Tae

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Beach
Interactions: @Helo Bowyn @princess Annya, @Potter Rue, @Shard Inori, @Omni5876 Arn
Mentions:
Outfits:
Eris New Outfit
Raven New Outfit

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Chaos. Pure, wonderful chaos. A small part of Eris was giddy at the nightmare that was starting, but she didn't allow it to show. Annya was struggling, she'd lost control of the situation and Eris wondered how it made the woman feel. Things weren't going according to plan and even better, Annya may have to kill one of her precious humans. How marvelous. Perhaps, though, now was the proper time to show how useful she could be. The elven princess had instructed her to make sure others stayed safe as she advanced towards the tornado. Bowyn was doing a decent job at shielding them all, but she could tell it was straining. The demon was no help and she wasn't entirely surprised. They tended to thrive off of chaos as well.

It was then that Arn appeared, showing quite a bit of concern for Rue. "I can shield us all while you and Arn get Rue out of here!" She yelled at the winter fairy, but it was no use as he told Arn to take Rue. "Bowyn, listen to Annya! Don't make me-" He started advancing just like Annya did and irritation rose in Eris. Okay, I guess you're going to make me. She thought as she sneered at the back of his head. She then called upon her magic and opened a portal to the inn directly in front of Bowyn's face. She then pulled the portal towards herself to engulf Bowyn in it before dropping it then turning to Arn and Rue.

"Your turn! Make sure she's alright! I also apologize for the likely pissed Bowyn!" Eris said as she created another portal into the inn and enveloped Arn and Rue with it. She could see Bowyn through this portal and she knew she was risking having him come charging through it as she transported Arn and Rue, but she was willing to risk it.

Meanwhile, Raven continued her panicked sobbing as Annya's words hadn't quite hit her yet. She knew she needed to calm down, but the scene of that human being torn apart kept playing over and over again in her mind. The sound had been sickening and she felt on the verge of vomiting. How could someone be so cruel? Why had she been brought into this world?

Finally Annya's words reached her and slowly, so agonizingly slowly, Raven opened her eyes. She looked at the woman responsible for her being here and she felt a brief moment of anger. How dare she?! Raven wanted to scream at her, to ask her why her kind had been so selfish. None of these humans asked for this, they didn't deserve it. Then the word home hit her. Annya was offering to find her a way home. Suddenly she remembered this was offered in the beginning as well. The DID have a choice and Raven had chosen to stay. Would she have stayed if she knew the true horrors she was going to witness? She was unsure, but this thought slowly brought her back to her senses.

Slowly, the winds began to die and Raven began floating back down. Her feet hit the sand and Raven collapsed into it on her knees. Her arms crossed over her body as she hugged herself tightly. She let out a wailing sob after attempting to take a deep breath. The winds had died down significantly, though there was still a breeze swirling now gently around Raven. The danger had passed, however, and Raven just needed to keep calm.

Hoseforn’s Academy for Gifted Adventurers: Rebirth

Lorelei Elakha

Theme

Appearance

Name: Lorelei Elakha Race: Naga Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Lorelei has three separate forms she can take; a human form, a serpent form, and a hybrid form. Even in her human form she retains some of her serpentine features like her yellow eyes and a pair of fangs in place of her canines. Her skin has a light tan color to it that seems to be a cooler undertone. Her hair is a striking pure white that falls down past her hips and has a soft wave to it. She is rather lithe and toned, though she still has impressive curves. In her human form she stands at 5'7 and this is the form she often stays in as it's what she's most comfortable in. She also has many scars, though there are quite a few noticeable ones on her back. In her serpent form, Lorelei is about 15' in length and is rather slender. She has the head of a horned viper and her scales are a striking golden green color. Her underbelly is black and speckled with gold. She has large fangs that produce a deadly venom. This is the form you are least likely to see her in. In her hybrid form she becomes a mix of the two with her human form from the hips up and her serpent form from the hips down. There are patches of scales covering her skin that glisten in the light and she seems to grow claws that she can coat in her venom. Class: Assassin Thief

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Psychology

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Personality: Lorelei is very passionate about many things, and especially so with the people she loves. When she cares for someone, she cares for them deeply and has experienced enough loss in her life to never want to feel it again. Her passionate nature also often extends to her interests, including books, sweets, and music. Lorelei has often been called rude or even evil, but this is often just a defense mechanism. If one were to break past the walls she has up and grow close to her, they would soon find that she obviously loves her friends very much and would do anything to protect them. Lorelei feels things both strongly and deeply. While she is often teasing, witty, and carefree when she is happy, Lorelei's most immediate reaction when angry or sad is to channel her darker emotions into a barely-contained rage or killing calm. This gets her into trouble more often than not. Often she will take rash actions and has a desire for vengeance when someone close to her is harmed or even killed. Despite being an assassin, she is quite meticulous in managing her appearance. She has a fixation on finery and insists on wearing fashionable clothing. She can often be found spending her money on frivolous things and can be surprisingly girly. Lorelei also has a strong moral compass. Though she often tries to suppress the memories of her tumultuous past, her experiences have shaped her into the woman she is, and that is a woman who does not tolerate injustices. She absolutely loathes slavery and unnecessary cruelty. People that partake in either of these, she will do anything necessary to make them pay for their actions.

Assets and Liabilities

Strengths: Venom || As a Naga, Lorelei produces a deadly venom that she can inject into people through a bite. She also has the ability to coat her claws in the venom. Stealth || She’s rather quiet and does rather well at disappearing into the shadows or a crowd. Singing and Piano || Surprisingly Lorelei is musically gifted having spent downtime learning how to play the piano and sing. Multiple Weapon and Combat Training || In order to ensure she became one of the best assassins possible, the assassin's guild she was raised in trained her in all forms of combat and weaponry. She even spent a year in the deserts with a special order of assassins to learn from them. Her favorite weapon, however, is a simple dagger and throwing knives. She's also quite skilled with a bow. Cunning || Is pretty good at talking her way out of situations. Also rather good at extracting information. Agile || Pretty good with acrobatics. Ambidextrous || There’s a story here, but will she actually tell you the truth? Poison Resistance || Due to the nature of living with venom within her body along with years of slowly building an immunity to different poisons, Lorelei has a pretty high tolerance for different poisons and venoms. Weaknesses: Strength || Lorelei is not about to get in an arm wrestling competition anytime soon. While definitely not weak, by any means, she also relies more on dexterity over strength. Temper || She's often considered to have a short fuse and she can become very vindictive when angry. It often gets her in trouble. Arrogant || She knows her strengths and she likes to flaunt them. Books || She is an absolute sucker for books and can get lost in reading for hours, often staying up way too late or losing track of time. Cold || Due to being a serpent she quite enjoys the warm weather. Put her in cold weather and she is going to whine and complain about it the whole time. Not to mention she's much more susceptible to the cold. Bugs, Mice, and Rats || Don’t judge, she has a mild fear of them and may scream at people to “Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!”

