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!
There were new Nevermerans in the kingdom, and it had put her on edge. They had arrived unannounced and they were not the usual crew of the grunts that patrolled around their homes like they owned them. No, one was not a soldier at all and two of them were apparently ranking members. This was a group with a mission, though what that mission was had yet to be made known. Viveka had her suspicions.
It was a warning she had offered the first night Wren had returned from Coheed and the Valkyries had gathered around the fire. They needed to be mindful of what Nevermere would do now that it had been made apparent that Coheed was willing to intermingle with them and Cambria was not. She feared that is what this little troop was here about. She only wished Isolde would call on them already so they may speak and learn the actual truth behind it.
Regardless of if she agreed with the brandings or not, she would not have more Nevermearns sniffing about and causing trouble for their priestess or the kingdom. So she had taken to making her own patrols around their village, occasionally swinging by the tents that were home to these new visitors on the off chance that she catch some bit of useful information. Today was one of those days, and she marched with her head held high, one of her double headed axes resting atop her shoulder.
Just like the witches in Coheed had been very particular about the way they made the tent for Cassian, Kennet, and Alys... it was no different for Norah and her crew. Once they had been taken to their homes, Norah had gotten to work on painting potions onto the walls and windows of the homes. Soundproofing them as she could. Maybe it seem no more than muffled talking, even if Norah was to scream her head off inside. It was a danger in a way, but it allowed them to speak freely inside their place they rested their heads.
When the Governor didn't call on them the first day, Norah was already forming the plans. They were to appear non important. Smart on the priestess' end in a way. No doubt another might have been shaken by the insult or whatever it was they wanted. But the dark haired witch was not. She instead made her rounds with the soldiers there. Stopping in and making herself seen by the Cambrian's with the other soldiers. Checking on them, asking how things had been, if anything had risen to cause concern amongst the borders. Deimos at her side the entire time. Appear as just a merely large house pet. Who had more teeth than the normal...
She spoke to whatever Cambrian's would speak to her, and her gut told her that those who spoke to her were likely amongst those branded. Or soon to be. And even the ones who were quiet and ducked their heads, as if to not be noticed, had perhaps been branded and thought it best to avoid attention by anyone else from Nevermere. Every note she could make was tucked away with the faces and names if she could catch them. Filed away in her mind. Faylin and Kasper were to appear with their soldier's. 'Training' as she had told them to pass it off as. Nothing for pairs shifting men, but for anything else.
It was as she was returning that she noticed a Cambrian near their home and she almost raised a brow in question but remembered herself and slowly approach. "Good day," she said with a courtly smile.
Viveka hadn't given any thought as to what she would do if one of them had actually tried to speak with her. But it seemed she would have to figure it out quickly. Of course, if it had been one of the soldiers perhaps it would have been easier. There was a bit of common ground there. But the diplomat walking towards her? She doubted they had much in common at all.
She came to a halt, her face not necessarily unfriendly but certainly not welcoming. She dipped her head in a curt nod. "Hello. Have you been enjoying our village?" She couldn't help the slight enunciation on the word 'our.' She wanted this woman to know she was not really welcome here.
Norah did not miss the dip in the woman's voice. If anything, it made her courtly smile curl upwards just a bit more, something more impish and truly amused than before. She wanted to reassure the woman that she did not want to be there any longer than necessary. She had a home she wanted to go back to, but unfortunately, someone here was marking and maiming people. Which put a strain and possible threat on her own people.
"I have, thank you. It's been pleasant getting to see our soldier's here and meeting women of Cambria." she came to a stop not too far from the woman. Making it so that they'd have to make a very obvious side step to get around one another. Which is where Norah held her ground, her hands folding in front of her lap. Her dark eyes casually glanced towards the home where she was staying, along with the paired soldier's that came with her. "Are you a warrior?" She asked, her voice even and curious.
Though she was doing her best to try and see if there were any branding looking marks on the woman. Was she one who sided with Nevermere? Or was she one of the ones branding others?
Viveka's eyes darkened slightly as the woman stepped in her path and she shifted her weight, settling her axe a bit more lightly on her shoulder. "Yes, I am a warrior. I am one of the Valkyrie, second only to Willa Wren." Normally, Viveka was much more humble than her current tone implied, but it seemed necessary to make her position known to this woman.
"I would ask the same but it's quite apparent you are not a soldier?" She let her eyes wander over the witch lazily, as if she was sizing her up but saw nothing threatening.
Willa Wren. Norah knew that name. The blonde that had worked side by side with a summoning. Had worked rather closely with some Nevermerans actually now that she thought about it. And yet the woman showed a deep hatred for her people. "And, warrior of the Valkyrie, second to only Willa Wren, do you have a name?" She asked with a slight raised brow. Surely she didn't want Norah to call her that title... it was quite the mouthful.
"Not anymore." She answered, as if to make the woman second guess that look she had been just giving her. It wasn't a lie, as she had done her mandated training and Norah definitely knew how to handle a sword. While she was not as deadly as Alys or Faylin or Ellison... she certainly was someone that shouldn't be overlooked. Her curses alone were some of the strongest... and with Deimos? She could rival Alys in witchcraft. That she knew but never tested.
