Rebuilding [open thread]

[Aric Demarais]

Boom. Thud. Crack. Noises flowed along the partially damaged roads of the marketplace, covered in that fresh, pristine white of snow. The sun had begun to make its descent, to hide behind the horizon...but the people still worked. The winter's cold was starting to pull away any heat that the sun had previously provided...and yet, the people still worked.
"Ready...lift," he spoke in a light grunt, lifting a large, newly crafted wooden beam onto his shoulder with the help of another man, the shopkeeper who was grateful for the assistance with rebuilding his store. A leather shop, by the looks of it...one that had sadly taken some of the brunt of the war, along with the other shoppes beside it. It wasn't a large step, but it was still another step towards bringing the kingdom back to what it had once been, before the war. That was his purpose here...to assure the rebuilding and the discussed changes were made and finished. He wasn't king...a prince, yes, but not of Avalendor, yet he wanted to be out there helping these people, if only to occupy his constant wandering mind.

He noticed people looking at him, watching him as though waiting for him to suddenly take control of everything. If they only knew that he could care less about the power that was to fall into hands...only because he hardly cared about much of anything anymore these days. He wasn't a truly kind man but he was honorable, though still often reckless at times. There was a struggle in that devastated mind that he couldn't get a hold on, and it seemed to only deepen when he thought of the queen...what she must be going through and feeling after being forced to marry someone like him, after all she had been through. Alexandria had kept herself fairly distant since after they discussed plans for rebuilding...and he didn't blame her. He wasn't particularly a talkative person himself. But those vulnerable eyes portrayed her every saddened emotion and it bothered him to look at her. It caused him to cringe inside and wonder if he should simply back out of this arrangement and request his brother to reconsider. Something was hurting her more than she let on, obviously something she was not about to share with him...but it was also bothering him. He wondered if he himself would be able to handle this political arrangement. He knew why Edward had put him into this situation, at least one reason, and it angered him every time to think about it.

Breath filtered passed cold lips in a puff of chilled air, but he hardly felt the winter weather now. His body was too warm from the exertion and labored work, lifting the wooden beam up for others to nail into place. Giving himself a moment to rest and breathe, he moved his way to a barrel of water to bring the cool liquid to his mouth for a drink; eyes idly looking around towards the others as they worked.

[Orin Evans]

: The sounds of echoed banging from hammers coming down upon nails surrounded the area. It had become a common noise for Elysium these days. But it was finally being done. That eerie silence of death that had lingered on for months was now replaced with the sounds of labor. This arrangement his sister had made with the King of Tresteria, was proving to become reliable. Things were getting done, at last.

Now, instead of training for war, he kept himself busy by helping with the rebuilding of Elysium. There was still a lot left to do. Nearly every building needed repair and they needed to get the village back in order to attract travelors into their land. They needed the business again.

So Orin made himself useful there in the village.. Helping to get the shops back up and running. Though today, he seemed a bit distracted. There he was, his sister's future husband. A man he knew nothing about. A man she knew nothing about. He couldn't help but feel bitter towards the man. Why was he doing this? Was he just out here helping to make himself look good? Whatever.
Every so often, he'd raise his eyes from his work to look over at him, as if waiting for him to make a move to start ordering someone around... To mess something up.

He was on the roof of the blacksmith's shop, fixing the loose shingles and nailing them down. The winter's air was cold, but he was sweating from the sun that had been out moments ago, and from all the work he had been doing.
When he glanced back up from his work to glance over at the prince, he was no longer there. He searched around and saw him right below the building he was working on, taking a sip of water. Carefully, he climbed down from the building and went over to the barrel casually before he took a drink himself, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt.
With a smug tone, he spoke. "What are you doing here?"

