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!
It was getting harder and harder to act normal, to fit in with these new fresh-faced kids. Raff shoved it down deep and headed to the nearest tavern, not even bothering to look at which one. Was anyone left he knew that wasn't some distant desk jockey playing king of the world? The six foot tall guy still walked with a unique digitigrade track, his toes walking over where his previous ones had landed. Anyone who could track would be confused as all hells at a human with the feral animal's track.
Lost in thought, he walked in the bar and did an automatic surveillance. His dark blue eyes adjusted to the shitty lighting and he finally saw a back entrance at the wall closest to the bar. Hmm. With a lazy silent stride, he walked to the last seat at the bar so he could have the exit close and the entrance at an unimpeded three quarter view. Safety first pumpkin. He mused, intending to get as drunk as a drunk could ever hope to be.
"Whisky." Raff slid a sizable amount of money across the counter to the barkeep. "Keep 'em coming pal, it's gonna be a long night."
The door suddenly opened to admit someone, then closed and the shaggy haired man thought she was someone who looked awfully familiar. But it couldn't be her, could it? Nah. She would be a paper pushing higher ranking officer by now, while he was a washed out finished partner pairing. Long hair obscured half of his face as he downed the whisky with a swift hand, only to quickly tap for another. He'd probably never see Kat again, so he just needed to get over it already and get his shit together.
Last Edit: Feb 14, 2023 17:09:11 GMT -5 by Deleted
It seemed as though Kat needed to revert more and more to the heavy drinking of her teenage years. Sure, she hadn't stopped, but she had slowed a little. Focused herself on what needed to be done. Now though it was entirely too much. Trying to think of ways to save Rosa, being in the upcoming tournament, practicing with her pair, trying to sort out her prior mistakes. There was a lot to do and not enough time it seemed.
So she brushed her way into one of Skia many taverns, just not one of the more popular ones. She didn't need a repeat of the huge gaggle that had welcomed her home. No, she wanted to drink alone and then knock out next to her siblings and her children.
Breezing up to the bar she sized up who might give up their seat with a well aimed threat. There was one on the end downing whiskey, nope, moving on, the man next to him was nursing beer number three from the looks of the mugs. That seemed like easy picking, her foot latching around that mans barstool and toppling him enough as she slid into the seat. "You left for me? How kind of you sir." Her hand reaching up to get the bartenders attention.
Feeling appraising eyes on him, the hair on the back of his neck went up and he side eyed the woman more carefully. It was Van Zant! When she popped over the civvie with a flick of her foot, Raff barked out a scornful laugh. Damn soldier tricks as always with her. If the guy was dumbass enough to not keep at least one foot on the ground at all times, he deserved an ass kicking at the very least.
Van Zant was the only woman as tough as Merk and he'd never met any other person, man or woman, that matched that calibre of unbreakable. The bitch was tough as steel and there wasn't a person left alive on Terra Nova that he respected more. She was also his biggest secret attraction for a woman. Ever. Her attitude was exactly the same, but there were subtle changes in her face and demeanor. Where before, her edge was about a hunger to be the best, strongest and smartest, Kat looked defensively stone-faced and untouchable with a core of fire and ice. He didn't know she could have improved even more in the last nine years.
Raff knocked back the second whisky, tapped and slid over the next full one to his right, aiming it for Kat's hand.
Kat caught the whiskey, more than slightly surprised but never one to turn down a free drink. So before even bothering to turn she took the shot and slammed the glass down with a happy sigh escaping her lips. There was nothing like the strong taste of whiskey sliding down your throat to make your day a little better.
So with a grin on her face she turned to give her thanks. But he looked familiar. It was just a matter of placing where she knew him from...
"No way, Raff? Thought you had to be on placement some far off place. The hell are you doing here?" Smiling she reached over and wrapped her arm around him. It had been ages, and she had been close to Merk during mandatory. Of course then she had leaned into her life of crime and separated for a long time.
Like stepping back in time nine years, he watched her knock back the whiskey like ambrosia and give that same unique look of satisfaction. Of all the women Raff had known in his life, Kat was the toughest, sexiest and smartest, by a mile. Now that Merk was gone. When she spoke, it was a blast from the past and he smiled right back at her. Kat's smile and instant heartfelt hug brought him back in time and Raff engulfed her with both arms to return her hug tightly. When he finally released the hug, he slid his hands down her arms and leaned back to look at her.
"Lookin good Van Zant."
His smiled dropped at her comments and he answered,
"I was. Me and Merk were sent to Coheed and right after, she got leave for a death in her family." the smile left his face and his blue eyes seemed darker.
"Merk died on her voyage back to Nevermere last year." He said firmly. Raff tapped, picked up and knocked back the whiskey with a practiced hand before continuing.
"So I took a year off before signing back up. My ass belongs to Nevermere again." Raff's mouth lifted into a half smile as he looked at Kat.
