#heriteur

Alcryst would say it's hypocritical of himself to wish someone could be different. Who is he to say that this person should change in this specific way when he himself is so flawed beyond repair? It would be shameful, he doesn't have the right to think that way.

And then deep down he would have a secret running list of things that he wish he could change about other people.

Alcryst wishes Diamant would be more open about what worries him, his fears, all the things that he would normally not feel comfortable telling other people. He truly wants to become a trusted confidant to his brother.

Alcryst wishes Lapis would be more honest. He trusts her enough that she wouldn't lie about truly important things, but he worries about her habit of hiding things about herself. Her upbringing, her hobbies, her superhuman strength, etc. He truly wants her to recognize her own virtues, but there is an aspect of like... he doesn't want to constantly question if she is hiding something from him, and he worries about distance growing between them if enough is left unsaid.

Alcryst wishes that Citrinne and his mom were here with him, or that he was closer to his family, because so much has happened and he wants to be able to tell them in person rather than through letters.

Alcryst wishes that Ivy would lighten up on the teasing a bit because sometimes she really takes him for a loop and he's afraid of accidentally causing a diplomatic incident. He's starting to trust her and pick up on when she's joking, but he still has a habit of overthinking and it's not good for his heart.

I think in general Alcryst would want people he cares about to see themselves how he sees them: for all their good qualities, no matter how small.

Naturally, the one night that Mauvier wants to remain carefree...

"Surely you must possess some skill or craft you've always wanted to show the world?" the irritating suited man insists. "Now is your once in a lifetime chance!"

Mauvier possesses no such thing. He is no painter, or sculptor, or playwright. Certainly not a model, or even a socialite. He may sew yarn animals during slow guard shifts, but he would prefer to keep such a thing to himself.

"For the last time," says Mauvier, his tone growing firmer, "I do not wish to sign myself away to whatever it is you are selling. This is a special night; leave us be."

"Ah," the man continues, undeterred, "but it is the fact that this night is special that we're looking for talent!"

The man is nearly half Mauvier's height and build; he must look much like a buffalo being accosted by a gnat. Still, nothing he says seems to shake him. Mauvier's eyes dart around the room, locking for a moment with Prince Diamant - King Diamant? - across the ballroom floor.

"Hm?" The man seems to be watching as Forde pours a trio of those sweet buns into his bag. "I think the popcorn's nice, but it needs a little something to shake things up." He grins, as he shakes the bag.

The end result is... very sticky. Between the honey and the cream and the other cream, Forde needs a second to pick some popcorn out of the mix. As for the flavour...

different ways | Accepting!

It’s one of those nights.

Usually, Yunaka’s the one who can’t sleep. She deals with it the best she can. Just because she’s suffering doesn’t mean Diamant has to suffer with her, and she’s got a good few tricks to knock her out so she’s not totally miserable the next morning.

Occasionally though, it swaps, and Diamant is the one awake way later than a busy guy like him should be. That exact business usually doesn’t help the problem. Most of the times she’s come out to find him, he’s been sitting at their table working away on something instead of lying in bed trying to sleep like he should be. Some nights she nags him back to bed with threats or bribes or whatever else she can think of. Some nights he insists he’s fine and stays up and working. When Yunaka opens the door to her room, she sees a soft light on near their table and sighs quietly. One of those nights.

Her bare feet are quiet as she pads across the length of the apartment. About midway, she steps a bit more intentionally to make some noise and avoid startling him. The book he’s reading is some kind of text book that she can’t guess the contents of at a glance. Obviously not important enough to be keeping him up like this. She braces one hand against the table as she leans over him. “Diamant.”

There’s a bit of the usual fight. A sigh, some grumbling, but she waits and he does look up at her, like he always does. Yunaka takes a moment to look at him in turn. There’s the sign of what will be bags under his eyes soon. He looks exhausted. Yunaka sighs quietly from her nose in turn before leaning down.

There’s no rush when she kisses him. For all his fight about staying awake, he melts easily and quickly, and the pressure from his hand resting on the back of her head doesn’t startle her like it used to. There’s just enough space between him and the table for her to slip her way closer. She flips the book shut behind her and slides it farther across the table. He shouldn’t need that anymore when he’s got her settling between his legs instead.

It’s bribery, sure. But they both enjoy it, and he’s never complained after the fact, so Yunaka takes her time and goes back for seconds before she finally breaks the kiss. Her forehead rests against his as she meets his gaze as best she can and smiles. Her tongue runs over her lips quickly before she speaks. 

