|
Post by The Creator on Feb 26, 2015 15:24:50 GMT
Regina curtsied and exited the dining hall through a private doorway, allowing her privacy as she escaped to the room reserved for Royalty, as well as to avoid Charles's long string of questioning she'd have to endure the entire way. It was more than she could handle--would handle--and as she'd said, tomorrow would be busy.
She ascended the flight of stairs away from prying eyes and rigid, obligated bows and headed straight to her room. Inside the woman undressed alone, retiring in a silk gown stitched with patterns of birds on every available surface. No matter where she went and under any circumstance, she always brought this with her. It was an heirloom, made for her mother and handed down upon her passing. She always felt the woman's presence as she donned the robe, a and it gave her great comfort.
And so the woman went to bed conversing quietly with the spirit of her mother, asking questions that would be forever unanswered, all the while spilling her deepest secrets. She slept peacefully.
--------------------------------
"Rise," Charles said coolly to the boy, rolling his eyes at the boy's awkward movements. "Haven't you heard? You need not bow to me--I'm not Royal. Yet. But by all means, mock me. Present yourself the innocent one to them all, but I saw the monster you are. That is a given. The Mages think you're a wonder. I feel you're an abomination. A mistake, and a distraction to keep us occupied as they plot to usurp the throne. I don't trust your Circle, and I don't trust you. Don't play pleasantries with me, for you won't go far."
He stepped forward and glared deep into the boy's hood.
"Keep your taint free of the Queen, or you shall regret it."
And he was off, without another word.
|
|
|
Post by Atticus Daegal on Feb 26, 2015 18:08:51 GMT
Atticus stood when bade, but was quite shocked at the lecture he would receive in so doing. He blinked and was taken aback, but allowed the man to speak. After all, he was to wed the queen and he was deserving of courtesy and respect. That was the reason he bowed, as he would have done to anyone her majesty had dubbed her friend or family.
"I-" Atticus attempted to explain, but was unable to finish as Charles continued his scolding. He called Atticus a monster, an abomination, a mistake and a distraction. The glowing eyes of the wizard slowly lowered, those words weighing heavily on him as they mirrored his own. The only point of contention between this man's views and Atticus' opinion of himself was the question of trust. While Charles may not trust so easily, Atticus never questioned the loyalty of the Council nor of the Royalty to them. Perhaps he was being naïve.
"Thank you for your honesty..." Atticus all but whispered as the man stormed off. The wizard would stand there for a moment or two, studying the pattern of the rug at his feet while he contemplated the man's words. In a strange sense, it was refreshing to come across someone who held their opinions in plain view. There was a lot concealed amongst the council and the court. But perhaps not all of it was genuine. The man was upset, that much Atticus knew from his demeanor before he was even asked to dine with the queen tonight. A man who was angry was a man who said things they didn't necessarily mean. Like a cornered animal, they lash out hoping to protect themselves by forcing others away. That could be the case here.
Atticus sighed, lifting a hand to look at the glove, knowing that below was not a man but a rift in space. He shook his head a little and turned on his heel, heading down the hallway. He had work to do, and he couldn't allow THIS to distract him for long. He had far more important things to occupy his mind tonight, though this would echo in the back of his head like a particularly catchy tune that refuses to disappear.
An abomination.
A monster.
Atticus busied himself gathering supplies and visiting an official of the school who could get him some information on Hilda Hyne before the evening was through. He'd need at least some form of record to work from in case he required leverage. He didn't suspect he would really need it, but it was good to have on hand. After placing his request, he had moved on to one of the many labs in the school to gather extra supplies for his material components pouch. He left a note stating the reason as well as his name and instructions to speak with Brass should this explanation not be sufficient. By the time he was ready to head back to his little isolated quarters, his arms would be overflowing with papers, books, glass vials, envelopes of powder, etc. Getting down the stairs was a chore, but manageable.
He piled his things together and grabbed a traveler's backpack that had been sitting in the corner for as long as he could recall. Apparently, it had been here before he had come and nobody had ever claimed it, so it was his to use now. He began to pack when his eyes fell upon the papers sitting on his bed. The records he had requested were there, along with a sealed envelope baring the Rainbow Tower seal. He knew what it was before he had even picked it up and slid the papers of authority into view.
An official of the Rainbow Tower... and yet nothing more than a mistake and a distraction. Atticus sighed, slipping the official papers back into their envelope and staring forward into space. He couldn't quite understand how this had all come to be. Just this morning he was the bullied freak on campus, attempting to read his books and live his life amongst those who would never see him as anything but a murderer. Now, he was an official and on a mission for the Empire. And while there were still many who would call him a danger to himself and others, it didn't change the fact that he had official backing from the Grand Mages and the Empress herself.
Atticus packed the records of rank into his scroll case with a sigh, shaking his head. "I pray they have not made a mistake..." he said to himself as he finished packing and moved to begin copying the Duke's gift into his spellbook...
((Off to the interview))
|
|