peace was never an option

the king is dead long live the prince

[melody-aden-blog]

Wanderers of Light // Gale & Melody

[melody-aden-blog]

Melody did not know how long she had been out on the grass, staring up at the blue sky above her or squinting her eyes at the sun that was slightly off to the side, but it was easy to lose track of time when you were as content as she was in that moment. The sun was warm and welcoming, something that she loved most dearly about being out of the water. Deep below the waters was not the most suitable place for a siren to go sunbathing whatsoever — did sirens even sunbathe at all, she wondered. Most likely they did not, as they did not see the importance of it, but Melody always did. She liked the sun, the fresh air, and most importantly, she loved the trees. She’d always found it rather odd that she was so in love with the earth, the grass and rest of nature that did not directly connect to the ocean, but she had taught herself to pay it no mind. There were more troubling things to worry about than the fact that she enjoyed the tickle of grass underneath her bare feet. 

Hearing a sound from the side, Melody turned her head to the direction of it and spotted a horse … and a man on top of it. How long he had stood there, silently, she did not know, but she had not noticed his arrival. The princess sat up as gracefully as she could, letting her eyes adjust to the light around her until the man’s face gradually came together in her sight. “Good morning to you, sir,” she greeted politely, turning her head to look up at the sky. “Or perhaps it is already afternoon, I can’t tell. I seem to have lost track of time.” She rose from the ground, dusting her dress to rid it off any grass or dirt and composed herself, folding her hands gently in front of her. 

The man did not seem very familiar to her, but then again, she was not exactly a local around these parts. Whoever he was, he seemed quite unsettled by the fact that she was there — she would almost assume he was already annoyed with her the moment he’d arrived. “Have I offended you in any way, sir, by being here? I know this is open grounds for anyone if they so please. I was simply enjoying the sunlight and the peace and quiet.” She wasn’t lying to him, that much was sure. She had no other reason to be out in the open otherwise, and she really did crave the serenity of the forest, especially after that horrid meeting earlier. Her ears practically still rung at the sound of the male voices. 

If she truly was trespassing — and she figured she wasn’t — she wouldn’t make a scene, or anger the young man even more. He seemed more than capable to stand his ground and Melody did not want to risk any unnecessary arguments or violence over such a simple little thing. She let her eyes take the young man in observantly, noticing his clothes, his hair, his eyes and still, nothing rang a bell. He did not seem to be some some sort of traveller, no — he did seem to have some status to him, but it meant very little to her. Still, she knew that politeness was the key to nearly everything, even to a grumpy man on a horse, and so she decided to remain friendly towards the unknown young man. 

[galesorcha]

Gale was taken aback by her presence. He was so used to roaming alone through those parts that the foreign presence took him off guard completely. The lady was very beautiful, with ebony hair that cascaded down her back and big blue eyes that stared at him in what seemed like curiosity. He noticed he was staring and shook his head in a silent apology. The horse beneath him seemed to mimic his reaction and whinnied loudly. “Shh,” he spoke softly, taken out of his contemplation by the noise. “It’s alright, girl,” Gale said one more time, caressing the animal’s mane. Little by little the horse quieted down enough for him to get down from it in one swift movement, and take hold of the ropes so that it would not be scared. He looked ahead only to meet the strange girl’s eyes again. “Good afternoon,” he finally spoke to her.

Then his face scrunched up in a strange expression of confusion. Offended? He was definitely irritated at her being there, mostly because he’d have to find another place to sit down and think, but he was not offended. Shaking his head in denial, the prince waved off her concerns. She wanted the same as him, peace and quiet and, even though he could not see himself having it when a stranger roamed through lands he had deemed as his secret place, Gale forced himself not to care. “Don’t be silly,” he spoke, sounding pretentious even if he did not meant it. “Like you said, these are open grounds. I’m just not used to seeing... Girls around these parts.” In fact, he was not used to seeing anyone around those parts – Gale always made sure no one was nearby whenever he tried to get away from his duties.

But with the brunette already there, the place had no use to him anymore. His only curiosity, the thing that made him look at the overly polite girl again, was her identity. “What did you say your name was again?” Gale asked at last, analyzing the intruder. The lack of pointy ears and an awed expression told him she wasn’t an elf, and the fact that she had no marks down her arms also meant she wasn’t a fae. That left him with two choices, and he sincerely hoped one of them was wrong. Narrowing his eyes, his hand went to where his sword would have been, if he wasn’t in such a rush to get out of home in the first place. The girl was definitely beautiful enough to be a siren, though he had never seen one himself, but then again nymphs were just as pretty sometimes. It left him in doubt, and he wondered if he should keep a guarded expression, or a friendly one.

[fredweazley]

[asmanyas-siximpossiblethings]

Dancing Lessons | Gale & Eowyn

Eowyn dressed slowly, a bit unsure of going to these lessons today. She knew that it was expected of her. After all, the future queen was supposed to be able to dance perfectly. Her hair was piled high on her head, not necessarily the way she would have liked, but she supposed it would have to do. She had decided to forego any type of makeup today, not wanting to crush the berries against her lips. After all, she knew that it wouldn’t help much anyway. Gale seemed quite insistent on hating her, simply because she was the one that he was supposed to marry. The blonde sighed, knowing that it wasn’t right to feel such annoyance. She had accepted her fate, but what irked her was that Gale obviously did not. 

She buttoned up her dress in the back, being careful not to lose one on the way up. She slipped on the flat shoes she was to use for dancing before biting her lips and looking in the glass she used as a mirror. It wasn’t perfect, but the elf knew that she could be pleasing to the eyes, even if she didn’t necessarily understand it herself. The green dress brought out her coloring and she smiled before making her way through the Palace to the ballroom where they would be dancing. She walked with her head held high, a woman who had resigned herself to her own fate. She put a smile on her face, knowing that she might as well find some happiness here. It was the only life she was going to have.

When she got there, she was alone. She looked at the dial to realize she had arrived earlier than she had expected. She sat in a chair as she waited for the teacher and for Gale, not sure who would arrive first. She was hoping the teacher, for she didn’t know how much blatant hatred she was in the mood to take today. 

