XSilentWingsX

A King's Ransom

By the way, this is what I imagine Elena to look like (except for the tee shirt of course)

:D

testing

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A King's Ransom

Elena smiled, accepting the glass of champagne as it was handed to her. She took a sip, hesitant to go out onto the balcony. She truly wanted to, but it would be improper of her to spend so much time with just one person. She was meant to drift from guest to guest, smiling, talking, and moving on. Staying with Lady Jacquelyn would be unwise, especially given that she was from such an unknown house. It would reflect poorly on her skills as a hostess, and it was not practical nor effective from a political standpoint. That the duchess was asking this of her in the first place was rather strange. However, Elena found herself wanting to forget the proper manners and polite conduct of court and nobility around Lady Jacquelyn. The princess could not help but feel intrigued, drawn in by the sheer vibrancy that Lady Jacquelyn exuded. When she smiled, it was not the blank, polite expression of politics and diplomacy. It was a true smile, an actual display of enjoyment. She seemed so full of life.

“I suppose I could use some fresh air,” said Elena. Turning away from the party, she headed towards the far side of the room. Moving through the double doors onto the balcony was like stepping into a different world. There was no one else with them, no nobles nor servants. The sound of music and voices faded away, leaving them completely alone. It was ever so slightly cool, and the night air felt wonderful after the heat of being inside. Elena walked over to the edge of the balcony, setting her glass of champagne aside and leaning on the cool stone of the balustrade with her elbows. The balcony they were on overlooked the castle gardens, normally a spectacular sight. But darkness had long since fallen, and the real view was up above. Countless stars twinkled in the sky, sparkling like thousands of diamonds. The moon was full that night, and its light shone down on them, making Elena’s porcelain skin look almost as if it glowed. Her blue eyes gazed up at the sky thoughtfully.

“The sky is so beautiful tonight,” Elena said with a small sigh. “You know,” she added quietly. “In my chambers, there is a great window that offers an almost perfect view of the stars. I often stay up late into the night simply looking out. There is something so enchanting about a sky full of stars, but I also find the sight to be rather...lonely. It is so magnificent, so exciting, yet it is so distant, so unreachable. It will always be up there, and I will always be down here, allowed only to look on from afar.” Her voice sounded almost sad, her eyes mournful.

Suddenly she glanced over at the duchess. She had nearly forgotten that she was speaking to a foreign dignitary. Embarrassed by having said something that felt so personal, Elena quickly straightened, a blush lightly coloring her cheeks. She smoothed her hands over her skirt, her face falling back into the carefully distant, polite expression it had shown previously. “If you will please excuse me, Lady Jacquelyn,” she said, “for I really should be going back inside now.”

She averted her eyes, looking away from the duchess as she turned to leave.

A King's Ransom

Elena looked had never heard of House Valierre or Tirine, but it would be rather impolite to say as much. She suppressed a smile. The duchess did not seem very at ease in court. As a princess, Elena had been present at these kinds of functions for many years now. Attending elegant parties and conversing with highborn strangers was natural to her.

She was beginning to wonder why the duchess had approached her in the first place when she asked Elena to dance. Elena looked at her guest, slightly surprised. Still, she did rather enjoy dancing and the duchess seemed to be quite an interesting lady, especially when compared to most nobles she had met. So, Elena smiled, handing the mostly full glass of champagne to a passing servant.

“I would love to dance,” she said, gently grabbing the hand of the duchess and walking towards the center of the room where the noble men and women danced elegantly to the music. “I hope you are enjoying your time in Mera, Lady Jacquelyn. Has everything been to your liking thus far?”

A King's Ransom

Elena had wandered to the edge of the party, seeking a small reprieve from the constant dancing and chatter. She accepted a glass of champagne from a passing servant and was simply observing the ball when she heard someone speak to her. Elena gazed curiously at the person who had approached her. The raven-haired woman was quite beautiful, but she seemed somewhat out of place. One did not see many noble women with tan skin, and her speech seemed slightly different from most ladies she had met. The fact that she had been addressed as “You Majesty” had not escaped Elena’s notice. It was Meran custom to call a princess “Your Highness.” Elena wondered if the woman had come with the Sovian delegation. Perhaps she was from one of the more eccentric noble houses. Either way, her curiosity was peaked by the woman’s arrival.

