Fantasy ~ FableWood ~

[Lioness075]

Luness was silent for the whole carriage ride until she heard Elena say her name quietly.


Curious, Luness peered over at Elena only to be surprised by the sudden display of various colorful birds flying out from Elena's hands. Letting out a surprised yelp, Luness involuntarily ducked, only to find the birds were flying out of the carriage and not at her.


Slowly sitting back up and frowning at the sudden show of birds flying about, Luness was about to open her mouth and complain to Elena when she saw in her peripherals that the people beyond the carriage were now looking away and shouting with glee at the sight of the birds flying about. Elena had distracted them from Luness.


Surprised by this random act of kindness, Luness regained her composure and then nodded at Elena in a way of showing her approval without having to say anything.


@Bea Delaine


When they finally stopped in the gardens of the castle, Luness was yet again amazed by the beauty of this place.


Her amazement was soon replaced with insatiable hunger, as she could smell the meats mixed in with the buffet set up for them.


Yet, upon hearing they would be 'attended to' by the fancy man's servants, Luness immediately scowled. She was not about to be dressed up for some rich people's desire. Nope, not going to happen.


Hearing Kallin's displeasure, Luness immediately chimed in, adding, "I'll not be dressing up for any of these people. I don't care if it displeases them, they can deal with it."


Surprisingly enough though, Luness heard Kallin relent and she immediately grew uneasy at that. Were they seriously going to enforce such a stupid and pointless thing?


Frowning at Kallin, Luness then asked, "Are you serious?"


@SilverFlight

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena looked to Luness's nod when she attempted to stifle the other girls anxiety. Reading the silent expression as agreement, Elena offered a nod in return. It was the most communication she believed she ever had with the other but figured it was meant to be that way. When they arrived at the fountain and gardens with a buffet, Elena felt the uncomfortable air and the overbearing weird friendliness destroy whatever appetite she almost had. She knew food was important. Sleep alone wasn't going to replenish her magic fully. But she could not imagine getting comfortable with such an odd welcome.


"C-court? Of course.. Um.. Do we have to look nice for that?"


She asked, unsure if wearing something stiff and pretty would do anything but make her feel more uncomfortable. Looking around it seemed everyone had a bad vibe from this place.

 

[SilverFlight]

((Wow...I do my absolute best make it seem so beautiful and welcoming...and all your characters act like its terrible! I swear the next place we go to will be dark and smelly and covered in skulls.))


Kallin shook his head at Elena's apology. "If you really were going to hurt FableWood, you would have taken the power Caraboss offered you. We'll ask about the library in court. Oh, do the bird a favour...don't go saying you meant to die where he can hear you. He looks like he's going to cry."


Ward had been in earshot...and did look overly worried it was true.


Kallin looked at Luness with a defeated sigh. "If speaking to nobles means we can get closer to our goal...I guess it could be worse."


Lucille had accompanied them, leaving her ship with the first mate.


"I would not judge ze court too soon mes amis. It may not be what you expect." She smiled at them. Not just anyone would offer a second chance to a pirate after all.


"Ze king is a very wise and practical man. He knows how poisonous an elite court can be, so ze taxes for ze wealthy citizens here are quite high, with ze money flowing back to ze local farmers and tradesmen to 'elp them hold reasonable estates. Many of zese families are also welcome here at court. Ze king says it removes ze sense of superiority from ze entire place and develops unity and understanding. Zo zere will always be some who think zey are better zan others."


She eyed the group sympathetically. "It would be seen very well if you dressed for ze occasion, but I don't think you will be forced into anything but a warm bath." Here she looked at Luness with a smile.


"Do not expect a room filled with frivolity, lace and lies, but a place for open dialogue with a fair monarch."


Ward liked the sound of this king and found himself now eager to meet him. He relaxed, allowing himself to eat from the food provided. He shot Elena an expectant look.


"You didn't eat all of yesterday." He casually mentioned.


