forum The Queen and her Bear (Reboot) // OxO // Closed

Started February 02, 2020 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

"Indeed," Kade said, voice flat and unemotional. "It would be a story for years to come: how a lord came and helped tame a wild queen, saving the kingdom from a horrendous rebellion that could have wiped out most of its people." He looked over Arin with dark, uninterested eyes, and then bowed to Jacos. "Well done, my lord."

"Thank you, hunter," Jacos said, a cruel smile curling his lips. "I couldn't have done this without you."

Kade knew the affect those words would have on Arin. The fact that he had caught her, betrayed her, let her be imprisoned, just for Jacos, would not be missed.

Arin's gaze found Kade, and her hands balled into fists. Anger and a faint hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes. "You betrayed us! Douchebag." she spat, squirming against the guards' grips again.

He let a smile cross his lips, cruel and amused. It didn't reach his eyes, but only Aris would have been able to see that. "And? The rebellion was going to fail in the first place, why should I stay with them when everything they do is weak, pathetic?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why did you stay with them, anyway?"

She glared at him. She had stayed because they wanted her to; she had stayed because Jacos needed to be removed from the throne and they said she was the best fit for the job and who wsa she to argue? Even if she couldn't read and had never been trained in leading a nation.

Kade just glanced at her and then snorted in disdain, turning back to Jacos and bowing deeply. "Do you need me anymore, sire? Or would you like me to have the scribes draft an announcement telling of your great victory over the rebels?" His tone was carefully polite, and not one bit of mockery showed through.

Jacos smiled. "No, Hunter, you'll come with me. To deal with this… creature."

Arin continued to glare at both of them as she was led back towards the palace. Blood had dried along her cheek and in her hair, messy and crusted and rather gross.

He watched her leave, and felt the smile on his face grow harder to keep up. He just rolled his eyes at his short-lived softness and moved slightly behind Jacos, the picture of an obedient subordinate. He followed the guards and the prisoner and the overthrower into the castle.

Arin was led away, in chains, to be cleaned up and made more presentable.

Jacos walked into the throne room. He turned around, sat down on the throne, and lounged back. Kade stood behind him, face blank. The very picture of a perfect guard. After Jacos had bought him off, he had petitioned Kade's skills to be used as a bodyguard, assassin, hunter… anything the man should need.

He both regretted accepting the offer, and was glad for the opportunities it gave him.

Jacos smiled at Kade, patting the throne. "After long last," he said, almost to himself, "I've made it. But this throne… it's harder than I would have thought. It's not very comfortable. Maybe I'll toss this one out and get a new one."

A new throne… The throne was a piece of culture, and if anyone destroyed it, it would be terrible. It would be destroying a part of the kingdom's history, and Kade didn't want that to happen, despite himself.

"I wouldn't advise that, Your Majesty," he cautioned. "If the people learn of this, they may rebel again. And you might not be as lucky."

"Of course. I should have thought of that." Jacos ran his finger along the armrest.

The guards tossed Arin into an extravagantly made-up room, with decorations and silk spreading and beautiful paintings everywhere. There was a maid in the room, standing there patiently. She was pretty, with dark hair and amber eyes, and looked worriedly at the queen.

"Clean her up. The king needs her well-dressed and in the throne room in an hour," one of the guards barked at the maid.

She bowed. Once the guards moved to the door, she smiled, albeit hesitantly. "Come with me please, Your Highness," she said in a musical voice. "We should get your wounds treated. That one on your head looks really bad." Her tone was kind, unlike everyone who had spoken to Arin so far.

(yo so I don't mind when you voice Jacos towards Kade, but when he's interacting with Arin I'd prefer to be the one voicing him, if that's alright? Again I don't mind when you voice him when he's speaking with Kade, please don't be offended or think that)

Arin glared at the guards, gaze still narrowed and angry when she turned to the other woman. She followed, but didn't speak or really relax, looking like a trapped, wounded animal. She did not want to be here and that fact was quite obvious.

(Yeah, of course, be my guest! I was kinda just voicing him because it added filler lol)

The young woman didn't seem to notice the tension. She led the Queen into a separate room. When the guards tried to follow, she shooed them out. "His Highness wants her cleaned up. I can't do it with you all breathing down my neck." Her tone was surprisingly firm, and they guards backed out… although most likely from being startled, not actually because they cared.

She turned back to Arin and shook her head. "Those soldiers are such assholes." She motioned to a comfortable looking chair nearby. "Do you mind sitting please, Your Majesty?"

Arin sat down, looking up at the woman through narrowed eyes, still not at all relaxed or at ease.

