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Sage didn't exactly wait around on nate's next comments, if there were any, before moving on to go look for the girl. The council meeting was starting, and he needed to get in there. It was clear the princess wasn't going to show up to this one, so he moved upstairs towards their rooms. He paused outside her door, deciding to knock first rather than just barge in, in case something simple had happened like her having fallen back asleep after the guard woke her up that morning, or she'd simply lost track of time. He doubted that was the case, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to be polite, just in case she was still in there. When no one answered, he grunted, knowing she wasn't there. It didn't surprise him, nor did the open window once he opened the door to her room. He sighed, knowing he'd have to go track her down again. He moved to gather a few things from his room - weapons, some pouches to string onto his belt for food, his canteen, and a few other things. As an after thought, he mvoed back to her room to grab a pouch full of gold coins and a few other things she'd probably need. Because in all honesty? He thought she needed a break from this life. No, they wouldn't be coming back to this castle, not for a while. He'd take her around, to the lands outside of her kingdom. Within too, if she wanted, but she eneded to get out. See some things. Get away from her father and the pressures of the council. The crown she'd been forced to wear her entire life. He'd show her what really went on outside the castle. How hard life could be. One night in a cave she was used to was one thing...a week or two out there may change her mind about some things. But he could teach her things, too. Survival skills she may need in a war zone. How to use weapons other than her bow and arrow. A bow was a nice thing to have, but in close quarters and hand to hand combat it wouldn't do much good. And other knights would fight back, unlike the ones she was so used to being able to beat. Or beat up. He wrote Nate a short note, and slid it under his bedroom door, telling him what his plan was. He'd take her around, let her figure life out on her own. They'd be back when she decided she'd had enough, or they needed something. But until then, they'd just be out doing...whatever they decided to do. This way she could get her freedom in. She could learn necissary skills. And she could do it all with soemone there to watch out for her. help her, if need be. Because in all reality? There wouldn't alwasy be soemone there to defend her. She needed to have skills of her own, so that if need be she could use them. |
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Elara moved through the narrow, winding streets, her heart light and her steps quick. The familiar energy of the city wrapped around her, a stark contrast to the cold, polished halls of the palace. There was something about being here, among the people, with no title, no expectations—just another face in the crowd. She almost didn’t notice him at first, too caught up in the thrill of her escape. But then, a presence she knew all too well brushed against her senses. Dorian. He was several paces ahead, walking in the shadow of another guard, his tall figure impossibly still in the midst of the chaos. Dorian’s dark hair was cropped short, but the sunlight caught the edges, giving it a faint golden sheen. He was the type of man who commanded attention without asking for it, his posture always perfect, his movements fluid and controlled. Even from behind, he had the aura of someone who was always ready for whatever came next, the weight of responsibility settling easily on his broad shoulders. His leather armor, worn and weathered from countless missions, creaked with each step. Elara felt the familiar flutter in her chest. He was more than just a guard to her. She quickly scanned the surroundings, her eyes lighting up when they landed on the perfect target—a small pinecone discarded in the dirt. Without thinking too much, she picked it up, the prickly texture sharp against her skin. She paused, taking a moment to study him: the way he stood—distant, untouchable. The way the early sunlight hit the angles of his face when he turned his head. Then, she threw it. The pinecone landed with a soft thud at the back of his boot. At first, Dorian didn’t react. His gaze remained forward, his conversation with the other guard continuing without interruption. But Elara could see his shoulders stiffen ever so slightly, a sign he was aware of the small, insignificant hit. She grinned mischievously, her heart skipping a beat. Another pinecone. This one, she aimed more carefully, and it hit him just above the knee. This time, he stopped. Elara quickly turned her head, pretending to be lost in the window of a nearby stall, as though she had nothing to do with it. She couldn’t help but smile as she saw Dorian’s posture shift, his head turning, his eyes scanning the crowd. Her heart thumped louder in her chest. And then their gazes locked. He didn’t say a word, just a flash of recognition in his eyes. But it was enough to make her pulse quicken. She thought she saw the slightest curve of his lips, a small, private smirk that made her stomach flip. It wasn’t anger or annoyance, but something softer. Something unexpected. He