My World of 1x1s discussion
Fantasy
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Pyry (Ji Mei and DD)
Name: Una Naira AwanataAlias(es): Shell or "my shield" (according to Prince Niel); Una (to most); Naira (to close family members)
Meaning: Una = remember; Naira = big eyes; Awanata = turtle
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Bisexual
Age: 22
Race: Human
Social Status: Commoner
Occupation: Bodyguard
Appearance:
(view spoiler)
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eyes: dark blue
Hair: dark brown; curly especially in rain
Voice: medium pitch; soft; dominating when angry
Other Features: Scars adorn a good portion of her body from training and fighting.
Personality: Una isn't an expressive individual (at least, not anymore), so the majority of the time she will possess an uninterested, passive expression. She's very much a tool of her government, having been practically forced into the military. She learned quickly that if she wants to survive, she must be silent and do as she is told. Becoming a soldier put this girl's survival skills to the test and she found that there is little she wouldn't do to stay alive. Her emotions have become very dulled because of this, though she still holds affection for her family and friends prior to entering the program. This said, she isn't cruel. If she has to kill someone, she will do so quickly. If she must lie to someone, then she takes no joy in it. Sometimes she wonders if she hates her king or herself more for becoming what she is, but her will to survive outshines her will to change or escape.
Weaknesses: obedient; fear of superiors; family
Strengths: combat skill; memory; speed; survival instincts
History: Una's mother is a seamstress and her father works as a miner. Most days he'd bring back the signature red clay that their country was known for. Una and her siblings loved to play with it and make pretend toys or pottery with them. Niwanna, Una's mother, used to say that her daughters were the finest potters in the kingdom. Their parents were humble, earning less than enough money to support themselves and their three children. The community, though, was like this as well and everyone in their neighborhood supported one another in some kind of way to make ends meet. Una's childhood was happy as far as she was concerned. Things changed around the time she was fifteen. Laws began changing, prices for food skyrocketed, and the Awanata family was running out of options. Una considered becoming a prostitute like some of the other girls her age to help with money, but when her mother found out, she beat her so hard the option was demolished. That's when the military visited her village. They spoke of promises of food, strength, security for the families of anyone brave enough to join up. The young girl had never been too strong, but she was fast and a decent fighter, at least when it came to scraps of food. Her parents were too old to join up. They were searching for youth to "build a stronger tomorrow" or some crap like that was used as their slogan. Either way, Una didn't have any better way to help her family, so she left with them as soon as she could. Her family was against it, but she was determined and promised that the support for the military would help get them back on their feet. After joining the military, Una had to grow up quickly to protect herself. Training was brutal, but graduation was worse. After about three years of training, selected graduates were given targets that they had to assassinate. Sometimes it was a fellow trainee, sometimes it was their commander, Una's had been a janitor. She was never told why she had to kill him, but she knew better than to ask. She did as she was told, just like any other good soldier, and graduated at the top of her squad. Once she graduated, she quickly rose in the ranks, becoming notably one of the top fighters in the forces. Somehow, she got assigned to Errebist's crown prince, Niel, around the time she turned twenty one. Apparently, the royal had a habit of going through guards rather quickly, the soldier before her had been with him about six months before he was relieved of his duties. So far, Una's experience with the prince has been neither pleasant nor unpleasant. He usually makes her do menial tasks around the castle. Sometimes she must steal from the staff, other times she has to do their job for them. Other times she has to simply listen to him tell her about all the things he's noticed throughout the day, like how her armor doesn't carry the same sheen or how a villager didn't take their normal route to work that day. Many days, she accompanies the prince to the market place dressed as a commoner and they walk around until he decides he wants to return to the palace. Although he is a strange man, she doesn't find him either especially irritable nor pleasant to be around.
When her brother came of age old enough to join the military, he followed his sister's footsteps. Unfortunately, he had not been as lucky as Una or as steel-hearted. The circumstances surrounding his death are still shrouded in mystery, but Una believes that he was either too kind to assassinate anyone or ended up being assassinated for knowing too much.
Una's younger sister, Omi, ran away from home around the age of 13 towards Pyry and lost contact with her family. Her whereabouts and condition is still unknown.
Relations:
Ahote Awanata - Father; Human; 48; Miner
Niwanna Awanata - Mother; Human; 46; Seamstress
Chogan Niel Qaletaqa - Crown Prince; Human; 25; Royalty; Crown Prince of Errebist; Charge
Achak Awanata - Brother; Human; Would be 17; Soldier; Deceased
Ominotago Awanata - Sister; Human; 16; Commoner; Unknown
Fighting Skills: skilled in hand-to-hand combat; fencing; archery
Weapons: rapier; bow and arrows
Other: Una is good at making pottery and does so in her free time, though she always ends up destroying whatever she's working on when she's done.
Name: Ivy DuboisAlias(es): She just goes by Ivy.
Meaning: Ivy = friendship, fidelity, marriage, dependance, endurance, faithfulness
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Only the cosmos know
Age: 26
Race: Human
Social Status: Commoner
Occupation: Healer/Fortune Teller
Appearance:
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 140 lbs.
Eyes: grey with touches of pale blue
Hair: ash blonde
Voice: witty; medium-pitch; clear
Other Features: There is a burn, veiny mark on her face and some light burn scars on her arms. Also, she always wears a locket (view spoiler).
Personality: Ivy doesn't like to share details about her past, not even her last name. While she had time to grieve her grandmother's death, she hasn't come to accept how things came to be. After seeing the villagers betray her grandmother, Ivy has come to distrust people, finding them too malleable to whoever has the loudest voice. In a way, she takes great pleasure in manipulating people when she tells them fortunes, but on the other hand, Ivy is at a loss since in her heart, she always seeks the knowledge to heal. Mostly what Ivy does is take care of herself and survive. Since everyone leaves her in some way or another (her mother, her father, her grandmother) and abandons her, Ivy just doesn't see the point in allowing herself to connect to others.
Weaknesses: the mark on her face; isolated; distrust towards people; her locket (prized possession)
Strengths: green thumb; medicinal knowledge; perceptive; survival instincts; unbiased; perserverance
History: For a while, Ivy was raised by her grandmother since her mother left her father when she was born and out of grief and confusion, he took his own life. So, as a debt her son left behind, Ivy's grandmother, Milda, took the babe in and raised her. Her grandmother had a small apothecary in their little village and Ivy often helped her with the herbs and remedies her grandmother made. It fascinated Ivy to see how people can be made better through the application of mashed up leaves and it invoked a great curiosity in her that she decided to learn more about the healing arts. Ivy had a happy life as she learned from her grandmother and eventually she began to help her on trips to the more outlying farms to administer to the sick and wounded. As she grew older, Ivy was allowed to carry out small errands for Milda, usually delivering remedies. To commemorate this freedom, Ivy's grandmother gave her a locket, a treasure that she has cherished ever since.
It was sometime when Ivy was thirteen when a sickness broke out in their village. They were far from any other village so it didn't spread far and Milda tried her best to battle the growing number of patients. When the disease became more deadly, Ivy's grandmother was at a loss and she was desperate. Unbeknownst to Ivy, her grandmother's despair led her to call upon angels for help, yet a demon tricked her grandmother instead, pretending to be an angel. The demon was responsible for the illness and after it 'healed' the village, at first there was praise towards Milda. A few more miraculous healings happened and while Ivy was suspicious, she was proud her grandmother was able to get the attention she deserved. Then things turned towards the worst when Ivy's grandmother found out that the 'angel' was in fact a demon. After that, the demon wreaked havoc in the village and the villagers turned against Milda, thinking she was a demon herself. They set fire to Milda's apothecary. Ivy was barely able to escape, only because her grandmother pushed her out the second story window before the building came crashing down. Despite the fact that Ivy survived, the other villagers shunned her, thinking she may be consorting with demons herself since she was her grandmother's apprentice. At one point, they threw rotten fruit and vegetables at her and Ivy had enough.
She left and headed towards a big city where she can leave the past behind, leaving behind her last name as well. Though she tried to continue in medicine, Ivy came to learn that as a commoner, she couldn't afford to get there. By happenstance, she was taken in by a circus group, having need of her healing knowledge to help those that may get injured during a performance. From there, Ivy learned the trade of fortune telling. After she grew tired of the circus, Ivy then struck out on her own and has been wandering ever since.
Relations:
Milda Dubois - Grandmother; Human; Deceased; Commoner; Healer
Fighting Skills: She has a knowledge of various poisons along with medicines and she knows the human body very well. However, she tends to not use her knowledge for any fighting.
Weapons: poisons
Other: When no one is listening, Ivy likes to sing and her voice might be considered wonderful if someone were to hear it.
Name: DixonGender: Male
Age: Immortal
Race: Demon
Social Status: Commoner
Occupation: Travelling Storyteller
Appearance:
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 192 lbs.