[galesorcha]

He looked ahead unwaveringly as the page adjusted his cuffs. Gale had a blatant dislike for people helping him get dressed, but he’d be meeting Lady Wildmoor soon, and it was only common sense that he’d be well-dressed and groomed. Despite all his unhappiness with their current situation, her parents were still old friends of the family, honorable members of the council and it would be an offense to them to appear at that dancing lesson looking anything less than regal. Still, his lips were pressed in a hard line and his eyes seemed rather unfocused, as the prince thought about what would be expecting him in the near future. When the nine year-old by his side finally finished arranging both cuffs and stepped back, the prince sighed heavily, not looking forward to the lesson.

It wasn’t that he disliked her in particular, just the thought of marrying her – or anyone else, really – to please his parents. Gale put his arms behind as a butler extended him his coat and looked at the mirror once he was done putting it on. He looked good, in simple black, leather slacks, a crisp white shirt and the black coat, embroidered with the family’s symbol in the front, the same that adorned the one silver ring he wore on his middle finger. Thinking his mother would have approved of his look, the prince looked to his side and thanked both the butler and the page, as stiffly and curtly as always, before turning around and leaving his dressing room in a rapid pace.

The ballroom in which he’d meet her wasn’t the biggest, and it wasn’t far, so once he was out of his bedroom, the boy took his time as he walked through the hallways. Gale wasn’t going to be late, but he did not want to get there too early either. Unfortunately for him, there was only so much time he could take before getting to the room, and before he knew it, there he was. Two impeccably dressed men opened the doors, and he walked in the big, white room without an announcement. He searched the room only to find out his companion was already there. He took in the view of Eowyn, dressed in a green gown with blonde ringlets of hair perched on the top of her head, looking as beautiful as ever and swallowed his discomfort with it. “Lady Wildmoor,” his voice reverberated throughout the room and he went over to meet her, bowing  respectfully in front of the girl.

[theonofhodia]

Defy and Define // Theon & Gale

[theonofhodia]

Theon felt a scornful expression quickly spread across his features when his son opened the door. It was already afternoon, yet it seemed that the unexpected knocking had awoken the prince. His usually cheerfully blue eyes seemed red and he was wrapped his sheets instead of real clothing. A sorry sight, Theon thought, to see the future king in such a disorderly state. Sometimes he had to remind himself that Gale was still only a boy and perhaps his expectations of him were a bit too high. After all, it would be a lie to say that Theon had always come off so majestic. “Was it so late that you went to bed that you do lie so late?” He asked, his voice almost aggrieved. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

Assuming the answer was no or don’t tell me, he accepted his offer and came inside his room. The room was tidier than was to be expected of a boy Gale’s age, but then, he had maids to clean up after him. If he didn’t, Theon could only imagine what sights his senses would be affronted by when he came through the door. He didn’t scold or accuse him for taking such a childish tone with him, but also didn’t say anything of the moment of warmth it caused his heart to hear his son call him dad after he had all but outgrown it. In some ways, he missed when they were both younger and so full of potential. He regretted what their relationship had become, but he held on hope that he could restore it. He just wasn’t sure how.

“Perhaps you know what I’ve come here to say.” He said, turning back to his son and giving a nod. “Unless that wine has muddied your thoughts. It is the reason for your lack of sleep, is it not?” He sighed softly and tried to continue without losing his temper or saying something he would regret. “I had been wondering where you had gone off to during the Party of Lights, but I have a feeling I know that now. I had hoped you would be a little less reclusive, given the importance of the gathering.” He paused to consider if Gale understood the importance of it now, or if he ever had. “As I’m sure I have told you, this was the first time the Party of Lights had been held since the war.”

[galesorcha]

The prince had no idea what time it was, but the bright sunlight shining through his window suggested that morning was long gone. He did not wish to answer the truth to his father, that he had drank too much and could not care less about whether or not he had woken up late after a party, so instead Gale kept quiet and merely stepped to the side to allow the older man to walk inside his chambers. He ran a hand through the sand-blond hair, being careful enough to hold the sheet in place. It seemed to him that his surroundings were in slow motion, and that Theon, with tidy clothes and carrying himself in such a respectable manner, did not quite fit in with the rest of the scene in front of him. To keep himself from considering it, the prince merely closed the door, and walked until he was between his father and his bed, a part of him wishing it was acceptable for him to sit down.

If he were to be honest with Theon, Gale would confess that his father’s motives to go there were quite unknown to him. The party was a distant memory, a foggy haze of alcohol covering much of its happenings and his own feelings towards it. But he couldn’t just let the man talk without giving him proper answers, as Gale had learned from his etiquette teacher, so he nodded, his face showing the appropriate amount of shame and guilt. Usually, the prince was not the first to worry about what was suitable behavior for his position, something his teachers had discussed with him more than once, but looking at Theon’s disappointment made Gale’s shoulders sag a bit, and he looked away from his father’s piercing blue gaze in unspoken embarrassment.

“I was with Joran,” he said, as if it excused him somehow. The teacher was wise, and Gale trusted his father to recognize that he would not allow the prince to embarrass himself or others. Little by little memories from the previous night started to shine through and the elf’s pointy ears reddened. “He did not let me out of his sight…. Father, I did not cause a scene.” Well, at least not one anyone could see. Gale vaguely remembered cursing every siren under his breath as they passed through him. “And I was careful to respect the treaty,” he added at last, with a bit more confidence. If he seemed reclusive, it was in the name of his parents’ beloved agreement with the fish-people. “Isn’t that what you wanted me to do? Respect the merpeople during the party? I did my best.”

[hisnamecolin]

“Although, maybe I’ll take that” “My gooold” “Probably safer with me” “Of course”

[melody-aden-blog]

Wanderers of Light // Gale & Melody

The faces of the men of the council were all familiar ones. Though she knew them all by name, by title, knew their family members and their significant part in the council, Melody could only feign interest for so long. The council meeting she was in — both to represent herself and her brother, who no doubt was off discovering the wonders of the world or turning around in his bed still — had been going on for a few hours now. The men discussed the peace treaty and if there were any abnormalities to have surfaced over the course of the time that had been in between meetings, and her father, King Sebastian, discussed all matters with equal amounts of dedication. Luckily there weren’t many incidents — quite frankly, none at all for as far as Melody had heard, yet here they still were, seated around a large oval shaped table. The men apparently had forgotten the rule to let one finish before the other spoke, because there was a rumble of low voices that filled the room as each one of them spoke their opinions about the matter at hand. Truth be told, Melody had lost focus about half an hour ago, but she had been taught how to at least seem bored in a polite way rather than to slouch in her chair. 

