The Hardened Heart

"Oh, I travel without disguising myself often," Cyric told the Dragon with a smile, "I just put on a disguise if I'm not supposed to be out or if I feel like being inconspicuous." He took a drink from his pint, "What's your country like?"

Chantel nodded, her fingers tracing the grooves of her glass absentmindedly. She wasn't particularly thirsty, but took a sip anyway so as not come off as rude to the Prince. She looked around, thinking of how to describe it, and smiled slightly. "Different," The red-head glanced at some of the people in the inn. "The Dragons act different, different from the way Humans do. Life seems to work much differently there, it contrasts to your species. Not nearly as much as it does the Elves," Her eyes narrowed slightly for just a moment at the word, looking to the left before bringing her focus back to Cyric. "But it seems...Safer...Calmer here when compared to my homeland. The parts of it I've seen, for that matter." She said, recalling all the incidents where a Dragon was lost to their anger. Some could prove to be very destructive when they got like that. Unlike Humans, who didn't appear to be particularly dangerous without their weapons.

"I see," Cyric mused, not sure what to make of her words. He imagine attacks by Elves or some Dragons losing their tempers. He spoke, "What do Dragons have against Elves? For that matter, what do Elves have against Dragons?"

Chantel shook her head slowly for a moment. "It's always been this way. There a great number of stories told of how it all began, on both sides, I'm sure," She paused, "But in all honesty, I think it's just because we're too different. Perhaps long ago, our natures proved too diverse to live in peace. Or maybe one side felt threatened by the other, and made excuses to try and lower the other's power." The red-head said, literally speaking her thoughts aloud. "And now, after all these years, when the reason itself is forgotten, both sides are too stubborn, and have been taught with so much hate towards the other that either side refuses to give in. Because they fear it." The Dragon smiled slightly with bitter humour for a moment, "They fear giving in. Being less powerful. Not being able to compromise. Like two children fighting over a doll and neither can be happy at the same time."

"Hmm... Too bad there's no parent to give them a time-out," Cyric commented with a laugh a s he took a sip of his ale, "I find that people of all races are stubborn about being right."

"Not so much being right, as it is not being wrong." Chantel said, "Sad, but true. But we've all got a stubborn side somewhere." the Dragon pointed out, giving a short, quiet laugh, "Some just bring it out from within us more than others. Being stubborn isn't always necessarily a bad thing either."

"So, what about you?" She asked, not knowing much about the younger Prince.

"Eh. I can be stubborn if I want to be," Cyric told Chantel with a shrug, "There's not much to say about me. I suppose if our kingdom ever went to war, I'd be on the front lines while Marcus is busy planning. To tell the truth, I'm the sort of guy that just tries to have fun all the time."

Marcus

The tempo became faster, the song changed into something else, something that sounded more like longing. Marcus looked like he was in a trance, there was no emotion on his face, he just sat there playing without any trace of life in him aside from his moving hands and arms. Thoughts swirled around in his head, though none of them were about his present situation, he was reliving the past in his mind.

"I can tell," Chantel commented, "But, without the planning, there would be no front lines." The red-head pointed out, though she knew she'd probably sneak out of the castle and engage were there ever a war. As calm a Dragon as she was, she could never deny the burning passion to fight that traced flames in the works of her soul. It was her nature, another scribble in her destiny.

Elala listening as the melody grew more complex, more defined. It sounded like sorrowful faerie creatures, dancing on wind chimes in the darkness of the night. The lovely sound curling out of the room, seeming more like a story than a song, forming an array of feelings and something bigger that she didn't know of. She leaned slightly, moving so she could see through the line of the open door hinge.

"That's true," Cyric admitted with a shrug, "Though I still prefer the frontlines. It's not that I'm bad with tatctics, it's that it's lot less boring on the battlefield."

Marcus

The song changed once more, now it became slow, resonating, it spoke of emptiness, having nothing within it. A haunting melody, one that, while nice, was chilling to the bone, not something that one would want to listen to for very long. Marcus kept playing it though, for it was how he felt, and he couldn't just get rid of it, and more importantly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to. His emptiness, his self-isolation, let him see the world as it was, which would be invaluable as a ruler, doing what was best for the kingdom, regardless if it was popular or not.

