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Post by starrea on Jan 2, 2020 0:35:54 GMT
After watching the clusterfuck of the King’s wedding and sending the Queen back into the ballroom to be eaten by a werewolf, Roman had made him scarce. He couldn’t wait to counsel with Alister again - the feeling of saying ‘I told you so’ would be immensely satisfying. Not only was the Queen dead, but now he was sure the King couldn’t say no to tighter regulations on those with magic. And, bonus, he hadn’t even created the situation. It was like the universe wanted him to succeed, if he believed in such bullshit.
He was sure the assailant was secured by now but they would be dealing with the fallout for at least another couple of hours. He was in no rush to get back. He could already seeing himself feigning surprise and anger, demanding justice for such a senseless slaughter. This couldn’t have worked more perfectly even if he had planned it himself.
Roman leaned up against a fence, enjoying the solitude. It was so rare he had moments like this to escape the castle - both because of his dedication to his work and his aversion to interacting with people - and the serene stillness of everything, combined with his massive stroke of good fortune, made him feel more relaxed than he had been in a long time.
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Post by Val on Jan 2, 2020 1:58:57 GMT
Despite Caspian's tendency to remain detached from the kingdoms, news often traveled fast to him for one simple reason- his messengers were birds. A crow had arrived that afternoon, frantic and full of fear. From what he could gather from the creature, a great beast had wreaked havoc over the royal wedding. Monroe, of course, would have been in attendance and he couldn't help but feel the urge to get in contact with the man, just to make sure he was safe. And perhaps Caspian could help get this "beast" under control. In his experience, most animals were simply misunderstood.
Mounting his fastest horse, he made his way from the neutral farms toward Raevaryn as the sun began to set. It wasn't long before he approached Roman and slowed his horse, observing the man with a fair amount of caution, "Sir," he nodded his head in greeting and considered moving along without another word. But something about the man made him do a double take and stop his horse- he seemed to carry an sense of authority, "If I may ask...Is it true there was an attack during the royal wedding?"
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Post by starrea on Jan 2, 2020 2:16:43 GMT
The sound of hooves brought Roman out of his fantasy and he gazed up at the man on the horse uninterestedly. He gave a short, polite nod before looking back to the horizon - a cue that their interaction should have ended there.
When the stranger spoke, he frowned in annoyance. This is why he didn’t venture outside much - people were so fucking annoying. But his question caused him to turn around, and his annoyance shifted into suspicion. He wasn’t sure how word of the massacre got out so quickly, especially reaching this far out.
“How do you know about that? Who are you?” He snapped, his eyes flashing as he took a step forward and really studied the stranger for the first time. He didn’t look familiar, but then again, Roman didn’t make it a habit to know his people.
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Post by Val on Jan 2, 2020 3:13:05 GMT
Caspian instantly regretted his big mouth, but managed to keep his composure as he dismounted the horse and approached Roman on foot. He was definitely right about the man carrying authority- clearly he was a noble or high rank within Raevaryn, judging by attire. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Caspian wore unassuming farm clothes and would stand out like a sore thumb in a castle setting, "Name's Caspian. I'm just a farmer, from the lands beyond Raevaryn," he paused, just the slightest hint that his next words might've been a lie, "One of my customers attended the wedding. They stopped by my farm this afternoon. I was just coming to see if...a friend of mine was okay." he explained, pushing his hands into his pockets with a slight downward cast of his eyes in response to Roman's harsh gaze.
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Post by starrea on Jan 2, 2020 3:22:55 GMT
Roman’s lip curled in distaste at the commoner. What an unfulfilling life - to slave away away your entire life, only to die alone with no legacy or honor. He would die and no one would even notice his absence.
“You are not a part of this kingdom, it isn’t your concern. And you shouldn’t be riding towards an act of terrorism, some would suspect you might be playing a part in it,” His words were sharp, but he highly doubted this stranger had any part to play in the massacre. He looked too... plain to be involved in something.
Something about his story didn’t quite add up, and it only added to Roman’s hostility.
“Everyone died,” He stayed bluntly, emotionless, even though he didn’t know it if was true or not. He said it simply because he could.
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Post by Val on Jan 2, 2020 21:19:37 GMT
Caspian studied Roman with a growing sense of curiosity, letting a silence fall between them over the dramatic declaration. Finally, he laughed, the sound warm and deep in contrast to the emotionless void that was Roman, "Well, not everyone died. You're here," he pointed out.
