Guardian Angel From Afar

[Adam Cathain]

It wasn’t often that Adam was allowed to have guard detail over the princess. Usually the more skilled, higher up guards had that honor, but someone was out sick and they needed someone to fill in. Adam had been the first one suggested to his surprise, which he considered possibly a good thing. He wondered if the fact he was also secretly a Warden had anything to do about him being chosen. With the recent Rogue mystic attack, he thought it made perfect sense. The princess needed protecting, and Adam thought he was the perfect one for the job. There was no one who would protect her more fiercely then he would. Why?

That’s what big brothers did.

He was dressed in the typical guard uniform, sword sheathed at his side. He had at least a week's worth of beard growth along his jaw, and his dark hair curled slightly at the ends around his ears. He’d merely ran a hand through it that morning in ways of “brushing” it, so he was a bit unruly and maybe a bit ruffled as he walked down the corridor of the castle in search of the Princess. He found the two guards stationed outside her door, one was holding it open as one of her ladies maids came out carrying some gowns he could only assume needed mending. He side stepped out of the way of the blonde, turning his head to watch after her. There was a rumor he thought about one of the ladies being pregnant, and he wondered if that was the one.

“You Dog?” The guard holding the door open to the princess’s rooms asked with an arched brow. There was a bit of amusement in his eyes, and Adam resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He should have known honestly. Even the higher up guards knew who he was. He didn’t know whether to feel honored or not his extreme loyalty and willingness to do as told had got him noticed by the elite. He nodded his head, and the guard by the door moved to come next to him. Adam’s bright eyes looked at him sidelong. “Good luck then. She’s in a mood.” He clapped him on the shoulder, and the two began to snicker as they turned to leave.

Adam stuck his foot in the doorway to keep the door from closing and he gripped the handle with one hand, reaching to rap his knuckles against the hardwood. “Princess Cera?” He called. He wanted to introduce himself since he was new to her guard rotation. He couldn’t help the small trickle of excitement or maybe it was nerves, that he’d also be meeting his little sister for the first time. And she didn’t know he existed. She’d find him in the doorway, standing patiently waiting.

Cera Le'Orin

[Cera Le'Orin]

'She's in a mood.' That was kind of putting it lightly. Although Cera hadn't been directing her anger at her maids or the guards, they all knew she was furious.

For whatever reason, she thought she would try to speak with her father again about taking over the regency. She tried asking him to take the time to teach her the ways of rulership, to get her the best tutors because she was very willing to do the best she could. Cera knew she could do it; she wasn't meant to just be some pretty arm candy for a king. A foreign king who would inevitably rule over not only Arcisea but Teronna as well, flushing her out of the picture more than Allarick already was.

That was the plan, wasn't it? Her father believed some man he's never met could lead their country far better than its own princess? Than his own daughter? Did he not trust her or believe in her? No, he rather keep her locked away..."for her own safety".

This resulted in a screaming match until Allarick was red in the face and her throat was sore from trying to scream over him. She couldn't remember the last time they had fought that badly- the guards had to literally escort her from the room at the king's demand.

She felt betrayed and forgotten. She felt useless and pointless. As angry as she was, Cera knew she couldn't give up. She was desperate to make him understand and see just how capable she could be.

So, yes, she was certainly in a mood.

Upon hearing her name, she was stepping out from her bedroom into the main area of her quarters. "What?" she spat before coming to an abrupt pause. Her face scrunched in a grimace when hearing her own tone, and she looked immediately apologetic after. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" The princess sighed before finally noticing the guard in her doorway. She didn't recognize him. Those bright eyes narrowed softly in her curiosity, her head canting just a little bit as she sought her mind for a name. She was normally very good with faces, but she did not remember his. "Hello..." Cera added, a little cautiously.

[Adam Cathain]

Oooooh she was certainly in a mood. Adam noted from the way he heard her spat and she came out of her bedroom. Ocean blue eyes took in the woman that had appeared. Adam felt himself still, and there was a pressure in his chest as he looked at her. Taking in her features, the way she held herself, the curl of her dark hair, those bright eyes that almost seemed to be a slightly more greener version of his own.

He felt a longing he knew he could never have. He accepted a lot of things that he couldn’t have. Eve being one, and the mother he’d never had the chance to know, and the sister that he’d never gotten to meet. Until now.

He was too busy caught up in his own mind to realize he was staring. His thoughts were currently along the lines of “does she look just like mother? Would Father recognize her right away if he saw her?” Before he realized what he was doing. “Ah-” he gave a small shake of his head, clearing his thoughts as he stood up a bit straighter. A sheepish smile appeared on his slightly bearded face. ‘Adam Cathain your Grace,” He quickly introduced himself. Fisting his hands at his side dropped down into a bow. Feeling his stringy dark hair sliding forward as gravity set in.

He rose then as his usually carefree smile crossed his face. “I’ve been added to your guard rotation, I wanted to introduce myself.” He explained.

[Cera Le'Orin]

With how much her father was locking things down as of late, she did not suspect this man to not who he claimed to be. The previous guard would have made sure of it, but even still, the princess couldn't help but appear a little wary but she would soon relax. She was also trying to calm her boiling blood over the whole situation with the king, and that wasn't the guardsman's fault.

Still, he was staring at her and she wasn't entirely sure why. Cera thought she was kind of pretty, but not enough to warrant this kind of reaction. For some reason or other, though, there was something different about this. There was a familiarity in his eyes, something she couldn't exactly explain, and she furrowed her brow in soft confusion. She regarded him with a slight cant of her head before she offered a polite smile in return. "Nice to meet you, Adam," she told him.

She moved to her vanity as she collected that long hair with her hands to form a low ponytail, then with a ribbon, she tied it out of her face. "So, are you just here to say hello, or you on duty now to make sure I don't go run off and do something foolish?" Bright eyes found him in the reflection of the mirror, her smile appearing a little sarcastic. Her displeasure was not with him, but it was clear she was not happy to feel like a prisoner in her own home. Yet, after what happened with Sebastian, she wasn't so keen on trying to sneak off the grounds any time soon.