Fantasy The Queen's Madness

[awriternamedian]

OOC CHAT | RULES | CHARACTERS | LORE

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The Queen’s Madness, formerly known as Seer and Sword, was a medium sized tavern, situated in the poor end of the marketplace in the city of Draede. This city, being the capital of the Kingdom of Lathien, was large and bustling and constantly full of activity, drawing merchants and visitors from around the world.

The kingdom itself was well enough. It wasn’t perfect, but they were fairly prosperous and happy. Over the past couple of years, however, things had begun to become rougher. There were more guards, more laws, some of them ridiculous, the punishments were becoming more severe. The capital itself lay mostly untouched, which people speculated was because of the large number of foreigners.

Rumors were spreading about the queen. At one time she’d been a fairly sociable woman, often traversing the kingdom and meeting with her people, staying for a period of time at the various other cities, holding balls and parties and festivals. Over the past couple of years she’d withdrawn more and more. The laws and punishments had become more and more severe the more she slipped from the public eye. People were saying that she was going mad, that her mind was slipping away.

And so we come to our tavern. The owners, a brother and sister, took quite an offence to how the kingdom was being run, and so their name had changed from Seer and Sword to The Queen’s Madness. They’d been a fairly popular tavern to begin with, but their open mocking of the royalty drew people in swarms. There were frequent orders to have the place shut down, but even the guards and soldiers frequented the place, and thus were rather… lax when it came to the rules regarding it.

A rebellion is growing in the Kingdom of Lathien. Which side will you fall on?

 

[awriternamedian]

The tavern was quiet for once, though it would not remain that way for long. In the kitchen, the cook bustled about, the sound of pots and pans clanging together following her about as she left a trail of swears. A few women flittered about the main room, straightening chairs and wiping down tables. Behind the bar stood a small, inconspicuous man, polishing mugs and whistling softly. He looked up as a girl approached him, her features tight and nervous. She was a small thing, delicate, and couldn't have been more than fifteen. Her eyes darted around the tavern quickly before hurrying behind the bar.

The man smiled at gently at the girl, who was even smaller than him. She didn't return the smile, instead digging through the messenger back that hung at her waist and pulling out a small letter. He took it and tucked it away under the bar without looking at it before patting the girl on the head.

"Thank you Caelyn," he said, giving her a few coins. She did smile now, a little nervously. "I have a verbal message for you to deliver." She nodded, and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. The girl's features grew intense, and as he finished she nodded. Without a word, she turned and made her way quickly from the tavern.

Allan sighed as he considered the message under the bar top, fingering the club he kept under there for when he needed to deal with unruly customers. There were any number of people it could be from, but it wasn't important at the moment. He had a tavern to open. Suddenly, the man's mouth turned down in a slight frown. What could her sister be doing that was taking so long?

Up above his head in one of the rooms, Emmony was expertly folding a pile of blankets. It had taken a long time to master, but she had plenty of experience after all the years working at this tavern. She hummed merrily under her breath as she worked, though she was very off tune. A feeling struck her, and her sightless eyes widened, fixed on some random point in the distance.

It wasn't a full vision. That she could have been able to interpret. No, it was simply a feeling. A very strong, intense one. Her hands tightened as it washed over her, nails digging white half moons into her palms. Her brow furrowed as it passed. Things were soon going to get... interesting. Not that things weren't always interesting in her life, but not in the way this feeling was telling her. She wished she knew what interesting meant, because then she would be able to plan for it. Without knowing...

The woman sighed and shrugged, brushing off the strange feeling. Whatever happened would happen. She scooped up the pile of blankets and deposited them in the linen closet before brushing her many braids behind her shoulders. A black scarf was untied from her wrist and wrapped around her head, covering the sightless eyes that so often discomforted people.

Looking up from his mugs, Allan caught sight of his sister and frowned. He could tell immediately that something was off about her, but the smile she wore on her face convinced him not to mention it. If it was important, she'd tell him in her own time.

"About time you get yourself to work," he teased her good naturedly. She stuck her tongue out in his direction, deftly maneuvering through the room without knocking into anything, a feat in and of itself. Unluckily for her, she tended to be a bit clumsy.

"I have been working brother," she said, turning her nose up at him. "But I suspect you've been re-polishing the bar again as usual." He fought off a laugh.

As the siblings bickered, they busied themselves with the remaining chores, ensuring every inch of the large tavern was spotless, though it wouldn't remain that way for very long. Soon the evening crowd would be stumbling through that welcoming open door, drawn by the sign that hung over it. Swinging in a gentle breeze, it proclaimed 'The Queen's Madness' in simple script, with an image of a crown below it. The crown itself appeared chipped and broken, a representation of how their kingdom was falling apart. It was a surprise they'd yet to be shut down, being the only people or establishment yet to openly proclaim their distaste of things. But perhaps that was, in itself, the reason they'd managed to stay open.

Everyone loved a rebellion.

 

[The Fluffiest Floof]

The eldar was heading down the streets towards her favorite bar. She spent every evening there. It had become her routine. Katherine was just around the corner, when she spotted a few guards, looking at the bar unsteadily. Katie looked at them. "You're in my way.", she coldly stated. One of them looked at her. The pure aura of the prior general was intimidating to the low ranked soldiers. "Excuse me...", one of them muttered, moving aside. "Master Limilka, you're not headed to that bar are you? It is a insult to the Queen and the crown. We are to shut it down, once and forever!" Katherina turned around, her eyes cold, looking into the mans eyes, his soul. "I am very much so headed to the Queens Madness. Like i do every day. It is a very nice place to spent time in. Maybe you should try doing so, you will find that there is no reason to shut it down at all." The man shivered, nodding. "I see." Katherine faked a smile. "Good, so we understood each other." "yes ma'am." Katherine turned around, heading to the bar.

Once she entered, she directly sat at the bar. "The usual.", she said and looked at the bar keeper. She never talked much, unless somebody interesting started up a conversation with her.

 

[Cosmo]

Asavar's eyelids flicked open and his dark eyes took in the sight before him, tracing the lines between the large stones that made up the roof above him, a familiar sight. Slowly, Asavar pushed himself up, rising to sit upon his hard hay mat that lay open the only stretch of space large enough for him to lay fully out on, the lush goose feather bed merely feet away. Of their own accord, his dark eyes flicked over the large bed, the largest bed he had ever seen or been given, but it was too soft. He had spent his entire life sleeping on floors, on old piles of hay, the bed was too much for him even if it was the first bed he had ever seen that he could lay out on and not look like an adult trying to sleep in a cradle, well, if he laid out diagonally, he could.

Taking a deep breath, Asavar looked down at the wide expanse of his chest, tracing a large scar that ran across the pale flesh with a large thumb, the dream he had awoken from was no better then the last. It was her, again. Always her. He didn't know who she was, her face was always obscured in shadow, always just out of reach. Each and every time, he can recall himself screaming out to her, a name he can never recall in the morning, trying to save this woman he did not know from an unknown fate, yet, right before he reached her, he would awaken just to see the lines running through the stone of his ceiling once again.

His gaze flicked to the small window in his room, gauging the time and how long he must have slept. No more then a few hours, if he had to guess, which was more then usual, but it was no matter, he had tasks and duties he had to fulfill today, and they would not get done with him sitting and pondering about a mysterious dream woman who did not exist. Rising to his feet, he moved over to the water basin and the cracked mirror that was above it. His larges hands dipped into the pool of cool water and up to splash it over his face, his long black hair spilling out at the sudden movement to fall in waves, but it wasn't enough to block out the mirror. His dark eyes stared back at themselves, multiple reflections each cast back at him, mockingly, from each shard. He could remember how it happened, as if it just happened yesterday, his pride at having been named commander, at being trusted and brought into the Queen's inner circle... then the next morning, the sight of his own face reflected back at him in perfect clarity, he may have had a new title, but he was still just Asavar. In his momentary madness, he had struck the window, shattering the glass, but it had only made it worse. Now, instead of one, he had to look at thirty small faces peering back at him. Mocking him. There was a lesson in there, somewhere, he had mused, but it did not make him any happier to learn it.

Asavar forced his eyes away, to the stand that bore his Abyssal Plate, it was time. ​

-----


He moved through the corridors, his eyes dancing from corner to corner, taking in the details ensuring nothing was out of place. Constant vigilance. Without it, he was nothing, failure.... failure was not something he could comprehend. His steps slowed as his eyes picked up murmuring, quiet murmuring, the murmuring of those not meant to be speaking and afraid to be overheard. Likely two Castle Guards, his brow lowered with annoyance, he would need to discipline them, perhaps latrine duty.

Before he could turn the corner, his ears picked up a part of what they said, "The Queen's Madness."

Whatever was said before or after was lost in a veil of red, a feral growl rumbling from his chest at the words. They dare disrespect her? They would dare do so in her own castle? They would dare? Asavar stormed around the corner, his fist swinging out like a sledgehammer smashing one of the guards in the helm, the steel groaning then bending in like paper before the force of his wrath, the guard's head was thrown to the side and thudding into the stone next to him, his body going limp as he collapsed into a heap on the floor. The other guard whirled on his heel, bringing his halberd up, only to stop as his eyes widened in panic. First at his chest then, slowly, the guard's eyes lifted to Asavar's helm, his own dark eyes peering out from their depths. Asavar shot forth like a viper, his left hand battering away the halberd and his right striking out to grip the guards helm like a man holding a fruit. His fingers dented in the helm as he slowly lifted the man off the ground.

The leather strap of his helm, meant to keep his helm on, was now digging into his throat, the weight of his body pulling down against it. The guard dropped the halberd, his legs kicking helplessly above the ground as his hands went to Asavar's wrist trying to pry him off, but it was useless, he had no more chance at dislodging Asavar's grip then he did stopping the flow of time.

"You worm," Asavar growled, his deep voice rumbling from within his chest, "You would dare say that about our Queen... About my Queen?"

The guard's face turning blue, he struggled harder, his voice rasping out, "T-Tavern."

The word pierced through the red veil that had descended over his eyes. Asavar loosened his grip and the guard plummeted two feet towards the ground, his legs giving out under him as he landed hard on his backside, "What tavern?" Asavar asked through clenched teeth.

"The Q.." The guard started to mumble but stopped and thought better of repeating that phrase, "Sir, it is the name of a Tavern in the city."

A tavern. They named a tavern after his her's affliction? They mocked her? Sold drinks to customers who came to mock her? Feet away from their doorstep, they mocked her? Once more a deep rumble came from his chest, he would burn their tavern down around their heads. He would tear our their hearts and feed it to their children. He was going to tear out their spines and strangle them with it, Asavar took a step forward but stopped, why hadn't he known about this tavern?

His gaze fell down on the guard, Ah, yes, he understood now. No one wanted to be the one to tell him. The Cowards. They had a duty, but, he had a better idea. He wouldn't just destroy their tavern, oh, that he would do, but not right now. First, he was going to use them, then he was going to catch every single one of them, and, with pleasure, remove their heads one after another upon his block.

Leaning down, his large hand gripped the guard's tunic, the other guard mumbling as he was starting to come through, he lifted the guard into the air to meet his eyes, "You, and your.... friends, who visit this tavern."


