24
Single
Guard
Tier 2 Character
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Post by Dunstan DeGraff on Jul 15, 2020 12:21:20 GMT -5
Apparently as "cool" as Dunstan tried to be, he had failed, as he saw his brother sighing at him and pointing to where he should be going. He made an "I don't know what you're talking about" face at him, and turned to walk towards the party. Technically Cian was his superior and they were on the job. In a different situation, Dunstan might have continued the act of being in denial. Playing it up as best he could, but they had a serious job to do, and Dunstan took his job seriously.
There was an uneasiness in the air, and maybe it was because he'd just practically ran from the DeGraff home here, that his heart was still pounding quickly in his chest. But something didn't feel right the closer he got the party, and he couldn't help but stop. One his hands reaching back to grip the hilt of one of his butterfly swords. His dark gaze slowly scanned the trees and bushes, and there was a snap of a twig that was his only warning, before he saw the flaming, yes flaming, arrow coming at his head. He threw himself to the side with a grunt, as the arrow zipped on by. Rolling, he landed in a crouch, unsheathing one of his swords, as his eyes tried to find the archer. He kept his head down, and something switched in him, as his face took on a look of seriousness. Lazer focus, that's what he was. There was a brief thought that he should turn and hightail it to protect the king, but he didn't want an arrow in his back, and there were other guards around the King as well. However he most certainly needed to sound the alarm that there was an attack. This was attack right? Of course it was! Who sent flaming arrows into a party?! People who wanted the king dead of course. He heard a shout in the direction Cian had been in, and adrenaline began to course through his veins. His mind beginning to wonder how many intruders they would be dealing with.
Reaching for his left side he grabbed the signal horn he tended to carry with him and quickly brought it to his lips, and blew on it. The sound was loud and carried through the air in a deep "baaaabuuuuuuum." He was able to get one lungful of air out before there was a crashing noise through the bushes, as the archer that had launched their arrow at him came charging out of the bush, tackling Dunstan to the ground.
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Orion
27
Unavailable
Guard Captain (Warden Inquisitor)
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Post by Sebastian Arcturis on Jul 15, 2020 20:57:56 GMT -5
Cian's shout was all he needed to here. As much as the DeGraff brothers were not ideally grouped up in one place, it did seem fortunate considering that was where the main attack was coming from. But there were other guards. Those not already on alert from the shout were from the horn and some arrows. The arrows weren't a strong indication of who the attackers were however.
Regardless, Sebastian returned to the king's side in an instant, drawing his normal blade. As much as he wanted to personally keep an eye on Cera as well, there was a specific person he was required to protect. Once the king was secured he could move on from there.
"Guards, defend your monarch!" He called firmly and confidently to the other soldiers around the party. Many converged on the king, others on the Princess and a few of the other guests. A few more arrows broke the trees, most missing their mark through the under brush or deflected. He sought one of the guard lieutenants. "Ensure a route to the castle and escort the guests there."
He didn't look at the monarch while he spoke, sesrching for more direct threats than what he could hear in the woods beyond. "Your Majesty, we need to get you somewhere safe." It wasn't an order but it was more than a suggestion. Before anything else happened, Allerick needed to be protected, returned to the castle proper, and Sebastian would see to that his best guards defended him. Including the Warden Inquisitor himself if necessary.
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Magpie
23
Noble
L.I.W to Princess Cera
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Post by Rosemary McIntyre on Jul 16, 2020 19:05:57 GMT -5
Rosemary smiled brightly at her cousin's instruction not to worry. "I'll do my--" she cut off as a clamor began to rise up around them: first a shout, then a horn, and now weapons were being drawn all around them. Concern wiped the smile from her face as she rose to her feet. "Aoife, I think we need to go..." she said tremulously. She was already turning to do as she said when she abruptly froze--the rest of the blood drained from her already pale face when she saw figures emerging from the wood hardly a yard from where they sat. Each one held a weapon, and their faces were covered below the eyes with a dark cloth. Rosemary stumbled backward, horrified, and nearly tripped over her own feet. What was happening? Who were all these people? Surely they weren't here to--to-- Her eyes widened as the realization that her friend, the princess, and her father were in terrible danger. Somehow that mattered far more to her than her own life, and she glanced in a hurry over her shoulder at Cera Le'Orin. She was grateful to see that @gabriel had already stepped in to defend her. While she wouldn't have expected it of the somewhat caustic man, she was in no position to complain. She turned to Aoife Lee Frye to ask what they should do, just as a flaming arrow embedded itself in the table between them and the tablecloth quickly began to burn.
