You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Altheras on 15-11-2010, 01:02:32</h2>
		<dl id="posts">
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 01:02:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial stood on his balcony overlooking the main hall of his castle. It was a bright, early morning and he felt like he might go for a walk around the grounds. The temperature was nice, and the weather looked as though it would be bright and calm today. His long blond hair hung around his face and down his back. It was perfectly groomed and silky. It was obvious that he was very well cared for. In fact he had been spoiled and had everything he had wanted for his whole life, except perhaps the love of his parents.<br><br>Being the king and queen his parents had been too busy with social obligations and other duties to spend much time with their son. He had been raised by the servants of the castle. Though they had always been kind to him, and he had been treated well, he longed to be closer to his own parents. Recently however, his mother had become very ill and passed away. He now never even saw his father. The king spent most of his time alone now, grieving. He was said to be in poor health from heartache and not taking proper care of himself anymore. The prince desperately wanted to help his father in his time of grief, but the king would not even see him. He looked too much like his mother, it just hurt the old man too much to look at him now.<br><br>All the money and power in the world could not buy the young prince love. His servants all adored him, but he wanted the respect of his equals. He had recently become the public face of the royal family, and being the only child of the King, he would inherit the throne when his father passed away. He did not look forward to this day. Just being the public face of the royals was more than enough responsibility for the young prince.<br><br>He sighed, tugging on a dark silk cape around his shoulders before he headed downstairs and set out into the grounds. He hoped to find the groundskeeper this morning, to find out what areas of the grounds were the most beautiful at this time of year. He honestly just wanted to find somewhere quiet and tranquil to relax.<br><br>The groundskeeper had his own small cottage a short distance from the castle. It was small, but cozy, and very comfortable. The prince would often visit him and sit inside, sharing tea with him and talking for hours. Despite his nobility and differences with the commoners, he enjoyed the many colorful stories the groundskeeper often had to share.<br><br>He walked up to the door and knocked heavily, expecting to soon see the familiar face of the groundskeeper behind an open door. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 04:19:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Long had Khalad served under the elven king and queen. He had been the palace groundskeeper long before the birth of their son, Prince Ishtial, and in return for his loyalty, had earned their trust and (he dared to think) respect. They had even provided him with a small cottage he could call his own on the grounds, along with a small piece of land where he could cultivate herbs and vegetables for himself. He had all that he needed and for that, he was grateful.<br><br>He kept to himself for the most part, save for when his position required him to travel into the palace, but he knew their majesties well, and thus was saddened by the death of his queen. It had hit the king particularly hard and the young prince, the face of the royals, shouldered a good portion of the burden as well. But it wasn't his place to comment and Khalad minded his business accordingly.<br><br>In the springtime following the queen's death, Khalad was making a few changes of his own. After much planning, he had agreed to let his son, Malik, come live with him on the palace grounds. Malik had since lived with his mother, a lowly breed of feline demon, in a village some distance away from the palace, and was eager to start over somewhere new. Especially since he had never spent much time with his father and wanted desperately to know him better. Given that his mother was a demon and his father human, he wanted to openly embrace both sides of his heritage, and after some convincing, his mother had agreed to see him off for the year.<br><br>Energetic and endlessly curious about his new surroundings, the young half-demon had spent the first few days bounding through the lush landscapes, enjoying his newfound freedom. In his home village, he had mostly stayed in his mother's cottage to help her with chores, so he rarely had the opportunity to vent his endless supplies of energy. As such, when he had so much land to explore around the palace, he rarely settled for being indoors.<br><br>On his third day on the palace grounds, Malik found himself scaling a large tree near his father's cottage. There was no real purpose for it, aside from the fact that he wanted to see how far up he could go. But before he got very far, he heard someone knocking on the door of the cottage only a few yards away, and upon looking out from the foliage, he saw that it was a young man. A noble, by the look of things. And since his father was not in his cottage at the time, the responsibility of addressing him fell to Malik's shoulders.<br><br>Moving to a lower branch, the olive-skinned half demon stretched out upon the bark rather like a lazy cat, his long black hair hanging in waves over his shoulder. Golden eyes, again rather feline in appearance, focused intently on the young prince, instinctively assessing whether or not he was a threat. So far, all signs pointed to no. "My father's not in right now."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 04:32:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial looked in the direction where the voice had come from, at first all he saw was the trunk of a tree. Glancing up he spotted the young half demon reclining liesurely on one of the lower branches. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, wondering if he might be hallucinating. After all, the groundskeeper was human, and this... whatever it was, didn't really look like what he would have expected from his son. <br><br>The prince was slightly taken aback by the feline demon's odd appearance and the way he treated the tree like a comfortable bed. The young elf had not seen many demons in his time, and the few he had seen had been far less human looking than this one. There was something odd about his mixture of demon and human features that would lead one to believe he might be a halfbreed. <br><br>It hit him then, he was the groundskeeper's son, you could see the resemblance. So then groundskeeper's son was half demon? That explained why he did not live with his mother. Demons and humans rarely got along well enough to live in the same home. They were known to coexist peacefully enough in communities at times, but rarely did they ever live together. The elf supposed perhaps the child was the product of a chance drunken encounter that neither parent was proud of.