Like Us They Bleed [concluded]

Enuky

Enuky

Status Troll


Introduction

​


The City of Magic was a sight to behold. Valpurina was a military fortress eventually converted into a secret city-state of the Rose Kingdom. Hidden deep within the Rose Mountains, Valpurina became known as the City of Magic because, unlike the rest of the Rose Kingdom, magic was legal. The city was so well hidden from the outside world that Valpurina came to stand almost as an independent entity. The Rose Monarchy was unaware of the location of Valpurina, and many believed the city to be a myth.


Over time the militant city began to attract a unique group of individuals. The persecution of warlocks and increasing occurrences of witch hunts caused many victims to seek refuge in the city. Valpurina has since then continued to flourish. Today it is home to a bustling population of diverse backgrounds, and its populous actively engages in magic.


The city was located in a massive cavern, remaining cool and dark at all times. The streets were kept well lit with glowing gemstones during the daylight hours and dimly lit after dusk. The gems that emitted the lights were placed into a glass encasing attached to the top of a light post. The color of these magic lights varied at times, but typically the day was lit in warm tints and nights were kept in cooler shades. On this particular morning the city streets were beautifully lit in a sunrise like gold and pink.


Like many residents of Valpurina, Prudence was brought there to escape persecution. She came from the once prominent Welder family of the Rose Kingdom. As the name suggested, she came from a line of welders. Her family crafted remarkable armor and weaponry, and even owned the mines from which the precious metals used came from. However, they also carried a dirty secret. Prudence Welder's mother and father were caught using alchemy magic to procure some of their materials. They were seized and charged for the crime of witchcraft.


The Welder couple was sentenced to death, but the Rose Kingdom courts were unsure of what to do with their only child, who was just four years old at the time. The courts decided to spare the child and she was given to the Wilting Rose to handle her care. That was when young Prudence was brought to Valpurina. She was placed in an orphanage where she was raised until the age of eighteen.


The twenty-two year old walked briskly through the cold streets. Her pale lips were curved into a confident smirk and her green eyes seemed to sparkle with determination. She wore a long, loose fitted black gown with sleeves that extended past the length of her hands. Her face was outlined in a fierce widows peak, and her hip-length hair was kept in a loose pony tail that trailed down her back. Her hair was black and somewhat frizzy. Atop her head she wore an old, floppy witch hat.


Prudence could never forget the moment she was taken from her parents. It was a cold autumn night in the Rose Kingdom when she was awoken by her frantic parents. They were preparing as fast as they could to flee, and soon the family took off by horse and buggy into the night. Sadly, the family was intercepted before they could escape the kingdom. She could remember her mother crying out to her as they were dragged away. It was the last time she saw her parents before they were hanged.


Although she was only a child at the time, Prudence was motivated by the experience to pursue witchcraft and dreamed of someday seeking vengeance. In the orphanage she was schooled and taught magic where she excelled in her studies.


The witch turned down a street. There were mostly small shops on each side, and many of them had not yet opened for the day. Prudence continued until reaching an old library of sorts where spells and witchcraft could be researched. She stopped before the doors and took in a deep breath; today was the day her dream of vengeance would start becoming a reality.


Prudence entered the library and took a flight of stairs leading to a basement level of the structure. There were torches hanging from the old stone walls which she lit using a fire spell. The room was large and empty containing several shelves of damaged books and a podium at the front of the room. This would be the location of the first resistance rally.


She waited and waited for attendees. Hundreds of secret invitations had been sent out to potential recruits, but it appeared not many would be in attendance. Finally, a small group of no more than a dozen people gathered. Prudence was disappointed in the small number, but proceeded with her demonstration anyway. She stood before the group at the podium and began to speak,


"I would like to thank everyone for your attendance at this rally. As you know our people have long been oppressed by the royal monarchies, and due to the recent legalization of magic they are now going to rule with magic. We cannot allow the royal families to have such power; they will surely become tyrannical."


"We deserve reparations for the suffering these monarchies have imposed on our kind for centuries. We have been hunted and tormented, and now we are expected to forget the horrors we faced? The royal families must pay for their actions! I propose we put an end to their reign once and for all. If we are to be ruled with magic we should be headed by our own kind!"


The witch stepped in front of the podium and paced the front of the room while gazing into the small crowd. As she peered into each face she wondered what sort of talents were awaiting her within it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@Robyn Banks @Trombone Geek @DemetrioMachete @Andraus


Following King Lance's departure, Princess Cecile was asked to present her curse mark to Troy. The girl was sad to see Lance go, and was embarrassed to have everyone who remained eyeing her expectantly. "Perhaps we should return to the garden first...", she said before skittishly making a dash back into the Rose Kingdom palace. She returned to her quarters where she tidied up her appearance. After fighting with her tangled mess of hair and changing into her witch gown and hat she went to the gardens where everyone was waiting on her.


"...Don't look at me", she whined because everyone was staring. All were there now except for Queen Kuvira, who had yet to be seen this morning. Cecile then unbuttoned several buttons at the front of her dress and lowered the collar for Troy to see. The mark of the curse was an ornate X etched over her heart. It resembled a Roman numeral written in gold. The princess turned her head away while she let Troy examine the marking. "Do you recognize it?" she asked after a brief pause.


. . .

​



In a swift flash the room was illuminated followed by a round of crackling thunder. The storm made the creepy vibe of Heinrich even worse. She watched the strange witch doctor as he lugged the unconscious store clerk onto his shoulder. He then descended into the dark passageway waiting on the other side of the trap door. Prudence looked to Yaro with a worried expression. She leaned closer to him and whispered, "neither of us are to be left alone with him at any time". She was beginning to think the doctor could be more sinister than he appeared. Nevertheless, the girl was in a mess that she believed he could remedy. With that, Prudence followed after the man down the passage and deeper into the pharmacy building. Yaro shut the trap door behind them as he soon did the same.


The witch quickened her pace to catch up with the doctor. He was already nearing the end of the stairs. She said to him, "I do wish that I could discuss a small medical problem of mine with you, doctor". She was of course referring to a big medical problem. That is, a demon growing in her stomach. She wondered what the doctor's office would be like; it was hard to see in the dark hallways. There were no lit candles in the basement of the apothecary as there had been above.


