Fantasy Howl's Flying Castle (Finished! ---Whoo! (*＾▽＾)／)

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Ruins, Jagged Ravine "​

"Of course I am." said Seifer proudly, puffing his chest. He looked surprised when Renee hugged him for that, he thought she'd reason about doing more. He noticed that very gradually, he's been doing things he didn't want to do before, all for her smile. It made him want to try things he's usually afraid of.

Ulfar the dwarf was surprised when the two offered to help him retrieve the Eye of Sargeras. He told them that he had been thinking of travelling back to his home to get reinforcements. "You two look a wee young fer a real fight, but you've got the eyes of someone's who's been through more than his fair share. Alright, let's get to trackin'."

He looked out at the blizzard. "Easier to sneak in during a blizzard. Lots of noise. We need to find my axe before we ambush those jackanapes."

The struggle through the howling wind and freezing snow was tough, but the three made it to the ruins where the first order of business was to find the assassins without being found. There was no sight of them, not even a fire. They could be hiding and watching, so they had to be careful.

Ulfar told them that the assassins were spellblades, proficient in both magic and sword. They had ambushed him and his company with earth and ice magic, casting trapping frost and opening chasms in the ground.


Katsuya

OOC || Characters || Interest Check
​

 

[Urazek]

Aodh was delighted to hear that there may be someone to touch up the blades of his device. While he was at it he might have them tweak the design, hopefully so that he could get lift off, although he wasn't sure if they would understand the ancient technology. He was slightly disturbed that Jonny was able to deplete so much of the energy of his gun at once, though, and vowed to himself that Jonny will never touch the gun again.

* * *​

Aodh was very amused at Pond's impressions of him walking. He was very startled when she flopped on the ground and started to slide. He was so startled he didn't notice the man walking aimlessly until he had bumped into him, almost knocking him over. Aodh stood perplexed as the man seemed to come hurtling back to reality, and started ranting about how cute it was to see a penguin dressed as a scholar. He was about to respond when the man collapsed on the ground, falling straight back and landing flat on his back, blacked out completely. Aodh was unsure what to do, he stood there looking at the man, confused beyond comprehension, but knew that he couldn't leave him there in the coming blizzard. He couldn't bring him back to his tepee, because one, his tepee didn't have enough room, and two, he didn't want to be sleeping in a confined space someone that seemed a bit loopy.

Aodh turned to Pond and asked, "Can you please carry him? We have to take him back to the farm, and I'm not sure I can quite pick him up, despite the his small frame. Thanks."

As Pond picked up the stranger, Aodh led the pay back to the farm. When they got there, he knocked on the door, hoping that they would hear the small noise his flippers made over the wind of the blizzard. He stepped back a bit, using Pond as a shield from the wind incase he got blown away.

Zer0 ThisUsernameIsALie

 

[Katsuya]

Renee giggled when Seifer puffed up his chest, glad she lifted his mood even if it's for a little while. She wondered why he looked surprised when she agreed with his choice but then shrugged it off.

It's not like she's demanding; Chatty, sure, but demanding? Not really. Especially when it's something dangerous. She'll only reason with others when it's not right or when there's an opportunity to do research while saving a life like Seifer's case. Besides it's not like her word is law in her eyes; Blooming trolls no. If someone follows her decisions happily without fighting back or have an opinion, then that's creepy. Super creepy like Seifer's fangirls. They creep her out. Renee prefers someone to have options. Who knows if their options are a lot safer than hers (which is true in most cases)? Or more reasonable?

Then again...she tends to follow her heart more when it comes to others. Like she would put herself in their shoes and tries her best to comfort them. So maybe she's listening to Seifer more because he knows how to be careful without being overbearing unlike her brother dear James.

It was kind of funny to see the serious dwarf look surprise when they offered their help, not blaming him for believing they were too young for a serious fight. They are too young to even be in a war against a huge evil dragon, but...they're in it. So far, they got lucky. Renee almost groaned when he mentioned of going outside and Mica poofed out of there. It's still snowing horribly like swarming bees of frost bite, but she sees why they need to go. So she followed.