<br><br>The elven prince walked over to Malik's tree and offered his hand up to him, hoping he would be friendly enough. The prince was terribly trusting for an elf. Most elves would have been hostile to the half demon at the very least. "So you are Khalad's son then? Pleasure to meet you. I am Prince Ishtial."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 05:19:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Initially, Malik had expected some hesitance on the prince's part. Not many elves took kindly to demons, even half demons, and Malik didn't exactly blend in with the humanoid population. He had vibrant red stripes akin to slash marks on the outside of his wrists, marking him as belonging to a feline species, and his slitted eyes were equally damning. So too were the tiny fangs in his mouth, just slightly more prominent than human canines. Because of his appearance, he expected Ishtial to rebuff him. But instead, the young prince approached him, even held out a hand to shake in greeting. This stunned Malik for a moment.<br><br>Then, remembering himself, Malik sat up properly and let out a hand to shake Ishtial's. Was it proper to greet a prince with a handshake? Would bowing be more acceptable? He wasn't sure, but Ishtial didn't seem to bent on formalities if he was the type who came up to a half-demon and shook his hand. So, he wasn't going to worry about it took much. Instead, he smiled politely and inclined his head. "Malik," he said. "Nice to meet you, Your Highness."<br><br>At last hopping down from his perch (and landing rather gracefully, too), Malik looked around for his father, but he was nowhere in sight. Likely tending to some of the bushes on the other side of the property, he decided. "Was there something you needed?" he asked then, slightly tentative, since he wasn't sure why a prince would make the long trek out to the cottage just to see the grounds keeper. "I could go find my father if it's something important."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 05:38:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The prince offered the half-demon a small smile. He had merely been wanting to ask the groundskeeper where a good peaceful spot for a stroll would be. He supposed his son might know that just as well. He could wait until later for more of Khalad's stories. "Actually I was just going to ask him where a good place for a walk would be at this time of year. The grounds are rather expansive, and your father knows them better than any other man. He has always been able to point out the most beautiful places for me."<br><br>He tilted his head to one side as he contemplated Malik. The creature truly was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The combination of feline and human features was extraordinary, and he had always liked cats. "It is nice to meet you though, Malik. Do you think you might be able to provide me with a good location for a peaceful walk? Things up at the palace have been hectic lately. I need a brief morning away. Father's health is getting worse, or so I'm told."<br><br>The elf's handsome features were masked with a deeply troubled look. "I am sorry I did not know you had arrived, I might have thrown you a welcoming picnic of sorts. Your father is a good man. I respect him."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 06:44:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				From the sound of things, his father spent some one-on-one time with the young prince. That was... unexpected. Malik wasn't well-versed on palace life, but he had figured that a prince would spent his free time in the company of his court, not a castle servant. It put Ishtial in quite a flattering light. The fact that he spoke casually with his servants said quite a bit about him and in that moment, a rather appealing impression of the prince began to form.<br><br>"I'm sorry about your father," Malik offered, offering a small, reassuring smile. "Let's see, a place for a walk..." Malik had spent quite a bit of time roaming the castle grounds, acquainting himself with the beautiful landscape - something that other demons could only dream of. He was but a lowly halfbreed living on royal territory and the place had become his personal playground. It was quite a feat for someone of his low social standing and he didn't take it for granted. The royals were lucky to enjoy such luxurious grounds. But he doubted many of them thought to travel through them very often.<br><br>"Oh. The spring flowers just came into bloom," he thought aloud. "You can see them if you go to the pond over that way," he gestured to the west accordingly, "through that thicket. I went there yesterday and it's really a sight."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 07:41:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The prince glanced in the direction Malik had pointed and nodded, his long delicate ears flopping as his head moved. He reached up to tuck gleaming blond strands behind his ear and sighed softly, breathing in the fresh spring air.<br><br>A thought occurred to him, perhaps it would be nice to have company on his walk. True, when he had left the castle he had been seeking solitude and quiet, but now that he'd met Malik, he was curious. He wanted to get to know more about the half demon. Most of the commoners he associated with were born and raised in the castle or came there at a very young age. He had seldom had the opportunity to venture outside the grounds himself. He truly had no idea what life was like for commoners outside the palace.<br><br>"Would you perhaps want to accompany me, Malik? I would not mind speaking with you a bit longer. I don't often meet anyone like you... in fact I'm not sure I've ever met anyone quite like you. I must admit to some curiosity. Would you be willing to share a few hours with an elven prince?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 09:23:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				While the prince glanced sidelong in the general direction of the thicket, Malik took a moment to admire him. He wouldn't dare to say so out loud (at least not yet), but Ishtial was quite good-looking. Elves were generally fairly attractive, but the prince was doubly so. That long blond hair paid great compliment to his features, accented by the presence of his ears which, Malik had to admit, were kind of cute. His own were slightly slanted, but they weren't nearly as long as Ishtial's. Somehow, they suited the prince very well.<br><br>Clearing his throat when the prince looked back toward him, Malik folded his hands behind his back. He didn't want to appear too forward just yet. Ishtial had been quite kind to him so far, but Malik doubted it would last if the prince caught him staring. Elves, as a rule, didn't even associate with halfbreeds, much less tolerate attraction between them. Not that Malik was attracted to him or anything. He could admire a person without wanting them for himself, couldn't he?