CopOwl

Dame Lynette Mendez finds the missive before blinking in shock. "What????" She asks herself, "Steph, what have you done this time, my Dear??" The Crow Knight sucks in her breath before hurrying off to find her daughter and demand to be her second.

A long way away, Adrianna Darkwood comes across the letters pronouncing the de Astrea dead. The empathetic woman wipes away one of her tears for the woman she only met once or twice to teach her a lesson of medicine. "Ich hope du are in ein better place." She murmurs.

Adrianna Darkwood reads the missive and smiles. "Ein wonderful job by the Queen's Council." She declares, wishing that it had been the Social season when she was herself was coming of age.

Well, so I've found that my characters get more and more stoic and false badass as they get older. So one of my characters is a Haeseni Knight, so she's seen some stuff. So for her the "pff, lame." reaction is sort of warranted since the amount of times she's almost died is MANY and the stuff she's almost died to is also MANY. But then when it happens in younger, less experienced characters then you're absolutely correct it is stupid. For example, every now and then we get a BSK initiate that has this attitude, and they're usually a semi-new player as well, so when they do "pff, lame" it makes ZERO SENSE and they just look like an idiot. But yeah, when my knight character was younger she was much more scared of stuff. While her stoicism and supposed badassery increased when she got knighted, it was mostly a slow build up over the years. So yeah. Nowadays, I deserve to be cool and not give a ****, I've served my time. But she still gets freaked the **** out every now and then, so not that big of a deal really.

Adrianna Darkwood stands with Isabella @Lmcfc and Dianna @DearConnorMurphy at the bottom of the palace in the throne room, reading the missive with wide eyes. "Oh.... Mein Gotte..." She whispers, "Nein.... Oh nein..!"

Adrianna Barclay pulls up alongside her niece with a bright smile on her face. She begins copying her, holding up the missive excitedly to any passersby. "That's mein Bruder!!!" She cries in excitement.

A messenger boy arrives, huffing and sweating, to Adrianna Darkwood's side with two notes to her. She takes them and reads them both, tears welling in her sweet eyes. A single pale tear drops down her cheek to her chin, though she wipes it away before it can fall, just as the deceased Ex-Duchess wanted. "T-tante..." She cries, "Du... Ich am so sorry.. Ich... Ich left before e-even saying ein proper hello.. Du never.. Did du meet mein son? Did du even know much at all?" She painfully laments, clutching at her chest. "Du... Du felt like ein Mutter to mich, while mein wast out in the world.. We... Ich should have made du... Made du more tea." Filled with regret and grief for the woman she wishes she truly knew, Adrianna moves off to find her husband to share the news and dance. Just the two of them. Just as Tante Ingrid wanted.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Gonna miss you ❤️❤️❤️

The aforementioned Adrianna Darkwood née Barclay looks down at the missive as she's handed it by a family messenger. She blinks, then grimacing. "Gutte job Schwester, du have finally said what we were all too timid to say." She affirms, then going off to find Maya.

Meanwhile, Dame Lynette Mendez steps into the room as her children and husband admire the missive. She narrows her eyes, then signing the Lorraine over Henry's memory. She grimaces and comes up behind them, answering to tiny Valentino. "Hmm... Yeah, call him that. Probably deserves it. Henry would never do this.. and he deserves WORSE for what happened to Steph. I'd kill him myself if it weren't for the Barclays. And my oaths, I guess. Always uphold your oaths kids, it's the adult thing to do."

Adrianna Darkwood is handed the missive by her husband with wide eyes. "Wh-what?!?!" She exclaims in anger, "He disowned mein Schwester?! She wast nicht his to disown! Und her bruder?!" She grits her teeth angrily, sucking in a breath as she holds herself back from punching an *******. Tears well in her furious eyes and slide down her cheeks. "Du have tarnished mein Onkle Henry's memory, Erwin. Ich cannicht believe Ich ever loved du. Ich cannicht believe Ich ever held ein ounce of affection für du und dur family. Mein Schwester ist nicht dur family, du SCHWEIN!"

