@EvictedElement Heyy, mine's also a male Seeker! He's a young J tribe tia who got his ass so roundly kicked by his nunh when he challenged him that he struck out to found a tribe of his own rather than challenge the old man again (hint: it's not going well)
XD thing about the J is, they're all over the place, so I have no idea where to make him from! But I guess that gives me some creative liberty, right?
With tan skin and bright, slitted eyes, J'torha is a pretty classic specimen of the J tribe. He stands only a little over average height for a seeker male at 5'6" with a tail on the shorter end, straight with a slightly tapered tip. His blond hair is long and kept wound in several braids, all tied at the back of his head to keep them up and out of his way while still maintaining some movement and style. His left eye is gold while his right eye is crimson (a trait his tribe considered lucky) and alongside the eye marks characteristic of miqo'te males, he also adorns his face with light yellow paint, though he's been known to change it up in colour and motif depending on the occasion. He has two symmetrical scars, one on each cheek, and on his chin he sports a short goatee.
For clothing, J'torha likes to stand out. His dancer's gear usually scratches that itch, with its airy silhouette and red-and-gold theme to match his eyes, but he's also fond of a far-eastern outfit he managed to procure from a traveling merchant. However, he likes to think that he could make anything look good. Like most miqo'te, he doesn't like anything that restricts his movement.
ＰＥＲＳＯＮＡＬＩＴＹ Perhaps his greatest virtue and flaw all in one, J'torha isn't known to take things seriously. This has been of great benefit to him in the past, being that he doesn't usually suffer long from heartache or disappointment, and it's nearly impossible to get under his skin. However, his tendency to make light of any situation has blown up in his face once or twice in the past, although he still doesn't seem to have learned his lesson. He's laid-back, playful, and confident, bordering on cocky at times. J'torha is generally happiest when all eyes are on him, even at his own expense.
Like many of his kind, J'torha is drawn to wander, never staying put too long in one place. Perhaps this urge to move came from his nomadic upbringing, but a friend of his might suggest he's only traveling between fair maidens' beds. As a notorious flirt and a fair charmer, even J'torha would have to admit that such a theory isn't entirely baseless.
Beneath the flippant attitude and flirtatious remarks, however, J'torha is a genuinely kind soul, averse to doing harm unless he must. He does harbour an ambition to eventually amass a harem and start a tribe of his own, however, and as such his search for glory can make him short-sighted, sometimes blind to the consequences of his actions.
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J’torha was born in Central Thanalan, although growing up on the move made him comfortable calling all of Thanalan his home. His tribe, a nomadic pocket of the J tribe, was always moving, never staying in one place for more than a few days at a time. With a harem of about thirty and a handful of children at any given time, the true backbone of the tribe was their nunh, a strong and diligent male by the name of J’rukoh, who took up the uncommon mantle of leader with ease. J’torha saw how the women of his tribe respected (and even admired) the nunh, and came to idolize the position, if not the man himself. As many young male seekers do, J’torha came to see defeating his nunh and taking up the position himself as the ultimate accomplishment, and being the only tia in the tribe, set his sights on doing just that.
Of course, some are better suited to such endeavours than others, and J’torha always seemed to fall in the latter category. Ever a carefree child, he always had trouble taking things seriously, often showing off or making a game out of everything, getting himself into trouble more often than not. Despite being a fairly skilled hunter, J’torha was still generally outclassed by even his less skilled peers, as he never seemed to put as much effort into catching his quarry as he did into exploring and getting into mischief. His mission to become nunh was no different; in the infinite wisdom of youth, J’torha expected challenging J’rukoh to end as well as most of his other misadventures did, relying more on luck and confidence than raw skill.
His life was happy and calm until his fifteenth summer. J’torha was largely unaware of the conflict on the Carteneau Flats, but J’rukoh could sense an oncoming threat; when the nunh saw Dalamud falter, he wasted no time reacting, ushering his tribe directly south along unfamiliar routes from their position at the time in Northern Thanalan.
The journey south was undoubtedly the most difficult in the tribe’s history, with J’rukoh pushing them harder than they’d ever been pushed before. They moved continuously, stopping only long enough for the bare minimum of sleep and hunting along the way without halting. An adolescent at the time, J’torha was tasked (along with other adolescents) with keeping the tribe’s children occupied as their mothers hunted, to stave off panic and keep their spirits up even as they strained to cope with the backbreaking pace set out by J’rukoh.
