finding out who we a r e [open]

It didn't seem that progress was going to come easily to them. In all their time being here, Adell had yet to hear even one thing that suggested the survival of any part of the royal family, and not one whisper of rebellion. No attempts had been made upon Lycoris's life, and the worst he had endured were a couple unfriendly glares.It seemed increasingly doubtful that they were going to find anything, but, short of giving up his commission and making a dishonourable departure from the military, Adell didn't have much of a choice.

As such, Adell found his thoughts wandering to other things as he dug his heels into the flanks of the horse he was riding. It had been too long since he had been out riding, and it was good to get out into the countryside, even for a time. But, despite his intent to simply get out and enjoy the ride and the scenery, Adell's thoughts were on other things. Despite coming here to investigate rumours of the Ilusian royal line surviving, they had stumbled across something else entirely. Adell had a grasp of the basics of magic, but his learning was entirely militant, the only spells he knew or cared to know having a purely combative application. It was unusual at best, and, barring some kind of cosmological event, something supernatural was clearly going on. Perhaps that would be the better thing to investigate, instead of chasing after rumours.

Or perhaps they should turn to more mundane concerns. There was that festival coming up, and it could be a good opportunity to generate some goodwill with the locals, if Lycoris had any interest in attending. But there was the matter of that tradition of invitation. It seemed unlikely that anyone would have the impropriety to invite royalty in such a manner, and Adell was certainly amongst their number. It still brought to mind what Adell should do regarding that matter. He half-expected Xara to give him some not-so-subtle hints and nudges, but sharing a room with her was taxing enough, without throwing anything that could be regarded as courtship into the mix. Considering what had happened thus far, he found a certain beastwoman figuring into that line of thought. He barely knew her, and understood her less, and yet...

Adell shook his head, and took stock of his surroundings. He tugged the reins in response, guiding the steed to a smooth stop. Seeing the princess spending a carefree moment in the stream honestly warmed his heart, and he did not bother trying to suppress his smile. Perhaps this trip would do her some good after all, if for no other reason than getting away from her mother.
"Good day, your highness." The formality fell a little flat with the cheer in his voice, but it was given nonetheless. Finding a suitable spot, Adell dismounted, and stood easily. "Have you had a pleasant ride?"

A hand was raised in reflex to the splashed water, but Adell was far from annoyed. He wasn't exactly planning to get his boots soaked, but being greeted with a playful splash of water was far preferable to the coolness she had been displaying over the last few years.

She could hardly blame her for being cold and withdrawn, and those scars would probably linger for the rest of her life. Whether it was a mere distraction or not, it was both a relief and a small victory to see joy in Lycoris's eyes. Would she withdraw again as soon as they were finished in Ilusia? He supposed that only time would tell. Still, a man could hope.

A deep breath was taken. Lycoris was right in everything she just said; while it was certainly different from the capital, that in itself was not a bad thing.
"I've been... hm." Adell folded his arms in thought, not sure how much to say. "Our time here certainly has not been as uneventful as I'd feared. Maybe not productive, admittedly, but far from boring." Adell's speech was a bit more relaxed, a direct and inevitable response to Lycoris's more relaxed demeanor. If she decided to chew him out for it, he'd just have to live with it. "A bit concerned with those strange storms recently, but there's naught to be done about that." They were doing a poor job in finding a few people, so taking on the heavens was probably not the next logical step.

"There is still much of Ilusia to see, if that is what you are interested in. Other than the fields and small settlements, there are also the mountains and the forest." They brought the other races into the picture, but he hardly thought the beastmen or the elves and faeries would openly attack or show hostility to a Heimite royal, particularly if she did not have a retinue of soldiers at her heels. "This is probably the furthest I've been from Asgard since we've arrived, so it could prove interesting."

Attending the festival for an attempt at goodwill was a solid idea. Lycoris's other idea, though...

