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!
Augustus marched toward his office without looking back, trusting that Scout was following behind. He was using the journey to sort through the details of what had just occurred, trying to make order out of the chaos. Florina. Oriana. The witch who’d turned to fire and his niece who’d…he wasn’t sure exactly. Two things were certain, however: The first, his niece was more than met the eye. The second? Cassian Rainecourt could not be trusted.
He entered his office, holding the door open for Scout and motioning for the guards that had been following in step to stay outside. “Alert me if my wife arrives, before you let her in.” With a curt nod from the guard, Augustus closed the door and turned his attention to Scout.
“Are you hurt?” There was still tension in his voice, but it had been softened by genuine concern.
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Scout followed behind Augustus, with fast steps. Much to do, much to discuss. She felt extremely tired. The day felt like it had been going on forever, and it wasn't coming to an end yet.
She didn't know quite what she had seen. She hadn't seen a lot at all, actually. She had shielded herself from the fire, which had caused her to miss most of what had went on with Regan and Iliana.
Scout followed him into his office and waited for the guard to shut the door. She looked at Augustus. "A bit, but nothing too bad. Thank you for protecting me. Are you hurt?" she was concerned as well.
Post by Augustus Rainecourt on Oct 5, 2023 18:30:37 GMT -5
Augustus would be lying if he said his masculine pride did not swell at Scout’s words. That’s what he fancied himself, after all: a protector. Scout herself was a vision of Lorendale, a kingdom personified in a single woman. Or so he’d come to see her…whether he recognized it or not. He smiled at her in gratitude, pausing for a moment before recognizing her question. Augustus touched his face and felt the light burns there, wincing as he shook his head.
“Nothing that time and a little ointment won’t heal.” He started to pace about the room, as was his habit when something had him preoccupied. After a moment, however, he paused, and looked at Scout with a nakedly vulnerable expression.
“I’m not sure what I saw. My niece...Cassian's witch...both of them." Augustus was an external processor; one likely to talk things through.
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
She was glad that the both of them hadn't been hurt all too bad. Some light burns would be able to heal over time, and hair grew back. She smiled softly at the prince in response right before he started pacing around. She had noticed that he did that quite often while they spoke, and had started to associate it with real talk. He needed to get something off his chest, or he had noticed something he wanted to share.
Eventually he stopped and looked at her. "The queen?" she asked. "I'm afraid I didn't notice everything that happened, the second I felt the heat I shielded my face. I did, however, notice the witch and the king, yes." She hesitated a bit, feeling like she was gossiping, and wondering if she could say what was on her mind. "I-", she paused and sighed, deciding she'd just say it, "I think it's very telling that the king checked on the witch before he checked on Iliana." There was something strange going on with the witch and the king. "And I'm also not sure what caused the fire. As far as I'm aware, witches don't burst into flames out of nowhere."
She rubbed her forehead and sat down in the chair in front of his desk. "And on top of that, the Gifted are out of control, especially the Eldouir, but if even a seamstress like Oriana attempts to hurt the royal family... When will it end?"
"Are you worried about what Elena said? About Hiram coming for her?"
Post by Augustus Rainecourt on Oct 7, 2023 11:15:56 GMT -5
Yes, he had checked on his witch in quite a hurry. Picked her up in his arms without hesitation. It wasn’t something that Augustus had really seized on as strange but remembered with disgust the tenderness with which he’d touched the woman’s face. The woman who could have killed them all.
It was magic. Magic was what had caused the chaos at the queen’s speech. Magic was what had been turned on the royals, and had caused the witch to burst into flames. Magic was at the center of every disaster Lorendale had ever endured.
And Iliana. The shield around her. He’d seen that once before from a woman who was now long gone. Could it—could it be—?
“We all should be,” Augustus said, scratching his beard as he slowly continued to pace. His features shifted from concern to rage then back again before his footsteps slowed. He turned to Scout, crossing his arms before saying quietly as if the walls were listening.
