Angelcynn: The Myrcian Conflict - Act 4

[Dandragon]

Almost instantly upon hearing the two ladies' responses, Serge did not feel welcome. While Claire didn't seem to mind his presence (as far as he could tell, anyway), he received nothing but hostility from Sidney, though he wasn't entirely sure if it was directed at him or not. Regardless, Serge backed up about two steps with his hands up. "Okay...Well that answers my next question. I heard the Princess and Lady Adele were taken away by guards, but I didn't hear anything about Prince Owen."

Serge scratched the back of his head. Already, this seemed like a bad idea. Sure, Sidney had been... slightly aggravated in the morning when he first spoke with Owen, but he had hoped that that attitude would have changed by now. Then again, it probably didn't help that Cassandra and Adele were arrested for who knows what. Serge wasn't going to further pry, either way. He coughed into his fist, attempting to change the subject. "S-so, you said something about a wedding. I'm assuming that has something to do with the shopping. But can I ask who's getting married?"

Edited May 2, 2017 by Dandragon

[Xinnidy]

Owen shook his head, holding back a sigh as Ethel pointed out the shortcomings of his indecisiveness. "Yes... you are right." Still, it was only for his sister this time... surely it could be given a pass? It was not like a peasant made him reconsider his mind by begging on their knees and speaking about their unfortunate family.

...Though it would likely make Owen hesitate. The path in front of him wouldn't be easy. I suppose this is why father would always be stern to me when I was given decisions. I always wavered.

"...Sir--Captain Thwomp!" The familiar face lightened up the prince's expectations. He knew the giant man to be gentle --and imposing--, and would no doubt be the best option to protect his sister in this occasion. "Thank you for your service, honestly."

Now, with all said and done, Cass seemed content with leaving, and reminded the Queen that Owen would be in time for the meeting. "Ah, yes." With all the hassle about the arrest, he'd shoved that to the back of his mind. I have another thing to do in the afternoon, too, so we'll certainly not take long, or Cass will have to excuse me for a brief time. Hmm, there was also that noble's... will I be able to make it to his?

[Shin]

Gentle Giant

Thwomp looked down at Cass, rather puzzled by her question. His features weren't exactly aesthetically pleasing, rough and lacking any sort of delicacy, but there was no real malice behind his frightening exterior. It wasn't as if he didn't understand her question, but more that he didn't understand the concept behind it. "Thwomp not very good with people, he think they should not hurt other people for being different." he replied, subtle hints of sympathy filtering through his words. "Thwomp thinks people should be happy, not right to hurt just because you afraid."

Content that she'd assigned an appropriate guard, Ethel had already reached the prison door. "I'm sure he'll look after you well, I'd certainly feel safe with him around." she mused, leaving through the door. "Just make sure that you don't have any regrets, Owen."

Turning to Owen, Thwomp took a few moments to either recognise the prince or try and form a coherent response to him. "It's OK, Prince Owen. Thwomp likes helping people... not good with words, but big and strong, nobody cause trouble when Thwomp is around!"

-

After reclaiming their possesions, Cass' group had reached the second store, Sylvester's. Whilst not quite as overtly chique as Lidoine's, they could at least expect service without the same discrimination they'd had before. With Thwomp along with them, none of the passersby dared draw attention to themselves, shrinking away from the group to avoid the mighty giant. The entrance appeared smaller than the previous store, but there was a smartly dressed young man at the door, well groomed and tidy.

"Oh? Welcome to Sylvester's, where style and taste can be found for anyone, no matter your creed or class." he greeted, bowing his head. "How may we be of service today?"

 

Promises

Emily nodded firmly, giving Constance a salute. "It's OK, Miss Constance. Nobody will know about your secret relationship." she replied, somehow still adamant that there was a hidden romance between Alain and Constance. "If anybody asks, I'll say that he was... uh, clipping his toes! That way you can talk about whatever you want without being disturbed!"
 

