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Post by ѕкуѕнα∂σω952 on Nov 6, 2016 18:10:44 GMT -5
"More than eighty years." Jaden said, shaking his head slightly. "How crazy is that?" The butler kept walking, then paused as he saw one of the balcony rooms with it's door slightly open. That's odd. He came up here now and then, and all the doors were closed out of... respect? He didn't really know. "Hello?" He called, holding this hand out to stop Hazel and tensing up, thinking of the stories of finding rebels hiding out up here; there was a reason they had started guards on their shifts up here again, once a month.
Quinn smiled as she continued to kiss Gil, then froze as a voice rang down the hall. The Selected girl sat up abruptly, gently shoving Gil off of her and standing up, combing her hands through her hair frantically, hoping there was nothing to reveal what was occurring. "Someone's here." She breathed, her heart beating faster.
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2016 18:18:31 GMT -5
Hazel whistled. "That's kind of ridiculous. You'd think they'd find a use for all this space...like, housing orphans or--or something." That actually didn't sound like a completely terrible idea. She'd have to remember that one. She had slowed down to scope out a good place to sit and sketch when Jaden's change in demeanor caught her attention. She frowned suspiciously. "Who are you talking to?" she asked, probably too loudly. And why was he standing like that, all stiff? Was something wrong? It was hard to believe anything could go wrong here, but he was atarting to make her nervous.
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2016 18:29:42 GMT -5
Crystal's surprise showed clearly on her face for a second or two before she was able to regain her previous, hopefully composed expression. It made sense, she supposed, his requesting to be called Andrew. That was his name, and they were dating...even if the circumstances were incredibly unconventional and thus slightly awkward. Ok, very awkward. Besides, he was using her name. She nodded slightly. "Andrew, then," she breathed. It sounded wrong without the title of "prince" in front of it, but she had to admit that it would be tiresome to always have to address somebody by a title while on a date. Also...Andrew was a very nice name. She liked saying it. It seemed so much more...friendly, intimate, even if that intimacy was only an illusion at this point, if that. They knew nothing about each other.
And just like that, all her nerves were back. Her clear blue eyes lit up at the thought of a ballroom and grand piano, though. Just imagine the sound it would make! "I'm sure he would be honored...Andrew. I'm sorry you never had time to learn. It--it can be very--relaxing." That wasn't exactly the word she wanted, but it was the best one she could think of right then.
(Her father's a jazz singer. Basically, I'm picturing him as the Michael Bublé of Illéa, because I was obsessed with his music when I made Crystal. Lol.)
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2016 18:31:01 GMT -5
(Ooohhh, Quill is in trouble now! Dun dun DDUUUNNNN!!!)
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яєɗ
Chrom is overrated you fools
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Post by яєɗ on Nov 6, 2016 18:40:52 GMT -5
Okay okay okay I gotcha.)
"If it's relaxing, I need to try it. I've had stress issues since I was six." Andy wasn't joking. He was six when he started his princely duties, and even that had taken a toll on the raven-haired boy. Not to mention when he was ten and tabloids started reporting Andy wasn't actually King Charles's son. There had been a whole Illéan conspiracy theory that Andy had been the product of an affair his mother had since Andy looked nothing like his parents, and that Charlotte was a Charles's cousin's baby that was born the same time as Andy and passed her off as his twin sister. It hadn't finally blown over until three years later after paternity tests and proof that Andy just looked like Katherine's grandfather. At ten, hearing that he was illegitimate and his twin sister had been taken away from a distant family member was pretty screwed up. And now at eighteen, he was picking a wife. So yeah, saying Andy had dealt with stress pretty much forever. "Well, your father just come. I've heard Mom humming along to some of his songs more than once." Again, there was Andy blowing over official titles for such a common word, something that didn't seem fit to fit the queen.
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2016 19:06:02 GMT -5
Crystal had forgotten about that scandal. She simply had never been able to believe it. It would have been too sad if it had been true. Besides, Andy acted so much like Charles, who could really doubt his parentage and genetics?
Still, his comment made her eyebrows draw together slightly. "I'm-- I'm sorry to hear that." The next comment made her giggle in spite of herself. She self-consciously brought a hand up to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry, I just-- it's hard to picture the queen humming something my father sang. Which is weird on a whole other level, because she's a mother to you but a queen to me, and my father is a father to me but a singer to you, and--" She pressed her hand over her mouth again. She was blabbering. Since when had she ever blabbered? That was a new and uncharacteristic way to deal with her anxiety.
Huh. Anxiety and stress. Maybe it wasn't such an unbelievable idea that they could be a couple after all. The thought sparked a glimmer of hope in the back of her mind.
