07-03-2012, 05:05 PM
Another gate, more iron in and intricate yet still functional design. Here at the gate he paused for a moment tracing a finger along the rose sculpture design that was the signet of the Queen. Memories flooded into his mind that made his lips twinge in what was close to a smile, close to, but not quite.
He was young then, a boy of only 16 or 17. They had stood before these gates not as the captain and the queen, but as close friends. Arialle had been putting on that little pout that she liked to do, with her hands on her hips and that cute little scrunch of the nose. This time it was about the roses. Roses didn't grow in Sciencia anymore, the truth was, not a soul in Sciencia had seen a live rose. Roses took more arcane magics to make them grow, something that had died in Sciencia long ago. The growth of roses in Sciencia was impossible, not that Arialle would admit that.
"Someday you'll find me a rose" she had said with her nose in the air, "Someday we'll find a way to make them grow in Sciencia again"
He had long since learned not to argue with her, especially about something so trivial. He simply laughed, a laughter that did not exist for Collin anymore, a deep, purely innocent laughter "As you wish Princess"
"State your business Sir" a voice drew him out of his helpless daydreaming. It was the guard at the front gate, this one was one of his own men. When he turned to face the man, the man stammered out an apology, "m..m..my apologies Captain, I didn't recognize you from behind" There was a clear fear of being reprimanded in the young guards face and a tremble shook throughout him. He was new to the brigade, and Collin could not recall his name.
"Relax Soldier, no harm done" Collin smiled in a reassuring sort of way, "I've got an appointment with Queen Aralle today, if you'd like to open the gates, though."
"Yes Sir, right away sir" the young soldier worked at lightning speed, albeit extremely clumsy, to open the gates. And Collin stepped through the gate and into the castle he knew all too well. He thanked the young soldier and headed towards the war room where he was fairly sure the queen would be. If she was that anxious, and even if she wasn't it wouldn't take long to summon her there. It was a common room to their sort of business these days, he rarely saw Arialle outside the war room anymore. He walked down the all too familiar paths to the war room. How many times had he been down these halls, this place was as close to home as a man like Collin had.
He stepped into the war room and as he expected Queen Arialle was within the room and pacing back and forth. The furrowed frown, the pacing, and also the distraction told him something was bothering her and Collin frowned. "Arialle, what has you so worked up?" he said with concern, even though he knew it had to be related to the mission, the earthquakes, or the peace talks. "Has Malagaii backed down from the peace agreement?"
She spun around so quickly that it could be called anything but queenly grace, and nearly fell over, "COLLIN!"
Last edited by Cora; 07-03-2012 at 05:30 PM..
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