The Black Forest

[Apollymi]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49278470751_c1f8168293_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2i5z3w4)

The Black Forest is the lands North of the lesser forest surrounding the Dragon Lagoon Beach. It goes further in land than most other forests and is considered to be as hard to navigate as the Fairy Forest. The trees are thicker than redwoods and grow to enormous heights, the branches block the sun where the trees are most dense, causing certain areas to appear as dark as night even in the middle of the day. It is full of bio luminescent life, and glowing creatures as well as streams and lakes with properties that defy regular logic. It is hinted that the Dark Forest is a place where the rules of nature seem to be constantly influx. And deep within this forest a Witch lives alone conducting all manner of research in solitude.

[Bloodedge]

Only a day or two following their time in Atlantis, a pair of Adventurers made the arduous trek through the Black Forest. A tall, white-haired male, the ever-so-arrogant Karna, took the lead with a casual stroll. The forest was dark as midnight, but in place of stars, they were granted the bio-luminescent life filling the land. With or without these sparkling bits of organic matter, Karna could see just fine. The only minor hindrance he even had was the density of free Mana in the forest, but that didn't matter too much.

Well... there was one thing that mattered, though. He could see just fine, he could feel his way around with relative ease... yet he had no clue where they would locate the supposed witch they were meant to find. That aspect was proving to be quite the annoyance, after all.

[Apollymi]

In the company of Karna was a slightly younger lass, with chestnut brown hair and a small set of animal ears atop her head. She had the body of someone in their teens and the height to match and she moved along within the forest like she didn't have a care in the world. The tail attached to her lower back, twitching ever so slightly as she looked up at the naturally lit lifeforms which helped her see better. Not that she needed to see much better to start with, being a Demi-Human did come with several perks not the least of which was better senses than normal humans. "Every tree in this place looks the fucking same... and I can't sense past all the mana to even begin looking for a single source. This fetch quest blows... Nii-san better be all kinds of happy when I get back!" she outright demanded extreme praise for the amount of trouble something that should have been simple caused her. Still this pair was much closer than they could possible know.

In the depths of the next thicket of trees, just a few dozen yards ahead, was something which looked like a sheer wall deep within the forest. Glowing liquid ran down it over several mushroom like protrusions and it seemed to have a large opening within. It seemed to be some sort of dwelling with glowing circles as windows and shadows moving around within. This was the place this pair would find what they were looking for or rather whom. But any who approached this door would hear a growl the likes of which seemed deep and thunderous and a large winged Dire-Wolf would emerge from the doorway looking absolutely ravenous, perhaps it hungered for the flesh of any who would trespass here.

[Bloodedge]

"Maybe he will be," Karna replied without hesitation. "Unless he's still a Dragonoid, or dead. I don't think either of those will show you gratitude," he concluded. Every now and again, he showed flashes of mock pessimism. He didn't actually believe the girl's brother would die under the care of Seriri and Miki, though still being a Dragonoid was highly possible depending on the situation. Ideally, he would like to return as soon as possible, preferably to a place without Dragons. Alas, maybe it was not to be.

The pair's journey finally led them to something of substance. It wasn't quite what Karna would have expected, but even something that looked like a dead end would have been better than more of the same trees. Then, there was the growl of a mythic beast. Karna stopped moving forward, but looked on as if unfazed. It was nothing more than a Direwolf exiting the door ahead of them. As the creature stood before them, Karna stared it down without a speck of concern in his visage. "Hush," he said. He wasn't sure why it behaved this way during their approach, but he didn't appreciate the beast's apparent attitude at all.

