sheridan | [Closed] Freedom lies in being bold.

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[Closed] Freedom lies in being bold.

[Richard wanders the docks of Barona Port, decked out in the plainest garments he owns. Granted, they're still quite fine, but at least the colors are dark; he hopes at least they'll attract little notice. It's been two months since that night in the catacombs, the guard wander the city in full force, and he's been advised - ordered, really - to remain inside the castle where he's safe. Safe. Yes, like a canary in a cage with a viper, he thinks.]

[Richard pulls his hat down low over his eyes as he listens to the water lap against pilings, looking about every now and then to make sure he hasn't been discovered. It's calming, a little. Not a lot, but just enough to help him focus. People board one of the ships tied here and Richard considers following them for one mad minute. Asbel had said that he would help, right? That if anything terrible occurred, he should come to him.]

[It's mad. He knows it's impossible. In truth, there's nothing the other boy could do, and besides, this isn't a burden he can place on anyone else. He's the prince, after all. And... And he needs strength and guidance beyond himself, if he's perfectly honest. What action, then, should he take?]

[Before he can decide, Richard's caught off-guard by one of the large land tortoises being led down to an awaiting boat. The poor-tempered creature's foot crashes down not two yards away, and Richard is forced to shuffle backwards with an undignified yelp.]

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[Windor is much more temperate than Fendel, and yet the winds of change in Barona are just as chilling as they were back in Zavhert more than twenty years ago. They haven't gone gale-force yet, but they're coming in nonetheless.

Or maybe that's just because Malikah is meandering the port and soaking in the sea breeze. That's also a thing.

For some reason, whenever she feels restless, she always finds herself gazing out at the sea. It's not that she's a sailor at heart, but the empty horizon promises new shores, new havens, new homes. New places to run from.

Malikah won't run this time, she thinks. Whatever the political storm that casts its roiling shadow over the capital city, she'll stand her ground and take the battering. If she survives, she survives. If not, well...she's already past her prime, anyway. There's probably nothing more she's meant to really do.

The lumbering of a Turtlez Transport behind her, routine as it is, doesn't quite catch her attention, but she does hear a childish yelp of some sort. It's probably nothing, but Malikah turns and walks in the direction she thought it came from just to make sure no one's in serious trouble.]

[Wind puns and symbolism now, is it? Unfortunately, Richard's sense of humor hasn't quite developed into what it could be. As the prince attempts to escape the path of the lumbering creature, he finds himself jostled by the shifting crowd and stumbles into the turtle's wake, trying to reclaim his lost breath.]

[It's then that he catches sight of Malikah approaching, fear and recognition flaring at once. She's...a captain with the Knight Academy; they've crossed paths before - more than once, in fact. But these days, even those who've been hired to serve have ulterior motives and secret alliances. Malikah's been kind enough to him in the past, but that doesn't amount to very much now.]

[A sudden retreat would be far too suspicious. Instead, Richard remains slightly slouched, seeking to remember the way Asbel's little brother would cautiously slide his feet, keeping his arms close to his chest. He dares not adjust his hat, dares not concern himself with poise, just continues to slowly, humbly, ordinarily extract himself from the middle of the pathway.]

...m'sorry. Excuse me.

Are you all right?

[Malikah doesn't recognize Richard specifically, yet, but his movements (too slow, too deliberate) make her suspicious. It may be nothing, but she didn't live through the Fendelian revolution by ignoring her instincts the way that one might ignore a nagging in-law.]

Uh. Y-yes...

[He needs to calm down. The more words he spills, the more likely the chance that something he says will reveal his identity. Richard turns his head slightly away from her, hoping it'll obscure his features, and continues his carefully measured ~~crab walk~~ retreat.]

[Malikah watches him ~~crab-~~walk away, arms crossed as she considers her options. It's when Richard is out of her sight that she makes the decision to follow him and see what he might be up to. She doesn't have any obligations until the nighttime, so she's free to do some really focused person-watching. Besides, she hasn't had to really sneak around in a while, so it might be fun to see if she could still do it. And with how things have been going in Barona lately, she might as well brush up on her stealth skills.

So, as Richard disappears from view, Malikah takes a couple of moments to check the immediate surroundings, making sure that his appearance wasn't a distraction for something else. Then she casually follows after him.]

[Richard dips his head briefly as he finally manages to scoot away. Of course he realizes that after such an encounter, he can't afford to be careless, but it's extremely difficult to maintain a hunched posture and move about the city naturally. Casting his eyes down makes it difficult for him to truly be aware of his surroundings.]

[He'll wait a while, looking about him until he's almost certain that Malikah hasn't followed (he would, unfortunately, be wrong in that assumption), and slowly straightens up. Richard still takes care not to draw unnecessary attention to himself, but his walk is one of purpose, not timidity.]

That was a close one... [He whispers to himself, turning a corner as he heads back through familiar streets and towards the market. Richard's clearly an observer, quietly watching the goings on of the city, briefly intrigued by the man hawking his wares, the woman in the lower section of town strumming away on a mandolin. He is perhaps not the most exciting person to be people watching, since he seems to be doing much the same thing himself.]

