forum Opposite Sides of History// 0/0 // Closed!

Started December 20, 2021 by @gracehustle

tune

(I can check them out for sure! Also, here's my poor attempt at a worthwhile starter)

Atria was going to be in deep shit when she got back to base. She knew without a doubt. Her mission was supposed to be simple, cause enough chaos to draw the attention of the royal military from their patrols, and keep them busy so the others could intercept a shipment of weapons from the docks. But somehow -she knew exactly how- she had ended up being chased by what seemed to be a whole swarm of guards through the city.

It wasn't her fault they had gotten so butthurt about her insulting the queen. Or better yet, it wasn't her fault they had been pissed when she had dressed as one of their soldiers and overheard precious conversations. Either way, she had ended up sliding around the city streets as she had raced away from the soldiers, the streets still slick from rain the day before.

Twisting around a particularly sharp corner in the merchant's district, she snagged an expensive piece of jewelry from the booth closest to her. There were cries of protest at her action from the booth owner, and she grinned at it. Another reason for the guards to keep chasing her. Sparing a quick glance behind her, they were hot on her tail, and she knew a surefire way to keep them from catching her. Eyeing up a stack of boxes piled next to the buildings on the street, she aimed towards them, jumping up them without hesitation, then making the leap from them to the nearest windowsill.

Clambering upon it, she shot a wicked grin back towards the guards, her caramel braid whipping against her back with the sudden motion. This was a chase she was enjoying, and only a few guards seemed intent on following her.

Earlier in the morning, Farah had been close to complaining about being put on patrol duty – again. But suddenly, the day turned interesting, and before Farah knew it, she was chasing a dirty-looking girl wearing stolen armor through the narrow streets. The rest of her troops were beginning to lag behind, much to her disdain. They didn't have training sessions for 40 hours a week just to lose in a rat race.

The girl who had caused the chaos was keeping just out of Farah's reach. Several times, she'd nearly caught her, but this girl knew the streets of the city only a touch better than Farah did, so each time she came up short. Without warning, the girl then leaped from a box stack to a windowsill.

Farah figured deep down that really, this girl was one of many commoners who were likely struggling to stay alive, and the chase didn't mean much, but not only had she slandered the queen's name and stolen a rather expensive-looking piece of jewelry from a street vendor, she had overheard vital conversations of several high-ranking soldiers, Farah included. That meant that she was more than likely working for the rebellion, and which meant she needed to be caught. So, without hesitation, Farah propelled herself in the same path the girl had. She hauled herself up into the window only to look down and see that not one of her battalion members had even attempted the jump.

"Damn," Farah hissed, but she didn't have much time to think anything else before her focus jumped back to the chase and the girl.

Atria let out a sound close to a cackle of glee as only one of the guards followed. Yes, it meant her goal of distracting the entire guard wasn’t done, but she figured it had been long enough anyway. Plus she was having a wonderful time leading this guard on a wild goose chance.

Using the slim handhold given by the window’s sill, Atria scrambled to the window beside the first, thankful that she was thin and nimble enough to go from one to another without too much worry. She repeated the motion again, excitement shining in her eyes as she decided to change the tone of the chase. Having lived in this city her entire life, she knew with only a glance that there was a good chance she could jump from this building to the next if she was able to get to the roof. That task wouldn’t be too difficult. The windows of the building were laid out the same for each floor, meaning all she had to do was haul herself up two floors of windows before she could reach the roof.

On a whim, she decided to do just that. Making sure the guard was still taking the bait of the chase, she grabbed the bottom of the windowsill on the level above, thanking the gods above she was tall enough to reach it. Then, using some momentum and a little bit of arm strength, she hauled herself up to the window above. Then to the one above that. Finally, she copied the movement to reach the roof, sparing a moments glance to look down at her pursuer.

The guard was female, she could tell simply from her build, clearly taller than her, and more muscular. All things that would help her catch Atria. If she could catch her. She was slim, and quick, and she knew the city like the back of her hand. If she was smart, she could run until the guard gave up.

Farah didn't hesitate to follow the girl as she scaled the building and maneuvered her way up towards the roof. This was what she was trained to do. Not that she liked it, but if news returned to the queen that Farah had let a potential member of the rebellion get away… Just the thought made chills run down Farah's back as she climbed. She shook her head. Focus, she told herself before she hoisted herself in the path the girl had taken and pulled herself up onto the roof. Farah was more than prepared to catch this girl – whatever it took.

Atria, deciding to be cocky, wave teasingly to the guard before she backed up from the edge of the roof. Taking a moment to think the motions through, she ran toward the edge of the roof, leaping right as her foot touched down on the edge of the roof. For a split second, she was in the air, then she was on the other roof, bending her knees so she didn’t hurt herself when she landed. The danger of jumping the gap gave her a rush of adrenaline and she stepped back from the edge, a twinkle in her eye showing that she knew what to do next to get away from the guard. But before she took off again, she waited to see if the woman would follow.