OOC: Kinda short but I have to get to work xD We're just going to jump right in where we left off.
 
The basement was pitch black.. As they would reach the bottom of the ladder, Prudence and Yaro would be greeted by the scent of pickled hands and old blood. The floor beneath them, based on its hardness and the sound it made when their feet touched it, it must have been stone.


"Oh, is it dark in here!" Heinrich's voice echoed from far away. "Hold tight, I will find a light." he seemed to flutter around in the dark for a while, muttering Klaus to himself.


"Mm.. Hmm... Klaus Klaus Klaus.. Oh for Heaven's sake.." down the hall,a bright white light would emanate from Heinrich's hand. He nodded in approval. "Here we are!" he stated in satisfaction as he threw a heavy lever.


The sound of numerous flints striking at once would echo out as the basement went alight with torches along the walls. The whole basement had a dark green hue to it.. There were shelves with various human organs and body parts in jars.. One in particular, an eyeball with black opaque and a yellow iris, was labeled "Eye of Wrath".


Heinrich approached the two, now that there was light. Of special note.. He was no longer carrying Howard's body. There were more halls in the basement.. Two on the left, and two on the right.


"So yes.. What sort of medical service may I treat you with, this dark and stormy night?" Heinrich asked Prudence, his hands cupping together as he tilted his head.


"I mostly specialize in closing wounds and reattaching limbs, but I assure you I am well versed elsewhere, too."
 
Troy would wait expectantly for Cecile to show her mark, and would get down on one leg to examine it better. Though it was brief, those that saw Troy's face at that moment would see her careful mask break: There was shock, and slight fear, when it was quickly covered up by the same neutral face, though Cecile would feel Troy's hand shake lightly as she pressed it on the mark. "....I don't know who cast this magic on you, Cecile.....but I know the spell. I also have a small counter curse against it. Mind you, it would merely buy time to find the person that cast it, but it's all I have."Troy said, but it was obvious she knew more than she let on.





"It's more than what we had several minutes ago. What is the Curse, Troy?" Lanister asked, obviously trying to help Troy and Cecile out of a uncomfortable situation.





"....I will be perfectly blunt: I am so sorry, Cecile, but what was cast on you is a Mark of Insanity. "Troy said, helping Cecile button her gown up. "Have you noticed your mind blanking out at odd moments? Odd changes in your behavior? Random bursts of laughter or sadness? That is the larval stages of the Curse. Soon, it will begin causing the more severe symptoms of Insanity: Dementia, Paranoia, Hallucinations, Delusions, and Emotional instability."Troy said, shaking her head. "The counter-curse I know can only delay it, I'm not powerful enough to break it. Whoever made it, she did a damn good job at complicating the inner works of the spell."





" 'She?' Troy, are you sure that you don't know who cast this spell?" Lanister asked. While he wanted to protect Troy, he had to put his duty first and foremost.





"I'm positive. "She answered, all to quickly, Before standing up. "I'll need a minute to prepare the counter curse. Hopefully you find the person within the time frame I can give to you. "Troy said, before looking towards Thornton. "I'm sorry, but this is all I can do. Make good use out of the time you have."Troy said, obviously wishing for the best for Cecile, that they can somehow break the curse.


But deep down, Troy knew, if they wanted to break the curse, they'd have to find....her


Yaro would look around at the scene in front of him, slightly disturbed by the whole thing. He would then speak up to Prudence and Heinrich. "She is in need of medical care for her pregnancy. If you need me to step out, for doctor patient confidentiality, then I will.....Though I have to say Heinrich, My adoptive sister Troy would love this place: She'd say that all you'd need to do is throw down a couple of rugs, put up some fine art, and maybe decorate the jars of organs with Carved Bones, and this place would be downright cozy." Yaro said, laughing at what he perceived as his sisters antics, unknowingly revealing to Prudence who she was to him


IF what Yaro said was true, that would mean that Troy had found another family with Yaro and his family. However, as his family was recently all assassinated, this would make it the second time that a monarchy has ripped Troy's family from her. Troy just couldn't seem to catch a break at all. It also appeared that Yaro knew nothing about Troy's previous occupation. Though the way he described Troy's actions were odd: Troy was by far the most serious person that Prudence knew back then, always focusing on the goal and mission, not caring about the how and why. What changed?





@Enuky K
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Cecile was not prepared for the news that was then delivered to her. Her blue eyes widened in a fear that she could not disguise. Her sanity was at stake?


As it was easily apparent to everyone she was distressed, Thornton was swift in joining his sister's side. He took her arm. Cecile was too shocked to speak; her thoughts were swirling around in panic while processing the information. It was Thornton who finally spoke first, "Cecile? We will break the curse! I promise".


It was then that Lanister's voice cut through the air, "she?" he asked. This caused the twins to both look up to Troy. Thornton carried a look of surprise while Cecile's terrified eyes became angry. She pulled away from her brother's grip and crossed her arms while she listened for Troy's explanation.


"She's lying! She knows!" Cecile screamed while pointing at Troy. She was quick to blame Troy because of her vague reference to a female.


Thornton spoke comfortingly to his sister, "now, Cecile, I know this is all hard for you to accept...", he began but Cecile interrupted him.


"No! She knows! and I am not letting you put another curse on me! I have been managing just fine!" The witch had lost all faith in Troy in that instant.


"I'll never forget that witch's face", she directed at Troy, "and when I see her again I'll be ready to make her do as I say". Cecile needed to develop her powers more than ever before. She already knew first hand how powerful her unknown assailant was.


She turned to the grand masters, "I would like nothing more than to start my training now".


. . .

​



Prudence let out a slight gasp at the disgusting sight of the basement, yet somehow she found the smell to be...pleasant. It was almost as if it were a tasty smell to her. She shuddered at the thought of such unusual cravings.


