Vyarin nodded, looking away at the baroque-esque decorations lining the walls. If she could speak Prozdy, then how many others here? This sort of information was not the sort of thing he'd like to have getting out.

"He was the better man," Vyarin said, through gritted teeth. It was the truth, after all.

It was the second thing she said, however, that really shook him. He almost swung around, his massive frame almost jostling a nearby couple, to face Annalise. Slowly, he pointed to his own eye, the one on the left. The broken one, the useless one. Then, his right eye flicking about a bit, he pointed to hers, on her right and his left.

"I am sorry," Vyarin said, slowly. The only thing he knew to say at the moment. Secretly, he was almost glad, as sadistic as that seems. The two of them were not dissimilar, not in that way. "Sometimes it is difficult to walk for you as well? To break things you did not see and strike walls and doors with your head?" He spoke softly, nearing a whisper, not daring to raise his voice and make this private moment known to the entire hall. In his own mind, he can imagine his own left eye, unbroken and uncovered, but blind nonetheless, staring into hers, that connection never being made. Maybe it was wrong of him to talk about it so. "It is unpleasant. I don't want for our mutual annoyances to interfere with our good conversation." He thought about what he could say. Anything, anything else at all. " . . . Perhaps you have visited my homeland once, as I am visiting yours? If you ever return there, I must ask you to see the Zhonov-Kremazov Music Hall, built in honour of my father by the noble Prince Ulyin of the clan Zhonov. I have seen many beautiful buildings, and that one is highest among them, on the inside and the outside. Excepting of course your home . . ." He added the last sentence upon remembering himself. It would be an insult to her clan were he to so emphatically declare anything of theirs so superior to anything of hers. "Perhaps, in good luck, I will host you there."

IRONWOLF

Ironwolf was too busy running for his life to notice the drop off.
Both he and the girl tumbled down the gully wash, banged up and bruised.
The viking crawled over to the girl, "You better not be dead."
Seeing her squirm around on the ground, brought reassurance to him.
He stood up slowly, getting hus bearings straight, before picking the girl up and over his sore shoulder.
"You better be worth a lot, for all this trouble I'm going thru."
Ironwolf picked up his pace, as he ran down the ankle deep creek.
Once they we're far enough away, he stopped to rest a bit.
He leaned Marrabella up against a boulder, and removed her gag to offer her some water from his waterskin(canteen).
"Once we get back to the camp, we'll steal a couple of horses, make traveling easier for you princess. " smiled Ironwolf.

"go find her!"
The king gave the orders. He had soon gotten word one of his daughters was nowhere to be found. The look on his face said it all about what he was feeling at that moment.

A few guards(npcs) all nodded and hurried off. They searched for her and would soon leave the grounds during that time. One thought he spotted something strange and sent another to report back, while the rest of them went after it.

@Vampiretwilight

PEREN

The forest elf walked pass the royal guests of the party and bowed before the king.
"Your men are too slow, why send them, when you know i can bring her back."
The young elf looked up at those weary eyes that spoke deeper to him than any words.
"I will not fail you." said the elf as he rose to his feet, and left the same way he came in.
Once outside, a stable boy brought him his faithful stallion.
The elf hopped on him bareback and galloped away into the night, in search of Marabella and the man who took her.
Peren reined in on the stallion, throwing his leg over and hopping down.
He grabbed his spear, and then whispered in the horse's ear.
The stallion reared back, then galloped away, leaving the elf on foot.
He knealt down, and examined the fresh patch of mud that had been kicked up by the toe of a boot.
"Sloppy, must be a human." smiled the elf.

All the king could do was wait. He tried not to panic in front of the other guests. But, he was worried about his daughter. He almost started pacing and soon did.

The guards still searched, despite the elf heading out. Some who remained by the kings side frowned with worry.

Annalise couldn’t help but giggle a little as the prince spoke. He seemed so excited to have some sort of common ground despite it being the shared lack of sight. “I apologize, I do not mean to laugh. But to answer your questions, yes, when it comes to my siblings I am the clumsy one. Always running into other people, or walls, admittedly it’s mostly people I run into. I misjudge the distance between myself and others far too often. You don’t have to whisper about it. My lack of sight is common knowledge amongst the nobles and commoners alike.” She wasn’t ashamed of her disability, often making jokes at her own expense to lighten moods at meetings or parties.

