Rodiak

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ S H E H Z A D I N A H I R K A D I R S H E H Z A D I N A H I R K A D I R ♖ o u t f i t ♖ D I N N E R 6 : 0 0 I N T E R A C T I O N S : everyone at dinner M E N T I O N S :

Gods, I beg for mercy. Open the earth under us and swallow us whole.

Nahir did not let her emotions get the better of her as she watched the youngest of the Shehzadi’s threaten a member of nobility with death. Instead of watching with her mouth hung open, she downed her wine followed by the one left untouched by Layla.

Farim had done a good job explaining the situation to Mayet, but the rationale of his words only fell on deaf ears.

Another drink of her wine to swallow down the laugh that threatened to slip out as Mayet went on. Did she really think she was doing the family and her country a favor by threatening a member of the nobility? Did she think their mother would have been stupid enough to do that?! Nahir did not doubt that Mayet would have done anything to protect them, but her inability to see more than just herself was disappointing.

Lorenzo was an idiot, that much was true, a dangerous bumbling idiot. A simpleton with a loose mouth and no sense of awareness. Such a dangerous thing; to have him running loose around Sorian causing problems where ever he stepped. Did Queen Alibeth not know that such a dangerous man skipped so freely around her court?

“I was the fool. A fool to think bloodshed between members of our family could be avoided.”

A fool you are, sister. Nahir met Mayet’s eyes, knowing if she did not speak now the rift between them could never be repaired. No matter how many bridges, they’d always crumble because of her stubborn nature.

It would just be a temporary thing, of course, but inconvenient nevertheless.

“I will only act and move for myself and my interests.”

You’ve only ever acted that way, my dear sister. Your arrogance blinded you to that fact.

“My final warning.”

Mayet looked like a child trying to justify her arrogance and lack of manners. When both lionesses were gone, Nahir turned her attention back to the rest of the table in hopes to salvage what was left of dinner.

"Should we continue with this magnificent dinner?" Nahir look over them all with an easy smile as if she had not just witnessed her sister's breakdown seconds before. "Do try the chicken tikka masala, it has a pleasant kick to it. Lord Leo, you might find it to your liking." She waved one of the servants over, "More wine drinks for the table, please."

Everyone was in needed more alcohol after tonight's dinner.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ S I R M A T H I A S L A R S E N S I R M A T H I A S L A R S E N ♖ o u t f i t ♖(#1) S O R I A N P A R K , 6 : 0 0 P M I N T E R A C T I O N S : @Conscripts@JJ Doe M E N T I O N S :

Mathias, far too busy with pillow stacking, did not approach the small group that had formed around Lady Violet. He had smiled her way, bowing his head in respect before Lukas ordered him to stack another pillow. Not five minutes prior, the boy had begged his father to build a pillow castle for Princess Sadie and Prince Felix; they were royals, and royals needed a castle. Mathias tried to say no, but the puppy eyes Lukas had given him rendered him helpless, and he finally caved in. As a result, Mathias was tasked as the builder, Mary the collector, and Lukas, the architect.

Mary, being Mary, was all too happy to help the boy with his quest to build the best pillow castle Caesonia had ever seen. She walked around, snatching unused pillows from the ground and dumping them on a pile next to Mathias.

They had already built the four walls of the castle that went up to Lukas’s height. It was quite sturdy, and the floor had been covered with more pillows to make it comfortable for the prince, princess, and Lukas.

“I.. I will… will be their k-knight!” Lukas had proclaimed as Mathias placed the last pillow on the last wall, securing the blanket roof.

“Of course, they’ll need protection from the dragon!” Mathias laughed, digging into the inner coat to pull out the stuffed toy sword. “Approach, Lukas. For I, Commander of Royal Guard shall knight you.” And so the boy was unofficially knighted by his father, and the toy sword gifted to him.

Lukas grinned and held his sword up high. Applause from Lady Zarai and her knight welcomed the new member into the ranks and the castle he’d protect from any dragon.

