{ѕуηcняσηιcιту}

​

All I want is freedom.
Is that too much to ask?

All I want is freedom...​

Kolina let out a long sigh as she walked, adjusting the bag against her back. She was beginning to not like her journey, but she knew she had way more to come. Since leaving the Servants' Quarters, she got herself a distance neither too close nor too far from the castle. The size of her brown boots made it difficult to walk in, since her feet slipped out every few minutes she walked. Poor people probably couldn't afford clothing that fit them. Maybe Stella got her over-sized boots to make it look more convincing that she was some churl related to her. Or it was the only pair available for her to get at the time. It didn't matter, she could stuff some cloth in them later to make them more fitting.

Speaking of that, she'd have to remind herself to buy better clothing when she reached the other side of the kingdom. Kolina lifted the front slit of her cloak to examine the holes on her stockings, and the loose rope around her waist. She wouldn't have been caught dead with these clothes if she wasn't running away. Did the lower class really wear clothing like this? 'How unfortunate...'

The familiar sound of rushed footsteps forced her to avert her eyes from her garments and peer over at someone walking in her direction. It was a brown-haired woman in crimson armor. If Kolina wasn't mistaken, she was one of the knights that protected herself and her family. Her eyes lingered on the knight before looking forwards, reminding herself not to seem too suspicious. Kolina pulled the hood further over the top of her face and hid in the shadows of her cloak when she got close and walked passed the woman, saying nothing.

 

​

• If all good things come to an end, then what about the bad?​
• Am I cursed to never see the fruits of the life I wish I had?
  ​

Celio almost told Klad that they should travel a bit more before eating. However, his stomach spoke up before he did. He chuckled and shrugged. "There should be a market nearby. I could never ask of you to pay for me, Master Cross!" Celio said, seemingly appalled at the idea. "However, I am," his tone become embarrassed as he looked away, his cheeks reddening, "well, simply put, my pockets are just as hungry for coin as my stomach is for sustenance." Celio was genuinely embarrassed at his poverty. "Perhaps...we can take the expense of a meal out of the fee for my guidance?"

Before he could receive an answer, a yip interrupted their conversation. Celio's left eyebrow rose for two seconds and then went down at the same time his right eyebrow rose. He turned to see a strange-colored wolf. "Or we could always eat this critter!" He said it jokingly as he approached the canine. "Poor thing looks almost as hungry as this poor soul!"

 

​

No matter how far you walk...
You're always on the same road...
You can search till the ends of the Earth and find nothing...
But in spite of that...​

...Why am I so driven to find answers?​

Xioimara wagged her tail and put her ears back with a whine as the two approached her. They had been talking about getting food. The wolf felt a goodness from the two. Xioimara growled a little when Celio had remarked her as a last resort of food. Her green eyes looked over at Kladamire. They knew something that she needed. Her ears perked up at the sounds of distant screams. The screams were coming from several people it sounded like. Xioimara rose up to her full height of about five feet to look for where the sound was coming from. 'Must be a riot.' She noted in her mind. They were common now and days. She preferred to stay away from them. Xioimara whined at Kladamire and Celio as she turned back to them. Xioimara felt like she needed to get further away from the screams of desperation.
Xioimara backed up a little, glancing around for a place to go. She looked back up at where she had stayed on the rooftops and back at Celio as well as Kladamire. Xioimara didn't want to leave the two. She needed to get them to come with her somehow. She looked at the two travelers and barked. Xioimara looked from the two towards the roof and back at where the noises were coming from. She barked again and moved forward toward a small house that could lead them to the top of the roofs. Xioimara whined a little and continued to look at the two.

Xioimara motioned her head towards the roof trying to make her motives clear. Of course, this would have been much easier to change back into her human form and say 'Hurry up!'. However, Xioimara knew from experience that not many people reacted kindly to a part human and part wolf creature. Tales of werewolves often reinforced this fear into people. She decided it would be best to follow the two and eavesdrop a little before trying to ask anything. It was a useful tactic that she had tried on other people. She got some information but not much from the people she had tried this on before. Xioimara barked once more with a hint of stress laced in her voice. The sorrel wolf waited for the two with a little impatience.

