---

---

Large curtains drape charmingly in front of the many windows of the large room. The walls are decorated with well-drawn paintings, many of which being images of roses or scenery. Vases, antique woodwork, candles, and furniture are arranged nicely to make the room more comforting and relaxing. The bed is made, topped with beautifully embroidered pillows and well-knitted blankets and a dying fire sparks in the hearth in which was used to warm up the room from the morning chill, yet still gives a small sum of heat to the room as Alice prepares for the day.

"You've changed your mind about going to see the arrival of the future queen, m'lady?" A timid, female voice could be heard from behind Alice as the woman brushes through her hair, adorning it with a beautiful clip, accented with small, red flowers, shiny pearls, and glitters of gold.

"You've convinced me," Alice told her well-acquainted maid while she gazes into the mirror of her extensive, antique vanity,"I assumed that it'd be wise to get a good look at her appearance. Plus, what would they think of me if I didn't show?"

Alice's maid nodded, adjusting her hair so it waved nicely, framing her face well,"There!"

Alice smiled,"Beautiful, as always. I do love this hairpiece you've added, perhaps it's the cherry on top to showing the new queen who the real beauty of this court is." Alice spoke conceitedly, her vanity really becoming apparent from her bottled up frustration.

Alice stood, brushing off speckles of makeup from her dress and proceeded to put her earrings in that matched the hair clip. She stood with great posture, turning to look at the larger mirror that laid against the wall to examine her finished look. Alice approached the mirror, speaking to her maid as she fidgeted with the gold, ruby ring on her finger,"I heard she's pretty," she paused,"Do you think King Maddox will admire her so?" Alice's maid hesitated before answering, probably scared to give the wrong answer. Alice spoke up as she turned to look at the maid's young complexion, wrinkly attire, and long, brown hair,"You can answer truthfully, I promise I won't be mad."

"Well," the maid thought for a moment,"I believe he's going to try his best to, being that she's going to be his new wife. But -- his attraction to her could be limited to just her looks if she ends up to be an awful person." It was clear that she tried to end with a hopeful scenario.

Alice moved to sit on the chaise that was angled in front of the small fire,"I feel as if I'm competing already, and I haven't even seen her yet."

The maid, being familiar with the venting of Alice, remained in her position, folding her hands in front of her,"Perhaps seeing her will make the feeling go away, or at least make it subdued."

"I hope that will be so," Alice replied with doubt. "But maybe the competition will be good for me. It'll keep me challenged and growing," Alice added optimistically,"See to it that the practice grounds are ready for me -- I want to get some swordplay in today to hopefully release some frustration."

---

Alice made her way through the long halls of the castle, greeting those she passed by and making small talk with fellow lords or other servants of the court. Nervous feelings filled the pit of Alice's stomach since the day has finally arrived where King Maddox awaits at the gates for the grand entrance of his new queen, a title that Alice dreamed of when she was a little girl, and sometimes still does from time to time. Regardless of the inconsistent feeling, Alice let go of that dream because it seemed far-fetched, her romantic feelings for the King seeming to only be one-sided since he only treats her as a friend and a lady of the court.

Alice made her way to the gates just in time for the carriage to come to a halt and present the future queen. She turned to look at King Maddox waiting for her, a small smile forming on her face just from his mere presence, but the smile remained short-lived as the future queen exited the carriage. Many people and noble-folk around her began to mutter as Alice whispered loudly,"Pshhhh, I need to hear what she sounds like!" It was no use, the distance eliminated any and all audible talking, so Alice got closer and pushed her way through the crowd.

Her gut was right, the woman was as beautiful as ever: long, golden hair, captivating emerald eyes, tall, slender body, the only thing left to add to the look is the fine crown bestowed upon the Queen of Abhainn -- which was soon to be her. "Argh!" Alice couldn't help but let out a grunt of annoyance, some around her eyed her odd reaction to the future queen. Alice fixed her posture and continued to watch the scene.

---

---

Lady Amaryllis Ward had reached the kingdom of Abhainn a few hours before the Slibah royals were due to arrive. She had been offered a personal carriage based off of orders from the future queen herself, but she had politely declined - explaining that she would much rather arrive early to greet her family before taking part in the official introduction to the King of Abhainn. This excuse was the truth, of course, which was apparent in the way she was now sitting in an uncomfortable chair in a cold, uncomfortable room and being fussed over uncomfortably by her mother. The real reason she had not wanted to travel with the royals, however, had been the guaranteed insufferable fussing that would take place over her majesty, Julianna Hardin, who was being married off to King Maddox Auclair. And that, she reckoned, she could do without.

The only reason she had bothered to visit her family home was to change into clothes far more suitable than her riding gear, which she had been wearing for two days. Of course, the disadvantages of declining a carriage was the fact that she could no longer take her own carriage to Abhainn - it would be regarded as rude. So instead she had ridden by horse to the kingdom alone - bar from her handmaiden and a few guards - all for the sake of not upsetting the royal family, who were the current subject of her mother's rambling.

"And really I don't see why they should marry off such a young girl to that King for the sake of some treaty, I've always said that we should stick to the old ways and if this ends in disaster I'll be there to say I told you so, you mark my - "

"Mother." Lissa spoke with serene patience as she dealt with the same speech she had heard over and over again. "Her majesty Julianna is the same age as me, so really is not that young. The treaty is written to unite the kingdoms - to stop the war. If anything, it means that I can see you more. So, can you not see the good that will come from it?"

Another hour passed of the same debate, Lissa finally gave up and retired with her handmaiden, Clarice, to her old chambers. The only person she could never win over was her mother. She spared no time for sentiment - her room was just as empty and bare and impersonal as she remembered it. Instead, she quickly changed into one of her favoured dresses - a simple garment, that flattered her figure nicely without drawing too much attention - and let Clarice tend to her hair. Before leaving, she fetched a lace cloak from her old wardrobe, something she hadn't worn in years, and slipped it on. She had no interest in being stared at throughout her short journey to where the royals would be arriving.

So, with the delicate hood of her cloak up and her horse in tow, she left the Ward manor with a brief goodbye to her parents and a series of orders to Clarice and her guards, issuing them to locate her accommodation for the stay and to ready her things before finally finding her.

---

There seemed to be quite a crowd forming where the royals were due to arrive, so she remained on the outskirts, with her hood still up, watching with a small smile as some familiar carriages slowed to a halt at the kingdom gates. It was only then that she realised how out of place she would look among the Slibah royals with her horse and her hood she still had to take down. Maybe she should just wait amongst the crowd for the time being?

It was only now that she allowed herself to think about the situation at hand. She knew, from seeing the girl herself and from listening to court gossip, that Julianna was indeed very beautiful. And she seemed nice enough - a little spoiled, but what royal wasn't? - which only increased the distaste Lissa held towards her. It was mainly jealousy, she supposed - the future queen was gorgeous in every way that Lissa wasn't, she was being wed to the one man Amaryllis had ever cared for, and she was getting to be queen.

Amaryllis gave herself a few more seconds of moping before pushing the thoughts away, straightening up a bit more and finally letting her hood fall back to reveal her mass of dark curls woven with an array of tiny white flowers. It was only now that her eyes landed on the one person she had subconsciously been avoiding looking at. King Maddox Auclair.

His familiar features took her back six years. To when everything was simple - when she was a respected Lady in court, popular and pretty, and when he was still a young prince. The two would spend their day going about their courtly duties, growing more restless throughout the afternoon, then he would shoot her that look across the room and they would excuse themselves to spend the night in each other's arms. Lissa supposed that they could have married if it weren't for the treaty, but she didn't like to dwell on the 'if only's. Besides, she doubted he had actually felt anything towards her that was not purely physical. She wondered if he would even recognise her now - she was no longer the bold, flirty girl in court; which was even clear in the way she stood now. Before, she would be on her toes, craning to see what was happening, yet now she merely tilted her head slightly to access a proper view of the scenario playing out.

