The Jade Raven

The Jade Raven | Samurai Fighter | Human Lightborn

[hanfugallery]

handsome women in yuanlingpao圆领袍, a type of men’s hanfu.

[thejaderaven]

arthenni-s‌:

thalrahylune‌:

Arthenni’s words weren’t exactly comforting, but before Thalra could think them over too much, she heard footsteps on the stone just outside the room, then the subtle click of the door being opened. Because their vision allowed it, Arthenni and Thalra had kept the room mostly dark, with only the moonlight to spill in through the tall window on the other side of the room. Now though, watching The Jade Raven enter the room like from her corner, Thalra wished she’d put up some lights so this seemed less like they were springing a trap on her. 

“Hello, darling, it’s been a while,” she said and was surprised by the fondness in her own tone and the way her shoulders sagged with relief. With all that had been happening over the past few weeks, Thalra hadn’t realized she’d been worried about the Raven’s sudden absence. She turned her head to look at Arthenni, shrugging. It was better to explain themselves now before the tension grew too thick to bare in the room. Honesty, it seemed, was the best policy tonight. With a few quick hand motions, a few globs of light appeared around Thalra’s head and floated off into the corners of the room. 

“Please don’t be alarmed,” she began. “I’m only here because a few weeks ago Arthenni came to me requesting information about the Crayhorn family. When I asked who was requesting the information, she told me it was you.” Thalra smiled, though it was slightly brittle at the corners. “Imagine my surprise.” She took a step towards closer towards The Jade Raven, glad that she’d taken her mask off before entering the room. “We really don’t know much about each other at all, do we?”

With the whole cat out of the bag, Arthenni gave Jade an apologetic look. “Sorry, she insisted that she be here. I trust her. She can help us with this.” Thalra had shown a particular interest in this, and who was Arthenni to keep her away? If she even could, anyway.

 “Well, ah…I suppose we should get to the topic at hand while we have the time.” Arthenni said in an attempt to mitigate any drama that could spawn from the unexpected guest. She didn’t know how long they’d be able to stay in the room undiscovered, so time was of the essence with this conversation.

Jade instantly shot Arthenni a pointed look at Thalra’s explanation. Their agreement might not of been built on much but Arthenni had still trusted Jade to not spill she was having private meetings in Khaggon, and Jade had held that trust, keeping such information to herself. It looks at if that trust shouldn’t go both ways as Arthenni had seemingly been quick to spill what Jade was looking for. Luckily it had only been to Thalra, that despite not knowing much about her, like the drow stated, she still trusted her too.

However, maybe this night was full of realisations of misplaced trust. “You know the Crayhorn’s? Personally...?” Jade asked slowly, tested the waters as she frowned deeply. The frown of which quickly turned into a cringe as the information she learnt about Thalra this evening sprang to the forefront of her mind. The samurai quickly squashed any image of Thalra and Efrain from forcing in her mind.

Jade took a step back from Thalra when she came closer, realising the way she had ended up trusting her so willingly was because she knew a way to get under her skin. The lightborn hugged her arms across her chest as if some type of physical defence against it happening now. “Yeah, all I know about you doesn’t seem like much now I know you hang around bloodhunters, Thalra.” Her tone was cold, and maybe a little too pointed but Jade was confused, and a little scared that Thalra might somehow be mixed up with The Black House.

[thejaderaven]

thea-wb‌:

Thea snorted. “I think you’re underestimating my talent for– hey!”

She looked longingly towards the glass and then threw Jade a half-hearted pout. It wasn’t like she was planning to spend the *whole* time drinking! Although, perhaps she had been a little quick in her enthusiasm to try all the things they had, alcohol included.

“Fiiinneee.” The tone was like a youth forced to do their chores by a parent, but then a small smile appeared on Thea’s face, showing no ill will. She jumped off the remaining height of the stool and shot Jade a wry smile. “You owe me a dance, then. Air first, though. That fall made me dizzy…”

Jade simply rolled her eyes at her complaints before downing the rest of her own drink, slapping the empty glass onto the bar and sliding off her stool. Jade manoeuvred her way through the crowd towards the other side of the large room where she had seen board double doors hidden by translucent fabric leading out onto a balcony. On their way she kept a protective hand behind Thea’s back to guide her through the sea of colourful, spilling gowns, hovering barely an inch above the material of the halflings dress. “You will be lucky to get me to dance, Thea,” she mumbled quietly, knowing better than to bring it up properly or the women would hold it against her. “Not unless you’re up for losing some bones in your feet.”

Finally reaching the doors, Jade pushed the fabric to the side to allow Thea to duck through to the fresh air on the other side before following through herself. The noise of the inside was instantly muffled to a dull rumble as Jade walked over to the edge of the balcony, taking in a deep breath of the humid air as she looked out across the city of Itresa. “Have you ever been to Eowesoa, Thea?” she asked, turning back to the other women after the long pause.

