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!
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 didn't have many memories of her grandfather. He had died when she was very, very young, so everything she knew about him was from what she had been told. Grief was indeed something that everyone dealt with differently. She didn't grieve Astor much as a husband, but as her closest friend. For a moment she considered telling Helena the truth about the marriage, but she quickly decided against it. Family was something Scout had as well, but it was just Helena and Tybalt. Helena had of course been on the older side already when Thaddius passed away, so she had her adult children as well to fall back on. Duties were indeed something she had. "I've been distracting myself with those, yes", she said, although she knew not all of that had been good for her either. During a late night at the palace, she had kissed prince Augustus Rainecourt. That had definitely not been a good choice. She was glad that it hadn't made their friendship difficult, but still.
She was a little surprised that Helena continued. Normally, her grandmother didn't say much, or focussed on the essence of the message, but now she seemed to really try to console Scout. "That's what I've been telling myself as well..." But that's also why she wanted a new husband. She wanted children . She was almost thirty. She wanted a family of her own. Helena told her to take her time, as to not regret acting too hastily. Still, her talk with Lady Whistlebottom lingered in her mind.
"I know, I should have come to you. Everything just happened to fast, the baby, Astor, Elena, ..." She folded her hands around her cup of tea. "Thank you." It meant a lot to her, coming from Helena. "I- I just don't want to become stuck in time. The promotion definitely helped, but I'd like to move forward in my private life as well."
Post by Helena Kane on Mar 23, 2024 4:04:28 GMT -5
Duty had been the shield of the Kane household for generations. They hid behind it. Using it both as a shield for their grief, and a justification as to just why they kept on going as relentlessly as they did. It would have been akin to treason in Helena's mind for her to question any of that right now. Instead, she doubled down upon her own convictions. It was only natural to have doubts. Everyone did. Helena would but offer an uncommonly (for her) understanding smile as Scout spoke. After all, it was hardly the first time that she had been presented with such a situation.
Helena would raise her eyebrows upon hearing her granddaughter's declaration. "Well this is certainly news. Not that I am complaining." Tybalt had left his mother psychologically scarred when it came to relationships. Felicity had been a last ditch effort. One that had somehow pulled itself off. Although the elder was still scratching her head about just how that had happened. Scout, she had assumed, was going to follow in her uncle's terrible precedent. This little declaration actually came as a relief, and more than the woman's son had ever done.
"Well, there are certainly plenty of fine men within the Kane lands." It was home. For many, many generations the Kane household hadn't looked much beyond its borders when it came to finding partners. Helena was proof of that much. A former knight, raised to her current status through a marriage to the lord of the land. So long as they could fight, the Kanes didn't care all that much. She would hesitate for a moment, before continuing. "-but perhaps you would care to look for something nearer the capital?"
So long as they could fight, and weren't cowards, Helena didn't particularly care. "I dare say, that finding yourself a partner shouldn't be a problem." Scout had a title, good looks, a very enviable position in court, a proud lineage, a fair sway over the queen, and was connected by blood to the commander of the Royal Legion. "You should have handsome and eager suitors cuing from Loren to the Kane lands."
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 Mar 24, 2024 11:21:48 GMT -5
They hadn't talked about it before, because Scout hadn't known herself at the time how much she wanted to be a mother and have a family. She laughed softly. "I suppose I'm different from my uncle, yes." She knew Tybalt hadn't been easy to find a wife for. "I would love to give you great-grand children, and to carry on the Kane's legacy."
Helena then told her there were plenty of men in the Kane lands. "I know it's soon, but I visited Lady Whistlebottom. She suggested Lord October Montgomery and Lord Remiel Allemeade. I haven't met with any of them, but have been thinking about her suggestions. They're both close to the capital."
She felt flattered by her grandmother's subtle compliment, so she smiled. "Why thank you, grandmother ", she said, a sparkle in her eyes, a sparkle like teenage girls had when they realised they were pretty. Scout had never really considered herself to be beautiful. She wasn't very lady-like.
Post by Helena Kane on Mar 30, 2024 4:01:33 GMT -5
Scout would be treated to an uncommon smile from Helena: one of appreciation. Oh yes, she was on the right track, and her grandmother was very much proud of her. "Well, both of them are good soldiers." Ordinarily, Helena would have been uneasy at the mention of a gifted. She was of a generation where they had all been collared after all. Remiel, however, had two very redeeming qualities in the eyes of the Kane family: one, he was, or had been a soldier. Two, according to Tybalt at the very least, he was very much loyal to Lorendale. "Do you plan on actively pursuing them, or are you rather hoping that they might take an interest in you?"