<br><br>Malik gave pause when the prince extended an invitation to join him on his walk. Simply put, he was flabbergasted. He couldn't wrap his head around how kind Ishtial was to begin with, but an offer to join him on a walk? This was quite unexpected. But certainly not unpleasant. A smile crept onto Malik's lips and he nodded, pushing back his ebony locks and inclining his head in a sort of bow. "I'd like that, Your Highness," he replied, flattered that the prince had expressed a genuine interest in getting to know him.<br><br>Gesturing toward the thicket, Malik waited for the prince to start them off before following alongside. "I have to admit, I'm surprised that you want to spend time with me," he said. "Not many of your stature would bother."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 09:51:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial cast a sidelong glance at Malik as they walked, he had to admit that he found his new companion very interesting. <br><br>"Unlike most royals, I think that getting to know my people is my duty. Especially important is getting to know those who live and dwell within your own castle. A lot of nobles treat the servants like animals or furniture. I, however, was raised by the servants of this castle. They are my family, and they are people too. Only the foolish seek to enslave those that serve them willingly. People who are ruled through fear are likely to stick a knife in your back at the first sign of weakness. In contrast, people who are ruled by a kind hand that shows them nothing but compassion, will support their king wholeheartedly."<br><br>He sighed softly, trying to think back on the few things his father had offered him. He too had been a kind man, if not very close to many of his subjects. "I want to be the kind of king who is loved by his people. I want them to support me as their ruler, and I want them to mourn me when I pass instead of being glad to be free of me. It is true that I was born with everything I've ever wanted, and some might look at that with envy. I think though, that great power brings even greater responsibility. I have a duty to the people, just as much as they do to me. Every person that I get to know, whether beneath me or my equal in social stature, is a vital part of the social puzzle. I want to reach out to all walks of life during my reign. I want to truly live, and to know the suffering of the poor. If I know that suffering, then I can do my part to make it right. No one should have to suffer because of how they were born. You might say that I dream of a more equal world for all peaceful races. That might sound foolish I know, but I think I should use my power for something worthwhile."<br><br>He glanced at his companion, realizing he had been rambling. "I'm terribly sorry for going on and on like that, you must find me rather tiresome indeed. Tell me a bit about yourself if you will, Malik? Oh, and by the way, you can call me Ish if you like."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 10:19:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Malik was actually very interested in hearing Ishtial's reasons for cultivating closeness with his people, even those of considerably less dignified breeds. Demons weren't very well-received by the general public, much less the halfbreeds who shared a human heritage as well. Malik in particular had never given much thought to his low social rank, but now that he was in the presence of the elven prince, he was thinking about it quite a bit.<br><br>But Ishtial didn't seem to be bothered by his social status, and Malik had to admit, his reasoning was quite sound. A ruler did need to establish a good rapport with his subjects if he expected to be respected as well as loved, not to mention missed when he passed on. Despite himself, Malik smiled a little, nodding every now and then to say that he understood. Then, when Ishtial wrapped up, even apologized for his rambling, the half-demon chuckled and flapped a dismissive hand.<br><br>"Hardly," he assured. "I don't find you tiresome at all. It's actually refreshing. I was worried that you would be like the other nobles I've run into over the years. Quite frankly, I almost didn't talk to you." He laughed. "Ish, it is. Much easier than all the formal titles." Then, he began to contemplate what he could tell the prince about himself. He wasn't used to that. He socialized quite a bit, but this situation was different. Whether or not Ishtial desired a formal relationship of a royal and his subject, he still had to be a little careful about what kind of information he divulged.<br><br>"Well... I'm from a little village south of here called Yashirr. It's fairly small, so I don't know that you've heard of it. Mostly demons live there, including my mother. I lived with her up until a few days ago, but I wanted to come here and get to know my father." Truthfully, he envied the prince for getting to spend so much time with him. "They were never married and when I was conceived, they decided together that it was best if she raised me, since his job here was very demanding at the time, and he wouldn't have time to raise me properly." He didn't harbor any resentment for it, either; he was confident enough that his parents had made what they believed to be the best choice for him, which he appreciated.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 10:47:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The prince listened to him with interest, wondering vaguely why his father had not simply had his mother and him move onto the grounds where they could at least be near to him. He supposed that maybe his own father, the king, had not wanted demons living on the castle grounds. Even though the current king was a kind man, he did have a tendency to judge people by their social standing.<br><br>"I suppose I can understand your parents' reasoning. I have heard of Yashirr, your father has spoke of it to me a few times. I also have extensively studied the maps of this kingdom. I know the names of all the cities within. When I become king, one of my first orders of business is going to be to travel around to each and every one of those cities and offer gifts. My father has become rather distant from the people in his grief. It is my job now to see to it that the people do not get too detached from the royal family you know?"<br><br>He sighed softly, rubbing his forehead a little. It was becoming tiresome having to think about all these things. He wondered how his father had handled it for so long. "I just hope that I am fit to be a king. Sometimes I think it would be rather nice to just be somebody else. The burden of seeing to it that an entire kingdom is doing well is more stressful than one would think."