Tears fill the eyes of Young Adrianna Darkwood, formerly Barclay, as she cups a hand over her mouth upon reading the decree. "Nein... N-nein!!! Oh gotte, it wast... Und Onkle Stefan too.. Gotte blast du, Ducal Union!! Ich despise du! Ich hope du join Iblees where he rots!" She rushes off to find her husband, her hand reaching down to her steadily growing belly, quickly approaching full capacity and preparing to bring another Darkwood neé Barclay into the world.

Adrianna Barclay was standing in the centre of the Barclay Keep in Reinmar. She was still wearing her wedding dress, with boxes of her things piled high in the courtyard ready to move them to Oren and her new husband's house. Suddenly her attention was grabbed by a somber messenger hurrying through the gates. He extended a note out to her solemnly, not saying a word until she took the note and he ran off. As she sheepishly and nervously took the note from the stranger, a pit dropped in her stomach while she unfolded it. She read the note and a tear rolled down her cheek as she let out a quiet sob. She clasped a hand over the note and pressed it to her chest as she crouched down to the ground with her tears dropping off her cheeks and to the dirt. "Onkle Henry... D-du cannicht be dead.." She whispered, "Du cannicht! Ich..." She continued to whimper. "Ich am nicht ready to be without du... Gotte... GOTT VERDAMMT!! Nein!" Exclaimed her furious and loudly mourning voice while her hand clenched into a fist and she punched the ground. She scrunched up the note and shoved it in her pocket, going off to find her new husband@ArizonaRanger with tears rolling down her cheeks.

A Darkwood and Barclay Union [The soon-to-be wed couple enjoying the sunshine in the Reinmaren Countryside.] The Noble Wedding of 390 E.S and 1836 It is with elation that we the Baronial House of Darkwood and the Ducal House of Barclay announce a Right Honourable and Graceful Union between two of our members. Her Ladyship, The Honourable Adrianna Barclay is to be wed to The Honourable Lord Charles Darkwood. The ceremony is to take place in the Basilica of St. Heinrik in the heart of the Capital of Hanseti-Ruska. Once the couple have been wed before the Light of Godan, the guests are invited to the Barclay Keep for drinks and food. The Barclay ballroom is to be filled with lights and fine food for consumption and then followed by the newly wedded couple sharing a dance on the ballroom floor. Once the first dance has concluded the floor will be opened for any other couples to dance accompanied by pleasant music and any guests with gifts for the wedded may present them at this time, but gifts are of course not required. [The Reinmaren ballroom during the wedding, with the wedded couple dancing in the foreground.] Special invitations were sent and extended to the following Haeseni peerage: His Grace, Duke Johann Barclay and his Noble pedigree @Frymark The Right Honourable, Baron William Darkwood and his Noble pedigree @DarkWrath94 His Royal Majesty, King Heinrik II and his Royal Barbanov pedigree His Royal Highness, Baron Franz Morovar and his Royal pedigree His Grace, Duke Ruslan Baruch and his Noble pedigree His Grace, Duke Ailred var Ruthern and his Noble pedigree The Right Honourable, Count Jan Kortrevich and his Noble pedigree The Right Honourable, Viscount Isaak Amador and his Noble pedigree Special invitations were sent and extended to the following Imperial peerage: His Imperial Majesty, Emperor John VIII and the Imperial household of Novellen His Imperial Highness, the Duke of Crestfall and his esteemed pedigree His Imperial Highness, the Count of Renzfeld and his esteemed pedigree His Grace, the Duke of Sunholdt and his esteemed pedigree The Right Honourable, Countess of Dobrov and her esteemed pedigree The Right Honourable, Count of Valles and his esteemed pedigree The Right Honourable, Viscount of Pruvia-Provins and his esteemed pedigree The Right Honourable, Baron Carrington and his esteemed pedigree The Right Honourable, Baron Halcourt and his esteemed pedigree Personal and rather more formal invitations were extended to the following individuals: Her Serene Highness, Princess Petra Mondblume, The Right Honourable, Baron Yvo Mondblume and his Noble pedigree @sarahbarah @Limo_man His Serene Highness, Prince Corwin of Sutica and his Royal pedigree @JoanOfArc His Grace, Duke Eugeo de Astrea and his Noble pedigree @Suicidium The Right Honourable, Viscount Robert Ludovar and his Noble pedigree @erictafoya The Right Honourable, Baron Stefan Vyronov and his Noble pedigree @Wolfey34 The Honourable, Ser Zodd 'The Ironclad' Calliban @AdmiralLB The Honourable, Lady Emma Kortrevich, Surgeon General of Haense @livrose Physicians and Apprentices of the Hospital of Saint Amayas Maya Bishop @avióndelta Isabella and Raden Decaden @Lmcfc @Lizard Henry Bishop @Javert Signed, The Honourable, Lord Charles Darkwood, eldest-son of Inspector-General Garret Darkwood The Honourable, Lady Adrianna Barclay, daughter of Ser Cedric Barclay Knight Paramount of Haense OOC: Friday 3rd September, 6pm EST Basilica of St. Heinrik in Karosgrad Barclay Keep in Reinmar - Afterparty

