NEW SIDE QUEST AVAILABLE

[newsidequest]

A NEW SIDE QUEST IS AVAILABLE!

Rules | Characters | Interest Check | Thread Tracker | Promo Credit a fandomless fantasy-based original character multimuse written by Lanna -- follows back from @vierandancer

[newsidequest]

Amused Fae noises

[aurora-rph]

Stargate SG1 Season 3 Starter Sentences

Can you walk on that?

It's just a deep bleeding gash, but it'll be fine.

We will destroy you for this.

Well that certainly makes life more interesting.

Why are you so quick to jump to the conclusion I'm crazy?

I'd like to apologize in advance for anything I may say, or do, that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS!

All right, so it's possible there's an alternate version of myself out there that actually understands what the hell you're talking about?

I'm feeling much better, thank you.

Well, fancy that. We're famous.

Thank you, that... doesn't make me feel better.

Ah, trees, trees, and more trees. What a wonderfully green universe we live in, eh?

The next time I feel the urge to help someone, feel free to give me a swift kick.

Next time [ ] gets the urge to help someone, shoot him.

You are not of this world.

And that information could save your life one day.

I will reveal nothing. You may begin torturing me.

You will be punished! He will avenge me!

See, now, I miss that. I have no idea what he's saying, but I buy it.

How did you get in here?

Oh my. There is a distinct lack of optimism in this room.

I sense that before my memory was lost, we knew each other.

Is it me, or is it actually getting hotter in here?

You do understand we're not too happy to see you.

Your insolence is music to my ears.

You are not here for information. You are here for my amusement.

Sorry to ruin your day. No, actually, I'm—I'm wrong about that. I'm not sorry.

I'm going to pass out again.

How is a needle in my butt going to get water out of my ears?

You are an idiot every day of the week. Why couldn't you have taken one day off?!

Coat of paint. A little touch-up… it'll be fine.

Is that a 'money back if you're not completely alive' guarantee?

You disregarded my warning.

Well, this just became a piece of cake, a walk in the park, a day at the beach!

Can we determine what threat they pose?

It's death or me. Me or death. You've got to decide. Me or death.

I want to live, I want to experience the universe, and I want to eat pie.

Years from now, when you're thinking about me, you're gonna say, ooohhh, how did I ever get along without that wonderful, constant companion?

Count me out. I don't want to do it. He's mean and boring and—and—and... mean.

One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

It'd be a lot more superior if it wasn't so easy to steal!

I do appreciate that you were the one to come and see if I was okay. That... that means something.

Um... we, ah, we drew straws. I lost.

Somebody's got to teach that guy how to die.

If we happen to make it out of here in one piece, remind me to harm [ ] severely.

Words cannot express things, speech cannot convey the spirit. Swayed by words, one is lost.

Because it is so clear, it takes a longer time to realize it. If you immediately know the candlelight is fire, the meal was cooked a long time ago.'

I think you're gonna get fired.

No, no, I'm real! You're not hallucinating.

You know, it's funny. I mean, after everything we've been through these past few years... and, of all things, it's my appendix that lays me out.

[evanescenthero]

"I'd say she's got a taste for the dramatics, but I can't say it ain't entertainin'." Her fortune-teller tent seemed more a fun attraction for the tourists than an accurate reading of the future. She charged cheap, too, just ten rupees per reading, so Link wasn't opposed to stopping by every now and again just to see what she'd "predict" next. The last time, she said he would meet a secret admirer who would encounter him often on his travels and then eventually confess their love. Midna was adamant; she must be talking about the postman they often crossed paths with out in Hyrule Field…

"I don't know much about this stuff, but what does the scrying mirror do? Will it show the future in it?" Because that would be pretty darn impressive. Still, this fortune teller might be like Madame Fanadi, too—all about the grand gestures and drawing out words to make herself seem all mystical and otherworldly.

"How about we see if there's anythin' interestin' or dangerous goin' on in my life in the next... let's say, two weeks?" He might be giving her some leeway here—the chances of something interesting or dangerous happening in Link's life in that period were extremely likely. Just the other day he'd been launched out of a cannon by a clown down in Lake Hylia, so he probably wouldn't be surprised by much anymore.

[newsidequest]

Talu brightened, setting her cards aside and reaching for a covered circular object on the table, the size of a small plate. She picked it up and removed the cloth covering the scrying mirror: It had a simplistic frame, but bore a dark reflective surface. She held it up for the customer to see.

