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    1. Vesuvius00 9 yrs ago
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6 yrs ago
The molarity of pure water is 55.5 mol/L. Is it just me, or is that number super satisfying?
4 likes
6 yrs ago
I find I'm much more productive when I make a list of check marks, then write whatever I end up doing next to them.
7 likes
6 yrs ago
I'm a grammar communist. Everyone has a right to grammar in equal amounts.
6 likes
7 yrs ago
I always either have lots of inspiration but no motivation, or tons of motivation and no inspiration. I'm not sure which sucks more.
5 likes

Bio

Current Favorite Quote:

“Everybody has a secret world inside of them. I mean everybody. All of the people in the whole world, I mean everybody — no matter how dull and boring they are on the outside. Inside them they’ve all got unimaginable, magnificent, wonderful, stupid, amazing worlds… Not just one world. Hundreds of them. Thousands, maybe.”
Neil Gaiman


Most Recent Posts

@Belle I didn't get a notification for your last few IC posts and I just realized why. You have @Vesuvius mentioned instead of @Vesuvius00.
@Nevix I'm sorry about how long it takes me to post for Kendra. I don't know her as well as I know Nadia or Onyx's personalities so I end up stumped on what to do for a long time.
Nadia Parnel
Bride of Keregar @Legion02 and Sister-Bride of Xaelia @Ellion
Interacting with: The Family

“My… brothers live there too. You’ve already seen the twins. Then there is Kieran. He came with us so he should be around. But you have to look out for him. Then there is Bregrek. He never leaves his furnace so he didn’t come along. Then there is Karog and Drugal. My oldest and second oldest brother. Though they don’t live in Kereg-Kor anymore.” Varzar answered as Nadia fought to keep her eyes on him instead of watching over his shoulder at his brother. So that must be Kieran then. She thought, taking note of the fact that Varzar decided to warn about him, but nobody else so far.

“Kereg-Kor is… different.” Varzar continued, and Nadia listened carefully as he moved on quickly. “Then there are the other Gems. They’ve made their room pretty. Like you described home. Auntie Kyr makes sure everyone feels happy there.” A sanctuary then, with other gems already living there! Nada's heart began to feel a little lighter at the thought, and she smiled slightly to herself as she began to picture a calm place filled with plants and beautiful works of art- a place where it was peaceful and perhaps even untouchable by any Drakkan.

He went on to warn her about the dangerous creatures in the woods around Kereg-kor... but he also said she probably could go out there if someone was with her! A dangerous hope, and still not what she truly wanted, but perhaps the forest would not be as bad as Varzar thought? If there were only the creatures to fear, then with Vivari's blessing she could still go and be among the trees, couldn't she? Or even, what if the wilds of Drakka were only dangerous to those who treated them as such? Gems were of the earth, Vivari's children. Nature was their domain. Surely the Drakken were simply unable to be among nature because of how unnatural they are?

She shook her head slightly, bringing her thoughts back to reality. She smiled at Varzar, standing up as she spoke. She almost hugged him, but held herself back at the last moment. "Thank you. I... I think I will be fine there, if it's as you say." Before Varzar could answer, a loud explosion- much too close to be thunder- pulled his attention away. He finally noticed Kieran in the room then, and in a flash of fury too quick for Nadia to comprehend, he dashed across the room and pulled Kieran away from Xaelia, putting himself between his older brother and the Gem. Nadia went over to Xaelia then, standing beside her as the stand-off between the two brothers continued.

Thankfully, nothing more happened, as Keregar chose that moment to re-enter the room. Nadia glanced at him as his armor suddenly fell off, revealing the scarred flesh beneath. Too many scars to be real... unless he walks through prickly bushes for fun? He said something about business, and then disappeared into another room as the twins came back inside as well. She watched as one of them, she wasn't sure which was which yet, immediately went up to Kieran and took their knife back.

"So much for that." She whispered to Xaelia just before Kieran threatened them and disappeared as well. She wanted to hug Xaelia, to try and tell her that she'd be okay, but but before she could do anything, Keregar ordered Varzar to put them both to bed. The young drakkan lead them down a hallway which ended at the door to their room. All the while Nadia felt the emptiness of this place closing in on her. There were no decorations or things of comfort here, there weren't even any plants in the corners of any room... This house was clearly not meant to be lived in. It was little more than a waypoint. Little more than a prison.

