The Princess and her Guardian -[:AlluringHaru:]-

[Haruchai]

The Aegis: a powerful organization that protects the Royal Family of the Old Kingdom. Human in nature, The Aegis has served elven kind for centuries. Looked upon not as equals, but as a necessity, members of The Aegis are trained from the time they can walk in the arts of war. Warriors born and bred to protect the Crown, members of The Aegis have reached the pinnacle of human perfection. Those found lacking for this caste are discarded and only the best remain.

So it has been for the entirety of the Old Kingdom in the world of Palladium. Treaties that were made between men of old and the elves still bind The Aegis to the Old Kingdom, despite other kingdoms of men having freedom of their own. Those of The Aegis do not envy these other men, and fulfill their duties as set forth by the Gods and the Old Ways.

Hjalmar Stone is one such warrior. Trained to be a paragon, Hal is an exemplary warrior; strong, fast, intense and full of passion. House Stone is a proud founding family of The Aegis, and Hal carries on this tradition. For more than a decade he trained in various weapons and has mastered several. As he reached his physical maturity he was sent to the Kingdom of Timiro to study under the tutelage of various scholars. It was here that the young member of House Stone learned the necessary skills that would help further him in the world with more than just his strong swordarm. It was here in Timiro, away from the elven royalty, that he reached his age of majority.

While Hal studied in those faraway lands, rumors and talked swirled over the face of Palladium. Rumors of dark forces far to the West, from the Badlands and from Astat itself, that swept eastward. Razing all before them, these kingdoms were on a mission of conquest, and little was found that could stand in their way. As such talk seemed to be confirmed, Hal was bidden to make haste back to the Old Kingdom. He did so, not knowing what he might find.

Arriving at one of the fortified cities of the Old Kingdom, Fort Mana, what greeted Hal was not a pretty sight.

The proud warrior sat upon the elvish steed, the mare barely winded even after the last few hours under gallop. Hal's tall form sat straight in the saddle as he'd reined her to a stop, looking out over the plain that surrounded Fort Mana. He could see the immense forces that the enemy had fielded, and they'd be upon the city within a few hours. He had to hurry.

Spurring Yithiel onward, the mare leapt forward, the ground a blur under her hooves as she sped across the ground. Hal gritted his teeth as he saw advance scouts from the corner of his eye, veering his direction as they sought to intercept him. His bow, Starshot, was soon in hand, an arrow nocked. Archery from horseback was something that Hal had studied for many hours under the tutelage of Grand Weaponmaster Surge, and soon he let fly. The arrow arced up then fell to earth in a streak, taking one scout completely out of the saddle, his skull pierced by the ebon shaft. This gave the others pause and enough of a break that Hal reached the gates well before them.

Noting the golden filigree upon the sternum plate of his armor, which only those of The Aegis were allowed to wear, Hal was recognized and allowed in, passing under the barbican and the watchful eyes of those manning the murder holes above. Grandmaster Surge himself met the young man from House Stone.

"I am sure you've seen the barbarian horde at our doorstep." Surge told his young prodigy.

Hal nodded. "Hard to miss, m'Lord. Where do you need me?" he asked, eager to be put to use and test his mettle in true battle.

Surge could see that eagerness and said, "You have been honored, and assigned to guard the personage of Princess Daeron herself, young Elia. You know where her chambers are?"

Hal nodded. I do. I will find my way there." he promised, and was on his way.

The warrior strode confidently through the corridors of the Keep, his greatsword upon his back as he quickly made his way to the chambers of the Princess. Once there he rapped softly on the door and announced himself.

"My Lady, it is I, Hjalmar of House Stone. It is my honor as a member of The Aegis to guard you and keep you safe. Please Princess, allow me entry so that I might fulfill my sacred duty." he said, waiting patiently outside of her door as the blaring of horns could be heard now in the distance, blown from the parapets to warn of the impending danger.

 

[AlluringEnigma]

Elia Daeron ran a long comb through her hair, the white bone somehow paling in contrast to the golden silk of her locks. Every now and then her whole body would be shaken and the slow, sweeping motion of her comb would be interrupted by a sharp drag against her skull. She hadn't really needed to comb her hair after all, but it was the closest for to meditation she had found. After all, if she were really combing her hair, a servant would be doing the task. She was the crown princess.