[thejaderaven]

ark-coquelicot‌:

  arkanus was almost regretting having spoken at the time she snorted, and said her next words. it was quite a relief that she’d not taken that as an offense or anything like that since he really needed to keep that job for the event. a gentle and light smile appeared on the man’s lips as he listened to her, carefully. those words she’d spoken were quite tricky and, even though he knew how he’d answer to that, it was hard to decide whether he’d go with his answer or make one up instead to match a proper underling line.  “well, i think you must be doing an excellent job at deciding who deserves the taste of your blade then. i’m just glad i’m not one of your targets.”  he shrugged, opting for a more natural answer.

  the blue-eyed human stopped what he was doing, putting the objects to the side as he took slow steps closer to the person on the other side of the bar.  “everybody has their sins, right?”  he finally added. more than half the people he knew had done things in the name of someone or something, be it a king or even magic; he wasn’t one to judge since he’d done horrible things himself. not that he was actually a bad person or even the one in the wrong, but it didn’t change the fact that he’d done it, and obviously wouldn’t admit to anything to a stranger on a party.

A burst of surprised laughter left Jade’s lips at his answer and she began to feel herself becoming more comfortable in his presence. The people moving away from the bar had finally given her a moment to breath properly for the first time since entering the castle, not realising until now that she felt as if a weight had been on her shoulders. That mixed with the presence of someone she was slowly beginning to feel wouldn’t judge or be disgusted by her being her usual unconventional self.

"I like you,” she simply stated as she gestured her glass towards him, the amber liquid rolling around in its dome. “I’m The Jade Raven by the way.” She gave him a small nod as an introduction before she continued. “And I believe whoever you are you ain’t from around here? If I was to find you as a bartender normally where would I have to go?”

[thejaderaven]

rxnnxlhylxne‌:

The woman’s movement in front of him caused him to tense. Rinnil took another step back, needing more space in his nervousness. It was obvious that she had realized he was looking at Thalra. He saw her eyes turn to Thalra at the same time his did. His first immediate thought was that she was blocking his view of her for malicious reasons. But her question, and the tone of her voice, threw him off. It took him a moment to realize… This woman thought that Rinnil meant to harm Thalra. And… she seemed to want to protect Thalra.

The realization caused the tension to release in Rinnil’s body. His stance very clearly became more relaxed. “Due to the state of current world events, she hired some protection. That’s me.” Their cover story held up. It wasn’t totally out of the realm of possibility that a courtesan such as Thalra would want some extra protection at an event such as this one. And other than the part about him being a hired hand, the rest of it was true. There wasn’t anything Rinnil wouldn’t do to keep Thalra safe.

Jade may of been a little quick to accept his answer but it did seem rather reasonable. She realises now that his movements hadn’t been threatening or malicious, only tense, as if the situation around him was making him just as on edge as it was her. In fact, most people were like that within the ball, all faking smiles while staying tightly wound. Clearly some people were just better at faking them smiles then others.

A pang of something Jade didn’t recognise filled her chest as she considered why Thalra wouldn’t of thought of herself for such a job though. She would have been more than willing to do it and it would actually give her time at the ball a purpose. The warrior didn’t allow herself to dwell on the thought for too long though, she couldn’t blame her considering they had only met twice and Jade herself had gone missing for three weeks. It did however make her realise that she didn’t know all that much about Thalra as she struggled to bring to mind why the drow would need such extra protection anyway. Not that she was complaining that she was safe.

“I see,” she stated quietly, more because she was required to response than any type of actual confirmation for him. She suddenly felt very foolish about expressing such concern for someone she could very much still consider a stranger. Shuffling on her feet, she didn’t know what to do now she had put herself into this awkward situation, searching her mind to say anything that wouldn’t sound like forced small talk. A notch slowly turned over it her mind however that if this person knew Thalra then maybe she could gain some information after all. At the moment, as she watched everyone flock around Thalra like birds to feed, she felt like she was the only one that didn’t know who she was, while at the same time knowing exactly who she is.

“Sorry, if you don’t mind me asking. What exactly is it that Thalra does? I know she is a bard but she seems very popular, and clearly, she needs protection,” she attempted to explain to justify her question. “Is she some type of famous performer?” 

[thejaderaven]

khataras‌:

Time: Evening, July 20

Location: Main Ballroom, Itresa Castle, Eowesoa

Status: Closed @thejaderaven

Khatara’s eyes widened as she stood in the ballroom. Her legs ached, itching for her to leave her place in the congregating crowd. Glancing at herself, she frowned at the length of her dress. It was last minute; not made for dancing. At least not my sort. She waited until there were enough couples on the floor that she could slip in seamlessly.  She may have only had seven days to prepare, but she had waited for a lifetime.

She hiked up the long skirt of her dress with a pin, revealing her right knee. She steps forth, following the flow of the room. She never danced in a room this crowded. Could you even call it a room? Whatever it was, it was massive, but, at the very least, it was indoors. This is just a theatre, Khatara. A large open theatre where you must weave through the audience and actors as if they’re one and the same. Life is just improv after all.

