Surprise (Private rp)

[Toracrio Vertiga]

    Toracrio didn't understand it one bit. One minute, he was out walking around far away from the castle and the next. Guards had approached him and made him come with them. No explanation, nothing. Just firm hands, orders being given, and now here he was. Standing in the throne room without a clue as to what was going on.

    Standing there alone save for two guards who were holding him in place where he was. A sigh left him. He would like to know what was going on but these people weren't being helpful. His staff was being held by one of the guards holding him. He could easily get it back with a certain spell of his, but he decided not to do it yet.

[Namari Lovelle]

Namari believed it to be a rather normal day; paperwork, speaking with guards, having little to no spare time. So when she walked into the throne room that day and saw a man grasped by the arms by guards, she couldn't be anything but surprised. Even if only slightly.

The Queen hardly dealt with criminals, which she had to assume to be the case here. The only time she ever did was if it was highly serious. And there were only two guards here, so that also could not be the case.

Had she forgotten something?

She stepped into view, striding over to the throne before she stood before it. Namari stared for a moment, before tilting her head.
"Might I ask what this is about?" she asked, eyes looking over the guards. And then the man who was in their hold.

[Toracrio Vertiga]

"They wouldn't explain anything to me, all they do is grab and drag." Toracrio muttered, only to wince when on of the guards increased their grip.

"We were told to bring this man here, Your Majesty." one of the guards said.

Toracrio stood there with his gaze averted mainly being aimed downward.

[Namari Lovelle]

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion; he had to be a rather important criminal then, if they were dragging him about in this manner and they had been told to bring him here. But Namari was still confused; why still was she dealing with him? She didn't recognize him. He couldn't be that big of a criminal.

Was he even a criminal?

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted one of the servants who organized things for her shuffle into the room. Namari turned her head, and the servant quickly was at her side, muttering away in her ear.

Slowly, Namari's eyebrows began to relax, and she let out a sigh. Oh.

"Thank you Tera," she muttered to the woman, who nodded and was out as quick as she came. Namari thought for a moment, and rubbed at one of her temples. She supposed she had to be more specific with her servants from now on.

"Gentleman, please release that man," she ordered the guards, who looked hesitant at first before letting go. With another look over the man, Namari smiled softly, "My apologies. There seems to have been a mix up of things. Might I ask your name sir?"

[Toracrio Vertiga]

With the hard grip from the guards off of him, Toracrio rose to his feet and massaged the area on one of his arms for a moment. Man why'd did they have to hold him so hard? It wasn't as if he had any strength to overpower them.

"Toracrio Vertiga, your Highness." Toracrio answered. "It's fine."

Would his complaints even matter? Best to act like everything was fine and nothing was wrong. Wait a sec. Something was missing, looking to one of the guards who was still holding his staff. He held his hand out.

"May I please have that back? I'm not stupid to try anything." Toracrio told the guard.

The guard glanced between the 'cursed' man before him and the queen. But still held onto the staff.

[Namari Lovelle]

Namari watched the interaction quickly, and soon realized Toracrio was more than likely a mage of some sort. With that staff of his it seemed to be likely. She tilted her head, thinking of what she might do. It would be easy to hand that staff back to the man and send him on his merry way. But Namari was more creative than that.

"The mix up," she began, "Was that I have been looking for more people to take up a place on my council; in particular, I've been looking for a sage though. There are few good ones. But my instructions were people well know to myself, the Knights, or the castle."

The Queen smoothed out her dress carefully, wondering if she would say what she wanted to say next. She was hardly impulsive like this. But there would be no harm in giving it a try.

Finally, she breathed out, "Are you any good at magic?"

[Toracrio Vertiga]

Mix up? Council position? Toracrio looked at the Queen with his eyes slightly widened. Okay.....where in death did he fit into all of this? His hand kind of just stayed where it was as he stood there. Seriously, where did he fit into any of this?!!

"I'm afraid I don't know anyone here at the castle....nor any knights..." Toracrio started but then he remembered a meeting. "Wait...I think I meet one. His name was...Roland...Longfellow, I think."

The next question came and he lowered his hand. Was he any good? Um...he was okay with his magic.

"I have some skill, but I'm really still learning." Toracrio answered. "I so far can get two of my spells to work but the third is still rather tricky."

[Namari Lovelle]

The Queen smiled ever so slightly. Perhaps that was why; a man carrying a staff, speaking with Roland. Of course the servants figured that Toracrio would be a candidate. They really would have to work on getting more background information.

"Are you any good with politics? Dealing with issues, keeping the people around you calm? Anything like that?" her smile grew. She knew exactly where she was going with this.

How did she not think of it before? A more regular citizen on council? Surely the people would favor that. And one that was practicing magic as well would of course be an asset.

[Toracrio Vertiga]

Attack of the questions it seemed he was subjected to. Was he any good at any of that? Standing there, Toracrio thought it over. He only knew so few people.

"The people I have meet do stay calm, but I think that's due to not bringing up any bad subjects in the conversation." Toracrio started but he paused; what would he be good at? "It takes a lot to get on my nerves though, so I have a good amount of tolerance. I also take into consideration what everyone in the room is saying about a matter and draw a conclusion from all being said."

[Namari Lovelle]

She nodded slowly, looking down as she thought with her hand on her waist. Then her eyes shot up, a grin spread through.
"Tell you what. I'll let you be a part of council for a while... a test run, if you will. And I'll do you a favour. Anything within reason."