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>15-11-2010, 20:28:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				So the prince had heard of his little village. And apparently, he was well-versed on the cities and towns in the entirety of his kingdom. That was actually quite freshing. Not many noblemen cared to learn so much about the kingdom in which they lived; Malik had encountered a few who had given him terrible impressions and they had stuck with him as he entered adulthood. As such, to hear that a noble - a prince, no less - had taken so much time to learn about his kingdom did well to whittle away the doubt he had regarding nobility. At least this one.<br><br>"Really? You'll travel all across your kingdom?" That was quite the venture, going into every city and extending gifts to his people. Certainly a bold venture, given that kings didn't often put themselves out there like that, but it would be a nice change. The current king was kind enough, but he wasn't nearly as involved as Ishtial wanted to be. It was commendable. If only more nobles thought like Ishtial, the peasants wouldn't feel so much resentment for them.<br><br>"Well... I wouldn't know much about the stress of the nobility," Malik admitted with a small smile. "I can imagine it's very trying. But I can tell you from the point of view of a commoner that if you do manage to travel through the kingdom like you said, you'd earn a lot of respect. We tend to think that our sovereigns keep their distances from us, like they don't want to see anything beyond their luxuries. No&nbsp; offense intended, Your Highne- Er... Ish."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>16-11-2010, 07:37:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The prince smiled at Malik's words. It was just as he had expected. Other nobles thought he was insane for his ideas of getting closer to the commoners. They did not approve of their prince socializing with 'those of lower breeding' so openly. However, they would learn to respect his wishes. He would soon be the king, and he would rule the nobles the same as he ruled the commoners. He did not intend to show favoritism, nor be unfair or cruel to anyone.<br><br>"I take no offense. I know how other nobles are. I have lived among them, and had to deal with them my whole life. They can be tedious, inconsiderate, and tiresome. Commoners in general are much easier for me to socialize with. I tend to hold an open court. I want people from around my land to know me as fair, and love me for it. I will entertain a certain number of commoners every day to hear their requests and see what can be done. I know that there are great troubles outside the luxuries of my castle. I want to alleviate those troubles, truly. I can't help if I don't know what's wrong. The best way to find out what is wrong, is to ask the people who suffer the most." <br><br>He gazed up at the bright blue sky, admiring the few puffy, white clouds there. "My father is not well... he has said that he will be handing the crown over to me soon. He no longer wishes to rule the kingdom, and I am of age. I was wondering... do you think that you and your father might come with me when I go on my journey to see all of my kingdom? I know your father might want to stay here and take care of the grounds though... I intend to take some servants with me as traveling companions, more for the company than for their service."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>16-11-2010, 10:18:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Fortunately, Ishtial seemed to be aware of the shortcomings of the nobility. Malik hated to be the one to point them out since he didn't know the young prince very well, but as it turned out, Ishtial was very open to hearing criticisms. He genuinely seemed to want to hear about the plights of his people, which painted him in quite a flattering light with the cynical half-demon. Malik tended to think very little of the nobility who thought very little of him, so it was nice to be able to speak with a prince so casually about these matters.<br><br>"Really? A king so soon?" It was surprising to hear that the king was willing to give the crown over to his son so quickly - but then, after the death of his wife, he likely did not wish to rule any longer. Malik couldn't blame him. He had never known a loss of that degree, but he could imagine that after such a blow, a man would re-prioritize his life. And for a king, apparently, this meant giving the throne to someone more emotionally capable of handling the responsibilty.<br><br>But for as much sense as that made, Malik was nonetheless stunned when Ishtial offered to take him and his father along on his journey to see the kingdom. "I... I can't say for certain what my father would think, but I, for one, would love it." He smiled. "I haven't gotten to see much of the kingdom. Only Yashirr and the small villages on the way to the castle. I would be honored to accompany you." And besides that, it would give him a reason to stick close to the prince a while longer. Though he didn't dare say it yet, Malik was becoming fiercely attracted to the youthful elf - and he wasn't exactly well-known for his honorable intentions where attractive young men were concerned.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>17-11-2010, 02:33:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The young prince breathed in the fresh air around them as they walked, enjoying the beauty of nature. It was just a base part of who he was as an elf. They couldn't help but appreciate lush, natural places. He had often wanted to play in the woods as a child, but he had never been directly allowed to. He would go and see the groundskeeper, and the human would happily take him out and teach him about the different kinds of trees and plants. The woods were a dangerous place for a young prince to be going alone, but they weren't dangerous with the groundskeeper at his side, and the prince was beginning to feel that same security in his son.<br><br>His ability to feel safe around a half demon alone made him unique among elves already. The fact that he felt more safe <em>because</em> of Malik's presence was quite extraordinary indeed. <br><br>He turned to smile at his companion, truly enjoying their conversation so far. "Yes, I will soon be the king. A week from today actually... there will be a grand ceremony where the King will hand over the crown to me. I will do my best to make sure he is taken care of until he is gone. He has not been taking care of himself at all." Ishtial frowned at this fact.<br><br>The elf's smile soon turned into a frown when he realized Malik had agreed to accompany him on his journey. The very thought of sharing such an adventure with him, made the elf smile. "I will be glad to have you. Now that I think of it though, your father will probably not want to join us. He is very attached to the castle grounds. He would not want to leave these lands to someone else for that long. I suspect our journey will not be a short one. This kingdom is rather expansive."