefort Character Portrait: Malik Falmari Character Portrait: Laurent Adoroar
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by Guest


Image



Lyanna tried to think of a way to answer the question that would make sense without making her seem like an idiot. Deciding that there were none, she sighed, glancing askance at Bliss. “I did need to go meet him,” she answered truthfully, “but
” she trailed off, struggling to find the right words for the idea she wanted to express. The flagstones moved by underfoot, and a pair of servants opened the doors for them, letting them out into the eastern courtyard, which led out into the stables eventually.

The morning sun was warm on her face, and suddenly, nothing seemed so bad as it usually did, not even her ridiculous behavior. She preferred rainy days, but cool mornings like this were wonderful also. She tried to find pleasure in the simpler things since the complicated ones often eluded her like the trout in the streams back home had evaded her childish efforts to catch them with her hands. Oh, how her brothers had laughed at her then. Sometimes, she still missed living with her family, but
 she was doing something honorable, and around people she genuinely liked. She had no room to complain, and so she didn’t.

“I can’t talk to people, Bliss. Well, not people I don’t know, anyway. I just
 the secret things that people slip in between their words, the hidden jests and the implications
 I don’t always see them. I just assume that everyone’s being serious unless the joke is in their tone, too. I can’t read people worth a
 a fig.” She’d been about to say ‘damn,’ which would have been find around the men she commanded, but she wasn’t sure how Bliss would feel about it. Yet another way in which she failed to be delicate and subtle enough.

“I grew up a soldier, not a lady, and I spent all the time everyone else uses for etiquette and comportment lessons on the field, practicing harder. So
 I can’t do the dancing with words.” She spun a wrist in a vague gesture for ‘dancing.’ It wasn’t an excuse, really: plenty of people managed to be good at both things. Just look at Ephraim, or the king of Effemagne. They were warriors and nobility, and excellent at both. Maybe a little too informal sometimes (King James particularly), but good all the same. “I’m not mad at anyone, just
 frustrated. At myself, for always ending up in these situations where I don’t know what to say or how to be.” She always said too much or not enough, or was too sarcastic, the kind of rough humor the knights employed fully present, but she was unsubtle, direct, and that could be a problem.

“But I probably shouldn’t have said that. You’ve got enough to deal with on your own, right? Nobody here has it easy, I know that much.” It was true that she didn’t know what it was like to be a servant, though she did know how to serve, in her particular way.

They reached the stables then, though, and there wasn’t a whole lot more time before a small party of riders became visible on the horizon. At the head of the column came Laurent, Ephraim’s personal steward, and he was escorting a smaller group than shed expected: apparently just the Prince Malik and one other, a man of ebon skin and what seemed to be a shaven head. Lyanna had never been to Shahari, but she’d met a few people from there, so it wasn’t exactly unexpected. The fact that he seemed to be the only servant attending the prince was more unusual, but perhaps Malik preferred to travel with a minimum of fanfare.

Lyanna assumed a posture of parade rest, feet apart and hands clasped together behind her back, and waited until the party was fully arrived before addressing them. Sweeping into an elegant bow rather than a curtsy, she spoke. “Their Royal Highnesses Princes Ephraim and Elijah de Montefort of Merderva welcome you to their home.” Straightening, she assumed a pleasant expression, if not one that was a smile. “My name is Sir Lyanna du Lac, and this is Miss Bliss Barnard.” She indicated the young woman at her side. “Our stablehands will take care of your horses for you. If you would prefer to be taken to your rooms first, I can show you there directly. Otherwise, breakfast is currently ongoing in the Main Hall, and you are welcome to join.” This was definitely her business mode, and that much was evident from the efficient nature of her tones.



