The Great Game || Sansa Stark & Yuna

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moffnat

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Genres
Fantasy, politics, historical fiction, romance
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Behind the masks, everyone is safe.

The Kingdom of Luxor was never the same. A great divide between the rich and poor sets
this land apart from any other in history. Rich and luxurious, for which the kingdom derived
its name, the nobility of Luxor is without complaint. They are privileged beyond belief, never
exposed to the trials and tribulations of the poor. They adorn themselves in rich porcelain
masks to hide their faces, their true selves and intentions, from any who would look upon them.
This is called "The Game"; a great political scandal that keeps the nobles on their toes and the
royalty quite weary. Backstabbing, murder, gambling, affairs, and all manner of inexcusable
crimes are committed with no evidence to the suspect. Grandiose and false is the description
of Luxor high society, where King Francoise sits on his high golden throne, weary of the
Game and all who play it. Surely there must be someone who shares his beliefs.


Enter Lillian, a beautiful young teacher among the poor ranks of society. Sold to the castle
to pay her father's debts, she becomes the first real face that the king has seen in years.
Adoration is quickly born. When the nobles become aware of the king's affection for the new
servant girl, alliances are made, promises broken, hearts shattered and blood spilled in an attempt
to gain royal favor. All the king wants is a bride who will love him and his dark secret. But
as time passes, he begins to believe that future to be unattainable, just as he feared.


Follow the tale of our lonely king and beautiful maiden, who must defy the law itself
to consummate the forbidden love they create.
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Lillian Marie Harper
Twenty-Three
Five feet and six inches, one hundred and thirty pounds.


Lillian was born into a family that has lived in poverty for years, but have made the most of it during them. A happy family that never complained about anything as poor as they were, always saying that tomorrow will always be a new fresh start. Her father is a farmer, willing to give others free produce whenever they needed food to eat. Little did the family know, it was hurting them and the little money they had was running low. Of course they were always positive, selfless individuals who did not care for anything. They made the most out of life. Her mother is a seamstress, doing her best to keep clothes on her family's backs and will also help clothe other families when they were in need.

Lillian goes around and helps others when they are in need. She teaches children how to read and write, trying to keep them literate as possible with the little resources that she had. At least it was something. In a way, she seemed to be the only school teacher that had the most education even if she taught herself the little that she knew. Besides that, she plays with the children and makes sure that they keep their spirits up.

Considering that, Lillian has always been a free spirit and a positive individual that others admired. The others in poverty always looked to her and her family just because they always seemed to be happy even if their lives were not glamorous. She learned to be selfless, always putting others ahead of her and wanting to make others happy. That was just how she was, never thinking twice about it. Nothing was wrong with her. People admired her.


Likes:
-Children, they keep her imagination alive and makes her feel young.
-Nature, she sometimes roams around in small forest areas and loves to bird watch.
-Dancing, it keeps her energy up and delighted.
-Helping others, it is her passion to make others happy as it was her family motto.


Dislikes
-Selfish people, which is a trait of most nobles and people who think they did not need help.
-Taking orders, as being a free spirit she does not like being told what to do.
-Nobles, she just hates the fact that they put everyone in poverty and how they do not do much to help their people.



Family:
James Rem Harper, father - 51
Alicia Mae Harper, mother - 48
Cassandra Kristin Harper, sister - 16




King Francoise IV[/I]
Thirty-four
Six feet and three inches, two-hundred and ten pounds


Francoise was the first-born son of King Donahue I and Queen Esmeralda. His mother's pregnancy was a difficult one and it took her many years to conceive. She believed that upon her conception, she had been blessed by the gods. However, after Francoise's birth, the king and his wife no longer trusted the divine. Francoise was born warped and twisted, with a facial deformity that was hideous to look upon. The custom of nobles and their masks had been in place long before the birth of the crippled prince, but King Donahue was all the more grateful for it, as it would hide his son's deformity from the world.

Francoise, on the other hand, was indifferent to his own "shortcomings." He grew up in masks around others and felt no discrimination for a condition no one could see. He was told strictly by his mother and father never to expose to anyone the secrets of his face, so he didn't. The young prince has only seen a handful of faces in his life.

