ROLEPLAY HQ - fantastical-hearts

Clover wrinkled his nose as he stepped inside of the packed tavern unable to help but grimace as he caught the pungent smell of alcohol and sweat that filled his senses. the tavern unable to help but grimace when he caught the pungent smell of alcohol and sweat that filled his senses. Alcohol alone tended to put him in unfamiliar territory back at home wine was the only alcohol they would drink and that was for special occasions. Mostly they would just drink water and milk, sometimes they could get their hands on juice but he tended to give the drinks to his younger siblings. Of course, he knew that he had no blood relation to them, or at least not that he knew of but he didn’t care. They were his family. If it wasn’t so cold, he would have stayed outside but with the snow blanketing the floor and the biting winds that leached the warmth from his body even through his heavy pelt cloak and armour he had decided that it wasn’t worth getting frostbite. Winter had clearly come.

5:30 AM

He bobbed to the side to avoid the drunk guy that almost bumped into him looking up at the man's angry face before he raised his gauntled palms to try and placate the man. Maybe it was the site of thick leather gloves he was wearing. Maybe it was the signs that he was wearing chainmail or maybe it was the sword that rested at his hips but something seemed to placate the man. He was still getting used to the weight of the armour and the way that it felt, it was a gift from the sisters before he left, they said that it was to help keep him safe. They also told him that they would have gotten him something better if they were able to but he shut that down quickly. They could give him a feather and he would be grateful. One of the sisters Sophie teased him about leaving just to try and get a girlfriend but he tried to just ignore her talks of protecting his purity. Heading to the table where they were supposed to accept their quest, he paused as he realised that he was the first to arrive before he took one of the open seats letting himself relax to try and feel less worried pulling off his gloves one by one before he paused noticing the red scars on his left hand that looked as if they were in a flower pattern. Maybe if someone didn’t know the story, they would think it to be by chance, but he knew why it looked like that.

5:30 AM

Gripping his gauntlets, he carefully pulled them away revealing his bare hands and when he noticed the scar that covered his left hand, dripping down his fingers to reach his wrist as if the scar was a liquid that dripped down his hand the sight bringing back memories. In the church he was the oldest of the other children leaving him responsibly when no one else around and with none of the nuns able to fight when a troll attacked it was up to him to defend everyone. With just a wooden sword in his hands that he had gotten from one of the younger children and a cross around his neck he was willing to die buying time but when he swung his blade it sliced through the monster like butter. Flames ate away at the wooden blade or at least what was left of it burning away till the heat.

5:31 AM

He couldn’t remember much after that, he was told that he hit the ground with a thud and when he woke up the next day, he had bandages covering his burnt hand with no explanation for what had happened to him, no one could really explain it. The father said that there was someone watching over them, and that day they ate like kings so thankful that no one was seriously hurt. The explanation later came to him in dreams and so did a woman, with red skin, that looked like it would burn him if he got too close to her. She didn’t say a word, for she didn’t have to because when he saw her, he already knew. Idalia goddess of the sun. After being warned against the drinking water of the tavern he reluctantly ordered a warm mug of ale but he thanked the woman none the less and when she left, he took a sip unable to help but wince at the taste of it, but at least it was there to warm him up as he waited for the others to arrive. @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

Faith was no ordinary person; she was a rare hybrid, born of the union between a human and an elf. This extraordinary mix blessed Faith with undeniable beauty, unmatched grace, and a powerful magical heritage that flowed through her veins. From an early age, Faith seemed destined for greatness. She was the only child of Queen Seraphina, the wise and revered ruler of the Starwood Fae. Being half-human, Faith was seen as a symbol of unity between the human and elven realms. As a result, she was marked as the heir to the Starwood Fae, ready to shoulder the responsibilities that awaited her in the world of the fae However, Faith possessed an insatiable curiosity and boundless longing for adventure. The structured life of a future queen within the ethereal realm of the fae stifled her spirit, beckoning her to discover the world beyond the borders of her realm. The magic that coursed through her veins yearned for the untamed wildness of adventure. One fateful day, Faith made the difficult decision to leave the comfort and security of her birthright behind. She bid farewell to her mother and the enchanted realm of the Starwood Fae, embarking on a journey that would forever shape her destiny

9:54 AM

Faith ventured tirelessly through vast forests, treacherous mountains, and ancient ruins, tirelessly searching for a purpose that resonated with her soul. She sought something that would symbolize not only her own uniqueness but also her connection to both the human and elven worlds. Little did she know that her path would lead her to a humble yet bustling tavern in the heart of a bustling city. The tavern, known as the Blazing Hearth, had a reputation for being a gathering place for adventurers, warriors, and seekers of fortune. As Faith walked through the doorway, a wave of noise and merriment washed over her, filling her senses with the aroma of hearty food, the sound of lively conversations, and the sight of people from varied backgrounds adorned with armor and weaponry. The smell of alcohol never hit her nose, as she was far too familiar with the smell of those. Growing up she was always surrounded by some sorts of alcohol in her house In this bustling tavern, Faith's eyes were instantly drawn to Clover, the revered paladin, or so she was told. The man she was supposed to met, as she’d make her way towards him. Faith stood at 5’1, rather short for her species but none the less she swiftly made her way through the crowd going between small gaps making sure she didn’t bump into any drunks finally she made her way towards the young man, she took a seat next to him and ordered herself a whiskey, as she turned her attention towards clover, her blue eyes laying on him as she then glanced around “Clover.. I assume..? Where are the rest..?”

