An Unlikely Return

[cruzazul 2815]

The harbour in the lively marsh of Mardon bustled with the hum of economy, merchants and commoners hustled about the streets, gnarled criers announced the hour's news before the crowds. Whores tainted the streets, ushering resting sailors into their dens to either perform their services or rob them of their coin. These acts of debauchery, never present when the line of Horen ruled over the realm, were likely in part the work of a realm lacking justice.

 

That was many years ago, or so he thought. Prince John Godwin had been in a self-imposed exile for the majority of the last fifteen years, cavorting far off in a foreign land as a pilgrim in a foreign world.  A ship, an immense carrack bearing purple and black sails the colours of regality, had begun to make port in the harbour, maneuvering deftly between the thick mangrove that coiled into an entrance to the expansive dock. At its fore he stood, retainers bearing his sigil all around him, hurrying busily to dock the vessel. He had departed these lands barely a toddler, and found himself returning to it a young man with ambition. Broad-shouldered, tall and muscular, he seemed to in many ways resemble his lord father in his younger years. Across his youth, a square jaw with the beginning signs of a goatee and moustache speckled his face. His eyes were a dark and sullen gray, lacking emotion, but not guile. He was not pale of skin like his father and brother, possessing a skin tone weathered by the sun almost to the point of resembling leather.

 

John counted himself lucky not to share the short stature and prematurely greying hair of his mother's line. A distinctive scar inflicted upon him by an apostate mage was still present on the left side of his face. He wondered exactly how long he had been gone - a thought that was swiftly interrupted by the heavy tones of trumpets and drums, the dockmaster having recognized both the sigil borne by the ship's sails and the teen who stood at its helm. The crowd resounded with a strange, almost unwarranted joy, for this was not just any man who had returned to them.

 

For John was the eldest son of the man known infamously as the matyr of Johannesburg, Philip Frederick, a man he knew little about, but spoke of in reverence. The unbroken blood of Horen ran through his veins, his mother and father's lines the culmination of years of history. His blood was by all rights holy. And yet John had learnt that in reality, that meant naught. He had left a spoiled princeling ill-prepared for the horrors the world had in store for him.

 

"A prince, a prince!" The assembly shouted, "God has returned to us the prince!"

[Thatpyrodude 2008]

Lucien V smiles upon hearing the return of the Prince "What a glorious day for the realm"

[iris1612 1780]

Nikolai's eyes widen as he hears word of this "By the grace of GOD.. the heir to our great Empire has returned.." A wild grin spills over his face "GOD save John Godwin, he is our greatest hope."

[Taketheshot 3834]

"Ave Horen! Ave Orenia!" Phillip shouts

[colovian fur 8360]

Rufus does some serious mental gymnastics.

 

"Drake make of back... Make of return Svetsky and Courat removed!"

[Mj. 697]

Wem ties a fuse around his seventh dirty bomb, hearing the news. "Time to get to work"

[Emelia 6]

She glances of down at the distant vessel silently

[Hiebe 2493]

Dwain is in his forge and a wind blows into the door. He frowns and goes to the nearby chest looking for his long old hat.

 

He finds what he is looking for, the hat is shiny yet tinged rusty due to its age. It resembles a wizards hat and the last time it was worn was back with the return of Mirtok

[Balthasar 2497]

Fritlev, an old soldier of Mardon realizes that this is a true prince everyone speaks of and begins cheering with the common folk "Ave Horen, Ave Orenia!" this he would say over and over, until the news would pass by

[JuliusAakerlund 2402]

"Hmm, perhaps the future is not as dark afterall Osgod.." Eirik Colborn would mutter to himself.

[seannie 7443]

"Is this the common enemy we must all once again unite against, or...?" questions a questionable Ruthern by the name of Adelwen.

[bumblefina 2766]

On a balcony overlooking the swampish harbor stood a young woman, her skin dirtied with travel. She leaned against the creaking rails, boots thudding to and fro around her as men and women mulled about the grimy tavern she was lodged in. Shouts from the harbor rang out, echoing across the city. Pulling the attentions of the more sober bar goers,  many joined her on the balcony, peering wide eyed and open mouthed at the ship sailing in with banners of purple and black. A man with familial features came to lean against the rails beside Rosella, voice growling with age and time.

 

"Looks like we got ourselves a Horen worth fighting for."

 

Rosella remained quiet as those around her began to chatter on about the prince so boldly stationed at the head of the ship. She glanced sidelong to her uncle Pasquale, examining his features. She liked to imagine he looked quite like her father would have, if her father wasn't a rotting corpse right now. She turned her gaze out once more, her hands shifting down to grip the edge of the railing.

 

"Do you think it's what papa would have wanted? Us fighting for the rightful heir?" she questioned, reminiscing to some of the few memories she had of her father, the famed Joseppi Calabreeni. Pasquale grunted, lifting a gnarled hand to scratch at a layer of stubble growing in on his jaw. "Yes, Rosella. It is what he would want. In time, though. We've got to put him to rest first." With that, the grizzled man lifted away from the balcony rails, turning off into the tavern. The young woman watched him go, turning back to eye the ship coming into dock for just a moment longer. She turned away from the railing, trotting after the man. Her father was a rotting ghoul still stalking the isle of Tahn somewhere, and if anyone was going to put him down, it would be her. Still, the Empire loomed in the back of her mind.

Orenia was calling her home.

[Rammer 388]

"The Prince that was Promised has come home..." mutters Ian as he reads of the arrival, a soft grin tugging at the edges of his face

[Rudi 1747]

An figure shifts in his seat, its chin idly resting in the palm of its hand which rests comfortable on the armrest. With the idle wave of his hand the elder beckoned a small girl with golden blonde locks and blue eyes to come closer. The elder man's features carrying the freckles of his iconic almost arrogant smirk, his former so golden locks having turned to a more silver shimmer but his eyes being as blue as ever. The banner of the griffin hung behind him on a wall, ripped and tattered but still carrying a majestic charm.

 

"Look closely Astrid. This a man even your old grandpapej would fight for."

 

Giving the little girl a kiss on her forehead, the elder raevir pushes himself up to stand, to shuffle his way over to the balcony to take a closer look at the cheering crowd. The blue griffin, Drasko Kovachev holds on his granddaughter tightly as he scream in joy 

 

"Ave Horen, Ave Ruska, Ave Humanity."

[Pureimp10 5691]

1 hour ago, Rudi_ said:

An figure shifts in his seat, its chin idly resting in the palm of its hand which rests comfortable on the armrest. With the idle wave of his hand the elder beckoned a small girl with golden blonde locks and blue eyes to come closer. The elder man's features carrying the freckles of his iconic almost arrogant smirk, his former so golden locks having turned to a more silver shimmer but his eyes being as blue as ever. The banner of the griffin hung behind him on a wall, ripped and tattered but still carrying a majestic charm.

 

"Look closely Astrid. This a man even your old grandpapej would fight for."

 

Giving the little girl a kiss on her forehead, the elder raevir pushes himself up to stand, to shuffle his way over to the balcony to take a closer look at the cheering crowd. The blue griffin, Drasko Kovachev holds on his granddaughter tightly as he scream in joy 

 

"Ave Horen, Ave Ruska, Ave Humanity."

"Am nie that old you *****." says Lukas