Fantasy Primum Movens: Open! (Looking for Rebels!)

[Unwavering Knight]

I lust, I yearn, I hunger.


At Lin's inquiry, the knight averted his gaze from Razel "The banquet proved to be unsuccessful." he spoke, looking out over the endless water "The Lady was not found. No sign was given, no trace felt, no light seen." his gaze sank lower "As... always."


With a metallic scrunch, the helmeted head turned to Nelly "It is not my intention to appear abrasive. This knight's-" a moment of interruption, a single twitch forcing a sidewards tilt onto the head "- state is... compromised. For that, the ritual. To recover, to relieve, to contemplate."


He looked to the cliffs where he had set up the proper location. Losing focus, his gaze slowly wandered over the beach, the carefree leisure of citizens, the pier with an assembly of small vessels.


"... Swimming." he stated, seemingly out of the blue "Lady Lin, your goal here was joy. How would you go about partaking in the pleasures of this beach? Would you use your supernatural abilities to assume a form conducive for entering the water?"


Addressed: @Lady Ravenshade


Mentioned: @Rapror Augustine

 

[ladyaliciaaa]

Nelly Lin

​

The beach curved away in both directions, bright border between turquoise green water and the very different green of the jungle behind them. There was a weight in his words as they were uttered. "How so?"


Nelly tilts her head, drawing away from their standstill and with the guidance that the Knight's presence provided, was able to get her pace to one of partial hop-stepping across the expanse until they reach the tamped down sand where the water lapped. She waved for the merchant to follow along.


After a moment taken to capture the man's attention, her eyes hovered back to Helbrecht's visor. With a squinting smile the brunette brightly recites a stanza from an old poem. "Hold fast friend, remember that Love, as strong as Death, retrieves as well."





They continue their trail to the water's edge. The youth's gaze flickers to a bird with a fan of tail feathers twice the size of itself perched on a branch, which studies them with the fearlessness of a creature that knows no natural predators. The bright-eyed avian was a reminder of how alien this Kingdom was to the Witch, never before set foot outside of her homestead.


With hands clinging behind her back the wolf-eared girl questions the Knight, who she assumes must know much about Roserasia due to his travels.





"Helbrecht. I wonder if snow falls here at all? Have you ever seen snow?" her lips press together in wonder, still carrying the lingering sweetness of berries.


"Here, it seems like a place in an eternal Summer. Wouldn't that be paradise." Nelly laughs a sparkling laugh.


It takes a moment for the surprise to register on her face as Helbrecht swivels his helmet toward her. She protests with a gasp "My, you mustn't think yourself as being abrasive! I'm sorry if I've made you feel that way" Comes the sheepish voice.


At the Knight's utterance about water activities and supernatural abilities, Lin simply chuckles and briefly toys with her options before the youth is sprinting toward the quaint shops lined across the nearby dock, mainly because she did not wish to spend so much of her energy on conjuring simple beachwear.

In an instant Nelly is freed from the confines of her corset, with the black mass of her gown draped across her arm. Outfitted more as a carefree tourist than a lady with her marigold beach dress and the floral sleeves pinned above her elbows in the softly fading heat of the day, cool under the brim of her floppy sun hat.


The first step out of the sand and onto new ocean sends a charge up through the girl's toes that invigorates the youth's limbs, a sharp inhale dragged through Nelly's throat as the sensation rushed upward to the crown of the her head. Somewhere, birdsong resonates among the clouds but the crashing of waves is all that fills Nelly's ears as she tentatively wades further until the surge swirls just above her knees. Dark tresses whip against her cheeks as she spins to face the Knight with a squeak.


"It's colder than I imagined!"





Minutes later the warmth of the sunlight warms her already golden cheeks as they sting with salt. she explores the rock pools with dress trailing wet with sea water. The wolf-girl plods through the thick sand and splashes towards the Knight.


She motions to him, a finger reaching up to tug at the bow under her chin. "It's tempting isn't it, don't you ache for a splash about in the Sea," She says. "--Probably not wise but perhaps we could steal a moment...just a moment."


[Mentioned: @Rapror Augustine


Addressed: @Unwavering Knight]

 

[The Succubi Queen]

Naomi Marie ThalassaPrincess of the Marine Kingdom

Naomi paused- how was she going to explain this away? There was a game she used to play in the market back in Roseri, but she wasn't sure how well it would go here. But still, lying wasn't in her nature. "I was going to ask for a basket of old fruit- there's always a few in a harvest that aren't quite pretty enough to sell, but I like to buy them. They tend to be very cheap." She turned back to fruit seller. "May I have that as well? Just all the fruit you know won't sell."


The seller pulled out an assortment of 20 or so fruits- a good portion of it was rotten, but most of it was just regular fruit, merely bruised or slightly discolored. Naomi knew the sellers brought enough food to sell over a week or so, so some of it was bound to go bad, but the other fruit was perfectly edible.. Naomi counted out the necessary change, and indeed, this fruit came to be about half the price of the more pleasing basket.


She then took her two baskets, on in each hand. "Now then- will you promise not to lose faith in my political merit based on my personal quirks?" Her smile was less pleasant now. It had a sharp edge to it, as though she were a cat eyeing its prey.


She had been hoping to be alone today to play this game, but Asuran was here, and she had been a long time without any good mischief.

Addressed: @ParadoxalPaladin

 

[DemonKitten]

The Princess of Greedo to the beach

Aiko thought about the choices for a second, but she was inclined to go with the beach. The market did sound fun to go shop around, but at least the beach there would be more people that she was a little aware of.


