WeepingLiberty

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Happy 100th IC post everyone!

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

GM Post

Drakkan Day 2 (Tournament/Other)

Evienne watched over the processions with quite a bit of pride, the clashing of steel music to her ears as she made her rounds. Every so often she would stop to observe a fight she suspected would be of great interest before returning to the outskirts to speak with various personalities. Rarely was there a moment of rest for the woman but she took it in great stride, after all it was how her father raised her. Strong, independent, and most of all… a leader. She suspected that of her siblings, despite her not being the eldest, she was most likely to inherit her father’s position upon the throne. Evienne was the fiercest, and sharpest of mind. Challenging her elder siblings would be an easy task for her, that she was certain of.

“Are you certain? Is that really him?”
“I’m pretty sure. Not quite what I expected from the rumors if I’m going to be honest.”
“Against Salazar at that, poor kid… Doesn’t have a chance in hell.”

The short snippet of nearby conversation pulled Evienne’s attention from reprimanding a crying Gem servant, the drakkan princess stepping up to see what the commotion was all about. Down below in the pits were two warriors gearing up to face off, both faces she recognized almost at once.

Salazar had been quite involved with the royal family, quick to lend his support to her father in most regards. The two didn’t always see eye to eye on certain subjects, but the man was sharp enough to know which battles were worth fighting, and which were not. She had a fair amount of respect for the man and his family, each of his children a force of their own. The man he was pairing off again was one such child, a younger son who tried very little to hide his distaste for his heritage. Azilon Dantanath, brother to a man receiving a bride this Reaping and possibly one of his own if she gathered her intel correctly. No doubt something her uncle had trapped him into, but that still raised the question of what had drawn him to the capital in the first place. Slowly a smile spread across her lips, arms tucking in loosely around her torso.

“I wouldn’t be so certain. Just watch.” She mused, half-hanging over the banister to watch the duel play out. Evienne was fairly certain that neither competitor was fighting at full capacity, Salazar blatantly holding back with his choice to fight bare handed. Even still many blows were exchanged and both fighters were fatigued by the end. She had a feeling that Salazar had purposefully lost, but it was difficult to tell with the man as he had strange ways of pushing his children to their full potential. The men who had been talking before looked at one another stunned, clearly uncertain as to how they should react to such a battle. Evienne simply shot a smirk in their direction before heading out to continue her rounds.

She was certain to tune in to any of the battles that included her prized guests as Azilon was not the only one to jump into the fray. Her father and her uncle were the ones that got to choose the warriors worthy enough to receive brides, however, she had yet to pinpoint what exactly drew her family to them. Some were obvious, feats of strength in battle either in major tournament or war, that was an easy spot. Others included some of the finer nuances of politics that she did not understand. It was also entirely possible that she just simply had no idea who the recipients were, thus this tourney served as her window into their beings. One could tell a lot about a warrior from choices made in battle, even a mock one such as this.

A few more battles carried on before Evienne made her way back down to the pit to address the crowd. There was nothing that she loved more than stirring up the blood of fellow warriors, wishing that she could participate alongside them instead of playing host.

“Is this all you’ve got? These fights are putting me to sleep, is there no Drakkan here worth his horns in a fight?” Her grin matched her taunt well, shouts of those willing to step up to her challenge filling the air. She opened her mouth to say something else when a presence from behind her cut her off.

Spinning around on her toes, the young woman was quick to duck out of the way and hop back a few steps as man swing at her with a dagger. At first she assumed him to be a rowdy contestant hasty in his desire to prove himself, however there was a look in his eyes that spun a different tale. He moved to take another swing and again she sidestepped away, lightly bouncing backward away from the man. This seemed to anger him even more, Evienne tensing up to dodge once again only to find herself taken somewhat by surprise as a rather large arm wrapped itself around her neck in a chokehold.

Taking this as his cue, the knife wielding man charged forward, bringing his arm down to pierce her chest with the weapon. Evienne caught the man’s hands before his attack could connect, holding him off for a strong moment before she felt her physical strength faltering. She was no slacker when it came to her training, however her position was less than ideal which left her in a rather tight spot. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a few of the guards arms at the ready, more than ready to charge in at the men for laying hands on a member of the royal family. Catching the eye of one of them, she signalled that their assistance was not necessary and to just watch. The men obeyed reluctantly, concerned of what would happen to them and their families if it got back to the prince that his daughter had been killed on their watch.

Knowing her strength would not hold out against such an assault, Evienne pulled the arms down to control where the blade would enter her body. She winced as the blade sliced through flesh, the smell of fresh blood filling her nostrils as it did so. Kicking up with her feet, she rammed the top of her head along with her horns into the face of the second man who held her in place, hearing the satisfying crunch of of bone as his nose shattered upon impact. Releasing his grip on the girl he stumbled backward, hands covering his face as he groaned with pain. She stood tall and maintained eye contact with her initial attacker, now very aware of yet a third person who took the opportunity to box her between the first two and himself.

Slowly, and quite deliberately, Evienne removed the blade from her body a deadly glare upon her features. It seemed like an eternity that the pair remained locked in silent battle, neither moving for fear of breaking the trance.

