Tiger Festival

(Richard RP blog from Tales of Graces. Affiliated with Tales of Idiots but is open to any and all RP and plotting!)

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He turns and heads straight to Richard’s room, his excitement growing as they continue.

“This is so exciting! I don’t think I’ve ever seen your quarters Richard.” This was already becoming a great vacation. It’s hard to beat picnics and seeing the King’s bedroom.

“I do not doubt it, since it is not usually a place I use to entertain guests.” Since Asbel ends up going the wrong way, Richard briefly takes his arm again, to steer him in the correct direction. Once his friend is back on track - he allows him to lead, unable to stop smiling at his excitement.

When they find his room, it is only obvious because it is the door Richard stops in front of. He allows Asbel to open it, and enter first. He knows he has a thing about doors.

The king’s quarters are more of a small home than a bedroom, most likely giving the young Lord pause as he takes them in. They enter into an elegantly decorated sitting room, complete with a fireplace and a small dining table which seats two, a large plush sofa, armchairs, a rug that most likely costs more than the combined real-estate value in Lhant, and several other expensive looking decorations - including that fabulous vase he and Asbel had a conversation about while breaking into the castle to defeat Cedric. There are archways on the far wall, which probably lead to the bedroom, and a couple other doors that lead to what, Asbel can only imagine.

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He grins at his friend. “We’ll just disguise you then! Come on - we’ll go find something back at the castle!” He turns around, dragging his friend around again. “This is going to be so much fun!”

He laughs, allowing his friend to drag him around like an excited child as the guards outside look on in mild concern. “Well, I might have something we could use in my quarters.”

[swordofgraces-blog]

@notthemaskofbarona​

“I see.” He rests a hand on his hip, arching an incredulous brow at his companion. “Well, the palace garden is no place for commoners. I suppose you can make something for us with that strange device of yours, since the palace kitchens are far too fancy for you. I will pick the spot though. How does that sound?”

“The Eleth mixer is not a toy, Richard.”

“We’re just gonna have to go to the market and pick up our own supplies for food. Come on!”

He grabs his friend’s hand, and pulls him towards the market!

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

He allows himself to be dragged and, again, waves off his guards as they attempt to follow him from the palace. By Ephinea, how he wished he could’ve done that as a boy.

He lets Asbel lead them out of the palace, before stopping them. “Asbel, as much fun as a trip through the market sounds - I’m afraid I will attract far too much attention for us to get any sort of shopping done. Perhaps you should go without me.”

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He looks away as Richard continues past the doors. This awkwardness… this is what he didn’t like when the two were together. It’s what he wanted to fix - so they could be like how they used to be. He seemed to create the tension though… whatever it was.

He manages a small smile back to his friend though. All he could do was repair that moment by making the next ones better. “A little too fancy. I don’t wanna be waited on - that’d ruin the fun of the picnic.”

He feels his expression lighten as he thinks about what the two could do together. He can’t help but smile mischievously at Richard. “Let’s even prepare our own food - we’ll go all out and be perfectly normal people for the night.”

“I see.” He rests a hand on his hip, arching an incredulous brow at his companion. “Well, the palace garden is no place for commoners. I suppose you can make something for us with that strange device of yours, since the palace kitchens are far too fancy for you. I will pick the spot though. How does that sound?”

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He felt his face warm up, and he was unable to look at Richard directly. He wanted to say something - what, he wasn’t sure, but something. He was embarrassed by the comment, but it was just teasing. He had to tease back, not get flustered like a girl.

He tried to tease him back, but his voice lacked the humor that Richard’s carried. “Probably, about time.”

He chuckles, trying to get that teasing tone in his voice. “According to our friends, anyway.”

“...Ah, ah ha...quite.” He clears his throat...before resuming the walk he didn’t know he’d halted. Discretely, he moves his arm away from Asbel’s, casually enough that he can pretend it was to open and hold the door for him. Sometimes, his friend was just too much. Too careless. And far too correct, beyond his own awareness.

“If you don’t mind waiting in the garden, I will instruct one of my servants to attend us. Or, would that be too fancy for you?” Perhaps the added company would defuse this awkward tension that sometimes popped up between them. It was, Richard was aware, entirely his own fault. But what could he do?

[swordofgraces-blog]

@notthemaskofbarona

“Perhaps.” He didn’t mention that his friend wasn’t thinking big enough. But, then again, he never did. “I would’ve at least had a room ready for you, made some arrangements for dinner.”

“Take a vacation? I don’t really have such a luxury but…what did you have in mind?”

“How about a picnic? That covers dinner and a little escape from the castle. That wouldn’t be hard to set up, right? - And it sounds fun.” He can’t help but smile at his friend. He knew he wasn’t the only one who wanted or needed a break, and anything he could do to help Richard was a good thing in his mind.

