⚔ Medau Rp ⚔

[Deathcap]

In the midst of the chaos of the battlefield, Raven had long lost any trace of careful thought - fighting for his life against the much stronger, heavily armored soldiers around him, adrift in the sea of mud and ringing, sharp metal. The once bright cloak of Nirodromeose's colors -that marked him unfortunately as the crown prince- was now muddied, torn and splattered with an ugly red.
He squinted through the blood running into one eye and stumbled back as his opponent was run through on another man's blade, barely turning in time to catch the next blow on his buckler.
The boy pushed the blade away quickly and brought up his sword, hesitating for a split second as realization struck him - his gaze falling on the decoratively armored form of a young woman - his first time seeing the Queen up close. She looked so much more terrifying than her statues.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste took a step back, steadying herself. She was already breathing heavily from the battle, but she was still ready for more. She regarded the boy ahead of her, hesitating at how young he looked, not moving until she noticed the colours he wore before her eyes filled with cold determination before quickly striking at him again.

[Deathcap]

Raven stepped back quickly, broken from his hesitation as she struck out with an intimidating speed. He just managed to catch her sword, parrying it to the side, but was forced back again by how quickly she recovered. How was she moving so quickly?
He held his own for a few moments, thoughts racing as he looked for any opening while trying to keep himself aware of all the fighting going on around him while they exchanged blows. Her armor looked lighter compared to the chainmail weighing on his slight, tired form - she moved far more freely.

As their swords clashed another time, he met the icy look in her eyes with one of desperation through his one open eye, pushing back against her blade.
On another day - he might've had the strength to drive her back or at least hold his own, but the blade that had cut through his calf earlier had ruined any chance he had.
His leg buckled from the pressure and he slipped in the mud of the battlefield, crumpling onto his back with a cry of pain and fear.
Desperate, he let go of his sword - too heavy and unwieldly in this position for the small boy- and reached to brace his shield with both hands, just too slow as the Queen caught his wrist beneath her foot. Trapped, he looked up at the other in terror, breathing hard in his panic.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste panted, keeping her sword leveled inches from the princes throat. Her hesitation seemed to return as she looked down at the boy. She wouldnt do this. She wouldn't be this. She had stepped off of the boys wrist and started lowering her blade when she caught another blade out of the corner of her eye, barely twisting fast enough to parry the blow and back away, losing the boy in the mess of battle.

[Deathcap]

Raven looked up the blade at her, frozen in fear for a moment as he waited for her to drive the blade into his throat, his shaking shield hand raised slightly, mind racing as she drew back. He took a breath and pulled himself to his feet quickly as she dissappeared into the fray. Dazed, he hurriedly picked up his weapon.

‐----------------
Raven stood quietly on the marble floor of the castle throne room as they met with the Queen to negotiate her surrender. After all these months, could it finally end? He only wanted to go home to Ros, for there to be no more killing.
Still, he had to play this part. He knew Purgius would dominate the discussion, but for the first time in his life - he had some say in what would happen. He listened intently, standing with a practiced poise to the side. He dipped his head quietly as he was introduced, but didnt meet her her eyes. For her numbers, for how small her kingdom was, she had fought valiently for her home. Though they had met civilly, he knew at this point she had no real choice. He wished it hadnt had to come to this.

Purgius strode forward, heavy armor clanking, as he lay the king's demands before the young Queen. A long paper demanding her surrender of the lands under the kings forces, for trade tarrifs, for her marriage and allegiance to King Nirodromeus, for the execution of certain loyalists and the renouncement of titles, among many things. The king would punish her for her resistance, for the lives lost.
As the general finished reading them out, he stood back with a knowing look. "So, warrior queen," he remarked with a mocking tone. "Will you submit and hand yourself over to our lord? Or shall we raze the rest of your lands?" He questioned with a cruel interest.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste sat straight and stiffly in her seat at the table. She hated this. There were no good options left. She could only try to save who she could. She read through the demands somberly, wrinkling her nose at some of the worse ones.

She fixed the armored man with a restrained glare when he spoke. "I was under the impression that this was a meeting for negotiating surrender." She answered him, her tone even.