Something from outside broke the stare down, causing all three to charge in at her at once. Evienne snickered, amused at their futile attempt to overpower her with numbers. The third stranger pulled a much larger blade from a sheath on his hip, first to arrive at the princess with a hefty swing. Using the stolen dagger to parry, she redirected the momentum of his attack so that she could retaliate, wasting no time in slashing the bloodsoaked metal across the skin of his exposed neck. Before his body could finish collapsing, Evienne had already shifted her weight to bounce away from another grapple attempt by the man with the shattered nose.

“You’re going to have to try a lot harder than that.” She hissed, ducking under his arms to stand behind him. Spinning around, she buried the blade in the side of his skull where it remained as he too collapsed. Leaving it be, the princess shifted her gaze back up to the first man who now looked frightened. Unarmed and trembling, he retreated a few steps as she stalked toward him. He opened his mouth to speak but was promptly cut off as the woman was suddenly right in front of him, a strange sensation rushing through his chest. Slowly he glanced down to find its source, discovering that her hand had disappeared inside his torso. The sharpened tips of her fingers pierced the man’s heart, the organ and its keeper panicking before expiration.

Pushing the corpse away from her in disgust, the woman turned her gaze back to the people surrounding her. Some were frozen in awe at the spectacle, uncertain of how to react to such a display. Others found themselves on their feet, weapons at the ready in case they were called upon to fight.

“It seems a few of you have forgotten the strength of the royal household and its members. Let this serve as a reminder to you all that we are not a force to be trifled with haphazardly. I am Evienne, daughter to the King’s firstborn Gaelnesh and future successor to the throne. A throne, might I remind you, that has worked tirelessly to assure a future for our people.” She barked, gazing fiercely into the crowd as if challenging anyone else to try their luck.

“If this is the best you have to offer in terms of an uprising, consider me disappointed. Somebody dispose of these pathetic low-lives, I have business to attend to.” Evienne carried herself with her usual poise and confidence as she retreated from the pit, closely accompanied by several guards who attempted to check on her wound. She waved them away, gritting her teeth against the irritating pain.

“I’ll be fine, I’ve sustained worse sparring against my siblings… They weren’t exactly skilled, or prepared for that matter. The blade does not appear to have been poisoned either but only time will tell. In the meantime, I need to send word to my father about what has happened here. Somebody get the messenger hawk ready for me.”

As the woman took her leave, Ehkota could barely contain his grimace of displeasure as he gazed down upon the bodies she left behind.

“Such a waste they were. Barely an entertainment.” He sighed to himself, a slight glimmer of amusement flickering behind his eyes despite his outwardly grim expression.
“Might not have gone exactly as I planned it to, but if she does as I expect her to… Daddy dearest will be rushing home in no time to check on his most prized possession.”

“Do you think so, sir? Displaying such weakness seems beneath a man of his stature.” One of Ehkota’s guards piped up, eyebrow raised in confusion.

“It’s only a matter of time. He’s allowed an attack on his own blood to happen in broad daylight. If he cannot protect his own daughter from harm, how can he claim to be our future? My brother refuses to acknowledge the discourse caused by our father’s rule, and it will be because of this that he will fail. We’re simply… helping matters along.” He snickered, leaning his back up against a nearby wall.

“Understood sir.”

Summary

Evienne watches Az’s fight… And anyone else that wants to jump in and tussel. Goes down to taunt some peeps to get more fighters in the groove…. Gets stabbed. She no like being stabbed. Absolutely murders three guys, makes angry speech, then writes letter to papa bear.

Ehkota talks in private to his own guard, clearly not hiding his involvement from them.

The Crystal's Call

@Skwint

Hahaha I know that feeling. I'm not quite sure what day it is, but I think I have a pulse so it's cool.

@TaliPaendrag

Hello! ^.^

Just a note for everyone, if there's any issues with writer's block or something... Let me know and I can just post again. See if that helps spark something. So far Skyrte is the only one who has responded to my last post, so they're the only one who doesn't have to worry about it at this moment.

The Crystal's Call

Sorry, I've been pretty busy these past two weeks between IRL and another big RP project.

Pulse check?

@Skyrte@Rune_Alchemist@Riegal@Skwint@TaliPaendrag

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Sorrin Lucielle

_{Interacting with: Adorabella @eclecticwitch, Arden @Pupperr, Bree @Ellion}

Warmth. It was a comfort that Sorrin had nearly given up on in the stone prison she found herself in. She willed her bare skin to absorb as much of the sensation as possible as she let her body sink into the water. The scene allowed her a moment of rest from the pent up fear that had been plaguing her since their first breakfast in captivity, the first time since she had been taken from her home in the meadows since she was able to relax.

Sorrin had blocked out most of the happenings of the previous day, only remembering small snippets here and there. She could remember eating her food and laughing alongside another girl, a pretty girl she had not met prior to that meal. It was a girl she distinctly remembered liking and wanting to be friends with, but in the next moment the girl had vanished. Or was it that her attention had been pulled away? The memories were all mixed up and fuzzy, like trying to recall a dream hours after having woken up. Sorrin could remember a man, a horrible man whose voice alone made her tremble now… Why did she fear him so much, it wasn’t as if he had done anything to her… Ah, but he had, though perhaps not directly. Sorrin had not bowed, she hadn’t even stood up from her seat when the men entered, but her friend had. Adorabella had tried to warn her, but she just hadn’t understood. It wasn’t until the men drew closer that Sorrin bolted up in a panic. Even she did not know if her plan was to run or to fall to her knees and beg forgiveness, all she did know, all she could remember was the pain that followed.

