Thread: The Prince's Plight

People were everywhere, and that made Lox more uncomfortable than being flanked by sixteen armed enemies on either side of him. To his dismay, the king wouldn't have the bulky guards blocking the peoples view of Lox and ordered all of them save two away so everyone who crowded about could get a really good look. Even though most chatted and openly stared at him they appeared only to have a good time with their friends without actually approaching him, and the fact that they were all so close and it was obvious that they were either talking about him or smiling at his attire made the whole act an expression of ignorance. Having extremely little tolerance for such things Lox walked away, and this seemed to shock the people as a notably vicious prisoner was given free leave to walk about without all the guards. Where ever he went though, most chatted excitedly and pointed, laughing at his attire and repeating hundreds of different stories about his savagery and viciousness but none were brave enough to approach. passing by the banquet table, he plucked a ripe strawberry up and popped it into his mouth before he approached a few artist diligently sketching scenes from the party to paint into portraits later. He chewed reflectively as the artist stopped immediately and looked up at him nervously, all turning pail as he approached and a particularly paint smeared woman looked ready to bolt as Lox stood right beside her and looked into those big scared brown eyes. Turning to see her sketch, he wasn't surprised to see himself just a moment before looking calmly into a crowd of people pointing and laughing amongst themselves and smiled at her proficiency. She had drawn it exactly as it had appeared, something rare amongst artist who only god paid for painting what people wanted to see, but he wouldn't be surprised if she made a pretty coin off of this original sketch. What really made her blanch though was when he leaned down and picked up a clean canvas and looking her dead in the eye once more, plucked the stick of coal out of her hand before moving away once more with his prize tucked under his left arm. The general babble of the crowd increased significantly at the act, both the questionable way he had terrified the poor artist and why he had taken a canvas when it was obvious he was a brutal animal and incapable of finer arts. But there were servants among the nobles, and they offered accounts of his piano playing that made the rumors fly every which way with new intensity at what had to be an outright lie. But all things in the hall ceased when an adorable little girl who was obviously some nobles child came running by giggling, not knowing why all the adults kept their a good distance cleared out of fear of him attacking. Mostly everyone there were eying him, and a shocked gasp echoed as Lox scooped the child up in his right arm with the little one shrieking in delight. The guards to his left clanked as they took a step, and froze when he jerked his head around and glared with every ounce of hatred and viciousness he could muster, which in turn gave the people a taste of why they called him such, but the look vanished as he turned back to the child sitting easily on his forearm who was looking in confusion at the crowd and murmured something so low none could hear. The little girl turned back to him as he smiled with soft affection, murmured to her once more and smiled all the more warmly as the little one nodded her head and smiled back at him. Setting her gently on the ground Lox patted her head before placing his hand on her shoulder and whispered one last time before she giggled again and darted off to the table along the wall and fortunately for him away from the crowd who would snatch her away. Climbing up on a chair the little one took the flowers out of the vase as Lox moved off to sit in a lone chair along the same wall, and after a moment she came running back up and stood in front of him with an adorable smile one her innocent face. Instantly Lox's right hand streaked along the canvas he had taken, and though the little child's face changed as he looked at him with anticipation Lox's eyes flicked back to her every now and then as his hand moved with furious speed along the taunt canvas. For as long as every one was standing around looking at the two of them with no small amount of fear and confusion in their eyes it hadn't taken Lox longer than five minuets before he sighed and smiled at the little one and turned the drawing around to show her. Once more Lox heard gasps and then a sudden flurry of murmuring as the little girl smiled and leaned forward to look closer at the sketch. He had captured her the moment she had came up with the flowers and smiled happily up at him, and he had spared no detail on either her face, cloths, or the flowers she clutched to her chest in the span of only a few minuets. For the people, this was unthinkable that the animal that had looked like he was about to kill the guards could preform such a feat, and the other artists had all moved to examine the work from the crowd at different angles nodding and murmuring excitedly to each other. Leaning forward Lox murmured one last time to the little girl who smiled and put the flowers back on the table but not before picking out a single rose from the bunch and bringing it back to him. She offered it to him with a happy smile, and Lox leaned down to take it then gave her the portrait. With one last look of wonder at the sketch the little girl threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, and after returning it with an affectionate smile she ran back to the crowd to find her parents and show it to them.