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History

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Biography: Lorelei grew up in an assassin's guild located within East Balmaria. Little is known of her life before the assassin's guild, who her parents are, or where she came from. She was only four years old when brought to Allisar Tormyer, leader of the Twilight Assassins. Initially set to be sold for profit, Allisar decided the feisty child might do well as an assassin. So he began training her and she soon became one of the best within the guild. Life wasn't an easy one, playing a pawn in someone else's game. She often challenged Allisar and often it resulted in severe punishments. He continuously claimed to be a father figure to her, but as she grew older she realized how he treated her was twisted and she wanted out. He agreed to let her go free if she paid off all she had cost him over the years and she agreed. Never once did he think she would actually follow through with it. She made a name for herself, becoming known merely as the Veiled Phantom. Any outside of the assassins guild knew little of her true identity and soon enough she paid off her debt. Allisar was not pleased by this, however, and he ended up setting her up. She was contracted for a job, but it was a trap. She was caught and sent to a mining prison in the north. She spent a year there before someone paid to free her and she found herself here at Hoseforn's Academy.

Juliet Mordred

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Appearance

Name: Juliet Mordred Race: Dhampir, also known as Daywalkers Age: 17 Gender: Female Appearance: Juliet stands at 5’2 and has a rather slender build. She has pale skin with some freckles spattered across her cheeks and nose. Her eyes are an enchanting chartreuse green color that seem to be full of curiosity. She has long black hair that she often keeps braided and she likes to accessorize with different golden hair chains. She likes to wear a bedlah, typically in black with gold accents though she has been known to wear other colors on occasions. She also isn’t fond of wearing shoes and is often seen without them on. She also sports fangs that she can use to bite someone and drink their blood, but often tries to resist this urge. Class: Wizard especially skilled in Healing Magic

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Psychology

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Personality: Bubbly, optimistic, and energetic, these are all words one could use to describe Juliet. She has a kind and caring nature to her and is always making friends wherever she goes. Sometimes she'll get to talking and ramble on and on, words flying out of her mouth at a mile a minute. This will especially happen if you start talking about a subject she's passionate about, like magic. Incredibly nerdy and adorable, she is the light in contrast to her brother's dark. She does have a bit of a mischievous side to her, however, as she often likes to pull pranks on people especially if it'll cause someone to have a good giggle. She's also known to crack jokes and is always trying to bring a smile to people's faces. Despite being a spawn of a creature of the night, Juliet is a pure ray of sunshine. Unfortunately she is plagued with nightmares and she will often be plagued by insomnia due to it. If she's gone a few days with little sleep she becomes quite the emotional wreck. She'll snap at people over the smallest things and it's not uncommon for her to just burst out in tears over seemingly nothing. When this happens, Juliet often needs a hot herbal drink made up for her that will knock her out. She'll either make it herself or Demetrius will make it for her if she's being stubborn about it.

Assets and Liabilities

Strengths: Darkvision || Juliet can see in dim light within 60 ft of her as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. Necrotic Resistance || Any sort of necrotic damage doesn’t damage her near as much as it would others. Enhanced Senses || All five senses are enhanced. Enhanced Speed || Juliet is quite a bit faster than the average person. Vampiric Bite || Juliet can bite someone with her fangs and heal minor wounds from drinking blood. Healing Magic || She is a student of magic and excels in healing magic.	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	Weaknesses: Hunger for Blood || She is constantly plagued by a hunger for blood and, while it isn’t necessary for her to feed on blood like it is for a regular vampire, the longer she goes without it the stronger the hunger grows. No Weapon Training || Juliet has always relied on her brother for protection in fights and thus hasn’t ever really picked up a weapon. It’s something she knows she needs to work on. Sunlight Sensitivity || While the sun won’t cause her to burst into flames and die, it’s still not completely comfortable for her to spend a lot of time in. She does it in order to live a normal life, however she is prone to burning from the sun a lot quicker than most. Doesn’t Wear Armor || She is your squishy mage. Overly Optimistic || While being optimistic isn’t always a bad thing, Juliet can be too optimistic. She will continuously try and find the good in people even after they’ve proved there is none. Insomnia || She often suffers from insomnia and it can cause her to be overly emotional at times.

History

Biography: Born into slavery, Juliet’s mind has blocked out a vast majority of the horrors her and her brother, Demetrius, faced in order to protect her. She remembers always playing with her brother and never realized he was constantly doing things to protect her from harm or provide a distraction from the atrocities done to their mother, Zaleria. She remembers the day they escaped and the fear in her mother’s eyes as they ran and she was instructed to be silent. They ended up settling in a small town outside of Windleton and this was the first time she remembers all three of them being truly happy.

Unfortunately that happiness wasn’t bound to last as their father found them when Juliet was 12. Zaleria had instructed her children to hide and Juliet hid in the small stables. Demetrius found her and they ran, beginning their life on the run. They’d pick up odd jobs here and there in order to survive and that’s how Juliet stumbled across magic. An older woman that took them in for a time began teaching her what she knew of magic. She also ended up giving her a book of spells that Juliet studies every day. They eventually received a letter each inviting them to Hoseforn’s and, when considering whether or not to go, they decided it was a good plan to hide from their father.

Hoseforn’s Academy for Gifted Adventurers: Rebirth

Lorelei Elakha

Theme

Appearance

Name: Lorelei Elakha Race: Naga Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Lorelei has three separate forms she can take; a human form, a serpent form, and a hybrid form. Even in her human form she retains some of her serpentine features like her yellow eyes and a pair of fangs in place of her canines. Her skin has a light tan color to it that seems to be a cooler undertone. Her hair is a striking pure white that falls down past her hips and has a soft wave to it. She is rather lithe and toned, though she still has impressive curves. In her human form she stands at 5'7 and this is the form she often stays in as it's what she's most comfortable in. She also has many scars, though there are quite a few noticeable ones on her back. In her serpent form, Lorelei is about 15' in length and is rather slender. She has the head of a horned viper and her scales are a striking golden green color. Her underbelly is black and speckled with gold. She has large fangs that produce a deadly venom. This is the form you are least likely to see her in. In her hybrid form she becomes a mix of the two with her human form from the hips up and her serpent form from the hips down. There are patches of scales covering her skin that glisten in the light and she seems to grow claws that she can coat in her venom. Class: Assassin Thief

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Psychology

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Personality: Lorelei is very passionate about many things, and especially so with the people she loves. When she cares for someone, she cares for them deeply and has experienced enough loss in her life to never want to feel it again. Her passionate nature also often extends to her interests, including books, sweets, and music. Lorelei has often been called rude or even evil, but this is often just a defense mechanism. If one were to break past the walls she has up and grow close to her, they would soon find that she obviously loves her friends very much and would do anything to protect them. Lorelei feels things both strongly and deeply. While she is often teasing, witty, and carefree when she is happy, Lorelei's most immediate reaction when angry or sad is to channel her darker emotions into a barely-contained rage or killing calm. This gets her into trouble more often than not. Often she will take rash actions and has a desire for vengeance when someone close to her is harmed or even killed. Despite being an assassin, she is quite meticulous in managing her appearance. She has a fixation on finery and insists on wearing fashionable clothing. She can often be found spending her money on frivolous things and can be surprisingly girly. Lorelei also has a strong moral compass. Though she often tries to suppress the memories of her tumultuous past, her experiences have shaped her into the woman she is, and that is a woman who does not tolerate injustices. She absolutely loathes slavery and unnecessary cruelty. People that partake in either of these, she will do anything necessary to make them pay for their actions.