"I believe I would prefer the beach, but you do not have to come with me if you do not desire?" she brought up since she figured her brother might want to mingle with some of the beautiful princesses around here. Aiko was not ever going to be anything important in their kingdom, but at least he would and their father had already been some what on his case about finding a beautiful bride (and a wealthy one too) in order to bring the kingdom back from the dark times that had fallen since their mother's death.


Aiko decided to go ahead and start towards the door. "Is that what you desire?" she reasked her question as they sort of needed to hurry since everyone had seemed to already be on their way out and she would like to do something before the day ended. There would be another girl there, but it was a witch and their father would probably be disgusted that his son was choosing to hang out with people that did not help his social standings. She couldn't wait until he took over the throne and they opened their doors to a more liberal way of looking at things.


Mentioned: @Unwavering Knight @Namie @Lady Ravenshade

 

[Unwavering Knight]

...


Pressure.


"I have seen snow. In the northern reaches of the Nezzie Kingdom." the armored figure's starry view followed Nelly as she emerged redressed in new unprotective cloth "There is a mountain, upon it, near the clouds, out of sight from normal eyes, a plateau harboring a crystalline forest."


It came to the knight that hardened leather armor, perhaps with some studded metal, would look good on the witch, with a helmet to complement her ears "For weeks one has to climb and the residents are hostile to any outsider."


As Lin walked into the water, Helbrecht went silent, staring after her with a strange twitch to his claws, as if itching to grasp a weapon, while the ravenous liquid slowly enveloped the witch like a hungering maw swallowing prey. As she turned to face him, emitting a shriek, Helbrecht's torso jerked forth, the knight's step forward halted the moment he came to the very edge of where the waves hit the sand, akin to one nearing a wounded animal.


"The witch of Alanor held rule there, though perhaps the customs have changed since..." he trailed off, looking down at the water. Lin's invitation caused another series of twitching motions, helmeted head rapidly swiveling to inspect and analyse the liquid from different angles. Finally he went still again, slowly crouching down on his knees, one claw reaching down to grasp the soaked sand, letting it run losely from the pointed fingers.


Then, without warning, the knight suddenly leaped upwards by a good dozen feet in a bizarre feat of agility, the gargantuan armored frame effortlessly sailing through the air as if launched by a catapult, before crashing down some ways farther than the witch, sending water flying in small storms with the impact. Then he sank like a rock, silent and still without motion to keep himself afloat.


Had Lin bothered to look, she would have spotted Helbrecht kneeling on the loose sand beneath the water, one claw grasping the ground while the steel-hidden visage rapidly looked around. Finally, after a good five minutes, Helbrecht stood up on the sea-floor, frantically waving his armored limbs, sending an irregular series of waves and splashes as he broke the surface in an uneasy hovering, head just barely kept above water.


"The lack... of breathable air... is debilitating." he uttered, the frantic waving and turmoil caused in the water clearly indicating that he was "swimming" more by excess of power than any technique.


A strange sight, an armored giant desperately trying to keep afloat in a depth that would have only scared children.


@Lady Ravenshade @Rapror Augustine

 

[ParadoxalPaladin]

Asuran Dorix

​

At Naomi's answer as to what she was looking for, Asuran was definitely surprised. He had thought that it might be some food from her homeland she was looking for, not an assortment of the shop's old or misshapen fruits. Even with these thoughts, however, he allowed his inner thoughts to be seen only through a single raised eyebrow that went up for a moment while he stayed silent.


Based on her actions so far, Asuran realized that the Marine Kingdom might be more different than he originally realized. The Princess had far less of an air of separation from the people around her than the rulers of mainland Roserasia, and he'd expect that meant that she'd been far more connected with the commoners during her childhood, although that could as easily just be a part of her personality. She was very unrestrained in her actions, no matter who she was around, something that was very rarely seen in nobles, although what that came from or meant exactly was still unknown to him, and he resolved to find out.


Even with these thoughts Asuran knew he had to deal with the situation at hand, so he shook himself from contemplation and put aside his own questions for the moment, bring his attention back to Naomi. Her question was surprisingly straightforward for this game of political intrigue they all played, although he tried to maintain composure as he replied. "Of course not, Miss Naomi, although I must ask what it is you intend to do with that fruit," Asuran said, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Are you perhaps looking to make something out of it?"

@The Succubi Queen

 

[ladyaliciaaa]

Nelly Lin

​

"'Sounds beautiful, like a fairy tale don't you think?"


Visions of sun flecked snowflakes fill her vision, of glittering carpets of white, crunching footsteps and brightness. Only to be dismissed like a spot of fog by the news that follows, then comes the disgruntled huff when the golden washed girl continues to untangle the material attaching her sun hat atop her head.


After much frustrated tugging, the ribbon unfolds at last and the hat slides down the back of her head faster than expected from the weight of sweat, plopping unceremoniously onto the damp sand. Nelly's copper hair is far from kempt under the onslaught of unexpected heat and humidity, the twisted curls sending vigilante hairs out to create a fine halo of frizz, freed from where her hat once held them at bay.


Fluffy ears flick in the sudden sounds, louder than before. She rests the hat on a barnacle scattered rock to dry and listens to Helbrecht.


Who was the witch of Alanor? There was plenty knowledge the young girl had yet to acquire and she figured the knight would provide a valuable soul for such information.


What if they made an exchange of sorts? She had only to think of what wisdom of hers she could possibly offer in return.


And then suddenly, there was too much. Too much noise as alarming shrieks erupted from bright red lips and shaking arms shielded shaking children. Equally fearful eyes scour the deep blue as the witch attempts to gather all that had occurred. Unfortunately, the bright but rather damp youth had not managed to escape from the shower of sea water as the giant armored man descended with as much grace as a wounded quarry.