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Magpie
36
Widower
Unseelie Court
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Post by Oberon on Jul 16, 2020 20:54:57 GMT -5
Oberon emerged from the woods with sword drawn, far from the king. As much as he would like to kill the man himself, he knew that to put himself directly in the path of the most guards was reckless. And, more than that, he was not expecting to get away with murdering Allarick so easily. No, today was less about murder and more about fear. A demonstration of sorts. Certainly, if they managed to kill the king on the first try, that would be a welcome turn of events, but he had other plans. The Unseelie emerging from the tree line, as well as those still hidden within it, launching flaming arrows into the gathered nobles, had been instructed to cause as much chaos as possible. They also had specific instructions not to harm Cera Le'Orin . Quite the opposite, in fact--if at all possible, the woman was to be taken with them unharmed. At the very least, they wished to get her a message...an invitation, in fact. After all, if the queen had been killed for her magic, there was no small chance that her daughter was one of the same... A royal, and a mystic? Of course, she would be a welcome ally for any mystic uprising. A guard charged him, and Oberon had the gall to roll his eyes as he smoothly rebuffed the man's attack. "An excellent try," he remarked, "But I think you're underestimating your opponents."He raised his hand, and another volley of flaming arrows flew into the party while the sword and ax-wielding fighters who had emerged from the woods now moved into action, advancing on the guests and guards. One of the arrows struck his attacker in the shoulder, burying itself deep in the flesh as the man cried out. Oberon's smile was one of grim satisfaction. "The Unseelie have you surrounded. Surrender and you will not be harmed." He announced to the crowd in a booming voice. Another ploy--they had a large number with them, but not as many as they appeared to be. They had every intention of retreating eventually, vanishing back into the night. But he wanted it clear that the others, the innocents, were not the target, and that only those who fought would be harmed. This was about the king and his wardens. He knew full well that in the chaos there were bound to be casualties on both sides, and the loss of some nobles was to be expected, but he would not intentionally slaughter them. At least, he would not...the same could not be said of some of the others. He ought to be more bothered by that, perhaps, but needs must.
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Pyxis
27
Increasingly complicated
Ex-soldier
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Post by Aoife Lee Frye on Jul 17, 2020 4:24:19 GMT -5
Forgetting present polite company, a curse fell from Aoife’s lips as she sprang to her feet. How had she not seen this? How had this happened? There were guards everywhere, wardens everywhere, and yet they had been surrounded. Weapons had naturally been forbidden at such an event, quite possibly to avoid a situation just like this one. Even without her staff, Aoife was far from defenceless, the same however could not be said for Rosemary McIntyre . Rosemary was her priority. The king could lose his head, the princess could hang, Aoife did not care. As long as Rosemary was safe the ‘Unseelie’ or whatever they were calling themselves could raze this little gathering to the ground. She did not jump or flinch as the flaming arrow hit the table, if it wasn’t for the quick flick of her gaze to it- one would have thought the mystic hadn’t even noticed it. The flames however, those she could use, should she need them. Reaching out, Aoife made to grasp her cousin’s arm as she stumbled backwards, allowing the younger woman to steady herself should she need it. ”Rosemary.” Aoife said firmly, voice calm despite the chaos quickly forming around them. ”Stay close to me, do you understand?” As the stranger’s voice called for surrender, Aoife felt her expression harden and resolve strengthen. Trust had never come naturally to the woman, and this was no exception. Weapons may have been prohibited, but that didn’t mean she had strictly adhered to the rule. A small silver cuff, worn on her upper arm, hid a small blade. Yet Aoife did not reach for it just yet. It was a last resort. Afterall, she preferred a weapon with reach. Instead, grey eyes darted around the scene- weighing up the threat, considering just how she could keep her cousin safe.