When he mentioned her visiting his homeland she shook her head. “I have never traveled outside the kingdom, our tutors for this event were brought in from other areas. I think Father is always worried about something happening to us. It is rare for myself in particular to leave the capitol.” She seemed a little sad about this. She wanted to learn about the other kingdoms but her only way of doing so was through books and tutors. “I would love to visit your music hall if given the opportunity. It sounds lovely.” She gave him a gentle smile but noticed something going on with her father.

She watched him, his mouth in particular, from a distance. Almost copying his lip movements. “Go find her?” She questioned aloud in her own language. “Go find who?” She looked around spotting Jinayah near the Half-Orc Prince but she couldn’t find Marabella. Her facial expressions went from gentle happiness to one of slight confusion, and maybe even some concern. It wasn’t uncommon for her younger sisters to go missing during events such as this, she had hoped that they would have at least stuck around longer than a few minutes. Her attention went back onto the Prince in front of her attempting to start up the conversation again, knowing if there was a problem her father would likely order her and her sisters to their room.

“Do you have siblings Prince Vyarin?” She asked him once again speaking in his language. Her attention was mostly on him but it shifted over to her father every now and then. Looking for visible signs of distress. She liked to think she was decently good at reading people. Her family especially.

Bella gasped when they hit the drop off. There wasn’t much she could do as she tumbled down the gully wash, except release muffled sounds of pain as she bounced off of things. Once hitting the bottom, she curled in on herself with a moan of pain. She had little time to collect herself before he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder again. She hissed in pain at the action. She hurt all over from the tumble. At his words, she gave what sounded like a growl. As he ran through the creek with her, she held back most of her cries of pain.

Only small whimpers could be heard. It relieved Bella when they finally stopped for him to rest. She hissed in pain as he removed her from his shoulder and leaned against the boulder. After he removed the gag, she turned her head away from the waterskin and slowly slid down the boulder to sit down. She brought her bound hands up and rubbed her face where the gag had been. She kept quiet, but did glare at him as she continued to rub her face. As she rubbed her face, she realized her hands were feeling a little numb. She brought them from her face and carefully flexed her fingers, so as to not cause more pain in her wrists than she already had from being bound.

@Wolvena

IRONWOLF

"You should drink princess, I don't want you dying on me, people don't pay good money for corpses."
Ironwolf grabbed her by the chin, and forced her to drink some of the water, most of it poured down her body.
"If you wouldn't be so stubborn, things would be more pleasant for us."
He took a swig of the water and joshed it around inside his mouth, before spitting on the ground beside them.
"But no, i kidnap the spoiled rotten little bitch instead."
He started to put the gag back around her mouth, but decided instead to steal a kiss.
Ironwolf pressed his lips hard aginst hers, before drawing back and laughing.
"Yep, i taste that fire in you, burning deep inside."
A lone wolf howls back the direction y'all came from, Marabella instantly knows the tone of that howl, she had heard it before when she was younger.
A young elf friend named Peren, use to howl like that.
"Wolves, never good sign, come on, we are leaving." Ironwolf said as he gagged her.
He pulled his axe free and cut the binds around her ankle,"Your weight is killing my shoulder, keep up or I'll drag you." he said as he pulled her along.

"Siblings . . ." Vyarin muttered. He picked up on Annalise's unsettled air. When he could see she wasn't looking at him, his eyes began to wander about the room as well, settling on faces. Something was off. The king was pacing back and forth in a corner of the hall, urgency in every step. It seemed the two were playing some sort of game, Vyarin and Annalise, pretending to look at each other while glancing as much as possible at the king and his retinue. ". . . No siblings. I am the only son of my father. I have many cousins. The clan Kremazov is among the largest east of the Zpina and north of the Rezevy." He didn't even catch her reaction.

A hand clapping his shoulder caused Vyarin to whirl about, his nerves shot to the core. A sharp whisper in his ear stopped him dead.

"Just us, don't appear too alarmed," whispered Tellos. "Finish your conversation. Our safety here can no longer be a guarantee." Vyarin looked sheepishly at his cousin, and then back at Annalise.

"Erm . . . I introduce Tellos of the clan Kremazov, my most trusted advisor second to my father," said Vyarin to the princess, gesturing awkwardly. He noticed Brudzkon standing not too far away, smiling and chatting with other guests as usual, but his hand would occasionally wander to the hilt of his shashka.

