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Post by Blindside Tex on Mar 18, 2020 23:56:16 GMT -5
Rhys watched the king as he seemed to construct his words carefully before he delivered them. He gave the king his utmost attention as he listened to his response. At the end he bowed deeply. “Of course my king. I understand completely.” He paused as he straightened once again. “I look forward to seeing you this evening in the dining hall.” He spoke before he excused himself. He found himself wandering the halls again. His mind ran amuck. Everything rushed and zipped about. He couldn’t form connections to anything. He drew his brows together as he pondered. The mage lowered his gaze slightly as he made his way through the halls. He knew each turn like that of the back of his hand. He was forced to follow the queen by her side most days. He’d grown to know the castle with his eyes closed.
As Rhys took a turn around a corner he ran into someone. His balance was pushed off center and his arms pushed forward to steady the person. Though as he lifted his eyes and he realized whom stood before him he dropped his hands quickly from the shoulders of the princess. “My apologies princess.” He took a step back. This was his moment of failure. A simple mistake. He even cringed slightly. “I didn’t realize you were standing there.” He tacked the words onto his apology quickly. His muscles tensed. He’d have to end her now, if he was to be sentenced to death. Though...he couldn’t bring himself to end the life of someone whom seemed so...innocent. Rhys lifted his ocean eyes to look to the princess, his hands were still held up slightly as if she held a gun in his direction.
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Post by Nyte on Mar 19, 2020 0:04:46 GMT -5
Ivy was wrapped up in the world of her own thoughts. She hardly paid any attention to who or what was around her. Everyone was always so careful to watch where she went and what she did she hardly ever had to do it for herself. So when she suddenly bumped into something, nearly knocking her over in the process, she gave a small yelp of surprise and looked up with genuine shock display across her features as she felt someone's hands on her shoulders.
The sensation was so foreign to her, the warmth and slightly rough feeling of his palms along with the firm grip he had used to keep her steady. The feeling was fleeting as the person quickly released her and she heard the apologies quickly spill from the person who had just walked straight into her. "I.." she started but she was a bit lost for words as she looked at Rhys.
"Your Highness?" A guard asked as he rounded the corner and came to see what the commotion was about. "Is everything alright?"
Ivy looked to the guard and then back to Rhys, pausing a moment as she collected her thoughts, "Yes, everything is fine." She finally said after a very tense moment. "Master Alister here tripped but he managed to catch himself just in time. All is well, you may return to your post." She told the guard and waved her hand dismissively to which he bowed and turned to leave the pair.
"An accident, hmm?" She told Rhys and gave him a smile, though it was a bit uneasy. "I assume you spoke with my father? You seemed troubled."
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Post by Blindside Tex on Mar 19, 2020 10:52:52 GMT -5
Rhys stared to her with wide eyes, his muscles tense, even his breath was held within his chest. When the knight rounded the corner his brows quivered slightly as he pressed his lips into a flat line. This, was the moment. He took another step back from her as he expected the knight to tackle him. Though, the princess surprised him in that moment, she spared him. Everything was fine. At least that was what she stated. Rhys gave a nod as he agreed with her lie and he shrugged slightly, “New feet.” He spoke with a forced smile, it was clear that he was uncomfortable.
Why don’t you just kill her and get back to your timeline? He thought to himself as he watched the knight bow before he left the two in the hallway.
Rhys looked back to her as she gave him a smile, he matched her smile and gave a bit of an uncomfortable laugh. “Ah….yes...I did.” He pressed his lips together and let out a breath. “Quite the rules he has....I assure you I did not do that on purpose, princess...” He nodded and then cleared his throat, he looked to her shoulders to be sure that his grip hadn't damaged her. Such a fragile woman, nothing like her future self. He adjusted his robes and flattened the material back out. In the commotion his book had fallen from his pouch within his robes. He stepped around the princess giving a few feet between them before he bent and lifted the book into his hands. He brushed it off and examined it as if the leather and parchment could be broken easily. He then moved his robes slightly to slip the book back into the pouch once again. He looked to the princess as he realized the silence he’d allow to settle between them. “Apologies princess.” He spoke, deep down he hated apologizing to her. Even if she didn’t seem to be the same woman that he knew. Her eyes were the same. At least. That is what he thought. “It’s the only thing from my home I brought with me on this journey, you understand?” He bit his lip slightly. That was about as true as he could possibly get, if not it was the most factual thing that he’d told her about himself.
