#toafstarter

[madlittleking]

Honey, I’m Home

Lot was not the sort of man to run and hide from anyone or anything, but marriage was a far more alarming concept than war or death. He stood by his choice to marry Morgause, knowing the alliance would be immeasurably useful to him in the future. When Camelot finally fell, his new Queen would strengthen his claim politically. Not only that, he knew his wife was a force to be reckoned with. That said... this was business for him. He’d never been good at making friends, let alone a partner or wife. He worked best alone, so he’d stayed in Lothian for as long as possible. Not only was he responsible for running his kingdom, the politics had been the perfect excuse to be alone and avoid his marital duties. But that could only go on for so long, so when his advisors urged him to return to Camelot to maintain his alliance and strengthen his marriage he reluctantly agreed. Camelot seemed to be doing quite well, which made him absolutely miserable. It was bad enough the kingdom was thriving with its wretched King sitting happily on the throne, now Lot would be forced to see it first hand. Every day. Not only that, he had to pretend to be happy about it. Lot wasn’t good at seeming happy even when he meant it -not that it was very often. 

He leaned against a column with an annoyed groan, watching the people walking by. “Hey, you!” he called out to the first person his eyes settled on. “What do you know of the Saxons in the East? Is there any talk of future conflict?” he wasn’t expecting the passerby to provide any useful information, but he needed a lead, a whisper, an idea... a distraction. 

[jinnimaarid]

Wishful accidents

@theother-guin

Maarid had never really had a home; even before his imprisonment he had been a nomad. As time passed the closest thing he’d ever gotten was his brass prison, but that hardly counted. His homelessness had never really bothered him, but as he wandered through the castle and through the kingdom it began to feel problematic. As the day drew to a close he found himself at the door of his Mistress’s chambers, trying to determine how to proceed. He could go back into the bottle for the night, but that was hardly his first choice. Not when his newfound freedom could meet an abrupt end at any moment. Still, he didn’t really know where else to go, and there wasn’t anyone else he could ask. It was starting to grow dark outside, but the sound of a child weeping on the other side of the door seemed like a pretty solid indicator that Mistress Guinevak was not sleeping at that hour. The entire situation felt strange and foreign, and he was growing annoyed at his own awkwardness regarding his new Mistress. Still, he wasn’t sure what else he could do, so after one last moment of hesitance he knocked on the door. 

[noscorps-aladerive]

Osgar lay on the small wooden cot tossing a pebble into the air and catching it only to toss it back up once again. It wasn’t the most fascinating of activities, but for the moment it was his only source of entertainment he could find in the dreary little cell. It had been months since the attack now, and he had barely spoken with more than a handful of people. His formerly sun kissed skin had long ago lost it’s colour and he was beginning to wonder if he would ever see the light of day again. 

He was torn away from his mind’s pointless wanderings by the sound of footsteps approaching and he sat up, tucking the pebble into one of his pockets. The only time anyone ever came into the dungeons was when the guards visited him twice a day to bring him stale bread and water. That, or perhaps it was... no, it couldn’t be. Idelisa only visited him during the night. Unless it was night time? While his daily meals helped him keep track of the time that passed he had lost track of it long ago. In his dark cell the night was endless and the day was nothing more than a half remembered dream. Osgar craned his neck to see who it was, standing up and squinting his eyes as he strained to make out who it was. The figure lingered in the shadows just out of sight, and he leaned against the bars of his cell his a wry grin. “Why don’t you come out into the light? It’s bad luck to toy with with a dying man.”

[allthatiaskofyou]

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to sneak up on a knight?” Lamorak lowered his sword with a sigh. “Or anyone holding a weapon, really.” 

[jinnimaarid]

Maarid couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a drink, but he was certain that whatever it had been it tasted better than this... ‘ale’ nonsense. He lowered the tankard with a grimace. “I don’t understand why anyone would willingly consume such a beverage.”  

[madlittleking]

You should know better

@lucreziaslies​

It didn’t take long for the King of Lothian to track down a certain handmaiden. After he’d ensured that the rumors of her past had been put to rest he’d decided it was best for him to inform Lucrezia of what had been said about her. He told himself it was a matter of propriety, that it was his duty to inform her of the foul lies being spread about her and that he ought to put her mind at ease. He did not tell himself that it was far more personal than that. They may have been close once, a long time ago; childhood sweethearts turned into young lovers until duty had forced him to push her away. While some might consider him tossing her aside and forcing her out of his life a cruel gesture that was not the way he saw it. There was never any future for them, and as he’d grown older he’d come to see their relationship for what it truly was: doomed. He had a kingdom to rule, and one day he would marry a royal. A queen. Honestly, he’d done them both a kindness when he ended it. He didn’t know what happened to her after that though. He’d always just assumed she’d gone on with her life, married some handsome young fool, spending her days singing or sewing. The last thing he’d expected was for her to turn up in Camelot all these years later in the same damn castle for that matter. 

Lot stood in perfectly still in front of the door, forcing down the memories like a lump in his throat. This was business. He was here as a king, informing an old acquaintance of matters of the court. With that in mind he lifted his hand to knock, when suddenly heard a sound coming from the other side of the door and he hesitated. It had been years, but she still sounded just as sweet as she did when they were younger. He couldn’t make out the words very well through the wood, but he didn’t mind. He’d never cared for lyrics full of lies. He’d never cared for music at all really. Except with Lucy. She could sing the most ridiculous tales and he wouldn’t mind, just as long as he could listen to her. Her songs were amongst the few joyful memories he held. 

And then he knocked on the door. It was swift and loud and sudden, as if he couldn’t wait a single moment longer. The truth was he couldn’t. He couldn’t bear to hear another note. Not when it stirred things within him he’d spent half his lifetime trying to burry and ignore. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking more defensive than formal as he waited for his past to open the door.

[eleanorlefay-blog]

⚘ ║ ℰ ╌ “How dare you! This is a beautiful prose and If you object to it so gravelly then go entrain yourself elsewhere.” Eleanor spoke with a grin as she truly did find the others comment quite amusing. 

[eleanorlefay-blog]

⚘ ║ ℰ ╌ Her golden hair flowing in the evening wind. The Princess stood atop the cliff looking over the magnificent city. Eleanor could help it not, the genuine smile that touched her eyes. She had spent so long in Cornwall that little memory remained of the place she called home for some short years of her youth. But the rusting and busting seemed yet so familiar. Noises of carts crawling down the dusty streets, creating a hanging mist above the roads. Merchants chanting their goods for all to desire. It was a symbol of life, of a breathing city. She could not help her excitement. 

Icy eyes lay so still upon the below land that Eleanor did not realise a protruding figure approaching from her side. It was only when a pebble, no bigger than a coin, began rolling down the steeped hill did the Princess turn and to her surprise meet the eyes of another. 

“Pray, must you scare a woman so….” She gasped, suddenly panting out of shock. Her frail fingers gently placed on her chest to feel the sudden jumps of the heart.