Mabel
A voyager boat gently rocked about 400 yards from the coasts of The Southern Isles; it's sails tried to prevent wind from catching and rope hung with tension into the murky deep from the side of it. Upon further inspection, one could find a form of canopy fixed to it's inners. The fabric that created this canopy was weather worn and faded, it was sufficient when protecting it's captain from the cruel sun but not as useful whenever it came to rain. 
The sun glared dimly this day, hiding behind a few thin clouds providing a vial of protection to those below. Satine rested on her cot, head leaned back in such a way to satisfy the crook in her neck while also providing the comfort of the shade. However not all was well in her mind- permissions of the future foretold her a lore behind her eyelids. 
Buzz buzz- the sound of flies so distinctively close to your ears that your subconscious swats for you. The gentle hum of the Gods fueling the scene. There is a bright amount of light casting down from the heavens now, creating a luminous silhouette. A pile now resides at the base of Satine's horizon, swallowing up anything below it and flies cut through the sun like as if only certain parts of her eyes were taking terms blinking. Now, the buzz submits to another sound and the world turns white once more- pouring liquid takes over for a second, then clicks of glass. A low grumble echoes from the edges of consciousness, speaking some phrase in rhythmic melodies. The speak too jumbled to confidently make out the phrase.
The sun had pierced through its natural blind and stared the blonde in the face, her eyes opening to the sight. "Shite..." She grumbled, sitting up and stretching only to catch the view of the Isles in the distance. The fore-warnings had already been pushed aside in her mind, however not forgotten. Right now the only thing on her mind was getting her boat into an area where should could tie it off and explore her former homeland.
Ashley
Looked over his temporary quarters in this strange new kingdom. It was nice and clean with every amenity he would need for the stay. So, with the room thoroughly inspected, he opened his trunk and went through the clothes, looking for something looser and lighter to keep the warmth off of him. He didn't have much to wear that wasn't dark green with brown, but he did have some sleeveless tops to switch into, that were, by nature, lighter than what he was currently wearing. 

By the time Eric had disrobed and gotten redressed in his new attire, he was already feeling better than he had earlier. The sweat was going away, the cool interior and approaching evening helped his temperature. With that, he ventured into the Maith manor. Wandering mindfully, remembering that this wasn't Zahrada. There were places he couldn't go, and was mindful of the ways any household guard looked at him when he entered an area. Eventually he'd wandered into a foyer that was nearer to his room than he had realized.
Steven
Angelica hadn't been escorted to her chambers yet, as she'd found herself deep in conversation with one of the stable hands who had a particularly nasty gasp across his lip. He'd earned it from a stallion that had ripped the reins from his hands, and the force of the beasts movement had left a burn across both palms and his face when the leather and metal of the reins pulled through his hands and hit his face. She normally wouldn't even have bothered to ask, but the uneasy look he gave the horses from their carriage had made her laugh, and the warm was doing considerable things for her mood. 

When she finally left him for his job, she was escorted to her chambers, and two servants carried her trunk for her. When she pushed open the door, she found the room clean and tidy; spare for the outfit Stafford had been wearing on their journey here lying neatly on the bed. Her brow furrowed, and she looked to the servants. 

"Are we sure this is the correct room?" She asked, and they gave a nod to each other. Annoyance flared in her voice as she cursed the Pirate King, and pinched the bridge of her nose before motioning to the window for them to set her trunk beneath it. She preferred to have natural light to examine her outfit for the day, as it was easier to tell of any imperfections than the light of the oil lamps. They set it down, and she waited for them to see themselves out before heading out as well, shutting the door to the chambers behind her firmly.

Intent to find Anya and let her know about the mix up, she headed down the hall after the two servants. She'd only been to Maith Manor once before, and she was never left unattended. No one really was. So when they turned into a foyer, she followed, to find herself in the same room as her new roommate. 

