Fantasy Crimson Streets

[CallSign]

Isaac sighed once the two had left earshot. Not even a name. The last time he'd performed that play he'd gotten quite a bit more, and the man was now a regular customer. "Can't please everyone," Isaac said to nobody in particular. "The guard at least seemed to catch on at the end. The girl seemed more animal than human in temperament - no doubt something picked up from living in the third stein. Working with her will be either an excruciating pleasure or an exquisite pain... I'm not sure which I'll enjoy more. Ah well, I suppose I'll pack up and be on my way."


Isaac grabbed hold of the blanket and gave it a hearty shake, sending the fine china assembled upon it flying to their doom. As the tea set melted back into the earth from which Isaac had shaped it, the blanket too changed form. Once the change finished, Isaac held in his hands a fine cape. The back side of the cape was white to match his white-and-purple regalia, while the inner side was a dark black speckled with white spots and purple swirls, imitating the night sky. The removal of the blanket from the ground revealed a rabbit hole beneath the place Zak had placed the cup of grass and a patch devoid of grass where he had replaced the guard's blade. Of course, the blade was now safely replaced in the guard's sheath; Isaac was by no means a thief.


As he affixed the cape to his neck, he turned to address the "passerby" still milling about the area. "Thank you all for your cooperation. I'll let you know as soon as I'm available for you to cash in your complimentary acquisitions through the usual grapevine. As always, deals are non-transferable. Most importantly though, thank you for your continued business." The group of passerby finally dispersed. Isaac couldn't help but smile as they left. It's always best to do business with a bit of backup.


As he started on his way to the castle, he continued to amuse himself with thoughts of the near future. How would the guard sent to escort him react to his getting into the first stein without checking in at a gate? How would the girl react to seeing him at the feast? Would the others be as unrefined as the girl he'd met, or would they be classier? He caught himself getting excited at the prospect and reminded himself that he would be dealing with the White Queen once more, the prospect of which immediately sobered him.


________________________________________________________


Isaac stood in the courtyard, keeping to himself as he took in the sights. Only a few changes had been made since he had last stood here, and he felt wave after wave of nostalgia as he looked around. It was all he could do to keep his poker face as his memories rushed forth. With great effort he pushed them to the back of his mind and turned his attention to the others as they arrived in the courtyard behind him.

 

[noticemeknot]

•• Elara Elliana Farlance ••

​

Silent was the short trek to castle, as it had been the last two days. But this silence hung heavy upon the young woman still seething in her guard's arms. Her fists clenched, relaxed and clenched again, her nails stabbing at the soft skin of her palms. Needless to say, princely Zak had not made the best first impression.


"Idiot," she muttered, her feline gaze blazing. "No-good, dirty... scoundrel, that moron!" So focused was Elara in her murmured curses and imaginary kill that the slight sound of a chuckle from above went unheard. The guard smiled behind his helmet, though his glee was tinged with regret--just when his charge proved amusing, it was time to depart.


Finally, they passed through the castle gates, both ignoring the stares of the staff scurrying about and the magnificence of the fortress itself. They entered the courtyard to hear the apologetic ramblings of some stout messenger, though even he was passed by much to his chagrin. The guard placed his burden upon the oddly shining stone in the center of the courtyard before standing back. The movement jarred Elara from her murderous mind and her hands immediately clutched at her waist, though the pain had dulled to an irritating sting. Her head snapped up and swiveled around to take in the sights, her jaw dropping, marveling at it all. In all her years living inside the Inner Stein, never had she seen anything so impressive.


In slow time, the slave's eye moved forward back to her guard. She opened her mouth to speak, voice a 'thank you' perhaps, but the man cut her off with a curt bow before turning to walk off toward other duties, leaving Elara alone. A sigh left her lips, her scabbed hands itching for something to do. Alone, wounded, and in an unfamiliar place left the little noble at her weakest.


--


No more than an hour had passed since her arrival and the sight of a man most familiar entering the castle courtyard drew her stare away from studying the stone she sat on. Her eyes narrowed.


"No way... You? You got an invitation?!"


Marvelous, she thought, just grand! Spectacular! This wouldn't be an awkward night at all, not a bit. A frustrated huff blew past her lips and once again another sight drew her attention elsewhere, this time a large group of motley members following not far behind alchemist. This would be a day to remember, she was sure.


[ @Mystella @Aristos Fortuna @CentaurOfAutumn ]

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


Polaris walked along with the group past the gates into the Inner Stein. The sights were breathtaking. However, after the first couple of seconds, the marvel of it wore off. The gardens were too well kept, too man-made, the streets were cleaner than most of the food from the first stein, everything was such a gleaming white. She kept her eyes on the grass and occasional trees lining the road. The trees were perfectly trimmed, as was the grass. She began to wonder if they found something wrong with the way nature was supposed to grow. She started thinking, Were the people here too good for that? Too good for something that's been around longer than the money they so hold dear? Something that has a beautiful chaos? Of course they'd not like chaos, since they can't profit from it! She had no hatred for the people, no matter their class (until she meets them and decides, at least) but once in a while, the general "rude, thoughtless noble" stereotype popped back into her head. In honesty, she enjoyed her anger a little bit, and out of pure spite, stepped of the road, her boot touching the ground, and in that instant, she told the small section of grass to grow tall once she was gone, and even after being cut, keep growing. She wished she could do that for the trees, but she was too far.


She liked the markets, and wanted to look at the beautiful wares, but the crowd annoyed her; too much unnatural perfume and nobody would move, unlike in the third stein, where it wasn't a complete stalemate, and where she wasn't stared at the whole time. She kept her head down and followed her guard, though she wanted to stare back at the people and tell them how rude they were being. She sighed, thinking, I bet Prudence is going through Hel right now... poor girl. She worried also that the knight Syrann's crippled arm might get bumped in the crowd, and cause him pain.


Finally out of the market district, Polaris was very happy to see the fields of clover, and the more naturally growing trees. While she liked the look of the castle, she liked to meadows more. She was tempted to entirely abandon the road and walk in the field, but decided against it; she didn't want anyone suspecting anything. As they approached the courtyard, she calmed the butterflies in her stomach. She wasn't scared, merely... excited. She really liked the gardens in the courtyard, admiring those while ignoring the servant's speech, and it took her a few seconds before noticing the two who were already there. One man, she had seen walking ahead of them, without a guard; that struck her as odd, since he was evidently a guest.