@All time Jack forgot the ping my bad))

Hellspawn was what people liked to call Tieflings. Usually, they were seen They were seen as bad luck at best and at worst they were seen as children of the devil. Some kingdoms preferred to kill them on sight. Rinka remembered being only young once and accidentally stumbled into one such town. It was only luck that he managed to escape that and stupidity they left a tiefling all alone while trying to burn him. He shook his head to get his thoughts back on track, his hand resting against one of the blades that rested on his waist for solace. He didn't like going into towns and cities but he always found villages the worst. There was just something eerie about them that made him uncomfortable. He could never stand them. Maybe it was because of how close everyone was it just reminded him about how few of his kind there was. At least he knew that the city that homed the Blazing Hearth wasn't too bad. He was only seen as bad luck to most there and not a sign of the devil. Stepping inside of the crowded tavern he winced quickly as he saw how many people there were, and they were both drunk and armed. Which usually wasn't a fun mixture for him. The smell of alcohol made him frown his strong senses picking up on it easily before he shook his head and made himself continue forward. This city was nicer to tieflings than most and yet he knew that it only took one drunk to create a scene so he pulled his hood further down his head to help cover as much skin as he could. He was thankful for the cold it gave him an excuse to keep himself all covered up as he looked for where he believed his new group would be meeting up.

10:53 AM

He didn't say anything to them as he silently approached ordering some meat, cheese and bread for a couple of silvers before he joined the two that were already there, his footsteps silent as he carefully hoped over the backseat while the black-haired woman introduced herself not making his presence known not on purpose at least as he sat in the very corner with his back against the wall and started to eat. @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

With her feline ears, tail, and enchanting emerald eyes, she possessed a natural charm that allowed her to navigate the shadows with unparalleled grace and agility. Reyna grew up in the vibrant district of Crescent Alley, a notorious den of thieves and rogues. Her earliest memories were filled with tales of thrilling heists and daring escapes. Inspired by these stories, she eagerly honed her skills in the art of thievery from an early age. From the moment she could crawl, Reyna displayed an uncanny ability to slip through the tightest of spaces and filch precious trinkets without making a sound Her nimble fingers and acute senses, sharpened by her Neko lineage, allowed her to pick locks, avoid traps, and vanish into the darkness without a trace. As time passed, Reyna's reputation as one of Eldoria's most skilled thieves grew. Legends were whispered among the shadows about her audacious exploits and her uncanny ability to acquire even the most heavily guarded treasures. But it wasn't just wealth that motivated Reyna. The thrill of the chase, the adrenaline pumping through her veins as she outsmarted her targets, fueled her insatiable desire for adventure

12:00 PM

However, it was not solely her reputation that led her to the doorsteps of a particular tavern. A message had reached Reyna's ears, spoken in hushed whispers among her contacts in the city's underbelly. It was said that this tavern held a secret; a person who possessed knowledge that would forever change Reyna's life. Curiosity, as well as the promise of a new heist, enticed her to venture into the unknown. As Reyna pushed open the tavern door, the atmosphere shifted from lively conversations to hushed murmurs. Her entrance did not go unnoticed. Eyes followed her with equal parts curiosity and caution, as tales of her cunning had spread far and wide. She was greeted by the scent of ale and the sound of footsteps on the creaking floorboards Reyna scanned the room, her emerald eyes gleaming with mischief. She silently observed the patrons, searching for the individual who held the key to her next great adventure. Finally, her gaze fell upon a rugged-looking man, adorned in battered armor, sitting at a corner table. It was said that he possessed valuable information, and that his presence could herald a turning point in Reyna's life. With feline grace, Reyna made her way towards him, her footsteps so light that they barely disturbed the dust on the floor

12:03 PM

Shed lean on the counter her back towards the bartender , her tail ever so swaying gently as she’d glanced towards the teifling next to her, then the elven.. and lastly the paladin.. a small grin on her face forming as she’d chuckling to herself, looking down at the ground before swiveling and facing the bar finally, leaning forward arching to back slightly to make herself more .. comfortable as she’d ordered herself a rum on the rocks “this surly ought to be interesting..” the bell whispered to herself as she’d get her drink and sipped it @All time Jack

Clover still wasn't sure why so many people paid attention to him, why so many people knew about him. He didn't see himself as anything special he was just lucky and wanted to do the right thing. That was how he always saw it at least, he liked to help people because it was how he was raised. Lady Idalia told him once that it was why she chose him. Unlike the elves he wasn't born with magic, it wasn't a birth right but a gift and his vow to always be worthy of his patron. He planned on taking quests to be able to help people, and the money he gained he planned on sending back to his family who he knew needed it far more than he did. He relaxed somewhat as he stood inside the tavern it smelled of alcohol and there were more people there than he was used to dealing with but there was something about it that felt relaxing. There was a certain comradery in the atmosphere as he sipped his ale and grimaced lightly from the bitter taste. He was caught by surprise as a woman sat next time his brow raising out of surprise when the short woman ordered such a strong drink before he looked back at her and was surprised again as he saw her ears, his gaze scanning her face while she spoke and he recognised her quickly.

12:50 PM

"Princess Faith?" He asked her surprised not noticing Rinka silently sit down not long after the woman had spoken. "What are you doing here?" He asked her softly, when lady Idalia claimed him one of the older girls from the orphanage forced him to learn about all the people of note throughout the nations. Or at least the women that were his age at the time. Why he still didn't know, something about needing to be a proper suitor. "I mean I'm not sure. I guess we're the first ones here." He said not noticing that the two more quiet members of their party were already with them as he looked into the blue eyes of the woman sitting next to him. "As you know my name is Clover, Clover Idalia it's lovely to meet you." He told her softly gently taking her hand before he tried to gently kiss her knuckles in greeting. @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

Faiths head turned slightly, her blue eyes gently looking at him. Princess. A title she hasn’t heard in a while, her eyes widen slightly, a bit shocked he knew who she was. A soft smile formed on her face however, when he introduced himself and kissed the back of her hand. Her face turning a tinted red as she giggled quietly “Princess..former you might say.. please just call me Faith..” she said bowing her head slightly in respect “though the way you say princess makes me want to hear it more from you~” she cooed gently teasing him as she’d glance ever so slightly behind “Is that so.? It looks like the rest may have just shown up” she said glancing towards the teifling and Neko “Quite the odd crew you assembled. I might say” she said turning her attention back to the paladin “but I trust your judgement..” @All time Jack