Elia, and her father, had known this invasion would come, though they had hoped otherwise. The tide of the north had washed over the East first. The hope had been the mortal realms would find a way to stave them off, but their fortresses had seemed to fall like dominoes. Before long, a package had arrived at the Elven capital, containing the head of the last human lord, a warning to the elves that they would be next.

Today, they had fallen on the old fort of Mana. It was a nigh impenetrable fortress, one that had withstood every attack that had ever washed against its glistening walls. In fact, the walls themselves were imbued with magic, hence their eternally white glow.

Henselt Daeron had not been concerned by the Northern menace. He had ruled over the elves for centuries, repulsing various marauders with ease. The Human Realms had fallen before, the Elven realms would withstand the storm no matter what. Nonetheless, he had sent off his daughter Elia whilst he manned the top of the inner wall. Battlefields were no place for princesses, even if the enemy were about to reaped like wheat.

Elia was startled as heard the knock at the door. She had told her maids to leave her alone and there were precious few allowed near her chambers. The name that followed was familiar however. She had known him before, the Aegis were often hangabouts in the royal court, often being the royal protectors themselves.

"Come in. The door is unlocked." she replied cheerily, her spritely tone belying the grave nature that seemed to have settle on the small city nestled inside the walls of the city. She turned to face the man, noting that he was in full armor. "Is the decorum really necessary? Father said the horde should be repulsed by noon." she noted idly, her own distant voice revealing the doubt she had in that claim.

As she finished speaking, however, the ground shook. She heard, in the distance, the sound of what could only be described as the earth itself being torn asunder. The faint cry of screams could be heard following the settling of the boom. If one listened closely, they could even hear the screams of a charge turn slowly into the load cries of death. "What just happened?" she asked her new guardian with panic now defiling her noble voice.

 

[Haruchai]

Upon her command Hal did enter, closing the door behind him and immediately going to one knee, head bowed and eyes averted. He had met the Princess perhaps a handful of times in all the years he'd been a member of The Aegis, and he remembered every one. Never before had he spoke to her directly, but he had seen her in the flesh before, though not in such close proximity.

Her words were answered with a nod, though he stayed upon one knee until she would tell him to rise.

"I am sure that your father is right, Your Highness, though the barbarians number is higher than originally anticipated. This is just a precaution, but I am to go nowhere without you. It is not my intent to intrude, but I have my orders."

Hal waited patiently for her command, though his senses were quite keen on what was happening around them and further away in the fortified keep. The ground shook, and the screams of the dying seemed to accompany the very shaking of the walls. The voice of the Princess was tremulous as she asked, and even if she had not yet given the permission, Hal stood and his expression was grim.

"I have seen such weaponry used, Your Highness, when I studied in Timiro. That sounds like blasting powder. Usually used for mining, but quickly turned into a tool of war. If this is the case then the very walls of this place might be torn down. We need to get you to safety." he said.

As he gazed upon her, so much closer now than ever before, her beauty was apparent. Breathtaking really. The fine features of her kind was easily seen in the structure of her facial features, and her form was lithe and graceful. Hal simply held his hand out to her, waiting for her to take it.

 

[AlluringEnigma]

She looked upon the man, horrified. Under more congenial circumstances she might be admiring his rugged looks or imposing demeanor. As it was however, her normally graceful and ageless face was left perturbed, unable to shake the worry that now infected her own visage. "I'm sure everything is fine, Fort Mana's walls have never been breached before." she intoned, though her hollow tone showed how little confidence she had in the stock answer.

Another boom settled across the landscape. The screams of the dead or wounded followed closely, a haunting chorus that concluded the showstopping explosion. Elia jumped physically, now clearly rattled. "We h-have to get my father" she said hesitantly. Of all the traits she had inherited from her father, a steadfast disposition was one of the more admirable. She was loathe to leave him behind.

"He's at the inner walls. We have to get him out. If the fortress is to fall as you say, then we cannot leave him behind!” she added forcefully, a little more confidence now creeping back in her tone. She was resuming her more regal role, remembering the power dynamic in the room.

Without another word, she confidently strode past him, her long elvish dress, a white silk garment that clung to her curvaceous form, her large breasts and firm backside accentuated perfectly by the master craft material.

