LostDestiny

The Sahasian Alliance

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Annalise stood when the Princes entered the hall and greeted them with her father. She would be lying if she said that each one didn’t peak her interest. Each and everyone of them was so incredibly different. She had known this would be the case however actually getting to see it was something else. She greeted each with a smile and a bow of her head, but said nothing. As soon as her father began speaking she took her seat, observing the individuals as he spoke. Trying to read each Prince’s reaction to the situation. Both Sulhana and Loreena addressed the Princes directly. However Annalise had decided to observe before taking action. She knew all too well that as the eldest at least a few of them, if not all, would attempt to claim her as there's. She has no intention of taking the situation lightly. Whoever she married would inherit both their own kingdom, as well as hers when both of their parents could no longer rule.

The eldest daughter had gracefully slipped out of the main hall when Loreena was giving them their gifts. In the hopes that they were distracted by her sister. The suitors who had joined them seemed to simply be adjusting to what was happening. They weren’t showing their hands yet, and she wanted some time to think before she joined Sulhana in the Court of Flowers. After all she had a whole country to think about.

Annalise soon found herself in the castle’s Library. She would often come here to distract herself. Reading some of the old tales that were here helped calm her down. Though today her thoughts were too strong. No amount of books could distract her from her thoughts today. There was too much riding on the decisions to come. The man she married would lay claim to not only his own thrown, in the case of all the men besides Gil, but also Astalia’s thrown.

As she looked at the many books on the shelves her thoughts wandered to the Princes who had arrived. Logically, if she wanted to ensure that Astalia remained a military power within the continent her choices for suitors were the Prodzy Prince and the Jorda Prince. Both had strong military forces. However there was an unknown with the Elven Prince Alvaro, and the Orcish Prince Gil. Of the two however Prince Gil held no claim to his people’s throne. From what Sulhana had managed to get the young prince had little to no desire to rule. As the third son he had the most freedom among his siblings and seemed content to maintain that status. The likely-hood that he would have any interest in herself was slim to none. Then again, a man who had no interest in ruling would be far more likely to let her take the responsibility of doing so.

Annalise decided that clearly she was not going to get any peace of mind from reading and headed, finally, toward the Court of Flowers. A handmaiden scurried back into the castle from the courtyard and stopped only briefly to curtsy in her direction, then continued on her path. She was about to enter the courtyard when the sound of music reached her ears. She paused outside the door and listened. A tear fell down her cheek as she listened to her sister’s song. They were all so young when they lost their mother, and their father hadn’t been the same since. Annalise only had vague memories of her mother, her siblings were likely the same. Jin had barely entered the world when she had passed. How ironic that the daughter that looked the most like her mother entered the world shortly before their mother left.

It took her a moment, but she composed herself and walked into the Court of Flowers. The veil that covered her slightly discolored right eye was still secured to her hair, she had honestly meant to remove it but had forgotten it was there since she couldn’t see it. Her pale blue eyes hid the difference well from a distance, but up close it was obvious that one eye was much closer to a silver color, and this eye never focused on anything. The obvious sign that she had no sight in her right eye. She worried this would make her less appealing to the suitors and ruin the whole plan but now was not the time. Her functional eye landed on her sister, as she walked to her.

“Why must my younger siblings show me up so extravagantly?” She teased embracing Sulhana in a short hug, releasing after only a few seconds. “Do you think any of the men will come?” She questioned though it wasn’t something she was expecting much of an answer to, she was more asking herself out loud. She wasn’t even sure her other two sisters would join them. Jin especially, this was not her type of thing. She hoped that everyone would turn up. A chance to converse without the prying eyes of their father and the nosey members of the court would be fantastic. They would all get a sense for each other before they had to appear in public, at a ball no less.

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After it seemed the ruling family was finished addressing them and they were officially allowed to wander the grounds Gil left the Hall without a word to any of the others there. Aldar and Sioban followed behind him as he left, though he quickly dismissed both men to do as they pleased. Aldar excused himself to go make sure the group’s sleeping arrangements were prepared but Sioban continued to follow the Prince around.

Sioban was young for as skilled of a Shaman as he was. Though he looked to be the same age as Gil, Sioban was in his early thirties. He was by no means a master at his craft but he was far more skilled than others at his age. Though there was a decent age gap between the two, Gil and Sioban were pretty good friends so the Prince had no qualms with the Shaman following him around.

