Opal Hope

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Sunday at 7:36 PM

Noelle sat at a small, wooden picnic bench in the outskirts of the camp. She took an apple out of a woven basket, and began to munch on it. Both in front of her and on the other side of the table were napkins with the mess left over from a meal. She thinks to herself about her father for a moment, not paying many regards to her current surroundings.

(@Kwak | Gaiden Hype)

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Sunday at 7:45 PM

Persephone rode into camp from the village, having gotten completely lost. The weight of their last battle still paralyzed her...particularly the rumors of who it was that had led the rebel army to victory against Theron. She hoped desperately that it was a lie, but there had indeed been Ethysian men amongst their ranks...And yet again, she had proven unable to stand against them, retreating a third time. Riding up to the girl they had come to the castle to rescue in the first place, Persephone stops her brother's horse abruptly, and dismounts. "Lady Noelle! Pardon me, for but a moment..." The girl waits by her horse without yet approaching.(edited)

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Sunday at 7:49 PM

"Oh?!" Noelle shook her head quickly, shaking herself out of her deep thoughts. She turned to look to the woman on the horse, and answered, "Uh, hi! Whatcha need?" she smiled, motioning for the woman to come closer if she wished to speak with her.

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Sunday at 7:58 PM

"You are the Archduke's daughter, correct?" Persephone came up to the picnic bench with gracious, gentle steps, bringing her scrappy-looking destrier with her. "It's a relief to us all, to see that you're well..." She held a closed hand to her chest, with a small object within.(edited)

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Sunday at 8:09 PM

"Yes, that's me. Thanks for showing concern, but I'm better than ever now," her smile showed no signs of fading away. She looked at Persephone's handing, noticing that she was clutching on to something, but dismissed it in favor of asking, "What's your name, miss?"

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Sunday at 8:16 PM

"I'm Persephone de Cawdor...daughter to Count Dmitri." She gave a customary curtsy to the surprisingly-cheery young lady. "Through some trick of fate, I've ended up as an aide to His Highness." The young heir had no idea if her family's wretched reputation had reached the ears of Arcias...or if they knew the role her father had played in Floribar's downfall. All she showed was a light smile of her own, perplexed by this girl's apparent indifference to the loss of her own country.(edited)

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Sunday at 8:25 PM

"Well, nice to meet you Persephone de Cawdor," she responded, using the same emphasis Persphone had done, "Why don't you sit down for a bit so we can chat? There's plenty of fruit and sandwiches in this basket, too, if you're hungry," she offered, motioning to the empty seat on the picnic bench. She took another bite of the apple, then used her arm to wipe off her face.

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Sunday at 8:35 PM

"Oh! That's, err, a considerable meal there. I suppose you've no need for anything more." Looking down introspectively, and with perhaps a bit of disappointment, Persephone takes the seat offered to her. Her recently-developed sweet tooth compelled her to consider taking an apple for quite a few moments, and even reach her hand out, but she stops, instead extending a beautiful, carefully-wrapped little foil ball. A startlingly-sweet scent lingered within. "It looks truly delicious, milady, but I've no appetite right now...all the same, I'd like you to accept this. A treat for darker days, if you will."(edited)

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Sunday at 8:41 PM

"Oh, don't think I didn't see you going for that apple," she giggled, before taking the individually wrapped candy from Persephone's hand. "Thanks! This looks really yummy! I'll save it for later," she added. "Its been a while since I been to Barentia," she thought, noting the candy probably came from there, "They make the best candy," she slipped the candy into her pocket.

[Black Candy is transferred from Persephone to Noelle.]

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Sunday at 8:57 PM

"Heavens, ah...You've a sharp eye.." Lowering her head, Persephone blushed at how readily Noelle had exposed her unspoken impulse. But her eyes still fluttered in the direction of the apple as she explained herself to the young lady. "And that candy's not exactly Barentian...I started making them myself when we left, more or less. So I mustn't indulge further...Perhaps I'll go a few more laps around the village after this?" Sheepishly, her hand reached out once more. This time it brought an apple back with it, which she promptly took a bite of. "Oh, it's tough! But quite lovely - you have my gratitude."

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Sunday at 9:01 PM

"You make candy yourself? I haven't heard of many people doing that before," she noted. She took a final bite of the apple she was eating, then tossed the core into the trees behind her. Of course, she grabbed another one from the basket and took a bite, "They really are great."

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Sunday at 9:14 PM

Nodding as she nibbled, Persephone's eyes widened a little as the apple sailed away. She'd heard that Arcians could be flighty, but such carefree behavior amongst one of the duchy's successors was still a surprise. Unsure if her own moderate pace on her mostly-intact apple was insulting in its politeness, Persephone took a fierce chomp, gulping it down triumphantly. "They're much..stronger than the ones back home. Like a crimson carrot!" She looked back up to Noelle. "Have you travelled to many places in Junith?"

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Sunday at 9:35 PM

She thought to herself for a quick moment, closing her eyes to do so. "Well, I've been to Damona, Celanthus, Barenita, and Floribar, though that's the furthest south I've been. My father used to say Finn and I were playmates whenever he had to go there for political stuff," she laughed, remember bits and pieces of those times, long ago.

