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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 29, 2022 19:48:45 GMT -5
Morgan was having the most wonderful dream when a sudden rush of cold made him shiver into semi-awakeness. "Heh? What?"
In response, someone grabbed his ankle and yanked him right out of bed.
"Oof! What the hell, Callum!"
Callum glared down at him. "There's someone at the door for you," he said flatly. Then he turned around and walked out, slamming the bedroom door behind him.
Morgan sat up and rubbed his head. "A simple shake would have sufficed," he muttered. He pulled himself to his feet and stretched all the way to the front door. He pulled it open with a yawn. "Yeah?"
Rolland scowled. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt? Or pants?"
"I was sleeping, pal. You're lucky I chose to wear my briefs last night."
"Gods." Rolland rolled his eyes. "Why anyone thinks you'll be a good negotiator, I have no idea."
Morgan crossed his arms. "What do you want, Rolland?"
"You're to pack an overnight bag and meet everyone at the dragon caves. As soon as His Highness can manage," he mocked.
Morgan narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"Why do you think?" Rolland turned and started walking away. "Your practice mission begins now."
That woke him right up. "Now? It's not even dawn yet! My beauty rest isn't complete!"
Rolland kept walking and didn't deign to reply. But from behind him Callum called out, "Get your ass dressed and get out, golden boy, before I kick you out as it."
Morgan closed the door. "My, you're in a lovely mood this morning. What's the matter? No women to warm your bed recently?"
"Yep," Callum deadpanned. "That's exactly it."
"Poor baby. I'll send one your way, okay?"
Callum just rolled his eyes and went back into his room.
Morgan chuckled. He headed to his own room, where he took his sweet time getting dressed and packing an overnight bag. When he finally left, he knew was going to be at least twenty minutes late.
Sure enough, everyone was already present when he arrived. Nick, Sebastian, Frederick, and Kyra. Everyone's dragons, except Kyon, Morgan noted, were saddled and ready to go. And they were all glaring daggers at him as he strolled in.
Morgan grinned. "I have arrived."
"You're late," Frederick snapped. "Didn't my son fetch you?"
"Yep. And none too nicely, either. I think he woke up poor Callum from some much needed sleep."
"Then what took you so long?"
Morgan shrugged. "Rolland said to come as soon I could." He slread his hands. "This was the soonest I could manage."
"You little—"
"That's enough," Nick cut in. "He's here now. Let's move on before we're even more late. Everyone mount up."
"All right, but it's going to take me a minute to saddle Kyon, since none of you bothered to—"
"We didn't bother," Nick said, "because Kyon isn't coming."
That gave Morgan pause. Like any Rider, the idea of leaving his dragon behind was not something that would readily compute. "Uh… why?"
"Because this is a test of your negotiation skills, not your battle skills or magic skills," Frederick answered. "Not to mention, this is a sensitive matter you'll be dealing with, and subtlety is key. Kyon is decidedly … not."
Morgan frowned, insulted on his dragon's behalf. It wasn't his fault he had golden scales that glittered like the sun. "How far away is this place?"
"Far, which is why we need to get going." Nick turned on his heel and strode toward Ignatius. "Come. You're riding with me."
Frederick and Sebastian went to their dragons; Morgan turned to Kyra. "Did you know about this?"
☆~☆~☆ After the rude awakening he'd gotten two days ago at the start of Morgan's mission, Callum made sure he was awake when the knock came for him.
He threw the door open, making Rolland jump back with the abruptness of it. "Jeez. Don't you ever sleep?"
"No." Callum tossed a backpack over his shoulder. "Dragon cave?"
Rolland blinked. "Uh… yeah."
Callum stepped from the room, pulling the door closed behind him, and started walking. He didn't look back, but he sensed Rolland's gaze on his back until he turned a corner and was out of sight.
A few minutes later, he was entering the dragon cave. He saw Nick first, speaking to his dragon. Ignatius's burnt orange scales seemed to smolder like embers in the candlelight. A little further in was Sebastian, talking animatedly with his diamond-coated dragoness as he put her saddle on. And off to the right was Frederick, silent and brooding as always as he checked the saddle straps on his white-gold dragon.