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Post by ѕкуѕнα∂σω952 on Nov 6, 2016 19:55:04 GMT -5
Jaden walked slowly towards the door. "They doors are always closed." He said softly. "No need to worry, Miss." The butler was suddenly professional again; he was trained not to panic in "situations" like this. His unease would only frighten the guests... "I'm just going to see." Jaden walked forward cautiously, his hand reaching slowly inside his chest where all staff carried a small handgun; it would never kill anyone, too weak. It was more like a BB gun than anything, but it was enough to protect them if something bad had happened. Jaden reached forward and pushed open the door.
Quinn, thinking fast, dropped to the floor and slid under the bed just as Jaden had opened the door, and she knew she wasn't seen. Gil being in the room hopefully wouldn't be suspicious; he was a guard. Guards patrolled this part of the palace... she hoped.
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яєɗ
Chrom is overrated you fools
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Post by яєɗ on Nov 6, 2016 20:08:19 GMT -5
"Why be sorry? None of this is your fault." Except the fact you entered this Selection, which is something I'd rather destroy than keep up with, he thought silently to himself. No way he'd ever say that aloud to her. His gaze, a dark blue, was brought down to the smaller, giggling girl. The giggle and then the blabbering - dare he say she was cute. Pretty.
"I guess it is weird," Andy reflected after a moment. He grew up surrounded by royalty, so hearing a foreign prince or princess refer to a queen or king as mom or dad didn't even make him blink. But as he thought about it...yeah, it was strange. "I never thought of it ever that way. Now I've gotta meet him, just so I can tell the first time I made his daughter laugh was by calling my mom Mom." Andy let out a chuckle. Maybe this whole Selection thing would be alright. ~ Gil's eyes had snapped to the floor as Quinn ducked under the bed, then snapped up to Jaden. Gil and the butler had never been exactly close, maybe a few words here and there. They were friendly enough, but Gil knew he was a strange sight. Messed hair, his shirt rumpled slightly, lips that were slightly swollen. The moment he saw the butler's hand inside his jacket, he froze. Jaden knew Gil in uniform, clean-shaven, hair immaculate, not a Gil that was off-duty in civilian clothing, scruffy, and messy haired. He didn't look all too different, but Gil figured Jaden might possibly be going through an adrenaline high. "Jaden," he greeted, sheepishly, almost. "It's just me Gil, okay? Take your damn hand out of your jacket before you shoot me."
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Post by ѕкуѕнα∂σω952 on Nov 6, 2016 20:22:58 GMT -5
"God, Gil, you scared me." Jaden visibly relaxed, moving his hand to his side. "What the hell are you doing up here? Patrols just happened like... A week ago." The butler looked around and then took the guards' appearance into consideration. Realization dawned upon him. "Oh, uh, sorry man," Jaden stuttered awkwardly, his hand going up to rub the back of his neck.He's obviously here with a girl... Well done, Jaden! "My, uh, my bad." The butler gave an awkward chuckle. "Have... fun?" He began to get out of there before he made a bigger fool of himself. Jaden didn't know that it was the Selected girl in there; he thought it must be some maid, or commoner, guessing Gil probably had girls lining up for him.
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яєɗ
Chrom is overrated you fools
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Post by яєɗ on Nov 6, 2016 20:38:47 GMT -5
"Yeah, you didn't exactly come up here stomping," Gil nodded, relaxing slightly, but not enough. When he told him to have fun, Gil knew Jaden had immediately figured out he had a girl with him. If Gil had known Jaden thought he had women lining up for him, he would have been honored. Instead he just nodded. "Thanks, dude." Gil's eyes darted from the butler to the doorway to see who he was with, the fact he was still slightly on edge and tense didn't take away from the fact that Gil was actually sort of scary with his stoic features and demeanor. "You have the same idea in mind?" Gil asked, true his normal self - if he really was here with a maid for a quick fling he would have asked the question, he knew Jaden knew him well enough to know that. Plus, he was curious as to who the butler was with.
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2016 20:59:47 GMT -5
Hazel frowned slightly and stepped forward so she could peer into the room as well. If Jaden was having a conversation with whoever was up here, clearly there was no danger.
Her green eyes widened in surprise. "Gil. What--" She paused and raised an eyebrow as she got a good look at him and put two and two together. "You know what, never mind." She turned to Jaden. "I think I'd better find a different spot to paint."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Crystal smiled slightly and lowered her hand to her side again. Who would have thought the prince would actually draw a laugh out of her, and so quickly? "It is strange, I suppose, growing up with parents in a spotlight. But then, you've always had your own." Heaven knew Crystal did her best to stay out of spotlights. Or lamplights, candlelight, any light, really. Well, when light was a metaphor for attention. She did enjoy sunlight; she wasn't a vampire. Even her thoguhts were blabbering.
