1x1 with wolf.skull

[wolf.skull]

Bahram was prepared to take the brunt end of this conversation knowing full well the king could have become offended with his questions. He caught the princess' slight wince at his words but the paladin was relieved when the king took favour of his suggestions rather than criticize him for it. Not that he had much choice, the king himself hadn't specified where the princess shell be taken too. While observing the two royals as he stood calmly below them, it was becoming evident that they had a little strife going on between them. Bahram had noticed but would not mention it. It didn't take long for the king to make his final decision after his suggestions, one the princess was visibly happy with as well despite prior sighs and irritability. "Thank you your majesty." The journey to Nervine would be a long one but it was for the better.

The name that had been revealed had caught his attention ever so slight. Rosalina. This was the first time Bahram had heard her name. He was aware the king had a daughter. Through out his time spent in Avylon's army he'd heard from his peers some regular camp talk in between battles. He had seen her once. During the ceremony in which he and many others were finally knighted after finishing the initial training all knights had to go though. He wondered if she remembered. That was nearly 8 years ago. From what he could tell she was strong, held her head high however there was a forbearance she carried. Rosalina seemed not one to rule by fear but by example. However this was only his guess by her demeanour, only time would tell him if this was true.

The knight had no further questions, believing the king would entrust him with other details pertaining to his new duty. The king most likely held a lot of weight on his shoulders in regards to fortifying defences and rallying any troops at his disposal. Heavy was the head that wore the crown, or so they say. Bahram didn't want to be the reason for the kings ire, so to signal he was awaiting further instructions the paladin took one step to the right facing the wall now. Moving out of the way for the royals should they wish to walk down from their thrones. Amarillo light beaming through large stained glass windows, sunset was upon them. Dusk would fall soon after. If they wished to make time, they should head out within the next few minutes.

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[cronchbottle]

Rosalina was quite pleased with the knight her father had picked out as he seemed to be as headstrong as she was. She was quite pleased with his ability to speak up for himself as it was not quite so easy to do, especially around royals. It seemed as if the two would have a rather beneficial yet respectful working relationship. He may even be a good consult to her kingdom planning, yet she would have to get to know him a little bit better before she would trust him enough for such a thing.

Alas the sun was setting and it seemed as if the knight had no more questions for her father, and she could sense her father's unease oozing out of every pore in his body. "Well then, shall we get going?" The female suggested as she also felt a little bit of anxiety herself. Whatever the militia had planned certainly was quite a threat onto their lives and for once she was glad she wasn't informed to the full extent. The king nodded in answer to her previous question and the two royals quickly bid each other farewell as it seemed as if he couldn't spare the time to go send her off. A sigh escaped her lips as she turned her back to her father to walk down the throne room stairs to accompany Bahram to the carriages who surely would already be prepared by now and hopefully stocked with delicious food for the two of them.

The female walked quietly alongside the other as they made their way down to the front of the castle where their carriage awaited them. She would wait until they were in the security of the carriage, away from prying eyes and listening ears, to have a proper introduction. She was mostly trying to keep out of eyesight for now, walking within the shadow the other cast over her, a soft smile on her face as she did so.

Soon the two reached the carriage door which was quite simpler than what she was used to. Yet a spruce wood carriage with ornate gold accents would be quite the tell that a royal was within. All she could do now was hope the furnishings within were more to her liking but she would only have to last a few days within as a more comfortable home awaited her in Nervine. Safety was more important than comfort at the moment so the simplistic carriage would have to do. The princess took one last glance out at her home castle before slipping into the carriage, taking a seat on the plush bench eagerly awaiting the carriage to take off over the cobblestone bridge down into town and away on the path to Nervine.

[wolf.skull]

The unease that hung in the room never seemed to dissipate as Bahram felt his own unease as he patiently awaited his superiors to join him. He was certain of his abilities to protect and serve the princess but it had been a long time since he’d spent time with someone else. After drifting it would seem he'd have to get used to being around people again, socializing. The closest thing he had to a friend was his nameless horse, who he hoped would be joining them. The animal proved to be a good travel companion and he'd need him once the job was done.

