gloriousbdaniellouquetearthquake

[sleepymarmot]

Morian Zenas will appear for the first time and Sotha Sil will return as NPCs in Necrom.

Now I understand why the loremaster Q&A was narrated by Divayth Fyr.

I’m 99.99% sure he’s back as a major NPC and we’re finally getting a sequel to the Unfortunate Love Triangle.

I can only hope that Dr. Alfidia Lupus shows up in person as well. 

[doverly]

How Forbidden

My (admittedly late) submission for Friday Night Frights 6/14/21.

A recently conquered princess sents out on a journey to find her secret lover.

~3.5K Words

“Your Highness, it isn’t only your reputation at stake, but our entire peoples'” the knight insisted with a grave expression.

“My reputation shouldn’t be at risk for loving another woman,” she spat back, words shaking and unsteady. “You can’t tell me that there’s any sense to it!”

“I cannot,” the knight admitted. “Nor can I do anything to stop you, unless the Duke orders so. Whatever you do, don’t let it come to that.”

Even though Lady Diamond knew the risks she still couldn't abandon her lover. Her knight had been leaning close to her hear, whispering his urgent warnings as she fingered the letters of her love, but when her ladies got back from the powder room he jumped back. Like he had always been a respectful distance behind her. Like he hadn't watched her read intimate letters night after night. Like he was nothing but a loyal guardsman.

Most of Lady Diamond's ladies were orphans or otherwise left with nowhere to go. The recent absorption of the Kingdom of Ardenne into the Empire hadn't helped their situation, in fact, it had changed everything completely. In the new Dukedom of Ardenne-Chance, no one knew their place. Suddenly the beloved princess was nothing but a Grand Duchess, and countesses and dukes found their rank completely diminish. Diamond was trying her best to find them husbands or stable living, but it was hard.

In the evening light of her dressing room she and her ladies, under the watchful eye of her loyal old guard, played little games and talked of meaningless gossip. Even though their empirical absorption had been bloodless, the meer might empire had warranted an immediate surrender from Diamond's brother, it had still rocked their world. Little inconsequential games and talk really helped Diamond and her ladies feel at ease.

Diamond lost soundly, but with good cheer. By the time the sun went down the ladies were in good humour and left to their respective chambers with a spring in their steps. Diamond was left in her dressing room with Sir Garrette, everyone knew that he would try nothing with the lady, he was like an uncle to her. When everyone left Diamond left the game table and practically sprinted to her writing desk. From a secret compartment, unlocked by a little key that Diamon kept on her at all times, Diamond unlocked it and took out the most recent letter.

"My love, my heart, my everything. While I am a patient gentlewoman my heart yearns for you, and I have decided that I would like to meet you. I understand that you might be apprehensive my love, I can see the cute little frown on her face as I write this, I cannot live without you, my dear. And I realize now that I have not been living. Ever since we first met at the masquerade in the capital I have been dead. Seeing you, dancing with you again, touching your bare cheek with my hand, will bring me to life again my love."

"Please if you have any desire to see me come to the Equinox Mascequrade in the capital, I have had an invitation sent to you and your family. I know parties such as these are only for adultery and debauchery but it is the only way for our love to remain secret. If you don't come I will continue to love you from afar. I will be wearing the deep blue coat trimmed in silver and a gown of your favourite colour. I cannot wait to see you trimmed in jewels and diamonds. The thought of you sends my heart into shivers

Your servant,

Imperial Gentlewoman

Lady Diamond swooned in her chair, reading and rereading the passionate words. Finally, she would be meeting her imperial lover outside of the borders of secret letters and messages. As the gentlewoman had predicated Diamond was a bit nervous, but excited as well. Her heart quickened in her breast. When they had last met Ardenne had just become the Dukedom of Ardenne-Chance. Her little brother had been whining, at seven years old his only concern had been why he wasn't called "king" anymore. Only Diamond and her mother, the regent, understood what was truly at stake. Diamond had been so focused on trying to ingratiate herself and her ladies with the imperial nobility that she hadn't noticed when a masked gentlewoman led her away. They had danced, oh they had danced, but before she knew it Diamond was home, her imperial partner gone across the mountains. When the first letter came, Diamond had been ecstatic.

The next day Castle deAudinot was in an uproar of packing. Beds, linens, servents, and gifts were being loaded onto balloon wagons to be lifted over the mountains. With her mother supervising the packing and the final alterations of their ball dresses, Lady Diamond was left minding her brother, the boy Duke, Isaac. Unlike other little children with incredible power Isaac, Diamond thought, was very well mannered and polite. Always minding his tutors and his governess.

