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!
Zevran slid into one of the seats at the table, tossing a glance over his shoulder and stifling a laugh as the two guards cautiously took the treats, glancing at each other before quickly munching on them.
Turning back to his own treat, he took a small bite, relishing the chocolatey taste. If there was one thing he would miss about Nevermere, it was their delicious desserts. Such a thing didn't exist in Dresmond anymore.
His gaze tracked up to Temperance's face when she started speaking. He shook his head as he finished his bite. "Not really. Just Ber and a woman named Zahra." He took another small bite, chewing thoughtfully. "I haven't really made an effort to specifically get to know anyone, though."
Rune had curled up under Zevran's chair. She stared at Artos for just a moment before huffing and setting her head down upon her paws, deciding to ignore the pup.
Hearing that he hadn't really gotten to know anyone did make her a little sad, but she didn't let it show on her face. She simply nodded. He wasn't here for fun and games, he wasn't here to stay. Ultimately, he likely wanted little more than to ask for aid for his people so he could return to them as quickly as possible. Then, who knew if he would ever come back to Nevermere. Making friends and connections only meant eventually having to leave them behind, and while Temperance thought it was worth it, she knew not everyone would feel the same. He'd likely already lost so much, no one could expect him to intentionally lose more.
"I understand," she said as she swallowed the first bite of her croissant, unable to hide the enjoyment of it on her face. She wanted to converse with him more but it was in her nature to ask about feelings and relate to people that way. No matter what she thought of, every topic seemed to have the possibility of leading back to a tragedy he was already answering questions about daily. "You know, I keep trying to think of things we can speak about that won't require you to repeat what you've likely already said a hundred times, or won't bring up things that hurt. But I suppose in your position, those kinds of things are few and far between."
She paused as the woman brought their tea over, setting a cup in front of each of them, along with a cup of sugar cubes and a cup of milk. Temperance thanked her, then dropped two cubes and a splash of the milk into her tea, stirring it. "I genuinely can't imagine how you must feel, and I don't want to make any assumptions. So is there anything you would like to talk about? I'm an open book, I could tell you about Nevermere, or my work, or if you have anything you'd like to get off your chest, I'm happy to listen."
A small smile toyed at his lips. appreciation flashing in his eyes. "It's okay to be curious about Dresmond and what's going on. I don't mind answering your questions. I think the more people here who understand what's going on and why I'm asking your king for help, the better."
He watched the woman set down their tea and he looked at it for a moment, contemplating the finery of it all. He raised the cup and sniffed at it, opting to drop a cube of sugar into it. He knew of tea and what it was, of course, but he wasn't certain he had ever actually had it. Taking a sip of the hot liquid, he decided it wasn't all that bad.
Leaning back in his seat, he appraised Temperance a moment before tilting his head, "Tell me all about Nevermere. What you like and dislike about it."
Temperance met his smile with her own, though it was one born more from sympathy. She appreciated his willingness to speak on the issue, but she really hadn't wanted to have to bring it up. "I know enough about the Eldouir family and the man heading it to know that nothing happening in your kingdom is kind, and I don't think you should have to ask. They should have been hunted down and taken care of a long time ago."
News of the trial of Hiram Eldouir had spread all over Terra Nova. There was hardly a person alive who didn't know what he'd been found guilty of, or that his sentencing had caused the tragic deaths of many people from both Loren and Nevermere. Temperance was not usually one to advocate for violence, but some cruelties deserved their punishments. "So while I could never imagine what you and your people have been through, I do understand. I hope we can finally be of some help to you now."
Talking about Nevermere felt easier. It was easy enough to find a topic placed somewhere in the middle, perhaps one he could speak of generally without the horrors of his homeland getting in the way. She took a sip of her tea, giving herself a moment or so to think before speaking. "Well, I suppose first and foremost we're a kingdom of great military strength, but I'm sure you know that already. All Nevermeran women are born with the innate ability to use four forms of magic. Most of us use our magic for very mundane purposes, as I do with my work. Those in the military are unfathomably powerful, though. Which I suppose leads me to what I dislike about our kingdom, and what I would like most about yours. Women are somewhat lesser to men here, especially women of a lower class, like I am."
Last Edit: Jan 24, 2023 23:53:53 GMT -5 by Deleted
He marveled once again at how refreshing it was to talk with someone who already knew about the plight of Dresmond. He didn't have to explain the Eldouirs or how or why they were cruel. Didn't have to rehash the same old trauma over and over again.