She would've stared longer if it wasn't for the noise of irritation beside her. Dragging her gaze away from the King, she allowed one dark brow to arch at whoever made the sound. Of course it was her. Lady Alice Allaire, the strong-willed admirer of King Maddox himself. Paying no attention to the fact that the girl was clearly trying to see what was going on as Julianna greeted the king, Lissa greeted the woman with a voice as smooth as silk.

"My, Lady Alice. It has been such a long time." She let her eyes to slide over her once, in a manner that was not unfriendly, before her lips pulled up into a warm smile. Indeed it had been a long time - the two had grown up together in Abhainn alongside the King, yet they had not been close. "You look lovely, as you always did." She gave Alice enough time to hopefully recognise her and return the greeting, before returning her gaze to where everyone else was watching intently.

"It's such a lovely union, don't you think? They suit each other rather well." The words that slipped from her lips couldn't be further from her real opinion, yet she did not let that show. The statement was a test, of sorts, to figure out two things: if this Lady Alice still had feelings for the King as Lissa suspected she did many years ago, and if people still believed that Lady Amaryllis and King Maddox had been lovers once. The woman's response would hopefully resolve those two questions prying at her mind and determine the very nature of her visit to Abhainn.

---

The long march. Aedan was used to it, long days on the road, tiresome and usually boring journeys cross-country, ferrying troops back and forth from the front-lines. It felt the same, but it was far from it, now the war was supposed to be over, he supposed this was the last march into old Abhainn, the journey to introduce Julianna with King Maddox, to sign the truce with a marriage and so say an end to the war once and for all. By all accounts, it should have been a happy occasion, but for Aedan, it was yet another busy one. He had declined a carriage, though it had been offered to him, preferring to ride on horseback as he had been brought along primarily for the purpose of maintaining the guard who had come with the Lady Julianna, and of course, the king himself.

Normally, Aedan would have been somewhat vexed at being dragged from his home and men for the purpose of an escort such as this, however he'd learned enough of politics in the past few years that he had been a lord, and figured well enough why it had been him, and not another lord brought to the meeting. A show of soft power, the gentle nudge and reminder of enemies in the event that the truce fell through somehow. Though he preferred to keep such titles among men of honour, certain other lords, and even the new king himself to a degree, seemed to have a knack of parading Aedan's military successes as a form of mockery to other lords of Abhainn.

Whatever the reason he had been brought, he brushed it from his mind, remembering what his intention was, to keep his fellow royals safe, though, so far into the kingdom of Abhainn, there had been no threat, and it seemed by all intents that King Maddox fully intended upon maintaining the truce which had been organized. Aedan appreciated that there had been no sudden change, trickery or attempt at violence, but he was still on edge. While the Lady Julianna had made her way at the front of the troupe to meet with the King, accompanied by a rather large host of guards, mind, Aedan rode back to the carriage where his king and queen where, further back, and surrounded by a few of the guards the king had, of course, insisted upon keeping charge of himself.

However, his riding back and forth had been for nought of particular importance, all was well, and would remain as such as he now cantered back up the road, past the lines of guards and carriages back toward the front. He could see ahead as Julianna climbed out of her carriage, moving up into the courtyard where she was meeting with the King himself, surrounded by all the nosey and gawking kinds of nobles he had once held an immense distaste for. Delicate dresses and tunics were all he could see, in all colours that southerners considered fashionable. Hopping off his horse and beginning to step up toward the courtyard, he figured he almost looked barbaric by comparison.

Dressed in a thick leather Jerkin and simple clothes, the large fur cloak Aedan wore over his shoulders was out of place, and even he had to admit, was beginning to emphasise the heat somewhat as the sun bore down from above as he adjusted the two straps of it which crossed over his chest, idly brushing a gloved finger over the lion crest which had been engraved into the straps themselves. Reaching down, he adjusted the sheathe and belting of his sword, stepping up proper into the courtyard as he glanced over a few of the nobles, sticking out somewhat like a sore thumb as he remained always a few steps back from the Lady Julianna, watching in silence as she spoke with the King.

He did casually chance a glance upward, toward the many Abhainnian nobles who had come out to see their King meet Julianna. Searching through the crowd, he did eventually lay eyes upon Lady Ward. He had not seen her a great deal of her in the trip, though he had made an effort to try and keep up with her from time to time - much to the displeasure of his horse, which by now had become rather worn out - she had left early with the intention of arriving in Abhainn earlier to meet with family. Regardless, he was pleased to see she had arrived and seemed relatively comfortably, conversing with one of the other Abhainnian nobles whom he was not familiar with. Casting a casual glance over his shoulder, he eventually set his eyes back upon the Lady Julianna, awaiting the guards to escort the King and Queen up to the courtyard as well.

---

The morning of the departure

While everyone had gone off to work(glorified slavery in the mines), the King decided to take a walk in the streets of his city, more specifically the middle class and no-class area. And by chance, while walking he came across a preacher. Why wasn't this man in the mines? Upon closer look he saw the skeletal figure speaking up on top of the wooden boxes. The reason became clear, he was definitely older than 60. If everyone just died after they hit 60..

"..and the King sends our family, our sons off to work in the mines, off to die in the caves. Even if they don't die, after months of working they fall sick. Is that what you want for your family? For your children? Is tha-"-the old man stopped when he was suddenly interrupted by Jack.
"But hasn't the king compensated those families for their hard work? Hasn't the king given all you need to live a life without the struggles of poverty and famine that ravage hundreds of other countries?"
"Tha..that is true bu-"
"You aren't talking out of kindness and good will for this people. You are consummated by grief as you have lost relatives and family."
"He lost his 2 sons and 3 grandsons."-spoke someone among the small crowd.
The old man was getting a little angry now as he spoke with a tone:"And how would a noble like you know what we go through? "
"Not just a noble, I am your King!"- Jack replied as he removed the hood of his cloak. Immediately everyone bent the knee. Everyone except the old man who just stepped down from his box and took a little bow.
"You won't kneel before your king?"-Jack asked with an unnoticeable smirk in his face.
"M..my..my king, I would but my old ag-"- the old man started but was interrupted again.
"Aside from speaking against your king, while all I do is try and make this kingdom greater, you refuse to bent the knee?"- fear could be seen in the man's eyes and without letting the other a chance to reply he continued-"As I am feeling generous today, I'm going to be lenient in your punishment.."- and a ray of hope could bee seen in the geezer's face.
"You are exiled."- and as Jack said that he saw the man's face fall off and watched as the man began to talk, waiting in amusement.
"..."- a short moment of silence ensued at first.
"Thank you my King, you are too kind."- the man said as he swallowed his pride, the grief and sorrow of his lost family and his anger.
The king then left, heading over to his concubine in the nobility district. The crowd had dispersed and everyone continued their day. Along the way to his mistress's house he ordered one of his personal guards:"Kill that old man after he leaves the gates and feed him to the dogs."
"Yes father."- the young man responded.
Why did he call him father you ask? Well he was one of the boys which he trained himself and to increase their loyalty he gave them the illusion of him being their true father, the only one who loved and cared about them.

At last he arrived at the house of his mistress. He really enjoyed the walks as everything had began to feel boring at the palace. The guards let him in and the maid went off to make his presence known to the house owner.
"Master Richard, a guest has arrived in our house. It is the-"- and before she could finish he stormed off his office to see who would dare to just enter uninvited into his mansion.
"Useless bitch."- he said as he slapped the maid to the ground before she could finish.
"We're not just some common noble house to allow everyone entry into our grounds. ESPECIALLY NOT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!"- and as he said this he stormed to the base floor with the purpose to give this intruder a piece of his mind. Was it that shitstain Joshua who he owed some money to from his last poker game? Whoever it was he wouldn't allow this disrespect. But upon reaching the house entrance he immediately softened his expression and took a bow.
"To what do we owe this pleasure my Liege?"
"Shut the fuck up Richard, I'm just here to fuck your daughter."- and at that the man that resembled like a potato went completely red in the face. He was known for his temper and "pride" among the nobles. But the king still waited for the man's response while looking at him.
One thing he was more known for besides his temper was his cowardice.
"Tha..gulp...nk you my king."- he uttered the words which almost made him throw up. He didn't care about his daughter more than he was offended by how he was treated even if done so by the king himself.
"The mistress is in her room, please, if you would follow me."- the maid then proceeded to lead the king to Sonyetta's room, a red hand print visible on her right cheek.
He entered him and a yelp of surprise could be heard, then giggles and then moans.
Well that's pretty much his day before he started his journey for the Kingdom of Abhain. He also took a 3 hours long massage before leaving to make up for the long road ahead.