Aine was walking around outside the castle, feeling rather bored at the moment. She regretted her being here and she knew that it would be pointless to let anyone else know this, so she was just exploring the area around the castle.

It was nice to feel the sensation of running again, especially after having to sit around for almost eleven hours straight. Now was the time for her to spend all of her energy so she could be able to listen to her brother for the next few weeks in silence.

But then she found a path leading away from the castle, and it wasn't the one Aine had taken on her way there. "It must go somewhere....a town? It's probably a small human town that wouldn't be worth my time, then again..." The Princess contemplated before she began to run down the road, curious to see where it would take her.

"It's more exciting, thrilling." Chantel agreed with his choice, "As great as strategy is, one should never fight blindly, being out on the feild...There's nothing else like it. Every second could be the last, and every three is someone else's." She paused, thinking of her mother's death for a moment, but shook the image. "The feeling is horrid, yet wonderful at the same time." the Dragon spoke her thoughts with admiration of the battle field. Must've been something she'd picked up from her father's side.


Elala felt a shiver trace down her spine. The now hollow tune that drifted from the room seeped into her being, driving all the warmth directly from her soul. Leaving her feeling as empty as her soul. She began to wonder if he was playing from the heart, most Princes were skilled with musical instruments, since being little, it was almost considered custom in her kingdom. But this was...Something else. She'd never heard anything like it. Each new note brought forth a swirling emotion of loss, and it gave a feeling of being forsaken, forever contained in a barren being. She willed her legs to move and walk away, it being rude to listen in, but found herself unable to leave. Elala's curiousity leading her to want to hear the end of the story.

Marcus

The song slowed, the sounds becoming so much more sad and lonely, that it seemed to burst with sorrow, and then, as he finished, the last notes resounded with the emptiness that only death could bring, and at last Marcus felt a tear falling down his face, causing him to stop before he meant to. He wiped his eye and rose, face neutral again, as he prepared to leave.

"I haven't been in battle before," Cyric admitted, "But the thought of fighting to defend my people seems.... right."

The Dragon grinned, "Well, I think you'd like it." She said, but frowned, "Of course, not liking conflict, I meant the fighting." She clarified, laughing lightly. She hated watching others die on the field, even though she didn't know them. She hated it when they told her she'd fought well as their last words. Knowing she wasn't even one of them, just a maid in it for the fun, while they were in it for their lives and their families back at home.

Elala watched as a tear trailed down his face, and suddenly felt dirty for listening. But she stayed there, even as the song stopped, not expecting it to be the end. It seemed like there should have been more, but as she saw him stand, she realized he was finished whether the song was over or not. Though she was slightly disappointed, the Elven princess shifted away from the door's hinge, and took a deep breath before continuing down the hall. The snowette tried to appear as though she were just casually exploring the castle, not wanting him to know she'd seen or heard anything.

"Of course. No one likes having people actually die," Cyric told her, remembering that people died in battle. It was often something people neglected to mention in the stories.

Marcus

Marcus came out of the room and immediately saw one of the guests walking away. His lips curled up into a smirk, and he muttered, "I seem to have had an audience. At least it wasn't Cyric, I don't need him asking about my music, not that he would ever understand it."

He walked on down the hall until he reached his caretaker's room. He knocked on the door, and Gilderoy answered. "Yes, your highness, what can I do for you," he asked, in a silky smooth voice. "I have decided that I would like to invite each of the princesses and princes to spend time alone with me, so I may judge them," Marcus replied. "The princes, sire," Gilderoy asked. "Yes, I need to know my possible future family, and it may be that I prefer to spend time with males than females, less troublesome and more professional," Marcus said. "It will be done, my lord," Gilderoy said. Marcus took his leave, and Gilderoy looked around before quickly closing the door.

"The prince is not fit for royalty," another man said, sitting in a comfortable chair. "No, no he's not. He must be eliminated," Gilderoy said. "Exactly. Poisoning him would be wise, and with so many guests in the castle, they can be easily framed, and thus choose whom we will ally, and Prince Cyric will take the throne, a much more suitable King than Marcus," the man in the shadows said. "As his caretaker, it won't be hard for me to slip in the poison, but how shall we frame a guest," Gilderoy asked. The man smiled, and replied, "leave that to me."