He found himself relaxing further into his chair, his shoulders dropping as the tension he didn't know he had been holding melted out of his body. He nodded along as she began to speak about Nevermere, starting off on topics he already knew of, though he frowned at her last statement.
"Why would women be seen as lesser? They are capable of everything men are, and even more as they can bare children." His brow furrowed further, "And I've seen many women surrounding the King. Alys, who brought me here, and Lady Kennet... And there is also the King's Huntsman who is a woman." He paused to consider further.
"What makes you considered lower class, and what does that have to do with how you are treated?"
Temperance took another bite of her croissant as Zevran asked his questions, seemingly a little surprised by her statements. She could understand why. From the outside it might not have looked like the women of Nevermere were held in much different regard than the men, and surely they were not suffering at the hands of their fathers and husbands as much as some in other kingdoms might. But it was hard to explain to someone who might not be used to class systems, the way the Dresmondi were not. So Temperance have to give it some thought.
"Family is very different here," she began, setting her teacup down. "Our family name is who we are, whether we like it or not. Class is dependent upon the monetary value of the family. I'm very fortunate, as my family is among the more wealthy of commoners. But despite that, I would still be looked down upon by those of nobility, many of whom you have likely met while staying in the palace. I am not their equal, not even close. Berengar is among the lowest of commoners, all things his considered. He's an orphan born to no family." Though he had family now. She was his family, she had decided that very quickly after getting to know him.
"That is why there are so many commoners in the military. They have no other way to bring prestige to their family names, or no other way to feed themselves. The marriages of daughters are arranged in such a way that connection to the husbands family will bring their own family more prestige. Should a man marry someone below his status, it will raise the woman to his status. Should a woman do the same, her status will be lowered. Noble women are also not permitted to speak during open court, a meeting in which the nobility are able to express their thoughts and opinions on current events. Only men may do so, and commoners are not allowed to be present at all."
Tapping her lip with her index finger, she thought how best she could word her next thought without it sounding like slander against the ruling family and nobility. "As for the women who surround the King, I can assure you they're the most intelligent, strong, and capable women in Nevermere. They've likely had to fight tooth and nail to be the very best, much harder than the men, to belong in the positions they've earned and once they've achieved that...well, it would be foolish for any man not to give them what they've earned." That last bit was said with a little smile, a hint of pride for them even if she wasn't among them. She took another sip from her tea. "There are a lot of levels to it, I suppose, now that I think of it."
Last Edit: Jan 26, 2023 22:43:43 GMT -5 by Deleted
His frown only deepened as Temperance explained everything, confusion clouding his eyes. It wasn't because he didn't understand the concepts she was explaining. It coincided with the things Lady Kennet had tried to explain to him, but this was the other side of the story. It confirmed as much as he had suspected when talking with Kennet. But he simply didn't understand why they allowed themselves to be treated in such a way.
He continued to frown as he cut into his cake and took another bite, chewing and swallowing before he spoke again. "I don't understand why you all seem to see yourselves as things to be traded and used as leverage. What is the point of prestige and money?" He shook his head, "We're all just people," he mumbled, almost to himself. He didn't really know if Temperance would agree with him or not.
Though he did agree with her assessment about the women surrounding the King, his thoughts specifically lingering on Alys. "Those women have earned those spots, yes. But they shouldn't have to work harder than the men to earn those positions." He shook his head again, stabbing at the remainder of his cake.
"I agree with you," she said bluntly, a little sigh. None of those things had ever meant anything to Temperance. She'd been working on a 'sliding scale' system for years now, allowing patients to pay her only what they could, and if it was nothing, she took nothing. People deserved to be healthy even if they couldn't afford it, but few people saw it like that. "Unfortunately, many people don't see it that way. Pride and greed often does away with human decency. I wish it were not so, but the people who are most likely to want to change this system have no power of their own, and without it have no way of standing up against those who do have it. So some of us just do what we can to help those without." Yes, all women in Nevermere had magic, but those without the resources or teachers to instruct them and help them learn would always fall behind, would always be weaker.
It seemed like an idealistic thought to Temperance, but it was probably little more than common sense to Zevran. The Dresmondi women were treated the same as the men, so to see it any different was probably difficult to accept it. But it was the opposite for Temperance. As far as she knew, the only place where the roles were reversed was Cambria, but that was just about all she knew about that kingdom. "It's unfortunate," she agreed. "I doubt there are many men in Nevermere who could stand up to any one of them. But we all accept the structure for what it is, I guess. Do you think that makes us weak? For not trying to change it?" It was an honest question, looking for an honest answer. One that she knew would not change anything, but was nice to discuss and hear all the same.