It was as if they were regaining some small sense of normalcy...

If one could call battle normal. Diamant didn't think it should be, as much as a good fight did stir his blood.

The Brodian rolls his shoulder as he passes through the courtyard, muscles sore from a day of hefting around materials and supplies. Nothing a good rest couldn't fix, which was what he intended to do, before—

A familiar figure brings him to a pause. That black hair. The unique garb. Built arms, and that controlled, balanced gait...

"Kagetsu?" Diamant questions. With Ivy here, it would be no surprise to find her retainer far behind, and yet... "Is that you? It's been a while, my friend!" He can't help the smile that spreads across his face, eyes already wandering in search of the other man's sword. Spars with Kagetsu had always been some of the most challenging and thrilling.

"I take it you've come to check in on Iv—Queen Ivy?" His smile falls a bit, "I'm sure you've heard. The attack on the monastery was a... harrowing experience for us all, but rest assured: she, at least, came to no serious harm."

Soundless is Kagetsu, contrary to the great stir of his existence, how deeply his laugh fills the air like the space between heaven and earth is not enough to contain it. After all, a swordsman worth half his salts—salt? sugar? pepper?—must always step lightly. Invest too heavily in the wrong movement, focus, and pressure, and one will be too late to move - to dodge or retaliate as they should. Even a single mistake will cost them immeasurably, and Kagetsu of Pale Sands has never known defeat before he became Kagetsu of Elusia.

He has never made a mistake.

So lightly does he walk; at all times with footsteps few, measured, and calm. Then, at the call of a known voice and consequent turn of his body: measureless and abounding, as if hush lunar flowers might bloom with every step. "It is wonderful to see you once more, Prince Diamant! My friend! My prince! My friend!"

He jumps joyfully around the Brodian royal, attracting the stares of man and beast alike. A cat perched upon a half-broken stone wall looks up from its paw; a dog ceases to wag its tail; two squabbling squirrels abandon their feud over the same nut. Then he stills. Sudden sobriety hauls like a curtain over an illusive visage of youth and there is no trace of a smile.

"Ah. Forgiveness I beg. You are king now. It is King Diamant."

And the smile returns, equally friendly if more serene.

"That is indeed my reason, King Diamant, even if only half." Kagetsu of Elusia nods, observes the surrounding effects of destruction that his friend speaks of. He has discovered as much on his own and there is great cause for worry on Queen Ivy's behalf. ". . .The other half of my reason can wait. I seek for new lands and here is one before me! But it is not ready for my duels."

Fair; that is the spirit of conflict that Kagetsu seeks, opponents fought on equal footing and health. He will not strike at people plagued by misery. Instead he shall help. Equipped with the same bright, blinding grin as he wears now.

Etie stares at the picture in her hands, face scrunched up into something remotely akin to an expression of concentration. She glances up to Diamant once, twice, then breaks out into a grin. "Check this out, Prince Diamant. I think I captured you just fine!"

"See, any time I think of you-- I picture this big, burly guy ready to take on anything! Strong and fierce looking. So I gave you the biggest arms I could manage." (( LMAO OK AND AN ACTUAL MUN-BASED DIAMANT. ))

A group of wyvern knights descends upon the slavers and a fight ensues. Both sides suffer heavy losses, but it allows the chance for a few of you to get away. Lukas, Sara, and Diamant flee for the dunes.

... [They] run far enough to find rockier landscape. And blessed shade in the valleys between rocks. Among these seem to be the entrances to caves. Lukas managed to reclaim his Silver Lance in the chaos of the earlier fight, but he seems slower than usual, more tired than the rest. The rest of you remain unarmed. It is late afternoon of the same day you arrived. You are all exhausted.

As he recounts the day's events, Lukas briefly makes a mistake. The shipwreck, waking up on the shore, getting captured by slavers only to escape from them hours later... it takes a second to realize that all of these things happened today, all on the same day.

Gods, he feels awful. Aching in his head and neck, thirsty, exhausted. No wonder he feels this way considering all that's happened. Lukas is fortunate to have been able to recover his lance in the state he's in. But Diamant and Sara aren't so lucky, meaning that the group's defense and safety currently falls on his shoulders. An exhausted, injured man's shoulders.

Lukas turns to Diamant, "Can you wield a lance? ...Should the worst happens, I'd rather this end up in your hands than the enemy's."