Fantasy The Five Kingdoms - The Fall of Sarthenfall - Ic

[Ms. Sparrow]

Nox

“Agreed,” Nox drawled coolly at Baxter’s remark about care being a strong word. She didn’t have a heart. She was infinite, immortal, and wonderfully, gloriously, deadly.

Her apathetic gaze followed him, and the black-haired woman who threw in a glare in her direction, though her expression revealed nothing as he announced them taking her to Delchistrier, and she wondered if for a second he believed it.

Her hand slid from the bar as he looked back and uttered some insignificant remark about getting sea sick, and she responded with a vicious grin, “That’ll be the least of your worries.” She crooned back icily as she watched him round the corner and walk up the stairs.

She’d been seconds away from breaking the bars and slicing Baxter in half, perhaps the dark-haired beauty as well, harm the red-head for laughs, until the little mission had been brought up. Tis was far easier to kill a group when they weren’t but guarded by some two-hundred soldiers. Naturally, Baxter was the target, as per her orders, but she’d kill whoever else got in her way.

Nox glanced down at the annoying presence that still lingered. Red-head was examining her with a slight scowl, lost in thought before Nox slammed a hand against one of the bars, making Azalea jump and all four soldiers instantly pull out their weapons.

Azalea scowled at her briefly, but did not take a step back, some form of stubborn pride holding her dangerously close to the cell.

“Get out.” Nox commanded harshly, pointing a claw at the stairs and staring down the girl.

Azalea didn’t move but instead folded her arms and leaned her weight on one hip in a casual manner as if she wasn’t afraid of her, but she could smell it on her, had smelled it before she saw her, as if Fear was Azalea’s long time friend that never left her side.

“Not interested in the company of a woman suddenly?” The red-head said with a rather mischievous grin, blocking all traces of fear in her expression as though it wasn’t thick in the air around them. Clearly she was trying to feel her by challenging her. Clever, but not on one as old as herself.

“We do not have hearts, heirling,” Nox replied coldly, “I suggest you try and find someone else to psycho-analyze,” her hand wrapped around the bar, “unless you’d another scar to adorn your face,” She added with a metallic grin.

Azalea glanced up and down at the teeth and claws and grinned back.

Honestly, it was a shame she’d have such a short life.

After making her point of not fearing her, despite the smell in the air that said otherwise, the red-head cockily turned on her heel and strutted up the stairs, thinking herself successful in her act.

Nox slowly lowered herself to the ground and leaned back against the cell, the cold, damp wall hard against her back as she lay an arm across a propped up knee. She was tired though intent on staying up the entire night, as she was surrounded by enemies that likely conspired to kill her now. Nox examined her blood caked nails, wondering how the red-head had gained many scars on her face from a blow from Soris, when she had not and yet received so many.

It was a curious thing, those hearts.

~~

Azalea Eve Windfore

She let her fake grin slip from her face the moment she was out of sight from that monster. Azalea could only imagine how the others would react to that thing, she smirked a little, trying to imagine Aurelie sitting next to the creature as she reached the top of the steps.

She made a stop to the blacksmith first, checking up on the armor she requested made for her, with specific specifications, as well putting in a small request for a ring made, along with a bow, as well as the promise to keep his lips shut about the affair. Now that she knew Aodren was the Delchistrier King, it made things either better or worse for them.

Afterwards, she strolled to the infirmary to check on Aria and relay the Ezeris mission information to her, along with the fact that the woman who attacked her was tagging along, much to Aria’s, and her grief, they both agreed they needed drinks, but the moment they sat down, alone in the dining room lit only by torches and the candles in the middle of their table, Aria quickly jumped down her throat about the Fransen mission she’d already gotten a briefing about.

“You can’t just run off like that, Lea.” Aria leaned forwards on the bench towards her at the other end of the table, “especially not with—magic men lurking in the alleyway.” She said in a low voice, to avoid being overheard by others.

Azalea feigned a mischevious smirk, despite her exhaustion, “You can add it to the list of ‘Stupid shit I did today’ alright?’” Aria opened her mouth and Azalea cut her off, “It’s like, 2AM, believe me I’ll get the whole lecture from Bax tomorrow.”

Aria huffed a laugh and rubbed her face tiredly, “Your so reckless sometimes, gods.”

Azalea propped a chin up on her knee, smirking. “It’s part of my charm.” She replied cockily.

Aria leaned back and chuckled, “Right. Charm.”

Azalea took a big swing of her drink before entering a coughing fit at the strong liquid that burned her throat, nearly sputtering it out, sending Aria into a laughing fit.

Once she finally recovered, letting out a final cough, Azalea scowled across the table at Aria. “What the hell did you order us?” She asked hoarsely, letting out another cough.

Aria finished her laughing and raised her mug, “Your in the North now Lea, no more wine for you.” She teased, in which Azalea responded with a smirk.

“I’ll take that as a challenge,” She said with a jaunty smirk, raising her mug. After the day she had today, with the man, and then Raymond, that creature, alcohol seemed the most welcoming thing to forget her troubles.

Aria raised her brows, “You think you can take me on? You’ll be on the floor before I’m even buzzed.” Aria said with a teasing smirk before clanking her mug with Azalea’s, liquid sloshing over the side, barely missing the flame that sputtered under their joined mugs before the cousins both tipped their heads back and drank deeply from their mugs.

And sure enough, Aria was right.

~~
Azalea slept soundly, her arm hanging over the side of the cot, along with her leg, still fully dressed as her mouth hung open, her red hair a disheveled mess and a faint stream of drool dripping from her mouth.

Suddenly there was a loud bang on her door so hard that it shook, startling Azalea from her sleep as she jolted awake, rolling slightly to the right before falling face first on the floor as she fell out of bed, her face stinging as stone came into contact with her cheek.

Azalea groaned before slowly pushing herself off the floor, and unto her knees, squinting against the beam of sunlight streaming through her narrow window before cringing as another pound at the door insued, her head bursting into painful throbs.

“I’m coming!” Azalea snapped, her head throbbing, smelling the faint smell of hale and stale alchohol as she stumbled to her feet and over to the door, throwing it wide open and giving the servant boy a groggy stare.

“What?” She asked flatly, her head pounding.

“Your gear just finished this morning, your highness.” He said, handing her a bundle of leather, a delicate, silver ring on top of it.

Azalea’s eyebrows shot up, perked up by the news and the glimpse of the flame symbols that had been carved into the leather, which was also somehow many different hues of colors ranging from orange, red and gold depending on where the light hit it, reminding her of the colors of flame.

Azalea marveled at it, her lips parting in suprise.

“The barber added in a few last minute additions to it.” The servant said, noticing her agast reaction. He said it needed to look ‘more fit for a Queen.’

Azalea smiled slightly, her eyes running over the fine detail of the armor as she remembered their previous conversation from the day before. She plucked the silver ring from the pile and slid it unto the finger next to her ring finger. “Give then a hullo and a thanks for me if I don’t have the time this morning,” she ordered the servant absently, not taking her eyes off the armor.

The boy bowed, “Yes, your Highness,” he said, taking the dismissal and quickly scurrying off as she closed the door with her foot.

Azalea readied in a frenzy, quickly ordering a bath prepared for her as she fished peices of straw from her clothing and other cracks and crevices that made her wonder how hard she partied last night. She scrubbed the old powder off her face with Frostbite’s already dirty shirt. He wasn’t coming back for it anyhow.

Once her bath was ready, Azalea barded the door to the bathing room before taking a long cleansing back, knowing it’d be a long few months before she had another. Afterwards she brushed through her very tangly, short red hair in the mirror, cursing up a storm with each knot broken before she finally smoothed them into soft waves.

Azalea paused in front of the mirror as she reached for some powder, examining the scars that ran across her cheek as she lightly trailed a finger over each scar, tilting her head to the side for a more clear view.

Yesterday, she’d felt a little like her old self without them, hidden under all that make up. But perhaps...perhaps she was clinging unto some girl she’d lost months ago.

Azalea sighed and lightly dusted over her face, enough to cover up her freckles but not her scars.

Hiding them wasn’t doing her any favors.

Azalea doned her armor, favoring the way it hugged her curves just right, though not too much, and glad she had gone through the fitting process for it afterall. She’d always been a bit of the risk taker when it came to those things.

She looked like a warrior, she thought, as she stared at herself in the mirror, like...a Queen. She felt foreign to herself.

Spoiler: Armor ((NO HELMET))

After retrieving her daggers abs knives from under her belt, and sticking them in various places where’d they’d be hidden from the public eye, and packing all her essentials into a rugged sack, including Nathanial’s mysterious journal, she departed her quarters and made her way for the dining hall, both nervous and eager to get going.

The dining hall was bustling and clattering with soldiers and civilians when the grandpise doors were opened for her and spread the view for Azalea as she descended down the few steps into the dining hall, the layout much similar to that of the last encampment, though this time rows of vertical tables and benches were lined up, going from left to right rather than up and down, and allowing her to stare down the sides of people’s faces rather than the backs of their heads, allowing her to spot her group out sooner.

She’d taken all but one step towards where she spotted Aria’s face before The General stepped in her way.

“What.” Azalea said flatly, her lips turning upwards slightly, “Come to wish me a farewell? Oh, tell me you’ll miss me!” Azalea cried, placing a hand against her forehead as if she might faint, her sarcastic, mocking tone matching the twinkle in her eyes.

Nathanial folded his arms, unamused by the act. “Your taking the—thing with you?”

“Obviously, which is about as good an idea of leaving you here to run the place.” Azalea said dryly, a smirk still evident just the slightest.

He gave her a stern stare. “I should hope you’d mind your tongue when it comes to negotiations.”

“I sure as hell don’t.” That’d be boring. Gods he was given her a headache. An even worse headache than the pounding hangover she was experiencing.

Nathanial sighed, “Mind your tongue and language, Princess.” He said sternly, using the word as an insult.

Azalea exhaled, “Your right, Nathanial, I’m sorry,” she reached up and patted him hard on the shoulder, “Try not to fuck up the rebellion while we’re away for a whole godamn seven months on this bloody rotten, shit trip to Delchistrier.”

Nathanial reddened angrily as Azalea sauntered away, grinning terrifically before she plopped down next to Aria, who gave her a quizzical look.

“What’d you do this time?” Aria asked, somewhat amused, her fork paused over her plate of food as she gave Azalea a once over, inspecting her armor and giving a slight nod of approval.

“Nothing,” Azalea lied with a syrupy grin as she plucked a cut up piece of venison from Aria’s plate and into her mouth, waiting for the others to arrive so they could get the details of their mission laid out and get on the road.

~~
Timeskip
Next Day
Time: 6:54 A.M.

NinjaGirlGamer Xanto Bakuyoshi explosiveKitten TeslaRolePlays Blackrose7
​

 

[Xanto]

Baxter Callahan and Clyde Callahan and Raymond Callahan​

Baxter moved his hand against his face before entering the dining hall in his usual manner. He stayed up a little longer than he had intended earlier that day searching the book for Clyde's name. Some sense of relief hit him when he finally found his son's name written as one of the last additions.

The child was conceived out of wedlock, but they were decent enough to include him into the royal bloodline. Before Bax knew it, he found his blue eyes unintentionally focusing on Audrey's name. No doubt she was behind getting their son's name written into the object. The man fell asleep that night having flashbacks of what used to be . . before all the Shades popped up or half the family moving to the North ever happened.

That wasn't the only news though. The rebel leader searched for the reason Annabel chose to keep the book hidden from him, only to find out that Annabel was the princess of Ezeris.

Clank. Baxter watched a metal spoon full of food hit his plate before moving down the line. Despite the news, he was silent as usual. Once all the food was portioned onto his plate, the rebel leader sat down next to Aria in silence.

