Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[DramaQueen she/he/neopronouns]

7 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

 

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(that was me asking you to respond so that I can do something)

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

Sarah did her thing.

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There.

 

[DramaQueen she/he/neopronouns]

16 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

Sarah did her thing.

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Wow. Uhh. Thanks.

Leina bid her farewell and continued her chore. Why palaces had to be so big was completely beyond her.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

34 minutes ago, The Ward's Guard said:

"It really means a lot to you, doesn't it?" Caden asked with a sigh.

“Yes…” Riva picked at her fingers nervously. “Sorry….”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

After just a moment, Caden returned to inspecting the artwork. "Not tonight, Riva."

------

With a salute, Fischer watched the captain walk off as he turned to enter the company barracks with a sigh. He may have not been able to hear the men inside of the building, but he knew what they would be up to. He rolled his shoulders, squared up his shoulders, and pushed through the door to find the men inside tending to their equipment. It was almost insufferable how much they tended to their gear, it was practically everything that they spent their free time on. He got a few glances from the men, but fortunately he didn't see anyone that he had been worried about at that moment, so he quickly made the way to his bunk that was positioned right in the middle of the room, much to his displeasure. But he didn't complain, he would never complain after everything that had been done for him.

Everything was going smoothly as he started to put his blade away to be polished until he heard the door to the barracks open once more, revealing one of the company's officers, sergeant Nowak. Fischer adjusted himself so that his back faced the door, that way he wouldn't be recognized, but that never worked. He heard the sergeant's boots on the floor and turned around to be confronted by the older soldier's beaming face. "How's the young lad holding up today!"

"I'm fine, sir." Fischer hardly noticed the powerful slap of the sergeant's hand landing on his shoulder.

Nowak let out a hearty laugh, "that's great! We can't have our youngest member falling out on us, now can we?"

"I'm still twenty, sir," Fischer corrected the sergeant quietly, trying to not draw attention to himself.

"That doesn't mean anything, you're the greatest soldier on the battlefield I've ever seen!" Nowak shouted as Fischer winced, recalling the 'heroic deeds' that Nowak was referring to.

"Sir, it wasn't really all tha-"

"The General himself saw your actions, my boy! I was standing next to him, and he told me on the spot that he needed you among his personal guard, never seen that before in my life!"

Fischer remembered that moment very differently. "Sir, it was not that much, really. I'm lucky enough to even be here."

Nowak slapped the corporal on his back, "and humble too? You'll make captain before I retire!" He pushed Fischer forward so that all of the men in the barracks could see him, "let's here it for corporal Fischer, men!"

A single cheer went up, with every man raising a hand into the air and nodding towards the young man, who wanted nothing more than to crawl under his blanket and wait until he was called for duty again. Sergeant Nowak chuckled again, "they respect you, boy. In fact, I know a few wish they were you." He sighed, appearing to reminisce a past that wasn't his own. "I can only imagine what it must be like for you, you're entire life in service to the general ahead of you. You'll make captain and then who knows? You might find a way to get even higher than that!"

Fischer cleared his throat, trying to shrug off the larger man's arm off of his shoulder. "Thank you, sir," he muttered.

"Well, better let a young man like you get his rest, am I right?" Nowak beamed at Fischer, who nodded and tried to smile in return, but it felt fake even to him. Nowak only chuckled again, and pushed the young man towards his cot.

Fischer let out a breath he had been holding without meaning to, and barely got off his armor before collapsing in his cot. He could barely glance around the room in fear of meeting another man's eyes and seeing their hope for him in them. He knew what an honor it was to be invited into the general's own guard and all, but still. He would have never said no, but he had hoped to be out of the service before his twenty-fifth birthday, and no one left the Praetorium Guard lest they were retiring, even if they felt like the fraud that Fischer was. He sighed, and wrapped his arms around his pillow, pulling it close to his chest. He made a silent wish into the pillow, and drifted off to sleep in the cold barracks, surrounded but alone.

Edited July 6, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

3 minutes ago, The Ward's Guard said:

After just a moment, Caden returned to inspecting the artwork. "Not tonight, Riva."