Relief washed over Melody when her father excused her half an hour later. He especially would be able to read the boredom off his daughter’s face, and since he feared the meeting would be far from over — as far as Melody could understand, they were discussing the recent Lights Party now — he allowed Melody to leave the room. The princess didn’t have to think twice about what to do with her free time. As she swam up to the surface, she contemplated whether to check up on her brother, to see if he was anywhere near or at least in the castle, but a voice in the back of her head told her that it was probably not the best of ideas. Mikael was everywhere and nowhere. Melody herself had trouble keeping an eye on him. 

Melody surfaced quietly, as she always did, scanning the area for anyone around before she did. Caution was of utmost importance, she knew this. Surfacing was only allowed for feeding, and that was done as little as possible as per orders of her father. The fact that she herself had trouble following those orders had been something that had tormented her from the moment she realized that the hunger was taking over her entire mindset, but Melody was strong. She was an Aden. She’d told herself that over and over again, and she would not be taken down by something like hunger. She would be fine. She had to be. 

The grassy patches Melody followed into what she knew to be Clearing tickled underneath her bare feet and she allowed herself to enjoy the somewhat foreign sensation. She had refused herself to go up to the surface for a while now, all in correspondance with the hunger she felt, for fear she would unnecessarily hurt someone, but she craved a few moments on the surface. She’d be back before anyone would miss her. Besides, Clearing was neutral grounds. She would be safe. The princess let herself fall back on the grass, slightly warmed by the sun above and breathed out. Just a few moments to herself. 

[galesorcha]

His movements were far too slow, and Gale could barely get away from his partner’s fists as they came at him with full force. Dizzy and slightly disoriented, the prince found out, in the worst possible manner, that drinking copious amounts of wine the night before had not been a good idea, especially not when he had scheduled training for the following afternoon. The man was big and bulky and, though it would not have been much of a struggle to keep up with him if he was completely sober, Gale found himself losing match after match, all because of stupid mistakes and delayed responses to the blows. Sweaty and tired, the prince did not feel like carrying on with the competition, as he felt it was useless to do so in the damaged state he was in.

The boy took a few steps back, raising his hands to signal that the fight was over, making it so that the other man responded by looking at him questioningly. Gale did not end fights that easily, at least not until he won one and had understood his opponent’s weaknesses to some extent. To have the prince give up so quickly surely meant something wasn’t well. Most had heard about the Party of Lights and how the boy had simply disappeared or ignored them every time a siren was near, and even through his haze Gale could read the question written across their faces: did you do something? A part of him wanted to scream, let them know that he had done nothing shameful or wrong – at least nothing too wrong. Instead, though, the prince simply ran a hand through the sand-blond hair and walked away sighing.

He knew that he would get nothing useful done and had a feeling that he’d only get into trouble again if his parents saw him sneaking back into his room to sleep off the haze. Dressed in commoners’ clothes and with sweat making the simple white shirt cling onto his back, Gale went off to find his horse, hoping that spending some time riding it would clear his mind at least a bit. It was a short walk from the dome to the stables, and once in it he walked purposefully towards the brown stallion his father had brought to him when he was younger. Caressing the animal’s mane, Gale soothed it slowly before getting ready to mount it and go wherever he felt like going.

It wasn’t long before he was comfortably mounted and riding away from the castle, trying not to draw too much attention to himself. The horse went fast enough to make him feel the wind on his face, but slow enough that people did not bother to look twice, and before he knew it Gale was outside of the town and the horse had achieved a comfortable pace. The smell of grass and wood and nature filled his lungs, clearing his mind and making him feel a little bit better than before. It was liberating to ride like that, and he found himself clutching onto the lead ropes tightly as he went.

It took him about an hour to finally get far enough away from home. The land of nymphs was magical and welcoming even without a party going on, and the prince could feel the power coursing through his body. The blessed nature around him was not only beautiful, but comforting in a way very few places felt, and soon the tension on his shoulders had disappeared and he embraced the atmosphere. He brought his horse’s speed down until they were in a slow pace, just walking about without meaning harm. Gale knew those woods, he had been obliged to learn about them by tutors and his parents and everyone else, and his recurrent trips had only enhanced his knowledge.

He led the horse through some trees and a somewhat worn path; searching for the same place he often went to in order to think. When he found it, however, the elf was astounded to find out there was already someone there, a girl, by the looks of it, and not an ugly one either. He looked at her curiously, partially mad that someone else had found that place and cleared his throat in order to make his presence known. 

[theonofhodia]

Defy and Define // Theon & Gale

When Theon and his wife had been invited to the Party of Lights, he wasn’t sure how to feel. For the days leading up to the event, his stomach was constantly tied in knots and he reeked of nervous trepidation. Peace was such a fragile thing, so easily broken and so difficult to repair, that he was sure no amount of caution would be enough. Despite his uneasiness when the nymphs of Clearing insisted that he leave any and all weaponry behind, he had done so. He quietly observed, acting as a diplomat to the royalties of foreign kingdoms and a fellow to other partygoers, though he let a scornful eye wander, lest he see anything out of the ordinary.

But everything had gone according to plan. There was merrymaking and joy and not a single threat or hostility to be heard. Still, something did not feel right, and it wasn’t until Theon had returned to Hodia that he realized what it had been. Gale had been mysteriously silent. The prince of Hodia was never one to keep his opinions to himself, no more than he was one to keep an open mind once he had already made his up. Yet all evening he had been quiet, keeping to himself and a trusted few it seemed. True that he had expected Gale to start a fight or make his low opinion of the sirens so blatantly clear that someone else would start the fight for him. However, his absence during such an important event caused Theon to question what kind of a king his son would someday make.

Thus the knock on the heavy wooden door of Gale’s chambers. Fatherly talks like these seldom ended well for either party, and yet he kept trying in hopes that someday they would have the same bond that Theon once had with his own father. A more pragmatic part of him knew this was unlikely, that he and his son were just too unalike, but the optimistic to a fault part of him warded the thought away with memories from his youth and hope for the future. Someday, he thought with a wry grin, but he was certain that soon these hopes would meet a grim end. “Gale?” He called at the door. “Are you in there, son? I must have words with you.”

