Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Fallapede]

1 hour ago, Shard of Thought said:

Darrin cursed again and shot an arrow while his opponent climbed. The one arrow was enough. Any more would slow him down far more than would be safe. Actually, he realized as he made his way to the ground, maybe any at all was unsafe. This man was ridiculously fast. 

If I get caught for this, I will never live it down. Not that I'll live for very long...

The arrow glanced off Jasper's shoulder, piercing his tunic before skittering off his mail shirt. Ignoring the ache, he dropped to the ground, positioning himself directly below the ledge to avoid any further shots, and waited.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

12 minutes ago, The Ward's Guard said:

"Hold!"

Caden shouted at the guards as they had begun to walk away. He had been listening in to what a messenger was whispering into his ear and had just now seen the guards walking away after talking orders from the Ravenness. He stormed past the Ravennes, trying to avoid looking at her. "Where are you taking her under the lockdown boys?"

"T-to the servant's quarters, sir. Like the Lady Raven said."

8 minutes ago, Fallapede said:

The arrow glanced off Jasper's shoulder, piercing his tunic before skittering off his mail shirt. Ignoring the ache, he dropped to the ground, positioning himself directly below the ledge to avoid any further shots, and waited.

Darrin was running out of options. But he continued to leap down, finally hitting the ground. "C'mon, let's get on with this, please," Darrin whispered anxiously. He couldn't exactly just high-tail it out of there. If the man had another knife... But, well. Darrin was itching for a one on one fight anyway.

[Fallapede]

19 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

"T-to the servant's quarters, sir. Like the Lady Raven said."

Darrin was running out of options. But he continued to leap down, finally hitting the ground. "C'mon, let's get on with this, please," Darrin whispered anxiously. He couldn't exactly just high-tail it out of there. If the man had another knife... But, well. Darrin was itching for a one on one fight anyway.

Jasper slid a longer, heavier knife out of his sleeve and began closing in on his target. "Are you sure you want to do things like this? I don't like roughing up strangers."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

4 minutes ago, Fallapede said:

Jasper slid a longer, heavier knife out of his sleeve and began closing in on his target. "Are you sure you want to do things like this? I don't like roughing up strangers."

"Preeeeetty sure," Darrin said. His heart was pounding, but he didn't let any of his fear show. He carried knives with him, of course, but he was no good at throwing them and he didn't have a shield. 

[Fallapede]

1 minute ago, Shard of Thought said:

"Preeeeetty sure," Darrin said. His heart was pounding, but he didn't let any of his fear show. He carried knives with him, of course, but he was no good at throwing them and he didn't have a shield. 

"That's a shame." Jasper flipped the knife up into the air, then instantly grabbed another one from his other sleeve and hurled it pommel-first.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Darrin caught it, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this."

[Fallapede]

Jasper settled into a defensive stance, inviting Darrin to make the first move.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

It had been too long since Darrin had sparred one on one. He grabbed a second dagger from his side and ran forward, going in to sweep Jasper off of his feet.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

36 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

"T-to the servant's quarters, sir. Like the Lady Raven said."

Caden strode straight up to the man, "she has no authority right now, only I can give you orders to move out of this room! Now, where did you find her?" Caden had moved to impose himself over the guard in order to intimidate him.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

A serving girl was running down a hallway. She was stopped by a guard. "Miss, the castle is on lock down. Where are you going in such a hurry?"

The woman was nearly hysterical. "There's an intruder! I saw him! On the balcony. He was wearing black, I think he's an assassin!"

The guard paused. "You should come with me, miss. The General will want to hear about this..." 

3 minutes ago, The Ward's Guard said:

Caden strode straight up to the man, "she has no authority right now, only I can give you orders to move out of this room! Now, where did you find her?" Caden had moved to impose himself over the guard in order to intimidate him.

"She was running away from the castle, sir. And there was another woman with her, but she got away."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

1 minute ago, Shard of Thought said:

"She was running away from the castle, sir. And there was another woman with her, but she got away."

Caden growled at the guard, "and why was this not reported to me boy. Do you not know how this lock down works?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

1 minute ago, The Ward's Guard said:

Caden growled at the guard, "and why was this not reported to me boy. Do you not know how this lock down works?"

"This happened not three minutes ago, sir."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Just now, Shard of Thought said:

"This happened not three minutes ago, sir."

Caden grabbed the collar of the guard's uniform, lifting him off of his feat. "And just what do you think you were about to do? Breach the lockdown?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"A-and let them escape, s-sir?"

