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The Kingdom of Pallave has had a trick up its sleeve since the moment it was formed. Every generation, every male heir, is married off to another kingdom's daughter to not only keep the name alive, but to inherit more and more wealth and followers. For the longest of time, this was never questioned - the people respected it, the kingdoms never bothering to make an attempt at fixing it. However, most would consider it to be scheming. It was never considered to be changed until now.

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The High Council, made up of two representatives from the four kingdoms, chosen by their Kings and Queens, has made this... complication apparent amongst their peers and eventually entirely public as an open meeting was held in the capital. In order to make things more fair, the High Council ordered a need for not only an arrangement, but for suitors from all over the world to come and join the people of Pallave to try and win the hearts of the three sons and daughter as a way to intermix families and make it more inclusive. Of course, the King and Queen of Pallave disagreed with this order, but to prevent more difficulties and shortcomings, they reluctantly agreed.

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Four suitors, two male and two female, from each Kingdom have arrived at the capital where the High Council and those being married off will evaluate their candidates, regardless of wealth, sex, appearance, and whatever else they can give them. If someone is deemed outruled, they will be asked to leave the capital to prevent any more drama that is possible. However, some suitors have different... motives.

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A letter of the following was sent out to each kingdom where their respective leaders chose the four suitors:

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Greetings, reader,

You are receiving this letter on behalf of your High Council. Recently, a discovery of scheming has been outed as done by the Pallave Kingdom when marrying off their sons. To prevent this further happening, we are asking that you send four suitors - two male, two female - to the capital for proper evaluation in hopes of being married to the Pallave's two male heirs and one daughter heir. Who you send is by your choosing, but they will be watched. Please choose wisely.

-Your High Council

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When word got out of these choosings, a number of people flocked and flocked their superiors in hopes of being picked. Roughly four months later, every suitor has finally been chosen. Whether you are there to hopefully fall in love with one of the heirs or perhaps to pursue other motives, you are asked to act on your best behavior and pray that you are not found out that you may be plotting.

Every suitor that was chosen along with the Pallave heirs were escorted to the Pallave Summer Castle, where they will spend the rest of the year interacting with eachother. Each person has an individual room with a basic bed, night stand and dresser. The heirs, however, do have the perks of getting more lavish bedrooms, especially since this was the place they would go with their parents each summer. Don't be fooled though - the castle is swarming with guards and members of the high council, all making sure of the heirs's safety and that interaction don't turn deadly. But for the most part, everyone is allowed to move and talk freely with three meals being provided daily.

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The castle itself is located roughly thirty minutes from Pallave’s capital, more in the countryside than anything. It sits on a cliff overlooking the sea where the royals can relax and watch the sunset. Just a small walk down the cliff like hill and you'll be hit with the scent of salty sea water and the sound of rolling waves. Towards the right side of the castle is a small forest, but the royals have never ventured far into it's depths for obvious reasons like bears and such. Overall, the area is very quiet and peaceful. There's very little that can disturb the peace here, and that's exactly why the royals picked this spot.

Lindon - oldest, played by Tea

Neo - middle child, played by Tea

Rosaline - youngest, played by Terebinth

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Cassius - played by Wander

Avery - played by Tea

Charlie - played by Terebinth

Sagar - played by Wander

Ezlynn - played by Terebinth

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TBA - played by Wander

Ace - played by Terebinth

Issa - servant, played by Wander

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Pallave King - Robert Pine(74 years old)

Pallave Queen - Harper Pine(66 years old)

Pallave Council Member - Brandyn Freemane

Pallave Council Member - Emerson Blakes

Sladia Council Member - Farrah Hedleye

Sladia Council Member - Bentley Stroude

Quintz Council Member - Oswin Cookee

Quintz Council Member - Imogene Booth

Slorean Council Member - Esmond Maxwells

Slorean Council Member - Oriel Dunne

Cook 1 - Grant Haleye

Cook 2 - Wilona Wellse

Cook 3 - Audie Irvine

Sagar Ivo | 22 | Male | Mentions: Open

The air was crisp and cool during Sagar's third day. He sat alone, overlooking the sea that had held him to the island. He could feel the breeze gently ruffling his hair, his hands cooler than the rest of his covered body. He hummed softly, closing his eyes for a moment before he would stand. He admired the foreign view for a moment. This was the furthest he had ever been from home and he sure did miss it. He even missed his horse, which was declined when requesting to bring his trusted steed. It frustrated him, but he had brought a few other belongings to remind him of his roots for the meantime.