Waltzing was leagues different than ballet, but it was predictable. However, even she first counted one, two, three, four, as she danced through partners. Each person had their own rhythm - off-beat or not - and it was a different kind of rush. Breathing out, she finally met one partner’s gaze, who took the alternative choice of masking not her eyes, but her mouth. Curious, Khatara felt safe retreating into her arms. As she matched each step with the woman in red, her eyes fell to the red mask. She ended up blurting out, “How’d you keep that on your face? Can you even speak?” 

Maybe I should link our minds in case?

Jade stood on the outskirts of the large open floor where the dancers spun. She had found herself slowly being drawn in to watch as the couples moved in perfect sync, her head tilted to the side in fascination as she watched their steps, wondering how they managed to always know the others movement.

The women caught her eye the second she stepped out onto the floor, not noticing any of the looks of distaste as she hiked up her skirt for better movement. She was seemingly so absorbed in the rhythm and flow of the dance to pay any type of notice to the eyes watching her, like Jade’s, while still never faulting as she weaved her way through the other dancers.

Losing herself to watching the graceful movements of the dancer Jade had barely noticed she had started swaying slightly in time with the music until she accidentally bumped into an old women also watching the crowd next to her. Jade was about to let a spew of apologises leave her mouth when she realised that the women had already been looking at her with a smile on her thin painted lips. She only beamed larger now she had Jade’s attention and nodded her head towards the dancer the warrior had been memorised with. “You should join her!” the older lady burst excitedly. 

“Oh- No.. No!” Jade started to protest but she had already gripped her hand around Jade’s elbow like a vice, the soldier instantly baffled where this elderly noblewomen got her strength from. Not wanting to resist in fear of hurting her Jade was pushed out onto the floor as the dancer slid in her direction, landing perfectly in her arms before pulling her on with the sway of the music. The soldier allowed one final look towards where she was once stood to see a large open tooth grin staring back at her before turning her full attention to her new partner.

A nervous laugh escaped Jade’s lips at the odd question. She didn’t expect to ever find herself in such a situation where Jade, a person who was probably covered in the blood of her enemies a few weeks ago, felt like a princess. To hear such a question leave the women’s lips was sobering. “It hooks onto my ears,” she replied, the amusement present in her voice. “Yours is beautiful...”

She blushed, suddenly glad her mask covered her cheeks.

[thejaderaven]

3jyndora‌:

Date: July 20th

Time: Evening

Location: Masyarakat Ball

Closed: @thejaderaven

     Attending such an event should be rendered as a blessing for the woman who grew up in a world that knew nothing of such extravagancies. Where the most elegant affair to be had would be the festivals of sorts following a large hunt - where alcohol flowed and the drums played a steady beat which allowed half naked individuals to dance by the fire in the center of their village. This? This was the polar opposite. Such intricate attire adorned every body only to be topped off with such detailed masks, the food was mouth watering to even smell, everything seemed clean and proper. Jyndora walked around a bit at a loss for words, mouth agape and in complete awe of her surroundings.

     Having been chosen as a representative of the temple of Dol-Dorn, the half-orc felt a bit out of place. She was only here to provide education on how there were only a select number of priests and clerics in her temple who would travel throughout the lands and her goal was to try and persuade the noble class to volunteer time or even donate to the orphanages and monasteries that were affiliated with their program of sorts. Her eyes wandered to those who passed her; such beautiful gowns and suits that were obviously tailored just for them by the hands of others. Bare hands tugged at the fabric of her gown that she had managed to make in the time from receiving the invitation to just hours ago, and she grew insecure that others would notice the homemade gown. 

     With her petite size, Jyndora found great ease in slipping through the crowd until a stunning color had came into view. The red was vibrant and magnificent, standing out from the whites, golds and blacks that the majority of the mass had been wearing. 

      Slithering her way through the crowd, the half-orc gently spoke from behind the individual. “Your gown is absolutely amazing, I must say. Such a daring color!”

Jade jumped slightly as the voice suddenly appeared behind her. It wasn’t loud, only a soft whisper as if carried on a breeze, Jade was just not use to people being able to get so close to her without her noticing. Within the crowds of the ball the warrior was constantly on edge, feeling uncomfortable for not being able to track each person around her. It didn’t help that the reassuring weight of her glaive was missing from her back as well.

Forcing herself to let out the breath she didn’t realise she was holding upon feeling the person approach she turned round, hoping the movement looked natural and the tension in her shoulders didn’t show at having to talk to a stranger. “Erm.. Thank you,” Jade said politely as she looked down at her dress, patting it awkwardly with her hands. “This isn’t really my type of thing normally, but the tailor said it would be similar to what others would be wearing...” She trailed off slightly as she looked round at the crowd. Maybe she did stand out slightly, the red was very bright in the mass of people.

“Oh! Your’s is nice too!” Jade quickly added, realising that would probably be the normal course of action when someone complimented you. “I like the... flowers.” She cringes slightly at the lameness of her response, already quickly looking round for an escape from this interaction.