[Apollymi]

"Dragonoid be damned. Someone is praising me for all this extra work!" claimed the racoon demi-human. It seemed she found Karna's general pessimism playfully acceptable, she had no doubt in her mind that her brother would still be alive when they returned, if only because she knew the lass Miki wouldn't let anything bad happen to him. Beyond all of that she was just happy for something abnormal to finally appear within her sights. This cut off place looked like the exact kind of secret workshop of some witch that they were likely looking for, she sighed her relief. "Fucking finally, we can..." there was a pause from her as the growl came from the doorway, and what was more the look of this direwolf was unlike any she'd encountered in the wild before now. He was a large white wolf with tuffs on his shoulder and red markings around his body. He even had similar tuffs of fur over the back of his giant paws. "SHIT!" the raccoon girl stopped her tail wagging anxiously. It wasn't that she was out right afraid, it was that she didn't expect such a creature to be within these forests. Soon though a voice would appear from within and she'd look out at the pair.

A dark tanned woman with large breasts in a black form-fitted mini-dress with a white winged lab coat appeared in the door way. Her cyan locks moved in the breeze and she pushed glinting glasses up onto her delicate nose as she took in the two and reached for the angry dog giving it a gentle stroke. It seemed that Karna's words hadn't calmed it at all, but she would. "Now Youko, we've been through this... sit down and wait," she said pointing to the side where the giant wolf padded off to still looking at the pair a bit skeptically. "He's looking for his master. And all who have crossed the void reek of free magic like her... perhaps he sensed the connection?" she questioned rhetorically. "Come, I might be able to provide you with what you seek," she said moving further in. If the pair followed they would cross Youko's path and he'd give both of them a sniff, wagging its tail for Hikari but managing a low growl at Karna for reasons unknown. Within this space there were several golden glowing hologram like projections, they seemed to be maps and globes with features on them not unlike those symbols used in the game Age of Eternity. On the tables were various plans, small pieces of gold, gems and tools of various magical basis. There were bones and skeletons lining the walls of all sorts of magical creatures and several cabinets of locked and closed natures with glass fronts that seemed to contain objects made by this woman. One case contained vials of fluids which glowed eeirrely and gave off their own magical energy.

[Bloodedge]

"Yeah... you let me know how that works out for you," the male quipped. This was all he had to say before staring down the Direwolf, which he did while entertaining the idea of killing it if it made too many moves. Of course, the beast itself was probably having the same thoughts, but that was of little importance. Survival of the fittest was a thing, after all...

This little stare-off lasted until a woman emerged to meet the Adventurers, standing down the beast. She resembled a scientist more so than a witch, but Karna's thoughts were elsewhere. Shunning the woman's mention of the Direwolf's purpose, Karna appraised her from top to bottom... mostly top, and whistled. "Giving Paizuri-dono a run for her money now, are we? Didn't see that coming from a witch," he commented, still not sparing the rod of whatever he first thought about anyone. He was content to follow this woman toward whatever she intended to show them, abandoning even the thought of the Direwolf. The bits and baubles around them as they walked were of no initial concern to Karna, until he stumbled upon the magical fluids, of whatever sort they were. He paused at them, taking a moment to look their way with what seemed to be slight disdain.

[Apollymi]

"You'll see it!" this was an affirmative thought by the raccoon girl. As they met this witch she seemed to be more scientist than witch, maybe a bit more like a laboratory technician than someone Hikari expected to be living alone in the forest. "Sou ka, that's why she said you were weird..." Hikari thought this was strange but this woman definitely seemed to be more Doctor than witch. Karna went on to appraise the woman, seeming to forget all the more about the Direwolf and his apparent dislike of the lad. Whatever the case, his words met the ears of the woman who walked casually around the room, her eyes transfixed on a glowing globe as she searched for something of importance on the map. "Oh? Those are definitely the words of someone who crossed the void, those from this world... know that all women who originate here tend to be more rather than less... adult ones anyways... Lilura, is the name I am called," she said offering a tiny bit of reassurance to the raccoon lass, who'd already gone about crossing her arms over her chest. She was really getting tired of people having more filled out bodies than hers.