Like his enormous sword.

He chuckled at the thought. It was probably the only thing that had reminded people of his ranking. He was quite young to be such a decorated knight. Sagar Ivo - titled The Ruthless - youngest member of the Capital Watch but chosen to be... a suitor? It honestly didn't make sense. He worked for the Capital back at home, though nothing eventful had ever happened. This was a breath of fresh air, but his only concern was if he'd ever make it back there.

Yes, a man who was tough was a homebody. There was nothing like home. The community. Ah! His mother's home cooked stews. Those were always the best after his training sessions.

But now, it's prepped meals that might as well have been prepped for weeks. At least that's what it tasted like. Did Sagar really hate everything?

As he approached the castle, he felt small. Sagar was not in a place of belonging. Calloused skin, greasy hair, dirt flecking his face, a large sword in a kingdom where he had no right to keep it... technically. Turns out his rank finally had an advantage. Here he was sort of respected, though he almost constantly saw raised eyebrows and the fearsome look in womens' eyes like he was some sort of monster.

Sagar had returned to his quarters he had been escorted to just days prior. Inside, he found a small letter laying on the newly made bed... he knew he didn't do that.

He looked at the letter, seeing his name in a fancy cursive print he could barely comprehend.

"Fucking royalty," he muttered under his breath.

He unfolded it, reading he was invited to some sort of dinner. Another welcoming, probably. Another place for the Pallave royalty to scheme more, Sagar thought. Though, that was the reason he was here. So that wouldn't... happen. Would that really change much anyways? They had been doing it for years, after all.

Sagar discarded the letter and made his way down to one of the gardens. He admired the indigenous fauna, wishing he could bring it back for his family. He smiled at the thought.

It was weird. As much as Sagar was always annoyed with his family, he hated being away. Deep inside him he knew he would always want to come back and feel the sense of a home one last time. Or maybe forever. He sighed softly before sitting at a wooden bench, carefully handmade. He rubbed his hand on the smoothness of it.

And there he was, sitting alone again.

Part of Sagar believed he could handle this and maybe adjust to it. But the potential of getting married to a woman who would be much more deserving than him made his heart sink. He was made to be in the dirt, not on top of it. Was this really going to be his life now, and maybe forever?

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Rosaline bounced through the halls, doing her best to be graceful but failing miserably. If Lindon or literally anyone eles was in sight, she would've tried harder to be elegant. But right now, she had a single goal in mind. She had lost track of time getting ready for the dinner she knew had been coming, and now she was trying desperately to find the darn dining room. It had been so long since the Pine family had truly had a vacation here, so she didn't quite remember where everything was.

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You might have thought she would've gotten used to things over the three days that she had been here, but she had been more focused on the people here than the scenery. Speaking of people, one person in particular had stood out to her. Not because of his elegance or beauty, but because of the things she saw in him. She had done some research - by which I mean she had asked the Council members about him - and found out that his name was Sagar. He was the youngest member of the Capital Watch and a very good knight at that. Did a more perfect person exist? He would be the best person to ask for lessons on leadership as well as combat. Sure, she could've asked Lindon for help, but would he really have agreed?

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Rosaline didn't intend on telling anyone, but the whole reason this grand dinner was being held was because she asked for it to be. She wanted to finally ask Sagar today. Today, she would become his apprentice. He would teach her how to be strong so more would be entrusted to her. That's the whole reason she had bothered dressing up in the first place. If she looked good enough, no one could deny her, right? It didn't cross her mind that flaunting her expensive clothes and beautiful appearance might make her look like she wasn't serious or like she couldn't handle being a knight's apprentice. But that was just typical Rosaline behavior.