Adrianna Barclay reads the missive with wide tearful eyes hearing of The Pontiff's passing. "Nicht Onkle Alfred... Nicht him too! I-Ich wast going to ask him to do mein wedding... It would have been ein honour-!" She whimpers, then searching for her fiancé to console her. Dame Lynette Mendez was walking through the streets of Karosgrad and caught a glimpse of the missive in passing. She stops in her tracks at the news and blinks in surprise. "What-? Not another Pontiff! Oh Godan, I.. When Pontiff Jude died it was in Friedrich's tenure, now Pontiff Tylos in Ailred's? Don't tell me I'll witness the death of another Holy Man before I myself die.. The Knights and Holy Knights and Canonist soldiers must be failing in their duty.."

Adrianna Barclay reads the missive with a smile on her face. "The renewal of Barclaid? Wer Rastet Der Rostet!" She shoves the paper into her pocket before placing a hand on the shaft of her glaive: Bliztstahl. "Gutte job, Spritzen."

Lynette Stewart, BSK soldier, stands straight and tall in formation outside the gates of the Silver City. The officers hand around various copies of the missive and reads it with a very faint smile on her face. "Not like I want war, we just can't ignore these slights. And we have to support the Lord Marshal." She shrugs, then gritting her teeth. "And that animal Peralien deserves what's coming for her, so I'm behind this until they give her up."

Lynette Stewart, BSK soldier, stands straight and tall in formation outside the gates of the Silver City. The officers hand around various copies of the missive and reads it with a very faint smile on her face. "Not like I want war, we just can't ignore these slights. And we have to support the Lord Marshal." She shrugs, then gritting her teeth. "And that animal Peralien deserves what's coming for her, so I'm behind this until they give her up."

Lynette Stewart, BSK soldier, stands straight and tall in formation outside the gates of the Silver City. The officers hand around various copies of the missive and reads it with a very faint smile on her face. "Not like I want war, we just can't ignore these slights. And we have to support the Lord Marshal." She shrugs, then gritting her teeth. "And that animal Peralien deserves what's coming for her, so I'm behind this until they give her up."

Lynette Stewart, BSK soldier, stands straight and tall in formation outside the gates of the Silver City. The officers hand around various copies of the missive and reads it with a very faint smile on her face. "Not like I want war, we just can't ignore these slights. And we have to support the Lord Marshal." She shrugs, then gritting her teeth. "And that animal Peralien deserves what's coming for her, so I'm behind this until they give her up."