[Aric Demarais]

Dark eyes closed over as he felt the cold water slip down his throat, the faint talking and the constant banging of hammers filling his ears. Then the scuffle of footsteps closer, bringing him to open his eyes and find another man nearing the water barrel. It was proper mannerism to greet him, even with just a simple nod of the head...and as he was about to, Aric heard the words spoken to him in a tone of voice he had yet to hear, but was certainly waiting for. Attention turned from Orin, jaws clenching tight to control his own voice as he'd reply back, coolly and almost emotionless as always. "Why shouldn't I be here?" Now, he could have simply stated that he had wanted to be there helping, that he felt he should be, and that everyone- title or no- should be...but he didn't. He didn't believe the other deserved such an answer like that.

Brows furrowed a bit at his response. What was that supposed to mean? His jaw clenched and lips opened to say something, but instead, he just stood there thinking. Eyes narrowed at him and he let out a short and sarcastic laugh. "Oh I'm sure the people 'round here can give you several reasons why you shouldn't be here... Your highness." He shook his head. "You think by being around here doing all this work, the people will accept this?" He scoffed lightly and threw the ladle he had taken from the barrel, causing it to splash water upward a bit. He turned and started to walk away, but stopped, turned back to him and spoke harshly. "Why don't you just take your high and mighty self and get the hell outta here?" He was fuming with rage. It probably was not a good idea for him to be saying these sort of things to his sister's future husband... But he just could not stand the thought of her marrying some man she did not know just because she felt it was the only way. She had finally won her freedom from Saelis and Lord Aramis... And now she was getting herself right back into the same mess. He seemed as if he were battling with himself internally, and he let out a long heavy sigh. "Stay. Whatever. But you try anything..." He pointed his finger practically into the man's face and continued, "and I'll bloody kill you with my own hands..."

He was tired, aggravated...everything imaginable, and the sound of this man's voice was only beginning to irritate him more. Aric didn't understand- he knew this was going to happen, that one of them would approach him and bombard him with such accusations. He was beginning to lose his cool, if only for the fact that this man dared to stand before him and speak to him in such a way...in such disrespect. Aric had done nothing to offend him, anything that he was aware of, so this was not going to be taken lightly. However, the prince forced himself to remain where he stood, allowing the other to ramble on in his annoyance...until his last words. Aric would have let him walk away with nothing else said, but that brought piercing eyes up to the man, narrowing in a hint of menace reserved for the battlefield. That, had gone too far. Aric stalked forward, only stopping when there was a distance of a few feet between them. He could handle anything...but not disrespect when he didn't deserve. Nor a death threat. "I expect nothing from anyone. I'm here to help, whether I agree to this bloody marriage or not." His voice, somehow, still remained low...but the calmness it once held was evidently beginning to diminish. "Believe whatever you want, claim whatever you want...But threaten me one more time and you won't have a tongue to do so again, you understand?"

He crossed his arms over his broad chest and stared at him as he spoke. Orin wanted to lunge at the man and just beat the hell out of him... But he stood there, trying to stay calm now. His eyes narrowed slightly and he shook his head. "You bloody try anything... with this kingdom or with my sister.. " He did not continue his sentence, but the tone of his voice was threatening and he didn't need to finish it for someone to know what he was getting at. Orin wasn't afraid of what he'd get himself into. Truth be told, he had been through a lot in his life and if he ended up in jail or dead, then what would it really matter now? He only cared for his sister, despite the fact she seemed to be avoiding him or pushing him away. Though he couldn't say he didn't deserve it. He had done the same to her many times. But he was here to protect her and her kingdom the best that he could. Even if he meant getting rid of a threat like this. He just had a bad feeling... This man that knew nothing of their lands and the people... And now he would rule them? Would he overtake his sister? He certainly hoped not.