"I-it locks." Varzar said, motioning to the door as Nadia and Xaelia entered the room. "If- I’ll come check on you later. It would be better if you... didn’t leave the room tonight. Good night... Mothers"

"Good night- and sleep well." Nadia said softly as Varzar closed the door and his footsteps faded away as he left. She shared a look with Xaelia and the two of them investigated the trunks at the foot of the two beds in the room that were meant for them. The trunk was different from the one that her father had packed for her- it was bigger and less ornate, but still obviously of Gem design. As she opened it and rummaged through a little, she found that the three simple dresses and her sewing kit that had been in her father's chest had been moved into this one- and there were a few more, even more plain dresses and shirts and trousers in this new chest for her. Everything was simple, functional. Blue, brown, green, bland, with no patterns or bright color at all.

Noticing that Xaelia had started to change out of her ripped dress, Nadia turned away and began undoing the laces and ties of her own dress, letting the heavy silk fall to the floor around her once it was loose enough. As she picked it up to fold and put into the chest, she felt her two mementos in the pockets- the strange engraved cylinder from her father, and her idol of Pyrus. Pulling them out of the dress, she placed them both in a stocking in the bottom corner of the chest, before remembering to also take off her mother's necklace and put it with them.

Once she'd pulled on a blue tunic and brown trousers from the chest, she wondered what else there was to do, before Xaelia suddenly fell to the floor beside her. "X-xae? What is it? Wh- what's wrong?" She stammered as she knelt beside here sister-bride, pulling the Gem into a hug. Probably the stupidest question to ask is "what's wrong?" considering their situation, but Nadia knew no other way to phrase it. She just pulled Xaelia closer to her, trying to impart some sense of safety or stability, just by being there.

She didn't know how long they'd sat like that, but after a while Nadia remembered what Varzar had said. "Hey, I've gotta lock the door quick, alright Xaelia?" She spoke quietly as she released her sister-bride and stood, glancing around the room for the key. She found it, hanging on a hook in the wall, next to one of the unmade beds. She pulled it off its hook and went over to the door, locking it and trying to open it a few times, just to make sure it was locked before putting the key down and going back over to Xaelia.

"There. He can't get to us now, see?" She said with a reassuring smile as she held a hand out to help Xaelia up. "We can sleep now, if you want. You must be tired..." She didn't know what to do, this was so strange to her. "I've never been the one not in tears before..."

Once Xae was at least sitting on her bed instead of the floor, Nadia would hug her again before moving to sit on her own bed. "Please, don't worry too much... I know that, everything's so bad right now, but... When you reach the bottom, the only way things can go is up." She smiled, hoping to the gods that Xaelia understood what she meant. "We have each other, and that's all we really need."


Onyx Briyll
Bride of Wilhelm @Saltwater Thief and Sister-Bride of Amalia @Belle
Interacting with: The Family

Onyx nodded as Amalia began to cheer up, glad to have succeeded in helping her sister-bride get through her feelings of... Despondence? Inadequacy? Onyx puzzled over words in her head for a moment, but eventually just let it be. Emotions were too complex usually, too hard to pin down with just a single word or phrase.

As the two finished up their bath, Amalia seemed just a little more confident, or at least, Onyx couldn't clearly see that she was worried anymore. She hoped she'd said the right things... She wanted Amalia to be happy, if it was at all possible in their future. Even though they'd only just met that day Onyx already could feel a closeness and care for her sister-bride that, if she were being honest with herself, she'd never really felt for anyone before. Her father had never done anything to gain a place in her heart, and the townspeople back in Pyrvi- while generally kind and pleasant to talk to- had always been something other to her. She coexisted with these people, but was left alone with her books for the most part.

As she got out of the bath and pulled back on the dress she'd been wearing at the party, she questioned herself. Why is Amalia different? Perhaps it was only because Onyx hadn't been allowed to read anything since the two had met. She'd been forced to stay in the moment and, it might be getting to her. Onyx let Amalia take her hand as they left the room together, a guard or servant pointing them to their husband's room as her thoughts kept circling in her mind. She didn't notice that they were stopped in the doorway until Wilhelm spoke.