The paladin glanced upwards to catch the send off between father and daughter before the princess began her trek down the throne room stairs. It would seem the king would not give her a proper farewell. The looming threat of an uprising proving a more important affair to deal with. The situation was worse than what Bahram had previously thought. As the princess walked past, Bahram dipped his head once more to the king before falling in stride beside the princess and in silence the two made their way to the carriage outside. To his surprise his horse was apart of the team pulling the carriage.

The carriage, made of spruce and accented with gold was simplistic but still carried with it elegance. It hinted there were individuals of status occupying it. If this was the least conspicuous option, it would have to do. It was safest to blend in any way possible. Too much attention would surly cause more problems then solutions. Shading the princess from those gathered around, nosy to see what was happening. Bahram paid them no mind. This was not a concern of theirs and would most likely forget soon after. They had other things to worry about especially now that the king had time to take matters into his hands.

The paladin opened the carriage door for the princess and once she was inside and comfortable the paladin followed suit, sitting on the plush bench opposite to Rosalina. With a crack of the reins the horses were off at a decent pace and the carriage rolled on cobblestone over the bridge to the town below and soon on the road to Nervine. Bahram let out a silent sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. Uncomfortable with this situation. He had expected to be kept separate from Rosalina, like gold from silver. He was there for her protection and nothing more or so he thought. However perhaps she was nervous and wanted to keep him close for a sense of security. Bahram couldn’t exactly argue with that, there was no telling what fate had in store for either of them. So he sat, trying his best to settle in for the journey ahead. Grey eyes looking out through the window, watching the scenery pass by.


wc: 484

[cronchbottle]

Princess Rosalina uttered a gentle "thank you," to the knight, as she was quite grateful for him opening the door into the carriage. Although it was expected of someone to do it for her she always made sure to express her genuine thankfulness. The female was also quite relieved to be within the walls of the carriage, away from the whispers and prying eyes of the townspeople who had managed to see the scene. Her shoulders relaxed into a comfortable position as they were quite rigid on the walk to the carriage as her qualms were now beginning to dwindle. If the knowledge of where she was being transported to fell into the wrong hands surely disaster would strike, and as she trusted the paladin, she wasn't quite sure how much he could handle. If she was being sent away from the castle the militia must have come to an insurmountable number, something that should not have been allowed to happen.

As she settled into the nicely furnished carriage her crystal blue eyes shifted over to Bahram who seemed to be somewhat uncomfortable with the situation. Could she blame him? Not at all, he was thrust into a whirlwind of a situation with not more than an hours notice. Therefore all she could do was hope that he would not hold the circumstances out of her control against her as that would interfere with her safety quite thoroughly. The female did her best to shake the persisting thoughts out of her head by looking out the window, watching as the town went by which soon turned into a grey-brown blur.

For a few moments the female debated making small talk with the other, yet it took her a minute to build up the courage. She wanted so desperately for him to like her as otherwise the next few days of her life would be rather boring as she would surely be kept on a short leash. She possibly would be allowed to visit the High Elves for a change of pace, but she didn't want to expect such allowance only to get turned down. Alas Rosalina finally found her voice and began to speak with the other. "Your name is Bahram correct?" The female questioned, it was a simple question but it would surely gauge his interest in speaking with her based on his tone of voice. Tone was something she had quite the gift for reading, something that had proved to be useful to her title in more than one circumstance, so surely it would be beneficial with gauging the others true emotions.

[wolf.skull]

Moments had passed and already to him it felt as if they'd been travelling for hours. His body stiff, still uncomfortable the knight sat. He hadn’t so much as moved an inch save for the small bumps and general movement of the carriage. His mind wondered to other places while he gazed out the window at the passing buildings that made up the town. Orange glow, vibrant against the darkness of the sky as dusk fell came from their windows. Maybe then he would be able to relax.

The inside of the carriage was lavish and spacious. He wouldn’t expect anything less from eleven royalty. Rosalina looked as if she belonged there inside the carriage. Bahram was out of his element here. The elegance of the interior clashing with his armour, scraped and scratched from battle. He would have to get used to the feeling, like he would most likely have to get used to a lot of things.

Mentally he listed towns and cities, which routes to take while going off of memory. He had to figure out which was the best place to stop with a few things considered besides the princess. The horses would need breaks, they both needed some kind of decent sleep as well as their own separate spaces. How long she wanted to travel for was also a matter which he should consider. His plan was to make as much time as possible this night, and tomorrow start early in the morning once again. Still it seemed to him it would be a long night. Bahram hoped it would also be an uneventful one. Bandits and rouges were known to do their unfavourable deeds during the evening hours.