"What's a jackanape?" She asked him randomly. The dwarf can see that 'Jane' is friendly unlike how she looked in her owl griffin form, curious too. Either a bit of an airhead from not being afraid or is just oblivious about it unlike her very wary sweetheart, 'John'.

When they finally reached the ruins, Renee is a shivering mess, her wings has frozen over and is tightly folded against her head while trembling like an elderly person with a cane. Yep it's official: she hates the cold! It's fun for snowball fights and dunking James in a pile of snow, but a blizzard? Not fun. Not fun at all. She took out a bottle of Butterbeer from the coin purse and drank some before passing it to Seifer to warm up, making sure no one saw where she got that from. She offered some to Ulfar as well. It's not good if they're shivering cold while finding professionals.

As Ulfar explained to them of what sort of assassins they were, Renee grinned a bit. "We're archers. I have sunlight arrows and can burn things with one of my spells. I like to fly away too." Now that she thought about it...She could have just cleared the blizzard if she aimed for the clouds right now...

but then that would be stupid since they are after spellblade assassins. The Pendragon teen stayed close to Seifer, following whatever he does so she doesn't get caught or alarm anybody by accident. Though she did look around and marveled at the place. Her eyes brightened up from what she sees.

Zer0

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia squeaked softly and happily as James plopped down with her, raising a hand in front of her face and narrowing her eyes over the top of it as James mentioned her boogers, but the squintiness of her eyes soon altered as she grinned mischievously when he said that he would pick her first if she was a booger, "just don't eat me," she teased, giggling as she drew her handkerchief from inside her coat and wiped her nose.

Wriggling against him as he tickled her, her free hand grabbing at his to stop him and then just holding one as he stopped his attack, "I don't... I just have faith that you wouldn't because... well..." she blushed slightly, "y-y-you don't even... um... want to kiss me... because of my parents' rule..." her eyes closed as he buried his nose in her hair and she smiled bashfully, leaning into him as he played with her hair. She listened relatively silently to him as he listed off all of the things he liked about her before finally gripping the collar of his robes and burying her face against his chest, "J-J-James! It's embarrassing!"

Though she was complaining slightly, she was still smiling, "I-I-I love the expression you make w-when you... are r-really focused... and... um... how you... you've always.. given compliments... but never really thought about it..." her voice was muffled against his chest, she wasn't as capable of freely telling James all the things she loved about him like he was at telling her what he loved about her, "th-the way... you... you are so serious... but w-when you're relaxed... you're so silly."

James had different types of silliness, there was the silliness that he had when he was around Johnny, like making him drink Butterbeer poured through a sock, and there was the silliness that he displayed around her, like when he ate the booger. Somehow the latter was more endearing though, "h-how you are so confident i-it inspires faith."

Lydia continued on listing personality traits he had that had first attracted her to him, content to share these things with him because it was like sharing secrets since she'd not told anyone why she feels about him the way she does.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Ruins, Jagged Ravine "​

"Don't know what jackanape means, only that me old man used to yell that at orcs." said Ulfar.

The ruins that stretched out before them seemed to be the remains of a sea-side city buried under the snow after the oceans receded during a bygone age. There were frozen ships of a forgotten people and beyond it were stone structures littered here and there with more recent gnomish excavation machines, but they were rusty, worn, and looked like they've been abandoned for many years.

Seifer was shivering like mad too and hugged Renee for a while before continuing on their stealthy search. It was so silent, nothing but the cracking of ice and the whispering wind. Every little sound seemed to be echoed all along the caverns, and as luck would have it they started to hear voices.

Two shadows could be seen in the dim light, huddled inside one of the frozen ships, that hung precipitously over a deep dark pit, held up by ice. Their faces were alight with a greenish glow that seemed to be coming from a small object on the floor between the both of them, but could not be seen because of all the rotten wood and frayed ropes from the ancient ship that blocked their view. They seemed to be casting magic, but at the object. The third man was nowhere to be seen.

"I say we shoot the two now." said Seifer, drawing his bow.

Katsuya

- Winslow -
" Lotar Farm "​

A lady opened the door and ushered Aodh quickly inside. Pond could not fit so she carefully reached out with a giant arm and deposited the fainted man on some cushions on the floor and waved the archeologist penguin good-bye before disappearing in a puff of cloud. The door was shut and it turned out to be Johnny's mother who let him in.