"Alright, big boobed witch doctor lady person... whatever don't care, we have two friends that have the Devouring. Well one definitely does, he's my brother the other might and that isn't good either. And ah... we heard from the Queen of Atlantis that you might know of a way to fix it for them... can you help us out?" she asked of the woman who frowned slightly only to push her glasses up onto her face and have the shining light from the hologram globe obscure her eyes for a moment. "Two of your friends, ones who crossed the void but were not completely taken in by it..." she said with a great deal of knowledge on the subject. "The Devouring appears in those whose link to the world is less than it should be. Those who cross the void with strong ties to this world, experience no ill effects," she commented as she began moving about this room. Magical equipment began floating, pieces that looked like needles and magical vials began moving about being fitted together in a strange way. "Ones like you two, will never experience such sickness," Lilura mentioned looking at both Karna and Hikari for several moments. She knew how Hikari came to be here and knew her tie to the other world was gone completely. Her body had no tendrils coming from its halo. Karna too didn't have tendrils coming from his void halo they were all turned inward. As an example of this she held a vial in the air out in front of her and began filling it with condensed free magic. "If the vessel is made to contain the free magic which is here, then all is fine..." she explained. It was a strange lesson to give though as the vial was soon topped off and moved. What happened next would be the gathering of a different material. Not a magical container but a simple mason jar. "On the other hand, if the the vessel was not made to stand up to the amount of free magic placed within it... It can only hold it for a short time..." she poured the same small amount of liquid from the other vial into this mason jar and topped it. Strangely the magical fluid within expanded rapidly, trying to fill the space completely, until cracks were created and the tendrils of energy began to leak outward and then, the whole of the jar would shatter into dust leaving not even the glass behind. "The Devouring works as such, and will eventually return to the void that which no longer can contain the free magic of this world, nor lack of magic from the other..." this was her explanation but its details seemed to cover why one like Seriri could help at least a little.

[Bloodedge]

The words of the forest witch rang true in Karna's mind. Age of Eternity, as a game, did possess many a buxom woman. Of course, that was simply how most games worked in modern times. Whatever the case, Karna followed along with only a couple of moments where he lost focus. Hikari came forward with the clause that their companions had the Devouring, prompting the witch named Lilura to begin exemplifying how the illness worked. Karna... didn't care, to say the least. She could have stood there, explaining the perfect countermeasures to the disease, and he would have done the same thing he was doing now...

He let out an exasperated sigh. Why did she even bother with all this, he wondered. Vials, jars, free magic... none of it concerned the mentally-aloof young man. He came here for one purpose, and one purpose alone. When Lilura finally shut her trap and stopped with the examples, he'd be sure to let this be known. "Listen, lady. Nobody cares about all that. Do you have the cure?"

[Apollymi]

Karna's words when Lilura stopped talking made Hikari laugh aloud. She stifled it soon after and Lilura shook her head from left to right. "Cure is the wrong word is the point," she said with a straight face. "I can provide an augmentation to quell it, and in return give them a bond with a strong free magic creature," she said. She was still doing other things, mixing fluids shifting them around and when she was done a thing which looked like the needle version of a wand appeared. The fluid held within it was green but seemed to be alive in a strange way. "As an aside the explanation is necessary. Free magic doesn't have form, it will take the one which is most suited to the individual it is drawing power from. It will draw the excess free magic and allow those stricken with the Devouring to continue to live their normal lives," she said seeming to feel enlightened. "These are the pinnacle of creation and magic, they've taken so long to create, so many have died... the least you could do is listen and understand what you will be asking them to take on," she explained gently.

