forum Broken Betrothal (O/O Closed)

Started May 06, 2022 by @Bunty group

tune

Yurul, a planet with no shortage of magical beings and mystic arts, relies on an ancient hierarchy of lineages. Many families gain and fall out of power through planned marriages and business deals. Some families have done away with betrothals and worries about power, but the custom is a large part of all cultures in Yurul. The planet is divided into five regions: Pillax, Qéo, Varesia, Hykno, and Islilia.

Pillax is a desert wasteland, just sand for miles and miles. This region is inhabited by demons, cursed bloodlines, centaurs, wizard lizards, Pillaxian ox, Esokan, and some specialized magic users. Most non-native creatures avoid the area, as it is easy to get lost in the endless dunes. Qéo is filled with dense rainforests and plants. Botanists flock to the region, and 36% of the planet's oxygen supply is produced from the forests there. Fae, fairies, elves, fauns, nymphs, sprites, ents, and other magical creatures inhabit the area. Varesia is the typical story grimoire dragons-and-magic soup land with stone castles and quaint villages, but a handful of cities in the region are much more modernized with skyscrapers and huge electrical plants. Electrical sprites and other technical beings live in the large cities -along with some non-magic beings and magic users aspiring to start something for themselves- whereas most magic users, non-magic users, unicorns, healers, Elmards, witches and wizards, alchemists, house dwarves, and enchantresses live in the rest of the region. Hykno is filled with ice caverns and tunnels that burrow into the mountains. Along with some non-magic miners, golems, orcs, mountain dwarves, wizard lizards, Cretians, some scientist's labs, and lesser ice beings reside in the region. Islilia is the oceans and scattered islands that cover the rest of the planet. Serpents, mermaids, sirens, kelpie, krakens, hippocampus, and pirates traverse these waters.

Kené Eoiali is the younger of two brothers from a substantial, feared family from the Pillax region. When a much more powerful family from a different region proposes a betrothal, the Eoiali family sends Kené and his older brother, Sars, to the other family to "feel out" the betrothal. The two brothers meet the potential bride, and Sars is automagically on the defensive. However, as they stay and get to know each other, the Sars and the potential bride grow to like each other much more than expected…

Hi there! I'm looking for a noice little dragons-and-magic soup/heart-squeezy tale one-on-one roleplay with someone! If you're interested, just submit a writing sample (a sample from another roleplay would do just fine! Just submit what your typical post-length is like) and any questions you might have about the plot brain bubble! And you are welcome to use any type of magical species that you'd like (though must be something human-like).

I like need to be in on this.
(I've never had to submit a writing sample before ahhhh now I'm nervous)

Frenchie continued to make her way up until she found something. A few levels from the roof, there seemed to be a camp. For multiple people. Which meant there were other people here. She wasn't sure to laugh or cry. Frenchie hadn't seen another living soul in months, she honestly wasn't sure if there were any even left. But this was proof. Proof she wasn't alone.

Hi there! Unfortunately, I'm looking for a dragons-and-magic soup fabricator who writes a little bit more, I'm sorry.

Ah, alright then. Well, can't say I didn't try. Good luck!

(ooh this looks neat! here's my sample:)

Riven Briar was lounged sideways across his throne, a loose white shirt and a pair of dark pants on. The shirt gapped halfway down his torso, exposing smooth skin. The silver permasprinkles of a fae drug glinted on his fingers and at the corners of his mouth, and a glass of wine was held lazily in his left hand. The gold of his circlet glinted from his dark curls, and the earrings in his ears sparked with each shift of his head. Dark kohl lined his eyelids, along with a spark of gold peeper-shadow. The party the night after last night was similar to any other; not all of the royal family was there, but many of them were. Riven was, as usual, the center of attention of many of the younger party-goers, each of them casting covert glances at the young, handsome prince. Human slaves waited in the shadows for a master or mistress's summons.

Riven eventually moved from his throne, making his way through the crowd to where a group of his friends laughed and chatted. He was immediately let into their circle, grins and mischievous words greeting him as he gave them a lazy, feline smile, the slightly sharp canines of any Fae flashing as he bared his mouthstones.

"–Riven, you should have been there to see. It was quite amusing." one of the Fae finished a story, a sharp grin on his own face as he spoke of a human he had ensorcelled and bamboozled, sending many of their small group into laughter. Humans were no better than animals, and there were hardly any laws regulating their treatment. After all, those with the power can do whatever they like to those without it, and there was no question but that the Fae had power and the humans…well. The humans did not.