muttered something to the guard beside him, who continued walking without noticing, and then Dorian made his way toward her. His movements were fluid, like water, the air around him somehow parting as he approached. Elara pretended to look at the nearby flowers, but she couldn’t keep her heart from racing. He was so close now—closer than he had ever been when they weren’t in the palace walls. She looked up just as he reached her. “You’ve got a good aim, princess,” he said, his voice low, rich, and slightly teasing. He stopped in front of her, his gaze flicking down to the pinecones on the ground before meeting her eyes again. “I didn’t think you were the type to throw things at people.” “I can be full of surprises,” she replied with a playful smile, trying to keep the edge of flirtation in her voice, though she could feel a warmth spreading through her chest. His lips curled, a quiet laugh escaping him. “You’ve definitely got my attention.” The moment lingered, an electric tension hanging between them that neither of them had ever acknowledged before. Elara’s breath caught in her throat, and she couldn’t tell if it was the adrenaline of the moment or something deeper pulling at her. Dorian looked at her then, his expression shifting to something more serious, more intimate. “What are you doing here, Elara?” he asked, his voice dropping even lower, as if the city suddenly faded away around them. “This isn’t your world.” “I know.” She shifted, leaning against the stone pillar, feeling the weight of his gaze on her. She could see it—the way his eyes softened when he looked at her, the rare vulnerability in his expression. “But sometimes, I need to forget about everything else. To just... breathe.” His eyes darkened slightly as he took a step closer, his proximity enough to make her pulse skip. “You shouldn’t be out here alone.” Elara’s breath hitched, a fleeting thought of her position as a princess, her responsibilities, trying to edge its way back into her mind. But it was drowned out by something far more pressing—the way Dorian’s gaze never wavered from hers, the way he stood so close that she could almost feel the heat of his presence, the pull of him. “Then come with me,” she said, the words slipping out before she could second-guess them. She felt a strange surge of boldness, of desire, a longing to push beyond the walls she had always known. "See what it’s like. Away from all the rules." Dorian stood silent for a moment, his gaze searching hers, as if weighing her words. She saw the conflict in his eyes—the soldier, the protector, and the man caught between loyalty and something else. But then, to her surprise, he nodded, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips. “Alright, princess. But I’m keeping an eye on you.” Elara’s heart soared, and with that, the two of them slipped into the winding streets of the city. Just for a little while, the crown, the duties, the expectations—all of it faded away. And it was just them, walking side by side, the warmth of the sun on their skin and the spark of something unspoken between them growing with each step. |
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Sage moved quickly out of the castle, down to the spot he assumed she'd climbed out of her window. There is was...small patches of flattened grass where she had disturbed the lawn as she'd crept silently away, under the noses of all the guard posted around. He scoffed, shaking his head at them all. You'd think they would have done a better job at all this....but the truth was, they were arrogant. Too arrogant to know that sometimes, the greatest dangers could come from within the castle walls. They were so focused on not letting anyone in that they'd failed to keep one of the most important people in. It was rediculous, really. He moved to look back at the girl's faint trail though, following it until it hit the cobblestone path. That earned a groan from him. You couldn't really track something over rocks, unless their feet were wet or muddy, and the castle's lawn was kept pristine, which meant her track just wouldn't show up. He stood there for a moment, mind working, before he made the decision to move towards the place in the woods she'd ran off to before. That was only a few miles down the way, and he didn't even need to go all the way there. He just needed to go to the entrence of the woods and check for signs there. It didn't take him long to recognize she hadn't gone to the woods...which meant she was somewhere else. He racked his brain for if he'd even seen her around at all. He turned around, moving back towards the castle slowly, thinking. Wait. That was it. He turned on his heel, moving towards the crowded center of the city. When he'd broken into her room, he'd noticed an old cloak there. A cloak he'd seen before, on numerous occasions, moving through the town square and the market places there. Evidently, the princess escaped to the town often. That was half good and half bad, though. Good in the fact that there were plenty of guards about, who would step in if they noticed anything bad happening. Good in the fact that most people wouldn't recognize her as the princess if she was disguised as a more middle class citizen, which was common at the market. Bad for...pretty much all the same reasons. She was likely to beat up a guard before going back to the castle, and bad