soldier boy

fairy. brittania. knight. okazaki yasuo, rich beyond measures but empty from within.

[okxyasuo]

Two Fools

@palomdes​ location: draeben time: night

Bitgaram was no stranger to Yasuo. The two had been raised in similar fashion in likeminded households where their social circles consisted of the elite and wealthy. Thus, it was no surprise when the young master was also selected to be a part of Brittania’s glorious army. Though he would have never predicted to find himself in a situation with the other man like this. 

He attempted not to cringe at the terrible dancing of the fairy entertainers who were clearly too drunk to really have any awareness of their movements, stumbling across the room and nearly draping themselves over Yasuo and Bitagram. He whispered, voice low but pointed with irritation, “this is the best you could come up with? you sure this wasn’t just because you wanted some entertainment,” it was hard to hide the scowl. 

Yasuo hated being touched and everything about this made him want to run for the hills. 

[okxyasuo]

notgcne​:

ravermeer​:

Listening to the young duo complain made Rohan feel terribly disappointed. The prestige that came with the monicker of Knight of Brittania was nowhere near as truthful as that of a true Gladiator in Kalgar. By the legendary Gaveron, may the Children of Aberadus help us all, Rohan thought, the lowest ranks of knighthood were as green as the petty thieves and everyday survivors of the common world. Should they not improve with the rise of ranks, King Artur would surely lose the war. Not that it changed Rohan’s plans in any way. 

Rohan himself had suggested to play, but he had done it to mask the real purpose of their mission. However, the two fools took it seriously with one whining about the money and the other whined about the wasted time, and both focused on playing rather than their actual job. 

“No,” Rohan confessed in reply to Yasuo’s question with deadpan honesty though his ego did suffer the losses and his mind did attempt to win though in truth, as he next told Huojin and Yasuo, “I’ve never played this game before.” 

 “But, I have noticed a boy rush in and out followed by a commotion of servants. There are important customers in the room behind the dark green curtains and it seems they were not expected. It also seems the way they’re spending money is not exactly typical. Might be a lead, or a dead end, but it’s the only thing this place is offering. Did you choose to investigate this gambling house for any particular reason Huojin?”

If his survival depended on the stolen money, Rohan was treating it as such and making sure he we was standing in the end and not sprawled on the floor where money or time no longer made a difference. Huojin and Yasuo could stay green for all he cared. 

@notgcne​ 

    huojin snorted. “i have seen a blind man play better than you.” really, he had. still, he he did not claim to be any good at the game himself. a majority of his wins were simply stupid luck, though he tried to apply some strategy. at this point, he was simply happy to see that his previous wins would be kept to himself. huojin made his bets low & did his best to play good hands. “i was following a girl,” he supplied, adding a shrug with his next words. “she was pretty.” his mouth twists, as if he is still bitter about the other girl being pulled from his lap, but then he melted into an amused bout of laughter. “obviously, she was sent out to bring in customers from the street, but i noticed another boy kept coming up to her. it was odd, i could see her canvassing change each time they spoke.” 

she seemed to be good at what she was doing, but terrible at recognizing when she was being followed. after a while, he had grown bored with watching her & entered the place himself. he had noticed the bustling atmosphere that was starting to stir around that green curtained room, but soon got caught up in his own affairs when that fairy approached. by now, huojin has been given more than enough time to study his companion. rohan was rough around the edges, but seemed to have a great deal of sense in what he was doing. he certainly looked like a valuable asset to keep around if things were to get rough. yasuo…he thinks he could have fun with him. it seems his antics have perturbed the other already, which only strengthened huojin’s resolve. 

he leans back in his seat, relaxed. “dead end or otherwise, we would be fools to not try & get into that room. i have yet to try myself,” huojin trails off ; his gaze swings to yasuo, eyes locking on him intently. “rich boy, i bet you could go & give it a shot,” he suggested with a shit-eating grin. 

Yasuo resisted the urge to snort. It wasn’t like the logic was unreasonable but the method in which Huojin approached it made him want to slap him just from sheer annoyance. He had such a way and mannerism of grinding up on nerves and as composed as Yasuo could be, he was a man with high pride and little patience for brats (irony truly), he gritted his teeth. “seem like there is some method to your skirt chasing madness,” his voice was low but a subtle in tone, it wasn’t necessarily malicious but just another typical jab. 

Of all the men he had to be working with, it was big brute and irritating smart ass. If it wasn’t for this one assignment, it was hard to say that the three would’ve been on the friendliest of terms. His ears were alert once again when Huojin made the suggestion he did. Of course, he was viewed as per usual as a money bag to solve all problems. 

He crossed his arms, his brows raised as he looked at him. “Give me the money you won from your previous gambles. You were here for quite awhile, I highly doubt you didn’t test the waters first,” he said, looking at him as if he were an authoritative figure. As if a parent was in the midst of disciplining a child. “Your smile won’t win me over so don’t bother trying,” he said with a tsk in his tone. What a little shit. 

