Extended Family [Archive]

Zerith

09-30-10, 02:21 PM

Closed. Also all bunnying of Jasmine in this thread has been approved by her creator via AIM

A low, audible groan escaped Zerith’s lips as he rolled over in his bed. The early morning light flooded through the large windows of the ornate bedroom and somewhere far in the distance a finch was chirping some sort of perky melody. The room itself would flood one’s eyes with the color of blue. Blue carpet, blue curtains and furniture coupled with silver accents and mahogany furnishings were what lay throughout the suite. It wasn’t surprising though, at least to those who knew Jasmine and her love of color. Her husband on the other hand didn’t really mind the color of his room, so long as it wasn’t some “sissy” shade of pink or purple. No, he put more value into the company he had. In fact, he was just about to lazily wrap an arm around the sleeping form of his wife until a sudden wail shattered the calm, serene morning.

“No, please just go back to sleep,” a voice pleaded in his head. “You don’t really have to be up for at least another half hour.”

Underneath his arm, the sleeping form of Jasmine stirred. It really wasn’t much of a surprise since the woman was a light sleeper when it came to who was declaring to the world she was now awake. The princess turned her head around, noting her husband was also somewhat awake, and then laid her head back down again. “It’s you’re turn to go get her,” she grumbled.

Again, another groan came from the warder. “My turn? I have a meeting with Eric this morning. There’s work to be done.”

“I’m a mom now, Zerith. I’ve already started my work day.” She answered in a heartbeat. “Can you please just help me and go get her? If she’s hungry I’ll feed her.”

Mumbling something about her always being hungry first thing in the morning, the prince reluctantly climbed out of bed and slowly dragged his feet to the nursery that connected to their room. The thick carpet was soft to his bare feet, and as he drew closer to the reason he was now up and out of bed, the wail grew louder and louder. Until at last he pushed the white door the rest of the way open and was greeted with his little treasure.

There screaming for help in the mahogany crib he assembled himself, was a 3 month old baby girl. Tiny fists clenched tightly, eyes shut and with a rosy hue to her face, little Siela truly was a bundle of joy though it may not have seemed like it was given the current circumstances. Peering over the edge of the crib, Zerith gave his daughter a warm smile and spoke softly, “Good morning, princess. You called and daddy’s here now.” The familiar, comforting voice coerced the infant to open her eyes, revealing them to be the same bright blue color both of her parents had. Little feet started kicking with anticipation, and immediately her father got the hint and picked her up in his arms.

The morning routine continued as it usually did. Zerith checked white sleeper adorned with teddy bears to see if Siela’s diaper needed changing, and then after he was finished he proceeded to carry the little one out of the nursery and into mommy’s arms for breakfast while he continued to get himself ready for the day.

“So did Eric mention anything about what this meeting between the two of you is about?” Jasmine asked while breastfeeding Siela and Zerith had already gotten dressed and was brushing his brown, curly hair.

The question was answered with a shrug from her husband, “I suppose it’s nothing important. As the new Captain-Commander you know I’m one of his advisors. He could either want my input on something, or he wants a status report on the shape of the military.” The title of Captain-Commander was the Morian term for leader of its army, a job that was a pleasant surprise to the warder and princess. Either way, Zerith was more than willing to rise to the challenge, and this new title was one he wore proudly.

“Well just what is the shape of the army?” Jasmine asked with a tone that seemed to hint at the fact she was genuinely interested in how her husband was doing.

Sighing deeply, Zerith turned around to face his wife. “It’s just a large and strong as it always has, Jasmine. There’s never really been a major need for the army. Xem’zund has come and gone, and Moriah didn’t really do much in aiding Raiaera. I want to suggest to your brother that we increase the size of the army by a small margin, and then when another major thing threatens Corone or even Scara Brae we offer our aid. I think it’s time Moriah stops living in this little corner of the world and starts to make it’s presence known. Imagine the possibilies, Jasmine. We could have people move here someday, like I did. We could even build another city or two and start expanding.”

Tilting her head to the side, the happy mother looked at him quizzically. “You’ve really put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you?”

Grinning from ear to ear, Zerith shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a dreamer.”

“Yeah, but you’re my dreamer.” Jasmine replied. “Now would you mind helping me a little bit more? Siela should be just about finished eating and I would appreciate it if you could get her dressed while I get ready for the day.”

The prince was more than willing to help. With a new daughter, a loving wife and the job of leading the army of a kingdom, it was obvious that Zerith was destined for great things. Yet little did he know just what else he was destined for, and it would only be when an old acquaintance reappeared that he would finally be made aware of them.

Yet nothing on Althanas would have ever prepared him to discover just who it was that would go out of his way to see him again.

Silence Sei

09-30-10, 09:05 PM

Several Days Ago...

The move into Ixian Castle had almost been completed. Anita had personally ordered that the Prophecy Tablet, the large stone that foretold of a coming danger to Corone, be moved into her quarters. After all, the girl was the only one who could decipher the text, and as such, she felt entitled to have it.

It took six full grown soldiers to carry the large foreboding stone, and several times they had almost dropped it. Luckily, they had made it into the youngest Orlouge's room without any real danger to the tablet. As they set it down upon the pink carpet beside Anita's blue covered bed, the girl carefully examined the stone. She had to make sure there wasn't a single scratch on it. This was, after all, the thing that foretold the formation of the Ixian Knights.

The men stood in the room as Anita once overed the stone, the soldiers not being dismissed by the girl yet. After several minutes of waiting, one particular soldier walked over to the stone and ran his arm up and down the tablet to emulate wiping it down. "Do we need to dust it to spec too, my Lady?"

Anita's eyes shot daggers at the presumptuous man. How dare he touch her sacred artifact. The prophecy only spoke to her, and here he was, not only getting dust all over her room, but making it to where she really would have to clean off the stone. She was about to send the other five soldiers for Taka, her bodyguard and leader of the Mercenary Division of the Ixian Knights, when her eyes caught something odd.

Right where the soldier had wiped, she saw different lines over some of the strange symbols. They had always been there, but years of dust had blocked out certain lines of the prophecy. As Anita began to look over the stone, she reached into the brown backpack that lay across her bed. She quickly pulled out a pencil and a brown notebook, jotting down the new revelations to the prophecy. Her eyes widened as she dropped the pad, rushing out of the room to find her father.

There had been a mistake. One of the Nine Warriors was not who Anita had originally prophesized, it was someone else entirely. Someone Sei had met several months ago in passing. Someone who would be of key importance to the Ixian Knights...

"So...does that mean we're done here?" the voice of one of the soldiers broke the awkward silence that came in after Anita's exit.

Amber Eyes

10-01-10, 05:33 PM

"What're you guys talking about?" Kyla entered the room where Sei and Anita stood in deep conversation.

"It seems there was an error in the reading of the prophecy," Sei said to her telepathically.

"I have two responses for that, which one do you want?" Kyla smiled.

"Are either of them nice?" Anita looked at her sister suspiciously.

"Not really." Kyla said honestly.

"Then I guess either one will do."

"Well, first thing, did anyone really not see the issue with having Anita read the darn thing? And secondly, it's no suprise to me that Cassandra Remi was never meant to be a part of this army."

"Ms Remi isn't the one who we were mistaken about." Sei interjected.

"Duffy? He hates you, better to get rid of him now."

"It's not Mr. Bracken either," Anita seemed distracted.