Nothing rose from the surface of the water but a few ripples as he sank, with her head turned behind her shoulder and her wide-eyed gaze frantically searching. Nelly had difficult discerning the murky figure in the dark waters and it took a minutes or so for her to spot the knight.


With leaping heart and hands over her mouth she had thought he had drowned.


It took a few sure strokes and kicks to reach the submerged Helbrecht and to the witch's obvious relief he rose from the sea floor in a frenzy of swashing water and awkwardly paddling claws. The mortified gasp that comes from the girl's mouth is hardly quiet as she digs her toes under the heavy floor of sand with her her hand gripping tightly onto his armored shoulder.


Attempting to ignore the onlookers gazes that drill into the pair, her hands curl tighter to try and give him some security, some solidity in the face of such alarm. "Keep still," she splutters as the waves caused by the knight as well as the tide pushes against her. The wolf-girl can taste the salt that drips from her clinging strands of hair and into her mouth and eyes.


The waves rolled in just below her neck. For the knight it would reach just under his plated chest. "Feel the sand beneath your feet, it isn't as deep as you imagine."





Nelly huffs perkily. "Fit for every terrain hm..?" the girl raises a hand from the water, the other still resting on his shoulder. Rivulets of water flow down to her wrist and her dress billows in the flowing surge of white foam. Her arms arcs in a small gesture to display the correct stroke for front crawl.


"What do you say we find someplace less...cramped." A poor choice of words she considered as the pair floated atop the vast swelling rush of liquid.


It causes Nelly to chuckle, the way her powerful companion waded through the waves at his attempt at swimming.


She extends a hopeful invitation toward the knight. "I, Nelly Lin, intend to tutor you on the art of swimming. Would you like me to teach you?"


[Addressed: @Unwavering Knight]

 

[Rapror Augustine]

"Unfortunately I wasn't present last night miss Lin, so if you would give me a brief summary of what happened that night I'd appreciate it" the mercenary said with a bit of a smile. "Also about the invitation you mentioned, it was actually to a meeting of sorts about Euthalia's security as a nation and it's scheduled for tomorrow." August let out a bit of a weary laugh after this statement hoping it'll clear things up. And he almost forgot to mention it too after being lost in the moment of Helbrecht attempting to swim and succeeding.


after a while of watching the commotion the somewhat tired merc decided to ask the waterlogged knight a question that's been on his mind for a while. "Hey Helbrecht who exactly do you serve? Sorry if I'm asking too much but I'd really like to know if you don't mind?" August asked with a hint of curiosity glinting in his eyes. He quietly and calmly awaited the knight's answer.


Addressed: @Lady Ravenshade @Unwavering Knight

 

[Unwavering Knight]

Unruly Flesh!


The moment the witch's fingers grasped hold upon the knight's shoulderplate a moment of silence, a freezing of the armored form took place, almost causing him to be submerged again. Barely the fraction of a second passed before the gargantuan frame reeled back as if burned by cinders, helmeted head jerking around to analyse the intruder's appearance and maneuvers, only for the woman's fingers to dig into the edges of his plates.


"Fit... for every terrain! I fought in water before! I have... experience!" came the obstinate retort to Nelly's remarks, though nonetheless, with her steadying hand, the knight's uncoordinated movements slowly settled down, plated feet coming to an uneasy stand upon the sea-floor. "Only... swimming, is something I was not required to achieve. I was crucified upon the front of a ship the first time. The second occasion, I dragged my quarrel onto a sandbank before engaging in full combat."


Despite his verbal tenacity, Helbrecht did not resist, standing still with his iron-gaze affixed upon the witch attached onto his shoulder. Slowly he began mimicking her exemplary motions, though his own strokes appeared wooden and all-too rigid by comparison. Only upon August's interjecting question did the knight avert his gaze from the witch "The Knight of the Lady am I. The Lady is the Lady, who else could She be?"


Lady Lin's suggestion for a sanctuary caused the knight to remain in silence for a time before his harsh voice resounded "There is a place." one claw tore through the surface to point at the assembly of rocks some ways down the beach, half-submerged in water "Safe from prying eyes, a cove. There I prepared to conduct the ritual, though prior to that taking a lesson in water-mobility would be just as helpful." With a metallic screech, Helbrecht's gaze was direct towards the witch "I, sir Helbrecht of the Lady, accept your offer, Lady Lin."


@Lady Ravenshade @Rapror Augustine

 

[Namie]

Day 2 | Stroll on the Beach | Prince of Greedo Hayato Akiyama
Hayato replied, "I would love to accompany you, lovely princess of Greedo." His smile was teasing and as she shuffled out the door to follow after the witch and the brooding knight, he followed after her. As they walked he watched the way her hair fell around his tiny sister like clouds of pure white. He still remembered the days where he hair was even darker than his own. He didn't pity her because he knew she wouldn't have desired such a feeling but he loved her. She was the last of his family that didn't act like a pigs hind quarters. He wanted her to enjoy herself on this excursion away from the castle, hell, he wanted to enjoy it as well.

When the duo reached the sands of the beach area Hayato paused, and with an air of casual freedom, he reached down and removed his shoes. Once he had done so, he shifted his feet through the sands and released a content sigh. "Sister, go ahead and feel the sand beneath your feet. It's truly extraordinary. I'm sure Lady Lin and the Knight will not mind a bit less formality." He invited her to join him. He approached the ocean water and let the waves lap at his toes, the salt water foaming as it licked the shores.

Hayato thought to himself. This is true relaxation. If only I could do so at home as well.

