Fantasy the feuding kingdoms-- an arranged marriage role-play

[Reiia silver]

A long time ago there were four kings who were raised and taken care of by the good Queen Jade. Once they grew up, they each set off in different directions and started their own kingdoms, the only problem was none of them seemed to get along. This is the story of the kingdom's and the decision the Queen had to make in order to get peace among them, will it work? Only time will be able to tell.....

-Rules-
I just need to make sure everybody understands the rules, as they are very important when it comes to making sure everyone is happy.
1. No one-liners, it's hard for anyone to get something from that and to go off of it. I'm going to require that people reply no less then a paragraph and to please have no less then five sentences.
2. Be respectful of everyone and kind, it goes a long way and were all human with feelings on the other side of the computer.
3. If you do not say anything in out of character chat and randomly post a character or posted in character, we will ignore anybody who does this. It's very rude!
4. Please check this page, for an announcements and updates on what is going on, we also have a calendar located down below. If you scroll over the days, you can see what is going on for that day.​

 

[Reiia silver]

Where is everybody currently?
Currently everybody should be have either just arrived at the middle kingdom or has been there for a short bit. There will be a dinner that evening so everybody can get to know their future spouses and such. It is currently damp from raining the night before, it was a long journey about three days from the kingdom to the middle kingdom.​

 

[Reiia silver]

Mentions - Morzone (Miriam) Mooniee (Vern) Kitsune2202 ( Ruby)
Interactions- none​

Erica could not be more happy than to be off that damn carriage, was a bumpy and long road. She was tired and a little more than cranky, she wanted to take a nice warm bath and pretend that none of this was happening. She was happy living in their castle in the South, that’s where her happy place was, even though I looking at her you wouldn’t be able to tell. She was always serious and hardly ever smiled, most just chopped it up her childhood being rough. The truth was, she was very happy but it was hard for her to show it and she didn’t really understand it.



The middle castle was bustling about, with every arrival it became increasingly busier. Erica quickly began to walk towards the doors and she waved her hand towards the servants. “Bring me a nice cup of tea and show me where my room is!” The one maid nodded their head and began to lead her towards a long-haul with so many bedrooms. Erica took a moment to just looked at them, there had to be enough for all the royals to have their own room and maybe even their servants.



The maid stopped at one of the bedrooms, as she walked in it was amazing how the bedroom seemed to be just to her liking. There were bookshelves all across the walls, with books from many different places and it made her want to smile, but for some reason her lips would not smile. “Thank you, make sure to let my lady in waiting know where I am and don’t forget about the tea!” The lady nodded as she made her way out and Erica was so glad to be alone at this point, she loved her siblings but a few days in a confined space with them was not something she ever wanted to deal with again.



She began looking at all the books that were on the bookshelves, she wanted to learn about everything she possibly could, even if it stuff she would never dream of doing. She read books on hunting, farming and many things like that, right now she had every intention of finishing the book she was reading on cooking. She was carrying the book all this time, so she sat down for a moment and let out a sigh. She open the book quickly and began to focus on the words, closing her eyes just a moment.

 

[imXeno]

Mentions: Kitsune2202 (Noelani) Silver Wolf (Eliot) Reiia silver (Ella)
Interactions: Reiia silver (Ella)

Kumo’s arrival to the Middle Kingdom was quite calming. The fresh aroma of a parted rain was refreshing to Kumo, giving the Middle Kingdom a similar feel to his home in the West, where it rained constantly. Kumo was originally amazed by the grand castle in the heart of the kingdom, it reminded him of the tales told about the kingdom, and they seemed to be true. The gateway leading into the kingdom mesmerized Kumo, the glint of gold and shining of fine silk being appealing to the eye. As he had arrived with his younger siblings, Eliot and Noelani, along with others, he set his sights on getting to his room before there was a crowd amongst the second floor, where all the royals would be staying. Knowing Eliot and Noelani, they would settle in easily as they could handle themselves well, taking one worry off of the eldest prince’s mind.

Kumo went through the process of picking his own room, one in which catered to his liking. The room was quite lavish, the bed being large and the walls crafted out of fine marble, it certainly caught the prince’s eye. He laid out upon his bed thinking, something he did often. As much as he relented the thought of being forced into a marriage, he viewed this whole scheme as a way to protect his kingdom, the prevelant war efforts draining the spirits of many in the Western Kingdom. Along with that, Kumo viewed this as an opportunity to meet new people, something that always sparked the interest of the prince, interacting with others. The ball was set for the evening, Kumo knowing he had plenty of time before then to explore the castle to get a feel for the many floors and corridors. He sat up in the bed with a sigh, brushing his snow white hair from his eyes as he stood, intending to leave the room. He mainly hoped to find his sister, but knowing Noelani, she could be anywhere at anytime, the girl always having a knack for slipping away when no one noticed. Kumo couldn’t guess where Eliot might be, possibly off looking for tea, or socializing with somebody he ran into. Kumo shook his head, knowing he was going to be on his own to explore the castle. That is, until he heard the low sounds of a baby crying in the hallway.

Kumo opened his door, cautiously sticking his head into the hallway, searching for the source of the noise. He sighed happily, spotting his little sister’s lady, Ella, with her baby Jace. Finally, at least someone was here. The baby was crying quite loud, so Kumo came out into the hallway to greet Ella. “Ella! Oh hello! Thankfully, someone here I recognize. Do you need any help with baby Jace? She seems to be putting up quite the ruckus.” Kumo glided over, staring down at the baby and Ella, smiling gently at the baby even as it cried. “I was planning on exploring this castle...it’s very large isn’t it? Would you like to accompany me? Maybe it can help the young one calm down...” With that, Kumo turned to look down the hallway, slowly beginning to walk, observing everything he could about the place he was currently stuck in.

 

[Kitsune2202]

Princess of the West​

Mentions: Kumo( imXeno ), Eliot ( Silver Wolf ), Ella( Reiia silver ), Firmin ( Abendrot ), Aleksander and Orion ( NightTerror )
Interactions: [Open]
Location: The Garden

Noelani was pleasantly surprised that she enjoyed her travel to the middle kingdom with her brothers. Eliot was fun, and being able to tease Kumo was always a good time. Not to mention it was a break from royal duties for a full three days! Sure it was leading up to probably the most frustrating duty she'd ever have to perform, but she preferred to live in the now, and right now things were great. The passing rain gaze her a sense of comfort and ease along with getting to bring along their stewards, a knight, and her lady-in-waiting. Sure her brothers were wonderful support, but having a full company of people who she was comfortable around to rely on while being tossed at a stranger and strange lands was nice. She had no idea where any of them were at this moment, but she knew all were capable and probably getting settled in, in their own ways. The only one she felt the need to check up on was Ella and baby Jace, despite technically it being Ella's job to keep up with her not the other way around. However she preferred to think of Ella as a sister she never had rather than a servant or the likes of one.

