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Farim & Riona Part 2




Flashback: Afternoon, After The Royal Curd’s Grand Opening


He took a moment, scanning the area as if to look for something in particular. ”If things do not work out I will make sure you will know so you can tell me that you told me so.” The Shehzade chuckled.

She wondered why he felt the need to tell her that. “Have I given the impression I desire your failure, Shehzade?” Riona followed his gaze skyward.

”Not particularly. I was just making a joke as they say. You bring tides of warning, and it is appreciated. It is a wonder that you even warn me at all - I have not done much to curry any form of favor yet here you are.” He keeps looking at Thara as she circles around overhead. ”We all are flawed in our own ways. Even if her outlook is not quite what most would want it to be - she is her own woman. If we are not meant to be, then it will become plain in time. I wish to see where things go and how she fares. There is more to that woman than some may believe.” Farim’s eyes looked down at her, his brows raised as if to silently appraise the woman he was speaking to - or even hint that she too was more than meets the eye. But he had no way of knowing such things, and thus merely smiled as he continued. ”But perhaps I am just being an optimist. I hear it is one of the few traits I get from my mother.” A brief sadness crossed his eyes as he thoughtlessly brought her up, but he moved on quickly.

The subtle quaver in his voice drew Riona’s gaze just in time to catch the flicker of sorrow in his eyes being tucked away deep inside. “Your mother sounds quite like my cousin,” Riona said. “He always sought out the best in others, regardless of how much of a طيز they were.” With deliberate timing, Riona placed her hand over her mouth and coughed into it, as if it was not too late to mask the crude word she used.

“And he was endlessly forgiving, no matter how poorly he was treated. I loved him very much, but that part of him also frustrated me to no end.” Riona shadowboxed using only her shoulders. After a few “punches,” she turned to Farim and gently ventured a question. “What other traits have you inherited from your mother?”

He couldn’t help but laugh at the use of foul language. Farim held back his snickering as best he could and looked at her to answer her question. ”To be frank. I do not know. I was removed from my mother once I was able to walk. But I was…reminded how much I seemed to inherit her charm and good will. Oh and her hair - something about the way it curls or some such.” Farim explained this while returning to a slightly more contemplative look. His thoughts wandered to what he saw back at the ritual the other night. Was it real? A premonition? Or all just one bad drug trip? Despite his thinking he played it off with a shrug. It would do him no good to think on such things now, but he decided it was time to get some answers soon - perhaps tonight even.

“Removed? Why?” The question came out before Riona could catch it. She winced inwardly, realizing too late that she’d stumbled into potentially sensitive waters. “I beg for your forgiveness, Your Highness. It is not my place to pry into personal matters.”

Farim crossed his arms and furrowed his brows as they walked, the man's finger tapped on his elbow as if to contemplate something. His tone however, was still pleasant as he spoke. ”Apology accepted. I take no offense, it is only natural for one to be curious or worried over something like this. But to answer your question….” His eyes darted around, as if to look for someone who may be watching. Farim leaned into her ear and a venomous whisper dripped from his lips, as if the malice contained in his words threatened to physically manifest. ”Because Hafiz is a cruel man who wishes nothing more than the worst for the son who refuses to be his trained puppet.” For the moment, his eyes portrayed that same malcontent his words carried.

Once Farim finished, however, he switched back to his more personable demeanor. The Shehzade straightened his posture and looked at Riona. ”To further explain, I believe it was to exert a form of control over me. Or to simply traumatize me. I was never told the reason behind her ‘departure’. When I managed to see through that lie, all I was told was she was taken for my own good. One lie replaced with a load of crap.”

The maid’s eyes widened fractionally before she schooled her expression. Life in Alidasht was known for its harsh strictness, but this… And for the Grand Vizier’s son to refer him by his given name spoke volumes. “That’s terrible,” Riona said frankly and without hesitation. “What kind of person would do that to prove some twisted point? That’s just—” Realizing she was getting herself worked up, she cut herself off. Stopped walking. Closed her eyes and exhaled sharply through her nose.

After a thoughtful pause, she asked softly, “Did you ever discover what became of your mother?” The unspoken questions hung in the air between them: Was the woman even still alive? And if she was, was there any hope of finding her?

Farim could only offer a slight shrug in response - his eyes beginning to glaze over with that of a forced indifference. If he thought too much on it, his emotional self would likely bubble forth. ”I have my theories. She is likely being held in some safehouse - or prison - and unless I … persuade him then I do not think I would learn much about her whereabouts.” The man huffed as he added another clause. ”If she is still alive that is.” Farim turned to face her, gauging her reaction and whether or not she wanted to dig further down this rabbit hole.