"In many cases, only I will be able to catch sight of anything in the mirror," she confessed with a sheepish smile. "But a few clients who have a touch of clairvoyance themselves have been able to see glimpses! So perhaps you will." She looked down at the reflective surface. "The mirrors are more often for looking into one's subconscious. More insights than predictions. But I can certainly attempt to See if there are any upcomings events in the near future for you."

She motioned for him to step closer, setting the mirror down on the table.

"Stare into the mirror itself. Don't move away and gift me a minute or two of silence, so that I may have a chance to search for the answers you seek." The request was rather vague, so Talu was aware she could say almost anything and likely get away with it. That was what many who claimed to have similar gifts tended to do. But that was not her purpose and never had been.

[kisaragisecret]

Yuffie followed behind him, stepping daintily, footwork as light as a feather to prove that she had what it takes to work in such a sneaky organization. She waited for him to finish speaking when they reached their destination.

Any questions?

"Yuffie. My name is Yuffie." She said, before breaking into a jog to make her way towards the church. She roughly knew how to get there. The wind whipped her hair around her face, obscuring her vision slightly. There were some complex jumps that she was going to have to pull off.

High risk, potential reward? She came to the edge of the rooftop, psyching herself up to jump. Before she could reconsider, her legs carried her across, and she hefted herself up.

The woman turned to see if Florian was watching or following, but then continued on with the task. Her feet carried as her by pure instinct alone. She reached the church with no clue how much time she had left.

Quickly scanning the building, she looked up at the belfry to see if she could spot the flag. With no luck, she grabbed some of the bricks in the wall that jutted out, allowing her to climb upwards. Scrambling to stand, she found the flag, wiping sweat from her brow.

She then began her ascent down, before making her way back to the meeting spot. She handed the flag to Florian, before taking a moment to breathe, allowing the cool air to dry her face.

[newsidequest]

"That wasn't a question." Florian muttered, although only after she was long gone. He remained on the rooftop, watching the patch she chose. A little inefficient, but quick otherwise. More confirmation of the girl's agility. It helped narrow down the next task he'd give her.

When she returned, he accepted the flag.

"Eighteen minutes," he acknowledged, glancing at the watch he'd been timing her with. He nodded back towards the belfry. "Now tell me. Up where you found the flag. Did you notice anything out of the ordinary? Or did you only focus on the task in front of you?"

[newsidequest]

"I have a dinner reservation for us. Wear something nice." -> Florian

"Oh? But treasure, I don't have anything nice." How amusing. Florian couldn't remember the last time he had had a reservation anywhere, let alone had one he didn't need to make himself. But he'd bite. Why not?

"I hope you're the one paying. I will be taking advantage of it."

[xxofloveandlossxx]

"The shelves are weighted and I do not practice in poisons. The plants are all healing flowers and herbs used by the castle clerics and I when I am serving in the slums as a Surgeon," Iardacil answered, not insulted by the questions and wanting to make sure he knew that River would be safe with them.

It only made sense that a Father was anxious about leaving his child behind for an extended period of time with strangers.

She looked from Gareth to River, "It will be nice to have someone to keep me busy for these two weeks," she smiled.

Iardacil was not sure she would grieve for the full ten years her species normally would, but she was still grieving her Father's death. Having someone to keep her occupied, keep her playing and happy would be good for her, just like her Hara had told her.

Joscelin stood to the side fine with not being the center of attention when Gareth needed to be reassured his daughter would be safe. He was used to holding a place of silence.

[newsidequest]

Gareth nodded, letting out an exhale he hadn't recognized he'd been holding. He looked around a bit more before realizing that it was useless. A part of him wanted to find fault in the surroundings, if only for a reason to refuse -- but if he had wanted to truly decline the offer, he wouldn't be here in the first place.

"Very well," he nodded finally. "River can be a handful, so I'm sure she'll keep you busy." He looked to his daughter, who seemed pleased by her surroundings until she recalled that he was leaving her. She frowned up at him but said nothing.

He shook his head, "I'll leave you to get acquainted. I promise to say goodbye before I depart," he told her.

River continued to frown but nodded wordlessly before turning to Iardacil: "Can we go outside?"

Gareth accepted her sudden disinterest as acceptance and turned back to Joscelin.

"Thank you for your patience. Shall we discuss the details of my mission?"

[astaffisnotastick]

Cynder had a shit habit of startling her.

It was probably intentional, like so many of his little slights. If not for the solidifying threat of his importance looming in her mind, she might have snipped at him about it. Instead, her gaze fell and the items in her hands were set aside, neat and tidy, in a matter of seconds. Any sass she summoned, regardless of merit, would remain hers alone.

