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Civilian
HUMAN
32 years old
EMPRESS
played by CAEDMON
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i've found a man inside your chest, some will tear him up and i will lay him some rest
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Post by ALTHEA VOLKOV on Jan 19, 2015 2:09:10 GMT
she does not like to be contained. she does not like to hide her face. it makes her seem weak. althea has no desire to hide-- and she does not necessarily have to. the palace guards insist but she is well aware that she commands them, but perhaps it is better sometimes to just listen to them. they mean well, they only want to keep her safe. althea is not like her brother. she will grant them the satisfaction of 'protecting her.'
the crypts interest her just enough to keep her from going mad-- even the first few hours frustrate her. she can hear the screams above and the many footsteps-- the guards tell her to stay put. when she doesn't listen, they say adjacent rooms only.
she is not an empress yet. but that does not mean she answers to them.
althea has told them to summon many people for her and stefan is only one of them. she remembers him as a devoted servant of the empire-- a useful man to her brother. his loyalty is questionable, although not because he seems dishonest, but instead because he seems too willing. too able.
but in times like these, althea does not decline help. LAIKA OF GS!
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Champion
HUMAN
25 years old
IMPERIAL AGENT
played by redox
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Post by STEFAN FINLEY on Jan 19, 2015 3:32:44 GMT
a sparrow had whispered in his ear one day, the two of swords had become the empress. stefan had wasted no more time after that. he must see, not to judge (never to judge), but to observe. whether she chooses to ascend above or to set herself aflame, he will carry out her conclusion. he does not even care to be a part of that ending. he had lingered in the shadows for awhile, only out of sheer habit. eventually, he catches sight of a glimmer of diamond, gentle velvet, and harsh dragonskin leather. only then does stefan step out, not wishing to cause her offense by acting like a sneak-thief. he walks to the woman who would become king. stefan drops to one knee and keeps his head bowed. he looks at the ground, rather than her eyes. a man of faith does not need to see. "i am yours." there is no other introduction that she needs. THALIA DE LUCALAIKA OF GAGNAM STYLE
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Champion
human
20 years old
imperial champion
played by tsundere
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my love would not know what to do with a flower garden.
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Post by THALIA DE LUCA on Jan 19, 2015 6:11:43 GMT
here, inherit my kingdom. | She is not Stefan. She does not kneel. Though the thought was treason, she never considered herself a tool of the man who bore the weight of this crown before Althea, and she does not serve the throne. A life in knives does not endear one to authority, and Thalia has never believed in the Goddess or her divine right. If the family that wears the crown is god-touched, she has yet to see proof. There was no choice for her in the matter of joining the military; no choice in being a champion, but there is a choice in what she chooses to do with it, how she chooses to wield her sword, and that has been enough for her. She has never served the emperor. She serves the people who have borne him up upon their backs so that he may reach to touch the heavens. But that thought, of course, is treason. She does not voice it, or let the shadow of it rise to her eyes. She keeps it locked in her secret heart. Thalia stands beside Stefan. She bows with one hand over her heart in a salute. Above her, the world shakes. "What would you have of me, Your Imperial Majesty?"ALTHEA VOLKOV |
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Civilian
HUMAN
32 years old
EMPRESS
played by CAEDMON
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i've found a man inside your chest, some will tear him up and i will lay him some rest
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Post by ALTHEA VOLKOV on Jan 19, 2015 15:04:14 GMT
stefan finley kneels. thalia de luca stands. she does not agree with either gesture, because if she was in their position, she would do neither. (an empress is only a woman until she is officially deemed so.) and a noblewoman does not deserve a kneel, and a noblewoman does not deserve a title. a noblewoman doesn't deserve respect; she has to earn it.
but still, althea appreciates it. they're intelligent people and they only treat her this way because it is custom.
she bows her head ever so slightly at them, focusing in on thalia first. "thalia de luca, i've heard much about you. all good things." she offers a curt smile. " 'a force to be reckoned with.' those are my brothers words." she remains fixated on thalia, stern. "i need to know if i can trust you. i need to know if shara can trust you." she turns to stefan.
"stefan finley, i have watched you assist the emperor firsthand." what used to be the emperor. "my brother was a secretive man, i'm sure you know. to this day, i am unaware of the specifics of your services. i have no desire to know what you have done for him in the past, i only ask that you tell me if you remain loyal to shara."
"if either of you cannot offer any assistance amidst this chaos, you may go." she gestures to the far-off light filtering in from the palace entrance. "no hard feelings." LAIKA OF GS!
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Champion
HUMAN
25 years old
IMPERIAL AGENT
played by redox
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Post by STEFAN FINLEY on Jan 20, 2015 6:58:03 GMT
he's been reading the news. stefan has been experiencing the news as of late. nobles squabble among themselves and traitors rouse the rabble. stefan flits between them all, his sight always straight and true. he does not raise his head. "whatever shara becomes, i am hers. where she goes, i follow."even if it becomes althea volkov. even if it becomes a mighty war sweeping across the lands. even if it becomes peace. THALIA DE LUCALAIKA OF GAGNAM STYLE
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Champion
human
20 years old
imperial champion
played by tsundere
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my love would not know what to do with a flower garden.