She sighed as she listened to Yaro explain her needs to the doctor. Once again, he made references to Troy, only now there was no questioning the connection. Prudence was unsure of whether or not her whereabouts and identity could remain protected with him. She glanced over the doctor; she did not want to be left alone with him. It was unfortunate to her that Yaro could not be trusted.


She nodded to Yaro's suggestion and placed a hand on her belly, "he is correct. I cannot visit a public doctor because it is necessary I lie low for the time being".


"I would like that. Thank you, Yaro", she said. Yaro found his own way away from the two while they spoke.


Prudence then cut right to the chase. Her hands rested on her hips, "look, this thing is no baby at all; it is a monster". The witch looked guiltily away and whispered, "a demon did this too me".


She paced the room and sighed in her frustration. The girl found an old scraping tool on the shelf. She took it and held out an arm to Klaus before digging it deep into her skin and creating a bloody gash. She winced in pain and waited; soon her stomach began to heat up and the wound began make searing sounds. Slowly, it began to heal itself although it was causing Prudence a great deal of pain in the process. She groaned over it.


Once the bleeding had stopped she began to speak, "I need to know if you have ever seen anything like this before. Will I be able to survive carrying it to term? I know you are skilled in demonology as well. What do you advise I do about this predicament of mine?"


She did not know where Yaro went to or whether he could eavesdrop from where he was.
 
Were his eyes not obscured by the lenses of his mask, the doctor's eyes would visibly widen at Yaro's explanation. A pregnancy!? The doctor glanced twice over Prudence.. He could see it now. Indeed, she was on her way to giving birth. His thoughts on it were interrupted though, as Yaro mentioned the additions Heinrich could add to his lair. At this, he pointed scoldingly at him.


"Hey. Its either money for food, or for pointless, inedible decoration. Not both. I got to make a living somehow.." Despite his charging of 500 silver.. Decoration would prove too expensive for the "good" doctor.


His eyes would widen further as Prudence clarified on the matter. A demon baby? That already aroused numerous questions.. But now those questions were irrelevant. He licked his lips from behind his mask as Prudence injured herself, blinking in surprise as it healed up fast. Rather than give a straight answer, Heinrich merely mentioned for Prudence and Yaro to follow him. "I will tidy up a room for you. Come."


Heinrich object..he two down the second hallway on the right. The scent of blood seemed to fade from this direction. He opened a rickety wooden door, exposing an isolated room with a padded metal object.. Long enough for a person to lay on. He then pointed to Yaro.


"Actually I have a job you can do. Ill pay you for it. Go and find the dear Clerk we had to apprehend. Come and tell me when he wakes up. I will explain later." now, he turned to Prudence.. Gesturing for her to lay down on the padded object.


"Indeed I have encountered something similar to this before.. Whether tou consented to mating with a Demon, or this happened through some ritual.. Matters little now. Now.. There are a few options we could review." he took a deep breath.


"First, I could deliver the little imp the natural way.. Chances of survival are about the same as delivering a normal baby.. So not great, without magic. If this demon has horns or fangs.. Well it will hurt even more. Next, I could exorcise the demon from within you, with the power of my Lord and God, Saint Cuthbert. Maybe I could simply try and kill the demon with steel.. But it would mean a lot of lost blood on your part. Lastly, I could remove your placenta.. As a result, your body would digest the demon within. No telling if you will survive.. But I wager you have a... Roughly 80% chance of absorbing the demon's powers. If none of these garner your approval, I could go and research more methods.." Heinrich cracked his knuckles, waltzing off to a corner, grabbing a rag with which to wipe off his mask and gloves..


"I won't ask many questions, nor will I inform Bathelon law enforcement or the Church of your predicament."
 
Prudence wondered what on earth the doctor could still need with the store clerk, but she would ask no questions about the matter. If the doctor would be kind enough to respect her privacy it was the least thing she could do in return decided the witch. She made no protest about the request, although she hoped Yaro would take care of himself. There was no telling what other things were waiting in this basement.


The next thing the doctor did was lead Prudence to her "room". While it wasn't filled with creepy body parts like the last room, it was cold and uninviting. Prudence chose to sit at the end of the padded table; she wasn't sure why he would need her to lay down. She then listened as the doctor explained her options. She appreciated how his demeanor changed from mad to professional. He wasn't sputtering to himself or aloof.


She began considering her options. Killing the thing with steel seemed like an unnecessary risk to her. An exorcism had a possibility of failure. Removing the placenta and absorbing its powers was the most appealing choice, but it carried with it the risk of her life. It seemed carrying it to term would be the best choice to her.


"I believe I will carry it to term...", she sounded somewhat disgusted. "It could make an interesting familiar, and we should be able to kill it if it is too monstrous". This option meant carrying it another seven months, which was frightening to her. However, it also meant that she would continue to benefit from its healing capabilities. She also came to find that being pregnant could get her out of a variety of sticky situations.


She was grateful when Klaus agreed to keep them secret from the law. "Will we be able to stay here? My symptoms are very unusual and I would prefer to remain in close contact should I need to change my decision later". Indeed, choosing to carry it also gave her more time to decide. "We will be able to start paying you... I could use someone with your experience on my team", she said. She was very impressed with his work in the black market.


She then glanced to her feet. She was uncomfortable and sitting in wet clothes after all. "...Do you have any extra black robes that I could wear?" she asked. She seemed embarrassed to ask such a thing, but she did not like the clothes the arcanist had given her; she preferred her black gowns.
 

Kuvira closed her eyes as she opened the door, her body seemingly tense from the night before.Though Thornton seemed unfazed by the lack of a corpse in the mine, she was more strained. The thought of her Dragon not hatching didn't make the thought better either. She walked down the flight of stairs hiding her anxious behaviors.


She browsed around to see if she could.find anyone, the castle was more vacant than usual. Her search soon ended as she heard the sound of yelling concluding that it was from Cecile. She followed the voices leading to the favored rose garden.Lance wasn't present, everyone seemed in an uncomfortable state as Cecile screamed from the top.of her lungs about being trained by the grandmaster.