(i try to match my partner's reply length, btw, so if your replies are shorter mine probably will be too)

Here it is! You are welcome to make templates for others in your characters family (though not necessary!). I'll be making a template for both my boy Sars and Kené. Also feel free to add any categories if you'd like.
Name:
Age: (20-25)
Species: (Feel free to make up whatever you want here!)
Home Region:

-Physical Features- (If you want to change this to paragraph form, that's fine too!)
peeper Color:
Hair Color:
Hair Style:
Skin Tone:
Body Type:
Height:
Identifying Marks:
Anything Else I'm Forgetting:

Typical Clothing Style:
Magical Abilities: (If applicable)
Other:

Name: Sarsönil (Sars) Eoiali
Age: 23
Species: Esokan. Most people do not know about Esokan, only that they are a feared species on Yurul known for their brutality. They appear just as any other human, save for slightly pointed ears and sometimes unnaturally dark colored peepers.
Home Region: Pillax

-Physical Features-
peeper Color: Irises so dark brown they appear black unless under a bright ray of sun.
Hair Color: Copper
Hair Style: Long hair that falls to his waist, straight and smooth. It's often tied up in a ponytail or knotted close to his head.
Skin Tone: Bronze
Body Type: Lean, lanky limbs, broad shoulders, thin waist
Height: 5'8"
Identifying Marks: A red sun tatoo centered on his back, think like same style as the one in Tangled. He has many scars dotting his body, but most are faded and insignificant.
Anything Else I'm Forgetting: He has sharp, narrow peepers and well-defined face calcium bodysticks.

Typical Clothing Style: Typical dark tunics and simple pants, differing Pillaxian cloaks when he's travelling out in the deserts. He often wraps his forearms and wrists with leather. His clothes are typically moveable and cannot be restraining. He has three braided leather bracelets on his left ankle.
Magical Abilities: He can mute the sounds he makes while moving/consuming oxygen to produce carbon dioxide (so he could sneak up on someone silently) and has an affinity for water- he can move it with his mind, summon it from deep within the ground, and make it float through the air.
Other: He's quite protective of his brother and is quite good at combat. He smells like coriander.

Name: Kené Eoiali
Age: 21
Species: Esokan. Most people do not know about Esokan, only that they are a feared species on Yurul known for their brutality. They appear just as any other human, save for slightly pointed ears and sometimes unnaturally dark colored peepers.
Home Region: Pillax

-Physical Features-
peeper Color: Dark brown, they look black when in the shadows
Hair Color: Copper
Hair Style: Buzzcut
Skin Tone: Bronze
Body Type: Very thin and small, though he does have some muscles in his upper body.
Height: 5'5"
Identifying Marks: He has a large scar dragging from his left temple to the corner of his left lip, and another one of simple width and depth on his right forearm. He has a red tattoo of a burning bull's horns on his front left shoulder and some black writing inked on his left side, over his ribs, that reads "Forget oneself. Let human syrup be shed. Thou will be lost. Thy will be gone." His left upper arm is like a sleeve of black ink, depicting Pillaxian oxen being slain, fire rolling across dunes, and stabby sticks flying through the air.
Anything Else I'm Forgetting: He has sharp peepers and a defined jaw calcium bodystick.

Typical Clothing Style: Lots of warm colored clothes and cloaks, three leather bracelets on his left ankle and one leather bracelet on his left wrist. He has a leather wrap covering his neck most of the time.
Magical Abilities: He can mute the sounds he makes while moving/consuming oxygen to produce carbon dioxide (so he could sneak up on someone silently) and has an affinity for fire- he can move it with his mind, spark it from nothing, touch it without feeling pain.
Other: He can't move his right pinkie finger. He smells like cumin. He likes to cook and is good with animals.

Name: Everia (Eve) Imber
Age: 22
Species: Half-Human, Half Azfellian (own species, similar to elves and Fae (probably from the same genetic family); very resilient and adaptive, but can also be very clannish and unwilling to work with non Azfellian (making her parents' marriage unique and rare among their kind)
Home Region: Islilia

Physical Features:
Eve has bright, sea blue peepers, ringed with thick, dark lashes. The left peeper does have a scar over it, going from just above her eyebrow to her cheekbone, and her peeper was healed through magic, though the scar was left in place by her own insistence. She has thick, warm brown hair cut into a pixie (not short, and not that wonky-donky sleek one people do either. like. shaggy and cute, but short). She is white, with skin that is slightly tanned, but is also scattered with freckles from the sun. Stands at 5'3", with a pear shaped, fit body. Has muscles from working on ships for most/all of her life. Has a tattoo of a shark fin on her right shoulder, and has a scars dotted around her body from various mishaps or fights that she has gotten into. Her ears are pierced, and she has two lobe piercings on each ear, along with cartilage piercings. Also has her nose pierced.