Assets and Liabilities

Strengths: Venom || As a Naga, Lorelei produces a deadly venom that she can inject into people through a bite. She also has the ability to coat her claws in the venom. Stealth || She’s rather quiet and does rather well at disappearing into the shadows or a crowd. Singing and Piano || Surprisingly Lorelei is musically gifted having spent downtime learning how to play the piano and sing. Multiple Weapon and Combat Training || In order to ensure she became one of the best assassins possible, the assassin's guild she was raised in trained her in all forms of combat and weaponry. She even spent a year in the deserts with a special order of assassins to learn from them. Her favorite weapon, however, is a simple dagger and throwing knives. She's also quite skilled with a bow. Cunning || Is pretty good at talking her way out of situations. Also rather good at extracting information. Agile || Pretty good with acrobatics. Ambidextrous || There’s a story here, but will she actually tell you the truth? Poison Resistance || Due to the nature of living with venom within her body along with years of slowly building an immunity to different poisons, Lorelei has a pretty high tolerance for different poisons and venoms. Weaknesses: Strength || Lorelei is not about to get in an arm wrestling competition anytime soon. While definitely not weak, by any means, she also relies more on dexterity over strength. Temper || She's often considered to have a short fuse and she can become very vindictive when angry. It often gets her in trouble. Arrogant || She knows her strengths and she likes to flaunt them. Books || She is an absolute sucker for books and can get lost in reading for hours, often staying up way too late or losing track of time. Cold || Due to being a serpent she quite enjoys the warm weather. Put her in cold weather and she is going to whine and complain about it the whole time. Not to mention she's much more susceptible to the cold. Bugs, Mice, and Rats || Don’t judge, she has a mild fear of them and may scream at people to “Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!”

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History

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Biography: Lorelei grew up in an assassin's guild located within East Balmaria. Little is known of her life before the assassin's guild, who her parents are, or where she came from. She was only four years old when brought to Allisar Tormyer, leader of the Twilight Assassins. Initially set to be sold for profit, Allisar decided the feisty child might do well as an assassin. So he began training her and she soon became one of the best within the guild. Life wasn't an easy one, playing a pawn in someone else's game. She often challenged Allisar and often it resulted in severe punishments. He continuously claimed to be a father figure to her, but as she grew older she realized how he treated her was twisted and she wanted out. He agreed to let her go free if she paid off all she had cost him over the years and she agreed. Never once did he think she would actually follow through with it. She made a name for herself, becoming known merely as the Veiled Phantom. Any outside of the assassins guild knew little of her true identity and soon enough she paid off her debt. Allisar was not pleased by this, however, and he ended up setting her up. She was contracted for a job, but it was a trap. She was caught and sent to a mining prison in the north. She spent a year there before someone paid to free her and she found herself here at Hoseforn's Academy.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Saiya & Amir

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While standing and talking with Nahir, Saiya almost missed when her number was called. She hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. ”I suppose I shouldn’t leave my dance partner waiting too long, nor should you. Go have some fun with a dance or two, Nahir.” She gave the woman a smile before setting her wine glass down and headed towards the front of the ballroom. Her bare feet made very little sound as she made her way through people, the only noise coming from her was the jingling sound of the bangles on her wrists. She soon found herself glancing around, waiting to see who she would dance with.

Amir’s eyes were always on the move. Even while conversing with Lady Vikena and Verrick, he scanned the ballroom continuously. He kept tabs on where his siblings, father and Vizier were located. Some ingrained instinct or perhaps the patriarchal idea that the oldest is to protect the young made him ensure that all was well. The twin would vehemently deny it of course.

His eyes fell on Nahir and Saiya conversing. Strong footsteps propelled him towards the pair. Then he saw the adopted daughter, now serving lady, move towards the dance floor. Moving like a shadow he suddenly appeared next to her. The twin’s voice was low but confident. “Would the lady honor me with this dance?” His eyes looked down at hers. Strong callused right hand extended to take hers. His honey colored eyes were waiting expectantly.

Saiya had felt the sudden presence appear next to her and glanced over at Amir with a smile. She glanced down at the paper in her hand, but then dropped it as she decided no one would truly know if they had gotten the same number or not. If they hadn't, the two they were to be paired with could simply get paired together instead. "Who am I to deny my Shahzade a dance?" She said as she gave him a bow before placing her small, delicate looking hand in his. "How has the night been treating you, dearest Amir? You were not harmed in the disturbance earlier I hope? She asked as she readied herself for the waltz, a northern dance she had practiced yet wasn't completely familiar with.

The tiniest smile appeared on the second born’s face. Saiya had always been different, even as a noble. She was truly brave. In a sense, it was a compliment that she would rather dance with him than whomever she had been assigned. Neither would know that fate would have brought them together anyways. As his bigger hand closed on hers, he would bow slightly.

With all form and decorum, he led her to the dance floor. His voice was cool as he answered her question. “I thank you for your concern, my lady. No harm came to me.” Reaching their destination he crisply placed his free hand on her hips in the Northern fashion. His eyes looked into hers. To any onlooker, they would seem like very well acquainted friends at the least. The music started and with just the barest of pressure on her waist, he directed her movements.

"Good, I'm glad no harm came to you." Saiya responded, a truly thankful smile on her face as she looked up at him. She followed his lead as he began the dance for them, her hand going to its proper place on his shoulder. "I saw you were speaking with Lady Vikena and the white haired man, did you make new friends?" An innocent question, though she knew he'd easily understand what she was actually asking. Did he find out anything interesting from them? Are they harmless? These were all things she'd hoped to eventually find out as they were two people who'd piqued her interest already. Amir had simply beaten her to it.

Just like Saiya, this dance was known to the twin but he was not proficient at it. This meant that to better control her movements he had to pull her in close so that their bodies could be in sync. He was thankful that the lady was so attuned to the slightest of movement. He gave her a slight grunt as she asked about the Duke’s daughter and Varian Princess bodyguard. “Sorry to disappoint you. No lasting friendships were made.”

At this point he leaned in close, his lips almost touching her ears so that she felt a slight breeze as he spoke. “Lady Vikena is a good source of information as she gives it freely. A kind smile will do wonders. The Varian warrior seems to have eyes only for his princess, so I doubt even your honey words may avail you. I would be careful with him.” His tone passed along the warning easily enough.