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>17-11-2010, 05:58:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A week... It almost sounded surreal. Here was Malik, a half-demon with absolutely no relevant social standing, who just a few days prior had been living in a poverty-stricken village. And now, he was living on the castle grounds and conversing so casually with a young prince who was to be crowned at this time the following week. His life had taken quite the dramatic turn. It was sinking in slowly but surely; yet, he was quite comfortable with it. Ishtial was a kind young human, which made it easier to wrap his head around how strange his life had become.<br><br>"You're probably right," Malik agreed then. "My father will likely want to remain here. He's not exactly the sprightly young man he once was..." He chuckled. "And besides that, yes, he is quite attached to these grounds. For good reason, too." He took an appreciative glance of the landscape accordingly. Yes, he could certainly understand why his father loved it here. It would be a shame, though, to leave his side again a short while after arriving, but there was likely more than enough time between now and when the future king set out on his journey. Plenty of time to get to know the man better.<br><br>"Ah. Almost there." Malik grinned a little at his own enthusiasm. Pushing a few wayward branches out of their way, he held open the makeshift archway for the prince to step through, beyond which laid the little pond he had mentioned, surrounded by the colorful spring blooms. He hadn't exaggerated their beauty; the rainbow of different colored blossoms made for quite the spectacle around the glistening water.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>17-11-2010, 07:46:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial bowed beneath the arch to step into the clearing around the pond. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The water was still and serene, surrounded by a brilliant rainbow of color on all sides. There were a few large rocks on the bank that were covered in moss, and looked like they would be very comfortable to sit on.<br><br>The young elven prince made his way carefully to the nearest rock, taking care not to step on any of the flowers. He sat down on the moss, his extravagent robes hanging down around him as he sat. It was truly a peaceful place. He was not sure if he had ever come to this particular pond before. If he had, it had not been when all of the flowers were in bloom. He would have remembered this.<br><br>"This place is... incredible. Thank you for bringing me here Malik. I never would have found this place on my own. I'm afraid I'm not that good at exploring things on my own. It's a skill I was never allowed to develope. I was always very well protected as a child."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>17-11-2010, 23:14:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Really?" That was a shame. Ishtial had some of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire kingdom as his personal backyard, yet he hadn't been allowed to explore it as a child? Malik couldn't imagine a worse fate. Then again, he was the sort of creature who constantly harbored a sense of wanderlust and despite spending so much time helping to take care of his mother, he had always found time for exploring. To stifle that urge would have been... terrible.<br><br>Nonetheless, he smiled when Ishtial expressed an appreciation for the place and he inclined his head accordingly. "My pleasure. It is beautiful, isn't it?" Malik then took a moment to admire the beauty present in other locations - namely around the young prince's person. He was quite attractive; youthful and vibrant despite his regal lineage. It was likely improper to think such things about a royal, but Malik was rather taken with him.<br><br>Taking long strides over to the moss-covered rocks, Malik crouched down beside Ishtial. "I'll have to show you some other places sometime," he suggested. "There's a river that connects to a waterfall over on the other side of the castle. The view is pretty great. Although..." He leered at the elven prince, a sly smirk on his lips as he added, "The view is pretty great here, too."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>18-11-2010, 08:54:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The young prince appeared not to notice the other's leer. He seemed to be a truly naive individual, with oddly idealistic ideas about the world and how it should work.<br><br>He leaned back on his rock, gazing around at the scenery near him, it was a true beauty, and he was finding himself enchanted with it. <br><br>His gaze soon fell on Malik, and he blushed slightly, though he had no idea why. His cheeks just felt hot when he looked at the half demon. It took him a moment to tear away his gaze, and he sighed softly, staring up at the bright blue sky through the trees above him. "You will have to show that to me someday soon. Perhaps tomorrow? We could set out in the early morning, I could have a picnic prepared for us to carry there?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>19-11-2010, 04:40:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The prince seemed oblivious to his flirtatious comment. Was he truly that naive? Well, Malik supposed, most princes were fairly sheltered from the beginning, and chances were that Ishtial was no different. Although it did make Malik wonder if he had ever had a lover before. Probably not. Now that he really thought about it, it would have been more surprising to find out that he had. Maybe that was his elven heritage at work, too; they were quite a dignified race, after all.<br><br>Still... it certainly was tempting. Maybe it was wrong to think so, but the thought of corrupting the young elven prince was quite appealing. Malik's imagination ran away with him and he shuddered a little, fighting off the urges and storing them for a later date. Although, Ishtial's offer for a picnic the next day might just have given him the opportunity he had begun to fish for.<br><br>"A picnic sounds nice," he said, watching the prince from the corner of his eye. "Just you and me?" Some royals tended to prefer making that kind of walk with a small entourage - in this case, maybe a servant or two to serve him at his picnic - and while Ishtial didn't seem the sort who would do that, Malik wanted to make perfectly sure.