Riona’s face lit up, and she felt a spark of excitement. “Then there is still a chance! You—” The words died on her lips as she noticed a familiar look in the eyes of this man she barely knew.

Her mouth worked soundlessly for a moment before she finally found her voice again. “I… have another cousin, younger than the one I mentioned before. You remind me of him.” Though they looked nothing alike. If the Shehzade was the sun, then her cousin was the moon dancing with the stars. “He had a terrible habit of suppressing his emotions, often behind a smile.” She shook her head. “No, habit is not the right word. It was a necessity, a skill he learned, practiced, perfected... to survive.” Riona never forgot the time she found her cousin quietly crying alone, hidden in the shadows of a dark room. Or the times she’d watched the essence of who he was slip away during a particularly brutal training session, leaving an automaton in his place.

Riona’s brows stitched together. “At the risk of overstepping my bounds, Your Highness, may I do something that I should have done when I knew he was pretending to be fine?”

Farim offered a tilted smirk at the comparison to her cousin. It was nice to know his tale seemed to be a shared one - even among souls he did not know. There was a moment of contemplation to himself as she shared the experience of her extended family. Was this all just an act? A skill developed just to survive his cruel and unloving upbringing? He didn’t entirely dismiss the idea, but to say his happiness was not genuine might not be the most accurate statement. It was an interesting morsel of food for thought. As Riona posed her question he stopped their walking pace and faced her with a gentle beaming expression.

”I am sorry your cousin - and frankly myself - have had to endure such a life. If it is any consolation - my demeanor is a genuine one. Misfortune is everywhere, and I choose to smile despite it. I want my friends, and enemies, to know that I persevere no matter what. I am by no means impenetrable emotionally - I have had my sad moments, my angry moments, and bitter moments. I wear my heart on my sleeve - as foolhardy as it all sounds.” The Shehzade pauses for a few moments to let his words sit for a moment, then replies to her earlier question. ”And yes, I grant you permission to do whatever it is you may want to do - if you only tell me first.”

“So you were not suppressing your emotions when you were talking about your mother?” Riona eyed Shehzade Farim, saying nothing. She wasn’t buying it—that glazed look was the opposite of wearing his heart on his sleeves—but she bowed her head anyway. “Then forgive my presumption, Your Highness. I misunderstood.” She smiled briefly. A blend of polite and pinch of teasing. “It appears my offer is unnecessary.” Without telling him what the offer was, and she continued their walk.

After a few steps, Riona spoke again. “Are you certain your father is the only one who holds the key to your mother’s whereabouts? If he has proven untrustworthy before, why believe him now? What if your father is misleading you so that he can continue to have some hold over you?” She frowned. “If you truly wish to break free from his influence, to uncover the truth... perhaps you should seek her out on your own. It would certainly be a powerful message to your father.” Her expression softened. “And if you found her alive. That would be... quite the victory, would it not?”

He seemed to be befuddled for a moment, pausing in stride before jogging to catch back up. ”Now hold on!” Once he caught up he would resume their strollong pace. ”How cruel to pique my curiosity and then decide against telling me.” He breathed a slight chuckle. ”It is more than that. I do not really have a uniform ‘rule’ for how I carry myself. I am simply doing my best. It would be inhumane of me to not frown at the thought of my mother - let alone any of the horrible things that man has likely done to her.” His face became more stoic as he steadied his breathing. ”But to explode into tears or sadness over every errant thought that crosses my mind would not be healthy either. Life is all about balance, young lady.” He addressed her casually in his Mother Tongue with those last few words - smirking at the playful nature of his banter.

“... An errant thought so intense that it threatens to overwhelm you with sorrow is not something to be dismissed, Shehzade.”





RĂ­oghnach "Riona"
Time: Nighttime, Sola 24th
Location: The Tough Tavern
Interaction(s)/Mention(s): @CitrusArms

It’s been a while since she’d been in a tavern. She’d forgotten how lively it can be. And dirty. She felt her fingers twitch, itching to grab a rag and start scrubbing every surface in sight. Pushing aside the urge, Riona settled into her seat and placed her report on the table, careful to avoid the suspicious stains.

When the drinks came, Riona slid one across to the empty seat, raising her own in a wordless toast to Darryn’s memory before taking a long swig.

