Royalty reside here, obviously. A place for major events such as balls and parties. Heavily guarded as expected; you must request an appearance with the royal family in order to enter. Servants, knights, and other staff around the palace are the only exceptions.
A new series in which I introduce Ravina Direwolf; a ranger. The opening scene is the Castle of the King.
This is written with Moo, Kiri, Fu, & Nhal.
Moo: Today was peaceful for the kingdom so far. Zoura had woken to a dull light filling her room through the large windows, and the almost silent bustling of her maid. Her morning was dull and routine, as expected. Nobody was as heartfelt lately with the King’s illness. While Zoura couldn’t speak for her brother, she was definitely not in the mood to do her lectures or training, nor walk around the kingdom for her campaign. But she had to. Fixing herself with her armor as usual, she looked in the mirror. A woman who would take the throne in name of peace and prosperity. Sighing briefly, she put on a thin smile and made her way to the throne room, and would undoubtedly cross paths with her guardian there if not sooner. He had a habit if staying close, though she never minded; Zoura enjoyed the company in times like this, and it ensured her safety from the likes of her brother or other possible threats. Not that she was entirely sure of what he was doing or thinking anymore; the prince was just distant and…more withdrawn than she remembered. The tapping of her feet against the floors of the palace echoed down the halls, moving formally as she passed the staff who cared for her. It was too early for them to be dressing in black… Her eyes turned down while she finally entered the King’s current chambers, where she and her brother were called just a short while ago.
Fu: It was quiet, or so it had seemed for most. The sound of simultaneous feet clicking and clacking against the floor from outside the King’s chambers were heard for quite awhile , closing in and increasing with each sound until the door opened and a group of people appeared clad in black and red.
– They surrounded the entrance and had bowed their head as well as lowering their stance while one set of feet slowly made his or her way towards the front of the group from the back most end of the formation. Slowly the person made their way to the room and stood at the entrance with a melancholic expression upon the person’s face , at this point the person was seen. It was the Elder Prince ; Bleidd Pearce. He gave a quick glance at his younger sibling but that was all he had done before returning his attention to the reason why he was there in the first place. The air suddenly got alittle cold , the kind of cold where a person could feel a shiver go up their spine from some sort of sensation that was hard to truly tell why it happened or where it had came from. –
” Hello…….. Father . Is everything alright ? ”
Kiri:
Of course, normally most people wouldn’t expect for a presence to have already been in the room other than the king himself. And that sense of security was obviously going to stay unbroken by the male who was sitting the shadows of a corner not six feet from the door. Silent and foreboding, however invisible to the ones in the room as well. Satoru, one of the Senior Rangers of the kingdom’s own Ranger Corps, was sitting in the corner by request of the king himself; his mottled cloak making him invisible to even the keenest of eyes, including that of supernatural creatures surprisingly, so much so that even with their other senses supernatural creatures could not find them so long as they sat still; though the supernaturals can sense them, it normally confuses them by not being able to hear or see them, making them twice as deadly. It was one of the reasons the Rangers were looked at with fear by the general populace as Dark Arts wielders who make themselves invisible using such magics; even though the reality was that Rangers relied on nothing more than their own training. Satoru had been talking to him, the king, only seconds before Zoura had arrived. Satoru was watching because of the king’s request for him to do so, for Zoura’s safety more so than anything. The reason for Satoru having even been there at all, was actually because the king wanted him to keep an eye on Zoura and help keep her safe from the shadows. It was generally known, though not entirely official, that Satoru supported the princess and her rise. But he himself would never admit that officially unless given reason. Satoru’s face was hidden in shadow, but the hood over his head, and even as he sat there, he was ready to pull his bow from his back and fire should he must; and being behind the two heirs only made it easier for him to take Bleidd and Zoura by surprise if he must. Even if he’d rather avoid it entirely.
Moo: Zoura glanced up toward the armor with a small smile, feeling oddly out of sorts today. She was a little uneasy, questioning as to why the King would request her presence, as well as her brother’s. She had only just gotten into the room when she heard a distant marching of feet, which meant she had to move away from the door and further into the room. Zoura took her place beside her father, sitting on his rather large bed before taking his hand into her lap. The King had been a good father to her, though it seemed he had some darker nature within him as well. Some that reminded her of Bleidd. The King’s hand moved from hers and caressed her face, gently pushing back strands of hair before brushing his thumb across her cheek. Only then did she realize she had let herself tear up. She blinked several times now, clearing her throat as the marching grew louder. The King smiled while his hand rested in hers once again, before both turned their heads to look at none other than her brother. His greeting felt cold, and the presence he brought with him was unsettling. Zoura’s expression sobered until she was nearly frowning, gazing up at him. “…We were suppose to come unaccompanied, Bleidd.” She sighed briefly before she squeezed the King’s hand, hearing the man clad in armor greet the two of them. Zoura recognized his voice, leaving her to tilt her head slightly. But she gave him another thin smile and nodded her head slightly. “A pleasant morning.” Wasn’t that a lie? Here she sat on the edge of her father’s bed, who was so ill he looked as though he were skin and bones. Turning her attention back to the King, she looked over his aged face.