[Shin]

EDIT: Thanks SF

Edited May 2, 2017 by Shin
I wanted to post twice anyway!

[Nanami Touko]

"Wonderful," Cass said, expression calming. Whoever this gentle giant was, he was a pleasure to have around, with a mindset and attitude like that. They gathered their things and were off, hoping for a much better second encounter.

And so far, so good. Cass felt a smug satisfaction, walking through the streets with the same people ignoring her and giving her all this space. Even if it was just due to this Thwomp's presence, it felt great. This Sylvester's was definitely a step down from the other store, but it was still pleasing to the eye, and definitely worth her time to be there. She eyed around the store, before settling her stare at the young man that had approached them, wondering if this was going to go the same as last time. She didn't wish to be subtle, she wished to simply be herself, but... I suppose I don't need to be so blatant about it, unless asked. Hmph... It still feels wrong.

"Charmed. I am in need of some new clothes, as well as a dress, for my wedding. I was told by a friend that your store is the place to be for these sorts of things, and from how things look, she wasn't wrong. Surely you have a dress suitable for royalty?" And surely Cass didn't have have to be subtle about that. Her station was still worth mentioning to get a proper dress.

[Vestige]

"It's not that big a deal Emily, but thank you," Alain replied, trying to reassure the girl. "I'll be seeing you then. Enjoy the rest of your morning," he said, bidding the recovering mage a courteous farewell. He quietly closed the door behind him and gave a cursory glance to his surroundings before following after Constance. 

"I hear you're planning on teaching Claire a few things about illusion magic. I trust that's as far as your mentoring will go? I'm not going to be entirely enthused if any harm befalls her," he said, taking his place against the wall. While he was certainly excited to be in the presence of a fellow Belialist, he had enough sense to remain cautious. She had a history with Malaphar, after all.

[charlie_]

Claire offered a quiet nod to the rogue's story, not particularly selling it, but at least she was unlikely to give the game away? Either way, the mention of the wedding seemed to be the focus of Serge's attention, so it didn't look like she had much to worry about there.

It was a little surprising to the mage though, that Serge seemed completely in the dark on these things. I thought he would have known, or at least been able to guess. This confusion took the form of a small shrug in the end - she supposed that if Cass and Adele wanted to keep things quiet, it wasn't out of the question that Serge was kept in the dark on things. 

"Your employer is the one engaged, actually." Claire skipped over the minor detail of that it was to another woman - that had already caused a scene this morning, and from her knowledge of Serge, she thought he was quite... expressive, as one way to put it. "You should speak to her about it, when you get the chance. You'll likely be attending as well, in some shape or form." Whether it was as a guest, servant or guard, she had no clue. That detail was at Adele's discretion.

[Dandragon]

"Adele? Uh huh...Okay, well that explains the shopping, I guess." Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure why he wasn't told about it in the first place. He was, after all, hired to guard Adele. Then again, with Sebastian and her own strength, did she really need his help?

Of course, that all left his mind when the mage mentioned him having to show up. And then he looked down at his attire, and felt slightly embarrassed. The basic jacket, shirt, pants and boots he wore had kept him covered, sure, but it was no where near proper for something like a wedding. "Uh...Maybe, I should do some clothes shopping for myself, then?"

[Jotari]

Constance led Alain into the adjoining common room and sat at the table. "I didn't expect someone like you to be worried for her" said Constance. "Do you care for the girl? Don't worry, I'm one of the good ones. How long have you been a worshiper?"

Edited May 3, 2017 by Jotari

[Vestige]

"Someone like me? Those are bold words to claim when you only know me for my name," he scoffed, offering a momentary pause before continuing to Constance's question. "I wouldn't particularly use the word worship... maybe I just don't want to admit it, but I don't know... " he said. "There's just something I want from him, and something he wants from me--and I've formed a contract of sorts on that basis. I'm not sure I hold any reverence for him," he said, "it's not as though he's doing me any favors just because he cares," he added, chuckling at the notion.

