Mad World [Rosa]

Tagged : Rosa | Words : 605 | Notes : Terribad.

"Mi'lord, I notified the queen, and she is on her way."

Cecil peered up from the table that had been the focus of his gaze for the last several minutes and nodded to his advisor in the doorway. "Thank you, Maric." The advisor remained there, a question clearly working at his thoughts. "What is it?", Cecil asked, giving him the opportunity to express it. "Sir, do you believe he originates from the moon?"

Cecil rested his chin on a fist and lowered his eyes thoughtfully. The question was not particularly unexpected. The he referred to was a man who had wandered to the castle gates hours before and had asked the guards for help, saying he did not recognize the city. When they attempted to explain to him that he had arrived in Baron and offered to give him directions back to his home, wherever it may have been, along with a chocobo to ride, the man had claimed that he was from Lucis. Cecil felt that he was aware enough of the world's geography, and especially of its cities and towns, that he would know of this Lucis, but even the maps in the war room had no record of anyplace called Lucis on the entire earth. Once the guards had given up and sent the man in to speak with Cecil, the man provided an odd retelling of the events that had brought him to Baron from this Lucis place. Cecil had also studied the man's attire, which was curious in and of itself with very stylized, blue pants with oddly and awkwardly placed pockets and a shirt and coat of some slick and rather sturdy-looking material that Cecil had never seen. The entire exchange with the man had perplexed Cecil, and the thought had indeed crossed Cecil's mind about the moon.

"It's still too early to judge," Cecil finally stated, voicing his thoughts still muddled in details. "Hopefully Rosa and I can learn something more when we speak with him." Cecil had tried to avoid bothering Rosa constantly with royal matters over the past months due to her pregnancy, even if he was aware that she likely didn't want to be any further from those matters than usual. Still, Cecil worried that she would exhaust herself in some way. If the man's story hadn't perplexed him so, he likely would have dealt with the matter himself, but he really had no idea what to do with the man or for the man to help him any further. When Cecil was clueless, which was quite often as he believed, he turned to no one but Rosa. She had a more...gentle touch than he did, as well. Perhaps she could learn more from the man than Cecil. Though the paladin tried not to be overbearing, the man had likely been overwhelmed the moment he was introduced to King Cecil simply by way of Cecil's title alone.

"Of course, mi'lord. I'll check to make sure the servants have the food prepared," the advisor stated, waiting for a nod from Cecil in approval before he stepped from the doorway and left Cecil to himself in the family dining room. He could have pondered for hours about the man's story and not produced an answer, but his mind threatened to wander back to piecing together the story again. Instead, since he didn't want to drive himself mad with the details, Cecil stood and stepped towards the fireplace at the head of the table, ensuring it was warm enough to combat the winter cold and keep his wife cozy when she arrived.

I want to dream

Now I am unbreakable, it's unmistakable. No one can touch me. Nothing can stop me

Rosa allowed her body to relax while she sighted down her notched arrow. Her strong fingers could feel the pull of the bowstring, the tension that remained there, yet she held the arrow back for a few more moments. The sharp, cold air that swirled around her was causing her hands to be more clumsy than normal. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on her target, attempting to rid them of the cold that otherwise was making it hard to see properly. Taking a deep breath in, the young queen held it for a moment before she released it. With the air out of her lungs and her aim steady, she finally loosed the arrow from her bow. While half her attention was set toward her target, Rosa had also reached back and busied herself notching another arrow on her string. In case her first wasn't true, she would have another chance to fell her prey. With the arrow pulled halfway back, Rosa peered forward again just in time to watch as her arrow sank deeply in the deer. She watched from afar as it sprang two steps in surprise, before collapsing against the ground. "Yes!", she said in victory. Her aim was still as true as it had ever been. "Well done, my lady!"

