Fantasy The Devil's Throne - IC [Open]

[Misty Gray]

The Devil's Throne - IC​

OOC Thread || Characters

Chapters
Chapter 1: One Summer's Day
Chapter 2: The King's Birthday
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Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Melanin-Gxdess Lost mkuchiha Bellz ElectricDandellion Angelofwishes7 Ms. Sparrow Nightblade madame moiselle s u n That Poppy
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[Misty Gray]

~ One Summer's Day ~​

The day had been a warm and sunny one, drawing attention to the beautiful gardens and sculptures around the palace grounds. It was difficult to think of the darkness that clouded the palace and the barbaric punishments that had taken place a short distance away by the gallows. Thank fully, the princesses were shielded from such harsh politics and were kept away from brutal practices such as the executions.

As the afternoon approached its end, the royal family would be aware dinner was approaching. There was still some time left to enjoy what remained of the sunshine, but they would need to ensure they were dressed and ready in time for dinner. The King didn't like people being late for dinner. But for now, enjoy the sunshine before what's bound to be a less than pleasant time around the royal dinner table.

​

Christopher Ravenswood and Maxwell Tanner
​

The eldest prince had not had the best of days, not that very many of his days were pleasant lately. After training throughout the morning, he'd then been ordered by his father to oversee the day's executions. The king had a habit of handing Christopher the dirtier jobs and letting the prince take any backlash from it. Whilst it may have been more ways for the king to torture his son, the prince hoped it was because the old bastard was growing incapable of doing anything for himself. Accompanied by Alexander, the Master of Security, Christopher had spent longer than he'd wished to standing by the gallows. Four men were hanged today; two for murder and two for treason. There wasn't a single person present who doubted all four men were guilty, yet Christopher was still sickened. It wasn't watching four men horrifically die that disgusted him, but it was the large crowd that came to watch, cheering and shouting as the proceedings took place. These people were all beneath him, so ignorant and purposeless.

Following the executions, Christopher had returned indoors to assist the king with finalising the plans for Robert's birthday celebrations, which would be taking place tomorrow evening. As he sat in silence checking the seating plans, Christopher couldn't help but amuse himself at the thought that one day the palace would be full of guests attending his father's funeral.

When the tedious task was finally complete, Christopher decided to take a walk around the palace grounds and ensure everything was running smoothly. He always made a point of observing for himself whether their servants were carrying out their duties to an acceptable standard. To his high standard!

******

Maxwell had been on the farm collecting some carrots that would never make it into the royal kitchen. The horses loves carrots so he made a point of letting the animals eat the food that would otherwise go to waste. Unfortunately the farm had too good a view of the distant gallows. Seeing the crowds flocking to watch more executions dragged bitter memories to the surface of his mind. Maxwell had been present the day Grace was arrested and dragged from the garden to the horrific cells. A couple of weeks later, he'd been one of many witnesses who had watched the poor girl be hanged. Regardless of whether or not the men today were guilty of their crimes, Maxwell didn't like their punishment one bit. He never had liked executions and having seen it happen to Grace, such punishments now made him feel sick to his stomach. He had to get away from the farm and busy himself where the gallows were not in sight, so he headed to the stables to feed and tend to the horses.

After spending time cleaning out the stables and feeding the horses, Maxwell finally decided to take a couple of minutes to rest. He perched himself on a nearby wall and sat looking out onto the beautiful hedge maze as he took in the breeze amongst the summer's heat. Anything to help him cool down after being out in the blazing sun for most of the day. He almost jumped out of his skin as he heard a stern voice come from beside him. He hopped down onto the ground and a little flustered, he quickly bowed before sheepishly looking to the eldest prince."Your Highness..."

"Nice to see you're working hard," Christopher coldly remarked as he looked the younger man over.

"I was just taking two minutes to rest before I--"

"I didn't ask you to speak. Nor did I request an excuse for your laziness." Christopher was sure Maxwell was telling the truth and he was just resting, but why did he need to care? I wasn't employed to rest. "I hope you'll be working hard tomorrow. You will need to assist the palace servants to make sure there is enough food for the banquet. If we run out of grapes or I see a rotten apple, I will hold you responsible." Christopher once again looked down at Maxwell's clothes, which were dirty after a hard day's work. "I will have one of the servants bring you some decent clothes before the end of tonight. Make sure you look presentable in them tomorrow." With that, Christopher turned and walked away, heading back inside the palace.

Maxwell let out a deep breath when the prince finally left him alone. He already knew what his orders were, but he figured it would be unwise to interrupt or question the grumpy prince. The last thing he wanted was to find himself on the prince's bad side. He didn't want to be on anyone's bad side. Still, he was a little nervous about having to spend time inside the palace tomorrow. He spent most of his time outside and that suited him just fine. He was less likely to cross the king's or prince's paths the further he distanced himself from them.

"Just two minutes to rest. That's all I ask for," he muttered to himself as he returned to the stables to finish sweeping.

Melanin-Gxdess Lost mkuchiha Bellz ElectricDandellion Angelofwishes7 Emotional Enigma Yennie
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Go ahead and post your intros. Both Maxwell and Christopher are free for interactions.

 

[ElectricDandellion]

Elena Ravenswood

The garden pond, large and beautiful, rippled in uneven and almost angry cycles. Elena sat by the bank, staring into the reflection that bitterly locked its gaze on her. The water danced, making her reflection spoil, crinkle and mutate. For a few moments, she sat there, in front of her favourite garden spot, scowling. How could Christopher had been so cruel and cynical. His future reign would surely be one of cruelty and one too sadistic for any normal human to handle. How dare he act in the way he had. Grace was a friend; at that, the only real friend Elena had. Now...dead. Focusing in on the eyes that so sharply stared back, she realised a small blob of salty water was dripping down her face. A disgusted fist lashed out and smacked into the water, the image of herself distorting and fractioning into various shapes, not herself anymore.

Reluctantly standing to her feet, she grabbed the red wine to the left of her, buried in a mass of grass that covered an area of the pond bank. This was her 4th within the last few hours, and it was starting to have effects. Effects she hadn’t experienced yet- was that why mother drank it? Why her elder sisters drank this...this oh so warm and comforting drink. Hands slipping on the cup, and her squeezing to keep the fragile glass in her hand caused for a sudden release, and when she looked down, the glass had obliterated in her gasp into tiny fragments that barely missed her feet, covered in small heels, luckily for her. Giggling a little, she held onto the sharp handle, and slowly, yet surely, made her way towards the palace, where she could kindly get herself another glass. After all, she deserved it.