[Deathcap]

"Aye, heres youre surrender. Are you taking it or not?" Purgius rumbled. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, your highness, but you've nothing to stand on. This king would like you to meet his demands rather than waste the time drawing this out much longer, but personally, I'm looking forward to every one of your knights I get to carve open." He grinned.

Raven, listening anxiously, waited for a turn to speak. There was no way in hell they were drawing this out more. There had been enough.
"We want this to end." He spoke up, voice level and stern as his eyes flicked to the general. "What is it you wish to dispute?" He questoned, glancing at the paper.

[melodiousmysteries]

She narrowed her eyes hatefully at the general. There was apparently more than one reason they called him the pig. The name was apt. Her eyes flicked briefly to the boy, looking away just as quickly. "This here." She said, pointing to a line of the contract. "I will not have my men killed. If it is a concern of what they might do, rest assured I am more than capable of controlling my people, and I have no interest in putting them in harms way." She explained, glancing to the boy again.

[Deathcap]

Raven approached with some hesitance, stepping forward to see the paper himself. He had of course, read through it already, but wanted to make sure he was looking at the right statement. "Nirodromeous' concern here is that there will not be a movement of resistance under your commanders in your abscence." He explained, speaking carefully so as not to stumble over his words in his nervousness as he so often did. "If you were to have them swear a vow of loyalty to our King, or perhaps revoke their titles, would that be an alternative you'd agree to?"

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste looked the boy over, looking for any sign of deception. Finding none, she nodded. "Given that amendment, I find it agreeable." She stated, swallowing back bile as it threatened to rise in her throat.

[Deathcap]

Raven could feel Purgius watching him closely, but he knew that the other had no lawful power over him.
"Is that all?" He questioned, meeting her eyes, part of him wanting her to know there could be more. These demands were brutal and crippling - but he knew his father had likely expected for the negotiations to lead to adjustments. The fact that this was her initial and only dispute struck him with remorse. She really was desperate.
"Amendments and conditions can be made to others if they ensure your surrender." He offered more softly, trying to give her any footing.
The attack on her kingdom, her people, and the demands put forward all left a deep unease in the boy - even if Niro believed it was necessary. Besides, they may have been enemies, but once she agreed, they would be on the same side - the less resentment she held, the better.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste met his gaze, catching his meaning. She glanced back at the parchment before her. "At least two of these tariffs would serve only to hurt the general populus, which, once this is in effect, would in essence be his general populus. They don't make much sense as a whole." She suggested, afraid of pushing her luck.

[Deathcap]

He nodded quietly. Even given the chance to negotiate her own wellbeing, she was still only concerned about the welfare of her people. "We can make adjustments to the trade agreements, provided that lost wealth comes back around in a mutually beneficial way..." He conceded, not well versed on the specifics of trade, but it seemed like they wanted a similar goal.


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On the day of departure, Raven stood outside in the cool autumn air, walking along the last of the caravan and ensuring that everything was accounted for, for those who would be returning home. A large portion of the soldiers had been given orders to remain in order to maintain control, while Virmirus had been brought out to serve as lord over the lands in the Queen's absence.
He glanced at the general's carriage, where Purgius barked orders before stepping inside- his hulking form weighing down the thing on its wheels.
With a second thought, the boy turned to meet Iste first as she was led down from the castle steps by a procession of Purgius' soldiers - as if she might flee on foot with nothing to her name.

He walked up the steps to meet them, dipping his head as the soldiers came to a stop in front of him.
"Your majesty," He greeted softly. "I can escort her from here." He addressed the men, and one of them spoke up in turn.
"General Purgius ordered us to bring her to his carriage, my boy."
One of them spoke casually to the prince.
"There won't be need for that, I'll handle things, you can go."
He replied, voice quivering slightly despite himself as he gave the half-hearted order to the older, grizzled looking soldiers. To his relief, they dispersed without a fight, and he glanced back to the Queen.
"The general would like you to travel with him and his lieutenants... but it is your discretion - if it would be suitable for you-" Unprepared, he stumbled a bit, not wanting her to have to be subjected to the mercy of the pig and his men. "You could travel with myself... or there are the stock wagons, though I suppose I would still need to guard you there - but I could mostly let you be - neither are as nice as Purgius'- but I thought you might want the option to rest away from the soldiers." He offered uncertainly.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste looked at the boy somewhat surprised. She watched the guards leave, leaving her to relax for the most part. She spared a glance to where the general sat at his carriage. "I would much prefer your company." She told him with a grateful smile.

