rgshin-blog

[rgshin-blog]

“Sure.” Shin replied, a smile on his features. Helping her up onto the strong stallion, he quickly mounted the horse as well. Seated behind Hikari, he reached around her to handle the reins. “Just like when we’re younger, huh?” Shin laughed, nudging the side of the horse with his heel as they moved forward.

♕~ “I guess it’s fortunate that I’m not a grown man then.” The princess laughed along, her words obviously teasing and playful. This was a side of her only visible to those she was really close with and since her childhood, the general was more of a brother than anything else to her. “Can I saddle with you instead? My horse injured itself during my last ride so he’s currently out of commission.” 

[rgshin-blog]

“Well thankfully, it’s more about what I think than what you think.” Shin chuckled, winking at Ayaka. “To me.. You’re worth every big promises. Honestly.” He caught onto her hand, not allowing her to part too far from him. “True. There might be someone better for me, someone who will not be chained down... but...” Shin grinned, gazing into Ayaka’s eyes. “I cannot imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else, but you.”

Simpler Times | AyaShin |Past

‘ you exaggerate. i hardly think i am the best thing to ever happen to you. ’ she replies, a small smile on her lips when she’s once more turned toward him. ‘ those are a lot of big promises for someone like me. ’ aya murmurs, pulling away from him for a moment. ‘ i don’t.. i don’t think you should only put your sights on me. you deserve someone who is not going to be chained down for the rest of their life. you deserve better.. regardless actually. ’

[rgshin-blog]

“My concern...” Shin replied. “Is for your safety, especially outside of these walls.”

He played with his fingers, glancing at them as he pondered his next words to the prince. 

“I cannot and will not tell you to give up any idea of looking for her.” Shin started, looking to the prince. “However, I must remind you that you’re a prince of Surya. A valuable asset, a valuable hostage even.”

Small-talk ○ S&J

His eyes scan over the other before they look away to the side, realising he may have said more then enough. 

She’s heading for Duur huh, he thinks to himself. Mind starting to wonder if it would be worth it to see her. But towards his concerned childhood friend before him he shrugs off the ideas. 

He shakes his head, forefinger and thumb rubbing at his brows as he scrunches his face up. “Shin, we used to be betrothed once upon a time, we had a connection. So whatever I seek its really none of your concern.”

[rgshin-blog]

“Never.” Shin replied, with a firmness in his voice. “Knowing you is the best thing to happen to me.” He eased on the hug, holding her hand to turn her back to facing him. He pressed his lips to the back of her hand, their fingers entwined. “You’re the good in all the bad that has happened to me. Even if the goals are high and the odds stacked against me, I would ask for no other way... because that’s what you deserve of anyone looking to for your hand. Also, nothing will happen to me. I value your happiness much more than that, heaven and hell will not come between us. Unless of course...” Shin chuckled. “You would not want me anymore after I succeed.”

Simpler Times | AyaShin |Past

aya scoffs in a playful manner, digging an elbow into his side softly. ‘ oh please. ’ she contemplates his words, and she supposed that yes, good had become of the bad. but that didn’t make it better. ‘ did you ever think that maybe it would’ve been a good thing to not know me? now you have such high goals and .. promises. what if you cannot keep them? what if something happens to you? ’

[rgshin-blog]

“I startled you?” Shin blinked, tilting his head in question, calculative eyes assessing the individual.

There was a pregnant pause before Shin nodded and smiled. “I apologize. Perhaps I might have had been walking too silently.”

The Suryan general gestured for the male to continue on his way, a frightfully calm demeanor rolling off him, almost as if there was an invisible weight in the area. “However, one might wonder what a Surya might be afraid of in his own borders.” Shine continued, the smile ever constant, yet his eyes seems to grow colder with every second.

“You move well...” Shin continued, his eyes giving the other male a once-over. “Are you trained?”

