Adhemar had always been taught to keep his emotions under check as the future king of Hiertania. When he was younger, the only times he would show off his anger was to add bite to his threats and the like. But as he grew sicker and older, there was a loss of stability that dragged him away from this facade. There was also the fact that Adrian just had some kind of uncanny ability to bring the rage out of him far too easily. While anyone would have been horror-struck by the expression on Adhemar's face, his brother seemed completely unfazed, if not annoyed by him. The fact that the King didn't seem threatening in the least to Adrian stung and just made him angrier inside. His left hand which was on top of the covers was opened and unmoved, but underneath the covers, his right pale, bony fingers clenched into an aggravated fist.

The other man showed a look of surprise at Adhemar's question and stood there like a buffoon. Of course, it was important to get input on what the Regent King thought, no matter who he was. If Adhemar wasn't aware of his brother's thoughts he might be caught off guard of what the man might do with the Kingdom's power, he didn't want his soft-hearted brute of a brother to go squandering resources that rightfully belonged to the crown on any unneeded baggage.

Now it seemed that Adrian didn't care to use spies to their utmost potential. He kept blathering about how Adhemar had more information than him when it was obvious he wasn't using his human resources like a ruler should. The King just stared at his brother incredulously as he paused, thinking these thoughts and not speaking. Did he think that Adhemar would actually have a part in this? Ludicrous was again a valuable adjective to use when describing this Regent King brother of his. It was obvious that his brother was taking the fact that he hadn't done anything to stop the thugs to heart, however, taking on a more demanding-respect commander position and expression.

If only his face didn't look and feel as weary as it did! If that hadn't been the case, Adhemar's hardened gaze would have shot Adrian down. They started a long staring match, Adhemar having gotten ahold of himself as to not show any emotions except the anger in his brother's insubordination. Besides leaving the case for Adrian about the thugs and never taking it upon himself to actively weed the thugs out, he hadn't done anything else. There was no ban of Lutairi goods in the Kingdom and that was the biggest contribution he had given to the thugs.

Adhemar spoke his words through clenched teeth, "If you think- If you hear the names of anyone who has even pondered the idea of my having anything to do with these savages, you can deliver their death sentence for me, I'll put their heads in my bedroom as a trophy. Now I bid you farewell, close the doors properly behind you." After speaking this, he ordered the maid to go grab Galeran for his next meeting.

@Sarcelle Renard

Virka took a few steps away from the guard as the princess strted talking to him. He was sure he could have gotten her in with a little more effort, but she didn't seem intent on doing so.
"... hey Virka? I know it's a bit optimistic ... but do you think there's a way we could stop these animosities through a different method? Forever?"
"Well, if there were only one nation, there couldn't very well be animosities between them, could there?" Virka grinned at his joke. "But in more seriousness, weddings and common enemies would probably be the best chances at peace. And it's the common enemy angle I would push." He paused and playfully added, "Unless you want to run off to Hiertania and marry one of their dull-haired princes."

“Princess Faylinn, Ambassador Munni." Ský Tunglið approached with a respectable greeting.
"Hey, Ský," Virka threw back unprofessionally, "What's the wind have to say today?" That was a slang phrase the common folk used to indirectly ask for news and gossip. And some would say it was not fitting to come from a royal ambassador.

The 'lady' in question started at the address of another one of the bodyguards, one that wasn't quite as well known around these parts. Unfortunately, she recognized Nendir with ease, if only for the distaste she harbored for him. There was something in the way that he smiled that made her want to retreat back, like she was seared with fire. It was an essence of emotions she could never explain to anyone, yet she knew she wanted positively no part of. He was unavoidable though, a strong presence in Caden's life and one that was inclined to come visit him when her friend joined them in the kitchens. That did not mean she had to like him, or play nice in any way, especially with his comments that fell short of playful and landed instead in the realm of infuriating.

She absolutely recoiled from his attempt to reassure her. Then she whipped back with the spirit of a cobra.

"Hold your tongue, whoreson." She hissed to him with venom that was unexpected by all. For a breathless second, the steady rhythm of breakfast preparations halted as they studied first Tabeitha and then the man who seemed to have slighted her so. When they found no honest source of ill-will, the flow continued and clatter resumed. The girl was known for her quick-temper after all, and her barbed words. A curse from her was no ecliptic event. "I am three years past being considered a child and I shan't require a knave like you to come to my defense! You'd be more useful pissing in a bucket than wasting our time in here!"