@ravermeer​

[okxyasuo]

pschaios​:

please don’t talk to me

with : @okxyasuo​ location : tavern in north vren time : late afternoon

This was close - too close ; too close to memories, too close to darkness - far too close. North Vren may not have been his birthplace, but it was too damn close for comfort - it was a good thing that he’d decided to keep his siblings in Oxdwell, despite promising them that he would take them with him on his next adventure. But, the moment he had learned his… unfortunate line of spy work would have him venturing too close to the place he’d tried his darnedest to forget, he promised them next time - next place ; somewhere that wasn’t haunted by ghosts and spilled blood.

The only reason why he had taken it up on himself to pay attention to people was, quite possibly, solely because of the curse he was forced to live with. People tended to say that it was a blessing knowing one’s limitations - but to him, it has been nothing but an unbearable curse ; continuously double, triple, quadruple checking all of his actions and steps, analysing and weighing situations from each and every known, possible, unknown and impossible angle. It was tiring. It was maddening. It was not a way to live - but, he couldn’t say anything, especially not to his little siblings, to whom he was both a brother and a father to, ever since he was forced to raise them on the run from his own demons ( demons he had invited in his heart the moment the first drop of blood was spilled - ah, what he would not do to protect, or avenge, those he holds dearest ).

He sat in a tavern in North Vren, nursing an untouched cup of a strong drink he absentmindedly ordered - after all, he wasn’t there to drink, he was there to listen and to observe, his dark gaze never lingering long enough for people to notice ( having them think like he was inviting them to engage in a conversation with him? he would much rather just fling himself off a nearest cliff ). He was comfortable with silence, he was comfortable with being alone - why wouldn’t people grasp that concept? Why must he have friends - it was just another word for danger, for a hidden agenda, for someone to screw him over and, highly likely, involuntarily make him trigger his curse.

That was his train of thought when a man sat in his proximity, despite having a versatile palette of other people to sit by. Swallowing down the sigh that bubbled in the pit of his throat, Xue Ying kept his dark stare trained directly in front of him, wordlessly begging that the stranger would not take it upon himself to… chat with him. Don’t talk to me. Don’t talk to me. Don’t talk to me. Please, don’t talk to me.

The weather seemed pleasant and Yasuo had been looking to spend some time outside of his duties. He needed a break from all the investigation work, all the traveling. His body was tired. His brain was exhausted as well. 

Thus he stumbled upon an area to enjoy himself, relax even. He was intrigued though by one particular man. He didn’t look like he belonged which made it ever more interesting. And thus he decided to approach, and to quietly sit across, observing as he motioned for the server to come with a drink. It didn’t seem like the opposite was keen on strangers, nevertheless even speaking. He could tell from the lack of eye contact that was present. 

Out of respect, Yasuo decided against immediate intervention. For now, he would hold his tongue and simply watch. He scanned his clothes, wondering if he could get a clue. Though nothing particularly seemed to stand out of place to him. The silence was getting strong, the tension strange. And thus, he finally decided to open his lips - as if to cut the air with a knife. 

“so do you come here often?” it was a simple question.

It was an easy question, yasuo kept his gaze steady, flicking up his eyebrows in curiosity. 

[okxyasuo]

nckrus​:

She internally debated with herself whether she should grace him with an eyeroll, a snarl, a smirk or an arched eyebrow - she ended up opting for a pointed look, dark gaze briefly lingering on the man, before her attention shifted back to the manuscript in front of her.

When Huilang wanted to prove a point, the only thing she had to do was to keep quiet - men always found a way to cling to some irrelevant topic, falling into the trap of their own condescension. This man was no different ; after the transparent attempt of trying to get her to talk again, he swan dived right into his own trap and she graced him with the most polite smile she could, without being seen as victorious.

“Who’s the chatty one now?” She softly asked, with an innocent expression gracing her features, but then he spoke again, and with a sigh she closed the manuscript, eyebrow arched in question. “Most people are idiots.” Huilang spoke without batting an eye, but his following words left her with an amused snort ; “Do not put me in the same category with other people, dearie. I’m helping you because you are not from Mosmait, and because this kind of help requires nothing from me.” What she was after was peace and quiet, but given how men and their characters worked, she was certain she wasn’t getting any of it, anytime soon.

Despite the crypticness of her answer, he was relatively bored - unamused by the lack of bite to the words. Surely she sounded as if she had conviction but he wasn’t necessarily grasping whatever she was intending to imply or enunciate. Thus, most of the words fell empty upon his ears, through side of his face escaping to the other. 

“whatever pleases you I suppose,” he lifted the book once more, his thumb brushing through the pages as he found himself analyzing a particular diagram of wings. The text below it also sent shivers down his spine as it detailed the signifiant bones of each part of the wing and the possible magical properties it offered. It made him nauseous just from the view that he flipped through the content more quickly. 