 Kuvira scoffed louder than she expecting drawing more attention to herself. She cleared her throat her throat, playing it as if she planned to have everyone's eyes placed in her. "If I can concur with that statement, I would.like to add that they are too soft on you. They don't want to ruin your innocence or your pride something I have no shame in doing. They teach you lessons that is leading you no where they believe you are fragile but I know how corrupted you really are. They see potential but don't know how to trigger it like I can, I mean you hate me after all don't you? If you want to go on with your lessons on breath and take years to master advanced spells the grandmasters are perfect but if you want fast results... I can take over." She shrugged taking a step back. "Your choice."
​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Heinrich merely nodded at the notion of going through with the birth process. From outward looks alone, he couldnt tell how far along Prudence was.. But there would be considerable waiting, nonetheless. As she spoke of keeping it as a familiar though, he held up a hand for caution.


"Tu malas sen si non enevil os E, si non tes pi á En malas." [A master that is not as evil as I, is not fit to be my master.]" Heinrich spoke in an old Abyssal tongue, certain that the Witch knew what he spoke of. "Tis a common saying amongst the Demons and Devils of the Hell. You must have formidable evil and disdain for life in your heart if you expect a demon of any kind to support you.. So I have experienced, anyway." Heinrich backed off from the corner, looking over Prudence as she spoke of staying in the basement. At this notion, the doctor merely shrugged.


"There are more comforting places, I am certain.. I mean.. The scent may bring about odd dreams.. So would the screaming of my new nurse-in-training, Howard. Heh heh heh..." he rubbed his hands together.. Motioning for Prudence to stand, if she wished.


"I may have some beds around.. And robes? A full wardrobe of them. You want a mask like mine to go with it? I keep them in the same place." as though pitching a sale, Heinrich demonstrated the features of his Plague Doctor mask. He started by flicking the lenses up, exposing his eyes. They were a vivid green, like emeralds..


"The lenses flick up, if you need to see better. Plus, it wipes off most dirt. And!" he paused, fiddling with the beak of his mask. With a click, it opened up. "This unhinges too, if you want to eat or drink!" he closed it up, glancing out the door before returning his attention to Prudence.


"One last question.. Hm.. Are you of age to ingest alcohol?"
 
Osuin looked towards Kuvira, and began to open his mouth, before covering it, a look of deep thought on his face. "She isn't wrong....But fast results don't make for experience. You need to learn proper control before you can master your strength. While Kuvira can teach you to use it as a weapon, our teaching uses it as a way of life, a matter of control. If you're looking to use it solely for combat, you might want to train with Kuvira. I can only teach you discipline." Osuin said. "She is also closer to your age than I am, or any of us. She might know something we don't."Osuin said, before looking at Troy, and biting his lip. "Oh no...."





Troy just looked at Cecile, her eyes wide, before she would clench her fist. Her demon-marked eye would begin glowing, as her anger began rising, though she kept her voice level for now. "Control.....is that all you nobles care about? Are you all so blind to the truth, that you cannot see how far you are from it...? Do you know why people like her exist, Cecile? What sort of demons that your innocent mind cannot seem to grasp?"She asked, before removing the first three buttons of her shirt. She would then show Cecile a very distinctive mark.


It was a 'W' burned onto the skin. A brand of a witch.


"You see this mark?....I got it from 'your' people. The people of 'this' kingdom. For having healers for parents, I was branded a monster. Do you know what it's like to wake up every day, hearing the screams of your mother and father as they are burned on a goddamn pillar?!" Troy asked. "I was fortunate enough to find myself in Valpurina...not many had that chance." Troy said, buttoning her shirt back up.


"You want to know why I hate your monarchies, why I don't trust any of you here?! Because twice in my life, I have had a perfectly 'normal' life, filled with family and friends, and twice they have been ripped from me. "Troy said." Just when I think that I can finally settle down, and enjoy what I have? It gets yanked away because of your political intrigue: Every. Single. Time. Can you begin to even imagine what that is like?!" Troy asked the girl, looking at her with cold eyes.


"You nobles think you're in control, well guess what? You're not. It is people like this, that put your mark on your chest. "She said, gesturing to her mark for emphasis. "People like this, that have assassinated multiple nobles, and made you all to be the fools you are! People that have stolen from you, and taken back what was stolen from them! You blame them for doing this to you, saying you don't deserve it?! What have they done to deserve to be crushed like a goddamn bug under your foot? You want to know why this happened to you, then listen to this simple fact: Maybe, just maybe we were tired of being pushed around, and treated like garbage!" Troy said, before recoiling back, realizing just what she said.


What she had just revealed.





Lanister and the rest of the Grand-masters looked shocked. Obviously this information wasn't known to them. Lanister was the first to forward, reaching out an arm. "Troy....."





Before anyone could say anything, Troy bolted for the wall and.....scaled it, climbing over it and darting away from the Palace. Clementina, Lanister, and several over wilting rose members would chase after the girl, trying to catch up to her, and find out what exactly she knew.





Yaro would comply, and would go to watch the male as he was instructed. Though he knew very little of Prudence, he didn't doubt the sincerity of her desire to help the people. Yaro missed that kind of desire in people, those that actually thought bigger than themselves. He wanted to get to know Prudence better, to know what drove her. Yaro needed that drive to push himself forward, for he felt....empty with how his life was. Family slain, friends dead, he needed a reason to keep going.


But Prudence inspired Passion in him, a passion that brought him from the edge of despair. He'd follow her, for the sole purpose of being glad to have purpose in his life again.
 
Howard, the giant man of a clerk that Heinrich knocked out, was tied up to a rickety chair. His arms, legs, and neck were bound by steel braces, rendering him completely immobile. His face had begun to scab up where Heinrich had hit him, otherwise he looked fine.


"Mmmmngh..." he murmured, slowly stirring awake. His brown eyes opened up slowly, him trying to move his arm to rub his eye.. Only to find out that it was restrained. What even..? This spurred him awake. He looked around and saw where he was at, and immediately started panicking.


"No! NO! NOOOO!!! He screamed, jerking around frantically in his braces. Tears were streaming down his face, and he was clearly uncomfortable. He looked to Yaro, desperation in his eyes.