​

@DemonKitten @Lady Ravenshade @Unwavering Knight

​

 

[ladyaliciaaa]

Nelly Lin

​

Every time the sea crashed against the smooth cliff face, each thundering sound caused the wolf-girl's ears to flatten against her crown in protest. Helbrecht's persistent chatter only added to the bothersome noise. Who would have thought that what was supposed to be a soothing location would irk her as much as it did. The sloshing of water around the two had dulled to a silent swell as the knight's struggling halted to a stop.


Given that the looming armored figure was constantly forging ahead and caused clamorous gatherings to part in his path. One would have guessed it would have been a simpler feat to make their way over to the sheltered cavern that the man directed her gaze toward.


Which naturally, had gone by unnoticed by the heedless young lady. She studied, focused, as the knight maneuvered through the waves. Half treading water and at times frantically digging as if it were dirt.


"That's it, you're doing tremendously well!" she encourages the knight whilst lying through her teeth and offering a delighted clap of her hands that spray with sea water. Irritating her eye and provoking her to rub at it with the palm of her hand. And to her chagrin, only caused the stinging to become persistent. Nelly blinks her cloudy vision away rapidly accompanied by an embarrassed laugh that falls from her lips.


The other half of the laugh catches in her throat, from the way she clears her throat and shakes her head at him, trying not to wince too much at the mention of his past experiences with the sea.


"How awful.." the witch catches her words in her mouth before they happen to inflict any insult upon the knight. "-And courageous."


Certainly, she had never met a man on a pursuit such as his.


The steps of the stroke fell easily enough to her feet and arms, and even more easily now that Helbrecht had discovered a destination for them to land and accepted her invitation. "I am happy to hear that, I believe our first lesson has already commenced. Follow along then."


With dark hair streaming behind the witch dives down to meet the warm blue waters that rushes past her features, sour, silent. Folding her in open arms as she sinks down into the ocean's great embrace.


Straining arms grip onto the uneven footholds in the outcrop as the wolf-girl puts her upper body strength to use. Nelly had never put much consideration into bodies, or how they worked. Her muscles worked fine at what she needed them, limber (if skinny) arms enough to dress herself, legs agile enough to climb. The youth had no tutoring on such things as made her limbs ache for a time when the heaviest thing she lifted all week might be a pen, bodies were made to look acceptable and carry around souls and minds, not contraptions and dumb bells.


To some extent the witch is athletic, in a dainty way. Swimming in the lakes near their village assisted her in gaining some muscle that otherwise would not have been there in the first place.


"You probably have strong legs," Nelly states, bluntly. "Swimming is great for working on your arms as well." She gives one last haul of her arms and brings herself to a stand on the slippery ground.

Time to catch her breath is also time for the girl to survey their surroundings in a numb light-headiness due to the exertion. What welcomes the youth is not what she had expected. Her naked feet dusted with dirt causes ripples in a shallow pool of water as the wolf-girl steps into the murky light of the torches, that dances across the uneven walls of the cave.


The petal-hued lips of her mouth twist as the glinting of silver instruments emerge under the dying torch light. Nelly swallows and turns to Helbrecht as she tries to put the miasma of emotions regarding the current situation together without the sharp words that would make her company dismiss her as hysterical. Or worse, merely the foolish accusations of a wretched sorceress.


"Helbrecht, you aren't secretly a mad murderer are you?"


What if he was, what if he lured all his victims in order to perform this ritual of his on them. Oh dear. Nelly was in a state of vulnerability, she had fallen for the knight's trap. She hadn't a chance against him.


"You couldn't possibly be.." the girl asserts as her sight frenzidly dashes from a jagged knife to the next. Oh dear.


[Addressed: @Unwavering Knight]

 

[Unwavering Knight]

Service demands Sacrifice. Failure demands Punishment.


At the witch's outcry, the knight's helmeted head rigidly swerved around, scanning the cave for any threat, before the meaning of her words slowly dawned on him as his gaze came to a stop upon the surgical instruments so carefully aligned and ready. Having such tools around had long since become second nature to him, to the point that the thought of them being a sign of hostility to others became increasingly hard to comprehend.


A secret, mad murderer?


Helbrecht's head tilted slightly in confusion as Lady Lin's demeanor grew ever more frantic. Only now, with a twitch of his armored neck, the knight came to realise that she was afraid of him, even as her eyes analysed the surgical tools with what seemed to be fearful imagination. Silently he stared at her, trying to make sense of the proceedings. Situations such as this had happened before, predominantly after he cleared strips of land from bandits and beasts. Leaving behind a field of carcasses, the frantic eyes of those he served mingled with frightened cries and desperation-driven anger for him to leave or else...


He did not understand. In figure, in demeanor, in action, in name and quest, was he not a knight, shining and bright, tall and full of gall?


So why... why was it that he inspired fear instead of hope so often...


After several long-growing moments of silence that would have done little to alleviate Nelly's anxieties, Helbrecht abruptly turned his back on the witch, walking rigidly to the side, away from the surgical tools, into a small, shallow stone-pool. There he seated himself, drew his legs back to his chest and slung his arms around them, assuming what appeared to be a bizarre form of a fetal posture, helmeted gaze lowered to the ground.


"Those tools are not for anyone but myself. I am the only participant in the ritual." His voice remained without change, still cold and harsh, him still not looking anywhere but down at his feet. With a metallic shriek his claws clasped together, fitting together like a set of locks around his legs. "I can explain the details, though it may be... burdensome, for the listener."


A snapping sound emanated from the knight's helmet, like sets of teeth slamming onto one another "Am I a murderer?" The helmeted head tilted slightly sideways "I have been part of many tragedies and by my calculations, I have culled... many. Serving the weak and aiding the needy is not as clear a matter as one would have it. Thus perhaps, a murderer am I."


