Lightstar Family/Adaria/Roleplay 08
Beauty and the Beasts
"Monsters in Ahael? How many?" asked Adaria with concern.
The villager, who was one of a handful sent out to seek help, answered gravely, "Five big 'uns, m'lady! Wit' lots o' pointy thingers!"
"Very well," she nodded, then looked all around at her remaining eight men, who all wore grim faces. "We will take care of the problem, and with luck, we won't be fighting alone."
As they continued on their way from Lenamaziel, her captain inquired quietly, "Milady, perhaps we should let others deal with the beasts? We are so few and hardly in any shape to--"
"Captain Hildric, need I remind you that I have taken an oath to protect Ahael?"
"Well, yes of course, but--"
"Our boys are the very best that Aenilia has to offer. We will prevail."
Hildric sighed and finally nodded. "Understood, milady. Which formation do you plan to use?"
He was met with a wide grin and twinkling eyes. "Ask yourself, what would Duke Idapur do? There is your answer." However, for all her bravado, the girl sincerely hoped that at least another troop leader would show up to ensure victory.
(Roleplay from Kenshue Kazukin)
Kenshue entered into Ahael, a place he had never ventured, since Greater Aenilia had taken control of it. All he knew was there were monsters to be faught, and his army wanted to fight. Little did he know he'd be greeted by a young Aenilian noble, who with beauty and grace would help him in his fight.
"Hello mi'lady, I haven't seen ye around here before. Are ye new to the realm?" Kenshue asked the young lass, in a way to hide that he was intrigued by her.
Adaria smiled and shrugged shyly at Kenshue, before piping out, "Maybe?" Then she laughed and ran off towards the monsters without another word! After the fight, the girl giggled and winked and Kenshue before running off again, leading her men towards Ornaz...
(Roleplay from Caim Haerthorne)
Blood stains never washed out. It was easy to enough to get the stuff off your sword, whether it be the dark crimson of a healthy man or that horrid ichorous black that took several heavy swings to drain out of these abyssal creatures. What was the problem, as the red line carelessly smudged across Caim's white and green surcoat attested to, was scrubbing it thoroughly enough before getting back to civilisation. By that point it would have of course become a new piece of fashion -- "oh my, so you've taken to the Arcaean style?"
Some bastard had actually said that during a small feast in Anacan. Caim had told him he wasn't worth the scum off of his boot if he thought that was a lot of blood, asked him whether he preferred using his left hand or his right, said he should fix up his sword belt and baldric, since it didn't look like he knew which end he was supposed to grab first.
Then there was the debacle at Azros... which was all the more galling simply because of the mass starvation and rampant revolt occuring within Soliferum's borders in an almost comical fashion. But if one took a decent look at that whole situation, it seemed to be both everyone's and no one's fault. Miscommunication on several ends, him getting lost, as well as the problem with Taop and King Jenred charging valiantly ahead into the breach. Either his kinsmen were too eager, or the Generals simply hadn't got things down. He was leaning towards the latter, simply because of there being no notice whatsoever about what would happen after moving to Pates. And now monsters. That had actually been welcome, apart from the blood, but all in all it was a bad week.
Stripped of his surcoat and down to his mail, Caim stared for a moment at his reflection in the pool. For a while he regarded the stubble which hung like the shadow of age across his normally bare cheeks, watching as the mountain wind blew the ash-blonde hair around and into his eyes. Instead of scrubbing everything clean, he wet his hands and pulled down his hair, before grabbing a handful on each side and braiding both in turn, tying them at the back. It was a ritual born of necessity and touched by a hint of vanity, so his hands not only worked well but enjoyed their work. From where the rest of the troops were gathering their gear and preparing to march out from Ahael, he noticed the two other knights here smiling at each other as they talked. Smiling the way that he once did several years ago, before his own tastes began to disregard pretty faces for harder ones. The kind you had to prove yourself to, not brashly, but silently.
It still made him smile as well though.