Callum said nothing. He hadn't made a sound when he arrived, and he stood in a dark spot between torches. Yet it didn't surprise him when Nick noticed his presence before too long.
"Good morning, Callum." Nick spoke quietly enough that no one else heard his words.
Callum shrugged his pack higher on his shoulder. "Nothing good about it."
"As cheerful as ever, I see."
Callum said nothing.
Nick gave Ignatius one more scratch under his chin, then approached the sullen youth. "Are you ready for what's to come?"
"You've told me I am."
"I know what I have said." Nick canted his head. "I want to know what you believe."
Callum met his steady gaze. "I can handle playing a role."
After a moment, Nick dipped his chin in a nod. "Good." He returned to Ignatius to finish saddling him up.
Callum stayed where he was, and he waited.
☆~☆~☆ The pre-dawn knock was expected, but it still woke Seth from sleep. He didn't want to move, but when the knock came again, louder this time, he reluctantly eased himself away from Anya and went to go answer it.
With the warning he'd gotten from Morgan, Seth knew what was coming today. That was why he and Anya already had overnight bags packed, and why they had left Aidan at his mother's the night before. The boy didn't need a rude awakening before the son was up, or to be trekked across the cold halls this early in the morning.
Seth opened the front door. Rolland's smile slipped into a scowl. "Oh. It's you."
Seth tried not to let his irritation show. "I do live here, Rolland."
"Yeah, whatever," he muttered. "You're to meet in the others in dragon cave."
"I know." And because one of them should at least try for civility… "Thank you."
Rolland's brows puckered with confusion, but Seth shut the door before he could say anything. Or ask to see Anya before they left. He returned to the bedroom to find her and get dressed for the day to come.
☆~☆~☆ "Simple." Jupiter leaned closer and lowered his voice. "I want you to leave. Permanently."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 30, 2022 19:17:47 GMT -5
She was going to kill him. If there was one thing Kyra had learned about herself during her time with the Rebels was that she hated waiting. Anytime she got a new job, she always set out as quickly as she was allowed to. Sitting idly on her own had just proven to be hell, she tended to bounce from one job to the next whenever she could get her hands on them. Now was no different. There was nothing she could do about changing the day of their assignment, so Kyra was chomping at the bit (figuratively, of course) to get a move on. So when Morgan, of all people, was the last one to show up, she knew the day was going to start off poorly.
Sending Rolland wasn't going to work. She had tried to get Sebastian to send her to fetch her deliquent of a lover, but the request had been denied. Aparently, their boss thought higher of Morgan's sense of duty than was deserved. Twenty more minutes went by, and Kyra was ready to go beat his ass. Luckily, that's when Morgan came strolling into the dragon caves. Unluckily, that did nothing to improve her mood.
"I did know because I actually get up and do my job, so I learn these things very quickly," Kyra responded, stepping around him and heading to the dragon she would be riding on.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 30, 2022 19:46:28 GMT -5
Unlike Kyra, Varen had no problem waiting. In fact, waiting was part of the fun for him. He was up and ready to go with the Riders, and while they were all making sure their dragons were ready to go, the spy had made himself home in a shadowy corner of the room. He wasn't trying to hide, per say, but he did want a spot that wasn't too obvious so he could observe his partner when he entered. He was still an unknown, and he wanted to get as much of a feel for him as he possibly could before they were actually sent into the capitol. That was also the reason he had forgone any elaborate disguises. It had been a while since he wore his own face for a mission. He felt strangely naked without one, but he knew what they had to do wasn't going to be a big deal to where he would need a different look. He would spare Callum that until later.
As soon as Callum walked in, Varen perked up. Punctual, good to know. At least he wouldn't have to worry about him being late. He maintained his spot by the wall, watching as Callum walked over to Nick. Not surprising since it seemed like the two knew each other better than the others. Whispers were shared, but they were too far away to here, which irritated him. He longed for the careless whispers people flung about when they think no one else is paying attention. He lived for the gossip and drama and all the information that came about all of it. So that was why he couldn't stay still for long. He stood and walked over to join the pair, making it just in time to hear Callum's last remark.
