Fantasy Four Suits Volume 1.5

[Anaxileah]

One day prior.
Worse...It has gotten worse... The blonde elf thought to herself, her icy silver gaze looking over the hamlet she had helped rebuild, glancing between the structures and the people. Three buildings were all but a pile of charred remains, while there were others that had been broken into and stolen from. The people were anxious, worried, and on top of it all, terrified. The inhabitants of the hamlet were huddled close together, panicking amongst themselves as they exchanged hushed words, spreading rumors like the plague. Emia had approached the murmuring people, having dismounted her horse donned in her armor in case the troubles of Inlir were still going on when she arrived. Sadly, it looked like the Queen of Spades had just missed them. If she'd been there...they wouldn't have survived.

Snapping out of her reverie, Emia spoke with the townsfolk, who greeted her happily and respectfully when they recognized her, bowing in her presence before expressing their joy. "We're so glad you're here, Lady Pallas! The Jokers...they've burned down our smithy and a couple of markets, stealing weapons and jewelry from our merchants. We have little enough as it is!..." The townsfolk trailed off, chattering away about their woes and worries. Emia nodded as though she was focused on the conversation, but inwardly she was thinking about what to do about these Jokers. They had proven a most difficult nuisance to deal with, both here and throughout the rest of the Spades kingdom. She and the other royals have been trying to solve the problems as quickly as possible, but the Jokers seem to have numbers galore, and that's been screwing with the entire kingdom, as well as in other kingdoms, she'd heard. At some point, Emia spoke up.

"I will provide you with the funds to rebuild the shops that have been burned down, and I will encourage the traders on the route to Valencia to bring more supplies for the next couple of weeks. Until then, keep tending your crops, and I will hire more protection for the town." She spoke to them tersely, making her way to the burnt down remnants of the three buildings that were there before. She observed the ashes and sifted through them, making sure nothing of value was behind. When she confirmed that the Jokers had taken everything, she removed one of her gloves and touched the charred wood, letting her powers of Corrosion eat away at the remaining burnt wood so that a new building could be built in its place. This...is going to be a lot of work.

The next day. (Present day)
Emia awoke with a start, lifting her face from the desk with a gasp and sighing as a paper fell from her cheek onto the wood platform she had been resting on. She felt as though her mind had been prodded repeatedly with an urgent message, but she'd been getting such a minute amount of sleep, the elven female couldn't help but pass out amidst her work. Her quill left beady drops of ink on a blank sheet, thankfully, and she unknowingly had ink on her nose as well. A knock at her door told her that she was needed outside, so she quickly put the papers down on the desk and organized them into a pile before placing them in her satchel, preparing to leave the room. She opened the door, greeting the messenger with a sharp nod, despite the marks on her face from her accidental nap. "Lady Pallas, we have ordered the necessary materials to rebuild thanks to your hefty donation, but the builders need your sign-off, and the townsfolk need your help with something." Emia waved her gloved hand at him dismissively, speaking with an irritated tone.

"I get the idea. I'll handle it." She muttered, making her way past the male to deal with the townsfolk. It would be just as exhausting as usual, because they'd start asking personal questions about how she was doing, what the cities were like nowadays, etc... Emia let out an exasperated sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose, dealing with the barrage of questions one at a time in the early morning air. Luckily, the sound of a wagon approaching reached her sensitive ears, causing her to let out a small sigh of relief. The only people who know I am here are the other royals, and I have a feeling this has to do with that earlier mental prodding, Emia thought to herself, dismissing the townsfolk and approaching the entrance of the town to greet the wagons.​

ADDRESSED: Townsfolk, no tag. | MENTIONED: Quillon SentinelSevn , Sheila VioletShadow , and Travis Balfnaught1 | STATUS: Arriving @ Inlir (Day 1) -> Working w/ Townsfolk (Day 1-2) -> Greeting Wagons (Day 2) | MOOD: Conflicted/Frustrated -> Irritated | LOCATION: Inlir, a small hamlet that Emia grew up in. | INVENTORY: Armor, large bag [spare outfit (gown), weapons], medium satchel [important documents, currency] | NOTES: If you have any feedback for me, let me know!​

Spoiler: Code

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[Balfnaught1]

Travis grunted at Quillon’s dismissal of him. It ground at him on a personal level, but unfortunately there was little he could do. If he struck at the man, there was practically a certainty he would simply be countered before he could do a thing. He had seen what Quillon had done to the previous Royals, and he was determined not to make the same mistake.
He left the room and walked to his carriage. He could have flown there himself, of course, but the King arriving by himself would not present a united front to the other Kingdoms and he was very concerned with impressions. The difference between perceived and actual power was smaller than many believed. As well as that, he was admittedly an easier target when in the air alone. What they needed to do was meet up with Mortemiah and gather for the conference. He was getting surer and surer that this had something to do with the Argossians. Personally, he had nothing against them. They were at war, certainly, but that was just statecraft. They wanted more resources and needed to follow their ideologies. On some basic level it did not matter who fought or why they did it.
The crows would eat them all just the same.
Honestly he wouldn’t be averse to making peace with the Empire. Of course, they needed some victories for a strong position from which to negotiate, but after that… He had heard stories about their technology and seen it in the hands of some of the rebels. What they could do with that kind of advancement as well as their magic-
He was interrupted from his thoughts by a rapping on his carriage door, and then sounds of footsteps receding. Probably Lilith then. His fellow Royals would have knocked then entered as a courtesy, Quillon would have just entered without knocking, and anyone lower than a 10 would not have been so direct and risk interrupting him.
He exited the carriage and saw he was right. The slightly-eccentric 10 knelt before him. Another powerful asset that would be crucial in the fight to come. It struck him, not for the first time, how odd it was for him to think of people as “assets”. While he knew some would see it as wrong, he wouldn’t hesitate to trade a life for something of higher value. For example, if Lilith’s life could be sacrificed for the sake of a Royal or an Ace, he wouldn’t blink at the choice. What that said about him, he didn’t know.
“Rise – he grimaced – Princess Lilith, and accept your duty. I charge you with the defence of our procession from attack, as well as scouting with your abilities. Any direct attack against Royals, a 10, and an Ace is likely to be one of incredible power, and it is against this you should be on your guard. Gods with you, and be sure to return alive”.
He moved to return to his carriage before a thought struck him. It was almost a flight of fancy, but he was curious. He turned back to the 10.
“Lilith, a grand conference has been called. All Royals and all Aces are to attend. It is a gathering of magical power that could probably reduce this whole nation to dust if we wished, and I myself could only be counted in the top 8 of those present. For all of us to be needed, it is very likely the Argossian Empire is marching against us. We will soon be heading to war, and as one of our side’s strongest you will be involved as well. It is for this reason I would like to ask you to indulge me and answer my question: What do you think is the most important factor in victory?”
vielpotato SentinelSevn VioletShadow Anaxileah

 

[vielpotato]

Lillith
Chuckling internally, Lillith rose according to the king’s command. Being called princess by him was sort of funny, seeing as he was a royal. But the food to her ego was absorbed instantly as she went straight into ‘soldier’ mode. Defending a bunch of high powered royals should be easy, sadly as Lillith wanted something fun and fresh, but one can never go slack on a job. Nodding once, Lillith was about to go off until the king started to talk again. “Victory, sir? Assuming you are talking about winning the war, it would taking battles that will help win the war and not ones that are easy or close to us. However, if you wanted to win a few battles to show superiority, then it would be to gather the strongest for the total annihilation of the armies ahead of us.”. Lillith said in an almost monotone voice, as her normal whimsical self. War was a few pleasure she has in her life. That and having drinks. But that was for another time. Right now, proving her combat intuitiveness is higher than getting drunk.
SentinelSevn VioletShadow Anaxileah Balfnaught1

