DrowsyPangolin

When the Flames Die

Jezin followed Payton back to her room, occasionally looking behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. Eventually, they reached their destination. Payton rushed into the room ,while Jezin lingered outside for a few moments. Within a few seconds, Payton had removed her shirt. Jezin couldn't help but stare for a moment. She asked him to come in. Something in the back of his mind still told him to turn around, but once again the voice went unheeded. "But of course." He said as he strode into the room, closing the door behind him. He approached the woman with a smile and leaned forward to kiss her, placing one hand on her hip as he did so.

When the Flames Die

Sophia walked alongside Sir Walden, thankful for his company in the walk back to her room. She tried her best to maintain balance, but a few times her intoxication got the better of her. Thankfully, the large man helped her when she stumbled. When they finally reached the doorway, Walden informed the princess that her door would be guarded. She smiled. Even if everything had gone to hell, it seemed there was still kindness and hospitality to be found in the world. "Thank you very much, Sir Walden. I certainly hope so." She gave a bright smile and opened the door, waving to the knight as she shut the door behind her. Inside, she found a very distraught Eva.

"Oh, Princess! You're finally back! I've been so worried, I heard lots of noise earlier, I didn't know what had happened." Sophia smiled and waved off the lady-in-waiting's concerns. "I'm fine, Eva. Things got hectic at the feast..." She tried to think of the best way to put things. She took a deep breath. "A man was killed, and they're saying the people that did it are plotting against the king." She made no mention of the manner of Karl's death, or of their encounter with Thomas. The handmaiden gasped, before running across the room and embracing the girl. "I'm so sorry, milady. Are you certain you're alright?" The servant paused for a moment, looking around. "Your grace, where is Jezin?" Sophia smirked. "He's with a girl." Eva glowered. "At a time like this? Really?" Sophia shook her head. "Don't worry about it, they're putting knights outside our door anyway. Cut him some slack." The handmaiden sighed as Sophia approached her bedroom door. "Good night, your grace." Sophia replied groggily and shut the door behind her.

Jezin looked up, holding back a chuckle at the woman's obvious drunkenness. He stood up with her. "Well, I suppose I could... if you feel up to such a thing." She smirked, walking around the table and standing beside her. The people around them were beginning to file out of the hall. "Yes, it seems they are... I could escort you back to your quarters, if you'd like, my lady." He seemed to be implying something fairly heavily, and chuckled slightly. He reached his hand across the table to the half glass of wine he had poured before and downed the entirety of the vessel. He felt a faint warmness, but was far from drunk. He noticed Sophia and Sir Walden had left, hoping desperately that the princess would be alright for a few hours.

When the Flames Die

Jezin glanced back across the room, seeing Sophia leaving with Sir Walden. Again, his mind screamed for him to follow her, but the warning went unheeded. Sir Walden would escort her back to her quarters, and all would be fine. He had a hard time making himself believe the idea, but a mixture of alcohol and lust had brought down better men than himself. He turned back to Payton. "It seems so." He put on a smirk, but it seemed less genuine as his sense of honor and duty rebelled quietly within him. Against his better judgement, he poured another half glass of wine. Sipping on the drink, he leaned forward. "Hmm, maybe I will, my lady." The bodyguard's eyes glimmered slightly in the torch light as he brushed his hair from his face.

When the Flames Die

Sophia nodded to Sir Walden, yawning slightly as she did so. "Yes, it's been a long night." She stood up from the table, her knees feeling somewhat wobbly. She glanced over to her bodyguard when Sir Walden mentioned his preoccupation, just in time to see the woman kiss Jezin across the table. She giggled. "Yes, Sir Walden, if you wouldn't mind that would be wonderful, it does seem he's a bit busy." She laughed. While Jezin's current activities were likely against some rule or other, he had been through a lot that night, even if he didn't show it. The princess resigned to leave him where he was and hopefully let him get his mind off of everything. After all, Sir Walden would likely be able to get her to the room just fine. She smiled at Gareth. "Good night, Gareth." The princess wobbled a few feet. "I'm ready when you are, Sir Walden."