Lynette Stewart sits in despair within her house, holed upstairs in the living area away from her fiancé Carlos so she can think. Her newly bled and sutured leg lies out before her, a symbol of her battle scars. Her head in her hands and tears spilling down her red cheeks, she just cries. She just cries and cries. She never felt like she was close to Cedric, but he trained her, he worked with her, he had watched her since just 16 in the Order of the Crow. He had not even lived long enough to watch her be knighted... And she had been so close! She had been so close... And... She closes her eyes in pain as she remembers that sharp stabbing pain in her leg, and then the flashes in front of her of Ser Zodd and Ser Cedric coming to save her. She remembers her cry of pain, and having to wrap her leg with the spear still stuck... And then... Stepping forwards to help and that... That brief second of metal in her blurry vision as the Knight Paramount's neck was slashed open! Without him... Lynette could have never made it that far.. Sparring with him.. Speaking with him.. Just.. Watching his life from afar. She wishes she'd really made an effort. To get to know him better she.... That first day. Or one of her first few months in the HRA.. It was tavern night, and Lynette had been apprehensive about going, wondering who she'd talk to or what she'd do. She was young, barely an alcoholic at all. But... The Marian Knight had called her over. She had sad, nervously and listened to their conversation. She'd had a great time that night and just that had made such a huge impact on her. Lynette's pained crying as she holds her own cloth keeping her wound from bleeding to the dying Knight Paramount's neck... And then he was just... Gone. She couldn't save him. She had failed. And she declared that he was dead... He had died for her. Just as Marie had... What a shame. And she was so undeserving... In contrast, Adrianna Barclay sits in her bedroom reading a book, a book on swordsmanship that was her father's with the small wooden toy that he'd give hen for her 14th birthday party, Ser Cerdic, sitting on her shoulder reading along. The young teen hears a knock on the door and gets up with a faint sigh to open it. She finds a messenger there with two documents, once declaring her father's death and the other the note he'd left her. She reads the first document with wide, shocked eyes. "W-what?" She mumbles in surprise, stumbling to her desk and sitting down weakly. "M-mein Vater can't be dead! H-he just can't!" She exclaims as it finally dawns on her. "H-he's-" She stutters. She could just pop downstairs and he'd be there, with open arms just as she'd always wanted, ready to tell her that it was okay... That it was a prank or a joke her brothers were cruelly playing on her. But when she popped downstairs there was no anxiously waiting figure. There was no one there.. "H-he-!" Adrianna cries, falling to a crumple in the hall of the Reinmaren keep, in a fit of sobs. "He cannicht be dead!!" She exclaims in fury and grief, "He never- He never walked mich down the aisle! O-or scolded mich for sneaking off to Oren! Or! Watched mich become ein adult... He never found out Ich wast shot.. He... H-he!" She gasps, getting choked up in grief as she stumbles up, then running, barefoot, to the Chapel in Reinmar just to be with Godan. But when she gets there... All she finds is her father's body and a plaque. She falls to the ground in a piles of tears, remorse, grief, sorrow... "Ich never said Ich wast sorry! Fur breaking into Fionn's house all those years ago! Ich never said thank du! Ich never gave him ein proper hug! "Ich never said Ich wast sorry! Für breaking into Fionn's house all those years ago... Für making him chase us when we were being Idioten... Ich never said thank du! Ich never gave him ein proper hug, o-or... He never finished training mich, or told mich.... He never..." She ceases her sobbing on the floor, pausing a looking up at his still body. Her heart beats fast and hard and terrified as she stares at it, just wanting him to wake up and give her a hug, to comfort her or to tell it was a lie, that her big brave father could never die... Like she had always believed when she was little. She would come barreling down the stairs when she was younger, her mother not far behind as soon as her father or one of her brothers came home. He face was always bright with a grin, no matter how scratched they were or how sad they looked. And she'd always given her brothers a hug and sat on Cedric's big armoured foot, let him walk about with her attached... It... That was the closest they'd gotten to hugging. "He never said he loves mich..." She whispers, on the cusp of an epiphany. She scrambles around for a second or two before she pulls out the other note. The one written by him in his handwriting. With its loving message. "Du never said, Vater!" She cries, "DU NEVER TOLD MICH! How wast Ich to know?! ICH NEVER KNEW!" It eventually morphs in a screaming fit of cries, or sorrow as the young woman finally realises that she loved her father, she really did. She rarely showed him either. she had vied for his attention when she younger, going to galas and balls, participating in the Ledi Haense competition.. It was all for him. To impress him. To try and make him really see her. After a few minutes of fits, Adrianna finds herself huddled under her father's body, possibly the most important relationship in her life up to that point. "Vater... V-vater please... J-just come back... Ich miss du so much... Come back.. Wake.. Wake up, Vater.." She whimpers.. But eventually she stumbles up and putters off, still sobbing and crying to look for her mother or a brother, anyone to just give her a hug and tell her it'll all be okay, just as just her father's presence used to do.