Image



“So formal!” Malik observed with humor, cocking his head to the side and grinning. “And ah, yes, I have heard of you. Not many lady knights in Merderva, no? So strange.” He shook his head good-naturedly. In Shahari, if you could and wanted to fight, you fought, regardless of whether you were male or female. But, alas, tradition. Mischief firmly intact in his eyes and tongue planted solidly in-cheek, he swept a bow over Lyanna’s hand and pressed a light kiss to the backs of her fingers.

Calluses, interesting. The title was not just for show. He flashed a wider grin when she turned scarlet, and repeated the gesture with Bliss. “And Miss Barnard. Enchanted, I assure you.” Despite his joviality, there was something genuine and facile in his demeanor, and he turned his attention to the two men with him.

“Well, we didn’t get a chance to eat aboard the ship this morning, so breakfast seems like a splendid idea. Lorri and Su’da here are of course free to do as they please.” He knew Su’da would follow him—he took his duties as manservant very seriously, sometimes too seriously. Malik found he couldn't hold it against him, though.



Image



Ephraim wasn’t sure it was entirely wise for him to skip out on work and go riding, but he’d been breaking his back over arrangements for Malik’s visit, tensions between Merderva and Brunswick-LĂŒneburg, and various other diplomatic matters. It seemed that his beloved kingdom was slowly headed for a perfect storm of trials, between the succession crisis, an almost-inevitable war, and all the visitors. One misstep on his part or Elijah’s could bring the entire realm crashing down around their ears.

It was easy to ignore the fact that he was a human being with a need for food and rest like all of them when such ponderous thoughts occupied him and he was still forced to deal with the mundanity of social events like the one tonight. But then
 he was indeed just a man like the rest, and he’d be lying if he said he’d had any time to himself at all recently. Perhaps one day wouldn’t really hurt. It wasn’t like any of the problems that hovered over his head could be solved with the application of a few hours’ reading and trying not to tear his hair out.

Ephraim sighed through his nose. “All right, I’ll go riding. But not all day.” He gave her an apologetic look. “I really do have to see to some of these arrangements myself, I’m afraid.” He hoped it would be enough—he didn’t want to ruin her jovial mood, or his own relief, but there were simply too many things to be done. He should probably pay another visit to the barracks this afternoon, see how the latest round of recruits was coming along in training. If he was unlucky, he would need each and every one of them soon.

Shaking himself out of it, he managed to keep his thoughts mostly in the present as he was dragged along, more or less, by his childhood friend. “Forgive me for saying so, Giselle, but you’re ah
 hardly dressed for riding. Perhaps a detour is on order?” He didn’t mind standing outside her door for a few minutes while she arranged something a little less
 delicate for an outing, after all.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Malik Falmari Character Portrait: Laurent Adoroar Character Portrait: Su'da Character Portrait: Karl Hastenbeck
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by Tempest
Su'da




Su’da had to admit to himself that the ride to the Capital was not so bad in the end. Granted it was not his home and was to cold by half but he could not help but admire the scenery and vast green landscape that they rode through. His own home, blistering hot at this time of year, could look like a desert if the rains did not come.

They passed at least one other village, their party receiving the bows of peasants who buried their faces in the dirt as the riders passed. Twice they over took marching columns of troops, a reminder that Medreva was at war, and the soldiers shuffled off the road at a bugle from the Kings Steward, glancing resentfully at the passing entourage.

Su’da was shocked at the quality of the soldiers he had time to flick his eyes over as they rode by. They were shabby, poorly armed, and looked down trodden. Once he dropped back to speak with a member of their Medrevan escort.

“You are at war?” He made it a simply question, it was always best if most people assumed he spoke only basic languages other than his own. The young knight looked surprised at the question and for a second Su’da thought he saw a flash of fear in the mans eyes.

“We are.” The Knight confirmed, speaking slowly as he gestured to the west where distant columns of smoke were barely visible. “The Kingdom of Brunswick-Lunebrg has taken the Western provinces.”

“But your King has party?” Su’da pressed the question, completely baffled that the event they rode to would take place with enemy armies trying to batter down the kingdoms gates.