The guard started to enter a frenzy of apologies but Asavar cut him off, "Oh, no, you are going to go back. Every night. You or your little friends are going to go. Sit down. Order drinks. And listen. Do you understand?" He asked as he clenched his fist on the man's tunic forcing him to nod, "Good. Every night, you will have the reports upon my desk. I want the names and descriptions of everyone who enters that tavern, I want to know what they say, I want to know everything. Now go," Asavar said as he dropped the guard to plummet back to the ground and marched past them. He needed to work out his anger before he did end up breaking one of their necks, his training post would do for now.
​

 

[ReverseTex]

Lord Robert Gareth

Interactions/Mentions: Cosmo


Robert leisurely walked through the streets, studying the passerby’s with green-grey eyes. His day had been spent in portions. One being that he checked on his businesses, two bars and a brothel, which we’re doing immensely well. The other part meeting with a few of his “birds” who were his eyes and ears around the realm. The only thing of interest was a place known as “Queen’s Madness” a bar supposing harboing a rebellion.

Rebellions were always good fun, at least if you were on the correct side. Either they sizzle out, like a flare spat from a fire. Or they grow into a wildfire, devoting anything in its path. Both amused him greatly, and so he had made the descion to visit this place...

His thoughts were interrupted by the shouting of a familiar bark. Asavar. Strolling besides the knight, he quickened his pace to match the other man’s. “Good day Sir Asavar! I can’t help but overheard your chit-chat about the Queen’s Madness, and I want to let you know my birds are already aware of that... So don’t try to do my job.” Tapping the brutes metal exterior, he smirked.

 

[idalie]

Lady Evangeline Dubois​

She was up at dawn, always dawn with the chirping of the birds and their morning choruses. Whispering in whistles and declaring love in trills. Their tittering giggles her only concern as the feathered dancers hopped from branch to branch with a flutter of wings. She had not brushed her wild hair, the blonde bob curling and filled with volume from sleep - feet bare upon the dewy grass and figure clad in a nightie and dressing gown which billowed around her ankles. Basking in the cool breeze and warm sun, a daily ritual Eva took for no other reason than madness. That's what people said anyhow. Yet madness was overused, it was easier to call differences insane - but true insanity was only found in a few. The ones who delved so deep into their own minds, it lost them. Never to be seen again, like a child who didn't want to be found. ​

When Lady Dubois had finished staring into the depths of the sky, surrounded by the fresh scents of morning roses, Eva took her leave. Leaving a set of dainty footprints in her wake. Making her way back to the palace, and thus, her chambers. Using the basin of hot water prepared, the healer stripped and washed before pulling on her work-dress, shapeless and washed out cornflower blue, only managing to look flattering as she wrapped the belt around her waist, notching it in tight. The hue was a shade off her eye colour, if only it had been lighter. Dragging a comb through her locks, she untangled the knots with ease till it was silky enough to run her fingers through freely. Only leaving her one more thing - to gather up her leather satchel and head out. Tugging on very rudimentary sandals for a change - Evangeline had chosen to go out. Unsurprising really, but for the past few weeks, she'd been too afraid. What if the Queen had suddenly needed her? Something happened? But sooner or later, the visits the healer made dwindled and Eva's concern was a mere inconvenience to her majesty.

Traversing the hallways, with the forever-present optimistic spring in her step, Dubois swept her way over the mosaic tiles, gazing upon the unchanging tapestries depicting scenes of past battles, weddings, romances - enough to make a visual feast of stories. Ah, and the myths which surrounded their fair Kingdom. But it didn't all seem so pretty anymore. Yes, the birds still sang, and the day was ripe for the taking, but it all felt so grey. As if storm clouds were looming. Call it a feeling, but in her mind, the talk of rebels seemed far more tangible by the day.

Thoughts were interrupted by a clatter of armour and growled conversations, low enough and far away enough she wasn't able to hear. But never minding that, she had things to do - people to help! Flower crowns to craft, and singing lessons to give. A choir wasn't what she'd call it currently. Whilst Eva recognised the heavy footfalls of Asavar, she was tempted to see what had the man so riled - but refrained. It was probably an off-remark about royalty. He adored the Queen more than anyone, a big puppy whenever it came to what she wanted. Yet, it wouldn't have surprised Dubois to think the public now openly insulted its monarch. After what had been occurring with the decline of the sovereign, was there something to mourn or rebel against? The question lingered.

When she did come to bounce past Asavar, her only comment remained; "Take your helmet off, it's nice out today!" And the healer was off. In that floaty, daydreaming manner, like nothing was reality.

Cosmo & Anyone else around the palace c:

 

[Silki.Knight]

Long silver hair was pulled back into a high ponytail at the back of Kiitaniarra's head then braided tightly into a long rope that faded to black at the ends and still managed to sway around her hips as she walked walked with a confident swagger towards the Queen's Madness. She was of average height by human standards, though her eyes were unusual in thir mismatched color. Today, the blue and green were dark and rich, silver fleck sparkling like little stars if one looked close enough. Her plans for today were cimply to relax and maybe do some people watching. This wasn't a business run and she didn't feel like portraying her underground persona. She just wanted a few drinks and a bit to eat.

People milled about the streets, and she brushed passed them without concern and not taking much notice. Things had been changing for sometime now. It wasn't all bad, but some of it was a nuisance. Made some of her work more troublesome, but also made for more entertainment. That thought made her quirk her lips in amusement and begin contemplating how she might entertain herself later. She hadn't gotten into much mischief in a while, and th gaurds she passed seemed in dire need of a headache.

She was almost laughing at her own thoughts as she entertered the tavern, lift her hand and flicking her fingers and in idle wave to Allen as she meandered towards the bar. A woman sat there already, and Kiita recognized the ex-general, though she made no acknowledgement of it.

Kiita didn' order a drink just yet, her mind still mulled over ideas. Her smirk was full of impish glee and made her look like she might not be quite right in the head. What others saw or liked to think about her were of no consequences to her though.

After a few moments she let out a low chuckle, waving down the bar tender for a drink, "Got anything new in lately?" Her voice was pitched lightly, curious and still full of her internal amusement. She briefly glanced over her shoulder as the door open and a man entered, but dismissed his presence just as quickly.


At times like this, Sil'Kethra was grateful for her height. She easily surveyed the city over the tops of most people with her obsidian eyes. It was like the other large cities of the kingdom she had seen, but vastly different as well. The palace was off in the distance grand and as splendid as she could have imagined. The presence of guards was also stronger and out in greater numbers.

She wondered if that was indicative of anything, but couldn't say for sure. The guards had eyed her suspiciously as she entered, but didn't give her any problems. The guards she past now, still eyed her warily, but she put that off to the large sword-staff she carried across her back. As long as they didn't give her trouble, she could ignore it. She wasn't causing any problems, and didn't have any plans too.

That's not to say it wouldn't happen, though. Just wasn't her intent.

As is was her first time in Draede, Silk walked at a leisurely pace through the market center. Many merchans were peddling their wares, but none attempted to socilicit her into buying anything. There was anything she was interested in anyway. She was simply taking in the city and getting to know it a bit. Eventually she would actively seek out the Mercenary guild and check in, but she didn't have any other destinations in mind, nor any rush to get there.

People parted around, but that was normal anywhere Sil'Kethra travelled to. The guilds were the only places she was truly comfortable. Kindred spirits, was the best phrase she had once heard to describe it. Warriors without much cause that simply wanted to fight and get paid. It was a simple life, and she liked simple.

The shops grew more extravagant and up scale as she wandered closer to the palace. The people around her grew more posh and dressed as if they had money. Their faces turned to looks Beck severe and disapprving towards her. On man opened his mouth as if to say something to her. She stopped, propping one gauntlet-covered hand on her hip and lifted an eyebrow at him. Her posture wasn’t aggressive, but it did have a hint of expectant challenge.

The man flushed, but turned and walked away quickly. A few small flecks of silver glittered I. Her dark irises as a smirk took over her lips. She continued closer to the palace, taking it in as she passed. Such a curiosity to her. She couldn't fathom why anyone would need such a large place to live. Of course, a small part in the back of her mind was in glee at imagining what riches hid within, and just how much gold one could fit into it.

The gold in the pouch at her waist clinked gently as she turned and wandered towards another part of town. Her reserves of money were getting lower than she liked. She should take a job soon. First, however, she wanted a nice hot meal and a tankard of ale.

 

[AI10100]

Joseph always liked the general atmosphere of most taverns. It was noisy, most often chaotic in a sense. It was the kind of place that really coincides with what he feels. However, he couldn't go there with what he usually looks like. No, he looked no more than a teen even though he's already in his twenties... thirties? Joseph wasn't too sure.

Instead, he went as Gabriel Polvich, a man who went around trying all sorts of taverns. In this persona, he was a traveller known for his exquisite goods but he tended to leave those behind whenever he went tavern hopping. After all, it would be risky bringing valuables with him to a place where he could get wasted.

Gabriel walked through the doors, a little earlier than the evening rush. They were still preparing. He could remember their faces - Allan and Emmony. They were so brave to have changed the name of this tavern to mock their Queen. Gabriel didn't know whether to be impressed or scared for them so he decided on just letting them be. He was here for the drinks, not for their rebellion. He would often sabotage those attempts after all. Though that trait was shared with the Queen's ranks as well.

Gabriel slid into one of the seats at the counter, away from the previous general. Though he didn't seem interested in ordering a drink just yet. "Evenin' Emmony, looks like it's going to be a rather long night. Again." He said with a chuckle. His voice was still very much reminiscent of Joseph's as he didn't put much effort into changing it. After all, she wouldn't have much trouble pegging it as him, instead of another. In all of his visits to the Queen's Madness, she had been the one he was most comfortable with. Perhaps it was because how emotionally driven she was opposed to her brother whom he found rather stiff though still very much friendly. His preference surprisingly has nothing to do with their genders, considering he can be both himself. "As always, if you need any help, my offer still stands. If not, well, the usual wouldn't be so bad."

Gabriel, or rather Joseph himself, had many experiences with being a barkeep. When he wasn't out doing who knows what, he would sometimes enter a bar or tavern and see if he can milk some cash out of it if they ever needed any help. It helped a lot when he's planning on plundering a tavern, but he wasn't planning anything malicious for the day. Not yet, at the very least. He paused as he turned his eyes towards a familiar sight - Kiita. A childish grin came upon his stoic face but he didn't move to leave. There was a time and place for them to meet, and usually that happens when they were plotting something. Mhm, wonder what they would cook up next.

He looked back at Emmony, tempted to reach out towards her to remove the cloth shielding her eyes. "Such a shame you have to wear that over your eyes - I personally think you shouldn't hide it." Appearances never mattered much to him, but Joseph knew that it did to others. What he can change in a snap, they had to live with. However, he never saw any reason for them to hide something of theirs - especially something like eyes. Indeed, Emmony was blind, but that didn't mean her eyes were no less beautiful than another's. He sighed. "It would be quite a pleasure to see what is under." He continued, acting like he had never set eyes on hers before.

awriternamedian

 

[SandraDeelightful]

Lady Lucie Mathew had been spending her morning giving bread to the poor. She had so much, it only felt right that she give some back. She loved helping the children especially. Their faces just seemed to light up when they got a little extra money or food. It warmed Lucie's heart to see. She always had the cook in her manor make a little extra bread, so the poor would have fresh bread, instead of something stale. She felt so much pity for the poor and handing out a little fresh bread and giving away a little bit of money was no big deal. She already had more than enough.

