forum The Strangers in the Palace (Closed)(Fantasy)

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

Anger surged through Arquis, but it was directed at himself, not Rin. The noble couldn't have possibly picked a more respectful, understanding partner. They were wonderful, and he'd kept them in the dark for weeks, deceiving them into loving him. It wasn't as if he'd kept the secret hidden for that purpose—he'd been trying to protect his family, and their life as well, for he knew what danger he might put them in if he told him—but he knew he should've told them nonetheless. It didn't matter that he'd tried. He'd failed repeatedly, giving in to panic over and over again. He hated how weak he'd been. He had failed them.

"If you decide to stay for the trial, then you must promise that you will not stay for the execution." He finally opened his eyes and looked over at them. He was still curled in on himself, holding his knees to his chest. "I would rather you not watch."

The heaviness of that statement settled over the room. Arquis did not plan on walking out of the trial. No matter what happened in court, no matter the story he told, he did not believe that he would win. More than that, even—he didn't believe that he could. There was no doubt in his mind that within a little over a day, he'd be dead.

Rin took a deep breath. Arquis had no hope about this outcome, it seemed. "You won't be executed." he said firmly. "I'm not going to let that happen." even as the words left his mouth, they felt hollow. He was powerless here, more so than he had been in a while. He couldn't pull rank, he couldn't use his status to help himself out… all he could do was watch and wait. He ran his hands through their hair, clenching his jaw for a long moment.

"Arquis, you don't get to give up on this." he said. "Promise me you won't give up? That you'll do your best to win this?" his voice was a little bit higher than he'd like it to be, a little bit more audibly stressed than he had wanted, but he couldn't really change it after it had already left his mouth. "Please, Arquis. Promise me that you won't give up on me."

"Giving up implies that I am forfeiting a chance. I have no such chance here." Arquis smiled humorlessly up at the ceiling. That smile softened as he directed his focus back to Rin. "I will try. But I will not win. I do not say that to frighten or upset you, Rinlos. I say it to prepare you for the inevitable. If you choose to stay after the verdict is announced, then you will have to watch as they take my life. I do not want that image in your mind. All I ask is that you promise that you will leave once the trial comes to a close."

He hated speaking so bluntly, but he needed Rin to understand the severity of the situation. There was no possibility of a happily ever after. They would not travel to Kevra and sit out on a sunny beach together, listening to the waves. This was the end.

"Honey and Ari will take care of you when it is over," he said, and there was a sudden lightness to his tone, like he was offering them a consolation prize. He might die, but at least Rin and their friends would survive. "I have no doubt about that."

Rin hated hearing Arquis speak like that. As if there truly was no hope for the future, as if tomorrow, Arquis would die, and it was already decided. He swallowed faintly, biting his lip and trying to think of what he could possibly say. Arquis's mind seemed set on all of this. He tried to think of what he would do tomorrow, if Arquis was right, and his hands started to shake again, mouth quivering for a moment as he tried to control his outward expression. It would do neither of them any good if he started crying.

Even still, he looked down at his lap, hands twisting together so hard that his knuckles turned white. "I will leave," he said, voice faintly choked, "if I must. But please, you must…" he didn't finish the sentence, not knowing what he could even say. What point was there in finishing a sentence that he knew wouldn't really matter? None of this would matter.

When Arquis heard the way Rin sounded, voice choked with emotion, he finally shifted in his chair to face him. He studied them, worried, his lips flattening into a thin, distraught line. He leaned forward to take their hands in his own. Before he could really reach out, however, the chain around his wrist clinked against itself, and he stopped. He wasn't sure if they'd want to be comforted by him, both because of his appearance—he really did need a bath, change of clothes, and brush—and his situation. The last thing they probably wanted was to cozy up with a man who'd just admitted to murdering his father.

"I know that this is a lot. It must seem awfully sudden as well. I did not wish for this to be the way that you found out. But we cannot change that now." He withdrew his hands, fidgeted with his gloves, and let out a soft sigh. "All we can really do is prepare for tomorrow.”

