Logos
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Posts: 172
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Post by Logos on Jan 2, 2013 20:07:20 GMT -5
Cerys:
The soldier looked down at Cerys with worried eyes. By opening the door, was he sending the little girl to her death? Reluctantly, he opened the door and let her pass. Heart hammering in her chest, Cerys walked in. The towering, formidable figure of the Realm's foremost assassin was there to greet her, but of her mother there was no sign. Am I too late? Failing to keep her hands from trembling, Cerys went into a low curtsy.
"L-lord Shadow Blade. Beg pardon for troubling you sir. I...I wish to entreat you for my mother's life."
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Post by Sovereign on Jan 4, 2013 18:47:00 GMT -5
Shadow Blade He was startled at the princess’ request. For one of two possible reasons.
One she was being used by her father to make sure his punishment was being dealt out, even if the young princess knew nothing of her father’s schemes…he wouldn’t hesitate to use her like this. He never even wanted a daughter, he saw women as tools to only be used by men.
But no, her request was sincere and bore the weight of it originating from her own thoughts, plus Malphas would be too busy with his new pet.
That meant that she thought he was capable of harming her mother, which only a few nights ago, he would have been. In all reality he still was, but he wouldn’t.
“Princess Cerys,” He bowed humbly. “I ensure your mother is in no danger from me, your father…well he meant for me to punish her but I’ve changed my ways recently…in fact.” He walked to his door. “Beryl, Princess Cerys wishes for me to spare your life.”
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Post by Zabby on Jan 4, 2013 19:29:12 GMT -5
Beryl Samson's voice roused Beryl from a dreamless sleep. Princess Cerys? she thought to herself confused. My... my daughter?
A cold pit formed in her stomach. She remembered when Cerys was born. Malphas was enraged at getting a girl rather than a boy. Beryl had to beg for the child's life. He only kept her because she could be useful and because Beryl refused to ever see the child unless he approved it. It was yet another way the Crow King had control over her. In her selfishness, Beryl had completely forgotten about the girl.
Am I still bound to that agreement? Will I be endangering all of us if I see her?
She walked up to the door and put her hand on it. "Tell her my life is spared and she should leave before anyone finds out she was here," called Beryl through the door.
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Logos
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Post by Logos on Jan 6, 2013 18:01:08 GMT -5
Cerys:
Changed his ways? It seemed as if the world was turning upside down. Shadow Blade, the feared assassin, was acting...kind and gentle? Then he called for Beryl. Cerys could hear the quiver of fear in her mother's voice. She's been scared to see me? All this time? Or is Lord Shadow Blade doing awful things to her and they both just don't want me to know? If what she was seeing here was true, then everything grownups had told her, for as long as she could remember, was a lie. The thought of her mother, kept from her all her life, by terror of her father broke Cerys' heart and brought tears to her eyes.
The soldier outside! Cerys thought. At least one person already knew she was here. She risked taking a step closer to Shadow Blade. "Thank you, Lord Shadow Blade," she whispered, hoping that the guard would not be able to hear her. Then she hurried over to the bedroom door and pressed herself against it. "Mother, I am sorry that you are afraid. I hope we will get to be together soon. I love you. Goodbye," she said softly, then turned back to Shadow Blade. "Thank you for keeping my mother safe. I will go now," she whispered, curtsying to him again. Then she turned and ran from Shadow Blade's chambers, letting the guard have a glimpse of the tears running down her cheeks before she dashed down the tower stairs. Hopefully he would imagine that she'd seen something terrible, and report to the King that Shadow Blade was punishing Beryl as desired.
Upon reaching the bottom, Cerys wiped her eyes and pulled up the diaphanous white hood of her cloak. If anyone else saw her crying, there could be questions. What do I do now? Should I try to run away? But where would I go? She felt a sudden hollowness in her stomach, as if a bottomless pit had just opened inside it. I'm all by myself now...
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Post by Zabby on Jan 6, 2013 21:51:02 GMT -5
Beryl
"Mother, I am sorry that you are afraid. I hope we will get to be together soon. I love you. Goodbye," Beryl heard her daughter say. In all of Beryl's memories, she could not remember a single time her daughter had sounded as sincere as she did now. The pit in her stomach jumped up and turned into a lump in her throat. She never knew the girl really, and never felt much affection for her. In her own selfishness, bred from only having to please one person and being able to do whatever she wanted, she ignored the child and sometimes even felt annoyed the few times Malphas allowed them to meet.
In this moment though, that was all gone. Her heart broke for the girl on the other side of that door, a girl who was in a worse position than herself. She regretted telling her daughter to leave.
