Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Condensation she/her]

"Charis?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Yes, miss. Family name."

[Condensation she/her]

"I just wanted to make sure I got it right."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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I actually know a girl named Charis, she's a sanderfan.

She nodded. "Yes, very good miss."

[Condensation she/her]

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Ooh, cool.

Alienor bit her lip. "Can we..."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Can we what, miss?" 

[Condensation she/her]

"Would you mind helping me?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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I assumed that she was helping, I was just writing out the dialogue, 'cause I'm bored with it. :sweat_smile:

 

[Condensation she/her]

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Ah. Sorry. I will... yeah. Disregard that. XD

"How old are you?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Coming up on 30, Lady Eleanor."

[Condensation she/her]

"Oh! Any kids?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

8 hours ago, Shard of Thought said:

  Reveal hidden contents

The corpse was utterly unrecognizable. Blood covered at least half of the floor, the sickly metallic smell clogging up the small room. To the perpetrator, the scent was so familiar it had become comforting, but even that was incapable of calming her nerves now. 

Marriage. To Caden Praetorium. Who does that fool of a king think he is?

The Raveness laid on her back on the same table poor Brissa had been mutilated upon. She couldn't care less that her hair would be sticky and red when she got up or that the poor janitor would have a devil of a time cleaning all this up. She couldn't care about anything, actually. 

I'll kill him, Riva thought. I swear I'll do it. Go to his rooms under the guise of delivering a sleeping draught. The guards wouldn't dare question me. But that was too obvious and if she actually went through with it, the kingdom would be launched into chaos and she'd be stressed beyond belief... She growled. If she couldn't kill Ivian, she'd kill her husband-to-be. That would send a message.

Riva giggled with glee and found herself cackling madly upon the table. But when the fit of laughter had ended and her head was cleared, she knew that was no option. There was no way out of this cursed marriage. There was, however, a way to make things a bit... easier. 

The Raveness got to sharpening her nails. She had a date this afternoon. 

*small time skip*

After doing some small bit of interrogation research, the blood-covered Lady Raven arrived at the room Caden was supposed to be in with a bouquet of flowers and a devious smile. She rapped her bony knuckles on the door.

@The Ward's Guard

Caden flinched from where he stood in front of his window that overlooked the courtyard that was dedicated to military drills. No one ever disturbed him in these quarters. He growled in annoyance, gesturing for one of his ever-present guards to check who was at the door without looking away from the courtyard itself. There were only a few men drilling at this moment, but Caden could easily pick them out as men he had chosen for the Praetorium Guard. He may have admired their proficiency, but it was their absolute loyalty that had snatched his attention.

As Caden was making his observations, the guardsman peaked open the door to peer at who was trying to disturb the general, only to slam the door back shut, his face turning pale. Caden turned around and approached the man who only wordlessly shook his head. Caden scoffed, "who wishes to disturb the king's own general!" After he called to the other side of the door, he waited for a response.

Edited May 15, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

11 minutes ago, Condensation said:

"Oh! Any kids?"

"Yes, one." She did not elaborate.

1 minute ago, The Ward's Guard said:

Caden flinched from where he stood in front of his window that overlooked the courtyard that was dedicated to military drills. No one every disturbed him in these quarters. He growled in annoyance, gesturing for one of his ever-present guards to check who was at the door without looking away from the courtyard itself. There were only a few men drilling at this moment, but Caden could easily pick them out as men he had chosen for the Praetorium Guard. He may have admired their proficiency, but it was their absolute loyalty that had snatched his attention.

As Caden was making his observations, the guardsman peaked open the door to peer at who was trying to disturb the general, only to slam the door back shut, his face turning pale. Caden turned around and approached the man who only wordlessly shook his head. Caden scoffed, "who wishes to disturb the king's own general!" After he called to the other side of the door, he waited for a response.

"Why, your wife-to-be, apparently," Riva cooed, keeping a smile plastered on her blood-splattered face. The blood was hidden behind a mask at the moment, but she'd take it off for him when she got inside.

She resisted a sly chuckle.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden felt his heart nearly stop, but after a few deep breaths he was effectively back to normal. Hopefully it would last. "What do you want, then?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"I realized," she said, "how little I know about you. Ivian's paired us up, hasn't he? We should get to know each other. Now, may I come in?"

[Condensation she/her]

4 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

"Yes, one." She did not elaborate.

"That's nice." Alienor looked off to the side, unsure what to say.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden opened his mouth, but the thought of simply talking with that woman caused him to pause. He cleared his throat, "go away."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

4 minutes ago, Condensation said:

"That's nice." Alienor looked off to the side, unsure what to say.

Charis simply did her work without speaking. She was... far from the animated Nicolae to say the least.

Just now, The Ward's Guard said:

Caden opened his mouth, but the thought of simply talking with that woman caused him to pause. He cleared his throat, "go away."

"Go away?" Riva pouted, although she knew he couldn't see her. "But after a few days we'll be living together, won't we? Might as well get used to my presence, hmm?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden felt the urge to shout at her to leave, but instead all he did was take a shaky breath. Her words made sense, which only made him hate them more. "I'm not opening this door, woman."

[Condensation she/her]

"So, ah... what am I taking you away from?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

1 minute ago, The Ward's Guard said:

Caden felt the urge to shout at her to leave, but instead all he did was take a shaky breath. Her words made sense, which only made him hate them more. "I'm not opening this door, woman."

"Fine, then I'll do it myself." She did so and removed her mask, shutting the door behind her with her foot. Her striking blue eyes locked onto his and she made up her resolve not to look away for a moment. Eye contact was surprisingly intimidating. "I brought you these," Riva said, holding up the bouquet. She subsequently dropped it on the floor.

1 minute ago, Condensation said:

"So, ah... what am I taking you away from?"

"Nothing of any importance, your Majesty." 

[Condensation she/her]

3 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

"Nothing of any importance, your Majesty." 

"I'm not a Majesty - you don't have to call me that."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden moved forward to push her back out of the room as he cursed himself for not locking the door, only to reflexively lurch backwards when she took of her mask. He looked to his two guards who flanked the door, but they only tried their best to back away from the Ravenness. When Caden looked back at the woman, he was immediately struck by her powerful blue eyes that seemed to pierce their way past the blood. He took a quick breath, looking away from her eyes as he cleared his throat. "What do you want, woman?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

2 minutes ago, Condensation said:

"I'm not a Majesty - you don't have to call me that."

"Alright. Your Majesty."

1 minute ago, The Ward's Guard said:

Caden moved forward to push her back out of the room as he cursed himself for not locking the door, only to reflexively lurch backwards when she took of her mask. He looked to his two guards who flanked the door, but they only tried their best to back away from the Ravenness. When Caden looked back at the woman, he was immediately struck by her powerful blue eyes that seemed to pierce their way past the blood. He took a quick breath, looking away from her eyes as he cleared his throat. "What do you want, woman?"

She smiled ominously and approached him. "Why, just to say hello. What? You don't think I have... other motives. Do you?"

[Condensation she/her]

Just now, Shard of Thought said:

"Alright. Your Majesty."

"The correct title is 'Your Highness'."