Accessible, Altruistic Anna for Alderwoman! The listener you can count on A detailed portrait of Adrianna Barclay listening to the suggestions of a concerned citizen. ============ Adrianna Barclay has watched the Duma for many years and now is her chance to finally get a word in. The budding Barclay will use her childhood experiences of politics and running the Children's Empire of Reinmar to influence the Duma and make intelligent choices for the future of Haense. She wants to build a Hanseti-Ruska that others her age and younger will be proud to grow up in! ======================== Current problems with the Duma Very few younger people and teens are running in Duma. These are the children that will grow up to run the world, should we not give them the experience to do it well? Similarly, there are so few females leading the Duma, with only 1 woman elected as alderwomen in the last General elections (378 E.S). 3 women ran in these elections against 7 male candidates while only 1 was elected versus the male 6 being elected. This is a clearly unfair and great margin which must be righted by more women running in the Duma. We have the same right to bring change! The Duma is also clearly bias and being corrupted by powerful individuals. While the Duma members are allowed and, to some extent, encouraged to be bias, we cannot allow valid bills to be barred from passing due to the corruption of others and their thirst for power. Finally, few commoners and non-nobility are running in the Duma. The position of Alder(wo)man is highly coveted and can appear to have a high bar for entry. Introducing approachable people into the seat should hopefully encourage commoners to run in the Duma and speak up for their classes. Promises - Adrianna Barclay promises to: Speak up for her friends of the non-nobility. Anyone who speaks to her with a request for the Duma is considered A Friend! Do her best to stop the spread of corruption through the Duma! Look to the future and pass bills that will keep Haense prosperous for many years to come! Remain open to suggestion for all her time elected. If anyone has quarrel or query, come to Adrianna! Closing Remarks Thank you for reading Adrianna Irene Barclay's campaign post: 'Adorable Adrianna - Running for Alderwoman'! Unlike previous elections and previous candidates, all promises will be followed through, that's the Barclay assurance. And vote for Altruistic Anna for Alderwoman this year! ======================== Adrianna Barclay - Making change you can see happen Vote Adrianna! 383 E.S

IGN: CopOwl Character Name: Adrianna Irene Barclay Age: 14 Place of Residence: Duchy of Reinmar Position: Alderwoman Link to Campaign Post:

