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!
"I'm in .. acquisitions." he answered tersely with no hint of humor or laughter in either his tone or mien. It was the solid genuine truth with just a few extra details omitted.
Raff felt her eyes boring into him as he changed and he gave a devilish grin and wink at her while he buttoned up his pants. 'Get it all out now Red, coz once the suit is on, it's business.' he thought to himself. The shirt slid into place and settled with the mark of a good tailor's fit and with absolute precision. The dark blue jacket followed, ending perfectly at a quarter inch past the wrists to allow for customized movement. When Raff put on the suit it was like donning an expensive armor that gave him an untouchable confidence in what he said and did in a completely different mindset. The rules were much different for night work.
"Pushing up daisies more like. Excited fer yer new job Red?"
He kept his tone entirely neutral with the question, almost to the point of indifferent. Raff drank the water, slouching against the chair and stretching out his long legs beneath the table. He set down the glass to watch her face if she let it be seen when she answered that one. There were a lot of things she'd need ta know- and even more NOT to know.
"Yea that knife skill is handy Red. I'd keep the skill and the knife, extra sharp. Ya never know when ya'll need it."
Post by Rhedara Shannon on May 22, 2023 21:18:24 GMT -5
Something had changed about Raff…he as still him, but there was a seriousness about him that was different than when he was actively on duty. Acquisitions sounded a bit suspicious, and his pushing up daisies comment just compounded that suspicion—especially with the way he’d said it…or maybe she was thinking too hard about it. Things had gone from flirty to oddly tense and she wasn’t sure how that had started or exactly why.
He asked her about her new job, and she quickly glanced away from the sizzling fish to look at him, wondering how he’d known she’d gotten the job, before her eyes went back to her task, “Oh you heard about that? Yeah, fetching drinks and taking notes is exciting stuff,” she said it flatly, almost distractedly since she was simultaneously cooking and trying to figure out what had triggered this change.
The comment about the knife seemed innocent enough, and if he were anyone else, she might have felt threatened, or searched for a hidden meaning. Rhedara had decided to take Raff at face value, but it didn’t stop her from hesitating before she answered, “Yeah, always good to be prepared.”
Raff could smell the food starting to cook and he didn't wanna distract her too much from it. But things needed saying up front, center and crystal clear. If he didn't keep her in line, he'd end up as the first one to ... take care of the problem. And he wasn't gonna let that happen through ignorance.
"Yea we can talk more in depth 'bout yer new job once yer done cookin. Not a good idea ta distract the cook too much." his face stayed neutral but the glint of humor in those dark blue eyes were still evident.
And besides, he liked watching her cook. Not just for the sake of the standard hey look at the pretty girl aspect, but that people didn't cook for him. He was still teaching Cady how to cook and he got most of his meals at the mess hall. Raff hadn't had a normal home cooked meal for him since his mother had died about twelve years ago. It was a rare treat to feel cared for, for someone to go out of their way to do something nice for Raff. Unusual, but very very nice.
Red didn't seem too talkative but the two main things were making sure the food didn't get burned, and talking about her future with the Keelan Morrigan Company.
"Ya got yer fancy work clothes in the makin yet? I know it took me a while ta get this made up." he offered, gesturing to his own well made suit.
Last Edit: May 24, 2023 19:39:04 GMT -5 by Deleted
Post by Rhedara Shannon on May 24, 2023 22:18:57 GMT -5
It wouldn’t take long for the fish to cook, and she was happy that she’d taken the time earlier to get the potatoes cooking in Bette’s cast iron pot. She’d pulled them from the old woman’s larder earlier and had cut them up before she went out to run her errands. Everything should be all ready to eat at the same time. If Raff wasn’t watching her so closely, she would have literally patted herself on the back for such perfect planning.