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Soleil
35
Single
Warden, Ranger Captain
Tier 2 Character
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Post by Rowan DeGraff on Jul 23, 2020 21:42:54 GMT -5
Rowan grinned Cian and shrugged his broad shoulders, "shouldn't I, though?" He asked quietly. As a warden, they should be light on their feet, quiet and able to sneak up. Just, no one knew of Rowan's abilities to hide in the shadows and that it made it easier to sneak.
At Cian's request, he sighed, folding his arms over his chest and made a gesture with his hand, telling him to proceed with his hypocritical magic, as he liked to call it. He supposed he was no better with being a warden with hidden mystic abilities, but he never understood why the king allowed them to use magic to fight it. To even the score, perhaps, but still--.
He waited quietly, watching Cian and glancing around every so often. He could feel it in his bones--something wasn't right. Rowan crouched down next to Cian and placed a hand on his shoulder. It was always a question of it was dangerous or not to try and interfere with his connection, so he was careful. The man didn't react or respond to his touch. Again, Rowan glanced around, straining his eyes to try and see into the brush that surrounded them.
Suddenly, Cian was yelling just after the arrow was shot towards them, grazing his brother's arm. Eyes widened and he stood up, helping Cian along with him. In the distance, he heard the shouting of Sebastian, who seemingly and thankfully heard Cian's call already. He wasn't about to leave his brother behind and alone, not with the approaching attack of the archers. "Come on!" He pulled Cian along with him, rushing towards the scene, only to stop quickly at the sight of the Unseelie leader, hearing him claim that they were surrounded. He imagined that was what Cian had seen and he sighed, standing still as he tried to figure out and think of what to do.
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Lunari
28
Complicated
Warden Centurion/Guard Elite
Tier 1 Character
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Post by Cian DeGraff on Jul 27, 2020 14:12:13 GMT -5
No. No, he couldn't go yet. There was at least one archer right there, the one that shot him. But Rowan was pulling him in the direction of the party before abruptly stopping, and Cian was trying to clear his head. There was a man talking, someone who dared to think he had some sort of authority to be making threats. He wished he had a bow then, and the thought made him double-back in search of the lone Mystic.
He didn't wait for his brother, rushing across the forest floor in swift steps as he unsheathed the knife at his lower back. Anger pushed him faster, closer to the archer who was revealing himself with another arrow notched to his bow. He released it at Cian who drifted to the side to narrowly miss the flying projectile before booted feet carried him quickly up and over a fallen tree; pushing off to leap the remaining gap between them. Hand brought the knife down into the man's chest as both tumbled to the ground, and the bow was his. In a passing thought, he took the dark cloth from the man's now motionless face as well.
There were no other enemies in the area, from what he could recall, as they were already congregated around the party now. The nobility were scrambling and calling out, bunching together in the middle of the clearing as Sebastian was setting the guards into motion. But there wasn't a definite way out for them...and yet, the Mystics weren't advancing any closer, they weren't attacking with deadly blows when they quite obviously could. Were they here for the king? Just the king?
The man wanted them to surrender. Good luck with that.
Fortunately, for the king, not all of his men were inside that circle. The DeGraffs were loose and Cian was already trying to form a plan. To take on all of these people (he was assuming they were all Mystics) with just the two of them was a foolish idea and impossible. Even if Dunstan was still lingering nearby, it was not going to happen. No, the priority was getting these people to safety, and if they could bring down the leader of this Unseelie Court in the process, even better.
"I might have an idea," he was telling his brother, a glint of unsureness in his eyes. Oftentimes, his plans were either brilliant or they were horrible, but there was no time to dwell on that now. They had to move. Cian lowered himself to a crouch after they crept a little closer, not daring to too close. People were still scrambling in the clearing, the flaming arrows holding them back from running into the trees where a Mystic was certainly prepared to greet them. "There's far too many..." he whispered to Rowan before he was fashioning the black cloth around the lower half of his face. "But we need to create a path and get these people out." His attention drifted to the much larger man, and he was grinning behind that mask. "So, put that weird stealthiness of yours to good use..." Slinging the bow across his shoulders, he opted to keep the knife out instead. He originally wanted to try and find the source of that authoritative voice, but they were running out of time. And it might only make matters worse. "Give me a few seconds...then follow, yeah?"