Eyes: hazel
Hair: chestnut brown with touches of blond highlights
Voice: tenor; jovial; sarcastic
Personality: Dixon has no qualms with being a demon. He sees it as a fact of life and he almost sees it as an excuse not to care about anything or anyone. He doesn't completely see that what he does is wrong or considered evil; he just sees things as fun or not fun. He likes to be the center of attention and he can be rather flamboyant at times, even appearing happy-go-lucky. Dixon knows he causes illnesses and he deceives people, but since it doesn't affect himself in a negative way, he just keeps doing whatever he wants.
Weaknesses: proud; attention-seeking; always seeking for action/excitement; selfish
Strengths: charismatic; improvisation and adaption; spontaneous
History: Dixon came into being from a woman that witnessed her two children dying from illness and then her husband falling ill soon after and passing away as well. None of her neighbors helped her (maybe couldn't help her, but she didn't really care). Her stability of life was put into question and the anguish and hate she felt gave birth to Dixon. Dixon saw her cursing the healthy people, those who didn't help her. He took this in and wished one of those people to become sick enough to die, and it happened. From there, Dixon grew to learn about his nature as a demon and he even visited the local church where he found out what a demon was and what that meant for him. So, if the world says he's a demon, then he was going to be a full-on demon. Dixon entertained himself by going around, making others grow sick, sometimes even create chaos with a plague. One time he decided it might be fun to pretend to be an angel. So he cursed a town with an illness and posed himself as an angel that 'healed' them after a woman 'prayed' for his help. His plans were ruined slightly when the woman discovered he was a demon, though he managed to save his skin by spreading rumors about the woman. He left that village when a blaze went up, having grown bored already of the people hanging onto his every word. So, Dixon moved on, sometimes using his adventures as fuel for stories he liked to tell and sometimes he used his abilities to make people 'sick' enough to see the worlds he created with his imagination.
Relations: None
Fighting Skills: Dixon doesn't like to get his hands dirty, so usually he tries to outwit his opponent long enough to give him time to escape. Other than that, he's pretty good at improvising to situations to help himself survive.
Weapons: whatever on hand
Powers: Inflict sickness
Other: Whenever he wants to think or when he's really bored, Dixon likes to make little woodcarvings.
DragonDreamer:"How many times have I told you, Shell? If you want to understand a country visit the Marketplace. One can learn so much about the economy by going out and experiencing it even for just a few hours." Prince Niel lectured as he and his bodyguard strolled through the bustling streets. His eyes scanned the crowds and people analytically. Who was selling what, what shape their clothes were in, which costs were high and those that were low. As it was, the kingdom of Pyry was in the midst of a famine and yet even their prices for food were lower than those in Errebist. It was a shame, really how dependent his kingdom was on their agriculture. Surely, once the war began, they would be able to claim what little farmland they had left for their own.
"I believe it's the third time you've said so, my prince." Una's uninterested reply sounded automatically. "It may be in our best interests, though, to head over to the palace soon. Your sister should be arriving there soon and it would appear in bad taste to arrive separately." She noted monotonously, eyeing the crowd as though someone could attack any moment. She had little care for the trinkets and baubles being advertised. What need did she have for any of it? Her job provided her with everything she could possibly need and she only had to sell her soul.
"My, my, reminding me of my manners already? You're sure in a lively mood today, aren't you? Very well. I shall brighten your ever so colorful spirit with a gift. Let's see, let's see. Perhaps some jewelry? No, I suppose nothing really compliments the armor. Perhaps some food? Then again, we did just have some skewered meat a few stalls back. Oh! Look over here, Shell. A fortune teller booth. You don't see many of these back home. Let's go see what the lady has to say. Maybe you'll find the love of your life just around the corner-oh. Oh, dear." The prince's lackadaisical expression suddenly stopped, turning into one much more annoyed and angered.
"Shell." His jovial voice was now terse and low. "It would appear that gentleman just relieved me of my pocket watch. Could you please retrieve it for me? And this time please keep the blood off my belongings. Be back quickly." He ordered before continuing on to the Fortune Teller.
Una nodded silently and disappeared into the crowd.
Niel resumed his smiling persona as he entered the booth. "Excuse me, I would like to have my fortune told once you have a moment."
Ji Mei:
With a scarf covering her face, Ivy's grey eyes scanned the crowd for potential customers. It was a rather sunny day, so she kept to the shade more so than usual. It helped hide her face too, for which she was grateful since she heard foreigners would be visiting due to celebrations up at the palace. She dismissed an older woman with a kind smile, though her smile was only seen in the brightness of her eyes. She was about to step away and step into the back of her booth when she heard a voice over her shoulder. Turning around, Ivy stepped forward, taking in the man with mild curiosity; she was more interested to see if he was genuine than to find out who he is. Nodding her head in acknowledgement, Ivy looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Of course. It will be seven gold coins, if you please."
DragonDreamer:
"Seven, you say? Hmm... how about this? I give you five gold coins now and if I'm impressed by your... divinations, then I'll give you the rest of the pay afterwards. I suppose it will be up to you to determine if I am a man of my word." He noted, extending a hand with five small gold coins resting in his palm." The woman appeared younger than he expected. From his experience, fortunes were usually given by old witches. This lady had a scarf covering the majority of her face, however, it was apparent by the condition of her hands and the small amount of facial skin within view, that she couldn't be older than thirty. Perhaps she simply had no other means of supporting herself? Either way, he did hope the show would be entertaining.
Ji Mei:
Folding her arms, Ivy considered bartering to keep her price, but if she were to be honest, anything is better than nothing. She was saving all of her money mostly to keep afloat, but she was hoping she may be able to purchase her way into a small apothecary school that was in the upper part of the city. If he didn't give her the whole price, two coins wouldn't make much a dent anyways. Letting out a laugh, she shook her head, her pale locks falling out from underneath her scarf in the process. "Then, I suppose I shouldn't disappoint. It will be this way, good sir." She gestured to the curtained back of her booth where a table and two chairs were set.
DragonDreamer:
Blonde. He noted, as the small strands revealed themselves beneath the loose fabric.
"Then, I suppose I shouldn't dissappoint..." He grinned easily as the woman accepted his proposal. He followed her towards the back of the tent.
"Your pocket watch." A sudden voice came from behind him. It would appear that his shield had returned. She quickly returned the piece to the prince's pocket, no visible blood to be seen. Perhaps she cleaned it with the man's shirt afterwards? Well, she was nothing if not obedient. He really hated having to punish street urchins, but if they were caught there had to be some kind of repercussion, no? In Errebist, they usually settled for nothing fatal, but clearly marked cuts on their hands so others would know what they had done.
"Ah, Shell. I was wondering when you would find your way back! Did that errand cause you any trouble." Blank stare. "Right then, of course not! I was just about to get my fortune done. Join me and she can do yours afterwards." He cooed, motioning for his bodyguard to follow.
"Right, you can just stand there, then." The prince took his seat and awaited instructions from the young businesswoman.
Ji Mei:
Ivy stiffened, smothering her surprise to assess the new arrival. Silently she wondered what kind of name "Shell" was, but then again, she was simply Ivy herself. Overhearing the young man stating the other woman will be getting a fortune as well, she paused. Turning to them, she asked in a polite manner, "And would the young lady be paying seven coins or the five?"
DragonDreamer:
"And would the young lady be paying seven coins or the five?"
Young lady? Oh right... Shell was in her twenties or something and... a woman, he supposed.
"I think she'll be a five." He stated, handing over the extra few coins.
Una wanted to sigh, but alas she did not have the strength to break her mold. Merely doing as instructed, she went to the corner of the room to stand and await the turn she didn't care to have in the first place. The woman they paid was scarved. She supposed that gave an air of mysteriousness to her character, though Una disliked the inability to read all of her facial cues. She wondered if this woman was a threat. It wasn't likely, though, since they were paying her for her services. Plus Niel was ridiculously insistent about his odd payment methods.
Ji Mei:
Taking the coins, Ivy put them in her coin purse that was tied to the belt that went about her dress. Glancing over at the woman, Ivy smiled underneath her scarf. "Your fortune will be coming right up, sweetie," she said, as she closed the curtain. Unlike the other fortune tellers, Ivy had no gimmicks like a crystal ball or tarot cards. It was a nice table with a candle that gave a soft aroma that wasn't distracting but brought in a mysterious mood. Sitting down, she briefly regretted not having an extra chair as she saw the young lady remained standing. "Shall we begin?"
DragonDreamer:
Sweet? This girl was good at customer service, he had to give her that. Still, where was the crystal ball and tarot cards and floating objects? He supposed with the economy as it was, he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up too high. Perhaps he should tip her extra. Was business so bad?
"Please." He insisted, sitting down at the table. There was a scented candle at the center. The smell was faintly... nice, he thought. Was there something special about it?
Ji Mei:
"Good. Then, may I please take your hands?" Ivy held her own hands out, palms up to take his. As her hands came to rest on the table, the part of her forearms became visible from underneath her sleeves, along with the pale burn scars riddling them. Then she added, since it sometimes abhorred folk to touch a commoner's hands, "For my kind of fortune telling, I read a person's hands. You can learn about a person based off of what they do with their hands."