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2016 21:54:14 GMT -5
Crystal shrugged, although their instructor had been insisting from the beginning that queens and princesses should not shrug--it showed uncertainty and submissiveness instead of assurance and power, it was poor posture, and on a lesser but still important note, it shifted and rumpled one's clothes. The last bit sounded silly, but when you were wearing a strapless gown, it did make a difference.
"I suppose so." She was curious to ask him more about it, whether he never imagined it being different, if he liked the attention, if he was really smarter and stronger and better than other people or if he just looked it, and how exactly did he come by all that confidence anyway? But these hardly seemed like appropriate questions for a first date, and honestly she wasn't sure she would have the guts to ask on a second or third date either. Just get through this one, then worry about the rest. So she cast about in her mind for a different topic, preferably one that had at least some link to the current conversation.
Nope. She had nothing. But the silence was worse that randomness. Normally she was at home with silence, but now it just made her worry too much about what disappointing thoughts he might be having about her. She had to seem charming, blithe, pretty, if she could. Attractive in some fashion, not just looks. She knew she was pretty enough, the reviews of her brief modeling career had said as much, but it wasn't something she took pride in. It was just a fact of the way other people seemed to perceive her. But a pretty face or form wasn't enough to be a princess. That took brains and courage and grace.
And conversation skills.
"So...am I really your first 'date,' Your--Andrew?" She braced a glance up at his face, but averted her eyes quickly.
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Post by ѕкуѕнα∂σω952 on Nov 6, 2016 22:18:08 GMT -5
(You have a date?? Good luck Bean! :3)
"What-I-no!" Jaden shook his head almost violently when Gli suggested that he was up here looking for a place to... be with a girl. He wasn't one for that, no girl had exactly come running after this goofy figure of a guy; plus, girls weren't exactly his cup of tea- boys were much cuter, thank you very much. "Yes, come, Lady Hazel, there are other rooms." Jaden waved his hand, feeling a bit flustered. "Have a good day, Officer." Jaden gave a nod and grabbed Hazel's arm, gently pulling her along with him until they had turned a hallway and he looked back towards the Selected girl, trying hard not to break into a laugh at how utterly awkward that was. "That was... geeze, I'm sorry Miss Hazel."
Quinn waited under the bed, holding her breath as the footsteps drew near and the butler and... oh god, was that Hazel? If she saw me in here, I'd be pestered for weeks! And there's no telling that she would tattle on me to get me thrown out... Hating herself for thinking that, especially since Hazel was her friend, Quinn bit her lip, waiting for Gil's voice telling her that she was okay to come out.
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Post by ѕкуѕнα∂σω952 on Nov 6, 2016 22:30:38 GMT -5
(I have Katherine sorta open, she's just walking through the Selected hall :3)
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2016 23:01:11 GMT -5
(That's exciting, Bean! Have fun. Oh, no, the stableboy! *facepalm* I forgot! Sorry! I can post a starter with a stableboy if you want.)
Hazel was more than happy to follow Jaden, quickly, away from the scene. She laughed though, when he did. "Don't apologize. How could we have known?" It was a funny situation, or at least it would be by tonight. But right now it was kind of awkward. Did this sort of thing happen a lot? Was that really appropriate? But then, she supposed, guards and maids probably didn't have a lot of time to go on proper dates, so-- Hm. Who had he been with anyway? She hadn't seen anybody, but he definitely couldn't have been alone... Curious indeed. Suspicious, almost. Unless the girl was incredibly shy? You know what, she decided, [/i]I really don't need or want to try to analyze Gil's love life.[/i] Oh, and didn't that just figure, that she was already on a friendly first-name basis with a guard while she'd hardly seen the prince for a combined total of five minutes since she'd arrived here. It was making her nervous, the waiting. She sighed and shook her head at Jaden. "Thank you for showing me this wing, anyway. I'll jus come back another day."
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Post by ѕкуѕнα∂σω952 on Nov 6, 2016 23:16:09 GMT -5
(I could make one, or Holly could, I'm good either way ^^)
Jaden titled his head, a half smile draping onto his face. "Hey, there are other rooms, if you still have an itch to draw, Miss." The butler waved his hand around. "That used to be the prince's suite, but there's the master bedroom that hasn't been touched in years.. Out of respect for the king that passed, it used to be his room. But it has some sort of feel to it. Or...You know what..." He glanced around. "There's an entryway to the roof from back here. It has some amazing views too. We just technically aren't allowed up there."