Elia exited the door, her new bodyguard now presumably behind her, any protest of his easily set aside by the stubborn elvish princess. The pair made their way through the winding halls of the castle. Any intruder could have easily gotten lost in the confines, an advantage that may come in handy after they had fetched her father. Knowing the way, however, Elia was easily able to navigate them to the outside of the keep, the burst of the sunshine blinding them both temporarily as they stepped out.

The pair were greeted with a horror neither could have expected. A hundred feet or more away, a raging battlefield was under way, and the elves were losing handily. The Northern marauders were vicious, their adrenaline-fueled attacks too much for the graceful defenders. Elia watched in horror as her kinsmen were knocked to the ground, reaching upwards for mercy, only for their entire body to spasm as a long axe descended on their torso. Women of the town were dragged screaming from the burning elvish hostels, their masterfully woven garments torn away, before being taken to a rolling pen where they were thrown in like cattle. She dreaded to think of their fate.

Then Elia saw her father Henselt, locked in combat with what she presumed was the Northern leader. He was hulking, towering over Henselt, though her father was managing to somehow trade blow for blow with the man. Elia smiled and yelled out his name “Father!” as she saw him trip up the man. Henselt didn’t turn his head, too seasoned to be distracted by even his own daughter. The old elvish king raised his sword high, prepared to destroy the leadership of his foe with one fell swoop.

A long, jagged scimitar erupted from his chest, the aloft sword falling from his grip and clanging to the ground. Henselt turned to where he had heard Elia before and looked at her with a wild panic now in his eyes. “Run!” he yelled, before the leader, having gotten up from his near death, swung his axe around in a wild arc, disconnecting Henselt’s head from his torso in one clean blow, the lifeless body of her father now falling to the ground.

Elia stood there frozen. “Father!” she cried, falling to her knees, her majestic visage now soaked with tears. It was up to Hjalmar to get them out now.

 

[Haruchai]

Hal had dared not contradict his Princess, for though she was right in that Fort Mana had never fallen, neither had it been assaulted with this new invention. Blasting powder was a new discovery and its' destructive force was unlike anything before, save for the deepest and most forbidden of magiks. Those sorts of arcane powers came with prices all their own, and the backlash from wielding such power was often enough to maim or kill. Blasting powder, though the same, was much safer for the every day common man to use, though it still had to be handled with care.

Rising from where he was, Hal followed the lithe form of the Princess, his expression grim and weapon now in hand. Speaking the ancient word that activated his ancestral sword, arcs of electricity rode along the length of the blade.

Arriving at their destination, Hal shielded his eyes from the sun and allowed them to adjust. The scene beyond was chaos and madness, with barbarians filling the courtyard, the breach of the wall lying in rubble and dust at the far end. They'd managed to crumble the wall and poured into the inner wall. Melee filled the courtyard, with not only the soldiers but the elves themselves fighting. That was proof of how dire the situation was, for the elves would not have joined the fray unless necessary. They were certainly not cowardly, but they relied upon their protectors too much at times.

His grim expression did not change as he watched the scene before them, and they seemed unnoticed for the most part, despite the foolishness of the princess to call out to her father and mark herself as the daughter of the King.

"Foolish girl!" Hal hissed at her as she'd rushed forward and heedless of what she might say he caught her by the arm. His duty was to protect her life, regardless of the actions she herself took, and right now, on the field of battle, she was far out of her depth.

The warrior did not even need to watch the battle unfold to gauge what was happening as the Princess fell to her knees, her body wracked with silent sobs. Hal spared only a glance before he had grabbed her by the arm and hauled her unceremoniously to her feet. She'd announced their presence, and especially her station, and he tugged her along after him as he retreated back into the Keep.

"We need to flee Princess, and if you know any secret ways, I suggest you tell me." he growled, his tone brooking no argument at this time as he half-carried and half-dragged her along with him. His pace was fast, almost frenetic, and he contemplated whether to head back to her room to allow her to grab a few things, but decided against it.

 

[AlluringEnigma]

Elia was stunned. Her ears rung, as if the rest of the world were mute and she were left alone to fight the horrible beast of pain and grief. The feeling that now wracked her entire body and left her numb to the world only worsened when she saw the horrific barbarian leader raise her father's head aloft as if it were nothing other than a trophy. Then his eyes turned towards her, and she felt the same disgusting emotion emanate her way. If she was captured at this battle, she'd be another trophy for the hordes ransacking her city.