“Do you plan to attend that gathering the Princess was speaking about?” The Shaman’s amber eyes landed on the Prince, he seemed he had more to say but kept it to himself. Gil took a moment to think. He was told he could decline but it seemed rude to do so. Not to mention what he would say about his character if he refused to interact with any of the Princesses outside of official functions. Though he didn’t particularly care for marrying any of them, it was for the benefit of his country and his people.

“It would be rude to not attend. Plus the opportunity to get to know them before all eyes are on us would be ideal. So yes, I do intend to attend.” He glanced over to the man beside him who smiled lightly. “Which means you will have to go bother Aldar for a while. I don’t need a babysitter.” Gil’s blue eyes squinted at the half orc beside him, who was chuckling to himself.

“I had no intention of following you to the Court of Flowers. I was going to take the time to prod at the minds of the court mages here, I have never met a mage so I figured it would be fun to compare notes.” Gil gave the Shaman a skeptical look. “Relax Gil when I say prod I mean talk not invade their personal thoughts. You know that takes a while to prepare anyway. Plus I am sure Mages would know how to defend against something like that. Anyway, I am leaving you now. Don’t embarrass us in front of the ladies. Good luck.” Sioban slapped the young Prince on the back before turning on a heel and walking back down the hall he had come from, leaving Gil to his thoughts as he wondered.

It was a short walk from the time Sioban left him to when he made it to the Court of Flowers, after asking a servant for directions. He stopped beside the door, staring at it for a moment. He mentally prepared himself to use the Astalian native language, rather than Orcish. The advantage of having a collection of citizens from every country is there was always a tutor in the languages he needed, so he and his brothers were all and least conversationally fluent in most of the languages spoken on Sahas. When the invitation was sent out Gil’s practices went directly to Astalian and the languages spoken by the remaining countries free from the Empire. With a sigh Gil straightened and entered the Court of Flowers. A quick glance said he was the one of the first here, not even all the Princesses had made it. He should have had Sioban add the ribbon to this hair before coming here, maybe then he would have been the last. It was too late now, so in a heavily accented voice Gil greeted those there already. “Greetings.” He bowed his head a little in respect and then his blue eyes watched the reactions of the others.

Crimson Kiss, vampire RP

I too have had my interest piqued.

Marvel: Tales of the Multiverse

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_{Location: Charity Gala Interaction: Many (I am too lazy to tag them all)}

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Lev had rather been enjoying his dance with Miss Cross, and so when a large feline-like beast which he quickly identified as a lion, fell from the ceiling his first instinct was to pull the woman under him taking the brunt of the glass shards that fell around them. This is, of course, exactly the action he took. He might be a criminal by nature but he wasn’t heartless, he refused to allow innocent people to get hurt if he could stop it, so long as he wasn’t getting paid to do the harming. Glass fell from the ceiling and though he had managed to avoid being stabbed by any of the falling shards, his back was still heavily scratched. Still he hoped that he had managed to protect his dance partner from most if not all of it.

“Ma’am, it appears our dance, and by association, this game is over.” He released her not pushing her toward an exit, but rather leaving her where she was and turned his now bloodied back toward her to face the lion, the ninjas, and now another beast-like person that had started fighting in the vicinity of the Gala. “Why does nothing I do ever go smoothly.” He muttered to himself, though it was loud enough that those in the general vicinity could hear. He barely managed to avoid having a ninja tossed in his direction before he pulled a small metal tube-like item from his pocket. Upon fiddling with it for a moment it expanded into a long, metal staff.

The white haired male had little reason for joining into the fight other than he just really wanted to hit something. He had no clue who, or what, he was supposed to be hitting but decided the easier of the targets would be the ninjas, rather than the lion and other being that had joined it. Before he moved to join the fray he turned only a little to give the woman a smirk and a sly remark. “I might ask for more pay depending on how quickly this issue is taken care of.” He winked at her and turned to hit the nearest ninja with the metal staff that was now charged with accelerated kinetic energy. The impact sent the unsuspecting individual flying, probably with several broken bones on top of being sent across the room, into a few of his buddies. This gained the attention of some of the ninja and he simply readied himself for a fight. It had been a while since he had been in a physical altercation that wasn’t just a small street fight, so there was something that resembled a look of pure glee on the man’s face. If the civilians cleared out he might even be able to cause a few explosions, which was, of course, his favorite way to fight.