"Please kid, get me out of here! That fucking lunatic takes me here every night and hurts me! Get me out of here! PLEASE!!" What would Yaro do? Go inform the doctor his "patient" was awake and receive money? Or be an altruist and let the man go?


His steel braces had no visible locks on them.. Theyd likely have to be smashed open.
 
Yaro would simply glare down at the male. "After you attacked my friend and tried to kill her, for a situation she didn't understand? Why should I show you any mercy, any pity when you were so ready to not only kill a woman, but an expecting mother at that? "Yaro asked. He couldn't believe the man had the audacity to ask for mercy when he obviously gave none. He then walked out, not for pay, but because he believed the man was getting his due justice unto him.


He would walk over towards Heinrich, and tap his shoulder. "Teach that bastard a lesson. "Yaro said, before looking towards Prudence, concern in his eye. "Are you okay? Do you need me to get you anything?"


(Sorry it's short)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Howard could be heard crying, desperately trying to break his bonds to no avail..


As Yaro spoke to Heinrich, the doctor jumped, surprised.


"Ach! Again, you surprise me. Wear a bell or something!" Heinrich remarked, tipping his hat to Yaro as he departed, snickering with evil undertones. Before he left, he stopped just outside the door. He promised pay, and an explanation.


"What is a doctor, without a good nurse? This man, his name is Howard. He is large, and he is strong. I have seem him send teeth flying off of muggers with a single punch. He could easily shatter those bindings, but not now.. For I have enchanted them with fortitude. The only thing that keeps Howard from being my trusted nurse is this little thing called a conscience.. And sanity. For at least a month now I have been working to remove his silly conscience." he listened closely to Howard's screams, nodding.


"I am very close to breaking him.. If all goes well, Howard will be completely taciturn and obedient to my commands. And here, my boy.. For you." from Heinrich's robes, he pulled away a pouch and gingerly tossed it at Yaro's chest. Within the pouch was 25 gold coins. With that, Klaus was off.. leaving Yaro and Prudence alone together.
 
Thornton smiled to his queen when she entered the garden. He was too busy staring at her in admiration to hear what she was saying at first, and so he carried a pleasant expression. As key words piqued the young man's interest, Thornton listened. The more he understood, the more confused his expression became.


He wasn't sure what could have inspired his bride to train Cecile, but he didn't like it. Thornton knew that Cecile would cause trouble for her, and he worried he could be dragged into it. He could not choose between the two women, and so he decided he would have to stay out of whatever hole Cecile dug herself into. He was just starting to speak up to caution his little sister about her behavior when Osuin took charge. He responded to Kuvira.


Cecile appeared surprised and speechless; once again a group of people were discussing what was best for her. However, after pondering to herself she sent Kuvira a nasty glare.


That was when Troy erupted, commanding all attention in the garden, "see! It was her! She did it!" Cecile cried out as everyone came to a similar conclusion. It was then the demon woman dashed away, scaling the walls of the courtyard and leaping outside the garden.


"Stop her!" Thornton shouted out as he ran after the grand masters, leaving Cecile and Kuvira there alone. Cecile appeared anxious, but knowing she would be unable to capture Troy she chose to let the others handle it.


She crossed her arms and instead confronted Kuvira. "You're so arrogant! You think some kid like you could surpass the methods of the grand masters? I think not!" She snapped followed by a snort of laughter. She didn't realize how provoking she was being.


. . .

​



The witch flinched slightly when the doctor flipped open the lenses over his eyes to reveal a pair of vibrant green eyes. They were the eyes of a mad man. Prudence shuddered; she did not like the mask. "Do you ever take that thing off?" She asked while avoiding his quick gaze. However, she was soon grateful for an interruption from Yaro.


​


Prudence turned to the door when Yaro returned. She did not know of the choice he made to let the store clerk suffer on her behalf. She gave him a questioning stare, but smiled faintly at his concern for her needs. She was not used to being shown such things. She quickly reminded herself of his association with Troy and frowned.

It would regretful indeed for her to abandon Yaro, but she saw no other choice if he were to be a threat to her security. Yaro could lead the Wilting Rose straight to her, and she still did not know how he would take the news about some of her history.

Prudence stood and the doctor paused at the door. Her mouth opened slightly in her horror over what Klaus said. She only maintained this expression for a split second before looking away in silence. When the door closed behind the doctor she broke her silence, "he's torturing that man!" she said. The short female then added, "and he deserves it for trying to mess with me!" She smiled to Yaro, grateful for his protection and then sighed. Sturdy partners were hard to come by.

"There is something you could help me with. Follow me", Prudence then lead Yaro out the door and back the way they had come. The witch and the knight ended up at the bottom of the ladder. The sound of Howsrd's cries echoed through the halls.

"This way, and don't let me fall", she whispered as she hoisted herself up the ladder. Yaro followed close behind her, and when they reached the top the two awkwardly had to touch one another because Prudence couldn't open the trapdoor on her own. Yaro had to reach over her to open it.

The two emerged in the shop. It was still dark and steadily raining outside. "The doctor said we could borrow some robes since our clothes are wet... go look over there", she pointed to the opposite end of the room. As Yaro did this Prudence started her own search, but it wasn't the robes she sought. She began exploring the shelves behind the counter of the apothecary. The witch wanted something for her nerves, and she hoped the doctor wouldn't mind her snooping the shelves without permission.

When at last she found what she wanted she helped herself to the green leafy substance and brought it to the counter. Yaro soon returned right as Prudence lit a pipe and breathed in the the smoke. She did not appear concerned for the safety of her unborn child.

"The doctor has agreed to house us and provide my care, but... Before we can continue this relationship of ours, I need to know exactly what your present affiliations with the Wilting Rose are, and how you know Toriel", her tone became serious while she smoked the herb, but her body was becoming more relaxed.

"I am not on... peaceful terms with the Wilting Rose", she added, offering the pipe to Yaro. "I need to know if your relations with them could... influence your dedication to me", she chose to be up front with him, deciding these issues were better addressed now than later. The shop was deathly quiet, making the pattering of rainfall much more audible to the two.


