Conflict Between Kingdoms {Cliff & Eliza}

[Lovely Complex]

The only thing audible in the small council room was the chatter of some very nobles lords within the Kingdom of Castillion. They chatted amongst themselves until the interim king, the Crowned Prince Alexander. arrived and took a seat at the head of the table. All the noblemen graced him upon his presence and he flashed them a smile before he rested his elbows and clasped his hand on top of the table now. "Alright, gentlemen, my lords, what have we been discussing?" Alexander asked firmly as Lord Lancaster, who sat directly beside him cleared his throat before speaking. "Well, you see, we were discussing potential queens for you. In order to be king, you'll need a queen beside you, my lord." Alexander turned toward Lord Lancaster with a sly smile upon his face. "You talk as if my father's already dead. He's just gravely ill and will survive this sickness." Lord Adamson then spoke toward Alexander.

"He's in dire need of treatment, my lord. So, we must act now before it's too late." At those words, Alexander stood up and leaned down forward with his hands on the table and eyed every lord in front of him. "Look, I said that he will survive. I prayed to the old gods and the new that he will. They haven't failed me before so I trust that they won't now." He then sat down with a sigh and placed his face into his hand then rested his chin inside of it. "What else do we need to discuss before I call this meeting to adjourn and dismiss you all."

The lords before him looked at each other then shrugged their shoulders at one another before all eyes fell back on him. He smacked his lips together and stood up, dismissing the lords then walked over toward a balcony and looked out into the distance. Alexander stood with his hands clasped behind his back and his ears twitched because of the opening of the door. By the steady footsteps, he knew that it was his most trusted guard, Randolph, as he was now perched behind Alexander. "How's he doing?" He had asked Randolph in a rather somber tone as Randolph sighed and lowered his head, obviously not having the best news. "Not so good, my lord. I'm sorry." Alexander turned heel and faced Randolph, throwing his arms and hands in the air. "Well, the gods have failed me then, now haven't they."

"My lord, there's something else," Randolph said as he took a few paces closer toward Alexander. "We've captured a princess from a neighboring kingdom. We did not recognize the carriage as one of our own. We have her in the throne room and waiting for your discussion on what to do with her." Alexander scoffed as he walked past Randolph, mumbling. "What else can happen today?" It was a rhetorical question as they both headed for the throne room now and two guards were currently holding her by the arms. Alexander's eyes wandered and noticed her colors as he smirked a little. "Ah, Kingdom Westeria, I presume?" He asked the princess with a raised brow then looked to the guards.

"Throw her into the dungeons for now. I'll decide what to do with her later." The guards nodded their heads and turned, taking the princess to the dungeons. "Make sure she is also fed bread and drinking water." He called out then turned back to Randolph and muttered softly. "Take me to see my father." Randolph bowed his head. "Sure, my lord." Randolph said before they started a trek toward where the king was being treated.

[ElizabethLamperouge]

Elizabeth couldn't have cursed her luck further than it was -- in all honest opinion, Lady Luck had a vendetta against her. The news of the king's sickness, when it had reached her ears, was far too late for her to turn back. She'd come to Castillion as a scholar, though she should have thought better to be treated as one. Instead, she was eyed suspiciously (sometimes for good reason) and many, if not some, had attempted to make her alter course. She was one of many brothers and sisters, and in her lifetime she'd learned what the true meaning of disposable was. That didn't stop her siblings from trying -- no, begging her to come home, to end this madness that was her life. She was one of the truthseekers, studying plants and animals, the very earth, and most of all, the heavens above.

That had led her to what was happening now. She stood to a medium height, with a lean build from training to be a knight turn futile for the will of her parents. Her face was all sharp angles and the face of aristocracy with full lips and rather large, doe-like green eyes, however, she herself did not agree with this way of life -- of being waited upon, used as pawns in monarch's overbearing chess games. That was another reason for her journey along the lands: to get away from Westeria. She knew it was futile, but her she was, alone and serene. Her garb was that of a fighting spirit, not the fragile princess she'd ought to have. She had pale, creamy skin, and fulk red lips that complimented her well. Her black hair was tied in a braid along her back for practicality and ended at her waist line.

As soon as she'd heard the footsteps of the knights, she'd sighed and realised how stupid it was of her to be continuing her journey. From the sounds of it, there were too many to run away from, let alone fight. They'd probably guessed she'd be guarded to waste this many guards on the capture of one princess. She dropped what she was doing and announced her cooperation.

"This is Elizabeth Lamperouge, third in line to the throne from the Kingdom of Westeria," she said, a tone of impatience laced in her voice. "I am alone and surrendering to the knights of Castillion." She waited patiently for a response. Their response was swift as they methodically went about securing her. She said nothing as she followed their orders to be escorted away, as she knew they were merely doing their duty -- a rather bland one, in her opinion. She soon found herself the castle of Castillion, admiring the architecture despite her disdain of it. She was adamant she'd be able to escape some how -- it just mattered if it was before they decided to kill her or afterwards. Being brought before the Prince was something she hadn't expected. It was then when she started struggling against her captors, tugging and pulling, almost deciding to use violence in a fit of desperate circumstances. It was useless. She was held in place when she'd met the Prince for the briefest of moments. She regarded him with a cold, almost detached look, before the Prince proclaimed her to be thrown to the dungeon. If she was anyone else's shoes, she'd laughed at the mere gall of it, but the dungeon itself was something to inspire trepidation.

