I Wonder,

[paperxairplanes]

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People say there's a moral at the end of every story, and for the most part, that's true. All of the opposing forces of good and bad in this world are there for a reason. There is no bad without good, and no right without wrong.. There's no evil without moral. And without moral, life itself would cease to be meaningful. The moral of the story is what makes it virtual.. what adds the element of reality. It's funny, though, that in some stories the moral isn't of good nature as most believe them to be. You never hear of a moral dealing with deception or unfaithfulness; it's always the good lessons learned, and hardly ever the bad. But the one thing the young women couldn't figure out.. couldn't seem to grasp, was how she wouldalways act completely on impulse, never having anything but an arbitrary reason to go by. It hadn't bothered her really, but in a sense, something felt empty. And as the girl grew older, she couldn't help but receiving the impression that she was being cheated out of something. Out of what, exactly, she knew not, yet couldn't find it in her heart to believe that this was all life had in mind for her.

Sunheri's life swung like a pendulum, wound up by simple things such as food and sleep. Maybe that was why she had agreed to wandering to Dallird, a place she knew was out of bounds. Any Amerian caught in the lands were often executed, the women raped, and yet, here she was. It was a longing for adventure, she knew it. It was because she was sick of being dressed like a doll, being pampered, being attended to. She needed to live.

The young woman was clad in a surprisingly clean white gown, a tightly fitting bodice hugging her form. The girl's dark hair was tied up as usual, ending at her mid back. A tan bag sat at her hip, the strap over her shoulder and chest, bouncing slightly as she walked. She'd been in the kingdom for a week now, and she still wasn't anywhere near Levon. The twenty year old made her way down the dirt path, noticing some man on a horse a bit aways coming in her direction, she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, not chancing being caught. Up ahead was what looked like a small village, and a quick look into her bag told Sonheri she needed to stock up on essentials. She was running low on food, and wasn't sure when the next time she'd come across a town again.

Sunheri set out toward's the village's market place. She finished her purchase a fruit stand and turned around, colliding with a man. Her basket of goods dropped as did her hood as she scrambled to pick them up. Blue eyes momentarily glanced upward at the man she'd bumped into.

_______________
The Plot

Sunheri is an independent, carefree, and sprightly young Amerian girl travelling to Dillard. Before dying, her grandmother had begged Heri to fulfill her final wish - to take her ashes to Dillard--their kingdom's enemy--to the city of Levon, and scatter her ashes in the river there, among her ancestors. She decides to carry out her grandmother's dying wish.

In Dillard, she meets (your character's name), a prince. She completes her grandmother's final rites with his help. He convinces Sunheri to go back to his castle with him, and spend one day together. The two fall in love and (your character) is just waiting for the right time to tell her how he feels about her. But then it is revealed that Heri is engaged to another man.

_____________________

What I Need

Someone to play the prince, name is up to you (he would be the man she bumps into). The way I imagine him, he is tired of castle life, yearns for freedom, but a gentleman in short. The same rules as always apply for me, do not take over my character, no one liners, be imaginative, no quick fuck scene, learn to build sexual tension, be able to post a few times a day, and I'm not into BDSM. PLEASE PM ME BEFORE JOINING.

 

[detriment]

The mans eyes dropped to the woman but seemed somehow loose in his head as it rolled to the side. He stepped drunkenly out and reached to steady himself from the impact though he must have weighed twice that of the poor girl he had run into.

"You... You watch where you're going bitch..." He said. His speech was slurred and he tried to wag his finger at the woman but ended up simply gesturing in her direction.

The vulgarity, as it often does, seemed to eclipse the general bustle of the crowd and those in the immediate area became distracted from whatever they had been attending to.

One man stepped out from the crowd and towards the two. He saw a small figure, most likely female, stooped low picking up her goods while a large dishevelled man stood over her. The new man saw the long hair of the small figure within her hood, confirming her gender before he passed her and stood between them facing the man.

“My friend, you have just knocked over a lady. You will apologize.” The new man stood straight and confident, seemingly relaxed.

The two stood there at odds, an incredible contrast to one another. On one side there was the drunken man who was not only enormous but overweight as well. He was filthy and unshaven and his face told of a history of violence. His clothes were torn and dirty and while the sun marked mid day above them this man struggled to hold himself upright from drink, whether from this morning or the night before.

The other man seemed his exact opposite. While smaller than the first man he was still tall, and his frame seemed to be fit. His face was freshly shaven and his dark hair was clean cut, with the kind of mess that seems like it must be carefully set in front of a mirror. He smelled as if he had a bath just that morning with fine soaps, something no doubt foreign to the other man, and then acquired a faint musk from a days ride in the country. He wore a cloak over himself that covered everything but his head and an outstretched arm welcoming the man to apologize to the woman. A small gold ring with a single crimson gem glistened on the finger of his outstretched hand.

