The Princess of Merria

[erikaleeanne]

(Alrighty!)


Caroline looked around at the flames, then back to the sorcerer. She could run, and maybe, just MAYBE, get far away enough to warn more of the guards, but she figured that that would do nothing but make things worse for the others, as well as herself.


"Very well." She replied, teeth gritted.

 

[Flawless]

"Very well," she replied, taking him by surprise for a moment. He could have sworn she was going to run.


"Wise decision, princess!" he smirked, quickly recovering.


He started walking over to the horse, creating a path through the fire, still burning on the ground, none of the guards attempting to stop him.


"Well come on, I don't have all day!" he called over his shoulder, beckoning for her to follow him.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Before following the sorcerer, the princess took one last glance at her castle. It was a nice place, really, her home. She couldn't remember a time when she had left the kingdom.


'You'll be back,' she thought to herself, 'You'll be back.' Caroline then followed the sorcerer onto the horse.

 

[Flawless]

He stopped, just before the horse, and turned around.


"Forgot about this.." he muttered, before pressing his two fingers to her forehead, sending a spark of energy, knocking her out. Before she hit the ground, he caught her and lifted her up onto the horse with ease, before untying the beast and getting on himself. He urged the horse on with a flick of the reins.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Caroline didn't have any time to react. The last thing she felt before she dropped unconscious were the arms of the sorcerer as he caught her before she fell.

 

[Flawless]

(Time skip?)

 

[erikaleeanne]

(yes!)

 

[Flawless]

The sun was beginning to go down now, and the air had a distinct chill to it. Soren slid off the horse and pulled the still unconcious princess after him, although she should be waking up in a few more minutes. Or maybe he underestimated how much power he used.. Magic wasn't an exact science. Only time would tell.


The heavy doors swung open before him as he entered the towering stone fortress. He walked up several winding staircases, before coming across the banqueting hall, still not at the top of the tall building. Cautiously, he opened the door with his powers again, looking inside. There, on the highest chair at the top of the table, sat Lord Gerard. His eyes were closed, seemingly asleep, a frown over his features. But one of his cold brown eyes opened on Soren's entrance, signalling that he was in fact awake.


"Soren. You took your time." he growled, standing up.


The blond just shrugged, stepping fully into the room to stand before the imposing figure.


"Apart from the fact that I nearly killed your brother and subsequently he tried to have me beheaded, it went rather smoothly, I would say!" he grinned, unfazed by Gerard's looming prescence.


The lord stared at the young sorcerer for a moment.


"Really, now?" he said slowly, a frown darkening his broad features.


"...So what am I supposed to do with her now?" he said.


"Take her to the upper wing, the door on the left. You are dismissed."


Turning on his heel, not even bothering to bow, Soren headed back out of the hall and up several more staircases, until he came across a heavy, dark door. It opened into a circular stone room, with a bed near the slit of a window, close to a bookshelf which contained only a few dust novels. A rug was the only other decoration, apart from a sconce on the wall holding a candle.


He laid her on the mattress, and left, not forgetting to lock the door.


((Sorry for the delay, I was busy with another RP..))

 

[erikaleeanne]

When Caroline awoke, it was with a jerk, her heart racing. She felt the soft exterior of a mattress as her eyes slowly and painfully opened. She looked from left to right, taking in the details of the room.


She sat up in the bed, slowly swinging her legs off of the side and looking towards the door. Stumbling slightly, Caroline approached the door and jiggled the knob. As she figured : locked.


Sighing, she rapped her palm against the door for a few seconds and sighed. She doubted anyone would come. She was a prisoner. Caroline stumbled back to the bed and fell upon the mattress, staring up at the ceiling, trying to orientate herself with the situation.

 

[Flawless]

Soren strolled with a spring in his step as he went back down the way he had came, dusting his hands off. Now that was over, he had more time to do what he wanted, and he planned on distancing himself with this entire business.


"Sorcerer. I need a word." came a loud, gruff voice as he passed by the banqueting room.


Soren sighed in disappointment, turning back and entering the hall.


