Kingdom Hearts: A New Dawn

A tall, dark haired boy the same age as Sophia, stood against the wall in her room, watching her closely and remaining still in the shadows. The past few days he had remained by her side constantly, never sleeping, and ever vigilant. That was his duty, protect the princess.

He's known her since they were both children, and he is without a doubt the most loyal to her, as well as her most trusted friend. As his charge awoke, he couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face at just how innocent Sophia truly was.

"Good morning Sophia. I'm glad you're awake. I am prepared to serve you in whatever ways possible to help you cope, as I have all your life. As your guardian, but more importantly, as your friend." He nodded his head to a glass of water on a nearby dresser, alongside a towel and clean clothes. "One of the maids(?) brought them in earlier. I suppose they wish you to clean up for today, but as always, you don't have to if you don't want to."

He pushed off the wall and shook his head, "Anyway, would you like me to walk you to breakfast? Or perhaps bring it to you while you clean up, if you choose to do so?"

 

A deep, surprisingly low-toned and sustained yawn roared proverbially down the corridor shortly after Sophia had asked the question. As if heralded by the inquisition itself, a single Knight, adorned in a red and golden-yellow armor turned the corner, stopping for a second to take in the picture of their comrade and ward at the other end. Loosening their grip on the still-wielded spear, the Knight called off the weapon, which vanished in a flare of Light. Then, with a non-threatening pace, armor clinking softly over the carpeted stone floor, they walked towards the two.

Shortly after the first stride, the Knight pulled off the armor's masking helmet, unmasking them as a young woman. Pulling her head entirely from the helmet, she rustled her blonde locks, undoing the braid work that allowed the piece to rest comfortably upon her head, allowing her hair to fall to its natural shoulder length. Reaching the two at the other end of the hall, she cracked a morning smile. It was a tired kind of smile; a tired kind of smile that KNEW it was tired, but didn't care too much of it, because at least it had gotten some rest. Fighting with her eyes to keep the exhausted sagging from being evident, she beamed joyously at the others.

"Kelianne Mairin," she announced in a noble and official tone. "Running on two hours of sleep, as usual, but, yes, I'm very much awake. I offered to take the overnight watch from Deimos, since he's been giving himself to insomnia all week; but he's been insistent at staying up around the clock. So I figure I might as well get just a little bit of sleep in while things are quite." She yawned again, this time covering her mouth, as not to offend her company. "It does no one any good if both of your protectors have been up for five days straight... Anyways, I'm rambling right now. Breakfast will be served by the time we get to the dining hall, and preparations are in concluding for the arrival of the King of Light and Supreme Ruler of Darkness."





They call this place... A Memory? Yes. Memoir... That's what they call this place: Memoir.

On a somber world, a man of pale skin and silvery hair stood in silent reflection amidst an open, field of short-trimmed grass. The only company he had as he reflected was the seemingly endless span of masonry that lined and dotted the landscape over an almost insurmountable distance. Though his eyes were closed, his mind, from sheer memory, could see the world's sole inhabitants clearer than he could have with open eyes. In every direction, one could walk and only see the marble, trapezoidal monuments, adorned with various military crests, evenly spaced like the ranks of the formations the honored souls had once filled. Many bore inscriptions; phrases that the deceased had once held dear or short prayers to deliver their salvation. Some of the more prominent ones even adorned a cut out of a weapon chiseled into them, identifying the arms with which each warrior preferred to fight in life, as though they would carry them through an afterlife as well.

"It's been a while," the man said, breaking his silence with a nearly silent whisper. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at the nearest gravestone to him. The dead man beneath it, having been of the Realm of Light, had been honored with a white marble stone. At the sight of it, the man scowled and looked towards a distant hill, beyond which another field of gravestones, only in black marble, lay in commemoration of the Realm of Darkness. The man scowled even more profusely and threw his gaze back to the white marble by his feet.

He gazed for several minutes upon the name inscribed upon the stone. With a stone cold heave of breath, he realized that he recognized the name. Unsure of how it should have made him feel, he took in that one he had known in life rang as truly in his mind in death. It was more than the man's mind could bear; more thought than he felt like processing at that moment. "This is all they fell for; a fancy rock, and a celebration once a year to honor their sacrifice."

After a mental struggle, the man pulled away from this stone and walked some distance away, towards the opposite side the cemetery and up to the top of the hill. There, he came upon a gated space, where two stones lay side-by-side, one black and the other white. before both where six-foot deep holes, which he himself had helped to dig out. Heaving another breath, he pulled a script of paper, signed with his name upon a black space:

"I, Nils, hereby agree to the task of ensuring the safe laying to rest of the King and Queen of the Realm of Twilight."

 

Deimos grunted as the two spoke of his sleeping habits, he was Sophia's sole guardian despite what others may say. This other knight was a temporary necessity to protect Sophia beyond what Deimos was capable of doing alone, at least that's how he looked at it anyway. The way he sees it, both the Supreme Ruler and the King of Light just want to win Sophia's favor, something that Deimos will do everything in his power to prevent. Sophia is Twilight, and as such should remain neutral.