"Or maybe he is, and I'm just an ingrate. Who knows? But to answer your question, I've been studying his magic for the better part of a year now? Or just about I suppose... And I've been practicing my 'faith' for a month or so," he concluded. "I imagine that's quite a different experience from yourself, yes?"

[Xinnidy]

To have no regrets, huh... Owen nodded, pensively, still not sure he absorbed the meaning of Ethel's words fully. "Very well, Queen Ethel. Your continued support is immensely appreciated ." A formal acknowledgement over with, Owen left Ethel to her devices, and followed his sister to a second attempt at her wedding preparations.

Thankfully, none of the fools from before dared to do a thing with Thwomp in tow. Strength really did translate to order at times. This is for their own good... something like this is better off accepted. Entering Sylvester's, Owen's first order of business was eye the local customers. His air of neutrality would hold... if the patrons behaved themselves.

[Juliette]

"Alright then. Thank you for your time, and I'll be back to collect it when it's finished." Freya gave the armorer a curt nod, brushing past the other customers to make for the exit. With how often she wore it, the sensation of walking throughout the city in normal clothes was almost unusual to her, and she'd gotten to both stores without any hassle a bit faster than expected.

With her shopping out of the way, she wasn't entirely sure where to go. Tytila had so far proved enormous, much bigger than Hull and completely dwarfing her quiet hometown. At a loss, she made her way around hoping to either find something appealing to her or someone she knew, and after some time encountered an unusual trio to find together in Serge, Sidney, and Claire. "Hard to find familiar faces in such a big city. Sorry if you don't recognize me without my armor. What brings you three together?"

[Jotari]

Constance gave a husky laugh. "I know you're one of us. And typically we're a self centred bunch. But if you're a recent follower than I can see how you might take umbrage at my comment. Few of us truly revere him, at least not like the followers of Engel. A month you say? I'm surprised. You have a powerful aura about you." Constance glanced at the door. "Unless it's the girl I'm sensing. What do you know about Malaphar?"

[charlie_]

"Um, possibly? I don't know what she has in store for you." It would be a little awkward if Serge put his funds towards a suit only to find himself watching the entrance, tasked with keeping away any hooligans. "You should probably speak with Lady Adele first." It was solid advice, as far as Claire saw it, as well as reason to send him away. It wasn't that she disliked Serge, but or she wouldn't have helped him out before, but she felt more comfortable doing this whole clothes shopping thing while being around the people who she knew well.

Of course, that wasn't to be, with the arrival of a certain Wykian guard in much more casual attire than usual. "We recognise you, Freya." At the very least, Claire did, although she had to hold back the urge to groan. There were certainly a lot of interruptions today. "It's just a coincidence, mostly." The mage turned towards Charlotte, leaving her to handle things. She didn't really want to repeat herself, so she left things at her friend's discretion.

Edited May 3, 2017 by SB.

[charlie_]

i know i'm amazing sf but you can stop now

Edited May 3, 2017 by SB.

[Ether]

It seemed Cass wanted to go shopping again, rather than consult Queen Ethel's tailor, so they went back to town, this Captain Thwomp following them along. They were certainly given a wide berth by the public... whether it was the guard's presence culling their enthusiasm, or whether word of them hadn't spread far past the initial crowd, Adeltrudis couldn't be sure, but it was likely best to play it safe, either way. Luckily, Cassandra seemed to feel the same, at least to begin with, so Adele figured it best to hang slightly back and allow her to get herself started. No reason to draw any unnecessary ire, even if they wouldn't necessarily be arrested for it this time around.

[riariadne]

Another visitor...! Sidney bit her lip to contain her frustration. "Hello, Freya," was all she had to say immediately, but Claire's glance to her as well as her own words gave Sidney several ideas. "Yes, it would be smart to talk with Lady Adele, Serge. After all, I'm not sure what exactly at the wedding you should be doing, and she would be the best person to clear that up with. And you, Freya, are you to be guarding or just attending? See, I don't know, so that applies to you, too. Talk with Cassandra- maybe you two could go find them together, that's a place for you to start, and it'll smooth things up nicely, I think. But, as we said, it's very busy, and me and Claire need to head off."