"I see you've finished washing," He said, standing in the middle of the room, waiting for them. "And you seem to have done a thorough job. Very good. Now then, I will be retiring shortly. I suggest you each do the same, as tomorrow will be a long day. And I will not tolerate delays because of something so petty as lack of rest." Onyx said nothing, glancing at Amalia next to her instead as Wilhelm moved to get into the bed. She looked terrified still, and suddenly Onyx cursed herself for zoning out. She needed to stay in the present, for Amalia at least.

"Hey... It's okay." She whispered, squeezing Amalia's hand gently as she continued. "You heard him, right? He wants us well-rested for travel, so there won't be any-"

"Well?" Wilhelm called over to them, interrupting Onyx's whisper "Does something trouble you two? Is the idea of sharing a bed with your husband so abstract that you cannot fathom it? And yes, I do expect you both to lay next to me, before either of you asks."

"I didn't think otherwise." Onyx said, releasing Amalia's hand with a small look of apology. She walked around to the other side of the bed and sat on the edge, watching Amalia for a moment before shrugging and lying down next to Wilhelm. He'd put himself in the middle on purpose, to force the both of them to lay next to him, but it also served to separate them from each other. It was too early for Onyx to tell if this was what he wanted from them, but she supposed it could be. Having two brides become too close with each other would certainly be a problematic situation for any Drakkan who proved unable to control them.

She turned so she was facing him, her head lying in the nook of her arm as she tried to keep some space between them while also not falling off the edge of the bed. It was difficult, but after a few moments she managed to find a comfortable enough position that she could fall asleep. She closed her eyes, debating something in her head before she finally caved and said it.

"Goodnight, Amalia. Goodnight m'lord."


Kendra Riu Bell
Bride of Kaivor @Nevix
Interacting with: The Husband

As the scene played out, Drakkan yelling at each other and various lords leaving the ceremony to keep out of it all, Kendra stuck close to Kaivor the whole time. She may not have had any choice in anything that led to this, but now that she was here she wasn't about to allow herself to be snatched away by whichever Drakkan wanted to try.

When Kaivor told her to stay close however, he was looking at someone else. Kendra followed his gaze, to see a Drakkan who'd just killed another, leaving a Gem standing there alone. She was already standing as close to her husband as she could, but to comply with his order, she put her hand on his shoulder. "I've no intention of leaving your side." After the killer Drakkan left the area, Kaivor seemed to settle a little, and Kendra moved to stand at his side again, keeping her hand on his shoulder until he'd move it himself.

"Kaivor... should we leave?" She spoke quietly, looking at him as she asked. "Many other groups have left, and considering the type that seem to be hanging around... perhaps it would be best to find your brother and go."

I'm working on it... :/
Onyx Briyll
Bride of Wilhelm @Saltwater Thief and Sister-Bride of Amalia @Belle
Interacting with: The Family

"Don't be sorry. We're in this together, alright?"

As soon as Onyx let go of her sister-bride, Wilhelm took hold of the both of them and began leading them out of the party. They walked together in the rain for a while, the downpour having shifted to a less drenching shower. Their husband lead them through the maze-like streets and soon, they came to their destination. A cottage, of a sort, with a proud banner hanging over the door.

Suddenly, Wilhelm pushed Amalia away, towards a Drakkan guard that Onyx had failed to notice until that moment. She tried to follow her sister-bride, to pull her away from the guard as Amalia began to cry out in fear, before Wilhelm's grip pulled her back. The guard shushed Amalia, and Onyx had to fight the urge to try and rip away from Wilhelm to go help her still. It took Onyx almost the whole time Amalia was being measured to realize that was what was happening. Once she did realize though, she quickly whispered her apologies to her husband. "I'm sorry for trying to pull away- I thought he was going to hurt her." He didn't seem to care much however, as he just pushed her forward to be measured as soon as Amalia was done.

