- take me where i have to go. [ lynx! ]

[~Snowy]

The tavern as empty as it seemed at first glance, surprisingly, but then again, he figured he should count his blessing. For once he didn't want anyone coming out of the wood works and recognizing him just for a guard to come and fetch him. It had been a long time since he'd escaped from castle life and he was going to enjoy it for as long as he could. Keeping his hand around the mug that sat on the farthest table from the door and anyone else, the young man pursed his lips, relaxing slightly at the quiet that surrounded him. He been about to go crazy; he had to get out of that place for a while, out of that court and away from all those who lived in it. He'd done so many before, and had traveled a good distance away from the castle at times, but he always returned, ususally mucky and filthy, his onyx black hair decorated with leaves and windswept every way possible. Probably not the best image a Prince should give, but at that point he really didn't give a damn. That wasn't to say he didn't like his father, oh no. He actually loved his family very much - from his noble and kindly father, to his brave and thoughtful brother, and lastly to his adorable and tiny little sisters... the young Prince's azure colored eyes softened in grief at the thought of his youngest sister, because with thoughts of her came thoughts of the woman his father had fallen in love with and fought so hard for, the woman who had given life to him and Alvar and Pali and Angela; had it really been only three years since the beloved queen of their home had been murdered?

Growling softly, he suddenly picked up the mug and chugged down the contents within - nothing more than a mild brew diluted with water that had long since gone warm. Aeron then slammed the cup against the table, breathing in deeply to try and ward off his grief. The loss of his beloved mother and the Kingdom's adored queen hit everyone in Aria hard; even though she was born of Media blood, she had ruled side by side with their father like she had been born into the Era Court herself, raising him and his three siblings without the use of a nanny and loving every moment of it. She didn't deserve what she got, but at least the bastard who struck the final blow - his own grandfather and some lackey, he could laugh - got what he deserved too, thanks to Uncle Zac... too bad it didn't bring her back. now little Angela would grow up without a mother. Without knowing the love she gave and the hearts she held... that was probably the worst part he figured. Managing to hold off his grief, Aeron decided to distract himself by glancing around the tavern, his icy colored eyes glancing here and there while he buried the fingers of one hand into his dark brown locks, sighing deeply in exasperation.

The tender of the tavern glanced over at him then, frowning softly before leaning over to fill another mug with the Prince's favored brew. This wasn't the first time the Prince had frequented this tavern, and it most likely wouldn't be the last with how things were going. The workers and the owner of the tavern were the only ones who wouldn't tell a soul about what where he frequented; as long as he paid for his drinks and didn't cause trouble, he was allowed to stay as long as he desired and they wouldn't tell a soul, for that he was thankful. The tender filled the mug a fourth of the way with the brew, then filled the rest with water and walked over to sit it on the Prince's table, getting a nod in thanks from the dark haired young man as he grabbed the empty one to go clean it, neither saying a word to each other during this time. Aeron wasn't one for talk anyway, especially not today... the anniversary of his mother's death. The rumble of thunder seemed to answer his sorrows, the downpour outside a perfect backdrop for his mood. It seemed even the land and skies cried for their lost queen today...

ooc; I recycled some from our last humanized post - hope that's okay. x3

[L Y N X !]

The light from the candle was low, casting long shadows in the sitting room where Rowan and her mother lingered. Ashia was settled in her dark wooden rocking chair, gently tilting it back in forth as she stitched on the dress that was resting on her lap. A grim scowl was on her face as she looked down angrily at her work, while Rowan studied her with a blank face as she leaned against the wall. It always happened once in a while where her mother would have emotional fits, but it was never too serious. She just learned to roll with the punches and remain calm, otherwise she would make it worse; she had figured that out the hard way. Ashia grumbled softly to herself as she continued to stitch, though her anger didn't upset the perfect line of pattering. "Leaving us with all of this work.. who the fuck do they think we are? Peasants? Mere slaves to their petty little desires? Those stuck up cravens think they can just waltz in here and tell me what to do. They're lucky I don't just throw their dresses to the rain!" she snarled, pulling the needle again through the dark material. Rowan merely shrugged at her, turning her attention to the window that had started to drip water, as thunder began to roll outside. "Well, it is the queen's death anniversary today, and there is supposed to be a ceremony tonight. I do agree with you that it was stupid of them to just drop this off and expect it to be done in a few hours, but it needs to be done. Will you be going?" she spoke softly, glancing back to the blonde companion still working away. "Mmn.. I suppose so. No use in not going. But no use in going either, she isn't going to miraculously come back is she? Ech.. yeah yeah.. Will you?" Roulette smiled, having distracted her mother from the source of her fury, and inclined her head. "Maybe. Like you said, it doesn't really matter if I go or not." After glancing outside at the rain again, she sighed and walked over to the hanger next to the door, where a dark, heavy cloak was hanging from one of the hooks. She grabbed it and swept it over her body in one flurry of a motion, fastening the button at the throat to secure it to her. "I think I will be going before the rain gets any worse. I'll start on those orders in the morning, goodnight." She walked over to Ashia and reached down to kiss her on her cheek, listening to her mumble a goodbye, not looking up from her stitching, and headed for the door. She stepped outside and closed the door securely behind her, standing on the sheltered porch for a moment, taking a deep breath before diving into the rain.

In truth, she was heading home, but she did want to take a little detour. There was nothing to do on a rainy day such as this, so going to the tavern that was close by to her home was an idea that settled warmly in her bones. The streets were deserted already as she rushed through the rain, her skirts and the tail of her cloak billowing behind her as she cut through semi-sheltered alleyways. After a few minutes of jogging she had to stop to catch her breath under a balcony of a shop, and began to cough as she felt her lungs begin to ache. Great. Rain always troubled her airways, but running hurt her the most. Well, it took pain to make you feel alive, she supposed. After regaining her breath, she took off again, splashing water around her ankles. She nearly slammed into the door when she finally arrived at the tavern, panting slightly as she tried to calm her rapid heartrate, before she stepped inside. A quick sweeping glance showed her that there was only one other person in the tavern beside the bartender, which worked alright with her. She slipped off her hood on her cloak and stepped farther inside, shivering at just the sight of the fire that glowed in the hearth. She smiled at the bartender as she stepped up to the counter, resisting the urge to cough. "A Honeymead Ale, would you?" she asked, her orange eyes crinkling softly as she continued to smile. The bartender nodded and reached under the counter to prepare her drink for her, and she turned away, heading straight for a seat by the fire. Taking off the cloak, now heavy with rain, she shook it off and hung it against the back of her chair to dry as she settled into it, her teeth beginning to chatter. Perhaps she should have stayed home; her doctor always yelled at her for doing these things, but she just couldn't stand not being able to live normally like everyone else. If her doctor had gotten his way, she would be living out in the countryside with plenty of bed rest and people to tend for her every whim. But she didn't have the money for that sort of life of lazy luxury, and even so she would be bored out of her mind. Better to die young and enjoy life to the fullest than die old with nothing to show for it. Drawing closer to the fire as her teeth continued to lightly chatter, she looked up as the bartender came over and handed her her drink. "Thank you," she said softly, taking a sip as he walked away after a simple nod. The alcohol spread a warm feeling through her bones, and she sighed gently, her orange eyes reflecting the flames as she mulled over its warmth.