"A pleasure to be of acquainted," Tellos said, bowing and speaking in the Apura tongue. His accent shone through quite clearly. "You and . . . cousin . . . are met? Beginning of good friendship, yes?"

@LostDestiny@Vampiretwilight

Jinayah smiled, and it was different than the polite noble grin that she’d been wearing for the whole party. “Yes, as if the marriage was not connection enough. Fathers… aren’t they interesting folk?” She chuckled, her laugh soft and husky.

“I just remembered something.” She had read dossiers put together about the visiting princes. “You’re the youngest of three. Just like me!” There was a mischievous glint of excitement in her eyes. “Isn’t it wonderful? The oldest has the responsibilities of an heir, the second is well trained just in case the first does not work out. But us? Extra and free.”

That smile remained, but it faded somewhat. “At least we were.” The glitter in her eyes died out.

Then it became even more dark as Father called for Mirabella. She took a look around the party the best she could, but didn’t see her. That was strange, and a twist of worry hit her stomach. When Bella was not found within a few minutes, she felt anxiety creep down her spine. That just got worse when she saw guards leaving.

“If you’ll excuse me.”

She rushed to her father’s side. “Father, send me out with the guards. You know I can hunt and track with the best. This is exactly the type of thing you need me for. Please.”

@Mistress Dizzy
The king turned towards her.
"I can not allow that. What if something were to happen to you as well?"
He frowned sadly. He would have to be truly convinced.
"I would not be able to bear it if that happened as well. I truly care about all of you. You are my daughters, my only children."

Prince Alexander blinked. He glanced in their direction.
".................."

@Heavy Metal


Bella tried to fight him as he grabbed her chin and forced her to drink some water, but she couldn’t being tied up. She turned her hand once he had pulled back from her, she didn’t even look at him when he spoke about her stubbornness. She was going to snap back at his comment of being spoiled, but his sudden kiss interrupted her. She gave a squeal of disapproval and attempted to bite him, but he pulled back too soon. “How dare you!” she yelled at him. Bella looked toward the direction the howl came from. She held back the smile that threatened to show itself. That was no wolf. She knew that howl belonged to Peren. Once her ankles were free of the bindings she went along, not feeling she really had a choice.

@Wolvena

PEREN

Didn't take long to find their tracks, the man moved like a big fat cow, he didn't even try to hide or cover the tracks.
Peren knew he was dealing with some barbarian mercenary, and better yet..he knew where they were going.
The elf changed course, quickly heading to where he believed they were going.

IRONWOLF

Ironwolf hastly ran, pulling the girl behind him, and if she slowed or stopped, he would drag her along, until she kept up again.
Around late early morning, they came across the camp of the enemy of her father.
This time the viking untied her wrists for a brief moment, allowing her to let the blood circulate and flow, before tieing them back again, but t is time around a tree.
"If you try to escape, all bets are off, and I will kill you, but not before i have my way with you, understand?"
Ironwolf snuck away, and several minutes pass by, before he returns with one horse.
Untying Marrabella from the tree, he loosely bounded her wrists again, so that they wouldn't cut off the circulation again.
He helped her up onto the horse, and then climbed up into the saddle behind her.
Spurring the horse, they rode off, their next destiny, the ship he came in on.

After a few minutes of casually watching the buzz around her father Annalise could tell something was off, though she couldn’t tell what specifically. Whatever it was her father was keeping it under wraps for now so she did her best to remain calm. Deciding if the situation called for it her father would have already ordered the guard to escort herself, her sister, and the suitor to either the safe room or their own rooms. She would focus on relaxing until the time came. There was nothing she could do to help anyway. The frail eldest daughter of the king did not have the skills or durability her sisters had. Her strong suit was politics and entertaining guests, not tracking or animal care like her siblings.

Annalise had been so deep in thought she had almost missed the Prince’s response to her question. She hummed when he said he had no siblings, but many cousins. “So you are the sole heir to your county's throne then.” This wasn’t a question more of a general musing out loud.