Today, she had dressed in a pretty ash-rose colored gown. It was simple, but still elegant. There was a pattern of flowers in a darker pink on the dress. It looked lovely on Lucie. Her brown hair was done up in a simply but elegant bun, with a few strands hanging down and framing her face. There was a ribbon that matched the color of her dress looped through the bun and both ends were hanging down. As she walked along, passing out alms, the flat-heeled shoes clicked against the ground as she walked. She did stick out, as her clothes were obviously finely made.

Her father, one of the advisors to the queen was proud of her, as she was often exhibited traits that her dearly departed mother had exhibited throughout her life. She was glad that she was able to remind her father of the woman he had loved so much. Unlike most people of their station, they had married for love. And Lucie knew that it broke his heart when he died. She was also glad to have a sort of connection to the mother that she never knew. She had so longed to know her, and it was touching to know that she had resembled her mother so much both in looks and in personality.

"I'm all out of bread for now," said Lucie, with a hind of sadness in her voice. She handed out a few coins. "I will be back tomorrow with more."

With that, Lucie began walking away, handing out a few coins here and there. She thought it best to begin heading home soon. Her father was father overprotective of her and he did not like her going out without her governess. It was silly. She was far past the age of needing a governess. Her governess thought so to, and allowed her to go out on her own as long as she could stay safe. Lucie was glad to know that her governess trusted her so much that she was willing to let her go out into the streets. It made Lucie feel more grown up.

As Lucie was walking, she noticed a tavern called 'The Queen's Madness. She had heard about it. It was meant to be a jab at the queen. Lucie had never met the queen, and her father never talked about anything related to his work. Still, she felt like if those less fortunate were unhappy, they should have their voices heard. Who was she to judge? She was born in the lap of luxury. Still, she decided she would go in, to see if there was perhaps anything she could do to aid people in their struggles. And so, she walked in, even if she would be a little out of place.

 

[Loki777]

The rather large radiant figure made his way upon the land. Aegis was on patrol like he usually was, as he had been for quite some time. His armor gleamed, his sword no where to be seen as it was within its hilt. As he moved through the pathways of the city, occasionally people would look at him, clearly intimidated by the almost other worldly seeming individual. He could see who was new around the area, just by many reactions alone, as the rich who were used to living in said area were used to him, sometimes they would even greet, him others would thank him for keeping their family safe for so long. He would merely give a nod to them, and reply that he was merely preforming his duty, and spent no more time on the subject.

In someways Aegis found the changes in Lathien quite interesting, since he had been around for arguably much longer then most humans, he had seen many inventions which he had no idea would be created, but at this point he figured that it was destiny for man to advance in a way. On the other hand though change wasn't always welcome, he did not appreciate the current climate, the tension so to speak. Though he didn't really have anyone to discuss the issue with, since he spent most of his time patrolling, when he wasn't patrolling he was often relaxing or sleeping after a hard day's work. However there was rare Occasion when Aegis would actually go out on the town and interact in a non-business fashion provided his job allowed him too. Though at the same time the changes in the buildings and increase of soldiers felt a bit unsettling to Aegis at times. He wasn't sure if the change was necessarily going in the right direction or not. It seemed the farther he made his way from the richer regions the atmosphere became less appealing, as tension felt higher...

As Aegis continued down a central road, he couldn't help but hear some commotion which was occurring.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU RAVEN STARVER!" he heard a man bellow out. Aegis would move his visage towards the source of the sound. It appeared a street dwelling child had stolen a loaf of a bread off of a market cart of sorts and was now making a run for it. Aegis knew that the thief would most likely get away quite easily if he didn't act. As a result Aegis would make an extremely large leap across the path IN FRONT of the child with the stolen good. When Aegis landed, the earth broke below him as his feet left small craters in the ground. With sleight of hand Aegis would pick the boy up, and pry the bread out of his hands fairly easily, without saying a word. He'd then walk over back to the cart, still carrying the boy and bread, and he'd hand back to the cart owner.

"T-Thank you sir!" The presumably cart owner would merely say a bit nervously.

"Under the law's Jurisdiction you are under arrest for participating in the act of thievery. "

He merely said rather plainly, however much as the boy would struggle, nothing would budge, as Aegis took out handcuffs of sorts and put them on the lad. Despite the condition seeming undernourished for the boy, and his age probably not being higher than twelve or so, Aegis couldn't afford to be lenient, the law was there to be upheld, otherwise there would be chaos.
Aegis would then very casual, string the boy over his back, and begin to make his way back towards where the boy would be detained and processed, for the time being, ,before his charges would be brought up.....If he was seen as guilty there were many rather unpleasant potential punishments which could be bestowed upon the boy. None of this mattered to Aegis as he was merely doing his job, and upholding the law. Overall it wasn't very difficult for Aegis to get people detained, many were lucky that he didn't merely abuse his power... At That Aegis headed towards the detainment area...

 

[awriternamedian]

The night was starting well. They were reasonably busy, it was a good crowd, everybody seemed to be getting along. Nobody was drunk yet, which was very much helpful. He fingered the club he kept under the bar absently. Some part of him hoped there would be trouble later in the night. It had been a while since he’d had the chance to hurt anyone, and he could start to feel the itch under his skin. With a sigh, he shook the feeling away. All that was missing now was...

He grinned as Katie sat down directly in front of him. “You look especially peeved tonight,” he remarked to the ever stoic Eldar. “Run into some guards outside again?” There was amusement in his voice as he asked, setting a full mug down in front of probably one of his most important customers. Not that he would let that detail out to anyone, even her. Especially her. No, while she was still undecided, still on the fence about where she stood between the Queen and the whispered of rebellion, he would not tip his hand. Not and risk driving her away.

Having said his bit, and given her what she'd come in for, he didn't continue, instead pretending to focus on wiping out some dirty mugs right near her. That way, if she wanted to talk, she could. And if not, he wouldn't seem like he was pressing her. That was important. Not that he should be so worried about tipping his hand. This was what he was good at, this subterfuge and subtle coercion. One couldn't be too cautious though.

Across the room Emmony darted between tables, making small talk and laughing with old friends, occasionally redirecting barmaids. As she stepped behind the bar, she heard a familiar voice call her name. Grinning in his direction, she laughed, "Joseph, always a pleasure to see you. So to speak." She propped her elbows on the bar top and cupped her chin in one hand, those sightless eyes bright with amusement beneath her black scarf. "I think we're doing alright for ourselves tonight, but as always, I'll keep you in mind." Tapping the bar playfully, she twirled away to get him his usual.

She scrunched her nose at him as she set the mug down on the bar. "Trying to get under my clothing again, hm?" Emmony said, almost flirtatiously, idly tugging on one of her braids. "As if you haven't seen it before. Besides, it serves a practical purpose as well. Believe it or not, it helps filter out unwanted visions." It was no secret that she was a Seer, so she never felt it necessary to squelch talk about what she Sees. For a moment, she remembered the almost vision she'd been struck with earlier that day, and her expression faltered. No, that would be put aside for another time.

---

The castle always seemed cold to her, compared to the city. To her? To him. He'd already changed forms multiple times since entering. There'd still be a couple more changes, though not all of them gender thankfully. It was a relief not to have to completely change her outfit each time. His outfit. Caelyn shook himself, focusing on his work. He tucked his brown hair behind his ears, grey eyes scanning the corridors for people, dropping to the floor each time someone appeared. He didn't want to make eye contact. Eye contact made it more likely someone would stop and talk to him.

He made his way through the halls quickly, as if in a rush, clutching his bag to the side. While he wanted to hurry, he also took care to make sure that he didn't look suspicious. Just a servant late to fulfill his duties or meet his mistress. Which is where he was headed at the time. Well, not to his mistress per say. But she was certainly a lady. This would be his last paper message. After that would be the royal cook, vocal message. Then finally a guard, another vocal message.

The door finally appeared in front of him and he took a deep breath before knocking. A soft voice called for him to enter. As he slid into the room, the woman didn't look up, too focused on whatever it was she was writing. When she finally did, the corner of her lips twisted up into a smile.

"Hello there Asher," she said, turning in her chair and smoothing her skirts. Always a different name. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of them all. "Always a pleasure to see you again. What do you have for me today?"

Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the small message and passed it to her, careful not to let their skin touch. She frowned slightly at his reservedness, before turning her attention to the message. Her eyes scanned over it quickly, widening slightly as she finished.

"Oh, well this is a surprise. And not a pleasant one either." She tapped her delicate fingers on her desk, lost in thought, before nodding. "Alright, I'd like you to deliver a message to Allan please. A spoken one." Caelyn just barely managed to hold back a sigh. Of course. She was one of the people who seemed to enjoy making the quiet creature speak.

"Tell him that I promise to keep a close eye on the nobles, on who is coming to and fro that part of the city and whether or not they're bringing back whispers of this incident." She paused for a moment, thinking, before nodding her head. "I think that's all." Her full lips twisted into a sad frown. "And tell him that the Queen is in a bad way today. I'm worried she's getting worse, if that's possible. Anyways. Please repeat back the message."

Caelyn took a deep breath, calming his nerves, before saying, "Lady Marione says that she shall keep a close eye on the nobles coming to and fro that part of the city and whether or not they're bringing back whispers of this incident. She also says that the Queen is in a bad way today, and she's worried that she's getting worse."

The lady smiled softly as he finished. She always enjoyed listening to his musical voice, and often wished she could take him for her own servant. Ah, to be able to listen to him speak more frequently, to have this sweet and delicate boy near her whenever she wished. With a sigh, she dismissed him, turning back to her own writing.

The changeling was gone in an instant, hurrying back down the corridor. Lady Marione was one of his least favorite people to visit. Not because she wasn't sweet, which she was, but because she seemed to like him too much. It made him uncomfortable. Thankfully their next visit never did that to them. The cook they had to visit was a gruff older woman, who reminded him very much of the cook at the tavern. It was a comforting comparison.

In their haste to be done with this trip, they didn't pay as much attention as they should have while hurrying around the corner towards the stairs, and so nearly slammed head first into a guard. A surprised squeak escaped, echoed by the guard's annoyed growl, and they spun away quickly towards the stairs. Too quickly, as they lost their feet about halfway down, tumbling the rest of the way to land in a heap at the bottom. A low groan escaped him as he tried to sit up, only to find that the world spun.

The Fluffiest Floof AI10100 idalie

 

[AI10100]

Gabriel fought the urge to stick his tongue out at the Seer. He had honestly tried to trick her this time - to make her think that he was another person. It was easy to fool people who could see - after all, they base almost everything on appearances. The only people who could tell who he was without him having to reveal himself were his two beloved servants and Kiita. She was a master of reading body languages and Joseph had given up on actually trying to trick her as well. Maybe he should stop trying to trick Emmony as well.

"Caught yet again." He said with a light chuckle, leaning onto the top of the counter with his arms folded on top of each other. He looked around and made sure no one could see him. They were all busy tending to their own businesses to even notice him. "It's really no use trying to hide from you, Emm." He continued, reverting back to calling her by a nickname rather than her full name - as Gabriel usually addresses anyone. His form began to shift. His hair began to turn black and he seemed to grow smaller - but not by much. His green eyes slowly turned black. He now looked like an adult version of who he usually paraded as.

He stretched his arms after completing the shift, and no one noticed him. How very excellent. Allan may have seen him but he looked rather busy with attending to the previous general of the Queen's army. Ah yes, her. They haven't actually gotten to talking about anything but, if her reputation was something to be trusted, she was a woman to fear. An eldar, someone who was way older than he could ever be. Their appearances was something he liked to shift into every now and then.