At the sound of her voice, Bahram was brought out of his pensive thought and faced the princess, looking at her with a steady gaze beyond his helmet. “Yes, your highness.” Came his answer, his voice formal but clear. The knight knew that she was most likely given a briefing about him so she’d know a little bit about him instead of the whole situation being a sudden surprise. Surface details like his name and where he was from. It was obvious to him the young woman was trying to make small talk which he wasn’t opposed to the idea of. After all they would be spending a great deal of their time together. Slowly he would get to know her as the process had already begun whether he liked it or not.

The problem lies with formality. He was not to speak unless spoken to by superiors and so he finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Although it would be rather rude if he didn't also say something in return. Bahram weighed his options and went for politeness over manners.

"And you are, Rosalina?"


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[cronchbottle]

Rosalina nodded at his words, affirming she had in fact heard her father correctly as he spoke before. "It is a nice, strong name." She replied as she observed the other carefully. He seemed not to be against the idea of speaking to her, but she could sense quite the inner turmoil of how to speak with a royal. "That is correct, I'll admit it will be somewhat nice to have some anonymity for once." The female mused, a soft smile appearing on her lips as she looked at the other. "I would appreciate if you did treat me as a peer, not as a royal while we are out together. It seems more safe and more fitting for the time being." The female suggested, knowing that she was asking him to completely revert out of his training for a specific mission. Alas she did not want the other to feel as if he had to remain formal throughout the whole mission as that certainly would be quite draining.

"May I ask how long this journey is going to take? And how many stops we will have to make? I don't mean to be a bother it has just been quite a while since I have last made this trip." The princess questioned, tilting her head to the side slightly as she waited for the other to answer. Although the furnishings of the carriage were quite pleasant, she already had the urge to step out and stretch her legs as carriage rides weren't exactly her cup of tea. "And if I may be so bold, would you mind telling me a bit about yourself? I believe it would be quite rude of me to not have at least some understanding of my companion." She asked after a moment of silence as she fiddled with her thumbs anxiously, a sense of unease washing over her at the silence.

These were quite superficial questions, yet a more urging question remained at the back of her mind, gnawing at her lips who refused to speak them out loud. She wanted nothing more than to know his opinion on the situation, all of it, the uprising, being her guardian, her fathers rein, and how he felt about being back in the service after being cast aside for so many years. Yet her manners overruled her curiosity and she shall wait for the right moment to ask them, which would be once he knew her better of course. Truthful answers would come with time and time was exactly what they had.

[wolf.skull]

Tense were his muscles as Bahram quietly let the princess speak what was on her mind. It was rather hard for him not to be as barren as a cobblestone wall, but the more she spoke Bahram felt a little ease come over him. Although he still found it strange to be travelling so closely with the person he was protecting the soft smile on her lips spoke differently. She was calm and comfortable. The paladin didn't know how to respond towards the young woman's compliment of his name, but if she could feel feelings she would know that he appreciated the thought. So he offered her a nod instead of words. What Rosalina said next though did give him pause. Truthfully he didn't want to offend her. Not with words. Not with actions. Still if anything he did was met with ire, he would take it on the chin as he was taught to do. Bahram tried to string together a sentence as gentle as his nature would allow. "Forgive me your highness." Bahram replied, "My purpose here is for your protection, not friendship. This is a foreign concept to me.. I am not yet used to." But instead of leaving it there, he added "But if this is your wish, I will try." He would keep true to his word and she did have a point.

The next set of questions were a little easier for him to get though. Those and many other details of their journey is what was on his mind at present and would remain that way until the task was complete. His brain jumped from city to town, passing any possible landmarks along the way until it reached Nervine to give her the most accurate answer for the time being. Once they found an inn at the next town to stay in he would have a good look at his map and inform Rosalina of any changes made to their route. "Three to four days with no interruptions. We will pass though multiple villages. It is safest to travel during the day, so each night we will find an inn to stay in. The only exception is tonight as I'd like to make as much time as possible given the current circumstances." If only he was given more time to prepare instead of being summoned on a moments notice.