Farah's eyes narrowed sharply as the girl performed a cocky little wave. Oh, she really thinks she's going to get away from me. When the girl landed her jump and looked back at Farah, the hardened soldier smirked and tilted her head as if to say, "Aw… how cute." After Farah grew up in the household she did – strict, powerful parents criticizing her every move and ruthless trainers who were up her ass every second of every day and berated her beyond belief when she failed – little scared her anymore. She took off in a dead sprint towards the girl and cleared the jump between the two rooftops with terrifying grace and ease. After landing, Farah looked up, feeling a little cocky herself, and flashed the girl a taunting smile.

As she watched the soldier clear the jump with ease, Atria grinned, speaking for the first time since her original stunt. “Ooo, you’re fun.” She said, excitement in her tone. Already she had backed away from the woman, walking backward towards the other edge of the roof.

As much as she wished she could just fall backwards over the edge for dramatics, she had to turn around when she reached it, though she did step off the ledge with reckless abandon. For a moment, she again was just in the air, not touching anything. Then her hands were wrapped around the roof ledge and she hung there, aiming her drop to the window ledge. She dropped with ease, but instead of dropping the entire way down to the ground, she kicked in the window she landed on, squirming into the building. Luckily, the building held only offices of some of the cities merchants, and no one occupied the office she landed in.

Farah couldn't help but let out a laugh at the girl's comment. For a moment, it surprised her how strange and unfamiliar it was to hear her own laugh. Quickly, she dismissed that thought from her mind. "And you're dodgy," she shot back with a cutting tone to her voice. As the girl backed away, Farah didn't hesitate to begin her own advance.

This girl was beginning to irritate her, and deep down, that scared Farah. Her mind kept returning to the possibility that this girl would evade her, and Farah would have to return to the queen with nothing but stories of the chase and how close she had been. But close didn't cut it with the queen. Farah had learned her lesson before and knew it well. The motivation of fear kept her persuing the girl as she dropped to a window below. Farah swung herself in the window the girl had kicked in, her feet crunching the shattered class as she landed inside the building. "Stop running," she demanded. "Or I will not stop chasing you."

“Stop chasing me, or I won’t stop running,” Atria taunted back, creeping her way towards the door with a fire in her eyes, “I have nothing more to do today, so I can run from you forever. I assume with what I overheard, you have a Princess to find, soldier.”

She was walking a metaphorical razors edge with her words, she knew that well. One wrong move and she could end up regretting her day’s plans. But if she could frustrate the woman infront of her just enough…it could be used against her, and she could be on her way. As she reached the door, Atria opened it in one smooth movement, but she continued her slow walk, matching the guard’s pace.

“I would get started on that. My personal recommendation, the Queen too looney to hold the crown for much longer.”

Farah gritted her teeth as the girl taunted her, but if there was one lesson she took away from having strict, practically royal parents, it was self-control. But at the mention of the princess and being called "soldier," it took all of Farah's willpower not to lash out against this girl. Instead, she dug her nails into her palm and followed the girl down the hall.

"Matters revolving around the missing princess are not any concern of yours," Farah replied evenly. "And who are you to dare and speak that way about the queen?"

Atria’s eyes flashed and she grinned, “Who says they’re no matter of mine. Maybe I want to find her too. Convince her not to go back to her crack case mother and instead help the brewing rebellion. And to answer your other question…I’m a simple no one, speaking my opinion about a Queen I have no loyalty to.” The words were enough to set anyone off that was loyal to the Queen, and she hoped the woman would loose her cool the same everyone did.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the set of stairs they had come to. There was a banister she could slide down to get to the bottom of it…but she didn’t. She would wait to do that. That would be her backup plan if the solider reacted to her words. Until then, she just started down the stairs backwards, feeling each step individually with her foot.

Surprisingly, Farah considered the girl's words. Sure she was loyal to the Queen – indebted to her, really – but it was different than most. The Queen kept many of those in her court pressed under a blanket of fear, but most of those people wouldn't have questioned her anyway. Like Farah's parents. And Farah was so unlike her parents.

Still, she shook her head. "What in this world makes you think the princess would abandon her life and her mother to become a part of your scrappy cause?" she asked, lacing her words with venom to hide any lingering emotion that may have mixed into her tone.

Atria snorted, winking at the woman, “She already has half of it down. All I have to do is convince her to join us.”

She nearly missed a step on her way down, her foot faltering enough to send a jolt of fear down her body. Before the guard could see it, she hid the fear and smoothed her steps, hiding the fact that she had nearly fallen down the stairs.

“Plus, if the crazed Queen was my mother, I would do the same thing she did.”

"And again I ask… what makes you think she'd do that?" Farah asked. But the girl's next line shook Farah to the core. Her eyes narrowed, and she advanced on the girl a bit quicker than she had been, and when she spoke again, it was with a sharp tone to her voice. "What makes you think you know what her life was like? How could you possibly know how she had it? You. A… a commoner with an aching for purpose, so you joined the rebellion. Is that right?" she asked. Her eyebrows arched as if she was initiating a challenge.

