◄Have you seen my brother, Lucy?►
By far the youngest of all the leaders on the Chess continent, Miroslava’s youth has no trouble making itself apparent in her behavior. Her formal duties are to manage the Kingdom’s Rook Army and the general welfare of the people, listening to the concerns of the people and overseeing kingdom maintenance. When she took on these duties, her first immediate act was to look for a competent core staff. Quite soon, Lucian learned that Miroslava detested being confined in one place for too long and her restlessness often resulted in headaches for him. After rigorous searching, she immediately set about training them to be almost efficient enough to not need her daily presence in the Queen’s Office. With this task complete, she assigned herself the Head Bishop’s job, that is to inspect the kingdom’s clinics, as an excuse to go traveling across the country.
AS King Lucian’s younger sister, most people assumed Miroslava would grow to be his female counterpart given that they were raised with the same hand. While Lucian embraced their father and mother’s lessons, Miroslava got the other end of the stick, their eternal exasperation and discipline. She was impulsive, and easily excited. Her attention wandered often into the courtyard where soldiers trained, until their father decided to raise her according to her nature. She was allowed to train with the soldiers so long as she continued to excel in her studies of medicine. Now grown up with their mother retired to the countryside after the death of their father, Miroslava and Lucian share the task of running the kingdom. Where Lucian spends much of his time running the kingdom, the Lady Ashe has gone on numerous trips abroad and usually leaves her Head Bishop to take care of the more mundane of her duties. Currently resting at home after a two month adventure along the coast, Miroslava instead spends her days wheedling Lucian for a chance to be allowed on the front in Noir’s war with Blanc.
Age 24 years old. Unmarried.
Disposition Bubbly, brash, competitive and demanding. She craves excitement and adventure, something that her duties as head of the Noir Rook Army does not provide her in abundance. She spends more time than she should looking for opportunities to drag her Rooks and Bishops out into the field.
Preferences "I enjoy peaches! You get them from a coastal country to the south, did you know? Would you like to go there with me?"
Dislikes "My office.”
Giuco Piano: An opening move also known as the “Quiet Game.” This move aims to quickly develop the game by putting pressure on the weakest part of the opponent’s army to clear an opening for greater opportunities.
The King’s Office was quiet but for the scratching of a pen and low whispers. The young king of Noir sat behind his desk reading and signing missives as advisers stood to both his left and right murmuring of petitions, complaints and other state matters. Surrounding him were other government officers respectfully waiting patiently for their king to turn his attention to them so that they could also report to him on the state of their respective departments. Maids stood on standby with carts of tea and food. The King’s Office was an orderly place and Lucian would have it no other way.
“Lucy!” came the muffled cry from behind the double door entrance into the office. A scramble could be heard outside as his guards tried to stop the intruder from entering. “Lucy! I need to speak with you! Let me in! Lucy!.” The advisers and officers had stopped to stare at the door but Lucian continued scratching away with his pen, going through document after document as if nothing had happened. Although, if one observed closely, he might have been going through the papers at a slightly faster speed than he would have deemed prudent. But no one in the room noticed.
“I will kick this door down, and then you shall have to spend money to replace it. Don’t think I won’t!” came the threat. Lucian spasmed. His advisers and officers and maid collectively winced. The King dragged a hand down his face and inhaled deeply. He waved his free hand to indicate that the intruder be let in and for everyone to leave.
“All of you are dismissed. We will reconvene in two hours. That should be enough time to hear what she has to say.” The maids curtsied and moved to open the doors for everyone to exit. Papers were hastily gathered while advisers attempted to get one last word in before they were shooed out.
When the crowd had dispersed, a young woman flounced in, arms swinging with her decorative rapier clanging in sync to her arms. “Lucy! My darling. My sweet brother. My wonderful, wonderful brother,” she gushed. Quickly, she deposited herself onto the empty edge of Lucian’s desk, displacing a few sheets of paper with her dramatic sitting. Lucian grimaced at the sight and quickly restacked them into their original position. Just for good measure, he straightened all of the stacks surrounding it and moved his pens and more important documents into several separate drawers.
“Yes… Miroslava. And what do you need from me today?” he sighed.
Miroslava pouted. “I am just here for our designated sister brother bonding time. You know, I haven’t talked to you in such a long time. I feel nearly faint with longing for my wonderful, capable, noble brother…king… Lucy.” She unbuckled the sword from her waist and laid it across the desk so that she could turn to face him fully. “So, Lucy. Tell me about your day! I am all ears and my eyes will gaze upon no one but you.”
“Miroslava. First, three hours – yes, I counted, I always count – is hardly enough time for you to be overcome with loneliness. Second, I have already told you about my day. If you haven’t noticed, the sun is setting and I believe I already recounted to you the significant events of my day three hours previous. Unless you wish to hear more?” Lucian casually trained his eyes upon a document titled, “Request for More Funds to Food Acquisition.” His sister quickly grimaced and equally as casually overturned the document. Lucian promptly flipped it back over and straightened it.
“No, no. That’s quite all right. Then I shall tell you about my day; I learned something quite tantalizing during my spars with the captains.” Lucian sighed once more and began to speak again before his first syllables were cut off. “So, as today is Friday, the Captains with brigades on standby were doing weekly sparring matches amongst themselves. Yes, I know that you know, Lucy. It’s part of the art of storytelling. I’m not giving you a stuffy report so don’t sigh like that.”
