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| − | '''Roleplay from Hexic Jeckyl'''
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| − | Duke Hexic lay in his chambers, his arm being tended to by local healers. Reports had been exaggerated that he had nearly lost it. In fact the only reason he had been unconscious most of the last day was due to the lose of blood. Mathias' gladius seemed to have taken a good chunk of his arm out, and caused his healers some difficulty to stitch together.
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| − | Over in the corner various advisers to the Duke were discussing which pieces of mail to show the Duke when he regained consciousness. Of course his captain was wanting to bring him news of war. "A rebellion is breaking out in Niselur. Earlier today, Loki Ravenwulf has called for an uprising against the current government. Details are still sketchy." At the mention of Loki, Hexic bolted upright into a sitting position, fully awake and lucid instantaneously. "What did you just say Hildebrand?" A mixed look of shock and dread on the Duke's face, a rare sight. Turning to his liege, Hildebrand clarified. "Loki Ravenwolf of Niselhur has launched a rebellion in the city of Darfix." Now fully processing what he heard, Hexic displayed his renowned temper, and many words unbefitting of a noble. "Hildebrand! My sword, my armour! I will ride to Niselur and cut down that traitor! He was a brother! But NO longer!" He struggled with the healers, and ripped his stitches. Concerned for the duke's safety, one of the healers rubbed a liquid into his open wound, and he slumped back onto the bed. As he was losing consciousness once more, he said "50 gold on Loki's head. Boreal... Jack... Kakashi... Good men..." He was soon dreaming of being in Darfix, fighting rebels on the streets, and slaying traitorous nobles in cold blood, similar to Everguard.
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| − | Hexic's chamberlain knew that his Duke would want the bounty placed on Loki's head before he woke. If it wasn't done, Hexic's temper may rise again and succeed in escaping off to Darfix to fight a war he removed himself from a long time ago. The healers said he will be on his feet again by sunset, and that all visitors would have to wait until then.
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| − | '''Roleplay from Sorsha McDowell'''
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| − | Sorsha arrived at the Lighthouse to inquire about Duke Hexic and met with his healers again. “He was conscious but for a moment,” he informed her with an oily smile, “he should regain consciousness soon, I would say sunset.”
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| − | At this Sorsha looked out the window to try and gauge the amount of time between now and then. “Very well, I will wait. When he does wake, inform him of my presence.”
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| − | '''Roleplay from Hexic Jeckyl'''
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| − | Hexic knew that if he tried to leave his chambers, his healers may be tempted to strap him to the bed, so he waited until his chief physician left the room. In the mean time, he pretended to still be asleep, his keen hearing taking note of his physician’s movements.
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| − | Finally his opportunity arose when a messenger came from down the corridor informing the physician that Lady Sorsha had arrived, inquiring about the Duke. The chief physician left to greet her, and more than likely tell her he was unavailable.
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| − | As soon as his footsteps died away, Hexic got up and proceeded to fully dress himself. As Hexic left his quarters, the guards outside stood at attention. "Lady Sorsha is downstairs looking for me. Escort her to my private study, and do not let my chief physician know that I am awake, he is meeting with her now."
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| − | "Aye sir!" replied both guards in unison. They walked down the corridor in the direction the physician had gone. Hexic went in the opposite direction, careful to avoid his physician.
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| − | '''Roleplay from Sorsha McDowell'''
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| − | After the departure of Hexic’s healer, Sorsha sat and quietly waited in a small room and was now left with the twiddling of her thumbs when a guard approached her. “Lady Sorsha if you would please follow me,” he told her and motioned down the hall. He looked over his shoulder in the opposite direction and she followed his line of sight. Seemingly more confident he directed her away.
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| − | She was led to a different room, and did not even have the chance to sit when the Duke entered the room. She straightened and gave a small bow. “Good day, Duke Hexic,” she greeted. She had seen the man from a distance but had never met him personally, and had looked forward to exchanging words with him for a time now.