Noelani had of course wasted no time once arriving at the immense castle. It was far more eloquent than she'd even dreamed about after heard so many stories about it. She wondered how their father could've ever left such a wondrous place. So many new things to explore, and people to see! The servants tried to take her and her things towards her room, but she immediately slipped away from their sight and found her way into the gardens. She wasn't worried about where her room was, it wasn't like she imagined they'd get to pick. After all everything was being decided for them, where they lived, what they did, who they married. They had no say in any of it, so why bother. So long as her items remained together and someone knew where they landed she would be fine with whatever. How could some bed chamber compare to the great outdoors anyways!?

She was a bit disappointed that the middle kingdom didn't have as much vegetation height wise as the West, but the drew on the wide variety of foliage she'd never seen before made up for that. She began to hum as she walked through the garden wondering if it was vast enough to get truly lost in. That'd make an excellent excuse to not show up to this evenings ball. She was curious to meet her future husband, but not necessarily excited since she doubted liking one another was even a factor in this arrangement. why bother with the pleasantries? Might as well have her fun out here, and enjoy all the lavish fruits this kingdom had to offer. She might even take a stroll outside the castle walls tomorrow.

She lifted her skirt a bit and proceeded to dance a bit keeping in tune with her humming, as she twirled letting her long sapphire hair swirl in the wind. The only thing that would make this moment better is if she'd been dancing on water like it was a floating garden. She wasn't expecting to bump into anyone, but she wasn't being cautious against it either.

 

[NeonFlow]

Lalilu Lelo, Just a guy. A famous bard actually. Perhaps you have heard of Lalo.
He is in the garden of the middle castle when a stranger approaches. Wild Lalo uses sing!
Kitsune2202
==============================================
Lalilu Lelo was a simple man, he still may be but that isn't the case to argue at said moment. From living in a broken home, to staying in the grand Middle castle...
Not something a runaway child could plan honestly.
The last three days had been a different sort of pace for young Lalo. It had taken, well heavens only knows how much time it took to get accustomed to the castle of the East, which he was lucky to even have a place.

A cushy job, a roof over his head, the best dining experiences imaginable... His wardrobe and instruments improve vastly in quality and it's all thanks to one person.
Princess Hana, the youngest child of the East kingdom. Their only daughter.
It was no lie to say Lalilu had strong feelings for the young miss, why she made a lot of his dreams come true after he gave one heartfelt performance. Princess Hana's eighteenth birthday party was the happiest night of Mr Lelo's life. It was the beginning of when his life would change forever, as a well travelled bard that phrase had been uttered once or twice but it was when Lalilu Lelo was acknowledged by royalty that his life truly changed.

The middle castle was huge, much like the feelings inside his heart. The curious sort that is Lalo couldn't just wait in the room provided to him on the third floor, his princess would surely make her way to the garden at some point. So after his morning routines had been completed, Lalo left with his six stringed lute and wondered to the garden with purpose in his step. It took longer then expected to reach, Lalo was quick to take a casual swig from his flask during the quiet peaceful solitude that is no one else around.

Having given up on finding his way anywhere else, Lalo was content to sit and play his lute. Strumming and plucking in turn, soft and slow while moving his hands up the neck to change the sounds further whilst tapping his foot. While gazing lazily at nature's beauty a brow raises in surprise on Lalo's face as he continues to play.

It must be to early for the drink, a gorgeous lady with hair as blue as the deep ocean dances subtly into view. Lalo continues to play but does so softly...
No he wasn't drunk, the gorgeous lady was real and she was humming. Without thinking Lalo began to match the tune with his lute as he stood to dance in a similar manner as well as sing in a casual light hearted tone with effort to sound a tad less baritone then his speaking voice..

"Hail fine lady I wish you a good day,
I am of no importance I can be upon my way
the garden inspires you and i to make sound,
to dance and sing like no body is around
But if you so wish I can play a request,
to make royalty happy is my job neigh,
my quest"

 

[Mooniee]

Lynette - Princess of the North
Mentions - Silver Wolf (Argenix) Uasal (Braska) Daniel Reaving (Viana)
Interactions - None​

The Northern princess’s carriage ride was nervewracking, to say the least. While Lynette attempted to keep the mood light by singing various songs and pointing out anything of interest outside the small window. Although she couldn’t calm her racing heart, there was one positive to it all. The siblings rarely were around each other. Rather, Argenix and Braska rarely spent much time together. One would think that upon her sister’s return, the siblings would be overjoyed to be reunited. However, the tension between the two had only seemed to intensify. There were whisperings in the palace that her sister had chosen to compete for the throne. Perhaps that was the reason for the coldness between the two. At least they were together now. The trip may help strengthen the bonds between the two! Or so Lynette hoped.

She looked on in awe as the extravagant castle grew closer. She had been told that the middle kingdom was nice but in this instance, ‘nice’ was an understatement. She couldn’t begin to imagine what the interior looked like. Not wasting any time, Lynette hurried out of the stuffy carriage as soon as it had slowed to a stop, enjoying the fresh air. The gold decorating the palace sparkled in the sunlight. The weather was warm, but not scorching, which she was grateful for. If the climate had been similar to the South’s, she would positively melt! It would be a lovely day to explore the garden if she got the chance. First, though, was the inside!

Lynette hesitated for a moment, trying to see if the carriage transporting her Lady in Waiting, Viana, was anywhere in sight. Not seeing anything, she spun around back towards the castle entrance. A servant immediately greeted her, offering to show her to her room. Eagerly, she followed. The impressiveness of the building had completely taken her mind off of her marriage. As the servant turned to leave, Lynette spoke up. “When Vi- my lady in waiting arrives, would you let her know where I am?” She didn’t want to start exploring without her.

Until then, she decided to explore her room. It was large, with a beautiful bay window letting the sunlight in. She could easily see herself cozying up on the seat with a warm drink in the mornings. The window revealed the beautiful scenery outside - one she would love to paint. Hopefully, her paints and brushes would arrive safely. Lynette had made sure they were packed safely into their own case. How long would it take for her things to arrive?