"Mr. Murchadha, what happened?"

Urazek

- James Pendragon -
" Tent, Frozen Lake, Baffin "​

James laughed when Lydia, embarrassed, buried her face in his chest. "Yes, very embarrassing and you like it." he murmured playfully. He tilted his head, pondering when were the times he gave compliments unaware, and when she started to speak about the things she liked about him it was his turn to become embarrassed: his ears red, and looking away with that half-smile half-trying-not-to-look-so-pleased expression, but the smile always wins out.

"When I was little, I used to fling my boogers at Renee. Sen and Seth used to eat theirs or wipe them on the walls." he reminisced, wondering if they were alright.

Remembering the pocky incident, James sniggered. He then put on his most charmingly inviting smile, "Oh, but you are looking delicious, Lydia, and this patient wolf is hungry." he playfully chomped at the furs on her shoulder and tickled her with sharp fingers, "hummm, very dangerous for a beautiful girl to be by herself in this tepee in the woods with the big bad wolf." he nipped her covers again, then spluttered out hair.

Their playful cuddling under the woolly, furry blankets was a lot of fun. Add the warmth and pleasantness of Lydia's company, and it made James feel like he was with a really good friend he could be delightfully romantic with.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

Renee is going to remember that now, possibly to ask Johnny about it or curse someone out with it.

This place has so much interesting artifacts and indications of a culture down here, maybe for a port city before the water froze over and disappearing? She doesn't know, but she does appreciate it. When Seifer hugged her for warmth, she changed into her avian form and covered him with her wings before letting him go and changing back.

When they found a pair of shadows, lightened up with a soft green glow that looks oddly familiar to the light in the sky, Renee nodded her head to Seifer's suggestion. Knocking her bow and aiming, ready to fire whenever he does, the Pendragon teen noticed a missing person, now wary of their surroundings.

"Where's the third guy?" She whispered quietly.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Ruins, Jagged Ravine "
​

"I don't know, probably on guard, but his pals will be dead by the time he notices." said Seifer, sneaking closer for a better shot. He drew the string taut, arrow knocked, breathed out calmly and let his arrow fly in, "One . . . two . . . three --- "

Plok, plok

His and Renee's arrows deflected off an arcane barrier. They were caught! The two shadows immediately sprang to their feet pocketing the green stone and began running deeper into the ship although there could possibly be nowhere else to go. The ship was encased in ice, they'd have to somehow get through the ice.

"They're getting away!" yelled Ulfar, but he hesitated at the edge of the pit. The only way across for someone without wings was to walk across an old wooden mast half frozen in slippery ice and dwarfs weren't exactly that nimble, but he started to move slowly anyway, teetering precariously.

Suddenly, frost bolts burst from one of the rotten windows at Renee, Seifer, and Ulfar. The dwarf slipped and the mast sundered into two.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeelp!" yelled Ulfar.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"Tsk!"

There goes the element of surprise, right out the window. Now they have to chase them in an icy abandoned and rotten ship. That's not good! She was about to change when the frost bolts aimed at them and she used her barrier to defend herself and Seifer.

However she didn't expect the beam under Ulfar to brake and without thinking, Renee transformed into her owl griffin form, dived in the pit, and grabbed onto the dwarf easily.

She cooed at him comfortingly as she flapped her wings, keeping them in the air while he catches his breathe. Once she reached the top and placed Ulfar down on the other side, Renee looked over at Seifer and checked if he was alright, cooing and chirping worryingly. She nuzzled him gently if he was okay.

The transformed teen offered a talon for Seifer to grab onto so she can take him to the other side too.
Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Ruins, Jagged Ravine "
​

Seifer grabbed on as their attacker shot more bolts of ice striking both Renee and him on the head in swift precision. The archer leapt on the creaking ship and dove through a window to take cover. The boat groaned ominously.

"I'll go after the two!" yelled Ulfar and kicked through the wood to get to the lower deck, where he yelled a battle cry and seemed to have caught up to them.

Seifer peeked out, bow drawn, and fired two shots at once. His arrow pinned both of the attacker's arm to the wood.

