Time passes much more quickly in Rohandor and many long and happy years have gone by since the characters retired to enjoy their respective 'happily ever afters,' their greatest foes were imprisoned in the Forever Stone, bound in an eternal sleep. Until Now.
Happily Ever Afters takes place in Rohandor, a mystical realm on another plane of existence from our own. Here our favorite Disney heroes and villains live in a world all their own; Alive, but far from well. Heroes and heroines fight to keep peace while newly freed villains seek their revenge. Come join us in an epic adventure as the characters you love clash in a struggle that will determine the fate of Rohandor!
HEA is an AU canon-only animated crossover Disney Play-By-Post Role Play with minimal word count.
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4/24/21: We've been on hiatus for a number of years now. I don't know that I'm entirely ready to return BUT I have been cleaning up the site and working to update everything since a number of movies have released. There is still A LOT of work to do but if you see this update and were an active member of the site prior to the hiatus, please send the Yen Sid account a DM to let me know you're still interested in playing and if you wish to retain your current roster. I hope you've all been doing well and staying safe!
Happily Ever Afters is a play-by-post forum role playing game based on the movies and television series of Disney and Pixar. It was created for recreational and entertainment purposes only and not intended to step on any toes, offend, or infringe. We did not create nor do we own the content from the Disney and Pixar stories and movies. None of the threads and writing on this forum is associated or affiliated with Disney/Pixar in any way. We do not make any money off of this site or its content. The icons used in the Forum Information & Statistics and those like it throughout the board as well as the BBC buttons and smileys were taken from a layout called Absolute Madness made by PookyTart from Userbar Depot. All of the other graphics used on this board were found, created, or otherwise edited by Yen Sid or Te Fiti. Please don't steal or use any graphic from this board without explicit permission. All storylines and plots used in the threads/topics were created by the staff and members of HEA and should not be copied or used on another board without permission.
"You know... It's hard to believe." The young princess sat on a grassy cleft that spread before her for thirty feet before falling aside into steep cliffs, thus showing a stunning panoramic view of the lush lands of DunBroch below. "I've come here all my life," Merida mused, the wind from the height sending her mass of auburn curls rippling down her back. The forests that sprawled beneath her were spotted with glen and spring was uninterrupted otherwise. It stretched all the way to the distant sea, little more than a pale blue smear in the distance. "I always wondered what was beyond the horizon."
Merida looked to the gargantuan Clydesdale horse that grazed in the grass beside her. Once upon a time, the young archer had thought that Angus was the only one who ever listened to her. Since all that had happened with her would-be betrothal, that gammy spell and the final conclusion to the somber tale of Mor'du, Merida was happy that she didn't have to believe that anymore. Even if Queen Elinor was hard pressed stabilizing ties between DunBroch and the other kingdoms in the new world that they had all found themselves in. "Mum made me study maps, sure," Merida admitted, "but now? There's so much out there, Angus! Things new, and wonderful, and terrifying and secret!"
Merida was somewhere between mystified awe and giddiness as she spoke, using her hands to elaborate her point. "How can my fate be the same now? How can any of ours?" The princess pulled her knees beneath her chin and bit her bottom lip in excitement. After a moment, though, and following a particular snort of disgruntled urging from Angus, Merida paused, expression turning thoughtful again. Honestly, she had just begun to warm up to her new found freedom when DunBroch settled into place within the confines of Rohandur. Now, everything had changed. Nothing would be the same. Merida was excited, but a heart that had once been heedless had learned the reward for caution.
Her mum and dad had been incredibly busy because of it all. And, if that wasn't it, just when life in DunBroch began to settle down, something sinister had begun happening on the Isle of the Beast. Distant to Merida's family's kingdom, but it was spreading. News had come that most of the Ruby Kingdom of the Rose's denizens had sought refuge within Prince Adam and Princess Belle's palace because of the darkness stealing across the land. A darkness that held with it monstrous wolves who were gaining courage with each night. How long would DunBroch remain untainted? Had it already begun? Would it at all? So many questions, Merida's head was starting to pound. Is this how the Queen felt all the time? "Nothing's ever going to be the same," Merida voiced softly.