Thanks to the nunh’s quick thinking, however, J’torha’s tribe made it as far as Minotaur’s Malm before the chaos of the 7th Umbral Calamity truly took hold. They waited out the carnage holed up in the canyon tunnel, eventually emerging, scared and hungry, to find that a different Thanalan awaited them. Shaken, as all of Eorzea was, by the destruction, the tribe regrouped with the U of Forgotten Springs for a time, doing all they could to repay their standoffish hosts before finally setting out again with the daunting task ahead of them of re-mapping their migratory routes to fit the altered landscape.
Thanks to their nomadic ways, the J of Thanalan recovered quicker than most after the Calamity, finding new routes across the desert and new hunting grounds to sustain themselves. Life continued on as normal as could be expected in the wake of disaster until J’torha reached his eighteenth summer, when he decided that it was time to make good on the promise he’d made himself as a child and take up what he believed to be his rightful place as nunh. Against the counsel of his sister, mother, tribemates and even the nunh himself, J’torha went through with his plan, to an unfortunate, yet predictable, result.
J’torha was wholly outmatched and soundly beaten; so easily defeated was he that J’rukoh was able to give him two identical scars, one on each cheek, as both a reminder of his folly and a warning not to act so foolishly again. Humiliated, J’torha knew he would never survive challenging J’rukoh a second time. His tribemates advised him to be grateful that he was spared death and move on, but he simply couldn’t bear the thought of remaining a tia forever; likewise, he knew amassing a harem of his own in Thanalan would be hopeless, at least until the fast-traveling news of his defeat passed out of memory. So, once his wounds had healed, J’torha decided to leave his tribe and strike out in search of new territory and enough glory to prove his worth as the nunh of his very own tribe.
Like anything, this again proved a daunting task. In the beginning, J’torha tried a number of ways to make a name for himself, but the slog of performing menial tasks for random townspeople as a freelance adventurer wasn’t exactly the stuff of songs, and was deathly boring to boot. But over the course of one such task, helping a Gridanian woman round up her class of children for a lesson in ritual dance, J’torha found a new calling. Rather than gil, the woman paid J’torha by teaching him the same dance she taught the children, and offhandedly commented that he was a natural at it. It struck a chord within him that nothing before it had touched; despite their penchant for song, his tribe had never practiced much dance, and he found himself falling in love with it.
Opting to take a hiatus from his mission, J’torha temporarily set out to learn every dance he could find, traveling all over the realm in his search. He was particularly captivated by the infamous dancing girls of Ul’dah, but for once, was less concerned with the supple curves of their bodies and more interested in the way they moved. Infatuated with their craft (lowly as some may have seen it) J’torha set out to learn from them; after some bargaining, some flirting, and a little begging, one such clique of dancers finally agreed to take him on, reasoning that in their line of work it was probably prudent to have a man on their side.
It didn’t take long for J’torha to come to love the busking life. Within a few moons he graduated from pseudo-bodyguard, to instrumentalist, and even up to performer in his own right, relishing every moment. The music, the movement, the joyful cheers of onlookers, it all easily eclipsed the meagre gil as reward for his performances - not that the attention of female admirers was anything to scoff at, either.
However, J’torha had never been good at staying in one place. Eventually he was struck with the itch to get moving and parted ways with his Ul’dahn group, setting out on his own again. It wasn’t long before he crossed paths with another, a woman from the Steppes who soon became a dear friend and traveling companion (not that she’d ever admit it out loud). They traveled together for six moons, traversing the realm and teaching each other about their respective cultures, until their paths diverged in Limsa Lominsa, and J’torha was on his own again.
J’torha would contribute the following events to some lingering good luck from his companion; not a day after she left Limsa did J’torha attend a performance by a troupe of foreign dancers, exhibiting styles and techniques that eclipsed his Ul’dahn partners’ skill by far. He threw every gil he could muster into their collection basket and sat at the pier that was their stage until two umbral cycles had passed. He was among a handful of enthusiastic onlookers who stuck around to gush at the performers as they packed up to move on, but as he spoke animatedly to the lead dancer, the troupe’s leader apparently saw something in him; when she asked, almost offhandedly, if he had any interest in learning their craft, J’torha’s “yes” flew out of his mouth before he even understood the question. The leader explained that their method of dance merged beauty and combat, and after he agreed to help the troupe spread their art in the hopes of bringing a measure of comfort to the still-recovering realm, they welcomed the weak-kneed and delighted seeker into their ranks.