Her city. The words felt foreign to her. She knew one day that she would take control from her father, hopefully a peaceful abdication of age that would lead to him retiring away somewhere beautiful and happy. She had never expected his reign to end so abruptly, and hers to begin with blood soaking her land.

She could feel herself being pulled away by Hal, and she allowed him to do so. She was too numb to resist, and too angry to allow the barbarian to take advantage of her grief. "There's a secret exit from the castle to the outskirts of the fort. In the library" she murmured.

As she was pulled along, the world seemed to be a blur. She had no conscious grasp of time or place. For all she knew, she could have been captured by the marauders and thrown in a cage with her brethren, naked and afraid, looking forward to a short life of demeaning slavery under the yokes of their conquerors. The thought shook her to the core.

Then, as if falling out of a long-held trance, she erupted in tears. She knew exactly where she was, the library to be specific, and she knew how pathetic she looked. The new Queen of the Elves, being dragged along by her guardian, a weeping mess who could barely shuffle along to her own escape. It was pathetic.

Elia took a deep breath and regained her composure. As they went along the jagged, winding tunnels in the dark, she dried her eyes. When they emerged from the city, she was a new woman. Ice had covered her wounds. She looked up at Hal with hatred in her eyes. "We need to get to the capital. We will raise the grandest army this world has ever seen. We will leave a trail of dead that will be remembered until the death of this planet. Every scrap of iron will be put to use making pikes for the heads of our enemies. I will find whoever killed my father, and I will make him scream until his voice goes hoarse."

They were brave words spoken with utter confidence, though they were no doubt a little underwhelming considering their situation. Hal and his liege were now outside the fortress, which was alight with the screams of her people, standing alone on a shoddy country road. Elia knew what she wanted. It was clear that it was Hal's job to decide how to best get her there.

 

[Haruchai]

Moving as swiftly as possible while dragging the shuffling Princess, Hall did manage to grab a few key things as they passed various rooms. The first was a Handy Haversack, a backpack type of item that would hold much more on the inside than the dimensions on the outside would indicate. These were quite numerous and common in the city, and extremely useful. The tunnels beyond the library were lit by means of permanent globes of magical light, and Hal made sure their egress was covered, the hidden door in the library closed as they found themselves in the tunnels beyond.

As luck would have it, this emergency departure from the city had been planned for by someone, at sometime, as they reached the end of the winding passageways, several small statuettes were found. Hal grabbed two of them, small carvings of horses that easily fit in a pocket, and he saw the words of activation, in Elvish, carved upon the bottoms of the small figurines. Speaking the words yielded no results and Hal frowned. Handing one to the Princess he said, "Would you repeat that word, Princess?"

As Elia would speak the word the figure would expand and grow into a steed of magnificent strength, needing no food or water or even rest, but only able to stay active for twelve hours at a time and then deactivating for eight hours, whereupon it would shrink back to figurine form. They were quite useful, and obviously intended for escape from the city. Evidently also tied to those of Royal Blood, as Hal himself could not activate them. The steed now activated, the other still a small figure, stood before the two, black in color and obviously touched by starlight. The fabulous creature bowed its head to Elia, ready to be used by the Princess.

"We can both ride one, Princess, or you could lend me use of this so that we might travel faster. If we go by foot then the hordes might catch us. They do have horses of their own." he advised. They were quite a small distance from the city, but the screams of the dying could still faintly be heard, and any scouts might come upon them unless they made haste.

 

[AlluringEnigma]

Elia spoke the royal words. She didn't even really need Hal to say them. She was not ready to rule, that much she was willing to admit. However, she had never shirked her duty, and had made sure to absorb any knowledge she was given by her royal tutors, and occasionally her father. She spoke the words once again, activating the other steed. "The quicker we are the better. Besides, how scandalous would it be for me to share a horse with one of my guards" she added with a faint smile. Humor came easy to her normally, and her weak attempt at it was only there to try and obfuscate the pain that clouded her inner self. When Hal mounted his steed, she kicked the celestial construct, spurring it forward at a dead heat.

The wind ran through her long, golden spun hair, sending it flying behind her as she galloped at full speed. There was something cathartic about the breakneck pace she was able to manage. Elia had always enjoyed riding, and the serene blur of nature helped calm her down. She would avenge her father, no matter what the cost. They were ominous words, to be sure, but Elia was a girl of extremes. Her revenge would come at any cost to herself, her people, or even her kingdom.