"Oh no, Is it your boyfriend?" Kyla looked to Anita excitedly, "Can I tell him, please!?!"

"Stop in Kylana, don't pick on your sister. It appears Corvus MacCullem was not the ninth general. We believe it is another man who I have come across. I must travel immediatly. We have already lost a lot of time. Would you care to join me?"

"Yeah, and have my baby in the middle of no where?" Kyla asked Sei, hoping he would understand just how crazy his request was. Kyla's stomach stood out past the edges of her feet now.

"Actually," Anita interjected, "We're heading to a palace. Your baby would be born smack dab in the lap of luxury."

---------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later all were packed up and ready to go.

Jasmine

10-02-10, 03:32 AM

Back to the present…
Jasmine sat on a low stool in the sitting room of the palace apartment she shared with Zerith. In front of her was a little swing, in which Siela lay, smiling and cooing at her mother as Jasmine swung the swing and shook toys for the infant. She was interrupted by a knock on the door. She got up quickly and went to open it. There a liveried messenger stood, holding out an envelope.

“This came for Lord Zerith, my Lady.”

He handed the piece of mail over and quickly left. Jasmine closed the door behind him and resumed her seat in front of Siela. She opened the letter quickly and scanned over it. As she reached the bottom of the short letter, her eyes widened. Hurriedly, she picked Siela up from the swing and with letter in hand, hurried through the halls. In a few moments, she was at the door to Eric’s usual meeting chambers. She knocked on it loudly. Normally, she wouldn’t have interrupted one of Eric’s meetings, but this was something of an emergency.

The door opened a moment later and she was greeted with a very grumpy brother. He looked at her in surprise and absently tickled Siela. He was wearing his armor, and though she thought it odd, Jasmine was far more interested in letting her brother and husband in on the rather urgent news she held in her hand.

“What is it, Jasmine? And it had better be important.”

“It is. Zerith, you need to hear this, too. A letter just arrived for Zerith, it’s from Sei Orlouge. He’s on his way here! They should be here sometime today!”

Zerith came up behind Eric, disbelief clear on his face, “You can’t be serious!” He was silent for moment then continued, “Sei Orlouge? Impossible! Why on Althanas would someone like him want to come all the way to Moriah?”

“I’m not sure, but he wants to see you. He said he’s bringing his daughters with him as well.”

“His daughters? You mean Anita is coming here as well? What do they expect to find here?”

Eric looked from his sister to Zerith and back again a few times, quite confused by what they were talking about. “So who is this, Sei Orlouge anyway? And why is he so important?”

Jasmine and Zerith both just looked at Eric for a moment. Then, Jasmine remembered how little Morians knew of the outside world and said nothing to Eric, “You wanna take those questions, Zerith? You know him better than I do.”

“Please tell me you’re kidding, Eric. Sei Orlouge is one of the great heroes of Althanas.” He went on, incredulous that Eric had not heard of Sei. “Seriously, you mean to tell me you haven’t heard of the “The Hero of Radasanth” or “The Dragon of Drantack”?”

Eric pursed his lips tightly, he did not like to be reminded how little he knew of the main land lore. “You forget, Moriah has been a little backwater island nation for generations. We don’t often hear about such things.”

“Right, I tend to forget that, I guess. Anyway, Eric, we’re about to have someone close to being a celebrity come to Moriah. So we probably have a lot of work to do. Jasmine, how much time do we have before they arrive?”

Jasmine looked back over the letter briefly, then looked up, “Ummm from the letter, it sounds like they should be here sometime in the afternoon. At least I rather hope they won’t arrive until afternoon. So we have just a few hours.”

Zerith nodded, talking as his mind whirled ahead of them, “Okay, that gives us a few hours to make sure everything is clean and organized. I don’t think Sei would appreciate it if we made this into some extravaganza, so let’s just try to act normal and still make a good impression.”

Jasmine smiled, relieved to have some semblance of a plan. “All right, I’m going to go get Siela and myself ready. We can talk in one of the private gardens. That way it won’t have the formality of a meeting room or something like that.”

“Nonseense,” Zerith scoffed, “I doubt they would want to get straight to business. You may want to consider helping me show them around the place. You have more knowledge about things here than I do. You may want to put the little princess down for an early nap as well, just in case.”

“If she’ll take one,” Jas answered, nuzzling Siela’s face with her nose. “My point was to avoid the formality of the meeting rooms or throne room. It doesn’t matter when we settle down to talk.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to make you think I thought the whole garden idea was nonsense. I’m sorry. I actually like the sound of doing something like that.” He paused for a moment, thinking, “Though I would like you present when Sei tells me whatever he feels he needed to come here to tell me.”

“Good,” she beamed, “because I want to hear what he wants from you first hand anyway.”

“Thanks, dear. Once Eric and I are finished, I’ll join you in getting ready. Thing is, I don’t know how long they plan on being here, so we should probably look into getting some rooms ready for them.”

Throughout the conversation, Eric had stood quietly, absorbing the information. He didn’t know anything about Sei and figured it would be better to let the two that did know figure out how to best work with the coming guests. “This all sounds like a good plan. I trust you can get rooms prepped, Jas?” He waited for her nod then continued, “Alrighty then, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll wrap up here and get ready for the Orlouges.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in a little bit,” she stretched up to kiss Zerith’s cheek then smiled apologetically at Eric, “Sorry, we all but ignored you in all this, Eric.”

Zerith kissed his daughter’s forehead, “Okay, I shouldn’t be too long. I’ll see you shortly.”

Eric returned her smile and assured her that it was fine. Then he closed the door as Jasmine hurried away to get busy with her share of the work in preparing for their guests.

A few hours later, just after lunch, everything was ready. Word had been sent to the port city to provide the Orlouges with a proper carriage to transport them to the capital city. Jasmine had changed out of a casual dress and now wore a capped-sleeve gown of lavender and cream. Siela was dressed to match with a lavender ribbon tied in a bow around her head. Jasmine had indeed gotten the infant to take an early nap and now the tiny bundle lay quite content in her mother’s arms. They waited patiently for Sei and his daughters to arrive.

Zerith

10-02-10, 02:38 PM

The rest of the meeting Zerith had with his bother-in-law went by rather quickly. If it was because they just seemed to share the same thoughts on a lot of topics, or if it was because Eric was merely cooperating so the halberdier would be able to rejoining his wife was unsure. Either way, the warder was grateful. So one they both felt like they were finished, Zerith quickly hurried out the door and proceeding to see how things were going.

The first thing he wanted to check on, was if Jasmine had in fact taken care of arranging accommodations for the Orlouge’s. It wasn’t because he didn’t trust her, he was only concerned that the princess would be overwhelming herself with taking care of their daughter and trying to other things as well. If there was one thing Zerith knew, it was that little Siela certainly had a knack for tiring people out. Well, at least that’s how it seemed based on all the times he was the one watching her. At first he always thought that when she slept he would have a chance to just sit back and relax, but then he found himself sleeping as well during those windows of opportunity. Whatever Jasmine’s secret to being able to keep up with the baby was, she had yet to reveal it to her husband. In a way, he was kind of envious of her.