It wasn't long before the servants appeared and stood by waiting to show the guests to their own private wing.

 

[Flutterby]

Listening to Lucille's description of how the Whispering Isles operated, the kelpie relaxed a little. With a king so wise and fair, things couldnt be so bad. Even though the parade and the thought of meeting the court were overwhelming, it didnt sound so terrible. Admittedly, even though she was wearing fresh clothes, she wasnt dressed for an occasion like this, but perhaps the people of the Isles would understand that even though they were "champions of Fablewood," they were still regular people who had been traveling for quite a while (and didnt feel like changing again so soon). Now feeling a little more at ease, Quincy gathered some food from the expansive feast. Her appetite had been strangely large since her recovery, but she figured it was just her body craving nutrition.

 

[Bea Delaine]

After Elena apologized and Kallin replied, she felt a bit bad. Ward knew it was true. If he didn't show up she would have made a promise to gain power with Caraboss. If she couldn't get away, she would have brought the dagger through her own heart. Though he knew, she still figured it was unpleasant to be reminded. She looked to him with some apology.


"I know.. I'm sorry. I can't lie about what I was planning because I don't want to say it didn't happen.. But it did and things went alright."


She finished with a half smile.


As the servants and citizens could be seen helping, Elena began to be less overwhelmed and more happy with everyone. She was speaking with a maid when she heard Ward. Her eyes dropped to the ground with some shame. She knew she owed him that much, but couldn't it wait? As empty as her stomach most likely was, she couldn't imagine wanting to join at the buffet.


"I know.. I'm not hungry. Let me get cleaned up, and maybe after the Court meeting?"

 

[DawnAntalios]

Nyr was paralyzed and could do nothing but stutter as the guards looked at her with a menacing gaze but then she heard the massive steps in the distance and the two men looked in that direction and so did the little raven. All three of them turned pale, especially Nyr, when they saw the gigantic lion warrior approaching, dismissing them as he clarified who the girl actually was. The guards looked at her one last time with surprise and disbelief then left both of them alone.


The silence was deafening as Nyr gazed in the angry eyes of Leo. She could not face him... after all she had done against him she felt unworthy of even standing in front of him.


" L-Leo... " she started, words not coming out easily. She tried to make up a transparent lie why she was here and she was doing but... somehow she knew that the stalwart guardian would see through it easily anyway.


" I could not face the others... " she said finally, turning her head away " Especially not you. I know I deserve your ire, your rage but I couldn't help it... I was curious why we were here aside from the artifact and Luness' curse so I... "


She grabbed her dark cloak and pulled it in her eyes.


" I have followed you all secretly. I did not want to make a ruckus but... I could not sneak in in the end. Sorry. "


@zCrookedz

 

[Lioness075]

Luness returned Kallin's defeated sigh, but decided that it was at least better than going back into a battle or something. Luness had enough scars as it were already.


Hearing Lucille begin to describe everything, Luness began to relax a bit more visibly. This place certainly didn't sound bad at all. In fact, it sounded amazing.


Making a plate full of meats, Luness began to chew on some of it while Lucille finished off her explanation. When Lucille mentioned Luness probably only needing to take a warm bath, Luness looked down at her torn and bloodstained armor and then decided that she'd probably need to change clothes as well. Perhaps they'd have some nice, leather armor she could change into upon request.


Looking around at how the people seemed to dress here, Luness began to doubt the option of getting any new leather armor. She knew for one that her scars and battle-torn body would look beyond ridiculous in anything they dressed in here so surely she could get some new armor, right?


Deciding to take her chances, Luness approached the closest servant to her and then asked in a calm tone, "Do you have any kind of leather armor I could replace my own with? Preferably a kind that's very easy to move in."


At the very least, the court sounded much better when Lucille described it the way she had. Luness definitely wasn't looking to discuss politics with anyone anytime soon.


Right now, Luness' focus was simply on finding those springs and getting rid of the darkness inside of her finally.