[thejaderaven]

efraincrayhorn‌:

His gaze dropped to her shoulder at her words as if he could see the remnants of her injury through the red fabric. She seemed fine, though, and certainly healthy enough to traipse through a ball. Efrain couldn’t be sure why he’d been so worried for her given that last time she’d made it clear what she thought he was: someone twisted, foul, and cruel enough to try and make monsters out of innocence. He couldn’t even blame her for it, not now, not away from the stress and weight of the battlefield. Perhaps that was why. That and the sudden knowledge of the Order had made him more cautious than usual and her disappearance hadn’t sat well with him. 

“You should have gone to medical,” he said, his brow furrowing. She sounded too much like the new recruits who figured they were meant to tough their injuries out rather than deal with them. Too often those wounds were the cause of an untimely death or an even worse injury down the line. While he knew he wasn’t one to judge on the basis of caring for oneself, he wouldn’t have gone off alone, as Jade seems intent to always be, with an injury completely untended to. “You don’t need an official rank, they won’t turn you away.” 

As another dance started up, this one quiet and slow for those who still remained on the dance floor, Efrain took a deep breath. “I wanted to apologize to you.” His voice was soft, just loud enough for Jade and no others’ to hear. His words weren’t for anyone else and neither was his remorse. “I lost control last time we spoke. That wasn’t fair of me and I’m sorry.” He met her eyes. “That’s all I wanted to say.” He shrugged, unsure of what else he should do. She could believe him or not, but he was sorry for the way he’d acted. If she was telling the truth, and he was almost certain she was, she hadn’t deserved his outrage. 

He knew they failed, though, despite surely their best efforts. Jade wasn’t innocent anymore, and perhaps hadn’t been in a long time, but she wasn’t a monster.

Jade quickly waved her hand in dismissal at his suggestion. The soldier always tried her best to disassociate with the king and his army, not wanting them to feel that whatever she did it was for them. That made people rely on you, and like Efrain now, they would start asking questions when she went missing for a while. She didn’t want that, she wanted her space. Coming to this ball under request of Rolland was a step further then she was willing to take normally.

“Medical wouldn’t be able to help me. My biology...” Jade trailed off slowly, realising she had just started to reveal something. However, she didn’t allow herself to pause to think about that for too long, instead forcing herself to continue before she regretted it. “It-.. It’s different to normal humanoids. You saw that at the end of the fight,” She shrugged, trying to give him the indication to not make a big deal out of it. “I have my own herbalist that helps me with healing in a more traditional way...”

Jade held his eyes as they met hers, trying to search them to see whether his apologise was genuine. She was starting to seriously consider whether this might not actually be the same person she met in Llyn, all the anger so harshly aimed at her having completely deflated into nothing, but Jade guessed that was what happened when you left someone to their thoughts for 3 weeks. She had certainly had her own time to think while she had been gone. She didn’t choose to say anything in response to his amends however, whether she forgave him was yet to be seen, all depending on what Arthenni told her later.

Instead, with thoughts of her later meeting now on the forefront of her mind she considered whether there may be an easier way to get the information she wanted. “In Arx,” she finally started after a long lapse in the conversation. “You told me we would meet to further discuss what is it that you do... What is it your father taught you.” Her voice had fallen to match his quiet tones, as if the entire conversation was being exchanged in the tranquil atmosphere of a library or forest rather than the bustling castle ballroom around them. “I still have questions. Maybe that would be a good way to start over from our last two meetings.”

[thejaderaven]

thea-wb‌:

The mention of Rose caused Thea’s smile to become strained for a moment, but it was back to normal just as quickly. She straightened herself in her seat, giving Jade some necessary space. “I don’t really understand that, but Ewin had a similar thing for crowds. He was always the odd one in the family. Not that you are odd. Well, you kinda are, but so am I! Be proud of your differences. It’s what makes you, well, you!”

What’s with the preaching all of a sudden, Woodbluff? The thought made her have to withhold a laugh. 

“Do you think anything interesting will happen tonight?” With the current conflict and all, she added subconciously. “It’s still kinda early, but I really do hope something proper happens sooner or later. This is a once in a lifetime thing, right? I say we make the most of it!”

She raises her cup, getting close to empty, but it’s the thought that counts. “A toast, perhaps? For good times and new opportunities!”

When Jade had first met Thea she had been sickened with worry for not only her family but for the people of her temple in Llyn, that fear had made her determined and focused on the pairs mission to free them. Jade was almost starting to feel that the Thea she had met then was very different to the slightly tipsy one she was talking to now, mainly because Jade felt like she was getting conversational whiplash. The halfling had very quickly gone from complimenting her for being “cool” to admitting she also thought she was odd...

Jade tried her best to ignore the women’s first comment however. She instead just hummed a simple reply before rolling her eyes as she watched Thea’s eyes become distance, a sparkle shining in them as she dreamed of the drama that might pursue. “Hopefully, whatever grand event is planned for the ball you won’t miss it because you’d passed out or throwing up from this,” she warned teasing as she clinked her glass against Thea’s raised for a toast to indicate she meant the alcohol.

