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‘Blood would rather spoil the effect of all your efforts, don’t you think?’
Xanthippe rather thought it would improve such efforts, but of course, she didn’t say this out loud—merely shot a glance in their direction and snorted. Part of her wished she could talk in Melina’s head the way the gods talked in hers, just so she could tell her to poke the wire a little harder. Blood-stained flowers were surely a sign of power, right? And wasn’t that what they were going for?
“He looks perfect, my lady,” Xan said with a completely straight face, though she could not remember the last time she had laughed so often in one sitting. Gods, but this whole thing was so ridiculous, and still, she could not understand the point.
Exiting the stall with the horse’s reins in hand, she gave them over to Achilleas and watched as he mounted up. “Best of luck, my lord,” she offered in a deliberately neutral tone, even as the depths of her blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “Looks like you’ve got some stiff competition out there.”
Glancing at the other competitors, she coughed back another laugh. A bunch of fops and dandies, the lot of them. Objectively, she thought Melina had done the best flower presentation, but maybe that wasn’t so objective, after all. She just preferred her lady’s tastes to… whatever else these people thought they were doing.
She watched for a moment as Achilleas made his way out to the track before turning to Melina with a markedly gentler smile. “I think you’ve got this thing won, my lady,” she told her mistress with a soft squeeze of her arm. “None of the others even compare.”
The pageant began and it was then that none other than the Lady Theodora approached, and Xanthippe didn’t think her amusement could be any greater. Not only did the Mikaelidas lord have to suffer the humiliation of this tournament, but now his fiancée would be witness to it, as well? Oh, how rich.
I feel like I should be thanking you all.
We told you it wouldn’t be so bad.
Curtsying in greeting as the woman nodded to her, she suppressed yet another laugh at the Leventi lady’s question of who decorated her betrothed. “We did, my lady,” she said, keeping her gaze low so as not to give away her expression. “It was all Lady Melina’s idea, of course. Doesn’t she have quite the way with flowers?”
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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‘Blood would rather spoil the effect of all your efforts, don’t you think?’
Xanthippe rather thought it would improve such efforts, but of course, she didn’t say this out loud—merely shot a glance in their direction and snorted. Part of her wished she could talk in Melina’s head the way the gods talked in hers, just so she could tell her to poke the wire a little harder. Blood-stained flowers were surely a sign of power, right? And wasn’t that what they were going for?
“He looks perfect, my lady,” Xan said with a completely straight face, though she could not remember the last time she had laughed so often in one sitting. Gods, but this whole thing was so ridiculous, and still, she could not understand the point.
Exiting the stall with the horse’s reins in hand, she gave them over to Achilleas and watched as he mounted up. “Best of luck, my lord,” she offered in a deliberately neutral tone, even as the depths of her blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “Looks like you’ve got some stiff competition out there.”
Glancing at the other competitors, she coughed back another laugh. A bunch of fops and dandies, the lot of them. Objectively, she thought Melina had done the best flower presentation, but maybe that wasn’t so objective, after all. She just preferred her lady’s tastes to… whatever else these people thought they were doing.
She watched for a moment as Achilleas made his way out to the track before turning to Melina with a markedly gentler smile. “I think you’ve got this thing won, my lady,” she told her mistress with a soft squeeze of her arm. “None of the others even compare.”
The pageant began and it was then that none other than the Lady Theodora approached, and Xanthippe didn’t think her amusement could be any greater. Not only did the Mikaelidas lord have to suffer the humiliation of this tournament, but now his fiancée would be witness to it, as well? Oh, how rich.
I feel like I should be thanking you all.
We told you it wouldn’t be so bad.
Curtsying in greeting as the woman nodded to her, she suppressed yet another laugh at the Leventi lady’s question of who decorated her betrothed. “We did, my lady,” she said, keeping her gaze low so as not to give away her expression. “It was all Lady Melina’s idea, of course. Doesn’t she have quite the way with flowers?”
‘Blood would rather spoil the effect of all your efforts, don’t you think?’
Xanthippe rather thought it would improve such efforts, but of course, she didn’t say this out loud—merely shot a glance in their direction and snorted. Part of her wished she could talk in Melina’s head the way the gods talked in hers, just so she could tell her to poke the wire a little harder. Blood-stained flowers were surely a sign of power, right? And wasn’t that what they were going for?
