Post by kimcora on Aug 9, 2017 23:49:20 GMT -5
The people of Harena loved the royal family.
It was a statement Aiden had heard more times than he could count. Growing up, he believed it firmly with his whole being and purpose. His tutors told him his family was the light of the desert, the protectors of their people and the power that made their nation stand tall in the war. His father, their king, was the brace ruler that fought for the security of his people. For their protection and kindness, they were beloved by all.
Still, Aiden had a hard time shaking that belief, even as he watched Rin plunge a dagger into the back of a man approaching him. Well, not just any man. Rin was not a reckless killer. The man, this shrouded man from an alley, had aimed a cross bow bolt at Aiden’s back. The evidence of the attempted assassination fell to the man’s feet as he crumpled in heap on the stone street.
Aiden struggled not to appear fazed, as he was trained to as a child, but his surprise slipped his control in the form of a gaping mouth. How could someone not react to nearly being attacked out of nowhere? Especially when he thought the day among the people was going so well. He had been sent by his father to make an appearance among his subjects, to bolster the compassion of the royal family at the orphanage and the impoverished parts of the city. Aiden had jumped at the chance since he rarely got the chance to leave the secure walls of his palace. It wasn't for a prince to live with the commoners, his mother would say. He was the oldest of his brothers, the only child to inherit. He was above everyone else in stature and training. He was to be king.
As the future king, he expected the city around him to be—well so much more. It was hard not to imagine the world being bigger and brighter when you had barely any point of reference beyond hearsay.
Instead of grand city streets, wealthy people, happy smiles, and beautiful architecture, he found dirt streets jam packed with people dressed in muddled, earthy tones. They waded around clay and limestone buildings that were so close together and the streets were almost too tiny for the volume of people and carts. Some livestock mingled with the people there, mostly from foreign traders there to sell their old, out of commission livestock for meat. The people of Harena after all were forbidden from keeping livestock beyond a spare few chickens or dogs for hunting, as livestock was Hereba’s line of work. To keep the peace, everyone stayed in their lane of industry by law or it was punishable by force of a foreign power.
Bit the scenery or threat of illegal livestock was hardly the concern for Aiden. He was more uncomfortable with just how the people responded to his presence. As a monarch, he was used to servants or nobles dropping everything to please him. On these streets, he was treated like he hardly existed and when he was noticed, the people didn’t look thrilled or even happy. They looked unmoved and passive, as if they were too tired to care. Despite the frigid welcome, he hardly expected to be attacked by someone from his homeland, let alone someone who appeared to be a wealthy merchant. Why would they dare strike out at their future king? It was a crime that only ended in torture or death...
However, there was no time to question him. Due to the immediate danger, the attacker's life was forfeit immediately. Or so Rin's logic seemed to decide.
Aiden watched with astonishment as Rin stepped from the shadows, his dark assassins garb allowing him to blend well with the harsh shadows that the buildings created against the bright sunlight. He was always shocked at how the man could slink around like a shadow himself, blending in like the scenery until it was time to strike like a cobra. Aiden supposed it was the perks of using dark magic...
“Get the prince back to the palace. Now.” Rin barked through the dark material overing the lower half of his face. His order jumped the guards into action that quickly. They led the prince back through the streets, trying to find a safe route. Before they could get far, shouting broke out in the square, followed by the sounds of magic and weapons clashing around them. A bloodied man crawled from a street corner, reaching for Aiden or a guard's hand. Instead he was met by the swift end of a crossbow bolt that was meant for the battalion protecting the prince. Another guard was struck before Aiden could be pulled into a doorway. However at the sight, Aiden pulled away, grabbing the fallen guard's sword and rushing toward the sound of the fighting. He made it around a corner and found his people being slaughtered or rounded up by soldiers disguised in merchant's garb. Seeing an opening in a nearby alley, he took off for it for a better vantage point. When he got to the shadows, Rin emerged, catching Aiden by his arm.
"Idiot." He hissed before a black swirl of magic consumed them. When Aiden blinked, he was on a nearby street outside of the palace with Rin looking pale and pissed. Never a good combination for the mage...
"Why did you stop me Rin?! My people are being killed--" Aiden shouted, shoving Rin's grip from his arm. The rude tone drew a glare from Rin that was hardly accepting.