Having no need for caution, Varen came up behind the taller male and threw an arm over one shoulder. "I sure hope you can, because roles are going to be a major player for us," he said with a wink. "Let's hope your acting is better than your socialization."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 4, 2022 18:13:59 GMT -5
Morgan tossed his hands up and followed her toward Sebastian's dragon. "And you didn't think to give me a heads-up? Come on, Kyra, you've been around Dragon Riders long enough to know we don't like leaving our dragons behind."
☆~☆~☆ If asked later, he would feign innocence and claim that he was startled into action. In reality, Callum sensed Varen the moment the other man moved. He had to smother his annoyance with himself for failing to notice him sooner. So, Varen's approach was no surprise. Nor, if he was being honest, was Varen's touchy-touchy behavior. Still, there was no hesitation in his response.
Moving faster than any normal human could hope to move, Callum grabbed Varen's arm, shifted his stance, and threw the man over his shoulder. He pinned him to the floor, still holding Varen's arm in a grip that could break it if Callum applied more pressure. He was considering doing just that when Nick sighed.
"Let him up, Callum."
Callum let go and stepped back. "Do not touch me," he said.
☆~☆~☆ "You don't bother me." Jupiter managed to sound hurt by the suggestion. "I'm trying to help you. Don't you know that Solaris is only with you, that he only brought you here, to make his ex jealous? And probably to annoy his mother as a bonus."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 4, 2022 19:22:21 GMT -5
"And did you bother to ask?" Kyra asked. "Who goes on a mission and doesn't come over every detail to prepare? Or do you just assume you'll be fine if you let your charm and rougish good looks do the talking?" the last part was sarcastic, and maybe a little uncalled for, but she was beyond mad to be getting such a late start on it all.
~*~*~
Varen knew he was going to get a negative reaction. He had prepared himself for it. Yet he had prepared for a punch to the face, an elbow to the gut. Not to be thrown up and over and landing on the ground. The wind was effectively knocked out of him, but he kept enough sense to not struggle against the hold or move until Nick called off the other man. "Well this is going to go swimmingly, won't it?" he grunted, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. "Good to see you most of your energy goes towards being fast and not being social."
~*~*~
Despite himself, Parker paused. His ex? Sol hadn't mentioned anything about his exes. Well, at least nothing important. He would make off hand comments about knowing this girl or that, but Parker had never cared for past lovers. He was just happy that the captain was his now. "Sol is above those types of petty noble games," he replied. "If he wanted to rub anything into anyone's faces, he wouldn't need me to do that."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 7, 2022 20:13:30 GMT -5
"I've been surviving on that for this long. But Kyon is different. You should have told me."
"Enough chatting, you two," Nick called from Ignatius's saddle. "Let's go."
Morgan stopped walking. "Yeah, yeah. Give me a sec." He turned and headed toward Kyon. None of the Riders stopped him, though none looked happy about the delay either.
☆~☆~☆ Callum shot him a dark look and moved farther away.
Nick sighed. "Pick a dragon, Callum, and let's go. Are you okay, Varen?"
☆~☆~☆ "You think so? Is that why he's on the dance floor with her now?" Jupiter pointed. Sol was indeed still on the dance floor, but he was no longer dancing with his sister. He was standing rather close to a tall woman. She was dressed smartly yet elegantly in a sea-green dress, and flats instead of heels.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 7, 2022 21:01:26 GMT -5
"You should have asked," Kyra muttered under her breath as he went to go tend to his dragon. Another delay, but one she knew he wouldn't be swayed from. So she went ahead and climbed into the saddle of the dragon she was riding with and tried to keep her irritation at bay.
~*~*~
(I don't know what color I gave Varen. XD)
Varen rolled over onto his side so he could take stock if anything had been broken. "I've had worse," he informed. Bruises would no doubt pop up on his back, but it wouldn't be enough to stop his work. With that, he regained most of the air needed for his lungs to work properly and stood up, knocking the dust from his cloths. "I'll live."
