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I found some flaws with the character list, so I changed it up a bit. If either of you have a problem with them, just let me know. But I am posting my bios now while I have time tonight. Make sure to check the up-dated character list before posting. Thanks!

Name: Bridget Malone
Role: Farmer's Daughter
Age: 17
Gender: female
Crush: the farm boy
History/Personality: Because Bridget has never had a mother, she always assumed she had died a long time ago. Without a female figure, Bree grew up to be quite the tomboy, helping her father out with the farm as often as she could. Even after her father remarried, she remained very close to her father and talked to him about everything. Along with her rough and dirty nature, Bree is very light-hearted, playful, and opptimistic. Although she hasn't had the easiest life, it has always worked out for her, so she thinks that everything will always sort itself out. She is a very sweet girl that means well, but she also has an indepedant spirit and isn't always the most clever. She often rushes into things using her heart instead of her head.
Appearence: http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/people/?q=farm%20girl#/d3kn64d

Name: William Gauges
Role: Captain Of The Guard
Age: 21
Gender: male
Crush: none at first, but soon grows to like Rosalinda
History/Personality: William's father was the captain for years until recently when he became very ill. William had been trained in swordsmanship by his father, who was considered the best, so he surprisingly replaced his father as captain. This upset many since he was so young and had only been in the guard himself for five years, but William does an excellent job anyways. He is very dedicated to his work and doesn't let anything distract him, especailly the ladies. He often seems very unemotional and direct, but inside he is a fun guy who enjoys a good laugh. He has a noble and good heart that gets in the way of his work, so he tries not to let himself care about others too much.
Appearence: http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/people/?qh=&section=&q=boy#/d2e6p0n

Name: Sake
Role: Assassin
Age: 31
Gender: male
Crush: none, though he flirts with the queen
History/Personality: Nothing much is known about Sake other than he is one of the best when you need someone dead. He is quick in his work and leaves no trace behind. Although he is strong with his dagger, he has a few tricks up his sleeve. Literally. He excells mostly in potion making, but he knows many incantations as well.
Appearence: http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/people/?qh=&section=&q=assassin#/d4ecbhf

Name: Anthony Tocken
Role: Prince's Friend
Age: 18
Gender: male
Crush: none at first, but he might fall for one of the stepsisters
History/Personality: Anthony travels with the Prince when he comes to met and marry Rosalinda because they are old childhood friends. Anthony is the silent type, but he is a loyal friend and would kill or die for either the Prince or their other close friend. Even though he seems to carry around a gloomy cloud over his head, his pessimistic attitude doesn't seem to drive away his two best friends. He can be very cynical and sarcastic, but some find his dark humor funny...
Appearence: http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/people/?q=king&order=9&offset=24#/d12df7j

Name: Gerald Hamliton
Role: King
Age: 48
Gender: male
Crush: the queen
History/Personality: Gerald has lived through his glory days and is perfectly happy letting the queen rule the kingdom while he sits back and dotes on his precious daughter Rosalinda. Although his conscience sometimes troubles him about Evalynn, he holds on to the uncaring, nonchalant attitude he has had his entire life. The king seems to never worry about things or think about anything for to long, but three young girls might change his mind...
Appearence: Couldn't find a good picture, but something like an older version of this: http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/people/?q=old%20king&order=9&offset=192#/d5ikov. Gold, slightly curly hair that is turning grey with a small beard. Though he is starting to wrinkle, he is still devilshly handsome.

I apologize for such long descriptions of their appearances, but I can never find pictures I like! xD

Name: Rosalinda "Briar Rose" Hamliton
Role: Spoiled Princess
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Crush: Captain of the Guard
History/Personality: Most would describe Rosalinda as either stunning or bad-tempered. Both are true, and paired with a seemingly endless wealth and few responsibilities, make a terrible contradiction. Though it is rumored that a sharp wit and intelligence lies beneath the layers of perfume and frills, few can honestly claim its existence; the princess bides her time lazily fanning herself and spewing complaints and insults at whoever ventures too close. When she discovers that her parents had the audacity to arrange a marriage without her consent, her flabby brain quickly comes to life with the task of hatching schemes, and she just might go along with "Little Dust Mouse" Evalynn's idea of uncovering their mother's past out of spite (at least at first).
Appearance: Rosalinda possesses a classically slender "hourglass" figure and fine bone structure, porcelain skin, and stands at a regal 5'8". Her "heart-shaped" face rests atop an elegantly long neck. Her face itself has a narrow nose, small-but-full light pink mouth, and large, widely spaced light brown colored eyes. When loose, her light ash-blonde tresses fall to her hips in cascading waves and ringlets.

Name: Caspian Adonis
Role: Prince
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Crush: Not really anyone, though there's something about Evalynn...
History/Personality: Being the youngest son of seven, with four older brothers and three sisters, Caspian has grown used to having his life dictated for him, partially due to his slight frame that is completely alien among his broader and taller brothers. Because of this, he has suffered through less than competent tutors as anything better would be a waste of resources and time in his parents' eyes. In fact, Caspian has grown up with the knowledge that not only would his bride be arranged, he would most certainly end up being the foreign groom! As he grew older, he began to develop a detached and almost apathetic personality, never fully allowing himself to become too close to anyone. When he learns of his arranged marriage, he responds with resigned acceptance. He feels obligated loyalty towards Rosalinda, but he isn't quite sure what to make of his curiosity of Evalynn either.
Appearance: Caspian stands at around 5'10" (depending on how bad his slouch is) and is best described as a "bean pole" by his servants. He has a square jaw, strong nose, scraggly raven hair, and ears that stick out. Still, some might find him attractive thanks to his olive complexion, honest brow, and deep brown eyes.