“I believe it was the king who leaked the fake proposal. I believe he wants the gifted for himself; to take them to his new city and use them to solidify his power.”
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Scout sat in silence, not interrupting the range of emotions the prince went through. She knew him well enough by now to know this was how he thought, how he processed. He was indeed right: they should al be worried about the possibility of Hiram showing up to take Elena home.
Before she could say anything in response to it, Augustus turned to her. Scout put a finger up to her lip as she thought. "See, what I've noticed and what I haven't been able to shake, is the fact that during the emergency meeting, neither lord Mikaels nor his most loyal servant were anywhere to be found."
In a way, Augustus had turned out to be a role model for her, and unbeknownst to her, she had picked up on some habits. Scout got up from her chair and started pacing as well, before eventually turning to the prince. "I'm not saying you're incorrect, I definitely agree that something fishy is going on with the king's involvement in Lorendale and Gifted business. Perhaps they worked together. But then why did he want a donation to be made to the orphanage for Gifted kids to raise the queen's public image?"
She was lost in thoughts for another minute, before she spoke again. "Your highness, forgive me for speaking about things above my rank, but Elena Eldouir... She poses just as much of a threat as Fischer Wyndham once did. Maybe it's time for another execution. One to show Hiram we're not afraid to fight back."
Last Edit: Oct 7, 2023 17:30:05 GMT -5 by Scout Kane
Post by Augustus Rainecourt on Oct 8, 2023 14:22:03 GMT -5
It was a strange little dance they were doing, both turning about the room as they tried to chart a course through the madness. Duke Mikaels was unaccounted for. Augustus made for the door and stuck his head into the hall: “Locate Duke Mikaels. See that he does not leave the palace.” He then turned his attention back to Scout.
“Perhaps it was an investment in his own army.” That was what Augustus almost said, in regards to the donation to the orphanage. But he decided that was one bridge too far, and a comment better kept to himself. Besides, what Scout had to say next had him forget the quip entirely.
He just stared at her for a moment. Stared at her as his mind turned the proposition over again and again. And then…
“The only good Eldouir is a dead Eldouir. You’d think we would have learned that by now.” And a dead Eldouir was one better than one in Cassian Rainecourt’s hands. He paused before pivoting to the next topic at hand.
“I saw my niece…she did something. Something unexpected.” The prince opened and closed his mouth for a moment, before finally spitting it out. “Her departed aunt had a gift that could generate invisible walls—barriers, if you will. I’d seen her use it before, and…it looked like what I saw around Iliana in that room.”
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Scout was a confident woman, so Augustus staring at her for a moment didn't make her anxious or insecure. She kept her chin up like she always did and met his gaze, trying to decipher what he was thinking. Them he spoke, and he seemed to agree with her.
"Indeed. And before Hiram gets here, we have the upper hand in deciding Elena's fate. She's collared, so she won't be able to fight us with her Gift."
Augustus then said Iliana did something unexpected. Scout was trying to remember if she queen had done something odd or unusual during her speech, still not making the connection with Gifts. Then he mentioned her aunt, and the blonde's eyebrows raised slightly in surprise. "The queen is Gifted?“ She sat down again and bit the inside of her lower lip, a million thoughts racing through her head. "This could be good. This could help bridge the gap between the non-Gifted and the Gifted. You didn't know about her ability?"
It all made sense now, why the queen had been unharmed. The fire hadn't touched her. Scout saw a lot of opportunities to bridge that gap she mentioned, but at the same time, it could be disastrous. The queen, secretly Gifted all along... had Remiel, Florina and the other Gifted in the room seen it as well?
Post by Augustus Rainecourt on Oct 9, 2023 19:54:18 GMT -5
And what a woman she was.
Augustus’s stomach dropped as Scout voiced the obvious conclusion. Gifted. The prince’s mind raced to far more pessimistic places than Scout’s. Bridge divides? Bring people together? Who could be less equipped to do that than the enemy?