Temperance was perhaps the nicest person Zevran had met, ever. He looked up at her from his cake, watching her closely as she finished speak, a gleam in his eye. If there were more people in the world like Temperance, they would all be much better off.
He couldn't help but ponder on the similarities between the commoners of Nevermere and the Dresmondi. Sure, the commoners here didn't fear for their lives every day; didn't have to worry about the King killing them just because he was in a foul mood. But they were both looked down upon and kept under a strict thumb. And the ones above them thought they knew better than they did.
He shook his head slightly, "No, I don't think it makes you weak. Change is a difficult thing for a lot of people. Even if that change would be better for them, it is still unknown." He set down his fork to take a sip of the tea, "In Dresmond, we need to change otherwise our people will simply continue to die. The stakes are higher. It's hard to see the need for change here, when your kingdom is flourishing regardless of the issues residing in it."
Temperance smiled at his response, and could tell he was genuine, not just saying it to make her feel better. "That's a very wise way to look at it," she agreed. "Change can be very difficult, especially within large groups of people. I do have hope that Nevermere will change, in time."
His further thoughts on Dresmond were poignant. There were, no doubt, people in Nevermere who suffered much the way the Dresmondi did. The young and abandoned on the streets who fell prey to crime, the people who disappeared without a trace. And while the suffering of those people could not be belittled, it was happening not to a subset of Zevrans people, but to all of them. "I wish I could help you with that fight, but I'm afraid I'd do more harm than good. The swords and bows that our soldiers carry are nearly as big as I am."
Finishing off her croissant, her eyes filled with light once more and she covered her mouth with her hand because she was so eager to speak before finishing chewing. "However, I can make you whatever potions you might like. I'm sure you'll have plenty of witches from the military to back you, but if you'd like anything made for yourself personally, I'm your witch."
He wasn't certain he could agree with Temperance's sentiment. Nevermere was too big and too powerful to change its ways. The ruling group of people would have to give up their riches and lose their power over other people to do that, and power was never given up so freely.
But he couldn't tell her that. Couldn't crush her optimism which had been so refreshing. So instead her smiled at her before finishing off the last of his cake as well. "Sometimes being small is an advantage. The bigger they are, the harder they fall." He offered her a wink, a huff coming from between his feet as Rune mentally rolled her eyes at his cliche.
"But I really enjoyed our talk today. Truly. Perhaps we could meet up again sometime? Maybe we could drag Ber along next time as well."
His make made her laugh, and she nodded agreement. "Yes, you're right, Zevran. I have to remind myself of that from time to time." She finished off her cup of tea and settled it back onto the saucer. Even if she knew her own strengths and weaknesses, she had to remind herself from time to time that she was just as useful as the soldiers, in her own way. Regardless of her size.
With both of them finished, she nodded. "Yes, I would love that. Perhaps Berengar can bring you to dinner at my home sometime soon. He joins us often, and you're more than welcome to accompany him." She leaned down somewhat, so she could see under the table. Artos looked up and nibbled at her hair as it cascaded downward. "And you as well, Rune, of course." Righting herself, she stood up and collected their teacups and saucers, handing them over to the woman who had served them, before leading them all back out onto the street.
"I'm very glad I got to meet you, Zevran, and Rune. I'll be sure to scold Berengar for not introducing us sooner. And as I said before, should you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask." She glanced down and found Artos's tail wagging playfully, and could see his intention to pounce Rune once more. She quickly grabbed him up, hefting the large pup over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "We'll see you soon, then. Enjoy the rest of your day!"
She smiled still as she left them, heading back in the direction of her cottage.
Her laugh was a beautiful sound and it brought a goofy grin to his face, the kind that spoke of a male who was proud to have made a female laugh. He watched her closely as she cleaned up their teacups, doing his best to ignore the protests and insistent mental pokes from Rune to behave himself.
As they followed her out of the shop, the grin was still on his face. "I'll see to it that Ber brings us by sometime. It'd be nice to see you again."
They bid farewell and then watched her quietly as she walked away. 'You cannot bed every woman here who is nice to you,' came Rune's exasperated quip.
'Why not? If they seem agreeable to it I don't see why a man couldn't try.'
'Because we are far from home and these people have strange customs. You know this. So stop it.'
Zevran would've growled if he could, even if he knew she was right. With a small huff, he turned away and headed back for the castle.