The guard said nothing to her as she stood there, and she said nothing to him. It was curious, measuring a person in rope. Wouldn't a tape be more accurate for making clothes? but then, you don't measure someone's full height or the distance around a person's neck for a dress, do you? Those are more like measurements for a coffin, or a collar... Despite that peculiarity, so far nothing else was amiss. The house Wilhelm had led them too was clean but otherwise bare. He called for a bath and then- Of course there's only going to be one bed. Onyx thought as she said nothing to her husband and simply followed Amalia to the bath.

“Do you... do you think he has other wives? Besides us?” Amalia asked after they'd both settled into the warm waters. Onyx pulled her wet hair out of her face so she could look at Amailia while she answered.

"I suppose it's possible... But I wonder, would they really give brides to a Drakkan that still had some at home?" She paused for a moment, thinking. "I kind of hope there is someone there though now. A Gem who could help us get used to the new place, the new life."

As Onyx finished Amalia seemed, depressed at her answer. Onyx reached out to take her hand, but let the gesture die as Amalia began to speak again. “I wanted to be brave, like you. I tried to be brave. I truly did. But fear is everywhere. It chokes me." She started crying, and Onyx felt a sharp stab through her heart as her sister-bride continued. "I am sorry you are stuck with me, my sister. I am not worth much. But I promise I will not give up completely. No matter how harsh things become, I will support you."

"I am not stuck with you. I am blessed to have you, my sister." Onyx smiled as she reached out again to take Amalia's hand. "You don't need to be brave- I honestly don't believe I am very brave either. Please, don't cry."

"Fear is not a bad thing. If anything, it's the best thing to have, especially in our situation. Fear makes us careful and helps us react in the face of danger- even if it feels like it may overwhelm us. But even then, we'll always be there for each other."

"I'll always be there for you, Amalia."

Nadia Parnel
Bride of Keregar @Legion02 and Sister-Bride of Xaelia @Ellion
Interacting with: The Family

Nadia could hardly breathe as Varzar sat her down. She gasped, struggling to try and control her tears, but the homesickness felt like a dull knife, slowly cutting away at her heart. She felt a small weight on her shoulders as Varzar wrapped something around her. The musty leather jacket carried the scent of a place she didn't yet know, along with that of a person she realized she was quickly coming to cherish. She looked up at him as he took her hands in his, kneeling at her side as she wept.

"I’m sorry. I’m sorry I asked." He spoke so softly, Nadia almost didn't hear him over her own sniffling. He continued just a little louder, or perhaps she only heard it better because of what he said... "It’s okay. I’m sorry you’re... here." He fell silent for just a second, just long enough for Nadia to manage a weak smile at him. He was a sweet boy- she could see that clearly. he could never have meant to hurt her, in any way.

"Maybe… maybe someday you can show me your home." Oh Varzar... All the god's blessings upon you. If only. If only she could go back home- if even for just a day. She would bring him with her, if that's what he wished. This sweet child didn't really know the depth of what he'd said though, did he? Nadia took one of her hands from his grasp, wiping away the tears once again as she finally managed to stop crying enough to speak.

"I... I don't think that's possible." She hesitated before continuing, just a few seconds passing by. "But I'd take you there in a heartbeat, if I could." She smiled again, thanking Pyrus and Vivari for allowing her this one person. He was a drakkan, but he was obviously kind and so far had been gentle. He was full of innocence and curiosity, but was not entirely oblivious to the larger world- that much she could see in his eyes.

The moment couldn’t go on forever though. Over Varzaar's shoulder, she noticed another young Drakkan enter the room and approach Xaelia. Oh no... How many kids does Keregar have!? She saw him take the knife from Xaelia, and then he moved her sister-bride between himself and Nadia, so she couldn't see what he was doing now. She pulled her eyes back to Varzar quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed her glancing at the other side of the room. If the other Drakkan has said anything... She couldn't hear it from over here. Perhaps, she could pretend she never noticed him enter? She could keep holding Varzar's attention and let Xaelia figure out how to deal withthe other Drakkan on her own? Or call out for help because, He has a knife and look- Her hand is bleeding! He cut her!

She closed her eyes, taking a breath and trying to keep calming down. No, no one would believe her lie over the word of the Drakkan boy, if they would even care enough to listen in the first place. I'm sorry Xaelia, you're on your own with that...