With one book done, he grabbed the next. The information was almost redundant entirely, as useful as the last that he had read. He wanted more information, more truth of the history and yet there wasn’t anything particularly new about the history. Brittania’s text always painted the kingdom as one of greatness and glory. 

He didn’t know what to believe and it only frustrated him further. 

[okxyasuo]

skorawhispers​:

Two days. Two whole days Skora had spent in the red light district of Draeben gathering information clandestinely. Observing as a shadow might, seen but not heard. Hidden in plain sight.

When Yasuo first suggested his ‘clever plan’, Skora resisted the initial urge (intense and fleeting  as it was) to relieve him of his one his extremities. Yasuo often had many ideas and while he seemed to believe all of them were gems, shiny and brilliant, Skora would have equated more of them to that of smooth stones, dull and valueless. 

As much as it irritated her, as much as she disliked the idea of having to masquerade as a servant (fully aware of how women were treated generally in such establishments), it ultimately made sense. She was the best suited to blend in, find answers and get out without anyone realizing or paying her any mind. Women were more likely to trust women after all and she had practice garnering confessions over the years. 

Some of the servants were gathered in a corner of the kitchen, whispering about some pretty rich boy and immediately Skora had to resist audibly groaning. Even if the self-proclaimed mastermind of this operation was about as sharp as a spoon, at the very least he finally managed to make it past the threshold and find a means for them to communicate. 

Entering the private room, Skora balanced a jug of wine against her hip (keeping up appearances) as she strided over to a center table before she heard the door audibly shut behind them. She rounded on him the moment she was certain they were in the clear. Ignoring Yasuo’s line of questioning, she fixed him with a glare. 

“What took you so long?” It was more an accusation than it was a query. Even in a hushed tone, there was a bite present. 

The look that flickered on her face was one that he had expected - it was one within reason too. He was suppose to have seen her days prior but clearly, he had failed on infiltrating at the right time and point. 

“I tried,” he said, biting his bottom lip, “I did come the prior two nights but you weren’t around and I don’t have all the money in the world to spend it all night you know, so I figured if I spread my time out in the week, I’d eventually succeed.” There was a slight hint of optimism at the end of his last sylalble. “And succeed I did I’d like to think.” 

He gestured for her to sit, there was food that the other servants had prepared for him now that they had grown accustomed to his routine and odd requests. “I doubt they feed you well so at least eat something,” hopefully the offer would quell a part of her wrath. 

As he was slowly chewing, he looked at her again, inquisitive. 

“Did you find out anything?”

[okxyasuo]

nckrus​:

It was always a delight to meet someone who had an academic inclination, rather than just plowing through the world and daily life with the colossal amount of one brain cell to sustain them ( it was the bare minimum required to actually stay alive ). She simply pursed her lips together at his short reply and nodded - as far as conversations went, the man certainly was not… vocal.

“Yes, bland. Not at all interesting. Knowledge that babes in the cradle know. Very generic, if you need a more… sustainable word.” Though, all the books in this section of the library were generic - custom made for the masses and their very own mindset ; herd mentality further fed by tailor made books that held nothing interesting, nothing of true depth and value - nothing to feed the soul and challenge the mind.

“Well, this is a library. What else are you supposed to do? Chat?” Not like he had seemed to be the chatty type - truth be told, she herself was not on the talkative side ; in fact, if she did not have to speak to another person in her life, she wouldn’t feel like she missed a thing - she’d always have her books to contain with.

He almost laughed, she was so odd. He looked up from the text that he had been barely concentrating on to answer her. “Seems like you’re interested in chatting,” he cocked his head at her, as if it to challenge her to say otherwise. 

“Most people I know don’t help strangers unless they want something out of it.” He said, his voice hushed lest he disturb the other readers in the library. “So, given that alone - what are you after?” He could’ve said want but it didn’t seem like the girl was particularly the air-headed type. But he could be wrong. He didn’t know much on the inner-workings of the feminine mind. 

The arrogant part of him wondered if she recognized the emblem on his clothing, it had the crest of his family’s noble insignia after all. He was rich and that alone often entailed interest in one shape or form. 

[okxyasuo]

ravermeer​:

The gold haired fairy slid comfortably next to Rohan, looking at him with dreamy eyes and a pleasing smile as she did so. The act was nearly perfect, the only thing that betrayed her had been the lingered glimpse upon the cloth covered  possessions Rohan carried strapped to his back. She knew. 

Just then Yasuo turned to him and spoke. It was clear the luxury had gone to Yasuo’s head. Or rather, it had perhaps brought him back to his regular snobbish self true to his kind of people. “There are less rude ways of asking for money,” Rohan uttered, then turned to the beautiful gold haired woman next to him and said, “perhaps he ought to be educated more.” The veiled insult was clear, and it seemed such a thing was becoming a common part of the two knights’ interactions. Rohan found it somewhat surprising, not because he felt truly insulted, for that to happen he would have to respect the young noble, but because Rohan himself was not one to veil his insults usually. “Is the topic of money something you often discuss with clients,” he asked the golden fairy. 

