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🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Madam Mauve

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Location: Shadowell Manor - Music Room
Skills: Perception
Hit Points: 3
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Mauve absentmindedly noted the sound of music drifting to her ears, but she paid it little mind as she was too transfixed by the man before her. Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, she took a quick glance back at the two other ladies in the room. She arched a bit of a brow at seeing how they seemed rather uneasy in the presence of this man. As far as she was concerned, he didn't seem half bad. Maybe a little odd, but certainly not worthy of being feared.

Her gaze gravitated back to him when he seemed to address her specifically. The corner of her lips twitched upwards at his words. She gave him a onceover, seeing if there was anything else to the man beyond just his poetic flattery, but nothing in particular seemed to stick out. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she teased, a playful glint to her dark eyes. "You may call me Madam Mauve, and this woman here is my new acquaintance Miss Crème." She gestured back to the petite woman of the namesake, before returning her attention to Master Plum, as he had called himself.

Current Mood in One Gif

>TFW tickets for your local renfair go on sale, reminding you that 2019 literally can't get here any sooner

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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Fyror Kildragon

There is no better test of a man's integrity
than his behavior when he is wrong.

- Marvin Williams

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Location: La Canela Ship (F15)
Skills: N/A

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Fyror's brows rose a bit at Hazel's comment in reply. Thanks, I think? he thought to himself. He let out a small sigh, shaking his head as she turned around. However, he soon followed her suit and looked out at the open ocean from their vantage point high up in the Crow's Nest. He had to admit that it was most certainly a spectacular view. He glanced back over at her as she had something else to add. He gave a short nod of his head, not that she could see it seeing as her back was still turned to him. He eyed her for a moment as she balanced herself out on the railing, seemingly unfazed by the sway of the ship and the sheer height they were at.

He took a small step back as she turned back around to face him, and his gaze followed hers as she pointed out a torn sail out along one of the crossbeams. His gaze whipped back to her when she said they were going be fixing said sail. "Not particularly," he answered her question, albeit hesitantly. Was she serious? I mean she literally just said that he needed to get himself some sea legs before he got himself killed, and now she basically wanted him to become a tightrope walker in the matter of a few minutes? His lips thinned as she started gathering up her supplies. He arched a brow at her. Yup, she's serious. He looked over the railing, assessing the height before he turned back to her with a sigh. "What will you have me do?" he asked resolutely.

🦄 The Paradoxical Emendation - Merged With T.S.

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Alexandra Andonova

Shake it off little girl, dry your tears,
suck it up, and face your fears.

- Sai Marie Johnson

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Location: Ville au Camp (Main House) - Room 102 (Library/Study) ⇢ Front Porch
Skills: N/A

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Alexandra settled back down in her seat, closing her eyes for a moment as she took a deep breath. When her eyes opened again, she forced her gaze to take in the words written on the slip of paper. These weren't just any words though. These were the thoughts and reviews of the Emendator's and Elder Paradox about her. Was she truly ready for the sting that their words would surely pack behind their punch? Maybe. Or maybe not. It was hard to say.

She shook herself out before resting her eyes on the first review. The corner of her lips twitched downward. The first few lines weren't bad per say. It was more that it was just hard to reflect upon that trying time immediately after her training with Nancy. Her brows lifted slightly and a small breath escaped her as she read the next line. She felt a swell of joy in her heart when despite how broken she had been at the time someone still saw good potential in her. Her eyes welled up with emotion as she moved onto the next review.

Her head tilted to the side, and she found herself nodding her head in solemn agreement. The words made sense. Kind hearted and spirited. Her lips twitched upwards again at the surprisingly pleasant words. Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought it would be, she thought to herself. Shit. Never mind. Her heart sank down into her stomach as the reviews took a turn for the worse. Perhaps the statements weren't all bad, but they certainly weren't great either. She cringed, a shiver going down her spine, as she read the words that were no doubt Nancy's. However, she tried her darndest to push through it.

In the end, she had mixed feelings as she finished reading the last review. She felt ashamed of what she had done since arriving, and she felt this heavy weight pressing down on her shoulders to become better. To become something worthy of respect. Yes, she was better now than she had been, but she wasn't quite there yet. She had more growing up to do and a lot of crap to make up for. She looked up from the paper when Bart's voice broke the silence in the room. She pursed her lips as she pondered his question for a moment. "I suppose it depends upon who you ask," she replied, standing up with a roll of her shoulders. "Some seem to think I am not broken enough, but I say I have been broken just enough to vhere I can still be mended."