Slyly walking in, noticing her eldest brother patrolling the grounds, she hurriedly rushed past, wobbling on her little heels. Unknown to her, she’d forgotten to hide the half broken glass. With red wine dripping from her hand, mixed with only a little blood from a few minor scratches here and there, she put her head down, and carried on. Making eye contact with Christopher in this state would surely give her away, or at least provoke him in some way. They weren’t on talking terms after all.

After reaching her desired destination, behind a pillar where her brother would be unlikely to see from his angle, she poured herself another glass, relishing in the scent as it popped open. Rooting around the cupboards, and finding a new, larger glass, she began the difficulty of pouring.

Misty Gray (mentioned)​

 

[Bellz]

Rosalind Langston​

"Mi lady, if you don't get down from there you will snap your neck!" A servant desperately called up to Rosalind as she stood high above in a tree. The young woman rolled her eyes and let out a laugh, enjoying the fresh air, the view of the sun beginning to set behind the trees and the freedom she felt. "Miss, if his royal highness were to see you up there-" The servants words were cut off by a reluctant sigh from Rose. "Ah yes, he shall have your head. Honestly Hattie, do you think I would let such a thing happen?" Rose talked big, much like she had done when she was a young child. Her eyes finally tore from the pinkish and orange sky to look down at Hattie, her assigned personal servant, whom she has adored since the beginning. The woman was shaking like a leave in the autumn breeze, her eyes wide with fear as she looked up at the future Queen high up in the tree. Rose took a moment to wave at her servant, earning herself a frown and more nagging about how she would really hurt herself if she wasn't careful.

"You know what I've always wanted to be Hattie?" Rose asked her servant, looking back up at the sunset. Hattie paused in her grumbling and sighed deeply, "What would that be? Your highness?" Rose smiled slightly and moved her hand from the truck of the tree, freeing her of all support, she flapped her arms slightly like a bird. "I've always wanted to know what it would feel like to fly, like a bird...a free bird." She admitted to her servant whom chuckled at Rose's movements, this too made the young woman smile widely, happy to see her servant chuckling instead of worrying. "Miss?...Miss?" Hattie called up to her, Rose blinked once before looking down again, "Its almost time for dinner." Hattie informed Rose, to which the woman frowned slightly yet nodded her head in understanding. "Alright Hattie, I'm coming down!" She announced before bunching up her red gown at the bottom and pulling it up so that she wouldn't trip on the fabric coming down. Stepping down on one branch and then the other, she was two more branches down when she released the fabric of her dress and grabbed onto a smaller less sturdy branch above her. Moving her feet off the branch holding her steady, she dangled for a moment before releasing the branch and dropping to the ground. Causing Hattie to let out a short scream of surprise.

Rose landed on her feet before falling backwards on her back end, causing her to erupt into a fit of laughter. "Are you alright Miss?" Hattie fussed as she moved to help Rose to her feet, dusting her pretty hand made gown down, freeing it's blood red fabric of brown and black dirt. Rose helped in the matter before straightening her gown out and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh Hattie, you are like a little mother hen, always clucking about. Come on then, wouldn't want to be late now." She turned in the direction of the palace that was only a short walk away. Her eyebrows raised as she also caught a browned haired girl sneaking around, Princess Elena, who disappeared just as quickly as she had been seen. She slowed slightly upon seeing her fiancé just a few feet ahead, looking as dark and brooding as ever. She wondered if Elena was still dodging the prince as she stepped inside the palace, taking her time as she walked down the halls towards her room, knowing she would have to change into something nicer for dinner and clean off the dirt that was sure to be covering her somewhere. Hattie fell into a quiet step behind her, the nagging having ceased and now she stayed silent for fear that the Dark Prince lurked near.

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Mentions: Misty Gray ElectricDandellion With: Open for interactions

 

[Angelofwishes7]

Alexander Rotinya Krow

​

Alexander woke up early before the sun was even in the sky. This was a common occurrence for him and after years of waking up before daybreak, he began to enjoy the darkness and silence that covered the castle before everyone woke up and became active. Alexander took some time to check the day's schedule before he did his morning patrols. Seeing the executions, he took a deep breath, someone was gonna be upset about this, he just knew it.

​

Knowing that wasting time thinking about what could happing in the day was doing nothing more than keeping him from his duties he put down the schedule and started his patrols. Afterward, he went into the guard's courters, looking around to make sure everyone was up and either cleaning or heading out for their daily patrols. He was surprised to see one guard still in bed, a newer guard that had started not too long ago. Alexander huffed a bit as he grabbed the bunk of the bed and flipped it to its side. With that, the guard rolled out of the comfort of his bed and hit the floor with a loud thump.

Placing the bed back down, Alexander looked at the confused and drowsy guard. "Get up, get cleaned up and get ready for the day." Alexander looked at the other guards, some were chuckling while some stayed quiet, watching the situation unfold. "Don't you have work to be doing?" Alexander questioned and raised an eyebrow at the other guards and for a moment everything went silent before everyone went back to getting ready for the day. After dealing with the guards, Alexander went on with his day, checking in with the guards that were already out, and checking in with the night guards that were about to head to bed. Alexander enjoyed making sure that everyone was where they needed to be before going to meet up with the king and obtaining his orders.

Though Alexander already had an idea of what he was gonna be expected to do today, and when the order was given, it just confirmed what he expected. He was expected to go with the eldest prince, Christoper, to observe the executions for the day. This didn't concern Alexander, mainly because he had no strong preference for the eldest prince or anyone in the royal family to be exact. He respected all of them to the highest extent and was willing to give his life for any of them at any time and that included Christopher.

The executions didn't take very long, though they seemed to drag on a bit longer than usual. The crowd was being much more vocal and rowdy than how they usually are, but that is to be expected when there are four executions going on in one day. Afterward, Alexander walked with Christoper back to the palace. From there they separated and went their own ways, Alexander had other orders to take care of, some of which meant checking in with not only his staff but the other members of the royal family.

-------------------- Tags --------------------
Misty Gray

Open for interaction​

 

[Bellz]

Margaret Ravenswood​

Maggie pulled the reins gently motioning for Cherry to follow her back towards the stables, the horse followed suit to which Maggie smiled sweetly and patted her coat. "What a lovely girl," She repeated to her oldest and most cherished horse. Her red coat shined against the sun setting in the distance reminding Maggie of why the pretty mare was named Cherry. The Princess often spent her time with her many horses, she had the most out of all her siblings. 7 to be exact. Cherry was her first, given to her when she was just a little girl, she needed constant exercise and care in her old age, unable to be ridden any longer. Maggie's thoughts had consumed her and she had been a little surprised when they were only a few feet away from the stables now. Maggie bit her lip, knowing that Maxwell would most definitely be around. She had been a bit nervous to interact with any of the staff after the incident with that young lady and her sister, Elena. Christopher had hung the poor girl for crimes that were unjustified, Maggie knew better than to open her mouth about such tragedies however, learning her place well and staying there.