The last question hung in the air as Bahram thought for a moment. What about him would she find interesting? He supposed she'd like to know just for the sake of knowing. Perhaps the king and his subjects weren't so through as he previously thought. Where would he start? Where was a good place to start? Did she want to know the humble beginnings? Or his time during training? He could try to regal her with a tale of battle although that was probably not a good option. Another silent sigh escaped him. There were a great many things he was capable of, but speaking about himself was not one he could do well. "I was born and raised in Treford." He began believing simplicity was best, "My mother and I." It had been a long time since he'd spoken of her. Despite the shadows of the past, Bahram remained stoic. This was not the time for melancholy. "This was where I went to school... got into typical trouble with the other towns children." He supposed that was a good start. Him and his friends pretending sticks were swords was something that would have made him smile.

Not two minutes ago it would have been inappropriate to ask the same of her, but she wanted him to treat her as a peer. So Bahram, in all his brashness asked Rosalina "What about you?" She seemed slightly anxious now. He hoped it wasn't because of him. Grey eyes shifted to the smooth spruce floor, then back at the window. They were still passing though Avylon's capital but not for much longer. It wasn't often but he did wonder what went on behind castle walls. At least now he would be able to get a little insight with the princess' help.

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[cronchbottle]

The tension in the room was palpable and it was rather easy to sense the unease radiating off of the male before her. The female could only hope that it would subside shortly and that the two would be able to truly have some sense of companionship. Yet his hesitant words sparked uncertainty within her prompting her to begin to fall quiet and simply nod along to his words. Was this technically her forcing him to be her friend? An exasperated sigh escaped quietly from her lips as feelings of overwhelming turmoil washed over her. An inner conflict was beginning to spark deep within the elven princess's soul as she wished for some guidance on how to interact truthfully with the other and not just because she was his superior. "I understand Bahram, if it is something you wish not to do then do not. I do not mean to cause you any discomfort." Were the words that managed to make their way out of her mouth, her tone remaining stable and calm whilst her insides did not.

The female felt quite content with his answer as anything more than a week within the carriage sounded rather dreadful. However she couldn't help but wonder if her father knew they were going to make stops within the town to bed down for the night, yet she wasn't in his care anymore she was within the care of the knight before her so she supposed it didn't matter. Besides who was she to complain, it would give her time to stretch out her legs and lie in an actual bed which was more preferred than the long seats within the carriage. "Thank you. It will be nice to get out of this box every once in a while." She replied as she began to gently run her fingers through her hair.

Her attention went back to the knight before her as he begun to tell her a bit about himself. His answer was short but at least he was talking to her, that was a start. "You got into trouble?" The female questioned. Then a slight giggle escaping from her lips as she thought about a littler version of the male, still dressed head to toe in his armor, running around within the town of Treford. Since she had no idea what the male looked like beneath his helmet, that is what she was able to envision which only added to the silliness of it all.

"Well I hate to say there isn't quite much that I find interesting about myself. Most of my life I lived within the castle walls except for when I became of age I lived among the High Elves of Nervine for a year, which is why I am so enthused about going back. They taught me quite a bit, not only about the magic of nature but about myself as well. They prepared me to be a leader more than my father ever had, they taught me how to not only rule my people but how to understand them, how to work with them. That was something my father had not quite picked up on when he came of age, as you can tell. Both of us have quite different views on how Avylon should be ruled and I hate to say I don't believe his is working quite so well. This being said I have spent quite a bit of time within the castle library as I am both an avid reader and a learner in order to better educate myself for when the time comes to step up as Queen." Rosalina replied, her words begging to ebb through her as her passion overtook her anxiety. After a moment the adrenaline left her body and her face flushed as she realized how much she had just been speaking. "I apologize that was quite a bit of information wasn't it." The princess said sheepishly as she felt the tips of her ears become rather warm with slight shame.

[wolf.skull]

At her words Bahram seen the soft smile she once adorned fall from grace. With her sigh, the knight full well believed he had upset her. This was not his true intention but what was said had to be said, just so she would understand at the very least it would take time for him to to come to terms with. There was his own inner turmoil he had to wrestle with. However he did tell her he would try and he wanted to be a man of his word. If the princess who was one day going to be queen could set aside her teachings for the sake of being a companion then he supposed it was only fair for him to do so as well. Rosalina was leading by example, who was he not to follow it. "This is not your fault." He reassured her. This was an issue that he needed to work through.

