Baranthia Time: The Month of Ruan, 5056 Roleplay Time: The Month of January, 2006 The Monthly Baranthian: Please visit to get updates on each kingdom. Shout Box 1/9/06: Everyone's getting involved with The Kidnapping, so that's awesome! There are a couple of threads you may want to check out: The Kidnapping and Summon The Brotherhood. Other than that, I think we're off to a good start :) 12/30/05: The Runath Royal Feast is up and running! Anyone traveling through can visit all month long!

[Flavius Vasile]

Date: 12th of Ruan
Time: Around Noon.
ISO: Aurin/ Anyone.



Flavius Vasile was a shady figure. Dressed in clothing of that of a Nobleman, he strode through the Halls with a mask covering an odd grey colored face, but blonde hair pulled back emitted from the mask covering his head. Crystal green eyes emitted like the shining sun from the slits in the mask, staring into each soul, reading their past, present, and possibly their future. He found their weaknesses, their strengths, and could scare the nastiest of Dragons with one sly, yet disturbing look.

But, he was not here to look at people, he was here for one purpose, and one purpose only. Gavan. Not the Kingdom, and not the King. But Aurin Gavan. The Kingdom lay in his hands, and he would rule it how Flavius would want it. Through words and slick actions, Flavius was going to make Aurin like his own, training him, making his mind ready for anything. He wished to be a mentor, and through passed talks, he could tell Aurin would trust him. He was naive, which worked very well for Flavius.

The cape finally came to a step a few steps after Flavius had, and he knocked onto the fine wooden door, the hollow echoes ringing out through the Castle. The sun was shining from behind Flavius, which would give him the look of come kind of authoritive figure. Smirking,. he knocked again. "Lord Aurin. It is I, Flavius." He called gently, an accent of some kind rolling thick off of his tongue. After his transformation, his speech became different, and a new language, that of the Dark Knight, had been embroidered into his mind. "I have come to see if you would like to take a walk? Or perhaps have a drink, Master?"

Master... what a laugh... Thought Flavius, who let a small grin slip over his lips.

[Aurin Gavan]

The pen scribbled over the paper’s surface, its metallic tip making scratching sounds as it completed letter after letter in rhythmic harmony. Never having been a fan of his own handwriting, Aurin absently wondered how anyone could ever find it appealing. It was one of the few things he didn’t seem to have any control over, and it was one of the only things which made him feel somehow less than perfect. Sure, he was extremely easy on the eyes and intensely likable, but this same fact didn’t translate well onto paper. In fact, now that he thought of it, it made him seem somehow abhorrently normal - even like the standard nobility. This, above everything else, was something he avoided on all costs.

Today something important was supposed to happen. Although he had forgotten what it was, the fact that he had chosen to wear gold-trimmed formal shirt and his finest trousers hinted at some sort of public interaction. Carrying the green shirt with effortless class, the Prince had even trimmed off some of the excess stubble for this day. Tapping the writing device absently on the oak desk, Aurin wondered if the appointment was with his Father or with someone he didn’t know.

Letting his sapphire eyes flicker to the window, he noted the time of day without avail, and nothing jogged his mind. He let the feather pen drop to the surface of the table and ran a hand through his wealth of blond hair. This was useless. He had been penning a letter to Head of the Guards insisting that someone answer for the hanging of the head servant on New year’s day. The poor man was found strung from the stables, his body cold and everyone else’s expression even colder. Aurin wasn’t one to question the policies of his father’s rule, but the man had not committed suicide as the initial report had stated.

He had been murdered, and there was an unlimited amount of people under suspect.

But never for once would Aurin suspect anything malicious on behalf of his immediate family. They were stern and proud, yet they would never kill a helpless servant. Aurin flatly refused to believe his family was anything short of perfect. Even his sister, who in a lot of ways was like him, was worthy of admiration, and Aurin would slice the finger off a man who dared accuse any one of them. But even then, something was still unsettling. Lately he had noted a strangeness about Alexander and a distantness to his mother. If anything, the two had grown…different somehow, and Aurin could not explain it.

