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Darkseeker
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Bodhi frowned, his mood decreasing the further they got from the palace. He missed the military more than ever, he yearned for the simple daily tasks that he had once disliked so much. He even missed the worst duties, from cleaning the floors of the barracks, to mucking out the stables. The day was warm, which meant the metal chest plate weighed heavily even on his muscular form. He hadn't had time to do anything with his hair, and the dark strands fell around his face, framing his pale jaw. His displeasure only furthered as the princess stopped to get a sword, and he made a mental note to tell the king that his daughter and only heir was not behaving properly. The heat was getting to him more than he was willing to admit, and he shifted uncomfortably on the horse's back. Seymour could sense his discomfort, and the gloom fell over both equine and rider as the ride dragged on. He had no qualms against riding for a purpose, he quite enjoyed that, actually. But riding for pleasure was something he couldn't stand. He glowered at the princess's back, wishing Stella had been allowed to ride with them. At least then he would have had someone he was willing to carry on a conversation with. He had no idea where they were going, she was taking paths at random it seemed. Bodhi shifted his position on Seymour's back, trying to entertain himself. He was able to brush the tall grass that grew on either side of the dusty tracks with the tips of his fingers, and he picked some of it, amusing himself by weaving them into small wreaths, and feeding them to the horse. When the princess finally stopped, he stared blankly around the clearing. He had no idea where they were, which made him vaguely uncomfortable. They weren't in the palace grounds anymore, and he knew the Queen hated it when her daughter wasn't acting like the person she needed to be. He respected the Queen above almost everyone else he interacted with, and was frustrated that he'd been put in a position where he couldn't obey her rules without directly going against his current authority: the princess herself. Seymour stamped impatiently, and he carefully pulled her bridle off, hanging if off a tree branch, and leaned back on the horse, laying across her warm, sweet-smelling back. He closed his eyes, choosing to ignore the surroundings. Bodhi yawned, and tried to find the best way to lay, but the hard chest plate made it nearly impossible. He rolled his eyes, and stretched out again, his long legs crossing over Seymour's withers, and crossing loosely around her neck. She dropped her head and started to graze, and Bodhi relaxed, letting his body move like water over hers. He played absentmindedly with one of the small knifes that he kept tucked up in his sleeves, running the sharp blade carefully over his fingers, liking the risk the game provided. He listened vaguely to the sounds of the glade, making sure that the princess didn't leave the boundaries of the open space, but didn't care to engage with her in any sort of activity. |
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Neutral
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Adalia let the stallion graze to his content while she wandered towards the pond. The flowers and grasses were tall, covering a majority of the lower half of her leg as she waded through. This place brought her peace and quiet, a place to go outside of the loud castle. Sitting down near the waters edge she looked out across the pond, sighing softly. She knew Bodhi would not come near or try to engage in any conversation, but she was here to bring him away from Stella and find out what she had done. She waited some time, letting the cool breeze carry the aroma of the wildflowers to her nose. The sun felt amazing on her skin and soon she found herself laying back in the grasses. Watching the birds fly above, she began to think of how she would start the conversation. She needed to get this off of her mind otherwise she would not be able to focus. Some time had passed and Adalia finally stood once more, making her way back to Enzo's side. She sighed softly, looking over to Bodhi who's gaze focused on the area around them. "Bodhi, why won't you talk to me?" She asked, her gaze softening as she waited to see his reaction. She knew he would just ignore her or brush it off, leaving her with no answer.
"I don't know what I have done, but I am sorry" she added, "we use to be the greatest of friends and now it feels as if you hate me" she said, her voice soft. |
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Darkseeker
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Bodhi kept his eyes closed, trying his hardest to just ignore her, but then she started talking. The heat was really getting to him, and he was trying to keep himself from snapping at her, but then she continued speaking. He swore under his breath, turning his head to face the opposite way. "We were *not* best friends," he muttered, knowing his words were harsh, but he couldn't think of anything to say. "You don't understand anything, and I don't see a reason why I have to explain anything to you. I don't owe you anything, not an explanation, not my friendship. I came here to be an escort, okay?" He sat up, Seymour standing still to accommodate his shifting weight, and he pulled off his chest plate, his flowy tunic catching on a loose nail, and slipping up over his chest, revealing his pale, scarred chest. He didn't bother fixing it, the sun falling around his deathly pale flesh, his dark hair messy from the pull of the plate. He dropped it in the grass, his face fixed in a permanent scowl. "This damn heat is going to kill me," he muttered, trying to hide his face in Seymour's mane. He stared at his hands, trying to calm his temper, but then a thought struck him. Maybe, just maybe, if he didn't perform his duty well, he'd be able to go back to the Fourth Battalion. Relief flashes through his eyes, and he straightened his spine, he shoulders losing some of the tension in his frame. |
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Neutral
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Adalia stopped her movements in shock, her soft eyes growing watery at his words. It took her a moment to process everything, his harsh words he muttered. It was as if a knife had been lodged into her chest, the feeling of her stomach dropping as he explained more. She let it sit for a moment, lifting the tack uback up and onto Enzo, safely securing it to his body. She held back tears as she tightened the cinch, her head dropping slightly. "I know I don't understand everything that has gone on, but I thought the years we had all spent together meant something, I'm glad it didn't" she finally said, quickly mounting up onto Enzo. She adjusted her dress and urged Enzo forward, not caring anymore about her escort. "You clearly do not want to be here so I will speak to my father, you do not need to worry about protecting me" she added once more, glancing to him with watery eyes before she urged the stallion into a canter and soon a gallop once she was past the thick trees, gone before Bodhi had time to mount and follow after. Ada was always an emotional girl, and now that who she thought was her friend had expressed his true feelings, she couldn't hold back.