That was when the sound came. A distant boom followed by an outcry from bird and beast as the latter fled the canopy of the forest below in a certain vicinity, soaring away from a particular glen form which came a cloud of dirt or smoke. Merida straightened, eyes widening, mouth falling agape. "What was tha-?" she asked, turning to Angus, who had whinnied in protest at the disturbance and kicked nervously at the grassy ground. Merida jumped up and grasped his reins in one hand, stroking the horse's nose with the other in a bid to calm him down. Merida could hear her mother now: "Don't get into trouble. Be back before dark. Don't wander, now!" Going towards the source of the dirt cloud would go against everything Queen Elinor might advise.
Merida looked toward Angus, who met her eye and snorted, catching the light in her gaze. "Don't be a baby," she scorned, swinging up onto the horse's back. Merida flicked the reins and gave a decisive needle of her feet into Angus's sides, coaxing him into a gallop. "And to think I thought this day would be boring."
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Post by Jane Porter on Jun 12, 2013 22:28:22 GMT -5
They weren't supposed to use the cannons. Jane had wanted to explore, which meant that she'd chosen to take one of the boats to another Island. The young Englishwoman had, of course, informed Tarzan and Daddy of her intentions, but the two of them had seemed to be in some deep, deep discussion about their new family and hadn't really appeared to hear her.
With a shrug and a sigh, Jane had then scribbled a quick note on the slate that had first been used as an expedition tool and then as a way to help teach Tarzan, letting her dear ones know that she had set off to explore and that she was all right.
Today, though, instead of her usual loincloth set, she'd opted for a ... slightly more civilized-looking outfit. The green skirt and yellow shirt she had donned after starting to get used to the differences of the jungle would suffice for today. After spending so long in the jungle, putting on her full Victorian gown, corset and boots included, tended to make her uncomfortable. Of course, there were days when she had pangs of nostalgia and chose to slip into the proper attire that she would have worn back in England, but those days were becoming fewer and farther between.
Now, with this sickness and darkness spreading, it was even more imperative that she should be comfortable and ready to take to the trees, if she needed to. Which was why she had opted to forgo the boots, even though the rest of her outfit was more suited for a place between jungle and court life.
Well, human court life, anyway. Court life with the gorillas was vastly different than it was in England. Her new family had frequently commented on the fact that she and her Daddy continued to wear clothes, when they were now part of the tribe. Due to Daddy's ... clumsiness and penchant for attempting to wear a loincloth himself, they had all discovered that it was for the best that the Professor continue to adhere to the human custom of clothing.
Jane's musings on clothing and human tradition versus gorilla tradition was decidedly beside the point. Today was to be a day of exploration and perhaps diplomacy. But truth be told, she couldn't wait to visit some of the other islands; hopefully, she would discover new flora and fauna there that she hadn't seen either in England or in the jungle!
She was busily sketching away when suddenly, she heard the shot of a cannon.
The Englishwoman closed her sketchbook with a snap, turning to locate the captain of the vessel.
"What on earth was that, captain?" she asked, though she knew perfectly well what it had been.
"Sorry, miss. The crew was practicing loading the cannons and it seems that one got shot off by mistake," the man explained.
"Oh, I do hope that didn't frighten away the native fauna," Jane lamented as they docked.
At the top of the gangplank, Jane turned back to the captain. "I should return by nightfall, Captain," she informed him, "or send a message to be taken back to the camp." After all, it was likely that she would find far more than could be explored in a day, especially if she ran into any people.
As she headed off into the forest, there was another boom and another cannon-shot, the ball whizzing over Jane's head to land well beyond her in a bank, kicking up dirt and smoke as it landed.
Settling her hat more firmly on her head, Jane pulled out her sketchbook and began, drawing some of the trees near where the cannonball had landed, for a reference point to find her way back to the docks.
She was so absorbed in her sketch-work that she didn't notice the young woman on horseback that had appeared in the clearing until she literally ran into the horse, the collision sending her to the ground. She flung her hands out to catch herself, sketchbook sailing through the air to land several feet away.
"I am terribly sorry," she began automatically, and then she actually looked to see who or what she'd run into. Well! She certainly hadn't expected to find a person this quickly!
Last Edit: Aug 9, 2013 17:22:15 GMT -5 by Jane Porter
Merida had been worried that Angus' apprehension to investigate the unnatural noise would make their progress frustratingly sluggish. The horse could be as stubborn as he was squeamish, and when those two worked together against his owner's normally fearless outlook is when their friendship became terse. There were a few instances within the first hundred feet or so where Angus tried to drop into a canter nonchalantly, but Merida would have none of it. The maiden gave a few threats, sharp kicks into her steed's sides, and then finally went to her last resort: bribery.