Name: Dianna Malone
Role: Step-Sister
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Crush: Possibly Anthony
History/Personality: Diana is the artist of the family, and can often be found sketching a profile with soot while cleaning the hearth or daydreaming while picking apples in the orchard. Even though most would consider her a dreamer, she still holds tight to a somewhat cynical outlook, preferring to use her head and common-sence, and candid is to a fault. Like Bridget, she hasn't experienced the best childhood, and though she loves "sunny days" like most anybody, she has also learned to appreciate "cloudy days" too. For the most part, her view is to take life as it comes and believes that trials either shatter, harden, or refine individuals. Though she is somewhat sensitive and demure, she is a free spirit usually up to any adventure so long it doesn't go against her beliefs.
Appearance: Dianna stands at a petite and "pleasantly chubby" 5'5". Her slightly wavy dark chestnut hair is cropped just below shoulder-length, though she normally pulls it back into either a braid or a bun. Her face is very expressive -rosy cheeks, snub nose, and dimples when she smiles- but few know this as she normally wears a pensive or deadpan expression in public, and her grey eyes almost always hold a wistful sheen.

Name: Darius Lerato
Role: Prince's close friend
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Crush: Possibly the other Stepsister
History/Personality: Darius is a free spirit and definitely the most dynamic of the group, always being the first to laugh and first to find trouble, and a bit of a flirt. Though many might consider him a "bad influence" on the prince, it is actually Darius who strives to break Caspian's resigned shell, similarly how it is Anthony who keeps Darius grounded. However, Darius is more than happy to let someone else lead. Like Anthony, Darius is one of the prince's closest and most loyal friends.
Appearance: When he isn't flashing his "dashing smirk" at passing maidens, he often wears a broad, foolish grin or a blank expression of complete bafflement. Due to these tendencies, and that his face is usually an "open book", many pass him off as a fool, prompting him to retort that he'd rather be a merry fool or an honest one instead of "the common pufferfish". Darius stands around 6'1", broad and well-muscled, with a square jaw, nose that turns up a bit, and a dusting of freckles across both cheek bones. His hair is a loud ginger to match his personality, and his large, wide-spaced hazel eyes compel a sense of innocence and naivety -even when he's up to no good.


Name: Cedric Malone
Role: Father
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Crush: Stepmother
History/Personality: Cedric has a simple and down-to-earth personality and a fierce love and loyalty for his family -especially Bridget and his "new" wife. When his first wife left him for another man, leaving him to care for their newborn daughter by himself, it wounded his pride greatly and he found himself tormented by the possible reasons why she might have left. When his daughter became old enough to realize her lack of a mother figure, he told Bridget that her mother died when she was a baby because the truth was far too painful and because he didn't want Bridget to grow bitter against her homeland.
Appearance: Cedric stands about 5'11" in height. Years of farm work and hard labor has kept him in shape and given him a rugged appearance. His brow is filled with creases from worry and strain, yet there are plenty of wrinkles from smiles and laughter as well. His once chestnut-brown hair is now mostly silver in places with streaks of white, and his green eyes definitely have a tired look to them.

Oh my gosh, I am so sorry that I haven't gotten these up yet. Super busy and I kinda procrastinated because I was afraid they weren't good enough. I think I'm satisfied for now, though, so here goes:

Name: Finn Gray
Role: Farm Boy
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Crush: Rosalinda
History/Personality: Finn is self reliant, hard-working, and used to being treated like dirt. Although his family has always been kind to him, he has very few friends - Bridget being one of them. Finn grew up like most farm boys, put to work as soon as they could walk. He didn't mind, though, because he tried to look on the bright side of things. He is usually a positive person, but the facts are that the world is not always a happy place, and Finn's dreams get crushed easily. He is an extremely sensitive individual who finds either the black or white and rarely the gray side of things. He's not temperamental, although he allows others who are to walk all over him. He's a klutz when it comes to love, and he knows little to nothing of dating in general. He's slightly naive because of his constant want to see things happier, and this is seen as his greatest weakness. Finn is known as a daydreamer, and when his dreams are realized, he practically radiates joy. Most people love being around him, but bullies are a given. Finn's natural attempts at seeing the world different conjure up a desperate need to cover up his sadness. Because of this, it often takes people a while to notice he is feeling down. Bridget is one of the extreme few who know all of his habits, likenesses, and whether he's in a generally depressed mood or not because often it's extremely tough to tell.
Appearance: http://thesecretcircle.net/wp-content/u ... /zylka.jpg