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>19-11-2010, 17:40:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial appeared to think about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I think it would be refreshing to be just the two of us. I will have the servants pack us the ingredients for sandwiches, and perhaps some fruit. Then we can even make our own sandwiches... I assume you know how? I think I have the basic idea of it just from eating them. It looks relatively simple, I'm sure even an incompetent noble such as myself can do it." <br><br>He looked positively thrilled at just the idea of making his own sandwich. That might have seemed odd, but in truth, the prince had never made his own food before, not even something as simple as a sandwich. <br><br>"I'm sure tomorrow will be a lovely day for it. The weather has been rather pleasant today. "You know, I should make sure they pack us a few blankets as well, in case we decide to take a nap in the sun. Also, it has to be more pleasant to eat on a blanket than on the ground... I've only ever eaten outside where there were tables. Forgive me if I do anything foolish. I've not been allowed much freedom."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>20-11-2010, 10:48:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Malik sat back to listen to Ishtial speak, slightly taken back by what he was telling him. A picnic sounded quite nice - a long walk through the grounds, followed up by a meal in front of a breathtaking waterfall, and with pleasant company as well - but was he hearing the prince correctly? The way he spoke, he had never made his own food before.<br><br>"You've... never made a sandwich before?" Malik ventured. He wasn't teasing by any means, since he doubted the prince would appreciate that, but it sounded so... bizarre. Of course, he attributed this to Ishtial's pampered lifestyle, but still. A sandwich was pretty basic. He had assumed that princes occasionally prepared simple meals for themselves when the urge struck. Apparently not.<br><br>"Well, no worries." Malik flapped his hand dismissively and smiled. "I've put together my fair share of sandwiches. It's not hard. I'll teach you."<br><br>A nap in the sun would be heavenly. The very thought prompted Malik to purr as he dropped down to stretch lazily over the moss-covered boulder. "No freedom at all, apparently," he noted. "I would think a prince had nothing <em>but</em> freedom." Apparently, the king was very protective of his son. Understandable in one way, but a damn shame in another. "I'll have to show you what it's like to do these things by yourself. If you're going to be king, you might benefit from learning how to make some of your own food and whatnot. I mean... if you're interested." He cleared his throat, worried that he might have offended the young prince in some form.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>20-11-2010, 22:43:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The prince smiled pleasantly at the other's words, clearly not offended. It was beginning to be clear that Ishtial was a hard man to insult, unlike most nobles.<br><br>He stretched and yawned in the sunlight, the warmth making him feel sleepy. "I would like to learn to do some things for myself. My father never has. He was born a prince and has led the same sheltered life that I did. He does not wish to do anything for himself, he says that's what servants live for. He feels it is his duty to let them serve their king, since it's their job."<br><br>Ishtial shrugged, seeming unimpressed by this philosophy. "I think a king should at least be <em>able</em> to go to the bathroom on his own and feed himself if he should choose. It is one thing to choose to let others help you, and quite another to be completely helpless without them."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>21-11-2010, 11:14:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial presented a very good point, and one that Malik agreed with whole-heartedly. "My thoughts exactly," the half-demon chimed. "No offense to your father or anything, but it seems like a lot of nobility has completely lost touch with the ability to function like normal people. At least from what I've seen. But then again, we don't see much nobility in Yashirr." He laughed. "The most we get is the occasional Duke or Earl passing through on their way to the bigger cities."<br><br>Yashirr was a tiny little village, nearly invisible on the map next to larger ones like Taniis and Ranuk. It was near one of the more widely traveled trails in the kingdom, but generally passed over in favor of the less rural areas. Most nobles preferred to stay on the path, rather than stray off to the side to take in the scenery. Somehow, he doubted that Ishtial would behave similarly.<br><br>"Are there any other things you want to learn? Besides making sandwiches, I mean." At his own prompting, Malik entertained the fleeting thought that he could educate the young, naive prince on many things...<br><br>Maybe it was his partial animal heritage at work, but Malik occasionally had a one-track mind when it came to attractive young men.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>22-11-2010, 06:14:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial seemed to carefully consider the question for several moments. In truth, there was a lot of things he would like to learn about. Sex hadn't really occurred to the young naive prince as a possibility though. He did find Malik attractive, but he thought it was just a feeling of fondness. The feeling was somewhat different, but he'd never felt this way about anyone before that he knew of, he suspected he just felt differently towards Malik because he was half demon. Truthfully, that wasn't the case at all.<br><br>He stretched again and laid down against the soft moss covered rock. It felt nice somehow, natural. He'd never really been allowed much time outside the castle, but large mossy rocks like this one always captivated the young elf. He thought perhaps he could be happy out in the wilderness with no servants and no castle walls, though truthfully he probably would have been a wreck after an entire day alone in the wild.<br><br>"I would like to learn to live without the help of others. It would be nice to learn to cook, dress myself, maybe even clean!" He seemed unnaturally excited about learning to do such mundane tasks. "I've never even been allowed to bathe myself or brush my own hair..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>22-11-2010, 11:01:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As Ishtial moved to lay back, sprawled out beside him on the moss-covered boulder, Malik couldn't help smiling to himself. The elven prince was so blissfully naive, uneducated in so many ways, that he likely didn't even catch the mildly lustful leer that the half-demon sent him, despite being so close to it. In a way, it was actually quite thrilling for Malik, being able to look all he wanted without attracting attention to himself and his wandering eye.<br><br>And Ishtial's statement didn't help matters any, either. He'd never even been allowed to bathe by himself? That meant... he had servants to help him with that as well? It was enough to make the half-demon's mind wander as he contemplated watching the prince bathe on his own for the first time, hands fumbling with the slippery soap bar that he was bound to drop into the water every now and then, soapy water dripping from that gorgeous head of hair...