The day was going, exactly as planned, calm and uneventful. It was bright and sunny, there were only a few white puffy clouds in the sky, zero chance of rain, a very light sweet smelling spring breeze blowing softly on her skin, wisping her hair into her face. Boring. Adalyn sighed agitatedly as she rested her elbow on her horse’s neck and her chin on her now supported hand as her rich, chocolate coloured eyes wondered over the streets. Right now her parents and her were on a ride through the city that surrounded their palace, just another quite routine and absolutely boring thing that they did. What she wouldn’t give for some excitement in her life. The horse she was on was a lovely tan coloured filly with a black main and tail. She waved slightly to the people who waved at her, offering them a bored smile.
They were doing a tour of the village because her father thought it was important to remain close to the people, even during times of war. At least Adalyn was under the impression that they were having a war, she herself had never seen any real evidence of it nor did she know the reason why, but that was mostly due to the fact that her parents were into overly protecting her in her life. She looked up slightly as a group of about five men walked onto the road ahead of them, blocking the way. A very small frown crossed the girl’s face and she looked up curiously. She didn't recognise the clothes they wore. However her eyes widened when the men drew weapons and began charging towards them.
Adalyn
Spoiler
Name: Adalyn Villarie
Age: 17
Last edited by MidnaPhobia; 08-26-2012 at 06:55 PM.
"Why must I attend these yearly war councils? I grow tired of them." Casca bellyached to his servant. The servant humbly replied trailing behind Casca as he marched with utter disdain of the mundane tasks of a noble prince, "My liege, you must do so to please your father. Do you not have ambitions to acquire his throne one day?" "I care not for ambitions, faithful servant." Casca countered with an ice cold glare and no words spoken. "Fine..." he sighed with an edge of attitude. "Let's get this over with."
Casca sauntered into the war room, a grand room it was with a large table in the center of it all. The many generals of Casca's father surrounded the mahogany table squawking back and forth like incoherent geese. Casca sat at the far end, taking his place opposite of his father, a brutish man clad in gold armor adorned with various heraldry. "My son, you've decided to join us." The king spoke authoritatively to Casca. "Indeed father," Casca responded closing his eyes and crossing his arms.
"What news do we bring from the battlefront?" At that point, one of the generals, a middle aged man with pepper gray hair and an eyepatch boisterously answered pointing to key areas on the map before him, "The enemy has cut off most of our supply routes here, here, and here. Many of our watchtowers along the western region have fallen to them as well." The king nodded, "Any word of counter attack, General Renaldo?" "None." Renaldo answered hanging his head. "We do not have enough information on our enemy to know if they're planning another strike."
With tired silver eyes, the king glanced over to his son Casca, blissfully ignoring the general's banter. "Perhaps there may be a way to gather intelligence on our fellow combatants, general." He said scratching the stubble of his chin. "Casca." Casca, having been adrift in day dreams, was startled by his father's commanding voice. "Y-yes father?" He stuttered a little. The king looked to his son, a lazy oaf who never really amounted to much. How could someone like him be an heir to the throne of Cephiria. "I have summoned you here for only one reason." The king resumed. "The time has come to prove your worth to the kingdom of Cephiria. You will be sent behind enemy lines to gather what intelligence you can find on our enemy. I hope you understand the severity of this mission."
"Of course father." Casca coldly replied. So, you use me as coffin fodder? How loving of you! "Pray-tell honorable father, how am I to go about uncovering information on our opposing side?" Casca resumed his cold, expressionless stare at his honorable, yet ignoble father, a man who only cared more for his throne than for the well-being of his only son. "That is where my knights come in." The king returned. "They will stage an attack on the royal family. You will appear and vanquish the attackers, thus saving the royal family. From there, you will show your allegiance to my enemies and masquerade as one of their guards."
Hmph, so I am to betray my kingdom... Casca snarled inside his head sternly. "But I warn you," The king spoke with an inflection of harsh authority. "If you are to do anything to jeopardize this mission. I will collect your head, even if you are my son." Damn you father. Toss me to the wolves and now you threaten me with the executioner's axe. How could I have been born of such cruel blood? Casca was seething with rage under his skin, but on the outside he appeared quite content, holding back the fires of resentment burning his soul. Standing from his chair, he humbly bowed, "I accept the mission that has been bestowed upon this noble prince....your majesty."