She could keep Varzar's attention still, at least. She opened her eyes, meeting his steadily before asking her own question. "Varzar... Would you tell me what your home is like? Kereg-Kor?" She pulled the jacket more tightly about herself as she continued. "Who all lives there? just your family or is it like a fortress with guards and towers? Is there a forest, or mountains nearby? What are the days like, when everything is calm and the sun shines?"

She would wait for him to answer the first few questions before asking, "Do you... Do you think I could like living there with you?"

@Belle Same room is good :D

I'll get to work on a post for Nadia and Onyx tomorrow.

(pokes @Nevix)
Nadia Parnel
Bride of Keregar @Legion02 and Sister-Bride of Xaelia @Ellion
Interacting with: The Family

"Nice to meet you, Varzar." Nadia said quietly as the child continued to talk. At first it seemed he was simply explaining something about how the household worked, but then he mentioned his 3 other mothers and... the first died in Childbirth, which was perhaps the most terrifying way to die in Nadia's opinion. The second died while hunting, and... Why was she on a hunt in the first place? Would Keregar force Xaelia and Nadia to go with him on hunts? Not that she'd say no to spending some time out in nature but, Drakka was much more hostile, full of dangerous creatures and Drakkan... and she'd never hunted anything before. She couldn't bear the thought of hurting another living thing, especially not by her own hand. Her greatest fear...

Perhaps she could ask not to ever go on a hunt. Would her husband allow that? Who is Alia? The thought crossed her mind, but before she could ask it out loud, Varzar was talking again. The third Gem... They hunted her down and killed her, didn't they? She tried to listen as the boy continued, but her mind kept pulling away to all the things she was suddenly terrified of happening. She wasn't planning on trying to run, but now that wasn't even an option. If she could manage it, she'd never go out there, so Keregar would never even think she was running... but then where would she go to be with nature? Certainly, Drakka's forests were nothing like her home, but she could still find one quiet spot... right? But if she doesn't want to get hurt or hunted, she'd be confined to the house.

I'm not going to make it a week...

Her attention was pulled back to reality as two more Drakken appeared, still young-seeming but more like teenagers than the child-like Varzar. She noticed Varzar disappear as the two nearly identical boys began eyeing her and Xaelia, and while they talked amoungst themselves she wondered briefly what life must be like for the children of Drakka. Varzar seemed as innocent as any child in the way he spoke, even if the things he said were of such a horrible nature- it was just the way he saw it, an honest telling of a horrible story. These two on the other hand... They were like miniature Keregars. Although, the word miniature was completely wrong for describing how they actually were. As words turned to knives and fists and fire, Nadia decided the right word for them was Monstrous.

As the sounds of fighting continued Nadia looked over to Xaelia, a thought forming in her mind but dying on her lips as she was what her sister-bride was doing. She'd picked up the twins' knife and was pulling it out of the cup, or she was trying to, anyway. Nadia watched for a moment, awestruck at her bravery to even try such a thing. Certainly the boys were distracted but, they could turn their focus back to the two Gems any second now.

She had to try and help. Stepping back as if to avoid the twins while they raged out of control, Nadia moved herself between Xaelia and the rest of the room, blocking her sister-bride's actions from view. Just in time too, as Keregar choose that moment to barge in and break up the fight. Nadia could feel her heart pounding, much too quickly as she realized she wasn't breathing. The short moment it took Keregar to get the twins' attention flet like an eternity as he ordered the two outside with him. The sounds of fighting resumed, dulled by the thunder and the door between the chaos and the two girls now, and Nadia finally took a breath, trying to push some of the worry away. "That was too close." She whispered as she glanced at Xaelia again, seeing that the other girl had taken to holding the stolen blade behind her back for now.

Before she could say anything else, Varzar appeared again, apologizing for the twins' behavior. He had brought them two cups that smelled a lot like tea... and it was! Nadia quickly took the cup she was offered, and at Xaelia's comment, reached out to take her cup as well. "Well if you don't want it, I love tea." She smiled brightly, hoping that Varzar would only see the surface of the act the two were putting on. It didn't seem he would, as he quickly went on to ask about their homeland, an eager spark of curiosity in his eyes. Nadia sipped away most of one of her cups of tea while Xaelia started to answer him.