 

[-ferret-]

Kota - Twin Prince of the East
Mentions - Lalo, Waboe ( NeonFlow ), Jett, Hana ( Reiia silver ), Lunix ( Peckinou ), Azriel ( rakshasa )
Interacting: none​

The trip to the middle kingdom had lasted three, long, grueling days. The Eastern Caravan had set off on a sunny morning with rather high spirits despite the circumstances of the trip. Kota had been ultimately excited, deciding to enjoy the trip rather than dread it. He decided he would feel dread when the time came and make the most out of the trip. He had saddled his horse, a beautiful perpercheron by the name of Atlas, himself. Jett had offered to help, but Kota needed to feel a bit in control of his life and therefore declined the offer. His twin sister, Hana, gathered her skirts and squished them into one of the two carriages going on the trip. Her lady in waiting followed and then Lalo with whatever instrument he was currently using to serenade the princess. Azriel, his brother and heir to the throne, was at the front of the caravan on his own horse. Waboe, was near him on a large work horse, similar to Atlas. Kota and Hana were more towards the middle of the caravan, Kota directly behind the carriage. Lunix, Kota's dear friend and a noble on the court, beside the prince. Jett, Kota's faithful knight was behind them both.

As soon as the last royal child was ready (Hana was the one to hold them up), they were off. The fist day had been full of fun and mischief for Kota. Ruba, Kota's darling cat, rode in the saddle bag while Chinks, Lunix's cheetah, and Teddy, Kota's serval, played underfoot of the horses. Or darting into the woods and coming back. When they stopped for a break, Lunix and Kota were quick to prank Lalo and Hana. The scolding they received from Azriel was worth it. And when they stopped for the night, they pranked Waboe as well.

The second day was much more mellow. Chinks and Lunix took to riding in the carriage and Jett rode beside his charge. Ruba was perched in Kota's lap this time, Teddy dutifully trotting beside Atlas. Long conversations and long silences both were to be had with the three animals and prince. They met a doe named Seraphina that day. She was good company for the good two hours they rested. That night, Kota watched the stars, whispering to Ruba his fears until he fell into a fitful sleep.

On the third day Linux was back to riding, at least for the morning. The dread was starting to seep in for Kota as they weren't long from the middle castle. He was so nervous he didn't even have proper time to mess with the others in the caravan. He chewed his bottom lip raw and nearly cried twice. He was to be married. To a woman nonetheless. Forced into a union he didn't want.

It was when they arrived at the castle that Kota's stomach finally revolted and he threw up his lunch in the begonias lining the castle. People had fussed but the doctor who was apart of their caravan told everyone it was an upset stomach. Though the royal doctor knew better and privately gave him a soothing herbal tea for his nerves, promising to give him another dose before the ball. Kota wasn't good around humans, especially those he didn't know.

Kota was taken to his room after stabling Atlas, and treated for his nerves. He was rather dreading the evening ball, unsure if he would be well enough to attend.

 

[Reiia silver]

mentions: NeonFlow (Lalo)
Interactions: -ferret- ( Kota)​

Hana was excited to be at the middle kingdom, not because she was getting married, no that bugged her a lot. She had no desire to marry anybody that she didn’t love, in fact she kept thinking about how she would run away. Then again, she couldn’t do that because she was pretty sure she’d have to think away from her beloved, Lalo. She wished more than anything that their relationship did not have to be a secret, she was deeply in love with him at this point. He performed for her 18th birthday party, after that they began to talk and before she knew it she was in love with him.

She major not tell anybody, not her brothers and definitely not her lady in waiting. She knew that they probably would all discourage her, they would probably tell her that he had ulterior motives. She was pretty sure her twin might know something, after all they were twins. A part of her felt bad for keeping the secret from the person who had been her best friend since birth. She also felt sad that was being separated from the person that she cared about most, they did a lot together growing up and now they were being separated.

She was having fun exploring each and every place she could, managing to get up to the fifth floor and looking out at the land. It was absolutely beautiful, something she had dreamed about but it was prettier than she could ever imagine. As she stood on the rails, she rested her head on her arms against them and giggled a little to herself. “Imagine! If I can get out of this marriage! Lalo and I would be free to get married life would be absolutely grand!” She spoke quietly to herself, not wanting any people to hear if they happen to come there.

At that moment a servant of theirs came rushing up to the top, she was quick to curtsy and speak. “Your brother Kota is not feeling the best at the moment. “Your brother! Kota! He is sick, but—” Hana did not wait for the rest of her sentence, that’s all she needed to know was that her twin brother was sick. She practically flew down the stairs and what would normally take people about 10 minutes, took Hana about two minutes. She worried some of the servants who were not used to such a flighty princess and they almost tried to stop her, although it would have been no use.

Finally she made it into his room, as she quickly ran to his side and looked extremely worried. “Kota! I heard you were sick, I came as soon as I possibly could! I went to the fifth floor, it’s so beautiful there!” Only Hana could go from sounding extremely concerned about her brother to extremely excited about what she found in her exploration. “Are you okay? Is it something terribly bad? Are you going to live?” Hana could be incredibly dramatic also, which probably tired most of her siblings and drove them absolutely mad.

 

[Reiia silver]

mentions: NightTerror (Alek and Orion) Kitsune2202 (noelani)
interactions: imXeno (Kumo)​

The journey had been long and difficult especially for a emotionally drained mother to a newborn infant. Ella had only given birth to her daughter Jace barely even two months ago, she was still dealing with a lot of postpartum emotions. On top of that the person she really loved had no idea how she really felt, their love had been shown in one place and yet in that love brought a child into the world. Or so the love was true on her side, she couldn’t get Alek alone long enough to ask him how he felt about her. He was always with his brother, which drove the young woman crazy even though she had to admit he was an amazing uncle.

Because of the long journey, it left a little girl crying a lot and she was trying to keep her quiet so that she wouldn’t bother the royals. Luckily the princes she served under, was absolutely amazing and a kindhearted princess. Noelani was more like a sister or a friend then somebody she served, when she needed help with the baby she was often around to offer that help. Even the Prince Kumo took to helping her with the baby, it honestly made her feel like she was a part of the family.

Ella had no family, her parents died when she was a child and then she went into an orphanage. She was bounced from one home to another, everybody claiming she was only trouble and then when she was a teenager about three years ago. She went to work for the royals and that’s when she first got a taste of happiness, a place where she felt like she belonged. Then, she started flirting with Alek and vice versa, next thing she knew they had a child together.

She looked up as she was trying to calm the baby down in the hallway, smiling when she saw Kumo come out. “I think she’s just tired, it was a long journey for all of us….” She thought about what he asked, she could only nod her head eagerly as she looked forward to exploring. “I would love that your Majesty! I’m sure Jace would also!” She bounced the baby a little bit who was distracted by staring at Kumo for a moment. “Well, she seems to take a liking to you!” She began to follow him, as she kept bouncing the baby along who had begun to cry again. She took out a bottle she had prepared ahead of time and began to feed the baby, which seemed to help a little bit.