Cian didn't wait for his brother to respond before he was silently advancing forward, drifting as far away from Oberon's voice as he could to find a pair of archers waiting silently in the brush. He knew Rowan wouldn't be too far behind, so there was no hesitation on his part. He approached them, still in a crouch, waltzing right up to the one on the left. "So...we supposed to go in and attack yet?" he whispered, distracting them long enough for his brother to approach. They would probably be confused, but seeing as how he was wearing a "mysterious" face cloth, too, perhaps they wouldn't question him. That is, until his gloved hand was falling over the closest one's mouth and his knife jabbed straight into the man's side.
Through the bushes, he could see the fires. He heard the king yelling, he thought he caught a glimpse of the princess as well. When his attention shifted, he saw Aoife Lee Frye and her cousin backing away from one of the tables. Fingers were suddenly scrambling for a small stone...before carefully chucking it at her to try and get her attention. Hey, would you look at that! He could skip stones out of water! Somehow. If it worked, those bright eyes would find her own, and he pulled down on the mask a little to show it was him. She was going to have to help get people over.
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Lunari
25
Apparently betrothed...
Princess of Teronna
Tier 2 Character
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Post by Cera Le'Orin on Jul 27, 2020 14:53:26 GMT -5
There was certainly disappointment on her face after the arrow struck, even if it hadn't been a terrible shot. But with this man standing there, watching with those cool, calculating eyes, Cera had this need to prove she was far more than just a princess. And yet...wasn't that all she was? She had had dreams growing up, visions of what life would be and of what she could make of it that all shattered the moment her father became obsessed with his war on magic. She felt like nothing but an ornament now, just another thing he could parade around like this wealth and this party.
Lord Rohan's voice, so low and so close made her immediately forget everything. Her back straightened, her breath caught within her throat. 'Perhaps all you need is a better target.' Cera paused for a moment. Like you? she almost said but the words never left her tongue. Instead, she was turning her face to look at him, unsure of what to say or how to respond to that. And she wouldn't get the chance to as a sudden flicker of fire grabbed both their gazes and she gasped out loud.
All of a sudden, flaming arrows began to rain down upon the party; halting the music and conversation instantly to be replaced with the sounds of running feet and yelling cries. Just as Rohan was drawing her behind him, she was subconsciously gripping at his arm in panic. Bright eyes swept across the patrons of the party, searching for her father, seeing that Sebastian was already rushing to his side. A swivel of her head, she was looking for her handmaiden. "Rosie?!" she called out but was too afraid to move. Cera would eventually spot her by her cousin just after an arrow embedded itself onto the table they had previously been seated at.
The guards were already moving in, circling around her and her father and she was too afraid to move still. Especially when that voice rose over the chaos, demanding that they surrender. Who was that? Were these Mystics...or just people seeking some sort of revenge? Her voice was trapped within her throat now and she didn't know what to do or what to say; her fingers curling tighter into the fabric at Lord Rohan's arm. Sebastian was here. He would get them out. She held onto that thought because her very life depended upon it, and the lives of these damned fools who thought coming to such a party was a grand idea.
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aka Kyra
Ancient.
Married.
Co-Admin & Site Designer
Tier 1 Character
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Post by Lunari on Jul 27, 2020 15:04:08 GMT -5
The king almost missed the distant shout. It was the sound of the horn that really got his attention and he was immediately rising up from his chair, the women around him screaming. The table jostled from his abrupt standing and he spun around just as the arrows crashed through the brush to set things aflame. "Arcturiiiiiiiis!" he called out, but the captain was already giving out orders as the guards rushed in to protect him and his guests. "Where is Cera?! Where is my daughter?" Allarick sounded more angry than he was nervous, listening to whomever the Mystic man was, daring to try and hold authority here. This was his land, his kingdom, and he was going to die for this insolent interruption!