Jezin froze for a moment when the woman kissed him, a bit shocked at the sudden act. He blinked a few times as she pulled back, before regaining his composure and returning to the same playful smirk. "I promise, if you'd ever been to a Lyoki celebration you wouldn't think that." The country may have been more well known for it's wealth and military might, but it's hospitality was not something to be overlooked. He chuckled. His mind told him that he should head back to the room. It was his duty as a bodyguard. The rest of him, however, disagreed with this notion entirely. It'd been too long since he'd felt the touch of a woman. He leaned forward in his seat. "I think you'd find Lyok to have just as many women as anywhere else... As far as 'playful' bodyguards go though, I think you're just lucky to have found one at such short notice." He spoke with a certain bravado, watching as the woman took her last sip of wine.

When the Flames Die

Jezin looked mildly exasperated for a moment. "Sponge cake, right..." He looked across the table at Payton, who continued playfully mocking him. He finished his drink and put on a smile. "Maybe you're right. How would you propose I go about 'lightening up', milady? I'm afraid most of my life has been all business." He leaned back in his chair and smirked. "Most. But not all." He winked, but left his goblet sitting on the table. He had drunk enough, at least for the moment. He glanced around the room. Despite the events of the day, most of the surrounding people seemed to be holding themselves together rather well. Perhaps Payton was right, perhaps he was taking things too seriously. No, after what he had seen earlier such a thing was impossible.

Sophia crossed her hands, listening to Sir Walden's story. It sounded like he used to be quite the warrior in his past, though the princess imagined he could still fight quite well if the situation called for it. The man's words of encouragement carried an almost sage-like wisdom. It was clear, despite his rough-and-tumble attitude, that he was also a smart man, at least in the ways of the world. The princess laughed as Sir Walden finished his story, imagining him literally twisting a man into a walking pretzel. She quietly wondered when they would be allowed to return to their rooms. She felt a bit of drowsiness creeping up on her, though she was uncertain if the terror she had faced earlier would return if she closed her eyes.

When the Flames Die

Jezin smirked. "I'm sure you're quite fearsome, milady." He took another sip of his drink, the same sarcastic smirk holding on his face. He looked around the room, being surprised to notice his opponent in the tournament sitting across the room. He hadn't seen the man since their fight earlier. He had half a mind to go and speak with the man, but was interrupted by a finger poking him in the nose. He looked across the table with a blank stare. Despite her arguments to the contrary, Payton seemed quite drunk, still, he had no intention of being rude to the woman. He'd play along, at least for the moment. "Is that so? How tough do you suppose I am, then?" Something about being so playful in such times made him uncomfortable. Blood had been spilled, after all.

Sophia laughed, taking another drink. She felt slightly dizzy. She placed the goblet on the table and spoke up. "The capitol has treated us rather well, all things considered..." The wine had calmed her nerves, but it was making it hard to think. Maybe that's why people drank so much, it made them forget. She frowned for a moment. She looked up at Sir Walden with a bright smile. "Sir Walden, thank you for being so kind. It means a lot." The princess struggled to pronounce her words correctly. She looked over, noticing that Gareth was trying to pace himself to avoid intoxication. Maybe she should have tried the same. Sophia shook her head when Walden spoke about hie envy of their youth. "You seem to still have quite a bit of vigor, Sir Walden! I wouldn't get envious just yet."

When the Flames Die

Jezin laughed, taking another gulp from his goblet. Payton seemed to accept his apology for abandoning her, though if this acceptance was a product of her current state was impossible to determine. She seemed quite drunk by now, but she was managing to hold herself together somehow. Jezin smirked at Payton's boast, leaning forward in his chair. "Is that so? I'm quite intimidated." his voice dripped with sarcasm as he sipped his drink. It still was having little effect on him. "Had a bit too much to drink, have we?" The bodyguard looked slyly over the top of his goblet.