The drunken man's eyes widened as they tried to stay on the newcomer.

“And what? You're gonna make me?” Whatever drunken belligerence the man had in his voice was gone now to make way for pure, snarling anger. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a dagger, brandishing it towards his opposer. Confident in his show of force the mans eyes smiled, though he bared his teeth as if they would be his primary weapon in the confrontation. “Huh?” He added, to issue the challenge further behind the confidence of his weapon.

The other man stood there unfazed, looking at the knife. It was a long rusty blade and covered in the blood of what he hoped was some butchered animal.

The hand that had been outstretched before returned to his side and grabbed a bit of cloak which he cast back over his shoulder. This revealed his other hand, on the hilt of a sword already a few inches out of its sheath. The rest of the man was clothed simply, leather boots and trousers and a white shirt, but over top his shirt was a shining steel chest plate. The people around them fell from hushed to silent.

His sword stayed where it was. The men were still a few feet apart and he seemed confident that he would be able to draw his weapon should the drunken man attempt to lunge at him.
“We can do it that way if you'd like, but I urge you to reconsider.” The mans voice was still calm. The hand not on his sword reached back out, this time to the drunk, palm up as if offering the peaceful conclusion he had suggested. “Just go home friend.”

The drunken man had straightened up upon seeing the other mans weapon and instinctively pointed his dagger away. His expression changed from its previous confidence to fear for a moment and then a much more muted anger than he had before. He stood for a moment studying his adversary looking for any sign of a bluff but found none, and eventually the alcohol and anger cleared from his mind long enough for him to see the futility in his position.

Stowing the dagger back in his tunic his murmured a curse towards the man and a slightly more audible “Whatever.” In an attempt to salvage whatever respect he thought he might have. He turned and left parting his way through the crowd with a “Get the hell out of my way.”

As soon as the drunk had left the man slid his sword back into its sheath and relaxed, and the various onlookers returned to what the had been doing. The man turned to the woman and knelt to help her gather her remaining things, for the first time seeing her face.

In the entire previous interaction he hadn't faltered for a moment, not once showing a pause in the face of mortal danger. Yet when he laid eyes on the face before him he visibly froze. The woman before him was so incredibly beautiful, so much so that he opened his mouth but for a moment he knew not what to say. “M'lady... My name is Matthew.” He held out his hand to her, still obviously taking in the woman's features with his wide eyes.

 

[paperxairplanes]

Sunheri watched the scene unfold in front of her, slightly confused at what was happening. In reality, though she should have been scared for her life, she was more concerned about the dirt accumulating around the apples she had just bought as they lay in the dirt. Blue eyes went from the drunkard to the dark haired man she would have to call her saviour to the fruit at their feet.

Once the encounter between the two men seemed to have finished, Sunheri watched the younger one turn around to face her. Her eyes wandered over his face for a moment, taking in his good looks, but also his cleanliness. Must have been some high born or maybe a knight. Regardless, without a thank you, she thrust her basket into his hands and knelt down to start picking up her scattered goods. "All my fruits.." she mumbled, ignoring his name as she began to pick up apples and oranges, periodically stopping to put them into the basket.

 

[detriment]

He was quite surprised by her reaction. Not only did she ignore his introduction entirely, but she thrust her basket into his hands to help her gather up the fruit. He was a prince after all, and while no stranger to hard work he had totally not expected to stand there at her hand as if her were a squire. Yet there he stood, smiling at the unexpected turn of events and watching her go about trying to pick up her things.

The woman gathered up her fruit and returned them to the basket he held out, but seeing them pile up they looked rather worse for wear.

“Come now, a fine lady such as yourself can't expect to be eating this. Look, they're ruined.” He said gently trying to pull her attention away from the few pieces left on the ground and hoping to actually gain acknowledgement of his presence. He turned the basket more to her, all she had to do was look to see he was right.

“Lets pick some new fruit for you. Leave these for my horse, he will be quite happy with them.”

 

[paperxairplanes]

Sunheri began to reach out for the remainder of her fruits when he spoke again. She sighed, ready to tell him to hush and either help her or move along. But her eyes fell on the basket, and she let out a frustrated groan. "If you hadn't been yabbering away with that man for so long, they would have been fine," a shocking statement, most would say, but one that seemed entirely plausible to Sunheri. She grabbed the basket from him, heading towards his horse where she dumped it's contents.