 

[Balfnaught1]

Travis smiled, seeing a ghost of his former self in her devotion to power and numbers.
“Unfortunately I do not believe that is the case. This is of course a matter of opinion, but on a certain level as long as numbers and relative strength are in the ballpark of each other then it doesn’t really matter. There is of course a level of power against which no strategy can succeed, but as long as we prevent them from being that far above them there shouldnt be a problem. No, the true key to victory in this war, in anything, is simply having the willingness to do without hesitation what would make the other side’s blood run cold. To plunge your hands into the filth for the sake of victory. War is a terrible thing, Lilith, and generally the side that wins is the one that is the most terrible. You are dismissed”.
With that, and a distant, haunted look in his eyes, Travis returned to his carriage.
vielpotato VioletShadow SentinelSevn Anaxileah

 

[TPBx]

Ethan Kaloronos

Ethan noticed Jack relatively quickly, sensing his presence come from the castle, and he was amused to find out that Jack wasn't so amused by the hillside get together. He calmly turned around and addressed the other Royal, "Good Morning, Jack. Are you prepared for next week's processions. The other Kingdoms' Royalty would like to see the castle in tip top shape..." Ethan paused and turned back around and started heading up the hill, "I'll be returning inside. Feel free to join me whenever you're ready." He soon made his way up the hill into a portal of shadows, leaving the area as quickly as he came by. He felt like he had done or said, all he needed to, but he was unsure of himself, and didn't need William nor Idun to bother him about it. He could see it on William's face already that the wonder child read him like a book.

Ethan reappeared within the castle and took a seat on his chair in the main hall where a large table and 16 seats were set up in preparation for the Grand Conference. The hall sparkled with the light coming through the skylight reflecting off of several large gems in the hall as well as the crystalline floor, refracting into a myriad of rainbow colored beams of light. The scene stood at odds with his own magic being a wielder of darkness. He playfully messed around with the shadows in the room, concentrating them into a single orb that he held in the palm of his hand, also making the main hall much, much brighter.

Diphylleia grayi Kloudy Kisaki

 

[SentinelSevn]

- Mind Control {WARNING}

Location:
- Ishveil
- Inlir, hamlet, hometown of Mortemiah

Interactions:
- Travis Arelius Balfnaught1
- Sheila Ivoren VioletShadow
- Lillith vielpotato
- Mortemiah Anaxileah

Quillon Downs
38 || Ace || Spades

"The side that wins is the one that is most terrible.."

Quillon could not help his curiosity, but to eavesdrop on the conversation between the King and his guard, Lilith. He had heard the heavyset footsteps of the King walk past his carriage, and thought nothing of it until he also heard the much lighter steps of another following closely suit. He had peered past his window to see the King standing outside his carriage, with the demi-human explaining something unintelligible from within his carriage's closed doors. Quillon amplified his own hearing, in time to catch the latter half of what Lilith was explaining, as well as Travis concluding the conversation.

"Worried for the war, are we?.." Quillon thought to himself, scoffing at the thoughts that seemed to be on the King's mind. Chewing on his lower lip, Quillon himself began to wonder, what he thought was going to win them the war..

While pondering the answer, he heard the voices of the coachmen begin to give their horses the commands to move, as well as the snap of the reins. He heard the sound of the wheels as they creaked along on their steel axles, and along the gravel path. "Perhaps to win this war.. we should-" The carriage making a sudden jolt downwards surprised Quillon, and caused him to clench his teeth onto own bottom lip.

"My apologies, Sir Downs. Didn't manage to avoid the hole beneath us." The coachmen leading his carriage stated.

Quillon inhaled deeply from his nose, managing to stop himself from cursing outloud at his forsaken luck in choosing the carriage right over the pothole, and his coachman's inability to maneuver the vehicle. Damned Precognition my ass! Save me from harm, can't even warn me of a damned hole in the dirt." He licked his lips and felt the faint metallic taste of blood on his lips. Pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance, he called back to the coachman, "Think not of it. Would you happen to have a paper, or rag on you?"

"Yes, indeed sir." Replied the other male, followed by a quick rapping of his a fist against the small window between the driver and his passengers. "Did you spill something in there? Tea, perhaps?"

"I said think not of it. Just get me to the Diamond Kingdom in one piece, if you can manage." Quillon reached out and grabbed the handkerchief from his outstretched hand, and began dabbing the blood off his lips before it stained them red. To imagine, not even five minutes into this journey and he already felt something afoul...

~ Next morning, moments passed dawn. Currently stopped at Inlir ~​

"Tell the coachmen in front to halt, but not to wake my fellow royals. They need their rest. I will fetch Lady Mortemiah, and I will be quick." Quillon commanded the driver, who was also quite dreary-eyed. Quillon opened the door to his carriage, and stepped down into the dirt.

Inlir. Quillon had been to the small town a handful of times in the past, prior to his acquisition of the Ace position. Since then, he has had little reason or time to make the journey. It was only under his mentorship, did he ever come here, after all. He was still quite familiar with it, despite that.

He turned away from the carriage, only to see the Queen already making her approach from one of the buildings. "Or she will come to us.. Never mind what I said earlier, have them continue riding. Lady Mortemiah will ride with us, as soon as she's settled." He called again to the coachman, who was already speaking with the driver of Travis's wagon.

Quillon turned his attention towards the Queen, and she would see the slight signs of relief flood his face. There was a small curl of a smile on his lips, as he said "Emia. We'll catch up on the road. Grab your things, and get your ass in the carriage." There was no ill-intent in his manner of speaking, despite it sounding like he was speaking with a child rather than a fellow royal. In fact, it sounded much more welcoming, and expressed a hint of glee in being in her presence.

 

[Quinlan63]

Axton- King of Hearts​

Arriving at his office Axton was met with a pile of reports about troop movements, training progress, and whatfundig they had been given by Twig. Beside the death of a few soldiers and a few of the jokers being captured nothing else was different. It would of at least been nice if the jokers they caught had any intel worth having but none of them knew anything worth knowing. Oh well Guin will be happy to know that she was going to get some more test subjects for her "experiments" when they get back from the conference.

As for when they leave Axton figured together they would be safe enough without taking any guards with them. Besides he knew it would be far more important to station more troops at the border to prevent anyone from coming and causing trouble. With the royals and the Ace leaving the kingdom it would only be natural for anyone who wants to cause trouble to show up. At least for him thanks to this he was quickly done with his work with him passing over the orders to a messenger for it to be spread to all the commanders.

Leaving out of his office heads out to inform the coachman to prepare to leave at a moments notice. He wasn't sure when exactly the others will be ready to leave but that didn't mean being prepared was a bad thing.

Coyote Hart Goonfire . D O V E

 

[ChazGhost]

Maxwell Jacobs
The streets of Strebeshti - Queen of Club's Estate

It was a long a quiet walk to the estate as the guard felt to scared talk to Maxwell again after Maxwell made it clear he wasn't part of the help and that he didn't like to be mock about him being an orc. As they reached the estate, Maxwell looked impressed as he admired the craftsmanship in full displace of the building. "Did apprehend this orc trying to sneak in?" one of a pair guard said walking up to Maxwell with two gentlemen behind them.

"Um no... This Mr. Jacob and he's the ten I was sent to pick up" Maxwell's guard said gesturing to Maxwell.

"Oh I see... Well, we got our guys. Why don't you take them in while we have a look around for any signs of strange activity" the guard said before gesturing for the two other tens to go with Maxwell inside the estate.