Yet the prince was pleasantly surprised to see that Jasmine managed to keep her word. Somehow, she had managed to gather of the palace servants to get things arranged for the Orlouge’s. One room was prepared for Sei, and Jasmine apparently also decided that each of his daughters should have their own suite as well. It was certainly generous, but something in the back of Zerith’s mind began to wonder if the mute would find it insulting. The telepath was a humble man, so perhaps it would have been appropriate to make things a little more simple and plain for him. “It’s okay, Zerith,” he told himself. “If Sei Orlouge doesn’t like anything, things can easily be adjusting to accommodate him.”

Wow. Maybe the halberdier was making this into too much of a big deal.

Yet part of him thought he should, as he saw this encounter with the Hero of Radasanth as an opportunity for Moriah to grow. If Sei left this place thinking highly of it, then surely he would end up mentioning it to others in the future, just as how they two of them talked when they were traveling through the Jagged Mountains in Corone. So in theory, that would mean there was a possibility of more people coming to the kingdom, perhaps even enjoying it here so much that they would decided to settle here permanently just as Zerith did. Yes, Sei Orlouge was Zerith’s means of putting Moriah on the map. No longer would it live behind the Cliff Gates and hidden from the rest of Althanas. Instead it would finally emerge after generations of seclusion and make itself known to the other nations. It would be marvelous!

The only thing Zerith needed to do was make Sei like Moriah, and if Jasmine was willing to help her husband make that first and very important impression and remarkable one, then it would only make things much easier. Ah, he could almost see it now. Another city or two being built, the population steadily increasing over time, it was marvelous.

The daydreaming helped the hours go by faster until it was finally time to greet the Orlouge’s at the entrance to Eric’s Palace. Zerith hadn’t bothered to change his clothes, believing it was much more appropriate to greet the telepath donned in his armor. As per tradition, the suit of armor itself was colored a deep shape of blue to represent the sapphire on the royal insignia. Draped across his shoulder, a lovely dark cloak appearing to be either blue or purple seemed to float behind him gracefully, joined together at the top by a clasp coated in silver and displayed the fierce image of a roaring lion. Inscribed on the breastplate, just over where the warder’s heart would be, the royal insignia itself was displayed proudly. All in all, the suit itself was supposedly crafted out of some of the finest material Moriah could provide, considering this was to protect the one who head of is military strength. Although Zerith had never really worn much in his lift prior to being given such a position, he was finding it was growing on him quickly, as he was loving the status and sense of privilege he felt it carried with it.

When he finally joined the others, he casually approached his family, laughing. “So do you mind telling me what the reasoning is for the gown? I mean it’s not like we’re expecting royalty or something.” He was teasing in a sarcastic tone. The honest truth was that he thoroughly enjoyed seeing her dress in such a way, thought she looked beautiful when she did. Yet again, part of him couldn’t wonder if it was a tad bit over the top. Then again, this was coming from the one wearing a suit of armor. So perhaps he wasn’t one to even bother asking the question.

Excitement could be felt in the like as if it was an electrical charged. Any moment the Orlouge’s would arrive, and many had gathered to see them, especially given all the commotion caused in the palace because of them. Indeed, this would be a day many would probably remember. Yet, Zerith would remember these events not because of the greeting, or even the visit. No, he would remember them because of what Sei was bringing with him other than his daughters.

Silence Sei

10-03-10, 11:24 PM

If there was one thing that irritated Sei, it was his status in the eyes of the people. It was not that being a hero and well-known as a bad thing. What truly annoyed him about how he was regarded was the fact that he was expected to act a certain way. Yes, he was a strategist, and he had done many great deeds for Radasanth and Alerar alike. Yet, he had just been a normal person trying to find his place in the world. In some aspects, that was what he still was.

The boat ride was uneventful. The skies remained clear and the crew remained jolly. There had been a situation in which Sei had to explain to Anita why seagulls went out to sea to die (Sei did not fully understand that himself). Other than that, it was a very festive trip to Moriah.

The sea air of the ocean mixed in well with the scents of Moriah's port. Fresh coats of paint filled the nostrils of the Mystic, teasing him with threats of a high. As his group stepped down the docks, he noticed that his ears were not filled with the sound of screaming wood. The mute had heard that the port had been recently built (or possibly rebuilt), but he had no idea how soon it had been finished prior to their arrival.

The sounds of horses brought Sei's eyes to the end of the pier. Two might steeds occasionally stomped the ground and caused an updraft of dust. The reins of the beasts were held by a man in a formal blue overcoat with matching top hat. The short man looked rather out of place amongst the majestic brown creatures he wrested control over. Hints of gray creeped out of the older man's hair, and from the looks of his brown eyes oncing over the Mystic family, he seemed a bit appalled that Sei would have arrived in his typical gray karate gi.

Anita curtsied to the man, insinuating that they were his intended passengers. Kyla followed suit, and Sei merely sighed. Formalities were best left to his mother and grandmother, as he had no need for such things. The girls hurried into the black carriage that was to be their escort, and Sei rounded out the ground, climbing in and sitting at the front of the wagon, across from his girls.

Kyla and Anita were gossiping about literally putting a silver spoon in his future 'grandchild's' mouth. Sei rolled his eyes as he heard the stage coach issue his command. The carriage tugged all three Orlouge's bodies forward, none of them really familiar with such ways of travel yet. As the wagon began to make it's trek to the castle, Sei thought back on his adventure with Zerith, as well as how he'd fit in with the rest of his Nine generals.

Maybe Sei would actually have a -soldier- to command...

Amber Eyes

10-04-10, 12:16 AM

As the carriage lurched to a stop Kyla felt a sharp pain grip her insides. It was unlike anything the girl had ever felt. Anita looked at her with her brows furrowed with worry. "It's nothing," Kyla insisted, "Just the bumpy ride." She gave her most sincere smile and looked at the large building in front of her. "Look at this place! It's gorgeous!"

She quickly turned to Sei, "Can we please build a garden around the back of the new castle like that? Can't you just imagine little Hazel running around in the flowers?" Sei smiled at the girl, " So you think it's a girl now? Last week her name was Nathan."

"Well, she feels like a girl today!" Kyla laughed. Just then a servant appeared at the door to the carriage. He quickly opened the door and held his arm out to help Kyla to the ground. She grabbed his hand and took the step, immediatly doubling over as another sharp pain hit her hard. Sei and Anita were quickly at her side. "Do you need a doctor?" Sei was gently rubbing his daughter's back, attempting to comfort her.

"No, I'm fine." Kyla regained her composure slowly. "Besides, we have a fancy palace to explore." She smiled weakly as someone she didn't recognize came out of the front door.

Jasmine

10-04-10, 11:45 PM

King Eric stood tall with one arm wrapped around his queen’s shoulders. He had sandy brown hair and grey eyes. He wore no beard and smiled cordially as he watched his guests stepping out of the carriage. Each wore outfits of deep blue with silver accents. His crown was a bit heavy, but simple. He had chosen (at Jasmine and Zerith’s insistence) to wear what he called his ‘working’ crown. This crown was a simple, inch-wide band of silver with small triangular tips around the top. A sapphire was set in the middle of each triangle. While he had two crowns, the queen’s crown was made to be lighter, thus she had only one. Even lighter than her husbands, Melody’s crown was also made of silver and sapphires. Her crown was all delicate swirls with several sapphires set in it. It was quite obvious that the national colors were silver and blue.