Thankfully, once Angus had been promised a platter of apples and a bushel of fresh hay upon returning to Castle DunBroch, speed wasn't an issue. The young archer knew the land around her home very well, and even when she was plundering unexplored areas, she had a very good head for directions. Merida was curious about the source of the sound and the dust. Genuinely, true, but part of her longing to investigate was because of her daring nature. Whatever had made the noise was foreign to DunBroch. Merida was certain. As the princess of this land, wasn't it her duty to find out what?
Merida ignored the fact that she was twisting her responsibility as a princess to suit her, but for good reason. Angus and her had arrived at the clearing.
There was a reason why Merida had survived childhood. She was heedless to danger, but conscious of the necessity of caution. At least out in the wild. After Merida had faced down her first bear, she could never understand the sense of subtlety that her Mum wanted to employ in something so trivial by comparison as dinner placement in the castle. Merida had learned the necessity of Queen Elinor's approaches, but at the core of the matter, she would always be more careful in the wilderness than in the court.
Merida gave a soft whisper that instructed Angus to slow to a halt - which was fine by the Clydesdale. Up ahead the trees of the forest drew aside, making room for the clearing that in turn fell away into the banks of a small river mostly shaded by the moss-covered trees. Did Dingle Creek come this far inland? There was talk happening at the waters edge with accents that Merida wasn't familiar with. For all she knew there were pirates or robbers just ten feet away. Quietly, the maiden slipped an arrow from the quiver at her side and knocked it on her bowstring.
Angus shifted uncomfortably, edging forward while his ears swiveled to try to discern who or what was ahead. "Shhh," Merida whispered slowly, drawing the word out at the same time she curled her lithe grip readily over her bow. BOOM! The sound came again, but this time it was so close that it made Merida's ears ring. Angus kicked his back legs, gave a stifled whinny and charged into the clearing, overtaken by some instinct that didn't make any sense to the princess. "Stop, Angus!" she hissed between her teeth.
The horse realized his error and slid to a halt. Too little, too late. The direct sunlight blinded the two for a moment, and then the scene was before them. A ship of some foreign make was moored at the edge of the creek, filled with men in equally bizarre dress. Merida had seen a good share of strangers now that DunBroch was part of Rohandor, but she was still very unused to coping with the different cultures and creatures that coexisted within the realm. She didn't think she'd ever take these kinds of discoveries in stride.
Merida blinked once, just as the crew of the vessel blinked once at her, both parties stunned by finding the other. The redhead's glance darted down to her bow, back to the crew, and then she belatedly drew the string, aiming steadily toward the strangers. The group of men scrutinized Merida's weapon and looked like they were trying not to laugh. Color rose in the maiden's cheeks, equal parts embarrassment and fury. She was just about ready to sheer off the mustache of one crew member when she finally noticed something much nearer at hand.
Ambling toward Merida and Angus was a woman wearing a pale green skirt and creamy yellow shirt. There was a hat perched on her head that made her look a little odd. The woman had a book of some kind open before her and was completely absorbed in scratching in it with a strange quill. Merida kept her aim trained on the group of men. The woman, though closer, didn't strike her as hostile. Not as big a potential threat as the burly sailors on the ship in Dingle Creek, at least. Her glance was distracted by the woman, though.
She was not only peculiar to Merida in action, presence or wardrobe, but she had a quirky atmosphere about her. So much so that Merida didn't notice that the woman was going to walk right into Angus until after the fact. She bounced off of the horse's muscular physique and flopped onto the ground, losing her book in the process. Merida winced at the harsh impact. The woman didn't seem worried though. With the air of someone used to finding themselves splayed on the ground, she picked herself up, maintaining a kind of impressive dignity while doing so, and - in the same strange accent as the crew of the little ship - apologized.
Merida's look of dumbfounded confusion changed into nearly uncomfortable self-consciousness when the strange woman faced her directly. The archer felt like she was being looked at the same way her brothers looked at a plate of sweets they were planning to poach. Her arm was getting tired holding the bowstring taught, aim still on the supposed captain of the little boat. Merida loosened her grip slightly, but not enough to look like she had been entirely disuaded from hostility. Finally, Merida either found the urge or the words to speak. "Who are ye, and wha' are ye doin' here?" She was proud of herself for sounding so demanding and fierce, even if on the inside the princess felt slightly lightheaded at all of this.