He turned his attention back at Emmony, a grin forming on his face. "No more so than usual." He said with a wink and then grabbed hold of the mug, tipping it ever so slightly to take a sip. Mhm, nothing like a good drink every now and then. Joseph may have never liked the idea of the rebellion - not that he sides with the Queen - but damn this bar's beverages were among the best he's ever tasted. "Well, what can I say, I can't get enough of it." He said with a shrug, even though he knew she couldn't see it.

Joseph's eyebrows quirked. "A useful piece of garment." He nodded, now understanding why she usually wears it aside from the fact that it put off so many customers before. Honestly, why were they so disturbed by the sight of her clouded eyes? It wasn't normal, but what was normal in this society? Changelings like him could change their appearances. Shapeshifters could change into animals. Dragons could turn into their partial human forms. All that, and they're disturbed by eyes? Goodness, it seemed so superficial. He took note of the faltering of her face, something so easily seen when you're so focused on them only. But he supposed it was alright for Emmony to be wearing it out of practicality, instead of wearing it for the sake of others.

He lowered his voice. "I've heard some rumors through the grapevine that the Queen's grip on reality and herself is getting more and more loose. I suggest you all be careful." Joseph said, concern playing in his voice until he uttered the next phrase. "It'd be a shame to lose such a good tavern." The tone he adopted was now much more cheerful and joking. "It wouldn't exactly be nice to see you in shackles either." He then took another sip from his mug, interested in what kind of reaction the calm Seer would give him.

awriternamedian

 

[idalie]

Lady Evangeline Dubois​

Midway through her enthusiastic, springing pace, came the sounds of something far different to what she'd heard only moments prior. Turning her head quickly, causing the volume of her hair to abruptly bounce in reaction, Eva paused stock still. Glacier gaze seeking out the result of the clattering fall - and finding the bottom of a staircase, at which sat a young man; presumably dazed from the look on his face. Evangeline immediately set off in a run, landing on her knees almost painfully in front of Caelyn as a sharp intake of air slipped past her lips. "Are you okay?!" The healer questioned beseechingly, grabbing the boys hand to press her fingertips into the wrist lightly - seeking a pulse. Of course, it was just preliminary checks before she began manhandling.

Palms on either side of Caelyn's cheeks peering into his eyes and checking every inch of skin for anything more than a bruise. "That's a nasty bump on the head, you should be more careful! ... Unless someone did this then I'll give them a thrashing," She frowned, breaking the flawless appearance of her brow. Waiting for the boy - as he currently was viewed - to sit up a little further and regain his speech. "How're you feeling? Dizzy at all?" There appeared some mild concussion but nothing too severe. No blood, nor broken bones. Only a healthy dose of confusion and pain.

She might've been overbearing at times, but in truth, her concern was supposed to mean well. The kind of enthusiasm that showed itself in a boisterous manner, but held undertones of enough care that it was something akin to a sibling. Only one with a mad blonde bob who you'd never met, and frankly was neither extroverted or introverted. Empathetic - yes, but defining her social preferences was like trying to catch air with a net.

Delving into the satchel on her hip, Eva dug through the contents in search for something. At last finding a bottle, which she half dipped a handkerchief into, scented with lemons and aloe vera, hinted by lavender and bitter leafy arnica; the healer put her hand on the back of her current 'patients' neck to bring Caelyn's head forward, gently dabbing the ointment onto the affected area. "I use this for kids all the time, they get far more bruises than you." Dubois let out a soft laugh. Focusing intently on the small, but important job of making the small injury more bearable. It was her occupation after all. "You won't die, that's the good thing, right? It's just a tumble. Look - right as rain!" She exclaimed, pulling away.​

​

awriternamedian

 

[The Fluffiest Floof]

Spoiler: Quote 1

The night was starting well. They were reasonably busy, it was a good crowd, everybody seemed to be getting along. Nobody was drunk yet, which was very much helpful. He fingered the club he kept under the bar absently. Some part of him hoped there would be trouble later in the night. It had been a while since he’d had the chance to hurt anyone, and he could start to feel the itch under his skin. With a sigh, he shook the feeling away. All that was missing now was...

He grinned as Katie sat down directly in front of him. “You look especially peeved tonight,” he remarked to the ever stoic Eldar. “Run into some guards outside again?” There was amusement in his voice as he asked, setting a full mug down in front of probably one of his most important customers. Not that he would let that detail out to anyone, even her. Especially her. No, while she was still undecided, still on the fence about where she stood between the Queen and the whispered of rebellion, he would not tip his hand. Not and risk driving her away.

Having said his bit, and given her what she'd come in for, he didn't continue, instead pretending to focus on wiping out some dirty mugs right near her. That way, if she wanted to talk, she could. And if not, he wouldn't seem like he was pressing her. That was important. Not that he should be so worried about tipping his hand. This was what he was good at, this subterfuge and subtle coercion. One couldn't be too cautious though.

Across the room Emmony darted between tables, making small talk and laughing with old friends, occasionally redirecting barmaids. As she stepped behind the bar, she heard a familiar voice call her name. Grinning in his direction, she laughed, "Joseph, always a pleasure to see you. So to speak." She propped her elbows on the bar top and cupped her chin in one hand, those sightless eyes bright with amusement beneath her black scarf. "I think we're doing alright for ourselves tonight, but as always, I'll keep you in mind." Tapping the bar playfully, she twirled away to get him his usual.

She scrunched her nose at him as she set the mug down on the bar. "Trying to get under my clothing again, hm?" Emmony said, almost flirtatiously, idly tugging on one of her braids. "As if you haven't seen it before. Besides, it serves a practical purpose as well. Believe it or not, it helps filter out unwanted visions." It was no secret that she was a Seer, so she never felt it necessary to squelch talk about what she Sees. For a moment, she remembered the almost vision she'd been struck with earlier that day, and her expression faltered. No, that would be put aside for another time.

---

The castle always seemed cold to her, compared to the city. To her? To him. He'd already changed forms multiple times since entering. There'd still be a couple more changes, though not all of them gender thankfully. It was a relief not to have to completely change her outfit each time. His outfit. Caelyn shook himself, focusing on his work. He tucked his brown hair behind his ears, grey eyes scanning the corridors for people, dropping to the floor each time someone appeared. He didn't want to make eye contact. Eye contact made it more likely someone would stop and talk to him.

He made his way through the halls quickly, as if in a rush, clutching his bag to the side. While he wanted to hurry, he also took care to make sure that he didn't look suspicious. Just a servant late to fulfill his duties or meet his mistress. Which is where he was headed at the time. Well, not to his mistress per say. But she was certainly a lady. This would be his last paper message. After that would be the royal cook, vocal message. Then finally a guard, another vocal message.

The door finally appeared in front of him and he took a deep breath before knocking. A soft voice called for him to enter. As he slid into the room, the woman didn't look up, too focused on whatever it was she was writing. When she finally did, the corner of her lips twisted up into a smile.

"Hello there Asher," she said, turning in her chair and smoothing her skirts. Always a different name. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of them all. "Always a pleasure to see you again. What do you have for me today?"

Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the small message and passed it to her, careful not to let their skin touch. She frowned slightly at his reservedness, before turning her attention to the message. Her eyes scanned over it quickly, widening slightly as she finished.

"Oh, well this is a surprise. And not a pleasant one either." She tapped her delicate fingers on her desk, lost in thought, before nodding. "Alright, I'd like you to deliver a message to Allan please. A spoken one." Caelyn just barely managed to hold back a sigh. Of course. She was one of the people who seemed to enjoy making the quiet creature speak.

"Tell him that I promise to keep a close eye on the nobles, on who is coming to and fro that part of the city and whether or not they're bringing back whispers of this incident." She paused for a moment, thinking, before nodding her head. "I think that's all." Her full lips twisted into a sad frown. "And tell him that the Queen is in a bad way today. I'm worried she's getting worse, if that's possible. Anyways. Please repeat back the message."

Caelyn took a deep breath, calming his nerves, before saying, "Lady Marione says that she shall keep a close eye on the nobles coming to and fro that part of the city and whether or not they're bringing back whispers of this incident. She also says that the Queen is in a bad way today, and she's worried that she's getting worse."

The lady smiled softly as he finished. She always enjoyed listening to his musical voice, and often wished she could take him for her own servant. Ah, to be able to listen to him speak more frequently, to have this sweet and delicate boy near her whenever she wished. With a sigh, she dismissed him, turning back to her own writing.

The changeling was gone in an instant, hurrying back down the corridor. Lady Marione was one of his least favorite people to visit. Not because she wasn't sweet, which she was, but because she seemed to like him too much. It made him uncomfortable. Thankfully their next visit never did that to them. The cook they had to visit was a gruff older woman, who reminded him very much of the cook at the tavern. It was a comforting comparison.

In their haste to be done with this trip, they didn't pay as much attention as they should have while hurrying around the corner towards the stairs, and so nearly slammed head first into a guard. A surprised squeak escaped, echoed by the guard's annoyed growl, and they spun away quickly towards the stairs. Too quickly, as they lost their feet about halfway down, tumbling the rest of the way to land in a heap at the bottom. A low groan escaped him as he tried to sit up, only to find that the world spun.

The Fluffiest Floof AI10100 idalie

Katherine watched Allan prepare the mug, of course not without giving his remarks. She nodded. "Yes, they wanted to close the tavern again. You know, I don't care if the queen destroys her kingdom, I don't care if the rebels do, but nobody is going to take my favorite tavern. And if they bring the elites of their army here and want to turn it to dust, I won't let it happen without a fight." She sighed, drinking a big sip of her drink. There was little she cared for and this tavern was one of the those few things. She watched Allan clean the mugs. She wasn't the one to start a conversation. Never had been.

Spoiler: Quote 2

Lady Evangeline Dubois​

Midway through her enthusiastic, springing pace, came the sounds of something far different to what she'd heard only moments prior. Turning her head quickly, causing the volume of her hair to abruptly bounce in reaction, Eva paused stock still. Glacier gaze seeking out the result of the clattering fall - and finding the bottom of a staircase, at which sat a young man; presumably dazed from the look on his face. Evangeline immediately set off in a run, landing on her knees almost painfully in front of Caelyn as a sharp intake of air slipped past her lips. "Are you okay?!" The healer questioned beseechingly, grabbing the boys hand to press her fingertips into the wrist lightly - seeking a pulse. Of course, it was just preliminary checks before she began manhandling.

Palms on either side of Caelyn's cheeks peering into his eyes and checking every inch of skin for anything more than a bruise. "That's a nasty bump on the head, you should be more careful! ... Unless someone did this then I'll give them a thrashing," She frowned, breaking the flawless appearance of her brow. Waiting for the boy - as he currently was viewed - to sit up a little further and regain his speech. "How're you feeling? Dizzy at all?" There appeared some mild concussion but nothing too severe. No blood, nor broken bones. Only a healthy dose of confusion and pain.

She might've been overbearing at times, but in truth, her concern was supposed to mean well. The kind of enthusiasm that showed itself in a boisterous manner, but held undertones of enough care that it was something akin to a sibling. Only one with a mad blonde bob who you'd never met, and frankly was neither extroverted or introverted. Empathetic - yes, but defining her social preferences was like trying to catch air with a net.

