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!
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Recently, she had visited a tavern where a Royal Guard had compared her to Helena, saying how the 'take no shit' gene had certainly been passed down to Scout. She had perceived this as a great compliment, given that Scout was very fond of her grandmother. The woman had then decided to pay Helena a visit because it had made her realise it had been quite a while since she last sat down with her grandmother to enjoy some casual and/or less casual banter. The light-haired woman had been awfully busy since being promoted to Lady Steward earlier that year. Now she had finally found some spare time to head over to Birkhall.
Even though she still lived at the estate, she found herself spending a lot of time in the palace, sleeping in the room that was prepared there for her. She always seemed to miss her grandmother when she did return home, but now she had sent over a letter to inform Helena she'd be dropping by to prevent that from happening again.
Once she had put her horse in the stables, Scout made her way over to the manor and after making sure she wouldn't be dragging any mud into the home, she made her way to the salon. When one of the servers passed by, she stopped him. "Please tell Lady Kane I'm here to enjoy her company." The woman then took of her boots, wiggled her toes around to help the blood circulation and leaned back in her chair, waiting for her grandmother.
Post by Helena Kane on Sept 19, 2022 2:05:22 GMT -5
Helena had been spending her time. That was about it. The woman had been keeping herself busy. The school served to play its part for that. Then of course there were her grandchildren. The three that she had assumed would never come. It was something which the elder found a fair amount of solace in and of course, duty. She didn't much trust Tybalt, let alone the emotional Felicity, to raise the three children without proper surveillance. She did miss Kane Castle though. The old dusty walls held something for her that the old woman was certain that none of the sumptuous luxury of Birkhall ever could. She would be sure to go back there at least once a month, to visit the other remains of her family in the south and to get a reminder of just what "real" life was. That, and she could do with something to prevent her from just hanging around and feeling old.
As it was, the elder was in the Birkhall library. She'd found a book relating to an ancient conflict between Lorendale and Arynn Frey. She read the pages, amused by the mentions of some of the great Kanes of old. The news that another of her grandchildren was visiting caused her to look up and put the book down immediately. The elder thanked the servant for their news before making her way downstairs towards the visitor.
With a signature clicking of her cane, Helena would enter into the room. She offered her grandchild an uncharacteristic smile. "Scout, what a lovely surprise." For once, the woman was being sincere. "To what do we owe this pleasure?" She hoped this was a pleasure visit and that there wasn't an emergency somewhere and that one of her family members needed some help.
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Post by Scout Kane on Sept 20, 2022 4:49:20 GMT -5
The clicking of the cane announced her grandmother way before the woman appeared in the room. Scout pulled up a leg and folded in beneath herself in the chair, leaning forward to look at the door. When Helena entered the room, a smile appeared on the granddaughter's face. She got up out of the comfy chair and walked towards her grandmother, bowing her head slightly. "No significant reason other than I wanted to see my dear grandmother again." She gestured toward the chair she had been sitting in moment ago. "Please sit, if you'd like."
Scout peeked outside of the room, calling for a servant to bring them some tea before returning to the elder. "It has been way too long since I last saw you. I shouldn't let my work keep me from visiting my family. So here I am." The woman sat down in another chair, looking at Helena. "How are things with you?"
Post by Helena Kane on Sept 21, 2022 2:28:28 GMT -5
Helena would offer something of a smile when Scout explained just what she was doing. The woman made her way over to a nearby armchair and allowed herself to settle in it. She knew that the real challenge would be managing to rise from it again without appearing to be utterly decrepit, an increasing challenge these days. It was an increasingly difficult task. Having sat down, she would resume her usual conversation.
"I'm certainly not getting any younger." The woman noted with a form of dry acceptance that came with her age. "I visit the children-" She was of course referring to Tybalt's three. "They're growing up quickly. You should pay them a visit, they ask after you often." There was a tone behind the elder's voice which left little room for debate on that particular matter. She studied her granddaughter from head to foot as if to rediscover her. "And what of yourself? How is your new position by the queen's side treating you?"
Lady Stewart wasn't a typical position for a Kane to hold but it was still one of great honor and with Scout's uncle now sitting as the captain of the Royal Guard and the Royal advisor, the family had certainly seen a change of fortunes.