DragonDreamer:
Scars. He couldn't be sure what had caused them, but the deformity really added to the supernatural, mystery vibe this girl was going for. They had to be real, surely. They didn't have funds for a silly crystal ball, so they definitely didn't have funds for costuming. The prince had never touched such hands before. Sure, he'd seen scars here and there, a few missing fingers. The idea of touching such skin intrigued the man and he willingly reached out to the woman, allowing his hands to rest atop hers. His bore their own training scars and callouses, but for the most part his remained as smooth and pampered as his life. He supposed it made sense that she could read palms and see what kind of lives people have had. So, would he get his money's worth after all?
Ji Mei:
Her own hands had slight callouses, but they weren't rough like farmer's hands. Yet the young man's hands made hers feel dirty in comparison. Ivy kept her composure though. Her thumbs ran over the creases and lines along the man's palms, looking over them with a skillful eye. Then she looked up at him, a questioning gleam in her eyes. "Is there anything you want to know in particular? Your love fortune? Wealth? Spiritual afterlife?"
DragonDreamer:
"Would it cost me extra to hear each one?" He asked, feeling as though he already knew the answer. "Surprise me." He finished, keeping a trained look on the woman's green irises. He wondered what tales she would weave for him. Truthfully, he only entered the tent for a bit of fun and a good show. He hadn't had anything specific in mind. Of course, he wouldn't mind hearing about her predictions of him. What kind of impression did he give off, he wondered? Did she see him as someone who could be successful at, say, starting a war? He knew he couldn't fail at his mission, but would this pretend gypsy see him differently?
Ji Mei:
"Nothing extra at all. Simply direction since most ask me for certain things." She bent her head down to look over the man's palms even more closely, recalling what the people at the circus taught her. Her eyes flicked up and she smiled behind her scarf. "Your love line does not look very promising." Lifting a finger, Ivy traced a line across one palm and then the other. "It's broken in many places, mostly out of lack of interest."
DragonDreamer:
The prince chuckled. It seemed like the woman wanted to laugh as well based on the crinkling of her eyes. He supposed she was too professional to actually do so in front of a paying customer. Her prediction did make sense. He had little interest in the lives of others, so developing a deeper interest in someone would take far more effort than he was willing to give. Of course, he was here under the pretense of possible engagement. In that sense, he supposed it was favorable that he wouldn't need to be wed.
"Very good. Please, continue." He encouraged, currently pleased with her performance.
Ji Mei:Ivy raised a brow, somewhat expecting the man to feel insulted. Most do not like hearing the truth, even if it comes under the 'magic' of fortune telling. She moved her finger to a long line that ran up and down the middle of his palm. "Well, despite a rocky love life, if it can be called that, it seems you life line shows that you will live long. That is, under normal circumstances. There are no tied lines to show any heart problems, so I assume that you may have a life of prosperity if you seek it."
DragonDreamer:
"Prosperity? Well, I sure hope so." He didn't really believe in the craft or "magic" whatsoever. He wondered if he should play up the game they were having more or less. Perhaps he really should have been more disappointed about his love life... though it was surprisingly difficult to get his feelings hurt over such play. Her words were harmless. Anyone could point out lines and put meanings to them. He probably could if he had the time, interest, or energy. He wasn't in need of a job, though.
Ji Mei:
Pausing, Ivy looked up at him, her grey eyes more impassive now. "We all hope for prosperity, but there are some who seek for something more and there are some who have no choice but to accept the worst circumstances at the chance that prosperity comes near death," she said, this being more of her opinion than a 'prophetic' statement.
DragonDreamer:
Prince Niel raised a brow to her statement. "And just which one do my hands tell a story for?" He inquired. In all honesty, he wouldn't have minded either of the predictions. Technically, he was hoping for more than prosperity in that he dreamed of creating a country where his people can flourish and conquering Pyry in order to do so. Of course, should he die in his pursuit of this goal, he shouldn't mind that either. What could be more noble than dying for one's country?
Ji Mei:
Her hand covered his palm and she looked at him, no longer reading the lines, as she shook her head. "That, my dear, is something that should be determined by yourself than whatever fortune may say." Then she removed her hand, as she gestured to the lines. "Do you want me to continue with reading other lines, or shall we call this session over."
DragonDreamer:
"For shame! I was hoping to hear an outsiders opinion. Though, I suppose if this is all my hand has to tell you, then I shall relinquish my seat."
My dear. She couldn't be much older than him based on the small bits of face he could see through the scarves. Still, the words seemed to come naturally to her. Either she was a very old soul, or she picked up the tag from spending so much time around older individuals. Was that really all there was to his fortune? Bad luck in love and promise of prosperity, possibly at the cost of his life should he choose a certain path? Well, he supposed he shouldn't have had such high hopes. This was a commoner establishment after all and the price wasn't terrible either. He supposed he'd cough up the last couple of coins for her mediocre show.
Ji Mei:
"To be honest, which some may say is a rare thing to those like me, but if you wanted me to, I could get into the details like how many children you will have and what genders, what weather will be on your wedding day, et cetera. But those requests come very rarely."
DragonDreamer:
"True, I care very little about all this marriage and family business. After all, my love life is already very bleak as you have pointed out. If you have any predictions aside from that topic, I'd be interested. Alas, it must be little Shell's turn." He noted, rising from his seat. "She doesn't likely have a preference for types of divination from her palm since it was I who convinced her this would be a fun idea. Though, I would love to stand by the table and see if you get a reaction from her. Do you mind? Ooh, but include all the freaky details about children and weather and whatnot for her. Just for kicks, yes?" He gleamed casually, handing over the rest of his pay to the woman before having his shield sit where he had and hold out her hands. Niel resided comfortably by the table, awaiting the woman's next predictions.
Una merely did as was expected of her, sitting and holding her hands out blankly. She just wanted to get this nonsense done and over with so they could get back to the palace before Princess Elisabete arrived.
Ji Mei:
Ivy let out an amused laugh and dipped her head in acquiescence, thinking it would be fun to give in to his little game. She was surprised at the rest of the coins given, having thought that the young man hadn't bought into the whole fortune thing. Still, she made no complaints and as her other customer sat across from her, Ivy nodded her head in greeting. Silently she wondered to herself what relationship the pair had between them; they didn't act like lovers, yet it seemed the young man wouldn't go anywhere without the woman. Taking the young woman's hands, Ivy looked down at her hands. "Shall I start with the life line?"
DragonDreamer:
The bodyguard dearly wished to get this whole nonsense over with.
"Shall I start with the life line?" The shrouded woman asked. Una nodded simply and waited. She knew her hands were nothing spectacular. There were training scars and there was still a small cut on her left hand from when she had retrieved her prince's pocket watch. She didn't think much of what the woman would say to her. Honestly, part of her hoped it would be just as doom and gloom as Prince Niel's. If she went into detail about marriage and wedding and all that, her captor would be sure to see it through if only to mock her. That is, if she lasted as his bodyguard that long. She had been one of the few to last longer than a year. Hopefully she'd die or be relieved of her duty soon enough. Her prince wasn't necessarily... cruel... but he was tiring and sometimes too twisted to understand. Una had given up on figuring out her boss a long time ago.
Ji Mei:
Something passed through Ivy's eyes as she noted the cut and the scars. In her position, Ivy had come to see a variety of hands, but she didn't think she'd ever seen such hands from a woman. Absently, her eyes flickered over to the young gentleman, wondering again how the two were connected.
Clearing her mind, she turned to focus on her job and lifting a finger, she traced the life line along the girl's hand. "From what I can see, you have struggled in the past, and in your life, you still will have these struggles. You will be able to grow to a normal age, but the spouse you may have will suffer from lung problems."
DragonDreamer:
"Lung... problems?" Una repeated. The claim was odd, she though, and somewhat specific. The woman had also suggested that she was going to live to be a healthy age. The warrior didn't like that idea very much, but she didn't take the fortune teller's words to heart. This was all smoke and mirrors after all. Just nod your head and go along with it. She told herself, bobbing her head as she listened to the fortune teller's interpretations.
"Ah, she's very observant, isn't she, Shell? Too bad for your future spouse, though." He tried, hoping they would get some kind of reaction out of her. Most of the bodyguards that the military produced had a harshness about them. Some dead on the inside. Shell was very much like a turtle shell, tough and hollow. He'd gotten reactions here and there, though, meaning there was something living inside that skeleton. Still, if she ever lost that life, it would be time to switch guards again. The dead ones were ever so dull. One had even tried to take his life once. Truly, it was fortunate he hadn't neglected his combat skills.
Ji Mei:
"Yes, lung problems. Something like the consumption, perhaps." Ivy pressed her lips, knowing of the disease quite well since she had treated such patients in the past, mostly during the times she assisted her grandmother. Which is something she didn't want to think about at that moment. Then she turned the woman's hand slightly, looking at the lines underneath her pinky finger while tracing a few. "Also, despite whatever circumstances with your future family, it seems that a few children, around three will come to you. Though, your lines do not say explicitly those children are born from yourself."
DragonDreamer:
"Consumption? Do you know about such diseases, Miss?" Niel inquired, watching the fortune teller now.
