[center][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/dHRmLjcyLmU5ZDkxOC5RWFZuZFhOMFpTQkJiR1JsYmlCRVlXNXliM05sLjA/feathergraphy-decoration.regular.webp[/img][h1][b]&
[color=DAF6C7][s]Ríoghnach "Riona"[/s]
Reohg Knock[/color][/b][/h1]
Time: 3PM ([url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5437482]After Auguste’s match[/url], [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5438396] before Mayet and Reohg’s match[/url])
Location: Athletic Arena
Interaction: Prince Auguste [@Inertia][/center]
The deafening roar of the crowd’s cheers blended and [i]morphed into screams of terror and agony. Flames erupted from every direction, devouring everything and everyone in their path. Their fiery tongues licked the night sky in attempt to eat the moon and stars too. The air was thick with the acrid scent of burning wood and flesh. Blood spread out, pooling beneath the fallen bodies that littered the ground like discarded dolls and stained the ground a deep, dark red. Amidst the raging inferno, a group of figures stood outside the once-beautiful castle she called home—a place of safety and comfort reduced to a charred, smoldering ruin. A silver streak, followed by a spray of blood, added more red to the portrait of Hells on earth. 

Familiar faces turned to the girl. Dread drained the color from them, the last wisp of hope was snuffed out from their hearts as the golden aberration, and its amber-eyed bride next to it, fixed its piercing blue gaze onto her. Slowly, it began to move in her direction. Each step sent ripples across the red carpet that expanded with every swipe of its blade.

The girl stood frozen,

[indent]fear[/indent]
[indent][indent]her father’s body weighing her down[/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent][indent]the weapon embedded in her[/indent][/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent]everything that was supposed to stay inside a body, spilling out[/indent][/indent]
[indent]childish bravery[/indent]
… rooted her to the spot as she watched the creature draw closer. She couldn’t run. There was nowhere to hide. No one to save them.

More blood splattered across the canvas. The abomination’s face twisted into an expression of unadulterated pleasure. Its lips curled upwards, baring rows of pearly whites. Its eyes glinted with a predatory hunger as it took in its prey before it. 

Ríoghnach opened her mouth, but she no longer had the strength to breathe. So Hatred urged her to take a breath. Ríoghnach gasped, but she couldn’t speak. So Rage gave her a voice. Her cries were[/i] drowned out by the spectators’ frenzied uproar of cheers, whistles, and clapping.

Through the holes of the headgear that masked her face, Riona watched the offspring of the abomination stride offstage with feigned innocence. Just as he was about to continue past her, she spoke up, [color=#DAF6C7]“[/color][color=#CADCB1]Y[/color][color=#BAC29B]o[/color][color=#ABA886]u[/color][color=#9B8E70]’[/color][color=#8C755A]r[/color][color=#7C5B45]e[/color] [color=#5D2719]a[/color] [color=#5D2719]m[/color][color=#6D412F]o[/color][color=#7C5B45]n[/color][color=#8C755A]s[/color][color=#9B8E70]t[/color][color=#ABA886]e[/color][color=#BAC29B]r[/color][color=#CADCB1].[/color][color=#DAF6C7]” [i]Both of you are.[/i][/color] [i][color=#DAF6C7]A[/color][color=#D1E7BA]l[/color][color=#C8D9AE]l[/color] [color=#B7BC96]o[/color][color=#AEAD8A]f[/color] [color=#9C9071]t[/color][color=#948265]h[/color][color=#8B7359]e[/color][color=#82654D]m[/color] [color=#714834]a[/color][color=#683928]r[/color][color=#5F2B1C]e[/color][color=#561C10].[/color][/i] Prince Auguste stopped midstride. When his insidious yellow eyes landed on her, she was already facing him straight on, arms crossed.

[color=#EEDC5B]“I am sorry, Ser, I didn’t quite catch that.”[/color] Came his voice, tone friendly and polite as always. His expression is a mix of genuine confusion and a tad bit of hurt; he may have actually caught her words but it was as if he wanted to be certain.

She scoffed, [color=#DAF6C7]“You heard me the first time,[/color] [color=4E0E04][i]Danrose[/i][/color][color=#DAF6C7].”[/color] Riona pointed her chin in Altare Remulus’s direction. [color=#DAF6C7]“He saw you for what you are.”[/color] Even from a distance, she could see how shaken the fight with Prince Auguste left him. [color=#DAF6C7]“Most people do once they see how hot and bothered you get when you beat people up.”[/color]

[color=#EEDC5B]“Ah, Lieutenant Altare?”[/color] Auguste replied candidly, brushing past her initial words- luckily Wulfric wasn’t within earshot. [color=#EEDC5B]“A fine knight. He is a man of mettle.”[/color] The Prince simply raised a brow at her following words. His duel with Altare certainly wasn’t a one sided beat-down, atleast he believed so. Of course, Auguste himself is dreadfully unaware of his presence whilst fighting. [color=#EEDC5B]“Saw me for what I am? Apologies, perhaps it is due to my exhaustion but I don’t quite follow your words, Ser.”[/color]

This time Riona laughed. [color=#DAF6C7]“HA! Wow. You’re either delusional, f**king oblivious, or more two-faced than I gave you credit for. … Or maybe you’re trying to avoid the truth?”[/color] Riona sighed and mumbled [i]typical[/i] under her breath. [color=#DAF6C7]“Can you read people’s expressions?”[/color] She pointed at the Lieutenant, who noticed the gesture. At first, he appeared puzzled by the attention, then as his gaze shifted to Prince Auguste, so did his expression. Fear flickered across his features, betraying the unease that took hold of him. [color=#DAF6C7]“Tell me, what emotion is that?”[/color]