“If you don’t mind my talking, do you think that Alek and I would make a cute couple?” She blushed a little bit as she began to talk to Kumo about it and she quickly shook her head. “I’m sorry, I probably shouldn’t talk about such things…. I just love him so….”

 

[NeonFlow]

Waboe Falla, knight of the eastern kingdom who was still in the process of getting back into his working rhythm. It had been more then a month since a actual assigned task. He had gotten somewhat soft in older age with the majority of time spent now overseeing knights in the castle or guarding the Princess from a much to friendly bard. Such a foreign lad is sure to be interesting to the young lady but Sir Falla's watchful eye, stern words and the thrashings given to Mr Lelo during sparring have kept a barrier between the two. As far as he could tell anyway...

At present moment he was following behind Princess Hana who was rushing to her twin brothers side. Prince Kota was seemingly fine on the trip, the pressure must be overwhelming for a young man. Different to the tense chill of battle, the violence of war and doing whatever you can to survive...

But pressure nonetheless as the lives of the people are at stake, union between the kingdoms to avoid bloodshed is best for all nations. However if worst came to happen Waboe would gladly lay his life down to defend the Eastern royalty and allow them to retreat. Certainly hope nothing is afoul, though the bard offending someone is my easiest guess. There's no telling how this meeting could go wrong... Though I'm not to old to take down a would be assassin hah...
Ahhh I'm looking forward to a feast.
The grog will most likely be a treat. Specialties from each kingdom, would be remiss if I don't sample the flavours of everyone's enjoyment.

Waboe was grinning to himself, somewhat lost in his own mind as he arrived to stand outside the door letting Hana comfort a nervous Kota. His staff held like a walking stick with his rapier at his hip ready to poke a hole in any who dare attack his masters. Or at least bonk a flirt over the head.
=====================
Interacting with no one, following Hana Reiia silver
Guarding both she and Kota -ferret-

 

[Peckinou]

(This is what they are wearing too) Lunix Furalinzal
Interactions: Open
Mentions: Kota -ferret- , Jett Reiia silver
Location: (Middle Kingdom Palace 5 Story) Library
Their trip here was a bit long but at least their best friend Kota kept them entertained with the fun little pranks that they pulled together, although they had a pretty good feeling that their Guardian Jett didn't have strong feelings for them, but they didn't exactly mind all that much and Lunix was at least polite to him anyways despite the disdain Jett held towards them. Though they were thrilled to have made it here despite the circumstances that are the reason as to why they are here, they in all honesty hated the idea of this marriage mess just like the rest of their family. But non the less they couldn't help but find the middle kingdoms palace to be quite the marvel with how big it was, they really liked the idea of exploring the palace as well. Which was why that as soon as they got shown their room they settled in and a took a quick nap before getting and got into a outfit for a more formal setting before heading outside their room to explore the northern castle. They left Yierro and their weapons inside their room to avoid any sorta conflict not that they were expecting any of course, though it would be a lie to say they weren't nervous. They never really left the eastern kingdom before but it beat dying of boredom at the castle and dealing with the court politics there, besides going to new places seems pretty fun to them , kinda like a adventure of sorts. Though lucky for them they were able to get plenty of adventure from exploring the palace which ultimately lead them to having made their way to the sixth floor in which they couldn't help but admire the view from there. Though it didn't take them long before the got bored of the sight and decided to head towards the 5th floor library. The library was way bigger than they would of excepted and they honestly thought that trying to find a specific book in there by themselves would be a lost cause. So instead they decided to just walk though the library skimming books until they found one that peeked their interest, their foot wear was making a bit of noise but they didn't really mind that much since they were really comfortable to wear especially since they gave their feet a lot of air space instead of being cramped up in a regular like shoe like some other people were made to wear. They softly hummed a melodious tune to song they knew as they moved through the library searching for occasionally taking one off a shelf skimming through it before putting it back wanting to wait till the find just the right book for them to read.
​

 

[Uasal]

Lady Braska of the North​

Mentions: Silver Wolf Interactions: Morzone Mooniee

The Carriage ride was long and draining, to say the least. Being confined to a small space with Argenix was less than pleasing, the tension between herself and her brother was almost suffocating. When did things get so bad between the two? Why and since when was Braska unable to strike up civil conversations with her brother? Was this drift un-salvageable? These questions beared heavy on the mind of Braska for the entirety of the trip, it served as a distraction but also was a very needed train of thought all things considered. Argenix was her brother after all and although Braska felt him weak she never wished to cause such a gap between the two.

Lynette was bubbly as ever what with her singing songs the journey over. The girl beside her seemed anxious, be it for her arranged marriage or as a result of the feuding heirs. The signing was an escape for Lynette from what Braska could surmise but she openly welcomed it for even if just for a while it would provide her sister with a distraction. That and her sister was quite gifted in the arts so it was a welcome addition to the long haul.

As the carriage approached the gates of the central castle Braska let out a soft sigh and moved to ready herself for dismounting. "I've always hated this place... Grandma is far too open about her wealth for my liking and this place is always so damn warm!". After exiting the carriage Braska stood aside for a brief moment and examined the entryway and the castle itself, she hadn't been here since childhood but somehow everything remained just how it was all that time ago. The Castle and its grounds were just like her Grandmother, ever-ageing but never changing. Before entering the castle Braska turned to her sister and offered her a soft smile "Be sure to keep you guards close and your manners in full gear. And Lynette, be sure to enjoy your time here, Grandmother has quite the assortment of facilities and her garden is something you'll never get to see up north..." And she was gone. A soft chuckle escaped Braska as she watched her sister disappear into the distance "Someone's excited".

Moving forward with her own advancement Braska was greeted by two servants of the castle, they curtsied and offered suggested words before guiding the princess inside. Once in the main reception, Braska was offered guidance to her room as well as some tea, the royal smiled sweetly and accepted both offers warmly. Stopping briefly before following behind her escort to call forward Adrian to her side. "Adrian, I have a task for you. Would you hear my request?" she smiled.

 

[Kitsune2202]

Noelani: Princess of the West
Interactions: Lalo ( NeonFlow )
Mentions: Kumo
Location: Garden​

Before Noelani knew it she could softly hear the faint melody of someone plucking at strings. Her body instinctively gravitated towards it out of curiosity as well, as anyone playing music had to be a little fun at least right? As she got closer the wonderful stranger matched her own tune showing great skill in her opinion, then to her surprise actually began to sing! Was this man a bard, or musically inclined jester? She leaned more towards bard since the man seemed handsome enough, and his clothing choice not as out of sorts as usual jesters she's seen.