​
 

Kuvira was surprised by the words that came out of Troy's mouth. Not expecting her to snap like that to Cecile and unveil her real entrusts. She watched as the girl jumped over the wall, making her escape. They others following after like hounds chasing a fox. Kuvira was about to follow them until she heard Cecile's words with her all knowing tone, She found it odd that she wanted to pick a fight at this time but didnt question it. She simply turned to face her opponent once again.

A smirk was place on Kuvira face as she began to criticize Cecile's confrontation. "Arrogant? I prefer the word egotistical. Better choice of vocabulary plus it's sounds smoother." Her side note didn't seem offensive but wasn't friendly either. Just a balance of both elements. Kuvira was aware of how narcissistic she is and didn't see a problem with it. There was foundation and work for her pride and didn't feel the need to lower it for anyone inferior to her even the woman that stood before her snorting like a hefty pig in a barn.​








"How would you know? You haven't personally fought me nor know how relentless my training was. But of course you are far more capable of using magic than a child." Whilst she spoke her voice shifted from childish to sarcas to manner in a matter of seconds.She gave off a hint of annoyance in her gaze. An idea illuminated in her head. Her smirk grew wider remarking. "Tell you what. If I am a child as you say, why don't you challenge me? Show me my place. You want have to go easy on me I'm sure I can handle it."




She drew out a wand that no one has ever seen. The first wand she cared for before she was given the elder wand at her coronation. Though she had no use for it, She felt attached and kept it with her wherever she went. It was not as powerful but got the job done nevertheless living on to see her adventures in the small pocket of her dress.

"You can back out if you want, I would say that I don't want to ruin your pride but if I did I would only be lying to myself." She let out a little snicker at her own comment. "Well make haste, I don't wait to wait to long for you to decide. Though it must be hard for you to choose especially when everyone decides for you."


"Sweet little Cecile. Maybe I give you too much credit, overestimate you. After all you've shown me how incompetent you are during the past couple of weeks. Too bad you're brother isn't here to defend you now. However I do feel like I have him wrapped around my fingers, guess you will have to find someone to protect you." All she want was to provoke her, make her snap. Majority of the things she said were half-truths particular her foe's brother. She didn't have him just yet she would have to work harder than she expected even so she needed him more than she would like to admit.​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Troy just.....kept running. She couldn't believe she snapped like that, she thought she had that under control! Now she was running away, too afraid to face her brother, and too loyal to her old friends to betray them like that. Though she may not agree with their methods, that didn't mean she would throw them under the wagon so easily!. She kept running, hoping that she could go underground for a bit, and wait for things to blow over with the Rose Kingdom.


Luck, however, was never kind to her.


Finding herself cornered by the other grand-masters, Troy could only stand there, awaiting for them to take her to the chopping block. Closing her eyes, and taking in a deep breath, she.....resigned herself to her fate. Maybe it was her time? She had her fun, she lived her life.....maybe it was time to pay the piper. She had done what she wanted, and she had her freedom, so maybe it was time for the devil to take his dues.


She awaited for the New King to approach, tossing her blade on the ground, a sign of submission. She knew when she was beat....





Yaro would look over, his face red from the awkward situation from the ladder. Though he didn't think smoking was good for a child, Yaro believed she knew her limits. Yaro would raise an eyebrow, however, at her question. "If you want to know, my affiliation with the Wilting Rose is simple: I trained with them, then I left to pursue my own goals. My only real entrust with them is my former master, Lanister. However, Lanister always told me that we must choose our own path, that he couldn't choose for me. He and I differ on opinion, as he is a duty first type of person."Yaro said. While he was not loyal to the Wilting Rose, his friendship to his former friend could be problematic


"As with Troy? That's more complicated. Me and her go a ways back. "Yaro said, leaning back. "Me and her trained together, but she always was a strange person.....when I first met her, she was always so cold, calculating. She had a goal in her mind, and goddamn, but did she chase after said goal like a woman possessed. No godly idea what drove her like that."Yaro said, shaking his head at the memory, a smile on his face.


"But when we met again, she had....changed. She had pink hair now, and lilac eyes. She was also more outgoing and friendly: She was cracking jokes and telling exaggerated stories like crazy. Made me and my friend laugh like crazy. "Yaro said, chuckling to himself. He then had a frown appear on his face. "But....I get the feeling that she was hiding pain....She said not to call her Toriel, she said she hated being called that. She also kept her distance from my friends. I asked her why, and she said 'she betrayed too many people to be allowed to have friends'. "Yaro said. "She was also very vocal about her dislike of the Monarchy, I swear we argued about that more than once. Hell, it seems only now that actually any of what she said made sense. "Yaro said. "She also took up singing, saying it brought her close to a friend she left behind. "He said, unknowingly referring to Prudence.


This revealed and confirmed several things about Troy: For one, she was alive (obviously) and it was clear that her and Yaro were close. She also maintained her hatred towards the Monarchy, so that hadn't changed, but she seemed.....different. Troy LOVED the name Toriel, she wore it like it was her own identity. She also never that much of a pleasant person, or a singer. She also claimed she 'betrayed' her friends, most likely referring to her leaving the Resistance.
 
Just as Kuvira had anticipated, the princess easily gave into her antics. Her blood boiled as the queen lashed out at her with a slew of personal insults. If Kuvira wanted the temperamental female to snap, she was going about it in exactly the right way.


Cecile's face became red when she dragged her brother's name into it; she was embarrassed by those remarks. However, there was truth to them. Now that her brother couldn't protect her and Lance was away she had no one. The princess was unfortunately dependent on the protection of others, as evidenced by her standing there with Kuvira instead of also going after Troy.


The hot headed female now stood hesitating as she inwardly sized up queen Kuvira. She didn't stand a chance against her, but it was impossible for Cecile to ignore Kuvira's words. "You're just a nasty girl! I ain't scared of you!" she huffed.


As Kuvira drew her wand Cecile drew her staff from a sheath she wore on her back.Her next moves perhaps weren't thought through enough because in one quick movement she attacked Kuvira with her flame spell. "Ignitus!" she yelled, sending a small fireball lunging towards Kuvira's face. She had attacked first.