Hikari looked at the lady and frowned slightly. "I know you don't know this, but those two aren't likely to care what they are taking on. What you said makes it sound like the forms of the creatures they get will show their true selves. They aren't exactly doing a good job of hiding their true selves from anyone anyways. My idiot brother isn't the type to have himself create something monstrous and he's absolutely the best. I vouch for this... the other girl is too much the same for me to assume anything else either..." Hikari concluded. Whatever this woman wanted to warn them of, she didn't think it would matter much to the pair of individuals who would be taking them on. Lilura looked at the lass and her brows drew together. "Then I suppose all that is left is the discussion on what you will do to gain these prizes. Two of them are a life's worth of work, there is much which can be traded for them..." Lilura was quite serious, but she didn't necessarily need money. Her research was most important to her as such there were only a few things she'd take as payment. "Yare yare, you make it sound like you don't want money... but I have 100 gold coins here," Hikari said pulling the pouch that Miki had given her. It was Miki's own money pouch and caused Lilura's eyes to widen. Youko the Direwolf looked at this pouch and a deep growl left his body as he padded over to Hikari. He sniffed this pouch and nudged it with the tip of his nose, and Lilura looked at the the group at large. "Where did you get that pouch? Give it to me!" demanded the scientist. Hikari handed it over, but before she moved away, she dumped all 100 gold coins into the lass' open hands. "Not money, never money... but this..." she took it over to the table, hands running over it, free magic being interwoven and then the holographic map gave a strange bleeping noise and showed right in its midst the person this belonged to. "SHE'S IN ATLANTIS! Do you realize what this means!" she said to Youko and surprisingly for the first time, the Direwolf spoke. "Return me to my Mistress in Atlantis... she will exchange the cures you seek for this favor," said the wolf. This entire situation took a very strange turn in the moment.

[Bloodedge]

Scoff. All Karna could do... was scoff. This moment was reminding him more of the video game version of this world than anything else thus far, and he didn't like it. There were too many rules and regulations, even to something like curing an illness. Worse yet, she was making an effort to warn them of what the other pair would need to agree to. Hikari had that front covered with her rebuttal. "What she said. Now, hand it over," he added.

Of course, the woman expected something in exchange for this service, and it wasn't money. It took some nerve for her to demand payment for something that wasn't even a proper cure. Besides that, what did she expect? Apparently, Hikari's offer of 100 gold would do the trick, even if not for the gold itself. What she wanted was... the bag? No, it was a bit more complex than that. Even the Direwolf joined the conversation once the bag was properly addressed along with an image of Miki. "Oh, wonderful. A fetch for a fetch, and now there's a talking mutt we have to take with us. This is definitely what I signed up for," he said, scoffing yet again.

[Apollymi]

There would be no immediate handing over of these cures, they would instead float over the pair of adventurers until they agreed. "I mean returning him to his Mistress doesn't seem hard. And we're going back to Atlantis anyways to join up with our own people. It shouldn't be so bad. Deal!" said Hikari. Adventuring was always just quest and quest more, though she also wasn't entirely keen on doing all sorts running around helping out her brother and his not girl friend was the top of her priorities. She turned to Youko and looked at him with decisiveness in her face. "And you Mister. You're expected to pull your own weight while you're with us. No more of this growling either, got me?" she asked of the creatures she now knew could speak. He looked at her for several seconds and nodded his head. "My Mistress would like you," he managed and he licked the side of the lass' face. "Kawaii!" she said before grabbing the two cures for the pair she needed. "Anyway who is his Master? Wouldn't want to return him to the wrong girl..." she mentioned casually. Fetch quests needed details and she wouldn't be without them if it could be avoided. Lilura looked up still amazed her eyes sparkling with this new information. Confirmation of the girl's existence in this realm once more was beyond anything she could have imagined. "You are looking for a Rogue Lancer, both Druid and Human... seeking to balance the world. She is called... Miki. She has the power of naming and named him... and he remained even when she was pulled to this world. So she must exist here still as well. She is the one you seek."