Although Jade joined the halfling in the toast by taking a brief sip of her whiskey, she swiftly took Thea’s glass out of her hand before she could raise it to her lips and slid it across the bar out of her reach. “Maybe some fresh air might be best for you,” Jade suggested, partially to give Thea some time to sober, but also to allow Jade a moment to escape the crowded room. “Then you might be up to some dancing.”

The soldier offered Thea a sly smirk before she lifted her shoe to press down on the peddle of the paladin’s stool, causing her to suddenly drop from the chairs tall height.

[thejaderaven]

arthenni-s‌:

thalrahylune‌:

Time: Late evening, 20th July

Location:  The Masyarakat Ball,  Itresa Castle, Eowesoa

Status: @arthenni-s, @thejaderaven

If Thalra listened hard enough through the silence that permeated the room, she could hear the sound of laughter and music wind it’s way up the stairs and under the crack in the door to the bedroom she and Arthenni were currently occupying. Thalra stood just behind the door so that if it opened, the person who entered wouldn’t see her at first glance. It was a deliberate choice, because if the person Arthenni said would be coming arrived and saw that Arthenni wasn’t alone, she’d be instantly suspicious and might try to run. Thalra didn’t want her to run, she wanted answers. And also, it would just be nice to see The Jade Raven again. 

“Are you sure she’s even at this event?” Thalra asked Arthenni, her voice hushed. It had been hard enough ditching Nil to meet up with Arthenni but they’d also had to be incredibly careful getting up here, as security was on high alert. “Even if she is here, maybe she can’t get past the guards to this room. Maybe we should switch locations.” Thalra wasn’t sure why she was nervous, except that it felt strangely like an ambush to be waiting in this room for her mysterious Raven. It also felt as if she was going to learn more about the woman she’d been so curious about for so long, and that she might not like the answers she finally got.

This did feel vaguely ambush-y. Arthenni didn’t know how the Jade Raven was going to react to Thalra being in the room with them, but that was something they were going to find out together.

“I mean, I can’t say I’m 100% sure.” Arthenni replied softly. “She’s supposed to be. I’m sure we’ll be fine, I don’t know if moving around will help her find us.”

She kept her eye on the door, listening for any footsteps coming closer, any turn of the doorknob. Despite the tedium of waiting, Arthenni seemed in her element. She was enjoying this whole evening, honestly. Downstairs, there was an entire room of fascinating people to eavesdrop on. Up here, they were going to have a secret rendezvous to discuss future intrigue. It was all very exciting. The wizard had little doubt that this ball was going to end with some sort of drama. If the Moonlight Festival hadn’t escaped the effects of war, putting a bunch of different kingdoms in the same room together certainly wouldn’t either. And that had nothing to do with any information Arthenni may have overheard either - that was simply intuition.

Jade quietly counted the number of doors under her breath as she passed them, the click of her shoes on the smooth polished marble being the only noise along the distance corridor. Eventually getting to the number she wanted she sighed in relief and quickly looked back the way she came as she took the handle, making sure the guards she’d lied to to get back here weren’t following her. Seeing her opportunity she pushed the door open and spun with it as she hurriedly closed it behind her after slipping into the room, the click of the bolt going back into place playing like music to her ears.

The soldier continued to face the door for a moment as she let her eyes close and fall forwards so her forehead rested against the cool, solid door. Being in crowds on a normal day would put her on edge but the atmosphere of the ball downstairs was starting to become unbearable, especially with the fact she had bumped into Efrain with the knowledge of this meeting on the forefront of her mind. Allowing herself only a moment longer she opened her eyes again, knowing Arthenni had probably already arrived and was stood watching her.

However, before she even turned around a small movement to her left caught her eye, a movement she didn’t expect to be so close, merely a couple of feet from where she was currently stood. Instinctually, she jumped backwards, her hand racing to the bottom of her skirt for the dagger hidden against her thigh. Yet, as soon as she saw the origin of the movement she froze, half bent over with her skirt in one hand. A frown distorted her features as she recognised the drow stood in front of her.

“Thalra..?” It was barely audible as the confused murmur left her lips as she slowly straighten up. After staring at the women in front of her for a long moment she turned to locate Arthenni stood in the middle of the room. Jade looked between the two women several times before she managed to regain her voice.

“What is going on here?” she exclaimed.

[thejaderaven]

ark-coquelicot‌:

  a moment of rest as the royals caught the attention of the guests of the party, and with that, a sigh left the man’s mouth. arkanus, although from a quite important family, had never talked to royalty himself, of course he’d heard stories of them and seen them in some events, however. after his disowning, it was surely but a dream to get any closer than that to the higher ups. not that he cared that much, anyway; people were all the same, it wasn’t because someone had a title that they were different and he had a taste of that when he no longer belonged to the wismeister family. nobles and high society persons ignored him and treated him like a stray dog, it was as if they weren’t smiling and showing interest to his studies just months before.

  you can really find any kind of person in any group of people, and the fact that those in there thought themselves to be better than others only helped for their foolishness, his family included. in fact, his family was even worse as they only valued power and glory, traits no wizard should put before knowledge. arkanus got dragged out of his thoughts by a bump to his shoulder by one of the other bartenders, pointing to a guest’s glass that was to be filled with whiskey.

  the blue-eyed man adjusted the jester mask to his face, pouring the aged beverage and filling the glass, and waited for her to take a sip so he would know if that was to her liking. it was also interesting that she didn’t join the others around the dance, but then again he didn’t know that person or her reasons to be there, so he would not judge. it got to him that he was staring a bit when she looked up from her whatever she was looking at and her eyes met his. he picked up a wet glass nearby and a towel and start to work once again, taking short glances at the person.  “… can i help you with anything else, milady?”  ark finally asked.

