Bastian glanced over at Leah and coughed to hide his embarrassment. He seemed so flustered by this whole situation that he didn't seem to even notice Alex demanding that he make them stop talking about her.

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

Aaron had to smile at the words whispered to him, then cleared his throat.
"Well, protocall states that if someone was to break in and enter the castle without invitation or permission, they are to be taken to the dungeon for interigation," he said. "And climbing secretly, yet not so secretly over the battlements is concidered breaking into the castle...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Alexandria bit her lip, glancing to the left, then to the right, as if calculating the best way to run. She wasn't about to let herself 'interrogated.' She knew there was no party in that.

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

"I'll leave her then to you." Leah said with a wink "And put that poor man back on the street, I'm sure the fool won't even find his way home."
Leah didn't know why she was covering for Bastian. Perhaps because it didn't seem his purpose to cause trouble or because of the attitude of Alex towards him.
Leah! An old woman's voice barked in the cool evening's air. "Leah, where are you? You're getting trouble for this."
Trumphets sounded, the melody echoed over the almost empty courtyard.
Worry flickered over Leah's face as she realised the ceremony was starting and what she ought to have done. "Oh no.. " she muttered and shouted: "Comin'!" She glanced back at Alex and Bastian and then nodded at Aaron. "Goodnight Sir" And while lifting her dress a little, she ran over to the kitchen.

[I wanted them to get in some action It was all so static. ]

_________________


O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Alex shuffled her feet anxiously, staring down the guard. "Oh, um, yeah.... We gotta get going too!" she declared, running the opposite way down the battlements, away from her fate.

Bastian knitted his brow and sighed through his nose. "I hope you know you're getting much too old for this!" he shouted after her, but didn't run. He simply turned, as if defeated, and rolled his eyes at Aaron.

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

Maria smirked, Alex was such a wimp in her opinion. "Bastian, do me a favor, look out for your self, and don't let Alex get you into trouble. what good would it do me to have you guys locked up."

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Aaron frowned as the girl ran away, and gave a sigh. He heard Maria's comment, and thought it very peculiar. Stuffing that in the back of his mind, he laid a hand on Bastion's shoulder.
"I heard you name right, I'm pretty sure, Bastion?" he said, looking the boy up and down for a moment. "It's too bad you seem to be a street rat, or with your build you would be a good knight. Go home, and stay out of trouble and I'll let you off with a warning. Now I must go catch that friend of yours."

With a curt nod to Bastion, then Maria, he ran off in the direction of where the woman had gone...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

In the kitchen it was warm and crowded. Large fires warmed huge soup cauldron's and a huge boar was slowly rotated on the roasting spit. Cooks created the most delicious meals by using fine spices and vegetables which they'd ordered from far countries for the banquet which was to take place after the ceremony.
"You.." A bony white hand clenched onto Leah's arm and dragged her into the kitchen. "Why was that taking so long? Now I had to send someone else for the ale and wine."
Leah looked at the elderly woman with a face full innocence. "I'm sorry Missus, I was detained-"
But the head of servants didn't let her finish, gave her a tray with bottle of champagne on it and gave her a push towards the terrace doors. "I don't want to hear it.." was the reply "Even Maria isn't as lazy as you and she has only been with us for a short time. Now go and if guests ask what took you so long, make up a story.." And with a smirk she left.

Leah took a deep breath as before the stepped outside. She never felt comfortable being surrounded by so many of the nobility. It made her feel so small and unimportant. Yet she couldn't reveal her awe for all the splendour: the beauty of all the clothing, jewelry and decorations of the terrace. Then she mingled among the guests, serving them with drinks. Often she glanced around, wondering whether she could spot the familiar face of Aaron, that of the woman, Alexandria.. or perhaps.. the prince.

[Woops sorry for the long post anyone can jump in somewhere ]

_________________


O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Dude, I'll sliiiide in about here, if thats alright.
Let me know if I need to change anything.

~
Leena grinned silently to herself, satisfied. It wasn't often there came a chance like this, and she relished the thought of succeeding(again) to get into somewhere she (technically) wasn't allowed. They wouldn't have been able to stop her if they had tried, she thought. For her height, she was fast. She took pride in that.
The small pickpocket had little interest in nobility, but that didn't mean she'd miss the party. She was more interested in what they'd be carrying, anyway. Sadly, it didn't look as if she'd be able to get down into the actual party without being carried away my guards, which wasn't what she wanted. A little thief might have catch someones eye. But, that didn't mean she couldn't have some fun...
Leena was small and slight with short black hair and a round face; she also had very green eyes that had a sweet innocence, which is why she got on with most people, but others found her suspicious. She usually wore light coloured baggy clothing common with those less fourtunate, and had an air of confidence that was bigger than she was.
She didn't usually go by her given name, she preferred the name she'd been given by those she'd call friends - Nyx, after her preferral of the night-time. But she wouldn't have missed this for the world. The guests wouldn't notice the girl sitting atop a low roof, watching them. 'Course not. Besides, if they did, they'd get a waterbomb thrown at them. She had plenty... and she hadn't explored the roofs yet.

Arms out, she walked across the narrowest part of the roof in front of her. Climbing was fun. Well, as long as she didn't fall.