@SilverFlight

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo stood there with his eye fixed on her. He was not angry with her, in all honestly he had expected something like this after the previous days incident. None the less he felt it was a very immature way to handle such a situation as this.


He let his arms fall to the sides and gave her a half cocked smile and bit of a humored look, "What ever am I to do with you? Come on, the others are probably getting settled in." He gave the two guards a head bow, both of which seemed to be in aw of the giant before them, and turned to head towards the castle.


As he walked with Nyr he placed his hands behind his back and looked over the magnificent gardens that lay between the gates and the castles front doors. Leo could feel life radiating from them, without even touching them. He could feel his internal companion becoming more and more restless, which was understandable seeing as how the only fauna she had been able to communicate with were a few potted plants he had found on the ship in different quarters.


As Leo gazed around the area on their way to the castle front doors Leo kept his gaze moving over the gardens as he spoke to Nyr. "Nyr, I had a very interesting night last night after you went to bed. I had a very pleasant and long conversation with you mother during my communion." Unsure of how Nyr would feel about him contacting Mother Moon like he did, he simply let the sentence hang in the open so that she could respond to it however she felt comfortable.


@DawnAntalios

 

[andujarprime]

Malachai stepped out of the coach and into the gardens. He smiled at the scene before him, the plant life, the birds flying and singing overhead. With his hearing he was even able to discern the mad clicking and chattering of several smaller animals in hiding. He wasn't paying too much attention to anyone in particuar. Several of the nobles had tried to catch his attention, but the big man had parted the crowd like a wave on his way to the coach and noticed n one in particular. Now all his attention was on the food. He began to pile food onto his plate when he heard Luness ask about armor. His eyes lit up as if remembering something, he put his plate down and rushed over. Reaching into his leather belt. "I forgot!!! I have your rewards!!!" He said Magically pulling out several clunky looking bags from his leather belt. He handed one to each of the champions in attendance. "From the elder's this and of course any information we need now and in the future." He opened one of the small bags to reveal several glittering gems and precious jewels. "Straight from the source, any king or queen will gladly pay you handsomely their worth if you can't find a proper merchant. With these you won't be wanting for more gold for a while. Trust me" He said with a toothy grin as he closed up the sack and handed it to Luness. The sack was rather small, black and velvety, with a dragon head etched into the rough fabric. He then handed a similar sack to the captain. "And for your help as well Captain." He said before turning back to his plate. He picked it up and looked around, he wasn't sure where Achyls was, but he hadn't been able to talk to her much. He felt a pang of sadness, thinking she might feel lost or neglected. She had called to him before, but before he could make his way to her things had happened. "Where are you my little songbird" He thought out to her.


@Lioness075 @SilverFlight @SkywardSocks @Flutterby @Hel

 

[Lioness075]

Luness was surprised when Malachai suddenly announced rewards for all of the heroes. She certainly hadn't been expecting anything form of rewards considering how they hadn't received many, if any at all, from their previous adventures.


Yet, when Malachai revealed the riches enveloped in each of the bags and then handed one to Luness, she couldn't resist a slight grin. These gems were probably worth a fortune alone and Luness could easily get some worth armor with it if she wanted.


Nodding at Malachai, Luness said a quick thanks and then closed up her gem bag.


@andujarprime


Tucking the gem bag away in her knapsack, Luness then realized she was still waiting on the nearby servant to respond to her question, though they all looked a bit busy at the moment with the heroes beginning to dig into the buffet.


Chewing on some more meat, Luness continued to wait for an answer, which she soon got.


The servant walked back over to Luness and bowed in apology before standing back up and saying, "Sorry, m'lady-"


Luness quickly cut off the servant by saying abruptly, "Don't call me, m'lady. Luness is fine." It wasn't like Luness was royalty or anything. In fact, she felt far from it.


The servant blinked and then promptly responded, "Yes, m-Luness. We do not have any armor per-say, but we do have something that may be befitting of your liking regardless. I can lead you to your private quarters and then you can decide if the clothing there suits you or not. We can always get you something else, Luness."