She could not recall much of the hours afterward, her mind and body numbed by the shock leaving not even the energy to properly cry. If she did, there was no memory of it. One thing she did not doubt, however, was the presence of a friend who never left her side. She didn’t have to remember it to be certain of it, she had faith in Adorabella even if they had only known each other for a short time. By the end of the day, Sorrin was completely exhausted and more than ready for bed. She allowed Adorabella to cleanse her wounds and care for her before she was forced to return back to her own room where she was forced to spend another cold night alone.

Sorrin inhaled the humid air deeply, the heat and the water clearing her mind enough to return a small smile to her face. The whole thing felt strange to her still, having a hard time believing that the same men who had hurt them the morning before would return with kindness and mercy. She wasn’t going to argue it though. Even if it was temporary, even if it was some precursor to something more terrible than the day before, Sorrin didn’t care. They couldn’t take away the feelings of happiness and peace that flowed through her at that moment. She had been allowed a luxury, and nothing was going to change that.

Glancing around, Sorrin realized that in her daze she had never met back up with Adorabella. Carefully rising to her feet, the blonde slowly made her way through the springs in search of her friend. It wasn’t until now that Sorrin realized how many girls had actually been taken like her, the sheer number of people in the room making it difficult to locate any one face from a distance. The steam was no help either. Closing her eyes, Sorrin tried to focus on the sound of Adorabella’s voice, hoping that she might hear the girl say something so that she might locate her in the surprisingly spacious room. She had almost given up when she heard it, faint due to the obstacles between them, but Sorrin recognized it right away.

Step by step she made her way in the direction that she had heard the voice, moving around a small grouping of girls until she could finally see her target. Sitting just a little way aways was Adorabella who seemed to have made contact with another group. The faces tugged at her memory, but it was the bruise on the stomach of the one girl that really brought it back for her. She was the one that got dragged up in front of everybody and beaten half to death in the name of education. Just the thought made the young girl tremble, her progression towards the group coming to a sudden halt.

She stood standing there for a moment before she shook her head and took a deep breath.

“I feel bad, I missed you at breakfast.” Sorrin spoke as she approached the group. She did her best to put a smile on her face, clearly not feeling the best but making the effort all the same.

“I’m sorry if I’m intruding, I can go somewhere else if you would prefer…”

Summary

Playing catch up summary, fuzzy flashback to the previous day. Realizes she hasn’t seen Adorabella since the night before and goes looking for her.

---

Aurora Liesma

_{Interacting with: N/A}

Aurora was no stranger to fire, nor was she ignorant of the pain it was capable of causing. For years she had trained with and around flames that were constantly in motion and under the control of another person. She was taught to have trust in her companions, to have faith that they would land their marks and that no harm would be done, but sometimes it just didn’t work out that way. Nobody was perfect, and sometimes her neighbors would get their timing wrong. It wasn’t as if this was the first time she had been burned, but the pain far exceeded even her expectations.

The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt in practice, and she suspected that it had to do with more than just the fact that these monsters were intentionally doing her harm. Their fire felt of pure malice, though whether it was their gods’ or their own she could not tell. Aurora knew better than to try and fight the pain, however, and let her voice join the chorus of others who were grabbed and burned for their lack of respect. Unlike many others, however, she did not cower back in fear or tremble against a wall for support. She stood up as tall as she could on her toes and marched on, a thin layer of sweat lining her skin in response to the damage done.

She couldn’t bring herself to cry, she was far too angry for that. The girl was angry at herself for having not done better, she should have known from their demeanour that they would have expected such a submissive position from their girls. She should have taken a closer look around the room and followed the example of the crowd, as the majority that did bow had chosen a position close to the floor. Aurora was frustrated that she had allowed herself to remain standing so tall when she knew better. It wasn’t just herself she was angry at though, after all, wasn’t it their goal to teach them? How was it fair to test on something they had never been taught, surely the Drakkan knew they had no reason to take up such a position in their homeland unless for prayer.

All she could feel was anger, and she was determined to use it. It fueled her through the rest of her day, keeping her on her toes for the longest amount of time she had ever been. If anything, she considered it less of a punishment and more of a training exercise like the ones she had gone through back home.