Rosa forgot that she had had an audience. Blinking once, she turned and graced the older soldier with a wide smile. "Thank you, Alec." The praise quickly wilted in favor of worry as the aging soldier closed in on her. Rosa shook her head to decline his silent offer to carry her weapon. "My queen, if I may be so bold..." The blonde already knew what he was going to say, but she nodded him in encouragement. "Yes, Alec?" For a moment it seemed like he didn't know how to word what he wanted to say. "Queen Rosa, I worry for your health, and that of your unborn son." Rosa couldn't help but correct what he said in good nature. "Or daughter." "Yes, yes...or daughter. My king would have my head if he knew I was allowing you to be out here, hunting in your condition." Rosa couldn't help but grin while she laid a hand on his forearm. "Alec, stop worrying. The babe has yet to even start showing yet, how can I be endangering the child or myself?" His worried expression didn't lighten up. "The cold, my lady." "It is no less than if I were to visit my mother." "...I would lay down my life, queen Rosa, but if harm were to befall you..." "It will not, Alec. You forget what both Cecil and I lived through." "But my lady-" "Please, cease worrying. I would cause more stress to my body and the child by going out of my mind in the castle, than by this small amount of exercise."

He didn't look happy about it, but he nodded nevertheless. "As you wish, my lady." "Come, we shall return to the castle." With that, Rosa put away her arrow and strode off with her faithful soldier walking to her side. Back to where another soldier was holding the chocobos they went. As they approached and Rosa was handed her reins, she turned to the much younger soldier. "Richard. I felled a deer some way North. Could you fetch it and bring it back to the castle?" "Yes, my queen." "My thanks." Stroking the face of her faithful white chocobo, Rosa had no time to mount herself before Alec was there, waiting to help her mount. Accepting the assistance, Rosa was settled on the back of her chocobo mere seconds later.

While she waited for her companion to mount his own chocobo, Rosa relaxed on her saddle and tucked her hands underneath the blanket that was there for her warmth. Tilting her head back, she allowed herself to bask in the sunlight for a few moments. Faint noises gave her the realization that Alec had mounted and was beside her - bringing her back to attention. As they started, he spoke once more. "My lady...we have plenty of food to prepare within the castle. Why must you seek more?" Rosa couldn't help but smile cheerfully at him. "My mother enjoys the taste of a young doe above other meat. I wish to supply her with some more."

That was far from the end of their conversation, but they were quick to return to the castle. As they rode in, the adviser hurried over. "My queen!" Taking a moment to register who he was, Rosa allowed her faithful soldier to assist her in dismounting and gave her full attention to the adviser. "Yes, Maric?" "The king requires your assistance on a matter as soon as you can go to him." "Yes, yes of course. Please hurry and tell him I will be there in a few moments." With that he bowed and hurried away again. With her eyebrows furrowed, she reached back to pat her chocobo and address her soldier. "My queen...what could be amiss?" Rosa was deep in thought and shook her head. "I fear I do not know. Please return the chocobos to the stable. When Richard comes back, please take care of the rendering of deer and taking it to my mother." "Yes, my queen." "And Alec, thank you for accompanying me." Reaching up on her tip toes, the slender woman placed a gentle kiss on his whiskered cheek and graced him with another smile before turning and making her way for the castle.

The warmth that greeted her when she did so nearly knocked her off her feet. Her rosy cheeks were a deep pink, yet she started peeling off clothing as soon as she had gained entrance. Her lady maids were at the ready for her appearance and took the articles of clothing she deposited. Yet instantly they began to chide her. "My queen, you should not be out in your state." Rosa sighed. "Nothing went wrong. The babe is fine." The lively discussion continued all the way to her and Cecil's bedchamber. Rosa hurried her lady maids along to get her changed quickly, and after running a brush through her blonde hair to make herself presentable - one never knew when summoned what the situation would demand of her or her appearance - and just as quickly hurried to where she had been told her husband was. Her cheeks were still red from the cold, but all other traces of her earlier excursion had been erased when she hurried into the dining room. "Cecil?", she inquired as soon as she had entered the room. Laying eyes on him, she smiled brightly and hurried over to where he was, reaching up to give him a kiss in greeting. Her smile melted then until a serious look rested on her features. "What matter is of pressing importance?"