"Thank you." The young woman curtsied slightly and then moved over to a shelf to grab the supplies she needed. She returned shortly with bandages, cloths, and ointment.

She took Arin's arm and started to gently clean the wound on it, working with infinite gentleness. "Is there anything you'd like to eat? Drink?"

She shook her head a little, not speaking, eyes moving around the room. This whole thing was unfamiliar and strange and she had no idea of the plans that were ahead for her, of what Jacos meant to do.

"Okay." The young woman spoke gently, brushing a strand of dark hair from her face. As she worked on the wounds, she talked about her family, about the flowers, about the sky and the trees and eating and fire and anything she possibly could. At first, it seemed like she was talking just because she could, but maybe she was doing it for Arin, to put her at ease, if even for a moment.

(If you'd like to timeskip, we could? To the "wedding" or whatever, idk)

Arin eventually relaxed a little, but certainly not all the way. It was highly unlikely she would relax all the way, even if this woman seemed harmless. This was still Jacos's territory, and she wouldn't let her guard down.

(sure!)

It had been about two weeks since Arin had been captured. Two weeks of "taming", where she was forced into dresses and corsets that she hated, taught some basic lessons and manners. Jacos hardly spoke to her, using her as a puppet on his arm rather than as a person. The way he looked at her scared her, sending shivers through her body. Not good shivers, either. The day of the wedding arrived, and she was helped into a wedding gown. White lace and a corset, a neckline that was deeper than she was used to, practically forcing her breasts on display for the man she was marrying. She hated it, but there was nothing she could do about it as she was led to the cathedral for the wedding.

(skjbdgjfgb not the best starter but it's fine lmao)

(You're good lol, mine are worse.)

Kade watched from the sidelines, mostly hidden in shadow. He was in all black, almost seeming to suck the remaining light from where he stood, the only pinpricks of color his violently golden eyes. Jacos had thought that it wouldn't do to have a hated bounty hunter in sight of the crowd.

Not yet, anyway.

When Arin came in, he noted the way her breasts almost seemed to spill out of her dress, and how uncomfortable and angry she looked. Whatever Jacos had put her through certainly hadn't dampened her spirits.

(lol alright)

The dress would have been lovely, all white lace and silk, save for the fact that she obviously didn't want to wear it. Save for the fact that she looked deeply uncomfortable with how much of her it put on display for anyone to see. Someone, likely a servant, leaned in towards her to pass on a message from Jacos. She schooled her face into something that, if not pleasant, didn't look outright furious like previously. Then the servant stepped away, and the wedding began in earnest. The music began, and Jacos waited at the altar for his bride. She was led down the aisle by a plainclothes guard. From a distance, by people who didn't know her, it probably looked good. But anyone who knew anything about the relationship or lack thereof between her and Jacos knew that the guard was there to ensure she made it to the altar and said the correct words. This farce of a wedding would be carried out, even though one of the parties didn't want it.

The man hidden in the shadows just rolled his eyes. This entire thing was dumb, and since he was getting paid, he may as well stop having the doubts that this wasn't the right thing to do. Since when had he cared about doing the right thing? He was here for the profit; he didn't actually care about the fate of the kingdom. It could be torn apart for all he cared.

Arin was led up to the altar and the service began, the priest beginning with the customary blessings for their marriage, and eventually going into the vows. The vows used, though, were older; last used in Arin's great-grandparents time, they spoke less of love shared and more of obedience. Less of mutual cooperation and more of following the directions of the husband. The kind of vows that had been used for centuries to put down wives and place their husbands on pedestals.

What a turn, Kade thought sarcastically, a mocking smile crossing his features. Imagine, the High and Mighty Lord Jacos, using marriage vows to pin her down.

He glanced around, and saw that the people in the cathedral had noticed too, but most of them were nobles who were on Jacos' side. They couldn't care less what he did, as long as he gave them the rewards they wanted. It was one of the reasons why he had so much support among the more corrupt ones - if they asked no questions, he wouldn't either.

Arin still looked deeply uncomfortable, though her expression was still schooled into a carefully neutral thing, rather than the feral anger that had been oh so visible previously. After all, Jacos wanted this farce of a marriage to at least appear good and sound, even if anyone who knew anyhting about it knew that that was not at all the truth.

The young maid from earlier also stood to the side, with all of the other servants, ready to serve at a moment's notice. Her eyes sparkled with genuine concern for the Queen, and Kade noticed it. He tilted his head, wondering. Why would someone like Arin? She was a little spitfire that only brought chaos, why would anyone be concerned about her?