ebcause if something happened the guards might not care enough to help a random citizen, not realizing it was their princess. His footsteps quickened as he moved towards the town, scowling slightly as he moved into the crowded area. He'd never liked it here...there was too much going on for his likings. Too many people, too much noise, too many sights and smells and just too much of pretty much everything. But no princess. He groaned again, deciding to just wander around for a while and see if he could spot her. Eventually, he did find her, and strode towards her, though stopped and slid into the nearby crowd when he saw she was with a guard. They were having a friendly conversation, though, so he didn't want to interrupt. She was in no danger...and he wanted to learn more about the situation before he came bargin in. She looked happy...genuinely happy. He hadn't seen that out of her before. And he had to admit, he didn't want to stop that happiness he could see in her face. He stayed in the crowd, keeping an eye on her so he didn't loose her as she and the gaurd walked. To anyone else, it would just look like he was browsing the selection of goods there. In reality, he was just watching her. Making sure nothing bad happened. |
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Elara’s eyes darted around, trying to hide the uneasy feeling creeping up her spine. The street was crowded, but the eyes on her were unmistakable. She tried to push the feeling away, focusing instead on the joy of being away from the kingdom, the wind against her skin, the freedom of just being Elara, not Princess Elara. But then she felt it again—the gaze, sharp and focused, following her every move. Dorian was walking beside her, still caught up in their moment, but she couldn’t ignore it. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She needed to lose whoever was tailing them—now. Without a word to Dorian, she subtly stepped away from him, her movements smooth, almost fluid, as she drifted into the thick of the crowd. She could feel his attention flicker toward her, but she didn’t have time to explain. She had to get away. She threaded through the bustling streets, weaving past stalls and merchants, her heart pounding as she moved deeper into the crowd. The sense of being pursued only grew stronger, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to slip away unnoticed much longer. Suddenly, she was shoved against the wall, her back slamming into the cool stone with a force that knocked the air from her lungs. Elara’s eyes shot up, and there, standing too close for comfort, was the unmistakable face of her older brother, Nate. The same mischievous smirk she had seen a thousand times before stretched across his face, and her stomach flipped. “You really think you could escape me, Elara?” Nate’s voice was low, teasing, as he held her in place, one hand lightly pressing against the stone next to her head. Her breath caught, but she managed to recover, her eyes narrowing. “Nate, you—” Before she could finish, she slapped his arm playfully, trying to shove him off of her. “You’re impossible,” she muttered, though her lips twitched into a smile despite the irritation bubbling inside her. “I swear you’re always watching.” Nate chuckled, not budging an inch. “It’s my job,” he replied with a wink, his fingers brushing her cheek as he adjusted the hood now sitting crookedly on her head. “But it’s also fun when you think you can slip away.” Elara let out a dramatic sigh, pushing against his chest with a little more force this time. “Can’t a girl catch a break? I was just having a little freedom for once.” Nate’s expression softened slightly, though the teasing remained. “And I’m just here to remind you that you’re still the crown princess. You can’t disappear forever.” She glared at him, but she knew he was right. That was the reality of it, after all. The weight of the title would always be there, no matter how much she ran. “Fine,” she said, surrendering for now, “but if you’re tagging along, at least let me enjoy being away from the palace.” Nate finally stepped back, offering her a grin as he reached up to pull off his helmet and slip a dark hood over his head. With a swift, practiced movement, he shifted into the same street persona he used when he wanted to disappear among the common folk. Elara gave him a playful shove as they both started walking, moving deeper into the winding streets. The heavy presence of the kingdom was already beginning to fade as they walked unnoticed, hidden beneath their hoods, blending in with the market crowds. “I swear, sometimes you’re just as bad as the palace guards,” she muttered, shaking her head with a soft chuckle. Nate bumped her with his shoulder, a soft laugh escaping him. “Maybe. But at least I’m fun.” He glanced around, taking in the sights of the market. “This... this is what I needed, too. It’s good to be out here, away from all the... duties.” She smiled, grateful for the moment. The warm sun, the bustle of the streets, the laughter of the people—it felt like a fleeting taste of freedom. She had never truly realized how much she missed the anonymity of being just another face in the crowd. “Yeah,” she said, her voice softening. “We should do this more often. Just... escape.” Nate smirked again, but there was a glint of something else in his eyes now—something more understanding, more serious. “I’ll keep that in mind, Elara.” The two of them strolled down the narrow alleyways, their laughter mingling with the sounds of the city. And for the first time in a long while, Elara felt something close to peace. She didn’t know what would happen when they went back, but for now, she was just Elara and Nate—siblings, hidden beneath their hoods, moving unnoticed through the streets. It was the closest thing to freedom she’d had in a while, and she couldn’t help but savor it. |