She mentioned the different regions and little bits and pieces about each place, but as Nadia noticed, nothing about her own home. Nadia laughed a little as Xaelia started to trail off, running out of things to say. It was a musical sound, easily used to grab attention as Nadia began to pick up the conversation. "You sound a little bit like a travel brochure when you say it all like that." She started with a grin, reminding herself that she was putting on an act. "There's so much more to Gemmenia than deserts and beaches, snow and diamonds. It's..." She looked to Varzar, her gaze meeting his as she hoped he was still interested in what they were saying as she searched for the right words. "It's..."

"It's the forest I grew up in, The town nearby, the Volcanoes, the rivers, the sky..." She began to walk away from Xaelia, moving over the debris towards the other side of the room, hopefully pulling Varzar's attention with her as she continued.

(TL;DR: Some time passes as Nadia lists things she loves about Gemmenia, mostly her hometown, and unintentionally stabs herself in the feels while trying to entertain Varzar long enough for Xaelia to maybe do something about the knife...)


"It's home." She finished, tears finally starting to fall down her face as the memories overwhelmed her. She wiped at her eyes with her sleeve, choking down sobs as she tried to compose herself. "I-I'm sorry, I di-didn't mean to start crying..." She trailed off, covering her face with the sleeve of her dress as the tears continued. She'd be fine in a minute, if she could just get her mind off of the past already...

Nadia Parnel
Bride of Keregar @Legion02 and Sister-Bride of Xaelia @Ellion
Interacting with: The Family

Just as Nadia finished asking Xaelia for her friendship, Keregar's hand shot out and grabbed her sister-bride, a dangerous look in his eyes before he slapped her. Nadia stood there in shock as he turned his attention back to her, ordering her to remove her gown before going on to mention one of the Drakkan gods- Sorrak. She couldn't remember exactly which one that was- she'd purposefully ignored those facts- but from the way he'd phrased the statement, she could guess it was the uh, procreation one. She flinched as he reached for her, not knowing what to expect and unable to keep herself from reacting, she closed her eyes- until she felt her hair fall loose as he pulled at the small string she'd used to tie it up.

She opened her mouth to speak- something that wouldn't have done her any good probably, but was cut off by the appearance of some Drakkan, who apparently hadn't been invited to the party and was crashing it instead. Keregar pulled a sword, quickly putting himself between The intruder and them, before ordering them out of the hall. She followed wordlessly, into the cold rain and suffocating air outside.

By the time they arrived wherever it was they'd been led to, Nadia was soaked. Her hair clung to her face as she held her water-heavy skirt off of the floor, and she glanced around immediately for a fireplace to sit by. She didn't see one, but then they were just in the front room... The guards left before she could ask them anything and a new Drakkan appeared. He was very similar-looking to Keregar, but also obviously much younger. She almost asked him his name before his own question caught her off guard.

"I suppose we are?" She offered, a small smile on her face as she tried to think what the question actually meant. Was a mother just a title to this, boy? or a caretaker? It felt strange to think of someone who was already bigger than her, and possibly older than her as well, as a child.

“That’s not how mothers work,” Xaelia said, whether to the boy or to her, Nadia couldn't tell.

"Well, stepmothers kind of work that way, I think." She said to Xaelia before turning back to the boy. "I'm Nadia, and this is Xaelia. What's your name?"


Onyx Briyll
Bride of Wilhelm @Saltwater Thief and Sister-Bride of Amalia @Belle
Interacting with: The Family

As she and Amalia finished their introductions, Wilhelm seemed pleased. Perhaps Onyx wasn't reading him correctly but, perhaps he was glad to have the two of them? He started to speak, before someone broke into the room, a posse trailing behind this new Drakkan as he demanded a bride of his own. As Wilhelm moved to get a better look at the intruder, Onyx followed him, staying within a step of him as he'd ordered. She wasn't about to get snatched up by some other brute, after having only just met this one.

Watching the scene before her, she couldn't help but think of what a ridiculous thing it would be if anything like this ever happened in one of her books. Brides were not hot potatoes, and yet, here was a man who thought he could just up and take whomever he pleased. It was ridiculous.