Something about this particular member of staff made Jade’s eyes twitch slightly into slits. Every other person in uniform was very clearly one of King Nickolas’ slaves, doing anything they could to please the lords and ladies around them. This singular bartender wasn’t like the rest of them, he didn’t apologise profusely when she caught him staring, acting as if they were terrified she would go to their king herself just to complain about them. Instead he kept returning his gaze, acting almost as if they were sat just in a common tavern in Arx, or anywhere else in Hegaehend, rather than the exquisitely decorated ballroom around them. She was reluctant to admit it did make her homesick for such taverns.

She snorted as he gifted her a title. “Please,” she started with a dismissal flick of her hand. “No need for such titles, I have no more claim to such things as you probably do.” She looked at him again, considering her next words before she decided to test him, to see how he would react to her usual blunt self. “The only reason I’m on this side of the bar and you on the opposite is because I enjoy killing people and King Rolland seems to think it’s in his name.” She casually took a sip of her drink, acting as if she had just listed off her grocery shopping and not admitted to the list of people she had left dead. All the while  making sure to keep her eyes on him over the rim of her glass to watch for his reaction.

[thejaderaven]

rxnnxlhylxne‌:

Rinnil looked the woman up and down. She was only a couple of inches taller than him, but she definitely gave off the air of a warrior. The demonic mask she wore made it even more clear. But the mask only covered the bottom half of her face. Her eyes were uncovered for anyone to see. He didn’t recognize her eyes. When she spoke he didn’t recognize her voice.

Her eyes were intense. Rinnil could easily imagine the fear those eyes could cause in a combat situation, and he didn’t doubt she’d be able to back it up with skill. Her question was indeed blunt, and caught Rinnil off guard. He glanced back toward the crowd for a moment, catching sight of his sister. She was still her dancing partner, seeming to enjoy herself. A quick scan didn’t show any impending threats there for her.

Rinnil looked back at the woman who had approached. He took a step back, to make more space between them and also to make it easier for him to still survey the room and keep an eye on Thalra. Unseen behind his mask, he raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “Why does it matter to you who I am?” he asked, his voice audible though slightly muffled by the mask he wore.

Even if Rinnil wanted to answer that question honestly, he wouldn’t even really know how to. He’d been one specific thing for so long. But he wasn’t that anymore. He was something different now, and he didn’t yet know what that was. He wasn’t even sure if he’d even really get a chance to find out. He didn’t know if he even wanted to do that.

Jade followed the mysterious strangers glance as they turned, surprised to see that they landed just where her own had been moments before. She would have believed it to be a simple movement to avoid eye contact hadn’t he looked like he was so obviously looking for someone in the crowd as he moved to put Thalra in his line of sight. Jade quickly switched her glance back to their face, attempting to read their eyes through the tinted glass on their mask. Thalra probably had plenty of admirers who kept constantly looking at her as she currently span on the dance floor but something about this person made a shiver run down Jade’s spine.

Purposefully moving as to block the persons view of the elf she ignored their answer of a question. “Something you want with Thalra?” Jade demanded, the coldness clear in her voice. The soldier was never one to play mind games with people and always said exactly what she thought despite the consequences of bad manners. If this person had any type of ill intent towards Thalra she’d rather find it out now and quickly, then later when things went wrong.

[thejaderaven]

thea-wb‌:

“I am!” The answer was enthusiastic, but then she sobered up slightly. Thea leaned against the table of the bar, face halfway hidden in her hand and her poofy sleeve and mess of dark curls. “He’s not the type to approach danger willingly. That was always my thing, kinda. It was great seeing him again, but I do wish it had been under different circumstances.”

She looked from the table to Jade. “Your glaive is pretty cool. I’d want that thing with me all the time, but I’m pretty sure it would wield me rather than the other way around.” She laughed. “Your mask is so cool, by the way! Almost as cool as you! I’m glad that others might see the same with that…”

She leaned in a little closer, holding onto the table to avoid falling off entirely, and began to whisper: “It’s okay to be uncomfortable. I’m a little nervous too, but I try not to let it get to me too much. It just gets in the way for a potential good time.” 

She winked at that last statement, smile bright and seeming genuine.