Of course, Cynder, someone else will supply your warriors with slings for the wounds they've obtained under your Father's faultless leadership.

She followed.

[newsidequest]

Cynder was mildly surprised that the woman hadn't asked questions. Perhaps the few weeks she had spent among them were more productive than he thought.

He led her wordlessly through the village, coming to a stop before one of the longhouses: the one set aside for the child care, specifically.

He tugged open the door and stood aside, nodding for her to enter first. As she passed, his gaze took note of her clothing. Like most of the other former slaves that had been brought into Valkin, she had begun to fill out on a proper diet. The furs provided were no longer like burlap draped over bone. Another good indication that she had adapted well into Valkin.

Many of them had. Many of those born outside Valkin often did, so long as they learned to fall in line. It brought him a sense of pride.

Within the longhouse, a gaggle of children of less than ten winters looked up in a panic.

"Is she going to help?!" The smallest boy burst first, a ball of panic.

"She is," Cynder intoned. He shut the door behind them. "Move away from it."

The children scrambled away, revealing that they had been huddled around a twitching, weakly-breathing hawk smattered with fresh blood.

Cynder nodded towards it.

"An accident. They injured it," he gestured towards the bird. "I told them there's little use in trying to save it. But they grew shrill. Save it, if you can. No other healer would waste their thread."

[aboutfacenobility]

The man's fingers flexed uselessly.

He had thought about stopping Kura. He may have raised a hand. He stumbled, certainly, when her mother blew past him, cursing his family name. Throughout the crush, he bobbed about, anchored by a short, invisible chord.

His wife did not deserve the slander she had been attributed. Before anything she could have done, he had always been the one to flout their vows first. Kura lacked the heart for subterfuge. She felt guilt for passing admiration, let alone visitors with actual intent. And it was clicking together in his mind, the unnaturalness of the situation.

"What are you?"

His voice was thin.

[newsidequest]

Her smirk split into a grin. Was this where he would draw the line?

"Oh? Do you not remember me after all?" Ceres tilted her head. "You seemed to recognize me a moment ago. Having a bout of guilt-ridden amnesia?"

She looked towards the door through which Kura had fled.

"You should probably go and console your wife. Sorry, pregnant wife," she corrected herself. "Such stress wouldn't be good for the baby, would it? And what a terrible thing that would be. I know how much you went on about how you desperately wanted to be a father..."

They both had expressed disgust at the idea before. Unless, of course, he had changed his mind. Grown up a little. Submitted to social pressures...

[aboutfacenobility]

Tolsun was blinking, rapidly, trying to process what was happening. Before that moment, he had simply been... drawn. The gravity of the situation began to press on his senses, little assumptions and wonders falling, crashing out of possibility. He had not thought of what Kura would do. It was not natural to him. Never had it been.

"Hess?"

He barely recognized his wife's relation, the man's face was so contorted. Then, there was another. What was happening? The tide of men who rose to attention after Ceres' caress made his flesh crawl. Not with suspicion of Ceres, though. Not serious suspicion. Were it a ploy, it was a poor foolery, ill-timed and odd. Eerie.

Unkind.

Ceres had always been somewhat unkind.

Somewhere outside of his focus, Kura was crying.

[newsidequest]

The party was descending into chaos. Shouts. Sobbing. Not even that belonging to the hostess alone, but the partners of the men she had bewitched as well. She found Tolsun again in the crowd, standing there looking utterly perplexed.

A reasonable reaction. Ceres had never possess this much influence, even in their youth; her ability to turn minds into malleable slush had been part of her gift. But she found it so interesting that Tolsun hadn't even looked at his wife. Did he truly have no heart? Or simply none free to give?

She finished her wine, knocking back the last few as Kura's breakdown culminated in her fleeing the room. A few of what appeared to be her family members leapt up to usher the guests out, attempting to undo the chaos. Someone shouted at Tolsun to go after her. He didn't, of course.

Everyone filed out in a burst of noise that soon faded. Ceres had been overlooked, coincidentally.

It was just the two of them now, looking at each other across the empty venue.

"My," she hummed, her lips twitched into a smirk. "You've really made a mess of things, haven't you?"

[astaffisnotastick]

For a second time, she wondered at Cynder's mockery.

Some days had come and gone between their last encounter and thus. He would not know of her unceremonious adoption into the healers' numbers. No matter her lack of softness, she completed any task she was assigned. The more time she was given, the better it was done.

That seemed enough, prior.