« it has just begun ft.shin

What are you so afraid of?”          - sentence starter meme - requested by @rgshin

he was in civilian clothing, or civilian to him at least he had gotten the elder lady who took care of him to fix up his suryan clothes, something she had done with much joy. now he had found himself wandering closely to the border of surya, wondering what would happen if he took a step to the other side. taek found a tree and rested against it, he was so close to his home but at the same time he was so far away.

then he heard footsteps, closing up and he backed away– while trying to be silent he paid attention to the other’s footsteps, taking slow and sure steps backwards. then taek felt himself bumping into something… no someone and he jumped up and back, staring straight at the face of a suryan solider. his eyes widened at the sight and he put his hand to his back getting ready to sprint out of there.

               "what are you so afraid of?” 

the question made taek tense but but then he realized that he was in fact in suryan clothes and not in his military uniform. he was from surya after all, he knew how to speak that way– he knew but would this person buy it.

“you just startled me is all!” he replied, looking straight at the male’s face.

[rgshin-blog]

“You do know grown men shiver at the thoughts of training with me, right?” Shin laughed, making his way out of the room and towards the stables. “I know of a place where we could train, it’d be roughly a short journey by horse. Would you want to ride on your own, or saddle with me?” Shin asked. The place he thought of was secluded enough for him to re-assess the princess’s ability. It was important, dark clouds are looming and most are none the wiser about it.

♕~ “Must you really rain on my parade like this, Shin?” Again, the pout on her lips was very obvious and so was the sulking. “I have done nothing but care you and this is how repay me. I thought I was at least your second most favorite princess.” Just as the general knew very well what words to use to get Hikari sulking and pouting with his teasing, he also knew very well things about her that others did not– her bending abilities was one of those. “And here I thought you’d never ask. It’s been extremely boring without you to train with.” 

[rgshin-blog]

“Well... You sound like a romantic yourself.” Shin chuckled. “Forgive my manners, I’ve forgotten to ask your name.”

Shin watched the merchant worked with curiosity, yet could not help but notice the movements of someone who could handle himself in battle. A question lingered on his lips, but he held.

“I do hope my first love could be my last.” Shin smiled, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “Since I’m already here... Would you have any scent related to rabbits? I know this might seem weird, but if you had something, I’d be grateful.” Shin chuckled shyly, his fingers playing with the band on his wrist.

and it was there, a fragment of his past in the wrist of a general who didn’t recognise him: bright as day, or as bright days could be – it stung just to look at it, and made him dizzy remembering it. those were the days when he still remembered what comfortable warmth felt like, what it smelled like. 

he froze, and remained still for a moment, caught between a past he wanted to escape, and a current present that kept him within it. ghosts, he realised, should just stay in his head. 

the man’s chuckle – for cero began to gradually doubt that he was allowed to call such a man his friend – made him blink, and he attempted to glaze over the moment with a nod, and another look at the shelves, trying to get his mind to work, and his hand to reach out for another. “‘final love’, then? though…who’s is to say that first loves can’t be the last as well?”

[rgshin-blog]

Shin was about to retort, but his words froze on his lips hearing the last sentence.

His eyes stayed on the ground, lips pressed thin. “I saw her close to the coalition forces encampment, seemingly based on the route of travel, she might be headed to Duur.”

“Jun.” Shin continued after a pregnant pause. “Once again, you will not find what you seek there.”

Small-talk ○ S&J

His eyes watched the other closely. A glare more intense then he had probably donned on his face ever before. Especially towards Shin. 

“That is of my knowledge, and mine alone.” he hated being this way towards his friend but it was needed. In more so of the case to get him off his back.

“And what if i told you we had already been with one another. Would you run along telling Daehyun, or even my father.” his teeth grit and he can feel anger bubbling up inside him “There are only so many punishments I can receive from him before the bruises and marks stop fading.”