“He has invited your Crown Prince, maybe to try and fortify his position, but he has also asked for peace with our enemies. They send the Iron Duke for talk. You understand?”

Su’da understood and he thanked the Knight before rejoining the Crown Prince. The Iron Duke, he was familiar with the title but not the man. Su’da had met several of his own people returned from mercenary work who had told them about the Duke of Brunswick. It was also rumoured that the Iron Duke retained two of Su’da’s own people in his household troops.

He pushed the matter further back into his mind as they rode into the Castle, Su’da noting with some surprise that their reception was little more than two women. One of them was a Lady Knight, but otherwise there was no one in sight and he felt the touch of a subtle insult that the Medrevans couldn’t do more than this for a man they hoped to make their ally.

He dismounted with the Crown Prince and observed the two women with an impassive face. His own years in the fighting pits made him an excellent judge of soldiers and he was impressed with what he saw in the Lady Knight. She would certainly be a challenge for the Crown Prince but Su’da knew that no amount of practice, nor armour, could substitute for years of experience. If had to kill the woman, he would do so.

The fine features of the two women were not lost on him though, nor on his master he noted as the Crown prince swept a short bow to kiss their hands. Su’da would do no such thing for he did not expect to be even noticed by them beyond a rude stare or two.

“Well, we didn’t get a chance to eat aboard the ship this morning, so breakfast seems like a splendid idea. Lorri and Su’da here are of course free to do as they please.”

The Crown Prince had spoken lightly enough, and he well knew that Su’da was not going to let him out of his sight, especially not in these new surroundings. He bowed his head slightly and spoke in their native tongue, his voice a deep, yet pleasant, rumble.

“Your servant shall stay to protect you, highness.”




The Duke of Brunswick




Three Days Ago - Western Borders of the Kingdom of Medreva

The grey walls of Raneis Castle glistened with the dew of the fresh morning, the clouds hugging the mountains that surrounded it so low that the higher towers of the fortress vanished into them, hiding the yellow and blue banners that hung limp in the dead air.

A clatter of chains broke the still morning, a trumpet challenged the sky, and the drawbridge dropped with a crash over the moat newly filled with rain water that poured from the mountains.

Then a thunder of hooves and the Duke of Brunswick rode forth. He was mounted on a great black charger and wore the fire-blackened armour that was his trademark. With him rode over one hundred of his household troops and at their head went his banner, a great square of blue cloth halved, blue with a golden crown on one side, red with a black armoured fist rising from the water and clutching a sword upon the other.

For the Medrevan soldiers who, up until a few months ago, had been siegeing the castle it was an impressive display and he galloped through their camp without sparing them a glance, his contempt for them clear.

He did return the salute of one Medrevan nobleman, gesturing for the man to ride with them as he continued east. The older man, his senior by twenty years, fell in to ride next to him.

“Off to do a bit of dancing, your Grace?” The Medrevan asked with a small grin.

“If by dance you mean tear the balls off your Prince, then yes.” He laughed. “It is not to late to join me and be on the winning side Baron.”

The older man smiled tiredly. “May I have leave to consider your offer until you return my lord?” He asked. Baron Travan Haverty had been charged with holding the Iron Duke at the Western Mountains and his army had crumbled, his fortresses had fallen and now he was but a shadow of his former self.

“Of course Baron, we are enjoying a ceasefire after all are we not?” The Duke spoke lightly but then he turned slightly in his saddle and locked his eyes on the Baron who shivered slightly at the gaze. “But when I return, if we do not have an accord, I will smash your army and put this country to the sword, so think carefully.”

The older man nodded and then curled his horse away from the Brunswick column. He could feel nothing but despair as he watched yellow and blue of Brunswick-Lunberg ride swiftly alongside the armoured fist of the Iron Duke.