Katsuya

 

[Urazek]

Aodh was relieved when Jonny's mother opened the door before the stranger froze to death. Shuffling inside, he turned to see Pond unceremoniously dump the man through the doorway, then poofed away. He turned to the wolf, mostly at a loss for what happened, because honestly, he didn't know.

"Uh . . . he . . . this man just kind of bumped into me, then passed out. I didn't want to leave hi, so brought him here to . . . uh . . . make sure he didn't die, I guess. Do you know what to do, because I don't know what is wrong. He was in a sort of dazed trance when he bumped into me." Aodh helped carry him the rest of the way inside.

Aodh left him in the care of Jonny's family, and went back to his tepee to rest from the day of snow fighting, and the current events that transpired. Pushing the flap, Aodh plopped his back pack to the side, writing himself a note to remind himself to get the propellors touched up. He then dug a shallow hole to bury his shrink ray, as he had modified the design to recharge the energy in the extreme cold. Digging a deeper hole, Aodh climbed in to sleep, covering himself in the snow from the hole. He hoped the man would be somewhat reasonable in thought tomorrow, and won't be too excitable about a talking penguin again.

Zer0 ThisUsernameIsALie

 

[Katsuya]

Renee grunted in pain when the spell blades shot their frost bolt, hitting her head. She glared at them.

As soon Seifer took cover, Renee changed into her avian form and grabbed her bow. Aiming at the pinned assassin, she gave the final blow. Then she looked at Seifer with a determined look in her eyes and chirped before flying inside to where the dwarf might be.

When they meet up with Ulfar, Renee knocked her bow and aimed at the second assassin. She let her arrow fly.

Zer0

 

[ThisUsernameIsALie]

Emerging from darkness, Elijah's eyes slowly crept open and he let out a groan as pain shot through his head. He couldn't make out his surroundings very well, his vision was far too fuzzy, but he seemed to be inside some sort of house, and based on the feeling of fluffy cloth beneath him he was on cushions of some kind. How on earth had he gotten here? How long had it been since he left the Troupe? And why did his head hurt so much? Just then, he looked to his other side and saw a vague shape he could only determine as human, without any sort of details. With a grimace of effort, he sat up and looked towards the shape.

"Excuse me, kind person, where might I be? Also, pardon me for my lacking sight, but who are you?"

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Ruins, Jagged Ravine "
​

Renee's arrow was slashed in two by the assassin's sword, before he weaved around Seifer's shots like a leaf and slashed them both. Their bows were broken; Crying out in pain, the archer conjured his sturdy umbrella and fenced wildly with the assassin, fear making him reckless and uncoordinated. Seifer was demoralized and he looked like he wanted to flee, but couldn't, he couldn't even take his eyes off his foe so that he'll stay alive --- the assassin's blows were steady and swift. Soon the deathblow will come.

"Nonostopstop --- Stop!" Seifer's last words cut through the air like a spell and for a split-second the assassin was paralyzed. Without a moment to lose Seifer thwacked him over the head, and finished him off with a stab from an arrow.

One assassin left.

Beyond their area, Ulfar could be heard roaring in pain. "He's escaping! Ice tunnel!" The dwarf's one leg had been shattered badly, he could not run. There was a hole in the hull of the ship, and beyond it was a small ice tunnel where sounds of cracking and grinding of ice could be heard as the assassin tried to seal the entrance shut with his magic.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee gasped when the assassin broke her bow and glared heatedly as she did not appreciate her weapon to be broken. Though she sighed in relief when Seifer managed to defeat him, a little worried that he used his voice power and taking note of it. Then again it helped in this case..

When Ulfar cried out about the other one escaping, Renee took her gems out of her broken bow and placed them over her hands. Oh he's not escaping that easily. Nu-uh.

While the assassin was busy covering the hole, she took her stance; placing two pairs of fingers over each other and pulled one arm away from the other like how she would pull a bow's string, creating a very similar light only brighter than normal.

Her plan is to blow him away with her Ballistic bomb and shatter that icy cover. Once she has her aim, Renee let her large and bright arrow fly.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Defeat -
" Ruins, Jagged Ravine "
​

The ice shattered and the assassin was blown away; Seifer didn't approach, but stayed in front of Renee holding his umbrella in a fencer's stance, his shoulders were heaving quickly in the intensity of the battle.