When Sebastian was at his side, a hand was gripping him by the shoulder. "I want him found- whoever he is!" Still, he nodded to acknowledge his words that they had to get out, but they were going to be quick to realize just how surrounded they really were. That didn't stop the old man from laughing out loud, already defying Oberon's words. "You do not come here and demand anything of me, traitor!"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2020 15:20:20 GMT -5
Good grief, the man was like a child with a new puppy, he looked so happy she knew his egotistical theme song. Saffron wanted to roll her eyes more than anything in that moment, but she kept her smoothest smile on her lips as the two of them continued the ballad. It wasn't terribly hard, although it took her a bit of concentration to remember the words--concentration that was completely obliterated when a flaming arrow streaked past her nose and buried itself in the edge of the stage. Her voice faltered to a halt and she stared in abject horror at the scene unfolding around them.
She could hardly process what was happening, and so she stood frozen in the middle of the stage with her hands over her heart.
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Magpie
23
Noble
L.I.W to Princess Cera
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Post by Rosemary McIntyre on Aug 2, 2020 16:05:55 GMT -5
Rosemary did as Aoife Lee Frye said without hesitation, immediately shifting a bit closer to her. She was grateful to be with someone who knew what they were doing, else she knew she'd have been a sitting duck, absolutely useless to anyone, including herself. There was just one other problem--when she looked back at the masked figures closest to them, she recognized the silver eyes gleaming back at her. Magnus. She gasped and almost fainted in her absolute horror; the world swam for a few seconds, but she managed to catch herself on the back of the chair and forced herself to stand up again. How could her ex-fiance be siding with the Unseelie? He'd been here in the court the entire--oh, gods. He'd been here in the court the entire time. She watched those silver eyes crinkle in a grin as he raised a finger to his black-shrouded lips. 'Hush,' he told her without a word, 'No one will believe you this time either.
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Pyxis
27
Increasingly complicated
Ex-soldier
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Post by Aoife Lee Frye on Aug 3, 2020 5:47:03 GMT -5
Even amongst the chaos that surrounded them: the panicked nobles, the advancing rogues, and the literal fire that was consuming the table at which Aoife and her cousin had been sat- the clattering of a small pebble managed to catch her attention as it skittered to a stop at the hem of her skirts. Grey eyes darted beneath furrowed brows towards the direction it had come from. The confusion on her face deepened as she met those bright blues she knew belonged to Cian DeGraff seconds before he pulled down the mask- what was he doing with them? It had only been a few moments, at least it felt that way, since she had seen him by the perimeter, on guard duty. If they lived through this, Aoife would have a lot to say about that.
Right now, however, there was more to worry about. A lot more.
The other guards could worry about the princess and the king, Sebastian could concern himself with their welfare and protection. For Aoife, Rosemary was first, after that- anyone else she could protect would just be a bonus. Instinctively, as she heard the gasp, Aoife reached out for her cousin. The woman was ignorant to the man that had almost made her cousin faint, brought that wave of horror crashing over her, instead Aoife just assumed it was the initial attack that had made her cousin gasp like that. ”Rosemary, I need you to focus now.” The woman hissed, not having the seconds to waste on softening the blow. Again, she looked over to Cian again- he was amongst the Unseelie. But yet, she trusted him, somehow and for some reason she knew the soldier wouldn’t be one of them. ”I need you to run for the trees, straight ahead okay- there’s a man with blue eyes, keep as low as you can and do not look back just keep going okay?” Meanwhile, Aoife needed a better weapon than the little knife on her arm.
”Go, Rosemary, I’ll be right behind you.” It wasn’t exactly true, once she saw Rosemary safe, then she could focus on the rest of the guests- Aoife may not have been in the employ of the crown any longer, but that didn’t mean she was capable of walking away from this. ”Now, please.”
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Orion
27
Unavailable
Guard Captain (Warden Inquisitor)
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Post by Sebastian Arcturis on Aug 3, 2020 22:15:23 GMT -5
Sebastian heard the leader's words. But he didn't give him the respect of listening to them. Of course, the rogue mystics (if that was what they really were, so far, all he had seen was a bunch of flaming arrows and he wasn't about to assume one way or the other what these people were) had any wardens present at a disadvantage. They couldn't use their magic publicly. Cian's was subtle enough, at least. And Bastian was aware of what some of his other men could do. But many, himself included, couldn't use their weapons.