Name: Reina Hamliton
Role: Queen
Age: 42
Gender: Female
Crush: Cedric Malone / 'Gerald Hamliton' [first, refuses to accept, second, half pretends]
History/Personality: Jealous, impatient, and hardly sympathetic, Reina's usual game is to seek the highest power. As a young girl, she was the only sister of four brothers. She often felt that she was not good enough for her parents, although they treated all five children the same. She always sought to defeat her brothers or to turn out on top. She was sick of her friends' attempts at getting her to 'calm down', so eventually she dropped every last one of them. At one point in her life, she met a man named Cedric Malone. She fell madly in love with him - a feeling that was foreign to her. She didn't know how to react to it, and before she knew it they were with child. She was happy at first, but this new happy feeling was new to her. She reacted badly to it, running from love instead of embracing it. She felt powerless to stop her own emotions, so she fled to marry someone whom she knew she could not truly and wholly love. She managed to have luck with the king, Gerald Hamliton. The position she was granted when they were married was queen, and here she felt her absolute best. She still felt a tingle whenever she was around Gerald, but it was no where near as strong as when she had been with Cedric. Reina was glad to have love almost out of her possession, but soon bore two more children. She spends most of her days now spoiling her first daughter, Rosalinda, and trying to guilt the king into spending more riches on the two. She's incredibly manipulative when she feels the need for it, yet Reina is no stranger to guilt. She dives into confusion when dealing with love, and she often floods from it rather than faces it. She and almost everyone that knows her would find it safe to agree that she prefers power rather than falling head over heals for a good feeling.
Appearance: http://image.shutterstock.com/display_p ... 453495.jpg

Name: Lilith Malone
Role: Step-sister
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Crush: n/a
History/Personality: Lilith's favorite thing in life is nature. She feels at peace when she's outside and breathing fresh air, and it takes a lot to get her fuming. Lilith can be seen as an innocent type of girl who rarely ever does something wrong, but even she has some ugly secrets. When she was younger, she used to be envious of her sister's artistic ability. She would constantly attempt to throw her sibling off, but none of her attempts were successful. As she matured, Lilith eventually found her own thing to love, and she realized that what she had done in the past was pure stupidity. She gave up trying to demote her sister and instead turned to animals. She's always longed for a pet, although she has a friend in nearly any animal she comes in contact with. Lilith is understanding and sympathetic, but she is also easily hurt. She is patient, too, and therefore good at comforting others. Her potential to feel those emotions from others devastates her though. Often, she won't say how she really feels because she doesn't want anyone to worry about her. She would rather transfer her friends' hurt feelings to her than allow them to feel that pain. Thus, in allowing others to purge their deepest troubles, she absorbs them and feels their hurt. This allows her understanding ability to take place, and from there she is easily able to navigate and help someone through a rough spot. She isn't very good at helping herself, though, and not telling others about her instabilities is her biggest mistake nine times out of ten.
Appearance: http://www.lostinshots.com/photos/2009- ... edgirl.jpg

Name: Evalynn Hamliton
Role: Younger Daughter of King/Queen
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Crush: Caspian Adonis
History/Personality: She is shy towards strangers due to the fact that she is barely ever allowed to leave the castle. Evalynn isn't very agreeable with her own family either, though. She could be classified as something close to a rebel: she argues constantly, is impatient with her family's attitudes, disrespects her parents, and attempts to escape their firm hold in any way that she knows how - all to no avail. She is not practiced in civilization, so the first feeling she emanates is awkwardness. Although strangers make her uncomfortable at first, she is quick and eager to warm up once she knows for sure that you won't cause her any harm. This is because of her desire to go against her parents' will. Simply stated, she knows that they wouldn't approve of her talking to people outside the castle, so she does so whenever she feels it's likely a person is nice. Evalynn is an extremely hard working individual, and she can accomplish anything once she has set her mind to it. She will only do things of her free will, but she can be dedicated, loyal, and determined. She hates doing anything under orders, though, so good luck trying to force her to do anything. Because of all the work she has been assigned to do ever since she was young, she is a physically strong individual with a mindset to match. Never underestimate her.
Appearance: http://www.haircolorsideas.com/wp-conte ... y-girl.jpg

Name: Carmen Malone
Role: Stepmother
Age: 40
Gender: Female
Crush: Cedric Malone
History/Personality: A fiery individual with a passion to please. Carmen never does things halfway and you will hardly ever see her idle. She is in love with the idea of love, and when she met Cedric she just couldn't help but fall for him. Carmen can be a bit naive at times, but mostly she is very good company. She may not be the smartest woman in the world, but she is a talented and multi-versed person who can tell if someone is feeling sad in an instant. She is good at reading people, and her greatest hobby is to cook. She enjoys making homemade meals and is an excellent chef. Carmen isn't overly studious, but she does love to read a good book now and then. She encourages her daughters to follow what they believe in, and her biggest goal is to always accomplish her dreams. She passes on this vibe to almost everyone she meets and is quite the entertainer when she feels up to it. All this work and busying does tend to take its toll on her, though, and even Carmen must sometimes stop and take a rest. She finds it hard to be by herself and falls hard when a relationship becomes difficult to obtain. Her want to please can often be a bad things in situations that are just impossible for her to fix.
Appearance: http://fitnessanddefense.com/wp-content ... hot-27.jpg

Ooc:// Okay, I've been thinking really hard about a good start point, but I think we should start in a normal evening. Finn comes home from his job at the castle as always, and Bridget goes to meet him. Evalynn is serving dinner to Rosalinda, Reina, and Gerald when William interrupts them to tell them the prince has arrived. And, of course, Caspian is coming off of his ship.

