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!
Revna led her sister's to the temple, to Isolde . Kelder was still dangling from her bonds, stripped off all weapons, and it brought a sad smile to the young Cambrian's face. She knew her sister was misguided, she had a lot of work to do, and their priestess would help her get back to the right path. The path that the All-Mother lead them down.
"She will help you sister. Isolde and the All-Mother together will right your course." Reaching out she touched the bound hand and shook her head.
They were closing in on the temple, and she sent one of the warriors along to tell their priestess the good news. Kelder would be returned home, and everything would be righted. They would be friends again, and she wouldn't be judged by her best friend for her belief in a better and stronger Cambria.
She was awoken by the voices of other women, and heard them say that @revna had returned with Kelder. Sigyn looked around to make sure Waiola wasn't around, and then left the room she had been resting in. Her hand still hurt - a lot. But luckily the healer had been able to clean the wounds and re-wrap them for her.
The blonde walked through the village and headed to the temple. She caught up with her sisters right before they entered the temple. Sigyn would walk with them. She wanted to be present for this conversation. She appeared next to @revna. "I'm sorry for leaving, sister. I'm here now", she said in a hushed voice.
Sól tér sortna, sígr fold í mar, hverfa af himni heiðar stjörnur
Kelder didn't struggle and she didn't speak but she did stare at Revna, and if the looks could kill Revna would drop dead. So far the biggest satisfaction was the return of Sigyn, Kelder knew she had done some damage and it was a lot more sacred than a silly branding.
Revna nodded at Sigyn, she had planned to send for the woman but apparently word spread faster than lightening. So she just nodded and entered the temple, proud of what she had done. "Blessings sister." She had proved herself as the Priestess' second, and she walked in with her head held high.
She didn't even notice the anger in her sisters eyes anymore. All that mattered was that she would be better soon. The priestess and All-Mother would fix her, make her whole again. They had to. And so they brought Kelder up to the alter, ready for Isolde
Isolde’s enhanced hearing had every whisper flying to her from a distance as if they’d been summoned. Kelder and her chosen were coming. Isolde readied herself, painting her face with harsh, haunting black lines that made her look like a skelletal ghost. The last touch was a bright line of red that started at her forehead and dragged all the way down the bridge of her nose, across her lips, and to her chin. Her body was covered with similar lines, crossing across the muscular arms of the seasoned warrior.
“Mother—”
Isole turned to see one of her daughters, Elsha, waiting. Her eyes were wide, but no fear showed on her face.
“They’re here.”
Isolde nodded.
“Help me, child.”
Isolde knelt as Elsha helped lower a wolf-skull headdress onto her mother like a crown. Once it was secure, Isolde stood, towering over her daughter in both stature and presence.
“Let us go greet our sister.” Elsha nodded and followed Isolde down from the tower. As they walked toward the Sanctum all, more loyal warriors followed, adding on until half a dozen followed her into the main hall. It was a vaulted room, the top open to the sky so that the stars started cold down at them. Inside the belly of a large metal firepit flame churned and spat up to the sky. The heat was intense enough that one couldn’t stand too close without wanting to recoil from it.
At the front of the room was a large boulder with a surface that had been carved flat. It was adorned with all manner of sacred objects and offerings to the All-Mother. Behind it was an elevated platform also of rock. It was before this that Isolde would see @revna , Sigyn , and her wayward daughter, Kelder .
Isolde’s expression was solemn as she approached. She did not acknowledge Kelder or so much as glance at her. The priestess went first to @revna , kissing her before laying her forehead against her own. With her other hand, she reached out for Sigyn , becoming her to come so that she could embrace her.
As always the priestess was breathtaking. And Revna smiled up at her as the woman kissed her and connected their foreheads. She knew that they had done the right thing, and that Kelder would be saved.
"We've brought Kelder to listen to you and the All-Mother." Bowing her head she stepped to the side so that everyone would be able to see her sister, tied up. It was a sad sight, but a necessary one, and she would recover from this madness. Isolde would make sure of it.
They entered the room, and Isolde looked absolutely breathtaking and impressive. After she had kissed @revna, she reached out to Sigyn, who would take her mother's hand in her good one to embrace her for a moment. She kept her wounded hand to the side, so it wouldn't come in contact with anyone or anything.
Sigyn then stepped back as well, together with Revna, so everyone could see Kelder. "Sacrifices have been made to get her here, but she's ready", she added. The Seer honestly felt like the loss of her fingers was a sign from the All-Mother that in order to get Kelder back, a sacrifice had to be made, and to her it was only logical that it had been her fingers. She should have seen this moment coming in her visions, but she hadn't been properly prepared.
Sól tér sortna, sígr fold í mar, hverfa af himni heiðar stjörnur
Isolde was Sigyn’s mother by blood, and it was a mother’s place to notice things. The way Sigyn held her hand to remove it, or perhaps to conceal it, did not escape her. Isolde reached for her daughter’s hand and, so far as the Seer did not resist, would turn it over to see what Kelder had done.
Isolde’s features were perpetually placid. Like the statue of a deity, she was unmoved by sunshine or storm. But with Sigyn’s blood on her fingers, anger lit her eyes and hardened the lines of her mouth. After a moment, Isolde brought Sigyn’s mutilated hand to her lips and kissed where her fingers used to be. Blood that had soaked through the bandage stayed on Isolde’s lips as she turned her rage to Kelder.