At the age of thirteen, his father passes away from age and his mother followed suit mere months later. Francoise was crowned king and his younger sister, Estelle, was named Princess Royal until Francoise takes a wife and produces heirs. He is hesitant to marry, however, for Francoise has a gentle heart and a brilliant brain, and he despises the games his fellow nobles play. He wants to find someone his heart can belong to, but he fears such things are impossible. He is afraid of his own face when he takes his mask off at night, and he is afraid his future wife will think the same, too.

Likes:
-Antiquities. He values things that have survived over time.
-The human body. He appreciates the look of skin and facial structure.
-Books. He spends hours locked up in his personal study, reading about ancient times and various subjects.
-Music. He is quite the accomplished musician, especially with the harp.

Dislikes:
-Forceful people. He is king, and does not like to have his authority challenged.
-Social activity. Large gatherings make him uncomfortable.
-Bad politics. He just wants everything to run smoothly.

Immediate family:
-Princess Estelle, sister, 25


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[fieldbox=Lillian Harper: The Silent Servant, #FF99FF, solid, 0, Arial]

There was a dream that involved happiness and laughter, twirling in a field of flowers with a carefree sense of youthful spirit. Gleeful laughs came from children as they played, enjoying the beauty of the land and breathing in the fresh air as they played a game of tag. Then it turned dark, the sky became gloomy and rain started to pour down. This made the children run to their homes, while one woman stood in place being unable to move from where she was. A sound, a bell, caught her attention and in response she looked to see a man standing in the field with a black robe and a white mask. Fear struck her as she was still unable to move, and within a blink the man appeared in front of her. Rain cascaded down her face, her blue eyes showed her fear and then a scream sounded from her mouth as the man grabbed her.

That is when Lillian Harper jolted up from her slumber to spring up to a sitting position, breathing heavy and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face. "A dream," she muttered to herself, her hand went to her face as she rubbed her eyes. These masked men came to her dreams more often than it should, bringing her into nightmares of when she was taken willingly from her family. From a long story to a short one, she left her family to serve in the castle to pay for her father's debts even with protests from her family. She was a selfless woman, always wanting to keep them happy. Anything for her family. That is why she now served in the castle.

It has almost been a week, and yet she has never seen the King. All of her servant duties were behind the scenes that made her no where close to the presence of him. However, she did not mind. She kept herself away from the nobles, keeping her head low and keeping from eye contact when she did serve them in any way. At least none treated her with disrespect, not yet, as she was always silent and did what she was told. As much as it broke her spirit, she had to do what she was told or there would be consequences that she would not want to go through. Servants were low in the pyramid, and maybe not even considered to be humans among the royals.

Raising from her bed, in which was only a cot that was uncomfortable and suitable for a servant, she walked towards the door in the need for fresh air. Placing on her white flat shoes that matched the color of her nightgown, she left the room and headed down the dark empty hall. The same dream lingered in her mind and with night after night wandering around the halls had started to be routine. She missed her family terribly, wondering how they were doing and if the children were okay without their teacher. These thoughts always crossed her mind at all parts of the day, and it was fine to be curious.

Aimlessly she walked, not knowing where her feet was taking her until she came across a room. Stopping for a moment, she noticed the fireplace that made the room glow with the soft light of the fire. From the crack in the door she could see the luxurious look of the furniture and saw a glimpse of the wall of books. A library? She never thought that she would find something like this, but then again she never traveled far into the castle. It was risky adventuring since she could get in trouble, but she wanted to know more about the castle itself. Pressing her hand to the door, she gently opened it a little more to glance around at the lovely room before her. These nobles lived such a glorious life, and sometimes she was envious because of her family that was in poverty. It was unfair.

