Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Finally!" Riva tapped her foot. "Where were you, Fischer?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Handling something," Fischer said sourly. "You ready to leave, my lady?"

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Very." She stuck her nose in the air, walking off towards where they'd left their carriage. "That did not go well. And I can't imagine your conversation went much better, considering that pregnant lass on Nicolae's arm."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"I'd rather not discuss it." Fischer followed close behind, keeping an air of anger to ward off anyone who might stop them.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"No, I imagine not." She hissed. "His royal Highness threatened to have me executed."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

'Exe-" He growled. "I never should have left your side."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Are you alright?"

Ivian let out a sigh. "No, not really. It's been a long day."

"Would you like me to distract you?"

"In your condition? No." Ivian looked out the window. "I doubt that'd be a good idea."

"Then maybe if you took in one of your Ladies outside? I wouldn't mind."

"I would." Ivian replied. "And you would, too, despite what you say. Besides; I made a promise. And an oath."

"Then maybe you should just sleep it off. You'll probably be better in the morning."

"Most likely." He turned around. "But..."

Yvonne blinked. "Yes?"

"I don't know." Ivian sighed. "I don't... want to hide anymore."

"But--"

"I'm not planning on keeping that Baudelaire girl around. I'll have her marry some other nobleman who still has a few years on him to ensure the peace. Everything's put in place; all the forms are signed, all the estates are bound, all the deals are struck." Ivian took her hands and stepped up close. "And there's only so long we can hide, Yvonne. At this point, who can say no?

Yvonne smiled. "The church, for one. Marrying a concubine is illegal, near as I can tell; especially when you're under treaty to marry someone else."

"I'm the king of Mendahar, dearest," Ivian said, leaning forwards and kissing her on the cheek. "We'll be fine."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

2 minutes ago, The Ward's Guard said:

'Exe-" He growled. "I never should have left your side."

"It's fine; he didn't hurt me. But he did make his opinion of me very clear." She turned towards Fischer. "Do you think I am evil, son?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"I don't like terms such as 'good' and 'evil,' ma'am."