He mentioned talking about her new job more when the food was ready, and she was glad for it. Not only was she trying really hard not to mess up the first meal she’d ever made for him—in front of him no less—but it also seemed to bring out the Raff she was more familiar with, even as his expression stayed on the stoic side. Whatever it was he wanted to talk about in regards to her job needed more of her attention since she still wasn’t sure what he was going on about…of course, he could have just been showing interest since it was something going on in her life. They were courting, after all. It was natural. She smiled up at him from the fish she was cooking, “Sure, but I’m not sure what there is to talk about. I’m not doing anything particularly interesting at the moment.”
The work clothes comment didn’t make her pause in the middle of flipping the fish, but she took a little longer to answer than she probably should have. Were they...? It might explain how he knew about her job before she told him, but why was he being so cryptic? Keelan Morrigan was just a noble who had a merchant ship. She’d received a deckhand uniform on her first day, but she had a feeling Raff wasn’t talking about that. Most of the time she was assisting Lord Morrigan in whatever business transaction he was going about, and she’d been expected to dress the part. Being a commoner, she didn’t have a lot of clothes appropriate for it, so she’d done a little shopping for something suitable so she didn’t look too much like a fishmonger’s daughter and more like an assistant that worked for someone like Lord Morrigan, “Yeah, I’m trying to get something more suitable together than what I already got. I think it’s going to take a bit though,” she was saving up for something nice…she might even be able to spring for a seamstress which was an exciting thought.
When he gestured to his own suit, she couldn’t help but smile, “Well that was time well spent,” she said, “it looks good on you.”
"Nah, none o yer work details is good Red, ya stick with that. That's how it should be." Raff answered stretching his arms up, yawning and resting his hands behind his head as he slouched further into the chair.
This was amazing. It so fuckin quiet! No yellin kids, arguin neighbors, a million chores, no paper work, no orders, no one to command, no one to scold. Just blissful peace hearing the fish sizzle in the pan and the smell of damn good food. It was a moment Raff needed more than he realized and it made him smile as his eyes lingered on Red.
She looked and sounded happy which was the cherry on top of all he needed right now. A simple man that liked the simple things most, this was it right here. He wasn't after a big mansion or fancy carriage or looking to be a major general. He worked damned hard day and night. He gave his all to making sure his military life was by the book, right and tight. He kept the kids in line with learnin and chores. He trained hard. Gave his all mentally and physically to his night work and this right here was bliss. Relaxing in a clean quiet place, about to eat a meal made by his favorite woman on Terra Nova.
Raff stroked his beard and smiled at her compliment, taking out a business card and slid it over on the table for when she finally sat down.
"Ya start over here with this card. Ya go there, ya say ya need to start a tab coz yer werkin fer the Keelan Morrigan Company. They hook ya up with a pay as ya go and they set ya up nice. That's where we get our fancy clothes made up real good. Anythin ya want fer yer job, ya get there. On that card."
Post by Rhedara Shannon on May 26, 2023 17:42:48 GMT -5
He told her to keep the details vague…but didn’t he just say they’d talk about it more when she was done cooking? Maybe he meant something else that needed to be more thoroughly discussed. Raff seemed to relax after saying to keep things general though, so maybe not?
It was nice to see him relaxed—doubly nice that that relaxation could happen in her presence. The time they’d managed to spend together alone always seemed to get interrupted by a sibling or her landlady or poker playing soldiers. Since Bette was out on the boat, Rhedara didn’t have to worry about her butting in, and no one that she didn’t want to be in her home would be there. Now that she had a job, she’d have to look for her own place once she’d saved up enough, then she wouldn’t have to worry about Bette, either!
She’d started to plate the meal she he slid the card on the table with the directions that went with it. She looked at it with interest, but wouldn’t take it until she set the plates on the table. As far as her culinary skills went, she wasn’t a terrible cook. No one grimaced or spat it out. Reviews typically said she was pretty decent, although the king would not be hiring her to cook for him, which was fine by her. As long as it was editable and palatable, she was happy. All the same, she really hoped he liked it.
