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!
Magic Detection: The ability to detect magic. The user can judge magical aptitude, pinpoint magic being used within a mile vicinity, and even detect when potent magic has formerly been used in a space. The magic may originate from a living thing or from an object, it does not matter. There is no restriction to the kind of magic that the user can detect. The weakness is the spatial awareness limitation, and while the user can detect the presence of magic, they cannot detect the specific kind of magic being used.
Post by Florina Bellerose on Apr 8, 2023 19:20:24 GMT -5
(for @tianna)
It was a lovely day for Hiems. It was usually so frigid that Florina would not even think to venture out, but the air was on the pleasant side of chilly that day. It was a good day to go out for a leisurely stroll before the weather decided to take a turn for the worst. So she summoned her maid, Sofie, and the two of them donned their cloaks and went off to the town square to enjoy the sights and bustle of the goings on of the day.
"Not too crowded today, my lady," said Sofie, "We'll have an easy time looking at all the stalls, will we?"
"Indeed yes," Florina agreed lightly. She didn't exactly dislike crowds, but it was always unpleasant when one had to push themselves through people like a plow. It was unseemly, "I daresay that this will be a very lovely outing because of it," perhaps she'd even purchase something...a pretty bauble for her dressing table might do, or if any of the venders sold sheet music, maybe she would look into that instead. She really had no purpose other than simply enjoying the nice weather.
Alaric's birthday was coming up in about a month and she wanted to find something special for him. Tianna paused along the outside edge of the booths, her eyes carefully searching through the plaza. It would be nice to shop when it's not too crowded, though her want to shop wildly was quickly curbed within the first month of marriage.
The jewelry looked interesting and--she moved closer with cautious steps to get a better look at the items. It looked fancy schmancy and for a moment, she stepped back, forgetting that she could easily afford it. The seller took in the woman's expensive clothing and her Lady's maid, and she quickly beckoned her forward.
"My Lady I see that you're eyeing my lovely necklaces. I'm positive that they would be displayed even better on a pretty young Lady such as yourself!"
Tianna gigglesnorted inelegantly, thinking instantly of how much the older woman reminded her of Alaric's flowery phrases, and she covered her mouth. Emboldened by the humor of it, she stepped forward to look at the fine craftsmanship and found herself liking the styles very much indeed. There was so much to see and she smiled broadly at the selection, trying not to clap her hands.
"There's just so much to look at here! These must have taken such a long time to mak--"
Someone in the crowd jostled Miss Cally, who in turned bumped Tianna, knocking her backward into the people behind her with arms flailing to catch her balance.
Magic Detection: The ability to detect magic. The user can judge magical aptitude, pinpoint magic being used within a mile vicinity, and even detect when potent magic has formerly been used in a space. The magic may originate from a living thing or from an object, it does not matter. There is no restriction to the kind of magic that the user can detect. The weakness is the spatial awareness limitation, and while the user can detect the presence of magic, they cannot detect the specific kind of magic being used.
Post by Florina Bellerose on Apr 10, 2023 20:39:04 GMT -5
Florina heard the most unseemly laugh from somewhere to the side. She looked with only her eyes for the source, but did not spend too much energy doing so. Whoever had let out such a wretched noise must have found something quite amusing for forget themselves in public. Or, if she were to be kind, perhaps that person was cursed with an inelegant laugh. Some folk were unable to manufacture their laugh to the more widely accepted musical tone that all the etiquette teachers worth their salt would train into their charges.
She was just about to veer off to a rather interesting-looking booth when she felt someone slam into her. Though Florina was not a clumsy oaf, she was also not the most physically strong woman in Loren, and she hadn’t expected to have another person knock into her, she lost her balance and toppled into Sofie who had been walking next to her. Sofie in turn, lost her balance and the four women would fall to the ground, all on top of each other, with Sofie at the bottom. Between all the skirts and capes, an onlooker may have perceived the pile of women as a small mountain of fabric of varying quality.
“Oh goodness me!” Exclaimed Florina. Later, she would probably find the whole situation funny, but as it was, she was deeply embarrassed for the scene they were all causing, “Is everyone alright?” She felt Sofie trying to push her to a standing position, or perhaps just off of her, but Florina was having a difficult time moving in her own right with the weight of the other two women pressing down on her.
A man whose face was entirely obscured by a large amount of green materials, hurried on by at a half jog, totally oblivious to the mayhem he'd caused to run amok at the seller's stalls. Miss Cally managed to clamber up from the mountain of moving fabrics first, shaking her fist at the retreating very tall man that had started the pileup. Tess extended a small hand swiftly to grasp at the arm of her Lady's Maid to use it as leverage and leapt lightly down to the ground, mumbling an I'm sorry! to Cally over her shoulder as she did so. She spun and offered a hand to help up the prone Lady in front her, extending a white gloved arm in aid and gave a shy smile,
"Sorry Milady. Looks like we all got in a bit of a tumble there. Are you hurt?"