Pausing at the entrance, she knew that she would most likely have to make conversation, the man was already awkward around the family as it was, she wasn't a fan of awkward experiences in the slightest. Tugging on the reins of her gentle giant, she led Cherry back towards her stable and once back inside she began to brush out her coat, enjoying the moments she could spend with her horses before she had to return back inside for what would most likely be a dreadful dinner with her family. "Maxwell? Would you hand me a few carrots for Cherry here? She was an awfully lovely girl on our walk, she deserves a treat." Her voice was soft spoken almost shy, a small smile grew on her lips as she tried to assure the stable hand that she was not to be feared.

Once she requested what she needed, she turned her attention back to her horse quickly. "Are any of my other mares giving you any trouble? What about the stallion?" She asked curiously, making some small talk with the man. She had been to the stables more times than she could count, often avoiding conversation with Maxwell, as he most likely wanted, especially since she was well aware that he was friends with the servant who had been executed. But now the air had cleared and Maggie didn't seem the harm in being a little more friendly with him, seeing as he took such good care of her animals when she couldn't do so herself.
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Mentions: Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Christopher Ravenswood​

From the corners of his eyes, Christopher noticed a figure rush by and into the palace. He too entered the extravagant building and barely glanced to the pillar his youngest sister had apparently hidden behind. He'd mastered the art of making it appear he was completely oblivious, despite being fully aware of those around him. It was useful to have people believe he was seeing nothing whilst he was actually paying full attention on the sly.

Christopher's attention was then drawn to Rosalind and Hattie. "Rosalind..." he called out, but stopped himself and shook his head. He would catch her before dinner, he was sure. It looked like she was hurrying off to her room, so he would allow her to put on something less dirty. It briefly crossed his mind to wonder why her dress was dirty, but that was a question or later. Right now, someone else was on his mind.

"Elena!" Christopher spoke as he turned the corner to see his youngest sister. He swiftly snatched the bottle from out of her hand, but didn't appear to make any attempt to relieve her of the wine filled glass. "I hope it's worth it, Sister. For your sake, I hope you haven't had enough to drink. Father will be furious, won't he?" he curiously asked her. He knew she hated him for what happened to Grace, but she only knew half of the story. If she knew her father's hand in it, she perhaps wouldn't think so kindly of the old man. Christopher hoped she would stumble into dinner drunk, just so she could see some of the king's fury. Right now, Christopher wanted to see how she would react to him.

Bellz ElectricDandellion

 

[ElectricDandellion]

Elena Ravenswood

Elena had only halfway poured into the glass when she heard her name so sharply called and spilt a slight bit of wine on her dress. At first, she turned, a deer in headlights. For a few moments, she stared in awe at her brother, heart crackling into pieces at his previous heartlessness. Brows furrowing as the bottle eased its way from her hand, she felt her cheeks fuse with a rusty pink. Eyes growing wide, she attempted to briskly stand. The wobbling was becoming of a slight inconvenience, and her hands wildly grasped at the pillar beside her to stay upright. “You dare to come over to me and tell me what I can and cannot do?!” Her voice started to raise slightly, face clearly seething with anger. “I shall take no such advice, brother. I have had little to drink if you must know,” with a wavered hand, she attempted to grab the bottle, almost slipping over as her hand barely missed the neck of the bottle.

At the mention of their father, her face froze. “Don’t tell father...” Having had witnessed the cruel nature of their father towards her brother in the rare occasions he punished Christopher in front of the family, she feared her father. Now shaking her head lightly, head dipped, she mumbled “Please don’t tell father,” quietly under her breath, whilst still taking another sip. “Anyway,” Elena babbled, “It was only...” Eyes scrunching slightly now, she itched her head, locking her gaze onto his for the first time that day. “..only..4 or 5...” Nose scrunching up at the realisation of how much she had really drank, she bit the inside of her cheek. If father found out...Oh God. Would he punish her like he had punished Christopher at this age? She was old enough now...but Christopher was much more brutally punished by their father. More than anyone. Why was she being so kind to him? Or kinder to him under the influence of this devil’s drink. “I bet you’ll tell him before he has the time to realise, Brother. He doesn’t pay enough attention to me to realise anyway. Don’t you understand that?” Elena started walking away. “Don’t you have duties to attend to?” She snapped, face turned away now. With a short temper like hers, disguising sadness for anger was easy.

Misty Gray​

 

[Misty Gray]

Maxwell Tanner​

Maxwell was hanging up the horses saddles, humming a tune to himself that he had recently overheard inside the palace. He froze as he heard the sound of a horse's hooves clicking on the ground from nearby. It wasn't coming from inside the stables so was clearly approaching from outside. He carefully placed the last saddle and heard the soft female voice before he had chance to turn towards the person approaching. The fact it wasn't the voice of the king or the heir was a relief to him. When he saw the princess, he quickly bowed his head to her. "Your Highness," he quietly greeted her. His mind suddenly backtracked to the fact she had addressed his by his given name. It wasn't something he was used to hearing from members of the royal family. He felt a strange mixture of honour and unworthiness for being addressed in such a way by a princess.

Maxwell snapped out of his thoughts long enough to process Maggie's request for some carrots. "Oh, of course..." he replied, almost kicking himself for keeping the lady waiting. He rushed over to the basket of carrots and retrieved some for her horse. He was in the process of handing the vegetables to her when he froze up. "Will I feel Cherry for you?" he asked. He wasn't sure which was worse - to expect a princess to feed the horse or to patronise a princess by thinking she shouldn't. He hoped she would help him out of the awkward predicament.

When talk turned to the other horses, Maxwell relaxed a little, always happy to talk about the animals. "The mares have been as good as gold. You have very well behaved horses," he told her. "As for the stallion. He's a fine beast," he said. He then flashed her a faint smile, hoping he had only addressed her appropriately. He'd always enjoyed talking to the likes of Elena, but since Grace's death, he was weary of overstepping his mark.