"It's not your problem! You are their future king--You being slaughtered out there won't help anyone and will only get me killed as well." Before Aiden could argue, sounds of an explosion echoed off the palace walls. Portions of the wall toppled down, allowing soldiers to flood into the property. Aiden didn't wait to see if Rin was following before he took off for the palace. Once inside, he ran through the dismantled door and into his families private quarters. He had to get to his brothers and sisters, check on his father, be there to protect them all. Guards everywhere were locked in battle with soldiers, but it was obvious by the sheer volume and the element of surprise the invaders had was giving them the advantage in this fight. One tried to take a swing at Aiden but ended up with a sword to the neck. Aiden darted past courtyards and elegant rooms before he finally reached the family home. He paused in horror as shouts emitted from the room, blood pooling at the entrance from bodies of servants and the bodies of concubines. He hesitated only briefly before he darted in to the horrifying scene. Bodies of his family were everywhere, all cowering and defenseless against the attack they suffered. He tried to check some of them but it was obvious they weren't going to survive. Only one of the battered forms cried out weakly for help, a blonde woman with startling golden eyes who had blood pouring from a wound in her leg. It was his father's newest wife, the one that he had seen Rin speak to occassionally. She tried to move to Aiden, but it was obvious she didn't have long to live. Before Aiden could move, he heard the sound of metal clattering to the floor and footsteps rushing over to them. He tried to turn and defend her, but instead Rin pushed past him.
“Essa!” Rin cried, his hands going to his sister's leg in an attempt to staunch the blood flow. Aiden watched as the woman held onto Rin, sobbing softly at him.
"Rin you must go. I love you brother but you must leave..." She said, trying but failing to push him off her in her weakened state. Rin only shook his head, holding her tighter as tears streamed down his face. Aiden had never seen Rin cry before...he knew it was too late.
"I'm going to save you. I can save you--Just hold on--" Before Rin could finish, a crash came from nearby and foreign soldiers poured into the room. Essa grabbed her brother’s shirt collar, pulling him down on her level so she could whisper to him. Aiden glanced down and saw her whisper something and hand him a carefully concealed parcel before she looked to Aiden pleadingly. He understood her look. They needed to leave before they died.
As quick as he could, he grabbed Rin and forced the man to his feet. “Rin we have to go—“ Mid plea, an arrow hit Run in the chest that knocked the wind out of him and made him slump in Aiden’s hold. “Rin!” Aiden quickly glanced to his side as the soldiers began to approach, finding a window that led to the street. They needed to go and better to go quickly than die staying safe…
He dashed for the window, throwing himself out of it with Rin in his arms. Thankfully they hit a street cart full of furs that was abandoned below, even if the landing knocked the wind and the coordination out of Aiden. He scrambled to throw Rin over his shoulder to run as arrows and shouts from the soldiers rained down on him. A nearby man saw them struggling and instantly ran to help carry RIn. “Quick to the cart! I’m getting civilians to safety!” He shouted to Aiden, making him nod in thanks. In a matter of moments they were on the cart with others escaping the chaos, speeding away from the city that was falling around them. Aiden had only a second to be horrified by the scene before he had to begin tending to Rin who’s consciousness had steadily returned. However, his eyes seemed far off and blood was running oddly from his nose as he shivered violently, alerting Aiden that something was very wrong. He quickly worked the arrow out with a dagger he kept on him. It only seemed to help the shivering, but Rin was still hardly lucid. He just laid there crying wordlessly as the cart lurched his pained body around in the floor.
Hours went by before the tarp covering the cart was removed to allow air to flow through it. It was oppressively hot, but the trees that suddenly appeared around them seemed to provide adequate coverage from the afternoon sun. Rin had yet to move in an hour or so, a fact that concerned Aiden as much as his shallow breathing and odd raspy gasps. “A town! Eden we are saved!” A mother in the cart cried as her child pointed to the buildings in the distance. It was a small, shabby town on the outskirts of the kingdom of Terra, due to all the trees meeting the vast desert sands. It didn’t look like much, but to Aiden at the moment it was the first sign of hope. They had to have a healer, a place to rest, and a chance for him to collect himself. While he put up a strong brave front, he couldn’t help that his knees shook as he off the cart and tried to haul Rin off with him. Aiden was terrified, a word he never understood as a prince till he watched everything he loved taken from him…
((Kay kay peeps, posting can commence. For information on thread rules, history, and characters, please see my character profile page or message me))
skyamoebarealm.proboards.com/post/19962 ((Link to the profile))
It was a statement Aiden had heard more times than he could count. Growing up, he believed it firmly with his whole being and purpose. His tutors told him his family was the light of the desert, the protectors of their people and the power that made their nation stand tall in the war. His father, their king, was the brace ruler that fought for the security of his people. For their protection and kindness, they were beloved by all.