Bic:// The sun rested against the horizan, about to disappear for the night. Bridget sat cross-legged on the side of the dirt road just a few feet from the rickety fence surrounding her family's whole propery, which wasn't much. Just a mile down the road to the left was where Finn lived, and about ten miles the other way was the place where he worked: the castle's royal stables. In the dirt in front of her, Bridget drew a couple stick figures in the road. They weren't very good; Diana was the artist, and Bridget didn't even pretend to be half as talented as her step-sister. Her hands were now covered in dirt, as well as her sleeves and her skirt. Bridget didn't mind much though, and stayed seated there as she always did when it was time for her best friend to come back home.



Gerald cut into the thick chunk of lamb meat sitting on his plate, glad for the day to be over. His eyes kept glancing at the doorway, knowing that at any minute, Prince Caspian Adonis would arrive. Although Gerald was very happy with the arranged marriage, his daughter had not taken the news very well. He was extememly anxious about how she would react when the prince was actually here, and the meat caught in his throat. He gulped down his entire goblet of water to sooth his coughing. When the lamb meat finally slid down his throat properly, the king looked up to see Willaim Gauges standing at attention in the door way. "Have you news, captian?" Gerald asked in a strong voice, though he felt his hands shaking in anticipation.

"Prince Caspian Adonis of our neighboring kingdom across the sea has arrived, sir," William declared in his all business voice. He stood straight with his hands held behind his back and his head inclined upward slightly. His eyes didn't look at anyone directly, his gaze focused on the far wall in front of him. The peaceful days of the kingdom were refelcted in his casual clothing. No armor or chain mail today. Instead the only accessory he had that even resembled battle was the sword in the hilt at his side. The captain of the guard could never be without a weapon.

At hearing this, Gerald immediately stood from his seat, pushing his chair back several feet in his enthusiasm. "When, then, we must go greet the boy," he announced, wishing to get this introduction of Rosalinda to Caspian over with as quickly as he could. He rushed to the doorway, waving Reina and Rosalinda to follow. He spared a glance at his othe daughter, Evalynn, wondering if she should come along to. Seeing the other servents preparing to follow anyways, Gerald turned away again and started out of the dining hall fiddling with the ring on his smallest finger. This could go very badly...



Anthony leaned over the edge of the ship as the crew rushed around to tie the ship into the port correctly. The wind was blowing chilly in the evening air, and Anthony was glad they had finally arrived. This trip had only shown Anthony that he did no possess sea legs. He headed over to Caspian and Darius, glancing at the giant castle near the shore only a few feet from them now. "Your fiance better be something specail after that five day journey," he muttered to the gangly prince who happened to be a close childhood friend.

Finn carried his burlap sack over his shoulder as he crossed the final path that would lead him on the dusty road home. He sighed heavily as he realized just how tired he was. The royal horses were not so simple to tend to, as he would have previously thought before taking this job. It did tend to sooth him, however. Working hard was one of the few things he was best at, and it made him happy to see all the animals taken care of. With this in mind, he held a firm smile on the face. Sooner or later, he would win the princess's affections. She may not notice him now, but she most certainly would eventually. Thinking of the day's events and Rosalinda, Finn was suddenly reminded of his best friend Bridget, whom he desperately wished to talk to again. He began a sprint, quickly arriving a few blocks away from his average sized home. When he close, he went past it to Bridget. As soon as he was within arm's reach, he scooped her up and gave her a warm hug, like they always did as the close friends that they were.



Evalynn had just finished serving dinner when his father began choking on it. She quickly moved in to help, but he had gotten over the coughing phase sooner than her feet had chosen to move. She let out a quiet breath and watched her family eat. It certainly was a bad fortune to cook such marvelous food and not be able to eat any of it. She whined inside of her head, wishing that if only her family would notice her potential, or if only she could have been born in place of her sister, Rosalinda, she too could be so pampered. She hated having to work on command, and she hated being as low as the servants.

Reina was not concerned with any particular family member at the moment. For the most part, she was entranced in the problem of her power. With this new prince on the way, her oldest daughter Rosalinda was sure to become queen soon. As soon as Reina died, anyway. No, that will not happen for a very long time, she mused in an attempt to make herself feel better. It certainly was an ordeal but not one to be dealt with right at this moment, for William came in with the news of Caspian's arrival. Following her husband, she quickly nudged her seat backward, dabbed the napkin over her lips, and stood up in a graceful manner. She eyed Evalynn in a 'Don't you dare stay here and sulk' kind of look, and Evalynn nodded reluctantly.

She played the part of fear, but she felt anger towards her mother. Evalynn was smarter than her parents or sister gave her credit for, and she was the perfect actress. Someday, she would be free to do what she pleased. She would be as free as the birds that circle the skies! Oh, how she wished she could become apart of the sky. It was so clear, so calm, and so absolutely... free. All she wanted was to be herself, not some servant to cater to her own family's every whim. They had plenty of servants. Why did she have to follow their footsteps? Servants were not free, and somehow Evalynn did truly fear that she would never be either. Until her parents died, anyways.

Ooc: Alrighty, here goes nothing!

Bic:
Caspian shrugged missurably to Anthony's comment. "Whether she is or isn't, it's too late to turn back now," he sighed, leaning against a mast and willing his seasickness to subside. "Not that I had much choice in the matter." Another bout of nausia racked his belly and forced his gangly limbs to stumble slightly sideways towards the nearest railing as the ship continued to sway atop the surf.