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Post by Scout Kane on Sept 21, 2022 11:16:22 GMT -5
Once her grandmother had settled down in a comfortable chair, the woman replied to Scout's question. "Pssht, you don't look a day over 30", she joked, always trying to lighten the mood. Aging was in fact a fear of hers, but elders like Helena made the idea bearable. She was still a strong, strong-minded woman and age wouldn't be able to change that. Or at least, that's how Helena came across.
"I'll definitely visit them soon. I wouldn't forgive myself if I missed out on seeing them grow up." The tone in her grandmother's voice told her she didn't really have a choice anyway. Not that she minded, she should indeed plan a visit to see her uncle's children. "How are Thybalt and Felicity doing?"
When the woman returned the question, Scout audibly 'hmm'-d while she was thinking. "I actually really like the position, it's refreshing to help the kingdom out in another way than being in the military but I still miss it every day. Sadly, I don't think my leg will ever allow me to go back to being a soldier." The scar that decorated her leg wasn't too much of a burden, but training daily would certainly cause it to act up.
Post by Helena Kane on Sept 26, 2022 7:52:48 GMT -5
The elder dismissed her granddaughter's concerns with a wave of the hand. "I'm well aware of what I look like my dear, I'm presented with many a reminder everyday."
Helena smiled gratefully as the woman promised to visit the rest of her family. "They're doing well. Your uncle needed some peace... Your aunt, well... She remains the way that she was." Let Scout read into that what she wanted.
"You wouldn't be the first Kane to have had your military career cut short..." Helena noted. She herself had seen her duty out to the end. As it stood, if she wasn't on the battlefield, it was because the nation was still to have need to call upon their forces. When they did, even if she was one-hundred, the elder was convinced that she would suit up once more and ride off, even if it was for the last time. "What matters is serving our queen and king and the nation, no matter the form that it takes."
Helena placed her hand on the stick, thinking back over their long history within their noble nation. "We Kanes have always served Lorendale since its creation and we will continue to do so as long as any of us can draw breath. You, even Tybalt honor that tradition every single day."
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Post by Scout Kane on Sept 27, 2022 6:48:56 GMT -5
"Hmm." Scout hadn't much talked to Felicity before but she could sense that her grandmother wasn't the biggest fan of the woman. "Didn't she recently get back?" she asked, trying to slightly change the topic while staying on family-business.
The younger woman nodded when the elder spoke. "You're certainly right. I still train from time to time, though. If a war were to happen, I'll be ready to defend Lorendale, I won't be sitting somewhere safe, waiting it out." The servant she had asked to bring them tea earlier entered the room, filling two cups and leaving the tea pot on the table before disappearing again. Scout leaned forward to pick up her cup. She then took a sip and went back to her original position in the chair. "It's an honour to be able to serve the crown and the kingdom. I wouldn't consider myself worthy of being a Kane if I didn't feel that way."
The blonde looked at her grandmother. "Have you been able to keep yourself busy, dear grandmother? I can believe the house gets rather empty when the family is out working."
The elder nodded in response to her granddaughter's question. "Yes. A few days ago. Her company were attacked by the Eldouir. It seems that the previous commander didn't see it fit to send any gifted to help reinforce the border. The nation is well done to be rid of him." A harsh declaration but then since when had Helena ever bothered to guard her tongue? Scout's statement as to serving the crown was satisfactory. "It's certainly not a job that I could do-" She was of course refering to being the queen's steward. "I would be climbing the walls or on the scaffold before the first week was done."
"Well, I keep myself more than busy with the school." There was always somebody who was lost, either figuratively or literally in a few cases, something that needed tending to, supplies that hadn't arrived, a new student who needed to be shown the ropes. "I spend most of my days there. You happen to have caught me on one of the rare occasions where I'm at Birkhall."
The elder twirled her cane for a few seconds, playing with its pommel between her fingers. "That's the problem when there's no war. It's good for children, not so much good for those of us who have made our names through it."