Thornton was faster than one would expect for a human as he dashed after the grand masters in hot pursuit of Troy. The years of being trained in mountain combat left him strong. He caught up last as the grandmaster's cornered the female, who now appeared to be surrendering.


"Seize her!" was all that he said. Troy was swiftly bound after his command and was brought to a small room in the palace for interrogation.


"Tell us what you know about the princess's curse right now!"
 

"protege."she exclaimed deflecting the fireball back Cecile, quickly casting the 'Levicorpus' with a few gestures of her wand causing her Foe to be hoisted into the air by her ankle before hitting the ground.


She's gotten Cecile into her trap but she had no intention on causing actual damage to her in fact she simply wanted to make it a lesson. Her smile faded since she had no use for it at the time. She could see the anger in Cecile's eyes as she glared her. She simply shook her head in disapproval prior to starting her criticism.




"That was pathetic. Letting your emotions get the best of you. You depend too much on them when you battle. Whoever told you that Anger is the best weapon fighting has lied to you, it's a sign of weakness and leads to reckless choices. What if you feel no hatred? No sadness? Then what will you use then? The true key is composure, Control. Rely on your brain rather than your feelings."




She went back into her stance as she watched Cecile get up before knocking her back down again, noticing her stance. "Another problem is your stanc.Keep your stance wide,Keep your body lowered. You want to achieve balance not wobble around like some manic. Its insulting how you don't even know the beginning techniques. What have you been learning from those grandmasters anyways? How to breath? Seems about right since everything else is pitiful."




"An opponent doesn't care if you are ready to strike and they will do whatever it takes to win. Always be prepared to fight back, if they see the slightest bit it vurnerality they will take it."
​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Cecile yelped in pain when Kuvira easily deflected her flame spell, sending the fireball back at her. The fireball grazed her cheek, leaving a mark. It narrowly missed the center of her face, and only missed because Kuvira's next spell yanked her away from its line of direction, into the air, and slammed her into the ground.


The princess could only lay there and grovel in her pain a moment while Kuvira spoke critically of the encounter. Finally, she attempted climbing to her feet only for Kuvira to use the same spell again. Cecile let out a much louder groan this time as she hit the ground. She was only thirty seconds into battle with Kuvira, and already she suffered numerous scrapes and bruises.


She remained on the ground longer this time because she was actually considering the queen's pointers. She was trying to decide how to apply them to her next move. Cecile lifted her head to glance at Kuvira, worrying she was taking too long and would soon attack her again.


What can I do?I can't even blink faster than her! What to do... What to do...





The girl felt helpless. Kuvira had her on the ground without so much as batting an eye. There was simply no denying that she was the superior one.


An annoying pain started to build in her back. It was her broomstick, which she also kept on her back. The weight of her body across it was causing her pain.It gave her an idea.


"Fly", she whispered to the broomstick, and although she wasn't properly seated on the thing, it instantly came to life and zipped straight forward, dragging Cecile with it.


Cecile and her broomstick collided directly into Kuvira and they both crashed into the ground on impact.


The crash gave Cecile a split second to scramble to her feet, "Invisibilia", she sputtered and vanished. She could at least delay her defeat she supposed.
 
Troy would simply look up from her bindings, holding them up to the kings face. "You know, odds are, I can break these as easily as your neck?"Troy said, and it wasn't even a gloat: Troy's face said she was serious. "Also, I told you everything I know about that Curse: It's an insanity curse, and it'll slowly drive your sister insane. Do I know a counter-curse? Yes, but it's weak, and it will only postpone the inevitable. "Troy said, leaning back. "You'd need to find the person who cast the curse on her to break it. Other than that, I don't know anything." Troy said, and on that, she was telling the truth: She didn't know anything else about the curse.
 
Prudence smoked her bowl quietly and even packed a second after finishing the first into the pipe to smoke as well. She guessed the effects of the herb also influenced the fetus. It seemed to rest when she smoked, and it brought relief to her stomach. She listened on as Yaro answered her questions. Along with relief she felt the more pleasurable effects, too.


She exhaled a puff of smoke. "Yaro, I don't know if I can remain with you unless you can sever your ties with this Lanister." She sighed, it was time to make several confessions to him. "It is about time you know why it is we are taking refuge in this illegal doctor's office... Yaro, I've laid a curse on the Roseland princess. I did it publicly... and currently I am on the run from the Wilting Rose."


She eyed him, trying to gauge his reaction as she smoked. She offered the pipe to Yaro again, "and as far as Troy goes... well, I have a hard time believing some of that. I don't remember you from the orphanage", she commented, revealing a bit of truth about herself.


. . .

​



From the interrogation room, Thornton was fuming. He knew the woman had to be lying. There would be no reason for her to flee like she did if she were not hiding something.


The king wasn't overly concerned for his life or her escape with the grand masters there to also assist.


He went to the grand masters. He was clearly distressed with the situation, "she won't talk! What do we do? We can't let her go; she's the first lead we've had into Cecile's curse! Her mind is at stake!" Thornton feared for his sister.


He angrily turned back to Troy, "are you responsible? did you curse my sister?!" he snapped.
 
"What the- hell no! I may hate you nobles for you what you did to me and my family, but that doesn't mean I'd kill you or curse you! I'd be no better than what you are. "Troy said, insulted he'd suggest that. "Besides, if I did, why the hell would I ask what sort of curse was on her, or be surprised when I saw it? If you haven't noticed, kid, I'm not good at acting "She said, sitting up better, before finally breaking the bindings on her wrists. "I swear, those got annoying...."She said, but made no move to get up.





"With Lanister, that's no problem, He's my Master, nothing more, nothing less."He said, taking the pipe, as he listened to her tale. "-and I can't really say anything about what you did to the princess. My family supported the defense of Yunakai from anyone, and they threatened it. I'd see them killed myself. "He said, taking a small puff. "Also, that's because my family? They adopteed her. She saved my life as a matter of fact. When she heard that, though, you should've saw the look in her eye....I swear, she didn't stop smiling for weeks."
 