By the end of the day her legs were sore, but she didn’t mind the familiar tenderness. She welcomed it as an old friend and held on to it for comfort as she lay down for the night.

~~~

The following morning she could almost walk normally, still keeping her weight forward to avoid irritating the wounds any further. She took note of the sullen faces around her, more broken spirits to add to the pile. It was a shame but there was nothing she could do about it. Aurora could only look after herself if she wanted to survive the hell she had been dragged into.

Breakfast was even more dismal than before, many of the Gem dishes having been removed just to be replaced with different Drakkan delicacies. Clearly they were being weaned off of the luxuries of home, silently having their cultures ripped away from them as if the beatings and lessons weren’t enough. She ate in silence, not engaging with any of the others until the warden from before returned.

Aurora rose alongside many of the other girls, each promptly taking their place on the floor as they had been taught the day before. Once was enough to get the point across to the brunette, the girl easing her body to the floor so that she might blend back in with the group. She only half-listened as the man mocked them for doing the very thing they had been tortured into learning, the young girl having to bite her tongue so that she would not speak out of turn. Her attention, however, was regained by the mention of a recovery day. The girls would be given a day in a hot springs where they could regain their strength and relax instead of being forced to sit through grueling lessons.

At first she was extremely skeptical, not trusting in something that sounded too good to be true… But as the group finished their meals, they were lead down into a cavernous space filled with warm steam and soothing waters. Aurora began to wonder whether or not her injuries had killed her in her sleep.
She was slow to undress, surprisingly shy for a girl who performed in front of hundreds of people without batting an eye. However, she wasn’t really one to show of her naked body to others. A midriff was one thing, complete nudity another. She held her towel close to her chest as she approached the edges of the water, sitting with her legs dipped into the liquid. It made her feel better to see scores of girls who hadn’t even bothered to undress yet, proving she wasn’t the only one worried about appearances.

Aurora sat back and watched the groups form from afar, listening to the growing chatter and laughter. She didn’t know how they could bond so easily, how they could allow themselves to befriend each other so quickly. Didn’t they know that they were just days away from being split apart once again. These girls were going to have to relive the pain they felt the day they were taken because they couldn’t stand to be alone for just a couple of days.

There wasn’t much she could judge them for, though, as she felt a small twinge in her chest looking at them. For a brief moment she wished she could be among them, laughing away the fear of what was to come… But she knew better. Her goal was to survive, to do better than her sister had, and she wasn’t going to do that by making friends and ignoring her inevitable future.

“Such joy… I wonder how long it will last.”

Summary

Just some reactions, some judging from a judgey-judge…. Aurora don’t need no friends… She thinks you’re all stuuuuupid.

---

Azilon Dantanath

_{Reluctant husband of: Rya @Ellion
Interacting with: Rya @Ellion}

Rya’s displeasure at her situation was made quite clear, as if the struggle she put up earlier wasn’t enough of an indicator. The entire walk was spent either dragging her along behind him or twisting to avoid being ensnared by the thread. It didn’t particularly bother him, however, finding her efforts to inconvenience him somewhat amusing. For him, her antics were easily ignored as the family made their way toward the tournament grounds. What started getting to him were the frequent stops his sister Morganna kept making along the way.

Eventually the group made it to their destination, the man pausing at the entrance before heading inside. Azilon made his way to a seat so that he could relax, thinking to himself of how much he would rather have been at home. At least at home there was peace and quiet, none of the pointless noise or pathetic squandering.
There weren’t any seats for the brides that were dragged along by their husbands, the girls forced to either stand, kneel on the ground, or sit in their husband’s lap. Azilon figured he had tortured Rya enough for the day, leaving any of those options available to her. Whatever she chose, he knew she wouldn’t be happy as she still had to wear the chain around her waist. The man raised an eyebrow at the girl, silently asking her what her choice was on the matter before his attention was regained by his father.

Taking a seat nearby, the Salazar had pulled a girl he did not recognize into his lap. Azilon was quick to recognize the attire and branding as belonging to the crown, no doubt the entertainment promised by the invitation they had received. Even through all of her training he could tell how scared she was, her youth giving her away as one of the more rookie girls. His dad sure knew how to pick on the vulnerable.

Out of the corner of his eye, Azilon took note of where the rest of his siblings had wandered off too; his two brothers and elder sister enthralled by the fighting, the younger sister he hadn’t met until recently sticking close to Tarkylian’s side.

“So, Azilon… You still haven’t told me how you acquired such a beautiful young thing, it was to my knowledge that you did not attend these sorts of things.” The man spoke with a smirk, barely paying attention to the person he addressed. Instead his attention was seemingly preoccupied with the girl in his lap, his not so gentle hands ever wandering about her form. Azilon chose to ignore the display, tuning out any sounds the creature made.

“I fail to see how it matters to you how I got her. The how does not change that she belongs to me now and will continue to belong to me.” His response was rather short but his tone was sharp, clearly warning the man to stay away.

“Seems that your grasp on manners has slipped quite a bit since you moved out, need I remind you who you’re speaking to?” Salazar glanced over, his eyes piercing into Azilon like daggers. He would not be deterred so easily though, he knew how to handle his father. There had been no fear of the man for quite some time.

“Manners are for those who deserve my respect. Needless to say, you don’t make the cut.” Azilon nearly hissed his words, eyes rising up to meet the challenge his father threw him. The tension in the air grew, the small girl yelping in pain as the man’s hand squeezed too tightly around her sensitive chest.

“I see… Guess I will have to remind you after all.” He smirked, taking note of the servant beckoning to them. Their turn in the tournament had come, an underhanded trick of his to be sure, entering them the night before without Azilon’s knowledge.

~~~

It didn’t take long for the pair to find themselves at the center of the arena, plenty of faces looking down on them, eager to see the results. Salazar was no push over, a skilled fighter with a pension for cruelty. Many knew his name and just as many knew his face, Azilon was not so famous. He was practically a ghost, a living myth to those who knew of him but hadn’t seen him in years.

Up in the seats, Morganna had been left in charge of Rya’s leash, the woman lounging in Azilon’s seat without a care of what was happening between the boys. She had seen it happen a thousand times and a thousand times Azilon had lost. Morganna had to give him credit though, as he had vastly improved over the years, she wondered if it were possible for him to finally win one.

