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!
Post by Io Demeter on Jun 28, 2023 20:55:06 GMT -5
"None whatsoever?" Io smiled warmly with a bit of a chuckle, then a shrug. "No, I'm afraid you are my first. It was interesting. Good," he corrected, looking back down at Oriana. "Who knew?"
Had she truly liked the kiss? At the very least, she did not seem disappointed. It was a remarkable peace, here in this moment with a newfound friendship with his rival. He really did appreciate the time and attention she had given him, her tips and advice. And in that, he was content to sit in silence with his arm around her waist for a few moments longer.
"Thank you again, Oriana," he finally let his hands drop, taking a proper step back paired with a bit of sorrow at the break in the connection. "You've been tremendously kind and thoughtful in teaching me. I will never forget this."
The tailor took a deep breath, pausing to glance at the desk with the forgotten, half-sewn dress. Right. His entire reason for coming.
"I suppose we best get back to work?" he asked, though desperately hoping they could somehow continue the moment he thought they shared.
"Just good? You wound me Io." Laughing, Oriana prided herself on her skills, but maybe she had been slipping a little if all her lips got was a good. And the fact that it was his first kiss, well, it felt like she had taken something from him a little. He had been holding out it seemed for a woman of his dreams. And while he had asked, part of her felt slightly put out that he might not have enjoyed it as much she had.
Nodding her head with a smile Oriana smoothed out her skirts, brushing away the thoughts in her head. "Well may my lips haunt your dreams then." Her eyes also flicked back to the fabrics, but he had also made a promise before he had asked to kiss her. And she hadn't forgotten.
"What happened to measuring me Io, don't think I forgot such an offer."
Post by Io Demeter on Jun 28, 2023 22:00:40 GMT -5
Io had to pause at Oriana's comment and laugh. Was she speaking in jest or was she truly offended? It was honestly difficult to tell, but it brought a tinge of worry to his heart.
"Oriana, I worry if I spoke at great length of the peace and pleasure I drew from the kiss with you I would be ridiculed," he spoke slowly. "If I told you I've never felt more like a man and couldn't help but desire more from the woman I've grown to respect in the intimate moment that my lips touched yours, I imagine you'd tease me and stay just out of reach. Furthermore, I was under the impression that you did not wish for a partner, and did not want to offend or impose my feelings upon you in any way. With that being said," Io exhaled deeply, meeting her eyes. "It was one of the best moments of my life, and I should be stricken as a liar if I did not admit that I sincerely hope the first kiss shall not be the last."
The tailor's eyes widened slightly at the reminder, his offer (and most of everything else) forgotten in the sensuality of the kiss. He glanced around the workspace, picking up a measuring tape and unrolling it slightly.
"I will need your permission to touch you for this," Io spoke, looking back to the seamstress. "As you certainly know, there are some potentially intimate measurements. Specifically hips and bust."
Oriana had been speaking in jest, but the words that tumbled from Io's mouth made her feel cruel. He truly had a kind heart, and here she was making jokes as if he was an average man. The tailor was nothing like his father, that was clear, he had gone the other direction entirely. And she was the opposite, she was the cruelty that Loren had made her, and she was pulling him down with her.
"Well you just should have said so." Smiling at him, Oriana wanted to tell him to run far away from her, but it was far more fun not to. He was good and kind, she needed someone like that around, even if it was to his own detriment. So she tucked her hair behind her ear and lapped up the attention instead.
Nodding her head, Oriana knew well what a fitting entailed given her profession, and she had reminded him all the same. "Consider it more practice then Io. Use any of my tools you need." She knew her own measurements quite well and easily could have listed them out for him. But where was the fun in that.
Post by Io Demeter on Jun 29, 2023 13:43:57 GMT -5
Io nearly sighed with just a nod. It was certainly too much to expect Oriana would have reciprocated his feelings. He had anticipated the pleasure to be one-sided, which seemed apt given her ability to move on as though the kiss was as common as a handshake. That did not mean Io would not treasure the memory. She'd mentioned something about her lips haunting him, and even now so soon afterwards he could imagine that lovely connection once more.
"Very well," Io still hobbled with his prosthetic, but his steps were more sure as he approached her this time. "We'll work our way from top to bottom then."
Measuring the shoulders was easy enough, as well as the span from shoulder to floor. When it came to the bust, Io had to pause and meet Oriana's gaze one last time for any sign of disapproval. Assuming he saw none, he would reach to draw the measuring tape around her back, then rejoin it across her sternum. It took a bit of readjusting to ensure it sat taught over the most voluptuous region, a finger quickly running across the line to deal with a twist in the tape.
That warmth returned in the tailor, a small feeling of pressure in his own chest. Io had performed the measurement hundreds of times before on a variety of women, even frequently Her Majesty herself: but he hadn't exactly kissed any of them before the fact. He continued silently on to perform the similar measurements on her waist and hips, silently mouthing the measurements to commit them to memory. He took a proper step back as he was done, jotting down the proper numbers in his pocket book. The return of the tightness in his clothes was not conducive to professional focus, something he hoped the seamstress would not notice.