Live and learn. It was becoming her new mantra. Glancing back down at the slip of paper, part of her wanted to rip it up and throw it away. However, she decided that would be counterproductive. She would keep it, if only in the future to be able to remind herself of how far she's come and to guide herself back onto the right path when she strays away. She folded the paper and shoved it back into her pocket before looking over at Bart again. "I need some fresh air--and some food. I think I'm going to go head over to the Kitchen House, if you vant to tag along," she stated with a small smile. She then headed out into the hallway and made a beeline for the front porch.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Madam Mauve

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Location: Shadowell Manor - Breakfast Room ⇢ Music Room
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 3
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Mauve let the Captain's words sink in for a moment. Those ringing noises that had echoed throughout the room had in fact been the doorbell ringing, which could only mean that new guests had arrived. Her blue eyes drifted over to the door that lead to the Grand Vestibule. It wasn't surprising really. After all, it had been stated that other, more properly, invited guests were set to arrive for tonight's festivities. With that in mind, she figured it was them. Any slackers of their "group" would have been sooner shot dead than let onto the grounds, let alone up to the front door. That much had been made perfectly clear. Though Mauve was curious about the latest arrivals, who were no doubt of higher profile than the rest of this lot, she decided to withhold from mingling with them just yet. She had all night for that. Well, one could only hope.

She arched a bit of a brow at seeing Debutante Blush rush off in such a hurry, leaving behind her companion Miss Crème all alone. Her head tilted and swayed down and to the side to look at Miss Crème. The poor thing seemed to be quite jittery, having noticed out of the corner of her eye the way she had jumped at the sound of the bells going off. "It would seem your friend has run off," she murmured. She glanced over at Madam Envy and then at the door leading to the Music Room. She let out a soft sigh, before her gaze returned to Miss Crème. "I believe we should do as Madam Envy suggested and stick together. I do think it pertinent to continue exploring the manor in order to get a better lay of the land, and of course, to enjoy the finery in the meantime. I would be happy for you to accompany me, that way you won't be alone until your friend returns," she stated. She gestured in the direction of the door leading to the next room, before making her way over and through there. She glanced around, taking in the layout of the Music Room as she entered in behind Prima Rave. Her gaze finally landed on the man in the beaked mask with a raven on his shoulder as he spoke some rather cryptic words.

Darke Magyk - Concluded

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- Polish Proverb

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Location: Inside the Infirmary (Lyra & Tristan) ⇢ Castle Grounds (Lyra)

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Lyra gave a slight bow of her head in response to Skaoi, and she started to silently back out of the infirmary after taking one last glance in Prince Tristan's direction. However, just as she was about to turn to go out the door, something, or rather someone, caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Her gaze shifted slightly, and she blinked as she spotted a hooded figure peering through the window into the infirmary. She quickly wrenched her gaze away, hopefully in time before the suspicious individual could catch her staring. She gave a quick glance around the room and a tense, solemn smile before excusing herself from the room.

Once she softly pulled the infirmary door shut behind her, she immediately took off at a sprint down the hall. Her gut told her to follow the figure, that the person could have something to do with the poisoning of two delegates and the Young Army commander. Perhaps the individual was checking to make sure the deed was done? Or perhaps it was just a gawker. Whatever the case, she figured she would rather be safe than sorry.

All the while, the world was growing hazy for Tristan. He could feel this foreign weight, a weight beyond the constriction in his chest and the ache in his stomach, pressing down on him. He forced himself to take another sip of the tea, the hopeful cure for his current aliment, even as his eyelids felt like heavy blankets. His eyes fluttered as he felt his tears being wiped away. He heard Skaoi's words, the confirmation that his best friend was indeed dead, but it didn't seem to fully penetrate him. He was just tired. Too tired. He started to slump down more as he struggled to stay conscious. He could feel his strength bleeding from him.

Another voice then came to his ears. However, the words didn't really register with him in the moment, and he couldn't really put a face to the voice. He jolted slightly as the tea cup was pressed to his lips again. He instinctively took another sip. Each swallow was a struggle, but in the end, as more of the cure circulated into his system, he could feel his strength incrementally returning to him. Very incrementally though. He absentmindedly nodded his head and laid back down on the bed.

Meanwhile, Lyra hauled ass through the corridors, her sheathed sword rattling at her side and her footfalls carelessly heavy. She made a beeline for the nearest exit and soon burst out into the Castle grounds. She would have to run the perimeter in order to make it to the outside of the infirmary window where she had seen the hooded figure standing. She hoped by some miracle that the person was still there, but in all likelihood, it was doubtful. Nevertheless, the person could have left behind clues or witnesses. It was worth a shot in the dark in her book.

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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Fyror Kildragon

There is no better test of a man's integrity
than his behavior when he is wrong.