Beside the queen, holding tightly to her hand, stood a small boy of four years. This was the Royal Prince, heir to the throne. He too wore blue, but unlike his parents who looked quite comfortable, he squirmed and shifted his feet. He hated wearing his ‘nice’ clothes as he called them. The outfit he wore was only for certain occasions and like most four year olds, he much preferred his casual clothes that could get dirty. The boy looked a great deal like his father. He was tall for his age with sandy, brown hair and his mother’s green eyes.

Jasmine and Melody both watched, eyes sharp as the first young lady doubled over in pain. They glanced at each other then continued to keep watch on Kyla. Judging by her size, both women were sure that Kyla was due at any time. Jasmine stood by quietly while Zerith made quick introductions.

“Your Majesties, this is Sei Orlouge, Hero of Radasanth. These two lovely ladies with him are his daughters: Anita and Kyla. These two people in the fancy get up are King Eric and Queen Melody with their son, Prince Dylan – “

Before he finshed, Kyla gasped and doubled over in pain once again, confirming her and Melody’s suspicions. She quickly took charge, coming forward to take one of Kyla’s hands.

“We can finish introductions later, Zerith. Right now, let’s take care of our guests. You ladies must have had a long journey. Why don’t you come on inside? Eric, Zerith, why don’t you two take Lord Orlouge on a tour of the city? Wherever he wants to go will be fine I’m sure.”

Jasmine escorted Kyla inside while shooting a look at Zerith over her shoulder that spoke volumes. It had only been three months since the two of them had gone through this, so she was confident he would understand what she wanted him to do. As the doors closed behind the women, she could hear Zerith talking as he started leading the way back into the city.

“And that was my wife, Jasmine. The little one in her arms is our daughter, Siela. Now, as my wife seems to have disrupted everything, where would you like to go first?”

Once inside, Melody found a servant and whispered a few directions to her. The maid hurried off and Jasmine continued to lead the girls into the palace. The polished marble floors sent their reflections back up to them. At the end of this grand entrance was a grand staircase leading to the second floor.

“Up those stairs is the entry to a number of rooms,” she smiled encouragingly at Kyla, “but first let’s get you a little more comfortable. Zerith and Eric should be able to keep your father busy long enough that they won’t be underfoot. So whose idea was it for you to travel so far when you were so close, anyway?”

Zerith

10-05-10, 12:49 AM

Deep down, some part of Zerith should have expected to be swept up in some sort of whirlwind. As life seemed to have a tendency to take exciting occasions and add tons of stress to them. Everything had been running smoothly, the introductions had been going well, Dylan didn’t cause trouble. Even Eric was quiet and reserved, coming off as one of those strong and silent types of men. Jasmine played the role of the loving wife perfectly, always by her halberdier’s side, just as he asked. Yet the reasoning behind the last request wasn’t so he could portray them as the perfect royal family, but because he was extremely nervous about this meeting. Having Jasmine standing by him calmed the general down, anchored him so that he might have the confidence to be the bridge between Sei and the new country he found himself in. Yet once again life seemed to have decided that it wanted to see everything change in an instant.

Without hesitation, Jasmine took control of the situation. Politely stepping forward and taking the hand of Kyla, the daughter Zerith hadn’t met in Radasanth, she insisted that the girls be shown the palace while the warder and the king showed Sei around the city of Nadai. What on althanas was she thinking? They hadn’t even finished the introductions and she was suddenly expecting her husband to know what she was thinking and to play along with it?

“What the hell does that woman think she’s doi-“ Zerith’s train of thought was suddenly caught off with the facial expression his wife gave him as she escorted the girls away and into the palace. Despite losing alot of sleep in the past three months, not to mention feeling like the time since then just flew right by in a blur. The noble could still recall with incredible ease the ordeal he and his wife went through. Yes, it may have resulted with him being able to hold his daughter for the very first time, but the process leading up to it was a struggle even for the two of them.

“Oh my God. Sei’s daughter is going into labour and she expects me keep Sei Orlouge occupied?”

Spinning around to face the mute, the noble laughed, though it may have come out a little hesitantly. “And that was my wife, Jasmine. The little one in her arms is our daughter, Siela. Now, as my wife seems to have disrupted everything, where would you like to go first?” he asked. “I’m sure being my brother-in-law and I, we could show you anything you wanted to see in the city. If you’re hungry, I’m sure we could find a great place to sit down and eat. Then you can tell me all about why you decided to come all the way here.”

The reality was that Zerith really didn’t want to know what Sei needed to talk to him about, at least not yet. However, if it meant keeping the telepath occupied, the halberdier saw no other option than choosing to get straight to business. He may have preferred not to, but he knew he needed to push his preferences aside. With luck, Sei Orlouge would hopefully like the idea of getting straight to the point with new Captain-Commander of Moriah.

Silence Sei

10-05-10, 09:58 PM

Sei raised an eyebrow to Kyla's peculiar pains. The girl was not very good at hiding her misery. The Mystic had warned Kyla that the trip was going to be rough for her, and that she may be more comfortable at Ixian Castle, but she refused to listen. Ixian Castle, despite its name, was not an actual palace. Here, the girl could give her child the best setting to be born in, if he were to arrive soon.

Sei did not have much time to reflect on Kyla, however, as Jasmine quickly took her away and Zerith proposed that he and Eric take the telepath somewhere into their lavish city. While the prospect of food did bode well with Sei, the Mystic decided that his hunger would have to wait for more important matters. This was a diplomatic mission, after all, and he would have to treat it as such.

"I would rather enjoy it if the two of you escorted me to your city’s slums." the mute said, causing the two other men to share an unsure glance at one another. "Is that a problem?" Zerith shook his head in reply, followed quickly by Eric.

"No, that's not a problem at all, Sei," Zerith looked to Eric, who seemed taken back with how informal the halberdier was being. "In fact, I think we would love to take you down there right now."

Sei shook his head as he looked towards Eric. "I would request that the two of you get changed into something a bit less... outstanding. I do not wish an assassination attempt on your liege while I am getting the tour. It'd be less conspicuous if the two of you could wear your common folk attire. Provided you have any." Sei realized the last sentence seemed a bit snooty, so the mute bowed his respect for the king.

Zerith simply nodded and walked off with Eric, making some comments about taking the dang crown off (or something to that effect). Sei merely smiled and shook his head, walking outside the palace gates to wait for his two guides.

"I'll never get used to this lifestyle."

Amber Eyes

10-06-10, 06:48 PM

Every so often a violent pain would seize the young mystic's body. She tried to turn each grimace into a smile before it was noticed, but even she couldn't deny that it was incredibly obvious what was going on.

Jasmine played the part of hostess well, and several people offered to take little Seila off her hands. She fanned them away and breezed down the hallways, the very essence of domesticated elegancy. Kyla couldn't help but smile at the grace Jasmine seemed to carry through her every movement. She was really enjoying listening to Jasmine speak about the various rooms throughout the castle, but most of all Kyla loved the way Jasmine's eyes lit up when she spoke of the land of Moriah.

Radasanth was a big land, and Kyla herself felt no ties to it. Sei played his part, but even he didn't speak of his home the way Jasmine did. Kyla looked at Jasmine and Seila and could only hope that one day she'd pull off that grace with her own child. As Jasmine led the girls into their living courters, Anita chimed in quickly with a smile hinting at her lips.

"Do you mind if we share a room?"

Jasmine looked at the girls, both nearly twenty and smiled though the confusion in her eyes was evident. "Of course, that will be no problem."