Luness was pleased to hear all of this and nodded at the servant before setting her plate aside. She'd eaten enough for now. A nice long bath to finally clean off the dried blood matting her fur and getting a clean set of clothing, even if it replaced her leather armor, would certainly be a relief.


With the servant in lead, Luness began walking away from the buffet and her allies, moving on to check out her private quarters and new set of clothing.

 

[DawnAntalios]

Nyr wanted to protest, still not wanting to meet the others but she could not argue with Leo who just ushered her through the gardens. She still felt uneasy in the presence of the guardian as she believed that he was still angry with her, even though he did not mention it. She clutched her cape, looking at the dark fabric which now resembled the darkest night. This made her a bit calmer but she still felt the burden on her shoulders. She did not understand how could Leo forgive her this fast if he did but she was certain in one thing: she still did not forgive for causing such atrocities all by herself.


As they walked through the wonderful gardens she listened to what Leo had to say and she stiffened when the guardian mentioned Mother Moon. The dark images of her dream emerged from the depths of her mind and she bowed her head in shame. Once the lion finished what he had to say she forced a weak smile on her face and replied.


" It must have been wonderful, I take it? " she said with a sardonic voice " It must be soothing for mother to know that she has at least one person loyal to her, not betraying her. "


She walked silently and turned to Leo.


" Don't you want to go ahead and meet the others? They must be searching for you already. I... will be fine here, they probably wish not to meet me after all what happened. After all you are on a more important mission, you must concentrate. "


@zCrookedz

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo chuckled a bit as Nyr mentioned a "pleasant" meeting. "Ah, not as pleasant as you might imagine. Believe it or not, Mother Moon is not as pleased with me as you might think. After all, it was on MY watch you were able to find that book."


It was true, when Mother Moon had accepted Leo's commune, she was not happy with Leo at the beginning. After bit of time, and many scolding on properly protecting Nyr, Mother Moon did return to a some what normal attitude where they could discuss progressing forward.


Leo snapped out of his memory of the previous night when Nyr mentioned going to meet the others. He his eye to the sky and watched the clouds while he thought.


"Hmmmm, I wont be going anywhere without you little raven. You can not keep hiding from the others like this. They are you friends, your family, and they do not despise you like you seem to think they do after what happened on the ship."


As they got closer to where the carriages had stopped, Leo stopped and turned to Nyr. He could hear the others enjoying the beauty of the gardens with what smelled like food. "Nyr, last night I had a very long talk with Mother Moon about you. She brought a great deal to light that makes a a lot very clear to me. I have been given very specific instruction on a way to help you, but I am not sure you are ready for this if you can not first forgive yourself and accept that the others are not against you and want you to be by their side." Leo knelt down on one knee so he could be a bit more equal to her height as he stretched out an arm towards the sounds of the others around the corner. "Show me that you can let go of things that are only in your mind, and I will teach you that which Mother Moon has provided me knowledge of." Leo knew that this would put Nyr on the spot, and that it was very likely that she would refuse. But he had to push her, if she could not prove that she was ready for what was to come than it could very well destroy her.


@DawnAntalios

 

[SilverFlight]

Ward sighed, his expression unchanged, "I'm not upset about what happened, more concerned that will not promise not to do it again." He could feel the pain in his chest still, returning as a dull ache compared to the fresh, stark pang of seeing Elena with the knife against her chest. He closed his eyes to banish the image.


"I think I shall go prepare for court."


@Bea Delaine


It was then Malachai handed him a bag brimming with precious gems. "Oh, no...I really...I can't look at them." He shut the bag tightly, thanking the dragon for his relayed gift.


"I suppose its a bit of a condition," it was fairly hard to explain.


He wished his friends a good afternoon and disappeared with two servants in tow.


Leia was already tucking into the food as well. She had a bread roll in her mouth and offered the last one to Malachai. When he gave her the gems she tucked the neck of the bag into her belt.