“Did you finish with the tailor?” He asked then to fill the gap of silence. “I imagine whatever it is that he is working on will be extravagant.” He continued to speak as if he was afraid to allow a silence to fall between them. Why did he care? His smile faltered then as this thought crossed his mind. This woman had killed his family. Right in front of his eyes. She’d forced him to murder hundreds if not thousands of innocent people. His expression had turned to a bit of a frown as he stared to her. Though it only lasted a brief moment before he corrected himself with another soft smile. “Would you like to continue the tour...I got myself lost already.” He gave a soft laugh, “I might need one of the knights to follow me around to make sure I’m on time for things.” He smiled before he finally broke his eyes away from her. The mage drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Tension was not something he enjoyed. Though, he hadn’t met many who truly did enjoy such a feeling.
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Post by Nyte on Mar 19, 2020 14:46:42 GMT -5
Ivy was still attempting to completely gather herself after the small collision and adjusted her own clothing a bit as it had been slightly displaced from the impact. "No reason to apologize, Master Alister." She reassured him once more. "If you would like to continue you tour I would be happy to accompany you." She spoke calmly and as if nothing had happened. "If you would feel more comfortable with a guard escort I will assign one to you. If you think it necessary." She offered and then motioned down the hall in the direction she was heading whenever they collided.
After a moment of silence, and once she was completely sure they were alone and away from posted guards, she turned to him with a curious look on her expression. "You.. often put others before yourself. Don't you?" She said suddenly. "You didn't even know whom you had run into and without a moment's hesitation you reach out to steady them so that they do not fall. Such an action isn't common place among those I've met. A curse or sharp reprimand are the normal responses for others to stay out of their way instead of apologizing for the mistake made on their part."
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Post by Blindside Tex on Mar 19, 2020 16:02:25 GMT -5
Rhys watched the princess as she adjusted her own clothing. When she willingly offered to continue the tour he gave a soft smile. “I feel I will learn more of the castle if it is with you, princess.” He spoke with a nod. “If you don’t mind.” His eyes followed her hand motion and he nodded. “Of course...I’ll come along.” He forced another smile before he fell quiet. His eyes looked around a bit, he was glad that a guard hadn’t caught him with his hands on her. That would have been quite the mess.
The mage turned his gaze to the princess when she spoke, her eyes were upon him, her gaze was questioning. Putting others before himself had always been his way of life. Well, before he was enslaved. Then, it was putting the queen before himself and before everyone. “Well...I...” He paused to think a bit before he nodded. “I do suppose I do that, hm...” He watched her a moment. “I suppose it is custom where I come from, an expected thing to be mindful of others and their wishes.” He searched her eyes. “Though, that does not account for clumsiness. Which I can be quite a klutz sometimes.” He then let out an actual laugh as he made fun of himself. “Perhaps I would have made a better jester than advisor. Hm?” He turned his eyes ahead of them as a guard rounded the corner, making his rounds. The knight bowed to the princess in passing and continued on. Once again they stood alone in the corridor.
Rhys watched the princess a long moment before he pulled his eyes away. “I don’t like to hurt others.” He said then, his comment seeming to be out of context. Though every time he looked at her he could only think of the things she had forced him to do. He saw the lives that he had taken. The destruction that he had caused all at the hand of the queen and completely against his will. He remembered the first city that she’d taken him into. He was her only mage. It was a small town, insignificant to the queen. She wanted to see how much power she could force out of the mage. She took him into the town and forced him to kill the people of the small farming village, one by one. She’d have him use a different form of magic to kill each time. A grin upon her lips as she watched him cry. It was a painful day, he’d killed so many. All unsuspecting. All innocent. She made him level the small town after each soul was disposed of. When she was finished with the town it looked as though it never existed.
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Post by Nyte on Mar 19, 2020 16:29:53 GMT -5
Ivy watched Rhys carefully. Watched as the expressions and emotions played out over his features. There was something he was hiding. She was sure of it, but she couldn't even begin to guess what that something was. A mage like himself surely had a very long story to tell when it came to explaining his background and where it was exactly he came from. Plus there was something about him that she found to be very.. off.
"Well you have hurt no one this day. So I wouldn't worry." She told him as she kept her smile. "May I see your hands?" She asked him and held out her own hands, palms up. "Like this if you please." She instructed and waited for him to comply with her request. As he did she looked over his palms, her eyes scanning over each ridge of his fingers and bits of rough skin that showed many hours of hard labor. They weren't the hands of someone who was expected to do a lot of studying and arcane arts, at least not what she thought they should look like. "What other trades do you have?" She asked him as she looked up from his hands to meet his gaze. She didn't ask if he did indeed have other professions but rather simply what they were.