With her final words snapped, she turned herself around and quickly departed for the opposite corner of the kitchen. She kept her shoulders tense and her chin high, but was out of sight, hiding behind a large wall of crates and supplies.

Watching her haughty departure, Caden's brow cocked and then his lips were curling up ever so slightly, continuously amused by her spark. Especially when it was aimed at Nendir. A soft snicker quaked his form and he was bringing a hand up to cover his grin, shaking his head. The mirth brought on at his comrade's expense was hard to restrain, yet he had no motive to do so and instead simply laughed.

"Honestly, I wish I had that girl's creativity to insult. You would be a humbled man, spending all day with someone with a mouth like that." Then, his amusement faded away and instead, he looked rather disapprovingly down at the other man. The bleeding in Caden's hand had stopped and he walked over to snatch the knife from Nendir's grasp, returning it to its proper location on the counter. His tongue clicked as he remembered his comrade's previous words. "Fair warning, I'm in no mood for you to be telling me how to handle a blade. Lest it ends up tangent to your own flesh."

The threat was a familiar one, Caden more often than not responding with violence to your words. He didn't appreciate your gaiety, especially when he had a bias towards typhoons.


A smile had greeted Rajun as he approached Maella's little spot of heaven, bright and cheery as it always was. Her body straightened as he neared and then stepped into the pool as well. She watched his expression closely and then her smile burst into a even wider grin when he showed his pleasure through a subtle nod. Such a response from her friend expressed miles of emotion and she released a happy cheer at his acknowledgement, her hands thrown into the air and her feet kicking childishly.

"See? It is wonderful, is it not? Oh dear bully, we have reached paradise once again! The waters spring forth from the realm of the gods themselves, I swear it!" She laughed in utter delight, her serenity shattered with giddy joy that came from her companion's approval. She might have continued to gush about the divinity of the pool when Rajun reached out to clean away her feet and she released a soft breath of surprise instead.

Then she was sighing and her lips settled back into a more reserved smile. "My friend, you are a gift." She told him. After a moment of simply enjoying his actions, her gaze caught on to the foliage caught in his mane and she was laughing again. She scooted closer to the edge and reached out with the gentleness of a mother, brushing away the leaves from his hair. Concentration overtook the cheer and she fixed his strands back into place.

"We could stay here for a bit, you know. Soak in the wind and the water until my heart grows restless yet again and we depart for our next adventure." Her lips curled and she patted his crown. "T'would give you time to discover the art of sleeping in the trees."

---

It hadn't been long since Galeran had finished another one of his Regent King's long goose chase requests. It had something to do with finding one vase in the entire castle that he could put some flowers in to send to some noble or another. That he, Galeran, specifically had to do it so Adrian could be reassured it wouldn't be broken, that his honor wouldn't allow that. Adrian de Hiertania was really good at that, using his honor against him. And while many would think of his charge as some giant brute, it was in these manipulating moments that Galeran would reluctantly be confirmed that he still had what it took to be king.

After coming through the halls with said vase, the manservant arrived at the Regent King's main office in horror to find that his charge was nowhere to be seen. With a twitch of his eye, he spoke with the maid cleaning up the place and found out Adrian had decided to go out sparring with the guards. That was so ludicrous! The piles of papers sitting on the giant desk looked like they would topple over at any second, all needing the man's signature. At a hurried pace, Galeran started for the courtyard, only to see three mischevious maids suspiciously trying to go under the table cloth in the dinner room, long before breakfast was supposed to begin. It seemed that Adelbrand Volkshart had either not noticed them yet, or not done anything and the manservant could hear Anatole's shouts from the kitchen, her apparently now the self-appointed chief of the kitchen. It was true that she did have much better talent in the kitchen than him, but he thought it was bad taste to be so worried about food when it was her prince she should be tending. The servants in the kitchen were appointed based on their cooking ability so they should made pleasant food all the same.

But enough of that droll of gossip. Galeran addressed the three maids angrily and was even more stressed when one of the girls didn't come out at first. It was only after threatening to rat them out to Anatole that the last one, Dulcie, finally came out. After that, he brought the girls a bit away from the crime scene and started his lecture of how inappropriate it was, that they could have ruined their uniforms, by what heavens were they trying to accomplish?! By the time he was finished, the first trays of breakfast were coming out and he had to shoo them away. They left with Dulcie and Rosetta trying to cover their giggles, and Mirabelle shooshing the lot of them. When Anatole came out, he gave her a nod of respect and continued onward to his original objective.