"Fanks man!" She said through a mouthful. "I can put myfelf frou colleg wif dees!"


Swallowing her bread she then turned suddenly. "Bob! No! Don't dig up the lawn!" She immediately ran onto the grass, continuing to scold the earth spirit who had by now dug a hole two feet deep.


Kallin decided to go explore inside the castle. The hall connected to the gardens was pained white with simple gilded trim in the corners and wood panels in the center of the far wall. The wall closest to the gardens was made of glass, which lit up the hall brilliantly. Overall, as he roamed hallways, the library and the inner court yard he had to admit it was much more modest than it had made him expect. The library was panelled entirely in dark-stained wood, with paired spiral staircases against 2 opposing walls that lead to an open second floor that ringed the first, an iron railing running its length. Cushy chairs were covered in deep red velvet and the curtains matched, trimmed in gold thread. There were antique chests and drawer sets equipped with ornate candelabras for reading. The room had a cozy, homely feel...even if it was in a castle.


The sleeping rooms were mostly painted white, with airy, gauze curtains and canopied four poster beds sheeted in blue or white. The wood floor was solid oak, its varnish darkened with age.


Here was a king who did not feel the need to wear his wealth Kallin thought, and approved.


Reaching a mirror the mage caught a glimpse of his tattered and blood-stained clothes and made a face. For all the niceness here he felt like an eyesore.


"Maybe a wardrobe change might not be such a mad idea...or at least a glamour spell..." He thought for a moment, once he had something in mind he dipped into his magic, the first time since he had had that awful dream. At first we was worried, but the spell flowed easily enough and his robes began to change colour, repairing the rips and tears and relieving the fabric of stains.


When the spell was complete Kallin was looking back into the same dark, misty face, but his robes were now a faded, river blue trimmed in grey. Angled epaulets decorated his shoulders and he now wore a belt made of burnished brass. His hat had changed to match, it also being blue with grey trim, but it still flopped characteristically to one side.


He nodded with approval. At least now he didn't stick out as much.

Spoiler

Ward had washed and changed in little time and felt like a new person as he stepped back into the gardens through a small side path. He wore the official garb of an emissary, a high-collared navy, jacket with gold embroidery and lanyard, a white sash and black trousers.he felt a little silly with the cloak, and so left it in his chambers. His hair could not be tamed (as usual) and fell about his face like the mane of a wild pony.

The gardens were peaceful at this time of day, well into the afternoon by now. He was surprised to see the garden without any sort of wall or fence, it just faded into wildflower fields and forest in the distance.


So it wasn't surprising when he heard the bushes rustle and froze to watch a deer step cautiously into a rose bed.


He watched it for a while, standing on the path with his arms resting behind his back. Suddenly it caught sight of him and made to bolt. But as Ward did not move, the deer decided not to either.


They stared at each other for a little while and suddenly, curiosity got the better of the animal and it approached. Ward noted its elegance, from its slender legs and russet fur to the 3-tined antlers that sprouted from its proud brow. It was young.


Ward held out a hand to the creature and it sniffed gently before allowing Ward to stroke its thin neck.


((Hurah using characters for castle description!))

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena frowned to see that she seemed to have hurt Ward. His expression was pained as though he was thinking of something unpleasant. She shook her head and looked down, the knot in her stomach growing at the thought that there might be distance growing between them. She stayed quiet when he walked away, having the urge to run until she couldn't breath anymore or beat one of the creations to rubble.


"Oh.. Okay.. I'll see you soon."


She sighed and walked to meet with one of the maids to get bathed, though she liked her clothes now. They were nice enough for the occasion. Her expression was stoic and polite, but her mood spoiled. She was happy a while ago. It was disappointing that such little things could ruin it. She followed the maid quietly to the bath, the woman was nervous and sweet, chatting about everything they had to offer. Elena felt bad for not listening much.