Still, Aiden had a hard time shaking that belief, even as he watched Rin plunge a dagger into the back of a man approaching him. Well, not just any man. Rin was not a reckless killer. The man, this shrouded man from an alley, had aimed a cross bow bolt at Aiden’s back. The evidence of the attempted assassination fell to the man’s feet as he crumpled in heap on the stone street.
Aiden struggled not to appear fazed, as he was trained to as a child, but his surprise slipped his control in the form of a gaping mouth. How could someone not react to nearly being attacked out of nowhere? Especially when he thought the day among the people was going so well. He had been sent by his father to make an appearance among his subjects, to bolster the compassion of the royal family at the orphanage and the impoverished parts of the city. Aiden had jumped at the chance since he rarely got the chance to leave the secure walls of his palace. It wasn't for a prince to live with the commoners, his mother would say. He was the oldest of his brothers, the only child to inherit. He was above everyone else in stature and training. He was to be king.
As the future king, he expected the city around him to be—well so much more. It was hard not to imagine the world being bigger and brighter when you had barely any point of reference beyond hearsay.
Instead of grand city streets, wealthy people, happy smiles, and beautiful architecture, he found dirt streets jam packed with people dressed in muddled, earthy tones. They waded around clay and limestone buildings that were so close together and the streets were almost too tiny for the volume of people and carts. Some livestock mingled with the people there, mostly from foreign traders there to sell their old, out of commission livestock for meat. The people of Harena after all were forbidden from keeping livestock beyond a spare few chickens or dogs for hunting, as livestock was Hereba’s line of work. To keep the peace, everyone stayed in their lane of industry by law or it was punishable by force of a foreign power.
Bit the scenery or threat of illegal livestock was hardly the concern for Aiden. He was more uncomfortable with just how the people responded to his presence. As a monarch, he was used to servants or nobles dropping everything to please him. On these streets, he was treated like he hardly existed and when he was noticed, the people didn’t look thrilled or even happy. They looked unmoved and passive, as if they were too tired to care. Despite the frigid welcome, he hardly expected to be attacked by someone from his homeland, let alone someone who appeared to be a wealthy merchant. Why would they dare strike out at their future king? It was a crime that only ended in torture or death...
However, there was no time to question him. Due to the immediate danger, the attacker's life was forfeit immediately. Or so Rin's logic seemed to decide.
Aiden watched with astonishment as Rin stepped from the shadows, his dark assassins garb allowing him to blend well with the harsh shadows that the buildings created against the bright sunlight. He was always shocked at how the man could slink around like a shadow himself, blending in like the scenery until it was time to strike like a cobra. Aiden supposed it was the perks of using dark magic...
“Get the prince back to the palace. Now.” Rin barked through the dark material overing the lower half of his face. His order jumped the guards into action that quickly. They led the prince back through the streets, trying to find a safe route. Before they could get far, shouting broke out in the square, followed by the sounds of magic and weapons clashing around them. A bloodied man crawled from a street corner, reaching for Aiden or a guard's hand. Instead he was met by the swift end of a crossbow bolt that was meant for the battalion protecting the prince. Another guard was struck before Aiden could be pulled into a doorway. However at the sight, Aiden pulled away, grabbing the fallen guard's sword and rushing toward the sound of the fighting. He made it around a corner and found his people being slaughtered or rounded up by soldiers disguised in merchant's garb. Seeing an opening in a nearby alley, he took off for it for a better vantage point. When he got to the shadows, Rin emerged, catching Aiden by his arm.
"Idiot." He hissed before a black swirl of magic consumed them. When Aiden blinked, he was on a nearby street outside of the palace with Rin looking pale and pissed. Never a good combination for the mage...
"Why did you stop me Rin?! My people are being killed--" Aiden shouted, shoving Rin's grip from his arm. The rude tone drew a glare from Rin that was hardly accepting.