 

Archer buried his face into his sleeve, trying to get at least one good breath not filled with the fumes of the metal horseshoe that he was fitting. He pulled the brightly colored shoe away to see that it was a perfect fit for the horse. Smiling in satisfation, he dropped the gelding's foot and took a few sweeping steps over to the basin where he carefully lowered the hissing metal into the water. The iron settled down and when he was satisfied, Archer withdrew it from the bucket and dried it on his apron. Picking up the hoof again, he began to secure it to his horse's hoof.

However, no sooner had he started than there was a great commotion outside. Dancer whinnied shrilly and cocked his ears back, trying to catch the uproar.

"Shhh, It's okay boy. Easy. Whooa," he said soothingly as he could, thanking his lucky stars that Dancer didn't spook easily or that horseshoe would be imprinted nicely on his face.

Archer stood and walked to the window to see what was going on. What he beheld, made him feel sick. Guards on the street were battling civilians in a full scale riot, it looked like. Some were being arrested and others just killed where they stood. Or knelt.

"Oh no..." he whispered, as he spotted one of the Brothers of the Order emerging from a shop.

The Guards immediately seized him and ripped off the sleeve of his robe. Upon seeing the mark of the Order, the senior guard embedded his sword deep in the belly of the innocent boy.

Archer couldn't help but cry out. What madness was this? They were slaughtering men of the cloth? His blood turned to ice as he realized that if they were hunting monks, then they wouldn't care to tell the difference between a current monk or past one. Fear shot through him as he backed away from the window. He had to leave. Now.

 

• • • • • • 
            
            
            ​
            
            The seven deadly sins?
            
            
            I promise you.​
            
            
            They ain't nothing compared to me. ♪ ​
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            Ambrosia grimaced at the King’s comment, her dead eyes meeting his for a fleeting moment until she simply sighed and graced him with a slight nod, staring down at the soldiers herself, almost surprised that they were still there.
            
            “Well?”
            
            She straightened up once more, her eyes piercing into the solider she had spoken to earlier. He looked behind him, which was foolish, really. Because in the next second she was fighting back the urge to call execution upon him in that instant, but she didn’t feel much in the mood for that.
            
            “I take it you haven’t yet found our daughter.”
            
            He stammered on about how the current mess had distracted him and such but she only waved her hand and smiled.
            
            “You have two days.”
            
            And with that, she peered back at her husband to see if he had any last words to say, ready to dismiss the crowd.
            
            
            
            
            [/CENTER]

 

Meiko was suddenly startled out of her daydream by a guard hurrying out of the throne room as if his life depended on it. Which it probably did. The queen was a little execution happy with everyone. Though it still annoyed her that a guard can rush in, but she, herself, had to wait. I sure hope they're done with whatever they're doing. I feel as if a storm is about to come. If it is not already here. I have to prepare and be ready for any trouble. Meiko thought to herself as she gripped the handle of her sword tightly.

 

If you are predisposed to hate me

Might as well just
Kill me now

[All I need now is the agony I see upon your face]
[In the end]​

Sync was silent for a long moment, taking in the Diva's dishevaled appearance.

"...There has been a rebellion." she finally answered. "If you sense anything out of the ordinary, anything at all, you are to tell me immediately. No exceptions."

[It hurts, you know]​

 

​

Just tell me that you're scared...

怖いよ…​

Just tell me that you’re lonely…

寂しいよう…​

And I’ll be right there. ♥​

​

• • • • • • 
            
            
            Her stomach churned, eyes cast down now at the ground below her. Her throat felt tight, and her eyes started to water. She quickly twisted her body, her back to Sync now as she glanced carefully towards the dragon. She was worried. It was uncomfortable for her, worrying so much about someone she had never even meant. But even so, the desire to ask about him--her brother, was so ridiculously strong that she felt the urge to start a small rebellion of her own. She stood up, eyes fierce and fingers clenching. It was decided, then. As soon as Sync was gone, she would try. She would try to find a way out of her prison. She had been told it was impossible, so she had never even thought about it realistically. But something was off. Sometime inside of her was different now.
            
            “…I see.â€
            
            Wasting no more time, she took her spot before the dragon and began to stretch casually as if she was preparing to dance again, simply buying time for herself.
            