"Stafford." She said smoothly, hoping not to startle the man. The servants paused by the door, and asked if the pair needed anything before the banquet. "Some wine would be lovely." Angelica answered, and dipped her head in thanks as the two dismissed themselves to fulfil the request.
Ashley
Eric had been examining the foreign decor that adorned the room. This is the third place he had been outside of Taemar. The first foreign place was Ibethial, then Feyshore, now the Southern Isles. Never, in a million years, would he have thought he'd set foot in these isles let alone be in their ruler's manor as a guest. His reflection was interrupted by the sound of a door opening, and he turned with a pleasant half smile, hearing the chancellor's voice. "Good evening, Chancellor." Eric said, the look a bit more genuine now that he knew who it was.

He didn't add anything to the request for the servants, he instead just stood there and watched them leave, then moved to take a seat in a single chair. "How are you liking the change in weather?" Eric asked, not great at small talk. He relaxed in the chair a little. He didn't know how to act around Angelica. He didn't consider her as someone who really had authority over him, nor did he consider her as someone who he held authority over. Just, equal. It was a change of pace that he wasn't used to, even now. He was used to either being subordinate or a superior.
Steven
"I love it." Angelica answered truthfully, lacing her fingers together before raising her arms over her head in a stretch. "The summer months are my favorite, I love getting to lay out in the sun and feel the warmth on my skin." She told him, and moved to the windows of the room. The curtains were drawn already, and she ran her finger over the ledge to find the seam to push the window open. It swung outwards from the middle, and she leaned on the window sill a bit to inhale the warm breeze that came off the waters. 

"I've only been to the Isles once, but I fell a little bit in love. The climate, the people, the _professionalism_." She glanced over her shoulder to Eric and gave him a small smile. "For a regime run by a self proclaimed pirate his systems are erotic to say the least." She laughed, and moved from her place at the window to take one on the sofa.
James
Axari was glad to have finally made it to The Southern Isles. She had spent the past several weeks on a merchant vessel, the captain of which she had paid a hefty sum for her passage. Admittedly, Axari was quite disappointed to part ways with that gold, but here she was unlikely to be discovered as a former slave, so she was thrilled to finally be free of that horrid past once and for all. The half-Drow woman paid off her debt and walked off the merchant ship down onto the docks, all her belongings in a small pack, save for her lute, which was slung around her shoulders, and her sword, which rest on her right hip in its sheath. She breathed a deep sigh and exhaled softly. "Time to go find a tavern..." She murmured under her breath, and began walking down the docks, her boots thudding softly on the wooden planks. 

As she was walking forward, she began feeling an odd sensation; like the backs of her eyes were trying to retreat farther into her skull, all while her ears pressurized then popped. It passed as soon as it began, but she was left with a strange sensation of unease. Like something was coming, something unnatural, and dangerous. Axari almost felt sick to her stomach, and she quickly moved over to the side of the dock, leaning up against a post. "What the fuck was that..." She groaned, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair. She thought about her little, premonition? If you could even call it that. Illness perhaps? A plague? Some kind of entity? Or perhaps Axari was just reading way too far into a hot flash. There was really no way of knowing. She approached a man "Excuse me? Can you-" And she was cut off as he said "Piss off Drow." And shoved past her, checking her shoulder with his as he crossed by. "Fucking..." Axari muttered to herself angrily, standing on the center of the docks as she brushed herself off and looked around, trying to identify a sense of direction as to not waste time in this city.
Ashley
Eric thought about the exact wording that Angelica had used, "I'm more of a Spring person, myself. Furthest time from winter." Eric commented, watching her movements with an interest, though, he wasn't sure why he was interested. "I've never been to the isles before, it's different, though, I'm not sure if I would define it as _erotic_, my self." 

Eric's small amount of color had returned to his skin, going from the sickly pale from the voyage to the normal Taemar pale he usually was. The lack of sleeves was uncomfortable, and showed a few scars on his upper right arm, near his shoulder. He worst thing, was the lack of weapons. With the weapons confiscated at the entrance, the familiar weight was gone from his hip, it was driving him crazy.
Steven
"I saw twelve guards on my way from my room to here. _Twelve_. The security here is tight knit, The clearance it took to get into the Manor was impressive, and the fact that even now, there are two guards posted at the door to make sure _we_ of all people don't cause a fuss is incredible. Maith knows what he's doing, and I am frankly glad the Prince is back in his capable hands for the time being." She mused, and the door opened. 