There was a knock on his door and Aurin turned to see Flavius, his cousin and friend standing framed in the doorway. Grinning, the prince rose and embraced the knight, totally unaware of what had happened to his childhood friend and the paths he had chosen to take. “It’s great to see you, Flavius!,” Aurin said with genuine joy. “And, please, stop the whole Lord and Master crap. It makes me feel…inferior” Stepping away from the Noble, Aurin turned to fold his letter and place it on the shelf above his table. It would be safe there from prying eyes, and Aurin was secretly glad no one inspected his study on a daily basis.

Once the letter was safely tucked under a book, he turned back to Flavius, a sly smile upon his lips.

“A drink sounds about right. How about we go see what’s brewing at the local tavern, shall we?”

[Flavius Vasile]

“It’s great to see you, Flavius!,” Aurin said with a genuine joy. Flavius smiled back. Sure, Flavius wasn't the... greatest figure of morality, or maybe even of a human, but the Dark Knight was a real friend to Aurin. Yes, a friend, but he wanted to be an influence. “And, please, stop the whole Lord and Master crap. It makes me feel…inferior” Here, Flavius smiled and gave Aurin a somewhat hard pat on the back. With a joking tone, Flavius replied: "Well, Aurin, compared to me... you are inferior." Grinning behind the mask, he nodded his head. "Of course, Lord Aurin, I jest. And come, let us go to the tavern. My mouth is dry, and needs the be wet, aswell as my thirst, quenched."

With an accent that was not familiar around here, the thick coating rolled off of his tongue. But, educated and well mannered to a fault, his accent seemed to only boost his educated tone. "So, Aurin, how have you and your family been? And do you know of how the Kingdom fares beyond the common eye?" Flavius, though a noble, was usually scorned upon by others for his doings. But, he was useful in the kingdoms.

Flavius was the kind of man who others could blame anything on him. He could take the hit for any move a noble did that would make him look bad, and Flavius took it with pride. Mainly because, the person who saw would die "mysteriously." But, Aurin seemed either not to know of these things, or not to care. He "Saw inside of Flavius." With that in mind, Flavius chuckled. Their foot steps lead them out of the grounds of where they previously were, and towards the tavern in which they could get their drink.

[Aurin Gavan]

In all truth, Aurin knew very little of what Flavius did with his time elsewhere. It wasn’t like him to sift for information or to hire spies to keep track of those hew knew. It was a naïve thing, he had been told once, to blindly trust those a Noble associated with. But to Aurin, trust and loyalty mattered far more than power, and this was perhaps the very root of why people took a liking to him. He carried no real agenda and treated each friend with a certain amount of respect and devotion. What Flavius did in his own time was none of Aurin’s business, but still the rumours persisted about the man.

They criss-crossed through the maze-like Palace until finding themselves upon the winding road which cut through the grounds and led to the main gates of the palace. For a time he walked in silence, eyes more upon some distant horizon than on the route they took. It was the expression of extreme thought and contemplation. Something was obviously disturbing him, and for the life of him, Aurin couldn’t figure it out. Perhaps it was the strange look Flavius carried or perhaps it was the reputation of the man, but Aurin found himself ill at ease. Friendships, especially ones which included only brief interactions, always left the Prince with a feeling of extreme detachment.

"So, Aurin, how have you and your family been? And do you know of how the Kingdom fares beyond the common eye?”

Aurin turned his head slowly to look up at his friend, a wry smile of his own creeping across his lips. “My friend, the Kingdom is in terrible shape.” he said quietly, blue eyes moving past Flavius to stare at the distant gardens. “We have come across a million little things which have begun to distress us more and more.” He led the man down a final flight of stone stairs until they reaches the massive wrought iron gates which towered menacingly over their heads. It took a few moments to secure passage through the gates, but once on the other side, the two were confronted by a totally different sort of scene.

Poverty. If one word could fully encompass what they saw, that word would very well be it. It was a sight far different from the immaculate gardens and jewel encrusted hallways of the Palace. Beggars seemed to swarm around them and building upon filthy building stood perilously upon obviously shoddy construction techniques. Very few -if any- people looked to be an apparent middle-class standing, and there was a slight smell in the air. Lezan city was rotting, and no one seemed to be doing anything about it.

Least of all, as it seemed to Aurin, himself.