He prayed for peace, if it failed, those same banners would ride his men into ruin.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Malik Falmari Character Portrait: Laurent Adoroar Character Portrait: Dai McNeill Character Portrait: Su'da
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image


Bliss patiently listened to Lyanna explain, glad to lend a sympathetic ear. She had not spent much time with the knight outside of the training grounds & their private archery lessons, as one could never convince Lyanna to stray away from her knightly duties, so this was all news to her. She never could have imagined the inner turmoil that the warrior felt in stuffy social situations.

It made sense though & Bliss did not know why she had not realized it earlier. Lyanna had to work extremely hard to prove herself to her male peers, so of course she would not have had the time (or the energy & desire) to learn how to be "ladylike". The handmaid found herself wondering how Lyanna ever managed to get through her younger years, especially so far from the support of her family...How difficult that must have been.

“I’m not mad at anyone, just
 frustrated. At myself, for always ending up in these situations where I don’t know what to say or how to be.”
Image
"You need only be yourself," Bliss loftily said. "If you give people the chance to see you, who knows? They might surprise you, Lyanna."

“But I probably shouldn’t have said that. You’ve got enough to deal with on your own, right? Nobody here has it easy, I know that much.”

"No one can known what it is like to be anyone other than themself." Bliss tried to sound casual, but as they drew closer to the stables there was a slight twinge of panic in her words. The handmaid kept an eye out for any unattended horse, lest one try to snatch up her hair or dress in its teeth.

Bliss saw a group of riders approaching in the distance, Ephraim's steward being the only one recognizable. Two, uniquely dressed men rode alongside of him. The larger one with a shaved head appeared to be, almost literally, armed to the teeth. These must be the visitors from Shahari. Her curiosity piqued & she felt a tingling wave of excitement as they drew closer. By the time the party had fully arrived, Bliss had a silly smily plastered to her face.

“Their Royal Highnesses Princes Ephraim and Elijah de Montefort of Merderva welcome you to their home. My name is Sir Lyanna du Lac, and this is Miss Bliss Barnard.” Bliss instinctively did a proper curtsy & bowed her head when Lynna introduced her. It was second nature by now.

As Lyanna continued with the formalities, Bliss studied the guests. Nosy as she was, she was always fascinated by anyone & anything that potentially offered a break from the droll normalcy of every day life. The Prince's pleasant appearance did not escape her attention either.

“So formal!” The prince grinned & Bliss found herself liking him already. He said something more, but she did not entirely listen since she was too busy delighting in the prodigious sight of a Prince kissing Lyanna's hand & consequently making the knight turn bright red. The smile dropped from her face, however, when the royal from Shahiri then repeated the process with her. Her cheeks burned pink. A prince greeting a handmaid in this way! She quickly glanced up at the royal's servant & raised her brows, as if to ask Is this normal?

Her hand dropped to her side & the Prince turned to address his riding party. A riding party which, Bliss noted, was unusually discreet.

“Well, we didn’t get a chance to eat aboard the ship this morning, so breakfast seems like a splendid idea. Lorri and Su’da here are of course free to do as they please.”

Image


Laurent's brotherly worry kicked in when he observed the way in which Malik greeted Lyanna. He was not entirely certain why it bothered him so. She was, after all, a lady & it was not so unusual of a greeting with that considered. He was slightly relieved when he saw the gesture repeated with the handmaid, but not entirely. Laurent dismounted & several of the stablehands came forward to tend to their horses.

“Your servant shall stay to protect you, highness.” The older man said, cearly devoted.

"I will go to kitchen to ensure everything is to your liking, m'lord. Please let me know if you have any special requests, & I will happily oblige." A royal messenger had been dispatched ahead of them, so Prince Ephraim should be well aware by now that his guests had arrived.
Image

"After the meal I must depart from you, however," he explained as they walked to the dining hall. With another guest on the way & the ball tonight, Laurent would have his hands full running errands & accomplishing whatever tasks Prince Ephraim had in store for him. "But you have the good fortune of having the honorable Lady Lyanna to escort you where you desire." He smiled at his friend as he spoke of her & then performed another flourishing bow before he excused himself.