Roaring angrily, their foe, realizing that he was cornered, renewed his attacks with a vengeance. Icicle spikes erupted from the floor and hurtled for them like a wave. It struck the ship and loosened it from its icy prison. With a loud groan it started to tip forward, raining on them wood, ice and debris.

The assassin dashed forward, sword twirling and in the heat of battle kicked Ulfar back on the falling ship and dealt a mortal blow on both Renee and Seifer knocking them both out. Last thing the two remembered, was that they were falling down, down, into a dark chasm surrounded by ship debris, and the assassin, triumphant, disappeared with a swish of his cloak back into the tunnel.

Darkness . . . pain . . . and Seifer was so, so cold . . . He knew he was dying . . .

'Look at you.'

'Who's there?'

'You know who.'

'Go away.'

'Renee is dying.'

Seifer cursed, he begged for someone to save her. She did so much for him.

'I can save her, only if you let me.'

'You will kill her.'

'I won't. Just give me your soul. A life for a life. You have my word. I always keep my word. Didn't she tell you? I set her free when she was running away from me. When Sasagea was in her hand.'

' . . . A lot of people are going to die.'

'Yes, but you don't care about them. I will spare her and your mother. That is a promise.'

'There is no promise I can trust you to keep.'

In the blackness of his mind an ancient being came close. It had a heart of flames, encased in smoke and shadow.

'Then, if by my direct bidding they come to harm, I will give you back your soul.' across the heart a searing wound appeared and in Seifer's consciousness it appeared like a deep promise. 'This is my unbreakable vow. I break it, I die.'

' . . . Save her.' the flames broke and Seifer was engulfed in smoke and shadow.

* * * *​

When Renee next wakes up, she'd be back in the warship, resting in the medical ward with a wounded and sleeping Seifer on the bed next to her.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"SEIFER!" Renee cried out when the ship started to move forward and tilted in the dark pit below. She was about to change and fly away with Seifer in her arms when an ice covered debris hit her head. She blacked out, last thing she saw is her sweetheart also falling and her eyes rolled back as she fainted.

***

Groaning, the Pendragon teen moved her head to the side, clenching her eyelids and opening them once the migraine went away. She sighed as she wondered what happened, staring mindlessly as her orange dull eyes took in an injured Seifer...

And sat up quickly, panicked as her heart pounded against her chest. Her bandaged wings couldn't move as she ignored the pain that shot up her back and arms.

That's right! They were helping Ulfar to get back an eye and then the last assassin did so much damage to the ship and...

They were falling...falling...

Gasping, Renee shot out of her bed, not caring for the stinging pain she felt on her shaky legs as she landed on Seifer's bed and checked on him. She wanted to know if he was alright. She wanted him to wake up and be okay.

"Seifer? Sweetheart? Please wake up...Oh my goodness..." Renee's eyes went misty as she places a shaky hand on his cheek, rubbing her thumb like how she did to comfort him before. "Seifer?"

Zer0

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia smiled and blushed in embarrassment when James said that she liked how he was embarrassing her. He wasn't wrong in that, though it wasn't so much what he was saying to her as the fact that it was him saying the things and of course she was pleased with his reaction to what she said to him and even pointed out that she also loves how he makes his 'half-smile half-trying-not-to-look-so-pleased expression' and usually covers his face to try and hide it.

Of course when he started talking about his and Seth and Sen's booger picking habits she laughed and shook her head, hiding her face again and exclaiming how that was gross but funny. She wondered what Seth and Sen would think of her knowing that and then she told James about how when he told her that boogers were a good source of nutrients that it reminded her of her brother Thomas because he had said that to her before as well.

She couldn't help but getting flustered when James started referring to himself as 'the big bad wolf,' blushing and giggling nervously, as well as stammering in her usual fashion when she gets embarrassed and playfully running away from him, not really knowing how to respond to his playful advances but enjoying them in a way because he made them seem so harmless with his tickling and little nips to the furs on her shoulders, especially when he sputtered out the fur which just made her tackle hug him because it was adorable, but she wouldn't tell him that.