"I really would prefer it if you didn't call me sorcerer." he objected as he came over and draped himself across one of the plush chairs. "I do actually have a name, if you haven't yet noticed..."


A small ball of blueish white fire sparked to life in his hands, and he rolled it across his fingers, playing with the flames.


The Lord turned and faced him, hands clasped behind his back as he glared at him.


"As your Lord, I expect some respect. I don't appreciate being talked back to." he growled. "You'd be wise to watch your tongue."


"Whatever you say, your Majesty." Soren shrugged, a slight smile curling his lips. "Oh wait.. But you're not king, are you?"


He looked back up to Gerard, smirking, green eyes narrowed as he played idly with the fire in his hand. It was a dangerous game he was playing, and he knew it. He had deliberately poked a very sore spot for Gerard. Well, not exactly poked. More like full on kicked it.


"..You will not speak to me like that! Do you hear me? Never!" he roared, slamming his fist onto the polished wooden surface.


Soren yawned, running the fire back and forth across his hand.


Gerard took in several jagged breaths, fury etched deeply into his features. But he let a long breath out, squeezing his eyes shut, controlling his anger.


"But even so, sorcerer, I have a job for you. You are to be the one watching over the princess." he said behind gritted teeth, opening his eyes again.


Soren shot up from his chair, focused fully on Gerard now.


"What?!" he hissed. "But you said-"


"You are dismissed." he interrupted, a small, victorious smile on his features.


But Soren recovered himself quickly, and let out a sigh.


"..As you wish." he said grudgingly, before turning and walking out of the room with a dignified air, albeit slamming the great doors shut after him.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Caroline lay in the bed for what seemed like an eternity. She would stand up, wander back to the very door that imprisoned her, rap on it for few seconds, and then slump back to the bed, feeling pathetic and defeated. Eventually, she stood up and peeked through the slit that pitifully qualified as a window, then slumped back into the bed, running her fingers through her mop of hair.


She she wondered if she, at some point, gain an audience with her uncle, but she doubted it. She wanted more information on to what exactly the sorcerer wanted, and why she apparently had something to do with it. She figured that she was either a pawn for revenge or ransom. Either way, things didn't look too great for her.


Caroline eventually found herself by the bookshelf, where she ran her fingers over the worn bindings of the very few novels that rested there. Suddenly, she heard a rather obnoxiously loud slam, and looked up, startled.

 

[Flawless]

Soren leant back against the smooth, dark surface of the door he had just ever so violently slammed in Gerard's face. Why did he have to watch the princess?!


But he just shook his head and stood up properly; hopefully, it would only have to be for a short while. Then he could get on with what he actually wanted to do. He headed back up to where the princess was located, a cold, high part of the fortress. She was probably awake by now.


He stood outside her door for a long while, absentmindedly just staring into the wood, a frown over his features, lost deep in thought. But he shook himself out of it. Why actually was he coming up here anyway? Oh yes, to check on her. He probably didn't need to, but still. Maybe she had made a club out of one of the on the bed or something, he thought, rubbing the back of his head and remembering where she had kicked him.


Violent little minx, he thought as he unlocked and opened the door.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Caroline had become lost in thought as she thumbed through the pages of one of the books after dismissing the slamming of the door, but was soon torn from thought when she heard the door open. Glancing up, she saw the sorcerer standing in the doorway.


Part of her, although she would never admit it, was somewhat relieved at the sight of him, mostly because part of her feared she was going to be left in the bedroom to rot. After studying him for a moment, she looked back down at the book she had been reading, not in spirits for any polite-sort-of greeting.

 

[Flawless]

He watched her for a good few moments, stepping inside the room and leaning on the wall beside the door, keeping it open with his foot. There was a long moment of silence. Obviously she wasn't up for a particularly courteous greeting. Good. That made two of them.


"My name's Soren. You?" he said, with a rather deadpan face.


Truth be told, he didn't actually know her first name. Might as well ask now. He folded his arms over his chest, taking a moment to properly look at her, the first time he had actually been able to do so.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Caroline glanced up from the book, blinking in surprise. Out of all the things she expected him to say, asking her name wasn't one of them. She contemplated whether she should ignore the man or to simply answer Soren. She figured that giving him her name could hardly hurt.