He wished he felt more hopeful about his chances, but rationally, he knew that he had no odds of winning. But he did still want Rin and their friends to have hope, which is why he’d promised that he would try at the trial.

Rin stared up at him again, swallowing and just trying to keep himself together while in front of Arquis. He couldn't break down in front of the nobleman, not right now. Not when this was all so…gods. He raked his hands through his hair, looking down at his lap as his hands returned back to worrying against each other, squeezing them again as his knuckles turned white and his fingertips turned pink. Gods.

There was no point in bringing up the anger that still swirled inside of them, no point in getting into a fight with Arquis when this might be the last time that they saw each other, but even still. Even still, gods, what could he say now? "We aren't going to let you be executed." he said, finally. "I'll…find a way."

Arquis shook his head, though his expression was fond when he looked at them. "There is not another way, Rinlos. This is it. The trial will happen tomorrow, and when it is over, that will be the end. As much as I wish that was not the case, there is nothing that can be done about it now. It is much, much too late to run, and even if we somehow did get away, I would never be able to return to Anvillea." Sadness crept over his face and he sighed. "I would never get to see my sisters again."

That patch sunlight shifted, and now that he was looking straight at them, it was easier to see the broken blood vessels across the bridge of his nose from where he'd been struck. Quirisa hadn't hit him hard enough to break his nose, luckily, but there was no doubt that the skin there would bruise.

"You do not have to stay," he said suddenly, seeming to surprise even himself. Guilt flashed across his features, but he persisted. "If it will cause you too much trouble, then you do not have to stay through the trial at all. You could end this,” he gestured between them, “now and walk away. I am sure Honey and Ari would understand, as would I."

Rin bit his lip faintly when he looked up at Arquis and saw those broken blood vessels, the marks where Quirisa had hit the nobleman. "I am not going to end this." he replied after a long moment. "Not now." maybe he should. Cut his losses, walk away. Take his lute and begin his wandering again. His feet almost itched for the open road. The adventures and the people, the songs and staying at inns and swapping stories with locals…it was all such fun. BUt yet. He wanted to wait. He had to wait. The bitter end of it all, to wait out the end of the trial and see what would happen. He wasn't going to let go of that little kernel of hope in his chest, because he wasn't sure how he would react if he did. That little kernel was all that kept him going.

He closed his eyes again, pinching the bridge of his nose, jaw working as he tried to think. "I'm sorry." he finally said faintly. "There is just so much going on, and…I wish I knew what to say right now, Arquis."

Arquis couldn't help the disappointment that washed over him when they said he wouldn't leave. Knowing that they were going to watch the whole thing, even if he wasn't going to watch the execution, would make everything so much harder. If he was honest with himself, if Rin wasn't at the trial, then he probably would've just conceded his time to get it over with. He didn't want to go through a whole trial just to reach the same result.

"I know. This—all of this—is not yours to deal with, and yet you were dragged into it nonetheless." Looking down, he murmured, "I am sorry. This is my fault. I wish for your sake that you would not go, but I cannot make you stay away."

The door to the room opened. Arquis looked over, visibly confused—he hadn't told the guards they could let anyone in—and was confused to see only two guards enter. They weren't bringing another visitor.

"We have new orders. Visiting time's over," one of the guards, a stocky woman with dark hair, said. She didn't look thrilled about the order.

"What?" He stood, then swayed, tipping to one side, dizziness overcoming him. He steadied himself using the armrest of the chair and tried to straighten up to his full height. Desperation bleeding into his voice, he asked, "How can it be over? The Court said I was guaranteed the whole day before the trial."

The guard frowned. "Yeah, I know. That was before they heard about the altercation. You've been deemed a high level threat to others, which means we can't let anyone else in. Sorry."

"The altercation? With Quirisa, I presume? But I did not harm her." He paused. The blood drained from his already pale face. "Oh. She must have told them- oh. That she was acting in self-defense. That- but- but why would she- unless she just truly is that upset with me." He looked helplessly at Rin, then back to the guards. "We have barely begun to talk. Does he really have to leave right now? What if you chain both of my arms?"