[Bloodedge]

"Blah blah," Karna said during the exchange of Hikari and the Direwolf. At least Hikari had made the deal of her own accord, taking the responsibility to deliver the Direwolf to its owner. There was, however, the issue of who this 'mistress' of the beast's was. Everything the witch said afterwards leaned toward a single identity that would be found in Atlantis presently. The name wasn't even required, but she offered it anyway. Yes, indeed... it was one of only two women they knew currently in Atlantis, who happened to be from their world. "... Of course it's hers," he said. With that, Karna would be having no more of this situation. He turned on his heel, deciding to take his leave right then and their. If Hikari wanted to linger, he'd be outside waiting. However, he was over the exchange with this witch and the situation surrounding her.

[Apollymi]

"Miki-nee? If it's her wolf why doesn't she just have it? Nothing makes any fucking sense!" this was Hikari's problem with the entire situation. A mount was something which could be summoned and then re-summoned at various points in time. The idea that the lass had such a pet but couldn't summon it was completely crazy to her. The truth of it was so complicated, even the witch who spent her spare time studying the outworlders couldn't really say why it happened this way. "I can only assume because her tie to this world wasn't complete she didn't end up with the ability to summon her pet. But her mark was still left here, he is proof of that... She also took off when she got here taking a different path and not appearing in this forest at all. It's only supposition though and that is absolutely fascinating..." mentioned this woman who was now very engrossed in what she was doing. "Uh-huh, fucking freaky way too into stuff people everywhere. Whatever... thanks for these... ja," she said knowing that she'd be going back just to go back.

"Damn why is everyone from this place so fucking weird," she asked aloud to no one in particular. The Direwolf Youko seemed fine with this entire arrangement and padded along behind the girl who'd taken responsibility for him in order to find his mistress. Even if she couldn't summon him again, he needed to return what he had of hers to her, and he would see that done without fail. "I guess that means we just go back?" she asked of Karna directly.

[Bloodedge]

Karna stood outside, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently. Why did he even bother coming along? He knew all along this little quest would be an annoyance to him, but even then, he didn't think it would be this much of one. Much to his satisfaction, it only took a few additional moments for Hikari to emerge from the witch's hut. She had the beast alongside her, of course, but it wouldn't be too much of a bother in Karna's mind. "Let's just go," he said in a huff, beginning his walk toward Atlantis again. "If we take too long, the Dungeon we used to get through might close. It could be closed already."

[Apollymi]

Hikari started walking along as well, seeming to be fairly care free as she inspected the cures to the Devouring given to her by the Witch of the Black Forest. Though her attention was soon brought to Karna who explained that their opening down to Atlantis might be closed and that they should try to get back as soon as possible her eyes widened greatly. "What?! What the hell are we supposed to do if it closes?" she asked while rubbing the spot in the center of her forehead. She didn't expect for this to be such a strange thing and she would have gone to get stuff for her brother and his not girlfriend regardless. Even so, it seemed like some unnecessary risk taking just for them to potentially end up locked out of the place they needed to get to, now for multiple reasons. Whatever the case she gently picked up the pace so as not to fall behind or risk putting any extra strain on their entrance to Atlantis.

[Bloodedge]

Karna was quite the tall male. As such, even as Hikari hastened her steps, he kept a casual pace with long strides, and boasted the same speed she managed. This fed into his general appearance, which was one that lacked concern. "If it's closed, we find another way down," he said calmly. It really was as simple as that. They couldn't just waste the trip to the Black Forest, and it wasn't like they could go without reuniting the group at all either. They had to reenter Atlantis, one way or another. Little did they know, Atlantis would be very different whenever they actually made their way inside...

Continue the Adventure Here (http://www.roleplayuniverse.net/forums/showthread.php?908-Atlantis&p=12335&viewfull=1#post12335).