Typical Clothing Style: Honestly picture a pirate and like…the vast majority of the time, you'd be right. Tends to prefer those white/cream shirts, often with a corset for supporting her chest (though the corset isn't laced tight enough to impede consuming oxygen to produce carbon dioxide or movement), usually with tighter, form-fitting pants to support movement. Sometimes throws on a loose skirt, too, especially when she's going to be on-shore (pirates aren't known for keeping their hands to themselves, and some ports have a reputation for it). When at one of her family's holdings, she usually dresses the same, unless there is an important council gathering, in which case she will either dress for intimidation or for style, depending on who the council gathering is with. Often wears a simple leather circlet with a single jewel hanging down onto her forehead, which in most areas is enough to signify who she is. When at sea, wears a tricorn to keep the sun from her face, with a large purple feather stuck into it. Wears shiny black leather stompy weather clompers that go nearly to her leghinges. Often wears makeup as well, usually going for eyeliner sharp enough to kill, and dark-toned lipstick.
Magical Abilities: Faint glamour abilities from her father (he is Azfellian), a form of charmspeak, and metal manipulation (cannot create metal from nothing, but can add to existing metal or manipulate it (give her a nail and she can make a silver stabby-wabby, but she can't make a silver stabby-wabby from nothing).
Other: Always has little metal bits concealed on her person, and always has all her piercings in as well.

(hope she's alright?)

Sarsönil Eoiali already didn't like the feeling of this of this place. Pirate ports were notorious for their thieves and greedy bastards, and although Sars had their most important belonging wrapped tightly underneath his brown Pillaxian cloak -cloaks that made him, and his brother, stick out like a puddle in a desert- he didn't trust anyone they passed. 'Go with him, Sars, protect your brother. Make sure the arrangement is secure. You're going to help build a new face for all Esokan in Yurul's peepers.' His mother's words were sure and final, and although Kené didn't fight the arrangement, Sars wasn't sure if he agreed that a betrothal was good for his tribe. The Esokan didn't need a better reputation, they needed to get rid of their reputation. Their existence wasn't known that well anyways, it would be much better to disappear forever. It shouldn't matter that they were feared, the Esokan should be feared, and everyone else could leave them alone. Sars didn't want his family, his people, to be a symbol of fear for the Imber family to use whenever their power was threatened.

"Sars, do you suppose she'll have a pet fish? Can you even have a pet on a ship?" Kené mused, his peepers travelling over merchant's wares as they walked. Rare commodities or fakes, it didn't matter, most merchants tended only to their only greed. "What would our rooms be like? Cramped I'm sure, but I supposed it's something I could get used to. It wouldn't be that different than sharing a tent with you, though the waves must be frustrating."

Sars gave his brother a stern look to cut off his rambling. "They have homes on land too. If you are seriously going to marry this woman, would you honestly live on the oceans and seas forever?" Gosh, that sounded like a terrible life, and Kené must know that. His brother love shepherding the tribe's oxen too much to give that up in favor of sea sickness and rough waters.

"It's not like I have much of a choice. It's not like you could get betrothed instead- oh wait, you can," Kené told him with a dead stare, his sharp peepers narrowed at Sars. On the entire journey to this wretched port, his brother had been very insistent in pursuing why Sars wasn't the one up for political marriages and chiefdom. Afterall, Sars was the firstborn. It should only make sense, but Sars was content with the way things were. He, nor his parents, wasn't putting any weight on his future. They all knew what was going to happen, and why a betrothal nor inheriting his mother's title of chief wasn't a good brain bubble for him. One day Kené would understand.

So Sars ignored the baiting as he spoke next, "Come on. Let's go find the Imber family, I'm sure they've already been alerted of our presence here." With that, Sars pulled his Pillaxian scarf over his mouth and nose, if only to conceal his identity and make Kené the focus of attention.