Last Edit: Feb 17, 2023 20:05:51 GMT -5 by Deleted
Goddess it had been ages, and Raff had aged like fine wine. Not that it was surprising, the man had always had that bad boy edge that had been appealing in her youth. But Kat wasn't looking to hook her wagon up to anyone or anything. She was a lone wolf, well with a pair, but that didn't count.
"Same to you Raffy, could charm the panties off damn near any lady if they didn't have sticks wedged up their asses." Or maybe he still could, would be an interesting theory to test another day.
Reaching up her hand to squeeze his shoulder, Kat threw up her hand for another couple of rounds. It was going to be one of those days, and sometimes those were the best kind of days. "I heard about Merk, she was so strong, it was a shock." And if Merk could go at sea? Luck was clearly not on her side.
"Well better to go down swinging then be stuck on the sinking ship, oh shit, sorry, I mean, well doesn't matter." She didn't mean to rub salt in the wound, which she probably shouldn't say as well. Damn this whole not trying to hurt people with words thing wasn't easy.
"Yeah some guys might be better lookin, but they'll never match my charming fuckin personality." he laughed with a growled edge to it and he leaned his arms on the bar counter.
When Kat put up for the next round, there was no way he was gonna pass that up. With a quick hand, he snatched up the glass and knocked it back, exhaling slowly as the fire burned down his throat and reached his stomach. Although nothing else in this crazy nonsense clown world did, at least the whiskey still worked like it should. Raff dragged his left hand through his hair to get it out of his face. Down with the ship. Yeah that pretty much summed up everything in one tiny little phrase at this point in his life.
Kat's comment had him barking out a sharp and bitter laugh as he retorted with no animosity at all, "Fuck you Van Zant."
Raff shrugged a shoulder and replied noncommitally, "Death would only be a tragedy if it didn't happen to everyone eventually."
His left hand twirled the shot glass around in circles and he really looked at the woman beside him. She looked tired. And not the kinda tired that sleep could fix. Still hot though.
"So what the hell ya been up to lately? What changes should I know about? Report Soldier!"
"Better looking? Raff do you not own a mirror? I could buy you one if you'd like." With all the money she had thought would be good for her family. Turned out the baggage that came with it was not worth it. But that was hindsight, and Kat was just going to have to suck it up for now.
Still she laughed all the same, glad to have someone around who knew her before she was a Winters. She was and would always be a Van Zant, and lordy it was boring to pretend to be a lady. "It still sucks when it happens sooner than expected." Her sister being top on her own list for how unfair the world balanced things.
"So, so many things Raff. Too many things." Pinching the bridge of her nose, Kat shook her head before slamming back another. "I think I'm going to need more drinks to talk about how I have three kids and a shit marriage."
Raff downed another shot more slowly this time and winked at Kat. The years had moved on, but her looks were better than ever.
"Nah, ya know I can't afford that fancy stuff like mirrors. Besides, my little brother Alan would break it coz he's that ugly. But you can always buy me another drink. I hear the more you drink the better I look." he laughed and leaned back a little.
Death happened and there wasn't a thing anyone could do about it except mope and bitch. He nodded at Van Zant's comment, obviously in full agreement.
"Yea I think the dying part must be easy coz it's the ones left behind that suffer."
Raff turned to watch the woman beside him and she seemed reluctant about something. Then she mentioned drinks which sounded alright to him. But then..married with kids?
"No shit? Married with kids? You don't need to repeat yourself though, all marriages are shit. What did I tell ya about marriage Van Zant? He better be rich coz ya don't wanna waste yer life on a broke bum!" He tapped the bartender over to set down the whiskey bottle.
"Ya wanna go halfsies on it or can ya afford it with kids now?"
"Well more drinks it is then." Laughing Kat put her hand up for some more drinks, sure that they would need to keep coming. "Just the whole bottle this time so we don't waste your time." Putting down enough coin for it, she figured this was a good way to spend the Winters money.
Nodding, Kat laughed. "Think it depends on the death, getting your guts pulled inside out seems painful enough." Poor Mina, the best of them really, and gone before she could make her mark on Nevermere.
"Turns out the money doesn't even make it worth it." Kat threw back another shot. It was a shame that money didn't always make things better. Sure it bought drinks and things for her siblings and kids. But it was a hell of a ball and chain. One you couldn't get rid of as a woman. "But I can at least buy us drink to drown our sorrows."
Picking up a shot and passing it over she held hers up. "To bad life decisions."
When she mentioned the gut ripping part, well there was no denying that one at all and Raff gave a harsh laugh.
"That's fer fuckin sure!"
Hadn't she hit the jackpot though? Money? Hell, the things he'd went through in signing up for paired partner training alone was worth the hike in pay. But Raff had turned down the promotion, knowing that he was too young at the time to be suited to lead as a Lieutenant at barely twenty four. At twenty six, he'd felt at least ready enough to accept it, but the title and procedures were still a distance maker with people.
