A large, heavy mass landed on the bed with such force that it threw Youta into the air, and down onto the ground beside the bed. He awoke with a start, and let out a shout as he found himself tumbling to the ground between the bed and the wall, along with a pillow, and a pile of blankets from the bed.
Youta reached up and rubbed the back of his head as he tried to figure out what was going on, but before he had long to think about it, a large, furry face, looked over the side of the bed, with a loud purr.
The large Incinaroar looked down expectantly at Youta. His large yellow eyes locked on the boy as if he was waiting impatiently for something...
Youta groaned, and tried to sit up, “Let me guess? Breakfast?”
Jocelyn led the party through the crowd, and towards the large building behind them. Youta looked up at it as they approached, and it looked even more magnificent close up, than it did far away. The shadow from the bell tower cast down upon the earth, blocking out the morning sun as they approached, and the old mossy stone walls were cracked and worn.
He stood in awe for a moment, before he realized that Jocelyn was standing in the doorway with the large doors open, and he snapped himself out of it before tailing along behind her.
The moment the doors closed behind the party, Jocelyn reached up and removed her helmet. She shook her long hair free, and sucked in a deep breath before taking a few steps into the building.
The inside of the building was nothing like the outside. A large, modern lobby greeted them as they entered. The room was shaped like a circle, and the wooden floor had the Solveig Family Crest painted on it. Several booths were lined up around the circle, with their counters facing outwards towards the center of the circle. Strange crests hung above each booth... many of which Youta did not recognize. The place was strangely busy, with all kind of People and Pokemon about.
“Welcome to the Wedgehurst Guild Hall.“ Jocelyn explained, as if answering the question that Youta had forming in his mind. She walked over to the other side of the lobby, “Since you will be traveling alone, it’s a good idea to get yourself familiar with this place.“ She stopped beside a large bulletin board with a map on it, “You’ll find Guild Halls all over the world. They are great places for information gathering, quest collecting, hiring a Corviknight Escort, and many other things.“
She put her hands on her hips, “There are many different Guilds throughout the world, so it wouldn’t be harmful to learn about a few of them. But, the most important ones to know about are the Merchants Guild, the Healers Guild, and the Rangers Guild.”
“You can buy supplies from merchants, heal wounds for both you and your Pokemon from the Healers Guild, and seek help from the Rangers Guild if you ever run into any trouble.“ She continued, “You can also check out the Ranger’s Quest Bulletin Boards if you run short on money, and feel like helping someone out.“
“Anyone can leave a request and a reward with the Rangers for help, and whoever completes the Quest will receive that reward.“ Jocelyn explained, “So if you ever run into trouble and cannot reach the Castle for aid, please look for one of the Guild Halls.“ She pointed at a spot on the map, “Guild Halls look like this on a map, so familiarize yourself with that, and you should have no trouble.“
Youta looked at the symbol she pointed at, and nodded, “Got it!”
Jocelyn nodded as well, and lowered her arm, “Good. Now then,” She looked at all three in front of her, “I have received word that Lord Postwick is running late, and will not be here until tomorrow, but has granted us stay in his Manor for the night. So, once you are all acquainted with the Guild Hall, meet me by the front doors, and we’ll depart for Postwick Manor.”
Youta nodded at Jocelyn, then looked at the other two, before grinning brightly, and broke into a run out of the lobby, and into the main room of the Guild Hall to start getting a look at all the Guild Booths set up.
A young man stood at the foot of a large staircase, leading up to a large, gold-plated throne. The throne room around him was lavish - decorated with large marble pillars, stained glass, elaborate tapestries, and beautiful oil paintings that hung in gold-plated frames against the marble walls. The whole room was designed in such a manner to make the person standing at the foot of the stairs seem small compared the the magnificence of the King who sat upon the throne above them.
But the young man who stood before the King did not look small on this day. He stood straight, with a deep, forest green traveling cloak wrapped around his shoulders, and fully equipped with a sword on one hand, and a shield strapped to his back under the cloak. His black hair framed his face, and a strand of bangs hung down between his red eyes - eyes that were firmly locked upon the King who sat before him.
Standing slightly behind him stood three figures, two people dressed in the same forest green traveling cloak he wore, and a large red and black Pokemon that towered over the three of them.
The King’s eyes scanned over the four of them. He pushed himself to his feet, and into the light that shone down from the stained glass windows above. He was an older man, with greying hair and matching beard. But his physique was still that of a younger man - muscular and strong. He looked large and foreboding from up at his throne.
