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RainRipple OFFLINE Forum Posts: 280	Posted: Tue, 26/07/2022 03:24 (3 Years ago)
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RainRipple
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Forum Posts: 280

Posted: Mon, 27/06/2022 22:40 (3 Years ago)

Paradox watched the children silently, expression purely observant and containing no real hostility, the perpetual chill in his gaze even somewhat reduced. His own childhood was distant; it may as well have belonged to someone else. Ever since his father had begun to lose his mind, it had been clear that the Arcturus House would fall to Paradox the moment he came of age, and his mother had relentlessly prepared him for that duty up until the very moment of her death. There was no point in exhibiting kindness. It was not an admirable trait for a high-ranking aristocrat, and he cared not whether or not others saw him as compassionate; the fact simply was that he was not a sympathetic or understanding person. Of all people, did this thief think he should be? As he turned from the children to listen to her words, he noticed a small smile playing on her face, and for just a moment, he wondered if it wouldn't be worth it to try to be if it might make her smile.

When had he seen the world as himself? What an odd question. He blinked cooly and said, "I see the world the only way I can; as an aristocrat and as a politician. That is me. It is who I have always been. I serve my king and my state, and perhaps fulfill my own interests through that. I wouldn't label myself as horrible, nor would I call myself benevolent. The honor of my House is my only goal, and I will do what I must to garner it. I have seen more of the world than you might think, and up to this point it has served to confirm me in that pursuit." Silently, he added, By standing here, I am in direct violation of everything I am. Perhaps it would be more accurate to ask when I've seen the world as someone other than myself, and to that, I would answer that this is the first time, because the way you keep making me think cannot be me.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Mon, 27/06/2022 02:58 (3 Years ago)

Paradox entered the building, clearly distracted by the appearance of the families taking refuge in the rickety old building. There were so many of them, and they all looked like a puff of wind could knock them over. Slightly absently, he nodded to the old woman upon her address of him, not entirely realizing what he was doing. Never before had he acknowledged such a pauper a polite way; usually he ignored them. The people all seemed to adore Lizzie. He could tell they trusted her, depended on her. Perhaps someone who could be seen in such a light by so many starving, desperate people had some good to them.

"I don't think I have much of a choice..." he was muttering when the children appeared. His mind blanched. Lizzie... was the Emerald Fox? Of course. Of course she was. The one time he'd chosen to help a commoner, they turned out to be only one of the most violent and dangerous criminals in Wolfshire. What was more, she had made it extremely clear that any report made of her would immediately result in his incarceration and likely execution as well. He was trapped in a room with one of the sworn enemies of the Heads of the Noble Houses, and any exhibition of his fury would backfire faster than he could blink.

But somehow, that just didn't seem right. Lizzie was violent, brash, and fiery, yes, but her personality didn't entirely fit with the crimes he knew her to have committed. She'd been on her way to deliver food to a family when he'd intercepted her, and here she was being fawned over by children, who, so he'd heard, were usually good and pure judges of character. He, meanwhile, was well aware that she saw him as the antithesis of everything she fought for, yet she had gone this long without making any clear attempts to kill him. Ezan had been the source of all the reports, come to think of it. Certainly, though, the king wouldn't have lied. Would he have? When the young noble thought about it, he wasn't so sure. Besides, as much as he got the sense she would slit his throat if she knew that he was thinking it, there was also the fact that the thief was quite small. It felt hard to believe that she could really be that harmful. In a way, her height was even slightly endearing. Her eyes were, too. Something told him he probably shouldn't be thinking that, though he wasn't entirely certain what it implied.

"That won't be especially difficult for them," he stated, his voice devoid of most expression. However, subtly, against his will, there was a slight tentativeness in the edges of it, the sort that might indicate a person testing whether or not a joke would be received well by the other party.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Sat, 25/06/2022 22:53 (3 Years ago)

This was so stupid. Paradox knew it would be dangerous to return to the Arcturus estate immediately, what with the men who had chased them likely now scouring the streets all over the city for Lizzie, but his pride and patience both seemed vulnerable if he continued to be in her presence. There was no real option to the contrary, but it was still undesirable. He would have to just speak to her as little as possible; once he got the pleasantries out of the way, despite how unpleasant they may be, he intended to give barely any further words to her. When they'd interacted, he'd mostly been irritated and harsh, and his usual cold and quiet demeanor had taken a backseat. It wasn't that he cared what she thought of him, though, not at all; certainly there was no part of him which desired in the slightest for her to see what his personality could be when her fire wasn't burning away at his ice. At least, that was what he told himself.