- Marvin Williams

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Location: La Canela Ship (F15)
Skills: N/A

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Fyror's gaze came up to awkwardly meet Hazel's, his heart still beating irregularly in his chest. However, he sort of stopped short, his lips tightening when he saw the look of seeming irritation on her features. There was a glint of something, indignation perhaps, in his eyes a moment before he ripped his gaze away from her. Honestly, he was left feeling not only frustrated right then but now also miffed. He had nearly died just a second ago, and she was annoyed by what--the inconvenience? Needless to say, it rubbed him the wrong way. He took a deep breath, focusing back on the more pertinent issue whilst mentally attempting to shake off the sudden resentment he felt bubbling to the surface. Now, nor ever really, was the right time for that.

He looked up sharply when she suddenly decided to come to his rescue. He didn't have much means of breaking his fall as with a tug on the back of his shirt he went sprawling out onto the deck of the crow's nest. A grimace crossed his features as his already sore muscles were jarred. At the same time, he was also just glad to be on solid ground that meant he was no longer dangling precariously. His relief was somewhat short-lived though as he heard Hazel let out a loud huff. He hit his forehead against the wood deck before speaking. "Thanks," he managed to say nevertheless. "I think I can manage." He slowly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees before grabbing onto the railing in order to hoist himself up onto his feet.

🦄 The Paradoxical Emendation - Merged With T.S.

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Alexandra Andonova

Shake it off little girl, dry your tears,
suck it up, and face your fears.

- Sai Marie Johnson

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Location: Ville au Camp (Main House) - Room 102 (Library/Study)
Skills: N/A

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Alexandra's face fell at Bart's sudden change in demeanor following her question. He didn't have to say anything for her to realize that he felt the same. It was plainly written on his face. The corner of her lips twitched, and her gaze gravitated back down to the envelope, labeled Personal Reviews, in her hands. It was quite the phenomenon how people's opinions could hold so much weight on one's soul, particularly so for someone like herself who had claimed to be untouchable by such things. But perhaps that had always been a farce, a means to convince herself and others that she was stronger than she actually was. In the end, one would have to be less than human in order to not be effected, even an inkling, by the words of others.

Her gaze came back up to meet Bart's when he spoke up again. She let out a soft sigh at his words. "I get it. I messed up too with--" she replied before trailing off. "Everyone." She looked away from him before staring down at the ground. The word was hard to get out, and it had been even harder to accept these past several months. She screwed up majorly, both in this life and in the previous one. She saw that now, and it still weighed heavily on her conscience. But she also knew that she had to move on from it, or it would eat her alive.

"Live and learn," she finally exclaimed, punctuating Bart's words with seemingly newfound conviction. Her gaze met his again but this time unflinchingly. She then raised the envelope up, as if making a toast. "To new beginnings," she declared, before promptly ripping open the envelope. She pulled out the review sheet, unfurling it as she found a spot to sit down and read it.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Madam Mauve

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Location: Shadowell Manor - Breakfast Room
Skills: Wisdom, Charisma
Hit Points: 3
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Mauve's head tilted a bit to the side, gaze flitting downwards for a brief moment as Miss Crème reached into her purse for a piece of candy. Following the ascent of the woman's hand to her lips, Mauve's dark blue eyes then came up to meet the woman's hazel. There was a sparkle to her eyes as the woman gave a brilliant smile and gracious reply. She glanced to the side, before leaning in slightly towards the Miss. "There's nothing wrong with being a little scared, you know. After all, it's a natural human reaction to being in a dangerous situation," she stated reassuringly, thoughtfully keeping her voice low. She then pulled away in order to give the woman a more comfortable amount of space between them.

Her gaze travelled after Miss Crème as the woman soon walked over to the table and took a seat. Her blue eyes soon followed the woman's gaze over to the seeming object of her attention, the Debutante Blush. A glint came to her eyes before she turned on her heels at hearing someone else enter the room. Her eyes narrowed a bit when her gaze landed on Madam Envy, before she gave a subtle roll of her eyes and turned away in seeming disinterest. Nevertheless, the woman's voice soon pervaded the room, making it hard to ignore. She could almost feel the woman's gaze turn to her at a particular point in her pleasantries. However, Mauve did nothing to acknowledge it, instead eyeing Crème and Blush as they interacted with one another. However, she soon found her gaze gravitating back to Madam Envy. The woman's words surprisingly struck a cord with her. They made logical sense to her, so much so that Mauve actually agreed with them. She found herself nodding her head in agreement.

Just then, the sound of three loud rings echoed through the room out of seemingly nowhere. "What in the bloody hell is that?" she exclaimed, looking around the room in utter confusion. What was it? Where had it come from? And what on earth did it mean? Hell if she knew. Her black brows furrowed, as she felt totally lost on the matter. Her baffled gaze turned sharply to look back at Captain Moss as he explained what it was. "Oh," she stated simply, as that was all she could manage in the moment.

Current Mood in One Gif

>How my ideas make landfall