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Sunday at 9:43 PM

An imminent bite of the apple turned into a gasp. "You knew Prince Phineas as a child? Lover above..." She looked up along the lakeside, in the direction of Floribar. "I hardly ever saw him myself back then. Our fathers were...distant, to say the least. What was he like as a child?"(edited)

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Sunday at 9:52 PM

"Hmmm, well, I guess he was alot more carefree than he is now... It seems like he's surrounded by constant worry nowadays," she replied, looking at the infirmary tent, where Finn was assisting some of the healers and her father, "He was a curious one, too, which seems to still be true of him today," she smiled widely.

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Sunday at 10:06 PM

"It's an arduous burden, having your home vanish so suddenly." Persephone fiddled with the hilt of her saccharine Terror Blade, with faint traces of Wyvern blood still sticking to the crevices. "It changes everything. We've traveled so far, and learned so much of the world...I never would have imagined that combat and confectionery could go hand in hand!" Her gaze followed Noelle's, with an unsteady smile as she watched the prince. "Yet his weight is far greater. Leading a quest of vengeance for his kingdom, against the greatest nation of all Junith. It's a hellish task...and I've yet to hear him complain once about it, all this time."

January 16, 2017

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Monday at 11:48 AM

"That's Finn alright; never was much of a complainer," she thought aloud, before taking another bite of the apple. "Still, it must be quite the task for him. I haven't had the chance to speak to him much about it yet."

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Monday at 2:37 PM

Persephone lowered her own treat once more. "Perhaps we ought to help?"

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Monday at 2:42 PM

"I don't think he's looking to worry about our adventure here at the moment," she looked through the tent enterance yet again, "He's speaking with my father at the moment." She turned her head back around to look at Persephone, "But if you mean in the long term, I'm sure he'd appreciate any help he can get."

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Monday at 2:47 PM

"Sorry, it's a silly question to speak aloud, isn't it?" A deeper doubt seemed to pool up in her purple pupils. "Of course we'll help him. Just as he'll help your father."

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Monday at 2:55 PM

She nodded, "I'm just so glad my father's okay now. He was just out here sharing lunch with me a few minutes before you came over. He's back in the infirmary, resting. Finn's taking care of him. Finn has such a kind, selfless heart."

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Monday at 3:15 PM

"He must take after his father, in that sense... King Letholdus was the one who took mercy on me when Floribar fell. It might have been a foolish choice to make, but...a kind one, nonetheless." Persephone's face shows little of the gratitude her story would typically accompany - only the guilt of a failed knight.(edited)

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Monday at 3:24 PM

Noelle noticed the less than happy face the woman across from here showed, "I'm sure it was a fine choice; he probably saw something special in you," she grinned, encouragingly.

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Monday at 3:39 PM

Persephone inhaled sharply, not even a moment away from calling her liege a fool. It'd have been true, of course - he'd failed to maintain his supposed sovereignty in the face of Ethysia's might, just like Noelle's foolish father. But she bit her tongue, focusing instead on the example set by this girl. Whether it was resilience or naivete that held that smile up, Persephone had no right to topple it. "...Perhaps. But it's certainly easy to see something special in you, Lady Noelle. You're a true exemplar of Arcian grace." Persephone erected a sincere smile of her own.

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Monday at 3:43 PM

"Thank you so much, it means alot," she responded, before standing up, and tossing another apple core away, "Its about time I make my leave, though, as I have some business to take care of." She began to put some things into the large picnic basket, "But before I go, I'd like to leave this for you. Consider it a thanks for spending time with me despite our busy schedules," she continued her smile, taking something out of her pocket and placing it in front of Persephone. "Its a pendant with a beautiful opal inside. You can wear it around your neck or just carry it with you," she said as she looked down, continuing to place stuff in the basket.

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Monday at 4:06 PM

"O-oh! I couldn't..." The red-haired heiress looked down at the pendant, entraced by its beauty. Noelle's magnanimity was as strange as everything else about her. "Thank you, milady." Persephone gave a seated bow. "If you've need of anything else, please ask. We've come to help, after all." Finally taking the gift in her hand, Persephone stood, calling her horse to the bench as she finished her apple.(edited)

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Monday at 4:09 PM

"Of course, thank you for your offer," she finished packing her basket with the food and picnic supplies, "But I must be off now. Thanks for the chat," she waved as she began to walk towards the village, away from the camp.

Kwak | Gaiden Hype-Last Monday at 4:17 PM

Mounting her brother's horse as Noelle departed, Persephone looked out into the distance beyond the village, clutching an apple core in one hand and a beautiful pendant in the other. These gifts were charming to the point of humiliation. She had come here to make amends to the girl for failing to defend her home. For choosing to run, rather than spill more Ethysian blood. But now she was even further indebted to this whimsical young woman and her steadfast smile. To her kind-hearted friend, and their foolish fathers....It felt as if she was falling further and further from her proper path. "I'm so sorry, my beloved Kyron. Wait just a little longer for me...I beg you." And in a fit of guilt and grief, Persephone hurled the finished fruit as far from her as possible, setting off for a long day of non-stop training.

===END RP===

Mappy | Best Dog-Last Monday at 4:18 PM

[Persephone obtains the Opal Pendant.]