DrowsyPangolin

When the Flames Die

*intensity intensifies*

When the Flames Die

Jezin felt the tension ease as the door opened. "Thomas, finally. Things outs-" He cut himself off mid-sentence. Thomas had a piece of cloth wrapped around his eye, and blood clearly visible on his hands. The bodyguard's eyes scanned the room. He noticed signs of a struggle, overturned furniture and the like. He froze when his eyes drifted to the wall. A female body lay crumbled at it's base. Despite the state of her skull, he quickly made out the identity of the corpse. Lexine. His eyes came back to Thomas. The bodyguard's fist clenched around Harmony's hilt. "Sophia, get back. Now."

The princess backed away to the far wall, collapsing to the ground and shaking. She had just managed to see the mangled body within the room before Jezin warned her. She looked up at Thomas, a single tear rolling down her cheek, her eyes filled with fear. It had taken all of ten minutes for the world to fall to pieces around her. The girl had seen too many grisly sights for one day. She shook, unable to cry audibly, as more tears rolled down her face. Why had all this happened? Why now?

Jezin took a step back, raising the straight, white blade towards Thomas, his face iron-like. "Thomas, what did you do? What the fuck did you do?" He didn't shout, but his voice was as serious as death itself. He gripped the hilt of the weapon tighter, scanning Thomas' face for any clues as to what had transpired. "What happened here? I suggest you start talking. Now." Jezin's eyes were narrowed, his teeth clenched tightly beneath his lips. He glanced at the other weapons outside the door. He imagined they had been Lexine's. The woman's words of caution came flooding back to him. Maybe Thomas wasn't who everyone seemed to think he was. "Well, Thomas? Why did you kill her?"

When the Flames Die

Jezin cursed again, looking back down the hallway leading to the interrogation room. He slip Sophia off of his shoulder, placing her gently on her feet. She looked extremely shaken up, but otherwise unharmed. The bodyguard looked at his charge, his face serious. "Everything will be fine princess, just stay close to me." Sophia nodded, still struggling to speak. The bodyguard took another look at the weapons outside the door. Whoever they belonged to, he would be borrowing them. He had no intention of leaving Sophia unprotected, and he needed a weapon. He grabbed the longsword that lay nearby. Something about the hilt looked familiar. It was only when he drew the blade that he realized who the weapon belonged to. Harmony's milk-white blade shimmered before the Lyoki. It was Thomas' sword. He looked at the weapon with confusion for a brief moment before striking the door with his free hand again. Thomas had been off duty, what was he doing in the interrogation room? Jezin's fist slammed into the metal door again, this time harder. "Thomas! Open this door now!" Hearing no response from the other side, Jezin slammed his fist into the door twice, now yelling with all his might. "Thomas open the fucking door now!" He gritted his teeth, gripping Harmony's hilt in his right hand and repeatedly glancing towards the hallway, hoping the chaos outside had not turned into a bloodbath.

When the Flames Die

Sophia watched the king's face as he opened the last gift, wondering why he seemed uneasy. Her pondering was cut short by the unearthly rumble and the crash of Karl Leid plummeting through a nearby table. As the body struck the ground, a single drop of blood landed on Sophia's cheek. Her eyes widened with horror at the scene that had just unfolded before her. All the color drained from the princess' face. Her hands shook and the glass fell from her hand, shattering on the stone floor of the courtyard. She was frozen, unable to move from terror. She had never expected something so dramatic to happen, especially at the feast. Everything had been routine, they were just here on a diplomatic mission, why was all this happening now?

Jezin froze when he heard the crash. Lexine suspicions had been correct. Something was terribly wrong. He slowly turned his head to see a mangled body had landed feet from the king, and in an instant his training kicked in.He glanced to Payton, who seemed baffled by the calamity that had just befallen them. In an instant, he bolted, his coat slipping from the woman's hands. He ran headlong toward Sophia and Gareth, grabbing the princess around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. He slight frame made her easy to carry. The girl seemed paralyzed by fear, and he couldn't blame her. A man had just fallen from the sky. He looked towards the king, who was now surrounded by his knights. For a moment he cursed the loss of his weapon, but now wasn't the time. He had to get the princess to safety. He'd be damned if anything happened to her on his watch. He rushed off, knocking people over as he ran, the princess still over his shoulder.

Sophia couldn't even register that Jezin picked her up. She watched as the scene before her grew smaller and smaller, feeling a few bumps every time Jezin ran into someone. She outreached one hand as they fled back towards Gareth. She couldn't manage to speak, but her eyes seemed to bear some kind of warning, perhaps a request to follow them, perhaps a warning to get far away as quickly as possible.

Jezin's mind raced. He had to get the princess to safety immediately. He struggled to think of a safe place, when an epiphany struck him. The interrogation room. It had seemed nearly impenetrable when Redwyne took him back there. He turned sharply and darted towards the palace, quickly rushing through the outer door towards the room. As he reached the door, he noticed a few weapons lying outside. It didn't register immediately that this probably meant an interrogation was going on. He wrapped his hand around the doorknob, but it wouldn't budge. "Damn it!" He shouted, slamming his fist into the door three times. "What the fuck is going on here?!" He struck the heavy metal door once more. He felt the princess shivering on his shoulder. It was clear the girl was terrified.

When the Flames Die

The bodies have hit the floor.

