SLEEPING BEAUTY [PK]

[louislxix 3054]

SLEEPING BEAUTY

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

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The Duke of Alban, Marus Aleksandr had promptly returned from one of his many fishing trips. Yet he had returned with no fish, or anything to show for it - really, he enjoyed the time spent by himself. Often he caught haughty reflections of himself in the still waters which he fished in, bringing memories from his childhood to mind. Memories of sparring and training with Ser Flemius, as he aimed to drive the pent up anger from the boy. Memories of his family who surrounded him - either loving the small child or loathing him in those moments together. The reflections also brought forth memories of his beloved wife, Henrietta. Though those turned bitter, as he recalled how lousy and unattached he had become, not just to her, but everybody around him. 

 

A smile pranged his lips however as he came across Henrietta at the strike of midnight, having returned back to their Palace apartment when nobody else was there to linger. They shared a small conversation - “Hen, ea promise to be better, none of these prolonged trips, no, not anymore. Ea too vow to spend time with us, our family.” There was a pause, before his wife retorted, “Ea –... Ea believe vy, Marus.”

 

 Elizaveta was found and reunited with the Royal family too, making things all the sweeter. However, that sweetness turned bitter. Marus before heading for their bed found a frown to be trailed across his face, spotting a few dust specs across his boots. Hence, he shined the living God out of them, not fretting on the amount of polish which he dolloped and rubbed onto his boots. 

 

Later on in the night, Marus turned onto his side amidst his slumber - the fumes of the polish scattering upwards and into the lungs of the Prince. And so he rested there all night, having faint, evocative dreams. None stirred him to wake, not ever, the life drained slowly from his face. By morn, he was cold to the touch and stiff, his wife and children soundly asleep in the bed beside him, Elizaveta and Matyas having snuck into their chambers in the midst of the night. Birds chirped until they reached a crescendo, waking all but Marus within the chambers of their apartment.

 

Henrietta dawned an eye open, reaching to tug at Marus’ shoulder to turn and face her - she assumed he was awake, as he never slept in and would often spend the morning on runs. Ser Flemius had seen to that, making sure that Marus would be forever as fit as a fiddle.

 

“Papej, Papej!” Shouted their children, clambering over the sheets in order to rouse their father awake. “Matyas  - stop climbing over your sister!” Henrietta scolded, pushing herself up to a seated  position. She now grabbed Marus’s arm, forcefully turning him onto his back.

 

“Wake up, Marus!” She teased, playfully, only for the cold, dead gaze  of her beloved husband to stare back at her. Her youngest, Elizaveta, pushed forth - excited to spend time with her father, having been separated from him for so long, yet instead of her father’s cocksure smile, she was met with a blank, cold stare.

 

Screaming ensued from the Alban apartments, clamoring and violent sobbing of  both Henrietta and her children. The Prince’s wife clung to his corpse, resting her head against his chest, refusing to be moved from his side, even when his brothers eventually came to investigate the disruption. She refused to allow them to remove him from their bed, screaming hysterically while Matyas clung onto his trembling sister, Elizaveta.

 

Eventually, she had to be subdued, and Marus was removed from their bed, never to share it again.

 

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Marus Aleksandr Barbanov [1828 - 1854]

 

[Mady 2989]

From within the Nikirala Prikaz, a heartbreaking wail would be heard from the chambers of the Queen Mother. Koenas Annika would lay on her bed in the arms of her husband @Rudi, clutching her chest as she processed the death of her beloved Marus, the first of her children to ascend to the seven skies…

[PerfectlyPeachy 1344]

Henrietta Theresé...

was inconsolable, shunning all those around her and locking herself in her chambers, neglecting even her children, who so desperately needed her attention. She spent her days curled up in Marus's side of the bed, entangling herself in his blankets - they still smelled like him, and sometimes, she almost managed to convince herself he was out on one of his trips and would be home at any moment to tell her of his latest catch. She had only been married to him for nine years, and yet she cherished those years so dearly,  no matter how much they had fought or how much they said they hated one another. 

 

He was her true love,  and she would never have anyone like him ever again.
 

Edited January 10, 2022 by PerfectlyPeachy

[zuziee 3212]

Nikoleta, midst the craze of the morning, heard the screams and clambered outside her bedroom. Just as she was buttoning the last clasp of her sleeves she’d make eye contact with her husband “What was that?” She’d ask in a hurried tone. Yet the blood trickling down her face already told her what it was. 

@erictafoya

[erictafoya 2302]

As the sun rose on the Nikirala Prikaz, the Duke of Akovia was awakened by the glimmering sunlight from his lonely cot. The Prince started his day off normally, or as normally as possible these days, with a hot cup of tea with cream. "Let's hope today is better..." he commented to himself.

