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!
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Jun 21, 2022 14:05:29 GMT -5
[ Made for @katerina ]
The pairing was still fresh, but the two were starting to get a hang of each other. Octavius was lighthearted and goofy, and Katerina was a cactus with a pretty face. While one of them had a great purpose, the other was moreso just living his life and figuring things out. One had a family, the other was mostly alone. At the end of the day, their yin and yang was starting to jive. At the end of the day, they had each other.
Octavius stepped in front to open the door for Kat before they entered into the tavern. They had not yet been to an establishment like this together, and he'd suggested it as a way to bond. He hadn't considered, until they were stepping into the room, that this might not be the kind of place she wanted to spend her night. Maybe she wanted to go home to her husband and her children. But they were here now so they'd make the most of it.
"If you grab the table I'll get us drink. What are you having?"
Spending a night at a tavern was just as close to home as a Van Zant could consider. Of course Kat was a Winters now, but really that was just the name she had taken. It hadn't changed who she was, not by any means. So a suggestion to get a drink made perfect sense to her, especially the sour sailboat. That was a favorite, and while it meant wondering about familiar faces popping up, she didn't really care about it. If her partner was going to know her he might as well see all of her, including the one that pulled a knife on a fool who thought they were tough for picking on the shortest Van Zant.
"Something strong, take your pick. I'll be over there." Kat gestured in the direction of a few tables, although she had one in mind even though it was occupied. Waltzing over to her favorite spot she glared at the two soldiers in her seat enough they scampered to the bar. It was slightly off to the side, but enough that you were still in the action of things, the sounds of the tavern buzzing around.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Jun 24, 2022 13:32:57 GMT -5
Octavius went to the bartender and ordered just that.
"Two of something strong." The man frowned at him and he shrugged back, but without further questioning two mugs were filled. Soldiers Octavius didn't know came huffing up to the bar.
"Bitch stole our seats." One muttered.
"You gonna do something about it?" The other scoffed. The first shook his head and then they pulled out stools and settled once more. Octavius' eyes followed where the first had cast his glare to see Katerina. Was it just him or did she look proud of himself?
He carried their drinks over and set hers in front of her before sinking into a seat.
"Was, uh, this table empty?" He was curious to hear what she'd say.
Flicking her eyes over to the bar she was glad to see the drinks on their way over. She didn't even noticed the two disgruntled soldiers, they had been weak enough to run from a glare so why bother.
Kat took a sip of her drink and shook her head at his question. "Nope! I didn't even have to ask and they got up." Shrugging her shoulder her grin widened. "We could move if you want, but it's the best seat really."
Pausing she gestured as she explained. "Can see the door and exit, close access to the bar, and it's not one of those weird booths." Taking another drink she certainly thought that her partner had done well with his job.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Jun 29, 2022 13:14:13 GMT -5
Octavius chuckled nervously at her response. Oddly, he believed her, but he was sure she didn't have to say anything. She might have been short, but her presence packed a punch few wanted to be in conflict with. He felt a burst of pride at the thought. She was his witch. She could very well take care of herself, and yet Octavius knew it was his job. He'd do it, and he'd do it well.
"I agree, this is the best seat." He said with a smile, joining her in drinking from his mug. He kept his eyes on her, considering for a moment before asking, "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
Nodding her head with a smile, at least Octavius was smart enough not to push the subject. It was a really good seat, and only an idiot wouldn't see that. And she didn't need one of those as a partner. She needed someone with some sense about him if they were ever going to get through this.
"Hmmm I guess I've never thought about it." That was the honest truth. She didn't plan that far, which was quite clear from an unplanned pregnancy, rejoining the military due to her sisters death, and her general distaste for rules and order. "Alive, with a drink in one hand and a dagger in the other, having killed whoever murdered my sister."
Taking a sip she remembered it was polite to ask the same question. "What about yourself?"
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Jul 1, 2022 14:14:34 GMT -5
Octavius's drink didn't swallow right, and at her words he abruptly began cough-choking. Some of the mead came out of his nose and sprayed into his shielding hand. It was an embarrassing display, really, but there it was. He had to cough a little more to clear his system and use his sleeve to clean his nose and mouth and even some of the table. He avoided looking at Katerina through the duration of the display, a little embarrassed but mostly unwilling to witness whatever disgust or contempt she was feeling for him now. Only when he was fully recovered did he sit up and address her as if nothing had happened.
"Ya know, ask me again in a week. Last week I thought one thing, today I think another, and I'm sure it'll keep changing. I guess I'd like to find a wife. That seems like one of those staples of a happy life." He shrugged and carefully drank what remained in his mug.