~*~*~
Parker glance over at Sol, and sure enough, there was a woman he didn't recognize standing far too close to his lover for his liking. He didn't like it, but he was foolish to think no one would try and talk to Sol while they were here. Of course, there were probable plenty of women wishing for a chance to speak with the prince turned captain. He also knew the Jupiter was simply trying to get a rise out of him. "If he wishes to tell her just how much better of a life he has now without her, than he has a right. The fact of the matter is," Parker said, turning back and giving the entitled prince a small smirk, "she's not going to be the one fulfilling any of his late night, early morning, or even afternoon needs. So he can go show off and rub whatever he wants in anyone's face he so chooses. If you're looking for someone to bully, go find someone who doesn't have higher self-esteem than yours apparently is. Where's your fiancée at, hm? I don't believe I've seen her anywhere near you tonight. Then again, can't say I blame her. I wouldn't want to be around your boring ass all night either."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 12, 2022 13:32:21 GMT -5
As prepared as they were for this day, Anya still dreaded the knock on the door. There was several reasons why she wished Rolland wasn't going to get them. One being that the bed was just so warm and comfortable, and she was always loathed to leave Seth's embrace. Another was simple because they were now one step closer to when Seth would be leaving her for gods knew how long. Don't get her wrong, she was eager for a chance to finally put her training to the test.
Anya sighed as Seth got up to answer the door. This wasn't like regular training. They couldn't waste an extra five minutes cuddling and preparing for the morning. From what she heard from Kyra and Morgan's test, tardiness was highly frowned upon. So, she threw the covers off and stood. Might as well get ready.
By the time she heard the front door close and Seth's footsteps coming down the hallways, she had already changed shirts and was just pulling on her pants. In the last few weeks, she had slowly been trying to get used to changing in front of Seth. She still felt self conscious about it, but she was only slightly embarrassed now.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Feb 1, 2023 12:22:28 GMT -5
Morgan pretended he hadn’t heard her. He walked across the cave to Kyon. The big golden dragon had been laying calmly off to the side, watching with his head on one clawed foot. Now he raised his head as Morgan approached and lightly poked his Rider’s chest. You know you’re not truly surprised.
Morgan sighed. He ran his hand lightly over Kyon’s snout. “No, I guess not. Still sucks, though.”
I know. Kyon bumped him gently. Now, go on. Your tardiness won’t be accepted for much longer.
Morgan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever.” He planted a quick kiss on Kyon’s nose. “Later, buddy,” he whispered. Then he turned and walked to Ignatius.
The Riders wasted no time. As soon as Morgan was mounted, Fredrick and his dragon stepped out of the cave and took flight. Sebastian, Kyra with him, followed. And once Morgan was secured to the saddle, Ignatius stood and went after them.
Morgan glanced back just as they stepped outside. Kyon was sitting up now, Stel beside him. Her tail was lashing, showing the frustration Kyon was keeping bottled up. Morgan faced forward as Ignatius took flight.
Two days, he reminded himself. He had gone longer than that without Kyon during training. This time would be no different. Right?
☆~☆~☆ (Are you sure you gave him one at all? xD)
“Pity,” Callum muttered, just loud enough to be heard. Nick shot him a look, which he ignored as he walked over to Ignatius. He met the dragon’s amber gaze. He knew he was supposed to ask, or at least confirm, permission before mounting a dragon for the first time, but he wasn’t about to do so out loud. So he let his eyes speak for him.
Ignatius’s eyes sparked, and then he lowered his head slightly in a nod. Callum broke eye contact and climbed into the dragon’s saddle.
Nick patted Varen’s shoulder and turned away. “You ready, Bash?” he called as he walked to Ignatius’s side.
“Yep,” Sebastian answered. “And no need to ask Freddy, I’m sure.”
“Don’t call me that,” Fredrick returned sharply. “And no, you do not need to ask. Let’s go. Mount up, Varen.”
☆~☆~☆ When Seth returned to the room, he didn’t let his eyes linger on Anya, though they wanted to. He still looked, but he kept it casual, as he had been doing, to try and keep her from becoming self-conscious. “Are you ready for today?” he asked as he crossed the room to pull out the clothes he’d set aside for the day.
☆~☆~☆ Jupiter just gave him a deadpan look. “She’s in Surda, celebrating her final Solstice with her family before our wedding in the spring. And Sol isn’t telling her about his great life with you. He’s…” Jupiter paused, and his tone became arrogant and thoughtful. “Well, it looks like he’s leaving with her.”