These books looked marvelous from what she could see. Books those in poverty would never seen in their lifetime with how little their education was. It was unfortunate and she wished that she could give them the books that they needed. Taking a step inside, she was only going to look for a moment. A risk to be caught, but she wanted to know what more knowledge these books had to offer. As she stood in front of a wall of books, her fingers gently went against the spines of some as she marveled how well kept they were and left her unaware of her surroundings.[/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=King Francoise IV: The Masked Monarch, #ff9900, solid, 0, times]
The crackle of the hearthfire was all the company he needed. On lonely nights when not a soul was around, Francoise often took to the comforts of privacy in his own personal study to delve into the lives of some ancient heroes. He would rather spend time fighting dragons or learning the rules of fantastical magic than sit on a throne all day. Literature was Francoise's favorite pastime, aside from the harp, but the latter would draw far too much attention to himself at a time when all he wanted was to be alone. Solitude was what healed the king from a long day at court, and solitude was what kept him sane.

Deep down, Francoise wondered if that would ever change.

The weary king sat in his velvet chair opposite the fireplace, flipping the page of his adventure novel with great interest. He had read the book many times. It was a story of a young prince afflicted with dwarfism, disowned and hated by his people because he lacked physical strength that would prove him a great warrior. The tale was about the prince's journey to redemption and claiming his rightful place on the throne by means of wit and manipulation. Francoise felt he related to the protagonist and often came to the book in times of deep trouble, or when he believed he needed guidance.

Do I need guidance now? he thought, setting the book down on his knee and gazing into the fire. Am I truly as lost as I feel?

Like an answer from the gods, he heard the soft shift of fabric and the trail of skin on his priceless books. He knew that sound all too well. The king was not alone. He sat in silence a moment, listening through the fabric he wore for a sound, any sound that might give away the identity of his unexpected guest. When he heard nothing but soft breaths, the king closed his book and cleared his throat. There were only so many ways to handle the situation, and he believed he knew which was best.

Francoise stood from his chair and placed his prized novel on the table beside him. He glanced in the mirror, looking at the face of his porcelain mask before turning to the labyrinth of bookshelves that splayed out before him like a maze.

"Who's there?" he called. "Show yourself. I command it."[/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=Lillian Harper: The Silent Servant, #FF99FF, solid, 0, Arial]

In these mere seconds of gazing at the books, Lillian only could think of what it would be like if those in poverty had these resources. One day, perhaps, and she knew that it would be a long while until the nobles will realize that those who were less fortunate needed the help. It was a dream to have lives be turned around and she could only be positive while hoping for the best for everyone else. Right now she hoped to go home soon, she wanted to see her family again, but she knew that she was sold to the castle and was only allowed with permission. Permission from who she wondered?


Hearing a distinct sound of a throat being cleared, she stepped away from where she stood and stopped running her fingers over the spines of the books. She was caught. Certainly there would be a consequence for being somewhere she was not suppose to be and that was what she feared. Cringing at the thought, she turned her body to face where she heard the voice. A command to show herself, considering that she seemed to be far in the books as she saw no one behind her. There was no use in running, she was already caught. Her heart beat against her chest at a rapid pace, feeling nervous and completely lost at what to do.


Just move forward, she told herself. Mustering up a slight courage, she took this time and stepped to show herself. Keeping her head down, she made sure not to look this man in the eye in fear of him being a noble. Of course he would be a noble, no other servant was roaming around this late at night. Her hands were clasped in front of her, standing in a way to show that she was nervous. She did not know who this man was, his voice was not recognizable to her. Not being able to look up without permission meant she had no idea what his position was, but she knew to treat all of them with the same respect.


For now she said nothing. Only speak when spoken to. That was drilled into her head because she witnessed someone else being punished for speaking out of turn. It pained her that she could do nothing but listen to muffled cries and laughs of the cruel nobles. Lillian just chose to stay quiet, deeming her the silent servant of the castle. No one really heard her speak, and most thought it was because she was angry with them for taking her from her family. That was not the case though.


Standing there, she waited for him to speak to her and hopefully say who he was. Hopefully he would not be cruel about her being out of bounds. This situation continued to make her nervous.[/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=King Francoise IV: The Masked Monarch, #ff9900, solid, 0, times]
He blinked, though she could not see it. For a moment he thought he had fallen asleep along the sofa and conjured an angel in his dreams. There was no way for him to test his current state of mind without looking ridiculous in front of a peasant, and pinching himself would require quite a bit of force through the fabric of his clothes. But he thought, if only for a moment, that she could in fact be real. Francoise stood awestruck until he remembered he was given a voice to speak with, and used it accordingly.