“He looks perfect, my lady,” Xan said with a completely straight face, though she could not remember the last time she had laughed so often in one sitting. Gods, but this whole thing was so ridiculous, and still, she could not understand the point.
Exiting the stall with the horse’s reins in hand, she gave them over to Achilleas and watched as he mounted up. “Best of luck, my lord,” she offered in a deliberately neutral tone, even as the depths of her blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “Looks like you’ve got some stiff competition out there.”
Glancing at the other competitors, she coughed back another laugh. A bunch of fops and dandies, the lot of them. Objectively, she thought Melina had done the best flower presentation, but maybe that wasn’t so objective, after all. She just preferred her lady’s tastes to… whatever else these people thought they were doing.
She watched for a moment as Achilleas made his way out to the track before turning to Melina with a markedly gentler smile. “I think you’ve got this thing won, my lady,” she told her mistress with a soft squeeze of her arm. “None of the others even compare.”
The pageant began and it was then that none other than the Lady Theodora approached, and Xanthippe didn’t think her amusement could be any greater. Not only did the Mikaelidas lord have to suffer the humiliation of this tournament, but now his fiancée would be witness to it, as well? Oh, how rich.
I feel like I should be thanking you all.
We told you it wouldn’t be so bad.
Curtsying in greeting as the woman nodded to her, she suppressed yet another laugh at the Leventi lady’s question of who decorated her betrothed. “We did, my lady,” she said, keeping her gaze low so as not to give away her expression. “It was all Lady Melina’s idea, of course. Doesn’t she have quite the way with flowers?”
Melina’s heart was pounding. Never in her life had she been so nervous- so excited! Was this what it was like to compete? Like really compete? She actually had a chance. As Lord Achilleas made his way to the other competitors, Melina saw it. Some were going to give them some real trouble. The flowers they chose were beautiful, and the rider was handsome. But others? They were laughably bad.
What if the judges don’t understand the nuances? What if they want him to smile and wave? What if they don’t know the meaning of the flowers? What if they think the red and the purple clash? I tried to make it so they were broken up with some fillers but…
Melina was fretting the whole time they were on the sidelines until another joined them. Melina looked over and saw her cousin, Theodora. Melina… didn’t know how she felt about Theodora. On one hand, she appreciated that she was also a reader. It gave them some common ground, although Melina wagered that Theodora didn’t read as much as she did. Still, they could converse easily enough. On the other hand, she was inhumanely gorgeous and had such a magnetic personality and it made Melina horribly jealous. It was unfair. Why did she get everything?
Because she’s blessed, that’s why.
But Melina didn’t have time to be grumpy. Xan answered her very quickly. Melina, meanwhile was leaning on the fence that separated them from the track. “Do you think he looks nice? I don’t know. I thought red and purple would be a good thing because of our families but they clash too- oh my gosh they got Love Lies Bleeding?! Where did they import those from?! Ugh! And look at that Crocus! We’re doomed!”
Please, oh please, oh please they just had to win! Melina would be devastated if they didn’t get first place! Especially when it was to that no good rotten jeweler. Ugh, she hated him. He was her arch-nemesis.
Melina blinked at Theo’s question- mostly not paying attention to her cousin with her eyes so rapt on the competition. “Huh- oh, yeah. I just asked him. He probably said yes because we’re cousins, I don’t know.” Melina didn’t really understand why he said yes. They certainly had no rapport. She didn’t necessarily tell him the truth but… well, he could have said no far before that. But he was actually giving his all so she wasn’t going to question it too critically.
But now was time for the race. Melina leaned even further in as if she was ready to hop it and run with them. She could see Achilleas leaning forward on his horse as it picked up more and more speed. Never had she found horse races exciting or something that she had wanted to waste her time on. But Melina found herself cheering for Achilleas.
Mr. Jeweler was on a fairly fast horse too. Melina didn’t like horses, but she was a Leventi she did know a little bit. To her, she thought he was running the horse too hard too soon. He was catching up to the Lord, getting closer and closer. The horse would have to slow down, Melina thought. He passed him, getting right in front of Achilleas before he grabbed the rein with one hand, and the other sliced a part of his flower decoration. The flowers flew back and into the Achilleas’s horse’ss face, catching on him and causing him to buck.
“That little cheater!” Melina gasped in anger, eyes lighting with fire. “Did you see that guys?! Did you see that! That’s sabotage! ” Come on Achilleas… regain control! Don’t fall off. You got to win this. Take that asshole down!