A flaming sword would mark him quite a bit. It would also make him a target. Which, if it came down to it, he could do. But not yet. The flaming arrows seemed specifically designed to deter or attack guards. Not civilians. Well, for the moment. As for being surrounded...this was exactly why he hated the choice of venue. But Bastian was confident he and the guards could fight their way out, magic or not, surrounded or not. Baird and a few of the other guards were already ushering guests toward the castle. More guards would have heard the horn being blown as well, so it wouldn't be long before the Unseelie had a small army to deal with from the city.
"The Princess is with Rohan and other guards." As for the leader...Bastian looked back toward the man, studying his eyes a moment. He wanted to deal with the man right now, but there were more important things. Later. He could skewer the man later. "He will be sir. But we need to move." He wasn't above pushing the king if he had to. Allarick's job might be to posture and demand, but Bastian's was to see to his safety. Of course, if the man decided to stand there, then his royal guard captain would too. Unless told otherwise, his men would escort guests away (fighting if they had too, but there were wardens among them) and Sebastian would stand by his king, sword drawn but unlit.
Bastian found it slightly frustrating to be tied down. He was used to working more or less on his own, not having to defend others. Maybe he didn't enjoy being a guard so much, but he was dedicated. He batted down a few arrows aimed for himself and the King and some of his retainers with them, taking a few to his own armor but nothing he couldn't put out or ignore in the moment.
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Soleil
35
Single
Warden, Ranger Captain
Tier 2 Character
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Post by Rowan DeGraff on Aug 30, 2020 23:00:21 GMT -5
Rowan was often conflicted with himself because of what he was capable of. He was a mystic trapped in a family and a world where he was supposed to be fighting and guarding against them. His family had been known for becoming part of the wardens and he was expected to follow suit. He hadn't known of his abilities at first, and when he had learned of them, he felt he had betrayed his family and the king. It was why he had decided to hide it- even from his own family. He would never be able to be himself. Still, he would use it when he needed to, or could- but carefully. Always carefully.
Cian was with him, which meant hiding in the shadows would not be an option unless he turned his back and gave him a chance to disappear.
Rowan stood and watched the scene unfold, trying to devise a plan as well until his younger brother was claiming he might have an idea. Green eyes focused on him, catching that unsureness he held. As he crouched down, Rowan moved along with him, nodding in agreement. Yes, far too many of them. He turned his attention back to the crowd, scanning the area to see if he could find or create some sort of path to get the people out of the situation.
So, put that weird stealthiness of yours to good use...
He smirked faintly and nodded, "I'll do my best." He remained crouched even as his brother stood and instructed him to follow after a few seconds. Rowan watched him walk off before he finally stood, backing away into the shadows of the trees and disappearing, but making his way towards where Cian headed.
Just as his brother attacked the man, Rowan was instantly behind the other man, grabbing hold of his head and twisting it in a swift movement, and breaking the man's neck. He collapsed to the ground before he ever had a chance to react.
He stood straight, quickly glancing around before noticing his brother tossing stones. Brow furrowed in confusion and his gaze followed the direction of the stone, where he caught sight of the woman Cian was gaining the attention of. "What're you doin', Cian?"
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Magpie
23
Noble
L.I.W to Princess Cera
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Post by Rosemary McIntyre on Aug 31, 2020 18:40:13 GMT -5
Run into the trees, straight into the attackers? And not look back? Rosemary gaped at her cousin in abject horror, more upset by her instructions than by anything that was happening. Surely her cousin couldn't expect her to leave her behind! But once she saw the look on Aoife's face, she knew she meant every word--and probably a few that she hadn't included. How easily she had forgotten that her cousin, though gentle with her, was no stranger to violence. She swallowed hard. She was going to be in Aoife's way if she stayed here. She wasn't foolish enough to truly believe that Aoife would just walk away from all this, but she wasn't foolish enough to argue with her, either. "I know full well you don't mean that. But please, be careful," she pleaded, resting her hand briefly on her cousin's shoulders before she crouched sharply and ran forward, barely sliding away from a lunging grasp by the Unseelie she knew was Magnus. But now...how was she supposed to find the right blue eyed man? How did Aoife even know Cian DeGraff was there?
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