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Darkseeker
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Bodhi swore loudly, tipping his head back, his eyes closing. He gathered his shirt into a bundle, and nudged Seymour back into a trot, trying to guess his way back to the palace. Thankfully, some kind workers offered him directions back to the palace, and he rode straight into the courtyard, dismounting gracefully. He dropped the clothes onto the dirt, stalking inside the front gate, hurrying inside. He made his way straight to the throne room, yanking on his shirt as he went. He watched people scurry out of the way, but he ignored them, until he saw Stella, and he immediately stopped. He dropped his eyes, shame clouding his features. He knew she would be angry, and she was. She pressed him against the wall, chewing him out for angering the princess, and making a fool of himself. He kept his gaze on the floor, letting his guilt roll over him in waves. He was only half listening, but then Stella was hauling through the halls, still softly chewing him out. "Look, Stell, I'm sorry," he said, trying to appease her. "Then tell the princess," she said sharply, pushing him up to her door. Bodhi frowned deeply. "Wait, please," he begged, but it was too late, she pushed him into the room, and slammed the door behind her. He could hear her muttering prayers as she stalked away, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. "My Lady," he muttered, still unable to bring himself to say her name. "Please forgive me. I spoke out of turn, I had no right to do so." |
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Neutral
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Adalia had galloped back to the castle, the mixed emotions of anger and sadness taking over. She knew better than to blow up and take things out of proportions so this was the best she could manage. She had made her way back to the castle before Bodhi, carefully handling Enzo and getting him settled before storming inside. She had completely forgot the sword at her side as she pushed her way through the doors, the guards stepping back abruptly as they watched her. Stella was attending to some tasks when she saw Adalia storm through, her heart sinking knowing something had happen, and when she saw the sword sway at her side, that shocked her even more. She had tried to speak to the Princess but she refused, quickly changing out of her dirtied riding dress and into a clean casual dress. Tossing the sword wherever her arm aimed she sighed, reaching up with her free hands now to pull her hair from its braids. Stella left her to blow off steam as she too stormed through the castle, looking for the culprit, she knew the only person it had to be. After some time, Ada settled in her alcove with a book in hand. Her knuckles were white as she grasped the book, reading to pull her mind off of everything else. Though reading would just be the front of it, her eyes were scarcely traveling over and more or less focused on nothing as her mind raced. She was slowly started to calm, that was until she heard Stella and her heels clicking up the halls. The door flung open, Bodhi being pushed through and into her room. Great, just the person she wanted to see. Ada looked away and back to her book, fingers bending the parchment below as Bodhi gathered himself and spoke. She ignored him at first, her soft rosy cheeks bright red still in frustration and sadness. There was a moment of silence before she tossed the book down and looked to him. Standing she pushed the chair behind her away, tears scratching at her eyes. "I do not care, you clearly meant what you said." She said, "You do not wish to be friends anymore, we were never friends so I will keep it that way. I know you have been through a lot, and I may not understand what you have done, but you didn't even give me a chance to. The second you saw me it was a burden in your eyes, but seeing Stella brought joy. I'm sorry I was a burden being your friend as a child and I'm sorry I am a burden now" she snapped. Her eyes welled with tears, hands balled in a tight fist before she turned. "You clearly do not want to be here, so as I have said, I will do the decent thing and find you a way home" she added, standing at the window. |
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Darkseeker
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Bodhi shook his head frustratedly, and turned away. "I don't think your father will listen to you. I know there's a reason why he didn't choose one of the others, I swear I'm not being conceited. But...I don't think he would've pulled me from the Fourth if he wasn't concerned for you. But that's just me," he murmured. He walked out, not wanting to provoke her further, knowing that simply his face was irritating her. Not wanting to go too far, he settled outside the door, half-leaning on the small table next to it, studying the art across from him, beside the huge, bay windows. He chewed on his lip. His mind wandered, and he realized how homesick he still was. It was harder to think about when he didn't have to be alone, but now, in the quiet, too bright hallway, he missed the barracks more than anything. He closed his eyes, memories of the Fourth Battalion flitting across his eyes. He really missed Ian and the lads, now wishing that they were there. There wasn't many men for him to socialize within the palace, and the loss of male influence was starting to get to him. He vaguely wondered if Ian could come to the castle, even for just a few days. He considered asking the princess, but no. She was sending him away anyways. He'd be back to the fourth soon anyways. |
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Neutral
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Adalia took some time to cool down, knowing he would be stationed right outside her door. Her read cheeks slowly faded back to their soft tone, her watery eyes drying as she sat on the stone balcony. She wished at this point she had just stayed inside her whole life so this would have never happened. Stella had returned after some time to check on her, ignoring Bodhi as he sat nearby, her rosary clutched tightly in her hands. Stella sat beside Ada, finally getting her to explain what had happened, understanding why the two had both angered each other. "Sweet Ada, you have to understand that Bodhi has been through things we couldn't even imagine, he has lost close friends, sacrificed so much to protect your kingdom. He is not the silly joker we knew before." Stella said softly, taking hold of Ada's hand.