Sophia smiled as Walden insisted they celebrate Gareth's new position. She took a long drink from her glass before speaking up. "Yes, Gareth! We should celebrate!" In the back of her mind, she was still worried about everything that had happened. She welcomed anything to take her mind off of the despair. She reached her arm out, clacking her glass against Walden's with a grin. The alcohol was beginning to effect her. With her slight size, it was surprising she had drank as much as she had without feeling the effects of the wine. "To Gareth!" She said, her intoxication showing slightly.

When the Flames Die

Jezin nodded at Walden's comment. He caught a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. He noticed Payton sitting at a nearby table. "If you'll excuse me, I must beg my leave for a moment." He looked towards Sophia and nodded, a silent affirmation that he would be back by her side in an instant if the need arose. He stood up, carrying his goblet with him, and took a seat across from the now unarmored woman. He could tell my looking at her that she had been drinking a fair amount, but after the events of the night he could hardly blame her. After taking a sip of wine he spoke up. "Sorry for leaving you earlier, but duty called. It seems you made it back in one piece though." He gave the woman a slight smile, unsure of how she would react.

Sophia looked back and forth between Gareth and Sir Walden, surprised by the large man's offer. The half-elf seemed rather eager to accept the offer. The princess smiled, taking another sip of wine. Sir Walden seemed like a kind man, and she was sure Gareth would enjoy serving as a squire for him. She gave him a congratulatory pat on the back. She could feel the wine finally starting to take effect. She was glad the drink was alleviating her stress at last. Sir Walden congratulated Gareth. He belched loudly, apologizing to the princess. Sophia smirked. "Oh no, Sir Walden, I take no offense." She laughed softly.

When the Flames Die

Jezin nodded as Sir Walden explained his position. It was the second time he had heard King Bernard mentioned that day. "Ah yes, Sir Redwyne mentioned the Wolf Lord as well, he sounds like quite the man." Jezin spoke with a friendly but respectful tone, a stark contrast against his harsh seriousness earlier. He smiled at the man when he mentioned that he would have trouble swearing all of the Order's oaths. After taking another sip of wine, Jezin chuckled and replied. "Yes, they all seem to take their oaths very seriously around here." He was still hesitant to trust anyone around him, but Sir Walden seemed genuine enough. At the very least, the man's friendly demeanor was a welcome relief after the night they had all experienced.

Sophia smiled when Sir Walden spoke. She nodded in agreement with his statement. It was true, if people allowed dread to overwhelm them they would surely descend into hopelessness. The words gave her hope. Even in such darkness there was hope. She smiled, taking a small sip of wine as she listened to the man speak of his position in the Order. He wasn't officially a knight, it seemed. The princess listened to his conversation with Gareth with interest. She was still surprised that Gareth was of elven descent, but decided to reserve questions about his heritage for a later time.

When the Flames Die

Sophia smiled when Walden introduced himself. "A pleasure to meet you, Sir Walden. It's nice to hear a friendly voice in times like these." She took another sip of the wine. Walden asked Gareth's name, and made the assumption that he was a half-elf, a fact Sophia had been ignorant of until now. She glanced at Gareth. Elves were rarely seen in Lyok. In fact, their rarity had led to the widespread belief that the race was something from a fairy tale, but she knew better. She had read books about the west, and knew elves existed, but she'd never met one in the flesh, not until now. She smiled. "I didn't know that, Gareth."

Jezin finished his glass of wine and began pouring a second one. "A pleasure, Sir Walden," the knight said, before taking another gulp of wine. He didn't feel even relatively drunk, despite the strength of the wine. It did calm his nerves, however, something he was thankful for. Walden had confirmed that he was a knight, something Jezin had all but deduced already. No armor, though, the body guard thought, before realizing the man was probably too large to fit in a standard suit. Plate was such a fickle thing. Difficult if not impossible to resize, heavy, uncomfortable. He was quietly thankful Lyok opted for scale armor. "So, Sir Walden, I imagine you're a member of the Order of the THistle as well?"