When she was clean and her hair was back in it neat and smooth curls tied back with a ribbon, she went to find a quiet place by the garden to wait and train. When she found a place, she stood and decided she was a bit to worn out to run or practice fighting. Also she didn't want to get dirty either.


After a moment of thought, she rose her hands and let her eyes shut. She could feel it, every blade of grass. Every inch. Some particles in the air. It was suddenly full of what felt like electricity. It felt good to have this power. Suddenly feeling more alive, she shot her arm out to the side as if throwing a punch, spinning 180 low on her heal and quickly. Grass grew in a millisecond and took on a pale blue crystal form combining into a rounded shield on the inside and a large crystaline spike on the offensive side. It turned to a shiny dust and nothing again the moment it was fully formed.


Panting, she continued experimenting.

 

[Lioness075]

Luness was led to her room and the servant quickly showed her the armor that they'd found for her.


Nodding her approval, the servant then left upon Luness' dismissal and Luness took a minute or two to admire the furnishing and style of her private quarters.


It was simply, comfortable, and just about perfect. Luness loved it, and it was a surprisingly quaint touch for a castle.


Soon, Luness could feel the steam from the bathroom as she approached it from her bedroom.


Walking inside, Luness immediately saw the bathtub filled to the brim with warm water and...a duck?


Upon closer inspection, Luness raised an eyebrow and then plucked the small, rubber duck from the bathtub, holding it up to eyelevel. Tenatively, she squeezed it and let out a surprised yelp when it squeaked at her. Dropping the duck to the floor, Luness jumped back a foot or two and then frowned down at the duck toy, as it didn't do anything but lie still on the floor.


What, did they think she was but a kit or something, giving her such toys?


Kicking the duck aside, Luness then went on to enjoy her bath and soon was out of it with her fur soaked, but the blood was now gone from her body.


Once she was clear of the bathtub, Luness dropped to all fours and then unceremoniously shook herself like a dog, water flying off her fur in every which direction.


Standing up from this action, Luness' fur all suddenly puffed up and she huffed with irritation, as she then had to waste several minutes patting it all back down.


Leaving her bathroom and her tattered and bloodied armor, behind, Luness soon returned to the main part of her private quarters and eyed her new attire for a moment before she donned it.

Spoiler

Just imagine some black leather boots to go with it, also ignore the red rope above her head...and the sword.


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Putting on her knapsack and then her guitar again, Luness then exited her private quarters wearing her new armor with the hood down, and in her werecat form.


Walking on her two hind legs along a random hallway, Luness admired the simplicity of the castle while wondering where exactly the court meeting was supposed to be.


Surprisingly enough, the whispers in her mind seemed to be silenced by the calmness Luness was feeling while enjoying the sights.


Did the darkness purely feed off of her dark emotions and thoughts? If she only thought good things, then would the whispers and visions stay at bay?

 

[SilverFlight]

Just by the hall entrance a small side-door opened and a worried-looking man stepped out. He was dressed elegantly as he was one of the servants that tended the guests of the court. usually his face would be lit up with a warm smile...but not today. He saw the group of champions by the table and hurried over to them.


"My lords and ladies, I bring dire news." Leia came back over as she saw the new face talking to everyone. Kallin had wandered back outside as well and came over.


"'Dire news?'" Leia asked. "What's up?"


The man glanced around as if afraid he would be overheard, but the gardens were abandoned save for the champions.


"I-I believe...I believe the king may be in grave danger."


This got Kallin attention. "What kind of danger?"


The servant took a breath and began explaining.


"Our king has ruled Aerios wisely and fairly for many years, but...an unfortunate event in the past prevented him from ever having an heir. He is no longer a young man and his heath...it begins to fail. There is talk of who would be next in-line for the throne. One rumour I fear has sparked the danger to my king's well-being..."


Leia was all-ears now, and Kallin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.