It only took a few moments for Clyde to run and jump into the seat across from his father. "Morning!" The kid exclaimed looking at the two princesses and smiling. He couldn't remember the last time they all sat down for a meal together with no dangerous distractions. What was only a few days ago seemed to be an eternity for the young child.

"Oi, Clyde thanks for the help," Raymond's voice sounded as he approached the table with their plates in each hand. "I'll give you some of my share of meat?" Clyde suggested apologetically raising a brow as Ray sat down next to him so that he was in front of Aria. "Nah, you need it more than I do," The guy rustled his nephew's already messy hair though he would have very much liked to have more meat.

After a few bites and a short moment of silence, Ray leaned forward a bit toward Azalea and Aria's direction. " . . I heard the drink inventory decreased. You both don't have anything to do with it," He stated with his gaze landing on Azalea in a joking manner, "Right?"

"I probably do," Clyde blurted causing his uncle to give him a confused look. "I got thirsty so I drank a little more juice than I was supposed to . . my apologies," The kid stuffed his mouth before taking a gulp of water. At this, Ray simply looked back at the two red heads with a raised brow prior to taking another bite from his meal.

"Almost forgot," He raised his hand before pulling a book out from his coat with the other. "For you," His arm reached over the table, giving Azalea The History of Sarthenfall book that still had The History of Shoelaces cover on it. "Your cousin is quite the actress, ya know?" He told Aria realizing that haven't been on the same mission for a while now.

Ms. Sparrow Blackrose7 and whoever cares to join

 

[Blackrose7]

Annabel didn't want to get up to go to the dining hall, because of the royal bloodline book being taken from her by force. 'I am so angry at Baxter for ordering Raymond to take the book from me. But I guess this was going to happen eventually. I didn't try to return it to Raymond, and I did saw Clyde's name in the book. Although, I just wished that Baxter didn't try to do that, to begin with.' thought Annabel, who was upset by that.
Despite not wanting to go to the dining hall, Annabel got up from her bed, and changed into her costume to play as Alex.
'...I have to go to the dining hall eventually, since Baxter wants us to go to Ezeris. I hope he doesn't talk to me about the book. For I do not want the others to end up hearing that.' thought Annabel. She didn't want Raymond to be involved in this situation, as she knows that his curiosity might get the better of him once he has heard about it.

Once Annabel was ready, she got out of her room, and headed to the dining hall to eat. She then got what she wanted to eat from the line, and instead of eating with her Demonic Velvet members. Annabel was eating at an empty table by herself, because she wanted to be as far away from Baxter as possible.
Everybody in Demonic Velvet notice that Annabel didn't come to their table, so they all got up and moved to where Annabel was sitting at. "Hey Annabel. Why are you sitting over here? We were expecting for you to come sit at our usual table." said Daisy.
"I am so angry at Baxter for what he made Raymond do. I wouldn't tell you what it is right now, but I am not happy about it." said Annabel.
Sam wasn't happy about this, because he wanted his crush to be happy. "Do you want me to hit him, Lady Annabel? I will gladly do that for you." said Sam.
"Please don't do that, Sam." said Annabel.
Thomas and Jerry just looked at each other, for they were trying to figure out what made Annabel so angry at Baxter.
@Whoever wants to join

 

[Bakuyoshi]

Cali woke up to the sound of someone wailing on her door. Only the sound of a soldier calling for Cale. But Cali past giving any shits stormed up and still in night clothing opened the door to a startled guard. "Oh er, my apologies ma'am I had no idea Lord Cale had found a erm. Well he is requested by the other members to be ready for the mission to Ezeris... Wait a minute where is his hiiii-." The guard froze when he realized everything as Cali walked to an unseen Corner as she got dressed. Not even a single word the guard shut the door. "They will expect you soon milady I apologize."

After a bit Cali came out dressed in her repurposed gear from the days in the barracks. Albeit incredibly baggy. After a bit of walking she found the usual meeting place casually plopping down at a random place. "So we get to see what we can do to recruit more ezerians? Great..." she still had to admit it was unnerving no Lorelthians outside of her and Priscilla had made it here. But knowing the Lorelthians if their way of life wasn't threatened then they didn't care. So that could explain why there are no others at the moment.

Ms. Sparrow Xanto

 

[NinjaGirlGamer]

One two three four, Each hit to the makeshift dummy flung around as Ivanna kicked and punched every part that was a weak spot. Her daily training wasn’t like the others, most of the soldiers would spare together with swords, shoot arrows at targets, and the casual jog around the camp. Not Ivanna, counting in her head while doing push-ups, already in the hundreds. Her arms were strained and tired but she would keep going, even if it hurts. Swinging her heavy sword around, keeping tabs on how fast she was clocking each stroke.

Two rocks were attached to the robes, fastened by the ceiling, going up and down as Ivanna pulled them like weights. When she was finished with the rigorous training, she sits on the ground, crossing her legs then begins to meditate. One of the soldiers from the rebellion peeked around the corner, he slowly emerged as he tries to clear his throat before speaking “Sorry to disturb but....there’s food in the dining hall if you’re hungry.”

Ivanna inhaled her breath for a few seconds before exhaling in a irritated tone “Thank you Now go,” still having her eyes closed, trying to concentrate. The soldier goes off to join the others in the dining hall. A low growl suddenly echoed, it came from Ivanna’s stomach. Sighing, she knows she hadn’t had a full meal in weeks. Getting up from her spot and stretching out the sprains and stiff joints. Picking up her sword before going off to her room to first prepare for a bath, before heading to the dining hall.

It didn’t long for her to bathe, thankfully no one was in the room and she relaxed in the hot water for a good several minutes. Back in her chambers, she started to put on her usual clothes, starting with from the bottom and ending at the top. Fixing her leather bracer that was a little loose, noticing she might need new armor. Maybe I could pay a visit to the armory, however her stomach didn’t like the idea as it growled once more.

Grabbing her sword then putting it on her back, wrapping around her thick cloak, clipping it to the shoulders. Once done, she exits her chambers and heads to the dining hall. When she arrived and opened the doors, the hall was very lively and full of chatter. Ivanna scanned the entire scene, she never really trained for “social skills” so she keeps her silence as a few soldiers and civilians looked at her. Returning a glare of warning at them before heading to the food area, only taking a few fruits and meats.

Ivanna sits in the back away from everyone. It was a big box in the corner, she sits on top and places the goods on her lap. Taking a bite of the apple, she glances to the right to see Raymond, Baxter, Azalea, and other company with them. She also saw Annabel with others, going to her table and starting up a conversation. What was this feeling nagging inside of her? Was this loneliness? No. No she was used to this, she been alone for a long time, from birth all the way till now, so why is this faint sense of longing pinging inside of her all of a sudden. Ivanna could only push back the feelings, trying to think of other things more important than her own personal matters.

Ms. Sparrow Xanto Blackrose7 (and anyone else who wants to interact)

 

[explosiveKitten]

Spoiler: DREAM SEQUENCE

The splash of horse’s hooves in the puddles leftover from last night’s rain brought Angie to the world around her.

The boys had brought her in to town to look at a new sweet shop that had just opened, and as usual were just talking amongst themselves. Idle chitchat really, just stuff to pass the time while they were moving. Seth was talking about a new book he had read, which Dain was vehemently trying to ignore while he talked about his own training with his dad. Zan seemed to just be happy to walk in silence, listening to his friends chatter around him.

“My dad says I’m going to be the best fighter this town has ever seen!” Dain bragged loudly, pulling his arms up and striking a “macho man” pose.
“Ha! You couldn’t be the best fighter of you’re constantly getting beat up by a girl!” Angie said snapped back, looking proud of herself. It was true. She had been picking up on what the guards in her manor would do when they sparred out back. Dain has no idea where her skills were coming from.

“You just got lucky!” Dain cried indignantly, turning to her and pouting.
“Oh yeah?” Angie threw back, narrowing her eyes and sticking her tongue out at him, “Then why did you cry so hard?”
“You got dirt in my eye!” He retorted.
“Oh, I’ll get dirt in your eye alright!” Angie challenged, throwing a punch right in his direction, getting purchase against his collarbone.

The two preteens began exchanging blows, mostly in a playful nature. Not genuinely trying to hurt each other, but definitely trying to show off their skills. The two threw each other around and were laughing all the while. Eventually, Dain managed to put Angie into a headlock, the young girl struggling mightily, till she grabbed his sleeve and suddenly threw her weight forward, tossing the young boy over her shoulder in a spectacular show of strength and wit, sensing him tumbling forward into the street, straight into a big puddle. She turned to strike a pose for her friends, when a hand reached up from behind her, grabbed a handful of her pretty yellow dress and pulled her down into the water.

Full grown Angelique, armor and all, fell through the puddle, into a dark murky abyss. She could see infinitely in all directions, but mostly she stared up. She was floating down, staring up at the surface of the inky blackness around her, watching flashes of gold and red explode over the surface. She thought that she could see a familiar figure past the surface... she opened her mouth to speak, and nothing goes but bubbles came out.

The panic started to set in. Bubbles? BUBBLES?! She was drowning! The armored woman began to flail and struggle upward, but no matter how fast she swam, nothing was working! She just continued to sink. Deeper and deeper into the murky depths, she struggled and blew more bubbles, feeling like there were clawed hands grabbing at her legs and forcing her down. And there were! Thousands of crazy shadowy hands and tentacles extended from the dark, wrapping around her arms and legs, pulling her down.

When she looked down, she saw a common thing from her nightmares. A huge pair of golden eyes, tawny mane, vicious teeth, reaching up from the dark to swallow her whole-

She woke with a cough and rolled out of bed, spitting and gagging. The young woman leaned back against the wall and breathed heavily, trying to get her heart to stop beating so fast. Her struggle could probably be heard from outside, but she didn’t care at the moment. Gods damned nightmares! Why can’t she just get a good night’s sleep..

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Azalea Eve Windfore

Aria glanced at Azalea with an amused smile and raised brows as Raymond questioned them about the shortage of drink supply, who smirked devilishly in response, to obvious guilty party, before Clyde blurted out it was his doing.

Aria chuckled while Azalea jabbed a thumb in Clyde’s direction, “What he said.” She joked with a wry smirk.

Azalea’s brows arched in suprise, realizing she’d forgotten entirely about the book as Raymond handed it to her, removing its false cover from it and tossing it behind her, zoning out for a brief moment as she remembered when she had first taken notice of the otherwise, irrelevant book.
~~
Three days before “The Fall”


Torches flickered to life along the wall as Azalea was half escorted, half dragged down the eerily silent hallways of the Calore Palace, each arm restrained by a Shade, flinching a little each time a torch sprung to flame, silently cursing magic under her breath.

Even in mourning, the palace had been far brighter.

Guards had been replaced with Shades, and the kitchen staff was reportedly watched at all times—even when asleep, by them. Which only confirmed her suspicions of Soris’s paranoia. Azalea couldn’t stand the echoing silence, not in the palace, and not in her heart.

Though sometimes, in the middle of the night, she could hear screams all the way down from the dungeons three floors below her. She didn’t want to imagine what it was that Soris was doing down there.

She glanced up angrily at both her escorts, though they didn’t seem to notice, black gaping sockets just staring blankly forward. “Shades” the trembling servants had called them, and her siblings had soon taken the same name to them. It seemed accurate enough. They were black, yet translucent like shadows, though they were massive truly, when they floated, just barely above the ground, they towered over her to what could be 7-8ft tall. She examined the little facial features they had, which was really only their eye sockets.