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Post by THALIA DE LUCA on Jan 20, 2015 23:56:13 GMT
here, inherit my kingdom. | Thalia freezes in place like coiled wire. She hums with a faint charge, energy snaking down her spine. "I have always served the empire faithfully," she says. "I have no other desire."ALTHEA VOLKOV |
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Civilian
HUMAN
32 years old
EMPRESS
played by CAEDMON
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i've found a man inside your chest, some will tear him up and i will lay him some rest
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Post by ALTHEA VOLKOV on Jan 21, 2015 2:35:43 GMT
althea looks at thalia, carefully; unblinking. "none?" she smiles.
"both of you are very capable people." she takes a sharp breath. "to begin, i wanted to ask if you were loyal to the sharan empire. and it seems you are." althea looks at stefan, craning her neck. still kneeling? "you may rise, stefan." she says awkwardly, unsure of how to address a devoted young man such as him.
"as you can clearly hear," she pauses for a moment, listening to the rumbling and screaming from above, "the citizens of shara are in peril after the attack. i'm sure you can guess who our prime suspect is. thalia-- i do not like to say it, but i need forces. our military is great, but another squad, a much smaller one. to scout, you could say."
"but i also want zeppelins." she says quietly. her voice is barely audible above the roars and thuds against the earth above. it slithers like a snake but it bites like one too. "zeppelins, or the plans for them...i believe they can prove useful. you've seen what they've done here." a pause.
"stefan, i want you to go with her. any information about irkalla's possible defense, any map you can bring me-- i want it." LAIKA OF GS!
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Champion
HUMAN
25 years old
IMPERIAL AGENT
played by redox
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Post by STEFAN FINLEY on Jan 21, 2015 7:11:40 GMT
his self control hides his doubts, but that does not mean that stefan can completely repress them. he's used to having to prove himself before he can raise his head. he can only hope that althea volkov will not be eaten alive. no. that is wrong. he will not allow her to be eaten alive. (can you support a world on your shoulders? will you break? he won't. that is the only acceptable answer.) "i have infiltrated them before." that's all that anyone needs as a prelude. "constructing or operating our own zeppelin fleet would require specialized experience. that would require either training sharan technicians over the course of months - if not years. the alternative would be abducting irkallan scientists whose loyalties are suspect at best and treasonous at worst." a brief pause. "...unless i have entirely misconstrued your intentions. it is also entirely possible to develop anti-air countermeasures with magic, a field in which the empire has the superior advantage." he didn't have much to say in the way of small talk, but stefan gave his reports the way that he wrote his logs - dry, humorless, unedited. "i will go as the crown commands. de luca, i hope that you have no objections to our arrangement." no, he doesn't truly care. thalia's objections do not matter. THALIA DE LUCALAIKA OF GAGNAM STYLE
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Champion
human
20 years old
imperial champion
played by tsundere
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my love would not know what to do with a flower garden.
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Post by THALIA DE LUCA on Jan 22, 2015 7:00:25 GMT
here, inherit my kingdom. | She is silent while Althea speaks, despite the woman's question to her. Her blood simmers. For a moment she is filled with a raging mistrust of this woman, of her voice, of her pressed clothes. But then, it has never been necessary to trust the throne, or to love it. Only to use it as sword and shield. "I have no wish but to serve," she says again when they are both done speaking. A non-answer for her reply. Let Althea do what she will with it. Thalia suddenly has no greater desire but to already be on her way from this room. "I will see an imperial witch for a glamour and Stefan and I can be gone before the hour is up."ALTHEA VOLKOV |
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Civilian
HUMAN
32 years old
EMPRESS
played by CAEDMON
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i've found a man inside your chest, some will tear him up and i will lay him some rest
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Post by ALTHEA VOLKOV on Jan 25, 2015 15:27:57 GMT
"good." althea takes a step towards the door. "you may go, thalia. the empire thanks you for your willingness, and your cooperation."
she does not dismiss stefan. he's a smart man, and a devoted one-- she knows he won't leave until he is told to do so. she has more to speak with him about. LAIKA OF GS!
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Champion
HUMAN
25 years old
IMPERIAL AGENT
played by redox
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Post by STEFAN FINLEY on Jan 25, 2015 22:21:30 GMT
he awaits her command. not a muscle in his body moves out of place. later, thalia will receive an anonymous letter about their rendez-vous. their accommodations will have already been arranged by then. THALIA DE LUCALAIKA OF GAGNAM STYLE
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Champion
human
20 years old
imperial champion
played by tsundere
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my love would not know what to do with a flower garden.
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Post by THALIA DE LUCA on Jan 26, 2015 14:34:09 GMT
here, inherit my kingdom. | Thalia does not look back at either of them as she leaves: not the man kneeling or the woman standing before him, both of them as immaculate and distant as statues. There is no purpose to that. ALTHEA VOLKOV |
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Civilian
HUMAN
32 years old
EMPRESS
played by CAEDMON
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i've found a man inside your chest, some will tear him up and i will lay him some rest
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Post by ALTHEA VOLKOV on Jan 27, 2015 16:31:37 GMT
"i have one more thing to ask of you stefan," althea says, staring coolly at stefan. "keep an eye on her." she doesn't move an inch-- you can't hear a breath, not a blink-- althea is stone.
"she's a strong girl. i need to make sure she isn't going to double cross the empire." althea exhales. "whatever needs to be done to keep her in line, do it."
"you may go." LAIKA OF GS!
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Champion
HUMAN
25 years old
IMPERIAL AGENT
played by redox
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Post by STEFAN FINLEY on Jan 28, 2015 1:28:56 GMT
"your will is done."stefan bows once more before turning around and walking a good distance from the empress. he disappears in a cloud of smoke. /end? LAIKA OF GAGNAM STYLE
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