The man arrived at the courtyard only to find that the guards were just about finished up with their sparring lesson. After talking to the third person, they admitted a servant had come giving news that thugs had burned a village down in Lutaires and tried to cross the border from Hiertania to Tiadan. A look of surprise and concern slipped onto Galeran's face as he then heard the King had called upon his brother. With a nod to the guard, he hurried up to the tower and outside the King's chambers to await his charge and more news.

---

As the girls mourned the failure of their prank, they headed back to the Crown Prince's quarters. They knew that their charge was currently out having swords training and had taking this extra time to go on and pull something like this, but it seemed that they'd better be getting back to work before the three girls were found twice. After a while of cleaning around the room and working on a collar for the new coat the three of them were preparing to present to Luthier, they realized how late it had gotten and that the prince would not be able to get to breakfast. Mirabelle was sent down to the kitchen to grab a real meal for the prince, while Dulcie and Rosetta stayed to tend to him if he came in while Mirabelle was out. They jokingly gossiped about how handsome he must be, having worked out all morning with a sword in hand.

Mirabelle was horrified to find that he had only grabbed a few apples for breakfast. With the extraneous exercise he was doing in the morning, he ought to be eating a feast! She piled on plenty of food to for her charge, giving a quick word of thanks to the servants of the kitchen before heading back upstairs.

Now, unlike the main studies of the King, everyone else's was connected to their quarters so the girls could easily be found running around and replacing anything that was running low on supplies. The girls waited, having sneaked some apples out for themselves in the kitchen and munching as they finished up the daily refillings. It was expected that the prince would return here instead of his rooms to freshen up. Which while they were a rather rambunctious bunch, it was their duty to make sure he was to look that of a royal.

"Well, if there were only one nation, there couldn't very well be animosities between them, could there? But in more seriousness, weddings and common enemies would probably be the best chances at peace. And it's the common enemy angle I would push. Unless you want to run off to Hiertania and marry one of their dull-haired princes."

The second princess listened carefully as the jovial man replied to her question, smiling as he did so ... it was rather obvious the ambassador had meant what he said as a joke, but ... was he wrong?

Faylinn of course had toyed with such thoughts periodically, but instantly discarded them after a few brief thoughts. Those meat eaters were violent, hateful people who prided themselves in their power to push others down. But even hearing the man across from her joke about the possibility led it some credence ...

... and surely they couldn't all be bad? The Princess' eyes had drifted upwards to the tops of the tallest of trees as she wondered about not every one of them could be awful, even the royalty. Sure, many of them had dark hair, ate other beings, and thought of her people as hardly being human, but ... weren't these the same people who had the ideals of chivalry in their blood, and sometimes even a certain sense of justice?

And what if those princes on believed her people to be inhuman because they had never even met one of her kind? As a princess, hopefully her status would grant her sufficient ability to remain in their courts for a period of time. And what if the king or a high-strung prince became her friend or even fell for her? Wouldn't they respect her people then, and consider them allies?

The sixteen year old hadn't even noticed the approach of the other woman, and as her eyes returned to the courtyard she seemed surprised at the ladies presence. "Oh um ... hi Sky?" For a second, the princess shook her head to collect herself. She shouldn't make her thoughts so obvious. "So ... what did mom say? Do we have a plan for these recent events?"

@AAB@Tsar Gatto


The older man hardly took notice as the sounds of marching signaled the second prince's personal servant brining in breakfast in nigh military fashion, or the sounds of the first prince's hellions being scolded for being so childish. Castle life had always changed in his time, but it always remained the same as well with the characters around him only changing in name and appearance.

But damn wasn't the appearance of this maid serving him breakfast rather fine. Striking hair that flowed in long strands, a near regal facial structure as if she was the queen of all servants, and an ample bossom suggesting maturity as a woman. Adelbrand was far too old to have his thoughts become obvious, but this lady here would be fine to talk to!

With surprising speed, the sixty-something year old man consumed his breakfast with a fervor and enthusiasm rare within him. Soon enough, he had stood up, wiped the crumbs from his beard, and after a little travel around the castle before stumbling upon the beauty grabbing a small sword and swinging it in the most horrid, terrible, clumsy fashion possible.