"Sorry," the same guard repeated. She really did sound sorry. She'd been watching Arquis since the night before, and she was pretty sure he wasn't a threat to anyone. "No one else was in the room when the fight broke out, and you were already considered a danger before this, so the Court's taking her word over yours." She offered Rin a kind smile. "You've got to go, but I'm not going to drag you out. If you want a minute to say goodbye, you can take it."

(oop sorry for the wait, lots of hw this weekend)

At the entrance of the guards, Rin straightened, gaze moving about the room. At the explanation, he frowned a little bit, anger rising again internally, but this time at Quirisa. Why had she done this? Right when he was able to get in and speak to Arquis, Quirisa had gone and shut it down so that no one else would be able to. Rin wouldn't even be able to finish what could be his last conversation with his partner. The muscle in his jaw feathered, and then he took a deep breath and, again, forced that anger back down. In these last few minutes, it woud do neither of them any good for Rinlos to express the anger at Quirisa.

He returned the guard's smile faintly, his smile tight and forced, and then his gaze tracked back over to Arquis. Once the guards were gone again, he stood, coming over to Arquis and standing before him. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, and then opened them again. "I am sorry that we will not be able to finish our conversation." he said softly, reaching out to cup Arquis's chin in their hands, running his thumb lightly over Arquis's cheek, touch soft and lingering as he tried to take in everything. "I…" his voice choked up again, and he broke off, gaze moving away for a moment as he tried to collect himself again.

(you're good! it wasn't a long wait at all!)

As the guards left to give them their moment of privacy, Arquis found himself growing more and more upset. His trial was less than a day away, and he had effectively been told that this would be the last time he would ever get to see his partner. They would be forced to leave, and he would spend his last hours trapped in a room by himself, unable to breathe fresh air or feel sunlight warm his skin, before being brought out in front of a crowd and inevitably executed. Suddenly, he found that he didn't want them to leave at all. He wanted him to stay throughout the whole trial, even through the end, so that he'd at least catch a couple more glimpses of them before leaving the world. The thought made him tear up. By the time they brought their hand to his face, he was actively having to fight back those tears, blinking rapidly so that they wouldn't spill over.

What Quirisa had done was unspeakably cruel. She knew that Rin was perhaps the only person in Anvillea whose presence could bring him any comfort. There was also Marsiquia, of course, but he hadn't wanted her to see him in such a state, so he hadn't planned to let her in. But he'd let Rin in. He'd wanted to say a proper goodbye, and Quirisa had taken that from him. He supposed that it was only fair. After all, he'd taken her father and aunt away from her. Still, it made him want to break apart. Hadn't he gone through enough? Perhaps not in her mind. The sheer depth of her hatred for him almost made him unravel, but he managed to barely keep himself together.

He looked at Rin. His lips parted, but he struggled to speak. They deserved so much more than what he could give him. He was unkempt, his jaw peppered with stubble, his skin oily, his hair a mess. Since he hadn't had a chance to bathe or change, he was sure he looked rumpled and probably didn't smell so great, either. He couldn't deny that he was embarrassed that this was the state he was in. He found himself shrinking back slightly in shame, even though all he really wanted to do was to wrap him in his arms, hold him tight, and not let go until the guards came to force them apart.

"I love you," he finally murmured, lifting one gloved hand to brush against theirs.

(hnn Rin is going to be Pissed at Quirisa now skfhdjb)

Rin looked down at Arquis, taking a deep breath. "I love you too." he replied softly, leaning down to press his lips to Arquis's, the kiss slow and soft and sweet. He lingered like that for a very long moment, eyes sliding shut. This… could be the last kiss that they would ever share, and he was going to make it count. So he lingered like that, for what felt like a very long time, lips planted to Arquis's. When he finally pulled away, he didn't move very far, resting his forehead against Arquis's, thumb brushing along his cheeks. "A kiss for good luck." he whispered, voice feeling thick. But he was determined not to fall apart in front of Arquis, especially not now, when their time was being cut so short because of Quirisa.