"Am I mad?" Again, that snapping sound, iron-gaze unmovingly directed at his feet in the pool "A knight that goes without banner, without horse, without Lady, in search for something he never finds a trace of, serving without receiving, walking without aim. Thus perhaps, a madman am I."


"But Lady Lin, consider in mind." With a crunch, the head swerved to the side, baring the helmet's flank to the witch, one half of the visor giving the impression he was looking back at Nelly from the farthest angle of his vision "Who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams? This may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness? I say, the maddest of all: To see life as it is, not as it should be."


@Lady Ravenshade

 

[ladyaliciaaa]

Nelly Lin

​

Nelly could sense his gaze through the visor, lingering on her for far too long than she was comfortable with. She met it with her own, guarded, afraid. The poison in her words reverberated through her being, bounced off the cave walls.


With a sinking heart the girl truly felt horrid, she had become the one's she had frowned upon and felt for with a strong hatred. She had created words like worms that tunneled through even the most resilient armor, the thickest skin. The dragging stillness in the air caused the witch to feel as if she were shrinking, shriveling on the inside. To nothing but a pile of cursed, stinking flesh and bone. Her breath wafted in tendrils of smoke in the thick, bitter air of the cavern.


"Listen, Helbrecht, I - no. That's not," she's making a mess of this already.


A whistling breeze seeps from a draft in the ceiling, the cold damp sinks further, through the fabric of her dress, her streaming skin. The girl's hair clung in strands, the drip, drip, dripping and distant laughter of young children was the only noise filling the growing sound of silence. The stiffness in her muscles relaxes palpably as Helbrecht moves with his back turned toward the lady.


She moves too, her lips shift yet no words arise as they become lodged in her throat, as her stomach twists in knots.


To hear those dismissive words were a relief, to see the powerful knight sit and become small, curled her insides. Doing nothing to calm the tension in her nerves. Nelly steps forward and rests her palms on the ground before sitting cross-legged by the rim of the pool in which the man perched in.


She steps with care now, the wolf-girl learns as she lopes from deep, undiscovered marsh to the next.


"I've upset you.." Nelly see's his thoughts are occupied, she recoils at each splintering sound from within his helmet. "You shouldn't have to explain if you don't want to..you can if you'd like." She shrugs.


The witch huffs a sad little laugh through her nose."Then I suppose everyone must be mad then, in one way or another."





Curling, bony fingers spill with darkened water. Glowing with melted candlelight as the brunette's hand dips to churn and cradle the shadows. The petal-hued lips of her mouth twist, sucking her teeth as she decides to confide in the man. To gain back his trust, so foolishly she had lost.


"Would you like to know something?" Darkened eyes gaze into the bottom of the rock pool.


By now words were rising easily from the lady's lips as she squints at the odd looking Helbrecht. So strange he looked sitting there. "When I was a child, I used to be incredibly fearful of water. 'Couldn't bear the thought of swimming in it." And I used to have horrible nightmares of drowning. In fact I still am afraid, a little..But my parents, I remember they taught me how to swim."


"- An' now I've forgotten the feeling of being afraid of being swept away by some ghastly tidal wave. It's highly unlikely you know; Come now, I'll help you with that front crawl of yours. Though I do expect a favor in return." Standing to her feet, Nelly offers a hand to the knight and a rattling laughter from within her throat.


"You could instruct me on how to play that fiddle of yours..or that dance with fists. What d'they call it? -- Boxing?"


[Addressed: @Unwavering Knight]

 

[DemonKitten]

The Princess of Greedo at the beach

Aiko did as her brother said and buried her toes in the arm sand. It was nothing like she was use to being free and feeling warmth. It was nice to actually feel the sun not hidden away by trees. When this all ended would she have to return to a kingdom that she did not love nor loved her? Aiko sighed slightly, but pushed the thought from her mind as she watched her brother go into the water.


"I wish to just stay here for a moment," she told him as she looked over to where she could see Nelly and Helbrecht in the distance. The beach and the ocean were quite lovely and made everyone on it look like something out of a memory is what Aiko thought as she turned and gazed out into the distance. "How far do you think the waters go?" she asked slightly to herself, but also to whom ever would answer. She wondered if perhaps she could excape to some unknown land and never return to these kingdoms that knew all too well who she was.


Aiko's light colored eyes looked blue as they reflected the ocean water in which she longed to disappear in.


Mentioned: @Unwavering Knight @Namie @Lady Ravenshade

 

[Unwavering Knight]

My future is metal.


As Lin spoke, Helbrecht's sidewards gaze on her remained unmoving, figure frozen and without sign of life. Then the sound of metal screeching across metal, slowly, deliberately, intoned as his interlocked fingers drew back one by one, like a castle unbarring its gate. Gently he averted his gaze, looking back down onto the ground again "There is something about the flesh. Something that had slowly developed as I wandered, as I beheld." A splash of water, for the first time the knight shifted irregularly "It all began with the Quest to find the Lady. My body forcefully encountered... limits."


"Strike with too much strength, and the sinews rip, tearing the bone. Run too quickly, and the heels are crushed, thundering the spine. Breathe too quickly, and the lungs burst or collapse." Again he shifted, one claw-like hand stretching out, faceless gaze beholding the armored limb "The steel of my armor shrieks and tears at my command, but the meat, the bone, prove disobedient." Slowly, the claw drew back, snaking towards the knight's chestplate "Flesh that is weak must be disciplined, tyrannized into service, lest it rebel and rot. Every movement must be led with care and precision."


With an ugly, unnerving solidity, the knight's claw slowly, gently, raked across his breastplate, producing a distorted screech of metal and leaving a martial set of tracks "The ritual achieves purity. I force the flesh to obey the will, I attain dominance over my body, control, punishment, justice, harmony." Rhythmically, the helmeted head whipped from side to side with each word "The pain is discomforting, however not bitter penance, but empowerment; the reassertion of my rule over myself."