Knowing that she could trust him to just harmlessly play with her and not do anything that made her uncomfortable just made her feel more at ease in his presence and as the night went on, when they were snuggling, she even grew so bold as to explore finding his tickle spots without seeming very nervous about it.

* * * *
​

The following day, Lydia looked forward to taking a look around Winslow with James. She thought that it would probably be even better with Johnny showing them around since he knew the place and she also thought it might be fun to buy a couple of things to send on to her family before she went to the Storm Wall.

With the blizzard past and her not being... distracted by other things, Lydia thought that it might be a good idea to check in with Sasha and see how everyone at the ship was doing. Since previously Lydia hadn't very easily been able to check on Seifer and Renee, she checked in with Serena and askedher if she was okay as well as commenting on her hair and if she'd liked what they sent with Frey.

Then it was time to check in with Seifer and Renee, which Lydia did with an odd sort of trepidation because boy, girl problems.

Zer0 Katsuya

​

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Warship, Downland tundra, Frozen Shores "
​

The oriental healers who were on duty sprang up in alarm and tried to calm Renee down in their native tongue, gesturing that Seifer was alright and that she shouldn't be moving or else her injuries will worsen.

Seifer had a huge bandage around his stomach where the assassin had dealt the mortal blow, a stab wound that had gone straight through and out the back if Renee could remember. A lot of his body parts were blue and purple from frost bite, and some parts seemed to have a chunk missing, such as his ear and the tips of his nose, a part of his elbow, and his some of his toes.

The archer's eyes fluttered open. "Renee . . . you're alright." he muttered, relieved, and a shaky hand covered her hand on his cheek. "What happened?" he looked around confused. "How did we get back?"

The door to the medical ward suddenly opened and in stepped Kenren, calm and collected. The healers immediately bowed. He said something in Oriental and they all left the room leaving only him, Renee and Seifer. "Are you two feeling alright?"

He took a seat and told them what happened. A blizzard had struck and the guards who saw them leave reported that the two did not return. They could not send out a search party because the wind was too strong and freezing. Then, early in the morning, the watchmen saw Seifer struggling towards camp, calling for help and carrying Renee on his back before he passed out from fatigue.

Katsuya

* * * *​

Meanwhile nobody had bothered to tell Serena what happened for some reason. Sasha, who was now sleeping as it was day time and so it was Serena's turn to watch the atelier, woke up with a start and ruffled her feathers grumpily when Lydia called.

She hooted, stretched her feathers, before going out the window to peck at the door and windows of Seifer's room, not that they had ever opened it when they were 'busy'. But today the room was quiet. Usually Seifer's music would be playing and the couple would be talking or eating.

There was a commotion nearby and the ethereal owl could make out the sound of Renee's anxious voice and flew up to the window where she heard it. And there Lydia saw through her eyes Seifer and Renee in the medical ward, injured with slashing, stabbing, and frostbite wounds.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia apologized profusely to Sasha for having woke her, but she hadn't checked on them and wanted to see how everyone fared during the blizzard. Of course seeing the state that Renee and Seifer were in, while Lydia was apologetic, she was also incredibly glad that she had decided to check on them. Now she had to figure out how to handle the situation. She directed Sasha to go into the medical ward to find out what happened and why Seifer and Renee were there. They were supposed to be safe at the warship. What was going on that would cause them both to be injured? Lydia was a fountain of questions and upset and she still had to tell James.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Her wounds were as dire as Seifer's: There's a large bandage on her side from the stab wound that went through Seifer's stomach, that she remembers all too well. Her wings were broken, her arms and legs covered in bandages to heal the cuts she has gotten from falling down in an ice cave with sharp debris. While the tips of her toes and ears had a bit of frostbite. Renee didn't care about her own wounds as she just wanted to see his grey eyes, ignoring all of the healers who are trying to calm her down.

So when Seifer woke up, Renee let out a sob of relief, fat and warm tears flowed down her cheeks and on Seifer's face. "I-I don't know. I'm j-just glad you're okay!" Gently, she leaned down to kiss his forehead, his cheeks, his face, anywhere to show how much relief she felt to see him awake, using her healing spell to speed up his healing process. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She quietly apologized to him, over and over again as she knew this was her fault. If only she wasn't so curious. If only she listened to him and had gone back to the warship. If only-!