Still there was some unease, and Bahram still held his posture the same. "You are welcome." He replied with a nod in agreement. Had it been different circumstances entirely, he had no qualms with bedding down by a fire with his horse out in the wilderness but the princess surly wouldn't be impressed if that was his initial plan. No, he wouldn't put her through that. A vagabond lifestyle was a very dangerous way to live and travel. He did out of simplicity. All of his belongings fit onto the back of his horse which made travelling light easier. To him this carriage was a luxury seldom attained, which was why he wasn't at all complaining about the cushioned benches or the confines of the spruce walls that carried them. He was planning this way to make the journey as comfortable as possible for Rosalina.

Bahram didn't mind she found his little tidbit about himself amusing, and for the first time in this conversation the giggle that left her made him ease up a little. "Indeed I did." Came his answer. It was nice to hear her enjoying herself even if it was slight. There were plenty of things he got into. Often in the forest, although few of the towns shop owners had gotten to know him and some of the others well for their antics. Slowly he felt his shoulders begin to relax.

As the princess explained her side of things, Bahram was intently listening. He truly didn't know what to expect but that was not it. He wasn't disappointed but rather surprised to hear that a royal's living was about the same as his save for the more lavish comforts she had and a better education. He was fond of reading as well although he didn't grow up with a castle library, only what the local library of Treford had to offer. That was until later on in life when he got opportunities to read books during his training. Even if they were on battle strategies or how to harness the holy powers of his sword he absorbed whatever information he could find, and it was interesting to hear Rosalina speak on topics like the way her father was currently ruling and having the high elves teach her how to rule properly. "Don't apologize." Bahram replied quietly. He found himself wanting to hear more and quite frankly didn't want her to stop. He could see her passion for her royal duties through her words. It was something the kingdom of Avylon needed, especially now. "If this is the case, then it shall be my honour to serve you when you become queen." If she would have him, that is. Either way he was happy to go back to his nomadic life should she have no need for him.

Now it was his turn to throw a new piece of the game board. "How do yours and your father's views differ?" He posed a question, not meaning to pry but to keep the conversation going for fear of it fading away. He could probably answer this question himself but he wanted to hear it in Rosalina's words to get a new perspective, or simply to hear her speak on something she was zealous about.

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[cronchbottle]

'This is not your fault.' Those words washed over her with a tidal wave of relief as those were words she had longed to here for quite some time. Rosalina had too often taken on burdens of others, placing unneeded weight upon her already heavy shoulders. "Thank you," she replied gently, her body language relaxing as the tension in the room seemed to ease. At least the two of them had come to an understanding about the relationship would have between them, not only for her needs but for his as well.

The princess noticed the other's strong shoulders began to relax as the mood continued to become more pleasurable for the two of them. The female soon began to realize that the other was actually quite interested in her words, something that she wasn't quite used to as she would frequently be hushed by her father when speaking up within a council meeting, or simply when trying to confide within her. It was quite nice to not have to worry about having to apologize for speaking her mind and she was sure her expression showed that. "Thank you Bahram, I would love to continue having you serve our kingdom." The female replied, quite happy to hear that he would be pleased to serve under her, not just because he must, but because he respected her ideals. Of course at the end of their journey she would offer him the choice to, as it wasn't in her nature to force a respected colleague into the line of service. Yet his words meant more to her than he could have ever known as it solidified in the mind of the young ruler that her way was going to be better for the kingdom.

"Well of course there's the whole downsize of the army, while yes it is saving money where is the money saved going? Nowhere better I can assure you that, so I would love to see the former glory of the castle guard be destroyed. Once he dismissed so many there were quite a few relationships that had been destroyed, leading to the uprisings you see today. There is in fact a direct correlation." The elven princess began, soon becoming very animated as she spoke. "I also believe that there is a way to save money within the service while not dismissing the valued knights. What I will do with that money saved is not to hoard it like my father, I would actually love to put it into the education of the townspeople, as I believe the schools are lacking in certain areas as well." The female continued, her words as true as her heart. "We agree that agriculture does bring in quite a bit of money, but we disagree on the fact that my father believes that it is the only valuable source of monetary gain, which is why he hasn't been funding the education of our young."