Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Fallapede]

Quote

I apologize for my... extended leave of absence. Jasper's been off fighting pirates or something along those lines. I'll try to come up with either a way to bring him back into the story or a new character in the next few days.

 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden rolled his left shoulder as the high ranking officers of the Praetorium Guard stood up, marking the end of their meeting. However, as the captain who had just reported from the King's palace, captain Broz, got up to return to the palace, he stopped and raised a hand to the general. "Sir, if I may?"

The general raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Proceed, captain."

"I know you wished otherwise, but word has gotten out about your . . ." Captain Broz paused, apparently considering his words carefully. "Word of your arrangement has spread among the men, sir."

Caden growled, "what of it?"

Captain Broz cleared his throat, "it's just that some I overheard some of the men, your newest recruit, actually, and he made a suggestion that he wished me to bring up to you, sir."

"Stars tell, what is this advice, captain?"

"Flowers," Broz stated, " sir."

"Does he not know to whom I'm married? Flowers would hardly be an appropriate gift," Caden said as he leaned back into the chair, folding him arms.

Captain Broz tilted his head, "the boy seemed rather sure of himself, sir. He does seem to be one who knows his way with woman."

"I'm sure he is," Caden said with a scoff, recalling the other times that his men offered him advice. "But that's not what I ask for from my Guard."

"They believe they owe it to you after all that you've done for them, sir."

"What was the man's name, again?" The general asked as he stood from his desk. "The one who made the suggestion."

"Fischer," captain Broz stated with little thought, "sir."

"Be sure to watch him, his apparent way with women must not get in the way of his duties."

"Yes, sir." The captain saluted Caden before heading out the door to start the long trek back to the King's palace. Caden followed close behind, he had an errand to run before the dinner with the Raveness now.

-----

With a smile plastered on his face, Fischer walked back into the barracks. He had spent practically the entire walk back trying to remove it, but had been unsuccessful. Instead, he tried to hide his face upon entry, but that didn't help. Sergeant Nowak perked up to see who it was, and grinned when he recognized it to be Fischer. He nodded at first, apparently set on leaving Fischer be until he noticed the corporal's smiling. He then jumped to his feet and rushed over, calling out to Fischer. "What the blazes happened to you, my boy? You left more solemn than a Raveness's prisoner, and now you're beaming brighter than the sun!"

"It's nothing," he replied too quickly.

"Oh," the sergeant leaned in closer, "is it a girl?"

Fischer felt his face grow warm, despite doing everything he could to try and avoid it. Nowak only grinned wider, "must be a girl, then! What's she like, is she a looker?"

"This is none of your business," Fischer said as he cleared his throat.

"Oh, that's what you say," Nowak said as he straightened himself, "but seein' as I'm your friend, you can tell me anything."

Fischer rolled his eyes, but found himself amused by how the upbeat sergeant stood in contrast to the soldiers who were either caring for their equipment, or resting in their respective bunks. Fortunately the majority of the men were far more sober than normal, except for Nowak, Which in all honesty, Nowak was an exception in and of himself. "Yes, I me' someone," he said with a sigh, "but that's all I'm saying, understand?"

Nowak raised an eyebrow at the accent slipping through, but then he shrugged. "Sure. Just figured our star recruit would like some advice from us older men."

"Can I stop you?" Fischer asked with a sigh.

"You could try," Nowak replied with a chuckle. "But I'm gonna say it anyways. Try and stay professional, it goes a long way."

Fischer raised his own eyebrow, "this coming from you, sir?"

Nowak chuckled again, "as hypocritical as it sounds, yeah. But hear me out, learning to be professional as a soldier gives you training for keeping a level head, which will more often than not be the thing that saves a relationship."

"Well, if it comes up, then I'll keep that in mind." 

The sergeant patted Fischer on his shoulder, "there's hope for you yet, my boy."

"Whatever happened to that whole 'star recruit' thing?" Fischer asked, furrowing his brow.

"Yeah," Nowak replied, smiling unhelpfully.

"I'm going to catch whatever shut-eye I can before I report for duty," Fischer said with a shake of his head, and starting to step away from Nowak, "uh, sir."

Nowak only nodded, "sounds smart, my boy."

Fischer slowly turned and collapsed onto his bunk, his beaming smile returning. Everything was finally going back to some sense of normal after what felt like an eternity of being alone. Now he just needed to avoid messing everything up again.

Edited July 16, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

18 hours ago, Condensation said:

Alienor continued cracking the eggs into the pan.

Nico cut two slices of bread from a fresh loaf and set the pieces over a low fire to toast. He looked over his shoulder at Alienor, an offhand, "Nice job, miss," slipping through smiling lips. While she cracked the rest of them, he put some grapes into a bowl. 

[Condensation she/her]

"Thank you. I'm sure it's due to my expert tutor." She cracked the last egg in. "Finished!"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Ah, lovely! You can go take the tops off of strawberries if ya want. I'm a-gonna stir these eggs." He twirled a spatula in his hand.

[Condensation she/her]

"With a knife?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

With an exasperated sigh, Nico said, "Yes. Wha' else would ya cut with?"

[Condensation she/her]

"Yeah... sorry. I just haven't... handled one before. I'll just wait, if you don't mind."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nico bit his lip. “Ya know, maybe ya doesn’t belong in the kitchen. Like I doesn’t belong in the library.”

[Condensation she/her]

"But... you were in the library."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“I knew what I was doing there.”

[Condensation she/her]

"How will I know what to do if no one shows me?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Try common sense on for size, puffball.” Nicolae blushed. “I…. Forgive me.”

[Condensation she/her]

Aliénor stepped back. "Puffball? What does that mean?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Umm…. Empty-headed. Shallow.”

[Condensation she/her]

"Just because I had a different upbringing from you doesn't make me shallow. But- you didn't mean it. Right?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“A different upbringing? I’ll have you know that I was the crown prince not six years ago, miss. You know nothing about my upbringing.”

Edited July 17, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[Condensation she/her]

"I'm sorry-I shouldn't have assumed. It's still different, though. Who taught you in the kitchen?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nico growled, ancient boyish aggression left over from his feelings for Fischer stirring up within him. “My best friend,” he said. “But tha’s none of your stats cursed business.”

Edited July 17, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[Condensation she/her]

"I'm sorry! I was just trying to say... if he didn't teach you, how would you know? Everyone needs to be taught."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Look, I….. gah! I cannae deal with this righ’ now. I really ca’t. I dunno why I thought I could.”

[Condensation she/her]

"I'm sorry. I'll leave."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

He raked his hands over his eyes. “Stars, I’m a fool. This ain’t your fault, ya know.” It’s mine for thinkin’ I liked you that way.

[Condensation she/her]

"I know it's not. But I am making it worse."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"I really... you're not... Stars, I hate me-self."