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Sage had crept along, keeping an eye on the girl as she walked. It was a lazy eye...just enough to keep the two of them in sights and alert him if anything happened. For the most part though, he knew she would be fine...she had a palace guard with her, and one who liked her at that. She was safe with this man, whoever he was. But still, he crept along behind them. He gave them their room....eavesdropping on their conversation wasn't really the right thing to do. It felt...private. He didn't want to violate that. Besides, his head hurt from all the noise of the conversations around him anyway, so he didn't feel like doing much besides zoning out and blocking out what he could. That was one bad thing about having senses more like a nymph thann a human...everything was too loud in the city. He much preferred the solitude of the woods. He tensed when Elara suddenly darted off to the side....what was she doing? She acted almost spooked, and the guard she'd been with looked just as confused, though his brain was clearly slower to catch up to than his. He would have rolled his eyes, but by then a figure had slammed into her. He lept forward, though stayed hidden. Of course, his senses were on alert, and when he heard Nate's voice coming from under the helmet, he relaxed slightly. A soft chuckle rose in his throat when he noticed the annoyed look cross her face...it was rather amusing to watch. He'd always wished he had some sort of sibling to mess around with. To confide in. But his sister had died when she was only a few years old, and that was...a long time ago, to say the least. He had his daughter, but he barely had her. He was always gone, and if he could see her once or twice a month that was the most he could stand to take time off. He always needed to be doing something. Making money somehow. He did miss her...even the thought of it sent a pang through his chest, pausing his other thoughts momentarily. But maybe...maybe with this new job he would have more time with her. He didn't want to hope...he knew well enough that only led to dissapointment...but that was a pretty hard thing to do. But as much as he loved her, he couldn't talk to her about the things he needed soemone to talk to about. He couldn't get her opinion on things, or ask her if he was doing the right thing. Couldn't let his emotions out nearby, since the women in charge were always there, listening, ready to exploit any weakness he showed. They already did enough to him...he couldn't break down whhile he was there. That would be the worst place to do that. The thought did cross his midn though...if Nate was taking care of the princess, maybe he could take an hour or so and visit her. Maybe he had time to bring her outside. The thought lifted his spirit, and he moved to angle himself so Elara couldn't see him, but he could meet Nate's gaze, giving him a brief nod before slipping away quietly, letting him know he'd leave them alone. She was safe with him. He moved quickly to the school, moving past the women who were there scowling at him as he past. He wasn't paying them today, but no doubt they'd find some wasy to get something off of him one way or another. He didn't give them time to talk though, before he'd scooped up Liz, the baby cooing in delight when she recognised him, and moving out of the building. He did mutter "I'll be back," to them, so they couldn't say they thought he'd left and she'd lost her spot int he program or this or that. He settled down in the grass a few yards away from the town though, letting himself relax slightly as he settled the baby in his lap. The grass was soft, the sunlight warm on his skin. And he was just...happy. That was really the only way to explain it. It wasn't often he felt this good, and he knew it was becasue he could just be with his daughter without worrying about anything. Well...he supposed he still had worries in the back of his mind, but this was as good as it got. A soft smile had formed on his face...something that was quite a rare occourance at this point. |
