[ AW ] Thy Kingdom Come

E

ach stride commanded elegance, power folded within each flex of his muscles, his gait smooth and trained, lean frame bringing him forward, like the strut of a danseur. His eyes, the clearest of blues on a spring day when the sun was high, drank in the scenes before him, this kingdom and its inhabitants, the bustle of the crowds. Yet, despite the somber tone of winter, he had a friendly, welcoming expression about him.

Rafiel had been here before as a child, for his own home was a neighboring clan, though far, far away from this place. He remembered it, and he encouraged his companion, Merrin, to come with him, for it was a place of both adventure and intrigue, their skills valued among the denizens of Rionnach.

Despite the turmoils they had experienced, the tragedies that befell the Zyphears, Rafiel kept his vows close to his heart, the calling of his knighthood bringing about a certain wanderlust, along his with duties: To protect the weak, to cure the ill, to guide the lost. If there ever were a soul who required his services, he would, without a doubt, come to their aid.

art by Lunicea, code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Hmmm... Victorian stood knee deep in snow, ears flicking back as he gazed at the crumbling castle gates. Where the stone had fallen apart, thick hedges had taken root until in a wild, natural barrier. The primary entrance to the castle had been frosted shut and the castle sentries had been busy trying to get it sorted whilst letter carriers and young ladies bickered frustratedly around it.

When Victorian had approached with news for one of the royal guardsmen, he had been shooed away. "Use the side entrance." That was all the woman had said before Victorian was ignored in favor of other townspeople anxious to get a word in. After enough shoving and jostling, Victorian had turned to trudge to the side though he was terribly uncertain of where that would be.

There was a spark of hope, however!

Dark ears perked and he shook his head to dislodge some of the falling snowflakes. The golden man ahead of him cut a striking figure, one that almost certainly marked him as one of the royal guard. Surely he would know?

Bounding more quickly, Victorian called out to him: "Sir?" Hoping that the man stopped, the young soldier tried to draw up alongside him. "Are you a King's knight, sir?"

art: snow-body + code: claerie

@Rafiel

T

he bustle never ceased, the chitter and chatter, gossip and rumors, threaded through the conversations as people wove through the streets for their daily business, searching for rack of lamb or leaves or ragwort—it was the mundane tasks that seemed to make the world go ‘round, and Rafiel never minded them, though he did have a tendency toward adventure. He enjoyed something grand, something that made his heart beat with that quiet thump, his tongue lolling from the side of his mouth, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

He studied the castle from where he was, these dilapidated ruins still a mighty feat of architecture, despite the wear and burden of time. It fascinated him, the cogs in his mind turning at the very thought of what creatures might have left them behind—why, they must have made something better if they would choose to make their exit from this wonderful place!

Rafiel trotted along the streets, taking in the sights and sounds, ears flicking toward conversations, this way and that. Ever the social one, he enjoyed being around people again, relishing in their laughter and exclamations, no matter how relevant they seemed, and as he watched a line of yearlings make their way to complete their daily chores, he found himself in the presence of a young gentleman.
“Ah, beg your pardon!” he said in response to the inquiry. “Well, not precisely. I am a knight from a neighboring kingdom, but not officially in the service of our good King Adamh.” That could very well change, depending on the nature of the the court intrigue and the utility the King so required, but that was the current circumstance.

Rafiel did not forget his manners, and he swept an elegant bow toward the stranger. “I am Rafiel Zyphear,” he said. “Might I have the pleasure of your name, my good sir? For what reason are you searching for a King’s knight, if I may be so bold to inquire?”

@Victorian

art by Lunicea, code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

"Ah—" Victorian did his best to not appear disappointed though it was difficult to conceal. Inititally, the light in his eyes faded to reveal embarassment and worry instead. How was he to relay his message to one of the knights? It was not a big task, but it was vaguely time sensitive. Before, he had never faced such trouble when it came to entering. After the events of the ball, however... not that he could blame the king. He had been horrified to see it all unfold. Everything had taken a turn for the worst and he felt an immense amount of guilt over having invited Manon at all. "Sorry to be a bother," he offered with a faint smile.

Had the stranger not offered his name, Victorian would have trudged through the snow and made his exit in an attempt to find the aforementioned "side entrance".

Rafiel Zyphear. Dark ears twitched and amber eyes refocused on the man's golden face. For the first time, he really looked at him—not as a vessel of important information for getting into the castle, but as a man. Faced with such politeness, Victorian felt a flash of shame for having been so curt (internally, at least). Florence would have been far sweeter, but his sister did have a love for the romance of the world and the stories held within each wolf's heart.

"Victorian Coax," he said with a small bob of his head. "I am a soldier of the Imperial Army. I have a message for one of the knights but I am having trouble getting in." His tail twitched slightly. "After the events of the ball, however, it has been difficult. The lines are long."

art: snow-body + code: claerie

@Rafiel

H

e was a man of great emotional intuition, surely, perhaps even far too precise for him to be a knight—Rafiel made his choices almost exclusively based off of this ability to analyze the feelings of others, to empathize, to fit himself in the place of someone who had experienced frustration or even tragedy.

As such, he felt a disturbance from the young man who stood before him. Clearly, something of import weighed upon his mind, and whatever plagued him surely needed to be resolved. “No bother at all, good sir!” Rafiel said, pleasantly, nodding toward the castle. “A pleasure to meet you, Sir Victorian! A fine name!”

“Ah, I’ve heard whispers of what occurred at the ball. What a tragedy. King Adamh has always been a friend to my homeland. The caliber of his character is unquestionable.” He remembered that his father and mother spoke highly of King Adamh, and after losing his kin in a terrible wildfire, Rafiel searched for purpose and will again, wishing to rekindle the legacy that the Zyphears so boldly left behind.

“I am most sorry you are having trouble locating a King’s Knight. Perhaps I may be of service? I do believe I saw a small crowd of people not too far from here, though a great deal less busy—there seems to be an entrance to the east.” He was certain that was what he saw as he circled the landmark castle. “If that would help, I might lead you there? You may have more luck.”

@Victorian

art by Lunicea, code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

After having been rebuffed by the soldiers at the gate, Victorian had expected this man to brush him aside as well. At the very best, he would wave the young soldier on. At the worst, he'd ask to speak with the boy's commander and sort out a punishment of the mundane variety. On the contrary, kindness emanated off of the man as if he were the sun and his personality the warmth of his rays. Victorian found himself smiling suddenly, and he felt some of the stress melt off of his body. For days now, the soldier had become a all-too similar to a wound-up toy. The key on his back had been twisted so taut that it was close to breaking, and he charged ahead on auto-pilot, all while steeping in the regret and horror that came with having attended an assassination attempt.

Yet this man seemed to know nothing of it.

"I like him too," Victorian breathed, feeling oddly comforted by the tame little comment. Matters of politics felt heavy, stifling even. He did not know Rionnach's past and he didn't have a vision for its future. His priorities were painfully trivial and close to home, and perhaps that was naive of him. However, he did not want to be a martyr for a new cause or an activist. He trusted others to make those informed decisions, and he would do his best to help in the little ways that he could.

Perhaps this man was a kindred spirit, or a wolf with enough kindness in his heart that he would at least know what to do in situations such as the ball.

Dark ears twitched at the prospect of being saved. "That would be great if you have the time," Victorian smiled before he shivered and shook off some of the snow that had fallen onto his brow.

As they began to make a path there, Victorian couldn't help but ask: "You mentioned your homeland... are you not from here?"

art: snow-body + code: claerie

@Rafiel