Can you hear the bells ring?

Hello! My name is Camille and it's a pleasure to serve you. Y-your order will be ready in a few minutes. [Part of Latus-Cael]

[chimebells-blog]

[Lost in Ustrina]

[fire-frenzy-blog]

Kimiko paused for a moment, not so much to reflect on what the girl said, but to make sure the were walking in the right direction. “What you say is once again, also true. I have not had much time for frivolities or anything of the sort, but I suppose that comes with being the queen or the ruling class of a society. There are days where I wish I could be whimsical.” She often thought back on her childhood years when her life was easier, where worry was left minimal. Now she was ruling a populace and had to be careful on how she carried out political affairs within her courts and with the other kingdoms. Really, she and her brother could use a vacation.

[chimebells-blog]

Camille couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She thought it must be awfully hard to run such a huge kingdom. If running a small bakery kept her father and herself busy, she couldn't imagine how the queen must feel! "Perhaps...in the near future you'll be able to have a day free without worries. To do what you please!" Camille looked hopeful at the Charizard. "Everyone deserves a break after all, royalty or not."

[chimebells-blog]

[Lost in Ustrina]

[fire-frenzy-blog]

“That is true. Nevertheless, I hope he is doing fairly well.” Kimiko looked at the girl, a laugh threatening to escape her lips. But deciding it wouldn’t be good form to laugh with such a tough reputation she kept around those parts, the Charizard managed to suppress it. “Vigorous? How so?”

[chimebells-blog]

Camille began to play with her hair, a sure sign of her shyness coming through. "Ah well it's just...you don't seem like the type to...have fun." Realizing what she just said, the Chimeco began to wave her hands. "I-I mean, being a queen takes a lot of work s-so of course there's no time for fun!" She felt the blood rush to her cheeks. How embarrassing, displaying such silliness in front of the queen! 

[chimebells-blog]

[Lost in Ustrina]

[fire-frenzy-blog]

“Mm, yes, that king. Not very social is he? You would think with his near immortality he would at least get out once in a few decades.” Watching the little Chimeco closely, she couldn’t help but become amused at the way she reacted. “I was positive my regalia would give away my status, but I suppose not. Why is it so surprising I am the queen? Is it because of my youth?”

[chimebells-blog]

She nodded in agreement. "Well I suppose he has his reasons. I think...he runs the kingdom differently from yours." Pausing, Camille looked at the Charizard and studied her details. "Y-you certainly seem young! But also...you look a bit..." she was looking for the right words. "Vigorous." She hoped it wouldn't offend her.

[chimebells-blog]

[Lost in Ustrina]

[fire-frenzy-blog]

“Do not be sorry for getting lost. It is your first time here after all.” She made sure the Chimeco was close to her side. “Ah, Pratus. I see. How is the kingdom faring?” she asked to strike up conversation. Kimiko greeted the others as they roamed the streets, occasionally waving. “That is very pleasing to hear,” she replied to the girl. “I would like to hope they were fond of me. I am the queen of Ustrina after all. Cannot have my citizens dislike me now. That is never a good scenario. A kingdom is only as strong as its people and their loyalty to the crown. That is what I believe.”

[chimebells-blog]

"Pratus is doing quite well...though the king hasn't been out much. I believe he will show up when he is ready." As soon as she heard the words leave the Charizard's mouth, Camille nearly tripped over. She glanced up at the queen, her eyes wide. "Y-you're the queen of Ustrina?! Forgive me, I did not know!" She bowed. The queen was certainly doing a job well done, the Chimeco thought.

[chimebells-blog]

[Lost in Ustrina]

[fire-frenzy-blog]

The Charizard blinked. “A bakery? Really?” She was even more surprised to find that this young girl wasn’t even a resident. “Ah, a visitor I see. Where are you from? I like to know who leaves the kingdom and who decides to enter it.” Taking the piece of crumpled paper from the other’s hand, she said, “Goodness, you’ve almost reduced this slip to pollen. Now let me see…ah yes, the bakery. It should not be too far from here. You made the mistake of turning the wrong corner a little ways back. Come, follow me.”

[chimebells-blog]

"I-I'm sorry" she mumbled under her breath. Following the Charizard, Camille walked closely by her. "I'm from the Pratus region. It's couple of hours from here." As they continued to walk, Camille noticed how the residents stared at the Charizard, some in awe and some even bowed. She twiddled her fingers and with a hint of curiosity said, "Um, quite a lot of people seem to like you..."

[chimebells-blog]

[Lost in Ustrina]

[fire-frenzy-blog]

“Please do speak up,” she began. “I cannot hear you when you use such soft a tone! Now what is this place you are looking for? Perhaps one of our merchant shops with textiles or jewelry? Maybe a blacksmith? Surely you could not want something such as a weapon though. You give off the impression of a very humble and delicate little thing, though I probably should not judge you too quickly as looks can be deceiving.”

[chimebells-blog]

She felt her cheeks flush from embarrassment and began again. "I'm looking for a shop...a bakery shop to specific." She glanced around. "Um, as you can tell I got lost. It's my first time visiting Ustrina." Camille looked at the now crumpled paper in her hand and handed it nervously to the lady. "T-those are the directions."

[chimebells-blog]

[Lost in Ustrina]

[fire-frenzy-blog]

Kimiko made her usual rounds in the kingdom, walking on the cobblestone streets, the heels of her shoes clicking against them. She greeted some of the citizens and smiled faintly at others. This was one of her goals, to be better acquainted with the people who lived in her kingdom, perhaps to better understand them and their needs. Noticing a peculiar girl leaning against a dirty wall, she asked, “You there. It seems something is troubling you.”