The sound halted, the claw ceased, the knight looked up at Nelly "I am... thankful, that you remain, Lady Lin. Usually, if I halt for too long, I am asked to leave." With a click, the knight straightened himself, rising out of the water like a small fountain of flowing water, rivulets of liquid streaming down his form "As a matter of fact, I would prefer to teach of the fiddle, seeing as your self-defensive needs seem to be met by your inheritance."


He paused, faceless head tilting slightly "Though teaching some measures via which you can increase your musclemass would also be appealing."


@Lady Ravenshade

 

[The Succubi Queen]

Naomi Marie ThalassaPrincess of the Marine Kingdom

Naomi's grin widened. "Making something of it? I guess you could say that." She tilted her head. "Follow me." She lead the way through the streets, looking back and forth. There had to be one somewhere.. she thought to herself. "They wouldn't have.. not just for this festival. Ah! There we are."


She walked over to a fountain, where a small child sat, dressed in rags, his hand held out. Some things were the same all over the world. "Here, dear. I'll give you a pick of any fruit in my basket if you do me a favour." She held out the basket for the small urchin to see.


His eyes grew wide as she approached him, and his mouth seemed to water as he looked out the bruised fruit- when was the last time the child had had something to eat that wasn't stale bread? "Wassat, lady?"


"Will you go and gather all your friends, right here in the square? I have a game I'd like to play with you all- it wouldn't be very fair for me to give you all this fruit without getting something in return now, would it?" She asked.


The child shook his head. "Promise you won't leave?"


"By my honor as a princess, I will uphold my end of this bargain." She said solemnly. The child nodded and took off.


No more than 10 minutes later, the square was filled with about 20 kids, of all shapes and sizes and origins. The social divides were clear among them- Arie children hung towards the back of the group, while the larger human boys where already demanding fruit from Naomi's basket. "Well, I think that's enough for now." She turned to Asuran. "Will you be joining in our game, milord Dorix?"

Addressed: @ParadoxalPaladin


Mentioned:

 

[ladyaliciaaa]

Nelly Lin

​

The girl starts at the sudden shrieking as Helbrecht moves his digits. She shifts back slightly as the knight emerges from his daunting stillness. Her canine ears lift from it's flattened position as she listens intently at the voice like gravel, low and stilted as Helbrecht started his tale. With the tall silhouettes dancing across Nelly's sharp features, the obvious grimace at his detailed account was fortunately, moderately hidden in the darkness.


Her hands fall limply to her side to burrow into the multitude of small stones littering the ground at his choice of words- Disobedient..as a witch, Nelly marveled at the human form, the elegance in every sinew as they moved gracefully, a witch would appreciate this, imitate this in their dance rituals. She also knew a great deal about skeletal structures and such that called for the sort of knowledge in her spells. In no circumstance would she ever label her body, or those of other souls as disobedient. The wolf-girl held back from voicing those thoughts, already absorbed in the man's narration.


To interrupt a story would be disgraceful and the lady truly held interest in the knight's past.


She wondered whether it was strange to think so. She expected many were inclined to such thinking as well. Such a mysterious figure would of course hold many curiosities within his past.


Powdery ears plaster to darkened tresses, sensitive to the penetrating noise that suddenly erupts from the towering man. The witch flinches as a breathy gasp is set loose from her petal-hued lips. She gives her head a little shake, tendrils of hair scribbles of ink. "Helbrecht! it hurts." Lin insists with a hiss through the chaotic swirling in her head and the incessant discomfort in her ears. The girl lifts her pale hands to the knight's large ones for him to end the abuse on his armor (and more importantly on her ears.)


Scrunched features soften as the dank and quiet cavern reverberates once again with the gentle fall of water. Nelly cannot entirely suppress the quaver in her own voice - the new space between them renews flickering fear in her throat, the shadows toy with the knight's profile, who looks ever the more menacing as the darkness ebbs and flows past the scarred chest plate, along with the filtered sunlight. A promise of dread and doubt and also a promise of thrill and mystery. "O-of course I'd stay, you don't think I'd be so cruel as to leave you here." Later, she will smile at his words, wear them as a badge. But now--now the witch is reeling in the anxiety of all that had just passed. Now, bearing a purer vision of what lay beyond the armor.


Nelly's face is split into a mocking smirk, pressing the uncertainties away. She teases. "Who would aid you back to shore if I left..Besides, I couldn't possibly find my way back to the castle from here. You'll have to lead the way. I get terribly lost."


There's a delighted clap that fills the empty air at Helbrecht's decision. "Brilliant! I pick up on things easily so it won't be incredibly challenging, I don't think." The girl hums as she taps a finger against her chin. Brown eyes settle on a shallow enough pool. "Well then, shall we begin?" Nelly arcs her hand to invite knight errant to enter the medium sized lake.


[Addressed: @Unwavering Knight]

 

[Namie]

Day 2 | Stroll on the Beach | Prince of Greedo Hayato Akiyama
Hayato brushed the foaming waves with his fingertips, searching the sands beneath for interesting bits. The breeze was pleasing and he felts strands of his hair sweep over his shoulders. His gaze moved over the horizon searching again for Lady Lin and Helbrecht. Yet, no nobles of the sort did he find. Hayato straightened, rising to a standing position and brought a hand up to shield his eyes. He squinted against the remaining light. It was then that Aiko spoke up, her soft voice turning him around.