[galesorcha]

Gale had spent most of the Party refusing to go near the sirens. He had left his weapons behind, as instructed, but the by doubted he’d fail to use his fists if those foul creatures crossed his path. So, encircled by knights and soldiers and elves, the prince refused to join in with his parents as they talked to the other king, staying behind to avoid confrontation. That was how he had gone through the celebration, by staying behind and drinking copious amounts of wine, clinging on to Joran for moral support and to have someone anchoring him, someone who he knew would not react the way his parents surely would if they knew he thought that the party was a joke. Somehow, his plan had worked, and despite the blatant distaste shown on his face, Gale Sorcha had not gotten into any fights, had not broken any noses nor had he attacked any sirens.

Thankfully the wine had left him too groggy altogether to do much but follow the rest of his companions back to Hodia by the end of it. Without so much as a goodbye to the nymphs, a very drunk prince returned home to crash on his bed until the next afternoon. It wasn’t his proudest moment – not even close – but some part of his brain knew that it was for the best. Disappearing seemed like a good enough alternative to disappointing everyone with crude remarks and an awful behavior, something the prejudiced son of an open-minded queen would not fail to do. Besides, he had made it through the entire evening with no more than a few scornful glances towards the merpeople, and some witty remarks that only Joran had heard, so he saw really no motive for worries.

Which if why he was startled when the sound of heavy knocks on his door awoke him. It was too early – well, too early for him – and the taste of rotten wood in his mouth only confirmed the fact that he had drank too much the evening before. With his head pounding, Gale got up slowly and, pulling the sheets around him, walked over to the door. His father’s voice invaded his ears, and he knew he should feel as though something was wrong, but his thoughts were still jumbled and, amidst the morning-after haze, the prince thought nothing of it. Opening the door in one swift movement, he looked at Theon’s fully dressed figure in a manner that could only be described as comic, trying to decide whether he was dreaming or if his mind was still too asleep to make sense of it.

“Dad?” His tone was almost childish, and Gale used a term he hadn’t in years. Coughing, something in his brain clicked and he got out of the way. “I mean, father, come in.”

[darklands-rp]

GALE SORCHA ❖ TAKEN

367 years of age

Elf – Hodia

Prince of Hodia

FC: Bradley James

Gale Sorcha had always been a wild child. Not the kind that broke rules, but the kind that loved adventure. Even though he had everything a child could hope for in Hodia, something in him felt empty without the thrill of peeking outside the borders. Despite the fact that he, as the Prince, should pay more attention to them than anyone else, Gale couldn’t help the curiosity. Unfortunately, his ways got him the angry looks of the council members as a child, and people constantly worried he’d do something wrong while on one of his escapades. For this, the Prince blamed the sirens, since it was their presence they feared, and their people his parents were worried to offend. They created the whispers behind his back, and the worry that the treaty would be broken.

To keep him from danger, Gale’s parents insisted he started training more than the necessary for a royal, and it became clear he was meant to be a soldier. Unlike Aurora, the boy never valued magic or diplomacy, and realized he would rather spend hours training with his father than studying with his mother. That, however, came as a pain for the Queen, who esteemed peace above all, and who wanted her son to be not only a good fighter, but a good leader. Sometimes Gale wondered how she and Theon could be so calm, sitting around and doing nothing to avenge those they had lost in the war. Although that quality was seen with good eyes by the rest of Hodia, the Prince had a hard time accepting it. How was it that they forgave the merpeople so easily? It was their fault people were still haunted by memories of loss and pain, and the boy has always hated it.

The fact that his parents think that marrying him off to someone will make him hate the sirens any less is disconcerting to him, to say the least. Gale doesn’t like to have his freedom taken away from him, and he wrongly blames his future fiancée, Eowyn of this. Though they’ve grown up together, the two could not be more different, and he is unwilling to see past that in order to give her a chance. Hardheaded and stubborn, the prince may seem like someone who wants nothing more than destruction, but truth is he truly feels that is the right thing to do. He doesn’t know, nor does he understand the sirens, and the legends and tales of coldhearted monsters is all he’s ever heard of them. The thing is, can Gale’s eyes be opened, or will he bring about another period of war?

+ loyal, industrious, corageous

- stubborn, immature, impulsive

[notdavidfincher]

[galesorcha]

Five years of magic | 5.02 Arthur’s Bane: Part Two

[romelzacarnes]

[charlotte-astor]

Dinner | Gale & Eowyn

[charlotte-astor]

Eowyn knew that she shouldn’t have said it. She should have known that doing so would send him into a rage. But for perhaps the first time, she had allowed her emotions to dictate how she acted around Gale. She would have to have been stupid to ignore how his emotions flared up, how his eyes turned darker and darker. She saw how he gripped the chalice, almost as if he wanted nothing more than to squeeze it to smithereens. Obviously, telling him she didn’t expect him to fulfill his obligations had upset him even more, though she wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as if her words had seemingly hurt him in the past, at least not to her knowledge. 

Still, the mark of a queen was the ability to do good for others, not for oneself and Eowyn could acknowledge that. She felt a flicker of remorse come over her as she gazed upon Gale’s face. The tone in which he spoke was upsetting, both to herself and to the servants who had all left and made themselves scarce. Eowyn felt tears pricking at her eyes and she had to bite her lip to keep them from overflowing. Her face showed surprise, though she knew that Gale had a temper even if she had never experienced it herself. There was a first time for everything, after all.

It was in this moment that Eowyn realized she had two choices. She could choose to accept her parents’ plan for her life and be happy with it, or she could accept that plan for her life and be miserable. There was no getting out of marrying Gale, and trying was futile. 

And so, the future princess swallowed the lump in her throat and she forced the tears to abate before she spoke. She didn’t allow her voice to shake and she didn’t allow it to sound prideful. 

“Just because I wasn’t surprised doesn’t mean I didn’t want you to come,” she told him, her voice a bit louder. She wanted him to understand that her feelings mattered, even if he continued to brush them away. “We might not have a choice about this marriage. You and I both know that it is inevitable. But we can either make the best of it or we can make the worst of it. I’m trying but I can’t try alone.” 

[galesorcha]

The air in the room seemed too thick, her sadness and his rage seeping from both of them and pooling at their feet. He didn't feel remorse, or satisfaction from her obvious reaction to his loss of control, just the numbness that came with the explosion. Looking at her for, perhaps, the first time in the entire evening, Gale could see the unshed tears making her hazel eyes glisten under the dimmed lights of the dining parlor. Perhaps he had gone too far, the boy mused as he lifted his glass so that one terrified servant could refill it. But, though his eyes clouded with doubt, he did not try to apologize or even look mortified.