_________________

Alexandria felt the wind whip through her flaxen blond hair as she ran, descending the wall tops with a bound off the last two steps. Her feet carried her swiftly through the crowd in the courtyard, dodging servants carrying trays of food and delicate champagne flutes. Alex ducked inside the open door of the castle, into a back corridor -

- where she quickly collided into a solidness so hard that it threw her onto her back. "Ooof!"

It took Alex a good moment or two to regain her bearings, sitting up with a groan, rubbing the bruised back of her skull. She looked over at what she had run into and immediately gasped, for there, sprawled on his own hindquarters after being knocked down from the impact, was a man. But not just any man, no, not in his attire, his richly colored garb and regal face.

This was the prince, and something in the back of Alexandria's small conscience screamed at her that she was about to be in the deepest trouble she'd ever encountered.

(Who ever it was who wanted to be the prince can jump in now. Will, I think?)

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

Aaron stayed in pursuite of the girl, a dozen yards behind the whole time. He was slowed down through the court-yard when he almost ran into the wedding cake, about tripped one of the cooks carying it, and then almost spilled a tray of whine all over a poor servant girl. It was only out of pure luck that none of that happened. And soon he was at a dead run again. This girl was obviously used to running away from authority...

(I'll wait for Will's reply before I have Aaron catch up...)

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

A body crashed into Leah while she was walking around the terrace. The tray of wine was just to slip from her fingers as she was falling backwards. No, no! she uttered in panic, already foreseeing what problems this accident would cause. Leah landed on her back, her tray and the bottle just next to her. The glass had miraciously not broken because of the soft carpet but wine spilled now all over it. Around her she heard disapproving cries of the nobles. The girl got up with a moan and sneered to whom she thought was a kitchenboy: "If you wanted some wine you could at least have asked." When she realised it was Aaron her colour changed and she mumbled apologizingly: "I'm sorry Sir. I didn't see it was you.."

---

The Prince, well-bred, didn't curse or swear when someone rudely walked into him but he was highly indignant. He'd asked his personal servant to make sure he could spend the last half an hour before the Ceremony in rest and meditation. The few times he'd conversed with his future wife had made him think of her like a silly girl which made him not eager to marry nor did he like the prospect of becoming King. Yet he was taught that with being born to privilege came specific obligations.

"Who do you think you are?" the Prince asked, wiping the dust from his fine clothing. His normal friendly smile had disappeared and he frowned at the girl who looked no more than an ordinairy thief. "You are not allowed to come here. Speak!"

_________________


O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

"I-I-I'm sooo sorry, sir! Erm, your highness...? Um...." The normally blabber-mouthed Alex was struck utterly speechless and dumbfounded, staring up at him with owlishly wide golden eyes. The first outlandish thought that came to her mind was that surely he was going to murder her.

"I didn't mean to!" She cast a glance over her shoulder, as though looking for someone. Where was Bastian when she needed him?!

(btw - My girl Alexandria

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup ... id=4816192 )

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

Aaron didn't realize it until he was snapped at, then appologized at that the poor girl with the wine he had bumped into was Leah.
"No need, I was in a hurry and wasn't watching my step. Just next time, look before you snap," he said quickly, looking around. "Boy, come over here and help her clean this up," he said to a servant boy that looked like he was walking cautiously around with an empty tray in his hands. Hearing his name called, he walked over. Bre'yan put his tray down and felt around for the wine glass that he placed on his tray carefully. If one looked close enough, they'd notice he didn't focus on anything. This servingboy was blind.

"What happened?" he asked in a weak voice. But Aaron was already jogging away after Alexandria.

(Bre'yan (or Bre) is a second character for me, if it's alright)

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

[ Nice Eru! It's going to be tough to play though but the more fun it will be ]

"Bre'yan!" Leah exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Why did they send you near the guests?" Concern was all over Leah's face as she helped him up. Then she continued softly: "Don't they know how awful some of those people are to you?" She placed the empty tray back in his hands, gently took his arm as she made her way over to the kitchen through the crowd.
"I think there's a thief in the palace" she said in whisper when they left the terrace. "Captain Aaron is tracking her down" Leah stroked her back which felt like it was bruised from the nasty fall. "But he kind of bumped into me in his attempt to find her I suppose."

---

The Prince looked somewhat confused at the girl whose inconsisten blabbering made him think she was crazy. But moreover it was her disrespectful attitude which irritated him.
"Elias!" he suddenly called out to his personal servant. Before he had to call a second time an old man, with white hair in a simple attire appeared.
"Your Majesty" Elias started concerned "It is time now.. the people are waiting for you." The old man stopped as he noticed Alexandria. And judging from both the faces of the Prince and the girl is seemed they had just experienced an unexpected confrontation. "What are you doing here?" the old man asked sternly. "Speak or the Prince will call his guards."

_________________


O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Alexandria collected herself and rose to her feet, her spirit somewhat returned. "My name," she stated, "Is Alexandria Marks, and I'll do what I please, thank you. So kindly don't not tell me when I can and cannot speak, gaffer." She eyed the old man indignantly, arms crossed and head cocked arrogantly to one side, as though she were the royalty here.

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~