Wasn't it considered rude to join a table without making an introduction? Rinka was pretty sure that it was, but introductions always felt difficult for the Tiefling. That and he was hungry, having been unable to get his hands on any food the day before. The winter months always sucked for him, usually he would spend the hotter months living in the woods, avoiding towns and villages and he’d get his food by hunting. But the current winter was a sudden one he barely got the time to get ready it started to snow heavily, and it became too cold for him to sleep outside. It didn’t help that the cold made it harder for him to hunt too. He was about to eat before he paused hearing the man's words that caught him by surprise. Was she really a princess? He didn’t think that he would ever meet a princess. Judging by her ears he had to guess that she wasn’t a human princess not that he really cared. They were all the same to him after all. He got ever his surprise quickly and glanced up as he noticed the Neko joining them just a bit away as she seemed to keep her distance just like he did. Just one quest he reminded himself as he started to quietly eat. Just do one quest and then he’ll hopefully be able to have enough money to live at a cheap hostel until it became warm enough to go back to the woods. It wouldn’t be too hard, he hoped.

10:59 AM

He sat up and swallowed the food in his mouth as the elven woman made it clear that she had noticed him unlike the black-haired man. His head tilting as he looked back at her quickly sizing her up before he smirked back at her and relaxed giving off an air of confidence that he spent a lifetime faking. “To be noticed so quickly by someone so beautiful and a princess at that. I might be still dreaming.” He said to her playfully resting his head in his chin while he leaned forward his hood falling down to reveal pale white skin and a headful of messy brown hair. It was only a simple illusion spell, but it was an effective one so long as he didn’t break his concentration, and no one felt his horns. With how pointy his ears were in his disguise most would just assume that he was an elf. @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

Ahh come on

Reynas ears twitch hearing the elevens voice as she glanced towards the princess and the paladin. A small hiss heard as she’d turn back facing the tiefling, watching the interaction between the princes and the demon. She’d rolled her eyes gaging to herself in disgust as the man would compliment her. Great it was going to be this kind of adventure. A man who fawns over everybody, a royal who can likely attract more danger and a paladin what could be worse. As Reyna would look away and finish off her drink

Faith would smile softly at the man’s comment. Nodding subtly as she’d glanced towards the Neko and then back towards the men “perhaps there is somewhere more.. private we could go to, to discuss further business..?”

3:54 PM

@All time Jack there sorry for the many pings.. and short response..)

At a young age Rinka learned the importance of masks, illusions alone weren’t enough to deceive everyone not when there were those that sought out people like him. He didn’t expect to come across any hunters here not when the city of Lindum had a more friendly view of his kind, but he knew better then to let his guard down. Not when letting his guard down could mean death. He learnt long ago that he couldn’t trust most people. They barely got along with each other but him, something they saw as demons he knew to never drop his facade. In cities he wasn’t Rinka the Tiefling but Rin the confident elf. Rin the elf was good with women and always had a confident smile. A confident smile that didn’t fade for a second even as he caught the sound of the other woman hissing. He barely gave the Neko attention his head turning to look at her as his green and blue miss matched eyes glanced at her before he looked back at Faith again and smirked. “You want something private? How about the two of us rent a room together and discuss business?” He asked her coyly. Of course, he had no intention of following through with his words not when he needed to focus to keep his spell up but having to make up an excuse if she was interested was worth getting them to dismiss him as just a flirt.

Much less observant compared to his Tiefling companion Clover didn’t hear the sound of Reyna hissing like Rinka did as when the other two was brought to his attention from Faith’s words he simply looked at them and smiled giving them both a small wave feeling like it would be rude to try and start a conversation with them while he was speaking to Lady Faith. Sister Sophie always did say that when speaking to a lady you were supposed to give them your full attention after all. His head tilted as he heard the words of the elf with different coloured eyes. Should he have complimented the woman too. Getting a chance to speak once the man was finished talking Clover nodded quickly missing the flirtatious edge to his words as he slowly pulled himself up onto his feet. “He’s right. We should rent rooms for the night anyway it’s been too cold to be able to sleep outside. With that he decided that it was time to make his introduction to the Neko that stayed silent and so he calmly walked over to her and smiled at her warmly. “I know of Lady Faith, but I haven’t had the pleasure introducing myself to you yet. My name is Clover Idalia it’s lovely to meet you.” He told her softly not trying to flirt as he simply tried to make a good impression before he noticed the scar on her neck as he offered her his hand. “Your neck I can heal it for you if you wish.” @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

@𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂 unpinged (will try to respond today.. sorry I’ve been getting really busy)

She observed Rinka with curiosity. His confident smile never wavered, even as he caught the sound of the other woman hissing. She watched as his attention briefly shifted to the Neko before returning to her, a subtle smirk forming on his face she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in response, both intrigued and amused by his proposition. She knew he had no intention of following through. She chuckled and decided to matched his playful demeanor and replied with a slight smirk of her own. "Oh? What a smooth talker. As tempting as that offer sounds, I'm afraid I'll have to decline for now. We can discuss our *business right here." Her eyes flickered towards the two and then back to Rinka with the same “cocky” smirk*

Reyna glanced up, her eyes meeting Clover's as he approached her. She had observed him from a distance, noticing his kindness, but she remained silent, unsure of how to respond. As he smiled warmly at her, Reyna felt her tension ease slightly Reyna studied his features, taking in every detail before finally deciding to speak to him " Reyna," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced down at her scarred neck, and back to him as he offered to heal it* "You can heal it?" Reyna asked, with skepticism coloring her words. She had become accustomed to the scars, seeing them as a part of her now. But the idea of being free from their haunting presence was tempting. But the scars told her story.. Reyna hesitated, uncertainty crossing her face. She had longed for healing, both physically and emotionally, but the fear of vulnerability held her back. His offer touched her, but she needed to gather her thoughts “ Hmp....I need some time to think about it.. can we talk later? About it?” she said her tail flickering