"I am the Ambassador of Nevermere, or the Voice of Nevermere," which she knew that this women would be able to easily connect her position to those who held the same one within Cambria and Coheed. "Norah Carter," she easily dropped title, knowing that 'Lady' did not matter here amongst these women.
With a deadpan stare, Viveka shifted her axe off her shoulder and propped it against the ground, leaning a bit of her weight on it. "Viveka is my name," she said curtly, giving the witch another once over after her explanation of who she was.
"So, Norah Carter, you are what your people call a diplomat, then? The one they send to try to make peace with words to get out of actually doing something." A small grimace. "Tell me, why does Nevermere feel the need to send someone of your status here? What words have you come to share with us?"
She liked her name, and liked even more that away from the other Cambrian's, away from Isolde, she actually had a voice. "Words are sometimes more successful than exchanging blows could ever be." The answer was plain but it was the correct one. Not that she expected a woman from a kingdom such as Cambria or Coheed would understand. "Words can shape and alter the future without the need for bloodshed as the weapons would call for."
Norah paused only long enough to let her words sink in. "They sent me to try and see how things are. The last Voice of Cambria hadn't quite kept us all on the same page. And now between the children and Coheed, I was sent to simply talk and gather information. Help right any misunderstandings."
Viveka's nose twitched minutely as she suppressed another grimace at Norah's words. "No, words only delay the inevitable. You may believe the words you say. And you may even believe they hold power. But there will always be someone who is more willing to act than to speak, and they will care not for your pretty words. And then you will wish you had been the one who had acted first."
Just as Norah had paused, Viveka also paused, her steely gaze cutting into the woman as she willed her to understand. But then something in the woman's explanation caught her attention. "What do you mean by children? Which children do you speak of?" Of course, if she was speaking of their daughters or the sons that were sent to Coheed, Viveka would see fit to tell her she was overstepping. But she was quite certain that was not what Lady Norah meant.
"Ah, yet words are what sting the most and replay in your head at night." She easily batted back. "Words are what fuel those physical means. Words hold power. Even though you don't want to admit it nor do you seem to like it. You value the words of your Governess." She pointed out, a slender brow raising as she said it. As if to tell her she was wrong, when she knew she was one hundred percent right.
"The one's that I told Isolde about." She said simply, tilting her head almost innocently. "The sons and daughters that come from Nevermeran fathers." She gave a small smile.
Viveka was sure there had been a permanent grimace on her face since coming across Norah. She made no attempts to hide it now, especially as she only tried to push her silly idea that words could fix the rifts between the kingdoms. Viveka simply let the conversation pass, deciding it wasn't worth her energy to make her see otherwise.
The turn in conversation about children certainly didn't help her facial situation. "And what of them? They are well cared for here, as all of our other children."
Nothing more was said about words and violence, and so, Norah simply chalked herself up for a win on it. Whether it actually was one or not, the fact that no retort was made was one in her book. She could already taste the disdain rolling off of Viveka. At least she hadn't lost her touch in annoying others.
It seemed that the children conversation was going to be the hill that they were now going to climb. Changing gears, with a courtly smile, Norah pressed. "That's wonderful. So you won't mind me seeing them then." She said innocently but with an edge that said she wouldn't take no for an answer. "The daughters in particular could show signs of magic, and even Isolde agreed that it could help if I saw them as well. Seeing the daughters and sons only keeps things fair. Though I have learned that most sons have already been handed to their fathers." Simply stated, as Norah didn't find anything wrong with that.
Viveka stood silently, assessing Norah for a bit before she spoke again. "Did Isolde not leave Revna to show you to the children? If that is Revna's job, then I shall leave her to do it."
She nodded once at Norah's last statement, something she did not mind confirming. "Of course. Sons are of no use to us here, but they are also not sons of Coheed and so cannot be sent there." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, tilting her head slightly, "And the girls... Let me guess, you plan to take them from us if they do show signs of your magic?" For that was exactly what Viveka would expect of Nevermere.
"Indeed. And Revna will be the one to escort me. But it is you that seems to be on edge with me seeing the children. Is there... something wrong with them?" she asked, because now she was prying for any information. "Or are you afraid that I might be a bad influence to the children of Cambria?" She knew she was walking a dangerous line now.
"Why would I take children from their mothers?" She asked, an air of offense almost in her voice. "They are not my children." Because Norah had no children. "But I would give them the resources to be the best that they can be. Witchcraft or not. I just think that we, witches, are a bit more inclined to teaching witchcraft than a Cambrian. It would only be lessons." She could suddenly see the light that Nevermere had truly been painted in. Tainted with really. "We are not monsters in the night that go around terrorizing our people." Because Cambria was their people.
"There is nothing wrong with the children," Viveka snapped, eyes sparking with temper now. "A bad influence is perhaps a good way to put it. That's all Nevermere can seem to do here, is push its influence on us." Pretty words and politeness was Isolde's game to play. Viveka hardly cared about Nevermere feelings.
She shook her head back and forth slowly. "It is not about there being a problem with the children, or even a problem directly with you. It is a problem of Nevermere being here and slowly changing our way of life. You could not even allow our Priestess to maintain the same title of respect. You had to name her Governor."
It was perhaps the least problematic thing that had come from Nevermere, but it was the only thing she could put into words to express her distaste. "Go see the children. Teach them how to control their witchcraft. But then leave, and leave us be."