It was the mark of a King to never allow their weaknesses to show.

Her newfound resignation made one of his eyebrows quirk upwards, leaving an unasked question hanging between them. Her expression, which to him read as quiet acceptance and challenging determination, was one he had often seen in his mother's face while dealing with him, and for a moment, Gale was haunted by the similarities. His jaw twitched, and he swallowed the lump which had formed in his throat. On a subconscious level, the prince expected her to shout. Hell, he wanted her to shout, to scream that he was a heartless monster and that she would not go as low as to marry him. But that was Eowyn Wildmoor, an apparent paragon of control, and he found himself staring as she spoke.

Gale did not fail to notice it this time, the way her tone was slightly louder than before, and the way that her body responded to his previous outburst almost instinctively. He paid more attention to that than to her words and the obviousness of them. Of course they should be making the best of it, he should be at least trying. His eyes - now free of some of their darkness - met hers. A part of him didn't want to swallow his pride, he didn't want to accept that fate, yet he nodded slowly, agreeing with her words, but the prince had caused enough darkness for one evening.

Before he could contain himself, though, another humorless chuckle left his lips. "You don't have to lie," he said, his voice sounding every bit as drained of energy as he felt. A part of her mustn't have wanted him to come - why would she? - and he didn't care. The fact that she didn't expect him to fulfill his obligations was what bothered him more than it should. "But... You're right," the boy acknowledged it, taking another gulp of wine. "I'll... Try." The promise left his lips almost like a whisper, as if he didn't want anyone else to hear that he would surrender, and his shoulders sagged just enough to showcase how rare it was for him to commit.

[princessmelodyaden-deactivated2]

A Sweet Rendezvous // Gale & Melody

[princessmelodyaden-deactivated2]

His laughter was a sound she would never fully get used to, as his laugh was loud and contagious, and Melody wondered silently if he was this carefree back in the palace as he was now. As she laughed along with him, she mused, “I’m glad I amuse you. A frowning prince is never a good one.” She’d made it her personal mission — well, kind of — to make him smile as much as she could during these brief moments that they had. She knew exactly what it was like to be a royal and to be confined by the rules that came with it. Sometimes — most of the times — there was no room for idle chatting, small jokes or just plain fun. Being a royal came with responsibility, and the proof was in her father, who she was sure she hadn’t seen smiling properly for over a year now. Her father had always been a serious man, but when he was worried and stressed, Melody feared he barely even knew what a smile was. She wanted to prevent Gale getting to that point. She chose to ignore the comment the prince gave her, and merely smiled deviously in return, choosing to let him perceive that as he wanted. Yes, he was terrific company. The best, in fact. 

The siren princess was starting to lose her grip on the cutlery conversation and its point and purpose — did it even have one? — but she laughed at Gale anyway, amused that something as small and silly as this had been able to make him happy. “Be very grateful that I gave you those pointers,” Melody answered casually. “I didn’t know any of this, and I failed miserably when someone asked me what the true usage of spoons was. I looked quite silly, to be honest. Everybody knew but me. Now you can avoid that terrible shame.”

Yes, sometimes friends did get busy. But Melody wondered if the prince was at all annoyed by the idea that she spent her time with someone else, also. Surely this arrangement that they had by meeting each other in the woods was nothing of the romantic kind — nor were her meetings with Richard, for that matter — but a part of her still hoped that inside, the prince was green with jealousy. She couldn’t exactly explain why, aside from the fact that it would perhaps indicate that he cared for her a bit more than just a friend — and that was enough to bring a happy smile to Melody’s face for a change. 

It faded almost instantly when Gale spoke up about the sirens, however. She knew she was in disguise and that, as her disguise, a nymph, had no reason to be offended when he insulted the sirens — but the words stung like nothing else. A deep frown formed itself on her face as she watched him go on, and despite her obvious liking to him, she couldn’t fight the immediate anger burning inside of her. “I find that very hard to believe,” she brought out, harsher than she had intended. “A proper moment to strike? What would they do? Outside of the water, they’re at a disadvantage. I think the treaty is doing its job more than perfectly. I—” She bit her lip almost painfully hard to stop herself from talking, as she knew that the next words would’ve been anything but polite. Taking a moment to calm herself, Melody remained quiet for a few seconds as she stared at the grass she was sitting on. “I just… don’t think you should be that harsh on them. On anyone.” Hoping to lighten the air a little bit, she nudged him against his shoulder she smirked and said, “You’re a kind prince, aren’t you? Be kind. Your angry face scares me.” 

[galesorcha]

Her reaction startled him, the words cutting through him like knife on butter, and before he could contain himself, he sighed. Gale was used to discussing with everyone around him about the same thing, and there he was doing it again with the one person he had managed to not piss off so far. The boy ran a hand through his hair, looking away in order to clear his thoughts. He forced himself to take a deep breath, to wait until the anger dispersed before he even thought of replying. It would do neither of them any good to have him lash out in the middle of the woods. She hadn't seen his bad side yet, and the boy had no intention of showing it to her, not when their meeting had gone along so smoothly so far.

When Gale finally felt it was safe enough to talk without scaring her, his eyes met hers again. Just as she nudged his side, he opened a small smile. "I can't help it." He told her sincerely. The ghosts of the war were still present in his father's eyes, in Joran's words, and in Hodia's core. He saw it everywhere, even if he had been born long after the battles, and the sirens were the only ones he could blame. Although the boy kept silent, in the name of their friendship, he thought that the merpeople deserved his harshness, like they deserved his hatred. He wanted to tell her that he wasn't a kind prince, that most of his people - even his own fiancée - disliked him, yet he forced himself to swallow the words and look cheerfully at her, as a half-hearted chuckle left his lips. He decided he'd be kind for her.

Which is why he ignored all the possible arguments that corroborated his opinion and, determined not to disagree with her, changed the subject. "Let us not dwell in it, then... I wouldn't want to scare you with my face any longer," the boy mocked, even if he didn't feel as lighthearted as before. Melody didn't agree with him, the knowledge rung in his ears, taunting him. But she was a nymph, he remembered, hardly as affected by the war, every living thing respected her kind more than anything. The boy shook his head and forced himself to focus on the good things, on the laughter and smiles, and turned back towards her trying to push away the dark thoughts.