[Apollymi]

Within the confines of the Black Forest, among the glowing trees and gently humming lights, there was a young woman. Her unkempt white hair kept partially out of her face by way of a sweeping braid held in place by a strange black clip. Atop her head, a small crown, denoting her rank as princess. She dressed in the same thing she always wore, a body suit with her bottom mostly exposed, on her rear, a small tattoo which looked a bit like a bullseye or a target. Her flesh was quite devoid of extra color and her eyes were a glowing blue, though her countenance was quite severe, she could be considered more than a little attractive. Her provocative way of dress contributing to this in large scale. There were a horde of royal knights around her as she explored this forest, collecting ingredients and learning more acute ways to poison things. She set traps, changed landscapes and even managed to befriend the light like jellyfish which floated about in the air. Here, she knew a freedom she couldn't know in her life as a royal and here, she could learn to simply be.

[Bloodedge]

And here, she would be met by another who could have once been considered a Royal Knight she had access to... briefly. Kou, the lad who had become a Holy Knight during his most recent proper trip to the Kingdom of Eonis, trudged through the Black Forest en route to the princess. Naturally, he was stopped on his path by the woman's guardians here and there, but a simple showing of his crest led to them each stepping aside. He needed to meet with this princess, to bring her along on the journey to fell King Eon... though the method he had to use was one he'd have rather avoided. "Hisashiburi, Oujo-san."

[Apollymi]

Her fingers had been grasping at a small jellyfish-like creature. One which she now had clasped between her hands. On her face was something akin to a smile, as she closed her hands around it a voice broke her concentration. "And you want what?" she remembered this lad from the castle in Eonis. He had attained his status as a Royal Knight, and thus by her own approximation had no reason to seek her out. Unless of course, her father had recruited him to try and coax her into coming back... As she thought of possible reasons to be joined in this way, her mood soured and she found herself freeing the small jelly, lest she accidentally crush it in her hands. She stood up straighter, her head held high, even so she looked disgusted by the very act of being addressed. What did he actually want, and could she just dismiss him and go back to doing something she actually enjoyed?

[Bloodedge]

The moment Princess Aerona addressed him, Kou sighed. This was going to be an ordeal, as he recalled, but there was something even worse about having to go through with it in person. In a video game, it didn't really matter; it was only a simple issue of making the right selection for a character to do the rest. Now though, he had to speak words of his own accord. Oh well... he could still make this work. "I'm here for you, of course," he said. Now was the time to acknowledge the shortcomings of this princess, but in a very... specific way. "The kingdom is in danger. We have strong people, but there's nothing to be done if we don't have you with us. So... here I am. I value your abilities, and I won't do a thing if I don't convince you to help."

[Apollymi]

The first words out of this lad's mouth in reply to her question were strange indeed. He'd come here for her? To what end? She was initially very skeptical of his motivations. To her surprise, though she wouldn't have to prod him for more information, he came with more to say in a way which caused surprise to float across her face in a manner most obvious. He valued her abilities? He had others with him, and still required, no, demanded her presence within the Kingdom? What a strange feeling she was currently experiencing. A flutter within the center of her chest, her face heating up in a manner she didn't understand. How could she even begin to respond to such a thing? Well, the answer was both simple and complicated. "You... value me?" she questioned softly, her entire face losing most of its harshness.

The Princess Aerona, was a Tsundere of the most severe caliber. Her issues surrounding her and her father, had to do with the fact that he didn't respect her abilities. She counted among the Royal Knights, but was not classed with Knightly abilities. It had been claimed that her lack of real weapon skill made her a liability and as such her father had been working to marry her off, to ensure the strength of the Kingdom. He didn't want her around, and had even gone so far as to displace her as the heir-apparent, with a girl who fit his need for a 'warrior' type of child. She felt inadequate by comparison, so being confronted with such compliments and such an earnest desire to have her along would bring about a very specific answer. One shrouded in the bravado she used to cover her softer side. "HAHAHA! I suppose if the Kingdom can't be supported by its other strengths... then I have no choice but bail a bunch of failures like you out!" Aerona stated.