"As the king's brother, duke Albert is next in line for the throne...but many say he is devious, and cares nothing for the people of the country. If he was crowned king he would give the wealthy more power, and take more for himself...I do not want to think ill of any of my king's kin...but I fear there is something of that nature in the duke. Some in the court are saying that the king feels this too, and is preparing to renounce Albert as crowned prince, instead choosing a candidate himself...this rumour...I fear it has galvanized some of the duke's wealthier friends...I fear they may be plotting something!"


Kallin crossed his arms. "What can we do about it? Its not like they're going to admit to anything openly, even to us."


The servant held up a finger. "That...is where you may be wrong. The court does not yet know your nature, nor what allegiance you choose in this game of power...if you pretended to side with the duke when speaking to them...they may reveal pieces of what they know."


At this point Ward returned to the group, a little puzzled at the gathering around the servant. Leia quickly brought him up to speed.


"These are very grave accusations." He said sternly.


"Please sir Ward...I would not speak unless I was fearful of my king's life."


"So we are to...become familiar with these guests under the false pretense that we agree with Albert's stances on...whatever he has stances on...who are these friends of the duke?"


"The lord Canton had holdings on almost all the major islands, he is very wealthy, proud and very easily flattered. Lady Lissanne is a countess whose family owns the gold mines north of Aerios, she is wily, and a shameless flirt. If you can get into their good graces I am sure you will be able to retrieve something usable...information we can bring to the king so he can act."


A yell from the door made the man jump. "I must go...please champions...the king's life may depend on you!"


With that, he darted away, leaving the heroes to ponder his peculiar and possibly quite dangerous request.


@Shimakage Thunder @Flutterby

 

[Lioness075]

Luness arrived at the gardens just as the servant rushed away, leaving the now crowded group of her allies.


Confused by what she'd missed, Luness walked up to Kallina and then tentatively asked him, "What's going on?"


She seriously hoped another fight was not about to break out. They'd fought so much lately and frankly, Luness was more than ready for a break in fighting since that was practically all she'd done her whole life.


From the concerned looks Luness was seeing around her though, she had no doubt that there was some kind of impending danger.


@SilverFlight

 

[Flutterby]

Quincy, currently in the middle of a large piece of cake, went closer at the sight of the nervous servant. She listened without pausing in her eating, enjoying the snack far too much. With all the shameless eating she was doing, she was beginning to feel like one of the dragons. As Luness came up, she swallowed the mouthful she had.


"The king is getting on in years, and theres no heir to the throne other than the king's brother, who would make a lousy king. The king wants to name a new heir, but the brother may be planning to kill the king before he can change the heir officially. We're supposed to make friends with the duke's supposed co-conspirators to see if we can get the to say something incriminating enough for the king to act on." She explained briefly, then went back to eating her cake thoughtfully while listening to the planning. It was delicious.


@Lioness075

 

[Lioness075]

Blinking at Quincy's reply, Luness then uttered a quick thanks, though it seemed she was ignored when the kelpie quickly went back to eating her sweets.


@Flutterby


If such things were truly happening and they needed to befriend some people, Luness was certainly not going to be of any use in this situation. She was better suited for combat than politics or social events.


Glancing back at Kallin, Luness finally noticed his new attire and immediately thought about how much better he'd look in his new robes if he were in his human form currently.


Blushing at such thoughts, though her fur luckily hid most of her blushing, Luness then quietly cleared her throat before saying softly to Kallin, "Your new robes look great, Kal."


@SilverFlight

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena had worked out a bit of frustration and a whole lot of whatever energy she had left when she heard the voice of the man who was speaking before. She wiped her brow and readjusted what she was wearing to look presentable enough. She followed back to the rest of the group quietly as though she had never strayed away. She listened with an uneasy feeling of the whole situation. Questioning this mans standpoint could ruin their alliance though.


So they had to gain information and basically be spies for the kingdom on the duke. Suck up, convince the duke and his allies that they were on that side. She had an embarrassing idea and turned bright red as she decided to speak up.


"I think um.. S-seduction is a good approach as far as alliance goes.. If Canton is so prideful, a single person with the right personality could stroke his ego by acting very interested? Lissanne would be more difficult.. Being playful and acting disinterested in the politics could get on the good side of a flirtatious woman.. I think.. I don't know."