Ana had once told her that eyes were the window to the soul. But these creatures had no eyes for her to see. They were soulless. When she, like now, was near them, all she could feel was...emptiness. A void that only death could hold.

A yellow-ish light leaked through the slightly ajar door of the library at the end of the hall. Dread filled her as it suddenly hit her fully who she was going to see. Azalea dug her heels into the ground, gritting her teeth angrily as she was dragged down the hallway before getting shoved into the room. Azalea whipped around in time to see the door slam shut behind her, she grabbed the doorknob and yanked at the door but to no avail, her heart sank and begrudgingly she turned around.

The room was located in the east tower of the palace, the entire circular room lined with book cases, the books all lined in order, Gads the very thing her father was obsessed with was order.

A small spiral staircase made of iron wrapped tightly upwards near the far wall, and beside that, a ladder that stretched to the top bookshelves, with wheels on the bottom for getting the books at the top of any bookshelf in the room.

In the center of the room, facing another grand fireplace, was a seating area with two white lounge chairs, and a long sofa placed in between them, and a old wooden coffee table made of an odd style she’d never seen before, the wooden legs looking like that of a stump, and the table itself looking like fabricated wood.

In that sofa, Soris sprawled out upon, his black figure cutting a striking edge against the white sofa, his feet propped up on one end of the catch, with his head lying back against the other, still wearing his familiar black suit coat and black cape, and she wondered if he ever wore anything else.

His eyes never strayed from the leather bound book he held in his hands, the title reading The History of Sarthenfall, disregarding her presence entirely as he turned a page, ignoring her glare sent from across the room.

“You’re ancestors have removed much of the past,” Soris mused as his black eyes scanned the page, “It’s almost as if they‘ve been removed from history.” A long, black gloved finger moved delicately along the page, “My what a villain they’ve all painted me to be.”

“You are a villain,” Azalea growled from across the room, flinching when his head snapped in her direction and his gaze honed in on her.

“You’re doing well.” He remarked coolly, perhaps even smugly.

“You shut me in the dark and cold and starved me for over a week, you killed Hale,” Azalea hissed coldly, done with his games of talking. “Why am I here?”

“Perhaps I missed you.” He said with a sudden, gentle quiet that he knew would send chills running through her.

The voice sparked a memory of a symphony of screams in the dark, and she glanced away, uncomfortable, “What did you do to the girls?” She asked softly.

“Elaborate, my lady.” He crooned, looking back to his book. Her fists clenched as her stomach tightened into knots. Gods she wanted to get out of that room.

“I heard their screams,” Azalea said, drawing strength from her anger and looked back at him, though his attention was fixated on the book. “I heard them for days.” She said, her voice rising. Azalea feared the worst.

“They were patched up later, were they not?” He said carelessly, turning the page.

“That isn’t the point!” Azalea snapped, holding back a choke as angry tears welled in her eyes, her voice echoing throughout the empty room, her breaths coming out uneven.

Soris glanced at her, an unreadable expression on his face. “I did not take any of their maiden hood, Miss Azalea. I am a gentleman.”

She glared at him, not believing him the slightest, though hearing the words still sent a bit of relief humming through her.

“Though if you continue to look at me like that, I may not be so gentle.” He purred threateningly without taking his eyes off the history book.

Azalea winced and glanced away, flinching harder as he snapped his book shut, echoing throughout the room.

“Come.” He said from her right as he sat up on the sofa. It was not a request but a command.

Feeling heavy with dread, her body moved against her will as she trudged her way across the room and stood before a still sitting Soris, who was leaning back against the couch, his smile thin and cold as he reached out and gently took her by the wrist, his thumb tracing lightly over the veins in her wrist, sending shivers up her arm and down her spine, she swallowed, her anger leaving her as fear replaced it, she tried to keep her face blank as she looked away, feeling sick.

“I want you to tell me about the other four kingdoms.” He said, his smooth, chocolate voice holding nothing short of a demand.

“Where’s my parents?” She demanded, her voice coming out quiet as she held back a choke, hating being so close to a man she both feared and despised.

“That’s not what I asked,” He crooned, his thumb tracing the blue vein under her wrist.

Azalea yanked her arm away, hugging her wrist to her chest, “That’s not what I asked either,” she said boldly. She knew she was walking a thin, thin, dangerous line with him. It was scaring the hell out of her too. But she wouldn’t let him believe her weak, not for a moment. Not after he already saw her at her weakest.

Fast as a viper, Soris’s hands whipped out and trapped both her wrists, crushing them in a bone-crushing grip. Azalea bit down a yelp, her wrists already so frail after loosing so much muscle and fat in the past week.

“I’ve been very patient with you today, my lady,” he said, coldly. “I have many other tricks to figure out, I don’t have to test them on your siblings.” It was a threat, and an answer.

Azalea was horrified. “You—you what?” She choked, her breath caught in her throat. He was using them as test subjects for his magic?! She paled.

Soris’s smile was razor thin as he pulled her down into the cushion of the sofa beside him, releasing her wrists. Shock had her rigid, and terror had her speechless, and for once in her life, she didn’t know how to react.

“That’s better,” Soris murmmered, his fingers brushed her cheek as he tucked a long strand of red hair behind her ear. “Now tell me about the other kingdoms.”

That snapped her out of her shock and fear, she recoiled back, away from his hand, her mind instantly thinking of her cousin, Aria. “No.” She said, firmly, the tremble gone from her voice, though her hands shook.

Soris saw right through her, his black eyes boring into hers. “You just need some encouragement.” He said smoothly, his attention turning to the door as it flew open, a Shade floating in.

“Bring me Hyacinthe.” He said to it coolly, saying it out loud for Azalea’s benefit, turning to watch the color pale completely on Azalea’s face.

~~

“Are you sure your talking about the right, Azalea?” Aria joked at Raymond, bringing Azalea out of her thoughts. She smirked a little, remembering where she was, and whom she was with, a weird sense of appreciation running through her.

Azalea turned and grinned at Aria smugly, “I have many hidden talents.” She said cockily.

“Riiiight.” Aria said in disbelief, smiling, “And I suppose those acting abilities just disappeared back when your father tried to get you acquainted with suitors.” Aria teased.

“Nope,” Azalea said grinning, swiping another piece of venison from her plate.

“Then why—“

“Gads, they were boring, that’s why,” Azalea complained with a smirk, “Besides, they were only or locked in the closet for about a day.”

Aria shook her head and turned back to Raymond and Baxter, “Back when her father tried to marry her off, she’d usually assault them with food with the rest of my cousins, or lock them in a closet.” She looked over at Azalea in time to swat her thieving hand away from her plate, earning a evil scowl from Azalea.

“You’d lock them in a closet to if you met them.” Azalea muttered with a slight, mischevious smile.

Aria glanced over past Azalea’s head at...Cale? took a seat next to Azalea, and started talking about recruiting Ezerians. Aria’s jaw dropped.

“We’re not recruiting more Ezerians,” Azalea explained, her back turned to Cale, as she reached for Aria’s cup “We’re stealing a ship, if anything they’ll hate us more,” she said, drinking down Aria’s water as she slowly turned back to Cale and found herself facing a girl in Cale’s clothes that fit baggily on her.

And choked on her drink for the second time that morning, sending her into another choking, coughing fit.

Once she recovered, she arched both brows at Cale, how looked a far better girl than a man. How did she not notice?! “How about a little warning next time? Like; ‘Hullo everyone! I’m a woman now, surprise! Hope you don’t shite yourself.” She snapped sarcastically, somewhat annoyed at all the secrets everyone seemed to be keeping, despite having dozens of her own.

Her eyes darted around Cale, “Hey, where the bloody hell is Angelo?” Her eyes found an angry, pissed off looking Annabel with her gang from a distance. “What’s up her arse?” She remarked, scanning the room a bit more and sighting Ivanna, sitting alone, from a distance.

Movement caught the corner of her eyes beside her, and she glanced over in time to see Aria wave Ivanna and Annabel over. “No, no, no,” Azalea groaned, “Why’d you invite Grumpy over?”

Aria elbowed her cousin, “Oh be nice.” She said, “You don’t know her story.” Aria said matter-of-factly, before sighting Azalea’s particularly fancy looking silver ring, made with metal, and engraved with golden swirls that wrapped around the band of the ring. “What’s with the ring?” She asked, recalling her cousin never particularly enjoyed accessories and jewelry.

No, Azalea thought, she didn’t know anybody’s story. Hopefully she didn’t have to. She had enough guilt to last a lifetime as it was. She glanced at the ring as Aria pointed it out.

“I thought it looked rather pretty,” Azalea said with a very believable, false admiration in her voice as she looked at the ring adoringly for a brief moment, a jaunty tilt to her lips. Raymond was right, she knew how to act when she needed to. But she lied far easier.

Xanto Bakuyoshi Blackrose7 explosiveKitten NinjaGirlGamer​

 

[Bakuyoshi]

Cali looked at Azalea with hardly much of a reaction. Until Angelo was brought up and something akin to guilt popped up on her face. "One, I would suggest not sounding like a hypocrite o princess of many secrets. And two I will see if Angelo is doing Ok. He probably got bad sleep or something along those lines. Oh and seriously think of the first sentence. May actually help you get out of your ever so pathetic sarcastic asshole phase. Or is it that time of month already?"


Cali left with those words as she went to the place she recalled being Angelos room. Only to hear a horrible cough. "Oh gods Angelo!?" Cali shouted as she tried to open the door to get in. "Please tell me it's just a dehydration issue! Please don't let him be horribly sick!" Cali thought as she continued to bang on the door. "Angelo are you alright!? I can't get in! Do you need me to get the guards or a medic!?"

explosiveKitten

(Left behind) Ms. Sparrow Xanto Blackrose7 NinjaGirlGamer

 

[explosiveKitten]

Ah! AHHH!

Through her gagging and coughing, she heard someone call her “name” and begin rattling the door. Thank the gods she had locked it last night, it would be a horrible way to be revealed if someone’s just waltzed into her room and found her on the floor, practically naked but for her underthings.

A long string of colorful curses could be heard inside the room as Angie hopped around, rapidly trying to cover herself up and try to bind herself while scrabbling around looking for her shirt.

“What!” She cried, hopping around shoving her legs into her pants with one hand while binding herself up. “What? Who is it?! Don’t come in, I’m... I’m NAKED!”

She finally got all her clothes on and herself all bound up, she rushed over to the door and opened it. She looked like she had rushed to get dressed, her braid disheveled, her shirt hanging off her shoulder, showing off her bandaged wound, and clearly out of breath.

“WHAt- oh... um, hello, princess...” She cleared her throat and leaned in the doorway, awkwardly adjusting herself and trying to not look in such total disarray. “I’m fine, everything’s fine just a... some dust. Yeah... Can I... Can I help you? Did you need something?”

Bakuyoshi

 

[Bakuyoshi]

"Nevermind me you self sacrificing fool. What on earth was going on in there? Do I need to get you to the doctors?" As she was examaining Angelo to see if he was alright her eyes landed on the wound. The same wound caused from her inability to fight. "Look just stop being stubborn. I can escort you to the medics to have a look at you. This whole damned rebellion can spare a little time to see if one of their best fighters is fine. I'll even fill y- wait did you call me princess... Milleadh mi!" Cali shouted as she looked down to see she had exited her costume of Cale.

explosiveKitten

 

[explosiveKitten]

“What? No! I’m fine... Cale.” She said, glancing off to the side when she said the name, her nose wrinkling a bit as she tried to force down the need to call her “Cale-Whatever-your-name-is”.

“Honestly, it’s just a cough, I choked on some dust or something, it’s nothing to worry about. You’ve always been s-“
She was cut off when the princess finally seemed to catch on to her casual slip of the term.