Elena sipped delicately at her champagne and gave the woman a refined smile. “The event has been quite grand, has it not?” she said in reply to the question. “I believe you have me at a disadvantage Lady…?”

A King's Ransom

I like it a lot! And sorry, my post is kinda long.

A King's Ransom

The wedding of a royal prince was indeed a grand affair. The people of Mera had been preparing for the event for months. No expense was to be spared. The day of the event saw the servants of the palace hurrying from place to place, making sure that all was in order for the big day. It was the beginning of a new alliance between Mera and Sovia. Like all royal weddings, the reasons behind it were of course political. There was a bad history between Sovia and Mera, though with this wedding, everyone was hopeful that their relationship could begin anew.

“Are you not excited, Your Highness?” asked one of the maids tasked with preparing Elena for the wedding. “It’s to be quite splendid I hear.”

“Yes, of course,” Elena replied, smiling softly. In truth, she was not as unhappy with the event as she had expected to be. Even though a royal wedding meant an even tighter corset than usual, it seemed like perhaps the event would not be so bad. She had only briefly met the Sovian princess who was soon to marry her brother, but she seemed to be a kind, gentle woman. As far as arranged marriages went, Elena felt that there was a chance her brother would not be completely miserable.

“There, now don’t you look splendid?” the maid said with a motherly smile. Elena glanced into the mirror. She had never been very fond of all the pomp that went into high court fashion, but even she had to admit that the ensemble did look quite nice. The dress was the same soft blue shade as her eyes. Diamonds glittered at her throat and ears. Her brown hair was done up elaborately, with a few strands hanging loose to elegantly frame her face. Elena gave a brave smile into the mirror. Perhaps things would turn out alright after all.

The night had so far proceeded without any problems. The ceremony had gone smoothly and the guests had all gathered in the grand ballroom to dance and socialize. The room was huge, though with the amount of people in attendance it was still somewhat crowded. It was softly lit, with candlelight shining from the many crystal chandeliers and gilded candelabras throughout the room. Servants moved slowly through the crowds, offering food and refreshments to the guests. Everyone in attendance was dressed in their finest, displaying the incredible wealth of the Meran and Sovian nobility. In the middle of the room, couples danced elegantly to music being played by the kingdom’s most accomplished musicians.

Elena drifted through the crowd, glad to be free from the close watch of her many servants and guards for once. She exchanged idle conversation with the guests, the same polite expression that everyone wore on her face as well. It was only when she saw her brother that her smile reached her eyes. Prince Eren caught his sister’s eyes and politely excused himself from the conversation he had been having with the Sovian ambassador. He walked up to Elena, a grin on his face. Though Elena had never had much of a relationship with her parents, her brother was the one person she felt close to. Eren and Elena had been inseparable as children, though he was several years older than she. They shared the same light brown hair, though where Elena had inherited her father’s soft blue eyes, Eren’s eyes were the same startling green as their mother’s.

“Sister dear, I hope you are enjoying the fine festivities this evening?” Eren grinned.

Elena shook her head at him, eyes twinkling. “My, my. How polite you are, brother. I did not know you had it in you.”

“Careful little sister, or I shall ruffle your pretty hair.”

She grinned at him. “Yes, yes. The festivities are quite nice. Everything is sufficiently shiny and overly expensive.” The smile dropped from her face as she broached a more serious topic. “Eren, are you really okay with this? You met the girl only last week,” she said, clearly concerned.

Eren sighed. “Elena,” he said quietly. “We are royalty. This kind of thing is simply part of our duty to the kingdom. And Princess Rosanna seems quite nice. Truly, I am fine. Now, go dance and enjoy the party. I have Sovian dignitaries to chat with.”

Elena smiled, though she was still not completely reassured, and left her brother to deal with the guests. He was right. It was a party, after all. She should at least try to enjoy herself.

A King's Ransom

I like it! And long is always fine with me. :)

A King's Ransom

“Your Royal Highness, it is time to begin the day,” an overly cheerful maid announced as she opened the ornate double doors leading to the princess’s chambers. “Oh, you’re already awake,” the maid said, clearly surprised to find the young woman not in bed.

