Medieval RP: The kingdoms of Ardania and Derangia

Lyra sighed in relief. It was disconcerting having someone undress her. Elves were a very independent people, having someone doing something like that was not only highly embarrassing, but against their very nature. The elf quickly got out of bed and found her something to put on. After dressing, she stepped out the room to meet Alice. "I'm ready."

Candy frowned as Alice left. She would make sure to try not to ask too much of Alice today. But more importantly...

"Mother, you were going to tell me what is wrong?" She said so with the proper amount of respect for speaking to the queen.

She wanted to ask of what she mentioned to Alice, but something was telling her that they were one and the same, and it only worried her a bit more.

Alice waited calmly outside Lyra's door until she came out, turning toward her when she did. "Follow me, please." Waiting to make sure Lyra would follow, she led the elf back down through the hallways and once against to the dining area, where the queen and princess were. She knocked on the door before pushing it open, holding the door open for Lyra and bowing once again.

"My queen, I have brought Lady Lyra Silvertongue." She waited for Lyra to go in, then closed to door behind them, standing by the door at attention, waiting either to be dismissed or to remain there as a guard.

"I'll explain everything once the young Silvertongue heir arrives," Marie said, leaning over to pat her daughter n the head, "Hopefully it's just a needless worry of mine, but I need to take the necessary precautions."

It was then Alice arrived with Lyra in tow. Marie quickly stood and gestured for Lyra and Alice to take a seat, "Join us Alice, this matter is just as important for you to hear as any other."

"Uhm.. so you know..?" Lyra asked as she fidgeted in the seat she just sat in.

The Queen nodded, "Of course I would recognize the name of Silvertongue, though I am surprised my daughter nor her maid remembered it. A last name only given to those who will one day take over as leader, with powers to inspire or even charm those with your words. Quite an amazing talent, one we may need."

The elf blushed slightly at the praise, but was still curious as to why she was there, "Why would you need that?"

"Well, you see..." The queen said, her face clouded with worry, "I have received information that Derangia plans on attacking us. When and how? I do not know, but it's of the utmost importance that we prepare, which is why I asked you in here. We very well may need the assistance of your race Lyra."

Candy's face revealed her shock at the news. She had always known that relations with Derangia were rough... but an attack? Does that mean war? She didn't want her people to die.. that'd be terrible.

"No... we can't fight, we should try to contact them and convince them not to attack!" She said, her face now filled with worry for those who might die.

Alice walked over closer to the group but.. it made her feel slightly awkward to sit at the royal dining table, so she reminded standing, positioning herself next to the princess, between her and the queen. She liked to remain standing, anyway. it made her feel less vulnerable, and like she could respond to things more quickly than if she was seated.

She silently watched the exchange, hands clasped in front of her in a 'proper maid' stance. Appearently, she needed to really read up on the cultures of other races. if she didn't even known the last name of the elven leaders, it was obvious she was far too uneducated. It was almost hard to believe that Lyra was such an important and talented individual.. and the heir or princess of her own kind. She would have to be careful to treat her with proper respect now that she was aware of her standing.

Her thoughts changed completely when the queen announced what exactly had been bothering her. Out of reflex, Alice gripped the handle of her sword, suddenly on edge as if the Derengians were on their doorstep already. She was already planning training for both herself and her trusted maids in her head, and knew she would have to get a full set of armor, instead of the small bits she had, just in case it ended up as a war.

Still.. she agreed with Candy. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. It would put not only the kingdom, but also her and her mother's life in danger. "My apologies for interrupting, but if I may voice my opinion, I agree with the princess. We should.. no we must sent emissaries to Derengia, so we can prevent a total war." Of course, that was common sense, and she felt foolish after speaking. It just.. bothered her greatly, the idea of a war.

"Hmm.. that may be so... but if things turn badly, I'm not sure if I want to risk of my people," Marie said, voicing her concern on the matter, "It would be wonderful if we could solve this peacefully, however, I could never ask any of my men nor women to risk their lives journeying to Derangia."

Candy couldn't think of a good counterargument. The truth is right there, but still...

"Surely there is some way though? I mean... if we send in someone for the purpose of peace, they wouldn't attack them, right?" Even she could hardly believe her own words, but she had to hope... she hated the idea of conflict so very much...

"My queen, I would like to volunteer myself to travel to Derengia." She placed her hand over her heart, standing at attention. "I believe I would be able to handle things if they decided to try anything on me, and escape at the very least. If not, though, I am also.. disposable enough.. to where it would not be a great enough loss on our armies or castle if I were unable to escape."

She knew the princess wouldn't like the idea, nor the queen most likely. Still.. she was certain she would be able to get there and come back safely enough. "Please, my queen."

Candy didn't wait for her mother's reaction, and immediately said, "NO! Alice, you can't go alone to a country that is trying to attack us!" She cared too much for Alice and therefore didn't even realise her own hypocrisy in this.

The Queen sighed, "I really do not want you to Alice." After a moment, Marie shook her head with a small smile that seemed somewhat forced, "But you would go regardless whether I told you to or not, that's just how you are..."