She approached throwing any caution to the wind about being alone around a complete stranger. This wasn't her home land these weren't her people, so in the back of her mind she knew her brother Kumo would give her the biggest lecture about safety if he found out or saw her right now. In fact some of these people were technically up until these arrangements go through her enemies. He could be a spy, or assassin, but living in fear is no way to live at all. She raised a brow at the man with a grin, "And how do you know I'm a royal? Nobility dress quite well too." She chimed. She had no intention of lying to the man, but she was curious what about her screamed royal?

"Would you still take my request even if I'm not a royal?" She hummed back in her sing-song tune. "Plus everyone is of importance my musical friend, so let' us have some fun, and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us." She said with another twirl. She wanted nothing more than to bask in the radiant beauty of this kingdom without thinking of the looming responsibilities of getting to witness it.

 

[NightTerror]

​

Aleksander and Orion finally finished unpacking in the servants quarters, "Well brother dear, now that we're unpacked, what should we do?"Orion asked, leaning on his brother's shoulder. Aleksander leaned against his brother's weight as well so they balanced out and neither fell over. "I do think we should go search for our royals."
Orion nodded,"And if we happened to get lost and find my adorable niece, well..."
"Wouldn't that just be our luck?"
The two identical individuals strolled out of their room, gliding down the grand staircase to the second floor where the royalty stayed.
'Where should we check first Leksi?' Aleksander heard a voice in his head.
'I don't know 'Rion...let's just stay straight.' Their strange twin ability to speak to each other telepathically, had always been very useful to them, be it for information gathering, for keeping up a façade of quiet poise, or just gossiping. It was always fun to have conversations that were guaranteed to be private.

Mentions- Reiia silver imXeno

 

[imXeno]

Mentions - Reiia silver (Ella) NightTerror (Alek and Orion)
Interaction - Reiia silver (Ella)

Kumo walked down the hallway with a smile, loving Ella’s comment about the baby taking a liking to him. Kumo always enjoyed children, and Jace was no exception, the child was adorable. Kumo nodded as he walked, slowing down so he was side by side with Ella. “That journey was quite the long one, everyone has to be a little cranky, especially little Jace.” Once he said the little girl’s name, he gave her a quick silly face, hoping to garner a laugh from the baby, or even a smile as it drank. As he pulled his gaze from the child, he scanned the hallways, observing the glass chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, illuminating the corridor, all the way to the floor, where fine red carpets covered the hard floor. His train of thought was broken when Ella spoke up again, his thoughts shifting from the decor to what to say to Ella.

Kumo let out a small chuckle, placing a hand upon his chin, tapping his finger on his cheek as he pondered a response. He thought it was adorable how Ella thought about Aleksander, one half of the dynamic twins that were his main servants and close friends. Kumo then sighed, letting his hand fall back to his side before he spoke. “Do not apologize m’lady. You’re only expressing how you feel on the inside. I know you love Aleksander a great deal, as much as he won’t notice it, Noelani told me about it. In my honest opinion, I believe you and Aleksander would make a fine couple. You’re a wonderful mother to Jace, and I believe that Alek is a great father as well.” Kumo paused for a second to collect his thoughts, looking down to give Ella a smile of assurance before he continued. “Aleksander is a tough one to crack, we both can see that he isn’t as attentive to your love as the rest of us. Maybe he is though, I couldn’t possibly know what goes on in that head of his.” Kumo chuckled at the last part as he had a great bond with the twins, the two of them being his closest friends ever since they arrived in the West. “I think that you should truly confess your love to him, he needs to realize how much you want him. Even if it does take a great deal to make him realize, it’s certainly a start. Eventually, Aleksander will come to his senses, I’m sure of it.”

Kumo continued to walk through the second floor, gazing through open doors as he walked, praying that his words resonated with Ella even a little bit. “You know what...? I’ll help Ella. Later on, whenever I happen to run into Aleksander, I’ll talk to him. I’ll see what he thinks. Just for you Ella, and for this little bundle of joy you two have.” Kumo chuckled, looking down at the baby once more as he walked.

 

[NeonFlow]

Lalo
In the garden singing/talking to a blue haired stranger Kitsune2202
===============
The women's question was not what Lalo expected to hear, enchanted by her movements the bard stood still but continued to play. His surprised smile quickly providing a answer in tune to what is playing...

"clever young miss, humble and true
I suppose it's me assuming,
Nothing to do with you..
But nobility lack rhythm,
much to busy plotting a scheme
I'd rather sing for those with none and those with it all
Like royalty under the queen
As they are always keen"
His tune changes a tad to match the tempo of his sung answer.

"those at the top bear a certain weight
to ease the pressure though
wouldn't It be great?
A lazy king of sin wishing to help
boastful knight whose only seen as a whelp
a surf chef with a new recipe
To inspire glee so you might see
A Muscians eye for royalty
With loyalty quite flamboyantly
Trying to make everyone..."
The song was ended with a slow strum.

"...feel joy with me"
Lalo instinctively does a dramatic bow like he does whenever he finishes a tune, but shot up with a bit of a red in his face
"ahhh- aha forgive me.."
He continued to strum as if afraid to let silence happen while he talks.
"that may not have answered your question.
My name is Lalilu, it is my pleasure to meet you whoever you may be...
Be you the most stunning peasant in all the land who snuck inside to make me seem a fool... or a noble, a princess, or even a queen"
His face returned to being a calm warm smile.
"I consider it magical if that grin I've made appear can last all day my lady"

 

[Reiia silver]

mentions: NightTerror (Alek) Kitsune2202 (noelani)
interactions: imXeno (kumo)​

Ella listen to everything he had to say, taking in his wise opinions on everything. Even though he wasn’t that much older, he was definitely more experienced in life and she wondered if he might even have experience in the romance department. She then wanted to ask him, but of course she couldn’t that would’ve been entirely too rude. The baby started to cry again she quickly began to rock her, trying to hum a little tune but still be able to hear Kumo as they were talking. She got really excited when he told her he would talk to Alek for her.

“That would be absolutely amazing, your Majesty! Maybe he would actually tell you, after all it’s not like I haven’t tried to tell him….” Granted the few times she did try to tell him how she was feeling, Alek had been pretty oblivious. Then again, she hadn’t outright said ‘I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and raise our family together!’ It was more hinting at the subject, but she really thought he would be able to realize how she felt all this time. After all she had a chance to leave the castle, with the baby and she chose not to. Was that not a sign of love?

“I know what we did was wrong, having a baby and not even being married…. I honestly thought he wanted more with me, but I was wrong. I’m also afraid—” she stepped forward a little bit and began to let out a sigh. “Wherever the Princess goes, I intend to follow and if she is sent to her husband’s land. I intend to follow her there….” There was so much sadness in her face at that moment, she felt almost like everything was falling apart. “But, please don’t tell Alek that…. I don’t want him to marry me out of guilt…. Promise me?” She tried to cover up her sadness a little more, letting out a small giggle as she began to move away from him. “We should probably go doing the others…. See what everybody is up to!”