@All time Jack

5:21 AM

@All time Jack sorry for the many pings, idk what’s going on with my bots here

Rinka didn’t like flirting with people, not when he knew that nothing would ever really come from it even if the flirting worked but Rin was a heavy flirt and deep down, he knew he enjoyed the thrill. It made him feel alive it was like emptying the pockets of a person that had the power to kill him and then leaving with them none the wiser. He enjoyed the sound of her chuckling he really did his head tilting as he saw the smirk on her pretty lips and when he heard her words, he knew that she would be fun. “You would prefer to stay right here? I wasn’t expecting you to prefer an audience but I’m down.” He answered back to her playfully before he hopped into the seat next to her allowing him to lean in his breath brushing against the other two. “About the other two I would be more than happy to include the one with the cute ears, but I’m sorry if I’m disappointing you but I have no interest in crossing swords with the guy not even if it’s too impressed such a beautiful woman.” He whispered into her ear cockily his voice keeping its playful tone while he rested one hand on the wooden table and tapped his fingers. “Do you want to see something funny soon?” He still wasn’t sure why he took the quest; it was risky, and he didn’t even see it as being worth the coin, not when he was pretty skilled at picking pockets. Maybe he just missed the company of other people, maybe it was his conscious speaking. Well, he was probably just bored.

He smiled back at her as she replied to him quietly nodding as he heard her name, it was a pretty name that he thought quickly but he didn’t have Rin’s confidence, so he didn’t mention it worried that she would take it the wrong way. His head tilting absentmindedly as he glanced at her neck again with her. He met her scepticism with a soft smile taking no offense to her words as he waited for her to continue speaking. If she was hurt with a serious injury that needed healing, then he would have healed her without a word, but he knew of how personal scars could be and not everyone wanted to get rid of the marks that showed their experiences that proved they were alive. To heal them without blessing was wrong. Once she finished speaking, he let his smile soften as he nodded back at her. “Take all the time you need. If you decide that you want them gone at any time during our quest, I’ll heal them for you all it will require is for me to put my hand on them and it’ll just take seconds.” He told her softly keeping his voice quiet to try and give her more privacy before he glanced back at the other two, they were with before he looked at Reyna again. “Okay how about we sit with the other two now then? To discuss the quest and stuff. I was thinking it’d be nice to know what everyone can do.” He told her before he offered her his hand to take again planning to walk her to the table.

@𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

Reyna's heart fluttered as she caught his smile, feeling a warmth spreading through her as she nodded in response to his words. Rin's confidence seemed to elude him, making him hesitant to mention it. She understood his reservation, not wanting to come across as forward. As he absentmindedly glanced at her neck, her skepticism grew, unsure of how he perceived her scars. But his soft smile and lack of offense put her at ease, melting away her defensive walls. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, then continued speaking. While he listened intently to her concerns about healing personal scars, Reyna could sense his understanding. She appreciated his respect for the marks that told her story, acknowledging that healing them without her consent would be wrong. It was a rare quality to find in someone, and it touched her deeply. His subsequent words made her feel subtly at ease, his kind offer leaving her momentarily speechless. The idea of having the scars healed was both enticing and terrifying to her, but knowing he would wait for her decision gave her a sense of comfort and control. Reyna allowed her smile to soften as well, a silent affirmation to his understanding. "Thank you, that means a lot to me," she whispered gratefully. Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze. "I'll keep your offer in mind, and if I ever decide I want them gone, I'll let you know." As he suggested joining the others at the table to discuss the quest and everyone's abilities she nodded in agreement, she placed her hand in his, feeling a sense of trust and connection, her tail flickering around feeling a sense of, ease? A odd feeling she thought she’d never feel as they walked over

Faith observed Rin's confident demeanor and the way he smoothly interacted with others, fully aware that it was all a carefully crafted facade. She knew all too well the consequences of dropping her own guard in this dangerous world they lived in. As Faith was about to respond to Rin's suggestion, she felt a hint of amusement bubble up inside her. She decided to play along, matching his coy tone. "Oh, Rin, always so charming with your words. But I must warn you, I'm not easily swayed by flattery. Business is what brings us together, after all," she replied, her voice tinged with a touch of intrigue she chuckled at his comment about not wanting to fight Clover to impress a woman as she slyly reply “oh trust me.. fighting doesn’t win over my heart” she said looking at Reyna and Clover, and then back to him “Funny..?” she questioned as she’d lean back on her chair “amuse me, please” @All time Jack

When he heard her words, he simply smiled back at her softly "Of course and I promise if I ever need to heal you, I'm the future I'll make sure to not take your scars away from you." Even if it made healing her a little more difficult, he knew how important scars were. He wore the mark given to him by lady Idalia with pride himself after all. He smiled at glanced back at her softly as they walked his hand gently squeezing hers while he glanced down her body after he noticed movement in the corner of his vision and when he noticed the way that her tail flickered. She really was cute, he hoped that she wouldn’t mind him thinking that. Stopping as they reached the table he smiled at her softly and let his gaze glance at her neck while he let go off her hand and pulled out a chair for her. “Your scars please know that they do nothing to take away from how beautiful you are.” He told her softly waiting for her to take a seat before he’d tuck her in the tips of his fingers brushing against her hips before he let go off the chair and took a step back to stretch while he stood behind her. “I’m just gonna grab something to eat then I’ll be right back.” He spoke speaking to the entire table instead of just her this time. “Does anyone want me to pick something up for them?” He asked softly waiting to get answers before he left to walk over to the taverns bar.

"No warning necessary princess. You're stunning but who would want easy when a challenge is so much more satisfying." If he was truly trying to charm her, if he really believed that he could charm a princess maybe he would have thought that his flirtation was succeeding, but he wasn’t that foolish. Not that he was disappointed that she was simply playing along with him he knew too well that it wouldn’t work. Not when breaking his concentration would make his spell fail. No, he wouldn’t risk his cover even if the princess was truly beautiful. His grin only grew wider when he heard her laughter and when he heard her words he smirked and leaned in close to her letting his shoulder gently brush against hers. “How cute you should know that when I mentioned crossing swords, I didn’t mean fighting.” He whispered to her with a wink before he leaned away from her his back arching as he stretched in his seat. "How could I deny someone when they say please so kindly." He murmured his gaze glancing back at Clover as he waved him off already getting an idea to make a little mischief. “Don’t tell the other two. Tomorrow, they might just thank me for what’s about to happen.” He whispered to her before he turned his head and looked over at Reyna his chin resting in one of his palms while he slouched in his seat. “So, kitty is the church boy as kind as he looks?” He asked her after a moment of silence while silently using his magic.