Anita's smile grew wider, "Thank you."

Jasmine then left the girl's to get changed from their traveling clothes. She gave them directions to the dining room and left them to get settled before dinner. The moment she closed the door behind her Anita grabbed Kyla's hand. "It's happening isn't it? Your having little Marcus?"

"Marcus?" Kyla sighed, for every name she came up with Anita came up with two. "I don't know Anita; I've never done this before. All I know is something hurts like hell. Let's just try to get through dinner okay?"

Anita glared at Kyla for a moment before smiling, "Alright, but if that baby pops out before the second course, I get to name it. Deal?"

"Deal."

Jasmine

10-09-10, 03:48 AM

While Kyla and Anita relaxed a bit, Jasmine went to the kitchen. She wasn’t sure what Sei and his daughters would find most palatable, but she was sure Sei at least would rather have something that wasn’t elaborate or fancy. A simple dinner of roast beef, mashed or baked potatoes and steamed vegetables would likely do better than a 5-course meal. She gave her dinner instructions to the head chef, who was quite relieved to be cooking a simple meal for their guests. While there, she also made sure to tell them that she’d like for dinner to be served in the family dining room, rather than the formal one. It would be more cozy and comfortable. That settled, she went back to her apartment suite to feed Siela.

As she settled comfortably in armchair and started feeding the infant, her mind drifted back three months to when Siela was born. Though the midwife, Melody, and her mother-in-law had all told her everything they could think of and answered every question she’d had for them, she had still not been entirely prepared for how much it would hurt. She had been told that her labor had gone rather smoothly, though you couldn’t have convinced Jasmine of that back then. She’d only been in labor about four and a half hours before Siela was finally born.

A smile touched her lips, despite the bond and what it would mean for him, Zerith had insisted on being at her side the entire time. The bond she shared with Zerith allowed them a number of neat things. For one, it allowed them to sense where each was, so long as they were within a few miles of each other. Right now, she could tell that the men were walking along due south from where she sat. Since their marriage, it also allowed them to sense each other’s general emotional state. However, these were not the things that made her labor so intense for her husband. The Bond also allowed them to feel a portion of any pain the other was feeling. She remembered clearly how much pain birth had caused her. How Zerith had managed it, even at only a small portion, Jasmine did not know.

When Siela finished eating, Jasmine turned over her shoulder and burped her. Then she changed into a gown that was quite a bit more casual. Though it still reached the floor, this gown was light blue in color with capped sleeves. She also changed Siela’s clothes to a cute green outfit Siela’s Nana had made. It was a dress that reached the baby’s knees, with tiny flowers printed on it. It came with a matching bow, booties, and shorts to go over the diaper. Satisfied that her daughter looked more comfortable and more comfortable herself, she once again left the apartment.

She went back to the room she’d left Kyla and Anita in, smiling as she entered. “I thought perhaps you’d like to take a walk with me through the garden? It would be more interesting than sitting around here waiting for dinner to be ready.”

The girls quickly agreed. Jasmine gave Siela to Kyla to hold. Siela cooed at the mother-to-be as the women walked along the garden paths chatting and getting to know one another. Being springtime, the flowers were in full bloom. Their scents rose through the air, blending together in a lovely scent that wafted around the lush gardens as a gentle breeze blew. Benches sat along the path here and there, arranged to be able to view particular arrangements. Observing the arrangements, Jasmine thought the gardeners had outdone themselves once again.

Zerith

10-14-10, 12:10 AM

No matter how much Zerith loved it when he was wearing it armor, he had to admit it felt nice to be back in normal clothes. With the armor came that feeling of power, and respect that he felt he rightfully deserved. Yet after he had changed into his normal burgundy traveler’s attire he felt a strong sense of freedom and flexibility. Gone was the pressure of being that leader he felt that others expected to be. The feeling of having to ensure that every decision he made was the right one was no longer a constant concern. Now the halberdier could unwind and enjoy the fact that Sei Orlouge himself had come to see him.

As he walked alongside both Sei and Eric, who also changed into a set of dark green casual clothes, he felt at ease. Walking with the two of them now through the slums of Nadai reminded Zerith of the brief time he spent walking with Sei through Corone. Though they traveled with a few others, the prince had spent quite a bit of time just conversing with mystic. He told Sei about his life, and the mute told the noble about his. It was rather pleasant to just have time to unwind and relax. Before he knew any better, Zerith found himself doing the exact same thing, only in Moriah this time.

The halberdier went on and on, telling the telepath all about what he had done since they two parts ways. He explained how Jasmine herself defeated a tyrant named Montego years ago, and how just a few months ago the man was somehow brought back to life. The prior king to Eric tried to raise the crime rate, having people perform vandalism and cause riots. It even went to the point where Zerith himself met and the man when Montego tried to torch one of the establishment on the Cliff Gates. Unfortunately, he succeeded and even threw the halberdier off the cliffs themselves and into the deadly waters below. He would not have survived if it wasn’t for some divine intervention.

With Zerith thought to be dead, Montego entered the palace during a large storm a few days later. Jasmine was nearly due to give birth and was with her brother’s wife and their son, while Eric was separated from them during the ordeal. Montego encountered the women in the palace once, who only managed to escape the tyrant due to the Captain-Commander at the time, Mathew Tarren, sacrificing his life for them. While the deadly came of cat and mouse continued, Zerith himself snuck into the palace as well, reunited with Eric and his friend, Zevernus, and came up with a plan about how to deal with the intruder.

With great enthusiasm, Zerith explained the plan he came up with. How he and Eric managed to convince Montego to come to the throne room with Jasmine and the others, who he had captured by that tine, and managed to put fear back into a man who considered himself immortal. From there, the halberdier went one on one against the tyrant again and although the duel was hard on the warder, somehow he managed to perform the impossible and kill the monster a second time. After the long night, Jasmine gave birth to Siela shortly afterwards and Zerith was promoted to be the new Captain-Commander. The prince then went on to tell Sei that since then, the crime rate had gone back down tremendously. Though since they were in the slums, all Sei needed to do was just look around if he didn’t believe the warder.

The slums themselves were no different than any other big city, such as Radasanth. Small, rundown homes were tucked away together on small streets and alleyways. Though it was obviously neglected years ago, it appeared as if some work had been done since then to try and give the neighborhood that extra push to help it get out of its current state. Not far from the three of them, some children played happily while some parents were busy cleaning and talking amongst themselves. Eric was the one who spoke up this time, telling the mute of the ridiculous taxes Montego implemented during his reign and that since then, he has been doing his best to take most of that money into rebuilding the city and fix the damage his predecessor created. Not to mention having to rebuilding the port city that Sei had seen earlier as well.

“Look at us, Eric.” Zerith laughed as he patted his brother-in-law on the shoulder. “Here we are bombarding our guest with stories while he’s the one that said the only reason he came here was to discuss something. We’re terrible,” he added as he looked to the mute with a smile. “Now that we’re here, Sei, can you finally tell me what it is that brought you all the way out here to see me?”

Silence Sei

10-24-10, 04:09 PM

The slums of Moriah seemed to be a far less danger than the mute would have originally thought. Then again, Corone was a far bigger country than Moriah, and it would only make sense for a smaller country to be able to contain its crimes a lot easier. Zerith and Eric both seemed to do a good job in keeping the peace in their home.