 

[-ferret-]

Kota
Mentions: Jett ( Reiia silver )
Interactions: Hana ( Reiia silver )​

Kota was lying in bed in the room he'd been assigned. The doctor giving him some herbal tea and other medicines to settle his anxiety and nerves. Teddy was laying at the foot of the bed and Ruba next to him with his paws on his human's lap. The doctor was checking for a fever when Kota's sister came rushing in, worry etched in the lines on her face. Her skirts flew about her and her hair was wildly free, chasing her head as she ran to his side. His twin was so kind to worry about him, especially coming so quick when she'd been so far away. He laughed, feeling some color return to his face and his stomach settle at familiar company. He truly felt off around humans, especially those who weren't from his kingdom. He wasn't as naive as his sister (a hard truth to admit that she was a bit lacking in the department of worldly experience) and he knew that Easterners weren't like the other kingdoms. The other kingdoms were proper and civilized while the East was more wild and free. He worried what the others would say behind his back or even to his face. He worried he would not fit in or that he'd be cast aside as the mismannered prince of the East. His stomach clenched when he thought of having to wear shoes and his palms sweat when he was forced into tight clothes. He worried that the other princes would comment on his inability to fight or the princesses whispering about how he was using the wrong fork. He desperately wanted to fit in, but thinking of conforming to the ways of the other kingdoms left him feeling wrong. He didn't want to give up all he knew just to impress others. And on top of it he knew wearing shoes and formal clothes and pretending he knew how to fight would leave him feeling fake like he was lying.

Remembering back on this and all the thoughts churning in his head and therefore churning his stomach left him morose. But he put on a tired smile for the sake of his sister. Though Hana was naive, she was also his twin, so it was a fifty fifty chance that he could fool her.

"I'm alright Hana. Just the nerves again. The doctor has given me medicine and I should be alright for the ball tonight." When she asked if he was to live, his color returned once again with a laugh.

"I'll live you fool! You can't get rid of me that easy!"

The medicines and herbs we're working their effect quite quickly and the company of his sister was leaving him feeling much much than when they arrived. He felt if he stuck to Jett's side all night and talked to only his sister at the ball, he might make it through the ordeal.

"I won't take up any more of your time, sister. I know you were keen on exploring the castle and I wouldn't want to hold you back. I may ask that you meet me in the gardens before the ball? I might go exploring with Jett and the cats, but I'd rather not enter the ball without company or I might never amass the courage to do it at all," he asked, requesting the one favor. He wouldn't keep her from dancing and enjoying the ball, but a little buffer at the beginning to get him accustomed to the large amount of people was all he needed. He hoped his sister would do him this favor and in the event that she did, he hoped she would remember promising it.

 

[Abendrot]

Firmin

interactons: imXeno (Kumo), Reiia silver (Ella) ​

The Middle Palace, supposedly the grandest castle in the world, was not a place that Firmin ever imagined he would visit. Though knights often traveled, Firmin expected to spend the early part of his career sequestered in one of his knightly order's lodges, only ever leaving through his imagination. Then he'd swear his sword to some noble lord and spend the rest of his life at his castle.

Now, well, Firmin was feeling a little blessed for keeping the bar so low for himself.

Alas, he rode through those beautiful palace gates, sore, tired, and hungry. This was the furthest Firmin had ever traveled from the west, and the trip had taken quite a toll on him. Even so, it was hard not to feel at least a little breathless in the presence of the castle's grandeur. The biggest building in his village would have vanished in the shadow of almost any of the castle's features. Firmin gazed up at its towers and saw banners of all kingdoms fluttering in the wind. Around him, the visitors were still pouring in through the gates: servants, grooms, men-at-arms. Northerners still wrapped in furs and Southerners dressed in flame-colored livery. Dozens of workers attending the needs of a handful of royals. From where he was, he could barely see the Western convoy's banner from behind all the heads in front of him. Starving and sleepy, and perhaps a little lost, Firmin figured he ought to slip by the gates and head straight for the palace.

The crowd had thinned considerably now that he was past the doors, but Firmin's chances of finding food didn't look any better. He made off in a random direction; each corridor had doors lining both sides, and each room behind them had three more doors that went deeper into the castle. Some rooms were bigger than others, and some had windows to the outside. Every one decked with pristine decorations. But no food. Soon, Firmin found himself more hopelessly lost than before.

He was starting to think he would starve to death in one of these rooms, but also hopeful that no one would ever find his body in this damned maze of a castle and learn of the extremely embarrassing way he died.

By the time Firmin rounded the kabillionth fucking corner on the second floor, his legs had reached the same consistency as overcooked noodles. But at last! Two familiar people walking down the corridor in his direction. On the left was Prince Kumo, the stately warrior prince, talking to Ella Morgan, one of the ladies-in-waiting from the convoy trip. The one with the baby. Firmin wondered how they would react after seeing him pop out from the corner, looking like some demented rat-man-thing.

Firmin hurried forward to join them, giving the proper bow to the prince and the acknowledging head nod to Ella and Jace. "Your Highness," he said, "I'd been looking for you. I regret not being able to be at your escort as we arrived." He couldn't think of anything to say much more than that, though. He was too busy trying not to die of exhaustion.

Meanwhile Ella's baby stared at him blankly from inside of its cramped-looking swaddle, stirring slightly. Firmin stared back. It didn't really do anything; it just kind of sat there and wiggled and cried when it needed milk. Yeah.... I'm hungry too, Firmin thought, as the baby wept again. Realizing himself, he snapped back into business mode. "Shall I accompany the both of you on your walk?"

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Morzone]

Adrian Aylian
Royal Knight of the North
Uasal Mooniee Silver Wolf​

The journey to the middle kingdom was quiet. Adrian traveled with the convoy. Occasionally on horse, occasionally on foot, he moved alongside the carriage the held the royal family. He could only imagine what might be going on inside there. A small space where only the royal siblings were present. Had this been the quiet halls of the castle, he might have heard at least a vague rendition of what was being said inside, but the slow rumble of foot and hooves and wheels kept all sound hidden. Of course, there may have been nothing to hear anyway. For prince Argenix and Princess Braska to be in such a confined space... well he wold have at least enjoyed the kind tones of Princess Lynette attempting to bridge the silence. As it was, he had nothing but his own thoughts to accompany him for the trek southward to the Middle Kingdom.