She noticed Amalia then, hiding at Wilhelm's side like a frightened child. Reaching out, Onyx tokk her hands and pulled the girl into a tight hug, whispering to her that everything was fine and she didn't have to be so scared. None of the other Drakken in the room had jumped on the newcomer yet, so obviously they weren't worried about him actually taking one of the girls. "Here, stay by me, and I'll stand by you, alright Amalia?" She whispered as she released the girl from the embrace, a small smile of encouragement on her face. "Everything will be okay."


Kendra Riu Bell
Bride of Kaivor @Nevix
Interacting with: The Husband
Kendra couldn't hold back her smirk as her husband's companion spoke. So the prince wasn't very well liked by Drakken or Gems it seemed. As Kaivor introduced himself, she made a mental note about the no-nicknames thing. Her first impression was that he had no idea what to do with her- whether she'd been too forward and thrown him off, she didn't know, but the way he'd introduced himself alone told her just enough about him that she thought maybe, just maybe, she was lucky. Perhaps he would always be so easy with her? I could live with that...

As the companion left them to enjoy the feast that was set out for the various groups, Kaivor asked her if she was also hungry. She felt her stomach grumble at her as soon as he asked, and she smiled at him before responding. "I rather am, Kaivor." She liked the way his name sounded as she spoke- without any title to mar it. "If you don't mind my asking, who was your friend that just left?"

Before long, a commotion drew her attention to the door, where a Drakkan in a cloak stood, yelling about taking a bride for himself. Carefully, Kendra moved behind Kaivor, and hopefully out of the newcomer's line of sight. It didn't matter, as he quickly found some other girl in the room that caught his eye, and even though she wished she could help the girl she knew that here, there was no more helping each other. In a room full of people, the gems might as well have been on their own little islands...

Nadia Parnel
Bride of Keregar @Legion02 and Sister-Bride of Xaelia @Ellion
Interacting with: The Family

Nadia finally raised her head as her husband said to, and watched his face to try and gauge how he felt about her as he introduced himself. Keregar of Kereg-Kor. He was right in saying that it didn't mean anything to her, but she didn't let it show. It may be an important place, and he may be an important Drakkan, considering how he and the Prince had spoken to each other, but that was all over Nadia's head. It didn't really matter who he was or where he was from, what he's done or why. Nadia could've been handed to literally any drakkan in this room, it wouldn't have made a difference in her plan for survival.

Still, Keregar seemed alright so far. He hadn't immediately struck her for just speaking to him, like she could see some other Drakkan doing. She supposed, she could learn to resect him properly, given time. These actions of hers now was only out of fear, and perhaps her old shyness as well. She glanced at her sister-bride as he continued. She was slightly taller than Nadia, with beautiful long brown hair and sharp eyes. Nadia noticed that while still formal, she was dressed far more simply than her. Then again, Nadia was probably the only girl there in a proper wedding dress... The flowing dress her sister-bride wore was still beautiful, but in a way that Nadia herself could never pull off wearing.

After Keregar gave his order to tell about themselves, her sister-bride finally spoke up. Nadia watched her as she spoke, revealing three things about herself. She was from the border village, practically living in the shadow of castle Shadow Worth, and she knew Keregar's story, which meant she was more attuned to history than most other girls here, Nadia included. Xaelia finished by saying her name, and that was that. Nadia wasn't surprised at the fact that she herself hadn't also recognized their husband's name as soon as he said it. She'd never liked the stories about that time, not when they were always being whispered around the reaping time anyways.

Now it was her turn. She'd already given her name so, that only left Pyrvi and her life with her family. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to think how much she should say, if she even could say anything. "I... I'm not as familiar with those old stories as Xaelia is. My family lived far outside of the town of Pyrvi, pretty much isolated in the forests. I, prefer spending my time in the silence of Nature over the noise of the town." She opened her eyes as she continued, deciding not to say anything else about her home. "For things I do know about.. I am a seamstress, and that is the only art form I have any true skill in. I made this dress myself." She made the statement plainly, a fact rather than a boast.