Diamond's ladies doted on Isaac, asking him about books he read and asking him to try their homemade sweets. Isaac loved the attention, but was still bashful, as a boy of 8 usually was. Diamond looked down at the commotion with a smile, she was sure that Isaac would be an amazing Duke when he was older.

Isaac's guard, Sir Patrick, stood near the door with Garratte, both knowing that the coming days would bring stress. Everyone was trying to keep their minds off of the chaos to come. Even Diamond, she occupied her hands and her mind with what seemed like a meaningless craft. "Gentlewoman" was what her lover called herself. Meaning that both gender and class stood in the way of them being together. Diamond was the Grand Duchess of Ardenne-Chance, first in line to her little brother's thrown. She didn't care, but being of a lower rank probably meant that the gentlewoman didn't have the comforts that Diamond was used to. Even the imperial family probably didn't have some of the things that Diamond was used to. Namely jewels. Ardenne-Chance was nothing but mountains, beautiful mountains sure, but mountains nonetheless. But inside of their blue-gray rocks housed a fortune. Sapphires, rubies, emeralds, agates, and even her namesake, diamond, were found in blunk in the Chance Mountains. Lady Diamond's mother, the regent, suspected their wealth was part of the reason the empire had wanted them in the first place.

In anticipation of their meeting Diamond was making her gentlewoman a pocket watch. Well, the watch had been made by a watchmaker, but Diamond was decorating it. Spread out on a work table was a wealth of multi-covered diamonds. Only diamonds, when her lover looked at the watch she wanted her to think of her. But, Diamond couldn't help but think, she may already be used to such luxuries. She had been having doubts for months now. Her "gentlewoman" seemed too educated, too serious, too philosophical to be a simple gentlewoman. Diamond knew that her lover might be lying about her identity, but she didn’t care. She loved her “gentlewoman”, no matter who she was.

Diamond did up the watch face with dark blue and white diamonds, making miniature mounts that shimmered in the light. Their white caps were like a dusting of fresh snow, and their blue expanse was breathtaking. It was the Chance mountains. When her lover used the watch, Diamond had also decorated the hands with blue diamond dust and the numbers with white, she would see Diamond’s birthplace and the most important and beautiful place to her. It was the perfect gift, and it would never break, not with the new jewelry epoxy that had been developed recently by court inventors.

And it was finished just in time. Diamond hardly had time to slip the gift into a papered box and into her pocket before she had to bundle up her brother and her ladies into a half dozen fine balloon coaches. With the guiding fire being controlled by an expert balloonist they glided over the mountains in style, passing over tiered farms and glittering mountainside mines. As they passed over villages Diamond leaned out of the carriage window to wave, savoring the sight of her subjects waving back. Her mother had been the main driver of the unification treaty but Diamond had worked diligently from the sidelines, keeping everyone happy and open-minded, all for the good of her people. When they were flying over the poorer mountain communities, villages packed tightly in rocky outcroppings and nestled onto small plateaus Diamond dung into her purse. Children ran under the carriage hoping to catch the luxuries she threw out. From the other carriages as well the rain began. Even though the economy of Ardenne-Chance was quite tightly controlled, the wealth of gems could lead to rapid deflation if left alone, the nobles still tried to give back whenever they could. From her carriage Diamond threw crystalized roses and elegantly shaped sapphires, waving all the while. It was the highlight of her day, knowing that a simple handout from her would prevent starvation for several seasons. And for her mother, the regent, it was a guarantee that there would be less grain on the national poor service.

After two days of constant travel, they were finally at the capital. Verdun was an amazing city, just as it had to be. Its white spires and paved roads were a testament to the empire’s power. The power to build up cities out of nothing, to give everyone a home, and still have money left over for huge palaces and museums. The Ardenne-Chance delegation touched down in front of the Eastsinger Palace. It was an imposing, but surprisingly beautiful place. Large glass windows and towers carved out of purple-hued rock. The moat was full of crystal clear water with flowers growing from the depths.

“I’ve always hated this place,” Diamond’s mother, Gwen, whispered in her ear, “Pretending they are all nice and airy, while in truth their hearts are as cold as ice.”

Not all of their hearts Diamond thought.