J’torha studied his troupe’s deadly art of dance more fervently than any other undertaking of his life, working each day until his fingers bloodied his chakrams and his legs melted beneath him, all the while hungry for more. Several moons into his training, his leader and troupemates deemed him ready to fully adopt the true art of the Dancer, and gave him what is now his most treasured possession: his soul stone.
Imbued with the wisdom and skill of generations past, J’torha became a force to be reckoned with. His body seemed to know what to do without his mind ever sparing it a thought, and his performances could embolden his partners like no other skill he’d ever seen. Soon enough, the troupe leader decided that there was no more they could teach him, and bid him strike out and hone his newfound power with all of Eorzea for his stage. Swearing to uphold the troupe’s mission, J’torha agreed, and has been traversing the realm with newfound vigor, light of foot and bold of heart, ever since.
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His favourite food is Shakshouka, a spicy foreign dish introduced to him by a dear friend from the steppes. He likes to eat it with flatbread. He’s fond of spicy dishes in general, but this one most of all because of the nostalgia it brings up.
Growing up, J’torha’s tribe was always on the move, though they always stopped, without exception, for meals. Rather than spacing out their meals, his tribe ate two meals each day; a small one in the afternoon when it was too hot to travel, and a large one in the evening. As a result, meal times are sacred to J’torha, and he’s accustomed to fasting and then eating a lot of food at once.
J’torha loves children, and is very good with them. His older sister J’delika claims this is because he’s an overgrown child himself.
J’torha holds his friends close, but isn’t too troubled by goodbyes. In the back of his mind, he’s confident that his and his friends’ paths will cross again.
He’s super good at making flower garlands.
Alongside his skill in dance, J’torha harbours love and skill in all things musical, including a great singing voice. His tribe did a lot of singing, but not much dancing to speak of. He knows songs from all over Eorzea.
He's a very social guy, and has friends all over Eorzea (as well as a number of enemies in the forms of spurned lovers and the angry spouses of said lovers)
Colour code CB3011
ＲＥＡＳＯＮ ＦＯＲ ＥＮＬＩＳＴＭＥＮＴ
Laughter and cheers echoed through the cool night air outside of Ul’dah proper, bouncing off the hulking city walls as a merry group of strangers took refuge from the crowds. J’torha was still a little lightheaded from the skin of wine being passed around, but that didn’t stop him from showing off.
“This time for sure,” he declared, to the great entertainment of the three taffeta-clad ladies at the top of the steps.
“Fifth time’s the charm,” drawled the lone midlander of the group, backed by the giggling of the two seeker girls who accompanied her. J’torha couldn’t remember if they were twins or just friends who looked really similar, but he wasn’t too worried about it either way.
“Five tries, those were your words,” J’torha called up, doing a few stretches mostly for show. “And then your five gil are mine.”
The midlander scoffed, but looked on in interest just the same, tossing her gil up and down in what J’torha could only assume was rapt anticipation. Thankful for the wine that dulled the throbbing in his shin and elbow from his previous attempts, he took a few quick breaths; on the third he jumped, propelling himself backwards over the bottom flight of steps. Bringing his knees up to carry his momentum, he caught his first touch on his hands on the middle step, bending at the elbow and kicking up his legs to bounce back up again. This time he actually managed to bring his feet down in time and landed the handspring at the bottom landing, skipping backward on the sandy stone to catch his balance but managing to stay upright.
He held his position with knees bent and arms out for a moment to let the world stop spinning before straightening up, tail curling with pride. When he was sure his company had seen the spectacle, he jumped up to pump his fists in the air with a triumphant, “Ha!”
The ladies at the top broke into applause, laughing and cheering all at once at the man’s antics.
“Incredible!” called the seeker girl with the red earrings, hopping in place.
“And you’re in one piece!” her sister (possibly her friend) added, in a tone that J’torha chose to interpret as amazement rather than smugness.
J’torha gave the women a theatrical, exaggerated bow from the bottom of the steps, and only barely straightened up in time to catch the glimmer of gil flying down towards him. He managed to catch four of the pieces, scrambling hither and yon as the midlander girl made no effort to make it easy for him, but stumbled when he reached too far for the fifth, tumbling into a cackling heap on his rump.