Last Edit: Jun 12, 2013 23:36:18 GMT -5 by Deleted
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Post by Jane Porter on Jun 25, 2013 1:07:29 GMT -5
Well, this certainly wasn't the first time she'd ended up on her bottom as a result of running into something while she was distracted by sketching; it happened rather often, in fact. She couldn't help it, though; there were just so many fascinating things, in the jungle and elsewhere, that she had to maintain a drawn record of them.
Jane was only on the ground for a moment before she picked herself back up, brushing off her skirt as she straightened. It was rather a good thing that the horse hadn't been moving very quickly when she ran into it; things could have ended badly, otherwise.
As it was, nothing too terrible had happened. Yes, her sketch book had gone flying when she'd run into the horse, but that was easily remedied. Bending down, Jane picked up her sketchbook and pencil, making sure that everything was still intact. Thankfully, her precious research was all right and none the worse for having been flung across the grass.
It was only after Jane had checked over her sketch book that she finally registered that the young woman on the horse had asked her a question. Two, actually.
"Oh, do forgive my manners!" she exclaimed, straightening her hat. "I was so concerned with my research that I didn't realize you'd asked a question," Jane admitted. If she had lost that sketchbook, countless hours of research would have disappeared, without any trace.
With a smile, Jane extended her hand to the girl on top of the horse. "My name is Jane Porter," she said, introducing herself. "I've come from the Isle of the Jungle to study some of the other islands. My husband is Tarzan, so I suppose you could also say that I'm a representative of the jungle and its inhabitants," she added thoughtfully.
"I am terribly sorry for running into your horse," the Englishwoman apologized again. "But I get so caught up in my sketching and my research that I quite lose track of my surroundings."
Last Edit: Aug 9, 2013 17:23:28 GMT -5 by Jane Porter
Merida could not help it. As disconcerting as this all was, and as bizarre the woman who had collided with Angus happened to be, the young princess had a gut feeling concerning the stranger. Merida had learned to trust her gut long ago, and could now use just that instinctive sense to tell when her younger brothers had something wicked planned, so she could thwart it (if it were aimed at her) or get a good seat (if it wasn't). Right now, that trusty ole gut of hers was offering an immediate opinion on the funnily-dressed woman: she liked her.
Be that as it may, Merida still wasn't about to lower her guard at this unprecedented appearance of a group of strangers. Besides, even if she immediately had a liking for the woman with the funny hat, her opinion of the group of burly men in the boat on Dingle was much more cautious. The sailors did not look like they were going to be aggressive - indeed, most looked like they were attempting to conceal amusement at what they were watching transpire on the shore - but Merida would not be caught unawares.
From the look of the two craters nearby, the crew had some form of weapon on board. Merida's eyes flicked momentarily toward the cylinder of the cannon, which still issued forth a curtail of smoke from its mouth after the most recent use. Merida turned back to the woman near at hand before she could properly stand. With bow in hand, the princess was thinking that the meeting would have a more frazzled air. On the contrary, the woman in the funny had seemed pleasantly at ease once she got herself in order.
Merida blinked, slightly stunned at the conversational way that the stranger addressed her - apologizing more than anything. After Jane - as she named herself - gave reason behind her intrusion in DunBroch, and offered a hand, Merida looked dazedly from the extended limb to Jane's face and back again. She wasn't so unused to Rohandor that she was unaware of other customs used to greet another. In DunBroch as a princess, Merida mostly watched a lot of bowing, curtsying and grasping of forearms firmly.
Looking at the slender hand offered her, Merida recalled a few visitors to DunBroch since its debut that had done something similar. The archer still didn't feel like releasing her firm grip on bow and arrow, but she felt like this Jane was trustworthy. Hopefully enough to make up for the - in Merida's eyes - shady crew that had brought her there. At last, the warrior maiden lowered her bow, kept the arrow against it with a thumb, and reached out her free hand to clasp Jane's and shake it.
"I'm Merida," the girl muttered, feeling that in comparison to Jane Porter's sophisticated introduction hers was somehow lacking. Part of her wondered if she should give her entire title, but the rest dismissed the idea. Even when in Castle DunBroch itself, Merida had to be pressed to get all noble. The princess tilted her head curiously when Jane went on to name her husband. "Tarzan?" she repeated. "I think I've heard of you now," she added thoughtfully.