Palace servants and even some nobles immediately flooded out of the front doors to help them get their things in order. Gwen had been shocked when the invitation to the Equinox Masquerade came, but she had taken it in stride. She had arranged for them to arrive a week early for diplomatic meetings, ceremonies, and games. Diamond and her brother were going to be busy, but she had made sure to clear her schedule the morning after the ball. Normally, back in Ardenne-Chance, Diamond was busy reviewing policy, talking to the council, and asking the citizenry how legislation affected them. In the empire, they had no official duties, but perhaps the work they would be doing would be harder. Diamond was naturally kind, but she had been taught cunning and intrigue by her mother. Her mother was confident in her skills of subterfuge and diplomacy, but Diamond was nervous about dealing with the imperial nobles. They were said to be more cunning than Ardenne-Chance nobles, and Diamond just hoped that she didn’t accidentally get caught up in any imperial intrigues.

Diamond got to her rooms without problem, though she did walk a little faster than normal. The imperial guard seemed large and unwilling, without a smile anywhere near his face. Her ladies also seemed nervous, Diamond’s lady of honor, Prudent, practically bolted the door once they were inside. The rest of the ladies had to be escorted to their own chambers, but Prudent was sleeping with Diamond. She normally did, the nights in Ardenne-Chance got cold even when they were indoors, so it was nice to sleep next to another person.

“There is tea in an hour, we should change quickly,” Prudent said, slightly out of breath.

Diamond tried to slow her racing heart because she knew Prudent was right. Another downside of their packed schedule was that they would have no time to catch their breaths. Quickly, in time for tea, Diamond and Prudent changed. Diamond, knowing that her mother wanted to make a show, bedecked herself in a light blue silk gown with gold trim and matching gold and sapphire rings, bracelets, and a tiara. Prudent was richly dressed in yellow, but not that richly dressed. Diamond found the rules on her lady’s dress were ridiculous, with the number of gems that Diamond wore there was no way they could outshine her, but her mother didn’t think like that.

As they were walking to tea, escorted by two more ladies and guards, Diamond looked around the castle. The walls were covered in rich tapestries and the floors in gleaming wood. Diamond couldn’t imagine the wealth of servants that were needed to keep up with everything. Beautiful paintings were hung on each corner, but Diamond thought their subjects ruined the image. At one corner there was a large portrait of the imperial royal family, the Cold Emperor with his dark furious stare, the Eternal Bride Queen with her youthful smile and blushing cheeks even at 55, the Mysterious Twins one with a dark smile and the other with a playful smirk, and the Freezing Princess she stared out with piercing brown eyes seemingly aware that she would have to step over her brothers to get the imperial throne. While the Queen was beautiful and happy, the rest of the family sent chills down Diamond’s spine. She was happy when they finally sat down for tea in a comfortable green papered sitting room.

After tea, it was the drafting of joint legislation with her mother and Isaac, after the legislation was done there was dinner, after dinner, there was a small play to attend. The next morning Diamond got up and did it all over again. The only thing that kept her going, through the odd looks and lingo she didn’t understand, was the letter she got from her lover.

Again the fact that the letter was able to appear inside of her writing desk testifies that her lover wasn’t a simple gentlewoman. Perhaps she had an important position in the palace? Diamond didn’t know how else a random woman would be able to have access to her, a Grand Countess’s, chambers. Still, that didn’t stop her from soaring the letter.

My heart, it is a happy day now that you are here. Thought guilt creeps into my thoughts. I know you, I have seen you laughing, sparkling in your gowns, about the palace but you have not seen me. Even if you did see me you would not know me, and I would cry at the thought of your chocolatey diamond eyes sliding over me like I was a stranger to me. Still, soon you will know me, just as much as I know you. My mask shall be in the style of a golden eagle and I shall lift my wings for you, my love. Soaring above the clouds is nothing if you aren’t there with me.

Soon, my dear, soon. Wait for me,

Imperial Gentlewoman

Diamond was waiting, and she was waiting patiently. Every night, before crawling into bed with Prudent, she brushed the smooth, silky purple feather velvet of her dress every night and tried on her amethyst studded mask. The ball couldn’t come sooner.

Eventually, the ball did come, and the Ardenne-Chance delegation met in the regent’s rooms to get ready. Even though Diamond was a natural leader she let her mother take the lead. Her ladies, her little brother’s entourage, Gwen’s own ladies, and other various Ardeen, paid rapt attention as Gwen spoke. She and Isaac were at the center of the room, Gwen telling them who and who not to speak to and in what way, and Isaac just standing there in his little cream and diamond suit looking adorable. Isaac had been brought along to every important meeting and legislative drafting, Gwen thought that it was important for him to learn what it was like.