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"And why not?"
"Then you have to decide what makes something good, or evil."
Riva nodded, thoughtful. "Makes sense. But it's lazy."
"No, I'm just denying myself a tool for the lazy. Branding someone as evil will only make you hate them more. It can't help, only harm."
"I suppose as a solider, wrong and right are harder." She contemplated, then shook her head. "Bah, it doesn't matter. We must go home. Caden will want to hear what Ivian said to me. That rat." 
Fischer chuckled. "Would you consider him evil?"
"No. Just a foolish arse of a man who forgets my power."
The carriage door slammed shut and Riva Praetorium sat sourly, the carriage beginning to roll towards the Praetorium estate. She drew the curtain on the window closed; the landscape of the trip from the palace to her keep had grown too familiar to be interesting. She could picture it just fine in her own mind right now. Once they left the kingdom walls, the terrain would grow grassy and rough. Fallen leaves of autumn would litter the muddy new path through the woods and she would be able to spot the occasional furry creature scrambling to get out of the horses’ way. Boring. Riva spun her wedding ring on her wrinkled hand. "I'm not allowed to torture Allivia anymore. Something about preserving the citizen's dignity."
"She doesn't deserve the dignity of a sinner, much less a civilian."
"No. No, she doesn't. But frankly, I'm more concerned with what I'm going to do for the rest of my life. I know nothing else."
"Nothing? Doesn't everyone have a hobby or something?"
"I make potions. I experiment on people. And I garden for the sole purpose of making ingredients with which to do unspeakably horrible things."
"Your potions can't cure people?"
"Now why on earth would I want then to do that?"
"I mean, it is something to do."
"I want people to fear me!"
"Yeah, that would be hard if you started helping people." He nodded. "Or learned that you are happily married."
"Everyone saw Caden hit me at the ball... My reputation is effectively ruined."
"Yes, that would definitely be bad."
"And there was that unfortunate incident with the pie..." She growled as she said it.
"I have no idea what that is."
"It was before your time, dear. Right before Caden and I were wed. At a ball, someone had the nerve to throw a pie at my face."
"Who the blazes would dare to do that?"
"They got away..."
"I wouldn't have known if you hadn't said anything, so maybe it's not as bad as you think."
"The whole court saw it! And then they saw me get thrown in the mud by Caden... He slapped me and hauled me by my dress!"
"And you say you love him?"
"Of course I do; who else would?"
"Well, if it was as bad you say . . ."
"He has apologized profusely for letting his anger get the best of him. I... In truth, I still fear he will do it again, but I can't bring myself to leave to deny his love." She sighed. "The night after he hit me, I came home to find him sobbing. I comforted him that night and in the morning, we made love for the first time. That's not something you forget."
Fischer shook his head, unable to summon that image. "You must mean a blazing lot to him if you made him cry."
"Don't swear, dear, it's unbecoming. But yes. He was distraught. Didn't stop crying until he fell asleep on top of me."
"Were you comforting the general, or a child?"
"Oh, it was the general." She sighed. "I remember his hulking form shaking with ugly tears. I almost killed him, you know, in his moment of weakness. but then he admitted he loved me."
Fischer looked towards the floor of the carriage, disbelief evident in his eyes. "The general never shows weakness. He is the unshakable pillar of the Praetorium Guard."
"Not in front of his wife." Riva winked.
"What did you do to him to get him to break?"
"He just felt bad for treating me poorly, I suppose."
"You know this all sounds ridiculous, right? The general is the coldest, most uncaring man I've ever seen. He's been hacked practically to shreds and barely blinked an eye."
"Haven't you seen the way he kisses me? He's my husband, he loves me dearly."
"I can see why those guys thought a potion, I guess." Fischer shuddered, remembering times when he stood guard just out of their door, no matter what he heard. "But you do seem nice enough. I've never seen anyone even think of kissing the general."
She nudged him. "Oh come now, you're attracted to men, you think he's as appealing as I do."
Fischer grumbled. "But I've never thought of kissing that guy."
"And why not?"
"Were you listening to my whole spiel about that guy?"
"Mmmmm." Riva closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat. "I can't wait to get home to his embrace. You've cheered me up, Fischer. Good man."
"I . . . don't know how."
"I'm thinking about my wonderful husband now instead of that worthless king Ivian."
"Oh, I think I get it."
"Yes." She smiled at him. "Nicolae doesn't deserve a lovely man like you."
"I disagree . . ." In all truth, he wasn't sure of that anymore. "I'll be fine, ma'am. But thank you."
Riva kissed his forehead. "You're very welcome."
Fischer blushed, not sure how to respond. He silently cursed himself for sitting there silent like an idiot. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Riva stepped out of the carriage and her heeled foot slid into mud, just like it had the first time she'd come to Castle Praetorium. "Blazing... Gah!"
Fischer grabbed her arm to support the Ravenness. "I gotcha."
"These were my best heels..."
"Did they break?"
"No, they're all dirty, stars curse it." She placed her other foot on the ground and it sank in, too. "Carry me?"
"I could send for the general, if you want your husband to do that."
"No, this is easier." She placed her arms around his neck.
Fischer grunted as he lifted Riva. Her weight actually being less than he expected. "Let's get you inside, ma'am."
"Thank you, my gay young bodyguard."
He coughed violently for a second, nearly using his footing. "Uh, can you not call me that, ma'am?"
Riva smiled. "There are two meanings, son."
"I know, but I'd rather be safe than dead."
"Alright. I owe you hair ruffles when we get inside."
Fischer's cough returned for a moment, the comment surprising him despite literally everything that happened that day. "That's not . . . necessary. Especially if your husband meets you at the door."
"Oh, but it is necessary." Riva grinned. "I've never had a son, Fischer, but if I could have one, I would want him to be just like you."
"While I appreciate the compliment, I don't know if you could control who you get as a son well enough to get someone like me."
"Luckily the heavens picked you for me, didn't they? Forget about Nicolae. You have a mother who loves you."
"A mother?" Fischer smiled at they approached the entrance. "I can't even begin to tell you how much I doubt I came from your womb."
"A step-mother, then." Riva climbed out of his arms to stand on the stones.
He stepped forward to grab the door. "I'm like, 20. I don't really need a mother, ya know."
"I've made it this far without one. Do you really think that a mother could make a difference now?"
"I hope so."
Fischer cleared his throat, obviously lost for words. "Uh, thank you, then."
"Well, let's go to my office then. There are a few things I'd like to tidy up before dinner."
"Very well, my lady." Fischer furrowed his brow. "Or, uh, mom?"
"Uh, no. Lady will do." She smiled, walking towards her office.
"Yeah, that sounds better." Fischer followed on her heels.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