He closed his eyes, pressing another soft kiss to Arquis's lips. This one was shorter, but yet again, he didn't pull very far away. "Please do your best at the trial. I… do not want to lose you without a fight." he couldn't do anything if Arquis chose to forfeight the trial, but he could only hope and pray that Arquis would at least try and fight for this.

(as they rightfully should be but also Quirisa is equally pissed at Arquis, so like really it's all around a mess)

When Rin kissed Arquis, he couldn't help but succumb to the emotions that washed over him. Sadness, frustration, and then, at last, love. He couldn't be upset when he kissed him so sweetly, when they spoke to him with that tone. By the time they pulled back the first time, he felt almost content, despite the situation. But then they kissed him again and reminded him of the trial, and reality came crashing back in.

"I will try," he promised. The chain around his wrist rattled as he brought his hands to their waist, drawing him in once more. Mere inches away, he whispered, "One more kiss. Just one more. And then you may go."

He moved forward then, taking the initiative, bringing their lips together. His heart ached. The world was horribly cruel, to give him this, let him have it for a few weeks, and then rip it from his grasp. He wondered as he kissed him if it would've been better for them not to have met at all. Offering a damned man a glimpse of salvation was far worse than leaving him in the dark, for at least if he was in the dark he would not be taunted by the memory of light. Leaving the world behind would not be so bad if he'd never met Rinlos. But they had met. They'd held him close, kissed him, and made love to him like he was worth loving, and so he was suffering horribly, since he now knew he'd have to leave all of that behind.

The guards would return soon, if he did not let him leave. He broke apart. His eyes slowly scanned their face, taking in every detail up close for what would perhaps be the last time.

"Thank you for loving me," he whispered, then smiled sadly. "What we had was wonderful.”

(oh yeah it's a mess all around)

"Stop talking about it like it's already over." he replied in a soft tone. "It's not over until… well." he didn't finish that sentence, not truly wanting to. It wasn't a future he wanted to dwell on. "I love you." he repeated. "Don't you dare forget that." he gently brushed his fingers along Arquis's cheeks, just trying to soak in the moments that they had left. Ah, life felt so cruel, in this moment. To be robbed of their final time together, to be robbed of everything that they could have, should have had.

All their plans and idle daydreams and talking… maybe none of that could happen now. He refused to completely give up hope, but the fact that Arquis had so little hope of his own… oh, it wasn't a good sign. They could still see, in their minds eye, all the plans that they had made. The beach, and holidays, and the years stretching out before them… and now none of that would be the case.

(oh gosh I just had a really sad idea, I’m definitely doing it around night, whenever we reach that point)

“I will not,” Arquis promised. He closed his eyes and let himself exist in the moment. They were so close together that he could feel his warmth, which was a blessing, given how cold he always felt. When they were this near, he could let himself pretend that he was safe. That there was no trial, just this, and when he opened his eyes again they'd be back in their suite, or the dress shop, or Ophia's house.

That daydream shattered when he heard the door open. The female guard from before stepped back in, looking deeply apologetic.

"I can't give you any more time. I'm very sorry."

"Please," Arquis said to her, frantic. His panicked gaze flickered back to Rin. "Please, just a little longer. I- I have only just gotten you back, to have you go so soon, I-"

"I'm sorry," the guard repeated, and Arquis let out a sound that was either a laugh or a sob. He hid his face in his hands and stepped back. He knew that if he looked at Rin again, he'd start crying, which would take all of his remaining energy. He had to have something left over for the trial. So he kept his head in his hands as he sat heavily down in his chair, and he tried his best not to let his emotions get the better of him.

"I am a dead man," he groaned through clenched teeth, his every breath pained, "and you will not let me have even this."

He let his hands drop. It didn't matter. He was already crying. He tried to wipe the tears from his cheeks, but it was a meaningless task, like drying a riverbank with a handkerchief, so he gave up. He turned sideways in the chair, brought his legs up to his chest like before, and curled in on himself, so that neither Rin nor the guard would be able to watch him fall apart.