"Aw, cheer up you two!" Darius crowed, slapping His Royal Highness heartily on the back a little too roughly. "Compared to your company, I'm sure she'd be more than a sight for sore eyes. Honestly, the lot of you moping around like old women! Besides, I'm sure she's a beauty...from what I've heard, her mother certainly is!"

Caspian grunted as Darius's "friendly pat", which caused his already overworked abdominal muscles to scream in agony from the added stress. "That's easy enough for you to say," he moaned. "Girls don't think of you as a rusty hair pin."

Darius rolled his eyes, temporarily bored with the task of raising his companions' spirits. His eyes scanned the horizon as the harbor came further into focus. "Straighten up," he hissed. "Looking like a 'hair pin' is the least of your concerns; looks like your bride's entourage is waiting at the dock. And for pity's sake, wipe that vomit off your face! You at least need to look well-bred!"

***

Rosalinda sniffed as she followed her father, mother, and servants out of the dining hall, down several corridors and a flight of steps before appearing in the stables, a carriage already prepared for departure. She grudgingly accepted the grubby hand of a stable hand as she climbed in, miffed that her image would be even slightly marred on the day she was expected to meet whatever imbicile her parents expected her to marry. 'If I'm crown princess, then I should be allowed to choose my own groom!' she thought darkly.

What seemed like a short time later, the carriage came to an abrupt halt, jerking the daydreaming princess rudely back into reality and nearly throwing her from her seat with the sudden shift of gravity. "You! Watch it! Apparently we pay you far too much for what poor job you do and our coffers could be better used elsewhere!" she yelled to the driver, slamming the flat of her palm against the carriage roof. She followed the king and queen out of the carriage, again forced to accept the assistance of some other servant. She quickly jabbed this one in the ribs with her left elbow once she was safefly on the ground again -this made her feel slightly better; she quickly excused her action as justified because of a look the man gave her.

After another pointed out which boat her betrothed was on board, she quickly scanned the faces of the three young men watching the shore. She was certain that this, prince must be one of them; their clothes, although rumpled, looked far too fine to belong to any sailor and they were the only men idle on deck.

Bridget had just finished the sun rays on her oval-shaped sun when she suddenly found herself swept up off the dirty ground. The pair of sturdy arms were very familar to her, but she still gasped loudly in surprise. "Finn!" she squealed amongst the stream of ringing giggles coming from her mouth. Her hands clamped together at the back of his neck, holding on tightly as she tried to regain her footing. Her lack of height made it impossible for her wool boots to reach the ground again, so her efforts were futile. When she finally came back into contract with the dirt road and wiggled free of Finn's gripping hug, Bridget smiled up at him, saying, "How was your day today?" As she asked, she grabbed his burlap sack from his hands and started towards her house. "C'mon. My mother's got dinner on the table and has a place set for you." She lifted the sack over her shoulder to carry it better, though she still struggled with the heavy bag. "What do you have in here?" she exclaimed as she finally dropped it on the ground.



Gerald stared at the floor of the carriage as it carred them to the dock, consumed in his worried thoughts and ignoring Rosalinda's complaining. At least she had come to the ship port with little resistance. Perhaps if she picked on the servents and let out some steam, she would give the prince she mercy and be polite to him. The king exited the carriage, throwing an apologetic look to one of the servents who was rubbing at his sore side. Gerald become very distacted by someone pointing out the ship which contained Prince Caspian. His eyes squinted against the setting sun gleaming behind a trio of young lads. Looking at them at that time, Gerald wasn't sure he wanted any of them to be the prince he would marry his daughter to.

The brilliant red hair of one of them first caught Gerald's attention, and his first thought was that the boy seemed like a trouble-making fool and a flirt. The boy in the middle held no expression at all, except perhaps of sea-sickness. He was skinny and didn't look like he could hold his own in a fight, but at least he seemed like he would do as he was told. The thrid boy seemed resentful of coming to a new place, his harsh glare skimming over the coast in distaste. Gerald prayed this wasn't the prince; Rosalinda didn't need any more encouragement to brood about the castle.

William also glanced over the faces of the three possible princes, wondering which it could be. He noted that vomit on the chin of the tall, skinny one, and hid a chuckled behind his hand. He dismounted the horse that he had ridden to the dock behind the carriage, tying the chestnut stallion to a post near the dock. He walked over to stand near the king and his family, as was his usual post. His job of protecting the royal family was never truely over, and if anything happened to any of them, he would always be at fault.



Anthony smirked slightly at Darius's advice, glancing over to see that Capian really did have a speck of vomit on his face. The slight expression that might have been related to a smile quickly left Anthony's face faster than it had appeared. He stared down at the royal family standing near the dock, probably preparing their welcome. From the distance, it was hard to make out all of her features, but even from across the port, one could easily tell Princess Rosalinda was stunning.

The sailor's signaled to the three that they were all ready to depart the ship. A plank had been set across the thin gape of water to give them access from the ship to the dock. "Well, lets get this formal welcoming over with," Anthony grumbled as he pushed away from the railing and towards the sailors who were to escort them off the ship. "I could use their best mattress and bed frame right about now, so get meet your bride so I can get some sleep."