[Deathcap]

Raven nodded in understanding, gesturing over to one of the wagons near the back, climbing up onto the steps and holding the cloth tarp open for her to follow once everything seemed to be getting moving. "You can rest, I just need to speak to someone." He assured, hopping back to the ground.
Inside was a fairly typical wagon - crates along the sides with a few seats, supplies and a square bed of cloth-covered straw mattress in the far back.

After a few moments, Raven returned, finding a seat near his things, and taking a last glance out of the side as the carriages started to move. He was quiet for a while before speaking up - this was really their first time alone.
"You're very brave." He spoke up softly after a moment of thought. "I do not think I would have your dignity if I was in your place. It means little now, but I... I didn't want this. War is terrible. I wish that my father hadn't chose this fight." The boy tried to concede, but he knew his words were empty, even if he hadn't had a choice in fighting this war, the damage had already been done.
"I know that I cannot undo what's been done, but I promise that I will do what I can to ensure your conditions are honored." He offered with an exhausted sadness, clutching one hand in the other in his lap.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste looked back at her home one last time as they departed, a deep unease that had been building in her since this started finally settling over her completely. "We work with what we have, even if it's only what we have within." she told him evenly. Under different circumstances she might have been flattered. "careful. I may hold you to that." She warned with a small conspiratorial smile. She almost trusted the boy. She was glad she hadn't killed him.

[Deathcap]

Raven's gaze flicked up at her reply, nodding in partial understanding, unsure how she could be so steadfast in such circumstances.
"I mean it. I'll try my hardest." He committed. "My father is a quiet man. If you leave him to himself, I do not think he will go out of his way to... pay mind to you. The castle is large, but few live there." He added, trying to give her a bit of an understanding of what she would walk into. "Some staff, and guards, Purgius and some others, my teacher... my little sister, Roslyn. She just turned twelve, um, a few days ago." He added, his face a little sad at the thought he'd missed her birthday. "I think she'll like you, she's very sweet, she likes archery and sword fighting too... and she knows a bit of magic too." He recounted, tired eyes brightening a bit at the mention of the girl.
The boy hesitated then.
"I fear she won't recognize me." Raven got out, before wondering if he was over speaking.
"But I- I'm lucky to have the chance to see her again." The young prince met Iste's eyes.
"We met in that battle. You could have killed me, yet you didn't. I'm grateful, even if I don't understand why."

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste nodded, taking some comfort in the knowledge that she likely wouldnt be too sorely off in her new life. She glanced up at the boy briefly before glancing away. "I cant say I understand it myself, but I am far from regretting it now." She told him somberly.

[Deathcap]

Raven nodded quietly, glancing out the window as the countryside passed by, slowly turning into forest.

After several hours on the road, Raven glanced up at the sound of yelling outside, and soon the clang of steel on steel. Bandits? Or something more organized? He took the hilt of his sword as the carriage rolled to a stop. "Stay here." He muttered quickly as he hurried out the steps to see what was going on.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste sat up straight at the sounds, looking in the direction she heard them as though she could see the commotion through the canvas. Who or what would be fool enough to attack this of all convoys. She immediately ignored raves instruction, heading straight out after him.

[Deathcap]

Stepping out onto the forest floor, Raven took in that several of the carriages had moved ahead, leaving them separated. Had the pig ordered a change in pace for part of the caravan?
Realizing he was suddenly in charge of the four wagons, he tried to get his bearings quickly. "What's going on?!" He shouted up to the driver.

"We're being attacked! Someone on foot!" The man yelled back, positioning himself in the cover of the wagon.

Raven hurried towards the back, drawing his blade and rushing up to the commotion up ahead. He found two guards, clashing with a tall, well armored assailant, tied blond hair escaping beneath an ornate helmet - his colors those of Istes.

The knight toppled one guard, driving a blade through his thigh, and plowed through another as more soldiers rushed over. He hesitated as he saw Iste, then seemed to become only more determined.