Sol was indeed walking toward the exit with the woman in green, his expression carefully closed. The woman kept touching his wrist and hand as they walked, and Sol only moved away when he had to to get through the crowd.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Feb 2, 2023 13:32:54 GMT -5
Kyra tried not to watch Morgan as he gave his farewells to Kyon. However the attempt was broken for just a couple of seconds. For that time, her annoyance with the delay in departure wavered. She knew Riders and their dragons were close. She saw the way Morgan loved Kyon. She had seen many others raise just as much cane at the mention of leaving their dragons behind for any amount of time. She could have handled it better, sure, but they were in the middle of preparing for a grand scale war. Ever second they wasted was another second that Genevieve was closer to finding out just where they were. And while she herself didn't really have anything at stake in this mess, she had been given a job and responsibilities here, and she wasn't about to take them lightly. So a they finally were able to take to the skies, she felt some of her anxious tension fade. Dragons were swift fliers, and it wouldn't be difficult to make up for the lost time.
~*~*~
(I have no clue. XD )
Varen gave Fredrick a two finger salute, and walked over to Sebastian. He had worked with all three to know that Fredrick wasn't much of a good flying companion. Varen very much liked to talk, and Fredrick wasn't amused by his ramblings. Nick put up with it, but Nick was a secretive kind of guy, so idle chit chat wasn't great either. Boss man, however, he was fun to talk to, so he headed for Sebastian's dragon and stopped for a moment to give a cheery hello, give a couple of scritches to their head, and ask for permission. Now, he didn't have to at this point, but he was nothing if not polite. Once his little ritual was done, he climbed up into the saddle, settling in behind the Rider.
~*~*~
"Yes and no," Anya admitted, quickly pulling on her pants and buttoning them. "I glad for a chance to do this sort of practice mission, but compared to everyone else, I still feel underprepared." That didn't mean she wasn't going to try her hardest. Her hopes were that if she managed to impress Nick and Sebastian, they might let her go with Seth. It was a long shot, but it was the best plan she had at the moment. She glanced over at him. "How do you feel about the no magic part?"
~*~*~
Parker didn't want to look, sure that Jupiter was only trying to mess with him. But his eyes moved for him. His heart sank a bit as he saw Sol leaving the dance floor with the woman, but he made sure his face didn't show it. He would not let the crown prince have the satisfaction of seeing his insecurities. Sol never did anything without a plan. Sol wouldn't do anything to hurt him. Those were facts. Whatever reason he had, it had to be a logical and beneficial one. Strictly business. Yet the more he repeated those statements in his head, the more doubt crept in.
"Was there actually something you wanted to talk to me about? Or are you here simply to try and annoy me?" Parker asked as evenly as he could. "Because if you have nothing of actual importance to say, I'm going to go find much more pleasant company to be around."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jun 23, 2023 9:42:01 GMT -5
The trip was two hours, but the dragons flew at a rapid clip throughout to make up for the time lost to Morgan's dallying. Morgan remained quiet and almost sullen during the flight, and kept up a near constant conversation with Kyon. They were both impressed by the stamina of Nick's, Sebastian's, and Fredrick's dragons. Kyon's training had been extensive, and he could fly faster for longer than the average dragon. He was also bigger than a lot of dragons his age. These three, however, would have left the younger dragon far behind ages ago. As such, it was hardly surprising that they reached their destination on time, despite the delays.
The three dragons touched down one by one: blue, white, orange. They lay down immediately, but only to make it easier for their Riders to dismount. Not a single one showed signs of fatigue or strain from their high speed trip.
The dragons had landed on the backside of a large hill. Behind and below them was thick forest; ahead and above was the crest of the hill. This was where Fredrick led everyone once they were on the ground. From there they could see down the far side of the hill. It sloped more steeply than the side they were on. Below was about a mile of sparse forest, and then three miles of cleared land, at the far side of which stood an impressive mansion. Several smaller building were scattered around it. The four Riders had little problem seeing it all from this distance, though Kyra probably wasn't so lucky.
☆~☆~☆ Jupiter slowly shook his head. "You don't belong here, Peter," he said, purposely getting Parker's name wrong. "It's high time you learned that."