She reached out and took the card, “Fancy,” she said before tucking it in her pocket so it wouldn’t be lost, “I’ll do that whenever I can make it over there,” it probably wouldn’t be that much time before she could make it, but one never knew what Lord Morrigan would want them to do.
Raff had watched her more carefully than he'd let on and when she took out some roasted carrots and potatoes just before the fish finished, he was impressed with her timing. You could tell people how to cook, but time management took practice and expertise. Now he knew the real reason Keelan had hired her as an assistant.
"I can see why he hired ya." Raff said with respect, knowing the skill it took to time a meal just right so everything got done at the same time to arrive hot on the plate.
He knew the boss liked cute brunette commoners, and it had concerned him at first. But seeing Red's obvious skills at planning ahead, multitasking and perfectly managing different things while carrying on a conversation was a definite deal maker. His girl had some decent skills and it made him proud of her. Lord Morrigan had recognized -his woman's- worth and he'd pay her well for it.
"Looks damn good Red. Now let's see if it tastes as good as it looks." he smiled before taking a bite. If it hadn't smelled good, it wouldn't taste good so the tall man wasn't worried at all about the quality. He took a large bite of the fish and the haddock was so tender that white flakes separated easily as soon as the fork touched it. He'd intended to give a good conversation but the meal tasted great and every word flew out of his head as he dug in to the meal and ate with gusto, barely chewing between large bites.
Last Edit: May 27, 2023 12:06:02 GMT -5 by Deleted
Post by Rhedara Shannon on May 27, 2023 22:58:38 GMT -5
“He hired me because I can cook?” She asked, almost lightly since that was likely not what he meant. He’d said the words with what sounded like respect, so she was curious about what why he thought Lord Morrigan had hired her. She certainly wanted to know. The man himself told her that he liked that she wouldn’t take crap from a superior, even if that superior were noble…not that she’d had much cause to do that in her current tasks.
She tried not to stare at him while she waited for him to taste it, reminding herself to eat too. Had she forgotten to salt anything? Over salted? It turned out she didn’t need to worry. After the first bite, and really focused on scarfing it down. She couldn’t hide the huge grin on her face, more than happy that he seemed to be enjoying her cooking. There might have even been a little shoulder wiggle, but she was too busy basking in her own excellence to notice. She’d accomplished what she’d wanted to do which was to make sure that Raff actually ate something and see him. There was also that unintentional third thing that hadn’t quite occurred to her until she’d seen how much he was enjoying the food.
Her mother used to say that there were two ways to make a man keep coming back to you, and one of those ways was a good meal to fill his belly. Rhedara figured her mother must have been good at the other thing which her mother wouldn’t name at the time. Rhedara had figured out what that second thing was later.
Satisfied that her favorite man liked what she’d made, she ate with an enthusiasm that didn’t nearly match Raff’s, but they’d finish eating close to the same time, though Rhedara would still be working on her own potatoes.
"Nah, coz yer obviously good with scheduling, multitasking, time management and very easy on the eyes. He don't hire any ugly chicks." Raff answered easily.
Then with the food before him, he ate with a single-minded intensity that cleared his plate rapidly. He sat back and put a hand over his stomach, looking like the very picture of contentment. With keen blue eyes, he smiled and watched as Red ate her meal in a much daintier fashion than he had. Considering he'd just shoveled it in like he was inhaling it, anything less than a pig would appear to be a dainty eater next to him.
He picked up the pitcher of water on the table to top off Red's glass before refilling his own. The tall man emptied it and filled it again to set it down on the table. With Red working for Keelan now, she needed to know some important things since she was working for him. It wouldn't do for her to make a deadly mistake in her first few days there.
But food was the first priority and he relaxed while she finished up the rest of her potatoes.
Last Edit: May 30, 2023 14:11:57 GMT -5 by Deleted
Post by Rhedara Shannon on May 30, 2023 16:26:55 GMT -5
“Oh,” she sounded thoughtful, never having thought of herself quite that way, “It’s a habit I guess. I don’t like making people wait for me. I like to be early or on time,” she didn’t know what to make of the easy on the eyes part. It made sense given her role so far. As long as she wasn’t expected to touch anybody beyond a pat on the hand or something, she’d have no complaints.
