Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Because. I'm a terrible person." Nico stared his friend down seriously. 
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Riva was almost done with reorganizing her office. "Come in!" she yelled upon hearing the knock. It was probably Caden, come to give her kisses, but even kisses could wait when she was so close to perfection. Just a few more boxes to unload...

"Nice new place you've got here, mistress."

Riva nearly dropped a bottle in shock. "Daku! What are you doing here!" My Stars, I thought I'd left that creepy old man behind. 

"Well, your Raven-ness, you were fired. There's no need for an assistant in the dungeon anymore. So I thought I may as well seek work here. Is there anything you need me to do?"

"I... What? No. I'm just fine."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"No, I've seen terrible people before, Nico." Fischer locked eyes with him, matching the intensity he saw. "You are not one of them."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"I..." Nicolae sighed. "I don' believe ya, Fischer. But I appreciate you." 
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"But you might not be later, mistress. I'll talk to your husband about.... working with you."

"Working with me... Daku, I think it's time you retire. I'm sure you could live at the castle if you-"

"Oh, but, Your Greatness! I love working with you more than anything! I-I-I feel drawn to you, I do, and I can't deny that any longer."

Riva shuddered. "Yes, you go talk to my husband about such things. He's down the hall, in his office. I'm sure he'll be all over your obsession with me."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Well, you should be believing me, because it's true." Fischer glanced at the clock on the other end of the room, cursing it for how fast it ran. "I hate to be leaving you like this, bu' I gotta return to the barracks." A memory came to Fischer when he glanced at the door, noting the palace colors that the guard wore. "An' I'll be asking tha' we get a Praetorium up here to watch ya, just in case."

Edited August 10, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nico closed his eyes again, hoping he could maybe rest. "Thank you, Fischer. Truly."
Meanwhile, Allivia began making her way down to sick bay. She knew Nico wouldn't be dead - she expected him to have crawled away for help - and she wanted to pay him a visit...
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Daku left Riva to go find the general. He was a very short, thin man, but he hoped what he lacked in statue, his passion would make up for. He'd always intimidated the guards around the dungeons, anyway. Hopefully Caden would be intimidated too. The more he'd thought about leaving Riva with that man, the more sleep he'd lost, until finally he couldn't take it anymore. If Riva was going to be here, then so was Daku Thardin. 

He rapped on Caden's door. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"It's the leas' I can be doing for you, Nico." He nodded his head slightly to the slightly younger man, then turned and walked towards the door. Just as he had closed it behind him, he leapt forward to rush back towards the Barracks, not seeing the serving woman standing in his way until it was too late.

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With his fingers cramping from hold his pen for too long, Caden stood up from his table and stretch quickly. "You may enter." He assumed it was one of the serving staff, as his wife had a tendency to never knock anymore.

Edited August 11, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Allivia bumped into Fischer. "Hey! Watch it," she hissed. "You-" She paused, eyes widening slightly. He was... he was perfect.
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Daku entered. "Greetings, Mr. Praetorium. Do you know who I am?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Apologies," Fischer grumbled as he recovered from being knocked back, "I'm in a bit of a rush and I didn't see you there. Are you alright?"

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Caden perked up, hand reaching to his side at the sight of the vaguely familiar man. "I suggest you jog my memory before I have you jog out back the door. My time is valuable, I suggest you avoid wasting it if you have any attachment to your life."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh, I'm fine." Nico needs a replacement. Allivia looked him up and down. Yes, he'd do. "What do they call you?"
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"Hmm. Just as callous as your lovely wife, only without the sense of humor. A pity. That's one of the things I like best about her. But never mind. My name is Daku, I am Riva's personal assistant."

Edited August 11, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Right now I'm almost late, and you're not helping with that," Fischer said as he tried to push pass the woman, trying to take little notice of her to keep himself going forward.

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"Are you, now? Then where the blazes have you been the entire time she's been here?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Wait, wait!" She grabbed his hand and pulled herself close to him. "I'm Alliva."
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"I've been at the castle. I usually assist her with the torturing process, but she's been here, on her honeymoon. Of course now that she's been fired, my services are no longer required in that area. But since I can't stand being out of her presence, I think I'll be working here now."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Fischer locked eyes with her, his eyes turning to a glare as a sense of recognition swept across him. "Yes, you are." He grabbed her hands with his and held her in place. "Where are you heading?"

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"Presumptuous and visibly aging," Caden noted. He glared at the shorter man, "no one works in this castle without my permission."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh." Allivia smirked. "I do like that energy of yours."
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"So, are you going to deny the Raveness her assistant?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"You'll find that you like very little else," he glanced towards the medical center, "now where are you going?"

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"We only consult my wife after you get through me," Caden tilted his head, "and I haven't heard a good enough reason to add you to our payroll, yet."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Nowhere of any consequence. You never told me your name..."
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"I require no pay, sir, only time gracing the Raveness' presence."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Before Fischer could think on what he was doing, his hands clenched Allivia's tightly. He started to push her hands backwards, bending them intentionally in a way that he knew would be painful. "I know who you are, Allivia Nordy, and I know what you've done." The words pushed their way through his gritted teeth, speaking slower and more deliberate than the blood rushing through his ears. 

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"Truthfully? Why is that?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Allivia gasped, glaring at him. "Let go of me. I have done nothing wrong."
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"Because. I've worked with her for decades. She's a wonder, I'm sure you'd agree with me."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Fischer growled, nearly matching the ferocity of the general during one of his rampages. "Lies," he hissed without relieving the pressure. "If you tear up the lives of those around you, then you could at least care to remember them."

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"And why, with how the rest of the Kingdom views her, do you think that?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"What is this about? Nicolae Kimby? The tramp?" She licked her teeth, holding firm to try and combat the pain. 
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"Well, she's a beauty, for one thing. And for another, well... Her skill with potions is beyond anything of the world. She's practically a goddess."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Tramp? Who made him that way, wench?" The young man's face hardly tried to hide his anger at the thought of Nico sitting alone in the medical center, believing himself to be worthless because of this woman. "I know you love causing him pain, so how about I send some back your way?"

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"If I weren't the dull fool people take me for, I'd say it sounds like you worship my wife."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Why do you care about him anyway? Did he hire you to kill me?”

——————

“At least I treat her better than you do, Praetorium,” Daku growled. “I heard about what happened at the ball. She wouldn’t love you.”

Edited August 11, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"While it can be endearing, that man wouldn't lift a finger to harm a fly if his life depended on it." He sneered, "but I don't care, given my profession."

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"Watch your tone," Caden replied with a deeper and more practiced growl. "Forget not whose roof you're under. I could have you cut to ribbons before she's ready for me to pick her up for dinner."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“So, what, you’re going to kill me?”

———————

“I learned a thing or two from my Mistress. I’m not defenseless, sir.” He stood, still hunched over. “Whatever you’ve done to make her yours, I will find out.”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Fortunately for you, I don't murder." He started to step away, but held her hands firmly for a moment. "However, in case you're getting any ideas," he said just before he jerked her hands backwards in sudden motion aimed to cause pain at the least, and dislocate a finger if Allivia was unlucky enough. "This isn't the last you'll hear from me, filth."

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"If she does not require your assistance, then I see no need to hire a man such as yourself."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Allivia cried out. When he let her go, she considered fighting back, but thought better of it. She’d just have to tell Nico to tell the man off when she had a talk with him… She continued towards sickbay. 
———————

“Hired or not, I’ll be watching you.”