Maxwell's guard nodded and guided Maxwell with the two other tens inside. "Sir Jacob I part for my fellow guardsmen act, and I sure you I make sure it won't happen again," one of the tens said. This ten wore a thicker and stronger version of the stander city guard uniform. "I am Sir Nickles at your service" Sir Nickle said giving a bow to Maxwell.

"Since we are introducing ourselves..." Said the other ten with a pair of round glasses and a very thick book in hand. "... I am Jack Cane." Jack said offering a hand to his fellow tens. Maxwell and Sir Nickles shook them gentlemanly. It was at this point that they reached the building and entered. Once inside the three tens began looking around the interior.

"Hello? Ms.Clover? Master Viticus?" the guard began calling out for anyone to hear he wouldn't have to drag the trio of tens around the whole estate.

"So what do you guys think this is all about? To be summoned by the Jack to the Queen estate can't mean anything less something truly important" Maxwell asked the other two as the gaurd looked for the Jack.

"Maybe they are looking some private gaurds for themselves" SIr Nickle suggested.

"Maybe they want us to look into some of the recent increases in criminal activists" Jack added.

"I guess it can truly any number of things. Let's just hope it's at least some thing in our realm capabilities." Maxwell said as he waited for the arrival of someone to explain what they were doing here.

SidTheSkid Melon Bomb

 

[Goonfire]

“I believe he went to make preparations and check troop movements,” Leo answered the Queen, a narrow smirk stretching to one side. “I think it’ll be wonderful to see the sights outside our own nation. Too bad we aren’t traveling for enjoyment; I’d love to bring Astraea to the Crystal Marking.” Despite his flirtatious nature, he never formally told the royals of Aster, that person who made him feel like an ordinary, happy man. The telltale signs, however, were those moments he was caught daydreaming in the past month.

“Anyway, I must say my goodbyes to the people before we go out.” Although he didn’t have much office work to do, Leolin took it upon himself to address the commoners’ grievances at each meeting and demand resolutions. He was the driving force for most reform that would’ve been overlooked. It wasn’t that the royals were ignorant or lax; it was simply that changes seemed to be applied more quickly when he, the ‘strongest person in the nation’, personally oversaw it.

And like that, the Ace was off for one last round of drinks—and hopefully one last kiss—before departing for Ariandel. As far as he was concerned, it didn’t matter that he was doing some heavy drinking before noon.

. D O V E Coyote Hart Quinlan63 Diphylleia grayi

 

[Anaxileah]

Emia watched as the wagons approached, noticing the sudden halt at the welcome sign to the small town. She figured Quillon had told them to stop here, and at the sound of his voice, verified her previous thought. He stepped out of the carriage looking disgruntled and just as sleep deprived as she. His back turned to her for a brief moment, she considered testing her former student in a way she used to do but was much too exhausted to play games this early in the morning. When he turned to her, he appeared slightly surprised, but unfazed by her approach. He spoke once more to the coachmen before turning his attention back to her, just as she neared him. She assumed the others were sleeping, since he was the only to say hello or even offer a wave through a window.

"Emia. We'll catch up on the road. Grab your things, and get your ass in the carriage." He appeared relieved to see her, a hint of a smile on his face as he spoke to her. His words were slightly patronizing, but nothing she wasn't used to. She knew he meant nothing of it, and might have actually been happy to see her. She scoffed, approaching the taller man with a raised brow. She felt the same with him, despite rarely showing it, and was determined to toy with him just as they always did to one another. Raising her hand quicker than he could properly react, as it was an ungodly hour in the morning, she grabbed his jaw with her thumb on one side and the rest of her fingers on the other, turning his face from side to side as she looked him over.

"Shave on the way there. You look like you're trying to grow a bush. Emphasis on trying." She smirked at him before turning and heading into the nearest building, which happened to be her humble commode in the hamlet, gathering her things and making a quick change into her gown. She paused whilst changing, gazing at her scars for a moment before wrinkling her nose in disgust and continuing to dress. She cleaned the blot of ink off of her nose, donned her cloak, and decided to leave her headdress off for the day and decorating her hair simply in silver chains and threads, letting her long, silvery blonde hair flow down to her midriff without any cover, her pale ears open to view. Keeping her head uncovered by the hood of the cloak, she departed the building swiftly, discussing final matters with the people of the town hastily before returning to Quillon's side.

Still such a child..~ She thought in an almost teasing nature, knowing he could hear it with ease as she climbed into the carriage, thanking the coachmen for helping her inside. She where she could feel the sunlight through the window of the carriage, making sure her gloves were securely on her hands and keeping them warm. She awaited Quillon's entrance, having brought her belongings into the carriage to be placed at her similarly concealed feet. Only Quillon would know of the sheer amount of scars she had decorating her body, mostly due to incidents where she had to receive bandages on different parts of her body whilst being his tutor. She wasn't sure he recalled them, which is why she still kept herself hidden from everyone in existence, but she was more comfortable being herself around him than normal. Upon his reentry into the carriage, she gave him another terse nod before gazing out of the window of the window, preparing for what was to come and discussing the matters with Quillon on the way.​

ADDRESSED: Quillon, SentinelSevn | MENTIONED: Quillon SentinelSevn , Sheila VioletShadow , Travis Balfnaught1 , and Lillith vielpotato | STATUS: Talking w/ Quillon -> Gathering Belongings -> Boarding to Leave | MOOD: Relieved/Amused -> Disgusted -> Playful/Thoughtful | LOCATION: Inlir | INVENTORY: Gown, large bag [spare outfit (armor), weapons], medium satchel [important documents, currency] | NOTES: If you have any feedback for me, let me know!​

Spoiler: Code

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[SentinelSevn]

Ability:
- Sensory Manipulation
- Mind Control {WARNING}

Location:
- Ishveil
- Inlir, hamlet, hometown of Mortemiah
- Ariandel, capital of the Diamond

Interactions:
- Travis Arelius Balfnaught1
- Sheila Ivoren VioletShadow
- Lillith vielpotato
- Mortemiah Anaxileah

Quillon Downs
38 || Ace || Spades

One moment, she was approaching him in what he assumed to simply enter the carriage without her belongings. The next, his face was held in her hand, a firm grip on his cheeks forcing a purse onto his lips. She turned his face to the left, and then to right, thoroughly examining him before he even understood what was happening.

"Shave on the way there. You look like you're trying to grow a bush. Emphasis on trying." she said to him, to his annoyance. Quillon attempted to swat her hand away with his own, but his hand was met with nothing but air. She had already let go of his face, and was making her way back to her home.

He turned towards the coachman, who had been sitting quietly on his seat in the front of the carriage watching the scene unfold. On the driver's face was a small smile, seemingly enjoying the human interaction between the two inhumanly powerful figures. "You make a point in mentioning this to anyone Harold, and I swear you won't remember a single thing that has happened in your life from now til you were just a babe." To that the driver, who Quillon had been made aware was named Harold during their short journey to Inlir, straightened his posture and faced forward, towards the two other carriages who were now a quarter mile ahead of them on the path.

It was convenient that the depth and specificity of his powers were never completely discovered by the public, since empty threats like those that were out of his skillset still proved to be viable. As far as he was knew, the public only knew him as the one capable of mind control, and even less knew anything at all about the rest of his abilities.

Quillon reached into his pockets, pulling out a small bag of coin and emptying a few silver from its contents. "Quickly, head down to the market stalls down the street and grab some food and water for the road." He ordered as he raised a fist containing the coin towards Harold. The latter male looked rather confused, accepting the coin, but sitting in his seat as he tried to understand what the Ace was saying. "The Queen will be a moment as she gathers her things. I'm assuming she, and the other royals have yet to eat. Bring them some food once we catch up with their carriages. Bring some food for yourself as well.."