 

Recent times for Andrik had been difficult, to say the least. Everyone seemed to be against him, or at the very most distant. In his mind, nothing could get worse... at least not yet. Despite the troubles, his life seemed to be improving. His wife, Nikoleta @zuziee, was finally opening up more once again. Despite not being able to sleep in their normally shared bed, Andrik entered their bedroom to change into his regular outfit, and Nikoleta followed suit. "Dobry Morning, Niki" he said to his wife as she got ready

It was nice... this was nice...

 

Until...

 

Loud and terrifying screams could be heard from the Alban section...

 

Andrik turned his head, his face filled with concern. Upon locking eyes with Nikoleta, his fears were confirmed. The blood coming from her could only mean one thing, someone just died... He rushed to the Alban wing and nearly tripped himself on his untied laces. "This can't be happening... This can't be happening" he said over and over again.

 

But it was happening...

 

Marus, the youngest golden crow out of their royal generation, was dead. Andrik couldn't believe it, but his baby brother's body lay cold and empty on their bedside. Soon, the rest of the family would find out, and the Knights removed the prince's corpse... It was a nightmare... a true nightmare, and Andrik learned a valuable lesson. There is only one thing that stands above everything else in life...

 

Family

[Moenah 1018]

Spoiler

 

 

 

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“Do you want to know a secret?”

 

Never one to pass up a good tale, Elizaveta sits upright in a cushioned bed, not her own, at full attention. Her mother says the Duke of Alban has a secret to hide. Allegedly, all the times he’d been away, was time spent battling countless beasts, bad men – monsters. Amazing, she thinks, awe twinkling in her eyes. Something must be off, though. There was one battle he missed.

 

There’s the pale horse that scares her in her dreams. There’s the shadow man that she hates to think about. But, it all makes sense. They haven’t been seen in some time. That’s who papej is battling now. It all makes sense.

 

“And I’ll even let you share the bed when we get there.” Her mother promises, packing only a few things for her return to Karosgrad. And, for a moment, she feels excitement. Excitement only came in fleeting moments like that. Because every now and then, the shadow man’s words ring within her head, ominous and dark.

 

“That woman is not your mother. And that man will soon no longer be your father.”

 

That’s what makes their reunion less than sweet. That’s what wipes the brief smiles off her face. Because he’s gone- but she can still hear him. And when she thinks her father asleep, she only hears silence.

 

And then she hears screaming.

 

Screaming makes her tense, and only establishes her fears. If the man’s words could ring true now, who was to say he couldn’t return?

 

Someone new will have to defend her from those monsters. “The realm is out of. . . balance.” She says, to the squire at her side. ( @Kujo ) She has lost some of that balance, herself.

[Franczhiz 4053]

"EVERYONE IS DYING.. WHY?" Filip Hugues asked no one in particular within the square of Karosgrad, though signing the Hussariyan cross as he made his way to pray for the soul of Marus.

[FlemishSupremacy 4929]

Ser Flemius suffers from a bout of melancholy... Friends were taken from him, left and right...

[GhostSHTR 1002]

“GODANI, help my Hauch-nephew gain comfort in vyr skies” Prayed the Elder Hieromonk Vladrick 

[Fie 2519]

Laurentina merely asked her older brother, "So... is she coming home?"

[sarahbarah 5007]

An aging and ailing Princess Petra Emma wailed from within the Barony of Richtenburg, clutching the missive that informed her of her brother’s death tightly to her chest.

 

She was irrevocably inconsolable.

[Rudi 1736]

Holding his dear weeping wife @Madywithin his arms, Heinrik Karl, stared towards the door all night. Awaiting Saint Emma to guide him to heaven before his children, he did not know this was the first of the last remaining nights of his life, that were plagued by nightmares.

Soon he'd join his youngest, the child of suprise. 

[crazedpudding 2119]

Klara Elizaveta took a deep, gasping breath as she cradled the wrist she had broken all those years ago. It still twinged occasionally, and though the slight pain should make her angry, she could do nothing but cherish it now. Staring out the window, the young princess turned her eyes onto the gardens below. Panicked, shuddering breaths left her lips as her eyes glazed over. Godan took everything back eventually, but why did it have to be so soon?

[Xx_BloodStalk_xX 2120]

A small figure walks into the courtyard of the Haenseti palace. As he paced towards an empty seat, he thought back to a young boy, chattering up a storm during a royal setting. What a laugh, that gave him. A shame he was taken so soon. His figure stiffened harder than that of a statue, offering a two-fingered salute to the still air.