As she lowered her mug, Riona’s gaze drifted to Stratya. The Knight-Captain was clearly in her element, belting out a tavern song with gusto. Riona allowed herself a small smile. Let Stratya work it out of her system. There would be time for serious discussion later. For now, Riona was content to nurse her ale, tap her foot to the rhythm, and soak in the lively atmosphere.
In Avalia 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Time: A.M.
Location: River Port
Interactions/Mentions: @mole@Conscripts
Equipment: Knife, drugs, and wallet looted from dope peddler
✠✠✠✠✠

Vasco, quick on his feet, sidestepped Rowan’s haymaker. He was fixing to return the knuckle sandwich, but one look at Aurora’s waterworks and he held back.

At this rate, she’d shrivel up like a sun-dried prune. Word was Vasco had some kinda power over water - could he juice her up to keep her pretty face from cracking?

“You’re going to ruin her.” Rowan spat, snapping Vasco out of his thoughts.

Vasco let out a dry laugh. He might’ve been enough of a gentleman not to lay out the elf right in front of his sis, but Vasco sure as hell wasn’t about to let him get the last word. “Nah, you already beat me to that punch.”

Suddenly, Vasco felt himself hauled up by the collar. A button flew off from the force of it. Barrock glowered down at him with a look that reminded Vasco of old Mother Superior when she caught him doing something she didn’t approve. Actually, the guy kind of looked like her too, just greener and more beef on him. “You stay quiet.”

Vasco flashed the same wise-acre grin he’d have given the nun herself. It stayed there while Barrock tore into Rowan, and didn’t budge an inch when the orc rounded on him next.

But it was the “You are not a messiah as you think you are. Stay in your lane!” that made Vasco howl with laughter. He gave the orc a friendly slap. “Barrock, you may be ugly as sin, but damn if you ain’t a riot!” Him, a messiah? Not in this lifetime or the next. And where did this palooka get off telling him to stay in his lane? The orc had another thing coming if he thought Vasco was the type to dance to someone else’s tune.

Vasco brushed him off with a cocky wave. “Well, you heard Mother Superior, ladies. Let’s shake a leg.”

Too bad for the boys, Vasco being Vasco, he couldn’t split without ruffling a few more feathers on the way out. He leaned in real close to Aurora, so close it looked like he pecked her on the cheek. But his lips never touched her skin. Like how those ritzy French folks do. La bise or la bees or something like that. “MWAH!” He gave an exaggerated smack before pulling away with a wink. “Ruin you later, toots.” Then he lit off like his keister was on fire, cackling, before any of those mooks could grab him.

He kept cackling even louder, trying to drown out that damn ringing in the distance that just wouldn’t quit.

In Avalia 5 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay



Time: MORNING
Location: INT. TAVERN
Interactions/Mentions: Guy affiliated with The New Dawn @Lava Alckon; Zion @Helo
Equipment:





Jun sat at the table, as quiet as a mouse in a room full of cats. His eyes nervously ping-ponged between the group members, their lively chatter filling the air. He kept his mouth shut, but his ears were on high alert, desperate to catch any nugget of information that might aid in his grand escape plan. Though calling it "grand" was perhaps overselling it. "ClichĂŠd" would be more accurate. Or "unlikely to be seriously injured in the next 10 minutes" at the very least.

While he nibbled his way through breakfast, Jun squirreled away the extra food he’d ordered into his backpack. After forcing down the last bite, Jun mumbled some excuse about needing to visit the restroom. With his bag slung over his shoulder, Jun made his way to the back of the tavern, his heart rate increasing with each step.


In Avalia 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Time: A.M.
Location: River Port
Interactions/Mentions: @mole@Conscripts
Equipment: Knife, drugs, and wallet looted from dope peddler
✠✠✠✠✠

Vasco threw his head back and let out a belly laugh. Slapped his knee and everything. The way Rowan had spit out “Zara was our friend” like it was poison, well, it told Vasco all he needed to know about how the elf really felt about the human who came before him.

Rowan’s frosty glare only tickled Vasco’s funny bone even more, sending a shiver of gleeful defiance down his spine. “Touch her again like that, and we will be replacing you,” the elf hissed.

Vasco met his gaze head-on. Brazen as brass, he reached out and grazed Aurora’s cheek with his hand, tucked a stray lock behind her ear before trailing his fingers through her hair. All while never breaking eye contact with her steamed brother. He brought the white strands close and twirled them between his fingers, taunting-like.

“You’re welcome to try,” Vasco smirked. “But answer me this, hero - what’re you gonna tell the big cheeses when you botch the job a second time on account of losing your marbles over kid sis here? Think they’ll trust you with a third human?” He shook his head. “Face the music, pal. Play the incompetent sap or fess up to putting me in the ground cause I got under your skin, it ain’t gonna paint a pretty picture of any of you.” Vasco threw a quick glance over at Barrock and gave him a short “alien slang” lesson. “Where I come from, ‘paint a pretty picture’ is called ‘looking kosher.’”