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| − | '''Roleplay from Hexic Jeckyl'''
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| − | Hexic was wearing a set of riding breeches and a thin white tunic meant to be worn under layers of finer clothes. In the light streaming through the window, the outline of his stitches could be seen, as well as an outline of dried blood. Hexic motioned Sorsha to a seat by the window "Please, sit." Maneuvering around to his desk, Hexic opened the bottom drawer and withdrew two goblets and a bottle of red wine. He also picked up a stack of letters off the desk and sat down in the seat nearest him, placing the letters, goblets, and wine on the table that was between them. He uncorked the wine and poured a goblet for both. He flipped through the letters until he found one bearing the seal of Boreal Arakiss, the King of Niselur. He read it aloud for the benefit of Sorsha
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| − | <i>"Letter from Boreal Arakiss
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| − | Your Grace,
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| − | I thank you very much for your words of support, and I am glad that I have such an old friend like you.
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| − | I am also glad to report that your bounty has been already collected and rebels defeated. It is not yet officially over but it will be soon. After we catch them all we will most likely proceed with the executions if possible.
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| − | Yours,
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| − | Sir Boreal Arakiss
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| − | King of Niselur, Duke of Darfix" </i>
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| − | "Ah, where are my manners? Back when I was High Commander of Everguard, Boreal was Strategos of Astrum, we fought several battles together. If you would like to hear more, I would be happy to share, unless there was a particular topic you wished to discuss."
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| − | '''Roleplay from Sorsha McDowell'''
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| − | “You look well,” she stated but his movements and clothing indicated otherwise. There was no shame in injury especially considering the circumstance. But had it been the opposite she would have preferred to be at full health when making a first impression, she doubted the man was any different. So far he had nothing to worry about, she regarded him curiously. Sometimes what one expected wasn’t always what one received, although rarely, it was better – She smiled at that.
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| − | She graciously took up the goblet of wine he offered, her blood red skin tight leathers making a soft sound. She swirled the wine and took a small sip while listening to him read his letter out loud.
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| − | She lowered her goblet in her lap and watched as he leafed through more letters, albeit inattentively. “I know you are a busy man and I did not want to disturb your schedule. I was here to attend the duel, which was very well fought I might add. I took the chance to join the circle while coming through Qubel, and soon perhaps I will receive a challenge of my own.” She took another sip and proceeded to pass her lower lip through her teeth.
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| − | “Since I will be leaving shortly, I did not want to leave this time without at least getting the chance to speak with you face to face. There was no pressing business I wanted to discuss… it was simple... desire on my part.” She looked up, her blue violet eyes gazing directly into his. “But, no by all means, I am doubly curious and interested to hear of your past experiences. I wish to know more about you."
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| − | '''Roleplay from Hexic Jeckyl'''
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| − | Sorsha's leather showed her curves, and with the creak of the leather, the Duke was distracted from his own words coming from his lips. As her blue violet eyes met his bright green ones, he found it hard to fight his attraction to her. "...Desire is what drives us. The only desire I have right now is <i>entertaining</i> my very lovely guest." He took her hand and kissed it, a safe gesture in case she did not share his affections.
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| − | "Tradition dictates that a member of lower rank challenges a member of equal, or greater rank. I have not witnessed you in battle, but I would suggest your first opponent be Carlos Francisco, the Marshal of the Western Guard. His family is friends with Hernan Visiglia, the man who was Royal High Commander in Everguard before I was, and sponsored me to be his Marshal. However, I am dubious Carlos learned much from him. When I last fought alongside him, he did not impress me."
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| − | Hexic began to reach out with his right arm to pick up his goblet, he winced from mild pain. Then remembered what he had told Boreal... my sword arm has recently been injured, and I can barely hold a goblet let alone a sword. He instead reached with his left, and took a good gulp to brace him for Sorsha's next words.
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| − | '''Roleplay from Sorsha McDowell'''
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| − | Had Sorsha met Hexic a few months ago she would have been instantly infatuated by his words and action, only now she was different yet a part of her still satisfied with the encounter. Her exterior may have appeared for all intents and purposes warm, but the truth of it was she was dreadfully empty. She was still desperately trying to feel something…anything.