“Oh, Gods, Cale, really?” She exclaimed, exasperated. “You really thought I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between real tits and fake ones when you put on a dress?” She sighed and rubbed her face, “I know you think I’m a brutish idiot, but I’m not THAT stupid... Look, do you want to come in and talk or are we gonna keep standing in the hallway awkwardly?”

Bakuyoshi

 

[Bakuyoshi]

Cali found herself smiling at Angelos question. It was hard to believe her stoic guardian was capable of any sarcasm or humor. "Not Cale, well I mean part of my real name can be used to say Cali or Cale. But if you must know. My name is Ceallachain. It's a lorelthian name meaning, ironically enough... Bright minded, prodigy. Whatever else you can think of saying smart. But it only applies to books. But as much as I would like to explain more the others are having a meeting. So your choice. I get you to the medics to see if you are doing fine. Or we get you right to the meeting and then we go to the medics."

explosiveKitten

 

[explosiveKitten]

“... I’m not going to see any medics.” She stated with a deadpan look on her face as she stared at Cal...i. Ugh.

“Yeah, yeah, meeting, sounds great, just uhhh, lemme put all my armor on... finally got it repaired..” She mumbled, not at all interested in going to some meeting about whatever it may have been for.

The woman walked over to the pile of metal armor in the corner of the room and started to sift through it, finding each of the individual pieces and slipping them on one-by-one. Upon closer inspection of the chestpiece, there was clear scarring on the metal from the shade’s previous bite. It had been patched up, yes, but it was still visible where the shade had punched through the armor.

She was halfway through putting her armor on when she spoke up again, “So, what’s the news today? Are we running off to fight shades, kill a couple Shade Lords, what’s on the agenda today?”

Bakuyoshi

 

[Xanto]

Raymond Callahan and Baxter Callahan​

Raymond raised a brow at the mention of Azalea's past suitors and leaned forward a bit with crossed arms against the table, silently chewing in curiosity. He couldn't imagine the responsive redhead voluntarily adhering to the usual royal arranged partner system. As expected, Ray wasn't that surprised to find out that Azalea ended up abusing her suitors due to the boredom they pained her with. The guy simply smirked at the cousins before following Azalea's glance at Cale.

Raymond was taking a bite from his meal when the slightly familiar face came out of no where and plopped down next to the group. With the morning light fully bringing out the features of his work partner's face, Ray still couldn't believe how realistic Cale's disguise was. The guy glanced at his older brother seeking some sort of reaction only to find the leader looking at his plate and scooping up some food. What Raymond didn't know was that Cale lived and breathed as a woman. He just assumed that the prince was ready for their incognito trip to Ezeris.

The background noise of Azalea choking over liquid and talking about who knew what with Cale seemed to blur out when the brothers began a discussion of their own. "Raymond, I believe you know a captain?" Baxter questioned lifting his gaze from his plate to meet his brother's. His intention was to adhere to the just law as much as possible. In other words, stealing a ship was the last resort. Ray nodded and slowly rubbed the back of his neck, "Wouldn't want Capitano Giuseppe or his family to get targeted though, right?" Bax shifted his gaze back down realizing that there was no other choice but to steal, "Okay, how about we 'steal' from Giuseppe?" "A crime is rarely analyzed. It is seen for what it is . . ," Raymond mentioned momentarily getting distracted by Aria waving Ivanna and Annabel over. His hazel gaze moved on to his brother though shortly after, "Following those words are a big mistake if you want to cleanly get away with a steal." The rebel leader shifted his eyes back to his brother, furrowing his brows at the science behind getting away with illegal matters. He couldn't believe that it all came to this.

"You don't know?" Raymond unpredictably turned his attention to Aria, quickly getting distracted by the conversation right next to his. He acted as if he knew the real truth behind the princess's ring other than how it looked pretty. "Azalea . . was engaged in Fransen," His expression was serious and almost believable, until he cracked a smile at the end.

"What do you suggest?" Baxter questioned forcing himself to keep an open mind about the situation. Thieving after all was right up his brother's alley. "Francesco," Ray focused back on Bax throwing out the name like he thought of it before, "A man with many enemies. Suspect search could take longer and potentially be forgotten." This thief glanced at Baxter, noting the leader's hesitation. "If accused, we're already wanted," Ray indifferently mentioned, "The point is to do the job without affecting innocent citizens." His last point finally managed to resonate with the leader, prompting Baxter to nod in agreement.

"What about the prisoner?" Raymond questioned moving a hand through his hair as he slid his empty plate over to the older Callahan. As much as Bax wanted to throw Ray in with Nox to prevent her from escaping, he knew he needed his brother more for the ship heist. The rebel leader sighed and stacked Ray's plate on top of his before adjusting himself in his seat, "I will take care of her." About four other guards would be with him as well anyway. "Ivanna will too," Baxter blurted looking at the woman from the distance between them. She seemed ready enough to knock Nox down at any moment last night. Besides, stationing a royal with himself and the prisoner was far too risky and Angie had her own shoulder as well as a couple royals to worry about.

Ms. Sparrow Bakuyoshi NinjaGirlGamer Blackrose7 explosiveKitten

 

[Bakuyoshi]

Cali stopped for a moment at the plan. "Only have a base idea. We are going to Ezeris. Apparently we have to steal a ship and get out of Sarenthall to meet some new royalty from another kingdom. Not sure of Ezeris but if how Lorelthians talk about them is true we could easily manipulate the enviroment to our advantage." The princess took a breath before looking at Angelo. "And don't worry, I won't do anything reckless. Unless you do in which case I'll drag you out same as you do me. I know everything since us fleeing has been nothing but stress but... I was angry at everything, I feel like all of the other royals are allowed to go to the frontlines and fight while you always treated me like an invalid. Dragging me away from the fight. Hell I think that is why Azalea shits on me so much. I don't fight, always the one to be thrown to the backlines and told to sit still while you all do the hard work. It just never sat well but you always shut me down when I tried to help. And all you did was talk me down. Remember how you said I will meet another Angelo. I don't think I will. Remember that time we went undercover in that one Calore town where we stayed at that inn. You got me to try some fine Wine and laughed as I spat it out. And the time you told me about your most odd mission. Only one Angelo did those things with me. I may be a princess but I think your the brother that I never had. In truth the hardest part about this was that I had a brother I never met. I believe the saying goes is what could've been is always the most painful thought in the world. And thats all I can think about. What was he like? Could we have gotten along? Maybe a twisted part of me wants you alive because then... I would be alone." At that last bit Cali felt her face go red. She was embarassed to be admitting half of these things. And was waiting for Angelo to bust out laughing."

explosiveKitten

----------------------------

Priscilla burst into the room with a loud yawn. "Good morning everyone. Wait prisoner, I go to sleep in the wagons on accident and I miss a lot already? Bloody hell you guys are actually doing shit. Here I was ready to take my sister out of this rebellion and leaving you all behind. Also one statement is false there. Ezeris and innocent never go together. Their a bunch of crooks, murderers, rogues, corrupt nobles. And everything in between, unless you count those that got out of the kingdom. Those people are the true innocent ones. Meaning, no such thing as anyone innocent in Ezeris now. Sorry figured I say it before anyone gets trapped in a bad situation."

Xanto Blackrose7 Ms. Sparrow NinjaGirlGamer

 

[explosiveKitten]

Welllll, if they plan to go to Ezeris, then I am going the hell back to bed, have fun with that everyone!

She thought bitterly as Cali started talking, and Angie only dignified the news Cali brought with a grunt of response. She was halfway through slipping her armor on when Cali seemed to start getting... upset... and emotional.

Ohhhh, noooooo.

Angie turned to stared wide-eyed at Cali as she started to talk about how Angie had been making her feel (oh gods), how she felt inadequate (please no), and she hated how she wasn’t allowed to fight (stop pleeeease), and she felt like Angelo was the brother she never had (AHHHH).

She looked incredibly uncomfortable by the time that Cali was done, and for once, her hardened mercenary exterior melted away into a very stunned/confused person.

“.... uhhhhh.”
OH GODS, WHAT DO I SAY TO THAT?!
“Um.”
AHHHH I’M NOT GOOD AT THIS!
“I... Uhhm...”
How do I deal with this?! What do I- AHH! I don’t normally have this problem! AHHHH why did I have to get attached to people?!
“Duh... umm... Errr... Wha... Ohhhhh, gods.”

If Angie has been one of Cali’s crazy machines, she would have had steam coming out of her ears. The gears in her head could visibly be seen turning as Angie clapped a hand to the side of her head, trying to sort through her thoughts.

“Uhm... Just uh, don’t go anywhere, I d- I uh, I don’t- I need a minute.”
She then turned away, chewing on her thumbnail as she tried to process everything going on in her head. Gods damnit, she was bad with emotions. Her parents spent all their time teaching her how to make good tea, not how to control her emotions like an adult! They didn’t care if their daughter was emotionally stable, they cared that she had a steady hand whilst embroidering!

“I’m not-“ she cleared her throat, “I’m not... good with this... talking, thing. I don’t know how to deal with emotions. From myself, or other people... um...”
She ran a hand over the back of her neck and started pacing, she started to talk in a very choppy manner, like she was still figuring out what it was she was trying to say while she was saying it, “I’m... sorry, if I made you feel inferior, that was not... my intention. If anything, I’m trying to help you grow as a person, and a leader, eventually... Am I going about it wrong? Probably. Do I know any other way? No. I was raised on tough love. Or... tough indifference.
I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I just... I need you to understand, that all the others, minus Aurelie of course, have years of battle experience. Aria, Azalea, Baxter, Raymond, Annabel and her gang, even Ivanna, have had time to see battle. You, from what I understand, spent most of your life, indoors, bent over a desk tinkering with little gadgets, until about two and a half months when shit went sideways and this whole ordeal started. You have barely two months of sword training. You are not. ready. For the frontlines. Okay? I have watched people twice your age with ten times the amount of experience, rush out onto the battlefield and get laid to the dirt immediately. You don’t have that experience. I can’t sit back and let you run in, only to watch your head get chopped off by a shade. You-! ... You’re one of the few people I consider a friend...”

She looked down at the ground,staring at her armored feet before slowly pivoting on her feet and sitting heavily on her cot with her face in her hands.
“... its my job to protect you. And I’m sorry that it’s making you feel lesser than. But I’m going to keep doing my job, and if that means tying you to a chair and locking you up in this castle somewhere, then so be it. I can’t stand the thought of losing one of the very few friends I have left...”

She sat there breathing heavily for a while, trying to get herself to calm down. When she finally did, she started vaguely gesture around with one hand while the other still held her head, that usual evenness returning to her voice, “Besides, if anything, you use a crossbow, you shouldn’t be running head-on into a fight anyway. If anything you should be standing back and firing at range, like a normal person with a ranged weapon! And Azalea? Forget Azalea! Who gives a shit what prickle princess thinks? The sharp exterior is just a defense mechanism anyway. Prove yourself better than her by not rising up to her taunts.”

She stared at Cali, finally falling silent. She chewed on her lip for a moment, then sighed and flopped backwards on the cot, arms spread wide at her sides, “Ughhh... why am I just exhausted all of a sudden?”

Bakuyoshi

 

[NinjaGirlGamer]

Ivanna was laid back on the wall, eating a pear when she caught a glimpse of Aria waving at her to come over. The gesture triggered something in her mind, a faint memory. And in that moment, she was lost in her inner thoughts.

It was around the spring time, so all of the noble children were playing in the castle courtyard. A lone girl was sitting under the oak tree playing with the grass, she had a shy appearance with a two braids wrapped around her head and long hair. She glances over at the kids playing while their parents were smiling and laughing enjoying the nice spring day.