"Uhm.. uh.." Lyra who had been previously silent, finally decided to speak up, "If you're worried about her going alone.. I could go too. I mean you said so yourself, you'll be needing my ability and what better emissary of peace than a Silvertongue!"

My god, what was she saying. Lyra couldn't help but wonder why she wanted to play hero. Letting Alice go off to another country to possibly die would free the Princess up. But... that look in the princess eye as she worried for her maid tore at her heart strings. Damn, what an elf does for love....

Alice looked over at Candy when she spoke but.. didn't say anything. She just sort of gave Candy an apologetic smile and did something she very rarely did: ignored Candy's opinion on the matter completely. Usually she'd follow her commands like they were law but.. she had to do what was best for her princess, even if it meant ignoring her now.

She turned her attention back to the queen, just before she started speaking. When the queen smiled in her forced way, Alice did the same, matching it almost exactly. "You know me too well, my queen. Thank you."

When Lyra spoke up, Alice turned to her so fast she almost got whiplash. Lyra was actually offering.. to help her? Alice felt like she needed to pinch herself or something.. like somehow she had fallen into a crazy dream. Once the initial shock wore off, Alice spoke. "Ly- .. Your Ladyship Silvertongue.." She had to figure out how exactly to address the elf now. "With all due respect.. i don't think that's the best idea. What you say is true but.. I don't want to put a royal in danger, especially the heir of another race."

"She does have a point, Lyra," the queen remarked, "I could never let one such as yourself, risk their life."

"Not to be rude, your highness, but I will be going whether you want me to or not," Lyra said simply, her voice then changed but not in tone or sound. It was as if it became more charming and in a way more like a leader. This was the talent of the Silvertongue's working it's magic, "First of all, Alice, do not call me Ladyship Silvertongue ever again. I have never been treated like a human royal nor do I expect to be treated like one. I may be an heir but I'm not the only heir. I have plenty of cousins who would be more than willing to take my place, besides..." Her voice then returned to normal as she she leaned back in her chair with a smirk, "Why should you be the only one who gets to be the self-sacrificing idiot?"

Alice wasn't entirely sure what just happened, but it was like.. she suddenly didn't want to argue with Lyra about it anymore. Nor call her 'Her Ladyship'. It wasn't like she was being particularly forced but it still felt.. compelling. It was.. both pleasant and unpleasant in a way. Shaking it off, Alice cleared her throat.

"If that is what you wish, your talents would be quite useful in a peace talk." She looked visibly irritated by the elf's last comment, especially the 'idiot' part, but chose not to reply to it. Instead, she looked over at the queen again, waiting for her orders.

Candy wasn't sure how to handle anything she was hearing. Her mother just told Alice she could go... she said she didn't want her to, so why didn't she make it a command? Candy had never turned on her mother before, and so she wasn't sure how to go about it or if it was even a good idea.

And now Lyra was going? That was terrible! She had just found out that she, too, was a princess, and she's already talking about going on a dangerous trip... Gah, what was a princess to do?

"Well, if that's what you want," Candy said, standing up. She couldn't come up with a single argument, at least not one that would work. She wasn't foolish enough to not know when she's lost, "Then at least we know we have the best going, and I'm confident that you'll do better than anyone else," She wasn't sure what she was saying now, She just knew what she had to do after she said it.

So she turned around, and walked right out of the room. She didn't say goodbye, because it wouldn't be goodbye. Her mother would never approve of it, but Candy has a plan...

Later that day, Lyra stood outside the city gates, playing her pan flute to pass the time. Her and the maid would be leaving soon to head to Derangia. Of course, since Lyra had very little stuff with her when she arrived, she didn't need to pack anything for the trip. Which is why here she was, waiting for idiot maid to get to the gates.  

After a few minutes or so, Lyra put away the pan flute with a sigh. Why did she agree to go on this journey? It was going to be so annoying traveling with that stick in the mud maid. It was like that woman didn't know the meaning of 'lighten up', "This is going to be such a pain..."

After a little while on the road, they were nearing Derangia. Jack was getting a bit edgy. People in this country were supposedly less friendly, but hopefully the trip would pay off.

Winni was completely unaware of the danger, or so she seemed. "Is everyone having fun?" She asked the group behind her.

"You certainly sound enthusiastic," Alice commented, coming up behind Lyra after hearing her sigh and, she guessed complain, in elvish. It had taken her a little time to get ready, delegating jobs to the maids she trusted the most. She had also gone to check on Milano again but.. she was missing from her room, so she assumed she was busy. Hopefully Milano was okay. She had picked Milla to watch over the princess while she was gone, and had gotten enough non-perishable or long-lasting food from the kitchen for the trip.

She was holding onto the reigns of two horses, picking the two most well-mannered so they wouldn't have too many issues with getting them to follow simple commands. "I'm still not sure what made you want to go with me, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll be having just as little fun as you are."

Alice gave her a forced pleasant smile, then proceeded to hook the bags of food and other supplies to her horse's saddle. Her smile had quickly faded, her mind going back to the princess's quick dismissal. She hadn't even said goodbye. The maid sighed, before she hopped up onto her horse.