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Post by Blindside Tex on Mar 19, 2020 16:41:31 GMT -5
Rhys looked to the princess as she spoke, he offered yet another smile as she smiled. He realized that he’d dropped his expression once again. “My hands?” He questioned as he looked to how she held her own palms. He raised a brow slightly and then did as he was told. He watched her as she looked at his hands and seemed to take in each mark upon his palms. He wasn’t exactly sure what she was doing. A palm reading wasn’t something that he expected from her, so it couldn’t be that. Then the question that was more of a statement. “Well, princess.” He began. “I come from a very small town. I have a lot of trades that I can perform.” He smirked to her, she was smart he would give her that.
“You must remember that I am a battle mage. I spend a lot of time practicing my sword work.” He reached and lifted up the right sleeve of his robe. Upon the back of his forearm was a raised scar, one that seemed to have been caused quite sometime ago. There was a tattoo beneath it of the same inscription that was on the leather bound book that he carried around. Though the inscription was damaged from the scar. His first fight against the queen’s soldiers, he was beaten badly. He had plenty of scars throughout his body. Though his robes hid them well. “I am not a master of the art, but I am one of the best from where I come from. I received that wound at a very young age...it was an accident, I was cocky...most young men are. Right?” He gave her a smile. “I spend quite a bit of time with students upon the field.”
Rhys tilted his head slightly as he watched her. He’d watched for her reactions the entire while. “Why do you ask princess? Is it strange for me to make use of my hands? Your other instructors only teach from a book, I presume.” He gave a bit of a smirk. “We will learn from much more than just pages between a leather cover. I can promise you that.”
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Post by Nyte on Mar 19, 2020 17:05:09 GMT -5
"No, many have hands on experience and can show me their craft in addition to written instruction." She replied, though her expression showed that his answer hadn't quite satisfied her curiosity. "I suppose what you say is true enough." She seemed almost disappointed in a way as she gave a small sigh. "Well, shall we continue?" She asked and started down the hall once more.
The rest of the tour included different areas throughout the palace and she stated a few more odds and end rules as they came to certain places, codes of conduct mostly, and the last place they came to was the dinning hall. "This is where group meals will be served. Any meals you take by yourself can be in the courtyard or your own quarters but this evening will be a group event with all of my instructors as well as my father."
Ivy had never mentioned anything about her mother. Their were pictures around the castle of the Queen but she had not been mentioned in any conversations thus far.
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Post by Blindside Tex on Mar 19, 2020 17:53:57 GMT -5
Rhys watched the princess. It was clear that she didn’t like his answer. Her response seemed matter-a-fact, and almost as if she was throwing it in his face. Though she dropped the topic rather quickly. He raised his brows, “Um….yes, we should continue.” He spoke, he seemed confused. In fact, he truly was confused by her. She would ask a question and when she didn’t quite get her answer she would just breeze on passed it, disgruntled but, she would continue on. He took in a breath as he followed her. He was silent as he looked to the paintings and other decorations. He took note of the paintings of the three, the queen, and princess sat below the king in most pictures. It was clear that he saw himself above them. Most men in this society were that way. Rhys was frowning once again as they came to the dining hall.
He took in the dining hall his eyes looked about it and he gave a nod. It didn’t exist in his world. The queen never had group meals or gatherings. He was certain this room had been turned into one of the training rooms for the mages. Well...torture chambers. That is what her preferred to think of it as. This whole situation was exhausting. He looked to Ivy then, “I will answer any questions that you have of me princess, and I will answer them truthfully. If I do not answer a question to your liking, you are more than welcome to ask for more clarity. You’ll have to forgive me, I’m not used to being around royalty.” He then stood before her and stared into her eyes a long moment, as if searching for something.
“Might I ask a question of you?” He pondered his hands were shoved into the pockets of his robe. He seemed to study her for another long moment. “You speak of your father constantly. What he wishes, what he does, his rules...” He paused again and searched her eyes. “But you do not speak of your mother. The queen.” He glanced to a painting that held the three in it. “Why is that?” He asked then before his eyes moved back to her. He knew this could be treading on thin ice. But he truly didn’t know why she didn’t speak of the queen. To his knowledge the queen had lived well into the princess’ thirties, which she wasn’t nearly that. But then again, history can be bent to be told as you wish. He focused in on her as he awaited the answer.
