Lady Marissa (xerxes)

[Foxypockets]

The king's private study was more than pleasant. The walls were lined with shelves, and a large, accented desk sat in the middle of the room. The king was seated behind it. He looked tired. His brown hair was greying near the roots, and his beard was dotted with white, though maintained most of its color. He had strong, proud features, and were it not for the current tension in the court, he would have been handsome.

Unfortunately, there were serious matters at hand. "Joan, you're my best soldier. Lady Marissa was my daughters best friend. If you can find the slavers that took her, you will be rewarded handsomely- as will you," he nodded to both the tall brunette in the middle of the room, and the blonde that stood a little behind her. "It would mean a great deal to my family, but the task will probably be a bit more difficult than just guarding the palace."

"Understood, your Majesty. We'll handle it." She stood at attention and then bowed to him.

"Thank you. You're dismissed."

---

Joan leaned over the front of her saddle and huffed. She was bored out of her mind. The road had been clear for days, but they didn't seem to be getting any closer to Lady Marissa. "Hey man. Tell me a joke." She looked over her shoulder at her companion and wrinkled her nose, grinning at him.

(Sorry it's so short. Didn't wanna be too presumptive with your character.)

[xerxes]

"You never get sick of jokes no mather what you're doing." Lukas replied. He approached her. Being next to her the two ware almost of exact height, but Lukas' masculine body was trowing a shadow on Joan's whole figure.

"What kind of joke would it be today" He replies and looks into Joan's eyes, smiling.

(I'm not used at writing a very long paragraphs, as i like to leave other player some freedom at taking the next step.)

[Foxypockets]

(Okey dokey.)

Joan looked thoughtful for a moment, glancing at the sky. "I dunno, Lukas. Surprise me." She glanced at him, met his eyes, and grinned. Lukas was a tall man- probably had about an inch on her, and she had a fairly imposing stature. But he was far more muscular, and was, in general, a larger person. She was sure she'd heard all of his jokes, multiple times. They spent a lot of time just going back and forth with stories and riddles that amused them. She was sure that they all knew the same ones.

[xerxes]

Lukas started thinking about the jokes he knew, trying to find a 'recent' one that he has not yet told to Joan. "Well there is a story of a knights who robbes and pillages the villages. One day he returns to his king with loot." Lukas starts the story. "Tell me of your battles, says the king. My lord, I was robbing and burning the villages of your sothern enemies on your behalf, knight says proudly. Sothern enemies? kings replies worried. But I have no southern enemies. Well, knight says and shrugs, you do have now m'lord."

[Foxypockets]

Joan gave her masculine, snorting laugh. It wasn't a joke that required a huge guffaw of laughter, but she did show her amusement. "Man, can you imagine what Reginald would do if any of his knights pulled that?" Reginald was the king, who had sent them on this, rather dry, mission.

"Fancy a race, Luke?" They'd been traveling at a quick trot the whole time. Maybe a bit of a gallop would get them closer to finding the slavers who'd taken Marissa. And maybe it'd put a little bit of life into the trip.

[xerxes]

"No I can't imagine it." Lukas replies "And if I think, I don't want to imagine." He laughs. "A race, i don't know. Let me think." Lukas starts to push his horse a bit faster, trying to secretly gain some advantage over Joan. "Maybe we could race, as from now on!" His horse starts to gallop even before he finishes a sentence, leaving Joan behind. He laughs and look behind.

[Foxypockets]

Joan growled after him, spurring her horse into a full-on gallop. This wasn't unlike either of them- trying to sneakily gain an advantage on the other. They were equally matched in nearly everything. She had just spent more time in the royal guard, and had gained her title fair and square.  She drew even with him, bent low over the front of her horse. "Stay with the trail!" She managed, pulling ahead of him by an inch or two. She didn't mean the trail they'd been riding on. She meant the trail they'd been following.

Suddenly, though, the wagon marks had veered off of the road. "Woah!" She turned her horse, following them and basically forgetting about the race. Her horse stopped, though, right at the edge of a thick forest. She sat back and looked up at the imposing trees. "Well, would ya look at that. Looks like they're tryin'a be discreet, Luk."

She dismounted and looked around. The wagon had gotten in somewhere. Surely there would be room for their horses.

Then she saw it. Hidden under a few branches was the wagon. The slavers had clearly taken their captives in on foot. "Damn."

[xerxes]

Lukas stops only a few meters ahead. He looks for a footsteps an a road but there is no visible trail. He walks his horse back to Joan. "There are no recent footsteps ahead." He says. "They must have continued their way through the forest." He dismounts and steps behind Joan. "But I have won the race." he laughs and pokes Joan.

[Foxypockets]

((I'm sorry. I really prefer more detailed and longer posts. It just makes it easier to respond to. I don't know if I can continue this thread with you... </3)

[xerxes]

(Ok no prob. Great story though I hope you find another player:)

[Foxypockets]

(Thanks a bunch. Good luck with your approval process. <3)