This character is currently a work in progress.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Melina’s heart was pounding. Never in her life had she been so nervous- so excited! Was this what it was like to compete? Like really compete? She actually had a chance. As Lord Achilleas made his way to the other competitors, Melina saw it. Some were going to give them some real trouble. The flowers they chose were beautiful, and the rider was handsome. But others? They were laughably bad.
What if the judges don’t understand the nuances? What if they want him to smile and wave? What if they don’t know the meaning of the flowers? What if they think the red and the purple clash? I tried to make it so they were broken up with some fillers but…
Melina was fretting the whole time they were on the sidelines until another joined them. Melina looked over and saw her cousin, Theodora. Melina… didn’t know how she felt about Theodora. On one hand, she appreciated that she was also a reader. It gave them some common ground, although Melina wagered that Theodora didn’t read as much as she did. Still, they could converse easily enough. On the other hand, she was inhumanely gorgeous and had such a magnetic personality and it made Melina horribly jealous. It was unfair. Why did she get everything?
Because she’s blessed, that’s why.
But Melina didn’t have time to be grumpy. Xan answered her very quickly. Melina, meanwhile was leaning on the fence that separated them from the track. “Do you think he looks nice? I don’t know. I thought red and purple would be a good thing because of our families but they clash too- oh my gosh they got Love Lies Bleeding?! Where did they import those from?! Ugh! And look at that Crocus! We’re doomed!”
Please, oh please, oh please they just had to win! Melina would be devastated if they didn’t get first place! Especially when it was to that no good rotten jeweler. Ugh, she hated him. He was her arch-nemesis.
Melina blinked at Theo’s question- mostly not paying attention to her cousin with her eyes so rapt on the competition. “Huh- oh, yeah. I just asked him. He probably said yes because we’re cousins, I don’t know.” Melina didn’t really understand why he said yes. They certainly had no rapport. She didn’t necessarily tell him the truth but… well, he could have said no far before that. But he was actually giving his all so she wasn’t going to question it too critically.
But now was time for the race. Melina leaned even further in as if she was ready to hop it and run with them. She could see Achilleas leaning forward on his horse as it picked up more and more speed. Never had she found horse races exciting or something that she had wanted to waste her time on. But Melina found herself cheering for Achilleas.
Mr. Jeweler was on a fairly fast horse too. Melina didn’t like horses, but she was a Leventi she did know a little bit. To her, she thought he was running the horse too hard too soon. He was catching up to the Lord, getting closer and closer. The horse would have to slow down, Melina thought. He passed him, getting right in front of Achilleas before he grabbed the rein with one hand, and the other sliced a part of his flower decoration. The flowers flew back and into the Achilleas’s horse’ss face, catching on him and causing him to buck.
“That little cheater!” Melina gasped in anger, eyes lighting with fire. “Did you see that guys?! Did you see that! That’s sabotage! ” Come on Achilleas… regain control! Don’t fall off. You got to win this. Take that asshole down!
Melina’s heart was pounding. Never in her life had she been so nervous- so excited! Was this what it was like to compete? Like really compete? She actually had a chance. As Lord Achilleas made his way to the other competitors, Melina saw it. Some were going to give them some real trouble. The flowers they chose were beautiful, and the rider was handsome. But others? They were laughably bad.
What if the judges don’t understand the nuances? What if they want him to smile and wave? What if they don’t know the meaning of the flowers? What if they think the red and the purple clash? I tried to make it so they were broken up with some fillers but…
Melina was fretting the whole time they were on the sidelines until another joined them. Melina looked over and saw her cousin, Theodora. Melina… didn’t know how she felt about Theodora. On one hand, she appreciated that she was also a reader. It gave them some common ground, although Melina wagered that Theodora didn’t read as much as she did. Still, they could converse easily enough. On the other hand, she was inhumanely gorgeous and had such a magnetic personality and it made Melina horribly jealous. It was unfair. Why did she get everything?
Because she’s blessed, that’s why.
But Melina didn’t have time to be grumpy. Xan answered her very quickly. Melina, meanwhile was leaning on the fence that separated them from the track. “Do you think he looks nice? I don’t know. I thought red and purple would be a good thing because of our families but they clash too- oh my gosh they got Love Lies Bleeding?! Where did they import those from?! Ugh! And look at that Crocus! We’re doomed!”