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Just then, Rosaline passed a big window facing the garden. She happened to glance out of it and see the one person who had taken over her thoughts as of recently. She had been planning to ask, or rather beg him after the dinner, but seeing as he was alone, she decided she might as well get it over with. That's how Rosaline ended up striding up to the lone knight. She held her head high, as if she wasn't internally freaking out. All she had to do was ask him a simple question. Easy right?

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Apparently not, because right as Rosaline had gotten close enough to see the expression on his face, she tripped over her annoyingly long flowy dress. Ugh, she knew she shouldn't have picked such a grandiose gown. Luckily she caught herself before she could face plant in the bushes and embarrass herself further, but the act had already been committed. The knight was no doubt ridiculing her and making fun of her in his mind. Everyone did when she messed up, so of course he would do the same.

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Despite the embarrassment written all over her face, Rosaline forced herself to stand tall. "S- Sagar, the youngest member of the Capital Watch and highly respected and decorated knight, p- please make me your apprentice. I want to learn how to stand up for myself. I want to be a strong leader and know how to protect the ones I love." Rosaline all but shouted out, her voice unsteady and squeaky. She closed her eyes and tilted her head to the sky, saying in an even louder tone as if that would convince him, "I- I may not look like it, b- but I can take a hit! If you don't believe me, then punch me. I promise I won't fall over and you won't get in trouble for it."

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Ezlynn took a deep breath as she braided her freshly brushed hair back into a ponytail. For the past three days, she had allowed herself to fade into the background so she could observe each prince carefully. While prince Neo seemed kinder and easier to seduce, prince Lindon was usually alone, which made him good prey. No one quite dared to talk to him because of his unfriendly demeanor, and even if they did, the conversation didn't last long. But she would change that. She would be the one to get him to talk for more than a few minutes. And hopefully, eventually, she would become his bride. That was her plan, anyway, as got up to go. Even if it killed her in the process, she wasn't going to let her mother die when there was something she could do to prevent it.

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Walking down the vast hallways made Ezlynn acutely aware of how small she was. She knew she didn't deserve to be here. Scum like her shouldn't be allowed the chance to marry a prince, or even a noble at that. That was just how things were - commoners married commoners and the well off married the well off. Yet a bridge, though shaky, had been given to a select few so that they may cross into the world of power and influence. Usually a commoner marrying a prince would have been considered treason, yet somehow, she was one of those lucky people. She would be stupid not to take advantage of the situation, even if she knew she didn't belong here. This was her last chance to save the person closest to her, there was no way she was going to let her feelings of inadequacy get in the way.

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Smoothing down her plain light blue dress, Ezlynn entered basically right after Neo and most of the other suitors did. Nervously squeezing one hand within the other, she made her way over to Lindon as the mouthwatering aromas of dinner filled her nostrils. Sitting down in the seat catty corner to the prince, the young woman put on the sweet smile she always wore when socializing as she bowed her head slightly. "Good evening, your highness. How are you on this fine evening?" She asked ever so politely as she did her best to copy the way a refined noble would talk and act. If Lindon was going to reject her, she wanted the reason to be something besides that she was too "uneducated".

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Normally, Charlie would have not bothered to show up to the dinner. However, he heard a couple of the servants talking and they said that this would probably be one of the best meals served while the matchmaking thing was happening. So, how could he not show up? Who in their right mind wouldn't?

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Just as Charlie had entered the dining room, he felt a tug on his slightly oversized shirt. He immediately turned to look at the source of the interruption, a half smile on his lips. When he saw it was Avery, his smile widened, taking over his whole face. The two had basically hit if off the moment they met, and Charlie considered him somewhat of a friend even if they had only known eachother for a few days. "Avery! I'm well. I heard the servants say this would be a good meal, so I just had to show up. How are-" Before he could finish, Avery had already left. Charlie rolled his eyes, unbothered, as a small laugh escaped him. Oh well. He would just sit next to Avery and force him to listen. No friend of Charlie's gets away that easily, afterall.

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Charlie greeted a few of the other suitors that he got along with before making his way over to where Avery and Neo were sitting. "Theif." Charlie whispered into Avery's ear as he planted himself beside his friend, referring to the pastry he had nabbed only moments before. Yet even as he said that, he grabbed one of his own, making sure no one, except maybe Avery, saw. He sighed quietly in satisfaction before focusing on Avery's words. His eyes widened and sparkled, excitement bubbling up from the pit of his stomach. Oh, this would be fun.