Musical laughter cascaded down the steps to meet him, and J’torha let himself fall back, sprawled wide on the warm sand as laughter quaked in his own chest. His chuckles eventually faded to long, worn-out breaths as he stared up at the glimmering Ul’dahn night sky, a wide - if not still just a touch inebriated - smile still splitting his face.
“Just like a man to fall asleep in the middle of the fun,” the midlander girl teased, probably sore at losing her gil to such an extraordinary performance.
J’torha raised one arm as far as the elbow and lazily waved the thought away. “If this is how hard you drive your men, then they deserve the rest,” he called back, chuckling at his own joke as he let his hand fall. After another long look at the sky, though, he did pull himself to his feet, a heaviness of the limbs creeping in to replace the giddiness of drink.
He was upright just in time to see another few figures step through the Gate of the Sultana and saunter up to the ladies he was treating. “If the kitten down there can't keep up with you, then I'm sure you'll be more than satisfied with me.”
J’torha’s ears perked up to listen better, and the midlander girl gave the newcomer the sort of half-hearted chuckle that only comes out (as he knew from experience) when a woman wants to end a conversation. “I’m happy here, thank you,” she told him curtly.
“Come on, gorgeous,” the stranger drawled, stepping closer. “I can pay, if that’s what you’re after…”
J’torha started up the steps, tail twitching with irritation. Meanwhile, the midlander girl was having none of it, tossing her hair and turning away. “You can’t afford me.”
As she tried to walk away, the man - either a tall midlander or a short highlander, from this distance J’torha couldn’t tell which - followed her, catching up to her in two long strides and reaching out to roughly grab her by the arm. “Listen you little—”
SHING!
The chakram flew before J’torha even realized he’d drawn it, flying true to its mark and colliding with the stranger’s wrist all the way from a flight and a half of stairs below. The man cried out and stumbled back, clutching his bleeding wrist as the chakram returned to J’torha’s outstretched hand. He bounded up the last few steps to the woman’s side, ears flattening menacingly. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I-I—”
“Get going before I give you a matching set!” J’torha threatened, gesturing with his chakram to the man’s injured wrist.
The man and his companions, miners by the look of them, didn’t need to be told twice; the injured one scrambled to his feet and away, grumbling something angry and unintelligible under his breath while his two companions in tow carried on about how a woman wasn’t worth a fight in this heat.
J’torha glared at their backs until they’d faded back into the crowd inside the gate, then turned back around to find the seeker girls fussing over the midlander’s arm as the woman herself tried to quell their concerns.
“Are you alright?” J’torha asked.
The midlander rolled her eyes. “Please,” she sighed, “how fragile do you think I am?”
J’torha’s smile returned at the reassurance and he visibly relaxed, though the midlander’s friends seemed worried. She paid them no mind, however, instead placing a hand on her hip and looking J’torha up and down. “But… thank you, adventurer.”
J’torha’s brow furrowed, and he shook his head, uncharacteristically humble. “Oh, I’m not an adventurer,” he clarified.
The midlander raised an eyebrow, giving J’torha another long look before shrugging. “Maybe you should be.”
Eyebrows shooting up, J’torha had no time to reply before the midlander and her two friends took their leave back into the city proper, responding to J’torha’s plea for their names with only a chorus of giggles before they, too, melded into the crowd. J’torha followed them as far as the arch of the gate, watching the sway of their hips as they left, until he was alone again.
Staring wistfully after where the trio had disappeared, he leaned against the cool stone of the gate, only to hear the crinkle of dry parchment under his shoulder. When he looked to see what he’d touched, J’torha found a leaflet haphazardly pasted to the wall, advertising a free company called “The Blessed Twelve” to adventurers young and old. He examined the poster for a moment, glancing between it and the spot where the trio had gone. The gears in his head started spinning.
"I guess I just have a thing for long legs." "I guess I just have a thing for long legs." "I guess I just have a thing for long legs." "I guess I just have a thing for long legs." "I guess I just have a thing for long legs."
***This is not a complete list. I am working with some people (you know who you are) so it is possible that our roster will grow before the IC goes up.