“You there, chew toy.” She barked, giving a strong tug on the chain to get Rya’s attention.

“Go to the edge there and watch the fight for me…. Oh, and don’t worry about Azi, if he dies I’m sure father will claim you. You’ll be well taken care of.” Morganna chuckled, swishing her hand dismissively as she lay her head back to relax.

By this point the men had chosen their weapons, Azilon fighting with his preferred dual blades. Salazar, much to the surprise of his son, waived his right to a weapon so that he would be fighting with his bare fists. He wasn’t the type to take unnecessary risks in battle, everything that he did was calculated and served a purpose. Azilon figured his father was trying to intimidate him, he wasn’t going to let him do so.

Azilon moved quickly about the field, keeping to his toes and quick to dodge many of the blows his father threw at him. Several times he felt his blades strike flesh, the scent of blood continuing to fill the air, however he knew that each of his strikes were too shallow to do any real harm. Salazar barrelled forward, an unrelenting force that allowed Azilon no moment to rest or regain his bearings.

The two kept moving, one throwing punches that knocked the air from his opponent, the other slowly chipping away at his father until both were heaving for air. Azilon was the first to falter, Salazar seizing the opportunity to wrap his arm around the boy’s neck cutting off his access to air. Struggling against the grip, Azilon tried to break away but he found there was not much in the way of escape with his current state. Striking outward, Azilon brought his arms back and down digging his blades into Salazar’s legs.

Salazar groaned with pain but it was not enough for him to loosen his grip on Azilon’s neck, the boy’s vision beginning to blur as he fought against him. Not yet willing to give up, Azilon slammed his palm into his father’s nose with a force that surprised even him. The impact stunned the elder man just long enough for him to break away, quick hands retrieving his blades from his relative’s flesh before kicking the man over. Eyes blazing with rage, Azilon stood over the body of his father, clearly poised to strike once again. He brought his blade down quickly, the intent to kill quite clear in his demeanour as he moved to strike.

Steel was met with steel, Azilon glancing up angrily as he locked eyes with the warden who had stepped in with his own weapon to keep him from killing his opponent.

“Do not disgrace your win.” The man grunted, Azilon growling as he stepped back. Glancing back down at Salazar who was already recovering, brushing himself off with a laugh as he stood back up.
“You’ve improved a lot. A few more years and you might be able to stand up to Morganna.” Azilon rolled his eyes and turned away, taking his leave of the field to return to Rya.

Morganna opened her mouth to say something but was silenced by the look in his eyes, the man tearing the chain from his sister’s hand.

“Come on Rya, we’re leaving.” He growled, not giving her much time to react before he started dragging her toward the door.

Summary

Saltyness… Some nondescript inappropriateness… Fighty fights happen. Angry winner stomps away.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Bree

_{Interacting with: Arden @Pupperr}

From her place on the floor, Bree had no doubts in her mind that each and everyone of them were being judged beneath the harsh gazes of their masters. As she suspected, their orders to bow were a test, and the majority had followed through in one form or another. What she had not expected though, was how immediate their punishments would be for any who were deemed to have failed.

Anxiety gripped her chest as she glanced about her from the corner of her eyes, taking note of several figures that didn’t even come close to a bow. Some she came to decide just didn’t know better, however, there were a few that she knew stood out of sheer defiance as surprising as it may have been. Without turning her head she shifted her gaze to the side so that she could check on her conversation partner, a girl from what was close enough to be considered home. Whether fate had crossed their paths before, Bree did not know, but any thoughts on the matter immediately vanished as she realized Arden was no bowing with the rest. She had chosen defiance over survival.

She wanted to call out to her, to tell her to just let it go this once and follow the rules so that she may live to see another day. So that she may continue on and defy their captors in other ways, in more productive manners. Standing now was pointless, but there was nothing she could do. It was too late to warn her unless she herself wanted to join the ranks of those that had failed the very first test. As quickly as the men had entered, the punishments began, and she was left kneeling with her gaze glued to the floor hoping she would not be noticed.

While she couldn’t see everything that was going on, she made sure to listen very carefully. There was much to be learned here to avoid unnecessary pain later on. And much to learn about her sister Gems in their capture, as not much opportunity had been present for them to show what they were made of. At first, it seemed another Gem had caught the warden’s attention. If she had remembered correctly, there were a few that she had noted as not wearing the clothes that had been provided. It would seem that they were going to be made examples of right off the bat.

Bree listened as the clothes were literally torn from the girl’s body, the sash returned in a display of cruel dominance. The men threw her bared body to the floor and took the torn pieces away from her, allowing her to keep nothing but the sash that she had opted to wear with uniform. It didn’t stop there as those torn rags were delivered to another girl who had chosen not to change at all. At least that one would be given the option to remove her own clothing, however Bree didn’t know which was the better option. The drakkan knew exactly how to torture them even without inflicting physical pain, a thought she had never come to expect from the massive brutes.

This would not last, however, as the man made his way to her general area. It would seem her position kneeling was satisfactory, but Arden would not be spared. She had to stifle a shout as her new friend was yanked across the table and dragged away to where the prince stood. They might not have needed to hit them to inflict pain, but Bree should have known better than to assume that they wouldn’t at all. The drakkan were willing to do whatever it took to ensure obedience, even if it meant they had to rough them up a little bit. Surely they had to be careful about it, but it would seem in this case, Arden’s punishment was sanctioned by the prince himself. There would be no saving her.