Arriving at the palace

The driver then got out and started the announcement. He would get out upon the mentioning of his name, wait a few second for everyone to bask at his presence while the announcer read the titles then proceed to walk and meet the other king.
"Behold, Jack Numenor the First of his name, Ruler of th-"- but he was interrupted as the door opened making the announcer fall to the side.
Jack wondered why he had stopped talking only when he got out of the carriage and saw the guy on the ground who was rushing to get up. Anger coursed through him as he gave the announcer a strong punch to the face, his nose cracking like a wishbone, making him fall to the ground again, now holding his bleeding nose. But it didn't stop there, he punched him again and again and again.
"DON'T..punch..STAND..punch..BEHIND..punch..THE FUCKING DOOR!"-he said as he gave a last punch which rendered the man squirming on the ground. But it didn't end there. Jack reached for one of the flags atop the carriage broke it at the base and planted it in the man's throat. The hollow base and tip meant that the blood traveled through the tube and squirted out of the tip, the flag getting soaked in blood. After a few more convulsions from the body in the ground the man was dead.

The audience was shocked and the muttering had stopped. In a second Jack regained his composure and started walking towards the king and his sister. He stopped next to his sister and spoke to the other king:"And you must be King Maddox. A pleasure to meet you."- he started with a smile.
"I hope you find my sister to your preferences."- he said as he put a bloody left hand on his sister's left shoulder, staining the dress in blood.

---

The Future Queen of Abhainn's Lady-in-Waiting was late in extricating herself from the carriage. Not being a true Lady yet, her carriage was nearer the end of of the procession and therefore one of the last few to come to a stop. By the time she took her first step into this new land, citizens and nobles alike were already pushing forward towards whom she could only imagine was the King of Abhainn himself. It looked as if her ladyship was already in attendance with her future husband and Keir was determined to be by her side as soon as possible. She knew how nervous Lady Julia had been before the trip started; she could only imagine her nerves now.

She gave her velvet, emerald gown a gentle lift to aid in the speedy pace she set for herself and began moving forward along the line of carriages; she had to brush the hair back from her face on occasion as she had let it more down than usual for the occasion. Thankfully, it was easy enough to move this way as the crowd was not inclined to stifle the surroundings of the horses. As she moved, her deep blue eyes drank up the sights of this new land. It was startling and yet comforting to see that many things in Abhainn were the same as in Sliabh. Much of the architecture appeared different in style but not in form. Not that she expected Abhainn to be full of wizard towers or other outlandish structures she'd read about in fantasies, but she spent way too much of the ride over wondering how different everything was going to be here.

Almost lost in her fantasies and daydreamings, Keir noticed a familiar face as she passed through the crowd. It was Lady Amaryllis looking lovely as usual and standing with another woman that she did not recognize. She looked to be having a conversation, but both of their eyes were fixed towards King Maddox and Lady Julianna. Had she not set her mind to returning to her Ladyship's side, Keir would have been inclined to slow down and listen in to the conversation, but her Lady needed her more than some gossip at the moment.

Just as Keir thought she was about to break from the carriages and be close enough to provide emotional support to Lady Julia, King Jack stepped from the carriage in front of her, knocking the driver down standing near his carriage door who was in the midst of introducing his highness. Keir took several steps back after the first punch to the face, clenching her fists at the first sound of bones breaking. She couldn't turn her eyes from the spectacle as it happened and it took nearly all of her constitution to keep her stomach from turning over at the sight of the poor man at the finish of it all. She'd been hunting with her father and even seen men slain in melee combat, but she had never seen such brutality as this.

Keir took a few deep breaths to steady her nerves, but with hands still shaking she hurried on to Lady Julia, giving her a reassuring touch on her left hand before standing back a yard or so; she took up her silent position next to Lord Merryn whom she would be hard-pressed to miss in his leathers and fur. It was her duty and great pleasure to stand with her Ladyship, but this was a meeting of royalty upon which not even she had the right to impose. Besides, Keir needed some time to completely regain her composure after that horrid scene. She hoped this wouldn't jeopardize all the progress for which the late Kings warred and worked. Needless to say, this was not the reception that most of those in attendance probably expected.

---

---

As more nobles, knights, and travelers arrived to join the crowd viewing the meeting, a familiar voice rang in Alice's ear, a voice that she would never think to recognize ever again. Hesitant to turn to face the speaker, she was doubtful in whom she assumed it was -- though, when her eyes met the Lady that approached, her guess was confoundedly correct.

Not once did Alice think, nor expected, to see the likes of Lady Amaryllis within the royal court of Abhainn since her absence, though she was now left shocked and dismayed. It didn't take a second glance, nor a few seconds to discern her appearance and recognize the woman, questioning if she was seeing a mere hallucination or not. No, the presence was all-to familiar to Alice and her greeting was too spot-on to fabricate, but she still took a few moments to soak in the realism of her company. Lady Amaryllis -- a close-friend turned enemy as well as a considered 'rival' to Alice, now stood before her with the same beauty Alice envied during the time of their beloved friendship and even during their shared animosity towards each other. To Alice, this moment felt as if it lasted forever, trying her best to comprehend the situation while maintaining her composure. The sight of Lady Amaryllis resurfaced feelings of anger, jealousy, and stress, causing Alice to release a few suppressed micro-expressions such as the furrow of her brows and the clenching of her teeth. Alice could not dismiss these feelings for the sake of the conversation as the reminders of the enmity she withheld bubbled up in her stomach that was on the verge of erupting, leaving Alice's mind with a mix of flustering emotions.

Alice eyed her appearance and was stunned by her insincere introduction, but Alice replied with the same hollow method, giving a half-assed fake smile whilst replying,"Lady Amaryllis," she paused, the simple name that was projected from her lips added to the surprise,"I could say the same to you. It seems as though the years did no harm."

Alice raised a brow at the opinion Lady Amaryllis expressed, taking it as a rather subtle, unfriendly remark to test Alice's feelings and emotions. Alice couldn't help but let out a small chuckle and avoided the question at an attempt to reply with a witty comment of her own,"So did you return to Abhainn in hopes that he'll choose you over her, or to be another rat that just adds to my stress. Perhaps both?" After successfully giving an exceedingly more hostile statement, she felt as though she may have started something that could have been avoided, but her frustration seemed to have gotten the best of her.

The presentation of the King of Slibah averted her eyes and attention, wincing at the harsh beating that he gave the announcer, while confirming the common rumors of the King's aggressive nature. Though his youthful appearance attracted Alice, his belligerent masculinity was something to be more assessed. Her eyes turned to the woman who rushed to the future Queen's side, taking in these moments to recognize any faces and learn new ones for future reference. This distraction seemed to have calmed Alice's emotions down enough to not say something that she'd regret.

Soft sunlight dappled on to Maddox's skin, the already tan skin seeming to glow under the golden sunlight. He slowly took a knee,
a soft smile gracing his features and causing his eyes to crinkle subtly. "My lady, I humbly welcome you and your party to the Kingdom of - ah!"

The water of the bath had been drawn too hot, as it often was, and it scalded his flesh for just a moment before he retracted it. Ever the innovator, he had decided to practice select phrases before the Princess arrived, lest he embarrass himself in her presence or the King of Sliabh's presence. Maddox moved away from the bath slowly, as though his presence prevented the water from cooling.