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
The hairs on her neck stood up straight when her grandmother mentioned the Eldouir. She hadn't crossed paths yet with any of them and was dreading the day it would come. She knew what that family was capable of. "I'm glad she made it home safe at last." Scout ignored the harsh declaration and instead was curious to know how Helena would react to Felicity being back home. They hadn't had an in-depth conversation about it, but she did get the feeling that her grandmother didn't much like her daughter-in-law.
A soft smile appeared on her face when Helena mentioned climbing the walls. "Well, we all have our fortes. I'll only be half the soldier you ever were, and I was already a pretty good one", she said with a little wink, hoping her grandmother would pick up on the compliment.
She admired the elder for what she did with the school and she was also glad that this way the woman could spend her time doing something useful. Scout couldn't imagine her grandmother sitting at home, doing nothing. Especially not with all the children out of the house and no husband around. "Birkhall seems to be pretty vacant recently. None of us come here much anymore. It's a shame, I think. It's such a beautiful place. The Lady Steward looked around the room, taking in the atmosphere. Then she returned her gaze to her grandmother. She chuckled lightly with a shrug. "You're right. To think we miss war sometimes." She shook her head. "But I can imagine you miss being on the battleground. Those children are thankful you were, though, for you played an important part in making Lorendale the kingdom it is today."
Post by Helena Kane on Oct 10, 2022 2:23:57 GMT -5
Eldouir were an old enemy of the Kanes. Even when the family had notionally been on their side, there had been little love loss between the two groups. Had the entire family of gifteds been eradicated, as it should have been long ago as soon as their true nature had been revealed. All things in good time. Certainly, it wasn't going to be three-hundred Zak troops stationed on the border that did the job. "She was fortunate, a number of her company were not." The elder muttered thinking of those who had been taken. They were dead or should have been considered as such as their ultimate fate would likely be worse.
The elder bowed her head in recognition of the compliment. "It's beginning to seem like a very long time ago I'm afraid." Sometimes, when she closed her eyes, she still saw herself young. She sat atop her horse alongside proud and handsome Thaddius, besides them were all five of their children. They had seen the terror in their enemy's eyes as for the first and only time, the entire Kane family had charged into battle. Oh how long ago that had been. How much had been lost since then. Not that Helena would ever speak of it. She kept such feelings and sentimentality to herself, considering it to be too obvious to share wit the rest of the world around her. "I prefer Kane castle." Helena declared as she glanced around the Zak's house. "Less lavish and more practical. There are so many servants here, you'd almost think we were in the palace. You could easily never need to do anything for yourself and then what good would we be?" Such luxuries hadn't been a part of her childhood, not even after she had married Thaddius. "Even Tybalt complains about it and he'll let pretty much anything pass where his wife is concerned. Still-" The elder shrugged her shoulders. "So long as they don't spoil the children, I suppose I can't complain too much." The Zaks had of couse, helped to secure the Kane's future through their wealth.
"What of yourself?" Helena questioned raising an eyebrow. "I have no plans of leaving this world quite yet. Is there any chance that a young man might catch your eye?"
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Scout nodded, lowering her head for a moment in respect of the people that had lost their lives during the ambush. She was happy to hear her aunt made it out okay, knowing it would've been a disaster to the family, to Tybalt and their kids if she hadn't.
Even though Helena said it seemed like a long time ago, Scout was positive that the woman still had it in her. She was a feisty woman, not someone to mess with. Strong and independent. Together with the fact that she was mostly raised by her, Scout really admired those character traits. Helena was a big inspiration and role model for her, and she valued her grandmother's opinion greatly.
It was understandable that the elder preferred Kane castle. Scout had resided at Birkhall because it was easier, work-wise. It was easier to catch her uncle to discuss things with him, and the amount of servants wasn't something that bothered Scout. She liked being able to call upon them for help. She did have to agree that having so many servants around wasn't good for your sense of autonomy and responsibility. It wasn't much of an issue for her, but for children that were still growing up, it could be harmful. "Well, I'm sure Tybalt won't let that happen", she said with a soft smile. "I can't imagine him letting the children become helpless little people."
Her grandmother's question made her chuckle. At that time, none of the stuff with Dresden and Astor had happened yet, so she shook her head. "I'm afraid not, but when someone catches my eye, I'll make sure to come straight to you."