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

He chuckles. “Why Asbel, it sounds like you’ve planned a date for us. Whatever will people say?” His tone is teasing but, really, is it that far off?

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He smiles, relaxing in his friend’s presence, before chuckling at his comment. “What would you have done to ‘properly prepare’ for my arrival? Thrown a party? Decorated the palace?”

“I didn’t want anything fancy Richard. I just wanna spend some time with you. We should do something - take a little vacation with me.”

“Perhaps.” He didn’t mention that his friend wasn’t thinking big enough. But, then again, he never did. “I would’ve at least had a room ready for you, made some arrangements for dinner.”

“Take a vacation? I don’t really have such a luxury but...what did you have in mind?”

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

I’m back~!

Keep reading

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He happily walks along with his friend, having missed being by his side. He probably isn’t listening to every detail, Richard is going on about, but just being with him makes him smile and nod, like he’s supposed to.

The question directed at him causes him to wake up, focusing his full attention to the words Richard is saying and not just the man next to to him. “Wha? - Oh.” He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, a little awkward now.

“She, uh, yeah. She got back the day I was leaving. It was really poor planning on my part, but I couldn’t help it - I’d already made all the arrangements. I told her I’d be back soon. She was… kinda upset by it, but she’s really understanding. I’m shortening my vacation to go back in a couple days instead of staying a full week. I’ll see her when I get back.”

Who wouldn’t be upset? Their fiancee wants to be with their best friend instead of them.

He keeps going, as if talking over someone or as if he has to explain himself to Richard - for someone else to agree he wasn’t an awful fiancee, tired of Lambda’s constant judgement for leaving his fiancee. “I just had to come see you. It’s been a long time - and I was getting stir crazy in Lhant.”

He blinks, surprised, before he smiles. Despite his initial urge to scold Asbel and then proceed to lecture him about being a proper gentleman and fiancee, he instead decides to just take a moment and be thankful for Asbel’s poor planning. Was it selfish? Most definitely. But it was also quite...gratifying. 

Rather than relinquish his arm, he holds it tighter, and directs him in the opposite direction of where they were initially going. “Well,” he begins, still smiling, “I shall make the most of the time I have you to myself then. I still wish you would’ve warned me. I would have liked to have been able to make the proper preparations for your arrival.”

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

I’m back~!

I really really REALLY missed these Tales of RP blogs and all the people I used to interact with. Every time I get on my Skype I see a few of you and it just makes me miss it more! I now have a more consistent amount of time available to me. I’m still busy A LOT, but I have much more time than I used to so @cagair​, @talesofknights​, and I are coming off hiatus and we’re going to try to get back into this!!

I see that a lot of people I used to rp with regularly have deactivated urls or are on a hiatus. If you follow this blog still on any other account, hit me up sometime! Thank you all that follow me (and the people that don’t anymore or no longer get on these blogs) for all the great rp and fun interactions! I can’t wait to get back in the swing of things.

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He waves to Duke Dalan before chuckling at Richard, not seeming to notice they’re still holding hands. “Duh, Richard, where else would I go?”

“Everyone’s fine - We’re all busy, but fine - happy even. They all miss you, and are jealous I came here without them, I’m sure.”

“How’ve you been? Busy?”

He sighs, a bit over-dramatically of course, releasing Asbel’s hand so he can link their arms. He then proceeds to lead them out of the throne room.  “When am I not? Now that I’m not in the field, I feel like I should have more time on my hands - but I have more work to do here than ever. With every day that passes that I am king, I have increasing respect for my father who came before me. It’s a blessing this is a time of peace - but there is always something.” He laments, since this was in fact the main reason he’d left the relief organization in the first place.

Though they were still doing good work for the people of Ephinea, there was no denying that their presence was no longer as needed. The relief organization was dying down and, instead, focusing their efforts and funding on Fendel specifically, as Richard proposed and all three nations agreed upon. Their work now mostly consisted of rehabilitation and the building of homes and shelters for the people of Fendel while the nation as a whole rebuilt. This meant that the King, as well as his armed forces, were no longer needed and could return to their homes. That and, try as he might, it was impossible to run a country through letters alone - not the way Richard wanted to, anyway, control-freak that he could be. Sometimes though, the hours and hours of paper-work, court hearings, and mandatory social functions could get incredibly exhausting, and he missed the simple thrill of battle and the joy of being in close proximity to the people he was protecting. He tells Asbel as much in their letters, this and more. He just carefully leaves out the part that there is something he misses more.

He seems like he could go on, and he could, but a thought occurs to him as they exit the throne room and he pauses to wave off an anxious guard moving to follow them. He looks at his friend curiously.

“Is Cheria back in Lhant?” It seems like a silly question to Richard since, if she was, Asbel would be with her and Sophie. However, his wording, and the fact that he failed to note her continued absence, strikes him as curious. He knew that Cheria was taking time away from the relief organization to be with her family, but he wasn’t sure when.