His fingers, callused from years of swordplay and riding, deftly unfastened the ties on his underclothes, allowing the thin linen garments to fall to the ground. A mirror caught the movement, and Maddox found himself glancing in it for a time. He had not a clue what Julianna would look like, and similarly, she hadn't a clue what to expect. Paintings and verbal descriptions could only go so far, but he hoped she was comely. It would make the whole "settling down" thing he was expected to do much, much easier.

The thought of such a thing - of giving himself up completely to a woman he had never met was off-putting. He was a king, wasn't he? A king had needs, and he'd be a fool to ignore them. But he would do his job and play his part.

Slowly, Maddox rounded back to the bath and lowered himself into the water. His eyes flickered over towards the mirror again, though he found he was frowning back at himself.

---

Hours later, there he stood in a red and gold doublet, smoothing the front of it down as he watched the carriages from Sliabh pull into the courtyard. Maddox gave a gentle exhale. The horses were pulled to a stop, and he clasped his hands before him for a moment before letting them fall to his sides a bit too mechanically.

All of a sudden, there she was, descending the steps of her carriage as an announcer named her for him. But he would have known who she was regardless. The coterie of guards, the jewels she wore - they all told him wordlessly that she was to be his bride.

Maddox smiled back at her, his smile far more genuine than the nervous one she sported. "Good day, my lady," he responded, taking one of her hands gently in his. "It is my pleasure to finally meet you. Your beauty -"

But he cut himself off suddenly as a commotion erupted back at the carriages. A dark-haired man emerged from the front carriage, his fist flying towards the announcer and connecting with his face in a flurry of red.

Maddox clenched his jaw as a flag was jammed into the announcer, forcing the life out of him as the crowd gasped and then fell silent. The king exhaled sharply through his nose, his hand squeezing Julianna's slightly as the man approached him. It was only when Jack grew close that Maddox identified him as a king.

"It is...a pleasure to meet you," he finally choked out, inclining his head slightly out of respect. "Your sister is as lovely as I could have imagined." He had heard of Jack's cruelty, his disregard for others, but this surpassed anything he could have imagined.

"And...to address your question, my lady, we are to celebrate your arrival this evening." He was finding it hard to speak, taken aback by his future brother-in-law's actions. He could only imagine what the rest of this damn country's royalty was like - including his future wife.

((oh Christ how did I manage to double post))

---

---

In all honesty, Amaryliss was not surprised at the nature of the Lady Alice's words - nor was she hurt by them. The two had been very close once, but Alice had put her feelings for King Maddox before their friendship, so it did not end well. At least, that's how it happened in Lissa's eyes, and that opinion was not about to change. It was clear that the root of Alice's hatred towards her was jealousy, as Lissa had taken away everything the girl had ever wanted with just a small smile and a fluttering of her lashes. She supposed that Alice was also the source of the gossip that had her sent away from Abhainn in the first place, and that made her contempt for the woman develop into a faint feeling of resentment.

Neither was Lissa phased by the brashness Alice displayed. Where Amaryliss had been sweet talk and clever words, Alice had always spoke her mind as if she expected the whole world to accept it as Law - which, of course, rarely happened. Allowing her eyes to lazily glide over the Lady, now displaying a clear expression of contempt, the only thing stopping her from firing back was the commotion that arose in the centre of the courtyard.

Now, Lissa had seen her fair share of blood - she had been invited to many a tournament in which something had went wrong; an eye lost or even the death of a horse. But this was the first time she had ever seen a man die and, in amongst her obvious disgust and shock, she experienced an odd feeling of disappointment. She had always thought that it was far more dramatic than that - the songs and stories always spoke of honourable knights dying with their true love's name on their lips, but this announcer had just spouted some blood and...died.

Gritting her teeth, not turning her head to look at Alice, and paying no mind to the fact that the only ones now speaking were the Royals, Amaryllis spoke in hushed tones.

"As you can see, my lady, both mine and the two kingdom's concerns expand far further than the pathetic pining you feel towards King Maddox." Tilting her head upwards in a manner of superiority, Lissa kept her voice haughty yet with a manner of intelligence that could only be of upmost genuity.

"It does not surprise me, however, that you still seem to believe that the whole kingdom revolves around you. Take a look at what's happening before you right now, Lady Alice; I see that he still does not return your affections? Am I wrong, or did he just comment on her majesty's beauty?"

Amaryllis may not have been fond of the future queen, but right now she was more interested in staying on her good side than Lady Alice's. True was the fact that the pretty flush that arose in Julianna's cheeks almost mustered up a sneer from the former mistress of the king, and true was the fact that it took every ounce of her self-control to offer a gracious smile when the future queen briefly turned around - but she knew that this woman was soon to be one of the most powerful women in the two kingdoms, and crossing her would very much be the equivalent of signing her own death certificate.

---

Such a display of unbridled aggression from his new King was not something Aedan was un-used to. He had seen it many times before in his visits to the capital. It was the kind of violence he had occasionally seen on the battlefield, but that was war, where such violence was, although cruel, most times expected. Jack was by all accounts a tyrant, at least it was so in Aedan's eyes, a mad king who seemed intent on ruling a kingdom of ashes. His steely gaze remained on the announcer as Jack beat him and then forced the flagpole into his throat. Turning his gaze, Aedan simply motioned to a pair of his own guards, watching as they moved over, removing the flagpole and carefully dragging off the body to a far more discreet place.

As Keir took a few steps back from Julianna to stand aside him, Aedan adjusted his cloak somewhat and shook his head, speaking in a quiet tone, mostly in passing, though also towards her. "Fool set the marriage, and he's already set to ruin it." Aedan knew rather well that Jack had killed others for much kinder words than his own. However, for all his faults Aedan at least knew that Jack was not stupid, Aedan had grown to be one of the best generals of Sliabh, and had the support of its army, for now at least he held a favourable position, though he made no effort to hide his distaste for Jack's brutality, casting such comments around was not uncommon when it came to Aedan.

He cast his gaze over to Maddox then, he had never seen the man before, but he had heard stories. The man seemed strong, Aedan could tell at least from a glance that Maddox was or perhaps had been a fighter, though they had never met on the field. What did catch his eye was how unlike their father's both kings seemed to be. Aedan had been close with the late king of Sliabh, and he had known and respected him well. It was one of the reasons he'd been held in such high regard by many other nobles, and indeed why he had come as a protector to Lady Julianna. He was drawn from his thoughts however when he saw Julianna approaching, glancing over to Keir as she spoke towards her, before his gaze met Julianna's when she spoke towards him.

Aedan gave little more than a slight nod in respect, he was not one for smiling, as many of those he knew had come to understand, always keeping a serious or stern expression among those he still often considered his betters. "My apologies, my lady." he spoke gently in a response to her gentle teasing, unsure of whether or not it had in fact actually just been teasing, though he did give her a proper nod, along with a slight bow as she spoke quietly to him. "Of course, whenever it is convenient, Lady Julianna." He spoke respectfully, watching as she turned back toward Maddox, turning back over his shoulder to one of his guards, ensuring a proper burial for the announcer as he waited to follow along with Julianna and Maddox.

---

Keir was about to let her eyes and mind wander over the crowd as she settled in next to the taciturn Lord Merryn when the slight whisper of his voice drew her attentions to him. She did her best to retain a neutral expression at hearing his words but a slight smirk made its way to her lips. She kept her eyes on Lady Julia as she responded to Lord Aedan under her breath. "It's astounding he made it this far but the day is young yet." She couldn't truly think to herself that she said it in jest because with Black Jack anything seemed possible. Right at this moment, the thought of Abhainn becoming her new home didn't seem so bad when you compared King Maddox with King Jack; on the other hand, who knew what secrets King Maddox held of his own. Keir hoped to spend some of her time in the interim before the wedding seeking out some of the dark corners of the nobility here.

Keir straightened a bit when Lady Julia turned from her future husband to join her where she stood. Her cheeks flushed red and she cast her eyes down at hearing Lady Julia's remarks. "My Lady, it warms my heart that you would think of me on the eve of your betrothal but I don't know that I could even entertain the idea until I am secure of your happiness. And whatever my beauty may be, it does not compare to yours." She spoke in a quieter tone so that only Lady Julia and possibly Lord Merryn could hear the next words. "Look at your King already; he could not take his eyes from you." Keir met her Ladyship's smile with a mischievous smirk of her own and her eyes danced with the joy of it.