[Bloodedge]

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" he asked, mostly rhetorically in response to Aerona's curiosity. And... there it was. There was the tsundere personality of Eonis' princess that repelled so many players of AoE. He couldn't afford to avoid her now, though; she was a necessity. Still, how long could he be expected to deal with this attitude? At this point, it was shaping up to be more trouble than it was worth to recruit the princess. Kou supposed he had no choice but to continue the quest as he knew how. "You know... There is a situation, still. The kingdom is overrun by Demonic Beasts, to be specific. King Eon himself is the cause behind all of this. He's been taken by Demons, so he may have to die. Do you have it in you to take part in that?"

[Apollymi]

Though this boy's sentence was spoken in rhetoric, there was simply no way that one such as Aerona could simply let his statement go unanswered. "Indeed, why wouldn't you? Have you seen me?" she stated, with such false confidence, it was hard to believe she was actually a decent person. Too bad there wasn't much time to deflect on matters like her obscure and overtly sour personality. No, this lad brought grave seriousness to the situation. His explanation became about the state of King Eon and what had befallen the Kingdom due to his lack of resistance to the Demons. A sigh escaped the lass, this man was her father after all. She should want him to live, but if he was causing more problems to her Kingdom, she couldn't continue to allow him to do what he wished. "No one, has ever really asked what I thought about these situations before..." she commented softly. Perhaps this part of her was the real part, actually it had to be. But she fell back into that arrogant overly confident speech far too easily for it to be noticed. "I couldn't call myself a potential ruler if I let something as stupid as my own feelings get in the way of doing what is right. I'm not that child he adopted... I know better," she said dismissively, her arms crossing over her chest, but still, she felt those same warm tingles within herself. Something about talking to this lad, felt strangely right, those blue eyes of hers shifted over his form and she turned her nose up in the air, trying to maintain some sense of her own dignity. "Whatever the case, all of this sounds urgent. I can figure out how I feel about it later..." she exclaimed. "Knights, we head for Eonis!" she ordered, a horde of Royal Knights gathered into marching position and began moving and she was brought a large black mare, which seemed magically inclined.

[Bloodedge]

And again. There really was a massive difference between having this interaction in a video game, and sitting through it in life. At the very least, Kou was beginning to adjust to the princess' antics. He knew well of the steel shell she wore, and he knew how to bypass it to make the quest work in his favor. There was one other thing he knew, though. If the princess were to showcase her true ability in combat, he had to provide further motivation. He wondered if this would be even more difficult than the video game, considering said motivation came from a chance for Aerona to become Queen of Eonis, and there was now another heir. Had Madoka ruined something else with her uprising?

"It's still not that simple," he interjected as Aerona's mare approached. Perhaps he could use Madoka's existence to his advantage while getting this princess to function as he wanted. "I've seen what Madoka has done to the kingdom so far. If King Eon dies, she is next in line for the throne, right? I think there may be a better way to approach the situation, one that won't ruin the kingdom again over time. Why don't you become Queen of Eonis? Madoka has the crown, but if you have the ability to produce a new heir..." As he spoke, Kou drew closer yet to Aerona. His gaze found hers, and of course, he knew this to be a grave misuse of his Celestial origins and exceptionally-high grade of the Charisma skill... but he certainly didn't want to waste too much time on this matter. As such, he let that soft, soothing voice of his carry the weight of his words, while being accentuated by the angelic features found in his visage. "Not to be rude, but I don't imagine you've given it much consideration before? I mean, if you had... I'm sure you would have a thousand princes and knights swarming around you at all times, begging to take your hand. Who could even resist?"