"It's not your problem! You are their future king--You being slaughtered out there won't help anyone and will only get me killed as well." Before Aiden could argue, sounds of an explosion echoed off the palace walls. Portions of the wall toppled down, allowing soldiers to flood into the property. Aiden didn't wait to see if Rin was following before he took off for the palace. Once inside, he ran through the dismantled door and into his families private quarters. He had to get to his brothers and sisters, check on his father, be there to protect them all. Guards everywhere were locked in battle with soldiers, but it was obvious by the sheer volume and the element of surprise the invaders had was giving them the advantage in this fight. One tried to take a swing at Aiden but ended up with a sword to the neck. Aiden darted past courtyards and elegant rooms before he finally reached the family home. He paused in horror as shouts emitted from the room, blood pooling at the entrance from bodies of servants and the bodies of concubines. He hesitated only briefly before he darted in to the horrifying scene. Bodies of his family were everywhere, all cowering and defenseless against the attack they suffered. He tried to check some of them but it was obvious they weren't going to survive. Only one of the battered forms cried out weakly for help, a blonde woman with startling golden eyes who had blood pouring from a wound in her leg. It was his father's newest wife, the one that he had seen Rin speak to occassionally. She tried to move to Aiden, but it was obvious she didn't have long to live. Before Aiden could move, he heard the sound of metal clattering to the floor and footsteps rushing over to them. He tried to turn and defend her, but instead Rin pushed past him.
“Essa!” Rin cried, his hands going to his sister's leg in an attempt to staunch the blood flow. Aiden watched as the woman held onto Rin, sobbing softly at him.
"Rin you must go. I love you brother but you must leave..." She said, trying but failing to push him off her in her weakened state. Rin only shook his head, holding her tighter as tears streamed down his face. Aiden had never seen Rin cry before...he knew it was too late.
"I'm going to save you. I can save you--Just hold on--" Before Rin could finish, a crash came from nearby and foreign soldiers poured into the room. Essa grabbed her brother’s shirt collar, pulling him down on her level so she could whisper to him. Aiden glanced down and saw her whisper something and hand him a carefully concealed parcel before she looked to Aiden pleadingly. He understood her look. They needed to leave before they died.
As quick as he could, he grabbed Rin and forced the man to his feet. “Rin we have to go—“ Mid plea, an arrow hit Run in the chest that knocked the wind out of him and made him slump in Aiden’s hold. “Rin!” Aiden quickly glanced to his side as the soldiers began to approach, finding a window that led to the street. They needed to go and better to go quickly than die staying safe…
He dashed for the window, throwing himself out of it with Rin in his arms. Thankfully they hit a street cart full of furs that was abandoned below, even if the landing knocked the wind and the coordination out of Aiden. He scrambled to throw Rin over his shoulder to run as arrows and shouts from the soldiers rained down on him. A nearby man saw them struggling and instantly ran to help carry RIn. “Quick to the cart! I’m getting civilians to safety!” He shouted to Aiden, making him nod in thanks. In a matter of moments they were on the cart with others escaping the chaos, speeding away from the city that was falling around them. Aiden had only a second to be horrified by the scene before he had to begin tending to Rin who’s consciousness had steadily returned. However, his eyes seemed far off and blood was running oddly from his nose as he shivered violently, alerting Aiden that something was very wrong. He quickly worked the arrow out with a dagger he kept on him. It only seemed to help the shivering, but Rin was still hardly lucid. He just laid there crying wordlessly as the cart lurched his pained body around in the floor.
Hours went by before the tarp covering the cart was removed to allow air to flow through it. It was oppressively hot, but the trees that suddenly appeared around them seemed to provide adequate coverage from the afternoon sun. Rin had yet to move in an hour or so, a fact that concerned Aiden as much as his shallow breathing and odd raspy gasps. “A town! Eden we are saved!” A mother in the cart cried as her child pointed to the buildings in the distance. It was a small, shabby town on the outskirts of the kingdom of Terra, due to all the trees meeting the vast desert sands. It didn’t look like much, but to Aiden at the moment it was the first sign of hope. They had to have a healer, a place to rest, and a chance for him to collect himself. While he put up a strong brave front, he couldn’t help that his knees shook as he off the cart and tried to haul Rin off with him. Aiden was terrified, a word he never understood as a prince till he watched everything he loved taken from him…
((Kay kay peeps, posting can commence. For information on thread rules, history, and characters, please see my character profile page or message me))
skyamoebarealm.proboards.com/post/19962 ((Link to the profile))