((OOC: Just doing something to relieve a bit of boredom while waiting for approval. So, why not start something? I'll post the intro now, but if anyone has questions or whatnot feel free to ask those before replying. Oh, and first, this was designed to be a F/F RP, but I'm open to changes or good ideas.))<br/><br/><strong><em><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 2em;">For Queen and Country</span></em></strong><br/><br/>Reynick returned greeting from the guards he passed in the hall, nodding instead of saluting as he made his was to the queen's apartments. There were less guards in the castle as usual, giving it a rather...comfortable feel, in the knight's opinion. It didn't feel like someone was watching every single move that was made now, permitting those inside a bit of breathing room. Though, really, this was how the castle usually was. King Zarin Royalis was once again off at war, punishing their kingdom's enemies and securing their borders. Like his predecessors the man had a taste for war and he was always off in one or another. He was a hard man, a cold man...Not cruel, but not exactly one many people would call a friend. But he was a master of war, and just what the kingdom needed.<br/><br/>Situated in the north, faced with a year that rarely saw warmth and usually a lot of snow, they were surrounded on three sides by barbarians. North of them, in the Badlands, orc and goblin tribes that loved raiding. Occasionally a chieftain would band enough tribes together to actually cause a war. To the east, drow. They simply hated humans. To the west the Drakimin; a savage, barbaric race of humans that believed in pagan gods, self-mutilation, cannibalism...Everything most dark and foul. They were the ones to cause the latest war.<br/><br/>To manage such a king the Royalis line had to be crazy. But ever since the land was granted to the first of the line, generations ago by the Lord Emperor to protect the northern half of the empire, they had defended it valiantly. Their kingdom might not be the bets place to live, or the easiest...But taxes were low, crime was low (as humans realized by now fighting each other here only helped their enemies), and life was more or less easy in the brief times of peace.<br/><br/>Besides, pretty much only those foolish enough to live up here were people wishing to join the most decorated and resilient army in all of the Empire. of course, there were peasants who took advantage of the low taxes to come and open farms, merchants making new caravan, and all that stuff. And that was how Reynick had started. He had been the son of a farmer, only to be conscripted into the king's army.<br/><br/>Coming in front of two large, oaken doors, he sighed. Knocking three times, he waited...And a few minutes later, a door was pulled open, a maid beckoning him into the queen's waiting room.<br/><br/>"Please wait here a moment, Sir Reynick. Her Majesty will call you in shorty."<br/><br/>"Of course, Elsa."<br/><br/>The maid blushed as the knight smiled at her, and left to return to her queen's side. Most women in the castle liked Reynick. Unlike most knights, who pursued many of them for...physical reasons...Reynick was always kind and courteous. And strangely pleasing to the eyes. He wasn't a large man. He actually a bit on the short side for a knight. While most knight were tall and muscular, bulky even, from all of their training Reynick was more of a medium height, with a build that showed more precision than brute force. Not that many knew just how muscular he was, as he had come to be known for really ever letting his face be known. Out in public, most assumed because of his role as the queen's body guard, he was almost in full armor.<br/><br/>But his face, well...For one he stayed clean shaven, instead of growing a beard like most men. Which many appreciated, as a beard would just look silly on him. He was handsome, but, beautifully so. It was strange, and no one could really explain why eyes were drawn to him. Even some men admitted to it. There was a betting pool going around the castle on if he had elvish blood in him, as that was the only way a man could look as he did. And it explained the lack of facial hair as well.<br/><br/>No one would ever guess the really reason...That Reynick was a woman.<br/><br/>She was Reynick twin sister, and when he fled the family farm when conscription orders came, well...She looked enough like him to pass off as him so their family didn't loose their home. Through the years, through the training, she had kept who she was a secret, and more than once luck had saved her. And, it had taken it's toll on her...<br/><br/>For one she could barely remember her real name. And really, she was far from ladylike anymore. While still having a feminine body, it was toned, strong from all of the training and fighting she had been through. Nothing a man would want...Not that she really seemed to mind anymore. To survive in an all man army, she had to act like a man...Or at least, enough like one not to cause suspicion. Reluctance to get close to women could be passed off as he was just a timid man, or one more focused on the war than other things. But, she was, kinda, looking at women now...No! Bad! Stop that!<br/><br/>With a sighed, she shook her head. This was her life now. Luck had seen her do well enough in battle to be promoted, and saving the king's own life had landed her as his wife's new bodyguard when her previous one died of natural causes. And somehow, they had become friends. Or as well of friends as a knight and his queen can be.<br/><br/>Now, if said queen would just finish her daily preparations...