The King was silent for a time, having let his daughter speak her peace before he cleared his throat. It ended with some coughing into a cloth he happened to be holding in his free hand. “Send them off, Bleidd,” the man ordered in a deep and raspy voice. He somehow still had enough energy to sound like a King; powerful and demanding yet calm patient. “This matter is for us alone.”
Fu:
” Oh ? Then why are there others in family business ? ”
– Was what Bleidd had said in reply to his younger Sister after Sera ; the Legion Captain rushed to his side and spoke in a extremely low tone but Bleidd had caught the entire thing. He would nod gently towards the person who announced themself by greeting before returning the gaze at his Sister. She was more understanding of the surroundings then him as she herself was born and understood the dark much more then he had , so he found her talents useful and valued . He was inept at that area , and would be in trouble if she wasn’t around but then again that was not his only lifeline whether he liked it or not . His arm had proven to give him a curse but also something much more useful . That ‘things’ guidance, awareness and intuition. Sera would then speak up and talk to the King outright her conditions. –
Sera:” Drop the others hidden here , and we’ll go. You don’t trust your own family that you need others monitoring the conversation Your Highness ? ”
Nhal: “Children please, hush. This is no time for conflict…” The massive dragon like creature strolled into the room with a surprising softness for his size, the only sounds were of the light decorative chaincoat he wore jingling softly and the old blade from his guard captain days tapping against the side of his leg. Moving up to the pair he gave a rather frightening grin as he looked towards Sera. “I apologize if I may sound rude captain… But I will have to ask you to leave Miss Sera…” He lifted his head and directed his snout towards a shadowy corner of the room before giving a short few sniffs in the direction. “That means you as well Mr. Matsuo…” He shifted his weight a little and tucked his hands behind his back, clasping them together comfortably. “I won’t be having either party misbehaving… Not today… Isn’t that right….” He turned his head towards both the prince and the princess. “…Lady Zoura, Lord Bleidd…”
Kiri:
“Hmm… normally, I could be rude here. However, I will not. I shall only state a simple fact.”
Satoru rose from his spot, seeming to actually shrug the shadows from his body as the effect was lost. One eye was perfectly visible within his hood, being a slightly lighter shade of brown that made them look fiery crimson. The visible eye of Satoru was calm, and honest as he prepared to speak once more, no matter if others had protested or not. Satoru was one of the more well-known Rangers, however that also meant he was infamous as well among civilians. Sera was good if she had known he was there, and the Dragonborn had nothing more than a good sense of smell to him.
“I am here under his, the King’s orders, and last I checked neither of you have the authority to trump him; in Sera’s case however, you are not even close to being high enough rank to set conditions to your king. Or me for that matter. You are a Captain, and you royal adviser. My authority is only trumped by direct members of the Royal Family. And as he is the one who has asked me to stay, stay I shall. Unless of course, his majesty would like for me to go.”
Satoru’s voice wasn’t snobbish, nor was it even insulting. It was calm, polite and factual. As he spoke, he used his hands to gesture at each member in the room that he had mentioned as he mentioned them, and he even added extra emphasis on the word direct when he mentioned members of the Royal Family. It was obvious he had no intentions of leaving. Not unless the king himself asked him to, as the king was the one who asked him to stay. Whether they would continue to argue, then that was up to them. However Satoru stayed where he was, and even as he stood it seemed that he was breaking down into the background because of his cloak. It was eerie in all honesty for those who weren’t Rangers. But then again, Sera wasn’t fazed herself when she had noticed him.
Moo:
Zoura couldn’t believe the nerve of her brother–of this woman–while they stood in front of the King. Eddard looked tired and wary, his sunken eyes and withered face seemingly set in a grimace the entire duration of the meeting so far. The pain must have been immense and hard to endure, leaving Zoura to hold his hand more tightly as she gazed down at him. With the disrespect slowly filling the room, she thought she herself might burst. But it would help nothing, and she knew her father to be a patient man, so she would try her best to do the same. After a soft, raspy breath, the king’s dull eyes roamed from his son’s face to the woman’s, looking rather disdainful. Though as he would actually begin to speak, the final member who was expected to be present in the room finally made his appearance. None other than Soskaal. As usual, he was there to offer wise words while making himself clear; his presence naturally caused others to be wary despite his calm demeanor. Eddard exhaled, looking from the dragonborn to the ranger.