Bellz (Margaret)

 

[Emotional Enigma]

Arabella bounced with the weight of Zeus underneath her, his mane falling like waves around his neck. The sun was painting the sky with beautiful hues of orange and pink as the air began to chill. She took in a big breathe of the chilly evening air and then rode back to the stables. She saw someone else there, Margaret by the looks of it and Maxwell. As Zeus slowed to a brisk trot, she hoisted herself off, landing with a gentle thud. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Jasmine came bolting out of the stable. Her white fur whipping around crazily until finally she leaped up into Arabella's arms,
"Hey girl," The dog licked her face wildly, and then sprawled over on her back, "Jazzy, were you sleeping in Zeus's pen again?" She knelt over, plucking hay from mats of fur, "You need another bath," She grimaced and stood up. Arabella tapped Zeus's reins, leading him back into his pen with Jasmine close behind. She unloaded Zeus's saddle, placing it on his pen door, and un-cuffed his reins, placing them nearby. Arabella made sure to give Zeus a nice rub down on his nose before kissing him goodbye.
On her way back towards the castle, she smiled to Maxwell and Margaret as they passed carrots, "Have a great evening, your majesty," She exchanged and waved to Maxwell. As she neared the castle, she made a mental note to change quickly and find the prince to make sure he was dressed and ready for the dinner tonight. Her hands played with a pearl necklace around her neck as she entered the castle and parted to her room. Arabella stripped down from her dirty riding couture and into a simple, white dress and tied her messy, brown hair up into a bun. She then left to hunt down the eldest prince, Christopher, a blue notebook in hand.
Arabella hadn't needed to look far, she could hear Christopher talking rather loudly from a kitchen window. She placed her hands firmly on the sill and eased her way into the yard. She prayed the cooks wouldn't tell Christopher she had slipped through a window, she was sure he'd fire her for sure for being unprofessional. As she got closer, she could see him scolding Elena. Arabella at this moment really debated the idea of simply turning around before he saw her and coming back later when he was in his quarters, but the chance of being caught by the headmistress was even more crucifying,
"Your majesty," She attempted to project confidence as she neared his backside, "Are you prepared for the dinner tonight or should I head to your quarters to place out your formal wear?" Arabella was midlly aware she must've held a faint, musky barn smell from Zeus and Jasmine just moments ago, but tried to keep her distance from Chris to avoid his nose catching a whiff of it.
"The cooks have arranged to make sure none of your allergens were included in the meals as usual and headmistress has cleaned and ironed all your formal wear for your choosing. It will be a brisk night, so it recommended you wear your black tailcoat and your ornamental boots," She adjusted her notebook in her hands, crossing off formal wear from her list, "Would you like a hot bath drawn before you change?"
​

Mentioned: Bellz
Interactions: Misty Gray

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Jocelyn's morning wasn't as interesting as most would think.

She arose from bed to do her daily routine, a bath, dressing hair and then her lessons. It was the same old thing she did even though she wasn't a child anymore. The only difference being how tense everything was. With the death of the servant girl, everyone was on edge. Her brother had sentenced the girl to death and now her sister was upset. She didn't quite know how to react to any of it, other than to support her brother. She was like her mother in that way, criticize him in private but support his decisions in public. In all honesty, it made her sick to her stomach that he had done this. To her knowledge, Elena was very fond of the girl and her death would surely have some negative effects. She meant to check on her that day, but she hadn't seen her at all.

After her final lesson, being one of her language classes, she went out to the garden for some archery. The servants, it seemed, were very nervous around her. For good reason she knew. Her brother had instilled a new type of fear in all of them with what he had done. It irritated her when they acted this way. Sure she should be used to it, people acting scared around her considering the whole "Ice Princess" title she received. But now it was like it was times a hundred. As the servants rushed out of her way, she rolled her eyes. 'They act as if I'm going to hit them.' She stated to herself before letting her string go. It hit the center every time and she sighed in slight disappointment. For once she'd like to miss.

A whole quiver later, another servant approaches, informing her that dinner was soon. She groaned and thanked her for the information dismissing her. Off they scurried in a quick frenzy. It irritated her again how fast they would leave when they were dismissed. Sometimes they had conversations with her, even though she wasn't that much of a talker. Now, they practically ran away.

"When I see him," she said to herself "I'm giving him a piece of my mind."​

 

[Misty Gray]

Christopher Ravenswood​

Christopher tightened his jaw at Elena's initial response to him. She raised her voice, questioning that he would 'dare' to tell her what to do. There was no doubt about it - he could tell her what to do and he would make her do it, no matter how much she might argue. As she attempted to grab the bottle, he casually lifted his arm and held it out of her reach, sending a smirk in her direction. He was about to tell her that he could tell her what to do if he wished to, but then she changed her tune at the threat of her father being angry.

The prince rolled his eyes as his sister repeatedly told him not to tell the king about her drinking. He had no intention of telling his father anything, but watching Elena squirm was perhaps enough to make her think twice about getting drunk again. "Sister, I don't need to tell our father a thing. If he finds out it's because you're clearly drunk and he isn't blind." He lowered his arm and placed the bottle down on the surface next to Elena. If she chose to drink more, then her fate was in her own hands. Whilst he wouldn't tell the king of her state, he wasn't going to take steps to protect his sister considering her persistent contempt for him. "I have plenty of duties to attend to and checking on my siblings is one of them. You should be grateful for the lack of attention father gives you. Trust me."

Christopher turned to face Arabella when she addressed him. Arabella asked if he was prepared for dinner and then offered to assist him in getting ready. "Yes, I would appreciate it if my formal wear is ready for me to put on, after the hot bath which you will run for me," he confirmed to her. He was glad to hear the meals had also been arranged as requited. Of course, his food would be tasted by one of the servants before he took a single bite. Being as unpopular as he was, Christopher didn't take any chances. "Your diligence is much appreciated," he flatly told her. Really, that was the closest thing to a compliment she could get from Christopher, so Arabella would do well to hold onto such a moment.

The prince briefly glanced to his drunken sister before looking back to Arabella. "Have all of my outfits for tomorrow been dealt with too? It will be a long day celebrating the king's birthday," he needlessly reminded her.


ElectricDandellion (Elena) Emotional Enigma (Arabella)

 

[Lost]

Hector Ravenswood
​

It was necessary, that much he knew. Two were murderers, two traitors; of this, there was no doubt. Yet Hector could not shake the lump in his throat, nor the dread that settled in the pit of his stomach. Four men were going to die today.

The young prince stood to the side of the gallows, a fair distance from the swelter of the crowd. The square was near packed with serfs and merchants alike, ranging from young and spirited to old and frail. Few who watched from the ground wore fine clothing; most who could afford such luxuries chose to observe from one of the nearby balconies, if they even came at all. No, those in the square donned little more than ragged shirts and cloth shoes. If it bothered them, however, Hector couldn't tell; the anticipation, plain to see on their faces, left little else to be gleaned. Even a few children were scattered about, their excited, youthful gazes fixed curiously upon the grim, wooden platform.

It came as no surprise to any of the attendees, royal or otherwise, that Christopher was to head the execution. It was not the first time he had done so, and with his ascension to the throne all but guaranteed, Hector doubted it would be the last. The heir seemed to have a penchant for cruelty, one he made no effort to hide. And judging by the way the crowd whooped and cheered, he wasn't the only one.

