Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden growled at the nudge, "twice that if you keep nagging me."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva laughed overly-loud and slapped Caden on the back though her "slap" might as well have been a gust of wind. "Oh, Caden! No one ever told me you were so hilarious! And, well, you won't have to worry about me if you keep your toes in line. I'll not hurt you, I promise." She snapped her mouth shut, teeth producing a nice loud sound as they hit one another.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden looked away, trying to identify if their carriage was approaching.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"So how long is the carriage ride, General?" said Riva, hands clasped behind her back. "I doubt I can hold my breath to avoid your smell the whole time, but we'll see." She paused. He actually did smell good. The scent of sweat and blood was a rather pleasant one to her. Homey, familiar. 

Edited June 2, 2021 by Shard of Thought

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"We'll arrive late into the night, it's on the edge of the King's domain." Caden didn't even bother to look at the Raveness, instead fixating on the direction that he thought the carriage would arrive from.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh." Riva's face actually fell. She'd never been on a carriage ride this long before. Actually... had she ever ridden a carriage? There was good reason to doubt it. She'd always lived in the castle and had never had cause to leave other than to wander the forest to pick herbs.

Stars, she couldn't spend hours locked in a tiny moving compartment with a man who wanted to kill her! It was going to be cramped in there, just her and that big hunk of man flesh. Suddenly antagonizing him didn't seem like such a wise idea. She'd probably actually have to talk to him to pass the time. Civilly, no teasing. I can do that, right? Talk normally with a man who isn't strapped to a table. A man who is now my husband. She regarded him with worry, remembering her earlier sentiment:

This was going to be a long marriage.

Edited June 2, 2021 by Shard of Thought

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden held his tongue, wishing that he could instead simply ride horseback to his estate, or just stay at the King's palace than ride in a stuffy carriage with that woman all the way back to his lands. He sighed, seeing one of the King's own carriages pull out towards them. He assumed it was for one of the King's carriage rides that he was prone to, as it looked to be designed for one person. Caden glanced at the coachmen in shock as the vehicle stopped before the two of them. The coachmen looked towards the two, "the King sends his best wishes, as master Praetorium didn't have any of his carriages here for us to ready."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva hopped in first and sat by the door, making herself as comfortable as was plausible. The carriage was nice, if rather old, but she knew once that giant man came in here, it would get very cramped. He must have weighed two or three times what she did and was a good foot taller. It was, she had to admit, rather terrifying. Luckily for her, she was terrifying too. 

She put one leg on top of the other, leaving the top leg almost completely exposed. The spike of her heel would come to threaten Caden's knee like a the tip of a sword. With an impressive amount of grace, she removed her half-mask and settled back so as to make herself look far more comfortable than she actually was. "So," she said. "We're being forced to spend some time together, you may as well know my real name."

[Vapor she/her]

On 6/1/2021 at 10:55 AM, Shard of Thought said:

"Why o' course, miss!" He took off his hat and bowed, then took a seat on a table and began folding the paper. "Oi, wanna watch, miss 'bella?" 

@Vapor

"Yeah!" She sat down on the table.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nico pulled Ara closer and began folding the paper. His fingers - which, evidently, were far nimbler than the rest of his body - flew, folding a pretty flower for the little girl. When he was done, he presented it with a flourish. "One paper flower for the little miss," said Nico with a wink.

[Vapor she/her]

36 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

Nico pulled Ara closer and began folding the paper. His fingers - which, evidently, were far nimbler than the rest of his body - flew, folding a pretty flower for the little girl. When he was done, he presented it with a flourish. "One paper flower for the little miss," said Nico with a wink.

Ara grabbed the flower and stared at it in wonder.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

He chuckled, smiling at her expression. "You likes it?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden sighed when he saw how little room was left in the carriage, wishing for a proper horse to ride back on instead. He lifted himself through the carriage door and tried to sit as far from the Raveness as he could. Through his best efforts, he didn't ended up hip to hip with his new wife, even though it was quite close. He eyed the door, knowing that as soon as it closed, he would be pushed right up against that woman. He didn't know how she managed to look so comfortable as she asked his question, causing him to release a short snarl of annoyance. It was only then that he remembered her statement, "I don't think that's necessary."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Not necessary?" Riva raised an eyebrow and now, with her mask removed, Caden could see her sharp black eyebrows and how impressive her full glare was. "What, you intend to keep calling me 'woman' for the entirety of our time together? I have my doubts anyone ever taught you manners, but that's rather rude."
-----
Daku was dusting off the Raveness’s potions when the serving boy came down to call upon him. “You are Daku?" he asked. The Raven’s janitor?”