“People who don’t willingly approach danger tend to have a higher life expectancy than us Thea. I wouldn’t worry, Rose is gonna be well looked after for years to come.” It probably wasn’t the most comforting thing to say, that in their line of work they don’t very often get to retirement age, but Jade was starting to feel out of her element the moment Thea had put her head in her hands. She hesitated slightly before giving her an awkward pat on the shoulder, human contact was meant to help in these sorts of situations right?

Either way Thea seemed to bounce back from it pretty quickly as Jade soon found herself feeling awkward for an entirely different reason. “I.. mhmm yeah it’s just an old one I wear in battle sometimes,” she swallowed, never being very good at taking compliments. She wished she could put it back on to at least partially hide her face, but instead the soldier just took a long sip of her drink.

She found herself automatically leaning backwards slightly as Thea leaned towards her, more out of habitat than any type of distaste of the halfling. “I’m not uncomfortable,” she quickly went to correct her, despite it being a lie. “Just being around so many people puts me on edge.” Jade thought for a moment as she watched her amber liquid swirl around its glass in her hand. “For me, I tend to have a better time when I’m alone with someone.” She was thinking of a certain person in particular, instead of using someone in a general term, but Thea didn’t need to know that.

[thejaderaven]

efraincrayhorn‌:

Efrain had not been looking forward to dancing with someone that he’d seen gut his allies and blessed whatever deity, fey, or demon that had allowed him to dance with someone from Kaylynn’s army rather than Ivana’s or Nickolas’. It was also a welcome relief when the young paladin also knew how to dance and could match his footwork with ease. Throughout the night he had been paired with experts as well as overconfident novices and his toes were still sore from the latter. As they twirled around the dance floor, dipping and spinning the other in time with the music, each of them spared glances back to their own rulers. It was a fine dance, albeit one with no interest from either party. 

They shared a polite smile and bow while others hastily vacated the dance floor. Just as he straightened, he felt someone crash into him and he nearly stumbled. Efrain gritted his teeth as he turned, irritation bubbling in his chest. The number of times someone had bumped into him that night was comparable to the quantity of injuries he sustained through the course of the entire war. Perhaps it was merely the free-flowing alcohol that was to blame, but all the same he’d had enough and wanted to glower in the face of yet another drunkard. 

Before he could curse or tell them off, however, he caught a flash of red mask and gemstone eyes and stopped. She got a step away before he came back to himself, mentally whacking himself in the head for not noticing her attendance sooner. “Jade?” he asked, loud enough that she surely heard him, and followed. He forced his way through the dissipating dance crowd to stand in front of her to block her path. “I thought you missing,” he said for lack of anything better. He’d tried to keep aware of her participation in battles, though the task was difficult with his own preoccupations and her habit of lurking in the shadows. When he’d been unable to locate her anymore, and many days had passed, he’d assumed that she had been killed, captured again, or abandoned her supposed mission. A tiny part of him had even worried that her past captors had reclaimed their prize and was glad to discover that she was in one piece.

Even with her name echoing behind her, when Jade slipped into the crowd she believed she’d actually got away with it and a sense of relief washed over her. That only lasted a second however as she nearly walked into him again as he appeared in front of her. “Damn him and his long legs. The Black House couldn’t have made me taller?” she mumbled quietly as she composed herself from yet another near crash.

When she accepted that this was an interaction she wasn’t going to escape from she finally looked up and met his partially hidden eyes, a look that quickly turned into a frown at his statement. Last time they had met, on the battlefields of Llyn, she had very much got the impression that if he ever saw her again it would be too soon. Yet here they stood, with him expressing... concern? Or at the bare minimum it was curiosity. Either way it seemed that each time they met Jade only became more and more confused by Efrain. It may of just been her lack of experience on society and the people customs but even after only 3 years she had mostly learnt how to see a persons intentions towards her. With Efrain, she felt each time they met she got further away from understanding that for him.

“I...” she started, then paused as she thought, knowing that whatever came out of her mouth next wasn’t going to be the truth. “I needed a break,” she finally said. “Llyn did a number on me and I needed longer than I thought to recover.” She looked away from his face and wrapped her arms around her torso in an attempt to make herself look insecure, that her answer was actually something a lot harder to admit. It was only a white lie, it had actually taken her shoulder longer to heal then it should have but that wasn’t something that would normally effect her throwing herself into battle.

[thejaderaven]

Time: Evening, 20th July Location: Main Ballroom, Itresa Castle, Eowesoa Status: Closed. @ark-coquelicot

The royals had just started the dance between themselves, meaning the bar had cleared quickly as everyone had gathered round to watch. Jade appreciated the moment of quiet as she quickly shot back the last of her whiskey before slamming it down on the hard wooden counter and flicking her hand towards the bartender in a gesture for a refill.

The solider ran her hands over her face briefly, not caring about the powder or other make-up the handmaiden she had been gifted had forced onto her face getting smudged. The amount of slavery in Eowesoa was making her uncomfortable, especially since she had been “gifted” a human, even as a guest that wasn’t all that important. It reminded her why she had decided to stay in Hegaehend and not run further.