To soon, or perhaps not soon enough, the great gates of the Middle Kingdom were before them. The leader of the convoy contacted the Gate and the entrance was opened. Large paved stone roads and courtyards stretched before them. It took only a few minutes to reach the main palace, where they were finally to disembark. Adrian hurried to prepare the steps and assist the Royals out of their carriage, should they deem the help needed.

Lynette was clearly fascinated by the new setting. Princess Braska barely got out her warning before Lynette headed off into the castle. Adrian could understand this perfectly well, it was his first time in this region as well. Still his duties were more important than any curiosity driven exploration. Plus it really was just too warm to run off at random...

"Adrian, I have a task for you. Would you hear my request?" Princess Braska addressed Adrian directly. His heart felt lifted at the chance to aid the Princess.

Adrian bowed his head respectfully then raised his gaze to match that of the Princess'. She was both a Princess and a warrior, and as such must be treated with the respect both titles demanded.
"I would be honored to receive any request you bestow upon me, Lady Braska." Adrian replied succinctly.

 

[Morzone]

'Phoenix Princess' Miriam
Eldest Daughter of the South
Mooniee Reiia silver Soviet Panda
Location: Ballroom
​

Miriam paused by one of the many high framed windows lining the velvety hallways. It was a beautiful view, the gardens sprawling out below, splashes of color bursting from the green in a controlled chaos of chromatic hues. Still, for all the splendid floral arrangements the gardeners had no doubt spent ages cultivating, it was the figures between the flowers that drew her attention. A blue haired girl and a young man a that appeared to be singing to her. Of course, Miriam had no real knowledge of the Middle Kingdom's residents, but her gut told her that these two had to be either royals and part of the royal consort from the other kingdoms. The certainly didn't appear to be from the same nation. A slight pang of envy at how easily the mingled moved through her, but she quickly pushed it away.

She and her siblings had arrived not too long ago. The carriage ride had been, in hr opinion, fairly standard and not altogether unenjoyable. Erica had clearly disliked the journey, something Miriam attributed to her sister's insistence on remaining in plush chairs in the library for hours on end. A rough carriage ride was going to be the least of their worries in these coming days, she hoped her sister would be strong enough to get through this.

Her warning to Erica and Vern floated to the top of her head. "The Ball is in the evening, do not cause any trouble in the upcoming hours and be sure the be t the ballroom Punctually. We will not tolerate a poor display of our Southern Pride while we are here." After that she'd allowed the two of them to go off as they saw fit. Erica was no doubt buried in the library, nose deep in a book. Hopefully she would not lose track of time and miss the start of the ball. Escaping reality into a story was all well and good, as long as one remembered where the priorities ultimately lay. Vern, well, Vern could have gone anywhere. Hopefully it was somewhere without trouble.

She had instructed the old guard captain to organize their guards and ensure he proper storage of their horses and carriage. After that was completed she wouldn't be surprised if Styrksson went and found some of the soldiers from other kingdoms. That or came and bothered her about last minute training thing or other. The princess huffed at the idea. She'd worked so hard to be rid of the old man, he was simply too stubborn.

Miriam herself had explored a few of the halls, but was now making her way to what would ultimately be her field of battle. Perhaps it was the soldier in her, looking to get a lay of the land, but Miriam found herself standing in the entrance to the great ballroom this evenings dance was to take place in. The servants were all in a rush, decorating every inch of the room. The buzz of work was a sight to behold, and Miriam made sure that, as she watched, she blocked no paths.

 

[imXeno]

Reiia silver Abendrot

Kumo loved to hear the excitement grow in Ella’s voice, she truly did love Aleksander. It made Kumo wonder a lot. Would a woman ever love him like that? It was a small thought, but maybe there was a possibility of that coming true....he prayed to every god there was that his future marriage would work, not that he really had a choice. Kumo sighed at the thought and nodded again, looking like he was regaining his thought process. “Yes, I sure hope Aleksander will listen to me. If he doesn’t listen to anyone else, at least he could listen to me. I know you’ve probably tried numerous times to get his attention. No worries though, we’ll figure this out Ella.” Kumo gave her another smile, one filled with comfort and hope, a defining characteristic of Kumo being that infectious smile, a happy attitude that can easily spread. He looked back down at the floor as he walked, the tone of their conversation taking a full swing. Taking in the words of Ella was hard, her words detailed with a hint of sadness, it was a truly tough predicament for her.

Ella’s words hurt Kumo just a little, making Kumo remember the fact that his little sister Noelani would be leaving him soon. That idea shattered Kumo’s heart, being extremely protective over his little sister, and knowing that she would be sent off to a whole new kingdom disturbed him. Not to mention, to top it all of, more people would be split by the departure of Noelani. Sadly, Ella would have to follow, splitting up Aleksander and his child. “Ella, don’t be so hard on yourself. Everything happens for a reason, one of the things that makes life so unpredictable. I’m sure down inside, Aleksander wants to be with you. If anything, he’ll marry you out of love, not out of pity or guilt. Even if we are split apart, I’ll see to it that Aleksander sees his child and you. If that means I have to escort Aleksander myself, I will. Maybe it’ll be nice to visit a new kingdom, we could take Eliot as well.” Kumo chuckled quietly, taking her question as an opportunity to change the topic of conversation. He nodded in agreement, his mind going back to wonder what in the world everyone else was doing at the moment.

Well, for one of the members of the Western family, that was answered. As if on cue, Kumo watched one of the knights of his royal guard, his personal favorite, Firmin, stumble around the corner, causing Kumo to freeze in his tracks. Firmin was quite the individual, even though he was younger than the prince, Kumo had a great deal of respect for the knight. Firmin had a balance to him, having a bright personality around the members of Western royalty, being one of the kindest people Kumo had ever met. But when he was in battle, Firmin was ferocious. It was something Kumo admired greatly about him, but....in the current situation, Kumo could only gaze upon his knight with a curious look. Just off of looks alone, it seemed that Firmin had the worst experience on the road out of all of the Western travelers, looking like a hybrid between a beggar and a Western fisherman who’s been working for three days straight. Firmin looked exhausted. Along with the fact he looked like he was desperately hungry and his stomach was about to start eating itself. Kumo watched Firmin rush over to them, slightly holding back a laugh as Firmin bowed and greeted both him and Ella. “Ease your regret Firmin. I made it my own effort to avoid any escorts into the castle. It’s good to see that you’re in one piece...slightly.” Kumo continued to hold back that laugh as he spectated the short staring match between Jace and Firmin. Who knew a talented knight would end up staring at an infant? Once Firmin looked away from the child, Kumo nodded in response to Firmin’s request, smiling as he started to walk once more. “Firmin you came at the perfect time though! Ella and I were going to begin to search for the rest of our group...God knows where they may be. Have you seen anybody lately...? Noelani? Eliot? Even the twins? They have to be around somewhere.” Kumo especially hated being alone at times, thankful for Ella and Firmin’s presence. His protective attitude though was being amplified by the fact he had no clue where his siblings could be, let alone the twins. The last thing he needed was for the Westerners to be spread apart in such a huge castle and foreign kingdom. Lord help me... he thought to himself, needing all the mental strength he could muster to last through this trip.