The servants had returned with the bottle of wine she'd requested, and she thanked them with a genuine smile. "I love Anyanka, I love Astoria; but in another life, I would have loved to be an Islander. The warm climate year round, the smell of the saltwater. It's certainly a well deserved vacation." She poured herself a glass, and offered the bottle to Eric if he wanted any. "Did you make plans for our time here? I'm hoping to catch the Viceroy before we leave and pick his brain."
Ashley
Eric listened to her gush about the security of the manor, "It's been different, being on the other end of security. I'm not used to being without a weapon, it's discomforting." He then quietly listened to her talk while he just observed her body language. He was getting better at it, initially he learned it when Protector of the Realm. 

He gave a nod when offered the wine, watching his glass fill. "The more I become involved in the court, the more I seem to drink." Eric quipped before answering the question. "I'm not sure, it was sort of a last minute decision on my part. I heard something about a sparring competition at some point, it might do me good to fight someone who isn't an Astorian guard for once." He said, taking a drink from his glass.
Christina
Taireen's day was no different from any other but she couldn't help the feeling that something wasn't right. She sat in the middle of her kitchen, stirring a glass of liquid she had brewed that acted as a euphoric drug. She had a bad habit of finding ways to escape the reality of Marin and found these special herbed teas did just that. Once Taireen brought the liquid to her lips and took a sip, her ears caught onto what she thought was a bee until the sound increased. This resulted in Taireen suddenly releasing the glass and caused it to shatter as she was forced use her hands to cover her ears. Within a second, white suddenly filled her vision, she could only assume she was looking through smoke. Taireen focused more on the blurred scene until she noticed it wasn't smoke but snow. The moment it became focused, it felt like she had been hit on the chest by an invisible force, throwing her into what she assumed was another dream. This dream was harder to make out as everything was now pitch black, completely opposite to what she had seen before. Suddenly a beastly growl flooded and flashes of images rushed through her mind before she was jolted awake.

Beads of sweat had formed along her forehead and neck, her breathing was almost erratic as she tried to make sense of what she had saw. Perhaps it was the 'tea' she had sipped. That thought was quick to leave her mind. This was the first time it had happened and she had been drinking this specific brew in the past four years. It was the one thing that prevented her from going insane with horrid memories. It allowed her to forget all the bad in the world as she was too high to care. Standing up, her body shook lightly. Taireen couldn't help but look at the glass remains along with the liquid she could have Ingested. The image of her own mutilated body scarred into her mind. She hated that she couldn't make another one so easily so she could forget what had just happened as it took hours to prepare. Instead, she decided that she was too sober, especially after what ever it was that just happened and grabbed her pouch of coins and started to head towards one of the local taverns.
Steven
Angelica gave a small smile, setting the bottle down on the table between them when she'd filled his glass halfway. "I've seen how you train, you'll do fine without that hammer at your side, Stafford." She paused, the rim of her glass resting against soft pink lips. "Well, I'm not versed on the training regiments of the Southern Isles guards. You could be in for a fair fight." She mused, her eyes moving towards the window as a breeze made the curtains billow. It filled the room with a sweet scent from the gardens, and she shrugged a shoulder. 