“Youta.“ His voice bellowed out and reverberated off the marble walls. His gaze then spanned across the figures standing behind him, and he called out their names as his gaze passed them.
First to a slender girl who stood to Youta’s left. She did not appear to have any weapons on her, but the way she stood clearly showed that she was more than met the eye...
“Freya.“
Then to another young man who stood behind Youta. He too wore the same traveling cloak, but he had a long bow and quiver strapped over top of his, and he wore a short sword on one hip, and a dagger on the other. His wavy blonde hair stuck out from under his hood, and his piercing blue eyes were locked upon the King.
“Thanion.“
And finally, his eye settled on the Pokemon to the right. The Pokemon gave the King a light not. It stood on two feet, and crossed it’s large arms.
“Bael.“ He finished.
He took a step forward, until he was standing at the top of the stairs, “Are you ready?”
The serious looks on the three humans suddenly disappeared behind smiles, and they all looked at each other, before turning to look at the King once more.
Thanion stared up at the large family portrait that hung above the fire - at his Father standing proudly, his Mother looking majestic and regal as she sat beside him with Thanion on her lap, and his brother standing beside her. It had been so many years since he had last seen them... he couldn’t help but wonder what he had missed? Of course, his Father wasn’t home yet, but his Mother and Brother surely were?
The sound of approaching footsteps against the old wooden floorboards distracted him from his thoughts, and he turned around to look off towards a hallway that branched off of the Grand Room, just as the doors opened up, and a tall man ventured in.
The man grinned, and strode towards them with a meaningful stride. He larger than Thanion, both in height and girth. Where Thanion was slender-muscular, this man towered like a tank. He had long blonde hair, tied back in a low ponytail that stretched to about his mid-back, and a thin, stylized beard. His blue eyes locked with Thanion’s, and the man gave him a toothy grin.
As he approached, he raised his arms in the air, “Ah! So there you are! I was about to send someone to check up on you!” He seemed to completely overlook Thanion, and walked right up to Youta. He pressed one hand to his chest, and bowed slightly, “Your Highness,I am Theudis Postwick. As heir to this estate, I graciously welcome you to Postwick. I hope your travels went well?”
Thanion stayed quiet in the background. It didn’t surprise him that his Older Brother didn’t greet him... after all, they were in the presence of Royalty, and it was only customary to greet the Prince first. Still, a part of Thanion wanted to be defensive. He shifted his weight from foot to foot. It had been years since he had last seen his brother. Odds were high the older man had matured, right? He shouldn’t let childhood memories taint his vision now. Despite this visit being at his childhood home, this wasn’t about him after all.
The large, cast-iron gate swung inward before Thanion, and he stared up with a blank expression at the large, colonial style Manor House that awaited them at the end of a long, well-maintained road.
Postwick Manor rested at the far edge of Postwick - away from the farmland smells, and away from the dangers of the Shumberling Wheld, but close enough to still be involved with the every day proceedings of both Postwick and Wedgehurst.
The road leading from the gate to the Manor house, though being well-maintained, still looked warn with use. Small pools of mud dipped down in the grooves where Pokemon-driven carts had trodded down the earth, but the road itself was lined with lush, freshly trimmed rose bushes that hedged the road eloquently.
All-in-all, the place hadn’t changed at all since Thanion left.
As he took a step past the gate, and he heard the Gate Guard close and latch the gate behind him, he couldn’t help but remember the last time he had walked down this road. Then, he had just been a child. He had eagarly rode out from Postwick Manor with his father, and back them, he honestly never expected to see the Manor Home ever again. So, it was a rather strange feeling to be walking towards it once again.
Two doormen awaited the party as they approached, and quickly opened the doors as they approached, revealing a grand, two-story foyer, that led to a massive, Grand Room. A massive, cast-iron, candle-lit chandelier hung from the center of the room, and a massive fire burned away in an elaborate fireplace across from the foyer, and a large portrait of the Postwick Family hung above it in a gold-plated frame - placed in the perfect place to draw the visitors attention straight away when they entered through the front door.
Thanion felt his heartbeat increase as he entered the Grand Room. The smell of burning wood, mixed with the scent of rose and spices potpourri, wafted throughout the room. It was strangely still a familiar scent, and it immediately brought back many memories of him as a young child playing in this room.