The bus ride didn’t take long, and walking up from the bus stop toward the middle of campus, it wasn’t hard for Aaron to spot Princess Ryner’s entourage, largely due to the small collection of students gathered around and chatting with William, Sariel, and each other. He was pleasantly surprised, however, to spot the Princess on a bench a short ways away, sitting with Lilie! He nearly laughed then and there; she was so mortified to even be noticed by the Princess in her texts, and now they were sitting and chatting like equals. He was glad Lilie had warmed up so quickly, and even more pleased when she waved him over. Waving back, he jogged over to meet her, new earring bouncing rudely all the way.
Unconsciously he took a second to stop the thing from swaying before bowing properly to the Princess, and straightened up with a smile. “Good morning, Your Royal Highness,” he greeted warmly, addressing her first as was customary. Lilie’s comment, however, made his ears begin to burn. He had run off abruptly, likely even a little rudely, (and now Lilie was bringing it up in front of the Princess, to his considerable chagrin) but while he wasn’t proud of it, he hadn’t had much choice.
His smile turned sheepish and he folded his hands behind his back, not wanting to get too fidgety in front of the Princess. “Yes, sorry about that,” he replied smoothly, a bit of that well-practiced court manner coming out as he looked toward Lilie, subtly hiding his right ear from Ryner’s view. “I was called away, but that’s been taken care of now.”
"That's twice you've ditched me, you know," Lilie teased him, grinning. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were scared of me! You have to make it up to me, okay?"
Ryner watched with interest and, more realistically, amusement as the pair went back and forth. The Princess hadn’t expected the Aaron Lilie called over to be the little boy she watched grow up all but locked away from the world. Between Varis and adjusting to life outside his normal world, Ryner had hoped she’d have more time before he bonded with someone. She smiled fondly at him when he greeted her and regret ran hot through her stomach. Aaron deserved so much more than his lot, the entire family did, but it didn’t matter. Her hands were tied.
“What a pleasant surprise! Lilie mentioned an Aaron as her new best friend but it hadn’t crossed my mind it would be my favorite Starag. But don’t tell your Aunt that or your mother will never hear the end of it.” Ryner joked before leaning into Lilie, whispering just loud enough for Aaron to hear. “Aaron grew up in the castle his whole life until now. You wouldn’t tell but he was quite the child, always running right up to the line and pushing it as far as he could. Just let me know if he gets out of line. I have a few stories tucked away that might help.” Ryner chuckled.
“How did you two end up meeting then? Do you share a class?” The Princess asked.
Aaron’s heart did jump at the thought of Lilie describing him so fondly so soon, but it was Princess Ryner’s teasing that brought another blush to his ears, this time far more welcome. He chuckled along with her, remembering some of his poorer decisions from childhood, and figured he knew which stories she was thinking of.
He smiled wide at Ryner’s question, standing a little straighter, although he was still careful to angle his right ear a little away. Maybe it was foolish, but somewhere in the back of his mind he was worried his new “adornment” might offend her. “We do share some classes, but we actually met at the opening ceremony,” he explained fondly. “We sparred on orientation night as well; Lilie is quite a capable fencer.”
Lilie bit her lip as she tried not to grin too wide, nodding enthusiastically at the princess's offer. Okay, yeah, she was a little too attached to him despite them only meeting a little while ago, but she couldn't help it. The princess spoke so kindly of Aaron and it was so cute how he seemed so comfortable with her, even if he was still formal. She assumed that's how people should have been, but it was too late for her to go back. Instead Lilie nodded again as Aaron confirmed how they met, straightening up slightly as she still felt like she was in a teasing mood. Honestly, she couldn't help it; the expression on his face was priceless.
"He kinda kicked my butt, though," Lilie recalled, the tiniest hint of exasperation in her voice coming before she continued. "But that first night wasn't good until I ran into him. I thought I hurt him because he seemed stunned before he introduced himself. And then I latched on and haven't let him go since," She looked at Aaron, raising her eyebrows.
"Hopefully he won't get tired of me, I have no idea what I'm doing with nobles and I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time before I mess up," She was a little more nervous when she spoke, her hands slightly tugging on the hem of her skirt.
Ryner’s eyebrow cocked at the pair’s interaction as she tried to put a finger on what she was watching. The centuries had apparently taken their toll on her empathy apparently, the banter seeming just a tad strange. On the surface, it was normal and playful but something about it seemed….
Oh dear.