Harold flew off of his seat, finally understanding the command and not wanting to have the Ace repeat himself. Quillon found the scene of the slightly stocky gentleman running towards the market profoundly amusing, chuckling to himself once Harold was out of earshot.

Harold returned minutes later, in his arms a basketful of various baked breads and fruits. In a much smaller basket, wrapped in paper, was roughly four ounces of dried jerky. "Treating yourself, are we?" The Ace said, raising a brow towards the driver, who seemed very much out of breath at this point.

"I-I.. I assumed you and the-" Harold began to stutter, unable to spit out many words to explain himself before Quillon cut him off.

"Merely a jest, Harold. Many thanks for your haste. Please leave a third of the food for the Queen, me, and yourself in the smaller basket and leave it inside. The rest keep to the side for you to give to the others once we depart." At his command, Harold nodded his head and retreated into the carriage to begin sorting the food.

Quillon spotted Emia leaving her home not a minute later, from his position leaning his back against the front wheel of the carriage. As she approached, she would see the frame of Harold exiting their carriage, and remaining outside to hold the door open for her. Quillon followed closely behind her, but stopped for a moment before entering the carriage to turn towards his driver. "Just let me know once you've begun to feel hungry. By the looks of things you grabbed plenty for the three of us, so don't worry about us not having enough, we'll make it to the next city.." With that, Quillon climbed aboard the carriage, but not before making one last statement to Harold before he closed the door. "And if we do not manage to make a proper stop before dusk tomorrow, I will drive the carriage for the night. Don't want you driving me into more holes."

The driver returned Quillon's commands with a smile, and nodded his head happily with their arrangements. "Yes Sir Downs. Thank you very kindly." And with that, he shut the door to leave the Ace and the Queen in the carriage.

Quillon took the seat opposite of Emia, which conveniently put his back towards the wall with Harold on the other side. He firstly reached his hand into the smaller basket, and retrieved a loaf of bread that he stuck out the small window that opened towards their driver. "Eat as you get a move on. He said, before finally turning his attention to his new companion.

"I'll have you know that Aoife actually prefers the stubble.."

~ Six Days Later, Midmorning, Entrance to Ariandel, the Capital of the Diamond Kingdom ~​

As the three carriages containing Sheila, Travis, Quillon, and Mortemiah approached the capital of the Diamond kingdom, the path of dirt and gravel began to transition into a much more solid stone and cobble pathway. A symbol of the major progression that the Diamonds have managed to achieve despite being the most heavily impacted by many of the four Kingdom's battles against Argossia.

Within the trailing carriage, Quillon was still sound asleep, his head resting against the wall in a rather exhausted slouch. He had taken the reins from Harold early the previous night, and the two had only made the transition roughly an hour ago, a few kilometers before coming within sight of Ariandel.

He had made sure that he dressed presentably and didn't appear to be a mess prior to falling asleep. He had since changed to sport a dark leather tunic, followed by a thick cloak he had picked up in the colder climates of the Clubs that rested on his shoulder.

 

[Kloudy]

Ace of Diamonds

(Hillside - Ariandel)​

William watched idly as Ethan apparently ignored his response and left as swiftly as he’d arrived. The ace didn’t think much of it, the man likely had a lot on his mind. As did everyone in the Four Suits. He looked down and noticed the frost a thing his feet, wondering if it merely reflected his own mental state. He resolved to do more control training later. Glancing over at their Jack, William regarded him with a brief nod before returning his gaze elsewhere across the brightening horizon. Soon this sun-drenched land would be host to many struggles and conflicts and it was their job to minimise the damage, or at least make it worthwhile.

“Fighting isn’t unavoidable, it’s just preferred. There’s a reason so many believe strength is supreme. I trained you better than this, Idun.”

William fixed a look of judgement on her, his piercing eyes seemingly stripping away all defences. As if he could truly see everything that laid within her, doubts, worries, secrets and all. Another breeze tousled his ebony hair past his eyes and William looked away, this time at the capital, Ariandel. One could only guess what manner of invasion awaited the city and it’s inhabitants, what awaited those that swore to protect it. His grip tightened as the leather of his gloves stretched, emulating a phantom muscle memory that these gloves were so accustomed to. William would do his duty, as would everyone else. If the other kingdoms refused to do theirs, they would regret that day if William were to survive whatever fate came next.

“These people have driven off the Argossians before, and this time will be no different. We are not the same as we were five hundred years ago...”

He glanced back at the other two. A cyan portal opened up behind him in a familiar swirling fashion.

“We should leave as well.”

Diphylleia grayi TPBx Kisaki

 

[Melon Bomb]

Kynan's face visibly soured.

"I do not have the patience for your childish antics." With a snap of her fingers, Clover snagged Lazarus by the crook of the arm and dragged him back into the queen's room, pausing a moment to let the present party know that she will receive the new guests. Sending the maid off with a curt gesture, her attention fell to the jack of clubs with a curl on her lip and a dangerous glint in her eye. "You are a royal, representing our sovereign nation as one of our kingdom's finest. Act like it. Otherwise--" She made as if to rise again but the strain weighed upon her upper body as though heavy chains bound her to the wooden frame, and slowly, she laid her head back upon the pillow without breaking her gaze.

". . . Otherwise, I'm going to get mad." Even at her bedside, grievously wounded without strength to stand on her own two feet, Kynan's tone commanded respect. "Understand?"

***

Clover made no hurry down the stairs, eyes sweeping the floor below. She was met with faces - some familiar, others less so. Her hand hadn't come off her sheath since the attack, it was unlike her to be so restless even in dire straits. But she could feel it. This night was an omen, and she had bore witness to the birth of its terrible curse.

"Gentlemen," she stated, back stiffly straight and eyes perfectly level. "The jack and queen are waiting for you. This way. . ."

***

The queen gathered her thoughts as her maid ushered the new tens into her chambers. From a glance, it was apparent that she was in no shape to travel.

"Time is short, so I will keep this brief," Kynan began, folding her hands together as she eyed each attending member with scrutiny. "There are two matters to discuss. The first, is that an attempt has been made upon my life roughly six hours ago - an attempt that almost succeeded. We have no means of engaging this assailant just yet, but we will direct our reconnaissance to pick up his trail and in time you will surely be called upon to deal with it. Until then, you are to remain extremely vigilant. If I am not safe, then neither are any of you.

The second, is that our lovely neighbors from the kingdom of diamonds has made a call to arms - 'All Hands on Deck.' The nature of this sudden conference I can only guess, but I have entrusted a subordinate of mine to go in my stead, but. . ." She turned to tens expectantly. ". . . a queen is not so easy to replace. Perhaps I should send two of you. If you are up to task, speak up now."


SidTheSkid ChazGhost

 

[Coyote Hart]

"So I guess we're going to leave soon then," Twig said as Leo began to walk away for his preparations. Twig turned to Guin and said apologetically to the Queen, "Well, I'm sorry to bother you so early in the morning. I need to go get some last minute preparations before we leave. And pack up. See you later."

Of course, Twig did notice Leo mention Aster, however, Twig thought nothing of it. Twig had met the dangerously seductive woman a few times and didn't know too much of Aster and Leo's relations, so he wasn't about to make assumptions. He would ask Leo when the time was more appropriate. And now most definitely wasn't that time.

Twig too began to walk down the hallway, making a few twists and turns around corners before realizing-- he was lost again. Why didn't he ask Guin for directions? Now he was stuck in the middle of the castle with nobody to rely on. And he didn't even know which way he had come from.

"You got to be kidding me," Twig said with a groan, continuing to move forward. He knew he would find his meeting room at some point. And he wasn't thrilled to have to be in that room. It was never a pretty sight with all those bureaucrats going at each other's throats in such a tiny, crowded room.