Lady Julia broke with her here to speak with Lord Merryn. Hearing her tease him, Keir glanced at this stoic face to see his reaction. She was glad that he was here to watch over Lady Julia; Keir didn't trust many in this new army of King Jack's but she knew that Aedan could be trusted with her Ladyship's life. He wore the proof of his loyalty to her and her belated family on his face and in his actions; she wore hers furtively in her heart. She twisted the ring around her left middle finger which had been gifted to her by her father on her sixteenth birthday. It was her most prized possession and she took it with her everywhere. She'd spent a lot of introspection becoming comfortable with the idea of traveling to and living in the country that she held responsible for her father's death; she had to reconcile that everyone made sacrifices during the war for this peace and that now was the time to heal the wounds. Surely there were people in Abhainn who were less than enthused about a Sliabhian Queen.

Her thoughts were drawn back to the present when she heard mention from Lady Julia's mouth of 'proper chambers'. How Keir longed for a proper bath and bed. She wondered what Lady Julia's and her room would look like and how hard it might be to find her way between the two. Most days she no longer got lost in the palace of Sliabh. It was going to be a whole new story here, but Keir was confident she could find help if she needed it. Besides, accidentally getting a little 'lost' when she had some time would be a good way to learn the layout and maybe she'd bump into a few interesting people with interesting bits of information while she wandered...

Within reason, of course. Keir wasn't out to make another spectacle by which the Abhainnian aristocracy would be judged. King Jack would stir things up enough for the whole lot of them, Keir was sure.

---

---

With wind blowing through his hairs, William sped through the forest to eventually reach the clearing. In the distance he already saw them. The carriages bringing his future queen. One forced upon him through some peace treaty. William had no quarrels with his father. But the peace was a foolish choice. Even with the best intentions, William could not understand why his old man chose that fate for his kingdom. The kingdom of Henry the Conqueror. So many generations ago a man built himself a kingdom and took half of Slibah. Now here they stood, trying to erase that conquest, as well as generations of Abhainn blood spilled on the battlefield with a thin wedding veil. If it was William’s choice, he’d reject the peace and the wedding. He’d rally the lords and knights once more and charge for his king. But it wasn’t William’s choice. It would never be his choice and he had resigned himself to that fate a long time ago.

Still, that didn’t mean he had to appear to be appeased by it. Quite the contrary, William chose to be rebellious. He left the castle a few days ago to go hunting. Giving the steward quite a headache. Or so he’d like. Of course, not showing up at all to great the many lords and ladies of Slibah would be an offense he could not make. Still, he made other choices. Like arriving drenched in sweat, smelling rather earthly for days in the woods. His hair was an absolute mess and to the side of his horse he strapped 3 dead rabbits. Small spots of blood visible on their fur. They’d make wonderful mittens for the winter. William arrived just after King Jack murdered his announcer. Still, he noticed the body being dragged away from the place, which earned a raised eye brow. It wasn’t someone from Abhainn. Or at least nobody he knew, so why care? As he looked back up towards the crowd, one of the stewards approached.

“My prince, you can’t!” He pleaded, almost desperate. “You must understand. There are other lords here. And ladies.” The way he said ladies disturbed William. “You must bathe. Or at least change your clothes. I insist.” The steward could insist all he wanted. Will didn’t care. In fact, he chose the outfit many days ago precisely because he know how his older half-brother went. Regal in deep red and royal gold. A true king greeting his queen. Will also knew how Julianna would look. Or at least, he took a guess. Long dress, a beautiful crown. Rings. Jewels. But on the opposite of all that, William would stand. Dressed in mud-brown with green. More like a huntsman than a prince. Even with the bow still strapped on his back. He had considered to offer her the slain rabbits as a gift. But he’d probably earn a scolding from his brother for that one and he could do with one now.

Still, not caring at all for the stewards pleads, William moved himself through the crowd. Until he spotted a rather surprising beauty: Lady Amaryllis. William barely recognized her. He was far too young when she left. Only after then did he start to hear the gossips about her. Right to the point where they absolutely ran wild. Was there truth to them? William couldn’t say. But as he strode straight towards her, he hoped some of it was. But then he saw Lady Alice, as well. Another admirer. Of course, the old flames came to see what replaced them. It was a bit of a crude thought, William knew. But why else would someone like Lady Alice stand here, outside? William knew of the lady’s hunger for power.

He approached both women from behind, looking over them to see his Queen in waiting: Julianna. Stunning, but Slibah. Which made his stomach clench. How could his brother even stand the sight of her? “Lady Amaryllis. What a pleasant surprise.” He came to stand next to her, not taking his gaze off Julianna. She was far too close to his brother. “What a beauty.” He said, though there was something off in his voice. A tone that sound a bit wrong. “How many days do you think it will hold?” That was straight out of line. And he knew it. But right now he was amongst, what he hoped he could consider, someone with an equal goal. He barely could stand the sight alone.

Few, it seemed, within the territories of Sliabh had a knack for wise decisions, least of all its supposed ruler or his waif of a sister who believed the best way to commute was by supplying every member of the procession with their own carriage. It seemed as if the concept of money, among other matters, was lost on the girl; what else was new, considering the complaints about the arrangement that had been uttered well before the journey. It had been a rather terrible idea, though not nearly as terrible in the eyes of the queen as the supposed princess deciding it would be better to ride alone. Not that Rhoslyn had any desire to accompany the naive girl, but there were few things as foolish as a member of any royal family being left to their own devices.

One need only look to Slibah's king for proof of that.

Rhoslyn had not known many true kings in her time and she still could not say she knew one despite her having both crown and title. The man, another term used loosely, that called himself both Slibah's king and her husband was not keen on being an example of a decent ruler, one who puts the needs of the people or the kingdom above all. No. When it came to the petulant child that called himself a king, the only thing that mattered was the king. Rhoslyn still remembered the night she spoke up. It was but a simple word but one 'his majesty' desperately needed to hear. The word was a simple 'No'. It had been worth the next day's discomfort just to see the look on his face. It hadn't been the last time Rhoslyn used the word, either.

Perhaps that was why Jack needed the bed of mistresses and maidens, because the word no never enters their mind. They see the king and it is not admiration that looks up at him, but fear of reprisal. That was no way to lead. The only way a leader like that lead a country was into ruin, be it slowly or all at once. It was a small wonder that this marriage treaty was even considered. A fool of a sister and a fool of a king. What did it say about Rhoslyn, then, that she was inbetween the both of them. Better the fool you know than the one you don't.

The royal carriage was mercifully silent for the duration of the journey. Rhoslyn was in no mood to offer small talk to Jack, as if he would even care or understand much of it anyway. He was rather boorish, though she did find herself offering advice that should have gone without saying. And yet, she felt that it had to be stressed. "Do try to make a good impression. If not for the sake of our kingdom then for the sake of your sister." Rhoslyn felt the need to stress the 'our' part of 'our kingdom'. She was not going to let Jack think for too long that Slibah was his and his alone.

Behind every great man, as a saying went. Though none would call Jack a great man. The jury was yet out on Rhoslyn, though considering she was by far the more reasonable one there was at least some manner of sanity within Silbah's royal family.

During the trip, there were many moments where Rhoslyn had a desire to make a stinging remark about the whereabouts of Jack on the morning of the departure, if only to remind him that just because he was the king did not make him above reproach or infallible, but there would be little sense in arguing over infidelity when she was certain there would be another chance to do so before long. There was little in the way of courtesies being expressed in the carriage, with Rhoslyn merely wishing for the trip to be over and wondering just how Jack would make a bad name not just for himself but for Slibah. Perhaps at the celebratory banquet he would sodomize a server for bringing him white wine instead of red. Surely not. That was probably too tame.