He snapped his fingers, and suddenly men emerged from the shadows and from their hidden places between guests. Two of them threw loops attached to long bars around Apollo's and Artemis's necks, bringing the dogs down and halting any attack before it had fully registered with them that their charge was in danger. Apollo let out a startled yelp, while Artemis snarled and struggled in vain to free herself.
Meanwhile, two more men had taken hold of Parker. With grips like iron, they escorted him from the ballroom and out the back patio doors. Jupiter led the way, his stride almost smug. He took a path into the garden, and after a couple minutes and several twists and turns he stopped and turned around. They were far from the castle now, the sounds of the party barely discernible above the winter wind blowing through bare trees. There was also several bushes and hedges blocking their view of the ballroom.
The men holding Parker stopped a few feet from the prince and forced Parker to his knees before him. The men with the dogs continued down the path, dragging the struggling, snarling animals with them.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 27, 2023 10:47:58 GMT -5
Logically, traveling by dragon back was the best way to travel. It was faster and easier than having to secure horses and gear and picking correct roads to take someone where they wanted to go. However, Kyra would never understand how the Riders could stand the high altitude for such a long period of time. Don't get her wrong, she had no issues with flying. However, her scattered flights were only enough to get her used to the flying itself and not the dizzying heights of the popping of her ears due to the changes in altitude. It could always be worse, she reminded herself. Still, when they arrived at their destination, she gladly hopped to the ground and followed the others to look out over the forest.
"I'll never understand how someone needs such a big house," Kyra muttered, staring at the mansion in the distance. While he might not have been able to see the smaller buildings beyond the house, she knew there must have been some around. No mansion would be built in the complete middle of nowhere. Not without residency for others, whether it be for the staff of the house or a town to supply trade.
~*~*~*
The anger welled inside him. Did the prince really think he didn't know that? He was more than aware that he didn't belong here, but that didn't mean he was going to be staying here. He was only here to support his lover so he wouldn't have to suffer with his so called family alone. Yet before Parker could even say anything, arms were around him.
He kicked and struggled, trying to break the holds of those who were dragging him out like he had practiced many times before. Yet when training with Sol, he had been prepared to be grappled. His body was ready for the action and it was easier to respond. Now, he hadn't been aware of any sort of action. Not in the middle of the party. Yet it hadn't seemed like any of the other guests had paid the apprehension of the man and two dogs any attention. Or perhaps they saw Jupiter and decided it was better to just stay silent. Most likely the latter.
Now, under the cold light of the moon and sharp air digging into exposed skin, Parker glared up at the crown prince with a fiery hatred. "So what now? You're just going to beat me up for doing nothing but showing up? I knew you royal bastards were petty, but I didn't think you would stoop this low. You can’t even handle me yourself. Afraid?”
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jun 28, 2023 13:00:01 GMT -5
Fredrick began the debriefing. "That is your target. It is the home of Lord Alfrick, a wealthy ex-soldier with one of the best calvary and archery forces in the country. Their skills are great enough and their numbers large enough that they would be a great asset in our fight against Genevieve and her army of Dragon Riders. However, Lord Alfrick is proud and rather... unmotivated to join the fight, on either side. Your task," he said, looking at Morgan, "is to convince him to aid us. By any means necessary, save force or coercion. We need his willing support, or he will become more of a liability than an asset."
He turned to Kyra. "Kyra. These kinds of negotiations are familiar to you, and you could probably gain Alfrick's support with little effort. But for this mission, you are to do nothing but advise Morgan behind closed doors. Do not interfere with the negotiations in any way. We need to know that he can do this, not confirm that you can. Understood?"
☆~☆~☆ Jupiter laughed. "Of you? No. You don't honestly think Sol is the only prince who's spent time as a soldier, do you?" He shook his head, lips quirked with amusement. "In any case, I didn't bring you out here to beat you up. That's so... common. No, my plan is much more original."
He pulled a small vial from his pocket and held ut up so the moonlight shone on the pale liquid within. "Do you know what this is, Petro?"