"Where are we headed?" Elia would yell over the rush of the wind at her companion. Riding may have been one of her stronger suits, but geography was certainly not. She had little clue what sort of path they would have to take. She knew that night would be upon them in a few hours, and that it was best not to stay out on the roads at such times, especially with the chaos that the invaders were causing. All manner of slavers, looters, and brigands would no doubt be roaming the countryside. "Is there a village on the way we can stop in? Do you have camping supplies if not?" she yelled, unsure exactly how well packed Hal was. She, on the other hand, was wearing a dress totally impractical for travel and had nothing in the way of supplies or equipment. The situation was fairly daunting, all in all.

 

[Haruchai]

Hal was quite glad she complied and that she even showed a hint of her quick wit as she joked about sharing a steed with her guard. Then they were off. The arcane mounts tore along the road at a breakneck speed, untiring, relentless and leaving behind them plumes of dust. They were far faster than flesh and bone, and the velocity at which they traveled was breathtaking.

barely able to hear the Princess over the rush of the wind, Hal reined his steed in just a bit and moved closer to the Princess. "We're on our way to Saint. There are several places to stop, Princess, yet my crest will announce me as a member of The Aegis, and our steeds will certainly give us away. A man and an elf traveling on steeds of starlight will draw far more attention than we need. We should travel as far as we can with these steeds right this moment, but keep them hidden on our person and only use them in emergencies. We'll need to stop and have me enter by myself possibly. The further east we go, then the less we'll run into advance scouts, but I am sure their spies lurk in your lands."

Hal didn't want to crush her spirit, yet he wanted to be honest as well. "We had no time to grab supplies, so we'll need to do so. Luckily I do have some coin with me, and if need be we could even get work. We'll have to get you clothing that is less conspicuous, and you need to decide how to present yourself. You surely cannot present as the Princess unless you wish to be caught in short order. I suppose you could be a noblewoman of a sort, or if you think you can deign to do so, we could be husband and wife." Hal figured he would present the idea, but he also figured she might shoot it down. Regardless, his first instincts stood.

Staying with these horses would be folly. Her staying in her role as Princess would also be folly. They needed to blend in as much as they could and make it all the herder to find them.

 

[AlluringEnigma]

Elia hated the idea of concealing her identity from her own people. They needed a leader, not a coward trying her best to get back behind the safety of some walls. The very thought angered her. However, she knew Hal spoke true, even if they weren't words she wanted to hear. She nodded her head in agreement slowly, having taken a moment to ignore her initial feelings.

"You're right" she shouted over the wind as they carried on their death march from the fallen fortress. "We can stop in Saint and grab supplies. You will acquire camping supplies and food. I will find some attire more appropriate for our story."

Elia thought about his suggestion for a moment as she spurred her steed on. "Husband and wife don't travel the countryside together. It raises too many questions. We'll be young lovers who spurned the wish of their parents and fled for the capital. That should raise less suspicion. Although, I suppose I'll be a young lover, and you'll be a middle-aged one" she quipped with a smirk, letting out the loudest laugh she had allowed since everything had gone wrong.

As they rode on, the town of Saint seemed to come into view. The pair stopped their steeds a half hour's walk out of town. Their cover would be immediately blown if they were to ride galloping in on the celestial mounts. With a couple words, both of the steeds were reduced back to figurines, their body dull as they recharged from their use. "You'll need to lose your crest if our story will ever work." she commented casually, as she began to discard layers of her dress.

She reassured Hal, assuming he'd be slightly out of sorts watching a Princess in so little clothes. "I can hardly be such an elegant runaway, now can I?" she asked with a twinkle of sarcasm in her eye, hoping to put him at ease.

Elia was absolutely stunning in the white shift beneath her dress. Long cascades of golden-spun hair seemed to fall endlessly to her butt, and her piercing blue eyes shimmered in the waning hours of light. Her nipples, which had been stiffened from the wind, were poking against the sheer fabric. Overall it was a scandalous outfit for a royal princess - it showed far too much cleavage and clung to her curves far too well. "Make sure you buy quality camping supplies, I'd hate to make you sleep in the rain if the tent were too small. Oh. and don't waste the coin on two beds. I can't imagine we have enough for that luxury" she added.