Yasuo’s line of questioning to the man in charge was impressive. Realistic, believable, well done. Yasuo was not so useless after all, Rohan thought as he listened to the conversation while continuing his with the golden haired fairy next to him. Upon the mention of a certain way of networking however, Rohan interjected Yasuo’s conversation to say, “protection? Does that mean there’s set punishments for those who break some sort of rule in your network? It sounds different from how business goes in Kalgar, which I find interesting. ”

He ignored the other man’s words. Sure, he could’ve been polite about it but the pompous entitled part of him couldn’t help it. Plus it wasn’t like Rohan was dirt poor with no money to his name. Given all the profit he made from his prior business, surely it would suffice in helping with the coverage costs. "Hmph, at least I was educated,” the words slipped through his lips quickly, each syllable sharp for Rohan’s ears only. Regardless, this wasn’t about them - this was about the investigation. 

Yasuo watched, his eyes shifting from one person to another - analyzing the scene as he brought up the teacup to his lips. He wouldn’t have to say anything under these circumstances so long as his mouth was physically occupied. 

“Tell me more,” he casually slid across a gold coin, eyeing the light glitter in the greedy man’s eyes. He began to gush out words like a faucet. It was ridiculous how easy it was to gain information. Yasuo sighed, “so you’re telling me that the loss of income has been because of runaway fairies?” he raised a brow. He wasn’t sure if he believed such claims. It was too easy, too obvious. 

[okxyasuo]

I’m SO Smart

@skorawhispers​ location: draeben time: night 

It had been his idea in the first place - a brilliant idea (or so he had convinced himself). He hadn’t given the girl really much of a choice on the matter when the epiphany came to his mind. Rather, he had merely summed up the plan within the span of five minutes and made sure she was well on her way to executing it. He didn’t pay attention to her scowl nor did he bother following after her. He only waved from the distance, watching as she was taken in under one of the most notorious Red light houses as a servant. 

She would have had to found something right? 

It turned out that getting in as a woman was vastly easier than as a man. He had attempted to sneak him in the past two days in search of Skora in hopes of finding information but failing. Much to his dismay, it seemed like he had no choice but to pose as a wealthy patron interested in fooling around. The treatment certainly changed in an instance when he walked through the elaborate doors - greeted with all the glamour and attention of a king. 

He hid his annoyance, hoping to stall. He had requested for a private room, telling the workers that he was specifically looking for food tonight and entertainment later in the evening, his requests fulfilled almost immediately. Two maids had already gone by with food and they weren’t her. He was readily about to give up until the door swung open. His face naturally seemed to lighten, pleased that she had finally appeared. 

“How’s it been? Find anything?” his voice hushed as he motioned for her to join him, getting up to make sure the door was closed. 

[okxyasuo]

nckrus​:

Nothing particularly interesting - well, that was a lie, if she’d ever heard one. “So, purely academical interest, hm?” She retorted, eyeing the titles of the books that laid upon the table. They were… well, basic knowledge to be frank. Nothing that delved too deep into the always-tricky topic of fairies ; and of humans who lived with them, enslaved them. She had read those books - majority of them only delved into the more modern era ; nothing about the beginnings, when the picture of the world had been painted a little… differently. “Still, if that is what you are looking for, I doubt you will find anything of value in the tome you are holding. It is a little - how shall I put it - bland.”

“Very few things are important.” Huilang retorted, waving her hand dismissively. If he was not inclined to share of his own volition, she was hardy the one to insist - or to pry. As curious as she was by nature, she couldn’t really say she truly cared to know ; she will probably forget all about this encounter by the end of this evening. The question was hardly surprising in itself, and she found herself pursing her lips in thought. “They teach what they preach, and all of it can be found in the books you are holding. When it comes to fairies, I found… experience with them to be my greatest teacher.” That, and a few dusty tomes hidden in the archives.

“Yes,” he said flatly. He could already catch the subtle glimpses of suspicion. He decided to take another path - another approach, perhaps if he started going toward the high way, exuding the pompousness of his natural egotism, it would successfully distract from everything else. 

“Bland?” He eyed the tome again. 

It looked far from bland - intricate in it’s physical appearance, surely there was plenty of knowledge. “Mhm that’s nice I suppose,” he was rather disappointed in the lackluster answer she had provided. He had anticipated her to amuse him with something extraordinary but then again, she didn’t seem particularly interesting. 

"I’m going to read if you don’t mind,” he was matter of fact with his proclamation, sitting down, flipping open one of the books. Surely he should have thanked her or asked her for her name but he took this as an opportunity to multi task and observe every so often. 