Moving her hands she stared down at her mask lay on the bar in front of her, the devil face staring back, as the bartender refilled her glass. As soon as the liquid stop pouring she scooped up the glass again to start sipping. Even without looking up she could feel the presence of the bartender hovering by as he continued to stare at her. Sighing she looked up only to meet a pair of bright blue eyes. Jade didn’t say anything, simply stared back at him with a blank expression, hoping to either make him uncomfortable enough to leave her alone or say what he wants.

[thejaderaven]

thea-wb‌:

Thea had noticed the arrival of another person by her side. She hadn’t had enough where her senses were dulled to that level. Right now it was simply an enjoyable buzz in the back of her head, leaving her a little light-headed now and again. She wasn’t entirely certain how she even ended up here. In the chaos of everything that happened after Llyn, she hadn’t really found the time to do much other than pray and breathe, but the night was still young!

Finding herself unable to keep a smile off her face at the sound of Jade’s voice, she turned in her seat, almost bouncing in her sparkly dress and mask, to face her.

“Hey! Hi…” She put her cup down, unwilling to trust herself trying to talk and drink at the same time. “Things are well… I think. My brother was more affected by the affair than me, but I trust him not to run around too much like a headless chicken.”

She snorted a little at her own joke.

“Sorry. I started a little early tonight. This is all so new and interesting and a lot to take in…” She paused for a moment. “What about you? You were kinda in the middle of everything back there, and I can’t imagine this being much more up your alley either.”

Jade nodded along with the halflings answer, she could imagine any civilian in her brothers situation would have reacted the way he did, all things considered. “Ewin seemed very capable when I met him. Hopefully next time you see them it isn’t under such unfortunate circumstances,” Jade soothed in her best attempt to reassure Thea, not that she looked like she was beside herself with worry in this moment anyway.

The fighter’s eyebrow twitched slightly with amusement as Thea’s drink swayed in its glass as she put it down, a little amount sloshing over the rim and onto the polished wood beneath. The spill didn’t last for long however as the bartender appeared moments later to wipe it up. Jade ordered herself a whiskey while he was close and detached her mask to pull it away from her face, resting it next to her drink when it was quickly delivered to her.

She took a long sip as she looked out at the mass of people making faked pleasantries behind them. “Your right. I’d much rather be on a battlefield than in a ballroom. I feel naked without my glaive,” she complained as even then her fingers twitched towards the dagger she had strapped to her thigh, hidden beneath her large dress. The small blade didn’t feel like enough for her, especially when surrounded by so many enemies who could turn on her at a moments notice. “You look like you’re having fun though,” she smiled turning back to Thea, attempting to push the thought from her mind.

[thejaderaven]

rxnnxlhylxne‌:

Time: Evening Date: July 20th Location: Itresia, the Masyarakat Ball Status: Open

What the hell was he doing here? He felt like he shouldn’t be there. Rinnil could feel his own paranoia threatening to take over, but he forced it to stay in the back of his mind. Feeling the weight of his hidden dagger in his sleeve helped him to calm him. He had come to terms with the fact that coming to this very, very public event was actually the smarter move than not attending. People may question why one of the most popular courtesans of Romera wasn’t attending one of the biggest social events. It may be seen as suspicious, which is exactly what they both wanted to avoid, and since neither of them wanted to be separated again by something as small as lack of an invitation, Thalra managed to get him one as well, posing as a bodyguard for his sister. It was apt. Her safety was Rinnil’s number one concern.

He had been shadowing her on and off, giving her space so she could socialize more privately, or dance with anyone who was interested. Right now, he was giving her space. Rinnil was standing off to the side of the room, out of the way of anyone, but also able to scan the whole area while still keeping Thalra within sight.

Suddenly, Rinnil felt a presence approach over his shoulder. He’d been so focused on the area around his sister, he hadn’t been aware of someone coming up behind him. He turned to look over his shoulder, gazing at the person through the tinted glass that covered this eyes. The mask, along with the general dark tones of his entire outfit, made for an imposing sight, even with Rinnil’s slight stature.

Jade could see Thalra across the room. She had known she was a bard and even from their previous meetings where it had just been the two of them she could tell she could command a room. And that was exactly what she was doing now. The people around her were enthralled by her every word, inching closer in participation of what she was going to say, and she acted so natural about it, as if she had no idea of her effect on them.

Jade smiled softly as she thought of their last time together and wished that she could go over and steal her away for another one of their hidden moments. Instead she stood quietly, observing her until she dismissed herself from the current crowd to move on. Seeing an opportunity to catch her Jade quickly moved in her direction, but before she could even get close to her she found herself nearly walking into a figure she had been too distracted to see.

Promptly ducking backwards to avoid being poked in the eye by the persons long pointed mask as they turned around Jade took a step back and looked the newcomer up and down, clearly seeing their attempt at an off putting appearance. The fighter looked over the persons shoulder briefly only to see Thalra had already been whisked away by someone to the dance floor. Sighing slightly she turned her attention back to the beaked character and mimicked their imposing position as she crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow as she looked down at him. “Who exactly are you?” she challenged bluntly.