The peace that formerly reigned in Terra Nova has eroded, now little more than a memory. War ravages the continent. Disputes divide kingdoms; ideals divide families. The quest for power consumes absolutely and indiscriminately. None are immune to its allure.
Who will rise and who will fall? Only time—and ambition—will tell.
UPDATES
05.26.2023
2 month character creation hold for all existing members begins 6/5/2023. Ended 8/5/2023.
10.29.2023
Change in how times flows. Was 4 IC seasons, now only 2 IC seasons per 1 OOC year.
5 whole years of Heir Apparent goodness! When I started the site, I knew I was hunkering down for the long haul, but I never could have predicted the numerous twists and turns this roleplay site has seen. Hundreds of plots, characters, and members have come and gone, all leaving marks on the site. I am so very thankful for those who have invested. Because you keep coming back, keep getting on, and keep writing, Heir Apparent has the legacy it does today. Three cheers to us!
Octavius had heard that he king had settled matters in Lorendale and was back in Nevermere. He knew what that meant: Regan was back, too. He intended to make good on his promise. Unfortunately, Grant was gone, so he hadn’t made progress…but he would. For now, however, he sought her for something far less important and far more practical. A smile.
It was not the same night that Regan returned. Octavius couldn’t just stop, drop, and roll at a moment’s notice. It was not long after, though. It was also night. His shift in a tower had just ended and he smelled like sweat but he had it under good authority that if he swung by the king’s study then he had a pretty good chance of running into her…
Post by Regan Lassiter on Sept 19, 2022 13:47:35 GMT -5
It was the third day since the bite. Three days of a hair-trigger temper, of insatiable hunger, and surges of icy pain. Every day had gotten progressively worse. She’d hardly slept, not just because of the pain, but because she was finding it increasingly difficult to be away from her newest preoccupation:
Cassian.
The feeling would come in waves: an itch to know where he was, what he was doing, who he was with. Thankfully her job answered one or two of those questions for her most of the time, but when Regan was released from a shift and retreated back to her bunk, she couldn’t put the thoughts out of her mind.
Regan was walking away from the king’s study, having just been released to dress the still oozing wound in her side. She pressed her hand against it, letting the pain calm the anger and fear that bubbled so close to the surface.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Sept 19, 2022 13:47:44 GMT -5
Octavius spotted his prey, the woman he hunted. She was distracted, and he wasn’t observant enough to catch what she was occupied by. Capitalizing on a moment for some good-natured fun, Octavius ducked back behind the corner he’d just rounded, heart racing, body sprung. He would listen intently for when Regan was just about to round the corner. When she did he would descend upon her with his long arms, intending to snatch her into a surprise hug thing.
Post by Regan Lassiter on Sept 19, 2022 13:48:03 GMT -5
Already, Regan was starting to feel the tug of the tightening string as the distance between her and the king grew. Once again, she felt the frustration surge, but not enough to break the surface. Why was it taking so long? Cassian had said hours, perhaps days, yes, but time continued to roll along without any change to speak of. Surely Regan had to be close. Surely. She just had to be patient. She just had to—
Regan felt the squeeze of arms around her and she reacted instinctively. She spun, pinning whoever it was against the opposite wall with shocking force. She bared her fangs with a growl, eyes glowing like hot coals as she stared down Octavius inches from his face. For a moment, Regan was gone, replaced by nothing but animal instinct as she considered her prey.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Sept 19, 2022 13:48:12 GMT -5
Octavius had expected a scream—or maybe a squeal, girls did that—and maybe even an elbow to his stomach, but not this. Not this strength, the growl, the fear that ripped through him, freezing up his limbs, making his expression slump dumb as he was helplessly pinned against the wall, forced to look upon the fangs of his friend.
His friend.
But in that moment, she was a beast and he knew it. He knew it, and he was afraid.
Post by Regan Lassiter on Sept 19, 2022 13:48:35 GMT -5
It was the fear in Octavius’s eyes that broke through. Regan’s fangs retracted and the glow in her eyes started to fade. She backed up, letting his feet drop to the floor as she straightened her uniform.
“Don’t do that,” Regan scolded with a harshly furrowed brow, “Don’t ever fucking do that.” She could feel the heat rising in her skin, as well as something else. Something else she couldn’t quite identify.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Sept 19, 2022 13:48:41 GMT -5
Octavius didn’t drop to his feet. Well, he did, but his knees had no strength in them, and so they buckled, and the soldier still in uniform fell to the ground.