The Sahasian Alliance

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Looking around Gil observed the other Princes who had accepted the invite. He had been given a crash course on each of them. As much as possible at least. His country was small, new, and lacked the resources to get certain information. Most of what he knew came straight from the mouths of the people from his Kingdom and he wasn’t sure how much was true and how much were rumors and speculation. Either way he took what he could get with a grain of salt.

His blue eyes also glanced over the Astalian Royal Family. They too were surprisingly different. He wondered how a family who was supposedly all related by the same blood could vary so greatly. He figured it was something to do with the late Queen, who had only been described to him as a beautifully kind woman. Though he supposed his siblings also varied greatly, both in appearance and personality. Gil was lost in thought when the King started his speech and by the time he had focused back in, the man had already finished speaking. He would have to ask Sioban what was said later, Aldar would only scold him for not paying attention the first time.

Before he had the chance to move one of the Princesses was standing to address them. She spoke in a manner that commanded just as much attention as his own mother. As though she knew more than she was letting on. It piqued his interest to say the least and he listened to what she had to say to each of them, hoping to glean something new about the men that stood around him, as well as simply being fascinated by this woman who was addressing them. The Prodzy prince and himself made this woman look like a child and yet her presence was nothing if not large.

When she finally moved to address him directly he couldn’t help but smile at her knowledge of his culture. Most simply chose to believe his people were cruel brutes so the fact that she knew something as simple as how his people showed their status and their achievements made him happy. The small smile on his face persisted when she moved to the last of the Princes. She ended her address with an invitation to an event of sorts and then she was gone. He had but just a moment to think before yet another Princess stood to address them.

She too commanded the attention in the room but in a different way, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. This woman also addressed each Prince individually though from what he could see she offered gifts. When she offered him the box he gently took it, curious as to what it could be. He opened it to reveal the braided ribbon. He looked at the gift and then back to the woman who had offered it. As per his culture he would not be able to add the ribbon to his hair himself but he bowed his head in thanks and passed the box off to Sioban, who would have to look it over and perform the proper rituals before Gil could don the braided ribbon. Regardless, if the ancestors permitted he had every intention of adding the braid to his person.

The princess moved to address the next Prince and finally there was pause enough for him to speak up. He stepped forward to address the King Aldar on his heels, holding a long rectangular box. “It is common practice in my culture, when visiting a leader of another clan, to present said leader with a gift, commonly said gift is a weapon. From my father to you I present this sword crafted by my country's best dwarven smith.” His voice deep and his Astalian mediocre at best. Aldar walked forward presenting the box, now opened, to the King revealing a simple blade with a heavily decorated hilt. The sword itself was very similar to that of a long sword however the decorative hilt was shorter than standard and the hilt also bore a metal guard where the hand would be placed. The box was taken by the King who looked it over and then handed the box off to a servant. The older man nodded in thanks and Gil stepped back, Aldar having already done so once the box was taken.

♆ 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚁𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚜 ♆ (𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚢 𝙹𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚁𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢)

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Kassi Andrews, Daughter of Demeter

_{"Even in the harshest of conditions life can be found."}

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___________________________________ N A M E Kassi Bree Andrew ∞ Kas ∞ Bree ∞ Andy A G E February 4thth, 20 years young G E N D E R Female S E X U A L I T Y Heterosexual P L A C E O F O R I G I N Houson, Texas. N A T I O N A L I T Y Irish-American E T H N I C I T Y Irish decent ___________________________________ A P P E R A N C E Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Hair: Blonde/Platinum blonde Eyes: Blue Body Type: Mesomorph Body Marks: Double ear piercings, nose piercing on left side ___________________________________ R E L A T I O N S H I P S T A T U S Single Current: ∞ N/A Past: None F A M I L Y Parents Mother: ∞Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture Father: ∞Cory Andrews. Half-Siblings Brother: ∞ TBD Sister: ∞TBD L E G A C Y Dionysis, god of grape-harvest, and wine P E T S She wouldn’t call them pets but Kas does keep a few hives of bees. ___________________________________