Her attention went back to the Prince in front of her when he introduced another male who she hadn’t noticed walk up. It seemed she had been too focused on other things. “The pleasure is all mine.” Annalise returned the bow with a curtsy. “Prince Vyarin is enjoyable company. It would seem we have some rather interesting things in common. I am looking forward to getting to know him better.” While her answer was mostly formal it was the truth. She did enjoy talking to the Prince, but she had carefully avoided the subject of friendship. Who she married was up to the suitor. It was their choice, and she had not yet spoken to the other Princes, though both seemed more interested in her sisters than her. So she did her best to not give hope to any of the Lords, Ladies, and other distinguished who she now noticed had been very obviously eavesdropping on their conversation.






Gil nodded along as the Princes spoke. Happy that she understood his situation being in a similar one as well. He was about to reply when the King called for one of his daughters and the one he was speaking to excused herself. He watched them from a distance trying not to make it look like he was paying attention. However both him and Aldar had slightly better hearing than that of an average human and could make out slightly what was happening.

“Aldar, if need be, please offer your axe to assist the King in finding his daughter. Do not make a move unless I say so; however, we do not want to draw attention to the situation if we do not need to. Just wait and see how this plays out.” The older Orc nodded and took his spot beside Gil, both casually listening to the situation as it played out from a distance.

"Is that an answer?" Tellos asked. "That does not sound like an-"

"I think!" Vyarin half-shouted, throwing an arm in front of the squatter Tellos' face, before he could finish. "I think that the best thing is for you to gather the rest of the honour guard. I will be safe here, in front of hundreds of pairs of eyes." Tellos' face soured. He looked back to Brudzkon, who caught it and returned his own.

"Now, where was I? Oh yes, as I was saying . . ." Brudzkon started again with the other courtiers, seamlessly transitioning back to the conversation. Unlike his two masters, Brudzkon spoke the Apura language flawlessly, as if having been born within the palace itself. He was a slight man, of middling height, his hair less blond than those of his people and tending closer to brown. To any but the most trained of spies, he could originate from anywhere at all.

"Indeed, cousin. I have Brudzkon to watch me, if nobody else. If you take this time now to mobilize the guard, on the king's orders, we shouldn't fear any crisis at all," Vyarin said, grinning wanly. Tellos finally stormed off, as much as he can through the crowd and the watchful gazes, muttering something in his own native Ezadion, a farther march-land of the League with a language quite unlike Prozdy. Vyarin himself spoke nothing of it. With Tellos gone, Vyarin turned his attention back to Annalise. "He is an administrator and a war-leader. One of the most meritous in our history, it is said." His expression is sheepish. Perhaps it was time to broach this serious topic, and cut this charade the two shared. ". . . You don't suppose something is . . . gone wrong? Over there, regarding your father." Vyarin did everything he could not to point.

She frowned a bit, noticing the other male was not happy with her answer. But Vyarin stopped him from continuing and sent him on his way. She went back to her usual smile when Vyarin’s attention went back to her. She had gone back to watching her father so she hadn’t paid much attention to the conversation that was happening beside her.

Annalise nodded when the Prince explained to her Tellos’s position. She had half missed that also, but her attention went fully to the Prince when he asked if something was wrong. She hadn’t realized she had drawn his attention to the situation. She didn’t want to start a panic so she motioned for the Prince to bend over so she could explain without the nobles around listening in.

When he got close enough that she could whisper to him she spoke. “I apologize, the nobles here are very excited about the events to come and so have been watching us rather closely. I do not want to cause alarm so I figured this was the best way.” She glanced around to make sure nobody tried to lean in and listen more closely. She didn’t want to lie to him so she simply told him what she knew.

“One of my sisters is missing. I watched my father call for her and there was no response. It is not uncommon for my sisters to leave early from these events, however I am worried this time it may be something more. After his initial order to go find her I haven’t been able to read his lips. He has carefully positioned himself so I cannot see his face when he speaks. If there is danger my father will likely quietly have the guards escort myself and my other sister either to our rooms or the safe room as well as all the suitors depending on the danger level. For now we wait and keep up appearances. Do not give the nosey nobles something to worry about.” She pulled away to gauge his reaction. She knew he wouldn’t freak out, he didn’t seem the type, but she hoped he was at least decent at hiding his concerns.

IRONWOLF

Vs.