Sei was quite impressed with the lengths the duo had gone through to earn Eric's status as king. The tales of Montego concerned the telepath, however. In Sei's experience, he had hardly met a villain that had not eventually come back in some form or another. Just as N'Jal would eventually return to the world one day, so too would Montego. Of course, rather than divulge this information to his hosts, Sei remained quiet.

As the halberdier began to invite Sei into the conversation, and the whole reason that the telepath was here, they were interrupted by the screams of a woman. Zerith and Eric's heads turned to the east, to find a blur of a man zigzagging through the crowd, a purse tucked underneath his arm. Zerith looked to Eric, who returned the concerned gaze. Neither of them had actually brought along their weapons for this trip, so it was a very awkward situation for the two to be in.

However, before they could actually physically react to the purse snatcher, Sei merely stuck out his arm. Turning to Zerith, Sei smiled.

"You remember my tale about my Nine Generals that will defend Corone?" Sei already knew the answer, even if Zerith had not shown it in his expression, too concerned with the mugger. The halberdiers eyes tracked the thief, watching as he slammed neck first into Sei's arm, sending him into the ground like a sack of potatoes. Eric and Zerith both followed the unfortunate thief’s tracks before looking back up to Sei, stunned with the simplicity of the maneuver.

"You, Zerith, are one of those Nine generals."

Amber Eyes

10-29-10, 12:08 AM

Kyla held Seila as they continued to walk through the gardens. She smiled at the well behaved child and it made her anxious for the day she would hold her own. Kyla tried to focus on the things Jasmine said to her, and she could tell that Jasmine truly loved the life she and Zerith had here. Kyla thought of the talk Zerith would be having with Sei possibly at this very moment. Sei should have spoken to them as a pair. It's not fair to give him time to make a decision before she even knows her life here is an option instead of a certainty.

"The gardens are lovely Jasmine. The things man can do with nature are truly amazing. We don't have any gardeners working at Ixian Castle as of yet, but there are some beautiful fields of wildflowers near our home."

Jasmine listened politely and Kyla felt she should continue. If Sei intended for Zerith the spring this on the girl when he arrived home, she should at least know what she was in for.

"I'm not sure how much Zerith has told you of our army, but it's much more of a family really. Sei is a caring man, he took me in when I had no one, and he's done so for many others. He and Anita here found a prophecy some time ago and began decoding it. Anita has a knack for that kind of thing."

Kyla smiled at her little sister before continuing. "It was a very old stone, and bits of it were jumbled due to dust and being worn. We though we'd found all nine of the generals mentioned in it months ago before Anita realized she'd been mistaken. All of the generals are given a home within the castle, though unless we are directly at war they are free to travel to their homelands at any time. We are working on a quick way of travel, but it hasn't been perfected yet. The Ixian knights provide food, shelter," Kyla raised her eyebrows as she grinned at the smiling baby in her arms, "And of course childcare. It really is a good life."

Kyla looked at Jasmine, sure that she had only caused confusion. "I tell you all of that because you need to know this. Your husband is the ninth general of the prophecy. We came here to ask you to come to Radasanth and allow your husband help us to save our world."

Jasmine

11-14-10, 03:37 AM

“WHAT!?”

The princess stopped dead in her tracks, staring at Kyla. “What do you mean he’s… but we’ve just… I need to sit down.”

She took a seat on the nearest bench as her mind reeled from Kyla’s statement about the purpose behind the visit. Kyla and Anita took a seat on either side of her while Siela reached for a strand Kyla’s hair.

“How do you know? That he’s one of the generals, I mean.”

“The Fifth is a human with the ferocity of a beast. He seeks justice and virtue, if only to seek validation in the eyes of his family. He will be a foreigner and loyal to his king, but that will simply prove just how honor-bound he truly is,” Anita rattled off. “That is the prophecy. Zerith fits it perfectly. He’s a foreigner, even to Moriah, right? And he must have proven himself loyal if the king made him the head of the army.”

Jasmine nodded slowly, “True, and he is something fierce in battle. But he doesn’t need to seek validation in my eyes. He’s my husband for crying out loud!”

“Just because you don’t think he needs to, doesn’t mean he doesn’t seek it,” Kyla put in, gently unwinding her hair from Siela’s grasp. “It is still you and Zerith’s choice. Sei is likely telling Zerith about the prophecy as we speak. I wanted you to be aware so that it wouldn’t be a surprise later tonight when Zerith talks to you about it.”

Jasmine nodded, “Thank you. I guess we will have to talk about it.” She got to her feet, “I feel a bit better now, so let’s walk while we talk. What would his duties be as a general?”

She listened intently as between them Kyla and Anita filled Jasmine in on as much as they could as they continued to walk through the springtime afternoon.

Zerith

11-19-10, 06:32 PM

“WHAT!?” Zerith shouted, not knowing that Jasmine was probably saying the exact same thing that very moment. “That’s impossible, Sei. You recited the prophecies yourself and told me exactly who matched which one.”

It was a fact that when the halberdier first met the telepath months earlier, the mute went into great detail about this prophecy that had was consuming so much of his time. Back then they had a lot of time to waste as they searched for the great fortress that was said to be a temple to the Thayne, Draconus. So after Zerith told Sei Orlouge all about his family and his country, the mute kept the conversation going by talking about how a large stone foretold a great war that would destroy Radasanth unless nine specific people were found and united. If that happened, then Radasanth had a chance of survival. The first time Zerith heard all of this he immediately just shoved it aside, dismissing it as just a child’s fairy tale. Though there was a small part of him, probably a small ounce of the boy Zerith once that still hid in the back of his mind, that wished he was one of those nine. Yet Sei said they were all found, so the halberdier put his childish thoughts behind him.

Now here he was standing before Sei Orlouge again as not only a prince, but as general of an army and a new father too. Once again the prophecy was brought up, but now this time Sei wasn’t just telling the warder about it. He was informing Zerith that he had a role in it.

“The Fifth is a human with the ferocity of a beast. He seeks justice and virtue, if only to seek validation in the eyes of his family. He will be a foreigner and loyal to his king, but that will simply prove just how honor-bound he truly is,” Sei recited as if he was some old librarian who memorized part of an ancient text. “Anita made a mistake, as apparently the stone was older than we thought and some dust covered up some of the lines of text. As you can see, those little details make a big difference.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure if I understand all of this,” Eric finally spoke up, the expression in his eyes reflecting that he was also having trouble wrapping his mind around this new situation. “Exactly what are you trying to say, Lord Orlouge?”

The mute crossed his arms over his chest, as he looked Zerith up and down. “As hard as this may be to believe, I’m saying that part of that tablet prophesied about your brother-in-law, your Highness. After seeing Zerith fight with my own eyes, and after hearing everything he said about you and Moriah in general. There is no doubt in my mind that this halberdier in front of us, is the real Fifth of the Nine.”

“And you couldn’t have figured that out months ago, Sei!?” Zerith snapped, his arms held out to either side. “What to do seriously expect me to do now, just drop everything I’m doing and follow you in an instant? I have an army to lead and a baby to raise. So I can’t just get up and go to Corone with you!”

“Calm down, Zerith,” Eric intervened after he stepped between the prince and the telepath. “Nobody is asking you to just drop everything and go with Sei. How about we just stop talking about this for a bit and take some time to just process everything alright?”