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Post by Nyte on Mar 19, 2020 18:32:16 GMT -5
Ivy lifted an eyebrow when he asked to pose a question of his own. She was interested and willing to play alone so she allowed him to ask, but when he asked about the Queen Ivy seemed to almost recoil from him in a way. The look she gave him said far more than words ever cook. Distrust, skepticism, and disbelief. How could he not know? It as rather strange that someone, even a foreigner wouldn't know of the Queen.
Before she replied she glanced around once more, to see if anyone else was nearby, and then leaned in slightly. "I don't know how you aren't aware of my mother's betrayal." She whispered. "I would not ask such things of my father. It would make him very cross." It was a friendly warning. "My mother tried to poison my father when I was young. She is locked away, a prisoner within the castle that is forbidden from ever leaving. I haven't spoken with her in years." The last bit she added was far less certain than the rest of her statement. As if she were hiding something. "I thought everyone knew of my mother's betrayal. Other Kingdoms asked us for years if my father planned on remarrying."
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Post by Blindside Tex on Mar 19, 2020 18:57:34 GMT -5
Rhys instantly regretted his question when he saw her reaction. He raised his brows slightly. He watched as she looked around as if she were to get in trouble if she spoke of the matter. “Princess...I...” But she spoke. Betrayal. He shook his head, his expression completely unknowing. He looked apologetic and at the same time he was interested to know her reply. Then she warned him not to ask such things of the king and he nodded in response. He didn’t want to make that man angry, he’d already had his life threatened, even if it was just to lay down the rules. When the words came over her mouth as to what the queen had done his look of apology only deepened. “I...” He spoke again but she continued in a hushed tone. “That...”
Rhys looked away from her finally, it was clear that was not the answer he expected. He’d never heard of such a thing in his timeline. Perhaps this was not the same timeline? What if he had jumped into a parallel world to his own. His expression was blank for a very long time. “I apologize for asking, Princess. I did not know. Such news did not reach my small kingdom.” He then looked to her. “To be completely honest...I was traveling and I came into the city of Balay in search of a place to rest my head for the evening. That was when I overheard the town crier speaking of your need for a new advisor. I knew that this city did not have mages...and well...” He gave a slight sigh. “Here I stand.” He looked to her after the words came through his lips. As if he’d stated something so terrible as murder. He wanted to ask so many things. He wanted to know why the queen had tried to poison the king. He could see why already with how tightly he held his daughter. He could only imagine what he did to the queen. “I….” He pressed his lips together. “Perhaps I should allow you a break...rest before this evenings dinner...I did interrupt that earlier….” He still didn’t make eye contact with her. So many things were rushing through his mind in this moment. It was hard to keep up with this world. It was so different than he had imagined it. He thought this was going to be an in and out job. Get in. Kill the princess. Leave or die trying...
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Post by Nyte on Mar 19, 2020 19:13:42 GMT -5
Ivy seemed to accept his apology without hesitation and waved her hand dismissively when he offered to give her a break. "No such break is required, Master Alister. Besides dinner will be served in less than an hour so there isn't much time for such things anyways." She offered him another smile. "It's quite obvious to me you are a little oblivious on many matters within our Kingdom. Perhaps.. during our lessons I could teach you a little as well?" It was a small offer but one that could prove to be invaluable if he knew the proper questions to ask. Learning about the state of affairs within the palace never offered to anyone, especially by the Princess herself.
"Do you believe in fate, Master Alister?" She asked him in a curious tone. "I'm sure you have some sort of belief where we are guided to see and do certain things for a certain reason? Sometimes our very lives can depend on it." She shrugged.
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Post by Blindside Tex on Mar 19, 2020 19:36:35 GMT -5
Rhys brought his eyes back to her as she waved her hand. So easily she forgave him. Nothing like the queen of the future. He would have been struck down, shocked until he could barely breathe for asking such a question of his queen. Then when she went on he raised a brow and his expression grew quite curious. “I would be more than happy to oblige you princess. To learn from the princess herself about the kingdom, well...I could not pick a better teacher. Could I?” He smiled then, the uncomfortable feeling seemed to have faded away for the moment.