Sighing, he walked with his friend, pausing once in a while to drop a few pieces of solid gold into the bowls of astonished beggars and lepers. “Flavius, poverty is rampant and I fear no one cares. The classes are growing distressed and there is open hatred of our kind. Nobles are no the friends of the poor…and there are many who are poor in Gavan. I have petitioned with my father to start some programs which will help those in need, but it seems as if my pleas are to no avail,” he said, his shimmering blue eyes sad. “But I’m not done yet. Soon, very soon my friend, Lezan city will change for the better.”

How he planned to change it was an issue he hadn’t dared speak to anyone with. It would anger the Nobles and cause open hatred of him -and that was what Aurin feared the most. It was as if he lacked the balls to state his plans, but the situation had now become dire. The people, his people, were dying and living lives of extreme misery. He could take on the wrath of the Nobility, but he could not let his conscience suffer as it did. Aurin Lukas Gavan was going to propose a hefty tax for the Nobility and the landowners, as well as a tax on certain Fordin goods brought into the country.

He spoke this plan in hushed whispers to Flavius, hoping to all the Gods that the man would understand and support him. If anything, at least Flavius’ reputation would help stifle all thoughts of opposing Aurin’s plan. But first, he needed to support Aurin and to act upon this decision Aurin had made. It would be rough, but with his friends and family’s support, there was still hope for Gavan yet. As they approached Cassandra’s Tavern, Aurin paused before pushing the doors open, his eyes on his old friend. “I need you for this Flavius…”

[Flavius Vasile]

As they walked, even one who cared not for the feelings of others like Flavius, could sense the... angst, or perhaps nervousness of his friend. But, Flavius said nothing, and so as they walked like two rats in a maze in silence, they finally came towards the exit of the castle, and headed towards the Tavern. Here, Flavius finally spoke.

"You seem troubled, Lord Aurin. I... may not be the best one to speak of your problems to, or hell, even one to simply consult to for anything-" Except maybe how to kill someone... "But, if you wish to speak of it, you surely can. Hold nothing back to me, Aurin, it only makes you a more shady character, and a shady prince is not very well liked. Then again..." I can't talk... Flavius stroked his chin, the crystal jade eyes glaring into the pavement. He didn't feel trusted, and he didn't want that. So, as they walked towards the Tavern, Flavius turned his head to Aurin. "My Lord, do you trust me?" Flavius didn't expect an answer so soon.

Hell, even just an answer ever. But, even as he asked, Aurin came in, and began to tell him of the Kingdom.

“Flavius, poverty is rampant and I fear no one cares. The classes are growing distressed and there is open hatred of our kind. Nobles are no the friends of the poor…and there are many who are poor in Gavan. I have petitioned with my father to start some programs which will help those in need, but it seems as if my pleas are to no avail. But I’m not done yet. Soon, very soon my friend, Lezan city will change for the better.”

Flavius licked his lips. Poverty. That was not a good thing. Sure, Flavius was somewhat cruel, difficult, and just the quintessence of corrupt. But, he had known that poverty wasn't a good thing for the towns folk. Caused riots and such, and Lezan would simply crumble if a horrible riot broke out. Sure, it was powerful, but so were the peasents. Then, the plan was whispered in Flavius' ear, and even his eyes widened.

"I need you for this Flavius..." Flavius thought. This... could honestly kill Aurin. Someone would no doubt hire some assassin and kill him. If not that, then the royal family would riot and kill him. Either way, Aurin may die. Licking his lips, he nodded. Instinctly, feelings came from him being a childhood friend. Then, came reward. He would be renown, for either saving Aurin and being a hero, or being the enemy, or for taking the blame. He would be known universally, and with this, Flavius nodded.

"Of course, My Lord. I will help you. But, you should know, this is dangerous. Very dangerous." And so, he stood outside of the Tavern door and blocked the way. He came closer, and pulled up his mask, the odd skin texture and color covering his face. His face was stern and serious, and it seemed that if the wrong words were said to him at this time, they would instantly be struck down. "You say this to no one, you hear? Not even your father. Only those you can truly, truly trust, Aurin. This is a serious matter, and to speak off about it as simple gossip will undoubtedly get you killed, and I may not be able to save you. And you are my only friend, Aurin. You will not die while I am around you, but you must promise to play your part of secrecy aswell. Do you understand, Aurin?"