The guard touched Rin's shoulder and gestured to the door. "Let's give him some space," she said, as if they really had a choice.

(oooo? share??)

Rin released Arquis when the nobleman pulled away, his own hands slowly falling back down to his sides. His heart ached, though. Gods above, could they not have had a little more time together? Just a little bit longer to be together, to talk with each other and be near each other? He exhaled as the guard touched his shoulder, shoulders slumping just a little bit. "I'll see you later, Arquis." he said softly. "Don't forget what i said, alright?" and then he followed the guard out of the door, gaze flicking around to find Honey and Ari, and to see if either of Arquis's sisters was still out there.

Ari had been sitting on the floor, and he stood up as Rin came out. The guards had informed him and honey of what was going on, and he came over to his friend, reaching out to wrap his arms around the bard's shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Rinlos." he said softly, as Rin leaned into him.

(it's gonna be like another little Arquis centric scene before they all go to bed, since he’s probably not gonna be in the next few messages again)

Arquis said nothing more as Rin left him behind. The moment the door was shut, the other guard that had come in with the woman stepped in front of it, clearly signaling that visiting time was done. Some of the other guards shifted around uncomfortably. A couple of them had been with Arquis since they'd left The Cecilia Rouge, and they hadn't seen him act out once. They'd watched over the accused before, and usually they were either charming, manipulative, or angry. They were never just sad.

Honey stood when Ari did and put a comforting hand on Rin's back. "It's okay. It's all gonna be okay. They're gonna realize how wrong they were tomorrow, and then you'll get to see him again."

Marsiquia was still sitting on the ground. She was biting her lip and running her hands along the frills in the skirt of her dress, which were clearly self-soothing gestures. Even though she wasn't the one that had gone running to tell on Arquis, she wasn't sure that Rin was too happy with their family at that very moment. She wasn't even sure how he felt about Arquis, after they'd talked. She had no clue what they'd talked about; she could guess, but she didn't know for sure. Given how angry her sister had gotten, she didn't know that Rin wouldn't be equally upset.

"I'm sorry," she fretted. "Quirisa is just- she can be so- oh, I know she's mad, but she shouldn't have done that. That wasn't fair of her."

"I think it was pretty fair," Quirisa stated. She was further down the hall, arms crossed, leaning against the wall beside a guard who hadn't been there before. She smiled at Marsiquia, then Rin, but the smile didn't reach her cold, gray eyes. "Hi again, bard. Hope you didn't mind me storming off earlier. As you now know, I had a really important request to make."

(aa okay! poor arquis)

Rin let go of Ari, not returning Quirisa's smile. INstead, he just stared at her. "Yeah. important." he replied, voice cold. "Important enough to deny your brother a few hours of comfort. Important enough that I wasn't able to properly say goodbye?" he didn't move towards her, too aware of the guards nearby, and not wanting anyone to think he presented a physical threat to the young woman. They were taller than her, and with a masculine body like they had, he knew how easy it would be for QUirisa to spin the story that he, too, was a threat. So they didn't make a movement, beyond crossing his arms across his chest.

"You're a fucking bitch, is what you are." and gods that anger was clawing at his chest now, all those tamped down leftovers of his anger at Arquis and now the anger, too, with Quirisa, and a muscle feathered in his jaw and still, he kept his feet planted, still not wanting Quirisa or the guards to see him as a physical danger. "Your brother could die tomorrow. My partner. And you decided to go and tattle lies like a fucking toddler, because… what? YOu can't wait for the law to decide a punishment? You have to do it?" and gods his voice was so cold, and he sounded so angry, and he almost didn't sound like himself.

Ari frowned faintly at Rin's tone, at the bite and anger that was so obviously being only lightly restrained. It…worried him. This was not a Rinlos that he was familiar with. He had heard Rin upset and angry before, but not like this. He… sounded like his father, which was not a person that his friend had wanted to ever become.