All of that does not matter at that moment. Seifer's awake and alive, that's all that matters to her.

When Prince Kenren came in to explain, with the healers leaving them alone, Renee listened and blinked in surprise and dread. Seifer carried her here? With a dangerous wound like that?! What in the-?! That can't be possible and yet...

He did it...

"It's all my fault." Renee started, leaning away from the wounded archer and looking down at the ground with shame written on her face.

"I got curious about a strange light outside of the warship and dragged Seifer into it. I'm sorry for not letting you know, Prince Kenren Taisho. I should have known better than to endanger our lives like that." She bowed her head, sniffing as she tries and fails to keep her tears from falling out of her dulled eyes. The Pendragon teen felt like she didn't deserve to call Prince Kenren 'Ken-chan' anymore as she did a very stupid and irresponsible thing that could have killed them both.

"I should have just told you about it first instead of going there ourselves with no back up. So...this is my fault." Her tone is quiet and soft, letting the prince and witch know that she's willing to take their harsh words of reprimand and any punishment they hand her for her stupidity.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Warship, Downland tundra, Frozen Shores "
​

Kenren was deeply disappointed, and after he heard the entire story he shook his head. "Both of you could have been killed." he said gravely. "And you going along with her." he added to Seifer.

The archer had hugged Renee gently when she kissed him, and pressed her forehead against his so tight she could feel his relief and concern. "I won't do that again." he told Kenren. "We won't be doing that again." he looked at Renee as if wordlessly getting a promise from her too.

"Good. Remember that you're supposed to be taking care of each other, not putting the other in danger." said Kenren sternly. "Your heroics, Renee, have gone too far and you, Seifer, must not go along with her just because you are fond of her and don't want to disappoint her. There are times when your loved one is wrong and you know it, and it's your job to make them understand that so that they don't hurt themselves. They may get angry or hate you, but if you truly care about them, you will scold them anyway even if it means breaking up as long as the one you love is safe and they will have a good future."

" . . . "

"From now on the both of you are grounded. You will stay in this warship until you learn some good sense."

Seifer just moodily nodded, still haughty, but Kenren was right so he didn't talk back even though he didn't like being told what to do.

All this Sasha heard. The talk resumed about the surviving assassin who might spread the word that Renee and Seifer were here in the tundra and that made the prince hasten the repairs in case a deathknight got wind of it and came here for them.

Nobody knew what happened to Ulfar, Seifer could not remember carrying Renee all the way from the ruins to the warship, he didn't even know how that was possible as honestly that was beyond his capabilities. Kenren sent out aerial mounted soldiers to hunt the assassin down and look for the dwarf, but it's likely that the warlock was long gone with the eye now.

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

Noticing the look from Seifer, Renee nodded, adding her own word of promise. "Yes, we won't be doing that again." Unless she really has, like if someone in front of her is dying or something to that effect. No more chasing things because of curiosity. Nope! Nu-uh! No way! Even if it kills her, she will not do it!

She didn't mind the punishment as she didn't blame the prince, but...really? Does he have to word it like they were little kids? Renee sighed, nodding and accepting it. Then again, she did act like a little kid for not thinking right. She's such an idiot.

"Of course...Prince Kenren Taisho..." Renee muttered before sighing tiredly and just plopped next to Seifer, not caring if it's indecent of doing so. She placed a hand on his chest where his heart is as she didn't want to aggravate his wounds, summoning Mica only to be scolded by him too. He nuzzled and healed the pair as much as he could, chattering and grumbling around them as if he really thought they were stupid and really are something.

If Renee didn't know any better, she would have thought that Mica cares about Seifer too...even when he did want to bite his fingers and toes when Seifer grabbed his tail that one time.

With a gasp, Renee sat again and asked the prince if they can talk about something important later. She didn't want to make another mistake as she didn't know about politics, so she thought maybe she should ask the prince for some advice.