 

[detriment]

Part of the appeal to getting away in the country like this was being free from his title as prince. At home he couldn't escape the bows, curtsies and the “My Lord's”. He appreciated the honesty of these people who didn't know who he was, but this woman's brashness was a level of honesty he wasn't immediately prepared for. After being momentarily taken aback he couldn't help but crack a smile, it wasn't since he was a young boy under the care of his steward that he had been accused of yabbering. This woman seemed to be something entirely new to him, both in her beauty and abrasiveness, and he enjoyed the novelty as much as her appearance.

“Well m'lady was clumsy enough to drop them in the first place. I apologize that I wasn't quick enough in rescuing you from that enormous armed man you offended.” He said following the woman over to his horse. He patted his steed on the mane while picking up an apple from the ground and gaving it to the gentle beast, letting it know it it had permission to eat the food laid out before it.

“Besides this fruit was no good in the first place. Everyone knows this town is known for their peaches, getting anything else should be a crime.”

 

[paperxairplanes]

Sunheri's spunk didn't come from some need for adventure or to treat everyone equally. Instead, the attitude she was presenting to the young man was from growing up in privilege--never being reprimanded for her treatment of other's. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed a smile on his face, taking it as a cheeky grin. It made her a little bit more irritated than she already was. His next comment about rescuing her made her cheeks flair up in a bright red, "I don't need your rescuing," she snapped, turning away from him. If anything, she felt that he was holding her up now from getting her grandmother's ashes where they needed to go. She watched the horse as he continue speaking, now about peaches or something. "I don't like peaches."

 

[detriment]

Perhaps he had pushed her to far he wondered, as she snapped back at him, but he wasn't bothered enough to lose the grin from his face. His hand stayed as his horse stroking its fur as the animal ate at their feet. He had a special connection with this creature, they had been together for years.

She continued, still seeming generally hostile towards him."I don't like peaches."

He wondered if this comment was just out of hostility or genuine, but it didn't matter either way. Deciding to change his approach and attempted to instead appeal to her rather than stoking the flames further. His grin changed to a more gentle smile as he offered:

“Well what taste do you fancy then? We shall find it together, it's only fair to replace the fruit I ruined.”

 

[paperxairplanes]

Blue eyes wandered along the horse, stopping where the man's hand touched the animal. The touch was gentle and warm, she realized. Companionship, maybe. Her grandmother had told her that the best way to judge a man's character was to see how he treated his animals, and based on that judgement, he couldn't have been all that bad. As he spoke again, she looked at him, studying his smile and realizing the expression had changed slightly. But his need to 'help' her didn't sit well with Sunheri, and her own expression changed from curiosity to hostility. "Whatever you're trying to get out of me, I'm not that kind of a girl." She set her jaw into a hardline, gaze not faltering, though she was probably flattering herself by making any such assumptions.

 

[detriment]

He thought for a moment he saw a crack in her hostility but was gone all to quickly. She was back to her seemingly default hostile state but this time he seemed to notice that for all her aggression it seemed to him to be some how defensive.

“Whatever you're trying to get out of me, I'm not that kind of a girl.”

He was taken somewhat aback, not sure what he could have said to provoke her reaction.

“Look if I have offended you I'm sorry...” His hands came away from his horse and put themselves between the woman and himself instinctively. “I have no idea what kind of girl you are, but I am not opposed to finding out while fruit shopping on this fine afternoon. I assure you I have no motive more dubious than that. But if you have coin to spare and no desire for company then by all means consider yourself are free of me.” One hand came to his stomach in a gesture of apology while the other went out to his side showing her that she was free truly to go. He hoped that in relaxing she might do the same but also wanted to show her he would not push further if she really did just want to be rid of him.

 

[paperxairplanes]

Blue eyes watched him intently, trying hard to read his reaction. His surprise seemed genuine, she realized, with the color returning to her cheeks once again. He hadn't been trying to get at her that way, and she had undoubtedly just complimented herself more in the process than warranted. Sunheri went over the scenarios in her head, realizing if she stormed off in an angry huff as she so wished to do, it would make her appear like an annoying young girl. And she was desperately trying to make everyone around her take her as an adult. That was why she was even on this mission. She took a deep breath, not meeting his gaze out of embarrassment, "Sweet limes are my favourite," she confessed finally, eyes focused too intently on the ground. Sweet limes, of course were a fruit only found in her own land.

 

[detriment]

He watched her attitude change yet again as she seemed to turn inward and perhaps even blush. It hadn't been his intention to embarrass her but it was hard for him to want her earlier hostility back. Her gaze averted his and eventually she spoke, seeming still timid but resigned to give him a chance.