In spite of that, the man thought he spotted some rare talent as the muscles in her back moved in an ... interesting manner. After delivering a quick bow to the second prince, he approached the black haired woman. Walking up behind her, he gently took the sword from her hands, placing Sterklinge into her palms as the target was in front of her. "Personally, I couldn't ever wield one of those twigs. Always snapped too easily." The other sword soon found itself placed into the weapon racks.

Once he returned to being behind her though, the man placed his hands on her soft hips and forced the maid into a position somewhat resembling a proper stance. "Back in my day, the ladies never fought. But if you are defending yourself, do it right." Pushing down slightly on her shoulders, he made a few minor adjustments to ensure that her knees were bent, feet positioned properly, and body ready to spring out with an attack. "Now sweetheart, put your body weight into it. Think of the target as a dirty brigand on the road."

@Cubix@AtomicNut@chiru

---

Not for the first time, Adhemar’s angry expression that he shot Adrian’s way during their stare down actually filled the regent with relief. He wasn’t sure what he would have done if his brother had been connected to the brigands that were terrorizing their borders, but he thankfully wouldn’t have to worry about such a thing as those furious eyes did not hold a drop of guilt in them. Of course, he had trampled all over the king’s nerves, but that happened every other day regardless so it was no big loss. And it thankfully looked like he had not pushed too far, as the only death threats his brother was issuing was not directed at him. All in all, that sounded like a win in Adrian’s book.

But still, his brother’s dismissal left Adrian with a rather bitter taste in his mouth. His expression remained aloof and disinterested, but he couldn’t help but feel like there had to be a better way to get information out of his brother. Adhemar was given a curt nod, and with that Adrian turned on his heel and made for the poor, battered door. Ever since Adhemar had taken the crown, or perhaps even before that, the two brothers had never been able to talk like they used to when they were only boys. It was difficult to say whether it was due to the pressure of ruling a kingsom or the distance that came with Adrian’s time in the military, but their relationship had become almost unbearably strained. Perhaps it was time for him to own up to his part in that.

“You know Addy,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically quiet as he spoke the name of a child that he suspected had died a long time ago, “I intend to keep the promise I made to you. I realize I don’t live up to your ideal of a good ruler and that my methods are anathema to you, but I am truly doing the best that I can.” His hand was on the door, but he turned his head so that one brilliant golden brown eye could meet his brother’s dull ones once more. “If you have a problem with that, then hurry up and get better so that I can get back to what I’m good at.” The door opened with a small creak of protest, but Adrian didn’t wait for a response - didn’t expect a response - from his brother. And for once, he closed the door quietly and respectfully.

Adrian descended the stairs normally, which in itself was hardly normal, as a sinking feeling took hold over his gut. He hoped it was just paranoia or that he was simply experiencing a rare bout of remorse, but he couldn’t shake the idea that something terrible was about to unfold. Thankfully, the sight of Galeran took the regent’s mind off of this odd feeling, so with his usual smirk and an obnoxious wink, he greeted his infallible manservant. “You are truly the most perfect butler that a noble could ask for my dear friend. My brother was just sending a maid for you.” It was difficult to tell from his tone and face whether he was praising the man or teasing him. “I can trust you found that vase for me, yes?” he asked with an expression of complete innocence, even though he couldn’t recall for the life of him what kind of vase he had sent the man after. They both knew this fact, and he suspected that he would soon have to find a new way to rid himself of the capable individual, but Adrian liked to believe that his antics caused the two to form a sort of begrudging respect for each other.

Before Galeran could respond though, Adrian dismissed his own question with a wave of his hand. “Never you mind,” he said with a small smile. “I should not keep you from meeting with my brother and I am sure you would rather I get back to those hazardly piled stacks of papers that are waiting ever so diligently for me on my desk.” And with that, Adrian continued down the stairs, the usual spring in his step back in full force. It wasn’t in his nature to become consumed by such worries, so for now he would simply get back to his never ending pile of work.

Well, at least for the time being he would. Things inevitably found a way to go awfully astray when he was left alone with such a task as monotonous aa signing papers.

---

@AimeChambers

Galeran had been waiting quietly and at attention at the bottom of the staircase. The only way to tell that he was feeling a bit frantic was his right index finger tapping against his left palm behind his back. The area did have a window at the other side of the room and it was at that time that the manservant went to move to open up the curtains. There was no reason to reprimand someone for tidying of his stature and it would help him do something instead of just being left to his thoughts. Galeran had heard first hand how the King treated his charge, and he could never say he liked it. It was very true that Adrian needed some more discipline in his life, but the way he seemed to think his brother was a brutish idiot didn't sit well with him.