Miss Cally finally retrieved her errant bonnet and assisted Sofie in standing as well, offering her own sincere apologies at the tangle up.
Last Edit: Apr 11, 2023 15:17:10 GMT -5 by Deleted
Magic Detection: The ability to detect magic. The user can judge magical aptitude, pinpoint magic being used within a mile vicinity, and even detect when potent magic has formerly been used in a space. The magic may originate from a living thing or from an object, it does not matter. There is no restriction to the kind of magic that the user can detect. The weakness is the spatial awareness limitation, and while the user can detect the presence of magic, they cannot detect the specific kind of magic being used.
Post by Florina Bellerose on Apr 14, 2023 14:58:16 GMT -5
Florina looked at the maid’s offered hand, momentarily confused, before she accepted and let the women help her to her feet, “Thank you,” she said once she’d regained her footing, “I am quite well,” she glanced at the other two women…a maid and her mistress, much like she and Sofie, “Are you both unhurt? Do you know what happened to make you tumble into us?” She asked pleasantly, as if someone had simply misplaced a worn out glove that she’d wanted to loose anyways.
"You're welcome Milady." Tianna answered, pulling up Florina with a surprisingly strong grip. Once they were all standing, she was silent for a long moment, unsure of what to do near such an elegant looking noble woman. She looked like a fairy tale Princess come to life! Tess looked at Miss Cally, who nodded to reassure her.
"We're not hurt a bit. And the tallest man I've ever seen, who's running to the corner is what started that merry tumble!"
Her Lady's Maid nudged her gently, pushing her forward as if urging a shy child.
"I'm Countess Straleen. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance My Lady." She said, dipping into a graceful curtsy.
Magic Detection: The ability to detect magic. The user can judge magical aptitude, pinpoint magic being used within a mile vicinity, and even detect when potent magic has formerly been used in a space. The magic may originate from a living thing or from an object, it does not matter. There is no restriction to the kind of magic that the user can detect. The weakness is the spatial awareness limitation, and while the user can detect the presence of magic, they cannot detect the specific kind of magic being used.
Post by Florina Bellerose on Apr 16, 2023 12:19:36 GMT -5
The other woman was slight, but she was stronger than Florina had anticipated. She’d expected more of a struggle to rise—some fashions were not agreeable to tumbling around on the ground—but thanks to the woman’s strength, she was able to regain her feet with ease and dignity.
Sofie set about to brushing off any dirt on Florina’s skirts, and Florina did not stop her maid. She looked around to see if she could find the man who’d so rudely bumped into a lady hard enough to knock four women over, but could not find anyone abnormally tall.
Turning back to the other noble, Florina noted that she seemed shy and unsure of herself as she made her introduction. She returned Countess Straleen’s curtsy with an elegant one of her own, “The pleasure is mine. I am Countess Bellerose,” she might have said her goodbyes after that, but something made Florina remain where she was, “I do hope that ruffian did not spoil your outing, Countess Straleen.”
She looked over both shoulders for a moment, forgetting that Countess also meant herself. Oh! She thought for sure the fairy tale princess would leave instantly but she'd stayed to talk fancy.. Tianna licked her lips and thought for a moment on the right noble words for the elegant Lady in front of her. Um you too? No, that wasn't elegant enough. I dunno wouldn't work. Ah! Well, not good--Archie had always corrected that as bad grammar. She smiled and looked up at the Countess,
"All is well and nothing to fear My Lady. I will continue shopping as my dearest friend's birthday finds me searching for a gift to--."
Miss Cally tried to remedy a stray wisp of hair from Tess' face and the girl broke off abruptly, immediately flinching and ducking her head away as if about to be struck. Tess scrambled sideways a few feet, blushing crimson and tried to shove back the wayward hair herself. She kept her big green eyes on Miss Cally's hands for a moment and then looked down again, far too embarrassed to say anything else.
Why couldn't she just be normal?! The fairy princess didn't move away when her Lady's Maid brushed off things from her. But Cally's hand had jumped right in her face from behind and Tess' heart was still thundering from it! She clasped her hands on her purse, squeezing the life out of it and blushed further until it reached her ears and neck as well. 'If I could just catch my breath and not be so damn stupid, this wouldn't be happening! Especially in public!' she thought. She'd screwed up again. Archie was right--she never should've left the house.
Last Edit: Apr 17, 2023 14:14:11 GMT -5 by Deleted
Magic Detection: The ability to detect magic. The user can judge magical aptitude, pinpoint magic being used within a mile vicinity, and even detect when potent magic has formerly been used in a space. The magic may originate from a living thing or from an object, it does not matter. There is no restriction to the kind of magic that the user can detect. The weakness is the spatial awareness limitation, and while the user can detect the presence of magic, they cannot detect the specific kind of magic being used.