When she noticed the injured woman sitting on the edge of the raised garden, she slowly strolled over, quietly asking, "Pardon me, may I sit here?" gesturing to the stones next to her. Mentally she was cussing herself out. What are you doing? You'll be found out! Exploited! Murdered for witchcraft or something! She may need help, but it can't be worth the risk! However, she managed to quiet her inhibitions, promising to heal the girl very discreetly, and not let the girl know she was using her... ability. She couldn't let someone be in pain for any longer than absolutely necessary.





@ataraxiandream

 

[Luminescent]

Prudence Caroline Ashford


Prudence walked through the streets quickly, alongside their group. She wasn't intersted in the many wares offered to her, but instead the wall they were directed towards. She tried to picture what was on the other side. She had once owned a picture book full of fairy tales. Her favorite was Cinderella. It told the story of a young girl who went to the castle and found love, after a life of despair and hurt. She imagined she was Cinderella and was on her way to the ball. After all, she was still a child and her imagination was still vivid. She imagined the castle was made of large, white bricks, and it was lined with gold, and in the front gates awaited her prince charming. After a few minutes of imagining, they arrived at the gates. They let the group in after a few minutes of hassle with the ones from the third stein.


Her eyes widedened at the sight of the inner stein. It was nothing like anything she had seen before, even in her imagination. The streets were clean and white, the people stood tall, and walked with great confidence. The ones who sold wares obviously weren't in it for the money, but for the trade. She was so focused on taking in the sights, he wasn't bothered by the croud. They approached the castle after many jaw dropping sights. It was the most beautiful thing she had seen in her entire life. It was the definition of perfect. As they walked throught the court yard, she was so entranced by the beauty, she failed to notice the looks from passing guards and servants.


They were approached by a small man who alerted them of the castle's unpreparedness. She giggled to herself at the thought of hundreds of maids running around to prepare the feast for what they most likely thought of as scoundrels. She watched as a few people walked off to talk to people or look at plants. She did so herself and sat down in the perfectly cut grass nearby. She laid back and looked at the clouds up ahead with the utmost happiness radiating from her soul.


(I apologize for any typos. I am on mobile, with autocorrect off, and I am in a hurry and cannot correct them)

 

[Unwavering Knight]

The Clipped Wings


Some would have probably reveled in the gaudiness of the surroundings, the cleanliness of the floors, walls and ceilings, probably obsessively kept clean by a troupe of servants, all polished to look their best and most beautiful. Syrann, as he walked in front of the group, flanked by his own escort, did not spare a glance, taking in the rich environment with little more than apathy. He was not quite certain why, simple artificiality usually did not impede his enjoyment of things. But there was something about this place that left him decidedly... uncaring. The people appeared... diminished. Muted, would have been another word.


Kaatl on the other hand visibly enjoyed herself, bright open eyes and smile merrily swinging about as she sometimes sat on the knight's shoulder, sometimes hovered a bit farther onwards or straggled behind to behold items and baubles, sometimes eliciting surprised yells, answered by mischievous giggling. At other times, someone would try to swat her when she proved decidedly unwanted, only to earn even more squealing laughter as she danced around the half-hearted movements in the air. At times Syrann wondered if she just put on a show for his benefit, though the sight of her joyful flight never ceased to warm his heart a bit.


"So, uh..." Syrann began, cautiousely turning from the workings of the hall to behold their growing group of apparently-strange individuals, or at least none of them seemed fitting to be called to a feast held by the highest royalty. The fellows seemed nice, the one called Alexi showing proper knightliness by guiding one younger and smaller, while missus-madam Polaris exhibited kindness by rushing to the aid of another wounded missus-madam, who in contrast expressed anger - quite literally baring fangs - at a peculiar man who held himself with an extraordinary amount of confidence in the courtyard.


The sight of the missus-madam's elongated teeth caused a noticeably cringe in the massive knight's form, a worried Kaatl immediately hurrying back to the knight to take sight of the commotion, though he managed to still his shaking after just a few moments. Squeezing breathing calmed itself after the fairy seated herself on Syrann's shoulder again, carefully patting his helmeted head.


Giving a cough, he tore his gaze away from the missus-madam, pointedly addressing the more familiar faces of the group, voice somewhat weaker than usual "... anyone know any jokes?... Hobbies or... uh..." Stopping, he exhaled, catching himself, bellowing loudly over the courtyard "I mean, to pass the time, my fellow compatriots, let us exchange tales, stories of glory, quests fulfilled and loot taken!"





@ataraxiandream @Mystella @Aristos Fortuna @CentaurOfAutumn

 

[noticemeknot]

•• Elara Elliana Farlance ••

​

Her gaze became transfixed entirely upon the new group entering the courtyard, noting every face, every stature, every weapon each member held, and her brows pulled tight in the middle of her forehead with confusion evident. A strange group, indeed... Were these the 'others' that the queen mentioned in her letter? Surely not, they were so... so different from each other...


A girl about Elara's age and an apparent affinity for elven-wear; their eyes met and the murderess hastily averted her gaze elsewhere.


A man, handsome to be sure and only a few years than the little noble; despite the heavy leather armor he bore, he seemed to hold a calm and sensitive aura about him, a shy look upon his face suggesting he had never seen a battle before. Elara rolled her eyes and moved on.


Another young girl playing in the grass, certainly not a day older than Elara herself at the time of her kidnapping; her stomach knotted at the memory and the way she saw a bit of herself in the young one.


Now a boy, just entering his adolescent years, hovering over the little girl. Siblings, perhaps? Elara couldn't tell, his face was too much shadowed by the hood atop his head. But he walked with an odd sort-of air about his steps that intrigued the young woman.


Again her eyes landed upon the white-haired man from before and again her lips stretched at the corners, a low growl at her throat. But the flurry of movement caught her stare and her gaze shifted to catch the sight of a little fairy clinging to a heavily-suited knight, staring at Elara or rather, Elara's fangs, with fear and caution quite obvious in her eyes. The knight whose shoulder she claimed seemed stiff, his head turned in Elara's direction as well, but the slave girl could not be sure where his own eyes fell behind the helmet that hid his face. He seemed to relax at the pats of his fairy friend and both angled away to speak to the others of his group.


"Pardon me, may I sit here?"


The new voice at her side sent Elara's head jerking towards its source, one hand reaching on reflex for a blade on her back. Her eyes met the soft gaze of the girl she first studied. Her stance was light, non-threatening, so the noble relaxed her hold and placed her hands once more in her lap. The movement sent a wave of pain across her chest and the feeling of something warm and wet travelling over her skin made the girl inwardly huff; great, she had reopened one of her worse cuts.


"Sure, do whatever you want, I guess," she replied, her voice rigid and tense as she fought in vain to keep the up a nonchalant tone. Her left hand reached up to her right side to place pressure on her wound and also to hide the widening blood stain.