(I almost didn't bring Quirisa back cause she'd just left but I wanted you to have the chance to write angry Rin)

That was apparently the exact reaction Quirisa had been going for. The smile on her face grew to a full-on grin, though there was a predatory look to it, as if she was baring her teeth.

"I'm a bitch?" She threw her head back and laughed. Her hands balled into fists at her sides, but she, too, stayed in place. She knew she probably couldn't get any closer without the guards separating them. Still, she looked in a way as if she was going to attack, her posture rigid, her jaw clenched.

"No, you don't get to say that to me. I didn't do anything wrong." She slammed one fist into the wall behind her, making her guard startle, then turned in the direction of the room. "He doesn't get to sit in there, and have someone coddle and coo over him like he's a fucking angel. He," she jabbed a finger sharply at the door, "took my family away. He should know what it feels like to have someone he loves ripped away from him. I hope he cries over it. I hope it tears him to pieces. I hope it makes him so miserable that he confesses, or that he's so upset that he does their job for them. As long as I never have to see him again, I don't care how he goes."

"Quirisa!" Marsiquia cried, pushing herself upright. "I know you're mad, but you can't mean that. You don't really want him to die."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"He's family," she said, much softer. "You're supposed to love each other, just like I love the both of you."

"You know, Marsi, I'm honestly surprised you're not on my side with this. Are you not hearing what I've been saying? He killed Dad. He killed Aunt Sirisa. They were your family, too. And he slaughtered them like animals. Why are you defending him?" She glanced at Rin. "Why are either of you defending him?"

Marsiquia looked like a kicked puppy. She shrunk back and wrapped her arms around herself, not daring to speak again. She’d only made things worse.

(hehe i appreciate it, Rin is not usually angry and it's kinda fun to write him angry)

"I never met your father or your aunt." he replied. "But i've heard nothing good about Aurisi. All I know is that your brother was terrified of him. Even in death, Arquis was scared. And you want me to reject my partner over the death of a man who was clearly not a good father? You expect me to side with a dead man?" he sneered. "You are aware that Aurisi cheated on your mother repeatedly, correct? That he brought his young son to a hotel designed specifically for sexual encounters? Does that sound like stellar parenting to you? Is that a place that young children should be brought to?" he took a single step forward, leaning forward just a little bit. The movement was not big enough to be truly threatening, but it was still there. "Your brother had a panic attack about being intimate. Because of your father. So no, I'm not taking a dead man's side over the man that I– that I love. And it's fucking pathetic that you are so willing to toss Arquis aside without even hearing the full story."

"You're fucking pathetic. Arquis told me once, after i asked him to just run away with me to Kevra, just leave this whole fucking place behind, that he couldn't do that. Because he couldn't leave you and Marsiquia alone here. Because he knew if he did, you would just leave. You wouldn't even try to lead, and you apparently don't even try to listen. YOu just go running to tattle like an 8 year old running to the teacher because someone poked them with a pen." would Rin eat these words if it turned out the full story didn't justify this? Sure. But right now he was too angry to really think about the things coming out of his mouth, too much pent up anger being let loose. The years of schooling and reading had given him a sharp tongue that he usually kept restrained, usually using his tongue and voice for singing and light flirting and gentleness. But now it was out in full force, and gods, he sounded like his father. "Are you really so ready to believe your mother's account over your brother?"

(yeah it's fun to see him snap for once)

"I'm not taking her account, I'm taking his!" Quirisa yelled back. She gestured at the room again, her hand slicing through the air like a sword. "He was the one that confessed! I don't care why he thought he had to do it! There's nothing in the entire fucking world that could make what he did okay. Nothing!"

She had to take a deep breath to keep herself from lunging at them. There were very few problems she couldn't solve with a good uppercut, and damn it if she wasn't aching for a fight, but she knew she couldn't tackle him in the middle of the hall. Not in front of all of the guards, at least. She'd probably be locked in a room somewhere, just like her brother.