"Well, it's not 'Princess'," she answered, resting the book upon the top of the bookshelf, "And if you're going to keep me here, then I would ask that you don't call me that. My name is Caroline."

 

[Flawless]

"Whatever you say, princess." he replied, inspecting his fingernails. Currently, he wasn't in the mood to deal with her sass. He was still irritated about the fact that he had to babysit her.


"So.. I take it you're finding your accommodation to your liking?" he asked, letting the sarcasm drip through his tone.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Caroline rolled her eyes, grabbing the book back from the top of the bookshelf. "I suppose," she replied, "I prefer that the walls be carved from pure gold, but I guess that's an ordeal that I will have to...deal with," She plopped onto her bed and reopened the book.


"I can hear the bitterness dripping in your tone," she replied, "I'm guessing you and my uncle are caught in a domestic dispute?"

 

[Flawless]

He chuckled darkly.


"Domestic dispute? No, not really. Just your ever so charming uncle being himself. But then again.." he shrugged. "He is fun to mess with."


His green eyes wandered across the room, not really catching anything of interest. He sighed, mentally asking himself for the 500th time why he was given this job.


Revenge, most likely.

 

[erikaleeanne]

As Soren looked around the room, Caroline studied him from top to bottom. He wasn't a bad looking fellow, but seemed to move and behave much more maturely than his appearance suggested.


She slowly closed her book and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin atop them. "You seem like you enjoy being in control of things. Why are you working for Gerard? What's he giving you for all that you're doing?" She asked.

 

[Flawless]

Soren groaned, letting his head fall back and hit the doorframe he was currently leaning on.


"Why do I have to explain myself to her?" he muttered quietly to himself. He brought his head back down to look at her, a rather exasperated and bored expression on his face. He wanted to get out of this cold cell and go somewhere warm where he could do stuff in peace. Damn you, Gerard.


"Why do you want to know?" he asked, a little on the defensive side.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "I was simply curious. You don't have to EXPLAIN anything...I just figured a bit of conversation was better than sitting in agonizing silence. Not to mention, if you don't want to hover over me like a parent over a child, then don't. You obviously seem agonized by my prescene, anyway." She then turned back to her novel and slowly turned the page.

 

[Flawless]

"Well, I guess then that you'll be happy to know that I have been ordered to be the one to watch you." he sighed. "I'm simply overjoyed. So, now we shall have to tolerate each other, for now at least. And please, try not to destroy the room."


He rose up from where he was leaning and turned to go, fishing the key out from his deep pocket and stepping out of the door.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Caroline looked up with a jolt. 'No', she thought, 'I'm not going to be locked in this room again. I'll simply lose my mind.'


She quickly closed the book, tossing it aside and jumping up, grabbing the edge of the door. "Wait!" She exclaimed. Caroline peered from behind the door. "Don't live me boxed in this room like an animal! Where are you going? Can I least come with you? I'm obviously not capable of escaping in your company," she attempted to persuade. "And god knows how long I'll be here before Gerard completes that convoluted plan of his!"


She gritted her teeth, adding the word "please" for good measure.

 

[Flawless]

"No." Soren said bluntly, closing the door. But it opened again after a short pause.


"Because you're annoying." he said, closing the door again.


But after a slightly longer pause, it opened again.


"Look, I couldn't even if I wanted to." he said, meeting her eyes. He felt a slight flash of sympathy for her. "..I'm sorry, but I just can't..."


He closed the door, and the key clicked in the lock.

 

[erikaleeanne]

(Picturing that entire sequence made me laugh.)


As Soren shut the door for the final time, Caroline felt a burst of rage rise within her and kick the door. "Dammit!" She shouted, "Why? Why, why, why!" She grabbed a book from the bookshelf and threw it across the room, satisfied with the thud it made against the wall.


Afterwards, Caroline ran a hand through her hair to steady her breathing and put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from crying. 'Throwing tantrums will get you nowhere,' she thought to herself. She flopped onto the bed, spreading out her arms and staring at the ceiling once more.