Everyone could always tell when Adrian came down the stairs or through the halls. First, there were the loud steps and then his large stature, his pace was usually quite excitable. So when his charge came down quietly, his voice startled Galeran from his found chore. Without showing off his surprise however, he gave a short bow to Adrian and took in his current mood. The fact that he had come down the stairs so quietly must have meant he was in quite a somber mood. His expression had switched back to his normal exterior, which meant the situation wasn't as bad as his execution being imminent.

It was a relief to hear that the King was asking for him. Maybe if he was carefully he could get some information from the man on the events so far, considering the King thought he was the other half to Adrian's governing as Regent King. If only he wasn't given medial tasks such as that godforsaken vase then even more work could be done for the country.

Thinking this was permission to speak, Galeran was about to give confirmation when his charge waved his reply off into the air. The conversation would have to be quick with the King if Adrian was to be left alone while he was away. Before he could give a good farewell, Adrian was already heading down the stairs. The maid that was supposed to have notified him to come to the King came down the stairs. Since Galeran had slightly higher standing, he was a permanent fixture while the King's maids were changed often as the shame of the King's appearance was too much, he asked the servant to get someone to follow Adrian back to his study in order to have him better focused and bring along some kind of snack as well.

Once that was settled, Galeran headed upstairs and gently knocked on the abused doors before being given permission. There had always been a heavy aura around King Adhemar de Hiertania, even in his sickly state. While there hadn't been anything covering him when his brother had been inside, a sheer curtain had been put down around the canopy to blind onlookers of his symptoms. Unfortunately, his coughing and hoarse, quiet voice could not be hidden so easily.

Returning to his studies, Luthier found Dulcie and Rosetta waiting for him, whose conversation died the moment he walked through the door. Almost right after he entered, Maribelle returned with a mountain of food, presenting Luthier a "proper breakfast". Luthier was shocked at the amount of food she'd brought, he wasn't sure how she'd carried all of it here, but he did know for certain he wouldn't be able to eat it all. Luckily, the food was put aside as the maids put their effort into ensuring Luthier had the look of a true royal. Arrogant and snobby

After getting him freshed up, there was no escape for Luthier. The maids insisted he eat his proper breakfast. Seeing no other way to escape the intimidating mountain of food, Luthier called upon what authority he had. Ordering the maids to partake in the break-feast, the pile of food was -to Luthier's relief- quickly finished. Thanking the maids for their efforts and concern, Luthier soon dismissed them and turned to his studies. He really appreciated having the maids around, but sometimes they were just a bit too much for him. Despite this, they were some of the few people he could hold a normal conversation with.

The subjects of Luthier's studies were tough, covered much and were generally uninteresting. Relishing the occasional distraction of a maid bringing snacks or generally checking to see if he was still there, Luthier managed to endure studying through the afternoon.

Alecto's careless swings were interrupted all of a sudden when she felt an encroaching presence upon her. Signals in her mind fired, trying to spur her body into action, but she managed to rein her reflexes in time, as the other presence engulfed her. She quivered ever so slightly, spasming in genuine surprise as she suddenly noticed how the old champion had followed her into the courtyard, and was now prying the sword out of her hand.

"m-MLord!" Her voice squeaked, half genuine, half acting as she decided the play the role that was given to her. Even though in her inside, she could not help to point out this man, who still smelled like the food he had been served was perhaps, a hound in more ways than one. Ye gods, Lord Volkshart, you really can't help but seek a woman to touch your sword. She wryly noted in her insides, as she sheepishly followed the flow of events. She was not Alecto, the Knight of Sin, but a hopelessly lost and clumsy maid. Her whole body quivered upon feeling the somewhat diseagreeable cold touch of the old man on her hips, but she made no attempt to fight or rebuke him. After all, he was supposedly well above her station. A myriad of options were displayed before her, perhaps she could try planting the seed of doubt in this man's ear rather the prince, and entince him with false love.

All fell flat, when she examined the sword she had been provided. Truly a beatiful, eerie sword, that resembled something not of this world, was not set in her hands. A true sword of a champion. She couldn't help but break her disguise slightly, allowing herself a concession on the craft. "Such a beatiful blade." She said with applomb as she held it tightly with her hands, following once again the instructions of the captain. Briefly inebriated by the quality of the blade, she pondered if she should aswell reward the man with a show of her true skill, probably worthy of that blade.