[charlotte-astor]

Dinner | Gale & Eowyn

[charlotte-astor]

The way in which Gale said her name made it sound like a curse and Eowyn flinched, her features tightening as she felt herself holding back any emotion that threatened to overcome her.. She heard the hardness in his voice and shea had to force herself to ignore it. In her head, Eowyn knew that Gale was just as pressured as she was to marry her and she didn’t delude herself into thinking that he wanted to. But while they both felt forced, she acknowledged that she at least wanted to try. If she had to be forced into this marriage, at least she could attempt to find a happiness in it. That was something she didn’t think he would be attempting anytime soon and she let out a very low breath before she took another drink of her wine, not sure what to say.

She saw the paleness overtake his face and when he looked at her with guilt, Eowyn found that she felt not victory, but immense sadness. It was never her intention to guilt the young prince; she merely wanted to try to deal with this life in which they were expected to lead. The blonde nodded as he stammered out some sort of apology, unable to find an excuse. She was unable to ignore it completely. She knew he would ignore the dancing lessons unless his mother had been there to ensure his attendance. It wasn’t the first time he had missed something and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Even if he had come to dancing, Eowyn was sure that it would have been a very stiff and uncomfortable affair, as any sort of overture of friendship was thrown back at her, much like the way he had said her name. 

She prayed that this would not be indicative of their life together, for Eowyn didn’t know how much sterility and formality she could take. 

“To be quite honest,” she said quietly, her eyes steadily focused on her plate, lest the look in Gale’s eyes undo her, “I didn’t expect you to be there anyway.” She closed her eyes, wondering why she felt so emotional all of a sudden. The moment passed and Eowyn returned to the bread in front of her, hoping that the servants would bring out the main course soon, for she found that she needed to do something with her hands and eating seemed to be the best at the moment. 

[galesorcha]

He felt the shift going on around him, as if the mask of peaceful coexistence had finally fallen. Gale had hurt her, he could tell this in spite of his usual oblivion to everyone around him, and the boy felt guilty for once. Eowyn seemed no more pleased by the idea of marriage than he was, but at least she tried to hide it. He swallowed the shame that threatened to seep out of him and cleared his throat in poorly contained embarrassment. But just as the prince was about to utter another apology - a real one, mostly for making her feel so uncomfortable - her words brought another feeling to him, one he knew far too well. His expression clouded with silent rage, his eyes darkening until the misty green started remembering a threatening swamp. Of course she didn't expect him to come, it was because of other's expectancies of him that he was marrying her in the first place.

Gale let go of the piece of bread and took two long gulps of the overly sweetened wine they had ordered because it was the one most suitable for young ladies such as herself. Before he could contain himself, his lips contorted into a threatening smirk. He wasn't sure she understood just how much she had managed to affect him with her comment, nor did he care, just like he didn't care enough to perceive the emotion that filled her voice. In that moment he seemed more like a dark and bitter version of himself, not at all like the childhood friend of the Wildmoors, or the future King of Hodia, but like a boy who felt more anger than he could possibly hold within him. His hands shook with the force of it, and he took another sip of the chalice in order to try and hide it. Gale had hurt her, and unknowingly Eowyn had done one hell of a job returning the favor.

It wasn't her fault. It wasn't anyone's fault but his, yet he found himself slipping to that dark place of his mind once again.

After seconds that felt like hours of silence, the prince leaned back against his chair. "Then I am glad to have fulfilled your expectations, my dear." The words spilled out of him, meant to hurt and to show just how terrible he could be. His eyebrow twitched in silent contempt, whether for her or for the image she had of him, he wasn't sure. There was a part of him which felt guilty, but it wasn't strong enough to stand out against the hurt. She doesn't want this any more than you do, some memory of conscience told him, and you're only making it worse, but by then the damage was done and he couldn't stop himself or take it back. "Modesty aside, I seem to be pretty good at doing that." Irony dripped from his tongue, though he no longer tried to hide the ache of disappointing everyone he knew.

[isoldeagorn-deactivated20130411]

A New Beginning // Isolde and Gale

[isoldeagorn-deactivated20130411]

“Well, it appears that I have made it through our mishap unscathed,” Isolde said with a laugh, after she quickly took inventory of her body. With all limbs intact, she was quite satisfied with the outcome of the collision. No cuts, no bruises, and no breaks; all she could hope for in the end. Sensing the worry in his voice, Isolde smiled up at him. The worry and genuine care in his eyes proved to her the one thing she had known all along, that Gale would become an amazing King one day.

It was true that his attitude towards most things royal had made itself known around the court, but Isolde was no fool. She could see Gale’s potential much like Aurora could. There was no doubt in the nobles mind that Gale would become one of the most honorable rulers Hodia had ever seen. However, now wasn’t his time.

At the mention of Gale’s reason for rushing through the palace so quickly, Isolde let out a small laugh. She could almost hear the unsaid words the prince held back, but she refused to push the subject any further. “A ride in the woods?” she asked with a small smile on her face. “Well, I was about to leave… Would you mind escorting me back to the Agorn Manor before you take off on your adventure? I was about to leave myself.”

[galesorcha]

Thankfully for him, it appeared as though she was actually saying the truth. Her chiming-bell laughter reached his ears, signaling that all was well, and that he needn't worry about her. A smile stretched across his features, and the boy nodded. "I am glad, M'Lady," he said in a friendly manner. Little by little, his worry for her vanished. Never mind that none of the previous victims hadn't gotten half of the apologies he had given her, that he merely looked annoyed at the maids and workers that stood in his path then. Never mind that he still had a lot to learn about proper manners, because she was alright and laughing and his guilt had already disappeared. 

She was delicate and tiny near his tall and broad-shouldered frame, and when a delicate smile appeared on her lips, the boy found himself mimicking her. That is, until she asked for company. Then, Gale looked surprised. He had already been taken aback by her prompt forgiveness of his clumsiness, but never really expected her to request his company. There were guards - more than enough of them - that would be glad to take her to the Agorn manor, if not to please her parents, then to get the chance of a few minutes accompanying her. That Isolde had preferred her cousin to them definitely took him off-guard. 