Amir stepped back as the time for the twirl came. He held Saiya’s hand as he lifted his own arm to allow her to pass under it. After full extension, he would pull her back, the momentum bringing her close again. “I saw my dear uncle grace you with his presence. No doubt encouraging you to mingle with our gracious hosts.” The twin asked, his tone slightly playful.

Saiya understood why he'd pulled her in closer as she found it easier to follow him by doing so, but her body betrayed her as she felt butterflies in her stomach for a brief moment. She silently cursed herself, but she kept a flawless mask as she listened to him speak. If one had asked her if she were attracted to either of the Sultan's sons she would tell the person asking that she was not, but it would be a lie. She swore to herself that she wouldn't admit to anyone that she found both Amir and Munir attractive.

His warning pulled her back out of her thoughts and she nodded slightly in understanding, but her eyes found the white haired man dancing with a young blonde woman. They seemed rather cozy and Saiya quietly noted to speak with that woman at some point. Her eyes met Amir's once more as he mentioned Hafiz speaking with her and a playful smile crossed her own face now. "Oh yes, he instructed me to mingle, form relationships, and have fun. Such a kind man, is he not?" It took everything in her to keep from rolling her eyes at the last statement. She, of all people, knew quite well how bipolar the Grand Vizier could be. "I believe he wishes for me to weed out any threats to all of you, especially after what happened with Duke Vikena." She said softly to him as she leaned in closer.

Amir was never as vulnerable as when around Saiya. The lady in waiting had been with the Kadir children basically all their lives. In some ways she was like a sister. In others….she was not. It was not lost on the twin how she felt to his touch, and against him. Thankfully, his own cool nature was able to overcome any flares that he may have. Mentioning the Vizier helped tremendously as his face hardened into its usual visage.

He crossed both their arms using opposite hands then spun her so that her arms enveloped her midsection and pulled her backwards against him as they swayed to the rhythm of the music. Again, his voice was near her ear. “Oh, yes. A veritable holy man.” The sarcasm was thick and deadly as a viper’s venom. “He wishes to learn of any threats indeed. It is easier to use traps that have already been spotted.”

Letting go of one of her hands he pushed her by the waist making her twirl again until both their arms were fully elongated. Then he pulled her back again, dipped under her arm as he spun himself to finish opposite of where he had started. A look that held a very subtle content face regarded her. “I feel more than one eye is upon you my lady. I am sure you will have no lack of dance partners tonight.” The slight tone of playfulness in his voice was recognisable to Saiya only.

When he pulled her back against him, arms crossed, Saiya found herself instinctually leaning into him. He spoke near her ear and she found herself turning to look at him, bringing their faces incredibly close. "I may pose as his little spy, but my loyalties lie with you. They always have and they always will." She said softly back to him before he spun her back out.

His next words caused a slight tint of red to color her cheeks, but she found herself smirking up at him. "Is that so? I wonder if seeing me dance so closely to Shahzade Amir will frighten them off? A shame, if so?" She then leaned in a little closer to him. "Or perhaps that was your plan all along?" She teased him and then grinned widely.

It was actually the nearness of their faces that had forced the second born to gently propel Saiya away before he lost composure. It had been her declaration of loyalty that had pleased him enough to show content. Gently, he gathered near her again, his hand once more on the small of her waist, holding on just a bit tighter. He raised an eyebrow at her cheeky taunting.

“If any man would not risk my swords to dance with you…then they are not worth the air they breathe.” He said in a low, almost guttural tone. Once more Amir leaned in close, his lips actually brushing her ear this time as he spoke into it. “As to the inner workings of my mind, my dear lady will have to try harder to discern them.” Before she could answer, his strong hands held her by the waist and lifted her up, spinning in place as the dance required and then brought her down when the spin was over. “Offering the gentlemen a better view of the prize to build up their courage.” He winked at her, honey eyes showing a glint.

Her breath caught as his lips brushed her ear and her heart seemed to skip a beat. Once upon a time, their mothers would tease that she would marry one of the twins some day. Her father even tried to go as far as arranging it once, but it was never to be. She'd lost her title and thus lost any chance of that. He could easily become the next Sultan and she was no longer worthy of becoming a Sultana. She wasn't even worthy of gaining the title Shehzadi, despite being taken in by the family. No, there was to be no hope of any of that transpiring…and yet? "Amir…" She breathed, but then caught herself and composed herself once more.

"You are cruel, Amir Ibn Raif Kadir. Teasing me so and toying with my heart." She said playfully, a teasing smile on her face. "I do believe there are plenty of eyes on both of us. Perhaps you will find yourself a wife during this season?" She smirked at him.

Though she was teasing, his face lost its playful tone. His face was not angry, instead a hint of sadness fluttered in his eyes. His voice was cool as always. “Lady Saiya, I would never play with your heart…” It seemed like he was to say more but he merely shut his mouth. The second comment did not help either. “I wish no lady to endure a life with me and I do not intend to merely be a political tool.” His honey eyes narrowed slightly.

The twins had never known of the secret arrangements secretly plotted. Kahrem had indeed felt more for the lady in waiting than mere friendship and would have been more than happy with the arrangements. Old Amir had seen her as nothing more than a pretty face. The current man before her looked at her, melancholy written in his face. “I pray to the gods that the same fate does not befall you my lady. Your hand should be given only to one who has won your heart and can promise you everlasting happiness.” The hand around Saiya’s waist loosened a little and Amir could not meet her gaze for a few seconds.

Saiya's own face fell as she tried to read his expression, to understand what she saw in his eyes, and to quiet the small spark of anger she felt at his words. Suddenly she pulled them to a stop from the dance. Her small hand reached up to gently caress his face and make him meet her gaze once more. "Endure a life with you?" She questioned and then began shaking her head softly. "I pray that someday you can open your heart and realize that you are just as deserving of love and happiness as anyone else. Then I hope you realize that someone would be thrilled to endure a life with you because they love you." Her words were gentle as she gave him an affectionate smile.

"I want to help you accomplish your goals, but I also want to see you happy by the end of all this. Despite what you think, you deserve happiness." She said as she moved her hand back into place to pick up the dance once again. "Now shall we finish our dance?" She asked, keeping a smile on her face as she tried to lighten the mood some.

The abrupt stop of motion and the gentle hand upon his cheek made the twin look up into Saiya’s eyes. Her words made him feel weak. It was almost as if she was holding him up merely by that gentle palm upon his bearded face. Their eyes spoke volumes. His features softened somewhat. Amir’s mouth felt dry and he did not dare speak should his voice betray him. All he could do was nod understanding what she meant but not fully agreeing with her.

His hand at her waist tightened again to move her out of the way of an incoming couple. Again he brought her close. “My life is not my own. I cannot deviate from my goal. Her soul, nor mine, can rest until…” His voice had begun to get louder but then he caught himself and took a deep breath. “Your words are kind and they are appreciated. You will make someone very happy one day.” His voice was cool again.