The aging man nodded. “Yes, son. What is it?”

“The Raveness would like you to bring her essentials to the Praetorium estate.”

“Oh?” Daku considered, rather surprised. “I would have thought she’d be staying here at the castle. Did she decide she likes the general, then?” He hopped off the ladder and the boy shook his head.

“Not quite, sir. The king has sort of… assigned them to an enforced month-long honeymoon. To be quite honest, I’m wondering if it is perhaps a contest. See which one kills the other first. They were rather nasty to each other. Praetorium looked as if the only thing holding him back from crushing her throat was the fact that the king was right there. And the Raven, well… she only kept egging him on.”

Yes, that sounds like her. Daku shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Well, my lady has survived this long. I doubt a little thing like marriage will be the death of her. Thank you for the message. I’ll deliver her items personally as soon as possible.”

With a nod, the boy turned to go back up the stairs, evidently dreadding the walk back through the dungeon. "How do you stand the smell down here?" he asked. 

Daku shrugged, grabbing a box to fill with potions that the Raven wanted. "I've worked here for a very long time. You get used to it. Takes a while, but you do."

Edited June 2, 2021 by Shard of Thought

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden shifted in his seat as best he could, deciding that he preferred it when the Raveness wore her mask. "I- You are the Raveness, and that's all that I need to say."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Yes, and I grow tired of being the Raveness. I've removed my mask in your presence as an extension of goodwill, how do you not see! Riva sighed, studying the large man and his body language. It hurt a little, how much he was trying to avoid touching her. But, she supposed, that was what she wanted... "The more you fight it, the harder this is going to be to bear. We're riding in this carriage together whether you like it or not - it's painfully clear you don't - and I know that personally, I'd like to make the best of it. So. We may as well start over." She offered a wrinkled hand with long fingernails to shake. "My name is Riva Thadel. Or Riva Praetorium now."
------
"I don't think I ever could," said the boy with a wrinkled nose. 

"You'd be surprised. From what I've heard, the Raveness has grown to quite like the smell."

"Well, that I don't doubt. She smelt of blood herself when she asked me to come down here. And pine too, like she was trying to drown out her own stench." The boy's face tightened. "I hope the general kills her. She's an awful creature, a witch. I don't understand why none of the kings have ever decided to execute her. I know I would, no matter how much she might scare me. Kill her in the worst way possible, so she'd pay for all she's done."

Yes, kill her, though you haven't hardly met the woman. Daku knew it was hopeless, his mild crush on her. She was married now, too. He'd been married once, but his wife had passed away decades ago and afterward he'd taken this job, one no one wanted. He'd been struck by the Raven's beauty even then. Something about how well she wore death, embraced it, in a way Daku simply hadn't been able to. She was certainly a stronger individual than he was.  

Edited June 2, 2021 by Shard of Thought

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden raised an eyebrow at the hand, wondering what game the woman, Riva, was trying to play with him. He didn't want to play along, but the thought of the agonizingly long carriage ride with this woman badgering him was enough. He didn't move to shake her hand, "Caden Praetorium."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva picked up his hand and "shook" it with two fingers, regarding him flatly. "Nice to meet you." With that, she sat back down waving her foot back and forth. Her ankle cracked. "I don't suppose you have any carriage ride games to play?" 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"This isn't even my carriage." Caden took his hand back, not out of disgust, but more of a matter of principle. 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva sighed again, running a hand down her face. "My Stars... Uh... where are you from? Certainly not Mendahar, with your accent."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"East."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“And are you always this articulate?” Riva twirled a loose lock of her hair in her fingers. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden rolled his shoulders, "why do I need to say more?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“You’re not even trying to enjoy yourself,” Riva growled. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden's posture suddenly became defensive, or as defensive as it could get in the tight confines. "What do you expect of me? I'm the King's general, what else is there?"