[Well, once Malikah realizes that her target is none other than the Prince of Windor himself, she doesn't expect him to be doing anything too outlandish. Which is fine by her. It makes keeping tabs on him a little easier (she's considering this her good deed of the day).

The captain pauses at a food stand to buy something to munch on. She is legitimately hungry, a little, but mostly it's to keep up the charade that she's just enjoying a day out on the town. Moving around undetected was a little easier in the totalitarian state of Zavhert, ironically: one could simply hide their face and figure under the clothing layers necessary to survive the bitter cold. Such layers would look out of place in temperate Barona. And as a huskily-built woman over six feet tall, Malikah isn't exactly the most non-descript lady out there. Fortunately, because the day is approaching its busiest time, she fades more easily into the chaos.

As do more unsavory sorts...]

[Unsavory sorts, is it? A man currently weaving around a cluster of gossiping women might've been offended had he heard such a thing. Or perhaps not. You see, he's out of money, and a young child, alone and unsupervised, makes for an easy target. The kid's scrawny and doesn't look like much, but his threads are well-made. Imported. And even if he doesn't have a lot on him now, his folks might be willing to contribute a little something if he were to escort their boy home. As a highly concerned Windorian citizen, of course.]

[In this case, Richard's habit of retreating periodically into the shadows might not have been such a wise idea. As he passes by an abandoned side street, with determined step and eyes high, it takes him quite by surprise when his wrist is suddenly yanked from behind him. Fear surges anew as Richard lets out a gasp, his still-free hand grasping for the blade at his belt - but he's simply not quick enough.]

[The man reeks, he notices, as he tries to twist his limbs away from the stranger.] --Unhand me!

["Oh ho. You sure think you're something. Just hand over all the money you've got and I'll let you go nice and easy, kid." To think, of all the dangers in the city, he'd be forced to deal with a simple, common thief. Richard grits his teeth, mind whirling through various options. The man's much bigger and stronger than he is, but, if he could just pull free...]

Edited 2015-04-17 04:51 (UTC)

Oh, goodness me. I seem to have spilled my food all over you. My apologies.

[...she says mildly, having simply walked up to the man harassing Richard and dumped her sauce-slathered sandwich onto his head. A waste of food? Hardly. She'd been planning to throw it away, anyway. The mutton had left something to be desired.

With a snarl, the man backs away from both her and Richard. "The hell's your problem, lady?!" He swipes at his hair with a disgusted look on his face, then turns tail with a huff and runs.

Malikah watches him flee for a few moments, then glances down at Richard.] ...you know, I was going to suggest that you consider hiding your gender to disguise yourself better, but with such scoundrels sulking about, that may only bring you more trouble.

[Richard's struggles cease momentarily as a third person arrives on the scene. Fortunately for him, most of the sandwich's scattered fixings miss him, and with such a magnificent distraction now in place, he's finally able to twist his arm free. Turning so that he's facing his former assailant, Richard's fingers cling fast to the hilt of his knife, much like an angry cat prepared to take a down a mongrel three times his size.]

[Also fortunately, the thief seems to have come to the conclusion that he's outnumbered...which leaves Richard with just one glaring case of misfortune.]

[He doesn't need even to ask. The woman's words all but confirm that she's figured out his identity. Richard's expression is guarded and this time he doesn't bother to slouch.] ...Malikah.

While I appreciate your assistance, I don't wish to take up any more of your time. I should be fine from here.

[Considering what just transpired? Even Richard isn't certain that he might not run into more trouble later. He's also not certain if it matters if he disguises himself as a boy or a girl. What he is certain of, is that his current method isn't good enough.]

I have no pressing matters at the moment. But even if I did, it's the duty of the knights to protect and serve the royal family of Windor. [Though given the recent political developments, the question of which member of the royal family the knights are supposed to be serving has become a little muddied.] I would be amiss if I didn't look out for you, given the chance.

Edited 2015-04-19 06:28 (UTC)

[It's a clear dismissal, which Malikah has likewise clearly ignored. He could simply order the knight instructor away, but she's done nothing wrong. In fact - it's been quite the opposite. And...he'd like to ask her about the cadets. Richard studies Malikah quietly for a minute more before nodding.]

Very well, then. However, there are still a number of issues which I plan to investigate before returning to the castle. If such a thing is possible, I would prefer to avoid attracting further attention.

[Malikah is, after all, quite the imposing figure. Considering the inadequacy of his current disguise, it's hard to imagine they could travel together without turning heads.]

Earlier you mentioned a change in disguise. What would you suggest?

[She rubs her chin for a few moments.]

Find a way to dress like a member of the lower class. Those who look less fortunate are often ignored by the rest of society. [Windor is much wealthier overall than Fendel, of course, but people are the same everywhere that Malikah has traveled.] Find some servant clothes and destroy them somehow, maybe by rubbing dirt into them or staining them.