"Lovely. I suppose that's the most that could be asked for."

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RainRipple
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Posted: Sat, 25/06/2022 06:51 (3 Years ago)

The young man gritted his teeth, anger flaring in his eyes as he stared down at her. He ought to have predicted this; how foolish of him to so brazenly assist this pathetic excuse for a citizen of Wolfshire. The moral status of outlaws was lower than dirt, and he didn't doubt her claim that she wouldn't hesitate to expose his lack of judgement on her behalf. What, can the thief not handle a sharp word or two? he wanted to spit, but he restrained himself. "You hardly need to stipulate those first two; I have very little interest in either. To never have to encounter you again almost seems a kindness your conscience would render you incapable of doing for me."

He paused scathingly for a moment before continuing. "I see no reason to malign you if you are able to maintain your civility towards me. If you can hold your tongue for the remainder of this interaction, then so will I. Think you can manage that?" Again he prevented himself from tagging on any slanderous titles, though he felt she deserved to be labeled with names worse than he was willing to stoop to. Ice burned in his stomach and flickered in his silver gaze for a couple moments after he finished his words, but it faded as he regained control of himself.

Paradox couldn't recall another soul who possessed this power to infuriate him so. Perhaps that was the danger of dealing with the lower classes, though he had encountered no other commoners with such an ability. Something in him then recalled how Lizzie had looked lying on the cot in the apothecary, unconscious, pale, and limp, and again set the odd, terribly unwelcome ember of concern dancing in his mind. Clenching his fist and maintaining a blustery sarcastic tone in his voice that wasn't half so strongly present in his heart, he asked, "Furthermore, how do you define insults? I may be inclined to wonder aloud if your leg is holding up, but perhaps my taking that into consideration would offend your tender sensibilities. In an effort to adhere to your request for no further deprecation, I will therefore assume you are more than up to taking off at a sprint at a moment's notice." The young man glanced away, scanning the streets with eyes that hid a sense of confusion growing within which he was quite unwilling to address in the moment. He added, "It is just well. It would be bothersome if our friends caught up, you couldn't run, and I was unaware."

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RainRipple
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Posted: Wed, 22/06/2022 01:30 (3 Years ago)

Paradox tore down the alley, trying to allow for Lizzie's limp as much as he could whilst maintaining a pace fast enough to keep them ahead of the soldiers. What was he doing, what was he doing, what was he doing? If anyone looked at his actions, they might draw the conclusion that he actually cared for this woman. Darting into a side street, then another, then another, the sound of their pursuers gradually faded behind them. From what he had heard, Lizzie had many accomplices; with luck, that was all Ezan would assume him to have been when word reached him of the thief's escape.

Finally, he paused in the overhang of a rackety building in the outskirts of the Dregs, dropping her hand. "Now," he said once he could speak without his words being interrupted by heavy breathing. "Do you have any safe houses I could see you to? Or does the stray recoil from the concept of amicability?"

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RainRipple
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Posted: Wed, 22/06/2022 00:42 (3 Years ago)

Panic flared in the noble's chest. If they saw him with her, everything he'd strived to build up after his father's lack of sanity had burned the respect for their family to the ground would cease to exist. He would certainly be thrown in jail, if not executed, his duties would be transferred to another Head, and Caprice's relationship with Ezan might be caught in the fallout. That couldn't happen. "Run, for one thing!" he hissed, bolting forwards and grabbing her hand as footsteps began to drum towards them from somewhere down the alley.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Wed, 22/06/2022 00:20 (3 Years ago)

Paradox didn't know what he'd expected. At least the woman hadn't yet stepped on his foot again. "That's all good and well," he growled. "But if you keep going, they'll be waiting quite awhile. I suggest you find another path to wherever you're headed, unless you particularly fancy taking on a large group of armed men under direct orders to bring you to Lord Ezan." He was about to continue when a shout from behind him made him tense. His attempt at remaining unnoticed hadn't quite succeeded, it seemed.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Tue, 21/06/2022 03:48 (3 Years ago)

As the night wind picked up, Paradox walked hurriedly towards the location he'd heard mentioned, turning his cape inside out as he went. He couldn't leave it somewhere, and it's presence might help conceal his identity further, but the navy-to-silver gradient was definitely too eye-catching to leave it as it was, especially with the moon shining so brightly. Despite the state of the world, the sky never seemed to change, though birds were rarely seen nowadays and the rain, upon the rare chance it came, could be a little... corrosive.