[ @Mystella @CentaurOfAutumn ]

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


Polaris sat down next to the woman, watching as she covered her wounds. She could hear that she was in pain. Polaris's biggest flaw, that got her into the most trouble, was that she could never stand seeing a person in pain if it wasn't necessary; if she cold heal it. Polaris took in a deep breath, steadying her own nerves. She reminded herself that she was near a garden, and could use that to defend herself if she couldn't reach her weapons.


She quietly said, so nobody but Elara could hear, "I'm Polaris. I - uh," she broke off for a second, and had to take another deep breath to steady her nerves. "I noticed you were... wounded." She decided, for her own sake more than anything to be frank and get it over with, whatever punishment came to her, would come. "Please, please stay quiet, but I'm sure you've noticed, the people in this group are all very different from each other. But you might have noticed one or two... odd things happen. And I'm suspicious that you can make odd things happen too, and I think everyone in this group can, that's why we're here. My point is - is, um..." She trailed off. Normally, she would be being what she considered rude, not even asking the girl's name, first. She whispered to Elara, hardly audibly, "I can heal you. Right now, no expense, nothing. Would you let me?"


@ataraxiandream

 

[CentaurOfAutumn]

Alfyn Clements


Alfyn held his breath as they walked through the gate. It was much easier to get through to the other side than the gate they had passed through previously. When he exhaled once again, he was slightly disappointed with the view. He was used to the grimy streets of the third stein, and these streets were almost rotten with nobility and pride. Everything was clean and up to the standards of the rich, whom he despised throughly. He almost admired the lifestyle of those from the second and third steins after that. They had to work for a loaf of bread, on the contrary to here, where they had more loaves handed to them than they could eat. He did, however, like one thing about this stein; the goods. The wares that these rich men sold were remarkable. He couldn't afford anything, but my, were they nice to look at.


Slowly they made it to the castle. He enjoyed looking at the architecture and the different styles and eras built in to the building. They had obviously spent a lot of time and money on the castle. But who was to blame them, the queen deserved such a nice abode. They arrived in the courtyard, and he spent a minute admiring the garden. A short man alerted them that the feast was not yet ready, so he sat down next to Prudence in the grass. He didn't say anything, but instead, pulled a small sharpening stone from his bag and began sharpening his scythe.

 

[noticemeknot]

•• Elara Elliana Farlance ••

​

As the other sat beside her, Elara hid her wince and she shifted where she sat, turning her head away from the female. Her ears were filled with the hum of the group's chatter and the taps of the servants' feet as they all dashed along to finish preparations.


"I'm Polaris. I - uh..." Her grip tightened at her waist. Does this wench not know when she isn't wanted, came Elara's irritated thought, but the girl kept on. "I noticed you were... wounded." Damn. She hadn't hidden herself well at all, it seemed. Elara grit her teeth before facing Polaris to reply.


"Tch, yeah, well what of it--" she began, her voice raised, but she was quickly cut off.


"Please, please stay quiet, but I'm sure you've noticed, the people in this group are all very different from each other." Different from each other, hah. That was putting it lightly. But the murderess kept quiet and furrowed her brows as the other continued. "But you might have noticed one or two... odd things happen. And I'm suspicious that you can make odd things happen too, and I think everyone in this group can, that's why we're here. My point is - is, um..." Odd things...


Immediately, Elara's gaze narrowed with rage. What did this girl know and how did she know it?! Who told her?! After all these years... After how careful she had been, so mindful of keeping her secret unknown...! Elara noted what bit of Polaris showed from beneath her clothes; muscles taught and firm, faint scars across the bit of skin of her arms that showed. She had known bloodshed, that was sure, and yet... Still she stood without hint of a threat, and she had spoken so lightly, her calm tone almost soothing. But none of this was any reason to let her guard down.


"Well, out with it," she growled low.


"I can heal you. Right now, no expense, nothing. Would you let me?"


She blinked and allowed her eyes to widen. What? Elara hadn't expected such an offer, that was sure; maybe a question as to what her powers were, or a wonder at what they were doing here, but that was it. Growing up a slave in the Third Stein did not teach the little noble anything about selfless acts, or offers without a price. What was this girl playing at, she wondered?


"What are you even... No! Why would you offer to heal someone you just met, huh? Why should I trust you...?" Despite her tough talk, her voice faded towards the end. The excitement of the short interaction sent her heart racing and black spots played across her vision. Her own blood had begun to leak from between her fingers.


A moment's pause, and then, "...Fine. Just do it. But I swear to the gods, if you... try anything... I'lll kill you..." Her threat was empty of course as she could hardly keep herself upright. Bracing her weight on her other arm, Elara closed her eyes and removed her hand from the wound while forcing thoughts of black dogs and throat wounds and healing magic from her mind.


[ @Dragongal ]

 

[KnightofShadows]

Alexi walked along in silence, taking in all the sights and sounds of this world that was so different than that of the only one he’d ever known. What he had witnessed thus far, which had been a marvel to be sure, was soon lost and forgotten in comparison to the wonders that were the landscape and images the Inner Stein held for him.


The scope of the difference was just unimaginable to him. The streets were so meticulously constructed, clean and wide. The structures were grand in both design and scale in comparison to the drab, ramshackle and dilapidated constructs that were reminiscent of the 3rd. Everything gleamed with the sheen of newness, as if somehow there were an army of unseen servants whose duty were to endlessly scrub the dirt and dust of time and wear away. Everywhere you looked bloomed flowers, whether window boxes or lush gardens, colors exploded, some of which he could not describe.


If living thus was a possibility, why then was it that he should have to live in the filth and desperation that was the lot of all who called the 3rd home? It was a disconcerting thought, and it spawned no feelings of compassion toward the supposed troubles that were arising for the Queen and her closest vassals.


They passed through wide meadows, vast spaces of naught but verdant green, riddled with myriad colors, in a symmetry that was at once beautiful, yet somehow screamed aloud in protest for its want of a chaotic thread to be woven into its uniformity.


The Meadows of Sorrow, as it somehow occurred to Alexi to aptly name them. Soon gave way to unimaginably manicured lawns, and sprawling manses, which gradually transformed into the denser populated center where the castle loomed up out of the mere grandiosity of the Inner Stein, with its towers and spires that gleamed like so many holy spears streaking toward the deep blue and cotton of the sky.


As they entered these streets, something more loomed before them.


The people...