Yes. The Isle of the Jungle was the place where Merida had been told the forests were so lush, layered and mighty that the trees were like towers, and a few of its inhabitants (Tarzan and his wife, Jane) used hanging vines to swing between them as a form of transportation. Merida really wanted to try that. The swinging bit. Shaking off her musings, the archer straightened slightly and cast her glance over Jane, the shore, Dingle Creek, and the crew-laden boat therein. "Well," she said, forcing herself to project roughly, "welcome to DunBroch."
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Post by Jane Porter on Jul 16, 2013 20:39:37 GMT -5
Jane smiled as the girl shook her proffered hand and introduced herself as Merida. She was about to continue going on about her research when Merida suddenly recognized Tarzan's name.
"Oh, yes, it was such a pity that Tarzan and Daddy couldn't come with me this time, but Daddy's busy with his research on the jungle's local flora and how it might be influenced by some of the changes in Rohandor, and Tarzan's not willing to leave the family unprotected," the young Englishwoman said in practically one breath. "I did try to convince him that Kala, Terk, Tantor, and that lovely young ape whose name I can't quite remember could protect the family while he was gone, but he would have none of it." Jane sighed, shaking her head. "But one of these days, I'll manage to convince him," she said with a grin and a wink at the girl.
It was then that she realized, though, that the girl with the fiery red hair had welcomed her quite graciously to DunBroch. Oh, dear, there she went, forgetting her manners again. It came of being so excited, really, which was another reason the jungle quite suited her better (in a lot of ways, anyway), than the English society to which she would have been returning, had she not chosen to stay with the man she loved.
"Thank you ever so much for the lovely welcome," Jane said, beaming. "I must apologize again for my lack of manners; I do get so excited when I start exploring," she explained, fixing her hat more firmly upon her head.
Jane opened her mouth to say something else when it hit her: DunBroch's princess was called Merida. She had made it a point to start studying (as much as she could, with the few resources they had in the jungle) the rulers and the customs of the other islands.
"It would be just my luck to run into one of the royal family and not realize it until it was rather late to do anything about it," Jane muttered to herself. Then again, the girl hadn't chosen to use her title; either she would rather Jane not use it or the girl felt that Jane should already know that she was the Princess.
To cover up her confusion, Jane smiled brightly, then asked the question that had first popped into her head when she had seen the bright red hair and delightful face of the other young woman, "Would you mind awfully if I sketched you?" She really could use practice with portraits.
Last Edit: Oct 7, 2013 12:35:11 GMT -5 by Jane Porter
Merida lived with, and was raised by Queen Elinor of DunBroch. Queen Elinor, who could give you twelve things to do in just as many seconds. Queen Elinor, who had it in her power to speak so swiftly everyone was carried along with her, until any conflict that had once been was forgotten in the act of trying to sort through, or keep up with her phrases. Conversely, she could soothe raging spirits or scorn disrespectful tongues with a look, but it was the former attributes that mattered just now. Because, even having been raised by Queen Elinor, Merida was completely and utterly overcome by Jane Porter's words. The foreign woman spoke so swiftly, and with so few breaks for breathing besides, that Merida wondered in the back of her mind if it really was even possible to do so.
After the initial flood of syllables, Merida sat in her saddle, and could only blink, stunned. Angus glanced up at his mistress and gave a quivering whinny. The crew on the boat at the shore were snickering to one another, nudging each other in the ribs with elbows. Obviously they had seen such reactions to their employer before, if not had the same one themselves the first time they met Miss Porter. "Whaaa, now?" Merida's rebuttal was severely lacking in terms of finesse, or poetic phrasing, but it was a feat to come up with that in the aftermath of Jane's tidal wave of information. Then the woman was apologizing for her rush, saying how it's what happened when she got excited.
"Erm," Merida scratched her head, still at a loss for what to say, "don't worry about it." The princess felt dreadfully out of her depth, and whereas Jane Porter met such situations with excitement, Merida just felt she was getting a headache, like the kind she used to have when mum made her spend whole hours memorizing her ancestral line. "A princess knows exactly how she became such," you know. Jane muttered something under her breath that Merida didn't quite catch, but before she could inquire about it, the woman had moved on to something else entirely. Angus was enjoying himself with his snorting snickers. It was quite the sight to see Merida at a loss. Usually she made everyone else just that.