[chimebells-blog]

An unfamiliar voice startled her, and she turned around coming face to face with a tall lady. She had a rather demanding aura about her which made Camille nervous. Wringing the paper in hands, she nodded. "A-ah yes um...I'm rather lost you see. I'm looking for a shop around here...but I can't find it."

[chimebells-blog]

[Lost in Ustrina]

She looked at the paper in her hand.

"Go fetch some special dough from the Ustrina region. There should be a shop that specializes in that."

Those were the only words he told her before giving her the directions on a piece of paper. It had taken her awhile to get to Ustrina but she finally made it. The region was completely different from Pratus and it surprised her quite a bit. The air around her seemed hotter and Camille could only imagine what kind of people she could run into. Keeping a wary eye, she began to walk around occasionally looking at the other shops. 

After a few hours, Camille sighed and leaned against a wall. Where could the place be? She had wandered around and there was no sign of it. Yet, she couldn't ask anyone, they all seemed very intimidating to her. The Chimecho looked around nervously.

[chaoscandle-blog]

.Nightfall

[chaoscandle-blog]

Brenton was expecting someone to bump into him, smelling the girl’s sweet aura before she even approached him. It made him feel sick, how sweet it was, like pure, raw sugar. Not to his tastes at all, she wouldn’t do. Slowly, he turned to look at her, his foggy yellow eyes slanting to a mischevious glare which complemented his nearly sadistic looking grin. His underbite showed clearly with his snaggled and pointed teeth glinting in the setting sunlight.

“‘Ello there~ ‘S alrigh’, madame… Hmm, y’er the baker round town, ain’t ya’?”

As he spoke, his fang like teeth clicked together where they overlapped, making it seem as if he was a personification of a landwelling shark. It must have been her imagination, but in this odd level of light, it kinda looked like smoke was leaking through the gaps in his pearly whites. After a slight pause, he bowed to the girl before him, tipping his hat but not taking it off.

“The name’s Brenton… Brenton Cornelius Lamont, undertaker extrodinare, at y’er service~ And… What ‘bout you, lil’ miss?”

[chimebells-blog]

An undertaker? That seemed grim though the boy looked anything but that. Sudden thoughts of her mom came flowing in her mind but she quickly pushed those away. Camille smiled politely at the Litwick, aware of the look in his eyes. However she felt captivated by his grin, how sharp they seemed and especially...was it smoke drifting from his lips? 

She snapped away from her reverie and nodded at him. "Brenton? I-it's very nice to meet you! Ah, my mine is Camille Lorette. It's a pleasure to meet you." The Chimecho curtsied.

"I've never seen you around before...but perhaps that's because I'm so busy attending the bakery." She laughs sheepishly before adding, "Pratus is a really nice place despite the different sorts of people living here."

[chaoscandle-blog]

.Nightfall [Open]

It was starting to get late, just how the tiny mortician liked it. Brenton was on one of his usual little strolls; his main way of getting a bit to eat and to creep out the locals. Unfortunately for him, he started out a bit too early. The sun was still high in the sky when he first went out, and he really didn’t enjoy the brightness, something made obvious by his lacy parasol that he carried above his head, the sharpened tip glinting in the sun dangerously.

But now that the sun was sinking, he felt it wasn’t quite necessary any more, pulling it closed and twirling it around with a bit of unneeded flair. His heeled boots clattered against the ground in a fashion that would make him intimidating if he weren’t so… tiny. His coat trailed in the breeze along with almost smug and sadistic looking grin plastered on his face, making his sharp teeth glint in the evening sun, all made him have an air of someone not to be messed with. Unfortunately, his small stature took a whole lot away from this look, and simply made him look like a smug and flashy child.

“Mmmm~ It’s a nice nigh’ for a stroll, hehehe~”

[chimebells-blog]

Camille watched the sun set over the mountains, the sky turning a pretty orange and purple. The bakery wasn't very busy today so her dad decided to close up the shop early in hopes of resting earlier. The young Chimecho on the other hand, decided to use this opportunity to take a leisurely walk around the town. She felt it was always nice and calm to take a walk all by herself, even so when she was alone.

Admiring the dark streaks of color in the sky, Camille hadn't notice where she was walking so to her surprise, she accidentally bumped into someone.

"O-oh I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you!"

She wrung her hands nervously as she noticed that it was a young boy who looked around her age. There was an aura about him that made the Chimecho nervous...she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was the way he was dressed? Even so, Camille had never seen him around in Pratus. 

[chimebells-blog]

(( Ahhh I'm alive! Sorry I haven't been active, school and all! I'll try to come on sometime. ;; ))

[chimebells-blog]

"Camille! Hurry up and go get me some more fresh apples! I need them for the sweets!"

"Ah going papa!"

The young Chimecho rushed out of the small bakery, tying her apron around her waist to make sure it wouldn't fall off. Like everyday, her father's bakery seemed to busy with customers buying fresh loaves of bread and sweets to take home for dinner.

She finally arrived the merchant's shop and bought two basket full of apples. Though it seemed like a lot, Camille knew that they would be gone within an hour. It took a lot of work to run a bakery especially one that had a reputation of being the best!

Taking the load of apples in each hand, Camille walked back rather quickly to the bakery. The sun was setting already and it was getting dark so she had to be back by the time the streets were enveloped in night. Almost the- ah! Camille tripped and the red apples fell to the ground. "Oh no!" She said in a hushed whisper as she tried to gather back all the apples that fell.

[chimebells-blog]

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST HUMAN MEMORY?

"My earliest memory...? W-when mama and papa thought me all the necessary instructions for baking."