After they had arrived in Abhainn, Rhoslyn found herself sighing deeply in a mixture of disgust and disbelief within minutes, if not seconds, of their arrival. "If you only learn one thing, Antoine," Rhoslyn spoke to the young prince before they set out on the journey to the neighboring kingdom, "Make it to never follow the example of Jack." It had been meant as a lesson on how to hold proper court with a neighboring kingdom, warring or otherwise, but it now had the example of public murder.

Rhoslyn waited until the door was opened for her, understandably it took longer than usual due to the nature of the...incident (for it was no accident), but Rhoslyn gave the steward a smile all the same as he helped her out of the carriage. Normally there was some manner of fanfare for the arrival of royalty, but Rhoslyn didn't need a crowd gasping in awe, be it true admiration of her stature or otherwise.

"I should have taken my waiting lady up on her gambit. She assured me you would not embarrass yourself, Jack." Rhoslyn made her presence known amongst the gathered lords, ladies, and nobles as she made her way from the carriage towards Jack, Julianna, and King Maddox, her smile present but her eyes expressing her displeasure with the actions of Slibah's seated ruler. "I told her she was asking for the impossible. Do try and act like your title suggests, if not for your sake than for the sake of your sister. This is her moment, not yours, and such acts serve only to weaken when you mean to intimidate." Rhoslyn's words were meant for Jack but her voice carried enough so that those gathered would likely hear it.

"Your Highness," Rhoslyn greeted King Maddox with a low bow of her head. "I do apologize for my husband's vile actions upon your lovely kingdom. I hope it does not spoil the mood nor reflect on Slibah as a whole. While we are here I can assure you there will be no further incidents of the sort. I would just so hate for this marriage to be sullied. Save that for the consummation, yes?" Rhoslyn lightly laughed at her closing remark. Nothing like a little bit of color to brighten up the introductions.

"Here you are, dear." Rhoslyn turned now to Julianna and extended a small cloth with which she wiped off what she could of the blood on the girl's shoulder. "I daresay not even the poor man's blood could make you less beautiful. It's only natural, you have that pre-marital glow about you and that makes every girl as radiant as the sun." Rhoslyn smiled towards the soon-to-be-queen before pulling her hand back and passing the cloth to a passing attendant.

Though Rhoslyn was smiling, and it seemed genuine, it was yet difficult to determine how much of what she said was seeped in truth. After all, one didn't become known as a Black Rose for beauty alone...

---

---

Alice turned to Lady Amaryllis to give her a cold stare, though she wasn't looking in the direction of Alice. Regardless, she hoped that her eyes pierced through like daggers, into her admired beauty and poised presence to reach her cold heart that Alice pictured so carefully. Despite the long years that fell between the previous meeting of the two rivals that now appear to be rekindling the flame that was left barren, Alice was still familiar with some of the mannerisms that Amaryllis presented in this short meeting. Alice knew all-to-well of Lady Amaryllis' confident idiosyncrasy, resulting in the loud snicker Alice let out in response to her comment. She rubbed her fingers together harshly, callused from excessive swordplay, in an attempt to relieve herself of building anger instead of coming up with a witty comeback.

Alice snickered once more durring Amaryllis' next statement, replying just before she finished speaking,"Oh please." She followed with a chuckle,"You speak as if you still know the endeavors of this court, should I remind you of your long absence?" Alice began to raise her voice, paying no mind to the glance of the future Queen that could've observed the tension,"Do not talk unknowingly so soon after your arrival, you may just get yourself into a mess you're not prepared for. As a matter of fact --."

Alice was interrupted by the appearance of the Prince, taking a deep breath to extinguish the rising anger, feeling her racing heart settle down to it's normal rhythm. She felt as if this interruption happened for a reason to perhaps prevent Alice from continuing to speak brashly. Nevertheless, she was grateful that the occurrence halted. In the end, Amaryllis was right about Alice -- her feelings towards the King had not changed since the day she left, or even since the days of their friendship. Her affection towards the King still remained one-sided, having no changes in it's course in the time of Amaryllis' absence. The extent of their relationship was that of good friends. Furthermore, the compliment he gave to the Queen in waiting did bother Alice.

The scent of blood and sweat from a returning huntsman filled the air and Alice had no doubts that it was Prince William. Alice saw this as an opportunity to leave the conversation and dismiss herself from the arrival that turned into an unexpected predicament for her. Although, before leaving, her angry nature brought out another petty comment,"Your Highness," Alice paused to give him a brief bow,"I apologize, but I do have some matter to attend to before preparing for tonight's celebration. I do hope your hunt went well. Although I don't think it's over yet, it seems as though a filthy animal found it's way into the Kingdom. Perhaps you should slay it before things get out of hand," she eyed Amaryllis discreetly with that. "Your Highness," she bowed once more and smiled to him before turning to her re-established enemy with sneer,"Lady Amaryllis." Alice turned to return to her chambers.

However Amaryllis would reply, Alice would ignore it and proceed on, storming into her room as she began to pace back and forth. Alice looked over to Jetta, Alice's trusted maid, that seemed to still be making the bed and tidying up the room. "Jetta, did you send word to the practice grounds that I will be arriving?"

Jetta nodded, giving a confused look as she straightened out the thick blankets of the large bed,"I would think the arrival would last longer. You seem angered, did something happen?"

Alice stopped in her tracks to express dreadfully with a cold, angry tone in her voice,"She has returned." Jetta's confused expression lingered as Alice elaborated in a softer, devastating tone, as if she were speaking to herself to accept the realism of it all,"Lady Amaryllis has returned." Alice repeated it once more,"Lady Amaryllis has returned to this court."

A moment of silence wedged it's way into the conversation. Jetta was well aware of the drama and rivalry that Alice and Amaryllis had, as well as the friendship that they experienced, being a common listener to Alice's opinions of Amaryllis. Jetta also knew what to do and say to make Alice feel more at ease, though sometimes she needn't say anything since Alice becomes more gathered once she expresses her bottled up frustration. Jetta finally spoke up,"Well, is she here to stay? What did she say to you?"

"I don't know," Alice replied. "Everything happened so fast and I was too shocked to act reasonably. Jetta -- why am I like this? Why does she have such an impact on me?"

Alice generally doesn't act irrationally when in predicaments, Amaryllis being the only individual that could really set off Alice and cause her to become angered so quickly and easily. Alice proceeded to the vanity and sat comfortably for Jetta to promptly undo her pin and begin braiding her hair. Jetta quickly came up with a response to answer Alice's question in a way that would calm her,"Sometimes we cannot control the effects that others have on us. Lady Amaryllis maybe a foe of yours, but when we are faced with an enemy that knows us best, we become vulnerable -- groundless even. She knows how to get under your skin, but by showing that you'll only give her what she wants."

As Jetta finished up her hair, Alice proceeded to put on her gown she wore exclusively for her swordplay practice while agreeing to Jetta's advice,"Perhaps you're right." Jetta began to lace up the back of Alice's gown as Alice spoke genuinely,"Thank you, Jetta."

A heart-felt smile formed on Jetta's face as she answered,"Of course."

Alice left Jetta to finish cleaning her chambers as she sauntered her way to the practice grounds and made her way into a room that hosted the majority of her practices with various opponents that were assigned to her. Although, the majority of them go easy on her for the sake of the difference in status -- it would be unwise to slash whole-heartedly at a noble, despite Alice's desire for them to do so. The room had bare walls, with small windows to let in a gentle amount of sunlight and racks of equipment that are ready for use. A servant welcomed Alice in as he offered the sword that Alice was very familiar with. She took it softly and presented herself in front of an already bowing individual with recognizable, exquisite armor. As he lifted his head to reveal his identity to Alice, she was left with a smile of relief at the sight of a good friend. Wavy, brown hair, icy blue eyes, and a smile that was very contagious could not have belonged to any other individual other than Sir Chester, a renowned knight that often serves as the Kings guard from his excellent battle performance. Not only does he serve as a loyal knight, but he is also the trainer of Alice, though he is more lenient on her than the regular knights in training.