It seemed they were all attired as if they too were to be guests of the Queen that night. They wore finery, clothing and jewels the likes of which Alexi had never seen or dreamed of, for that matter. They wore something else besides, each of them it seemed, without exception. They each wore the scowl of disdain… The shadow of fear lay just below the surface. A perverted and tragic fear, of violence. Alexi was not unfamiliar with the sentiment of disdain, nor the fear that he sensed on nearly every passing face in the crowds of citizens. The disdain he understood, even expected. The fear however, seemed somehow unnatural, obscene in some way…


They seemed to be swimming against the tide. An unwelcoming flood of flesh and malice that threatened to sweep them right back out the gate in which they’d come. The journey had become less of a pleasantry and took on more the feel of a dark procession, toward an irrevocable fate. A fate that Alexi had begun to sense may be one less than fortuitous.


It was with a grateful sigh, instantly retracted into the sucking air through clenched teeth, which Alexi entered through the towering mahogany doors into the courtyard proper. “Out of the frying pan, and into the fire.” Or so it seemed. From the gleaming light of the streets of the Inner Stein, to the opulent radiance of the castle’s courtyard.


He squinted in defense, as his eyes were forced to adjust even further to the discomforting brightness. He reminded himself, that soon at least the sun would set, and give him sweet respite from the torturous rays of the sun reflected by all in this infernal place.


Almost involuntarily, he naturally and as subtly as he might, migrated to the most shadowed spot the room had to offer, which was the minor shade on the westerly side of the room, offered by the majestic vegetation that grew from the large raised diamond shaped garden at the courtyard’s center.


From the relative comfort of the meager shade, he began his reflexive observations of his environment. The systematic analysis of all he saw. The ritual of observation that defined him. His ever vigilant state, an instinctual habit, that was likely the sole reason for his surviving the many and living hells of the 3rd Stein. Something he had come to be very grateful for.


Having noticed the long awaited halt of their journey, he felt the slight stir of movement from the slingbag that served as both a pack and on the road home of Mika. A moment later came the pink nose and head black of fur and beady eyes, as Mika curiously snuffled at the air and gazed upon this new place. Alexi wondered for a moment how strange it must all seem to him.


He was most pleased to see Prudence seem to lighten in mood and action on their arrival, as she found what looked like a quite comfortable nest of grass and stare up at the sky with what looked to be touches of a smile at the corners of her mouth. He smiled briefly at that and returned to his analytic reverie.


The more worthy targets of his scrutiny were the young and seemingly near feral girl whom Polaris had chosen to introduce herself to, sitting beside her in the beginnings of a conversation. The second was a man who also had not been a part of their group’s arrival. Long white hair topped the fit figure of the tall man. His garb was the most refined of those whom had been called here. He wore a fine princely suit, black jacket over an indigo blue tunic with silver embroidery, black breaches and masterfully crafted boots of deep shined black, with yellow-gold edgings… Those boots…?


The face turned in his direction, and a slight chill crept up the back of Alexi’s spine. That was a face with which he was distantly familiar!


The man was purported to be a virtual “Jack of all Trades”, “No holds barred” provider of the Black Market. Alexi had glimpsed him, only a few times, in his rare daytime movements about the 3rd Stein. He had observed him passively from the comfort of distance and the darkness of shadow. It was evident from those brief encounters, by the where and the whom he had seen him interact with, that the rumors had a high probability of ringing true. However, Alexi had chosen to steer clear of him in his own Black Market dealings. Simply based on the rumors he had heard. He was a shrewd man, cunning and some claimed more… Those were traits he tended to avoid experiencing first hand if it could be avoided. He had others that counted on him, and he could ill afford to jeopardize their safety by taking such unnecessary risks. Forewarned was forearmed in this scenario. He would be watching closely the movements of the man he knew only as Zak.


His attention was diverted by the Stewards announcement of the feast’s slight delay. An unwelcome message, voiced by the low growl of his stomach in answer.


His attention then flitted between the comings and goings of castles staff, the amusing antics of the metal shrouded giant and his faerie companion, and to each of the Queen’s summoned guests in turn. He fell into a natural rhythm of observation, cycling on the steady but intermittent strike of the man called Fyn's whetstone against his blade.


There was no denying the assembly was an odd and circumspect crowd. Perhaps, he thought “This would prove a profitable adventure. If not in a material sense, it would no doubt prove to be an experiential one.”


[@ataraxiandream @Mystella @Aristos Fortuna @CentaurOfAutumn]

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


"What are you even... No! Why would you offer to heal someone you just met, huh? Why should I trust you...?" Polaris's stomach dropped when Elara spoke loudly, terrified that someone might overhear.She knew to expect distrust, but she'd hoped that Elara'd stay quiet. She was about to explain how she just couldn't stand seeing anyone wounded when she could help, but Elara spoke, saying, "...Fine. Just do it. But I swear to the gods, if you... try anything... I'll kill you..."


Polaris smiled past the fact that she was nervous of being found out, quietly saying, "You won't have to worry."





She looked around the courtyard. Syrann and Kaatl seemed to be watching them, which discomforted her more. Prudence and Alfyn were just sitting in the grass. The man in silver, well, he kept an eye on everyone. She didn't really see where Alexi had gotten to. Moving very slowly, so as not to startle the woman, she moved her hand to touch hers. Polaris took a deep breath, focusing her power. Alright, capsaicin compound from hot chilis to relieve the pain, then copy comfrey to disinfect and heal the wounds... should be absolutely painless, for her.... she waited a few seconds, then said, "Done. All of your wounds should be closed up. You might be sore in the morning, but I can't help that." She was a little tired, having gone the extra mile with the pain reliever, which always gave her trouble to copy, and closing all of the wounds and healing them entirely, she normally only goes to almost fully healed. She let go of Elara's hand, watching the ground, smiling tiredly. She didn't like the odd looks that normally accompanied any healing. But she'd rather have that than someone else in pain.





@ataraxiandream

 

[Dragongal]

GM


One of the servants opened the two doors, saying, "The feast is prepared!" The group was then lead down a corridor to a large, open dining hall, with a single long table in the middle. At one end, was no chair, at the other, was a chair on a slight raise. Around the table was seven chairs (eight, including the raised one) and in front of each, a large silver plate, silver goblet, and silverware. Piles between the plates, on every open space of the table, was massive amounts of food of all types, from pastries to fruits, vegetables, and meats. As the arrived, one of the servants said, "The Queen sends her apologies, but she says she will be slightly belated, and that you should all serve yourselves food, and not wait for her."

 

[KnightofShadows]

Alexi


The moment was upon them at last… There was a low creaking as the ornate double doors were swung wide and the familiar steward took a few steps into the courtyard, the clear sign of relief had replaced the man’s former visage, which had spoken of the hurried anxiety the man was under as they had scrambled to make the preparations for the Queen’s big reveal. "The feast is prepared!" he bellowed with an air of pretense thick as 3rd Stein porridge.