L I K E S ✔ Music ✔ Cooking ✔ Insects/arachnids (bees and ants especially) ✔ Swimming ✔ Board games ✔ Harry Potter ✔ Rain ✔ Gardening ✔ Capture the Flag (even tho she is horrid at it) ✔ Baking ✔ Clear sunny days D I S L I K E S ✘ Rodents ✘ Confrontation ✘ Being ignored ✘ Loud noises ✘ Crowds ✘ Small Spaces (severe claustrophobia) ✘ Balloons (specifically when they pop but balloons in general) ____________________________________________________________________________ P E R S O N A L I T Y Kind ~ Driven ~ Caring ~ Creative ~ Extraverted-Introvert ~ Hyper ___________________________________ B I O G R A P H Y -TBA ___________________________________ D E M I G O D I N F O C A B I N Cabin four, Demeter Goddess of the Harvest Y E A R S AT C A M P This year will be her fourth. R E S P O N S A B I L I T I E S ~ Tend to the greenhouse ~ Tending to her beehives W E A P O N S Staff of the Vineyard A B I L I T I E S ~Green thumb Kas can make just about anything grow in just about any condition at a rapid rate, though she prefers to use this only in times of emergencies as she sees it as ruining the quality of the crop if abused. She can use this to cause plants to overgrow as well. ~Barkskin Using this as a form of a natural armor Kas can harden her skin to that of thick bark, this also tends to give her skin a bark like appearance when in use. ____________________________________________________________________________ O T H E R C A B I N / R O O M ∞ M I S C E L L A N E O U S -TBA T H E M E S O N G -TBA Face Claim: Kris Collins AKA KallmeKris | #2A981D

♆ 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚁𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚜 ♆ (𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚢 𝙹𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚁𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢)

I am not done but I am putting this here as a place holder

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Kassi Andrews, Daughter of Demeter

_{"Even in the harshest of conditions life can be found."}

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___________________________________ N A M E Kassi Bree Andrew ∞ Kas ∞ Bree ∞ Andy A G E February 4thth, 20 years young G E N D E R Female S E X U A L I T Y Heterosexual P L A C E O F O R I G I N Houson, Texas. N A T I O N A L I T Y Irish-American E T H N I C I T Y Irish decent ___________________________________ A P P E R A N C E Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Hair: Blonde/Platinum blonde Eyes: Blue Body Type: Mesomorph Body Marks: Double ear piercings, nose piercing on left side ___________________________________ R E L A T I O N S H I P S T A T U S Single Current: ∞ N/A Past: None F A M I L Y Parents Mother: ∞Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture Father: ∞Cory Andrews. Half-Siblings Brother: ∞ TBD Sister: ∞TBD L E G A C Y Dionysis, god of grape-harvest, and wine P E T S She wouldn’t call them pets but Kas does keep a few hives of bees. ___________________________________

L I K E S ✔ Music ✔ Cooking ✔ Insects/arachnids (bees and ants especially) ✔ Swimming ✔ Board games ✔ Harry Potter ✔ Rain ✔ Gardening ✔ Capture the Flag (even tho she is horrid at it) ✔ Baking ✔ Clear sunny days D I S L I K E S ✘ Rodents ✘ Confrontation ✘ Being ignored ✘ Loud noises ✘ Crowds ✘ Small Spaces (severe claustrophobia) ✘ Balloons (specifically when they pop but balloons in general) ____________________________________________________________________________ P E R S O N A L I T Y Kind ~ Driven ~ Caring ~ Creative ~ Extraverted-Introvert ~ Hyper ___________________________________ B I O G R A P H Y -TBA ___________________________________ D E M I G O D I N F O C A B I N Cabin four, Demeter Goddess of the Harvest Y E A R S AT C A M P This year will be her fourth. R E S P O N S A B I L I T I E S ~ Tend to the greenhouse ~ Tending to her beehives W E A P O N S Staff of the Vineyard A B I L I T I E S ~Green thumb Kas can make just about anything grow in just about any condition at a rapid rate, though she prefers to use this only in times of emergencies as she sees it as ruining the quality of the crop if abused. She can use this to cause plants to overgrow as well. ~Barkskin Using this as a form of a natural armor Kas can harden her skin to that of thick bark, this also tends to give her skin a bark like appearance when in use. ____________________________________________________________________________ O T H E R C A B I N / R O O M ∞ M I S C E L L A N E O U S -TBA T H E M E S O N G -TBA Face Claim: Kris Collins AKA KallmeKris | #2A981D

♆ 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚁𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚜 ♆ (𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚢 𝙹𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚁𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢)

Screw it I am here! Might as well throw in my own character into this. :P Ill have one up tomorrow prolly.