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"When you say bet, do you mean a money bet? Because my father sent me with some extra coin in case I needed something but the accommodations here are just fine so I might as well use the money for something fun. But I understand if you're too scared to put your coin on the line, considering we've only been here for a few days and we don't really know who has chemistry or not." Charlie murmured, a teasing and challenging look in his eye and smile on his face as he leaned in slightly toward his friend.

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Pulling away again, Charlie then scanned the room with determination on his face as he observed everyone for a second. He honestly had no earthly idea who he should bet on, but this would definitely make his father mad, so of course he would do it. "I bet the oh so great Lindon will end up with that girl he's sitting next to." Pausing, he added, "Though I'm not too sure that the party pooper is capable of loving anyone. So maybe I just shouldn't bet on him? Whatever the case, I also bet prince Neo will end up with his little sister's best friend. What's his name? Oh, right, Cassius. It will be a forbidden love. His sister will hate him but he just can't give the oh so amazing Cassius up. Sparks will fly, tears will fall and punches will be thrown. Oh what a glorious sight it will be." Charlie said dramatically, putting the back of his hand to his forehead as he bent his head back.

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Straightening up again, Charlie tried to keep his laughter to a minimum as he continued. "And I bet princess Rosaline will choose me, obviously the best suitor here. She will fall so hopelessly in love with me she won't know her right from her left hand. Oh, and you, Avery, will also fall for me. It'll be a love triangle! Hearts will break and more tears will fall. And I'll be in the middle of it all, drinking it all in!" After his grand and sarcastic speech, Charlie burst out laughing at all the horrified people around him. Hah, his father would be absolutely fuming if he ever found out. And Charlie wanted him to find out. This was his father's punishment for sending, or rather forcing him here. "I'm obviously just kidding, Avery. I know your too good to fall for me. But Rosaline is totally going to be mine by the end of the month." Of course, Charlie couldn't keep a straight face as he said this either. He had no interest in Rosaline, but it was fun seeing everyone's reactions.

Lindon had been busy frowning at his younger brother when out of nowhere, a girl he didn't recognize chose the seat behind him. He wanted to be surprised, but he wasn't. The seats by him normally filled up quite quickly, suitors hoping for attention, council members hoping to keep their seats secure if he were to go mad and try to remove his parents from their thrones. That idea always irritated him immensely. Why would he want to accelerate the switch-over? It would only make his life more difficult. He wouldn't be able to focus on his training, nor would he be able to keep the title he gained, and he was very proud of it. Normally, as an heir of Pallave, you were given a pre-existing title. Both his siblings had. Neo was known as the Dove Prince, thanks to his peaceful tendencies, a title passed down for years. Lindon couldn't remember his sister's title, but he did remember that it had come from a great-grandmother, and there was always a Dove Prince. But there had never been a Vanguard Prince. That was all his own, and he would be proud to pass it on to his son someday.

His attention was pulled back to the bustling hall as the girl started talking to him, and his gaze flicked back to her, immediately becoming critical and analyzing. He really didn't mean to be as cruel in his thoughts as he was, but it was all a habit. Her dress was plain compared to the gowns of even the women of the court, and nowhere near as elaborate as he knew Rosaline's would be. That meant that she most likely was not of noble birth, and was most definitely not a Princess. That was a brave gamble for her, then, to select the highest born heir in the entire palace. He respected the move for what it was worth, though it would've meant more to him if it had been someone higher ranking. Besides her un-ornamented clothing, her appearance was not unappealing, or at least wouldn't have been for most, except that Lindon had very little interest in women in general. Her speech was polite and not uneducated, but had an unpracticed air, as if it was not normally how she spoke. He let out a slow breath, leaning back in his seat, his eyes half-lidded with boredom.

"Like you, but better," he drawled coolly, before he could stop the sarcastic comment from slipping out.

Normally Lindon knew better than to let something like that be one of the first things he said to anyone, but it was already done now, and if he amended the statement, it would look like he was actually trying to be nice, and he really had no intentions for that.