Coronation of Her Imperial Highness, Empress of the Holy Reinmaren Empire, Kaiserin Lady Adrianna Barclay With the recent aging of the founder of the Children's Holy Reinmaren Empire, His Mighty Imperial Greatness Kaiser Reinhardt Barclay, and the abdication of the throne to his young sister Lady Adrianna Barclay, we celebrate the succession of the throne and the beginnings of her Imperial court. In publicizing the ascension we the subjects of the Reinmaren Empire do so swear our fealty to her Imperial Highness in this Gronna and Droba of 380 E.S. We also note the appointment of the previous Kaiser Reinhardt Barclay as Lord Commander of The Armies. We can promise appointments to those spreading and sharing their loyalty to the Empire at a later date, to be decided by her Imperial Highness at her own discretion. This includes advisors, ladies in waiting and honored members of the court. The Children's Empire welcomes all into its midst. Long live the Empire! Wer Rastet Der Rostet ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ISSUED BY Her Imperial Highness, Adrianna Barclay, Kaiserin of the Children's Holy Reinmaren Empire, Princess of the fields, Duchess of the Windmill, Duchess of The Castle, Countess of The Blue and Green, Viscountess of The Rosefields, Viscountess of the Flowered Fire pit, Baroness of The Lighthouse, Baroness of The Great Hall, Baroness of the Flag, Baroness of The Sash, Grand Lady of The Sail, Lady of the Banner, Lady of the Kitchen, Lady of the Azure Gown, Madam of the Pumpkin Patch, Madam of Eastern Lake Victoria

The Young Adrianna Irene Barclay had never met poor Dame Marie and therefore receives no letter. But she has all the letter she needs to when she hears the cries and screams and sounds of furniture being destroyed of those living in the Keep when they get theirs. The little girl has no idea what's going on and is too afraid to ask. The poor thing starts to whimper and locks herself in her room. She climbs onto her bed and holds Daisy, a polar bear plush that her brother Reinhardt had given her as a gift, very close. She hugs the thing so hard some of the stitches come out, but it's manages to keep her whimpering under control and stop her from having a full fit. Meanwhile, the armswoman Lynette Stewart finds herself lost, deep in thought. As is now a normal thing for her, she thinks back on that day's events and flashes of a dark shadowing forest flit through her mind. Eyes fill that forest. Bright yet shadowy, inspiring yet foreboding. Suddenly she's hit with the sensation of spurting blood. Blood spurting from her arm. Ah... She finds herself in that battlefield with Marie in front of her, Cedric behind her. Lynette then realises she's being thrust, pushed backwards and further from the impeding line of Nachezer warriors. Her panicking mind and flurry of brain activity urging every part of her to retreat or fight contrasted against her slow, tired, badly injured limbs doing all they can to move in an eastward direction. Dear Marie pushes her further from the chaos of their coming death and all Lynette can do is reach forward as her eyes recognise the Dame beginning to get surrounded and grab her arm, doing her best to pull her further from the aggressive Nachezer forms. And then Marie is gone... Covered by the many bodies of towering Soup demons. And she has just pulled the spear from her shoulder and it is shooting blood like a water gun. Barely conscious, Lynette hears the shouting of her comrades yelling "Retreat!!! MOVE BACK! WE'RE BEING SURROUNDED!" And then she hears Knight Paramount Cedric from behind her bewildered, disorientated self yelling again. "MARIE! We must save the Dame!!" And then her mind kicks into full gear. Her breathing elevated as blood spurts onto her face from across the battlefield. She manages to hold off the constantly building panic attack as her hand drops the spear originally piercing straight through her shoulder to the floor. Her legs no longer buckling under her, her full form no longer stumbling. A desperate cry can be heard when Marie had disappeared from her sight. "NO!!!" Bursts forth from her lips as the woman begins on a path of pain, full of death. She doesn't know what transpired there after that, only finding herself awake with wounds dressed in her bed at home. Who knows who treated her, whether it was herself or a medical professional. The only thing she knows when she awakes is that Dame Marie is gone. The woman erupts into long held back tears upon this realisation. She had not known Marie well. Marie had carried back her concussed self after that battle in Reinmar with the trolls. She had spoken briefly to Marie then. She had seemed nice, very pleasant. She had wanted to seek advice from Marie on being a Dame. And on bearing children as a soldier and Knight. There had been things she had wanted to discuss. Things she'd wanted to say, to ask, to admire. But now the Dame's time had been cut short. And she had died saving her. What penance could be given for such a crime? The crime of being responsible for someone leaving this world. Lynette Stewart wished she had done more. That she had been more competent. And that she could have saved the older, wiser Dame. That Dame with so much to live for.