Raven stepped in quickly, breaking off the other's path and engaging, not about to let the other injure anymore of their men. "Stand down if you don't want to die. You aren't going to win this." He warned coldly.

"As long as I take some of you with me. I won't let you take our lady." The knight retorted with a startling confidence, before stepping forwards.

The two clashed, and seemed nearly evenly matched for a few moments, exchanging blows. Raven's thoughts raced. Was this planned? Had Iste set something up? Why was it only one man? Still, he held his own, sure he was gaining ground until one of the soldiers came up from behind and drove their blade into the young man's back.

Raven's eyes widened in shock as the blade shot through the other's plackart and the knight stumbled, gasping painfully.
The prince stepped back carefully as the soldier tore the blade free, meeting eyes with the man with something between disappointment and disgust.

The knight stood for a moment, stubbornly clutching his sword, as if he still intended to fight the now idle prince, but then slowly went to one knee, wheezing pitifully, he spat something incoherent, a gauntleted hand releasing his blade and touching his waist as a fountain of blood spilled down through his armor.

Raven grimaced, feeling sick. He regained his grip on his blade with a now shaking hand, swallowing and raising the tip of his blade to the other's neck, just above his breastplate. He could at least make it quicker than this. "What's your name?" He asked, fighting to look at the other. "Have you anything left to say?"

The knight took a shuddering breath, before fiercely spitting blood to the ground. "I hope you die screaming." He snarled from beneath the helmet.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste watched the fight in disbelief. Was that Dalian? Of course he would. She had left instructions for all of her knights, and this certainly wasn't included. She was about to call out and admonish him for disobeying her orders when her friend was run through, her words instead coming out as a wail.

[Deathcap]

Raven glanced back with pitying eyes as Iste cried out, had she known about this? Or had it not gone as expected? He took a deep breath, keeping the sword level, but the knight slumped forward, falling onto his side, and breathing quick and short with the pain. Raven adjusted the blade, not phased by the man's biting words. "I'm sorry." He got out.

[melodiousmysteries]

Iste felt her breath come quick and shallow as she started to panic. What was one more crack in what little control she had left over anything in her life. She had never seen any of her men injured like this when she herself wasnt in armour.

"Please spare him" she called out shakily. "He means well. He cant help being so... so dimwitted." She tried to explain. She had already left everything else behind, she couldn't lose him too. Not like this.

[Deathcap]

Raven gripped the hilt of his blade, hesitating at Istes pleading as the knight gasped in pain at his feet. "Well intentioned enough to hurt my men after surrendering." He replied warily, before looking to his men. "If you could find me something to bind him with, and supplies. I want to find out where he got these ideas before I kill him." He ordered softly. "But bandage the wounded after we get moving, I don't want to wait for more to arrive." He added.

He kicked away the others sword and stooped by the man, cutting free the straps of his armor and leaving them in the dirt. He grimaced at the dark well of blood under his plate as he removed it, but quickly pressed the Knights unclipped cape to the gash. "Hold that there, you're bleeding badly." He warned

"Damn you." Choked the blond, trying to catch Ravens wrist but already weak. Strewn on the dirt, he looked past the other to see Iste and a defeated sadness filled his face, and he looked away, giving in as the pain overwhelmed him.

Raven took the rope as it was passed to him and quickly tied the other's wrists, but he doubted the other could still fight. Soon, with the help of another soldier, Dalian was brought into the wagon, no longer fighting, his armor and blade left behind for another to collect. Blood soaked the back and lower half of the front of his pale tunic, and by the time they had him laying on the floor of the wagon, he looked pale and sluggish.
Raven dismissed the soldier and did what he could to wrap the other's middle in cloth as the wagon began moving ahead.
"Who ordered this?" He asked.

Dalian's eyes flicked up to look at him. "If I tell you, you're going to kill me, I heard what you said." He got out, voice little more than a breath.

"I don't think I will need to." Raven replied. "Are there more of you? I'm assuming this wasn't your queen's orders?"

"No... I'm alone." Dalian admitted, face drained of color.

Raven thought to ask why, but he thought he understood. "If you wish to talk to him... I don't think he has long to speak." He told Iste solemnly, and stood, moving to sit near the back of the wagon and clean his hands, keeping a wary eye but allowing them to speak.

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