 

​

• If all good things come to an end, then what about the bad?​
• Am I cursed to never see the fruits of the life I wish I had?
  ​

"Curious and curiouser," Celio said, gasping when the wolf stood up, "This critter's no critter, she's a beast!" He laughed, patting the wolf on her head with his left hand. His deep blue eyes studied her as he continued to pet her. Suddenly, his ears perked at the sounds of distant screams. What could that be? He thought as he stood up. Then, the wolf barked and a strange, nervous feeling dawned on Celio. He couldn't help but shiver as the silver hair on the back of his neck stood on end. "Master Cross," he started as he bowed down to pat the wolf again, "I feel as if this beast is trying to tell us something." His eyes followed the wolf's gaze to the rooftops before he chuckled. "What am I saying? Forgive me, Master Cross, I seem to be delusional, ha!" He laughed a hearty laugh before looking back at the rooftops. However, his gaze was interrupted by a group of armored men hastily approaching them.

Castle Knights? Here? Celio stood up. Part of him was glad to see them since he could now get some information on the castle. After all, he used to be a knight...well, maybe. His memory was still fuzzy on that part. He raised his bandaged right arm and grabbed the back of his head, scratching it. Then he noticed the knights posture. All three of them seemed to have a rather...violent atmosphere. "They seem to want something from us," he whispered noticing the knights were looking and heading right towards the two and the wolf.

The knights stopped less than two yards away from the group. The one in front noticed the wolf, but ignored it. Whatever pet the blonde and his silver-haired companion had was irrelevant. He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. He could tell these two were targets. The blonde hair, the blue-eyed jester...and how many people traveled with a wolf? Too unusual. What isn't normal..isn't right. "Are you a jester, sir?" He asked the silver-haired man politely, though he only needed a single word for his next act.

"Yes, how can-" the word was said and the knight's sword was swung at Celio's neck. Celio's eyes opened wide with shock as the sound of bandage ripping hit his ear. The sword cut the bandage on his arm, which was still held to his face, but it had bounced off the dark blue skin underneath. "Oh, no..."

 

<OOC NOTE: o: To save time and make it easier on Rin, I'm skipping to the part where the King reads the letter.

There is no questioning the word of the King. For his word is the laws you live by. Etched in your daily lives: Aldous L. Dúcume : You live to serve me~ ​

A vien appeared upon the king's forehead. A wriggling worm showing his agitation. The havoc outside was more appealing then the room the king and queen shared with the people. ​

"DIDN'T YOU ****ING HEAR!? OUR DAUGHTER IS MISSING!!" Their king said it with such seriousness and righteous anger that all that received his words fled and bum-rushed each other for first out of the door. Despite his seriousness, it was all an act, simply to get them out of his presence. But as his eyes drifted to his left, he saw there was still another presence beside him. His wife.​

​

​

*
o I can finally see..
That you're right there beside me..

Klad smiled happily, a teeth showing of genuine joy, but that quickly evaporated as guards approached them determinedly. They had intent and purpose in their strides, his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. Hand hovering over his sword handle, Klad shifted his focus onto the new blue arm before him. "Uh-ummm..his sword is dangerous! Look at what it did too your arm!" His feet brought him away from the spectacle, but only a few feet, after all, a guard was quickly shifting his path from the blue arm'd Jester to the blond youth.

 

​

• If all good things come to an end, then what about the bad?​
• Am I cursed to never see the fruits of the life I wish I had?
  ​

"True as that may be, Master Cross," Celio started as his deformed arm quickly grabbed the blade bouncing off his arm before it left his reach, "I believe it may be time to leave!" He held the blade tightly, the glowing red palm on his blue hand not receiving a single scratch. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another knight moving towards Klad. "Mind if I borrow this?" Celio asked the knight that had attacked him with half a smile as he raised his right foot and kicked him square in the chest. The knight was too shocked at the jester's arm to react in time and fell back, his breath knocked out of him as he lost his grip on his blade.

In one quick motion, Celio spun around and slammed the hilt of the knight's blade into the helmet of the knight approaching Celio. The knight quickly fell to the side after the sound of metal bending hit Celio's ears. Behind him, the third knight slashed horizontally. Celio dropped the blade as he jumped backwards into the air, flipping over the knight and dodging his attack. "I do apologize, but it's only self-defense, sirs!" He yelled as he hit the ground behind the knight, kicked the back of the knight's right knee to knock him down and then spun to kick the knight's left ankle, tripping him. Two knights on the ground and one unconscious mean two knights still able to attack them. "Master Cross, I suggest we flee!" He yelled as he cartwheeled over the knight who was now yelling profanities. "Run to run again another day, I always say!" Celio yelled as he ran past Klad while two of the knights started to stand back up. Unbeknownst to Celio, his eyes were glowing a bright blue as he ran.