<br><br>He really had to start thinking less heated thoughts, or he was going to get himself in trouble.<br><br>"Ah... Well... I'd like to help you out if I can," Malik told him with a small, emphatic nod. "I'm no royal cook, but I can fashion a meal on my own. And I certainly know how to clean. I spent most of my life helping my mother around the house, so I'm fairly good at those sorts of things."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>23-11-2010, 09:07:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial smiled and nodded. "I would like that. I will let you teach me everything you know about taking care of yourself. I would like to be able to give my servants a day off every now and then. It can't be easy, they never have any days off. They just sleep when I do, then have to spend the whole day working to keep me and my father happy. I suppose I won't be able to speak for my father, but perhaps they would have more free time if I could take care of some of my own needs sometimes."<br><br>He sat up on the rock, stretching and enjoying the feeling of the sun on his skin. He was completely unaware of the half demon's lustful thoughts. The prince did not even know much of lust yet as it was. "Could you teach me to bathe myself too? I must admit, the older I get the more awkward it's becoming having other people wash me. I feel that's something I should be able to handle on my own."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>23-11-2010, 11:35:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It sounded so simple. Teaching someone how to take care of himself. And yet, it also sounded so... bizarre. These were things that most people simply knew how to do. Making sandwiches, brushing their own hair, bathing on their own... Simple, routine techniques that came naturally to most people. But then again, Ishtial was not most people. He was a prince, and a very sheltered one at that. This was going to be a very interesting season, Malik could already tell.<br><br>Especially since Ishtial wanted to be taught to bathe as well.<br><br>At this, Malik's eyes widened a little and he looked toward Ishtial, shocked. By no means was he opposed to the idea, but the prospect of seeing the beautiful young prince in the bath... He shuddered and had to consciously shake off the thought altogether, before he did or said something stupid. Or forward. Or flirtatious. Or... something else that was entirely inappropriate.<br><br>"Ah, well, I guess I could... show you that, yes." He nodded, clearing his throat, and quickly recomposed himself. "That is, if you think your father would allow me to step into the palace." After all, he highly doubted that the prince wanted to bathe in the groundskeeper's cottage, or out in a stream the way Malik was accustomed to, and the half-demon wasn't positive that the king would be too keen on letting someone like him into his home.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>23-11-2010, 11:42:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial looked thoughtful and shook his head. "We won't have to worry much about my father. I will bring soap and clothes along on our trip tomorrow. Perhaps I could bathe in the waterfall? I know the water will be cold, but I have always liked swimming, though every time I've been caught in the water on the grounds I have been forced to go back inside." He sighed softly and held his head up a little higher than normal.<br><br>"I am too old to be letting people tell me what to do anymore. I will be the king soon, they will simply have to learn to allow me my freedom. They had to know I would not be content to spend all of my time in the castle for the rest of my life." He appeared to consider things for a moment. "I'll bring a brush, you can teach me to brush my hair after my bath... I'm afraid you'll have to show me how to get dressed too..." He blushed slightly.<br><br>"I'm sorry for assuming you'll do all of this. It must sound like I'm trying to make you into my personal servant. That's not my intention, I promise you..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>24-11-2010, 11:34:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At the very least, he wouldn't have to go into the palace. Malik wasn't sure he would be comfortable in there, surrounded by such luxury - and, more to the point, people who would look down on him. Elves were held in very high regard, whereas demons... not so much. Particularly half demons, since they were considered more conniving and less trustworthy than full-fledged demons. Malik wasn't sure why that was, but it was a standard that had been in place since time out of mind.<br><br>But fortunately, Ishtial didn't seem to buy into any of it. He seemed more than willing to spend time with him, which was nice all on its own, yet Malik's interests went a little beyond the mere platonic. Ishtial seemed blissfully ignorant of it. Ah, he was so naive... He didn't even seem to consider the implications of bathing in front of another person the way Malik did. But then, Malik's mind was always in the gutter, anyway, so that wasn't saying very much.<br><br>"No, no," Malik assured, smiling. "I don't feel like you're trying to make me a servant at all. I'd be happy to teach you these things, really. It seems like you want an opinion from someone outside the palace, and I'm happy to oblige." And the fact that he would get to see the prince naked was just gravy, really...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>25-11-2010, 21:21:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial smiled his usual blissful smile. He had truly lived a life based on the 'ignorance is bliss' principle. With the work of his parents and servants they had kept the boy sheltered and unaware of the troubles in the world for most of his life. He would soon find out a few things by his own will. He knew there were a lot of things he had not been exposed to, but he didn't know the half of it. He was in for quite an experience as he viewed the world through such innocent eyes. <br><br>"Thank you! I'm glad you're so willing to help me. Is there anything I could do to repay you perhaps? I know that time is valuable, and I suspect you'll be spending a lot of time with me to teach me all of these things. Is there a certain food you would like, or perhaps you are in need of new clothing? I have the whole kingdom at my fingertips, you can be well paid for your services."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>28-11-2010, 11:35:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Malik only realized, as Ishtial mentioned it, that he was taking on quite a bit of work. He certainly hadn't expected to, yet he seemed to have found himself a sort of job. It sounded simple enough, teaching the young prince how to take care of himself, but there was a lot to go over. And Ishtial would likely think of more things that he wanted to learn as their "lessons" progressed. So it did sound practical to request some sort of payment from the prince...