Post by Florina Bellerose on Apr 18, 2023 22:00:48 GMT -5
The countess had this odd habit of licking her lips…a nervous tick perhaps? Maybe her lips were dry…very possible with the dry hiems air. Florina kept a small, pleasant smile on her face as the other woman explained why she and her maid were out shopping that day. When the girl flinched from her maid’s touch, however, Florina was struck with a sense of…empathy. She’d only seen that same expression, that same movement when she was looking in the mirror, when her husband had reached for her with such force…it was possible Countess Straleen was just flustered from the spill they all had just recovered from, but there was something about the look in her eye, the embarrassment that came with the realization that one had only been flinching from ghosts.
“Oh my,” Florina put more levity in her tone than she felt. She wanted to help Countess Straleen save a little face, “That tumble startled me more than I realized…Countess Straleen, I hope you do not think me to presumptuous, but perhaps you can keep me company while I settle my nerves with a cup of tea? I do believe there is a fine tea house nearby and the warmth may do us some good.”
Before the silence could become painfully awkward, the Countess gracefully suggested a different place to be and behaved as though nothing untoward had happened in the least!
Tianna's green eyes lifted to Florina's face for a moment, realizing that the grand Lady before her was what Archie had expected herself to be! She was grateful for the cool Heims air and she nodded silently before remembering the proper response.
"That would be a most agreeable suggestion My Lady. I must beg your forgiveness at my recent discomposure."
The fancy shmancy sentence had taken her almost a year to master, but she remembered it when it counted! She smiled shyly up at the Countess and couldn't help but admire how calm and collected she looked. Like a perfect and untouchable porcelain figurine that little girls saw in shop stores come to life before her.
Once they'd started toward the Tea Shoppe, Tess whispered to Miss Cally, "Please don't do that again miss Cally! It was really bad embarrassin! Even iffen ya see t'other one doing somefin, it don't mean ya gotta try to outdo her!"
"Apologies Countess Straleen."
Tianna's annoyance immediately vanished and she flushed at the thought of her reprimand. Although within her right as a Countess it was fine, she simply wasn't comfortable with the class division that Miss Cally was so strict about. Then her stomach grumbled and she realized that it must be time for Tea! Hopefully the sounds of the crunching snow beneath their feet masked her demanding stomach!
Magic Detection: The ability to detect magic. The user can judge magical aptitude, pinpoint magic being used within a mile vicinity, and even detect when potent magic has formerly been used in a space. The magic may originate from a living thing or from an object, it does not matter. There is no restriction to the kind of magic that the user can detect. The weakness is the spatial awareness limitation, and while the user can detect the presence of magic, they cannot detect the specific kind of magic being used.
Post by Florina Bellerose on Apr 23, 2023 17:46:53 GMT -5
There was a hesitancy in the countess that was almost childlike in its cuteness. Florina recalled doing the exact thing Countess Straleen was doing when she had been early in her own lessons on decorum and how to conduct oneself in public. Was the countess not born into her station in life?
Florina returned the other woman’s smile, “There is nothing to forgive, Countess Straleen. If anyone should offer an apology, it should be the rude fellow who ran into you so savagely,” and she meant it. Why should the other woman apologize? She hadn’t asked that man to bump into her.
She was unaware of the other woman’s whispered reprimand to the maid, although she did hear the whispering tones. Paying it no mind, she continued to lead the way to the Tea Shoppe, Sofie walking a step behind her now that another noble had joined her lady. When they reached the shop, Sofie would open the door for both ladies and Cally before following them in. Florina would pick a spot by the window.
"Quite so Countess!" she agreed, but she wasn't supposed to call out men's manners. Where did she get the confidence to speak so boldly? Were nobles just born with that way of being?
Tianna smiled at Sofie for opening the door and thanked the Lady's Maid as she went through. It was warm and cozy and she was very glad that her obnoxious stomach had gone unheard by the Countess. As she followed by her, she watched and thought of her own lessons not that long ago. A Lady doesn't run or even walk, she glides. Ladies wear dresses so no one even knows there's legs. Go forward in a calm and steady motion, but avoid your skirts swinging back and forth rudely. Her green eyes watched the bottom of Florina's dress, noting it flowed gracefully into a swirl as she sat proper and Lady like. That was what he'd expected of her and the differences between them were like night and day.
She lifted her gaze and blushed, feeling like the silly thing that Archie had called her so often. Trying to sit as nicely as the Countess, she handed her reticule to Miss Cally and gathered her skirts beneath the table so they were well out of the way. Oh! Gloves! Then what? Umm.. in the lap or on the table?! Say something! Anything! Tianna smiled at Florina and said inanely,
"It's a nice view from this table."