"I know Stella, but he didn't even give me a chance, its not like I chose this. He hated me the second he walked in the door, made it seem like all of our memories were just a waste." She explained, looking out over the town below. Stella sighed softly, rubbing Ada's back as she pulled her into a hug, "Just give him time." She explained, "Plus, I've already scolded him enough, he knows where he went wrong as well." She added with a small chuckle. Ada smiled, shaking her head before the two moved from the topic to bring their joys up. The two stayed and spoke for awhile before Stella had to attend to some of her last duties. She exited the room, stopping outside the door after closing it. She looked to Bodhi, his eyes to the floor as he stayed silent. "Both of you need to give each other a chance" was all Stella said before she was off once more. |
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Darkseeker
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The hours seemed to drag on. Bodhi knew that he should've expected a lack of movement, but he was just itching to be able to fence, or *anything.* He desperately needed to move. Boredly, he pulled out a knife, sticking it into the tapestry that hung on the wall beside the Princess's door. It vaguely entertained him to watch the vibrant colours split under the blade, but quickly realised he was acting like a destructive toddler, and carefully flicked the split threads away. A red one caught his eye: it's colour was far too similar to blood for his liking. He rolled it between his fingers, shifting from foot to foot, the sun straight into his eyes. He scowled and sat down, studying the loose bricks of the wall. Next to him was a gilt cabinet, and he flicked out the knife again, digging it into the soft wood. It only took him a few minutes to get a good sized chunk out of the leg, and he absentmindedly whittled it, watching the sun move slowly through the skies. To his dismay, when he was finished, it was the shape of a warrior on a horse, and he quickly tossed it away, watching it hit the wall. He studied the cracks in the floor, following them with his eyes, wishing something would pass the time. He heard people passing, but had no interest in actually talking to any of them, half-asleep. He was just about to take another piece out of the cabinet when someone walked up to him, and kicked his foot. "Get up, lazy. Let's go fence." Bodhi dragged his eyes up, and brightened considerably. "Ian! How..?" The young warrior just shook his head, and burst into the princess's room. "Can you come down to the fencing pits so that Mr. Mopey can finally get a smile on those cheery lips?" He asked brightly, holding the gaze of his old friend. Ian really had no patience for useless pleasantries or the respect that he should have offered to the future sovereign. |
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Neutral
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Ada had resorted to some art while the day went on after Stella left. She had always loved to paint, also creating a bunch of the artwork in the castle. She currently was working on just a simple fall landscape, the leaves falling in an array of colors from the shedding trees. The bursts of oranges, reds, browns and yellows exploded all over in precise detail. Painting was another way she distracted herself from her mind and stress, a new world she could travel to. As Ada lost herself in the artwork, she was quiet shocked when the door burst open unannounced. She jumped slightly from her seat, paint splattering on the floor below her. Her eyes widened a bit at the sight before her, pulling her to her feet. "Ian?!" Adalia said in shock as she saw her old friend before her, his impatient face looking to her as he asked her to join them. She looked to Bodhi, who was also shocked before looking to Ian once more. What was happening? The four now reunited again, even if Stella was off doing something. Adalia opened her mouth to speak, only a short "I..." being released before Ian stepped forward. "Oh Ada, come on" Ian said, stepping forward and softly taking her hand. He guided the two out the door and into the hallway, chuckling softly, "It's as if you two have seen a ghost". Ada glanced to Bodhi who now walked by her side behind Ian, their paces quick as they kept up with the man before them. She was still upset with him, her heart truly hurt, but their new visitor distracted her from the words he had said earlier. She just kept quiet, looking back to Ian as they made their way outside of the castle walls. "We are just shocked to see you, Father didn't mention you arriving" Adalia spoke, quickening her step to now fall beside Ian, looking to him. |
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Fall 
Day Weather: 
Hurricane