"How is marrying rich ever not worth the money?! I'd pretty much do anything to keep Alan, Brent, Cady, Denzul and Ewan fed-hell, you know I have. I'd marry rich, even the ugliest witch in Nevermere to keep my brothers and sister fed. Seriously. I'm getting so desperate, I'm actually considering retaking a Paired position and working for promotion coz money's that tight. Although I don't think they'd take me in now. I'm pretty fucked up to be honest."
Raff's blues eyes scanned Kat's face and took in her weary posture. She was hurting, but as usual, she kept it inside. Would she tell him anything of what was going on? It didn't' sound good. He wouldn't pry at her though-he respected her way too much to nag. If she wanted to talk about it of her own free will, she would. And if not, then it was none of his damn business. She was tough and there were few people on the planet he trusted as much as he did Van Zant. Good people like that were hard to find. She didn't complain about minor things-hell, she hardly even mentioned the major things.
He accepted the drink she shot over to him and raised it up to the perfect toast, and downed it swiftly with a practiced flick of the wrist. "To bad life decisions."
Last Edit: Mar 29, 2023 15:48:19 GMT -5 by Deleted
Kat rolled her eyes as Raff talked about how he would marry for money. He was a man in Nevermere, so of course he would. Taking two more shots to deal with having to talk about this whole thing. "Of course you would Raff, because you are a man and the power is all yours in a marriage. Can fuck who you like without a thought. Who cares about vows when you can have a good romp?" Nevermere was behind the times in her opinion, and now she was stuck, unhappy or not. If she stepped out of bounds though, she could loose it all.
"But you should rejoin the pairs. Should have last Aestas and we could have been paired." That probably would have ended in fire and disaster, but they would have kicked some serious ass out there.
Raising a shot glass, Kat tapped her finger to her chin. "To the fucking worst." Slogging it down, Kat poured a couple more out of the bottle, her pour a little sloppier than before, but still on point. "And to drinking to forget them all."
Raff's face became shuttered down into an impassive military mask of no expression at Kat's words. Witches had all the power in the military-the strongest part-the very heart of what made Nevermere so invincible and strong. What was she implying about marriage? He'd never committed to anyone because no woman on the planet would go near a broke as hell guy taking care of three younger siblings on a Lieutenant's pay grade, so what the fuck was she talking about? Then the obvious clicked into place where differences between the sexes were always bound to happen. Cheating.
"I ain't rompin with anyone right now Kat. Single or not."
It was plain as day that she was hurting badly in a marriage but she hadn't asked his advice, so he didn't offer any. Wasn't like he'd know what to say about it anyway, with zero experience under his belt in that regard. Raff had never married and never cheated so it was a moot point.
"Yea we could've been paired...." a deep regret coloring his tone. It was turning morbid fast but that's what happened when ya drank. Raff certainly wouldn't begrudge her a chance to vent. In fact he was glad that she was comfortable enough around him to so freely.
"Ya don't drink to forget Van Zant. Ya drink to remember."
He took the shots quietly, his keen blue eyes fixed on the women beside him intensely. There were a lot of things he wanted to say to her, but he didn't. Raff wasn't sure he ever would either.
Last Edit: Mar 30, 2023 13:52:02 GMT -5 by Deleted
Women were not allowed to talk in court, men held all the power in relationships and marriage, and Kat hated that. And whether Raff saw it or not, that was the facts of how Nevermere worked. "Well that's entirely boring. You are single so why not have some fun? Do it for me at least?" Laughing, Kat was sure she would be having fun if she wasn't tied down, that's what had gotten her in trouble in the first place of course.
Kat shook her head. "I try to forget, but there is never enough alcohol." Taking another shot she felt herself getting angry and her smile sharpening like she usually did these days. She usually drank to have fun, but these days it was more to get away from reality. Sure she had a blossoming military career that she was excited about, but there was a lot of things in her life she could do better off without.
"Wish ta fuck I could Kat, but I got four brothers and a sister at home that I take care of. They're all pain in the ass teenagers and I can't exactly bring home some random chick any night I want to. The only girl I ever let in my house was Merk. I can't trust what an unknown woman would do around the kids, ya know? Wouldn't' be fair to them, or safe."
Raff drank down two swift shots in a row, barely taking a breath between them.
"Yeah growin up's way more fun when you're not growed yet.." He saw and heard the bitterness and the sharpness edged in her features as much as her voice. It was clear she was hurting badly but he didn't know what he could do to fix that. It was marriage so he couldn't step between that kinda thing. He tried a different tact instead of the morose road they were headed down.
"Want me to kick his ass fer ya?" Raff asked playfully, flexing a bicep. "Special drinkin buddy discount, tonight only." He winked at her, daring her to find the humor again, even if it was sarcastic.