Finn smiled warmly as Bridget took his burlap sack, thinking for a moment how sweet she was for taking his bag. "Oh, Bridget, it was absolutely marvelous! I'll tell you all about it once I get settled-" He stopped himself as soon as he heard Bridget speak again, and she had indeed invited him to go inside her house with dinner on the table, nonetheless. He couldn't help but crack a grin. "Thanks, Bridget. You're seriously way too nice." He nudged her shoulder in a playful manner, and when she put down the bag he picked it right back up again. "Oh, it's nothing. Just the equipment for the horses." He gave a chuckle and left it by the entrance of the house once they were inside.



Reina got out of the carriage without a word, following her husband as if she had no choice. She knew better than that, but she must play the part, mustn't she? As she looked towards the trio of men aboard the ship, she couldn't help but wear a frown of distaste. None of these men seemed fit for her beautiful, first born daughter. Then again, what did she know? She fell in love with a mere farm boy what seemed like ages ago. Cedric Malone had been her first love, and she had left him in the hopes of getting to her desired place in life. She had reached it, but it may not last for long. Then there were those troubling thoughts again... "Rosalinda, honey, what do you think of your future husband?" She asked good-naturedly, wearing the mask of a smile.

While her older sister and parents may have seen the trio with judgmental eyes, Evalynn couldn't help but think how magnificent they looked. She was not used to strangers, so all these people were a fascinating new turn of events for her, but those three strangers in particular were what caught her eye. There was the one who seemed bored and out of it. Maybe he didn't want to come in the first place. Then there was the other, who seemed the exact and ridiculous opposite. He had excitement in his eyes, and a weird type of glow to his form. The one that impressed her the most, though, was the one who was dirty upon the mouth. He had been sea sick from the looks of it, and who blamed him? A journey that long doesn't sit well with some peoples' stomaches. He seemed strangely beautiful to Evalynn, although she began to have second, more passionate thoughts.

At first, she was furiously jealous with her sister. Why should Rosalinda, the snarling beast she had to call her sibling, be the one to marry any one of these three men? She didn't deserve them, and they didn't deserve to be stuck with her. Evalynn should have been the one in her sister's place. She was just as royal, and it didn't make an ounce of sense. Then, though, Evalynn began to have second thoughts about these three strangers too. Surely, they were royalty too. Whichever one was the prince would not give a second glance towards Evalynn, the seemingly quiet, good for nothing cast out of her own family. Figures, she mused. A prince is a prince is a prince. Royalty stinks because they are all the same. She cast her face away, not daring to take another look at this horrid new situation her mind was conjuring.

Caspian immediately scrubbed the offensive matter with the back of his sleeve, feeling very self-conscious with not only the concerned glances of his friends fixed on him, but the critical eyes of the crowd below him as well. A bad move. His sudden movement caused his over-simulated body to once again nearly topple over. Not only that, but if he and his companions were expected to dine with the royal family, Caspian was well aware that his stench would be more than just over a week's worth of sweat and sea.

Darius sent another worried glance towards the prince. "You alright?" he murmured, just low enough for only Caspian and Anthony to hear, though the question was mostly rhetorical; a rock could see that the prince was certainly not okay!

"Yeah," Caspian mumbled, leaning against the rail of the ramp leading away from the ship as the trio made their way to shore.

Darius scrutinized Caspian further, but didn't ask again.

***

Rosalinda turned to her mother, giving the same sugary smile in return. "That would depend on which man he is," she replied evenly. Inwardly, she couldn't help but compare each one to darling William, but she didn't dare say that. Even she knew her limits.

An army of cargo men scurried back and forth from the boardwalk, ramp, ship, and back to the ramp again like a colony of insects as they unloaded the royal passengers' belongings and set them in wagons to be taken up the hill to the castle. By now, the trio of potential princelings were nearly a stone throw's away from where Rosalinda stood with the king and queen.

Once they were closer, the tall, skinny one offered a stiff bow before beginning to speak. "Um, h-hello. Good evening, your Majesties. I am Caspian Adonis, son of King Adonis III, and a prince of Adosnia. These are my companions, Darius Lerato and Anthony Tocken, sons of two of my father's most trusted advisors. It is an honor to finally meet the rulers of my father's allies."

Caspian unconsciously held a breath, still hiding behind the formal mask beaten into him since birth, and stared blankly at the space slightly to the lower right of the king's ear as he waited for the king to speak, or at least give some other acknowledgement of his presence.

Rosalinda stared at this so-called "prince" that stood before her. Why, he was even worse than she feared! Not only was he a frightfully dull foreigner, he certainly wasn't much to look at! She quickly flipped out her fan and opened it with a snap, using it to hide the rapid change of emotions she was certain would otherwise be seen. Although normally she wouldn't care about her first impressions, she also felt self-conciously aware that William was standing nearby. Besides, there would be other more opportune moments to resume her campaign against this insanity.

OOC: The bold portions are parts I improvised...I hope that's okay? O.o

Ooc:// Anaquine, those are perfect!