Her eyes again rested on the prince and his aide, and she realized this was not such a time for concessions, for she could be easily discovered if she did so. She then tightened her grip, and proceed to swing, timing the release of the grip of such a weapon that was sent flying against a wall, ricocheting in a rather spectacular manner, and finally falling in a pile of mud, as she skipped a step in the most clumsy of manners.

"Whoops...I'm sorry m'lord, So sorry." She snapped in a exaggerated bow, hiding her entire face in shame.

Serves you right, old man. Pity there's no manure or a well nearby. She mentally added.

---

Laborious sounds. A blade soaked in crimson. A human and a beast gasping for air, both trapped in a deep crevice under the surface of the earth. The shades muddled their senses, and the cold accentuated the pain of the grievous wounds both beings had caused to eachother. On one side, a woman dressed in dark rags, stained with the colors of earth and blood, with a dagger in hand, which, despite being bathed in crimson still glinted ocassionally whenever the odd ray of sun licked the bare blade. On the other hand, a creature of myth, akin to a white horse, and yet not. Cloven hooves, a tail not unlike a lion and a prominent horn with a twisted pattern, but beatiful in its design. An unicorn, one of the last of their kind, probably. The woman gritted her teeth. Such a wonderful beast, who had put a fight for its life with all of its might. Red oozed from the various spots where the horn of legends had gored and pierced the flesh, and numbness and breathing pains where its hooves had smashed bone and muscle. Brown eyes from beneath a frazzled raven mane eyed at the beast. Her chapped and cut lips uttering a whisper.

"Forgive me, but I have to end your life." Lucrecia gritted her teeth, as she willed her body once more, the dagger describing a fatal arc into one side of the animal. A final, painless blow to an epic struggle that had started hours ago. The Witch of the Black Blood felt cold, miserably and numb. She had lost so much blood in life threatening wounds. And yet she did not waver in the slightlest.

Adhémar needs me. Even if he will never admit it. Lucrecia bit her lip, as she collapsed to her knees, the efforts finally taking the toil on her old body. Gripping the mud, she crawled towards the deceased beast, intent on taking the horn. According to her books, and her own mother's teachings, an unicorn's horn was the panacea. The universal remedy. A remedy she was risking her life for. And yet...

The feeling, the sensation of helplessness, and the pain she was feeling in her soul was beyond any kind of physical wound. She still remembered clearly, clutching her locket. Her only rememberance of the days she had once been a queen, and a mother of princes and princesses. The glass of the locket had two cracks. The first one had appeared years ago, when her daughter Ariana had died during childbirth. So when the second appeared, she knew Death was stalking her eldest son. She could feel it in her bones, and her divination sense pointed this was true.

It had happened a cold day, not unlike this one. And one man had braved enough to venture in the forest, to deliver her a message. Clad in the sigil of the Kingdom of Hiertania, he carried a single missive, a letter with the royal seal. That's when the locket cracked again, as a harbinger of things to come. The letter delivered the news, in the penmanship of her youngest son. The king was sick, and he had been made regent.

And even if she was hated for what she was, a witch, it was equally true that they were her flesh and blood. Her children. And they needed her. So, after writing a quick reply and entrusting it to one of her trained crows, she set forth to hunt one of the most elusive beasts of the Black Wood. A legendary creature, with the power to purify and heal. She had spotted it several times, and each of them, she just respected the life of the majestic animal. But it was different now. She had already lost a daughter. She couldn't bear to lose another so quickly. It took her no small amount of effort to find it, but she persevered. Her efforts bore fruit, but not after a long and strenous chase. Her magic could not help, for such a blessed creature would never be affected by all the curses she could weave. As the unicorn turned to confront her and pierce her shoulder, the ground gave in, sending both of them tumbling down a deep crevice in the forest.

Inside the forest's belly, she had fought to the death with the beast, armed with naught but a knife, all other weapons rendered useless with the fall. And she had emerged bloodied, but victorious. But she could not rest now. She still had so many things to do. Pushing herself to the point of almost losing consciusness, she crawled outside the pit, the excised horn now firmly attached to her back as a trophy. The blood continued to flow as wounds kept being reopened and flayed, but her stoic demeanor resumed. She could not afford to even use magic to cure herself, as she would need it for a greater miracle. The ability to travel long distances in a blink.