“If anyone can teach you, Aaron can. He knows how to deal with the worst of us and still come out ahead. And I doubt Aaron will be leaving you anytime soon.” The Princess sent Aaron an amused looked with a fond shake of the head. It was cute to watch but also saddening. Aaron hadn’t had a chance to date inside the castle, always expecting the decision to be made for him. How cruel was it that he finally gets to experience this at the cost of a Sinnenodel. Hopefully, Aaron would find such pockets of happiness long enough to bolster him until this trial ended. She would have to tell his mother. The woman was keeping her head down for now but clearly she was worried for her son. And rightfully so.
“Have you had a chance to contact your mother, Aaron?” Ryner asked, following that train of thought rather than the one feeding her guilt as she watched the pair.
As thrilled as he always was to get any praise from royalty, Aaron had to hold in a dark chuckle at Ryner’s compliment. He used to take pride in his mastery of etiquette, but “he knows how to deal with the worst of us and still come out ahead” seemed a little debatable now, when he felt like it was all he could do not to trip over his own feet under his new master.
The question was unexpected, and Aaron raised his eyebrows, spinning his ring behind his back. “I spoke to her about half an hour ago, in fact,” he replied cheerfully, though another little pang of dread struck him as he remembered that he had left much to be explained. He still needed to figure out how to break the news… not to mention a few other things. “I hadn’t gotten the chance until then, although I’m hoping I can speak a little longer with her this morning.” A bit of concern found its way into his expression. “Was she worried, Your Highness?”
“Of course she is. This is her first time without her son around.” Ryner’s expression turned sympathetic. “But if you’re having difficulties contacting her, tell me when you have a free moment or two during your night and I’ll ensure any of her duties are taken care of so you won’t have any interruptions on our side. But for now, I’ll have Sariel send her a message about your new friend at least. She’ll feel better knowing you’re adjusting well.”
Aaron nodded in understanding, giving the Princess a grateful smile. “Thank you, Your Highness. The last thing I want is to trouble her.”
A somber look crossed his face at a memory dredged up, but as quickly as it came it was gone again, Aaron clearing his throat and brightening up as he looked to Lilie. “And speaking of friends, do you know when Salem will be done for the morning? I think he mentioned wanting to get the three of us together sometime tonight.”
Comforted by Princess Ryner's kind words, Lilie had been content to stay quiet and let the conversation continue. She did smile when she was assured Aaron wouldn't leave, though she wondered if the pair would miss having conversations like this daily. Or maybe they only got to speak once in a while? She wasn't entirely sure, but when Aaron's mother was brought up, she frowned inwardly. She hadn't gotten in touch with her own mother, either. That needed to be fixed.
Snapping to attention once she was addressed again, Lilie perked up at the mention of Salem. "Oh, yes! He's in class now, but he did mention that," She confirmed, visibly frowning. "He was a little shaken since he found out he isn't with Mr. Bordeleaux anymore, though. He's one of our neighbors now, with the Astorio count that he got into an argument with in Treaty Law!" She suddenly spoke with urgency and worry. "I felt so bad for him! I mean, you have a guy that was willing to throw someone and...well, you know," She caught herself much too late as she remembered whose presence she was in, unsure if she was supposed to have brought any of that up at all as she gave Ryner a quick glance.
Ryner’s composure hadn’t changed besides the slight rise of the brow. She hadn’t heard of anything happening but she was sure a report would be sitting on her desk when she returned to her home office. Roping the Marivaldi girl into her plans had taken most of the break period so she hadn’t had a chance to see what had come across her desk just yet.
“I doubt Salem will have too many problems moving forward. It will take a bit of adjusting to an Astorio after the leniency of his family’s vampires but I don’t doubt he’ll change much; he’ll only learn to hide it better.” Ryner responded easily but her brow furrowed. “What was this talk of people being thrown?”
"People? No, just me," Lilie replied in earnest.
“Flung across the stone arena like a ragdoll by the Astorio Count under the guise of ‘penance’,” Aaron corrected her, for once making no attempt to hide his indignance. “And done to a mage belonging to another noble House, no less. It’s pure luck she wasn’t more injured, Your Highness.”
Amusement and irritation bubbled up in Ryner in equal measures. Whenever the name Astorio came up in conversation, Ryner frankly wished the sun would consume her on the spot but now hearing how this one behaved made her wish it would take them instead. It was no secret the Princess didn’t care for them and frankly, she’d rather do away with the whole family all together. If only they’d listened to her and used the damn war to kill off the line.