"Of course I don't mind," he told her sincerely. As eager as he was for his time in the woods, it could wait a few moments more, especially after what had caused their meeting in the first place. So, Gale turned around so that he was by her side, and not in front of her. "Shall we?" 

[charlotte-astor]

Dinner | Gale & Eowyn

[charlotte-astor]

She nodded at his response and resolved to use it more often. Eowyn might not have wanted to marry him, but she wanted to do what her family wanted. She wanted them to be happy. And perhaps, well, perhaps they needed to stop fighting the inevitable. She hardly thought they would be able to convince their parents otherwise. Eowyn supposed their mothers fancied they would fall in love and their fathers saw it as tying their legacies together. Either way, Eowyn knew that neither would happen. She took another drink of her wine and reached for her silverware, taking care to use the etiquette she had been taught from a young age. “Of course, Gale,” she told him quietly. “But you know I would prefer it if you would call me by my name.” She glanced at his eyes quickly before looking back down at her food, taking a bite of warm bread. 

He sounded as if he was going to be sick when he mentioned them being married, but she ignored it, just as she ignored how he looked away from her. She didn’t say anything else on that subject but noticed that his entire face lit up as he looked at the silverware. She wasn’t sure why, as this was the normal flatware they ate with. Still, Eowyn realized that it probably wasn’t her place to know. 

Her chest tightened as she realized that she would never make him smile like that. Eowyn didn’t want to marry him, but at the same time, her entire life had been devoted to making people happy. And realizing she would never make Gale happy had floored her. His voice drew her out of her thoughts and she tilted her head to the side as she appraised him. “That’s good to know,” she said quietly as she put a little bit of jam on her bread before taking another bite. 

When he asked about her day, Eowyn was surprised. She licked her bottom lip to get some of the jam off and she took a long pull on her wine before answering. She wondered why he was asking, for she had never been under the illusion that he had cared before. Still, manners were manners and she wasn’t going to ignore the question. “My day was alright,” she told him. “I had etiquette in the morning and then I had dancing lessons.” She glossed over the fact that she had attended them alone. “I was able to do some reading in the afternoon, though.” Realizing she was talking a lot, Eowyn stopped and ran a finger through her hair.

[galesorcha]

He nodded at her request. Of course, he should be calling her Eowyn, like old friends, but there was something off about it, as if doing that was accepting that his life wasn't actually his, and that others could carry on deciding for him. Gale had failed to miss the hurt in her eyes every time he called her 'lady', as he had failed to miss every other detail that encircled her. Where the boy knew Melody's expressions almost by heart, Eowyn's were a mystery to him, one he wouldn't pursuit answers to just yet. Instead, he gave her a half-hearted smile. "Yes, Eowyn, of course." But his tone was low and betrayed his distaste, for the boy would rather keep her at an arm's length than try to get to know her, than accept her.

Gale eyed away once more, mimicking her as he picked up a piece of bread and buttered it, taking a bite so that he didn't have to speak. His behavior was childish, some resilient memory of responsibility told him, but the prince did not have a mind to listen to it. In those few moments when he wasn't looking, however, Gale missed the sparkle in her eyes as thoughts of Melody made his expression light up, as he had missed everything else about her while they grew up. When her voice brought him back, he was chewing on another bite of bread, and merely agreed with her words with a nod. Yes, his day was fine, yes, it was good. They pretended to like the dinner with an ease that, to him, set the tone for their entire marriage.

He'd spend his life lying to her, she'd spend hers pretending to believe.

Dancing. The word rung in his ears, making his face look a bit pale. He was supposed to have been there, accompanying her. Thankfully, he had already swallowed by the time she said it, and merely coughed a few times, ashamed. Once again, the prince had thought only of himself. "Oh gods, Eowyn," he started, for once seeming more human than the emotionless puppet he had been so far. "I'm sorry. I forgot, I was..."  He was what? He was too busy in the same training dome he spent most of his time, using swords against inanimate objects and shooting arrows, he was too busy not caring about his duties. The boy realized he didn't have an excuse, and stopped looking for one. "I'm sorry." 

[charlotte-astor]

Dinner | Gale & Eowyn

[charlotte-astor]

The dining room was quiet and Eowyn smiled as Gale entered. She hoped that this dinner wouldn’t be nearly as awkward as some of them had been in the past. The young elf didn’t delude herself into thinking she could remove herself from this situation, but it didn’t help that Gale had made it abundantly clear he wasn’t happy about this. The formality with which he entered startled her and she wondered what happened to the young boy she used to play with. He had become a man and from the looks of it, he was going to be as formal as possible. Calling her Lady Wildmoor made her remember better times, but it also made her very much aware that times were different now. A dark look passed over her face but as soon as it was there, it was forgotten.

It hurt her. It hurt her not because she wanted to marry him, but because she had grown up with him. The two families had been as close as possible and his parents had always treated her as their own. She had always appreciated them and hurting them would be the same as hurting her own parents. 

Eowyn pushed that hurt deep into her being and she pasted a smile onto her face, a faker one than it had been before. “Hello, Your Highness,” she told him, looking into his eyes. She could do formality and even though she had called him Gale since they were children, she would play the formality game until he told her not to. 

They were going to be married. The public announcement might not have been made yet, but the decision was always going to be the same. There was no Theon or Aurora here tonight, but in the future Eowyn would have to interact with him. Alone. She might as well get used to it now.

Despite wishing otherwise, Eowyn could acknowledge that Gale was attractive. He always had been and she found herself wishing that they were under different terms. She wished a great many things, though, and she would always push them back into her being. Her happiness was secondary. 

Unable to handle an awkward dinner, though, Eowyn spoke again, her voice soft. “Did you have a nice day, Your Highness?”

[galesorcha]

The grin tugged in the corners of his mouth upon seeing her smile, a sarcastic response to her obvious discomfort. Neither wanted that dinner, or their marriage, and it was clear to Gale that it wasn't going to be easy for any of them. Still, when she used the most formal title to address him, the boy shook his head. "You know you can call me Gale, M'Lady." He started, taking his designated seat in front of her. If that was a normal dinner, his father would be in the head of the table, with the prince's mother by his side, but that night there were just the two of them and the air seemed ten times heavier and much less inviting. Even the servants seemed to walk in and out faster as they brought about the food.