Una grew to like the woman's words less and less. The future she laid out was too... charmed. Living a proper amount of time, getting married, having children even if they weren't her own. She wanted to be done. Perhaps she was trying to impress her? Or earn favor to get more tips out of the two of them. Her expression remained stoic and cold as she waited for the show to end
Ji Mei:
She stilled as she looked up at him. "Yes," she answered simply before turning back to the young lady.
Ivy had to admit that the lines she had been reading from her palms were made difficult by the young lady's scars from past activities, yet so far her reading was as accurate as she knew, at least when comparing her reading with the knowledge that was passed down to her. Looking down at the hand in hers, Ivy wanted to ask her what the woman did for a living. Ivy bore scars herself, but they were from different circumstances than what she guessed was for the young lady. Tracing a line that curved from the base of the palm to a line that ran in between the forefinger and thumb, Ivy again spoke. "This line has to do with your fate line; somewhat similar to your life line, but it is a line that changes with the different things you do in life. Right now, the line is smooth, which means that while there are no awful turns in fate, but it also means that you can easily fall into a state of stagnation. It will be hard to move forward if you don't invest yourself to move forward yourself."
DragonDreamer:
Hm? She didn't seem to want to elaborate on that particular topic. Not that it was odd for someone to be secretive about their personal life... though, the subtle body language and look in her eyes told a story of fear and struggle. He was curious, though distracted by the rest of her reading. Well, the reading and his shield.
Una listened, just wanting it all to be over.
"...hard to move forward if you don't invest yourself to move forward yourself."
"Are you finished?" The guard practically barked. Of course, her words were of average tone and held no malice. Still, the interjection seemed to satisfy his highness well enough. Una was tired of listening. They should be headed back to the castle now. Not here wasting time on some stupid play. Move forward? So vague and yet... she wanted to break something.
"Terribly sorry, Miss... sorry, it appears I haven't caught your name. I think Shell has had enough of the palm readings. Excellent show, if I do say so myself. I believe you've earned the rest of the pay for her with a bit of a tip. It's really a shame we can't stay longer. Maybe we will return another time." He excused the two of them, handing over the money to the businesswoman with an extra five coins as a generous tip. He hadn't expected such a reaction from Shell, but it was a pleasant end to their festivities. His bodyguard rose from her seat, briefly apologizing for ending early before returning to her boss's side.
Ji Mei:Ivy stared blankly at the young woman's reaction, having gone through similar situations before. It was something she may get tired of eventually, but it seemed it didn't matter for the extra coin she received. Placing the coins in her bag, she led them out from behind her booth. "Oh, no need for apologies, especially after your generosities. You may call me Ivy."
DragonDreamer:
"Right, then, Miss Ivy." Niel smiled courteously. "It was a pleasure doing business with you today. Please, take care." The prince nodded his head before taking his leave from the tent, bodyguard close behind.
"You were wasting too much time. We need to hurry if we're going to meet up with your sister before she reaches the palace." Una noted, her irritation from the palm reading still carrying over to her speech a bit.
"Shell, you really can be too much sometimes. Which part got you riled up? That last bit did seem to get to you..."
The banter continued as the pair assimilated into the crowded streets of the marketplace. It was time to announce their royal visit. After all, a war wasn't going to start itself.
***END OF SCENE***
The tavern was tucked down near the docks, a lively place despite its small size. From couple streets away, laughter can be heard deep into the night. It was a perfect spot for a new stranger in town to visit without being noticed and even more perfect for someone looking for a good time. Dixon walked with a confident swagger, having already book a room at an inn nearby, and he was looking forward to mixing with the life in the capital city. His hat rested on his head with a slight tilt matching the crooked smile on his face. Golden light spilled out into the night as he opened the door and slipped inside.
Tables were full of a variety of people, though the majority of them were sailors. A couple bar maids were nearby and Dixon eyed them appreciatively, thinking he may try to seduce one to keep his bed warm that night. Nodding to the bartender, he shouted his order then made his way to a cozy seat next to the fireplace. Not caring if his shoes were muddy, he leaned back and rested his feet on the table in front of him and he let himself take a moment to enjoy the good pint of ale.
"As I was saying, royal banquets are grand and all, but the common man knows how to better appreciate the simple pleasures of good drink and pretty women. Wouldn't you agree, Shell?" The dark prince mused, "For royalty every single detail must be gaudy, but among the poor, there's such beauty in simplicity.""Gaudy or simple, I still doubt I'm as much of an asset to you in this rubbish." The guard complained mildly. In honor of properly sneaking out to the town, Niel and Una dressed in less obvious clothing gathered from their marketplace trip earlier that week. Una was resistant, especially considering he was suggesting that she ditch her armor in favor of a dress. In the end, they settled that she'd wear leather protection and an ambiguous, unflattering robe to conceal her weaponry.
"Indeed, perhaps I should train you to be a bar wench or an escort so you could actually be of use and gather me information of some kind or other." His tone did not sound as joking as the bodyguard hoped he intended.
"Seduction is not as efficient as force. What information are you looking for? I still have ears, you know." She noted, eyes scanning the small crowd of bar goers sitting in front of the establishment.
"I'm looking for something that I'll recognize once I hear it. I'm looking for a way to reach a certain goal or someone willing to contribute to my cause."
"You realize I'm at your disposal. My life in your hands and all."
"No, no, no. It's too obvious." He sighed, waving off the thought as they grabbed a booth towards the back of the bar. "If I'm going to be successful in my schemes, I can't afford to make hideous mistakes like using my bodyguard to do my dirty work. Listen around for someone useful, will you?"
Niel flagged down a bar maid and ordered a pitcher of beer between the two of them. He kept his eyes on the rest of the pub. There were quite a few sailors. A few particularly rowdy ones were competing for the favor of a particularly pretty maid with golden hair and ample qualities. They'd brag about sailing all over, trading silks and livestocks across the kingdoms, offering the lady jewelry and dresses in exchange for her attention and affections. If only finding accomplices were so easy. Weren't dives like these supposed to be crawling with scum of the earth? Perhaps they would have to try for another bar.
The prince sighed, paying the waitress as she brought their drinks and having Shell pour him a mug.
"If you acted pretty, perhaps we could have tricked someone into working for us..." He hinted, raising a brow questioningly at his companion to no avail. Hm... Who was that man? Settled next to the fireplace with a shaggy appearance and lacking the aura of a girl crazy sailor. Was he a traveler? Well, he certainly did appreciate the bar maids, but he wasn't so tacky as the sea men.
"I'll man the table if you want to talk to him." Una suggested, pouring herself a pint. Sometimes, she really was observant.
"Very good. Be back soon." Nothing hurt from chatting, surely. He just wanted a better understanding of the mystery man.
"Hello there." Niel greeted warmly, "I hear drinking is best not done alone. Would you care for some company? Unfortunately, I am no bar maid, but I've mistakenly ordered much too much ale for just myself." He shrugged easily, offering to refill the man's mug.
Dixon looked up from his rather empty pint and raised a brow at the man that approached him. "Not afraid I'll cause you a little bit of a drought?" he asked, referring to the man's offer of more ale. He could get drunk himself, despite being a demon, but he could hold his liquor for a while. Despite what he said, though, he dropped one foot down from the table to push out the chair next to him as an offering for the man to take a seat. "Well, with your handsome mug, maybe we'll attract all the bar maids tonight," Dixon commented with a rogue smirk.
Niel chuckled at the man's retort. Perhaps they would get along."Not yet, but I've always been rather foolish that way." He poured the alcohol for the empty vessel.
Thankfully, the stranger took kindly to his offering and accepted his company. The prince took the seat and offered a chuckle at his comment. "I don't know about that, but of I could offer that much, I'd be happy to."
He held up his mug in toast, "To strangers and new acquaintances, may our mystery be ever attractive to pretty maids." His eyes glanced over to his previous companion momentarily, silently communicating that he would stay and drink for a bit. She would have to make sure the drinks kept coming in case he became too inebriated to remember.
Tilting his head to the side in a slight nod, Dixon raised his mug as well. "Thought it was my charm attracting the ladies, but I'll take being mysterious. To strangers and new acquaintances." He took a pretty good swig from his mug before letting out a satisfied noise as he set down it again. Turning to the stranger next to him, again he smiled. "So, strange new acquaintance, new in town? I'm new in town myself, but I've been around Pyry."
"So your charm, my looks, and our combined mystery should really cause a riot then." He grinned easily, taking a swig. The ale was strong and refreshing. Niel didn't often drink with reservations. Alcohol tended to be his favorite part of his meal, but he wanted to see if this man could be an ally he couldn't be obvious, but he couldn't allow himself to lose his wits either."Yes, I'm from farther south. I'm trying to find better trade opportunities. I figured the capital might offer some promise. What brings you to town? Business or pleasure?" He partly lied, hopefully convincingly. Technically he was interested in Pyry resources. He simply intended to overthrow the government to get them.
Dixon scoffed and gestured to himself. "Do I look like I'm here for business to you?" Along with the hat on his head, he was dressed in travel-worn clothes with some stains splotched here and there. He had a dark green tunic underneath a long brown jacket that had seen better years, trousers with a few patches, and dark black leather boots that might have looked spiffy if dirt didn't seem to be a permanent decoration. "Pleasure is what brings me here, though you can say I'm looking for better trade opportunities too."