She walked toward the Valkyrie until she was nose-to-nose with Kelder. Even in her anger, Isolde brushed Kelder’s cheek tenderly before pressing a kiss to her forehead, counting on the accompanying warriors to restrain her.
Kelder didn't fight against the kiss but she was disgusted by Isolde, by all of these women surrounding her. When Isolde would pull back Kelder held her own fury in her eyes and it was all directed at Isolde, "You best kill me Isolde, because nothing you do to me here tonight will not change the hatred and hardness of my heart for you or your acolytes. Fuck you. You'll never get to my child and I hope as she grows and carries my hatred for you...I hope she cuts your fucking head off," and Kelder spits on the ground at Isoldes feet.
It pained her to see Kelder’s venom. For a moment, Isolde was reminded of the daughter she loved—the one that was all fire and spite, grit and persistence. They were gifts from the All-Mother, ones that Kelder had squandered. She’d turned her gifts against the giver, and for that, she must pay. The priestess remained calm, unruffled by Kelder’s speech.
“Take her to the altar.” Isolde expected that her will would be done. She’d watch, them take her, and as soon as she was set, Isolde would go to the fire to retrieve the brand.
All Revna could do was look at her sister with pity. The poor thing was so misguided, and her rage at the Nevermere men continued to boil. To do this to one of her strongest sisters? They must have used their magic to put Kelder under such a spell. But the Priestess clearly knew what to do and she gestured for her strong and un-injured warrior sisters to each grab a limb, and she would position herself at the woman's head as they walked over to the alter.
The cambrian woman would tie the bonds that were already on Kelder to the altar, and Revna would hold her shoulders down as they did. "All will be better soon." The words were a whisper as she looked down, a few tears welling and falling down onto the altar. And looking at the Priestess with moist eyes, she knew it would be.
Last Edit: May 25, 2023 21:11:46 GMT -5 by Deleted
Isolde inspected her hand. Her daughter felt ashamed, worrying she had failed her mother somehow by getting her fingers chopped off. Maybe she wasn't the great warrior she thought she was. But Isolde kissed the bandages, leaving her with blood on her lips. The blonde smiled meekly and felt grateful for this token of appreciation and love.
She then watched as Isolde approached Kelder, and it pained her to hear Kelder's words. She had been brainwashed by the Nevermerean influence on the kingdom, and prayed Kelder would soon see the light again and return to them. Her sister was taken to the altar, and Sigyn watched in silence, not being able to help much because of her hand.
Sól tér sortna, sígr fold í mar, hverfa af himni heiðar stjörnur
Kelder remained silent and visibly cold as ice, she could guarantee that if her hands weren't bound she'd be fighting even if she lost she would be remembered here tonight.
"Would you accept my challenge of a fight to the death Isolde? For leader of Cambria, and I even will allow you to choose a fighter to fight for you..."
Kelder would have to shout to be heard, as Isolde was at the fire retrieving the brand. When she heard Kelder, she smiled mirthlessly. For the first time, Isolde’s sorrow and pity was fully replaced by disgust. What a prideful child Kelder was. Even now, she thought herself worthy of challenging the priestess. That it would be a privilege she would be afforded after all the wrong that she’d done. No. Kelder was no warrior, and would not be granted a warrior’s death. Nor would she be given the distinguished honor of crossing swords with the woman she once called ‘Mother’.
Isolde pulled the brand from the fire. It was so hot that the metal was nearly white. She priestess started to chant as she carried it to the altar. Kelder would be laid across it, held down by allied warriors so that she wouldn’t struggle. Her shirt would be cut open so that her chest was bare.
The warriors would join their priestess in chanting. Their voices were loud—full of sorrow, spite, and anger. Of fear, though they tried to hide it. Isolde stepped up onto the high place behind the altar so that she was looking down on Kelder. The once-Valkyrie would recognize the same brand that had marked all the others who had children sired by Nevermeran fathers.
Isolde towered over Kelder. She looked down on the warrior before taking the brand in both hands and raising it above her head.
“May your soul be made clean.”
Isolde brought the brand down to the center of Kelder’s chest, so long as no miracle intervened on her behalf. The foul smell of burning flesh filled the room. Even when Kelder’s skin was well-marked, Isolde did not pull away. She pushed harder and harder, with all her Cambrian strength until Kelder’s ribcage would buckle under the pressure.[/blokquote]
Revna looked at the priestess when Kelder made her request, but it seemed the All-Mother didn’t want bloodshed. She didn’t know why her sister would ask for such violence against her own people. She wanted to kill one of her own for Nevermere? It was so clear she was lost, Revna felt she had failed her by missing it for so long. They had trained together since they were little, and even now she she held Kelder’s shoulders down so she couldn’t buck the brand, the acolyte knew she had failed her.
As the smell of burning flesh entered her nostrils, Revna would stand true, chanting with her sisters. But then when it didn’t stop she would look at the priestess, confusion on her face. A whispered plea would slip past her lips. ”Priestess?” Not even sure Isolde would hear her over the chanting, but truly not understanding why Kelder was being put through more than necessary. She was lost but the All-Mother was to bring her back, back to the fold. Had the All-Mother decided death was the only way through?