Delving into the satchel on her hip, Eva dug through the contents in search for something. At last finding a bottle, which she half dipped a handkerchief into, scented with lemons and aloe vera, hinted by lavender and bitter leafy arnica; the healer put her hand on the back of her current 'patients' neck to bring Caelyn's head forward, gently dabbing the ointment onto the affected area. "I use this for kids all the time, they get far more bruises than you." Dubois let out a soft laugh. Focusing intently on the small, but important job of making the small injury more bearable. It was her occupation after all. "You won't die, that's the good thing, right? It's just a tumble. Look - right as rain!" She exclaimed, pulling away.​

​

awriternamedian

Mialona was strolling through the halls. She did not have much to do, she needed a new tome to study. Sadly, her massive shelves held none that she had not finished already. While walking the halls, she hummed a unknown melody. She seemed to make it up as she went, but then again, she seemed to have it memorized. Like that, she had been strolling the halls for quite some time. She had heard many conversations, not few about a tavern with an interesting name. But she had not found something that really intrigued her. Until now.

"Don't you think wasting supplies on a servant is a little too much, if it isn't a serious injury...?" The mage had the habbit to be absolutely silent when walking and as she had stopped humming the second she saw Evangeline, it would have been hard to notice her before her speech. She looked at the servant. He looked unfamiliar, but one couldn't know all the lower servants that ran around the castle, specially since the nobles had personal servants on mass. Still, something felt odd. The magic in her eyes tingled. As if the servant had something to hide. The two could see her eyes becoming brighter in their blue glow. Mialona chose to ignore it. Everybody had secrets and the ones of low servants were in most cases boring, not worth her time. "Are you a personal servant? Or why haven't I seen you before?" She giggled. The question and her expression didn't seem suspicious, more so cutely curious, like a teenager girl inquiring about a crush.

 

[Cosmo]

Asavar fought the urge to reach out and grab the small woman who sprinted past him yelling something about his helmet, although exactly what she had said was lost to him, upon reflection he was fairly sure that was Lady Dubois, the castle physician and while he wanted to know what she had decided to yell at him, lifting her up and interrogating her like a kitten who had relieved themselves in the wrong spot was not worth the headache it would cause. She had other task she could be doing instead of satisfying his curiosity or possible bruised ego. Still, the sudden shock of a little woman yelling at him did much to deflate his past anger... and bring back the foreboding knowledge of the large amount of paper work that still needed to be done.

Most of it were merely reports from the surrounding towns and patrols as it seemed many people in this city were under the delusion that the Queen's Realm ended at the city walls, they did not. Banditry, beastkin raids and other... activities were on the rise in the countryside, other papers were simply request from various nobles in the city requesting an audience with the queen, most were simply for show as they knew their request were going to be tossed out of hand. The most pressing of these was a dilemma had was not yet ready to render a verdict on, Draven Gallaworth, a baron of no small means, had been overthrown and executed by his serfs, the men-at-arms who were supposed to protect him either aiding the serfs or casting aside their weaponry. By the rule of the law, the peasants were to be executed for such a thing, yet, Asavar could not truly fault them, the baron, himself, had been breaking the law, taking more then his share from them and taking certain... liberties with some of them. He had pushed them to the breaking point, and in turn, they lashed out like beaten dogs. If possible, Asavar would have pushed it under a rug and had it privately dealt with after some investigations, but whispers about the accident spread through certain social rings, the baron's daughter, and heir, demanded justice... so it would have to be a public spectacle to some degree, and more importantly, it set a precedent. Asavar did not blame the serfs and, in some way, agreed with their actions, however, the act of rising up against one's superiors, regardless of the reason, could not be condone else others get ideas beyond their station... it was especially concerning thanks to the current... situation within the capital, rebels and dissidents could not be validated. Truly, give him rebels or criminals if it would spare him from bureaucracy.

-----​

Asavar leaned against the small wall that overlooked the training yard, his dark eyes falling upon his training 'post', but calling it a post was generous. It was a very large, and old, oak tree. The bark shaved off after repeated blows and wrapped in thick rope to help strengthen it. The standard wooden training post did not last long against him and this was a cost effective solution. His eyes drifted to the rest of the grounds, eyeing the castle guard as they spared and went through their motions, his trained eye spotting many deficiencies that would need to be corrected, but he could not spot their trainers, perhaps it was just some of the guard training on their free time? It would be commendable, but upon further inspection, there was only two sparing, the rest were watching, laughing and jeering, a personal vendetta that had gotten out of hand? Sport? Either way, it was unacceptable. He rose to his full height and started to make his way to them, they would train until they emptied the contents of their stomachs if what he thought was happening came to be true.




idalie

 

[awriternamedian]

"It's good to know we have such a staunch defender," he said, giving her somewhere between an amused and a thankful grin. Turning his attention from her for a moment, his eyes darted around the tavern, watching the slowly arriving crowd, taking note of different persons of interest, keeping an eye out for troublemakers. There were a few more guards than usual, looking a little tense. He'd have to keep tabs on them. But most of them were regulars. They should loosen up after a few pints of ale. There was Kiita, giving him an idle wave. He returned it, before continuing his perusal.

There by the door stood a woman who looked a little out of place, and maybe a little lost. She was well dressed, much more-so than his usual patrons. A lady perhaps. Another person to keep an eye on. He wasn't certain how he felt about strange gentlewoman wandering into his tavern. If she was still here in a bit, he'd direct Emmony over towards her. Or perhaps Caelyn, if the changeling returned any time soon. What was taking them so long, he had no idea.

Finally, his attention turned back to the woman sitting near him. What felt like long minutes of observation took at most thirty seconds, his mind working quickly to process everything. It helped that he was so detail oriented. "I wouldn't worry too much about us though," he finally continued, straightening the mugs he'd just cleaned and tucking his rag into the belt cinched around his lean waist. "We have a number of resources and ways to protect ourselves. Not the least of which being my sister." He nodded over at the woman. "Having a Seer around comes in handy."

---

Had she been able to, she would have winked at him. "There's no fooling a blind woman," she teased, fluttering her fingers at him. "Now, if you'd like me to tell your future, then I'd happily take it off for you. Though I find for the most part, very few people actually want to know." She frowned for a moment before laughing, "That, and I'm not usually fond of doing such things for friends. There's always the risk I'll see something they don't want me to see." In fact, she avoided it when she could. Just as she tried to avoid touching people too much when her eyes were uncovered. There had been too many accidents lately, her carefully cultivated control slipping. Things in the kingdom were changing more rapidly than ever now, and her mind seemed to be tuned in to that. Having always had a natural inclination towards prophetic visions, it was a little worrying to her.

Playing idly with her braids, she took note of the changes in his tone, finding them almost more amusing than the words themselves. "We're cautious, of course, but we're not too worried about getting shut down. Too many of the Queen's men spend their time here to have an interest in that." A grin split her lips. "And I can't tell you how many times we've had guards march in here with orders to shut us down, only to be charmed by Allan into seeing the benefits of not doing so. After which, most of them become regulars."

The tall woman leaned forward slightly, hands pressed down against the bar, as if to admit a secret, or something of great importance. "But you know," she said, her voice low, inviting him to lean in to listen. "Shackles, when used correctly, can be very nice." A laugh escaped as she stood back up straight, pressing a hand over her mouth to hide the grin that spread there.

---

Before Caelyn could catch his bearings, a body landed quite forcefully in front of him. He jumped, and then groaned as the world spun again. Stupid. That was so stupid. He should have been more careful. Changing while injured was immensely painful, even with no wounds or broken bones, and he still had at least two more to do before he could leave. There was nothing to be done about it though, he'd have to come back tomorrow to finish his message deliveries. Thankfully, there was nothing urgent.

The boy was startled from his thoughts as a hand forcefully grabbed one of his, reminding him of the body that had appeared quite suddenly. He looked up, eyes wide as they briefly met hers. "I-I'm okay, just dizzy," he murmured, holding still as she check him for bruises and trying not to flinch at the touch of her hands. He didn't let people touch him very often. But this girl was okay. She seemed gentle and caring. He was generally more at ease around women, especially ones who didn't carry weapons.

Embarrassment put a tinge of pink in his cheeks as she finally finished. "I got spooked by a guard and turned away too fast. Took the stairs too quickly and stumbled. That's all." He offered her a somewhat shaky smile. She seemed nice, though a little energetic, and something about her soothed his generally anxious nature. "Thank you. For taking care of me."

A new voice made him jump again, though he held back his pained groan this time. His wide, somewhat frightened eyes took in the newcomer and fear stole his words. Whoever this was, she radiated power. This was the kind of person he needed to avoid while in the castle, and here he was, crumpled on the floor in front of one. The woman's giggle set her nerves on edge. Her nerves? Wasn't she a boy? Yes, him. His nerves. The woman made him nervous, which made his grip on her own reality looser. His reality.

Swallowing hard, she forced a calmness he didn't feel. "I-I'm not a servant," he lied. The lie was careful and well executed, something that, despite his fearful nature, he was good at. She had to be. He did. "I work in the city. M-my sister is a seamstress here. I was visiting." This was too much talking to somebody he didn't know. She didn't even like talking to people he did know, let alone strangers. The sound of his own voice made her nervous. Him. Him nervous. Black tendrils crept around the edges of his vision, but he fought them back. There was no time for madness now.

The Fluffiest Floof AI10100 idalie

 

[AI10100]

Joseph grinned at her as he sipped from his mug once more. There were little things that he feared, those being something that he could never stop. Death, however, was not one of them. Nor having his secrets spilled out onto the ground. It made life a lot more fun - knowing that you had a deadline and also feeling the rush of a gamble with your own life. It was a feeling only a small amount of people understand. "I don't know about that~" He hummed, placing the mug back on the counter as he turned his head ever so slightly to the side to look at the other patrons. "I don't mind knowing a bit about my future." He admitted. However, he then added rather quickly. "But where's the fun in that? Knowing what would inevitably happen..." He shrugged and shook his head. "There's a certain thrill to delving into the unknown, don't you think so Emm?" Asking a Seer about the 'unknown' future may not be the best idea, considering they were the kind of people who could see it, accurately or not. But of course, that mere fact didn't stop Joseph from asking.

"Well, if you say so..." He said with no hint of uncertainty in his voice. He raised his mug again and then said, "As long as the tavern is still up and going, I don't really care what you do." He grinned at her before taking another swig. Though it may not be entirely truthful, there were more 'important' things to worry about for him. So he decided to just let them be.

At the motion of her leaning forward to whisper something, he leaned forward as well. The next words to be uttered elicited quite the heart laugh from the Changeling. A good humored joke, only a little dirtier than most. Though for him, any joke is still a joke. Though once that died down, there was simply a grin on his face. "Might I ask you a question?" Without waiting for the answer, he continued. "Where do you think the best place to cause trouble is? I've done so many that my list is getting shorter. Where oh where would my next target be?" He hummed, drumming his fingers on the counter. Though his intentions were clearly malicious, his pranks never seemed to go any further than getting the people to jump around in panic as explosives - fireworks - are set off into the sky without warning. They weren't so harmful as to be worried about. Though being on the job is an entirely different thing.

awriternamedian

 

[idalie]

Lady Evangeline Dubois​

Turning to glare over her shoulder, Eva scowled. "Don't be so rude and inconsiderate! I ought to give you a right lecture. No matter status, nor injury, one should be able to empathise and care. I am not 'wasting' my supplies on this boy, because he's just as - if not more - important than you." The physician snapped. "And stop staring, that's unpolite! How would you feel if I stared like some - beady-eyed vulture!" Eva jabbed her finger toward Mialona, turning her head up with a sniff. "He's much too young for you, old crone. So stop scaring him." Dubois features, usually somewhat on the paler side, were pink with indignation.

