<blockquote class="uncited"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FF4000">OOC Note:</span> <span style="color: #FF0000">BrÃ¡dach</span> / Maria</div></div></blockquote><br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">â€œI am sure they meant harm, given they drew on me first, yet their <span style="font-style: italic">attack</span> was amusing enough that I forgave them and came. Now, I am supposed to escort your...daughter or something to the other kingdom?â€ <br/> <br/>â€œYes, it is for the peace of the land that she has been..â€<br/><br/>â€œFirst off, for how you treated me and interrupted my hunt you are lucky that I am even here to begin with,â€ he replied as he paced over to the table that had been laid with a spread of various delights. A handful of grapes picked and deposited into his mouth one at a time as he walked and talked, without a care at all for the â€œKingâ€ who sat upon his throne and looked just exhausted. The rest of the court, including the elite knights he had toyed with, glowered at him, though BrÃ¡dach cared nothing for that.  <br/> <br/>â€œYes, well, Sir Ivan and his men are sorry for disrupting your hunt, they were just trying to follow my orders. They meant no harm...â€ the King tried to smooth over the situation. <br/><br/>â€œI did not ask for her life story. I just want to know the details of my job. You give me gold here, I take her there and they shall give me more gold, correct?â€ he asked while another couple of grapes disappeared. <br/> <br/>â€œYe...yes. A small fortune I assure you,â€ the King stammered, if not for his desperation he would not have dealt with this man at all. <br/> <br/>â€œI think it will take something more than that, like the woods. I want them,â€ he stated with his arms across his chest. <br/> <br/>â€œThe whole of the woods! Are you serious!â€ Sir Ivan snapped.<br/><br/>â€œOh, yes very. I want them, they are mine as it is and next time you and your loud, rude and ignorant bunch decide to come onto them, you will need my permission. I want the woods or you find another Ranger to get your property to its new home,â€ BrÃ¡dach stated.  <br/> <br/>â€œSire...we don't need this. We can find another, I could take her myself and she would make it there safe and in one piece. This man is a scoundrel and a...â€ <br/> <br/>â€œPresenting Princess Maria Antonia Daniella Angelique,â€ the page announced as the doors to the hall opened and all stood, then bowed to her.  <br/> <br/>Everyone but, BrÃ¡dach who just stood there and finished his grapes. </span><br/><br/>Each step she took as she was led to out of her room was an ominous one, more weighted than the last. Breathing, an act already difficult with this corset, felt more impossible today. Simprina remained just behind her right side, showering her with compliments, telling her of how beautiful she looked in the golden weaved fabrics.<br/><br/>Compliments that fell upon deaf ears. Nothing could be heard past her own heartbeat, fluttering and pounding in her ears. Eyes sweeping over the whole of her castle, she memorized every contour, every nook and cranny.<br/><br/>It wasn't until she'd emerged from the eastern hallway, the pages voice resounding, that she tried to look composed, not so withdrawn. Her years of training in diplomacy came to the forefront, keeping her own feelings locked away and focusing on the task at hand.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">It's just the meeting...</span>she told herself.<span style="font-style: italic">Finalizing plans...Things could change.</span>The hope was small, but there, as her eyes swept over the occupants of the room...<br/><br/>...Coming to rest on the one who'd decided to completely ignore her.<br/><br/>That was a first, to be blatantly ignored. She was accustomed to people fawning over her, bowing whenever she entered a room, whenever she approached to speak, whenever she made her exit, but this.<span style="font-style: italic">The ranger...</span>came a dawning thought, brow quirking a hair as her withdrawn demeanor was replaced with something else, something resembling annoyance, though not quite. Proper ladies didn't become annoyed; It caused wrinkles.<br/><br/>Somewhere to her left, Simprina was commentating, as though Maria needed to hear those in attendance rattled off to her, as if she hadn't been living in the castle walls for years. Another was behind her, making sure her dress remained as it should. Yet another was to her right, and a final lagging behind. She was in training, there to learn how to handle any of royal blood for when others came to call.<br/><br/>Stopping just short of her father, dipping into a curtsyâ€”praying she didn't fall in the processâ€”her breath scant. â€œFather, you wanted to see me?â€ she asked, her voice demur, quiet as it should be.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Yes my child," his voice tender and loving, face beaming with pride. "We were just settling the terms of your transportation. This is BrÃ¡dach," he gestured to the ranger who still made no move to approach. "He will be escorting you to Sirmia, he knows the land better than any man so I trust him to see to your safe arrival," he said as he introduced them.<br/><br/>"Long as I get my pay, she will get there safe," BrÃ¡dach remarked with a smirk, his eyes now trained on the princess who was dressed to impress. Unfortunately, for her, he did not impress easily. "All terms agreed then?" he asked without taking his eyes from the princess. <br/><br/>"Yes, agreed," the King spoke much to the annoyance of Sir Ivan, so he stormed off.