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

"Is he even good enough to be a Jack at this point?!" one of Twig's pompous advisors accused, his fat finger pointed at Twig threateningly Meanwhile, the quiet-natured Jack simply stood with his arms folded, constantly reminded of how he didn't want to be there. The advisor, even despite Twig's silence, continued, "He is doing nothing to help our economy! Taking away the tax cuts that the rich have, letting those good-for-nothing plebians run around with proper food and clothing as if they didn't need our corporations, our hard-earned corporations for that! Think about that! Free food! Do we have free food? No! So why should they? And now he's going on a fucking trip to the Diamonds, which could or could not be just a vacation!"

Twig sighed and shut his eyes for a moment. He was hoping that his cabinet would do better in receiving the news that he was going to need to go on a business trip. Apparently, at least one of them wasn't happy in the slightest. "What do you want then?" Twig asked the pompous man after opening his eyes.

"We need to overthrow you!" the overweight advisor said. He was already standing up, so all he had to do was draw his sword and point it at Twig, a smile creeping up his face, "Screw the rules! Help me take him down! Then we'll finally be able to cut out this cancer that is denting our wallets so badly!"

"The only cancer here is you," the nearest advisor to him, a well-built man with spiky brown hair said, picking up a chair and walking forward to the man, "If you didn't allot so much of your monthly budget into gambling and girls, perhaps you wouldn't feel as if your wallet was dented."

The pompous advisor, which Twig knew was guilty of visiting casinos and brothels, began to protest, but the advisor with the spiky brown hair didn't allow him to finish, rather he raised his chair above his head and slammed it down on the parating advisor. Like a fallen house of cards, the advisor folded over onto the floor, knocked out cold.

"Thank you, Gerald," Twig said, wincing at the thunderous sound of the chair breaking, "I don't think that was neccessary though."

Twig walked over to the unconscious man and muttered a few healing spells, healing whatever injuries that Gerald might have inflicted onto him. He motioned for a few guards to bring him back to his quarters. In all honesty, Twig didn't blame Gerald for smacking him over the head with a chair. The man was unpleasant and bothersome, even in Twig's standards. There was no reason that he was a part of his cabinet other than the fact that he was aware of the foreign affairs that occurred in much better of a degree than what Twig would've been able to achieve. So Twig didn't reprimand Gerald or anything, simply, he turned back to the six remaining cabinet members and continued his announcement.

"I would just like to say that I'll be working while at the Diamonds," Twig said, his quiet voice projecting easily, as nobody said a word while he was speaking, and gave him his full attention. "And that if anyone has something urgent, they should send it via pigeon mail. I'll mail in any urgent documents in as soon as I can. And don't be too surprised if I end up mailing two. Burn the second copy if it gets to you."

"Well, that concludes this session," Twig said with a sigh. It had been barely ten minutes, yet Twig felt immensely exhausted talking to the cabinet members, "Any questions?"

When he was replied with only silence, Twig nodded and declared with a tone of relief, "Alright, this meeting is now adjourned."

As he walked away from the meeting, Twig realized just how much he had to do. There was so much stuff that he needed to pack, along with all the books that he would be heartbroken to part with for even a week. And there was also a multitude of time-sensitive documents that Twig knew he would need to look over, decipher, and fill before the day ended. It was going to be a long day for Twig.

 

[SidTheSkid]

.

​

Lazarus M. Viticus
(Location: Kingdom of Clubs > Strebeshti Tailor)
(Mood: Disheartened )
(Interactions: Kynan, Maxwell Jacobs )
(Mentions: Maxwell Jacob. )

Having been awkwardly acquainted with the fleshly spectacle that'd been Queen Kynan's uncovered skin, Lazarus had felt a considerable urge to temporarily liberate himself from the sheer embarrassment by letting out an unwinding gasp of satisfaction after knowing that he successfully escaped from the infirmary. Wholesome as he was, Jack of Clubs had never been sincerely accustomed to that of a woman's more 'feminine' features neither was he able to genuinely conform to witnessing a man's bare body for that matter! Most of his existence while growing up into adulthood had been primarily focused on laboriously researching his field of study and prospering in the wealth of knowledge that'd unavoidably awaited him in his rigorous pursuit of Royalty. Social interaction beyond collaborating with those he needed to was believed to be a 'chore' in his wholehearted opinion, why would he disregard such precious time on trying to communicate with people rather than focusing on his learning? Because of his inexperience with conversation and people in general, any kind of flirtatious comments thrown his way would turn him into a blubbering mess of a person, even unwittingly seeing someone's visible thigh was more than enough to darken his skin in a rosy blush. "N-no, don't put me back in there, s-she isn't decent!" Exclaiming with angst in his unsteady voice, he was undoubtedly reluctant at Clover luring him back into the room after overhearing the Queen's disgruntled timbre. Lazarus didn't know what to be more worried about, a scornful verbal lashing issued by the Queen or an ample bosom veiled only by a bundle of cloth?! Nevertheless, it came as little to no surprise when his wandering gaze had stumbled across a look of pure displeasure written all over Kynan's face that'd been more soured than a ripe lime! Without a moment to spare his spine had straightened, his posture now comparable to a motionless statue as he endured the reprimand given to him. "Please, I insist that you do not strain yourself! It's plain to see that you're in no such condition to be exerting yourself." Noticing her plainly struggling to rise up from the comfort of her own bed, a fearful idea of the woman overexerting herself and ripping the stitches had eventually made Lazarus promptly break away from his rigid stance to assist in leveraging Kynan back down into the cozy embrace of her fluffed pillow although still keeping himself from looking at anything he deemed 'obscene'.

"I understand completely, I do hope you find it in your heart to forgive my behavior." His response had submerged in guilt as he soon grasped the solemnity of the situation after wincing at the grisly remnants of tossed bandages that'd made up the contents of the wastebasket nudging his leg, all of them had been soaked in her blood. Fortune had definitely smiled upon her, she would've been dead if it any vital organs had been ruptured, Lazarus was more than thankful that this was not the case. "I'm relieved to see you're alive Kynan, still, I just wish I could've been there to stop this from happening." Understandably he knew that someone like himself couldn't be everywhere at once but he was incapable of not taking any blame for this outrageous act committed against her. Albeit his attention was above all else was captured by that of the aspiring contract killer who carried out this failed assassination, Lazarus was fully aware that she had gained many enemies throughout her position as the Queen but any notions of the identity of the person who would stoop to such a cold-blooded crime was lost to the depths of his mind as was his thoughts once a gathered trio of high-ranking officials was formally introduced by the personal maid of the manor, their swift response to the Jack of Club's beckoning was remarkable as were their appearances, to say the least! One had adorned a full set of plate armor that gave the impression it was crafted by Strebeshti's master blacksmith, another expressed themselves out to be a scholar-type individual whose thick brimmed glasses and hefty book were a prominent characteristic to his looks, and but above all else, there was but one Orc who's exquisite array of garbs and unblemished stance had managed to stand out from the rest. Maxwell Jacobs, he'd not met this person before but their identity was unmistakable, mainly due to there being only one Rank 10 who is an Orc but more importantly, Lazarus had remembered a certain Maxwell Jacobs from his college that'd matched his very description.