For a Princess reduced to a peasant in mere hours, she was doing remarkably well. Whether Hal knew it or not, it was sheer revenge that was driving her onwards. There was no room for coyness or embarrassment right now.

 

[Haruchai]

Hal had not thought to play such a thing, young lovers, but the thought was intriguing, to say the least. To say he'd not thought of the Princess in such ways - in his own mind and in his free time of course - would have been a lie. She was, if anything, the very epitome of earthly beauty. To not be attracted to her in such a way would have required him to no longer have a pulse.

So of course he was all too happy to play along with her little charade, and yet he kept his happiness regarding her idea to himself lest he seem too eager. "That seems like a prudent course of action." he said, and then barked a laugh as she teased him about being middle aged. There was no use pointing out she was far older than him, but of course she knew that.

Soon they had come to a halt and the steeds deactivated. Hal tucked them away in the haversack, and then watched as the Princess discarded bits of clothing. Of course he'd have to remove his crest as well, but like the magical figurines he placed it in the haversack. The magical pack would keep smaller items safe from a cursory inspection, and Yet Hal's eyes soon found the nubile body of the princess, so brazenly on display in ways that he had never seen. He'd dare not say a word though, but his eyes feasted on her. Deeply. His mind conjured up carnal images, and he tried not to entertain them. It was difficult.

He started to agree and call her Highness or Princess, but caught himself. Even calling her Elia might not be terribly prudent, as most knew the first name of the Princess. Hal could blend in easily enough and even the name Hal shouldn't be recognized immediately by most. He could probably pass as a sellsword of some sort with his armor and sword.

"How shall I refer to you, Highness? I doubt calling you Princess will be smart, and even using your first name of Elia might draw wandering eyes and questing ears. I would pick a much more common name... my love." he said, testing out the small pet name to see how she might react to it. He kept his eyes on hers, her face sublime and fetching, but far safer than looking at her pert breasts and the small tents her nipples made.

 

[AlluringEnigma]

Elia considered the thought. She had never realized how significant her own first name was, and the thought of having to part with it, even if temporarily, was rather upsetting to her. Elia's normally beautiful and serene face contorted into a darkened expression as she contemplated the thought. She sighed as her face settled back into its beauty, though a cloud of tragedy seemed to have settled behind the exterior.

"You're right." she added with a resigned tone, the first sacrifice she'd have to make in order to get her throne back. "Hmm, how about the name Elizabeth? More of a royal name in the human realms, but a rare one here" she remarked, saying the name softly to herself a few times, getting used to the feel of it on her tongue.

Her upbeat and sarcastic tone soon re-appeared. "As if I'd ever be your lover. You haven't even gotten the camping supplied for tonight. I'd have to do everything in the relationship" she said with a smirk, deflecting the situation with some humor. Truth was that she was very uncomfortable with the arrangement, even if she was fully prepared to go through with it. She wasn't going to let Hal in on that.

"Alright, if you're done staring at me, then I believe we can get to work" she added with a smirk, walking off into town without a glance backwards to go acquire a pair of clothes for the "young lovers".

 

[Haruchai]

Even in her agitated state she was the most beautiful creature Hal had ever seen, but he allowed her to work through the problem on her own and as she suggested the name Elizabeth he slowly nodded. "Elizabeth sounds like a wonderful name, and is still regal, Highness. Oh wait... I can't call you that any more, can I Elizabeth?" he teased and his eyes flashed with mischief. He was obviously going to have fun with this, and he allowed his eyes to roam over her.

"I'd have been prepared with camping supplies had this been foreseen. But I assure you, you'll not have to do everything in the relationship, my love. I am sure that there are times I'll be on top." he teased, implanting that image in her head.

Having taken off the crest of his armor, and soon fell into step beside her, trying not to spare glances at her sheer-clad form as they approached the city of Saint. It was a decent sized metropolis, actually carrying a population larger than that of Fort Mana, and its' walls rose roughly thirty feet into the sky. Guards could be seen walking the ramparts and out in the open it was impossible for Elizabeth and Hal to hide. Not that that was their goal. They were soon spotted and the gates opened as some guards on horseback came forth, obviously on a route to intercept them.

Hal took the Princess gently by the elbow and they drew to a halt as the guards drew near. It was a mix of human and elves that drew closer and Hal threw up a hand in greeting as they approached.