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2016 23:23:52 GMT -5
(Ok. Why don't you go ahead, Sky? I have to go to bed now anyway. Good night, all! I'll respond tomorrow.)
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Post by ѕкуѕнα∂σω952 on Nov 6, 2016 23:36:24 GMT -5
(I'm actually off to sleep too... Be on tomorrow! G'night guys )
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Post by Blossomshadow on Nov 7, 2016 14:25:41 GMT -5
I'm off all day tomorrow but I still have to go vote :/
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Post by ѕкуѕнα∂σω952 on Nov 7, 2016 18:13:08 GMT -5
(Oh yeah, thats happening tomorrow x3 eek. I'm not old enough yet, sadly :/ )
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Post by Holly on Nov 7, 2016 19:42:39 GMT -5
(Ha ha, I think we all fell asleep! I hope you enjoy your day off, Blossom. Sky, you aren't old enough to vote yet? Goodness, you're so little! Well, that or I'm so big. Hahaha.)
Hazel's eyebrows rose when he mentioned the roof. Then her expression fell again when he said they weren't supposed to go up. She sighed quietly. "Is better not. I don't want to get in trouble. It's an excellent idea though! Have you been up before?" she asked, tilting her head.
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яєɗ
Chrom is overrated you fools
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Post by яєɗ on Nov 7, 2016 20:48:18 GMT -5
Y'all, I just turned sixteen last month. I can't even get into an R-rated movie.)
Andy had thought all the time what his life would be like if he wasn't a One, the next ruler of Illea. Hell, what his life would be like if he had an older brother. If Charlotte had been a boy and beat him by fifty minutes. His life would be astonishingly different. Then again, he was born for this life. The way he was often described, stoic and level-headed, oftentimes a bit passive or cool, were key factors in proving he was fit to be prince.
At Crystal's words the prince was jerked from thought. "The very first," Andy nodded. Andy had had plenty of opportunities to go on dates, especially with foreign royalty, but he'd always been too busy. Plus, what if he fell in love with a foreign princess or a president's daughter? He wouldn't be able to do anything. He'd have to come back to Illea and hold this Selection. "I doubt I'm your first, though." He wasn't why he said it. He imagined it was his way to probe if she was as clueless as he was. ~~ Once Jaden was gone, shutting the door behind him with a faint click, Gil let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and sunk down onto the edge of the bed. "It's safe," he said softly before planting his elbows on his knees and burying his head in his hands. That had been close - too close. What if Jaden hadn't realized the door was ajar and barged in on them? What if Hazel noticed the smell in the room was the faint scent of Quinn's perfume? Their whole relationship was forged on fear and sneakiness, and while Gil knew it was wrong, he knew he wouldn't be able to stay away from her even if he tried.
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Post by Holly on Nov 7, 2016 21:25:22 GMT -5
(Ha! "If he had an older brother." One named Alec, perhaps. That just kinda made me laugh. So do you with your "Woe is me, I can't get into R-rated movies." They usually aren't any good. Granted, I'm basing this off of a grand total of maybe 20 minutes watching R-movies, but still. There's too much gore or swearing or other inappropriateness in them. It detracts from the plot, which usually isn't very good either. So you aren't missing much.) Crystal blushed slightly. She was his first ever date. And he was hers. What had made him pick her, she wondered? Maybe it was a good thing she didn't know at the time that she was only his first date because of a teasing sister and mere chance. She blushed even more when she had to admit--without looking at him, of course, else she might faint of embarrassment--that, "No, actually...you are." Oh, how undesirable she must seem now, if in all her nineteen years--which already made her older than he was, which was unusual enough in romances at their age--nobody had wanted to go out with her. Why then should he want to? Maybe she should have lied, told him she had been on a date before. Even one little date would make her seem less...less...unlovable.
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яєɗ
Chrom is overrated you fools
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Post by яєɗ on Nov 7, 2016 21:36:55 GMT -5
I'm just sayin' I'm probably the youngest one here and it just proves my point that I can't see an r movie in a movie theater!1!1!1!1!!!!1!1!1 See my parents don't care if I sit in on an r movie (I've done it forever) but I usually can't stand movies to begin with lol. But the gore and stuff doesn't even faze me, it's the possibility of nudity and that stuff that makes me not a fan of them. It's weird watching that in front of your fam ill reply tomorrow Holly, I had some insane sets today and I'm pooped. But I'll be home from school at my normal time so I'll reply definitely before practice)
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