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 Hadrian Usher on Oct 25, 2023 6:39:41 GMT -5
Hadrian’s brow furrowed. Sent Regan after Alys? It was a thought that hadn’t entered Hadrian’s mind, but if he’d learned anything since the ball, it was that no suspicion was too small to be investigated. If Logan thought it was a question worth asking…
“Would he have reason?” Hadrian leaned forward, a new intensity in his tone. If it were the king that was after her, even the distance Arynn Frey wouldn’t be enough to keep her safe.
Logan furrowed his brow at the question, searching his memory for anything that might give Cassian and real reason to harm Alys. He found the effort taxing. There seemed to be holes in his memory that were making it hard for him to fully piece it all together. "I'm not sure. I know there was once a connection there before between Alys and Cassian. It seemed like quite a strong pull. I often felt-" he rubbed his temples, trying to find the pieces of the puzzle to put together. "Like he was doing everything he could to keep Alys and I apart, to make our marriage not happen. I don't know if I ever fully understood why. I can't- can't remember," he groaned.
"But if, as you say, Regan has been even more closely at his side ever since the attack...it just makes me wonder if she's not reaping some sort of reward for having done so..." But why? The why was still a big question mark and without a real reason for a 'why' then it would be hard to look further into it.
Post by Hadrian Usher on Nov 6, 2023 8:26:22 GMT -5
Hadrian’s gut reaction was jealousy, the masculine need to protect (and…possess? Maybe?) flaring up inside him. Cassian. Could it be that simple? Could it have been a thing of vengeance, the revenge of a scorned lover? And then the inevitable conclusion: could it be Cassian who was responsible for Logan’s disappearance?
Nothing seemed out of the question anymore. The ground beneath his feet was no longer solid, but instead, it was shifting as the black sands of Nevermere.
“The girl has a reputation. The rumors are she’s his mistress, and I do not doubt them. If Alys and Cassian had a…connection, as you say…if the king wanted to keep you apart…” Hadrian said slowly, trying to piece together all the loose fragments in his mind, “Then neither of you…neither of you are safe. None of us are.” For Hadrian was well aware of the fact he and Alys had recently become…well, something to one another. Just what that was, he wasn’t sure.
The conversation was striking a cord in Logan's memories. Memories he was still trying to piece together. There were holes. He didn't feel like anything monumental was lost but even small pieces gone in enough places could make a big difference once all pieced back together. Setting down his drink Logan leaned forward, elbows on knees, and rubbed at his temples trying to ease the growing ache there.
"None of us are," he repeated, his tone almost eerie, the memories trickling back as slowly as a leaky faucet releasing water one miniscule drop at a time. Had he figured this out before he was taken? That the King he had once trusted and served implicitly might not be deserving of such trust?
Post by Hadrian Usher on Nov 13, 2023 20:29:29 GMT -5
Hadrian felt cold. The last time he’d felt this lost, Hadrian had been adrift at sea, surrounded by night with the creatures of the deep swirling beneath him in the black. But the shadows in the dark now were different, and could not be escaped by crawling aboard.
“Perhaps…” Hadrian said quietly, looking at his friend as if at a great distance. His words caught in his mouth for a moment, though the reason they did was enough to make him burn with shame. He didn’t want to let her go. It was a mortifying realization, one that twisted like a knife in his ribs. Alys had been his to care for…but what would she be now? Now that Logan had returned?
Harian shook the thought away.
“Perhaps,” Hadrian started again, “Perhaps Arynn Frey would be safest for you both. For now.”
Arynn Frey. They both had friends there. Not that any of Logan's friends were currently aware they still had him as such. If there was anywhere that felt safe, Arynn Frey felt like the safest bet. "I- I don't feel like I could make that judgement at the moment." A year away. He had no idea what the political climate was like right now. "It's a good thing I have friends like you I can trust to make such decisions when I cannot. If Arynn Frey is the best option then Arynn Frey is where I will go. But Hadrian, what about you? Why do I feel like the danger is nipping at your heels too?"
Post by Hadrian Usher on Nov 30, 2023 15:40:24 GMT -5
Hadrian realized then just how far he was pushing. He’d slipped back into how things used to be when it was he and Logan trying to navigate difficult waters together. But Logan wasn’t the same — neither of them were. And what was the most important right now was that he had time to heal.
“Danger is the water that we swim in, isn’t it?” Hadrian joked, smirking at his friend as if they were still lads sharing a drink next to a fire, “I’ll be fine. For now, what’s important is that you’re somewhere that you can rest. And then…” He sighed, “Then we can start to put the pieces together. I don’t know how, but we will.”
Hadrian finished his drink and set it down. “For now, though, this will have to do. Alys is at the castle. You could…” Hadrian paused, “You could stay in her room, if you like. Just for now.” He thought it a middle ground. A small comfort.
A little amused half smile lifted the corner of his lips at the statement. It was true. Danger in some sense was part of the job description, that was true. It was only unfortunate that some of that danger was coming from their employer, their superior, their king. He lifted his glass in Hadrian's direction as if toasting the statement and took another deep swallow of his drink, only about half of it gone.
The offer to stay in Alys' room combined with the ache of the knowledge that she wasn't physically there at the moment though Hadrian had initially implied that she was, was still an emotional offer and Logan nodded. "Thank you, that would be very welcomed, my friend. Perhaps in the morning we figure out where to begin?"
Post by Hadrian Usher on Dec 8, 2023 12:57:19 GMT -5
“Where to begin…” Hadrian repeated the words, as they struck him. Where to begin—Logan, picking up the pieces of his old life, Hadrian seeking to make sense out of the changed dynamic with his king, Alys once again having to shift her entire world to put Logan back in it after losing him, and Hadrian…potentially losing her.
But he wouldn’t think of that now.
Hadrian would guide Logan to Alys’s room, helping as necessary without offending Logan but assuming weakness. The door swung open with a creak. The room had the markings of Alys all over it. Her affects, her presence, her scent…all of it. Hadrian lingered at the threshold for a moment before showing Logan inside.
Alys was on her journey--wherever that was--and there was a chance she could return. But Hadrian would be sure to stop her before she found Logan (because, of course, he did not know of Alys's key).
His body ached. His heart ached. But as they stepped into Alys' room he was overcome with the presence of her. There were many times in the last year he wondered if he'd ever see her again and now it seemed so close...yet so far.
He thanked Hadrian again and once settled into bed he fell asleep surprisingly quickly, his body and soul clearly needing the rest.