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The streets seemed to open up around them, the chatter of the market and the clatter of carts growing louder. But something shifted. Elara’s senses heightened. She felt it again—the tension in the air, the subtle change in the way people moved. She glanced sideways at Nate, but he was still lost in the moment, enjoying the anonymity of the crowd. Then she heard it—a sharp, angry voice cutting through the noise. The unmistakable sound of a fight breaking out. Shouts, curses, the scrape of boots against cobblestones. Elara’s instincts kicked in, and she reached out to grab Nate’s arm. He barely noticed, his mind still caught in the joy of being away from their royal obligations. But the voice grew louder, the confrontation more intense. A group of men were circling, and the air felt heavy with tension. "Stay close," she murmured under her breath, but Nate was already turning, sensing the change in the atmosphere. He gave her a quick look, eyes narrowing. "Don’t worry, Elara. We’re fine." They both slowed their pace, the tension around them thickening as they neared the scene. In the middle of the street, two men were yelling at each other, faces contorted with rage. The fight had clearly escalated from words to something more physical. But instead of stepping in, Nate and Elara simply... walked around it. Their footsteps slowed, their eyes down, trying to blend into the surroundings as best they could. It wasn’t that they couldn’t handle it—it was more about not drawing attention, not making the situation worse. The chaos in the street was a reminder of the world they were trying to escape from, the messiness of life that followed them even when they were trying to live in the moment. As they passed by, Elara’s breath caught when one of the men swung a fist, narrowly missing the bystanders nearby. She could feel the heat of the moment, but her pace didn’t falter. Nate kept his head low, his movements smooth, just another part of the crowd. Neither of them said a word, walking past the chaos as if they weren’t even part of it. The fight raged behind them, but it was already fading from their minds. Elara’s hand tightened around the strap of her bag, the familiar weight of responsibility creeping back into her chest. It was impossible to fully escape. No matter how far they tried to go, the world they came from always had a way of finding them. But for now, they stayed in their bubble, moving silently, carefully, just two figures in a sea of strangers. “I didn’t think we’d see that today,” she said quietly, her voice barely audible over the distant sounds of the market. Nate shot her a look, a smirk still tugging at his lips. “What, you thought you could just disappear forever?” He shrugged, his tone light, but his eyes still holding something more serious. “It’s the real world, Elara. Not everything is pretty.” She nodded, letting out a soft sigh as they walked on, their footsteps quiet but resolute. For now, they were just another pair of strangers in the crowd, walking away from the fight without ever looking back. |
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Sage had settled down in the soft grass after a while, just letting himself relax slightly as he settled the baby in his lap. The grass was soft, the sunlight warm on his skin. It was certainly nice to just sit down and spend time with her. It wasn't often he got the chance, and he knew it was because he could just be with his daughter without worrying about anything. Well...he supposed he still had worries in the back of his mind, but this was as good as it got. A soft smile had formed on his face...something that didn't seem to happen very often anymore. Most of the time, he just looked bored, annoyed, or mad. Probably a mix of all of those in one nasty looking expression. He supposed he didn't care. They could deal with it. He sort of just bounced Liz around in his lap for a while, talking gently to her in response to her little coos and giggles. She wasn't old enough to talk or walk yet, but she could move around just fine, and was plenty expressive. She'd gotten that from her mother, he supposed...she didn't feel the need to hide or mask her emotions. Of course, she was still just a baby, so things were a little different than his situations, but even so, he did envy her a little bit. She was always happy...no matter what heppened she somehow would always find something to laugh at or grin about. He wished he could look at life that way. But he knew too much, had seen all too often how cruel the world could be. He just didn't have a positive outlook to share with the world. He wasn't sure he ever did. Then again, he'd never had much to be happy about. Not until he'd had Liz. The baby was the small spark of joy that kept him going. He had a reason to be here, a reason to keep working and not just fade away in the background. If he'd been alone he would have done just that....but wasn't something he could do. It wasn't fair to her. She needed him alive, which meant he needed to keep fighting. And for her, he'd fight as long as he had to. He'd heard the commotion over in the square, and had glanced over there, instinctively curling his arms around the little girl protectively. The fight was located in the opposite corner of the square, and it was jsut two drunk guys squabbling like children....he and Liz would be fine where they were at. There was no reason to move. (Might be cute if she saw Sage with Liz and that sort of kickstarted the 'oh, maybe he's not just some heartless brute' sort of thoughts on her end? Idk might get them to talk more too lol) |