Beryl crumpled to the ground as her daughter walked out of the room. When Cerys was gone, Beryl opened the door, looked up at Samson and said with her eyes full of tears, "Can you do anything for her? Can you protect her like you're protecting me?"
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Post by Sovereign on Jan 15, 2013 10:23:20 GMT -5
Toma
“My name is Toma Firion, you may have heard of me by another name….Shadow Hawk. And I fight best with my daggers.” He said as thoughts ran through his head. This Benaiah looked familiar to him but he couldn't place him, he was young. They couldn’t have known each other before the war but….he sensed that he had met him before.”
“And I’m a sworn enemy of that traitorous dog on the throne. He killed my best friend, and I won’t rest until he is dead and a new king crowned.” He took a look at his new comrades. “Should I meet your leader or am I allowed to just join on a whim?” Benaiah
“Well Toma Firion, we are glad to have your daggers.” Benaiah gave a nod at the man who was staring at him with an intensity that it made him uneasy. “You will more than likely be a welcome addition to our war effort but you are right you should meet my father. Alric? Would you take him to meet Melzikiah and I’ll see to our duties.” And with that Benaiah sprinted off in a hurry.
A few hours later
He had all the men and a woman rounded up and was making a last circle through the camp when he came across a man near the training grounds. “Aren’t you one of the men that were captured?”
Bethany
She felt the key drop into her pocket and looked to see Shy wandering away. Pleeeease don’t let Eve see her. Her silent plea was ignored as Eve noticed Shy and called her out. And she even figured out that it was Bethany that let her out. Really?!?
“Shy, do you want to fight with us or are you planning on fleeing?” She looked into her friends eyes, trying to figure out what they could do.
Samson Blake
“I don’t know what I can do to protect her, I won’t be coming back to this castle after the battle. I’ll either die or join the Hawks.” He knelt by Beryl. “But I don’t think she is in danger, Malphas doesn’t even pay attention to her.”
“Get some sleep. The ride will be hard.”
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Post by Bhunivelze on Jan 19, 2013 16:46:45 GMT -5
Pyra
"What are you doing here? I thought you were dead!"
Dead? Pyra stood in shock. Seeing Ben was like having Lucas come and slap her in the face.
“Y-you…” Pyra could barely talk, barely stand. Her history was catching up, and she was far from ready to face the demons of her past. Tears started to form, emotions changing from rage to sadness. Looking at Ben caused every memory she wanted to forget come back. She dropped her head down and tried to fight back her emotions.
Stop crying! You look weak… She looked up at Ben again trying to compose herself.
“I’m a… A Soldier. A Hawk Soldier.” She said, regaining some confidence. “Enemy of Malphas and the crows. Enemy of you.”
This was a personal matter. He was friends with Lucas. With the spawn of Evil. An Evil she swore to strike down.
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Post by Zabby on Jan 21, 2013 21:46:39 GMT -5
Beryl Hearing these words from Shadow Blade, the idea that he would die or turn on the king soon, floored Beryl. She could hardly believe that all this was happening. Her heart was heavy and her head was spinning. There was nothing she could do for herself, nothing she could do for her child, and nothing she could do for him. Beryl could not handle this situation. Her body was beginning to physically shut down with how overwhelmingly hopeless things looked. She put her palm to her head and started to head back to bed.
"Yes," she said. "I should sleep." She lowered herself into the bed and fell asleep quickly. It was all too much for her.
Ben "A Hawk!" replied Ben, not believing this. He glanced around quickly to see if anyone was paying attention to them. Everyone seemed to be too busy preparing for the attack to listen into the conversation.
"Pyra," he said softly. "You don't have to pretend anymore. No one is listening."
Ben paused here and with his eyes full of kindness and understanding, he looked into Pyra's enraged, fearful face. He continued with his train of thought.
"Is this some scheme of your family's or maybe of Lucas's? Is this why you left the court so quickly? I never believed the the horrible things they said about you when you left. They said you slept with Krieg Westwind, your father disowned you, and you were left in the streets. That's why you turned to the clergy and eventually left. It all some sort of plan to get information for the Crown, wasn't it?"
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Post by Bhunivelze on Jan 22, 2013 18:04:42 GMT -5
Pyra
So that’s who I am there… An unfaithful monster of a spy? This is all Lucas fault. A friend of Lucas is an enemy of mine!
A tear fell from Pyra’s cheek. A tear of anger, as stupid as it sounded. She drew her sword and slashed in an arc in front of her.