(Will continue in next post. Wanted to explain his whole mission and everything.)
"Alright, you have your orders." Casca said to the men under his command. "Do not harm anyone. Just try to intimidate them." The knights, clad in their steel plate armor, bowed, "Yes your lordship." The five knights went ahead of Casca to begin their "attack" on the royal caravan. Just as planned, they drew their weapons and charged. Casca waited clad in his armor, broadsword at his side, for the right moment. "And now our play begins." he whispered silently. Quickly he darted from the forest on his noble steed, a mighty Clydesdale with a pelt of reddish brown. The knights went to attack the princess as commanded to, but soon Casca arrived to stop them. "Spineless bastards." He called to the "attackers." "Unhand that fair maiden or you shall taste my blade." The knights glared at Casca, feigning disdain towards him and shouted, "Kill this meddling fool."
The 'battle' was on as Casca drew his sword and charged at the knights. He took down the first with ease, then the second, then the third. "Hmph, your skills are inadequate to be considered those of a knight." He scoffed the remaining warriors. "Begone!" With fake terror in their eyes, the knights retreated yelping in 'terror.'
Casca dismounted from his steed and cleaned his sword before sheathing it and approaching the princess. "Are you alright, M'lady? Did those brutish fiends hurt you?"
Adalyn’s eyes narrowed as the man darted forwards, one going for her father, one for her mother, and three for her. So it was a kidnapping mission? It seemed so, because if they had wanted to kill her... then they were going about it all wrong. She took her horse’s reins and pulled hard as one of the men grabbed the front of the bridle. “Let her go!” Adalyn demanded as she kicked her horse’s sides and it took a few hurried steps forwards, effectively running the man over, however her attention had been too focused on him and the next thing she knew she was being grabbed off the horse.
Her horse turned and screamed in fear, rearing and striking out with its front hooves before Adalyn heard something, honestly, bizarre. She turned to look just as he cut down the man holding her, and she was dragged to the ground as he killed the other two who had attacked her before scarring off the other two. Adalyn turned to the man as he dismounted and asked if she was alright. “Calm down Romeo, I’m fine.” The girl said rather bluntly as she climbed to her feet, giving the man a suspicious look.
“Adalyn!” Her father scolded. “That is no way to speak to your rescuer.”
The girl rolled her eyes but curtsied regardless. “Pardon me, honourable knight, for I fear the trauma of the events just passed caused me to forget my manners.” She said with a perfectly practiced balance of regality and sarcasm.
"Apology accepted, M'lady." Casca humbly replied taking her frail hand in his steel gauntlet and bowing in a very chivalrous manner. "I was just out for a morning stroll when I heard those fiendish devils attacking you.n I decided it would be of my best interest to protect this beautiful young lass from any harm." Casca was really playing it up this time, but then again, he always had that playboy charm to him. He was a noble prince after all. "Oh, how dreadful of me. Where have my manners gone?" Casca chuckled slightly letting go of Adalyn's hand. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Casca, Casca Belmonte. I am but a wandering swordsman, a vagrant if you will."
Casca bowed again in deep respect to Adalyn and her family. "It has been an honor meeting you, m'lady, but I must be off." Casca once again took Adalyn's hand into his, gently kissing her palm with sweet, tender lips. "Perchance one day our paths shall cross again, but for now, I bid thee farewell." Casca mounted his steed yet again, holding the leather reins in his grasp and petting the mane of his noble Clydesdale. "If you are ever in need of assistance, please do not hesitate. I am always willing to serve those who call upon my service."
Last edited by Destroyer4292; 06-10-2012 at 07:21 AM.
Adalyn merely rolled her eyes at him when he wasn't looking, much to the distain of her father. She could certainly see positive traits in the man, he was extremely handsome, there was no denying that. And he did seem to be a real gentleman, and could wield a sword with a clear degree of skill. He would be an ideal husband for any woman really. But he just seemed... so corny to her, as if he were over exaggerating everything he said and did. “Well, Casca, you have my eternal thanks for saving my daughter and indeed my family. If there is anything you desire, just name it and I will see to it that it happens.” He paused a moment and seemed to ponder to himself. “Would you care to join us for dinner? It is the least I can do.” He offered finally.