Keeping to the shadows of the alley, the young man glanced down to his left, a wider lane that managed to remain full of shadows. He knew a group of soldiers mixed with mercenaries was hiding hardly a twenty second sprint away. For a moment, he wondered if he hadn't followed in his father's footsteps and gone insane. He was risking everything for a woman he hated. However, despite his esteem for his friend and leader, he knew Ezan's methods of disposing of people he disliked weren't the most tasteful, and he was unwilling to let Lizzie fall into his hands. Perhaps he was just unwilling to allow all of his efforts from two days prior to go to waste.

Paradox slipped silently into the darkness to his right, trying to keep his footsteps as muted as possible. One wrong move and he would be discovered. One wrong everything would crumble. Ahead of him, he just barely noticed a small figure with a pronounced limp moving his direction. She blended in almost perfectly with the night; no one would have seen her unless they knew exactly what they were looking for. Forcing himself to maintain his slow pace, the aristocrat held up a hand in greeting and warning. You're in danger. Please don't try to kill me.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Sat, 18/06/2022 05:03 (3 Years ago)

Paradox leaned back in his seat, plastering his usual look of calm observance across his face despite whatever he may be feeling inside. It couldn't possibly be the same fiery woman he had assisted the other day, could it? And then, against all common sense, a flicker of concern pulsed through him. He knew the look on his king's face well. He should ignore this and play his part, but as the meeting progressed, his conscience, something he hadn't even been truly aware existed, tugged at him more and more. Despite everything the young noble knew, everything he stood for, he couldn't leave the woman to face the punishments that would lie in store for her if she were caught. She was terribly annoying, sure, but something in him reacted strangely to that acknowledgement. It almost felt like a positive.

When the briefing ended, Paradox whisked out of the room as quickly as he could, leaving all under the assumption that he was returning to his ailing father's side. However, he'd heard enough to know exactly where to head to catch Lizzie before she could fall into the hands of the soldiers currently about to ambush her.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Sat, 18/06/2022 04:37 (3 Years ago)

A flicker of amusement passed across Paradox's face. "I will convey your acceptance to her. I'm sure she will be quite pleased to hear you think so of her."

Two days later, Paradox walked quickly into the vast building where meetings between Lord Ezan and the Heads of Houses occurred, his dress cape flaring behind him. No words needed to be given as every eye in the room glanced towards him, then back at their ruler. Once again, the acting Head had been caught up in the ailments of his father. He dipped his head towards his kind and friend in apology, taking his seat as quickly and gracefully as he could and tuning in to the briefing.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Sat, 18/06/2022 04:05 (3 Years ago)

It was Paradox's turn to be somewhat unsettled, and he pursed his lips before taking his seat after Ezan; despite their friendship, he still did his best to act with proper social etiquette when in his presence. "Yes, tragic indeed. The Lord Arcturus is as well as he ever seems to be. His health has neither improved nor declined. I assure you that, should it ever permit him to be capable once more of clear thought, he would be greatly honored by your continued presence here. In his stead, though, allow me to express that sentiment. Caprice also wishes me to convey to you her gratitude, as well as an invitation to dine with her at your earliest convenience. I am not meant to tell you this, but I was originally included in said invitation as well, but I fear that whichever day works best for you, I shall be sadly caught up in a set of meetings on the far side of town." There was a lightness beneath the usual cold formality to his tone that could be brought about by discussion with few others. It was curious to him how such a close friendship had formed between himself and the hallowed ruler of Wolfshire.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Sat, 18/06/2022 03:36 (3 Years ago)

The noble set his book aside and got gracefully to his feet, bowing. "You as well, my friend. It is always good to see you. Please, sit down. Could I get you anything? Wine, perhaps?" A very faint hint of humour bounced in the twenty-three-year-old's tone, proving that he knew quite well the limitations brought by his friend's age. "I jest," he added without waiting for a response, and a wave to the servant at the door resulted in two glasses of water and a plate of water chestnuts wrapped in pork being brought in.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Sat, 18/06/2022 03:02 (3 Years ago)

"Very well," he nodded, turning back towards the passageway from which they had come. He paused with his hand on the side of the exit way, glancing down at the floor before turning around and bowing. "Thank you. I trust she will be safe with you." With that, he whisked out of the room, out the passage, and into the street, boots clicking against the cobbled stone, hand covering his mouth as he furrowed his brow deeply in thought.