With the last measures of the song marking its end Amir brought her in close so that both of their bodies were pressed against each other. The hand at her waist moved to her lower back and the one holding her hand went behind her head cradling her neck. In a smooth motion, he dipped her. Amir’s strong arms holding the pose with no outward strain. His eyes looked into hers, their faces close to touching. “It never ceases to amaze me how vexing and calming you can be.” As the last notes faded, the twin lifted the lady in waiting back up. He bowed to her slightly. “Thank you for the dance Lady Saiya.” His normal demeanor returned.

Her heart had ached as she listened to his words and stared at him, but she spoke no more on the matter. She'd spoken her piece and there was no sense in continuing the conversation…for now. She understood where he was coming from and their goals aligned, but she also would not stop fighting for him to have happiness. She cared for him deeply and she knew Esrin would want to see all her children happy. Saiya would ensure that to the best of her abilities.

She hadn't been expecting him to pull her in so close and she felt her heart begin to race. He then dipped her and she found herself inches from his face. Her mind betrayed her for a brief moment as she wondered what it would be like if he closed the distance and their lips met. As she realized she had this thought and heard his words she felt her face heat and she had to avert her gaze. He lifted her back up and the dance was over. She dipped down low in a curtsy, trying to still her racing heart and rid her face of its red glow. "It's always a pleasure to dance with you, Shahzade. I hope you enjoy the rest of the evening." She said quickly to him, briefly meeting his gaze once more before turning and leaving. She found herself once more by the wine table and desperately needing the sweet liquid.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: The Harem
Interactions: @Alivefalling Barboda @princess Helio @Infinite Cosmos Tesoro @Helo Nym @Potter Tigerlily @FunnyGuy “Two Lesser Known Twins”
Mentions:
Equipment:

Hider

The clothes on her back
Cutlass
Flint and steel
275 amas
New outfit
hat

The tides seemed to be turning in their favor now as Lizzie watched the turtle demon get taken down and Barboda take out the others that were trying to board. Tigerlily dove into the water to drown those still alive there while Nym climbed across to the other ship. Helio was locked in battle with Rellen and Lizzie decided it was time to board their ship. She followed after Nym and had planned to help with Rellen, but the sight she witnesses with Nym was impressive yet also shocking. "Remind me to never get on his bad side." She said to no one in particular.

She then looked to the hatch that led below the deck and knew that's where she would find Vellen. Of course there was still the risk of there being others down there as Barboda had detected. She was willing to bet it wasn't crew, however, as they likely would have emerged by now to save the ship. "We've almost won, lads and lassies! The other bastard disappeared down below, I say we find him." She said with a grin to her crew before heading down the ladder.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Early Evening
Location: Caesonia Ballroom
Attire: Outfit
Interaction: @Infinite Cosmos Munir
Mentions:
Mood: Bet you’ve been a fan of me…

Mina raised her eyebrows, yet smirked as he placed her flask back where it had come from. Her skin tingled in anticipation of the touch of his finger, but it never came. It was almost maddening, but the only thing that showed it was Mina’s exhale of her held breath. ”There are a few wonders in there that I’m sure you’d love to explore.” She hadn’t been expecting to feel the thrill she was currently feeling when she initiated this flirtatious engagement. It was refreshing as it didn’t happen too often.

She felt her breath catch once again as his arm wrapped around her waist. The warmth of his breath on her neck sent a wave of heat through her core as she found herself grinning wickedly. ”I’m not sure if you could handle me sampling such delights.” She responded as he was still near, trailing a hand down his chest…his stomach…lower and lower…then she pulled her hand away. ”I do wonder, though, if I’ll enjoy your delights or the wine more?” She tapped her lip with a finger, as if contemplating the question.

It was at this point that her attention was grabbed by something behind Munir. A servant approached the two and offered them the bowl with the paper slips. Mina took one and glanced at it. ”Unfortunately I have to join this dance as I promised my uncle I would. Good way to strengthen political ties, you see.” She said with a sigh, glancing to where people were gathering for the dance. She then looked back to Munir and grinned once more. ”Find me after and perhaps I can give you a personal tour of whatever you’d like to see. Until then, it’s been quite a pleasure…” She leaned in close to him now. ”...master.” With that she turned and sauntered away from him, hips swaying.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Verrick & Thea

---

Verrick sighed as he moved to his own corner when a servant suddenly came up to him and offered him a bowl. After a moment's hesitation he grabbed a slip of paper and looked at his number. Glancing up afterward and noticing two younger prince's of Casonia being conveniently handed their own slips of paper. Narrowing his eyes and scoffing in disgust he tossed the paper over his shoulder and grumbled something about sniveling royal brats… or something of the sort. Clearing his throat he straightened his shoulders and went to find the unlucky soul who picked his number.

He lined up at the front of the room, a fair scowl/smile upon his face as he tried to put on his ‘good’ face again. Placing his hands behind his back he took a deep breath and let it out, resisting the urge to suddenly throw the two nobles who got too close to him as they lined up. He glanced over to see Princess Beatrice lined up in front of Auguste, and the two nobles beside him gave him a weird look when they heard a low growl coming from him. “What was that?” One of them asked. Verrick quickly said, “Just clearing my throat.” without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Thea had made it to the drink table and was sipping on a glass of wine as she did her best to calm her earlier irritation. She almost snapped at the person who tapped on her shoulder, but quickly discovered it was merely a servant with a bowl full of papers. So it was time for the dances, lovely. She quickly downed the glass of wine and grabbed a slip, looking at the number. She took a deep breath, sending a prayer up to whoever would hear her that she didn’t have to dance with some pompous ass. She then moved to the front of the room as her number was called, stepping past those who had already lined up, ready to meet her dance partner only to meet the eyes of Verrick and her eyes widened. “Oh…” Was all she could think of to say in that moment.

Verrick blinked when she said “Oh” before saying. ”I do realize I’m no Prince charming. But ‘OH’ is kinda a slap to the face.” He said with a hint of his usual sarcastic humor. He then reached back and scratched the back of his head. “I do know how to dance…I think…if that is what you’re worried about.” He dropped his hand to his side before offering his right hand to her.

Thea felt heat brighten her cheeks as she realized how she’d sounded and shook her head, trying to clear it some while also trying to indicate that’s not what she meant. ”No, that’s not…it wasn’t an ‘oh’ as if I’m disappointed, believe me I’m far from disappointed. It was an ‘oh’ as in, ‘oh I’m not dancing with an arrogant ass’.” She said, letting out a small laugh as she took his hand. ”And I couldn’t care less if you know how to dance or not, you’re rescuing me from ‘Prince Charming’ currently and for that I’m quite grateful.”