The woman would await her granddaughter's response, before continuing. "I'm not frequented with October Montgomery - although I have heard of him." He was in the Royal Guard after all, and Tybalt had mentioned his name in passing - in praise at that. "-But I am planning on going to speak with Remiel Allemeade, in the coming days. Perhaps you would care to accompany me?"
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 Mar 30, 2024 15:01:12 GMT -5
Although she expected that her grandmother would be happy to hear she was looking for a husband, and wanting children, she hadn't expected that it would make her so happy that she would be so generous with her uncommon and rare smiles. It made Scout happy to see she made her grandmother happy. She valued Helena's opinion so much.
She, somewhat nervously, scratched the back of her neck. She didn't want to admit what she was about to day, but knew she could be honest with Helena. "I would persue them actively, but I'm- I'm afraid of rejection. It's silly, but you know I've not been the most lady-like woman, and I never really considered myself pretty, so I'm worried about them not being interested." She didn't want it to harm her self-confidence. "I would like to accompany you, yes." She smiled. Meeting with Remiel would definitely be easier with her grandmother present. Helena would be able to steer the conversation while she just had to join in. "Would the family be okay with a Gifted?" She wasn't against them, but as far as she knew, nobody in the family had married a Gifted before.
Post by Helena Kane on Mar 30, 2024 15:44:46 GMT -5
Scout's question was a pertinent one, and showed the sort of consideration which would please her grandmother. It wasn't a question that had ever been raised before, purely because the problem had never arisen to begin with. Despite that, Helena felt confident speaking for the entirety of her household, despite not having consulted the rest of the family beforehand. "We're Kanes. So long as they are brave, and loyal... Well, there are certainly families with greater fools to be found. Remiel has proven his worth..." The woman allowed the words to hang in the air. It was true, the gifted man came and went in terms of favor. From the tales that had reached the elder's ears however, his loyalty wasn't something which seemed to wander. "If he were to take your fancy granddaughter, then you would have our full support when it came to marrying him."
The woman leaned back thoughtfully for a moment. "Good. I intend it to be an impromptu visit. No sense calling ahead for the sorts of things I wish to discuss. Especially not in today's climate..." Yes, Helena was acutely aware that there were dangers to be found when associating with gifted, but she's gotten far past the point where she cared.
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 listened and nodded from time to time while Helena spoke. Perhaps she was right. Scout and Remiel hadn't always seen eye to eye, but he was driven, brave, and loyal. He did what he thought was best for the Gifted, and truthfully, he should be admired for it. She smiled at Helena. "I hear you, thank you", she responded. She really didn't know if Remiel would fancy her like that, but a conversation would be good for that.
"A good idea, grandmother." She took another sip of her tea. "I do have to admit it makes me a bit nervous to think about. Remiel and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but he's a good man."
For the first time in quite a while, Helena felt something that almost resembled excitement. She wasn't the bubbling socialite that some of the other nobles were. All the same, planning for the future, did bring her something to think about, to plan. The elder found herself thinking that she might well pay a matchmaker a little visit of her own accord. In secret of course...
Helena would lean backwards in her seat, pausing as she raised a cup of tea to her lips, raising her right eyebrow as she considered her granddaughter. She hadn't been aware that Scout had interacted with the gifted before. "How so?" If their disagreement had been anything substantial - although Scout seemed to think that there was still some hope - there was little point in her chasing after him.
Last Edit: Apr 1, 2024 3:10:19 GMT -5 by Helena Kane
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).
How so. It was a simple question, but it would have a loaded answer. "During the first community meeting, Remiel announced that his farm was a safe space for Gifted. I told him to make sure he had guards present, but that the crown wouldn't offer him guards, to ensure nothing would happen again, refering to the Eldouir attack on the farm. It was in bad taste. I brought over some equipment at a later date to apologise for it. That didn't go well. Eventually we met again, and straightened out or differences. A little after, he came to us about the fake regulations and his missing sister. I'm afraid he thinks I didn't take Honora's disappearance seriously enough, but my attention was more on the regulations. I appreciate what he does for his community, though, and I'll be sure to let him know that when we visit his estate."
Last Edit: Apr 2, 2024 9:00:31 GMT -5 by Scout Kane
Helena listened to her granddaughter's explanation carefully. She had no problem believing her. It sounded so very much like Scout that it was a challenge not to roll her eyes. Still, the elder decided that today she would try to be at least somewhat optimistic. "Well, at the very least your heart was in the right place." She had been clumsy, as her grandmother saw things, but not entirely insensitive. If they had began talking, then she dared to hope that the pair might be able to move on past their differences. Although, certainly the elder would be able to get a better picture of their chances if she watched the two interact when they paid Remiel's farm a visit.