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He shakes his head. “Nope, just me.” He smiles at his friend again. “Sohpie wanted to come, but she has a friend visiting the manor.”

“And I didn’t want you to prepare something, I just wanted to see you again. I missed you.”

He turns back to Duke Dalan, but does not relinquish Asbel’s hand. “We will continue this discussion later.” He promises, his smile almost sheepish. With a quiet “I’m sure”, and a polite greeting and goodbye to the young Lord of Lhant, Dalan takes his leave and Richard returns to beaming at his best friend.

“So, you have time for a vacation, and you chose to come to me? Asbel, I am honored.” He’s teasing him, but in all actuality he could not be more pleased. “How is Sophie? Lady Keri? Cheria? I get letters, but it feels like an eternity since I’ve seen them.”

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

swordofgraces

He refuses to let his King skip these formalities, especially when they can be so fun. So he takes his friend’s hand, kissing it, before he uses it to pull himself up, grinning at Richard.

“I’m great - I’m taking a vacation and I just had to come visit you.” He absently forgets to let his friend’s hand go, smiling happily at him.

He chuckles, adept at hiding his resulting embarrassment at this point. “Vacation? You should have told me - I would’ve prepared a better welcome. Is Sophie with you?” He looks behind Asbel for anyone - since he hadn’t seen them initially.

[swordofgraces-blog]

He kneels in front of his King, smiling at his friend from the ground.  “My King.”

He had come to visit the capital, after a much needed vacation he told everyone, and the first stop in his break was seeing his best friend, his King, in the capital.

It had been a secret of course. He wanted to surprise Richard, to catch him unaware. He was eager to hear Richard’s reaction to seeing him again. He hoped he missed him as much as he did.

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

“Asbel!”

He dismounts from the thrown eagerly, leaving poor Duke Dalan in the dust, sighing in mild frustration over whatever topic Richard was now escaping from.

Since they are mostly alone, and it has been such a long time, he doesn’t bother with the regular formalities he typically indulges Asbel in. He reaches down, offering his hands to him to pull him to his feet. “My friend, this is such a surprise. How are you?”

[rpmememaker]

Long Time Gone Sentence Memes

“I thought you were dead.”

“So what’ve you been doing since you left?”

“Did you even think about calling?”

“But I went to your funeral!”

“What happened to you?”

“I’ve thought about you every day since.”

“So I left, what’s the big deal?”

“I tried to call you.”

“Did you ever get that postcard I sent?”

“Have you told anyone?”

“So you disappear off the face of the earth and then you come back and just expect to pick up exactly where we left off?”

“I came back for you.”

“Did it ever occur to you that I might’ve moved on?”

“Well maybe I don’t want to see you again.”

“I thought I’d never see you again.”

“I left you a billion voicemails.”

“Don’t ever do that again.”

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

wolfmoru

[x]

"Yes I...of course Asbel." He'd meant it as a tease. But, he supposed, like most of his self deprecating jokes it was layered in too much truth. How strange it was, to hear Asbel argue with him on his views on himself for a change. Not that he ever voiced many to argue, mind you. He was always very careful to keep his feelings about himself to himself, for Asbel's sake.

A house could not stand on an unstable foundation, after all. And Richard wanted to be Asbel's rock. He believed in him and wanted with ever fiber of being to be the support he needed. How could he do that if his faith in himself was so visibly flimsy?

"Thank you." He says, with only the slightest of strains in his smile. "I'm sure you mean that. It means the world to me that you do."

He'd never forgive himself for the things he'd done. But Asbel did. And that was all that really mattered.

[blurter-of-truths-blog]

"Y-your Highness, please - you don’t have to carry those!" She says and is promptly ignores. She has no problem handing off her remaining luggage to Asbel though. "Honestly Asbel, you’re hopeless. Making your friend - the King - carry your fiance’s groceries…” She grumbles, before walking through the door - heading towards the manor’s kitchen.

[swordofgraces-blog]

He sighs - he could never do anything right, could he? “Uh, Richard, want me to get those?” It was so hard to remember he was King when they were having these… moments. He was just Richard, but he had to get out of that though process.

"Cheria will berate me for the rest of the week if you don’t let me carry those, Your Majesty." Besides, she was right. Kings shouldn’t carry groceries.

[notthemaskofbarona-blog]

"Asbel, I am fine. A little physical labor never hurt anyone." He smiles at him, but it's a little tense. He can't stand it when Asbel calls him Your Majesty or Your Highness. The only time he can ever bear it is when they're teasing each other.

That, and he's still a little sore they were interrupted. But it's for the best. It was fun to play pretend every once in a while, but the games had to eventually end.

"So, Cheria, what are you making for lunch?"