“Shut Up!” She stared at the man, she wanted nothing more than to strike him down. But deep down she knew that killing him would do nothing for her. It’s also against the ways of Elhanan. Anger can blind a person though.
“Don’t tell me a story about some false past! If Lucas was truly your friend he would have told you what really happened!” She tried to re-gain her composure. “I was never a spy, and I never planned on being one. The actions of your so called friend made me leave. If you were smart you would have left Lucas too.” She let out a sigh. “Maybe getting captured was the best thing to happen to you.”
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Ambassador
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Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidance of things not seen.
Posts: 130
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Post by Ambassador on Jan 23, 2013 0:25:56 GMT -5
Alaric
“Should I meet your leader or am I allowed to just join on a whim?”
“Well Toma Firion, we are glad to have your daggers.” Benaiah gave a nod at the man. “You will more than likely be a welcome addition to our war effort but you are right you should meet my father."
"Yes," Alaric interjected, "he mentioned that you should join our ranks."
"Alric? Would you take him to meet Melzikiah and I’ll see to our duties.” And with that Benaiah sprinted off in a hurry.
Alaric squinted at Firion, none to glad to be babysitting and ferrying strangers back and forth. He should be organizing the swords men and driving the enemy back. But he supposed it would do no good to allow this newcomer to wander about at will, getting harmed or possibly causing trouble.
"Come on." Alaric started off at a brisk pace, keeping a sharp eye on Firion. If Firion was feeling any discomfort from his recent near-death experience, he was not showing it. "Time to meet Melzikiah."
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Logos
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Post by Logos on Jan 23, 2013 5:41:25 GMT -5
Cerys:
There was only one place Cerys could go. Not the Citadel Chapel, where King Maphas, his nobles, the great merchants and bankers and assorted hangers-on went to worship in pomp and ceremony. She left the palace, and the Acropolis, for the city proper, and found her way to a grand old cathedral, built when the Kingdom was young. Cerys had been sent to attend services there on a few occasions, when it was considered expedient to have a representative of the Throne worship alongside the common people.
She heaved the tall, heavy door open enough to squeeze inside. There were not very many people there at this time of night, only a few peasants and laborers in worn, ragged clothing, sitting on the carved stone benches or knelt in prayer. Most did not notice her, focused as they were on making their entreaties to Elhanan. Those that did, looked at her with surprised eyes, and bowed. This was the first time she had come here alone, without a retinue of guards, ladies-in-waiting, and sometimes, children of nobility. Cerys smiled and nodded her head to them in return, hoping to give them...something good...somehow, and hide her own fear and worry. She slipped into one of the rows and knelt onto the knee rest in front of the bench.
Lord Elhanan...may Thy holy Name be blessed in the Heavens, and Thy will done on Arret...I don't know what to do. Please protect my mother, and Lord Shadow Blade. Thank you for changing him. If there is some way I can help them...can You please show me how? Cerys continued to pray for a few more minutes, then stopped to wait in silence. The cavernous hall echoed faintly with the whispered prayers of others. Candlelight flickered, and the scent of incense wafted in the air.
Glancing around at the other people, a new understanding slowly sunk in: as precarious as her position now was, as legitimate as her fears for herself and her mother might be...these people all had more desperate entreaties to make. The wrinkled faces, the callused hands, the missing teeth, the threadbare clothes, all spoke of harder, more difficult lives than Cerys could imagine. I'm sorry Lord...please help them first.
She sat in silence for a few more minutes, feeling even more lost and confused. She was about to get up to leave, when a book left on the bench in front of her caught her eye. She picked it up. A copy of the Codex of the Ketuvim, the writings of the Prophets of old. She parted its pages and started flipping through. Her eyes landed on a passage, and she started to read.
“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing, and does not give him his wages; who says, ‘I will build myself a great house with spacious upper rooms,’ and cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar, and painting it with vermilion. Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me?" says the Lord. "But you have eyes and heart only for your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence."
Each word hit her like an electric jolt. The passage might as well have been written yesterday, as a condemnation of her father's entire reign. She read it again, and again. The ink of the flowing Tzaddikim script was faded, but it was as if the letters were scribed in fire. 'Is not this to know me?' Cerys thought, suddenly understanding what she needed to do. Carefully, she closed the old book and set it gently back down on the bench. She rose, bowed to the altar, then turned to leave. She knew what to do. Now she just had to figure out how.
Shyahwyn:
Crap! CrappitycrapcrapCRAP! Shyahwyn thought as Eve's eyes spotted her, then drilled through her as surely as a fusillade of arrows. Worse, she fingered Bethany right away as the reason for her moment of freedom, which was probably about to end. Her mind flailed around for some course of action. Running and fighting were equally futile, and she hadn't had any luck fast-talking Eve before.