And then, the little knight saw it. The dragon! The smile on his face widened as he saw Fritz trailing behind the doctor. Lukas had to protect Mr. Doctor from the dragon at all costs. The doctor had always been nice to him,

"Good evening Sir Mathias… It's been a while, eh? How's your trip been so far? And Lukas too, how's he been doing?"

“Dr. Williamson,” Mathias stood from the ground where he had just knighted his son. He opened his mouth to say something else but was taken back to see Count Hendrix behind the good doctor from the corner of his eye. “Wha–” He swiftly caught himself before he could spoil the Count’s plan, “What a pleasant surprise. Quite a while, it is good to see you doctor. The trip was smooth, and it has been a pleasant stay so far.” Without Lord Larsen, everyone would enjoy their summer in Sorian. “How about you? I heard you were busy earlier today–”

Lukas sprinted to Count Fritz, sword raised over his head. “Get back, d..dragon!” He positioned himself between Fritz and Dr. Williamson, knees bent, and toy sword pointed up. The little knight was ready to take down the dragon.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ S H E H Z A D I N A H I R K A D I R S H E H Z A D I N A H I R K A D I R ♖ o u t f i t ♖ G U E S T H O U S E 6 : 0 0 I N T E R A C T I O N S : everyone at dinner M E N T I O N S :

Nahir had had her handful of dramatic dinners. From small disagreements about the food to full-out arguments over mistresses, and politics, to family feuds and the occasional assassination attempt. While nothing would top the attempted assassination of the ambassador of Catalonia, this would forever be her favorite.

Nahir tried to catch the eyes of Charlotte across from the table, hoping to offer a sympathetic smile instead of the pity she felt for the woman for the words that were being said around her. No daughter deserved to be in such a position; to hear the flaws and faults of the person that cared for you in public and from strangers nonetheless. Humiliating. But the young lady had different plans.

The words that were spoken from Charlotte’s mouth, and the intensity in her eyes as she defended her stepfather made Nahir’s lips pull into a slight smirk. A brave woman, she decided as she sipped the drink that had been placed before her. To stand up against her uncle, and before a den of lions and a laughing hyena was truly admirable.

And to actually get results!

Unfortunately for Charlotte, Hafiz sat directly by her side. You win some, you lose some, Nahir supposed.

“Being second isn’t a bad thing, vizier. It’s almost as good at being first like the Sultan.”

Nahir pressed her fingertips against her lips, holding back a giggle at the light gab. And then, as the cherry on top, Prince Auguste agreed. She coughed lightly into her napkin, looking to the side to Layla wondering if she find all of this nonsense just as amusing as she did but the Sultan spoke before she could say anything.

"...I'm famished. Farim is famished. Let's begin the first course, shall we?"

Nahir nodded, smiling towards her father as she folded her hands on her lap and waited patiently for the food to be presented. She thought this would be the end of it, until the youngest daughter spoke and brought them back to the same topic of conversation.

"Do not try my patience." Mayet had said, and Nahir had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. As if your patience isn’t the size of my thumb, sister.

"Sometimes, harsh words can teach more and be more helpful for one's growth than kindness and sympathy."

Although Nahir agreed with those words, she thought that mixing harsh words with public ridicule and humiliation did more harm than good. There was always a time and place for such words, and out in the public were not it. Still, Lorenzo seemed to be adjusting– somewhat– into his spot on the table and suggested saying grace.

Nahir hoped this wasn’t the end of the fun, and just in queue, the unmistakable hiss from Zilal filled the room. She glance to her side expecting to see the snake on Layla’s shoulders but instead found it on Charlotte before it slithered away.

“Layla–!” Nahir had tried, but their father interrupted whatever she had to say to stand and glare down at her sister. Even if not directed at her, Nahir could feel the weight and intensity of their father’s glare.

Did Nahir feel bad for Layla? Somewhat. Layla deserved punishment for the cruel prank she had pulled, but dismissing her so publicly was just as cruel as the prank. Although, to witness the bruising of Layla’s ego in such a public space was enough to appease any protests Nahir had.