One of the children wave at the lone girl with a big smile on her face. The girl with blue/green eyes just looked on and continued what she was doing. “Come now Ivanna, Why don’t you play with the other children in the courtyard?” A man with short brown hair and beard, wearing casual clothing appeared from the door, he steps outside and walks over to young Ivanna.

“Uncle Mark, you know how I am around new people” Ivanna was picking up pieces of grass seeming to be bored. Her uncle gave a calm sigh before kneeling down next to her “I know Ivy, but remember what I always told you, the wolf—“
“Never goes on without a pack, yeah I know you told me before” Ivanna finished the sentence for him while still looking down at the flowing grass. Mark felt a bit of sadness in her voice

“Ivanna...Sometimes the world can be a scary place, meeting new people....can be a scary thing I know that. But think of the new adventures and memories these people may bring. Some may be bad, others may be tragic, but...” He took a pause which made Ivanna look at him.

“You can’t go into this world alone, you need friends to guide you through this life and introduce you to new surroundings, You weren’t meant to be a lone flower left out in the garden, Your too special for that” Mark pokes her nose which made Ivanna smile. “Now, lets say we show these other noble kids, what it means to be a Karnstein,” He said in a cheerful tone. Young Ivanna laughs excitedly then gets up from her spot in a hurry to join the others for a game of hide n seek.​

The memory was interrupted when Priscilla busted through the doors as usual, snapping Ivanna out of her conscious. Sighing, she gets off the big crate then walks over to the table where Baxter and the rest were sitting. She grabs a seat from a soldier who was about to sit down but he fell to the ground instead. Ivanna puts the seat at the end of the table then sits upon it. “So what’s the grand plan this time?” Ivanna said in a calm tone.

Ms. Sparrow Xanto Bakuyoshi

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Azalea Eve Windfore

Aria looked the slightest puzzled at Raymond’s mention of her being engaged, his straight-face making her temporarily believe him for a moment before his face broke and she snorted, Azalea’s attention drawn elsewhere.

Azalea watched Cale walk off with a lopsided smirk, her head propped up with her chin, her comment on her sarcasm phase bouncing off her interior walls of steel.

Aria watched her with curious intent, “No scowl?” She asked amusedly, “No angry insult back?” She sounded somewhat surprised.

Azalea looked back at Aria with an mock incredulous look, “Well she’s gonna have to do better than that,” Azalea exclaimed with a light smirk that didn’t quite match the sudden steeliness of her gaze. She wondered how many other secrets Cali was keeping. She wondered how many secrets everyone else was keeping.

Azalea wondered if she could trust anyone at all.

Aria opened her mouth to speak before the doors were loudly slammed open to the dining hall, and Priscilla found the table. Her words were quick and loud to voice her opinions on both the rebellion and Ezeris’s people. Her hangover disagreed with her bluntness, and her brain Priscilla’s opinions.

“Because the Fransen mission definitely wasn’t the rebellion doing anything,” Azalea lamented sarcastically, tilting her head up at Priscilla with her face still resting lazily on her propped up hand, “I mean, we didn’t gain any recruits or anything.” She said, her tone laced with sarcasm.

However, she took on a more serious note, her features shifting to a more stony one. “Can you blame Ezerians though?” Azalea sat up, “The whole kingdom is riddled in darkness, they were born into it, and they had to learn to adjust in it. Anyone who isn’t a criminal in Ezeris or doesn’t know how to survive in their own unorthodox methods won’t live long.” Azalea grimaced slightly and gave a slight wave of her hand, “More than half of those people don’t deserve the Shades, or Soris’s wrath if we draw any innocent into this.”

Azalea glanced over to her side as Ivanna took a chair, a soldiers chair, out from under him and took a seat, though Azalea visibly seemed to have no feelings about it as she briefly examined her, wondering what this woman’s story was to make her almost as cold as the creature in the dungeons.

“We’re gonna steal a ship in Ezeris,” Azalea bluntly stated, “Hope you’ve got enough clothes for over a few months,” she shrugged, “Or you could just steal them, you’d probably just blend in.” She added with a wry grin before turning her attention to the Callahan brothers.

“Loud-mouth’s got a point though,” Azalea stated, referring to Priscilla, “We’re gonna want less...harmless disguises, especially—“ Azalea cut herself off as she felt a light tapping on her armored shoulder and turned around.

She instantly recognized the little dark-haired girl from two days prior, the hostage Soris had taken to leverage her to approach him when he’d attacked, the daughter of the mother he’d killed. In her cupped hands, she held out a poorly, wooden carved animal.
The girl looked apprehensive to approach, her features hopeful, despite the red blotches beneath her swollen eyes.

Azalea’s face instantly softened and melted, a rare sight as she took the animal from the girl’s hand and upon examination realized it was a stag. The animal and representation of Calore. “Thank you,” the girl shyly murmured quietly, bowing her head.

Azalea struggled to find her words of gratitude, her mouth opened and closing her a moment as her insides twisted uncomfortably at the sudden surge of emotion. “For what?” She finally blurted, her walls becoming to shut back down. She didn’t deserve this gift, she hadn’t done a thing. Her mother never would have died if it weren’t for Soris. Soris wouldn’t have ever gotten out if it weren’t for her.

The girl turned pink. “For saving me,” she said quietly with a soft, shy smile before turning on her heel and running off down between the tables and out of the dining hall, leaving Azalea momentarily stupified, slowly coming most of the once bustling dining hall had filed out quite early. She looked back at the group with arched brows.

“Where’d everyone boff off to?” She questioned, more to herself then anyone, and not waiting for an answer, she swung her legs over to the other side of the bench, grabbed her bag off the floor, slinging it around her shoulder and sauntered out of the dining hall, shoving open the doors and greeted with a massive blast of cold air, she shoulder her eyes as the white-light of daylight blinded her, the door to the courtyard spread wide open in front of her, just outside the dining hall, and she was instantly hit with the smell of chrisp, cold air and the hint of burning wood.


Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she brought her arm down and stepped out into the snow, the overcast sky and snow capped mountains that surrounded the castle creating a blanket of white around her.


(Y’all better play this while reading it I swear)

Azalea’s red lips parted as she glanced off to the right of the courtyard, where most of the people were gathered around a massive, square, burning pyre. It’s massive, red-gold flames licked its way throughout the massive pyre, black smoke reaching its way up to the heavens. Other people were sparse around the courtyard, watching the flames from afar and leaving plenty of room to move see the pyre from all angles.

People of all ages and genders threw their loved ones personal items into the fire, so that Meredith may know who’s she takes into the heavens, and so their loved one has a price of their mortal life. Stones were also tossed near, or even into the pile. Stones, not flowers. Flowers would eventually die, but not stones. Stones would last forever.

She watched a widow slide a golden band off her ring finger, looking hollowly into the flames, her eyes ringed with red, as if the world had sucked the life out of her and left nothing but a shell as she tossed her ring into the flames, a single tear leaking down her hollow face.

She watched the dark-haired little girl toss something blue into the fire, a ribbon, before turning and wrapping her arms around her kneeling father, letting out silent, racking sobs that shook her body, into her father’s neck as she grieved for her fallen mother while he wrapped his arms around her and gave her murmured words of comfort.

Azalea watched a young boy of about age eight, separate himself from the tangled arms of his parents before numbly approaching the fire, clutching a raggedy, wooden doll with blonde pigtails, murmmering a prayer on his lips before tossing the doll into the flames, his mother weeping into his father’s arms behind him.

Something in her broke so violently she was sure the whole world could hear it, and she glanced away, biting hard on her tongue and attempting to swallow down the rising tide of grief, blinking away her watery eyes before anyone could see it.

~~
Two days before “The Fall”

“It’s all your fault.” Her mother said quietly, her legs pulled into a fedal position, her black, tattered skirts pooled around her, her eyes swollen and red-ringed as she looked Azalea dead in the eye, her green eye dull and defeated, Azalea stared back blankly, her words lost on her.

“That’s enough, Beatrice.” Her father said as he dabbed a wet rag to Azalea’s bruised face, though it wouldn’t leave any scarring he’d said. Not that it mattered anymore. She wouldn’t make it out of here alive. She didn’t want to.

Not if Soris caught her sister’s.

—
One day earlier

“Lea!” Hyacinthe wailed as she was tossed through the library door like a stuffed animal, landing hard on her knees as the door slammed behind her. Azalea pushed off the sofa to lunge for Hyacinthe before something hard slammed into her from her side, and sent her sprawling across the floor and landing on her stomach harshly.

A shadow hovered over her as she pushed herself up into her hands and knees, glancing back at the source of the shadow. The cold hand of a Shade grabbed her by her bare arm and yanked her to her feet, it’s clawed hand pricking her skin as she writhed against it.

“Now, now,” Soris said, suddenly in front of the fireplace, gripping a petrified Hyacinthe by the arm as he stood dangerously close to the flames, the fire-light casting dark shadows across his face, “No need to harm yourself, my lady. It will not harm you, as long as you behave.” he said smoothly, his eyes bore into hers with a cruel sense of delight twinkling in his obsidian gaze.

“Let her go.” Azalea demanded, a slight tremble in her voice as she tugged at her arm to free herself.

“Let’s play a game,” Soris said with an animalistic grin, his teeth a blinding white, even in the shadows of the flame, reminding Azalea the stories of his madness. Hyacinthe let out a whimper as he brought her arm closer to the heat of the flame.

“Every time you refuse to answer a question, I’ll burn off a part of her body.” Soris explained smoothly, watching the color drain from Azalea’s face. “We can start with the fingers, and move our way up, though,” he paused from extra dramatic, “I’ve usually noticed the younger ones don’t last past the fingers, such a shame.” He murmmered the last part, running his fingers through Hyacinthe’s dark hair.

“Please,” Azalea whispered desperately, her knees weakening at the sight of Hyacinthe’s arm so close to the flame.

“Ah! But what would a game be without some family?” Soris exclaimed cruely, turning around as the door to the library swung open, a Shade threw both of her parents tossed unto the floor like a sack of potatoes before the Shade slammed the door behind it.

Azalea let out a strangled cry, her knees buckling as her parents stumbled to their feet.

Her mother’s black skirts were shredded, ripped, and bloodied, with everything in between. She’d been marked with bruises and scars through her exposed arms and neck, and likely in places she couldn’t see. But it wasn’t the worst.

Her eye was missing, leaving a gapping black hole of nothingness in its wake, the space around the eye dried with blood.

Her father had seen worse. His clothing equally as damaged, his face bruised and swollen, and three of the fingers on one of his hands had been cut off. Two on the other. But unlike her sniffling mother, there was an unrelenting fury in his gaze, his face set in stone with no weakness shown as he gazed at Soris with pure hatred.

Her mother’s frantic gaze looked between Hyacinthe and Azalea before landing on Soris, her face deseperate. “Please,” she begged, “Please don’t hurt—“

Soris raised his free hand, silencing her. “That’s quite enough,” he interrupted, sounding bored. “Nobody gets hurt as long as you answer my questions, is this not a fair trade?”

Nobody dared an answer, much to his delight, a cold smile crossing his face.

“Good.” He looked at Azalea, and the Shade half-dragged her over to stand in front of him before it released her, it’s claws, which had been slowly pushing its way into her skin, relevingly absent. She felt rather than heard as it left the room, taking its chilling prescience with it.

Azalea gazed down at Hyacinthe, who stared up at her with big, wide-eyes, her lips trembling, her fists clenched angrily, feeling bitterly helpless to save her sister. “Now tell me,” Soris put a finger under her chin, making her wince, pushing it up until her angry gaze met his triumphant one, “Whom rules the West, and what is it known for?” He asked softly.