[Apollymi]

Not that simple? What did this man know of the workings of Eonis? She waited to see, and what he came with was more information. As he spoke, he spoke of her potentially becoming Queen, her eyes widened. None since her mother had ever mentioned this as a possibility. Well there was one other, who claimed to be her supporter, but he'd disappeared a long time ago. "Well she is a whiny brat. More likely to act like a spoiled brat than a Queen. I figured it wasn't much my problem any more..." the white haired young woman said. Of course, she'd decided to leave the Kingdom in this instance, after realizing that Madoka wasn't actually trying to right the Kingdom. That she was only doing anything she did, looking for praise and the affections of the people around her. As one born to lead, Aerona knew that doing such a thing would only lead to failure. She knew that leaders true ones, had to set themselves apart from normal wants and desires for the sake of their people. The longer she looked this lad in the face, the more his idea seemed like a good one. Perhaps what he said was true, if she showed up well enough to be of use when someone like Madoka couldn't be, the people would back her once more. She could also undo her Father's old policies and bring the nation back to what it had been known for.

"I guess it wouldn't be too hard to find someone to settle down with. I mean, I wouldn't have any more of a problem then one like Madoka..." she said seeming to be entranced by the idea rather suddenly. "I mean," she stammered turning her head to the side with a flash of embarrassing red painted very obviously across her pale skin. "Of course, I could produce an heir. It isn't as if I am barren or anything. I could easily show up Madoka if I felt like it..." this shell of hers was rather thick, but it seemed to be breaking down. She hadn't really thought about settling down before, perhaps she should, find someone who believed in her and make that work. Her eyes darted gently back in the lad's direction and if it were even possible she became more embarrassed, wishing to sink into her mare and disappear from sight. "Uhmpfh, there is a battle ahead though... that is more worth thinking about..." there was a pause from her. "For now."

[Bloodedge]

Aerona hit the proverbial nail on the head with her words about Madoka. Someone living out a fantasy as brazenly as that girl, could be nothing near suited to acting as a lone monarch. What's more, who would be wed to her? Surely no player he knew, and one of this world would be asking for trouble in her case. "She's definitely not the best option, no matter which way you view it," was all he had to say on the matter. Any other commentary he had, was far too... unfriendly, as it were.

This princess seemed to be taking the bait quite nicely. Good. Following the romance plot to near completion was how one obtained bonuses, and greater output from the princess - and prince - of Eonis in the grand battle. He wasn't going to be overly specific in his approach, though. As he had no intentions of marrying the princess, he felt it necessary to leave himself out of the equation in all mentions. Of course, he still had to get her riled up... so he would. "I'm sure you'll be the one showing everybody how it's really done. After all, you're the one who grew up to be the Queen of a Matriarchy, right? Gambatte~" he said as his mount appeared beneath him again, ready to take off at any given moment. "I can't wait to see what you'll bring to the battle, Aerona-oujo."

[Apollymi]

This pep talk was doing wonders for the Princess' disposition. She didn't really understand why other people were so bad at talking to her, considering this lad in particular seemed to get it. Strange though it was, she felt quite at ease talking to him, even finding his agreement about 'Madoka' to be a funny extra. "That is a sound observation..." the lass said, which was as close to a compliment as she managed to get, when the conversation wasn't exclusively about her.

Still there was progress to be made, and the lad's speech continued. He claimed that she should be ready to show every one how it was done, as she was raised to take this role. "Of course, I am ready. I was born for this to rule, to wed, to see my kingdom to glory!" she seemed to have perked up quite a bit, and her speech wasn't even quite at its highest level of off-putting at present. Still the nail in the proverbial coffin would be the lad, referring to her by her given name. Her eyes widened in surprise. Her face, gained a red hue that seemed to burn all the way to her ears. "I─ ah─" she stammered actually moving her hands to cover her face this time, balancing atop her horse while seeming overcome with emotion. "Well, I am not gonna do it just to show you or anything," she said as she kicked her horse into maneuvering and began riding off. She was embarrassed and smitten? Whether the lad intended to gain her romantic favor or not, he was more than well on his way to doing just that...

Continue the Adventure Here (http://www.roleplayuniverse.net/forums/showthread.php?853-The-Kingdom-of-Eonis&p=12987&viewfull=1#post12987).