But she softened, reasserting her gaze towards Caelyn. "Don't worry about telling her anything, she's just a nosy good-for-nothing. Now, you should be more careful - I know I've said it once but you could've really hurt yourself there, and these stairs aren't forgiving. Why, I know a few people who've broken legs and arms. As for the guards? A load of pish-" She waved her hand with a light laugh. "Absolute babies when they're sick. Always trying to outdo one another on who has the worst flu." Dubois put her hand to his forehead after noticing his eyes unfocusing.

"Hm, maybe it's worse than I thought." She bit her lip, rolling it between her teeth with indecision. "I was already on my way out, why don't you come with? I'll even pay a carriage to take you the rest of the way if it's nowhere near where I'm going. I don't think it's good for you to be alone until this concussion passes - which means keeping your water and salts up, and resting." Eva tipped her head and smiled before her eyes widened in realisation. "Oh, I should introduce myself though! I'm Eva-" She held out a hand. "Wouldn't want to go somewhere with someone you don't know, right? But that's if you want to, of course. I won't force you." The healer let out a light chuckle. "I'm in a bit of a tizzy, apologies."

Resting a palm on her chest, she breathed in deeply, before letting it go. "Right. I'm sorry for snapping, Mialona, but you really must reassess your morals. And also your staring." She added quaintly, placing her arm delicately around the shifters shoulders, Evangeline quirked her eyebrow in question. "Do you think you can get up?"

awriternamedian The Fluffiest Floof

 

[The Fluffiest Floof]

The rather large radiant figure made his way upon the land. Aegis was on patrol like he usually was, as he had been for quite some time. His armor gleamed, his sword no where to be seen as it was within its hilt. As he moved through the pathways of the city, occasionally people would look at him, clearly intimidated by the almost other worldly seeming individual. He could see who was new around the area, just by many reactions alone, as the rich who were used to living in said area were used to him, sometimes they would even greet, him others would thank him for keeping their family safe for so long. He would merely give a nod to them, and reply that he was merely preforming his duty, and spent no more time on the subject.

In someways Aegis found the changes in Lathien quite interesting, since he had been around for arguably much longer then most humans, he had seen many inventions which he had no idea would be created, but at this point he figured that it was destiny for man to advance in a way. On the other hand though change wasn't always welcome, he did not appreciate the current climate, the tension so to speak. Though he didn't really have anyone to discuss the issue with, since he spent most of his time patrolling, when he wasn't patrolling he was often relaxing or sleeping after a hard day's work. However there was rare Occasion when Aegis would actually go out on the town and interact in a non-business fashion provided his job allowed him too. Though at the same time the changes in the buildings and increase of soldiers felt a bit unsettling to Aegis at times. He wasn't sure if the change was necessarily going in the right direction or not. It seemed the farther he made his way from the richer regions the atmosphere became less appealing, as tension felt higher...

As Aegis continued down a central road, he couldn't help but hear some commotion which was occurring.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU RAVEN STARVER!" he heard a man bellow out. Aegis would move his visage towards the source of the sound. It appeared a street dwelling child had stolen a loaf of a bread off of a market cart of sorts and was now making a run for it. Aegis knew that the thief would most likely get away quite easily if he didn't act. As a result Aegis would make an extremely large leap across the path IN FRONT of the child with the stolen good. When Aegis landed, the earth broke below him as his feet left small craters in the ground. With sleight of hand Aegis would pick the boy up, and pry the bread out of his hands fairly easily, without saying a word. He'd then walk over back to the cart, still carrying the boy and bread, and he'd hand back to the cart owner.

"T-Thank you sir!" The presumably cart owner would merely say a bit nervously.

"Under the law's Jurisdiction you are under arrest for participating in the act of thievery. "

He merely said rather plainly, however much as the boy would struggle, nothing would budge, as Aegis took out handcuffs of sorts and put them on the lad. Despite the condition seeming undernourished for the boy, and his age probably not being higher than twelve or so, Aegis couldn't afford to be lenient, the law was there to be upheld, otherwise there would be chaos.
Aegis would then very casual, string the boy over his back, and begin to make his way back towards where the boy would be detained and processed, for the time being, ,before his charges would be brought up.....If he was seen as guilty there were many rather unpleasant potential punishments which could be bestowed upon the boy. None of this mattered to Aegis as he was merely doing his job, and upholding the law. Overall it wasn't very difficult for Aegis to get people detained, many were lucky that he didn't merely abuse his power... At That Aegis headed towards the detainment area...

Lady Evangeline Dubois​

Turning to glare over her shoulder, Eva scowled. "Don't be so rude and inconsiderate! I ought to give you a right lecture. No matter status, nor injury, one should be able to empathise and care. I am not 'wasting' my supplies on this boy, because he's just as - if not more - important than you." The physician snapped. "And stop staring, that's unpolite! How would you feel if I stared like some - beady-eyed vulture!" Eva jabbed her finger toward Mialona, turning her head up with a sniff. "He's much too young for you, old crone. So stop scaring him." Dubois features, usually somewhat on the paler side, were pink with indignation.

But she softened, reasserting her gaze towards Caelyn. "Don't worry about telling her anything, she's just a nosy good-for-nothing. Now, you should be more careful - I know I've said it once but you could've really hurt yourself there, and these stairs aren't forgiving. Why, I know a few people who've broken legs and arms. As for the guards? A load of pish-" She waved her hand with a light laugh. "Absolute babies when they're sick. Always trying to outdo one another on who has the worst flu." Dubois put her hand to his forehead after noticing his eyes unfocusing.

"Hm, maybe it's worse than I thought." She bit her lip, rolling it between her teeth with indecision. "I was already on my way out, why don't you come with? I'll even pay a carriage to take you the rest of the way if it's nowhere near where I'm going. I don't think it's good for you to be alone until this concussion passes - which means keeping your water and salts up, and resting." Eva tipped her head and smiled before her eyes widened in realisation. "Oh, I should introduce myself though! I'm Eva-" She held out a hand. "Wouldn't want to go somewhere with someone you don't know, right? But that's if you want to, of course. I won't force you." The healer let out a light chuckle. "I'm in a bit of a tizzy, apologies."

Resting a palm on her chest, she breathed in deeply, before letting it go. "Right. I'm sorry for snapping, Mialona, but you really must reassess your morals. And also your staring." She added quaintly, placing her arm delicately around the shifters shoulders, Evangeline quirked her eyebrow in question. "Do you think you can get up?"

awriternamedian The Fluffiest Floof

"It's good to know we have such a staunch defender," he said, giving her somewhere between an amused and a thankful grin. Turning his attention from her for a moment, his eyes darted around the tavern, watching the slowly arriving crowd, taking note of different persons of interest, keeping an eye out for troublemakers. There were a few more guards than usual, looking a little tense. He'd have to keep tabs on them. But most of them were regulars. They should loosen up after a few pints of ale. There was Kiita, giving him an idle wave. He returned it, before continuing his perusal.

There by the door stood a woman who looked a little out of place, and maybe a little lost. She was well dressed, much more-so than his usual patrons. A lady perhaps. Another person to keep an eye on. He wasn't certain how he felt about strange gentlewoman wandering into his tavern. If she was still here in a bit, he'd direct Emmony over towards her. Or perhaps Caelyn, if the changeling returned any time soon. What was taking them so long, he had no idea.

Finally, his attention turned back to the woman sitting near him. What felt like long minutes of observation took at most thirty seconds, his mind working quickly to process everything. It helped that he was so detail oriented. "I wouldn't worry too much about us though," he finally continued, straightening the mugs he'd just cleaned and tucking his rag into the belt cinched around his lean waist. "We have a number of resources and ways to protect ourselves. Not the least of which being my sister." He nodded over at the woman. "Having a Seer around comes in handy."

---

Had she been able to, she would have winked at him. "There's no fooling a blind woman," she teased, fluttering her fingers at him. "Now, if you'd like me to tell your future, then I'd happily take it off for you. Though I find for the most part, very few people actually want to know." She frowned for a moment before laughing, "That, and I'm not usually fond of doing such things for friends. There's always the risk I'll see something they don't want me to see." In fact, she avoided it when she could. Just as she tried to avoid touching people too much when her eyes were uncovered. There had been too many accidents lately, her carefully cultivated control slipping. Things in the kingdom were changing more rapidly than ever now, and her mind seemed to be tuned in to that. Having always had a natural inclination towards prophetic visions, it was a little worrying to her.

Playing idly with her braids, she took note of the changes in his tone, finding them almost more amusing than the words themselves. "We're cautious, of course, but we're not too worried about getting shut down. Too many of the Queen's men spend their time here to have an interest in that." A grin split her lips. "And I can't tell you how many times we've had guards march in here with orders to shut us down, only to be charmed by Allan into seeing the benefits of not doing so. After which, most of them become regulars."

The tall woman leaned forward slightly, hands pressed down against the bar, as if to admit a secret, or something of great importance. "But you know," she said, her voice low, inviting him to lean in to listen. "Shackles, when used correctly, can be very nice." A laugh escaped as she stood back up straight, pressing a hand over her mouth to hide the grin that spread there.

---

Before Caelyn could catch his bearings, a body landed quite forcefully in front of him. He jumped, and then groaned as the world spun again. Stupid. That was so stupid. He should have been more careful. Changing while injured was immensely painful, even with no wounds or broken bones, and he still had at least two more to do before he could leave. There was nothing to be done about it though, he'd have to come back tomorrow to finish his message deliveries. Thankfully, there was nothing urgent.

The boy was startled from his thoughts as a hand forcefully grabbed one of his, reminding him of the body that had appeared quite suddenly. He looked up, eyes wide as they briefly met hers. "I-I'm okay, just dizzy," he murmured, holding still as she check him for bruises and trying not to flinch at the touch of her hands. He didn't let people touch him very often. But this girl was okay. She seemed gentle and caring. He was generally more at ease around women, especially ones who didn't carry weapons.

Embarrassment put a tinge of pink in his cheeks as she finally finished. "I got spooked by a guard and turned away too fast. Took the stairs too quickly and stumbled. That's all." He offered her a somewhat shaky smile. She seemed nice, though a little energetic, and something about her soothed his generally anxious nature. "Thank you. For taking care of me."

A new voice made him jump again, though he held back his pained groan this time. His wide, somewhat frightened eyes took in the newcomer and fear stole his words. Whoever this was, she radiated power. This was the kind of person he needed to avoid while in the castle, and here he was, crumpled on the floor in front of one. The woman's giggle set her nerves on edge. Her nerves? Wasn't she a boy? Yes, him. His nerves. The woman made him nervous, which made his grip on her own reality looser. His reality.

Swallowing hard, she forced a calmness he didn't feel. "I-I'm not a servant," he lied. The lie was careful and well executed, something that, despite his fearful nature, he was good at. She had to be. He did. "I work in the city. M-my sister is a seamstress here. I was visiting." This was too much talking to somebody he didn't know. She didn't even like talking to people he did know, let alone strangers. The sound of his own voice made her nervous. Him. Him nervous. Black tendrils crept around the edges of his vision, but he fought them back. There was no time for madness now.