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 30, 2023 19:25:54 GMT -5
Kyra listened to the debriefing closely and silently. Truthfully, she could have come up with a couple ways to try and win the lord over to their cause, but she knew that this was not her challenge. Did she like the idea of staying in the back not doing anything? Not at all. She was very much a person who preferred to do some of the work, if not all of it. Yet this was Morgan's chance to prove he was willing to work and could be useful. For that, she could bite down her irritation of being an advisor. For now anyway.
"Understood," Kyra replied with a nod. "Do you have any intel that might be useful in navigating the mission. Anything he's particularly fond of? Political viewpoints? Names of close family or friends that are partial to our cause? Any favorite food or drinks that might be used to set a relaxed and pleasant scene for conversation?"
~*~*~*
(Petro! XD)
Parker could have easily thrown a punch then and there at the prince for deliberately giving him the wrong name. Royals had never been high in favor for him. No one in Ashborne really cared much for them. Their little town was so far from the capitol, and small at that, to warrant any attention from the government other than when taxes were to be collected. He'd spoken with Jupiter in total for maybe an hour at most collectively, and it was more than enough to know that this was not a he could muster even polite respect he had shown for Sol's mother.
His eyes never moved from Jupiter's face, not even when he produced a vial of liquid. For a moment, he wasn't actually concerned about it. It was a scare tactic. Nothing more. Just some power hunger jerk enjoying throwing his authority and stature around. There was no way he would actually do anything, especially not tonight. "I'm surprised you even asked," Parker spat. "Is it the tonic you take to help you try and be barely decent in bed?"
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Aug 8, 2023 11:42:15 GMT -5
"Not this time." Frederick looked from Kyra to Morgan. "It's the responsibility of the spy in charge to learn that information beforehand."
Morgan frowned. "I wasn’t given that chance."
Frederick shrugged. "You have forty-eight hours. Any plan you devise is up to you. If you think you can convince Alfrick in less than that, then you can use the extra time to gather intel before going in. It's your show, Reilly."
Morgan nodded, his frown not fading, though it did become more thoughtful.
Frederick shared a look with Nick and Sebastian, and they all nodded.
"Right!" Sebastian clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "We'll pick you two up here tomorrow night. Your window is fifteen minutes, starting at midnight. Miss it, and you're walking to the nearest safehouse for later pickup. Got that?"
Morgan held up one hand. "Where's the nearest safehouse?"
"Kyra knows," Nick answered, already walking back toward the dragons. Frederick followed.
Sebastian gave them a thumbs up as he began backing away. "Good luck, kids. And remember: have fun!" He threw one hand up with a "Whoop!" as he turned in place and jogged after his comrades.
A minute later, all three dragons were lifting off into the dky and powering for home, leaving Morgan and Kyra alone on the hill.
☆~☆~☆ Jupiter just smirked, unbothered by the jab. "Not quite." He offered the vial to one of the guards. The man started walking toward Parker with intent. "Drink up, buttercup."
The two men holding Parker tightened their grips as the third reached them. He grabbed a handful of Parker’s hair and yanked his head back, unstoppering the vial. "Open wide," he said in a bored voice.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 10, 2023 19:46:26 GMT -5
Of course, it was. Kyra had to resist the urge to sigh. This wasn't entirely Morgan's fault. She was used to being the spy in change due to mainly being sent in solo missions. And the times she had help, she made sure to be around when the debriefing was made. Morgan wasn't a spy. He wouldn't have known to ask for the information, nor, as he said, was he given the time to do so. Nevertheless, she wasn't happy going in so under prepared. And had only fifteen minutes of wiggle room to be here after it's all done. If Morgan made them late for pick up, she swore to any of the gods he was dead.
"It's almost a little unsettling how much he acts like Seth," she mumbled, half to herself and half to Morgan as she watched their leader follow the others to the dragons. It was hard to believe he was the one in charge sometimes, but at least he wasn't a controlling dictator.
"Alright," She muttered as soon as the Riders had left them to their difficult mission. "What's your plan? Please tell me you at least have some experience with recon and gathering intel."
*~*~*
Parker glared the prince down, doing his best to defy him for as long as he could. As his head was yanked back, his jaw clenched shut. There was little he could do to free himself, but he at least wasn't going to make it easy for his captors. After all, he was used to five older brothers wrestling and getting him to eat weird and gross things all the time. This would be no difference. This he could manage too.
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