Raptra

The Job af the Assassin and Life of the Prince

Eliezer pondered over Raven's description of what her parents would go through whenever they were apart. "The saying goes, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder'. Now I understand. Is it not the time apart that prompts two people to realize how much they cherish each other? We have yet to determine if this is true for you and I. I would be lying if I said that I was not curious to put it to the test, but do not misunderstand, my lady, for I have never once been weary of your presence ever since we have officially started... I believe you call it 'dating'."

After receiving his gift, she touched his hand again. The kiss was also not a first, for she had done it after their day at the village as well. This time, these gestures were not only of affection, but also of gratitude. Although she was happy with the gift, what she said next then got him thinking.

"Something as nice as this?"

When she spoke about flowers, it was an expression of her preference, an aspect of who she was. Was it not so much more... sincere, to show an appreciation for somebody as a person through a gift, than attempting to impress them with one that was simply deemed valuable or precious by the standards of society? What if one did not see value in precious metals and stones, but in other things that hold significance only for them? Was it so wrong to appreciate things that were common or simple? Unfortunately, it would be frowned upon for somebody of his stature. It would be deemed 'beneath him' to present Raven with a gift that she would truly value.

The fix that her father must have been in was now understandable. He would have been shamed for valuing the love of a commoner over that of a lady born and bred of noble class, but he had to be his own person. He eloped because he could not take being told what he should value. Eliezer realized that all the while, Raven had been trying to show the same appreciation for him as an individual. He had unintentionally made it intensely difficult for her due to the fact that he did not know himself. All his life, he had been nothing more than the Crown Prince of Dainia. It had been his whole identity, and if that was to be taken away, who would he be? She once spoke about wanting to know 'the real Eliezer', and thinking back, he had hardly anything to offer with regards to that.

"Who... am I really?" He subconsciously blurted out as a result of his immense thinking.

He then turned to Raven, realizing that the question he had involuntarily asked out loud, together with the awkward silence which it had followed must have been rather strange for her. "Oh, pardon me, my lady, I was simply... lost in though for a moment. I truly am grateful that you seem to be enjoying our time together."

Skyline Academy (Academy of Heroes)

@Cerces22 Hmm, might prove to be quite a troublemaker, I like it. Everyone can't always get along. Accepted :)

Guild of Dishonor

@King Tai Sure I'll let you do it :)

Guild of Dishonor

If there's nothing else I'll have Kai set fire to a conveniently-placed bale of hay so that the gang can escape.

Guild of Dishonor

@KatherinWinter Hah, I'd love to see them explain Nyla to Roxy when she returns :D I dunno about everyone else, but having our characters have to deal with such issues can be quite entertaining. We'll see at what point @xXSINXx wants to jump in, and I'll help out if any collaboration is required.

Guild of Dishonor

Nyla might make that growth harder.

@KatherinWinter

How so? Unless you have an issue with the story dragging a little longer to allow roleplaying time for an extra character. From the way I see it, this character could expose the current PCs to new situations and provide them with opportunities for development. I'd personally welcome a new character/player which is why I offered to help with the introduction. I also foresee the interactions being quite enjoyable. Well, it's ultimately up to you whether to accept her or not.

I also want them to bond as a group which is already a challenge.

@KatherinWinter

It's only a matter of time before they do. Now that we understand that this is the direction you plan on us moving in, we can ease up on the random ambushes to give time for interactions/breaks.

Guild of Dishonor

@KatherinWinter What exactly is your idea of progression? Do you have an end goal that you're currently trying to achieve? From what I got you were leaning towards more character development and interaction for the PCs. Introducing a new character could be fun, once the group escapes in like three more posts.

Guild of Dishonor

@xXSINXx Might she happen to have a soft spot for the kid? I'd be willing to involve Kai in her introduction, but as for when, we'll see.

Skyline Academy (Academy of Heroes)

Rainna Rivera

"Guys, that was totally Outterridge," Rainna informed her companions when the boy implied that it had not been clear who it was who had taken the child. At his mention of a ransom, she thought about the possibility. "Oh, you think he's a dad?"

If that was the case, there was no telling how much one would sacrifice when it came to family. It was highly likely that whoever it was who had made the exchange with the headmaster would have known his relationship with the boy, if there was one. This could be big. What if giving away whatever that was tonight was going to put the safety of the academy at risk, or result in a consequence that was even more serious than that? However, if it was not that, then there was definitely something special about that child. Either way, that transaction was surely nowhere near friendly, and that itself was a cause for concern.

Rainna then flinched and took a step back when the other girl produced a fireball from her hands. She blinked several times as her eyes adjusted to the new light source, and then glanced around warily to ensure that it had not attracted too much attention. It appeared that the individual in the trench coat had caught the attentions of the other two as well. She gave the other boy a thumbs up as a response, before the pyrokinetic girl reacted to seeing somebody else watching from the window. It was then when she realized that it might be difficult to keep track of who had seen what had happened and was watching them right now. It was probably better to have more witnesses, though, if this was not as serious as she was speculating it to be, then it would not be worth getting ratted out for being out of the student hostel at such an hour.

"We... should probably go back inside, if we want to talk," she suggested. "No point getting caught by staff out here. Or you guys are welcome to my dorm, if you weren't already there before. We could enjoy the party tonight and hope that the academy will still be standing in the morning."

She turned back to the hostel after that dry humorous remark, spotting a face flanked by large purple earrings peering out through the stairwell exit. Rainna waved to the newcomer, assuming that she had seen what had happened too, or was just on a late-night mission of her own.

@OliveYou @PokimKyOshi @King Tai @Eric Horst @Ken

Skyline Academy (Academy of Heroes)

@Ken Oh wow, was just logging in to move this along lol. I assumed your character wasn't gonna come down, but if she is, she still can after I post. Just thought I'd speed things up a little.