Marvel: Tales of the Multiverse

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Not a few moments after Lev had managed to post up in an area near Oberon and the other woman, he was approached by a woman who took a drink from his tray, which was normal enough but she seemed to linger for longer than normal before asking him if he wanted to dance. Usually it was much later when the stray, drunk rich witches asked him to dance. This early on was a new one. His eyes glanced over her body instinctively, she was more attractive than most of the women who made passes at him so that was a relief. After a moment of looking her over he shook his head.

“I apologize ma’am but I am on the clock and if I was being honest would rather not get yelled at by the boss.” His thick accent was prominent as he attempted to politely refuse her offer. He was doing more than one job at the moment. He was desperate to get some dirt on anyone, and as much as he might want to, he had to refuse the woman in front of him. “Perhaps if I get a break before you take your leave I will come find you.” He risked a cheeky wink before giving her a polite bow of his head and moving to attempt to get closer to Price and the woman.

Jiang had to place a hand to her lips as she actually had to stifle a laugh that wanted to bubble up at his statement. He was certainly just as amusing as when they first met, trying to refuse her invitation in worry of her own wrath since he clearly didn’t realize he was speaking to his so-called “boss”. It was obviously an excuse which would have perfectly worked for anyone else in this room but luck seemed to be on her side for this one. She placed her empty glass back on the tray, smiling at the wink and polite bow, saying nothing as if she was accepting the rejection with flying colors. The moment he went to move however, she swiftly placed herself back into his path before taking hold of his wrist with one hand while she gracefully removed the tray from him with her other.

Jiang took both of them in the opposite direction, gently yanking him so he had to turn around and follow or risk falling. Her enhanced strength was sometimes a blessing, making it easy to keep him along with her if he tried to resist. ”Isn’t it a fortunate turn of events then, that I am the one that hired you this evening.”, Jiang happily stated as they walked towards the dance floor, briefly pausing to pass the tray over to another waiter to handle before continuing towards their destination. She stopped once they were on the dance floor, turning to face him as her hand slid from his wrist up to his shoulder and leaned up to his ear just a breath away. ”Consider yourself on break.”, she whispered with a small smirk on her lips, tilting away so she could give him a wink just as he had done to her.

Lev thought he had managed to get free of the women but she had placed herself squarely between him and his path, in a fluid, graceful movement that he had not predicted. She gripped his wrist and he attempted to pull backward but the woman was much stronger than he had anticipated. He had to hold back his shock as she expertly pulled him away from where he was heading and managed to not spill the drinks he was holding. Even he wasn’t skilled enough to do that and he had wielded plenty of those trays in his life. “Um, this is really not..” He didn’t even get his full sentence out before hse interrupted him, informing the young male that she was his boss. The confusion on his face was no longer hidden but it quickly morphed into a sly smirk. “Well then who would I be to deny you a dance.” He slid one hand into hers and the other onto her waist.

It wasn’t what he had intended, but if this was the individual that had hired him, surely he could take the time to dance with her. Maybe he could get some juicy details from her. “I must say, you are impressively graceful.” He said as, in an attempt to even the playing field, he converted some of his own energy to give him a bit more strength. Attempting to seize control of the dance. His smirk was ever present as his gaze moved past the woman dancing with him to Price and the women he was speaking to, moving toward the dance floor. Perfect. He took his opportunity to attempt to steer their dance closer to the other two.

”You flatter me. I’m just glad I could impress.”, Jiang answered, a playful smirk teasing her own lips while they exchanged polite banter. She felt the shift in strength under her fingertips in the way his hold on her hand subtly changed before the control of their dancing passed from her leading to him. He surprised her with that action, a flutter of excitement at the opportunity for a challenge and someone that could match her without needing to be gentle. He easily steered them through the dance floor while she got over her initial delighted surprise but she didn’t see the reason why they were venturing a large length of the dance floor until she spotted the pair. A spark of annoyance flared at the fact he was trying to still get what he wanted, whatever that may be from the pair but she was also frustrated that Oberon had asked Ash for a dance, after all the work she put in to separate her current dance partner from them. Jiang decided to wait for the next turn when the pair was to her back, taking that moment to use a bit more of her strength as the hand on his shoulder shoved forward as she forced herself to take the lead again to move them in the opposite direction. ”It seems that your attention is elsewhere, perhaps I should take the lead?”, she questioned innocently even though she had already done just that.