"Sweet limes are my favourite."

This town wouldn't have any sweet limes, no one from this town would likely have ever heard of such a fruit before as their winter was too cold. He thought over her words for a moment and took the time, while free of her eyes to study her a bit more. Her skin was darker than most others in this village, despite them being hard working folk who spent there time outdoors tending to their crop and live stock. Her hair was tied up behind her, a style which seemed to him more cosmetic than functional which further estranged her from the locals. The final thing he took note of that left him with the feeling that this woman had travelled very far to meet him here was her dress, it was white. A white gown such as she wore was not the sort of clothing you expected to see in a small village such as this. Here everyone worked some sort of job that would ruin such fine white fabric. White was a colour for Lords and Ladies, to illustrate their purity over the peasants and their freedom from dirty physical labour. His mind wandered to his own white tunic hidden under his cloak.

“Well I think we would be hard pressed to find such an exotic fruit in this humble market. Surely there will be something to suit your taste though, shall we try to find it?”

Was all he could think to say, but his mind continued to play with the curiosity of this woman before him.

 

[paperxairplanes]

Blue eyes studied the bruised fruit at her feet, before wandering to the bag that sat at her hip. It was made of old leather with intricate embroidery--needlework too cosmetic for Dillard. Amerians treasured aesthetics far too much, other kingdoms said, always choosing visual appeal as the most important factor in all design. Inside her bag, other than a few loose belongings was a small jar. The jar's contents being the reason she was even here talking to this man right now. Her mind had begun to wander to memories of her grandmother when the word 'exotic' caught her attention. Her eyes shot back up to the man's face, a slight bit panicked. It was dangerous to be of Amer in Dillard. "Peaches it is then," she mumbled, turning quickly and heading back towards the market.

 

[detriment]

He had to take off after her and use his full step to catch up as she turned and started towards the market. It was already turning out not to be the leisurely stroll he had in mind.

The woman did not seem to be predisposed to much talking, but that could very well be the defensive nature he had been interpreting from her.

"Peaches it is then,"

Changing her opinion back to the fruit he had mentioned he could only assume it was her intention to brush him off at the soonest opportunity. On what level he was aware of it was uncertain but it was the challenge that she presented to him of getting to know her that appealed to him as much as her more obvious physical beauty.

She may want to brush him off as quickly as possible but while he had secured atleast a moment of contact he decided to try again for an introduction.

“I never caught your name...”

 

[paperxairplanes]

Sunheri bustled along, her pace too quick for a casual walk. Mainly, she was hoping to leave him behind, and she thought she had been successful at brushing him off until she heard his voice and saw him fall into step beside her. He asked for her name and she bit down on her lip. She had already given away too much information with her fruit preference, and her foreign name certainly wasn't going to be helping her situation. "That was intentional." Having reached a fruit stand she eyed the wares, grabbing a few products and reaching into her bag for money. But the small pouch she kept her coins in was gone. She blinked twice in surprise, trying to play the fact she had no money cool. Sighing she turned to the man beside her, "You'll be paying for these since you ruined the last batch."

 

[detriment]

He could swear she were trying to lose him as she walked briskly to the stall, but his longer legs kept them abreast without much effort. He was again taken aback by her brashness, as she outright refused the simple social courtesy of an introduction. He watched her pick over the fruit quickly while he slowly looked them over. By the time she had finished grabbing however many she wanted he had decided on just one, a single peach in the entire basket but it was perfectly ripe and unbruised. He picked it up gently and looked to the woman as she spoke again.

"You'll be paying for these since you ruined the last batch."

He knew he had already offered to pay, but he still wasn't satisfied with the conversation. Everything about this woman was still a mystery to him and that he just could not stand. He was not quite ready to simply pay for this woman and have her go on her way so he decided to argue the point.

“Well now look I don't quite think it was all my fault. Surely you could have salvaged the fruit while I came to your rescue.”

 

[paperxairplanes]

While he may have taken care to pick the best fruit of the bunch, Sunheri had haphazardly shoved as many as possible into her basket regardless of their state. Mainly because she had no idea how to discern a good piece of fruit, having never had to pick them out herself. Both her hands grasped tightly at the basket as she wondered how she had managed to lose all her money at once. Was it that man she had bumped into? How did he pickpocket her so easily? As her mind wandered she realized her companion wasn't handing over any money to the fruit vendor and her eyebrows furrowed. She was perhaps a little bit too used to having people do as she asked. One hand on the basket she pointed at him with her other hand, "I said I don't need your rescuing," her voice stern and on the offensive now. "Pretty boys just like to intervene in situations and pretend they're some sort of shining knight. Are you even a knight?"