 

[DawnAntalios]

Nyr looked at Leo with gleaming eyes. Why? Why was he not angry at him? How did he have the patience? Why was he so strong and why was she so weak?


She fell to her knees before Leo and bowed her head. The long cloak shrouded her entire body and she remained silent for moments. Then, after a minute of silence she spoke.


" I now see why Mother have chosen you as her champion. " she whispered silently " You are stronger, more powerful and wiser than anyone I have ever known. "


She stayed on the ground and literally bowed down to the ground before Leo.


" I shall try my best, Leo. " she said " For you, for me, for all of us. Teach me, exalted one, and I will follow. I want to regain the faith of Mother Moon. I want to regain the faith of the others. "


She now looked up on him with a begging look, her eyes watering.


" Please, guide me, love of my life. "


@zCrookedz

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo smiled as Nyr accepted his purposeful, and clasped her hand leading her to her feet. "Come now Nyr, no one bows to another here. Lets go catch up with everyone. I will explain the finer details of what is to come once we have assessed the situation here."


Leo gave a kiss on her head and turned to head where the voices of the group where coming from. When they rounded the corner Leo noticed that some of the others had changed and there was a new comer among them who seemed to be in a bit of a worried state. Leo looked around to the others and listened to the predicament with king and duke.


Leo was not much for politics, and this particular adventure seemed to be ripe with it.


Elena was the first to speak up on the situation, "Elena is right, it is going to take the right people to manipulate these people. We need to also consider the protection of the king during such a time. We want to seem as if we are on the side of the Duke, but if a few were to watch from the shadows, we might settle the mind of those who are worried for the kings safety."


Leo gestured to where the man from before had run back inside when he mentioned those who were concerned with the kings safety. He did not feel safe leaving the king open to an attack while they made nice with the politics.


@DawnAntalios @Bea Delaine

 

[SilverFlight]

"As an emissary of Branbern, it would seem acceptable for me to stay by the king." Ward offered, feeling a bit uncomfortable at Elena's suggestion, but relenting to the fact that it probably was the best way to go about this.


Kallin looked thoughtful. "This...could be fun."


Generally he avoided just these sorts of gatherings, having never had a reason to be there anyway, but the deception peeked the interest of the rogue inside him and he felt a plan begin to form in the back of his mind.


When Luness commented on his glamoured attire he smiled his mouthless smile. "Thanks, though its really just a spell. Hopefully it will hold into the night...or I'd look pretty strange in a court full of nobles...you...look good too." The compliment felt strange on his tongue, was it really that rare for him to give them?


Just then a servant wearing a fine cream jacket, and a bit more gold embroidery than most others came through the open hall doors.


"I will announce you in court now." He said.


((last post for me tonight))

 

[Flutterby]

Quincy swallowed her cake, nodding to Elena. "I think Elena has the right idea. But I have no idea who could execute a plan like that." She said, eating the last bite with a note of sadness. With her appetite satisfied and a servant arriving to escort them into the court, the kelpie looked around for her dragon. She wasnt too keen on walking into the next stage of their adventure without him beside her.


@Hel (Where have you gone my friend?)

 

[Verdas]

Sotyolos changed form into a Phoenix and flew down to the lower parts of Fablewood from the Whispering Isles. His bright white flame making him appear like a shooting star when combined with his speed as he soared through the sky. He was making on of his usual flights around Fablewood to check if there was anything new an different. His keen eyes allowed him to see things on the ground very easily, though ironically enough his own brightness camouflaged some things from his view. 'This world is changing...' He though as he tried to remember what Fablewood looked like before all the humans came in and before there were as many residents living here. He became excited as was shown by the sudden rise in temperature around him as he stopped keeping his fire temperature low to not affect others since he was greatly excited by what new things might be discovered by him and learned, though he quickly lowered his fire's temperature again.