"My dad was a horrible parent. Yeah, he cheated, and yeah, I believe you when you say that he took Arquis to a place like that. He shouldn't have been a father. I know that. But you know what else I know?" She glared at the door. "That Arquis is really good at making himself and everyone else think that he's the victim. Nobody forced him take over the Palace. Muria could've done it, but he was the one that offered. And now he's bitching about it, like he didn't make that choice for himself. Just like he's in there now, crying over a problem that he caused. That's what he does. He screws up and then makes everyone else pity him." She took on a sickly sweet tone, though her lips were still curled in a snarl. "Poor Arquis, poor little victim, don't you just feel so bad for him? He didn't mean to do it. He couldn't help it." The tone dropped. "He does it over and over and over again. I'm so sick and tired of his bullshit. If you weren't so caught up in it, you would be, too."

From behind Rin, Marsiquia let out a soft sob. With all of the yelling, it was easy to forget that she was still there, but she'd heard everything. She'd just learned that her father had cheated and that her brother had killed him. She'd heard Quirisa shout that she hoped their brother died. She'd listened to her and Rin scream terrible things at each other. And to top it all off, she wouldn’t even get the chance to talk to Arquis one last time before he died. It was all too much.

(yeah! the combined stress and exhaustion and bottled up anger is just,,, wrecking him lmao)
(also the fact that I know Muria's ability but Rin does not keeps tripping me up because i keep thinking Rin knows, but he does not dfjbkjhb)

Rin listened, lip curling faintly. He opened his mouth to retort, but then heard that little sob from Marsiquia. His hands balled into fists for a moment, and he took a deep breath. "Your brother has been slowly killing himself for years, Quirisa, and it seems like you never even noticed. So quite frankly, I don't think I trust your narrative. You don't seem able to question anything beyond what people give you." and then he took a few steps away, trying to pull himself back into control. He didn't want to upset Marsiquia any further. Gods, he hated being this angry. It made his whole being feel dirty. As if they had eaten something that disagreed with his stomach. And he was still angry but gods. This was not a productive discussion. So they purposefully did not look at Quirisa, knowing that if he did it would just set him off again. And yes, he was still visibly angry, but he was doing his best.

Ari didn't know who to go to. His best friend, or the teenage girl whose world was crumbling? He hesitated for a moment, and then took a small step over to Marsiquia. "Marsiquia, can I take you, uh, to the kitchens? We'll get you some hot chocolate, and you can sit down. i don't think hanging around here is…going to be very helpful." he knew that his offer could be taken… the wrong way, but he truly just wanted to get the younger girl out of this room, just in case Quirisa or Rinlos escalated again.

(yeah, and also don't worry that keeps happening with me too, especially now that we're close to the trial—I keep mixing up what I know vs what you know vs what the characters know, haha)

Quirisa had the decency to look a little guilty when she saw that Marsiquia was so upset, but when Rin started to speak again, her anger overwhelmed her once more. She welcomed it like an old friend. There was no better fuel than anger. It was like a flame burning brilliantly inside her, and when she stoked that fire just enough, she could burn those around her, too. She could make everyone else feel the same searing pain that she did.

"If he was slowly killing himself, then it was for exactly the reason I said. He did it to himself, and now he's made you pity him for it." A thought crossed her mind. She gave them a haughty smile. When she saw he wasn't looking, she let out a laugh. "You know, I'm not the only one feels that way about him. You might've noticed that no one's brought him any food yet, even though it’s almost noon. Why do you think that is? You think the kitchen's just lazy?"

Hesitantly, the female guard from before cleared her throat. "We sent down an order for them to bring up breakfast before Miss Quirisa came to visit, but, um, they refused. The Court's trying to force them to make something for him, since he couldn't eat during the ride here, but the staff is torn over it. Some of them are threatening to quit if they're forced to cook for him. We're working on getting them to cooperate."

Hearing that, Marsiquia looked at Ari and shook her head. The last thing she wanted to do was enter a place full of people who wanted her brother dead. She couldn't be sure that they'd feel fondly towards her, especially since she was kind of on Arquis's side.

"I don't want to go anywhere. I just want everyone to stop fighting," she sniffed, dabbing at her tear-soaked cheeks with her sleeves.