Niel shrugged, "There's all kinds of business out there. Some that doesn't require clean garments, some that don't require any for that matter." He grinned to himself before taking another drink."So pleasure, then. Do you find this place so pleasant? The famine sure is no fun for selling. People can't afford nice things, so they all flock to buy as much food as they can get for their wages, making the deficit that much more noticeable. And you've got to wonder what on earth the people in charge are doing about it. They're probably all up at the palace, stuffing their fat faces and talking about how great it is to be rich."
He watched the amber liquid swirl with his reflection in the mug. "But what does a merchant like me know?" He smiled, seemingly shrugging off the topic.
Waving his hand flippantly and shaking his head, Dixon laughed after the man's spiel about food and government and royalty. "I wouldn't know any better than a merchant, being only a storyteller. I don't give a damn about those things to be honest. I just take what I want and if I can't find what I want here, I move on. That being said," Dixon finally let his feet drop to the ground as he leaned closer to the man next to him, "the capital is probably one of the nicest places to find a way to get what you want. So in that regard, I would say this place is pleasant."
Ah, so he didn't take the bait. Alas, Niel would have to entertain the man a little longer before he would have to look elsewhere."A storyteller? The name makes me think that all you could want is a willing audience, though it seems you have other interests. What things would a storyteller like yourself desire here that can't be found elsewhere? Surely the capital isn't the only place you can find pretty women and a good drink." He leaned in to hear better, wondering just what was going on in the man's head.
He paused at that question, his mug half raised as he tried to think. To be honest, as a demon, he can make countries bow down to him, eliminate entire cities, travel wherever he wanted if he could make someone delusional enough to do whatever he wanted under a mental sickness. Anything and everything was within Dixon's reach. So what about the capital city was special enough to have him go there? Nothing, really. Shrugging, Dixon took a swig before raising a brow at the stranger. "Other interests? None really," he said truthfully, seeing no need to not answer straightforward. "I'm just here to have fun. Had fun other places, then they got boring, then moved on. Any place where all the hubbub is where I want to be, my friend. Nothing like being in the middle of excitement to get good stories and to tell them too."
The prince nodded, reasoning his explanation made enough sense. "I can't say that I disagree," he admitted. With any luck, something exciting would be happening by his hand. Sooner rather than later. "I can honestly say I hope you find a good story worth telling." If he lived long enough to tell the tale. "Would you care to share one or two with me? The ale is good, but if I have to keep watching the same sailor bar maid attempts all night, I'm going to have to make some kind of game of it. Oh well that's an idea..." He grinned imagining how he could his new acquaintance drunk. "We take a sip every time a sailor hits on the staff. Finish the cup if he leans in for a kiss or gets handsy." He suggested in good fun.
A grin spread across his face. Dixon was sure the man was way over his head with the game suggestion but he liked the idea anyways. "Sure, why not?" He looked around to see if a bar maid was near to refill their pitcher since it has been getting low. Glancing over to the man next to him, he asked, "In the middle of my storytelling though? Isn't that bad manners to have the storyteller drunk? Not that my stories aren't always great, told while drunk or otherwise."
Una watched her master quietly from a distance being sure to grab a maid's attention to send them to the table when it appeared their pitcher was getting low. She did her best to listen to what was happening around her, though most of it was drunken sailor slurs. Niel apparently had begun a bit or a game with the stranger. She hoped it would prove fruitful. The sooner he got what he wanted, the sooner they could leave. Niel shrugged, "I hold my liquor fairly well. And my memory is annoyingly good. It's like I have two brains sometimes." He grinned and lifted his mug again to begin the game. "And what's a drunken story between new acquaintances? Is it rude of me to request?"
Shaking his head and brushing away a strand of hair that fell into his face, Dixon replied cheerfully, "Not at all, my good man, not at all. But first," he held up a finger and then pointed it at the man sitting across from himself, "before any storytelling, tell me your name and I'll give mine. Not as fun telling stories if you don't know the name of the author, right?"
He nodded eagerly, "Of course! Now I really am the rude one. Please, call me Arin." He couldn't reveal his identity just yet, if ever. Otherwise he might have to kill the man for knowing too much. He wondered if people here knew Errebist's royal family. He certainly did, but it had been his role to. "And you, my friend?" He smiled at the blushing thing who was pouring their drinks again. Shell was staying on top of it all. Good.
An appreciative smile graced his mouth as Dixon looked up at the lovely girl pouring his drink and gave her a wink. "My many thanks, sweetheart," he said before turning his attention back to Arin next to him. Lifting up his hat a bit, he gave a wave of his hand in replacement of a showy bow. "Dixon. No last name, just Dixon." He held out a hand, though perhaps it was too late for that kind of formality.
"Dixon. Well it's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Thanks so much for your company." He shook his hand naturally now that their meeting was official. No last name? That was different. He wondered why. Was he some orphan with no family? Then again, Niel hadn't provided any last name of his own. Perhaps it was just in response to that?"Alright then. We've got drinks, a show, and a woman eyeing us. I think now may be a good time to start the fun. How about a story?"
"No need for those formalities. The ale's enough compensation, I think." He rose his glass in a small salute though in acknowledgement of Arin's words. Then he settled more comfortable in his chair, going back to leaning back, but refrained from putting his boots on the table like before. "Ah, yes, the story. Let me think." Combing his mind, Dixon tried to think of a good story. When one popped into his mind, Dixon smiled and raised a brow at Arin. "Do you believe in angels and demons?"
That wasn't a topic the prince had the opportunity to touch on much. He heard stories of course, as a kid. Angels were the good ones, demons were bad, yada yada yada. Honestly, he didn't care too much for the notion. He'd never seen anything of the like, so he didn't originally hold any suspicions but... it had been rumored that Niel's father kept council with some kind of dark creature. Of course, Errebist's king was not someone who would tell his son even if he was keeping a talking phoenix in the room next door. Not to mention he had heard his father mention on multiple occasions that he had a "secret weapon" or a "fallback" in case their plans didn't succeed. His group of trusted advisors was dwindling to become smaller and smaller by very mysterious means (they all kept 'disappearing into the shadows' and no one knew how or why). But demons? Who knew. If anything, he was open to the idea. It certainly made the world more exciting."I think it's an intriguing possibility." He settled.
Dixon huffed out a laugh, always finding people's response to his question amusing. It was strange how he found those that are poor and living in squalor seemed to believe in them more than others. But what made Dixon amused the most is that demons were believed in more than angels. He never came across angels himself, luckily, mostly through some narrow escape when he vaguely sensed a holy presence and left immediately. And it seems that other angels must have never caught his scent or else he most likely wouldn't be enjoying his freedom. "Well, even if angels and demons are possibilities, they make great stories. It all began some years ago," Dixon began, letting his voice drop some of its usual lightheartedness in favor of being more dramatic.
"A mysterious sickness struck a little village in the middle of nowhere. The people were already starving, and when illness came, it seemed all was loss. The little village healer was at a loss and being a faithful woman she prayed. Hours and hours, she prayed as she tended to the sick and watched over those letting out their dying breaths. It seemed that all hope was loss and her efforts were in vain when suddenly, a figure appeared before her. And it was an angel." Dixon paused, raising his brows a bit as he smiled as if to say that this was some impressive moment in the story.
"The angel said it heard her plea and it immediately began to heal people. Life again was restored and celebrations were made as the angel lived among them, blessing them with its presence. But little did the angel know and the villagers know, the healer that prayed so hard grew jealous of the angel. It had done something she could not and the praise constantly given drove her mad. In her jealous state, she began to spread rumors that the angel was a demon and that the village will again fall under a plague if they do not listen to her. It made the angel sad and the other villagers angry.
"As the healer grew more and more spiteful, she began to plot to kill the angel. Just when it was night, she tried to sneak out and burn the angel since she thought demons can't stand fire since they hate Hell. But she was blind, envy cloaked her eyes, and she tripped with the candle she held in her hand. It set the healer's medical notes ablaze and her house and eventually her. It was as if nature took its revenge since the doors were locked and being weak and frail, she couldn't escape. And then she died.
When the angel heard the news of the healer's death, it mourned and fell into despair. And so in grief, the angel decided to leave the village in peace, so that no one else would ever have to suffer. And so, the tale of the angel faded as the village lived on and rumor has it that the angel still wanders, giving blessings behind the shadows so that no one would ever fall into jealousy again."
Dixon let his last words hang in the air for a bit before he gave a bow of his head. He always liked this story since it was about him. Of course, the truth was bent and he was making himself look good though no one would ever find out the truth. Still, Dixon thought it made a great mysterious tale.
Niel listened to the man's story, having swigs his drink along the way in accordance with the game's rules. The story teller was animated and the way his voice carried the story could only draw listeners in more. Truly, he was a man who was good at his trade. Niel let out a laugh "A blind healer? No wonder the town was dying of sickness!" Should he have laughed at that? Perhaps a more empathetic person would have felt more pity. He sighed, another drink. "That town must be doomed. Are we sure this guy was an angel? He left the village after they were down a healer in a time of sickness. Doesn't seem very angelic to me. Then again, the healer was blind so maybe they really were better off without her." He chuckled. Damn, he needed to be better about checking his words. He hoped the game wouldn't be too much for him to handle. Worst case scenario, he reveals himself and Shell has to kill him.