Zoura herself flinched when she saw movement from the corner of the room, turning to look at who had apparently been here the entire time. She wasn’t familiar with him, but she knew what he was. The fact that her father had requested his presence was slightly unsettling. More so than usual, her worried thoughts now turned to her brother. Did Eddard feel uneasy about his son as well? “Enough, Satoru…” His hand holding the cloth lifted, waving it slowly and quietly before letting it rest again. “You’re dismissed to the hall. It seems there is no getting around my friend Soskaal.” The King paused to offer the dragon an amused smile of sorts. “As sharp as ever.”
Fu:
” Sera is the my voice. She knows how to vent out my thoughts so by my permission she is more then capable of speaking on my behalf. Now , Sera you and the others are free to go and moving on. What is the reason that we are gathered here today ? ”
– Bleidd would say to the Male who had spoken out about his orders . Following that moment the Prince would wave at his Second-in-command to acknowledge the Dragonborn and she would nod to him and walk out. She would be the last to leave as the small formation of knights would have went along and shuffled out first. It was only Bleidd left and he would walk closer towards his Father and Sister. He never showed it directly but he had been angered at the fact he had no magic aptitude but his younger Sister did. He didn’t understand why he was given the short end of the stick , but he didn’t wish for others to know but most did considering the events that had happened in earlier years. The only thing he has kept entirely secret was the existence of a certain something , and due to various reasons has worn lengthy clothing to cloak his inner problems , physically and mentally. He waited to see how things would play out , before returning to his own thoughts and going about his day.-
Nhal: Soskaal grinned again and gave a soft nod in the king’s direction. “I was simply born with a strong nose your grace… it is only natural.” Turning his head slightly he watched Sera leave the room, then looked back towards Satoru and gave a light smile and a subtle gesture in the same direction. Turning his head back towards king Eddard, his eye shifted towards Bleidd for a moment before he spoke softly. “I enjoy the dulcid tones of marching boots on the pavement as much as the next person young prince, but truly there was no reason to bring a whole unit with you when your father simply wishes to speak to you and your sister…” he then shifted again into a comfortable position and watched over the young siblings silently as he awaited their fathers words.
Kiri:
Satoru gave a small bow, placing his right hand in a hovering position just in front of his stomach before striding away without another word. It was the King’s will, emphasis on king’s. It didn’t matter if Sera was his voice, she wasn’t a high enough rank. The Ranger’s face was inscrutable, calm and grim as ever, however his thoughts were mostly focused on the fact that the Prince must be a coward in the form of words if he had to rely on his captain, and risk her head in the process, to speak out a condition or term to the king. The prince could be menacing and foreboding and every other word in the book, it didn’t make a lick of difference to Satoru. He’d seen it all, and probably more. The Ranger had been around a long time, and honestly the fact that the prince seemed off hadn’t eluded him. He was a Ranger, it was their job to know things. But he didn’t know very much about the Prince’s reason for being the way he was right now. Satoru rubbed the bottom of his chin, but didn’t really have a reason to fully understand as he didn’t have enough information. The Ranger was just standing there outside the door, not listening as that would have been rude regardless of his curiosity, thinking and going uncaring about the glances of suspicion and fear directed at him by the servants who passed. It was a normal phenomenon after all.
Razorbackwriter:
The Palace
Having been ordered to remain outside in the cobble stoned courtyard with the horses, Ravina was growing restless. Dark whispers and looks from the King’s own guard were starting to annoy her, and as she stood stroking the neck of her horse, loud voices were heard to be coming from the inside of the building. It was hardly surprising with the vast amount of soldiers and nobles that were all now clamoring to make their way in to the Palace, as word of the King’s illness had spread across the realm. There was even a gathering of the clergy. Red hooded old goats carrying large books, and swinging burning incense as they waited their turn, like everyone else. Ravina regarded the priests as being nothing more than parasites, that used God’s word in order to have sway and power that should not have been afforded to them. Whispers also said that the King’s own children had returned to pay homage and listen to the King’s words. There had been rumors that both sought the crown if the King should pass on to the next. This was really of no consequence to the senior ranger. She knew her place in the world, and was proud to be part of the Ranger’s corp.
After another ten minutes of waiting, her patience was at it’s end. Handing the reigns to a stable hand, she drew up her hood and then fully armed, she started to make her way into the Castle proper. Her boots clinking as the spurs tapped the stone with every step that she took.
The corridors were lined with even more of the King’s guard. They really had gone all out with the beefed up security, but as they watched the ranger pass their ranks, they gave her the respect that she had duly earned from years of hard training. Her mottled cloak was like a badge of honor, and one she wore with pride.
The final turn and she could see Satoru up ahead, standing just outside the King’s chamber door. He gave those servants that passed him by a look of no caring, and if ever there was a time that Ravina wanted to smile it was now. She had to admit, he was an impressive man. She both admired and looked up to him, and he respected her for her duty and loyalty to the Corp.
“Let me guess. Ringside seats are only for the Royals?”
One thing about Ravina, she spoke her mind.
~RB~
razorbackwriteraus 