"Show me your face," he said. "The mask conceals me for a reason. The porcelain isn't so hideous to look at." The statement was made bitterly, but he hoped she would not take offense.

When she obeyed his command and looked up, Francoise was sure she belonged to heaven.

Her eyes were a sparkling blue, warm and inviting, not the cold ice he had seen before in some of the nobles. Her blonde curls were flattering and her form was petite, graceful even, yet she held herself like a woman who had known hard labor. By the state of her gown he could tell she was no better than a serving wench, perhaps a girl who worked in the kitchens or castle fields, and as such she had every right to be nervous. But her skin, her beautiful pale skin, it looked soft to the touch as she did herself, and Francoise knew he could not bear to punish her.

He wondered if she knew who he was. If she didn't, he dare not speak the truth.

"What are you doing wandering the castle at night?" he asked. "This is the king's study. You should not be here." The king, still hoping to remain anonymous, straightened his back and tried to gain a tone of gentle authority. "I could have you whipped for trespassing here. But I am not unkind. Books are irresistible, are they not? I suppose I can't blame your curiosity."

And in a single moment, his heart acted before his logical mind could intervene.

"Come. Sit by the fire. You look far too cold for this winter's night."[/fieldbox]
 
[fieldbox=Lillian Harper: The Silent Servant, #FF99FF, solid, 0, Arial]


Nerves went through her as Lillian stood in front of this noble, not knowing who he was. Her ears were hot, making her feel how terrified she was. Never was she told to look up at the mask and never did she want to force herself to, but this man in front of him wanted her to gaze upon him. Her eyes looked him over, and she immediately felt underdressed because of the expensive fabric he wore compared to the cheap dress that she was wearing. All of this made her feel quite uncomfortable, not knowing what to do or say. His mask was beautiful, but the look of it still scared her because of her dreams. Porcelain masks would make her feel uneasy everytime she were to see them, and that is why she never looked at them.


Words made no way to her mouth, afraid that her voice would come out in a tremble when she tried to defend herself. Then again, why bother defend herself when she was in the wrong to go in this room in the first place? All she did was keep her hands clasped in front of her, shifting her weight from one foot to the next. Then what he offered next surprised her. Now he wanted her to sit with him, which was unheard of from a noble.


Her eyes lowered once more to the ground, and she knew she had to reason with him. "My Lord, I do not think that is wise, I am just a servant and it is certainly frowned upon for a servant to sit with a noble," she told him, speaking in such a proper way that most would think that she was of a higher class as well.


"But if you insist, I will," she added, her gaze went up to his even if she could not see his eyes. It was a bold thing to say, but he was the one who had offered first. All of this felt strange considering that this man was incredibly kind, making her change the thought of all nobles being terrible people.


With no other word, she slowly headed to the sitting area in front of the fire and she felt warmer as she gotten near. However, she felt as if she was walking on eggshells as she moved herself to one of the chairs. Nervously, she sat down on the chair and her hands kept on her lap. One hand went up, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear when it moved out of place. Out of habit, she looked down and waited for him to speak again before she let words come out of her mouth.[/fieldbox]
 
[fieldbox=King Francoise IV: The Masked Monarch, #ff9900, solid, 0, times]
Who was she, to tell him what is a isn't wise? Was she so averse to her own self that she would not let another person become close to her? Francoise wasn't offended in the slightest, but he wondered if she feared the rod so much that she would dare tell a noble not to associate with her, especially a king. To her credit, she had seemingly yet to discover his true identity and therefore might be acting upon the assumption that he was simply the average rich man. For what it was worth, he liked the thought very much, but her fear of him was unnerving.

Most of all, he wished she could relax. It was a sobering look into the mind of a servant, to see her behavior so shy and withdrawn from him in spite of the social clash. It made Francoise ache to please her. Somehow. Someway. He wanted this strange beauty in his library to be able to smile around him, to not wear her own mask made of fear.

Francoise took a seat opposite her. He studied her a moment with his hands folded in his lap, careful not to frighten her with too much silence.

"What is your name?" he asked gently. "And what are you doing up so late? A lady like yourself shouldn't be wandering the castle alone at night."[/fieldbox]
 
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