She seethed, visibly annoyed that the general seemed to pay more attention to the art than his wife. "Well, why not?" I don't want to be alone and I. Want. That. Bed. I am not going back to the cold and dark.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

I don't know, Caden admitted quietly to himself before clearing his throat. "What I mean is that I don't trust you yet, and that presents an issue if you want to sleep in the same bed as me." He nodded to himself, believing that sounded to be a good enough reason.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva glared at him, stomping her foot. For a moment, a growl built up in her throat and she opened her mouth to assail him, but then... She let out a harsh sigh. He was being honest; she should do the same. Her posture crumpled and she looked away. "I don't want to be alone anymore. I'm not very good at being with others. But... For as much as I hated being forced to marry you, I prefer this over the cold and dark. Maybe Ivian was onto something after all."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden groaned, rolling his shoulders to work out the soreness from his uncomfortable night before and trying to keep his eyes as open as he could by focusing on the paintings more intently. He growled softly as his mind continued to remain dull and slow, refusing to gain an edge through his anger and frustration at it. Instead, he walked slowly to the nearest chair, and went to sit down confidently, but instead he practically collapsed. Much to his surprise, the chair was heavily cushioned. He glanced up towards Riva, "your doing?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

She shrugged and bit her lip, slightly disappointed she hadn't gotten more of a response. "Well, yes. Daku... bought new... furniture." 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

He nodded, "I stated before, Ivian rarely does anything without a strategy." He leaned back, a small sense of relief coming over his face as the aches and pains of last night's drilling was relieved just a bit. "These halls are cold, Raveness, I will not lie about that, they are as cold as this room was when you first entered it."

Edited July 6, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva raised a well-manicured eyebrow. "What, are you saying I bring warmth to your life and household or some such gooey nonsense?"  Because I dearly hope you are.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden paused, considering the accusation. "I suppose so," he said as he closed his eyes for just a moment. "Was that your intention?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Warmth blossomed in Rivas chest. “Was what my intention?”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"This whole warmth thing, and bringing it into my home." He spoke as he failed to stifle a yawn, "I can only imagine what your dungeon looked like if you decorate like this."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Oh. I could hardly decorate there… it’s supposed to be terrifying, I can’t very well do a cross stitch for the torturing cells.” Riva wandered over and sat down on the bed. “I didn’t intend to bring it for you, I intended it for myself. But…. I like you, Caden. You’re brave and daring. Courageous enough to handle me, after all. That I can greatly respect. So I’m glad I’ve brought you warmth. In all honesty I didn’t think I was capable of it. Because…. Everyone knows the Raveness is evil. And evil isn’t warm.”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"I'll admit that I agree with you, evil is hardly warm." He adjusted himself, finding a better spot in the chair. "Although I am the feared sword arm of the king, I am meant to be feared and respected, not 'liked.'" He furrowed his brow as a memory came to mind, "you told me that while Raveness was not your title, you were Riva, correct?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Well, yes. But no one sees me as Riva. If I recall correctly, after all, last night you resorted to simply calling me 'woman.'" She stared at him flatly. "May I assume you've come to change your thinking?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"I merely have a question." He opened his eyes and looked directly at Riva, "if the Raveness is evil, then what does that make Riva?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva was silent for a long moment. She looked up at Caden and said, "I don't know." But, as she looked into his golden eyes, she felt compelled to add, "What do you think?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Either the Raveness is not as evil as you think, or Riva is. For this sort of thing," he gestured to the furnished room, "doesn't come from an evil torturess."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"I am still the torturess," she said, glaring. "Do not forget that. I enjoy the screams I get, and have since I first came into my position as a child."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"And yet you enjoy bringing warmth to my otherwise cold and dismal home," he tilted his head, looking at her curiously. "So which is it?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Can it not be both?" She eyed him carefully. "I am not some... some squishy and warm princess."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"I wouldn't say squishy, either." Caden nodded, "and I doubt a 'warm princess' would drug her husband to get him to talk more at dinner."