Notes: None! Wearing: Something queenly and robe-y Setting: THE DINING ROOM *dun dun dun*  Tagged: Cecil Words: 1193

made by Δ ashy of caution & shine

Tagged : Rosa | Words : 690 | Notes : I really have to get back into the groove with Cecil...

Cecil had already heard and recognized her footsteps before she stepped in and greeted Rosa with a wide smile from his place by the fire. Momentarily, he studied her as she approached, and since Cecil made note to study his wife's beauty at every provided opportunity, he was sharp enough to notice that her cheeks were flushed. Letting his smile falter only slightly, he returned her kiss before laying a palm gently against her right cheek. "Have you spent time in the wind, Rosa?", he asked, more curiously than concernedly...lest she tell him that she had been outside for an extended period - the concern would flow freely in that case. Ever since the moon, Cecil had attempted to avoid worrying her to death with his own worrying over her well-being, but with the advent of the baby on the way and Cecil's own tendency to forget that Rosa was a well-trained white mage as opposed to simply a lovely, intelligent, and talented individual, he supposed he had been a little more...frantic lately when it came to her health, especially in the winter weather. Even now, he had to remind himself that she would be fine and let his smile return, especially since they both had business to attend to.

Rosa addressed that business, and Cecil linked his arm in hers, motioning for her to follow him to the other side of the room, where the man would be waiting on the other side of the door. "We have a visitor that...worries me, somewhat," he told her, honestly, never one to avoid the levity of a subject with Rosa though he didn't wish to arrive at any undue conclusions. He sucked in a breath. "He claims to be from a place called Lucis. I've never heard of such a place, have you?" Rosa was easily more...culturally educated than he, so it was completely plausible that she could have heard of Lucis and that he was feeling paranoid over nothing of importance. He hoped that was the case. "His style of dress and weaponry, however lightly armed he was, also concerns me. I've never seen the material he wears used for clothing, and his weapon uses a combustion system like that of an airship. It's...hard to explain without witnessing it."

As the two of them approached the door, Cecil reached over to place his hand atop Rosa's and look her in the eyes with a reassuring smile. "We may find out I'm overreacting, but after what we've been through in the past few years...having your opinion would put me more at ease." He did not want to outright bring up any worries about the moon or other potential, otherworldly dangers because the assumption was mostly unfounded and, to an extent, really quite absurd. The thought might wander into her own mind, though, when she met the man, but Cecil would let her make her own conclusions.

Pulling the door open before them to reveal the small waiting room on the other side, Cecil let Rosa lead the way through before sliding in just behind her and gazing at his two advisors standing and chatting with the man. Cecil refused to be rude to the man even if he was wary and smiled cordially to the three of them. "If we're not interrupting any important conversation, Rosa and I are ready to speak with our guest." Of course, as advisors always did, they stepped away in deference to the king, and the man stepped over towards the pair of them. Cecil had never doubted that he was a friendly man, and though he did seem to take a long look at Rosa (which was a common occurance that Cecil had tried to get used to), he smiled almost sheepishly and nodded rather crudely, but kindly enough. "It's nice to meet you, Queen Rosa." Cecil moved aside to gesture into the dining room behind them, right on time for the servants to begin bringing in the food and setting up the plates. "I hope you will not mind eating while we chat."

I want to dream

Now I am unbreakable, it's unmistakable. No one can touch me. Nothing can stop me

Rosa smiled and partially embraced her husband on greeting. She should have known she couldn't pull the wool over Cecil's eyes. Covering his hand with her own, Rosa's eyes flickered down to the left before she lifted them back up to his face. She couldn't help the slightly guilty feelings from showing on her face. While she might be able to avoid telling Cecil something, she couldn't lie. "I have.", she said softly. "I was out of my mind from staying in the castle walls. I went for a ride on Eclipse for a bit of exercise." Rosa didn't have to lie, but she did avoid telling him exactly what she was doing on her ride. No doubt he would worry needlessly the first moment she mentioned the word 'hunting' to him. Somehow that would conjure up horrible images of a terrible struggle involving some huge monstrosity, when in reality she had simply felled a doe from a standing position. "Alec and Richard accompanied me.", she thought to add. Perhaps that would calm his heart.