In the kitchens he encountered Elijah's manservant, Dai, helping Horike prepare food. The man seemed to be genuinely pleased in doing so as well.

"Good morning, Dai," Laurent said. He eyed the hunk of meat that Horike & Dai were skillfully carving away at. "Lovely kill."

Although he & Dai did not particularly see eye to eye, Laurent always tried to keep his manners intact in spite of who he may be conversing with. "The guests from Shahiri are in the dining hall, if you wish to let Prince Elijah know where they are."

Laurent stopped one of the servants that were about to leave the kitchen with tray bearing pitchers of drinks. "If you see Bliss Barnard out there, tell her to stop sticking her nose in other people's business & go tend to the princess Giselle, as she should be." he growled. His good humor tended to falter at the thought of someone ignoring their responsibilities, although that wasn't the only reason her presence had bothered him. He knew by now how much the handmaid enjoyed stirring up gossip & scandal, & considering that Ephraim seemed to want to be tactful about his royal guests, the handmaid's presence should be a cause for concern. "I would have told her myself, but the royalty was present."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lyanna du Lac Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard Character Portrait: Malik Falmari Character Portrait: Laurent Adoroar Character Portrait: Su'da
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

^

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Giselle Angelou Character Portrait: Bliss Barnard
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image


After Laurent chastised her by means of a kitchen servant, Bliss reluctantly departed from the guests. She had hoped to stick around long enough to hear an interesting tale or two but she did have her chores to tend to. Disappointed, she walked up the stairs & towards the bedchambers.

Coming down the hallway, in a flustered state, was one of the fellow servants that had been assigned to Princess Isabelle as a handmaid. Bliss, who was acquainted with the girl, Kaylee, as she had given her a tour of the castle when she first arrived, inquired as to what was the matter.

"Nothing," responded the girl, although her eyes nervously glanced every which way. Anyone would know that she was lying, & Bliss was no exception.

"If this is the way you act when nothing is the matter, Kaylee, I would hate to see you when something is."

The girl turned pink & shook her head. "No-nothing is the matter, Bliss. I...I merely may have seen something I...I maybe should not have?"

"Such is the life of a servant," Bliss replied. "Now...What did you see?"

Kaylee once again scanned the vicinity &, finding it safe, leaned in to whisper to Bliss. "I went to help my mistress get dressed & prepare for breakfast, only to find King James was already doing so!"
Image
Bliss could not help but to laugh, suddenly understanding why Kaylee had seemed so flustered. What a scene to walk into. Poor girl! "Did they see you?" Bliss asked.

"Yes," Kaylee said, clearly embarassed. "I- I knocked before I entered, I swear it! But I suppose I didn't...give them enough time?"

She laughed again. "Is that what you were worried about? Don't fret, Kaylee! You did nothing wrong."

Kaylee still seemed uncertain. She let out a sigh & gave Bliss a cagey look. "Well, I had better be off. There is much to do before tonight."

"Yes, much," Bliss agreed. "I have tasks that need attending to as well. Good day, Kaylee..." Before she continued on her way to Giselle's bedchamber, she mischieviously added, "Be wary of any any closed doors."

Once inside of Giselle's bedroom, she began gathering the bedsheets & any discarded clothes. Bliss took the articles out to the laundress & traded them for freshly washed linens which she took back up to the room. After she arranged the bed properly once more, the clothier arrived with Giselle's gown. They seemed keen on hearing Giselle's opinion of it before leaving, but Bliss explained that the Princess was currently occupied, but to rest assured that the lovely dress would most certainly meet with the Princess's approval.

The handmaid carefully laid the gown out on the bed (along with a more subtle dress for the afternoon) & busied herself in getting together accessories that she thought Princess Giselle would enjoy wearing that night & tidying up the rest of the room.