His body began to tense more and more with each passing second, and he was close to interrupting until he said two particular words...'my sister'. Aric was suddenly dumbfounded, almost shocked at the revelation, but it all came crashing down into making sense. Perhaps, in a way, he could forgive the disrespect of the queen's very own brother...to an extent. A grin seemed to crease his lips then...so very faint, but the deep, soft rumble of laughter in his chest seemed to make it more clear. A turn, he moved to help a young lad with armful of tools...but he made a glance over his shoulder to take Orin back in his view. "Purely political, boy," he commented, emphasizing the name which was odd considering Orin probably wasn't too much younger than himself...but was surely acting like it. "She can change her mind at any time." His tone was sincere, as it usually was, but he didn't expect the man to hear it. It was true...should Alexandria change her mind, there was nothing from keeping him here to argue against her. If he had to, he'd explain everything to Edward, ensure he continued to aide the destroyed isle. He'd at least try. Aric was witness to what the war had done to this land and people...and to anyone who had some sort of heart, would quickly and easily sympathize. He found himself doing just that.

Well he had made his point. Perhaps. And he watched as Aric moved on and called back at him. Orin sneered and shook his head. "I'll be bloody watching you." He mumbled to himself more and did not expect him to hear him. Orin turned and moved back towards the building, climbing back up onto the roof and he continued to work on repairing its roof. Now with that rage fired up inside of him, he was hot as if it were a summer's day. And he took his anger out on the nails he banged on with the hammer. He muttered to himself as he worked. "Damn bloody war ruined everything..." He glanced up and back over to Aric, shaking his head. What was his sister doing? He needed to speak with her. Maybe talk her out of this...Or find out at least what she was doing or expecting or if she was even making sense in any of this. He kind of knew that part of the reason for this was because of that damn Thais. He grumbled and glanced back down at what he was doing, banging harder on the nails than he previously had been. He didn't know what to do and that bothered him the most.

It was as if he could feel the man's eyes burning at his back, watching him and judging him like he had moments before. Aric partly understood the man's feelings about this whole arranged marriage...but the disrespect still bothered him nonetheless. It was because of all Orin had said, made Aric even feel like he had to speak to the queen...make sure this was what she wanted. He had spoken to her briefly upon his arrival, and he could tell that she wasn't comfortable...doing this all because she felt she had to. How much would Edward hold her to her promise? Would he really withdraw his help to the isle if she changed her mind? The thoughts plagued his mind, pausing him in his work as all he could do was think on it. Perhaps a part of him wanted Orin to speak to his sister, talk her out of it. It wasn't really that he didn't care for this kingdom- perhaps not as much as his own home, but the few weeks here made him willing to help them. But to be king...to be married to a woman he didn't know, didn't even love...was finally, truly, beginning to register in his mind. After the wife he had and had lost, it all seemed so surreal...so unnatural as well. With a shake of his head to clear these thoughts from his mind as much as possible, he began to gather a pile of wood into his strong arms and carry them over to the workers. He heard the obnoxiously loud hammering from one of the houses, looking up to catch Orin letting out his frustrations. It was clear that he'd be despised by the man for all eternity...he didn't seem like the type to falter in his steps. Perhaps Aric could envy such a thing. Dropping the wood down, he contemplated helping him...only to change his mind when he felt the cold drops of rain against his shoulders. Lifting his chin, the raindrops fell heavier and more frequently, halting most of the people in their work. To work in the rain and cold was not the greatest of ideas, especially at night when the air was even cooler...and as some of the others started to run back and forth, gathering their tools and supplies from the falling water, Aric would do the same to drag everything indoors as quickly as possible.

It took a few minutes before Orin even noticed it had begun to rain. He stopped hammering and glanced around, noticing the wet spots on the roof and the people scrambling about. He cursed under his breath and stood, gathering up his tools and moving off the roof. The rain would slow work down for the rest of the night, but he wasn't ready to quit. He'd find work to do indoors because the way he looked at it... There really was no time to stop when it wasn't time to sleep or eat or whatever. The island was in horrible condition and it needed to be fixed as soon as possible. He looked to Aric as he walked past him. This time, there was no emotion on his features. He moved towards the leather shop and went inside, knowing that there were many shelves and walls needing to be fixed up inside.