OPEN

[maledictus_semper]

Who: Ardyn Izunia and You!
When: Afternoon, to early evening
Where: Around the castle, The Village and The Marketplace
What: Ardyn is adapting to his new role as Apprentice, learning new spells gradually, but will venture outside of the castle to explore once he gets some free time.
Warnings: Will update as needed!


I- The Castle:

[After copious amounts of cleaning "door knobs" or knobs that were the shape of a cock, Ardyn wiped his brow and pushed some wine-coloured hair from his face. Since when he had needed to polish anyone's door knob? Since being brought into Kingdom, that's when. It seemed he had no choice but to follow orders and do what the Mistress commanded. Menial work or not, he had completed quite a bit of work today and he was proud with himself.]

You're nice and shiny now, aren't you?

[He gave the knob in front of him an extra polish and smirked. It really did look like a cock. Now, he wanted a glass of wine, which will be back at his room. He managed to find some in the Great Hall a while back and had managed to store some in his private room until the occasion called for it. That occasion would be now. If anyone is wandering about the castle corridors, they may bump into Ardyn on the way back from his cleaning.]


II- The Village:

[The village was rather a quaint little place from what Ardyn had seen of it so far. Cobbled streets and inns and shops. A nice little hamlet, probably oozing with illicit activities behind the walls. What more could a man want? Right now, this man wanted to explore. Perhaps a drink at the inn? Who knew what sort of people he would meet there? He approached the nearest inn and entered.]

Ah, how quaint. Or, rather, rustic. What does a man have to do around here to get a drink?

[Perhaps, he should have worded his sentence differently, as he may get what he wished for. Or not. Perhaps a sordid offer in response to his question, as he walked up to the bar and looked around.]


III-The Marketplace:

[Today was market day and Ardyn had seemed to time it right, as he passed many stalls selling some interesting merchandise. A nice sword perhaps? The weapons stall did appeal to him then he came to the baked bread stand. Cakes and all sorts of tasty wholemeal snacks to be purchased. Then, he came to another stall different altogether.]

Oh? What do we have here?

[Sex toys. Who would have thought it? Perhaps, he could buy himself a dildo for half the price? The thought made him chuckle softly to himself. Any passers by might notice him eyeing up many different coloured dildos and bottles of lube.]

I wonder if they have cherry flavour.

Comments

II

[heiresy]

[Aymeric looks up from his own drink and gives the newcomer a funny look.]

The bartender accepts currency last I checked.

[But this isn't said unkindly. He gives the odd man a calm smile.]

Failing that, there are deviants who would gladly barter.

[maledictus_semper]

[Ardyn noticed the young man speaking to him with pointy ears. What manner of creature was he? He certainly wasn't human, not with ears like that. Yet, he seemed helpful and rather handsome at that.]

Ah yes, the currency of coins. How could I forget that?

{He offered the other man an amused smile, as he moved to stand next to him.]

I believe I haven't fallen so low as to offer deviants a way to find me a drink. I still have my standards you know.

[Those were pretty high too.]

Ardyn Izunia, Apprentice. Who might you be?

[heiresy]

[Aymeric stands to greet him with a fancy little bow. He is really quite tall at 6'5.]

Aymeric de Borel, Guard. Full glad am I to meet another fellow with his dignity intact.

[He gives him a once over, then smiles.]

Come, sit with me. I'll buy your drink for a bit of conversation. What will you have?

[maledictus_semper]

[Well now, what a nice, polite young man! Ardyn offered the pointy-eared man a tilt of his hat and joined him at the bar. He noticed just how long the man's legs were. How tall was he?]

A pleasure, Aymeric de Borel. Do you mind if I call you Aymeric? My full title is Ardyn Izunia, Chancellor of Niflheim, yet I just stick to Ardyn. My title means nothing in this kingdom, alas.

[He looked over the bar towards the barrels of drink.]

A red wine to enlighten my taste buds, please.

[heiresy]

It is an honor to meet you then, Chancellor. Though your title may mean naught here, I will respect it.