The head of an ax slammed into the window of Riva's office. Maverick broke glass, stepping through the hole he'd created and into the house of the woman who had tortured his poor little brother. It was time for a little revenge....
-------------
"As you well know, my own mother-"

Riva gasped in horror when she walked into the room. She’d seen carnage before. Seen blood pour down tables to pool onto the floor. Dissected human bodies to get a real feel for anatomy. Smelled burning flesh and reveled in it. 

Nothing. Nothing she’d ever seen compared to the horror that awaited her.

It was all... Broken.

Bottles smashed. Ingredients dumped out to mix on the floor. Burned books, mangled models, torn tomes. Carefully made potions dripping down the walls, cases of meticulously organized substances knocked over. 

Her entire life’s work. Laid to waste. 

Riva gaped at the sight, utterly speechless. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she hardly felt them. Glass crunched under her feet as she walked a little further in the room and she knelt down, shaking hands hovering over the floor. 

Finally, she broke the silence: “No…”

That one whispered word broke the dam. A scream was torn from her throat, a scream of loss, horrible grief, and potent anger. The sound was a chilling one, like the howl of the dead; in that moment, despite her frailty, it was not hard to understand why the court found her otherworldly. Whoever had done this… they would pay dearly. 

"CADEN!"

Edited October 2, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Causing the chair to creak and groan, Caden leaned back, rolling his shoulders. All day he had been drilling and investigating the men who made up his personal guard, silently deciding who was loyal, and who would be his away in a remote post to prevent any damage they might do. The general groaned in the chair, feeling more sore than he had in weeks. It wasn't the bruises or the countless nicks and cuts that caused the pain, but instead the simple accursed soreness that stiffened his limbs while his muscles tried to recover. He wished that Riva would hurry up and arrive home so they could eat and retire to bed, inviting Fischer's comrade couldn't have taken th-

A scream tore through Caden's ears, forcing him to stand up before he could even consider if it would be bad for his legs. His breathing become shallow, and panicked. He tossed aside his door and ran straight towards the source. Midstride, he tapped the pommel of the blade at his side, bring sure that he could strike down whoever he needed to. He prayed it wasn't his wife screaming, he prayed over and over again as he rushed through the halls of his castle, his chest tigtening as he got closer to his wife's workplace. 

He stopped in the doorway leading to where his wife sat on the floor, scanning the room desperately for whomever was assaulting his wife.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Caden!" Riva was on her knees, sobbing. "My office, look what they did to my beautiful office!"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Who? Where are they?" Caden's hand stayed firmly on the hilt of his sword, determined to draw it at the slightest hint of danger.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"I don't know! You were the one at home when this happened! My research is GONE!"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Are- you safe?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

She stood up. "No, I'm not safe! Whoever did this, they'll come for me next! This-this is a warning! A sign of what's to come." She grabbed his shoulders.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden turned his head towards Fischer, who had been standing silent as he stared at the floor. "Summon the entirety of the Guard. I want this whole castle locked down and searched for the culprit. Then make sure that not a single soul gets past the walls without my permission! Understand?"

The young man nodded, and snapped a salute at his commanding officer before running off.

Caden turned back to his wife, removing his hand from his sword and gently holding her waist. "I won't let them near you."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva shuddered, leaning into her husband. "All my work... Decades of work.. gone."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden wrapped his hands around he back and up towards her shoulders, holding her close. "I'm here, dear." He hushed her. "The important part is that you're alive."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"But... my work... Caden, my work. What will I do?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Are you sure we can't salvage any of it?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva stomped over to a burned book. A potion had been shattered near it and had soaked into the pages. She grabbed the book and held it in shaking hands. "Does this look sAlvAGeAble? Does it?!" She threw it on the ground and pointed at the empty shelves once fully stocked. Not a single potion had been left unsmashed. "I spent years working on some of those potions! Some of those books are as old as I am, written by my mother!"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden stood silently, watching his wife with a look of concern covering his face.