“Father!” Adalyn said in clear protest before she caught herself. He had just been about to leave. “I... I mean I’m sure Mr. Belmonte is busy, he need not feel obligated to say yes.” The girl caught herself, barely. She turned to her own horse and mounted up, hoping that he didn't take her father up on his offer. “We don’t want to keep him, he is clearly in a rush.” The girl babbled.
Last edited by MidnaPhobia; 06-10-2012 at 08:11 AM.
"Gratitude, m'lord." Casca nodded upon his horse, readying himself to ride away, but he ceased all motions once he heard the king invite him to dinner. He was practically giving Casca what he desired, and that was a one way trip into the palace without a single expense.
Casca's eyebrow slightly raised as he thought, Hmm...this is going better than I expected. Slightly he scratched the back of his hand and chuckled, "Well to be honest m'lord, I'd love to stay for dinner. As a vagrant, it's quite a challenge to find any nourishment. I've been starving for nearly days." Everything was falling into place so perfectly for Casca. The king was already giving him an invitation to the royal palace. Of course he could humbly accept it, but he had the better idea of playing it up even more. "But of course, your daughter seems to be upset by me. It's best if I do not rile her any further."
The king shook his head slightly. “Pay her no mind, Casca, she is merely still upset from the encounter with those men. I’m sure that by dinner she will have calmed down and will remember her manners when in the presence of someone to whom she owes her life. Won’t you Adalyn?”
The girl’s eyes narrowed as she looked downwards but she eventually forced a smile and nodded slightly. “Yes, father.” The princess said softly, looking up at the man on the Clydesdale horse.
“We cannot possibly just let you leave knowing that you have been going hungry.” The queen added, unsure why Adalyn had taken such a disliking to him.
“So it is decided!” The king said in a happy voice. “Come, we will ride back to the castle together and you can have a chance to take some rest of your own before dinner. I will have your horse tended to and if you would like I can also have someone attend to your amour and sword. Unless you would prefer to do it yourself, in which case I will have any tools you need provided.” He said in a very jolly tone.
Last edited by MidnaPhobia; 06-13-2012 at 09:21 PM.
(( Blegh! I hate funerals. They always kill my happiness D: ))
Success, Casca celebrated in his mind. Part one of his mission was complete, gain favor of the royal family. With Adalyn's suspicions towards him though, part two was proving to be daunting. How could Casca uncover any information on his bitter foes without alerting Adalyn's ever watchful eyes? Casca continued to ponder on this as he followed the royal family and their escorts back to the palace. Already he could see the majestic towers rising above the lush countryside, casting a shadow over the green grass and the flowers of many shades and hues that dotted the landscape. It was a breathtaking sight indeed.
"I am flattered by your hospitality, m'lord." Casca answered nobly with a light smile. Riding alongside the royal family on his Clydesdale, he couldn't help but stare peculiarly at Adalyn, still casting a disapproving scowl at him. Why was it that she disliked him the instant they met? "If it would please you m'lord, may I speak to your lovely daughter. It appears we may have gotten off on the wrong end?" Patiently, Casca sat back in his saddle, waiting for the king's reply.
Last edited by Destroyer4292; 06-10-2012 at 05:07 PM.
Adalyn looked over to their, in her opinion, unwelcomed guest out of the corner of her eyes. It was no secret that she wasn't overly happy about this. On that note it was not that she wasn't grateful for being saved, she was happy to be alive of course. She just didn't particularly like this Casca fellow. She when he asked her father’s permission to speak with her the girl’s mouth curved into the very slightest of smiles as she looked to him to see his answer.
The king was a little stuck at this point. He really did not feel like he could refuse such a simple request after this man had gone out of his own way to save them, but at the same time he had never practiced forcing his daughter to do things she did not like and, as a father, he tended to have this natural defence around her a males of any kind. “I feel it would be best if we give my daughter a few hours of peace, Casca. It has been a rather traumatic day for her after all. Perhaps after dinner though she will be in more of a talkative mood.” He said, his message clear that she would be talking whether she liked it or not.
Last edited by MidnaPhobia; 06-13-2012 at 09:21 PM.
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