When she posed her next question he gave a nod and a bit of a grin. “Ah yes, fate is what guides us through our lives. I believe fate brought me through the town square a the precise right moment for me to overhear the town crier. It brought me to Balay, a kingdom that I know very little of. In my travels I have come to many kingdoms and cities that I had little knowledge of and yet, each city has given me a piece to a puzzle that I am certain I will one day complete. Though, I will never stop searching for more knowledge.” He smiled brightly as he spoke this. This was truth in all respect. He traveled before the queen took him. He was a master of his arts and very wise for such a young age. When the queen took him of course a special spell was used upon him as her master mage, he did not age, just as the queen did not age. It was helpful, though strange to always appear to be so young, yet he was over a century old.
Rhys swiftly pulled his book from his pocket and he flipped through the pages. He flipped so quickly that there was no way he was reading the material, he knew exactly where the page was that he wanted. He grinned as he stopped on the page. “Fate.” He spoke as he turned the book toward her and held it out, offering the book to her. It was written in another language, an ancient text that mages knew and others would rarely ever see. “I will teach you the language. But the drawing tells you all you need to know.” He spoke with a soft smile. He moved to her side, though he kept his distance as he began to point upon the page. “You see the lines coming from the man?” He pointed to a drawing of a man on his knees, tears ran down his cheeks, he held a woman in his arms. It was gorgeous artwork. Rhys pointed his finger up to a bunch of lines that fell just short of the woman’s body. “Her fate came to an end.” He pointed to three shadowy figures. “Have you heard of the three fates?” He asked with a smile. “Clotho...she spins the webs of our lives, our fate. We are all entangled with many things around us and drawn together by the web that they spin. Lahkesis, she is the one that adds to your life. The events, both good and bad. She determines such life events that will happen and she keeps the strings from becoming too much of a mess. Atropos….” He pointed to a shadowy figure that held a blade, “She cuts your lifeline...she is the one that will end your life...” He pointed to the other lines upon the page. “See how much he is tied to?” He asked and then took a step back to allow her to look over the page.
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Post by Nyte on Mar 19, 2020 19:48:40 GMT -5
Finally a subject matter that seemed to be of valued interest to him. He seemed to light up at the chance of getting to discuss the subject. So excited was he that he even offered her a chance to look at the precious book that he had brought with him. His only possession. She held it delicately in her hands as she looked over the pages. The edges were worn from so much use but it gave the book character rather than seeming merely as blemishes.
"I've heard the stories of the three before, but each time someone tells me it's a bit different." She smiled as she looked over the page, artwork and words. The runes that were inscribed on the page were familiar in a way, but she couldn't place where she had seen them. "You said these were in a different language?" She asked as she pointed to the words. "What language is it? I've seen these characters before.." she trailed off as she tried to remember where but the memory simply wouldn't come to her.
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Post by Blindside Tex on Mar 19, 2020 20:20:37 GMT -5
Rhys watched her closely, though he had a smile on his lips. “Ah yes, there are many adaptations of the subject. Though, I would like to believe that this one is most correct.” He chuckled. He then seemed to become rather interested when he asked her of the language. “You’ve seen it?” He asked with a raised brow. “Hm very interesting. Possibly on old manuscript or even perhaps a decorative piece?” He seemed to ponder the idea for a moment. “It is Transitus Fluvii, or in translation you might enjoy that it means, passing through the river. It is a very easy flowing language. You can see it in the stroke of the pen.” He stepped to her side and flipped the page, the story of the fates continued. It depicted the three sisters one sitting at a spinner, another sharpened her blade and the other braided the lines that the spinner made. “Where did you see my language?” He asked curiously. In his time almost all of these pieces had been destroyed. The queen didn’t wish for the mages to learn of their past. She only wanted to use them for their power to control everything around her.
Rhys gave a smile, “I will teach it to you. It is hard to master, but I believe you will become a master of the language. I can see it in your eyes. It interests you.” He held his hand over the book and the pages fluttered and turned quickly within her hands. He tilted his head slightly as the book came to a stop on a page that showed a man standing upon a rock at the edge of a cliff. His arms were outstretched as he looked up toward a bright light in the otherwise dark night sky. The art within the book was so detailed. If Ivy were to run her finger over the page she would be able to feel each individual brush stroke. It was an original piece. There were no copies of this book. “This is the first mage. Magnus, that’s where our name comes from. He called his first followers Magi. It stuck, and here I am labeled a Mage. Some would venture to call us warlocks or wizards. Though it is all the same to me.” He had a delighted smile upon his lips. He truly was interested in sharing this with her. In this moment he wasn’t thinking about how different she was, or how he needed to kill her to stop the future from happening. He was merely sharing his knowledge and it was rather enjoyable. He hadn’t been allowed to do such a thing in such a long time, he’d nearly forgotten how it felt.
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