A few moments later, she found herself chained to the wall of her cell, though somehow still impeccable in her presentation. She had still said nothing, instead using her energy on studying the people around her, and trying to understand what type of situation the kingdom was in. Perhaps, if she'd offer her services, they'd release her willingly. But alas, such plans were only if she couldn't find a way out of here in time.

[Lovely Complex]

Alexander followed Randolph through a variety of twists and turns throughout the castle until they landed at the door of the medics chambers. Randolph was about to open the door but Alexander stopped him. "Wait." He said as Randolph stepped back from the door and eyed Alexander. His breath was a little bit shaky as Randolph brought him in for a side hug, letting him know that it's going to be okay and made sure he was ready before he turned the knob and pushed the door open. It took Alexander a few moments before lifting one foot then the other until he was fully in the room and at his father's bedside. A tear began to stream down his face as he reached down and grabbed a hold of his hand. "You'll get well soon, father. I assure you."

Alexander muttered then released his father's hand before he turned heel and left the room, wiping his tears away with his hands then turned to look at Randolph. "I hope he lives." He spoke as Randolph nodded and rested a hand upon his shoulder, nodding his head. "Me too, my lord." Alexander grabbed Randolph's hand that on his shoulder and smiled at him. He had composed himself as he commanded his guard to then take him to the dungeons so that he could question the princess and want to know why she was traveling through their kingdom.

He and Randolph walked down a spiral staircase then right over to the princess' cell. Alexander stood right front of it and had a slight smirk appear upon his face. "Come closer, princess," Alexander said as he waited for her to come closer. He folded his arms over each other and his muscular chest before he continued. "Why were you traveling this way, princess? Surely you know that these roads are quite treacherous these days." He mentioned then looked toward Randolph and waved him away. "Leave us."

His eyes averted back toward the princess as he walked slightly closer to the cell now, his hands wrapped around the bars. "Look, I did not want to throw you in the dungeons but you honestly came through at a bad time. Hope you can forgive me." Alexander muttered nicely as he let out a breath before unwrapping his hands from around the bars and dropping them by his side now.

[ElizabethLamperouge]

Elizabeth scowled as the door to the cell -- if it could be called that -- opened. Her eyes quickly found those of the Prince's, and she composed herself, back to her calm self. She listened intently, not uttering a word in between the future king's questions, knowing that he would continue questioning her. She found herself sighing, eyes moving to the side to look at the wall as she spoke.

"Prince Alexander, future king of Castillion," she started, her voice a smooth, almost velvet-like texture. "I come as a scholar, not a princess -- evidently, since I have no guards with me. By the time the news of your father's sickness came to my ears, I was already here." She shook her head, a moment of sadness for the news. She hadn't wished anything ill upon Castillion, hell, on any kingdom for that matter. "I sincerely pray that your father will survive," she said solemnly, tears pricking her eyes -- she was an emotional person. It was her weakness to see others suffer in such a way.

[Lovely Complex]

The future king of Castillion. Alexander looked utterly disgusted whenever she said that then continued on listening to her. She wasn't here as a princess but as a scholar? That made no sense to Alexander as he lifted his arms up to fold over his chest now. Her words were smooth but he was unsure if she was putting on an act or not. "Hey, hey. Don't cry. He will be okay because your prayers and everyone else's will allow him to be. The gods have never failed us before so we'll just have to see." Alexander said kindly as he whistled for the dungeon guards, who came promptly.

"Let her out. She's seemingly harmless." His eyes averted back to the captured female now with a little smile. "I'd like to invite you to have a midday meal with me. If you wish to anyway. Also, I don't think I caught your name." Alexander mentioned with a brow raised as he waved his hand at her. "Oh, just tell me whenever you are ready. My guards will escort you to the dining hall. Again, I do apologize about this." He said before he slipped away up the spiral steps and started to wander around the kingdom before he made his way into the dining hall.

[ElizabethLamperouge]

Elizabeth was taken aback by being let out -- she'd definitely not expected that. She was silent as she stood gracefully, be as brushing off non existent dust from her clothes. At the offer of a midday meal, she internally groaned. She wasn't one for fancy dinners, let alone one with royalty. She nodded, and still stayed still as the guards undid her chains. She rubbed her hands where the chains had been, but thought nothing of it. Returning the small smile on the man's face, she waited for him to leave before walking out, unescorted and trying to find a way to continue her research and fit in a meal with the Prince. Shrugging, she ignored the guards of the castle, and made her way on foot to the market to find something to wear. Her garb was definitely not fit for a meal with an audience.

Once she was at the market, she found herself some clothes worthy of being worn from her trusted tailor, Sir Eugene. He was an artist in a way -- he regarded making clothes a hobby. When she was finished, she figured to go to her cabin that she'd rented. She changed and fixed her appearance. Arranging her hair in interloping braids, it looked as though she had a crown on her head. She thread a few silk ribbons through it. Her dress was a rich dark mahogany colour, rose detailing with silver thread and ruffles. Her appearance exuded royalty, and she was once again the princss. She took her private carriage, turning down the guards who'd come to her to take her to the midday meal. Soon she found herself being ushered to the place where the midday meal was to take place.