2:49 PM

“They said that they’d it to the table once it’s ready.” Clover said with a soft smile as he returned to the table, taking a sat down onto the chair next to Reyna. A chair that Rinka was kind enough to kick out for him that he quickly relaxed in as much as he could in plate armour. It wasn’t actually Clover of course, simply an illusion spell cast that could possibly be seen through, but the Rinka was confident in his magic. “So, I was thinking that we all discuss what we can do, so we’ll know how to support each other during the quest. But first I think we should discuss our sleeping arrangements.” He started a light red dusting forming on his cheeks as he finished speaking before, he looked back at Reyna once again. “I must be honest; my wish is to share a room with you, my lady. You really are beautiful. I could use a hand getting out of my armour and I would be more than happy to help you out of your clothes.” He told her earnestly the Clover illusion making no move to try and hide his desires while the real Clover waited out of sight at the bar.

@𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

Reyna nodded , as she’d looked away as he glanced back at her, she was unsure what to really say, her tail flicking around feeling a bit awkward, as they walked to met up with the others. Feeling his hand squeeze hers her ears flickered , as she looked down seeing his hand wrapped around hers, the Neko was unsure what to say, as she just let it happened. As they reached to the table she’d take a seat, looking at him as he spoke “thank you..” she spoke quietly feeling her face turn slightly red. Stiffening up slightly as his fingers brushed against her hips. Her head pivoted behind as she spoke up “I’ll take some fries.. and a glass of wine, please” she purred softly so only he heard.. as she looked back to the tiefling and Elf

Faith would chuckle “Hm, that is true.. a challenge is always more fun” she said as she’d fold her arms slightly to his snarky remark about sword fighting “oh you mean you and clover would sword fight in that way huh?” shed remark chuckling as she’d look up to clover and Reyna as they finally decided to join them. As clover asked the table what they wanted Faith would shake her head “I’m fine, thank you” she said as she watched clover walk off, and then over to Reyna, who seemed a bit nervous just being left alone, and glanced towards Rinka raising a brow

Reyna would look towards Rinka as he asked her that question, she’d furrow her brows and slightly shrugged “I-I guess?” she said unsure how to really answer that, she didn’t know clover as well minus the brief conversation they had, it wasnt enough to determine if he was kind, looking back to ‘clover’ as he approached back to the table, Reyna nodded as he took a seat next to her, oblivious to the magic

however Faith picked on it very quickly as she’d roll her eyes and nudged Rinka like really

Rey Reyna was about to chime in, but was quickly cut off by clover as he began to suggest his ideas. Reyna would growl softly at his second statement, hissing softly as she’d rolled her eyes and looked back towards the other two. She couldn’t believe what was coming out of the paladins mouth, as she’d wave and ignore his comment “boys in one room , girls in the other” she bluntly said folding her arms as she looked at Faith

Faith would look back at Reyna, and nodding slightly as she nudged Rinka and looked at him, whispering “you really thought that would work..?” @All time Jack

Stood a little over six-foot Clover towered over most, and his shoulders were broad and well-muscled casting an imposing figure especially while in armour even if he wasn’t the biggest. He had a certain gentleness that contrasted his size well. He smiled at her when she thanked him oblivious to the way she flushed slightly and stiffened from his touch simply nodding back at her when he heard her words, jolting slightly from the way she purred the words out. He liked her voice; his smile didn’t fade as he looked over to Faith and Rinka acknowledging that they didn’t want anything before he left.

“Yeah although I would still rather not, especially when I much prefer the company of the princess before me with such a pretty laugh.” He whispered back to her before his head tilted as he heard Reyna’s simple words. Where Faith was playful and confident Reyna seemed jaded like he was. He stayed silent as he focused on his charm, it was difficult to make his magic effect two people at once while keeping up the illusion of his looks. Faith nudging him almost made him lose it even as he glanced back at her with a wink. Really, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting would she go along with the Paladin's words, or would she refuse? He was surprised to hear her growl and hiss his hand covering his mouth to hide his grin when Reyna looked over at them even if he knew she was probably focusing more on Faith as she folded her arms. He knew a lost cause when he saw it after all. His shoulders shrugged lightly as he felt Faith nudge him. “I thought that there was a chance it felt like it would have been fun either way.” He whispered back to her before he waved his hand making the illusion of Clover disappear.

It didn’t take long for Clover to order or receive his food, the barmaid that seemed weirdly happy to serve him told him that if he wanted then they could bring the food to his table for him but he simply waved them off with a smile telling them that he would be more than happy to bring it to his table for him but he simply waved the woman off with a smile not mentioning the way the woman’s cheeks flushed and she struggled to look him in the eye. The woman was probably just shy. Once the food was ready, it was a bit of a struggle to carry a glass of wine, a plate of fries and a bowl of stew to the table but he made it work as he thanked the kind woman and brought it over to their table oblivious to what had just happened. “Fries and a glass of wine right here.” He spoke softly as he joined them putting down the plate and glass in front of Reyna before he took a seat next to her his knee brushing against hers lightly while he sat.

@𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

Reyna would watch him return with the food, slighty confused as he told them that the food was going to be brought back to them, maybe he changed his mind and decided to get it himself after he made a fool of himself. Her tail flickered around with anger as her ears her perked on high alert. As he placed the food down for her. Reyna would quietly hiss at his voice as she grabbed her wine first to sip it, moving her knee immidently as his brushed against hers, shed glare at him and then looked back to Rinka and Faith, her tail thumping on the chair as she refused to look at Clover and speak to him

Faith would roll her eyes as he whispered back, watching his plan fail, shed bit her lip and looked to Rinka like was that worth it? "you ruined something that could have been there* "she whispered to the teifling as he seemed to just brush it off like it was nothing. Faith would sigh, typical tieflings placing tricks on people, it was nothing new as shed looked to Clover* "So, rooming arrangements, I like Reynas suggestion, girls in one room, boys in the other" The elven spoke as shed steal a fry from Reyna and munched on it, Reyna not seemingly caring @All time Jack

He was waiting for Reyna to realise what he had done, or at least to realise something was up as the real Clover showed up but when she simply hissed at Clover clearly angry at him he realised that she fell for his trick making him sigh. That made things awkward and Faith’s words made him shake his head quickly. “Things that get ruined that easily aren’t really worth it.” He told her with a fake grin. He meant his words but he did his best to hide how jaded he was behind the front of a hopeless romantic. It didn’t matter to him too much that his plan failed not when once the quest was over and he had some coins in his pocket to last him until winter thawed he’d be gone and back at his home in the woods.

Without any idea why Reyna was so upset Clover thought that he had imagined Reyna’s quiet hiss at first, his kind gaze glancing at her as he saw the way that she glared at him making his heart race almost missing how alert she was with the way she immediately moved away from him unable to meet his gaze. Before he could speak he heard Faith’s words he nodded quickly in agreement. “We can split the costs of the rooms that way.” It wasn’t like he would be against sharing rooms with either of the girls. It was a common occurrence for him to stay with the younger children when they had nightmares after all. Turning his head over to Reyna again he rested his hands in his lap before he spoke softly. “Are you okay.”

“I had the idea that we would all show what we can do earlier. If the rumours I’ve heard are right you can control fire and heal.” Rinka spoke up quickly while he discreetly slipped a hand into Faith’s pocket before he carefully took the first thing he felt careful not to break it once he realised it was jewellery. “I’m not the most use in an drawn out fight but I’m pretty good at the more delicate matters.” He spoke before he held up the amulet that he had taken from Faith holding it out for her to take. “And I can create illusions.” He added glancing towards Reyna to get her attention. Of course, if there was one thing he could do it was push people away but that was a skill he used without thought. @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

Faith would roll her eyes as she looked back to Clover and Reyna, nodding in agreement with Clover "Yes, I agree thats simple enough, besides a room cant be that expensive.. right?" She said as she looked towards Rinka as he spoke, not noticing that he was pick pocketing her and taking her amulet. The amulet was gold with emerlad green around, it was clean shiny almost despite it being about 100 yeas old. A family heirloom that was passed down generations and met alot to Faith as she glanced away back towards Reyna, before she noticed Rinka holding his hand towards her. Shed raise a brow and turned her attention to him once more as her eyes widen, seeing the amulet in her hand as she grabbed it from him harshly "Hey! not cool!" she grumbled as she put the amulet in her purse and closed it

Reyna on the other hand would listen to Rinka, ignoring Clovers question as her left ear perked, the right ear tilting slightly as he said he could create illusions, putting the two and two together, she growled "so you mean to tell me you made an illusion of Clover to flirt with me?! Your fucking disgusting!" she hissed at him, and then grabbed her wine and downed it, setting the glass down, as she then finally looked to Clover "No! im not alright! he just made some clone of you to seduce me.." she said as she folded her arms, her pupils dilated as she stare at the group angrily

Faith would look towards Rinka and the Clover, feeling the tension in the air as she then looked around the bar, seeking some eyes one the table as she clear her throat "perhaps we should go.. get some fresh air yeah? Reyna is it?" she said looking at the neko "why dont you come with me.." she said as she got up walking towards Reyna as she helped her up "We will be outside if whenever your ready" she said as the two girls left the tavern sitting outside "You okay?" she asked

"Fine! im fine" she said as she inhaled, taking the breath of fresh air, and then exhaling loudly as she looked towards the elven "Its just annoying to be played like that.." she said as her tail flickered once more looking ahead watching the people "He made him look like a creep" she shuddered "and now, I dont trust him.. not like I never trusted Rinka before but this is the nail on the coffin, I swear" Reyna said as she tucked her hair behind her ear, waiting for the boys to come

@All time Jack

It was a deflection of course when Rinka pushed away the blame about ruining something that could have been there, but he meant his words. He had no intentions of finding anyone for himself not when he knew what would come to it once reality kicked in but if he did then he had high expectations. Love should be able to endure all, if things ended over one fight, then it just wasn’t meant to be. He remembered his parents fighting a couple of times when he was a child, of course, they were memories that he buried deep in his chest to not think about, but they fought and made it work because they loved each other. They cared about each other so much, it was why he would never make the mistake they did Of course, he could have kept the amulet he took from Faith clearly from the emeralds and gold if he sold it to the right person, it would be worth a small fortune. It wasn’t worth it though he knew that from experience. The more valuable something was the more heat it would have if tried to steal it. Besides he had no intention of making another royal family hate him, so he gave it back to her. They were probably going to be doing a quest together anyway, so he gave her a playful grin as she grumbled not reacting to her harshness.

Clover nodded back at Faith as he heard her words. He had heard that the Blazing Hearth tavern wasn’t all that pricy for rooms. There was a reason why it was such a popular meeting point for adventurers after all. He spoke tilting his head as he looked over at Rinka he quickly worked out what Rinka was alluding to his skills aligned with being a thief making Clover bite down on his lower lip. He wasn’t all that sure what use those skills would be on their quest, he never was much a fan of stealing but he was sure that illusion skills would be useful. Maybe the elf could help him to understand what was wrong with Reyna. Her sudden anger caught him by surprise and he quickly looked over at Reyna. It was clear that he missed a lot when he was gone which was a surprise. At least he knew why she was so upset with him now and seeing how angry she was as she downed her drink before folding her arms for a moment, he thought about trying to hold her hand or something, but he was worried that he would only upset her more. Faith spoke before he could, so Clover stayed silent nodding softly while the two girls left not sure exactly what had happened. So, he looked over to Rinka who was sitting leaning back in his chair one of his legs raised as he rested his ankle on top of his knee. “So, could you tell me what happened?” He asked softly worried about Reyna.