When the Flames Die

Sophia smiled when the king got to her gift. He acknowledged her when he examined the weapon. She stood and bowed slightly. "Of course, Your Highness. My mother sends her highest regards." Sophia took a seat after speaking, happy that the king had enjoyed his gift. For a moment, she was a bit proud of herself. She had done exactly as her mother asked, and things were going smoothly thus far. She'd always felt a bit useless as the youngest child, but she had finally accomplished something. The smile on her face widened as she took another sip from her glass. She looked back towards Gareth as he answered her question. She was surprised he'd only been in Mullen for a month. "Hmm, he seems it." She looked back towards the king, taking a long drink. "Really, only a month? I took you for a local, where did you live before this?" The princess laughed slightly. Thunder rang out in the distance. Sophia's yellow eyes glanced out to the horizon. She hoped the storm wouldn't come in to ruin the party too quickly.

Jezin smirked when Payton asked her questions. "Hmm... maybe. On both counts." He chuckled slightly, continuing to dance, now that he had the lead. He attempted to twirl Payton, a lofty goal for a woman in armor. She seemed to have been doing well so far though. The Lyoki man looked back towards the king's table. "Royalty tend to take their time." He laughed, still keeping an eye on Sophia, and noticing that the king acknowledged her when he opened the sword. "Well, it seems he likes our gift. Did you bring him anything, my lady?" He kept up his smirk and calm demeanor. Over the music, he heard a rumble of thunder.

No Haven [A Walking Dead Roleplay]

Vince sat against a wall near the gate of Last Hearth. He had tried to find an area where the sun wouldn't be beating down on him, and though the shadow of the house was protecting him for the moment, he had no doubt that as the sun moved he'd soon be roasting again. He sighed, pulling a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket. He pulled one cigarette from the pack, looking at the half-empty box with a bit of disappointment. He placed the pack back in his pocket and lit the cigarette, taking a long drag. It was funny how the world could change so much in such a short amount of time. His pipe was leaned against the wall next to him. His green eyes glanced about, noting a few people talking near the gate. He hadn't gotten very well acquainted with the population of Last Hearth just yet, despite having arrived three days prior. He leaned back against the wall, taking another drag from his cigarette and watching as two men nearby talked.

No Haven [A Walking Dead Roleplay]

Name:Vincent 'Vince' Cross

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Appearance: Vince is tall, standing just above six feet, and is rather slim, almost to the point of looking underfed. He has a pale complexion, and is nearly always sunburned. His eyes are light green, and usually bloodshot from lack of sleep. He has short red hair, which darkened as he aged, and a scruffy beard. He wears an ill-fitting white button-up shirt that has been heavily stained, and wears a simple black tie, which despite the state of the world has remained intact. His pants are simple black dress pants, and his shoes are made of battered black patent leather.

Weapons(Nothing too farfetched): Vince's primary weapon is a two-and-a-half foot length of pipe. It has black electrical tape tied around one end to make a makeshift handle. The business end of the pipe is pointed, making it seem it was sawed out of it's proper place with a hacksaw. Vince also has a snub-nosed .44 revolver, but he keeps it hidden, as it only has five rounds, and survivors with firearms are usually put on guard duty, something he has no interest in. The weapon is usually kept tucked in his waist band, and covered with his untucked shirt.

Personality: Vince usually seems like a decent enough person, if not a bit awkward. He often tries to adjust his speech and personality to fit who he's talking to, making him a bit of a social chameleon. He doesn't necessarily go out of his way to help others, though he will if the situation benefits him. Despite his exterior, something seems off about Vince, a trait that only becomes apparent to those who are around him for long periods of time. He is usually very tight-lipped about his past.

Short History: When the outbreak started, Vince was in a mental hospital. As panic engulfed the place, he was set free, scavenging what he could and setting out to find a safe location as quickly as possible. He arrived at Last Hearth three days ago.

When the Flames Die

Sophia smiled when Gareth took his seat, crossing her hands in her lap. "My mother had a very special sword made for him. It's made almost entirely from gold, and it's covered in gemstones from all over Lyok." The princess smiled, hoping the king would enjoy the gift. "It's absolutely beautiful! I'm sure he'll like it. At least, I hope he does. We hired the most talented smiths in the entire empire to make it." She kept up her smile, and reached across the table for a small glass. A pitcher was nearby. She lifted it, struggling slightly with it's weight. She poured a bit of the wine into the delicate glass cup, being careful not to spill any. The princess gently placed the pitcher back in it's correct position and took a small sip from her glass. The wine was strong, stronger than the wine she had tasted in Lyok, and she pursed her lips slightly at the flavor. She had never drank very much before, but it was a celebration. "So, Gareth, you've lived here for a long time, right? What do you think of the king?"

When the Flames Die

A warm smirk crossed Jezin's face as he allowed Payton to overtake the lead. He replied with his typical bravado. "A gentleman? Oh, well I do try to be, milady." He continued moving to the music rather gracefully. "I assure you women in armor get special treatment. Especially those who dance so well." He winked and chuckled slightly, still moving about. He noticed a few people leaving the dance floor. It seemed the king had arrived, late to his own feast. The soldier continued dancing, but periodically glanced towards the king's table, and then to Sophia, who had taken a seat nearby. Despite Lexine's earlier concerns, things seemed to be going rather smoothly, at least for the moment. He hoped the woman had been wrong and the feast would go off without a hitch. Still, in the back of his mind, he had a bad feeling. "It seems our host has finally arrived." He said, still dancing about, allowing Payton to lead.