[okxyasuo]

ravermeer​:

Under the circumstances, any other man might have wavered and walked forth with an uneasy step. However, as a man with a view of the world such as Rohan’s, the foreign situation showed no such change in his manner. Like a gladiator entering a colosseum Rohan’s observation was keen though not for the beauty and luxury they were introduced to, and more in the way a fighter makes himself alert. The way Yasuo faced this encounter was smooth, easily blending in and making it impossible for them not to be welcomed. Rohan was the opposite. Instead of blending in, he clashed further with his stoic and unfazed demeanor as if challenging the businessmen and the workers to do their best and see who was victorious - him or them. 

The feeling of walking up the grand staircase was familiar, it felt as if there was an audience except instead of them waiting to be entertained, they were eager to entertain this strange pair of men so opposite from each other. 

And though Rohan viewed this endeavor in investigation as a battle, there was no hiding the fact that it was unusual and unlike any combat he’d ever done. Like stumbling with a new weapon, entering the spacious room full of intricate cushions and luxurious tapestries felt awkward. Yasuo on the other hand, looked surprisingly as if in his element. Like him, Rohan attempted to lounge on a seat though his instinct was to sit ready to strike. “I give up,” he finally told Yasuo, and sat as he normally would. Fuck the acting, Yasuo could play the nice guy and gather information that way. Rohan would be Rohan, it was what he was best at. 

“Word has it more than the usual coin is being moved of late,” he told the man who was figuratively licking Yasuo’s shoes, “Draeben’s usually the first to feel it, before it trickles elsewhere… like Kalgar. Any insight?” 

The man rubbed his hands still eager to please though clearly bothered by the line of Rohan’s questioning because it had nothing to do with his girls or room or the refreshments. He called a beautiful fairy over saying, “she’s one of the best conversationally and in other areas sir, perhaps she can whisper her insight into your ear. Go on darling, sit by the kalgarian gentleman.”

Tcht, he had spent all the moments leading up to this one performing, and within seconds - Rohan had clearly finished playing pretend. Fine, so be it he thought. He made himself comfortable, his back facing the wall.

Yasuo used his index finger to motion the man to come forward, to join them. He seemed rather surprised, almost nervous even that he was in the company of the odd duo. He eyed up another one of the attendants at the door, snapping his fingers together as if he were in the luxury of his house - ordering those around him. He didn’t even bother speaking, merely mouthing, “food” before the servant was gone from view. 

It wasn’t long before an array of food appeared accompanied with other pretty girls. Yasuo turned to Rohan, edging closer and whispering, a restrictive smile on his lips as he spoke through his teeth, “hope you can contribute some coins tonight because I’m not the fucking king,” sure he was wealthy but not impossibly wealthy. Then he moved back in place.Mental curses were already going off in his head, if the night didn’t go as they intended - it would all be a waste. 

“Tell me sir, what is business like for you here? I am potentially interested in longterm investments. I would like to know the truth before I participate in any endeavor, I’m sure you understand that,” he arched a brow. He would leave the fairy girls to amuse Rohan if it was what he pleased. The last thing he wanted to be was touched. 

Though given the circumstances of his proposal, he had no choice but to continue his little scheme. He feigned an interest in one of the fairy girls but still managed to keep her at arms length despite her persistence to approach him. 

[okxyasuo]

nckrus​:

Hm. Fairies. Still, that did not quite answer her assumptions ( it was not uncommon for humans to be interested in fairies - whether to deepen their backward thought, or to… illuminate them ), but she wasn’t as nosy, or impolite, as to outwardly ask which specie he belonged to - not that she particularly cared about it, either. So long as he was not from Mosmait, she was comfortable enough with helping him. “You are going to have to be a little more specific. There are more than a few tomes about fairies in here.” She spoke, head tilting to the side as she observed him, dark gaze trained upon the man, inquisitive as it slid from him to the books and back.

“In Mosmait? Not as many I would have liked. As… progressive as some of the people here are, I still find them to be vastly backward in their general thought.Though, I suppose I myself am a foreigner here, as of late. It has been a while since I left this place.” Huilang replied, her curiosity piqued by the foreigner. “Is this your first time here?”

“Nothing particularly interesting,” he said casually. Oh but he wanted to know everything. The little history he had received from being born in the capitol only spoke of fairy kind with propaganda colored in the text. He wanted to read insight that differed from his natural presumptions. He wanted to know a part of his own history - something he’d never admit to his own parents. For their sake he would live better off as a false human than anything else. He picked up one of the books, flipping it open as he scanned through the table of contents. It seemed as if the information was generic, a disappointment truly. 

“Yes, I ... never mind my background, it’s not important,” he said. What she said didn’t help him paint a clearer picture upon her stance of the war. It was frustrating to a certain degree as it clipped his tongue and speech. “Say, what did they teach you about fairies? What do you know?” He was curious, perhaps her upbringing was different. Maybe she knew more than what the books told. 