The man’s entrance was a welcome one, as Alexi’s stomach had been tormenting him from the moment of their arrival here, and the first taste of the succulent aroma’s that emanated from the kitchens bustling work. The moment was made all the more enchanting, by the catalysts of the intoxicating wave of wondrous scents that rolled over them, coupled with the simultaneous impact of the picture of a table overflowing with a veritable cornucopia of a feast fit for the gods.





The vision and scents were enough to make Alexi weak in the knees. Never before had he seen such a sight, such abundance, and opulence. The table gleamed with the shine of silver, every available inch of was covered with platters of foods that had his mouth watering and his taste buds yearning… Huge platters of golden roasted turkey and pig, chicken and lamb, sweet bread and puddings, buttery potatoes, aromatic walnut stuffing and hot gravy, pies, cakes, exotic fruits and nuts. Alexi was surprised the table could hold the sheer weight of it all.





He roused himself from the shadowed corner where he’d been in the silent meditation of observation.





Whether it was the movement, or the flood of aromas that assaulted the senses, (he was fairly certain it was the later) there was a sudden scrambling from his slingbag as Mika eagerly roused himself and punched his head out to manically sniff at the air in what Alexi was sure was arguably about to be the greatest moment of his life to date. He would get his fill Alexi mused. Sadly, he would just have to be sure he remained where he was, and didn’t decide to attempt to run amok and bring about disaster.


Alexi’s hand slipped casually toward the bag to give Mika a few loving pets and a scratch under the chin, before gently pushing his little nose back into the darkness of mobile sanctuary, then fell into step with the others as they entered the great banquet hall, mesmerized.





He frowned at the news of the Queen’s absence, and a quick flash of worry ghosted through his mind. Her delay was troubling to Alexi, as the hyper vigilance of his mind nagged at him annoyingly. Not unlike Red when she was overtired and refused to nap. Whatever the reason that was the cause of her inability to greet them upon their entering to such an affair, had to be a weighty one.





Alexi tore his gaze away from the food to glance in the direction of Prudence, hoping to see the girl’s smile at what awaited them. He followed the others in, and noting the seating, resigned himself to try take a seat adjacent to her, with the thought that she might require the assistance of a longer reach he told himself. Though in reality, it was for the simple reason that she made him feel a bit more comfortable in this whole setting. If nothing else, this was going to prove to be a delicious evening. He only hoped that the real purpose of their visit didn’t spoil his appetite.

 

[Unwavering Knight]

The Clipped Wings


Momentarily saddened by the lack of reaction upon his inquiry for tales - and thus preoccupation for the time - Syrann was soon held back by a sudden influx of overly helpful servants, offering to take off his rather unfitting way of dress for the occasion - that being in full plate-mail for a peaceful feast. How was he to eat, or even grasp the silver-ware while encumbered like this? How would the Queen address him if she could not even see his face, or how would he express proper honest reverence without even showing his eyes?


"This armor may not be taken." the knight answered stubbornly, single hand protectively grasping the lower edge of his helmet. Kaatl meanwhile was languishing on his shoulder, restrained excitement making her cross her arms in a huff at being denied entry to the feast like this.


'What sort of hero would not show his face even when surrounded by good company, summoned by Her grace?' the servants intoned, though their efforts gradually ceased at his continued denial.


"A knight needs no face." he stated with finality, before pushing his way past the assembled, following after the others of the group into the feast hall. He paused only once to pump his fist, inwardly congratulating himself on what he viewed as a 'pretty good one-liner!'. Kaatl only barely managed to turn a derisive snort into a hasty giggle, though her eyes soon lightened up as she beheld the richness of the feast, wings giving an excited flutter as the smell of dozens of carefully prepared dishes reached her.


It took Syrann a bit until he managed to properly seat himself, the chair managing to hold his armored weight, but still appearing unsuitable when compared to his size. Having found his place at the table, his working hand manually lifted up his crippled arm to bring it to proper posture at the buffet as manners demanded. Also, because it would have looked strange had his arm just kept hanging under the table like that. Taking a moment to lament his inability to partake with his helmet on, a light tap of Kaatl's small hand upon his caged head followed by an excited pointing at a particular dish soon brought his attention to the care-freedom of the occasion.


Using his superior reach, he used a fork to take choice bits and pieces of cooked meat, boiled eggs and exotic fruits and lead the delicious food up for Kaatl to taste, a delighted cooing and bell-bright laughter signifying her enjoyment. A show that appeared to radiate dependence, though truth of the matter was that while the fairy could have simply taken her own seat, she preferred to give Syrann something to do, otherwise he would have most likely just been able to silently watch while everyone else was happily eating away.


Nonetheless he couldn't keep himself from feeling a lingering tinge of concern.


When a break occurred, Syrann voiced his thoughts "I- uh, we - are curious, does anyone here know the reason for the occasion? The feast is... nice, filling, yes, but when will the queen arrive? What is delaying her?"


His helmeted gaze wandered over the attendants, meant to be questioning but most likely coming across as simply vindictive, before coming to a sudden halt on the girl with the fangs again, the knight's upper body involunatrily jerking backwards again.


Taking a moment to steady himself, Kaatl silently speaking the side of his head where his ear would have been, his voice rang louder than before as he addressed Elara "And- and you, missus-lady-madam, what happened to you? Why are you at this feast with wounds-" He paused, inspecting her again, before realising that the lacerations from before had... vanished. Where once blood had clearly poured forth was now only clean skin.


Syrann's hand turned to a fist, tightly grasping the fork, his breathing quickening.


The signs. The horrible signs.


Exhaling, he forced his hand to open again, carefully placing the fork on his empty plate, reminding himself these could occur from any number of things. "... my apologies..." he spoke with a noticeably quietened tone "... it appears I... misconstrued."


@ataraxiandream , @Mystella , @CentaurOfAutumn

 

[Luminescent]

Prudence Caroline Ashford


It seemed with each of her footsteps down the corridor to the dining hall, her heart skipped a beat. It was racing now. She had never had a formal dinner before, and didn't know how to act proper or with good manners. They reached the dining hall and she held her breath as the doors swung open. While the others flooded in, she could hardly move. She took small steps into the dining hall. The smell, the sights, the large room, it was all too much to take in. But, she couldn't disappear. She had to be present.


She pulled out and sat down in a chair close to the raised one, where the queen would presumably sit. Alexi sat beside her, and she smiled at him, still trying to take it all in. There were some things on the table that she had never seen before. She examined every plate of food in awe, while waiting for everyone to sit.