That evening, Paradox sat in a large deep red arm chair in one of the more private parlors of the Arcturus estate. He didn't particularly care for the color, but he'd allowed Caprice to decorate the room, and it was a particular favorite of hers, along with the dark blues and golds seen in the curtains, carpet, and various ornaments that accompanied it. The guest he was expecting had quickly realized his sister's part to play in the general aesthetic. The man was focused on a black book with silver bindings, perusing it through a simple pair of rimless reading spectacles. A knock sounded on the door, and a servant stepped inside. "Lord Ezan to see you, Lord Paradox." "Send him in."

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RainRipple
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Posted: Sat, 18/06/2022 00:14 (3 Years ago)

Paradox followed her with great apprehension. He felt that he could handle it if she chose to become violent, but he was entirely unsure what else she could be planning. The passageway and its hidden nature greatly aroused his suspicions. Despite that, he didn't turn back, his concern for the woman in his arms, which had been steadily growing without his awareness, overcoming any hesitation.

Carefully, he set her on the cot, adjusting her arms so they lay as comfortably as possible at her sides. For a moment, he just stared down at her, a hint of worry in his expression. He caught himself, though, and stepped away, arms behind his back. "It's her leg," he said simply, voice, as usual, devoid of emotion.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Fri, 17/06/2022 23:19 (3 Years ago)

It was all Paradox could do to not lash out at the woman. He was really getting irritated by all of the disrespect he'd been receiving recently. The gun was really unnecessary, not to mention quite crude. "I would recommend watching your tone. Despite my better judgement, I'm attempting to save her life. I was told you would care for her; naturally, if you require compensation, that can be arranged," he growled. Glancing around the store, he moved away from the woman, searching for a place to lay the limp thief.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Fri, 17/06/2022 21:31 (3 Years ago)

“Caprice, actually,” he grimaced. Psychology? Where did she get that from? What a stupid idea for a name. As the man approached the town square, he had to slow his pace. He didn’t care one bit for the opinions of the commoners, but basic sense told him that troubles may arise in the future if any were to take particular notice of the comparatively powerful nobleman carrying the tiny outlaw. He kept to the backroads and shadows, though taking care not to hold himself in the way someone seeking to avoid notice might. The journey was rather long, and his hope to remain subtle only perpetuated it, but eventually, he found the location. When he was sure he would not be seen, Paradox slipped in through the door of the apothecary.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Fri, 17/06/2022 20:16 (3 Years ago)

The man sighed as the thief’s strength waned. There was no point in snapping back at her; though the bleeding had been acceptably triaged, the longer he waited, the weaker she would become. “It’s Paradox, acting head of House Arcturus. Hang on for a little while, alright? I’ll get you there in, well, as few pieces as I can manage.”

Getting to his feet and trying to shake away the dizziness her blood had brought on, he lifted her carefully into his arms. Lizzie, huh? She really is quite small… It felt as if she weighed almost nothing. Stepping calmly over the blood-covered beast on the ground, he left the gate behind him, filing away for later a discourse regarding whether or not to report the bloodshed.

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RainRipple
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Posted: Fri, 17/06/2022 03:23 (3 Years ago)

The noble gritted his teeth, growling, "You seem blissfully unaware that it would be barely an inconvenience for me to get up and leave you here like you deserve. No one would blame me, either." Bunching up some of the fabric strips, he forced himself not to recoil while he pressed them into the wound, acting purely out of desire to stop the bleeding in any way. He then tied more strips around her leg to keep them there. "Now I suggest you restrain your tongue and give me some information as to how else I ought to handle this. Have you even got a name? Most strays don't tend to, but occasionally some are given one by their masters before they get thrown out onto the streets."

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RainRipple
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Posted: Thu, 16/06/2022 22:19 (3 Years ago)

Paradox knelt down in front of her, grimacing and sliding off her boot. For all of his cold bravado, though, the sight of the full wound made his head spin a bit. He had no clue how to handle it, and the sight of deep injuries was not something he had any particular fortitude in regards to. He had to turn away for a moment, the only symptom of any feelings being a simple closing of his eyes. Shaking himself mentally, he shrugged off his cloak; the bottom seemed to have ended up frayed during the fight. He ripped some strips of fabric from it, but that was as far as his knowledge of how to manage her leg went. "How would you recommend I... assist you?" he muttered, trying to avoid looking directly at it.

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