But Aaron. She couldn’t hold back the chuckle that escaped her at his indignation. He looked absolutely adorable, his feathers all ruffled up in defense of his new friend. She wished she knew how to use a phone camera―everything moved so quickly that sometimes it took her a few years to wrap her head around it only to find out something new was on its way!―so she could send a picture to his mother. He’d never hear the end of it.
“That is certainly distressing. I’m sure I’ll have an incident report on my desk before I return.” Ryner said, the fondness in her eyes not fading despite the concern in her face. “Count Astorio will be dealt with in an appropriate manner. I don’t enjoy hearing my students being put in unnecessary danger.”
Lilie tried not to react too much to what either one said, her hand scratching the back of her neck. Aaron was so silly, Aine had healed her up nicely already. She felt a little bad about bringing it up in front of the princess, especially since her own vampire didn’t so much as ask if she was okay, but at this point she felt like she was beating a dead horse.
“I’m sorry,” She found herself apologizing for the inconvenience, albeit she perked up again. “I didn’t handle it nearly as well as Aaron did, but I’ll get even once I have some magic under my belt.” She nearly bounced in her seat as she spoke, clearly ecstatic. “I can’t wait, I’ve always seen it on TV but getting the chance to use it--it’s the best thing about being here!”
“I’m glad you’re enthusiastic.” Ryner chuckled, standing up and smoothing out her skirt. “Now, I’ll have to take my leave. I don’t have much more time before my royal duties call me back. Remember, you can always come find me or make an appointment if you need anything. Both of you.” She gave them both a serious look before the smile returned.
Aaron’s annoyance left as quickly as it came when the Princess gave her answer; he didn’t think for a second that she would tolerate such grossly inappropriate behaviour, even from a Count, but he was glad to hear it firsthand nonetheless. He wanted to tell Lilie that there was no need to apologize, but she moved on so quickly he opted not to dredge up the subject.
He straightened as Ryner stood, pleasant smile returning, although a twinge of guilt twisted his gut; one he wanted to address sooner rather than later. “Your Royal Highness,” he halted her politely, “may I have a word with you quickly before you go?”
“Of course, Aaron. Anything you need.” Ryner replied. “Is this something that needs to be discussed in private?”
“Preferably, if it’s convenient for you,” Aaron nodded gratefully. “I won’t take up more than a minute of your time.”
Ryner nodded and signaled to William and Sariel, who immediately started clearing the area. She guided him a little ways away from Lilie, with a “I’ll return him in just a moment!”, and paused on the grass. Sariel made a short gesture and the wind picked up around them, making just an extra bit of noise to help cover their conversation. Ryner gave Aaron a concerned look as she waited for him to speak.
Aaron followed Ryner of to the side, grateful for the indulgence but still embarrassed. He answered her concerned look with a tight smile and spared a single cautious glance back to Lilie before he gave the Princess his full attention.
“Thank you,” he began, voice a little lower than before. He straightened up a little more than usual and cleared his throat, familiarity giving way to solemn formality. “Your Royal Highness, I would like to humbly apologize for my conduct at dinner last night. I acted foolishly and caused a good deal of chaos as a result, and for that I beg your forgiveness. I assure you I have learned my lesson, and it will not happen again.” He completed his apology with a formal bow, as he’d been taught, his new earring swaying with the movement.
Ryner was silent through the apology, eyes catching the flicker of light coming off the earring he bowed. She wouldn't say she was surprised at the addition. If anything, she was surprised he didn't mark his claim the first night but it brought her no joy to see a mark hanging off Aaron's ear. She itched to reach out and pluck it off, to feel the metal bend and fold between her fingers until it was the size of a pebble, and return it to the Count. Preferably between the eyes. Slowly.
"You have nothing to apologize for. Varis and I thought we were prepared to handle anything. We didn't expect that trick." Her expression clearing before Aaron would see it, instead sympathetic and apologetic. The guilt hit home as she lied through her teeth. It never got easier. How many seconds each year did a practiced half truth roll off her tongue and it still never got easier. "Anyone would have done the same. If it had been my mother or sister, I would have broken protocol too."