He slowed to a stop, and let his eyes fall on the portrait. It had been painted before he had left. It had his Father standing proud in a velvet cape and fancy robes. Next to him sat a beautiful woman in a long white gown that trailed along the ground. A young child sat on her lap, and a teenaged boy stood on the other side of her. A nostalgic smile crossed his face as he stared up at it, and he crossed the Grand Room until he stood beneath it... strangely, he still remembered the day this portrait was painted.
The outside light filtered through the crack in the curtains on one of the upper floor windows as a middle-aged man stared out at the three riders leaving through the gates, and disappear into the city below. A dark frown stained his scarred features as he released the curtain, and allowed it to flutter closed once more.
Lord Bryce Hobard - Head of the Hobard estate, and current Grandmaster in the King’s council, walked away from the window, and towards a large desk that rested behind him. His leather-gloved hand trailed the edge of the desk, as he walked around to a large, high-backed chair, and slowly lowered himself down into it.
“Sir?“ A voice called out from across the room.
Bryce looked up, as if suddenly remembering that he wasn’t alone in the room. He placed both hands on the table, and leaned back to look at a young man who stood across the room. The man was nothing more than a peasant.farmer. His clothing was frayed simple - devoid of any colour or characteristics. The man’s hands were dirty and cracked from years of toiling in the fields. For a moment, Bryce said nothing. He stroked his chin gently and allowed his fingers to trail down through his beard, before falling back against the table.
He looked around the rather large and luxurious office. Generations of Hobard men have reigned from this office. Their pictures adorned the walls between the large bookshelves, tapestries, and maps - with Bryce’s portrait, as the current head of the household - displayed proudly above the fireplace. All his forefathers had their portraits here... all save for one. His father’s. A man who’s actions ‘disgraced and shamed’ his Family Name.
For, the Hobard Family has served the Solveig Family since the Solveigs came to power - with each Generation serving the last. It was a great honor that had made the Hobard Family quite renowned and wealthy. But, his Father, Lord Reeves Hobard, had gone against that oath, and had attempted to assassinate the heir to the throne... and for his actions, he was disgraced and executed.
Bryce reached forward to pull the curtain open slightly again. But... his Father had had due reason. A reason only a few select people in the Castle knew about, and was completely held secret from the common man. It was the fact that the heir was illegitimate... no, that wasn’t quite correct. The heir was adopted. He had no Solveig blood in his veins. And, not only that, but the family he was adopted from was none other than the Solveig’s greatest rivals - the Aldebrand Family.
For Generations, the Hobards had defended the Solveig Family from the Aldebrand Family. Two contesting Families who claim to be Galar’s rightful rulers... but now... once the King was dead, with the last remaining Aldebrand member as heir... that dynasty would end. The moment the King was gone, an Aldebrand would inherit the throne and end Zamazenta’s rule... and bring in the Age of Zacian... and there was nothing he could do about it...
“Edgar.“ Bryce finally said, without turning around to face the peasant.
“Sir?“ The Peasant responded.
Bryce sighed and shook his head, before finally turning around to face the Peasant, “Nothing. Nevermind. You are dismissed.”
“But my-“ Edgar started.
“I will keep your request in mind.“ Bryce cut him off, “If you continue being loyal and trustworthy, I will grant your request in due time. Just be patient.“
Edgar nodded, “T-thank you sir!”
Bryce responded by waving the peasant off. He waited for the peasant to leave, and rested his elbows on the table. He folded his hands, and rested his chin on them.
For fifteen years now, he had been waiting patiently for the King and Queen to finally have a blood-related heir. But that hadn’t happened. And now, the Crowned Prince - the Aldebrand Spawn - was going off on his first patrol.
Was there anything he could do, other than to throw away all he believed in, and his faith and loyalty to Zamazenta, and swear allegiance to the Aldebrand Spawn and Zacian?
...It was no wonder his Father decided to take such drastic actions...
Okay so! I’ve decided to do an in-game run story plot. This plot is basically a writing exorcise for me to practice scene-building and world-building and everything! You are welcome to read along, and I am open to doing interactions in this world outside of the plot!
I’m going to tag this adventure as:
‘swadventure‘
So, if you just want to see Roleplay reactions, feel free to ignore any post with that tag on it! But I would appreciate if anyone wanted to read, and give feedback along the way, or even if someone wanted to interact in the world!