"I'm thinking sleeveless," Io tried to clear his throat, glancing up at Oriana. "How deep a scooped neck are you comfortable with? Or we could do a low back."
It was tempting to move around, make the fitting take a little longer than it strictly needed to. But Oriana decided not to tease him while he acted like a professional. His hands were gentle as ever, slipping through the measurements with the tape all over her body. Sure, it was part of the job, but he had just kissed her so it had a different feeling to it.
Following him as he stepped back she sidled up next to him as he wrote, noting the heat returning to the man's face again. Rather than stepped back she moved in front of him and nodded as he spoke. "I like sleeveless and a low back, keep my bosom to the imagination."
Oriana moved her hand up to his chest, and would unbutton the top of his shirt unless he stepped back. "You seem hot Io, how can I help?"
Post by Io Demeter on Jun 29, 2023 15:57:33 GMT -5
Io tried to keep from shifting to readjust his trousers as Oriana followed him to stand in front of him.
“As you say,” he nodded at her request, jotting down the notes in his pocket journal. “I do believe the design will look lovely on you…not that you need any certain attire to help with that.”
The tailor was shocked as Oriana moved closed to press her hand on his chest and undo his top button. His body was certainly at full attention now as he dropped his pencil and journal, hardly noticing the loss. He was again caught in her eyes, his own only parting briefly to gaze down her form.
“Oriana, I am not fully certain what it is you desire,” Io’s voice was lower now, a bit surprising to even himself. “But you are more than welcome to undo the rest should you please.”
Oriana had noticed how his pants hung, or in this case, filled a little, as she drew up close to Io. He was handsome, and it was even better to watch him squirm, trying to pay close attention to his notes rather than her. It was adorable, and he kept complimenting her as well? It would make any woman happy.
When Io dropped his notebook, she at first worried she had pushed him too far. But then his eyes roamed her figure and she knew that wasn't the case. His voice had a gravel to it now, much unlike the unsure man who had walked into her store only a few hours prior. By now it was just the two of them in the store, and while it would be smart to flit out of reach back to the sewing, Oriana had a different plan in mind.
Her hand slid down his chest to the next button. "I just want to help you Io." Her hand undoing the next, her other moving to rest on the front of his pants. "And you seem like you need a hand."
Post by Io Demeter on Jun 29, 2023 16:33:20 GMT -5
Io felt like he may as well be a furnace, surprised his clothes didn’t spontaneously combust. Her hand tracing down his chest was more addictive than any liquor, his skin tingling at her touch and exposure to her gaze. Then came a lower touch. It was so unexpected he couldn’t contain a primal moan, eyes briefly closing before looking down at the contact. He’d had morning problems as any man had, but this building pressure and response of his own body was a higher magnitude than he’d ever experienced.
There was a part of him that worried. Worried about impropriety for a future potential lady, worried about losing himself and falling into his father’s habits. But that inner voice was so very small compared to the enormity of desire for the woman in front of him. The reality was Oriana, and Oriana was pleasurably exploring his body, something he’d never experienced.
Io’s hands moved to hover over her waist, his head lowering right beside her ear. “I will need your permission to explore you, Oriana.”
Last Edit: Jun 29, 2023 16:34:15 GMT -5 by Io Demeter
Oriana grinned as her touch elicited an expected response. Io's moan was music to her ears, and she savored in it as his eyes slammed shut, almost like he could block out the pleasure spreading through his body. This would have been another point she could have withdrawn, but instead she finished undoing the buttons on his shirt as he looked down at her hand.
Still it seemed as though he wasn't going to stay frozen and confused forever though, his hands hovering above her hips and his head moving to be closer to her. Looking at the tailor she considered what she wanted him to do for a moment. Oriana looked over the man she had her hands on and then back up to his eyes with a smile.
"You can touch me Io." Her hand moved to the button on his pants before he could object, her fingers making quick work and then slipping underneath. "As long as you let me help you."
Post by Io Demeter on Jun 29, 2023 17:05:39 GMT -5
Io wouldn’t have been able to describe the noise that shuddered through his being as Oriana slipped through. His hands unintentionally grasped the woman’s hips, looking for any support. He tilted his head, face centimeters from hers, eyes wide and panting for breath.
"Please," he pleaded, nuzzling his face into her neck as his breath came quick and heavy. "Please help me."
No description would have prepared him for this, no warning as potent as the warmth and grip of Oriana’s hand. A brief stray thought asked him if he could blame his father for seeking this ecstasy, but all thoughts were quickly disintegrated.
Io’s hands moved up Oriana’s abdomen, gently squeezing and pressing before trailing to her back, in hopes of finding what clasp or lace held her dress together. His mouth traveled with kisses down her jaw, her neck, her clavicle, before returning to try to kiss her mouth. He was desperate for her now, muttering her name between breaths and making as much contact as possible with the gorgeous woman.