Even after all his years of training and the many many apologies he’d issued throughout his life, Aaron found that they never made him any less nervous. It wasn’t as if he expected Princess Ryner to have him flensed, but still the few seconds between his apology and her response were agonizing. Her response, luckily, came as a great relief; he hadn’t insulted her, and that reassurance did wonders to put him more at ease.
Though while her consolation did loosen the tightness in his chest, and relief did flood out most of his guilt, Aaron still couldn’t absolve himself of all responsibility. He believed the Princess sincere, and knowing he hadn’t offended her was a great comfort, but that didn’t make his recklessness any more acceptable in his new master’s eyes, he was sure of it. And now, well, that was what mattered.
“Still, I’ll endeavour to do better in the future,” he assured the Princess, offering her a curt nod and what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Thank you for your time, Your Highness. It was a pleasure as always.”
“Anytime Aaron.” She smiled and tousled his hair like she used to when he was little before she waved goodbye to Lilie, making her way further into campus as the wind around them stilled. Sariel waved at Aaron and Lilie while William sent Aaron a curt nod before they followed the Princess away.
Aaron couldn't resist a grin at the hair tousling, and returned Sariel's wave and William's nod in turn before returning to Lilie, fixing his hair. "Sorry about that," he said, checking his watch. "Do you know when Salem is going to be done?"
And then Jack turned to Yusei and whispered, “Come over here and kick my engines into overdrive.”
[centre][h2]child of the storm[/h2]
[/centre]
[b]Current RPs:[/b]
[list][*][i][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/189770-court-of-nuhl/ooc]Of Blood and Magic: The Court of Nühl[/url][/i] - playing Henry/Roan
[*][i][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/188008-the-shattering-of-aegis/ic]The Shattering of Aegis[/url][/i] - playing Kyreth
[*][i][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/191518-scion-the-prophecy-of-anani/ic]Scion: The Prophecy of Anani[/url][/i] - playing Maya and Jannick
[/list]
[b]Archived RPs:[/b]
[list][*][i][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/174695-of-blood-and-magic/ic]Of Blood and Magic[/url][/i] - wrote as Aaron. Give it a look, I still cri errytim
[*][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/176985/ic]𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭[/url] - played Feliks, will probably revive someday.[/list]
If you're interested in some short completed pieces of mine beyond my regular RP posts, feel free to rifle through my filing cabinet [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/183978-obscenes-filing-cabinet/ooc]here.[/url]
[b]About me:[/b]
[list][*]Birth year 1998
[*]Female
[*]Canadian RIP
[*]Time zone: Atlantic, GMT-4 (one hour ahead of EST)
[*]Currently judging your grammar
[*]Not usually looking for 1x1s but if you're really jonesing, my PMs are always open
[*]Discord Obscene#1925[/list]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><div class="bb-center"><div class="bb-h2">child of the storm</div></div><br><span class="bb-b">Current RPs:</span><br><ul class="bb-list" style="white-space: normal;"><li><span class="bb-i"><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/189770-court-of-nuhl/ooc">Of Blood and Magic: The Court of Nühl</a></span> - playing Henry/Roan</li><li><span class="bb-i"><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/188008-the-shattering-of-aegis/ic">The Shattering of Aegis</a></span> - playing Kyreth</li><li><span class="bb-i"><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/191518-scion-the-prophecy-of-anani/ic">Scion: The Prophecy of Anani</a></span> - playing Maya and Jannick</li></ul><br><span class="bb-b">Archived RPs:</span><br><ul class="bb-list" style="white-space: normal;"><li><span class="bb-i"><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/174695-of-blood-and-magic/ic">Of Blood and Magic</a></span> - wrote as Aaron. Give it a look, I still cri errytim</li><li><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/176985/ic">𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭</a> - played Feliks, will probably revive someday.</li></ul><br>If you're interested in some short completed pieces of mine beyond my regular RP posts, feel free to rifle through my filing cabinet <a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/183978-obscenes-filing-cabinet/ooc">here.</a><br><br><span class="bb-b">About me:</span><br><ul class="bb-list" style="white-space: normal;"><li>Birth year 1998</li><li>Female</li><li>Canadian RIP</li><li>Time zone: Atlantic, GMT-4 (one hour ahead of EST)</li><li>Currently judging your grammar</li><li>Not usually looking for 1x1s but if you're really jonesing, my PMs are always open</li><li>Discord Obscene#1925</li></ul></div>
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Izurich
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I forgot to turn the HUD off, shut up
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