He cast his gaze in the direction of the Raevaryn castle, "So it's an act of terrorism then?" Well, his talents would be useless for such a thing, "I can assure you I have no involvement."
A part of him was still itching to get to the castle, to find out the truth, but Roman's general hostility rooted him in his place, "Will you stop me if I continue on my journey?" he questioned, giving the man a once over.
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Post by starrea on Jan 2, 2020 23:24:01 GMT
Roman wasn’t exactly sure what the man’s reaction to his declaration would be, but he had not been expecting laughter. He huffed, his irritation spiking. People had died, and for all he knew, everyone in the ballroom had become dog food (literally).
“I wasn’t there during the massacre,” Roman snapped back hotly. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint what about this stranger pissed him off so much, but Roman’s blood pressure was steadily rising.
Roman leaned back against the fence when the stranger posed his question. He took a couple seconds to answer, letting the silence hang between them for a long moment as he pondered his options. “I might,” He said with a shrug, eyes locked on Caspian. He hadn’t made his mind up yet, not sure if Caspian was worth the trouble or not.
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Post by Val on Jan 3, 2020 2:32:33 GMT
Admittedly, Caspian did feel guilty for laughing. He had a habit of relying on humor to deal with high pressure situations. It was clear to him that Roman was not a fan of said humor. He considered it might be best for him to go on his way without another word, but he found himself tied to the spot as he awaited the man's reply. A vague reply. Once again, Caspian felt the familiar pull of curiosity, "I didn't mean to sound insensitive," his tone was apologetic as he sensed the growing tension.
Against his better judgement, he stepped forward slightly, perhaps calling Roman's bluff. In his experience, most people with a bark lacked the actual bite, "You know, I could give you a ride back to the castle," he gestured to his idle horse, "It's quite a walk,"
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Post by starrea on Jan 3, 2020 17:31:24 GMT
Roman mulled over his apology but didn’t comment. The man had several opportunities to leave by this point, but chose not to. Roman couldn’t imagine why, because he was sure he wasn’t pleasant company. Then again, he hadn’t left either. It was oddly relaxing to talk to someone of so little importance. It didn’t matter what he said or did and as someone of prestige and power, it was a luxury he was not often afforded.
He raised an eyebrow at the offer. It was a long walk, but he wasn’t about to ride behind some man. “Do you often offer rides to strangers? How do I know you won’t kidnap me?” The joke sounded strange coming from Roman. He didn’t joke often.
A more sinister part of him was itching to control the man, bend him to his will. It was taboo for him to use his abilities, especially in the castle, but out here there would be no one to see.
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Post by Val on Jan 4, 2020 5:27:50 GMT
Caspian cracked a small but amused smile at Roman's attempt at humor and shrugged, "I guess you can't know for sure," he replied, resisting the urge to point out that Roman himself appeared to be more of the kidnapping type.
Glancing behind him, he summoned the chestnut colored stallion forward and the creature obeyed immediately, striding forward and nudging its rider's soldier with its nose. He looked the perfect representation of the simple life- a farm boy through and through, right down to the bits of soil staining his clothes and the golden tan of his skin, "Are you really worried that you couldn't take me on if I attempted such a thing?" He regarded the man with bright green eyes, oblivious to the sinister thoughts lurking beneath the surface.
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Post by starrea on Jan 4, 2020 17:23:52 GMT
Roman again marveled at how... country this man looked. And being called country wasn’t exactly a compliment coming from Roman. He thought country people were uneducated, dumb, marry-your-cousin type of people. While this man didn’t appear blatantly stupid, he was mildly curious to see how much of his assumption was true.
Roman’s serious look returned. “Of course I could take you. Do you think I could not?” Roman was a physically imposing man. He was tall with thick shoulders and obviously spent a great deal of time working out. Even though it had started out as a joke, Roman needed this man to know that he could beat him.
Roman has figured out that there was two ways he could persuade someone to do something. The first way was more or less mind control - while the body did what he wanted, the mind realized it was being controlled. He didn’t do that very often because it was blatantly obvious that he was controlling someone. The second way, which requires considerable more effort, was more subtle. It was almost like he could hypnotize people and get them to do what he wanted them to do all the while thinking it was their idea. Depending on the complexity of the task and the person, it didn’t always work the way Roman wanted it too.
But right now, Roman didn’t care if Caspian knew he was being controlled. He was a nobody.