Hoping to avoid Cecil's needless panic on her actions, Rosa shifted the conversation until it was on the business matter that he needed to discuss with her. Placing her free hand on his toned arm, she eagerly followed his lead when he led her across the room. Furrowing her eyebrows, Rosa glanced at her husband's obviously concerned tone. Aside from her own health and well being, it wasn't like him to be concerned over nothing. "A visitor?" Her mind immediately jumped to perhaps the same location his was. Could this visitor be from the moon? Yet another name was presented. "Lucis.", she repeated back to him while she glanced at the ground and thought long and hard. Always an enthusiast for the world, Rosa studied locations and histories in her free time. Yet no mention of such a place had ever been mentioned as far as she could recall. "I have never heard of such a place.", she finally admitted. Everything about this man seemed...off. Her questioning gaze swung once more back to her husband. "Combustion...?" Biting her lip while her face was set to a serious look, Rosa finally squeezed his arm. "Would it be possible to be able to see a demonstration of this weapon, so I can judge myself what it could be?"

Rosa couldn't help but have a certain amount of apprehension about who or what this visitor might be, yet her husbands soothing smile put some of her worries to rest. Cecil, no matter how much he desired an answer, would never willingly bring her to a situation where she would be in danger of injury of any fashion. And if that was to happen, she had absolute confidence in both his ability to keep her safe, and her own abilities with a bow or as a mage. Stroking his arm, Rosa allowed a full smile to grace her face. "If this visitor has not caused extreme concern, it seems unlikely he would begin such behavior now." Her unique ability to calm panicked situations and sooth nerves was one she seemed to naturally come by. Still, that he was concerned was enough cause for her mind to race with different situations that could come about from this guest of theirs.

With one last smile, Rosa allowed her eye to close in an undisciplined wink at her husband before she turned and graced the room with her elegant entrance. Rosa nodded toward her husbands two advisers, and was pleased with their respectful and appropriate looks and greetings. Her aqua eyes flickered up and down to take in the appearance of their guest. His clothing, both the style and material were indeed different than they were used to. Thin in appearance, there seemed to be a definite lack of armor covering his body. Anyone with a weapon such as Cecil described had to be of a military status, did they not? And if so, where was his armor?

Those questions remained in her head despite that the young man seemed friendly enough. Rosa held his gaze with a confident gaze, and wasn't phased by the overly long glance - something she was used to. His actions didn't appear to be that of any sort of nobility, but she had hardly entertained such a notion. She reached out a hand which was clasped after a moments hesitation by the gentleman. "The pleasure is mine.", she said cordially in greeting. "Welcome to Baron. I hope your stay remains pleasant." Rosa glanced at Cecil while he spoke, before her gaze returned to the man to be able to closely read his reaction. "That sounds great, I'm starving." He certainly didn't look like he was starving, but Rosa dismissed his words. She had to admit that ever since her pregnancy was revealed, she seemed to be constantly in that state. While it was highly unlikely he was pregnant - a notion that caused a smile to light her face - he must have been without food for some time. It had hardly been over a few hours since she had eaten herself, but the quiet rumble of her stomach warned her of her desire for food. As she started toward the dining table, Rosa turned her attention back toward the man. "Cecil told me that you have an...interesting weapon. When we're in a more appropriate location, I beg you would give a demonstration so I can see exactly what it does."

Notes: Prepare yourselves for Rosa eating everything in sight. Wearing: Something queenly and robe-y Setting: It was with the candlestick...in the dining room *cue dramatic music* Tagged: Cecil Words: 969

made by Δ ashy of caution shine