Just...hang in there, my son. I'm going back to the castle. Lucrecia bitterly reminded herself, as she staggered towards her hut, where she would employ the magic circle to spirit herself away with the cure. Only a few preparations remained, and she could finally rest...

---

Deep inside the castle, the black presence loomed. In swift movements, it skipped from shadow to shadow, evading the guards. It had one objective in mind, and it kept a steady pace. It would not be uncovered before it was due. A task had to be done, a mission had to be accomplished.

Also that was a nice stack of papers. Maybe there could be even bugs hidden in there. The black creature stared in awe, as the shadows revealed its true avian form. Black feathers. Black bill. Bigger than a songbird. Smaller than a falcon. The crow's black beady eyes looked at the stack of papers, and the figure which was signing them.

"CAW" The beastie said, in its strident voice, as it began to peck the "sum of all taxes of all Hiertania for the current year" greedily, perhaps probably thinking that the letters were bugs. It stopped frustated after a while, and twisting its head so slightly, its tail wobbled ominously and...

...THAT wasn't the kind of signature these documents needed.

Of course, for all the crudeness of the bird, something else could be noticed. It had a small strip of something tied to one of its claws. Lucrecia's answer. If one were to catch the stupid crow, the letter would announce its purpose in clear penmanship.

Dear Son,

Your news have reached me. And my heart aches. But, I shall not falter. I shall bring a cure to your brother. I shall bring an unicorn horn, the Panacea of all remedies to cure your brother, the King. Stay strong, Adrian. I love both of you, even if you are grown men right now.

With maternal love,

Lucrecia.

PS: Watch out for that bird, it has a tendence to relief itself in the most incovenient of places.

It seemed that the small child did not in fact like his empty assurances in the least. The mouth of the girl made his eyes widen a bit, but he did not betray any true emotion that was bubbling inside of him. No one wanted their mother's name to be dragged in the dirt, but he had to say the little spunky girl did made him feel a bit jollier. Events like this that were so out of the ordinary were quite enjoyable for sick in the head bodyguard. She didn't even use too many vulgar words, only imagery and if Nendir didn't have to keep his outward facade, he might have clapped the girl on the back before giving her some tips about how to hide her anger. But alas, he couldn't join Caden in his outright triumphant look.

Caden, who seemed to be a man of few words spoke out as to show his jolly. All Nendir could muster without laughing was, "The mouth of the girl- with a temper like that, no wonder she is mistaken for a child." But the conversation and mood was soon turned somber and the other bodyguard replied with a threat. This was the time when Nendir could smile and laugh, "Oh Caden, if you really wished for my body to be found in a moat full of slices, you would have done it years ago." The man had come over to grab the knife from him, so Nendir lightly tossed it, watching as Caden snatched the knife out of the air expertly.

"Oh~ The two of you are so cruel and ill-tempered. I may need to go beg some compassion out of our comrade Bastian or one of our charges, then I might get the joyous friendly conversation I rightly deserve!" He sat with his legs spread apart and both his hands resting on the stool in between, moving his body side to side, lamenting.

---

Water was seeming to go everywhere when Maella kicked, getting Rajun a little more wet than others would have cared for, but the boy didn't seem to mind much. He watched the excited girl as she continued her joyous exclamations. While the other travelers of the caravan might have thought of her as annoying or too much to be trifled with. The excitable attitude of his companion always put Rajun in a good mood, knowing there was more to life then dreary desert and the horrors of surviving in such a climate.

While many would think of him as some tall emotionless log, he did find pride in himself, among other things. When Maella said that he was a gift, he simply nodded again, though if someone knew the content, they might say Rajun was quite a bit prideful of himself, yes he was a help and he knew it. The best feeling in the world for Rajun was to be able to help someone, to better their situation when they can't do it themselves. This was only a small way of helping his dear companion that had become like a sister to him.

Almost acting like a dog, when she tried to take the foliage out of his hair, he shook his head to try and slip more of the vegetation out, but the movement was just making the new nest on his head thicker with tangles. After a moment, he stopped and obediently kept his head still for Maella to salvage his locks.

The idea of staying seemed like a nice one, many animals lived in the area to get to the water and the foliage was nice and welcoming, Rajun looked up into the sky and found the sun, pondering if maybe they should stay. After a while -anytime he had to make a decision he took a moment- he shook his head no. "Keep going." He had a strange feeling, like he needed to get to some far destination sooner rather than later.