Adell took the offered seat regardless, and made himself comfortable.
"I'm in favour of attending the festival," Better to coach his thoughts; more relaxed or not, Lycoris was still the princess. "As for inviting Xara..." Adell looked down at the ground, not wanting to misspeak. "W-Well, she is a good friend of mine, but I don't... I don't see her that way, if that makes sense." It would be a dangerous thing to do, because Xara would probably take it relatively seriously. Even if Adell did it out of politeness, or anything else, the amount of awkwardness it would cause would not be worth it.

And was anyone not trying to hook him up with Xara? Perhaps they saw some sparks flying that just weren't there. He sighed, and thought. "Well... there could be one person I could invite." He wasn't sure why she came to mind, but she did, regardless. "I don't really know them, though. And I'm not sure what the rules are with courtship or anything here." Still, it was hardly like he had a line of female suitors at his door. If that meant considering commoners, and beastwomen at that, so be it.

It was nice, sometimes, being the least son of a lesser noble house. If it wasn't for his somewhat unlikely friendship with Lycoris, it was possible that no-one at all would pay him any mind.Another breath was taken, Adell savouring the fresh air for a moment. It was inevitable that Lycoris would ask questions, so Adell decided to nip that in the bud. "She's a beastwoman. I, er... met, during the first storm." Would she appreciate the invite? Well, there was only one way to find out.

Somewhat unfortunately, Adell only really detected animosity with the over-emphasis on the woman's race. Adell raised an eyebrow at that, and paused in thought. He supposed that it was more 'normal' if he were to stick with humans, but it wasn't as though inter-racial marriage was utterly unheard of, the amount of half-elves speaking to that. Hell, even Lycoris herself had mixed heritage, but that wasn't something he was about to bring up. Too much baggage attached to that.

Adell had just never thought on it too hard, and he certainly wasn't about to start thinking that the 'purity' of humanity was something that needed desperate protection. If anything, her being Ilusian and a commoner was a greater concern. At any rate, he hadn't given much real thought until now.
"As I said, I don't really know her that well." Adell found himself choosing his words carefully again, and the care showed in his tone. "But she's a... an interesting person. Very, well, confident, I guess. This festival could be a good way to get to know her better." Adell shrugged, and shifted his gaze out onto the landscape once again. Romance and women were weak points of his, the only thing he had going for him in that regard was that he had been taught how to behave in a formal setting. Briar didn't exactly coincide with formality, in his experience thus far. That caused a little shifting of weight.

Adell couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was that impression that he wanted to get to know the beastwoman better,. Was there anything wrong with that? "Her name is Briar Desiree." No sense in keeping that much a secret, and Adell's mouth closed, unsure of what else to say. There was that feeling he was treading on thin ice, though he hadn't any idea why. It seemed he suddenly didn't know a lot of things. A sigh was suppressed, and he looked back to Lycoris. He wanted to change the subject, but was unsure of what to say. "Hm... Are you looking forward to the festival, your highness?" It didn't sound right, but it was something.

Home, huh? Adell wasn't in love with Ilusia, and he certainly didn't relish the feeling of being an outsider, but he wasn't overly keen to return, just yet. Partly because he had a feeling that Lycoris would withdraw back into herself when faced with the queen once more, and that returning home would likely mean that he would find deployment elsewhere. Noble or not, he was still sworn to serve.

"It will be the same as we remember it. Tall buildings, crowded streets, and a rapid pace of life to contrast this sleepy existence." Adell didn't see much cause for Heim to change in their absence. It was home, and, charms of Ilusia aside, Adell did miss a fair few number of things about life in Heim. At the same time, it was good to take a break from all the politicking and noise that came with the urban environment. So, for now, it was a welcome reprieve. Given time, he would probably grow annoyed at the sluggish pace of life.

Adell leaned back on his hands, shifting his weight so the sword at his hip stopped digging into his side. "It would be good to be back with our countrymen, but Ilusia is not as bad as I feared. Setting aside the animosity we've been displayed from time to time, I believe that this trip is proving to be a good reprieve. Our purpose here aside, of course." It wasn't a holiday, but with the sheer lack of progress or leads, it might as well have been one. Short of interrogating every Ilusian who was alive during the occupation, they really had nothing to go on, and there hadn't been so much as a whisper regarding hopes of the royal line surviving.