“Okay, okay, geez,” the words were filled with a whine, a plea instead of a protest. His cheeks were hot with embarrassment and his eyes were low.
Post by Regan Lassiter on Sept 19, 2022 13:48:59 GMT -5
His weakness didn’t inspire guilt. Instead it intensified her prickling irritation. There was a part of her that was disgusted by her response, but it was an emotion easily burned away by the churning fire that threatened to ignite her. She looked up and down the hall, but saw no one.
“Get up.” Regan offered a hand, trying to summon a tone of normalcy as she offered her hand to Octavius.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Sept 19, 2022 13:49:06 GMT -5
Octavius planted his hands against the cold stones and raised himself to his feet, ignoring the hand she offered. If she was still tapped into any part of the hound then she would smell the fresh urine that wafted from a dark place between his legs. Thankfully, his uniform kept the mishap disclosed.
“No, don’t worry about it.” Octavius said sarcastically, as if she had apologized. But she hadn’t, and it hadn’t gone unnoticed. His eyes flickered up to her but with the wetness he could feel between his legs he couldn’t bring himself to hold her gaze.
“I just wanted to welcome you back. Sorry.” He moved to step around her, eager to retreat to the barracks.
Post by Regan Lassiter on Sept 19, 2022 13:49:24 GMT -5
The hound did smell it. Not just the urine, but the fear. Regan felt her fangs start to flex again. She breathed deeply, desperately trying to bury the instinct as Octavius pushed himself to stand. The initial surprise of the encounter started to fade, leaving enough of a crack in the door for something human to slip in: empathy.
“Octavius, wait—“ Regan would step in front of him, holding out a hand to stop him by the shoulder. If he tried to pull away, her grip would tighten, making it impossible to push past her. “I’m sorry. Really, I didn’t mean to.” Regan’s tone was sincere, now dark eyes shining with regret.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Sept 19, 2022 13:49:31 GMT -5
Octavius was hurt and humiliated. He had done something stupid and he knew it. It was his fault, not hers. Looked like he hadn’t broken the lifelong curse of wetting himself in times of fear. It had been so long since he had…
He would have tried to get away, except her hand on his shoulder without the extra strength had a power on its own to make him stay. He kept his eyes down and the red still marred his olive cheeks.
“It’s fine, Regan.” His gaze flickered up. “Really.” Down again. “But I have a shift I have to get to so…” Now he would try to escape her.
Post by Regan Lassiter on Sept 19, 2022 13:49:48 GMT -5
“Let me walk with you.” Regan offered, though it sounded a little more like a command than she would have liked. The more powerful beast wanted the weaker creature to comply and ease her guilt. She tried for a smile, breathing long and deep, trying to regain control. To look okay.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Sept 19, 2022 13:49:54 GMT -5
Octavius wanted nothing more than to get far away from Regan. He knew she was complicated, and he accepted that when he’d become her friend. It wasn’t that. It was the fact that he smelled. That he could smell himself. That his face felt hot and wasn’t cooling down. That Regan had become someone important—to the king, to the kingdom—and Octavius was just her pathetic friend who had wet his pants at the first sign of fear.
“Regan.” He stopped and looked up at her, square in the eyes, showing everything he hadn’t want her to see: the shame.
“Please.” She was commanding, so he was begging. “Just…” he looked down and sighed before looking up again, yielding to her insistence. “Let me get out of my uniform?”
Post by Regan Lassiter on Sept 19, 2022 13:50:11 GMT -5
It was the shame that blew the humanity door wide open. Regan’s anger turned back in on itself, focusing on her as the target. Octavius had done nothing but show her kindness. And yet here she was, as volatile as ever, lashing out without hesitation. Regan grimaced, this time brow scrunched in an apology instead of a scolding glare.
“Yeah. Sure, of course.” Regan loosened her hold, stepping back and giving him the space that he very likely needed.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Sept 19, 2022 13:50:19 GMT -5
Octavius tried not to make his relief too obvious when she agreed and stepped away. He nodded his head and started moving again. Before getting too far, however, he half turned and suggested,
“Wanna meet at the docks? Maybe…take a swim?” An almost bashful smile was crawling onto his lips. It was late an dark and swimming at night was dangerous, but he had a feeling they could both take it.