Azalea clenched her jaw, hating herself. “The Beauchamp’s. It’s—it’s the biggest kingdom...and the wealthiest.”

“Good,” He purred, his hand gently moving to grip her jaw, delighting in the way she flinched, “The East?” He prompted.

“...Hollenbecks. The kingdom is already on the verge of collapse...it’s...crime-filled.” She choked out, closing her eyes in disgust and fear as his thumb caressed her cheek, so close she could smell the musty tea-pot smell he carried with him.

“The South.” He murmured, his thumb brushing over her lower lip, to which Azalea let out a shuddery breath at, her heart thudding hard against her chest.

“Auscent. It’s the most advanced technology...wise.” She stammered.

“And the North?” He crooned, his eyes narrowing as she began to shake her head.

“Please,” she began, cut off as Soris shoved Hyacinthe’s hand into the flame, his grip tightening painfully on her jaw.

Hyacinthe’s screams and wails cut through the air, followed by her mother’s, drowning out the sound of Azalea’s screaming pleas as she beat her fists against Soris’s chest, too weak to do any damage. Soris’s head whipped around as her father took a step towards them, rage reflecting in both their gazes.

“Stand down,” Soris snarled over their screams, his hand moving down from Azalea’s jaw to her neck, wrapping around it tightly, “Or I’ll kill both your daughters, right here, right now.”

Her father did, despite the smell of burning flesh in the air, or the sound of Hyacinthe’s tiny screams. He stopped fighting.

Soris turned back to the girls and yanked Hyacinthe’s burned hand out of the flame, shoving her into the floor and releasing her in the process. Hyacinthe wailed, clutching her hand, now deformed, red flesh, horridly burned beyond repair.

Soris’s hand tightening harshly on her throat, cutting of her air. “Who are you protecting?” He hissed coldly, leaning in so close she should’ve felt his breath on her face but did not.

Azalea clawed at his hand, trying to pull away, her eyes watering with both grief and pain, desperate to get some air. “I can’t,” she gasped out.

Soris’s grip tightened, his black gaze narrowing cruely.

“My cousin,” she choked, blackness swarming in on her vision.

He paused, his grip loosening the slightest, she gasped loudly as air was returned to her lungs, coughing at the sudden intake of breath.

“Ah, your cousin...naturally.” He said softly, his voice chilling cold released her throat, his face still before it contorted in rage.

“Diana,” He seethed in quiet rage, the coldness in his words lashing the air as he slammed his fist into the brick of the fireplace, making Azalea wince and jump hard, he glanced away, staring at the fireplace with fury she’d never see reflecting in his oblivion gaze.

She didn’t have time to ask questions. She did not hesitate to take the moment of weakness in him.

Azalea lunged boldly, both fear and anger fueling her adrenaline, she slammed into him, the side of his head thwacking hard against the brick.

Soris fell into a heap on the floor, unconscious.

Azalea stared up from Soris’s unconscious body to her parents with wide eyes, the room shocked into temporarily silence.

The Kings face set into grim determination, “We must leave. Now.”

Azalea grabbed Hyacinthe’s good hand as her father flung open the door to the hallway, making sure there were no Shades in sight before he turned back and nodded to them.

Azalea clutched Hyacinthe’s hand, and sprinted after her parents as they ran like hell for the girls bedroom.

The King slammed open the door to the sisters bedroom, startling then all.

“Father, Mother!” Violet exclaimed, jumping to her feet, surprised and mortified as she sighted all of them, her gaze honing to their mothers missing eye, their father’s missing fingers, Azalea’s already bruising throat, to Hyacinthe’s practically half-burned off hand.

“W-What happened?!” Karliah exclaimed, horrified.

“No time to talk,” Azalea said, her hands shaking as she strode across the room and yanked open the curtains before she flung open their bedroom window, feat pushing her to act quickly. “We’re escaping. Now.” She looked down, noticing their bedroom a good two-to three stories down, and glanced back at her sisters, “Get all the bedsheets of the beds and tie them together.” She commanded, her voice then slightest shaky.

They discussed their plans as they worked quickly. They’d used the hold tunnels the Five used to escape through Calore. Soris would expect them to go North, the obvious choice. So they’d go South. Lorenthia could get a message to the North they’d made it. Hopefully, the North would be enough to stop Soris.

One the sheets were tied enough to make a makeshift rope to the ground, the girls, began to climb down the rope while their father held it and Azalea helped the younger ones make their way unto the rope before allowing Violet and Karliah to catch them.

It was Azalea’s turn to go down, one foot on the threshold of the window when she heard the door slam open behind her.

“Go!” The King shouted sternly at her, facing Soris, and icy storm in his gaze.

Azalea didn’t dare turn around, knowing whom it was as she scrambled to get out the window. Her hands had just wrapped around the makeshift rope when she heard a scuffle directly behind her, and a cold voice directly murmmer in her ear;

“Not so fast, my lady.” He hissed.

Rope cords from the curtains moved against their own violation, snapping out and wrapping around her wrists. So tight, smooth, fast, the rope cords bit into her wrists painfully as they yanked her back from the window and pulling her back into the room.

“Run!” Azalea screamed, directed at her sisters, knowing full well they’d heard her as she struggled against the ropes. She felt her dreams crash, letting out a cry of dismay as the makeshift rope slid out the window, her father slumped unconcious in the corner by the window, a trickle of blood running down the side of his head, now losing her only way of escape.

The rope cords dug painfully into her wrists, holding her fast, back against the wall next to the window. Soris, with exaggerating slowness and precision, just to rub it in of her failure to escape, shut the window with a silent click, turning the lock in the window. Something hardened in her as she watched it, her hopes fading to dust. He gazed out the window searchingly, letting out a growl before he turned to Azalea.

The room spun as his fist connected with her jaw. “You stupid girl,” he hissed coldly, before striking another blow to her face. Azalea felt blood fill her mouth, but came to the sudden realization her sisters had escaped. Azalea licked the blood off her teeth and grinned up at Soris triumphantly.

“Sorry I let your guinea pigs out.” She said, adding in a fake frown.

Soris struck her, hard. Then again. And again. And again. Until she lost count, until she’d been left as a bloody pulp, curled into a ball on the floor. Until his rage diminished and left him back to the cold, calculating monster he was.

He knelt down in front of her, his breath coming out quick and short as the last of his anger left him, along with the last of his blows, leaving her lying on her side, but there was cruel delight in his onyx gaze as he cupped her swollen jaw and forced her to look at him, clicking his tongue with distaste as he noticed the triumph in her eyes, his grip tightened slightly on her jaw, making her wince in pain the slightest.

“Pray, for your sake my lady, that your sisters are found.” He traced a thumb over her split lip, a thin, cold smile crossing his face before he straightened, his black cape rippling straight behind him before he strode out of the room, leaving some form of dread in her as her vision faded, the last thing in sight was her mother, whom had been sitting on one of the beds watching the beating from afar.

And not once said a word.

—
Present

“Maybe if you’d bothered to look after us, this never would’ve happened.” Azalea spat back at her mother, aching and anxious to know where her siblings were. Whatever love her mother had shared for her was placed with bitter resentment, needing someone, anyone to blame for the loss of Hale, and possibly the loss of seven more children, which then the blame fell on her daughter.

The King sighed heavily, as he gentle moved Azalea's face from side to side, examining her for further harm. "Hush. We have no way of knowing this would happen. None of us did." he sounded exhausted, trying the hold his firm demeanor in a time of crisis had become exhausting and weighing on him. Azalea stood up, too anxious to be sitting still and paced in front of the window. Soris was hunting her siblings, and each second he was away, her anxiety increased tenfold. She hated not knowing, hated waiting. Were they caught? Did they make it? Azalea ran her hands through her long hair.

A moment later, she got her answer.

She turned as the door to the bedroom opened, and Soris stepped into the room, his features weary and worn, but his cool black gaze was triumphant. Azalea's colors drained as she felt the cold knot of dread take root in her stomach. Soris gave a mock bow, before straightening, a thin, cool smile placent on his lips.

"Get dressed, my lady, it's time we get some fresh air." He crooned before exiting the room to wait.
She stared after him numbly, frozen in place, even as her mother began to weep into her hands.
God's please, she thought, please don't let them be dead.

Three hours later, the carriage rolled down the paved roads of the Midlands heading south, tall grass stretched for miles, swaying slightly in the breeze. If she looked closer, it almost seemed like the grass was waving goodbye. Or perhaps it was just a figment of her imagination, she thought, as they moved bumpily along, perhaps she just felt as if she was about to say goodbye. She'd dressed herself in a rush, wearing brown leather trousers, leather boots, and simple loose, button-down, white, long-sleeved shirt. Soris sat in the seat across from her, her father beside her, and her mother beside Soris. Azalea focused her gaze out the window, feeling numb and filled with dread, ignoring Soris's inquisitive gaze and cruel beauty.

Then the carriage stopped. Azalea glanced out the windows to her left and right. They were in the middle of nowhere. Civilization was nowhere in sight on both sides, just an endless stretch of grass on one side, the other side containing a small patch of oak trees. She slowly turned her gaze to Soris, whom leaned back against the seat, thin smile forming as he noticed her pale pallor. Her mother was the first to exit the carriage, flinging open the door and launching herself out of the carriage. She looked to her right.

Everything happened in slow motion. Her mother let out a piercing wail that could have shattered the world, it's pain and grief endless. The King stiffly slid out of the carriage, as if his limbs had been frozen stiff. He froze as he turned to look where her mother had, shaking with what could have been grief, or anger.

For the first time in her life, Azalea watched a tear roll down her fathers face before he kneeled down and gathered his weeping wife in his arms, trying to keep his features crumpling.

Soris's thin smile never faded, nor did his gaze ever remove itself from her, watching her color pallor turn white as she reached for the carriage handle, her hand trembling as she rested her fingers on the handle of the door, cold dread slicked its way down her spine. She couldn't bring herself to open it. She couldn't do it.

She knew her whole world was about to change.

"Well," Soris drawled, his black gaze triumphantly gleaming, "aren't you gonna get out?" he taunted her, leaning forward in his seat towards her.

Shakily, Azalea pushed open the door and slowly made her way out of the carriage. Standing, in that moment, felt like the hardest thing she'd ever had to go through, her steps slowed and muffled as she numbly made her way to the front of the carriage. But as she beheld the sight before her, she knew it wasn't the hardest, not by a long shot.

The world seemed to still Azalea let out a scream that rivaled her mothers, it was a scream of grief, of anger, of loss and pain, it was a scream of love and hate. It was her whole world torn apart, she bent over, clutching her stomach as she was hit with a pain she'd never felt before, pain that tore a hole through her and ripped out her soul. Pain that took the parts of her she'd never reclaim again and would change her forever. Her world had been shattered.

In the small grove of oak trees, where the grass swayed side to side in the gentle breeze, waving goodbye, shadowed by the oaks trees lay seven bodies, fresh blood stained their clothing, their bodies were strewn about in various positions, untouched and unmoved from where they'd been so unjustly murdered. Azalea ran towards the bodies, sobbing as she came upon Violets body, flinging herself down beside her.

"No," Azalea sobbed, shaking her head, one hand clutching her stomach and the other touching Violet's cold shoulder, "No, no, no." she wept, her entire body wracked with sobs.

"Shhhh," a cold hand touched the one she clutched to her stomach. Violet stared up at her through a half-lidded gaze, her other hand clutching the bleeding wound at her stomach, hidden underneath her black dress. But she knew she would die. They both did.

Azalea shook her head, letting out a sob, "No," she choked out, the pain of loss making it near impossible to speak.