[Aurin Gavan]

He was scared, and as hard as he tried to hide it, the weakness that fear brought was paramount in his icy blue eyes. It took an iron will and a leap of faith to defy the power hungry nobility, and Aurin was not sure if he was really ready to take on each threat. It didn’t take a sly mind like Flavius’ to figure out the danger his thoughts could bring. So as he looked upon his childhood friend, a mix of fear and defiance upon his face, Aurin nodded along as the advice was dispensed. It was great knowing that he had such a powerful and wise friend who was looking out for him. Indeed, for a moment, Aurin almost wanted to hug him.

But what was with the mask? True, they were mingling amongst the lower classes, but the get up would only draw more attention towards the two, and in these times of dire strife, two lone nobles weren’t really safe in a hostile city. Yet even the mask didn’t strike him as strange as the gray tone of Flavius’ skin. As far back as Aurin could remember, he hadn’t noticed with such clarity how odd his friend’s colouration was.

“I understand, Flavius. I understand all too well. What I speak of will cause heads to roll, and mine will the one demanded first. The nobility will either demand my silence, or they will demand my life. I have no qualms about defying them, old friend, but I need more people on my side.” Aurin licked his lips and brushed past Flavius, his gaze now set firmly upon entering the tavern. Guiding his friend in, the two entered into a fairly empty tavern, all eyes within automatically snapping to the two finely dressed young men standing within the door’s threshold. From their gaze Aurin understood that they had been identified as upperclassmen, and that automatically entailed a seething hatred to flash from behind furrowed brows.

“We aren’t really welcome here, my friend, but this should only solidify our doubts as to what needs to be done.” For the first time in ages there was an intense passion in his voice. Always having been the one who hated the loathing of others, Aurin was known to work diligently through day and night in order to secure the respect and fondness he desired. But now the issue wasn’t a few patrons within a seedy tavern. It was the issue of a nation and the survival of a family.

“I will not let the greed of the aristocracy destroy my country.” He whispered as they took a seat. Even as he spoke the words the fear in his eyes had vanished. Something momentous was about to happen within Gavan, and Aurin would make sure it would be done for the interest of the entire nation.

[Flavius Vasile]

As the mask was lifted, Flavius could see Aurin's eyes staring into his skin coloration. Yes, that was why he was wearing a mask, and long clothing. To hide his skin. It scared others, and left them to riot against those who were different in an attempt to vent some anger with a pathetic excuse. But, Aurin had responded.

“I understand, Flavius. I understand all too well. What I speak of will cause heads to roll, and mine will the one demanded first. The nobility will either demand my silence, or they will demand my life. I have no qualms about defying them, old friend, but I need more people on my side.” Flavius nodded and the mask was pushed over his face once more. From underneath, a grin fell on his face.

"Lord Aurin, you're wish is understandable... But far beyond unattainable. Few will be on your side, against the machine that the royals are. No matter how many you gain on your side, Royalty has it's way with money and words to hire even more for them. The next thing you know, we will be resorting to hiring filth Sellswords like Gevan Utersh or Anberlin Savven."

From that, Aurin led them into the tavern, and Flavius could feel both tension and the pride of having his point proven from Aurin. Everyone in that tavern did not like them, and quite frankly Flavius could care less. Even if they all attacked at once, Flavius would be able to take them down. Then again, Flavius believed there were few things that could take him down.

We aren’t really welcome here, my friend, but this should only solidify our doubts as to what needs to be done.” Flavius pretty much knew that, and chuckled under the mask. "Fear not, Lord Aurin. I am by your side."

As they sat down, Aurin had whispered: “I will not let the greed of the aristocracy destroy my country.”[/b And here, Flavius realized something. Staring into the eyes of Lord Aurin Gavan, he could see his Lord was very serious, and wasn't going to back down. And here, Flavius had admiration for the Lord. But, Flavius sighed from his comment. [b]"Lord Aurin, greed of the aristocracy was already destroying this country. What we plan to do is stop it from causing the annihilation of it. But, the chances of that are as slim as trying to find a needle in a barn full of hay." With that, Flavius leaned back.

"I am under your command, Leige, what is it you will have of me?"