“I knew nothing of it. But…perhaps…perhaps it’s something else. Let’s hope it is.” Augustus shook his head, footsteps slowing as his voice grew quiet, “If Iliana is gifted, and moreover thought to have been hiding it, she’ll become a thing of suspicion. What will her softness toward the gifted look like then?”
Post by Phaedra Rainecourt-Marx on Oct 15, 2023 14:18:31 GMT -5
Phaedra has been at the palace because she was supposed to have tea with @iliana later. They weren’t necessarily close friends, but Phaedra was a loyal aunt and did her best to visit with Iliana when she could. She so enjoyed teaching younger woman how to life.
At the summons of her husband—and hearing the quickly spreading rumors—she came quickly. Of course, she paused for a moment to fix her hair and give the messenger an opportunity to announce her before she came into the room.
The setting and the company didn’t pass her notice. She curtsied to Augustus and then to Scout.
“My lord. Lady Steward.” She was the picture of beauty and regality, striking gaze flickering between them, waiting for one to explain why she had been called for.
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
Post by Scout Kane on Oct 19, 2023 15:12:03 GMT -5
Her face made it clear that she did not think it was something other than a Gift, but her lips remained sealed. Only time would tell what exactly it was that Iliana possessed, whether it was a Gift or a secret Arynnite enchantment she hadn't told anybody about.
She also understood exactly what he was saying. Her softness wouldn't be appreciated by the people who felt threatened by the Gifted. Before she could respond, a messenger entered the room to announce the arrival of lady Phaedra Rainecourt-Marx.
Post by Augustus Rainecourt on Oct 20, 2023 11:47:22 GMT -5
When Phaedra entered, Augustus wasn’t excited to see her but was all the same grateful for her presence. Good. He didn’t always agree with Phaedra’s opinions, but she could always be counted on to give them. She was taxing as a wife but useful as an ally. First things first.
“Your niece Florina is gifted.” Augustus started matter-of-factly without any warm greeting to precede it. “Did you know?” Surely Phaedra wouldn’t keep such a thing from him, but he’d hear it confirmed regardless.
Post by Phaedra Rainecourt-Marx on Oct 22, 2023 15:50:53 GMT -5
Phaedra would have rolled her eyes or even verbally pounced on Augustus for his jest, but she hesitated just king enough to see that he wasn’t joking. Rumors of what had transpired came back to her. She’s been in the castle but missed the speech because she was dealing with one of their sons.
Florina.
She did well to keep most of her composure, but her hesitance was enough to validate her words.
Coraline and her son Emilian had been pulled safely from the crowd at Augustus' orders. Given the chaos of everything going on it had taken some time to get things organized and so it was a while before the guard who had retrieved them to take them up to Augustus' office. Only when the arrived he was surprised to find guards already there and that the prince was inside with a couple of other guests. Surely he was busy.
The solider suggested they find somewhere else to wait for the time being and Coraline was about to agree when Emilian, brow furrowed in determination, pushed past them and opened the door to his father's office. "Emilian, wait-" Coraline had begun but it was too late and she hurried to follow her son with every intention of pulling him back out.
They stood inside the doorway looking upon Augustus Rainecourt, his wife Phaedra Rainecourt-Marx, and the Lady Steward Scout Kane. It was honestly the sight of Phaedra that gave Coraline a boost of confidence and rather than ducking out and exiting she stood a little taller, fixing a sweet and demure expression on her face. "Apologies, your highness. We were told to come and wait here. We didn't meant to interrupt anything." She was a picture of grace and politeness. Emilian opened his mouth to say something but with his mother's hand moving to hook her arm into the crook of his elbow and with a little squeeze he fell silent for the time being.
Ring of enchanted combat: ring that, when twisted around the finger three times, enhances one's combat abilities (the equivalent of ten additional combat points).
"Lady Bellerose's Gift could be really useful, and although she didn't disclose her Gift and she wasn't registered, I trust her. She's a very proper and nice lady", Scout said, adding her two cents.
Suddenly @coraline entered. Scout smiled at the woman, although she was confused why she was told to wait in this specific room. Was this a conversation she should be a part of?