Auguste kept his expression neutral, having had more than enough practice navigating the mire of the political court. He disregarded the discourtesy of the masked swordsman as he wasn’t naive enough to believe that the entire kingdom had liked the Danroses. Still, a certain unease bubbled within him, it couldn't only have been from her blatant rudeness. [color=#EEDC5B]“Of course.”[/color] He replied, [color=#EEDC5B]“It appears to be one of fear or consternation. It was harder to ascertain such when he had his helmet on.”[/color]

[color=#DAF6C7]“A hardened veteran is frightened of you, even though the fight is over. Strange, right? There shouldn’t be a reason to be scared of you now.”[/color] She watched the Prince’s expression carefully. [color=#DAF6C7]“Remember the fights you’ve been a part of? Doesn’t matter if it’s just training.”[/color] She paused to give him time to dig up his memories. [color=#DAF6C7]“You recognize that face, don’t you? You’ve seen it more than once. And not just on your opponents either, you’ve seen it on people who were just watching too.”[/color]

Internally Auguste had always picked up on [i]that[/i] look that many of his opponents wore after a duel with him. This time he stayed silent, internally ruminating the words that she had given him. He didn’t see a reason why they would display such fear.

Honestly, she wasn’t sure why she was taken aback by his blatant lack of self-awareness. Suppose that was one of the perks of being born into a powerful and filthy rich family—the luxury of not needing to be self-aware. Those around you went to great lengths to shield you from the ugliness, covering your eyes with rose-colored lenses and playing beautiful symphonies of distraction. [color=#DAF6C7]“You smile when you fight.”[/color] Riona said frankly, [color=#DAF6C7]“and it gets wider the longer the fight lasts, the bloodier the fight gets… the more terrified your opponent becomes.”[/color]

[color=#DAF6C7]“You like to hurt people, Auguste Danrose. You love it when you overpower them and they can’t fight back anymore.”[/color]

[color=#DAF6C7]“Just like your father.”[/color] [i]A wide grin spread across King Edin’s face as he watched them struggle in vain. A carnal smile that grew impossibly wider when they begged him to stop.[/i]

[color=#DAF6C7]“Like your cousin.”[/color] [i]Lady Morrigan’s expression melted into that of ecstasy. An impassioned moan escaped her lips, mingling with her heated breath, while her victim lay irreversibly broken beneath her.[/i]

[color=#DAF6C7]“And your brother.”[/color] [i]Prince Wulfric’s dilated pupils stared at the marks he inflicted on Sir Mathias with a thirst so palpable, as if there was nothing else in the world he desired more than to lick the cut, widen it, and create more.[/i]

[color=#DAF6C7]“Just like a monster.”[/color]

The realization hit Auguste like a ton of bricks. [i]Have I really been doing that?[/i] He always enjoyed duels. It was one of the scant ways he destressed after particularly taxing days that come chained with royalty and politics. He covered his mouth with his hand; what she had said contained truths. He certainly did take pleasure in duels, one where his life was in true risk. He himself recalled the times he had fought, he always made sure to never go through if the enemy could not continue, but perhaps it was simply to ease his guilt.

There were a few opponents that had given him trouble who showed no such fear- Wulfric, Wystan, and a few others. But they seemed to be an exception rather than the rule. They were all exceptional swordsmen, one who could hold their own against him.

Would he really have been able to give up one of his ‘vices’. Did he even have the strength to?

[color=#EEDC5B]“I see…”[/color] Auguste finally said. [color=#EEDC5B]“While I don’t agree with everything you’ve said, you have made me aware of a fault of mine albeit brusquely, for that, I give you my sincerest thanks.”[/color] He bowed lightly to her. This was certainly an issue that stung, he reminded himself that it should be an issue one must ponder through logic rather than emotions.

[color=#EEDC5B]“While I thank you for your candidness, Ser, please avoid such talks if possible. Anyone hearing of such would consider it treason.”[/color] Auguste said, a small smile rose on his face despite her words, [color=#EEDC5B]“Not many would say such brutal and honest remarks towards the Danroses, and I like you for that, Ser, so I’d prefer if you were alive.”[/color]  Although it was likely Callum would laugh alongside her and proclaim his agreement. Still, his words weren't intended as a threat but rather a cautionary warning. 
[color=#EEDC5B]“I am sure my words won’t mean much,”[/color] Auguste had an inkling that she did not like the Danroses one bit, he had met more than a few in his jaunts pretending to be a commoner, those who… disliked royalty to say the least. [color=#EEDC5B]“But I apologize if I’ve offended you in any way.”[/color] He couldn’t bring himself to apologize for his family, it wasn’t his right… It likely would have festered wounds rather than close them.

Riona’s glare remained firmly in place, but she could feel that fire inside ebbing without anything to stoke it. Part of her expected a much stronger reaction from him. [color=#DAF6C7]“You’re right. Your words mean nothing. It’s always easy to say things. If you were even half as sincere, you would’ve actually done something by now and not be just another dog waiting to follow the crowns’ orders, desperate for their approval.”[/color] 

Riona turned her head away from the Prince when she heard the announcer summoning Reohg Knock. She approached the weapon rack on the side to pull out one of the swords provided by the arena. [color=#DAF6C7]“Your opponents aren’t a substitute for your father. Why don’t you beat the living sh*t out of him for a change?”[/color] 

Auguste's eyes momentarily turned stony. [color=#EEDC5B]“Best of luck to your match, Ser.”[/color] He replied before turning away, walking to the observer's stands.

[i]The fire belched, emitting plumes of smoke and embers, as it consumed the new kindling.[/i]