The biggest issue would be Honora. It was a cloud that always hung over the head of the Allemeade household. "You can't be held accountable for everything Scout." The words weren't just intended for that of a young woman looking for a suitor, but equally intended for someone taking on as much responsibility as she was. "I think there's a good chance that he was acting on a hot head. These are trying times for everyone after all."
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 wondered if Helena phrased her words as carefully as she had done now when speaking to Tybalt, or if she would have just called him an idiot had he done the things she just told her grandmother. It amused her that Helena was so dedicated to making her words sound positive, while Scout could detect that she wished her granddaughter had handled the situation more diplomatically. Scout did believe that she and Remiel would be able to smooth things over once more, though. They were both stubborn, but maybe that's why Winifred had considered them to be a good match?
She nodded, thankful that her grandmother confirmed that she couldn't be held accountable for everything. She had done what in that moment had seemed right, and that was to have Remiel confirm that Iliana didn't write those regulations. Scout did not have any issues with empathy, but she simply couldn't imagine what it was like to have a sibling go missing. She was an only child, and an orphan too. She was forever grateful for her uncle for taking care of her the way he had. "I agree. Now that I'm the Advisor of Law, I should actually ask around about Honora's case. I don't know who is responsible for looking into it. I doubt that something bad happened to her, though. The Allemeades are powerful."
Helena raised her cup to her lips once more, to finish off what remained of the tea which could be found within it. It was good to see that Scout actually planned to use her newfound power, and authority, as opposed to merely basking in it as some would have. She was a true Kane, in her grandmother's eyes, through and through. The mention of the rest of the family caused the elder to stiffen somewhat. "They are... But they're also scattered, and disorderly. They could do with someone strong to take their reins, an example to follow, and one which was supported by the crown, and the people, rather than reviled by them." It made no sense to Helena why the kingdom had never rewarded Remiel more than it had for his actions. They hadn't always been well executed, but the man's heart had been in the right place. That was what counted.
"As far as Honora is concerned, from what I've heard from your uncle, she is beyond hope." She'd thrown her lot in with Hiram even although she'd had a choice. That really was all that Helena felt that she needed to know about the woman. It was certainly enough to damn her for all eternity in Helena's mind. She would pause for a moment, reflecting on the matter. "Although I imagine that Remiel might well not see it that way. Family, is family after all." Blood tied people together, even when logic might have dictated that they should have gone their own separate ways.
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).
Helena spoke wise words again, words Scout agreed with. She nodded before taking a sip of her tea, which was nearing its end as well. "Remiel would be a good leader. He's proven time and time again that he is improving himself and everything around him. But the rest of the family... Half of them are untraceable, or don't want to be found. It would do the Allemeades good to start fresh, with a new leader, and new influences." And perhaps she could be part of these new influences, if she married Remiel. The thought was becoming more appealing the longer they spoke about it.
Honora being a lost case didn't come as a surprise. "She doesn't have her priorities straight. At the last community meeting, she asked about an Advisor of Gifted. We have one now, luckily, but I doubt it would satisfy Honora. I fear that her loyalty to the kingdom and the crown isn't what it once was, ever since the trial and her being stripped of her position." She sighed and finished her cup of tea. "There will always be turmoil. Let's hope the future brings clarity and solutions."
Post by Helena Kane on Apr 13, 2024 3:10:38 GMT -5
The elder studied Scout as she spoke about Remiel. There was some passion there. Oh, not the romantic kind. It was too soon for any of that, but to her grandmother, it was a show of interest, a step in the right direction. "Well then my dear, you had better make a point of going to meet the man. There's only so much that you and I can discuss here." They might have been building castles in the air after all. If Remiel wasn't inclined to give Scout the time of day, then they would be wasting their breath with all of this.
Honora was definitely a tricky individual to pin down in many respects. "From what I've heard, she doesn't quite seem to know whose side she's on herself. That is never a safe place to be." At best, it meant that the individuals loyalties were wondering, and that therefore they should, and could never be fully trusted. At worst, Helena wouldn't have put it past the gifted woman to have a somewhat limited grasp on her own sanity. "I think that the kingdom can recover from what's happened." The Kane woman eventually declared. "So long as we work together, rather than against one another." Memories of Majorlaine's regency period remained bitter in the elder woman's mind.
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).
Her grandmother was right, of course. Scout nodded in agreement. "I will", she said.
The conversation shifted to Honours, which was a difficult subject because the woman was just so unpredictable. Her grandmother put it beautifully. It was indeed never a sage place to be. You ended up following the loudest voice, but not necessarily the right voice. "I agree." She fidgeted with the empty cup in front of her. "I hope we get there, eventually. An Advisor of Gifted is a first step in the right direction. I suppose it's a matter of waiting and seeing, while gently steering the people in the right direction as well."