 

[InsanEleven]

"oh god oh god..." Ina exclaimed while once more trying to make his poor horse go faster, why was it always him that had the honor of being late? A little voice in the back of his head answered that perhaps he shouldn't have spent his time staring at all the pretty buildings in the inner stein, but he quickly made up the excuse that everyone who'd never seen it would at least look up once or twice to marvel at them. Though the servant that was appointed to him seemed to disagree, and every now and then gave him this dirty glance.


Eventually the palace came in sight, and if he had any more time left, he for sure would've looked up and marveled at it, but he already was way too late. He also didn't have any clothes even remotely fitting for such a high end place, and was covered in both his own, and the sweat of his horse, making him stand out even more in this clean and shiny part of Wunderheim. At least he would arrive though, maybe that counted for something, if he already hadn't been skipped over and had missed his chance to serve the queen.


Quickly he put that thought out of his mind, and kept riding, directly unto the courtyard of the palace, where he was halted by the guards. Before he could say anything, the servant had already announced why they were here, complete with the signed letter as proof. As soon as the servant was finished talking, one of the guards said the rest had already gathered in the dining hall. A bit lost he just looked at the servant, who seemed even more irritated.


"This way sir, and let us hope her majesty has not yet begun speeching." Ina quietly remarked that the word sir was more sarcastic than anything, but he didn't have the time to call the servant out on it, because he had already dismounted his horse and was now moving towards a second pair of gates. Quickly he did the same and ran after him, as he himself had no clue where to go.


"could I get like a change of clothes first? I don't think this is,-" Before he could say anything more he was interrupted by the servant


"This will do just fine for a man of your posture, the queen will only accept those useful to her mission... so it seems like you shall probably be on your way back this evening already." For a moment Ina didn't really comprehend what the servant was saying, as he was already too stressed out about being late and looking (and smelling) like a stable boy.


"Wait wh,-" Again he was cut of, but now it was his own fault as he suddenly faced the giant, open doors of the dining hall, and his sentence just stopped halfway his throat. A smell of food like he had never met before hit him, like a huge wave, and the golden shimmer from the inside of the hall made it seem more like a dream than anything else.


As he entered the hall, he was met by several servants, and he saw that most other guests had already entered. Only now he realized how out of place he actually was compared to all the clean, lavishly dressed warriors and heroes, and the fear hit him that maybe the servant's remarks were actually in place. The other servants looked at him a bit reluctantly, and then decided there wasn't really anything they could do to make him look better, or at least, nothing that would be worth touching him.


In a whim of the moment, he fell on his knees, and loudly exclaimed "M-my deepest apologies for ar-arriving late, I can only h-hope you will not take it to-too harsh on me." He felt his face turn red, and it felt like the sentence took ages to come out of his mouth, especially as he was stuttering half of the words. Behind him he could just feel how all the servants were probably cringing and facepalming, but at least he had tried to apologize.


With his head down, and trying not to make eye-contact, he tried to sneak into his seat as quietly as possible, dying on the inside. To his horror the only seat left was right between two people, and even the sight of the amazing food couldn't really cheer him up anymore. Perhaps it had been a mistake for him to actually think he would be worth anything to whatever mission the queen had in mind. Maybe the had even been invited was for comic relief as an example of how not to behave.

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


Polaris hastily stood, and followed the men into the hall. She was grateful for the distraction from her healing Elara, so she wouldn't have to go through the questions or odd glances the she believed to be inevitable. She was quickly distracted from her discomfort by the magnificent scents of all the food set out before them. She hesitated as others took their seats, and sat next to Sir Syrann and had an empty seat to her left. She had always believed her other cooked the greatest food in the whole kingdom, and was nervous to test that theory. She watched Alexi's smile as her got to his seat, and Prudence's too. She noticed how the knight had refused to remove his armor, and seemed to be.... almost scared of Elara. She could see him jump, his quick movement making her reflexively jump and watch him Both of which she found odd. She saw him nearly crushing the fork, and felt guilty that he'd been put in the awkward situation, as she had been the one to heal Elara. She was tempted to explain it to him now, even looking towards him and raising her hand slightly, about to get his attention and speak, but couldn't bring herself too, and lowered her hand, looking back to her plate.


She focused herself on the food, putting it out of her mind, figuring there wasn't much she could do about any of it anyway; not right now at least. She took some of the meats and spiced fruits, setting them on her plate but not yet eating them, not being especially hungry since she felt a bit guilty.


When the tardy member of their group walked in, she looked to him, and was about to look back at her plate before he spoke, and she wanted to burst out laughing, but stayed silent, merely smiling instead. As he sat in the vacant seat next to her, she elbowed him very gently, saying, "You don't have to apologize at all. We all look like a bunch of royals to you? You can start filling your plate and eating, too, the queen said she'd be late and we could begin to eat. I'm Polaris, by the way. What's your name, and what Stein are you from?"





@Elvengarda

 

[KnightofShadows]

Alexi cringed inwardly a bit at dear Prudence’s choice of seating. He had no desire to be in such proximity to the Queen’s scrutiny, as he knew not yet her character or demeanor.


However, Alexi could see how Prudence was excited about the chance to be seated so close to the Queen. To her, it was surely a thing of dreams, the chance of a lifetime.


He chuckled lightly under his breath, as he read the depth of joy in the smile on her face. A smile that was somehow so familiar, so pure, and powerful. There was great power in the smile and joy of a child, a truth he was grateful to be reminded of, each time he could visit them both upon Red.


He could endure the prospect of some discomforting scrutiny with such recompense.


He made sure Prudence was comfortable, helping to position her chair for her, and began helping fill her plate, as much lay outside of her reach. He would follow her eyes and waiting for them to widen in indication of her discovery of something that looked scrumptious to her. He served himself as well, once Prudence indicated she was happy and had begun to sample the many and varied treasures on her plate.


Alexi filled his plate to likewise absurd proportions, and had just completed a few moments of meditative silent reverence at its magnificence, in hopes that he might be able to conjure up its image in his mind should the necessity arise. Its expanse covered the width of the fine silver plate, and then some. Slabs of roast beef, cuts of turkey with fresh blackberries, links of spicy sausage, a warm buttery bed of mashed potatoes with savory brown gravy, aromatic and masterfully roasted veggies, soft herb and honey basted breads, truly more than he could imagine.


He took his seat, removing his hood to reveal his raven black unkempt mane and cobalt blue eyes where they flashed through the bangs that served to shield them from notice, to a largely inadequate degree from sun or the curiosity of his fellow man.