"Maxwell? I believe our paths may have ventured the same route from time to time, I see that you're doing well for yourself." Jack of Clubs softly conveyed, a hint of wonder had cradled his words in his acknowledgment. He would've tried properly introducing himself to the brilliant man except for a stiffening announcement from the Queen herself had claimed the undivided attention of everyone in the room. "Subordinate?" There had been many questions that needed to be answered and he would've gone on to pursue these lingering questions that'd been locked behind his lips if it weren't for being reminded that Strebeshti's own tailoring shop had been working on a dignified outfit that'd been ordered by an assistant of his own. "Whomever you may be sending, I must inform you that a schooner will set sail for the Kingdom of Diamonds in an hour! Your subordinate may meet me there if they'd like Kynan otherwise they can take the other vessels that are soon to embark." Marching up to the walkway of the door in a hurried approach, Lazarus had soon halted his departure as he brought his hand to the wall beside the exit. "I'd suggest checking for clues around our Queen's estate before trying to tail our suspect. It also would be wise to evaluate the target so that you're properly prepared if by chance you encounter this assassin and please for the love of 'Odin' do not put yourselves in peril if this foe proves to be more than a match, retreating is served as an experience to learn from your mistakes in contrast with dying where you learn nothing if you fall to the hands of an enemy." As important as the call to arms was it pained him to leave, he wanted to stay and help look after Kynan and provide some kind of aide to Maxwell and the others but he knew that there were untold consequences of an absent nation and the last thing that Jack of Clubs wanted was a war.

A troubled expression enveloped his face as he momentarily looked back to Queen and Maxwell,
Lazarus wished nothing but protection on those that stood behind him as he announced his departure
and before long he had withdrawn from the private estate and vanished into the busy traffic of merchants, nobles, and those alike.

Melon Bomb ChazGhost

.

 

[. D O V E]

[class name=Guin] width:300px; height:300px; background:url('https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/012/898/470/large/svetlana-tigai-prophet-advanced-layers.jpg'); border:1px solid #000; border-radius:999px; background-size:100%; background-position:center; position:center; display:block; [/class] [class name=fontsize] font-size:22px; color:#b50100; font-weight:bolder; [/class] [class name=font] font-size:15px; line-height:20px; [/class]

[div class=Guin][/div]

[div class=fontsize] Queen of Hearts [/div] Location: Heart's Castle | Queen's Office
Tag/s: none ​

[div class=font] A soft smile graced Guineverre’s features as she bid farewell to the two gentlemen with a delicate wave. She kept her gaze on their retreating backs until they slowly disappeared from her point of view. It was at that moment when the warmth in her eyes vanished revealing its true hollowed form.

Fools.

Deception truly worked best when hand in hand with naivety. It was almost ridiculous how the two never caught wind of what was going on underneath their noses. If she could have it her way, however, she’d prefer not to keep secrets. Alas, there were some things that must be kept hidden for most would rather fear the untrodden path than explore it. Guineverre, on the other hand, considered herself differently. She’d rather spend her time filling her head with knowledge than munch on some herbs or fantasize about petty romances.

The Queen of Hearts entered her room and began to ready necessary items for the week-long trip to the Diamonds. The Argossian Empire remained a threat despite the years and another problem was arising in the form of a rebellion group who fashioned themselves as the Jokers. Truth to be told, Guin can’t figure out what their deal was but they were causing damage to the kingdom in different forms and thus lead its people to start crying for their royalties to do something. The queen, specifically, was being called to provide a solution since the matter of law and order were supposed to be in her so-called capable hands.

Once Guineverre finished packing, she ventured out of her chamber to the Queen’s office where numerous documents and papers were piled up neatly on top of her desk waiting to receive attention. With a long sigh, she took her seat as she began to pick one up and read them diligently, officially starting her queenly duties of the day.

[/div]

 

[ChazGhost]

Maxwell Jacobs
Queen of Club's Estate

The Tens continued to discuss what they were here for when one of the maids came down and told them that Queen and Jack were waiting for them. Once they entered they all noticed quickly that Queen was hurt badly. "Majesty are you okay?!" Sir Nickle worried. Maxwell and the other ten before seemed to noticed the damage but handle the news much better.

Maxwell looked to the Jack as he commented they may have ventured the same routes before. "Well if I'm correct I believe we went to the same university, though my time there was some time before yours. But my actions both academic and... different activity I still well know to my awareness there" Maxwell stated remembering his time at the school, both the good and the bad. Soon after that, the queen explained that she was attacked and injured. But after the big news, even more, was dropped as she stated that she was sending a subordinate in her place for an important meeting called by the diamond kingdom. When the Queen finished by saying she wanted to send two of them to go with the subordinate.

Maxwell was going to step forward to offer to go when the Jack seemed surprised by the news of another taking the queen places at the meeting. From there Maxwell and the others seemed to get mix messages as the queen want others to go with the subordinate while the Jack seemed to want them to all to stay to look for the assassin, either forgetting or disregarding what the queen had just said. Maxwell sighed for a second before thinking about the options set before him. Once the Jack was gone Maxwelll looked back to the Queen. "Your majesty, I'll go with your subordinate and I suggest these two stays here look for clues on the assassin. If this okay I'll go gather things from my home quickly and meet them at the schooner." Maxwell asked before waiting for the Queen's response.

The two other tens also thought for a moment on what was said and Maxwell suggestion. "If you want to be the one to go, I don't see any reason that matters. Besides, the assassin will take at least two to take care of" Jack stated calmly.

SidTheSkid Melon Bomb

 

[Diphylleia grayi]

Astraea Circe​

The symphony of the night was pulsating through his veins, the harmonies of the stars ringing in ebbs and flows in his ears. Breathing in he felt the cold night air settle in the marrow of his aching bones, ribs cutting into lungs and exhales being forced out in quick crescendos as heels collide against stone pavement. The dynamic motion rippled throughout his body, a single note of pain echoing from the tip of his toes sprinting off the ground to the throbbing thoughts bringing rain to reddened eyes. Then in the aftermath of its course came the regret descending like wildfire; devouring him from the inside and out. Blood boiling, bones melting and skin blistering the flames came seeping to the surface of his trembling frame; sparks fulminating through the fissures of his shriveling essence and shooting out into the blackness of night along with a wallowing cry which erupted from his burning throat.

What had he done? What had he done, what had he done what had he-

Hands clawing at the imaginary cracks in his vase the cry faded and refracted into a series of violent sobs which splattered across the approaching pavement; legs doubling over and knees hitting the ground in a flaming thud.

"Someone fucking save me.."

But there was no one there to save him. He was alone, all alone, and in his loneliness, he would decay.


A few hours earlier.

They meet under the light of rose-tinted glass for the first time; shadows sailing in carnation blushes over salient collarbones and dimming in burgundy kisses over the hollows of a dainty frame. Their eyes meet, violet begonia blossoms hazily peering up through crowns of lush thistles and into the pupils of stark beryl hyacinths, and without a single word having to be uttered their roads interlink; leading the pair to the doorstep of the nearest inn.

"A room for two." A husky timbre reverberated to the receptionist as callous hands ran along the length of a spine, fingers exploring and extending into every nook and cranny.

The boy squirmed amiably under the touch, hot and warm against his chilled porcelain skin, and under a hushed smile full of suggestions lingering at the corners he reached for the man's ear on his tiptoes; lips motioning words intelligible to none but the intended recipient. A grin lit up the man's face, wrinkles blinking into existence around devious dimples as he leaned forward on the counter to impart a request.

Swaying hips led the way forward through the dimly lit corridor of doors, its swerving shapes suggested in the shadows of the black silk skirt cutting short at milky thighs.

Throwing a glittering glance back the boy twirled around on his heels and led the man into the furthermost room with a beckon of his finger; hand coming to dance upon the front of a cotton shirt and shoulder blades pushing up against the wall. Shallow breaths filled up the silence and in the obscurity of shadows their figures intertwined in needy exchanges of heat. Slipping away from the wall he escorted the man to the foot of the bed in a graceful sashay across the wooden floor; seating him on the edge of it with a playful push which effectively earned himself an amused chuckle in the same swing.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" Leered the man, eyes crinkling at the edges in tiny smirks.

"Very." He replied, lips curling into a wide grin.