He’d finished before her, and when he topped off her glass, she smiled in thanks. That subtle thoughtfulness was unexpectedly attractive. It gave her what was becoming a familiar, heart squeezing feeling.
By the time she finished her potatoes, he’d downed two more cups of water. He still seemed at ease, and his obvious comfort made her happy.
“Were we still gonna talk about the work details or is that already settled?”
Raff pushed his empty plate forward and leaned his arms on the table as he looked at Red and laughed.
"Settled? We're only just gettin started Red. Ya got an important job now and yer gonna need some helpful tips to make it successful. I can help ya with most of what ya need ta know fer it. First though, ya got any questions up front?"
Post by Rhedara Shannon on May 31, 2023 18:09:08 GMT -5
So they weren’t done with that conversation. Alright then. She settled in for…whatever it was they were about to talk about.
“Important?” she furrowed her brow, “I’m mostly just—“ she stopped herself, remembering that he said no details. It made it difficult to talk about the job when she couldn’t use details, “Is there something about…him that I don’t know about?”
"We're both working for a man that likes order, rules discipline and above all--loyalty and obedience. Snitches and thieves are stopped instantly. Discretion is what's most needed here."
Raff paused and reached for both of her hands with his, if she let him and then continued on a gentler, but still firm voice.
"No sharing details with each other on exactly what we do-ever and don't mention his name unless it's necessary. He knows what we say and don't ask how. There's lots of little rules but they follow the same path as common sense. Our boss is a smart guy so if you think for one hot second that yer smarter or you can trick him--you'll be pushin up daisies, by my own hand, get me? Ya don't fuck with him. Ever. Ya signed on and this ain't no joke Red." This time his voice lapsed into a threatening growl that definitely was not seductive. It was pure controlled menace.
"Follow every order to the letter, no exceptions, no matter what it takes. He expects us ta be smart and problem solve the small stuff while he's working on much larger plans. Be respectful to him always, no matter how mad or tired ya git. And if ya think he's made some kinda mistake--yer wrong. He's always on top of the game. There's more but ya got any questions so far?"
Post by Rhedara Shannon on Jun 1, 2023 13:45:39 GMT -5
She’d gathered that Keelan like orders and discipline the day she’d met him. The man that brought her to his office had not done his task fast enough and had earned—at least in front of her—a light reprimand. She could do those things. The other things he said also made sense…a merchant would not want to have a thief or an employee going off rattling about trade secrets.
She let him take her hands and listened to what else he said…especially that part about him killing her if she crossed Lord Morrigan. Her eyes got a little bigger. Goddess, what…what? She’d try and pull away.
What could she even ask?
“Why are you telling me this?” Her voice sounded small even to her own ears, “I thought he was just a merchant,” apparently there was more to Keelan Morrigan’s business than she’d thought.
When her beautiful eyes widened in fear and she pulled away, he let her hands go, not forcing anything. He hated seeing her look scared but he had to protect her. She was now nose deep in secret underground nefarious workings and needed to understand without Raff actually saying shit out loud. Rhedara needed to figure things out with her own thoughts and his hints. It was literally deadly serious knowledge and dammit she was so young!
"He is a legitimate merchant on paper and that's good you know that for anyone who asks. But you will be told to do things that seem unusual or shady and that's the part you need to follow through on the most. He'll give you the info you need to accomplish something if you don't see the obvious or it lacks details. Ya need ta figure out that ducks look smooth and calm on the surface, but it take a lot of underwater violent secretive action to make it look so smooth on TOP of the water. Ya know what I'm sayin?"
Raff urged her to understand. He knew she was smart enough but it was an awful lot to stick on a eighteen year old! But she'd somehow stepped voluntarily into Keelan's world and Red would have to adjust. Period. He really wanted to hug and comfort her right now, but it was not the time for that.