”Ah… Yes, Dancing with just an ass’s is better I do believe. Much simpler..” He said with a clear amusement in his voice. He led Thea towards the dance floor and said softly as they moved so others wouldn’t hear them. ”I wouldn’t exactly call him ‘charming’. An immature brat is more fitting.” He Looked at Thea. With no one around he felt more comfortable to be free with what he said, it was clear from what he saw as well, that she was not at all pleased with her fiance. He came to a stop and turned towards and wrapped his other hand behind her back.

”Far more simple indeed.” Thea felt herself relaxing some now, the irritation of earlier fading completely now. ”He tries to be charming, but sometimes I feel as if he sees me as a doll to play with. The sooner he realizes I am anything but that, the better I think.” She let out a sigh as she placed her other hand on his shoulder, falling into position for the waltz. ”Enough about my betrothed, though. Tell me how you’ve been? Anything exciting happened lately? Any more nobles thrown out windows?” She wore a smile now, ready to hear any exciting stories he had to tell.

Verrick had a small genuine smile of his own. The thought of her father flying out the window was still satisfying. He looked up as if to recall anything before leading Thea into the beginning of the waltz quite smoothly. ”Actually yes, but not a noble. He said with a smile. "There was a young lad from the city so infatuated with trying to see the princess he managed to climb both walls and her tower. He almost made it as well without me seeing. Honestly I was quite impressed. If it wasn’t for the bath chambers he was attempting to climb into I might have let him see the princess for a moment.”

He smirked, ”So I let him believe he saw her for a few moments. Only fair to give him a tiny bit of hope after all that hard work. Only to crush his spirits when a half naked man stood up from the bath to toss him back out the window.” Verrick had caught sight of the man climbing her tower and while she had been bathing he managed to get to her first and inform her of the pending perv. Just enough time for him to replace her.. While…unorthodox…Verrick had to find his fun somewhere.

Thea listened with intrigue to his story, but then let out a giggle at the end. "Oh my, the shock on that man's face was probably priceless." The man certainly sounded like he deserved what he got and Thea only wished she could have watched it all happen. "Though if I saw a half naked you before being tossed out a window, I don't think I'd be too terribly mad." She gave him a playful smile as she mindlessly followed the steps of the dance.

Verrick nodded, the Seer confusion,disgust, realization, utter terror was worth the sprint up the up the tower, getting the princess out while trying to communicate with the princess and her maids to get her out and the rush to jump in the bath while ripping off his clothes was worth it.

Thea mentioned if she saw him and half naked he was at a loss for words for a moment, Not expecting that from her. But he looked at her and said quite seriously. ”I can quite assure you Lady Thea. There is no possible chance of that ever happening. He looked away for a moment before adding. ”I would never toss a beautiful lady out a window.”

"So seeing you half naked is still on the table?" Thea smirked at him, pausing for a brief second and then giggling. "I'm merely teasing you Verrick. It is comforting to know you wouldn't toss me out a window though, even if I may deserve it at times." There was still a smile on her face, but her eyes betrayed her as she knew most everyone disapproved of her recent actions.

”Continued teasing will change my mind…” he said jokingly, before looking directly into her eyes. ”Let me be very clear. his sense of sarcasticness gone. His gruff voice was as serious as it could be. ” For what you went through, it is understandable for you to change while you deal with it. While I don’t approve of how you handle it at times,you do not deserve it..”

Thea's face fell and she found herself looking down as silence fell for a moment. She trembled slightly as she took a shaky breath. "I'm unsure of how else to deal with it. Without drinking myself into oblivion I can't sleep. I have nightmares." She said barely above a whisper. "Will it ever get easier?" She looked back up to him, a pleading look in her eyes.

Verrick sighed and didn’t say anything for a few moments as he thought of the best answer. Fact was he couldn’t really tell her how to deal with the issue, as it never happened to him. He then looked at her then said softly. ”It will be something that will stay with you for a long time. But as I said then, and now you must not feel guilty, It wasn’t your fault at all. Nor it ever will be.” He paused again, looking at the others dancing around them. ”If it will help, blame me for not being there when you needed it.”

Thea slowly shook her head. "I could never blame you, Verrick. You were there when I needed it the most and I'll forever be grateful to you." She forced a smile onto her face. "I'm sorry, I'm being rather dull. I'll be okay in time, I promise you that." The music began to slow and instead of parting from her partner and curtsying as other women did, she threw her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you for everything, Verrick." She said softly to him and let him go, but not before kissing him on his cheek. "Now, are you going to ask your princess for a dance or am I going to have to do it for you?" She smirked at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

Verrick grunted as she said she would be ok, he felt like he didn’t say the right thing to get through to her. Personally he did feel responsible for not being able to help her. He clearly missed something back there, if he only knew…

He was pulled from his thoughts when she suddenly threw her arms around him, as well as giving him a kiss on the cheek. This was enough to make any man redden…even a tiny bit. But what made him freeze was her next statement. ”W- What do you mean? I cannot ask the Princess..” He sighed as he scratched the back of his head. Giving up on feeble attempts to hide the truth of his feelings… Apparently she was far more observant than he gave her credit for. ”There is no way she would want to dance with me. I annoy her to no end, and it wouldn’t be ‘proper’ for a common man such as me to even think about that.”

Thea stared at him, unimpressed with his excuses. "You just danced with a future princess of Varian, you can dance with THE Princess of Varian. It's a dance, not a proposal. It's to provide fun." She said with a small laugh as she moved to link her arm with his before pulling at him to follow her. "Come on, even if you don't ask I should still return you to her and then I have a prince to find that I'm probably obligated to share a dance with." She sighed, clearly not thrilled with the idea, but still trying to fulfill her promise to Felix.

Verrick sighed when she brought up that she will be a princess herself soon. It annoyed him that she was right…on both points she brought up. Depending on how the night went, he would want to make sure she enjoyed at least one dance. Even if it was with a grumpy woodsman.

He felt a sudden tug on his arm and was dragged off by Thea after she linked their arms together. He was resistant at first but gave in after a second or two. He glanced down at her as they walked as she mentioned having to have a dance with Felix. ”Well, just know if he ruins your night. I’m sure there’s a pond around here somewhere.” He said with a chuckle.

Avalia

Wumong & Faye

Time: Morning
Location: Tavern in Roshmi

Faye Equipment

Outfit
Wings
350 amas
Dagger
Berries
Nuts
Map
Backpack
Pouch full of healing herbs and different seeds
Waterskin

Wumong

Monk clothing
Strength enchanted bracers
Enlareduce Enchanted Quarterstaff
Backpack
Rations
Waterskin
350 Amas

---

---

The monkey and the fairy had traveled the entire day and even into the night with only a brief stop to rest. Faye was rather anxious about getting to Roshmi and also didn’t want to spend too much time in the jungle, not wanting to run into something dangerous. While she had full confidence in Wumong’s fighting ability, she had very little confidence in her own. Sure she’d begun taking lessons from Wumong, but her abilities were still very lacking. She had a feeling she’d only be in the way if they were to fight something. So every time Wumong would ask if she needed any rest she would push herself and tell him she was fine. He’d had to force her to stop and rest for a while, to which she’d tried to protest but he was having none of it. So rest they did and thankfully nothing had happened while they did so.