"We apologize for the less than courteous welcome, travelers, but ill tidings have been reaching our ears for the last several days. Scouts and spies seem to abound, though you carry not that look. State your business." one of the human guards said, each of the mounted men having a hand on the hilt of his sword.

Hal nodded. "We have heard much the same, and we have fled from the West, our home destroyed. We seek sanctuary within Saint. My name is Hal, and this is my lover, Elizabeth." he explained, hoping none of the men would recognize the Princess.

 

[AlluringEnigma]

Elizabeth, the name was still alien to her, sighed as she endured Hal's teasing. "Peasants. We give you a modicum of power, and you seize as much more as you can" she added with a laugh, pushing aside any feelings of awkwardness. She had a mission to get done, so to speak, and nothing else mattered.

Elizabeth was not at all worried by the guards they encountered. Worst came to worst, she'd reveal her true identity to them. However, for the sake of stealth, it was likely best that they lie to the group, seeing that loose lips were often abound in barracks.

The group of guard looked between them for a moment, eyeing up their story with their looks. The leader then responded "Fair enough. Afraid that there isn't much room left in the city. You might be able to find a room for the night, but unless you're willing to pay out the nose, I can't imagine you'll have any luck finding a residence. You might try some of the further East towns. They haven't quite been inundated with refugees like we have yet." he added grimly, his face bearing the hopelessness of the land.

Elizabeth smiled "Thank you, we'll just look for supplies here then and move on" she added kindly, pulling Hal with them as she moved past them, entering the city gates and heading into the somewhat crowded metropolis. "Now, if you're quite done sneaking looks at me, we have jobs to do. What size do you wear, I would hate to see you wear TOO tight a dress" she added with a smirk. She wasn't blind to his looks, and enjoyed watching men get embarrassed on being called out on it.

 

[Haruchai]

The comment of the Princess about how he was a peasant had Hal quirking an eyebrow upward. He and the guard he belonged to were hardly peasants. Human, yes, but even in the kingdom of the elves his position was one of honor. Were it not then he'd not have been given the Princess herself to guard. So he knew she was teasing. Though the Princess was also well known for her haughty demeanor.

As they interacted with the guards who came to greet them, Hal was about to suggest just what the Princess did, but she spoke before he had a chance, and he almost corrected her in front of the men. For a woman who he had named as his lover, and not a wife, she spoke freely.

Giving the captain of the guard a "what can you do?" sort of look, Hal allowed himself to be pulled along by the Princess.

"You should be more careful with your tongue, Elizabeth. It might very well get you into trouble one day." Hal told her as they entered the city. His arm slipped around her in a familiar way as she then prodded him about what size he wore. "I'm big everywhere, my love." he tossed her way with a cheeky grin.

Still, he told her what she needed to know, and once they parted ways he was off to get supplies for traveling. They'd said they would meet back close to the main gate, so Hal was confident she could find her way there.

 

[AlluringEnigma]

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She hated biting her tongue, and wasn't about to change herself that drastically for the sake of appearances. Hal was overthinking all of this - no one was looking for the crown princess in a town like this, certainly not so soon after her disappearance. With Hal leaving her to go and acquire camping supplies and food, she was left to find clothing for the pair.

It was a tricky balancing act. On the one hand, she needed to find clothes that hid their real station - there would be no fine elvish-woven clothes for her. On the other hand, they weren't beggars, and to pick something threadbare and cheap would arouse just as much suspicion.

She browsed the various market stalls, darting between each with an uncertainty in her gaze. Finally, she found a place in the right range of clothing. It was a moderately-sized place that sold decent town clothes. They weren't fine enough to be worn to any sort of special occasion, but they were sturdy and designed with a multitude of colors. She picked out a long flowing peasant dress - a continuous piece of cloth that tapered off just above her knees and showed a modest amount of cleavage. It was no ball gown, but it fit her figure well. For Hal, she had more trouble. She paced between the various racks of clothing with clear trepidation, uncertain of what would fit him best. She finally decided on a forest-green tunic, a pair of unremarkable leather pants (with several stitches in them), and a plain leather belt.

Satisfied with her purchases - their current footwear was inconspicuous enough to pass the general look they were seeking - she headed back towards camp. Considering Hal's purchases were far less creatively-taxing, she expected to be greeted by him when she returned, or at least she hoped so - the sun was setting and the countryside was not the safest place for a pretty elven girl at night.