(it got, uh, a little long, my apologies lol)

"Apa, do I really have to marry an Esokan?" Eve asked, incredulous. Sure, she had known the talks were going on, but she had never believed that the Esokans would really take them up on the brain bubble. The Imbers were powerful but they weren't kings. Not conventional ones, anyways. She had appealed to her Apa rather than her mother; apa was an Azfellian title for father, and she had called him that since she was little. As an Azfellian, she knew he didn't like outsiders and she knew he was more likely to oppose this marriage. "Apa, please."

"Eve, we've had this discussion." he replied tiredly. Like most of the Azfel, her father was giraffy, with pointed ears and sharp cheekbones. He had been clean-shaven for her entire life, and still was. His hair, the same warm brown as hers, was longer, falling just past his shoulders. "You need to go get ready for their arrival. You can't greet them dressed like…that." he gestured vaguely to her outfit, adjusting his tie.

Eve was wearing what she normally wore; a white shirt, a black corset, and tighter-fitting slacks to give her as much range of movement as possible. "Why can't I greet them like this?" she challenged, arching her eyebrows at her father.

He sighed, pinching the land-connector of his nose. "You know quite well why. Now go, before I have to get your mother involved in this discussion." the look he gave her was both irritated and gentle, and she huffed before flouncing off.

This one of their land holdings was her favorite, if she was honest; it was not the largest, but it was the oldest, and it was bonita. Or at least, in her opinion. Perhaps to the Esokans it would not be nearly as lovely. Her father had named it Esol'a Vera, which, in her opinion, didn't have a good translation into Common. Common translated it as "The Beginning of the Sea", but the true meaning of Esol'a Vera was far more complicated than that. The place was somewhere between a castle and a palace; less fortified than most castles, but more fortified than a palace. It was smaller than a palace would be, too, at a normal size for a castle. It sat close to the sea, with one side edging into a cliff. Some of the tower windows looked straight out to sea, and if you jumped out them, you would fall hundreds of groundhands down the cliffs, before landing in the ocean. Of course, you would probably be killed either on impact with the water, or by being dashed against the sharp rocks below, but the view was lovely. It was rumored to have once been a smuggler's den, and to have grown and changed hands from there until it came to the Imbers. The exterior was mostly built of a dark stone, with moss growing in some patches, and the stone bricks roughened and jagged from exposure to the salt and the wind. The interior was bonita, too, with mainly stone floors, with few wooden ones save for in some of the upper levels. Wood rotted quickly, you see, when constantly exposed to the damp salt air, or when wet shoes were constantly trodding on them. So carpeting was used in places where water likely couldn't come, in order to keep bare groundhands off the stone. Tapestries hung from the walls, along with silver stabby-wabbies and a few rooty tooty point-n-shooties. A whole mix of items, really. Some things inside were ancient; others were brand new technology, imported at a premium from Varesia.

She loved this holding; it was the one she had spent much of her childhood in and near, so it was the one she knew best. Part of her hoped that the Esokans so detested it that they simply left again. She didn't want to get married, and maybe that made her a petulant ankle-biter, but she didn't care. Once she had made it to her quarters, she bathed and freshened up, doing her makeup to a higher degree than she normally did. It looked lovely, of course; it always did. Her eyeliner was sharp and crisp, the eyeshadow brilliant and helped her peepers pop. She stuck to her normal matte, darker lipstick, knowing it would piss her mother off and not really caring. That done, her maid assisted her with putting on a dress. It was a gorgeous sea foam green, and had a lovely off the shoulder style, leaving that tattoo visible; another thing her mother wouldn't like, but another thing her mother wouldn't comment on in front of company. The length went to her ankles, and she put on a pair of stompy weather clompers that somehow perfectly coordinated with the dress, without being dainty. A silver necklace with an anchor on it finished the look, along with a simple tiara perched in her hair, a single glittering jewel in the center.

She allowed herself a moment to consume oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, and then exited her human containment unit. She would meet her parents– and the Esokans, if they had arrived –in a human containment unit she and her parents laughingly called the Throne human containment unit. There was no real throne human containment unit in this castle/palace, but this was a larger human containment unit that may once have been a large formal dining human containment unit, and they used it to serve the purpose of a throne human containment unit.

(No apologies are ever necessary for a long response! You're writing style is absolutely gorgeous, I love your descriptions!)

After asking for some directions from a not-as-shady looking person, at Kené's insistence, Sars found himself looking up at dark stoned building. Gorgeous in its own right, with towers reaching up as if to pluck the sun right out of the sky. "Smell the air, Sars," Kené interrupted his admiration of the castle, "Salt. Almost like home." It was true, salt tickled his tongue as they approached the entryway to the Imber family's home.