Keeping her head down, she removed her gloves slowly, covertly watching to see what Florina did with hers because she could only remember to remove them before eating.
Last Edit: Apr 25, 2023 18:14:18 GMT -5 by Deleted
Magic Detection: The ability to detect magic. The user can judge magical aptitude, pinpoint magic being used within a mile vicinity, and even detect when potent magic has formerly been used in a space. The magic may originate from a living thing or from an object, it does not matter. There is no restriction to the kind of magic that the user can detect. The weakness is the spatial awareness limitation, and while the user can detect the presence of magic, they cannot detect the specific kind of magic being used.
Post by Florina Bellerose on Apr 25, 2023 19:50:04 GMT -5
Unaware of the other woman’s scrutiny, Florina removed her gloves and set them on her lap. She would put a napkin over them whenever the tea and whatever dessert they ordered came to protect them from any crumbs.
“Indeed yes, it’s a lovely view of the street,” said Florina, “I daresay it will be quite lovely come spring.”
A waitress came by and gave them a curtsy, “Good afternoon my ladies,” she said with hardly a trace of the commoner’s lilt, “Today we have Chamomile, Earl Gray, and Black tea,” she smiled, “and I’m pleased to say that we still have plenty of the cake our baker made just this morning. He calls it ‘Death by Chocolate,’ but don’t you worry none, you won’t actually die when you eat it,” she laughed, “I was so worried when he told me!”
Florina offered a polite smile to the talkative waitress, and waited for Sofie to let the waitress know that the countess would like the Chamomile and a slice of the cake. The waitress would turn to the other woman and take her order then leave after she got it with another curtsy.
Tianna placed her gloves in her lap, glad to have that small detail figured out. Nobles were so hard to understand and she had no idea how they could live normally putting all that effort into such silly things. It shouldn't matter where you put your gloves or used a fan on hot days. What kind of bored repressed life must a person have, to put ridiculous efforts into bowing, curtsying, milaldying, gloves, reticules, standing who goes where and endless title memorization?! Growing up, her biggest worries were about the next meal and if her parents could make the rent to keep a roof over their heads! How does an entire population of people put importance on stupid fans or how to take off gloves?
Lost in her thoughts for a moment, she almost missed Miss Cally's instant order of chamomile tea with honey and a half slice of cake--with no frosting! With a longstanding habit of defiance, Tianna rolled her eyes, unable to keep the momentary resentful expression off her face. Of course! Even in a food place, 'Ladies don't eat more than a few mouthfuls and always delicately leave some on their plate!'
The Lady's Maid put up her chin and gave Tess a warning glance to mind her manners and temper-especially in public before a Countess. The dark haired girl put her head down for a moment, her gaze roaming the elegant table settings.
"Have you eaten in this establishment before Countess Bellerose? The chocolate cake sounds wonderful! Do you have a favorite snack or tea here?" Tianna asked, though she felt at cross purposes. She'd forgotten that snooty people had their Tea meal nearer to seven while normal people like her had the meal around four or five. There would be no filling meal yet and Miss Cally had guaranteed that Tess' snack would be the 'right' amount for a Lady. And a lot less of a chance of Tianna pigging out in front of anyone as she so commonly did at home.
Last Edit: Apr 27, 2023 13:55:31 GMT -5 by Deleted
Magic Detection: The ability to detect magic. The user can judge magical aptitude, pinpoint magic being used within a mile vicinity, and even detect when potent magic has formerly been used in a space. The magic may originate from a living thing or from an object, it does not matter. There is no restriction to the kind of magic that the user can detect. The weakness is the spatial awareness limitation, and while the user can detect the presence of magic, they cannot detect the specific kind of magic being used.
Post by Florina Bellerose on Apr 27, 2023 21:27:49 GMT -5
Florina saw the exchange between the maid and her mistress and could not help but frown in disapproval at the maid. It was not her place to tell her lady what she may do, especially with such venom in her eyes. She wanted to scold the maid, but stayed silent for such a thing was not her place. Countess Straleen should have been the one to reprimand the maid, or fire her for her behavior. Florina would have sacked her. Nobody needed their staff making them seem like a misbehaving child. She would not say anything, but she could not stop herself from staring at the impertinent maid until the woman met her eyes, and she held her gaze, putting as much disapproval in it as she could, every inch the grand lady she was. She would not look away until the maid did. Later, she might be embarrassed about the whole thing, but at that moment, Florina was too offended on the other countess’s behalf to care.
At Tiana’s question, Florina smiled, “I’ve been here once before and I confess I fell in love with it,” she smoothed her hands over her lap as if her skirt was rumpled, “I’ve not been here enough to have a favorite, but what I have had was very good indeed,” she hesitated, “Forgive me, but are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to have the whole slice unblemished? It would be a shame to indulge in sweets and leave the best part off.”