Lev wasn’t stupid. It was clear at this point this woman was intentionally steering him away from his target. His eyes narrowed a bit, eyes moving from the woman to Price and then back to the woman. ”Oh no need ma’am I am an excellent dancer.” He summoned a little more strength and took the lead once more. Though this time he seemed to continue her path away from Price and his woman. ”How rude of me. I never introduced myself. Lev Vasiliev, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” It was clear she knew more than she was letting on, why else would she have pulled him away from the pair. Maybe she was a better target for the time being. He knew she would be careful not to reveal too much but he could draw his own conclusions based on what she did give him. They were both dancing around the fact that both were clearly using enhanced strength to control the situation, quite literally. He could entertain this woman for a bit. She couldn’t take up all his time could she? Oberon was easy enough to spot in a crowd. In the meantime this was entertaining enough.

”So I have noticed.”, she answered, the power to lead slipping away from her without missing a beat but this time, he did not shift their direction. It seemed she finally had his attention, though she could practically see the gears turning behind those blue eyes. Jiang knew she had to be careful, play the game they had started without showing her full hand. For now, he was matching her strength but that didn’t mean it would continue and it was likely he could be stronger than her. ”The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Vasiliev. I should apologize as well for my lack of introduction. Lydia Cross, how do you do?”, Jiang smiled, giving her alias name and preparing for anything he might throw at her. Lev was just as entertaining as the first time though it was a pity his companion from then was unknown and so far, not present. It had truly been twice as good to see them fighting but dancing and playing nice was far more enjoyable than dodging explosions.

It seemed his theory was correct, as long as he didn’t move toward Price she didn’t attempt to take the lead from him. Fine, he could play her game. ”So might I ask, what on earth made a woman of your power and beauty want to ask a lowly waiter such as myself to dance?” He pulled her a little closer and spun them in time to the music. He was glad he had taken the time to learn how to dance. Though it came in handy once in a blue moon it was still a nice skill to have. Though he would be lying if he said any other time had been nearly this entertaining. He clocked a few confused looks from the other waiters as he danced with this woman, but he was having too much fun to care. At least the night wasn’t a total bust as of now.

She raised a brow at his question, wondering if he was really that oblivious or trying to search out her personality. Sure, she had done so to keep him away from the pair across the room but there were clear reasons why she would want to without the given situation. ”Is that truly how you view yourself? As lowly? I see a very attractive individual in a room full of old fat cats with too much time on their hands and trying to work their own agendas. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few here that have my respect and actually care but those are few and far between. I have no illusions about that but sometimes you have to do things you don’t enjoy for the greater good. I asked you to dance because I wanted to, simple as that.”, Jiang answered as truthfully as possible. She knew that this probably looked strange to most but she really couldn’t find it in herself to care, taking a moment to just enjoy herself and be entertained because no doubt her partner would want to escape her company eventually. It would look strange to stop him for too long after all.

He was visibly taken back by her question. Is that how he saw himself? He took a moment to think about it, but didn’t linger for too long. ”Hm, well most of these fat cats, as you call them, would view someone like me as lowley, below them on the social totem pole, so to speak. Personally I think quite highly of myself.” He looked past her to the other guests of the party for a brief moment, before returning to gaze at her with a small sly smirk on his face. ”I am flattered that someone of your beauty finds me attractive, but plenty of the wait staff happen to be lookers. So why me in particular? Am I really the fairest of them all?” He moved to whisper that last sentence in her ear. It was at this point that he pumped himself with just a bit more energy and shifted them back toward Oberon, testing to see if she could overpower him at this point. He was playing with her, seeing how far he could go before she was no longer able to over power him. At this point this woman was far more interesting than the rich genius. He sincerely had no more interest in him, but he wanted to see how far this woman would go.