 

​

No matter how far you walk...
You're always on the same road...
You can search till the ends of the Earth and find nothing...
But in spite of that...​

...Why am I so driven to find answers?​

Kasha fled to the roof of the building as the knights approached. She watched the two men from the roof. She had thoughts of helping but she mulled over the idea. If they had just listened to her everything would have been fine... Maybe. Kasha dropped her head and hunched her shoulders as she followed their movements with her eyes. She whined and yipped.
"Up here!" Kasha shouted with urgency. Kasha perked up a little as she realized the attention she just attracted to herself.
"There!" One of the knights shouted.
Kasha slunk back out of sight and waited for the attention to cease. The wolf couldn't heard noises coming from the side of the building. She recalled the rickety ladder she had climbed up to get to the roof. Kasha moved over to the edge of the house. The knight was climbing up. Kasha placed her front two paws on the top of the ladder. He stopped and looked up at her.
"Don't do-!"
Kasha pushed the ladder away from the home. Needless to say, a wolf pushing a ladder with a knight on it, to the ground, attracted more attention that she hoped for.

 

Meiko grew tired of waiting for a debriefing or a briefing or just a report in for the king and queen. Something was going on. Something insane and wild and she had to bring order to it. She grabbed the nearest knight and stopped him telling him to tell the king and queen that she was leaving to go out and see what all the commotion was about. Without waiting for his reply, she ran, sprinting through the doors of the castle before suddenly stopping and taking in the sight before her. Soldiers, her soldiers, killing civilians. What on earth was going on? What would cause this to happen? Seeing that a soldier was attacking a nearby monk even, and seeing them head toward another individual, she quickly ran to them, her right hand ready on the hilt of her sword. "Halt, soldier! Just what do you plan on doing to this young man?" she demanded the soldier? Meiko looked with her red eyes at the man behind her, he was holding a hammer and the building behind them seemed to be a blacksmith's workshop. "He's only a blacksmith! Why are all of these guards attacking the townspeople? Answer me!"

 

• • • • • • 
            
            
            
            
            ​
            
            The sky falls and you’re stepping on broken clouds,
            
            
            As the sun melts away and you’re left all alone, ​
            You think to yourself;
            
            
            â€What a beautiful day.†♔ ​
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            Sync's dead eyes showed no sign of diverting. That is until the icy stare was interrupted by a sort of echoy creak and lock. She lingered, eyes set dead on Klaire for a moment longer before she turned her back towards her. Black hair falling straight down her back.
            
            “If you try to escape, you will be killed and replaced.â€
            
            Her voice was monotone as usual, a smile on her lips as she spoke, before finally vanishing into the darkness. Chaos was unraveling in the Kingdom, and it was her duty to end it and trace the commotion back to the source.
            
            
            
            
            
            
            ​
            
            
            Just tell me that you're scared...
            
            怖いよ…​
            Just tell me that you’re lonely…
            
            寂しいよう…​
            
            
            And I’ll be right there. ♥​
            ​
            
            
            
            
            
            
            She could feel herself shuddering, eyes and fists clenched as Sync finally left the premises. It was strange to her how the desire to live came and went, but right now it was stronger than ever. Her blue eyes scanned over the dragon's form, confirming that it was asleep—for now. She waited for a few moments longer before finally making her move. She already knew there was very little she could do, but she could gather as much strength as possible to at least search for a way out.
            
            Seconds turned to minutes, her tattered dress stained with even more dust and filth, her small pale fingers tracing the sharp edges of the walls on every side of her. The soles of her feet dragging against the gravel and dirt of the cave, into the unfamiliar darkness from where Sync and the other priests would come to visit.
            
            

 

​

*
o I can finally see..
That you're right there beside me..

Klad knew good advice when he heard it. Sure he had to duck a sword swing or two. But the now threatless men were harmless compared to the seemingly endless back up that appeared to be heading towards them. Briefly he wondered where that dog had run off too, but that was chased away by his chasing the agile jester. He wasn't fatigued, but still, the odd blue armed man was fast! And there was another thing he wondered as they rushed past shining armored knights, other warriors, simple citizens and nobles, he wondered, are all these things happening because they're looking for a jester?