[okxyasuo]

ravermeer​:

Rohan carefully observed the young noble, both impressed and surprised at an Okazaki’s attempts to adjust to his new lifestyle as a knight of Brittania . Promising. He turned from the knight soldier and with a sigh walked into Draeben’s main street of pleasures. "I know little of the pleasure houses, but I have dealt with Draeben’s gamblers and they like people with as much charm as a golden coin,” he said implying so long as there was a prospect of profit they would be well received. 

Unsurprisingly, they were quickly approached with offers. On the one hand Yasuo looked expensive, attractive, and vulnerable in the best possible way to both businessmen and their workers, and on the other, Rohan was quickly recognized. “What fine gentleman! I have just the place for you to sit and enjoy,” clamored a man to Yasuo, “a fine sitting room with privacy and the best tea and cakes in all of Draeben! Not to mention the company I shall provide for you! The best and most beautiful! That you would bring the Great Rohan to our humble establishment sir, I shall offer a most appropriate discount!”

It was clear the dravenese thought highly of Yasuo, both in the quality of his purse and as a possible regular, as well as the achievement in bringing the reputed kalgarian fighter who’d not stepped into a pleasurable dravenese establishment yet. 

“I’m not sure,” Rohan whispered to the the young soldier, “following my lead would be useful, seeing as it’s you they’re approaching.” 

He had remembered the history lessons that had been taught when he was a child, learning of the different economic facets of each region - Draeben had been touted for its wealthy merchants. But it was an unspoken fact that where there was immense wealth also flourished the filth and grime. 

There had never been a single thought of participating in such sordid amusement. But now that he was thrusted into the situation, he found himself rather intimidated. He bit his bottom lip, watching at the eyes of greed stare at him like a money bag. He wasn’t unfamiliar with the look, the smell and desire that reeked from their fat lips. All he could think of was the amount of money he would have to fish out tonight, having little faith that Rohan would offer help. He nodded his head as the workers and business men led the two into their establishment, treating the duo as if they were royalty. 

It was more elaborate than Yasuo had expected. A grand staircase led toward another level. His eyes scanned the view, resisting the urge to scowl. There were all sorts of men, many looked grotesquely ugly, he pitied the fairy girls who were forced to entertain such bastards. As they followed after the workers, it was undeniable that the pair attracted attention. He could hear girlish giggles and the sensation of a thousand eyes upon him. He gritted his teeth, nothing he wasn’t accustomed to when he was at home. 

“I know,” his lips barely moved when he uttered his response to Rohan. 

He unclasped one of the smaller pouches on his hip filled with gold, tossing it to the worker who had taken a pause to shoo one of the girls to hurry downward. “Only the best,” there was a casualness in the way he moved - as if he had done a million times. To be truthful, it wasn’t entirely different from ordering around his own servants back at home. Despite the the environment, his face showed mere nonchalance. 

[okxyasuo]

perrinebarassard​:

Perrine was uncomfortable, both physically, and in the awkward sense. Her wings were concealed, tucked underneath her clothes and bound to her back. It was painful, but she burned more at the indignity of it all. She was proud of what she was, and not since leaving Draeben had she had to take measures not to draw attention to herself. Still, North Vren was neutral territory, and with a fierce reputation, it seemed like the perfect place to start recruiting. In truth, Perrine wasn’t convinced she was up to the task, but that was what had been asked of her, and so here she was. 

She spotted the man through the crowd, her eyes drawn to him due to his own aura of not quite blending in. It called to Perrine, and she knew without question what he was. A fairy, like her, albeit one that was dressed in garb she could only dream of. Still, He was at least worth speaking to, worth the time it would take to figure out if he could be rallied to the cause. And so, Perrine approached, tapping his shoulder lightly to catch his attention. 

Can I help you? He asked, and it hit her once again that she was not equipped for this. For a moment, she stayed silent, grasping for something to continue this conversation. Nothing came, and so she went for the blunter approach, the attitude that came far more naturally to her. “Are you a fairy?” She asked, one eyebrow quirking in question. “You do not look Vrenenese.”

Are you a fairy. 

The words felt like a death sentence to his ears. As if a knife was being plunged mid air down his sternum. Voices that had followed from his childhood began to ring in his ears - the sing song voices if malicious children mocking fairy kind. The chorus of noise sang into his eardrums, louder with the sorrowful tone of his mother’s timbre matched with the cold sharpness of his father’s voice. All of this was in his head - reality only paused for a second. There was a deadness to his eyes before he composed a facade, the face of curtesy and etiquette. 

“No, I am not.” 

The self hatred coiled around his throat, his mouth closed with almost a snap, the corners of his lips firmly pressed together. He did not know who the woman was, her face unfamiliar to the abundance of brittianian knights and magicians which he had profiled. 

His eyes were focused, his hands placed behind his back as he gripped onto his own clothes. “Correct, I am not, only a visitor,” ” one lie after another, falling effortlessly from his lips like a recital. “and you?”