"Alright, fine, she can help," Eve addressed Bethany about the girl from the woods, "but I am not taking the hit for this when Melzikiah finds out. My head's on the chopping block already." The woman kept up her steely gaze.
What? Why?! Shyahwyn thought. The woman's words brought the first hint of cruelty and injustice she'd encountered among these people. It was strangely jarring, to have the kind of brutality she'd been expecting all along suddenly reappear, just at the moment she was starting to think this particular flock of Hawks might be...different.
“Shy, do you want to fight with us or are you planning on fleeing?” Bethany asked.
Shyahwyn looked to her, then to Eve. "Look, I'm not any kind of soldier. An' I don't think...I've got any place tryin' to decide which high-born son gets t' wear a shiny crown. But you people have all treated me fairly, a lot more fairly than I expected. Even that Crow, for that matter. So I figure that earns you some arrows fired on your behalf. Now, I don't know anything about marching in lines and listening to bugles. But if you can put me with your scouts, I can pick off Crows from the trees.
"I've got no ill will toward you," she said to Eve, "an' I don't wanna be the cause of your execution. If I fight this battle with you, can I be free to go after that? Will that be enough to convince your Melzikiah to spare your life?"
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Ambassador
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Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidance of things not seen.
Posts: 130
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Post by Ambassador on Jan 23, 2013 21:19:35 GMT -5
Eve
“Shy, do you want to fight with us or are you planning on fleeing?” Bethany looked into the younger girl's eyes.
Shy? Thought Eve. Is that her real name, or just an acronym?
'Shy' looked to Bethany, then to Eve. "Look, I'm not any kind of soldier. An' I don't think...I've got any place trying' to decide which high-born son gets t' wear a shiny crown. But you people have all treated me fairly, a lot more fairly than I expected. Even that Crow, for that matter. So I figure that earns you some arrows fired on your behalf. Now, I don't know anything about marching in lines and listening to bugles. But if you can put me with your scouts, I can pick off Crows from the trees."
That's not too unreasonable a plan...Unless 'Shy' was going to turn on the Hawks from her bird's nest vantage point, the girl would be safer up in a tree than in the heat of battle...
"I've got no ill will toward you," she said to Eve, "an' I don't wanna be the cause of your execution. If I fight this battle with you, can I be free to go after that? Will that be enough to convince your Melzikiah to spare your life?"
The steel expression on Eve's face did not waver when she blinked several times, re-running 'Shy's' words over in her head before really registering them. In the name of The Bloody King... Eve swore inwardly, she thinks this is a mini version of Malpha's kingdom... And yet Shy was still willing to stand up for people she hardly knew, simply because they had been kind to her, perhaps kinder to her than anyone had ever been.
Shy had enough suspicion of strangers to rival Eve herself. And her life had probably been hell up to now, just like Eve and Alaric's, but she still quick to trust, quick to...quick to love. In that instant Shy seemed painfully familiar, and it suddenly hit Eve like a thousand iron arrows exactly why Alaric had taken to protecting this girl--aside from his compassionate heart.
Eve felt the hardness and rosiness drain out of her face, but she didn't care. She rubbed her temples, stratigizing. What would Alaric do? Alaric had to be the greatest warrior she knew, aside from Melzikiah. How would he insure Shy's protection?
"Alaric is never quick to quarrel," she muttered to herself inaudibly, "He always does everything he can to avoid a fight unless absolutely necessary." In that instant all the stress of the past three months crashed down on her. And had to confess that this entire invasion really was all her fault. She had led the Crows straight to the Hawks. And Eve knew what she had to do.
"That whole 'chopping block' scenario was simply a metaphor." she said to Shy. " We are trying to remove the usurper Malphas, not become like him. We don't kill our own, or the innocent for that matter." she gave Shy a significant look like, 'I'm hoping you fall into that category.' Eve switched her gaze to Bethany. " I know this is my fault," she said bluntly, "and I remember the amount of solders that tried to stop me at the prison. If at least that many are here, we are out numbered." She spoke with conviction, from one warrior to the other, willing Bethany to understand. "We have to fall back--join the other camps." Eve looked once again at Shy. "We shouldn't risk any lives in this fruitless stand. Now, don't get yourself killed." she forbid Shy.
With fire in her eyes, Eve looked to Bethany. "I need to find Melzikiah."