She glanced at her older sister, brows pulled together into a false look of worry. Layla did not want Nahir’s sympathy, that she was sure of.

“Brother, with all due respect, why should Layla leave for her pet’s actions when it has been-”

“Father–” But she was silenced too as Hafiz had.

“Make sure she gets dried dates.” Nahir said to the servant Mayet had instructed, “Shehzadi Layla likes them.”

In truth, Nahir did not have anything to say in Layla’s defense, nor would she have shared some if she did not know their father would silence her. Instead, she left it alone and turned her attention to Charlotte. Poor Charlotte, two days now she had been flung toward a beast that seemed determined to eat her and her stepfather alive.

What must their guest think of it all?

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ L A D Y Z A R A I L E S D E M A N L A D Y Z A R A I L E S D E M A N ♖ o u t f i t ♖ S O R I A N P A R K , 6 : 0 0 P M I N T E R A C T I O N S : @ReusableSword@Tpartywithzombi@JJ Doe M E N T I O N S :

“Oh my - wow. Okay, first of all you’re as beautiful as ever and I promise that! BUT secondly, what happened to you, Lady Zarai?”... “I want to give you a hug, sweetie, but I don’t want to hurt you… Here!... Hand hug!”

“Thank you, Princess; it may have been a bit too many drinks.” Zarai grinned at Princess Sadie, already imagining the aching if she were to be hugged. “A hand hug would be just as well.” She agreed, squeezing back before he excused herself.

Sir Barrios had helped Zarai down onto the pillows without much fuss. It felt like someone was sitting on her chest, crushing her lungs until she couldn't breathe. But the fireworks were worth it. All the colors brightly illuminated the darkening sky, and the smell of gunpowder and smoke sat heavy in the air after.

Lord Roman approached their spot after he had greeted everyone in their group. Zarai offered the man a smile as he took a seat next to them– a little too close for comfort, but she did not let her smile fall.

“I do have to say, you look as stunning as ever, Lady Zarai.”

Is everyone going to lie to my ugly face about how I look today? “You flatter me, Lord Ravenwood. It is good to see you– although he had already seen each other in the morning.” She said and took one of the pillows next to her and hugged it to her chest, fingers playing with the soft frayed ends of it. Zarai didn’t mind small talk, but it was a bit hard to talk when everything hurt.

“Zary, I’m proud of you…. “

At least someone in this world is. Zarai snorted and looked away from Roman, waiting to hear a “but”, or a “however”, or a “yet”.

"You’re doing a good job, I’m glad to see you out here with the rest of us, instead of letting your injuries get the best of you and remaining in bed.”

Zarai shifted in her seat, staring down the hill to a couple in their own blanket.

"I believe that we are all doing a good job, our lives can be stressful and challenging at times. Yet if it wasn’t challenging it wouldn’t change us and we wouldn’t grow."

“Those are wise words, Roman. They mean a lot.” Zarai responded all too quickly, but she offered a small smile in hopes of appeasing the man. “Thank you.” Her thoughts were swimming in circles, stuck in a whirlpool of confusion, suspicion, and doubt. So, a small thank you was all she could really conjure up without racking her brain for something more, something better to say to him.

Was her response adequate? Had she been too curt? Rude? Whatever.

“We should… just enjoy tonight. I heard there were going to be fireworks.” Zarai flashed a toothy grin and looked up at the sky, awaiting the upcoming light show.

And it started shortly after, her eyes lighting up and a smile gracing her lips as the world around them was covered by a blanket of red, blues, and greens.

“I don't want to be a bother.”