He had only just begun to sample and savor his first bites and they had his senses reeling. He was only marginally successful in his attempts at muting the spontaneous sounds of delight which he was emitting at each new delicacy’s taste. He had even elbowed Prudence lightly a few times; pointed to the object of his moment’s bliss, rolled his eyes and winked at her in shared praise. This he discovered had her smiling even brighter.


Alexi had felt a pang of sorrow for the Syrann the giant, as the servants had tried to get him to at least dine without his helmet, for how indeed would be able to enjoy the feast? He saw at least that the knights companion he named Kaatl was enjoying herself however. The fact that Syrann either could not, or would not remove his armor was a curious matter to Alexi regardless of the reason. He was intrigued...


He had just shown Prudence discreetly, after signing a secretive shush to her, how holding a morsel at the corner of his slingbag, would bring Mika’s popping out to grasp the bite and retreat after a couple of nibbles to the darkness.


“Not after the Queen arrives though.” he said in a hushed tone and gave her a smile.


That was when the newcomer joined them, looking and sounding very apologetic…


He was young, perhaps five to six years Alexi’s senior. He wore modest clothing, seemed somewhat reserved in demeanor. Alexi could tell he was fit and possessed a strength that belied his size, and that he was no stranger to the katana he wore. A katana was a serious weapon, and so Alexi made his mental notes of interest, and watched him, returning to the enjoyment of his food and feeding Mika as time allowed.


The initial moment of his awkwardness concluded and the newcomer found a seat beside Polaris, who greeted him in her kind manner and made him feel welcome.


Alexi listened intently to catch the young man's name in the exchange.


Now, “Where was the Queen, and just what might have detained her…?” he mused.

 

[InsanEleven]

Finally as he thought he was at least a bit safe, Ina felt an elbow poke in his side, startling him as he didn't expect anyone to even bother with him.


"You don't have to apologize at all. We all look like a bunch of royals to you? You can start filling your plate and eating, too, the queen said she'd be late and we could begin to eat I am Polaris, by the way. What's your name and which Stein are you from?" He looked slightly up at the woman speaking, but avoided looking her in the eye. For some reason he just felt even more embarassed now, his face turning red again. Now he knew for sure he had made a fool of himself, and all of a sudden he wasn't really that hungry anymore.


"I... M-my name is In-Inanis. I'm f-from the third s-stein." In his head he was secretly getting mad at himself, and why he couldn't even get one single half-decent sentence out. As soon as he got embarassed he just couldn't help it, and it didn't help his image either. He was sure they'd all think of him as some incompetent child, but he just had to try and get through with it.


"A-and how about you p-polaris?" He asked to at least keep some conversation going until he perhaps felt slightly more comfortable and stopped stuttering like an unsure child.


((On my phone, hope it isn't too bad))

 

[noticemeknot]

•• Elara Elliana Farlance ••

​

Her eyes had shut tight against the inevitable pain that always seemed to accompany healing magic, yet none came. Instead, the ache of her wounds faded away as a warm, soft sensation washed across her body, strangely reminding Elara of the ocean waves she had never seen. A purr of a sigh brushed past her lips and soon, the pleasant feeling retreated to leave only its memory behind.


The murderess blinked her eyes once, twice, before finally she remembered herself and shook the daze from her mind. She lifted her hands from the stone to place fingers upon newly formed skin behind the holes in her clothes--nothing, not even the faintest scars to remind her of the brawl.


"Whoa," she breathed, her thought escaping through her mouth. Elara jerked her head to lay her widened gaze upon Polaris, her mouth gaping open as though she were about to speak. But nothing came to her, no words of thanks, not a breath of gratitude. Luckily for the little noble, the servant's call for the feast interrupted her silence and she snatched the opportunity to make her get-away; with the clap of her jaws slamming shut, she gave a nod and a hum towards the girl before jumping from the garden stone to make haste towards the dining hall.


Her fists clenched along the way, curses resounding in her mind. That's another debt I'll have to pay. Wonderful... Sudden scents slammed against her sensitive nose, yanking her from her reflection, and Elara could have fainted right there and then. The massive doors of the dining hall had finally opened to reveal the opulent feast. Heavenly indeed were the sights and the smells, but that wasn't what nearly brought the young woman to her knees: Sights of silver and chandeliers, roasted meats surrounded by only the most colorful and vibrant fruits and vegetables, and of course the wondrous desserts covered in sugar and syrup--these were the visions of Elara's childhood and she would have loved to lose herself in its dreams.


But now was not the time. She could feel the curious glances of the servants tracing her form and so the slave girl pushed forward to take a seat at the far end of the table, away from everyone else. Her stare stuck to the platters before her and she ignored the go-ahead from the Queen's messenger. She sat that way for much of the beginning of the feast until the voice of the armor-clad knight called out in her ear, booming at first before becoming noticeably hushed.


"...sus-lady-madam, what happened to you? Why are you at this feast with wounds--" An abrupt stop. "... My apologies... ... it appears I... misconstrued." Atop her healed legs, beneath the tablecloth, Elara's hands grasped the fabric of her trousers. Should she tell him...? Should she mention the mage in their midst...?


Her lips pursed before she spoke, eyeing once again the fairy on his shoulder munching happily away, before returning her stare to him.


"No apology needed," she began, her tone terse. "Got into a fight. Blood everywhere, haven't washed my clothes yet. M'sure it's easy to mistake." And just then, once again did a sound pull her attention away, this time the sound of something--someone falling upon the floor, a boy none far from Elara's own age.


"M-my deepest apologies for ar-arriving late, I can only h-hope you will not take it to-too harsh on me."


A late arrival? Strange, the royal guards didn't seem that sloppy... Elara glanced at him warily as he moved to stand, taking high note of the sword he still wore strapped to his waist. He looked to be of Third Stein with the rags he wore and only a select few Third Steiners were allowed to wear weapons such as his. Word of an organization calling itself the Lions Irate had reached her ears many a time and Elara was lucky enough the have never made contact with its members. But she knew of them, she knew the swords they carried and though he did not appear to be in possession of the smaller one, that did not mean he was to be trusted.