"Well come on now. The faster you arise, the faster we can get on with this." She chuckled aloud waiting for Cecile to get up. If she was honest with herself the yelping of the princess was pleasing to her. Finally getting a chance to kick her off her pedestal.

She decided to point her wand at her enemy, choices already passing through her head of the many spells that would end Cecile's demise. Before she could even speak the words, she found herself in the ground alongside the broomstick and Cecile. Kuvira quickly grabbed her wand and stood up. She looked around to see if Cecile was still nearby but was surprised to see she wasn't. "I see you are using my critism against me. I'm quite impressed but we both know who will win this." She announced. She held her wand with a death grip thinking if how to deal with the situation until she came up with an idea.

"Aparecium!" She casted the spell and she made a slow turn making sure she had all the direction covered with her incarnation. Though the spell was only to reveal invisible ink, she figured it might be able to reveal a person as well. Her thought process wasn't false as she soon began to see the outlines of Cecile's body.

"Petrificus Totalus" She exclaimed putting her in a spell that turned the entire body of the victim stiff as stone. "I was thinking about using the trick that makes you barf out slugs but I thought that was too disgusting for the time." With a single feature of her wand, she released Cecile from the charm, lifted up her staff and floated it towards her.




"Maybe I didn't overestimate but you still have work to do. I hope Osuin can continue your training since I'm not good enough for you."her tone shifted from Genuine to sarcastic in the matter of seconds. She expected Cecile to gravel at her feet begging to be trained from her but she couldn't be sure, Cecile was an unusual case.

"You should check if you are needed with the others, I assume they have arrived back. As for me. I have business to attend to since unlike everyone else here, I have countries to take care of." She remarked about to walk off to make sure everything was running smoothly.​
 
(It may not be affecting anyone besides myself, but I will post this for extra spooks and Heinrich's development.)


Back in the basement, Heinrich entered the room where he kept Howard tied up. The man's screaming quietes as his nerves ran cold. Even with no expression upon his mask.. Howard could tell Heinrich had something dire planned.


"Back for your appointment so soon, Howard? You must truly care for your health."


"To hell with you, Doctor! What do you want with me this time!" Howard shouted back at Heinrich. The doctor merely giggled, pulling away a long steel knife from within his robes.


"We will be going through more than just typical flaying and blood harvesting, today. As a Doctor, I must tell you my professional reasons: I want your body. Not for copulation, nor to place my brain into.. No. I want you to be my nurse."


"Your nurse!?" Howard seemed confused.. His expression changed to one of anger.


"Yes.. But you see, like most that are sane, you have this flawed and needless thing called ethics, and a conscience, that prevents you from taking risks in your potion brewing practice. And so.. I am going to cut open your head and pick with your brain. I will remove this conscience from your thought process.. And afterwards, that glorious muscular body will be mine to command, orally." as the doctor spoke, he circled around Howard, as though looking through for the best place to start cutting. Howard was still crying, but he no longer shouted.


"You're sick in the head, Doctor." he growled at him lowly. "I have a family.. a wife, four children.. You would take their father away?"


"Oh not for long.." Heinrich added, pulling away more surgical tools and knives. "When I see your wife, and when your children turn 21, they can join you in my service."


Heinrich abruptly began the surgery by jamming a bottle of potent liquor into Howard's mouth, amd stimulating his throat so that he would swallow.


"This is a necessary first precaution. I have guests.. A witch and a curious boy with strength even greater than yours. If they hear you screaming they might get annoyed. Hee hee.." Heinrich would wait several minutes for the liquor to take effect.. When he noticed Howard was drunk, he took his knife, and dragged the blade across his skull, making a clean cut all around his head. Then, with his mace and knife, he began to peel back the flesh of Howard's scalp. He began to groan.. Heinrich patted his cheek, taking a deep breath.


"Noo no no.. Sshsshssh... It will be over soon.." the doctor whispered to him, eyeing his now exposed cranium. He laughed lowly to himself.. Things are just beginning, the Doctor thought. He looked back up at the ladder.. Were Prudence and Yaro listening in?
 
Thornton was still not satisfied with the explanations the dragon hunter offered. He slammed his fists on the table Troy was seated at. "You will not leave this castle until I know something useful about this curse!"


The angry king turned back to the grand masters and Lanister who had followed them. His eyes were livid. "Isn't the Wilting Rose notorious for solving crimes? I want my sister's attacker identified!" Thornton did not usually lose his temper, but Cecile's predicament was enough to make him desperate.


. . .

​



"That's interesting", she said about Troy. She couldn't think of any reason Troy could be a threat to her, and so she did not ask any further questions about it. "I was never adopted, but I lived with her in the orphanage." She had wanted Troy to help her lead the resistance, but Troy was too cowardly to do it, thought Prudence. She had no interest in those who were not a part of her agenda. She turned her attention back to what she considered the more important matter to be, which was his connection with Lanister. She was uninterested in his reminiscent speech about Troy. However, she might have felt different about it had she known Troy could be at the Rose Palace being interrogated.


Prudence felt better to learn that Yaro had no qualms about deserting the wilting rose assassin, but she still raised an eyebrow to him. "I need to know that you would be willing to end his life if it meant protecting mine... that goes for any Wilting Rose assassin that could come for me", she said.


The witch then changed the subject and started on another pressing matter, "furthermore, we need to travel to Valpurina. My wand and broomstick are both there... but Valpurina is sure to be crawling in Wilting Rose agents", she sighed. It would be the last time she ever traveled without those two items. "Do you think we could get away with that?"


She began scanning the shelves of the apothecary again, this time until she came across the spare robes Heinrich had mentioned. Without any warning to Yaro, she stripped herself of the wet clothes and replaced them with the black robe. It was entirely too big for her; the sleeves extended well past her fingertips and the robe went well past her feet. Despite this, she found herself much more comfortable in the baggy old robe.


She took the entire jar of herbs, securing it in the deep robe pocket along with the pipe.


She handed a robe to Yaro, unsure of if he wanted it or not. "We should probably head back downstairs....", she said. Dawn was slowly approaching outside.


@Andraus um??? Four days later...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Back
Top