[rgshin-blog]

“I’m too important for my head to be served on a platter on a princess’s whims now.” Shin grinned, raising his brows in defiance to Hikari. Laughing when she shifted her gaze away, Shin reached towards the top of her head and ruffled her hair. Leaning closer, he whispered. “Shall we go somewhere private where we can train your bending? I do not mean the semi-passable bending you’re showing everyone else. I meant your true capabilities, Kari.” Shin smiled, giving the princess a knowing gaze.

♕~ The jabs were all said in playful banter, of course, but that did not stop her lips from turning downwards into a disarming pout. “I could have your head served on a platter for that, you know.” She huffed, shifting her gaze away from him in her sulking. “For a best friend, you surely abuse me more than you care for me.”

[rgshin-blog]

Shin gazed at the merchant, blinking in thought but brushed it away after some considerations. “First love... Huh?” Shin grinned, reaching out with his right hand to pick up the bottle however, his hand froze.

Shin carefully pulled his hand backwards, the fabric band catching onto one of the splinters of the shelves. “You should care for your shelves a little more Merchant.” Shin laughed, managing to free the band from the wood and showing the band to the Merchant. “I value this more than my life.”

Reaching out now with his other hand, he picked up the bottle and gazed at it. “Rather than first love, Ayaka would be my only love.” Shin chuckled. “I would not want her to think that she might only be the first and not the only.” 

almost a lifetime ago, mikhail wouldn’t have even suspected shin of having ulterior motives. but this was cero, and he had grown up faster than he wanted to, and with it he received a whole lot of distrust for anything (and anyone) that belonged to the past. but he was also a skilled actor, if he said so himself – it was a survival mechanism, and one that he had to have learned to live another day.

“ah, well…i have heard tell of you.” he was lucky, then, that shin could not see the strained smile upon his lips. still, he listened to his friend’s troubles (should he even think of the grown man as that anymore?), already having knowledge his engagement from the courtesans and all the other noble-blooded beings that passed through cero’s establishment. and he attempted not to seem shocked, and to try and appear calm. it was easier when half his face was concealed.

“yes, i haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the great general until now.” the cuspian moved from behind the counter, towards one of the shelves, picking off a bottle among a row of similar ones. “here we go. ‘first love’. it’s quite popular with romantics such as yourself – though i hadn’t expected you to be one, sir.”  

[rgshin-blog]

@rgcero

here he was: a friend, but no longer one he remembered, as odd and mismatched and fragmented his memory had become. this was a face he thought he would see, a scent he faintly remembered (though, as all things were, had been polluted by time) though not while he was in this position, behind a counter and his palms around his hourly cup of tea, trembling slightly as he swallowed thickly, and quickly pulled up his mask; thankfully, he had only looked over his shoulder, and half-turned so that the unmarred side of his face was shown.

“a-ah. i apologise. i thought it was someone i knew.” the lie was easy, practiced. there were suryans who had come and gone and some of them he knew, or had heard of. the group of people who belonged to the latter almost often had him wishing for something to calm him down. at least now, he had it, though he couldn’t drink it for as long as the mask obstructed him from doing so.

“was there anything you were looking for, sir? a scent for yourself, perhaps…or a present for someone important?”

“For a moment, I thought perhaps my reputations precedes me.” Shin chuckled, shaking his head as he browsed the wares. “I’m here for a present for someone important who had drifted far apart from me. I heard you’re a near magician with scent, could there be a gift to tell her of my unwavering determination for her? If I may so shyly ask.”

The general looked towards the merchant with a kind smile on his face, anticipation evident within his eyes. His fingers reached towards a fabric band on his wrist that was stained dirty, once colorful colors were faded, dusted with grime, stained with blood. In fact, threads seemingly were frayed. Despite it’s appearance however, it seemed very well taken care of, if not, such a delicate band would have long perished. 

“She is someone I had grown up with, and I’ve promised to marry her. The king of Surya had agreed to the wedding, however...” Shin chuckled bitterly. “It seems like the time I had spent away formed a gap between us, perhaps it might be the blood staining my hands, but she shy away from my touches now and it hurts.” 