[okxyasuo]

nckrus​:

Yes, it definitely looked like he could handle it ; she dryly thought to herself, dark gaze fixing upon the stranger in an absentminded manner. Whenever she would meet someone new, she would remember the argument in the academy, the debate which had her… removed from the presence of the dimwitted, backward and narrow minded populace of Mosmait - so called philosophers who only preached and searched for conformity. Looking at the man in front of her, she really could not tell if he was human or fairy ( though, perhaps the books in his lap could… hint to her. still, he could be either specie ; it was not in her nature to assume anything ).

Huilang noticed the change - watching people had been a habit of hers ( she had spent most of her years in Mosmait and, as of recently, in Oxdwell reading people. mostly to keep herself safe from any betrayal or harm, and for now she was fairly good at it ). “You will find many various texts here. Is there anything in particular that interests you?” She asked, head tilting to the side. Yes, the library of Mosmait was quite possibly the only good thing in the wretched town.

“Mn. Your assumptions are correct. Though, it has been a few years since I last came to this place.” Thing may have changed, but the library remained the same, so she carefully added ; “Perhaps I can be of assistance, if there is something specific you are looking for?”

He could lie. 

Though the books themselves would already betray the topics that he was intrigued in. Surely she would glance over at the titles, as some were not completely unrecognizable. He had intended to hold his tongue but thought better of it. In such a circumstance like this, he didn’t see harm in speaking the truth. And thus, he did. 

He had taken a pause, thinking for a moment before returning her gaze. 

“Fairies.” 

So he had been right about his instincts, well - it was easy to guess when she seemed very comfortable in her motion. Though he wondered if she were one to partake in sides on the Brittanian-Avalonian war. “Have you never met a foreigner before?” There was light intrigue matched with intrigue. Though she didn’t say it, he sensed a certain amount of hostility in her presence. 

[okxyasuo]

nckrus​:

Fine may have not been the word she would have used, but her only reply to it had been a soft hm ( it was hardly her business. and it was not like she had particularly cared about what other people did - so long as they were as far away from her as humanely possible ; given her line of work ). She was going to return to the tome in front of her, but the man spoke again and she cursed herself for recklessly offering her assistance. Great, now she will have to get up and actually help, instead of focusing on sketching and writing healing ( and, yes, toxic as well ) properties of herbs.

“Are you sure you can handle more books?” Huilang was not planing on sounding condescending or patronising - she was the last person to judge someone’s thirst for knowledge or their quest to wisdom, or whatever it was that the person was looking for, but after a momentary thought she had to admit her words came out as that ; and so the brunette rose from her seat, stretching to fetch the book he was vaguely pointing at ( given the titles of the books he was holding in his lap, she could guess which book he wanted to read next ).

“I don’t recall ever seeing you around before.” Huilang added, crouching to pick up the fallen books, before carrying them to the table she had occupied, wordlessly offering the man to join her.

“Oh it’s nothing, I can handle it,” he said between a forced smile. Who was he kidding, his hands were filled and the next book that was piled on top could send the rest of the ones he had collected collapsing before his very feet. Though he was too stubborn to admit it, gritting his teeth at the weight - he was accustomed to the behavior of pretending anyways. 

He hadn’t expected to follow her but then, somehow he did. The relief of having a table allowed him to set the pile down. At her words, a part of him tensed. His guard was up, swallowing, his nerves jolted but he managed to smoothly place the books on the surface. He was careful in his words, “Oh I’m just a curious foreigner. I heard of the text that Mosmait had in the libraries so I came here. Seems like you’re quite familiar though, or are my assumptions incorrect?” 

He watched her - eyes attempting to figure out what kind of person she was. 

[okxyasuo]

notgcne​:

ravermeer​:

Rohan saw no issue with the unexpected splits in the information gathering groups given the crowded night life of Draeben. The knight dispatches were more for the safety of the knights than for the ease of gathering intel, Rohan thought, and he needed no protection. If anything, he was there to give it against his will. Anyway, one way or another paths would cross with one dispatch or another. And so he wasted no time looking for his knight companions and instead strolled through the colorful streets full of sweet scents and fluttering window silks to do his duty. 

What he didn’t expect was the hollering cries of an excited man who had recognized him first. “Rohan Armand Vermeer! Kalgarian warrior, one of the best,” he told his stumbling companions, “I won so much money thanks to him and his fairies are top notch! Please mister gladiator, do us the honor…” the man stretched out his arm beckoning him towards a gambling house. Rohan put his arm across his chest in gratitude but before he could decline the davernese gambler said, “by the Children of Aberadus, may Gaveron the strong bless us in our money battles!” He laughed, proud to have said his prayer to Gaveron instead of Lyrin in honor of meeting Rohan. What he did not know was that doing so ensured Rohan would follow. 