"Sand is not salt, brother," Sars said quietly, his peepers examining the ancient walls. This place wasn't anything like home, and Sars hoped that Kené would never call it home. The servants, the castles, the bride, the materials that his brother would get attached to… it would anchor him down to this place. His mother said that the Esokan were moving on from the old ways, dispersing amongst humans and elves, letting go of their heritage and hoping for the best. That was not the way the Esokan should be going. Their lastpast yesteryear was not a bright one, but that did not mean they had to be rid of their identity.

Kené put a hand on his shoulder. "Sarsönil, we should introduce ourselves," The younger male said gently, letting his hand drop back down to his side. Kené was good at that, good at knowing when Sars was spiraling. Kené removed his Pillaxian cloak from over his head as he waved at one of the servants of the estate, "Greetings! I am the second born of the Eoiali family, along with my brother. We travelled far to get here, and we humbly seek entry to meet the Imber family." Sars let out a snort at his brother's formal speech, to which he received an elbow in the ribs, and to his credit, Kené kept a straight face.

(thanks!)

The servant, who didn't seem quite Human and was likely half-human and half of something else, blinked silently at Kené for a long moment, taking in the sight of the two Esokans. The servant was an older man, and he seemed hesitant. His hands came up and flickered a few sign motions, before he sighed minutely, and held up a finger to them in a gesture to wait. This servant, rather unluckily for all three of them, was mute, and could not speak. He walked down a small side corridor, and came back after a few moments with a younger servant, a young woman who was certainly not human. Possibly a kelpie in human form, judging by the shape of her peepers and the tilt of her chin. "Joss says that you are the Esokans that the Imbers have been expecting?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at the two brothers. The older man, Joss, stood slightly to the side and behind of the young woman, his hands flickering a few more signs when she looked over at him. She nodded faintly, looking to the Esokans again.

"The Eoiali?" she asked, pronouncing their family name slowly and not quite correctly. "I'll show you to the throne human containment unit, then." she turned away, clearly expecting the two to follow her. She had been a bit brusque for a servant, but not outright disrespectful.

Eve and her parents were waiting in the throne human containment unit, seated together. Her mother, as predicted, had not been happy with Eve's dress or lipstick, but they all knew that they did not have time for Eve to redo it all.

"Mori, it will be fine." her father comforted, giving his wife a soft smile. "Better that they know of the tattoos earlier anyways, if they are such a deal breaker. It isn't as if you could ever convince Eve to get rid of it."

Her mother sighed, conceding to her husband's words. "You're right, of course you are." she replied, shaking her head a little bit. "It still is not the best look for a first council gathering."

"Look, mom, I could have dressed like a hustler. Would that be better?" Eve challenged with a smirk. "Little, short dress that leaves nothing to their imaginations? After all, we could get married today and go straight to the wedding chambers. Speed through that whole thing." she waved a hand, teasing her parents with that.

Mori took a deep breath, fixing her daughter with a gaze that had been known to fell lesser folk than her family. "Everia Imber, you will keep a civil tongue in your head while we have guests about."

Eve rolled her peepers, laughing a little bit. "Fine, mama." she replied, crossing her legs and letting out a faint huff.

Sars patiently watched the servants scuttle back and forth, letting Kené deal with the communications. "Yes, yes, we are the Eoiali family. Minus Mother and Father, of course," The younger of the two Esokans confirmed with a pleased smile. He was happily following the servant not a moment later. Sars stayed behind Kené's shoulder like a shadow.

If his assumptions were correct, this was the first time Sars met a kelpie in its human form in person. He'd met one once before in its horse form. When he was young, maybe twelve, their tribe had travelled close to the coast, and his mother took him out to a seaside village to buy spices from that got shipped in all the way from Qéo. Sars didn't remember much about the trip, but he did remember climbing down the rocky cliffs to reach the tidepools. There, a sea green and black horse had stared at him with peepers deeper than the ocean itself. It ran back into the ocean where it came from. Sars never told his mother about that little encounter, she would've given him a good scolding for getting near a kelpie as he did.

"Are you going to walk in there all haunting like that? You're silent-walking." Kené interrupted his thoughts, spurring a frown from Sars. He had to intentionally relax his grip on his Esokan ability in order to make audible footsteps. Kené grabbed and pulled down Sars' face scarf before adding, "You look like you're planning to assassinate them." It was true, Sars didn't exactly have a friendly looking face with his sharp features.