She clapped her hands together once, taking Claire's hand and almost starting to drag her right away, before stopping. "Ah, and... if neither of you mind, I had something I wanted to mention to Owen, who is probably still with them. If you could let him know I wanted to invite him for dinner tonight, I wanted to tell him earlier but circumstances lead to that not being possible. The white house with a tiger statue on Gateway Avenue, if he forgot. If you're all set then too, Claire, we should be going."

[Dandragon]

"Uh-" Was all Serge was able to get out before Sidney and Claire were off, not even able to answer whether or not he would tell Owen. Granted, it's not like he would have said no, but...well, he certainly didn't feel like he was wanted, to say the least. Resisting the urge to sigh, he just stood there with Freya, silently. Maybe those two weren't the people that he had needed to talk to, though as far as he knew, the Crew was asleep.

Turning to face Freya, he gave her a look over. It was true, he hadn't really seen her without her armor on. Though, he hadn't really seen her much, in general. In fact, he barely knew anything about her, even with her traveling alongside the group as Cassandra's supposed hired guard. At least, he thought that's what she was. "So...Do you usually not walk around with your protective gear? Or is this a special occasion?" He asked, awkwardly trying to spark up a conversation with her.

Edited May 4, 2017 by Dandragon

[Xinnidy]

With continued caution, Owen took a few steps forward to place himself close enough to his sister and Adele to interject should something happen during their conversation. Luckily things would not go awry with their new guard, that was the whole reason they came back, after all.

A content glance back at Captain Thwomp, Owen was reminded of yesterday's events. What a humbling coincidence that such a simple man would aid him and his close friends so much, starting with Graham...

Wait. That's right, Graham was there.

"Ah, Adele." Noticing she wasn't exactly busy, Owen struck up a conversation in a quiet voice, to not disturb his sister's much. "I met Graham yesterday, at the military academy. Did you know he was here?" A hint of a melancholic smile graced the prince at the memories of his old friend. "It seems life here is pretty harsh for him, all on his own. I do hope he pulls through."

[Juliette]

That talk was less than fruitful... Sidney seemed awfully unpleasant today, and even Claire seemed impatient. "Lady Montana's temperament is awfully mercurial," she observed. "I wouldn't think we should be taking it personally, she was just as irritable when I saw her earlier to borrow some gold from the Prince. Usually she's somewhat more pleasant, I think. As for me, you're right, usually I wear my armor. But I'm getting it fixed up in the shop. It should help out with my maneuverability, which will be of help when we battle but also just when we travel. That takes time, so for now, I can't wear it around everywhere."

Freya took a moment to think over the words of the two leaving noblewomen. "I wasn't aware that there was to be something so soon with this wedding. I suppose I'd probably be security, as I'm not all that close to Princess Cassandra or Lady Adeltrudis, nor important enough to be a guest. Did Lady Sidney or Claire... mention where they and Prince Owen are supposed to be to you before I arrived? Because if not, finding them won't be too easy."

[charlie_]

Claire had basically gotten used to being yanked away by the hand at this point, shooting off a quick: "See you." at the duo they left behind, but not speaking again until they were well out of earshot. "We're very popular today." An accompanying sigh made her frustration known, but she left it at that. As long as they could make it to the shop with no more interruptions, there would be no need for that.

"Do you have a good idea of what you're looking for?" Claire asked, eyes wandering up and down the street as she spoke. "I'll be honest - I have absolutely no idea what I'm after." This really wasn't her kind of thing, so it was just as well that the pair of them were on their own now.  Hopefully Charlotte knew the way well, and hadn't just pulled her away in a hurried attempt to escape the conversation.