Christopher cleared his throat, and the noise dwindled to silence. The speed of their obedience was rather impressive, Hector thought, if not a little worrying. His brother then produced a thin piece of parchment from his pocket and began to list the crimes of the convicted. Not a sound was made whilst he spoke, but the impatience of the crowd was plain enough. They shifted back and forth upon their feet, their eager eyes darting between Christopher and the criminals. Hector looked away, more than a little disturbed by the sight.

Finally, the reading was finished, and one man stepped up to the noose. Those gathered cried obscenities and insults, and the murderer flinched at the vehemence. This seemed to encourage the vicious attendees, and the slander seemed to get worse. He didn't hear much more of it, however, as the rope tightened and, with a sickening crunch, the man was dead.


The following executions occurred in similar fashions. When they were finally done with, the crowd reluctantly trickled out of the square, the excitement replaced with a profound sense of longing. Hector waited until most were gone before he too left for the palace. The walk wasn't far, and soon enough he found himself in the gardens, sitting atop one of the few benches littered throughout. The grove was vibrant and pretty, cultivated by a masterful hand to form many eye-catching patterns of blue, red, and green. Beautiful as it was, it did little to stay his tumultuous thoughts.

It hadn't been the first time he'd attended to the gallows, but it left him as sick as all the others had.

Faintly, the young man wondered what could have driven them so far; to commit murder and treachery, knowing they would lose everything by the end of it. Could it have been hunger, poverty? Or were they simply as malicious as the elated crowd seemed to think, with their jeers and catcalls following the men to their deaths?

He supposed it didn't matter; not to the dead, at least.

Even with that said, however, he couldn't help but ask himself, "Does it really have to be this way?"


Misty Gray |Mentioned|

 

[Angelofwishes7]

Alexander Rotinya Krow

​

As Alexander started walking he met up with a few guards, checking in with them to see if anything was out of place. Everything seemed fine and mostly in order, which was pretty good for how the day had gone so far. He then made his way through the castle, asking around to some more of the guards, his duty was to protect the royal family, and since he hasn't seen all of the royal children yet today made him want to at least check up on them. Though he knew he'd see them all at dinner, so he wasn't too concerned, his guards had seen them and for the time being, that was enough to calm his thoughts.

As he was wandering around he remembered one of his guards mentioning that one of the princesses was out doing archery. He smiled, it had to be Jocelyn. Wanting to check in with the oldest princess before dinner, he began to make his way to the garden. As he turned into one of the opened sections of the garden he noticed another familiar face, prince Hector. It was not who he was planning to find, but good none-the-less.

"Well, Hello my lord." Alexander smiled lower his head a bit in a quick and respectful bow. Looking back up at the middle prince he took a few slow steps toward him. "I wasn't expecting to see you here," Alexander glanced around at the beauty of the garden, the different flowers and plants that were in bloom. It surely was an absolutely beautiful sight. "but, it is quite a beautiful place to sit and relax after a day like today." Alexander slowly brought his gaze back to the prince.

-------------------- Mentions --------------------
Melanin-Gxdess

-------------------- Interactions --------------------
Lost ​

 

[Emotional Enigma]

​

Arabella's jaw tensed as Christopher turned around. His presence made her a little nervous but she remained calm, "Yes, of course. I'll return to your quarters and prepare your clothing choice and run a bath immediately." She felt almost empathetic towards the young princess, Arabella herself would kill for some decent wine right now and her a good book. She was brought back to her current situation however at the sound of Christopher's voice softening, "T-Thank you, your majesty," She smiled to him and bowed her head briefly before addressing Elena, "Hello, young majesty, you're looking stunning this evening". Arabella thought of the castle as a giant garden, and her words as nice flowers being planted. One can't enjoy a garden if all that sprouted were weeds.
Guiltily, Arabella bit her lip after Christopher asked about the king's birthday, "I will have that situated for you tonight sir, during your dinner festivities if that is alright". She felt embarrassed having forgotten something so important. She scribbled in her notebook before her eyes returned to the Prince's, "Will that be all sir?"

Interactions: Misty Gray ElectricDandellion

 

[Bellz]

Margaret Ravenswood​

Magaret was use to the shock that most of the servants and staff gave her when addressing them by their given birth name, often only being called what the royals felt like calling them, or addressing them by the job they were required to do. Margaret felt that if animals were able to be called by their given name, that the help were no different, they weren't below the animals. Another shy smile formed on her lips as Maxwell seemed to be caught up in his shock, he stared at her for a few moments after her request before hurting to grab a few carrots for her. Maggie stroked Cherry's face softly as Maxwell asked if he should feed Cherry for her, looking incredibly nervous and unsure in that moment. Maggie offered the man another soft smile before shaking her head.

I wouldn’t be able to call them my horses If you were always taking care of them, how fair would that be? “ to most of her family, fairness wasn’t the issue, but Maggie liked to do things on her own. I am alright doing it myself...” she gently reached out and took the carrots before offering them to Cherry, who didn’t hesitate to take them.

Arabella stopped in briefly and the princess nodded her head towards the young woman in silent greeting. She was gone just as quick as she arrived, so no formal greeting could be made. Once Cherry was situated, she was relieved to hear from Maxwell that her other mates and her single stallion were doing well, she tried to get around to paying attention to them all, though her normal responsibilities sometimes got in the way.

Thats lovely to hear, thank you...for taking such good care of them.” Maggie felt like this was the most she had talked in at least a decade, not much for small talk or even talking in general. It was easy to open up to the stable hand, especially on the topic of animals. Maggie looked down at her dress and noticed the dirt and wet grass clinging to the bottom of her dress from walking. Her head turned towards the palace, dreading having to sit down at another awkward dinner with her family. She would stay a bit longer.

What would her excuse be to stay though? Maggie tried not to look nervous as she thought of an excuse. Clearing her throat, she looked to Maxwell again. Poor Cherry is having a hard time getting around, since I’m only able to walk her once a day, would you try to walk her once in the morning?” it was an excuse to continue to talk to this man, who seemed more pleasant to be around than her own family but she also worried for her oldest mare.
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Mentions: Misty Gray

 

[ElectricDandellion]

(The dress she will wear at the dinner)

Elena Ravenswood​

​

Elena scowled as he smirked, moving the bottle away from her as she reached for it. “So humorous, brother. I bet the whole kingdom wishes for such an original humour like yours,” She snapped from between clenched teeth. “You aren’t king yet, so you are not yet entitled to boss anyone around. Certainly, when you become King, I’ll move to the other side of the earth. I’d rather live in poverty under peace than in riches and under your rule!” Her attempt to sound intimidating was slightly disguised with that of her slurs.