Violet nodded, slowly, weakly, "Yes," she said hoarsely, a small tear running down her cheek. She let out a ragged breath, breathing shakily, "Since when are you the one to cry?" she asked, forcing a pained smile.

"I can't do this without you," Azalea wept, refusing to imagine life without her oldest sister.

Violet smiled, to comfort her, despite her pain, despite the tears running down her face, “Your stronger than all of this.” She said.

Azalea let out a a soul-tearing sob, "please don't leave me." she whispered, another wave of grief overtaking her once more. She wouldn't be able to survive losing all of them. She couldn't live without her sisters. All the shared laughs, the shared heartbreak, the shared love and memories... she couldn’t imagine a life without them. It had always been them against the world.

"You were meant to rattle the stars," Violet whispered hoarsely, "Not me," Azalea shook her head in denial, shutting her eyes against the pain, against her words as the tears streamed down her face. Violet nodded slowly once more, "You can do this, you have to." she urged as fiercely as she could muster, sliding something cold into Azalea's hand, though in her grief she hadn’t felt a thing.

"I'm sorry," Azalea sobbed, she bowed her head. Hating herself. Hating the world. If she had listened. If she’d just waited..."I'm so sorry,"

Violet squeezed her hand, her breathing becoming more labored, "shhhhh, don't say that," she said, blinking down a steady stream of tears. "It's not your fault." she breathed, "we know that," she urged as Azalea shook her head, letting out a rasping sob. "Your going to be okay," Violet told her with a strained smile.

Azalea gasped for air, another wave of tears choking her response, and she could only shake her head. She wasn't sure she'd ever be okay again, she wasn't sure she'd ever get through the pain. She wasn't sure she'd ever learn to love anyone the way she did her siblings.

"Can you do me a favor?" Violet murmured, her blue-gaze staring up at the sky through the oak leaves. Azalea let out a shuddering sob but managed a slight nod.

"Burn me next to Kaidan's body." she whispered.

Something broke so violently in her chest, she was sure the whole planet had felt it.

Azalea took a shuddering breath, "I will," she whispered, "I promise."

"Thank you." Violet breathed, squeezing her hand one final time as she let out a shuddering sigh, her blue-eyes glassing over as she finally let go, her hand going limp in Azalea's. Azalea let out a pained cry, grasping Violet’s limp hand in both of hers. Allowing herself to weep, not knowing how she’d ever stop.

Violet was dead.

They were all dead.

Dead. Dead. Dead.

~~

Aria came out into the courtyard, her gaze immediately flitting the burning pyre, going from serious to solemn within seconds as it dawned on her whom these people were grieving. They weren't just grieving for those that had died in the encampment two days earlier. No, they were grieving for everything they had lost. Their families, their friends, their lovers, their homes. Everything. Her eyes watered as she looked around for Azalea before turning around and sighting her near the back of the courtyard, a fair distance away from most of the grieving people, noticing her expression, she turned and stared back at the flames, remembering all that she too, had lost.

Azalea stood frozen in the snow, fighting a war within herself to keep her emotions at bay. She wasn't weak. She wouldn't cry. Her hands balled into fists, she wasn't allowed to grieve, and they wouldn't see her weep. Her coloring was paler than usual as she gazed upon the flames , her expression unnaturally stony as the familiar darkness of grief knawed at her fading heart. Her vacant soul. Her hand clutched her stomach as if it would somehow fill the empty void in her stomach or mend pain's familiar ache. The cold earth below her somehow felt as if it was talking to her, prodding and questioning her; why do you not cry with the others?

"Because I am lost," Azalea whispered back to the earth, "And I cannot be found."





Xanto Blackrose7 NinjaGirlGamer Bakuyoshi explosiveKitten TeslaRolePlays

​

 

[Bakuyoshi]

"Just go and mourn Ms. Prickle. I have my reasons for hating them. We have opinions on what they do and don't deserve. I have an entire gang that has wronged me. And I will mourn for those they took from me. If you want to kill a monster, you must first be ready to become one." Priscilla whispered to Azalea as she seperated to do her own grieving seemingly a mix of happiness and Anger.

When she was sure she was alone she proceeded to make some makeshift graves. No bodies to put into them but she produced a few trinkets and placed them in. "I'm sorry for running. I wish I could have given each of you a proper burial. But, now I am so close. I can finally find them and take them all down. The same way they took from us I wil take from them. And I will make sure their last thought is the regret of their actions. And they will not die quick deaths. I promise each of you this."

Ms. Sparrow


-----------------------------------

"I won't go too far but I will happily drag you out as well. I'll promise to stay back so long as you do nothing stupid. I can't bear you dying either. Now come on, I bet the others are all grieving. Not that I will join. I've already grieved in my own way. And now no amount of it can fix this situation. I can only imagine Soris' face. And the look of defeat on it when we kick his shit in. When that is done I can finally grieve again. Until then I will not shed anymore tears. I will prevent him from taking anymore, rebellion or innocent civilian. I will show him that the last time was only dumb luck. If I see him again I will see how quickly he can regenerate." As she said this there was a look of sheer determination. Not anger but more so duty. Yes Soris was likely responsible for her mothers death. But as far as she was concerned she was not allowed to grieve. She had to step up and help stop this nightmare. "On the trip I'll talk to Raymond about something. We should not focus on the armorcracker. In fact a Crossbow could help a lot better. And with his help... we could get an upper hand if we mass produce it."

explosiveKitten

(In vicinity but not spoken to) Blackrose7 NinjaGirlGamer Xanto

 

[Blackrose7]

After Annabel and her gang were done eating. Demonic Velvet went to the courtyard to grieve for their family, friends, and for the people that were killed by the shades. However, there was something off during that moment, because Annabel didn't join her gang at the courtyard.
Instead, she went to where Azalea was at. For she wanted some alone time as well. Once Annabel was there, she saw that Priscilla was trying to get Azalea to mourn with the others. “Priscilla, please leave Azalea alone. She has lost the people that she cares about, and you are ruining that moment for her,” said Annabel.
She wasn't close to them, but she wasn’t far away from them either. Annabel was only doing that to respect Azalea's personal space. “Not everybody wants to mourn with other people, and you gotta respect that.”
Annabel understands how Azalea was feeling right now, since she is trying to do the same thing as her. “Now if you excuse me. I am going to find a place to be by myself,” said Annabel, as she heads off to do that.
Eventually, Annabel found a place that wasn't too far from their base. She put a single flower on the ground, and prayed for her loved ones on that spot. “For the people that I loved the most, thank you for everything that you have done. I appreciate your friendship, and how much you cared about me. But now, it is time for me to move on from the painful past. I love you so much, and I wish you good luck wherever you are. In the name of God, amen.” said Annabel.
Ms. Sparrow Bakuyoshi

 

[explosiveKitten]

“... well, if you’re so determined to fight, I suppose you had better start your daily training again.” She rubbed her face and sat up again, looking at Cali with tired eyes.
“Same time, with me. Everyday. It’s clear that I need to accelerate your training, so that means more time training and more exercises.” She looked up at Cali and dared to quirk her lips up into a smirk, “I assume you’ve been keeping up with your daily strength building exercises?”

She then turned to look at the mention of a funeral and grieving, and suddenly her mind seemed to come crashing down on top of her. There was a funeral for everyone that died in Fransen? Oh gods, she did not need that. None of that, no.

“... you go on ahead. I’ve nothing to grieve for.” She said bluntly, looking out the window into the open courtyard where the pyre was burning, before turning away and walking out of the room.

Bakuyoshi

 

[Xanto]

Raymond Callahan and Baxter Callahan and Clyde Callahan​

"Suit yourself," Raymond shrugged at Baxter's voluntary offer to watch over the mysterious prisoner with Ivanna. The younger Callahan had yet to check the captive out. What better time than to meet a person on a ship heist trip though? The introduction would blend in with Ray's common theme of formal introductions coming after spontaneous interactions. Hence, the long lack of introduction with the group at the inn and the Priscilla and Ivanna welcome into the new rebel headquarters.

The sudden curse word that soon rang out, signaled Priscilla's arrival. At this, Raymond covered the kid's ears. It wasn't new news to know that people had controversial views about the kingdom they came from. Ezeris wasn't the best to begin with, which was why their family had intentions of moving north even before all craziness broke loose.

Baxter slightly winced when Priscilla brought up corrupt nobles. Her words stung both of brothers deeply, but they made it a habit not to show its effects in front of the others. Priscilla was correct about her statement for the most part, but the primary incorrect component was the generalization of all of Ezeris's people who remained in the kingdom.

Raymond's gaze shifted over to Azalea as he adjusted his hands over Clyde's ears. He was kind of thankful for Azalea attempting to clarify the existing state of actual innocent Ezerisians. Meanwhile, Baxter was intently staring at Clyde's almost emptied plate. Neither one of the brothers even made the effort to defend their own points of view knowing that the others wouldn't fully understand unless they were in their shoes. Besides, an argument wasn't about to rectify any situation. There were bigger matters to consider especially for their short-term objective.

Clank. The sound of Clyde dropping his fork onto the plate after his final bite of venison snapped the brothers out of the harsh confession. Clyde smirked with his mouth full wondering if Priscilla's small monologue was over since Raymond's hands were still covering his ears. "How about you head on outside? We'll follow shortly after," Raymond pulled his hands away from Clyde's ears watching the boy stand up in his seat, but suddenly break out into laughter when Ivanna pulled the seat from the soldier causing him to fall.

Baxter shot a serious glance at his son in return, silencing the boy who widened his eyes and sprinted away. The rebel leader waited for Azalea's summarized the plan before going into a bit more detail. "We will travel to Ezeris, Raymond will hijack the ship along with a small team, and the rest of us will keep the prisoner detained at a checkpoint for a quick load in case the small team is followed to the docks. That way an escape route can be executed cleanly if needed," Baxter replied looking over at Ivanna who seemed to be committed to the group especially after the previous night's fiasco.

While Baxter briefed whoever was listening, Raymond noticed a little girl's emotional interaction with Azalea. His head slightly tilted forward as he raised brow noticing the princess's features soften in a way he hadn't yet seen.

"Funeral," Baxter suddenly replied to Azalea after finishing his statement to the rest of the group, watching her leave before his word was completed.

After a few moments the Callahan brothers stood up from their seat following the princess out the room. Baxter's stride was quicker than Raymond's since he was intent on finding his son. On the other hand, Raymond casually trailed Baxter by about ten steps as he adjusted his sleeve until he stopped at the opened door with his eyes gradually moving up to view the pyre.

The flames danced in the wind while the heavy blackened smoke turned lighter as it rose to the sky. Numbness seemed to be the only thing conveyed by the fire in Raymond's eyes despite scenes of the burning blacksmith shop popping into his mind. It was tempting to think about how he was the reason for his father and sister's demise, or back to the time when his family was all in one piece. Sure they weren't in the best kingdom ever, but if anything was certain the Callahans knew how to find happiness even in the darkest situations with what and who they had. They just didn't open up about it.

Ray silently slipped into the castle to his room vanishing from the funeral scene, while Baxter caught a glimpse of his brother leaving. Knowing him, Ray was probably beating himself up away from the others to see. Bax would talk it out later with him though.

The father's blue eyes then focused on Clyde who in turn stared at the fire with a serious expression. What a time to be alive. When Bax placed his hand on the boy's shoulder as a subtle sign of comfort, Clyde's brows almost immediately twisted as his lips started trembling into a frown. It seemed that his eyes drowned in tears he refused to roll out as well.