Edited May 4, 2017 by SB.

[Shin]

Second Success

The young man nodded his head, looking up subtly at Thwomp - who had located himself not too from Cass. "Of course, milady. If I may so inquire, are you the bride to be? If so, I wish you my congratulations." he replied smoothly, his gaze swiftly focused on Adele if only for a brief moment. "Is there a particular style you are looking for? If not, I could certainly aid your selection. The A-line has been rather popular lately, our stylists have made great strides with their work."

He looked up at Thwomp, smiling jovially. "I take it that this is your escort rather than your future husband? One of our own city guards, one cannot predict trouble in Tytila, it often has a way of finding you when you least expect it." he added, still pleasant and calm in his demeanour.

Third Wheel

Not too long after their departure from Serge and Freya, Claire and Sidney were met with another member of their group. Esclabor was hurrying towards them, although he showed no signs of slowing to greet them. Dashing past them and around a corner, the only words that they were able to make out were "Can't talk, running is far more important". It became very clear why he had been running, and so unwilling to even pause for a moment.

"Baron Esclabor?" Nona called out, walking from the direction Esclabor had escaped from. Looking from side to side, she shook her head. "How strange, I was certain that I saw him... maybe I was just imagining it. Oh? Claire, Charlotte?"

Her sights were set on the pair, there was no escape now, Esclabor had chosen to save himself for whatever reason. Approaching them, the pegasus rider was bizarrely clad in her armour. "I hope you're having a good morning, I've been trying to find Baron Nelon and Morta since the morning but they've disappeared." she pondered, not seeming too fussed about her lack of success. "Baron Nelon said that he wanted to practice and Morta went with him... but he said his back still hurt a little. I hope he isn't being too careless, Morta's a lot more dangerous than she looks."

[Ether]

"Hmm? What is it, Owen?" Adele asked as she was approached by the Prince, awaiting whatever it was he had to say. Apparently he had run into Graham in Tytila... that was, unexpected.

"I can't say I did. Father said he was sending him to military school, but he never did say which one... well, if he's here, that means at the very least, he's safe from the troubles at home. That's a weight off of my mind." Adele replied with a relieved sigh, smiling a bit at Owen's assessment of Graham's situation.

"He'll manage, My Brother has always been... awkward, socially. I suppose I should visit him and invite him to the wedding... he might be distraught by Cassandra being taken, I know he had an interest in her when he was younger..." Adele mused, snickering a bit under her breath as she mumbled the following bit.

"Though with his current disposition, I do wonder if you being off of the table would worry him more, Prince Owen..."

[Dandragon]

"Well. I guess it's good to know she's not just frustrated at me?" Serge shrugged his arms and shook his head, feeling a bit confused about the whole situation, if not a bit dejected. He couldn't help but think back to the battle before they had all arrived to Tytila, with him standing out in the open with no enemies near him, as the rest of the party had been off handling the group. And how he had made it worse. It made him wonder, once again, if he was truly wanted to be kept around by the rest of the party.

Freya's next question caught him off guard, and snapped him out of his thoughts. "Uhhh...Right. The Princess and Adele. About that." Serge wasn't sure how he could have put this delicately to the guard...so he didn't. "I heard rumors that they were brought to the castle dungeon? For some reason? I honestly don't know any more than that."

[Nanami Touko]

Good. So long as she didn't dive headfirst into 'My groom is a woman,' it seemed the rumors of her small run in at the previous shop hadn't spread this far. That left her a bit more calm, nodding at the suggestions of clothing. "Of course. Spare me no expense. Your A-line sounds just fine." She stepped a bit closer, lazily idling as she waited to be shown towards whatever selection was available.

"Oh, heavens no. The captain is quite the kind man, from our small interactions, but he's just here to keep me safe. The... Groom, is someone else. Let's not worry about them, for now." Cass was quick to change the subject, lest she wish to mention it and ruin this small peace they had, whether or not it was held in place by the captain.