[Condensation she/her]

Aliénor seated herself with a small sigh. "Do you think the lockdown will last much longer?" She looked hopefully up at Sir Kimby.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

10 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

"A-and let them escape, s-sir?"

Caden growled again before tossing the guard aside. "Idiot! No one is to move without my command, that is the lockdown! If you cannot find a way to secure this child while awaiting orders, then you are worthless. No, worst then worthless, a traitor!" Caden pulled the child along as he approached where he had thrown the guardsman, "if you can't take the security of the castle and its King seriously, then you are a traitor to your King." Caden began to draw his sword.

Edited February 14, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

5 minutes ago, Condensation said:

Aliénor seated herself with a small sigh. "Do you think the lockdown will last much longer?" She looked hopefully up at Sir Kimby.

"I'mma wishin' I could tell ya otherwise, miss, but things don't look too good. I'd a-guess we're here for least an hour, probably more."

As Caden began yelling, sounds in the ballroom quieted. Nicolae raised his eyebrows. "Oh, boy, this had gotta be good... Caden's bad news, miss. A dangerous man, he is. They call him the King's Dog."

3 minutes ago, The Ward's Guard said:

Caden growled again, before tossing the guard aside. "Idiot! No one is to move without my command, that is the lockdown! If you cannot find a way to secure this child while awaiting orders, then you are worthless. No, worst then worthless, a traitor!" Caden pulled the child along as he approached where he had thrown the guardsman, "if you can't take the security of the castle and its King seriously, then you are a traitor to your King." Caden began to draw his sword.

Riva scoffed. "ENOUGH!" she yelled. "The man was following my orders, Caden, and he did quite well. You take the girl if you wish, but let this man go."

@Vapor

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

4 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

Riva scoffed. "ENOUGH!" she yelled. "The man was following my orders, Caden, and he did quite well. You take the girl if you wish, but let this man go."

@Vapor

Caden stopped abruptly, not turning to look at the Ravenness. "You do know that we're on a stage 13 lockdown, correct Ravenness?" He spoke the title as if it were filled with poison. 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"No, as a matter of fact, I did not. Perhaps you should have told all of us in the room what exactly was going on before you simply took over. We're not your soldiers, Caden, we're the court. We're not mechanical and we don't just snap to follow orders." She eyed Arvis. "Do get up."

The guard stumbled to his feet, shaken. "Yes, miss," he mumbled. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

4 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

"No, as a matter of fact, I did not. Perhaps you should have told all of us in the room what exactly was going on before you simply took over. We're not your soldiers, Caden, we're the court. We're not mechanical and we don't just snap to follow orders." She eyed Arvis. "Do get up."

The guard stumbled to his feet, shaken. "Yes, miss," he mumbled. 

Caden turned to look at the King's table, refusing to make eye contact with the Ravenness. "Perhaps you can make that excuse, but this boy cannot. All guards know what the thirteen bells mean, and what they have to do. If he doesn't then he is a failure and must be dealt with." Caden turned about to address the entire room, "anyone else who's unable to follow the lockdown will be dealt with as a traitor, you understand?!"

Edited February 14, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

The King? The King is unconscious and very much away.

"I-I knew, Sir," Arvis stuttered. "But you can't expect me to disobey Lady Raven... can you?"

Edited February 14, 2021 by Shard of Thought

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

1 minute ago, Shard of Thought said:

"I-I knew, Sir," Arvis stuttered. "But you can't expect me to disobey Lady Raven... can you?"

Caden glared at the guard, making it clear that this was not over. "If you value the safety of this castle, the King, and even your life, then yes."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva scoffed. "Oh, please...." But she made no argument. Going to the washroom was looking to be an impossible task, it seemed.

Arvis paled and hung his head, terrified. His friend spoke up for him. "What are you gonna do to 'im?" asked Rian.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Just now, Shard of Thought said:

Riva scoffed. "Oh, please...." But she made no argument. Going to the washroom was looking to be an impossible task, it seemed.

Arvis paled and hung his head, terrified. His friend spoke up for him. "What are you gonna do to 'im?" asked Rian.

Caden growled louder, "you'll both be coming with me, now stand up!" Caden pulled the child behind him as he stalked out of the ballroom without offering so much as a glance towards the Ravenness. "Anyone caught leaving this room will be killed if they are lucky!"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Arvis walked hesitantly forward and Rian followed. The third guard - Igor - stood and followed as well. Igor put his hand on Arvis's shoulder. "I'm right behind you, friend."