“That sounds like a good idea, and I really don’t mean to make you feel like you’re obliged to drop everything, Zerith,” Sei apologized. “The girls and I will just spend a few days here to enjoy the trip and see Moriah. You can take as much time as you need to think things over, and when you feel like you’ve reached a decision you just need to tell me. However I think it’s about time we return to the palace for dinner, is it not? I’m starving.”

“Me too. I’m sure the girls are probably wondering why we’re talking to long anyways.” Eric added before he started walking with Sei and away from and the Captain Commander. “Zerith? You coming?”

“Yeah, whatever.” The prince mumbled as he reluctantly followed. He really wasn’t a happy person at the moment, as the sudden news Sei delivered just make him feel like a boulder was strapped to his back for him to carry.

One thing was certain, he was definitely going to have to bring this up to his wife later that night. Hopefully she would have some insight or something positive to say. Otherwise he wasn’t sure what he would do if this prophecy only created strife between them.

“What do you do when someone from long ago writes a prophesy about you?” Zerith thought as they walked. “One would think that they would have known about everything else I have going on in my life.”

Silence Sei

11-24-10, 02:36 PM

Sei noticed Zerith's change in demeanor. The usually happy-go-lucky knight seemed to have his mood turn dour by the revelation. Sei understood completely, most people did not want to have the responsibility of a prophesized future on their shoulders. What would make Zerith any different? Sei remained quiet the rest of the trip home, allowing Eric to talk about his land, its resources, and how much a major trading route with Corone would help Moriah as a whole.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dinner was served and tensions seemed to be high. Sei eyed all of the meals that lined the large banquet table. Roast beef, potato salad, chocolate pie, and various other edible delights covered the tablecloth before them. There was enough distance among all the participants in this dinner to prevent bumped elbows and tripping feet. Zerith was still mumbling something about how the prophecy could not have come at a worse time.

He was sitting close to Jasmine and Siela, about a foot from the two to be precise. Kyla was steadily breathing, to the point of having to control it herself, and Anita's face seemed painted with worry for her sister. It seemed as though the only happy person at the table seemed to be King Eric himself. Though they were told that they could 'dig in' as Eric put it in his attempt at an informal tone, nobody seemed to be doing so. For that matter, nobody seemed to be saying anything at all.

It was ironic that 'Silence' Sei Orlouge was the one to break the deafening tensions.

"There is much to be discussed, I imagine..."

Jasmine

01-13-11, 09:57 PM

Later that evening, the royal family and their guests gathered around a medium sized table for dinner, though it seemed strained. Zerith and Jasmine had agreed to discuss the prophetic revelation later that night. Trying to smile cheerfully, Jasmine filled her plate.

“You are right, Lord Orlouge, however let us talk of lighter things. We can discuss the more pertinent things later.”

The young mother kept a sharp watch on Kyla. It appeared that the baby would be coming at any time now and she wanted to be ready. The meal went on, with idle chit chat filling the air. Just as they finished the main meal, Kyla gave a slight start then quietly excused herself from the table. Suspicious, Jas rose and handed Siela over to Sei.

“Here, get some baby holding practice. I’m going to go check on Kyla.”

Leaving the happy baby in Sei’s arms, Jasmine quickly followed Kyla out into the hall glancing at Melody and Anita pointedly as she passed them. Out in the hall, Jas caught up to Kyla.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m not sure,” Kyla answered truthfully, grimacing as a pain gripped her.

Jasmine smiled, “You will be. Come on.” With Melody and Anita close behind them, Jasmine ushered the very soon-to-be mother to more comfortable surroundings.

Zerith! Keep Sei busy. The baby is coming and the midwife won’t want him hanging around underfoot.

Satisfied that her husband would keep Sei out of the women’s hair, Jasmine gave her full concentration to helping Kyla.

Zerith

02-01-11, 12:37 PM

“What? The baby’s coming and you seriously expect me to keep Sei Orlouge busy!?” Zerith spoke to his wife through the bond they shared, grateful for whatever had caused it to enable them to communicate privately through their own thoughts.

“Please just try, Zerith. Sei’s presence will only make the midwife nervous and unable to focus on doing her job.”

As much as Zerith didn't like the idea of playing host to Sei while Kyla was going into labor, he still felt compelled to go along with it solely because he knew Jasmine would appreciate it. When he looked to the mute, the warder couldn’t help but smile a little when he saw the sight before him. Holding the small form of Siela out in front of him, Sei Orlouge looked like he was very uncomfortable. His brow furrowed as if he were concentrating on something as he stared at the infant, who merely stared back with a quizzical expression. Siela’s bright blue eyes blinked with wonder as she was probably just as confused as to why this stranger was holding her with his hand tucked right underneath her armpits and his arms stretched out as far as he could reach. “It will happen any second now,” Zerith thought as he chuckled. Sure enough, his prediction came true immediately afterwards.

The small, uncomfortable baby pouted for just second before her eye clamped shut and she wailed loudly. Balling her hands into fists and tucking her tiny legs in, she finally decided she didn’t want to be held by the mighty Sei Orlouge anymore. The halberdier was up and out of his chair in an instant, and when he reached for his daughter, little Siela stretched as far as she possibly could for the one man she felt more comfortable with than any other. As he held his daughter close to him and began to soothe her, he quickly began to apologize. “I’m sorry, Sei. I guess she still considers you a stranger.”

“It’s fine, Zerith. I wasn't comfortable with holding her anyways. I’m not sure how my telepathic abilities would affect someone like Siela, so I was concentrating on not projecting anything to her.”

“Well now that it’s just the three of us and Siela, there is something I would like to show the two of you.” The telepath and the prince immediately turned their heads to King Eric as when he spoke, watching as the ruler rose from his chair and made his way out of the room, gesturing for the two to follow. Together, the three men made their way through the palace. Whenever they passed by various portraits of previous rulers, Eric would briefly give Sei a brief explanation of who they were and what they accomplished for Moriah. Even Zerith learned a few things, though his knowledge of the kingdom’s history was still lacking depth despite of the amount of time he had lived there. The few people that passed the three men would stop to bow and greet their new guest, as apparently word was quickly getting around that an old friend of the warder’s was visiting. Although the mute was probably grateful that they weren’t treating him as a celebrity anymore, it didn’t change the fact that it appeared that the people of Moriah were just being polite and friendly. Zerith smiled to himself as he saw this, recounting how he received similar treatment back when he first became Jasmine’s warder.

“I know it’s probably none of my business, Sei, but I’ve been thinking about this prophecy you mentioned,” the king explained as then finally stopped at the end of a large hallway and stood before a large pair of ornate wooden door guarded by four knights. Two of the soldiers proceeded to unlock the doors as the monarch continued, “Eventually I figured that if my brother-in-law is in fact one of these people you’re looking for, then he should go and help you in any way he can.”

“Hey, wait a minute!” Zerith interrupted. “This is my life we’re talking about here! I have a family now and a job to do here. I can’t just leave!”

“Come on, Zerith,” The king replied. “You and I both know that one way or another you and Jasmine are going to pack your things and take Siela to Corone. The two of you are just the types of people that would want to help in any way you could, and as Captain-Commander you have the ability to help Sei in a big way. You already have an army here, imagine what you can do if you use yours to bolster Sei’s.”