They had made it to Roshmi in the early hours of the morning and this was when they’d discovered what had transpired in Roshmi the day before. Entering the city was much more of a hassle than she remembered it to be, dark elves standing at the gates and questioning all who wished to enter. When it was their turn it took everything in Faye to keep her anger in check and tears from spilling onto her cheeks. Wumong had to speak with them instead as Faye knew she would only cause suspicion if she tried to speak. She wasn’t even sure if she hadn’t already caused suspicion by constantly trying not to look at the dark elves. Thankfully after a few minutes they were let into the city and, while Faye wanted to look for Bastian immediately, Wumong convinced her to find a place to stay first and then they could continue their mission afterwards.

That is what led them to the tavern they were now in. Faye had first gone up to their room to rest for a bit while she left Wumong to his own devices. After a bit she found him again and they were now sitting at a table finishing up a meal. Faye had overheard lots of gossip, mostly about what was happening within Roshmi. Apparently there had been lots of dark elves gathering up anyone who spoke out against the Twins and many bodies were on display in the major courtyards. The thought of this made her ill and she fought off many dark memories from surfacing. The dark elves had caused so much pain, Faye just wanted it all to stop. ”It seems like this city has been through a lot lately. It scares me to be here for too long. I do hope we can find Bastian and hopefully Helio quickly.” She said softly as she glanced up at Wumong, obvious fear in her eyes. Whether it was from the fear of the state of Roshmi or the prospect of seeing Helio was hard to determine, however. ”Did you hear any interesting information while I was resting by chance?” She went on to ask curiously.

Wumong looked towards Faye. He could see the fear in her tone and eyes. “Settle down my dear, I have heard some things around the city I may be able to find our little pup.” Wumong had found out that Bastian was frequenting this tavern or so he had heard. “Everything will come to us in time darling, you need not fret or worry.” He gave a comforting smile to the young fairy.

Faye took a deep breath, trying to calm herself more and then gave Wumong a small smile. ”Okay, I’ll try to keep myself a bit more calm. I’m sorry.” After a minute she began looking around the tavern, watching for Bastian. She’d met him a few times, but she worried she wouldn’t immediately recognize him.

As if on cue, the door swung open and was pushed against the wall by a claw. Yellow, predatory eyes searched the room as the dark-haired canine took in his surroundings. A low growl emitted from his throat to ward off a glare he received. He had a lean muscular build and a scar across his face. It was easy to tell from his long claws that he could tear the skin off one’s face if he so wanted. Not many looked over as they were used to his loud entrances.

Bastian’s gaze caught on the fairy and monkey demi-human seated and his stoic expression suddenly brightened. “Oh hi!” He exclaimed and began to eagerly make his way over, only to trip over the leg of a stool and fall into the table of other patrons. They gasped in indignation but he collected himself without even looking their way as he continued his journey to the table of his old friends, ”Aha! Here I am!” He flashed a grin that could make the elderly faint as he put his fists to his waist. The wolf demihuman was in a long, dramatic coat and had spiked boots, “What are you two rascals doing here, huh? But wow am I happy to see you !” His tail was subtly wagging behind him.

Faye watched the scene with wide eyes, gasping as Bastian tripped and fell. She was concerned he’d injured himself, but he was quick to jump right back up. ”Bastian, um, are you okay? That looked like it may have hurt a little…” She said softly to him once he got to their table. Bastian had nodded eagerly in reply to her question, still smiling. He stared at her for a moment as he debated on hugging her and decided against it, thinking that it would invade her personal space.

Wumong took his staff and gave Bastian a small smack on the top of his head. “You shouldn’t go stumbling around causing issues with the other guests.” Wumong laughed, “We were looking for you so we could get into contact with Helio so we could learn more about this resistance.” Wumong said to him his tone taking a more serious turn.

Bastian winced and whimpered, “Monkey! That hurt! Why have you done this?” After a moment of rubbing his head he snapped his fingers his way with a chuckle, “Sike. I’m fine. Gotcha!” He seated himself down and transferred his excited energy into tapping the table as he spoke, “Well Helio is not involved with the resistance anymore. As far as I know, he’s off in Port Vanarosa with a bunch of degenerates… But.” He leaned in to speak softer, giving them a wink, “I happen to be.”

”Bastian,” Faye began as she reached out and gently took his hand that was tapping the table. ”You know as well as I do that before everything happened with Helio he did wonders in the resistance. They killed his brother, if he’s truly back to the good Helio we knew before then why isn’t he doing anything about this? Why is he hiding out in Port Vanarosa? I just need to talk to him, to get answers and to see if I can sway him into joining this fight. Do you have any way of getting in contact with him? She pleaded with him as she trembled slightly.

Bastian squeezed her hand and then put his other hand over both of them as well, ”I do know. He’s… just… Well… He’s probably not taking it well.”He told her, his tone saddening. ”Even the people in Roshmi kinda run screaming for the hills whenever they see him. He got real depressed and left. Now I’m sure the guilt is eating him alive for leaving after what happened to his br-” He broke off, his expression breaking as everything dawned on him. ”I’m so sorry… Are you okay? Well of course you’re not-!” He pulled her into a tight hug.

Faye welcomed the hug, but it also broke her a small bit as she let out a small sob while burying her face in his chest. "I feel like I'm in a nightmare, but I can't wake up." Her words were little more than a whisper as she tried desperately to keep from breaking down completely. It was at this moment that she realized Helio must be feeling the same, if not worse and for an instant she wondered if they could help each other out of this nightmare. Perhaps that was the real reason she sought out Helio. Did she need someone that understood this hell she lived in?

Bastian had hugged her tighter when he heard the sob and gave her pets on the head. When he was sad, he liked pets. He was silent as he let her vent.

She finally pulled herself away from Bastian, looking up at him with a new determination. "I want to help him, Bastian. Help me bring him home?"

Wumong watched the two converse. It hurt his heart to know Helio was somewhere, perhaps in as much pain as Faye but alone in it. “We will bring him back. Do not worry yourself too much, my dear Faye.It’s not good for your health to stress.” Wumong placed a hand on her shoulder and looked towards Bastian. “Do you still have a way to contact him?”

Bastian tapped his transmission bracelet, ”Yup. I’ll give him a call right now.” He took it off his wrist and put it on Faye’s to use, holding down the correct button to contact Helio. However, as he was doing so, the door was suddenly kicked down to the bar with a loud thud.

“There he is! Over there with the monkey and the fairy!”

Dark elves as well as a few Roshmi demihuman guards began pouring into the bar. A dark elf with his hair in a ponytail came forward, obviously leading, ”Get both him and his accomplices.”He ordered. ”Arrest them.”