"Excellent delivery, my friend. That was rather amusing. Where did you happen to pick up that one if you don't mind me asking?"
Una listened to the tale, wondering about the people of the village. They seemed stupid, believing in angels. Those kinds of things didn't exist. And if they did, they sure as hell didn't care about the people. She'd seen entire districts die of starvation. A neighboring family ended up murdering each other if one got sick. Illness spread quickly in such places and nursing someone back to health was only prolonging the suffering. Her younger sister, Omi, had been a sweet little think. "Omi the angel" they had called her, because she was still innocent and willing to help those that she could. On her fifth birthday, their family had constructed her a set of makeshift wings from odd pieces of debris and paper. Somewhere along the line, even she couldn't stay in the country any longer. Una had been away training with the military at the time, but she heard later that Omi had made a run for the border and was missing. She'd only been 14 and heaven's knew she had never trained to defend herself, let alone survive in the complete wilderness.
She's probably dead... The body guard thought to herself and took a drink in commemoration. If angels did exist, they were no friend of hers.
As per their agreement, Dixon had taken a swig, copying Arin as part of the drinking game. His words managed to remain clear throughout the storytelling, without any hints of slurring from the alcohol in his system. He would have smiled and chuckled along with Arin if he weren't the one telling his story. It somewhat nagged at the back of his mind that the man interjected at times, but then again, people always did that. Dixon never really grasped why people could love stories, but at the same try to find fault with them when they were never supposed to be real in the first place. Not that that was always the case, but many times in Dixon's travels, a person would ask for a story and then they would try to tear it apart afterwards. Giving a confident smile, Dixon touched his finger to the side of his nose. "Oh, that story came from the rumored village. I somehow came across it in my travels, which is pure luck. It seems that before the angel left, it did heal everyone, so I managed to hear the story from the villagers still living there."
"Ah, well a happy ending makes more sense when angels are involved." He noted, still feeling slightly unsatisfied. How could a blind woman even think she could kill an angel? Weren't divine beings supposed to be untouchable in that sense? Oh well, it was just a story after all. "That must have been very lucky coming across such a convinced community. I wonder if there was any truth to it. Well... probably the fire with the old biddy."Angels and demons always seemed to be at odds, much like the warring countries. If such beings existed it would give him an immense advantage if he could secure an ally among either of their ranks.
Nodding, Dixon swirled the liquor in his mug before taking a sip. "Yes, it is very lucky. It seems there is always some truth hidden in some stories and the fire part is the most realistic, in my opinion." Dixon let his mind go back briefly to that time in that village. He really wasn't sure why he pretended to be an angel other than it was a novel thing to do, having never done it before, but had heard stories of demons and spirits pretending to be things they weren't. Overall, he wished that the illusion had lasted longer, but he never once regretted trying the plot. He was sure, though, that if there was a greater ruckus around that fire, an angel could have appeared. Still, it was all in the past.
"Anyways, Arin, satisfied? Or do you wish for another story?"
DragonDreamer wrote: "((Do you think Dixon would admit to being a demon and prove his abilities, or do you think it could be better to have Niel try and enlist him and if he refuses, he could have Una try to kill him, b..."((I was thinking Dixon might be arrogant and tell his origin story of how he was born as a demon and as the drinking game continues, maybe after the story Dixon uses some of his powers while he thinks Niel is drunk or something? I don't think Dixon would admit it unless he was caught doing something.))
"Satisfied? Hardly. I enjoyed your tale. How could I feel satisfied if you just leave me curious for more? On the contrary, I'd be glad to listen to more about these angels and demons or whatever stories you care to tell if you wouldn't mind." Another refill from the pretty thing. He wondered if they lady would care to join them for the story or if she was just curious about the men themselves. Not that he could blame her. She seemed to be avoiding some of the more boisterous tables to spare herself the annoyingly sloppy advances of the sea men.
"Excellent, excellent, my friend. I was actually rather hoping you'd be interested in more." In his excitement, again Dixon shifted position, this time facing Arin as he took a sip of his newly refilled pint. "Perhaps I can tell you one of my favorites. It supposedly happen years ago, maybe even hundreds. Who knows? But it is about how a demon was born. Interested?"
"Very." He nodded, nursing his drink. For a shady pub, their drink was rather good, or perhaps the alcohol was just affecting him more, making him think the golden amber tasted even better than it did. The trouble with learning about the storyteller was that he did most of the talking, meaning Niel was left to drink more. Not that his friend wasn't doing his fair share of drinking. He was still following the rules and he didn't seem to be feeling the liquor nearly as much as the prince. He did seem to be a bit more animated now, especially once they got on the subject of demons. "By all means, please enlighten me. How does a demon come into being?" He turned towards his companion and leaned back into the booth.
Rubbing his chin with his hand as he searched for how to begin, Dixon had to admit that when he came to the tavern tonight, he only expected getting drunk and then finding a lady of the night. Being able to tell a few stories was a nice surprise. His hand dropped from his chin and rubbed his two hands together with a small gleeful look in his eyes. "All right. Well, in the beginning there were humans, right? Humans of all kinds, full of dreams and full of evils. Do you know the myth that demons were born from evil human beings?" Dixon didn't bother to wait to see if Arin would respond before he continued on. "One particular demon was born when a sickness swept through a household." Tilting his head to the side as if he was surprised, Dixon smiled. "Seems like sickness is in both of these stories, oddly enough. Anyways, there once was a small family. A father, a mother, and two children. They were known for their outstanding bakery and kindness, sharing their meals even when they were starving. Even when a fever hit one of the children, the family still remained generous, seeking for help in return for their kindness. Some came and delivered meals, but otherwise, left the family alone. Of course, this was understandable. After all, everyone has work and can't help all the time. Maybe it was just a rough week. But then the other child became ill and not soon after the second one had a fever, the first one died after coughing up blood for nights on end.
"The parents had grown more desperate, thinking their second child might suffer the same fate and so they sought out healers, doctors, anyone that could offer help. The closest doctor was a weeks walk away so immediately the father struck out, promising to return. Days went by, and the help from the others dwindled, the other villagers fearing they would catch the illness as well. The mother struggled to keep her child alive, barely having time to set her first child to rest before she was glued to her second child's bedside.
"Finally, the father came back, but the doctor wasn't with him. The doctor himself was ill, and the parents could only hold their child's hand as death took the child away. And so, the parents were left childless, only in the matter of two weeks. You think their hardship was over, but fate decided to deal another cruel hand. The father fell ill and died three days after.
"The woman was all alone and rumors began to spread that she was cursed and that she even cursed the doctor. That the woman even wanted to kill her family since throughout this ordeal, she showed not even a single sign of weakness. Her hatred grew as she listened to these rumors, and driven mad by anguish, she began to curse the villagers around her. In her extreme hate, a demon was born and in a vengeful mood, it wiped out the village of traitors with the same fever that struck the woman's family. And thus, another evil was sent into the world."
Dixon's face had grown more and more somber as he told this story, the sips he took as part of the drinking game barely noticed as he was focused on speaking. Of course, this was about himself, and it was one he liked the most. In a way, he felt that people were more evil than demons and it only reaffirmed his belief that humans were nothing more than people to mess around with. He leaned back, satisfied, as he watched for his guest's reaction to this story.
"Wow... now that's an interesting story. Humans will reap what they sew then, hm? That demon sure sounds powerful." He chuckled to himself, finding the tale rather delightful. Truly, it was a heartwarming story of a woman who went through hell and came back taking the heads of those who had wronged her. Niel had to respect that. "That could be useful, becoming so strong through just emotions. I'd certainly with I could find myself one. Er- to protect my business." He joked, nudging his new friend. He felt oddly comfortable with the man. Was he too comfortable? How much had he had to drink again?
"Say, how do you hear all of this? Is it a northerner's thing? In Errebist, it's all things you pick up between whispers or parts of stories you hear in passing. I'm not sure I've ever heard a full theory on the angel/demon creation theory." He sighed finishing his mug. Was his drink empty? Tsk, tsk, Shell. He'd have to give her some unfortunate jobs later.
"It does sound like that, doesn't it?" A proud tone couldn't help but lace his words. Watching his new companion, it seemed to Dixon that despite the more serious tones of the stories he told to Arin that the stranger had seemed to relax. He had noted the man was a little stiff at first, but who wasn't after traveling for days? Ah, alcohol was a miraculous substance.
Giving a nudge back, Dixon leaned in conspiratorially. "You never know. What you wish for could come true if you play your hand right." Then he lean forward to see if the pitcher was empty at their table. Some of the ale remain, perhaps a couple mouthfuls, so Dixon poured the rest into Arin's mug, seeing it only right to repay someone for listening to him.