As he rolled his eyes at her remark about their father, she found her grip on the pillar had tightened tremendously. “Father will probably be drunk himself.” Standing straighter and taller now, she added, “So I’m not too worried,” As he placed the bottle down on the surface, she snatched it slightly from his grasp, before putting it back into the cupboard. “For mother. Not for father, and certainly not for you,” Voice seething with venom, she slammed the liquor cupboard shut, jaw tense. As he spoke of his duties, Elena cocked an eyebrow, and scoffed. “Trust you?” Face lightening up, she shook her head “Trust you after ordering my best friend’s exucetuion. Yes, I’d highly think so, brother. Are you so narcissistic to believe that after what you’d done, I’d trust you?” With a smile in disbelief, she walked closer to him. “Well, you listen to me, Christopher. Make it so that your duty merely consists of all siblings apart from me. I do not need your ‘checking in’, I’m fine on my own.”

About to saunter off, with a look of fury on her face, her expression softened as she passed Arabella, the dedicated staff member who was in all ways lovely. She had always been kind, and caring and helped everyone when needed. The slight, what she presumed was rudeness, towards Arabella Christopher had been had made her sorely angry, but she believed she had spoken enough that day. Genuine smile breaking out on the corner of her plump lips, she curtsied. “As do you, Mrs Arabella. Thank you.” And with that, she was walking up the marble steps, although struggling slightly, she had made her way into the hallway, and towards her room. Maids scuttled around, picking out the most presentable outfit for her to wear to the dinner, and tutted Elena for claiming her dirty, wine-stained dress was nice enough to wear to the dinner.

Misty Gray
Emotional Enigma​

 

[Misty Gray]

Christopher Ravenswood​

Christopher listened as his sister snapped at him and reminded him he wasn't king yet. He was done feeling guilty for some common servant who his father chose for him to make an example of. It was almost tempting to tell the King of Elena's drunken state right now, considering she made a point of wrongly suggesting he couldn't order her. "You'd do well to find those rags now, Elena. It won't be long until I am King and perhaps I'll personally have you removed to be sent across the Earth," he coldly, but calmly told her.

He shrugged his shoulders when she mentioned their father may be drunk anyway. "Well, all the more reason for you not to infuriate the man. He's only worse after alcohol," he noted. He momentarily gazed past his sister when he bitterly recalled his own first-hand experience of the drunken King and the physically painful wrath that accompanied the old man's mood. Elena then mentioned the servant again. "Well, take just one thing from this conversation, Sister, and that is I don't give a damn about that dead servant," he assured her. He wouldn't show it to her, nor anyone else, but he did care about the poor dead woman. His father should have never had the girl tortured in the first place and then left the decision in Christopher's hands. The girl was already a mess when he was brought into it and he figured he was putting her out of her misery. She would have only festered away in a cell, wasting the kingdom's resources.

It was for the best when Elena sauntered off. It saved him having to really chip away at her. The way he was feeling today, he would have happily dragged his sister down and given her a real cause to despise him.

At least Arabella knew her place in the palace and was agreeable in completing the duties required of her. When she confirmed she would deal with tomorrow's clothing whilst he was at dinner, he nodded his head. It was all a whole lot of fuss for an undeserving man's birthday. If he had any choice in the matter, he'd miss the whole party and be a happier man for it. Still, he was well-versed in forcing pleasantries and feigning respect for his father, so it would be just another day's work for him. "That will be all, Arabella. When you have finished all of those duties, you may cease working for the night. I will take care of anything else," he told her. There were many things he wished to do for himself, but apparently it was unbecoming of royalty to do so.


ElectricDandellion (Elena) Emotional Enigma (Arabella)

 

[Misty Gray]

Maxwell Tanner​

Maxwell's posture loosened as Maggie said she would be okay feeding Cherry herself. Her kindness towards him seemed genuine, so it helped to remove how tense he had been feeling. The bright, boyish smile his friends were used to seeing made an appearance on his face as he watched the princess feed the horse. It wasn't that he ever thought ill of the princess, but he simply expected the royal children would have been told to be cold or dismissive towards the servants. It was always a welcomed surprise when they were at all friendly.

Maxwell watched Arabella and returned her smile with a warm one of his own. He liked the prince's adviser and always made sure to ensure both of her animals were taken care of when she couldn't be around. Still, he did find it a little amusing that the dog had managed to be messed up in the hay. He watched Arabella leave before bringing his attention back to the princess.

"You're welcome, Your Highness," he replied, when she thanked him for taking care of the horses. "I mean, it's my duty to care for them, but it's something I enjoy doing. I've been around this palace's horses for all my life," he explained. It all came naturally to him by now to care for any animals on the palace grounds. He supposed it was a bonus he had a roof over his head and food in his mouth for doing something he cared about.

Maxwell followed Maggie's gaze to the bottom of her dress and noticed it was dirty. "Hang around these stables for as long as I do and the whole outfit will be filthy," he joked, letting out a small chuckle as he pointed to his own muddy boots. He was sure fussing over a princesses dirty dress would be far too patronising, so he just addressed it casually, as it really wasn't any bother to him. He was sure Maggie was more than the fancy dresses she had to wear.

Maxwell nodded when she asked him to walk Cherry in the morning. "Of course, Your Highness. I enjoy tending to the horses. I don't have a favourite, but between us two... I'm quite fond of Patch," he said pointing to a white horse, deemed imperfect due to the grey patches dotted all around his back. He usually took patch around with him to help carry the heavy load of logs and vegetable sacks. He knew the King might disagree, but Maxwell thought of Patch as his own horse. Imperfect and rejected, but a hard worker if he ever saw one.


Bellz (Margaret)

 

[ElectricDandellion]

(This dress and look apart from the hair, but the embroidery covers her chest too, just not shoulders)

Elena Ravenswood

Elena looked into the mirror, eyes beginning to water as she reflected over what her brother had said to her. He hadn’t even cared. Perhaps if he had cared, she would’ve forgiven him a hell of a lot easier. Staring into her dressing table from across the room, she felt her hands roughly clasp onto her scalp, frustratedly pulling her hair as her heeled feet stomped over the creaky, mahogany floor in a very childish, yet angered way. Lips parting for sharp and sudden intakes of breath, she felt her cheeks growing more moist by the second. Uncontrollable breathing for a few minutes, and in the midst of the moment, she grabbed her hair brush from the side surface and threw it in a random direction, accompanied with a loud, whole hearted scream of frustration. The undeniable sound of glass breaking had her turning, eyes wide, looking into her balcony, where the brush had flown and broken her window. At the same moment, she felt her stomach drop dramatically, and her hand reached forward to clutch it dramatically.