Raising an eyebrow as her partner seemed to lose his drink, Kat wasn't sure if it was because of what she said, or something else entirely. She was torn between not totally caring, and a wondering curiosity over the matter. Either way it didn't make her think any less of him, a grin spreading from the hilarity of it. Speaking to give him time to recover she shook her head."You are far more polite than most of my usual company, nose spray is a classic."
His answer was slightly boring, but at least insightful. Kat had never imagined being married herself, and here was someone practically dreaming of it. "Marriage huh? It's not all that it's cracked up to be. Make a good pick okay?" Taking a sip of her drink, she looked around the bar rather than her partner. Marriage wasn't exactly a favorite subject, never had been, never would be.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Jul 5, 2022 20:22:53 GMT -5
And yet here they were, talking about it for the second time in just a matter of days. Octavius' eyes narrowed on her.
"What does that mean?" He asked, leaning towards her a little, interested to see where she would take this. Where it would go. He wrinkled his nose. "And how can you pick well? Do you ever truly get to know someone prior to wedding them? I hear people put their best foot forward until the blood is mingled and then once they're roped in for life you see the true colors..." He raised a brow at her.
Kat took a big swig of her drink, all of it really. If she was going to get through round two of taking about marriage with her eager beaver partner she was going to need another round. Maybe ten more rounds just to be on the safe side.
”Exactly, that’s why marriage is a trap.” Fabian had said to trust him, that he’d never hurt her. And for the first time in her life she’d tried to do just that. But vows were apparently only meant to be said and forgotten. ”Even if you’ve known someone most of your life it can wind up like that.” No it was better to stay an island and let no one in. She had thought about filling her partner in on her crappy start to a marriage, but even that seemed too cruel.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Jul 5, 2022 21:01:37 GMT -5
Octavius thought back to dinner at her house with her husband. He'd seemed the doting man. Now that he thought back on it, he seemed too doting. Too suspiciously involved in his family life. Most men weren't like that. They were stiff with their wives and tolerated their children. Nobles, anyways. Only commoners were ever truly happy--of this Octavius was convinced.
"A trap." He repeated the words, one side of his mouth pulled up towards his nose, his distaste at the idea apparent. "Maybe..." And there it was, his shiny optimism beaming through, "you only think that because you're missing the point of marriage." He was postulating, but here they were, and she'd either have to shut him down or go on this journey with him. "What did you expect from it?" Call her case study number one.
Holding up two fingers to a passing barmaid she was definitely going to need more. Octavius was shiny and new, like a puppy or someone who still believed in true love of whatever. Maybe he was right and that she was bitter, but so far the whole thing seemed like a sham. She had followed her vows, despite never wanting to be married in the first place, and the one so supposedly in love hadn’t? No it was all just an elaborate trap to make woman complacent.
”For starters, I never expected to be married or have kids.” Putting up one finger, not the middle one although she had thought about it, she started to count what she thought were reasonable marriage expectations. ”But I would expect not to be cheated on,” Second finger. ”While I was pregnant.” Third finger. ”With someone I had actually admired.” Fourth finger. Wiggling her thumb she looked at Octavius as the second round got delivered. ”Do I need a fifth or is that enough?”
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Jul 5, 2022 21:22:35 GMT -5
Octavius was ready to pick apart her expectations and reason with them, but then she listed them, and he had nothing to say. The bastard. He wished he could go back to that night at dinner and punch Winters in the face. Maybe he still would...
"Wait, so...you married a childhood friend who seemed the loving, loyal type and he randomly up and cheated on you with...a friend?" He grimaced.
Taking a sip of her new drink she gestured at the woman to keep them coming. This was stuff she didn’t talk about. But if they were to trust each other with their lives? Well he might as well know every part of her disappointing life. Well her children weren’t disappointing, but that wasn’t the point.
”Kind of. Him and my brother were best friends during military training. And not a friend exactly,” Now didn’t seem like a good time to mention she didn’t consider friendship a worthwhile thing despite having a few. Regan Lassiter. I thought she was badass, turns out not so much.” No she was just like every other woman. Slinking into any bed she could to get to the top. Or maybe just because she could. It didn’t matter, she was just like the rest.
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Jul 5, 2022 21:49:47 GMT -5
Octavius had taken a sip, and for the second time that night her words made him choke. This time, however, he handled it more gracefully, only coughing with his mouth closed before he fought the urge to spray it and instead swallowed it. He then pushed his mug away, resolving to be done with it for the night.
Regan Lassiter. He'd just met her, and he'd left the exchange decidedly liking her. She was Grant's paired witch as well, which was saying a lot, as Grant was the closest friend Octavius had had before shipping off to Cambria.
"Wait so," because he needed to catch up, "this girl Regan," yes, he was pretending not to know her, "had sex with your husband after you were married and pregnant with his child?" He was clarifying for the sake of his disbelief.