"I wouldn't be overly surprised, however, if you were waylaid by prospective suitors upon your return. We're not exactly of an unmarriable age any longer." His speech had relaxed again, unconsciously. Adell hoped that his grin, if a little forced, would help some of the tension. "...And my mother and Xara will probably redouble their efforts in that regard for me." Briar aside, there were still expectations upon him, no matter how minor a noble he was. "Could prove to be a stressful return."

That was a depressing thought, on more than a few levels. The feeling of drifting away from his family was bad enough, and losing touch with Lycoris was something he wouldn't want to repeat. There was certainly a chance that, after they were married, and the crown passed to Lycoris, they would only see each other in passing. Particularly if war wound up breaking out.

A sad thought, and another reason to wish that youth was eternal. But it wasn't, and, no matter how much you kicked or screamed, life would drag you into tomorrow.

Despite all the privileges it brought him, and despite the pride Adell had in his name, he found himself envying the common folk. They may be poor, and lead simple lives, and lack power, but they had a freedom that nobility simply did not have. Was it selfish to simply want to live a life in peace?

At the least, Adell didn't find the head resting on his lap uncomfortable. Well, no matter what the future held for them, at least they had these moments now.
"There are a few things I would do differently, of course." Everyone had those embarrassing moments they wish they could erase from existence, those small mistakes and misspoken words that caused needless pain. "But I don't have any real regrets. Still, there is a certain allure in returning to simpler days, isn't there? A time before we were burdened with responsibility and expectations of maturity." Adell sounded wistful, and he was. Maybe he didn't have to do it all over, and maybe he wouldn't really change anything if he was even given the opportunity. But that allure still remained.

"Marriage may be unavoidable, but I hope that diplomacy wins out. Heim doesn't need another war." It may be odd for a soldier to say that, but something he was told a long time ago still resonated with him. A good soldier was willing and able to fight, but hated war. But would Heim's ambition drive them to invade once more? Or would another nation see fit to check Heim's advances? They were sobering thoughts, and ones he wished were easier to dispel. "But we can't really do anything against war and marriage right now, short of running away to some foreign land." If Lycoris asked it of him, Adell would probably agree. Oaths aside, his loyalty was to Lycoris before the queen and the rest of Heim. "I have a feeling that might not end well, though." Adell hoped that the weak attempt at a joke would help to lighten the mood some, but sometimes melancholic talks like this simply happened.

"Well, good to know that my future's all worked out for me." Adell grinned, grateful that the moment of tension had passed. To be honest, the remark, even if it was made in jest, reflected just how well Lycoris understood him. Fatherhood may be something that many young men flinched away from, but Adell looked forward to it. Sure, it would be full of unsure days and stresses he could not foresee, but that did not change matters.

The grin faded after a moment, and Adell's expression became thoughtful, and he stared out into the middle distance. "We're really not that young anymore, are we?" Thoughts of marriage and fatherhood were sobering enough, to say nothing of the possibility that, in a few years, Lycoris could very well be a ruling monarch. Hardly the carefree children they once were, idling their time away without cares or worries. Now they had their stations to consider, orders to obey, responsibilities to attend to. Some more than others, true, but even Adell had his crosses to bear. He would never have the weight of a nation on his shoulders, however, so he could only wonder at the life Lycoris had before her.

Barring war or something unforeseen, or Adell taking a drastic step to alter his destiny, Lycoris's prediction seemed accurate. Still, though, would that really be such a bad life?

And he had not meant to jump to a serious subject. He snapped bacx to focus, and, after a moment, the smile returned. "As for you... well, no matter who you marry, I don't think they'll be much competition for you in being the head of the household." It would be truly dreadful if Lycoris was married off to some chauvinist pig, but Lycoris was too headstrong and stubborn to put up with that. She'd probably set them right in short order, and she would always have a stalwart protector in Adell. Not that she would need it, in all likelihood. "You would probably have them in order within a few weeks." The statements were made in a light tone, Adell still treading somewhat carefully. She was, afterall, still royalty, and any jest had to be carefully measured. Failing that, Adell would simply have to try to avoid insults.