She couldn't think of anything else to say, so she turned to Xaelia, giving the other Gem a small smile as she spoke, much more quietly than she had been speaking to Keregar. "I'm glad I'm not alone in this... Perhaps we could be friends?"

Kendra Riu Bell
Bride of Kaivor @Nevix
Interacting with: The Husband

When Kendra resurfaced after a minute or so, everyone was leaving the springs. She stayed for a minute, treading water as she watched the crowd. "What, did someone see a water snake or something?" As she asked the question, to no one in particular, she looked around and saw a Drakkan guard standing at the edge of the pool, glaring at her. "What?" She repeated, and his scowl grew deeper.

"Out. Now." He replied gruffly. "Before I have to come in there and drag you out. Not that I'd mind that much..." He grinned as she shook her head in disgust, quickly swimming to the opposite edge of the pool and hoisting herself out of the warm water. She was the last Gem to leave the room- and she still didn't know why they were all going so soon after getting there in the first place. The guards pushed her into her room, and told her to "get ready."

From all the other girl's actions, and the sudden rush... Kendra assumed this meant they were going to be meeting their husbands now. That had to be it. She went over to her chest, rummaging through the things she'd managed to grab from home before the Drakken had pulled her onto their ship, and away from her Island. Seashells, flowing skirts, and summer tops were quickly scattered over the bed, and she picked out an outfit she would be comfortable in. Her seashell necklace, of course- along with a white beach skirt and a red wrap as the top, and her sandals. It left a lot of her skin exposed, but she'd heard that the capitol was a desert, so as soon as they were out of the mountains it was going to get hot- and she didn't want to end up passing out from heat because she'd bundled up.

After making sure her hair was dry enough to look presentable (she loved the wavy look that water gave her), she walked out of her room and began to follow the crowd of other girls to wherever they were all going next, until a guard stopped her. He stepped in front of her, and when she tried to go around him, he moved to block her path again. "Uh, can I help you?"

"That's what you're wearing?" He said it so plainly, but Kendra couldn't help the hairs rising on the back of her neck at the statement.

"Excuse me? Like you have any right to judge my outfit. You've got Helmet hair down to your waist!" The guard just shook his head at her and pointed down the hall, back the way she'd come.

"You still look like you just got out of the bath. You will not disrespect your husband like this. Go put on an actual dress." He crossed his arms over his chest then, making it clear she wasn't going to get by, and from the way he'd spoken it seemed like he wasn't the one making this call either.

"I don't have an 'actual dress'. I didn't pack one, and even if I had they're all more or less like this." She sighed, gesturing to herself. After a second, the guard motioned another guard over.

"We missed one. Take her back to her room and get a gown on her." The second one nodded at the order and then grabbed Kendra by the arm, beginning to drag her down the hall again. "And hurry it up! We have to leave in less than an hour!"

Needless to say, everything from that moment until she plopped herself down on the seat of a carriage was very, very rushed. They'd given her the poofiest ball gown they could- or at least Kendra was sure they did that on purpose. She'd barely managed to keep her seashell necklace through the ordeal, as the drakkan guard "helped" her change outfits. In her opinion, she looked like a young girl's doll- all dressed up for very little reason at all. They'd even had her tie up her hair.

The rest of the carriage ride was actually kind of fun, if you could ignore the fact that at their destination lay their doom. The scenery, while nowhere close to Gemmenia's beauty, was very interesting. In such a short distance, snow, then trees, and now sand and heat and humid nighttime air- which finally broke into a storm as the girls all left their carriages and were rushed into an arena. The prince gave a speech, and then the girls began to be pulled, pushed, and practically thrown at the various Drakken standing around the room. Kendra eyed the crowd carefully, wondering which of these monsters she now belonged to.

She didn't have to wait long, as soon the Prince came for her himself. The guard tapped her on the shoulder to get her to follow, and soon she was being presented to a Wild-looking man. As the prince left she reached up and undid the stupid bun in her hair, letting the dark waves fall wherever they liked. As soon as that was done though, she bowed her head, deciding to speak first. "I am Kendra Riu Bell, of Haarale." She raised her head to look him in the eyes as she continued. "and what might I call you, M'lord?"


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