With a wink, Aster then proceeded to thereafter drive the heel of his shoe into the man's crotch; twisting it and grinding it into the meat wordlessly.

Blood-curdling screams cut through the air, tears shooting up to gather in the corners of the man's ocean blue eyes and descend in falling stars over ashen cheeks. He watched the oval formed speckles fall, jaws clenching and teeth gritting under the pretense of silence. At the tip of his tongue belched the anger, fuelled in its parasitic dependency by the screams which rippled through flesh and chanted self-pity.

Filth like you doesn't have the privilege to cry.

With a final skewering of the crotch, he retracted his foot and stood tall once again; begonia blossoms withering at the sight of the man gasping beneath him, drool leaking onto the sheets. Whimpering, the man motioned for his lips to curse the boy out but before he had the chance to formulate any words he found himself enshrouded in a cloud of rosy glitter dust; heavy with the scent of forget-me-nots. The walls warped and everything twisted and turned, colors and objects fleeting in from nowhere to concoct an entirely new surrounding of mirrors, pink chairs, and red tapestry flaking off from dirty walls.

"Are you having fun?" A woman's voice suddenly called out, the presence of the cotton haired boy having been exchanged with that one of a woman with golden locks.

"What..kind of sick... fucking joke is this?" The man managed to muster out amidst pained gasps.

A knit formed between the brows of the woman and pursing her lips she came to kick the feet of the clueless man.

"The kind of sick joke that you subjected this woman to. You thought it was funny at the time, but it's not funny anymore? How typical."

A flicker of recognition passed by in the gaze of the man and suddenly he burst out laughing, his voice hoarse and the sounds coming out in haunting croaks just like they had done at that time.

The woman stirred, onyx pupils shrinking in their bed of verdant and gaze growing suddenly still. In her chest bloomed a single breath, its roots expanding throughout fragile lungs and painstakingly elevating an aching heart into the light to be scrutinized in its corrosion; memories bleeding from collapsed veins and frayed muscles and transpiring onto the floor in splatters of salty sea water which dissolved the dream.

And suddenly there he was yet once again, a trembling sheet of paper swaying in the wind of the approaching storm; his stories untold and fading off the edges in unresolved scribbles stretching across waves of skin.

Without a second’s delay, the man seized the opportunity; his clenched fist forcefully turning the page over as it connected with the boy's jaw and brought him to topple over and crash into the floor. Hurtling over him, claws ripping through black silk and teeth sinking into soft flesh a most animalistic rumble erupted from the depths of his throat and wallowed out into a piercing roar of laughter; droning on about how he would pay for his actions and how he would make him suffer just like he had done to her.

Amidst cold air coming to graze exposed skin and hot heaves spitting saliva upon rising and faltering ribs a quivering hand came to bare the blade of a knife; its metal surface glimmering in the darkness of the unsuspecting victim.

He had experienced the blue of nightshades, the yellow of marigolds and the crimson of roses before; their remains etched into the crevices of his body and now blooming yet once again upon the field of his swollen eye and jaw. It brought upon him this irremovable veil of lethargy, visible even in the shining rays of the sun, and colored his eyes blind; gaze tracing the surroundings but not seeing it.
With a draft of toxins and an exhale of smoke all of the 206 bones in his body settled; frown constant as slender fingers came to cradle the cigarette between tensed lips. ​

"Fucking stinks."​

The shadow of another figure came to join his own on the wall and Aster knew immediately who the owner was from the way it brooded over him.
"Have you come to finally say goodbye?" He croaked, half-joking and half not.​

The cigarette smoke was truly unbearable.

Goonfire ​

​

 

[Goonfire]

Leolin Hravart III​

On his way out of the palace, Leolin caught a whiff of an oh-so-familiar scent that filled his chambers on some of the best nights of his life. Slipping closer, he could smell the delicate feminine perfume.

He rounded the corner, looming over his favorite poison, only to notice the bruises and scabs blemishing Aster’s form, like stains and cracks defiling porcelain perfection. His breath hitched at the sight. “What... by the gods, who did this to you?” he muttered softly and worriedly, immediately sweeping the pretty boy off his feet into a princess carry. Those bruises may be coupled with fractures, as knowledge he gleaned off Twig had dictated. “I’ll send for a doctor immediately. Let’s get you cleaned up, my dear, and maybe put you on paid vacation,” Leo finally urged with a kiss.

Diphylleia grayi

 

[Diphylleia grayi]

Astraea Circe​

A gust of summer sweeps in to disperse yesterday's moonlight, still lingering upon the tattered pieces of his heart, and free his feet from its shackles of gravity; his bluebird inhibited body suddenly cradling safely in the arms of fire itself. The pain is temporary, bitter and poignant in its short rule, but it still manages to bring a flinch to his facade of stubborn apathy and a weakly clenched fist is delivered to the man's chest.

"That fucking hurt you, idiot." Are the words which instinctively resounds from his sore throat as periwinkle eyes send their focus to flicker over the contours of tanned flesh and then, finally, confront the man's deep cocoa gaze.

Leolin Hravart III. The ace of hearts and his supposed lover. There he was in all his compassionate glory, looking all ridiculous like always with his feather-adorned hat. How this man possessed the power of a city's worth of chaos was entirely beyond him. He was a fool, eyes full of stars and heart drunk on the promises made in the moon's name; believing that both would outlast the night which functioned as their canvas. Little did he seem to know though, that neither could exist without the darkness but the darkness could, on the other hand, exist without neither.

If Leolin were the fires which lit his sky then he could extinguish them at any given time and the only one left hurting would be him.

With that thought occupying his mind, he let the kiss pass with a pursing of his lips; eyes coming to shy away from the bright light which had manifested before him in the shape of a man.
Adam's apple rising, hesitating and then faltering he maintained his stoic appearance; shoulders brushing and soft cotton locks falling in waves over his black eye.

"Will this 'paid vacation' include you?" He asked, tipping the hat down over the dark eyes which surely observed his every move.

Goonfire ​

 

[Goonfire]

Leolin Hravart III​

“Forgive my roughness, my flower,” Leolin cooed into the upset player’s ear. The scolding weighed heavily on his heart; he felt regret over his indelicate motions. Indeed, he was idealistic and, to some small degree, vainglorious. Fire may fade, but for now, the temporary comfort and warmth was there. Although, those who played with fire eventually get burned...

Aster posed a question that stopped the ace in his tracks. “You know... I did not think of it, but I could arrange that,” Leo mentioned with a plotting smirk. “We depart in two days for Diamonds; we will take my private carriage, though I may be absent for a few hours due to my business there.” It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. He secretly prayed he wouldn’t regret it anytime soon; royals tended to be furious when unforeseen factors came into play, though a simple companion for the road shouldn’t be a bother. “Now, about that doctor...” Leo realized he was lost in thought and cleared his throat. No denying, he was an oaf...

Diphylleia grayi

 

[Coyote Hart]

Do you know what sucks? Those water pumps that suck out water from deep beneath the ground. Do you know what also sucks? Castles set up as labyrinths.

The walls of the marble and stone castle were surely beautiful, however, Twig felt like he had spent way too much time wandering, lost in the halls. He had things to do, paperwork to sign, books to read, and patients to tend to. Running circles around the castle wouldn't help with that in the slightest. Finally, Twig decided that he needed to ask someone for directions, no matter how embarrassed he would be

Thankfully, it wasn't too long before Twig found himself somewhere where he could find help-- the kitchen, with the delicious smells of baked goods and chocolate emanating from the open door. Twig took a deep breath to pull together his courage, then he pushed open the door, looking for someone to ask for directions.

There was a man working at the stove, with several other cooks nearby. In front of him was a large basket of cookies, which he was carefully decorating.