Eric stepped toward the halberdier and placed both of his hands on the noble’s shoulders before he continued. Behind them, the doors finally opened and after receiving a nod from the King, one of the guards disappeared into the room beyond. “You’re always saying how you want Moriah to get more involved and become more known throughout Althanas, now we have a chance to do this. I want to you to go and help, and I want to give you something to show that I’m support you as both family and King.”

Just then, the guard returned and presented an object to the halberdier. Held out in both hands was a weapon resembling a warhammer. It was big enough that a man could wield in it one hand, though it wasn’t nearly as long as longsword. What truly made it unique was how it was engraved, as the head of the hammer was fashion to resemble the head of a charging ram, complete with horns depicted on either side of the weapon. It looked incredible, which made Zerith feel only more pressured into accepting Sei’s invitation and the mantle he would have take up in the process. Sighing deeply as he ran a hand through his hair, eventually the warder gave in and reluctantly wrapped his hand around the grip of the weapon and accepted the token. “Fine,” he finally muttered as he held onto the hammer, and couldn’t help but feel like he was somehow stronger just by having it in his hand. “But I still want to talk to Jasmine before I come to a final decision.”

Laughing at what the warder said, neither Sei, Eric or even Zerith noticed that the telepath’s Gemini blades were glowing with a bright blue hue.

Silence Sei

04-11-11, 10:07 AM

Sei Orlouge had been called a lot of things, but a fool was rarely one of them. The mute had an inkling that the royal family was attempting to distract the Mystic from other matters, but it was not as if the mute could have helped Jasmine with aiding Kyla. Furthermore, Siela was enough of a decoy to provide the Princess of Moira with ample time to usher the other Orlouges away. Once Zerith had taken his daughter back, it was a huge relief to the psychic, who had never actually handled a child so young. Anita was already thirteen when Sei had decided to adopt her, after all, and Kyla was already a fully grown woman. Babies were just not the youngest Orlouge's expertise.

The journey into the treasure room had remained uneventful, outside of idle banter. It was not until the group reached the room itself, and Eric bestowed a national treasure upon Zerith that things even got remotely interesting. While Sei could not see the blue glow originating from his spine, he could feel the warmth, the tender feelings of being close to loved ones welling up in the orange haired warrior. The mute paused his silent laughter among the troupe and reached behind him, withdrawing his weapons and looking at their luminous color. Almost as if the hammer was responding to the hue, it also began to glow with a green aura. Sei looked up to his comrades, who had both fallen silent to the event. Siela, however, was giggling as little girls often due when they are introduced to pretty colors.

"What does it mean?" Eric and Zerith both asked in tandem, looking at one another as soon as the words were said. Strange events typically gave way to eerie moments.

"It is a sign," The mute spoke, not sure how to explain it to the group, "if there were any doubt in my mind that you were one of my generals, Lord Zerith, it had been abolished. From my experience, the light coming from your weapon indicates that this hammer is a Zodiac Weapon." Sei's gaze shifted upwards to the confused looks of the two. The mute feared that Siela would soon hit the ground due to the shell shock that her relatives were currently in. Finally, Eric broke the tension with his own attempts to clarify.

"You mean, -the- Zodiac Weapons? The thirteen objects said to be bestowed on those destined to shape the world? I thought they were just fairy tales to give children hope." Sei shook his head in response, pointing at Zerith's hammer while still gripping onto his own special swords.

"Far from it. I've held these Gemini Blades for years. Furthermore, from what I have been observing, these weapons seem to be bestowed upon the people I have made my Nine Generals. The sheer fact that Zerith's hammer is responding so well to his touch just indicates that he's made to shape the world of Althanas. I would very much enjoy it if he did such as a member of my army. With Jasmine's permission of course." Sei was obviously even more interested in having the Moira Prince join him within the ranks of the Ixian Knights even more now. However, Sei was completely aware that a husband and wife had to agree to such things, otherwise there would be a schism in the marriage, as well as the army.

"I think we should return and see how the girls are faring..."

Jasmine

09-13-11, 12:15 AM

Much later that night Jasmine trudged slowly down the lamp-lit halls of the palace to the suite she shared with Zerith. It seemed like years since she had left dinner with Kyla. Anita had joined them moments later when the two girls did not return. Through the next few hours, Jasmine stayed by Kyla’s side as the younger woman birthed her first child. Jasmine thought it had all gone fairly well. Kyla and the rest of the Orlouges were now resting, including the newest member of their family, Akiv. She smiled softly to herself as she remembered the look on Kyla’s face when she’d held Akiv for the first time and was glad to have been a part of it all. Now, the princess was very tired. She paused for a moment outside the door as she listened carefully to find out whether Zerith was awake. She couldn’t hear anything so she opened the door with the barest of whispers as the oak door brushed across the blue carpet under her feet.

The door admitted her into the main room. It was dark with the exception of a single floor lamp just behind Zerith’s favorite armchair. It burned brightly, forcing her to shield her eyes briefly. The lamps in the hall had been turned down low because of the late hour and her eyes were not expecting such a bright light. To her left as she entered the room she passed a long couch and short couch that faced each other. A small table stood between them with a few books on it. The far wall on her left contained the large fireplace, though it had not been lit in at least a month. When her eyes finally adjusted to the light she paused in surprise then continued across the room.

“Zerith? You didn’t need to wait up for me, love.”

From his place in the armchair, Zerith looked up and smiled as he marked his place in the book he’d been reading with a ribbon. The warhammer he’d been given earlier that day sat on the floor beside him.

“Perhaps, but I wanted to wait.”

Jasmine smiled tiredly as she moved toward him. It was all she could do not to fall asleep on her feet. In fact, she was afraid that if she stopped for too long, she would fall asleep standing.

“I’m so tired I could sleep right here, fully clothed. Kyla is doing well and now has a healthy baby boy name Akiv. I think Sei is nearly as pleased as she is. Speaking of Sei, how was the rest of dinner?”

She took a seat in his lap and leaned her head against his chest. Zerith chuckled lightly and put an arm around her waist.

“Well, Siela didn’t take too kindly to Sei holding her. She looked at him funny for a few seconds then burst into tears. She calmed down as soon as I took her back thoughl.”

“That’s good,” Jasmine murmured. Her eyes drooped heavily, but she tried to fight it. She wanted to stay awake at least long enough to hear how the rest of the evening had gone.

“After dinner, Sei told us more about this prophecy thing. Eric seems to be taking the idea rather well. He took us to armory and gave this warhammer.” He paused long enough to pick up the hammer to show it to Jasmine. “What do you think about all this, Jas? Jasmine?”

She started a little and yawned, “Hmm? Oh, sorry Zerith. What were you saying?”

“I was telling you about this warhammer and asking you what you thought about the prophecy. You should go to bed.”

“I’m not sure what to think, honestly. And I’m already comfy, I don’t want to get up,” she whined playfully and nuzzled her face against his neck. “Carry me? Please?”

Zerith sighed and put the hammer back on the floor. He easily scooped Jasmine up his arms and stood. “Fine, but we are going to have to talk about this in the morning.” After blowing out the lamp, the prince carried his princess to their room, dropping her unceremoniously on their bed.

“Hey!”

“What? You just said to carry you, you didn’t say anything else.”

Jasmine only scowled and quickly changed for bed. She slipped between the sheets and in moments was sound asleep. Zerith also dressed for bed, but did not fall asleep so easily. He lay awake trying to decide what he should do about the prophecy.