The sound of knee colliding with body made Bree feel sick to her stomach, an anger boiling in her blood. She had to fight every instinct in her body not to stand up on her own to feet and challenge the man in Arden’s defense. Such a move would most likely mean even more severe punishment for the two of them, so what good would it have been?

Arden was not the only girl to suffer physical harm that morning. Several other girls were plucked up by drakkan guards to have their heels burnt. They would be forced to stand for the rest of the day while in immense pain, though if Bree had to be honest… They got off easy. For directly disobeying orders, they could have been dealt a lot worse. She considered their punishments light.

The moment guards began ushering girls out the door, Bree was up on her feet and immediately by Arden’s side. Already girls were trying to help those that had been punished, offering clothing to those that had been stripped, and support to those that had been burnt. Such offers ended up resulting in similar fates for those attempting to help, something she would have to be wary with. Carefully she made her way over to the dais where Arden had been put on display, making sure to give the warden and his prince a wide berth. Eyes down, she hovered close by to lend any help that may be required.

‘You’ve got some serious guts to you. What were you thinking?” She asked, her voice sounding just like a concerned sister might, angry… but mostly worried. Shaking her head, Bree forced out a small chuckle and offered out a hand for Arden to take.

“Never mind that… Are you okay?” A presence behind her made Bree freeze, the man’s shadow falling coldly across her skin.

“This mannerless wench belong with you?” He asked suspiciously, clearly threatening her without saying so outright. Bree turned around quickly, deciding it best to fall to her knees once again considering the situation they had all just been in.

“We just met this morning sir. If she doesn’t move quickly she will miss out on the important lessons you have graced us with, I just want to make sure she gets there so no further mistakes will be made moving forward.” Bree was lying through her teeth at this point, she only hoped that the warden couldn’t tell. Whether he could or not was a mystery as he kept complete control of his demeanour down to the very sound of his voice.

“I see… Seems you are quick to learn yourself. It is best if you stick to yourself instead of worrying about others. Move along, or you will be late yourself.” He growled, eyes boring into the top of her head before making his leave, the prince following behind him remaining as silent as he had throughout the whole ordeal.