“On second thought, you’re right. It is a long walk,” He drawled, “Give me your horse.” He willed Caspian to obey his command, using minimal effort to hide his control. He didn’t care that Caspian would know he was being controlled. In fact, it would probably be more satisfying this way anyway.
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Post by Val on Jan 4, 2020 23:02:06 GMT
Of course he didn't think he could over power the man. Caspian was lean and muscled from spending his days running an entire farm on his own, but Roman had him on size and he was a pacifist, after all. Violence was not in his blood.
As he was pondering a witty response, he was caught off guard by the rather abrupt command. His gaze locked with Roman's and he heard the words reach his ears...and then again the command rattled around in his mind a second time, as though trying to take hold. The sensation was familiar. It was the same way he communicated with animals, how he interpreted their responses. But this was strange coming from another man; in fact, it was downright alarming.
He continued to stare at Roman, feeling torn between a general feeling of unease and the overwhelming curiosity he felt over the incident. He glanced at his horse, looking like he might obey, and then back to the stranger, "You know, I've always given nobleman the benefit of the doubt, but you truly are entitled, aren't you? You expect me to just hand over my horse?"
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Post by starrea on Jan 6, 2020 1:47:53 GMT
Roman immediately noticed something was off. There was a slight moment when Caspian appeared he might listen, but it was still all wrong. Alarm bells blared in Roman’s head and his widened ever so slightly in shock. He had never met anyone who resisted his abilities. Up until this moment, he didn’t think anyone could.
Shell shocked, Roman didn’t even comment on the insult. While he usually prided himself on being prepared for anything, he was definitely not prepared for this simple, uneducated, possibly-married-to-his-cousin, redneck farmer to resist him. It just couldn’t be happening.
If there was anything about Roman’s posture that had been relaxed a moment ago, it was gone now. His whole body was tense and ready, as if Caspian posed a real, immediate threat. And to Roman, he did.
“Who the fuck are you? Put your fucking hands on the fence!” He snapped, pushing all of his will into his words. He was three seconds away from arresting this man. No one bested Roman, especially not some country hick.
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Post by Val on Jan 6, 2020 5:03:26 GMT
Caspian could sense the man's utter shock at his disobedience and it immediately set him on edge. He tried to convince himself that Roman was simply angry about the insult, or maybe he was just used to getting his way. But as the man practically exploded with fury, he knew in his soul that it had something to do with the strange sensation he'd experienced.
Stumbling back a step, he raised his hands into the air in surrender, willing his horse to retreat from the situation, "Whoa. Relax. I-I'm no one. I already told you," he insisted, eyes wide with caution. Again, he felt Roman's aggressive command ring repeatedly in his head, this time with more force. Deciding not to test his luck, he quickly obeyed on his own free will, stepping forward and gripping the fence with both hands.
He looked over his shoulder at Roman, heart pounding in his ears, "I don't want any trouble," he stated slowly and carefully. He'd managed to keep his talents secret for a very long time. If his suspicions were correct, this stranger had a similar ability to his own and he had no intentions of exposing himself.
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Post by starrea on Jan 7, 2020 0:45:48 GMT
Roman watched the stranger as his demeanor shifted from casual to nervous. Good, Roman thought, he should be nervous. Roman hadn’t risen to power by being an unobservant dumbass, and while he didn’t understand why the horse backed off, he mentally noted it.
This time, the stranger obeyed, but Roman wasn’t buying his act. He was obeying because he was nervous, not because of his persuasion. Roman ran a frustrated hand through his hair, running through possible scenarios in his head as why his ability was suddenly failing him.
“I know you’re a nobody. Shut the fuck up and let me think.” He snapped. Roman usually didn’t have to think because he had done all of thinking beforehand. But right now, he was coming up empty.
The only explanation, he realized, was that this man had abilities of his own. That was the only thing that made sense. Not only was an uneducated, simple, possibly marry-your-cousin type of redneck farmer, but he was also an irresponsible and reckless dumbass redneck with abilities. This, Roman thought bitterly, is why we can’t have nice things.
“What abilities do you have? Why have you come here? This Kingdom is enacting tightened restrictions on those with abilities. If you lie to me, I will forced to arrest you.” The last part was a half truth since the policy hadn’t actually been enacted yet, but the idea that someone who could possibly resist Roman wandering around free would be enough to drive him insane. He needed to keep this man close to keep an eye on him.
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