“Oh God,” she mumbled, holding a hand to her mouth and sprinting to the toilet, stomach releasing foul-smelling, neck burning liquids into the bowl. Groaning, though admittedly feeling better, she grabbed a towel nearby, wiping her mouth with it. She’d never drink that devil drink again, and it still wasn’t out of her system. Standing, she walked towards her bedroom from the en suite, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. A knock on the door caused her to pause and mumble a quick “Yes? Come in,” had it have been any of her siblings, she feared to let them in, afraid they’d mention something to father. At least she knew where she stood with Christopher, and before the whole ordeal with her friend, she would’ve probably named him her favourite sibling; after all, he wasn’t particularly intrusive and wasn’t always relishing on blood being thicker than water, When in fact, it wasn’t always.

Luckily for her, it was a small group of elderly maids in to help her become at least presentable for the dinner. “Your majesty,” Each of the three maids curtsied, to which Elena wavered her hand. “You know I’m not too fond of such formalities, ladies. Please, it’s Elena,” Elena smiled gently, curtsying at their own arrival. One edged closer, reluctantly putting a hand to her cheek. “Dearie, you’re looking a little peaky. Are you sure you’re well enough for this event?” With a lighthearted chuckle, now mood lifted, she took the woman’s hand in her own and shook her head. “You know more than anyone Rose, my father would have me at dinner if I were half dead. Nothing a little makeup can’t fix,” Voice softened, and not feeling the bold blow of the alcohol, she felt a lot more uplifted.

After a few moments, the maids had the youngest princess in her favourite dress, and a small fur shawl to cover her delicate shoulders as to appear more modest. Elena’s makeup was primed to make her seem fresh faced, lips red to drag colour into her once sick face. “Thank you,” Elena’s lips tugged into a small smile as she twirled in her dress, likely one of her favourites. “Where would I be without the likes of all of you?” Eyes glittering with excitement, she twirled once more, but this time towards the door, where she walked out and into the hallway, clearly content with her new dress by the way she let it flow as she walked. Perhaps she’d later visit Alistair, her favourite and only stallion.

But, on her journey downstairs, had she not taken very long, she saw her older brother again. “Christopher I-“ voice halting, she chewed the inside of her cheek. “I sincerely apologise for what I said, not all of it, but maybe more...more the way it came across. We both know that you will do what you like and you are able to being the heir to the throne, though I’d like to argue that you cannot and will not control me.” Tucking a stray, dark curl behind her ear, she picked her head up and looked at him. “I will stay mad with you until I feel it necessary to feel otherwise....I guess you can feel sympathy at least...You know how....” Elena wondered whether mentioning or referencing Catherine would be a bad idea or spite her brother, but he needed to hear her out. “..You know how it feels to lose a close...friend. To family. You have and always have had my sincerest condolences towards your loss with Catherine,” taking a defensive step back, she took a deep gulp. “I wish you’d slightly feel the same in this similar situation. You are the only person in this family capable of understanding this...this feeling I have, yet you’re the only one who is desensitised and cynical towards the matter,” taking a break to chew the inside of her cheek and take a deep breath after her speech-like statement, she piped up again, “Catherine, Grace, who else is going to fall at the hand of the cruel reign of this kingdom? I am no way comparing the losses. I’m sure...losing a loved one has a greater impact, but I feel pain even so. I hope you realise that you need to do the best for this kingdom, and following in father’s footsteps by murdering and torturing those who do not deserve it is not the way.” Bottom lip starting to quiver, she clenched her teeth to calm herself, managing to bring herself to give her brother a hug. Leaning up to his height, even with heels on, was difficult. The hug was difficult. Everything about the situation was difficult, but if she was going to hold the grudge, who was she hurting but herself? Making her own life a misery, not Christopher’s, and certainly not helping Grace. She’d make sure something like this would never happen to another, innocent person again. Emerald eyes looking up, she nodded, and walked away, towards the garden where she could calm herself down and visit the small flower patch she favoured in the garden.

Misty Gray

Open for interactions!!


​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Before long, Joce ran out of arrows and didn't want to send anyone to get another quiver. She lowered her bow and took a look around the field. Not too far in the distance she could see Hector speaking with Alexander. There was one man who wasn't timid when it came to speaking to the princess. While he was still respectful, the two of them had actual conversations in where he would also engage in. Her younger brother looked a bit uneasy, no doubt having watched all the executions that day. Jocelyn had missed them on purpose, not being interested in watching traitors and murderers hanging from ropes. She'd have to check on him at a later time but for now, she needed to get ready for dinner.

On her way back to her chambers, she saw Christopher. She internally debated whether or not she was going to go over and give him a piece of her mind yet. In the end, she decided against it, knowing that if she were late for dinner her parents would give her quite the speech about it. "Later." She said to herself. A bath was waiting for her in her bedroom and she couldn't have been more grateful. Her activities for the day made her feel dirty and she needed to wash them away. Before long, she was finished and began getting dress, settling on a rose-gold colored dress. She may get chastised for it, but who cares? She hated dresses anyway. Once her hair was done, she set out looking for her siblings, specifically her younger sisters to make sure they were all dressed, ready, and presentable. She wasn't about to be held responsible for them being late.

Spoiler: Outfit 1

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[Misty Gray]

Christopher Ravenswood​

Christopher decided now would be a good time to retreat to his room to get dressed for dinner. He savoured the time he had to alone, with his thoughts, and until Rosalind became his wife, he would have his room to himself. As he turned to walk, Elena returned downstairs and approached him. He didn't have the patience for another altercation with the girl, so her apology came out of nowhere to him. He wasn't really sure why she'd chosen to apologise to him, other than the fact that she should show him respect, being that he would be king one day. He can and will control her if he sees fit to do so. Other than that, he wanted her to hate him for Grace's death so he would be justified to only speak of the dead servant with coldness in return.

The Prince's expression remained blank and hollow as Elena spoke of Catherine. She suggested he could feel sympathy and gave him condolences regarding his old friend's death. "Your sentiment is noble, Sister, but I don't need it. Catherine died years ago and she was nothing more than a language tutor to help me speak the tongue of our French enemies. She was a damn good tutor, so the King wasted a valuable worker," he told Elena. Whilst it had been years ago and any feelings he'd had for Catherine were now of no use to him, deep down it had affected him greatly. Anyone who wanted to know when Christopher cut out his own heart would only need to learn about the day his father had one of his only friends executed purely for posing as a threat to his family's plans for him to marry Rosalind. "You may have lost your servant friend in the same way Catherine was taken, but I am not capable of understanding your feelings. My advice to you is to stop feeling altogether. There is no place for emotions and sentimentality in this palace. The best way for you to get over the girl's death is to stop caring." Despite his words, Elena might catch sight of his usually cold eyes apparently softening as he briefly bit his bottom lip to hold back any real feelings for what his sister had dragged back up.