Before he had a time to reply, Namari felt she might want to explain her sudden proposition a bit more.
"It might be in the favour of Avaleur to have someone not yet a part of the castle, or familiar with it, to have a say in the city. An outside opinion, if you will."

[Toracrio Vertiga]

Him? Part of the...the...the Council? Do him a favor? Good death upon it all, he had to be dreaming. He just HAD to be in a dream. Any second he'd wake up. Right?...Right?! Before he could even open his mouth to speak, the Queen continued. This just had to be a dream! RIGHT?!!

"Um...o...okay." Toracrio answered. "Sounds...sounds like a wise plan."

Good death....it wasn't a dream....was it?

[Namari Lovelle]

She smiled, amused by the man's... she didn't know what to call it. Baffledness? It wasn't a word but it suited him well.
"Good! Now, more serious matters during this trial period you'll have to miss, but the more regular meetings are fine for you to attend. Perhaps we'll have a practice meeting at some point."

In her mind, she was quite clever. This was the greatest idea she had in a while.

"Oh my apologies... please give mr Vertiga his staff back."
Seemingly grudgingly, the guard shoved the staff back to Toracrio.

Satisfied, Namari was about to turn to leave- business done- when another thought popped into her head.
"I don't suppose you'd like a tour now, then? Just so that you know where to go on our meetings. The next one is in four days, so it might be helpful to know."

[Toracrio Vertiga]

"Understandable." Toracrio said in response to him having to miss very important meetings.

HE wasn't asleep...it wasn't a dream. That became clear to him when the guard shoved his staff back to him and it hurt. You usually don't feel pain in a dream unless it was a nightmare of very strong proportions.

"Thank you." Toracrio responded as he grabbed hold of his staff. "A tour would be nice, if you have time and it doesn't detour you from anything very important."

Toracrio never saw himself as important. Just average and ordinary. Well....being 'cursed' wasn't ordinary.

[Namari Lovelle]

"Nonsense," Namari chided, smiling while shaking her head. That was of course a lie; she probably had much work to do. And she knew that. But she also knew that it might be best to give him a tour. He might be a permanent stay.

She took a few steps, not bothering to ask the man to follow. But she turned her head slightly as she walked so that her voice reached him.

"So have you any political stances, Mr. Vertiga? Or do you prefer to keep to your own on those matters?" the Queen asked as she neared the door out to the halls.
Her thoughts wandered to his emotions; it was very clear that he was surprised. But he was calm at the same time. Maybe slight confusion?

Namari thought he out to be slightly confused.

[Toracrio Vertiga]

Toracrio followed the Queen, although he did keep a distance between them. It wasn't a huge one, just enough to where he wouldn't be too close to her. They could talk in normal voices as well.

"No, I... I don't have any." Toracrio answered. "I never saw my opinions on anything of...of real use."

He was confused and still surprised. Maybe it was because he was a tolerant person he was able to only appear slightly confused?

[Namari Lovelle]

Namari gave off a slight chuckle as they made their way down a long corridor.
"Well, they'll definitely be in good use here. What about things in Avaleur; anything you think would be best kept the same? Changed?""

She knew she was flooding him with questions; that was her point. Often Council meetings were like this after all. If he hadn't the stomach for it, it was a waste of his time.

But the Queen had to remind herself that he was still aghast. He would need a bit more legroom.
So she halted her questions, waiting for the already asked ones to be answered.

[Toracrio Vertiga]

Toracrio fell silent as he thought her questions over. He hadn't seen much of Avaleur to be honest. He hardly left the small area that was his home.

"I haven't seen much of Avaleur, your Highness." Toracrio explained. "I'm afraid I can't give you a positive answer on that question, since I have such a lack of knowledge needed for it."

[Namari Lovelle]

Namari thought of this for a moment, before smiling and nodding to agree.
"Understandable. I hope you find Avaleur to your liking; and I do hope to get some insight on how everything in Avaleur is going, even if you do not continue being on council."

The Queen did not speak to citizens as much as she would like to; even her own friends of lower class than she, she barely spoke to anymore. Maybe Toracrio was the ticket into getting a more usual citizen into the heart of Avaleur.

She smiled once more.

"So whereabouts do you live?" she asked, as they neared the courtyard where people practiced fighting. Namari could hear a slight commotion; the squires, no doubt, out to practice.

[Toracrio Vertiga]

"I hope I can give something." Toracrio muttered as he glanced about, his gaze taking in the sights around him.

He never dreamed of being in the castle along with many other things. Nearing the courtyard allowed for there to be sunlight, and in turn that sunlight struck the bracelets he had on both wrists. He turned his gaze to the queen upon her next question.

"I live here in town, somewhere near the edge of the town I guess you could say. A poor and small little place." Toracrio said. "Though, it's all I've known so I'm used to things being small."

[Namari Lovelle]

Namari knew it existed, but she did not exactly like the thought of someone living in a small place. Or only knowing that sort of place. There were poorer in Avaleur, and she knew it. But it didn't exactly feel good to really know.

"I find that the most simplistic of places and things can be the most beneficial," she hummed, thinking of the time when she had just moved to Avaleur. To go from a castle to the church! Then to a small home.
But her situation was a bit different. After all, she was able to earn money rather quick. Not all people had it so easy.

"But it's not exactly enough to be used to it. Do you like your home?" the Queen asked. Perhaps it was one thing to bring up in the next council meeting; the less wealthy in Avaleur, and how to handle it.