"Can you... sketch me?" Merida reiterated the question slowly, just now finished scratching her head, which had been prolonged indefinitely with Jane's continued speed of conversation, and only now stopped because Merida was afraid she'd draw blood from her own scalp. Then the princess understood the question being asked. Jane wanted to draw her. Her, who had to be caught asleep, or tied forcibly with rope to a chair to get a firm likeness of for tapestries. Finally Queen Elinor had deferred to memory, not an actual model, because Merida pitched such a fit: it was so boring! Not only that, but she was so unsure of herself in the face of Jane Porter already that Merida didn't quite know what to do.
Subconsciously, she latched onto the first thing that might change the subject. Merida didn't know if she was opposed to Jane sketching her, but the thought of sitting still there, in front of the men who were snickering at her, did not sound at all appealing. Stuck in the scene that had her slightly dizzy. "Are you here to see my mu-... The king and queen?" Merida kicked herself internally for slipping up, probably obviously. What good did it do her to try to shy away from her title if she openly admitted that the queen was her mum? Maybe Jane, who seemed very invested in 'exploring' (which Merida understood) would latch onto the idea, in which case Merida would feel much more in her element, than in this little alien pocket that the crew and Jane Porter had turned the shore of Dingle Creek into?
(OOC: sorry for the delay, and if the post is horrid. D:)
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Post by Jane Porter on Oct 7, 2013 12:54:05 GMT -5
Even as Jane was speaking to Merida, she was flipping through her sketchbook, trying to find a clean page. The young woman might not necessarily have agreed to allow Jane to draw her, but that didn't mean that the young Englishwoman couldn't go ahead and do so anyway. It wasn't as though she was asking Merida to sit for a portrait; more along the lines of "is it all right if I have your likeness in my sketchbook." But Merida had such lovely, unique features that Jane would be sneaking glances at her, sketching away, regardless of the other girl's answer.
Clearly, if she was very much offended by the idea, Jane would simply have to find another subject to sketch, but she was determined to work on her people-sketching skills, and what better way than to begin with Merida of DunBroch, with her fiery, flyaway hair and her mischievous green eyes?
"Oh, of course, if you don't want me to, I won't, but you have such lovely features that I would simply love to draw you," Jane gushed with a smile. "And you don't have to sit still for it, really; I'll just be glancing over at you time and again as you ride, which is why I thought it might be best to ask you instead of just starting to sketch you," she laughed. People in London had already thought she was strange; it would be just her luck to go exploring and to start making a reputation for herself among the other isles as that strange Englishwoman who lived in the jungle with that wild man. Which ... wouldn't be incorrect, really, but it would be ever so much more pleasant to have a reputation built on her artistic abilities or her intelligence than her eccentricities.
Jane was so caught up in her own world of drawing and art that she almost missed Merida's question.
"Hmm?" she asked, and then the query penetrated her brain. "Oh! Well, I could, I suppose, but I do think it would be ever so much more interesting to explore the isle...; I promised Daddy I'd tell him about some of the flora and fauna native to this land, you know," she said, almost confidentially. "And I do really think that Tarzan should be with me, if there were to be any Royal visits," she mused out loud. After all, he was the leader of the jungle; she was his wife, yes, but she didn't know enough, yet, about the languages or the inhabitants of their kingdom to really feel comfortable speaking on those topics, should she be asked about them.
Merida's furrowed expression smoothed out considerably when Jane began to explain the act of sketching - more specifically, what it would mean on the subject's part: Merida. "Oh," the princess said, drawing out the simple, two-letter word to emphasize her newly found understand. "Well, alright, then." Merida tried a smile, knowing that it looked forced and not at all genuine. Perhaps even a touch uncomfortable. The prospect of just being glanced at occasionally while Jane busied herself in the little book that she had brought was much less harrowing than those tapestry sessions that Merida had related to.
What more, the princess of DunBroch was slowly becoming more at ease. Though she didn't realize it, Jane's nonstop, words-running-together-because-of-being-spoken-so-fast way of speaking was helping in that regard. Merida was having to focus so much on catching everything that the woman before her said - something that was making her lessons growing up, learning historic facts at the behest and overseeing of her mother, look tame - that there wasn't any room left over for her mind to fidget under the gaze of all the crew members nearby.