-----
Eve approached their leader just as Alaric was running up with another solider in tow. "Melzikiah, please listen, I'm sorry about earlier, and for my part in unwillingly leading our enemy here." Eve spoke hastily and rushed on, because it looked like Melzikiah was going to halt her, " But the size of the crow force--it's too large. Were outnumbered, sir." she stopped for the briefest of moments searching his eyes from some proof that he knew she was right. "And I learned some vital information while imprisoned that I must relay to you, and there's no time. If either of us were to fall...it could be disastrous for the Hawks."
Eve looked to Alaric for back up. Eve did a double take. "WHO is that. WHO IS THAT!" Eve whipped out an arrow and pointed her loaded bow at the heart of the man standing next to Alaric. "What in Malphas's bloody name is he doing here?!"
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Post by atlantis on Jan 25, 2013 0:10:29 GMT -5
Locke
He had spent his time training while he waited for further instruction. After his conversation with Melzikiah, he felt like he was learning to use his sword all over again-- or, perhaps considering the cowardice of his past, for the first time.... He hoped he could really make a new start here and be the man Melzikiah needed.
He was just sitting down to rest a minute when the young man who'd fought Captain Ballack outside the fake Hawk camp addressed him. He couldn't cover up his shame when he thought of how the Hawk must remember him, cowering in the bushes crying out for help. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly with a small nod. "Yes, sir." Then he realized the man might not know Melzikiah had released him and his back tensed suddenly. "I, um... My name is Locke Fendras. Your leader, Melzikiah, has recruited me for his service," he added hurriedly with a nervous bow.
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Post by Zabby on Jan 26, 2013 19:12:19 GMT -5
Ben
“Don’t tell me a story about some false past! If Lucas was truly your friend he would have told you what really happened!” I was never a spy, and I never planned on being one. The actions of your so called friend made me leave. If you were smart you would have left Lucas too. Maybe getting captured was the best thing to happen to you.”
Ben was shocked by her behavior. This was not what he expected at all when he saw Pyra. She must have left for a completely different reason, and Ben had no idea what it was. Lucas hadn't talked about anything when Pyra had left. He seemed shake up by the experience, but Ben didn't pressure him about it and Lucas never felt like talking to him.
While Pyra was talking, Ben backed up into the wall next to the door to his prison. He sat down slowly and said, "Look, I know Lucas can make mistakes. That's obvious from whatever happened to you, but there's good in him as well. He saved my life when he gained nothing from it. I owe it to him to be by his side and keep him from falling into the corruption and decay that the rest of the capital is falling into. Without me, he would become an even more dark-hearted monster. I can't leave him and let him turn into a beast."
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Post by atlantis on Jan 27, 2013 11:31:33 GMT -5
AvanNovorus smirked at Avan's remark and raised his crossbow. "I'll give you that. Wylder isn't interested in anything unless it could bring him a promotion. He really gets under my skin. But I think bringing him your head would shut him up for a while." It was now or never, Avan realized; any second Novorus would fire and this whole escapade would be over.... He charged the Crow with everything he had, swinging his axe toward his enemy's head. But somehow Novorus managed to catch the weapon mid-strike, leaving Avan momentarily stunned and confused. Novorus yanked his end of the axe out toward the mouth of the cave, sending Avan flying into the night, down the mountainside some distance. He landed on one of the trails that passed over the mountain, unconscious and broken. MadocThe prison was dark and gloomy and gray and not much of anything else. His previous inebriation had begun to wear off and his senses were clearing. Still, he stood by what he had said to Ackbar, even though it landed him here. More than anything he was worried about his brothers: Locke captured by Hawks and Warren off on a mission without them-- and with brutes like Ballack and Ashlock, too. The future seemed grim. It was then that Captain Wylder came down the steps and into the filthy prison, keys in hand. He began to unlock Madoc's cell while a few other men opened up surrounding ones. "Get up," Wylder commanded and Madoc did as he was told. "Sir, Captain Ballack placed me here for lashing out at him; I didn't expect to be released for some time...," Madoc explained. "I don't care what you're in for," Wylder snapped in response. "There's going to be a battle tomorrow and we need every man we can get." A battle...? This only made him more nervous for his brothers. He didn't know if they would be on the battlefield or not, but he knew if he saw them he would have to protect them no matter what. OT: There, now those three characters are caught up and prepared for the next event. All I lack is getting Laka caught up. OT2: Also, I intentionally left what happens between Novorus/Ackbar vs. Moire/Samara vague so that you guys can do what you want. All I know for sure is that Ackbar needs to escape that thing unscathed so he can be there for the battle. 'Tis important.
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