How did she hear him? He hadn’t even realized the sound had left his mouth before she had called him out on it! Nevermind, nevermind. Lucian pursed his lips slightly at Miroslava’s last comment, but let it slide for her to continue speaking. The faster she told this story, the faster he could finish up the day’s work and take a nice long soak in the baths. Already he was feeling the exasperation that built up whenever Miroslava came to disrupt his work.
“I was passing by, and guess what! I heard one of the Captain Knights discuss something quite juicy. You know what it is, don’t you? You weren’t terribly surprised when I barged in, were you? You expected me to come find you eventually, didn’t you?” she accused with a Cheshire grin.
Oh, yes. Lucian had known where this was going to go as soon as he heard her call his name earlier. He wanted to slouch in his chair in resignation, because this was not a battle he could win without incurring a bald spot or two. But he wasn’t going to admit that.
Lucian cleared his throat and took a sip of water from a cup the maids had left behind. “No.”
Miroslava’s grin transformed into a mighty frown. She crossed her arms, then seemed to decide that it was uncomfortable, and slapped her hands on the chair’s arms. “You. Are being oblivious. But I am a generous and non-judging person, so I shall let it slide.” Airily, she waved her hand in mock benevolence; Lucian snorted. “As I was saying, I overheard them discussing how now that you’ve finally figured out a way into Prophylaxis, that you were going to send in a team or two to go scouting!”
At this, the quite dignified Lady Ashe began bouncing her chair in eagerness. Lucian chose not to comment, but instead raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘So? What does this have to do with you?’ As if the excitement had simply overflowed, she exclaimed, “Oh! You’re going to let me lead it, aren’t you? Aren’t you? I practically run the smart half of our army! I’ll take some of our best rooks and we’ll ferret out some juicy secrets and, oh! It’ll be the greatest adventure I have had since ever! And…well. I suppose we could take some of your Pawn soldiers too… But anyway! I am leading it, right? Yes or yes? Definitely?”
With each question, Miroslava had stepped closer and closer to Lucian until she was practically laying on his desk – and ruining his workspace! Lucian quickly shooed her off the desk; she complied without breaking eye contact with him. A manic grin had spread across her face with a glint in her eyes promising pain and retribution if he did not give her the answer she wanted. Lucian rubbed his temples a bit before deciding that keeping it from her would only delay the inevitable. He pulled out a drawer to retrieve a folder. With an agonizing slowness, he seemed to flip through documents almost carelessly. He had the feeling that if Miroslava was not so eager, she would have torn the folder from his grasp out of impatience.
“I have been planning this for some time. But my intention was to send your High Bishop as your presence here is more important than sending you abroad on a dangerous mission.” Miroslava made a strangled noise. “But as sending any Rooks or Bishops under your command is pends approval solely at your discretion, I believe my attempts would have failed. And you would have assigned yourself as the Leading Agent despite my wishes.”
“Oh, hurry up, you windba—I mean, shed that silly old King attitude with me, dear Lucy! We’re siblings. Family!” she urged sweetly with a hand cupping one cheek. “And ol’ Carter knows my duties and practices nearly as well as you do, so of course there’s no problem if I ever left. … That doesn’t make me redundant though, just so you’re aware.”
Lucian raised a glance at her before continuing as before. “I have made the necessary preparations for the scouting party and you will follow it or I will abandon this altogether and take a route that excludes any possibility of your participation. This is highly important to finally making some ground in this long conflict we have had with Blanc and Prophylaxis, and any mistakes will cost us dearly. Do you understand, Miroslava, or are you simply nodding so that you may go about this on your own?”
In response, the Lady Ashe stepped around the desk to pluck the folder from him and give him a big, squelching kiss on the cheek. She then hugged him for good measure. Stepping back, she tucked the folder under her arm for later perusal. Miroslava directed an ecstatic smile at him. “Of course I understand. I do run the other half of the kingdom, you know. Well! I shall leave you to your stuffy ol’ documents . Good bye, dear Lucy!”
With that, Miroslava plucked up her sword and skipped out of Lucian’s office while humming a happy tune. Lucian watched her go with brotherly exasperation before he heard the unmistakable sound of a sheet of paper slipping off his desk. He looked down and gasped in horror. His, his desk!
Will the Lady Ashe take you with her? Or will you be stuck on the home front?
For Noir Pieces Only One of the Bishops has posted a notice on a bulletin board in the training courtyard! It reads as follows:
SCOUTING TEAM SIGN-UPS
Lady Ashe intends to travel towards Prophylaxis on a scouting mission aimed towards learning of new developments with the Gate of Paradise. Now that Prophylaxis’ borders are vulnerable, it is the perfect time to act. Lady Ashe seeks a number of soldiers for this preliminary scouting mission.
You will be subject to a series of interviews and test with the Lady Ashe. If you feel that you are not up to the task, do not sign up. Once you have signed up, further information shall be given.
Lady Ashe intends to travel towards Prophylaxis on a scouting mission aimed towards learning of new developments with the Gate of Paradise. Now that Prophylaxis’ borders are vulnerable, it is the perfect time to act. Lady Ashe seeks a number of soldiers for this preliminary scouting mission.
You will be subject to a series of interviews and test with the Lady Ashe. If you feel that you are not up to the task, do not sign up. Once you have signed up, further information shall be given.
「 Sign up? Or stay home? 」 Please click here. Post a quick RP post of your chosen Noir piece deciding whether to sign up or not to sign up. The length need not be more than a paragraph. Once done, sit back and wait for Lady Ashe to have her Rooks contact you further.
One piece per player.