All beside, it was absurd to consider any who might marry her. Such a thing was not possible. No man existed who would want... Not when they could...

"You poke at me," she muttered.

It was only a joke. She did not laugh.

[newsidequest]

"I could do far worse."

Seeing as how Sigurd was not at risk of death -- not at the moment -- Cynder straightened up. Without another word, he went to check on the others to allow her to continue her merciless work.

--

"You. Ghell." Cynder remembered her name this time. Mainly because he had sought out one of the elder healers to ask where she was.

She had making her little bandages again.

"Leave your task. Come with me," his tone was flat. Not a direct order, but not a task she could decline, either.

[astaffisnotastick]

The hairs on her neck pricked up.

-- Would these men forget her gender entirely, if they did not proclaim it by the minute?

Course true, the needle pierced free of one side of the wound. She fished with its end and the opposite of the wound was pulled under, so no part of his pale innards might be exposed. She was not incapable of knowing the pain. Were it her own leg, she would be faint, assuredly. But she did not wrestle with beasts for play, did she?

One could not fault her for expecting more of a soldier.

Even though, she wholly knew, men whined more freely than any woman.

"I shall have much practice yet, my lord."

[newsidequest]

Sigurd gave a pained shout. Cynder did not flinch.

"Women are gentle by nature," he snorted, incredulous.

Still, he knew that healers needed to be firm in the face of death. He was more surprised that this girl new to such practices wasn't overly soft to begin with.

He watched her work, unbothered by the sight. He had seen plenty of wounds, cared for and not, in his lifetime. He looked to Sigurd, writhing in agony.

"I pity the man that weds you."

[aboutfacenobility]

Kura was without option. Despite the tug on her heart and the easy dismissal of their guests toward his actions, such tidings could not be ignored once brought to light. Tolsun loved her. He loved her so deeply that they had succeeded over even biology. A surprise visitor could not ruin the moment. He was dealing with the problem, not becoming one. She must have faith in him!

To the expectant eyes of the nobility, Kura continued: "After many trials, my husband and I are delighted to announce to you all, here, tonight -- in my stomach, our first child..."

No manner of projection could have broken Tolsun's focus more effectively. His trance, not a true trance at all, was interrupted alongside his pursuit. He stared into Ceres' face, absurdly afraid. His blood was pounding in his ears. Did she hear? Did she care?

What outcome did he prefer?

[newsidequest]

She knew it. Oh, what else would such a gathering be for, when they were already wed?

In her mind, Ceres understood the reality of the situation: she had been gone for years, and she had never graced Tolsun with any particular affection. Yet he had belonged to her. It has been implicit -- more than that, it had been voluntary. And it still was.

He looked at her in horror. Her lips curled into an expression of pure cruelty.

"Congratulations," she mouthed.

She was going to burn his life down. And, of he knew what was good for him (and she was sure he did), he would thank her for doing so.

Ceres rolled her shoulders and looked out at the now applauding crowd, counting the heads. This was plenty.

From his perspective, Tolsun could see Ceres drift over to a man a few paces away. She leaned in a whispered something to him. Something in his pleasant demeanor suddenly shifted. He stilled. And then, almost mechanical in his movements, he began to make his way through the crowd.

She moved onto a few other men, who slowly followed suit.

And as soon as the applause died down but before Kura could speak again, the first man cried out:

"Your first child, Kura? And how are you certain the baby is his?" Ceres had not planned it this way, but the man speaking just so happened to be Kura's older cousin. "What if it's mine?"

Ceres was pouring herself a glass of wine. More party guests were starting to come forward.

[astaffisnotastick]

"It hurts," implored her patient. "Gods, woman, be gentle with me!"

Ghell firmly pressed down the man's over-reactive limb.

"I am not accustomed to stitching living things."

"Aye, a blessing to your tapestries."

She pinched together the sides of his wound once more, keenly aware of how long she had before his bleeding would begin again. Herbs could only stem so much for so long. Any additional pain he was experiencing was entirely his own to cause.

"Would you rather your leg be made a trophy?"

[newsidequest]

Ah, it was this one again. Cynder vaguely remembered her. Or rather, parts.

"--Sigurd," he grunted, addressing the patient. "You've survived far worse than needles and stitching."

"With all due respect, Prince, fuck yourself," Sigurd grunted, although he did quiet down.

Cynder grinned, amused, and leaned over the woman to watch her work.

"Your bedside manner needs some work, woman," he commented dryly.

[starzfield]

Noah was still not fully sure if this man was trying to bother him on purpose. Though he had a guess.