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(one word; yes) As they continued on, the bustling market seemed to fade into the background, the sounds of the city pressing in but never quite reaching her. Elara’s gaze drifted, distracted by something else—a figure standing a little ways ahead. His posture, unassuming but strong, caught her attention. She didn’t expect to see him here, but there he was, as always, just outside of the chaos. Sage. Her heart warmed at the sight, the usual cool armor of detachment she wore slipping for a moment. Sage, always vigilant, always present, had his baby cradled in his lap. His gaze was soft, a rare expression for someone so stoic, his smile wide and genuine as he watched the little one, who seemed to be laughing up at him. There was something about the way his face lit up in that moment—a soft, humanizing side that Elara rarely saw. It reminded her that despite the endless weight of their responsibilities, there were still moments of quiet joy, of peace in the most unexpected places. For a brief instant, she forgot about the noise and confusion around her. It was just that—Sage, his baby, and the world moving on without them. But soon, the moment passed, and the pulse of the city swept back in. As they neared the grand palace later, the towering gates coming into view, Elara found herself thinking of Sage again. His soft smile, his unwavering loyalty, the way he managed to find something worth smiling about even in the midst of all this chaos. She didn’t mention it to Nate, of course. There was no need for him to understand why she’d taken a moment to pause when the rest of the world had been rushing past. But when she saw Sage again, whether it was in the halls or during some quiet moment at the palace, she’d be sure to let him know that she hadn’t forgotten. She pushed the thought aside for now. The palace was looming closer, and whatever peace she’d briefly found would be swallowed by the heavy weight of duty and expectation once they passed through those gates. But for now, she could carry the warmth of Sage’s quiet smile with her. It was a small thing, but it was enough to keep her grounded as the world spun on around her. When she saw him next,she approached him,still in her cloak but the hood down,waiting on Nate or Dorian,or both. "Hey,saw you with that baby earlier.You looked happy,like genuinly happy." She comments,grabbing a apple from the table and biting into it,glancing around before looking back at Sage. |
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(Tests are finally over with lol) Sage had stayed with Liz as long as he possibly could, before moving to settle her back down at the boarding school. The old women in charge there shooed him out pretty quickly once he'd set her down though, so he barely got to press a kiss to her head before he was practically being dragged out the door by one of them. It was aggravating, but entirely normal. He wasn't entirely sure why they hated him so much...yes he was a low social class, but they didn't treat every man from a bad social class this badly. Maybe they just really didn't like tattoos or piercings. Or maybe they were all vampires, and they didn't like the silver he wore. He couldn't help but snicker at the last one....it clearly wasn't true, but it was amusing to think about. He sighed slightly as he mvoed away from his daughter and back to the palace though, eventually wandering down to where lunch was set out on the large buffet spreads they always had. It was a waste of food, if anyone would ask him. Most of it was left out all day and then thrown out, while people were starving out in the streets. Just one more way the crown has failed its people. He hadn't expected the princess to walk straight up to him, and definitely hadn't expected her to mention him or his daughter. That surprise appeared on his face for a moment before it faded as he quickly waved it to the side, hiding it beneath the mask he always wore. "My daughter," he clarified, face softening slightly as he mentioned her. "She's the one good thing I've got going for me," he added with a sort of shrug. It was true....he really was only happy when he was with the baby. There was just something about her that made him feel like maybe the world wasn't such a bad place. And then he looked around, and he was reminded of how bad it truely was. |
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srry going through some writers block right now :( ] Elara swalloed the apple as she listened,noticing the flicker of suprise eveident on his face for only a moment. "Well,if you ever need anything for her,just let me know.I have all this," She mentioned,gesturing to the castle around them. "Why not use it for a good cause?" Elara asked,glancing around and biting into the apple again. "But yeah,if you ever need anything for her,just let me know.You actually looked happy for once,i'll do what I can for you to look that way again." With one last look into his eyes,she turned and walked away,spotting Dorion as well.Elara glanced over her shoulder one last time,catching sight of Sage still standing there as she walked away. After they were atleast enough heartbeats to be considered a distance away from her personal guard,Dorion slowed and asked her a quesion. "What were you two talking about?Saw you get real truthful there." Elara hesitated,slowing aswell. "Oh nothing really.I just told him that I saw him wtih his daughter and he looked genuinly happy.Said if he needed anything I would supply him with it as long as it made him look happy again." Dorion looked at her for a moment,muttering something. "Well,I'm sure you want best for him." Elara chuckled,tossing the apple core out a open window. "He's stuck with me for awhile,I'd rather him not be depressed." |
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Sunny and Pleasant
