Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Nico." Katie crossed her arms tighter. "What makes you think that she can hurt a princess?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Oh she wouldna hurt Alienor. But she’d a-hurt me for sure.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Can we put her in jail?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“In theory, yes, but she’s got the guards in her pockets.”

Edited July 7, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

On 7/6/2021 at 7:23 AM, Zephrun's Imperium said:

She smiled, letting out a sharp breath. "Yes. I'm glad you enjoy talking to a woman who last night you might have murdered... You seem to have gotten over that rather quickly." Riva stared him down. "Who are you, Caden? Under the grandeur and growls and gore, who are you, really?"

"Perhaps the point you missed was old, I am not as spry as I once was." He visibly winced over the admission, "I'm still capable of fighting and killing, I just . . ."
He stifled a yawn, cursing himself for not finishing the statement even with how hard he had pushed himself the night before. He hated the pain that came the next morning, but then again, that was the point of a punishment, wasn't it?

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Awwww, poor Cady,” said Riva, using Acalia’s nickname for him. She would be carefully watching his reaction. “Well, I’m old too. Older than I would like to admit.” She paused. “Do you plan to retire soon?”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden snapped up, glaring at her for the use of the nickname. He didn't speak, but simply inspected her, unsure what to think.

Edited July 8, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

She simply smiled at him. “Well, are you? Retiring?”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden shook his head, "retiring?" He cleared his throat, "I don't really think about leaving my office much. Besides, I've seen no one else capable of handling the duties that come with it."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Oh yes. Someone with your skill would have had to have been trained…. Oh practically since they were a baby.” She eyed him, recalling Acalia’s tales of Caden’s brutal childhood training. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

He nodded, "warfare is my life, and there's nothing that can be changed about that now." A sense of resignation followed his words, but he thought little of it.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“What if you could though?” Riva mused. “What would you be?”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"There's nothing I'd rather be, nor any other life that I'd rather live." That wasn't true, but he'd rather not think on it too much.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Hmm.” She smirked. “Liar. terrible liar.”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden sat up, looking offended. "I'm not lying. What else could you see me doing, other than fighting wars for my king?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Well I don’t know.” She sat back in the pillows and picked at her fingernails. “You sure liked my art though. Maybe you could be…. An artist. A painter.” Again, she watched closely for his reaction. Acalia had said she’d taught Caden how to paint. 

[DramaQueen she/he/neopronouns]

Leina finished all the rooms, returning to her quarters because she didn't know what else to do.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

On 7/7/2021 at 6:21 PM, Zephrun's Imperium said:

“Well I don’t know.” She sat back in the pillows and picked at her fingernails. “You sure liked my art though. Maybe you could be…. An artist. A painter.” Again, she watched closely for his reaction. Acalia had said she’d taught Caden how to paint. 

Caden waved aside the comment with his hand, scoffing. "I have no skill for such things."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva nodded. Interesting. “Well, the nice thing about a quiet skill like painting - or potion making - is that you can do it up into your old age. And you’ll need a hobby like that for when you do retire one day.”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden scoffed, "you truly expect me to become one of those useless old buffoons who spends their days doing nothing useful?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"What, would you rather die in battle because your legs cramp up?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Actually, yes." Caden straightened his back, besides the pains and sores. "Far more preferable to dying in a chair, unable to move on your own."

Edited July 10, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"But what shall I do when you die?" Riva said flatly. "You would leave me on my own?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Seeing as there's an apparent lack of heirs, you could do whatever you pleased with this estate if the 'immortal torturess' somehow managed to outlive the aging general."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva cackled suddenly. "I WOULD GET THE BED."