The man gently picked up his son in silence, while Clyde dug his face into his father's neck hiding his tears from the world as best as he could. Friends were made and lost throughout the past few months, but the one thing that made his tears flow out was that he never got to see his mother. Unconditional love was flowing out of him even if he didn't remember how she looked. Whether she was alive or not was a mystery. However, the Callahans assumed her death since the chances of Audrey being alive were slim to none after the Shades were released.

Clyde blinked feeling a tear roll down his cheek. His mother was the one person who made his father's eyes glow even when she wasn't around. Every single time Bax told his son a story, it felt like he went back to being a teenager again. His eyes brightened, and the kid loved seeing that in his father.

Clyde turned his head looking back at the fire with reddened eyes. If those Shades killed his mother, then they also killed his father. His green eyes moved to Baxter's cold gaze planted on the pyre. There was no doubt that the father and son duo were thinking about the same person.

Baxter moved a hand through Clyde's hair and smiled a bit out of character, "The hardest part isn't losing them, it's letting go." He knew very well what was running through the boy's mind. "This is so dramatic," Clyde let his head fall onto his father's shoulder again. With that, Bax rubbed Clyde's back as he carried him back into the castle.

Bakuyoshi Ms. Sparrow NinjaGirlGamer

 

[NinjaGirlGamer]

Ivanna sits there listening to Baxter and Azalea explain the next big plan. The soldier who fell to the ground shot a glare at the person who dared steal a chair from him, he was about to open his mouth until he looked at the length of the sword on Ivanna’s back then kept his mouth shut. Ivanna perks her eyebrow at Baxter saying that there was a funeral happening. Personally she didn’t do funerals nor grieved for anything, Ivanna watched as everyone from the table got up to go outside, leaving her all alone.


Sighing, Ivanna eventually gets up from her chair then walks through the empty halls to the front and is met with the cold air mixed with burning wood in the distance. Everyone was gathered around the funeral pyre, people were throwing their deceased loved ones items in the fire, to deal with their loss. She stepped out into the snow, past Baxter and Raymond but stayed back in the distance away from the crowd. The only sight she saw was the flame flickering with the wind, she stared into the fire the same way she gave a promise to herself on that fateful night.


Images of her burning castle and dead loved ones flashed before her and that scream. The haunting scream she gave out to the same coldness to which the North gave, No, The fire was a reminder, not a gateway for sorrow. She had no tears to shed or anything to throw in the fire. She clutched something on her chest, a necklace from her sister. Was she trying to hold on? She looked on to the people hugging their remaining peers and relatives, but something caught her attention.


A lone child, standing far from the crowd with no one around her. The look of the child’s face was the same when Ivanna had her first night alone and for many more nights to come. She didn’t pray that night for the Gods to give her a peace of mind or some form of miracle to turn her life around. She made a lasting promise, a promise to never falter, to carry on her family’s legacy, and to go beyond. But still, Ivanna felt sorry for the little girl who mirrored her younger self.


Ivanna wanders past the crowd, then stands next to the girl while still staring at the flames. The silent cries of the girl sunk Ivanna’s heart as she looked at the girl trying to stay warm and cry at the same time. “Hey, it’s ok” Ivanna kneeled down in front of the girl “You’re not alone—“ Instantly the little girl hugged Ivanna tight and bursted into tears. Ivanna silently hugged the child back, wrapping her thick cloak around, comforting the girl. Her uncle’s words echoed in her mind, Sometimes Letting someone know that they are not alone can be better than watching their world crumble and letting them think there’s no one there to help them.

It felt like at that moment, Ivanna remembered why she was there, Why she stayed, and why she was still fighting till this day.

“Sometimes the shadows of the past serves as reminder for what’s to come in the future. What does your future look like?”



“And... I got a family to avenge. As far as I'm concerned so long as I draw breath I will fight against them, rebellion or not."
​

“....” Ivanna broke from their hug then gave the girl a half smile. Getting up from her spot, She walks towards the castle, past Azalea and the rest. With a new look on her, from an outward perceptive it looked like any serious face. But inside, it was a look of newfound determination.


Ms. Sparrow Xanto Blackrose7 Bakuyoshi explosiveKitten

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Azalea Eve Windfore


All your fault.

It was the only thing that sounded in her mind, a cold and desolate sentence, hollow of emotion, floating endlessly in her vacant mind that was trying its hardest to suppress all her bitter memories.

She watched from a distance as the Callahan brothers walked out into the courtyard, her expression torn as she watched Baxter show his a softer side to his son she’d never seen before, pulling Clyde up into a his arms in a hug as the boy broke down in tears in his embrace. Her chest caved in with both pain and guilt. She’d taken someone from him too, perhaps a mother, just like many other children she’d likely killed or crushed.

All your fault.

Azalea glanced away from the sight before she broke herself any further, her lips pressed thinly together as she tried to numb her pain, her gaze instantly finding a little girl, standing alone by the flames, firelight casting an orange glow on her small, delicate and torn features, trying her best to hold in her tears. Azalea’s yellow-green eyes flicked to Ivanna, trailing her movements as she said something to the girl, before pulling the now sobbing girl into a comforting embrace.

Azalea let out a small choking noise as her throat closed up, feeling as if she’d just been punched in the stomach, guilt knocking her breathless as she glanced away from the warming sight and focused on a random rock half buried in the snow.

All your fault.

Ivanna...It seemed even the coldest, most hardened people had a heart in them, no matter how hard they tried to hide it.

Azalea slowly brought a hand up to where her heart beat underneath her leather armor, unable to feel its pulse under the leather breastplate.

So where was hers? Did she leave her heart at the Grave, at the resting place of her sisters unburied, decaying bodies? Had she somehow forgotten it at palace when she left her kingdom for good? Had it been stolen when she drove a blade through Kaidans heart?

A hand on her shoulder startled her from her thoughts, and she glanced to her right to see a some-what solemn looking James, his face schooled into a carefully cool expression, but even for a retired assassin, his bright-blue eyes gave him away.

He turned his head in the direction of the burning pyre, red-gold faes reflecting in his gaze.

“It is a hard thing, no?” James said, his Delchistrierian accent thickly rooted in his wistful tone, “To let go of the ones you lost with so many others watching. How does a Queen grieve?”

“They don’t.” Azalea said quietly, her expression the slightest pained as she stared at the flickering flames in the distance. And she was in pain. Physically and mentally.

James glanced down at her, “Have you said goodbye?” He dipped his head in the burning pyre’s direction.

Azalea didn’t move an inch. She wasn’t quite sure if she could. “No.” She said hollowly, feeling numb and painfully empty, watching the flames consume the wood.

“Why?” James asked, his furrowed brows adding more to his weathering face.

“Would you say farewell, knowing you’d see them so soon?” Azalea asked quietly. But it wasn’t just this, no. She’d failed Violet. She never got to burn them. How could she say goodbye before she completed Violet’s last wish?

“You believe you won’t survive this?”

“..I know I won’t survive this.” Azalea stated, the silence and quiet weeps of the people around them were suddenly deafening.

James studied her removed features, her green gaze filler with pain, wondering if she knew more than she let on. He had known it was far more likely she knew more than she told. But he wondered just how far she’d gone with keeping them.

He patted her shoulder and offered her a small smile, “I’m sorry.” He said. And she could tell the hardened assassin meant it too.

Azalea glanced up for once and noticed his small smile.

A pity smile.

She hated it.

Azalea shrugged her shoulder away from his hand, her features contorting to anger as she took a step back. “Don’t.” She snarled, “Don’t pity me.”

James gave her a contemplative look, uneffected by his anger. “Your allowed to grieve.” He said coolly, studying her ever contorting features.

Her hand almost crushed the makeshift wooden stag in her hand as her fists clenched. “I don’t need to grieve,” she snapped, her walls slamming down, “I’m fine.”

“The others are, in their own ways.” He replied calmly, waiting, pushing for her to explode whatever was on her mind.

“Well I’m not them.” She snarled, “I’m not some weakling that needs to cry every time they lose someone.” She jabbed a finger in his direction, “Aren’t you the one that told me there will be more deaths to come? What’s the point in grieving if we’re just adding more to the pile everyday?”

“Is that what this is about? Being weak?” James inquired, “Little girl, you are not weak if you do not grieve, you are a coward if you hide from your emotions.”

“I’m not.” She growled, glancing away.

“Weak? Or a coward?” James inquired, “Because all I see is a little girl throwing a tantrum because she runs. She runs away from her friends. She runs away from her feeling—“

“Shut. Up.” She said coldly, her voice turning icy as she glared at him, trying to shove away her rising emotions.

“So you are weak.” James said, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders.

Azalea turned away, “This is pointless,” she snapped coldly, “this entire funeral’s a waste of time.” She began walking away, heading for the stables when James called out;

“There you go, running again!” His provoking, nonchalance made something in her snap.

Azalea whipped around, “Because it’s my fault!” She shouted angrily, thankfully the pair was far enough from the pyre so they would not be heard by those grieving, she pointed a finger at the lone little girl that Ivanna had been hugging previously, “That, is my fault,” she moved her pointing finger to a sobbing couple, “and that,” she felt her anger dissolve and shift into her pained guilt, a flood of emotions held back by her last standing wall, sighting Annabel far off from everyone else, and the flower she set down. “That is my fault.” She choked, her finger trembling slightly as she glanced back at James, pressing her lips thinly together so they would not tremble, her eyes flooded with water.

She didn’t know if she could handle the pain. The guilt. She didn’t know if she’d ever stop seeing the blood on her hands. She didn’t if she’d ever laugh, or love, or feel true, genuine joy again.

“Does that satisfy your questioning?” She hissed frigidly, as she let her hand drop back to her side, and James knew he’d crossed boundaries he shouldn’t have in that moment. Walls she clearly wasn’t strong enough to let down quite yet.

James studied her, from her short unnatural red hair to her scarred cheeks, to her watery, fiery glare, to the armor that was indeed fit for a Queen, to the carved wooden stag figurine in her clenched hand, and he found himself suddenly both worried and scared.

How was this girl supposed to fight in a war when she’d already lost the one to herself? James found himself speechless to her question, though his expression was easily schooled to be calm and content.

Azalea inspected his features, uncaring and calm, and shoved her emotions back behind her walls, where the pain could continue to knaw at the shattered prices of her diminishing heart.

There were times when she found herself, but it seemed as if they were growing smaller and smaller these days.

Azalea wondered how much of herself she’d be able to cling unto before she became the killer Soris wanted her be.

When James didn’t emit a response, Azalea turned on her heel, slinging her sack of clothes and items she needed for the Delchistrier voyage and began her long walk to the stables, talking the long route around the castle rather than simply going inside.

James made to step after her, watching her walk away before a heavy—no—muscular hand closed around his shoulder.

“Let her go.” Aria said calmly, “She’s never been one to deal with emotions.


She was greeted at the stables with plenty of horses, and a prison cart driven by two horses, specifically for the female-creature that prowled in the cells. It had seemed nobody else had arrived yet to leave.

Azalea handed her sack off to the stable boy so he could secure it on her horse, Wind-Cleaver, before observing the make-shift stag carving she’d been given...her one piece of home she’d had left.

All. Your. Fault.

Azalea thought of Priscilla’s words from earlier, feeling a familiar emptiness crawl its way back into her. No, no matter how hard she tried to suppress everything, pain would always linger. Reminding her of her loss. Of her guilt. Of her capabilities.

Reminding her of who she was.

She didn’t need to become a monster.

She already was one.



explosiveKitten Xanto Blackrose7 NinjaGirlGamer Bakuyoshi

(PLEASE get your characters to the stables so they can depart for Ezeris.)

​

 

[Xanto]

TRANSITION: ONE OF THE MANY SKIPS THROUGH TIME​