Io was typically all thought, logical and focused on work. It's what allowed him to keep business with the royal family, to balance so many projects at once because life was work and work was life. But this was not work. This was not logic. This was primal and it was hunger and it was passion. And for the first time in his life Io was very aware that he was a man. That his body had needs that had pent up without release for far too long. And that Oriana, the blessed beautiful Oriana, was giving him sweet release of his mind and teaching him so very many things. And he was an eager student.
Last Edit: Jun 29, 2023 20:12:25 GMT -5 by Io Demeter
Oriana’s smile only grew as Io begged for more. He was like a puppet on a string, and her hands were manipulating him with ease. A better woman would have felt bad, but Oriana wasn’t a good one. And while she had shared one or two things with the man to help him open up, she had selfish reasons behind everything she did. Too much had been taken from her as a child, and so now the man in front of her was another source of entertainment.
And oh was he a good one, his hands roving and exploring a woman’s body for the first time. It was clumsy but that only made it easy to direct him. Using her elbow to keep his hands off the ties on her dress, redirecting them back to her hips while they kissed for a moment. No harm in such things between business rivals of course, especially when they were as eager as the tailor was. ”I’ll help you Io. Let’s keep your special night for your future wife though.”
With one fluid movement she would pull down his pants and her lips would leave his, dipping her head down, giving him the time of his life. She couldn’t leave him all bothered, but she wasn’t about to risk a pregnancy in times like this.
Post by Io Demeter on Jun 29, 2023 22:46:57 GMT -5
[Fade in]
Io wasn't quite sure when he ended up on the floor, but he was certainly there now, leaned against a table and gasping for breath. The pressure and fervor had been replaced by a contented fog, every muscle feeling as if they were made of metal like his prosthetic. Even his eyelids felt like lead, having a difficult time keeping an eye on the woman who had rendered him so blessedly exhausted.
Oriana had played his body in ways he didn't know was possible, making him feel both whole and empty at the same time. But a good empty...like finishing the large ballgown for the Queen's ball and finally setting the needle down. But certainly Oriana was the creator and he blessed to receive the masterpiece.
"You are wonderful...and you are beautiful," Io's voice was hoarse after the noises she drew from him. "Oriana...why this? Why me?" His tone wasn't condescending or angry, instead something of an oxymoron contented curiosity. "Did I say you were amazing? You are."
He rested his head on the wooden table leg, not very concerned that he was still three-quarters of the way undressed, stained, and disheveled. Io chuckled aloud a bit at the memory of walking to Oriana's shop some hours ago for a dress that had seemed so very urgent...but everything could wait right now.
Had he...had she...Oriana really...did this count? Did it matter right now?
The tailor closed his eyes briefly, focusing on deep breaths and the chill air brushing his sweat-slick skin. He would just rest his eyes for a minute...just a little bit then...
Oriana straightened, wiping her mouth with her handkerchief and letting Io have his little moment. He would have a great memory, and she would know that a piece of him was stolen away. It was really a win-win situation, although the seamstress was sure she would find ways to come out on top. It didn’t have to be an immediate thing, but eventually this would become useful. Smoothing out her skirts she couldn’t help but laugh lightly as he offered up praise. Considering the noises he had been making, his satisfaction had been more than apparent, but of course it was always nice to hear.
Making her way back over to the sewing she started back up again. ”Rest a little Io, you’ve had quite the evening.” She would sew and if Io drifted off to sleep she would use the other needle with her gift so she could do twice the work, otherwise she would just get as much done as possible until the tailor felt up for finishing the project. This dress wasn’t going to finish itself, and Oriana had every plan to have it done by the time Io left for the night.
“Quite,” he mumbled, having difficulty opening his eyes to see the seamstress returning to sewing.
There was some part of Io that wanted to protest, that Oriana should not have to work alone, and if she gave him five minutes he would help, but…his body just wouldn’t comply. A brief shudder ran through his form, like the aftermath of an earthquake. Io sighed rather contentedly, his eyes rolling back in his head as he rested his back against the wall.
“Just…a minute,” the words fell breathily from his mouth, wholly unconvincing.
And with that, the tailor was out cold. He was a fairly silent sleeper, his bare chest rising and falling in a slow deep rhythm. It wouldn’t take long for his eyes to rapidly twitch beneath his closed eyelids, taking in unseen dreams. Oriana’s lips would haunt him alright.
It would only be several hours later after he awoke, should Oriana let him rest, that the full weight of what happened would settle on the man. At how far he had allowed things to go. At the bit of innocence that was lost. Of his now very confusing relationship with Oriana. Of the guilt and pleasure, and guilt of the pleasure, of Oriana’s actions. That he wanted more and that he wished none of this had ever happened.
But all of that would come later. For now, he slept more deeply than he ever had. And somewhere in the depth of his dreams, he could hear his father’s laughter.