Sighing with relief, Bree stood once again and turned back to Arden.
“Come on, let’s go.”

~~~

The rest of the day seemed to drag on because of the morning’s nightmare. All around her she could see the broken spirits, even among those that had received no punishments themselves. Clearly it was more than just a test. It was a show of strength, and was to assure that each and every one of them knew their place. Broken down like a wild horse to be sold on market, such a despicable method.

Either way there was nothing she could do about it but to conserve her strength and seek out any opportunities laid out before her. Even into the night she lay awake, staring at the ceiling cursing the drakkan in every way she knew how. All the while the faces of her beloved at home as well as her new friend flashed through her mind. Somehow, someway, she was going to make things right. She just didn’t know how.

Summary

Bree followed the rules just enough to escape punishment. Super salty about Arden’s treatment. BSes her way through a secondary encounter with boss man, and spends the rest of her day ‘scheming’.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Accidental double. Much excitement.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

@NarcissisticPotato Poooooootaaaaatooooooooooo

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

GM Post

Gems: Morning (Breakfast); Day ("Lessons"); Night

Every year there were a few. A few that thought they were special, that they would be the ones to stand strong. Ones that thought their pride was something of importance. Every year the Gems seemed to grow bolder, more defiant; and every year, their lord husbands seemed to grow meeker.

Castle Worth was built as a slap in the face to Vivari herself, and it would treat her daughters no differently. It was there to make the Gems more pliable, to bleed the toxic rebellion from their hearts before they could use it to poison Drakka’s finest. They could come between it's walls with as many grand ideas of freedom and escape as they pleased, but it would only make their fall from grace that much more painful.

However, the proud Drakken in charge of Castle Worth had neither the time nor patience to individually break each one. Thus, it was necessary that examples be made. Sek Leon, the Drakkan at the helm of Shadow Worth, personally insisted that such matters were handled swiftly and effectively.

The hulking commander looked out at the crowd of mewling Gems before him with hard eyes. In his early years, he had gleefully anticipated the rebellious ones, the ones who so kindly have him a reason to send a message to the rest. But as his years wore on, it became a chore. All the more reason for swift corrections, he supposed.

Without a word he descended the dais upon which his prince stood, walking with heavy steps across the stone floor, arms folded behind him as if he were patrolling his own warriors. He took note of which Gems obeyed, and how, and which Gems were so brazen as to refuse.

As he walked, a vibrant flash of colour caught his eye in the sea of grey. Abruptly, he halted, turning on his heel to the wearer.

She was a pretty thing, with lilac hair and porcelain skin. In the back of his mind, Sek Leon remarked that she would be quite the lovely decoration for a lord’s estate. Her pride, however, was her ugliest feature, and yet she flaunted it so proudly with that fine sash around her waist. Endlessly perplexing, these Gems.

“Come.”

His order was not barked, but his calm voice still carried through the room, reverberating off the walls in the shocked silence.

The girl approached dutifully (one point in her favour, he noted) and stopped a few feet away from him. Sek Leon gave her a very invasive up-and-down look, examining each curve of her body, before stopping on that brightly coloured sash.

Unexpectedly gently, he took hold of one end of the sash, letting the smooth fabric slip through his fingers, the silver bells on the tassels jingling eerily in the cold silence. “Exquisite,” he muttered. Carefully, he untied the sash from her waist and held it up for the room to see.

“I assume you felt like our clothing wasn’t good enough for you,” he stated in that same calm, reverberating voice. “Very well. Let us relieve you.” He gave the girl a mere moment to process his words before snapping his fingers.

At the sound, two guards came forward through the crowd. One took hold of the girl’s wrists from behind, holding her arms out from her sides. The other grabbed the collar of her tunic and pulled, tearing it down the front and pulling it away, only to move to her trousers and do the same. Soon, all of her clothing was little more than a heap at her feet.

Their work done, the Drakkan who stripped her collected her now-ruined clothes and gave them to Sek Leon; the one holding her up cast her to the floor.

“Don’t fret,” cooed the Keeper, “We are not the monsters of your legends. We will not steal your adornments from you.” With that, Sek Leon tossed her sash back, watching as it wafted gracefully down to land on top of its prone owner’s naked form.

Looking around, he spotted another Gem who seemed to think herself too good for the clothing they had so generously provided. Thinking his point had been adequately made, he simply threw the ruined clothes at her, hitting the white-clad girl squarely in the face. “I recommend you take advantage of these promptly,” he threatened, “lest you long for the same treatment.”

Leaving the girls to their…predicament, Sek Leon now turned his attention to the remaining girls. Rebellion, true rebellion was not in the nature of Gems. But this wasn’t rebellion, this was a childish whim that would crumble and fall as all those before them had. This year, only five gems chose to ‘make a stand’.

Every step back to the prince echoed around the chamber. Even the soft cries of the gems became muted, trying to avoid his gaze. He could feel the relief of the gems he passed and felt the anxiety of the girls to come grow. He passed by a red-haired gem, her eyes glued to the floor. So...submissive it was almost suspicious. His eyes then drifted to the brown haired gem who stood across the table.

Where most of the girls who stood did so hesitantly, this one held herself as though was an equal to the drakken. Shoulders squared and chest puffed, like a kitten trying to fight a lion. It was her eyes that doomed her the most. They stared shamelessly at the prince. A slight that couldn’t be ignored.

“There are those who say,” He announced, “That the defiant Gems breed the strongest sons. Your lord husband will be pleased.” In the next breath, his hand shot out, grabbing a fist full of the girl’s hair, yanking her backwards, into the table. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t work on manners.”

With as much effort has it would take to pull a cloak off a peg, the Keeper of the Brides pulled the girl across the table. Sending dishes crashing to the floor. A jug of juice teetered a moment before spilling over the redhead. But her gasp of distress was muffled by the brown-haired one now being dragged to the front of the room.

She was dragged to the front of the hall, up the steps and onto the raised dais where the Crown Prince made way for the Keeper, anticipating a good spectacle. Once in plain view of every gem in the hall, the Keeper threw the girl, hard, onto the stone.

“Stand,” he ordered, having given the girl barely a fraction of a second before grabbing her hair once more and pulling her to her feet again. “I said, stand.”

“You are going to help me teach a very important lesson,” he said, just loud enough for everyone to hear. “When a drakkan approaches you, you kneel. Like so--” Raising his knee, he released the girl for a moment before he slammed it into the girl’s stomach. While she was still doubled over, he shoved the girl to her knees. “Knees-- to the floor, hands folded in your lap,” Grabbing the girls chin, he held her face still. “Never. Look. Your. Betters. In. The. Eye.” With the final word, he jerked the girls head in a way that forced her to look down.

“Now, with royalty, things are a little different,” He left the girl for a moment to address the crowd. Standing behind her, he raised his boot and pressed it into her back. Once the girl’s back was flat, he moved his boot towards her head until it touched the floor. Leaving it there, he returned his attention to the audience. “You are not worthy to look upon them.”