<br><br>But he wouldn't.<br><br>"My time isn't really that valuable," he assured, flapping a hand dismissively. "I appreciate the offer, but really, I'd rather do it for free. If I think of something later, though, I'll let you know." But he doubted he would. Malik was more than happy to teach the prince these things for no cost - particularly since he got a little something out of it, anyway. He didn't want Ishtial's money or the money that his luxuries could buy. What he wanted, he could get for free.<br><br>It was then that Malik noticed the hour. He didn't have a clock handy, but he had learned to determine the time (albeit somewhat roughly) by gauging the sun's position in the sky. "Damn." Sitting up, he gave his arms a stretch. "My father will probably be back soon. I promised to have dinner started by the time he came home." That said, he slipped off the rock and turned back toward the prince. "Would you like me to walk you back?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>29-11-2010, 08:12:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial smiled and nodded, getting slowly to his feet and stretching. He could have happily stayed on the rock all day, but in truth he needed to get back up to the castle and see to it that everything was going well. He could also go ahead and inform the servants of his going out tomorrow, so they could have his food and travelling pack prepared for him in the morning.<br><br>"I would like that. I need to get back up to the castle anyway. I will get up at daylight tomorrow. Will you be ready to go around then? If not, I will hang around the grounds until you're ready to get up. I am really looking forward to seeing the waterfall and learning new things. It will be refreshing to experience so much. My life has been so terribly boring the last few years."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>30-11-2010, 11:57:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Malik nodded. He had no trouble getting up early; in fact, he tended to wake at dawn nearly every day of his life. It came with the territory when one lived in a small village jam-packed with roosters who loved to wake the inhabitants at the first sign of light. Plus, his mother preferred to rise early to begin the daily ritual of cleaning and yard work, so it was beneficial for him to do so, anyway.<br><br>"Daylight is fine," he said. "I'm used to that." Satisfied that they had decided on a time to meet, Malik waved the young prince along and started off down the wooded path that would take them back to the open hills. They would hit the groundskeeper's cottage first, after which Ishtial could find his own way back to the castle. "I can meet you outside the courtyard, if you like." He wouldn't dare to step foot in the courtyard without permission, however; he wasn't about to step on the toes of the current king, even if he was in good graces with the king-to-be.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>04-12-2010, 05:07:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The prince nodded, getting to his feet and following Malik. He was definitely looking forward to their upcoming day. He would be learning so many new things! It had been a rather long time since he had really learned something new. Most of what he was told was about dignity, current fashions, and how to keep his place among the other Nobles. He was tired of all of it already and he hadn't even become the king yet! He had trouble imagining how long he would be able to keep up with the job.<br><br>When they made it to the small cottage, he bowed deeply to Malik. "Thank you for agreeing to accompany me tomorrow. I will meet you outside of the courtyard at daybreak. I will be sure to prepare everything that we will need before I leave the castle. Is there anything you wish to remind me of? Anything that I am likely to forget given my inexperience with such things?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Observing Trifles</strong> on <strong>06-12-2010, 11:01:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The trek back to the cottage at the edge of the grounds was a fairly short one in comparison to the walk into the woods. Now that they had blazed the trail, they knew which patches to avoid to skip over rougher terrain, which made the trip that much quicker, and it was still fairly early by the time they reached Malik's destination.<br><br>Inclining his head in a modest bow, Malik began contemplating the question asked of him. It sounded like Ishtial would have everything under control (and he had infinitely more resources than Malik), so the demon wasn't sure that he had any notes to make on what to bring. The prince was already prepared to bring a lunch and a blanket for their picnic.<br><br>"Mm... Well, if you want me to teach you about bathing and dressing yourself," Malik offered, "you'll need to bring whatever you need to groom for the day. Towels, soap, a brush... that sort of thing."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: You Can't Be Serious. {Altheras and BrilliantDays}</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Altheras</strong> on <strong>07-12-2010, 09:12:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ishtial smiled at the suggestion. He had indeed been thinking of all of that, but he had forgotten to add towels to the list of things he should definitely bring. "Thank you for reminding me, Malik. I would have forgotten to bring towels... I'm not sure how I would have dried off then. Perhaps I should speak with all of the servants tonight and find out everything that they use to bathe and dress me."<br><br>He placed a finger thoughtfully over his lips, blond hair blowing around his face as it was carried on the day's light breeze. "You should bring anything extra you might need for yourself. I wouldn't want us to get all the way out there and not have anything to see to you. I mean, I will provide the food, but if there's anything else we might need out there, feel free to bring your own pack with you. I will not expect you to carry all of my belongings for me... though now that I think of it, perhaps I should bring a horse to carry things..."
			</dd>
		</dl>
		<div id="footer" class="smalltext">
			
			<span class="smalltext" style="display: inline; visibility: visible; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=credits" title="Simple Machines Forum" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF 2.0.19</a> |
 <a href="https://www.simplemachines.org/about/smf/license.php" title="License" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF © 2021</a>, <a href="https://www.simplemachines.org" title="Simple Machines" target="_blank" class="new_win">Simple Machines</a>
			</span>
		</div>