"I imagine the ocean stretches for miles on end, until the end of the world is reached. Perhaps its true that there's an edge and you can fall off. Who knows.." He chuckled imagining a ship or two accidentally getting too close to some imaginary edge. "Although seems more like a sailors tall tale to me. More than likely it goes on until it reaches some land we've never seen before." Hayato turned back to the ocean side. "Where have the others gone? Off to have a rendezvous?" He wondered curiously, gesturing towards where they had been.

​

@DemonKitten

 

[ParadoxalPaladin]

Asuran Dorix

​

Naomi's forwardness with her actions surprised Asuran, but he followed her nonetheless, weaving through the streets as she peered at the crowds around her with an inquisitive gaze. Wherever she looked he did so as well, but no matter where he followed her gaze there was nothing of interest that related at all to the fruit she carried, and it seemed she agreed from her lack of stopping.


Finally, they reached a somewhat minor square in which a fountain stood, the water flowing from it glinting in the sunlight as it splashed down in the main basin. Naomi, taking her fruit with her, quickly made her way over to a young boy who sat upon the lip of the fountain. He was dressed only in rags, and Asuran's eyes widened imperceptibly as Naomi interacted with him closely and offered him food in exchange for gathering a group. Her closeness with the commoners was somewhat shocking, and absolutely unheard of within Dorimun at the very least. Seeing this, he once again couldn't help but marvel at how different the Marine Kingdom must be for such actions to be commonplace. Who knew what such little contact with the mainland could do to a country?


As a crowd gathered, Asuran could only stand off to one side and marvel at the sheer number of children out on the street at this time of day who came just for the promise of fruit. However, before he could think much further Naomi had turned to him and requested that he join in with whatever game she was looking to play. Ah, that's what the fruit is for, then, he thought to himself as he stepped forwards.


Asuran answered "Well... yes, I guess so. What is it we will be playing?" He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand uncomfortably, his gaze switching between her and the assembled children. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad, depending upon what Naomi decided to put him through.

@The Succubi Queen

 

[The Succubi Queen]

Naomi Marie ThalassaPrincess of the Marine Kingdom

She laughed- it almost sounded cruel, the way she knew he was not prepared. "We're going to have a race! Everyone take a bad piece of fruit while I explain the rules. We're all going to race to the fountain in the center of the market, and the first one there gets the first pick of my good fruit, and a I'll buy sweets for them and all their friends. Now, you all have one rotten piece of fruit to throw- if you get hit by a fruit, you're out, but I want you to meet me again at the fountain anyways, ok?" She doled out the last of the soft, rotten fruit, saving two for herself and Asuran. She handed him one, before knotting her hair into a self-supporting bun, and deftly tying her skirt so it didn't gather around her ankles.


She took up running stance, gathering the attention of all the children. "Alright, mainlander kids- let's see how fast you are! On your marks, get set, go!" Almost immediately, a piece of fruit was flung their way, but it flew between the Viscount and Princess's heads, landing on another child. "C'mon, My Lord." She said, her voice mocking. She dashed among the children, weaving her way out of the mob while dodging flying fruit. "Hurry up, or you'll be a nasty fruit salad!" she taunted, waving the hand that contained her own apple.


It wasn't too far to the fountain, and the most direct route didn't run through the busier paths of the market. Naomi had been looking for more than just street urchins, she had been on the hunt for a safe raceway.


Of course, back by the fountain, several children were already out, soft fruit flesh splattered on their clothes. The air had a slightly sickening scent to it, from all the overripe fruits. Still, the eliminated kids followed behind the competitors, cheering on their friends, hoping to still get something from the victory of another.

Addressed: @ParadoxalPaladin

 

[Rapror Augustine]

It had been a while since Lin and Helbrecht had left to travel towards a nearby cove. And though their fun could be seen faintly from where he was standing, his mind was wandering to a different place on the beach. August gazed out towards the ocean and a gull that had just flown, "why do the fly over there even though they know there's nothing in that direction?" he asked himself before flashing a grin and replying, "or perhaps there is another shore over there against our own beliefs." August chuckled a bit before some thing else caught his attention.


Two people where what grabbed and commanded his attention: a man with hair so dark you could mistake it for a massive raven, and a young woman with white hair that looked like sparkling snow."You there!" August called in an attempt to get their attention, especially the man who intrigued him the most. "Do you think there are other lands out there besides Roserasia?", he asked hoping to get some kind of answer out of them before continuing his question, "and if so, would you go there?"


Mentioned; @Unwavering Knight ,@Lady Ravenshade


Addressed: @DemonKitten , @Namie

 

[ParadoxalPaladin]

Asuran Dorix

​

As Naomi continued to explain her "game" Asuran had a moment of indecision: should he go along with it, or step back from it? Eventually, he decided that the only way to get out of this would be to try to win -after all, if he didn't move, as Naomi had said, he would very quickly be hit by some manner of rotten fruit. Even as he thought this, a first piece of the fruit came hurtling his way, flying in between him and Naomi. Besides, his childish sense of competitiveness had welled up in him then and he already found himself getting far too into the game as he sprinted up the streets among the throngs of children.


A second piece of fruit came straight at him from his side as he continued to run, and only through a very lucky twist of his torso did he manage to slide out of its way as it continued past him, smashing into chunks against the stone wall of a house of some sort. For a moment Asuran considered throwing back his own fruit in retaliation before eventually deciding against it. He wasn't sure who had thrown it, and it was likely that the fruit could be more useful as he got closer to the fountain and the fights got more close-ranged.


And so, the group of many children and two adults continued through the streets, getting closer and closer to the fountain. As the group thinned, it became more and more tense as those in the front began to fight to get there first, and those in the back and middle tried to force their way to the front, jostling and pushing those in front of them. After all, what child, especially those who had little money, could turn down a chance for candy?