Because...she knows and believes that bringing a dragon's egg to Kingsbury is very silly of Madam Suliman. Even she knows that, but she needed help with keeping her home in Princess Mia's hands and not in some other kingdom's grasp.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Medical Ward -
" Warship, Downland tundra, Frozen Shores "
​

Kenren had stood up to leave, but glanced back. "Go on, but make it quick, Renee. I have repairs to oversee."

Katsuya

- Lotar Farm -
" Winslow, Upland tundra, Baffin "​

Elijah saw before him one of the older lady locals of the tundra country, one of those common folks who could shape-shift into giant four-legged wolves who all wore the same style of clothing: colorful embroidered tunics and fur lined jackets, a veil covering their hair, and gold jewelry upon her features.

It was afternoon and she was sitting cross-legged on the floor sewing embroidery on a piece of leather that seemed to be a scabbard. Outside wolves and men could be heard or seen through the windows going about the daily chores. Wherever he was it seemed to be a farm for giant sheep and goats.

"Good afternoon, stranger, I am Pa Kwan, and you are in my family's farm." she had an outlandish accent common to folks around here who barely speak the common tongue or not at all. "You fell on the road and Mr. Murchadha brought you here with my son's owl bear. Rest, I'll get you some food."

She returned with a bowl of hot mushroom soup, a circle of bread, butter, and cheese.

Meanwhile, outside, one of Johnny's sisters called the Aodh saying that the man he brought yesterday was awake.

ThisUsernameIsALie Urazek

 

[Katsuya]

"Ah! I don't mean now, Sir. Later tonight, when you're not too busy with the repairs." Renee told the prince, frowning in her wary.

"It's really important since the person who told me this made me keep it as a secret and well...I did swore my loyalties to you so...I feel like you should know in case something happens." Screw keeping this as a secret. This is a dangerous one and as she told the madam, Renee will not steal anything from anyone. It's better to tell the prince about it and maybe Princess Mia can get help somehow.

"We have to talk alone."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Warship, Downland tundra, Frozen Shores "​

"Very well, then." said Kenren and he left.

Seifer was obviously curious about what Renee was going to talk with the oriental prince, but seemed too weary to ask. He spotted Sasha by the window and tapped Renee, then pointed at the owl. "I think we should prepare ourselves for a visit from your brother." he sighed tiredly. "I wonder how Dubois has been able to summon that birdie too."

- Lotar Farm -
" Dinner Time, Winslow "​

Johnny had only felt this nervous twice in his life: the first was when he was fourteen and worked up the courage to tell his parents that he didn't want to inherit the farm and instead wanted to study magic, the second was when he took the entrance exam in the Sorcerer's Academy.

Now he and Echo were going to formally announce to his family that they are going out, something that was culturally new to his parents, uncles, aunts, step-brothers, sisters and grandparents who all seem to believe that he was getting married soon.

It was always the fathers who talked about their children's marriages, but since Echo's dad wasn't here and Johnny must take responsibility for holding Echo's hand and then kissing her cheek yesterday, they were to speak for themselves, something that was radical in itself.

He had explained to Echo all there was to know about the traditions of his people when it came to marriage. It was something expected of everyone, and to not be married before one was at least twenty three was already very disappointing. Most kids married at fourteen or seventeen, though it wasn't uncommon for them to be married at twelve to someone as old as twenty. Most marriages were for the benefit of both families, such as an alliance that would provide more grazing land for their herds, more sheep, or more warriors.

Johnny was seated on the floor beside Echo. There were so many people that they did not use the low table and instead cleared all of the second floor of their home and laid a spread of roasted sheep, goats, mushroom soup, boiled root crops, stacks of bread, jugs of milk and bowls of butter on the rug carpeted floor.

Everyone was eating first and talking about their everyday lives. Most of them really marveled that Echo was a satyr and kept staring. Most of them could not speak the common tongue so they asked Johnny's sisters, his mother, and his father what she was like while Johnny translated for Echo.

There were forty three family members all in all.

"When I was a kid, I used to just pick up lambs and nap with them in my room." Johnny told Echo as he ate some bread dipped in butter. He told her about the time he accidentally stepped on a baby rabbit and didn't come out of his room for a week, and shared stories about his life as a nomad such as the time he went fishing and found a rock inside a fishes' mouth. "I have a boulder ready outside in case they think we won't have strong kids."

Katsuya