 

[Daniel Reaving]

Viana
Location: Carriage
Interaction: Mooniee

Despite the little relief of Lynette asking her to come with it still did nothing to help her own depression that followed her on the ride out from there home. She was lucky enough to be in a carriage alone so no one had to deal with her. Still she would have rather preferred to be at Lady Lynette's side to ease some of it, so when they approached the middle kingdom she was glad almost excited even to be at Lynette's side again. As soon as the carriage was stopped inside the middle kingdom Viana was out of it. Stretching her back with her arms in the air before she resided to her natural posture of a maid. Back straight, chin up, Hands held gently together and in front of her as she looked around for Lady Lynette only to see her Carriage had already arrived. "Guard!" She demanded as her eyes locked on the nearest guard. "Where is Princess Lynette of the north kingdom? I am to be at her sides at all times!" She almost barked at him as she walked up to him. The of placed guard cowered a little as he explained where she was only for Viana to give him a gentle bow of the head before proceeding off into the castle to join her princess.

Viana moved with swift and decisive movements through the castle till she was the door of Lynette's room. There her almost commanding and strong demeanor changed in an instant to that of her depressed and heartbroken inside, Badly kept hidden by a quiet and emotionless shell. Slowly she reached out and knocked on the heavy door. "L-Lady Lynette. Its me Viana." She called softly at the door and to her princess on the other side.



Isla
Location: Study-Garden
Interactions: Open
Mention: NeonFlow Kitsune2202

Isla had been busy for a while to say the least. The last time she had been seen was at least a week ago and her exit was no different than usual. As the heavy black doors oriented with crystal skulls opened what little sight there was inside was definitely one no one else wanted to see. Isla made sure to exit quickly as to not let anyone see what was inside before sighing. "Wonder how long this one lasted." She said with a creepy innocent smile on her face. Her clothes and arms stained with blood as well as the vials and dagger that hung on her right hip though despite this she didn't stink of death, only faintly hinted of it. Her book of evil hung chained to her left hips as well and she wore her usual assortment of amulets including the dragon fang and the rings. As soon as she appeared the 4 armored dead seemed to brighten up upon her appearance. Two of them stood on either side of the door, each wearing the same armor where as the other two where each unique and bigger. Clearly two where meant to stay and guard while the others where to follow her. She smiled happily at all of them before simply starting her way down the hall.

Spoiler: Guards

the guards who stand at the doors

These two followed after Isla

With her two little creations following after her she proceeded down the halls of the castle. Despite her constant affiliation with death and torture she often found the nicest place to be in the garden of the castle. So with that she went on her way to the garden. It wasn't until she got to the garden and heard the strumming of an instrument as well as a rather bad song that sounded like someone was answering a question with it that she remembered what day it was. Immediately she froze in thought of the situation. "Oh no..... More royals to call me unethical and demand my execution." She mumbled before giggling excitedly as she sat down in the patch of grass as the two un-dead with her looked around to watch over the area​

 

[Silver Wolf]

Argenix
Prince of the North Kingdom
Interactions: Viana ( Daniel Reaving )
Mentions: Lynette ( Mooniee ), Braska ( Uasal ), Adrian ( Morzone )
Location: Second Floor
​

Most of the ride, Argenix entertained himself with a book. Very few times came when he looked up, but it was mostly due to Braska. His cold visage had become a habit, and he only ever broke it when he was on his own. He heard Lynette's plight in her song and efforts to keeping an optimistic endeavor. It had to be very stressful, and he understood that. The entire marriage didn't sit well for him. If Argenix had his way he would have readily done nothing. Courting was never his specialty. There were more things to think about in the carriage though. Despite his attention being on the book, he could feel Braska's eyes. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? She's already driven a wedge between them by her own choice, and she knew he hated the two-faced hypocrisy of the nobles. Yet, that wasn't the reason he tried to ignore her. The real reason was due to her incessant lectures or criticisms that would inevitably come out of her mouth. Instead of trying to talk to him about literally anything other than the political climate, she would talk about just that, the thing he despised the most.

Coming home from war was when it started. The shadow she glanced over him was hard to face. Any party or ball, he found himself standing on his own anyway as she was approached constantly. Even when he did approach or start conversations, he was tired of hearing about the comparisons. It was foolish to compare the two. They each had their own part. While he secured the home front and made sure soldiers were well supplied and the lands productive, she had been the vanguard. Of course her number of 'glorious' victories would be more than his. He just wanted to escape from that depressing atmosphere he was in, and as a result she and the nobility drove that wedge. The gossip fueled by her words to the snakes in court who spat venom made of anything they could get their forked tongues around always filtered through the servants and back to him. They often forgot that servants had ears. Servants who he treated with the respect they deserved, and that kept him informed.

The book had trouble sticking through all these thoughts he could dwell on. He doubted she even wanted to reconcile with him so long as she continued to antagonize him in this stupid succession war she started. He wanted no part of it, and he didn't want to fuel anyone's ego in this. Was it petty? Yes, it was, but he was surrounded by petty individuals anyway, so it didn't matter in his eyes. Him abdicating likely wouldn't matter anyway. Even before the succession war officially started, people had been targeting him. The first attempt on his life was also the closest. It was difficult to hide his injury, and he imagined Lord Peatine had as well. What could Peatine even say? That he had gotten stabbed trying to assassinate the prince? It didn't hide the fact that a lord had been injured in the palace, but at least he had kept his wound hidden. That drew a good deal of gossip away from Argenix though, so it wasn't all bad.

If Argenix had the chance, he would be leaving the whole succession war behind him. All he could hope was that Braska didn't make a big deal out of any of the marriage proposals to come. If she did, he would seriously consider just straight up leaving the North or let her have the damn throne if she wanted it that bad. A sigh escaped his lips from this thought at the same time Braska started complaining about 'grandmother's wealth' which was equally stupid. Why did it matter how Queen Jade spent her wealth?

Argenix was out of the carriage quickly and unnoticed, as usual. Lynette's excitement and Braska's focus on something else made that easy. Maybe he could finally get some time to himself now. As he left, he heard Braska calling Adrian over, but that was all he could pick up before he was out of sight and earshot. As he approached his room, he noticed Viana knocking on a door calling Lynette's name. He approached the maid with surprisingly quiet footsteps.

"Greetings Viana."