Private The Princess and the Drifter

[Princess Daniela Virelle]

Her Radiance, Princess Daniela Virelle

The streets of Paradisum shimmered beneath the afternoon sun, their marble façades and rose-gold domes painted in light like a stage set for her entrance. Perfume clung to the air, woven from a dozen vendors' wares, saffron, myrrh, imported silks kissed with alchemical scents. Her retinue of guards moved in their practiced diamond, polished cuirasses gleaming, but Daniela hardly paid them mind. They were furniture, background to her stroll. Put in place by her father she only got out from under when she went on missions for the Diarchy.

That was when she saw him.

Not one of hers. Not a Paradisum dandy in brocade, nor a polished noble with a powdered smile. Scruffy brown hair falling perfectly, violet eyes that gleamed even from a distance. A stocky frame, moving through the noble marketplace. Somehow to everyone else he seemed to fit in perfectly but she saw something different... or specia...

Daniela slowed. Her lips parted "Who is that?" she murmured under her breath.

The guards glanced, uncertain. None answered fast enough for her liking. With a flick of her wrist, she dismissed them. "Stay."

Before they could protest, Daniela stepped free of their formation, crimson skirt whisping as she cut across the street. Her heart quickened, though she'd never admit it, a princess didn't chase. Yet here she was, slipping through the crowd after a stranger.

Whatever he was, he did not belong in Paradisum's marble order. And perhaps that was exactly why she couldn't look away.

Jafan Bibble

 

[Jafan Bibble]

JAFAN
"The Galaxy doesn't need saints. It needs shields."​

Tags: Princess Daniela Virelle

---

This place was far more fancy than Jafan was used to. There were a lot more colour than the greys and browns he had gotten used to. And the marketplace seemed far too extravagant for him, as the Wanderer strolled through the town, stretching his arms out carefully, unaware of the small little audience he had. Well, watcher would probably be more accurate. Jafan rubbed the back of his neck as he took in the sight of all of the goods for sale, pulling out a pathetic looking credit chit.

He could always try to yoink something to eat but for once, he was not in any rush to getting kicked off the planet. It seemed pretty nice and he wanted to enjoy it for at least a few days before he moved onto his next haunt. Taking a moment to adjust his hood, Jafan stopped for a moment, turning his head back and frowning for a moment at the sight of a crimson skirt seemingly coming his way.

It couldn't be for him...but he tried to test the idea out, taking a quick turn away from the market to see if he was being followed. In his eyes, having a stranger follow you usually didn't mean anything good.

---

— Outlaw • Wanderer • Protector —​

 

[Princess Daniela Virelle]

Her Radiance, Princess Daniela Virelle

He turned away. Daniela blinked, momentarily stunned. People usually turned toward her, to bow, to flatter, to scurry out of her path. They did not turn their back and vanish into the press of the crowd.

Her heels clicked faster, skirts gathered in one hand as she pursued. What sort of man ran from a princess?

Was he a thief? A criminal? Or simply someone too proud to bend knee? The thought sent a flicker of excitement through her chest, sharp as champagne bubbles.

"Hey wait!" she called after him, her voice slicing clean through the marketplace hum. Not accusatory, curious, playful.

Her stride lengthened, crimson skirts flaring with each step as she cut down the same turn he had taken. She caught the briefest flash of a hood, the unmistakable gleam of violet eyes glancing back over a shoulder.

"Honestly," she muttered under her breath, half to herself, half to the perfumed air. "Running from me of all people. Who does that?" Then she remembered the scary appearance of her mother and father. "Fair enough" she murmured again.

"Stop a moment. I… I have need of you."

The words tumbled out before she'd quite thought them through, leaving Daniela blinking at her own forwardness. Need of him? For what?

Jafan Bibble

 

[Jafan Bibble]

JAFAN
"The Galaxy doesn't need saints. It needs shields."​

Tags: Princess Daniela Virelle

---

"If I've learned anything, if some "shiny type" is following me around, it's not entirely a good thing."

As the woman turned the corner, Jafan was lifting up a deathstick to his mouth. There was a small slight bit of hesitation as he looked her up and down for a moment, raising an eyebrow. What did someone like this want from someone like him? Clearly couldn't be anything good. For now, he left the deathstick in his mouth, not lit as of yet.

"Listen here Miss. I don't work for free. And I don't work to take advantage of the needy. If someone's picked your pocket, find someone else to get your justice."

He folded his arms along his front as he stared down, taking the woman in front of him properly. His gaze flickering over towards her hair, raising an eyebrow at the fiery orange tips, before his gaze flickered to the end of the alleyway, expecting some kind of guard to come running around and accusing him of something. This girl screamed trouble to him...but there was a part of him that couldn't bring himself to run away. There was still the slightest possibility that she actually needed his help, and he wasn't going to run from someone who needed him.

---

— Outlaw • Wanderer • Protector —​