"Errebist?" Dixon's brow furrowed with puzzlement and it sparked some intrigue. What was a merchant from Errebist doing all the way at the capital? Last he heard, Errebist and Pyry had a strained relationship and trade was a little hard to do between the countries. Then again, Dixon never was someone to pay attention to human affairs unless it entertained or benefited him in some way. "Well, if you're from the south, then that might explain things. Here in Pyry, they're sort of obsessed over angels and demons. They have a church that talks about that kind of stuff. I'm not a religious man, but I've stepped into a church once where I found out some things."
Even Una would admit to herself that she was impressed by the prince's companion. Prince Chogan could drink almost anyone under the table. And yet... he was now the one getting careless. He already let slip that he was from Errebist. Should she intervene? If this information got to Pyry's royal family that they were sneaking around, looking for criminals to involve in a plot, then everything that they'd worked for would go down the drain. The bodyguard sighed to herself, wondering which option, between leaving them alone and bailing out his highness, would get her in less trouble. She'd stopped sending the pitchers for his sake. He needed to slow down if he was going to hold out against the impossibly sober man. Why did they have to keep leaning in to talk to one another? It was getting more difficult to hear as the pub's occupants progressed into drunken arguments.
"You never know. What you wish for could come true if you play your hand right."
What had Dixon meant by that? Did he think Arin/Niel himself was capable of producing a demon? That would be useful, but unfortunately his emotions never suffered such strains. Maybe he just needed to find someone who did have such problems, tweak at them until he got the results he wanted... but then there was the issue of the demon. Just how willing would it be to control if at all. Murdering an entire village? Niel had to admit he was a bit jealous.
He smirked to himself. Was he going to become a believer now too? "Your words make me want to believe in such magic. Perhaps I should visit one of these churches. They sound... uplifting." He admitted, apparently aloud. "Not that they'd deliver half as well as you, though. This was not the conversation I was expecting to have, but I can honestly say I was beyond pleasantly surprised." He grinned and nodded in thanks to the cup refill. "Are you sure you wouldn't care for some more? I'd be happy to grab you another drink. I feel rather embarrassed for not being able to keep up as well as I imagined." He offered.
Taking his eyes off his mystery companion, he glanced around the pub. Shell was still sitting inconspicuously, but there was a tenseness about her that was likely due to his behavior. Aw, how cute that she was unsure, probably debating which path would give her the least resistance. She certainly had the emotional range of a pebble, so she probably couldn't make a demon either. Why did he keep wanting to try? He didn't even know if the theories held any truth.
Just then a sailor bumped into the table on his way to chase down their waitress, causing the rest of his ale to topple over and spill it's contents.
"If I had a demon, I'd get rid of these idiots..." He muttered, cursing under his breath. "Actually, I'd more likely kill the man that red-faced one is glaring at so harshly. Can you imagine if he thought he'd killed him with his mind?" He laughed. "That'd be funny." He sighed, returning his attention to his companion. "What about you, Dixon? If you could get rid of anyone in the bar, who would it be?" He asked. What was the harm in asking after all. If he gave him the innocent 'I'd never wish harm upon anyone' bit, then the prince would have to seriously reconsider his judge of character.
"Hm, well, it might be ironic to make a sailor so seasick that eventually he dies since he can't keep things down." Dixon grinned at the thought, trying to imagine it. He could not only cause the sickness, he may even give a sailor a sense of drowning too, if he wanted. Glancing over at Arin, he continued, "Does it really matter who I would get rid of? I mean, a lot of these folks are all just the same. Working, keep your head down, get enough money for a good drink, and do it all over again. Not one life here seems to stand out more than the others." He paused. "Well, other than you and me. And the ladies, I think. The rest can go to hell, and I would still get a good night's sleep."
Niel was practically giggling. So the story teller was a bit darker, as he had been hoping."Seasick! Ha! You're poetically clever." He mopped up the spilled ale, actually a bit thankful he wasn't able to drink the rest. He was getting pretty far gone as it was.
"You make an excellent point, there. Though if we're the only two left standing, that could look suspicious. Then again... with them gone we would have the servers all to ourselves... Hm, we could set the ships off to sea and when they jump in after them, it would be all too easy to send a wave of immobilizing cramps and watch the tops of their heads sink one by one. That way, no one would suspect and the women would require comforting after such a stressful incident..." Just tell him you like to think about how you'd kill people, why don't you? Some distant, sober part of his brain whispered, "Sorry, I can get a bit carried away at times. Though, I'm flattered that you'd at least tell me you wouldn't kill me along with the rest of them and keep the ladies to yourself."
Reaching out to clap the man on the shoulder, Dixon chuckled softly. "Oh, no need for apologies, my good man. It always floats in people heads, but some people just pretend that they haven't. Drives me crazy really. But that's why I like my stories. They always reveal what people are really like, don't you think?" Noting that the man was also quite drunk, he nudged the man's empty mug away. "Perhaps it is time you retired for the night. You might not be able to walk at this point."And then, as he watched Arin's poor attempts to mop up the ale, Dixon let his hand shadow travel just to nab a spare rag from the counter across the room. It was done within a second, something he didn't even noticed he'd done until the rag was in his hand. Furrowing his brow, Dixon's eyes narrowed slightly as he was thinking that though he wasn't acting drunk, it seems his normal instincts were dulled. Still, he saw no consequence as he glanced around to see if anyone saw, and then he offered the rag to Arin. "Here. This might be better."
Had she missed something? Surely, that rag hadn't just appeared from the shadows. She couldn't be hallucinating. She'd only had a bit of ale at first and then nothing but water. She didn't even feel buzzed. So how could it be that the man just reached into a shadow to pull out a rag?"Oh, where did that cloth go?" A bartender huffed, shuffling around behind the counter. Was that... A coincidence? Was he some kind of magician or... Angel? He certainly wasn't what she imagined an angel to look like, though he didn't look like a demon. He could be far more dangerous than they originally hoped. They needed to leave, right? As casually as she could, the bodyguard stood and made for the exit. Hopefully the prince had enough wits about him that he would notice.
Niel thought about Dixon's words. "People are all kinds of imperfection. And they're all just as bad as the people they scorn. It's all about pushing the right buttons and you could probably see anyone as a murderer. Royalty and poor alike." He nodded with a sigh. "That may be, but that's alright. I've got people." Speaking of which, where was his bodyguard? He caught the tail end of her cloak trailing out of the exit. Was something wrong? "Thanks for the company, friend. I hope we'll be able to meet again so you can tell me more of those stories." He smiled, patting the man's shoulder before following his shield out the door. Walking wasn't too bad. He was only slightly wobbly.
"What are you doing?" Niel asked in a hushed tone.
"Something about that man is dangerous." She said, jaw clenched. She was uncomfortable. That was different.
"I'm aware. We were having a nice chat. I don't appreciate you interrupting like this. Besides I need a dangerous man. How else am I supposed to go through with my plan?"
"He has to be a sorcerer or something. I saw him grab that rag from the shadows. Don't say it's the ale talking. I've only had a sip or two and that was at the beginning of the night."
"You don't say..." The prince grinned. He started laughing, loudly. "Don't you understand, Shell? This is perfect! If he can do magic as you say, he is the man I need to help me."
"And if you get killed?"
"Then all the better. You run back to the castle and say your lord was struck down by a Pyry guard. That should give enough diplomatic unrest to start setting things in motion, though not as ideal as the other way I had in mind."
"Very well, I'll leave you to your own devices. If he tries to kill you, I won't intervene."
"Oh, Shell. Of course you have to intervene. Whichever one doesn't get killed first has to go back and report the murder attempt."
the guard sighed, disliking his plan, but relented, "As you wish, milord."
"But not yet, of course. I need to confirm your suspicions. But if he does prove fruitful, we may have to... convince him. You should follow him. I'll stay at the summit for appearances sake and borrow one of my sister's guards. If anyone asks, you got lost running errands for me and ended up drunk at some pub."
"As you wish, milord." Her tone was slightly as monotone as usual.
With that, the prince hired a carriage and retired to the castle for the evening. The following morning would likely be hell, but he was hopeful.
((Follow him, maybe visit the church to know more about demons or magicians? And he isn't the murdering type. He likes to deceive and get away with things more, so killing them would draw attention, especially if he finds out Niel is a prince too. ))
DragonDreamer wrote: "((Yeah, Dixon becoming Risen could be tough since he really doesn't care for humans. I think we'd have to make him find a way to value people. Maybe someone sees a side of him that he didn't realiz..."((Yeah those things are in the back of my mind. Especially with him pretending to be an angel is something there. I feel like to get his foot in the door would be trying something new, which is do good, but the thing is, when will he ever need to do good? At least, when he's siding with Niel and plotting, it looks like he won't have that change in thought yet. I don't know. I'm sure something can be figured out.))
((Yeah, that's something I'm struggling with for Niel as well, because I'd like to think he somehow has a change of heart and then stops the plan he had set in motion with the help of Dixon and crew.Maybe he gets depressed? Like at first he thinks instigating a war is a fun idea, but as the army approaches, he just feels like nothing is going to change. People are going to die. He's going to live, and the world keeps revolving and this leaves him in an existential crisis. Like what's even the point anymore? And then someone kicks him in the ass and shows him that of course life is boring when all you can do is destroy things and be immortal. Maybe he starts to envy humans in that they actually go through the day not truly knowing if they're going to live to see another day, at which point he would be pissed off by humans that don't realize having that much is a gift. Maybe he really dislikes Una because she's so passive or even he sees how humans are able to change like Niel switching from wanting to destroy the country to working against himself and the flip makes him wonder if he could be capable of that?))