"...." Lyra was silent for a moment as she looked up at the horse that towered over her small elfish frame. She gulped audibly and felt her stomach twist in knots, "You don't expect to ride on that... beast, do you?"

Lyra had never ridden a horse before. She was perfectly fine with walking or moving from tree to tree. Okay so maybe climbing trees were a bit more dangerous than riding a horse, but at least the trees wouldn't move or try to trample you... unless they were magic trees, though Lyra has never came across any of those in her forest.

Alice looked over at Lyra and raised an eyebrow. "Traveling by horse is a lot faster than traveling by foot. So, yes, I do expect you to ride her." The maid hopped off of her horse and walked over to Lyra. Alice was not wearing her maid uniform but instead dressed more casually in a simple peasant dress. "Have you never ridden a horse before, m'lady?"

"She's very gentle, I promise. There's no need to be afraid." It was hard to believe that this.. hard-headed and big-talking elf was afraid to get on the back of a horse. Then again.. she is rather.. short, and lithe. "You can always ride with me, if you'd like. Or would you like some help getting on the horse?"

"No, no, I can do it just fine, just give me a minute..." Lyra said as she attempted to climb up onto the horse.... only to back down flat on her ass. The elf cast a glance at the Alice, narrowing her eyes, "You're enjoying this aren't you? .... Fine, I suppose I need some.. assistance."

"Certainly not. This is nothing funny about watching you fall, m'lady." Alice sounded downright cheerful, mostly because she was laughing on the inside at Lyra's antics. "Of course." with ease, Alice grabbed the sides of Lyra's waist and lifted her into the air, before gently placing her on the horse's back. She held onto the reins, walking the horse over next to her own, and climbing back onto the animal's back. "Are you alright?" Reaching over, she lightly patted the horse, then reached into a saddlebag and took out a carrot for her, rewarding her for being so calm about an unknown rider. "Good girl."

Candy had gotten into a more proper travelling outfit (which was still frilly, more frilly than any average villager would wear), and a couple days worth of food in a pack. She had already lost her maid a bit ago and was now on her way out through a secret passage.

She made her way towards the front side of the castle, and found herself looking at Alice and Lyra. "Oh!" She hid herself and stayed quiet. She couldn't let them see her before she followed along. Also, she just realised she'll need a horse.

"NO!" She thought to herself, "How could I forget that they'd be taking horses?" She cried inside at the thought of how hard it would be to get a horse without being noticed.

Lyra grumbled some elvish nonsense, possibly a few curses directed at Alice and the damn horse. She just knew the maid was enjoying her suffering, oh she was gonna get back at her for it. "Are you gonna stand there and coddle the horse or are we going to go anytime?"

The elf looked absolutely sullen. The idea of riding this beast was less than comforting and the maid's presence didn't help lighten her mood.

Alice decided that trying to teach Lyra how to properly steer a horse would take too much time, so instead she continued holding onto her reins with one hand, and her own with the other, keeping the horses side by side but not too close to where they would hit each other. "Patience, m'lady. We're going right now."

Lightly cracking the reins of both horses, they started off at a brisk pace, though not too fast at first, so she wouldn't freak Lyra out. "Be sure to hold on." So far, Alice was having a pretty good time on this trip, surprisingly enough.

It seemed they were taking things slowly. "How cute, Lyra, being unable to ride a horse," She smiled and turned away, to go get a horse. If she hurried, she'd be able to find it quickly and catch up without being too close...

"I know, I know," Lyra said as she continued to grumble in elf and held on tightly to the horse. She hated this so much, but she'll have to live with it. No way was she going to back out of this trip now, "How long will it take to get to Derangia?"

---

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Lyra or Alice, Milano followed the two in the shadows of the trees. She didn't need to have a horse to keep up with them, her body enhancing magic gave her the speed needed. Though at the moment, they were going a a slow enough pace that anyone of foot could keep up.

"At this pace? Forever." She smirked a bit. "If we speed up a bit, it'll take about two days, maybe less." Cracking the reins again, she sped the horses up a bit, moving them out of a walk and more into a trotting speed. 'let me know if we're going to fast. Wouldn't want you to fall off and hurt your bum again, m'lady."

Candy snuck up to the stables, unnoticed by anyone! She got inside the stables, and mounted up on a horse that she had ridden before.

She reared it back and dashed out of the stables quickly, and made her way into the town.

She slowed down when she got close enough to follow along the path she knew they were taking. She could see them off far into the distance, and went back a bit so that she wouldn't be seen. This had the disadvantage of not seeing them, however...

Meanwhile, the stable boy who had watched his fair princess get inside the stable and hitch a horse was curious as to what kind of game she must be playing, and had not said anything to her.

"Shut up, and stop calling me m'lady," Lyra practically snarled as she held on tighter to the horse, "It's irritating when you call me stuff like that. Makes my skin crawl, as far as I'm concerned, we're equals on this damn journey."

---

As she followed behind them, Milano's keen eyes noticed what appeared to be the princess following the two travelers. Really, the girl stuck out like a sore thumb. It was only a matter a time till robbers decided to attack her. This wouldn't be good for her mission at all, so she trailed back a bit still hidden in the trees. She would keep her eye on Candy for now at least.