For a moment Rinka considered whether or not revealing his hand was a good idea. it was clear to him that his reveal only stoked the heat of her anger, turning them from harsh embers to a burning flame. Maybe she would have calmed down with Clover even if he didn’t reveal his part but really, he knew it was for the best. He didn’t want anyone to rely on him, and he wouldn’t let himself rely on anyone else. He reminded himself of memories of fire hardening his conviction. All he needed to do was make them not care about him enough that they wouldn’t pay any more attention to him than needed while not making them dislike him to the point of asking him to leave before the quest was done. And so, he nodded back at Faith with Clover when she spoke giving them both a small lazy wave while they left before he turned to face Clover as he spoke, and his reply was to simply shrug. “I made an illusion of you to try and flirt with her. Was hoping that it would work so I’d get to share a room with Faith.” He answered simply before he pulled himself to his feet. “You know I kind of thought that she would have gone with it. It seems like if you’d like to share a bed with her then you’d need to be patient.” He teased lightly towards the end before he frowned as he noticed a group walk into the tavern wearing the royal crest from Teldor making him frown as they got settled on a table not too far from them. They would be trouble he was sure of that.

Listening to Rinka’s words Clover was glad to get some explanation for what had happened even as he frowned. “I hope you’ve learned not to pull stunts like that on her again.” He warned pointedly ignoring the Tiefling's advice on bedding the Neko. Maybe he should have reprimanded the Tiefling more harshly. He did care that Reyna was upset of course he did but being harsh and firm was never something that he was good at and when Rinka simply nodded, he smiled. “Okay so are you ready to join the others now? I don’t want to keep them waiting in the cold.” Clover spoke unaware of Rinka’s new distraction so when the elf agreed quickly with a smile that the Paladin wasn’t able to tell was fake Clover smiled quickly picking up the food from the table before he led Rinka out of the tavern to fund the two girls. Once the two reached them Clover smiled at them both quickly as he moved over and stood beside Reyna “I’m brought your food out for you. I hope that you’re feeling better.“ He told her softly before he closed his eyes and focused before flames enveloped his hands and quickly grew to cover the plates, but they didn’t burn or damage them as the food was left untouched. “We wouldn’t want the food to go cold. I promise that these fires won’t burn.” He told her holding out her food for her to take. @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

Faith sighed, as she would console Reyna, unsure what to really say. She viewed Rinka competently different, she just saw him as a playful trickster meaning no harm, a jokester if you will. And for a quest like this? It seemed good to have someone to lighten the mood. But seeing Reyna’s reaction made her start to doubt herself just a little bit *After all, they are strangers going on a ‘life and death’ quest it seemed like. And they had to get along to cause little problems.. right? Faith would sigh quietly as she would pat the Nekos back, awaiting for the men to just meet them outside , as she glanced up seeing the royals group walk towards the tavern and enter, Faith would push her head slightly so they wouldn’t atleast see her. *

Reyna would eventually calm down, taking one last deep breath in , and slowly exhaled as she would sigh staring ahead. Reyna always had trust issues ever since she was younger, a group of kids always playing mind games with her and tricking her all because she was different.. Reyna grew up in a small town where the population was 2:1, humans over supernaturals. It was rare to ever spot one, going to school, making friends, dating, was always hard for Reyna as the kids always picked on her for having ears and a tail. She hated it, and she hated when they would trick her, getting her hopes all high and then crushing it. So when Rinka played the trick on her with clover flirting with her.. she felt.. scared? Excited but she never knew how to express that, so she expressed it with the only emotion she knew.. disgust. until she found it was just a mere illusion it broke her completely. Reyna would once more before her ears perked hearing the paladins soft voice coming from behind her she turned, seeing his gentle smile and the food he held for her, as she would look up at him, flinching slightly back as he created a fire to warm her food up, a soft smile forming as she would thank him.. taking some of the food to munch on.. trying to regain her appetite. As she would glance seeing Rinka, a scowl forming as she would make it know. She didn’t like him. The nekos tail raised, on guard as she would attempt to finish her food

Faith would hear the voice as she turned to see the men approach behind them, an unsettling look in her face not liking that other royals where nearby, but she didn’t want to cause any sorts of panic, or say anything that could reveal she was.. a royal herself. Well former, as she considered herself. Leaving her hometown to join this quest, leaving the crown behind and disappointing her family, she was sure they sent out hunters for her head, and any royal she say related to her family or not, always gave the elf some paranoia shed turn to see Rinka, smiling softly at the teifling in disguise as she would get up, stretching and looked ahead towards the town, filled with people as they were going about their day “Well then.. now that this whole kerfuffle is over, perhaps we should get settled in our rooms , and start talking about this quest, and our plans? Sound good with everybody?” The elven asked looking at the group, waiting for an agreed consent

The Neko nodded as she got up, shivering as she hated the cold, her body not used to it as she would be hugging herself trying to warm herself “please, anything to get out of this damn cold.. and go into somewhere warm..” she would say as she would lean a bit closer to Clover trying to get warm

@All time Jack

The presence of the Royalists had Rinka feeling tense, for a moment he considered leaving but he dismissed that thought as it came to mind. Where would he even go if he did leave anyway, it seemed like they were going to have the rest of their talk somewhere more private. Besides from his experience, they tended to be pretty wealthy he would be able to make the most of their presence. Clover’s fire even though it wasn’t directed at him, made him tense further memories of harsh flashes bringing back flashes of memories that were better buried so pushed them down ignoring Reyna who was still clearly upset with him and made his way over to Faith a fake confident grin on his face as he made his way over to her watching as she got up and stretched.