Zarai managed to hear over the fireworks, and her attention was brought back to the group around her. She blinked, staring at Violet.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ S H E H Z A D I N A H I R K A D I R S H E H Z A D I N A H I R K A D I R ♖ o u t f i t ♖ G U E S T H O U S E 6 : 0 0 I N T E R A C T I O N S : @FunnyGuy@13org@princess@Tpartywithzombi M E N T I O N S : @Inertia

Nahir had watched Lorenzo and Charlotte finally arrive; eyebrow arched at the number of gifts their servants had brought. How cute. The man was at least thoughtful; she would give him that. After the whole debacle from the night before and after much thought, Nahir had to admit she let her feelings and fears get the better of her. And while she still thought the man a bit… aloof, there was something about him that she quite enjoyed.

“I'm afraid we haven't had the opportunity to be formally introduced, but I could never forget the angel that wished to have my life spared in the face of many that would have enjoyed witnessing my final hours. Thank you, truly.”

Nahir had shaken her head and offered him a smile. “There is no need to thank someone who does not wish death on someone who made a mistake.” She sipped her wine glass, “We only hope it is not repeated.”

Farim and a woman she had not seen before came in next. She smiled at the woman before turning to her cousin, “Where did you find such a gem?” Her perfectly painted lips tugged into a smirk as she leaned into her when she was settled in the chair next to Nahir. “That is a beautiful dress, Lady Ariella. The color compliments your eyes in such a lovely way.”

"Having to deal with such a fool of a father... I truly pity Charlotte."

“Mayet, please.” Nahir frowned at her sister. Insulting their guests was distasteful, even more so if they had taken their time to buy them so many gifts! Although, the Duke had trouble reading the room, and there was so much Nahir– or anyone– could do about that as the man did not seem to register the warnings sent his way.

Too late.

Nahir pressed her fingers against her temple as the figure of their uncle graced them with his presence. She did not have to look at him to know his reaction when he saw the Duke sitting in the seat he had claimed for himself. She could already feel pressure against her head with what was coming next,

"Duke Vikena. Move from that seat,"..."You insolent fool."

There it was. Really, could he not act like a decent adult? The man may be the Grand Vizier, but he was still a guest in this kingdom. Rude! To call him that in front of everyone... no matter how true it may be, it was still rude.

“There is no need to act in such a way to the Sultan’s guests, especially in front of Prince Auguste and our other guests.” Nahir spoke up without looking at him, as she was too busy staring at the wine glass in her hand. She had considered talking to her father about his title, perhaps changing it to Grand Whiner Hafiz. That was more of his line of work these days, and it was the only thing he had been doing since they set foot in Caesonia.

“Why should he not sit there, uncle? Duke Vikena is the reason why we are gathered here, to enjoy each other’s company and learn from one another– Duke, please take a seat. I beseech you to forget his rude words. The Grand Vizier may have skipped breakfast after all.” She frowned worriedly at her uncle.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ S I R M A T H I A S L A R S E N S I R M A T H I A S L A R S E N ♖ o u t f i t ♖(#1) S O R I A N P A R K , 6 : 0 0 A M I N T E R A C T I O N S : @Potter@Mole@ReusableSword@Conscripts M E N T I O N S :

After the sword competition, the trio decided to head back to the guest house for Lukas’s evening nap. The boy did not even make it from the arena to their rooms before he fell asleep in his father’s arms. During their brief rest, Mathias took the time to get some paper done work. While he wasn’t the active Captain of the Royal Guard right now, he was still tasked to oversee the hiring of new potential knights as well as any promotions in the ranks. It was a meticulous task that he did not particularly enjoy, but he found the task quite relaxing.

The knight was deep in thought, reading a report, when Mary came into his room as quietly as she could– Lukas was sleeping in the bed– and handed him a letter. Mathias opened it, expecting a letter from Sir Volkov back home, but instead found an invitation from Princess Sadie.

Ultimately, they decided to attend the party, mostly due to Lukas waking up in the middle of their conversation. The trip to the park was quick, with the boy pressuring them to hurry their pace because he did not want to miss the fireworks.

Once they arrived at their destination, it was easy to spot the location their little gathering would take place. Mary and Lukas giggled in delight, seeing the ample amounts of pillows as they climbed up the hill.