"But I think you'll fair well enough. If you intend to enter a competition, make sure you win. I won't have our Head Knight coming home having gotten his ass handed to him by an Islander. I'll personally kick your ass if you do." She teased, and nodded to his comment about drinking. "It's the only way to handle the stressors of court life without strangling or fucking someone."
Cole
Approaching the docks of the Summer Isles was a large ship with many black sails hanging upon three mast. At that particular moment the ship was still in the process of sailing towards the docks from a pretty decent distance away, moving at an average pace of fifty five kilometers per hour. Amongst the crew a man made his way through the crowd, pacing towards the front of the ship and with one foot he stepped onto the forecastle dock just behind where an oversized, skeletal serpent's head resided. The man looked out into the distance, watching as the Jörmungandr's haul sliced cleaning through the waves. "Captain! We approach land!" One of Faolan's crew members called to him, and in return, he replied. "Wonderful observation lad! I thought it was just a big rock." With his statement, the surrounding crew members laughed while Faolan could only manage a mere smirk. Soon enough that smirk faded as his stomach wrenched momentarily, his heart sank, if Faolan was to describe the feeling he'd probably say something along the lines of 'the sea sickness during the first two weeks on a ship hitting you all at once.' But it only got worse from there was suddenly the image of the Summer Isles flashed in his perspective, and his perspective alone. He caught a glimpse of the city on fire, a thick black cloud hung over it like a thick canopy. He could vividly see the inhabitants of the city rotting in the streets, decaying, mutilated as flies picked at their bloodied, flayed bodies. Then the image flashed again, the sky reverted back to its normal sky blue, the clouds white like thick balls of cotton.

The Summer Isles were okay... Thankfully. But what was that? He wasn't the type of guy to have a vivid imagination, in his line of work the only thing he needed an imagination for was what was the best way to kill a man and steal his loot but this was different entirely. He could smell the rotten flesh from the sea, hear the screams, this was no product of imagination, perhaps a day dream? "Capt'n, you alright mate?" A crew member spoke up, slapping Faolan on the back and leaning over to get a better look at his face. "We lost ya there for a moment." He added, but Faolan was quick to wave him off before taking a second to rub his eyes. "I'm fine lad, go back to work. Prepare to dock!" Faolan called out loudly and confidently with many crew members echoing the command, yet still the Captain was put off by the strange vision albeit found it best to keep quiet about it.
Ashley
Was surprised at the idea that anyone in the court actually watched Eric's early morning training. Does Angelica watch everything all the time? "Oh, I fully intend to win, Chancellor, ah, well, as long as you don't enter. Then it's going to be a second place for me." Eric commented, "I've always preferred more work to handle stressors. A little wine and a completed task works better than anything else, or, hitting something. Hitting something that hits back relieves more tension than anything for me." Eric took a drink, "I see you don't have much confidence in your Head Knight, even considering that I might lose." He with a hint of sarcasm.
Steven
The blonde snorted, and immediately raised her hand to cover her mouth at the laugh that had escaped. "I'm not a fighter. You won't see me entering any sparring competition for as long as we're to know each other." She assured him, and took another slow drink. "I have confidence in results. This would be a good opportunity to see how you fare against others from Marin. A good way to gauge what we need to enhance in terms of _your_ skills before we set you to work training the rest of the Astorian army."
Ashley
"Well," Eric started, "I'd also say that a one-vs-one spar is not indicative one's ability on a battlefield. When I was South last winter I saw a lot of good duelists..." Eric cutoff, his voice trailing off, blinked a few times, "Nevermind." He poured a glass of wine, his eyes cast down, then to the wine glass. "I am confident I'll do well, I don't think many swordsmen of note are present, at least to my knowledge."
Steven
She watched him hesitate, and pour another glass. "You also didn't have much time to look into it. For all you know, it could be the best swordsmen in Marin." She mused, and finished off her own glass before reaching to refill it. "Doesn't mean you still won't fare well. This isn't a test as to whether or not you're worthy of the position. I'm just saying, a failure could benefit us as well." Angelica paused, and gave a small smirk. 

"If you can live past me taunting you about it into oblivion."
Ashley
Eric smiled at the notion, "I'd say that I could just avoid you, but you seem to just be everywhere." He finished his second glass and refocussed on her. "I could just runaway back to Stormalong if it gets too terrible." He said, "Especially if I lose to someone older than me, like if Sir Romanov showed up." 

"It's strange, not talking strictly about ork all of the time." Eric said, looking around. "I'm used to being too absorbed by everything, too busy being paranoid about every other kingdom on our borders."