Blinking, Shin shook his head and laughed. “I apologize. Somehow you give me a very comfortable presence, almost as if I’ve met you before at some point in my life. However, I’m quite aware this is our first meeting, Merchant.”

[rgshin-blog]

“You never have to thank me, Silly.” Shin grinned. “I should thank you for allowing me to fulfill a long time wish of back-hugging you. I took advantage, I should be thankful.” He laughed, and as the laugh faded, he continued. “However, if you were not a bender, not a princess, I would have never met you. So as much as I hate violence and fighting, I’m thankful to have been born in my military clan. Thankful to be a bender... because of things I have that I dislike, I met you.”

Simpler Times | AyaShin |Past

her features falls even more so when he wraps his arms around her, hands raising to cover her face in a groan of defeat. ‘ i guess. i’m just .. over worried or something. but thank you. ’ aya drops her hands and the fall over his own as she leans back. ‘ sometimes i wish i would’ve been born exceedingly average. not a bender, not a princess. just me. then maybe things would’ve been easier. ’

[rgshin-blog]

Shin grinned, knowing that the crown prince might had been holding those words in his heart for a long time. 

“And you!” Shin turned to another empty spot. “Planning to push your own agendas over what is good for the country! Do you think we’re dumb?”

He guided Daehyun, and in turn he began telling off each imaginary minister or noble that was threatening Surya from within. Waiting for Daehyun to follow suit and hopefully begin releasing some of that pent up tension he knew his friend held in his chest.

While imaginary, while useless against the real politics that would play out here when the sun has risen, at least momentarily... In their drunken state, there could be a resemblance of escape from the meat grinder that is Suryan’s politics.

Escape | DaeShin

[rgshin-blog]

Shin mimicked Ayaka’s drop in attitude, however rather than doubt, his excitement shifted to one of understanding. There was a slight bit of hesitation, but he moved behind her nonetheless. His arms reached around her and he hugged her from behind, resting his chin on the shoulder, giving a contented sigh.

 “There’d be always things that will change, Aya.” Shin spoke, hoping his arms would instill a sense of security for the princess in his embrace. “Just know that I’d never change. Come breeze or storm, I’d be here to shelter you from it.”

Simpler Times | AyaShin |Past

she laughs ( a thing she seemed to do a lot around shin ) and nudges his arm. ‘ you’re ridiculous. ’ aya sighs softly then, her happy attitude seeming to dissipate. ‘ but shin.. i feel as though something bad is going to happen very soon. i’ve always had a good intuition you know. mother has seemed… stressed. ’ the princess murmurs quietly. 

‘ do you think something is going to change? soon? ’ her voice seems so small, vulnerable. a rare thing indeed.

[rgshin-blog]

“Ladies?” Shin blinked, giving the princess a once-over. “Where? You?” Shin question, doing his best to hold in the laughter that risks echoing throughout the palace. “I pity your fiance, the same way I pity you for being with him.”

♕~ “I hope not the same can be said for my fiance, general.” The princess stuck out her tongue childishly at the older male. Both of them came from families of great prestige yet they bantered like the rest of them, which was only proof of their great friendship. “Ladies are not comparable to gentlemen, you must remember that, sir.” 

[rgshin-blog]

“What are you so afraid of?”

“I’m afraid of being recognized.” Shin chuckled, surprise to meet a delicate young lady in his reconnaissance of the Elv borders. “You see... I’m a monster who you should stay far far away from.” Shin continued, a gentle smile on his face.  

[rgshin-blog]

“But sorrow can come to any Kingdom no matter how happy.”

“Agreed.” Shin smiled. “Sadly the last time any Kingdom has been happy was before this sickening war.”

Shin sat on the rock along the path, dressed like a soldier of Durr to blend in. He had not expected a female to speak to him just as he was deep in thought.

“Might I ask how you came to this conclusion, young miss?” Shin smiled.