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| − | As he kissed her hand, she watched through her long eyelashes and her soft lips formed into a slow smile. “I can hold my own,” she said nonchalantly. “But I will take your advice then. I have to admit, I was considering quite a different challenger from the start.” She did not tell him who, she would let him wonder.
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| − | His reach did not go unnoticed and she watched as he drank the remainder of his wine, was he feeling the injury? Or did he feel the need for some liquid courage? The latter made her grin and she finished her wine off as well.
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| − | Before he could reach to pour himself another she stood tall and reached for the bottle. This time the sun kissed her tanned skin and she turned to gaze out the window, her long brown waist length braid slipping over her shoulder.
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| − | Turning to face him, she took his hand to steady his goblet and poured more wine. “No need to pretend, I can see you are in some pain. Are you sure I am no bother?” she asked, “seeing as it is so near after your injury I would not want to exhaust what energy you do have. Your healers would have my hide,” she added with a chuckle, having finished pouring his wine, she began to fill her own goblet and leaned on the desk.
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| − | “You must feel pleased… even satisfied,” she said softly, indicating his forgotten letter. “I do not know much of this rebellion have you found out more information?”
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| − | '''Roleplay from Hexic Jeckyl'''
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| − | Sorsha's hands were soft, and smooth, much unlike his own. He didn't want her to let go of his hand.
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| − | "<i>..I would not want to exhaust what energy you do have"</i>. Hexic chuckled at this, thinking his next words to be quite clever and charming. "I have enough energy in me that you will be exhausted before I." Pausing for a moment, Hexic allowed Sorsha to take a double meaning to his words, an invitation if she so chose. "... After all, I've been asleep nearly the entire time since the duel. All this bed rest causes me to be... restless."
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| − | Hexic took a sip of wine and resumed.
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| − | "Loki once governed the townsland of Aquitain. I do not know how he came to be in Niselur, and I suppose it doesn't matter. Jack Carnes on the other hand, as the leader of the expedition to Darfix from Everguard. After Jack joined with Boreal from Astrum in this quest, Loki must have followed. Jack had been the Royal High King of Everguard. We dispensed with all that Royal nonsense after Averyll Arete took the throne when she became High Queen. I have little idea why Loki chose to rebel. But he had been a friend, and he betrayed an even greater friend of mine, which is why I placed a bounty on him. There is little else I know about the rebellion. Boreal did tell me that Loki wasn't happy when he learned I had put the bounty on him. That alone makes me very pleased."
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| − | '''Roleplay from Sorsha McDowell'''
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| − | The double entendre was not lost on her, and she grinned. Taking up her goblet she drank more wine watching him over the rim, focusing on his green eyes, all the while listening to his words. When she lowered it, she licked her bottom lip, savoring the residual taste and she set the goblet on the desk.
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| − | “I can understand,” she noted. “I would be as you, had the ones who betrayed me been cut down,” her face and voice had grown cold and distant but almost instantly it was gone.
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| − | Walking away from the desk, she admired the room and walked over to the large window near him. Through it she could see the expanse of land, the eastern border of their realm, what the Marshal was tasked with guarding day in and day out. “I have to be honest with you Duke Hexic, I am…” she searched for the appropriate word but alas there was none, how could one say words she didn’t think she’d ever feel again.
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| − | She turned to look at him over her shoulder. “I am glad to have gotten this chance to finally meet you. My expectations of you were satisfied and more.” She told him honestly, after all she was known for being extremely candid.
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| − | “I have yet to fight alongside you on the battlefield, but my admiration of you is not lost and well met and I hope to fulfill that… desire.” She smiled at her word. “Now I can put a clearer voice to the words of your letters.” She smiled and her hand drifted to the window.
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| − | “Would you not be injured I would have proposed an outing, riding perhaps, to take care of your restlessness,” she gave a lopsided grin. “Then again, there wouldn't have been any without the injury,” she remarked. “It's unfortunate for it is after all a beautiful day and my steed loves to be near water. Perhaps next time?”
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