"Shall we?" Alice spoke, feeling no need for a proper introduction as she raised her blade to assume a fighting stance.

Location: Silbahn royal convoy → the Kingdom of Abhainn → Stables.
Interacting with: Rhoslyn {@Fabricant451} mentioned, Aedan {@Pundii} mentioned, Jack {@Bishop} mentioned, Julianna {@HushedWhispers} mentioned, Willian {@Legion02} mentioned.

The road from Mount Slibah to the capital of Abhainn certainly wasn't a kind one. The roads and trails were well kept, granted, but the journey was long and the demands of any such journey were nothing to sneeze at. Throughout the many days he spent atop his horse throughout the journey, Antoine had plenty of time to think: his mind often wandered back to the looming dread in the pit of his gut when the convoy crossed the Abhainn River, to the many extra near-empty carriages drawn by the many extra horses - each one needing to be fed and rested - at the request of his betrothed would-be aunt, but above all: the passing statement offered to him by his would-be mother.
"If you only learn one thing, Antoine, make it to never follow the example of Jack." He recalls that he was checking the inventory of a wagon at the time, imbuing the memory with the scent of salted meats. This wasn't an unusual lesson from his mother, who dealt with the actions her hedonistic husband perhaps more than Jack himself, but it seemed to ring in his head this time. He searched through his mind for some deeper meaning to it, why it would mean so much more this time, but he always came back to the same conclusion: they were venturing beyond the Abhainn River to their capital, so naturally, it was only a question of how badly Jack could ruin the diplomatic mission.

In the early morning before the last leg to the Abhainn capital, Antoine stowed his brigandine and gorget in favor of something more appropriate for a diplomatic mission. After wearing armor for so long, wearing silk and cotton made him feel a little vulnerable, although it's a small price to pay to avoid giving his future relatives the wrong idea. It was an optimistic thought, considering which King was also in the convoy... He watched as the first thing Jack did, before his arrival had even finished being announced, was beat a man towards death. His lips dipped into a tired scowl. When he watched Jack snap a flagpost from the wagon and bring it up to bear, he looked away; he'd seen the exact move before and had no intention to watch it again. In that moment, he almost wished a foreign knight would gallop in and take Jack's head from his shoulders, although unfortunately there was no such luck.

With the day moving on - even despite Jack's best efforts to sabotage the marriage he organised - Antoine glanced about the grounds. He spied the Black Rose picking up after her husband, Lord Aedan and the nobles about him, other ladies mingling and gossiping in the court, and even the Price of Abhainn walking with another lady. He let out a quiet 'hmph' as he glanced over the stubborn prince, although otherwise hid his disdain. He felt a little out of place in the foreign capital with very few people that he knew that weren't busy already. With a gentle whip of his reins and a gentle spurr from his boots, Antoine guided his horse towards the stable.

---

Antoine let out a quiet grunt as he hefted the saddle off his gelding. After confirming the stableboy was coming to continue tending to the horse, he started his own way back towards the wagons. Even in his nice clothes, his riding boots weren't nearly appropriate; after an update to his shoes, he'd be fit to join his parents. Unfortunately.

---

---

Lissa just stopped herself from breathing a deep sigh of relief as a familiar face appeared seemingly out of the blue. At first, she had no idea who this man was - blonde hair, sharp cheekbones, with hunting gear and the scent of the forest following him. It was only once she met his eyes that her brows lifted in an act of surprise. Prince William Pengrance had saved her from a painfully dull confrontation with Lady Alice and she was immeasurably grateful for that. She had said her piece to the girl and had no interest in continuing the conversation any further.

She paid no mind to the dirty looks she was recieving from the direction of Lady Alice as she openly stared at the man Prince William had become. He had been merely thirteen when she had left the kingdom of Abhainn to marry and, despite their age difference, the two had got along well. It was not his ascent into adulthood that had caused her to stare, however, it was the way he was looking at the future queen. It was almost as if he despised her. And his further comment even solidified this manner of distrust she couldn't help but share with him. It must be some sort of a trick, her mind whirled, a way for them to scope out whether she was a threat to Lady Julianna or not.

As her mind scrambled for a clever response, she was yet again saved from having to come up with something to say as Lady Alice excused herself. Of course, the girl couldn't help but make some comment at Amaryliss' expense, but Lissa did not give her the satisfaction of being embarrassed and merely raised a brow instead.

"It's a wonder that I have not been here in six years and some people still have not grown up." Her voice, addressed to no one in particular, followed Lady Alice as she retreated to God-knows-where. Taking another second to stare after her old friend, Amaryliss turned back to the Prince with a warm smile gracing her features.

"My apologies, your majesty. It is so wonderful to see you again." Her previously contempt tone had been switched for a more friendly, familiar one. Like William, she now kept her eyes focused on the Royals introducing themselves to each other, and would only every so often glance to the Prince by her side.

"How have you been? It's been an awfully long time, hasn't it?" She paused for a second, chewing her lip in a rare act of open vulnerability. The action was soon concealed, however, with a hand brushing a stray hair back to its place and a shift in expression. Nevertheless, she still paused slightly before adding; "And how is your brother? He makes a fine King if I have ever seen one."

Taking the time to allow the Prince to answer, Lissa's eyes darted between the two Kings in the courtyard. Both King Jack and Maddox were starkly different in almost every way, and soon the kingdom of Abhainn will too realise the extent of their contrast. While her time in Slibah had been pleasant enough bar the fact that her husband had been a drunken slob, there had always been a worrying feeling at the back of her mind stressing to her to watch out for the Black Jack. She trusted the fact that she was not alone in this feeling, however, yet no one would ever dare say it. It was the one thing Lissa pitied Julianna for - to have a brother like that would be exhausting, future queen or not, and she strongly believed that the trouble he would cause was far from over yet.

"Will you be attending the celebrations tonight, your grace?" Her next question was a daring one, to say the least, but it may just get her exactly what she wanted. "And I trust you will not be going alone - do you have someone to accompany you?"

Fully dragging her gaze away from the scene before them, she politely inclined her head towards the Prince before looking up at him with a small, shy smile. It was a surprise to see that he was now taller than her, after so many years of her towering over him.

"If not, I'd be honoured to accompany you, William. Not in a gesture of romance, of course, but perhaps for old time's sake? Of course, not only that, but you could reintroduce me to old friends, yes?" At that, she lowered her voice, glancing about them in a manner of conspiracy before speaking once more. "And, if you would like, I could act as an excuse for you to avoid our visitors just for tonight. We'll be too busy dancing under the stars, will we not?"

She ended the request with a lighter tone and a quiet chuckle, offering him the most delicate of winks before turning back to the King and future queen. It was a dangerous appeal, yet she hoped he would take her up on her offer - not only would it give her access to the court once more, but, on a more sentimental note, she could spend a night here as if she never left - as if nothing had ever went wrong.

---

Some years ago...

"Good catch as always Jack. I'm impressed, especially with that last shot."
"Practice makes perfect my dear friend. That's all there is to it.."-he sees some flashbacks of where he freed prisoners and told them to run only to use them as target practice with his bow. Prisoners and undesirable company..
A rider was quickly approaching from the distance. It turned out to be the messenger with urgent news for the king.
"My liege! I have ne-"
"Get it on with. It better be fucking good since it couldn't wait after my relaxation time."
"The Western Indian trading company claims to..*gulp*..have lo..lost ha..ha-"- as the messenger was speaking, Jack's patience was getting thin. A crack was heard, the breaking of the arrow in his hand as he succumbed to the anger.
"STOP FUCKING STUTTERING AND TELL ME!"- he yelled to the messenger's face while lifting him up by his chest piece.
_{"they have lost half of our slave shipment due this month and they want full payment for the original quantity.."}- the words came as whimpers and traveled faster than lightning. It took a few seconds for Jack to process it.
"ha..haha..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"- he started laughing as he let go of the messenger who was wise enough to take a few steps back, right next to his horse. The laughing continued for a good minute until he felt a hand land on his shoulder.
"Jack? Son, are you alright?"- the fatherly figure asked him. He was more of a father than his real father ever was. For starters he didn't lock him up in an isolated cell to boil his mind over the years and didn't beat him to let off steam. This man was the closest thing Jack had to a family and although he didn't feel love for him he felt respect and admiration. He remembered these things halfway through cutting into the man's torso with the head of the broken arrow. At some point that part of the arrow had broken again, becoming unusable and he had switched to using his hands to carve him up further. After his haze of anger washed off and he got his reasoning back he stopped. There was silence for a couple of minutes as he didn't move..