He let Aurora’s hair slip through his fingers and eased back, hands raised. “Believe it or not, I’m doing a good turn by not mollycoddling her. You all keep squawking on about this being a war. So, what’s she doing here if she’s gonna go to pieces every time someone kicks the bucket, huh? Doll’s hanging by a thread, but you’d rather keep her in the thick of it than send her somewhere cushy to get her head on straight. If she snaps, that’s on you palookas, not me.”

As Vasco turned on his heel, his one good ear caught Aurora’s pained whisper. He halted, just for a second before moseying over to Barrock.

The orc’s tidbit about his three-month stint as a hitman got the ex-mobster’s attention real quick. Vasco felt a spark of kinship with the big fella. “No kidding? We oughta bend an elbow sometime and swap stories.” He socked Barrock good-naturedly in the arm. “Got a few doozies of my own I could jaw about,” Vasco crowed, puffing up with pride.

While Barrock mapped out the plan, Vasco’s mind was cooking up a shopping list of the kinda hardware he wanted. Sure, going up against an army with just a blade he’d picked up on a whim sounded exciting, but even a tough nut like Vasco knew that'd be a fast track to the bone orchard.

“Or,” Vasco piped up when the orc had finished, “you could quit pussyfooting around and use me as bait to smoke them out. Save us a lotta time and legwork. And!” He shot Rowan a sly grin. “You’d get your crack at replacing me without getting your mitts dirty.” His gaze slid to Aurora as he added. “After all, I ain’t no Zara.”
In Avalia 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay



Time: MORNING
Location: EXT. DOCK / INT. TAVERN
Interactions/Mentions: Guy affiliated with The New Dawn @Lava Alckon; Another guy affiliated with The New Dawn @SilverPaw; Zion @Helo
Equipment:





"I'll take that as a yes to all of the above then. Unless you want to, oh I dunno...elaborate?" Jun frowned at Tanithil's response. He was absolutely, positively, one-hundred-percent certain he had shaken his head. Last time he checked, a side-to-side head wobble meant no in every country except Bulgaria… and Sri Lanka… and maybe India. Turkey. Okay, maybe there were a lot more regions than Jun initially thought. That wasn't the point. The point was, he was pretty sure the Captain was just trying to get him to speak.

When both Tanithil and Arlen strode off in different directions. Jun realized that they made the mistake of taking their eyes off of him. Time to make a break for it!

As Arlen, Zion, and Jun wandered toward the tavern Tanithil had pointed at, Jun tried to oh-so-casually drift off course, edging towards sweet, sweet freedom. But every time he steered himself in any other direction than the one Arlen was heading, Zion would either pull him back or block his path with his hulking frame. It was like the lion-man gained mind-reading abilities or something. After several failed attempts, Jun reluctantly shelved Plan A.

Plan B then: excuse himself to the bathroom and make his escape through a back door or window. Classic.

They plopped themselves down at one of the larger tables inside the tavern, and Jun claimed the seat at the far end. Perusing the menu, he jabbed his finger at his breakfast order, then tacked on a few extra provisions for good measure. Since Tanithil was treating them to breakfast, he might as well stock up for his soon-to-be life on the run.

Jun sat quietly, biding his time and waiting for the moment to set his plan into motion.


RĂ­oghnach "Riona"
Time: Daytime, Sola 24th
Location: The Primitus Church of Sorian
Interaction(s)/Mention(s): @Helo@princess@TpartywithZombi@Lava Alckon@SilverPaw@FunnyGuy@Rodiak@Potter@Apex Sunburn


Riona fixed the lordling with a long, hard look, her eyes traveling over his figure as if searching for any shred of evidence to support his claim of being fashionable. His fashion sense wasn’t bad, she had to admit—he kept up with the latest whims of the nobility well enough, and he hadn’t completely abandoned tradition for the sake of trends. But the careful blankness of her face revealed nothing. “If that is what you must tell yourself to sleep at night…” she said at last, her gaze sliding away to some distant point. She let the implication hang in the air between them.

The arrogance of the man, thinking he was doing her a gracious favor with his talk of olive branches when he couldn’t even be bothered to remember her words from one moment to the next. Did he really not understand what the problem she had with him was, even after she’d laid it out as plain as day? Even Shehzadi Nahir had practically drawn the Lordling a diagram, but apparently his ego was too impenetrable, his skull too dense.