Bastian jumped to his feet and growled. This was his fault. He should have relocated their conversation elsewhere. He took only a moment to collect his thoughts as the foes were coming toward them quite slowly. He looked down at Faye and smiled at her,”Sorry.. This is my mess. Go ahead and call Helio.” He unleashed his claws and threw himself at the oncoming enemies, starting to slash away at them like a parent animal protecting its cubs.

Wumong grabbed his staff, and immediately right after Bastian, jumped at the dark elves enlarging the staff while in the air. He slammed it down on one of the elves' shoulders before kicking another one in the chest. “You really think you can win? You should have minded your own business.” Wumong continued repeatedly beating the oncoming dark elves with his staff, using many techniques as the size of his staff changed with each movement.

Faye's eyes widened in fear as the dark elves came in, but Bastian had already initiated the call. She quickly stood, backing away from the fighting that ensued. What should I do? What should I do?! Just then the call was answered and she stared at the recipient. "Helio…" She breathed, but then her head whipped to the side as she noticed someone coming towards her. She quickly looked back to the transmission, eyes wild. "Help!" She yelled and then let out a scream as a hand wrapped over her mouth and the transmission ended.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Early Evening
Location: Caesonia Ballroom
Attire: Outfit
Interactions: @Rodiak Nahir
Mentions: @Omni5876 Amir @Infinite Cosmos Munir @Aerandir Verrick @JJ Doe Ryn

---

Saiya studied Nahir for a moment, trying to decipher what was going through her head. Whatever it was, Saiya had a feeling she retreated to a dark place for a moment and her heart ached for her friend. The Kadir family had been through so much, far more than many would ever truly know and Saiya feared there was only more darkness in the future. She wanted to protect them, all of them, the ones that took her in. They chose her as their family and she would watch over them to the best of her abilities.

The warmth of a hand in hers pulled Saiya out of her thoughts and she smiled up at Nahir. ”You need not worry about me, I’m doing just fine.” She gave her hand a squeeze of her own before Nahir let go. ”And thank you for the compliment, but I am quite plain compared to you and your sisters. You had many admiring eyes upon you and I’m positive you’ve already won the hearts of many here.” She nudged her playfully, smile still in place as she finally took a sip of wine. She didn’t often drink the liquid, but when at events like this she would allow herself a glass or two. She much preferred to keep her wits about her, however.

She glanced back out at the crowd of people briefly, watching as Amir left the group he was once in. She also took note of servants now going around passing out pieces of paper and found it quite curious. Nahir instructed her not to worry about either herself or her siblings and Saiya merely nodded, but she didn’t voice the fact that she would always keep an eye on all of them no matter what. ”There are a few here that I find intriguing, but I wouldn’t say they’ve caught my eye as that redhead has caught Munir’s eye.” She said with a small laugh, but her eye flicked to the white haired man she’d seen with the Varian princess and then to the nobleman who had used the ‘Golden Tongue’ when greeting the Sultan. ”And what about you? Any of these intriguing Northerner’s catch your attention?” As she asked this, a servant approached them with one of the bowls and urged them to take a paper. Saiya complied and soon her question was answered as numbers were being called for random pairings of dances.

Avalia

Mikazuki & Rosaria

Time: Evening
Location: Desert
Interactions:Kuroi @hide on mana Uzul @dragonpiece @baraquiel Jomari, @13org Nuallán

TIME SKIP TO EVENING

The night set in on the desert and the hot air quickly became cold. It was now late evening as the group had stopped to make camp. Unfortunately for Jomari, there would be no relief from the sand any time soon. A reptile scurried by as Mikazuki exited the tent she and Rosaria were to share, one of three they had with them. A fire crackled upon some logs. It was a relief to not have the sun beating down on them any longer, however, it was fairly surprising just how cold it was getting. She had retrieved her scarf from the tent, now wrapping it around her arms as she sat down next to Rosaria.

Rosaria sat in the sand, bow drawn and arrows attached. She shivered and took the palm warmers out and offered them to Mika. “The desert is a contradiction. Super hot in the day, then cold at night. Who would have thought?”

”Thank you. Yeah, I certainly would have never guessed it would get this cold. Quite a bizarre thing.” Mika replied, giving her friend a smile as she utilized the palm warmers. The two had insisted on taking the first watch, claiming they wished to catch up as they did so. Jomari, Kuroi, Uzul, and Nuallán had all been asleep for the past hour or two. ”I feel like I haven’t really gotten to sit and see how you’ve been since all this happened. How are you holding up, my dear friend?”

”You are welcome.” She paused and then nodded. An exhausted sigh left her and rubbed her face, finally letting her guard down. ”I’m well but I’m tired. It took a lot out of me to summon the six humans. I couldn’t have done it without my family or friends though. I feel bad for bringing them into this insane world…. I just hope I’m doing the right thing. I love them all and will do anything to protect them, even the defiant and sassy Jomari. He’s a delight isn’t he?” She paused, amusement in her voice, and then added, ”How are you holding up? It’s been rough for you too. I can’t imagine being in your shoes.”

Mika nodded, having a feeling she was far more exhausted than she’d let on to the others. She couldn’t blame her, the power she exerted was one very few had the capability of wielding. ”Your strength and power is truly amazing Rosaria. We’ll protect these humans to the best of our abilities, even the delightful Jomari.” She chuckled, but her face fell some as she let her own guard drop some as well. ”Honestly I’m scared and hurting more than I want to admit. I knew my father was a coward, but never would I have expected this to happen. Suddenly I’ve gone from a meek, forgotten princess to the heir of a kingdom overnight. I wasn’t prepared for this…got any advice?”

Rosaria wrapped an arm around her friend and pulled her into a fierce side hug. She remained silent as she spoke. She nodded finally but didn’t let go. ” It’s a shame he was a coward because the demihumans deserved better. The whole city does, in fact - including you. I will give you advice: take it day by day, and if that’s too hard, then hour by hour. Nobody should expect you to turn into a ruler overnight. We didn't build Roshmi in a day so neither will you be built in a day. I know you can do it though. I believe in you. You’re one of the strongest people I know.” Mika let out a shaky breath as Rosaria spoke, but found her words quite comforting.

Unfortunately, due to the heartfelt conversation between the two, neither of them caught onto the shadowy figures silently approaching. The sand completely muffled the footsteps and the dark clothing kept them shrouded. Mikazuki watched a large hand clasp over Rosaria’s mouth suddenly and almost gasped, only for a hand to cover hers as well. She could just barely make out the figure behind Rosaria when everything went black.

Rosaria had then crumpled like a cookie in milk onto her side. Her bow slipped over her lap and onto the sand, emanating a loud thud. Her eyes slid shut instantaneously when a cloth covered her face.

When Mikazuki’s eyes opened a few moments later, she found herself over the shoulder of a large man, her wrists bound. All she could do was scream for help.

All that was left behind when the four men came back outside their tents were footsteps in the sand going in opposing directions.

Good luck boys