Christopher listened as she expressed her hopes for him not to be a brutal man like their father. He hated the man so much, but he wasn't sure how different he really was or how much he was destined to become like the man. All he'd learn from his father was pain and suffering; torture and punishment. Any response he could have given was pushed aside when Elena suddenly hugged him. For the most part, he remained still and tense, almost like the girl was hugging a piece of wood. However, she was his sister and his siblings had not been the ones to hurt him. Perhaps one day she would understand him. He very subtly relaxed and awkwardly rubbed his sister's shoulder with his hand. It would seem like nothing to a casual observer, but that gesture would be a huge surprise for Elena.

"Sober up for dinner, or at least don't draw attention to yourself. Father mustn't know you're drunk," he advised her as she walked away.

With that, Christopher headed to his room to get himself bathed and ready for dinner.

ElectricDandellion (Elena)
((Cassandra post will follow shortly...))

 

[Emotional Enigma]

Arabella bowed to Christopher before departing from his presence. She desperately wanted to be a part of the festivities for the night, but the idea of spending the night walking on eggshells around the young lord actually gave her intense anxiety. Her dress whipping between her legs, nearly tripping her, she reentered the castle. Her flat, servant shoes pinching her toes as she ascended a spiral staircase to Christopher's room. She figured she would hurry and get her chores done so that way she could read in her quarter undisturbed. She opened the tall, twin doors and walked to his ornate, gold trimmed dresser. The room was still tidy from the days before and as many would tell, Christopher was a rather neat individual. Whenever there was cleaning to be done in his room, it would be because he was in a hurry for some event, but he was never truly a dirty or disorganized person. Arabella seemed to really appreciate that of him, whether it was for her benefit or his.
Her hands dug through his folded clothes, pulling out an ironed pair of dress slacks and a soft, cotton white shirt. She laid them on the bed neatly, and returned for his belt and a soft pair of underwear. Somewhere during this process, she found herself longing to talk to someone. She was immensely homesick and was not used to the amount of loneliness she experienced here at the castle. Normally, she'd talk at least 20 people in a single day between farm chores and running into town for supplies. Now, she was lucky if she had time or resilience to have one or two decent conversations in a week.
Arabella refocused her attention on Christopher's wardrobe, pacing to his closet and running her hands over his various coats. They stopped on his thick, tailcoat and retrieved it, hanging it on the door of the closet. Lastly, Arabella walked to the front of the room where many of his shoes sat perfectly aligned and took the tall pair of boots and placed them near his bed. Once she decided her work for his dinner festivities were done, she went to his bathroom and began to draw the water into his bath. This required her to roll up her sleeves and her dress, after the constant trips back and forth from the tub, had gotten wet. She regretted not wearing a different dress, as the white of the dress was becoming transparent. At this point, Arabella thought she might as well have been a concubine in a brothel with how the dress slagged around her hips. After the hot bath had been drawn, she left the bathroom but nervously debated leaving Christopher's as she still had to design his outfit for tomorrow and her clothes were practically transparent. If anyone saw her, she was sure she'd be freeze in embarrassment and be terminated immediately.

Interactions: Misty Gray​

 

[Lost]

Hector Ravenswood
​

Hector gave a start as someone spoke, his gaze darting to the newcomer. When he saw it was only Alexander, he visibly relaxed. The Head of Security was kind to all of the royal children and had given Hector no reason to dislike him. A far cry from Christopher, at the very least

As the man mentioned the garden, Hector let his eyes wander to the surrounding foliage. He hadn't taken a moment to appreciate the beauty, too absorbed in his own thoughts to care. Now, as he examined the area closely, he realized that he had indeed picked one of the more cheerful sections of the garden. It was a tad ironic, but he didn't dwell on it.

"Yes, I suppose it is," he replied at length, turning to face Alexander. He didn't have to ask what was meant by 'a day like this'. They had both been at the gallows, seen the execution. Hector knew the Head of Security was a good man; it couldn't have been pleasant for him, either. Then again, the young prince thought, he likely attends the hangings a great deal more than I do. Hector couldn't remember a time when Christopher hadn't brought Alexander along. The streets were dangerous for unguarded royalty, even more so during the executions. The crowds were already riled up; all it would take was two or three misguided peasant to incite a riot.

With Christopher's reputation, it might not even require that many.

Shaking the thought, Hector returned his attention to the man beside him. "So what brings you out here, Alexander?" He asked with a weak smile.

Angelofwishes7

 

[Misty Gray]

Cassandra Summers​

Cassandra had spent much of the day showing the new servants the ropes and helping them find their way around the large castle. She enjoyed meeting the new workers and learning about them, even if she had been told numerous times to be stricter and more distant. She felt the only way she could gain their respect was to treat them with kindness. It was whilst on the fourth floor of the castle that she stopped by one of the windows on the corridor. There was a clear view of the gallows in the distance, surrounded by the crowd that had come to witness the executions. She'd managed to look just in time to see the hangings take place. Executions had always been something which upset her, but since that poor servant had been killed she felt deeply sickened by the whole procedure. She knew Grace and there wasn't a bad bone in the girl's body. It still upset her to know that one of the girls she had trained and grown close to was now dead. The name so few people knew of was now only associated with her death and the crimes she had been supposedly found guilty of.

As dinner approached, Cassandra made her way to the royal dining hall to check everything had been set out how it should be. She'd already bumped into Christopher earlier and the perfectionist was in a particularly grumpy mood. She'd even spoken to the King, a man she'd always been on good terms with, and he too wasn't in the best of moods. As such, she wanted to make sure dinner ran smoothly tonight. The last thing she wanted was either of those two men taking the anger out on some poor servant. She was quite protective over the workers she supervised and she was often taking steps to protect them. As she walked around the narrow table, she checked over the layout, every so often straightening out the silver cutlery so it was all perfectly aligned. Anything to silence Christopher and Robert this evening. Her attention was then drawn to the red-haired girl tidying the nearby floral arrangement.

"Meredith, I thought I told you to work in the laundry this evening. Please, go swap with Clara. Hurry!" she firmly ordered her, but sent a reassuring smile her way. The previous evening, Meredith had been incredibly nervous whilst serving the food and made a few mistakes. Knowing the mood today wasn't a pleasant one, Cassandra didn't want the poor girl to get yelled at. Clara was much more confident serving the family.

Once she'd finished checking the dining room, Cassandra headed down the corridor. She had a relatively comfortable position in the palace; able to speak to any of the royal family without judgement, and also being close to the servants, guards and other workers. She hadn't had a normal conversation all day, so she hoped she'd see a friendly face as she walked along the corridors of the palace.