</span><br/><br/>His gaze was uncomfortable, boring into her even as she continued the smallest of smiles, not even attempting to hold the same enthusiasm her father did. Even as he spoke to her father, his eyes remained trained on her, staring, arrogant as she always imagined a ranger to be.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Why is it no one brought in ever has the proper manners?</span>she thought as her violet eyes finally rounded over to him, appraising him quietly. Her steps slowly meandered toward him, as he made no move to close the gap; He was loathsome, making her come to him, but she wasn't about to let proper decorum fall apart because of his uneducated mind. When she reached him, a hand raised, waiting for him to take it as was customary.<br/><br/>Then and only then did she allow her eyes to meet his, the blues of them startling, but that was his only redeeming quality. Everything else screamed exaggerated self-importance.<br/><br/>â€œBrÃ¡dach,â€ Maria greeted him softly, hand still waiting for his. â€œI can't thank you enough for agreeing to take me to Sirmia.â€<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">At least she was not one of those homely princesses. The kind that were locked up in a tower and left there to rott because they were too ugly to marry off. This princess was not like at all, which meant he would have something good to look at through this trip. <br/><br/>For a long moment he looked from her hand to her eyes, then he took it in a rather rough manner, mainly to use as a means to pull her against him so that he could whisper to her. â€œEverything has a price sweetness, even you,â€ then he leaned in close, as if he planned to steal a kiss. Only to whisper further, â€œWant to know what you're worth?â€ <br/> <br/>Before a fight could break out he would be quick to spin her out of his grasp as if it were just some elaborate dance move. <br/><br/>â€œTomorrow we leave at first light, so we might not want to party all night,â€ he remarked to the King though his gaze was still on the princess. â€œWear something...less...hindering, we are traveling the land, not going to a grand ball.â€</span><br/><br/>The duration of his silent staring had her feeling only a small bit awkward, used to being gawked at, even if not so intensely. And, for that moment, she thought he'd ignore her hand and further snub her and her title.<br/><br/>Honestly, she'd have preferred that to what<span style="font-style: italic">actually</span>happened.<br/><br/>Before she could retract her hand, he'd yanked her in, fairly toppling over because of the corset and her current lack of oxygen. An arm braced on his chest, eyes wide as her face drained of color. She'd never been handled in such a way, nor would she have ever welcomed it...Yet, here he was, yanking her in and...<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Comparing me to a common strumpet?!</span><br/><br/>The thought was indignant, spinning through her mind as rapidly as she spun away from him, her ladies-in-waiting rushing forward to steady her, as did several guards, a few hesitantly reaching for him though they made no move to grab. Her ladies were fawning over her, making sure every hair was in place, that her dress was in order, that she was okay and had survived such a gruff interaction unscathed.<br/><br/>A hand raised, the ladies ceasing their actions. This time where her steps had been slow, they were confident, marching up to him, hand pulling back, and hitting him square across the cheek. The sound resonated in the hall, echoing for a moment before it, too, ceased, the satisfaction of it clear in her eyes even as they remained stormy and angry, the rest of her expression cool, calm and collected. Somewhere, her father made a sound but she didn't take her eyes off of the scum who was to bring her to Sirmia to spend the rest of her life with some faceless man in hopes her kingdom would remain intact.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Clearly pleasantries are lost on him...as is decorum...as is any form of polite conversation and breeding.</span><br/><br/>Momentarily satiated, she'd gone to leave when his hand grabbed a hold of her wrist, her brow furrowing, eyes staring down incredulously at his grip as his words washed over her.<span style="font-style: italic">That's your one...</span>It repeated in her mind, long after he'd released her, her ladies hastening her out of the room.<span style="font-style: italic">The whelp thinks he can dictate how many slaps I have?! As if he has that authority over me!</span><br/><br/>Simprina could see her upset, a hand patting hers as they walked her back to her chamber and began their nightly routine of undressing, washing and releasing the elaborate curls to fall freely about her face. â€œYou've been through a lot today...â€ she murmured, Maria's eyes landing on hers, using every ounce of restraint not to retort with a biting remark. â€œMake sure you rest. Though I don't know what he said to you...and it wouldn't be prudent to ask...I'm sure it's nothing you need worry your mind about.â€<br/><br/>She didn't say anything else, though Maria wouldn't have allowed her to anyway. Settling into her bed, staring up at her ceiling as she waited for sleep to take her, she sought to calm down, to forget her anger and pray it was just a bad first-impression.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Compare me to a strumpet...then tell me I only have one slap that I'd just used...If it weren't for my kingdom's safety on the line, so help me...</span>