Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva had disappeared back up the stairs, slipping into one of the cells in the dungeon to torture a high security prisoner. Darrin Oakenwey his name was. Apparently he was the cause of the lockdown the night previous, but she was in too good a mood to feel any deep, anger-causing grudges. Her trick on that coward of a maid could keep her cheerful for weeks. And besides, today was a fun day. Get to know you activities. She chuckled to herself, the sound of her echoing high-heels causing varying reactions in the prisoners that she passed. Some hid in their cells, one began to cry, and a few kept their eyes on her, seething hatred in their gazes. Those were the new ones. So hopeful. 

That hope wouldn't last too long.

[Channelknight Fadran]

9 hours ago, Vapor said:

"A-Alright?" Ara stood up and yawned.

"Uhm... come on." Katie opened the door and tried not to run away.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Maverick woke up tired. 

The auburn-haired man rolled out of bed feeling oddly unsettled despite his rest. He couldn't get his mind off the lockdown last night, the anxiety he'd felt then almost as potent now, hours later. He felt sick putting on his shirt and making his bed and even sitting down to read couldn't calm him down. Focusing on the words was nigh impossible and he had to re-read every page. By the time someone knocked on his front door, he had begun to sweat, his anxiety to such a high point that he jumped, the book falling out of his calloused hands. 

"C-Coming!" Mav scrambled out of his chair and picked his book up off the floor, taking it with him as a sort of security blanket for when he answered the knock. 

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Hey, Fad, I'm assuming that Ivian is gonna call Maverick to the castle, 'cause it's his little bro in the dungeons. You wanna write the guard come to get him?

@Channelknight Fadran

[Channelknight Fadran]

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Uhh... what is going on?

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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Maverick is Darrin's brother. Darrin Oakenwey. Maverick Oakenwey. I'm assuming they'd want to have a little chat with the brother of the guy who tried to assassinate the king?

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

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...okay.

A guard poked his head into Maverick's room. "Ahh... mister Oakenway, sir. The king has requested your presence."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Mav raised his eyebrows and wiped his forehead. "What? Uh..." He looked behind him, as if wondering if the guard could be talking to someone else. "Alright, I suppose. May I ask why?"

[Channelknight Fadran]

The guard shrugged. "I dunno. He seemed happy about summoning you, though, which is never a good thing."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Mav grimaced. Something really was wrong. "Okay." He let out an audible breath, half glad his uneasy feeling was not irrational, half terrified about just what was going on. "Anything I need to bring with me at all?"

[Channelknight Fadran]

"The king told you to bring yourself and a good attitude."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Right then." Mav patted his pockets to make sure he had a notebook and a pencil with him, then shrugged. "Let's go I-" 

A meow interrupted him. A fluffy grey cat had sat himself by Maverick's feet, meowing his displeasure at his master's absence from the couch. 

"We're not going to be long, are we?" Maverick picked up the animal which - now the guard could tell - was not fluffy, but simply fat. "If it's overnight, I should bring Forge with me."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Not long, probably. His Highness is busy today."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Ah. Right then.” Maverick scratched Forge’s head lovingly and the cat purred, satisfied. “You’ll be fine on your own today, right? Mm, yes, I know you will.” Maverick set the animal down, assured by the knowledge that there was food and water already out for his pet and that Forge - an older animal - would be perfectly fine to wander the house by himself. “Alright, let’s go.” Mav sighed and waved goodbye to his cat. 

[Channelknight Fadran]

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*Waves hands vaguely*

Tiiiiimeskip

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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We'll wait until Ivian has talked to Caden to have him talk to Mav.

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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Oh, ah... Riva would have made sure to tell the waitress staff that she took Katie earlier. She thinks she put the girl through enough and asked the head of staff that she should get the day off. Sorry, I expected more time with Katie. 

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

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Oh hm. In that case I'll hide that post.

Edit: A-badabing badaboom. I didn't like it much to begin with anyways.

"Anyone seen Katie?" One of the waitresses asked. "She wasn't on-duty today."

"Raveness gave her the day off," a second replied cooly.

"...what."

Edited May 12, 2021 by Channelknight Fadran

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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I'll write Riva's interaction with the head of staff then.  

Riva didn't hide the blood on the hem of her black skirt or the pads of her fingers. It did too good a job of intimidating people and no one needed to know that the blood was far from fresh. Well. The blood on the dress anyway; it was an older garment she kept specifically to make others uncomfortable. She smirked, knocking and waiting for the waitress staff to answer.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Shard of Thought

[Channelknight Fadran]

The taskmaster looked through the peephole, yelled loudly, then barred the door and looked for a way to escape.

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Gotta say... writing unnecessarily overterrified people is really fun to do. 

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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Hehehe. I love Riva so much. 

Riva rolled her eyes. "I may be old, but I'm not blind. Come on out; you know full well I'm not allowed to hurt you. Despite how much I want to..."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"I promise I haven't committed any crimes against the state!"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva raised an eyebrow and smiled, unable to resist. "Oh? I can't hurt you. If you had nothing to hide, why are you trying to convince me of your innocence?" 

[Channelknight Fadran]

"What? You--you can't?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"No, I can't," Riva growled, tapping her foot in displeasure. "The king has declared that I am unable to take castle staff for experimentation. Unless, that is, you've done something wrong. Now, unless you want to confess all your many sins to me, I have a job for you."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"I... no! No sins here!" The taskmaster poked her head outside and held up her hands like a child proving to their mother that they hadn't taken any cookies. "A job for me? What'll it be, madame Raveness?"