When he was finally settled, the prince continued. "We are going to be married, after all..." The final tone in his voice made it clear that he had accepted his fate. Unfortunately, it sounded more like he was to be hanged instead of married, especially in the way he purposefully looked away from her, eyeing his food instead. Just as he was about to reach for the silverware, however, Gale stopped himself short and a small - and much more sincere - smile appeared on his face. The thought of Melody and her fork jokes filled his mind for a moment, making the boy forget he was in front of a completely different person. He stared at the arrangement on the table as if they were the most interesting thing in the room, oblivious even to his companion.

It was said companion's voice, however, that startled him, and Gale's head snapped back to look at her. The smile was replaced by a surprised look, as if he had completely forgotten who they were and why they were there. The prince knew he was taking too long to reply, and shook his head again to get rid of the thoughts of his friend. "A nice day?" He asked again, dumbfounded, and finally his shoulders seemed to lose a bit of the tension from when she had took him off-guard. For a few seconds more, the prince thought of a proper way to reply to the question, mentally cursing himself for feeling guilty. "Yes. It was perfectly fine." The response was vague, he knew, and that slight bit of guilt bothered him again.

"How about you M'Lady? Was your day... Nice?" The boy asked a bit unsure. They had known each other since they were children, true, but had grown apart almost too easily. Gale liked to spend most of his time outdoors, slashing dummies with a sword or horseback riding on his own, but he realized he had almost no idea what Eowyn did during her free time. Friends since childhood, and she was still virtually a stranger to him in most senses. 

[princessmelodyaden-deactivated2]

A Sweet Rendezvous // Gale & Melody

[princessmelodyaden-deactivated2]

“I wouldn’t mind waiting forever for your company, you know that,” Melody answered almost instantly, without thought, and by the time the words were out, she had no time to correct them or take them back. Okay, she thought to herself, a hint of a smile playing at her lips as she forced herself to look away. Maybe one compliment to boost his ego, then. She didn’t have people like Gale at her own court — this mostly being because of the obvious reason of him being an elf, but it almost seemed like this young prince brought a whole new type of personality with him. He was funny and charming, but the pain and anger in his eyes every time a siren or Glaeria was mentioned was so clearly visible that Melody knew not to mess with him either. Yet here she was, lying to him on an almost daily basis. The knowledge of it bit away on her good conscience and it took her every bit of self control to continue the charade. 

As Gale went on about cutlery — this time about his fascination about spoons — Melody smiled at the playfulness between the two of them. Who else could be talking about spoons in the middle of Clearing but the princess of the sirens and the prince of the elves. The irony of it all amused her sometimes, and this was one of them. “You’ll find that spoons have a variety of purposes. Sometimes, court jesters use them in tricks and petty playfulness to amuse the crowds. You could eat with a spoon, I suppose, but where’s the fun in that?” It had been ages since she’d had this much fun. She could talk to her brother — when he was around, that was — but he would rather tease her than joke around with her. Typical brother behaviour, she assumed. 

At the mention of her other friend, Melody kept her eyes on Gale carefully to see if there would be any response, but to her dismay, Gale’s expression did not turn into a scowl or annoyance. It hadn’t been her intention to make him jealous, but a sneaky voice in the back of her mind had hoped for him to be jealous all the same. She didn’t know what she was expecting exactly if Gale had been jealous, because what would come of them? They couldn’t be together even if she wanted them to be. And besides, he hated her with a fiery passion. He just didn’t realize it yet. “He’s just a friend,” Melody heard herself clarify quietly as she poked at the grass beside her legs. “Sometimes we meet, sometimes we don’t. He’s a busy man, but I take the company gladly.”

Her curiosity got the best of her. Gale’s mood always shifted for the worse every time she asked him about Hodia, because it would no doubt remind him of the problems with her people, the sirens. “How are things with the sirens? There haven’t been any issues, have there? I hear they’ve been acting quite responsible and according to the treaty.” She knew that her people — her father’s people — had gotten strict orders and they followed them. She herself would most likely be the biggest treaty breacher of them all, sitting next to the prince of the elves and lying to him. She motioned her hand at their surroundings before she spoke up. “I know it’s dangerous and uncommon, meeting like this, but— I appreciate this. I don’t see a lot of people. I consider you my friend. I’d hate for things to go wrong between the two species. Surely the sirens haven’t done anything to offend you up till now?”

[galesorcha]

Yes, he wouldn't mind waiting either. Not for her, at least. But he didn't say a thing, and instead let his head roll back as his laughter boomed through the small clearing they found themselves in. When he had finished laughing, he looked at her with a newfound glint of happiness in his eyes. "Of course not, I'm terrific company." Gale said instead, choosing the safest words possible to reply. He couldn't allow himself to flirt - or say anything that could slightly resemble flirting. Never mind that she was oblivious to Eowyn's existence, the prince could be many things, but he did not want to be the guy who led others on. They were just friends, anyway, she'd expect that sort of behavior from him.

Focusing on cutlery was easier, and he laughed along with her jokes. His annoyance with etiquette classes was easily forgotten when it was her telling him about the uses of spoons. "Oh, they do?" He asked, in mock-surprise. "Well, when my tutor asks about the uses of spoons, I'll certainly get extra-points from knowing that." Not that he ever got points, really, just scowls and the occasional resignedly satisfied look when he got something wrong. His tutors were the best in Hodia, the most knowledgeable men and women his parents could find, but they were not given to much playfulness or fun. Which was fine and dandy if he wanted to be professional, but not so much when he was bored and tired.

Her explanation about her friend caught his attention, though, and before he could think, Gale turned around with an unknown hint of hope in his eye. Just a friend. He could deal with just a friend. But then hope disappeared when the weight of his secret downed on him, and he simply shook his head in agreement. "I understand. Sometimes friends get busy." But his words lacked the interest or the amused tone he had carried on with so far. Gale would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous, even of just a friend, but it wasn't jealousy, rather than the thought that he could never be truly jealous of her, that had deflated his ego like a pierced balloon. 

And then her next question didn't really help it either. A wild glint shone in his greenish-blue eyes. "Yes. Fine and dandy." He said sarcastically. "The merpeople are probably just waiting for the proper moment to strike." Turning to some distant point in the woods, he became lost in his own rage as words poured out of his mouth. Hateful words. "As if they can actually comply with the treaty. Why would they? It's not like we patrol the beach or the human land...." His eyes found hers with urgency  then, as if a new idea had popped in his head. "Their very existence is a offense. To me and my people. You should not trust them."