She brushed off his flattery, her appearance not meaning much since it really wasn’t her own and sure there were other attractive waiters but that hardly mattered. Jiang gasped softly, not expecting the whisper in her ear on the last sentence or the extra boost in strength. Their direction changed into a very familiar one but she didn’t have much more strength to give though. However, she was used to fighting those that were bigger and stronger. It wasn’t always about using brute strength against another…sometimes, it was about using your wits to overcome and outdo a stronger opponent. Her gaze locked with his in a defiant and determined look before hooked her leg behind one of his ankles to make sure he tripped due to his momentum. Jiang didn’t let him fall though, catching Lev into a dip with a sly smirk as she leaned close before whispering, ”If you are the fairest of them all, does that make me Prince Charming?”

Lev had not been expecting her reaction to him changing directions. His own moment was his downfall, literally. The woman had managed to get her leg around his and trip him, though she expertly caught him in a dip. His heart rate quickened when he thought he was going to hit the floor however when the initial shock of the move wore off he wore a shit eating grin on his face. ”Oh, you are good. But I don’t play the damsel in distress roll.” He quickly righted himself and regained his composure, once again taking the lead. Quickly deciding to get some form of revenge for what had just happened he promptly moved to twirl her in a circle in front of him. Moving away from Price once more. “So tell me Miss, why are you so intent on keeping me away from Oberon Price? Worried I’ll steal him away from his woman with my natural good looks? Want to keep me to yourself perhaps?” He decided to let her know he knew what she was doing, while simultaneously lessening the energy he was using to give himself strength. He was now back to his resting strength. He knew like this she could easily take control back but he hoped that this gesture made her more inclined to give him a straight answer, though he doubted that was the case.

She laughed gently at his comment, letting him take the lead once again and setting the tone of their dance. If he wanted her to twirl then she did, bending and moving like a reed in the wind. It was the least she could do for giving him such a shock. ”Why not both? It could also be neither. Perhaps, I know the look of a man who wishes to make a beginning with someone and simply want to give him as much of a chance to do so without prying eyes, judging ears, or interruptions. Maybe, I find your company agreeable and enjoy a good challenge that has very little to do with Mr. Price at this point.”, Jiang answered in probably the most honest way she could. She felt his strength lessen, knowing she could force his hand but this time she was the one to copy his level of power instead of the other way around. ”I might just be waiting, to see what move you make next….”, she added.

The Sahasian Alliance

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The King sat on his throne long before any of the daughters made their way to the main hall. He was sitting, deep in thought about the events that had led him to this moment. “Tiana, if you were here what would you say?” He rubbed his temples then ran his hand over his salt and peppered beard. He had spent many nights since his decision thinking about if he was making the right one. It was too late now to call it off, however, he still wondered. He had remained like this until his daughters slowly started to file in. Sulhana was the first to enter. Not surprising for his most resourceful daughter. Of course she would like to get the jump on the day, gaining information was her favorite pastime.

“Greetings daughter. I am sure your mother would love the alliances being formed.” His statement was half hearted. It was very clear he only half believed what he said. The next to enter was Annalise, as per usual she held herself with grace. She reminded him of Tiana in this way. She too greeted him, as well as her sister before taking her seat beside him. Her soft voice had not gone unnoticed by the older man. She usually made herself smaller than what she actually was, using her fragile appearance to her advantage to see how people treat her when they perceive her as weak. He nodded in acknowledgement to her but remained silent.

Next to enter was Jinayah, of all his daughters she reminded him most of his late wife. Sometimes it hurt to look at her. He loves his daughters and felt bad that she caused him so much pain. It wasn’t her fault he knew this, but the pain in his heart has never stopped. “Good morning my daughter.” He greeted her as she joined her sisters.

Finally Loreena joined them followed by Uriah. Late as always. He smiled at them as they entered. He nodded to greet her and then turned to his daughters. “My lovely daughters, I know how much the events about to transpire affect you. As much as I hate to ask you all to do this, it is the best chance the remaining Kingdoms have of surviving the Empire. Alone The Empire would swallow us one by one, united we may just stand a chance. I am not going to give you a lengthy speech, just know that I love you all dearly and did not make this decision lightly.” He stands to kiss each of them on the top of the head before returning to his throne as the Princes who had arrived slowly filed their way in.