(tbf i don't know much beyond what Rin knows, except some additional things about Honey because of Ari, and then Muria's power)
(also I know you've got a lot of characters to keep track of but what is Honey. doing)

"In my country, denial of food to someone awaiting trial is a crime." Rin responded, doing his best to keep his voice even. "And the whole trial can be thrown out if the defendant has not been given the opportunity to eat, thus impairing their ability to defend himself. Your statement proves nothing, Quirisa, beyond the fact that your entire palace is full of hateful, angry people. Including yourself." he finally turned and looked at her again. "I just wonder what your motive is now. Why are you so deadset on everyone hating your brother as much as you do. Do you want everyone else to be a miserable piece of shit like you? Is that what you want? If yo can't be happy and have hope for this outcome, no one can?" he sneered at her. "You're a miserable, angry bitch, and you're just trying to drag everyone down to your level. Is that really what you want? Look at your little sister. You really want her to become a twisted, angry bitch like you are?" he gestured to Marsiquia. "You can keep going off about how you think Arquis is a monster, but you have no empathy, no patience, no kindness, and no ability to question anything beyond the simplest of narratives that's been fed to you. You're pathetic, and your attempts to drag everyone else down to your level is disgusting."

"Rinlos." Ari interrupted his friend, giving him a level look before saying something in Kevran, voice quick and collected. This argument needed to stop. It had to stop.

(yeah I just have a hard time remembering what little details have already been shared, or like how I characterized those details—also he's still there and I considered writing for him but he's kinda just standing there cause he doesn't want to intervene lol so I wasn't sure what to write)

There was only so much Quirisa could tolerate before she snapped, and Rin had finally pushed past that line. She lunged away from her guard. In one swift stride, she was almost on them, her knuckles swinging towards his cheek. It was a miracle that her guard managed to catch up to her in time to stop her. They wrenched her back, causing her to trip over her feet. She stumbled into the nearby wall. When she looked back up at Rin, her expression was furious. If there was one thing she hated more than being insulted, it was being humiliated. She knew she'd messed up by going for them, and she knew she looked even worse now that she'd been blocked.

"You don't know what you're talking about," she spat. "I'm the one who grew up with him. I and everyone else here knows what he's truly like. If we hate him, it's because he deserves it, not because we're hateful." She scoffed, then paused, eyes skimming over them. Her lips twisted into a patronizing smirk. "You met him weeks ago, and yet you already claim you're in love. He's playing you for a fool. He doesn't love you. He loves that you love him. He knows that if he doesn't have you, then he doesn't have anyone, and he won't admit that there's a reason for that. He's playing the victim, like I told you. And he always will. Well. At least until tomorrow."

"Stop saying that," Marsiquia pleaded. "He's not going to lose. He won't. I'm sure he had a reason. He's not a bad person."

"If he's such a great person, Marsi, then why wouldn't he let you in earlier? I'll tell you why. It's because you, like Rinlos, are one of the only people left in this palace that believes he didn't do anything wrong. And if you go in there and he tells you to your face that he killed our dad for whatever bullshit reason he made up, then he knows you'll leave him, too."

"Well, now he'll never be able to tell me himself, will he?" Marsiquia screamed, shocking Honey, the guards, and even Quirisa. The younger girl swiped at her tears. More replaced them, but they were angry tears. “You didn't give him the chance! He could've changed his mind, but now he can't! And I'll never get to say goodbye to him!" She bent over from the sheer weight of her grief, her arms wrapped around her waist. "You didn't even think about what I wanted! Nobody ever does! You all think I'm just some stupid teenager, but I'm not. I'll never forgive you or Mom for any of this. I hate both of you!"

Honey, who'd been standing to the side, waiting for a safe moment to pull Rin away, winced. He tried to catch Rin's gaze, hoping that he'd see the message in his eyes: the fighting needed to end. It wouldn't do Arquis any good, especially not since it was making his little sister so upset. If they wanted to make things better for Arquis, then they needed to channel that anger into something productive.