Bic:// Bridget giggled as Finn nudged her shoulder, shaking her head as he easily picked up his bag again and set it by the door. "Remind me never to work with horses if I have to carry around all that with me," she teased, pushed on the door with a lot of effort to shove it open. It seemed to be getting stuck more and more these past few days, but there was nothing they could do to fix it without the money to buy some supplies. "Dad, Mom, Finn's here!" Bridget called into the small house, her voice being heard in every room. It had only been within the last few years that Bridget had started calling Carmen "mom." It still felt a little strange on her lips.

Sitting on the miniature bench just inside the door, Bridget yanked off her boots and set them under the bench with all the rest of the shoes. Even from where she sat, Bridget had a clear view of the kitchen/dining room, and the warm scent of dinner on the table quickly reached her. She jumped up from the bench and headed towards the table.



Gerald gave the prince a polite smile and an approving nod, glad to see such politness in this boy. Perhaps he would win over Rosalinda yet. With just one glance at his daughter, though, these positive thoughts quickly disappeared. Her face was hiddin behind her fan, and Gerald knew his daughter well enough to translate that action into her distaste. He returned his full attention to Caspian, not about to let Rosalinda's quick judgement to erase Gerald's manners. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Caspian. And you're friends as well." He smiled warmly at the three boys, wanting to make them feel somewhat comfortable in this strange land.

"I am King Gerald, but of course you knew that already," he said, triyng to lighten the formalities. After all, if this boy was to be his son-in-law, they had to get used to being formal with each other. "This my wife, Queen Reina. And, of course, this is my daughter, Princess Rosalinda." He motioned for his daughter to step forward and greet these boys. He stared pointedly at her fan, silently telling her to put it away.

William stared out at the sea as the royal's exachanged their greeting, only listening enough to catch their names. He glanced every so often at each of the family, not moving his head at all. Rosalinda was closet to him, which he used as the excuse to glance at her the most often. He noticed her face hidden behind her fan, catching a few changed of expression on her face that she hid from her parents. For the first time in a long while, William really thought about the situation. He had spoken to Rosalinda many times, but he had never allowed himself to feel anything but protectiveness over her. Now, he witnessed her face flip through so many emotions that William couldn't help but want to comfort her. He pushed these thoughts aside as Gerald turned to Rosalinda, returning to his stare out to sea.

Anthony stood beside Caspian with his hands help behind his back and his posture perfectly in place. He barely moved until Caspian mentioned his name, and at this he merely nodded in acknowledgement of the royal family. All his mind could think about was getting to their room and sleeping for days.

Bridget's father glanced up at the sound of his daughter's greeting. "Well, hello Finn!" Cedric greeted, rising from the desk seat and also heading over to take his place at the table -the desk's surface, however, remained littered with records of the family's finances in a jumbled heap of "organized chaos".

By the hearth, Diana quickly flipped shut her diary, satisfied that a new sketch was added, and scurried over to where her mother was placing the last few items on the table for their evening meal. The girl groaned; once again she was too engrossed in her art to help with dinner. No matter! She'd simply wash the dishes afterwards. "Hey Finn! How's the castle?" she greeted cheerily.

***

The fan closed with a snap, and for a brief moment, rage flashed in Rosalinda's eyes before coiling back down to hide behind the sugary mask of the "perfect" princess. She felt William's eyes rest on her and blushed deeply. For once, she was almost grateful for her maid always caking on the powder and rouge so thick -almost. If her parents hadn't orchestrated this insanity then she wouldn't have any need for so much rogue.

She stepped forward daintily, swept into a shallow curtsy, and held out a gloved hand. "Greetings, Prince," she forced out through a gritted smile.

Caspian, following Darius's advice, bowed over Rosalinda's hand and tried hard not to notice how quickly she retook it. He desperately resisted the urge to sigh as he glanced dully at the looming caste overlooking the sea.

Finn playfully flicked his palm and said, "Pft. It's not that bad. The horses are fantastic and gentle. And the princess..." His eyes began to take on a slightly glassy look, as if he had just left this world and gone into his dream land. He was back in almost an instant, though, when he heard Bridget call throughout the house that they had come inside. He quickly took his seat by the table, following her lead. When the rest of her family came in, he greeted them as politely as he knew how, although they had been friends for such a long time, the formalities kinda got lost on the way. "Hello, Mr. Malone." He bowed his head down ever so slightly to show his respect, then was greeted by Diana as well. "Oh, it's marvelous!" He replied amazed. "I've only been working there for a short while, but it's great. The horses and castle are gorgeous. Everything there is beautiful beyond compare..." and with that, he began to think of the princess Rosalinda again, if only for a short while.

Carmen came in as well, placing extra helpings on everyone's plates before finally taking her own seat. She smiled at Finn in her own way, preferring not to trouble him with three different 'hello's at the same time. As she sat, she waited for her last daughter, Lilith, who showed up a minute later, somewhat breathless. "I'm sorry mother, father! I was out back in the trees. I didn't realize that dinner had started, but I heard Bridget call." She smiled at her step-sister, then noticed Finn beside her. "Oh, hi Finn! I didn't realize you were here either!" She laughed a bit to herself before taking a seat beside Diana.



Reina nodded her head in polite interest when she was introduced, not really enjoying this very much, but forcing herself to look pleased. No, this prince certainly was not suitable for her daughter, the girl who would carry on her powerful legacy. Then again, there was always the idea that Rosalinda had her strong personality. Her beautiful first-born daughter would reign with an iron fist, demanding respect and challenging those who were opposed to her. By far, she would out last this... Prince Caspian by a mile. She smiled genuinely, happy with the future that she now believed would eventually come.