"Hi, sorry for barging in," Twig said timidly to the doorway, his body half in the kitchen while the other half was hanging out the door, "But do you know the way to the front entrance? I think I'm kinda lost."

The chef paused in his work to point out directions that Twig was barely able to memorize before going back to his work.

"Thanks, and uhhh... could I have a cookie?" Twig asked bashfully. The chef looked up, picked up a cookie from the cookie tray, and tossed it to Twig. Twig barely caught it, fumbling with it as it was warmer than he realized before he finally managed to get a good hold on it. "Thanks!"

With both a cookie and directions to get out of the castle, Twig smiled happily and walked forward with a purpose. The cookie was warm and mushy, melting away all the tiredness Twig felt from running around and getting chewed out by his own cabinet of advisors.

But when he turned a corner, this warm and fuzziness fell away. In front of him was a horrid sight: Leo, his arms carrying Astraea. Astraea was visibly hurt, with purple spots dotting her entire body. Twig shouted out in horror and sprinted forward towards Leo and Astraea, drawing his staff, his cookie forgotten and dropped on the doorframe.

"Holy moly, what happened?" Twig asked, looking to either Leo or Astraea for an answer. Meanwhile, he busied himself with looking over the multitude of purple spots, looking but not making contact.

Goonfire Diphylleia grayi

 

[Melon Bomb]

"Oh! That would be me."

From a dark corner of the room, a young woman rose to her full height of. . . 4'11"? No, 4'10"? She was very small. Stature aside, the robes she donned were a silvery smooth shade of black, and gleamed warmly under the candlelight. Her hair, prominently adorned with a pair of muted red ribbons on either side, hung low on her locks. From presentation alone she appeared to be a woman faith, but her eyes were rather intense. Needlessly adjusting her collar, she greeted the others with a tiny clap of the hands.

"You can call me Goldia, I'm. . ." She hesitated, stealing a glance toward Kynan and tilting her head as if for affirmation. ". . . a friend of the queen? But who isn't, really?" Lightly covering her sheepish grin with her sleeve, she continued, "She's such pleasant company, it's a riddle why she's so unpopular. Isn't that right, miss tyrant?"

Kynan threw a book at Goldia's head, which she instinctively dodged. "Just get on with it."

"Yes, yes, well, presently I have been given a formal writ to take her majesty's place as the acting queen so I do look forward to getting along with you all." She performed a little curtsy and held it a second longer, looking up at the others with a pleasant smile. "For this meeting to occur, I am certain the goddess has plans for us all."


SidTheSkid ChazGhost

 

[Goonfire]

Leolin Hravart III​

Speak of the Devil and he appears... Although, in this case, Twig was the polar opposite of any devil. “Twig! Your timing is impeccable,” Leolin wheezed. “I think we know what happened. I’d love to track down the bastard who did this and teach him to respect a lady.” If only he knew exactly what had transpired last night. “Shall we cannon-jump back to your abode?” he then offered the royal physician.

Bringing his face closer, he whispered into Aster’s ear, “it may be uncomfortable for a moment, my sweet... but I’ll make up for it, I swear.” The promise was followed by a sly wink, then by another reverent peck on the cheek.

Diphylleia grayi Coyote Hart

 

[VioletShadow]

Sheila Ivoren

Mood: Calm
Location: Ariandel - Diamond Capital
Mentions: SentinelSevn Balfnaught1 Anaxileah

Idly, Sheila used her enhanced eyesight to analyze the silent traffic of people through her window. This wouldn't have been possible without her ability, as the prison was a significant distance away from the bustling plaza. The smiles, haggling and laughter on her citizens made a small unreserved grin appear on her face, feeling no need to forcibly hide her emotions with the royal carriage to all to herself. Her expression deepened in emotion further as she noticed trade seemed to be doing well in this city.

The pleasant silence was suddenly broken by the sounds of footsteps nearby. Not of one person, but two. Curious, but not sly enough to eavesdrop, she simply crossed her legs and continued looking outside the window. Although she was not a fan of unneccesary luxury, she quite enjoyed the soft cushioning beneath her legs, feeling rather comfortable and expectant for the journey ahead. Although not intentional, Sheila still caught parts of her kings conversation with Lillith. Particularly, a single question rung through her half-elven ears.

"What do you think is the most important factor in victory?”

For a moment, her brain drew a blank: there was no easy answer to such a question. What would I have responded with? She pondered to herself, her violet irises now lost in the serene skies above. Intimidation and cruelty, seemed to be what they responded with. She wasn't sure if she agreed with what the leader of her military replied with, but she understood his meaning. Morale. She concluded, just as the carriage jerked forward slightly, signalling the start of the journey. Few can win a battle without believing they can. Perhaps she was thinking too much about a question that had been answered long ago. But it was the duty of the royals to think and understand such things wasn't it?
---
Slowly, her eyelids began to flutter, drowzy from the rhythmic gallop of hooves and the soft sunlight painted on her face. Before she knew it, the next day had dawned, the searing sun almost appearing as if it had turned back time. Answering the gentle knock on the carriage door, a young man peered his head inside. "G-good morning Lady Sheila!" His bashfulness clear in his hurried words. "I have your meal for y-you here." He shakily extended his hand with her food, most likely nervous at the idea of speaking face-to-face with a royal. Smiling, Sheila gratefully took the assortment from him, and replied in her naturally gentle tone. "Thank you, Rion I believe?" Recalling his name from when she had first given out the orders for carriages yesterday.

"I-Indeed! If you have any requests for me, do let me know!" He proudly saluted, before quickly closing the carriage door. She couldn't help but beam at how proudly he took his work, enough even to be able to speak a whole sentence without stuttering. Not many had that work ethic, even those with far higher ranked jobs. She quietly hoped others wouldn't belittle him for being a simple driver, yet being so serious about it. Glancing outside, she retrieved a green apple for her breakfast, content to continue idly viewing the scenery.
---
The day has finally come. Sheila thought to herself calmly, mellowed from the incredibly long and idle journey. When they stopped for meals or to rest for the night, Sheila had taken the opportunity to stretch her legs, hence she was not feeling perhaps as groggy as the others. After stretching her limbs within the comfort of her wagon, she changed into a more presentable outfit for such a rare and important event. Although not as simple as her other garments, it was neither as extravagant as one would expect for a royal conference. This was the compromise her tailor and her had come to, after spending too much time arguing and discussing. Rheyna was always such a passionate fashionista, although it seems she added more decor than Sheila had allowed...

As the carriages rolled smoothly towards the palace gates, she noticed that there were attendants there waiting for them. It seems they have been well-informed of when they would be arriving. As the resident of the first carriage, she alighted first, Ryan gently yet nervously taking her hand as she stepped outside. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a servant dashing off into the distance, most likely heading towards the others to inform them of the Spades arrival. As her fellow royals alighted, her eyes glinted with amusement at how they all dressed so differently to their normal attire. Particularly Quillon, who rarely did so. She nodded politely in greeting towards Travis, with a small smile gracing her lips as she noticed Moremiah.

"Please come this way." A servant bowed towards them collectively, as he briskly began leading them towards the majestic building itself. As the grand doors slowly opened, the group was carefully led through twisting hallways and spiralling staircases. Such lavishly decorated hallways annoyed Sheila more than it did please, with all the expensive tapestries and royal paintings. The pride of the Diamond Kingdom, their gemstones, were adorned luxuriously in various places.

As the walking pace slowed down, the servant in front of us bowed politely as he turned around. "Here are your rooms. These were prepared in advance knowing full well of your strenuous journey." He gave a brief, broad smile. "If there is anything you need, please do ask one of the many servants found within this estate." And with those simple words, he left as quickly as he came.

​