After being surprised by the game's beginning Asuran was still closer to the back, and he knew that this was a fight he would not win. However, a little part of him still wanted to do something in this game, so his arm stretched back, he sighted towards the front of the group, and with all the strength he could muster he sent it flinging towards the front of the group.


It flew well, but as he followed it with his eyes Asuran gave as slight gasp as he saw that it was headed right for Naomi.

@The Succubi Queen

 

[The Succubi Queen]

Naomi Marie ThalassaPrincess of the Marine Kingdom

Naomi had never been the fastest runner, and her dress was not exactly comfortable for such an event- still, she had a bit of a head start. She wasn't sure how far behind Asuran had fallen, or even if he had decided to continue running at all. She was focused on the prize- sure, she could just buy herself candy, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to do her damndest to win.


Unfortunately, she wasn't too familiar with the area- she followed one of the smaller girls in from of her, telling herself she'd pull ahead at the last second. It was a miracle she and this girl hadn't been hit by now, close as they were to the front. Still, maybe everyone left had already thrown their fruit.


She chanced a glimpse back as her feet pattered on the cobblestones- ah, his Lordship had decided to join them, although he was a bit of a ways back- had he not been hit yet? These children were rather awful with their aim. She had been saving her own piece of fruit to throw at one of the children in front of her, if it came to that.


She turned to face forward again- the fountain was in sight. Now she just needed to sprint for this last little bit-


Something hit the back of her head with a squish. It kind of hurt. Not in an extremely painful way, but enough that there was a slight throb. She stopped short, fingers brushing the back of her neck- yup, that was a rotten apple. The saccharine juice dripped down her hair and stuck to her exposed neck and back- putting her hair up had proven a bad idea in this instance. But who had thrown the apple?


The little girl she had been eyeing burst ahead, actually jumping into the fountain as she claimed victory. Naomi turned, the cheers of the race's winner pealing behind her as she faced her attacker.


"Well, Lord Asuran- seems you're more than just a smooth mouth to please the courts." And with that, she took her own blackened banana and smooshed it over the top of his head, a wicked grin spreading across her dark features. "Good race."

Addressed: @ParadoxalPaladin

 

[ParadoxalPaladin]

Asuran Dorix

​

"Ahh... not good..." Asuran said to himself while silently cursing at his mistake as the apple hit directly onto Naomi's head. As he watched Naomi, he did also see out of the corner of his eye that some girl had won the race, and a small part of him took note of the fact that she was owed candy, as if that was important in this moment. After all, for all he knew he'd just ruined his chances for diplomacy with the Marine Kingdom.


Naomi turned towards him as he began to splutter apologies, and as she walked forward and he saw that she still held her piece of fruit, he had an idea of what was coming. Well, it's not as if I wasn't asking for it, Asuran thought to himself as he just stood still, letting her entangle the bits of the old banana into his hair.


Naomi's smile at the happenings did make him slightly relieved, however, knowing that it seemed he hadn't quite destroyed any chance for a friendship with Naomi he may have had. "I suppose I did deserve that," Asuran said with a slight chuckle while making some small, futile attempts to comb the larger bits of banana from his hair which did more to make his hair ridiculously explode in every direction than actually fix anything. After all, when you have already gotten rotten food pushed into your hair, humor may well be the only option to maintain any modicum of sanity. "And a good race to you to, I suppose, although it seems that my aim may be far better than my running ever will be.


"Now, seeing as you and I have already become suitably dirtied, shall we give that girl the candy she has won and return to the castle? Unless there is some other group of children you'd rather we get in a fruit throwing competition with, although I would demand that it be based upon aim instead of running as I've already shown that I could win that." At this point, Asuran couldn't help but smile a bit at the ridiculousness of his situation, and just emphasize that point he playfully extended his elbow to Naomi. "Now shall we continue upon our adventure through this fine city, Princess Naomi?"

@The Succubi Queen

 

[Unwavering Knight]

Behold my grandeur and shudder!


"If there was none to aid me, I would leave as before..." The armored frame spoke, one claw pointing up at the ceiling a dozen feet up, to a hole through which the sunlight dimly shone. There was no natural path, nothing but steep wall, though on closer inspection, the edge of the shaft featured an assembly of scratches and tears, quite similar to the ones the knight had raked across his chestplate just moments before. The solid stone appeared to have been broken apart.


"... and you could rely on your persuasion or supernatural abilities to find your way." Helbrecht added, helmeted head tilting slightly, looking at her from a different angle, in a different light.


Approval.


Following Lady Lin's beckoning, the knight slowly walked over to the shallow water, halting momentarily to cast back a single glance at the witch, before resolutely stomping into the pool of barely waist-high water. Reflexively, one of Helbrecht's claws slammed into the ground beneath the surface, solid stone splintering as he crouched down on all fours.


With one hand grasping the stone for stability, the other thrashed around in the water "This... difference of weight and pressure is... unnerving." the words came forth between bouts of concentration. In the knight's mind, he was nailed upon the Gallant Illuminator again, like a grotsque mockery of a galleon-figure, golden hooks and harpoons dug deep throughout his body to force his form into a spread-eagle stance as the ship dove deeper and deeper into the ocean, streams of his spilled life-fluid framing the gleaming vessel akin to airstreams.


With a twitch of the neck, Helbrecht tore himself from the memory, halting his frantic movements as he looked up to Nelly "I... haven't had the best experiences... concerning water." the words came slow and focused, Helbrecht's gaze affixed on Lady Lin's face.


Keeping himself steady to the ground, that he could grasp, that he could suffer. But to trust himself to the waves, to let go of all stabilisation, to something as uncaring as water? That required... more.


@Lady Ravenshade