DragonDreamer wrote: "((Yeah, that's something I'm struggling with for Niel as well, because I'd like to think he somehow has a change of heart and then stops the plan he had set in motion with the help of Dixon and cre..."((Yes, to all those things! That would be amazing! I can see him envying humans eventually. He just needs to get more involved with humans when he never had before. So, yeah, we can do that! :D
And for reposting stuff, technically we can just edit our posts that are before the tavern scene, right? One of us could. It might be hard for you when you're traveling, though.))
DragonDreamer wrote: "((My concern is keeping him involved because after they kill/sicken the non-Pyry royalty, Dixon wouldn't necessarily be crucial to Niel's plans anymore. I could only see him hanging around because ..."((Yes. He did the same actually when it came to pretending to be an angel. He hung around a bit longer, so I can see him do the same. Stay even longer probably since it is on a bigger scale.
And I'll do that posting then. Probably tomorrow. I'm watching a kdrama that I can't stop watching!))
Dixon watched the stranger walk off and out of the tavern, a little tipsy as he went. It made Dixon smile, though a little disappointed because he found the young man interesting. There was something about him that was different, especially with his suggestions of violence and what seemed a lack of empathy for the sad events in the stories Dixon told. Dixon himself was probably the same, but he tended to gloss over those thoughts since he figured he was unsympathetic because of his demonic nature. Winking at a bar maid as he rose to his feet, he whispered into her ear the name of the inn and the room number he was staying at if perhaps she was interested in making extra coin. Then with his hands in his pockets, Dixon swaggered outside, pretending to act a little bit more tipsy than he actually was.
As he walked slowly up the street, he wondered what he could do to entertain himself at the capital. Letting his thoughts wander, he didn't pay attention when a sudden carriage crossed in front of him at an intersection. Irritated that his train of thought was interrupted, Dixon made a rude gesture and shouted, "Boils upon your ugly mug for that!"
The driver must have heard him because he stopped and stepped down, charging towards Dixon angrily. "You son of a--" The man's words dropped off though as his expression changed. The scowl on his face began to contort as mysterious boils began to pop on his face. A horrified expression came to the driver's eyes and Dixon smiled, wagging his finger.
"Really, you should mind your manners. But no harm, right?" His eyes turned dark suddenly, the usual jovial look gone as he added, "You won't remember my face and you'll go on your merry way. Be glad I'm in a more happy mood since those boils only would bother you for a month or so. Now leave."
There was something in Dixon's voice as he spoke, compelling the driver to nod dumbly before he began to walk stiffly back to his seat in front of the carriage. Dixon's hazel eyes, looking black in the night, followed after the driver and watched until the carriage was gone from sight. Then as if it never happened, Dixon moved on, walking with a hop in his step and a tuneless whistle falling from his lips.
Una followed the mystery man as directed, silently slinking from shadow to shadow. He didn't make it far before a carriage driver nearly ran him over at an intersection. Her body twitched, unsure if she should intervene or not. Her master did want the man alive."Boils upon your ugly mug for that!" The story teller shouted after narrowly escaping the danger. The carriage driver, understandably, did not take kindly to the comment and stopped his job immediately. Una pondered why the man was such an slob. One shouldn't stop in the middle of their work so carelessly. Not for such petty insults, anyways.
"You son of a-" The bodyguard creeped closer, hoping to get a better view. What she saw were red, angry boils browing rapidly on the man's terrified face. Una had to admit even she had never seen such a horror in her life. It was unnatural the way his face morphed and contorted with the mixed influence of the boils and his facial muscles alternating between shock, confusion, and complete fear. It had been Dixon's doing. He wasn't reacting at all. In fact, he seemed to know exactly what was happening, as though he had intended for this ever since he made that comment earlier.
""Really, you should mind your manners. But no harm, right? ...You won't remember my face and you'll go on your merry way. Be glad I'm in a more happy mood since those boils only would bother you for a month or so. Now leave." The magician's tone, once light and silly, was now darker than she had expected. He definitely had been behind the magic. Perhaps he was the man Niel needed for his job. She would continue to follow him, learning of his dwelling and habits for her master. She had a feeling they would need to have avery weapon in their arsenal when they decided to approach him again.
***End of Scene***
Alias(es): Prince Niel, Chogan (To his family)
Meaning: Chogan = blackbird; Niel = champion; Qaletaqa = protector of the people
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Demisexual
Age: 25
Race: Human
Social Status: Royalty
Occupation: Crown Prince of Errebist
Appearance:
(view spoiler)[ model: Marlon Teixeira
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 185 lbs.
Eyes: earthy brown
Hair: dark chocolate
Voice: deep to medium pitch; smooth and eloquent; articulate; gravely and harsh when angered
Other Features: Niel has black wings tattooed onto his back spanning both shoulders and black bands circle his wrists and ankles.
Personality: Prince Niel loves the people of his country, but rather than the "I will protect every last one" mentality, he sees his position as one where he sees the need for sacrifice for the overall good of the entire country and the majority of its people. No Errebistian should live in squalor, so it is his duty to create opportunity or remove the cause for that squalor. To him, that is why they need a war with Pyry. It will create jobs and earn them land, riches, and glory. Errebist should not suffer from the famine any longer. This is the prince's current mentality and motivation to act as he does. Beyond this, Niel is a very manipulative, dark sort of individual. He doesn't feel guilty in manipulating others because if they are blind enough to not see or understand his intentions, then he doesn't have the time to care about them. He's not someone who has a "soft spot" for someone. He'd kill his own kin if it would benefit his country. He sees this as his royal duty. This dark prince isn't one for friends. Actually he doesn't know anyone that quite fits that word in his life. Unfortunately, Niel could care less and prefers his own company or one of his pawns to order about for entertainment.
Weaknesses: pride; arrogance; unpredictable
Strengths: confidence; physical strength; passionate
History: Niel preferred to go by the name Chogan in his youth. He was excited for the day that he would have his coronation and finally be able to actually help the people of his country. He wanted to be a blackbird that could soar above his kingdom and watch over his subjects. They would look up and smile at him like a big shot hero. As silly as it seemed, that was his dream. Things changed as he got older. Chogan didn't become Niel overnight after some traumatizing incident. It was more of a gradual transition. His father started calling him Niel when he was about seven. He would tell him that he was going to be a champion for his people, someone they could look up to. So, he liked the idea. He started learning about swordwork and fighting. His father began to set aside time with him to show him the complexity of ruling politics. Niel's corruption began somewhere around here. When he was around twelve, his father took him to the marketplace to get some hands on experience with the fruits of their labor. They talked about why there was more of certain products than others, why people were upset with some prices and not with others, why it would be impossible to explain to a commoner why royals made the decisions that they did, and so on. It was a learning experience that the young prince held on to. Although his father only took him that one day, Niel continued to acquaint himself with commoner living, visiting locations outside the castle regularly. His parents didn't mind so long as he brought protection. He saw the ugly side and the good side of the general public and examined his findings as though he were studying a foreign species. The people might as well have been since none of them would never know a royal childhood just like he would never know a commoner one. The beginning was innocent. Surely, not everyone could be pleased, so it made sense and someone or other had to suffer for the greater good. However, this was when he began to see the commoners less as people and more as pieces of a whole. Time continued on, and, under his father's direction, his inclination towards accepting and being party to the suffering of his people was developed. Niel was allowed to sit in on meetings with his father when he turned eighteen and was even responsible for some changes in the country. He is the one responsible for the graduation by murder policy. Niel was trusted with information more than his younger sister, whom he had always seemed to have a distant relationship with. The two couldn't perform favors for one another without expecting something in return. He still isn't even sure if he knows her favorite color. As for women, the dark prince couldn't care less about romance and the concept of love. He's happy to marry for his country. History seemed to prove time and time again that marrying for love was never the best choice on the political front. Still, he has a habit of favoring female guards for his experiments and shenanigans, leading him to believe that some part of him... deep deep down, would prefer women if he were romantic. Currently, he has fun harassing his newest bodyguard Una. Her relatively silent, serious nature is well suited to put up with his unique personality, so he's somehow kept her on the job for longer than usual. It's a little game of his to try and crack such stoic individuals.
Relations:
Nukpana Qaletaqa - Father; Human; 50; Royal; King of Errebist
Arienne Qaletaqa - Mother; Human; 44; Royal; Queen of Errebist
Una Awanata - Bodyguard; Human; 22; Commoner
Elisabete Felicidade Qaletaqa - Sister; Human; 21; Royal; Crown Princess of Errebist
Fighting Skills: brawling; bladework
Weapons: swords; daggers; fists
Other: Niel spends a considerable amount of his time outdoors and among people. He doesn't like interacting with commoners as a prince, but he likes investigating them on his own.