Each Prince was accompanied by their own group of officials or guards and the room now housed each, not only the Astalian Royal family, and the country's court, but members of four other nations. This alone was something that hadn’t happened in quite a while in Astalia. The larger Kingdom had kept to itself for centuries so this site alone filled King Harold with joy. He greeted each of the parties as they entered in their native language and waited until all parties involved had entered the hall before motioning for everyone to quiet down. So he could speak.

“It has been many years since envoys from the other countries have graced these halls. So it is with great pride that I welcome you all to Castle Aeli. I understand the journey to get here was long and I am sure you would all like to rest so I will try not to take too much of your time. To start I would like to introduce my daughters. Starting from my Eldest, Annalise, my second born, Loreena, my third daughter, Sulhana and the youngest, Jinayah.” He motioned to each of the girls as he introduced them but gave the girls no chance to say anything as he did so. It was clear he was trying to finish this quickly so that the Princes could take their leave if they wished.

“Tomorrow night there will be a ball in this very hall to celebrate your arrival. No decisions will be made on this night or the next. The afternoon after the ball the courts will assemble and there is where decisions on who will marry who will be made. Keep in mind that my daughters have just as much say in which of you they marry as you all do. In other words I expect you to treat my daughters with respect.” There was a warning in his tone when he spoke this last sentence. He would not tolerate any mistreatment of his daughters, though he knew they all could take care of themselve they were still his children. “The rest of the day is yours to do as you please. Converse with my daughters, explore the castle, sleep. If you have questions there are many servants around the castle who would be more than willing to assist you, you need only to ask. There are some final preparations I need to make so I may be unavailable most of the day. However, I will remain here for the next hour. You are all dismissed.” With that he looked around the room and several of his officials moved out of the side doors to go about their duties, as well as a few of the guards who had been posted in the room. King Harold himself remained standing, he was sure some if not all the Princes would wish to speak to him so he waited. He nodded to his daughters, signalling that they were free to leave if they wanted. He hoped they stayed and at least attempted conversation with the men that would end up being their husbands.

The Sahasian Alliance

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The journey from Afdan had been a decently uneventful one. People on the roads avoided the small group, which only consisted of the half-orc Prince, one large orcish guard, and a slightly smaller half -orc shaman. as well as five large oxen sized boars. Three ridden by the individuals and two carrying the luggage the group brought with them. Which, in retrospect, was not a lot. As they approached the capital city of Astalia Gil couldn’t help but marvel at the city on the cliffs. The sun glistened off the sea as they approached. It was a sight that Gil hadn’t known he was missing out on. He stopped for a brief moment to admire the view from a distance.

“My Prince, we must continue. We must arrive this day.” The guard who accompanied him said as he turned to look at the young man. His voice was gruff, one that many would find intimidating. The blue eyes of the prince landed on the guard and he sighed.

“I am very aware of this Aldar. I was simply admiring the Sea. I have never seen it before.” Gil replied, kicking the boar to start walking again. Travelers on the road would not know what the men were saying as they were speaking the language of the Orcs. His gaze remained on the ocean as they continued. If there was one thing he could say he was happy about, it would be the chance to see the ocean. It was a beautiful sight, one he would not soon forget.

It took about an hour for the group to enter the city. The city itself was something to marvel at. The buildings much more permanent than many in his kingdom. Being built of stone, some even build into the cliff faces. The Prince examined the buildings as the group traveled through the city toward the castle that sat directly on the cliff. It took him a moment to notice the murmurs as the group traveled. He knew that many of the other races were distrustful of his people. Orcs were seen as brutes by the rest of the continent. He was sure their arrival was one that would be met with a mix of emotions. It didn’t help that though the Prince’s clothes were rich in color, they were nothing to marvel at. His country did not use clothing to show status, in fact it wasn’t uncommon for Cheiftans to wear clothes similar to the people they commanded. Their status was instead represented by threads and ribbons braided into an individual's hair. Something other countries would not understand.

After a short walk through the city they arrived at the castle gates. Where they were stopped. Aldar, dismounted and presented the Prince in broken Astalian. “Prince Gil Jalal of Afdan.” Was all he said. Which seemed to give the guards all they needed. Gil and the Shaman who accompanied the two dismounted as well, and their mounts were taken elsewhere. The group now traveled on foot, being ushered toward the main hall. Aldar took the lead, with Gil behind him, and the Shaman behind him.