“Ah,” Mathias’s face lit up when he spotted Princess Sadie and Prince Felix. He bowed to them first, Lukas mimicking his father and Mary curtsying. “Thank you for extending the invitation to us, Princess Sadie.” She then turned to Prince Felix, “It is good to see you, Your Highness.” He nodded and turned to the rest of the group with a polite smile.

“Doctor, Lady Zarai, it is good to see you both.”

Mathias led the trio to an empty spot near Roman and helped Mary down as Lukas climbed onto her lap. “Roman looks like we cannot escape each other.” He offered a smile as he finally sat down.

Things You Are Excited About

i'm excited to take the day off next tuesday since i haven't been able to take any time off in two weeks

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ L A D Y Z A R A I L E S D E M A N L A D Y Z A R A I L E S D E M A N ♖ o u t f i t ♖ S O R I A N P A R K , 6 : 0 0 P M I N T E R A C T I O N S : @Mole@Conscripts@Potter M E N T I O N S : @princess

After the hardy feast with Anastasia, Wystan, and Sir Barrios, they parted ways in what Zarai thought was a peculiar way. Anastasia had seemed rushed and somewhat nervous when saying her goodbyes. Now, as her mind settled back down and the edges of the worlds began to materialize back to reality, she realized how uneasy she felt about it.

Her hands toyed with the lace of her dress, fingers working to trace the repetitive patterns there to soothe herself. Anastasia still had the other guards with her, and Caesonian knights would not let anything happen to their princess. Right? She’d send her a letter later, ensuring the princess had returned safely to the palace.

“My lady,” Sir Barrios said as he approached the bench, she was sitting in. He had two cones of flavored shaved ice, one lemon and the other vanilla. He handed her the vanilla one before taking the empty seat next to her. He was glad that she had finally settled down and wasn’t keen on running around anymore. Gods know what Duchess Lesdeman would have done if she saw Lady Zarai out of her wheelchair and about the streets.

Zarai had requested Sir Barrios to take her to the beach for the afternoon, opting out of seeing the sword competition. As much as she would have liked to watch it, she was starting to become groggy from her high, and being around so many people and loud noises, she knew she’d been overwhelmed. Zarai would rather spare Sir Barrios that.

“Thank you.” She took the cone, mindlessly eating the shaved ice as she stared at the sea.

They sat there for what felt like hours in silence, something Zarai was grateful for. They watched from their bench, kids running around until they found a spot near them. One of the kids began to draw a circle while the other two opened a brown sack. She could hear the clicking from inside, marbles. She’d played with marbles before when they were all the rage in Varian. She still had her pretty collection back home stored somewhere in the attic.

Roll.

Roll.

Clink.

Footsteps approached them, and Sir Barrios quickly stood and turned to see a stranger holding a pink envelope. The messenger greeted the knight, handing him the envelope before departing. Zarai continued to look at the children, now in full swing in their game.

“It says it’s from Princess Sadie.” Sir Barrios offered the letter to her, and when she didn’t move to take it, he opened it for her instead. The knight hummed with curiosity, eyes darting to Zarai when her shoulders twitched. “Very interesting, but I do not think–”

Zarai sighed and glared back at Sir Barrios, palm extended to him for the letter. He tried and failed to hide the smug smile as he handed her the paper.

Like one of those new fancy electricity bulbs, her mood lit up seconds after reading the letter. “Oh!” She stood up abruptly, wincing as she did so. “We should go!” Zarai thought it might be fun to see the rest of the Varians enjoying each other's company.

Sir Barrios stared at her as if she had just pulled a magic trick on him. He nodded slowly and helped her into the wheelchair.

__________________________

Sir Barrios had to carry Zarai up the small hill to where the gathering would take place. She had initially tried to climb by herself, but with every step, the pain in her torso grew worse until she had to ask the knight for help. She tried not to look at him as they both made their way uphill, too afraid to see the expression on his face. Zarai would have to be blind to not see how he looked at her. Everyone in Puerto Vira who had heard the rumors looked at her the same way.