Please, oh please, oh please they just had to win! Melina would be devastated if they didn’t get first place! Especially when it was to that no good rotten jeweler. Ugh, she hated him. He was her arch-nemesis.
Melina blinked at Theo’s question- mostly not paying attention to her cousin with her eyes so rapt on the competition. “Huh- oh, yeah. I just asked him. He probably said yes because we’re cousins, I don’t know.” Melina didn’t really understand why he said yes. They certainly had no rapport. She didn’t necessarily tell him the truth but… well, he could have said no far before that. But he was actually giving his all so she wasn’t going to question it too critically.
But now was time for the race. Melina leaned even further in as if she was ready to hop it and run with them. She could see Achilleas leaning forward on his horse as it picked up more and more speed. Never had she found horse races exciting or something that she had wanted to waste her time on. But Melina found herself cheering for Achilleas.
Mr. Jeweler was on a fairly fast horse too. Melina didn’t like horses, but she was a Leventi she did know a little bit. To her, she thought he was running the horse too hard too soon. He was catching up to the Lord, getting closer and closer. The horse would have to slow down, Melina thought. He passed him, getting right in front of Achilleas before he grabbed the rein with one hand, and the other sliced a part of his flower decoration. The flowers flew back and into the Achilleas’s horse’ss face, catching on him and causing him to buck.
“That little cheater!” Melina gasped in anger, eyes lighting with fire. “Did you see that guys?! Did you see that! That’s sabotage! ” Come on Achilleas… regain control! Don’t fall off. You got to win this. Take that asshole down!
The horse was, unsurprisingly, a decent one. Having grown up with having the best of Leventi bred horses on his doorstep, Achilleas was not unacquainted with them and knew better than to think they would offer up anything substandard in this, a chance to show off their wares. Leaning low over the horses withers, he let the animal settle into a pace it was comfortable with, urging it onwards only when there was a gap to claim or a space to move into.
Sooner they got around the track sooner this was over, he repeated silently as a mantra, releasing the reins with one hand to prise the stupid flower crown from where it was slipping low and risking impeding his vision.
For a while, the track ahead was empty and the Mikaelidas Lord thought at least a win would be his consolation for this tomfoolery, but then there was a horse being ridden hard coming up dangerously close on the outside and he’d only just reacted to spur his own on when something flew through the air and snagged on the bridle. It was all that Achilleas could do to keep his seat as the horse shied wildly, and veered sideways, expressing its outrage with a buck or two before it decided to run after its fellow in case the wildflower beast was actually chasing it. It would have been a lie to say that Achilleas was really in control at that point, the lord more concerned with not faceplanting on the dusty track. He did manage to lean forward and flick away the offending garland and after a few beats had regathered the reins and his composure.
They had lost too much ground to make up entirely though, and Achilleas was scowling as he pulled to a halt having come in second to the idiot who’d nearly seen him unseated. Sliding from the back of the horse, the Mikaelidas man strode over to where the other rider was celebrating, stopping just short of the man and staring down at him, blue eyes blazing with annoyance. Whomever this fool was, he was distinctly unimpressed.
“You ride like an idiot,” he said, drawing the man’s attention, even as he reached out to finger the edge of sharp wire that protruded from the bridle of the man’s horse. “With seemingly as little care for your horse’s safety as for that of your fellow riders. A victory without honour is worth nothing”
Achilleas hated losing, but he hated cheating even more, and even when bedecked in floral garlands, the Mikaelidas manmade for rather an intimidating sight as he loomed over the other competitor. “What do you have to say for yourself? Actually, I don’t care. I’ll have you disqualified”
And he was looking around for someone official so he might do just that when he caught sight of Lady Melina hurrying over to where the horses and riders milled around. Only his heart sank when he realised she wasn’t alone, and Achilleas thought perhaps he had angered the gods somehow as he recognised Theodora’s unmistakable beauty next to her cousin. What had he done to deserve this?
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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The horse was, unsurprisingly, a decent one. Having grown up with having the best of Leventi bred horses on his doorstep, Achilleas was not unacquainted with them and knew better than to think they would offer up anything substandard in this, a chance to show off their wares. Leaning low over the horses withers, he let the animal settle into a pace it was comfortable with, urging it onwards only when there was a gap to claim or a space to move into.