Elena, the princess in question, sat in a velvet window seat, legs tucked under herself as she read a book. She was still in her nightgown, her long, light brown hair somewhat disheveled from sleep. Elena had already been awake for at least an hour. Mornings were in fact her favorite part of the day in the castle. Waking up early meant she was able to steal some time for herself. That time, she realized with a sigh, had ended with the arrival of her maid.

Elena rose from her seat, setting the book down on a small table. Every day was much the same in the palace. Just like the day before, Elena let her maid brush and fix her hair up in an elaborate twist atop her head. She was then herded into her changing room, where two maids laced her into a corset that left her barely able to draw a breath. Today, she was dressed in a lavender silk gown. The dress was, of course, the height of fashion. As a princess, she was to look immaculate in every regard.

Then came the lessons. Elena was instructed in the art of languages, needlework, painting, manners, musical instruments, singing, and other relatively useless crafts. She could barely tolerate her sessions with the stern tutors who corrected her every action. The only lessons that ever stirred her interest were history and riding sessions. Elena did not particularly mind these aspects of her education. She was, in fact, quite smart, and enjoyed learning. However, the majority of the lessons given to her were stifling and boring. She was not expected to use her mind any more than her tutors allowed. It was the droning lectures on the proper way to sit in a chair that frustrated her to no end.

Having just finished a lesson with her music tutor, she walked slowly through the twisting halls of the palace, lost in her thoughts. “Elena,” a voice called out to her. Looking up, Elena saw her mother, the queen approach. “I trust that your studies are going well?” the queen inquired.

“Mother,” Elena greeted the queen. “They are going quite well, thank you,” she replied, a polite smile on her face. After a bit of idle conversation, the queen continued down the hall, her maids trailing behind her. Elena rarely saw her parents other than during the evening meal. She had been raised by the servants of the castle, and her parents did not deem it necessary to constantly see their daughter. As a girl, she could not be the heir to the throne, and was therefore good only for marrying off to some wealthy stranger. Elena did not find her parents disinterest particularly strange. It was, after all, all she knew.

Having momentarily escaped the watchful eyes of her attendants, Elena walked through the elaborate gardens that surrounded the palace, taking a moment to herself. She pulled the many pins from her hair as she walked, letting the long locks fall freely down her back. Elena was bored. She was bored of the monotonous life of the palace. She was bored with the seemingly endless lessons and tasks. She felt as if she was wasting away, trapped within the stone prison that was the castle. She was barely ever allowed to venture beyond its walls, and even then, she was accompanied by a group of servants and guards who followed her around, watching her every move. Elena was not content to sit quietly, perfectly poised, unable to speak her mind or even have an opinion.

“There you are, Your Highness. We’ve been looking everywhere for you,” exclaimed the shrill voice of Elena’s maid. Elena sighed, heading towards the maid. The day was not over just yet, though Elena felt strangely exhausted already.

The Politics of Necromancy [XSilentWingsX and Alkeni Synair]

Amara walked along the city streets, eyes flicking here and there, taking everything in. It was certainly an interesting city. People walked alongside skeletons, the living and the dead together in a kind of harmony. Perhaps it was a strange sort of place, but Amara had never thought of it as such. She had grown up with the undead all around her. To her, seeing a zombie move in its somewhat slow pace across the street was as natural to her as everything else about the city.

The marketplace was as busy as she had expected it would be. Necropolis was the capital, and as such it contained people, both living and otherwise, from all over. Amara walked through the crowds leisurely, keeping an eye on her surroundings. From time to time she would stop to browse the various wares the marketplace had to offer, though she had no real intention of buying anything. She kept her hood up as she went. Though there were very few people who would be able to recognize her face were they to see it, keeping her face covered would simply draw less attention to her.

She had not ventured down into the city for some time now. It felt rather strange to be around so many people when she usually kept to herself. However, as she had hoped, it did serve to slightly lessen how aware she was of her bodyguard’s presence behind her.

Amara sighed. Much like that morning, she was still rather bored. She looked about. Perhaps she should just return to the castle after all.