Evalynn, on the other hand, was not smiling at all. She was annoyed, although not surprised, that her father had not bothered to mention her name upon introductions. Obviously, she was not fit to be introduced. By the way she was dressed, she looked more like one of their maids than any second successor to the throne. She eyed Caspian cautiously, realizing with finality that he had been the prince. At first, she was overjoyed within herself. The best of the three was the one who was to marry her sister- then she remembered. He was to marry her sister, not her. Evalynn was overcome with a sudden coldness. She was irritated with her sister, becoming overwhelmed with a terrible feeling of envy. Why was it that her sister got everything when she did nothing to deserve it?

Bridget leapt up from the bench, scurring over to her seat beside her father. "As much as you dote upon that princess, she must be an absolute angel," she said with a hint of scorn aimed at Rosalinda in particular. Ever since he started working at the royal stables, all of Finn's stories consisted of Princess Rosalinda doing some minute action that completely engrossed Finn. Nowadays, the mere mention of the princess caused Bridget to bristle and soured her mood. Despite her heavy dislike, Bridget bit her tongue when it came to insulting the princess in any way. With Finn infatuated with the girl, Bridget didn't want to offend him.



Gerald fixed Rosalinda with a stern gaze as she greeted the prince, but even his stare couldn't stop her from pulling her hand away as quickly as possible. With a silent sigh, the king decided to give up trying to make Rosalinda seem delighted at the arranged marriage to the prince, and instead thought it best just to put everyone to bed and try again tomorrow. "I am sure you three are tired from your long journey," he said to Caspian, Darius, and Anthony with a knowing smile at the worn-out faces and slacking postures. "Let me show you to your chambers." He turned around and gestured for them to follow him into the sae carriage he and ridden in with his daughter and wife a few moments ago. Another carriage was trotting down the hill, originally supposed to carry the prince and his friends, but now would hold Rosalinda and Reina.

As the king departed to his carriage, the three noblemen following suit, William returned to his bay thoroughbred stallion and took the reins from a young stable with a nod in gratitude. Holding this horse was no trouble, though, since Corr was expertly trained and incredably well-behaved. With the leather reins securely in his hands, William took the position in the spot where the coming carriage would halt and where he would help Roslinda and her mother inside. William glanced at Rosalinda just one more time as he wondered exactly what thoughts were going around in her mind concerning the arranged marriage. Obviously, she was unahppy, but to what extent? William found himself desperately wanting to know.

Anothny waited until the king and his family were out of hearing range to mutter under his breathe, "Well, that went well." He gave Caspian a knowing look before walking after the king to a large, garnished carriage. Gerald stood to the side of the door, waiting for the three boys to climb in first. Anthony stepped up into the seating space first and sat on the plum cushioned bench seat on the right side.

Cedric Malone, content to ignore the young adults' conversation -so long as nothing went out of hand- began to eat his meal, raising fork and knife to cut off a morsal of a seasoned red skinned potato.

"As much as you dote upon that princess, she must be an absolute angel," Bridget said.

Uh oh. He didn't particularly like that underlying edge in his daughter's tone. Cedric's eyebrows raised slightly as his hand moved for his mug of cider. He hoped that Bridget wouldn't do anything she might regret later...

Dianna stole a side glance at her step-sister; she may not be nearly as empethetic as Lilith, but even she could see that things were about to go downhill quick. Honestly, boys could be so dense! The only solution to this problem was to distract Finn from anything "castle related" -where there were castles, there was Rosalinda.

"Ahem," Dianna interjected, clearing her throat. "So Finn, how's your family?"

Not a creative topic change, but it would have to do.



Rosalinda's fists clenched, her shoulder's squared, and her small chin inclined upwards slightly in silent defiance to the king. Not only would she be forced to give up her seat for some...princeling, but she would be forced to share the second carriage with the Queen, alone. Granted, it was not a terribly long trip back to the castle, but her mother had the habit of making fifteen minutes seem like hours of tension. One thing the ice princess knew was that she was not in the mood to play mind games!

With another supressed sigh, she followed Queen Reina Hamilton to the other carriage, this time allowing herself to be handed in without complaint. She once again felt William's gaze resting briefly on her, and suddenly she felt somewhat childish for her earlier behavior towards the prince.



Caspian meerly gave a tired nod in response to the king. Obviously Rosalinda's father was trying to make amends for his daughter's behavior, he presumed, and he allowed himself a small grin to Anthony's comment when King Gerald's back was turned. Well, it certainly could have gone worse; he half expected her to laugh mockingly at him. So, Rosalinda was spoiled and strong willed -he could work with that, and he'd certainly have to if their future marriage to not be complete misery for both of them!

Darius chuckled dryly at Anthony's comment. Who knew that the "foreign beauty" would be an ice princess. Suddenly, any trace of envy he might have had for his friend evaporated. Good thing he pressured his father into convincing their king to allow Caspian to bring travel companions...

When they reached the carriage, Darius decided to seat himself next to King Gerald, allowing Caspian to sit across from the king and giving the option to sit next to their friend.

OOC: sorry for not posting sooner...typical business. Anyways, the pictures of the characters are absolutely fantastic!