Rohan walked among the tables long enough to witness the knight noble make his way toward the gambling knight in disapproval. It wasn’t until their table begrudgingly cleared that Rohan pulled away from the men he had followed and reached the two knights’s empty gambling table. He took a seat and said to the nearby fairy dealer, “table for 3.” Slowly the usual noises began as the gambling house reverted back to usual. A pretty fairy bit her lip and made her sensuous way back to soldier Lao Huojin before Rohan looked straight at her and shook his head. She got the hint. “Gentlemen,” Rohan began as he picked up the wooden shapes and stood them on their side so only he could see their marked face, “we’re going to play this game, have a chat, and then stop wasting time.”

@notgcne​

    huojin frowned at the sudden disbursement of people, especially when the pretty fairy had fled from his lap. who dared to disrupt his fun, to – oh, that damned knight. he could feel the man’s disapproval seeping into his skin ; not even scrubbing his skin raw would be able to get rid of the feeling it gave him. finally processing what was transpiring, what yasuo was saying, anger flashes in the magician’s eyes & he shoots an icy glare towards his companion. huojin had been trying to avoid suspicious glances all night, opting to win over the hearts of the patrons, & now this fool strode in. “what the fuck do you think you’re doing – important business ? are you trying to draw unwanted attention towards us ?” by the gods, he wanted to strangle this man & he’d barely been in his presence for five minutes. 

just as he was about to allow another slew of vulgarities pass his tongue, their second companion joined & he paused. “are all knights this insufferable ?” he muttered under his breath, shoving as much of his coins into his pouch as he could. “fine. but, i will take what is mine. we can start the bet anew.” 

They were infuriating but it wasn’t like they didn’t have a point. While Yasuo didn’t agree with the approach, he was placed in a situation where had no choice but go along - lest more eyes turned their way. Even Rohan had done the same, which only made Yasuo’s lower lip furl with growing annoyance. Whatever, if both of them wanted to play like this then so be it. It wasn’t like it was particularly hard for Yasuo. “fucking wasting time,” he muttered under his breath, dismissing the comments that Huojin had made. 

“Speak for yourself,” Yasuo was quick to comment back as he begrudgingly joined in on the next bet. While he wasn’t an experienced gambler, he understood mathematical principles. The first round was quick, allowing Yasuo to sweep a win - done with much nonchalance and indifference. He glanced at his companions, sighing, his mind was focused on proving his self worth at all costs and in his opinion, playing along with the ruse was trickling down every precious second. 

He eyed Rohan, “do you know what you’re doing?” He was certainly bemused, a part of him suspected that the reputed pit fighter turned knight did not know what he was doing. Nor did Huojin, but at least it seemed like he was trying. If anything, Yasuo wasn’t that concerned with wins, he merely wanted to get it done and over with. 

[okxyasuo]

notgcne​:

play to win

@okxyasuo​ @ravermeer​

location: draeben

time: night

   he hasn’t the slightest idea why stolen & counterfeit money was made his fucking problem to solve, but here he is, on behalf of the king & avoiding any situation that may force him to speak of that fact. though he is grateful to be assigned to one of the smaller dispatches, he would much rather be doing this alone & loses the two knights he is accompanied by in the crowd as soon as possible. this mission is to be for intel gathering, implying covertness ( of all the tasks he could be faced with ) so, he comes to the gambling paradise that draeben hosts. with pockets as full as he can make them, he begins his so called ‘investigation’. 

brows draw close, into a furrow, as he stares intently at the table before him. he’s thinking & knows one wrong choice could send everything tumbling down for him. huojin takes a deep breath, fingers tightening around the waist of the girl on his lap, & speaks, “i’ll see your bet and raise you one thousand.” as expected the man, already sweating from earlier & clearly down on his luck with his hand, folds ; marking the end of the game. with a delighted cheer, huojin throws down his cards & collects his winnings. “fellows, this was a very exhilarating game ! shall i treat you all to a round of drinks ?” as he speaks, he brings a coin up to the mouth of the fairy he pulled over to him earlier ; watching as she bites to test it validity. immersed in the action, he is completely oblivious to anyone that may approach. most of all, he has completely forgotten about the task he was sent here for.

The location that had been briefed to them was vague and thus, Yasuo arrived late to the scene. He had expected his fellow soldiers to be working toward the task that the King assigned but the view that he stepped into was one that somehow didn’t surprise him. He wondered how long it would’ve taken Huojin to notice his existence - though he didn’t have to ponder the question for long. It was clear from the interactions that he was engulfed in the entertainment portion of the evening; enjoying the whims of money making instead of focusing on the actual mission. Yasuo’s arms were crossed, an essence of disapproval oozing from his posture. 

His patience wore thin. They didn’t have fucking time to sit around and drink. Yasuo already knew if he allowed Huojin to continue his schemes, he’d be drunk and oblivious the very next day. He made his way toward the man, snatching the coin from the fairies mouth, a sneer was thinly veiled upon his delicate features. “Not tonight, sorry to break up the fun but this man right here has important business to attend to,” he shooed the others at the table. He ignored the boos, ignored the frowns, awaiting for them to leave before he was prepared to let out on onslaught of disciplinary words. 

@ravermeer​