Um...can you guys please excuse me for a second? Emphasis on guys?

Deimos sighed and shook his head, the girl had a bathroom in her room and she never changed in it. As much as he hated to do so, he announced, "While you did emphasis guys, I'd like to remind you that you're to be guarded at all times, so either Kelli or myself will stay. I'm assuming you'll pick the female, which I'll never understand considering we were raised together, but Will and I will take our leave."

 

Deimos looked at Sophia's friend with the same distrusting stare he gave everyone. "That is none of your concern. Do not forget you are merely here as support for Sophia. Don't be a fool, or try to be a hero. I can see how you feel in your eyes as clear as day. She's innocent, and I plan to keep it that way. What she needs is support, not romance lover boy." He made sure Sophia's door was closed before he said that, but he shook his head afterwards and gestured towards the stairs. "We'll be down shortly. Go eat." Deimos sighed again before leaning against the wall and waiting.

 

With Sophia announcing for the males to make their leave, Keli was quick to ensure that that was what happened. Even with the Deimos and Will bickering at each other as they left, she herded them out with waving arms. "Unless being raised together included being bathed together, which, in a royal family, I highly doubt, I don't think it would be good to your duties to be gazing at Her Majesty's bare body." Double checking that the door was shut tightly, she spun around and leaned her back against it; it opened to the inside, so she would have little trouble putting her weight into it if someone decided they had to get their fill of royal skin. She lowered her head down as not to be gawking as the princess prepared herself.

"You should go eat too, Deimos," she said. "I can handle escort duty from here to the dining hall just fine. You'll need something in you after all these all-nighters." She fought back another of her yawns just as she finished her sentence. "Best to not be both tired and hungry when you're on duty."

 

OOC: Considering we walked out on our own, you didn't herd us Wayward. Deimos wouldn't have let you do so either, to him at least lol

IC: Deimos scoffed as the other knight advised him to eat, and he announced with very obvious venom in his voice, "I'm not leaving the Princess alone with anyone unless it is myself. And whether we bathed together or not is none of your concern. So do your job, and be quiet, or go get yourself something to eat and I'll watch Sophia." He sighed with a bit of annoyance before adding, "I don't trust you. I don't trust anyone, except the Princess. Knight or friend, it makes no difference. Unlike you, I am not bound to servitude under a King. I serve Sophia, not the Supreme Ruler, despite what he may say or think. I will rest only when I know for sure the Princess is safe, and I will only eat when she is by my side. That is how it has always been, and how it always will be."

 

"Well," Keli said, hesitantly observing the Princess' choice of dress, "I'm not expert on fashion or anything, but I think you look great in it; much better than I would. Then, I never was the type of girl to wear dresses and jewelry anyways." She gave Sophia a hardy thumbs-up.

She pushed off of the door, and opened it, first only a crack to check the hallway, and then opening it up. Meanwhile, Deimos had been speaking. Keli, stepping out from the room first, turned to him, rolling her eyes with a sigh of her own. "Oh. You're still here. Geez. For someone who's driven to serve, you sure are disobedient." She rolled her eyes a second time, stepping out from Sophia's way as she would exit the room. As the trio would commence the walk to breakfast, she would stand before Deimos, briefly blocking him. And, with a stern expression she would look him in the eye and speak softly: "DON'T. QUESTION. MY LOYALTIES." With that much said, she would turn about and follow behind the princess.

 

"I'll question you about what I want, when I want. DEAL WITH IT." Deimos responded to the other knight with an equal whisper, before he followed Sophia down to the dining room, smiling slightly as the girl cheerily went about her greetings. When they had nearly reached the dining room, Sophia announced she wanted Will and Angel to sit next her. Deimos sighed and chuckled a bit at Sophia's friend, Angel's, behaviour. He shook his head and gestured for Kelianne to come over, while he moved over to the side a bit so they could speak privately.

 

Keli followed a short distance behind as Sophia and Deimos walked the corridors. She hugged her helmet tightly in her left arm. She returned the few greetings she received, mostly from other patrons of Light, with dutiful nods, and with subtle smiles at best. Her nerves were still roused by Deimos' distrust and disrespect; should take insults as well as she could take a punch, but to question the honor of a Knight from any Realm was short only of a challenge.

When they arrived in the dining hall, breakfast had already been served, and Sophia's other friend, Angel, had already been waiting for some time; the Light night felt her tensions ease at the boy's hungry musings. When the instruction was given, Keli obediently adhered to Sophia's wishes for her friends to sit closest to her. She found herself a seat a short way down the long table of the hall, pulling it out. She was nearly seated when she registered a wave from Deimos requesting her on the far end of the room.

Mentally sighing, she stepped away from the chair, leaving her helmet on the seat to hold her place and walked to the side towards her 'partner.' The good mood she had suddenly been put in by breakfast and the feather-hearted friend slowly melted back into the sternness she had felt in the corridors. "If you're going to continue touting your distrust," she spoke softly and urgently, "then you can consider this conversation over right now.