Happy as he saw Reyna smile at him Clover made sure to keep the plate that was on fire until she reached for it, an honest smile on his face as he looked back at her. He stepped close to her while he ate as well, his gaze looking to Faith when he heard her words nodding happily. It would be nice to get out of the cold while he could use his flames to keep them warm he always felt like using them for such small things felt disrespectful. “I would like that. Besides I worry that if it takes us too long to rent our rooms then they’ll all end up being taken.” Clover agreed quickly happy to see Reyna’s mood improve even if she was still obviously upset with their trickster companion. Watching as she hugged herself for warmth, he was about to step closer before she leaned into him almost as if she was trying to steal his body heat. Without thought he gently wrapped one of his strong arms around her side before he happily pulled her in close to help her warm up careful to keep his hand from straying anywhere other than her hip. “Since I don’t really see any reason for all four of us going up at once why don’t the two of us rent the rooms and we can sort out the money when we’re in the room.” He suggested smiling at them both as he led the other three of them inside making no move to let go of Reyna even as they went inside unless she tried to pull away.

Letting Clover and Reyna take the lead Rinka happily fell into step with Faith, she was the one that he wanted to speak most to after all, and it wasn’t just because he wanted to keep up his cover as a flirt anymore. He was starting to enjoy flirting with her, there was just something he liked about her maybe it was because she was confident. Maybe it was her laugh or her pretty smile. It might have even been her beautiful eyes. “I still think that we should share rooms, it would be so much nicer we wouldn’t even need to get two beds. Something tells me that she wouldn’t have actually refused if it was him asking her.” He whispered to her playfully not too bothered if he was overheard as he leaned into the princess his shoulder playfully nudging against hers while they got inside. @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

@𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂 unpinged ://

@𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂 unpinged again- will try to get this done tonight

Faith peered over towards Rinka seeing him tense up slightly, as she would subtly raise her brow curious as to why. Only for it to be quickly wiped away as she would look towards the Neko and paladin who began to lead the way, seeing Rinka trail behind to walk with her “Oh? Is that so. Or are you just saying that because you want to share the same bed as me?” she hummed chuckling as she would place her hands behind her back, actually considering it, looking ahead the two did seem very happy, and Rinka had a point, if clover did suggest it she was sure Reyna would have said yes. As the elf shrugged “Well, yeah but since you pulled that move it might take some convincing for her to share a room with him” she said smirking as he whispered that

Reyna would hug herself, the downside of being part Neko was that she often gets cold easily, her teeth chattering and her ears and tail perked as she would take the lead with Clover to keep warm. Feeling his hand wrap around her side as he pulled her hand brought nothing but butterflies as she would slowly start to warm up thanks to the extra body heat. As they would walk inside the place they were staying, Reyna would gently push his arm off from around her, and turned to face the others “So you boys are getting the two rooms? And—“

“and— I decided that would want to stay with Rinka, I think it would be fun, besides , someone needs to protect him” she teased as she would look towards Reyna winking “So you and clover will share a room. Sound good? Sounds great” she said not giving Reyna the chance to speak

Reynas tail flickered around, gently hitting on clovers back every now and then as she wasn’t opposed to this idea, sharing a room with the handsome paladin? That was definitely up her alley, as she would remain silent awaiting for the two boys to get the rooms

“as for payment we each can contribute, whatever the amount is we will divide it by 4 so we are paying fair shares hmm?”

4:44 PM

@All time Jack (so sorry for the wait)

“Why do you have to assume ulterior motives? I mean I do want to share the bed wih you but I’m also saying it because I believe it.” He told her playfully making it clear that he wasn’t upset with her as he grinned back at her and winked. “It’d be especially bad with me sharing a bed with Clover. I’m a bit of a cuddler.” He whispered to her knowing that he was probably making a mistake but he couldn’t help himself. Sharing a room with Clover would have been so much easier when he was planning to sneak out during the night, the paladin surely was less likely to notice him leaving after all. But he couldn’t help but flirt with her, his thoughts of creating distance between him and the rest of them were being thrown away. At least for her. His better judgement forgotten for the feeling he got when she heard her laugh when he got to see her smile.

She was lucky that while she struggled to stay warm that she was happening to get closer with Clover who thanks to his blessing was like a miniature space heater. He was touchy too, without even realising iit as he held onto her subconsciously not really wanting to let go off her. When they got inside and she gently pushed his arm off her he didn’t try to fight it even if part of him wanted to keep a hold of her. He turned to face the others as she did stepping in close to Reyna as he let his shoulder brush against hers a little about to speak after Reyna was done talking but Faith quickly beat him to it announcing her decision making him pause. He had no concerns with sharing a room with her if she didn’t and when he felt her tail brush against his back he couldn’t help but smile. The neko really was cute, reaching for her he turned to face her as he gently gripped her hand and squeezed it part of him curious how her tail would feel in his hands and as he glanced at her ears he wondered how they would feel as well. “I would me more then happy to share a room with you if you’re comfortable with sharing a room.” He told her softly not opposed to the idea for a second as he absuntmindedly used his thumb to rub soft cicles into her knuckles.

Just as eager to agree to the new sleeping arrangements he looked back at Faith and grinned. “Are you saying that I need you to protect me? And here I thought that the biggest threat here was you to my purity.” He joked back to her with a confident smile on his face “I hope you’re gonna lt me get at least some sleep tonight.” he winked at her before he looked over at Clover. “I can pay for our rooms up front then we can sort out paying our fair share while in one of the rooms.” He told them before he walked up towards the counter but not before pulled his hand back as he walked past Faith giving her ass a playful slap on the way as he walked purposely slowly letting Clover get ahead of him so that he could discreetly pocket the coin pulse belonging to one of the royalists with them none the wiser.

We’ll be right back Clover promised them giving Reyna’s hand one last squeeze before he let go off her and quickly caught up with Rinka oblivious to the tieflings actions as he ordered two rooms nodding when Rinka placed the coins down onto the table and once they got the keys to their rooms they started to return to the Faith and Reyna. @𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂

@𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓫𝔂 unpinged