The redhead was evenly split when Jane explained her true purpose for visiting DunBroch. On the one hand, that ruled out Merida's escaping their encounter. She couldn't simply hand Jane over to her mum, and be on her merry way. On the other, Merida could truthfully understand the foreigner's desire for exploration and discovery. That was her territory - metaphorically, and physically, having superb knowledge of DunBroch - and knowing that Jane delighted in her own past time made her company much less awkward.
Not that Jane was at fault for Merida's being uncomfortable. She simply was not used to interacting with people in general - her family and the members of their castle staff were by and large Merida's primary social circle, until just recently with the meeting of the clans. Jane was a bit much to take when Merida's conversational skills extended to talking to Angus, listening to one of her father's stories, or her mum's instructions. Merida was not often grasped by the desire to fulfill the responsibilities of her title - though, since reconciliation with her mother over her betrothal, she was playing her part more and more.
Which was why Merida - and Angus moreover - was surprised at what she was about to offer, under the thought that it was her duty as princess of the region. "I... I could show you around, if you want," she said thoughtfully. "I know these forests pretty well," Merida smiled, amused at her own modesty.
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Post by Jane Porter on Jan 6, 2014 13:30:02 GMT -5
"Splendid!" Jane beamed at the young woman as she agreed to allow Jane to sketch her. "You've such strong and lovely features that I would have been heartbroken had you refused." A pause, and then Jane resumed with, "Well, not quite heartbroken, but I would have been saddened by a missed opportunity to sketch such a lovely person."
She realized, at that point, that she was going on and on, again and instead busied herself with sketching, both Merida and the flora around her. Oh, and that marvelous horse of hers, too.
There was just so much to consider that she would have to work on several sketches before she'd truly captured how wonderful this place was.
At Merida's offer, Jane looked up from her sketchbook with a smile.
"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose...., but that would be simply delightful!" If she had Merida with her, she wouldn't have to worry about getting lost, or getting so caught up in doing research and sketches of various plant and animal life that she completely lost track of time.
Of course, it was always possible for her to lose track of time anyway, but if someone else was there, it was more likely that the other person would speak up before Jane got completely flummoxed by time.
"It's taken me a bit of time to get used to the jungle at home," she said, "but now that I've been living there for some time, I've stopped getting lost. When one goes to the jungle from a place like London, everything looks the same, to begin with. But then one starts to learn one's way around and it becomes ever so much easier."
Fortunately, Jane was too busy putting pencil to paper to recognize what change her stream of compliments was inspiring in her subject. Merida didn't realize all at once that the nice things the Englishwoman was saying were directed at her. Then, when she finally comprehended that, she blinked, and then became fairly flustered. Heat rose in Merida's cheeks, creeping up behind her freckles and slowly turning her skin a color more closely matching her hair.
Merida decided that something probably needed to be said on her part, if only to give her something to do. "Erm... Thank you," she muttered uncomfortably. Angus rolled his eyes and gave a sarcastic snort. Merida knew that an awkward thanks wasn't much in comparison to what Jane had said, but she didn't know what else there was to say on her part. While Jane continued on, Merida realized that she could do something to preoccupy her attention in the form of dismounting.
It wouldn't very well be polite to lead Jane through the wilderness of DunBroch on horseback, with the visitor toddling along beside, would it? By the time the princess had slipped off of Angus' saddle and arranged her bow so that it hung across her shoulders, Jane was speaking of her jungle home. Merida's eyes brightened at that, her mind fixating on adventure and intrigue in a way that helped her to subconsciously quit blushing.
"What's the jungle like?" Merida asked curiously, her natural inquisitiveness gaining supremacy over how uncomfortable she'd been until that point. "Do you really swing on vines?" That myth that came on trader's tongues who visited with DunBroch from other regions of Rohandor was one of the few that really stuck with Merida. It sounded so unrealistic that the princess had refused to let herself truly invest belief in it. And yet... If the rumor were true... Well, that sounded like one of the most fun things she'd ever heard.
Posts: 64 Likes: 20 Health Points: 200 Courage Points: 200 Played By: Molly
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Post by Jane Porter on Jan 28, 2014 23:22:39 GMT -5
Jane could've kept sketching for hours, but since Merida was going to show her around, she marked her place in her sketchbook, closed it, and put it back in the bag she'd taken to carrying on her adventures so as not to have another incident. Though she had since become friends with the baby baboon and his family, they hadn't exactly met under what one could call 'good' circumstances. And she certainly didn't want anything like that to happen again.