Coloring your hair will also serve you well, although that may take more time to put on and take out than you care for. If that's the case, a simple change in hairstyle helps. [A chuckle.] I did say that disguising yourself as a girl may bring you more trouble, but that's mainly from common criminals. If someone is looking for you specifically, all it may take to throw them off your trail are a pair of ribboned braids and a dress.

[It seems counterproductive to be giving advice on evasion to a person that someone is supposed to look after, but in Malikah's mind this is a way of looking after the young prince. She's already getting the sense that he won't be persuaded to stay in the castle like he's supposed to (and to be honest, she can't really blame the kid), so this is the next best thing to shadowing him. If the Royal Knights can't find him because he's so well-disguised, then hopefully neither can his enemies.]

[Malikah certainly has a point. At one time, Richard would have simply ignored the servants, leaving them to tend to their chores in peace. Now, of course, it's quite a different story, but it may still work.]

Yes, thank you. Perhaps I'll try that. It shouldn't be difficult to acquire an old uniform from the launderers.

[While altering cheap garments is one thing... A hand strays unconsciously to his golden fringe. Styling it wouldn't be so difficult (it's something he could easily accomplish alone), but if anyone in the castle noticed its changing hues, that'd only raise suspicions. Besides, dye would almost certainly cause permanent damage. He isn't sure why, but he isn't very fond of the idea.]

Although, it may be better to have more than one disguise, depending on the circumstances. Places exist within Barona where a servant would not normally go. Likewise, there are locations a young girl would be most unwelcome in.

[Richard won't give any details. Already he doubtless sounds like a tiny vigilante.]

[Malikah nods.]

Excellently observed, your Majesty. You may need to be a servant one day, a girl the next...and perhaps a servant girl the day after that. [Bread, eggs, breaded eggs.] Also consider that a disguise is much more than changing one's appearance. Demeanor and voice must change, as well, for a truly effective disguise.

I understand. [Richard nods back slowly. Demeanor and voice... perhaps he should be trying harder to emulate his new friends. They all behaved quite differently from himself, and sometimes in ways he could barely comprehend. Asbel was straightforward bordering on brash, and Sophie asked questions about whatever happened to be on her mind, her words simple and far-between. Hubert spoke often as if he was asking permission to do so, and Cheria, though polite, was prone to outbursts. He'd caught her shaking her head and rolling her eyes at Asbel more than once when they were together.]

Although, it might also be more effective if you would refrain from addressing me that way, Captain Malikah.

[No, that's still much too formal. Perhaps:] If you're coming with, we might as well go now, okay? I've still got chores to do.

[A smile.]

Better. You could even let your words hang a little looser. [Malikah repeats Richard's last words, but with a touch of a drawl to them that softens some of the harder sounds.]

[Richard parrots the sentence a second time, feeling somewhat foolish as he intentionally throws all of his enunciation lessons out the window. But, even still, an amused smile creeps onto his face, the first in quite a while.]

If yer comin', we migh'as well go now. I still got chores t'do.

[Hopefully the mun won't continue writing butchered sentences that way, however. Also, perhaps he should name his new persona as well? Rosaline sounds nice. No, too formal. But maybe...]

It's...Rosie. Rosie Cowden.

Rosie, is it? [A chuckle.] It's nice to meet you. I imagine Barona must be quite overwhelming for a country flower like you. Might I have the honor of escorting you so you don't get lost in our winding city streets?

[In other words: "This is our excuse for us walking together."]

[He understands. Richard (that is, Rosie) offers Malikah a nod.]

Yeah, pleased to meetcha Cap'n Malikah. If you wouldn't mind, I'd be more'n grateful for yer help. S'like leaving the fields and gettin' turned around in the forest, if you know what I mean.

[Not that he's feeling lost at all, but it seems best to permit Malikah to accompany him. Besides, she'd likely follow even if he refused.]

Gotta pick up a few things for the cows back home, y'now. Oh! And I'd... I'd promised Uncle Sage to get a looksee at the new rock sculpture 'fore I left. He's a history buff. Always got his nose to th' books...

Does he, now? Then I imagine you must have heard a lot about Barona through him as well. Truly, though, this city's grandeur cannot be captured by mere words.

Edited (wrong icon) 2015-06-07 05:49 (UTC)

Truer words were ne'r spoken. It's a mighty fine city. Too bad Uncle Sage's got a bad back these days...

[Richard glances up at Malikah as he steps back into the street.]

So, what's it like? Workin' with the cadets? Must be like herdin' colts.

[Malikah surveys their environment once they rejoin the urban flow. Such an action is an ingrained habit for her after all these years, but considering who she has in her charge now she pays even closer attention than usual.]

Would it that they were but colts. It's more like herding cats when there's a mountain of catnip just across the road.

[The catnip-crazed cats are arguably more graceful than some of the cadets, though.]

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[Closed] Freedom lies in being bold.

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