[He gets the barkeeps attention and procures the goblet of wine. He hands it over delicately]

Likewise, this place has thrown me down the rungs of the ladder I spent so long climbing. I was the Lord Commander of the Temple Knights as well as the Lord Chancellor of the House of Lords.

[That's a lot of lords]

A toast, then. To curious happenstance.

[maledictus_semper]

[It felt good hearing his proper title spoken within these ancient lands.]

That is most kind of you. In return I will also uphold your title as Lord Commander and Lord Chancellor. How odd that we meet within this inn at this time and we are of the same cloth you and I. Similar job titles too.

[It felt like more than just pure coincidence. This guy was a Chancellor too.]

A toast.

[Ardyn held up his wine glass and clinked it against his new friend's one, offering the elf a coy smile before drinking some.]

[heiresy]

[He sips his own wine and lets out a soft sigh.]

Though I feared I was outside Halone's reach, our meeting gives me hope.

[He gives him a warm grin and settles onto a bar stool.]

Tell me a bit about yourself, Chancellor.

[maledictus_semper]

What would you like to know? More business wise or personality wise?

[He wondered if the elf wanted to know about his work or the man himself. Either way, he'd happily talk the poor boy's ear off until the cows came home.]

Before I talk about myself....I want to know about your ears. You're not human, are you?

[heiresy]

[He covers an ear with his hand momentarily.]

Nay, I am an Elezen. [He was still getting used to being an oddity here. What's with all these people that only ever saw another single race?]

I had thought you to be a Hyur, but I assume you would call yourself a Human?

[maledictus_semper]

[So, not quite an elf. An Elezen instead. Were they sort of related?]

I am human partly, but also part daemon too.

[His eyes were of a deep amber colour, almost gold, as they shone brightly under the mess of wine-coloured hair. Ardyn offered the Elezen a coy smile, which might underlie just how strong his daemon blood was.]

Some say it is a curse but others see it as a divine gift; I am also immortal.

[heiresy]

[Well.

Aymeric nearly knocks over his glass of wine as he stands up]

A daemon.

[His hand hovers over his sword as he steps back. If he isn't lying, attacking him would be useless. He swallows hard, trying to sort out what to do while also being quite drunk. Maybe a tactical retreat would be in order. Where was Estinien when he needed him?]

[maledictus_semper]

[Ardyn did not react to Aymeric's obvious discomfort of the word daemon. It frightened most and Ardyn was used to people avoiding him or hating him.]

Relax. I'm not about to attack you, dear boy. The daemons inside me are controlled and have been for the past thousand or so years. Unlike some, these daemons are part of me now and are always under my command. I'm not about to kill you.

[He took another sip of wine and offered his new friend a shrug of his shoulders.]

[heiresy]

[His brow furrows, he stands his guard.]

Forgive me if I am not so readily placated at such an insistence. [Yet... He is making a noticeable stir. He shouldn't start a ruckus here. Not if he doesn't want to commit to a fight. He eyes the other man and sits hesitantly. It would be irresponsible for him to not understand the potential danger here.]

How- Or why do you command daemons? I am woefully familiar with those that would taint themselves to acquire power and influence.

[maledictus_semper]

It's a long story but one that includes me being announced as a saviour to a once great people and land. Time has ebbed the finer details down over the year but the point still stands; I absorbed deamons to save others from being ravaged by them.

[A hero among men? Definitely.]

[heiresy]

A noble sacrifice, then? Why should I believe anything you say?

[his brow furrows]

And more importantly, why wouldn't you lead with that part. Had I done the same, had I been capable of absorbing the evil in the world, I wouldn't so blatantly advertise such a thing.

[His thoughts go to his friend, a man whose blood had become likely more dragon than not to serve their city.]

You must know how much alarum that would cause.

[maledictus_semper]

I suppose you can't really believe anything I say, since we are only acquainted with another. Yet, I do not give up some information lightly. To gain a friend or ally, certain bridges must be built and trust is a good way to start.

[He doesn't go around telling anyone, dude. He just has some instinctive reason to speak about this with you.]

Of course. Alarm is the last thing I would want to cause, especially within this primitive environment.