By the time Merida had dismounted from her ridiculously large horse (Jane honestly didn't think she'd ever seen a horse quite so large before), Jane had put her sketchbook away and tucked her pencil behind her ear. If she found any particularly fascinating flora or fauna, though, the sketchbook would come out again in a heartbeat.
At Merida's question about the jungle, Jane practically lit up. True, she hadn't been overly fond of everything when she'd first arrived, but now the jungle was her home; she adored her home. Honestly, she couldn't imagine living anywhere else, now. Especially because of Tarzan and the family they'd made with the gorillas.
"Oh, the jungle's simply splendid!" Jane gushed, smiling happily. "Of course, when I first arrived, I was not dressed for it, and I didn't know what to expect, at all, but it grew on me," her smile turned wistful. "It's my home and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Well, except for Tarzan. If he decided we were going somewhere else, I wouldn't hesitate to pack up and go."
Jane laughed at Merida's question about swinging on vines.
"We do, actually; that's one of the fastest methods of transportation, though I'm not nearly as graceful as Tarzan." Jane lit up with an idea and added, "Perhaps you could come visit us, someday!"
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Welcome to Happily Ever Afters!
Tony Dracon: Responded to your PM, Kat/Ratigan, incidentally.
Jun 27, 2018 20:25:02 GMT -5
David Xanatos: Kat's back. Hope the vacation was fun.
Jul 21, 2018 21:00:05 GMT -5
Professor Ratigan: 'Twas a good trip! I'm sad it's over, but at the same time I'm glad to be back home so I can finish up my cosplays for a con next month and hang out with my cats
Jul 26, 2018 12:34:56 GMT -5
Basil of Baker Street: Hope the cosplay goes well. I'm putting away a little extra for a con in a few weeks. and yay cats, they're always good company. Except for that one who slaps me unprovoked XD. So what cosplays do you have in mind unless they're secret?
Jul 26, 2018 17:07:41 GMT -5
Professor Ratigan: I'm cosplaying Pearl from Steven Universe and Joseph Joestar from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure!
Jul 26, 2018 23:16:41 GMT -5
Professor Ratigan: I'm almost done both of them, I just have to finish styling Pearl's wig and fix up Joseph's gloves and wristbands
Jul 26, 2018 23:17:31 GMT -5
Basil of Baker Street: Awesome. Had to look up Jojo because I'm not hip with the modern pop culture but I hope they turn out well.
Jul 30, 2018 15:33:15 GMT -5
Professor Ratigan: I only just started watching the anime last year and I haven't even touched the manga, so I'm barely hip with it lol. fortunately I have my cosplay buddy guiding me through the whole experience
Jul 30, 2018 22:29:38 GMT -5
Professor Ratigan: also I finally finished the gloves! They were more of a pain to work with than I expected, but they'll hold together... I hope...
Jul 30, 2018 22:30:13 GMT -5
Basil of Baker Street: Niceness. Hoping they hold also. Got the Dublin comic con next Saturday here. Hoping to meet Karl Urban.
Aug 1, 2018 19:05:32 GMT -5
Professor Ratigan: Cool! I think he's coming to my city in the fall, if I remember correctly. Hope you enjoy the con, Daryl!
Aug 2, 2018 19:10:23 GMT -5
Basil of Baker Street: I spoke too soon. Karl Urban had to cancel for schedule conflicts. They got Nick Frost though, I'm gonna ask him if he'll sign my Hot Fuzz.
Aug 3, 2018 18:08:47 GMT -5
Professor Ratigan: Dang! Nick Frost is great though, I love his character in Into the Badlands
Aug 4, 2018 22:54:36 GMT -5
Basil of Baker Street: Enjoy your weekend Kat, hope the costumes came out as you wanted.
Aug 10, 2018 16:49:31 GMT -5
Basil of Baker Street: Met Nick Frost and Michael Dorn at the weekend. Both very nice blokes.
Aug 13, 2018 15:22:59 GMT -5
Dodger: Happy 2019 everyone
Jan 1, 2019 10:54:04 GMT -5
Yen Sid: If anyone is passing by I posted a Hiatus update. Hope everyone is doing well!
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Yen Sid: I've temporarily disabled account creation while I update the site. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for your patience!
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Owen Burnett/Puck: Checked the site again and saw the update! Here's hoping to a revitalized 2022.
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