“I had a purpose long before the rebellion, soldier,” She teased, knowing it was a trap but taking the bait anyway, “I know nothing more than her mother is a basket case, but that’s enough.”

With her response said and the guard’s pace quickening, Atria took to what had been her backup plan. The railing. In a smooth move she jumped onto it, sliding down the remaining set of stairs with a wicked grin.

Farah gritted her teeth when the girl called her "soldier." Again. Suddenly, she blinked and was taken back to a memory.

Her body hit the floor, and it took her a moment to push herself up onto all fours. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her blurring vision and spat on the ground. A red mark appeared. Blood. A familiar taste in her mouth.

"Get up," a steely voice ordered.

She was panting, practically unable to draw in a breath.

"Get. Up," the voice repeated.

Slowly, painfully, she rose to her feet. There, across the floor from her, stood her least favorite trainer. Her father.

"You take hits like that in battle all the time." His cool voice rang in the sweat-stenched room. "If you take that long to get up, you're finished. Nothing more than a dull, unimpressive soldier."

She swallowed and set herself to defend against another of his attacks. Suddenly, the door opened behind him. In walked her mother, dressed in her absolute finest gown and makeup, the queen, and the princess. She and the princess locked eyes, and neither broke the gaze until a ruthless hit across the face caused her head to whip back, and she collapsed cold to the ground. This time, when her body hit the floor, she didn't get up.

Farah quickly shook the memory away to see the girl grinning at her from the bottom of the staircase. Quickly, Farah used the same maneuver to clear the stairs easily. "And what if she is? She has capability and leadership, therefore she has power."

“Do you really want her as the Queen?” Atria asked, happy to continue this taunting game, “Power use poorly is pain. You should know that, as one of her lackeys.”

The girl spotted another office out of the corner of her eye. She faintly heard conversation in it, but that would be no issue. All she needed was a way out

“With her daughter working with the rebellion, we can change things. You can’t deny I’m right. She’s the key to saving the country from crumbling inward.” Atria spoke with a faint sound of hope, and her words would sound convincing to some. “Anyone who isn’t working with the Queen directly know that. It’s not my place to convince you I’m right. It’s just my job to keep you occupied.”

It was with her last sentence that Atria dropped the act of walking slow, turning on her heel and rushing for the office she had seen. With a twist of the handle the door opened and she rushed through, going straight for the window, even as she heard shocked cries leave the mouths of the people in the office.

Farah broke into a sprint after her. Snippets of memories flashed through her vision as Atria's line rang in her head. "Power used poorly is pain." Farah instantly knew without a shadow of a doubt that she couldn't let this girl get away. Without thinking, she lunged forward and dove at the girl as she ran for the window. With an exorbitant amount of effort, Farah finally succeeded in tackling her to the ground and pinning the girl beneath her weight.

"And it's my job," she retorted, catching her breath in between her words, "to catch you."

(I hope this is okay??? I got an idea)

(That’s fine!! As long as you have a plan!)

Atria had just touched the window when the guard caught her, tackling her to the ground with an impressive amount of power. The strength she had noted before came into full effect as she was pinned to the ground, much to her annoyance. She was going to hear about this one if the rebels tried to break her out of whatever place the guard would bring her.

Even more to her annoyance, the people in the office seemed overjoyed that the guard had tackled her, and though they had been startled by the commotion, it was only moments later they were back on their topic, ignoring whatever mission a royal soldier was on.

“Fair enough, soldier, my luck was almost gone,” Atria gritted out, focusing on anything but the humiliation of being caught.

"Stop calling me that," Farah demanded against her better judgment. She looked around for something to use to tie the girl's wrists, but when she was unable to locate any sufficient material, she resorted to tearing a strip of cloth from the hem of her uniform and using it to bind the girl's wrists behind her back. Then, Farah rose to her feet, making sure to keep the girl firmly bound as she pulled her up as well. "Alright, let's go," Farah ordered, marching her newly-established prisoner out of the office. "As you were," she called over her shoulder to the office's inhabitants before she shut the door behind them.

The glint of excitement appeared in her eyes when she was told to stop using the term. So, as someone would. She started using the term much more often. “Why, soldier? I think I like the term.”

Atria didn’t go along willingly with the guard, but she didn’t put up as much of a fight as she could have. She made things difficult, but there was no screaming or making a scene. She just kept asking questions, mostly to be able to use her new favorite term more often, “Where are we going soldier? Anywhere fun? Or just somewhere filled with boring soldiers like yourself?”

Farah gripped the girl's arm tighter and tighter the more she referred to Farah as "soldier."

"If you know what's good for you, commoner, you will stop addressing me that way," she snapped, putting as much venom into the word "commoner" as she possibly could. But in a surprising turn, Farah pushed the girl towards the stairs that went up instead of the stairs that went down. "Move it," she muttered.