Chantel shook her head sadly, another blur of her mother's face that day so long ago passed through her mind without her control. "No, most definitely not." the Dragon agreed. She took another sip of her drink, looking around. "So, what's it like to be a Prince in the Human kingdom?" She asked, searching for a subject change.

Elala turned a corner, glancing from the corner of her eyes as he acknowledged that she'd been listening. The snowette continued down the corridor, thinking about what she had heard in these most recent moments...And what she'd seen. The Elven Princess stopped, turning to look in a large mirror decorated in various flowers, picking one out that didn't seem to go with the rest, and staring at it's thorns, before placing it on a table, and continuing on. Perhaps...Perhaps this one may be different from the rest.

"The attention's nice sometimes, but other times, it's annoying. The people love you and you love them back, but so much is expected of you, more so for Marcus than myself. I guess it's hard work, but it's fun sometimes," Cyric explained thoughtfully.

Marcus

"All I need to do now is wait for one of my meetings," Marcus told himself, and walked back to the piano. "I'll close the doors this time," he decided, shutting them and sitting down on the bench. "Perhaps something less personal, this time. A great work," he told himself, and began playing one of the classical human pieces, though it felt heavier than it should have, more of a burden to play.

Rebecca

"No Liz nothing happened." Rebecca informed her room mates as she changed out of her dirty clothes. Apparently one of the maids had seen the Princes carrying her into a private room and had started spreading rumors to everyone, ending in an annoying process for Rebecca where she had to deny everything that the others asked her.

"They found me after I clumsily fell in the gardens and passed out, being the chivalrous men that they are, they made sure I received medical attention. Why don't you all talk to Alesia? She actually showed the Elven Prince and Dragon Princess their rooms and spent time with the two." She pointed out as she looked at Alesia, knowing her friend certainly wouldn't mind the attention.
-------------------
Ardal


The Prince had left his room awhile ago and had been traveling the castle observing everyone and everything around him as he explored. He had seen a few maids earlier, whispering about his appearance as they thought he wouldn't hear them. They were wrong of course but it did end up providing a moment of amusement for the Elf.

Eventually the Elf began to hear music flowing throughout the halls, slightly muffled sounding, but still an interesting tune. As he walked down the halls, trying to fins where the music was coming from he saw Elala walking away from the music down the halls as well.

"So I see you're exploring the castle as well....Enjoying yourself so far?" He asked.

Elala turned to face her fellow Elven royalty, feeling more comfortable upon seeing Ardal's more familiar face. If there was anything in the world Elala hated, it was meeting people for the first time, and having to introduce herself. "Indeed." She answered him, smiling politely. "The gardens are lovely, you should take some time to pay them a visit today." The snowette said innocently, glancing out an opening, "And you, Prince Ardal? What is your take on the Human kingdom so far?" Every word truly seemed like she valued his answer, you'd have to really get to know Elala to see through the shield she put up to avoid getting in trouble with her parents for not being 'proper'. Sometimes the Princess just couldn't stand the pressure.

"You can pull the fun out of nearly anything, can't you?" Chantel asked, with a slight laugh.

Ardal smiled back as he made conversation with Elala, slightly enjoying himself and also wishing that he wasn't stuck talking so politely like he had to with other royals. "Oh well it certainly has been fascinating so far. The Library has a few books that provide a very interesting outlook on history, I certainly can't wait to finish it tonight. Perhaps I'll simply read it in the gardens for a healthy balance." Ardal said as he carried on the conversation and held his hands in place. He thought Elala was a good person to be around, not as annoying as the Miknara sisters for sure, but he still felt like they were simply playing a game neither of them liked whenever he spoke with her. And he knew that she was a master of conversation, and thus, he didn't trust her.

"So the Princes certainly provide an interesting contrast to each other. I bet that they make quite the pair, what do you think of them Elala?" Ardal asked as he moved the subject to business.

"Only if it involves work," Cyric told Chantel with a grin, "I hate work." He frowned when he looked out the window and saw that the sun was already rising, "Damn! If my Dad finds out I've been out all night, he'll beat me with a mace!"