Sooner they got around the track sooner this was over, he repeated silently as a mantra, releasing the reins with one hand to prise the stupid flower crown from where it was slipping low and risking impeding his vision.
For a while, the track ahead was empty and the Mikaelidas Lord thought at least a win would be his consolation for this tomfoolery, but then there was a horse being ridden hard coming up dangerously close on the outside and he’d only just reacted to spur his own on when something flew through the air and snagged on the bridle. It was all that Achilleas could do to keep his seat as the horse shied wildly, and veered sideways, expressing its outrage with a buck or two before it decided to run after its fellow in case the wildflower beast was actually chasing it. It would have been a lie to say that Achilleas was really in control at that point, the lord more concerned with not faceplanting on the dusty track. He did manage to lean forward and flick away the offending garland and after a few beats had regathered the reins and his composure.
They had lost too much ground to make up entirely though, and Achilleas was scowling as he pulled to a halt having come in second to the idiot who’d nearly seen him unseated. Sliding from the back of the horse, the Mikaelidas man strode over to where the other rider was celebrating, stopping just short of the man and staring down at him, blue eyes blazing with annoyance. Whomever this fool was, he was distinctly unimpressed.
“You ride like an idiot,” he said, drawing the man’s attention, even as he reached out to finger the edge of sharp wire that protruded from the bridle of the man’s horse. “With seemingly as little care for your horse’s safety as for that of your fellow riders. A victory without honour is worth nothing”
Achilleas hated losing, but he hated cheating even more, and even when bedecked in floral garlands, the Mikaelidas manmade for rather an intimidating sight as he loomed over the other competitor. “What do you have to say for yourself? Actually, I don’t care. I’ll have you disqualified”
And he was looking around for someone official so he might do just that when he caught sight of Lady Melina hurrying over to where the horses and riders milled around. Only his heart sank when he realised she wasn’t alone, and Achilleas thought perhaps he had angered the gods somehow as he recognised Theodora’s unmistakable beauty next to her cousin. What had he done to deserve this?
The horse was, unsurprisingly, a decent one. Having grown up with having the best of Leventi bred horses on his doorstep, Achilleas was not unacquainted with them and knew better than to think they would offer up anything substandard in this, a chance to show off their wares. Leaning low over the horses withers, he let the animal settle into a pace it was comfortable with, urging it onwards only when there was a gap to claim or a space to move into.
Sooner they got around the track sooner this was over, he repeated silently as a mantra, releasing the reins with one hand to prise the stupid flower crown from where it was slipping low and risking impeding his vision.
For a while, the track ahead was empty and the Mikaelidas Lord thought at least a win would be his consolation for this tomfoolery, but then there was a horse being ridden hard coming up dangerously close on the outside and he’d only just reacted to spur his own on when something flew through the air and snagged on the bridle. It was all that Achilleas could do to keep his seat as the horse shied wildly, and veered sideways, expressing its outrage with a buck or two before it decided to run after its fellow in case the wildflower beast was actually chasing it. It would have been a lie to say that Achilleas was really in control at that point, the lord more concerned with not faceplanting on the dusty track. He did manage to lean forward and flick away the offending garland and after a few beats had regathered the reins and his composure.
They had lost too much ground to make up entirely though, and Achilleas was scowling as he pulled to a halt having come in second to the idiot who’d nearly seen him unseated. Sliding from the back of the horse, the Mikaelidas man strode over to where the other rider was celebrating, stopping just short of the man and staring down at him, blue eyes blazing with annoyance. Whomever this fool was, he was distinctly unimpressed.
“You ride like an idiot,” he said, drawing the man’s attention, even as he reached out to finger the edge of sharp wire that protruded from the bridle of the man’s horse. “With seemingly as little care for your horse’s safety as for that of your fellow riders. A victory without honour is worth nothing”
Achilleas hated losing, but he hated cheating even more, and even when bedecked in floral garlands, the Mikaelidas manmade for rather an intimidating sight as he loomed over the other competitor. “What do you have to say for yourself? Actually, I don’t care. I’ll have you disqualified”
And he was looking around for someone official so he might do just that when he caught sight of Lady Melina hurrying over to where the horses and riders milled around. Only his heart sank when he realised she wasn’t alone, and Achilleas thought perhaps he had angered the gods somehow as he recognised Theodora’s unmistakable beauty next to her cousin. What had he done to deserve this?