“Although in the future, when in doubt, defer to your husband’s judgement,”

His eyes narrowed in on the remaining faces of the standing girls. With a nod, a scorn of fire drakken fell upon the girls. “I am not unreasonable, and since you seem to like standing so much. You can stand the rest of the day,”

The cries of the four remaining girls reverberated around the hall as each one received a burn to each heel in turn. One tried to crumple, only to be held up by the fire drakkan behind her. “Unless you want that burn extended, I suggest you stay standing,”

With the sobs of the girls as background noise, he addressed the rest of them. “You will now spend the rest of the day learning the history of the true gods. Following that, there will be a presentation on delivering drakken young. I suggest you pay very close attention to it,” He removed his boot from Arden’s head, falling back to the prince as the rest of the guards made a show of ushering the gems out of the hall.

Gem Information

Stripping Adorabella and ordering Kyrena to join her. Arden gets taught a lesson, and some other cute rebels get some fun new burns. After a day of training in god lore and how to have bitey babies, the girls are returned to the hall to recover before another long night. Can they live with the choices they have made?

Drakken: Day (Exploration); Night (Preparations)

Ehkota made his way from the rather small establishment feeling a particular kind of satisfaction that he got when he knew he had set his brother up for a difficult time. Regardless of how events played out with the kinner and the king, Ehkota was assured quite a spectacle, and if lucky, some leverage. In more recent years, the young prince found his brother to be quite focused on the incoming Gemmenite brides, making sure that all was running smoothly on the front end while simultaneously picking out the best candidates for their war heroes. It was an important task to be sure, but he couldn’t help but feel that he chose himself for it in order to gain favor with certain lords. Certainly he wouldn’t purposely chose less than satisfactory brides for his supporters.

Rolling his eyes to himself, the young prince glanced out into the crowds surrounding him and his men as they continued onward to their next destination. From out of the corner of his eye, a quick flash of color caught Ehkota’s attention, alerting him to a presence he was already half-expecting to see.

It’s almost as if she isn’t even trying to hide… He thought to himself silently, careful to keep moving as he had been previously. Ehkota knew better, however, that the brief flash he had witnessed was meant for his eyes. Ignorance could be feigned all he wanted for it didn’t change a thing about the current situation. He was being followed, and even more so than that… He was being threatened. As if on cue, the woman approached the prince unhindered by any of his now nervous looking guards.

“Well if it isn’t my dear uncle Ehkota, what a lovely surprise.” The woman purred with a tone of voice that could make a lesser man tremble. Glancing over at her, the prince took in the sight of his brother’s pride and joy: Evienna. While she was an unusual sight, there was never a doubt in anyone’s mind about who she was. In a freak combination, the daughter of the eldest prince had inherited rosey pink hair through what was assumed to be silver much like her uncle’s. Mixed with her Gem like complexion it was feared that when she was born, the royal family had witnessed the birth of a true Gem to a drakkan bloodline. Luckily for her, the nubs of what would grow into horns were quite visible and already beginning to sharpen, sparing her from what could have been a terrible fate. Her upbringing brought out the best in her creating a force as vicious as she was beautiful; a loyal enforcer of her father’s will.

“I see you’re slacking off, same as ever. Do you not have work you should be doing instead of playing with the youngbloods?” She asked, easily keeping pace with her unamused uncle. Ehkota had to fight the urge to sigh, not caring to show his annoyance and definitely not his relief. It didn’t seem like his niece knew anything of his new “friend’s” identity, which meant his plans would remain secret from his brother for a little while longer.

“Oh, how you wound me.” He responded shortly, almost mockingly in nature. Hiding his displeasure with her visit wasn’t anywhere near the top of his concerns at the moment, or ever really.

“Well then, I must have been mistaken. My apologies. Since you clearly have everything under control, I’ll leave you to it.” The female drakken turned as though to walk away, pausing close enough to his youngest guard that the strands of her hair brush his shoulder. “ I am so looking forward to tomorrow's tournament. It’s always so much fun to watch the men spilling blood over a tiny portion of glory. Don’t you gentlemen think so?” She taunted, turning a piercing gaze back toward her uncle.

“Do be a dear, and don’t forget to invite our distinguished guests. Father deems their attendance important for morale, after all, they might begin to question the prizes if they never get to see the winners. I hope you don’t mind, but I have already seen to organizing some… entertainment for the lords that attend. Should they not want to partake in the fighting, the palace girls are under my orders to keep them distracted from their troubles. Either way, it’ll be worth their time.” She cooed, taking passing glances at the men surrounding her kin.

“And, I know I said to make sure to invite the distinguished guests specifically, but you should be sure to invite your young friend from before as well.” Her voice was kept light and playful, however, there was a clear line of perspirant cross the young drakkan guard as she spoke, his underlying panic becoming clear. “” You know how much I love to become better acquainted with the important people in your life.” Evienna laughed, her attention hovering on the overly nervous guard.

“Don’t worry darling, you are most definitely invited too. You may even sit with me if you so desire.” She could feel the man tense as she licked her lips, chuckling to herself as she took her leave. As much as she would have enjoyed toying with the children for a little while longer, she did have work to do. After all, she was the one in charge of welcoming the city’s new arrivals, a good first impression had to be made. Dancers, musicians, jesters, among a few other professionals had been hired by her family to satiate every desire. Even she herself would be making an appearance on behalf of her father, welcoming in person those that she knew to be of importance.

Ehkota was left behind with his guards, eyes fixated on the spiteful woman until she could be seen no more. There was plenty he wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut out of self-preservation. Whatever he said about her in the next few moments were sure to make it back to her. An issue he would rather not deal with in addition to the trouble she was attempting to cause.

“Never a private moment. You heard the woman, we have work to do. Every individual receiving a bride this week is to receive a summons to the Pit. Tournament will start at midday, it is suggested that if they are going to participate to make their preparations tonight. Otherwise they will have all the comforts of home provided while they spectate.” The prince waved the majority of his group away to follow their new orders, keeping only a couple just in case. His destination was set for home where he planned to spend the rest of his afternoon planning his next moves.

Drakkan Notes

A little bit of royal drama, don’t you mind that. What is important is that there is a tournament starting tomorrow (in game time). Preparations should be made and the rest of the evening should be enjoyed. Make merry, explore a little, or rest up for tomorrow’s festivities. We’ll see ya at the Pit.

Picture of the Princess:

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

GM Announcement!

GM Time Movement.

Day One is over, Be sure to pay attention to the post in case there is any information you will need for your response (Gems, mostly talking to you). The end of your next post should reflect the end of your day. We will have another post following that to begin the new day once everyone has had a chance to react and wrap up.