With the strategy meeting over, everyone put on their masks. Full face masks were the dress code, but everyone could tell they were from Ardenne-Chance. No one else would be wearing as many jewels.

Getting into the marble ballroom, Diamond was stunned and Isaac audibly gasped. Even though she had been in the ballroom before, it always stunned her. It was in excellent taste. Gold liveried servants glided around holding trays of crystal glasses full of golden wine and the band played on a circular stage in the middle of the bright place. The high ceiling was covered in skylights, letting in silver moonlight that contrasted nicely with all of the gold.

Diamond had already arranged everything, within her mother’s guidelines of course. From the last masquerade, she knew the routine. Plenty of flirty buoyed by plenty of alcohol. Everyone drinking and dancing. Diamond had pre-scheduled her dances, as was the custom, but she had arranged it so they carried her further and further away from her friends and family. Her dances also allowed her to scan the entire ballroom, looking for a golden eagle mask or deep blue coat. When her dances were running out, she had scheduled 15 in advance, Diamond started getting worried. The count she was dancing with was sweet, but she wasn’t looking for a sweet man, she was looking for her lover.

The end of her dances came up and Diamond was left with tears forming in her eyes on the edge of the dance floor. She could see Prudent on the other end of the ballroom and Diamond had just started walking toward her when someone tapped her shoulder. Before she turned around Diamond prepared an appropriate response, tapping a Grand Countess on the shoulder was an odd gesture of impotence and Diamond was kind of scared. But when she turned around, Diamond’s heart melted. She should have known who would be so bold as to tap her on the shoulder.

From the ground up she was wearing a modern light blue gown, royal blue coat with gold buttons, and an elegant tapered gold mask with golden feathers. For the first time in her life Diamond was speechless and it seems like her lover was as well. Diamond didn’t consider herself especially attractive, especially with the mask, but her lover seemed blinded by beauty.

“May-,” her lover paused as her breath hitched, “May I have the next dance, your grace?”

Unlike the confident passion of her letter in real life, her lover seemed nervous. They didn’t dance on the main floor, instead, they danced off of the floor and out of the ballroom. They didn’t speak while they were walking, only the retreating sounds of the ball and their own footsteps. Diamond was aching to rip off her lover’s mask and finally see the face of her beloved, but she was patient. Instead, she let her lover lead her down narrow halls and a few of what she assumed were secret passages. There was no time to ask where they were going, Diamond just had to trust her lover.

Eventually, they got to a small balcony overlooking the city. Unlike in Ardenne-Chance, where the mountains seemed dark and haunting, in the empire, the lights of the city were clustered close together. Lantern bearers were comets streaking across the city and clubs were stars, sparkling in the darkness. Her lover leaned over the railing and when Diamond leaned in close her lover put her arm across her shoulder. The warmth of her coat was intoxicating, Diamond smiled and looked upon the golden mask.

“Thank you for coming, my love, I know that the journey must have been tedious and you have no great love for the empire,” Diamond looked away from her lover’s shining brown eyes. Her mother still blamed the stress of the empire for driving her father into an early grave, but while Diamond was sad about her father’s passing and the situation she found herself in, she was quite neutral on the empire. Their armies were brutal, yes, and their emperor was cruel and callous, but no one can deny their conquered territories prospered after their rule.

“I would go anywhere, and do anything for you.” Diamond blushed as she took off her mask. Her face was a picture of love and devotion.

Her lover took her hands into hers and faced her, “No, my jewel, it is I who will do everything for you.”

The gentlewoman reached up to her mask, Diamond’s heart jumped, but when she took it off it was Diamond’s turn to audibly gasp. Brown eyes that glittered with heat and passion, and an expression like melted ice. Even though the woman before her looked thousands more cheerful and lovely Diamond still recognized her.

“But you are the imperial princess,” Diamond stammered, “You are to be empress.”

“Yes,” Princess Jordan said, her voice melting, “And you are to be my queen.”

Without warning, Jordan kissed her, a soft touch of lips so vulnerable and tender. It was more of a question than an assertion “Do you still love me?” the kiss asked Diamond. And Diamond said yes, she leaned into the kiss and let herself melt into Jordan. Their love was already forbidden, did it really matter how forbidden? Diamond had already learned how to ignore the world, it didn’t matter who Jordan was. All it mattered was that she loved her.

Lol, I love Friday Night Frights. I can never think of prompts, and this one was really good. Have an amazing weekend you guys (I know it's Saturday now, sorry I was tired last night). 😊😊😊

@promptsforthestrugglingauthor