[ @Elvengarda @Mystella @CallSign @CentaurOfAutumn ]


[ Apologies for the length @.@ ]

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


Polaris smiled to Inanis, and out of the corner of her eye saw Alexi and Prudence smiling, with Alexi bringing bits of food to his bag. She could figure that he was feeding Mika pretty easily. She looked to Elara, nodding her thanks to her after Syrann's questions. Had she actually seen her... hesitate? Was she considering telling? In a sudden instant, she realized that Elara might consider her a threat to all of them. After all, if she could heal, what else could she do? She cursed herself inwardly, thinking, This is why I never show anyone unless I have to. They panic and freak out, and I'll be hunted down. Damn my morals. She sighed, figuring that fretting wouldn't help now. She focused herself back on Inanis, saying, "Third, born and raised. Raised up pretty safely. Doesn't mean I didn't see my fair share of fights, especially once I got older, though." she said, smiling wryly. She continued, to try to keep conversation up, and Elara's potential betrayal out of her head, "So, what's your guess as to why we're all here? I mean, we're all very different in many ways... so what do you think is the common factor?"


@Elvengarda

 

[InsanEleven]

Polaris' question made Ina look up for the first time and see whoever else was in the room, though still not really looking directly at them, pretending to be impressed by the building and ceiling instead. He could see some people looking at him, quite interested, and felt a shiver going down his back, though he wasn't sure if that was because of the people, or because they were staring at him. A bit quietly he said: "I am not sure, but everyone seems to be strong, in their own personal way, but still strong." He was making the point more in his own mind, and nearly forgot he was actually talking to someone... and though whispering he spoke crystal clear and without hesitation.


Quickly, and not to draw even more attention to himself he diverted his gaze to the food on the tables. Some of it he didn't even know existed, as he was used to the standard meat and wild fruit and vegetables in the third stein. He wasn't exactly a bad cook, just more pragmatic, and he usually didn't have the time nor money for fancy recipes or spices. Though curious to all the different items, he decided to just stick to some simple fruit salad, flatbread and some roast. Maybe if there was still time for it he'd take some pudding, but then again he still doubted that he would stay here that long with the queen probably realizing he wasn't very useful before the night ended.


Where was she anyway? It didn't seem very royal like to stay away from your own dinner for this long without something like a crisis or a war happening in the background. Deep inside he started to doubt a bit why he had even come here in the first place, though even he knew that this opportunity wouldn't come again in his life. That said though, he never had been the type to want gold or fame, he just wanted to see people happy. Well, he just wanted to see people happy because of him, because he did something good; something that would make him proud of himself. Perhaps that meant he was just too selfish to be a hero though, and that he should've stayed in the third stein where the definition of hero already started by someone who didn't lie, steal, murdered or traded in shady goods.


"i-I don't know i-if I would b-be the best to a-ask that to t-though... i-I'm not really strong m-myself so I c-can't really judge t-that." There was the stutter again as he snapped out of his own little stream of thoughts and had to address Polaris. Shyly and a bit ashamed of his awful speaking he pricked into his roast with his fork while talking, though this time he did look her in the eyes once and couldn't help but smile a bit as she looked really friendly.


@Dragongal

 

[Dragongal]

Polaris Mentha


Polaris could tell he was too embarrassed to be looking well. She continued, trying to keep the conversation up. "Even that little girl in the corner? Personally, I think it's something past that. Besides, you seem plenty strong. You've got a sword, don't you?" She took a bite from some of the ham she'd stacked on her plate. She decided to be motherly blunt like normal. "You know, it's not that embarrassing that you're late. Half of them who looked at you are just looking for a distraction too. Just about all of us are a little bit nervous, or guarded at the moment. Understandably, of course." She turned, looking at Kaatl, perched up on Syrann's shoulder.


Naturally, she couldn't help but remember, after her comment, how nervous Syrann had been with Elara, and how Kaatl had comforted him. What's the link between them? And why won't he take off his helmet? And what's with his injured arm? It seemed like every time she tried to distract herself, she came up with more and more questions. She looked across the table to Elara, trying to communicate some kind of trust, something asking her to not let anyone know what she'd done. She never said that she didn't have an ability... she thought. She looked to Alexi and Prudence, smiling at their simple happiness. She turned back to Inanis.


@Elvengarda @ataraxiandream

 

[Luminescent]

Prudence Caroline Ashford


Prudence looked around at all the found and her eyes widened at the bowl of fruit. Alexi seemed to notice and filled her plate with a spoonful. She smiled at him, and her eyes widened at another plate. It was piled high with mashed potatoes. She remembered loving them, the one time she had them with her family on Thanksgiving. A rush of sadness came over her as Alexi spooned some on her plate. They rarely had a Thanksgiving feast anymore. All it ever was was some mashed potatoes, a small bit of chicken and some greens. It was small, but it made all the difference.


She shook her head, and began eating the food on her plate. Once she got a bite in, she realized how hungry she was. She shoveled the food into her mouth quicker than she had ever done before. She giggled at her pig-like eating, and bits of food came flying off her tongue, only inducing more giggles and more food. With the more scoops of food she got, the more full her stomach got. She slowed her eating. She didn't want to embarrass herself once the queen arrived.


@KnightofShadows

 

[CallSign]

Sir Isaac took the liberty of sitting in the seat closest to the queen's right hand. It was only fitting for a man of his status to take such a prestigious position at the feast. However, instead of beginning to eat with the rest of those gathered, he sat back and watched the others.


First, he eyed the beast he'd met and picnicked with before reaching the castle. She seemed to have much less trouble standing and walking than she had on the blanket. Had she been healed by that girl who'd approached her in the courtyard? It seemed the most likely cause of her improved health, so he noted it and filed it away for later.


Then he turned his attentions to the other who sat at the table yet did not eat: the armored cripple. It seemed he was more interested in feeding his pet than himself, a curious choice at such an opulent feast. Then there was the matter of his refusal to remove his armor. Coupled with the crippled arm, Isaac suspected it was to hide hideous scars of some sort. He resolved to ask the man about it eventually, but not tonight; such discussion was not appropriate at feasts and would likely put others off their appetites.


Before he could continue his examinations, however, a new arrival stormed into the hall. Quite a humble fellow indeed, kneeling so low and keeping his gaze down as he found his seat. His clothing and his tardiness spoke of the distance at which he lived from the inner stein, tipping Isaac off to his origin in the third stein. Isaac noted his seeming lack of confidence, as it could be a liability for his allies under pressure.


A sound caught his attention, and he found the source to be a very young girl shoveling food into her mouth. Manners were in low demand where she was raised, it seemed. The queen must have been desperate to invite such a young girl to this feast - a fact he could use to his advantage in negotiations. In fact, Isaac was beginning to notice a trend in the group.


Everyone was disposable.


Besides himself and maybe the armored one, nobody here seemed to have any noble roots. None had any importance to the queen herself, and therefore the queen could easily feign ignorance of the group's existence. They'd be doing their job without the queen's official backing, it seemed, and Isaac was going to make sure she made it worth his while.


A slight smile played across Isaac's lips as he considered what he'd ask of the queen in return for his services.