Then he got up and looked once more down upon the man's corpse and said:"For all it's worth I cared about you."
Looking to the messenger who was currently frozen in place, mouth agape and eyes wide he commanded:"Come here."
The boy's steps were automatic, like a robot's. His brain had stopped reasoning out of fear, going past the body's fear-dealing mechanisms and simply froze.
He took the cloth of the boy and started to wipe his hands. A few seconds later he started talking, slowly and clearly.
"Get a pen and paper and write after me."- he said while looking off in the distance.
The boy took a few second to process the request.
"Per..pepper..pan...pen and paper, pen and paper, pen and paper.."-he went on and on repeating these 2 words in his mind as he rushed to his horse and furiously searched for a pen and paper. Finding it, he turned to the king who started dictating the letter. It was sent to one of the overseas kingdoms that he had a trading relationship with. He made them an..offer in exchange that they apply pressure to the West Indian trading company as that kingdom owned one of the companies main trading routes. He would get his damn shipment and he would get the head of the one who wrote that letter..or dictated it.
"Send this message at once."
"At once."- the boy said as he practically jumped to the horse like it was a life saver and galloped away full speed.
He turned once again to the body and said, more to himself than it:"The least you deserve is a proper burial."- his fists clenched as they drew blood.

That same day back at the castle...

He arrived at the castle, the leash of another horse in his hand, a body atop it. They saw the king bloody and the guards asked alarmed:"My king! Are you alright?! What happened?!"- they said as they motioned for someone to get the medic.
"A wild beast took us by surprise. It was too late, I couldn't stop it."
"It's good to see you unharmed."
"I am, am I not? Always unharmed.."

He spent the full day locked inside, a bottle in hand as he drank the time and regrets away. He started thinking of the other things he had done but it was futile, he just didn't care. That person who he just killed in his rage was probably the only one he cared about. Even if he wasn't like other people he still cared, in his own way. That day some could say, those who lived longest with him, that it was the most peaceful day in the presence of the king. He didn't respond to anyone, he didn't beat his wife as per tradition. He didn't even listen to what she had to say, all her snarky comments and whatnot. Just stood to himself.

The coming light he got out for the burial ceremony. All the nobles were invited and he could hear the gossips all the way from their homes.


The messenger didn't dare even to think about it, let alone tell anyone. The secret was safe from all but him. He didn't say a single word during the ceremony. He hadn't slept all night, his third bottle, almost finished, gripped tightly in his right hand.
That's the thing about Jack. He doesn't do things because he wants to intimidate people. He doesn't do them because he wants to be respected or feared or even adored. He simply does them. When he is in a temper his actions are beyond his control. And that's precisely the reason everyone who has known him for a while to see who he truly is, is afraid of him. They know that if they don't say the right things at the right time they might just be next. That stands for all but his dear lovely queen. He started to get bored with how good everyone had gotten to please him. It had gotten so good it was pissing him off! And so he took the girl for his queen to make things more interesting. He enjoyed breaking her, shaping her to his liking. Even her criticizing him was done to please him. Everyone was there for his benefit in his eyes.

Back to the wedding

He let his arm fall off his sister's shoulder only to turn and look at her with a warm smile before turning again to the king when his dear wife arrived to the gathering.
"I should have taken my waiting lady up on her gambit. She assured me you would not embarrass yourself, Jack." Rhoslyn made her presence known amongst the gathered lords, ladies, and nobles as she made her way from the carriage towards Jack, Julianna, and King Maddox, her smile present but her eyes expressing her displeasure with the actions of Slibah's seated ruler. "I told her she was asking for the impossible. Do try and act like your title suggests, if not for your sake than for the sake of your sister. This is her mo-"

This had gone on long enough.
"There always seems to be someone intent on embarrassing me. That is not a gambit, that is a fact."-he interrupted her speech while looking his wife in the eyes. His smile was warm, fooling the untrained eye but his eyes were always cold. Death could be seen radiating from them, the death of all the souls that suffered by this monster's hands. He then turned to the king and continued:"But you are right my queen. It is below my title to sully my hands whilst performing such acts. Next time I'll order one of my guards."-he turned to his wife as he said the last bit. The queen then continued to apologize on his behalf and carried on to join his sister, the future queen of Abhain.

"Now, king Maddox. As I was about to say before this accident, I have brought gifts!"- and he snapped his fingers as he said the last word. The other servants were all but eager to serve the king best they could lest they end up like their friend, drained of red.
Rows upon rows of chests arrived and stood one by one before the other king. They would wait for his approval to proceed and enter in the castle. He motioned for the servants to open some of the front row chests. Exotic clothing of the finest material from overseas, valuable objects, tapestry, weapons, he had gathered some of everything. All he waited now was for the king's response.

---

---

“I apologize for Lady Alice’s… remark.” William said as he watched her storm off. He didn’t like her. Not as he liked Amaryllis. And he did not like his hunt being used to insult his own acquaintances. As well as being required to apologize for someone else’s rudeness. Though then again, he had no intention of greeting Julianna with much honor either. It made him a bit of a hypocrite maybe but he took that as his right. Besides, he was smarter to outright insult the next queen. “It would seem that she, indeed, needs to grow up a little more I suppose.” Which was rather ironic coming from William.

He then turned to Amaryllis after she asked how he and his brother was. “I’m great, actually. Thank you.” He said with a sincere smile. He truly had not expected Lady Amaryllis to return. At least he did not expect her to return so early. Still, he was happy with her arrival. “And yes, it has been an awfully long time. I’m sorry I could not come to visit.” The reason though, was obvious and left unsaid. “As for my brother.” He turned his gaze towards Maddox and Julianna. The image still made him rather sick. “He’s good… great even. Until now I’m afraid. It seems like some odd sickness took over. I prefer to think it is duty. As the peace was the desire of our father. But for it to be anything else…” he hated that thought. The idea that Maddox would love Julianna. They had never met. If anything, it could be a plot of the mad king Jack. William was a prince but not fit to be king. If Maddox fell, Abhainn would suffer greatly.

“Celebrations?” he was not prepared. Not at all. He knew it would be held soon after the arrival. But the very same day? He must have missed the information when he went hunting. The event completely blindsided him. But he let Lady Amaryllis speak. For it appeared she had a certain desire. A silent request. Obviously, as she only recently arrived as well it would appear that she didn’t have anyone for the celebration. “No, no gesture of romance.” William agreed quite happily. But taking Amaryllis would get the stewards off his back at least. And furthermore, it was clear what Lady Amaryllis wanted. “Ah yes. I do feel that my brother should meet you again. He will be ever so delighted. You carry so many old memories of my brother. How could he ignore you?” William returned with a smile. Only to swallow rather harshly when Amaryllis mentioned dancing. He danced in the arenas. That much was true. His footwork was rather good. But in a marble-clad ballroom he’d be lost. “Yes… dancing. I suppose so.” He had to take his mind off of things.

Then the ideas started to form. One night with Amaryllis, and surely his brother would start doubting the marriage. If it was love, of course. If it was duty… He’d have to find another way to remove the Slibah nobles from their position. Either way, having Amaryllis around would be a great boon to any of his endeavors. So, hoping he read her right, he asked her: “I must ask you though. Lady Amaryllis, would you remain a few days with us as our guest? You must be exhausted after your long trip. And furthermore, I am sure there are dozens of people you would want to reconnect with.” With that, he’d be able to keep Amaryllis around and give everyone an excuse for it.