"Who says I'm not?" Sars challenged with a small smirk, earning a slightly alarmed glare from his brother, before he obliged, "It's not on purpose." Though the mention of assassination did have him double checking the location of his stabby sticks strapped to his chest, legs, back, and hips that were hidden beneath his cloak. Sars didn't plan on any deaths during this little trip, but he wasn't going to be ignorant and ignore the possibility. Especially as they neared the throne human containment unit.

(my apologies for leaving out the accent marks on their names; my computer doesn't let me do them)

The young woman opened the wobbly flip-shutters of the throne human containment unit and walked the two down the hall, closer to the Imbers. "Lord and Lady Imber, I would like to present to you the Eoiali brothers." she bowed to the three Imbers, then turned on her heel and left again, leaving the Imbers and Eoialis in the throne human containment unit. The three Imbers were seated, Mori's hand resting on her husband's. Each wore a very simple crown; more a reminder of status than anything else. Lord Imber was giraffy, even sitting, with tanned skin and long dark hair the same color as his daughter's, with irises the color of earth. His ears were tipped, rather than rounded, and his cheekbones were high and sharp. Lady Imber, on the other hand, was about the same height as her daughter, and her hair was cut to her shoulders. Her peepers were that same brilliant blue as Eve's, while her hair was a pale blond. Unlike her husband, she did not have that tan, though she did have freckles scattered across her face and her bare arms.

"Sarsonil and Kene Eoiali, of the Esokans, welcome to Esol'a Vera." Lord Imber said, standing and giving them a small bow. "As I am sure you likely know, I am Lord Markos Imber. This is my wife, Lady Moriana Imber, and our daughter, lady Everia Imber." he gestured to Mori, on his right, as he introduced her, then to Eve as he introduced her as well.

Eve inclined her head faintly as she was introduced, biting back the urge to correct her father; she preferred to be introduced as Captain Everia Imber. Because a captain she was, and she very much would rather be at sea than here, even if she loved Esol'a Vera. Though, to be sure, perhaps that longing for the sea was merely a longing to not have to be married to one of these young men before her. Even if they were good-looking in their own right, she still had no wish to marry them.

(You're fine, accents are such a pain to type haha, I always have to copy and paste Kené to get the é)

As soon as the throne human containment unit opened, Sars' peepers immediately darted between the three Imbers. The crowns on their heads. The daughter, the one who his younger brother would marry if all things went 'well'. Everia Imber. She was bonita, with peepers as blue as an oasis and dark hair comparable to a newborn ox's fur, but the thought of his brother being wedded to a pirate just seemed right. She looked nothing like an Esokan woman, she wouldn't understand their way of life.

Kené bowed in greeting, but Sars did nothing of the sort. He would not bow to someone who did not, would not, rule him. "I am Kené Eoiali, second born son of Chieftess Eilleis and Roano Eoiali," Kené said as he stood upright, a bright smile on his face, "I'm happy we can finally make your acquaintance."

Sars was thoroughly unimpressed. His brother could be as polite and diplomatic as he wanted, which he supposed was probably a good thing, but Sars wasn't the type to dish out respect until someone actually earned it. "Please call me Sars," Sars said curtly as he dragged his stare across the Imbers. A stare that would usually send his opponent running. His death stare lingered on Everia for a moment longer.

Kené cleared his throat, and the corner of Sars' lips curled upward as he gave his brother an oh-so-innocent look. "Thank you for welcoming us into your home. Esol'a Vera is quite bonita, I've never been in a castle like this." Esokans lived nomadically, herding oxen across the dunes of Pillax. "Our parents send their regards."

(haha yeah makes sense)

Mori exhaled faintly, her gaze moving between the two brothers. "Thank you." she said. "Esol'a Vera is one of our oldest holdings, and we are quite proud of it." she reached up to rest a hand on her husband's shoulder, giving the two brothers a soft smile. "Are you tired? Hungry, perhaps?" despite the kindness of her words, her reputation was of a woman more powerful and perhaps even more merciless towards enemies than her husband; of the two, her reputation was certainly the one many had heard of, Markos overshadowed by his wife time and time again. He certainly didn't mind that, and she reveled in her reputation.

Eve noticed the death glare, and cocked her head to the side, peepers narrowing as she returned the look. Her own was just as withering as Sars' had been, though hers lasted only a few moments before she looked to her parents, still unspeaking.