The Fluffiest Floof AI10100 idalie

Mialona witnessed the sudden outburst with a confused expression. For a moment she was silent. Everybody knew the archmage was unstable, there was a good chance she would just sway her hand and make Evangeline a living torch. But nothing like that happened. Instead, she tilted her head to the side, looking at the boy. Then, she looked at Eva. She shook her head. "Maybe I must.", she floated. Her stare then got intense towards Evangeline. "I suppose some people don't know how to properly behave and treat others..." Her eyes lit up. Literally. They shone even brighter, piercing, as if staring a hole right into the healers soul. "Or where their place is." Then, her eyes showed nothing but kindness. "Good thing we it happened now and we can correct mistakes, instead of having it happen in a situation with worse consequences."

When she finished with her unspoken threat towards the healer, she looked at the boy again. "Visiting, huh? What's your sisters name?" She knew he was lying. But she didn't really care. She was bored and just wanted to feel his panic. But her smile never faded. Like that, she stared down the boy, with kind eyes. A kindness that could make your blood freeze. After waiting for the reply, she ignored it and turned on the heel, heading away. This scene was boring and there was little to expect.

She strolled the halls some more, looking for something fun to do, but she didn't find anything. Therefore, she headed out of the castle. It wasn't usual, but she soon felt drawn to something. A magical energy. She felt it. Not for the first time. It was powerful and ancient. Then she saw him, towering high over the normal townsfolk. Aegis. Immediately, she walked to him slow pacedly. "Aegis! Good to see you. Still wearing that arcane armor I see... And who's your little... Friend? Son? Who's the lucky mother?"

 

[Silki.Knight]

The tavern was filling up nicely this evening. Kiitaniarra watched Joseph flirting shamelessly, as well as the other patrons. She felt restless this evening. That in itself wasn't unusual for her; she had a restless soul. Or so she had been told once or twice. She tapped her finger idly on the bar top, debating what she wished to do. There options were broad and limitless. Mostly though, she felt restless on a deeper level. Her instincts were riding high in her. She hadn't shifted in some time and that always made her skin tingle after a time. The animal within her soul seeking release. Maybe she could go terrorize the palace as a cat.

That thought made Kiita's eyes nearly glow, and little flecks of silvery gray sparked within the blue and green irises. The feline affinity she had reflected in her grin now. It was catty wry. The experience would burn off her unease in her human body. Though, there was always a risk she could be caught. That could be a rather interesting learning experince, though. She had such a collection of had won skills to break into and out of places. Would the palace be able to hold her if they caught her?

The risk that she would be caught wasn't nearly as much of a deterrent to Kitta as it should have been. If she was caught, sh would probably be killed off fairly quickly. Death was not... a terrifying thought to her, although she much would prefer to live and cause more havoc if she could. Mayhem was such a delight.

Uconsciously, Kiita's pupils began to elongate into more feline slits. She could feel the animal pelt rubbing against her skin in attempt to break free. She rolled hr shoulders, pushing the sensation away. No, this was not the place to shift.

With a slow deep breath in, and an even slower exhale, Kiita rigned the feeling in. Her eyes, nornal again, scanned the crowd some more. This time it was a much more seriously gaze. Watching the intractions and noting details. Let the bar fill up a bit more, perhaps. Let things settle into an evening lull. Cats were creatuers of the night after all. Even at that, it would be wise to scope out the place. It was early evening now and she didn't have much more than a few hours to deside on the the best way in and out, as well as where she would attack. Somelace with several people to see that she could scare, but couldn't bee too many guards. The thought of getting caught didn't raise enough concern within her, but she didn't especially wish to be caught.

Without any warning, she stood and stretched leisurely. She was grinning again, she steps lightly and almost bouncing as she made her way out. She did have to stop suddenly as a rather imposing figure pushed into the bar suddenly. The woman was tall with black eyes that sparked with silver. Her entire demeanor was hostile, and Kiita unconsciously rtreated a couple of steps. Those black eyes pierced her for a moment, and her instincts bristled. She grinned wider, challenging, daring, irreverent above all else.

The woman towered more than a foot over Kiita, and at her grin began to step foreward. Kiita slid her foot to the side and deftly twisted around the stranger and out the door before a scene could be made. She thought that she saw a hand reach for her out of the corner of her eye, but it missed so it didn't matter either way. Now that she was outside, she made her way swiftly, towards the palace.

~ ` ~ ` ~
​

The training grounds were not empty, but the were not many people there either. Kiita pursed her lips asshe watched some of the men sparring from a roof of the nearest building. She'd already walked around the place a few times, but hadn't learned anything she hadn't already known from other times she'd surveyed it. The attention to guarding it was commendable. A ground approach was foolish and would not be easy, if even possible.

Now, she had made her way to rooftops. She was settled low against a chimney with the sun behind it. The shadows hid her well, but just to be safe she pulled them tighter to herself, melding seemlessly into the dark. Jumping down from some of the heights was out of the question, for her. Even a shifter could only take some much damage. True, if she broke her leg uon landing, she merely had to shift and she'd heal, but that was against what she wanted to do. No, she was going to be hungry enough without shifting to heal before she ate.

Hmm, food. She had to consider how she would deal with that little detail. Later, she thought, and returned her focus back to the grounds.

There was a wall here around the training area that would make for a break in her leap. It wasn't terribly wide, but solid, and she only only be alitting there for a moment before dropping the rest of the way to the ground. It was one of the best routes in that she had seen so far. It looked promising, but she was thorough in all her reconnisance and would keep looking.

The sun was getting low on the horizon, the bottom nearly touhing the ground as she quickly and easily climbed back down the building on the side away from the palace. It was an alleyway, and seldom used. Still, she made sure no one was around to see her decent. Once on the ground, she strolled out and down the street as if she had every right to be there while examining more buildings to find her next perch for survailence.

She found it several blocks away. It was one of the taller buildings around the palace, and near the royal stables. The sun was slowly sinking to her right, but she had another chimney casting shadows that she pulled around her. She had no idea where her shadow gifts came from. Perhaps a long gone ancestor that wasn't a shapeshifter. She didn't know, but none of her family had it, so far as she could remember. It pulled at her energy reserces much like shifting did, only at a slower rate. She would would get tired if she did too much more, and she was going to be absolutely famished after she shifted.

Thinking about that she eyed the stables more closely. They sat against the outre wall, taller than it with a gently sloping roof. The height was nice. It would be easy to drop down on. If there was a building close enough to drop from. Unfortunately, she would have to make a running leap outward to reach it. It would likely make for a noisier landing than she wanted. Then again, the horses would start screaming as soon as her feline predator scent reached them.

Still, this would be the better way to get in for her plans. Food would be right there at hand. It would even draw in some guards to bat around for fun. Yes. Much fun she would have tonight.

Her eyes shifted to the silver gray, glowing for a moment as her nature came forth stronger in anticipation. As she watched, it looked as if the guards were switching shifts. Perfect.

Kiitaniarra knelt upon the roof and dropped her hold on the shadows. She was far enough back and still within the natural shadow fall to remain unseen as she let the animal within her out.

It hurt. A violent, fierce pain as her bones snapped within her, changing and realigning. Muscles and tendons stretched and contracted into the new form. Fur bristled through her skin; black, silky, and sleek.

A sliver-eyed black jaguar crept to the edge of the building now. Her ears were laid back as she eyed the place she would land once more. Her mind now given to the animal, more able to see and judge the leap. She chuffed out a breath. It was such a simple leap. She would make it.

Still crouching low, she slunk backwards several feet. The sun was nearly gone and sh could make out the sounds of the guards, distracted in their shift change. She rushed forward, fast, fast, fast. Running to the edge, placing each paw just so on it, and lept. The landing was smooth, only a muffled thump. The guards were likely too far away to have heard. She dug in her claws to keep from sliding and give her traction to launch quickly down the far side near the back of the stables.

Inside, a few horses bucked and kicked in surprise. Kiita ignored the sound, instead dropping down into the narrow space between the wall and stables. The shadows were deep, and her back fur vanish within them. A stray thought struck her. Couldn't she bring closer to her. Yes, as she thought about it she became aware of the shadows, but she did not need them now. She needed food. The pain of hunger clawed at her belly and she nearly snarled.

Keeping low to the ground, she stalked to the edge of the building. There was a side door about halfway down that was still open. The scent of the horse wafted out on the cooling night breeze. Hot and sweaty horses. Fresh meat, but no fun for a hunt pinned in their stalls. Easy to kill, no effort to catch. But the hunger ached within her.

Silently she pawed towards the doorway. Her movements sinuous and smooth. Little more than a flowing shadow along the wall. She looked inside. Horses where snorting, a couple whinnied nervously. They knew the danger come to them. They stamped and tossed their heads. No human was within.

Like an arrow Kiita rushed in leaping up and towards one of the largest horses. Front paws outstretched, mouth open wide, lips pulled back with teeth and claws out. The horse reared back, but she anticipated the action, leaping over the front hooves as the lashed out and clattered against the stall wall. She caught the neck high with her teeth ripping into flesh easily. Her paws came around and claws dug in lower holding tight. The force of the impact knocked the horse backwards and off balance. Her own back legs swinging to the side and into the wall as the horse fell. She pushed against it, taking the horse to the ground way she lay upon its kicking and struggling form.

Kiita bit harder, tasting the richness of the hot blood as it filled her mouth fast. The horse screamed a death cry. She shook it, tearing the flesh more. It died quickly.

As soon as it was dead, she let go, locked her lips and began to tear into the softest part of the body. The stomach. She had to eat fast. The other horses were screaming and kicking terror and the scent of fresh blood. They were stupid prey animals. Noisy and useless except for food. She barely chewed her bites. Gobbling the meat down like a young kit learning to eat meat. Too hungry to care.

The horse had been as black as Kiita was now. A massive beast. A good meal. Too bad it was a horse only for this one feast. It would have been excellent meal for days and days. Would be such a waste. But such a large beast would likely have been important to Queen's men. Would likely make them angry.

She chuffed again, more amusement this time. She liked her lips and looked around. She couldn't see anything but the wooden walls that had held the horse, but she listened. Men were getting close, and her hunger was.... eased. She wanted to eat more, but she also wanted to get into the palace. It would not do to get caught up fighting off guards in here.

One more quick bite was gobbled down and Kiita lept over the stall wall back into the open center. She looked around, horses where acting mad with fright. She growled and one managed to kick open it's stall and charge out. Oh, a distraction. Quickly, Kiita prowled down the stalls, using careful claws to catch the simple latches and open them one by one. It was only a moments work and all the horses were galloping out and away.

But now the guards were close, and Kiita leapt at one, knocking him to the ground as she ran out of the building. She swiped at his face drawing her claws through his skin before she jumped off and dashed across the grounds seeking the shadows where she could pull them in and hide. With the pain of hunger abaited, her thoughts had cleared and now her real fun would begin.