 

[detriment]

Whatever flames he thought he had seen in her were far out done by what he had now stoked in this woman. She exploded on him, but he thought to himself at least this way she was speaking.

"Pretty boys just like to intervene in situations and pretend they're some sort of shining knight. Are you even a knight?"

He couldn't help but crack a grin and she stood there dressing him down, and also perhaps in some small part to being called a pretty boy. She was challenging him. He wanted so badly to respond with his true title of prince to see the look on her face but couldn't very well just yell something like that out in a market. Instead he decided to answer with a challenge of his own.

“Why does my title matter? Is anyone less than a knight not deserving of your name?”

 

[paperxairplanes]

She didn't like the smile on his face and her eyes narrowed, glaring at him. What she would do to wipe that cocky grin off of him. She took her accusatory finger back and rolled her eyes, taking the peach he had been holding and placing it in her basket as well. "Even a knight doesn't deserve my name." Sunheri pushed the basket towards him, growing more irritated by the second. "Are you going to pay for these or will I have to do so myself?" Her main coin pouch may have been lost but she have kept some money with her in her leather bag. She began reaching into it when she noticed her most precious belonging gone. Her eyes widened and she looked up at him surprised, "My pot."

 

[detriment]

The smile didn't fade from his face for a second as she continued on her tirade.

"Even a knight doesn't deserve my name."

He took note of these words specifically, perhaps then a prince would deserve it. She seemed to be going for her own money now so there was no point in holding out on her, he pulled a coin purse out from his waist and took a few coins out. More than enough for the small basket of fruit he was sure.

“No M'lady I had offered to replace it and I keep my word.”

The purse was still heavy with coins when he returned it to his cloak. He offered the coins he had taken to the woman vending the fruit stall and spoke aside to her.

“This should be more than enough, keep it all.”

The older woman's eyes widened upon seeing his payment and she stashed it away quickly and gave a gracious bow to him.

“Thank you sir you are most kind.”

His attention went back to the younger woman in front of him and he watched her look up from her bag. The fury seemed gone as she spoke again, but he was left puzzled.

“Your pot?” he asked.

 

[paperxairplanes]

Sunheri was entirely oblivious to the interaction in front of her as she looked around frantically for her grandmother's remains. She opened her bag completely, more or less sticking her head inside, but it was not there. She turned to the man then, her hands up frantically, "My pot--jar, whatever," her hands forming to the shape of it in front of him to try and have him understand. "It's gone it's missing," she twirled around in a circle in panic, no doubt looking like a mad woman.

 

[detriment]

So the beautiful mystery woman had a special jar... He wondered if she could get more interesting even if she wanted to.

“I take it this is a special jar.” He said as the woman seemed to work herself into a panic spinning around. “It must be around here some where, lets go back to where you lost the fruit and look for it.” He wanted to grab the woman to calm her down for a moment but refrained. Regardless of how special her jar was, working ones self into a panic is rarely the best response.

 

[paperxairplanes]

"Special?" She stopped her spinning to glare up at him. It was more than just special. Special was an understatement. She was about to explain to him just how special it was to her before deciding he wasn't worth the waste of breath. Sunheri sighed at his suggestion, nodding as she began to turn to head back towards the earlier altercation when something caught her eye. It was the large drunk man from earlier standing near the locale pub with a too familiar jar in his hands. Sunheri pointed at it excitedly, "There it is!"

 

[detriment]

Something in what he said had incurred her wrath yet again. She glared at him and he tensed up ready for her words but they never came. Instead she sighed and seemed to heed his advice, sparing him at least a few more moments from her onslaught. She turned and scanned the market a short time before, to his surprise she found it. She pointed off and exclaimed.

His eyes followed her outstretched arm until they came to rest on the man from the altercation, and sure enough in his hands he had what could only be described as a jar. He started towards the man intent to retrieve her possession. He looked back at her and asked “You're sure that's yours?” but didn't waste any time waiting for her answer.

 

[paperxairplanes]

Sunheri's glare had shifted from Matthew to the grave robber, trying to figure out what she could do to get her jar back. Standing where she was, she began to size up the man, trying to figure out if she could take him. Probably not, but she most likely had speed on her side. Her arms crossed over her chest as she heard him speak up again and nodded, "Did I stutter?" She furrowed her eyebrows again, watching him walk away before realizing he was headed towards the drunkard. Oh no, she wasn't going to have him hold another 'rescue' over her head. Sunheri began to walk quickly towards Matthew and then past him, intent on getting to her jar first.