He really was trying to understand what Kier was explaining, and it was… Half working. The part about responsibilities of royalty, of course he understood - but wasn’t it just a normal thing for royalty ? Either you managed to handle everything or. You got crushed.

His instructors taught him that indulging was weakness, and nothing more.

Still, he didn’t share that. And of course, Noah was aware some - many even - nobles fell into depravity. Sometimes secretly, sometimes in obvious ways.

The question was rather nice, Kier asking for his opinion… But he found himself struggling to answer at first. Though he did enjoy balls, their main point wasn’t his personnel enjoyment. They had a purpose, people he was supposed to talk to, dance to have, and so on.

What, exactly, did he enjoy at parties…?

Well, when in doubt, follow the manual, they say.

“Oh, like everyone- The beautiful clothes and jewelry, speaking with people, dancing…” Maybe the dancing part was genuine at least. The prince did like dancing. And though chatting came with many rules, he was quite the social butterfly, enjoying talking and getting attention.

And he did like clothes and jewelry. Particularly expensive ones. So his answer was pretty honest in the end ?

“What about you Sir Kier ? What do you like the most at parties ?”

[newsidequest]

"Hmm! Those are quite appealing," Kier nodded in agreement, rocking on his heels a bit. "But I believe my favorite part of an event such as the ones I throw is the people. I like to observe how others interact, especially with people they don't know. To see which unlikely pair gets along or mixes like oil and water has always been my favorite part."

"--But anyway. Knowing what you like, I know exactly where to take you. This way," He motioned for Noah to follow him.

[dramatiique]

It was a bit surprising to hear him speak so... calmly? She'd expected him to be the type who wouldn't take no for an answer. Lena took a second to think about it as they headed to the stairs of the manor. If she called off this arrangement right now, it would lead to an angered father who would then probably ship her off to live with a horrible baron twice her age who wouldn't be as open to discussion.

She could either agree to this union and everything that came with it or suffer worse down the line.

He said he wouldn't blame her if a son didn't come along right away and that he would help parent the child. They'd have to speak about what his expectations were compared to hers, but that could be done at a later time. Truthfully, they'd already made more progress with this talk than she'd expected.

"All right," she said once they'd entered the foyer, her expression thoughtful, not defeated. "I will agree to this union and conceiving a child." She stepped ahead, turning to the left and heading into a lounge area where they could wait until dinner was called.

"Do you agree to let me have freedom to be the woman that I am?" She didn't immediately sit in the living area, instead moving to the window to gaze out as the heavy clouds spilled rain. They'd made it inside just in time. "Let's always speak truth to one another and try to make compromises." If they were stuck together, then it was best to at least try to make things bearable.

[newsidequest]

He answer surprised him, mildly. But it was good. While it would have been far easier for her to refuse him and let him return home, it would have still been a failure on his part to not have lasted longer than a day here.

"We are not in Valkin," he intoned. "I recognize that. We were raised differently. If you allow me to have my beliefs, then you are free to do as you wish," he stated. "That does not mean we have to agree with each other. That does not mean we can impose our beliefs on each other. But compromises, yes: those will be inevitable."

It felt like a heavy subject to discuss on their first meeting, but Cynder preferred it this way.

"First and foremost: I do not intend to share my wife's attentions. We are to be loyal to one another out of respect, at the very least. Neither shall take other lovers, even if we do not view each other romantically. Is that reasonable?" He hoped it would be, but he did not know her.

[wanderingkarakul]

Were Gareth to ask, Borte would of course admit that it was no accident after all, but rather an excuse to justify her approach — an excuse that had been tossed out the window quite swiftly, thanks to her nervous rambling.

Hearing that River was doing well, Borte brought a hand to her chest and sighed in relief.

❝ Oh, that's so good to hear! Had I been in her shoes I wouldn't have handled it well, so I couldn't help but worry… What a tough kid. ❞ She chuckled softly. ❝ Thank you for humoring my fretting. ❞

Shifting the basket on her arm, she peered up at the man hesitantly.

❝ … Do you also enjoy fresh fruit, sir? ❞ She asked. ❝ Perhaps the two of you could share? ❞

[newsidequest]

"I don't mind it. Truth be told, I should eat more," Gareth confessed. Ah, but he could read between the lines. Borte likely wanted to see River again, not just hear about her. "I'm on my way home now, if you'd like to deliver the fruit to her yourself."

He wasn't usually keen on inviting anyone over to their home, but he was fairly confident that Borte didn't have any ulterior motives.