 

[Loki777]

The Fluffiest Floof

Aegis also felt a rather strong magical presence approaching, though it was quite familiar. Then he saw who it must have been, as she approached him. Some Towns people merely stopped and watched the affair as it wasn't very often that both the Sentinel and the mage were out in the common areas together. Aegis would smile under his helm at the familiar appearance. He would shift his body towards her, as the boy went with him, still on his shoulder. It appeared that the Boy wasn't even attempting to resist as if this had happened to him before, even so he probably felt like he couldn't move with the amount of force Aegis exerted upon him, most ordinary people would be unable too after all. Upon hearing her comments regarding a potential mother and the proposal it was his son, he couldn't help but blush a bit.

"It is a pleasure to greet you on this fine day." Aegis merely said to her before he decided he should probably clear up what was going on.

"I'm afraid it is nothing of the kind, I was on patrol you see, and this boy was stealing from a vendor. As you are aware it is my duty to ensure order, so I took it upon my self to stop the thief..." He merely said.

"I actually have half a notion to let him go..as I remember well what it was like to go hungry when I was young, but still the same the law has been the same here for years, stealing is a crime which is punishable, by stealing you forfeit your freedom...for however long is seen fit..."

"As a result I was talking him to processed and all of that upholding procedure."

"Do you have any input on the affair?..." He'd merely ask her curiously. He did know that Mialona usually had something to say which could be helpful at times. Though Aegis was inevitably worried about her due to her condition and what not So he'd make sure to check in and what not fairly frequently, since he considered her a friend even. He knew that if the queen was in danger they would inevitably fight side by side, to protect her at all costs and he greatly admired that about Mialona as well. He knew that she'd be willing to practically sacrifice the entirety of the country if it meant keeping the queen safe.

 

[The Fluffiest Floof]

The Fluffiest Floof

Aegis also felt a rather strong magical presence approaching, though it was quite familiar. Then he saw who it must have been, as she approached him. Some Towns people merely stopped and watched the affair as it wasn't very often that both the Sentinel and the mage were out in the common areas together. Aegis would smile under his helm at the familiar appearance. He would shift his body towards her, as the boy went with him, still on his shoulder. It appeared that the Boy wasn't even attempting to resist as if this had happened to him before, even so he probably felt like he couldn't move with the amount of force Aegis exerted upon him, most ordinary people would be unable too after all. Upon hearing her comments regarding a potential mother and the proposal it was his son, he couldn't help but blush a bit.

"It is a pleasure to greet you on this fine day." Aegis merely said to her before he decided he should probably clear up what was going on.

"I'm afraid it is nothing of the kind, I was on patrol you see, and this boy was stealing from a vendor. As you are aware it is my duty to ensure order, so I took it upon my self to stop the thief..." He merely said.

"I actually have half a notion to let him go..as I remember well what it was like to go hungry when I was young, but still the same the law has been the same here for years, stealing is a crime which is punishable, by stealing you forfeit your freedom...for however long is seen fit..."

"As a result I was talking him to processed and all of that upholding procedure."

"Do you have any input on the affair?..." He'd merely ask her curiously. He did know that Mialona usually had something to say which could be helpful at times. Though Aegis was inevitably worried about her due to her condition and what not So he'd make sure to check in and what not fairly frequently, since he considered her a friend even. He knew that if the queen was in danger they would inevitably fight side by side, to protect her at all costs and he greatly admired that about Mialona as well. He knew that she'd be willing to practically sacrifice the entirety of the country if it meant keeping the queen safe.

Mialona listened to her friends explanation of the matter at hand. "Interesting.", she replied. She made a move of her hand, the boy suddenly floated in the air, between the two. It was as if he was hanging on invisible strings. She picked up a dead leaf from the ground. "Nobody can survive without food..." The leaf turned back to a fully healthy form. "Undernourished things die down... And of course, one would do anything if desperate enough..." Her eyes and face were smooth and seemed caring. Like a mother looking at her child. "Is it wrong to want to survive..." The glow slowly returned to her eyes. "But then again, we have laws. Laws that are existend for a reason." The boy suddenly hung from only one leg, upside down, right in the air. "Anybody can find a reason for them, why to break a law. If we accept it once, where will we set the line. Wrong actions have consequences." Her features became hard and cold. "And those must be severe enough to keep people from committing such wrong actions." The leaf went up in flames. The fire reflected in the mages cyan eyes. "It isn't that I can't understand the boy. It's that we can't afford allowing even little exceptions. Even more so, when there are rumors of rebellion." The boy flotated back onto Aegis shoulder. "I hope I made my opinion clear. But the decision is yours after all." She smiled kindly. "I'll join you. Maybe we can eat lunch afterwards? I felt lonely lately..."

 

[awriternamedian]

She made no comment on his assertion that he might be interested in seeing his future. It wasn't so much his future she was worried about, but his past. The way her visions had been acting up lately, there was a worry that if she touched him, in would launch her backwards rather than forwards, no matter her intentions. The future was one thing. The future could change and shift, even more so the farther out she went, and she didn't have the skill some did for seeing the many threads and paths it could take. But the past was immutable. That was where secrets lay. She didn't want to see his secrets, no matter what he said. She had more than enough rattling around in her head as it was, secrets she was forced to carry with her, perhaps forever. Oh, the things she had Seen. Some of them tore apart her soul.

At his hearty laugh, she shook off her maudlin thoughts, a grin stretching her lips. She liked making people laugh, even if it did require a slightly raunchy joke to make it happen. And she was certainly full of them. She was very good at combining raunchy, flirty, and good humor all into one little ball that sent even the most stern, cold-hearted people at least chuckling.

Leaning her elbow on the bar top, she cupped her chin in her hand, thinking hard. Despite her teasing nature, it was rare she actually wished trouble on people. Easily agitated though she may be, it took quite a lot for her temper to be riled. "Well," she said, drawing out the word slowly. Finally, an idea struck her, and a mischievous grin twitched her lips up slightly at the corners. "If you'd like to do me a personal favor, we had someone stiff us on his tab a couple of days ago. A good amount of money too. It would bring me great amusement to see him targeted. You are so good at it after all." She stood back up straight, tugging idly on a braid as she thought. "He left a bag here, probably in his haste to escape our notice. I can easily use that to track him down, so it wouldn't be too hard to find him at all." That was one of the more useful sides of her abilities. Seeing through an object was very easily controlled, as it lacked the emotions people carried. Teasing, she continued with, "You'd even get to see me take my scarf off."

---

Caelyn couldn't help but to shrink away from the woman who'd been named Mialona. The woman was obviously very powerful, and power like that made them nervous. Not that they thought the woman would know who, or especially what they were. Because there was no magic involved in their changes, it was undetectable by those who were normally able to see through disguises. There was no disguise for them. Every form they took was theirs, wholly and completely. The only people who could figure it out, short of actually catching them in the act, were Seers, and only because they could see into the past.

A shaky sigh was expelled when the woman turned and strode away without waiting for the answer to her questions. Which was good. They had answers vague enough to be believed without riling up suspicion so that wasn't their issue, no they just didn't want to be in the woman's presence in general.

They turned their attention back towards the woman who'd been taking care of him. The questions took a moment to sink in, but once they did they offered her a shaky smile. Nerves slowly settling, the blackness around her vision began to fade, and he was able once more to understand who he was. "I'm not normally so clumsy," he said, with the voice of someone who was generally uncomfortable talking. "And it's not the guards. I was simply startled." He wanted to add that he was easily spooked in general, but that was enough speaking on that subject.

The boy hesitated, unsure of how to respond to her offer to for him to come with her. She seemed nice enough, and there was something about her that put his anxious nature at ease. At least, when there weren't outside forces intruding. And it would be difficult to change again with his head aching and his vision still spinning. Taking a breath to accept her offer, he was caught off guard as she continued without a breath.

"I'm Caelyn," he responded quietly, before kicking himself. He was not Caelyn. He was Asher. He couldn't reveal his identity, even to someone as sweet as her. It was too late to take back now, and he fought back the fear that made him want to run. His body jerked at the feel of her arm coming around his shoulders, before relaxing slightly. She just wanted to help. "I-I think I can," he said, taking a deep breath and steeling himself against the dizziness.

AI10100 idalie The Fluffiest Floof

 

[Loki777]

Aegis couldn't help but figure the best decision would be to do what Mialona said while he considered everything she said carefully.

"Ah, I suppose you are right...I'll take e'm down to be processed..." He merely replied in a very business like fashion.

"I would have to agree with you on this matter, Mialona, even small exceptions in times like these could prove to be disastrous, we cannot afford to be lenient.., perhaps I'll put my word in for the lad though so that they don't go TOO harsh on him....." Aegis figured that was probably a decent compromise despite the fact they might not even listen to him and just do as they please, which wasn't unheard of.

Aegis couldn't help but think of the boy's family though as by law they didn't have to tell them, surely though the boy would be questioned where his family was if he had one, and they would be notified of such assuming the boy gave factual information and what not.

She was right though he had heard the rumor of a rebellion which even if there was only a slight chance of there being one, they needed to make sure it would be shut down immediately. For now though he figured that he would continue to uphold the very necessary order, which in this case included taking the boy down. Even if he could relate to the boy on many levels going hungry himself, he never resorted to stealing he tried to grow his own crops and if that didn't work he tried to figure out someone who could make it for him, or do work for a menial wage so his family could live on at least bread and water.

Aegis figured that he didn't want bother her with his business even though she had offered.

"Ah its quite all right....I'll be right back really! just wait right here I don't want to trouble you..." Aegis hadn't really given her proper time to respond...


At that Aegis would turn towards processing, and begin to make rather massive leaps across the landscape, landing on the tops of buildings, after all he didn't want to keep Mialona waiting for him. His ancient footwear would prevent him from causing damage as if he was light as a feather when he landed however as the boy seemed to be panicked from the whole ordeal before he landed in front of the processing complex, he dropped the boy off, put in a word for him and left him with the guards to take him away to be processed. Aegis would then begin to leap back all the way to Mialona, this wouldn't take long at all about five minutes or so before landing near her rather gently.

"Now about lunch...." He'd say smiling a bit, however he couldn't help but feel a bit regretful for processing the boy..however that was all in the past now...

The Fluffiest Floof

 

[AI10100]

Joseph watched her think, folding his left arm onto the counter and then one wrapped around his mug, casually sipping as he waited. He perked up when she spoke, seemingly like a dog being called for a treat. If he had a tail, it would have certainly started to wag now. Nothing like the promise of mischief to make him happy and excited. The allure of having fun is something that he has never passed up on. "A personal favor huh?" He asked, a smirk on his lips as he listened. "I'm quite interested." He continued, leaning forward to continue listening to her. Nothing like helping out a friend and dealing out justice in his own twisted form at the same time.

"Alright then." He said with a nod. He then rubbed his hands - a gesture that was usually reserved to when his head was brewing with ideas. "Just point me to the right direction, Emm, and I assure you that you'll get back your earned money." Joseph wasn't beyond stealing the money for himself, but for the sake of keeping himself in good terms with this beloved bar. He would never attempt to steal from them - well, until he finally learns how to cut ties with them. But who knows when that'll be, right?

Joseph stood up. "Lead the way then! I'd rather not miss seeing how you See again." The Changeling only knew of two Seers - Emmony and an old lady from a far off town. That old lady had died rather recently. He was always mesmerized on how they can see the past and future. He may change his entire appearance in a flash, but he knew that he can never deceive a Seer, as evidenced earlier. It's why he respects them so much. He can never escape a Seer, and he knew that.

It's part of the reason why he doesn't want to cross the siblings. He'd get caught so quickly, it would put him to shame.

awriternamedian