PEREN

Ironwolf could smell smoke as their mount got closer to the beach, where his ship docked.
He now saw black smoke coming from the beach as well.
"Damnit to Hades, Odin let it not be the Sea Hag." Ironwolf cried to the heavens.
Unfortunately, the gods did not show favor upon the young viking, as he and Marabella witnessed the burning of his ship.
Standing on the beach was a short individual with long flowing golden hair, holding a spear.
Ironwolf shoved Marabella from the horse to the sand below, and drew his axe.
He did not care if the man was onlooker or the one who started the fire, either or, the man did nothing to put the fire out.
Ironwolf shouted his war cry and charged the man.
The elf waited until he felt the breath of the horse's snout upon his back, then spun around quickly, falling to one knee as he raised his spear.
The end of the spear penetrated the horse's torso, tripping it up, and throwing it's rider.
Ironwolf landed face first into the sand, as his horse laid on it's side, panting heavy as blood flowed from a critical wound.
Peren stood to his feet, walking calmly over to the horse, speaking an unknown tongue to Ironwolf's ears.
Then the elf ended the horse's misery and pain.
Ironwolf pulled himself to his feet, wiping the sand from his face.
"So you can kill horses pointy ears, let's see what you can do to a man."

Vyarin nodded slowly, trying to watch the surrounding courtiers without staring directly at them. Nosy nobles, so they were indeed. Many weren't even hiding it very well, stealing long glances at the two of them while their conversation partners spoke with exaggerated motion to keep up appearances, or lowering their voices to hushed whispers when they could see either of them talk. He was being stared at, listened to, every word was compromised here in this crowd. Annalise had the right idea, whispering into his ear.

"I see," he said, finally, when he felt decently certain that nobody was watching. "A shame that issues would form in that way." Was that wording vague enough to be dismissed? Did he come across as too cold to Annalise? He was too fixated on the nobles. "I am not so worried. My cousin Tellos brought with us a number of loyal men. If such a need arises for them, they will serve you- err, your father." He kept his voice low, mimicking her, though perhaps he needn't bother. What were the odds of anyone in that crowd being fluent in Prozdy?

@Heavy Metal


Bella said not a word as he tied her to the tree. She didn’t even look at him as he made his threat to her. When he snuck off to find a horse, she rested her head against the tree, hoping that Peren would find them before they reached wherever she was being taken. She heard Ironwolf before she saw him when he returned with a horse. She sighed heavily before he came over and untied her from the tree, then pushed her up on the horse. She tried to get comfortable, but it wasn’t easy or possible. She tried to focus on anything but Ironwolf as they rode on. Then she smelt the smoke before she saw it.

She couldn’t help but smirk as she realized it was his ship on fire. Bella’s eyes traveled to the beach, and she saw him, her smirk turning into a small smile. “Peren.” she whispered, before being shoved from the horse's back. She hit the ground with a groan of pain, then pushed herself into a sitting position, wiping the sand from her face. The fall had also revealed her hidden wolf ears, which she wasn’t aware of. She felt rooted to the spot as she watched the fight going on between Peren and Ironwolf. “Come on, Peren. End this quickly.” she whispered softly to herself.

IRONWOLFvs.PEREN
@Wolvena
The two men circled each other, Peren kept Ironwolf at bay with the end of his spear, taunting him in his face.
Ironwolf knocked it to the side with his shield as he swung his axe at Peren's mid-section.
The elf hopped backwards, and lunged with the spear, as Ironwolf deflected it with his shield.
Ironwolf planted the toe of his boot under the sand, and kicked it upwards.
A spray of sand washed across Peren's face, blinding him momentarily as Ironwolf dug his axe into the elf's shoulder!
Peren grimaced from the pain, and cried out, stumbling backwards from the fight.
"Not so tough are ya little man." smirked Ironwolf.
Peren couldn't use his left arm to help hold the spear, he had one chance, and he had no choice but to try it.
Ironwolf moved in for the kill shot, as Peren fey stepped to the side, and vanished from the viking's sight.
Bewildered and puzzled at what he just saw with his own eyes, Ironwolf spun arounc, but not quickly enough to block the tip of the spear as it penetrated his left eye.
Immediately Ironwolf howled in pain, as he fell to his knees.
This gave Peren the opportunity to grab Marabella, and help her escape into the forest.
Ironwolf slowly stood and stumbled his way to the water, falling to his knees again.
His hand reached out towards his burning ship, then the young viking passed out, face first.
Blood running from his eye, pooling in the sand, slowly streaming it's way into the water's edge.