“Gods spare me from fools and slow-witted lordlings,” Riona muttered, letting her maid’s mask slip. But Lordling Smithwood was too busy prattling, and she doubted he’d even noticed.

He was critiquing the shoes she’d left, in excruciating detail—too gaudy, too dull, unbefitting a man of his stature, on and on. Except for the lion slippers. He liked those. Because of course he would.

“I cannot understand why Lady Morrigan finds this an appropriate remedy, the burden of correcting unruly servants should not fall upon guests. This would never happen in Varian. Have I offended her somehow?”

Clearly, he didn’t expect Riona to answer, but she gave him one anyway. “Is it not obvious, milord? She’s waiting for you to snap. See how much you take after your father when that happens.”

Out of nowhere, the Lordling began rattling off demands about rearranging his room. Riona could only stare, incredulous. Why? What’s the point? Was this some stupid power play?

It was.

One condescending lecture later, he strode on, so pleased with himself.

Technically, she had followed his orders about the shoes to the letter. It wasn’t her fault the young lord hadn’t specified what kind of shoes he wanted. A mistake he seemed determined to repeat, given his vague instructions about the furniture. Riona smiled to herself. Oh, this is going to be fun.

Brushing down Menace, on the other hand, would be a welcome respite. She’d encountered the stallion before, helping in the stables. Prickly at first, Menace had a sweet side once you learned the trick of him. Nothing like that insufferable rider of his, she thought with a snort. Maybe she'll slip Menace an apple or two next time. He deserved it for putting up with that ass.

Inside the church, Lordling Smithwood asked, “Refresh my memory, do you worship His Royal Majesty as if he were the embodiment of a god or because the King is divinely chosen?”

Riona bit back her first response. I don’t. But she couldn’t say that out loud in church, could she? So instead she recited the official line. “It is believed that the ruling family were chosen by the gods to lead the kingdom, blessed with perfection by Zivita himself.” Then Edin became king and his god-complex demanded that he specifically should be the object of worship. “Ever since His Royal Majesty ascended the throne, some have started preaching that he is more than just chosen. He is a mortal god. Born of divine blood, an avatar of Zivita himself.” Blah blah blah. What a crock.

As Lordling Smithwood’s attendant, Riona didn’t sit next to him, but stood against the wall near him. From her vantage point, she got a clear view of those who assembled.

The Monets’ presence came as no shock. The real gut-punch was seeing Count Calbert. His own daughter was still out there somewhere, lost or worse, and here he was attending some stupid ceremony. Priorities, indeed. Maybe Cal had the right of it after all.

Princess Anastasia was with, what Riona could only assume was her new fling, Shahzade Farim. All thoughts of Darryn had clearly been wiped from her pretty, empty head. Darryn… Still missing, still gone. Each hour that passed without a word from him coiled the dread tighter in Riona’s gut, a sinking feeling that something terrible had happened.

Riona also spotted the Vikenas. Nerves played across the Duke’s face, but there was courage there too. Why else would he be attending this event? Lady Charlotte hovered at his elbow, but her attention seemed focused on jotting notes on a journal she carried. Of what, Riona had no clue. She just hoped that Edin’s sycophants were too enraptured by the ceremony to notice one noblewoman neglecting her most holy of duties—fawning over her blessed sovereign.

A trace of a smile ghosted across her lips at the sight of Shehzadi Nahir, memories of the last night’s dance returning to her. But the warmth flickered and died as quickly as a snuffed candle when Wulfric walked into view, his presence an icy draft that seeped into her bones and snaked around her throat. The smile faded into a taut line.

Four unfamiliar faces caught Riona’s eye. Three were complete strangers. The other, Riona recognized vaguely as one of the Shehzadi’s many servants. Four very different, but very dangerous people. It was all in the way they moved—the coiled alertness of their posture, the calculated precision of each step. They were weapons, honed and deadly. (Of course, the literal weapons strapped to the foreign duo were also a dead giveaway.)

She watched silently as the assembled took their seats.

Then, the ceremony began, and Gods, every second of it was torture. Riona wanted to rip her ears off, listening to that stupid f**king song extolling Edin’s virtues and supposed divinity. To gouge her eyes out so she didn’t have to witness the farcical spectacle.

But why stop at harming herself when the true objects of her hatred were right here, within reach? The very people she despised most in this world, all gathered in one place. It would be so easy, whispered a voice in her mind. She could do it now. Here, in this church, while they celebrated the glory of these monsters. What delicious irony it would be. And the best part? The Gods wouldn’t lift a finger to stop her.

Because if the Gods were real, if they truly cared about their chosen, they would have acted long ago.
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