Dirty. Degenerate. Disappointment. A waste. Unworthy to become the future Duchess of the grand southern city of Puerto Vira. What a bunch of bullshit. Zarai blamed her crash for being so susceptible to others’ opinions.

When they finally arrived at the location, Sir Barrios set her down near Princess Sadie and Prince Felix. She’d hoped to be further away, but the knight had deemed it necessary to greet the royals first. Great.

“Your Royal Highness, Prince Felix. Princess Sadie.” She did her best to curtsy both of them without wincing or shaking. “Thank you for extending the invitation; it is a lovely reception with an amazing view.” She smiled, turning to John to extend the greeting before excusing herself to sit away from the growing group.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

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______________________________________	__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ S H E H Z A D I N A H I R K A D I R S H E H Z A D I N A H I R K A D I R ♖ o u t f i t ♖ F A S H I O N D I S T R I C T 3 : 0 0 I N T E R A C T I O N S : @Helo@Potter@Inertia@13org@princess M E N T I O N S :

5:15 p.m.

Nahir did not like tardiness. In fact, she hated it. It showed lack of commitment, respect and time management. It could lead to a loss of trust and could even result in ridicule. And it was just plain rude. So when she realized the time she rushed out of “Extravagancias de Toledo” leaving Petra alone and confused as to why Nahir had rushed out in such a hurry.

5:55 p.m.

Lady Mihna’s hammish fingers worked fast in folding and pressing the heavy fabrics into even neat pleats before tucking the saree into Nahir’s skirt. She wrapped it around Nahir’s waist twice then over her shoulder, letting the beautiful designs of Alidasthian royal seals cascade behind her back. To her side, Lady Suhasini worked on fastening the golden buttons on Nahir’s wrists and made sure the sleeves were puffed up perfectly.

Nahir stared at her reflection as two of her ladies-in-waiting hurriedly dressed her with meticulous movements despite the intense stare she held them under. When Lady Suhasini was finished with the cuffs, she hurriedly fastened a new golden necklace she had received from Madame Petra during her earlier visit. Petra had mentioned its history, but Nahir had been too busy working on the woman’s corset to pay much attention. Something about it being one of the Catalonian family’s heirlooms, worn by the princess during her execution after the revolution.

Slender fingertips touched the golden crests. It was so pretty on her, even prettier over the red of her saree. How did Petra know her so well?

6:00 p.m.

Nahir entered the dining hall shortly after Layla. Tonight, she had chosen a more traditional dress for herself, seeing as they would be dining with the Caesonian nobility. There had to be unity, show them that the Kadirs would stand together against any disrespect thrown their way, be it by mistake or simple human stupidity.

The saree glimmered under the candlelight, emitting a soft glow as she walked to her seat. Back straight, hands folded, and chin held high. Her locs had been twisted and carefully tied by golden thread and decorated with aquamarines that complimented the contrasting blue of the saree’s skirt. And as usual, her cheeks were painted with golden freckles that sprinkled her dark skin like stars in the night sky.

She greeted her father with a smile, “Peace be upon you, father.” she said, bowing her head slightly out of respect before taking the seat next to Layla. Nahir looked about the table, inclining her head as a greeting to the rest of the table in a more casual greeting.

“I was unaware you would be coming to the dinner tonight, but it is a pleasant surprise nonetheless.” Nahir shot Lord Leo a smile, although it was just out of mere politeness. She moved her attention then to Prince Auguste.

“I must say the same to you, Your Highness, and although I second my sister’s sentiments I welcome you to the table. Please indulge in our country’s traditional dishes, and please do try the baklava when the desert comes around. It is divine.” Her smile, like the one to Leo, did not reach her eyes.

Then she turned to her sisters, smile still in place. "I heard that the two of you were part of the contest in the arena earlier today. Please do share! Did you show the world what the Shehzadis of Alidasth are capable of?" Nahir's smile tugged further at the corners just the slightest, already knowing the outcome of the fights. Poor Layla had won in such a humiliating way.

the alphabet game. lol

Infuse